Chasing 8K: Can LCOS Technology Break the Bottleneck in the Projector Industry?

Samsung’s The Premiere 8K has recently become the first projector in the world to receive official certification from the 8K Association (8KA). For the projection industry, 8K has long been a dream—an aspirational next-gen milestone. After all, projection’s core appeal lies in its large screen experience. And what’s a large screen without the sharpest resolution possible?

While progress in 8K projection has been slow, Samsung’s certification signals that the industry hasn’t given up. Despite the challenges, companies are still investing in high-resolution innovations.

The Resolution Bottleneck: A Persistent Limitation in Projector Displays

In 2024, around 80% of LCD TVs sold in China feature 4K resolution. However, the adoption of 4K in projectors—despite their association with large-screen viewing—is far less advanced. Data shows that only 9.7% of smart projectors sold in China in Q1 2024 were 4K models, compared to a 78.3% 4K penetration rate for televisions. The contrast is striking.

This gap isn’t due to a lack of consumer interest in ultra-high definition (UHD) projection, but rather the result of technical limitations. For instance, in the budget projector segment, 1LCD models offering 1080p resolution often outperform similarly priced DLP projectors that only deliver 720p. Likewise, in the $700+ market, most consumers opt for 4K projectors—clearly valuing higher resolution when it’s available.

Why It’s So Hard to Achieve High Resolution in Projectors

The challenge lies in the core of projector technology: digital light modulation chips. These chips are tiny—DLP-based 4K projectors in the $1,500 range typically use 0.47-inch chips. On such a small chip, 2K resolution is already pushing the physical limits. Achieving 4K requires pixel-shifting (a technique to simulate higher resolution by moving pixels rapidly), and reaching 8K demands native 4K chips of at least 0.8 inches, combined with advanced shifting techniques.

DLP chips have been stuck at a minimum pixel size of 5.4 microns for nearly two decades. LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) offers an improvement, achieving pixel sizes as small as 3.8 microns—making true 4K possible even on sub-0.7-inch chips.

As for the commonly used 1LCD technology, true 4K requires panel sizes of 4–6 inches. Meanwhile, 3LCD systems face challenges in miniaturizing pixels due to aperture ratio constraints—making their smallest pixels even larger than DLP’s, currently around 6.2 microns.

Projection Is All About “Small Tech, Big Screens”

Herein lies the projector industry’s awkward position in the UHD era. On one hand, projection is all about big screens, which demand higher resolutions to maintain image quality. On the other hand, packing enough pixels into a tiny imaging chip—8K has 16 times more pixels than 1080p—is a massive technical hurdle.

Still, UHD content and expectations are here to stay. As the rest of the audio-visual industry moves toward 4K and 8K, projectors must keep pace to remain relevant.

Pixel-Shifting: A Savior with Limitations

Today, over a million 4K projectors are sold globally each year—most using DLP’s 0.47-inch chip with pixel-shifting. This technique enables a 1080p chip to simulate 4K resolution by shifting pixels both horizontally and vertically.

The advantage is clear: it allows for smaller, cheaper, and easier-to-manufacture 4K projectors. However, the drawbacks are just as obvious. Pixel-shifted 4K cannot match the visual sharpness of native 4K, especially when compared to 4K LCD TVs. This limitation applies across DLP, LCD, and LCOS technologies.

Additionally, pixel-shifting isn’t universally applicable. It’s difficult to implement in large-panel 1LCD systems and adds complexity and cost in 3LCD or 3LCOS projectors, which use three separate imaging chips.

Thus, pixel-shifting should be seen more as a clever workaround than a true technological breakthrough. It’s a compromise—pushing current tech to its limits, not advancing it.

Looking ahead, 8K will become the next standard. If 4K relies heavily on pixel-shifting, how will 8K be achieved? That’s why many industry leaders argue that widespread native 4K is a necessary stepping stone. Companies like Epson, Sony, and JVC are already pushing this direction with high-end home theater models priced above $3,000. Samsung’s 8K projector also follows this path.

LCOS: A Dark Horse in the Race Toward Ultra HD

As ultra-high definition becomes standard, projectors will need to start at 4K and offer 8K at the premium tier. To do this affordably and feasibly, two things are required: technological viability and cost efficiency.

Currently, a few 8K projectors are already available, including both pixel-shifted and native models. Native 8K models almost exclusively rely on LCOS technology. Why? Because LCOS allows for the smallest pixel sizes and therefore has a natural advantage when ultra-high resolutions are needed.

Although LCOS has long played a niche role in the projection world, its inherent advantage in pixel density makes it well-suited for the UHD era.

Smaller chip sizes mean not only lower core costs but also more compact and flexible designs—both crucial for broader market adoption.

So Why Has LCOS Been on the Sidelines for So Long?

LCOS combines silicon-based drivers with liquid crystal modulation, making its architecture complex. One key challenge is managing the different thermal expansion rates between silicon (3ppm/°C) and glass substrates (9ppm/°C). At the high pixel densities required for 4K and 8K, maintaining alignment accuracy within 50μm becomes a major hurdle in mass production. Fortunately, these challenges are gradually being overcome.

Another issue has been scale. Without sufficient production volume, costs stay high, limiting growth. However, in recent years, Chinese LCOS manufacturers have gained valuable experience in areas like optical communication, automotive HUDs, precision instruments, 3D printing, and AR.

The automotive sector, especially, has helped scale the LCOS ecosystem. For example, Mercedes’ latest Digital Light system uses LCOS modules to project AR-HUD displays with 1.3 million pixels per eye. Huawei’s M9 and other vehicles are also using LCOS HUDs, proving the technology’s commercial viability. This crossover from automotive to projection offers a strong growth pathway.

That said, LCOS still lags behind DLP in light efficiency due to its liquid crystal layer. But having an independent LCOS supply chain gives the industry a strategic alternative—especially given the supply constraints of DLP chips. This is part of the reason optical communications firms like Huawei entered the LCOS field over a decade ago.

Final Thoughts: UHD Projection Is Inevitable—LCOS May Be the Key

The demand for ultra-high-definition in the projection industry is undeniable. So are the technical hurdles—and the potential solutions. With 4K/8K set to become the new battleground over the next 2–3 years, the industry must prepare for an upgrade in supply capabilities.

This is why Samsung rushed to claim the title of the first 8K-certified projector. And it’s why LCOS—once a minor player—may emerge as a major force in the UHD projection era.