NEWARK, N.J. – After embracing new types of experiences in virtual and hybrid settings over the past year, the return of the in-person event is now an option once again for audiences to interact with and experience content. To deliver on the experience, Panasonic System Solutions Company of North America announces a number of new visual solutions and services to help venues re-imagine attractions and welcome audiences in-person.
As the Official Technology Partner of Illuminarium Experiences, a fully immersive 360-degree entertainment center, Panasonic’s visual technology transports guests from Atlanta to Africa through WILD: The World’s First Virtual Safari. Featuring a number of visual solutions and services, including a custom-built short-throw lens, the 360-degree immersive show enables spectators to experience lifelike encounters with animals during a virtual safari. The custom-engineered lens delivers visually stunning projections and eliminates shadowing, ensuring images are projected in a crisp, clean and unobstructed manner.
“Our projectors are designed to create content and moments that transport guests out of their reality and into another dimension, in this case, a safari,” said Joe Conover, Strategic Manager, Panasonic Themed Entertainment Solutions, Panasonic. “From sketches, to prototypes, to the final design and installation, we consulted closely with our partner Illuminarium to manufacture specific technical efficiencies and provide the long-term show quality support required for an unforgettable, stimulating experience. By outfitting the entire show with Panasonic’s new customized short-throw lens, as well as 4K laser projectors, professional displays and PTZ cameras, Illuminarium is now able to provide and quickly scale these fully native 4K spectacles, a very important step to making the fully immersive experience a reality.”
Custom Technology and Show-Ready Services to Bring Illuminarium Experiences to Life
ET-D3QW200 Short-Throw Lens: Designed in collaboration with Illuminarium, specifically for the PT-RQ50K 3-Chip DLP® SOLID SHINE laser projector, the new ET-D3QW200 lens is ideal for events that encourage full immersion into content and require crystal clear images. The short-throw lens (0.55-0.65:1) allows audiences to approach content without casting a shadow, providing full top-to-bottom screen coverage with zero offset, inviting audiences to fully take in the visuals, stimulate their senses and step into the action. The Active Focus Optimizer keeps the image pin-sharp while the L-shaped design helps to reduce the amount of installation depth, welcoming installations in small spaces.
Show Quality Support Services: Having the ability to monitor and maintain a hardware fleet, locally or remote, allows venues to guarantee consistency in the quality of the experience. Panasonic’s Early Warning and Control Software (EWS) offers a proactive solutions approach to ease control functions and provide operational efficiency with predictive maintenance support to ensure consistent color, brightness and blending. Illuminarium Experiences is using these services to ensure the production is “show ready” from day one. Panasonic’s EWS will be a critical tool in managing hundreds of projectors across different show locations as Illuminarium Experiences expand their venues across the U.S.
New 4K Projector and Live Production Solutions Elevate Immersive Entertainment
PT-RDQ10 Series 1-Chip DLP® SOLID SHINE 4K Laser Projectors: Ideal for live entertainment, exhibition and museum venues, the new PT-RDQ10 Series projectors bring a new level of realism to events, engaging returning audiences by immersing them in the center of the action. Colors are natural and bright, with vivid, vibrant and richly detailed 4K resolution from Smooth Pixel Drive technology, providing an amazing close-up and immersive experience.
- The PT-RDQ10 Series reduces logistic and installation hassles with new features and workflow improvements, including the ‘Smart Projector Control’ application and Near Field Communication function. These features make it easy to read and change basic setups just by holding a mobile device against the projector’s touchpoint, while the new Remote Preview function makes it possible to check the content signal remotely via multi-media control software or a web browser. Panasonic’s pre-activated Geometry Manager Pro upgrade software streamlines even the most complex edge-blending and projection-mapping installations.
- The PT-RDQ10 Series projectors offer high reliability with 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance-free 24/7 operation, thanks to an air-tight and dust-resistant optical unit and cooling system. The PT-RDQ10 Series provides exceptional installation flexibility as well as compatibility with a wide range of our 1-Chip DLP® lens options. When paired with the optional ET-DLE020 Ultra Short-Throw Lens, additional versatility is possible, enabling images to be projected in extremely tight spaces, while minimizing on-screen shadows for an exceptional and quality viewing experience. Customers can choose the best model for their brightness needs, ranging from 8,000lm to 10,000lm. All models are available in compact and lightweight black or white cabinets and will be available in October 2021.
Performance Enhancements for KAIROS Live Video Production Platform:
More than a switcher, Panasonic announced new upgrades to KAIROS, its next generation live production platform, including a more powerful mainframe option doubling the processing capacity for twice the total available layers/keys, an expansion in standard HD and 4K inputs/outputs, and increased video and still image recording capacity. With the increase in demand for hybrid remote video production, KAIROS Core 1000 also expands RTP/SRT/RTMP streaming from six to eight inputs with two outputs.
“With its intuitive and user-friendly interface, KAIROS is fully customizable, encompasses everything needed to adapt to any live production scenario, and provides the tools needed to create a highly engaging and visually stimulating production,” said Michael Bergeron, Senior Category Owner, Production Systems, Panasonic.