PORTLAND, Ore.—Planar and OptiTrack will demonstrate a comprehensive lineup of broadcast and media technologies at the 2024 NAB Show, April 13-17, in as Vegas.

Planar will showcase the latest advancements in its LED platforms and indoor and outdoor fine-pitch LED displays for next-level broadcast presentation and storytelling. The exhibit will be enhanced by OptiTrack’s motion capture software and wide range of motion capture cameras, Planar said.

Planar will demonstrate the Planar DirectLight Pro Series, which features a range of pixel pitches down to sub-1mm and 1,000-nit brightness in constant operation. Planar DirectLight Pro Series video walls deliver the vibrant colors and greater image detail studios need even in higher ambient light environments. This is enhanced by support for rich media playback, including High Dynamic Range (HDR). 

The solution also offers high-bandwidth (5G) video architecture and 27- and 36-inch cabinets to allow for precision and simpler, more easily supported video walls. In addition to enabling custom dimensions and resolutions, Planar DirectLight Pro Series is compatible with the Planar WallDirector Video Controller as well as Brompton’s specialized controllers and ColorLight’s wide range of controllers, which will be featured at the show. 

Planar will showcase additional curved capabilities for broadcast with the Planar CarbonLight CLI Flex Series line of pliable LED video wall displays. In partnership with TSI Touch, the company will present an interactive, curved Planar CarbonLight CLI Flex Series LED video wall in a 0.9mm pixel pitch using MicroLED, providing an innovative touch experience.

In addition to providing the visual performance viewers expect, Planar CarbonLight CLI Flex Series offers a more visually appealing alternative to faceting flat LED cabinets into segmented curves. Ideal for curved or column wrap applications, Planar CarbonLight CLI Flex Series bendable LED modules are available in 0.9, 1.3, 1.5, 1.9, 2.6 and 3.9mm pixel pitches and can bend into convex or concave curves as tight as 25 inches or 637mm.

In response to industry demand for outdoor broadcast sets, Planar will also demonstrate the Leyard MGS Series line of outdoor 16:9 fine pitch MicroLED video wall displays. 

Planar and OptiTrack are also teaming up with integrated virtual production and pre-production motion graphics solutions provider Zero Density to present a virtual production studio for next-level storytelling.

The demonstration will feature OptiTrack PrimeX motion capture cameras, including the PrimeX 120, PrimeX 120W and SlimX 120, OptiTrack Motive 3.1 motion capture software, OptiTrack CinePuck active marker tracking tool and Planar Venue Pro V series LED video wall.

Planar and OptiTrack will also demonstrate their virtual production extended reality capabilities in Zero Density’s NAB Show booth (SL2038).

See Planar and OptiTrack at NAB Show booth SL2030.

 More information is available on the Planar and OptiTrack websites. 

LAS VEGAS, Nev. & SANTA CLARA, Calif.—Sphere Entertainment Co. and Hitachi Vantara have released new details on how the two companies leverage Hitachi Vantara’s data processing software to help power the LED screens at Sphere, a next-generation entertainment medium in Las Vegas. 

Both Sphere’s 160,000 square-foot interior LED display plane and 580,000 square-foot fully programmable LED exterior – the Exosphere – utilize Hitachi Vantara’s software as a key tool to stream high-resolution immersive content.

“Sphere is home to many firsts, one of which is streaming immersive, high-resolution video content on a scale that has never been done before,” said Alex Luthwaite, senior vice president of show systems technology, Sphere Entertainment. “Hitachi Vantara worked with our team to develop a solution that’s fast, reliable, and efficient. Through their expertise and technology, Sphere’s displays deliver content that is captivating audiences not only in the venue in Las Vegas, but also around the world on social media.”

With the world’s highest resolution LED screen inside the venue and the largest LED screen on the exterior, Sphere leaned on Hitachi Vantara to deliver solutions to stream video content on an unprecedented scope. For its original immersive film, Darren Aronofsky’s "Postcard from Earth", the system handles over 400 gigabytes a second of throughput at sub 5 milliseconds of latency and a 12-bit color display at a 444 subsampling. Hitachi Vantara utilized its storage platform Hitachi Content Software for File, a high-performance, software-defined, distributed parallel filesystem storage solution, the companies explained. 

“Sphere represents a new, completely immersive and visually powerful entertainment experience,” said Octavian Tanase, chief product officer, Hitachi Vantara. “To make sure that the technology behind it was ready to meet the challenge, Hitachi Vantara worked closely with the Sphere team to test, measure, and enhance how the data is processed, streamed, and projected. Quality-wise, the resolution and color are second to none, and this project has exceeded our already high expectations.”

The Hitachi Content Software for File system consists of 27 nodes, with 4PB of flash storage for playback within Sphere and streamed in real-time to 7thSense media servers, each streaming 4K video at 60 frames per second – a world-first in terms of technology capability at this scale. Hitachi Vantara’s technology enables Sphere to deliver extremely low latency and high throughput, creating an unforgettable experience for audiences during "Postcard from Earth", the companies reported. 

Hitachi Vantara also partnered with Sphere to produce the same reliable capabilities at Sphere Studios’ Big Dome, a 28,000 square-foot, 100-foot-high custom geodesic dome in Burbank, CA with a quarter-sized version of the screen at Sphere in Las Vegas. Big Dome serves as a specialized screening, production facility, and lab for the Sphere Studios team to develop original content exclusively for Sphere.

CULVER CITY Ca.—Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has unveiled its first LED virtual production stage located at Sony Innovation Studios (SIS), a division of SPE, on the Sony Pictures Studios lot here. The new stage is the world’s largest using Sony’s high brightness and wide color gamut Crystal LED display panels, which were created in collaboration with top engineers at SPE for use in virtual production.

The establishment of this LED stage allows SIS to expand its virtual production workflow across various entertainment platforms and to seamlessly merge the real and virtual worlds with its award-winning Atom View technology and proprietary stage-integration software.

Masaki Nakayama, Senior Vice President and Head of Sony Innovation Studios commented: “We have been developing our virtual production technology since its inception in 2018. Our new LED stage is a milestone to further enhance our technology. The combination of photo-realistic visuals and intuitive virtual production workflows enables creators to focus on telling impactful stories in radically new ways.”

“Virtual Production is revolutionizing the way we create film and TV. By harnessing virtual production technology within SPE, we are giving content creators essential tools to more fully realize their vision,” says Tony Vinciquerra, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

“Sony is a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation of technology. Virtual production is one of the key areas where we can provide new value and support creators to unleash their creativity through the power of technology,” says Kenichiro Yoshida, President and CEO of Sony Group Corp.

Sony Innovation Studios is a state-of-the-art facility launched in June 2018 to empower storytellers around the world to produce content using new technologies, tools and techniques.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Planar today introduced the Planar CarbonLight VX Series line of LED display solutions optimized for the virtual production (VP), extended reality (XR) and broadcast display applications,

Based on lightweight, patented carbon fiber construction, Planar CarbonLight VX Series is well-suited for indoor, fine-pitch LED video wall, ceiling and flooring installations. The displays have been designed to deliver exceptional visual performance on film and movie sets, in broadcast studios and at entertainment venues. They also are appropriate for educational and corporate use, the company said.

The Planar CarbonLight VX Series offers VP and XR customers LED solutions that support a range of studio sizes and configurations, it said.

“LED video walls are a critical element in successful VP and XR applications, and the Planar CarbonLight VX Series separates Planar from the pack. From best-in-class visual performance to unmatched deployment versatility, the Planar CarbonLight VX Series addresses creative and technical professionals’ needs of today and tomorrow,” said company executive vice president Adam Schmidt.

The new LED series includes two LED display lines designed to be integrated with VP and XR stages.

The CarbonLight CLI VX Series supports hanging, wall-mounted, free-standing and curved LED video wall installations, in addition to other unique shapes that are intended to help smaller stages appear larger, it said.

It features HDR support, improved thermal management and uniformity, precise, flexible color management and a wide color gamut for greater color compatibility, including up to DCI-P3 color space with the Planar CarbonLight CLI VX1.9 model.

The family also includes a high LED refresh rate (3840Hz) to support smooth motion and offers frame rates ranging from 24Hz to 144Hz to ensure compatibility with various camera settings.

Available in 1.9 and 2.6mm pixel pitches, the Planar CarbonLight CLI VX Series features models with Brompton VP controllers The CLI VX Series is available with models that support VP controllers from Colorlight, Planar said.

The Planar CarbonLight CLF VX Series LED flooring features a 2.6mm pixel pitch. It can be used to create a high-resolution, continuous canvas for on-cameras scenes, Planar said.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

BROOKINGS, S.D.—When the first pitch is thrown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas— the new stadium being built for the Texas Rangers—the fan experience will be boosted by nine LED displays and approximately 1,400 LCD for an IPTV system from Daktronics. The eight Surface-Mount Device LED displays, the 15HD display in centerfield and all LCDs will be fully integrated using Daktronics’ Show Control System.

The largest display to be installed at the stadium is a 58x150-foot screen in right field. Left field will feature a display that measures 40x111 feet. Both displays feature 15mm line spacing using SMD three-in-one LED technology and have a combined 5.2 million pixels for high-resolution images.

The outfield displays are capable of variable content zoning that allows them to either display one large image or be divided into multiple zones for a combination of live video, instant replays, stats, graphics and sponsorship messages.

“This system will feature a main video display that is beyond HD resolution using the latest SMD technology that is increasingly becoming standard in these large displays,” said Reece Kurtenback, president and CEO of Daktronics. “Another eight displays in the bowl and an IPTV network of displays throughout the stadium creates a comprehensive solution of displays around the stadium to deliver an immersive experience for the fans.”

Two ribbon displays will be part of the stadium: a 2.5x925-foot display along the seating fascia from foul pole to foul pole, and a 3.5x211-foot display on the suite level fascia. Featuring 15mm line spacing and SMD technology, the displays provide supplemental information.

Additional displays will include a pair on the field-level suite fascia using 6mm line spacing; a 15HD pixel display layout in centerfield measuring 80x20 feet; the Texas Sky Porch will feature a 3.9mm video wall; and the interview room will have a 2.5mm narrow pixel patch display as a press conference backdrop.

Globe Life Field is expected to open in March 2020.