Optical Bonding Facility Meets Growing Demand

Have you searched for a vendor to help with your optical bonding display requirements? Planar's optical bonding lab is fully functional and able to assist with all of your optical bonding projects. And, we've created an optical bonding vendor checklist to make your selection easier.

It's important to choose an optical bonding vendor that can provide comprehensive quality and engineering systems and has processes in place to certify their work. Planar's state-of-the-art optical bonding facility is a Class 10,000 certified cleanroom and has ISO 9001, MIL-Spec and FDA level quality systems in place.

Why do you care about optical bonding? Well, because it provides protection, clarity and viewability, improves resistance to shake and shock and fills the gap between the protective glass and LCD to keep out dust and moisture. And, you can learn lots more about the benefits of optical bonding in Planar's Optical Bonding FAQ.

Are you wondering what display applications would benefit from optical bonding? Displays used in avionics, digital signage, vehicle navigation, outdoor television, and hand carried electronic devices can generally benefit from better readability than is representative of the standard TFT offerings. In ambient light conditions, improved display contrast enables displays to be more readily seen without increasing backlight brightness and the associated unwanted higher power and higher operating temperatures.

Let Planar guide you through your optical bonding requirements and let us know what other performance films and coatings would be useful to your display project.

Large Format Signage on Display at Digital Signage Expo

The Digital Signage Expo just ended at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Planar exhibited some amazing large format digital signage displays in our booth #1254.

If your display requirements call for deployment in retail environments, Planar's 42" digital signage might be the ticket. And, we offer displays ranging from 37" to 65" to meet other size requirements. Touchscreen integration makes it easy for your customers to interact with your digital content. The 46" outdoor digital signage includes an optically bonded IR/AR filter for superior sunlight-readability, along with a wide viewing angle and custom cooling design which requires no A/C. This display is perfect for extreme environments where outdoor conditions can impact viewing.

Also on display in Planar's booth was the Clarity Matrix LCD Video Wall. If you're in need of a seamless video wall and uninterupted operation for your control room operations, the Clarity Matrix LCD Video Wall, with its ultra-thin bezel, provides outstanding tiled visual performance.

Planar's customization display experience has been applied to numerous projects that need a tailored solution. Let us know what your large format digital display needs are.

Catalog of Specialty Displays

Have you been looking for a display solution for your project? Planar has just posted its Embedded Displays Catalog on its website. Almost every application you would need a display for can be found in this new and updated catalog.

Planar's display innovation began over 26 years ago with the Electroluminescent (EL) displays and has grown to include transportation, kiosk and digital signage, custom displays and 3D/Stereoscopic displays, to name a few. If your custom design project requires a rugged and custom display, Planar can assist with product definition and guide you through the challenges of developing a custom display.

An interactive guide to selecting a custom LCD can help with your display requirement selections, as well. Planar has developed a Guide just for that purpose. So, between the Guide and the Catalog, Planar can help guide you through the key considerations in creating your display.

Check out the catalog and let us know if there's something missing that would help you with your design project.

The Future of Transparent Displays

Transparent displays are making their way to all sorts of consumer applications. At the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, an array of the latest technology is on display. One of the new, cool laptops being featured is Samsung's prototype of its 14-inch transparent OLED display.



There is definitely a wow factor to this laptop and one that consumers may be clamoring for in the near future.

Other applications where transparent displays are being used have been on the radar for some time. Take a look at Planar's use of transparent display technology and learn about the benefits of its easy customization or watch the video.



Do you have an application you would like to see on a transparent display?

LCD Displays and the Future of Touch

The researchers at MIT's Media Lab have been working on a thin LCD display design that is touch and gesture friendly, much like your iPhone. Despite the fact they've already developed a large -scale gestural interface like the system that Tom Cruise's character uses in the movie Minority Report, the goal is to be able to incorporate the gestural display into a thin LCD device without wearing gloves or any type of tracking tags.


LCDs with built-in optical sensors are new to the market and Media Lab hasn't been able to procure any yet, so they are experimenting with a mocked up display in their lab to test their approach. The LCD display includes an array of optical sensors right behind it and serves as lens to display a black-and-white pattern that lets light through to the sensors. On Dec 19 at Siggraph Asia, the MIT team is presenting the first application of its work, a display that lets users manipulate on-screen images using hand gestures.


Customized LCD displays can be used in a multitude of other applications, too. Planar's use of an ultra-thin digital signage display provides premium performance by using LED backlighting. If your display specifications require more brightness and less wattage, Planar's in-house design and manufacturing capability enables performance advances in TFT display technology. Or, if you have some questions about selecting a custom LCD display, Planar offers some answers in its ebook and provides a guide to help navigate your display project requirements.


How would you use gesturing or touch for your display project?

Process Controls for Display Manufacturing

Economic times are tough and good vendor process controls are more important now than ever when working on your display project. Additionally, when making changes to your display design, you want to be sure your vendor is able to adapt to those changes to meet your goals and deadlines, while maintaining control over costs. But, when searching for a vendor it can be tricky to know what processes a vendor should have in place.

Now, you can quickly learn about process controls that will make your vendor relationship experience a success. Simply take a look at Planar's latest Ebook, Process Controls for Display Manufacturing, which provides important steps on how Planar has structured its process controls to meet display manufacturing challenges.

The importance of working with key suppliers who implement Process Potential Failure Mode Effect Analysis (PFMEA) and Control plans is especially crucial for custom products. So, the next time you're looking for a vendor who can help with your custom display, remember the process control steps to consider when making your decision.

Check out the online library of Planar's additional Ebooks.

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Display Technology 101 Guides

Looking for a source that will provide guides to your display technology questions? Look no further than Planar's new Display Technology 101 Guide page. Questions from How to design an EL display to an Interactive Guide to Selecting an LCD display are all covered here, along with lots more information. We've even posted some Ebooks for a quick read to answer your questions about display technology. Check out the informational videos on our YouTube page, as well. We've got you covered with a host of informative resources!

Whether you're starting, in the middle or just plain stuck in your display process, what other guides would be helpful to answer your questions for a successful product?

Planar Displays New Products at Society for Information Display Show

Planar featured several new prototype products recently at the SID 2009 Exhibition in San Antonio, TX, along with a wide range of the Electroluminescent products seen here that meet your needs for an ultra-wide temperature range, rugged at-a-glance viewing and proven technology display.

For the first time, Planar exhibited a green EL display featuring a wide viewing angle, alongside the existing transparent EL display that features unique, adaptive, rugged see-through technology. Also on exhibit were the marine and mining displays and a StereoMirror 3D display.

What type of display are you looking for? Request Planar's Design Guide to learn more.

Display Projects - Last Minute Issues

Have you ever thought you were finished with your display project plan only to discover you had a last minute change to your product definition? These kinds of changes are not only time-consuming, but can adversely affect the project budget. Yeah, you can find lots of information out there that can guide you through the steps to create your display project plan, but Planar has created an easy-to-read Ebook that addresses answers to questions that will avoid killing your schedule.


Everything from regulatory requirements and changing product definitions to environmental considerations is covered in this quick read. Avoid overlooking these critical components of your plan. There's a lot to cover when developing your project plans for displays like custom displays and electroluminescent displays!


Share any last minute changes you've had to make to your display project plan with us! Do you use Ebooks to find answers to issues quickly? Check out other Ebooks on Planar.

Thin Flim Electroluminescent (TFEL) Display Technology

Have you been wondering how to reduce the cost of your display product and retain the outstanding design requirements provided by electronluminescent (EL) technology? Planar recently announced that our thin-film electroluminescent (TFEL) module will be used by Jetronic Technology for the domestic China market, as well as in a product manufactured by a U.S. company specializing in public safety products.

TFEL is perfect for integrating into products where extreme temperature environments and demanding ergonomic conditions are required. The TFEL display modules have been used in a variety of products and industrial display applications, including communication, petro-chemical and test and measurement equipment.

Request Planar's TFEL Display Design Guide for more information about TFEL display design examples.

Large Format Digital Signage Makes a Hit in Retail

Who knew the number of people who walk through the doors of big-box retailers was greater than viewers watching Idol? And, since advertisers are frothing at the mouth to get their share of consumer dollars it all made sense why consolidated marketing practices referenced in an article in AdWeek are so popular. We not only see the usual end-aisle displays, but also in-store video networks displaying content on digital signage which we believe is the best way to get your message out to consumers. Talk about a way to intergrate the shopper with your products! Here's an example of a large format digital display that can be used in many retail environments:



In this display format lots of information can be displayed and, in a touch display format, consumers can interact to find information about products in retail stores quickly. What features do you wish were included in retail digital signage?