Every video wall project brings its own technical and site-specific demands, and pro AV installers need planning tools that account for those differences before a purchase is made. Robert Detwiler, senior director of product management at Planar, has helped shape the company’s LCD and LED design tools, including the Planar LED Video Wall Selector and the next-generation LED Video Wall Calculator. In the following Q&A, he discusses how those tools streamline specification, support both LED and LCD deployments, and help installers find the right fit for each environment.
Commercial Integrator: For pro AV installers, every video wall project brings unique technical and site-specific challenges. How do planning and design tools help streamline specification and deployment in these varied environments?
Robert Detwiler: Planar’s pioneering LCD and LED design tools take the time and guesswork out of selecting, planning, configuring and installing video walls. Recognizing that no display needs are exactly the same, today, our design tools are tailored to support an even wider range of applications and products, making the selection process more successful for anyone considering a video wall before they make their purchase.
The Planar LED Video Wall Selector and next-generation Planar LED Video Wall Calculator further strengthen our position as an industry leader who delivers unrivaled display offerings that facilitate hassle-free experiences for users.
Commercial Integrator: Planar was an early pioneer with video wall design tools. How has that experience shaped your approach to supporting installers with integration, system planning and ensuring reliable outcomes on site?
Detwiler: Planar helped set a standard for how professionals design and specify video wall environments more than a decade ago with the release of our Clarity Matrix Video Wall Calculator. The tool introduced a user-friendly way for system integrators, designers, consultants and end users to configure a video wall and preview it with specification data, installation diagrams and custom renderings specific to their project’s needs.
Today, we continue to innovate our collection of industry-leading video wall design tools to address customers’ growing needs. Our recently upgraded LED Video Wall Calculator not only extends our leadership of design tools that simplify video wall selection and design, but is also built on a scalable platform that can evolve alongside Planar’s LED portfolio, ensuring continued innovation and support for future product offerings.
Commercial Integrator: The Planar LED Video Wall Selector takes installers through options like cabinet size, pixel pitch and configuration. In practice, how does this guidance improve project planning and ensure the right fit for each installation?
Detwiler: This interactive, step-by-step tool helps users choose the most suitable Planar LED video wall solution for their application’s needs. By answering a short set of questions about their project, customers can quickly find a recommended product that aligns with their individual application, environment and performance needs.
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Commercial Integrator: With the recent upgrades to the Planar Video Wall Calculator across the LED lineup, what new capabilities help installers make more precise comparisons, accelerate planning, or avoid common pitfalls during specification?
Detwiler: The upgraded tool provides a guided workflow that allows users to define their environment, explore recommended solutions, compare product specifications and refine parameters with real-time updates to specifications and visualizations. We enhanced this popular tool to support customers, consultants and resellers with their decision making from concept through specification, while delivering an overall more intuitive and powerful experience as they plan their next video wall project.
Commercial Integrator: As LED adoption grows, why does Planar continue to invest in LCD planning tools? How does this ongoing support benefit installers working with clients who need both legacy and next-gen display solutions?
Detwiler: While LED technology is on the rise, we recognize that LCD is also here to stay and continues to be a more suitable technology for some applications. With that, our customers and industry partners can expect that we’ll continue to expand and improve our portfolio of best-in-class LCD video walls and large format LCD displays, furthering our ability to support nearly every user need.
Commercial Integrator: Anything else you would like to add?
Detwiler: Demonstrating our unwavering commitment to innovating our portfolio of LCD technologies, we continue to support LCD video wall designs with the company’s original Video Wall Calculator. This offers proven planning and configuration capabilities for the Planar Clarity® Matrix® G3 LCD Video Wall System.
