APG Rentals worked with two event agencies to design and construct a high-resolution 108-paneled NEC 55” modular LCD videowall with hydraulic-powered mobility.

When Canadian television network Bell Media/CTV unveils its new fall lineup, they host a glitzy and glamorous affair with VIP guests in attendance. Each year, the network’s objective is to impress an audience that is used to being entertained. That’s why, in 2015, when two event design agencies were tasked with the job of staging Bell Media/CTV’s “Upfront” showcase, they wanted to incorporate a visually impacting videowall that can entertain all 1,000 people at the three-hour event. To do the job, they called upon APG Rentals, North America’s leading videowall distributor and sub-rental specialist, to design and construct a 108-paneled NEC 55” modular LCD videowall.

“This is without a doubt one of the biggest single LCD videowalls ever constructed in North America,” APG Rentals’ President David Weatherhead said today. “A spectacular videowall is a great way for any television network to highlight their upcoming programs at a glamorous event. It’s large, high-definition and easy-to-use.”

When the design event agencies toured APG Rentals’ Toronto showroom, they set out to find a high-resolution videowall that was bound to ‘wow’ the audience. That’s when APG Rentals suggested that they build a videowall with 108 of NEC’s 55” modular LCD panels. “The size of the videowall is unparalleled, and so is NEC’s display quality,” Weatherhead said. “The image is fantastic, especially when built to this scale. Plus, there’s absolutely no pixilation.”

Despite the enormity of the project with 108 video panels, the ultra-narrow bezel delivered a gap of just 5.7mm, so the audience reveled in a seamless presentation in full HD resolution with direct LED backlighting built into the panels to ensure visual uniformity.

The agencies also had another specific request: they needed the videowall to be easily movable so that it could be physically maneuvered on stage during the event. The presentation included the opening and closing of the videowall on cue to accommodate the night’s presenters with a dramatic effect. To make this possible, APG Rentals installed hydraulics at the top of the wall. “The wall was hung and supported at the top and hydraulics were mounted,” APG Rentals General Manager Dan Ayerst explained. “This enabled the videowall to move from side-to-side. Presenters could walk right through it. It was remarkable.”

In addition to the videowall on stage, APG Rentals also worked to construct a smaller replica for the VIP cocktail reception area. The small-scale replica of twelve 46” panels (X464UN), designed as a synergetic aesthetic to the massive on-stage screen, performed its role equally well, garnering many comments during the cocktail reception.

“The event was an eleven out of ten in terms of success,” Ayerst concluded. “If television networks aren’t using videowalls at their ‘Upfront’ showcases already, they should be. It’s the perfect medium to broadcast content in an entertaining way to a large audience.”