25 August 2022 Posted by Fred Beckhusen History

A 6′ tall person standing in front of a 30′ wide by 40′ tall screen shows the capabilities of the new projection system.  Yoshi is about 5’5″ so you can get some idea of the scale.

Linden Laser Systems now shows and supports the ProFX giant screen color projection television system. Intended for trade shows and rock concerts, the system has attracted a great deal of attention from major entertainment companies.

Red/Green/Blue laser beams are steered by the motor which spins at over 80,000 RPM! Paul Linden, President started this project with the vision of the best and brightest projection TV system with the capability of growth to High-Definition TV.   One year after Paul and Stan asked Mitsi to develop this product, their ideas were hardware in their hands – a laser projection system with Mitsi electronics.

A unique feature of the ProFX laser projection system is the ability to create stunning images whether the screen surfaces are flat or irregular, solid or fluid, or single or multiple. Automated pan and tilt allow you to move the image from one surface to another; from one shape to another; from one plane to another; or project an image on multi-distance planes – all in perfect focus and perfect sync with input time codes.

Fortunately, the user does not have to be concerned with the complexities of the system. After connecting electrical power, cooling water and a video source, it takes only ten buttons on a portable display to control it.

Mitsi engineers faced many challenges in designing the electronics of the system. Paul Linden of ALP, as the optical and system designer, faced even more difficult challenges in achieving the high brightness of the system.

When the system developed a shaky picture before a key client demonstration, something had to be done. A new vertical waveform board was quickly assembled by Manufacturing Supervisor Alex Lang, tested by Tommy Buie, and quickly rushed to ALP and plugged in. Within minutes, the system was ready to go again. Without the team spirit between Mitsi engineers and Paul and Stan, the demo would have failed.

The electronics system fills up two 19″ chassis with power supplies, a customized computer, analog video cards, and ECL and TTL digital cards. A total of 9 different 2, 4, and 6 layer printed circuit boards were designed for the ProFX. The ProFX multi-plane imager contains computerized variable aspect ratio to adjust which electronically adjusts to any configuration from 1:1 to 2:1.

Both built-in and customized presets allow the system to instantaneously switch between ratios – including the television standards of 4:3 and 16:9.

The system uses two Argon ion and one Red dye laser for independent modulation of Red, Green, and Blue signals. Output power is in excess of 4.5 watts, with a contrast ratio greater than 300 to 1.