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NAB 06

Mar 1, 2006 12:00 PM, By Trevor Boyer, Barry Braverman, Dan Ochiva, Jan Ozer, Jem Schofield, and Jeff Sauer

Tire kicking time

Navigation
Introduction
Cameras and lenses
Camera support
Editing
Displays and projection
HD-DVD and Blu-ray discs

Displays and projection

Straddled between CES and InfoComm, NAB has never been a major forum for displays. Still, displays are an inevitable and critical part of the production and distribution process and there are always a few companies that bring new products to NAB. In fact, displays could become an increasingly important part of NAB as digital display technologies are more regularly able to match the expectations of the broadcast and production industries' most critical eyes.

LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) is a projection technology that has shown promise in the past, thanks to high native resolutions and three-chip imaging, and it seems to be making a major comeback. After several companies abandoned LCoS plans in 2004 and caused serious doubt about the long-term viability of LCoS, JVC and Canon are both expanding their respective LCoS product lines.

JVC

At NAB this year, JVC is expected to show its newest 70in. high-definition D-ILA-based rear projection TV/monitor, the HD-P70R1U. Introduced last fall at CEDIA, this three-chip rear projection TV is designed for high-end home theater and production studios and screening rooms. It has a native 1920×1080 resolution, extensive analog and digital connectivity options, and precise setup controls. JVC also has a 61in. version, the HD-P61R1U, with similar features.

JVC has a new 1920×1080 front projector, the DLA-HD10KU, that's also built for exceptional video quality. A two-piece design makes for potentially more convenient installation by allowing much shorter cabling to other system devices and sources, with just a signal cable running to the projector.

Canon

A year ago, Canon made news by introducing another proprietary version of LCoS, AISYS (Aspectual Illumination System), and the first AISYS data projector, REALiS SX50. This year, Canon is expanding its commitment to LCoS technology with three new AISYS models, including one, the REALiS SX60, with a theater video, or Home Cinema, mode for higher contrast. Both the REALiS SX60 and the REALiS SX6 have native SXGA-plus (1400×1050) resolution and boast the excellent color of three-imaging device LCoS technology. The SX6 is rated at 3500 lumens at a list price of $6,999, and the SX60 2500 lumens at a price of $5,999. The third model, the REALiS X600, is the value-oriented version and will have an XGA native resolution and a $3,999 list price. All three models will be on display at NAB and are expected to ship during the month of May.

Canon has also been working on another technology known as SED, or Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display. As of press time, it was unclear whether Canon would bring its SED technology demonstration to NAB, although it was shown at both CES and the Photo Marketing Association show.

Jointly developed by Canon and Toshiba, SED essentially emulates the electron guns of traditional CRTs with an electron emission panel that is only a few inches thick, like an LCD or plasma panel. The result, at least in the prototype demonstrations, is a fast-response, high-contrast, rich-grayscale-range image that could be ideal for production and editing environments. Of course, the technology is still in prototype stage, and there are serious questions about when and if it can be produced in large volume and at reasonable costs. Nonetheless, if Canon does bring SED to NAB, it would be well worth seeing the five-minute presentation.

Christie Digital

If you're looking for projection solutions for today, Christie Digital expects to introduce a new model in the rental and staging Roadster line of three-chip DLP projectors. While final specifications aren't yet available as of press time, expect the new version to be both bright and in a smaller form factor.

Barco

Barco is expected to show a wide range of products including new 1920×1080 42in. and 47in. LCD panels; the Network Monitoring System that leverages IP infrastructures for sending high-quality, low-latency video to multiple screens and even different control rooms; a variety of rental and staging products utilizing LED, LCD, projection, and image processing; and Barco's latest business and entertainment projectors.

Sanyo

Sanyo will likely have the most projectors on display at NAB, including many models targeting home theaters, video screening rooms, and video production studios. For example, the native 16:9 PLV-80 has a resolution of 1366×768 and increases brightness (over the previous generation PLV-70) to 3000 ANSI lumens. The smaller PLV-Z4 has a native 1280×720 and features 10-bit processing for more accurate colors and more levels of gray and a twin iris that yields a 7000:1 contrast ratio.

Two of Sanyo's newest data projectors, the PLC-XU83 and PLC-XU86, are both XGA models rated at 2000 and 2500 ANSI lumens respectively. Both include built-in Ethernet wired and 802.11g wireless networking capabilities for remote administration. Sanyo is also expected to show a prototype LCD projector with a native resolution of more than 3.3 million pixels.

Panasonic

Panasonic is expanding its line of LCD production monitors with the new 26in. BT-LH2600W, joining the older 17in. BT-LH1700W. Both are native 16:9, 1366×768 monitors that support 480i/480p up to 1080i and 1080/24p. They feature dual HD-SDI/SDI input with em-bedded audio, as well as a full array of analog video inputs. Selectable color temperature, gamma (including CineGamma for monitoring Panasonic's VariCam), and broadcast-level controls (like waveform, blue only, HV, monochrome, etc.) make these LCD panels comfortable replacements for traditional CRTs, except they occupy a lot smaller footprint.

Earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show, Panasonic introduced the world's largest plasma, a monstrous 103in. panel, and that will be on display at NAB as well. The supersized display, roughly equivalent to four 50in. panels, boasts a native 1080 resolution (1920×1080) and consistent and uniform discharge to deliver accurate images from the center to every corner of the screen.

Sony

Sony has been at the forefront of IP-based video communication for several years, particularly with the IPELA line of conferencing and communications products. Last year, Sony introduced the first HD-capable communications products suitable for live, on-air interactivity.

This year, look for the IPELA line to be expanded with a new higher-quality, HD-capable codec, the PCS-HG90, which will use the H.264 HD standard to compress either 1280 or 720 HD content. That new codec will be combined with a new HD pan-tilt camera, the PCSA-CHG90, to support live or taped content from remote locations.

Sony will also be showing several other display products, including the full line of professional, production-oriented LUMA LCD monitors. And Sony will also be showing the remarkable 4K (4096×2160) SXRD digital cinema projectors.

Fiber-optic options

Fiber optics look to be gaining momentum as an increasingly competitive option offering longer and more efficient cabling infrastructures. Several companies will be showing new fiber solutions this year.

For example, Communications Specialties is expanding its Pure Digital Fiberlink line of fiber transmitter/receivers with several new configurations. The 7250 series will support high-resolution RGB (up to UXGA RGB, as well as 720p and 1080i—RGBHV only) and stereo audio over one fiber cable. The 7240 series limits high-resolution RGB to WXGA (as well as 720p and 1080i) with stereo audio and bi-directional Ethernet over one fiber cable. Both support distances of more than 1000ft. in multimode and more than 15 miles in single mode. Communications Specialties will also introduce a fiber I/O expansion card for Pioneer's plasma panels.

Multidyne Video and Fiber Optic Systems has similar UXGA-capable solutions in its RGB-5000 series for video and bi-directional Ethernet, including one for multi-point daisy-chained configurations. Multidyne also has helpful solutions for fiber interfaces to HDMI and USB (four-port USB hub) connections. Telecast Fiber Systems has several fiber interfaces for analog and HD-SDI/SDI video, including for studio and remote cameras and patch bays.
— JEFF SAUER

© 2008 Penton Media, Inc.