DLP® Technology

About DLP® products

The DLP® Products division creates world-class digital technology that empowers leading electronics manufacturers, scientists, and engineers to innovate. Our technology continuously enables breakthrough development in light-steering applications ranging from digital cinema and home entertainment to optical networking and DNA synthesis.

Texas Instruments established the DLP® Products division in 1993 to unleash the potential of one scientist's vision for an all-digital optical device that would enable light to be manipulated with previously unimaginable accuracy and speed.

Today, Dr. Larry Hornbeck is on his twenty-ninth patent and going strong. And the DLP® Products division is shaping the digital future with the same dedication to excellence that's made Texas Instruments a world leader in digital signal processing.

A History of Innovation

1977
  • Texas Instruments scientist Dr. Larry Hornbeck begins exploring how the principles of reflection can be used to manipulate light.
1987
  • Dr. Hornbeck develops the Digital Micromirror Device, or DMD: an optical semiconductor capable of steering photons with unparalleled accuracy.
1992
  • Texas Instruments forms the Digital Imaging Venture Project to explore the commercial viability of the Digital Micromirror Device.
1993
  • Digital Light Processing™ technology is named; the Digital Imaging division (later to become the DLP® Products division) is established to unlock its potential for commercial projection display applications.
1994
  • Prototype projectors are used to publicly demonstrate Digital Light Processing™ technology for the first time.
1995
  • The DLP® Products division of TI announces its first customer agreements.
1996
  • The first commercial DLP® systems are shipped to InFocus, nView and Proxima. Digital Projection signs on to manufacture DLP® projectors.
  • Liesegang sign on as the first European company to manufacture DLP® projectors.
  • September: DLP® business projectors make their first debut in Japan through PLUS Corporation.
1997
  • February: The Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences chooses DLP® technology to project the Oscars®; DLP® technology has been used at the Academy Awards® ever since.
  • May: InFocus brings DLP® projectors from 24 lbs. to just 6 lbs. with the LP420.
1998
  • June: DLP® Products receives an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development from the Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Larry Hornbeck also received an Emmy for inventing DLP® technology.
  • April: Digital Projection, collaborating with TI, introduces a DLP® projector with a 40% brightness increase, reaching 5,000 ANSI lumens.
1999
  • January: The first DLP® projector specifically engineered for home theater is shown by DreamVision.
  • June: DLP Cinema® projector technology is publicly demonstrated for the first time on two screens in Los Angeles and New York for the release of Lucasfilm's Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. International field testing of DLP Cinema® technology begins.
2000
  • March: TI announces agreements with Christie and Barco to manufacture digital cinema projectors with DLP Cinema® technology.
  • May: The world's first sub-3-lb. DLP® projector is introduced by PLUS Corporation, demonstrating DLP® technology's capability to lead the market in portable projectors.
  • September: TI ships its 500,000th DLP® system.
  • Digital China launches the first China-branded DLP® projector.
2001
  • January: Sharp announces the first 16:9 projector, greatly anticipated by home theater enthusiasts.
  • March: Mitsubishi launches a flagship DLP® HDTV based on HD1 chipset.
  • June: The first sub-2-lb.projector is announced by InFocus with its ground-breaking LP120 DLP® projector.
  • Viewsonic begins producing DLP® projectors.
2002
  • January: Samsung announces their first DLP® HDTV, priced at $3,999.
  • April: HP enters the projector market with DLP® technology.
  • May: Dell enters the projector market with DLP® technology.
  • June: NEC is named the third DLP Cinema® manufacturer partner.
2003
  • March: DLP Cinema® 2K resolution chip is introduced at ShoWest.
  • August: RCA introduces a DLP® HDTV.
  • October: DLP® Products receives 2nd Emmy Award for Technology and Engineering in Consumer Rear Projection Television.
  • December: TI ships its 2 millionth DLP® system.
2004
  • DLP® becomes number one supplier of microdisplay technology, according to TSR.
  • InFocus becomes first TI customer to ship 1 million DLP® projectors.
  • May: LG Electronics introduces a DLP® HDTV.
  • July: Toshiba introduces a DLP® HDTV.
  • December: TI ships its 5 millionth DLP® system.
2005
  • January: HP, Optoma and Radio Shack introduce the first "Instant Theater" projectors, incorporating sounds system and DVD player with DLP® projection into one, consumer-friendly unit.
  • January: The first sub-1-lb.projectors are announced and introduced by Mitsubishi, Toshiba and Samsung. The "Pocket Projectors" create new category of micro-projection.
  • August: The first 1080p DLP® HDTV hits market from Mitsubishi.
  • June: projectiondesign shows the first 1080p resolution DLP® home theater projector.
  • October: Dell introduces first high resolution (SX+) at mass market prices ($3499).
  • November: Samsung Ships 1 million DLP® TVs.
2006
  • January: DLP® technology achieves greater than 50% market share in the worldwide front projection market for first time.
  • January: TI introduces DLP® HDTVs with LED technology.
  • March: DLP Cinema® projectors surpass 1,000 deployed milestone; 1,200 projectors deployed worldwide.
  • May: Samsung introduces Slim DLP® HDTV - a 46" 720p model with 10 inches of cabinet depth for $1,999.
  • June: DLP® technology celebrates its 10-year anniversary. TI announces 10 Million DLP® systems shipped in 10 years.