Planar WeatherBright LC3251 User manual

Planar® WeatherBright™
LC3251 & LC4751
OUTDOOR DIGITAL SIGNAGE DISPLAYS
PRODUCT MANUAL
www.planar.com

This manual is designed for use with the Planar® WeatherBright™LC3251 and LC4751 outdoor digital
signage displays. Information in this document has been carefully checked for accuracy; however, no
guarantee is given to the correctness of the contents.
The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. This document
contains proprietary information that is protected by copyright. All rights are reserved. No part of this
document may be reproduced, translated to another language or stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without
prior written permission.
Windows® is a registered trademark of Microsoft, Inc.
Other brands or product names are trademarks of their respective holders.

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 3
PRECAUTIONS AND WARNINGS............................................................................................................................................. 4
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS .................................................................................................................................................................... 4
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION.......................................................................................................................................................... 5
PRODUCT FEATURES............................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
PRODUCT ARCHITECTURE ................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
System Status and Fault Monitoring.............................................................................................................................................................. 8
PRODUCT PART NUMBERS................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
RECOMMENDED USAGE....................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
SPECIFICATIONS ...................................................................................................................................................................... 10
GENERAL LC3251 AND LC4751 SPECIFICATIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 10
PC GRAPHICS INPUT COMPATIBILITY................................................................................................................................................................ 11
RELIABILITY SPECIFICATION ............................................................................................................................................................................. 12
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE .............................................................................................................................................................................. 12
LC3251 AND LC4751 DISPLAY DRAWINGS....................................................................................................................................................... 13
INSTALLATION, TURN-ON, TROUBLESHOOTING........................................................................................................... 15
INSTALLING THE DISPLAY IN AN ENCLOSURE .................................................................................................................................................... 15
CONNECTION AND DISPLAY POWER UP............................................................................................................................................................. 15
TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS AND FUNDAMENTALS ......................................................................................................... 16
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ......................................................................................................................................... 17
ITEMS REQUIRED FOR FIELD SERVICE AND PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE...................................................................................................... 18
SHIPPING AND PACKAGING.................................................................................................................................................. 19
ACCESSORIES AND FIELD REPLACEABLE PARTS......................................................................................................... 20
HOW YOU GET PARTS ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 20
WARRANTY ................................................................................................................................................................................ 21
APPENDIX 1 –RS-232 SERIAL INTERFACE ........................................................................................................................ 22
RS-232 SERIAL INTERFACE INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................... 22
RS-232 INTERFACES................................................................................................................................................................. 22
RS-232 HARDWARE INTERFACE TO THE REMOTE PC........................................................................................................................................ 22
RS-232 HARDWARE INTERFACE TO THE VIDEO INTERFACE BOARD.................................................................................................................. 22
RS-232 SERIAL COMMUNICATION FORMATS..................................................................................................................................................... 22
RS-232 SERIAL FAULT CODES........................................................................................................................................................................... 25
RS-232 COMMANDS .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
APPENDIX 2 –INSTALLING A PLANAR ENCLOSURE..................................................................................................... 30
Table of Contents

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 4
Precautions and Warnings
To maximize the life and safe use of your unit, always be sure to follow the warnings and precautions
in this product guide as well as the maintenance recommendations as described in the Preventative
Maintenance section.
Important Safety Instructions
1. Read, retain, and heed all warnings and instructions.
2. The WeatherBright™open frame outdoor digital display products must be installed into an
approved NEMA 3R enclosure for outdoor use. See Installing the display in an Enclosure
3. Perform preventative maintenance regularly on the WeatherBright Outdoor Digital Displays.
See Preventative Maintenance
4. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the grounding type power plug. A grounding type plug has
two blades and a third grounding prong. The grounding prong is provided for your safety.
Consult an electrician for a fixed installation or if the outlet does not accommodate all
connections to the plug.
5. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs and receptacles.
6. Only use the accessories or spare parts specified by the manufacturer. See Accessories and
Field Replaceable Parts
7. You must follow all National Electrical Code regulations. In addition, be aware of local codes
and ordinances when installing your system.
8. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when any of the Outdoor
Digital Display products have been damaged in any way. Examples of damage requiring service
could include the AC power cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have
fallen into the product, the products do not operate normally, or have been dropped.

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 5
Product Description
Planar® WeatherBright™LC3251 and LC4751 displays are high bright, open-frame, liquid crystal, full
color digital displays intended for extreme weather, outdoor use. The displays utilize interlaced LED
backlights providing greater than 2000 nits of luminance for direct sunlight outdoor readability. The
displays are 32” and 47” diagonal sizes utilized in portrait mode with a 9:16 aspect ratio and with a
WXGA (1366x768) or FHD (1920x1080) native resolution, respectively. The WeatherBright displays
come standard with Planar’s ERO™ (Extended Ruggedness and Optics) technology, providing optically
bonded tempered vandal-resistant cover glass that delivers the best optical and physical performance.
Standard PC graphics DVI and VGA video inputs are accepted. An RS-232 serial connection enables full
system control and smart monitoring. Both displays accept 120V AC input and have rated power
consumption allowing them to run on a single 120V/15A standard electrical service.
The displays are designed to be field-serviceable with easy access for field cleaning or servicing. Field
replaceable components include LEDs, fans, and power supplies. The fans and power supplies are
redundant, allowing the displays to continue operating if these components fail with minimal effects to
the end-user experience. The system self monitors for any component failures or over-limit events and
continues operating in a safe but still functional mode until the unit can be serviced. In the event of a
component failure, fault flags are raised and can be accessed through the RS-232 serial interface using
a simple command set.
These LC3251 and LC4751 are open-frame displays intended to be mounted in NEMA 3R enclosures
that provide basic protection from the elements. The displays are ruggedized to utilize outside air for
cooling without the need for air conditioning. The enclosure is required to provide an intake and
exhaust for the air cooling with a replaceable standard air filter. It is recommended that the enclosure
provide a window opening for the display with no additional cover glass or window material in front of
the display. The ERO™optically bonded displays will not experience any fogging, contamination, or
reflections that would otherwise compromise the image view ability over the life of the product.

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 6
Product Features
The following are features of the WeatherBright LC3251 and LC4751 outdoor digital signage displays,
with best-in-class image quality, and 24/7 mission critical performance with fail-safe designs:
True brightness of >2000 nits over 7 years
Designed to withstand -40°F up to 122°F
Optically-bonded ERO™tempered cover glass
oDramatically improves contrast, viewability, and durability
oNo air gap between the display and cover glass
oGlare and reflections are significantly reduced
oNo condensation or contamination can block display viewing
oImage appears in the foreground instead of appearing to be recessed in a box
oTempered cover glass is durable and vandal-resistant
oNo front surface coatings, which can degrade over time
oAir gaps in competing solutions result in more reflections reduced brightness, lower
overall contrast and viewability, and increased potential for condensation and debris
Components selected and ruggedized for 24/7 mission critical use
Redundancy and interlaced LED back light design ensures power supply or fan failure doesn’t
result in system failure
Field-serviceable with easy access for field cleaning or servicing
Smart system self-monitoring and safe-mode ensures continuous operation
oAutomatic video input switching if one video source fails
oTemperature, fan, power supply, and LED backlight monitoring
No air conditioning required in all climates
Standard installation using existing power supply –operates on single 120V/15A service

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 7
Product Architecture
The WeatherBright™LC3251 and LC4751 displays are based upon a large-area LCD, using interlaced
LED backlights. The Video Board provides an industry-standard video interface to the user. The
Junction Board accepts the power and serial inputs and manages the system with smart monitoring
and control. The system also incorporates a 12V power supply, fans, a diffuser, temperature sensor
boards, and an open-frame metal framework that mechanically holds the assembly together. A block
diagram of the primary system is shown in the following figure.
Figure 1 Block diagram of the LC3251/LC4751 display

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 8
System Status and Fault Monitoring
The WeatherBright™LC3251 and LC4751 displays incorporate a microcontroller that monitors and
controls overall display functionality without user intervention. The microcontroller provides thermal
and power management of the display and continuous fault checking. It checks the status or looks for
faults at a maximum interval of every 10 seconds. The display continues operating even with a failure
unless directed otherwise. Fault tests are independent from each other. Actions taken in response to a
particular fault will not stop fault monitoring and response for other faults. Faults remain stored in
non-volatile memory even if conditions indicate resumption of normal operation. For further
information on system control and status, see Appendix 1 –RS-232 Serial Interface.

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 9
Product Part Numbers
This manual applies to these products:
Planar Part Number
Planar Model Name
UPC
997-6127-00
Product, LC3251 (open
frame)
8 10689 06127 4
997-6609-00
Product, LC4751 (open
frame)
8 10689 06609 5
997-6673-00
Product, LC3251-MP
(w/ruggedized media
player)
8 10689 06673 6
997-6674-00
Product, LC4751-MP
(w/ruggedized media
player)
8 10689 06674 3
997-6696-00
Product, LC3251-Encl
(enclosure)
8 10689 06696 5
997-6697-00
Product, LC4751-Encl
(enclosure)
8 10689 06697 2
Recommended Usage
The following is a list of Planar recommendations for using the LC3251 and LC4751 displays:
The LC3251 and LC4751 displays are designed for 24/7 mission critical usage in extreme
outdoor conditions
Use the display in portrait orientation
The displays are intended for use in NEMA 3R enclosures that provides basic protection from
the elements
The displays utilize outside air for cooling:
oAllow adequate intake and exhaust air provisions without constricting airflow
oCustom air-flow enclosures can be designed to allow for flush wall mounting
applications. Top/bottom or side venting would need to be incorporated. If using the
Planar free standing enclosure design for wall mounted applications, allow at least 6
inches between a wall and unit for adequate airflow
oUtilize a suitable air filter for the environment and service it to ensure unimpeded
airflow

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 10
Specifications
This section contains specifications for the LC3251 and LC4751 displays.
General LC3251 and LC4751 Specifications
Product Name
LC3251
LC4751
Display
Screen size
32 inch diagonal
47 inch diagonal
Orientation
Portrait
Portrait
Aspect Ratio
16:9
16:9
Brightness (max)
2500 nits
2500 nits
Contrast Ratio (typ.)
3000:1
3000:1
Backlight
LED 10:1 dimming, ambient light
sensor, field replaceable
LED 10:1 dimming, ambient light
sensor, field replaceable
Response Time (typ.)
8 ms
9ms
Viewing Angle (typ.)
176⁰H, 176⁰V
178⁰H, 178⁰V
Native Resolution
1366 x 768 pixels
1920 x 1080 pixels
Display Colors
8 bit - 16.7M
8 bit - 16.7M
Display Active Area
392.26mm x 697.68mm
(15.44in x 27.47in)
5640mm x 1096mm
(23.02in x 40.93in)
Surface treatment
Anti-Glare 4.7mm optically
bonded, tempered Vandal Glass
Anti-Glare 4.7mm optically
bonded, tempered Vandal Glass
Connectivity
Video
DVI - DVI-D
VGA - DB15
DVI - DVI-D
VGA - DB15
Data
RS-232 - DB9
RS-232 - DB9
Power
IEC C14
IEC C14
Power
Line voltage
120 VAC
120 VAC
Line current
2A –5A
5A –8A
Power Consumption (max.)
240 –600W
600 –960W
Environment
Operating temperature
-40⁰C to +50⁰C
-40⁰C to +50⁰C
Storage temperature
-40⁰C to +60⁰C
-40⁰C to +60⁰C
Humidity
95% RH
95% RH
Mechanical
Product Weight
32kg (70lbs)
50kg (110lbs)
Product Dimensions (WxHxD)
22.8" W x 34.7" H x 11.1" D
29.5" W x 46.8" H x 11.1" D
Processor
2.4 GHz Intel® Core® I5-520M
2.4 GHz Intel® Core® I5-520M
Memory
2GB DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz
2GB DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz
Media
Hard Drive
40GB Solid-State Drive Intel 320
Series SATA 3.0 Gb-s
40GB Solid-State Drive Intel 320
Series SATA 3.0 Gb-s

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 11
Player
Operating System
Windows® 7 Professional for
embedded systems
Windows® 7 Professional for
embedded systems
(Optional)
Form Factor
Epic
Epic
Connections
LAN x2 (RJ45)
USB x4 (USB2.0)
VGA output (DB15) for 2nd
display
VGA input (DB15) for media
player by-pass/back-up
LAN x2 (RJ45)
USB x4 (USB2.0)
VGA output (DB15) for 2nd
display
VGA input (DB15) for media
player by-pass/back-up
PC Graphics Input Compatibility
The LCD monitor has been tested to synchronize to, and scale the following DVI digital signal graphics
inputs and generate a stable display that has a similar geometry.
Item
Resolution
Vertical Refresh Rate
Standard
1
640 x 480
60Hz
IBM VGA
2
640 x 480
67Hz
Apple Mac II
3
640 x 480
72Hz
VESA
4
640 x 480
75Hz
VESA
5
720 x 400
70Hz
IBM VGA
6
800 x 600
56Hz
VESA
7
800 x 600
60Hz
VESA
8
800 x 600
72Hz
VESA
9
800 x 600
75Hz
VESA
10
832 x 624
75Hz
Apple Mac II
11
1024 x 768
60Hz
VESA
12
1024 x 768
70Hz
VESA
13
1024 x 768
75Hz
VESA
14
1280 x 720
60Hz
VESA
15
1280 x 1024
60Hz
VESA
16
1280 x 1024
60Hz
VESA

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 12
Item
Resolution
Vertical Refresh Rate
Standard
17
1360 x 765
60Hz
No Standard
18
1366 x 768
60Hz
No Standard
19
1600 x 1200
60Hz
VESA
20
1920 x 1080
60Hz
No Standard
Reliability Specification
System is designed for 50,000+ hours of continuous 24/7 use with field replaceable LED backlights, and
redundant replaceable fans, and power supplies.
Regulatory Compliance
UL879 and C22.2 No. 207-M89 for Electric Signs (US and Canada)

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 13
LC3251 and LC4751 Display Drawings
Figure 2 Front and Side Rendering of the LC3251 display
Figure 3 Back and Side Rendering of the LC3251 display

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 14
Figure 4 Front and Side Rendering of the LC4751 display
Figure 5 Back View of the LC4751 display

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 15
Installation, Turn-On, Troubleshooting
Installing the display in an Enclosure
The WeatherBright LC3251 and LC4751 are open-frame displays intended to be mounted in a NEMA 3R
enclosure that provides basic protection from the elements. The displays are ruggedized to utilize
outside air for cooling without the need for air conditioning. The enclosure is required to provide an
intake and exhaust for the air cooling with a replaceable air filter. The displays are optically bonded to
4.7mm tempered vandal-resistant cover glass intended for exposure to the elements while providing
the best viewability. It is recommended that the enclosure provide a window opening for the display
with no additional cover glass or window material in front of the display. The ERO™optically bonded
displays will not experience any fogging, contamination, or reflections that would otherwise
compromise the image viewability over the life of the product.
Reference: Appendix 2 –Installing the Display in a Typical Enclosure
Connection and Display Power Up
Follow these steps to hook up and power on a LC3251 or LC4751 display.
1. Attach a DVI-D or VGA cable to the corresponding video input of the display.
2. Attach a RS-232 null serial cable to the serial input of the display. A null modem serial cable or
a standard serial cable using a null mode adaptor is required.
3. Attach IEC C14 power cable to the power input of the display. A 6 foot power cable is provided
with the display.
4. Provide power to the display.
Note: The displays do not have an on/off switch. It is acceptable to plug/unplug the IEC C14
power cable at the display to turn power on and off.
On power-up the display backlight will turn on and a Planar splash screen will appear on the display for
10 seconds. The display will then auto-sync to a connected video signal. The display is then ready to
use.
If a video input signal does not exist or there are problems with it a ‘No Input Signal – Going to Sleep’
message will be displayed and the display will go to sleep turning off the backlight. If a valid video
input signal is provided the display will auto-sync to that signal and come out of sleep mode.
Figure 6 No Input Signal message

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 16
Troubleshooting Tips and Fundamentals
Video Input & Connections
A basic first step troubleshooting for displays is to verify the video input to the display. The display will
auto-sync to an available DVI-D or VGA video input. If no video input is detected the display will go
into sleep mode; turning the backlight off and resulting in a black screen. If a video input signal is
provided the display will come out of sleep mode and display the image.
Verify display is getting power. Cycle the power to the display and verify per normal operation the
backlight turns on and the Planar splash screen appears for 10 seconds.
Fault Conditions –Read Through RS-232 Serial
The LC3251 and LC4751 displays are designed to self monitor and self regulate to do everything
possible on their own to remain functional even with a fault condition present. Redundancy in lamps,
ballasts, fans, and temperature sensors are designed into the product to enable this. In the event of an
issue the unit will raise a fault flag that can be accessed through the RS-232 serial interface.
The best first step for troubleshooting is to connect to the RS-232 serial interface and query the unit
for any faults. See Appendix 1 –RS-232 Serial Interface for information on connecting through the RS-
232 serial interface and for commands to access fault codes and to troubleshoot further using this
interface. Note the Planar Control Panel utility is also available for one-to-one display RS-232 Serial
troubleshooting.
Replace Failed Components
If the problem or fault condition is identified as a component failure then replace the faulty
component(s). See Accessories and Field Replaceable Parts for a list of available replacement parts.
After replacing components, reset the fault flags on the unit using the RS-232 Serial Interface and
query the status of the unit again to ensure no other faults exist.
Contact Support
If the problem cannot be resolved, contact Planar Support at www.planar.com/support or your place
of purchase for further troubleshooting assistance.

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 17
Preventative Maintenance
Planar recommends preventative maintenance every 6 months as a conservative estimate depending
on environmental conditions. However, your environment is going to dictate the practical frequency of
preventative maintenance. Locations with particulates such as dust or smog, and possibly very high
humidity are more likely to need more frequent preventative maintenance.
As part of your preventative maintenance for the LC3251 or LC4651 display, we recommend doing the
following:
1. Wipe down/clean the inside back of the display and diffuser glass with any standard glass
cleaner product. With the back cover of the enclosure removed the door of the display hinges
open for access to the back of the display and optical diffuser glass. Close the door of the
display and turn it on for a visual inspection. It is possible that inadequate cleaning may have
left streaks on the optical surfaces . If streaking exists re-clean the surfaces and re-inspect.
Clean the outside customer-facing surface of the LCD. Clean the outside of enclosure, if
necessary.
2. Clean or replace the air filter. (can be cleaned with water hose).
3. Check the system status locally using a PC plugged directly into the unit via the RS-232 serial
interface. If there are any error flags, then troubleshooting should occur to fix the unit until no
errors register. See the Troubleshooting Tips and Fundamentals section for information on
troubleshooting. If errors cannot be cleared consider replacing failed components or the entire
unit.

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 18
Items Required for Field Service and Preventative Maintenance
The following is a list of items and tools Planar recommends having on hand prior to a technician
going out to perform Preventative Maintenance (PM) services on LC3251 and LC4751 products.
Expectations for the quantities of parts that may be used on preventative maintenance calls under
typical conditions are included in parentheses:
1. 1 backlight (PM 1 backlight)
2. 6 fans (127mm: main cooling) (PM 2 –3 fans)
3. 3 fans (80mm: electronics cooling) (PM 1 –2 fans)
4. 6 fans (92mm: LC3251 front cooling) (PM 2 –3 fans)
5. Standard glass cleaner and cloths for wiping glass (PM)
6. 2 - 3 filters (PM 1 filter)
7. Remote PC with serial cable to connect locally to unit to diagnose system status or help
determine if image issues are with media player or display (PM). A USB to serial cable is okay as
long as the user manages the USB driver installation from their remote PC.
Customers may consider sparing a unit for larger deployments or deployment in a business critical
environment. Preventative maintenance parts can be ordered as needed or purchased in advance
and stored at a location convenient for deployment.

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 19
Shipping and Packaging
Unpacking List:
LC3251 or LC4751 display
6 ft. power cord
Note: An enclosure, DVI video cable, and serial cable are not included with this Planar product.
(enclosure is shipped separate if ordered with the open frame displays)
Package dimensions and weights:
Product
Unit Weight
Shipping Weight
Package Dimensions
LC3251
67 lb.
85 lb.
17 in x 28 in x 42 in
LC3251-MP
72 lb.
90 lb.
17 in x 28 in x 42 in
LC4751
109 lb.
129 lb.
17 in x 35 in x 53 in
LC4751-MP
114 lb.
134 lb
17 in x 35 in x 53 in
47” Enclosure
75 lb.
150 lb.
35 in x 35 in x 59 in
32” Enclosure
60 lb.
135 lb.
30 in x 35 in x 46 in

LC3251 / LC4751 Product Manual 20
Accessories and Field Replaceable Parts
Optional accessories and field replaceable parts are available for the LC3251 and LC4751 as noted
below.
Field Replaceable Parts List:
Part Number
Product Manual Description
997-6874-00
Backlight –LC3251
997-6875-00
Backlight –LC4751
902-0707-01
Power Supply –LC3251 –380W, 48V, CC
902-0711-01
Power Supply –LC4751 –650W, 48V, CC
170-0292-03
Fan Assembly –48V, 127mm, PWM, IP55 (LC3251/LC4751)
170-0299-03
Fan Assembly –48V, 92mm, PWM, IP55 (LC3251)
170-0300-03
Fan Assembly –48V, 80mm, Low, IP55 (LC3251)
170-0304-00
Fan Assembly –48V, 80mm, Low, IP55 (LC4751)
944-2749-00
ECA, Temp and Photo Sensor –Top
944-2748-00
ECA, Temp Sensor Board –Bottom
259-0122-00
Air Filter (LC4751)
259-0121-00
Air Filter (LC3251)
How You Get Parts
Contact Planar Support at www.planar.com/support or your place of purchase to order optional
accessories or field replaceable parts.