Think you know Planar Systems? Some in the industry have pigeonholed this company as a simple display re-packager — and that is true in part. But the specialty display device manufacturer seeks to do one thing very well, take low cost Asian made display panels and turn them into remarkable, high-value, high profit specialty displays for unique market segments.

Steve Sechrist
Senior Analyst and Editor
of Projection Monthly &
Microdisplay Report

Take Planar’s new 3D stereoscopic displays as a case in point. Planar takes two 17-inch LCD panels, some display software IP and a unique beamsplitting polarizer glass to create a simple 3D display system. We saw it on a recent company visit and found it creates eye-popping image clarity and realism that has to be experienced to be believed.

The design is based on a patent developed by Jim Fergason and company and licensed to Planar. The display is passive, so no active eyewear, and it uses low-cost LCD panels whose prices have hit the floor, down another 4.2% in May to well under $140 according to WitsView. The best part of the scenario - Planar fetches a cool $4K for this 3D system and it’s a bargain in that industry.

The company says it will now launch two new models based on 20- and 23-inch LCD panels the latter being a wide format WUXGA with 1920 x 1200 display resolution. The system resolution is a whopping 4.6M pixels (2.3M pixels x 2 panels, one per eye). Image clarity is unmatched and again — you have to see the 3D effect to believe it.

The double display approach offers full resolution to each eye and solves several problems created by single display based systems. There’s no double frame rate, no flicker problem or 3D sickness effect after prolonged use.

According to Planar, the display represents the best alternative to replace aging CRT base d 3-D systems used in medicine and the like. For example, an Emory University study evaluated the use of the Planar 3D display in mammography and found it significantly reduced false positives.

While Planar showed this system with the usual medical and geo-spatial images that characterize the 3D market, the fun begins when you take the 23.1-inch diagonal display for a test drive in video gaming. The wide display features a fast 12ms total response time (3ms rise, 9ms fall) and true 3D HD resolution. This will take even the most discerning gamer into game Nirvana. The system also supports traditional 2D viewing by simply raising up the polarizer glass into an off-axis position above the vertical display.

As LCD panels continue to commoditize, traditional product manufacturers of this technology will find ASPs and profits shrinking. Planar on the other hand, has found its niche in adding value through keen innovative products that can ride the price curve down, opening new markets in the process.

The company also showed work on some new innovations that will continue to push Planar beyond its traditional markets. This next generation technology follows in their tradition quite well; high function, high value-add with a cool industrial design that the company is known for. Look for more on this in a later edition. –SS