BIOS: Technology Means Business

Eizo Nanao Technologies, shortened to ‘EIZO’ by all those in the 'know', is further extending its range of LCD monitors for professionals engaged in all forms of graphics with the introduction of two wide-format LCD monitors, the 21-inch ColorEdge CE210W and the 24-inch ColorEdge CE240W.

Both monitors feature increased horizontal viewing space with their widescreen format complimented by features such as an 8ms mid-tone response time, ergonomic design, and an industry-leading 5-year warranty.

In addition to their extended space, they have extended versatility and reliability with colour management capabilities making the CE monitors an ideal solution for a wider range of professionals like graphic artists, printers, gamers, video editors, multimedia creators, 3-D CAD professionals and digital photographers.

The ColorEdge CE offers several features for colour accuracy and control. EIZO’s own ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) features 14-bit colour processing for accurate greyscale rendering, especially in the dark areas of an image. To ensure consistent colour display for each ColorEdge CE240W and CE210W unit, EIZO adjusts the gamma level at the factory for every ColorEdge CE unit to a value of 2.2.

This is done by using the monitor’s 10-bit look-up table (LUT) with its palette of 1021 tones, to select the 256 most appropriate tones for red, green, and blue. Gamma is also user-adjustable from 1.8 up to 2.6. The wide format of the ColorEdge CE210W and CE240W provide a 16:10 aspect ratio (1680x1050 and 1920x1200 native resolutions respectively) for significantly more horizontal space than the 4:3 aspect ratios of conventional monitors.

The screen is wide enough so that two A4 size pages can be opened at full size and tool palettes placed on the perimeter of the screen with no resulting overlap. This 16:10 aspect ratio of the monitor is a near match for the 16:9 aspect ratio of DVD wide format content, keeping the size of black borders across the top and bottom of the screen to a minimum.

EIZO’s ColorNavigator CE software comes bundled with the ColorEdge CE and is compatible with Macintosh (OS X 10.2 or later) and Windows (2000/XP) operating systems. The interface promises to be intuitive and simple to use - just set the values for brightness, colour temperature, and gamma then calibrate with compatible devices like GretagMacbeth’s Eye-One, X-Rite’s Monaco Optix, or ColorVision’s Spyder (each sold separately).

ColorNavigator CE offers hardware calibration by controlling the monitor’s 10-bit LUT, a process that ensures no color gradations are sacrificed in the calibration process. The result is highly accurate colors with a delta-E difference of less than 0.5 for the monitor’s color temperature. Calibration results can be saved as a ColorSync or ICC profile.

Most CRT and LCD monitors require a 1 to 2-hour warm-up period to achieve stable brightness, and the brightness level of these monitors is easily affected by changes in the surrounding temperature. The ColorEdge CE210W and CE240W have performance specifications ideal for multimedia applications such as video editing, gaming, or just watching DVDs.

The brightness is an LCD TV-equivalent 450 cd/m², and the contrast ratio is 1000:1. An overdrive circuit speeds up the midtone (grey-to-grey) response time to 8ms for smooth playback of moving images. The ColorEdge CE design incorporates several features for convenience and ease of use. EIZO’s ArcSwing 2 stand offers an arc-shaped range of movement to allow the screen to be positioned up high near eye level or lowered at an angle akin to reading a book for a more natural viewing
posture.

The base swivels 172-degrees so the screen can be shown to anyone sitting nearby, or for convenient access to the various hubs and ports located on the side or backside of the monitor without having to stand or lean over to reach them. Electrostatic control switches make for a smooth front panel and are touch sensitive for reliable operation. The cabinet colour is available in black to match the colour of many Windows PCs and a white/silver combination to compliment the colour and design of Macintosh G5 and Mac Mini PCs.

Connectivity options include dual DVI-I inputs and a USB 2.0 hub. The DVI-I inputs support both digital and analogue signals from Windows and Macintosh PCs. The high speed USB hub includes two downstream ports located on the left side of the panel for quick connection to peripherals such as digital cameras, calibration sensors, storage devices, USB memory, or an iPod Shuffle.

The ColorEdge CE240W and CE210W will begin shipping in mid-March. Pricing will be announced nearer the date.

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