To counter the negative effects of having to focus and refocus on a computer screen image up to 20 000 times in a day, Siltek Distribution Dynamics (SDD) is offering South African users the Philips range of high performance Brilliance monitors. Dereck Hindry, general manager of Philips products at SDD, says the local monitor market should grow to upwards of 600 000 shipped units this year and is therefore a major focal point for the company. Worldwide there is major growth in the higher end - with the 21-inch monitor market growing by 21%, the 17-inch by 7% and the 15-inch by 17.8% - while 14-inch monitors are expected to lose 10% market share this year. "It is clear that global adoption of 17-inch and 21-inch screen devices is strong. That`s why Philips is coming to market with a 19-inch model - a high quality intermediate offering," he says. "In South Africa we are still seeing a prevalence of 14- and 15-inch models though. This could be due to the high local dominance of clone PCs using entry level monitors. Regardless, SDD is looking to strengthen our foothold in the entire market. Brilliance monitors are a step in that direction." Ranging from a 14,5-inch flat panel through to a 21-inch model and providing non-interlaced resolutions of up to 1600 x 1280, the Brilliance series of monitors aims to meet the needs of the desktop worker as well as the demanding desktop publishing and graphics operator. "Image quality has long been neglected with companies and individuals choosing price as the deciding factor. Philips` Brilliance range does cost more than the `average` monitor but we are increasingly seeing people happy to make that investment, considering what they are getting for their money," says Hindry. On the smaller models - 14,5-inch and 15-inch - there are flicker-free refresh rates of up to 125 Hz at non-interlaced resolutions of 1 204 x 768. Hindry says these monitors are finding favour among South African financial institutions, with managers appreciating the time staff spend staring at their screens and making an investment to improve working conditions. The Brilliance range is MPRII certified, meaning users are protected from low frequency radiation emissions. Larger models - 19- and 21-inch - are being pitched as both technically advanced and good price/performance buys. The Brilliance 201, for example, features state-of-the-art CyberScreen technology which lends digital adjustment of colour to the image - an important facet for CAD/CAM or other graphics operations. Its display features can also be adjusted from a PC using Philips CustomMax software. The Brilliance 109 is said by Philips to be the best performing 19-inch monitor for its price. Hindry says interest in this product is strong from users working with office suite and desktop applications, as well as intranet and Internet programs. "This range not only delivers superior image quality," says Hindry, "but is multimedia capable. All models are plug-and-play, and feature built-in speakers and a microphone. This extends the functionality, making the units appeal to business users for videoconferencing and such like."
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