Lightvalve projection system in which red, green, and blue image subpixels are projected from two lightvalves and recombined using total reflection prisms

A method for displaying a color image with a projection display, the color image formed of a plurality of color pixels, each color pixel comprising a combination of different color light components, the projection display comprising a light source, a projection lens, directing means, and first and second light valves each having a plurality of subpixels, each subpixel having an associated color filter for reflecting a corresponding color light component towards the directing means, and wherein the sub-pixels are projected in groups of three, each group comprising a single sub-pixel from one of the first or second light valves and the remaining two sub-pixels from the other light valve, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) supplying light from the light source,
• (b) directing the light by means of the directing means towards the first and second light valves,
• (c) directing the respective color light components reflected from the light valves by means of the directing means towards the projection lens,
• (d) projecting and magnifying each color light component of the single sub-pixel onto a screen, and
• (e) simultaneously projecting and magnifying the color light components of each of the remaining two sub-pixels onto the screen to combine each single sub-pixel with its corresponding remaining two sub-pixels to form the color pixels of the color image.