Tacktick and GPEG break new ground with the 'Maxi Display' wide viewing angle LCD.

The most demanding of applications utilises novel technologies to overcome cost and design requirements in marine electronics.

How do you fulfil a new market opportunity that has very high demands and expectations of its technology without compromising the ability to produce the product at a cost that will also satisfy your traditional customer base? This was the challenge facing Tacktick's development engineers for a new product aimed at catapulting themselves into the valuable 'racing yacht' market with a range of high-end, wireless data displays within their 'micronet' wireless instrumentation range.

Previous developments were focused on a much lower cost product, more suited to the hobby and leisure boat sectors. The Maxi and Dual Maxi displays, were being developed for the high-spec racing yacht market where excellent quality is paramount but cost is not necessarily an issue. However, it was also important to make the product cost effective, to meet the needs of the traditional customer base, without compromising product quality.

Tacktick's engineering team, having carried out a number of initial studies, approached GPEG, a specialist provider of display technologies based in London UK, for advice. GPEG undertook a review of the initial developments and crucially an investigation of all available technologies to ensure that the final product specification exceeded that of all existing product offerings available in the market. Through this route GPEG identified an optimised optical and mechanical solution that provided a very high contrast display when compared to traditional LCD technology designs. A novel drive circuit was implemented to reduce the component count on Tacktick's internal printed circuit board.

During sea trails it became apparent that an even wider viewing angle would be desirable to ensure that the display could be easily read even at acute angles. Additionally, at these viewing angle extremes, night and day clarity was paramount. GPEG revisited the optical design and electronic drive circuits and refined the design to achieve these goals. This resulted in the Maxi and Dual Maxi products having a superb 175 degree all round viewing cone regardless of ambient or artificial lighting conditions.

Mark Johnson, MD of Tacktick commented, "We had been working with several solutions based on our previous display knowledge, but GPEG really helped open our eyes to some previously hidden alternatives. We now have world beating product, surpassing all of our competitors and still fitting within our wireless portfolio. I think the value of this exercise for us has been not only to get this product onto the market, but also to expand our knowledge for future designs and the rather dark art of display specification and requirement".

"I would not claim that this was one of the easiest models we have developed" said Nick How, GPEG director, "our original design and material concept has borne out to be the best combination of technology and circuit design to enable these new products for Tacktick. We wish them every success now with this new product and market opportunity that it presents to them".

For more details please contact rodney.tietjen@gpegint.com on 0870 493 1433

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