Apple's New 17-inch Display System Has Sound and Vision.
Pamela Pfiffner
Displays/
FOLLOWING ON THE HEELS of its all-in-one multimedia Macs, Apple is introducing a new 17-inch display system packed with color and multimedia features.
The first thing you notice about the AudioVision 1710av is its sleek design, which includes built-in stereo speakers and an omnidirectional microphone. The front panel features ADB, headphone, and microphone ports, making it easy to connect additional devices to the monitor. The compact case rests on a tilt-and-swivel stand.
Under the hood, the new system uses a 17-inch Sony Trinitron aperture-grille CRT with a .26-millimeter dot pitch, which gives you a viewing area of just over 16 inches. Redesigned electron guns make this display 30 percent brighter than competing models that also employ a 17-inch Trinitron tube, according to Apple. It offers multiple resolutions, from 640 x 480 pixels at 67 MHz up to 1,280 x 1,024 pixels at 75 MHz.
For more-consistent color, the AudioVision 1710av features Apple's DigitalColor technologies. These hardware and software enhancements automatically correct and color-calibrate the monitor over time, adjusting the guns to compensate for aging phosphors and correcting the monitor's white point to match room lighting conditions. The included Pantone color picker has been optimized for this display system.
Out of the box, the AudioVision 1710av, which replaces Apple's AudioVision 14, is Mac- and PC-ready. It ships with a cable adapter for a VGA connector and supports common PC resolutions and refresh rates. On-screen menus let PC users control the display's white point, screen rotation, and so on. Mac users can perform the same functions via a separate interactive application. Estimated street price, $1,049 to $1,149. 408-996-1010.
