"A sad, sad day for New York" was how Late Show producer Rob Burnett described the removal of Sony's original Times Square Jumbotron in 1996.
2010 was the date set for the return of the massive sign, known as a spectacular. Now it would be state of the art, interactive and high resolution. A lively and spirited partnership between Sony, News Corporation, ESI, Daktronics and Winston & Co.
Elegance and restraint were the order of the day as Sony wanted to showcase the highest resolution display in Times Square. It had to be crisp, clean and easily read from the opposite end of the plaza, four blocks away at 47th St.
A static logo was preferred because it is never in transition nor distorted. LEDs illuminate the Sony logo and outline the screen, visually separating it from the deep cabinet full of equipment. The sign's relative proximity to street level encouraged interactive crowd participation, enabled by cameras and sensors installed around and behind the sign's framework.
