Pioneer Industrial DVD Players Let Museum Visitors Go One-on-One with Kentucky Basketball Legends

Interactive Exhibits at the University of Kentucky Basketball Museum Make Basketball Heroes Come to Life Using Pioneer DVD-Video Technology

When visitors arrive at the University of Kentucky Basketball Museum, they are transported into a world of basketball heroes where the rich 96-year history of the nationally renowned men's basketball program is preserved and celebrated. By installing 15 Pioneer industrial DVD-Video players, model DVD-V7200, the museum uses stunning visuals in interactive exhibits to tell the story of players, teams and coaches that are a part of Kentucky's basketball legacy - from the first All-American years to the fast-paced game we know today.

The University of Kentucky Basketball Museum, located on 10,000 square feet of the Lexington Civic Center, is just one of the many museums across the country that are taking exhibiting to all new extremes by incorporating new technologies, such as DVD-Video technology, into a new wave of interactive exhibits. Dedicated solely to Lexington's pride and joy - the legendary University of Kentucky men's basketball team - the museum has found a creative solution to appealing to visiting tourists, basketball enthusiasts and hardcore fans.

With seven national championships under the Wildcats' belt and an undisputed reputation as having one of the best basketball teams in the country, it's no wonder that the museum's executive director, Mike Durham, wanted to create an unforgettable interactive basketball experience that would leave visitors in awe. That goal was accomplished with the help of Pioneer's industrial DVD-Video players (model DVD-V7200), which show more than 100 video programs and three major features in each exhibit throughout the museum.

"We were attracted to DVD technology because we wanted to use technologies in our museum that would help us create exhibits where visitors would be transported into an entire basketball environment," Durham said. "By using the Pioneer DVD-Video players, we've created a unique museum experience that literally draws visitors into the excitement of the game."

The museum's focal point, The All-American Gallery exhibit, houses life-size cardboard cutouts of the college's legendary basketball stars and runs a seven-minute DVD-Video presentation called "The Dream Continues." Pioneer's industrial DVD-Video players and 15 surround sound screens help tell the emotional story of an all-American boy who dreams of being a basketball star. For some visitors, the experience is deeply moving and brings to mind memories of personal experiences. Viewers continue their basketball experience at another popular exhibit, The Center Court, where three Pioneer DVD-Video players are used in a surround screen environment to deliver visitors to the excitement of the center court just before the UK tip-off.

Other DVD-driven attractions at the museum include: From the Fan's Perspective, From the Coach's Perspective and From the Player's Perspective, where visitors view six 27-inch monitors at each exhibit and discover to what lengths fans will go to get autographs and tickets, re-live some of the most memorable games in history and learn about the style of play and personal philosophy taking place during each coaching era.

"We chose to use DVD technology because we knew that authoring would be easy and we'd have more room for content on each disc than if we used CD-ROM or Laser Disc," said Arthur Rouse, executive producer of audio/visual displays at Video Editing Services, a Lexington-based audio/visual company. "High picture quality and low system maintenance were major factors we considered when we chose Pioneer's DVD-Video players."

As with most museums, The University of Kentucky Basketball Museum will face the challenge of appealing to those who have already visited the museum's exhibits. With DVD-Video technology, the museum will be able to easily update the exhibits, keeping content current and paying tribute to the team's modern day basketball heroes.

"Superior video quality and reliable playback make our industrial DVD-Video players ideal for museums and other professional settings," said Linda Toleno, vice president of Pioneer's Industrial Video Division. "The DVD-V7200 industrial DVD-Video player is a rugged player that is specifically designed to meet the demands of the industrial market."

The Industrial Video Division of Pioneer New Media Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., is the leader and technical innovator in optical disc technology for industrial, computer and home entertainment. Pioneer New Media Technologies, Inc., is a subsidiary of Pioneer Electronic Corporation.

For more information on Pioneer's DVD-V7200 and other industrial products from Pioneer New Media Technologies, visit www.pioneerusa.com or call (310) 952-2111.