Casinos are not known for their picture windows or views of the sky. You could walk around in a casino for hours without knowing what time it is, or see any indication of the great outdoors. That may soon change.

Fairfield, Iowa-based Sky Factory has introduced a high-definition multi-channel LCD screen, the SkyV, which is deployed on the ceiling or on walls and gives the illusion of windows opening onto the sky, creating a serene sensation in venues such as restaurants of dining al fresco, or in an entire hallway, boardroom, hotel lobby or casino.

Sky Factory previously introduced SkyCeilings, which were static. SkyV does more than just add motion. It takes images seen through the eyes of the company’s artists to present the ever-changing moods of nature and the forming and dissolving of cloud patterns. It is as if you were lying on a bed of grass looking skyward or looking at a window in the ceiling. Add trees and natural wildlife and you have a window on the sky.

These high-definition skylights were introduced in November at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas to an enthusiastic reception.

The 47-inch screens can be used to create the illusion of an indoor sky of natural beauty. They can be adapted to fit any ceiling size or configuration, such as an oval, square or cross. They can, for example, fill an entire hall ceiling with a single image of the sky with moving clouds or create a nighttime display a la Star Wars with a galaxy of blazing stars.

A wide variety of images is available, including almost every kind of sky and many landscapes and specialty subjects.

This product will be available in the first quarter of 2009. For more information about SkyV, e-mail the company at SkyV@TheSkyFactory.com.

By Caitlin McGarry

Caitlin McGarry is assistant editor of Global Gaming Business magazine and assistant editor of Casino Connection Nevada.