JVC brings Times Square into the HD world

TIMES SQUARE HAS gone all high def on us. JVC has just upgraded its globe and screen on the corner of Broadway and 43rd, bringing Times Square into the modern age.

The new billboard has a 720p resolution, 1280x720 if you're a luddite, along with two scrolling tickers. They are 100x1344 on the globe, and 100x2104 on the one below the screen, and it is synchronized with the HD display. For those who care, the globe was also repainted with fluorescent colours in case the billboards aren't bright enough for you.

Ginza-lite

For the pedantic, it is made up of 15x15 inch video modules on the screen, and ends up with a 16:9 aspect ratio, 34 by 19 foot (~25.4 foot diagonal) display. It will do a full 60 FPS, and has an 8mm pixel pitch. There is a video of it being assembled here.

If you have a room big enough to house it, you likely also have enough money to install one. Do skip the globe though, it is a bit tacky and clashes with modern decor. We didn't bother to ask for a review sample, we couldn't fit it in our lab, much less the full Times Square experience to go with it.

If we ever move to a bigger lab, it is third on our list to get, right after the full size inflatable remote control T-Rex and a really big laser cannon. µ