The Leyard Europe LED display at STVR has made it possible to fully modernise the flagship sports studio of the Slovak public broadcaster in Bratislava for its 2026 Winter Olympics coverage. Built for broadcast production and live sports, the installation replaces the studio’s existing display technology with an LED solution designed to deliver on-camera image quality and operational reliability.
The Leyard Europe LED display in STVR’s sports studio
The studio was previously fitted with an ageing Leyard LED screen and a second, equally outdated display from another manufacturer. Faced with extensive Winter Olympics coverage, the broadcaster needed to equip the space with advanced LED technology capable of improving both visual performance and operational reliability.
The public tender process compressed the schedule considerably: once the contract was awarded, the new Planar DirectLight Slim series display had to be delivered, installed, tested and commissioned in just three weeks, without compromising the quality a live broadcast environment demands. The solution also had to offer excellent on-camera performance, built-in failover protection and a seamless curved surface.
Leyard Europe in STVR’s sports studio: the technical solution
To meet those requirements, STVR opted for the DirectLight Slim series with a 1.2 mm pixel pitch in a 21 × 3 configuration, resulting in a seamless LED display measuring 6,350 × 2,041 mm.
Because the DirectLight Slim series is manufactured at Leyard Europe’s plant in Slovakia, the project benefited from exceptionally short lead times at a moment when every day counted. The solution integrates power and signal redundancy to maximise reliability during live broadcasts, and is engineered for continuous 24/7 operation in business-critical applications.
The compact module dimensions (302.4 × 680.4 mm) and the slim architecture allowed the team to achieve a smooth curvature that would have been far harder to obtain with larger module formats — a design that gives STVR greater creative flexibility and an attractive visual backdrop for its sports programming.
Collaboration between STVR, City Light Slovakia and Leyard Europe
The project brought together three players with clearly defined roles: STVR as public broadcaster and end client, City Light Slovakia s.r.o. as local audiovisual integrator, and Leyard Europe as manufacturer of the LED solution. That combination of local proximity and manufacturer support proved decisive in meeting the project’s tight schedule.
The Planar technology behind the Leyard Europe LED display
The DirectLight Slim installation at STVR joins other professional display solutions and technologies from Planar and Leyard Europe covered recently on Instalia.EU. That commitment to high-performance LED is also reflected in other recent launches from the manufacturer, such as the Planar Cobra series of fine-pitch LED video walls, Planar’s own EverPixel and TruMicro technology in MicroLED in Package format, and the new Planar 21by9 series, with 5K LCD displays in a 21:9 panoramic format.
The Leyard Europe LED display at the Winter Olympics
Working closely together, STVR, City Light Slovakia and Leyard Europe completed every phase of the project — manufacturing, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning — within the three-week window, leaving the studio operational ahead of the opening ceremony on 6 February 2026.
The front-serviceable design of the DirectLight Slim series simplified commissioning and will ease long-term maintenance, while making the most of the space available in the studio.
“This project has shown what can be achieved through close collaboration. When you are preparing for an event such as the Winter Olympics, there is no room for compromise. We planned every phase of the installation in detail, which allowed us to deliver a high-quality, high-performance solution that was ready for live broadcast even before the Winter Olympics began — and all within an extremely demanding timeframe.” Marek Plančár, CEO, City Light Slovakia s.r.o.
Leyard Europe at the Winter Olympics: outcome and legacy
The installation has turned STVR’s sports studio into a modern broadcast environment that provided a high-impact visual setting throughout Winter Olympics coverage. It remains the broadcaster’s most important sports studio today, confirming the long-term value of the investment well beyond the Olympic window.
Built-in power and signal redundancy delivers the reliability a broadcast of this scale requires, while the curved design reinforces the studio’s visual impact. The display is also ready to support STVR’s daily sports broadcasts and future news programming.
Winter Olympics coverage with a Leyard Europe LED display
This collaborative project confirms how a Leyard Europe LED display for Winter Olympics coverage enabled STVR to meet an extremely tight schedule without sacrificing image quality or broadcast reliability.
“Broadcasters need technology that not only looks good on camera but is also reliable in demanding live environments. This project with STVR shows how local manufacturing, proven broadcast performance and close collaboration between Leyard Europe and City Light Slovakia s.r.o. can help customers deliver ambitious projects within exceptionally tight timeframes.” Jana Janošová, Territory Head Central Europe & Balkans, Leyard Europe
Project overview:
- Client: STVR (Slovenská televízia a rozhlas)
- Installation site: Bratislava, Slovakia
- Application: Broadcast
- AV integrator: City Light Slovakia s.r.o.
- Display solution: Curved LED display, DirectLight Slim series, 1.2 mm pixel pitch
Which Leyard Europe LED display was installed at STVR?
STVR installed a curved LED display based on Leyard Europe’s Planar DirectLight Slim series, with a 1.2 mm pixel pitch, a 21 × 3 configuration and overall dimensions of 6,350 × 2,041 mm.
What did STVR use the LED display for during the Winter Olympics?
The Leyard Europe LED display served as the main visual element of STVR’s sports studio during coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and it is still in use for sports productions and other live broadcasts.
What was City Light Slovakia’s role in the STVR project?
City Light Slovakia s.r.o. took part as audiovisual integrator and worked alongside STVR and Leyard Europe to complete manufacturing, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning within the available timeframe.
What does DirectLight Slim bring to broadcast applications?
DirectLight Slim provides a seamless curved LED surface, front servicing, image quality suited to television production, and power and signal redundancy to increase reliability during live broadcasts.
Leyard Europe with STVR: an LED display ready for broadcast production
The Leyard Europe LED display at STVR made it possible to renew the broadcaster’s sports studio for the 2026 Winter Olympics and leaves behind an infrastructure prepared for its future broadcast productions. The collaboration between STVR, City Light Slovakia and Leyard Europe, together with the local manufacturing of DirectLight Slim, made it possible to complete in three weeks an installation that continues to serve the broadcaster’s sports coverage and other live programming.
