Epson Alerts Public On Importance Of Projector Color Brightness

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Epson Philippines Corporation (EPC) held a Media Technology Briefing aimed to drive public awareness on a global metric that could help customers get the most out of projectors they plan to buy.

Epson’s technology briefing focused on the Color Light Output (CLO) metric that determines Color Brightness in projectors. CLO (or Color Brightness) is a scientific global standard that measures the luminance of the colors Red, Green, and Blue. The metric was specifically developed to measure significant differences in color brightness performance among different projector models and brands to provide consumers with fair and accurate information.

Most users determine a projector’s capability to successfully present vibrant images with the projector’s brightness, measured in lumens. In general, the higher the number of lumens, the brighter the projector. However, the widely-used lumens specification measures only white light, and according to a recent study from TFC Info Associates, more than 70 percent of projector buyers do not know this fact.¹

During the technology briefing, Epson also demonstrated the importance of how the color brightness performance of a projector can maximize customer enjoyment of color-rich content now more easily accessible to home, commercial, business, and education sectors. Color Brightness is critically important because color is a crucial component of picture quality.

“Before, when most images being projected in business and education were just text-based, the criterion in determining the capability of a projector is brightness, measured in lumens. However, this specification measured only white light output. Because of the influx of high-definition, color-rich media, white light output is simply not enough to convey the brightness story. Color Light Output, or simply Color Brightness, can give customers the complete picture in getting the best projector performance.” explained Amy Kwa, Epson Singapore Assistant Manager for Visual Instruments.

The establishment of Color Light Output started when the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) issued a paper on Color Brightness in 2009. NIST stated that in addition to the typical white light brightness rating of display devices, there was a need to provide "an equivalent measurement that will better describe a projector's color performance when rendering full color imagery.”²

Epson is among the pioneers in the industry which adopted the new Color Light Output metric in communicating the performance of its projectors. The company’s proprietary 3LCD technology ensures that all Epson projectors provide the same level of brightness in white and color measured in lumens. Prior to the publication of the CLO color metric, the data projector market and customers had to contend with the lack of a color metric to evaluate a projector’s performance.

Moreover, according to Michael Goldstein’s (MSG Communications) white paper, Color in Communication: Color Light Output, “Consumers, even sophisticated information technology buyers, have not until now had a metric to help them understand what they can expect their projector to provide in terms of color.” The paper also highlighted the importance of color for all kinds of customers using projectors by saying “rich, high-definition content has made the quality of the color produced by a projector extremely important, regardless of whether it is meant for home, business, or classroom use.”

This was further emphasized in another white paper entitled Color Light Output in Projectors and the new ICDM Color Brightness Standard by Peter H. Putman, President of ROAM Consulting L.L.C. “...with the advent of digital video and the maturing of projector technology…. the emphasis isn’t just on white lumens, but color lumens as well. The theory is that a well-designed projector should produce the same level of illumination for a full-color image as a pure-white image.”


Tips for Customers: How to Find a Projector's Color Brightness

1. Look for separate color brightness specification and white brightness specification.

2. Be vigilant! Many manufacturers may not want you to know their projectors are only 1/3 as bright when measuring color.

3. Compare for yourself - If the Color Brightness measurement is not provided, or if you are curious to know the color brightness rating of a projector you already own, go to www.colorlightoutput.com. Hundreds of projector models have been independently tested.


“Epson’s 3LCD technology has 24 years of road-tested reliability. In addition to its many benefits, our global leading projector technology has also made it possible for all our projectors to provide the same level of Color Brightness and White Brightness. This combination provides the ultimate viewing experience for our customers as it delivers bright, vibrant colors and true-to-life images essential for today’s digital content. We are glad to be among the pioneers in adopting and communicating Color Brightness as a vital specification in projectors, to support customers in making a more informed choice for their needs and requirements,” says Epson Philippines Corporation President/Country Manager Toshimitsu Tanaka.