This Minute at Runco

Home Theater HiFi Review: Runco LightStyle LS-100d DLP LED Projector

Tue, 15 May 2012 23:06:00 GMT

Home Theater High Fidelity recently gave a glowing review of the Runco Lightstyle™ LS-100d ultra-short throw projector. The unique ultra-short throw design allows the LS-100d to be mounted flush to the screen wall while delivering a stunning 100" image.

For the entire review click here.

Runco LS-1 projector: The Street's Top 10 "Coolest Tech Gadgets"

Fri, 11 May 2012 20:22:00 GMT

TheStreet.com recently revealed their list of the top ten business sales tech tools to have in your sales arsenal to close that deal and the Runco Lightstyle™ LS-1 projector was #1 on that list. Click here to view the "10 Coolest Tech Gadgets to Seal the Deal"

Planar Mosaic wins rAVe Publications Most Innovative New Digital Signage Hardware Product Award

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:05:00 GMT

Planar® Mosaic™ won the 'Most Innovative New Digital Signage Hardware Product' award for DSE 2012 from rAVe Publications . The first of many accolades for this now award-winning product line! See the full list of 2012 Digital Signage CHAMPS.

Planar Matrix at the NAB 2012 REDuser Party

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:19:00 GMT

On Sunday, April 15th over 1000 REDusers gathered at the Tropicana in Las Vegas to kickoff the National Association of Broadcasters 2012 Show. Guests viewed entries from the top 10 finalists in REDuser’s 4k Portrait competition which were screened on a number of new and prototype 4k monitors, including a 2x2 of Planar Matrix 55 and a prototype 64” 4K display. RED Digital Cinema is well respected in Hollywood for pioneering digital 4k capture and the competition was the first ever of its kind for REDusers to create content made especially for 4k display.

“So much motion and still content is being captured today at 4K and higher resolutions, thanks in large part to RED digital cinema who made no-compromises digital content creation accessible to nearly any maker of professional films or commercials. Ironically, most of this dazzling content is never displayed in 4K. The concept behind the 4K Portrait contest was to tap into the army of RED camera faithful to create, produce and display all in 4K. The results were mesmerizing and at the RED User Party at NAB, RED’s customers seemed to really enjoy seeing their content displayed the way they’d intended – in full 4K – and Planar really appreciated the opportunity to show off our displays.” -Steve Seminario, Product Marketing Manager, Planar Systems

Planar Matrix 55HD at the REDuser Party:

Definitive Concepts, Inc. Unveils Motorized Video Wall

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 23:02:00 GMT

Runco Dealer, Definitive Concepts, Inc. recently designed and installed a motorized video wall with four (4) 46" Clarity Matrix LCD Video Wall displays which slide open at the push of a button to reveal an 80" LCD television. Check out the video below of this sleek, one of kind entertainment center:

ConsumerRetailer Sees Increased Consumer Interest in Home Theater Projectors

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:16:00 GMT

In a 2011 survey, ConsumerRetailer has found that interest in home theater projectors has grown over the last few years due to increased interest in 3D movies and sports. For the entire story, click here.

New York Times spotlight on the Runco D-113d projector

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 18:39:00 GMT

The New York Times recently ran an article featuring the Runco 3Dimension™ Series D-113d on products that 'discreetly' showcase wealth. The Runco D-113d, the world's best and brightest in high-end luxury projection, utilizes Runco's unique, award-winning Constant Stereoscopic Video™ (CSV) approach with the optical filters and glasses of teh Panavision 3D System ® - which has been developed for premiere commercial cinemas.

To read the entire article, click here.

Runco Shipping Policies: CE Pro 2012 Quest for Quality Winner!

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:06:00 GMT

Runco's shipping policies won a Silver Quest for Quality 2012 award from CE Pro. The annual Quest for Quality award honors custom electronics manufacturers and distributors for excellence in customer service. Congrats Runco Shipping and Logistics!

Runco featured on DIY Network: Hollywood Hi-Tech

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 23:30:00 GMT

Runco projectors were recently featured on the DIY Network show, "Hollywood Hi-Tech" about high end home custom installations in the homes of Hollywood celebrities such as Academy-Award winner Oliver Stone, Entourage star Kevin Connolly, and Entertainment Tonight co-anchor Nancy O'Dell. All of whom chose Runco projectors to be installed in their homes.

Here's a sneak peak of the three Hollywood celebrity installs featuring Runco projectors::

To view more of Nancy O'Dell's and Kevin Connolly's home installations, visit the Runco Video Resource Library.

Runco LS-100d projector featured at Stewart Filmscreen Training

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:01:00 GMT

Stewart Filmscreen is currently holding a training Thursday and Friday for their screen dealers. Runco was on board with the setup of the Lightstyle LS-100d ultra short throw projector at their facilities on a 2.35:1 Stewart screen 84 inches wide.

Here's the LS-100d in action at Stewart:

Runco at Denver Home Show with AV Specialists

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:34:00 GMT

The Audio/Video Specialists, an electronic design and installation firm, along with The Rocky Mountain Design Collective will be exhibiting at the 2012 Denver Home Show with a custom built home theater, sharing demonstrations and information about the latest AV technologies. The premium cinema room will be on display for visitors throughout the show before being donated (room and décor only, no electronics) to Brent’s Place, a local non-profit that helps children and families dealing with life threatening cancer.

More than just a TV and some speakers, the Denver Home Show set-up will include premium audio/video products, including a Runco D-73d 3D projector.

The Denver Home Show runs from March 16-18, for more information, please visit www.homeshowdenver.com.

Runco Launches AIA/CES Approved Course: Understanding & Optimizing Home Theater Design

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:26:00 GMT

Runco announced the launch of its first ever AIA/CES approved continuing education online learning seminar, an hour long program which describes how to create the best in a home theater experience with accurate visual reproduction, calibration, and screen selection, to create the ideal viewing environment. The AIA/CES-approved course was constructed by industry experts Greg Campbell and Jeremy Sternhagen, both of Runco, and grants each member 1.0 AIA/CES HSW/LU Hour.

To learn more about Planar and Runco’s AIA-approved continuing education courses open to designers visit

http://www.planardigitalsignage.com/design-resources/continuing-education-credit

Click here for the press release.

Welcome Runco Academy Attendees!

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:28:00 GMT

Runco's industry-leading dealer education program, Runco Academy Master Class starts tomorrow. This 4-day long intensive training session includes sales training and technical training for Runco reps and dealers to ensure that dealers' sales, install and technical teams have the knowledge, competitive sales tools, techniques and equipment to properly sell, install, service and maintain any Runco solution.

The Runco Academy Master Class, a certified training program for Consumer Electronics Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) professionals, is held quarterly during the year at Runco headquarters in Oregon. The next Academy session is May 8-11.

If you are an authorized Runco dealer and are interested in attending the next training session, contact marketing@runco.com for more information.

Ultimate Crestron Home Media Room: Featuring Runco Window Wall

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:45:00 GMT

Advanced Home Theater recently converted a customer's personal gym into a media room featuring a Runco Window Wall in a space they have dubbed "The Ultimate Man Cave." See video of the install project here.

To read more about this installation (that also features a DJ booth!), click here.

Sublime Integration installs Runco TV in motorized cabinet

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:37:00 GMT

Sublime Integration of Mississauga, Ontario completed a bedroom installation of a 42-inch Runco LCD TV in a custom cabinet with a motorized lift at the foot of the customer's bed. The cabinet was custom designed to fit the Runco TV and motorized lift while also taking into account the style of the bedroom. The lift is controlled by a wireless touchpanel and can rotate 140 degrees so the owners can view the TV from the foot of their bed or the seating area on the other side of their bedroom.

To read the entire Electronic House article, click here.

Electronic House says Runco LS-1 projector is an affordable home cinema luxury

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:20:00 GMT

Electronic House recently reviewed the Runco Lightstyle™ LS-1 single-chip DLP projector and calls it a "great, reasonably-priced projector that gives a significant improvement over the bargain projectors in the $1,000-$3,000 range."

For the entire review, click here.

Introducing the Planar Mosaic™

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:48:00 GMT

Planar® is excited to announce the introduction of Planar Mosaic™, the only video wall system providing three flat panel tile sizes including a new truly square LCD.

Utilizing proprietary Mosaic Ensemble™ hardware and software, the tiles can be rotated at virtually any angle and mounted in virtually any position, encouraging designers to experiment with negative space while extending project budgets.

This unique combination of software and image processing allows the display of a single image or video over the entire tile layout with unmatched simplicity.

A large-scale prototype exhibit of the Planar Mosaic architectural display system will debut February 16 - March 30 at the Cristin Tierney Gallery in New York, New York, in conjunction with video artist, Yorgo Alexopoulos.

Read the press release here or visit www.planar.com/mosaic for more information.

Introducing the Runco Lightstyle LS-12d and the Dimension Digital Controller

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:25:00 GMT

Runco is proud to announce the new LS-12d -the latest edition to the award-winning LightStyle series. The LS-12d combines a powerful three-chip DLP® engine and a wide array of lens options with Runco's elegant LightStyle chassis design. The LS-12 is the first projector to be externally paired with the new Dimension Digital Controller™, Runco's newest processor engineered to enhance the performance of Runco 3-D enabled products.

To read the press release, click here.

Runco D-113d one of "10 things (electronic) to watch for in 2012"

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:17:00 GMT

The world's best and brightest in high-end luxury projection, the Runco 3Dimension™ D-113d has been featured in Kevin Hunt's "10 things (electronic) to watch for in 2012." For more information on the D-113d, click here.

President of SpeakerCraft Jeremy Burkhardt chooses Runco

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:42:00 GMT

“When looking for a new projector, I had a few requirements: it had to be stylish, and give me amazing video quality that makes me want to watch TV all day long. I decided to look no further than Runco’s LS-3. Not only does Runco have the best video quality ever, the industrial design on the projector is beautiful. I had it customized with Runco FinishPalette™, that made the look complete. It’s in my bedroom, so design was definitely a big factor when choosing a projector, and this one fits the room perfectly. The quality is amazing and allows me to switch seamlessly between movies and TV without having to change calibrations while getting deep blacks and incredibly true color.”

-Jeremy Burkhardt, President of SpeakerCraft

Jeremy chose the Runco LS-3 projector customized with a Runco FinishPalette design by San Francisco artist, Candace Kim.

Countdown to Oscar time!

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:24:00 GMT

And the nominees are for 2012 Best Picture:

1) Hugo

2) Midnight in Paris

3) The Artist

4) Moneyball

5) The Descendents

6) The Tree of Life

7) Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

8) The Help

9) War Horse

The Martin Scorsese film, Hugo about the adventures of a young boy living in a Paris train station received the highest number of Oscar nominations (11) and is our pick for Best Picture with its brilliant, beautiful 3-D cinematography and enchanting story that is great for the entire family. What's your pick?

For more Oscar nominee information and Oscar history, please visit http://oscar.go.com/

Runco at Integrated Systems Europe 2012

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:56:00 GMT

Runco will be demonstrating our finest video products at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2012 (January 31 - February 2). Runco will continue delivering on our commitment to providing innovative display solutions for our dealer partners worldwide.

Runco will be demonstrating the D-73d Ultra projector, LS-100d ultra-short throw projector, Vistage V-63HD ultra-flat panel, and LS-HB (High-Bright) projector.

You're Invited: Runco & Planar Arizona Roadshow - January 18th & 19th

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:31:00 GMT

Runco & Planar will be in Phoenix, Arizona at the Marriott Residence Inn Desert View on January 18th and 19^th to showcase four award-winning and best selling projectors and displays.

Planar Clarity Matrix 55” LCD Video Wall - the video wall of choice for customers who want a nearly seamless video wall and uninterrupted operation.
LightStyle LS-10 - Runco's elegant and sleek 1080p 3-chip DLP projector.
3Dimension D-73d - CEDIA 2010 New Product of the Year and CE Pro Best Product of the Year; the D-73d has won numerous awards for its stellar showing in both 2D and 3D modes, with native 1080 DLP 16x9 performance.

Please RSVP to Lori Malecki at Lori.Malecki@planar.com, to book your session.

Attention Dealers - Showcase Your Home Installs to over 250K+ Potential Customers!

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:41:00 GMT

Electronic House has opened its call for entries for the 2012 Electronic House Homes of the Year. Winners will receive free marketing benefits such as a feature on ElectronicHouse.com with a direct link to your site, a “Cool Homes Spotlight” on ElectronicHouse.com and an extensive promotional campaign done by Electronic House to over 252,400 consumers dealers and builders monthly. Gold project winners will have a full feature in Electronic House Magazine.

Entering is simple and easy, simply visit this link to get started. Here is what you’ll need:

Entry Fee: $299 for the first project, $50 for each additional project
Submission Info:
- Project Details
- Award Category (full list here)
- Project Contributors
- Photos
Deadline for submission is February 3rd
Installations for submitted projects must have been completed between January 1, 2011 and February 3, 2012.

Our very own Greg Caves was named one of this year’s Young Turks of CE!

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:29:00 GMT

Greg Caves has been the field face of Runco for independent custom integrators since 1994. What separates Greg in the field is his understanding of the dealers’ business and trying to match the right Runco product to meet their business needs. Greg’s dealers view him as a business partner and ally, and his insight to dealers regarding successful business strategies is deemed as just as valuable to independent dealers. Greg was at the forefront of introducing Runco CineWide™ technology to the market with Sam Runco and through the transition when Runco was acquired by Planar Systems in 2007. Greg has been a constant and provided the much needed continuity during and after the transition. Cheers to Greg!

Read more about Greg and the rest of the Custom Retailer 2012 Young Turks here.

Check out the entire publication here.

Runco’s D-73d made John Sciacca’s Top 11 most read blogs

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:25:00 GMT

A/V industry blogger John Sciacca's post about his first look of the Runco 3Dimension D-73d was one of his top most-read blog posts of 2011 and we're happy to see it remains his pick for "the premier in-home 3D movie experience."

Click here to read more about John's first look of the D-73d.

Runco Best-In-Class 3Dimension D-113d Projectors Now Available

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:02:00 GMT

Runco is excited to announce the availability of its 3Dimension™ D-113d projection system. The D-113d pairs Runco’s unique, award-winning Constant Stereoscopic Video™ (CSV) approach with the optical filters and glasses of the Panavision 3D System® – which has been developed for premiere commercial cinemas. The result is the brightest CSV projection in the world, and an exceptional 3D, as well as 2D, experience for private theaters.

Clients looking for a theater-quality experience in the luxury of their own space are often disappointed by existing 3D products in the market, finding they lack the eye-popping video quality and intense experience they expect. Runco’s D-113d is the only projector on the market that features the spectral filtration technology of the Panavision 3D System. In the Panavision 3D System, the entire visible spectrum is sliced into ten slim bands – with five directed to the left eye and five to the right. This results in each eye receiving the same amount of total white light energy, so the images appear equal in brightness and provide the truest color reproduction.

Runco pairs the Panavision 3D System with is award-winning, proprietary CSV architecture—a vastly-superior approach to 3D visualization. Runco CSV enables seamless decoding, syncing and merging of stereo images to deliver a constant HD image to each eye without the flicker, distortion, or discomfort inherent in other approaches.

For the press release, click here.

Happy Holidays from Runco!

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:24:00 GMT

All of us here at Runco would like to wish you all a fun and Happy Holidays! Also, we would just like to remind you of our holiday schedule.

Runco will be closed on the following dates:

December 23, 26-28th

January 2nd

Runco technical support is always available 24 x 7 at 800-23-RUNCO

Runco LS-1 projector: Best Pick for Year-End Business Investment

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:56:00 GMT

For companies looking on ways to spend left-over budget this year, the Street recommends investing in a better business projector. The Runco Lightstyle™ LS-1 projector was one of three projectors featured for its "full-HD, 1080p, 10,000-to-1 contrast ratio DLP projector that produces a simply stunning, high-quality image." To view the entire article, click here.

Planar Silhouette™: On Everyone’s Wish List

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:54:00 GMT

This holiday season, the Silhouette is on everyone’s wish list! We got into the spirit and put a bow on the Silhouette in our lobby. You can see how impressively the Silhouette displays show a variety of still image content, in this case being driven from a small media player tucked into the base of the Silhouette. The product towers over 10’ feet and is designed to elicit an emotional response and make video or image more attention grabbing and artistic. To find out more about the product, contact an authorized Runco dealer and installer.

Introducing three new Runco Ultra projectors: LS-HB Ultra, Q-1500d Ultra and the Q-750d/i Ultra

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:43:00 GMT

Runco is proud to announce the arrival of three new Ultra projectors the 3Dimension™ D-73d Ultra, LightStyle™ LS-HB Ultra, QuantumColor™ Q-750d Ultra and QuantumColor Q-1500d Ultra. Designed for higher sharpness and lower color distortion at longer distances from the screen, the Ultra versions expand installation possibilities, giving integrators even more tools to sell projection.

Because of its long throw distance, the Ultra projectors provide a perfect solution for design conscious consumers who want the quality of a projector, but don’t want a bulky projector intruding on the home’s design. While standard-throw projectors might need to be placed in the middle of a larger room to achieve the best possible performance, Ultra projectors can move further from the screen, making them easier to conceal and integrate into a home’s décor.

Throw distances range from 2.40 to 4.00, depending on the projector and lens. The Runco Ultra projectors are available exclusively through the best dealers in the home theater business–the Runco authorized dealer network. For more information, please click here.

Planar Silhouette: Architectural and Art LCD Video Wall display featured at Art Basel 2011

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:55:00 GMT

The Planar Silhouette, Planar's architectural and art LCD Video Wall display was featured recently at Art Basel, the annual world premier artshow for Modern and contemporary works. According to Artbasel.com, 'More than 2,500 artists, ranging from the great masters of Modern art to the latest generation of emerging stars, are represented in the show's multiple sections. The exhibition includes the highest-quality paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations, photographs, video and editioned works.'

Planar VP Marketing, Jennifer Davis (shown below interviewed by Runco Dealer, Advanced Home Theater) provided some insight into the Planar Silhouette and how with its endless configuration possibilities, is able to conform to specific architectural/design concepts.

Click here for the full blog post from Advanced Home Theater on the Planar Silhouette.

Picture This

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:30:00 GMT

635 million in three days. No, that is not the number of votes from the last American Idol finale or even the amount of money raised by the winning candidate in the last election. 635 million is actually the amount of money raised in three evenings of art sales by Philips de Pury, Christie’s and Sotheby’s last week in New York. With well over a half a billion dollars pumping through the art world in only three days it is clear the art world has not heard that the economy hasn’t fully recovered.

This latest news might surprise many, but not Planar. Planar vision for the convergence of art and technology will make its debut at the end of this month with a showcase at several venues during the highly acclaimed Design Miami and Art Basel Miami Beach event. Planar will kick off the week at Design Miami with by-invitation press and industry event on November 30^th at Avant Gallery in creative partnership with Surface Magazine entitle ‘Pictures + Furniture.’ The exhibit is in its third year at Avant Gallery, but will mark the first time Planar will be participating; providing several large digital displays for top industrial designers and furniture artists to display their video art presentations.

In addition to the ‘Pictures + Furniture’ event, Planar is equally excited to be showcasing exhibits at the PULSE contemporary art show at the Cristin Tierney Gallery, featuring the digital artist Yorgo Alexpoulous’ work on Planar’s Clarity™ Matrix LX-46 media wall. Finally, Miami SOLO, presented by Artexpo, will include a showcase of two prototypes of Digital Canvas™ in partnership with Samsung Semiconductor.

Planar is eagerly anticipating all the events and is looking forward mingling with the art world to learn from and gather feedback regarding ongoing product development designed for this community. If you have plans to be in Miami Beach during the time of Design Miami and Art Basel please let us know as we would love to extend an personal invitation for you to join us at the ‘Pictures + Furniture’ event.

Runco dealer DJS in Austin,TX invites you to a special event: Tour de Toys on Nov 18th & 19th

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:25:00 GMT

For reservations and information, please call 512-244-9311 and visit Dale Johnson Systems.

Runco Dealer Haas Entertainmant unveils Impressive 3D System and Home Automation

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:17:00 GMT

Culver City, CA—November 17, 2011—Haas Entertainment will be unveiling its new state-of-the-art 3D video projection system featuring a Runco LED Projector and a 14 foot-wide Vutec screen. Haas Entertainment will also be showcasing the latest home automation controls from Crestron. Designers, contractors, architects, the media and the public are invited to see first-hand how this system works at a special event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Haas Entertainment’s showroom at 5774 Uplander Way in Culver City.

The new D-73d passive 3D projector from Runco, manufacturer of the finest home theater
display products, will be on display along with the Vutec 3D Passive Vision X Silverstar screen. This projector integrates two independent projection units using CSV™ (Constant Stereoscopic Video) architecture, a technology that delivers a constant HD image to each eye without the flicker, distortion, or discomfort inherent in other approaches. This projector is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and along with the high-gain, contrast and color reproduction of the Vutec Vision X Silverstar, offers an experience that until now has been reserved for the finest public theaters. There will also be a demonstration

of Runco’s Autoscope™ anamorphic lens system for full-frame 2.35:1 video projection and anautomated screen masking system from Vutec that allows for perfectly proportioned images in 4:3, 16:9 and 2.35:1 formats.

In addition, Haas Entertainment will be showing a new home automation system from Crestron.
See how all a home’s electronic devices including audio & video, lighting, shades, thermostats
and even security systems can be integrated for seamless control from an in-wall touch panel or
mobile device. This unique system will allow you to monitor your surveillance cameras or control your lights and thermostats on the go as easily as it will at home.

For over 30 years, Haas Entertainment has been southern California’s leading provider of audio
and video solutions for homes, vehicles and businesses. With a well-trained and professional
staff, Haas Entertainment guides its customers through the often complex design process with
sensitivity and attention to detail. The quality of work has given Haas Entertainment a reputation
among entertainment and top business professionals for being the best place to outfit their homes, cars, location trailers, yachts, businesses and corporate headquarters.

For further information call 310-641-4700 or email: info@haasentertainment.com

Audio Video Design hosts an Evening of Extraordinary Experiences on November 17th

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:25:00 GMT

Audio Video Design will be hosting a VIP event at the beautiful new showroom in the Laguna Design Center on November 17th for an evening featuring exotic cars and live music featuring Steinway Lyngdorf's flaghship Model D Music System. RSVP by November 14th to melissac@avdinc.com or
or call (949) 716-1099.

REPOST: The latest in 3D: the Planar 3D Matrix goes live!

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:54:00 GMT

It's what the 3D Roundabout caught already at the prototype stage earlier this year, but now it is launched and being installed as well! First installlation can be seen the University of Illinois Chicago's Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL) in a class room setting. The Cyber-Commons 3D is a class room facility featuring six wide by three high Matrix 3D video wall, made from our 46" Matrix displays, which allows 2D and 3D visualization and collaboration. You can read more about the installation from EVL's own websit e.

The new 3D Matrix will be at show this week at the SuperComputing 2011 at Louisiana State University, where Planar can be found exhibiting at booth number 2836.

To find out more about the Planar 3D Matrix and read the rest of this post, visit www.Planar3D.com or click here.

Congratulations, Hariri & Hariri!

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:52:00 GMT

The internationally acclaimed sister team, Hariri & Hariri – Architecture has a new accolade to add to their impressive credentials. Their monograph “Hariri & Hariri – Architecture: Buildings & Projects” is featured in the new Brad Pitt movie, “Moneyball.” It is sitting on the coffee table in the beach home of his ex-wife (played by Robin Wright). Of course, this accolade competes with many others, including an Interior Design Magazine “Best of the Year Award” and recognition in industry publications and on HGTV. We have enjoyed partnering with this dynamic duo in a variety of projects and activities and are excited about their ongoing success. Congratulations, Gisue and Mojgan!

Runco Academy 2012 dates announced!

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 22:42:00 GMT

First, the Runco family would like to welcome our last Runco Academy class of 2011 to Planar Systems headquarters in Beaverton, OR. Runco Academy is a 4-day long intensive product training available for Runco Reps, Dealers and Distributors.

Here are the class dates for 2012:

February 24-27

May 11-14 (tentative)

July 20-23

For more information or if you have any questions, please email marketing@runco.com Hope to see you there!

The Magic is in the Mix

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:53:00 GMT

By Jennifer Davis

Last night I attended a private designer reception at Williams-Sonoma. Apparently, Portland’s swank NW 23^rd store is one of two in the world that display not only their kitchen and gourmet products, but also their furniture and accessory lines. I had a chance to talk with Monelle Totah, their VP of product development about trends in the home. She repeated the emphasizes on hearth and home, with great rooms becoming more common place and dining, casual seating, and storage all sharing space in the home.

She emphasized the importance of mixing styles. The gray, heavily-weathered “Belgium” look which is gaining popularity, can be brightened with other colors and pieces. Being a fan of textiles, she suggested adding texture and color in fabrics, upholstery, and accessories like table linens and pillows. She also said how shiny “Hollywood glamour” pieces can be combined with distressed antiques (literally their new “found” line is one-of-the-kind upcycled pieces that they buy in international flea markets). The magic is in the mix.

When asked specifically about technology in the home, something conspicuously absent in their beautifully-appointed showroom, she smiled and commented that she was glad she didn’t have to worry about it in their showrooms. They have a few console pieces that could work for “entertainment centers” and they have a few hutch or chest pieces that could accommodate a Runco Vistage display, but that isn’t really the focus of their offering. She said that at the Highpoint Furniture Fair last week there were more and more entertainment furniture pieces that put the displays out front-and-center rather than hiding them away, which has always been her preference. We discussed that even though technology is a big part of these gathering spaces in the home, designers and their clients are often left to their own devices to solve the challenge of where to put it and how to integrate it into the overall aesthetic.

Runco has responded with products that can be customized, color-matched, and framed to match the style and décor of the room, rather than fighting with it. See the FinishPalette and FrameGallery catalogs for more details.

The magic of Runco extends to helping clients, and the authorized resellers and designers and architects who advise them, to get the mix right!

Paramount enters online streaming rental market with latest 'Transformers' movie

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:10:00 GMT

Paramount Pictures is currently offering a direct-to-consumer online rental streaming option of the latest "Transformers film "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." For $4.99, you get a HD stream of the movie (currently available on DVD) direct to your PC for 48 hours. Warner Bros. Studios has tried a similar direct-to-consumer online streaming option via Facebook offering online rentals of "The Dark Knight."

You're Invited! Sense Audio to showcase D-73d projector and Vistage plasma display on November 1st

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:59:00 GMT

ET Host Nancy O'Dell's Poolside Theater includes a Runco CP-52HD Weather-Proof Display

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 23:29:00 GMT

Entertainment Tonight host, Nancy O'Dell likes to spend a lot of time outdoors with her family. So they had a beautiful outdoor poolside theater built in their home and installed a Runco Climate Portfolio CP-52HD weather-proof display. The CP-52HD LCD display features an aluminum cabinet sealed to ensure protection from the elements and a specially-designed internal ventilation system to provide adequate cooling, allowing you to leave it outside all year round.

To read more about the features of Nancy O'Dell's outdoor theater, click here.

Finding Digital Wallpaper

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:31:00 GMT

By Jennifer Davis

As people are using the Runco WindowWall for art or ambiance, we get questions from our dealers and clients as to where they can find artwork to put on their WindowWall the shows off the massive resolution that is possible when you tile the displays together into a wall-size array. For instance, a 3x3 WindowWall of our HB-46 is over 4,000 pixels wide. Although it can certainly show video content from traditional sources like BluRay or cable and people have appreciated the flexibility, however higher resolution artwork is stunning on the display as well.

There are a variety of stock photography and video houses that provide high-resolution imagery and video that could be used to transform your WindowWall from entertainment to art. Most have online collections numbering in the millions that you can browse, preview in “light box” mode, and license in multiple resolutions. Remember that most of this photography or illustrations were created for print, which requires very high resolution artwork (much greater than what is typical for even HD video). Here are a few of our favorites:

Pond5: Their collection features photography, video, and illustrations. They offer week’s free downloads so that you can test content.
iStockPhoto.com: Their collection also features photography, video, illustrations, and Flash animations. They represent several video artists and agencies and can even broker custom commissions.
ArtBeats: they specialize in video footage, up to 4K resolution, and offer a free research service to find the perfect piece for you.
gettyimages: One of the leading sources for journalists, their collection includes a variety of entertainment and sports imagery featuring celebrities and professional athletes.
CorbisIMAGES: Their collection includes world events and fine art.
Fotosearch: they are an aggregator of professional images and footage and are a favorite of corporate brands.

Of course, there is a vibrant and growing community of video artists that are using a digital canvas to create incredible artwork by custom commission or for license. You can find their work featured in museums, galleries, and online. You’ll see their work in commercial projects in hotels, airports, and the like. They exhibit at art shows for private and institutional collectors like Art Basel, Art Expo, and in galleries for Art Week in New York, Los Angeles, and Milan. We have begun to develop some relationships of our own with this community and would be happy to make a recommendation.

And let’s not forget that you don’t have to look past your own camera as a source of art. 9 megapixel or higher digital cameras are very common and produce native photography that is larger than native pixel of most WindowWall installations. Your own family photos, vacation pictures, and the like can become beautiful digital wallpaper on your WindowWall. For higher-than-HD resolution video, you might just want to splurge on a RED digital camera and turn yourself into a filmmaker in your own right.

Happy 33rd Anniversary to Haas Entertainment!

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:41:00 GMT

Runco dealer, Haas Entertainment is celebrating 33 years in business with an anniversary party tomorrow! If you're in the Culver City, CA area, visit their showroom to see the spectacular Runco D-73d projector in 3D and 2D.

For more information , please click on their invite here.

Congratulations Haas Entertainment!

Runco Dealer Liptons Receives Rave Customer Review

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:55:00 GMT

Liptons, a Runco dealer in Canada recently received a great review by a client on customer review site, Customer Lobby, for a custom installation in a multi-purpose theatre room that included a LightStyle™LS-5 with CineGlide projector install.

"During the installation there were several contractors present, and the Lipton's crew worked very well with my designer. Lindsay continuously monitored prices throughout the process, and was able to suggest better equipment as the prices changed. In the end, I received a higher quality system than I originally anticipated, and they still came in under budget."

Great job, Liptons! To read the entire review, please click here.

Runco Dealer La Scala features Runco WindowWall at IDSWest 2011

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 23:31:00 GMT

The Interior Design Show West (IDSWest 2011) is an annual residential design show in Canada that features 200 exhibitors showcasing design forward, high quality interior products and services to an audience of industry professionals, architects, designers, consumers and media. Runco Dealer, La Scala, participated at IDS West this year with a stunning, eye-catching booth that showcased both the Runco WindowWall Media Wall and Runco Vistage V-63HD Ultra Thin Display.

Below are a few pictures of the La Scala booth and the Runco Window Wall at IDSWest 2011:

For more pictures of their booth, please check out their blog post about the event: http://blog.lascala.ca/

Runco Vistage V-63HD: Big Values in Big TVs

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 22:01:00 GMT

The Runco Vistage V-63HD was recently featured in an article by The Street on high-end TVs featuring more affordable pricing.

On the Runco Vistage V-63HD-

Runco Vistage V-63 Ultra-Thin Display (contact a local dealer for a quote)
No question, Runco is not a big, big TV maker. Other giants such as LG and Philips are making larger sets of note. Still, you must check out this company's Ultra-Thin line. Not only is this set terrific to look at, but with its usual great-is-never-enough ethic Runco has literally taken back the TV. (Meaning you can custom finish a veil that attaches to the rear of the set in whatever material you like: metal, woods, fabrics, murals and other designs.) Better yet, entry-level Vistage models can be had in the $6,000 range, according to dealers I spoke with, for a 55-inch model before the cost to install. For a TV this good, that's not so pricey. Certainly on the bigger end, Runco sets can get out of hand, but at this point in the line the company is in step with other value high-end TVs. And there is no denying the quality here.

To read the rest of the article, please visit TheStreet.com and for more information on the Runco Vistage V-63HD, please click here.

2011 Electronic Lifestyles Award Winner: Sublime Integration

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 21:56:00 GMT

Runco would like to recognize Runco dealer, Sublime Integration for their 2011 Electronic Lifestyles Level V: $325,500-$424,000 Bronze award in the category ‘Home Theater Technical Design’ and their 2011 Electronic Lifestyles Level VI $600,000-$980,500 Gold award in the category ‘Integrated Home-Technical Design.’ Both awards were presented this year at CEDIA 2011.

Their installation featured the Runco Signature Cinema SC-50d Projector. For more photos and to view a slideshow of this year’s Electronic Lifestyle Design Awards winners, please visit CEDIA.net

How Do LCD Screens Work?

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 23:34:00 GMT

Liquid Crystal Display technology has been around for decades. Digital watches and calculators use the ability of the crystals to become opaque when receiving electricity to display information in a small format. The crystalline compound is transparent when no electricity is applied. Stepping up to something like an LCD TV uses essentially the same technology, just applied on a larger scale. Each pixel on an LCD display is made up of three individual crystals: a red, a green and a blue one. Then, depending on how much electricity is applied to each crystal it will block some or all of the light passing through it.

Imagine shining a flashlight through colored plastic and layering different colors on top of each other. The different amounts of red, green and blue give all the possible colors you can see on your TV screen. One of the key things about LCD technology is that the crystals don’t produce any light of their own, rather they rely on a backlight to shine through and produce the image. Because of this when a typical LCD has the backlight turned up for high brightness you can lose out on the deep blacks in the color spectrum since each black pixel is actually an LCD electrified to be opaque. In order to compare how black the blacks are on a TV compared to bright whites the industry has started talking about a contrast ratio. The larger the ratio, the bigger the difference between the brightness of white pixels and the darkness of black pixels. In order to make the best LCD screens in the world, Runco has applied a coating technology known as Acute Contrast Enhancement which triples the contrast ratio.

Another issue that plagues typical LCD screens is their visibility in bright light. If you can remember the last time you took your laptop computer outside, you’ll know how easy it can be for an LCD display to get washed out with a lot of ambient light. Since the crystals become opaque they can start reflecting the ambient light which competes with the backlight coming from the display itself. The result is you can’t see what you’re watching. Runco believes that you should be able to see your TV any time of the day or night, so they developed Ambient Light-Rejection which cuts down ambient light reflecting off of the LCD pixels by 20 times. Less light hitting the pixels means a sharper, easier-to-see picture for you.

The way that the liquid crystals work is by being suspended between two layers of glass and then a thin-film transistor supplies the electrical current to the crystals. That’s great for the technology, but glass is fragile and most TVs live in a high traffic area. To protect the precious crystals, Runco created Impact, Shake and Shock Protection which keeps out dust and protects the screen from the bumps and bruises of everyday life.

Together these enhancements to flat panel display technology are known as OPAL and they help make good LCD displays into the world’s finest.

D-73d Ultra: Superior 3-D projection with a longer throw option

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 22:10:00 GMT

Have you heard about the latest expansion of the 3Dimension™ Series, the D-73d Ultra? The D-73d Ultra has the same award-winning CSV 3D, 3Dimension processing and PreciseLight optical system, now in a longer throw distance for installation flexibility and best in class optical performance, designed for higher sharpness and lower color distortion.

The D-73d Ultra like all 3Dimension™ Series projectors pair with passive glasses, with a design unique to Runco formulated for precise stereo separation, called Preciselight™. When paired with Runco CSV which projects constant images to both the left and right eye simultaneously into the same space, the proprietary passive glasses show the dedicated image to its intended eye without sacrificing refresh rate or introducing flicker for the best 3D at-home experience.

To learn more about the D-73d Ultra, click here.

Fusion Kitchen

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:51:00 GMT

The “Interactive Video Backsplash” is a demonstration of the latest in display technology coupled with a complete home control system. Imagine a backsplash that can be any image or video that you choose (select from a standard tile backsplash, a video of ocean waves, a collage of your personal photos, or a mixture of all of the above). The backsplash also has the capacity to display live TV, DVD/Blu-Ray, computer or any other source of material. Optionally, the backsplash could be a touch-screen interface allowing you to interact with the various systems including control of music, lighting, security, HVAC, window blinds and security cameras. You can even see who is at the front door.

A typical use might be that while you are cooking, you have your backsplash as a set of photographs that is slowly transitioning from one scene to the next. At the same time a smaller window within the backsplash might contain the recipe (with photographs) of the meal you are cooking (or a YouTube video demonstrating the method of cooking). You can even have another area of the screen to do your email, see updates on Facebook, or catch those tweets coming in. Finally, by adding a small camera to the system, the entire screen could become a Skype/Facetime monitor such that you could have face to face conversations. When you are not cooking the images can be changed to suit the mood. Imagine having all these possibilities while entertaining! This amazing concept was developed by Canadian integrators Architronics and Ariel Muller Designs.

Repost: CEDIA 2011: The Video Stuff (pt. 1)

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 23:59:00 GMT

By: John Sciacca

September 26, 2011

Runco used to be a spectacle or Circus Maximus at CEDIA. They would pair with giant speaker, amp, wire, seating and acoustical treatment partners to build these themed cities where they would put on million dollar plus demos that would often have hour-plus waits to get inside. Seriously, the Runco booth was like the Space Mountain attraction at Disneyland. And my press badge was like the Fast Pass.

Now, Runco only has a small presence on the showfloor, instead sending dealers up to a darkened viewing room where they can get group demos of the new products. I attended their press conference on Friday and am glad that I did. Last year Runco wowed me with their D-73d, what I called (I’m paraphrasing because I don’t feel like looking up my exact quote), “The best, most eye-comfortable 3D at the Show.” This feeling was reaffirmed when I flew out to Runco’s Oregon HQ and spent an entire 8 hour day watching/reviewing the D-73d. From an eye-fatigue standpoint, the D-73d is about as easy on the eyes as 2D.

So, I was told to expect something even more awesome but along the same lines at this year’s show. So I dutifully headed out of the Resi Daily room and starting walking. And walking. And walking. Then I saw this:

Finally though I reached the Sagamore Ballroom and settled in to see a giant-ass 215-inch wide screen. This was a serious screen for some serious movie watching. And then the lights went down and Runco unleashed the D-113d.

This is the brightest projector that Runco has ever produced, capable of blasting out 11,570 lumens and probably incinerating any flying bugs that might foolishly cross its beam path. Even on this giant screen -- and showing perhaps the only CEDIA demonstration of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ever -- the image was like an awesomely ultra-bright, double-fisted retina punch! I fully expected to see people that stupidly turned around to look back into the supernova sun blast of the lens to have their eyes catch on fire and burn out of their sockets Raiders of the Lost Ark style. (Best...Press...Conference....EVER!) This thing was AMAZINGLY bright. How bright? How about 100 foot lambers on that 215-inch screen bright! Imagine if there was a 20-cell Mag-Lite. Then imagine if you focused that beam down until it was like a lightsaber of light intensity. That would still probably not be as bright as this. Oh. And PS: it still had awesome contrast and black levels.

To read the rest of his article, visit ‘John Sciacca Writes’ blog at http://johnsciacca.webs.com/apps/blog/entries/show/8793157-cedia-2011-the-video-stuff-pt-1- and also check out our Facebook page for more CEDIA shots of the D-113d and more!

Join us for the Video Wall Technology Seminar at IIDEX

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:11:00 GMT

Jennifer Davis, VP of Marketing at Runco will be presenting a seminar introducing media-wall technology to the design community at IIDEX (Canada’s National Design Exposition and Conference) on Friday, September 23, 2011, 8:30 – 9:30am.
For more information click here.

Introducing the Runco VideoXtreme™ VX-11d projector:

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:50:00 GMT

Runco is proud to announce the new VX-11d – the latest addition to the high performance, award-winning VideoXtreme™ projector family. The 3-chip VX-11d with 1080p SuperOnyx™ combines incredible contrast and brightness with ultra-high resolution to make it the perfect projector for the luxury media room.

Runco’s advanced Vivix™ digital video processing is included to enhance picture quality from standard video sources, as well as provide artifact-free scaling. Also included are discrete input source, aspect ratio, power on/off, HDMI™ input and an RS-232 interface for seamless integration with automation control systems. The VX-11d is also available with Runco’s Cinewide™ with Autoscope™ technology for an unparalleled reproduction of the Hollywood 2.35:1 Cinemascope standard.

To learn more about the Runco VX-11d, click here.
To learn more about Cinewide, download our Guide to Cinewide ® e-book.

High performance, ultra-short throw projection brings superior viewing in any setting with the LS-100d

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:23:00 GMT

Runco is proud to expand its best-selling LightStyle™ Series projectors, with the new LS-100d. Runco’s LS-100d with NEAR (Next generation Extreme Aligned Reflection™) ultra-short throw lens system delivers a stunning 92-inch diagonal image that fits any home theater setting. This clever industrial design allows incredible installation flexibility with a depth of only 18-inches. The LS-100d mounts flush to the screen wall and can be mounted above, or below the screen.

With Runco’s Infinilight™ lampless LED illumination technology, this projector boasts a 70% power savings and requires little maintenance. The LS-100d ships with Runco’s advanced Vivix™ digital video processing to enhace picture quality from standard video sources.

For more info on the Runco LS-100d, click here.

Introducing the Runco 3Dimension™ D-113d: Super bright, commercial-grade 3D projector offers luxury home cinema like you’ve never seen

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 20:30:00 GMT

September 13, 2011

Runco is proud to announce the new addition to the Runco 3Dimension™ family, the D-113d. The D-113d pairs Runco’s unique, award-winning Constant Stereoscopic Video™ (CSV) approach with the optical filters and glasses of the Panavision 3D System® – which has been developed for premiere commercial cinemas. The result is the brightest CSV projection in the world, and an exceptional 3D, as well as 2D, experience for private theaters.

The D-113d projector allows for screens up to 420” and is Runco’s biggest and brightest solution at 11, 570 CSMS lumens. It is available with Runco’s legendary CineWide ™ with AutoScope™ technology allowing for unparalleled reproduction of Hollywood’s 2.35:1 CinemaScope standard.

For more information about the D-133d, please click here.

CE Pro Best 2011 Winner: Runco Vistage V-63HD

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 20:14:00 GMT

September 12, 2011

Runco is proud to announce that the Runco Vistage V-63HD ultra thin flat panel TV won a CE Pro BEST award in the Flat Panel TV category. Winners were announced at CEDIA 2011.

For list of all CE Pro BEST 2011 winners, click here.

For more information about the Runco Vistage V-63HD, click here.

CEDIA 2010 Electronic Lifestyles Winner: Engineered Environments

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 21:07:00 GMT

September 2, 2011

With CEDIA 2011 coming up just next week, Runco would like to recognize yet another Runco dealer with an award-winning home theater installation from CEDIA 2010. Engineered Environments from Alameda, CA received the CEDIA 2010 award for Best Hidden Installation Overall Winner.

See photos of their eye-popping installation at CEDIA.net

CEDIA 2010 Electronic Lifestyles Winner: Audio Video Design

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 23:46:00 GMT

In anticipation of CEDIA 2011 in September, Runco would like to recognize another Runco dealer with an award-winning home theater installation from CEDIA 2010. Audio Video Design received the CEDIA 2010 Silver Technical Design award for Large Home Theater Level III: $200,000 - $240,000.

Photos of their installation are available at CEDIA.net.

Runco at CEDIA 2011

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:10:00 GMT

It's nearly time for CEDIA 2011 and if you thought Runco was huge last year, just wait until you see the products for 2012!

Visit Runco on the show floor to see the ultra-thin and sleek Runco Vistage V-63HD and a unique configuration of the Runco WindowWall in booth #3517.

For questions about Runco at CEDIA 2011, email cedia@runco.com.

Architecture Goes To The Movies

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 23:09:00 GMT

Combining two of our loves, iconic architecture and movies, Architectural Digest has published their round up of Hollywood films that prominently feature buildings and interiors in key roles. Too bad they don't give Oscars to the "best supporting architectural design.

http://www.architecturaldigest.com/resources/features/2011/09/must-see-architecture-design-films#slide=10

Introducing the Runco Quantum Color™ Q-650i: Unsurpassed performance in an energy-efficient package

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 23:43:00 GMT

Runco is proud to announce an addition to the Runco QuantumColor™ Q-650i. This LED theater projector utilizes lampless technology which uses 70% less power than lamp-based projection and requires no maintenance. In addition, the Q-650i pairs QuantumColor’s revolutionary technological advancements, like Runco SmartColor™and InstantOn™ to create an energy-efficient system, without mercury or lead, that delivers must-see projection performance. This combination makes the Q-650i the perfect solution for dedicated theaters.

The QuantumColor™Q-650i offers the largest color gamut ever available in home theater projection combining Runco’s Personal Color Equalizer™ proprietary color management with the ability to measure ColorContrast™, enabling colors to be ‘turned up’ to achieve greater realism and dimensionality. The result is an unsurpassed visual experience that must be seen to be understood.

For enhanced customization and aesthetic appeal the Q-650i can be customized with Runco’s ColourPalette™ design options to create a truly one-of-a-kind projector aligned with the aesthetic of the luxury home.

Electronic House Home of the Year 2011 Winner: Starr Systems

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 02:50:00 GMT

August 22, 2011

Runco would like to recognize Runco dealer, Starr Systems, for their 2011 Electronic House Home of the Gold award in the category, "Family/Media Room."

Starr Systems' "Out of Sight" installation featured the Runco VX-8d-CIN 1080p Video Projector, delivering native 720p HD high definition resolution, 12-degree mirror tilt for the finest black levels, and the DLP-based SuperOnyx 3-chip light engine.

For photos and details on these installations, visit ElectronicHouse.com.

A Perfect Fit

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:58:00 GMT

August 17, 2011

Your home is a reflection of you. We understand this, which is why we offer a wide variety of front projection and flat panel display technologies to fit your style and budget. Your style is what makes you, well, uniquely you.

Each projector is hand-crafted to the specifications of your room and designed to fit your lifestyle. Personalization options like FinishPalette and ColourPalette, extend the range of customizations. In short, we do more than make products that fit your room. We make products that fit you.

CEDIA 2010 Electronic Lifestyles Winner: H2 Systems

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:51:00 GMT

Among the many Runco dealers recognized with CEDIA Electronic LifestylesÆ awards in 2010 was Runco dealer H2 Systems, Inc. for two of their custom home theater installations.

H2 Systems received a Level II Bronze Technical Design award for Large Home Theater Level II: $140,000 - $180,000, as well as a Level IV Bronze Technical Design for Large Home Theater Level IV: $250,00 - $302,000.

For more information and to view photos of these award winning installations, visit CEDIA.net or www.h2systems.ca.

Runco's Most Affordable DLP Projector is Here

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:22:00 GMT

Runco® is excited to announce the newest addition to its critically-acclaimed LightStyle™ Series DLP™ projectors, the LS-1. The LS-1 is a single-chip 1080p DLP projector that provides an unprecedented option to homeowners looking for the performance and flexibility of a Runco projector at a very attractive price point.

"Runco’s LightStyle Series allows us to deliver Runco performance to a new group of clients,” said Brian Hudkins, president of Gramophone LTD. “The beauty of the LightStyle Series is that we have been able reach a larger customer base due to its affordability, without sacrificing performance OR reliability as these projectors meet the high quality standards of Runco.”

Read the full press release here.

Hollywood Hi-Tech Episode Featuring Oliver Stone and Runco Scheduled for August 10

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:48:00 GMT

Be sure to tune in August 10, 2011 at 9:30 pm e/p on the DIY Network for HollyWood Hi-Tech's upcoming episode with Oliver Stone.

The episode will feature a complete home theater make-over at the home of Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone and will include the installation of a Runco projector and LCD flat-panel display.

Click here to view a sneak peak of the show. For more details on Hollywood Hi-Tech's upcoming episodes, visit DIYNetwork.com.

Vote Now For the CEDIA/HGTVPro.com People's Pick Awards

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 23:38:00 GMT

CEDIA and HGTVPro.com have partnered to show consumers what CEDIA members have to offer with the CEDIA/HGTVPro.com People’s Pick Awards competition. All CEDIA Electronic Lifestyles® Awards entries for best Home Theater, Integrated Home, and Media Room have been entered.

Over 20,000 votes worldwide were cast for the competition last year. Be sure your vote counts. Visit the site here, review the projects, and vote your favorites. Forward the link to your friends and colleagues so they can vote too.

One winner in each category will be announced at the CEDIA Electronic Lifestyles® Awards Banquet. Voting for the CEDIA/HGTVPro.com People’s Pick Award closes September 2 at 5:00 p.m.

Quadrant Systems to Display Runco Vistage at Street of Dreams in Portland, OR

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:15:00 GMT

Come see the Runco Vistage V-50HD and V-63HD ultra-thin flat panels at the NW Natural Street of Dreams 2011. Also featured is a visually stunning, ultra-slim bezel, 2x2 WindowWall LCD display. Runco partnered with dealer Quadrant Systems in Portland for the show, August 6-23rd in Brentwood Estates on Bull Mountain.

For more information visit Quadrant Systems.

The Surround Sound Principle

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:57:00 GMT

August 2, 2011

By James Wood

I distinctly remember the first time I experienced surround sound. I was at my uncle’s house and he had just set up his system. He popped in a VHS tape of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and away we went feeling like the snow speeders were about to clobber us in the back of the head. It was an amazing jump forward in my home-theater experience. From then on I longed for surround sound of my very own.

Fast forward to college where my roommate supplied our tiny apartment with a surround sound set-up. He grabbed a home-theater-in-a-box that had the speakers, tuner and DVD player all bundled together. All we had to supply was the TV. The thing was that every time we switched from watching a movie to sports to sitcoms he would need to fiddle with the remote and change the surround sound settings. He would keep pressing buttons, interrupting the sound and creating a jarring experience. That was the beginning of what we’ve come to call “The Surround Sound Principle” in our house.

It all gelled for me when my other roommate moved out and bought his own surround sound tuner. He’s something of an audiophile, so I knew it would sound good, but what thrilled me was that it automatically adjusted its settings for each input. So he’d turn on his DVD player and the tuner would switch over to DVD mode. He’d fire up the game console and the tuner would recognize those settings and switch. He’d eliminated all the button mashing and moved to enjoying his entertainment.

Now when we talk about The Surround Sound Principle, what we mean is that technology needs to get out of the way and let us enjoy our entertainment. This can apply to quality as well as complexity. I was, shall we say, cheap when buying my first surround sound tuner (I was a broke grad student, in my defense), and it showed. Every time we tried to listen to something the tuner got in the way, with low sound levels, poor balance and just all around crudiness. I skimped on the quality and we suffered every time we wanted to use the tuner. My roommate in college skimped on the usability so we suffered.

Runco makes the kind of technology that will get out of the way of your entertainment. Though we don’t make surround sound tuners (your Runco dealer can recommend several that will suit you well), we do make everything up to the highest quality. You will know how to get the most out of your Runco product, from our outstanding dealers to our customer service to our calibration, and we promise that everything will look its best. Whether you’re getting an LED projector, a DLP projector, a Plasma display or an LCD display, your Runco product will meet The Surround Sound Principle with flying colors.

Knowledge is Power!

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:16:00 GMT

Digital media is evolving. Designers and architects are looking beyond traditional uses like way finding and advertising. Using digital media in place of traditional print artwork to create a living space or configuring displays in a free-standing sculpture are just a few of the innovative and remarkable ways to move beyond the big black box. Even with mainstream media wall installations, you can transform a space or achieve business objectives in new and dynamic ways.

Planar (Runco's parent company) can help get you started in digital media design by offering an opportunity to learn the basics of designing media walls through our free online training course: Designing Media Walls: Imagery, video, and information on digital canvases. The one-hour course provides a primer on media wall technology, reviewing key specification items, components, a list of design considerations, case studies and a review of media wall trends. Upon course completion you are eligible to earn AIA (American Institute of Architects) and state credit and qualify for HSW. Register today!

Upcoming Hollywood Hi-Tech Episode Featuring Nancy O'Dell Scheduled for July 27

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:12:00 GMT

Be sure to tune in to the upcoming episode of Hollywood Hi-Tech, scheduled for July 27, 2011 at 9:30 pm e/p on the DIY Network.

The episode will feature a complete home theater make-over in the home of Entertainment Tonight host Nancy O'Dell.

Also, tune in on August 10 when Hollywood Hi-Tech features a visit to the home of Oliver Stone and the installation of a Runco 3-chip DLP projector and 65-inch LCD flat-panel display.

Electronic House Home of the Year 2011 Winner: Hometronics

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 02:57:00 GMT

July 22, 2011

Runco would like to recognize Runco dealer, Hometronics, for their 2011 Electronic House Home of the Year Silver awards in the categories of "Family/Media Room" and "Outdoor Space."

Hometronics' massive "Custom Sized Entertainment" installation in Dallas featured a 103-inch, Runco XP-103DHD Plasma Display, as well as two, 50-inch Runco 1080p plasma displays.

For their award-winning outdoor "Supersize Me" installation, Hometronics installed the Runco MBX-1, DLP Projector which was previously used inside the property.

For photos and details on these installations, visit ElectronicHouse.com.

Lions and Tigers and Bears

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:38:00 GMT

July 20, 2011

By James Wood

In 1985 when Back to the Future came out and Dr. Brown shouted out the results of his calculation, the amount of electricity needed to power the flux-capacitor: “One point twenty-one jigawatts!” It was almost like he was speaking a foreign language. Most of us hadn’t heard of a jiga- anything, and it wasn’t until later that we learned that giga- is what came after mega- and the ‘g’ has a hard sound (silly Doc Brown).

Sometimes it feels the same when hearing about all the ways to measure a home theater projector. There are lumens, candles and foot-Lamberts all used to describe the brightness of projectors, but there’s not much context for what those numbers realistically mean. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) tried to bring some clarity to the situation by defining lumens precisely for the purposes of home theater projection. Without getting into all the formulas, just know that a lumen is the output of one candle emitted. A typical light bulb will send out about 1500 lumens.

So you might see ANSI-lumens listed on a projector and that gives you a specific amount of brightness that you can compare to other projectors. That’s good since you can compare one projector to another, but it doesn’t help much when you want to know how the projector will actually look in your house. Measuring lumens is the equivalent of measuring the output of the projector, not what actually reflects off of the screen. It’s much easier to calculate the lumens since you don’t have to take into account the variables of the screen and room lighting when doing the measurement, but the result is not as helpful when it comes time to pick out a projector.

Foot-Lamberts are the measurement used by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) to determine how bright a movie theater projector should be. One Foot-Lambert is one candle divided by pi per square foot of reflected light. The reflection is the important part, since it doesn’t measure how much light is coming out of the projector, but how much is bouncing off the screen at the people watching the movie.

The SMPTE set the standard of 16 fL for movie theater screens (but they often fall short of that mark), so if you have a comparable projector in your home it will be as bright as the movie theater experience.

But you don’t have to settle for a movie theater experience. Take, for example, the Runco Signature Cinema SC-1 Projector, instead of a measly 16 fL it blasts out 331 fL of brightness, making it effectively 20 times brighter than a movie theater. Now that’s something you can compare, or as Doc Brown would say: “Great Scott!”

Premiere of Hollywood Hi Tech on the DIY Network Scheduled for July 20

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:19:00 GMT

July 18, 2011

Be sure to tune into the premiere of Hollywood Hi Tech, scheduled for July 20, 2011 at 9:30 pm e/p on the DIY Network.

Episode 1 will feature the installation of a Runco LightStyle projector in the home of Entourage star Kevin Connolly.

Watch preview content from the show, including featured highlights of Runco installations and consultations with the stars, including Kevin Connolly, Nancy O'Dell, Oliver Stone, and Patrick Warburton.

View Teaser 1

View Teaser 2

For more show details, visit DIYNetwork.com.

Impossible in Theory

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:38:00 GMT

July 14, 2011

By James Wood

“A symptom of the revolution: When we state something is impossible in theory, but then change our minds when we discover that it is possible in practice.” ~ Seth Godin

It’s easy to sit back and say that things are impossible. It’s an excuse to not try. If something’s just not possible then it needs no thought, no action. But the world has been shaped by people who dare to challenge the limits of what’s possible. Heavier than air flight, the light bulb, the four minute mile, and a global computer network are just a few possibilities that were once thought impossible. Nearly every story in the history books is about someone standing toe-to-toe with impossible and wrestling success out of its grasp.

Impossible takes a long time to realize, but before too long it becomes the new standard. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) were first created in 1927, but it wasn’t until the late 60s and early 70s that the technology became inexpensive enough for mass production. But the energy efficient, solid-state light sources were always too dim for anything except indicator lights. It was considered impossible to use them as a significant source of light.

But now LEDs are brighter than ever and keep increasing in brightness all the time. The once dim-bulbs are now at the head of the class in new technologies like the Runco InfiniLight™ LED Projectors. Because LEDs are solid state, they won’t burn out and don’t need to be replaced like typical lamp projectors. They don’t produce the same level of heat because the LEDs are more efficient at turning electricity into light without waste, and with Runco’s image processing, they modulate to match the color and brightness intensity of each frame. That efficiency results in a 70% drop in power consumption over lamp projectors. Just a few years ago all those things would be considered impossible. Not anymore.

The Infinilight technology pioneered by Runco gives not only consistent, bright light over the life of a projector, but the widest range of colors ever seen. Not only is there a myriad of colors, but the colors are accurate to what you’re viewing due to the color calibration that happens automatically every time you power on your Runco projector. Stop worrying about warm up or cool down time. Instead, turn the projector on and off instantly when you want to watch a movie or when you’re ready to leave.

At Runco, the impossible isn’t a barrier but a starting point. Anyone can do what’s always been done. Most people look at the impossible and see it as the place to stop. History makers see a challenge to be overcome and a new standard to be set. Let the home theater revolution begin!

CEDIA 2010 Electronic Lifestyles Winner: La Scala

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:29:00 GMT

July 11, 2011

In preparation for CEDIA 2011 in September, Runco would like to recognize another Runco dealer with an exceptional, award-winning home theater installation from CEDIA 2010. La Scala received the CEDIA 2010 Gold Technical Design award for Large Home Theater Level III: $200,000-$240,000. Photos of their installation are available at CEDIA.net.

The submission deadline for the 2011 CEDIA Attendee's Choice Awards is fast approaching. To submit a new product released in the market in 2011 visit CEDIA.net/awards.

Distinct Flavors

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 21:54:00 GMT

July 8, 2011

By James Wood

If you’ve ever gone to Taco Bell, you might notice something about the food. It’s essentially the same ingredients packaged in slightly different ways: meat, cheese and tortilla. Tacos, burritos, gorditas or tostadas are all basically the same food in slightly different packaging. It all tastes the same and it all tastes like Taco Bell.

Not long ago I wanted to share one of the classics of cinema with some friends. Sam Rami’s Army of Darkness in which Bruce Campbell travels back in time to fight the hordes of Evil Dead with his “boom stick.” We sat down in front of their brand-new high definition, flat screen TV and began to watch the movie. It didn’t take more than a few minutes for me to notice that something was wrong. Things looked, well, weird. My best description was that things looked soap-opera-ey. Everything looked flat and over-lit.

I didn’t want to be a bad guest so I finished watching the movie, but the whole time I was noticing the odd way that this movie appeared on my friends TV. Later on I did some research to figure out what was going on. Their TV had a low quality video processor in it that tried to up-convert the standard definition DVD to high definition. The result was that everything looked the same.

The problem is that movies are made to be blurry at times. When you’re watching the final game of the NCAA tournament you want every detail to be crisp, so a high refresh rate is just the thing. But movies are made by directors who want to show you their vision of the world. Sam Rami used blurring during camera pans to hide some of the special effects flaws. Making the background fuzzy in relation to the foreground is a way that directors draw our attention to the important elements in the story. But with the overly high refresh rate on their run-of-the-mill television flattened it out and all the details looked the same.

A cheap video processor is the same as a cheap fast food meal. Just like everything on the menu at Taco Bell tastes the same, all the images on my friends TV looked pretty much identical. But Runco DHD video controllers are more like a chef at a fine restaurant than the kid at Taco Bell. Each flavor in an exquisite meal is distinct and pairs well with the other flavors to create a total experience that is far beyond any one of the components. If the incoming signal is a grainy like old black-and-white film, the DHD won’t wash out all of the character the director poured into the celluloid, but rather massage it and present it beautifully. Standard definition DVDs, HD Sports, old movies and cutting edge Blu-ray blockbusters are all seamlessly brought to life on a Runco flat panel or projector without losing the flavor of the original.

Home Décor vs. The TV

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:38:00 GMT

July 6, 2011

By James Wood

My wife keeps trying to convince me that the TV isn’t supposed to be the center of the room. I can’t figure out why a couch should face two chairs instead of a big, television set. Her argument is that the chairs and couch should be set up for conversation to be inviting and that the TV should be hidden when it’s not in use. Back when we had a giant tube set, we had to get one of the armoires to encase it so that people couldn’t tell that we had a TV in our living room.

If you’re of a mind to agree with my lovely wife, you might also question where a 65 inch TV could fit into a stylishly designed room. The traditional answer is to hang the TV on a wall, but then it’s still very obviously a TV on a wall. Sitting under it is always a bit awkward since you’re always aware of the television set directly above your head.

People after the same mind as my wife helped to make Runco LCD displays not only stunning to look at when they’re on, but beautiful to see when they’re off as well. First you start by selecting a frame from the Runco FrameGallery™, so instead of a typical flat-panel display border, you see a stunning picture frame. The wood or gold-leaf frames surround the black matte of the Runco Crystal Portfolio displays matching the style of frame and matting around a fine work of art.

My wife would be happy about the frame, but she would still say that it looks like a TV in a frame. Not to worry, Runco has thought of everything. You can add the amazing SilverSheen™ to your LCD display so that when the screen is turned off it is a mirror, then when the display is on you see your HD sports in perfect clarity. It’s the best of both worlds. Powered down it looks like a mirror with a finely crafted frame. But when switched on, you are staring at high definition picture quality with bright colors and deep blacks.

Electronic House Home of the Year 2011 Winner: Admit One Home Cinema

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:53:00 GMT

July 1, 2011

Runco would like to recognize Runco dealer, Admit One Home Cinema for their 2011 Electronic Lifestyles Home of the Year Award. Admit One received a gold medal within the "Themed Theater" category for their catacombs-styled installation, which involved adding a dedicated home theater room to the house and featured Runco's 3-chip 1080p HD resolution VideoXtreme™ VX-22 projector with an anamorphic lens for maximum flexibility and performance.

For photos and details on this installation, visit ElectronicHouse.com.

WindowWall Installation by Runco Dealer: Premiere Systems

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 01:39:00 GMT

June 30, 2011

Runco dealer, Premiere Systems in Chicago, IL installed a 2x2 Runco WindowWall LCD Video Wall in the Bentwood Kitchens showroom, in the Merchandise Mart.

Runco LightStyle LS-5 Projector Review by Art Feierman of ProjectorReviews.com

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 22:55:00 GMT

June 28, 2011

Runco is excited to announce a rave review of Runco’s LightStyle LS-5 projector.

“If the LS-5 projector is where your budget is happy, it's going to be a great choice. This is the projector that comes from a local dealer that is trained by Runco. Most can take you from an unfinished basement to a fabulous theater with all the trimmings if you want, or just provide the basics. The LightStyle LS-5 will provide an image of rich saturated and accurate colors. There's nothing to offend, with great shadow detail and very good black level performance among its peers. And Runco offers a good warranty, and optional support programs, allowing you to be downright pampered.”

Click here to read the full review.

Color is Light

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 01:27:00 GMT

June 27, 2011

By James Wood

Hearken back to the days of yore when you were learning anatomy and physiology (there will be a test). Remember what you learned about how the eye works (or just brush up). Essentially your eye perceives light and color separately. Rods are cells that detect light, especially low light. Cones are cells that detect color and detail. Light enters the lens of your eye and some of it hits the rods while other light hits the cones. The combined details of light and color are interpreted by your brain as what you see.

Your eye has about 15 times more rods than cones which means your eyes are a lot better at sensing light than they are at sensing color and detail. Try a little experiment the next time you’re sitting out at night and watching the stars appear. Use your peripheral vision instead of looking straight at the stars and you’ll be able to see more of them. The concentration of light-sensing rods is greater on the side of your eyes so you can see more subtle variations in light with your peripheral vision.

Very interesting, I know, but wait, there’s more. Did you know that most 3D technology is produced by alternating images for the left eye and right eye on the screen. Using polarized glasses (like you get in a movie theater) or shuttered glasses, the alternate images for each eye are produced dozens of times a second. What that means is that each eye is getting less light and losing a huge chunk of the information that it needs to process a full image in your brain.

The next time you’re in a movie theater or watching a low-end 3D TV try this experiment (but make sure you are seated): look at the screen through your peripheral vision. You’ll probably see a flicker or stutter. This is because the rod-heavy peripheral vision perceives the flickering light input, just like with the stars at night. One of the many reasons the 3D movies and TV can be fatiguing is that your brain is working harder to make sense of less information.

At Runco it’s not just about 3D, but 3D done right. So instead of alternating the left and right images Runco 3D created Constant Stereoscopic Vision so that both of your eyes get a constant stream of information, just like in the real world. So, instead of a dim image with flickering at the edges you see a bright, clear 3D projection. The reason why the D-73d 3D projector award after award is that Runco understands more than just home theater design. Runco understands how your eyes are designed.

Image Credit: Qin Liu, MD, PhD and Eric A. Pierce, MD, PhD, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health

Gotta Love This Gal: Frida Giannini of Gucci Can’t Live Without Her AV

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 22:00:00 GMT

June 24, 2011

I read with interest this article on Frida Giannini, the creative director of Gucci. This Rome-native listed out the “12 things she can’t live without” for Elle Décor Magazine. And what made the top 12? Besides “the seaside” (of course) and “lingerie” (ooow, la la), she also listed “DVDs” and “Vinyl Records.”

Apparently her late uncle was a DJ and left her his entire collection of 8,000 vinyl records, including lots of David Bowie and Roxy music. Plus, she listed movies like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “The Godfather” as some of her favorites. “They’re timeless,” she says.

So, although she runs one of the prominent fashion houses in the world, she also shares some hobbies and interests with Runco customers worldwide - her love of classic movies and meaningful music.

Stunning Clarity Matrix Installation by Runco Dealer: Sound Components, Inc.

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:43:00 GMT

June 23, 2011

Runco dealer, Sound Components, Inc. in Coral Gables, Florida installed a 2x2 Clarity Matrix LCD Video Wall in their store conference room.

Electronic House Home of the Year 2011 Winner: Home Connections KC

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 01:52:00 GMT

June 21, 2011

Runco would like to recognize Runco dealer, Home Connections KC, for their 2011 Electronic House Home of the Year Gold Award within the category: "Home Theater - $75,000-$150,000."

The custom home theater installation featured a sports theme and included multiple LCD displays, a main 110-inch screen, as well as Runco's LightStyle LS-3 DLP projector.

For photos and details on this installation, visit ElectronicHouse.com.

Calibrate Good Times

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:52:00 GMT

June 20, 2011

My uncle is a cabinet maker by trade – he’s an artist with woodworking. He’s said to me, “With every project you stick to the plans exactly . . . until after you’ve made the first cut.” What he means is that plans are a fantastic tool that must be in place, but getting into the project starts changing the plans almost immediately. From the beginning on it’s about varying the plans to fit the reality of the situation. The same could be said for any creative, artistic endeavor. Reality demands flexibility.

No matter how good we make Runco displays and projectors (and they are the best in the world), just the fact that you take it into your home changes everything. The ambient light, the color of your walls, the size of your room and so many other variables affect the artistry of displaying beautiful images in your home theater. All of the plans that were so helpful at the beginning, now need to be adjusted to match with the reality of your set-up.

Calibration allows each Runco display and projector to be finely tuned to its new home so that you will see the absolute best image quality. The Imaging Science Foundation has developed standards for calibration that require intensive training and expensive equipment, and the reality is that you won’t get a better viewing experience from your display than with a professional calibration. Your local Runco authorized dealer can provide you with top-notch, in-home calibration tailored to your exact situation. If you have a home theater room with controlled lighting for a consistent environment you won’t find a better solution than fine-tuned, professional calibration services.

But you’re not always in a home theater with the windows blacked out and the lights turned down. Sometimes you want to watch TV in your living room, but that means the light from windows and lamps is constantly changing. Not to worry, Runco has you covered with the LightStyle™ Series DLP projectors. They’re designed to give beautiful high-definition performance in a variety of lighting situations.

To start off, they keep the blacks black using SuperOnyx™ technology with ConstantContrast™. So, instead of seeing washed-out grey during the day and squint-inducing darkness at night, the image is consistently adjusted for the right level of contrast for the lighting conditions. Next, Runco has integrated ISF calibration right into the projector, so you can calibrate the projector yourself. More than that, there are memory settings for both day and night-time ISF calibrations so no matter what the ambient light is like, you’ll still get amazing video quality. We meet the reality of your life with the flexibility of on-board calibration. The artistry of video projection receives its finishing touches in your home.

CEDIA 2010 Electronic Lifestyles Winner: Epic Home Cinema

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:40:00 GMT

June 15, 2011

In continued recognition of the many award-winning installations at CEDIA last year and in preparation for CEDIA 2011 in September, Runco would like to recognize an impressive installation by Epic Home Cinema, Inc.

Epic Home Cinema received the CEDIA 2010 Electronic Lifestyles Gold Technical Design Award for Large Home Theater Level V: $400,000 - $530,000. Photos of their installation can be seen at CEDIA.net.

Attendees interested in having their say in the CEDIA 2011 Attendees' Choice Awards can place their vote for the best new product released in the market in 2011. Voting will open online at CEDIA.org/expo on Wednesday, September 7 at 8:00 a.m. and continue through Saturday, September 10 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The deadline for product submissions is Friday, July 29 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. For more information, visit CEDIA.net/awards.

Runco's D-73d Projector Receives Rave Detailed Review from UltimateAVmag.com

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:05:00 GMT

Scott Wilkinson's 4-part review the Runco D-73d 3D projector for UltimateAVmag.com covers a detailed analysis of the specs, technology, and features of the projector in addition it's overall performance during his hands-on test at Runco's training facility in Beaverton, OR.

Highlights include Wilkinson's evaluation of the lampless LED Infinilight™ Technology that powers the light source of the D-73d, the unique two projection engine system, the color features of the projector (including the Personal Color Equalizer), the brightness, black levels and contrast, as well as a review of general performance while the D-73d was put to the test with a showing of Avatar, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Monsters vs. Aliens, Grand Canyon Adventure and a number of other quality 3D movies.

The results? Wilkinson had great things to say about the overall quality and performance of Runco's D-73d projector:

"...the 3D experience provided by this projector is unsurpassed by anything I've seen for the home and even in most commercial cinemas..."

Check out Scott Wilkinson's full, four-part review of the D-73d on UltimateAVmag.com:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Your Personal Film Set

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:08:00 GMT

June 10, 2011

“We refer to our house as a film set without the film.” – Fashion Designer Liza Bruce

You stage the action of your life in your home. It should be as evocative as a film set, creating the environment that allows you to live your lifestyle. The right props. The right finishes. The right lighting. The right equipment to enable you to orchestrate and fully-utilize the space to deliver the optimum feeling and functionality.

This is where Runco comes in. Not only to do we provide the highest-quality, hand-crafted video equipment for your home, but we allow personalization options like FinishPalette™ and ColourPalette™ to turn that equipment into artifacts that add to the texture and life of your home.

And unlike other decorative objects in your home, your Runco projector or flat panel display is practical. It allows you to actually bring “film” onto your “film set” in so many ways. For consuming entertainment content developed by leading studios. For watching sports or live events. Or perhaps for discovering content from your favorite independent movie maker – you!

Sam Runco Inducted into 2011 CE Hall of Fame

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 23:20:00 GMT

Congratulations to Runco Founder, Sam Runco, who was announced as an inductee into the CE 2011 Hall of Fame by the Consumer Electronics Association.

Sam Runco shared his thoughts with CustomRetailer on the day of his induction, remarking on the importance of maintaining a dedicated relationship with his dealers:

"One of the smartest things I did was to learn how to listen to my dealer base and get the guys to really open up and tell me the truth. Sometimes it wasn't easy, but it was necessary to succeed. When I think that I am joining previous inductees such as Ray Dolby, Steve Jobs and Dr Harman, I am greatly humbled and extremely honored to be included with the other 2011 CE Hall of Fame inductees."

Runco International is still fully committed to the fight for quality home theater, with our most recent awards for the 3Dimension™ D-73d projector, the Runco WindowWall™, our QuantumColor Series™ projectors and the Signature Cinema™ SC-60d projector being no exception.

We congratulate and thank Sam for sparking the dream that is still alive and well in the magic of Runco today.

Color Resources

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 01:37:00 GMT

As the success of our ColourPalette™ and FinishPalette™ offerings for LightStyle, Copenhagen and Vistage has confirmed, color is a critical aspect of creating a mood and aesthetic in a home. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has pulled together some color resources that might be of use in your planning efforts. See their Power of Color Master Class for some basics on color selection that will help you pull together a fantastic room design or speak to your designer about the mood you want to create in your theater, media room, or other entertainment area of your home.

Don’t Judge a Cover by its Book

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 01:36:00 GMT

June 2, 2011

By James Wood

Roger Ebert doesn’t like 3D movies, in fact he would go so far as to say that he “hates 3D” and he thinks you should too. Most of his critiques center on a technology that is often not executed well. Using projectors that are too dim and screens that don’t reflect enough light the produces a dark, detail poor movie or alternating the left and right-eye images on the screen, which causes eye fatigue and even head-aches. The good news is that Runco has addressed the technical issues associated with 3D projection. The D-73d 3D projector is so good that it was able to convince at least one vocal skeptic that 3D projection can be done right.

The problem isn’t always with the technology though. James Cameron’s Avatar broke the mold for 3D movies. Heck, he invented whole new technologies just to make the movie right. Every frame is fully immersive in three dimensions. He made a big deal about breaking the plane of the screen and drawing viewers into the world of the Na’vi. But then there’s a movie like Clash of the Titans that was never filmed in 3D, but had the effect added later through computer animation. The result is an altogether fake-looking product that is more of a distraction than enhancement to the story telling process. When 2D movies are up-converted to 3D it can look like a bunch of cardboard cut-outs suspended in front of the screen rather than full-bodied characters.

With any new technology it will take time for the artists to learn how to use it well. Some directors like Cameron will take the time to learn this new technology and master the craft of telling a story in three dimensions. Other times the studio will decide after a director is already done filming that a summer blockbuster should be done in 3D.

When you sit down with a bowl of freshly popped popcorn and fire up your D-73d 3D projector to show you a bright, fatigue free, eye-popping 3D movie, make sure you’re doing your projector justice with the movies you feed it. The top notch DHD video processor that accompanies the projector will show a beautiful representation of what the movie ought to look like, but if the best it gets is second rate, after-thought 3D imaging slapped on by the producers in post-production then it will give you the best looking version of a not-so-good looking movie.

Here are some quality 3D releases that we would suggest:

Alice in Wonderland
Grand Canyon Adventure, River at Risk
Monsters vs. Aliens
Bob’s Big Break
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Step Up
Avatar

Open Response to rAVe Publications post: "Slippery Slope of 3D Brightness"

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:47:00 GMT

June 1, 2011

By Jennifer Davis

In response to the blog post by by Chris Chinnock of Insight Media via rAVepubs.com, on: "Slippery Slope of 3D Brightness"

Thanks, Chris, for bringing this matter to light (no pun intended). Perceived brightness is a complicated calculation. This is one of the main reasons why Runco products, for example, have always been specified in what we call CSMS, as a measure of foot-Lamberts off the screen rather than lumens out of the projection lens. Further complicating things is 3D. We have found that it isn’t just brightness loss that is the problem in theater design, but rather the variance between the 2D and 3D modes in the same theater set-up (which of course affects everything from screen size and material to viewing distances). We have found that getting the 2D and 3D modes to be within 20% or so of each other makes a huge difference in overall owner satisfaction because most don’t watch 3D 100% of the time and want the flexibility. This principle played heavily into our design of the Runco 3Dimension D-73d projector.

Electronic House Home of the Year 2011 Winner: Desert Sound and Security

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 06:02:00 GMT

May 31, 2011

Runco is proud to work with leading home electronics designers and installers and would like to congratulate the Electronic House Home of the Year winners who installed Runco products in their 2011 installations.

Among the winners was Runco dealer, Desert Sound and Security, which was recognized with the "Whole Home - $50,000+" Silver Award and the "Home Theater - $150,000+" Bronze Award.

For photos and details on these and other award-winning installations by Runco dealers, visit ElectronicHouse.com.

In the Jailhouse Now

Sat, 28 May 2011 00:35:00 GMT

May 27, 2011

By James Wood

When the Johnny Cash song “In the Jailhouse Now” is sung by the Soggy Bottom Boys in O Brother Where Art Thou? I can’t help but tap my toes in enjoyment. The natural flow and rhythm of the music just brings a smile to my face. It’s easy to get lost in the moment when things transition effortlessly between story and music. Contrast that with an episode of Glee where the story feels like a tagged on afterthought to the musical numbers and the transitions between the two can nearly give me whiplash. Transitioning smoothly from one form to another takes care and artistry to do well, or it can be done with the bluntness of a banging hammer.

One of the hurdles in transitioning to the high definition, wide screen format is the different aspect ratios. The standard definition 4:3 aspect ratio was replaced by wide-screen formats, but not all wide-screens are the same. Most broadcast content today is distributed in a 16:9 (high-definition) format, and movies are typically an even wider 2.35:1 CinemaScope format. If every time I sit down to watch a movie I have to suss out the aspect ratio then punch a half-dozen buttons on a remote control to get the TV to display the right dimensions, that immediately pulls me out of the moment. I’m probably typical in that I try to find one setting and stick with it so I don’t have to mess with the finer bits for every movie. But that makes me feel like I’m in the jailhouse.

I’m constantly faced with watching TV and movies behind bars. Black bars on the top and bottom of the screen or on the sides of the screen (or both) help to preserve the original aspect ratio, but leave me wishing I had more screen space. All those black bars are just wasted space that could be filled with my movies.

Runco has heard our cries of anguish and come to the rescue with the CineWide technology. When projecting a movie shot in the wider 2.35:1 format (known as CinemaScope) it’s too wide for the slightly narrower 16:9 screen. Instead of taking the easy way out and slapping some black bars up on the screen, Runco uses advanced and proprietary signal processing to stretch the image to the full height, then adjust the width to fill the screen with a unique anamorphic lens system to maintain the same appearance as the original.

All the science behind it is fantastic, but what you need to know is that the awkward transitions are over. Instead of living in the jailhouse or constantly playing engineer with your remote control, you get to sit back and enjoy the show.

Runco Receives High Honors in CEPro Top 100 Brand Study

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:29:00 GMT

Runco is proud to announce that it took top honors as the leading brand in the Front Projectors and Video Processors categories of CEPro's Seventh Annual Brand Awareness, Use and Preference Study researched by EH Publishing for the custom electronics market channel.

Runco accounted for 46% of market share for the Front Projectors category (FPTV) and 14% of market share for the Scaler/Video Processors category, making it the top brand in both categories. Runco was also in the top 5 (22%) for the Flat-Panel TV category.

To review the full results of the study, click here.

Products that Sing and Dance

Thu, 26 May 2011 23:29:00 GMT

May 24, 2011

British furniture and accessories designer William Yeoward has a refined, yet exuberant style. Beginning with his line of crystal and extending to upholstered furniture, he has continued to create beautiful things for practical use. “All my designs are meant to be used and enjoyed,” Yeoward recently told ELLE Décor magazine, “to slide in happily to any room without making a song and a dance about it.”

The designs of Runco products are meant to be used and enjoyed as well. The beautiful Copenhagen design of the 3Dimension D-73d or the Signature Cinema SC-60d are perfect examples, combining metal finishes, glass, and etching, with exceptional video performance.

But, unlike Yeoward (and lucky for our clients looking for the ultimate entertainment spaces in their home), our products do sing and dance!

The Chuck Norris of Numbers

Tue, 24 May 2011 19:56:00 GMT

I often get asked why we named the D-73d the D-73d. Why not the D-42d or the D-89d? What is so special about 73? Rest assured we had good reasons, that are logical and are consistent with our naming conventions, but my favorite explanation is from one of my favorite TV shows, The Big Bang Theory. According to Sheldon, 73 is the best number. See why in this clip.