What Does DLP Mean in an HDTV?

DLP technology provides high-definition viewing in many televisions.

Digital light processing (DLP) applications include televisions, cinemas and projectors. The central component of all DLP systems is the DLP chip, which was invented by Larry Hornbeck in 1987. The DLP chip contains as many as 2 million microscopic mirrors.

Function

For grayscale, the mirrors in the DLP chip reflect light toward or away from its source. For color, a white light source coordinates with a video signal and passes through a color filter, and the DLP chip reflects the light through a lens to create a viewable image. Some systems use three DLP chips, and some use solid-state illumination in place of the white light and filter.

Applications

Many high-definition televisions use DLP technology for their displays. DLP televisions can produce resolutions of up to 1080p, or 1920-by-1080 resolution. This is the highest resolution offered by high-definition media players, video game consoles and cable and satellite providers.

Benefits

DLP televisions are generally thinner than other high-definition televisions, and pricing tends to be lower when compared by screen size. DLP televisions offer higher contrast capabilities than LCD displays. Unlike cathode-ray tubes and plasma screens, DLP televisions cannot experience "burn-ins," which are permanent discolorations on the screen.

References

• DLP: How DLP Technology Works
• DLP: DLP HDTV FAQs