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Anchoku · 05-23-2007, 10:56 PM

Here's a quick update. The big boys are showing big e-paper and it's not because you all like e-books. Paper-like displays for electronic signage, from grocery store shelf labels to billboards, is THE next big market. Flat panel TVs are well on their way to replacing everyone's favorite vacuum tube and the notebook and monitor markets are nearing maturity. Signage has the largest potential for growth.

E-books have problems other than the display keeping the application from taking off so, if you want to know which companies are going to be winners, look for those feeding the signage market in volume. Paper-like electronic signage displays will set the cost expectations in e-books. If any of you are e-book industry insiders, start pounding out scalable processing, communication, and content standards.

As far as e-paper itself is concerned, there are lots of companies developing better technology. Some are small and others are 400 lb gorillas. I don't think I've ever seen so much in the way of paper-like display technology, ever, and there's no reason the trend won't continue next year.

Key technical issues being worked are brightness (just like paper is spec'd at in the local office supply store), gray-level and color reproduction, image sticking (erasing the previous image), update rate, roll-to-roll processing (for very large size or zillions of small sizes), life expectancy versus cost (it should be cheaper than the amount of paper and distribution expense it replaces), availability and distribution, and ease of use.

Actually, cost is king. Those other things all come second, though the percent of light reflected, or brightness, and other visual attributes are serious concerns. Once volume production and visual quality meet, the whole e-paper business will sort itself out whether e-book publishers are ready or not. Like MP3s and the internet, the masses and those reaching out to them will force a solution.

I will hit the requested booths, tomorrow. However, I have a cautionary word on mini-projectors: they require mini projection surfaces to draw the image on - surfaces that don't look quite as good as a direct-view FPD. That is to say, the market potential isn't what people thought it would be. To draw a big image, you need a lot of light which means you need a lot of power in a tiny source. LEDs and laser diodes are improving efficacy but power is power. This market is expected to develop slowly because it's competing with the incumbents for a portion of the HMD, PDA, UMPC, and notebook markets.

Delphidb96, PVI makes the addressing substrate and backplane. I will check on them but will focus on the three electrophoretic film developers and their LC and other competitors.

=====

PS: I'm surprised you're only interested in LPL's A-size. Why not tape Samsung's 40" electrophoretic display to the inside of the bathroom door?

05-23-2007, 10:56 PM	#9
Anchoku Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 164 Join Date: Jan 2007	Here's a quick update. The big boys are showing big e-paper and it's not because you all like e-books. Paper-like displays for electronic signage, from grocery store shelf labels to billboards, is THE next big market. Flat panel TVs are well on their way to replacing everyone's favorite vacuum tube and the notebook and monitor markets are nearing maturity. Signage has the largest potential for growth. E-books have problems other than the display keeping the application from taking off so, if you want to know which companies are going to be winners, look for those feeding the signage market in volume. Paper-like electronic signage displays will set the cost expectations in e-books. If any of you are e-book industry insiders, start pounding out scalable processing, communication, and content standards. As far as e-paper itself is concerned, there are lots of companies developing better technology. Some are small and others are 400 lb gorillas. I don't think I've ever seen so much in the way of paper-like display technology, ever, and there's no reason the trend won't continue next year. Key technical issues being worked are brightness (just like paper is spec'd at in the local office supply store), gray-level and color reproduction, image sticking (erasing the previous image), update rate, roll-to-roll processing (for very large size or zillions of small sizes), life expectancy versus cost (it should be cheaper than the amount of paper and distribution expense it replaces), availability and distribution, and ease of use. Actually, cost is king. Those other things all come second, though the percent of light reflected, or brightness, and other visual attributes are serious concerns. Once volume production and visual quality meet, the whole e-paper business will sort itself out whether e-book publishers are ready or not. Like MP3s and the internet, the masses and those reaching out to them will force a solution. I will hit the requested booths, tomorrow. However, I have a cautionary word on mini-projectors: they require mini projection surfaces to draw the image on - surfaces that don't look quite as good as a direct-view FPD. That is to say, the market potential isn't what people thought it would be. To draw a big image, you need a lot of light which means you need a lot of power in a tiny source. LEDs and laser diodes are improving efficacy but power is power. This market is expected to develop slowly because it's competing with the incumbents for a portion of the HMD, PDA, UMPC, and notebook markets. Delphidb96, PVI makes the addressing substrate and backplane. I will check on them but will focus on the three electrophoretic film developers and their LC and other competitors. ===== PS: I'm surprised you're only interested in LPL's A-size. Why not tape Samsung's 40" electrophoretic display to the inside of the bathroom door? Last edited by Anchoku; 05-23-2007 at 11:02 PM.