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RE: Inexpensive Display Technology

-----Original Message-----
From:	R. Paul McCarty [SMTP:]
Sent:	Monday, April 27, 1998 1:13 PM
To:	
Subject:	Re: Inexpensive Display Technology

>> It handles both VGA and NTSC on the fly with no need for signal 
converters.

> I don't think NTSC and VGA is very useful to someone building a wearable
> comptuter, you either use one or the other.

I agree with you but our focus on this feature was with your end customers. 
 They are the ones who will use the product in a wide variety of 
situations.  They will use it with their wearable, their camcorder, their 
portable video player.  The value of the HMD to the customer increases with 
the amount that is it used.

>> It accepts a wide variety of voltage levels (6.5V-24V) in order to
>> accommodate almost every existing platform and design with out expensive
>>modifications to the electronics.

> Save the one everyone is building around; PC/104 which runs at 5v.

With a few simple modifications, the M1 can run off of 5v.

> From what I've read most of the power consumed by the M1 is in the
> driver electronics since the display itself is rated at something like
> 20mw. So the brightness contrast controls wouldn't save you more than
> 20mw.

Granted.  But one still has to drive the panel with some form of 
electronics.  With reduced functionality and moving to lower voltage 
technology the power consumption could be as low as 1/4 of what it is now. 
 This type of modification is usually reserved for OEM situations where all 
variables are known.  Power fluctuations of +/- 10% become critical to the 
system at this point.

>I figured this would be misinterpreted, what I was refering to was the
>P4 private eye that is used in the lizzy spec, and is not available
>anymore, and support for the P5 is still forthcomming.  There's nothing
>equivalent to this out there` right now.

A few years ago the P4 was selling for ~$1,200. The P5 has been "coming 
out" for quite some time now. Instead of waiting, why not buy something 
that exists today.  Make money with the product you develop and when the 
P5, or other technology, does come out, re-evaluate your display selection.

>But WebTV runs on 21" monitors, not displays the size of your pinkey
>finger.

The M1 image looks like a 20" monitor 5 feet away.

>All I know is from all the posts it seems pretty clear that there are
>dozens of people on this list who want to build a wearable, but are
>getting stuck on the display.

Are they getting stuck on the display or are they being bogged down by 
specifications?  How many developers have not tried an HMD just because of 
its specs and not because of its performance?  We have made numerous sales 
to people just because of our evaluation program - try before you buy.  320 
x 240 with additive sampling looks pretty darn good even with 10 point 
font.

Also, why would a display hamper the building of a wearable?  Did CRT's 
hamper the development of PC's?  I think a push/pull relationship happened. 
 Hercules adapters, EGA, CGA, VGA, SVGA, XGA - the path didn't happen 
overnight.  We are in the same boat with LCD's.  Once good returns are made 
on the existing technology, the big display manufacturers will release 
better and cheaper displays.  Until then, we all have to work with what we 
have in order to "lobby" the manufacturers for bigger (maybe smaller is a 
better word here) and better displays.

Normal quantity discounts from the big boys in Japan usually start a 10,000 
units a month.  With companies like Virtual i/O, Forte, and Cybermaxx 
committing to these large quantities then "tanking", the display 
manufacturers have touched the flame and got burned, to some degree or 
another.  This industry is unfortunately seen as a close relative to the VR 
industry and caution is being taken by these manufacturers.

Holding out is a bad tactic in this game as the display manufacturers - 
Hitachi, Sony, Seiko, etc..., will blacklist it as a small industry with 
very little volume potential for their product path. (NOTE: This has 
already occurred with a few of the display manufacturers.)  Since it costs 
millions of dollars to develop a panel design, production line, and 
assembly facility very few manufacturers will ship a panel  that will kill 
the life cycle of existing products prematurely.  The only way a panel will 
be introduced faster than expected is through competition within the 
industry and the need to be #1.

Buy now. Upgrade later. Without that attitude the wearable industry may be 
stuck waiting for new technology that is "just" around the corner and not 
making money with the technology that is available today.  Market 
validation is paramount.

- Tony

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