Samsung Digital Presenter SDP-950DX

Samsung Digital Presenter SDP-950DX

Document cameras or “Digital Presenters” as Samsung prefers to call them, offer attorneys the ability to project documents or 3-D objects onto a liquid crystal display or cathode ray tube monitor, or through a projector onto a screen.

In a trial, arbitration hearing, mediation or settlement discussion, the use of such a device enables the attorney to display a single copy of a piece of evidence for everyone to see concurrently. Marks made on the evidence with a pen or a pencil immediately show on the screen, just as if they were done at a whiteboard, but are generally larger and easier to see.

Traditionally, digital presenters were large, heavy and cumbersome. Then, Samsung had the bright idea to create a digital presenter that was high-quality and easy to carry, giving birth to the Samsung Digital Presenter 950 Deluxe (SDP-950DX).

The SDP-950DX projector weighs in at a lean 12 pounds. It folds up into a nice and protective (optional) carrying case. The case meets carry-on luggage size requirements if you have to fly with it. The SDP-950DX plays well with Windows and Macintosh computers. It also works directly through a projector, without a computer. It will display a full 8.5-by-11-inch page, as well as a legal-size document.

A quick check under the hood reveals a powerful one-third-inch progressive scan charge-coupled device powering the beast, turning out an impressive 850,000 pixels and an Extended Graphics Array (1024-by-768 pixels) image.

A fast, smooth automatic focus (continuously working at 15 frames per second) and white balancing enable you to look professional displaying your documents and other objects. You also can manually override both focus and white balance on the SDP-950DX. When you adjust image size, you probably should engage the auto focus.

Speaking of magnification, when you need to get up close and personal, the SDP-950DX features a 12x optical focus zoom lens that lets you focus on a portion of your document or enlarge detail and project a large image from a relatively small object (a microchip for example) that might have evidentiary significance in your case. The motorized zoom lens glides smoothly through its paces at the touch of a button.

The stylish fold-up lighting system illuminates your documents and objects for imaging and projection. If you want to work with a larger backlit display, you might consider purchasing the optional light box. For a little added excitement, it also can dis-play both positive and negative images; the SDP-950DX also can convert from one to the other.

The SDP-950DX comes with a power cord and several connection cables to accommodate a variety of displays. The rear panel has a nice collection of ports to ensure connectivity. The array includes two Video Graphics Adapter input ports, two VGA output ports, an S-Video connection, an RS-232-C connection, a universal serial bus connection, an RCA video connection and a port for a mouse. The SDP-950DX also comes with a remote control unit and a mouse to facilitate writing and drawing on screen.

Set up and during operation, the SDP-950DX has a footprint of approximately 20-by-16 inches and stands just under 23 inches high. When you are done, the unit folds up into a 17.25-by-16.1-by-7.75-inch package and drops right into its form-fitted protective case.

Setup and take down takes little effort or skill. However, after you have done it once, you can set it up, plug it in and connect it in less than two minutes from a closed carrying case. In short, if you can turn on your video recorder (but still can’t program the darned thing), you can run the SDP-950DX without major problems.

The SDP-950 comes in two models, Standard (SDP-950ST) and Deluxe (SDP-950DX). The only difference between the two models is the price and the fact that the Deluxe model offers several digital features that the standard doesn’t: (1) image rotation; (2) image split and shift; and (3) image save and recall. The Deluxe lists for $3,600 and the Standard for $2,750. Internet pricing varies and sometimes offers substantial reductions.

Samsung Opto-Electronics Inc.
(800) 762-7746, ext. 121

www.samsung.com

Price: $3,600

Reviewed by Jeffrey Allen, a general practice attorney with an emphasis in real estate, business transactions and litigation based in Oakland, Calif.

Aug/Sep '03 Issue

PROS
Samsung has built a high-quality, easy-to-use and portable unit.

CONS
It’s a fairly expensive item.

VERDICT
I have used the unit on a number of occasions. I like it very much and have no hesitation in recommending it as a good, solid performer. However, if you only plan on using it once in a while, it might be difficult to justify the purchase.