This is always one of our favorite stories of the year, because it gives the SCN editorial staff the opportunity to let 10 integration firms take center stage with their innovative installations. Once again, we had an amazing collection of projects to consider.
See for yourself—check out this small sample of some of the best Pro AV installations that were completed in 2023.
Tampa International Airport (TIA), Tampa, FL
TIA’s goal was to create a memorable customer experience for travelers from the moment they step into the airport to their final destinations. AVI-SPL has transformed its vision into reality with all-new technology implemented throughout the airport grounds, including Samsung LED display video walls installed in the main terminal and baggage claim area, large shuttle displays placed on the air side of the terminal, and two large LED outdoor video walls placed in the cell phone lot. The new displays provide passengers, visitors, and employees with real-time information and convenience.
Talking Stick Resort and Casino, Scottsdale, AZ
A monstrous 40x40-foot Nanolumens Q-03824-1 custom LED circular ceiling immersive display was installed by CCS Presentation Systems in coordination with Nanolumens to welcome visitors with immersive, eye-grabbing content. The 6,400x6,480 resolution display was mounted to the ceiling on a Unistrut cross grid, with 80 Cat 6 shielded cables run from the AV headend. This 1.87mm pixel pitch dvLED display is controlled by six 4K processors, with content driven by two Green Hippo media playback servers.
Marriott International Headquarters, Bethesda, MD
The 21-story building includes 785,000 square feet of diverse spaces equipped with technology that supports Marriott's vast network of more than 8,100 hotels across 139 countries. Ford AV installed technology in more than 200 meeting spaces, equipped a central meeting control room, and added a massive 22x80-foot Planar dvLED wall in the lobby.
DraftKings Sportsbook at Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
McCann Systems recently worked with DraftKings and the Chicago Cubs to open an eye-catching sportsbook in historic Wrigley Field. The two-floor sportsbook provides an immersive viewing experience along with betting kiosks and VIP nooks. Innovative AV solutions from 1 SOUND, Samsung, Crestron, and Chief drive the experience, which features an enormous dual-curved Nanolumens LED video wall. Measuring 135x15 feet, the signature video wall captures every viewer's attention from any spot in the room.
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Metinteractive installed a new audio system at the “The Big House” at the University of Michigan. The main audio system arrays are comprised of EAW Anya speakers with a vertical form factor that allows the system to be installed in a smaller cavity area within a scoreboard assembly. The system also included EAW Otto subwoofers, which also improved the overall sense of power and warmth. In addition to the main speaker array systems, Metinteractive provided scoreboard downfill and under mezz speakers. These small powerhouse speaker systems from the EAW MKD series are paired with QSC Q-SYS power amps and DSP. Shure's Axient Digital provides a versatile wireless mic system and a Yamaha CL series digital mixing console with SoundGrid and Waves plug-ins brings the whole program together.
Peoria Riverfront Museum, Peoria, IL
At more than 54 feet tall and 72 feet wide, the screen in the Giant Screen Theater is one of the largest film society screens in the United States. The 250-seat theater allows for a variety of content, from educational and museum-centric programming to first-run blockbusters and Hollywood classics. As it is a multi-disciplinary museum, the space is also used for presentations, gaming nights, and more. Pearl Technology handled the upgrade. The new projection system, which can show 2D and 3D content, features twin Barco 3-DLP laser projectors. Other equipment includes JBL speakers, Crown amplifiers, Shure wireless microphones, Alchemy video server, and Crestron automation.
Pacific Dental Services Irvine PDSU, Irvine, CA
Solutionz designed and built a standardized AV system for the Pacific Dental Services University training rooms at its Irvine headquarters. Pacific Dental will use these rooms for large, business-critical training sessions, which can be run as an entire unified system or across four divisible rooms. The project has standardized Pacific Dental's training rooms and is being rolled out nationwide over the next two years. The setup includes Poly videoconferencing systems, Christie projectors and Draper screens, Shure ceiling array microphones, Biamp networked media platform, Extron system control and management, and a centralized equipment room. Solutionz also provided its OptixAV remote monitoring service.
Sphere, Las Vegas
Sphere Entertainment has created a next-generation entertainment medium for artists, creators, and technologists that takes storytelling to a new level and transports audiences to places both real and imagined. From the Big Sky high-resolution camera system and content creation tool behind Sphere Studios to Sphere Immersive Sound powered by HOLOPLOT, the Vegas Sphere is using a slew of Pro AV solutions to enhance the future of live entertainment.
National Basketball Association, New York, NY
As part of a larger redesign of the NBA's New York City office space, the multi-phase project encompassed more than 150 rooms and offices spread over multiple floors, including the "Center Court" event area that features a 20-foot-high video wall. TRITECH Communications installed a variety of systems featuring Samsung displays, Shure wireless microphones, Middle Atlantic racks, and Logitech cameras. Room schedulers were installed outside many of the conference rooms, and private offices were equipped with an IPTV system feed as well as cameras that can be used for video calls. The versatile broadcast studio system features extensive tie lines that allow feeds from a variety of locations to be inserted into the programming.
Pentagon Press Briefing Room, Arlington, VA
In collaboration with the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and the Department of Defense, Washington Professional Systems delivered an all-new broadcast control, lighting, and audio system at the Pentagon's Press Briefing Room. The project focused on optimizing space efficiency, unifying the capabilities for each mission partner, enhancing lighting for operators and audiences, and future-proofing the system with 4K/UHD infrastructure. The system features a Sony XVS-6000 production switcher and Sony cameras, Solid State Logic T-S300-32 audio console, PESA Cheetah 288XR router, Evertz 5700 master sync generator, Apantac Tahoma multiviewer, and Crestron NVX processors for the virtual studio's 4K content distribution.
