DLP History

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

2009

• January: Texas Instruments announces DLP Pico Projector Development Kit which allows developers to creatively embed spatial light modulation into new applications.
• June: Texas Instruments DLP Products show first technology to enable affordable single-projector 3D and Lamp-Free data projectors
• June: Texas Instruments unveils enhanced 4K technology on Next Generation DLP Cinema® Electronics Platform.

• October: DLP Cinema® heralds more than 14,00 theatres, 7,000 specifically equipped to give movie goers the 3D experience thanks to DLP technology

2008

• February: Big picture experience from mobile devices is one step closer to reality Texas Instruments DLP announces production availability of new imaging chipsets for pico-projection in 2008.
• March: Texas Instruments announces IMAX® Digital Projection System to be Powered by DLP Cinema®.
• May: DLP Products from Texas Instruments introduced the world’s first WUXGA DLP chip for the WUXGA data projector that produces the highest resolution images at a native resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 pixels in a 16:10 aspect ratio on the market today.
• June: DLP products demonstrate innovation leadership with new prototypes including lamp-free projector.

• July: Bullet-proof reliability of DLP chip enables TI to support projector customers by offering a five year DLP chip warranty.

2007

• June: BrillantColor™ technology proliferates line of DLP projectors with more colors than LCD.

2006

• January: DLP technology achieves greater than 50% market share in the worldwide front projection market for first time.
• March: DLP Cinema projectors surpass 1,000 deployed milestone; 1,200 projectors deployed worldwide.
• June: DLP technology celebrates its 10-year anniversary. TI announces 10 Million DLP systems shipped in 10 years.
• September: DLP technology powers the first 3-chip 1080p projectors for the highest HD resolution Home Theater Picture

2005

• January: HP, Optima 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.
• June: projectiondesign shows the first 1080p resolution DLP home theater projector.
• August: The first 1080p DLP® HDTV hits market from Mitsubishi.
• October: Dell introduces first high resolution (SX+) at mass market prices ($3499).
• December: 1080p DLP HDTVs from HP, Samsung, Mitsubishi and Toshiba make DLP the number one selling 1080p-resolution HDTVs.
• December: TI starts retail and channel programs in China to support international and local TV customers, including Samsung, Panasonic, Hisense, SVA and Vivitek 
• December: First mainstream large-venue-class DLP projector manufactured by Delta in Taiwan.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

1995

• The DLP Products division of TI announces its first customer agreements.

1994

• Prototype projectors are used to publicly demonstrate Digital Light Processing™ technology for the first time.

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.

1992

• Texas Instruments forms the Digital Imaging Venture Project to explore the commercial viability of the Digital Micromirror Device.

1987

• Dr. Hornbeck develops the Digital Micromirror Device, or DMD: an optical semiconductor capable of steering photons with unparalleled accuracy.

1977

• Texas Instruments scientist Dr. Larry Hornbeck begins exploring how the principles of reflection can be used to manipulate light.