After this morning's whispered layoffs, we're digging deep to bring you a bit of good news about AMD. VESA just announced that AMD's ATI Radeon HD 3000 series (and the 780G integrated graphics chipset) are the first graphics cards in the Industry granted DisplayPort certification. About time since Dell's 30-inch 3008WFP monitor has been shipping since December. Way to go Paula AMD, way to go!

[Via tgdaily]

What's so interesting about the back of that LCD monitor you ask? Well, you're actually looking at the computer. VIA's VESA mounted vm7700 PC in fact, which converts any standard VESA display into a make-shift all-in-one PC. Completely fanless, the PC sports your choice of VIA C7 1GHz or Eden ULV 1.5GHz processors, up to 1GB of memory, optional 802.11b/g WiFi, and choice of standard 2.5-inch SATA disk or DOM (Disk on Module) supporting Linux or WinXP/XPe pre-loads. Hardware-based MPEG-2/4 and WMV9 acceleration turns the device into an instant digital signboard from which to advertise your gothic loathings about modern man. Continue on for the (re)animation.

You know what they say about come in threes, and even if you aren't exactly up to speed, NEC's making things real clear with its latest trio of elusive displays. The 19-inch ASLCD193WXM, 20-inch ASLCD203WXM, and 22-inch ASLCD223WXM are all newcomers to the AccuSync lineup, and additionally, all rock a movie buff-approved widescreen layout. The top two models each feature a 1,680 x 1,050 native resolution, while the 19-incher gets stuck with 1,440 x 900, but all three units manage to include a set of integrated speakers, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, five-millisecond response time, headphone jack, and NEC's own Ambix technology. Moreover, the new LCDs a "no touch auto adjust," which purportedly sets things to you liking without requiring an effort from the new owner, but the AccuColor control system allows you to tweak said settings if your uncontent heart desires. As for pricing, the smallest sibling is available right now for $229.99, while the larger two should hit shelves in May for $289.99 and $359.99, respectively.

Get ready for hot, hot convergence kids 'cause the DisplayPort 1.1 specification was just approved. The new VESA-approved digital interface standard is meant to replace DVI and VGA ports while co-existing with HDMI for HDTV connectivity. As you can see in the picture above, it's about the size of a USB connector yet offers 2x the performance of DVI in a much smaller package. They also bake in a nasty dollop of HDCP 1.3 content protection to keep the Blu-ray and HD DVD kiddies happy. The wee size allows the interface to be included in smaller handheld electronics while enabling direct-drive LCD panels thereby eliminating the need for non-panel LVDS electronics in the monitor designs. Of course it also supports pass-through of DVI and HDMI signals via simple adapters similar to DVI-to-HDMI variety on the market today. So which of our esteemed manufactures will bite first? We're not sure, but VESA isn't shy about using Dell's high-end XPS systems in their marketing collateral. Of course, the question they don't answer is, why not just move everything to HDMI? For that, you just have to look at who backs royalty-free DisplayPort (the PC industry) and who backs HDMI (the consumer electronics industry). Yeah, we know.

Analogix Semiconductor just announced its first receiver chip for the DisplayPort interconnect. Yeah, DisplayPort, the latest video interconnect standard which looks to replace HDMI, DVI, and even analog VGA connectors currently found in monitors, TVs, laptops and other portable consumer electronics. What's more, it's fully supported and even, preferred by the Video Electronics Standard Association (VESA) as a low power, low pin count, license-free video interconnect standard. The ANX9811 chip is now available to manufactures for sampling and, when paired with the company's existing ANX9801 transmitter, supports a full 10.8 Gbits/second data rate and WQXGA (2560×1600) resolution over a 15-meter cable. Fine. But the real news here is that the chips will support the DisplayPort 1.1 spec which was proposed in November and should be finalized by VESA in early 2007. The modified spec brings support for DisplayPorts own copy protection technology and now, finally, HDCP. It's not that we're big fans of HDCP or anything, but if we have to be saddled with wire-line encryption, let's choose one and be done with it, eh? Expect to hear more about DisplayPort at CES where Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung will be laying out the interconnect's roadmap in an fractured industry love-fest. Still, like any good standard, you'll have choices: Intel's also pushing their UDI (Unified Display Interface) interconnect to replace both DVI and HDMI in PCs. If we're lucky, Adam Smith will grab the whole lot by the throat to shake out a unified standard before the decade is up.

Although NEC would rather your CEO order a few of its new MULTEOS LCDs to impress those big shots coming in to seal the deal(s), these "business" displays wouldn't look half bad in any living room / home theater. These Series 2 displays both feature "full HD" (read: 1,920 x 1,080 resolution) panels, HDMI, DVI, "high efficiency" backlights, VESA mount compatibility, screen savers, automatic video input detection, 450 cd/m2 brightness, 18-millisecond response time (there's your "business" sign), and a 178-degree viewing angle. The 40-inch M40 boasts a 1200:1 contrast ratio, while the 46-inch M46 touts just 1000:1, and both units rock a sleek, sexy silver bezel to compliment the black expanse. While both screens should hit the Japanese market on January 31st, the "little" fellow will run you just ¥672,000 ($5,820), while the larger sibling will demand ¥924,000 ($8,002).

[Via Impress]

Ruh roh, just when you knew for a fact you were all settled in with the latest generation of video interconnects for your laptops and peripherals, then VESA comes along and gets three of the most influential companies in the PC business, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, to rally behind its new video interface: DisplayPort. Ok, so it's not that new (we wrote about it last year), but it looks like it's finally ready to rumble starting May 8th. We called up VESA to get the skinny on the port, and they were kind enough to hit us up with that graphic and the following deets: it'll not be backward compatible with with DVI / VGA (ouch), it'll have wire-line encryption developed by Philips -- that's not compatible with HDCP (double ouch), but has a very small plug and scales well (eh). So why create DisplayPort when we've all already settled into DVI / HDMI with or without HDCP for plugging in our plasma or LCD TVs or monitors? Well, because VESA wanted the market to have a unified, license-free video interconnect standard that did a few things current systems don't do, like have a standard low power, low pin count, low profile connector for use on portable device internals and external monitors alike, or scale indefinitely to resolutions, color depths, and refresh rates possibly yet unthought of by systems integrators. Ok, fair enough, but where were these guys in 2001, huh? You know how we feel about nascent standards trying to butt in once we've all finally gotten settled on something decent.