Apple AudioVision 14 Display

Features

The AudioVision 14 uses the same 14-inch CRT as the Macintosh Color Display. It is the only display to use the HDI-45 connector (which Apple called the Integrated Desktop Connector), capable of transferring video to the screen, video capture input from an S-Video source, audio output, audio input, and Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) all through one cable, with plug and play support.

A unidirectional microphone is built-into the top of the monitor, meant to be used for voice annotation in programs like Microsoft Word. Below the screen are two 2.5-inch diameter stereo speakers, which are magnetically and acoustically shielded, with bass reflex. These speakers are accompanied by an active equalizer, and are angled for "near-field use" (i.e. for a user sitting at the computer, rather than presentations). Between the two speakers is a set of controls for monitor brightness, contrast, volume, speaker mute, and microphone on/off. The base can swivel, and the product meets the EPA's Energy Star standards.

The monitor came with a device driver that allowed the monitor's settings to be changed overriding the monitor's physical buttons.

These settings are sent to and from the monitor's microcontroller through ADB. Power Macintosh, Performa and Workgroup Server models 61xx, 71xx and 81xx all have the special HDI-45 port built-in. For other models, the display came with a splitter adaptor to connect audio, video, and ADB separately to the computer (female IDC to male ADB, audio in, audio out, and VGA).

Reception

In a December 1993 review, Macworld praised the microphone, and said the speakers "produce surprisingly rich, full-bodied sound", but criticized the display as "much too small for multimedia work", giving the product 3 stars out of 5. A Macworld monitor comparison gave the AudioVision 14 "acceptable" ratings for screen focus and color saturation, below the maximum ratings of "sharp" and "vivid", and found its color balance to be "uniform" (i.e. neutral). MacUser's Russell Ito called it "the first multimedia monitor", and described its speakers as "quite acceptable". In MacUser's 9th Annual Editors' Choice awards, the AudioVision 14 was a runner up in the "Best New Display Product" category.

References

Bibliography

References

1. "Apple AudioVision 14 Display:Technical Specifications". Apple.
2. Pfiffner, Pamela. (October 1995). "A Multimedia Monitor for the Masses".
3. Ito, Russell. (October 1993). "The Multimedia Monitor".
4. "Power Macintosh: AudioVision Display S-Video Unsupported (2/95)".
5. Steinberg, Gene. (December 1993). "Macintosh CPU and Display: Quadra 840AV, AudioVision 14 Display".
6. Weibel, Bob. (January 1994). "Small Wonders".
7. (March 1994). "The 9th Annual Editors' Choice Awards".