Spotlight: Front Projectors
Seven leading vendors in the category talk about market
conditions and their unique contributions to the product mix
November 2006
Seven leading vendors in the category talk about market conditions and their unique contributions to the product mix
Planar Systems
Jim Davis, Global Head of Sales, Planar Specialty Home Theater
www.planarhometheater.com
What’s the biggest challenge facing the front projection market right now?
Like most video categories, price/margin compression is the biggest challenge. Several manufacturers are trying to win market share by driving price down without getting the kind of uptick in sales volume necessary to be profitable. Most consumers still don’t know what front projection can do, and mass marketers aren’t helping. The custom channel is the only place where front projection can get a proper demonstration, and those dealers need to get decent margins for their efforts.
Among all of the front projection vendors, why should dealers look to you as a supplier?
Planar has a 23-year history in specialty displays. Our new specialty home theater line, with projectors, thin displays and Xscreens, taps into Planar’s heritage of great picture quality, dependability and channel support. We have nationwide distribution coverage, an “authorization only” custom channel focus and excellent service and support programs.
What’s your hot new product?
We’re just launching 13 new products, so it’s hard to pick which is the “hot” one. Our Xscreen ambient light rejection screen is truly unique in the market. With four screen sizes, customers can now use front projection in family and living rooms without compromise. Our front projection offerings are designed specifically for the custom retailer, with features like lens shift, discrete IR codes and integrated cable covers for a truly professional integrated look.
Runco International
Bob Hana, President
www.runco.com
What’s the biggest challenge facing the front projection market right now?
Educating dealers, their sales staff and their customers that there are numerous applications for projection systems. From rooms with ambient light to smaller bedrooms to apartments, dealers could create more sales if they’d find more ways to demo a projector more creatively. [Also key is] overcoming the sales staff fear of stepping up a “typical flat-panel customer” by letting them know how easily they could own a much bigger screen at a lower cost-per-inch with a front projection system.
Planar Systems
Jim Davis, Global Head of Sales, Planar Specialty Home Theater
www.planarhometheater.com
What’s the biggest challenge facing the front projection market right now?
Like most video categories, price/margin compression is the biggest challenge. Several manufacturers are trying to win market share by driving price down without getting the kind of uptick in sales volume necessary to be profitable. Most consumers still don’t know what front projection can do, and mass marketers aren’t helping. The custom channel is the only place where front projection can get a proper demonstration, and those dealers need to get decent margins for their efforts.
Among all of the front projection vendors, why should dealers look to you as a supplier?
Planar has a 23-year history in specialty displays. Our new specialty home theater line, with projectors, thin displays and Xscreens, taps into Planar’s heritage of great picture quality, dependability and channel support. We have nationwide distribution coverage, an “authorization only” custom channel focus and excellent service and support programs.
What’s your hot new product?
We’re just launching 13 new products, so it’s hard to pick which is the “hot” one. Our Xscreen ambient light rejection screen is truly unique in the market. With four screen sizes, customers can now use front projection in family and living rooms without compromise. Our front projection offerings are designed specifically for the custom retailer, with features like lens shift, discrete IR codes and integrated cable covers for a truly professional integrated look.
Runco International
Bob Hana, President
www.runco.com
What’s the biggest challenge facing the front projection market right now?
Educating dealers, their sales staff and their customers that there are numerous applications for projection systems. From rooms with ambient light to smaller bedrooms to apartments, dealers could create more sales if they’d find more ways to demo a projector more creatively. [Also key is] overcoming the sales staff fear of stepping up a “typical flat-panel customer” by letting them know how easily they could own a much bigger screen at a lower cost-per-inch with a front projection system.
