Barco

Kortrijk, Belgium, 11 August 2020 – Barco, a world leader in professional visualization, introduces its new generation RGB laser rear-projection video walls and reinforces its commitment to the mission-critical control room market. The newest generation offering strengthens the value proposition of rear-projection technology as the reliable, sustainable and long-lifetime visualization solution, and will be available for both new installations and to upgrade the installed base.

As a broad visualization solution supplier, Barco offers rear-projection, LCD and LED indoor video walls, allowing to optimize the visualization outcome – depending on the specific application and customer needs. For mission-critical control rooms, rear-projection remains a key visualization technology especially for mid- to large-size control rooms, that work with dashboards and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) content typically within the utilities and rail transportation markets.

The Barco RGB Laser ODL series, with its unique value proposition, was introduced in 2016 and has been the flagship solution ever since, winning multiple industry awards. With the introduction of this newest generation laser engine, the ODL series now gets a major update which further establishes the RGB Laser series as the premium solution in the market. This will strengthen and safeguard the unique value proposition of rear-projection cubes by further extending the lifetime, protecting long-term serviceability commitments up to 10 years, and offering a sustainable solution considering the environment and ergonomics.

Solutions for any environment: 

The high-brightness RGB Laser engine allows control rooms to operate in the optimal conditions for the end users. The unique Sense X calibration system automatically and continuously adjusts brightness and color over the complete wall during the entire lifetime, making sure the displayed images reduce eye fatigue in 24/7 applications. Additionally, no heat is radiated out of the screens, which further optimizes the ergonomics for the operators and simplifies the room temperature control systems.

The next-generation laser engine introduces new laser banks, improving the light source lifetime in different operational modes. The guaranteed 10 years of maintainability secures the system for the future, which is instrumental for mission-critical control rooms. The accompanying WallConnect software has further evolved, improving the user experience during setup, configuration, operation and maintenance. Along with the ODL-series’ motorized 7-axis alignment, this makes the installation process smoother and simpler. The system is also futureproof and ready for remote management and monitoring, optimizing the availability and lifetime within the mission critical environments.

A wide portfolio of laser engines:

The new engine will be available within the full RGB Laser portfolio, covering 70" to 80" sizes and supporting both FHD and SXGA+ resolutions. Multiple screen options are available to deliver the optimum result depending on the application, control room environment and budget.

Furthermore, existing customers can upgrade their installed base of lamp & LED cubes, which means a complete technology refresh can be accomplished while keeping the mechanical structure and screens. This not only lowers the cost and timeframe of the refurbishment, but also reduces waste and can often be accomplished without any operational interruption. Being able to upgrade video walls (running already for more than 10 years) with the latest projection technology at a reduced cost, for another 10 years of service, is a key advantage of rear projection.

Reducing the environmental footprint:

The ODL series also received the ‘Barco Eco Product label A’ as it further reduces the environmental footprint. Barco’s stringent ecoscoring scores energy efficiency, material usage, packaging/logistics and end-of-life processes in line with the ISO14021 standard.

"By introducing the next-generation RGB Laser ODL series, Barco is again breaking the bar in the rear-projection cube market," says Jay Badvel, Product Manager at Barco. "With this new engine, we go far beyond excelling at the technical level. We further enhance the lifetime, secure the reliability and lower the environmental footprint. The upgrade capability, reusing a large part of the infrastructure, in combination with the modularity, repairability and refurbishment options, further contributes to a true circular economy.

The next generation RGB Laser ODL series are available for shipments starting August 2020.