Industry News January/February 2015 Issue 1
N E W   P R O D U C T S   F O R   
A   N E W   Y E A R
Sharp Offers 20.1-in. Display with 1400:1 Contrast Ratio


Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas (SMA) has a new 20.1-in.-diagonal LCD (Fig. 1).  This panel offers extremely crisp images via a 1400:1 contrast ratio, making it perfect for viewing high levels of detail in most any ambient lighting situation.  It also provides a drop-in replacement option in its size class for customers including manufacturers of medical, marine, and transportation products, among others.

Fig. 1: Sharp’s new LCD panel for the medical/industrial market offers a 1400:1 contrast ratio.
NEC Makes a 84-in. UHD Display Optimized for Video Conferencing


NEC Display Solutions of America has announced an 84-in. ultra-high-definition (UHD) model designed to deliver exceptional picture clarity and four times the resolution of full HD (Fig. 2).
   With a 3640 × 2160 native resolution, this display also supports the UHD resolution at 60 Hz through its DisplayPort connection.  This means quick-moving content is displayed smoothly and makes the panel a good fit for video conferencing and command and control centers.

Fig. 2:NEC’s new panel sports a 3640 × 2160 native resolution.
Canatu Introduces Stretchable Touch Film


Canatu, a manufacturer of flexible transparent conductive films and touch sensors, recently announced a new stretchable, formable, conductive film optimized for formed capacitive-touch displays and touch surfaces.  CNB In-Mold Film is designed especially for automobile center consoles and dashboards, home appliance control panels, remote controls, smart watches, and portable electronic devices.
   CNB In-Mold Film is stretchable up to and beyond 100% and can be formed and back-molded using standard industrial processes, which means that CNB touch sensors can be produced in almost any shape, from smooth spherical domes to sharp-edged casings with recesses and bulges.  Possibilities include mechanical buttons in automotive dashboards, portable and wearable devices, washing machines, clothes dryers, dishwashers, ovens, and other appliances that can be enhanced with a robust water- and dust-proof 3-D-formed touch user interface.

 

4K Heads to Space

In the world of business, nothing speaks louder than a large infusion of cash, and with its investment in a rocket-launched satellite dedicated to broadcasting 4K last month, DirecTV has spoken.1  With 4K content in short supply (Netflix and Amazon have begun streaming a limited amount of such content), industry participants from analysts to retail-store owners have been wondering if 4K can ever really take off.  This major infrastructure investment by a satellite company does signal the likelihood that 4K will become mainstream, or at least that a very large company believes it will.

Although Internet streaming seems to have the current upper hand in terms of popularity, cable and satellite providers do control a relatively large delivery infrastructure by providing lots of bandwidth compared to Internet streaming.  If these companies are willing to dedicate some of this bandwidth to 4K content, they can guarantee that consumers will get a predictable and reliable experience.  It’s a significant endorsement of the commercial value of 4K and a big step forward to providing consumers with a meaningful 4K experience.  Of course, ESPN and DirecTV also backed 3-D TV and that effort fizzled, but most experts believe 4K has more staying power.  DirecTV actually began Ultra-HD broadcasts in November 2014, but the new satellite will obviously support additional offerings for subscribers who have Ultra-HD televisions.

 

Radiant Zemax Sells Zemax Business Unit

Radiant Zemax, a provider of integrated systems for light and color measurement, recently announced the sale of its Zemax optical design software business unit to Arlington Capital Partners.

Not too many years ago (2011), Radiant Imaging and Zemax Development Corporation merged to form Radiant Zemax, a portfolio company of Evergreen Pacific Partners.  According to the official announcement from Radiant Zemax,2 the merger brought together complementary technologies and enabled the new entity to invest heavily in Zemax’s flagship product, OpticStudio, which has delivered what the company terms “unprecedented” growth.  As an independent stand-alone business, Zemax will focus on its core customers and technology.

The Radiant division will remain an Evergreen Pacific Partners portfolio company but announced in mid-January that it would begin operating as Radiant Vision Systems.

 

1http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/directv-launches-4k-uhd-satellite/

2http://www.radiantzemax.com/rz/news/New-Press-Release-Article  •