The Laser Illuminated Projector Association (LIPA) promotes the benefits of laser illuminated projectors, advocating for a positive regulatory environment, and developing appropriate training guidelines.
LIPA says its members are showing progress: Kodak already demonstrated an 11K-lumen digital laser projector. Barco will demonstrate its laser light engine on a giant screen at the 2nd Annual Moody Digital Cinema Symposium in January 2012.
The founding member companies of LIPA met and elected a Governing Board which includes
- Peter Gerets, Barco
- Michael Esch, Christie Digital
- David Schnuelle, Dolby
- Steve Read, IMAX
- William Beck, Laser Light Engines
- Richard McPherson, NEC Displays
- Greg Niven, Ushio/NECSEL
Peter Ludé, Senior VP Solutions Engineering at Sony, was elected board chairman. Peter Ludé has more than 25 years of experience in the broadcast industry and is currently president of the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE).
The LIPA board met again last August and elected Zhihua Gong of Phoebus Vision to the Governing Board.
At that meeting Corning Specialty Materials, Delta (Display Solutions Business Unit), Harkness Screens, Mitsubishi Electric, Philips, Projection Design, RealD Inc., Schneider Kreuznach, and Texas Instruments joined at other membership levels. This rapid growth in membership, says LIPA, signifies the interest of the projector industry in moving forward with laser illumination light sources in digital projectors.
Industry-led committees were formed by the board to drive internal and external communications, regulatory technology and business issues, member recruitment, and finances.
A membership workshop was held to help identify next steps in defining specific regulatory requirements from several U.S. states and from other countries; interaction with governing institutions and the approval process; critical issues of installation for theatre owners/operators; and potential LIPA liaisons with groups in the theatre industry.