Electrohome Ships 1000th 3-Chip Digital Light Processing™ (DLP™) Projector, Solidifying Lead in High Brightness Market

KITCHENER, Ontario, Canada - April 15, 1999 - Electrohome Projection Systems, a leading manufacturer of high-performance projection solutions, today announced the shipment of its 1000TH projector based on 3-Chip Digital Light Processing™ (DLP™) technology, securing the company's leadership in the high brightness, large venue projection market.

"As Electrohome was one of the first vendors to embrace DLP technology, we are extremely pleased that the company has been able to establish itself so quickly within the high-brightness, large venue projection market," says Sherel Horsley, Senior Vice President and Manager of Marketing for Texas Instruments Digital Imaging division. "With more companies advocating the superiority of DLP technology for their rental/staging, electronic cinema and other fixed installation applications, we are delighted that companies like Electrohome have been able to realize the technology's value so soon after its creation."

What makes Texas Instruments' 3-Chip DLP technology so innovative, is its light modulator semiconductor chip, that has an array of 508,800 (SVGA) or 786,432 (XGA) hinged, microscopic mirrors mounted on a standard logic device. These tiny mirrors, known as Digital Micromirror Devices™ (DMDs™), operate as optical switches to create stunning high-resolution, full colour, digital images.

Electrohome is known within the industry for its visionary thinking, and announced its adoption of DLP technology for 3-chip digital projectors with the launch of its Vista line of projectors at INFOCOMM '96. Since that time, Electrohome has launched eight projectors in the Vista family including its VistaGRAPHX 7000 Roadie. The Roadie, in less than one year, has redefined the standard for high performance Rental/Staging projectors and judging by the number of units sold, is now the world's favourite Rental/Staging projector. With the shipment of its 1000th unit, Electrohome claims it represents approximately 30% of the market share of this segment.

"It's a great testament to Electrohome, as well as Texas Instruments, that this technology has been embraced so quickly," says Alan Caskey, Vice President, Sales, Electrohome Ltd. "As the digital projection market continues to expand, we are confident that our leadership position will be strengthened as more and more companies use DLP technology in product planning and development."

Electrohome and Texas Instruments announced an official technology alliance in June 1995. Since that time, Electrohome has adopted 3-chip DLP technology to develop products of high performance to meet the needs of professional, high-end, large audience projection displays. Electrohome was a believer in the technology from its inception, seeing its potential to become the leading tool used in high-brightness projection systems. Electrohome was also the first company to announce production plans for 3-chip DLP professional projection systems.

At INFOCOMM 1996, Electrohome launched the world's first professional market SVGA projection system: the VistaPro™. Launched in the fall of 1997, the VistaPro 2000 SVGA model featured 2000 ANSI lumens. At NAB98, an entirely new light engine was introduced as the VistaGRAPHX 2500. This model compressed the XGA panel with 786,432 DMDs into an area the size of a thumbnail, making it the world's only XGA, 3-chip DLP projector operating at 110-volt power.

The VistaGRAPHX Roadie was then introduced at INFOCOMM 1998 as the world's first purpose-built projector for the Rental/Staging market. In keeping with the company's quality-driven mission to create the world's best high performance projection solutions, Electrohome will continue to adopt Texas Instruments' optical light engines and create solutions for a digital-ready world.

Today, Texas Instruments supplies DLP subsystems to more than 25 of the world's top projector manufacturers, who then design, manufacture and market DLP-based projectors. Over the past three years, DLP-based projectors have consistently won some of the audio-visual industry's most prestigious awards, including an Emmy Award from the American Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. There are now in excess of 50 DLP-based products on the market ranging from portable desktop models to high-performance Rental/Staging models.

About Electrohome

Established in 1979 and headquartered in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Electrohome Projection Systems represents the Visual Communications Division of Electrohome Limited. Founded in 1907, Electrohome Limited supplies the best high-performance projection solutions in visual communications to customers around the world, specialising in large-screen video/data/graphic projection systems. Electrohome's VistaGRAPHX line is part of the company's Captivating Business Unit and has set the new standard for images in the high-end professional digital projection market. Electrohome remains a leader in the development of high-quality, reliable, customer-driven products.

VistaPro and VistaGRAPHX are registered trademarks of Electrohome Limited.

Digital Light Processing™, DLP™, Digital Micromirror Device™ and DMD™ are trademarks of Texas Instruments.

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