Kensington laptop dock first to feature startup's multiple-monitors-over-USB tech

Although we're pretty sure that many of you wouldn't agree with Newnham Research CEO Michael Ledzion's assertion that "connecting a graphics card to a PC is hard, and expensive," you might still be interested in his company's technology for connecting multiple displays to a PC through a standard USB connection, which will debut in a Kensington laptop dock in June. The Cambridge, England-based startup is able to achieve this rather amazing feat through a hardware rendering engine call NIVO, which can either be built directly into a monitor or incorporated into other peripherals, and which uses proprietary compression algorithms to deliver video up to 1280 x 1024 at 75Hz. As you could probably guess, this technology isn't designed for gaming -- the company suggests using it to display "largely static images" -- although it's supposedly capable of HD playback, which is something we'd definitely like to see firsthand.

[Via Extreme Tech]

[Josh @ Apr 11th 2006 8:22PM]

What would could you use this for at those specs?

[Aaron @ Apr 11th 2006 8:40PM]

Powerpoints and DVD's?

[FredFred @ Apr 11th 2006 9:12PM]

Ah yes, our good friend Michael Ledzion, CEO of a string of tech startup failures, one of which I was unlucky enough to get involved with. If he's running Newnham Research then I'll lay money on the technology being worthless and the company lasting a year or two at best. But it won't fail before he's taken his CEO salary, that's for sure.

[Russ @ Apr 11th 2006 11:52PM]

As a laptop user, I WISH this type of thing could be used for gaming. Oblivion just refuses to run any faster than about one second per frame on my lappy, and upgrading the graphics card is really not an option.

[hmurchison @ Apr 12th 2006 12:04AM]

http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=113&sku=30534

This technology has been shipping for months. The only difference I see is multiple monitor support in one box potentially.

[OddManOut @ Apr 12th 2006 1:34AM]

Thanks for the link "hmurchison". It would be nice to have dual monitors on my primary machine at home. As it is now I usually have two machines on at any one time, but it can get a little tedious switching back and forth between the two (since they are on opposite sides of the room). But a nice 19" fp to play a movie on while I web surf or jot inconsequential emails on a 15" fp might be kinda cool (literally, since I will only have to run one machine and I don't have A/C).

And since used 19" CRTs can be had for litterally $1 where I live (via failed eBay items at Auction Drop...they've got'em by the truckload...)I can have a 135 degree panorama at work for $202. One monitor each for Engadget, Gizmodo, and Kotak-ER...um...VNC (remember, big brother and insane IT guys are watching...), the hardware control spreadsheet, and my business only email.

Yeah...the last three...:P

[Frank @ Apr 12th 2006 4:43AM]

Will wireless USB be able to handle this?

[Ashley @ Apr 12th 2006 5:52AM]

Sounds different but i'm not sure it would be that useful in most situations really.
Ashley
http://boulderthegreat.blogspot.com

[Jonathan @ Apr 12th 2006 10:49AM]

hey OddManOut, where would you go for those failed auctions?