WATCHOUT drives world’s highest resolution video wall at The Dubai Mall

You can't miss the latest attraction at The Dubai Mall: the new curved video wall above the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo measures a stunning 700 square meters with 1.7 billion pixels on 820 OLED displays. Behind the scenes, you'll find Dataton's award-winning WATCHOUT multi-display production and playback system, WATCHNET manager software and WATCHPAX 4 servers delivering breath-taking, high-resolution content for the mall's estimated 80 million visitors.

The new video wall at The Dubai Mall, unveiled by Emaar Entertainment in August 2017, takes digital signage into a whole new realm and has already scored a hat-trick of record titles, in partnership with LG: largest OLED screen, highest resolution video wall and largest high-definition video wall. The wall is a magnificent, 50-meter wide, wave-like configuration spanning two storeys and fully visible from the ground floor at The Dubai Mall, the world’s most visited retail destination. Dataton’s WATCHOUT multi-display system and compact WATCHPAX 4 media servers handle content production and delivery, while LG’s flexible OLED screens provide the vibrant colour range and wider viewing angle necessary at the location. Show control onsite, including show selection and power cycling, is via Dataton WATCHNET manager software. All functions and the user interface were tailored to meet the venue's specific requirements.

“The wall is designed to promote the aquarium, but will also provide a visually exciting canvas for other content and companies, and with such a high-profile installation there are, of course, great demands on content quality and reliability,” said Trond Solvold, Sales Director at Dataton. “WATCHOUT with WATCHPAX 4 was likely the only system in the world that could pull off such a complex installation. The system needed to be flexible and scalable, and requests for future functionality left other systems far behind, making our solution the best choice for the installation."

At Dubai's latest attraction, WATCHOUT is teamed with 52 of Dataton’s WATCHPAX 4 media servers, each pushing content to sixteen 55-inch LG OLED panels. Trond Solvold, Dataton, continued: “Besides high performance, the media servers needed to be robust to handle almost 24/7 use and have a compact form factor. Space is incredibly tight behind the video wall – virtually non-existent – and extensive cabling to a server room was never an option. That meant each server had to sit close to the screens. With quad 4K video outputs and a trim A4-size footprint, the WATCHPAX units were eminently suited to the task.”

The Dubai Mall video wall is part of owner Emaar Entertainment’s ongoing strategy to provide world-class edutainment using innovative platforms. Dubai-based systems integrator, DigiComm, supplied the technical specification, solution and installation expertise for the project, coordinating with key suppliers Dataton, LG, and the client, Emaar Entertainment.

Maitha Al Dossari, Chief Executive Officer of Emaar Entertainment, said: “Emaar Entertainment continues to push the boundaries and achieve greater heights through innovative installations and attractions. We’re committed to delivering the best in the industry and are honoured that the new OLED screen at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo has received three world record achievements, underpinning our commitment to pioneering innovative attractions, continued advancements in technology and digital attractions, and inspiring joy.”

“LG has always pushed boundaries with innovative display technologies, especially with its pioneering OLED technology. In the heart of The Dubai Mall, we are proud to showcase to the world a global example of how LG digital signage products provide innovative solutions that B2B customers of today demand, creating a visitor experience unlike anything anyone has ever witnessed,” said Mr. Kevin Cha, President of LG Electronics, Middle East and Africa.

About Emaar Entertainment
Emaar Entertainment is a leading operator of exceptional experiences that bring delight, enrich lives and surpass customer expectations. Defined by pioneering attractions that are unique, and transcend just entertainment or leisure, Emaar Entertainment focuses on delivering top quality entertainment, led by un-matched industry expertise. Emaar Entertainment today manages a world-class portfolio of attractions that delight millions of customers. Driving the entertainment and leisure operations at all mall developments under Emaar Malls, Emaar Entertainment is credited with developing and managing some of Dubai’s most-visited leisure attractions, including The Dubai Mall and Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. For more information, please visit www.emaar.com

About DigiComm
Digital Communication LLC (DigiComm) is a Dubai-based leading technology powerhouse for customised digital media solutions. The company implements and manages Digital Media projects and tailored digital experiences across the Middle East & Africa. For more information, please visit www.digicomm.ae