November 2005 — Industry Perspective
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Display Technology ‘Tradeoffs’
Display technology is primed for rapid growth in the 2005- 2006 school year, and you owe it to yourself and your schools to learn as much as you can before you commit. Instead of selecting one product type for all classrooms, it’s important to select the right technology for each individual classroom so teachers have the tools they need. And with various teaching styles and differing curricula for each grade, many display choices allow you to match technology to content. That equation will determine the best product for the installation, as well as enhance the learning environment.
The Dawning of Digital Television HDTV holds great promise for the classroom. Digital television is transforming the TV-set landscape, turning our living rooms into home theaters, and making its presence felt in the classroom. By 2007, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated that new television sets must include digital tuners. Digital means images free of ghosts and interference. Digital TV’s most advanced form, high-definition television, or HDTV, delivers high-resolution, lifelike realism in a wide screen format.
All new CRT televisions, plasma displays, and LCD screens will either have a built-in digital tuner or take the form of a monitor (no tuner) that will require a set-top box to receive free over-the-air broadcasts. Those schools selecting a TV monitor that doubles as a large computer display will find a flexible, low-cost alternative for small or limited-space classrooms. Primary schools have effectively used 32-inch displays that allow students to sit in a semicircle and view the teacher’s curriculum, which keeps them focused without having to adjust the lights in the classroom. The key is to stay away from the standard old analog television, as it provides only a limited amount of usages (movies and cable channels). And in today’s complex teaching environment, you need a multimedia display in order to reduce the amount of technology outlets within a single classroom.
Todd Moffett is the education sales director for the Commercial Products Division of LG Electronics USA Inc.
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