SPORTV

Planar Displays Unveiled in Brazilian Sports Channel Studio Include the Largest LED Video Wall for a TV Network in Latin America

SporTV is Brazil's premiere sports station and a TV channel of the Globo/Globsat Network Group. Coinciding with a live studio broadcast of the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, the sports channel premiered two new on-camera LED video walls, one of which is the largest to be installed at a Latin American TV Network.

The LED video walls, part of a new studio design, consist of the Planar TVF Series with a 1.5mm pixel pitch (TVF1.5) from Planar. The larger display is 9.72 meters wide and 3.40 meters high and features a resolution of 6146 x 2160 pixels; the other is 5.47 meters wide and 1.70 meters high with a resolution of 3456 x 1080 pixels.

The Planar TVF Series is a family of fine pitch LED video wall displays that offer front serviceability and a creative stackable design that eliminates cabinet-to-cabinet cabling and reduces the complexity of vertical alignment. Providing a best fit for any size or configuration, including curved installations, Planar TVF Series cabinets are designed in a 16:9 format and fit the specifications of Full HD, 4K as well as 8K sources. The Planar TVF Series delivers a crystal-clear image with deep black shade viewing, and wide viewing angles allow excellent uniformity in color and brightness across the largest applications.

Cutting-edge studio design reinforces network's leading position

Globo/Globosat's investment in the creation of a new studio was driven by the network's objective to lead the market in innovation and always seek the top-performing communications solutions, including the best viewing experience for customers. In a sporting year that included the winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, the investment was timely.

"The SporTV studio LED video walls are Brazil's most advanced technology for a TV studio, both in concept and operation, and will be the basis for coverage of major sporting events on the channel," said Orlando Custódio, CEO of Planar Brazil and Latin America.

The SporTV redesign eliminated the traditional backstage, providing a 360° view of the whole studio. Four high-tech, remote-operated robot cameras cover the entire studio space, which is divided into two floors.

In a studio with all angles exposed to viewers, the low-profile design of the Planar TVF Series was an essential advantage. The display has a profile of less than three inches, greatly reducing the overall wall footprint and enabling for a streamlined installation. Moreover, with no cabinet-to-cabinet cabling required, cabling clutter and the need for extra space around the video wall is eliminated.

The Planar TVF Series was also selected for its multi-functionality and ease of installation. The video walls are assembled with a single-step process to connect embedded power and signal connectors from cabinet to cabinet by stacking vertically. Vertical alignment is assisted by two alignment pins and connection points on each cabinet, streamlining the building block-style installation process. The Planar TVF Series also offers quiet operation — ideal for the studio environment which requires low noise.

Importantly, when broadcasting sporting events that are followed by millions of captivated viewers, displays must be reliable. The Planar TVF Series features signal and power redundancy, ensuring the most consistent operation for TV networks, live programs and broadcasts.

"With this installation, we are presenting the ideal technology for a TV studio," Custódio said. "It was a project supported from the top of our technology team."