Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1993 10:16:09 -0500 From: tas2@cornell.edu (Thomas Scott) Subject: Color LCD Projection Report About 8 months ago, I requested info about users' experiences with LCD projection panels. I got a number of responses, and I was going to post to sumex, but didn't get a chance to. Yesterday I got a request from one of the Info-Mac readers to send him any info I did get. It cleared out the cobwebs, and I realized that there wasn't anything like this currently on sumex, so I'm posting it now. However, everything in the technology world changes almost on a daily basis. I'm sure there's been many changes, especially with the October rollout of new Macs, and the never-ending run of 3rd party vendors to introduce new peripherals to keep up with Apple's changing line. If you seen any changes in this field since last May that could enhance this report, please send them to me at tas2@cornell.edu, and I'll udpate this report to the archive. I hope the info helps people out there trying to make a decision in this field, and I think that new info will make this report even more benefical. Thanks! Please post this in the /report directory. [Archived as /info-mac/report/Color-LCD-Proj-Panels-10.txt; 35K] Thomas Scott, Systems Manager, College of Engineering Cornell University, Carpenter Hall Annex, Ithaca, NY 14853 My original question: I'm in the processing of looking at LCD panels to be used on an overhead projector for a few of my offices. I'm hoping to get a good quality, reasonably-priced color LCD system which we'll be using to give presentations with Persuasion-generated "slides". We're discussing the possibility of higher-end multimedia productions sometime in the near future (probably not for at least a year), so the system should be able to handle video input, without much degradation of quality and such that the video isn't "choppy". I've seen a couple of opinions on a couple of systems recently in Info-Mac, but I'd like to get at much more input as possible. Does anyone have a source of a review of this type of hardware? Can you give me info on what color LCD panel has (or hasn't) worked for you? I need as much info as possible. Please respond directly to me; I disconnected from Mac-L about a week ago. If I get enough response, I'll summarize to the list (and possibly post to sumex). P.S. I'd also like to provide portability for our presentation system; our presenters often go out on the road. I'd like to know how feasible it is to interface one of these LCD panels with a PowerBook 170. What other hardware would I need to allow this setup? Again, thanks for your help! :-)) _________________________________________________________________ From: Dan Lunderville (5/20/92) Date: Wed, 20 May 1992 09:01 CST From: Dan Lunderville I recently had to decide about some b/w and color LCD panels for use with a portable Mac setup. We will use a PowerBook 170 connected to a color LCD panel on a mobile cart for classroom use. A colleague and I went to a product show and I made some notes for my own reference afterward. Someone else asked about LCD panels on Info-Mac and I sent her a copy of my notes. She sent them as part of a message to the Info- Mac Digest, but the message got truncated, and only the info on the b/w panels got through. I have appended my notes here in hopes that they might be useful to you. I have not received any of the equipment yet, and it will be mid-summer before I have had much chance to work with it, but if you want to contact me then, I would be glad to give you my impressions after using it for a while. The real test won't ahppen until next fall when it gets used in a real classroom situation. To make the PB 170 drive the LCD panel, you must buy some type of video adapter. There are different types available, some use the SCSI port, some install a board inside the PB 170. We chose one made by Envisio. It is a small board that goes inside the PB 170 and provides a standard Mac II video connector on the outside. This unit is not cheap though, we paid about $850, and that was an educational price. I have not seen reviews of these adapters, but there was mention of them in MacWorld and MacUser in the issues that described the PowerBooks when they were first released. It seems that the choice of an LCD panel is somewhat personal choice, and so it is hard to choose for someone elses use. I would strongly suggest that you see any panels in action before you buy them. Dan Lunderville Internet: Dan.D.Lunderville@UWRF.EDU Academic Computing Center AppleLink: U0095 University of Wisconsin - River Falls River Falls, WI 54022 Telephone: (715) 425-3583 U.S.A. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Notes regarding LCD Shootout held by Blumberg Communications, 4/30/92 Blumberg sponsored an "LCD Shootout" for customers wanting to buy an LCD projection panel for use with overhead projectors. They had 16 different units on display, 4 black and white and 12 color units. All units were in the same darkened room and all used the same overhead projector, a Dukane model 653, with a rating of 3000 lumens. A few of the units did not need a separate projector because the unit had a self-contained projector. Three black and white units seemed acceptable to us, but they had flaws that caused us to be uneasy about purchasing them. Two of the units were LCD panels that required use of a separate overhead projector. These were the Sharp QA-75 and the In-Focus 1600GS. The In-Focus was a little brighter, and its text mode could be adjusted a bit better, but the differences between the In-Focus 1600GS and the Sharp QA-75 were not major. The thing that really bothered us was that each panel showed ghosting, or streaks at the ends of graphics boxes, such as scroll bars in a window. These streaks extended right through other windows at times. At first they weren'Ut too apparent, but after a while they became a real irritant. The third black and white unit, the nView nSight, combined an LCD panel with a projector in one unit. This unit impressed us, but it was not available until June, so it was not an option for us. In the future I would give close consideration to this unit. The fourth black and white unit, the Proxima MultiMode II, A482SC used ugly purplish and yellowish RcolorsS, and we rejected it right away. The folks from Blumberg told us about a black and white unit that they felt was quite good, but was not at the show. It was the nView II + 2. They said that it did not have as much of the streaking problem as the other units. It was in the same price range as the Sharp QA-75 and the In-Focus 1600GS. We later viewed a Sharp QA-50 black and white panel in the Physics Dept. at UWRF. This panel was not present at the shootout. We were impressed with the QA-50. It was crisp and clear, with even focus in all directions. Its controls were clear and easy to use, and its price was about $300-400 cheaper than the Sharp QA-75 and the In-Focus 1600GS. We decided to buy a QA-50 unit. We spent a long time viewing and considering the color LCD panels. From previous research, the top contenders were the Sharp QA-1050, the Proxima Ovation, the In-Focus TVT3000, and the nView SpectraPlus and Media Pro. After the first couple of passes around the room, we were drawn to the nView SpectraPlus because of its brighter, sharper image and even focus >From top to bottom and left to right. The image seemed crisper and more pleasing to the eye than on any of the other units. The images on some of the other units were washed out and dim. On several, such as the Sharp QA-1050, the image could not be focused evenly from left to right. Part of the screen was in focus (no pun intended) and part was fuzzy. Many of the units had controls that were overly complex or downright mysterious to operate. The controls on the nView SpectraPlus were clear and easy to use. We expected the better nView model, the Media Pro, to be the better unit, but based on what we saw, it was not. We tried to put the units into various modes, such as Windows, DOS text, etc., to get a good feel for each ones capabilities. In the end the nView SpectraPlus seemed clearly superior to us. The choice of an overhead projector for use with an LCD panel is important. The projector must be bright enough to display a bright image in a partially lit room. Blumberg recommended a projector with a rating of 3000 lumens or more. The Dukane model 653 mentioned above seemed acceptable, but we decided to buy 3M projectors instead. The 3M model 955 has two intensity settings, one at 3000 lumens and one at 3800 lumens. The 955 is more expensive than the Dukane and not quite as portable, but the extra brightness of the 955 was considered very important, especially for use with the color LCD panel. We purchased one 955 unit. We also purchased one 3M model 920 overhead projector. This model has an intensity of 2200 lumens. Our intended use was with the QA-50 black and white panel. It was cheaper than the Dukane 653, and the brightness seemed quite adequate for the black and white panel. The Physics Dept. has a model 920 projector and it was this projector that we used when we tested the Sharp QA-50, and it performed well. Bear in mind that these observations were done by two people, Bev Shepherd and Dan Lunderville, UWRF Academic Computing.. We were considering the purchase of an LCD panel for use with a portable classroom computer setup. Other people with different uses may have viewed the situation differently. The nView SpectraPlus color LCD panel is designed to drive both the panel and the monitor on the computer. You order it with the cable set you want and the other cables can be ordered as options. If you want to use the panel with both a Mac II type machine and IBM VGA, order it with the Mac cable set, and order the IBM VGA cable as an option at about $100. If you order it with the VGA cable set and the Mac cable set as an option, it will cost about $60 more. The Sharp QA-50 b/w unit is not designed to drive both the panel and the monitor. To use both with it you will have to purchase a VGA splitter/amplifier for about $175. We paid $956 for the Sharp QA-50 b/w panel, and about $4300 for the nView SpectraPlus color panel. Both prices were from a Univ. of Wisc state contract. I think the list prices were $1295 and $5995. Most of the panels in the same categories had prices similar. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ _________________________________________________________________ Date: Tue, 19 May 1992 14:23 CST From: pt1811s@ACAD.DRAKE.EDU Sounds like you would be happy with a MediaShow from nView Corp. I don't currently have one, but hopefully will by the end of the summer. Everyone I know that does own one is very happy with it. I would also recommend you purchase a high end over head projecter that produces very bright light. (3M is what I use) It is about $600 vs $200 but well worth it. I think the 3M I have produces 3000 lumuns. Envisio is the only firm I can think of that has video out of the powerbook. Radus has a SCSI adapter for video out, but I haven't heard good things about it (speed mainly). If you can wait, the rumor is that Apple's new "Docking" stations will have video out. An Apple product will definately be the best solution. Opinions of: Paul Thibodeau Senior Consultant-Drake University _________________________________________________________________ Date: Tue, 19 May 1992 12:54 PST From: "GRANT RAMSAY" I have purchased 3 Multimedia capable panels over the last year and I am very satistied with them. They are the Ovation active matrix, 224,000 color panels from Proxima. My source for these has been: Minnesota Western 5828 Vallejo Street Oakland, CA 94608-2697 (510)428-9000 The last Ovation I purchased from them was for $6200.00. They come with every thing you need for Mac II or VGA connection. The panel has direct connections for RCA and S-Video input and has some rudimentary audio controls. It comes with software and cables to give you limited keyboard control for the included IR remote. For example, it lets you do frame forward and reverse functions in MarcoMedia's Director slide shows from the remote. The last panel we baught was for a PowerBook 170 for our CIO. He wanted a very portable presentation system and that is what he got. It will all fit into a single Targa case. If you can get delivery of the Envisio interface for the PowerBook, do it, and make sure that you buy it loaded with memory. There is no room left in the PowerBook once this is installed. If I were buying a video interface again I would probably go for the Radius PowerView SCSI device to be able to use it on the assortment of PowerBooks we have on campus. Envisio, Inc. 510 1st Avenue, Suite 303 Minneapolis, MN 55403 (612) 339-1008 And they offer an educational discount! We baught the NDA030/4 for $1116.50 but it took about two months to get it they were so heavily back ordered. I hope this helps a little. I haven't had much experience with other panels other than to go and look at them. I got lucky on my first buy and have stuck with them. The only draw back with the Ovation is that if you plan to use its audio control feature it is only monophonic and for some reason is disabled when video from the computer is selected. Grant M. Ramsay, Eastern Washington University Client Services, MS #89, Cheney, WA 99004 _________________________________________________________________ Date: Tue, 19 May 92 15:33 CDT From: Dave Faulkner Academic Computing I would certainly be interested in your feedback on the LCD panels. I have recently read a variety of literature on LCD's as we also are looking to purchase. The three highest rated that I found that handled video and digital were nView Media Pro ($10K list price), Proxima Ovation ($8,500) and Sharp QA-1050 ($6500). These are ranked from top choice down. I suspect that the educational pricing is considerably less then the list price, however, I have not yet obtained that info. My recommendation is the Ovation because: capable of displaying live video without an addin computer video board or external adapter box; it supports connection of optional powered speakers; hand held remote control unit; works with Mac or PC platform; supports NTSC and PAL based VCR's video disc and TV; capable of 24,389 colors; can have all 4 inputs filled and the LCD can automatically detect signal type. Media Pro - nView Corp. - (804) 873-1354 Ovation - Proxima Corp. - (619) 457-5500 QA - Sharp Elec. Corp - (201) 529-8731 If you are looking for cheaper, but less capabilities, checkout InFocus. They have color LCD's for under $4500 which are decent. (800) 327-7231. Sorry, no experience with Powerbooks, however, my reading tells me that they need a third party adapter to use external monitors or projection. Rumor mill suggests that Apple will include this output port on the new Powerbooks. _________________________________________________________________ Date: Wed, 20 May 1992 09:05:49 -2300 From: cl7841s@ACAD.DRAKE.EDU We use 1-bit N-VU projection panels here at Drake, but I have see the full color Media Pro model in action (our local Apple corporate folks showed the SuperBowl on it this year). It looks great!! the only downside I know of is the price - rather steep. But they do look great! Colin Lamb - MacMeister 8-)> - Drake University - Des Moines _________________________________________________________________ From: siochi@pcs.cnc.edu (Antonio Siochi) Date: Wed, 20 May 92 11:46:46 EDT Read your post in imac re: lcd panels. I've been collecting info for some time on them, but haven't had time to DIGEST/summarize. Here's what info I have at the moment. Each item is preceeded by a line of ================. Hope this helps. -Anton (siochi@pcs.cnc.edu) p.s. If you find anything else, please let me know. thanks! ========================= >From elman@crl.ucsd.edu Wed Mar 4 10:56:55 1992 I've also been interested in this, and would appreciate any information you get. I've been told that you need to buy an adapter card for the PB that will produce the right output signal to drive an LCD projection panel. There's a company called Envisio that makes such a device. It retails for between $500-$1000, depending on whether you buy extra memory for the PB at the same time. (Their board sits in the extra meory slots, so if you want or have extra memory, you have to put it on their board. The memory remains available even when their board is not in use.) Then you also need to get a separate LCD projection system. Someone else said they thought it ought to be possible to get an LCD that didn't require this. I don't see how, th ough, since the PB has no video out. i can send you the information from Envisio if you want (I just sent them a FAX inquiry yesterday and am expecting to get a reply today). I'd appreciate getting copies of any replies you get. Thanks, Jeff Elman, UCSD ============================ >From Les.Ferch@mtsg.ubc.ca Thu Mar 5 14:58:53 1992 Well, the old Mac Portable had a video out connection but the new PowerBooks require a third party modification to get video output. That aside, my conclusion after looking at numerous panels and having had experience with several brands is that the Proxima panels are the best. We have a 3M 2080 (which is a Proxima with 3M's name on it and one feature we didn't need removed) and it is superb with Mac, VGA, and Hercules video. It is a monochrome (actually grey scale) panel with a pleasing blue coloured LCD. The Proxima active matrix colour LCD is just amazing (but also very expensive). With any of these panels, a really good overhead projector with a cool stage is important. 3M or Proxima will be happy to sell you one to match the panel. Also, consider the new all in one LCD projection systems that are a complete projector (light source and LCD) in one box. If you're on the road, these systems relieve you of the worry of counting on someone else to provide a good projector. I can't remember which brands are good, but I recall seeing at least two good units at MacWorld Expo. Note that active matrix is not required for computer displays, but makes a difference especially if your displays have motion. It is essential if you intend to connect a video source such as a VCR or laserdisc with full-motion scenes. Of course, conventional three beam projectors are also an option but are not very portable. ============================ From: Carol Taylor I used an older Electrohome monochrome unit at a previous job. It was a real pain in the neck. It always seemed to be broken. I would not be very interested in another one of their products. We currently have GE Imagers (1-2 years old, models no longer available) in two classrooms. They are hooked to a Mac IIcx and an IBM PS/2 (VGA). The provide us with very nice large screen output. We have them ceiling mounted but our building shimmies and shakes a lot and they do seem to require a certain amount of adjustment to keep them properly focussed. Our media services staff handles this easily -- it's not a technical adjustment. In general they have been reliable and we have been pleased. I think a high-reflectance screen is probably worth the extra bucks. If portability is an issue you might want to consider looking at some of the newer generation of projection panels that sit on top of an overhead projector. This technology, although not yet of the quality of the ceiling mount stuff, has improved by leaps and bounds lately. Also the price has come down. I saw some pretty nice stuff from nView just recently. My guess is that this is going to be a very competitive arena in the near future which should bring prices down even further. I love what competition what competition does for price/benefit ratios..... Carol Taylor, University of Denver, Faculty Computing Lab ============================ From: J_ENOS%FANDMLIB.BITNET@OHSTVMA.ACS.OHIO-STATE.EDU Chris, We have had EXCELLENT service and performance from our SAYETT HR/M and 480 Datashow LCD panels. Sayett (developed by Kodak) panels should cost in the range of $1200-$1400. We find for monochrome projection that the Datashow is in a class by itself. Any local AV house/distributor should carry (or be able to find) a Sayett panel. Good luck. --Jon Jonathan Enos, Ed.D., Director, Instructional Media Services Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA 17604 ============================ From: "Kelly Nicklin" We've been using the Proxima Data Display Model 342 for 2 (maybe 3) years. We have two and they both have worked with no problems. One reason I like them is the screen is sort of blue-grey rather than dark grey like most other screens, and therefore nicer to look at. They work best in a dark room, but it is the brightness of the overhead more than the projector that will determine how easy the image is to see in any given lighting situation. We have a wall of windows on the east side of the rooms we use the projection panels in and the visibility is fine with the lights off and the blinds closed. It is definitely easier to see the projected image in the afternoon when the sun is on the other side of the building. This is a "black and white" panel. You will need an interface card for your particular computer--they are available for the Plus, SE, and Classic. We purchased ours from MECC (800/685-6322). The cost is around $950 for the panel, interface card, and cable. Proxima makes color panels, too, but you're looking at $4000. Kelly Nicklin, McMillan JHS ============================ From: JMCCOY We recently purchased a 3M 4100 LCD panel. We've been very pleased with it so far. I guess it would be considered in the "middle range" of price/quality, but it looked better than any of the other LCD panels we tested--even the ones costing twice as much. It is color but it was worth the extra cost over the monochrome ones which tended to lose things in the translation from color to mono. Another thing I liked about it is that it comes with three cable/adaptors. One for CGA/EGA, one for VGA, and one for MACs. This was a great feature--no more need for a $300 Extron box for each graphics format. All you have to do is switch the cables. All the other LCD panels we looked at required the extra box. We use it mostly in the VGA mode, in many of the same applications you mentioned, but also find good results with a MAC IIsi. (SEs, Classics, etc. require an extra video board for output to a panel.) Also, make sure you use any LCD panel with a high intensity overhead projector, that improves the projection even more. I think the MSRP for the LCD panel was around $3500.00, but our dealer worked us a "deal" where we got a package including the LCD and a high intensity "portable" (about 20 lbs.) overhead for around $3400.00. The overhead projector is a 3M 955 and it's worked pretty well. Hope some of this helps. Let me know if I can help any more. Joe McCoy, UNC-Chapel Hill, School of Nursing ============================ From: "Christopher.Reznich" <21602CR%MSU.BITNET@OHSTVMA.ACS.OHIO-STATE.EDU> I've just been asked today (Monday) to prepare a recommendation to purchase an LCD projection panel for the Macintosh, and to make my recommendation by Friday (!) We will use the panel primarily for demonstrating software to physicians who are learning basic computer skills, including word processing, Medline searching, graphics, etc. We have limited funds, so would probably want a monochromepanel to keep costs down. We would also like a unit that is reliable, of course, and easy to operate. I would be grateful to hear from anyone who has recently purchased an LCD panel, or who is just familiar with whatis out there. If it is consistent with the etiquette of the list, cost ranges and the names of vendors located in the Michigan area would also be appreciated. Chris Reznich, Office of Medical Education, Research and Development College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University ============================ From: ADAM NELSON Organization: Lehigh University Here at Lehigh's Ed Tech Ctr., we've been using both an InFocus 5000 (about $5000) and an Nview MediaPro (about $10,000) for a year now with our Macs. We're happy with both. The InFocus is a passive matrix panel with the best color reproduction we've seen other than the MediaPro. The MediaPro, if you can afford it, is the best LCD panel I've seen. The colors are extremely accurate, it's a multiscan panel and therefore works with a variety of devices (including NTSC video), and is actually fast enough to project full motion video from our Laserdisc players. ============================ From: ELOISE%MAINE.BITNET@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU (Eloise Kleban) Here are the two answers I received to my query about LCD plates and overhead projectors. I want to thank the two people who took the time to send me these responses - I found them *very* useful! Eloise Kleban eloise@maine.maine.edu ************************************ From: Dan Lunderville Notes regarding LCD Shootout held by Blumberg Communications, 4/30/92 Blumberg sponsored an 'LCD Shootout' for customers wanting to buy an LCD projection panel for use with overhead projectors. They had 16 different units on display, 4 black and white and 12 color units. All units were in the same darkened room and all used the same overhead projector, a Dukane model 653, with a rating of 3000 lumens. A few of the units did not need a separate projector because the unit had a self-contained projector. Three black and white units seemed acceptable to us, but they had flaws that caused us to be uneasy about purchasing them. Two of the units were LCD panels that required use of a separate overhead projector. These were the Sharp QA-75 and the In-Focus 1600GS. The In-Focus was a little brighter, and its text mode could be adjusted a bit better, but the differences between the In-Focus 1600GS and the Sharp QA-75 were not major. The thing that really bothered us was that each panel showed ghosting, or streaks at the ends of graphics boxes, such as scroll bars in a window. These streaks extended right through other windows at times. At first they werenUt too apparent, but after a while they became a real irritant. The third black and white unit, the nView nSight, combined an LCD panel with a projector in one unit. This unit impressed us, but it was not available until June, so it was not an option for us. In the future I would give close consideration to this unit. The fourth black and white unit, the Proxima MultiMode II, A482SC used ugly purplish and yellowish RcolorsS, and we rejected it right away. The folks from Blumberg told us about a black and white unit that they felt was quite good, but was not at the show. It was the nView II + 2. They said that it did not have as much of the streaking problem as the other units. It was in the same price range as the Sharp QA-75 and the In-Focus 1600GS. We later viewed a Sharp QA-50 black and white panel in the Physics Dept. at UWRF. This panel was not present at the shootout. We were impressed with the QA-50. It was crisp and clear, with even focus in all directions. Its controls were clear and easy to use, and its price was about $300-400 cheaper than the Sharp QA-75 and the In-Focus 1600GS. We decided to buy a QA-50 unit. We spent a long time viewing and considering the color LCD panels. ============================ From: Carol Taylor Our school has been using a Sharp QA-50 panel for a couple of years. I think the current model can probably be purchased for about $800. It does CGA, EGA, VGA and Macintosh. For the Mac a cable splitter must be installed in the system, at least with this model. This is a monochrome unit that uses patterns to represent colors. We like them because they are extremely reliable. The only failure we have had to date is one unit that got fried when the instructor left it turned off (fan not running) while the unit was sitting on top of a turned on overhead projector. This is hardly the fault of the unit. They are checked out through our media services people so they have taken a fair amount of abuse and have withstood it well. Carol Taylor, University of Denver, Faculty Computing Lab _________________________________________________________________ Date: 20 May 92 09:44:00 MDT From: "5268 Spires, Shannon V." We like the Proxima Ovation, which is really the "Cadillac" of such systems. It's more expensive than the rest, but we think it's worth it because: 1) It's active-matrix technology (a transistor at every pixel). Whatever panel you get, it should be active matrix, because the colors look better and the cursor won't disappear on you. The only disadvantage of active-matrix is that it usually requires a super-bright overhead projector unless your presentation room is quite dark (too dark for people to take notes). The Ovation seems to provide the brightest display of all the units we looked at (which is just about all of them, including the new Sharp). It provides a quite visible display on an average overhead projector in a room with the lights nearest the screen turned off, so people can still see to take notes. Brightness is very important when you're on the road and you have to live with whatever overhead projector happens to be at your destination. 2) It's video-compatible straight out of the box. Every other manufacturer who offers video input does it through an optional adapter box, which adds to the cost and (more importantly) the bulk of the stuff you have to carry around. Also, the quality of the video projection image is far superior to every other unit I've seen. It's almost good enough to use in a home theater as a large-screen projector. You can also have video and the computer hooked up to the panel at the same time and switch between them with the remote control unit, whereas other manufacturers sometimes force you to hook up one or the other but not both. 3) It is compatible with a really nifty Proxima innovation called the Cyclops, which allows you to "run" your presentation by clicking a red laser pointer or wand on the actual screen image. As you move the pointer around the screen, the Mac's mouse follows it. If you press the button on the laser pointer or wand, the red dot gets brighter and the mouse thinks it's been clicked. We haven't bought this option yet because we're not sure we need it, but for training situations it might be really handy to be able to pull down menus, etc. right at the projected screen image. The Cyclops is only compatible with Proxima panels, and it is of course an extra cost option. The Ovation is both VGA and Mac-compatible, if this is important, so you can use it with PC's as well as Macs. Our whole intention is to use the Ovation in concert with a Powerbook 170. There are two basic ways to make a Powerbook drive an LCD panel (or any monitor, for that matter, since as far as any computer is concerned the LCD panel is just a monitor). You can get a Radius Powerview, which is a box that attaches to the Powerbook's SCSI port and provides a monitor output connector. You then plug the LCD panel into the Powerview. We've done this, and it works, but it has 3 distinct disadvantages over the second approach (read on). The second approach is to get an Envisio, which is a video adapter that fits COMPLETELY INSIDE the Powerbook. The Envisio adds a video output connector to the left-hand hinge on the Powerbook, to which you can connect the LCD panel. We have an Envisio and use it now, and this is how we will connect to the Ovation. The advantages of the Envisio over an external SCSI box like the Powerview are: 1) The Envisio is completely internal. The Powerview and others like it are large external boxes (about twice the size of the Powerbook's AC power adapter) and they usually require an additional AC power adapter of their own, so they actually mean two extra things to lug around. 2) The Envisio is faster. There is a noticeable slowdown in screen update speed with the external SCSI boxes which is not present with the Envisio. It's just as fast as the built-in screen of the Powerbook. 3) The Envisio can be purchased with extra RAM so you can upgrade your Powerbook to 8 Megs of RAM at the same time you install the Envisio. In addition, the Envisio can use the small Apple 2 Meg card that came with your 170 (if you got a 4/40 model). Most other RAM upgrades require you to throw this card away or send it back to the supplier for a small rebate. If you use an external SCSI video box, you'll still have to buy RAM separately if you want to upgrade your Powerbook to 8 meg. EXTRA EQUIPMENT YOU'LL NEED: In addition to the Ovation panel and an Envisio-equipped Powerbook 170, you'll need: 1) A cable to go between the 170 and the Ovation. This will come with the Ovation. 2) Carrying case for the Ovation. At least two are available. Be sure and get one that protects the fragile LCD screen and provides room for cables, etc. and the Cyclops if you will be using it. 3) VCR if you plan on showing videos through the Ovation. 4) Overhead projector if there won't be one where you're going. There are several light, portable ones available. Test with your LCD panel before you buy. 5) Powered speakers, if you'll be showing video or Quicktime movies that have sound. Companies: Proxima: 619-457-5500 (San Diego) Radius: 800-227-2795 (San Jose, CA) Envisio: 612-339-1008 (Minneapolis) (I have no connection with any of the above-mentioned companies.) _________________________________________________________________ From: Jill Williams In the latest issue of the magazine New Media (June 1992) there is a comparison of 23 color LCDs...there is a little intro piece, and then a table with a comparison of features. Not really a review, but might be useful. If you don't have access to this publication, you could try calling their Customer Service Department at 609-764-1846. It's a freebie sent to 'qualified individuals' so maybe they would send you one copy. Jill Williams, Academic Information Systems, Columbia University _________________________________________________________________ Date: Sun, 24 May 92 23:18 EST We have a Spectra from NView and we are very pleased with it, but it is not a cheap unit. It will workd with a MacII or EGA or VGA DOS display. I can not speak about it s compatibility with a PB 170. Jerry, LEWV LEVIN%OPUS@MCOIARC _________________________________________________________________ Hope this helps someone out there! Thomas Scott, Systems Manager, College of Engineering Cornell University, Carpenter Hall Annex, Ithaca, NY 14853