Northern Ireland’s National Football Stadium at Windsor Park has been fitted with an Absen XD10 LED display by integrators Ashleigh Signs to upgrade the fan experience.
In the past, the Irish Football Association (IFA) had hired in a large screen for international games, but it became clear over time that this was not a cost-effective long-term solution, nor in keeping with the expectations of today’s fans in an increasingly digitised world. The brief was to deliver a solution which would have the capability to offer replays of key action, live match feeds, stadium updates, commercial advertising opportunities and an overall better experience for visitors to the stadium.
IFA decided on Absen’s XD10 LED display screen having evaluated the key features and benefits offered by the product. “The XD10 from Absen offers a high definition image and high brightness, together with an intuitive content management and replay feature on the back end – which for us, was exactly the all-round high-end solution we were looking for,” commented Thomas Fulton, senior ICT manager at the Irish Football Association.
The display offers a 10mm pixel pitch, 6,000nits of brightness and 120° of horizontal viewing angle as well as real-time monitoring from PC, tablets and smartphones, giving the user complete control locally or remotely. With a panel thickness of 106mm and weighing only 21kg, the Absen XD10 is thin and light, saving on installation space where it is at a premium, and making delivery and installation convenient. Front and rear servicing make the IP65/54 waterproof module easily accessible for maintenance.
“The cabinet depth and weight were key considerations in finding the right display solution for the stadium,” said Tom Sadler, digital signage division at Ashleigh Signs, who oversaw the project on site. “With good saturation in the marketplace and a strong price point given the quality on offer, the XD10 clearly stood out as the product of choice from every angle. What’s more, working with Absen throughout the project was a pleasure. From sales right through to service, every team was skilled, knowledgeable and prompt in getting the necessary information to us and offering support with the product.”
The 43sqm Absen XD10 screen was deployed in an 8.96m wide by 4.8m high configuration. Reinstatement of the cladding around the screen allowed it to tie in seamlessly with the stadium’s overall aesthetics. The content is delivered to the screen by Goalsport Mini – an intuitive and user-friendly system by Czech firm Daite.
“We are 100% satisfied with the XD10 and it really has exceeded our expectations,” added Fulton. “Being able to control the screen device, locally or remotely, is a great feature and allows us to add and control content at short notice if and when required. Not only that, but it fits beautifully into our stadium environment – we’ve had fantastic feedback from visitors and it is now used not only for the football, but for other events we have taking place throughout the year. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending it to anyone looking for a similar solution.”
