In the post-MP3 world, production values in live events are often dictated by economics. Those fat advances that record companies used to front to recording artists have gone the way of reel-to-reel tape machines and typewriters. Today, they are much more reliant on ticket sales and profitable touring, so every means of saving money on the road is of capital importance. Tyler Truss Systems has been focused on making it easier for touring shows to be profitable and greener as well, by designing products that save space, fuel and money. Now they have teamed with Pix2o, a video display manufacturer from Rohnert Park, Calif., to package an LED video wall in a unique way.
The new Pix2o VideoReel roll-up display housed in a 30-inch-by-36-inch Tyler GT truss is a very portable solution for touring video reinforcement. The system is made up of VideoBlade LED modules that roll up into the truss like a large window shade. But instead of relying on a pull string, it is motorized. It can be either top-hanging or bottom-mounted.
Since it is pre-rigged in a truss with built-in casters, a single person can deploy it in a matter of minutes. All of the power and data to the VideoReel is supplied by two cables, and once the system is rolled into place, the cables can be connected and the display turned on. In fact, the system is operational even before it is flown into place.
Blades of Glory
The Pix2o VideoBlade is the building block of the system. The video modules are 2-15/16" (75mm) wide by 3' 3-3/8" (1 meter) long and have an IP rating of 68, meaning they are able to be completely and continuously submerged in water. The power and video cable connectors are molded into the rear of the module and the supply cables snap into place.
Depending on how the modules are rigged, individual modules can be hot-swapped from the front or rear of the display for installation or maintenance. Each VideoBlade is individually calibrated and the calibration data is stored in the module so all modules are matched in color output. Modules can be rigged together to form larger video displays of unlimited size both horizontally or vertically.
The Pix2o BladeRunner Display Manager has the ability to map video content onto any configuration of VideoBlades. The display weighs 42 pounds per square meter fully rigged. They have a viewing angle of 120° for both horizontal and vertical viewing. The VideoBlades have a pixel pitch of 12.5 mm and they are calibrated for both 6500 nits for outdoors and 1800 nits for indoors. They consume a maximum of 530 watts per square meter at full brightness, but in the typical settings, they consume about 200 watts per square meter outdoors and 60 watts per square meter indoors.
The pixel engine is a 3-in-1 RGB surface mounted diode LED with a rated life of 50,000 hours. The system features 16-bit color processing and the refresh rate is 60 frames per second. There is less than five milliseconds of frame sync delay from end to end. It accepts DVI native input up to 1920 by 1080 with options for other types of input. These displays can be operated in virtually any environment, including subzero temperatures up to 122°F (50°C) in direct sunlight. The product is CE, VDE and FCC listed.
Configurations
The VideoReel comes in a variety of configurations. VideoReel SkyRoll is a flown system and the screen rolls down. The screen can be rolled up and down during the show while video is playing. It's available in widths of up to 26' 3" (8 meters) in one-meter increments and heights up to 42' 8" (13 meters) in three-inch (75mm) increments. Two units can optionally be rigged together along an edge to form a continuous display up to 52' 6" (16 meters) wide.
VideoReel GroundRoll is configured with the reel truss on the ground. The screen unrolls from the reel as it is flown and the reel truss is rolled away. The GroundRoll is available in the same widths as the SkyRoll – up to 26' 3" (8 meters) in one-meter increments and heights up to 42' 8" (13 meters) in three-inch (75mm) increments – but multiple units form a continuous display of unlimited width.
VideoBlade Lighting Fixtures are one or two VideoBlade units used for lighting and video effects and VideoBladeTM Touring Frames are rectangular frames 3' 3" (one meter) wide and 29.5" (0.75 meters) tall. With Touring Frames, a video display can be assembled into larger video walls. Custom mounts and fixtures are also available from Pix2o and Tyler Truss.
To view an online video demonstration, visit
http://www.tylertruss.com/news/pix2oyoutube.php or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP3-NzW-FA4 .
Tyler Truss
765.221.5050 (Pendleton, IN); 615.401.7201 (Nashville)
Pix2o
888.681.9996
