BEAVERTON, Oregon, February 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Planar Systems, Inc. , a worldwide leader in specialty display solutions, today announced its Clarity(TM) LED Series rear projection video wall displays, ideal for government, military, energy, utilities, traffic and broadcast control room video walls that require 24/7 reliability and brilliant life-like images. Combining Planar's exclusive Clarity NaturalColor(TM) for a superior visual performance and maintenance-free solid state illumination, with up to eight times the life of traditional lamps, the new Clarity LED Series supports the Company's strategy to deliver innovative display solutions for mission-critical environments.

The Clarity LED Series will be unveiled at this year's Integrated Systems Europe in Amsterdam, Feb. 2-4 (Stand3B81), and includes the 70-inch c70HD-LED (1920X1080 resolution), Clarity RP-LED (SXGA+ resolution) and Clarity RX-LED (XGA resolution) rear-projection displays (available in 50 and 67). All displays within the Clarity LED Series utilize the latest DLP(R) technology and are available with Open or Indisys(TM) image processing electronics options.

Exceptional Visual Precision

The Clarity LED Series produces a wide color gamut well beyond that of traditional lamp-based systems to deliver color saturation levels never before seen on high-resolution video walls. Leveraging advanced color management techniques and over 20 years of experience designing and installing different video wall applications, Planar developed Clarity NaturalColor(TM), which uses a proprietary color space that intelligently maps a broader color palette to content, producing life-like colors. Other LED display products can produce images that are oversaturated and distracting. Clarity NaturalColor Optimizations are preset and customizable color spaces optimized for a range of video wall applications. NaturalColor Optimizations harness the power of LED illumination to produce a superior visual experience tailored for applications like SCADA, Security/Surveillance, Simulation, Broadcast and Collaborative Control Room.

24/7 Operation, Maintenance-free Illumination

Control room applications that operate 24/7 require uninterrupted operation and benefit from reduced maintenance requirements. Planar's Clarity LED Series illumination system has a rated life of 60,000 hours and employs no consumable parts such as color wheels or lamps. Solid state LED illumination results in fewer moving parts that can break down and eliminates the costs and interruptions associated with lamp changes.

The combination of maintenance-free, reliable 24/7 operation and long life benefit end users with a lower total cost of ownership. Additionally, LED technology used in the Clarity LED Series proves to be more environmentally friendly compared to other display technologies thanks to its lack of consumable parts and mercury-free and lead-free design.

Complete System Design

The Clarity LED Series displays are designed, built and tested as complete systems rather than kits, ensuring smooth installation and optimum performance. Each LED Series display features Planar's Set it and Forget it (SiFi) Auto Color and Brightness Balance to provide a balanced video wall for the life of the product. SiFi Auto Color and Brightness Balance is the only color balance system to continuously monitor the LED, measure the output of the full light path of the engine and maintain site-specific adjustments, making it easy for the customer to maintain a balanced and uniform video wall.

The Clarity LED Series features zero-mullion PrecisionView(TM) screens, a factory-calibrated optics path and precise 6-axis motorized alignment, producing image alignment to a single pixel level of accuracy and seamless tiling. A positive pressure cabinet for each unit keeps dust out while at the same time allowing for full front and rear service access. Front access allows full service with zero rear clearance for straight or curved video walls, minimizing space requirements and repair time.

With its proprietary, high-end features, the Clarity LED Series is another example of the innovation Planar brings to the market, said Gerry Perkel, Planar's CEO. This new product series creates a cost-effective choice for a variety of control room applications by providing extraordinary visual performance while simultaneously reducing maintenance and improving the uptime of the video wall.

The Clarity LED Video Wall is available for purchase through Planar's worldwide network of authorized control room resellers and will begin shipping in the third fiscal quarter of 2010. For more information, please visit http://www.planarcontrolroom.com.

About Planar

Planar Systems, Inc. is a global leader of specialty display technology providing hardware and software solutions for the world's most demanding environments. Hospitals, space and military programs, utility and transportation hubs, shopping centers, banks, government agencies, businesses, and home theater enthusiasts all depend on Planar to provide superior performance when image experience is of the highest importance. Founded in 1983, Planar is headquartered in Oregon, USA, with offices, manufacturing partners, and customers worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.planar.com.

SOURCE: Planar Systems, Inc.

CONTACT: Media, Vanessa Matera of Planar EMEA SPA, +39-06-90-400-470,Vanessa.matera@planar.com; or Media, Kim Brown, +1-503-748-6724,kim.brown@planar.com, or Investors, Ryan Gray +1-503-748-8911,ryan.gray@planar.com, both of Planar Systems, Inc.