The Challenges
With the amount of options for pubs, sports bars, theme pubs and franchise restaurants vying for customer attention, competition in the hospitality market is tough.
For venue owner or operator then, it has importantly become a question of differentiation in the quality of customer experience offered. Concept. Interior. And of course, kick-ass audio visuals.
Whether the perfect place to watch the game, to meet for a few drinks after work, enjoy a noisy Saturday night out or a quiet Sunday afternoon, adding high quality large/multiscreen AV distribution and control creates the uniquely memorable hospitality experience for customers they just can’t get at home or at another venue.
It places a venue at the top of their list of places to go; somewhere geared for entertainment and primetime events instead of just food and drink. It keeps them there longer and keeps them spending more, which is the ultimate goal for any venue.
The Solutions
AV signal distribution and control technologies have advanced to the point where a number of options can now be fully customized to suit the application rather than trying to adapt an existing one-size-fits-all solution to the project.
WyreStorm places a great emphasis on using the right technology for the right application so, although specific functionality comes into it, essentially the choice of technology platform is determined by size of venue, the number of sources and screens, whether 2K or 4K, and how the client wants to control the system.
HDMI is ideal for small applications up to 8×8 where transmission distance isn’t a factor, while HDBaseT is the preferred option when stepping up in venue size, which typically mean an increase the number of display devices to 16×16 and transmission distances of up to 70m/230ft (4K) or 100m/328ft (1080p). WyreStorm’s HDMI and HDBaseT solutions both support 4K UHD and HDR with RS-232 for integration with major third party control systems, including WyreStorm’s own award-winning Enado control solution.
AV Over IP Taking the Experience Further
However, the convergence between AV and IP technologies has seen compressed AV over IP emerge as an increasingly persuasive option for AV signal management and control in all kinds of commercial applications – and is particularly suited to the hospitality sector.
Flexible and highly scalable, AV over IP doesn't suffer the limitations of fixed port matrix systems, making it ideal for medium to virtually any size application requiring multiple sources and displays with video wall support over runs of 100m/328ft. Both HD and 4K UHD support is available along with RS-232 control system integration for the total high quality entertainment experience demanded by customers and operators.
Whether an application calls for HD, 4K or a combination of both to single screens, video walls up to 16×16 or multi-view monitoring, WyreStorm’s award-winning NetworkHD offers a variety of AV over IP options for networked distribution that can be tailored to the needs of the project like never before.
NetworkHD compression options include low-bandwidth, low-latency or uncompressed transmission and are able to be mixed and matched depending on the application, with auto-scaling between 2K and 4K supporting mixed resolution systems.
PoE improves install efficiency and maintenance by reducing potential points of failure in a system – so important when dealing with systems spanning multiple zones in different locations.
WyreStorm is in partnership with Automation Connection for support of DTVGameControl on NetworkHD products for the seamless integration of floor plan-based AV management and control in hospitality environments.
Control at Your Fingertips
How a client wants to control their system is largely subjective, but the question should be asked, what return on investment are they getting from an expensive control system that does more than they need and requires extensive training for staff to use even basic functions. It’s all about the user and customer experience.
The free NetworkHD Touch control app for iPad was specifically developed to address the growing demand from hospitality operators for simple, reliable, instant switching between sources and screens that required no training yet delivered a superior user and customer switching experience.
With access to all connected sources, individual screens, video walls and multi-view monitoring in a NetworkHD system, Touch offers live video previews of all sources and selections to let venue management, staff, or even customers see what they are switching in real time. Selections are made with the flick of a finger by simply dragging and dropping into selection areas on an iPad, with switching occurring instantaneously in the venue itself.
Video wall configurations can be stored and recalled instantly, and displays can be grouped into zones or locations for easy access by staff. Touch can also be integrated with WyreStorm Enado control for source control and access for more enhanced features such as QR code scanning and BYOD connectivity so new or additional iPad controllers can be added in seconds.
The addition of Enado also enables control from any web-enabled device such as smartphone, laptop, computer, tablet or windows-based EPOS terminal with no need for dedicated remote controls with quick and easy pre-set system configuration, customized icons, logos or company branding able to be added in minutes.
When it comes to hospitality, it’s all about options and experience.
Learn more about WyreStorm at wyrestorm.com.
