Entertainment Venues Winning Big with Video

July 9th, 2019 in Solutions

Modern entertainment venues boast a mix of elements to heighten the senses and to keep crowds engaged. However, the modern entertainment venue has more competition than ever before with so many options for consumers, from competitive venues and even the entertainment options available at home. So, how can entertainment venues compete? How can they be leaner yet more exciting?

It comes down to innovation, successful venues are looking for ways to improve the customer experience with better concessions, unique experiences, and increased media touch points.

One method winning venues are seeing success with is utilizing video throughout their facilities. Let’s explore how the use of video helps entertainment venues enhance the guest experience, increase sales, and allow for greater communication.

Real Applications in Entertainment Venues: How Successful Venues Are Leveraging Innovation

Developing an in-house video distribution system over IP, RF or a combination of both (hybrid) allows venues to offer a mix of programming and digital signage content so that audiences can view broadcast channels as well as digital signage, instructional messaging, or social media feeds. Enhancing the system with display control allows venue staff the ability to manage the power, channel, and volume control of displays from any device with a web browser simply and quickly. There are endless possibilities for this technology in bars, restaurants, event centers, casinos, and more.

Contemporary Research (CR) has been helping many entertainment venues enhance the guest experience with video distribution and display control solutions for years. Check out these success stories.

Fast Replays Enabled by CR Modulators Creates a Win for Keeneland Raceway

CR worked with Keeneland Raceway in Lexington, KY, helping them distribute video replays throughout the raceway using 12 QMOD-SDI HDTV modulators. The 78-year-old site made the move to upgrade its digital signage system to improve the video quality and workflow associated with instant replays. The key to the project was enabling replays to be broadcast in HD on a channel in the existing RF system. Now, operators create highlight videos to feed digital signage players, which serve as an input source to the QMODs, to create a channel that can be distributed throughout the venue, allowing customers to experience highlights of the most recent races.

Get the entire story - Digital Signage Makes the Winner’s Circle at Keeneland Raceway

Keenland Raceway horses on the track

Andretti Indoor Karting and Games Orlando Enhances the Customer Experience with Digital Signage

Andretti Indoor Karting and Games offers multiple points of entertainment and information via an expansive video distribution system. TVs, positioned throughout the venue, display everything from track timing, directions, drink specials, sporting events, Andretti social media feeds, and more. AV Integrator, BCI Integrated Solutions, looked to Contemporary Research’s video distribution and control solution to rev up this premium entertainment venue and bring the customer experience to life. “There’s a lot of tech at work at Andretti Orlando,” Allen Suman, BCI Integrated Solutions’ Vice President of Data Systems. “We wired more than 90 different television types around the facility. Being able to broadcast to every monitor is a cool thing to watch.”

BCI chose Contemporary Research for a cost-effective and reliable video distribution and display control solution. With HD TVs lining the walls of their 150,000 sq. ft. operation, including a bar with over 100 TVs, this action-packed facility of fun demanded the solid performance, reliability, and ease of installation that only Contemporary Research could provide. With unparalleled video quality and the ability to remotely control TVs through any device with a web browser, CR has enhanced the customer experience in the Sunshine State while setting the stage for future Andretti installations.

Andretti Grill Orlando

Churchill Downs Uses CR Display Control to Simplify Display Control

Horse racing has a long history in Kentucky dating back to 1789, but it wasn’t until 1875 that Churchill Downs officially opened and became home to the Kentucky Derby. As at any racing venue, fans want to know about upcoming races and their odds, information that this historic racetrack now days distributes via hundreds of digital screens. However, there was no master control center for all these displays, causing many inefficiencies and other challenges, reducing the flow of information to guests, leading to missed revenue.

To solve this, the installation included 67 CR ICC1-232 display controllers, two ICC2-ATSC+ tuner/controllers, an ICE-HE Ethernet Head End, and an SSV-DX Display Express PC. Now, with the use of the ICE-HE sending control via the existing RF coax and ICC1-232 display/controllers installed at each TV, Churchill Downs now can simply control TV volume, channel, and power through RS-232 and the existing RF coax network. These updates are allowing the team at Churchill Downs to easily switch from digital signage, to network feeds, to live coverage utilizing the existing infrastructure, with no impact on image quality.

The entire customer experience has been enhanced by technology, allowing fans to be part of the action no matter if they are seated, dining, socializing or placing bets.

Get the entire story - Centralized Display Control Enhances Churchill Downs

Churchill Downs CR Display Control

Video Distribution: A Win-Win for Viewers and Venues

While the end user may not realize all the technology that goes into distributing video throughout a venue, they in no doubt are excited to have it in entertainment venues. With end users so consumed with screens, it creates a new dimension to attending live events.

What AV integrators love about Contemporary Research’s video distribution and display control solutions is the ease of installation, scalability, reliability and cost-effectiveness. What end users get from the CR solution is an enhanced entertainment experience!

Keenland, Andretti Indoor Karting and Games, and Churchill Downs are just a few examples of how Contemporary Research is helping to provide entertainment venues the opportunity to heighten the guest experience with video.

To learn more about Contemporary Research call us at 972-931-2728 and let us help you enhance your entertainment venue experience.