Display and Projection

Transparent and Glass XT3, LED Display from Nexnovo

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Nexnovo

The Shenzhen company GWS you may have seen at an ISE is changing its name to Nexnovo, but they remain innovators in transparent and glass LED displays.

These displays don’t show off well in photos but have a certain appeal at retail.

They sell their see-through glass LED displays to many retail outlets like McDonalds, Jaguar dealerships, and Italian fashionistas… but applications even include stage backgrounds (like on example in Greece, shown in a photo below).

Nexnovo at McDonalds

Nexnovo says it spent 2 years in R&D on its latest model, XT3.

This transparent LED display has no any screw visible on outside-- and glass cover on both sides for stronger protection (in case of accidental touching). News on this model doesn’t yet appear on the website, but we can share what we know at this point.

XT3 offers a high transparency of more than 68% and high brightness of 6000 nits-- making it a choice for chain stores and retail shops who want a classy and unusual digital poster. The hi-res pixel pitch is 3mm (2.5mm very soon) and it’s light (about 24kg with carton box packaging) for convenient transportation.

Nexnovo uses an outdoor standard LED with anti-UV, damp-proofing and high brightness. The maker says the display lifetime can reach up to 4-5 years.

Nexnovo’s core technology is 3D SMT where they hold global patents. With this technology, they minimize hardware to increase the transparency, and the LED light connects with their PCB to provide a stable connection and performance.

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Christie’s New GS Series Laser Phosphor Projectors

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Christie GS Series

Adding to their 1DLP line-ups, Christie introduces four new affordable premium performance ultra-quiet GS Series laser phosphor projectors, including two HD models with BoldColor Technology, in a compact package for discreet installations in venues such as corporate meeting rooms, trade shows, entertainment venues and rental staging.

More advanced than previous GS models, the four professional-grade models use a grid-based warping and blending processor and also have an option for camera-based warping, blending or stacking to make setups faster and simpler.

They can also be rotated 360-degrees and used in portrait orientation, making them ideal for complex setups in rental staging and medium-sized fixed applications. At only 35dBA, users won't be distracted by projector noise, and the new design (sleeker blends seamlessly into any environment. Lightweight and compact, the four new models use a laser phosphor light source with a 20,000 hour life for low maintenance and a low cost of ownership.

While all four models tout improved colour performance, the 850-GS models incorporate Christie BoldColor Technology for premium colour performance. The increase in colour balance to improve colour accuracy results in the extreme bold colours audiences prefer.

"With two new HD and two more WUXGA laser phosphor models, Christie has a wide-ranging 1DLP® line-up including both lamp and laser phosphor options ranging from 3000 to 13,000 lumens without limiting options to one technology or another," says Curtis Lingard, product manager, Christie. "Our customers said they still need the choice between lamps and laser phosphor, and Christie offers that choice."

Featuring bottom-side HDMI connectivity and rear cover, the new Christie GS models can be ceiling mounted and have a very clean look without all the unused connections, cables and keypad being exposed. All RJ45 connections are fully compatible with the rugged and lockable XLR-shell connection to protect and avoid having to re-terminate cables onsite.

"Designed primarily for a digital workflow, the new models have a 3GSDI, DVI-D and two HDMI inputs but still allow for analogue signal via an HD15 connection making the new GS models a perfect fit for live events and fixed installs," added Lingard.

Available in black or white and backed by a 3-year parts and labour warranty, the new Christie GS Series models ship in the summer of 2016.

Go Christie GS Series models

Leyard 8K Video Wall Sweeps Awards at NAB 2016

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Leyard TW Series LED video wall

Leyard and Planar (a Leyard company) pick up five of the Best of Show Awards, presented at the 2016 National Association of Broadcasters Show (NAB) in Las Vegas by NewBay Media’s Broadcast & Video Group.

NAB is the world’s largest annual conference and expo for professionals who create, manage and distribute entertainment across all platforms, covering an array of advances in advertising, virtual reality, and content creation.

The honors were awarded for the highlight of the Leyard and Planar booth, an enormous 8K Leyard TW Series LED video wall. The video wall measures more than 31 feet wide by 18 feet tall (9.5 meters by 5.5 meters) and is composed of 64 Leyard TWA1.2 LED video wall displays with a 1.2 mm pixel pitch, delivering 7680 x 4320 resolution. At a distance of 9 to12 feet from the video wall, says Leyard, “the pixels are indiscernible.”

The Leyard TW Series is a line of fine pitch LED video walls available in 1.2, 1.8 and 2.5 millimeters pitches. The Leyard TW Series is architected to support the highest pixel density and delivers benefits unique to its "flat panel" design including a 16:9 form factor optimized for the most popular high resolution standards, ease of installation and service, and flatness and uniformity.

NewBay Media’s Best of Show Awards at NAB are evaluated by a panel of engineers and industry experts, and are selected based on innovation, feature set, cost efficiency and performance in serving the industry.

Go Leyard 8K Sweeps Awards at NAB


SnapAV and Sunbrite TV in European Expansion

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SnapAV

SnapAV bought Sunbrite TV in late 2015, and now they seek expansion into the European market.

SnapAV designs, manufactures and distributes more than 1500 pro products in 17 product categories including acoustic treatments, audio, bulk wire, cables, connectors and adapters, hardware (now including the full Sunbrite TV range ), IR products, Labour saving devices, media distribution, mounts, power products, pro control remotes, projection screens, rack products, structured wiring, surveillance, wire management and wall plates and boxes.

Sunbrite TV

Sunbrite TV pioneered the outdoor television category and provides all-weather outdoor TVs to the residential, commercial and digital signage markets. Sunbrite TV’s are designed, engineered and assembled in California and the Company recently launched its award winning 84” 4K Ultra HD Outdoor TV.

Sunbrite TV is also the outdoor display of choice for many professional sports stadiums in the US including Yankee Stadium, Gillette Stadium, Wrigley Field, Soldier Field and Marlins Park.

SnapAV have engaged consultancy firm MIST Consultants to build the distributor base across Europe with full support from the senior management of both SnapAV and Sunbrite.

Sunbrite Digital Signage

Paul Hartridge, MD of MIST Consultants, says “We have a great deal of interest but we continue to search for the best options in a number of regions here in Europe. The opportunity to partner with two extremely successful US brands under the SnapAV umbrella and be part of long term strategic European development is a very exciting prospect. I am sure in the coming weeks there will be a number of announcements but we continue to look to identify additional partners in certain regions. I would welcome any enquiries from companies interested in discussing this rare opportunity.”

Go SnapAV

Go Sunbrite Outdoor TV

Go Sunbrite Digital Signage


Digital Signage on a Plate

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'Le Petit Chef'

We generally think of visual mappings as vast projections onto buildings, viewed by crowds at large public events.

Now one Belgian-based company demonstrates there’s a market for small-scale visual mappings for smaller groups of people—and maybe a whole new market to be discovered in restaurants.

An artistic collective run by Antoon Verbeeck and Filip Sterckx in Belgium uses 3D projection mapping techniques to tell stories via projections on buildings, in boxes, on shapes or simply on the ground.

Belgians are renowned for their food skills so it’s no wonder that Skullmapping (OK, it’s not an appetizing name but they didn’t expect to end up in the restaurant industry) decided one day to create Le Petit Chef -- the story of a tiny animated chef who is projected onto diners' plates and proceeds to 'cook' their food, on their plates in front of them.

"Originally we created 'Le Petit Chef' for an event or two, to show people what was possible with mini-mappings," says Antoon Verbeeck, co-director of Skullmapping. "Then, when a large amount of restaurants and hotels started calling us after the first video, we realised that this concept could really bring visual mapping into the hospitality sector."

'Le Petit Chef

Once ‘Le Petit Chef’ went viral on the internet, Skullmapping was contacted by various high end hotels and restaurants from across the world, ranging from Russia to Dubai, to see if it would be possible to licence the use of the animation or make custom made projections.

For the projection of their mini-mapping, the Skullmapping team chose to use Panasonic PT-VZ570 LCD-projectors. The projectors feature a contrast ratio of 10.000:1 with a brightness of 4,800 lumens. This meant that the team at Skullmapping could use a resolution of 1920 x 1200, vital for their productions.

In traditional projection mapping displays there is a distance between the spectator and the projection. However for this project it was important to have this high resolution because it is focused on miniature elements, with spectators extremely close to the screen. Without high resolution, images become pixilated, making the animation less readable.

The skullmapping team create the animation by acting out the motion capture in a studio. It takes approximately four to five weeks to develop one video, from the development of the concept to when the video goes live online.

“People think that the 3D effect that you see in the movie is a hologram or a 3D projection. It’s actually a normal projection, but it is a specific optical illusion that we use. By using a long distorted image from the right point of view, you get a 3D effect or illusion,” adds Sterckx.

It’s a new way of thinking about visual mappings: Initially the mapping focused on a main meal. The video proved such a success on YouTube (4.3 million views in the first 10 months that Skullmapping added an entrée, a fish dish-- and even came up with the second story, the bouillabaisse. Now the mapping consists of a full meal including an entrée, main course and dessert.

“The concept of Le Petit Chef originated from a request from a client who wanted a table mapping for an event,” Verbeek explains.

“Naturally, table mappings had been done before, but these were mostly graphic mappings. We found it interesting to do something with a little figure on the table that cooks your food.”

The Skullmapping team created the animation by acting out the motion capture in a studio. It takes approximately four to five weeks to develop one video, from the development of the concept to when the video goes live online.

“People think that the 3D effect that you see in the movie is a hologram or a 3D projection. It’s actually a normal projection, but it is a specific optical illusion that we use. By using a long distorted image from the right point of view, you get a 3D effect or illusion,” says Sterckx.

What’s not an illusion is the solution of an age-old problem: Skullmapping has found a value-added way for high end restaurants to keep their clients entertained while waiting for prepared food.

Go Panasonic’s and ‘Le Petit Chef’

Ricoh’s Next Generation of Ultra-Short Throw

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Ricoh PJ WX4152NI

The new Ricoh PJ WX4152NI and RICOH PJ WX4152N projectors feature images that have 160% higher contrast and are 200 lumens brighter for better viewing in environments with ambient light.

Users can share presentations and digital signage anywhere, on any smooth surface, with flexible mounting that enables 360-degree projection onto walls or downward onto tabletops and floors.

They can also focus more quickly on the business at hand with fewer delays, thanks to a new feature that enables both wireless and wired network connections simultaneously.

These new projectors also maintain the ultra-short throw distance and portability of their predecessors, enabling presentations with fewer distractions and supporting fast set-up at a moment's notice in unconventional settings, like smaller meeting rooms, huddle rooms, or offsite training sessions.

The RICOH PJ WX4152NI fosters more engagement and allows learning and collaboration to take place beyond the walls of a classroom or training room. Using an electronic pen, presenters – and participants – across multiple locations can add their notes directly to presentations in real time.

Newly-added Miracast for Android-enabled devices, along with Bluetooth and DLNA, allow users to project live images wirelessly from their mobile devices. Documents and audio can also be shared between multiple locations, and the RICOH Smart Presenter app for Apple iPad and iPhone allows users to join meetings from their mobile devices.

When connected to the larger ecosystem of Ricoh interactive flat panel displays, unified communications systems and printers, users can create an integrated information-sharing experience that spans both devices and locations.

Features include:


  • Brighter: 3500 lumens of brightness and dynamic 13,000:1 contrast ratio.
  • Sustainable: Eco Mode (30% more efficient use) extends lamp life by 1500 hours.
  • Fewer IT burdens: The projectors now search for networks automatically.
  • Support for displaying images from up to four computers onto one screen.
  • Fast and easy set-up: The projector can be set up using a wall mount, floor stand or tripod mounts (lightweight form factor makes it easy to set-up).
  • Projectors can be remotely monitored and configured from systems like Crestron RoomView and AMX NetLinx conference control systems.


Go Ricoh PJ WX4152NI and RICOH PJ WX4152N Projectors

Specktron at ISE for First Time

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Specktron IntercativeThreesome

Specktron, the well-established brand from MEA, is exhibiting at ISE for the first time.

The company offers products across several major categories--interactive LED display, projectors and interactive white boards. They are even showing their own True Laser UST projector which claims some performance benefits over other laser technologies.

Adam Dent, appointed just last year as Regional Manager Europe, tells us that the company has a keen interest in the education and corporate market.

“Building on our extensive experience in the Middle East and Africa, where Specktron is now a recognized and respected brand, we believe that a focused approach is key. That is why we were at BETT 2016 and now at ISE-- to show our commitment to these key markets,” he notes.

Dent stresses the company’s “channel friendly approach to the business” and explains Specktron’s formula for success is “The right product at the right price, supplied by supporting the channel community.”

“The role of AV integrators is being squeezed, between brands dictating terms or even going direct and the commoditization of hardware. Our structure and experience enables us to deliver products that the market wants while enabling installers to make a solid margin.

Adam Dent

“We are looking to bring to Europe what we have learnt in ‘Emerging Markets’-- given the huge distances and sometimes poor infrastructure in the emerging countries, Specktron’s success there shows that our products will deliver performance, reliability and cost effectiveness in every situation,” adds Dent.

Specktron hope ISE will increase awareness of Specktron in the European market, and have a couple ISE “bundles” to entice integrators to try their products. (For LED displays, one offer bundles their TDX55 Interactive Display with an embedded i5 PC. Another bundle adds an 82” Interactive White Board with a 3100 Lumen Short Throw Projector and a wall mount.)

In LED Displays, Specktron offers the SX and TDX series. Primarily the difference is in the backlighting arrangement that is used. With the SDX products, Specktron were able to reduce the weight of the unit by over 20%, compared to the equivalent TDX products, while retaining image quality and IR performance.

Go Specktron

Christie Expands Velvet with Narrow-pitch LED Tiles

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Velvet Apex Series

Christie’s new Velvet Apex Series of LED tiles feature 1.2 and 1.6 millimetre pixel pitches.

Part of the Christie Velvet family, Apex Series is designed for 24/7 critical viewing applications including command and control rooms, and high security surveillance monitoring. Apex Series’ high impact visuals are also suitable for corporate lobbies, museums, large-scale experiences, as well as an indoor advertising and high-end retail applications.

Designed for uniformity and performance using only the highest quality components, each Christie Velvet component is system level certified and tested to meet the most stringent safety and environmental requirements.

The Apex Series offers increased flexibility with a new slim design, 100% front-serviceability, 16 x 9 aspect ratio, native HD and UHD resolutions, micro adjustments, and more. With the highest quality components that are designed to work together, remote/redundant power, and advanced monitoring, the Apex Series ensures peace of mind and uptime.

“Featuring the most efficient use of power, precision output control, advanced monitoring capability and design flexibility, with clear, detailed imagery, Apex Series delivers what critical viewing environments are looking for. Our design also includes the Macroblock Hawkeye Solution Platform for long term image uniformity, quality, and performance,” said Nick Fazio, product manager, Christie.

The Apex Series is easy to install, configure, manage and service. The Apex Intelligent Module adds features that make modules ‘plug and play,’ reducing downtime and reconfiguration requirements.

Apex Series solution features include:

  • 16 x 9 aspect ratio.
  • Remote & redundant power supply.
  • 100 percent front serviceable.
  • Slim ADA-compliant design.
  • Landscape and portrait options.
  • Advanced monitoring capability (SNMP).
  • Apex Intelligent Module, enabling memory on module and more.
  • Native HD and UHD resolutions.
  • Micro adjustment capability.
  • Very low frame delay compared to competition.

Apex Series ships in April 2016 with a 3-year parts and labor warranty along with Christie’s customer service and post warranty options.

Go Christie Apex Series


Could This Change Everything in Projection?

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Illumina Light Farm

Something called the Illumina Light Farm may be as common in your tech vocabulary as DLP or Bluetooth soon. A company called Power Technology just one-upped the entire projection market with what it’s dubbing "the Illumina Light Farm."

What is it? Imagine removing the light source for a multi-projector install (e.g., installs where multiple projectors are required, including simulation, video walls, multi-screen movie theaters and image mapping) such that the light was all coming from ONE SOURCE and distributed to each projector as needed. So, you can change the lumens of a particle projector as you need to or send the EXACT same amount of light to each projector.

How do they do it? It’s all laser light house din a giant equipment rack and then sent to lampless projectors. The light is sent via laser to each and every projector as it’s needed. And, the amount of light projected through each projector can be adjusted, on the fly (as ambient light changes in the room or the application, itself, changes).

Laser Illuminated Projection (LIP) is sweeping the world. Audiences are demanding brighter colors. Theater owners are demanding cost savings and more ticket revenue. For premium large-format screens, LIP makes perfect sense. But, what about the 95 % of screens that don’t need (and can’t justify) 60,000 lumens of laser light? The Illumina Light Farm is designed and positioned to give that 95 percent the same advantages of the monster screens out there. The Illumina Light Farm is the first multi-projector laser light source in the world and it is going to change the entire landscape of LIP.

Here are some of the Illumina Light Farm capabilities:

  • Between 5,000 and 250,000 lumens from a single location
  • Distribute lumens to any number of new or retrofitted projectors
  • No down time for lamp changes.
  • Increased revenue for a premium experience.
  • Spreads the investment of LIP across multiple projectors for a positive ROI and lower TCO

Go Power Technology and Illumina Light Farm

Watch Illumina Light Farm