Although best known for it’s powerful graphics computers and supercomputers, SGI regularly produces related pieces of high technology. Back in 1998, SGI gave the screen industry a swift kick by introducing the ground breaking 1600SW screen.
The Silicon Graphics 1600SW is a TFT screen with a resolution of 1600×1024. It was, and remains, the only screen to offer a full 16:10 aspect ratio, allowing exact work for digital effects artists, as well as being able to show two A4 pages of text side by side. The 1600SW won several awards for it’s innovative design, and the screen’s brightness and high resolution still places it at the top end of screen design, over a decade later.
The screen used the all digital OpenLDI interface, which required special graphics cards. Several models of SGI machine had the required connector either builtin, or available as an add-in card. Companies like 3D Labs also produced dedicated graphics cards with the special connector, allowing the 1600SW screen to be used with standard PCs.
Since it’s introduction, many companies have also produced convertors, allowing DVI video cards to be used with the OpenLDI interface. Over a decade after it’s introduction, the SGI 1600SW remains a high quality screen that is very sought after by graphics professionals.