Followers of The Huge Bang Idea in all probability keep in mind Raj Koothrappali’s room as a monument to awkward genius, and there was one factor that continuously stood out: a 22-inch monitor with audio system that appeared to drift, wrapped in a coating of glass. Dell created the Crystal (mannequin C22W). It debuted in early 2008 for $1,199 (about $1,800 now), a time when most screens had been inexpensive and centered on performance over type.
Dell first confirmed the Crystal at CES 2007, slipping it right into a sea of prototypes as a “idea” that appeared able to ship. Then, days earlier than CES 2008 kicked off in Las Vegas, the corporate dropped the total reveal from its Spherical Rock headquarters. A press launch described it as a fusion of artwork and utility: a 22-inch widescreen LCD panel sealed in 4mm tempered glass, perched on a tripod of chrome-plated zinc alloy. 4 audio system tucked into the edges, wired by way of tiny holes within the glass, and a 2-megapixel webcam hid up high, with a built-in microphone. All the pieces funneled by way of one cable that cut up into HDMI with HDCP, DVI adapter, USB 2.0 for peripherals, energy brick, and an RCA jack for an non-compulsory subwoofer Dell teased however by no means broadly bought.
As a substitute of plastic bezels and uncovered ports like Dell’s typical screens, designers encased the display in an ideal glass face—practically an inch thick on high and backside and three inches on the edges. Skinny copper wires snaked across the again, connecting touch-sensitive buttons on the base and powering audio system with no seam.
That single cable was a masterpiece of desk minimalism, combining video, music, information, and energy right into a tidy package deal. Colours shine due to TrueColor know-how’s 98% gamut, 2ms gray-to-gray response time, and 2000:1 distinction ratio. 4 audio system, every in its personal chrome pod, produce stereo sound, louder than most built-in audio system. One catch: a beep chimes in on each button press, toggleable in settings.
The webcam fares higher—as much as 1600×1200 at 10fps or clean 640×480 at 30fps in pure gentle, with software program for publicity tweaks that Dell bundled however hardly ever surfaces now. Pair it with a 3rd social gathering DDC app like ClickMonitor (in case your OS performs good) and you may management the OSD from the desktop, although Vista period glitches typically block the total suite.
