Introduction
Welcome to Another Edition of rAVe Feature Article
Kayye Consulting's AVJob Resume Posting Service
News: 1. Registration Now Open for InfoComm 04
2. ISE Europe Announces Venue for 2005
3. High-Speed Ubiquitous by 2007?
4. Biamp Systems Introduces Digital Audio Networking System
5. Altinex Introduces MultiTasker 20-Slot Enclosure
6. Mobile Lectern Features Plenty of Housing, Work Space
7. Listen Adds IR to Portable Soundfield Products
8. Crestron Introduces Line of Lighting Automation Products
9. New Wireless Surveillance System Uses GPA to Track Intruders
10. UltraStar Cinemas Go Digital
11. Mitsubishi Announces Competitively-Priced Sub 5-lb. DLP XGA Projector
12. Get Rid of Your Old Projectors: NEC Even Picks it up
13. Taxi TV – It Had to Happen
14. Fujitsu Files Plasma Patent Infringement Suit Against Samsung Japan
15. Peerless Mounts Pass Quake Test
16. Ohio State University Opens Hands-On Technology Lab for Teachers, Students
Who is this? We Have a Winner! There's not just one, but two AV veterans in this photo. Go here to view the photo. Can you pick them out? If so, be the first to tell me by e-mail at gkayye@kayye.com and I'll feature you in the next issue of rAVe as the winner! | |
Feature Article Feature Article
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Introduction Welcome to another issue of rAVe ProAV Edition. This issue could be called the LCD and plasma issue, I guess. Both are great technologies and provide wonderful flat-screen options for the home and presentation applications. And both have found niches in their respective strength markets. There are some myths and realities of both technologies, however, that we asked two of the leading manufacturers, NEC and Clarity, to address. Do LCD’s burn-in? Are plasmas really not that bright? And what about longevity — which one lasts longer? These are all issues addressed in the two articles below. So enjoy them both and put them in perspective. Finally, as we speed toward InfoComm (less that two months away) you will see our news section start to grow. While we can’t possibly cover each and every new product in detail, we assure you that we will cover all the ProAV systems related products and technologies in as much detail as possible. In addition, we will be at InfoComm again this year with live issues from the show floor! Enjoy Volume 2, Issue 7! — Gary Kayye, CTS
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Kayye Consulting offers a resume posting service for readers. While we include the location of the candidate, please remember that many candidates are willing to relocate. Here is a sample of the job-seekers located in the current Kayye Consulting's AVJobs listings. See them all at http://www.kayye.com/resources/av_jobs.asp
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Back to top Feature Article Dispelling the Myths About Plasma Displays
By Keith Yanke
Plasma Senior Product Specialist
Visual Systems Division of NEC Solutions America
The opinions expressed in this document are those of NEC Solutions America, Inc., based on the current state of plasma display and LCD technologies as of March 2004.
While both technologies offer many advantages, the intent of this article is to supply the truths and facts behind the most commonly misunderstood perceptions about plasma displays.
The plasma display market continues to experience explosive growth and skyrocketing unit volumes!Research by the major display tracking services predicts that plasma sales will grow exponentially over the next few years. According to IDC, the plasma market will average 74% growth per year through 2007, offering resellers selling plasma a great opportunity to grow their businesses. With the increasing popularity of plasma displays both for commercial and residential use, many questions have begun to circulate about the technology – particularly when directly compared to LCD monitors. Below are some of the more common misconceptions about plasma displays.
It is CRITICAL that light is shed on these truths so end users truly understand the advantages of plasma displays for virtually any large screen display
application.
MYTH
PLASMA DISPLAYS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN LCD MONITORS. TRUTH
Currently, plasma displays are offered in larger screen sizes at lower price points. Plasma displays have become increasingly affordable and feature-rich since their introduction nearly a decade ago. The growing demand of plasma displays, combined with advancements and efficiencies in the development and production of the technology have resulted in larger, higher performing products offered at prices that start at under $3,000.00. LCD's by comparison, start at $5,600.00 to $5,800.00 for similarly sized models.
MYTH
PLASMA DISPLAYS WILL "DIM OUT" IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.
TRUTH
Gradual loss in brightness is the nature of any image-displaying device, LCD monitors included! Many plasma displays currently have "half-life" ratings as high as or higher than LCD monitors at up to 60,000 hours, which is equivalent to 20+ year of use at 8 hours a day/365 days a year.
MYTH
PLASMA DISPLAYS HAVE PERMANENT IMAGE RETENTION.
TRUTH
Image retention is possible with any image-displaying device, including LCD monitors. In fact, many users for LCD monitors specifically caution that image retention may occur depending on use. Many plasma displays incorporate built-in phosphor protection measures with operating modes such as inverse RGB selection and programmable orbiters that can dramatically extend their lives. It is also critical that the proper content is used with a plasma display. Ultimately, however, responsible use is the best way to maximize the life of any plasma display.
MYTH
LCD MONITORS HAVE HIGHER BRIGHTNESS AND CONTRAST THAN PLASMA DISPLAYS.
TRUTH
For many applications, plasma displays have essentially equal brightness and a significantly higher contrast ratio than LCD monitors, although the comparison is not "apples-to-apples" since the technologies are different. Brightness and contrast ratio play vitally important roles in displaying an image with clarity and definition. Contrast is also very important when displaying video images or playback because without them, there is no depth to the image or video being displayed.
MYTH
PLASMA DISPLAYS TAKE UP MORE SPACE THAN
LCD MONITORS.
TRUTH
While plasma displays offer a "larger-than-life" image with screen sizes up to 60+ diagonal inches, they also provide a thinner and smaller footprint than any technology available for large screen applications, with depths just over 3"! To date, the largest commercially available LCD monitor is 40" with the smallest footprint at 3.4".
MYTH
PLASMA TECHNOLOGY REQUIRES MORE EXPENSIVE
POWER CONSUMPTION THAN LCD MONITORS.
TRUTH
When compared to other flat panel display technologies, the difference in overall power consumption is negligible with plasma using as few as 270 Watts. Plasma offers a cost-effective solution over LCD monitors (see Myth #1). This is where the true investment will be recognized, not on the few dollars saved on the electric bill each year.
MYTH
PLASMA DISPLAYS CAN'T BE USED IN APPLICATIONS THAT REQUIRE AMBIENT LIGHT
TRUTH
Most plasma displays are capable of handling ambient light and some even have additional functions such as anti-glare screen filters that diffuse direct light sources, enabling the displays to be effectively used in storefront windows and other applications with uncontrolled lighting environments. Additionally, plasma displays offer better images at more extreme viewing angles than LCD monitors, which further aids image comprehension.
MYTH
PLASMA DISPLAYS ARE BEING REPLACED BY LCD MONITORS IN LARGE SCREEN DISPLAY APPLICATIONS.
TRUTH
Plasma is a proven technology and has been successfully used for almost a decade in large screen display applications to help attract, inform, educate and entertain target audiences. Users requiring a large screen that delivers accurate color reproduction, excellent motion handling, vibrant video images at extreme viewing angles with no color shift and the flexibility to be used in a wide range of environments should strongly consider plasma displays, since the technology currently outperforms LCD monitors in these specific areas. Plasmas typically have extensive input options, and, as such, are versatile enough to display superior images from the most cutting-edge technologies.
MYTH
PLASMA DISPLAYS CAN'T OPERATE IN HIGH ALTITUDES.
TRUTH
Some plasma displays can operate at up to 9200 feet above sea level – almost as high as LCD monitors – making them appropriate for use in high-altitude environments. Since there are very few places in the world that would require a large screen
display at a range that is higher than 9,000 feet, this is rarely a concern.
WHEN YOU CONSIDER ALL THE ADVANTAGES, PLASMA REMAINS A VIABLE CHOICE FOR BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL ENTERTAINMENT USE. FEATURE-FOR-FEATURE AND AFFORDABILITY MAKE PLASMA AN EXCELLENT DISPLAY CHOICE.
o Showcase areas such as boardrooms, lobbies and reception areas where the company wants to convey professionalism to customers and executives,
o Operations centers, call centers, and trading floors where space constrains, lighting conditions, and wide viewing angles are critical,
o Dedicated video conferencing solutions were split screen capabilities allow for viewing of participants and conference materials simultaneously,
o Interactive whiteboards, for team collaboration with a touch screen,
o Hospitality and entertainment environments in restaurants, bars, and
hotel rooms,
o Digital signage and public display needs in retail stores and public
areas,
o Residential entertainment for movies, programming, gaming, digital
pictures, and Internet access. For more information on NEC's industry-leading plasma display monitor line,
please contact us at 800 NEC-INFO or visit www.necvisualsystems.com Keith Yanke
Plasma Senior Product Specialist
Visual Systems
NEC Solutions (America), Inc.
As Plasma Senior Product Specialist for the Visual Systems Division of NEC Solutions America, Keith Yanke is primarily responsible for the overall business and marketing initiatives for the company's PlasmaSync plasma display monitor group. He works closely with NEC Solutions America's plasma product development team in Japan to facilitate the design of innovative and competitive industry products. In addition, Yanke supports the marketing group's creation and execution of marketing programs and activities that support overall plasma display sales goals.
Yanke's career encompasses more than 10 years of sales, marketing and product development experience in the display industry with an emphasis on monitor and large screen presentation solutions. Prior to his current position, he was the Visual Systems Division's field sales engineer for the North Central US. In that capacity, he worked with consultants and AV dealers to facilitate the integration of NEC's projection and plasma display products. Before that, he was VSD's hardware engineer for both projectors and direct view monitors.
The opinions expressed in this document are those of NEC Solutions America, Inc., based on the current state of LCD and plasma display technologies as of March 2004.
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News Have a news tip? Send them to rAVe Editor-in-Chief Denise Harrison — dharrison@kayye.com
1. Registration Now Open for InfoComm 04
Registration just opened up for InfoComm 04 in Atlanta June 5 – 11 (conference), June 9-11 (exhibits). This year's show is expected to have more than 600 exhibitors and 10,000 products and a plethora of seminars and special programming, application-specific pavilions and coinciding partner association conferences. For more information, go to http://infocomm04.expoexchange.com/
2. ISE Europe Announces Venue for 2005 Integrated Systems Europe announced that the Amsterdam RAI Centre is the location for next year's conference. The center is a major international air and rail traffic hub so it's convenient and affordable for travel. The ISE Europe will be January 26-28. As you know, ISE is a collaboration among the Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association (CEDIA), the International Communications Industries Association, Inc. (ICIA/InfoComm) and the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA). I went to this year's show and have to say that combining efforts to address the Pro, the consumer and the channel markets turned out to be a great idea and even a bit future-thinking since the ProAV and HomeAV are crossing over in certain areas. ISE 05 is currently accepting applications for booth space. Selection is based on ranking in a priority list, as are just about all tradeshows. But ISE will only accept allocations based on priority until April 22, so if you're an exhibitor, you might need to act on this quickly. Prices for companies who exhibited at ISE 04 are: 'Early Bird Founders rate' available until May 1st 2004
CEDIA/ ICIA/ NSCA
Members: €205/ m2 Space only €270/ / including shell scheme booth
Non-Members: €230/ m2 Space only €295/ / including shell Scheme booth After May 1st 2004
CEDIA/ ICIA/ NSCA
Members: €250/ m2 Space only €315/ including shell scheme booth
Non-Members: €275/ m2 Space only €340/ / including shell scheme booth For more information, go to http://www.iseurope.org/
3. High-Speed Ubiquitous by 2007? Reuters reported that President Bush will push for high-speed Internet access across the nation in order to stay competitive with the ever-advancing technologies. "We ought to have universal, affordable access to broadband technology by the year 2007," Bush said. "And then we ought to make sure as soon as possible thereafter consumers have plenty of choices," quoted the report.
The report also said that Democratic contender John Kerry has also mentioned this as a possible campaign issue. Some of the challenges, according to Reuters, include regulations about how smaller companies make use of the larger companies' cable and phone lines, and include whether or not Congress decides to tax Internet service providers.
Currently, DSL and cable combined have more than 20 million subscribers. Want to know more or how it's going to get done? Do an Internet search on WiMax or 802.16 technology and you'll see the future before your very eyes.
4. Biamp Systems Introduces Digital Audio Networking System Biamp Systems introduced the Nexia for digital audio networking – specifically designed for more affordability for mid-size installations. The system consists of Nexia PM (a presentation mixer); Nexia CS (a conference system); Nexia SP (a speaker processor).
The Nexia PM presentation mixer has 4 mic/line level inputs, 6 stereo line level inputs and 3 stereo line level outputs. Each stereo input or output channel can be used as a stereo or two separate mono channels.
The Nexia CS conference system, which provides auto-mixing capabilities, provides 10 mic/line level inputs and 6 line level outputs. The mic/line inputs can operate in a range of 0 to 66db gain in 6db steps, +48dbv phantom power.
The Nexia SP speaker processor has 4 line level inputs and 8 line level outputs. The stereo line level inputs operate 0 to 18db gain in 6db steps, while the stereo lineouts are rated at 0 to -24db gain in 6db steps. A remote control bus port provides for connection of up to 12 remote controls. Two 100 MHz DSPs provide advanced processing power, and 8 megabytes of memory provide approximately 30 seconds of total audio delay. An audio link port, called NexLink, provides for sharing of digital audio channels with other Nexia boxes in a networked setup.
For more information, go to http://www.biamp.com/nexia/index.htm 5. Altinex Introduces MultiTasker 20-Slot Enclosure The MultiTasker is the most innovative matrix switching idea ever, in my opinion. The concept of card slots where you can slide in any combination of connectorization (i.e. VGA cards have VGA connectors, component cards have component video connections, etc.) to build a system-specific router is ingenious. I used to work for Jack Gershfeld and he was always testing the limits of creative engineering. The MultiTasker is one way Altinex has made a name for itself. It's a unique, powerful router solution. The new MT102-201 has slots for as many as 20 MultiTasker VA component cards. The previous line held up to 19. The MultiTasker is a modular system used to design, configure, and build signal management solutions with switching, distributing, amplifying, converting, connecting, and controlling video, audio, and control signals in one rack-based system. The company says the new enclosure can save up to 50 percent of rack space, depending on the configuration. The MT102-201 is designed for a 16×16 RGBHV matrix switcher in a single 4U-high enclosure. Interface features of the MT102-201 include front panel buttons with programmable macros, USB port for easy connection to computer, 2 RS-232 connectors, and loop ports to daisy chain multiple units together. There are 36 Programmable Control Keys, 2 RS-232 connectors, 1 USB port, two Loop Ports for daisy chaining multiple enclosures. For more information, go to http://www.altinex.com/Products/MultiTasker/MT102-201.htm 6. Mobile Lectern Features Plenty of Housing, Work Space The new Media Manager lectern from Spectrum Industries is not only easy to wheel from room to room, it has enough space for rack equipment, a tower PC and secure storage for laptop and document camera. On the surface is room for desktop and laptop, projectors and other peripherals as well as a flip-up self-locking shelf. There is also a laptop drawer that doubles as a keyboard tray with a padded wrist rest. It is, of course, designed for training and education. I wonder if Crestron will speak to Spectrum about that name? For more information, go to http://www.spectrumfurniture.com
7. Listen Adds IR to Portable Soundfield Products Listen's new IR soundfield products give some nice wireless voice presentation options. The system components include two different types of transmitters – a handheld microphone transmitter and a body pack that utilizes a headset microphone. The body pack can be clipped on a belt or pocket, or worn around
the neck. Microphone options include lapel, collar and behind the head sets. Transmitters run on alkaline or NiMH rechargeable batteries and Listen offers rapid charging stations. Listen also offers stationary receivers and amplifiers that can be used independently or integrated into an existing audio system. For more information, go to http://www.ListenTech.com
8. Crestron Introduces Line of Lighting Automation Products Crestron introduced LightSource, a brand of lighting control and automation products and systems for managing lighting throughout a home or commercial building. It features five automation enclosures, seven module options and a remote dimmer and switch options – all features that let you set "moods" throughout the building or meeting rooms. You control it using Crestron's touchpanels or keypads as well as remote controls and even Web-based control. You can associate the LightSource system with climate control and security modules as well. Also unique to Crestron Lighting is the new D3 Pro software, Crestron's comprehensive lighting, HVAC and security software suite that serves as a design and development tool for the system integrator. Enter a lighting load schedule into D3 Pro, specify equipment, and program all keypads and touchpanels for control of all of the lighting. For more information, go to http://www.crestron.com/news_room/show_releases.asp?press_release_id=1121
9. New Wireless Surveillance System Uses GPA to Track Intruders Guardian Solutions introduced a new surveillance system that is wireless, GPS- enabled and portable. Named ThreatSTALKER, the system automatically detects and tracks intruders, including people, vehicles and vessels, more than 700 meters away in most environments. When an intruder is detected, real-time video and GPS location of the intruder is transmitted to the responders. Guardian Systems says the system is designed for any building as well as security cargo, pipelines, vessels, aircraft, and military bases/camps. The Department of Defense has recently purchased a number of these systems. The system has up to six rugged tripod systems, each with mounted pan-tilt-zoom camera, processor, transceiver, antenna, power and battery back-up. They communicate wirelessly with a laptop computer. ThreatSTALKER uses a new technology called OmniTRACKER to enable earlier target detection and tracking across multiple or large security zones. Technology advancements include threat detection by tracking targets as small as 6 to 12 pixels within a 640×480 video frame (i.e. 300,000 pixels); wider coverage area through target detection with touring pan-tilt-zoom cameras; and tracking targets between pan-tilt-zoom cameras (as well as fixed to fixed, and fixed to pan-tilt-zoom cameras). The software is embedded within a software suite that enables the setting of alarm rules, notification of responders and the generation of information (real-time video and situation display) for successful threat intervention. For more information, go to http://www.guardiansolutions.com/threatstalker/threatstalker.html
10. UltraStar Cinemas Go Digital Getting digital cinema projectors into theaters around the U.S. has been a tough proposition, as anyone who keeps up with that market knows. But the pre-show programming turns out to be the ticket in. UltraStar Cinemas of San Diego, for example, will install DLP Cinema projectors from Digital Projection International for pre-show advertising content, alternative programming, digital theatrical trailers and Hollywood digital features. (From looking at the cinema company's website, it seems they already embrace DLP Cinema, and are now expanding it to more theaters. You can see what theaters already have digital cinema at http://www.ultrastarmovies.com/pdc.html). Cinemas abroad have been a bit quicker to adopt digital cinema in theaters but distribution issues surrounding feature films make things complicated everywhere. But with more features shot in digital than ever before, perhaps the perceived need will somehow put that cart before the proverbial horse. This installation at UltraStar begins with 20 of their theaters and plans call for conversion of all their 81 theaters by end of 2004. For more information, go to http://www.digitalprojection.com/news/newsarchives/ultrastar.htm.
11. Mitsubishi Announces Competitively-Priced Sub 5-lb. DLP XGA Projector Mitsubishi Digital Electronics announced the XD70U, a DLP projector specified at 2,000 ANSI lumens, XGA (1024 x 768) resolution and a nice 2000:1 contrast ratio. Projected "street price" is $2,995 – very competitive. The company says it also offers longer lamp life than most, at 3,000 hours. And with the impending lamp shortage (oh, you haven't heard about that?), you'd better prepare and stock up. 3000 hours is a good niche for this price category. Target market is, obviously, road warriors. For more information, go to http://www.mitsubishi-presentations.com
12. Get Rid of Your Old Projectors: NEC Even Picks it up NEC announced a new way to help companies and consumers get rid of outdated NEC projector hardware. With the EcoCare program, projectors up to 40 pounds can be disposed of, or recycled, by NEC. Not only that, NEC will arrange pickup and even packing material. NEC will also issue a certificate of disposal for those who need it. This isn't unique to NEC but it's great to see more companies doing it, especially in a way that makes it so easy. There's nothing worse than having old hardware sitting around that is either constantly in the way or takes up valuable space. Now if I could just get rid of old phones and computers. For more information, go to http://www.necvisualsystems.com/applicationFiles/service/appl_prDetail.cfm?PR_id=105
13. Taxi TV – It Had to Happen While it's not directly related to what we cover, this shows how creative people are getting with places to put video displays. First, New York City taxis had audio public service ads by celebrity spokespeople. Now, some Boston taxicabs will have flat-screen video monitors playing programming and, of course, advertising, for backseat passengers. The systems are provided by TVinMOTION Outdoor Video Networks. Here is how they described the Boston system: The network-quality programming lineup in Boston includes short video clips provided by exclusive programming partners such as A&E Networks, as well as weather information and custom-produced video pieces on famous Boston landmarks. TVinMOTION's first "Video Magazine" will include short features on The USS Constitution and the historical Beacon Street District. The TVinMOTION experience is designed to serve Boston residents and tourists alike, and showcases the Company's unique, "local channel" approach. TVinMOTION will also participate in local and national public service campaigns.
With an average Boston taxi ride lasting about 15-20 minutes, TVinMOTION offers advertisers and programmers an ideal opportunity to directly and effectively influence upscale target audiences in a comfortable (and captive) environment. Flat-panel showing video will be everywhere and fast. Supermarkets, cinemas, retail stores, fast-food chains and now taxis. Will there come a time when there are so many that we no longer "see" them? Or perhaps not, in such a captive setting such as a taxi? For more information, go to http://www.tvinmotion.com/
14. Fujitsu Files Plasma Patent Infringement Suit Against Samsung Japan Fujitsu has filed a patent infringement suit against Samsung regarding plasma display panels. "Fujitsu alleges that Plasma Display Panels (PDPs) manufactured by Samsung SDI infringe Fujitsu's PDP patents," said the announcement. Masanobu Katoh, group president of Fujitsu Limited's Intellectual Property Group, explained: "Fujitsu has invested over 30 years and very significant resources in developing commercially viable PDP technology. We cannot permit others to exploit these valuable inventions without appropriate compensation." Reports indicate this might actually be a countersuit against previous patent arguments between the companies and papers are flying in Tokyo as well as California. Stay tuned! For more information, go to http://www.fujitsu.com/news/pr/archives/month/2004/20040407-01.html
15. Peerless Mounts Pass Quake Test The Jumbo 2000 and Slimline mounts from Peerless Industries passed a seismic test conducted by California's OSHPD agency, basically saying the mounts can handle an 8.0 magnitude earthquake. It gives the company pre-approval status for use in California health care facilities. Peerless Industries' Jumbo 2000 and Slimline Mounts were tested in an 8.0 magnitude earthquake simulation to determine the mount's capabilities to resist the forces of such an earthquake. The mounts were installed, with television sets, on an earthquake simulation shaker table at a state-approved testing lab. For more information about Peerless, go to http://www.peerlessindustries.com/
16. Ohio State University Opens Hands-On Technology Lab for Teachers, Students What a fantastic idea to get people to adapt to education technologies. Ohio State's new Digital Union has 2,000 square feet of cutting-edge technology dedicated to academic collaborations. This living laboratory is designed to immerse students and faculty in state-of-the art facilities, and use their experiences to help users understand and then contribute to the building of the next generation of educational and technology infrastructure required by The Ohio State University. Designed as a living laboratory, the Digital Union will support innovation, collaboration and presentation, while providing Ohio State with reliable data for making informed investment decisions across Ohio's flagship campus There's no better way to get people to adapt to technology than to let them use it first – especially in academic settings. The Digital Union has a videoconference suite, a video theater, a multimedia production facility, plasma screens, cameras, wireless technology meeting areas, demonstration areas with various tablet PCs, laptops and handheld devices, integrated printers and scanners and a digital asset management system. Also included in the facility is Mediasite Live from Sonic Foundry. Sonic Foundry joins Apple Computer, HP and Polycom as founding technology partners. Mediasite Live will be used for distance education, for recording and streaming and archiving lectures. Other potential applications for Mediasite Live include recording and distributing presentations from guest speakers at the Digital Union and other campus locations, doctoral candidates who incorporate rich media into their dissertations and online training for faculty and staff. For more information, go to http://cio.osu.edu/communications/community/2004/digital_union.html
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Who is This? We have a winner! There's not just one, but two AV veterans in this photo. Go here to view the photo. "Just a shot in the dark, but Gina Lauria with Crestron and Toby from Sapphire Marketing," — Christopher Tatton, CTS. You're right! Congratulations, Christopher. We've got a rAVe T-shirt coming your way! (Click here to see the photo.) Christopher Tatton is with HB Communications.
About HB Communications: Established in 1946, HB Communications, Inc. is the Northeast's leading provider of audio video and integrated presentation systems. With offices in North Haven, CT and Waltham, MA, HB serves leading corporations, educational institutions, hospitals, financial institutions, houses of worship and entertainment venues with solutions in large screen display, distance learning and professional video. For more information contact HB Communications, Inc. 1-800-243-4414 or contact us online at http://www.hbcommunications.com/index.asp
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Feature Article An Open Letter to the AV Industry Regarding Temporary Image Retention (TIR) in Direct View LCD Panels By Benjamin Clifton, VP Technology
Clarity Visual Systems What is Temporary Image Retention (TIR)? Unlike phosphor-based displays such as CRTs and plasma flat panels, LCD displays do not suffer from permanent image burn-in resulting from the prolonged display of static images. This is widely understood as one of the key technological advantages of LCD. However, a temporary retained image may result in such displays, if a static image is displayed for a long time — an effect known as "image sticking", or temporary image retention (TIR). This effect is not permanent, is not a degradation in overall life, and does not appear at all in typical usage. However, TIR can occur and can be considered undesirable in certain applications where 24/7 display of static images is required. Every panel specification from every LCD manufacturer that Clarity has ever reviewed includes language about "image sticking." As such, we believe the phenomenon is common to all manufacturers, though there does appear to be some variability both within a single product line and among the various panel manufacturers. What causes TIR and what can be done about it? The mechanism of TIR involves the chemistry and drive signals of the LCD, where slight DC components of the drive signals for static displays induce a migration of ions in the Liquid Crystal material to one side of the LCD glass. This migration of ions, given sufficient time, will cause a slight drop in the drive voltage in the pattern of the static image, causing a temporary "ghost" of the image to stick. Thankfully, when the image is changed, these ions diffuse back into the Liquid Crystal and the "stuck" image disappears. The process of ion migration is something like sedimentation in a wine bottle. Over time, if the wine bottle is left in the same position (a static image is displayed), sediment will appear at the bottom of the bottle (the ions). If, however, the bottle is periodically turned or shaken (a non-static image), then the sediment will remain in solution. Unlike the burn-in exhibited in phosphor-based displays, TIR is not a permanent condition. Still, it can be problematic in certain applications. The best way to avoid the condition is to limit the amount of static content on the display. When this fix is not really an option, TIR may be avoided in a number of other ways. First, turning the display off (either by power cycle or by displaying a full black field), allows the ions to diffuse back into solution. Second, using a display "orbiter" (included as a menu selectable option in Clarity LCDs) will unobtrusively shift the image by one pixel on a periodic basis to reduce the static nature of the image. Third — as TIR is somewhat temperature dependent – ensure the display is not exposed to excessive heat in the installation. Ultimately, if TIR does occur, the quickest way to drive the ions back into solution is to display a full field of black image. The rate of TIR depends on the image pattern, the duration, the temperature, and slight variations in the LCD. Likewise, the rate of diffusion of the TIR (recovery time) also depends on these factors. Because of panel-based variability, Clarity has always designed its LCD products to accommodate modules from multiple vendors. By working with our suppliers in this way we have been able to consistently ensure the quality of our display devices. Clarity has been designing products using AM-LCD's for eight years and we have yet to see any significant downside to this robust imaging technology. Why talk about TIR now? From what we saw at the recent NSCA and GlobalShop tradeshows, the digital signage market is finally poised to explode. Direct view LCD display products are an excellent choice for digital signage applications. As a leader in this space and a longtime advocate of LCD technology, we're keenly focused on product quality and know from experience that the better the technology performs, the faster the market will grow. We believe that TIR can be greatly improved if not entirely eliminated with tighter process controls implemented during the LCD panel manufacturing process. Ultimately, Clarity would like to see the LCD panel manufacturers respond to the challenge of eradicating TIR all together. In the mean time, AM-LCD remains the most reliable, longest life digital imaging technology available for large screen displays. With knowledge of the cause and effects of TIR, any objectionable effects can be avoided with prudent control of the content and the display environment, even in 24/7 applications.
A 15-year veteran of the display industry, Mr. Clifton has a solid background of LCD research and design experience that gives him a unique understanding of LCD technology. Prior to joining Clarity, Ben worked at In Focus and Tektronix, where he played key roles in technology groups working on a variety of display-related projects. He also served as VP of Engineering at Motif, a joint venture between In Focus and Motorola. He currently holds 16 patents in the area of flat panel displays and related technologies, and co-invented Active Addressing LCD technology.
Feature Article Display Technology Shoot-Out
Comparing CRT, LCD, Plasma and DLP Displays
Dr. Raymond M. Soneira
President, DisplayMate Technologies Corp.
Copyright © 2004 DisplayMate Technologies Corp. Part IIa – Gray-Scale and Color Accuracy Introduction This is Part IIa of an article series describing an in-depth comparison between CRT, LCD, Plasma and DLP display technologies in order to analyze the relative strengths and weaknesses of each. In Part I we measured, analyzed and compared primary specs like Black-Level, Color Temperature, Peak Brightness, Dynamic Range, and Contrast for each display. Click here to read Part I. In this issue we examine the Gray-Scale and Gamma in order to explore color and gray-scale accuracy. In the following issue of rAVe we’ll continue by examining the Primary Chromaticities and the Color Gamut of the displays. In Part III we’ll study the complex world of display artifacts – just a fancy name for the image peculiarities – of each technology for both computer and television applications. We chose the top performer for each display technology using our own 2004 DisplayMate Best Video Hardware Guide. The candidates included a 40” direct-view LCD (NEC LCD4000), a 61” Plasma (NEC 61XM2), a 50” DLP Rear Projection (Optoma RD-50), and a much smaller CRT 19” professional High Definition studio monitor (Sony PVM-20L5), which was used as the reference standard for color and gray-scale accuracy. It’s important to emphasize that this article is designed as a comparison of four different display technologies and not as an editorial review of the above models. By comparing the top performing model in each technology we are in effect examining the state-of-the-art for that technology. We will be looking at fundamental image and picture quality performance issues and not the implementation idiosyncrasies of any particular model. Instrumentation for Parts I and II: All of the test patterns were generated with DisplayMate for Windows Multimedia Edition on both DVI and component video. For HD signals we used an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro with an ATI HDTV Component Video Adapter, which provides high quality computer generated 720p and 1080i component video outputs YPBPR. We also used a pre-release version of the DisplayMate Professional DVD that has DisplayMate’s proprietary test patterns on DVD (available later this year). All of the photometry and colorimetry measurements were made with a Konica Minolta CS-1000, which is a high-end laboratory Spectroradiometer with a narrow 1º acceptance angle for light emitted by the display. Most of the photometers and color analyzers that are used for display measurements are actually accurate only for CRTs because they rely on filters calibrated to the light spectrum of a CRT. They also have broad acceptance angles that are not accurate for many flat panel technologies because of their variation in light distribution with viewing angle. The Spectroradiometer measures the light spectrum directly and was crucial for making precise comparisons between the different display technologies. The Spectroradiometer and all of the displays (except for the Sony) were generously provided on a long-term loan basis by their manufacturers. We offer special thanks to all of them for agreeing to participate. It was especially challenging to get all of this high-end hardware together at the same time. Gray-Scale In Part I we measured the extremes of display brightness: the black-level and peak intensity white. Here we’re going to carefully examine all of the intensities in between, which is referred to as the display’s Gray-Scale. This is the signature of a display; it’s what gives the display its own unique look and performance characteristics. While each display technology has its own native gray-scale, known as a Transfer Characteristic, signal processing electronics within the display modifies this to produce the gray-scale that we actually see (and measure). There are two reasons why this is necessary. First, the native gray-scale for most display technologies is either unsuitable or sub-optimal for accurate image reproduction. Second, we need to have a standard gray-scale so that images will be accurately reproduced on any display or display technology. The accepted standard is the CRT’s own native gray-scale. There are two reasons why the CRT is the standard: first, it was until recently the only prevalent display technology so new technologies had to mimic its behavior if they were to be accepted; second, it turns out that the CRT’s native gray-scale is actually very close to the ideal. We are incredibly lucky that the CRT came first and has served us well as an imaging device for over 75 years. It turns out that the term Gray-Scale is an unfortunate word choice because it actually describes the intensity scale for all colors, not just the grays, which are shades of white. As we’ll see shortly, the shape of the Gray-Scale has a major impact on not only image brightness and contrast, but also on hue and color saturation. Before going any further we first need to define exactly what is meant by the Gray-Scale. It is the brightness or amount of visible light that a display produces for a given level of input signal. (This applies for every pixel in the image.) For example, a maximum signal produces peak white and a zero signal produces the closest approximation to black that the display can produce. We measured the gray-scale using a set of DisplayMate test patterns (we recommend the Kayye and Multimedia Editions of DisplayMate for the ProAV market) with a Minolta CS-1000 Spectroradiometer. As we increase the signal from zero to maximum the display brightness also increases in a particular way that we can measure and then plot on a graph. This graph of brightness versus signal intensity level is called the Gray-Scale. The input signal can be specified in many different and equivalent ways. For computers it’s generally on a scale of 0 to 255, with 0 for black and 255 for peak white. For most digital video it’s 16 for black to 235 for peak white and for analog video it’s generally specified in IRE units, from either 0 or 7.5 for black to 100 for peak white. To simplify matters we’ll describe the input signal intensity level as a scale going from 0 percent for black to 100 percent for peak white. The brightness scale will be luminance in cd/m2, the same as in Part I. GammaGamma is a popular, yet widely misunderstood number that describes the steepness of a display’s gray-scale as it increases from black to peak white. The gray-scale is not linear as most people presume, but instead logarithmic (mathematically it’s actually called a power-law, which behaves linearly on logarithmic scales) because that’s how standard CRTs behave, and also because that corresponds well with the eye’s own logarithmic response (which is also a power-law). While you normally see the gray-scale plotted as a linear graph, that’s really not the proper graph to use. Here’s why: what matters to the eye are ratios of brightness not differences in brightness. When comparing two intensities or mixing two colors it is their brightness ratio that determines what your eye sees. (Ratios are just divisions and differences are just subtractions between any two values.) A linear graph shows differences uniformly. Since the eye responds to brightness ratios we need a graph that displays ratios uniformly. That’s just what a logarithmic graph does. You don’t need any advanced math to understand logarithmic graphs, just pay attention to the scale values. They’re arranged so that any given ratio corresponds to a fixed distance anywhere along the scale. For example, the distances between 80, 40, 20 and 10 (on the horizontal axis) are all the same because each is a 2:1 ratio. Below are logarithmic plots of the gray-scales as measured with the Konica Minolta CS-1000 Spectroradiometer and a set of DisplayMate test patterns. All of the display controls had to be adjusted very carefully for these measurements, especially the black-level. This was done in exactly the same way as described in Part I. Figure 1 shows the Screen Brightness in cd/m2 for each of the displays as a function of the signal intensity level expressed as a percentage of maximum. (The values for 100 percent are identical to the peak brightness values listed in Part I.) You can see that the gray-scales are all reasonably close to straight lines on a log-log plot, but have different slopes. Note how the logarithmic plot emphasizes the dimmest parts of the gray-scale. This parallels the eye’s own extended sensitivity to dark content. (The brightness scale covers a range of 10,000:1, although the data doesn’t use all of this range. On a linear graph the dimmest parts of the gray-scale would be virtually invisible and lost all together.) From Figure 1 you can see that the LCD has the steepest gray-scale and the Plasma the shallowest. This explains why sometimes one flat panel display appears the brightest and at other times a different one does. At 100% signal intensity the LCD is the brightest and the Plasma the dimmest, but below 20% signal intensity the Plasma is the brightest and the LCD the dimmest. At 30% signal intensity all of the flat panels are about equal in brightness. So the relative brightness between the flat panels actually depends on the image content. Figure 2 shows the same plot as Figure 1, only now the peak brightnesses are all equalized to a common 100 percent. This allows us to compare the relative behavior of the gray-scales directly because they now all have the same ratios compared to peak brightness. It’s now easy to see why the displays look different. There is a considerable variation in the steepness of the gray-scales and the differences diverge at lower signal intensities. At 20% there is almost a 3:1 difference in relative brightness between the Plasma and LCD displays. (You would never learn this from a linear gray-scale plot, where the differences between the displays would appear greatest at around 50% intensity.) Gamma is the numerical value of the slope (steepness) of the gray-scale when plotted on a logarithmic “log-log” graph. While there are reasons why a Gamma of 3.0 might be considered optimum, what is more important is to have a standard Gamma value defined. Television, DVD, Web and computer based photographic content are generally color balanced on professional CRT monitors that have a standard Gamma of 2.20, so you’ll get the most accurate images if your display has this value also. Here are the Gammas determined from the log-log plots in the most important region of 100% to 30% signal intensity (which goes down to about 7% of peak brightness in the case of the CRT). Below that the slopes start varying somewhat, which means the Gammas will also vary at the very dark end. CRT Sony PVM-20L5 | LCDNEC LCD4000 | PlasmaNEC 61XM2 | DLP Rear Projection Optoma RD50 | 2.20 | 2.32 | 2.02 | 2.09 |
The Gamma for the CRT agrees perfectly with the 2.20 standard value. The LCD has a Gamma greater than the standard, the DLP is less and the Plasma much less than the 2.20 standard. (Note: the Plasma and DLP displays provide several Gamma selections. We chose the steepest available for each, which provides the closest agreement with the 2.20 standard.) The real question is how much of a difference do these different gray-scales and values of Gamma make and how do they affect the appearance of an image. How Gamma Affects the Image Gamma has a major effect on image brightness, contrast, hue and color saturation. In order to explore this we’ll examine the differences between the LCD, which has the highest Gamma, and the Plasma, which has the lowest. To see this on the graph in Figure 2, compare the relative Brightness between the LCD and Plasma at 50% intensity and at 25% intensity. At 50% intensity the Plasma has a relative brightness that is 1.3 times that of the LCD. At 25% intensity the Plasma has a relative brightness that is 2.1 times that of the LCD. Image Contrast The higher the Gamma the faster the brightness decreases with signal intensity level. Consider a black and white photograph. The brightness ratio of bright content to dark content will be considerably greater on the LCD than on the Plasma. These ratios of brightness are actually just contrast ratios. For example, considering the 25% intensity level, the LCD will have a contrast that is 2.1 times greater than the Plasma. Overall the image on the LCD will appear to have a higher contrast than a standard 2.20 Gamma display and the Plasma will have a lower contrast. Note that this is independent of the Contrast Control setting and independent of the Contrast Ratio measured in Part I. So Gamma turns out to be the primary determining factor in visual contrast for images on a display. Image Brightness Again, the higher the Gamma the faster the brightness decreases. Since most images have a wide range of intensities, the displays with a higher Gamma will appear darker and those with a lower Gamma will appear brighter. Given the industry’s emphasis on brightness, it’s not surprising to find a bias towards lower Gamma values. Hue When combining the primary colors to produce color mixtures in an image, different Gammas result in different brightness values for the primaries, which produces varying hues and intensities in the resulting colors. For example, when mixing red and green in the ratio of 2 parts red to one part green (100% red intensity and 50% green intensity), which produces a brown, the green will be 1.3 times brighter on the Plasma than on the LCD, so the browns will be different. We verified this visually: the brown was noticeably redder on the LCD than the Plasma, as expected from their Gammas. Gamma will also have a similar effect on flesh tones as well. While the display’s Tint control can be used to correct the flesh tones, all of the other colors will be modified at the same time, introducing additional errors in hue throughout the image. Color Saturation Color Saturation is also affected by Gamma in the same way as hue, except that all three primary colors are involved. The primary color with the lowest signal intensity in any color mixture determines the Saturation of the resulting color because it is perceived as combining with equal intensities of the two other primaries to produce a low intensity shade of white (or dark gray). This washes out the appearance of the color mixture into a lower saturation pastel. Since Gamma has the greatest effect on the dimmest primary color the brightness of the white component varies significantly. For example, 75% red, 50% green and 25% blue is perceived as a red-green mixture having a 25% white component. This white component will be 2.1 times brighter on the Plasma than on the LCD, so the color will have a lower saturation on the Plasma than on the LCD. As a result Saturation is significantly affected by Gamma. Higher Gammas increase color saturation and lower Gammas decrease color saturation. The display’s Color Saturation Control can be used to correct the Saturation error resulting from a non-standard Gamma. However, in the case of low Gamma, the saturation needs to be increased and as a result some values will reach the 100% signal limit and cause distortion. It’s better in this instance to have a high Gamma because the saturation is lowered and no such problem limit arises. Variations in Gamma In principle, the gray-scales should appear as perfectly straight lines in Figures 1 and 2. Otherwise the Gamma for a display will vary with intensity, and then so will all of the characteristics discussed above, including contrast, hue and saturation. In the brown example above, a display will produce different browns at different intensities if the gray-scale deviates from a straight line in a logarithmic plot. Note that the gray-scale for the CRT is almost perfectly straight, while there are variations for each of the flat panels. Effect of the Black-Level Adjusting the black-level can change the shape of the gray-scale at low intensities. If the black-level is raised then the gray-scale will fall less steeply at the dim-end. Conversely, if it’s lowered then the gray-scale will fall more steeply at the dim-end. So if you set the black-level incorrectly, it will change the display’s gray-scale and Gamma. You can also intentionally misadjust the black-level to modify the behavior at the dim-end of the gray-scale. For example, reducing the black-level for the Plasma and increasing it for the LCD would help straighten out their gray-scales at the dim-end. (Note: the black-levels were set very accurately for the measurements in Figures 1 and 2, so the gray-scales are accurate as shown.) Cinema Modes and Gamma Controls Many displays include special “cinema” modes that bring out dark image detail. What they’re actually doing is stretching and artificially raising the lower end of the gray-scale. The behavior is similar to the “base boost” control in audio systems, which intentionally reduces accuracy for crowd pleasing effects. We’ve shown that such effects introduce hue and color saturation errors in addition to affecting brightness and contrast. Gamma controls often behave in the same fashion. Rather than actually changing the logarithmic slope of the gray-scale they simply stretch a portion of it. In Part III we’ll discuss why stretching the gray-scale also introduces image artifacts. Conclusions There are many reasons why displays have different Gammas. One factor is the inherent limitations in the signal processing electronics used in each display. The Gamma values that we’ve measured here apply only to these particular models and are not inherent to their particular technologies. However, the behaviors that we have seen here are not accidental, in fact they have been carefully chosen by their manufacturers to compliment each technology’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, the LCD is currently optimized for computer applications, where signal intensities are frequently near peak. The steep gray-scale produces bright, high contrast images with high color saturation. The Plasma is optimized for video applications which have much lower signal intensities. The less steep gray-scale helps it deliver a brighter image. The DLP is relatively bright, so it uses a steeper gray-scale at low intensities to enhance visual contrast near black. This also cuts down on the visibility of dithering noise in the image. We’ll discuss these issues further in Part III. The Functional Names of User Controls In Parts I and II we have discussed the functionality and confusing names given to display controls. Below is a summary. Brightness Control: It doesn’t control brightness, it actually controls the display’s black-level. It’s true functional name is: Black-Level Control. Note: on many LCD displays the Brightness Control does in fact control the backlight, so its name is actually functionally correct there. This variation, of course, adds to the overall level of control confusion. Contrast Control: It doesn’t control the display’s contrast because it proportionally increases or decreases the entire gray-scale. It actually controls the display’s overall brightness. It’s true functional name is: Brightness Control. Gamma Control: If it really controls the Gamma, which is the logarithmic slope of the gray-scale, the functional name for this control is: Contrast Control. After 75 years of misuse it’s not too likely that this will be straightened out any time soon, but we thought you might just want to know how things should have been named. Parts IIb and Part IIIIn the next issue of rAVe we’ll continue with color accuracy by examining the Primary Chromaticities and the Color Gamut of the displays. In Part III we’ll examine the image artifacts for each of the display technologies and interpret our viewing tests with the measurements in Parts I and II. How We TestedThe central concept for this article was to carefully set up, test and evaluate all of the display technologies at the same time under identical conditions and procedures, and using advanced instrumentation where appropriate. All of the displays were set up side-by-side for simultaneous comparative viewing in a dark lab. We used a wide selection of test patterns from DisplayMate for Windows Multimedia Edition and a pre-release version of the DisplayMate Professional DVD, which has DisplayMate’s proprietary test patterns on DVD (available later this year). For HD signals we used an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro with an ATI HDTV Component Video Adapter, which provides high quality computer generated 720p and 1080i component video outputs YPBPR. This allowed us to generate HD DisplayMate test patterns for the television video inputs. In order to do simultaneous display testing we used distribution amplifiers and switchers from Kramer Electronics. All of the photometry and colorimetry measurements were made with a Konica Minolta CS-1000, which is a high-end laboratory Spectroradiometer. Our reference standard was the Sony Professional Multi-format broadcast studio monitor PVM-20L5, which was carefully calibrated for testing. Each display was compared to this monitor for color and gray-scale accuracy and overall image quality. AcknowledgementsSpecial thanks to Dr. Edward F. Kelley of the NIST, National Institute of Standards and Technology, for many interesting discussions and for generously sharing his expertise. Special thanks to the Konica Minolta Instrument Systems Division for providing editorial loaner instruments whenever and wherever they have been needed and for providing the CS-1000 Spectroradiometer on a long-term loan for this project. About the Author Dr. Raymond Soneira is President of DisplayMate Technologies Corp. He is a research scientist with a career that spans physics, computer science, and television system design. Dr. Soneira obtained his Ph.D. in Physics from Princeton University, spent 5 years as a Long-Term Member of the world famous Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, another 5 years as a Principal Investigator in the Computer Systems Research Laboratory at AT&T Bell Laboratories, and has also designed, tested, and installed color television broadcast equipment for the CBS Television Network Engineering and Development Department. He has authored over 35 research articles in scientific journals in physics and computer science, including Scientific American. If you have any comments or questions about the article you can contact him at dtso@displaymate.com. Well, that's it for this edition of rAVe! Thank you for spending time with me as we muse the industry's happenings. To continue getting my newsletter, or to sign up a friend, click the link below. To send me feedback and news tips, don't reply to this newsletter – instead, write to me at gkayye@kayye.comClick here to forward Gary Kayye's rAVe to a friend Click here to subscribe A little about me: Gary Kayye, CTS, founder of Kayye Consulting. Gary Kayye, an audiovisual veteran and columnist, began the widely-read KNews, a premier industry newsletter, in the late 1990s, and created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue – which later became InfoComm IQ. Kayye Consulting is a company that is committed to furthering the interests and success of dealers, manufacturers, and other companies within the professional audiovisual industry. Gary Kayye's rAVe was launched in February 2003. The new rAVe Home Edition co-sponsored by CEDIA launched in February, 2004. To read more about my background, our staff, and what we do, go to http://www.kayye.com Back to top
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