VIDEO WALL MAKES EVERY DAY "DERBY DAY"
The Kentucky Derby Museum welcomes more than 200,000 visitors each year, giving them a first-hand look at the event for which Louisville, Kentucky is known worldwide. In operation since 1985, the museum saw itself re-born after near destruction from a storm-related flood in August 2009. In keeping with its mission to provide a lasting impression to visitors, the museum, as part of its re-building effort, decided to utilize state-of-the-art video wall technology to literally put visitors face-to-face with a field of horses and jockeys as it jolts out of the starting gate and thunders toward the first turn in the fabled race. No sooner has one entered the museum through an actual starting gate then they're in front of a massive video wall, nearly 250 square feet in size, and almost life-like video footage of a race heading directly at them at break-neck speed.
The awe-inducing video spectacle owes its realism to Planar Systems, which provided the innovative Clarity™ Matrix LCD Video Wall System. 16 of Planar's Clarity Matrix LCD displays comprise the video wall, each 46" in size, and arranged edge-to-edge in a four-wide-by-four-high (4x4) configuration. Clarity Matrix was specified by Design and Production, Inc. (Lorton, Va.), which also installed it in the new exhibit space created by the San Francisco office of another long-term museum partner, Gallagher & Associates. Clarity Matrix replaced a three-screen rear-projection system that had been seen by the museum staff as outdated, costly to maintain, and underperforming in the high ambient light conditions of the museum's entrance area.
Clarity Matrix delivers much greater visual impact by its brightness (700 nits) and narrow image gap that combine to vividly bring the race footage to life, almost seamlessly across the entire four-by-four video wall, even under the brightest light conditions. Each LCD panel has a long-life backlight (~50,000 hrs.), with no lamps or other elements to replace, thus satisfying the museum's desire for a low-maintenance solution. All 16 panels feature Planar's unique EasyAxis™ mounting system, featuring 6-axis adjustment and a front access feature should service be required. Although not a factor in the Kentucky Derby Museum's situation, the EasyAxis system allows Clarity Matrix to be closely installed to the wall surface, giving the video wall a total depth of just 4.5 inches, the thinnest footprint of any LCD video wall on the market today.
Another feature key to the museum's selection of Clarity Matrix is the off-board electronics - a design that allows power supplies and electronic controllers to be rack-mounted away from the video wall. This freed up space behind the video wall that would accommodate another exhibit area called My Spot, an intimate space that lets a visitor experience Churchill Downs from various locations. An added benefit of this design is that it removes components from the video wall that generate heat, contributing to a longer life cycle.
Currently, the Clarity Matrix video wall showcases broadcast-quality race footage that re-plays approximately every 30 seconds during the museum's hours of operation, seven days per week, and after hours in some 280 events per year. The design of Clarity Matrix ensures 24/7 picture-perfect performance, and no action has been required by the IT staff to perform re-configuration or re-calibration. And should the museum or a corporate, civic or charitable client wish to display additional content, the off-board control modules make loading of other video, photography or graphics a quick and easy process.
The museum staff calls Planar's Clarity Matrix LCD Video Wall a winner with its key factors including minimal footprint, reliability, unique design, and fully supportive of the museum's intent to create an immersive, memorable Kentucky Derby experience.
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
