Keeping a low profile

Keeping a low profile

Oisplags neuJs Holidays for Viewdata Bright s u n l i g h t Thomson Holidays are to install an R800/70 pilot scheme Viewdata system. They have invi...

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Oisplags neuJs

Holidays for Viewdata

Bright s u n l i g h t

Thomson Holidays are to install an R800/70 pilot scheme Viewdata system. They have invited travel agents in ten areas to enter into a pilot scheme designed to evaluate an office based holiday reservation system.

Claimed to be the first sunlightreadable displays, a range of leds from Plessey are available in several colours and have hermetic packages. Most of the models are end stackable. The range includes single character alphanumeric and single and four digit numeric units.

The system is to be known as the computerized agent reservation service (CARS) and will make use of Redifon's Viewdata plus 3270 gateway facilities. Each participating agent will be able to make basic bookings from his office by means of a compatible television screen, an alphanumeric keyboard and a telephone line between the travel agent, the Viewdata system and Thomson's IBM mainframe in Greater London House. The pilot scheme is planned to begin in the spring of 1981 and will run for approximately six months before a further decision is made. The central processor has a 128 k byte memory, 800 ns cycle, 5 Mbyte disc, 9-track tape drive, eight Viewdata ports, three Mark II I 1920 character screen terminals, 180cps serial printer, 180 cps systems printer, Viewdata controller and IBM protocol communications. The Viewdata intelligent colour televisions will be made at the Bishop Auckland, County Durham plant of a sister company, Rediffusion Consumer Electronics.

Redifon Computers Ltd, Kelvin Way, Crawley, Sussex, UK

Sensitive L z tv pick up tube L o w level l i g h t p i c k - u p

A sensitive, low light level, tv pick-up tube permits imaging with light levels as low as 10 -s Ix. The tube, from Thomson-CSF, is bloom resistant and has stable performance characteristics. Known as TH 9663, the unit comprises a TH 9659 Nocticon coupled to a 16 mm image intensifier. Its photocathode and electron gun diameters are the same, at 25 mm, as those of a standard vidicon enabling the tube to be used with vidicon optics and deflection coils. The system can be used in many areas where it is necessary to pick up weak signals, eg in analysis of rapidly evolving phenomena, astronomical and nuclear photon counting, and in studying images from flashradiographic systems.

Thomson-CSF Components and Materials Ltd, Ringway House, Bell Road, Basingstoke RG24 OOG, UK

An intelligent sunlight readable led display, known as GPD 800, was developed in conjunction with the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough. Meeting military avionics specifications, the unit has decoding, memory and driving circuits on-board, and is dc operated to eliminate electromagnetic interference.

Parker PR Associates Ltd, 22 Red Lion Street, London WCI R 4PX, UK Alphanumeric digitizer The TDS Askey is a lightweight keyboard which allows simultaneous input of alphanumerics along with digitized data. This facility is extremely valuable, for example, when calling up a routine which numbers digitized points, or when heading up a data file. The Askey's size (167 mm wide by 100 mm deep by 15 mm high) and weight (130 g) make it suitable for use with Summagraphics digitizers.

Terminal Display Systems Ltd, Hillside, Whitebirk Estate, Blackburn, Lancs BB 1 5SN, UK

Sealed Icds

Keeping a low profile

An eight model range of liquid crystal displays are Frit sealed to promote lower humidity and longer life. They are available in three modes: reflective, transflective and transmissive. They have a 50 000 hour life, a wide operating voltage and temperature range, and good readability under different ambient conditions.

A display area of 203 x 76 mm enables a character format of up to 20 lines of 80 or more alphanumeric or graphic character symbols per line to be seen on a crt with a low profile faceplate. This crt has a neutral density laminated faceplate which is treated to reduce specular reflections.

Crellon Electronics Ltd, 380 Bath Road, Slough, Berks SL 1 6JE, UK

DISPLAYS. JANUARY 1981

Low profile display tu'be

Thorn Brimar Limited, Mol/ison Avenue, Brimsdown, Enfield, Middlesex EN3 7NS, UK

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