LB-Electronics, one of the leading Austrian systems companies for professional video, light and presentation technology, supported the broadcasting station Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) in fitting out its main control room and several broadcast signal processing rooms with Christie DLP® cubes.
With the initial installation, Christie GraphXMaster CSP70 cubes were used. The second conversion phase saw LB-Electronics installing Christie Entero™ LED display cubes for the first time in Austria.
The objectives of the ORF were clear. Rather than having a large number of monitors with their associated inflexibility, a pioneering solution was to provide the highest possible flexibility in the display of image signals.
The first room to be fitted out by LB-electronics was the main control room of the ORF, which represents the true core of the station. Here, the company was able to prove that the solution was also ideal for this mission-critical area. LB-electronics installed a wall of cubes, consisting of 4x2 Christie SXGA 1-chip DLP rear projection units in 70” cubes and an Evertz Multiviewer, that can display 48 HD-SDI signals. A brightness management system that was specially developed by LB-electronics was also implemented and helps operators to make a simple adjustment to the brightness of the entire system.
“We were able to offer the ORF a consistent concept of technical performance tied in with the lowest possible service overheads. Our references - particularly in the field of control rooms - put us ahead of many prominent competitors as best-of-breed provider”, emphasises Alexander Marik, Managing Director of LB-electronics.
When the Austrian broadcast stations decided to change to HD, LB-electronics was then commissioned to equip both HD processing units each with four Christie rear projection units.
“At the start of 2010, we then had the opportunity of presenting the new Christie rear projection cubes with LED engine”, explains Klaus Binder, Project Manager at LB-electronics. “The fact that the ORF decided upon this technology immediately was not surprising, since the operating costs could be reduced by an extremely large factor, given a lamp life of over 60,000 hours.”
The LED concept of the Christie Entero LEDs is fully maintenance-free. The anticipated life time of the LED units are over 60,000 hours, providing reliable 24/7 operation for over seven years.
Add to this the fact that the LEDs maintain their spectral properties unchanged for a very long time and you can count on images being displayed in faithful colour after several years of operation. The colour settings are more precise in the case of
LEDs and the variation possibilities are wider that they are with conventional lamps. “The individual red, green and blue LEDs can be controlled more quickly. Unlike with conventional lamp modules, LED engines do not work with a colour wheel, which reduces the risk of downtime and lowers the operating overheads”, comments Peter Gütlbauer, presentation technology professional with LB-electronics.
In total, the main building of the ORF in Vienna has had both the main control room and three HD processing units, as well as two signal processing rooms completely fitted out by LB-electronics with new visualising technology.