- The NAB show always provides a look at some intriguing “crossover” technology– hardware or software that regardless of its origin (broadcast TV, cinema, installed AV, digital signage) offers solutions in the other areas as well. A lot of digital signage content management software started as software for managing content for broadcast TV. I could go on with examples from the cinema world and commercial AV. But occasionally the crossover is more direct, and that’s the case with Planar and Leyard at this year’s NAB show in Las Vegas, that kicked off this morning.
The Leyard Planar, 8K LED video wall at their booth at NAB.
Portland, OR-based Planar was acquired by a Leyard last year, so it was only a matter of time when we’d see the synergies of that acquisition. They are here, now, apparently, as the combined company seems on a genuine roll and getting more direct-view LED products to Planar customers, and more LCD-based displays to Leyards, and some intriguing new products to everyone. Both Planar and Leyard were already established in the NAB world, so there is no stretch there (displays for on-air sets, and other control room type of applications). And in fact the Planar/Leyard booth at NAB this week has a bunch of displays that are really more applicable to the world of digital signage, and staging. There is some stunning direct view LED, including some super small pixel pitch LED (down to .9mm). The most impressive big screen at the booth is the 8K LED video wall. The massive video wall, 31 feet wide by 18 feet tall (9.5 meters by 5.5 meters), is made up of 64 Leyard TWA1.2 LED video wall displays with a 1.2 millimeter pixel pitch, delivering 7680 x 4320 resolution.
Here is the full press release from Planar/Leyard:
Leyard and Planar Demonstrate Groundbreaking
8K LED Video Wall at NAB 2016
The broad range of innovations on display, including one of the largest and highest resolution LED video walls ever shown at NAB, offer new opportunities for the media and entertainment industry to deliver compelling content to their customers
LAS VEGAS, April 18, 2016 – Leyard, a global leader in visualization products and Planar, a Leyard company and global leader in display and digital signage technology, will showcase a massive fine pitch 8K LED video wall at the 2016 National Association of Broadcasters Show (NAB), demonstrating how the media and entertainment industry can bring video and images to life with spectacular realism.
Also on display will be several cutting-edge innovations that help media and entertainment professionals creatively display content to their customers including a LCD video wall featuring the industry’s narrowest bezel width, ultra-high resolution 4K LCD displays and a first-of-its kind OLED see-through display. Together, these solutions address the media’s need for superb image quality and highly reliable solutions for demanding broadcast applications.
“The Leyard 8K video wall at NAB 2016 is a stunning example of our trailblazing solutions, developed to help the media and entertainment industry deliver an unprecedented level of compelling content to its viewers,” said Jennifer Davis, chief marketing officer at Leyard. “We were one of the first to show a fine pitch 4K LED video wall at NAB 2013, and three years later, we continue to lead the market. From fine pitch LED video walls to large interactive touch displays to revolutionary transparent displays, the opportunities abound for broadcast, media and entertainment professionals to put captivating content into the hands of their customers.”
High-Resolution LED Video Walls
The highlight of the exhibit is an enormous 8K LED video wall. The massive video wall measures more than 31 feet wide by 18 feet tall (9.5 meters by 5.5 meters) and is composed of 64 Leyard® TWA1.2 LED video wall displays with a 1.2 millimeter pixel pitch, delivering stunning 7680 x 4320 resolution. At a distance of 9 to12 feet from the video wall, the pixels are indiscernible.
The newly launched Leyard TWA1.2 supports close-up viewing distances and features a unique and advanced flat panel design for high reliability and ease of installation and service. The Leyard TWA1.2 features all of the benefits of the Leyard® TW Series’ proprietary flat panel cabinet design, while delivering exceptional power efficiency.
In addition, Leyard and Planar will demonstrate a 4K video wall composed of LED displays with a pixel pitch of just 0.9 millimeters – showcasing the ultimate in ultra-fine pitch LED video wall technology. This ultra-fine pixel pitch delivers supreme resolution, allowing viewers to obtain a clear, crisp picture even at the closest viewing distances.
Best-In-Class LCD Displays
The Leyard and Planar booth at NAB 2016 will feature the latest advances in the award-winning Clarity® Matrix™ LCD Video Wall System product line including a technology demonstration of an upcoming extreme-narrow bezel Clarity Matrix LCD video wall model, featuring the industry’s smallest tiled bezel LCD video wall display. The upcoming model provides a tiled bezel width of just 1.4 millimeters or less than one-sixteenth of an inch, transforming what was once a collection of LCD video wall displays into a near seamless installation that offers a cohesive, high-impact viewing experience.
Planar and Leyard will also present the latest in 4K LCD display innovations at NAB 2016 including its Planar® UltraRes™ Series and Planar® EP Series displays.
The next-generation Planar® UltraRes™ Series line of 75-inch, 84-inch and 98-inch Ultra HD resolution (3840 x 2160) professional LCD displays offer best-in-class image and color quality for native 4K and upscaled content. Planar UltraRes Series displays deliver top performance and exceptional 4K clarity. The displays feature built-in Planar® MediaPlex™ Plus processing, allowing for multiple sources to be viewed simultaneously in picture-in-picture, dual, triple or quad layouts without additional processing cost or complexity. The Planar UltraRes Series is also available in touch versions, bringing interactivity to the 4K immersive experience.
The Planar® EP Series line of high-performance 4K LCD displays are engineered from the ground up for demanding 24x7 commercial environments. Available in 50-inch, 58-inch and 65-inch sizes, the displays offer stunning image quality combined with best-in-class reliability. The Planar EP Series is also available in touch versions.
Groundbreaking See-Through Display Technology
Leyard and Planar will also show its breakthrough Planar® LookThru™ OLED Transparent Display at NAB 2016, which utilizes cutting-edge Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) to showcase dynamic or interactive information on a transparent surface glass. This revolutionary display allows users to view what is shown on a glass video screen while still being able to see through it. Designers can overlay text, digital images and video content onto physical objects or scenes, like a busy newsroom, that sit behind the glass. The display, which can be tiled into custom fixtures with Planar image processing solutions to create a larger display canvas, offers opportunities for new applications never before imagined with transparent displays.
Leyard and Planar will showcase their latest innovations at Booth #SL10510 at NAB 2016. In addition, six industry leaders will showcase Leyard and Planar display technology in their booths at NAB 2016.
Leyard and Planar display solutions are available through the companies’ global network of authorized resellers. Additional information is available at www.planar.com.
About Leyard
Leyard Optoelectronic Co., Ltd. is a global leader in the design, production, distribution, and service of digital displays, video walls, and visualization products worldwide. Leyard has gained significant market share in fine pitch LED and offers indoor, outdoor, fixed, and creative displays, as well as other ancillary and lighting solutions for the urban environment. Used in various applications, such as broadcast, sports arenas, stadiums, advertisement networks, retail digital signage, control rooms, exhibitions, large scale events, and digital cultural experiences, Leyard enjoys marquee installations globally. Leyard was founded in 1995, is headquartered in Beijing, China, and is traded on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (stock code: 300296). Forbes magazine (2013) named Leyard among “China’s Top 100 Most Potential Listed Companies.” Planar Systems was acquired by Leyard in 2015. For more information, visit www.leyard.com.
About Planar
