1. Introduction
This document describes the hardware and software operations of the Planar® ContentSmart™ Media Player
MP-3450, system set up, and frequently asked questions.
1.1. Features
The MP-3450 is a Full-HD 1080p high definition digital signage media player featuring industrial grade mechanical
design and versatile open-standard SMIL programmability.
AV in for custom live content display
Full-HD 1080p hardware decoding of MPEG, H.264, and VC-1 media formats
4GB on-board flash local storage with CF card slot
Integrated audio and video output via HDMI
Supports full POPAI Screen Media Formats Standards profiles S1 to S12, and E1 to E9
Multiple 3rd party software solution compatibility
Industry leading W3C SMIL support for developers
Built-in wireless b/g/n network
RS232 for on/off control
1.2. Package contents
Ethernet cable
Media Player Unit
AC Adapter and
Standard 3.5mm to
Quick Start
Guide
Cord
ContentSmart™
Software set-up guide
RS-232
adapter
Wi-Fi Antenna
CF card cover/remover
(pre-installed on unit)
Documentation CD
NOT INCLUDED: A USB keyboard is required for system setup
1.3. Mounting options
The Planar ContentSmart Media Player can be attached to mounting posts on
the back of screens or inside cabinetry with the built in VESA MIS-D100
(100mmx100mm) compatible mounting flange.
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1.4. Physical view
Physical features (top and counter clockwise)
12V DC for power adapter
HDMI 1.3a connector for digital video and audio combined outputs,
or digital video via optional DVI adapter
VGA port for analog video output
3.5mm composite AV output
Reset button to perform factory reset
Status lights
Ethernet port for network content update
USB ports for USB content update and configuration
CF card slot cover with integrated CF card removing tool
Wi-Fi antenna*
RS-232 port
3.5mm composite AV input
*ATTACH the wireless antenna as shown. Screw antenna clockwise onto the post.
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2. Configuring the MP-3450 Media Player
2.1. System connections
1
Attach a video cable (either VGA or HDMI) to your monitor.
When using the VGA connection, your monitor should support XGA (1024x768) resolution or greater. For audio
output, you will also need to connect a stereo RCA cable from the MP-3450 to your monitor.
When using an HDMI connection, audio is sent along with video over the HDMI cable, so no additional cables are
required.
Reminder: If you do not see anything on screen, re-check your monitor video input.
2
Attach the AC power adapter to power on the unit. Shortly afterwards, the following progress bar will be
displayed on your monitor:
~ 90 seconds
3
Player boot process takes approximately 90 seconds to complete and end with a Welcome! screen. The player
will indicate that it is ready for content sync via the USB port or, if content has been loaded, begin playback
immediately.
Troubleshooting Tips
1
2
The operation indicators light up, but no video is displayed on screen.
Ensure that your video cable (VGA or HDMI) is securely connected. When using an
HDMI connection, choose high quality, certified HDMI cables or try using shorter
length cables.
Check if your monitor is turned-on and switched to the corresponding video input
source.
No sound is heard.
If using VGA connection, you also need to connect RCA audio cables.
Check volume (mute) settings on monitor.
After performing the initial setup as outlined above,
the player will boot into the “Open Standard Media
Player” screen. Plug in a USB keyboard to enter
configuration menus.
If you have already loaded media contents into the
player, contents will play back immediately after boot
up, and the “Open Standard Media Player” screen will
not be shown. You can still plug in a USB keyboard at
any time during playback to enter the menu system.
2.2.
2.3. USB keyboard configuration menus
You must attach a USB keyboard to the MP-3450 to configure settings. With the player booted up and ready, it
takes approximately 30 seconds after you plug in the keyboard for the following menu to be displayed:
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Navigating the menus
Navigate the menus using arrow keys, space bar, enter key, and numeral keys on your USB keyboard. Use the
keyboard arrow keys to highlight menu items, press the space bar to move the star (cursor), and then press enter
to confirm (<OK>) or reject (<Cancel>) any changes.
2.4. Connect the MP-3450 to your network
Enter Network setting in the menu to set up a network connection method.
Wireless connection
The player will scan for wireless signals nearby during boot up. If the network requires
authentication, you will be asked to provide the password for access.
Wired connection
To use the wired Ethernet connection, connect an Ethernet cable and the Wi-Fi will be
disabled.
Player IP address
You will also need an IP address for the player on your network. This could be set automatically (DHCP) or
manually (static IP):
DHCP – automatically assign network IP address
DHCP is enabled by default. You do not need to change the
settings unless setting a static IP.
Static IP – manually assign network IP address
Highlight “IP configuration” and press “Enter” on keyboard to
<Select>
Move the highlight to “Static IP” below, press “Space bar” on
the keyboard to fill in the star (*) at the Static IP brackets, and
press “Enter” on the keyboard to select <OK>.
Proceed to configure an available static IP address. Select Wireless
configuration or IP configuration as determined by your connection.
Please consult your network administrator for assistance if necessary.
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2.5. Video output settings
For best quality, set the output resolution to match your display’s native resolution to avoid image scaling and
blur.
If you are connecting to an LCD TV, the resolution setting is most likely 1366x768, 1280x720, or 1920x1080. If you
are connecting a LCD computer monitor, projector, or plasma display, refer to the device specifications for the
best matching setting.
Press the space bar to fill in the star (*) before pressing the enter key for <OK>.
2.6. Clock and calendar settings
Set the correct time zone, time, and date.
Daylight Saving (DST) rules can be configured
in Set time zone.
2.7. Setting a password
To prevent unauthorized modification of player settings, set a player
password to hide the menu.
From the top level menu, select “Change password” to set a password.
IMPORTANT: Once a password is set, you can only access the menus by
connecting a USB keyboard and pressing CTRL + ALT + DELETE (3-key
combination) simultaneously. You may connect the keyboard at any
stage of player operation or before/ during boot-up.
If you forget the password, you will need to reset the device. See
Factory reset.
2.8. Factory reset
If you forget a system password you have set, you must reset the system to regain access to the player.
Using the reset button
1
2
3
4
Disconnect power cable from the player unit
Press and hold the RESET button
Connect the power cable while holding the RESET button until status light flashes (about 15 seconds)
Please wait while the system drive is being formatted
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2.9. Applying firmware upgrades via USB
Firmware updates can be performed using a USB flash drive. Please read the release notes carefully regarding the
changes that will be made to your player before applying the upgrade.
1
DOWNLOAD the latest firmware and copy it to the root directory of a USB drive from
2
3
4
5
PLUG the power cord into the media player
PLUG a USB keyboard to the media player to enter the menu system
Follow on screen instructions and SELECT firmware upgrade option in the menu
When instructed, PLUG IN the USB drive to begin firmware upgrade
2.10. Video input
The AV in port lets you attach TV tuners, live video camera signals, pre-recorded videos, and more via the 3.5mm
composite video/audio cable.
NTSC/PAL mode is selected automatically.
Also refer to your software documentation to enable display.
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3. Content Management
The Planar ContentSmart Media Player (MP-3450) is designed to work with 3rd party management solutions.
Please refer to the printed ContentSmart Software Guide for related set up instructions.
4. Authoring in HTML5
A major feature of the MP-3450 media appliance is the ability to playback HTML5 content which can contain
dynamic information.
5. Working with SMIL
The MP-3450 uses open communications protocols for content presentation and playback control. SMIL-
compliance means predictable results across multiple devices, and SMIL’s non-proprietary nature means that
your investments are never obsolete.
5.1. Introduction
Using SMIL (pronounced “smile”), the language created by W3C for multimedia
communications, the media player understands the language “spoken” by professional
tools from companies such as AdobeTM, AppleTM, MicrosoftTM, and Real NetworksTM
.
What this means is quicker, easier, and better integration of your media player into
your digital signage networks, opening up avenues of software controls and realizing
the full potential of your player hardware down the road.
The media player operating system utilizes W3C SMIL as the underlying scripting language, which lends well to
customization to your project management needs. For resources, downloads, and community support, please
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6. Technical Data
6.1. Specifications
MP-3450
Video format support
POPAI Screen Media Standards
S6 (MPEG-1 SIF, 3Mbps CBR)
S7 (MPEG-1 480p, 10Mbps CBR)
S8 (MPEG-1 720p, 15Mbps CBR)
S9 (MPEG-2 480p, 6Mbps CBR)
S10 (MPEG-2 720p, 12Mbps CBR)
S11 (MPEG-4 AVC, 480p, 6Mbps CBR)
S12 (MPEG-4 AVC, 720p, 10Mbps CBR)
E4 (VC-1/WMV9, MP@ML, 720p)
E5 (VC-1/WMV9, MP@HL, 1080p)
E6 (MPEG-2, 1080p, 20Mbps CBR)
E7 (MPEG-4 ASP, 480p, 10Mbps CBR)
E8 (MPEG-4 AVC, 1080p, 20Mbps CBR)
POPAI Screen Media Standards
S1 (JPEG 480p baseline)
Image format support
Audio codec support
S2 (JPEG 720p baseline)
S3 (JPEG 1080p baseline)
E1 (PNG 24bpp+alpha, 480p)
E2 (PNG 24bpp+alpha, 720p)
E3 (PNG 24bpp+alpha, 1080p)
POPAI Screen Media Standards
S4 (MPEG L2 audio)
S5 (MP3 audio, 320Kbps)
Playback control
Content management
Physical I/O connectors
W3C SMIL 3.0 instructions (sub-set)
3rd party solution
HDMI 1.3
VGA
3.5mm AV out
3.5mm AV in
RJ45 Ethernet
USB 2.0
WLAN antenna port
RS-232 port
Local storage
Accessories
4GB on-board flash memory (up to 1.8 hrs of 5 Mbps high def.
video)
CF card expansion slot
3.5mm-RCA AV cable
Ethernet cable
WLAN antenna
Power requirement
Power consumption*
Environmental
12V 1.5A DC
8 watts max (when playing 1080P full resolution video)
Operating temperature: 0 – 40° C / 32 – 104° F
Humidity: 5 – 85% @ 40° C / 32 – 104° F non-condensing
211x153x 43mm (8.3 X 6 X 1.7 inches)
Dimensions
Weight
3 lbs (1.4kg)
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Safety
Certifications
Warranty
UL-approved AC adapters
CE/FCC/RoHS
Planar Customer First™ 3 year limited
7. Appendix: FAQ
What video format can I play?
The recommended video encoding is using H.264, [email protected] & 10Mbps bitrate. If a certain video is not played as
“Converting videos” instructions.
The LCD digital signage is placed near my Wi-Fi access point, yet the connection is unreliable.
Wi-Fi appliances in general should be placed 10 feet (3 meters) from the Wi-Fi access point for reliable operation.
Try relocating the access point further away from the LCD display/media player to improve the connection.
What can I do about the gap between back-to-back videos?
Video gaps (blank screen) occur before and after each video is played. To minimize the gap, avoid back to back
video programming by scheduling an image between each video.
If both Ethernet & Wi-Fi are connected, which one will take precedence?
When Ethernet is not available or disconnected, system will try to use Wi-Fi connection. If both connections are
available, Ethernet will be used.
What is the maximum file size for a single video file?
The maximum video file size for the MP-3450 is 2GB. We recommend reserving a safety margin to avoid
exceeding the limit (i.e. limiting files to 1850MB).
What should I do if I forgot my password or want to restore to factory defaults?
In this case, please perform a factory reset.
Use the RESET button located at the back of the media player to restore factory settings. This will also clear the
player’s password.
Performing a factory reset
Warning: This procedure will restore all menu settings to factory default and format the internal storage to
factory conditions (all contents will be removed).
To restore factory settings and format the drive:
1. Disconnect power cable from the player unit
2. Press and hold the RESET button
3. Connect the power cable while holding the RESET button until status light flashes
(about 15 seconds), then release the RESET button
4. Please wait while the system drive is being formatted
How do I manage the playback of contents?
The Planar ContentSmart Media Player is designed to be interoperable with leading 3rd party management
software solutions or via SMIL open standard commands.
Could the player display Flash or Microsoft PowerPoint presentations?
The player does feature limited PowerPoint support, but not Flash support.
While PCs can play many formats with varying degrees of success, RISC-based media players are designed to
reliably play specific video formats (Please see spec for details). While Microsoft PowerPoint native files could not
play directly on a RISC-based player, the file is converted through other software (i.e. Planar ContentSmart) into
an image format to be played as an image slideshow.
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Why won’t some media files play properly?
The video data bit-rate used may have exceeded the recommended bit rate.
The video data bit-rate is the amount of video or audio data used per second to store or play the contents,
usually expressed in Mbps (mega-bits per second). Video encoded with excessive bit-rates will not playback
smoothly in the media player, likely due to storage I/O bottleneck.
The media playback looks different on a PC compared to the media player’s LCD screen. (Wrong aspect
ratio)
There are 2 major aspect ratios (width-to-height ratios) for video content, but many kinds of displays. If you play
4:3 video on a 16:9 display (or vice versa), a circle becomes oval, and the picture takes on a squeezed or
stretched look. To avoid this distorted look, adding black bars are a common technique.
The Media Player can be configured to automatically add black bars for certain types of displays. You can set the
output resolution in MP-3450’s configuration menu to match the native resolution of your display.
Some JPEG images cannot be played in the media player.
Progressive JPEG are not supported. Please convert to baseline JPEG for maximum compatibility.
JPEG images can be either of 2 types: baseline or progressive compression. Baseline JPEG offers greatest
compatibility, while progressive JPEGs are suitable for web site images. Progressive images are downloaded and
displayed “progressively,” being rendered more clearly as more data is received over the internet. Progressive
images are primarily supported on PCs. For media appliances, make sure to save images as baseline JPEG in your
photo editor, or resave them as baseline JPEGs using free tools such as IrfanView (http://www.irfanview.com/ ).
Does the media player support video streaming?
No. The media player plays files from local storage and does not support real-time video streaming over the
network. This delivers an optimum viewing experience free of playback quality issues such as stuttering, blocking,
or blue-screens.
However, MP-3450 does support dynamic content delivery to push individual files quickly over the network using
the SOAP API. This method is a compromise between live streaming with its high bandwidth demands and entire
playlist content updates which necessitate longer update cycles.
The media player is not playing. What should I do?
Check the player’s messages on the display (OSD, or on screen display) for status information.
Play list errors and scheduling issues are two major causes of playback problems. To determine if the problem is
caused by a bad play list, just delete the play list and restart player. The player should loop through all media files,
indicating a fault with the play list.
If the playback is scheduled to play at specific time, check to see if the device is set to the right time zone on the
world clock. When nothing seems wrong, the time zone setting is often the reason the program is not played.
IMPORTANT NOTICE – These terms and conditions directly affect your rights, obligations and
remedies as an end-user of Planar products. As used here, “end-user” means use of the
products for personal use only and excludes resale, rental, lease or transfer of any kind. Please
read and understand your rights. Use of the Planar product will be considered acceptance of this
warranty and acceptance of the end-user license terms for any included software
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Planar Customer First ™ 3-Year Limited Warranty
The MP-3450 features a 3-year limited hardware warranty; this warranty period begins on the date
of Planar’s initial shipment of the Product. For products located within the 48 contiguous United
States, Planar offers a two-day Advance Replacement option; for Products located in other locations,
Planar offers a “return and replace” option.
This warranty does not cover any accessories that may be provided with the Product, including but
not limited to cables and other peripherals. (Such as accessories are warranted for ninety (90) days
after Planar’s initial shipment of the Product; see the Accessory Warranty at
Limited Hardware Warranty
Planar warrants these products to be free from defects in material and workmanship during the
warranty period noted above. If, in Planar’s determination, a Product proves to be defective in
material or workmanship during the warranty period, Planar will, at its sole option, either (1) repair
the Product or replace it with similar new or refurbished Product per one of the options below, or (2)
in the event that replacement or repair of the product is not commercially feasible, refund a prorate
share of the then current MSRP of the Product (or a similar product, if the Product is no longer
available) as determined by the amount of time remaining in the warranty period. MSRP is defined
Planar’s Advance Replacement Option (within the 48 contiguous United States)
Upon discovering a problem with the product, contact Planar’s customer service Monday through
Friday toll-free at 1-866-PLANAR-1 (1-866-752-6271), or by online chat.
See
proof-of-purchase available. Planar’s Customer Service staff will attempt to correct any minor issues
that might be causing the problem via phone or email. If this fails to resolve the problem, a return
material authorization (RMA) number will be issued.
If the defective Product is reported to Planar within the 3-year warranty period, and a valid credit
card is provided to ensure return of the defective product, Planar will ship you an Advance
Replacement Product (no accessories included). Depending on your location, it may take more than
2 days for the replacement to arrive.
Planar must receive the defective Product in otherwise good condition within 14 days following the
delivery of the Advance Replacement Product to you. If the defective Product is not received by
Planar within the 14-day time frame, or if warranty is voided due to any applicable Warranty
Exclusion (see below), your credit card will be charged for the current MSRP of the Product.
1) Return the defective Product in the box in which the Advance Replacement Product was
shipped to you, using the same packing materials.
2) Return only the defective product. Planar will not be responsible for returning or replacing
any accessories or peripherals that are returned with the defective Product. Call the
shipping pick-up number provided with the Advance Replacement Product for package pick-
up, or drop it at the local UPS location. For door-to-door pick-up, UPS may charge a pick-up
fee for which you are responsible. You are responsible for shipping cost incurred when
returning the defective Product by any other method that UPS ground. Verify that the serial
number on the RMA return label matches the serial number of the defective Product being
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returned. Attach a pre-paid RMA return label that was included with
Advance Replacement Product.
Planar’s Return and Replace Option (outside the 48 contiguous United States)
1) If you are unable or unwilling to provide a credit card to use the Advance Replacement
option, or if you are located outside the 48 contiguous states, Planar will provide “Return
and replace” service.
2) After receiving an RMA from Planar customer service, return the defective Product with
sufficient packing materials to prevent damage during shipment. Planar will charge you an
amount not to exceed the current MSRP of the Product. Planar will not be responsible for
returning or replacing any accessories or peripherals that are returned with the defective
Product.
3) You are responsible for any shipping cost incurred when returning a defective Product to
Planar; Planar will pay for the shipment of the replacement Product to you.
4) A replacement unit will be shipped to you once your defective unit is received.
Important Information for Returning Hardware
1) Planar will not accept any returned Product unless an RMA number has been previously
issued by Planar.
2) If the defective Product is returned and deemed to be covered by one of the warranty
exclusions, Planar reserves the right to charge your credit card an amount not to exceed the
current MSRP for the Product.
3) If the Product is returned and is deemed to be a No Fault Found (NFF) unit, Planar reserves
the right to charge your credit card in the amount of $95.
4) It is your responsibility to properly package the defective Product and ship it to the address
provided by the Customer Service representative with RMA number prominently displayed.
If the defective Product is not properly packaged and is damaged in transit during its return
to Planar, your credit card will be charged for either the associated repair cost, if repairable,
or the MSRP of a replacement Product.
5) The replacement Product will assume the remainder of your original Product’s warranty or
90 days from Planar’s return Product ship date, whichever is longer.
6) Upon receipt, you agree to retain the replacement Product and that your defective Product
becomes the property of Planar.
Warranty Exclusions
The following conditions or circumstances are not covered under the terms of this limited hardware
warranty for the product set forth herein:
1) Delivery to P.O. Box, APO Box and FPO Box addresses.
2) Any Product on which the serial number has been defaced, modified or removed.
3) Replacement rental cost incurred by you in the event of Product failure.
4) Damage, deterioration or malfunction resulting from:
a. Accident, abuse, misuse, neglect, improper ventilation, fire, water, disaster,
lightning, or other acts of nature, smoke exposure (cigarette or otherwise),
unauthorized product modification (including use of an unauthorized mount), or
failure to follow instructions supplied with the Product.
b. Repair or attempted repair by anyone not authorized by Planar.
c. Any damage to the product due to shipment.
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d. Removal or installation of the product.
e. Causes external to the product, such as electric power fluctuations or failure.
f. Use of supplies or parts not meeting Planar’s specifications.
g. Normal wear and tear.
h. Failure to follow maintenance procedures as outlined in the Product’s user guide
where a schedule is specified for regular cleaning of the Product.
i. Opening the Product, tampering with internal circuitry, and/or removing or
replacing of any internal components or parts.
j. Product has been resold, transferred, rented, leased, lost, stolen, or discarded.
k. Any other cause, which does not relate to Product defect.
l. Operating the Product outside the suggested normal usage condition stated in the
user guide.
For additional information on the name of the nearest Planar Service center, contact your Planar
dealer or call Planar (toll free) at 1-866-PLANAR (1-866-752-6271) or at (1-503-748-5799) or email
us at [email protected].
Extended Warranty Options
Contact Planar for information on extended warranty options at our website:
email us at [email protected] .
No Implied Warranties
PLANAR OFFERS NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WHICH EXTEND BEYOND THE DESCRIPTION
CONTAINED HEREIN. PLANAR DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT,
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ANY WARRANTY ASSURANCE
MADE BY A PLANAR EMPLOYEE OR A PLANAR AUTHORIZED RESELLER THAT CONFLICTS WITH OR
ENHANCES THE WRITTEN WARRANTY INCLUDED HEREIN.
Exclusion of Damages
PLANAR’S TOTAL LIABILITY RELATED TO THE PRODUCT IS LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING REMEDIES,
WHICH WILL BE CHOSEN IN THE SOLE DISCRETION OF PLANAR: (1) REPAIR OF THE DEFECTIVE
PRODUCT OR REPLACEMENT WITH A SIMILAR NEW OR REFURBISHED PRODUCT OR (2) REFUND OF A
LESSER OF A PRORATA SHARE OF THE CURRENT MSRP AS DETERMINED BY THE REMAIDER OF THE
WARRANTY PERIOD OR THE DEPRECIATED VALUE OF THE PRODUCT BASED ON THE MSRP IF
REPLACMENT OR REPAIR OF THE PRODUCT IS NOT COMMERCIALLY FEASIBLE IN PLANAR’S SOLE
OPINION.
IN NO EVENT WILL PLANAR BE LIABLE FOR: DANAGE TO OTHER PROPERTY CAUSED BY ANY DEFECTS
IN THE PRODUCT; DAMAGES BASED UPON INCONVENIENCE, LOSS OF USE OF PRODUCT, LOSS OF
TIME, LOSS OF PROFIT, LOSS OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, OR LOSS OF GOODWILL; ANY LOSS,
CORRUPTION OR MISUSE OF INFORMATION (AS DEFINED ABOVE); INTERFERENCE WITH BUSINESS
RELATIONSHIPS, OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL LOSS, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGES.
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IN NO EVENT WILL PLANAR BE LIABLE FOR ANY OTHER DAMAGES, WHETHER
INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE,
INCLUDING ANY CLAIM BROUGHT AGAINST YOU BY ANY OTHER PARTY.
Effect of Local Law
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights, which vary from locality
to locality. Some localities do not allow limitations on implied warranties and/or do not allow the
exclusion of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations and exclusions may not
apply to you.
Planar Systems, Inc.
Customer Service
Support
Tel: 1-866-PLANAR1 (866-752-6271) or +1 503-748-1100
Hours: M-F, 8am - 8pm Eastern Time | M-F, 5am - 5pm Pacific Time
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