Lightframe monitors from Philips

All monitors have standard controls to adjust the brightness and contrast of the entire screen. However, what if you could adjust the brightness and sharpness levels to highlight specific areas on a monitor? Philips has introduced a new technology called ‘LightFrame’ that does just this.

This technology is a combination of hardware and software, which co-ordinate with each other to brighten up specific areas on the screen. The monitor has a built-in chip that works with the software to do this. When you click on the LightFrame icon on the taskbar the shape of the cursor changes to a bulb. Now click on any window you want to brighten up. To brighten only part of the screen, click and drag the area you want. 

In LightFrame technology, the software transmits co-ordinates of the selected screen area to the monitor by writing instructions on the last line of the video signal. It also blanks the instruction line, making it invisible to the user. The circuit in the monitor translates the instructions and boosts the sharpness and brightness of the selected area. 

LightFrame software is compatible with Windows 9x/NT/ 2000 and Mac OS 8 and 9. This technology is found only in the latest Philips monitors, which are 105B, 107S, 107T (Real flat), 107B, 107P (Real Flat) and 109B. It will not work with non-Philips or older Philips monitors. Currently, only the 107T model is available in the country. This costs Rs 17,990, with an optional USB hub at Rs 3,500 and an optional multimedia base with speakers and a headphone jack at Rs 1,800.

Vini Goel in Bangalore