A close look at eNCA’s massive studio screen
MyBroadband recently got a close-up look at eMedia’s massive studio screen, which the broadcaster claims is the biggest in a newsroom in Africa and one of the largest in the world.
The screen was proudly featured at eMedia’s 2021 showcase, which took place at its new offices and studios in Hyde Park, Johannesburg.
The imposing LED display, which measures 12 metres wide and 3 metres high, was manufactured by Elport Digital and debuted in eNCA’s studio in January 2020.
Like Samsung’s The Wall and the LG Direct View LED Home Cinema, the screen has a modular configuration consisting of an array of cabinets/panels linked together.
eMedia’s setup consists of 180 cabinets, each of which measures 600 x 337mm and boasts a resolution of 640 x 360 for a total pixel count of 230,400.
Combined, they offer a resolution of 12,800 x 3,240 with a total pixel count of more than 41 million. For reference, a typical 8K display measures 7,680 by 4,320 and boasts about 33 million pixels.
During the event, eMedia played a short video on the screen to show off its capabilities.
While the blacks might appear greyish in the video, eMedia’s explained the brightness had to be fine-tuned and set to present correctly on camera.
While it’s currently used for live in-studio broadcasts, we couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have one in a home.
The sheer size would make for an incredible sports watching, cinematic, or gaming experience.
However, aside from its initial cost, your electricity bill will also take a beating.
The screen’s specifications rate power usage at up to 600W per m2. With a surface area of roughly 36m2, the screen should theoretically have a maximum power draw of 21,600W or 21.6kW.
If it were to be used in a home, a Johannesburg resident could pay around R36 per hour of usage with the screen at peak brightness. That is based on the Block 1 tariff (1-500kWh) of R1.68.
Below are more images of eMedia’s massive curved screen at its new studio in Hyde Park.
The back of the display, revealing the array of panels.
The boxes in which the panels were transported from the old studio.
Close to the screen, the pixels are visible to the naked eye.
An average-sized person for reference
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