On 10/18/2014 1:23 PM, Manfred Mornhinweg wrote:
Chris,
I think that even the displays for smart phones and hand held devices
are generic. It's the drivers that are custom. In essence they are
nothing more than a miniature computer monitor screen. Why not use the
same for displays in ham rigs.
HRD and SDRs use a generic computer screen to display a rather elaborate
display. I'd prefer the LCDs with an LED light source. They can produce
characters of a very high definition. Small, generic LCD screens could
be produced for pennies, or at most, a few dollars as you can now
purchase a 40" smart HD TV receiver for $300-$400. There are relatively
inexpensive video driver chips and generators that could replace the
displays on many high end rigs if the rigs were designed in such a way
as to not require custom displays, but few purchase rigs with
sustainability in mind. Even if we did, there is little on the market
that would qualify and that goes well beyond the displays. How many
transistors used in SS rigs over the last two decades are no longer
available?
However, HRD and other Graphical interfaces can replace most of the
front panel, let alone the individual displays on today's rigs. If
using HRD you might not even notice a failed, non essential display.
The problem is physically replacing any display on today's rigs. Those
displays and drivers are produced in batches. Once it's no longer
financially a viable option to purchase those batches, the rigs days are
numbered as for resale
73
Roger (K8RI)
The industry standard dot matrix display is a great idea, but what
chance manufacturers agree to such a selfless act of kindness to us
end users? ;) Individuality has its costs...
I'm not sure if perhaps you misinterpreted my "industry standard dot
matrix display" concept. I don't mean that Kenwood, Icom, Vertex, etc,
should define a standard shared by them! What I do mean is using
_existing_ industry standard displays, instead of special displays
custom-made for each radio model. So the manufacturers of ham
equipment don't need to agree.
The displays I mean range from small, single line, 16 character ones,
over 2 line, 4 line, all the way to graphics-capable ones. Their
electrical interfaces are so well standardized that one can usually be
swapped for another with little or no changes, and they exist in
several more or less standard physical sizes.
If just one manufacturer sells radios built just from standard parts,
with nothing critical customized in any way, and the buyers prefer
those radios over any using special parts, it would be a win-win
situation, and the other manufacturers would be forced to follow.
But of course this scheme fails, because 98% of all hams buy radios
without the slightest regard for long-term maintainability, and aren't
even able to tell a custom display from a standard one! And since
custom displays are usually prettier than standard ones, radios with
custom displays sell better...
Manfred
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