Cowboys Stadium Suite Features Sweet Installation

To watch the game on TV or get tickets and go to the stadium: that is the question for dedicated football fans.

TV coverage is so good — the camera angles, not necessarily the announcing — that many fans prefer the comfort of their home to the first-hand experience.

Two Dallas Cowboy fan gets the best of both worlds with their uber-high-tech private suite in the new Cowboys Stadium.

In fact, with nine TVs and Crestron automation that allows them to zoom onto the field for custom-close-ups and control a waterfall and fireplace, this renovated suite is actually better than the best of both worlds, according to Steve Elliston of Dallas-based Elliston Systems & Design.

The owners of the Hall of Fame level suite — actually a 20-year license to occupy the suite — decided to make it their own. They hired a general contractor to gut and renovate the already impressive space.

Electronics Audible

The general contractor put Elliston in touch with the suite owners, who also own Traxxas, a remote control car company. While talking to the owners about electronics possibilities, Elliston noted that they are very “techy” and have an open mind.

That combination resulted in a very ambitious installation.

Camera Feature — Installed in a smoked glass ball, “sort of like a casino camera,” near the partition between the inside of the suite and its outdoor seating is a 30x zoom controllable camera, explains Elliston.

The owners can pan, tilt and zoom the camera using his Crestron control system. “It’s like binoculars. They can zoom in on the field and view it on any of the nine TVs,” he says.

That, of course, allows the owners to go beyond the network TV coverage and create their own close-ups — handy for checking out ball placement or zooming in on fans.

Security — The 30x zoom camera isn’t just for watching the field. The owners can check up on their suite online. If, for instance, they can’t attend a game and allow others to use the suite, they can make sure the suite is being treated right.

9 TVs — Most suites in the new Cowboys Stadium feature three flat-panel TVs. Not bad, but Elliston’s clients opted to multiply that by three.

The suite features five Samsung LED TVs and four Samsung LCD TVs. There is one in each of the two bathrooms, plus two are largely dedicated to two wireless computer stations — a fantasy football player’s dream.

Full video switching via Crestron Digital Media allows online content to be viewed on any of the TVs, Elliston says. He adds that the following content sources up to 1080p can be viewed on any TV at any time:

• Network content
• Three stadium feeds
• Computers
• Camera
• DVD via the computers
• USB device with owners’ personal photos and content

Audio — The owners chose Sonance Visual Performance Series speakers. “They like the thin trim,” Elliston explains.

They can listen to the network coverage of games, their iPod or the stadium feed. Tying in the stadium feed was interesting, Elliston adds. “We had to convert it from the speaker to line level.”

Crestron Automation — Crestron Digital Media and automation is the glue that holds together the suite’s electronics. Elliston works with PanTech Design — which did some ambitious programming elsewhere in Cowboys Stadium — to program its Crestron controllers.

One great feature, Elliston points out, is that PanTech programmed it so the owners can easily set “scenes” with this Crestron controller. For instance, once they have the lights, audio, video, camera and video switching set up the way they like it, they can hold down a button to set and name it as a “Pre-Game” or “Halftime” or “Red Zone.”

Then, pressing the button for that scene immediately switches everything into that mode.

The system includes:

• Crestron DM 8x8
• Crestron iPod in-wall docking station
• Crestron TPMC-8X with in-wall docking station
• Crestron TPS-6L in wall

Automated Fireplace — The PanTech guys helped program the Crestron automation for easy control of the fireplace. “It’s controlled with IR and it has a flame adjustment on the touchpanel,” Elliston explains.

Waterfall — Believe it or not, Elliston says automating the suite’s waterfall wasn’t tough. “We use a Crestron lighting switch to control the pump. It was very easy.”

Interior Design — One look at the suite (click for photos) and it’s obvious that the owners enlisted an interior designer. As such, Elliston worked with the designer to establish placement of the electronics, especially the TVs.

“It was a smooth process,” he says.

Week-Long Preparation

The process, in general, wasn’t easy. Elliston, who was brought in late in the game, had a tight schedule to get the suite finished in time for the Cowboys’ home opener against the New York Giants.

The general contractor’s work, which included new floors, ceiling and walls, wasn’t complete until about a week prior to the deadline. That left Elliston’s team with seven days to install and button up the system.

“We did get in there beforehand and pre-wire,” says Brit Smart of Elliston Systems & Design. “We also pre-built the rack at the warehouse and tested it. We try to do that with all our projects to avoid delay.”

The owners of the suite couldn’t be happier, Elliston says, who also has reason to be happy. While attending the Cowboys’ game against the Washington Redskins, Elliston got a text from his client. “He told me to come by with my friends and be proud of it.”

As a guest, as opposed to an installer, “the experience was incredible,” he says. “I don’t even know how to describe it.”

Click for photos of the suite.