Planar Announces New 57-inch Direct-View LCD Display Designed for Demanding Digital Signage Applications

BEAVERTON, Ore. - Planar Systems Inc., a leader in specialty display solutions, has launched its new m57L, a large-format direct view liquid-crystal (LC) display for use in the commercial digital signage market. The m57L extends Planar's line of commercial-grade LCD displays, which includes the 40-in. Bobcat X and the 46-in. Bay Cat X. The m57L further supports Planar's corporate strategy to provide best-in-class solutions for new and existing vertical market opportunities that demand differentiated display products.

Incorporating the latest-generation LCD panel, the 57-inch m57L is a direct-view professional-grade display, engineered for commercial applications that demand the highest levels of performance and reliability such as control rooms, public information display and corporate boardrooms. While similar to commercial 60-inch plasma monitors in diagonal size and form factor, the m57L also delivers ultra-high resolution (1920 x 1080) and incorporates other features, such as resistance to image quality degradation, higher brightness and broad source compatibility, which add to its advantages over plasma displays that serve these custom markets, Planar said.

"The large screen area, brightness and resolution of the m57L combine to make a striking visual impact," said Kristina K. Gorriaran, vice president and general manager for Planar's Control Room & Signage Business Unit, formerly Clarity Visual Systems. "Our customers count on our professional-grade displays for demanding commercial applications and the m57L provides a compelling offering where a larger display is required."

The combination of high-performing components and a rugged enclosure help make the m57L LCD display more resistant to Temporary Image Retention (TIR) issues or other long-term image degradation effects found in comparable displays in the marketplace, according to the company. The panel is also designed to perform equally well in either landscape or portrait orientations.

Planar's m57L meets the specific needs of many broadcast applications with features such as a Serial Digital Input (SDI) that is capable of accepting standard definition and high-definition SDI resolutions. The 1080p native resolution enables the multiple window display to create an active image area approximately equal to seventeen 14-inch CRT monitors, a common configuration in broadcast control rooms. The broadcast-friendly m57L is also preconfigured with presets for common color temperatures.

The large screen size, high resolution and multi-source compatibility, make the m57L suitable for boardrooms and other corporate presentation environments as well as digital signage applications.