Flat-Panel Features Span Broad Application Spectrum
While the guts of a digital signage system may get the most credit for evaluating the installation, the flat-panel displays take credit for the wow-factor. Selecting the most appropriate display can be a delicate dance as the range of offerings on the market presents a multitude of sizes, resolutions, connectivity, and collaborative features.
Sharp Aquos Board
The 80-inch class Aquos Board combines a highperformance interactive display with a comprehensive system for collaborative sessions. This latest addition to Sharp’s evolving family of display tools allows organizations to operate in a visual and truly collaborative way, creating a dynamic and interactive workplace experience. Designed to optimize and integrate a wide range of applications, such as work group collaboration, video conferencing, interactive signage, and video walls, the Aquos Board delivers more than double the screen area of a 55-inch class display.
Planar PS-Series
Planar’s PS-Series includes six models ranging from 42 to 65 inches and include LE D backlighting and dual-touch technology. Engineered from the ground up for commercial use, Planar PS-Series displays feature sturdy, full-metal casing and professionally reliable panels optimized for all-day operation. These full HD displays deliver multiple connectivity options, video wall support, RS-232 control, and ambient backlight control. Built on the understanding that digital signage applications often require a range of displays with a common design, the Planar PS-Series delivers a unified appearance across a wide range of models with varying sizes, backlights, and interactive touch screens.
Samsung MD Series
Samsung’s MD Series includes four LE D models offering a variety of feature sets and size options, including 32-, 40-, 46-, or 55-inches. Engineered with energy efficiency in mind, the MD Series provides an expansive visual experience that is ideal for hightraffic areas. At 19 mm, a narrow bezel allows audiences to focus more on the content, and the slim depth of the series offers more available space for other uses. The MD series is also lightweight, permitting easy installation and efficient space management with reduced heat emission. It also sports an embedded media player for easy content play and updates.
GlobalVue GVC3200LED
The first model in this new series will be a 32-inch class featuring 178 x 178 wide-viewing angles. The GV C3200LE D is designed specifically to meet the needs of such commercial venues as hotels, bars, restaurants, conference rooms, lounges, and anywhere critical viewing is important. Wall-mountable or available with a securable stand, the first set in the GlobalVue GV C3200LE D series has a 31.5-inch diagonally measured active area with multiple HDMI inputs and a USB port capable of displaying picture in JPG format as well as playing audio files. The series will feature a high luminance and contrast ratio, with low reflection and low color-shift image quality. Also included is 3D noise reduction.
NEC P552
The P552 is a professional-grade, industrial-strength LCD display intended for 24/7 operation in venues such as quick-service restaurants, airports, public information environments, healthcare facilities, and retail stores. This model includes robust thermal protection, internal temperature sensors with self-diagnostics, and fan-based technology to prevent overheating. The P552 is enhanced with open pluggable specification (OPS) technology, digital loop-through capabilities, reduced depth, 10 percent lower power consumption, and built-in 10-watt speakers. The OPS-compliant expansion slot adheres to the Intel specification that aims to standardize and simplify slot-oriented digital signage installations.
Mitsutibishi MDT551S
This latest addition to Mitsubishi’s highend line is designed for videoconferencing, gaming, retail kiosks, digital signage, and other applications needing robust, long-lasting static, or interactive display monitors. Its sleek, modern, brushed aluminum design will also stand out in any conference room as a focal point of digital display. The MDT551S streamlines installation and reduces the number of necessary components with two built-in, 10-watt speakers. Connectivity options include DisplayPort for clear, crisp video and audio transmission over a single cable, and RJ45 LAN support, so a connected monitor can be controlled from remote locations over a network.
Panasonic LF30
The Panasonic LF30 series high-brightness, full HD LCDs for digital signage feature built-in SLOT 2.0 functionality to expand the displays’ range of applications. The TH-42LF30U 42-inch display and TH-47LF30U 47-inch display deliver 700-cd/m2 brightness, so images can be seen clearly, even in brightly lit places. Thin 0.72-inch and 0.73-inch bezels (42- and 47-inch models, respectively) allow the displays to blend in any environment and a wide viewing angle is possible with in-plane switching (IPS) panel.
LG WS10
The LG WS10 large-screen monitor is available in 42-, 47-, and 55-inch classes, the LE D widescreen monitor is capable of full 1080p HD and is designed for continuous 24/7 operation to display advertisements, information, and broadcast video. It is integrated with RJ-45 LAN control, which eliminates the need for an IP card and IP interface box. The display also functions as landscape, portrait or 5x5 tile mode, and the LE D lighting offers crisp, clear images with deeper blacks and more vibrant colors.
Viewsonic CDX5550-L
The new CDX5550-L 55-inch slim bezel display targets the video wall industry, providing high definition brightness at 700 nits and a color contrast ratio of up to 4000:1. The energy saving LE D backlight and multiple video inputs (HDMI, VG A, DVI , S-Video, YPbPr, and CVBS) provide bold picture quality. The display also features Intel’s OPS slot for easy integration with any OPS compatible media player.
‘Displaylien’ Invasion
Do you believe in ghosts, aliens, or Bigfoot? SyFy’s Fact or Faked show attempts to set the record straight by analyzing videos allegedly featuring these myths or legends. Starting with the new season on April 17, the team uses a customized 55-inch interactive LED touchscreen monitor from Horizon Display.
The Horizon LED features optical sensing dual-touch technology so users can engage in the meme as they would on a tablet or smartphone. The interface uses video, gesturing, and live annotation.
Base Productions, the team behind Fact or Faked, came to Horizon “with very rough needs,” for a research and evidence tool to use on live camera, according to Steve Gladden, Horizon marketing manager.
Horizon helped create an interface that could be modified each episode using a content authoring tool, which also allowed them to fill the interface and zoom in while the video was tight. What really set the solution apart is that the Fact or Faked team can make annotations while live video is still going on—this is entirely different from other annotating, so-called “whiteboard” solutions. “You will see video in the middle, and stuff goes around in the background,” like science bubbles, Gladden added.
—LA
