The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has awarded Mitsubishi Electric’s Diamond Vision outdoor display system its IEEE Milestone accolade.
Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium installed the first Diamond Vision system in 1980 as the first outdoor large-scale colour video display. Since then more than 2,000 Diamond Vision displays have been installed around the world and the IEEE said it wanted to recognise the pivotal role Mitsubishi Electric played in the development of outdoor large screen technology.
Before 1980, conventional electric scoreboards at stadiums used incandescent lamps to display only alphanumeric information. Mitsubishi’s development met demand for screens that could show live TV images at distances up to 100 meters. The company developed a three-color (red, blue and green) compact cathode ray tube (CRT) capable of displaying full-colour video even in sunlight. It also released software that could be used to control images, music and other content, specifically to improve in-game entertainment at stadiums.
Masaki Sakuyama, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Electric, said: "We are deeply honoured to receive the IEEE Milestone for Diamond Vision.
"This is the first time our company has received this honour exclusively and it also represents the first IEEE Milestone to be received by a company in the Kyushu region of Japan. We are proud that Diamond Vision has continued to deliver highly impressive video images to spectators around the world for more than 35 years. We will continue to challenge ourselves to develop other useful technologies that truly enrich people's lives."
Diamond Vision has continued to evolve with the development of flat matrix CRTs and the subsequent replacement of CRTs with LEDs. High definition LED Diamond Vision displays are currently installed in sports arenas and locations including Times Square in New York and the SOGO building in Hong Kong.
Teruaki Tanaka, senior general manager, Nagasaki Works, Mitsubishi Electric, said: "The first Diamond Vision was born right here in Nagasaki more than 35 years ago.
"Since then, Diamond Vision has become synonymous with outdoor large-scale colour display systems around the world. Becoming part of history with this award is a tribute to the contributions of everyone involved with Diamond Vision here in Nagasaki. We look forward to evolving Diamond Vision even further in the future."