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Wednesday, 26 March 2008 05:20 |
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Sharp last week previewed what it claims will be the world’s largest LCD display when it goes into production in the third quarter of this year. The 108-inch backlit unit has 1080p (1920x1080) HD resolution and an unusually wide viewing angle of 176_ in all directions, like the rest of Sharp’s digital-signage LCD line-up. However, size comes at a price. Contrast at 1200:1 is notably lower than that of the 46-, 52- and 65-inch units, which range from 1700:1 up to 2000:1, while brightness is a little dimmer too. Unsurprisingly, the unit will also consume much more power than the next largest, the 65-inch – that display uses 560W in operating mode, while Sharp, without committing to a precise figure, says the 108-inch could require up to 1500W. Similarly, it will weigh much more, with Sharp setting an upper limit of 250kg against the 65-inch model’s 66kg. The smaller displays are available as panels as well as in ready-to-use monitor form; the figures above refer to complete monitors. www.sharp-world.com |
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Sunday, 23 March 2008 23:32 |
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In-store music provider Muzak will by the end of this year launch a screen-media system. Currently in pilot testing, the “simple, turnkey packages” offered under its new Visual Solutions brand will be aimed at Muzak’s plethora of existing clients for its business music and audio services, which reach some 100m people daily.
“The question for us was never if we were going to enter the digital-signage business, but when and how,” said Jon Luther Jr., Muzak’s product manager for Visual Solutions.
He added: “Our goal will be to provide clarity for our clients as this industry matures – and we realize that multiple product offerings and thus multiple partners will be necessary to fulfill a wide array of content, display and delivery needs.”
www.muzak.com |
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Wednesday, 19 March 2008 16:59 |
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The Korean capital of Seoul now has 20 robots acting as walking, talking, mobile, digital display units, most of them at Kimpo International Airport.
Each of the autonomous robots helps passengers via a chest screen with touchscreen interface which provides real-time information about flights, locations and amenities – for example, travellers can ask it the way to a particular airport facility, and it will tell them where it is or even take them there.
The robots can speak English to foreign visitors and supply them with English-language information on their chest screens.
They also carry signage boards above their “heads”.
Despite the surprisingly unexceptional technology at the heart of the robot design – a 1.75MHz Pentium processor and Windows XP Professional – the units are another indication of Korea’s commitment to, and success in, developing intelligent robots.
The country sees robots as having a major place in the future, and among their uses will be as a form of portable signage, taking information to the customer.
Lee Ho-gil, general director of the Center for Robot Industry Promotion at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), said: “The growth potential of the robot industry exceeds that of the auto industry as it provides a chance for us to take over the market and technology in advance. The prospects for investment and technological innovation are also bright.”
However, it is unlikely that robot-based screen media will be suitable for every application. It has been observed at the Seoul airport that older members of the public tend to avoid the units, and the robots would also find it difficult to do their job in some environments such as very crowded stores.
YouTube video of airport robot
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Wednesday, 19 March 2008 16:50 |
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Advertising and promotions may be the commercial drivers of the screen-media sector, but it’s often unusual technology that makes audiences – and network owners – look twice. Here’s a round-up of some of the latest, and neatest, display innovations. 
From GeCube comes the Genie Tablet, also known as the Genie PC. At first glance it looks like an everyday laptop, but it can also be converted to a tablet format by rotating the screen section, and the screen can even be removed entirely for use as a digital display.
The machine’s potential for digital signage is clear. You could use it to create a digital presentation, then detach the screen for mounting in a shop or other premises.
It’s not a state-of-the-art machine – it runs on an unidentified 300MHz Intel x86 chip and has 256Mbyte RAM with 2Gbyte storage – but with specs like that, it’s bound to be affordable. NextWindow MultitouchNextWindow has released a new Multitouch Screen series, with screens of up to 100 inches available. They work a little like upright versions of Microsoft’s Surface, with the user touching the screen to drag, stretch and manipulate graphics. Anything can be used as a stylus.
As the company’s marketing VP Anthony Uhrick demonstrated at the recent CeBIT event in Germany, you could draw an outline with your finger and colour it in with your fist, and the screen will recognise the size of the object pressed against it.
The NextWindow screens are quite capable of recognising multiple touchpoints too, enabling screen-media applications where more than one person might use the device at once.
Especially interesting is a display of Google Earth maps, which could be zoomed in and out by pinching or pulling the screen. This would be great for, say, demonstrating a redevelopment plan in a public consultation. You could focus on one building at a time, or see the site in the context of the whole town at the rub of a finger or two. Waterproof and 3D units
Collevo’s latest display (pictured left) is, according to sales manager Sylvia Tang, “destined for outdoor applications”. It’s rated at IP65 on the National Electrical Manufacturers Association standard grading for displays and enclosures used in industrial applications, which means it’s fine with dust and rain.
And PureDepth’s multi-layer display is making a comeback with Samsung in tow. Between them they’ve produced a 46-inch version, which they’re dubbing “the world’s largest”. The multi-layer LCD produces a 3D-style effect by sandwiching several LCD panels, with a foreground image literally in front of the background, allowing viewers to experience pseudo-3D without wearing goggles or coloured glasses.
Multi-layer technology hasn’t taken off to date, but maybe this big display could at last crack the market.
www.collevo.com
www.gecube.com
www.nextwindow.com
www.puredepth.com |
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