14 DAY TRIAL // Who said that there aren't any more uses left for the Universal Serial Bus? I've seen all types of devices from the USB slippers to the USB beer cooler, the second one being of great use at football games, all you need to do is bring out your laptop and a sufficient amount of beer to go around. Just when I thought I had seen them all, Samsung comes with a new usage for the USB port, it can now connect monitors to it without even requiring a video card.
There are two models currently being presented by Samsung at CeBIT, the SyncMaster UbySync 2040UX and the SyncMaster UbySync 940UX. The 2040UX represents the 20-inch monitor, while the 940UX is a 19-inch monitor. What these models have that is so special about them is an Integrated Circuit (IC) called DL120, produced by DisplayLink Technology. They have recently been chosen by Samsung in order to integrate DisplayLink's "USB graphics networking technology" into their own line of monitors.
The Samsung SyncMaster UbySync 940UX was the first of its kind, being able to allow up to five other 940UX monitors to be daisy chain connected to the same computer USB port. Responsible for this is also a computer software which allows this connection to be possible without the presence of a video card. However, if one is present, up to eight monitors (six 940UX and two regular monitors) can get linked onto the same computer, or for that matter, the same notebook.
"Consumers are clamoring for more screen space, but are deterred by the cost and complexity of typical solutions. USB network displays open up a whole range of solutions that allow mainstream users to easily add additional monitors, Samsung is a pioneer in this market and has the brand name and consumer trust that make it a great partner to go to market with," said Hamid Farzaneh, Chief Executive Officer for DisplayLink.
Now if you come to think of it, DisplayLink's ICs have the possibility of transforming the connectivity of a monitor, normally VGA D-SUB15 or DVI connectors, into USB, and the USB port can connect to a wireless or bluetooth transmitter, thus giving a user a true cable-free solution for the monitor.
The SyncMaster 940UX supports a maximum supported resolution of 1280x1024 pixels, a 1000:1 contrast and 5ms response time. On the other hand, 2040UX is 20-inches across, has a resolution of 1600x1200 pixels, 2000:1 contrast ratio and 2ms response time.