REPORREPORT
VIDEO&VISUALS
INTRODUCED BY STEVE MONTGOMERY
COMPANY: NEW MEDIA IMAGE
STEVE MONTGOMERY IS AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT AND SYSTEM INTE-
GRATOR SPECIALISING IN LARGE SCREEN VIDEO DISPLAYS AND HIGH-QUAL-
ITY AUDIOVISUAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS FOR COMMERCIAL, ENTERTAINMENT
AND RETAIL SECTORS.
Large LED video walls are becoming more popular in a wide va- specialist long-standing suppliers such as Lighthouse Technolo-
riety of applications throughout the entertainment sector in both gies, Element Labs, Tecnovision, Daktronics, Nedit and Arch. For
indoor and outdoor environments. These types of displays have, Lighthouse, installations at sporting venues have become increas-
in fact, been around for over a decade; the first installations were ingly common and this is still one of their biggest areas of growth
completed in the late 1990s and heralded as the way forward for on a global scale. As well as providing a highly flexible platform for
large screen display technology and an end to static billboards and content, the modularity of LED systems makes them an attrac-
printed displays. The recent rapid escalation in popularity over tive proposition as they can be dismantled and rented to external
the past five years or so is due to two major contributing factors: companies when not in use, which provides a quicker return on
the development of smaller, more efficient LED devices and the investment. Roberto Segato, Director of Lighthouse CEME region:
evolution of powerful video processing and signal communication “Lighthouse systems have been installed at sporting venues in the
equipment, coupled with its associated diminishing cost. These Netherlands using a combination of banner panels and standard
two factors have resulted in a shift in technology; a factor noted format LED panels by systems integrator Hecla Professional Audio
by Barbara Neate, Media Relations Manager, Philips Lighting: & Video Systems BV. By splitting them into two systems, they
“Many new architectural applications on the side of buildings provide an ideal solution for a number of Dutch football clubs.
use see-through video walls and there is a move away from the One system resides permanently at FC Utrecht, whilst the other
familiar ‘lego’ construction towards lightweight mesh or string ele- portable system is co-owned by two rental companies and two
ments which offer greater flexibility and do not require complex advertising agencies that signed separate deals with separate clubs.
mounting structures. Other benefits include the opportunity to A revenue model has been created where the advertising com-
create distinctive and novel shapes and for displays to be wrapped panies sell the space, the rental companies deliver the service and
around walls, which was not possible previously.” travel with the systems, and the clubs, in this case FC Groningen
The older, boxy, display modules are still used widely where and NEC Nijmegen, get a banner system for a very low price. All
self-supporting fully integrated displays are required. Each module parties share the revenue generated by the advertising.”
houses the full drive electronics, power supply and data commu- These types of modules are available in a variety of pixels pitches
nications equipment for a matrix of pixels and can be simply inter- for specific applications allowing a desired pixel density and hence
connected with others to create a massive display. Installations of video resolution within the space available, and to suit viewing
this type are dominated by massive multinational manufacturers distances. Pixel pitches range from 4mm to 30mm. Displays com-
capable of developing, installing and maintaining large displays parable in resolution to a high definition TV have been created at
and the associated dedicated software for them: familiar names almost any size from a 5 metre (diagonal) to a massive 650 square
such as Philips, Barco, Mitsubishi, Sony together with a clutch of metres. Tecnovision specialises in stadium screens, Luca Conti,
030 January / February 2010
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