LCD Screens Double as Speakers

An anonymous reader writes "The BBC has a story about a company who has developed an LCD screen that can produce sound as well. They claim that the sound quality is quite good, and compare it to average multimedia computer speakers. Also NEC is making and selling computers that use this technology in Japan. Hardware integration like this should make for some interesting appliances in the next few decades."

Comments

That's crazy!

[austinij]

It seems like an awesome idea, but how does it handle stereo? And I'd love to hear a wav file or something of how it sounds...

Re:*bzzt* wrong

[Jaycatt]

It would be nice for travelling presentations or training, however. The lightweight LCD is already useful for that. Not having to carry around speakers would also help with the travel weight.

real world application

[digifuzz]

i could see this really taking off in the hand-held market, where the machines are really small and would benefit from having less components to have to cram into their small encasing..

~ fuzz

The answer is... it doesn't.

[pr0ntab]

NXT argues its technology has major advantages over conventional speakers. It says its SoundVU technology distributes frequencies evenly across a room, producing what audio buffs call a universal "sweet spot".

I read that as it's a speaker that fills the room with a single channel of sound. If it was in stereo, then it wouldn't be room filling if you could discern the channels. You could probably deal with it if the screen created two virtual speakers by superposition using exciters on opposite sides of the monitor. But then the sweet spot would be very small, aimed at the person sitting a few feet away. Definitely not room filling.

Plus, they go on to say how they intend to use it in mobile phones and PDAs. All single channel devices when used without headphones.