Sam Runco Inducted into 2011 CE Hall of Fame

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.

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John Frankenfield commented on 04-Feb-2012 09:18 PM

I met Sam in 1972 In Scranton,; Pennsylvania and it was obvious immediately that he was special, but I had no idea he was THIS special.. Congratulations Mr. Runco. Sooo impressive. Johnny

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The Three Reasons to Love 3-Chip

By Jennifer B. Davis

You may have read or heard the term “3-chip” when referring to a projection system and wondered what it meant. Some misappropriate the term to apply to a lower-performance LCD projection system that uses 3 LCDs (sometimes using vague terms like “Certified 3 Chip” or the like), but in most cases the term refers to the use of 3 distinct Digital Light Processing® (DLP) chips from Texas Instruments® (TI) to deliver exceptional projector performance. Each chip is essentially a microscopic landscape of mirrors that shift to direct light to the projection lens within the light engine of the projector. This DLP 3-chip architecture is the technology used in 99% of commercial movie theaters and is a favorite of home theater enthusiasts as well. It is the architecture of the new LightStyle™ LS-10i and LS-10d announced to critical acclaim at the CEDIA Expo in 2010. So, why should you care about 3-chip? Here are the top three reasons:

3. No Color Wheel

3-chip projectors are built with a dedicated chip for each of the three primary colors of light: red, green, and blue. Note: these differ from the primary colors of red, yellow, and blue that you learned in fingerpainting in elementary school, but that color theory is a whole other topic. For now, just trust me that red, green, and blue combine to create white light. If there wasn’t a chip for each color (as is the case in a single chip or 1-chip projector), the system requires a rotating color wheel that moves in rapid speed in front of the chip to deliver the right color to the lens. Some people can see the effect of a moving color wheel in the form of a rainbow effect, especially if those systems are poorly implemented. In any case, it introduces additional projector noise and another point of possible of failure as color wheels are a moving part with high-duty cycles.

2. Enhanced Contrast

Contrast is a measurement of the difference between the brightest white and the darkest black. Because each color is modulated individually in a 3-chip system, we are able to achieve contrast that makes the video appear more 3-dimensional and lifelike (even without glasses).

1. Brightness

Three-chip systems are famous for their brightness, measured in lumens of light coming from the projection lens or foot lamberts as measured off the projection screen when implemented. To achieve the recommended brightness for cinema content on a large screen, 3-chip systems are recommended. This is why you will find 3-chip DLP architecture in products like the Runco VX-22i, VX-22d, VX-33i, and VX-33d of our VideoXtreme® series and in the new top-of-the-life SC-50d and SC-60d of the Signature Cinema™ series projectors, as well as our Digital Cinema Concierge™ service.

We have now made 3-chip performance, in full 1080p HD resolution, more affordable than ever with our LightStyle™ LS-10i and LS-10d products. For really large screen theaters and for those wanting top-of-the-line performance we still highly recommend the VideoXtreme® or Signature Cinema™ products, but for those looking for value performance or a sleek design that fits in a media room and can be personalized with FinishPalette™ matched to your décor, the LightStyle is a good choice.

All this said, the distinction of 3-chip has been misused in the marketplace and isn’t necessarily synonymous with high-performance video. For instance, Runco offers products that are not 3-chip, but also do not have color wheels and boast infinite contrast. These are the QuantumColor™ products, like the Q-750i, Q-750d, and Q-1500d. That is possible because the InfiniLight™ LED illumination system in these products includes distinct light sources for red, green, and blue, in some ways replicating the effect of a 3-chip product. Specs on a data sheet can be misleading if not understood in the context of your room design. A product that may be conservatively specified (as all Runco products are) can outperform products in terms of the image that is on the screen, which is the ultimate performance specification. And in this, Runco outshines them all!

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Being the Best Isn't Good Enough

By Jennifer Davis

“Don’t be the best in the world at what you do; be the only one in the world who does what you do.”

That quote is me paraphrasing Jerry Garcia who famously played lead guitar for The Grateful Dead. I first heard it from one of my favorite cartoonists, Hugh McLeod. This is a lofty aspiration that we have striven for at Runco.

Our hard work and ingenuity is paying off for our clients. We have been innovating in the home theater and larger home entertainment market for decades and our market-leading position in LED projection (the InfiniLight™ technology in our QuantumColor™ product line), our innovations in 3D (our award-winning CSV 3D approach in the 3Dimension D-73d), our envelope-pushing solutions in flat panel (OPAL™, the WindowWall™ and Vistage™ specifically), and our legendary CineWide® offerings are just examples. Our recent Design by Runco™ initiatives, like the Vistage FinishPalette™ and LightStyle FinishPalette™ are setting another standard for personalization and customization.

Once again, we are the only one in the world doing what we do.

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