Gigantic LED display board goes live at Walgreens in Times Square

Remember that LED display board that was scheduled to be lit up at Walgreens in Times Square? You know, that 17,000-square foot one touting 12 million LEDs? Sure you do. The board, which was designed by D3 LED, was finally activated in the heart of New York City, and its creators are asserting that it's one of the most complex in existence. If you're wondering if this is worth a trip up (along with having a peek at the giant tree in Rockefeller Center), you might want to hit the read link first, but you should probably understand that almost nothing in NYC can hold a candle in terms of magnitude to downtown Dubai.

[loocas @ Nov 21st 2008 6:52AM]

The top of the highest-end playing flash ad banners in a loop.

Amazing...

[OneLove @ Nov 21st 2008 12:13PM]

Next week they will be firing employees to pay for this.

[SITEiNK @ Nov 21st 2008 4:46PM]

you know they will.
can i hook up my PS3 to this?

[loocas @ Nov 21st 2008 6:35PM]

@ SITEiNK

No.

[James @ Nov 21st 2008 7:11AM]

Engadget, you seemed to miss out the most interesting part of the article:

'To create the imagery, 150GB of information is transmitted every 30 seconds from 32 custom-built computers. Because so much information has to be transmitted so quickly, all of the imagery is sent in an uncompressed format; if it were compressed to save space, too much computing power would be need to uncompress the information.'

[Racky @ Nov 21st 2008 8:46AM]

(fetches calculator)

150GB over 30 seconds = 5GB per sec
150 x 150 pixels * 4 bytes per pixel * 60 frames per second = about 5GB

I think my ZX Spectrum could run that...

[gabe @ Nov 21st 2008 7:13AM]

dubai is complete hype -

dubai has nothing over the arts, entertainment, and culture of NYC - so stfu

btw dubai is greatly divided among the haves and have nots - it has pretty serious social issues that it would love to continue to throw under the rug. but sure - gohead and have your $20 mill firework display

[loocas @ Nov 21st 2008 7:53AM]

Obviously, you've never been there...

[iEye @ Nov 21st 2008 8:04AM]

For what it is worth I will back you up...

NEW YORK USA!...
truth, justice and the American way...

I'd rather take a walk at 3 am in the morning in NY than go to dubai...

I

[Hardcore @ Nov 21st 2008 8:30AM]

Yes, America is all peaches and cream and we're the best. Way to be arrogant, how's your Pres Bush doing? American Fuck Yeah! Coming to Save the Motherfuckin' Day!

[Deeznuts420 @ Nov 21st 2008 8:38AM]

yes because in NY, everyone whose in different tax brackets live together!

/sarcasm

(btw im a ny'er)

[iEye @ Nov 21st 2008 8:48AM]

@ D nuts..

Yes buy in NY, you are FREE to leave, and they do not take your passports until you finish your slave work...

[Stan McDonald @ Nov 21st 2008 9:35AM]

Any place where I can't make out with my GF without fear of jail time is a not a place I want to be.

[Valicore @ Nov 21st 2008 12:21PM]

Almost every major city is "divided" between the "haves" and "have-nots." Dubai is an impressive city, but New York City has it's own feeling that you wont get anywhere else, just like Paris and Shanghai each have unique characteristics that give them a different feeling. I still feel like a little kid every time I go to NYC, the energy is utterly awesome and unique.

To Stan:

The people were not just making out, they were having sex on a public beach. Big difference.

[phanbouy fan fan @ Nov 21st 2008 12:38PM]

Hey, Halliburton moved to Dubai, how bad can it be?

[GregH @ Nov 21st 2008 1:02PM]

Why is everyone so defensive? Dubai has a bigger LCD screen, it's really not a big deal.

It's not a personal attack on you or the USA - so just chill out a little bit.

[GregH @ Nov 21st 2008 1:03PM]

@GregH - LED, not LCD :-P

[1234321 @ Nov 21st 2008 4:29PM]

Dubai could be to the 21st Century's what New York was in the 20th Century

[iEye @ Nov 21st 2008 7:03PM]

@ 1234321

USA #1 bitch

[zoom @ Nov 21st 2008 7:27AM]

um dude, and think we're talking about LEDs, and I don't know about you but I think looking at a 33 story high display would be a little more entertainment than looking at a corner of Walgreens.

[LondonConsultant @ Nov 21st 2008 8:09AM]

This is the new sign!
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/walgreens-blazing-return-to-times-square/

[Ryback @ Nov 21st 2008 7:31AM]

I

[Ryback @ Nov 21st 2008 7:33AM]

Engadget doesn't like the "smaller than 3" heart symbol or anything that comes after it :(

[iEye @ Nov 21st 2008 12:08PM]

Yea, I tried that also... I ranked you up + anyway

thanks, because now your 3" looks like someone making a poopie... this will come in handy for my future comments...

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 21st 2008 1:28PM]

Also, if you type r-e-t-a-r-d your comment will not post, and you will get the "Congratulations! An E-mail has been sent...", and upon inspecting your inbox, you will realize that no e-mail was ever sent.

A little over the top, considering you can get away with things like, fuck, shit and piss.

[PyRo1509 @ Nov 21st 2008 7:32AM]

This explains how come the price of LED light keychains has jumped 400%
The market has no supply!!
$1 for an LED keychain flashlight is outrageous

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 21st 2008 2:42PM]

how come = why


Please, no more of that.

[PJ @ Nov 21st 2008 10:22PM]

They are $0.79 at said Walgreens!

[LondonConsultant @ Nov 21st 2008 7:34AM]

"the average power used is 250KW"
So, this is why the US declined ratification of the Kyoto Protocol...

[PyRo1509 @ Nov 21st 2008 7:45AM]

Damn LED lobby

[bob sakamano @ Nov 21st 2008 8:14AM]

this is cool.... for me to poop on

[sorny @ Nov 21st 2008 1:51PM]

they didnt even bother stopping, they just drove thru (or crawled thru with the traffic.)

[Mongoos150 @ Nov 21st 2008 8:24AM]

Engadget put up probably the worst photo of this screen they could find. The display is *much* larger than what the picture shows.

[Unique Gift Ideas @ Nov 21st 2008 11:55AM]

Something told me that there was no way that the Zyrtec advertisement pictured, was even near being 17,000-sq feet of space.

On a different note though, I was always told that LED displays did not work well in places of high altitude. Does anyone know to what affect this problem is going to have on an LED display that is 33 stories in the air?

[Volvagia356 @ Nov 21st 2008 8:41AM]

Arrgh, confusing picture for the article.
I though that the sign with "Great Ballestros Released From Intensive" on it is the gigantic led board....
I had to do some other research before knowing that the "Zyrtec" sign was the led board.

[thedesolate1 @ Nov 21st 2008 8:46AM]

I guess the economy isn't in the crapper after all...

[Mark @ Nov 21st 2008 10:03AM]

It actually was pretty cool. I was up there this past weekend and I did notice it without knowing that it was brand new and revolutionary(i guess).. But if you consider how many things you can look at in Time Square and this actually caught my eye, I guess it is pretty impressive.

[Oshi @ Nov 21st 2008 11:29AM]

Hm. I'll be in NYC tomorrow, actually. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for it if we wander toward Times Square. (Hahaha not likely. Eff that area.)

[Rick @ Nov 21st 2008 12:23PM]

Isn't the Freemont Street Experience display in downtown Lost Wages still the biggest? It is 1500 feet long.

[Rick @ Nov 21st 2008 12:24PM]

I'll be in Manhattan tomorrow (11/22) also. I'll check out the sign.

[phanbouy fan fan @ Nov 21st 2008 12:52PM]

yes keep us posted on your itinerary

[Unknown @ Nov 21st 2008 6:14PM]

that aint 17K sqft

[God @ Nov 21st 2008 10:51PM]

Yeah 17,000 sq ft would be 150 ft by 115 ft or so. So if that is 17,000 sq ft then those are really big cars.

[Eddy08 @ Nov 22nd 2008 6:22PM]

Hey Hardcore suck on 3000 Watt Cable douchebag.

Yes you do get ticketed in dubai for making out in public and yes Yyu get jail time for having sex in public. Also the Bronx has a Giant LED display it was turn on a couple of months ago. The VIM store(is a sneakers and jean store) in Fordham road.

[Rick @ Nov 22nd 2008 7:48PM]

Saw it today. More light pollution in Times Square. But then with all the other eyesores there who cares any more.