Hands-on / video with the LG.Philips massive 52-inch multi-touch display

We just got back from the super sneaky secret LG.Philips room at CES where the totally Surface-esque 52-inch multitouch display was being shown off. The 1920 x 1080 screen rocks an interesting infrared image sensor to get data about hand placement and movement, and is capable of doing all kinds of gesture and area recognition from two separate touch points. Check the gallery to get a better view, and watch the video if you're excited about the prospect of a flipping, zooming Google Earth on a screen with multitouch.

Gallery: Hands-on / video with the LG.Philips massive 52-inch multi-touch display

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[Ronald @ Jan 9th 2008 9:20AM]

Thats a big google phone :P

[Dralion76 @ Jan 9th 2008 9:23AM]

The sticker is off-balance...

[AboveUnrefined @ Jan 9th 2008 9:29AM]

The command center is nearly complete...

[Tony Bowman @ Jan 9th 2008 9:31AM]

they been using something just like that on CNN's coverage of the presidential primaries.

[NHAnimator @ Jan 9th 2008 10:36AM]

Yes they have. And using it poorly I might add.

They've got 20 photos on the screen, slide a couple of them around, enlarge them just a tad (25%?) so that they are still too small to see, then slide their logo from the right to the middle-right.

I was waiting for them to do something cool, but saw nothing.

Then they had Wolfie standing between 4 plasmas numbered Exit Poll 1-4. All of them sat there saying "Data Loading" until they actually zoomed in to them individually at which point they showed poll results. Jeesh. Looked like they were taking 60 seconds to load a pie chart.

I know it was all for show, but I couldn't help feeling dumbed down to. Guess that was my punishment for putting them on in the first place.

[OneLove @ Jan 9th 2008 11:28AM]

Thats how you get the word out and sell units.

[Jonathan Keim @ Jan 9th 2008 9:32AM]

It will be fun cleaning the dust off that every week...

[Rob @ Jan 9th 2008 10:07AM]

Wow, cleaning the dust of a flat surface is really hard. Your dinner table must be really gross. As for me, spending 60 seconds a week cleaning dust off a flat surface doesn't seem like a big deal. Call me a workaholic.

[Jonathan Keim @ Jan 9th 2008 10:20AM]

Mmm... well you don't have to worry about streaking on a table the same way you do a monitor

[Rob @ Jan 9th 2008 12:34PM]

I have several monitors and a 21" Wacom Cintiq, and dust and streaks have never been an issue for me. You're making issues out of non-issues...

[Jasen @ Jan 9th 2008 9:34AM]

I must be dense; I can't find a video link.

[Chris @ Jan 9th 2008 9:49AM]

You're not the only one...

[skyone @ Jan 9th 2008 10:24AM]

Check: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qO-diu4jq4

[computer.dude.28 @ Jan 9th 2008 5:12PM]

Try clicking on the video while it's playing..

[Joseph @ Jan 9th 2008 9:34AM]

Windex could make a KILLING making a spray for touchscreen devices. The iPhone spray would be called iSpray of course.

[Nick @ Jan 9th 2008 11:40AM]

call me dense... but why is it that current windex would be bad for touch screen devices?

[Blah @ Jan 9th 2008 12:00PM]

Apparently, using cleaning agents that contain ammonia repeatedly will make the surface of traditional lcd displays turn yellow and get brittle.

I don't see why that would harm the iPhone though because the iPhone's screen is made of ordinary glass, right?

[Joseph @ Jan 9th 2008 12:05PM]

AFAIK, the iPhone is a real glass surface and Windex is fine to use, but people will pay more if they THINK they have to get a special spray to clean it.

[Paul @ Jan 9th 2008 12:27PM]

I don't know if the iPhone has it, but I do know many Displays, plastic + glass, have anti-glare coatings on them. The ammonia can over time eat away at the coatings leaving you with discoloration on your monitor. If its a glass screen you are in luck because you can use some pretty harsh chemicals (or just some serious elbow grease) and scrub it off, I don't know what you would be able to do with an LCD though...

The only reason I know this is because my school was throwing away their old CRT monitors and decided to let students look through the lot first. I snagged a nice 19" flat screened CRT, but when I got it home I noticed that the anti-glare coating had cracks in it. I used a scrubbing pad with some stuff called "Simple Green" (non toxic solvent) for about an hour scrubbing away until I got it all off. It doesn't look as good as it would with anti-glare but at least there are not lines squiggling around my display.

[Matt @ Jan 9th 2008 9:53AM]

I thought that looked like the CNN multitouch screen. It's pretty cool, but overused.

[Paul @ Jan 9th 2008 9:54AM]

Having just completed a 32 inch plasma touchscreen project, I can say three things: 1) yup, screens get dirty awfully quick. and it shows. 2) the bigger the touchscreen surface, the harder they are to calibrate 3) once calibrated, they don't stay that way for long.

but they are cool and when they work they are very engaging and fun to use.

[Paul @ Jan 9th 2008 12:29PM]

I imagine the calibration has more to do with the technology being used for the touch than the size of the screen. Although I do suppose that a larger screen could amplify the problems with a do-it-yourself touch screen technology.

[Paul @ Jan 9th 2008 2:49PM]

I thought so too, but we also used a 20" touchscreen (same touch tech for both) and the 32 drifted more.

My theory is that the 32" plasma temperature fluctuates as opposed to the 20" LCD

[ori t @ Jan 9th 2008 10:22AM]

sorry, but - where is the video?

[AustinPowers @ Jan 9th 2008 10:23AM]

This screen is not used at CNN. The company I work for make the multi-touch screen that CNN is using. I in fact built the hardware side of our touch screens. http://www.perceptivepixel.com

[Tony Bowman @ Jan 9th 2008 10:31AM]

that's why i said, "something like that"

[NHAnimator @ Jan 9th 2008 10:42AM]

I don't usually click on links by posters, but that PP video was pretty neat. Maybe someone from CNN needs to see what can really be done with it.

[Jeff @ Jan 9th 2008 11:30AM]

Yeah, you guys are really, really awesome, but someone needs to give CNN's Jon King a training session again. It really got in the way for a few minutes last night.

[Shiftlock @ Jan 9th 2008 11:43AM]

Wow... Just Wow. It looks like Perspective Pixel has already mastered this technology. The video at www.perspectivepixel.com makes the LG.Philips screen look very weak. The PP model seems larger, higher resolution, MUCH smoother - just better in every way. It deserves it's own Engadget post. Why doesn't Perspective Pixel have more of a website? I want to know more after watching that video.

[AustinPowers @ Jan 9th 2008 10:59AM]

they know :)

[rawhead @ Jan 9th 2008 11:13AM]

So will the the trio of precogs come standard or are they an option add-on?

[kevjohn @ Jan 9th 2008 11:19AM]

The porn of the future will be amazing!

[zzebi @ Jan 9th 2008 11:21AM]

This prototype has the same problem as the MS Surface: LAG/RESPONSIVENESS/LATENCY (you name it)

The latency between the hand gesture and the corresponding UI action is way too long. For a natural-feeling perception the latency has to less than 100ms (10th of a second).
It is clearly visible on the video that here the lag is sometimes more than half a second.

I'm not an Apple fanboy, but the iPhone/iPod touch GUI is at least 5 times more responsive and thus it feels much more natural. Just like actually touching and interacting with controls.

[computer.dude.28 @ Jan 9th 2008 5:14PM]

Couldn't agree more. I saw this video and couldn't believe how much lag there was. I'm not an apple fanboy either (Love my Zune 80 :D) but I agree that the iPod touch/iPhone has no noticeable lag.

[jordan @ Jan 9th 2008 11:55AM]

Where's the beef...er...video?

[Reid Conti @ Jan 9th 2008 12:10PM]

LG, why would we want a flat panel multi-touch display when Microsoft can do the same thing in a much more convenient, less bulky, 11-camera-equipped coffee table?

Also, dayum, that Perceptive Pixel display looks SWEET. Finally, comment spam that pays off! :)

[joaquim.mira @ Jan 9th 2008 5:35PM]

In a technical design work environment this would be sweet.

[Tom @ Jan 10th 2008 9:27AM]

You know, at first I thought everybody poking at this monitor's poor touchscreen abilities was being a dork for having high expectations about a prototype. But then I realized: Why the crap is LG putting this thing on display? Are they proud of it as it is? 'Cause it really does, truly suck as it stands, and it is definitely not suitable for a trade-show display. LG, better luck next round, but your monitor here has some (a lot of) work to do to improve.

[Z @ Jan 10th 2008 5:33PM]

I have to agree with Tom. That display is not very responsive (quick) or smooth. They're going to have to work on that more.

[Doug @ Jan 27th 2008 9:05PM]

Boy Game night will never be the same - Risk, Chess, Monopoly etc... could be a blast on this. These things are going to be everywhere in the next ten years. Malls, Homes, Schools, Community Centers etc...