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By: Richard Del Cazzo
Web site: http://www.hdtv-hdtv.com
Global unit sales of projectors have gone up more than 30%
year on year. However, projector component manufacturers Royal
Philips Electronics and Osram Opto Semiconductor indicate
their LCD projector lamp capacity expansion may lag demand.
Global projector shipments in 2004 should reach 3.471 million
units, according to US-based market research firm Pacific
Media Associates (PMA). Predictions for rear-projection TVs
(RPTVs) have been as high as 6.5 million units for this year.
Apart from demand for use in projectors, there is also significant
demand for replacement lamps: many LCD projector lamps have
an operating life of 2,000-4,000 hours, but they can be damaged
if knocked when hot.
Philips and Osram have capacity to supply between 4 million
and 4.5 million LCD projector lamps this year, according to
Taiwan Philips sales manager, Leo Hung. Total global capacity
could reach 3.7 million lamps for standard projectors and
2.5 million to 3 million for RPTVs. However, the two types
of lamps are not interchangeable and the capacity ramp is
not expected to be fast enough. Although capacity at the end
of the year may be able to meet demand, Taiwan's LCD projector
lamp makers are concerned that 60% of current demand will
go unsatisfied.
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