Vivitek – a leading provider of visual presentation and collaboration solutions, has announced that digital projectors and digital signage solutions from Vivitek – procured through Reasound, a Cookstown-based authorised reseller to Ireland’s education authority – are playing a key role in creating a truly thrilling and immersive visitor experience at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, in Armagh, Northern Ireland.
Officially opened on 1 May 1968 and classified as part of Ireland’s education authority, over the years the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium has evolved and expanded, updating its exhibits and displays regularly in order to meet the demands of its inquisitive and ever-growing visitors.
Technology has always been at the heart of the visitor experience at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium. It was an early adopter of video projectors in order to create special effects, until they were replaced by computer controlled laserdisc players in the 1980s. Not only was this a great success with visitors, but their use resulted in a landmark for the venue; it was the first planetarium in the world to project video on to its dome.
Contributing to a positive visitor experience, are three Vivitek DU8090s. Lamp-free and eco-friendly, the DU8090Z features a WUXGA resolution, 8000 ANSI Lumens brightness and 10,000:1 contrast ratio for a clear and bright projection. The projector is equipped with a laser light source which offers up to 20,000 hours of operation which makes it the perfect solution for large venues that need power, flexibility and a durable solution.
The projectors’ legendary reliability was a key attraction and made them ideally suited to the environment, as they are left to operate for eight hours a day, seven days a week, projecting content that shows space, the universe, planets as well as educational power points and even live feeds from cameras. Here, advanced cooling design ensures that the projectors are able to endure their daily operations, effortlessly and consistently.
Also on site, is a Vivitek DU8190Z projector. The DU8190Z uses DLP® technology with BrilliantColor™ for vibrant and rich picture quality, while the 10,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, WUXGA resolution, and 10,000:1 contrast ratio ensures clear, crisp and bright projection. Meanwhile, its long lasting laser light source delivers constant brightness levels and colour performance for up to 20,000 hours of operation. Commenting on their use, Ciaran Magee, ICT Manager, Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, said: “It’s important that Armagh Observatory and Planetarium conveys the thrill and excitement of space. We’re dependant on technology to help us achieve that, and Vivitek’s solutions are instrumental in creating an immersive environment that helps captivate our visitors.”
Completing the set of Vivitek solutions, are a number of NovoDS Digital Signage solutions. NovoDS Cloud is Vivitek’s exceptionally easy to use digital signage solution. The content displayed on the NovoDS Cloud can be changed and updated remotely, making it simple to update content. At Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, the NovoDS solutions are arranged in a matrix format, while one is located in the café, advising visitors of the day’s specials, and of any offers. The flexibility means that the five NovoDS digital signage solutions can be easily outputted to any of the 25 plus screens and projectors connected to the AV Matrix, so as to bring stunning affects to an exhibit or to display information or video. With NovoDS, the digital signage content can incorporate text, photos, audio, video, and web content in fully customisable configurations for a variety of environments, making ideally suited to Armagh Observatory and Planetarium.
“We are thrilled with the performance, reliability and value offered by Vivitek’s solutions. With their advanced features, the solutions are an investment for the future, and will play a key role entertaining visitors for years,” Ciaran added.
