New 61-inch Plasma Display from Runco

New model couples the world’s largest Plasma panel with PFP controller for the most resolved images of any plasma display
September 2001…Runco International, the company recognized worldwide as the leader in video displays for high-end home theaters, is pleased to introduce a new 61-inch diagonal widescreen Plasma monitor with an outboard video processor for the ultimate in flat-panel display quality and flexibility. The PlasmaWall PL-61cx combines the largest plasma monitor in the world with Runco’s proprietary PFPä Controller, a combination that is utterly unique for plasma displays. In addition to its amazing size, the new plasma boasts a native resolution of 1366 x 768, the highest of any plasma panel in the industry.

The PL-61cx utilizes the outboard PFP Controller equipped with Runco’s proprietary ViViXä technology to scale NTSC and PAL video to the native resolution of the display—providing the most resolved and artifact free pictures possible. For high-resolution sources such as HDTV sources and computer graphics, the PFP Controller’s pass-through port sends these signals pass unprocessed to the panel for the most accurate image reproduction.

“We are extremely excited to add this colossal flat screen to our existing line of PlasmaWall displays,” says Liz Pemble Runco’s Marketing Director. Its size, brightness, and native resolution combine to provide the ultimate in large widescreen flat panel display technology. By combining the Plasma with our PFP controller, we can provide a system to the customer that delivers the best picture quality possible. With aspect ratio control and picture settings all at the controller, the PL-61cx also provides the ultimate in ease of use and flexibility for the end user.”

At five inches thin the PL-61cx provides installers with a sexy, slim display that is big enough to be the centerpiece of a sophisticated home theater. With an astounding contrast ratio of 1000:1, the Runco PL-61cx produces impressive black-levels for stunningly deep blacks, and extremely smooth transitions from black to white yielding film-like shadow detail in darker scenes. The PL-61cx’s high light output makes it suitable for all ambient light conditions. The PL-61cx is fully capable of reproducing any currently available HDTV format including 720p and 1080i, via an external DTV decoder. It also has the ability to display computer resolutions ranging from VGA (640 x 480) all the way up to UXGA (1600 x 1200).

Runco’s PFP processing technology provides an output to the PlasmaWall monitor that is matched not only pixel for pixel, but also for the most appropriate signal levels and timing specifications for the panel. Additionally, the PFP Controller performs aspect ratio control providing Standard 4:3, Letterbox, and anamorphic ratios. It also provides gray bars with adjustable levels on the sides of the 4:3 aspect ratio to reduce the possibility of burning a 4:3 image into the display.

Runco's Controller is a handsomely designed two rack unit high component suitable for integration into a typical equipment cabinet. Equipped with its own dedicated remote, the PFP Controller also features an RS-232 serial connection for customized full-system integration, so that in a sophisticated installation its operation can be entirely transparent to the user.

For those home theater buffs that want the ultimate in a plasma panel the Runco PlasmaWall PL-61cx is unequaled. Its combination of stunning performance and unequalled screen size makes it the clear choice among all plasma displays. The PL-61cx is also ideal for rooms that cannot accommodate a front or rear projection television system.

Founded in 1987 and currently headquartered in Hayward, California, Runco International is a market leader in state-of-the-art front projection systems, flat-panel plasma TVs, and video processors for the consumer market. Runco’s innovations have won numerous awards and citations from the world press. Runco was the first video company to introduce a multiple-aspect-ratio controller, the ARC-IV, to the home theater market, and also the first to introduce and market a line doubler with a multi-frequency projector, in 1990. For more information on Runco International visit them on the Web at www.runco.com.

Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: $32,995/system (PlasmaWall PL-61 and PFP Controller)

Availability: September 2001

SOURCE Runco International