CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL'S NEW GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS CENTER EQUIPPED WITH PANASONIC PT-DW7000U WXGA DLP PROJECTORS

ATLANTA, GA (January 30, 2006) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA, has recently opened a new venue to the public, the Global Communications Center. The design and installation of the multi-stream video presentation in the Center's lobby was handled by Communications Electronic Design (CED), a systems integrator based in Louisville, KY specializing in museum installations.
The video system provides part of the base architecture of the Center via random video snippets and associated lighting effects, and acts as a presentation platform for a variety of "Stories" when visitors step onto a viewing platform to initiate the show. According to CED president Tim Creed, key components of the AV system are nine PT-DW7000U theatrical-quality, 16:9 3-chip DLP projectors from Panasonic Broadcast.

Featuring Digital Light Processing and wide-aspect (1366 x 768) WXGA panels, the PT-DW7000U delivers 6000-lumen brightness and up to 4000:1 contrast ratio. Panasonic's Dynamic Iris improves contrast by precisely matching the lamp output to the input signal. The liquid-cooled optical engine boosts both reliability and durability, while greatly reducing operating noise.

The lobby installation also comprises 18 synchronized high-definition video sources, nine 50" plasma displays; an intelligent control system; triggered story initiation; a localized five-channel audio system; simple updatability; routing of multiple live sources to various displays, and programmed lighting and various external devices

Creed said, "The main challenge involved in this system was the physical environment. When first working with the museum designer and architectural firm, we were challenged with the installation of a rear-screen system in an extremely high-ambient light situation. Working with the screen manufacturer and with the application of many solar geometry models, we were able to produce a formula that dictated requirements that needed to be met by the architectural team and the AV systems. Working with these values, we were able to specify the density of the glass coatings, the screen performance characteristics, the projection brightness, projection paths, and screen positioning."

He continued, "The screen layout is eight screens that are 10' wide by 5.6' high, and one screen that is 14' wide by 7.8' tall. The nine plasma screens complement the larger screens. Sometimes the images operate as one large movie and at other times are split into multiple images, according to subject matter.

"To keep brightness even between the 14' screen and the 10' screens, two projectors are double-stacked on the 14' screen. The resulting brightness is nearly equal between screen surfaces, and projector adjustment allowed them to match exactly. The PT-DW7000U's short throw lens was a big plus in this installation for multiple reasons. Physical restrictions on the projection path required that some projectors be placed closer to the screen. Also, the lens shift feature was employed in overlapping two projectors on the 14' screen and in raising the image on the lowest projector. The color matching option was used in order to match the color space of the plasma to the color space of the projector."

Creed added, "This system uses the (DW7000U's) optional DVI card for inputs and the signal is distributed to the projector over fiber optic from the control room located some 200 feet away. The image is delivered from the source equipment in native resolution, which yields a superior image quality. The projector networking feature is beneficial, with HTTP control used for alignment and diagnostic work."

"Overall, the PT-DW7000U was a great choice based on all its features, notably price, performance, brightness, the 16:9 format, and cost of ownership."

The PT-DW7000U is ideally suited for fixed installations and public display venues including independent cinema, live events, educational institutions, staging, and public advertising as well as premium home theatre applications. The heavy-duty PT-DW7000U is also perfect for mission-critical environments such as 24-hour-a-day command and control centers. In addition, the native 16:9 projector offers a versatile presentation style where XGA graphics and high definition video can be combined on one screen. It offers built-in multi-screen color matching and edge blending for displaying uniform, natural-looking, full-motion images over a wide span without any discernible lines between overlapping blended images.

The PT-DW7000Us were purchased by CED from Panasonic authorized projector dealer, Visual Solutions Distributing, Lawrenceburg, IN (www.visualsolutionsd...)