Video: NEC CRVD display hands-on

We first saw Ostendo's sexy curved DLP display all dressed up in Alienware garb at CES last year, but NEC had a version as well, and it looks like it's going to be the one to finally bring it to market. Branded as the CRVD, there's really nothing new inside the slightly slimmer case, but the 42.8-inch, 45-pound screen is still eye-popping in person, with a 2880 x 900 resolution, .36mm pixel pitch, and sub-.02ms response time. Bad news? It'll set you back $6,499 when it ships in April. Pics in the gallery, video after the break.

Gallery: NEC CRVD Display hands-on

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[Jesse S @ Jan 6th 2009 3:53PM]

I was interested in this...until I read the price tag. $6,500? Ridiculous.

[Wwhat @ Jan 6th 2009 4:02PM]

Yeah and only 900 pixels resolution vertical, for 6.5 grand, mind you it's doable for stockbrokers I guess.

[Jesse S @ Jan 6th 2009 4:05PM]

I think they'd rather have 2 30" H-IPS monitors.

[zioncat @ Jan 6th 2009 4:30PM]

For 6K you think that monitor would be slimmer on the back side. If Mac can get 8 hours out of a single charge on the new Macbook. Anything is possible.

[Nixolan @ Jan 6th 2009 5:26PM]

I was interested until i saw how INSANELY huge this thing is DLP=FAIL!

[Alex @ Jan 6th 2009 3:54PM]

900 pixels tall? Not great.

[Dualboot @ Jan 7th 2009 1:05AM]

For my edification and education, could someone please explain to me how I can be sitting in front of three 24" displays, a total resolution of 5760x1200 and a price tag of ~$1500 (excluding video card), but when I pay $6,500, I only get a curve (nice to have) and a resolution of 2880x900.

Is this a technical limitation, is this a TV, or WTF?

[Platinum_Skeet @ Jan 6th 2009 3:56PM]

Most disappointing thing abou this is that you can tell it's 4 different LCD's wrapped into one screen...

[gonintendo @ Jan 6th 2009 3:57PM]

Weren't these rear-projection?

[Xstream @ Jan 6th 2009 4:02PM]

it is not an lcd but you are right with the 4 different "zones"

[sdwells @ Jan 6th 2009 4:02PM]

i agree, that's really dissapointing that you can actually see the contrast and color differences between the 4 sections... and why is it so large in the back? its a haunting reminder of CRTs

[Paul @ Jan 6th 2009 4:04PM]

I'm guessing it looks like that on camera. It's probably unnoticeable to the human eye.

[bandigolo @ Jan 6th 2009 5:14PM]

I'd be you are only noticing those "seams" b/c, from the camera's perspective, the viewing angle is different for each "zone." If you were sitting in the "center" - at the focal point, so to speak - you probably wouldn't notice anything at all.

That price tag is re-dik-u-luhs though.

[bandigolo @ Jan 6th 2009 5:14PM]

I'd bet you are only noticing those "seams" b/c, from the camera's perspective, the viewing angle is different for each "zone." If you were sitting in the "center" - at the focal point, so to speak - you probably wouldn't notice anything at all.

That price tag is re-dik-u-luhs though.

[bandigolo @ Jan 6th 2009 5:14PM]

agh. sorry. ^

[brooks @ Jan 6th 2009 3:59PM]

The lines are so distracting from the side. They don't have a front shot, because I want to know if the lines disappear when viewing it normally.

[noel.lastrella @ Jan 6th 2009 4:00PM]

Wow. Now this... has redefined the face of internet porn. I mean... gaming...

[joe23521 @ Jan 6th 2009 4:00PM]

2880 x 900? That's pretty sad, if you ask me.

[@LStacey @ Jan 6th 2009 4:02PM]

Yeah, higher res would be nice but cripes... It's curved and I like it!

[Hackettman @ Jan 6th 2009 4:07PM]

Like the curved idea but the low res and price tag is alittle rough..... Cant wait to see where it can go from here though.....

[aaron @ Jan 6th 2009 4:08PM]

Drool...

[Hackettman @ Jan 6th 2009 4:08PM]

I like my screens like I like my women.... With curves......

Im lame.....

[STINK @ Jan 6th 2009 7:41PM]

You should have said "I like my screens like I like my women: not too bright, not too heavy, and cheap."

Okay, maybe not.

[edward @ Jan 6th 2009 4:08PM]

I prefer 5040*1050 offered by the Matrox TripleHead2Go or my current setup of 3840*2048 with 2X TH2G :P

http://www.widescreengamingforum.com FTW

[sethmo @ Jan 6th 2009 4:10PM]

In the video, when it pans directly in front of it, you cant see the lines separating the screens. I guess that is all that matters, since you will always be sitting directly in front of this beast.

[thedesolate1 @ Jan 6th 2009 4:10PM]

Boring Boring Boring!!!
When are we getting newsworthy products? Its already 4PM and I am not the least bit excited about anything at CES. Im talking about stuff we can actually afford. Also from the apple side please tell me there is going to be a new iMac.

[FILA @ Jan 6th 2009 4:10PM]

I dont like it, its to bulky in the back and its only vertical 900, wtf up with that

[pfromg @ Jan 6th 2009 4:10PM]

Slobber ...

[Eldiablo @ Jan 6th 2009 4:12PM]

Id have that on my Desk at Work....

[Team Louish @ Jan 6th 2009 4:13PM]

For some reason when I read this article I feel like I'm reading an article from the year 1998. Expecially at that price. You can buy 4x 30" monitors and new video cards for cheaper than that.

[martyFREEDOM @ Jan 6th 2009 4:27PM]

The vertical resolution leaves something to be desired, especially at that price point.

[Brian @ Jan 6th 2009 4:28PM]

Pathetic.

The concept is mindblowing, while not surprising. Everyone thought of it, but NEC is actually doing it! The resolution is a COMPLETE JOKE for a monitor over $1,500... much less $6,500.

[petezich @ Jan 6th 2009 4:30PM]

Are those four divisions as visible in real life?

[Pete Zich @ Jan 6th 2009 4:30PM]

Are those four divisions as visible in real life?

[webmaster @ Jan 6th 2009 4:52PM]

This particular example is not too impressive, but this shows that the direction is for 2.35 to 1 displays in the future.
And if desired, can be used for a 16x9 display with an internet display directly next to it.

I would love a native 2.35 display that could double as both a monitor and tv at the same time!

[Harley3k @ Jan 6th 2009 5:10PM]

Hmmm... My 30" Apple Cinema display has a 2560x1600 resolution.
And for $6500, I could have 3 of them, and still have money to buy the additional graphics cards required.

[bandigolo @ Jan 6th 2009 5:18PM]

but then you'd have 3 footprints and two big, ugly black bars going down the third-lines. This price is stupid, but don't go comparing apples to oranges, er, apples to NEC's...

[Harley3k @ Jan 6th 2009 5:30PM]

Well it's the only display of it's kind so there is no comparison then.
$6,500 must be a steal! Heck they should charge $50,000 - it's the only one.

[andrewsjeep @ Jan 6th 2009 5:10PM]

I feel like I should be playing Darius on this thing.

[Branden @ Jan 6th 2009 5:32PM]

I personally would rather spend $6k on 3 high end dell 30'' LCD's or if you managed to get the low price of $1500 each then 4 total. I mean that's 2560x1600 x 3 or 7680 x 4800. Granted NES is probably more color accurate but supposedly Dell's high end 30incher is all most designers would need.

[naz @ Jan 6th 2009 5:46PM]

7680x4800 would actually be 9 x 30" screens. It would either be 7680x1600, or 2560x4800 depending on how you orient the screens. But yah, your point still stands.

[kyphros @ Jan 6th 2009 6:04PM]

The bad news isn't the price tag, it's the absurdly small resolution. Double or triple the vertical resolution, and perhaps double the horizontal, and now you have something that would sell. The price point isn't the problem, it's what you get for the money that is lacking. $6500 really isn't much at all.

[boutch55555 @ Jan 6th 2009 7:17PM]

It would have looked better with a full size picture than with two different backgrounds Got some dual/tri-screen Digital Blasphemy wallpapers that would have fit better...

[lessthantito @ Jan 6th 2009 7:33PM]

but it's so damn wide WTF and for $6500 I would just buy 4 50 inch lcds

[Michael Francis @ Jan 6th 2009 8:47PM]

See, I'd be very interested in this if it were thin and had a higher resolution.
the 6k price tag is.... not that bad considering the price will go down once there is competition.

So as above said, I'd rather have two 30" IPS panels or 3 24" panels

[fred @ Jan 9th 2009 5:11AM]

2 30" panels are useless for gaming as a single screen.

[shmengie @ Jan 6th 2009 10:01PM]

oh, you bet yer ass it'll blend!