3LCD
3LCD is the name and brand of a major LCD projection color image generation technology used in modern digital projectors. 3LCD technology was developed and refined by Japanese imaging company Epson in the 1980s and was first licensed for use in projectors in 1988. In January 1989, Epson launched its first 3LCD projector, the VPJ-700.
Although Epson still owns 3LCD technology, it is marketed by an affiliated organization simply named after the technology:"3LCD". The organization is a consortium of projector manufacturers that have licensed 3LCD technology to be used in their products. To date, about 40 different projector brands worldwide have adopted 3LCD technology.
According to electronics industry research company Pacific Media Associates, projectors using 3LCD technology comprised about 51% of the world's digital projector market in 2009.
3LCD technology gets its name from the three LCD panel chips used in its image generation engine.
How 3LCD technology works
Creating Colours from White Light:
A projector using 3LCD technology works by first splitting the white light from the lamp into its three primary colours of red, green and blue by passing the lamp light through special dichroic filter / reflector assemblies called “dichroic mirrors.” Each dichroic mirror only allows specific colored wavelengths of light to pass through while reflecting the rest away. In this way, the white light is split into its three primary color beams and each is directed toward, and subsequently through its own LCD panel.
