InfoComm 2016 News: Panasonic Focuses on Innovative Professional Display Technology

New Professional Displays Offer World-Class Picture Quality, Flexible Installation, and Application Versatility

LAS VEGAS /PRNewswire/ — Panasonic, a world leader in professional display and projection solutions for enterprise, retail, education, rental and staging, restaurants, government organizations, is demonstrating a strong selection of its new 2016 professional display portfolio at InfoComm16.

The booth features the new stylish and robust EF1 Series 84″ and 75″ professional displays, perfect for corporate meeting rooms or retail signage. Show attendees can also see the new flagship VF1H Series professional display with a bezel-to-bezel distance of just 0.07” (1.8 mm), perfect for virtually seamless video walls, as well as the refined BF1 Series Multi-Touch Screen Display, now with Color Universal Design and Intel® Pro WiDi. Also being demonstrated, is a new professional display that enables applications such as information distribution, facility guidance, and advertising messaging through an original, built-in Light ID transmission function derived from visible-light communications technology.

“Panasonic is committed to continual improvement in performance, versatility, and efficiency, no matter what the intended application of the display is,” says John Baisley, Senior Vice President, Visual & Imaging, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. “As market needs evolve rapidly, Panasonic is well positioned with the know-how and resources to meet needs both specific and general, delivering solutions of remarkable integrity and sophistication. We are driven by a desire to deliver a superior user experience beyond expectations while maintaining our industry-wide reputation for value, reliability, and quality.”

With Panasonic focusing on streamlining installation and operability of individual or multiple displays, the new professional display portfolio includes:

EF1 Series Professional Displays
The EF1 Series expands the lineup of entry-level displays to include 84- and 75-inch sizes offering a cost-effective solution for digital signage, or for general use in the office or classroom. The stylish EF1 Series blends high imaging performance with adaptability and outstanding efficiency, and is built for self-contained or networked digital signage or as an office/education/retail communication system. The displays have a built-in USB Media Player, eliminating the need for set-top boxes or other external devices and reducing cable connections in offline environments, with updates to USB memory devices via LAN when connected to an intranet (ideal for difficult-to-access installations). An IPS panel assures excellent all-round visibility and outstanding picture quality, while the narrow bezel and quality finish enhances any interior space. Expected to be available in late Summer/early Fall 2016.

VF1H Series Professional Displays
The new 700 cd/m2 flagship features an Ultra-Narrow-Bezel of 0.07” (1.8 mm) bezel-to-bezel width for seamless and visually arresting video wall presentations in any vertical or horizontal configuration. The VF1H Series consumes less energy thanks to efficient backlighting and contrast control. It features a single-cable DIGITAL LINK daisy-chain connection that along with our optional modular frame mount and auto-calibration software reduce installation cost and time while adding flexibility. The IPS direct-lit LED panel is easily viewed off-axis and in bright conditions. Anti-Glare (AG) screen-surface treatment effectively reduces reflections from artificial lighting. Built tough for 24/7 operation, the 55-inch display also offers a wide range of optimized viewing modes as well as USB media updates over LAN for self-contained and even more convenient signage solutions. The VF1H Series is expected to be available in late 2016.

BF1 Series Multi-Touch Professional Displays
Successor to the groundbreaking LFB70 multi-touch panel display, the BF1 Series (available in 50-, 65-, and 80-inch sizes) has fully featured whiteboard software built in, allowing users to start work instantly with no need for a connected PC. Pages can be created, saved, and shared from the screen, or any media displayed and annotated on via a new easy-access sub-menu bar. Precision 12-point touch control and a new minimized menu bar make it easy to switch inputs and access tools at any time. The BF1 Series offers a wealth of wired connections, including single-cable DIGITAL LINK, delivering media from almost any source device, while content can be displayed together with whiteboard pages in Picture-in-Picture Mode—ideal for web conferencing. The BF1 Series also has a USB Memory Viewer supporting a variety of formats and eliminates the need for a connected PC—just insert a USB memory stick and start presenting.

A self-contained powerhouse geared towards efficiency in the classroom, boardroom, or factory, the BF1 offers Color Universal Design for more clearly distinguishable color reproduction for those with color vision deficiencies and Intel® Pro WiDi for wireless media display via mobiles and PCs. A toughened screen with Anti-Glare (AG) treatment makes for clear visibility in bright conditions. Ideal for connecting people in remote locations needing to perform tasks in real time, the BF1 Series can also be adapted for interactive information display in museums, exhibitions, or for digital signage. The BF1 Series is available now

New Professional Displays with a Built-in “Light ID” Transmission Function
Panasonic’s original Light ID is a technology that links smartphones with digital signage and provides detailed information by blinking the backlight LEDs at a speed that is unrecognizable by the human eye. By simply installing dedicated application software in the smartphone, Light ID content can be sent and received between Light ID transmitters (example: displays for digital signage use) and smartphone receivers.

This development enables the transmission of Light ID content from a display by using originally developed, high-speed backlight control technology. Allowing a Light ID that is output from a compatible device to link with the content of a display, a single display can provide a variety of additional information through a smartphone. Also, a media player function integrated within the display enables the transmission of various types of content and Light ID information from a USB memory device in which still or video images are stored, without the need for a separate externally connected device. Release of this new display and the provision of a Light ID platform service are scheduled to be available in 2016.