The Next Touch in Display Technology is Sensational. Really? What’s the point of touching if you can’t feel? Finnish researchers think there’s more to touch screen technology – and that leads us to tactile technology. Users can slide their fingertip across a button on the display of a device like the iPod touch. They felt a slight "catch" as if their finger had hit an actual button. The touchpad display had regions marked "brush," "rough," and "bumpy" indicating different sensations. A demo of new tactile technology was shown at the Embedded Systems Expo & Conference last month by a joint venture between Senseg Oy and Toshiba Info Systems Corp. The device simulates tactile sensations by varying the intensity and frequency of weak electric fields on mounted film between touch panel and display cover. The film is expected to be produced very inexpensively, selling for 25 cents to $1 USD. Notebooks, tablets and other devices may even incorporate the technology as soon as 2011 and cell phones are anticipated in mid-2011. Apparently there are no limitations to the size of the film — and the technique is break-resistant and noiseless. So expect digital signage displays and kiosks to follow this path of upgrade from touch to feel. Want to learn more? Go to: http://www.senseg.com/technology/ Back to Top Viewsonic's Video Wall Solution Viewsonic is finally shipping their video wall software solution called MultiView. It can display HD video across multiple displays or display individual HD content on up to nine displays using a single source player. Powered by Germany’s friendlyway, Viewsonic says they have simplified video wall applications because you can use any standard PC (with a high-performance graphics card) and Windows 7 to design, develop, and control the video wall (whether it's a one-dimensional, 1×5 video wall such as a digital signage menu board, or two-dimensional video wall with up to 5×5 displays). However, compatibility is limited to certain Viewsonic HDTVs, including the 52" CD5230, 42" CD4230, CD4232 and 42" CD4230T — all touch-compatible commercial displays. Each display features a slim bezel design, metal enclosure and VESA mounting compatibility. MultiView is so new, it’s not on Viewsonic’s webpage yet, but we are told it will be soon and they’re putting it here: http://www.viewsonic.com/infocomm/ Back to Top NEC Upgrades Ultra-Thin Bezel LCDs Earlier this week, NEC Display upgraded their ultra-thin bezel LCDs with a better one in the form of the X462UN (the new X462UN offers several improvements from the X461UN, which NEC announced worldwide in early 2009). Adding DisplayPort, better display uniformity through what NEC is calling EdgeComp and multiple brightness setting for different environments are three of the improvements over the X461UN.
The 1366×768 native resolution X462UN display is 3000:1 contrast ratio, 500cd/m2, uses 2-watts of power in standby (making it a GreenAV display product) and includes HDMI, VGA and DVI connectivity in addition to the DisplayPort.
For complete specs, go to: http://www.necdisplay.com/Products/Product/?product=b50d4ad8-39ff-43f6-a81b-618bc437db40 Back to Top 3D Digital Signage? Noxel has launched what they say is the world’s first 3D DS player in the form of the NXDS600. Using a 500 MHz processor, the PC-less DS player outputs video as MPEG, H.264, WMV9 and a handful of other video formats at 1920×1080 resolution (via HDMI). Using IR, network or RS232 control, the NXDS660 is designed as a media player that stores content (in flash memory) or it cal stream HD content via the network in real-time.
For complete specs, go to: http://www.noxelxtream.com/products-nxcm600.php Back to Top Tightrope FINALLY Releases ZEPLAY Although not totally for the DS market, there are MANY DS applications for this. Designed to be a commercial version of a TiVo-like device, ZEPLAY is Tightrope Media’s latest box that comes in both an HD and SD version dubbed, appropriately, the ZEPLAY 8440HD and 8440SD. Both are basically video and audio 8-channel servers with four inputs and outputs active at all times. The HD system includes support for resolutions up to 1080i and all international frame rates. With more than 160 hours of recording time (40 hours per channel), Tightrope claims that the ZEPLAY records and plays I-Frame only MPEG-2 video at 100mbps (HD) and 4:2:2 color space; thus, low motion is always smooth with adjustable frame-blending — all enclosed in a 4RU, 21" deep chassis.
For more info, go to: http://www.trms.com/broadcast/zeplay Back to Top HDMI Over One Coax? According to Audio Authority, they’ve got the best HDMI-over-Coax (one single coax) transmitter/receiver set on the market. Dubbed the 1341T (transmitter) and 1341R (receiver), they sell a kit of both called the HXE-11 that they say can transmit 1080p video up to 200 feet over 1 GHz sweep-tested RG-6 cable, and they even claim that longer distances are possible over higher-bandwidth cable. And, they also say that Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD:Master Audio signals are supported with no negative effect on distance of run. The HXE-11 package (MSRP: $598) consists of the Model 1341T Transmitter ($299) and the Model 1341R Receiver ($299). You can see diagrams and specs here: http://www.audioauthority.com/product_details/HXE-11/Extender/10/1 Back to Top NEC Adds 16:4 Aspect Ratio LCD to Digital Signage Line Last week, NEC Display announced a unique addition to its X Series, a 43-inch X431BT bar-type (for lack of a better term) display with 1920×480 native resolution and 700 cd/m² maximum brightness. Everyone, including NEC, has 16:9 LCDs for DS applications, but not everyone is looking at different, unique sized applications. InfoComm saw the availability of Christie’s MicroTiles, but this is a flat panel, direct-view LCD monitor that’s basically a long, thin strip. The X431BT includes DisplayPort, HDMI and DVI-D connectivity, capability to be mounted in both landscape and portrait orientation, includes Picture in Picture (PIP), Picture on Picture (POP) and side-by-side display modes and two inputs can be displayed simultaneously in any of the modes by either maintaining one aspect ratio or evenly stretching both images to fill each half of the screen. To see all the tech specs, go to: http://www.necdisplay.com/Products/Product/?product=d42d107d-3848-4120-9669-b0d0903691b0
Back to Top DSE Fall Industry Forum With Peerless as the title sponsor, Digital Signage Expo's first Industry Forum, to be held October 7-9, 2010, is touted by DSE as a unique opportunity for the DS industry and sponsors to network and create long-lasting relationships with peers and digital signage industry experts in a relaxed and enjoyable setting. There’s plenty of time to register and you can see all the details as well as an agenda for the event at: http://www.digitalsignageexpo.net/DigitalSignageExpo/IndustryForum.aspx Back to Top |