you're looking for the wow factor in your living room, look no further. The Claro holographic TV is one of the most eye-catching consumer devices I've ever seen. It's also unique in the way that it delivers video using a transparent glass TV and media system based on holographic technology.

The projection system is actually a revolutionary holographic film which displays any image fed through a projector at a specific angle onto a transparent display. The clever part is that all other light is ignored, which should result is a remarkably bright and sharp 40-inch image - even in brightly lit environments. The screen is a mere 1.5x1.0m rectangle of 10mm glass with a 610x814mm sheet of translucent film attached to it, giving the impression that the image is suspended in mid-air.

According to the company, any type of projector can be used to cast the image, which means you can playback TV broadcasts, DVD-Videos, and even games consoles - pretty much anything you can plug into a television or computer screen. In a standard installation the projector sits on the floor about 5-feet behind the screen, so while the bulkiness of a rear projection screen has vanished, the system actually occupies a greater amount of space.

The glass can be engraved from a choice of logos or taken from a design based on your choice. Base units can be made of wood, metal, stone, fabric or leather to match your living environment, and an installation service means you don't even have to risk putting the thing together yourself. One for footballers' wives to add to their Christmas lists...


I'd really like to see one of these Claro 'holographic' televisions in person. The idea is great, suspending a rear-projection screen a sheet of glass, giving the illusion that it's suspended in air, but it has some obvious downsides (besides the inevitable drunken crash into your $27,000 television). The default installation places the projector on the floor about 5 feet behind the screen itself, ruining a lot of the space-saving benefit of projection TV in the first place. Oh, and it's $27k--I mentioned that, right?

If Claro wants to ship one over from the UK..

I'd be happy to give it an up-close once-over.
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