NEC revamps lineup ahead of KioskCom, Digital Signage Show
The week before KioskCom and The Digital Signage Show, NEC Display Solutions of America announced an overhaul of its lineup of digital signage displays.
April 7, 2010
NEC Display Solutions of America has had a busy week leading up to this year's KioskCom and The Digital Signage Show in Las Vegas.
Over the last several days NEC has made three announcements about new additions to its lineup of commercial LCD display and projector solutions.
On Monday, April 5, the company announced the latest addition to its top line of digital signage LCD displays, the P Series, with the new 52-inch P521 joining the 40-inch P401, 46-inch P461 and 70-inch P701. The new industrial-strength display is ideal in rigorous 24/7 environments like airports, public information, rental and staging and healthcare, according to a release from the company.
Tuesday NEC unveiled its new S Series, featuring the addition of the 40-inch S401 and 46-inch S461 LCD display, which will replace its well-regarded M Series. NEC says the S Series is ideal for customers with digital signage and entertainment applications running for extended operation times, like deployments in airports and public areas.
And on Wednesday the company launched its new V Series with the debut of the 32-inch V321, which it calls "a value-driven LCD display ideal for those new to the digital signage market." The V321 succeeds the MultiSync LCD3215 and offers new features to benefit deployments with robust runtimes, like in restaurants and corporate lobbies.
The P521 is set to replace the company's MultiSync LCD5220 and offers new features and connectivity to NEC's previous 52-inch customers. Additions to the new model include DisplayPort for maximum connectivity, Ethernet connection for ease in remote monitoring and more than 30 built-in features as part of its Enhanced Digital Signage Technology Suite. The Quick input change feature provides fast and easy switching between inputs for customers that require content to continuously run with near-uninterruptible flow.
"NEC's new P521 display brings digital signage customers beneficial features that make deployments more effective and long-lasting," said Luke Bruschuk, product manager for NEC Display Solutions. "The P Series battles harsh conditions with a premium-grade panel, including internal temperature sensors, a sturdy mechanical design and a sealed panel design to protect against damaging elements in less than optimal settings. The combination of these advanced features secures the P521 during use and aids in maximizing the display's lifecycle."
The new S Series of full high-definition displays offer a variety of new features compared to previous generation models, including DisplayPort and Ethernet connections for added flexibility, an ambient light sensor for optimum brightness based on existing lighting conditions and more than 30 built-in advanced features in its Enhanced Digital Signage Technology Suite. The displays boast a contrast ratio of 4000:1, an increase from its predecessors, while maintaining the same level of power consumption.
The S401 and S461 have the ability to be tiled in a video wall matrix up to 10x10 (100 displays), which is an improvement from the previous 5x5 capability of the M Series. Their NaViSetT technology offers an intuitive graphical interface to adjust the displays' settings, and remote access is enabled for IT professionals with the Administrator version. "Our new S Series displays offer a feature-rich solution to those customers looking for a strong presence with sufficient connectivity options that allow similar performance as our award-winning P Series products," Bruschuk said. "The S401 and S461 bring incredible new benefits to projects involving extended use and satisfy a market that didn't fit with the product offering in the past. Their standard bezel and business-grade panel benefit flagship stores and designer shops that require a sleek, sophisticated look without straining budgets."
And finally, NEC says its new V Series was designed with small businesses in mind, for those applications that require commercial-grade technology on a limited budget. The high-definition V321 presents new, convenient features that simplify the customer experience, such as the built-in text ticker feature. This enhancement enables end-users to dedicate a portion of the screen to emergency warnings or breaking news. While the primary, scheduled content is displayed and fills the majority of the screen, the secondary ticker information can be displayed on the lower, remaining portion of the screen through a separate input.
Other improved features include quick input change for faster switching between sources, advanced terminal settings and monitoring and control over Ethernet, including e-mail notifications in the event the display encounters an error. Additionally, its SPVA panel contributes to the increase in contrast ratio from 800:1 to 3000:1 and to the reduced number of CCFLs, relating directly to the decrease in mercury content. The V321 supports video walls of up to 25 displays in a 5x5 configuration using TileMatrixT, an improvement from the 4x4 capability in the MultiSync LCD3215. The display also allows individual or group identities with only one command, where users can address monitors individually, as an entire group or defined sub-groups. Certain settings can be customized within each group, providing further flexibility. "NEC's V Series allows any and all customers the ability to outfit their facility with advanced digital signage without straining their budget," Bruschuk said. "The V321 supplies entry-level users with extended connectivity options, including Ethernet control for remote monitoring, RS-232 loopback and HDMI high-definition image quality. Pairing this invaluable control capability with a multitude of advanced features creates an incredible value-driven digital signage solution."
