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By: Richard Del Cazzo
Web site: http://www.hdtv-hdtv.com
LCD smart displays: ViewSonic® Corporation, a worldwide
Visual Technologies™ leader, used the 2002 Consumer
Electronics Show to unveil its first offering in a new category
of LCD smart displays that allow users to view all forms of
digital and analog entertainment-TV, VCR, DVD, camcorder,
digital camera, cable box, game player and PC signals-at resolutions
up to four times higher than standard television images.
The ViewSonic VX3600 MegaMonitor® employs one of the
first Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) LCD smart displays
technologies designed to be capable of video/TV as well as
Windows/PC modes, providing users with extensive viewing options.
The VX3600 offers computer, digital media and gaming enthusiasts
wide-screen cinema viewing (36 inches diagonal, 16 by 9 aspect
ratio) at true digital high-definition resolution (1280 x
768P in 16 million colors).
"The VX3600 LCD smart display establishes a new category
of smart displays compared to the many high definition TVs
on the market today that are only optimized for TV. Not only
is it a display gateway to digital entertainment, it is a
display gateway to the PC," said Marc McConnaughey, senior
vice president, Advanced Products Group, ViewSonic. "The
VX3600 can process, scale and display media streams from up
to five sources at once."
To further augment the viewing experience, the VX3600 LCD
smart display offers virtual surround sound with a 100-watt
digital audio system, two 25-watt maximum front-firing speakers
and a 50-watt maximum bass subwoofer. ViewSonic has also built-in
2.4 Gigahertz wireless technology, which is easier to use
than infrared pointing technology. The VX3600 ships with a
2.4GHz remote control and has an optional 2.4GHz multimedia
keyboard.
Customer convenience is also enhanced by the VX3600's smaller
footprint. At a depth of 18-inches and a weight of less than
95 pounds, the VX3600 LCD smart display is much shorter and
lighter than comparable traditional CRT and HDTV projection
systems.
Early Adoption of LCoS Technology The VX3600 LCD smart display
features LCoS technology, which does not have spacers between
pixels, creating tightly integrated, high-definition images.
LCoS is a new category of light modulators that is capable
of reaching near film resolutions. For the optimum visual
experience, ViewSonic combined a JVC SXGA light modulator
along with advanced screen technology-including a 160-degree
wide viewing angle and a precision glass faceplate with anti-reflective
coating-to eliminate hot spots and provide bright and very
clear images of video/TV and PC/Windows information.
To realize its vision of helping create the world's first
data and video capable light engine architectures, ViewSonic
also worked in conjunction with Calif. based Advanced Digital
Optics to design one of the first modular, video/data LCoS
based, optical light engine subsystems for the VX3600.
"ViewSonic anticipates that the extended PC market will
take off in 2002," said Jakob Kishon, vice president,
Advanced System Technology, ViewSonic. "Our MegaMonitor
category of LCD smart displays is targeted at advanced PC
users who want optimum viewing performance-both in video and
PC formats-from one wide-format, high-resolution display."
MegaMonitor Extended Capabilities Future ViewSonic MegaMonitor
offerings will include an version based on the MicrosoftWindows
XP Embedded operating system, which uses an Intel processor
and brings home smart features such as the ability to take
various forms of input-analog TV, digital TV, digital cameras
through USB, camcorders through Firewire, and/or PC/Windows
input through VGA or DVI-to not only display images in high
resolution, but store them as well as a MPEG format for further
processing or viewing at a later time. In addition, ViewSonic
will use Microsoft's Mira technology as the basis for yet
another version to offer the first large-screen, wide-format
wireless LCD smart display monitor that can connect to a DVD
player, VCR, Setop Box or game console, while at the same
time, connect wirelessly to a Windows PC.
The VX3600 LCD smart display MegaMonitor has an estimated
street price of $6,999 and will be available through authorized
ViewSonic partners later in the first half of 2002. The Microsoft
Windows XP Embedded and Mira versions are not yet priced,
but are also expected to ship in the first half of 2002. The
VX3600 is covered by a one-year warranty (90 days on the lamp),
and includes complete in-home service for the first year.
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