Barco LiveDots lights up Johannesburg with 20 million LEDs

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Featuring nearly 20 million LEDs, this amazing LED display will be used for branding and marketing purposes. It was chosen on account of its reliability and impressive image quality, achieved through the combination of Barco LiveDots’ TF-20 LED display system and unique image processing technology. Furthermore, Barco LiveDots’ dedication and its worldwide reputation as a trusted supplier of large-scale, extraordinary LED display installations won the customer over. "A project of this scale demands the full attention of an integrated team that works with vision and precision at all times. Our collaboration with Barco was true to this requirement and brought great confidence to the program," says Marc Herring of Herring Media Group.

One single giant display

One of the unique features setting the Barco LiveDots solutions apart is the ability to run, control and monitor the complete 2,650 sqm. display as one single image, by one single operator. All four sides of the LED display form a unique large canvas, where video and images can easily move from side to side. At the heart of the installation is Barco’s market-leading DX-700 video processor, one of the most powerful video processors on the market today, and the brains residing inside Barco’s remote management software.

Great installation, low carbon footprint

Apart from being the largest installation in the history of Barco LiveDots, the Johannesburg set-up is also one of the most eco-friendly displays in the world. The TF-20 technology ensures exceptionally low power consumption – 40 to 50% lower than with comparable products –, thanks to the use of extremely efficient components and the smart driving of individual LEDs. On top of that, the ingeniously tilted LED configuration aims the light bundle of the LEDs downwards to increase the viewing experience for the audience. This significantly reduces power consumption and light pollution while, at the same time, enhancing the perceived brightness and image quality.

What’s more, thanks to the active system ‘agent’, the brightness of all four façades can be controlled separately and automatically, thus ensuring the best contrast/brightness ratio at any time of day, at any viewing location. This system also allows the operator to optimize energy efficiency with a few simple steps to limit both cost and impact on the environment.

Trust-inducing references

From both a quality and reliability point of view, Barco LiveDots was the primary choice for this project. Furthermore, the company has an extensive list of references for similar eye-catching display systems. Examples include the large American Eagle Outfitters display on Times Square in New York, the Comcast Experience video wall in Philadelphia, the Dubai Mall and the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard in Dubai and the huge transformable screen for U2’s 360° world tour. In South Africa, Barco LED display systems were installed at the Greenpoint (Cape Town), Royal Bafokeng (Rustenburg) and Orlando (Johannesburg) stadiums, for the FIFA World Cup 2010. Barco also supplied network-operated advertisement screens for Primedia in Johannesburg.

“It is an absolute honor to be selected by Absa, a member of the Barclays Group,” says Carl Rijsbrack, CMO of Barco LiveDots. “This will be one of our top reference sites for years to come.”

About Barco

Barco, a global technology company, designs and develops visualization products for a variety of selected professional markets. Barco has its own facilities for Sales & Marketing, Customer Support, R&D and Manufacturing in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Barco (NYSE Euronext Brussels: BAR) is active in more than 90 countries with about 3,900 employees worldwide. Barco posted sales of EUR 1.156 billion in 2012.

About Barco LiveDots

Barco LiveDots is a wholly owned venture of Barco specializing in the development of high-quality LED displays for permanent installations and the rental and staging market.

About Absa Group

Absa Group Limited (Absa), listed on the JSE Limited, is one of South Africa’s largest financial services groups offering a complete range of banking, insurance and wealth management products and services. Absa’s business is conducted primarily in South Africa. It also has equity holdings in banks in Mozambique and Tanzania, representative offices in Namibia and Nigeria and bancassurance operations in Botswana and Mozambique.

At 31 December 2012, the Group had 718,2 million shares in issue and a market capitalisation of R117,79 billion. The Group had assets of R807,9 billion, 10,9 million customers, 9 929 automated teller machines and 33 717 permanent employees. Absa is a subsidiary of Barclays Bank PLC, which holds a stake of 55,5%. Barclays is a major global financial services provider engaged in retail banking, credit cards, corporate and investment banking, and wealth management with an extensive international presence.

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