Motorized screens - an alternative to stationary monitors

The story with the desire to convey information to everyone in the most convenient way appeared long ago. Conference halls, conference halls, boardroom halls - whatever you call it, any rooms where important people gather, discuss important strategic development concepts and other issues. Visualization of the supplied material requires a central means of display, and in addition to the main one they prefer to use duplicate means. At the same time, since meetings often last for hours, people began to take laptops with them and work in parallel until they reach the turn. There were ideas to combine duplicate tools and computers into a single system, as well as the desire to hide these monitors in a niche under the table at unused time.







When it comes to signal duplication at the participants ’seats at the table and when it is not possible to install duplicate panels in the center of the table or on opposite walls, or the customer does not want such a solution, they install monitors in the places of the meeting participants or one monitor for two or less than three people. The simplest option - when you need a picture, and not an aesthetic option - use ordinary monitors with a large angle of horizontal tilt, so as not to obscure the faces of the participants.







Often, customers want the monitor to appear when it is needed, and in other cases to be removed in the niche of the table. And this is exactly the case when motorized displays are the only solution. Both functionally and aesthetically. Additionally, ceteris paribus, the monitor can be equipped with access to a remote computer, server, or embed a personal computer in the device itself. This solution eliminates the need for laptops and allows you to work directly in a meeting. Or, a person can come with his laptop and connect it to the monitor and / or network, thereby gaining access to the necessary resources. There are enough options for using motorized monitors.



In truth, 20 years as a motorized monitor is not news. However, every year - manufacturing companies change the design, reduce the width of the frame, the thickness of the panels, integrate all kinds of chips, combine with the conference system (microphones) - as they say, to taste and color.



There are giants in the Russian market - those companies that have long been rooted in the market, have a wide range, a sophisticated management system, and new companies, mainly Chinese - that make the same devices in the image of pioneers, but with their own nuances.



The most famous company, perhaps, is the Spanish manufacturer Arthur Holm .



The solutions of this manufacturer are used where a unique design is needed (it is possible to develop an exclusive design). The accumulated pool of various models, each of which has at least ten filling options - from the nameplate to the unique button in the exact color for your mahogany table, for example.



A short list of what you can optionally select and install when ordering:

• Model without microphones, with one or two microphones;
  
  
  • Microphones can be motorized, or statically fixed;
    
    
  • Integration of other conference systems is possible;
    
    
  • You can install the usual interface XLR 3-pin or others;
    
    
• Ability to install a touch screen (capacitive, resistive, SAW);
  
  
• Ability to install cameras with various output interfaces (USB, HD-SDI, HDMI);
  
  
• The ability to install USB interfaces - one or two:
  
  
  • USB 2.0 or USB 3.0;
    
    
  • with charging devices;
    
    
  • choice of installation location (left, right, or on each side, or another)
    
    
• Choose a paint color for the cover;
  
  
• Choose a paint color for the elevator system;
  
  
• Apply logo on the back of the monitor;
  
  
• Install additional devices:
  
  
  • a keyboard;
    
    
  • mouse;
    
    
  • keyboard and mouse kit;
    
    
  • or other;
    
    
• Provide additional buttons for the future and put a logo on them;
  
  
• Provide additional interfaces (HD-SDI, HDMI, VGA, CVBS) for connecting devices;
  
  
• Install a PC inside the system.
  
  

The lineup is extensive, so I will give the most popular models with a brief description.

Another, no less famous German manufacturer is Element One .

This company has fewer model options, but the options presented are enough to solve most problems - motorized screens with vertical lift, horizontal lift and vertical-horizontal - the last of which is unique today.



Below are the most popular Element One models.

Element One chooses the direction of developing precisely retractable monitors, without integration with conference microphones, although it has a model with the possible integration of two microphones (CONVERS CONMIC), as well as a model of a retractable remote only for a microphone (conMIC).







Another, slightly less well-known in the Russian market, Spanish manufacturer of motorized elevators - Soltec. Soltec, like Arthur Holm, is developing a tendency to integrate motorized elevators and microphones (conference consoles) together, unlike the Element One.

But there are models of motorized monitors without microphones.

Manufacturers deserve special attention and, accordingly, the presented models of Chinese manufacturers. Manufacturers of Chinese devices are developing new models quickly, sometimes even qualitatively, but always with their own ideology. And to convince them is often very difficult - but these are the nuances. But these manufacturers offer interesting options that are not found in reputable manufacturers. Perhaps because the latter are not afraid to take risks, while others need to keep the brand.



For your information, I propose to consider the top three manufacturers that were represented on the Russian market at the ISR2019 exhibition in October this year and pay attention to the differences.



HTDZ is a manufacturing company well-known in the conference systems market. And their motorized elevators appeared relatively recently, or rather they were presented at the InfoComm China 2019 exhibition in Beijing. And then, already on the Russian market, at the ISR2019 exhibition.



Physically, there was only one model - a 15.6 ”monitor with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels, a touch screen and a motorized microphone. There are models of 15.6 ", 17.3", 21 "with a resolution of 1080p. The conference system is used. There is no possibility of integration with other well-known manufacturers, although from experience - when choosing a Chinese manufacturer, questions about integration with well-known conference manufacturers systems such as Shure, Bosch, Televic and others are extremely rare.Monitors are made really high-quality, have a thin monitor, the lifting mechanism works quietly and smoothly.







ItC is another Chinese manufacturer, which was also presented at the Russian exhibition ISR2019. Conference system manufacturer, who later began to produce motorized elevators with his conference systems. But monitors without microphones are also presented. The presented models are 15.6 ", 17.3", 21 "with a resolution of 1080p. The design and design are very similar to the previous manufacturer, even the speed of raising and lowering is the same.







New Wisen is a Chinese representative who also participated in the ISR2019 exhibition.

The ideology is the same as in the previous two - a motorized touch LCD monitor with 15.6 ", 17.3", 21 "and a resolution of 1080p. The motorized screen is integrated with its own conference system, but can be supplied without a microphone. Control connection interfaces and video signals, buttons on the front surface coincide with the previous two models.







In truth, there is still a huge mass of Chinese manufacturers and the only trend that almost all the companies that promote these products note is the suspicious similarity of all motorized screens. They really differ in anodizing, a little design, but other things being equal - they are just like two drops of water similar. And the most important thing that gives them all is the back panel with connection sockets. She looks like this.







The connectors themselves can have a different arrangement, even from model to model of the same manufacturer. All the presented models from different manufacturers have a touch screen, the ability to install a PC inside the elevator, the same connection to the conference system, the remaining connectors are one to one. This suggests the conclusion that there is one, maybe two manufacturers of these elevator monitors, which are already stamping the right brand for different manufacturers of conference systems. And from here difficulties arise - since if European brands of screen manufacturers are engaged in the production of motorized screens, and after that - integration with conference systems, then Chinese manufacturers are taking the opposite strategy.



Motor Lift Management



The buttons on the panels are very convenient, but not always practical - firstly, not all participants use them, and secondly, there are events where these buttons are not needed from the word at all, since the equipment is configured before the meeting by a specially appointed person - an operator who performs all tasks for the participants - raise, lower, output one signal or another. For this work, a control system is required. Almost all elevators are controlled remotely using RS-232/485 protocols or over a network. And when it comes to well-known manufacturers, there are practically no problems here, work with professional control systems Crestron, Extron, AMX has been honed for years.



In the European versions of the models, control commands are sharpened for well-known control systems, while the Chinese are a separate dense forest. The set of motorized elevator with microphone has in fact two elevators - one for the monitor, the other for the microphone. Is it convenient - on the one hand, yes, it should be so. In theory, you need to connect the screen and microphone elevator one after another with a loop and configure the lifting of a device. And here difficulties begin to arise with programming: for example, it is possible to raise / lower all devices at the same time, but not individually. Not provided, but progress does not stand still. As a result, instead of one twisted pair line, you have to route two twisted pair cables - one cable for the screen lifting mechanism, the other for the microphone. This is not very convenient, both from the point of view of adjusters, and from the point of view of operation. Visually - nothing is visible, neither for the user, nor for the operator. But in comparison with the already well-known manufacturers - I want to bring it to mind so that I do not have to mess with the settings - then everything will be absolutely perfect. But ideally does not mean budget.



Bonuses



Chinese manufacturers like to embed new features - newfangled touch buttons and dials, on which you can display, for example, countdown time, or other additional information. It looks interesting, even unusual, the question of how relevant this is and will be in demand.







There are manufacturers who are ready to offer more than one outgoing screen, but two at once - a little cumbersome, but unusual.







Sometimes you wonder if all these chips are needed or, let's say, a set of unique functions. The monitor leaves, displays a picture - and well, why so many bells and whistles.