VIDEO: Time-lapse installation of the Kansas City Royals video display

This video scoreboard is 150 feet high. Huge.

The new video scoreboard at Staples Center

Meant to post this last month but forgot. Better late then never, here's some info about the new video scoreboard at Staples Center, home of the Kings, Lakers and Clippers. Here's the press release:

STAPLES Center's LIVE 4HD, set to debut on Thursday night, September 23rd, when the Los Angeles Kings take to the ice to play against their NHL rivals, the Phoenix Coyotes, will be just the latest in a series of STAPLES Center additions to enhance fans' enjoyment. The brand new, state-of-the-art, eight-sided, center-hung Panasonic scoreboard and video system will be able to display all the panoramic action taking place on the ice in pristine 720p High Definition.

Designed exclusively for STAPLES Center by Panasonic, one of the arena's Founding Partners and an acknowledged worldwide leader in digital video systems, the one-of-a-kind comprehensive arena scoreboard and broadcast control room will include what is believed to be the largest indoor center-hung High Definition scoreboard video screen installation in the world. The scoreboard system is expected to serve as a prototype for future venue displays now being developed by Panasonic.

Showing crisp High Definition Video in 16:9 letterbox format on the four Panasonic 22' x 14'-3" LED displays, which are composed of fine pitch 6 mm video elements using black SMD 3 in 1 package for additional contrast, the scoreboard and display system will display live HD video action, features and special production pieces in HD quality that will rival home theater screens. With horizontal and vertical viewing angles of 140 degrees/140 degrees, a contrast ratio of 8000:1, and a brightness level for all boards reaching 2000 nits, STAPLES Center's video screens truly set the new industry standard.

The unique element for this display is the 4 additional 6 mm LED Displays on the underside of the LED Board to allow special viewing for fans with courtside seats who have previously been unable to view replays on the center hung LED. The sideline displays are nearly 8' x 14' and are capable of displaying both in-game, promotional and special content and features during the game.

Four other Panasonic LED video boards composed of 10mm pitch video elements and measuring 13'-9" x 14'-3" will keep fans up-to-date with the latest information on team stats, scores, game clock status and more. The boards are also video-capable, allowing them to be integrated so that programming can appear seamlessly across all eight screens.

The final two elements of the center-hung display are two 16mm LED "Halos," encircling both the top and bottom of the scoreboard with the ability to display graphics and integrate the effects being shown on the other screens. STAPLES Center's existing two fascia boards, encircling the entire arena between Suite Levels A & B and B & C, each measure 475' wide and 3' tall, will continue to display a full series of graphic and video messages, promotions, game information, fan entertainment and interactive elements.

The completely redesigned HD control room, located above the Upper Concourse within the Bob Miller Press Box on the West side of the arena, includes a vast array of best-of-breed technologies. At the core of the control room are Panasonic's professional broadcast products combined with a combination of best-of-breed third party products from Ross and other premier partners.

Together, all of the video components and hardware weigh a combined total of 47,000 lbs and require 5.2 million LED lights to create the incredible High Definition video displays.

VIDEO: DJ Kitty gives the Rally Monkey a run for his money.

Check out the Tampa Bay Rays secret video scoreboard weapon: DJ Kitty.

VIDEO: The new video scoreboard in Orlando

Here's some cool video of the new video scoreboard at Amway Center in Orlando. It's a Daktronics board, and they've split one video image onto all of the LED surfaces.

VIDEO: Pittsburgh Penguins open Consol Energy Center

You can use all the pyro / giant scoreboards / ice projectors / lasers / cyberlights you want, but often it's the small, simple things that have the biggest impact. Case in point: Mario Lemieux pours Mellon Arena water onto the ice at the new Consol Energy Center arena.

Sometimes jumbotron references pop up in the stranges places

Case in point: Here's the Detroit Tigers video scoreboard mentioned on a blog called "Papyrus Watch", that tracks spottings of the Papyrus font.

And apparantly the St. Louis Cardinals use it too.

Celebrity anthems: Grateful Dead

San Francisco Giants, 1993:



(via Boing Boing)