Barco sports perimeter LED display optimized for TV broadcast

Date Announced: 25 Feb 2006 Kuurne, Belgium. Sporting Visualization specialist Barco is proud to announce the launch of its very own sports perimeter LED solution optimized for television broadcast, the Barco SP-10. More and more sports stadiums are looking to use LED technology around the perimeter to improve image quality during broadcast and to offer high-quality advertising and branding packages.With the SP-10, Barco offers a complete digital perimeter solution, including cutting edge visualization hardware (custom-designed LED display solution) and advanced dedicated SportsBox software (to manage the content of the display). Many years of experience in LED technology in the sports and broadcast markets have culminated in this latest LED perimeter solution that is rugged and reliable, easy to install for both fixed and temporary installations and that will provide a significant and measurable income for the stadium for many years.Barco’s SP-10 is the only perimeter solution in the sports market that is optimized for television broadcast. With a very high refresh rate (2000Hz), the image is extremely stable with no loss of visual information when using the camera for broadcasting. The SP-10 has the ability to automatically calibrate the colors and adjust the color temperature and gamma settings so that perfect images are generated time after time, both on and off camera. A calibrated brightness level of 5,500 Nit, together with a contrast level of 1100:1, guarantees ultimate image quality.Answering the needs of broadcasting & sports stadium visualization, Barco's SP-10 solution also features automatic sun brightness calibration. This ensures that the quality of television images is not impacted by the position of the sun, shadows on the display or loss of brightness due to direct sun impact. In addition, the solution is future proof and compatible with the latest standards in the broadcast market.The SP-10 is completely IP65 approved (front & back), protecting the LED displays against water, dust and grass clippings, thus ensuring long-term reliability in a harsh stadium environment. The Sports Perimeter Solution is a rugged display, yet safe for the players. To protect against impact of ball, or other projectiles from supporters, the shaders of the LED displays are made from very solid and strengthened material. Additionally, the outer shell of the shaders is made of a soft material and has rounded edges to protect players should they come in to contact with the display.Special roll-out mechanics of the SP-10 guarantee easy handling and quick installation on the pitch, which is extremely important for temporary installations. Individual displays are transported together in one trolley and a unique railing system which optimizes installation time.Stephan Paridaen, President of Barco’s Media and Entertainment division, stated “We are very excited about the sports perimeter LED solution. The SP-10 complements Barco's digital stadium solutions for scoreboards, signage and video displays with perimeter advertising, reaffirming our leading position in the sports market. It really is a huge leap forward in the use of LED technology and a great opportunity for sports teams around the world to offer flexible advertising packages and high-end branding opportunities, ensuring maximum Return on Investment”.Perimeter LED is used for many different types of communication, advertising being just one. It is used for entertainment with interactive SMS games to name one example. Information can be shown such as traffic updates or information on other games taking place in other stadiums. Come and see the SP-10 for the first time at the Barco Technolgy Showcase 2006 (1-2 March 2006, Unicorn Theatre, London)For more info and registration, refer to http://www.barco.com/tradeshows/showcase/About BarcoBarco, an international company headquartered in Kortrijk, Belgium, provides visualization and display solutions for professional markets. Barco designs and develops solutions for large screen visualization, display solutions for life-critical applications, and systems for visual inspection. Barco is active worldwide and has its own facilities for Sales & Marketing, Customer Support, R&D and Manufacturing in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Barco is quoted on Euronext Brussels and is a BEL 20 and a Next 150 company (Euronext: BAR; Reuters: BARBt.BR; Bloomberg: BAR BB).

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