612.759.1012
BAUM3@EARTHLINK.NET
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Building a New Jumbotron Screen

How We Built Our New Mobile Screen
Our led screen tv being built at Elite Custom Transport

Building the Jumbotron at Elite Custom Transport

After owning two 9×12 mobile screens and being involved in the Jumbotron screen market for six years, I got this crazy idea that Fire Up Video should build its very own one-of-a-kind mobile screen. And it all fell on my shoulders. This is the story of that journey.

Since we recently completed the screen and used it for the past month with great success, I feel I should write down my experience. It has been an incredible adventure with emotions of love, hate, anguish, frustration, and joy.

I started thinking we could do this about a year ago. Well, at least I started thinking we could maybe do it. I would say I was 90% sure.   It is that 10% that is the motivator for keeping you thinking, looking, researching, and planning. After all, the cost to do this is too large to fail.

building of the mobile led screen

We custom-built every part of the Jumbotron

I started with a budget of  $200K. I looked at all the pieces I needed and figured I could build it for this amount. I broke it down into these major categories:

  • Screen
  • Mast (the lift to raise it out of the trailer and into the air)
  • On board power (generator)
  • The inside of the trailer
  • The outside of the trailer
  • The video componets/control room design
  • The labor to build, wire, and design
My brother building the led mobile screen

My brother Doug working on the Jumbotron screen

I found the team I need to get all the above pieces done, and most importantly, it was a local team who I needed to design, engineer, and build all the above into one cohesive mobile Jumbotron trailer. At the heart of my team is my brother, Doug. He is an amazingly talented guy who is a licensed electrician, a metal fabricator, and knows his way around engines, hydraulics, and owns every tool ever invented. Most importantly, he can engineer a solution to most any problem.

I felt I needed a trailer shop to work with to build the outside of our mobile unit. That is one area that we could have tackled but in my head, it did not make sense to try to re-figure out everything that guys who do it for living already know. We chose a shop that allowed us to work side-by -side with them on the inside as they were completing the outside. In the process we made some new friends. The team at Elite Custom Transport was amazing and built us one of the nicest trailer I have ever seen.

Jim helped build our new jumbotron screen

The owner of Elite Custom Transport helped build our Jumbotron

led mobile video wall

The LED screen in use

The most important ingredient is the screen itself, and after much research and soul-searching, I decided to choose Theatrixx Xvision 10mm DIP tiles. They were certainly not the cheapest, but from people I trusted in the industry, I was hearing some great testimonials. I made the committiment and I could not be more pleased.

The screen tiles work and look amazing! The team at Theatrixx knows their stuff and worked with us to help configure a solution for our specific needs.

Our journey came together after about 3 months of hard work. We ended up about $30k over budget. It always takes longer and the cost of everything is  generally more than you plan for. I was at the shop helping with every nut and bolt most every day. Cody Baum was there about half time and did a great job. He found he really has a knack for insulation. And oh yes, did I mention I needed a third truck to pull this beast around the Midwest??

mobile led big screen tv

The finished Jumbotron trailer

In the end we could not be more pleased. If you ever think you want to build a Jumbotron, call me first. I know the second one would be much easier to build now that I have it figured out.

Fire Up Video is a mobile Jumbotron screen provider servicing the  Midwest and great cities like Bloomington, Chicago, Cedar Rapids, Sioux Falls, Madison, St. Paul, and much more.

Dave Baum
612.759.1012
baum3@earthlink.net

 

 

 

 

 

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