Earlier this month, I wrote about how the AV industry is uniquely positioned to help the world recover from the coronavirus pandemic by building truly remarkable visual installations that make us want to leave our homes again and enjoy entertainment venues once again.
That includes the massive Oculus video screen at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., the new home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League. If you haven’t been paying attention to sports (because there are none happening right now), you may have missed this one-of-a-kind stadium that is under construction.
Cameron DaSilva, managing editor of the Rams Wire, tweeted a video Thursday of stadium personnel testing the screen as it rests on the floor level after all LED panels were installed.
The Oculus inside SoFi Stadium is almost done and is being tested 🔥👀 (via edgarcia0880/Instagram) pic.twitter.com/zEj1DJ5b01
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) April 30, 2020
Eventually, the Oculus screen will be suspended from the roof of the nearly $5 billion stadium and entertainment venue.
According to Rams Wire, the Oculus is the only double-sided video board in an NFL stadium and boasts the largest LED playback system ever used. It features 80 million pixels and 260 speakers. The display will also be equipped with 56 5G antennas.
It’s nearly as long as a football field – endzones included – at 120 yards. The suspension system better be strong, as the display weighs 2.2 million pounds.
Skarpi Kedinsson, the stadium’s chief technology officer, said in a media event in January the display is the only 4K HDR video system in sports.
The Rams, formerly of St. Louis, will be calling the stadium home alongside the Chargers for the 2020 season, provided the stadium – part of master-planned entertainment complex Hollywood Park – is finished on time.
The team posted a video on the design and construction of the Oculus, which featured the installation and manufacturing of the massive structure’s various components.
“We’re trying to create a better guest experience, a better fan experience,” Hedinsson said in January. “How do we create content? How do we give our guests the best possible show when they come to Hollywood Park? And I think that was the primary driver. But I think having a center home board, it opens up a lot of other possibilities in the building.”
