Re: DAC80 Replacement

In a message dated 10/16/02 9:02:18 PM, marcwolf123@yahoo.com writes:

<< I heard that the main CRT display units in a Boeing 747-400 for example
(or was it another relatively modern aircraft?), are
basically vector scan monitors with such a high bandwidth that they can do
both
raster and vector scan, and change between a full vector-draw mode and
raster scan mode depending on what screen they are displaying.
I've seen some first hand myself and the picture is so good it's hard to tell,
even in the some of the modes that appear vector-drawn. But it was a while
ago. >>

Yeah.. Honeywell & Collins EFIS (Electronic Flight Information System)
displays are dual-mode raster & vector displays.. at least before they
started going LCD. I guess They're dual-mode to crank out a bit more
resolution and increase the brightness, since the displays are subject to
direct sunlight.. I've sat in an Evans & Sutherland 747-400 sim at NATCO
(Northwest Airlines Training Co in Eagan, MN) and seen the displays.. Also in
the simulators the outside view is done with dual-mode displays, either 28"
CRT or projection. I've flown a Singer 727-200 sim that was built about 1979
at NATCO and it used 4 mirrored in B/W CRTs, and it was still very
impressive... but the cooler part was the operators control station which had
a large (probably 25"?) Raytheon vertical color vector monitor at its
terminal, which had a big backlit keyboard.. I'm sure I've rambled about this
before in here a few years ago but there are readily-available vector
projectors (sometimes called calligraphic scan) and monitors from companies
like Barco-EIS in Ohio (http://eis.barco.com I think) but I'm sure even a
direct-view monitor is probably in the $20k range.. The interface is probably
not even close but its still cool stuff to look at :)

As I recall Rodger Boots fixes EFIS displays for Rockwell-Collins so he can
probably tell you anything you want to know about them..

It seems most airlines are phasing out the 727, I think there are 4 727 sims
up there that are gonna need a new home pretty soon so maybe the "Singer 727"
will be the next holy-grail of the vector collector :)

Jeff

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Received on Wed Oct 16 19:01:55 2002