Already one of the leading providers of displays in the commercial market, Planar is targeting the residential market with one of the most unique business propositions in the display sector ever presented to integrators: When an integrator sells one of the company’s new large-scale displays– either the Planar Luxe MicroLED or Planar Luxe — the company’s own technicians will do the physical installation for the integrator, and then offer an unheard-of lifetime warranty on the product.
The Planar Luxe MicroLED includes professional-grade, ultra-fine pitch MicroLED displays, while Planar Luxe presents large-scale, fine pitch LED displays. Both solutions are designed for a variety of uses, including digital artwork, movies, sports and events, as well as gaming, eSports, streaming, multi-window viewing and video conferencing.
Planar Lifestyle Displays are designed to seamlessly integrate with architectural elements and complement interior decor. With variable brightness and color settings, the displays can support viewing experiences in brightly lit spaces with large windows as well as dark, theater-like environments.
“Planar is no stranger to CEDIA channel,” says Jeremy Sternhagen, technical marketing manager. “We used to be there with projectors [under the Runco brand name that Planar purchased 14 years ago], but stepped away when the high-end projector business began to wane. What’s changed now is that more people spending more time at home and products have improved and become more affordable — the time was right for us to have a focused effort to the CEDIA channel.”
Planar Luxe MicroLED displays are available in 4K and 8K resolutions and feature high-contrast, high-brightness MicroLED technology. Meanwhile, Planar Luxe LED displays offer Full HD, Double Full HD and 4K resolutions with black surface mounted device pixel technology.
Planar Luxe MicroLED displays deliver high resolution, are HDR-ready and feature high brightness, deep blacks and high-quality contrast. They are available in 4K 108-inch, 136-inch, 163-inch and 8K 217-inch sizes, and include the display, wall mount, powerful video controller with remote processing, remote control, display trim and cables.
Planar Luxe LED displays come in Full HD 109-inch, 137-inch, Full HD or 4K 164-inch, Double Full HD wide-view 198-inch and 4K 219-inch sizes. In addition to featuring the largest displays in the Planar Lifestyle Displays family, Planar Luxe supports multi-source viewing and offers an installation depth of less than 4 inches. Planar Luxe includes the display, wall mount, video controller, remote control, display trim and cables.
The displays also include a professional-grade video controller to scale and window content with full compliance for digital content protection standards and video performance standards such as HDR10. The family of displays is also fully compatible with a wide range of content delivery systems.
Planar Elite Technical Services Do Physical Installation
But the products themselves are only part of the story. Along with the release of Planar Lifestyle Displays, the company is introducing its Planar Elite Technical Services, which employs specially qualified and trained professionals that will do the physical installation on behalf of t the integrator. The Planar technicians are held to the “highest standards of performance and professional conduct, exhibit impeccable cleanliness, have proven themselves in the field and received the highest level of technical training,” according to the company.
The onsite installation and commissioning includes fine-tuning displays to ensure imagery looks its best in each unique environment. That on-site commissioning immediately after the installation is one of the big differences between the residential and commercial display markets. Generally in a commercial environment the fine-tuning of the display is not done until much later, but in the residential space, the connections to the controls and sources is done right away one time when the display is first installed.
“While we are there with our installation team, we do calibration and final tune-up with both the integrator and with the client, “says Sternhagen. “This also allows us to train the integration partner, and help them with programming and multisource views. It’s a White glove level of installation… all the way down to the booties on the shoes.”
Other considerations the company has taken care of include making sure the home’s wall structure can support the heavier MicroLED. Planar’s wallcalculator.com eliminates any guesswork. Finally, because Planar makes it products in the U.S., it is not being subjected to lengthy delays in the supply chain. Sternhagen says the displays are all currently available with just 4-week lead times.
Finally, the displays come with the Planar EverCare Lifetime Limited Warranty, providing customers complete product coverage. Customers can also choose from Planar Elite Maintenance Service Plans or Planar Elite Service Level Agreements, which help extend product lifespan with benefits ranging from priority support and preventative maintenance visits to emergency on-site repairs.
“From cinema and digital art to sophisticated executive offices and video conferencing, customer appetite for fine pitch LED display technology that can enhance environments is stronger than ever, especially over the last year and half,” says executive vice president Adam Schmidt. “Planar Lifestyle Displays combines our expertise in delivering unparalleled visual experiences with state-of-the-art LED advancements and an exclusive North America-based service offering unlike any other. We’re not only offering customers a larger selection of LED display solutions that are designed to enrich luxury settings, we’re also pairing them with a specialized team who can transform their distinctive space and fine tune the installation to their exact needs.”
Planar Elite Technical Services has technicians all across the U.S. and Canada and the services is offered on demand. As part of the service, the Planar technician will do a return visit to the project 90 days after the initial installation to do adjustments at the customer’s discretion.
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