STAPLES Center Unveils LIVE 4HD Scoreboard System by Panasonic

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lakers, Clippers and Kings are not the only L.A. LIVE residents who upgraded their rosters over the summer.  STAPLES Center's LIVE 4HD, set to debut on Thursday night, September 23rd, when the Los Angeles Kings take to the ice to play against their NHL rivals, the Phoenix Coyotes, will be just the latest in a series of STAPLES Center additions to enhance fans' enjoyment. The brand new, state-of-the-art, eight-sided, center-hung Panasonic scoreboard and video system will be able to display all the panoramic action taking place on the ice in pristine 720p High Definition.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100923/NY70075 )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100923/NY70075 )

Designed exclusively for STAPLES Center by Panasonic, one of the arena's Founding Partners and an acknowledged worldwide leader in digital video systems, the one-of-a-kind comprehensive arena scoreboard and broadcast control room will include what is believed to be the largest indoor center-hung High Definition scoreboard video screen installation in the world.  The scoreboard system is expected to serve as a prototype for future venue displays now being developed by Panasonic.

Showing crisp High Definition Video in 16:9 letterbox format on the four Panasonic 22' x 14'-3" LED displays, which are composed of fine pitch 6 mm video elements using black SMD 3 in 1 package for additional contrast, the scoreboard and display system will display live HD video action, features and special production pieces in HD quality that will rival home theater screens.  With horizontal and vertical viewing angles of 140 degrees/140 degrees, a contrast ratio of 8000:1, and a brightness level for all boards reaching 2000 nits, STAPLES Center's video screens truly set the new industry standard.

The unique element for this display is the 4 additional 6 mm LED Displays on the underside of the LED Board to allow special viewing for fans with courtside seats who have previously been unable to view replays on the center hung LED.  The sideline displays are nearly 8' x 14' and are capable of displaying both in-game, promotional and special content and features during the game.

Four other Panasonic LED video boards composed of 10mm pitch video elements and measuring 13'-9" x 14'-3" will keep fans up-to-date with the latest information on team stats, scores, game clock status and more.  The boards are also video-capable, allowing them to be integrated so that programming can appear seamlessly across all eight screens.

"We are incredibly excited to unveil the world's first-ever LIVE 4HD Scoreboard," said Lee Zeidman, Sr. Vice President & General Manager, STAPLES Center.  "It is amazing how far technology has come since we opened STAPLES Center in 1999 and the scoreboard that our partners at Panasonic have designed has created the best arena installation anywhere, which undoubtedly will enhance every fan's experience when they come watch a sporting event at STAPLES Center."

The final two elements of the center-hung display are two 16mm LED "Halos," encircling both the top and bottom of the scoreboard with the ability to display graphics and integrate the effects being shown on the other screens. STAPLES Center's existing two fascia boards, encircling the entire arena between Suite Levels A & B and B & C, each measure 475' wide and 3' tall, will continue to display a full series of graphic and video messages, promotions, game information, fan entertainment and interactive elements.

"Panasonic is proud of our efforts to bring this spectacular new scoreboard to STAPLES Center," said James Doyle, President, Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company. "This amazing example of technology and engineering is a true reflection of our partnership with AEG and STAPLES Center as we work to meet their objectives in bringing innovative concepts to life, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the fan experience.  Panasonic worked closely with AEG to design and install an end-to-end system from the control room to the video boards that creates a truly seamless experience.  This system adds to the overall STAPLES Center and LA Live experience already powered by Panasonic's broad range of advanced technology solutions."

Panasonic was able to deliver a unique high-quality solution implemented in a short timeline. Technically the offering comprised of 14 separate LED products within the center hung display alone is believed to be one of the most technically sophisticated in the world.  

"Having Panasonic's incredible, new technology and scoreboard on display in STAPLES Center is not only an example of AEG looking for ways to improve the fan experience in our venues but also our collaborative approach to create opportunities for our partners to display their innovative products that our guests can interact with when they visit our arenas or our districts like L.A. LIVE where so many of Panasonic's products are displayed," said Shervin Mirhashemi, COO, AEG Global Partnerships.

The completely redesigned HD control room, located above the Upper Concourse within the Bob Miller Press Box on the West side of the arena, includes a vast array of best-of-breed technologies.  At the core of the control room are Panasonic's professional broadcast products combined with a combination of best-of-breed third party products from Ross and other premier partners.

Together, all of the video components and hardware weigh a combined total of 47,000 lbs and require 5.2 million LED lights to create the incredible High Definition video displays.  

About Panasonic

Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company is a unit of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). The company develops and provides customized and integrated technology-based systems solutions for enterprise customers in the sports and entertainment industries as well as in the education sector.  To learn more about the company or read case studies about solutions created for other customers, visit  http://www.panasonic.com/business/enterprise/enterprise-solutions-company.asp

About STAPLES Center

STAPLES Center, back-to-back recipients of the prestigious Pollstar-CIC Arena of the Year award, has clearly established itself as the Sports and Entertainment Center of the World. As the home of four professional sports franchises – the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks – STAPLES Center has proven to be a home court advantage for the local teams. STAPLES Center continues to distinguish itself as the host of major, high-profile events of national and international distinction including the 2004 NBA All-Star Game, the 2002 NHL All-Star Game, the 2000 Democratic National Convention and 2009 World Figure Skating Championships, ten Grammy Award shows as well as the annual X Games competitions and Pac-10 Men's Basketball Championship tournaments. STAPLES Center's eleven years have also been marked with performances and special events that brought international stature to Los Angeles' sports & entertainment icon including concerts by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (who played the arena's first-ever public event on October 17, 1999), Prince, U2, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Usher, Kanye West, Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake, as well as world championship boxing including Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko for the World Heavyweight Championship. Hosting over 240 events a year, the arena's reputation for world-class amenities, features and commitment to quality of service and the guest experience is second to none.

SOURCE Panasonic