SGI revs flat-panel technology
Silicon Graphics' flat panel features an all-digital interface. Many existing flat panels must convert signals from analog to digital.
The Silicon Graphics 1600SW flat panels feature an all-digital interface, which ensures high-quality resolution. Many existing flat-panel displays must convert signals from analog to digital, a process which can impair picture quality.
"It's difficult to convey the quality of the image," of the 1600SW, said Martin Reynolds, a Dataquest analyst. "Every pixel is perfect."
An alternative to traditional Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors, flat-panel displays have been lauded for their sleek looks, low emissions, and crystal-clear images. However, the same technology that results in high picture quality is also more expensive to manufacture. This kept flat-panel displays out of most commercial and home environments until very recently, when component prices dropped. Compaq and IBM both have introduced 14.5-inch flat-panel displays for under $1,000 this year.
SGI's 1600SW will ship with some Silicon Graphics O2 Workstations, and will also work with mainstream PCs; it is compatible with Microsoft Windows 95, 98, and NT operating systems. Support for Apple's Macintosh platform is planned for early 1999.
Manufactured by Mitsubishi, the new digital display will retail for $2,595. SGI is bundling it with a 32MB graphics card from Number Nine for $2,795, a price point that may be outside the budget of most corporate purchasers.