I was just wondering what some of you think about what Runco's sale will mean to high end video. Sam was the charismatic force behind home theater. He made an effort to push what it is outward.

The advent of high quality inexpensive projection devices had to have been part of the thinking for him I must believe.

It looks a lot like it won't be long till all we have is Sony.

Art

I was just thinking, why don't we have more U.S. manufacturers of A/V electronics? Well, we have T.I. which is good... It just seems like all of the A/V stuff we buy is foreign... I have Bryston (Canada), B&W (U.K), Sony (Japan), ISCO (Germany), Meridian (UK),... What good is RCA and GE for A/V equipment? Who bought Runco? Oh I have a Lumagen (USA)...

As far as T.V.'s and displays, seems like the Japanese have better technology? (other than Texas Instruments)

Chrisite (Canada counts, doesn't it?), DPI, ADA, Lexicon, McIntosh, Wilson, Krell,Teranex,SAE, the list goes on.

as far as what you asked about, ART: CEDIA will never be the same. I wonder already what the buzz will be on the floor during the week prior to the show opening. All in all, I don't think this marks the end of Sam Runco in the home theater industry- perhaps he'll become more involved with the education (who better to teach profitable business practices? OK maybe Noel Lee). Let's not count Runco out just yet- afterall, the influx of OEM capabilities from Planar coupled with the R&D capabilities of Runco could make for quite a formidable video company. Either the high-end goes lower, or the low-end gets better; both are possible, and perhaps probable.

Dan

I was just thinking, why don't we have more U.S. manufacturers of A/V electronics? Well, we have T.I. which is good... It just seems like all of the A/V stuff we buy is foreign... I have Bryston (Canada), B&W (U.K), Sony (Japan), ISCO (Germany), Meridian (UK),... What good is RCA and GE for A/V equipment? Who bought Runco? Oh I have a Lumagen (USA)...

As far as T.V.'s and displays, seems like the Japanese have better technology? (other than Texas Instruments)

Open up your A/V component boxes and look at the various parts inside. Many of the major ICs and DSPs are U.S. designed (probably not fabricated in the U.S, however). The integrated electronics industry went global a while ago... just like automobiles. It boils down to cost...

- Steve O.

Designed is key... That what matters, where the innovation is coming from... Just like the magentophotonic crystals...

Mebbe Sam will use all that $$$$ to buy Mark Levinson???

Someone beat Sam to ML so I was told today.

Dan,
I hope Sam stays in it.... it will be a lesser place without him IMO. By the way, I saw your letter to the editor in one of the HT magazines the other day... your comments were brief but spot on.

Art

Sam was the charismatic force behind home theater.

Uh-oh... :p

Sam I have a new Kitchen projection system to sell you....

Art, which one? I honestly forgot about that completely. But it would be cool to see my words in print again (I was published in high-school).

Dan

the other interesting aspect to this is that Planar also owns Clarity (leading manufacturer of Display cubes) so this could be a way that we start also seeing SERIOUS RP enclosure systems for home.

It is exciting.

Art, which one? I honestly forgot about that completely. But it would be cool to see my words in print again (I was published in high-school).

Dan

The one regarding how(paraphrasing) you were flabergasted at the negativity regarding projectors being calibrated as part of the reviews.

Art

Uh-oh... :p

Chris I was just in Seattle a few days ago for my profession's national convention... what a wonderful city. Darin was kind enough to give me some time in his HT lab.An all velvet lined room ,disorienting to be in there at first.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p146/CarlosMeat/Darins03.jpg


http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p146/CarlosMeat/Darins02.jpg



http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p146/CarlosMeat/Darins01.jpg


Art

Mebbe Sam will use all that $$$$ to buy Mark Levinson???As a brand, ML was part of Madrigal Labs for many years. Madrigal, in turn, was purchased about ten or so years ago by Harman International. Doubtful that they would sell the ML brand, but then again, the entire Harman company is about to be acquired in a leveraged buyout.

ML the PERSON, on the other hand, has had a number of brands since he sold his name to Madrigal. Unlikely that anyone want him, since he can't use his name.

I suspect that we'll see Sam give his "tequilla toast" at the end of the annual CEDIA awards banquet at least one more time. To keep him associated at this critical juncture, I'll bet they'd pay him almost anything. OTOH, over time he'll likely fade from the front line, as he has done in the past few years. Bob Hanna is a nice guy, but he's no Sam. Scott Hix? DEFINATELY not Sam.

Admirable Black Hole, far beyond bat cave. Love it!!! Don't forget to paint flat black over the wood on the chairs ;) Seriously, I love it!!! Definitly have to take your shoes off in that room, and have those sticky mats on the floors outside the entrance!!!

Did Planar acquire the pocket fisherman as part of the deal?

no but i think they get the spray on hair!

It is kind of funny, the first Runco i ever saw was installed in the ceiling of the Commodore ballroom in Vancouver. I had to go by for a site check for an event we would be supplying gear for. i saw the projectors but they were about 20 feet up and blended into the ceiling. I could have sworn that they said RONCO. so i went back to the office trying to find info about ronco projectors so we could connect to them.

I told Sam about that and he laughed and said that there had been plenty of confusion over the years.

Art is that a high power screen at Darrin's? Did you notice any uneveness of luminosity. DP claims there is none. I have been curious.

Peter,
Sitting in the sweet spot, which is the area the two chairs sit, is extremely uniform.

Art

no but i think they get the spray on hair!

It is kind of funny, the first Runco i ever saw was installed in the ceiling of the Commodore ballroom in Vancouver. I had to go by for a site check for an event we would be supplying gear for. i saw the projectors but they were about 20 feet up and blended into the ceiling. I could have sworn that they said RONCO. so i went back to the office trying to find info about ronco projectors so we could connect to them.

I told Sam about that and he laughed and said that there had been plenty of confusion over the years.


I was actually at the shootout that we did trying to land the contract. That Runco one was the old Cinemabeam that was made by Matsushita c/w wired remote. 7" tubes on a 9 X 12 screen..:)

The Commodore bought two of them, one on each side of the screen. Obviously the pix was oretty damn washed out, but for 1986 that was as good as it got..:)

my site check was in 93 and they were still up.

Who bought Runco?

http://www.planar.com/

Chris I was just in Seattle a few days ago for my profession's national convention... what a wonderful city. Darin was kind enough to give me some time in his HT lab.An all velvet lined room ,disorienting to be in there at first.

Art

Oh fun! Yeah, it kind of feels like the floor and ceiling slope away or something, it's strange. Feels like you're going to fall into something unknown. He takes ANSI performance to its maximum.

He takes ANSI performance to its maximum.

Qualified to: In Front Projection. You need rear screen for the extreme ansi.

Art,

Latest Sound & Vision magazine: the guy's name is D O N Francis, letter submitted via e-mail. I don't even read that mag.

Dan

--I couldn't take credit for that.

Here is Sam's crystal ball prdiction for 2012...

http://www.cinenow.com/uk/play-video-739.html

Art,

Latest Sound & Vision magazine: the guy's name is D O N Francis, letter submitted via e-mail. I don't even read that mag.

Dan

--I couldn't take credit for that.

Isn't that funny ! :o One of those things where my brain constructed your name at first glance and that was that. I have to assume that you would have agreed.

Art

Here is Sam's crystal ball prdiction for 2012...

http://www.cinenow.com/uk/play-video-739.html


Amazing. An honest man when it comes to the whole 1080P full HD nonsense.

You need rear screen for the extreme ansi. Do you need the same throw distance for rear projection as front? Seems like you would need a big room behind the front theater wall?

Do you need the same throw distance for rear projection as front? Seems like you would need a big room behind the front theater wall?


Mirror/mirrors allow one to fold the beam to reduce the depth if needed.

Art

I plan on having a room behind the front wall in the future, I guess I'll look into it when the time comes (Probably not until '08)

I'm going to try and take a look at the DP Titan 250 1080p when I get a chance in 2-3 weeks or so...

There are structural issues for doing this in California. Check with Noah.

I plan on having a room behind the front wall in the future, I guess I'll look into it when the time comes (Probably not until '08)

I'm going to try and take a look at the DP Titan 250 1080p when I get a chance in 2-3 weeks or so...

The HT 5000 and I'm assuming the DPI Titan have so much ANSI in a dark room as it is, this just isn't where the work is needed. ANSI isn't the problem it's sequential which is relatively poor. RP won't fix this.

Art

Damn, I keep forgetting about those seismic issues... Pittsburgh, Philly, and D.C. have been my life... Not to mention the cold water on the west coast, other than that is perfect....

The apeal for me with Rear projection would be simply because I'd have a room there anyway... may as well take advantage of no projector noise, higher ANSI, and just not having to have the projector in the main room. It is appealing, just something I'll have to think about when the time comes... (a bunch of mirrors though sounds a bit undesireable... I wasn't planning on making the room behind the front wall all that big, perhaps 8-10' deep or so... too far off yet to think about it now.)

You can do a 12 wide on and 8 foot deep room that has a 3 foot pit. I have. You could probably do a 14' wide on a 9.5" deep.

I guess it depends on the projector/available lenses also? Would that be with mirrors or direct projection?

With the use of some very expensive first surface mirrors.