Runco, Vidikron, Planar Unleash New Video Gear at CEDIA 2007

CEDIA 2007 was a big one for Runco, Vidikron and Planar, as it was the first time the three companies exhibited together under the Planar banner. Planar acquired the two video manufacturers earlier this year, amid speculation that the buyer would disrupt the quirky, close-knit, custom brands that are Vidikron and Runco.

"This is the first time Planar, Vidikron and Runco are all together," says Scott Hix, vice president and general manager of Planar's Home Theater Business Unit. "As you can see, we're not making any big changes."

Still, he admits that the "channel will always be fearful" since so many acquisitions have led to a loss of identity among acquired companies. He assures us that that won't happen here.

In fact, Hix notes, "The tequila's still flowing," referring to the legendary social endeavors of Runco founders Sam and Lori Runco.

A Brief History

At the high end of the triumvirate is Runco, which has served a select group of about 600 to 650 dealers for the last 15 years. Seeing a larger base of potential customers, but not wanting to break tradition, Runco acquired Vidikron a few years ago to serve a wider base of dealers with a more moderately priced (but still high-end) product line.



"They [Vidikron dealers] were still the same caliber as Runco dealers," Hix says, "so eventually Vidikron moved up in price point."

Vidikron now has about 400 dealers.

Hix suggests that there are about 7,000 to 8,000 pros who are installing home theaters in the U.S. With Runco and Vidikron catering to 1,000 of them, "What are the other 6,000 dealers doing?" Hix wonders.

And that's where Planar fits in. The company, with roots in the commercial/industrial display business, launched a home theater initiative about a year ago, hiring a bunch of veterans from the industry, and mapping out a three- to four-year plan to penetrate the residential marketplace.

At that time, Runco founder Sam Runco -- having entertained acquisition offers for quite some time -- told Planar, "I'll take your three- or four-year strategy and give you instant credibility," as Hix recalls it.

And that's how it happened. Once Planar became associated with Runco, dealers took notice.

"Absolutely, it validated us to this world," Hix says. It didn't hurt that Planar was able to exploit Runco's priceless positioning on the CEDIA show floor. The lines to the Planar demo room were unlike any you would see if Planar was still stuck at the back of the hall without the Runco brand affiliation.

While the Runco and Vidikron brands have done wonders for Planar, Hix says the parent company has returned the favor, especially in operations and logistics. Things like phone automation and online order tracking are working their way into the Runco system. "The level of information installers are starting to get is best in class," Hix says, adding that the new systems provide added efficiencies to Runco and Vidikron.

Planar has also had an impact in quality control. The company "is used to building quality-critical products" for the medical and aviation industries, among others, Hix says. "We're applying those principles to residential."

New Runco Products: The Planar Influence

Let's start with one of my favorite products at the show -- Runco's new 42-inch weatherproof LCD, the WP-42. Before I saw the product, Hix raved about its ruggedness, saying it could endure temperatures of -4 degrees to 104 degrees (prelim specs).

I expected the unit to look like all of the other clunky weatherproof flat screens on the market, and was surprised to find that this one was stunning -- both the picture quality and the industrial design. There is no traditional enclosure. The TV looks just like any other flat screen in Runco's arsenal.

"For years, everyone has been moving outside, but video hasn't really gone there," Hix says. "The outdoors will really be our story in 2008."

The 42-incher is just the beginning of Runco's outdoor line. The company plans to make improvements, especially in the readability of the display from different angles and in sunny conditions.

The weatherproof TV is one of the more obvious of Planar's contributions to the Runco line. Hix says that Planar was the first major North American developer of ruggedized displays, with thousands of applications from fighter planes to gas pumps.

Another Planar influence is Runco's new Cinewall 1080, a 100-inch rear projector with a new 1080p engine, borrowed from Planar's Command and Control (digital signage) expertise. Hanging on the wall at the Runco booth, the Cinewall sure looked like a flat screen to me.

Hix says the Cinewall line will evolve to include larger and weatherized models, and calls the product "another proof point" that the Planar/Runco partnership is working.

More Runco & Vidikron Highlights

In addition to these new lines, Runco has raised the bar on its entry-level projectors, with the new CinemaScope-capable Reflection Series.

"Dealers are looking at the under-$10,000 units to really step up," Hix says. The RS-440 ($4,995 ) is Runco's most affordable 720p projector that offers the company's CineWide 2.35:1 configuration. The company says the product's "improved contrast, brightness, color and reliability … are unsurpassed in this price class."

For 1080p, Runco’s new RS-900 projector is a single-chip SuperOnyx DLP system with two lens options, including CineWide with AutoScope. At $8,995, the unit is now the most affordable 1080p CineWide projector in the Runco fleet.

Likewise, Vidikron released similar products -- the Vision 15 720p projector ($4,995) and Vision 65 1080p ($8,995) with CinemaWide ultra-widescreen configurations.

On the higher end, Vidikron's new Vision 110 ($39,995) and Vision 140 ($79,995) are three-chip 1080p DLPs with ISF certification.

On the flat-screen front, Runco was most excited about its XP-103DHD, a 103-inch 1080p plasma. It's not easy making such a big screen look so good, but with the company's video processor, Hix says, the 103-incher "is getting the performance of a 65-inch."

The unit costs $100,000. "We're charging $1,000 per inch, and you get the last three inches free," Hix quips.

Within minutes of the product's debut, reps were already taking orders. Nick Scudero of Runco rep Big Apple in NYC says he sold five units by phone to a dealer who hadn't even seen the thing.

Planar News

Parent company Planar was not without some new home theater products of its own.

The company added to its former arsenal of three 720p projectors with a collection of three new 1080p projectors priced from $6,000 to $9,000.

Planar also demonstrated four new 1080p LCDs, ranging in size from 37 inches to 52 inches. "They're very much built for custom installers," Hix says. "We worked a long time on that."

He boasts of the TVs' robust RS-232 protocol and "all the things you can tweak to get the best picture."

Hix says the products are "completely different" from Vidikron's and Runco's. "They're built from the ground up with elegant design," he says. "They're meant to be seen."

Planar products are sold through "controlled distribution," Hix says. Products can be bought through the EDGE group of distributors, "but dealers must be authorized."