Urban LED Pixels
Location: Dublin, Irealand
Lead time: From enquiry to supply: 4months.
Completed: Sept 2009
Client: Dreambox
Project Scope:
Supply of LED Display Lighting Equipment:
Hardware Used:
• DMX75-75 Systems.
The Marquee
The electronics supplied by MegaLED where used on the top
floor of the building (or ‘The Marquee’ as Dreambox named it) and used to scroll text
around the building. Inspired by the Times Square stock tickers, the marquee turns each window on
the 15th floor into a single giant letter made up of 35 pixels (5 across and 7 down). Using
custom cut sheets of thick PVC, Dreambox created jigsaw pieces that could be assembled into a
unit consisting of series of small boxes (7 down and 5 across), they then installed a small
strip of white LEDs into each box and these were wired into DMX75 controlling circuitry that turns
each pixel on or off. The units, of which there are 30 in total, are the exact size of a window in
Liberty Hall and slot nicely into the window frame. They are designed to be plug-and-play so that
they can be put up and taken down every night if needs be, so as not to interfere with the working
environment during the day.
Sound & Music
Due to the small number of pixels it was felt that the addition of audio to the project would
enable far more creativity. For example, through the use of sound two dots on the screen could be
transformed into people having a conversation.
The sound was broadcast on FM radio (94.3MHz) in the vicinity of the building. The Broadcasting
Commission of Ireland awarded us temporary radio licenses. Dreambox worked with Irish Music
Rights Organisation to secure the appropriate permissions so that people could use their favourite
music from their libraries when creating animations. Although it was possible to use copyrighted
music, many people created their own. Many also made custom sound effects that brought the
low-resolution display to life; for example, the monster who gulps a soft drink from a can then
lets out an enormous burp!
Notably, world famous dance-band “UNDERWORLD” filmed their new music video
on the "Playhouse" building.
|
|
Many building animations created on software via: Dreambox's Playhouse Website
|