LED Billboard?

[titanium]

Has anyone ever seen one of these? My younger brother described to me what was in his terms a "huge plasma screen" billboard. I had to check it out. Sure enough, here in the Kansas City area, on I-435 Westbound is what looks like a huge plasma screen showing animated ads.

While I don't have the technical intellect that most of you here have, I would assume that it is indeed an LED Billboard, similar to some of the displays I've seen in Vegas.

Anyone else ever seen or heard of one of these? It looks quite impressive, brilliant light and fine resolution from the highway!

 

[B@rt]

No pic unfortunately, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif ,but you can find some info about it here /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[IlluminatingBikr]

Titanium,

Check this out! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[INRETECH]

We have several of them here in Portland, and a couple of them are placed right where you can't miss them - like trying to get onto I-405, here you are at 11pm - your eyes are adjusted to the dark and BAMM - this *SUPER* bright sign either blinds you or mesmerizes you

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I work with them all the time. My photo on the left is a tight closeup of one 12"x12" "tile" of RGB LED clusters - 2 reds, 2 greens and one blue for every RGB pixel. This is an outdoor-style unit, probably similar to the one that you've seen along the freeway. Many of the newer finer-pitch indoor units use the tri-color LEDs, where the individual RGB chips are housed in a single white LED housing.

LEDs are perfect for large-screen video displays. They don't age nearly as fast as plasma screens, they don't have the burn-in problems that plasma has, they can be manufactured in virtually any size and shape screen, and they don't have the motion artifacts of LCDs. And they're BRIGHT! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[PhotonWrangler]

[ QUOTE ]
INRETECH said:
...here you are at 11pm - your eyes are adjusted to the dark and BAMM - this *SUPER* bright sign either blinds you or mesmerizes you


[/ QUOTE ]
There are devices that can be attached to these systems that monitor ambient light and adjust the brightness (specified in NITS) accordingly.

We had to shut ours down at midnight because the light was actually keeping someone awake in the neighborhood. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[INRETECH]

Not the one I am talking about, its VERY bright - someone else didn't like it; they shot at it

There should be some rules about this; when you suddenly come around the corner and about ready to make the second turn to get onto the freeway - this incredibly BRIGHT sign makes it very hard to see the on coming traffic and the traffic lights

 

[PhotonWrangler]

[ QUOTE ]
INRETECH said:
There should be some rules about this; when you suddenly come around the corner and about ready to make the second turn to get onto the freeway - this incredibly BRIGHT sign makes it very hard to see the on coming traffic and the traffic lights


[/ QUOTE ]
In a situation like that, I agree. Sounds like there's a definite safety issue at hand. Seems that the local municipality could be pressured into asking the sign company to make some appropriate modifications?

PM me if you want to pursue this; I can make some recommendations to the city.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Hey, I think the one that I saw in Toronto's (Canada) airport was LEDs too. It was blindingly bright. It reminded me of a projection TV because when I viewed it from the side, it was much dimmer. Then again, this is a given with typical LEDs, eh.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

[ QUOTE ]
CanadianGuy said:
Hey, I think the one that I saw in Toronto's (Canada) airport was LEDs too. It was blindingly bright. It reminded me of a projection TV because when I viewed it from the side, it was much dimmer. Then again, this is a given with typical LEDs, eh.

[/ QUOTE ]
If it was blindingly bright, it probably was an LED display.

 

[smokinbasser]

we have one off to the side of I 71 in Cincy and it is most definitly an attention getter at night it has two different companys adverts and it fades out then the new one fires up BRIGHT!

 

[PhotonWrangler]

[ QUOTE ]
smokinbasser said:
we have one off to the side of I 71 in Cincy and it is most definitly an attention getter

[/ QUOTE ]
Hmm, by any chance is that a ClearChannel billboard? Is it a roadside thing or is it attached to something like a convention center or stadium?

 

[The_LED_Museum]

There's an LED billboard over the sidewalk between Safeco Field and Seahawks Stadium in south downtown Seattle.
I thought I took some digital pictures of it, but I don't know what I did with them. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

 

[PhotonWrangler]

[ QUOTE ]
The LED Museum said:
There's an LED billboard over the sidewalk between Safeco Field and Seahawks Stadium in south downtown Seattle.
I thought I took some digital pictures of it, but I don't know what I did with them. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Is it this one?
http://www.sportsvenue-technology.com/contractors/sign/lighthouse/lighthouse1.html

 

[The_LED_Museum]

Close, but no cigerette. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
That one appears to be inside the stadium itself, and is considerably larger than the one on the sidewalk outside the Seahawks Exhibition Center.
The jumbotron thing inside Safeco Field is LED as well, if I'm not mistaken.

Let me check my HD for a picture...

 

[INRETECH]

Placement is crucial; we have 3 here in Portland

But, the one that I complain about - you don't see it until you turn a corner, and then its RIGHT in your face blinding you when you are out driving at night

 

[PaulW]

Hey, I love LEDs as much as the next guy, but I find the idea of huge LED billboards cluttering our highways so that someone can sell something to me intrusive and unsettling.

Maybe I'm just having a grumpy day, but does anyone else see where this could possibly lead? Or is my concern unfounded?

Paul

 

[PaulW]

Bump.

Is this thread getting too downbeat?

 

[PhotonWrangler]

[ QUOTE ]
PaulW said:
Bump.

Is this thread getting too downbeat?

[/ QUOTE ]
I see two basic reactions in this thread -

1) LEDs are really cool, really bright for their size, and isn't it neat that they can be used in a video display (which happens to be MY personal bias); /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

2) These things are just giant annoying ads that are difficult to ignore because of their sheer brightness.

Both sides have a point, but technology will march on regardless. As for me, I'm fascinated by the technology behind these things, so I tend to overlook the "annoyance" factor and I wind up trying to analyze the installation whenever i run across one.

BTW, reaction # 2 is very similar to the reaction of many people who don't have HID headlights in their cars and are annoyed by those who do. Food for thought?

 

[PaulW]

PhotonWrangler,

I believe your answer is right on the mark. My reaction to LED billboards is just a reflection of my underlying thoughts.

He he. I won't get philosophical. I'll just say thanks for causing me to realize that I'm in a crappy mood and that, as you have demonstrated, there's a better way of considering this. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Paul