Boston-based AV Helpdesk, Inc. has selected Vista Systems’ Spyder to be at the heart of a new video display installation in the lobby of one of the world’s largest financial institutions in Boston, MA. The Spyder’s efficient and powerful image processing capabilities made it an “easy choice” for the modular plasma display which is drawing crowds to the public space, report Collin Hogan and Steve Grace, principals at AV Helpdesk.
“The client was looking for something unusual, something outside the box,” notes Hogan. “So we worked with their internal marketing group to create a long, narrow video display wall which appears to be floating in front of an illuminated glass graphics panel.” The 2x18-foot video display wall, comprised of a one high by six wide “zero edge” plasma display arrangement, tells the story of the institution’s evolution from a small merchant bank to its position today as the leading provider of financial services to institutional investors. The video display content is part of the “Corporate Record,” a multimedia exhibition which chronicles 200+ years of the financial institution’s rich heritage.
The video display is configured 480 pixels high by 5118 pixels wide, a highly unusual pixel display layout. Four HD-SDI outputs from a QuVis Cinema Player HD digital media server, feed the Spyder multi image processor. In turn, the Spyder feeds the six plasma displays. “Instead of having individual playback units outputting to each plasma display, the single Spyder breaks up the images and pixel maps them to the displays as required. We were able to provide the required functionality using the minimum number of electronic components. This approach provides a cost effective solution which also serves to minimize future maintenance requirements,” Grace points out.
The video display is accessed from a control kiosk operated by visitors to the lobby from 8am - 6pm weekdays. They can choose from four different video clips chronicling the history of the financial institution from its founding to its preeminent position in the international world of finance today. The clips were created as individual TIFF files stacked by Adobe After Effects.
“The Vista Spyder really comes through for this application,” notes Hogan. “We were familiar with the performance capabilities and track record of reliability of the Spyder which made it an easy choice. The pixel for pixel matching capabilities of the Spyder, ensure that the content is displayed with all of the intended sharpness and detail that the content providers envisioned. In terms of drawing crowds, it’s the most exciting thing in the lobby!”