Displays - Page 44

NEC has been making projectors for a number of years. The company makes a wide range of units that have features suited to specific uses. One of the best projectors for people looking for a big image that don't have a huge room is a short-throw unit. These projectors are able to throw big images from closer to the wall or screen than normal projectors.

NEC has added two new units to its M Series of short throw projectors. The projectors include the M332XS and the M352WS. These projectors differ in a few key areas. The M332XS has 3300 lumens of brightness while the M325WS offers 3500 lumens. The two projectors also differ in resolution with the 332XS offering XGA resolution and the 352WS offering WXGA resolution.

Both of the projectors use DLP tech and have a special ECO Mode to save power and extend the lamp life. The M332XS has a 0.6:1 throw ratio while the M352WS has a 0.48:1 ratio. The projectors also have a variable audio output to allow external speaker volume be controlled by the projector remote.

For well over a year now, AMD has been touting it's DockPort technology previously known as "Lightening Bolt" technology, and today we got a much closer look at big red's low-cost alternative to Intel's Thunderbolt technology. AMD has posted a video on YouTube that gives us a closer look into what exactly DockPort really is.

DockPort got official recognition as an official DisplayPort standard at CES 2014 by VESA,one of the standards governing bodies. AMD's DockPort appears to be an amazing Tunderbolt-like connector that will allow multiple connectors, devices, and monitors to all be synced off of the same single DockPort docking station. The ability to simply purchase an HDMI, USB 3.0, or any other connector module, and connect it inline with every other port is something I have been waiting for for a long time, and will definitely change the way we connect our devices.

"AMD's versatile DockPort connection opens up a world of possibilities, like a portable hub where you can charge, transform, accessorize and otherwise connect your device in an all-in-one solution, reducing cable clutter and bringing data and display connectivity to your notebook or tablet via a single, DockPort supported DisplayPort link," AMD said in a statement.

LG Electronics grabbed headlines when it announced its 55-inch curved OLED HDTV in 2013, which originally sported a $14,999 retail price tag. Early into 2014, LG decided to issue yet another price cut so the TV can be found for $6,999 at major North American electronics e-tailers.

Prior to the 2013 Christmas holiday shopping season, LG cut the TV's retail price from $14,999 down to $8,999 to draw interested buyers with deep pockets. It's no surprise to see the price drop even lower in early 2014, but seeing it slide down to $6,999 in such a short amount of time may be all that is needed to entice some consumers to pull the trigger.

LG's price cut will also make it more competitive with Samsung's rival OLED HDTV that started with a price tag of $8,999.

Just a few hours away from the Super Bowl between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks, TV viewers will have the ability to watch the game in standard definition, high-definition, and ultra-HD (4K). FOX Sports will use six Sony 4K cameras to broadcast the game in UHD, utilizing five F55 and one F65 cameras, which will be used for the FOX "Super Zoom" technology.

The cameras will be position down each sideline and in both end zones, along with one located above the field, providing overall field video.

"It's all about the clarity of the replay and giving viewers the best possible look at a play, and that's what we can do with these cameras," said Jerry Steinberg, FOX Sports SVP of Technical Operations, in a statement. "Since we're starting with such a high-resolution image, we can zoom in multiple times on a shot and still get a completely clear picture with zero pixel degradation. You see everything in extreme detail, in fact with an extra amount of detail you wouldn't see in a traditional replay."

It looks like AMD is preparing an impressive "native" 16-core processor, with all sixteen cores sitting on the same die. This technology will reportedly surface sometime after 2015.

All of this will begin in AMD's server processor range, with its multi-core Opteron processors for high-end servers using multi-chip-module (MCM) technology. These chips use two six- or eight-core dies onto the same piece of substrate to create a 12- or 16-core solution. This tech will roll down to the consumer side of things, where we should expect a new 16-core processor from the chipmaker sometime in 2015-2016.

As this year continues, AMD will release an Opteron processor codenamed "Warsaw". Warsaw will feature 12 or 16 cores on AMD's Piledriver architecture, and should arrive toward late 2015. The company should also be capable of making a 32-core, multi-chip-module for high-end servers by slapping together two 16-core dies onto a single substrate. 32 cores aren't far away!

CBS plans to use six Ultra High Definition (UHD) cameras to broadcast Super Bowl XLVII, able to capture video up to 500 frames per second, providing a very clear, HD picture.

During the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) earlier this year, many high-definition TV manufacturers showed off UHD providing a whopping 3840x2160 resolution to TV viewers.

"We're using an unprecedented array of technology," said Ken Aagard, CBS Executive VP of operations, in a statement. "This year, we'll be using an innovative native 4K camera replay system we're calling 'Heyeper Zoom,' and given the right moment, we're hoping we can show something that will be really special."

Consumers searching for high-definition TVs have a lot of affordable choices to choose from, though organic LED (OLED) technology will still take a few more years of development for prices to drop. The technology has looked quite impressive due to a higher resolution and is brighter than rival TV formats, but the technology is still too expensive to roll out in mass production.

"I'm really, really terribly sorry to say this, but it will take more time... I believe it will take around three to four years," said HS Kim, Samsung VP for visual display, during a recent interview.

During the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), HDTV and 3DTV technologies were on full display all over the Las Vegas Strip. Many companies demoed impressive OLED technology, but most product launch dates and price tags will keep casual customers thinking of other options. However, as Kim predicts, a lower price tag and further technology advancements over the coming years will help drive demand in the future.

4K was a huge draw card to this year's Consumer Electronics Show, and one of the company's standing proud with Ultra HD was Samsung. The South Korean giant is confident in the high-resolution TV business.

The executive vice president of the company's visual display business, HS Kim, has said that pricing on 4K TVs will drop, and consumer adoption will rise much quicker than we think. This time last year, Samsung had three 4K TVs, but now the electronics giant has 10 models ranging from 50 inches, to an insane 110 inches.

Industry experts estimate that we will see under 500,000 4K sets sold this year, versus just 60,000 last year. Kim noted that the TV upgrade cycle is around six years right now, but his company wants to bring more value to its TVs, so that consumers will be tempted to replace them every 4-5 years instead.

CES 2014 - Even though I wasn't at CES 2014, I kept in touch with DisplayLink's Director of Marketing, Andy Davis, all the way from my house in Australia, where he bought me up to speed on some of the technologies his company was showing off at CES 2014.

One of the more important things Displaylink showed off was its new DL-3950 USB 3.0 docking chipset. The new chipset contains fully integrated dual-head video, which can support two full 2560x1600 displays. Not only that, but we also have Gigabit Ethernet, 5.1-channel sound, and DisplayLink's magic: dynamic compression.

DisplayLink also unveiled its new DL-5000 family of chips, with the DL-5500 launching at CES 2014. The DL-5500 allows users with existing DisplayLink-enabled setups to add a 4K monitor to their setup. This helps immensely going into the future, with 4K being a massive dot point of this year's CES. DisplayLink can run this technology over USB 2.0, which goes to show just how impressive its technology really is.

CES 2014 - BenQ has announced a new monitor that will have serious gamers interested, the new RL2460HT. BenQ's RL2460HT monitor features the company's RevolutionEyes technology, which helps gamers' eyes during massive gaming sessions.

The new display is specifically optimized for real-time strategy (RTS), and first-person shooters (FPS). BenQ specifically mentions Call of Duty: Ghosts, MOBA-style games like StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm, League of Legends, and of course, Defense of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2), and even Mortal Kombat. Let's move onto specs, with the BenQ RL2460HT starting off as 24-inch monitor, which comes courtesy of its TN-based panel with "virtually no input lag" and "industry-leading 1 ms response time".

We have integrated speakers, two HDMI inputs, DVI, VGA, and SmartScaling for pro-gamers, which allows them to customize their screen viewing area for optimal viewing performance. BenQ has an ETA of Q1 2014 for its new RL2460HT, and a retail price of $249.

CES 2014 - LG has just unveiled the world's first flexible OLED TV, coming in at a massive 77 inches. What is good about a flexible TV? Well, you can use the included remote control to bend, and unbend the TV - pretty incredible.

LG has offered us an OLED display here, compared to fellow South Korean rival Samsung, who have only used LED - and even then, it was just a prototype from Samsung. LG's flexible OLED is production-ready, and will be hitting store shelves soon. Hyun-hwoi Ha, President and CEO of LG's Home Entertainment Company says: "LG's Flexible OLED TV is a product that has to be seen to be believed because it defies description. What curved is to flat, flexible is to curved. LG continues to lead the evolution of televisions into the next generation."

CES 2014 - Vizio is expanding its line up of 4K-capable TVs, with its first consumer-grade 4K TV. The new Vizio P Series of TVs will arrive in sizes between 50 and 70 inches.

Vizio says the P Series "is the culmination of advanced picture quality, powerful performance and a beautifully simple Ultra HD experience." What this translates to, is the P Series featuring advanced local dimming, a backlight that has 64 Active LED Zones, and Vizio's custom silicon.

Better yet, there's another set of TVs that Vizio will be pushing, the Reference Series. Vizio's Reference Series TVs are the best TV panels that the company has ever produced. With Vizio's Reference Series aimed at videophiles and "custom integrators". The Reference Series are also 4K-capable, but with High Dynamic Range (HDR) tech.

CES 2014 - Lenovo has just announced a brand spanking new display that should have the tech world excited: the new ThinkVision Pro2840m monitor, which is a 28-inch, 4K-capable display priced at the competitive price of $799.

The new 28-inch 4K display will push out 3840x2160, and is one of two 4K-capable displays Lenovo is showing off at CES this year. Lenovo wants to deliver 4K-capable displays to its customers as soon as it can, with aggressive prices, which it has hit easily at $799. Matt Bereda, Marketing Director for Lenovo's Think Business Group said: "It's an ideal device for someone working with high-end graphics".

Lenovo's ThinkVision Pro2840m features DisplayPort, mini DisplayPort and HDMI inputs, and has adjustable orientation. We also have MHL (mobile high-definition link) capabilities and is expected to ship in April.

DisplayPort technology is continuously improving, with DisplayPort 1.3 now being teased with some huge improvements. DP 1.3 will feature a bitrate of 8.1 Gbps per channel, up from 5.4 Gbps found in DP 1.2.

We should see a wonderful world where multiple 4K displays are supported from a single cable - something I'm longing for as I type this on a 4K display - and DP 1.3 will allow this. DP 1.3 will see support for 8K thanks to its insane bandwidth of a theoretical 32.4 Gbps. We should also see 4K 3D support ushered in with DisplayPort 1.3, which will be another awesome addition going into 2014.

What I would like to see, is some confirmation that we will indeed be seeing 4K in 3D, and whether this means I'll get what I've been waiting for, for quite sometime now: 4K at 120Hz. Unfortunately, we won't see the fruits of high-resolution labor until sometime in 2014 - where we'll see it announced, but it won't be pushed into devices until 2015.

MultiTouch has just unveiled one of the largest portable touch-screen displays in existence. MultiTouch showed of off the new 4K resolution, 84-inch multitouch display prototype earlier this year at its company's developer conference in Helsinki Finland and now we are getting more information on the mammoth display.

The 84-inch display features all the benefits of the company's MultiTaction Cell technology which includes ultra-fast response times, simultaneous pen and touch support and the ability to precisely track multiple points of contact simultaneously from hands and fingers. The display is supported by the company's Cornerstone 2 SDK which allows developers to build stunning interactive applications, and greatly simplifies 4K Resolution scaling from single displays to walls featuring several displays up to 50-megapixels in resolution.

"Our 84" MultiTaction Cell prototype represents a giant leap not just in screen size but in resolution too," explains Hannu Anttila, VP of Business Development at MultiTouch. "Customers who take advantage of the pre-ordering programme will not only be among the first to benefit from this ground-breaking technology, but will also be able to purchase the complete package at a discount of more than 20%."

Japan Display Inc. impressed us earlier tonight by unveiling a 5.4-inch panel that is capable of delivering a resolution of 2560x1440, but the display manufacturer has taken it to another level.

Marvel at the 12.1-inch display that has a 4K2K resolution, which is absolutely stunning. We're looking at tablets within a 12.1-inch space pushing a huge 3840x2160 resolution, which is just insane. This all results in a device that will feature a 365PPI, which is great. Better yet, it's also going to be thin, measuring just 2.0mm at the top, 6.8mm at the bottom and 2.0mm at its sides.

The same Low-Temperature Poly Silicon (LTPS) manufacturing technology is at play here, which will see lowered power consumption. Japan Display Inc. will be showing off its 12.1-inch 4K-capable display at the Full Panel Display (FPD) International 2013 in Japan later this week.

NVIDIA Editors' Day 2013 - If you thought current generation consoles barely being able to render their games at 720p, and most PC gamers enjoying 1080p, then 4K is a big leap. But what about three 4K displays? That would result in NVIDIA 4K Surround, something the company was showing off in Montreal, Canada.

4K Surround runs triple 4K displays obviously, pushing out a retina-busting 6480x3840, which requires some serious GPU horsepower to even provide 30FPS or so. NVIDIA was running Assassin's Creed on the triple ASUS 4K displays, which was absolutely, jaw droppingly beautiful. What do you think? This type of setup is purely for the 1%, but those 1% would have a beautiful experience.

NVIDIA Editors' Day 2013 - NVIDIA has just solved an issue that has plagued the world for over 40 years: vertical sync and tearing. This is a big problem that effects all products, no matter the monitor or the GPU, introducing... NVIDIA G-Sync.

G-Sync is a module that is baked into the monitor, with NVIDIA partnering up with ASUS, BenQ, Philips and ViewSonic, who will build G-Sync-capable monitors. This way the GPU drives the monitor timing, removing all stutter, lag and tearing. It's an incredible sounding new technology and you can bet your bottom dollar we're going to be all over this at TweakTown, especially me, a resolution and frame rate fan who loves to live on the bleeding edge.

NVIDIA, you've impressed me with this technology, kudos! We have some videos coming up, but they're large and the Wi-Fi here in the hotel isn't that great when a hundred other press members are uploading videos too. Hold your hats because there's some impressive stuff coming!

We knew this was coming, but we didn't want it to happen: rumor has it Panasonic will end its plasma TV production earlier than anticipated, in March of next year. This is less than six months away, and we'll lose the best plasma TV maker in the world.

Sales will continue after March 2014, but only until inventory of the plasma TVs runs out. Panasonic has been bleeding money through fiscal 2012, and is now in talks to sell its plasma TV rights, or it will completely sell off its remaining plasma factory. When this news was presented to me, our own Chris Ramseyer - a huge Panasonic plasma TV fan - simply replied with "NOOOOOOOOOO."

Are you disappointed to hear that Panasonic will no longer be making plasma TVs? Or have you moved onto the world of LEDs, or even OLED TVs?

One thing that needs to happen to Ultra HD TVs is the price needs to come down to an affordable level so that they go more mainstream, and according to one UK retailer, this should happen within the next twelve months.

Jonathan Marsh Head Buyer at John Lewis spoke exclusively with TrustedReviews, where he said: "We are going to see big steps in 4K next year. At the moment there is a premium associated with 4K and we have seen that since launching the first 4K TVs a couple of months ago. However, as we've seen these technologies mature, they have come down in price and become much more affordable very quickly."

We have already seen numerous TV manufacturers unveil, and release a few 4K-capable TVs, but pricing is still quite high. Once we see some new screen sizes, with the average being 55-inch or so, come down, this will drag the price down with it. Marsh continues: "With more OLED next year, we will new sizes come to the market which will also bring the price point down to a more manageable level. At the moment all the 4K TVs are pretty big and around 55-inches. The natural step is that we will see 46-inch models developed for next year."