Background

The Minack Theatre is a renowned open air theatre near Penzance on the very southern tip of Cornwall, England. Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the theatre draws audiences during the summer season to watch a variety of plays, musicals and opera performances. This unique theatre was carved into the granite cliff and almost all of the theatre is made from concrete, mixed with local beach sand. In March 2019 the technical manager of the Minack Theatre, Simon Hutchings, came to us looking for a particular display.

Challenges

They needed a commercial grade outdoor monitor to display a feed of the musical director who is positioned to the far-left side of the stage as opposed to the more conventional front centre (where the screen would need to be mounted). The Minack Theatre had previously been using a domestic screen with waterproof housing providing a live feed for those on stage; but this was not bright enough on sunny days. With a modest budget they were looking for a purpose-built all-in-one solution. One of their main requirements was that the screen needed a low latency, due to what it was being used for. They needed the screen to show the musical director in real time and work with their current equipment. It was also very important that the screen was able to be seen in direct sunlight as the theatre performed both evening and matinee performances. This screen had to be suitable for an outdoor environment but also a seaside location with seawater and a nearby beach to take into consideration.

Solution

We provided the Minack Theatre with one 32” Outdoor Advertising Display. The screen has an ultra-high brightness panel with 2,500cd/m² meaning the display is readable in direct sunlight and even has an ambient light sensor so the brightness will automatically dim in darker conditions. The Outdoor Advertising Display has an attractive tablet styled mild steel enclosure. This enclosure is also IP rated meaning the display is protected from harmful wet weather conditions, ensuring the screen is suitable for the seaside location. With regards to the low latency requirement; the screens have a commercial grade LCD panel with an ultra-fast 5ms response time. A tilting landscape was also provided with the display for a complete solution. The screen was sold on a ‘sale or return’ basis so that the theatre could carry out their own tests with their equipment and test the brightness of the display in situ. If they were not completely happy with the results of the display they could return it for a full refund.

Result

The Outdoor Advertising Display was delivered to the theatre in May 2019 where they soon got to work testing the brightness and latency; the screen exceeded all expectations. They also tested the brightness of the display during “a matinee with scorching blue skies and the screen was brilliant”, according to Simon Hutchings. He also added that “the management are very pleased with the end result”. As the theatre heads into its summer 2019 performances it now has a commercial grade outdoor solution that delivers excellence.

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