Winamax

Planar Video Wall Enables Betting Company to Better Visualize and Manage Sports Wagering in Real Time

Winamax is an online sports betting company. The Paris-based enterprise boasts more than a million registered users who bet on competitions in soccer, tennis, basketball and other sports, placing their wagers nearly round the clock every day of the year.

Winamax turned to Planar Systems for video wall technology to give its team of traders the means to better visualize games in progress at any time, and to be able to adjust the odds for any game in real time. With the Planar video wall, operators typically monitor and manage the games being played at up to 12 events simultaneously.

"The video wall creates a control room environment," says Stanislas Cassagne of Winamax. "It enables us to see many games that are being broadcast live on television as well as those that are only streamed. It's much easier to view this and other content in one place – the video wall – rather than having to switch back and forth between PCs as we had to do in the past."

Clarity Matrix's slim pro le, image processing are key features

With active involvement of CACV, the Paris-based audio- visual solutions provider and systems integration firm, Winamax selected Planar's ClarityTM Matrix LCD Video Wall System, implementing 12 Clarity Matrix LX46HDS displays in a four wide by three high (4 x 3) configuration. "Other video walls were considered but none offered the features, exibility and reliability that Planar's Clarity Matrix did," says Dominique Chaudoreille (CEO) of CACV.

Mr. Chaudoreille says that Clarity Matrix excels over other products in its slim design. "At less than four inches in total mounted depth – making it the slimmest video wall on the market – it readily accommodates Winamax's 'control room' space. Also, it has an ultra narrow 5.5 mm tiled bezel width, so the Winamax traders enjoy a very large picture that is virtually seamless."

Further, Clarity Matrix enables a wide range of sources to be displayed. Its built in Big Picture PlusTM video processing allows these sources to be scaled across the entire video wall or any section of it as the Winamax traders deem necessary and most useful.

Image quality directly benefits traders

Since Clarity Matrix is not installed in an environment with high ambient light, brightness was not seen as a top-priority feature. However, since the Winamax traders can often work in lengthy shifts, Clarity Matrix's image quality was not discounted. Clarity Matrix LX46HDS displays o er 500-nit nit brightness, 1920 x 1080 resolution, and extensive color-handling capability. "The traders appreciate it that pictures are readily visible and details are clear and readable,"Winamax's Cassagne says.

Mr. Chaudoreille adds that Clarity Matrix's use of the Planar® EasyAxisTM Mounting System contributes to the video wall's slim pro le but delivers other benefits as well. In particular, Planar EasyAxis allows all Clarity Matrix displays to be precisely aligned and evenly spaced as a result of its unique six-way adjustment system. Further, Planar EasyAxis provides a convenient service mode that enables any Clarity Matrix display to be tilted out and removed should service or replacement be necessary. "This means that any single-display issue can be dealt with without the entire video wall having to be powered o and dismantled. As a result the goal of 24x7 uptime is all but guaranteed and top-notch service to our customers is ensured,"Winamax's Cassagne says.

Clarity Matrix earned high marks for its distributed electronics design as well. With this design, a number of components, such as controllers and power supplies, can be located in a remote rack room, away from the video wall. Its benefits include the fact that heat-inducing elements are kept away from the video wall, which helps preserve the life of the wall and also gives traders a cooler working environment. "This speaks to Planar's dedication to product reliability and to its understanding of what end users actually face when working near a big video wall," says CACV's Chaudoreille.

Further, with key components designed to be located in a remote rack room – rather than behind the Clarity Matrix LCD displays – technicians can monitor their health more easily and replace them more easily and quickly if required. Also, the remote design facilitates easier software troubleshooting and the installation of new software for the video wall as it becomes necessary. "Were we or CACV required to perform any of these tasks at the video wall itself, it would be more complicated, time-consuming and disruptive for the traders," Winamax's Cassagne concludes.