We've previously talked about some of the incredible technology behind the $2.3 billion Las Vegas Sphere, including the 18K camera sensor that powers it and the 4PB SSD storage it uses.
Now, Nvidia has revealed its involvement in the amazing spherical field, noting that Sphere's nearly 750,000 square feet of LED displays are powered by 150 Nvidia RTX A6000 GPUs.
These power the venue’s 16x16K indoor display, as well as the 1.2 million programmable LED pucks that cover the exterior to form the world’s largest LED display, known as the Exosphere.
Nvidia's critical involvement
Nvidia’s BlueField DPUs and ConnectX-6 Dx NICs use DOCA’s Firefly service and Rivermax software to seamlessly synchronize all display panels, reducing lag and eliminating judder. Content created at Sphere Studios in Burbank is streamed in real time to Las Vegas workstations equipped with Nvidia GPUs, delivering three-layer 16K resolution at 60 frames per second. At 16K, the display has the same number of pixels per inch as would be achieved by arranging four 4K-resolution displays in a two-row, two-column grid.
“The integration of Nvidia RTX GPUs, BlueField DPUs, and Rivermax software creates a potent combination of advantages for modern accelerated computing, supporting the unique high-resolution video streams and stringent timing requirements needed on Sphere and setting a new standard for media processing capabilities,” said Nir Nitzani, senior product manager for networking software at Nvidia. “This collaboration results in remarkable performance improvements, culminating in the extraordinary guest experiences on Sphere.”
Built over four years, the stadium has already hosted a concert by U2 and one by Darren Aronofsky. Postcard from Earthand The Eagles and Pink take full advantage of the venue’s immersive technologies to achieve multi-sensory cinematic experiences, including high-resolution images and surround sound, distributed through 167,000 individual speakers.
“Sphere is captivating audiences not only in Las Vegas, but on social media around the world with immersive LED content delivered at a scale and clarity never before seen,” said Alex Luthwaite, SVP of Entertainment Systems Technology for Sphere Entertainment. “This wouldn’t be possible without the expertise and innovation of companies like Nvidia, who are instrumental in helping drive our vision and working closely with our team to redefine what’s possible with cutting-edge display technology.”
