iRex DR800SG Delayed till end of November

[HarryT]

Thanks - yes, I thought it did. That's why I was wondering if they were using the "old" iLiad screens (with an updated controller) for the DR800.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Thanks - yes, I thought it did. That's why I was wondering if they were using the "old" iLiad screens (with an updated controller) for the DR800.

2nd generation "Delta" controller (same as DR1000), and 8" viziplex eInk. Not sure what you mean by "old" iLiad screen, unless you just mean the size.

I don't really think of the DR800 as being related to the iLiad though. It's basically an 8" version of the DR1000. Both are fairly different, internally, from an iLiad.

[HarryT]

I guess what I meant is, are PVI (or is it iRex?) continuing to manufacture the screens that were formerly used for the iLiad, but now putting them into the DR800 instead.

Just idle curiosity - certainly not a question of any importance.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I guess what I meant is, are PVI (or is it iRex?) continuing to manufacture the screens that were formerly used for the iLiad, but now putting them into the DR800 instead.

The original EInk Vizplex announcement included four standard screen sizes (which are actually manufactured by PVI): 5", 6", 8", 9.7". We have seen all but the 8" in shipping devices and it is my understanding that the DR800SG is the first product using the "standard" 8" PVI screen. This means that other vendors could use this screen, mating it with the Epson controller (say).

So far the DR800SG's screen looks stunningly white in videos. So there may be some secret sauce in the new Delta controller it is using (or it may be that iRex binned their screens to get good ones for the demo devices).

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I guess what I meant is, are PVI (or is it iRex?) continuing to manufacture the screens that were formerly used for the iLiad, but now putting them into the DR800 instead.

PVI takes an eInk layer (from E-INK Corp) and a display controller (from various sources, Epson, iRex, etc) and uses them to manufacture a "screen". IOW, there are various components that go into it.

Yes, PVI is manufacturing the 8" screens for the DR800. They use the same 8" eInk layer as the iLiad, but the display controller is not the same as the one in the iLiad.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

The original EInk Vizplex announcement included four standard screen sizes (which are actually manufactured by PVI): 5", 6", 8", 9.7". We have seen all but the 8" in shipping devices and it is my understanding that the DR800SG is the first product using the "standard" 8" PVI screen. This means that other vendors could use this screen, mating it with the Epson controller (say).

Actually, the iLiad was using the 8" vizplex eInk screen. That part is staying the same with the DR800. They have different display controllers though. Basically, the iLiad used the 1st generation Delta controller, but the DR1000 and DR800 are using the 2nd generation Delta controller.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Actually, the iLiad was using the 8" vizplex eInk screen. That part is staying the same with the DR800.

The iLiad's 8" screen was never offered to anyone else (it was made by PVI specifically for iRex and to iRex's design), and only the later versions used Vizplex. See What makes our electronic paper displays different?

PVI certainly intended to sell 8" screens (of its own design) to anyone who wanted them, and it was my impression that the DR800SG's screen was PVI's generic design not iRex's design. If that is incorrect, we are still waiting for the first generic 8" device.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

PVI certainly intended to sell 8" screens (of its own design) to anyone who wanted them, and it was my impression that the DR800SG's screen was PVI's generic design not iRex's design. If that is incorrect, we are still waiting for the first generic 8" device.

I'm pretty sure the DR800 is still a custom screen (aka iRex design). PVI is manufacturing that screen using iRex's Delta controller, which as far as I know has never been licensed to any other manufacturers. Epson does make an 8" display controller, which I assume is what PVI would use in their "generic" 8" screen, but I don't know of anybody that is using it.

[PhishStyx]

Originally Posted by Mr. Goodbar

There's an additional video of the 800 over in the news forum if anyone hasn't seen it. Makes the device look really nice in my opinion.

And here is that video if you get this far down the page and don't want to go hunting for the vid, too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deZ9rw_YvGE

EDIT: I tried to get the video to pop up here like others have done, but it didn't work, not sure why.

[kleykenb]

I'm not suprised iRex is delaying the DR800SG, actually I don't think it will ever be seen by any customer for the simple reason that no customer will ever want it. Demand promises to be very thin at just about ANY price point!

When they saw what the competition has brought to market at CES they probably quickly folded their tails between their legs and scurried home :
http://content.zdnet.com/2346-13615_...ol1;post-11005

Check out the Skiff with it's 11.5 inch screen and stainless steel foil, the Que with it's shatterproof screen, ...

[Mr. Goodbar]

The interesting thing in my mind is that most of the readers really have little to no differentiation. They have six inch screens with some form of wireless access to a bookstore and more and more are supporting epub as a standard.

Now plastic logic has differentiated around the business market. The skiff has the largest screen, but we don't really know much beyond that. And finally irex has differentiated around the larger screen for a consumer oriented device and an emall concept. We should also note that irex has fit the larger screen into a form factor not much bigger, if at all, than the six inch devices.

If they can manager to get it shipping with a level of usability similar to the other devices they could have a real winner on their hands, however given their track record I'm not overly optimistic.

[myprecious]

The Skiff reader is not e-ink but TFT? http://www.skiff.com/skiff-reader_tech-specs.html

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by myprecious

The Skiff reader is not e-ink but TFT?

I think this just means the thin-film transistors on the stainless-steel substrate form the active matrix backplane that drives the EInk film to produce the display. Substrate -> active matrix backplane - > EInk film -> protective top layer. The usual substrate has been glass up to now. See What makes our electronic paper displays different? for a relatively clear description from iRex.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

I think this just means the thin-film transistors on the stainless-steel substrate form the active matrix backplane that drives the EInk film to produce the display. Substrate -> active matrix backplane - > EInk film -> protective top layer. The usual substrate has been glass up to now. See What makes our electronic paper displays different? for a relatively clear description from iRex.

I don't think they say eInk anywhere on the Skiff site, they just call it epaper. There are many types of epaper, one of which is eInk. I don't think there is even a 11.5" eInk display being manufactured by anybody. I'm guessing this is something different.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

I don't think they say eInk anywhere on the Skiff site, they just call it epaper. There are many types of epaper, one of which is eInk. I don't think there is even a 11.5" eInk display being manufactured by anybody. I'm guessing this is something different.

Plastic Logic calls it epaper too, see Plastic Display, and once again the important point is that the innovation is in the active matrix backplane. At one point Plastic Logic was definitely using EInk Vizplex film. I guess Plastic Logic and/or LG Display (Skiff) could be using a different e-paper film now, but the only reason this would matter is that Vizplex is a known quantity and other epaper technologies are not.