[BC] Clock display color

[Mike McCarthy]

Big negatives to using a PC display...

1) Power to the display location (as opposed to simple PoE.)
2) While the computer display option provides the ability to do a lot of 
creative things with flashing digits, colors, and messages, the use of a 
PC requires software which either needs to be written or purchased. Plus 
the OS?? (And if on a full domain, the Server CAL)
3) Spinning hard drives eventually fail, especially Windows machines.
4) At this price point, the plug and play aspect can't be beat. 4" 
displays at less than $300, 2.5" less than $200. Low cost PoE  
injectors, $30.
5) Any Windows machine connected to the network is subject to be hacked. 
I don't need the clock machine to turn into an attack-bot.
6) Cost to operate....  Computer/display...100-125W  Simple 
display...10W at most.
7) VGA cabling over long distance. We have no computers of any type in 
the studios. All CPU's are in the TOC and extended by KVM extenders.  As 
such, we're only running CAT 5/6 into the studios.
8) And finally...R&D time. We don't have the time resource to invent 
that wheel.The pre-built clocks are plug and play.

We're going to be doing the same thing with message boards. PoE and a 
reference building automation system (BAS) machine pushing messages by 
IP to the sign boards, SMS text, and e-mail. And I know I can get 
multi-color message boards.

MM

On 2/17/2012 9:11 PM, Steve Lewis wrote:
> I have no idea what you guys are looking to spend on a clock, but it seems
> to me that an old laptop computer with a decent sized display could be made
> into the ultimate clock.  Huge numbers in any color of the rainbow with
> flashing display of hours or minutes and would be easy to keep sync'ed up to
> whatever time you'd like, even swapping the display to show real and delayed
> time.  If you don't mind dangling cords, use a desktop computer on the floor
> to feed a nice new LED display.
>
> This could also be a way to put an old CRT to good use.
>
> A little more creativity and it could become a point to alert for things
> like the EAS firing, hotline ringing and GM coming down the hallway :-)
>