Orlando Science Center has unveiled its newly renovated eight-story dome theater, The Dome by Dr. Phillips Charities, featuring a Christie RGB pure laser projection system that transforms the former IMAX venue into a versatile immersive theater with 8K content for educational programming, giant-screen presentations, live planetarium experiences, and special events. Christie partner SSIA Technologies consulted and installed the systems.

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At the heart of the installation are eight Christie Griffyn 4K35-RGB projectors configured in a full-dome projection system that delivers bright, high-resolution imagery across the theater's newly resurfaced dome. The Dome also includes an inset Christie CP4435-RGB pure laser cinema projector for 3D science, nature and space movies.

"One of our primary goals was to replace our aging film projection system with the best solution available for our guests," said Stephen Holt, VP of facilities and exhibits, Orlando Science Center. "Working with our consultant and project partners, we identified a state-of-the-art projection and audio solution that would allow us to create immersive experiences for years to come. The result is a venue that can support everything from live planetarium shows and giant-screen films to educational programming and special events."

"We were tasked with delivering a solution that met stringent requirements for resolution, brightness, image quality, and overall performance," said George Barnett, co-CEO and founder at SSIA Technologies. "The Christie Griffyn projectors enabled us to achieve those goals while overcoming the physical constraints of an existing IMAX theater. The combination of image quality, reliability, and flexibility made them an ideal fit for this application."

Installing the projection system presented unique challenges. Four Griffyn projectors and the CP4435-RGB cinema projector were housed within the theater's existing projection gallery, while four additional Griffyn units required custom placement at the front of the dome to ensure complete image coverage. The installation team also worked within tight physical spaces while coordinating with ongoing construction activities throughout the renovation.

Despite those challenges, the project was completed in time for the theater's public opening.

The renovated theater seats more than 300 guests and serves as a multipurpose immersive venue rather than a traditional planetarium. While astronomy programming remains an important part of the theater's mission, the upgraded projection system enables a much broader range of educational and entertainment experiences.

The Science Center also invested heavily in content creation as part of the project, ensuring visitors would immediately experience the full capabilities of the new venue.

"Technology is only as good as the content it presents," said Annette Sotheran-Barnett, co-CEO/founder at SSIA Technologies. “Orlando Science Center recognized that from the beginning. They made content development a priority, creating experiences that showcase both the technology and the stories being told. When audiences see real-time astronomy visualizations and immersive fulldome content running on this system, they immediately understand what's possible."

One highlight is an introductory dome presentation, custom-produced by SSIA, which showcases the projection and audio systems while offering visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the technology powering the experience.

"Any time that presentation is running, I find myself stopping to watch it," added Holt. "It highlights the effort that went into creating the dome experience and showcases the incredible range of content that can be presented in the space. It leaves guests excited about what they're about to see."

Welcome to what Epson is calling brilliance without boundaries. With a surge of large-display installations across multiple market, Espon has introduced the new EB-XQ2030B 30,000-lumen, 4K Laser 3LCD projector. Designed to deliver the image performance artists and creative teams need to bring ambitious visions to life, especially in productions where color, contrast and detail are critical to the experience, the EB-XQ2030B pairs 3-chip 3LCD color, impressive black levels and vivid 4K detail at up to 30,000 lumens of brightness, enabling large-scale visuals with the depth and clarity demanded by immersive environments.

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“Projection technology continues to evolve at a remarkable pace, and our commitment to leading that evolution has never been stronger,” says Chris Teguh, product manager, Epson America. “Our continued investment in projection technology has enabled this incredible engineering achievement. The EB-XQ2030B pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in large-venue projection, delivering unprecedented brightness, and impeccable image quality in a smaller, lighter footprint. This combination empowers artists and creators to bring their work to life in places that were previously unfeasible.”

Brilliant Visuals without the Bulk

At its core, the EB-XQ2030B’s 3-chip 3LCD technology produces rich, full-color output, while high native contrast delivers the deep black levels essential for immersive, large-scale experiences. Its 4K Crystal Motion technology² produces intricate detail with exceptional clarity, enabling immersive and interactive experiences across complex surfaces and demanding environments.

The EB-XQ2030B sets a new benchmark for versatility and performance in its class as the world’s smallest and lightest 30,000-lumen projector,³ bringing flagship-level projection into spaces where conventional 30,000-lumen-class systems can be difficult to place, support or conceal. Enabled by Epson’s proprietary Advanced Cooling Engine, its dramatically reduced size and weight, along with optimized airflow for quiet, efficient operation, give system designers greater flexibility to integrate high-brightness projection into a wide range of venues without compromising architecture, sightlines or visual impact. To further enhance flexibility for complex installations and creative applications, Epson is also introducing its new H-Series lenses with an expansive throw ratio coverage (0.35–11:1).

Designed with every stage of transportation and installation in mind, the projector’s precision-engineered chassis balances power with a compact, deployment-friendly form factor. Plus, its hermetically sealed optical engine and filterless design with IP6X-rated dust resistance reduces maintenance and service disruptions in hard-to-access environments, so integrators can count on consistent visuals from installation through long-term operation.

Built to withstand the rigors of permanent deployment and evolving AV ecosystems, a newly integrated Intel SDM slot offers expandable connectivity with support for AVoIP and media player modules to give integrators and creators the freedom to build around current infrastructure and workflows. Additionally, Epson software tools and NFC³ quick read/write configuration via Epson Projector Configuration Tool⁴ simplify setup, monitoring and management across single- and multi-projector systems.

Expanding Limits with New H-Series Lens Family

Alongside the EB-XQ2030B, Epson is expanding its professional lens lineup with the introduction of the new H-Series lenses – a unified family designed to meet the full spectrum of modern installation demands. The new portfolio delivers comprehensive throw ratio coverage from 0.35 to 11:1, combining four all-new lenses and six updated models. Two new ultra-short throw options expand creative possibilities: one featuring an L-shaped lens designed for 90-degree projection onto off-axis surfaces, and a straight UST option with a 0.39 throw ratio, ideal for rear projection and tight spaces. A newly added zoom capability in the ultra short throw range provides even greater flexibility, while long throw options support image delivery across expansive venues. Combined, the range allows floors, ceilings and unconventional surfaces to become dynamic display canvases, with consistent brightness and color across multi-projector setups.

Located adjacent to the Montana State Capitol, the Montana Heritage Center serves as a gateway to the state's history, culture, and communities, offering visitors an interactive journey through Montana's history. Christie projection technology is helping visitors experience Montana's history in a new and immersive way with AV design and integration by Electrosonic.

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The 150,000-square-foot museum and cultural destination combines large-scale projections, LED displays, interactive touchpoints, spatial audio, motion sensing, and storytelling to create a visitor experience that spans Montana's earliest peoples through the present day.

As part of the museum's extensive audiovisual ecosystem, Christie Captiva and GS Series 1DLP projectors deliver bright, detailed imagery throughout key exhibit spaces, helping transform galleries into dynamic environments that respond to visitor movement and engagement.

Developed through a collaboration of technology and exhibit partners, including AV and technology services company, Electrosonic, the museum features a variety of interactive experiences. Visitors can hear the voices of Montana's sovereign nations through multimedia exhibits, explore mining history within a dramatic simulated mine environment, and experience projections and soundscapes that bring historic events and landscapes to life.

Among the museum's highlights is Washington Way, an immersive entrance experience featuring coordinated projection, LED pillars, and a luminous ceiling environment that welcomes visitors into the Homeland Gallery. Throughout the museum, Christie projection works alongside LED displays, audio systems, and interactive technologies to create seamless storytelling experiences.

The Heritage Center's exhibits are designed not only to educate but also to evolve. The museum's integrated technology infrastructure allows content to be refreshed and expanded over time, ensuring future generations can continue to engage with Montana's history through new stories and perspectives.

Electrosonic served as the audiovisual design and integration firm for the project, collaborating with RLMG, Main Street Design, Available Light, Cinnabar, Cushing Terrell, Sletten Construction, and Christie to deliver the museum's immersive experiences.

"The Montana Heritage Center demonstrates how technology can deepen engagement with history and culture when it's thoughtfully integrated into the visitor experience," said Alex Westerh, VP of marketing, Electrosonic. "Working alongside an exceptional team of partners, we helped create an environment where projection, audio, LED displays, lighting, and interactivity work together to bring Montana's stories to life in ways that are immersive, educational, and memorable."

Amy Shell and Razvan Voroneanu co-founded Common Projects Newburgh, an initiative focused on reactivating underutilized sites in the New York town through architectural project, public installations, and cultural programming. Their first project, the Newburgh Cinemabox, transforms an empty lot into a flexible, multimedia-equipped pavilion powered by an Epson large venue laser projector to host film screenings, digital art exhibitions, and a variety of other events.

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By day a pavilion and by night a big-screen hub, the Cinemabox is a multimedia venue open to artists, storytellers, and community members for creative and community-engaged initiatives. First conceptualized in 2014, Shell and Voroneanu started initial groundwork in 2023, collaborating with local partners and landowners to site and fabricate a majority of the Cinemabox themselves from the ground up until its cmpletion in October 2025.

“Our vision for the Cinemabox is to bring film production and architectural design as equal, interdisciplinary partners, collaborating across industries to create a space where creativity and community converge in meaningful ways,” said Voroneanu. “Coupling a professional projection system in a compact, modular structure, this project tests how one piece of infrastructure can serve both creative production and public use.”

A six-module steel structure, the Cinemabox enclosure measures 19x18 feet on the bottom and 13-feet high with a 20x10-foot stage. Shell and Voroneanu were seeking a display solution to complete the Cinemabox project that could deliver high brightness and endure various environmental conditions. Given this, it features two foldable polycarbonate doors that encase a 240-inch screen and innovative rear projection system powered by the Epson Pro Series laser projectors with 4K Enhancement and encased by Epson’s new ELPMB84 Projector Stacking Frame.

“This venue was unique for projection. We needed a solution that would be bright and hardy enough to endure various environmental impacts that would come from this outdoor venue,” said Shell. “We also needed to be able to bring the projector up and down with each event, so while it needed to be a beast of a projector, it also couldn’t be too large that we weren’t able to move it around between the two of us.”

Ideal for the Cinemabox, the Epson Pro Series laser projector offers a robust chassis and durable design while remaining compact enough for setup and teardown between events. Its brightness and display quality also ensure that all types of content look sharp and vibrant, supporting the wide range of events planned for this unique project.

“We had to think outside the box on this project, particularly when it came to mounting and movement of the projector, as we needed to be able to move it back and forth, adjusting the image size for different types of content,” said Voroneanu. “One feature that proved to be especially helpful was the projector frame that Epson suggested. This kept the projector secure during transport and made it easy to rig onto the custom-built railing system, allowing it to move smoothly back and forth. Another piece was designing a lift system to mount the projector onto the railing and Epson helped guide us in this process towards an ideal solution.”

“When Amy and Razvan first approached us, we were immediately excited to be part of this project,” said Ramzi Shakra, senior product manager, Epson America. “Their architectural vision and background promised something unique and we were thrilled to help bring it to life by illuminating the space with the Epson projector.”

Atlas9, a new upscale immersive art experience in Kansas City, KS, has been named No. 2 on USA Today’s list of the top 10 best new attractions of 2026. Conceived, designed, and integrated by experience design firm Dimensional Innovations (DI), Atlas9 elevates the idea of an experiential environment by leveraging DI’s decades of experience working with some of the biggest names in entertainment. DI chose Christie projection technology to power the immersive theater.

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Atlas9 is set inside a fictitious 1990’s cinema, with interactive rooms and advanced gamification. Guests enter the 46,000-square-foot “theater” to discover that, as a result of a projection experiment gone awry, stories from within film reels have come alive. Guests investigate the events and anomalies in the theatre, exploring the rooms and corridors as the narrative unfolds.

The catalyst for this experience came from DI’s CEO, Tucker Trotter, and brought DI and its sister company, DI Build, together with partners including Infinity Sign System, Swell Spark, Perspective Architecture + Design, and Homefield to showcase the company’s impressive capabilities. The inspiration for the project stems from DI’s roots in movie theater design and fabrication.

DI engaged Christie early in the project timeline for Atlas9, working closely with Paul Dumpel, Christie senior sales manager, and the Christie team to bring the project's design intent to life. DI selected Christie projection technology in two rooms at Atlas9, including Auditorium No. 9, a 240-seat immersive theater with audience-triggered on-screen moments controlled by four “best seats in the house.”

“Guests interact in real time with the content that is on screen,” explained John Coovert, solutions engineer manager, DI. “Some of the seats allow you to play Pong, and another seat allows you to do some fun rendering on the screen via a joystick in the top of a cup that's in the cup holder.”

Five 4K22-HS Series laser projectors are used in Auditorium No. 9, paired with Christie Mystique for automated alignment on a highly bespoke screen, creating a system dubbed “Holomax” within the Atlas9 storyline.

The second room, the Headshot Remixer, stylizes visitors into frame black-and-white Hollywood-style headshots. “We capture your photo when you come into Atlas9, and when you go into the headshot remixer, it’s a kind of ‘cinematic anomaly’ that occurs in there. It shows your face projected onto the wall, and then it starts to remix your face with the previous three, four, or five people who have gone through the space previously,” said Coovert.

Two Christie 4K1600-JS projectors with ultra short throw lenses power the experience. Bringing an experience of this size, scale, and complexity is a tremendous undertaking, but “being able to have good partners like Christie to tap into and really help bring all the excitement that is Atlas9 to life has been fantastic,” said Coovert.

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) is a premier, state-of-the-art facility with six performance venues, supporting over 1,200 events a year. Fostering creativity, education, and performance, The Clarice houses the School of Music; School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies; The Clarice’s own artistic platform for visiting artists, Clarice Presents; and the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library. As a hub for artistic innovation, projection plays a vital role in illuminating the center’s events, productions, educational courses, and communal spaces. Each show and event is very different, demanding a variety of projection solutions along with unique installation challenges and requirements. Epson’s extensive lineup of interchangeable lens laser projectors has been crucial for meeting the diverse projection needs across multiple venues.

“Our team handles all the tech in-house, and I’m a big fan of Epson’s versatile lineup and wide range of lens options,” said Zach Rupp, projections coordinator at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. “Every project has its own unique scope of work, and being able to use the same projectors, with lenses that can be used between models, has been crucial. The projectors’ level of adaptability and ability to completely change production with a simple lens swap has been invaluable as we manage so many different types of venues and events.”

The Clarice has used Epson projectors in multiple ways for many different productions, from using nine Epson projectors to light up the stage for an opera production with projected subtitles, to students working with the projectors in the immersive media design education program, to deploying 16 projectors to transform an entire lobby for its recent NextNOW Fest 2024. Epson’s versatile lineup has allowed the center to meet everyone's diverse display needs.

NextNOW Fest Projection

In its eleventh year, the annual NextNOW Fest 2024 – an inspiring arts experience that celebrates imagination, creativity and community – took place in early September at The Clarice. A signature event in the University of Maryland's Arts for All initiative, Rupp and his team used 14 Epson large venue laser projectors to cover nearly 2,000 square feet of space in the center’s Grand Pavilion, a central hub for its six performance venues. Lighting up nearly every surface in the multi-level lobby, scenes of abstract free-flowing color and form, to marketing content and a live camera feed took over the space, displaying eye-popping color and exquisite detail that wowed guests upon arrival.

Rupp and his team created and delivered the content using a combination of the projector’s built-in curved surface mapping tools, along with blending and stacking techniques and third-party management software, including WATCHOUT 6 multi-display software. The projectors were networked together, allowing for remote access and a convenient set-and-forget solution. Some of the projectors were stacked on top of one another in Epson’s projector stacking frame to increase brightness and provide redundancy. This also provided flexible stacking and peace of mind during installation and handling.

“The entryway blew attendees away right from the start,” Rupp said. “It truly set the stage for what to expect at the rest of the festival.”

Interchangeable Lenses for Diverse Applications

Epson also works with several equipment rental and staging companies such as 4Wall to offer end users greater flexibility, whether they need a temporary rental or a lens swap based on specific projector requirements.

“4Wall has been a fantastic partner for Epson rentals, allowing us to own what we need and supplement our collection with rentals,” said Jeff Reckeweg, technology shop manager, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. “Owning and renting within the Epson projector and interchangeable lens ecosystem has been both convenient and cost-effective.”

Epson projectors provide unmatched creative possibilities and audience experiences with state-of-the-art technology, delivering exceptional color output and durability. Featuring a single lens family that supports a wide range of projectors from 6,000 to 20,000 lumens¹ from ultra-short-throw to long-throw. Advanced projection technology combined with motorized lenses enables a wide range of lens shift capabilities for added installation flexibility.

“At Epson, we prioritize outstanding image quality and reliability while offering tools that make projector installations easier,” said Ramzi Shakra, senior product manager, Epson America, Inc. “The feedback we receive from end users is extremely important to us as it plays a crucial role in shaping our product development and improvements. It’s great to see The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center taking full advantage of Epson’s flexible lineup and versatile lens options.”

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AV Technology sat down with Joel St-Denis, director of product management at Christie, to discuss the ins and outs of choosing the right projector (or projectors) for your unique environment.

Take a Look Around

How much ambient light—natural or artificial—is in your space? What are you projecting onto? How big is the room? How far will the projector be from the projection surface? What’s the viewing distance? Are there any potential obstructions to the light path? Will your content mostly include spreadsheets and presentations—or will you display colorful, detailed visuals?

The answers to these questions will help determine your specifications for brightness, resolution, contrast, and lens throw distance. It will also help you determine how many projectors you need and their placement.

“It’s all about what you’re trying to achieve,” St-Denis said. “You might walk into a corporate lobby and there's a 3D sculpture or logo that they're projecting onto, and it can have some subtle movement that makes it look alive. 1DLP projectors are often used to do projection mapping in those types of applications, because you don't necessarily need 4K resolution or max brightness.”

When it comes to more powerful 3DLP or 3DLP RGB pure laser projectors—St-Denis emphasized that while they may not be necessary for your typical office PowerPoint presentation, the enhanced color performance is an outright requirement for some clients.

“Let's say you're an ad agency working with a popular cola brand; and you need to present their ‘cola red’ in the marketing materials you're presenting to them. You need to make sure that the color fidelity is identical to their brand Pantone color.” He continued, “If it's a multi-million-dollar project that you're pitching, you have to reproduce their brand color perfectly if you're going to be selling them based on what they see on the screen.” With twice the color performance, RGB pure laser will ensure every brand color is shown accurately on screen.

Compare Christie Projection Technologies

A Crash Course in Color

The common thread between 1DLP and 3DLP laser projectors is, the DMD or DLP chip, of course. The difference is that 1DLP uses only blue laser diodes and shines it through a yellow phosphor-coated wheel. It allows some of the blue through specific segments in the wheel while also creating yellow light which is then separated into red and green. The three colors are sent to the single DLP chip, which sends the light out through the lens. This process differs from 3DLP RGB pure laser projectors—where individual red, green, and blue laser diodes operate at specific wavelengths to produce pure colors and each color uses its own DLP chip, which is then combined to produce white light and all the colors of the spectrum.

In fact, RGB pure laser is the only projection technology capable of reproducing approximately 98 percent of the Rec. 2020 color gamut. It’s for this reason, according to St-Denis, that while the method of producing light does vary between projectors, the primary difference you’ll hear about from customers is the need for color fidelity.

“If you ask the average person who's had an experience with both 1DLP and 3DLP, usually the typical comment they'll make is that the color reproduction from 3DLP is top of the line,” St-Denis said. He elaborated using the image of a red apple: “A good way to visualize this is to imagine you have three projectors side by side. You will notice that the image and color fidelity get better as you look from 1DLP to 3DLP to pure RGB 3DLP.”

Brilliance On a Budget

Almost without fail, customers cite cost as a high priority when evaluating projection technology. And while price is important, it’s simply the starting point as you narrow down the field.

At the higher end of the scale are 3DLP and 3DLP RGB pure laser technologies—designed for higher performance, larger-scale visuals, and more demanding environments. However, a heavy-hitting projector doesn’t always come with a hefty price tag. With more budget-friendly 1DLP projectors, you can find several that still offer high brightness, 4K UHD, and very good image quality to suit your project.

“Many schools and universities use projection for lectures, where they want to project a larger image—they're almost always going to be 1DLP-type projectors because they don't necessarily need the color fidelity of three-chip, or the extra cost associated with it,” he said. “It's fantastic for showing YouTube videos or course content, and it's at a price point that's less than three-chip DLP.”

Whether your setting is a classroom, an office lobby, or the side of a building, it’s important to remember that the right projector isn’t necessarily the brightest or most expensive; it is, quite simply, the one that’s right for your application.

For a deeper dive into projection technologies, download the Christie Projection Selection Guide

Empowering creative minds to transform any space or object, Epson joined multidisciplinary artist Allison "Hueman" Torneros as the projector sponsor for her first immersive art experience, "Homebody." Spanning over 20,000 square feet, "Homebody" explores themes of identity within the self and the larger community through original murals, portraits and sculptures displayed through projection mapping and augmented reality. Hueman collaborated with projection designer Craig Winslow to create the immersive experience hosted at Ciel Creative Space in Berkeley, Calif. from Jan. 28 to Feb. 20, 2022.

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Epson's 3LCD laser projection solutions allow artists and designers to push the boundaries of digital and physical. Enabling artists to focus on storytelling and creation, Epson's breadth of products offer state-of-the-art technology, durability and true to life color output that seamlessly merge art with technology--transforming venues from being seen, to experiences that are remembered. For "Homebody," Hueman used Epson LightScene and Pro Series projectors in three installations to add dynamic projection mapping for a full 360-experience of the artwork.

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"The past two years have affected the way people look at themselves and each other, and the collective experience in isolation is something worth reflecting on. With this exhibit, I wanted to explore identity in the context of an unprecedented moment in time, meeting at the intersection of art and technology," said Hueman. "Epson's laser projection technology has enabled me to create an immersive installation--submerging visitors in a colorful mash-up of the abstract and figurative, providing a 360-degree experience that plays with themes of transparency, light, color and space."

Epson projection technology is leveraged in three installations in "Homebody:"

     •Isolation--Aiming to explore the relationship between bodies and identities - and the way both evolve in relation to devices--veils of fabric hang scattered across the space are brought to life by projection-mapped animation.

     •Collaboration--Exploring the ingenious ways communities have been able to connect with each other remotely, this collaborative animation engulfs the space in projection mapped magic, exploring the transformation of human identity through time, from ancient statues to AI-created human faces.

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     •Chrysalis--Representing positive change with time passing, a sculpture of a large bust with an inverted face sits in the middle of a space, surrounded by a hanging curtain of organza. With projection mapping enhancing cloud murals on the walls, guests will experience a sunrise to sunset experience as they feel a sense of peace and rebirth.

The exhibit was held at Ciel Creative Space in Berkeley, set within one entire city block stretching 40,000 square feet. Run by an all-female team with a mission to make space more human and bring awareness to BIPOC business owners, Ciel offers connected studios and creative spaces. On the forefront of a new trend by combining tech and different art forms, Ciel encourages artists, production crews, creatives, and its local community to reimagine leadership in the creative industry and the role of tech in human connection and identity. "Homebody," the Bay Area's largest immersive art installation, is Ciel's first foray into this new trend. 

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"Hueman's exhibit is a beautiful example of how projection technology can expand possibilities and applications to create an immersive art experience," said Epson America senior product manager Remi Del Mar. "Epson's laser projectors enable artists and designers to experiment with digital media and change the perception of any space or object. This is the type of unbridled creativity that is only possible with projection light."

Epson LightScene accent lighting laser projectors allow users to create outstanding visual displays and immersive environments. A convergence of lighting and display technology, LightScene laser projectors captivate audiences by simultaneously illuminating and projecting on virtually any surface or material to unleash dynamic, experiential content for digital art. LightScene offers a sleek black or white spotlight design with an array of configuration, mounting and programming options to blend in discreetly to any setting.

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Epson Pro Series projectors provide creative possibilities and unparalleled audience experiences. Using state-of-the-art 3LCD technology to deliver exceptional color output and durability, the Pro Series combine uncompromising image quality with sophisticated software and a range of available mounts, frames and lenses to overcome challenging space restrictions and transform venues - bringing live events to life.

Christie laser projectors are delighting visitors with an array of mesmerizing nighttime projections in an outdoor park located in the northeastern part of Seoul, South Korea's capital.

Known as Nowon Light Garden, it is situated in an area surrounding the old Hwarangdae Station, which was one of the stops along the now-defunct old Gyeongchun Line. During the day, the park's biggest attractions are old steam locomotives and narrow-gauge trains that used to ply this route. When the sun goes down, a 400-meter (1312-foot) section of the railway park is magically transformed into a garden of lights. Decorated with themes of Secret Garden, Tree of Life, Music Garden, Fantasy Train Station, Milky Way Garden, and Forest Fairyland, Nowon Light Garden is the first permanent night lighting park in South Korea.

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Adding to the illuminations are stunning projections on the façade of Hwarangdae Station using a Christie D16WU-HS 1DLP laser projector, an interactive game zone using two Christie DWU630-GS 1DLP laser projectors, and panoramic projections at the Forest Fairyland using five Christie LWU900-DS 3LCD laser projectors. The projectors were supplied by Christie's longstanding partner, SNC Alliance, while the installation and commissioning were accomplished by Mega Link, a local systems integrator.

"Nowon Light Garden is the first outdoor park in Seoul that showcases night illuminations aimed at promoting the development of Nowon district, and serves as a healing space in the city where anyone can come and enjoy comfortably," said Dong-Woo Lee, CEO, SNC Alliance. "As this is a landmark project, the client required a reliable projection system that can deliver bright, colorful images under all weather conditions. Christie's laser projectors met these requirements and emerged as the preferred choice for this project."

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"The Christie laser projectors deployed for projections at three venues within Nowon Light Garden have generated much excitement among visitors," said Mega Link CEO Chul-Hoo Park. "Not only do the dazzling projections complement the various illumination themes, they also enable visitors to better appreciate the history and charm of the old Gyeongchun Line's Hwarangdae Station, platforms, and abandoned tracks that gives this park its unique appeal."

Park noted that the D16WU-HS is ideal for the Hwarangdae Station projections due to its high output of 17,400 ISO lumens, Christie's BoldColor Technology that ensures accurate color reproduction, and omnidirectional capability that provides unrestricted design and installation flexibility. "From pictures reminiscent of train travel memories to colorful flower shapes, the endlessly unfolding projections are a feast for the eyes under a romantic night sky," he said.

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The two DWU630-GS projectors used for the interactive game zone are another showstopper, producing an incredible 4,000,000:1 full on/off contrast ratio that makes visuals pop off the screen. The five LWU900-DS projectors also delivered outstanding images on the panoramic, floor and hologram screens, making this installation one of the biggest draws in Nowon Light Garden.

Paul Lee, sales manager, Enterprise, Christie Korea, said, "Nowon Light Garden is a great place for families to relax and enjoy in Seoul. We are delighted that Christie's tried-and-tested laser projection solutions are chosen to deliver captivating visuals and adding the 'wow factor' that elevates the visitor experience at this venue."

Choosing Display Experts for an Iconic Denver Landmark

In the heart of downtown Denver is a 16-block area known as the Theatre District. This lively, pedestrian-minded locale is a focal point for the city, enlivened through interactive, immersive, and experimental art and events. As a rule, whenever a company seeks to add an advertisement, they must also provide an investment toward improving the visual experience of the district. When Orange Barrel Media started plans to utilize the Daniels and Fisher Tower for one of their projects, they sought out a team to design a solution that would not only be visually stunning, but also non-damaging to the 100+ year-old building. After thoughtful research and consideration, Orange Barrel Media selected the large-scale display experts at Digital Projection (DP) and Display Devices (DDI) to tackle the project.

Prime Spot for Projection Mapping

The Daniels and Fisher tower stands 325 feet tall in the center of the Theatre District, in the middle of the 16th Street Mall, just between lower and upper downtown. Complete with a plaza, this foot-traffic heavy location is a prime spot for Denver and the perfect spot for a projection mapping solution. 

David Schmitt, director of sales and business development at Display Devices said, “Anytime you get to work on an architecturally and historically significant building, it feels amazing and with projection mapping, you’re actually doing a little bit of magic—creating ever-evolving art out of beautiful but static structures. Digital Projection makes some incredible projectors, and Display Devices is great at making permanent display installations—there is a very natural synergy between our two companies. That natural crossover allows for intuitive, high-caliber cooperation which results in showpiece displays like this one.”

Technical Base of Operations

Selecting a parking garage across the plaza for their technical base of operations, the unified team of DDI and DP began designing a one-of-a-kind display solution. The end result was an environmentally controlled walk-in structure housing (10) of DP’s exceptionally bright M-Vision 21000 WU projectors. Engineered to withstand the harshest of Denver weather, the simple but high-tech structure allows the city team to work inside for hands-on adjustments and calibrations, as well as program, schedule, and display content remotely from a home office. The installation itself was impressive, but once the system was turned on, it became something spectacular.

Powered by up to 210,000 lumens of color-rich content, the Daniels and Fisher tower is transformed by light-based art. Now known as Night Lights Denver, the mesmerizing display is a visual experience that showcases innovative works from both local and international artists. This permanent and ongoing event features new content each month with rotating art collections including professional photography, animation, live action video, and civic messaging.

[ Digital Projection’s Radiance LED Brings New Life to Liberty Square Church ]

[ Digital Projection Launches ‘World’s Brightest’ Single-Chip DLP Projector ]

Night Lights Denver

With nightly shows from Tuesday through Sunday evenings, Night Lights Denver has become one of Denver’s more meaningful attractions. David Moke, director of programming explained, “When we put together a program, our goal is not only to entertain the people of Denver, but also for them to take pride in their city by coming and hanging out downtown.” He added, “We like to include art that is heavier and cerebral but also balanced with fun and entertainment. This is not a billboard, this is cultural enrichment through art and entertainment. I always say that we’re not public art—we’re art in the public.” 

David Ehrlich, executive director of the Denver Theatre District, echoed this sentiment, “Night Lights Denver has become the perfect way to expand our connection to the art world in Denver on every level. We call it, ‘the people’s projector’ because of the enormous amount of content we share with the entire city through a platform that virtually every kind of artist can use.”

The public’s response to the display experience has been nothing short of amazing. “The people are absolutely thrilled and have already adopted it as part of the city. This is the most vibrant thing we have downtown,” said Moke.  

Mike Akridge, vice president of operations at Digital Projection, added, “We knew working with the talented team at Display Devices would create something powerful—but we didn’t expect just how impressive it would ultimately be. During our pre-activation testing, as soon as the first images were projected onto the tower, people immediately started gathering on their own—smiling, laughing, taking selfies and videos, etc. You don’t often get a chance to work on something of this size, at a location this iconic, so we were happy to see that the people were just as excited as we were.”

Building Community Through Art

One of the more impactful moments of this continuous display occurred when the city showcased artwork created by some of its elementary school students. Ehrlich explained, “This really resonated with the city because anyone with kids has their artwork hung up somewhere in their house. It’s a pretty common thing—but when shown on the tower downtown, it created something akin to a shared living room for Denver itself. And that really builds community because it helps people find what they have in common.”

Experience Night Lights Denver every Tuesday through Sunday evening from Sunset to Midnight from virtually anywhere in the Theatre District.

There's no better time to announce an experiential collaboration than at CES 2022 — especially when the located just off the Strip in Las Vegas.

Panasonic System Solutions Company of North America announced its newest collaboration with AREA15, an experiential event and entertainment district in Las Vegas. AREA15 offers a curation of vibrant, themed entertainment experiences and ever-changing art and retail experiences for locals and visitors of all ages. 

This five-year collaboration with Panasonic will provide AREA15 with turnkey solutions from the very best of Panasonic’s solutions such as software development, engineering, projection design, show-quality support, industry-leading projectors and more to provide seamless and unparalleled 360-degree visual experiences.

[ An Extended Team Means Success for Themed Entertainment Events ] 

AREA15 is utilizing Panasonic’s PT-RQ35KU 3-Chip DLP SOLID SHINE 4K laser projectors for its multi-purpose Live Events space, The Portal. Each of the fourteen (14) PT-RQ35s deliver 30,000lm of high brightness and 4K resolution for stunning, eye-catching visuals, providing realistic, vibrant, and vivid images, putting visitors at the center of the action. The PT-RQ35KU Series is the smallest and lightest 4K projector of its class and the latest addition to the wide range of laser projectors already in use. The PT-RQ35KU’s were easily installed, stacked, and calibrated for simplified workflows to significantly reduce logistics and installation hassles. 

[ So, You Want to Do Projection Mapping! ]

“Over the last few years and especially as audiences return to in-person events, Panasonic has recognized a growing demand among consumers around the globe for more out-of-the-box, immersive experiences,” said John Baisley, senior vice president of Professional Imaging & Visual Systems, PSSNA. “We’re proud to answer the call by collaborating with AREA15 to bring the best, most creative, 360-degree immersive entertainment to audiences in the entertainment capital of Las Vegas, and around the world. From the immersive Van Gogh exhibits to the first Illuminarium Experiences spectacle in Atlanta, Panasonic’s state-of-the-art projection and lens technology has played a pivotal role in bringing successful entertainment experiences to life.”

Panasonic began its partnership with AREA15 in spring 2021. The first experience using Panasonic projectors inside AREA15’s Portal, a 7,500 square foot, 360-degree projection-mapped room, was the critically acclaimed tour, “Van Gogh, the Immersive Experience.” In addition to showcasing immersive art experiences to thousands of visitors inside the Portal, Panasonic’s 4K projectors, such as the PT-RQ35KU series, provide brilliant bespoke backdrops for theater performances, music concerts, corporate events, private parties, and much more. 

Christie 1DLP laser projectors are enchanting visitors with true-to-life visuals at a new exhibition dedicated to 12 Korean folktales depicting various deities, mythical creatures and plants that have been handed down over the generations.

Titled Curious 12 Tales, the multimedia exhibition is organized by media production firm Design Silverfish, and sponsored by Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency. It is currently held at Insa Central Museum in Seoul, South Korea, until July 25, 2022, and comprises 12 exhibition zones. Each zone focuses on a particular myth that has fascinated people of all ages and features the ingenious use of technologies such as digital projections, virtual reality, augmented reality, and holograms. 

Christie is one of the main sponsors of this captivating exhibition, supplying 16 D20WU-HS 1DLP laser projectors to deliver bright and lifelike images that bring these traditional folk tales to life. The projectors were installed by Christie's local partner, SNC Alliance Co., Ltd. Curious 12 Tales is the second exhibition to be staged by Design Silverfish following the success of 2021 Delight Seoul earlier this year, which highlighted various aspects of culture and daily life in the South Korean capital.

Visitors can enjoy highly detailed images by the Christie D20WU-HS laser projectors fitted discreetly on the ceiling in eight exhibition zones, namely "The Old Stories that Began with Stone and Wood", "Story of Shadows", "Reaching the Stars Beyond Our Mind", "Will O' the Wisps", "The Letter of Summoning", "Curious Tales", "We Live with the Household Gods", "Your Very Own Guardian Spirit".

In particular, several D20WU-HS projectors, together with four-sided media mirrors deployed for spellbinding projections in "The Letter of Summoning," successfully created an infinite space that breaks down the boundary between imagination and reality. Images of mythical creatures such as dragons, phoenixes and nine-tailed foxes appear on the floor and bookshelves that seemingly transport visitors to a new dimension.

Ranging in brightness levels from 7,000-20,600 lumens and resolutions including WUXGA, HD and 4K UHD, the Christie HS Series offers a powerful, reliable and cost-effective option for almost any high-use application. Setting benchmarks in brightness, color accuracy, power requirements, and form factor, the HS Series pushes the envelope of what's possible with 1DLP technology.

"Curious 12 Tales showcases rich and immersive visuals that enable visitors to reinterpret in their own way these fantastic stories that transcend time and space and discover anew the way we live in the present," said Gyoung-tae Hong, CEO, Design Silverfish. "Just like how we approached our parents to tell us traditional folk tales, we want to pass on these timeless Korean stories to our children through the use of beautiful and interesting images at this exhibition. We hope that visitors will enjoy our rendition of these enduring stories."

The Russia Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai is drawing visitors in with its striking exterior, and once inside, offers guests a view into the regions of Russia, as well as the scientific and cultural achievements of the country. The focal point of the pavilion is "The Mechanics of Wonder," an immersive installation that uses seven Christie 3DLP projectors and Christie Conductor software to projection map visuals onto a model of a human brain. The installation was conceptualized and planned by Simpateka Entertainment Group, with video content produced by dreamlaser, and equipment and technical support provided by Big Screen Show. Christie Professional Services is providing maintenance and support of the system.

Visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai are drawn to the domed structure of the Russia Pavilion, located in the Mobility District, whose outer surface is composed of intertwined thread-like tubes of various colors. The bright colors and constantly shifting alignment of the tubes symbolize the eternal cognitive process. Once inside, the focal point of the Pavilion is "The Mechanics of Wonder,” designed and created by Konstantyn Petrov and Simpateka Entertainment Group. The installation is a massive 3D kinetic model of the human brain, rising from the floor atop of a spinal cord, and includes diodes on the ceiling and floors and screens around the perimeter of the room.

"We set out to tackle several very important objectives with our project," says Sergei Tchoban, the architect behind the project. "First, to produce a spectacular structure whose architecture would align with the theme of the district and at the same time feature associations with Russia as a great country. One such association comes from the way the small dome sits inside the larger, which may be modern and emphatically dynamic, but also resembles the traditional Russian matryoshka."

dreamlaser created the video content for the installation and were tasked with explaining the structure of the human brain in just six minutes. "To show how neurons function, we turned to figurative and abstract animation and universally familiar imagery such as flowers, stars, and the Northern Lights," says Anton Kolodyazhny, Creative Director at dreamlaser. "The key message of this interactive experience is that just as the brain develops by rebuilding connections, the more connections between people, the richer the field of ideas; in short, that the future of humanity will be defined by cooperation."

Simpateka's kinetic brain model measures 9.2 meters (30 feet) long, 5.5 meters (18 feet) wide and 10 meters (33 feet) high from the floor. dreamlaser began by scanning the structure to create the UV map for the projection mapping. Finally, dreamlaser mapped content with a five-digit pixel display resolution.

The team from Big Screen Show (BSS) used seven Christie Boxer 4K30--30,000-lumen 3DLP projectors--to map the brain. Six projectors are suspended from above, and one is below the kinetic model of the human brain. "Initially, we were given the task of illuminating the shape of the brain with projection," says Project Manager Alexander Shagov from BSS. "As it turns out, the structure is non-static and can be opened up. This made the task somewhat more challenging and determined the final positioning of the projectors in relation to the décor."

Looking back at the development of the project, Shagov explains: "In April, we carried out an on-site test of the projection on the kinetic sculpture. It became clear that a projection from below and an ultra-short throw (UST) lens setup to illuminate the underside of the model brain would be essential. To this end, we installed a 0.37:1 UST (4K) lens.

"Thanks to the wide range of lenses available for the projectors, we had no problem dealing with the fact that there are places inside the pavilion where it is physically impossible to install projection equipment. And the correct placement of the projectors is essential. The ultra-short throw lens comes in handy here," added Shagov.

During installation and operation, BSS employed Christie Conductor, which enables projectors to be synchronized and controlled from a single point.  "You can use [Conductor] to turn a group of projectors on or off with one key press and monitor the operation of a group of projectors online, including their status and any errors that may occur. You also have the option of working with each projector separately, adjusting all the required settings from a single workstation," says Shagov.

For support and maintenance of the projectors, Christie Professional Services has been contracted to ensure the system performs flawlessly for the duration of Expo 2020.

Christie projectors are helping tell the story of Canada—in miniature. Little Canada is the newest attraction in Toronto and is delighting visitors with a trip across the country, including landmarks, sights and sounds, all under one roof. Carbon Arc Projects, which specializes in the curation of virtual and in-person experiences, selected Christie GS Series 1DLP and Captiva projectors to illuminate landmarks throughout the attraction.

Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, Little Canada covers 45,000 square feet of indoor space across two floors and recreates popular locations and landmarks at 1:87 scale--the same size as model railways--with five destinations including Little Niagara, Little Toronto, Little Ottawa and Petit Quebec. Little Canada is a highly detailed miniature world brought to life by 21st century technology, which took over 180,000 hours to build, and an homage to Canada by its creators.

"We received a call in 2018 from Blink Multimedia, the content creator, about a new project that was taking shape," says Sean Hooper, partner, Carbon Arc Projects. "And we knew this was going to be a project unlike any other we'd ever done. We were excited to work on Toronto's biggest little attraction. The first, big destination we worked on was Little Niagara and the Maid of the Mist, then Little Ottawa."

Carbon Arc Projects selected Christie Captiva and DWU630-GS 1DLP laser projectors for the attraction. "We made the recommendation for Christie projectors because we were looking for a professional short throw projector in the low to medium brightness range. Christie was one of the only vendors with a product that met these requirements, with a laser light source, that could be sourced locally," says Hooper. The projectors are integrated with the playback system, which is centrally controlled, and includes power schedules for the projectors as the attraction moves through a 15-minute loop, all while making the Little Niagara Falls look as iconic and life-like as possible--no waterworks whatsoever.

Next up: Little Ottawa. Little Canada's display operates on a 15-minute day-to-night cycle, and upon sunset thousands of tiny lights illuminate, including a simulated fireworks display and a commemorative video projection mimicking the Canada Day celebrations that take place in Ottawa each year. Carbon Arc Projects worked with Blink Multimedia to develop a projection mapping show on Little Ottawa's Parliament Buildings.

The intricacy and details of Little Canada have been wowing guests since it opened in August. "Little Canada is a highly detailed and immersive miniature attraction that offers spectacular scenery, enveloping soundscapes, animated features, and moving cars, trains, and boats," says Little Canada's spokesperson. "Guests have been wowed by the life-like experience and the incredible, bespoke lighting and projections play a special part in bringing the magic of Little Canada to life and giving our visitors the opportunity to experience parts of Canada they might not otherwise be able to."

Sharp NEC Display Solutions is introducing the NC2403ML laser projector, the latest upgraded model in its digital cinema projection series. With an improved, replaceable RB laser module and laser light source lifespan of up to 50,000* hours, this new model is the ideal projection solution for theaters with medium and large screens. The NC2403ML is also suitable for museum, house of worship and higher education applications.

Related: Sharp Expands Digital Cinema Series Projector Line

Exhibitors now have a cost-conscious cinema projection solution offering interchangeable laser light sources in the projector head for ultimate versatility and future-proofing. The interchangeable laser module can be purchased separately and switched between projector heads for different sized auditoriums. Its improved RB laser module generates 24,000 lumens of brightness and features adjustable brightness levels for 2D and 3D feature films. Its 2K DCI-compliant laser produces an outstanding image that is bright enough to display on screens up to 72 feet/22 m.

In addition to improved projection and imaging, the NC2403ML offers flexible placement installation and a reliable nature.

The Bogotá Planetarium (Colombia) is now Latin America's most advanced theater of its kind thanks to its newly installed projection system that includes two Christie Griffyn 4K32-RGB pure laser projectors controlled by Christie Pandoras Box Version 8 and Christie Mystique camera-based alignment and calibration software. In addition, the planetarium has also contracted Christie Professional Services  for the preventative maintenance of the system.

After 52 years of using optical-mechanical projection systems for its dome-which holds up to 376 people-the planetarium was looking for a technological upgrade that would guarantee its audience high quality life-like immersive experiences in the arts, science and technology. "Resolution was obviously our bottom line," recalled Carlos Molina, coordinator of the Bogotá Planetarium, run by IDARTES, Bogotá City Council's arts departme

"Given that the majority of productions aimed at planetariums come in 4K resolution, we were obviously looking at 4K projectors, but we also wanted an environmentally-friendly solution that didn't use lamps, that would have a longer-lasting light source and be more energy efficient. And the Griffyn gives us all those things. And on top of that it also gives us brighter colors, better contrast and more powerful brightness (34,000 lumens) to cover our 23-meter (75-foot) dome."

Joaquín Gutiérrez, director of Bigvideo SAS, one of the companies which won the public tender to supply and install the project in conjunction with Merge and AV Design, confirmed that the Griffyn "was the perfect choice because of its versatility, cutting-edge technology, light output, resolution, size, weight and cost, not to mention the possibility of upgrading it to 3D in the future."

At the same time Carlos Molina also underscored the reliability of Christie products: "The projectors in our planetarium get a lot of use, being employed to the max in eight to nine separate sessions every day. We felt we were in safe hands with Christie because of the proven performance of its projectors under demanding conditions."

The planetarium's two new Griffyn projectors are edge blended, one covering the dome's north hemisphere and the other the south. However, each one actually projects over approximately 70 percent of the dome to ensure more than sufficient overlap for blending and warping. The projectors are outfitted with special Navitar lenses for curved surfaces, which ensures a homogeneous focus of 90 percent.

Christie Pandoras Box Manager and a Server with Pandoras Box Version 8 software were installed to control the projectors, as well as Christie Widget Designer to create customized applications. "Pandoras Box is a reliable solution for playing back content, and it also accepts the double 4K input at 60 Hz from the Digistar 7 system, the special Evans & Sutherland planetarium software we acquired for the project," explained Joaquín Gutiérrez.

The newly installed equipment also includes Christie Mystique Large Scale Experience (LSE) Edition, which provides multi-camera warping and blending for projection stacking and edge blending. "It is a versatile, robust solution to automate the warping and blending functions. You can align and blend multiple projectors precisely with a single click thanks to its automated camera-based system, in this case using three cameras,” added the director of Bigvideo.

At the same time, the Bogotá Planetarium has also contracted Christie Professional Services to prolong the life of its AV systems and make the most of its investment. "Because of the major outlay we made in new equipment, we were interested in preventative maintenance and real-time monitoring of the system. We need potential problems to be pinpointed and resolved quickly to maximize the system's uptime," Carlos Molina clarified.

The planetarium's new projection system ensures it has many alternatives in terms of enabling audiovisual, theatre and musical shows, but it will also satisfy the most ardent planetarium-goers with incredible trips to the stars, making it both a truly immersive theater and an experimental audiovisual laboratory.

Christie is supporting the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures with projection and display technology and Professional Services. The Academy Museum is located in Los Angeles and is now open to the public.

The Academy Museum's inaugural exhibitions include Stories of Cinema and The Oscars Experience, and Christie GS Series 1DLP projectors will be used to augment the retrospective of legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki in the Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg Gallery. This is the Academy Museum's inaugural temporary exhibition and features more than 300 objects, including storyboards, posters and character designs, throughout the seven sections of the retrospective.

The 300,000 square foot campus of the Academy Museum features exhibitions, programs, screenings and collections that advance the understanding, celebration and preservation of cinema across its seven floors, as well as iconic pieces of movie history including a model of the shark from Jaws, droids from Star Wars and the Dude's bathrobe from The Big Lebowski.

"Side by side with original drawings and storyboards, Christie projectors bring Hayao Miyazaki's films to life in our galleries. The Academy Museum is so grateful to Christie for its generous support of this much anticipated debut exhibition," says Brendan Connell, Jr. Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, Academy Museum.

Christie Professional Services has been engaged to proactively maintain the AV solutions throughout the Academy Museum with 24/7 technical support and rapid onsite field service. Professional Services is a trusted service provider, supporting integrators and their end-users globally with tailored service solutions for cinema, as well as giant screens and planetariums, theme parks and attractions, museums, science centers and government applications.

The What: Sharp NEC Display Solutions is expanding its digital cinema projector series with the NC1202L laser light source projector. Designed specifically for smaller screens at 7,000 lumens, the NC1202L is targeted to standard-sized movie theaters or projection booths requiring high-quality cinema projection.

The What Else: The NC1202L's built-in laser light source provides approximately 50,000 hours of expected usage, ensuring maintenance-free operation with no need for lamp replacement and eco-friendly power consumption. As a result, theatre operators can benefit from a reduced overall total operational cost and a greater per seat revenue. It also features high frame rate (HFR) capability and 2K DCI-compliant cinema quality producing brilliant imagery, and is bright enough to display 14 feet-L on screens up to 39.4 feet in DCI color. Additionally, it can play captivating 3D content, an increasingly essential element of the latest movies and media.

The Bottom Line: The NC1202L projector includes superior dust protection with NEC's patented heat exchanger along with a newly developed and sealed optical engine. Its one-touch operation, keypad layout, and memory functions provide simplicity for the user. Additionally, with no exhaust system required, this projector is suitable for both floor and ceiling installation, making it highly versatile for both physical installation and content playback. 

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of live events and public gatherings; museums all over the world had to close their doors to visitors. Now, as segments of the economy reopen, AV specialists are embracing the idea of re-engagement with site-specific experiences. Projection mapping in particular is demonstrating real momentum thanks to its wow factor and creative potential.

In an installation called “Imprint of Time: Immersive Works of Master Painters,” Christie GS Series 1DLP laser projectors brilliantly display three-dimensional projections of classic works of 19th century artists including Degas, van Gogh, Kandinsky, Matisse and Seurat. The installation can be found at ArTech Hub, an avant-garde gallery in the town of Ciqikou that ingeniously integrates graphic arts with state-of-the-art visual technologies.

Inside ArTech Hub is a 2,000 square meter (21,528 square foot) exhibition space with more than 50 Christie DWU6322-GS and DWU1082-GS laser projectors—both models specifically developed for the Chinese market—fitted in various exhibition zones to deliver a uniquely immersive art viewing experience to visitors. The projectors were supplied, installed, and commissioned by Christie partner Zhongqing Yingye Group.

“ArTech Hub is a fascinating art gallery that is very different from conventional ones that we are accustomed to due to its smart integration of projection technologies to offer visitors an exceptional and immersive viewing experience,” said Yueyi Wu, representative for East China, Zhongqing Yingye Group. “We are very pleased to be involved in this project. The Christie GS Series laser projector is our preferred choice because of its long-lasting laser light source, brilliant color, premium image quality, quiet operation and flexible installation capability.”

[ The Latest Projection Mapping Solutions for Pro AV ]

The client chose an unobtrusive design for the projectors’ installation works, which requires all units to be discreetly installed overhead so that they are almost invisible to guests. “Thanks to the GS Series’ compact footprint, ultra-quiet operation, high performance and reliability, our team was able to successfully complete this project on time and in accordance with the client’s requirements,” Wu added.

The 19th century artwork featured in “Imprint of Time” spans includes signature artworks by Czech painter Alphonse Mucha, French impressionist Edgar Degas, French artist Jean-François Millet, Dutch post-impressionist Vincent van Gogh, Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky, French artist Henri Matisse, and French post-impressionist Georges Seurat.

April Qin, sales director for China, Enterprise, Christie, commented, “We are delighted to be part of this creative space where art meets technology to deliver unique and highly immersive exhibits to guests. The powerful and versatile Christie GS Series laser projectors used in this venue have transformed the visitor experience with this amazing showcase featuring highly vivid projections of masterpieces by renowned 19th century artists.”

[ A Look at the Growing Projection Mapping Market ]

Christie projection solutions have been deployed for several high-profile installations in China over the past year. In the Guangwu Mountain scenic area in China’s Sichuan province, Christie projection is powering an enormous immersive “night tourism” extravaganza, and in Jiangsu Garden Expo Park, Christie projectors deliver spectacular visuals that heighten the beauty and engineering of the mountainside garden complex. Not all the installations are in the tourism market: An exhibition hall located in a contemporary health sciences park in Beijing is using Christie DS Series laser projectors and Christie Pandoras Box to deliver visuals for an immersive four-sided CAVE installation.

Recent Christie Projection Installations

Christie 3D Projection Mapping Lifts Rocket Launch at Cape Canaveral • Christie pure RGB laser projectors helped to mark the launch of United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy rocket at Cape Canaveral with the first-ever 3D projection mapping on an operational rocket.

Naval Academy Showcases Athletic Success with Christie AV • New theater uses end-to-end Christie solutions to inform and inspire potential Naval Academy students.

Christie Laser Projectors Power Water Screen Projections for Lake Show • A new nightly lake show at Vietnam’s Dam Sen Park features spectacular visuals and water effects, including large-scale water screen projections using Christie HS Series 1DLP laser projectors.

Christie Mirage Projectors Power 8K Visuals at Mexico Science Museum • Eight Christie Mirage 304K projectors were installed in Materia, the new museum at Mexico’s Sinaloa Science Center, to power Cubo Negro 8K, an immersive production with imagery of outer space.

Phoenix Suns Arena Adds Massive Pavilion Video Wall • As part of an extensive renovation of the 29-year-old Phoenix Suns Arena, the lobby has been outfitted with 7,000 square feet of LED displays driven by Christie Spyder X80 processors.

Leviathan Uses Projection Mapping to Illustrate Jabil’s Manufacturing Scope • Leviathan used projection-mapping technology to create an informational display that allows room for viewers to imagine limitless possibilities at Jabil’s Blue Sky Innovation Center. 

In our last blog, “So You Want to Do Projection Mapping!”, LUMA Projection Arts Festival co-founder, Tice Lerner, said, "When the Panasonic team came, they networked all the projectors together and used Panasonic software to align the grids with the projectors and the hardware versus the way we were doing it. It was faster and cleaner."

You heard that right. Engineering manager John Meehan was one of three Panasonic team members who were on hand to support and help set up the projectors at the 2019 LUMA Festival. "They brought in those tips and tricks and the things we didn't know how to do, which saved us an immense amount of time," Lerner said. Panasonic projectors are known for easy setup and intuitive navigation menus. “When you're in the dark with a bunch of projectors and you're trying to set them up on a timeline—there's never enough time,” Meehan said.

What Trees?

There’s always one building that makes projection mapping more challenging. At the 2019 LUMA Festival, Lerner explained, “We had a building that had 12 projectors on it, which is a lot of projectors, that in itself just makes it more complicated, but not necessarily harder. However, that building had two trees on each side blocking direct sight of the building.”

Ahead of the setup, Lerner sent photos of the building to Meehan to suggest a solution for the artist’s mapping, called Pandora's Box. “What they did was just beautiful,” Lerner said. “They made the columns move, which made the building’s architecture come alive.”

Meehan worked on a plan to angle two short-throw projectors around the trees to create a solution, so the trees did not cast a shadow on the building. “You have the theory, the model, the artistry, and then you have the boots on the ground actually trying to aim these things and get things set up,” he said. In the case of setting up projection-mapping situations, everything needs to be perfectly aligned and tested at night.

Everyone worked through the night into the early morning hours, Lerner explained. “And John Meehan was there working with us all night, right up to 7 in the morning.

"Everybody runs into something, but when you get 10-somethings, that builds up," Lerner continued. “Using Panasonic’s projectors and their team of experts gave us the opportunity not only to focus on the creative but also to finish setup ahead of schedule.” This gave the creative teams time to focus on what was important. "It comes back to the art form. It's about perfection. That means on opening night,  we're not rushing to get the last touches on making it just work, so those last moments can be spent, again, lining up a brick or just fixing a minute little detail. We can focus on polishing an already exceptional exhibit," Lerner added.

A Team that Shines Through and Through

Panasonic's Themed Entertainment Group pulls out all the stops, from providing design expertise at the concept stage to boots on the ground to ensure the most complex projection projects are executed seamlessly. "We add a great deal of value to our integrators in the themed entertainment space," explained Joe Conover, strategic manager of Themed Entertainment Solutions at Panasonic North America. Whether it's a museum, a large venue, or an outdoor event, the team works hand-in-hand with its integrators and partners, which sometimes also includes the creative folks. "If an integrator brings forward a client and says, 'Hey, we would love to use Panasonic, but this is a little bit out of the box,' again, that's where we shine."

Collaboration and support come from the engineering and R&D teams in the U.S., along with the multitude of engineers in Japan.

"A valuable resource that Panasonic provides is technical expertise provided by our engineering teams during the design phase," Conover said. "Having us in those design conversations upfront help identify all aspects of the project." Too often, integrators might not be awarded a bid because they're not familiar enough with an overall process. "We are putting on a different hat to help integrators understand exactly what they're trying to accomplish," he added. 

Panasonic's Themed Entertainment Group can guide the entire process from design to helping understand the content workflow.  

 "There's so much we offer," Conover explained, "from training to extended services, whether it be in the field, or remote service from multiple locations." The Panasonic team can develop the business model and demonstrate a return on investment. "This helps our integrators bring more value to the client," he said.

Conover said he believes it's critical for Panasonic to be there to support its integrators. "As a company, we’ll help develop partnerships and we'll help grow their business by utilizing Panasonic, not only our products but also our services as a solution," he concluded. 

A new art exhibit at the Morris Museum in Morristown, NJ is showcasing how video can elevate traditional art in exciting new ways. Titled “New Acquisitions,” the exhibit features three paintings of simple interiors illuminated with delicate movement by Epson PowerLite W75 mini projectors. The works are the creation of Iranian sisters Bahareh and Farzaneh Safarani, who specialize in incorporating video into their paintings, creating dramatic compositions of themselves as the subjects to explore a sense of self in relation to the other.

Built in a compact form factor and modern design, the projectors blend into the museum atmosphere to avoid taking away from the Safarani Sisters' artwork. 

[Epson Ships Seven New Pro Series Laser Projectors]

“With the unique form of art that we do, it is extremely important to have the right display technology that doesn’t overpower our artistic vision or distract from the delicacy that we are trying to portray through our paintings,” said Farzaneh Safarani. “Epson’s projectors look amazing and have yet to fail us. They are versatile and deliver stunning visuals with the perfect combination of texture, color, and brightness needed to truly bring our paintings to life.”

At the “New Acquisitions” exhibit, visitors can expect to feel in touch with the video paintings and become a part of the unspoken sensations of movement, while elements of the mise-en-scène propose a preverbal narrative that takes shape while defying form. The Safarani Sisters’ creative practice includes performance art, which is seen in the video overlay components on the paintings as layers of canvas and motion set the stage for the choreography of their contemplative reflections.

“As the Safarani Sisters expand their artistic visions for more to experience, we are honored that they continue to choose Epson,” said Remi Del Mar, senior product manager, Epson America, Inc. “It’s thrilling to watch these artists at work and their ability to push projector technology far beyond everyday use and into truly awe-inspiring artwork.”

View live video of the Safarani Sisters work here.

The What: Christie has announced the release of Version 2.5 of Christie Mystique, an automated camera-based alignment software solution designed to simplify and automate the process of warping and blending multiple projectors into a single, seamless canvas. 

The What Else: With Version 2.5, Mystique Essentials and Pro Venue Editions offer two new features to improve overall image fidelity and uniformity in blended projector arrays when projecting on a flat or curved surface.

[Christie Launches Core Series II LED Video Wall Tiles]

For installations where the projection surface is dirty, discolored, or non-uniform, these visual imperfections can get in the way of projecting a great image. Mystique’s new background compensation feature uses a color camera to detect large contrast differences on a screen or projection surface and makes automatic adjustments to compensate for surface anomalies to provide a more uniform projected image, so the focus stays on the projected content, not the background quality.

Adjusting for color and brightness uniformity across projectors in an array to ensure the blend areas are not visible can be a challenging and time-consuming manual process, especially if using projectors of different ages. With the new automated color and brightness uniformity feature, Mystique quickly makes the adjustments with a mouse click, with camera-based accuracy, to display one seamless image.

“Christie Mystique saves both set-up time and costs, while delivering freedom to project almost anywhere,” said Joel St-Denis, senior product manager, Christie. “Mystique takes the guesswork out of multi-projector systems, so that the focus is on delivering an amazing experience for audiences. It is an essential tool for anyone installing a blended projector array.”

The Bottom Line: Mystique is available in five editions, each designed to meet the unique needs of different applications: Mystique Lite, Essentials, Pro Venue, Premium, and Large Scale Experience Editions. Christie Mystique Version 2.5 is available for download now.

Larger-than-life images projection-mapped onto massive structures create an awe-inspiring experience for audiences. Attending AV enthusiasts and pros often look back at where the image is originating from and wonder if they could also create such magic.

Nobody is going to tell you that projection mapping isn't complicated, but getting advice and inspiration from two AV pros — combined with knowing there are design and engineering experts from Panasonic behind you — will give you the confidence you need. 

Painting the Landscape

The principles of projection mapping are the same whether a $500 or a $200,000 projector is used, which is why Philippe Bergeron, president and CEO of world-renowned visual storytelling and 3D-mapping company PaintScaping, recommends starting small.

Speaking from personal experience, Bergeron was using a $500, 800-lumen projector and a MacBook when he stumbled upon mapping. “I didn't know what mapping was,” he said. “One night, I was in my backyard projecting on a pond, I touched the mouse by mistake and with a stroke, I painted a rock with light.” That stroke changed Bergeron’s life, and he launched a new business in 2009. “I was speechless, and that's where PaintScaping came from, painting the landscape.”

To get a feel for the magic, you don’t need mapping software. Bergeron suggests, “Project a Photoshop session in the real world and paint a tree.” In this simple scenario, you are projecting the cursor and can start painting what you see, and alignment will be automatic. “That's what we did that night, and everything was mapped because I was literally painting the world.” Bergeron’s advice to those who want to try projection mapping: “Go and do it, it's a lot easier than you think.”

Fast forward to today, and PaintScaping has mapped everything from the world’s first mapping onto an operational rocket at Cape Canaveral, the largest mapping ever in the US, for Britney Spears in Las Vegas to the longest throw distance at 1.1 km onto a Sedona, Ariz., Mountain, and many more.

During the 1920s, the Du Pont family held a yearly Christmas celebration at its Winterthur estate called Mr. Harry's Party. "We tried to emulate what Du Ponts would do," Bergeron said. Bergeron created the story around Du Pont, his wife, and their two daughters, covering party preparation for the evening of the celebration. "We tried to incorporate what really happened at the party; they had musicians, jugglers, magicians, a ventriloquist, and there was a lot of drinking and dancing."

Spanning 100 feet wide and four stories tall, Mr. Harry's Party came to life mapped to the architecture in front of the Winterthur Museum with a single, Panasonic 50,000-lumens, 3-Chip DLP® SOLID SHINE projector with Native 4K+ resolution (PT-RQ50KU). This was Bergeron's first time working with a Panasonic projector, and he wasn't disappointed. "We could have easily stretched to 150 feet, and it would have looked phenomenal, with that one projector, maybe even 200 feet," he said. Razor-sharp images of moving figures in the windows and colorful holiday images danced on the outside of the building, creating a wondrous immersive experience. "The colors and the 4K resolution were just superb. It really was a stunning image — the colors were supersaturated."

Bringing a City to Life

Similar to Bergeron, LUMA co-founders Tice Lerner and Joshua Ludzki approached projection mapping from a grassroots perspective.

In its fifth year, and attracting more than 55,000 national and international attendees, the 2019 LUMA Projection Arts Festival transformed Binghamton, New York, into an interactive, immersive art scene. Spread across eight locations, art installations from more than a dozen artists were projection-mapped onto the city's architectural structures creating an awe-inspiring experience.

The LUMA Projection Arts Festival is the brainchild of self-professed "tech-geeks," Joshua Ludzki, Tice Lerner and Nick Rubenstein. "We like to look at LUMA as a playground for artists, technologists and creatives to come together and do something that's never been done before," Lerner said. 

Not only had a projection arts festival of this scale never been done before in the US, but the LUMA team was also starting from scratch. "We had never turned on a large venue projector in our lives," Lerner said. "We rented a couple of these projectors, and we didn't know how to do projection mapping, but we had an idea of what we thought would work."

Out of sheer perseverance and ingenuity, a team of volunteer engineers, technicians, city workers, artists, along with the support of the City of Binghamton and community sponsors, and armed with four massive projectors, the first LUMA Projection Arts Festival was held in 2015. The team expected a turnout of 3,000 attendees, but they knew they had created something special when more than 30,000 people flooded the streets of downtown Binghamton and watched in awe as the city hall turned into a gingerbread house and the courthouse was transformed into Stonehenge.

Nearly every aspect of the festival is grassroots. "The people that are doing this -- as we call them our tech directors -- they have full-time jobs in other areas, like IT departments," Lerner said. "But like us, they had a passion for our area, for growing our community and doing something really cool, technology and art.”

Design and Technical Backing

For Lerner, working on a tight budget with technologies and equipment new to the LUMA team came with challenges they weren't aware could be different.

Using lamp-based projectors from various vendors, Lerner kept running into the same problems. "We had lots of issues, particularly with edge blending and reliability," he said. Knowing what he does now, "We were troubleshooting certain things that we didn't need to troubleshoot."

Many of the animations are mapped down to individual bricks. "With a limited amount of time to set up — we've got to get that exact match, and that's hard. And if we run into other issues, whether it be power issues or an edge blending issue, or just even something as simple as a signal issue from the output — that's time lost, when we could be working on the creative," Lerner added.

Lerner was in for more than a few pleasant surprises when his team began working with the Panasonic Visual Systems team and their projectors. "They brought in those little tricks and the things we didn't know how to do that saved us an immense amount of time," he said. 

The LUMA team used to design all edge blending and geometry correction in software on a PC. Panasonic's Multi Projector Monitoring & Control Software was used for networking, and Geometry Manager Pro was used for geometry correction. "When the Panasonic team came, they networked all the projectors together and used Panasonic software to align the grids with the projectors and the hardware versus the way we were doing it. It was faster and cleaner, plus gave us a 25% improvement in setup time, completing setup in three days vs. the usual four days."

Inspiration

Check out the following links for inspirational projection mapping installations from PaintScaping, the 2019 LUMA Projection Arts Festival, and Panasonic projectors from around the world.

Seeing dynamic, transformative images projected larger than life onto a building in the middle of a city is a thrill for audiences. For the artist and technologist, it’s a dream come true fraught with daunting technical challenges. In the end, to be successful, the art installation needs to tell a story. 

[The Technology Manager's Guide to Inspired Video Walls]

In its fifth year, and attracting more than 55,000 national and international attendees, the 2019 LUMA Projection Arts Festival transformed Binghamton, NY into an interactive, immersive art scene. Spread across eight locations, art installations from more than a dozen artists were projection mapped onto the city's architectural structures.

"We like to look at ourselves as the intersection between art and technology," said LUMA co-founder Tice Lerner. Luma provides the projection mapping engineering expertise to enable all forms of creatives to realize new types of immersive expressions that would otherwise be impossible.

Many of the animations are mapped down to individual bricks. "With a limited amount of time to set up, we've got to get that exact match, and that's hard,” Lerner said. “And if we run into other issues—whether it be power issues or an edge blending issue, or just even something as simple as a signal issue from the output—that's time lost, when we could be working on the creative." 

Lerner considers the use of Panasonic projectors to be a groundbreaking moment for the LUMA 2019 event. Thirty of Panasonic's large venue three-chip DLP SOLID SHINE 30,000-lumen laser projectors brought the festival to life. "The difference was night and day for us," he said. "It allowed us to focus more on the important creative side."

The Narrative

The 3D mapping experts at Los Angeles-based PaintScaping have taken projected storytelling to new heights, from mapping onto United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy rocket ahead of the launch at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, to mapping for Rihanna and Calvin Harris videos, to giant storytelling on nature at the San Diego Zoo.

“Mapping is a merging of real and virtual worlds where you project an image that is lined up with the features of the architecture, a landscape, or even people," said Philippe Bergeron, president and CEO of PaintScaping. “Mapping should always take into consideration the canvas.” A building should not be treated as if it were a solid white screen. “The architectural details like windows, doors, pipes, and ledges are not going away; they're there; so you can't fight them.”

In the early days of projection mapping, people were enamored by a large image covering a building. Today, Bergeron is happy to say that his clients are understanding that the narrative is critical. “We can tell a very simple story, but nevertheless, the narrative is more sophisticated,” he said. “The narrative is evolving, because content is king, and that is absolutely true in mapping.” 

Technologies are also becoming more sophisticated and helping to enable easier installation and brighter and sharper images. “Projectors are evolving surprisingly fast,” Bergeron said. One of the biggest problems in mapping can be the number of projectors needed for large projects. "That's why the 50K [lumen projector] is so transformational in this business," Bergeron said. "Because all of a sudden, instead of using two, three, four projectors, you can use one, which is great. It's a lot simpler to achieve results, and your chances of failure are much less, not to mention the shipping, the logistics." 

In March 2020, PaintScaping created a spectacular outdoor experience immersing visitors of the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library in a recreation of Henry Francis du Pont’s Christmas celebration called Mr. Harry's Party. "We tried to incorporate what really happened at the party: they had musicians, jugglers, magicians, a ventriloquist, and there was a lot of drinking and dancing." Spanning 100 feet wide and four stories tall, Mr. Harry's Party came to life mapped to the architecture of the front of the museum with a single Panasonic 50,000-lumen three-chip DLP SOLID SHINE projector with True 4K+ resolution.

Digital Art Installation

Blackdove recently transformed public spaces in two Miami commercial office buildings into large-scale public digital art installations. Each of the properties sought to create a unique and transforming interior experience for its tenants. A monthly curation of moving image digital art is delivered by the Blackdove curatorial team in coordination with the owners of the project.  

Works by Australian algorithmic artist Jonathan McCabe are shown on both walls. McGabe’s art is generative in nature, creating an ever-changing work for onlookers. His work symbolizes the fluidity of life and the energy of the universe flowing around us as we float through life.

Massive

BrightSign collaborated with MASARY Studios on the “Massively Distributed” interactive art installation at the annual Canal Convergence festival in Scottsdale, AZ. The installation was a community-driven public art project that brought people together outdoors during the pandemic through technology.

Massively Distributed was a site-specific web app that enabled the public to add their own compilations to the installation using the sights and sounds of their city. Utilizing their smartphones and computers, people created dynamic sound and visual compositions via MASARY’s online media sequencer app and submitted them for inclusion in the broader public presentation.

During the event, three sites located throughout Old Town Scottsdale displayed a series of sound and video projections celebrating the community’s creations. Each of the sites displayed the finished pieces via a pair of BrightSign HD media players feeding video content to two 15,000-lumen Epson projectors, perfectly synchronized to a powerful sound system to complete the immersive experience.

Outdoor Dynamics

Taking immersive visuals to the streets of Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA), LUMINEX: Dialogues of Light hosted a one-night walkable outdoor digital art exhibition using DTLA’s buildings as backdrops. Working with well-known visual artists Carole Kim, Nancy Baker Cahill, Refik Anadol, Sarah Rara, and Luciana Abait, LUMINEX transformed a five-block radius into a walkable museum experience. The goal was to use the power of art to bring healing to the community and to reconnect culturally with one another.

The dynamic and immersive installations were made possible through the use of Panasonic’s 4K projection technology, which included the PT-RQ32, PT-RZ31K, PT-RQ50K, and PT-RZ21K three-chip DLP SOLID SHINE 4K laser projectors. The various projectors enabled each artist to showcase and express their creativity through clear and captivating visuals. In addition to being an in-person event, the exhibit was also livestreamed to viewers around the world.

Gestural Art

On the southwest corner of 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue, 12 ground-level windows of the New York Port Authority Bus Terminal have been transformed into COOLTURE IMPACT, an interactive video wall installation engineered with motion-responsive technology. A motion sensor camera tracking system that is custom-mounted with the displays allows passersby to make the artistic digital canvases come alive with their own movements. A wave of the hand is translated onto the display as a creative rendering that captures the audience´s gestures.

The installation is designed with an interactive framework software system developed by NoirFlux and a ZED 3D depth and motion sensing camera from Stereolabs. Specific responses to COOLTURE IMPACT’s featured artwork programming are presented in real-time through Planar TVH Series fine-pitch LED video walls with a 2.5-millimeter pixel pitch (TVH2.5) from Planar.

The Planar TVH Series includes compact LED cabinets that provide an exact fit for any video wall size or configuration. Available with a redundant video and power option, the Planar TVH Series is designed for continuous operation and engineered for the most demanding applications.

The driving force behind the project is Coolture, a firm specializing in cultural and branding events in emblematic spaces, both public and private. Working with support from the Port Authority, Coolture assembled a team of video artists, filmmakers, interactive designers, software developers, and engineers to create the project, produced by non-profit Cultural Semiotic Alliance.

Safe Art

At the start of the pandemic, LuminArtz worked with local artists to create safe art exhibits for all, including “Light Up The Night” by videoartist Pamela Hersch.Hersch created an installation projected onto the exterior of the Wenham Museum in Boston using Sharp NEC Display Solutions PA1004UL laser projectors. Because of the outdoor nature of the project, Hersch had to increase the level of brightness of the projectors—arranging three PA1004ULs in a stacking configuration to focus on the same area and increasing the brightness of the image. 

Hersch took advantage of the projector’s connectivity options by feeding the image input into the bottom unit’s HDMI IN port, connecting the bottom unit’s HDMI OUT port to the next unit’s HDMI IN port, and so on. She used the projector’s built-in grid test pattern to adjust the focus, zoom, and finally lens shift for each unit. Hersch needed to make further refinement to the alignment by using the cornerstone function, allowing her to move each corner independently. 

Once the projectors were physically set up, she used projection mapping software to project plain white light onto the surface of the museum. This made it easy for her to trace the outline of the building and mask out where they didn’t want light to be cast. The result was a 30-minute program showcasing historical videos and still images, and connecting generations throughout the pandemic.

ARTificial Intelligence

Not every digital art experience needs a living artist and a projection crew. The Museum “AI” Wall is highly immersive video space where Panasonic technology brings together 4K displays and projectors. The display accurately reproduces the delicate emotions of an artist’s style, and even the years felt from the cracked paint. The background is created with high-brightness, high definition images from a 4K projector. A, POVCAM captures the audience in real time and reproduces the images into self portraits with the touch of a famous painter using AI technology.

Going to the North Pole

Taking advantage of its large outdoor space, Bayside Church has set up a multi-zone drive-thru Christmas light display that attracts thousands every year. Bayside Church wanted to project a large image onto an adjacent building—approximately 20 feet tall and 80 feet wide—to give the illusion of Santa’s North Pole workshop.The projectors needed to be set up across the parking lot from the building—approximately 40 feet away—and mounted about 16 feet off the ground to allow vehicles to drive underneath. In order to conceal the projectors as well as to protect them from the elements, the NP-Pa853W projectors were enclosed in custom doghouses. The building itself is segmented into two halves, so the projectors were mounted in a two-and-two configuration to provide the necessary coverage. The building is also not perfectly flat, so projection mapping was used to account for arches and columns to provide a clean image. 

The operation of the installation is highly automated—with several computers controlling the entire light display, including the projection. The system fires itself up at 5 p.m., turns the projectors on, initiates the content loop, and runs until about 30 minutes after the event closes. After the display is packed in for the year, the projectors are used for additional AV needs throughout the church each week.

Immersive Safari

Illuminarium Experiences is an experiential entertainment brand that creates immersive spectacles in custom-designed venues called “Illuminariums.” To make these Illuminariums even more captivating, the team collaborated with Panasonic to develop a custom ultra-short-throw lens for minimal offset and loss of light performance. Panasonic’s R&D team of engineers developed this shadow-eliminating lens to eliminate the chance for visual disruptions within the experience. With this advanced visual technology, Illuminarium’s first spectacle—"WILD: The World’s First Virtual Safari”—will be a truly immersive visual experience.

Delivering sharp clarity and vivid colors, Panasonic’s PT-RQ50K three-chip DLP Native 4K laser projector is used to transport visitors to Africa, where they will journey throughout different environments—from the majestic plains of Masai Mara to the verdant watering holes of Samburu Reserve. Together, Illuminarium’s 360-degree experiential entertainment venue and Panasonic’s visual technology offer guests a truly captivating experience.

Christie HS Series 1DLP laser projectors are illuminating the newly opened Jiangsu Garden Expo Park with spectacular visuals that heighten the beauty and engineering of the mountainside garden complex.

[Christie Inspire Series Projectors Make Debut]

Located in Tangshan, Jiangning District, Jiangsu Garden Expo Park is a large-scale ecological, cultural, and tourism venue that’s fast becoming a new landmark of Nanjing, the capital city of Jiangsu province. Covering an area of 1.3 square miles, including a core gardens zone measuring 0.85 square miles, the sprawling park was built on abandoned mine pits over a two-year period. It features manicured gardens, traditional-style pavilions, promenades, rock formations, and a lake.

Among the major highlights of the park are re-creations of traditional gardens situated in the 13 cities of Jiangsu province—including Nanjing Garden, Suzhou Garden, Wuxi Garden, and Taizhou Garden—that demonstrate Jiangsu’s renowned garden culture and landscaping skills. After night falls, the park is bathed in a blend of blue, red, and yellow lights amid a spellbinding light show that includes stunning projections on a hillside using four Christie DWU2022-HS 1DLP laser projectors installed by Zhongqing Yingye Group.

“Christie’s HS Series is a highly cost-effective and competitive projection solution that has always emerged a top contender for cultural tourism projects that we are involved in,” said Xinwei He, project manager of Jiangsu Garden Expo Park. “It has consistently excelled in areas such as performance, color reproduction, and dependability. With an output of 20,000 lumens, we require just four units of DWU2022-HS to illuminate this large outdoor canvas in Suzhou Garden, the core location of Jiangsu Garden Expo Park.”

He said that even though the projection canvas measuring 6,458 square feet is quite significant, it’s only a fraction of the entire performance area. Therefore, the team from Zhongqing Yingye Group had to strike a delicate balance in maintaining maximum visual quality while optimizing the scale of the displayed images without relegating the projection component to a supporting role. “We tweaked the projection design to enhance the image area, and combined multimedia content with actual scenery on-site to deliver lifelike visuals that are consistent with the intended themes of the show.”

A proprietary monitoring system developed by Shanghai Liancheng Digital Technology Co., Ltd (a member of Zhongqing Yingye Group) comprising hardware and software components has also been implemented to conduct real-time monitoring and feedback on the working condition of the DWU2022-HS projectors, so as to ensure that their outdoor deployment is secure and effective.

“Our strategy emphasizing on the delivery of an encompassing, holistic audiovisual experience eventually paid off, and the projections executed for this nighttime show are well received by all stakeholders,” he said. “Thanks to Christie’s proprietary BoldColor Technology, the projectors are top notch in terms of color performance and quality, and they have enabled us to fully realize the original design intentions of this project.”

April Qin, sales director for China, enterprise, Christie, commented, “Jiangsu Garden Expo Park Project is an amazing endeavor by the provincial government to combine modern construction technology with traditional ancient building modeling. We are delighted that Zhongqing Yingye Group is involved in this major project and deployed our tried-and-tested HS Series laser projectors for this highly anticipated nighttime performance.”

The What: Epson is now shipping eight new PowerLite laser projector models ranging from 5,200 to 7,000 lumens of equal color and white brightness: the L520W, L520U, L530U, L630U, L730U, L735U, L630SU, and L635SU.

The What Else: The new PowerLite models feature a minimalist, discreet design with black and white color options to fit into virtually any environment. Delivering bright, colorful images with simplified installation and a virtually maintenance-free 20,000-hour laser light source, the projectors offer reliable operation without being bound by a frame.

[Epson Expands SMB Lineup With Three New Business Projectors]

Providing bright displays for meetings, lectures, and more in education and corporate environments, the PowerLite L520W, L520U, L530U, L630U, and L730U offer flexible placement and high image quality. The PowerLite models can deliver images up to 500 inches with 16:10 or ultra-wide 16:6 displays for optimal visibility from anywhere in a room, or while tuning in virtually.

Combining advanced installation features with high-performance laser projection, the long-throw PowerLite L730U and L735U and short-throw PowerLite L630SU and L635SU deliver bright images for nearly any application. From visual merchandising and wayfinding to corporate spaces and entertainment, the new signage models are designed to drive engagement. The projectors come with advanced built-in features, including 5GHz enterprise-level wireless, HDBaseT, edge blending, and a content creation app.

The Bottom Line: The PowerLite compact projectors combine helpful installation tools and connectivity options, making them well suited for applications ranging from classrooms and meeting spaces to signage and entertainment applications.

AV3’s afternoon keynote presentation on June 17 will be delivered by Epson’s Mark Roslon, who will speak about the transformative power of projection. Epson will also be present in the virtual exhibit hall, showcasing its suite of laser projectors and applications for digital signage, education, and live events.

Brought to you by AVIXA, AVNetwork, and AVNation, AV³ is a one-day virtual experience focused on what’s new and what’s next for AV professionals and the industry. The event will bring members of the pro AV community together through networking, education and an exhibit hall featuring the latest AV technologies.

As markets continue to open up, business owners and technology decision makers are looking to industry leaders and manufacturers for insight about advanced technologies that are going to help them succeed now and moving forward. At AV3, Epson will showcase its latest laser projector solutions designed to transform spaces and objects, increase engagement and collaboration and support larger-than-life experiences.

[ Register to attend AV3 on Thursday, June 17 ]

Unlocking the Potential of Pro AV to Drive Transformative Experiences

Roslon, director of commercial displays at Epson, will speak on Thursday at 12:45 p.m. (ET), discussing recent changes in the way people learn, interact and collaborate. Roslon will also talk about how the acceleration of technological advancements, evolution of content consumption, and convergence of art and technology are fueling the growth of display technology and forging a path for new experiences in education, corporate, healthcare, house of worship and more—all poised to impact the future of the AV industry.

With flexible illumination and the ability to project onto almost any surface, big or small, projection is unlike any other display technology. Offering affordable and powerful projection solutions, Epson enables AV professionals, business owners and creative visionaries alike to break away from restrictive frames and transform ordinary spaces and objects into something eye-catching.

Epson Technology on Display in the AV³ Exhibit Hall

Epson’s laser projectors are designed to inspire imagination and enhance learning environments. Epson laser projectors leverage innovative 3-chip, 3LCD technology and a laser light source with interchangeable lens options and advanced features. From large-scale projection technology to experiential signage and collaborative learning displays, Epson will showcase a full suite of laser projectors at AV3 across several markets.

Digital Signage Solutions: Epson digital signage solutions allow creative minds and business owners to push the boundaries of space and digital content to deliver environments that inspire people to stay longer and leave with memorable experiences. Offering sleek, compact form factors coupled with intuitive software and easy-to-use creative tools, Epson’s digital signage displays enable users to display information in ways that captivate audiences.

High-Brightness Solutions: Epson high-brightness solutions provide more creative possibilities and unparalleled audience experiences. Setting the standard is Epson’s Pro Series laser projector line that uses state-of-the-art technology to deliver exceptional color output and durability. Combining uncompromising image quality with sophisticated software and a range of available mounts, frames and lenses, Epson’s Pro Series transform venues and bring live events to life.

Education Solutions: Epson education solutions empower teachers to rise above digital distractions and encourage collaborative learning environments. From interactive to non-interactive, Epson’s versatile, low-maintenance and budget-conscious classroom display solutions help boost student engagement and creativity with powerful collaboration tools and ultra-big, bright visuals for easy readability.

AV3 Agenda

AV3 will take place on June 17 from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, with highlights including welcoming remarks at 9:05 a.m., the Epson keynote at 12:45 p.m., Passport to Prizes at 4:30 p.m. and AV3’s happy hour at 5:30 p.m. The exhibit hall will be open all day.

AV3’s full agenda is available online.

AV³ has been approved by the AVIXA independent Certification Renewal Committee to provide learning opportunities for CTS holders and others for their continued professional development. The event is worth 4.75 AVIXA Renewal Units (RUs) for CTS and CTS-D holders.

AV³ is free to attend for qualified integrators, consultants, content creators, technology managers, and the like. Registration for AV3 is open now.

We usually think of lumens and lenses when it comes to projectors, but it's also the software paired with the projectors that sets one apart from another and, more importantly, can make or break an event.

Tice Lerner, co-founder of the 2019 LUMA Festival that transformed Binghamton, NY, into an interactive, immersive art scene, knows firsthand how projection software can make a difference in helping an event launch on time.

In the four years of events leading up to the 2019 LUMA Festival, the LUMA team would design all edge blending and mapping in software on a PC. "When the Panasonic Visual Systems Engineering team came along in 2019, they networked all the projectors together and used Panasonic software to align the grids with the projectors and the hardware versus the way we were doing it. It was streamlined, efficient and extremely accurate," Lerner said. Panasonic's Multi Projector Monitoring & Control Software was used for networking, and Geometry Manager Pro was used for mapping. 

"The biggest advantage of using Geometry Pro is that you've got the advantage of the full power of the software that Panasonic built into the projectors," Lerner said. The Panasonic software proved to do an exceptional job than the mapping software on the PC at correcting a lot of the initial distortion and from the angles of the projectors and brightness variations caused by overlapping. "That gets you maybe 30 to 50 percent of the way there, so by the time you're entering the mapping software, you're dealing with the fine details of getting the animation to fit," Lerner added.

Panasonic Visual Systems engineering manager John Meehan was one of three Panasonic team members who helped set up the projectors at the 2019 LUMA Festival. "They brought in those tricks and the things we didn't know how to do, that saved us an immense amount of time," Lerner said. Panasonic projectors are known for easy setup and easy-to-navigate menus. “When you're in the dark with a bunch of projectors and you're trying to set them up on a timeline—there's never enough time,” Meehan said.

“The Geometry Manager Pro software does everything from focusing, lens shift, all the way through to geometry, to color matching, just every one of the steps that you may have to touch or you may have to do to set up a projector,” Meehan explained. “Whether it's on a curved screen, flat screen, or a building mapping, everything is at your fingertips. You can network the projectors, you can address any ones you want, you can address them in tandem. It's like a one-stop shop.”

Thirty of Panasonic's large venue 3-Chip DLP SOLID SHINE, 30,000-lumen laser projectors brought the Luma Festival to life. "The difference was night and day for us," Lerner said. "It allowed us to focus more on the important creative side."

The Bigger Picture

"There are some amazing new features designed to make the use of these products easier and more efficient," said Scott Wellington, senior product manager for projectors, Panasonic Visual Systems. This also means it is easier to handle and easier for logistics purposes, particularly when using multiple projectors.

Having the ability to expand projector capability via software development is critical to ensure that customers are provided with the technology they need and expect from Panasonic, a projection market leader. “Development of new software products is just one example of how we're designing and engineering projection-related products going forward," Wellington said. For example, with the new ET-SUK10 High Frame Rate Upgrade Kit paired with the PT-RQ35K 3-Chip DLP SOLID SHINE laser projector,  content can be presented at 240 frames per second with a delay from input to production of about 5 milliseconds, ensuring fans experience the thrill of the action essentially in real time and enjoy detailed reproduction with smooth tracking of rapid movements. "This is a big deal," he said. "Our new ET-SUK10 upgrade kit will make it possible for end-users to deliver best possible video reproduction in order to support applications such as simulation, esports and high-speed tracking via a low-latency mode that outputs 240 Hz HD signals using just one cable.”

The following is a snapshot of Panasonic’s game-changing software for their award-winning projector portfolio. 

Remote Preview Saves Time and Unnecessary Stress

Newly introduced within Multi Monitoring & Control Software and accessible via web browser, Remote Preview allows projectionists to check the content being received by the projector via a Wi-Fi- or LAN-connected laptop. It works with the projector in Standby, with the shutter on, or when direct sunlight makes inspecting on-screen images difficult. It gives a chance to fix errors between the source and projector before setup is completed.

Built-in Upgrade Kits for Geo Pro Software Now Preactivated

With the PT-RQ50K, upgrade features for Geometry Manager Pro are built into the software and do not require paid activation. Simply download and install Geo Pro to a PC to simplify advanced multiscreen geometric adjustments. Built-in capabilities include uniformity correction and Auto Screen Adjustment for automatic and simultaneous calibration of multiple screens (including curved-screen correction) using a compatible camera. These features expedite edge-blending and color-matching in mapping applications with automatic calibration for black level, brightness uniformity and stacking.

Geometric Adjustment with Free Grid Correction via Remote Control

Free Grid is a function in Geometric Adjustment that enables convenient grid-based image adjustment using the projector’s remote controller. Grid resolutions of 2 x 2, 3 x 3, 5 x 5, 9 x 9, or 17 x 17 can be projected and areas of the image reshaped or geometrically altered to compensate for screen distortions. This correction is easily performed by adjusting control points located at grid-line intersections. Move freely between grid resolutions to achieve the desired level of granularity without losing work progress. This clever data-saving function allows technicians to smoothly create a distortion-free projection in a wide range of installation situations.

Remote App with NFC Function and Projector Auto-Focus via Smartphone Camera

Smart Projector Control app for Android and iOS now includes near-field communication function to instantly pair the smartphone to projector just by touching them together. Once linked, the app accesses an information settings menu that’s readable and writable for easy adjustment without turning on the projector. As well as showing data and allowing certain settings to be changed, the app features an auto-focus function that uses the smartphone’s camera and app UI to achieve fast, yet precise, image focus.

Information Monitor

To further simplify setup and operation of the PT-RQ50K, an Information Monitor is located on the side panel adjacent to terminals and physical controls. The monitor provides menu-based navigation for smooth setup of Projector ID and basic network configuration. It also shows projector status, including temperature, runtime and active signal data, as well as error codes should a problem be detected.

Learn more about the benefits of Panasonic’s projector software:

https://na.panasonic.com/us/search/?search=projector%20software

Making its debut at the Pabellón de la Navegación (Navigation Pavilion) in Seville, Spain, the touring media exhibition Impressionistsis immersing visitors in the works of Renoir, Van Gogh, and others via projected floor-to-ceiling digital masterpieces. With Matrox QuadHead2Go multi-monitor controllers’ powering the images across the sprawling canvases, Ukrainian multimedia company Front Pictures was able to provide a mesmerizing, twenty-first century take on the works of Europe’s most renowned Impressionist masters.

The Matrox PowerWall software included with QuadHead2Go allows Front Pictures to install and customize configurations, making deployment easier. The installation behind the Impressionistsexhibition comprises 14 screens—each 4.4 meters in height—spanning 116 meters in total. Content for the exhibition created by Front Pictures is hosted on the company’s Screenberry media server. From there, the content is routed to six QuadHead2Go Q155 appliances, each capturing an HDMI video signal from the media server for display across four HDMI-equipped projectors. 

[The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens]

QuadHead2Go devices connect to a total of 21 BenQ TH671ST projectors that cast the video onto the screens across 40,320x1080 pixels for a total resolution of 43.5 megapixels. The result is a monumental display of Van Gogh’s flower still life collections with petals that appear to float gently across the screens, among many other revitalized versions of impressionist masterworks. When set to music, the moving paintings delivered by the QuadHead2Go video controllers and Screenberry media server transport viewers to the imaginations of impressionist virtuosos.

According to Yuri Kostenko, Front Pictures CEO, Kostenko, QuadHead2Go has enabled the company to push the boundaries of what a visual experience can be with the convenience of a flexible multi-screen appliance. “With its ability to capture and display superior-quality video content, Matrox QuadHead2Go video wall controllers have enabled us to deliver a truly sublime art viewing experience,” he said. “Furthermore, the compact, low-power appliance takes up very little space, is easy to transport and re-install, and keeps hardware and maintenance costs low.” 

Digital signage plays a key role as brands search for new ways to create safe, engaging experiences as businesses open up. From eye-catching, dynamic displays to social distance and safety cues, digital signage projectors are a useful tool to deliver helpful, larger-than-life content while optimizing existing spaces. Leveraging powerful laser display solutions, businesses and educators alike can push the boundaries of space and digital content to deliver inspiring, memorable experiences while keeping public safety in mind.

[The Digital Signage Best Practices Guide]

As businesses and educators look forward to the return of customers and students, creating safe in-person experiences is top of mind. The flexibility and creative features digital signage solutions offer makes it easy for businesses to display informative, eye-catching content to engage audiences while keeping everyone at a safe distance.

As business and schools open their doors, here are four helpful tips for using digital signage to make customers and students feel welcome and safe:

Immersive Flight Trackers

After more than a year of being grounded, consumers are taking off for new destinations. Once passengers complete check-in and security, navigating the flight information display is the next feat before stepping on the plane. Instead of crowding around flat screens to check flight details, a single digital signage projector can deliver an enlarged image to help maintain social distance protocol. A cost-effective display solution, digital signage projectors allow airports to customize flight display sites in real time with eye-catching content for seasonal displays or informative purposes.

[Transit Trends in Pro AV]

Captivating Classroom Displays

 Education staff is preparing for students to return for hybrid learning. In addition to in-class safety measures, educators must captivate students after months spent out of the classroom. Integrating digital signage offers the ability to easily upload customized content, add inspirational quotes or graphics related to a day’s lesson to generate excitement and entice students for a day of learning. Once the day is done, educators can turn the projector off to get valuable classroom space returned.

[The Integration Guide to Education]

Dynamic Retail Store Fronts

After a satisfying spring cleaning of organizing closets and donating clothes, it’s time for a shopping spree to update wardrobes with the latest trends. Retailers looking to stand out from the crowd can entice customers with engaging projection on store fronts, communicating directly with passersby to showcase new arrivals, best sellers, and hot deals. With the ability to transform virtually any surface, shape, or material—from a glass window to a plastic mannequin—retailers can leverage digital signage projectors to display different garment patterns and colors or product background information to entice shoppers. 

Streamline Tradeshow Safety

Industries planning for in-person tradeshows must consider how to control the crowd. Existing spaces can be optimized with wayfinding and directional cues to help create a safe experience for show attendees. Digital signage projectors offer large, easy-to-read images ideal for communicating social distance rules, speaker presentation times, and breakout session locations. Plus, with flexible placement, an array of connectivity options and remote control and monitoring tools, digital signage projectors make it easy to create an inviting, safe show for all who attend. 

In conclusion, there are a multitude of ways to leverage digital signage to make it easier for businesses and schools working in today’s environment. It just takes a bit of creative thinking and the right tools.

Remi Del Mar has more than 10 years of experience in the realm of global product marketing management across hardware, software, mobile, and the internet of things. As the senior product manager of digital experiences, AR, and commercial display solutions, at Epson America, Del Mar is passionate about driving Epson’s vision of creating new, unique digital experiences that merge virtual and physical environments through display technology. Del Mar continues to promote and educate channel partners and end-users on the benefits of digital display technologies, including how they can increase customer retention and productivity, and create unique, interactive customer experiences.

The What: Epson has introduced the ELPLX03 ultra-short-throw lens, designed for use with the Pro L25000U2 and Pro L30000U pro projectors. The ELPLX03 joins the ELPLX02S and ELPLX01S UST lens family, which offers the same 0.35 throw ratio and pairs with Epson’s Pro Series laser projectors from 6,000 to 30,000 lumens.

The What Else: The ELPLX03, ELPLX02S, and ELPLX01S leverage their periscope design for zero offset while minimizing shadows and light path obstructions. With the ability to project large images at a short distance, Epson’s ultra-short-throw lenses enable the display of content up to 1,000 inches for space-constrained environments such as low-ceiling, rear projection, and narrow or tight spaces.

[Epson Launches EB-PU1000 Range of Compact Large-Venue Laser Projectors]

Epson’s UST lens family now features an integrated mount point for Epson’s optional ELPEC01 external camera (shipping soon). The external camera will provide access to automated tools to simplify and speed up setup, such as auto color calibration, screen matching of multiple projectors, tiling assist for edge blends, a stacking assist function, and more. 

“Epson’s UST lenses have proven extremely popular with AV designers and integrators as a simple solution for challenging installation scenarios,” said Ramzi Shakra, product manager, large venue projectors, Epson America. “The availability of the new ELPLX03 completes Epson’s UST lens offerings for Pro Series laser projectors. Our UST lenses have been particularly adept in interactive and immersive applications where their large image and extreme angle of light facilitates the audience’s close interaction with the display while minimizing shadows.”

The Bottom Line: Pairing the Pro L30000U with the ELPLX03 lens delivers very large, extremely bright images to locations a projector could not previously be utilized. Epson’s UST lenses offer flexibility to accommodate a variety of projection installations, including low-ceiling, rear-projection, and stealth applications where just the projector’s lens is visible.

The What: LG Business Solutions is introducing what the company calls its brightest projectors ever in the new LG ProBeam BU60PST and LG ProBeam BF60PST. Delivering 6000 ANSI lumens, a 20 percent increase over LG's next brightest models, these laser projectors are designed to project highly detailed imaging for critical government, financial, engineering, medical and digital signage installations in medium- to large-sized spaces. Rated at 20,000 hours of laser life and offering lens shift and 1.6x optical zoom, both TAA-compliant models excel in critical needs environments.

[The Latest Projection Mapping Solutions for Pro AV]

The What Else: The main difference between the two models is the maximum resolution, with the ProBeam BU60PST offering 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) and the ProBeam BF60PST delivering WUXGA (1920 x 1200). With a minimum picture size of 40 inches and a maximum of 300 inches (25 feet), both the 4K UHD and WUXGA models can be used in any size room for virtually any size meeting or crowd. Standard inputs include two HDMI ports, RJ-45 (for HDBaseT support) and RS-232C (for IP control) jacks, and convenient wireless MiraCast support. The two models utilize the webOS 4.5 smart platform.

Both ProBeam models include two integrated five-watt speakers to provide onboard audio, while Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity enable boosting audio through a separate stereo system. The 12-point keystone adjustment available on the 4K UHD model and four-corner keystone on the WUXGA model ensure users have flexibility to create an ideal image, regardless of placement angle or uneven surfaces.

The Bottom Line: LG ProBeam projectors with laser light sources are mercury free, which helps contribute to a greener, healthier planet.

The Naval Academy Athletic Association in Annapolis, MD recently opened the Ron Terwilliger ’63 Center for Student-Athletes, a 25,000-square-foot facility that highlights the academy’s tradition and history of physical education and intercollegiate athletics. The center includes the new Akerson Theater, a 180-degree immersive theater that uses a suite of Christie products, including HS Series projectors, Spyder X20, Mystique, and Pandoras Box, and is designed to help inform visitors, prospective midshipmen, and their families about opportunities at the school.

The Naval Academy Athletic Association (NAAA) engaged Dimensional Innovations to design, integrate, and provide content for the center and the Akerson Theater. “The center was really about what it meant to be a midshipman student-athlete—the academics, and the physicality of it,” said Drew Berst, executive director, Dimensional Innovations. “The NAAA wanted a space to celebrate the accomplishments of its intercollegiate athletics department, and do it in a way that was interactive and state-of-the-art.”

Related: Christie Laser Projectors Power Water Screen Projections for Lake Show

“The Academy considered what made them stand out among other schools, and one of those things was being timeless,” said Brian Silvey, creative director of interactive technology, Dimensional Innovations. “And for us, one of the ways to do that is to integrate technology throughout the space.” For the Akerson Theater, Dimensional Innovations began with a 3D model and worked with Christie to determine the AV requirements. They selected six Christie D20WU-HS 20,000 lumen 1DLP laser projectors, a Pandoras Box Server, a Spyder X20 multi-windowing processor, and Christie Mystique to provide automated camera-based alignment and recalibration of the projectors.

The system allows the NAAA to use the theater for presentations, review game footage, or watch a movie. “The Spyder takes inputs from the podium at the front of the theater; two Navy-owned computers used for presentations; a Blu-Ray player; and three more inputs from a computer displaying a feed from the camera we placed on the roof overlooking the bay,” Silvey said. The Pandoras Box Server ensures that the playback from the projectors is in sync and coordinates with the 7.1 surround sound audio system.

The projectors are enclosed in a sound-proofed ceiling cloud, which can lower to allow for maintenance, and they are warped, blended, and aligned using Christie Mystique. Says Silvey of the choice to use HS Series, “The image and color look incredible—this projector was recommended to us because it fit within our budget and required specs to create a full screen blend.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

“We’ve had a longstanding relationship with Christie for many of our projection needs. Our familiarity with the product and partnership with the Christie team has allowed us to easily integrate their hardware into our system.” The system is designed so that the NAAA can create their own custom content, in the theater and throughout the Center. “Recruiting experiences can become dated really quickly, but the NAAA can update content and keep it fresh,” Berst said.

The result is a project that the Naval Academy Athletic Association is very happy with. “The customer was ecstatic,” Silvey said. “This is just a very special project for them and the donors. You could see a level of emotion and excitement with the NAAA.”

The What: Sharp NEC Display Solutions (SNDS) has upgraded it ME and MC Series projectors. Primarily designed for K-12 education, the upgraded projectors leverage new lamp technology that increases the brightness to between 4,000 and 4,500 lumens and feature a lamp life that can extend to 20,000 hours in ECO mode.

[The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens]

The What Else: “With the new lamp technology in the ME and MC models, we are pushing the boundaries of brightness and lamp life in K-12 education,” said Ryan Pitterle, product manager at SNDS. “Typically when trying to get more power out of a projector, the lamp is degraded. We were able to make the lamp brighter, push it harder, and yet still get unprecedented longevity. These projectors are the ideal solution for schools looking for a quality projector at a cost-conscious price. As with all NEC products, these projectors come with our best-in-class warranty.”

[The Technology Manager's Guide to Transformative Classroom Solutions]

A typical classroom uses its projector from five to eight hours per school day, five days a week for 38 weeks per school year, according to SNDS. The new lamp technology in the ME and MC Series projectors is expected to last more than 6.5 years given this runtime scenario, even more if operating in ECO mode. With the already low cost of lamp-based projectors and effective elimination of manual bulb-replacement and maintenance for classroom projectors, the overall total cost of ownership for a lamp-based projector drops.

Watch the video below to learn more about Sharp NEC Display Solutions' ME and MC Series.

The Bottom Line: SNDS says the ME and MC Series projectors also deliver advanced networking features that simplify large deployments. The wired LAN connection allows for remote monitoring, control, and reporting as well as email alerts and scheduling, which can greatly aid overall IT support of these assets. Free NaViSet software is also available for additional network-based control and asset management capabilities.

Epson is sponsoring Crayola IDEAworks: The Creativity Exhibition at the The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, providing projection solutions to create an immersive experience that promotes creativity.

Crayola IDEAworks will feature Epson Pro L1075UNL premium compact large-venue projectors with 4K Enhancement Technology in the Introductory Theater welcoming guests to the experience, and in the Grand Finale, displaying immersive celebratory projections. In addition, PowerLite 700U ultra short-throw laser projectors will be showcased for interactive activities.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

“The Crayola IDEAworks exhibition is a creative way to engage audiences and encourage families to use their imagination through immersive activities and colorful experiences,” said Mike Isgrig, vice president, North American consumer sales and marketing, Epson America. “Our technology is designed to bring visionary experiences to life and we are thrilled to be working with Crayola and Agency 808 to enhance their state-of-the-art exhibition and further encourage kids and families to express creativity through color, whether that be through expressive art or everyday problem solving.”

In its exclusive, limited run in Philadelphia, the exhibition will inspire visitors to develop and expand their problem-solving skills through a variety of activities that will promote design thinking, while empowering creativity. Guests at Crayola IDEAworks will immerse themselves in state-of-the-art digital interactives and exhibits that will provide a personalized adventure guided by RFID wristbands. During the exhibition, guests will encounter three distinct areas—the IDEA Workshop, Colorverse, and the Grand Finale. Crayola IDEAworks: The Creativity Exhibition is currently open at The Franklin Institute for a limited time, before embarking on a multi-city, U.S. tour. The exhibition is produced by Agency 808 in collaboration with The Franklin Institute, and tickets are on sale now.

"Crayola IDEAworks: The Creativity Exhibition pushes the boundaries on every industry norm,” said Clayton Ferguson, Agency 808 principal and executive producer. “We’ve pulled together a team of the brightest and most experienced minds in the business to design an exhibition that fosters creative problem-solving skills through interactive challenges in a way that has never been done before. Epson, as a key partner, enhanced our ability to showcase new and innovative technologies in projection and printing capabilities."

“Crayola believes that everyone has creativity innately inside of them, and we continue to look for new ways to ignite it,” said Warren Schorr, VP of business development and global licensing, Crayola. “Creativity can be awakened through a multitude of avenues, and we are thrilled to have Epson as an inaugural sponsor to align with our support of color, education, and creativity. Their products bring excitement and enthusiasm to our exhibition and our guests.”

A new nightly lake show at the picturesque Dam Sen Park in Vietnam’s largest and most populous city is turning heads with spectacular visuals and water effects, including large-scale water screen projections using Christie HS Series 1DLP laser projectors.

Jointly presented by Dam Sen Theme Park and Christie’s trusted partner Alta Media, the nighttime spectacular features an advanced lighting system comprising lasers, interactive water screen projections and a dancing fountain spanning 100 meters in length. Visitors can enjoy an exciting combination of twirling water jets, complemented by a fire performance and an aerial firework display over an energetic soundtrack. This is the first interactive water screen project in Vietnam that showcases an innovative “photo booth” function where selfie photos taken on-site can be displayed on the water screen during the performance.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

“We are delighted to be involved in this major project that seeks to promote Dam Sen Theme Park as the latest and trendiest night tourism destination in Ho Chi Minh City,” said Hoang Tu, chief technology officer, Alta Media. “As the systems integrator and digital content provider for this new outdoor show, we have pulled out all the stops and deployed various AV technologies, such as state-of-the-art laser projections, to deliver a highly immersive and enjoyable experience.”

Noting that the quality and reliability of the projections are most critical to the success of this nighttime extravaganza, Tu said the team had shortlisted several projector models for assessment before deciding on the Christie HS Series. “We needed a high-brightness and cost-effective projection system that not only excels in color accuracy, but also has a small form factor and is easy to install,” Tu said. “The Christie D20WU-HS, with an output of 20,600 lumens and Christie BoldColor Technology, that accurately reproduces colorful images without sacrificing brightness, ticks all the boxes and emerged as our preferred choice in terms of both quality and budget.”

A total of four D20WU-HS projectors have been deployed for the water screen projections. They are double-stacked and fitted in a waterproofed, air-conditioned control room built directly across the performance area. The Alta Media team’s primary challenge was to accurately calibrate the images on water screens that are located 200 meters away from the control room. “It is the combination of content development and calibrating with the right lens to attain optimal visuals on the water screens,” Tu added. “In this way, we are able to maximize the impact of the contents, which are updated twice a year to keep the show fresh and appealing.”

The response to the lake show, which made its official debut on New Year’s Eve, has been overwhelmingly positive, with both guests and partners of this project enthralled by the overall visual quality of the water screen projections. Guests are particularly mesmerized by the clarity and sharpness of the selfie images displayed on the interactive water screen, as well as the specially created content that highlights the richness of Vietnamese history and culture.

“We are pleased that Alta Media has chosen the Christie HS Series to power the water screens for this large-scale outdoor spectacular at Dam Sen Park,” said Michael Bosworth, executive vice president, Enterprise, Christie. “This demonstrates the high performance, dependability and versatility of our 1DLP laser projectors, which are increasingly embraced by customers around the world and used in numerous applications to deliver highly realistic and entertaining experiences.”

Guests at Wisconsin’s Wilderness Resort are getting a unique aerial view of U.S. National Parks, national landmarks, and more onboard the new FlyRide “Take Flight” aerial adventure ride. Developed by SimEx-Iwerks, the ride uses four Christie D4K40-RGB pure laser projectors with Christie Mystique, a camera-based multi-projector alignment and blending system.

Wilderness Resort is located on over 600 acres of forest, where guests can stay at three properties, enjoy golf, indoor and outdoor waterparks, dining, and a range of activities for the whole family. “Take Flight” opened in September 2020 expanding the list of exciting activities for guests to enjoy.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

“Take Flight” begins as guests enter an airport-themed lobby, with “windows” looking out onto the National Parks. Guests are then queued at an “airport” featuring airplane seats, before entering the ride. The ride seats 60, accommodating five people on each ride vehicle. As the ride begins, the doors in front open, revealing an immersive five-story partial dome. Guest’s feet dangle as they’re surrounded by the immense dome, creating the illusion of flying.

To help create this sense of immersion, SimEx-Iwerks, which specializes in branded cinematic experiences, selected four Christie D4K40-RGB pure laser projectors with Christie Mystique- Large Scale Experience (LSE) Edition. Brian Ferguson, senior vice-president, Technology and Operations, SimEx-Iwerks, noted that RGB pure laser was selected because “it offers a sharper image and better color.”

Christie D4K40-RGB pure laser projectors feature a compact, all-in-one design with 45,000 lumens and 4K resolution, and produce greater than 95-percent of the Rec.2020 color space for rich, vibrant visuals.

“We needed projectors that we could orient into abnormal positions to get the proper coverage in the three-dimensional dome,” said Doug Wildeboer, AV engineering manager, SimEx-Iwerks. “We needed to angle them down and on their sides. It was absolutely required, and the project would not have been possible with any projector that wasn’t omnidirectional.”

SimEx-Iwerks used Christie Mystique—LSE Edition, a camera-based, automated, multi-projector alignment and blending solution, to ensure that the projectors remained aligned and the image perfect. “One of the decisions we’ve made as a company is to deploy systems that offer autocalibration, so if the whole system is moved it can be put back in place,” Wildeboer said. “The operator can run the routine and lock the system back into the same condition as when we left it.

“At Wilderness Resort, we have a very complex screen. It’s a partial dome screen, and instead of relying on our eyes to try to align the system, Mystique is incredible at being able to do that by the numbers. We have LED markers around the edge of the screen, so if a camera is jarred, the markers will light up and let the system know exactly where the screen is. That removes operator error or intervention with recalibrating the system.” The recalibration process can be run in about 10 minutes with a single button press.

“We’re thrilled to have worked with SimEx-Iwerks on another successful FlyRide,” said Doug Boyer, senior account manager, Entertainment, Christie. “SimEx-Iwerks is known for creating world-class immersive attractions, and ‘Take Flight’ is no exception.”

The response to the new attraction has been overwhelmingly positive, with both guests and Wilderness Resort thrilled with the FlyRide.

Spring Independent School District in Houston is undergoing strategic change with an ambitious five-year action plan. Key imperatives of the plan are focused on reaching every child, driving excellence in every school, developing a culture of high performance from teachers and staff, and engaging stakeholders in the community. Accomplishing those goals required a hard look at the organization’s operational excellence and implementing technology to improve classroom instruction and outcomes. The district decided now was the time to replace the costly lamp-based projectors in every classroom with ultra-bright, long-lasting laser projectors. 

“Our projectors were 12 years old. It was difficult to find bulbs anymore because they're so old,” said Ben Leung, director of Technical Support services at Spring ISD. “Even when we replaced the bulbs, the lamps were dim or worse, dead on arrival. We were spending upward of about $40,000 a year on them and the quality wasn’t even consistent.”

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

Traditional lamp-based projectors require the school to maintain a supply of bulbs, have staff available to replace them, plus a way to properly dispose of them, which adds associated costs. Many projector lamps contain chemicals such as mercury gas, which can be hazardous. The EPA recommends recycling bulbs, but some states and local jurisdictions actually require it, which can incur additional fees.

A lamp typically lasts a maximum of 5,000 hours, but the average is closer to 2,000 hours. Even with a new lamp, the brightness can be all over the map. It’s also a fact that lamp brightness slowly deteriorates as the projector is used, which means they’re quickly burning through that brightness with daily classroom use. Schools are having to replace lamps faster, which can quickly drive up costs and maintenance.

Another problem of lamp-based projectors is having to regularly clean filters. Projector filters are designed to filter out dust and other debris. Left unchecked, dust can build up on the lens and the engine, causing a poor-quality picture and even shorten the projector lifespan. Maintenance staff has to spend time climbing up a ladder repeatedly to clean or replace the filters. With 42 schools and close to 1,900 projectors installed throughout Spring ISD, that was a lot of labor and time to keep classroom technology operating smoothly.

To solve this problem, the district’s IT staff decided to update with laser-based projectors. They brought in laser projectors from multiple vendors. Their governance committee, which is made up of teachers in the district, were able to test and compare each of the projectors over an intense nine-month period. 

“In the side-by-side projector comparison, BenQ’s LW Series BlueCore laser projectors came out on top in terms of functionality, brightness, and performance,” Leung said. “The teachers liked them the best.”

The school selected 4,000-lumen WXGA LW720 and the short-throw 3,600-lumen WXGA (1280x800) LW820ST from BenQ’s classroom BlueCore laser projectors. With the projectors, schools no longer have to worry about keeping a supply of lamps on hand, theft, or properly disposing of them. In addition to the lower cost of ownership they improve classroom instruction with brightness and clarity that every student can see. The projectors employ BenQ’s dual color wheel systems for improved color performance by increasing color ratios and purity of RGBY color, greatly enhancing color saturation and at the same lumen output of lamp-based projectors for better viewing experiences. Furthermore, the projectors provide teachers with wireless presentation capabilities from their laptops. This allows them to collaborate with students and present without being chained to their desk or podium.  

“Our teachers loved the projectors’ brightness and color accuracy,” Leung said. “When they compared it to the other laser projectors, that’s what they noticed most, and now they have freedom.”

To ensure the lifespan of the projector as well as protect the laser brightness and color quality, the projectors are designed with BenQ’s DustGuard technology. Dust, when hit with the intensity of the laser, can melt and harden inside the laser bank and eventually short out the projector. DustGuard prevents dust from gathering inside, which can be extremely damaging to laser projectors, and eliminates the use of ineffective dust filters or the labor involved to clean them. The technology includes hermetically sealed laser modules to protect the laser bank. The design has passed the dust chamber test standard for the international dustproof rating of IP5X.

“For the past 12 years, we went into every classroom, climbed a ladder, blew out dust and changed the filter and bulb of every projector,” Leung said. “That’s a lot of maintenance and costs we no longer have to worry about for years to come. If that wasn’t enough, we also have observed an almost 95 percent decrease in help desk tickets. BenQ BlueCore laser projectors have lowered our total cost of ownership so significantly it’s become our new district standard.”

A new exhibition hall located within a contemporary health sciences park in Beijing is using Christie DS Series laser projectors and Christie Pandoras Box to deliver captivating visuals for a highly immersive four-sided CAVE installation.

This showcase seeks to highlight the development of health sciences and how they have enhanced people’s physical wellbeing. Accomplished using 10 Christie LWU900-DS 3LCD laser projectors and a Christie Pandoras Box Player, they are installed and commissioned by Christie’s trusted partner Dicction (Beijing) Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd, which specializes in systems integration and overall solutions services for various sectors including government, finance and telecommunications.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

“This is an exciting installation that creates an immersive space featuring amazing visual details that elevates the viewing experience for visitors,” said Leo Zhang, chief executive officer, Dicction. “We are proud to accomplish this CAVE installation using Christie’s leading-edge solutions that are designed to blend in perfectly with the environment to deliver truly outstanding images that enhance the overall theme of this unique space.”

Zhang noted that unlike conventional CAVE setups, this particular installation was conducted in a trapezoidal-shaped room that required advanced projector alignment and calibration. All 10 Christie LWU900-DS laser projectors were strategically mounted on the ceiling, each of them covering an area measuring 6 meters long and 3.75 meters high.

“Since this is not a regular-shaped space, image processing is required for the visuals to be properly displayed,” Zhang said. “We have therefore deployed the Christie Pandoras Box Player to manage the playback, editing of displayed content, projected from the Christie LWU900-DS projectors. In addition, UPS power was installed to ensure uninterrupted operation and to improve energy efficiency.”

Thanks to the compact footprint and omnidirectional capability of the LWU900-DS, the Dicction team had flexibility in installing them in this exhibition hall. 

The Christie DS Series is an affordable, mid-brightness 3LCD laser projector designed for small-to-medium applications. Delivering up to 9,000 lumens and 4,000,000:1 contrast ratio in WUXGA resolution, this projector displays a variety of content types in precise detail.

Rentex and Barco worked together to help earn the Guinness World Record for "Largest Projected Video Game Display". The display—produced by LA-based Be Core and executed by Paintscaping—featured snowboarder Grant Giller playing Xbox’s Destiny 2.

Watch the video below to learn more about the "Largest Projected Video Game Display". 

Projected at the top of Copper Mountain in Colorado, the game display size was 19,090 square feet (180.15-feet by 105.87-feet) at an altitude of 11,000 feet. Rentex provided three Barco UDX-4K40 Flex laser projectors to PaintScaping. Rentex says the projectors "were in immaculate condition, allowing PaintScaping to do their magic and stay on schedule."

“It was reassuring to work with Rentex and the Barco 40,000-lumen projectors for this super-cool project,” said Philippe Bergeron, president of PaintScaping.

“As a rental partner to our clients, we do not always know where our equipment is going, or what great experiences our they create for their clients. It was a treat when our customer/partners at PaintScaping explained why they needed a delivery at the top of a mountain,” said Janne’ Mummert, vice president of business development at Rentex. “The amazing image quality of Barco’s UDX 4K40 combined with the creativity and talent of Philippe’s team at PaintScaping delivered a stunning visual experience.”

The What: Epson has introduced its LightScene EV-110 and EV-115 Accent Lighting 3LCD Laser Projectors, the next generation of its line of spotlight projectors for digital art, commercial signage, and décor applications.

The What Else: The new Bluetooth-enabled LightScene models feature motion sensing capabilities and a brighter laser light engine with up to 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance-free operation. The 3-chip 3LCD projectors provide 2,200 lumens of equal color and white brightness, and are powered by software and mobile applications designed to remove friction points, making them accessible for nearly any customer.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to the New Era of Digital Signage

Offering an industrial design that blends discreetly into nearly any setting, LightScene offers a sleek black or white spotlight shape with an array of configuration, mounting and programming options. Additionally, the new models feature Epson’s Creative Content Projection app with preloaded content that can be customized by touch and built-in software for display management. 

“Digital signage is a driving force as companies, designers, and artists look for new and inspiring ways to interact with consumers,” said Remi Del Mar, product manager, Epson America, Inc. “The new LightScene solutions build on the success of the original models, delivering a unique design for aesthetically blending projection in virtually any environment. These new and improved models integrate lighting and projection with powerful, next-generation features to make the ordinary extraordinary and the invisible visible.”

The Bottom Line: The new LightScene models are engineered as a sophisticated display solution for design-savvy applications, enabling users to create environments that can enhance customer service, improve operational efficiency, deliver impromptu wayfinding, and much more.

The Epson LightScene EV-110 (white) and LightScene EV-115 (black) Accent Lighting 3LCD Laser Projectors will be available January 2021. 

For historians, researching the past and finding ties to the present is a cherished hobby, job, and duty. This is especially important when dealing with one-of-a-kind artifacts from critical moments in history. For the city of Atlanta, understanding and experiencing its past is not just for tourism; it is an integral part of the city’s identity and community. So, when the Atlanta History Center sought to create an engaging, larger-than-life experience for its gigantic Cyclorama exhibit, they relied on technology to tell the story of this precious diorama and lead visitors on a journey back through time.

Related: Statue of Liberty Museum Brings History to Life with Panasonic Projection

Originally created in 1886, the 49-foot-tall by 371-foot-wide panoramic diorama depicts the famous Battle of Atlanta, a critical moment in the Civil War. Complete with lifelike three-dimensional statues and elements, the full-color illusion is designed to transport the viewer onto the historic battlefield. Over its 133-year lifespan, the colossal work has gone through revisions to the canvas’ content (since restored) and multiple display venues before finally coming to rest in the Atlanta History Center. With such a storied past, the AHC wanted to create an exhibit that would not only tell the story of the diorama and how it became an artifact, but also the “big picture” of the Atlanta Campaign and its importance in both local and national history.

“The painting depicts an important moment in the context of American history,” said Jackson McQuigg, vice president of properties at the AHC. “Had the South won at Atlanta, Lincoln could have lost his reelection; the nation’s appetite for the war was dwindling, and this moment could have ended the war in a stalemate. We wanted to portray that importance on a scale that would complement the piece.” 

To put this painting into the broader perspective of American history, the AHC developed a companion exhibition, complete with related historical pieces and a large-scale film by Cortina Productions that tells stories of people affected by the battle. To implement the film, they reached out to the Atlanta-based AV design specialists at CEI.

Known for being an excellent design-build AV integrator and contractor at the national level, CEI strove to bring premier quality to this hometown venue. “When we first saw the size and scale of the painting, we knew this was a one-of-a-kind project,” said Val Dempsey, president of CEI. “Then, when the AHC explained that it was important that we use Atlanta-based companies, we started thinking of ways to make the experience truly unique and memorable.”

CEI’s design called for a seamless, 160-degree display projected directly onto the canvas. This would allow the final product to balance the sheer size of the painting, while fitting the projected content into one field of view that visitors could easily enjoy. “This design called for a complex five-projector image displaying on a surface that curves in two directions, with no two distances from the lenses exactly the same,” Dempsey said. To accomplish this task, CEI integrated Digital Projection’s HIGHlite LASER II projectors.  

“We needed projectors that were bright enough to overcome the painted elements, but also with exceptional warp and edge-blending capabilities to get this right,” Dempsey said. “We felt that Digital Projection would have the best product and the best support. DP’s engineers were instrumental in helping with the design, testing, and implementation.”

Augmented by 16.1 channel surround sound audio, multi-level lighting, and AV control systems, the HIGHlite LASER II projectors transform the 133-year-old painting into a vibrant and engaging 12-minute show. Using historical imagery and reenacted battle sequences, the movie guides visitors through the remarkable story of the painting, the fleeting entertainment sensation of cycloramas, and examines the role movies and visual entertainment have had on shaping perspectives, memory, myth, and interpretations of the Civil War. 

Following each show, the HIGHlite units project modern day locations onto the landscape of the battle, offering guests an intimate perspective of how this event resonates with present-day Atlanta. “I’ve seen people gasp when they realize that the battle was fought right in the middle of the city, often at places they’ve been to,” McQuigg said. “They see important landmarks for the city and really get a sense of wonder at what it would have been like.”

The reaction to the new Cyclorama experience has been overwhelmingly positive for both the AHC and its guests. “The show and painting blend together seamlessly; the projectors really add to the importance and effect of the artifact,” McQuigg said. “It’s quite a moving experience.”

“The feedback we’ve gotten has been exceptional with everyone being blown away by the presentation,” Dempsey said. “It’s truly an awesome AV experience.” 

The Statue of Liberty Museum, which opened in May 2019 on Liberty Island in New York, was conceived to tell a powerful story. Able to accommodate up to 25,000 visitors a day, its first experience, an awe-inspiring short film, needed a theater that would deliver an immersive, engaging experience visitors would remember for a long time. 

To accomplish this goal, the installation had to overcome the challenges of deploying the correct projection blend onto a uniquely structured surface and creating a fully integrated technology system. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, which raised funds for and managed the museum’s creation, collaborated with Panasonic to deploy visually engaging technology to give visitors a chance to learn about the history of the Statue of Liberty. 

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

The Foundation worked with Diversified and Panasonic to develop and implement the technology needed to create an immersive museum experience. Diversified provided dedicated consultation on all AV solutions in the museum, including coordinating the installation of the custom projection screens in the theater. To display the museum’s film, Liberty Enlightening the World, Panasonic deployed floor-to-ceiling projection onto three curved, asymmetric screens that visually showcase Liberty’s past present and future. Thanks to this collaboration with the Panasonic and Diversified teams of engineers, the Statue of Liberty Museum is now able to create vivid graphical impressions that create emotional connections to the history of liberty.

By expanding the space and utilizing Panasonic projection technology, the Statue of Liberty Museum was able to give a higher number of visitors access to the history of Liberty. Before the construction of the museum and theater, there was very little technology being utilized on the island due to its remote location. However, since Panasonic was able to create a fully integrated technology system, the museum will consistently deliver visually resonant images to millions of visitors. 

Customizing the Solution 

Previously, the Statue’s story was told in an exhibit housed within Lady Liberty’s pedestal. Enhanced life-safety upgrades limited the number of visitors who could access the exhibit, which led to development of the new, standalone museum structure. With this expansion came the immersive theater. When walking into the space, there are three connected theaters, each with its own floor to ceiling curved screens, one measuring 17 feet by 24 feet and two measuring 12 feet by 20 feet. These uniquely shaped screens display visuals powered by Panasonic PT-RQ32KU 3DLP 4K laser projectors to captivate visitors watching the museum’s video. “When you're standing in those rooms, and you're looking at historic footage, or a drone shot of the statue at night, it’s really breathtaking,” said Diane Toland, project director for the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc.

The original museum was created in the 1980s and deployed little to no technology. The Foundation was determined to make the theater as exciting as possible. The new projection technology deployment was a monumental step: With floor-to-ceiling projection, compelling video visuals all within the presence of Lady Liberty herself, the theater boarders on an IMAX experience. However, the curvature of the walls, which represent the folds in Lady Liberty’s robe, presented a challenge to deploy the correct projection blend. 

“We needed to use Panasonic laser projectors, to get that particular curve,” said Carol Feely, Diversified’s project manager for the Statue of Liberty Museum project. “We certainly needed to deploy their projectors with edge blending technology.” To create accurate, crisp and undetectable projection blends, the museum worked with Panasonic’s team to install eight Panasonic PT-RQ32KU 3DLP 4K projectors and Panasonic’s edge blending technology. With the projectors’ high brightness 26,000 lumens and the software’s automatic color matching and geometric adjustment, the museum was able to deploy a fully immersive experience for their video.

“Dealing with the shape of the projected screen and then also the brightness are two really key pieces” Feely said. “Panasonic laser projectors really can accommodate.” Since the PT-RQ32KU projectors are adaptable to the museum’s needs, with a long-lasting projection, these solutions will serve the museum and its millions of visitors for years to come.  

Additionally, ensuring the technology was sustainable was a top priority and the working relationship with the Panasonic team reduced the project management coordination needed to complete the deployment plan. “Not every manufacturer can be leaned on,” Feely said. “Being able to call the right person the first time made Panasonic’s service invaluable.” 

Before the museum’s renovation, visitors expressed disappointment not being able to access the crown or would feel frustrated with the crowds at the pedestal. With the creation of the Immersive Theater, visitors are given the opportunity to connect with history by viewing Liberty Enlightening the World with 4K projection technology. Despite the challenges of creating a fully integrated technology system on a remote island and deploying an accurate, seamless 4K projection blend onto curved surfaces, Panasonic delivered a fully immersive, engaging experience for the Statue of Liberty Museum that makes the true meaning of freedom accessible to all. 

With all of the innovative technologies behind modern projection on the market today, it can be difficult to decide which kind of solution to opt for. One leading choice is RGB pure laser, and it offers a number of advantages over competing technologies.

Color Volume

There are four main advantages of RGB pure laser projection technology over laser phosphor and xenon, and they work hand-in-hand to deliver the best possible image: color, frame rate, resolution, and operational efficiency. RGB pure laser technology uses individual red, green, and blue lasers to produce the most dynamic range of color possible today. The color approaches Rec. 2020, which is 75.8 percent of the color that the human eye can perceive based on the CIE 1931 color chart. (And by comparison, Rec.709, the color space typically used in television and most pro AV applications, covers 35.9 percent of the spectrum.) This means that RGB pure laser can better project natural, real-world colors, as well as branded colors—think a certain cola red. 

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

Higher Frame Rates

Frame rates can impact the sharpness and visible detail in content. Higher frame rates better represent fast moving objects, since it reduces motion blur and increases image detail. For example, most films are shown at 24 frames per second, which can cause flickering and stuttering across the screen, like in a fast-moving action sequence. The image isn’t smooth, and detail is lost as the motion begins to blur. But shown with a frame rate at 60Hz or higher, the image is sharper and more detailed. With select RGB pure laser projectors on the market, frame rates can range from 120Hz at 4K and up to 480Hz at 2K.

Resolution and Contrast

The last consideration is resolution. Resolution has become the buzz word in the home entertainment market—4K and 8K TVs, 4K streaming content—but what does in mean in pro AV? To start, it’s more complicated than on the consumer side of display technology. Pro AV must control for more factors, like ambient light, the projection surface, and the viewing angle. And to complicate this further, resolution is often intertwined with contrast: the higher the contrast, the higher the perceived resolution. With RGB pure laser, resolutions from 2K up to 8K are possible, with varying frame rates. 

Efficiency and Maintenance

Moving from lamp-based projection to laser has significant operational advantages. New RGB projection systems feature system architectures with integrated cooling—so external chillers are a thing of the past—creating a highly-efficient system that draws less power, has no filtered light, and wastes no light. Sealed optical paths result in consistently dependable illumination. RGB pure laser is the longest lasting light source available, with the lowest maintenance. 

Advancements in laser technology are resulting in greater installation flexibility for live events, rental and staging, large-scale projection mapping, and theme parks, where a lightweight, compact design is essential. The size of pure laser projectors has come down considerably in both weight and overall dimensions, with new models weighing as little as 175 pounds—with the laser rack and chiller built-in—and omnidirectional installation now possible, in any direction, angle and position. And lastly, with advancements in laser technology, noise levels have decreased significantly, with levels as low as 46dBA, to not distract audiences. 

RGB pure laser projection raises the bar on visuals, leading with superior color, frame rate, contrast and resolution.

Brad Martin is a senior product manager at Christie.

Christie projection solutions are delivering bright images for an enormous immersive “night tourism” extravaganza aimed at promoting the Guangwu Mountain scenic area in China’s Sichuan province and boosting the local cultural tourism industry.

The extensive outdoor show, titled “Guangwu Mountain Dreamscape,” has been touted as the nation’s first large-scale night tourism spectacular that combines beautiful natural landscapes with an innovative use of technology, including state-of-the-art projection, interactive lighting, lasers, holographic images, environmental effects, and live performances. Projection is accomplished by Christie’s trusted partner Wincomn Technology using 16 Christie Crimson Series 3DLP laser projectors, 25 Christie DWU630-GS 1DLP laser projectors, and three Christie DXG1051-Q 1DLP projectors.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

“This is a very unique night tourism attraction that demands robust and dependable projection systems that can withstand harsh environmental conditions and yet deliver outstanding visuals,” said Tony Chen, general manager, Wincomn Technology. “In particular, the Christie Crimson Series and GS Series are the top contenders for this significant installation. We have deployed them for several projects across China with great results, and we are confident that they are best suited for this massive show.”

One of the most remarkable feats of this three-hour nighttime extravaganza is projecting imagery on natural fog that shrouds Guangwu Mountain for most parts of the year. “This is the first time that we have employed Christie projectors to display visuals on low-lying clouds and we are astonished by the amazing effects,” Chen said. “We have even coined a term for it: ‘air imaging.’”

Another highlight is a captivating projection on a nearly 1,000-foot-high cliff face featuring Bashan Bei’erge (Song of Bashan Back-carriers), a 3,000-year-old folk song that depicted men from Bashan who carried goods in and out of the inaccessible mountain on back-carriers with square-shoulder splints. This fascinating projection is currently the largest 3D image to be displayed on a cliff face in China.

The show also boasts a creative “storytelling-on-the-go” concept. Visitors strolling along a quarter-mile-long pathway—flanked by winding creeks and dense forest—within the performance zone are able to concurrently enjoy an engaging storytelling process enhanced with lifelike projections on gauze screens, made possible using Christie’s 1DLP projectors.

Since its debut late last year, “Guangwu Mountain Dreamscape” has contributed greatly to cultural tourism and helped promote local economic and social development in Sichuan. Even though the performances were temporary suspended earlier this year due to COVID-19, its producers made use of the downtime to introduce new elements, such as mesmerizing projections on the cliff face and upgrading the gauze screen projections and lighting effects along the pathway. These enhancements greatly improved the night tourism experience when the show resumed in late June, heightening visitors’ enjoyment of this stunning visual feast.

April Qin, director of sales, enterprise, Christie China, commented, “We are thrilled that Christie projection solutions have contributed to the engaging storytelling process for this epic performance at Guangwu Mountain. Christie’s 1DLP and 3DLP projectors are built tough and deliver big, bright and intensely colorful images, and are able to withstand the rigors of demanding, high-usage applications.”

Eight Christie Mirage 304K projectors were recently installed in Materia, the new museum at Mexico’s Sinaloa Science Center, to power Cubo Negro 8K. This immersive and interactive space is unique in Latin America and offers 8K visual experiences.

Cubo Negro 8K is a replica of Deep Space 8K, an installation at the Ars Electronica center in Austria, where the project originated. Cubo Negro 8K is one of the icons of this new science museum, which defines itself as a “museological laboratory to build the future.”

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Art, science, and technology are combined in Cubo Negro 8K to screen never-before-seen images, including those of the earth, sun, and cosmos. As Luis León, director general of the Sinaloa Science Center, explained, “The Cube provides an interactive experience within an immersive space. In addition, it also serves as a forum for discussion on technological development, the use of the image, and concepts affecting transmedia culture.”

Cubo Negro 8K is a collaboration between Ars Electronica, which is the license holder and creator of the concept of the space, Mexican technical integrator Planetarios Digitales, and the Sinaloa Science Center and the government of the State of Sinaloa, northwest Mexico, with Christie assisting in the integration and installation of the projectors.

“It was a truly rewarding experience,” León said. “Given that this is the first replica of Deep Space 8K outside Austria, it involved an incredible amount of hard work and a lot of coordination, beginning with the different styles of work, the need for fluid communication between all the agents involved, and then the implementation on site of an unprecedented project for America.”

Cubo Negro 8K is an interactive experiential space with 8K projection on floor and wall using eight Christie Mirage 304K 30,000-lumen projectors, which are 4K120 capable and can screen images in both 2D and 3D stereo with incredible quality. Four of the projectors are combined to screen a single image on a wall measuring 13 meters long by 7 meters high, while the other four project a single image of the same size on the floor.

Together, the eight projectors power 70,778,880 pixels with a resolution of over 8192x8620 pixels both on the floor and the wall. The Christie Mirage projectors, which receive video signals over fiber optic as well as HDBaseT, are fed by high-performance servers designed especially for the purpose by Ars Electronica. The contents are shown in 2D, 3D, and gigapixel, with laser sensors providing interactivity. Guests can walk around and explore the projection on the floor and walls, providing a totally immersive experience.

“The quality is amazing,” León said. “Having this number of pixels in the space with this level of brightness and being able to have them so close is really unique. Eight 4K projectors to achieve an 8K resolution with audiovisual content created specifically for this format takes you on a completely immersive experience. The brightness and performance of the projectors is incredible. The simple handling, the response, the software, and the end result they offer make them the ideal tool for the space.”

Enrique Fonte, director of Planetarios Digitales, agreed: “The hardware and software system of Ars Electronica, unique in its kind anywhere in the world, called for a really high-quality projection system. The Christie Mirage projectors guarantee the required performance thanks to the quality of the image and their robust construction. Ready for 24/7 service to meet the high demand for use, they are incredibly reliable and guarantee unbeatable images. Once again, they have shown why they are the projector of choice in the world market for this kind of installation in museums, science centers, planetariums and entertainment centers.”

As well as supplying the eight Christie projectors, Planetarios Digitales also provided the 5.1 surround sound system that delivers audio from three different sources routed with a digital mixer, including microphones for presentations. It also supplied the acoustic treatment system, as well as four mirrors to project on the floor of Cubo Negro, plus almost two kilometers of cabling and a vast number of parts and accessories.

“The experience of the Cubo Negro 8K can only be found in Austria and now in our Materia museum in Culiacán, Sinaloa,” León said. “There is no other place in the world like Cubo Negro 8K with this infrastructure, projecting 8K immersive contents in 2D, 3D, interactive, and gigapixel.” 

London’s famous Palace of Westminster became a vast projection surface in May to coincide with International Nurses Day, as a series of images thanking NHS key workers were beamed onto the iconic building from 260 meters away across the Thames. 

Projection experts at Motion Mapping deployed two Green Hippo Hippotizer Amba+ Media Servers to blend and warp the visual content and four 30,000-lumen Panasonic projectors to display the imagery onto the intricate façade of the building. Motion Mapping’s Stuart Harris said he made good use of Hippotizer’s SHAPE feature to achieve the results.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

“We had just 45 minutes on site to get the projection right, including all alignment and blending with the framework of Parliament, to going live with the world’s press covering the event,” Harris said. “SHAPE made it simple to warp and blend the images so that they appeared correctly, even while being beamed from such a long distance away. We even had to do some of this in real time, and the Amba+ servers handled it with ease. 

“Hippo features such as Advanced Media Management and Timeline enabled us to change and amend quickly on site—it’s so agile and flexible. And when an issue arose, such as a light being left on in one of the windows inside Parliament, I could create a workaround in seconds, which is very handy when images are about to be broadcast around the world.”

The visual content varied from messages of thanks to three-story-high pictures of famed founder of modern nursing Florence Nightingale, to coincide with the 200th anniversary of her birth.

“As you might expect, there was a lot of pre-event red tape to get through, which included approvals about kit from the highest levels within Parliament,” Harris said. “But on site, we only had one go at getting it spot on so I needed a reliable and simple-to-set-up server solution, and Hippotizer provided the right tool for the job.”

Arista Corporation and Fallout Zones, LLC of Las Vegas, NV have partnered to advance the field of video projection mapping technology by combining the strengths of Arista’s Video Projection Mapping Turnkey System with Fallout Zones’ creative expertise. 

Arista’s turnkey system incorporates a 4U rackmount computer powered by an Intel Xeon 10-core processor combined with the company’s ARD-5816 HDBaseT transmitter. Complimenting this is the creative services of Fallout Zones, a full-service, tech-driven production company that has been servicing the entertainment industry for over 24 years. Fallout Zones’ projection mapping examples can be found on several permanent installations throughout Las Vegas, including Glowzone indoor adventure center and the Elite VR Arcade in Owosso, MI.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

“I have always had a passion for video creation, and the possibilities offered by projection mapping technology are, without doubt, breathtaking,” said Bryan Severance, CEO of Fallout Zones. “With their compact and versatile projection mapping system, Arista takes the guesswork out of the equation, which enables content producers to focus on the creative aspects of the process. I believe this partnership will enable firms like ours to take this technology to the next level—upping the quality of work that gets exhibited in the process. Ultimately, more people get exposed to the possibilities of projection mapping, and that’s a positive note for everyone involved.”

“Projection mapping offers entertainment and facility design professionals the ability to take an ordinary space, such as an external building façade or multi-purpose spaces, and turn these areas into completely different and eye-catching environments,” said Paul Shu, president of Arista Corporation. “By combining our projection mapping system with the visions of the artistically inclined, the result is an environment that fosters creativity, encourages people to be more engaged, and completely rewrites the book on what is possible for any given space. I am delighted to be working with Bryan and his company to further the creative potential of this technology, as I believe it marks a win-win situation for everyone.” 

The What: Epson has announced the availability of eight new projectors designed for K-12 classrooms and small to medium-sized conference rooms. The PowerLite E20, X49, W49, 118, 119W, 982W, 992F, and 1288 range from budget-friendly, network-ready classroom projectors to wireless, portable meeting room solutions. 

The What Else: Leveraging Epson’s 3LCD technology and up to 4,200 lumens of equal color and white brightness, the new models project up to 350 inches of content with split screen capabilities for side-by-side viewing. Designed with convenience and durability in mind, the projectors include advanced network connectivity options for remote management and multi-device integration and deliver up to 17,000 hours of lamp life for less maintenance.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

Select models feature the Epson iProjection app with a built-in moderator function that allows up to 50 users to connect and simultaneously display content from up to four devices. With Miracast technology and built-in wireless with enterprise-level security, the PowerLite 992F and 1288 models can connect with a laptop, tablet, or smartphone and mirror HD content for flexible on-the-go projection.

“As educators look for new ways to enhance virtual lessons and companies explore how to provide better visibility in more spread-out conference rooms, Epson focuses on designing accessible technologies that adapt to current display needs and help drive productivity and engagement,” said Veronika Knight, product manager, Epson America, Inc. “Compatible with a wide range of devices and widely-used software, the new models deliver big, bright, easy-to-read presentations and offer simple projection tools for easy integration into today’s corporate and education environments.”

The Bottom Line: The new lineup offers high-quality audio, enhanced connectivity, and widescreen options with most models for enriched presentations and increased engagement in today’s virtual sessions and more spread out classes and conference rooms. Combining high-quality visuals with flexible display capabilities, the projectors support versatile and captivating projection in a variety of environments without the commitment to one location, unlike permanent flat panel options.

The PowerLite E20, X49, W49, 118, 119W, and 982W are available now. The PowerLite 1288 will be available in late September and the PowerLite 992F will be available in October. 

Christie pure RGB laser projectors helped to mark the launch of United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Delta IV Heavy rocket at Cape Canaveral with the first-ever 3D projection mapping on an operational rocket. A total of six all-in-one 45,000-lumen Christie D4K40-RGB projectors—provided by Nationwide Video—mapped onto the façade of the nearly 72-meter rocket, two days before ULA’s launch for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

“It was a pleasure to work with the latest and brightest RGB laser projector on the market for this unique project,” said Philippe Bergeron, president of PaintScaping, which created the eye-catching content for the event. “We have a long history of working with Christie and Nationwide Video, and it was a joy to team up with them once again. The imposing structure of the rocket drove the narrative of this once in a life-time video mapping opportunity, with the Christie projection helping to deliver the impact we required. It is always a thrill to share the power of 3D projection mapping, and we enjoyed the challenge of delivering on the client’s vision.”

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to Projectors and Screens

ULA’s Delta IV Heavy was the only rocket capable of carrying the NROL-44 mission. The rocket launched in the early morning on August 27 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The façade of the Delta IV Heavy—with its combination of even, uneven, curved and flat surfaces—presented a test for PaintScaping’s extensive skills on this large-scale mapping. Previous PaintScaping projects utilizing Christie projection include Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna’s This is What You Came For music video, a BMW plug-in hybrid advertisement, and the Aurora projection mapping show at the San Diego Zoo. 

“With enhanced color saturation, brightness, and contrast, pure RGB laser technology is an ideal choice for impactful largescale projection,” said Michael Bosworth, executive vice president, Enterprise, Christie. “When combined with great talent and an exciting opportunity such as this, the pay-off is something special. The PaintScaping team has once again demonstrated its supreme expertise in the 3D projection mapping arena, and we’re proud to have played a part in achieving its ambitious plans for this stunning project.”