Notebook LCDs to Standardize

By Gabriel Landriault

Computer Dealer News, December 17, 1999 - A decision to create a new manufacturing standard for flat-panel displays will end problems associated with an overabundance of custom designs in LCD notebook panels, according to industry insiders.

Under the umbrella of the Standard Panels Workshop Group (SPWG), Compaq Computer Corp., Dell Computer Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM Corp. and Toshiba Corp. met in an effort to "establish a set of displays with standard dimensions and interface characteristics so that both the notebook and panel supplier industries will be able to manage the volatile LCD supply and demand in an easier fashion."

The standard applies to the design of 13.3-inch, 14.1-inch and 15-inch flat panel displays (FPD). According to Austin-based FPD consulting firm DisplaySearch, which hosted the SPWG meetings, the standard has already been accepted by 18 of the world's largest notebook PC OEMs and FPD manufacturers, including Acer Inc., Hitachi Ltd., Intel Corp., LG.Philips LCD Co. Ltd., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sharp Corp. and Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc.

David Philp, a spokesperson for Mississauga, Ont.-based LG Electronics Canada Ltd., believes standards in the LCD FPD industry will be welcomed, and should help the industry gain momentum.

"You've got probably 90 per cent of LCD output just in those names," Philp said. "The LCD market being what it is, there are only a handful of players but you've got four or five of the top LCD manufacturers on that list."

According to the SPWG, the move to develop a standard was made in reaction to a possible opening up of the market as more players and manufacturers joined the industry. More independent designs would only further fragment the FPD industry, the report states, increasing supply problems for both notebook OEMs as well as the LCD suppliers.

"The timing of this coincided with a new Taiwanese manufacturer coming online, so rather than having six new unique designs they set these standards for them to meet," said Ross Young, president of DisplaySearch.

Due to the new standard, however, there are concerns laptops bought today may not have replacement panels available after current supplies run out, according to Young.

"There's that possibility," he said. "But I imagine there will be some panels in inventory for that purpose. In many cases today's panels will be compliant with today's standard -- they can retool it to fit. That's the problem today, the different types of panels have to be refit to match the footprint of an existing notebook."

The SPWG standard, according to Young, will allow panels from any of the companies following the standard to be used in most notebooks, without having to change either the notebook or product tooling, or the LCD module tooling.

The SPWG report suggested any retooling leads to schedule slippages, missed market opportunities, and logistic and product obsolescence problems. Compliant panels are expected later in 2000.