Mon, Dec 02, 2002 page10

• Digital-interface use to spread

  HIGH-TECH ACCESSORIES As computer displays and televisions become digitally based, the need for the appropriate systems to make the connections will increase

  • By Bill Heaney / STAFF REPORTER
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  The leading standard that connects PCs and digital displays will move to consumer devices in the next four years, research firm In-Stat/MDR predicted last week.

  Digital Visual Interface (DVI) was developed by a group of companies led by Intel Corp, the now defunct Compaq Computer Corp, Fujitsu Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Co, International Business Machines Corp, NEC Corp and Silicon Image Inc.

  The interface was introduced in 1999, and has been slow to take off. The one exception is Japanese-made digital camcorders that hook up directly to computers, digital flat-screen displays and digital television sets.

  "The idea behind the spec was that since PCs produce digital output, and digital displays can accept digital input, it made sense to develop a digital connection in order to avoid any digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital conversions along the way," said Brian O'Rourke, a senior analyst with In-Stat/MDR.

  Computer displays and televisions are making the move to digital. The latest flat-panel liquid-crystal-display computer screens and televisions are digital. There are now around 60 million subscribers to digital pay-TV services around the world, In-Stat/MDR reports, and that figure will grow to over 83 million by 2006. The companies that provide digital content for these services and for the Internet prefer DVI as it offers anti-piracy features, In-Stat's report found.

  "Content providers especially liked the fact that DVI had high-bandwidth content protection," O'Rourke said. "Content providers in turn influenced service providers and consumer electronics manufacturers to consider DVI among their interface choices."

  The In-Stat report said that this year more digital television makers are interested in DVI, and forecasts that over the next four years, the number of devices with DVI interface will grow at 100 percent annually.

  Taiwan is a major supplier of digital consumer devices such as DVD players, DVD recorders and set-top boxes. Taiwan is also the world's leading manufacturer of notebook computers, accounting for more than 50 percent of global market share, said the Market Intelligence Center. Until now, local manufacturers have concentrated on low-end DVI products such as cables and connectors.

  The move to consumer electronics will not slow down the growth of DVI in the notebook and desktop PC market, the report said. LCD projectors also use DVI connectors, allowing mobile business executives to use their notebooks to give presentations in meeting rooms. And those who use a notebook as their primary work PC can hook up to an office LCD monitor if they need a bigger screen.

  "This should be enough to push DVI to 17 percent penetration of the notebook PC market by 2006," O'Rourke said.

  Apple Computer Inc has led the computer market in implementing DVI. The company has a standard DVI port on its Power Mac G4 desktop, and Titanium PowerBook G4 notebook PCs. Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced earlier this year at the launch of the LCD iMac that the company was abandoning CRT monitors and moving totally to LCD.

  It makes sense that Apple was the first PC manufacturer to implement DVI, O'Rourke said.

  For your information

  The move to digital

  * Computer displays and televisions are making the move to digital.

  * The latest flat-panel LCDs computer screens and televisions are digital.

  * There are now around 60 million subscribers to digital pay-TV services around the world.
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