Kentucky racecourse unveils world's largest 4K video screen

The world's largest Ultra HD 4K video screen measuring 171ft x 90ft has been unveiled at Churchill Downs – the Kentucky racecourse that holds the prestigious Kentucky Derby.

Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company are responsible for building the huge LED screen called 'Big Board", which boasts an active display area of 15,224sq ft.

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The screen has been located midway along the back straight and outside the dirt course so that the jockeys and horses aren't distracted by the huge, ultra high-definition pictures.

Construction work started in December and was completed last month, with the screen weighing in at 1.2 million pounds (544,000kg) and able to withstand 90mph winds.

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Meanwhile, operators of the Ultra HD 4K screen will have in excess of nine million lines of resolution to play with – be it for showing replays, split-screen views or recorded programming.

Jim Doyle, President of Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company, said: “The Big Board delivers content unparalleled in its clarity and resolution."

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The 4K screen is part of a multi-million dollar investment in Churchill Downs designed to establish it asm one of the "premiere ‘must see’ sports and entertainment destinations in the world".

For Panasonic, the unveiling comes weeks after its Big Hoss TV at Texas Motor Speedway was declared the largest high-definition LED screen in the world by Guinness World Records.

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by Pete Hayman

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Pete was content editor on What Hi-Fi?, overseeing production and publication of digital content. In creating and curating feature articles for web and print consumption, he provided digital and editorial expertise and support to help reposition What Hi-Fi? as a ‘digital-first’ title; reflecting the contemporary media trends. He is now a senior content strategist.