Daktronics provides LED billboards to Clear Channel Outdoor
Clear Channel Outdoor will position the full-color LED displays at seven different locations in the greater Cleveland area. The technology offers the capability for the clients of Clear Channel Outdoor to quickly create and display messages and graphics, allowing advertisers to better target their content to the audience at a particular location or certain time of day.
Digital billboards also increase the available inventory of advertising space, by allowing multiple advertisers to share time on a single display. Installation of the seven 14-by-48 (foot) displays is scheduled to be completed before the end of May.
"Cleveland will be our first incubator for the gradual transformation of our business from selling advertising space to selling advertising time," said Paul Meyer, Global President & COO of Clear Channel Outdoor. "Ultimately, this technology will make Outdoor the most flexible of all advertising media. It will enable advertisers to deliver their messages by day part, day of the week, or even time of the month.”
The pilot also will demonstrate Outdoor's potential to offer a unique and invaluable service to communities, said Meyer. “We will be able to provide near instantaneous responses to critical messaging needs, whether they be Amber Alerts, impending major storms, or any other emergency situation."
Jim Morgan, President and CEO of Daktronics, said "We are excited about the long-term prospects for digital billboards because of the advantages LED technology offers over traditional printed bulletins.”
Digital images will be created and downloaded to each electronic billboard remotely through high speed internet connections. The control system is comprised of a central V-Net(R) controller located at Daktronics headquarters in Brookings, South Dakota, with remote controllers in each display. The V-Net(R) control system is used to create, upload, display, schedule and log the content shown on the seven boards. The V-Net(R) controller offers advanced scheduling and logging features especially important to this application.
The ProStar(R) displays are designed to compensate for varying light levels, including day and night viewing, by automatically monitoring and adjusting overall display brightness and gamma levels. These features provide optimal viewing in all conditions.
A photocell will be mounted on each of the electronic billboards to measure ambient light. Light levels will be continuously monitored and communicated back to the control system, which will automatically adjust the brightness and gamma levels of each of the displays individually for optimal visibility. Temperature sensing and other diagnostic capabilities are also included within the display systems.
