Final Year Studio - Research - Screen Media - Associative Bandwidth Comparisant

Image courtesy of Internet, originally uploaded by Jimbo (Alan James Wellock).

Above is an image of both a ultra modern RGB LED screen (left) and a Split-flap display screen (right). Information and aesthetically wise it is obvious that the LED display is most effective when portraying cognitive data. It can simply display more information a second than the Split-flap display could ever dream of, but when applying Mau's 'associative bandwidth' theory to the equation we start to to see a shift in effect.

First of all due to the Split-flap display's physical animation quality you are naturally more drawn to that when navigating through the vast information on offer, thanks to its 'flip-flap' sound. Its warm 'associative bandwidth' and low data 'bandwdith' transfer actually adds to this appeal. Due to our traditionally linear methods of reading information we automatically decipher this kind of data portrail by reading it as we would a book. This is where the Split-flap display is still relevant today, and due to its extra 'associative bandwidth' it gives you the sense that you can touch, smell and hear the invdividually unique blocks of data manipulating and rising to the surface of the screen. This is simply not the case with LED screen as you are often left feeling cold, as the display seems to lack the environmental presence of its ancestor.