GenStar II™ / GenStar III™

Sunlight Readable, Standalone / VESA Mount, LCD Monitor Designed for Air Traffic Control Towers and Navigation

· Designed Specifically for the FAA’s Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS)
· Sunlight Readable LCD Displays Capable of 1200+ Nits
· Vibrant, 19.0" or 20.1" SXGA (1280 x 1024) LCD Display
· Lighter and Smaller Enclosure than CRTs
· Rugged All-Metal Construction
· UL60950-1 and FCC Class A Certified
· Promotes Configuration Control and Extended Product Life Cycle
· Low Power (+12 VDC) Operation
· High Performance LCD Controller
· Supports Separate, Composite, Sync-on-Green Video
· SmartBright™ Sunlight Readable Backlight System:
  - Photometric Sensors Provide Monitor/Control Bulb Performance (LEDs on GenStar III™)
  - Capable of Generating >1200 Nits; Gated at 1000 Nits for Optimum Bulb (or LED) Brightness / Life Expectancy
  - Extremely High Contrast Ratio
  - Greater than 20,000 Hours Life Expectancy for Backlights (>50,000 Hours for GenStar III™ LED Backlights)
  - Interleaved Bulbs and Redundant Inverters Promote “Soft Failures” (GenStar II™ only)
  - Variable Frequency Digital PWM Brightness Dimmer Module (GenStar II™ only)
· SmartLam™ Optical Enhancements:
  - Contrast Enhancement Filter
  - Antireflective Coatings and Etch
  - Optical Bonding (Index Matched)
  - Protective Shield for LCD
· CoolBright™ Backlight Cooling System:
  - Counteracts Thermal Contributions from SmartBright™ and Solar Radiation
  - Combination of Active and Passive Cooling
  - Enables Normal Operation from 0° to 50° C
· Intelligent Backlight Controller™ (IBC) on GenStar II™:
  - Microprocessor Controls System Performance Avoiding Critical Failures by Implementing “Soft Failure” Algorithms
  - Digital Brightness Control with Flicker-free Operation Over Full Range of Brightness (500:1)
  - Auto Adjusts Brightness by Compensating for Bulb Decay and Temperature Changes
  - Monitors and Records Critical Hardware/Environmental Performance and Failures Using Date/Time Stamp Log
  - Built-in Test Indicators (LEDs)
  - Ambient Light Sensing (Optional)
· Intelligent Replace Before Fail™ (IRBF) Software Utilities:
  ICARUS & DAEDALUS
  - Analyze Performance/Failure Data to Facilitate Failure Diagnosis and Service
· Accommodates Several Mounting Options Including Pedestals, Cradles, Articulating Arms
· Intuitive, Front-Accessible User Controls
· Integrated AC Power Supply
· Field-Replaceable Power Supply and Cooling Fans
· Inquire about Options, Accessories and Customization Including Panel Mount Enclosures

Second and Third Generation Improvements and Performance
General Digital’s™ second generation of its robust, 20.1", SXGA, LCD monitor—GenStar II™—features a host of improvements over the original GenStar™, including faster response time, a more efficient cooling system, reduced ghosting, ambient light sensing (optional), and more. The GenStar II™ still features unprecedented performance and intelligence supported only by General Digital’s™ revolutionary SmartBright™ backlight system, CoolBright™ cooling system, Intelligent Backlight Controller (IBC) and SmartLam™ optical management.

The GenStar III™ further improves performance and longevity by incorporating an LED backlight. Compared to the GenStar II™, the GenStar III™ has lower power consumption, heat emission, operating temperature, voltage and IR signature. Additionally, the LED backlight ensures a longer life and increased capacity for rugged environments.

The modular design approach of the GenStar™ product line further enables the monitor to be reconfigured to meet specific customer performance requirements and budgetary expectations by omitting features / functions from the default configuration that are deemed unnecessary. These models are the GenStar II Lite™ and the GenStar III LE™.

Highly Intelligent Systems Ensure Maximum Uptime
Even though our SmartBright™ backlight on the GenStar II™ is capable of producing >1000 nits of luminance, this awesome horsepower is intelligently managed by our Intelligent Backlight Controller (IBC) for optimal performance. Where competitive products attempt to just add brute force to the luminance equation, this approach is typically done at the expense of reliability and contrast. Through the use of optical sensors and a proprietary algorithm, the IBC maintains the peak backlight luminance at 1000 nits while maintaining headroom for the bulbs to be driven to capacity to compensate for inevitable bulb decay. This unique implementation yields consistent and predictable performance from unit to unit while significantly extending the bulb life. In addition, the IBC provides flicker-free digital control of the monitor’s brightness, making automatic adjustments to compensate for bulb decay and temperature changes.

Another common mistake in high luminance designs is the lack of proper thermal management. CoolBright™, a unique system, diffuses heat generated by SmartBright™ and solar radiation to ensure uniform and continuous operation up to 50° C ambient.

In addition to its aforementioned control responsibilities, the IBC also monitors and records key system performance data for future analysis. General Digital™ has simplified the analysis of this data through the use of our “Intelligent Replace Before Fail” (IRBF) ICARUS™ and DAEDALUS™ software utilities. Armed with these utilities, maintenance crews can track performance data, allowing them to predict potential failures, identify current failures, and evaluate the root cause of each type of failure. Proactive performance analysis facilitates service before occurrence of critical failures.

Optical Enhancements Improve Readability in All Environments
An added bonus on both the GenStar II™ and GenStar III™ is the integration of General Digital’s™ SmartLam™ suite of optical enhancements to increase display contrast/clarity and reduce specular/diffuse reflections. Contrast improvements yield a deeper black background that makes data stand out in poor viewing conditions. Innovative use of light diffusing technology minimizes the adverse impact of glare.

To complement the SmartLam™, General Digital’s™ Optical Bonding Laboratories™ division optically bonds a contrast filter to the display, further improving contrast and clarity while reducing reflections.

AMTFT LCD Screens
General Digital™ integrates the latest advances in LCD display technology in the GenStar II™ and GenStar III™. This high brightness, sunlight readable panel provides the equivalent viewing area of much larger CRTs. The active matrix TFT LCD panel offers up to 16.7 million colors, a wide viewing angle, and fast response times (suitable for live video). We qualify multiple sources of supply to ensure product availability and long life. If our stock offering does not suit your needs in terms of size, fit or function, please contact a Sales Engineer and we will work with you to configure a system to your specifications.

High Performance LCD Controller
Internal to our LCD monitor is an LCD controller that converts analog video signals into the proper digital signals required to drive the display. It is the LCD controller that enables the LCD monitor to function as a direct replacement for the traditional CRT. The controller provides intuitive operation of its controls and calibration through the use of a membrane pad and a series of on-screen menus. All models support the following display image controls: auto and manual setup, brightness, contrast, horizontal position, vertical position, tuning, size, individual RGB adjust, image expansion on/off, system information, run-time counter, and signal level. Advanced features are supported on a selective basis (image rotate and invert, audio controls, advanced scaling).

Metal Construction
The rugged aluminum enclosure of the GenStar II™ / GenStar III™ is designed to withstand the rigors of commercial, industrial, and military (COTS) environments alike. It is completely irridited to provide protection from corrosion and improve shielding properties where parts make contact with one another. All external surfaces are finished with a durable black powder coat. Unlike plastic enclosures (commodity products), whose mold is usually designed for a specific display and control electronics, this enclosure offer superior configuration flexibility. Our products are intentionally designed to support LCD displays (and other electronics) from numerous manufacturers. This capability enables us to minimize the impact of a single suppliers decision to obsolete, allocate or redesign their display, upon our ability to maintain configuration control or extend the manufacture life of our products.

Mounting Options
The GenStar II™ / GenStar III™ enclosure is designed to be used either as a portable display that can be carried from one location to another, or mounted using the supplied mounting holes located on the rear and sides of the enclosure. This facilitates the integration of standard or custom pedestals, yokes, cradles, or articulating arms. Speak with one of our Sales Engineers for the best mounting option for your application.

Configuration Control & Product Longevity
We at General Digital™ are completely responsible for the design and manufacture of our products, allowing us to maintain nearly total control of their future. Our experience supporting Department of Defense programs has taught us the value of designing products with foresight so that they can be manufactured, serviced and upgraded for many years. Though the market introduces new innovations and product upgrades at an alarming rate, our product management team knows the importance of proactive customer notification and can offer product adaptation with similar or equivalent performance before designs become obsolete, thereby extending the product life cycle.

Private Labeling
General Digital™ encourages relationships with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and other organizations, and is willing to maintain your company identity (private label) on our products. Please speak with a Sales Engineer for additional information.

Options & Accessories
The GenStar II™ and GenStar III™ can be customized to include a variety of standard and custom options including remote brightness control, mounting arms and pedestals, optical filters, vandal shields, EMI / RFI shields, antireflective coatings / antiglare etches, touch screens, power supplies, keyboards / pointing devices, video / serial / power cables and more. Please feel welcome to consult with a General Digital™ Sales Engineer for additional information.