Next Level Audio & Video Solutions installs a video wall using technology from Just Add Power.
FOR SERIOUS SPORTS FANS, the video display wall is becoming an increasingly popular means of delivering the ultimate game-day experience. Not only are they significantly less expensive than massive 100-inch-plus TVs, but they also have the added benefit of allowing multiple games to be viewed at once. Add to this the fact that homeowners have been investing more in their at-home experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s hardly surprising that video walls have been popping up in living rooms and basements across the United States and beyond.
But what if you happen to live in a city known for its warmth and sunshine, not to mention its views of the Gulf of Mexico? Should game day mean locking yourself away indoors? Not for one sports fan in Destin, Florida. Wanting the best of both worlds, he turned to technology design and systems integration firm Next Level Audio & Video Solutions to install a video wall in his poolside cabana.
The Challenge
Next Level Audio & Video Solutions equipped the cabana with four 55-inch LG OLED displays in a 2×2 arrangement, with video sources including four DirecTV satellite receivers. To deliver the ultimate viewing experience, the company knew the homeowner would need the ability to easily send any source to any display and change the video wall configuration from four independent images to one large image across all four screens. To achieve this, a cost-effective video distribution system with integrated video wall capabilities was required, in addition to an intuitive control and automation solution. Next Level Audio & Video Solutions chose Just Add Power’s 3G Ultra HD Over IP platform, with control provided by a URC Total Control system.
“For video distribution in this project, we needed an exceptionally reliable solution,” said Jesse Gavin, of Next Level Audio & Video Solutions. “We had never used Just Add Power before, but the company has a reputation for rock-solid performance, and we’d heard nothing but good things about their products from around the industry. So we thought it was time to give them a try.”
The Solution
Each of the cabana’s displays is equipped with a VBS-HDIP-508POE 3G receiver, while each source is outfitted with a VBS-HDIP-707POE 3G transmitter. In addition to support for 4K Ultra HD resolutions, HDMI 2.0 devices with HDCP 2.2, and uncompressed lossless multichannel audio formats — including Dolby Atmos — the platform offers built-in video wall functionality for displays installed in portrait and flipped configurations, as well as image push, pull and pop features. An integrated scaler on the receiver automatically adjusts the picture to fit the screen.
Designed with an innovative modular approach to video distribution, the Just Add Power platform also allows the homeowner to cost-effectively add displays, sources and even emerging formats in the future with ease. Any additional screens or sources would only need another small receiver or transmitter, respectively, added into the system.
The homeowner has complete control over his viewing experience via a 10-inch URC touchscreen. The “Game Time” icon powers on all displays and DirecTV receivers and tunes each display to a separate sports channel. Tapping the icon for any display allows the homeowner to change its channel, select it for audio playout, and control the volume. To display its contents across all four displays in one large image, while selecting it as the audio source, he simply taps “One Screen.”
The Results
“Just Add Power lived up to its reputation; it has performed phenomenally in this installation,” added Gavin. “It hasn’t experienced any failures and was also very easy to install, involving only a slight learning curve. Our client absolutely loves his video wall and that he doesn’t have to miss out on the Florida sunshine to enjoy his sports. And he isn’t the only one who’s been impressed; the neighbor next door is considering doing something similar in their yard. Should we get the call, we’ll definitely be going with Just Add Power again.”
