Presentation & Display: The Challenge of Next-Generation

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Opinion

Presentation & Display: The Challenge of Next-Generation

10/9/2006

HDMI (high definition multimedia interface), becoming more important in the integration world, is essentially DVI in an even more user-friendly format, with the addition of multi-channel audio. With a form factor similar to but slightly larger than a USB connector, HDMI is dominating the high-def consumer market.

Trend 2: Widescreen

Simply put, widescreen is taking over. If you need proof, go down to your local electronics retailer and compare the number of widescreen laptops for sale versus conventional 4:3 aspect models. Then compare the number of widescreen projection televisions versus 4:3 aspect models. The computer formats and resolutions that have ruled with an iron fist for the past 10-plus years are disappearing rapidly.

Still, not all widescreen is the same. Even within one resolution “standard,” WXGA, there are multiple native resolutions (1365x768 for large monitors and projectors, 1280x768 for smaller monitors). Then there’s 1920x1080, 2560x1600, 1280x720, 1440x900, and more. And the aspect ratios of widescreen displays aren’t consistently 16:9; 15:9 is common, and you’ll find 16:10 out there, too.

Practical considerations for widescreen begin with the layout of the room. Wide aspect projection screens mean less room in the front for whiteboards, and more encroachment on where the instructor would stand. The projector typically needs to be positioned much farther back than a conventional 4:3 projector, since the image is significantly wider, and a longer throw distance is generally required. Where projector location is dictated by ceiling soffits or rear projection room dimensions, this can be troublesome.

Using wide aspect monitors means that the images are less tall than a comparably sized 4:3 display, so the diagonal monitor size must be larger in order to provide an equivalent-sized image. For example, a 50-inch 4:3 projection monitor has an image height of 30 inches. A 50-inch diagonal 16:9 projection monitor has an image height of only 24.5 inches. You would have to upgrade to the 60-inch 16:9 monitor in order to get back to a 29.4-inch image height. Larger monitor sizes for equivalent viewing considerations mean a larger footprint (new widescreen monitors may not fit on old stands or carts) and higher costs (60-inch 16:9 models cost $500 to $1,000 more than 50-inch models).

Finally, widescreen resolutions are not compatible with some legacy equipment – perhaps those 17- and 19-inch SXGA monitors you just bought with year-end money. When considering any display purchase, the question “How d'es it handle widescreen?” must become your mantra. If you want to verify that your sales rep is telling the truth, the Extron VTG-300 and VTG-400 test signal generators make product testing (and lie detecting) easy, and even fun.

Trend 3: Projectors Everywhere