Visual systems sparkle in Sheffield

The University, which is home to over 26,000 students and 5,000 members of staff, opened The Diamond building in September 2015. It houses specialist engineering teaching facilities, a range of lecture theatres, seminar rooms, open-plan learning spaces, library services and social spaces.

The University wanted to include a suite of Audio Visual technologies which would ensure that the Diamond was a world class facility both technically and architecturally.

In total, the University chose 77 Panasonic projectors, 87 digital displays and a range of Panasonic broadcast cameras to ensure that the student learning experience was second to none.

Diamond Displays

The versatility of Panasonic digital displays means that they are suitable for a variety of purposes. In The Diamond building the displays operate as digital menus in the café, information points and general signage throughout the building, and an impressive video wall in the reception area.

Ian Knowles, Teaching and Learning Infrastructure Manager at the University of Sheffield, said, "The image quality is great, our building is open 24/7, so we needed video wall displays in the reception area that could operate continuously around the clock."

Kit list

73 x PT-RZ370

22 x TH-42LFE7

49 x TH-50LFE7

16 x TH-47LFV5

1 x DZ13K

2 x RZ670

1 x DZ870

The volume of students and teaching staff within The Diamond building means that there is a constant stream of people passing through, because of this it is important that the displays are of a brightness and resolution that is able to attract the attention of those passing by.

The displays are used to relay messages regarding every day University life to both students and staff, the quality of the Panasonic display technology helps ensure that important information is not missed.

Gareth Day, UK Group Manager for Visual Systems at Panasonic, explains, "The display series produces extremely detailed, true-to-life images. The resolution, durability and ease of installation make the displays a perfect solution for The University of Sheffield. They definitely make a visual impact."

Investing in sustainability

Sustainability and long term value were two important factors when the University was considering an investment in 77 projectors. Panasonic Laser/LED projectors achieve this through a 20,000 hour light-source with no maintenance. With such a large number of projectors, features such as this are crucial to every day practicality.

"We chose the laser projectors from Panasonic because of the long term return on investment. It means that we don't need to worry about replacing the lamps. There is a higher initial cost, but this type of projector requires little or no maintenance and keeps the building running for longer." added Ian Knowles.

Many of the lecture theatres and classrooms have a number of projectors facing in different directions, ensuring that content can be seen from all areas of the room. This increases the need for minimal noise as there can be up to six projectors operating simultaneously in a single room.

Dual and triple projection are also common around the building. Unlike conventional single projection, these forms of projection enable students and staff to annotate as well as project an image.

There is also the opportunity within 3D enabled labs, with the help from 3D glasses, to use 3D projection to project an object for everyone to see.

"We are really pleased with the projectors."

Stephen Beck, Head of Multidisciplinary Education at the University of Sheffield, said, "We are really pleased with the projectors. We believe that at The Diamond we have created an environment where students can be inspired, and the Audio Visual technology is crucial in supporting this."

Continued commitment

Another way in which the University aims to inspire the students, and bring digital content in to the lecture room, is through the availability of Panasonic broadcast cameras, which are made available for students to loan for both personal and professional use.