Jacksonville, Fla. CBS affiliate WJAX TV knows it has to keep its news audience engaged. So when renovating its product studio, it worked with integration firm Advanced to provide over 40 displays by NEC, HyperPixel and LG – including a unique LED display on the news anchors’ desk.
That LED display on the anchor desk didn’t come without some creativity, says Advanced VP Mark McPherson.
“No aspect was more challenging than the integration of a custom HyperPixel 1.5mm LED display into the primary anchor desk. Most studios use an LCD screen, if that – and we had to develop a way to configure and mount a super fine pixel pitch, direct view LED display onto the curved surface. WJAX TV now has one of the most cutting-edge studios in broadcasting.”
Advanced’s engineering team carefully planned out how exactly they’d build and configure a 6×1 panel anchor desk display, according to a press release issued by the integration firm.
Advanced chose to work with HyperPixel because they were able to custom-configure their displays to work in portrait mode, making them compatible with the horizontal shape of the desk. “We requested that custom panels be made for this to work,” says Greg Priest, senior account manager, Advanced.
“And, in addition to the displays themselves, HyperPixel designed special framing and mounting components to successfully secure them.”
Beyond the Anchor Desk LED:
Advanced installed over 40 displays throughout the studio. The integrator built the central 9×3 panel videowall and flanking 2×4 panel monitors with NEC’s ultra-thin bezel LCD displays because of their adaptability in the broadcast environment.
Photo courtesy of Devlin Design Group
“NEC displays look great on camera. There are thin bezels on the models and that translate fantastically in this application,” Preist says.
“Additionally, NEC displays allow for fine color adjusting. Lighting is different in every studio, which affects on-screen color balancing. These displays make it easy to make very specific color adjustments in any given studio.”
Advanced was also responsible for configuring the sophisticated signal processing system. Advanced relied on TVOne to integrate twelve different connectors into the production staff’s own switcher, allowing them to send 12 signals to various monitors throughout the studio.
[related]
“We chose to work with a video processor that was easy for production staff to use,” McPherson says.
“Staffers can break visuals into different windows, and distribute video content to the displays in a variety of configurations. It allows for total flexibility.”
According to McPherson, the set was finished just in time for Jacksonville’s crucial coverage of Hurricane Irma in the region.
“The new displays served as key disseminators of information throughout Hurricane Irma’s impact in Florida,” he said.
“It’s exciting to see how displays can transform a news broadcast. The entire team is thrilled with the end-result, and we’re very proud of the work we did for WJAX TV.”
