Flat Panel Innovations 2008

High-Def And High-Impact

DISPLAY INNOVATIONS FOR HIGH-TRAFFIC ENVIRONMENTS
New data from iSuppli forecasts a promising future for digital signage; the U.S. signage industry will hit the $13 billion mark by 2010. Part of the Download PDF growth is due to the increasing demand in new environments and vertical markets. As more contractors bid for bread-and-butter systems and unconventional projects, displays must engage customers yet have enhanced flexibility. LG Electronics, Panasonic, Sanyo, and Sharp are offering LCD and flat-panel innovations that promise pin-sharp 1080p with the reliability of a Land Rover.

TREND SPOTTING
Trends point to broader digital signage adoption; displays continue to diversify in size, and costs continue to decrease, which means that clients can now use digital signage as the heart of advertising channels that would previously have been too expensive. Digital interactive elements also guarantee that the customer experience will continue beyond the point-of-sale.

No matter what the system, an integrator’s livelihood depends the quality of the product they spec. There are many displays in the market that will provide high initial image quality right out of the box. But what about down the line?

LG Stretch Screens a home TV setting), how many displays will stand up to the high demands of the modern commercial application? According to Sharp’s Bruce Pollack, Sharp’s range of professional LCD monitors are designed for continuous use, including 24/7 applications. “These models are supported by an on-site warranty that covers the entire unit for three years, and includes parts, labor, and backlight,” he explained. Recognizing many signage applications require “portrait” mode orientation (versus a standard “landscape” orientation), Sharp offers models specifically designed and warranted for unique portrait mode use, Pollack elaborated.

The commercial LCDs in Sharp’s portfolio include 1920 x 1080 HD resolution, from analog RGB, digital RGB and HD video sources. Pollack added that while other displays may claim 1080p compatibility, “very few actually offer full compatibility from analog and digital RGB as well as HD video.” Versions of these Sharp displays likewise are available with a protective acrylic overlay integrated in the monitor. This even further enhances reliability— especially in high traffic areas.

CHANGING THE GAME
Retail establishments and commercial spaces, including movie theaters, sporting stadiums, concert halls, universities, and banks, want to install the state-of-the-art equipment that really engages and attracts attention. The idea is to drive traffic towards centers of infotainment with the images and sound that will adjust to meet the needs of the location and time yet maintain corporate branding.

Panasonic’s Flat Screen Sanyo Presentation Products, said the new waterproof monitor isn’t just another new product: “it is a real gamechanger for the industry because of its ‘sun-readable’ feature. It’s waterproof with ultra-high brightness in the sun. Install it anywhere outdoors— if it’s warm or cold, or there are atmospheric conditions, it can withstand them.”

As for revenue opportunities, “Theme parks, bus stops, airports, shopping malls, casinos, golf courses, hotels with signs near pools,” Noyd continued, “it’s high brightness in any outdoor environment.” With a 1500:1 contrast ratio, Sanyo wants to make the right impression, the first time, every time, in any weather.

On the importance of an impression, Pollack agrees. “You only have one chance to make a first impression,” he said. “And, if your livelihood depends upon it, you definitely want to closely evaluate the quality, features, performance, and long-term reliability benefits Sharp PN and LB series professional LCD monitors offer in comparison to other brands and technologies of displays.”

LG Electronics knows that integrators demand attractive signage solutions that help capture customers’ attention but also work within the space they have. The new LG Stretch Screen monitor was designed with these needs in mind; it is approximately half the height of most 16:9 displays. Space-conscious rooms now have all the install potential of larger rooms and the screens can communicate multiple messages at once without “seeming obtrusive,” LG believes. And you don’t need a Ph.D. to install it. There is no need for separate video cards, and instead, they send a sense signal of a traditional 16:9 monitor, registering as 1360 x 768.

Sanyo’s CE52SR1 requests. And, as nearly everyone in the business agrees, IP control and videoconferencing systems are growing in popularity. For the design minded, Panasonic has built a thin 103-inch model that gives the technological and aesthetic edge to the contemporary conference room. Besides wowing clients, Panasonic’s new 103-inch plasma is a centerpiece of an office. In a videoconference system it allows colleagues across the world to not only see each other and talk to each other, but they can all view data-heavy images like CAD designs. We’ve moved beyond talking on the phone and visiting the same website. Now it is about a sophisticated, shared experience for real-time collaboration. Also worth noting is Panasonic’s life span. The company offers a 100,000-hour service life for reduced maintenance costs, a hotline and on-site service options. Now that’s reliability

Sharp professional LCD monitors long into the future.

Margot Douaihy is a contributing editor for Residential Systems magazine in New York City.

SANYO has the LCD monitor answer, the CE52SR1, SANYO’s first 52-inch outdoor High Definition LCD Waterproof monitor. Integrating SANYO’s revolutionary sunreadable LCD panel and marine grade construction, the CE52SR1 is designed for virtually any outdoor installation.

SANYO uses a lightweight strong aluminum frame with anti-reflection tamper-resistant glass that is five times tougher than the usual flat glass, which makes the monitor highly suitable for use in well-trafficked public areas as well as in almost any kind of unprotected outdoor location.

The CE52SR1 surprisingly makes no compromises on image quality with Full HD resolution (1920 by 1080 pixels) and a stunning 1500:1 contrast ratio. Combined with the CE52SR1’s sun-readable feature, it is also ideal for viewing under sunlight with 1500 cd/m2 on-screen brightness.

The CE52SR1’s frame and cabinet are constructed from marine grade anodized aluminum and designed with a “no holes” ventilation system which allows the LCD monitor to stay cool while being protected from dust and various weather conditions.

The CE52SR1 also offers the ability to combine up to 25 units (maximum 5x5 configuration) from a single input signal, making it even more suitable for public displays. Having this type of flexibility offers more opportunities in a variety of settings.

The CE52SR1 comes equipped with a wide variety of input/output terminals (including DVI-D instead of HDMI) so that you can make full use of the LCD monitor’s colorful, blurfree, high-speed 6.5 ms response time while watching a wide range of real time video signals. In addition to all the above features, like other SANYO display products, the CE52SR1 can be fitted with their PJNet Organizer (POA-LN01) so that this large, outdoor monitor can be controlled via a web browser.

Systems integrators will find the CE52SR1 is adaptable for most outdoor applications in venues such as public places like theme parks, sporting events, bus stops, and railway stations, even highway tollbooths. It can be used in shop windows with sunlight streaming in, restaurant entrances and brightly lit shopping malls. Designers and decorators can use the CE52SR1 onboard a yacht or in a crowded public garden where weather and light are most commonly problematic.

Trust SANYO to meet the challenges of needed technology in a dynamic digital signage marketplace.

Sharp professional LCD monitors are now available in screen sizes up to a 108" Class (107 37/64" Diagonal). and houses of worship

If you have an upcoming high-reliability industrial application, before selecting another brand of commercial monitor or consumer LCD-TV, consider the many advantages of Sharp Professional LCD Monitors. Now available from Sharp, is the world’s largest commercially available LCD Monitor. The LB-1085, a 108” Class (107-37/64” Diagonal) full HD 1080p LCD Monitor, features an Advanced Super View LCD panel that is manufactured at Sharp’s Kameyama Plant No. 2, the first plant in the world to use 8th generation glass substrates.

The LB-1085 features 6.21 million pixel elements and a TFT active-matrix drive system. It offers an array of inputs, including HDMI and DVI-I connectors, for greater connectivity with a wide variety of equipment and devices. A fan-less design minimizes noise and intake of dust from outside air to further improve its level of technical sophistication as a commercial display.

In addition to leading the movement toward larger screen sizes, Sharp has met the demand for superior image quality by achieving such “firsts” as a resolution that is four times higher than that of current HD, the world’s highest contrast ratio and the ultimate in fast-motion image processing with 120Hz frame rate conversion and an incredible pixel response time of 4ms.

ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT INNOVATIONS.
Sharp’s goal is to minimize the environmental impact of our products by continually implementing and improving product technologies, designs and programs aimed at environmental conservation, from the materials used in the manufacture and packaging of our products, to their transportation, use and safe disposal at the end of their product life.

Screen sizes from 46" Class (45 63/64" Diagonal) up to 108" Class (107 37/64" Diagonal)
Full 1920 x 1080 HD resolution, from analog RGB, digital RGB, and HD video sources
Three-year on-site limited warranty, covering parts, labor, and backlight
Designed for 24/7 applications in both portrait and landscape modes
Commercial design and components for enhanced reliability
Built in an ISO 14000 approved environmentally friendly factory
Full HD “ASV” Advanced Super View Normally Black TFT LCD—for crisp text, virtually no image retention or burn-in, and exceptional longevity and reliability
Built-in enlargement function to create video walls up to 5x5
Available with integrated protective acrylic overlay, for use in high traffic areas
Compatible with third-party interactive touchscreens
Lockable key panel, power-in delay function, and extensive color adjustments
RJ-45 LAN and RS-232C ports for monitoring, diagnostics, and control
Status log and scheduling function
Detachable front bezel
Daisy chain connection
VESA DPMS, DVI DMPM power management
Image reversal, flip, and mirror functions
U.S. Government trade compliant and available on GSA contract
Recipient of Systems Contractor News’ 2008 Installation Product Award for the Most Innovative Video Display Product

LG FLAT PANEL INNOVATIONS THAT STRETCH DIGITAL SIGNAGE OPTIONS
In today’s world of advanced digital marketing techniques, creative advertising to communicate core messages across a broad audience is experiencing explosive growth. From conference rooms to retail, digital advertising is a way of educating and engaging consumers through unique content applications on a variety of products, services and messages.According to iSuppli, the U.S. digital signage industry is also expected to grow to $13 billion by 2010. Understanding the market’s desire for products that engage customers yet have diverse installation options, LG Electronics created the Stretch Screen. This unique digital signage monitor is approximately half the height of traditional 16:9 display. Stretch screens were designed for the space conscious

From a programming perspective, LG Stretch Screens do not require separate video cards. and can communicate multiple messages at once without seeming obtrusive. These innovative displays also provide the opportunity for nontraditional and innovative installations and bring versatile signage options to environments where they might not otherwise be easily integrated.

From a dynamic welcome sign in a business or hotel lobby, to a new product demonstration in a retail store to imaginative signage in a museum setting, the stretch screen has the capability to fit seamlessly into any environment. With a 178 degree viewing angle, content is viewable from almost every angle.

To help create unique content for LG stretch screens—and to illustrate how these new screens will impact the business world at large—LG Electronics worked closely with digital content expert Agency Harmonic. With such diverse applications as business-tobusiness environments, retail, healthcare, lodging, and hospitality, the Stretch Screen modernizes spaces in a way traditional signage could never attempt to do, according to Agency Harmonic principal Alan Hughes.

With the LG Stretch Screen, content immediately takes on a cinematic quality on the screen simply by utilizing the entire width of the screen and breaking out of the traditional 16:9 aspect ratio. The extreme width of the screen allows for easily accommodated ‘dynamic’ content areas and ‘static’ content areas, making it much easier to present information to the viewer in a way that isn’t too ‘busy’ and frenetically paced.

The Stretch Screen allows for a variety of innovative installation options. In retail spaces, this new format offers a huge opportunity to create an immediate impression and engage audiences. Given the optimal size of the stretch screens, in both 29- and 38-inch Class sizes, these products are portable and allow integrators to easily transport these displays to adapt to the design and layout of their venue.

“Integrators demand creative signage solutions that not only help attract and engage customers but work within the space they have,” said Ron Snaidauf, vice president, commercial products, LG Electronics USA. “LG’s Stretch Screens not only meet this demand, but also provide new interactive elements that engage your senses, extending the customer experience beyond the point-of-sale.”

Know Before You Go
From a design aspect, the Stretch Screen can be easily integrated anywhere. Here are some tips to help integrators get started:

1. Know the layout of the environment and understand that the Stretch Screen does not have to be the focal point of the room.
2. When mounting the signage, keep in mind your target audience.
3. Engage your customers with distinctive content.

Panasonic Pro Plasma Success Stories — The Friedmutter Group BUILDING ON THE WOW FACTOR.
Friedmutter Group Architecture and Design studios is an award-winning design, architectural, and master planning firm specializing in hospitality, casino, and entertainment projects. With six offices internationally, Friedmutterhas a need not only to impress clients with impactful presentations, but connect between offices in an engaging way that encourages and supports communication and interaction between associates.

Friedmutter Group corporate boardroom, Las Vegas, Nevada And an added benefit of using the 103-inch plasma over projection technology is that we can walk in front of the screen without worrying about casting shadows, which we couldn’t do otherwise.”

Friedmutter’s client list includes a number of highly acclaimed resorts and casinos, including Las Vegas properties such as Red Rock Resort Casino & Spa in Las Vegas, Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel and the Ritz Carlton at Lake Las Vegas. Additional clients include Imperial Palace Casino Resort & Spa in Biloxi, MS, Green Valley Ranch Resort Casino & Spa in Henderson, NV, and Harrah’s Atlantic City.

The 103-inch plasma installed in the firm’s Las Vegas offices serves an additional purpose besides wowing clients. It’s also the centerpiece of a sophisticated videoconferencing setup that enables associates in the company’s satellite offices to see one another and view CAD designs and plans together. The firm recently installed a second plasma in their New York office.

Additionally, the company incorporates 65-inch Panasonic plasmas in its smaller conference rooms and satellite office locations, also for presentation and teleconferencing.

71/2 ft. by 4 ft. (30 square ft.) of viewing space lets you command attention likenever before.
Panasonic plasmas have a 100,000-hour service life for reduced maintenance costs over projection technology.
Large flat screen technology provides more flexibility for installation in the most locations.
Plasma image quality remains consistent under extended use, while projected content becomes less crisp and dims as bulbs wear out.
Sharp and clear fast-motion video supports up to 1080p resolution, which can be viewed from nearly anywhere in the room thanks to a wide viewing angle.
The 103-inch plasma’s 3-year warranty underscores Panasonic’s commitment to dependability and reliability.

Improved phosphor technology and circuitry provide extended service life and resistance to ghosted images on a level akin to the “Static Image Retention” of LCDs.

Backed by Panasonic’s world-Class Plasma Concierge program that includes a toll-free hotline and priority scheduling for on-site service.

For more information or a demonstration, call 1.800.528.8601, or visit www.panasonic.com/proplasma Panasonic recommends proper installation of the 103-inch plasma by a professional. (c) 2008 Panasonic Professional Display Company