Power race in the multimedia projector market

Power race in the multimedia projector market

B. Gunawan
Contributor/Jakarta

The multimedia industry is among those most enjoying the
advances in digital technology, besides the computer industry, of
course.

The demand for multimedia projectors, for instance, keeps
soaring in line with rising business needs.

According to the U.S. based multimedia research company
Pacific Media Associates, the worldwide projector market grew by
19 percent from the first quarter of 2004 to the same period,
this year.

In the just published Worldwide Market Census of 53
manufacturers, combined sales of professional and consumer
projectors totaled more than 901,000 units for the first quarter
of 2005.

This double-digit growth is obviously fantastic. In Asia,
Japan and China register 16 percent annual growth in projector
sales. In the U.S., the annual rate is 19 percent while in Canada
and Latin America the figures are skyrocketing to 51 percent and
44 percent respectively.

And in comparison with the economic growth of a country or
sectoral growth of a business, sales growth in multimedia
projectors is far higher. This miracle reminds us of the dotcom
business boom several years ago.

The question is whether projector prices are already so low or
consumer demand is indeed very high. Naturally, the answer is
relative. Unlike personal computers (PC), which are generally
more purchased by households, projectors are generally needed by
the business world. Consequently, projector prices above US$1,000
per unit -- often seen as a barrier -- pose no major problems.

In Jakarta, we can find dozens of projector brands such as
NEC, InFocus, Proxima, Acer, LG, Sanyo, Canon, Phillips, Sony and
3M in computer and electronic centers. If we take care to compare
them, rivalry between the existing brands is readily noticeable.
In the category of microportable projectors now covering 26
percent of the world's multimedia projector market, for instance,
price competition is very intense. The Canon LV-S3 SVGA (800x600)
with a capacity of Lumens 1250 ANSI is available at around Rp 9.5
million - Rp 10.5 million.

It is interesting to note that the price difference between
SVGA and XGA projectors with their higher resolution is
increasingly small. For example, SVGA InFocus X2 or Panasonic PT-
LM2E costs about Rp 11 million, against the Sanyo PLC-XW20A,
which fetches Rp 19 million. This reality shows that the
manufacturing industry is racing to sell high-resolution
projectors at more affordable prices.

During 2004, for instance, XGA multimedia projector sales rose
by 45 percent, whereas SVGA units began to indicate a decline.

It seems that prices are not the only aspect in the multimedia
projector race. Manufacturers are enthusiastically offering
various features and operational or maintenance facilities.

Mobility and portability have so far remained the biggest
advantage points for multimedia projectors, besides image
resolution. Ergonomic forms and weights ranging from two to three
kilograms guarantee easy operation by mobile consumers.

The Canon LV-X4 is an example of the XGA type weighing around
3 kg. For its class, the LV-X4 is comparatively superior. With
its luminous rate of 1,500 lumens and the highest zoom ratio in
its category -- 1.6X -- this projector is capable of producing a
100-inch picture clearly at a distance of only 2.5 meters. Even
with its silent and normal lamp modes, the Rp 20 million
projector can serve office or home theater purposes.

The case is different with high-end or professional multimedia
projectors. Particularly in Jakarta, the market for this
professional category is not so brisk though demand is certainly
rising. Sanyo's PLC-XF60/XP56/XP51 series or Canon's XEED SX50
are examples of high-end products.

Unlike microportable projectors costing no more than $2,500
per unit, high-end products are sold at above $5,000. Sanyo's
PLC-XF60/XP56/XP51 series are marketed at between $5,250 to
$12,500 or more, depending on whether lenses are included.

Canon's XEED SX50 is available at $4,000. This is
understandable as the luminous rate of high-end projectors may
reach 6,500 lumens, or in the case of the Canon XEED SX50,
despite its grade of only 2,500 lumens, its projection quality is
high. This is thanks to the application of Liquid Crystal on
Silicon (LCOS) and Aspectual Illumination System (AISYS)
technology to lenses and image production.

The market for high-end products is not as big as that for
portable projectors. In Asia, the latter category indicates ever
increasing growth.

The growth involves not only portable/mobile projectors but
also installation and multipurpose projectors, usually connected
to their functions as projectors for DVD players, computers and
other digital sets. And in the coming years, manufacturers will
definitely further indulge consumers with high-resolution,
portable, light, multipurpose and certainly affordable cameras.