Planar Announces New Line of Business Projectors
BEAVERTON, Ore., August 15, 2006
Planar Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: PLNR) today announced its entry into the business projection market with a full suite of projectors designed to maximize impact of every presentation, collaboration, lecture and meeting. Planar leverages its 23-year display heritage and well-earned reputation for quality products and exemplary customer service within the commercial channel and among its professional customers to provide the same value differentiators to the business projection market. Planar's expansion into the business projector market is another step in its strategy to diversify its product offering to deliver display solutions to these important markets.
Planar’s new projector line offers businesses, government and educational institutions a variety of high-quality projection display solutions. From the combined value and performance of the Planar PR3010 and PR3020 conference room models, to the high-performance install-worthy PR5020 and the ultra-portable PR6020 projector, Planar’s line-up provides best-in class products that are backed by an industry-leading 2-Year Customer First™ Warranty, which includes two-day advance replacement units to ensure customers always have working products.
“Planar has a long and solid track record as a display innovator in demanding and mission-critical environments, such as medical, military and industrial applications. We have successfully extended this level of performance into the commercial market and have built a brand that stands for quality products and provides unparalleled customer service and support,” said Mark Ceciliani, vice president and general manager for Planar’s commercial business unit. “Our customers have trusted Planar displays on their desks for years. Now, they can rely on Planar anywhere they need to share information with our comprehensive line of projectors that will be valued by our channel partners and customers alike for their performance and quality”
The four new Planar business projector models deliver industry-leading performance. All projectors are built exclusively using DLP® technology by Texas Instruments, with each incorporating specific features to address varying customer needs and applications.
For business users and educational establishments, the Planar PR3010 delivers 2,500 lumens and a 4,000 hour lamp life. The Planar PR3010 is one of the first SVGA projectors to deliver this level of value/performance for less than $700 USD list price, which enables it to meet both the budgetary and multimedia requirements of offices, businesses and classrooms.
For mid to large-sized meeting rooms and classrooms the Planar PR3020 offers advanced performance that’s high-bright, high-contrast and low cost. The Planar PR3020 will also be one of the first XGA projectors in its class to deliver 2,500 lumens with a 2,000:1 contrast ratio and up to 4,000 hours of lamp life, allowing it to scale to nearly any size conference room or classroom or easily move from room to room as a shared resource among departments.
Incorporating top-of-the line XGA performance, the Planar PR5020 is prepared to change the price/performance ratio of high-bright XGA projectors by delivering 3,000 lumens brightness, enhanced connectivity with DVI input and up to 4,000 hours of lamp life, making it ideal for installation in mid-to-large conference rooms, classrooms and boardrooms.
For the business traveler, the Planar PR6020 with its impressive design, light weight and XGA resolution is the first mobile projector less than three pounds to deliver 2,000 lumens and 2,200:1 contrast ratio—making it the ideal choice for quality and design-conscious business travelers who demand the latest technology and performance in every meeting.
In addition to stellar performance, Planar PR3010/3020/5020 models all offer features, such as top-loading lamp location for easy lamp replacement of ceiling mounted projectors and embedded powerful five-watt SPL speakers, which increase ease-of-ownership. All Planar PR line projectors come with a full-featured laser remote control and all the necessary cables are included with the projector’s deluxe carrying case.
“Planar’s extension into projectors seems an appropriate combination of synergies given its history in specialty flat-panel displays for various business and education applications and its strong channel relationships,” said Bill Coggshall, president of Pacific Media Associates, a market research company specializing in gathering information about large format displays. Planar has a record as an industry pioneer in display technologies. With the recent strategic announcements to focus on more specialty displays and this expanded product line in the IT channel Planar will continue to be a leader in display solutions.
Planar’s new PR line of projectors will be available in September 2006 through a variety of commercial, online and distribution partners. More information on Planar’s business projectors and extensive offering of display products can be found at www.planar.com/projector.
About Planar
Planar Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLNR) is a leading provider of valued-added display hardware and software for a variety of specialty display markets worldwide. Hospitals, shopping centers, banks, businesses, and other discriminating consumers depend on Planar to provide unique display-based solutions to exacting requirements leveraging its operational excellence, technical innovation, and go-to-market capabilities. Founded in 1983, Planar is headquartered in Oregon, USA, with offices, manufacturing partners, and customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.planar.com.
DLP and the DLP logo are registered trademarks of Texas Instruments.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Pippa Edelen
Planar Systems, Inc.
Pippa_Edelen@Planar.com
Camille Wheatley; GolinHarris
cwheatley@golinharris.com
INVESTOR CONTACT:
Ryan Gray; Planar Systems, Inc.
