Can a new format challenge LEDs for energy efficiency?

When it comes to the energy-efficiency of high-definitition displays we've been grappling with the various benefits of Plasmas, LCD, DLPs and LEDs. Well, get ready for another acronym, LPDs, which stands for laser phosphor displays.

Prysm, a four-year-old privately held startup in San Jose, California, is touting LPDs as a greener option for those needing laser format displays -- whether it's for a television or for a public video wall. According to the company, its technology consumes up to 75 percent less power than other display technologies depending on the application. Generally speaking, LPDs are being manufactured with low impact in mind in terms of materials, processes and the potential for reuse, says Dana Corey, vice president of sales and marketing for the company.

So, you're wondering, when can I see this stuff in action?

Corey says the company is completing the first of several products, which will be sold both under the Prysm brand and by original equipment manufacturers with a stake in this market. The first units will include formats that can be tiled and stacked to create the resolution or size that fits the application (such as the public display example shown above).