ViewSonic Leverages Display Leadership from the Desktop to the Video-Centric Digital Home

At the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), ViewSonic Corp. extended its desktop display leadership into the entertainment market by demonstrating a number of technology and product initiatives designed to allow consumers to collect, store, access and display digital content anywhere in or around the home.

ViewSonic’s vision for the digital home features an integrated network of visual display products located throughout the home that are capable of sharing digital media. This will allow users to easily store and access high-resolution digital content from any device, anytime, from anywhere. Whether downloading movies or music, or accessing original digital content, users will be able to build and manage their home entertainment network without the need for a personal computer.

“As a leader in display devices, ViewSonic is positioned to transition the home network from primarily data to more visual networks,” said James Chu, chairman and CEO, ViewSonic. “Through our partnerships with industry leading companies, ViewSonic is working to ensure that the next generation of the digital home is focused on the quality and simplicity of the visual experience.”

In support of its continued evolution to become more than a monitor company, ViewSonic is demonstrating the digital home of the future by showing the following:

A large-screen, networked high-definition digital television

A wireless media gateway and adapter

An IP-based network receiver which integrates both broadcast and broadband entertainment capabilities and features dual tuners, a DVD, a personal video recorder (PVR) and router capabilities for recording and streaming high-definition video to any home display.

Already ViewSonic’s leadership in digital entertainment has attracted attention, with the company’s current media network offerings, the WMA100 Wireless Media Adapter and the WMG80 and WMG120 Wireless Media Gateways, receiving finalist nominations for at least three awards at CES 2005.

Later this year, ViewSonic will deliver consumers even more entertainment flexibility by introducing Linux based products that feature Microsoft Digital Rights Management compatibility and superior video and wireless networking performance. These platforms, being developed in partnership with Broadcom Corporation, Sigma Designs and Syabas, will allow consumers to easily collect, store and access digital content anywhere around the home.

“By working to deliver an integrated, IP-based platform that incorporates industry digital rights management standards, ViewSonic is broadening consumer choices in creating digital home networks,” said Michael Wolf, principal analyst, Consumer Content and Connectivity, InStat/MDR. “These additional options are what is required to accelerate consumer adoption and drive the transition from a data based home network to one which traffics rich multimedia content.”

Alliances with a number of digital content providers, including America Online and RealNetworks, Inc., also demonstrate a broad based commitment to the new platforms. These relationships aim to ensure that consumers can access digital video, pictures, audio and data content services on the future platforms.

A key component of ViewSonic’s digital home initiative is the incorporation of its digital televisions and displays into the home network. At CES, the company is announcing several additions to its award-winning line of visual display products, geared for digital entertainment and data, including three wide-screen digital TVs, five digital projectors and four LCD displays–two that are among the fastest in response times in the industry.

Wide-screen Digital Televisions
ViewSonic’s three new wide-screen, flat-panel, LCD TVs bring visual appeal to any room, from the kitchen or study to the bedroom or living room. The 40-inch N4050w, 27-inch N2750w and 17-inch N1750w have fully integrated high-definition TV connection compatibility and super-fast video response times for the highest quality image possible. Available in February, the digital TVs start at an estimated street price (ESP) of $599.

Multi-purpose Projectors
Five new projectors from ViewSonic provide economical and versatile solutions for the home or office. The 7.5-pound PJ755D projector extends the company’s Digital Light Processing (DLP) line beyond the micro-portable category, while the 4.8-pound PJ400, 5.6-pound PJ552 and PJ562 and 8.8-pound PJ862 add more options in LCD front projection displays. Available now and with ESPs starting at $899, all of the projectors feature high brightness for clear, crisp images, along with multimedia and business application functions to support crossover use from the living room to boardroom.

Award-winning ThinEdge LCDs
Offering industry leading 8ms response times and 1280×1024 native resolutions, the VP191b, VP171b and VP171s are ideal for motion intensive applications such as gaming, digital video and web editing. The company also unveiled the VP231wb, a 23-inch wide-screen LCD monitor designed for applications such as desktop entertainment and video editing, where a large display area is essential. Starting at an ESP of $449, these LCDs are available this month.