| Runco Buys Vidikron and Projectavision |
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| Home Theater News Industry-Trade News | |
| Written by Jerry Del Colliano | |
| Tuesday, 01 October 2002 | |
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Runco Buys Vidikron and Projectavision
 In a surprising move at the CEDIA 2002 trade show, Runco a leader in the world of high end video, purchased the assets and brand name of one of their biggest competitors – Vidikron along with the name and assets of Projectavision. This comes one week after Harman sold its high end video company, Madrigal Imaging, to Crystal View, the company who has been servicing Vidikron projectors since Vidikron’s exit from the consumer market earlier this year.
Sam Runco said that Runco will develop each brand into complete lines with initial products to be shown at the Consumer Electronics Show this coming January. Runco will be marketed as the “Rolls Royce” of video projectors which is ironic because Vidikron was well known in the industry for its flamboyant Ferrari and Lamborghini paintwork on their projector chassis. Industry analysts say Vidikron lost its way because of a number of bad management and financing decisions while others point towards their lack of a real world digital projection system in today’s home theater market. Hardcore videophiles still argue that CRT projectors still create the absolute best picture but dealers and consumers are clearly behind DLP and D-ILA projectors because of their amazingly high light output, small physical size, ease of use and impressive reliability. Runco successfully sells DLP and plasma video components and with two new lines, they might be able to extend their product reach even farther. After Madrigal’s unsavory end to its JVC D-ILA OEM deal, one wonders if Runco will make any advances down that road. The JVC D-ILA demonstration was the most impressive video to be seen at CEDIA show. You can contact Runco at: Runco International 2900 Faber Street Union City, CA 94587 510.324.7777 Runco.com Like this article? Bookmark and share with any of the sites below.        |
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