Volume 9, Issue 9 — September 27, 2017

Light field displays, volumetric displays and eventually, holographic displays are all in development with the first commercial products coming soon. Such displays require a lot of image points (some call them voxels or volume pixels) and a lot of data. As a result, methods to format, encode and deliver these intense data streams are also in development. Two upcoming events will focus on commercial activities in these areas.

At the Display Summit, for example, a company called SeeReal will describe their approach to a holographic display. One of the issues with holographic displays today is their limited field of view, resolution and image size – plus the large computational power needed to generate the diffraction patterns to drive the spatial light modulators. SeeReal tackles this problem by using an eye tracking system so they only have to render what your fovea is looking at. I have seen a demo of this system and it is one of the most impressive 3D displays I have seen (see SeeReal Shows Electronic Holographic Display.)

FoVI3D will talk about their integral imaging approach for making a light field display. Powered by a 2D array of OLED microdisplay and microlenses, the system offers vertical and horizontal parallax with an image appearing in a tabletop format. This second generation approach should be a big improvement in image quality over their previous demonstrator.

Light Field Labs will provide some insight into their display approach as well. They have not disclosed too much to date, but plan to work the whole food chain of light field data processing, formatting encoding and displays.

Another way to simplify the problem is to limit the rendering to just horizontal parallax. Holografika and Third Dimension Technologies will present their approaches using a technique called holographic stereography. For this, an array of projectors illuminates a special holographically-defined screen that compresses each projector image into a narrow (~1º) horizontal FOV and wide vertical FOV. Each projector has a different perspective of the scene so when combined provides a glasses-free 3D image with a large sweet spot. Holografika has constructed large commercial versions of this architecture while Third Dimension Technologies has delivered a flight simulator.

LightSpace will talk about their volumetric display system. It consists of two main components. The first is a high speed, single-chip DLP engine that is used for rear projecting video onto the second main component: a stack of about 20 air-spaced screens. The arrangement of the screens can be visualized as similar to the slices in a loaf of bread. Each screen is individually electrically addressable and can be driven to quickly switch from a transparent state to a scattering state. More specifically, each screen in the so-called Multi-planar Optical Element (MOE) is a liquid crystal scattering shutter. In previous versions of the LightSpace display, the MOEs were composed of Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal material. The latest version of the MOEs is reported to use a new liquid crystal formulation.

At the Streaming Media for Field of Light Displays (SMFoLD) workshop, which will be held on Oct. 3 just before Display Summit, presenters will focus on the distribution part of the light field ecosystem.

Here, there is much debate about how to deliver the vast amounts of data in real time that a light field image can require.  For synthetic data, one can deliver data as mesh and textures perhaps with additional metadata.  But for video content, there could easily be 50 to 100 views to deliver to the display system.  Do you focus on extensions to conventional video codecs to reduce the massive redundancy or should you use these images to create a 3D model and encode as mesh, textures and metadata?  Many are trying to understand the trade offs in terms of processing power, cost, bandwidth and efficiency.

At the SMFoLD workshop, several approaches to this formatting and encoding problem will be introduced, and there will be discussions about current activities in the relevant standards bodies in this area as well.  We anticipate a vigorous panel session to debate various approaches.

So how real are light field display applications? Certainly there is much interest in the AR/VR community about being able to provide a 3D image that does not have any side effects, so understanding the delivery and display ecosystem for such next generation products is critical. But there are also many 3D data sets in military, medical, intelligence and commercial applications where existing stereo 3D systems can be upgraded to a more robust light field or other form of advanced 3D display. Some of these will be profiled at the workshop as well.

This column was reprinted with permission from Insight Media and originally appeared here. Register for the Display Summit, to be held Oct.4-5 in Sterling, Va., here.

It’s funny how ideas work. Two years ago, I started a draft of this blog about curve jumping. I wrote an opening paragraph and then stopped. It sat in the catacombs of the site, waiting to be dug up again or lost forever.

If you’re not familiar with the term curve jumping you should be. In any business there is an S-curve of revenue growth in which a business starts out slowly, grows rapidly until it approaches market saturation, and then levels off.

The secret of high performing companies however is that they learn how to jump the curve.

“By jumping these three-curves early, while the core business continues to thrive, companies lay the foundation for a successful leap to a new financial S-curve later – and for lasting greatness by executing a series of these moves.”

(If you want a quick and simple overview of this idea, check out Accenture’s take on it here)

A business has to be willing to abandon a business that is still in essence doing well and make the jump to a new one in order to continue their growth. That can be hard.

Part of the difficulty in jumping the curve is knowing where you are jumping to. You can’t stick the landing if you’re just spinning in a circle and leaping with your eyes closed. That ends in disaster. So how do you know where to jump?

Unfortunately, the way most businesses evolve is through small, incremental changes, usually made at a point where they are long overdue. A business experiences a pain point or a decrease in revenue, they “go back to basics” and “double down” trying to outwork the problem before finally coming to terms with the fact that change is necessary.  The inertia of the past is often too great. “I’ve been doing it this way for 30 years” is a common mantra. That may mean the change is long overdue. Ever wonder why businesses do five year plans?

Given all this, most businesses grow through their S-Curve, level off and then either hit a decline or make just enough small changes to stay flat. Their business looks pretty much as it did when they started.

If you really want to jump the curve as a business owner you can’t operate this way. You have to ask yourself,

“If I were to go into business TODAY, what kind of business would I build?”

In doing so, you need to act as if you’re starting from scratch. You can’t let you current client base, business structure, pricing, etc. influence what your ideal business in today’s market would look like. Then once you have that ideal, you put it down on paper alongside your existing business and come up with a plan that allows you to move from one to the other.

Investments vs. Sunk Costs

Part of creating your transition plan is being able to differentiate between investments and sunk costs.

Think about your closet. Do you have a $100 pair of shows you never wear or an expensive suit that will most likely never fit you again? Odds are, the reason you hold on to that item is because you paid a substantial amount for it. In your head, it is worth that money. In reality, it is worth $0 to you, as there is no utility in it.

A sunk cost is the money you put into something that you no longer get any benefit from. On the other hand, an investment is something you’ve put money into that has future value.

When looking at the current business, it can be hard to let go of pieces of the business you have invested a lot of time and money in. The way to make decisions on what parts of the business stay and what parts go during this transition is to be brutally honest about their future value.

Of course the profits from the current business fuel the transition to the next jump. This is why it’s imperative to jump early. You need the profits from the growth stage of the first curve to finance the start of the next curve. If you wait too long, the business is struggling to stay flat and there is no longer a revenue engine to supply the needed fuel.

A great example of a company that has successfully navigated three S curves like this is Netflix. First it acquired a strong customer base with its DVD-by-mail rental business, utilizing the profits as that business grew to build out its streaming service and acquire digital rights to content. Then the company separated the rental by mail business from the streaming services by creating two different pay structures, allowing the rental business to fade as the streaming business continued to grow. Then it used the profits from their growing streaming business to fuel the studio business, creating original content that can populate Netflix’s library without having to negotiate fees and windows of digital content owned by others. It’s a shining example of how continuing to jump to the next curve keeps the business growing.

The good news is that we have some curve jumping happening in AV right now it would seem too.

One example that stands out to me is Origin Acoustics. At CEDIA this year, Origin released a new multi-channel Valet Amplifier that is designed specifically to turn an array of Amazon Echo Dots into a whole house audio system. A unique feature is the amplifier’s patent-pending voice override system that mutes zones to allow the Dots to hear voice commands. Origin also introduced an in-ceiling mount for the Dot to let it be integrated into the ceiling, mirroring the look of architectural speakers already in the space. If you didn’t get to CEDIA or see the press releases, you can take a look at it here.

The interesting thing about the Valet Amplifier is that it utilizes an RJ45 and a Cat5/6 to carry power to the Dot and also to carry line level signal from the Dot’s audio output back to the amplifier.

For those of you thinking that low voltage power and line level audio over Cat5/6 sounds familiar, it does. It’s essentially A-Bus.

Origin Acoustics took what could’ve been considered a sunk cost, experience in A-Bus technology, and turned it into an investment in creating new smart home accessory products.

The company timed the release of Valet perfectly, just as Amazon released the ability to sync multiple Dots together to create a multi-room audio system, which eliminates the need for a traditional multi-zone audio switcher. This allows users to get high fidelity audio through installed speakers, powered by a traditional amplifier, all while utilizing the UI that they already know, being Alexa.

One new product alone is not typically indicative of a curve jump, but in Origin’s case, if you look deeper you see the beginnings of one.

I asked Joe Whitaker, who designed the Valet Amp with Origin Acoustics CEO Jeremy Burkhardt, about their product and he confirmed that from the start, they designed the Valet Amplifier to be agnostic. The Valet Amplifier can really be used with any device that requires USB power and has a line level audio output, meaning that it could be the heart of an audio system driven by future iterations of Google Home, Josh AI, iPads, etc.

The Valet Amplifier and its unique voice override features can really be used across platforms. The only product actually specific to Echo Dot itself is the in-ceiling mount, and I have a feeling Origin will soon be creating in-wall and in-ceiling mounting systems for several other voice controlled, smart home products as well.

It’s a jump from the traditional world of multi-zone audio amplifiers with proprietary keypads for control, to the world of voice controlled, connected devices and mounting accessories that leverages investments and strengths in speaker technology and amplification as well as A-Bus to fuel the jump to the next curve.

The former AV trade association InfoComm also recently rebranded itself as AVIXA, a move that was accompanied by a strategic plan to jump the curve form a hardware driven AV association, to one focusing on greater collaboration with an extended network of professionals to create experiences. There was some criticism around the change, mostly citing that the InfoComm moniker was still strong… but maybe that means it was the right time to jump. My thoughts on that are here if you didn’t see them.

If you’re an AV company out there that is still experiencing strong growth in your market segment, you should already be looking at what the next growth curve will be. Once you decide that, determine the type of business that you would need to have to best capitalize on that curve. Then come up with a transition plan that allows you to utilize the profits from your growing business to make the jump to your next round of growth. If you time it right, you’re new business segment will be accelerating right as your previous one starts to decline. It’s an ongoing process that assures you’re always thinking of the next iteration and being proactive in creating a path to get there.

If not you may find yourself in a reactionary cycle of creating products or providing services in a “me too” fashion just to keep your head above water, which isn’t a winning recipe for anyone.

The ViewSonic ViewBoard IFP50 series are built with a 20-point touch-enabled panel, which allows multiple users to simultaneously write or draw on the display’s surface with styluses or fingers, or even both at the same time. These interactive flat panel displays provide computing for annotation and multimedia playback without the need for a PC. The ViewBoard IFP6550, IFP7550 and IFP8650 interactive flat panels come with a built-in ARM quad-core processor and an Android 5.0 operating system, 2GB memory and 16GB storage.

ViewSonic says the ViewBoard IFP6550, IFP7550 and IFP8650 are “out-of-the-box” ready, and come with ViewSonic exclusive vBoard embedded software and ViewBoard Cast collaboration software, as well as Zoom video conferencing software. The easy-to-use built-in vBoard software allows users to write, highlight, edit and transform documents and images on the screen in real time. Built-in ViewBoard Cast software ensures that content can be shared from any mobile device to the ViewBoard display, while Zoom supports video conferencing and distance learning for up to 10 users in various locations. vController software is also included, which provides aⁿ interface for remote management.

The ViewSonic ViewBoard IFP6550, IFP7550 and IFP8650 displays feature multiple connectivity options including: HDMI, Composite, VGA, YPbPr, SPIDF audio-out, USB 2.0 and 3.0, RJ45, RS232 in/out, Windows slot-in PC and Audio in/out, to connect to a wide variety of computing and multimedia devices. Each has a brightness level of 350 nits, and the 8ms response time ensures that the content has fewer visible image artifacts for clearer, more vivid images. The IFP series are robust displays built with anti-glare 7H tempered glass, making them ideal for various environments, whether boardroom or classroom, where interactivity and sharing are encouraged.

The IFP6550, IFP7550 and IFP8650 retail for $4,999, $7,999 and $12,999, respectively, and are all available now.

“NanoLumens has led the industry in the development of Direct View Cinema LED Displays for quite some time,” Cope emphasized today. “We now see a convergence of technology and market opportunity that promises to make cinema an important new channel for the LED format. The cinema space is evolving, and audiences are expanding their needs to include a bigger and brighter range of services. Theater space is no longer solely used for film; concerts, corporate gatherings, and event viewing parties are all making use of theater space to dazzle guests. Additionally, as eSports continue to grow they too will turn to cinema space as a venue capable of immersing audiences.”

Feather explained that the features NanoLumens builds are only one element of the magic that allows audiences to live and feel those stories, but in this pursuit there can be no complacency. “For us, Direct View LED is not just a display; it is an all-embracing system and perception solution. If we as an industry are to be successful though, NanoLumens will not be in the transition to Direct View LED alone. There is a great future ahead for LED in cinema, and we must work together to support the needs of every stakeholder, incorporating all viewpoints into the solutions we create. NanoLumens began years ago to consider our entire industry in the transition to Direct View LED solutions for cinema, and we expect to keep contributing our capabilities in displays in order to create the most lifelike experiences possible for audiences everywhere.”

According to Feather, nearly three years ago NanoLumens completed development of a Direct View LED display suitable for cinema applications and installed it as the centerpiece of the then-new Telstra Customer Insight Center in Sydney, Australia. The theatre, which seats 300, has been busy with activity ever since its opening, hosting internal corporate meetings, product launches with key customers, concerts by pop groups and chamber orchestras, broadcast and webcast events, and presentations by global luminaries including Oliver Stone and Steve Wozniak.

Feather will be participating in a speaking session titled “Direct View Displays: Is this the end of projectors?” during IBC 2017 on September 17th at 11AM in the auditorium of the RAI Convention Center in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The session will review the evolving technology that makes direct-view displays feasible for movie auditoriums, as well as the challenges that face such a fundamental shift in motion-picture image technology.

“Nothing comes close to delivering the image quality of a Direct View LED display in a theater environment,” Feather asserted.  “In the very near future movie goers will get to experience the same amazing experience already being enjoyed by visitors to the Telstra Experience Center.”

The ultra-slim profile of the BT8312 makes it a choice for mounting into walls with a narrow recess or when space in front of the wall is at a premium. ADA compliance — American legislation relating to the accessibility of electronic and information technology for people with disabilities, states that wall mounted screens in public places must not protrude more than 100 millimeters from the wall. As screens get thinner, with some sub-50-millimeter deep models now available, the BT8312 is ideal for meeting these regulations.

Being part of the B-Tech family of mounting solutions, the BT8312 also works as a pole mounted solution when used with the System 2 range. Similar to B-Tech’s BT8310 mount, the BT8312’s pop-out system allows quick and easy access to the rear of mounted screens for servicing and tool-less micro-adjustment enables easy and accurate screen alignment. The BT8312 also features wallplate keyhole fixing, with mounting template spacers available to eliminate time-consuming calculations and on-site measuring. B-Tech’s engineers have developed an integrated locking mechanism that prevents accidental screen pop-out, with interface adapter arms included for use with VESA 600×400 displays.

Here are all the details.

The SW HD 4K Series switchers provide automatic input cable equalization up to 50 feet when used with Extron HDMI Pro Series cable, automatic color bit depth management, indicators for monitoring and troubleshooting, as well as peripheral device power on the HDMI output. The SW HD 4K Series switchers offer front panel, RS232, IR, contact closure and auto-input switching control options for integration into a wide variety of environments.

Here are the details.

ProVideoInstrument’s VuMATRIX 4K PRO is a 4K high-definition receiver (8-bit, 4:2:0n chroma sub-sampling) and transmitter set distributing HDMI over an existing 1 Gb IP network. Designed for videowalls, the VuMATRIX 4K PRO allows users to connect a transmitter for each source and a receiver unit for each TV on the network. The VuMatrix 4K PRO can group multiple receivers with plug-and-play presets through PVI’s control software and the system can be controlled with the software or an included IR Remote.

The VuMatrix 4K PRO is marketed as a cost-effective solution that installs within minutes by connecting to an existing network switch to distribute 4K HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 over an IP network. The VuMATRIX 4K Pro features a remote control, optical and analog audio and can be programmed with IR commands using a universal remote.

All the detailed specs are here.

In the past year, we’ve heard — well, the organization formerly known as InfoComm International talk a lot about the technology experience, or integrated experience, which we’ve heard at shows and in marketing materials. It turns out this was laying the groundwork for a complete rebrand of the organization.

The rebrand evolved out of the strategic plan that the InfoComm board and executive team has been working on for the past two years. At a press event today, David Labuskes, executive and CEO of InfoComm International/AVIXA, said the team did not come to the decision to rebrand lightly. He said, “You shouldn’t change your name. If you can do anything else, you shouldn’t change your name… But [after much thought and discussion], none of the other options worked or were authentic.” He also said, “It’s about the survival of our current members. We evolve or we die.”

AVIXA also said it decided to announce the change now, rather than at the InfoComm show in June, because they didn’t want the announcement to overshadow or in any way take away from the announcements the exhibitors were themselves making.

There will be much more information to come on this big change in the days and weeks to come. Please leave your thoughts in the comments — we want to know what you think. The full statement from AVIXA is below.

InfoComm International has changed its name to the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA). The change reflects AVIXA’s broadening mission to be an industry hub, while also acting as a catalyst for market growth beyond what has been considered traditionally as professional AV.

AVIXA’s trade shows worldwide, including the North America show, June 2-8 in Las Vegas, will continue to operate under the InfoComm name.

“This is an exciting time for our industry and for the advancement of audiovisual solutions across a wide range of customer experiences,” said David Labuskes, CTS, CAE, RCDD, Executive Director and CEO of AVIXA. “Thanks to the innovative, creative efforts of so many members, partners, and their customers, we have collectively grown far beyond what InfoComm International could do to promote AV around the world. AV experiences have become so ubiquitous, and they’ve come to include so many more technologies, and touch so many more personal and professional lives, that we felt compelled to embrace a new identity that more accurately reflects this industry’s excitement and welcomes a far more diverse community of professionals.”

In recent years, AVIXA’s members have evolved to offer much more than audiovisual products and systems. Their innovation and attention to customer requirements has led to an industry of solution providers that use audiovisual technology to create outcomes. AVIXA membership has grown to include experiential designers, content creators, IT companies, and users of AV solutions across a growing cross section of markets. AVIXA’s 2017 InfoComm show in Orlando last June attracted a greater share of AV customers than in any other year.

By adopting the name AVIXA, the industry association, which operates as a trade organization representing companies and a professional society representing individuals, aims to reflect both what its members do (AV) and what they create for customers, which are integrated experiences (IX).

“The AVIXA Board of Directors has set out an ambitious plan to grow the association, increase awareness of AV experiences, and reinvent our brand in order to propel this industry into the future,” said Gary Hall, CTS-D, CTS-I, President of the AVIXA Board, and Federal Strategy, Planning and Operations Leader at Cisco Systems. “With new and different people and technologies coming into this space, we are thrilled that AVIXA will be home to all of them.”

AVIXA was founded in 1939 as the National Association of Visual Education Dealers. In 1949, NAVED merged with the Allied Non-Theatrical Film Association to form the National Audio-Visual Association. NAVA changed its name to the International Communications Industries Association in 1983, which became InfoComm International in 2005.

“Organizations evolve,” said Labuskes. “AVIXA’s core programs remains the same—training, certification, standards, community, market intelligence, tradeshows—but the industry has changed in exciting ways, and the opportunity to grow the market for audiovisual experience is so vast, it was important that the AV industry’s leading association change with it.”

AVIXA is here.

SaveSave

The Maevex 6150 dramatically increases the potential encoding density for a stand-alone appliance, delivering quad 4K input capture and encode, supporting a total of four concurrent 4K streams and recordings. This makes Maevex 6150 ideal for simultaneously streaming on premises, streaming to the cloud or recording for distribution later.

The 6150 quad 4K enterprise encoder appliance that claims to provide system independence and eliminates the need for additional equipment. Integrating seamlessly with standard 1 Gigabit Ethernet networks, Maevex 6150 includes a zero-latency pass-through for real-time output of audio/video content on all four 4K inputs (4K@60Hz 10-bit).

Built on the open-standard H.264 codec, Maevex 6150 is compatible with all computers, devices, and networks, including the full range of Maevex Series products as well as third-party technologies. Multi-Chroma sub-sampling delivers 4:4:4, 4:2:2, 4:2:0 and 4:0:0 options to best balance quality and bandwidth demands of different encoding environments and markets.

In terms of management, the Maevex PowerStream Plus AV-over-IP management application provides control over the entire Maevex network—including Maevex 6150 appliances and the Maevex 6100 PCIe quad 4K encoder cards, as well as Maevex 5100 Series Full HD encoders and decoders. For those looking for customized control, the PowerStream Plus API grants integrators and developers command-level access to build their own Maevex control application or to integrate Maevex functionality in third-party applications.

The Maevex 6150 quad 4K encoder appliance delivers an unlimited number of streams through third-party technologies like streaming media servers, and content delivery networks (CDNs).

Here are the details.

Chief is now shipping new storage solutions including the PAC527 Extra-Large In-Wall Storage Box, the CSPR Component Storage Panel, and the CSPH Under-Table Component Storage Panel.

A multi-level, multi-sectioned backplane with universal mounting slots makes it easier to arrange components and maximize the space available in all three dimensions. This helps installers be more flexible with difficult port locations on AV equipment. As with Chief’s other in-wall boxes, the PAC527 features break away edges that make it compatible with both standard 3.5” studs and 2.5” studs so installers can easily accommodate any stud depth on site. Knockouts for single gang outlets and 1.25, 1 and 0.5” conduit are built in.

Bundles are available with box, flange and cover combinations. The PAC527 can be ordered with isolated ground four or six receptacle outlets featuring multi-stage filtration and surge protection to improve reliability and functionality of connected equipment.

• Enclosure UL 2416 Listed
• Backplane ships in two sections and can be broken down into a total of four smaller sections
• Printable backplane template for planning purposes
• Provides a larger, easy-to-organize space to accommodate AV equipment – 22″ (559 millimeters) tall
• Pre- and post-construction installation options

• 1/3 and 2/3 breakaways in case less space is required
• Brackets available separately to use extra breakaway space elsewhere
• Shipped with template to ensure accurate mounting of brackets
• Security locking screws
• Handle for ease of transport, install and maneuvering of panel

• Installs behind or along any wall mount or display
• Removable for component service without moving the display
• Security locking mechanism

Here are all the details.

Solution: Working with Diversified, a leading provider of complete customer solution platforms that provided expert counsel throughout the installation, the University of Idaho’s A/V team employed a distribution amplifier to feed nine 55-inch thin-bezel displays from LG Electronics to the lecture hall’s lectern, resulting in a unique 3×3 video wall display to provide eye-popping, high-quality visuals from any seat in the classroom. The centralized controls also provided professors an easy-to-use solution that did not interfere with their ability to teach.

Results: Since the video wall’s installation, the university has experienced an overwhelmingly positive response from both professors and students who continually request to be placed in Life Sciences South 277. Most notably, professors are appreciative of the lack of projector glare while lecturing. Professors have also attributed the new display to more productive and attentive students, who are more apt to pay attention as a result of the vibrant colors and precise image accuracy that are still highly visible even with the room’s ambient light. As a result, the university says the LG LV75A displays have created a more successful learning environment for all involved.

A 120-person lecture hall, Life Sciences South 277 is used primarily for critical biology, engineering and science classes where class materials often include highly detailed and colorful images of cells, organisms, CAD drawing, diagrams and charts. In order to provide the best possible learning experience, the university was seeking a solution that accurately displays the rich colors and vivid details of course content in large formats that are visually clear and appealing, even to those sitting in the last row.

The university also had received complaints from professors who requested not to teach in that room due to the projector’s bright light, which often shined directly in their eyes. Replacing the pre-existing technology with a rear projector that would provide the image size, contrast ratio and color needed was problematic, because it would have required the removal of a large number of seats in the room.

Utilizing nine 55-inch LG LV75A thin-bezel displays, the University of Idaho created a 3×3 video wall that could be controlled and managed entirely through the lectern, an inventive solution that fostered a lively learning environment without compromising seating or quality of instruction.

Visually Captivating Content

The displays’ TruMotion technology drastically reduces motion blur and its higher brightness uniformity ensures high-quality images, producing vivid details and colors across all nine displays that together create an Idaho-sized 11-by-6-foot Ultra HD image. “The contrast, resolution, and color reproduction of the LG video wall are vastly superior to the projection system that used to be in the room,” said Clifford. “It has vastly improved the classroom experience.”

Ease-of-Installation for a Time-Sensitive Project

The university A/V team was tasked with installing the video wall, an installation project they had little to no experience in themselves. As they like to say in Idaho, the task was no small potatoes. The team needed to work within a brief timeframe between the spring and fall semesters, leaving them a truncated, less-than-ideal installation window. “LG’s engineers were there every step of the way, providing support, making installation recommendations, assisting with calibrations and even testing solutions in their labs before we bought the product to ensure it was the right fit for us — something competitors just weren’t offering,” says Clifford.

LG’s customer support enabled the installation team to complete the entire project in less than three months with budget to spare. Even more, the display’s SuperSign V software allowed for easy configuration of the video wall layout, which saved the team time as they worked.

An Aesthetically Pleasing Learning Environment

As a part of the remodeling project, The University of Idaho’s Classroom Strategic Planning committee also wanted to ensure the new displays possessed a modern and inviting aesthetic to complement the room’s recently re-tiered, collaborative layout. The university often showcases Life Sciences South 277 to prospective students on campus tours, making its design and appearance a critical element for student recruitment.

“Visually, the new video wall is an attractive showpiece. Visitors usually stop and stare,” explained Clifford. “The installation appears sleek and clean without any visible wires and certainly turns heads.” When paired together, the LG LV75A’s super narrow 3.5mm bezel-to-bezel width creates a seamless display that blends together as one video wall and each panel’s slim depth allows it to mount flush with the wall.”

Enhanced Instruction for a Top-Notch Classroom Experience

Since installing the LG LV75A video wall, university staff and students have benefitted from a state-of-the-art classroom experience. Professors are able to control the video wall display entirely from the lectern, making it easy to use by simply connecting a PC or streaming Blu-ray content. The university can use the built-in diagnostics on the displays to monitor each individual panel’s output, enabling the ability to make any adjustments quickly in order to optimize performance. Without the distraction of projector lights, professors enjoy more productive instruction, and the enhanced color and capabilities of the video wall fosters a dynamic, engaging environment for students who are less likely to become bored or distracted during lectures.

“The addition of the LG video wall has truly elevated the learning environment, quality of instruction and overall classroom experience,” says Clifford. “All parties involved have seen a remarkable improvements, and we’re extremely pleased with the results—tangible and intangible—that LG’s displays have produced.”