Rack Mount Hinge

We work with you to configure and build your Rack Mount Hinge monitor to meet your precise needs. Furthermore, we offer a wide range of practical options for you to custom design your unit.

What truly separates our Rack Mount Hinge Series from the rest of the crowd is its ability to provide you with the following benefits:

• Rack Mount Hinge offers several display sizes/resolutions from 15" to 20".
• Configuration flexibility with a wide variety of LCDs, video controllers, display overlays, pointing devices, power supplies, slides and enclosures to meet specific requirements.
• Flawless operation in harsh and demanding environments; e.g., extremes of temperature, humidity, shock, vibration.
• Long product life cycle. We can repair and/or replace defective or degraded parts with like or equivalent, compatible electronics or mechanical parts.
• Designed, manufactured, tested and serviced in the U.S.A.
• Custom configurations with optional components:
  • Compliance with radiated and conducted EMI requirements (e.g., MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-167)
  • Operation in high ambient lighting or direct sunlight
  • Night vision goggle-compatible displays (MIL-STD-3009)
  • Extended warranties

ENCLOSURE

General Digital’s rugged aluminum enclosures are designed to withstand the rigors of commercial, industrial and military environments alike.

The enclosures are irridite coated (conductive anodized), providing protection from corrosion and improving the shielding properties where metal parts make contact with one another. All external surfaces are finished with a durable black powder coat.

They offer superior configuration flexibility, thus eliminating extensive redesign while still permitting the incorporatation of contemporary technological advances.

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HINGED SLIDES

Custom designed slides allow the Rack Mount Hinge to conveniently slide in and out of a 19" RETMA rack while occupying only 1U of rack space (2U for the 20" model). The slides also allow the display head to pivot up or down 90 degrees (factory configured) for optimal operation. The Rack Mount Hinge requires no assembly or disassembly to operate—simply pull out and pivot 90° to use. 

This model is specially suited to space-constrained environments, as it extends only 4"–6" from the rack chassis when in use.

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CONNECTORS

All of the interfaces (video, serial, power, etc.) utilize shielded locking connectors that are (typically) located on the rear of the enclosure.

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PROTECTIVE GLASS/OVERLAY AND SEALED GASKET

General Digital protects your display against direct contact with foreign objects by overlaying the liquid crystal display with a pane of one (or more) of the following options:

• Optical-grade, antiglare-etched or antireflective-coated glass
• Chemically-strengthened and tempered glass
• Laminated glass vandal shield
• Polycarbonate or acrylic plastic protective overlay
• Touch screen
• Optical bonding
• Optically clear EMI/RFI ITO-coated glass shield

To provide even greater protection, a sealed gasket is installed between the display and bezel, as well as between the bezel and protective overlay, to guard the monitor’s electronics from dust, liquids (e.g., spilled drinks) and other debris.

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POWER SUPPLY

The slim enclosure is typically available with an integrated (or externally attached) power supply that operates from +12 Vdc or +24 Vdc input. Optionally, an AC switching power supply is available. For applications requiring a thinner enclosure or a unique power source, we also offer a separate external supply as an option.

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VIDEO AND CONTROLS

General Digital offers a wide range of video controllers, allowing you to fine tune the display features and support to your specific video requirements.

We can reprogram the video controller firmware/BIOS to support a variety of video timings and specialty needs, such as STANAG 3350 A, B and C, RS-343 and RS-170. Most of our video controllers will also support interlaced and non-interlaced analog video (separate, composite and Sync-On-Green), and live video signals such as NTSC, PAL or SECAM.

Other input signals we support include ARGB (VGA) to DVI, HDMI, HD-SDI, SD-SDI, DisplayPort, 4K UHD and more. Please consult a Sales Engineer to optimize your video controller selection.

Please consult a Sales Engineer to optimize your video controller selection.

On-Screen Display (OSD) Controls

The Rack Mount Hinge monitor can be configured with a variety of standard or custom user controls, most often in the form of membrane or silicone keypads. Choices of LED and NVIS backlighting are available, as well as configuration with electronics that allow backlight dimming.

Much like your home TV, the On-Screen Display controls allow the user to adjust important display parameters, such as input signal, brightness, contrast, color temperature, sharpness, phase, scaling (aspect ratio), language and dozens of others.

Photo shows optional speakers on a 20" model.

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DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS AND NIGHT VISION ENHANCEMENTS

General Digital can integrate virtually any LCD display size/resolution, from almost any panel manufacturer (OEM), into our enclosures. To assist in selecting the right panel for your application requirements, we have provided a list of commonly used or recommended panels for standard/low luminance, high brightness, sunlight readable and NVIS compatible needs.

New display models are constantly being introduced to the market by the LCD manufacturers, making it extremely difficult for us to maintain a comprehensive list. For this reason, we encourage you to speak with a Sales Engineer to share your price and performance objectives, so we can assist you in making the best display selection.

Standard Displays

General Digital has provided a sample listing of some common transmissive displays that are not sunlight readable. Typically, these displays are suitable for applications that are not going to require specialty functionality, such as sunlight readability or NVIS compatibility, and for customers with cost-sensitive budgets.

LCD backlight produces sufficient luminance for use in office, shaded and low ambient/darkness light levels. However, luminance is insufficient to overcome reflected light for use in direct sunlight.

Tranmissive Enhanced Displays

This type of technology boosts the efficiency of the backlight’s light utilization and minimizes surface reflection of ambient light. It is a transmissive LCD module that produces high contrast images, even in bright outdoor light and direct sunlight. These displays feature a wider color reproduction range than reflective LCDs. Featuring an LED backlight, these displays consume very little power and produce very little heat, making them ideal for integration into fully sealed enclosures, which are devoid of ventilation holes and cooling fans to dissipate heat. They also provide the additional benefit of a wide operating/storage temperature (as great as -30°–85° C), so that they can endure exposure to greater internal ambient temperatures.

As a design note, we have found that these panels work best when coupled with an overlay that has an antireflective (AR) coating. Overlays that inhibit transmissivity (e.g., resistive touch screen) or have antiglare (AG) coatings will significantly reduce the panel’s performance in high ambient lighting conditions. Since transmissive displays produce greater brightness from their LED backlights than traditional transflective displays, they are regarded as a better outdoor solution, as they can generate high contrast in total darkness, in direct sunlight or on a cloudy/hazy afternoon.

T-EVT technology uses the high brightness/efficiency LED backlight as a light source while minimizing the surface reflection of ambient light. The result is an LCD that produces high contrast images even in bright outdoor light or direct sunlight.

GenFlective™/Transflective Displays

This type of panel incorporates a highly reflective backlight that reflects the ambient lighting back out of the display to enhance its native brightness produced by its active backlight. Like the Transmissive-Enhanced View Displays, GenFlective panels work best when coupled with an AR-coated overlay. They are least effective with overlays that retard the light transmission (e.g., resistive touch sensors) or have a matte finish.

T-EVT technology uses the high brightness/efficiency LED backlight as a light source while minimizing the surface reflection of ambient light. The result is an LCD that produces high contrast images even in bright outdoor light or direct sunlight.

Sunlight Readable/NVIS Compatible Displays

These displays feature a value-add backlight, typically made from high efficiency LEDs. These displays produce significant active luminance. Often, the peak luminance is limited by internal ambient temperature constraints or must be connected to an intelligent backlight controller and thermal sensor that will automatically reduce brightness/power to avoid over-temperature conditions or thermal shutdown. The high luminance output makes them ideal for use with a wide variety of overlays such as touch sensors, EMI filters, heaters, etc.

Sunlight readable displays use a General Digital-enhanced, highly efficient, super bright/sunlight readable LED backlight to provide maximum functional brightness. The addition of surface treatments such as antireflective coatings and optical bonding reduce surface reflections and increase contrast so displays can be used in direct sunlight.

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. Customers can also request that we integrate one of our many LED-based sunlight readable, NVIS or sunlight readable/NVIS enhanced displays into their product. These solutions provide many advantages, such as increased longevity, improved durability, higher brightness, lower power consumption and/or NVIS compatibility.

A myriad of display enhancements and services are available, such as:

• Antireflective coatings/antiglare etching
• Night Vision Goggle-compatible displays
• Sunlight readable displays
• Optical bonding
• Film laminations
• Touch screens
• EMI/RFI filters
• Display heaters
• Vandal shields
• Custom controls
• Multimedia drives
• KVM switches
• Slide extension brackets
• Cable carriers
• Rack adaptors
• Private labeling
• Extended warranties
• Power supplies, cables and more
• Programmable backlight/thermal controllers for optimal brightness/temperature conditions

Please consult a Sales Engineer to discuss your specific needs or ideas.

We at General Digital are completely responsible for the design and construction of our products, allowing us to maintain nearly total control of their future. To that end, we gladly offer our engineering services to customers who require special customization of our devices to meet their commercial, industrial, marine or military requirements.

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. Thus, we can offer product adaptation with similar or equivalent performance before designs become obsolete, thereby extending the product life cycle.

Please consult a Sales Engineer for additional details.