BBC Studioworks, the commercial studio and post-production arm of the BBC, has enhanced its flagship Television Centre facility in the London area with two INFiLED DBmk2 Series LED walls. The new displays form the purpose-built backdrop in the new broadcast home for the live National Lottery draws, which air six nights a week to audiences across the UK. When Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, sought a new home for its live draws, BBC Studioworks proposed a newly built studio space at Television Centre capable of delivering the reliability and visual flexibility such a high-profile broadcast demands.
At the centre of that install are two 5 x 3 metre INFiLED DBmk2 1.95 mm LED screens, positioned at a 90-degree angle to one another. Together, they allow the studio environment to transform instantly, supporting multiple lottery games with distinct visuals at the push of a button. The brief from Allwyn stated that the studio backdrop needed to be dynamic, easy to update and capable of supporting several different games, each with its own look and feel, from a single space. Above all, with live draws taking place six nights per week, there was no margin for downtime, so the system had to be dependable. At the same time, the design had to remain centred on the star of the show – the draw machine. The machine itself is the focal point of the production, and the surrounding environment must enhance, while never distracting from, the numbers being drawn.
Managing moiré patterning and visual interference was critical to the installation. By specifying a fine 1.95 mm pixel pitch, combined with appropriate camera depth-of-field management and optical filtering, the team ensured that the LED grid would not conflict with camera sensors, delivering a clean broadcast image even at close range. Plus, INFiLED’s CBSF (Color and Brightness Shift Free) technology, which is built into the DBmk2 Series, keeps a stable colour temperature across a wide 160 degree viewing angle. “We had a tight deadline in transitioning Allwyn to their new home without disrupting their normal six-night-a-week output,” says Tim Wood, head of Television Centre at BBC Studioworks. “We had to get it right and ensure everything ran smoothly from night one on this stage.”
BBC Studioworks selected the INFiLED DBmk2 Series for its high resolution, mechanical dependability and competitive positioning within the broadcast market. “We chose the INFiLED DBmk2 Series because of its reliability and high resolution,” says Wood. “We were really impressed with the quality of the product visually, electronically and mechanically.” The DBmk2 Series is designed for extended reality (XR), virtual production and broadcast environments, where fine pixel pitch, colour accuracy and high contrast ratios are essential. The ultra-black LED surface enhances perceived contrast, allowing vivid imagery while maintaining disciplined black levels, which is particularly important in a studio environment where lighting must remain tightly controlled.
Prior to final procurement, BBC Studioworks conducted extensive testing, enabling the technical team to assess performance directly under their own camera conditions. “We were really pleased with the demo panel that was provided by INFiLED, along with technical support from the team,” says Wood. “This gave us the opportunity to point our cameras at the screens in our own time to ensure we were able to achieve the look and feel we required. Following this, ordering and receiving the product from INFiLED was so easy.”
Now fully operational, the studio is delivering consistent output week after week. “We are well into having the studio up and running, and Allwyn UK, our client, couldn’t be happier,” Wood continues. With the DBmk2 LED walls at the heart of the new studio, BBC Studioworks has created a flexible, reliable broadcast environment that maintains a clear focus on the drawings. And by combining fine-pitch LED technology, smart routing and practical design, the studio is built to continue delivering dependable performance night after night for the foreseeable future.
