Planar's Clarity Matrix Video Wall is Visual Anchor To Members' Area of Conference Center
Global enterprises – primarily in healthcare and higher education – rely on The Advisory Board Company for research analysis and consulting services so they are able to more efficiently meet the needs of their customers. The company recently turned to Planar Systems and their AV Integrator, Avitecture, for video wall technology to anchor the members' area of its key conference center in Washington. Members visit this center to become immersed in The Advisory Board Company, to learn about the full breadth of its offerings and capabilities, and to meet with the company as it is working with them to implement their respective performance enhancement plans and programs.
"The conference center is where we share our expertise and establish the essential working relationships with our members," says Nyere Hollingsworth, Program Manager of Audio Visual Services for The Advisory Board Company. "The Planar video wall is a compelling piece of the center. It is a large, uniquely-implemented electronic platform that dramatically affirms our dedication to advanced technology as an essential business processing tool. When our members see it, they know immediately that we are forward-thinking, capable and committed to meeting their specific needs."
For The Advisory Board Company, the video wall is a valuable, multi-function communications tool. Its principal role is to present conference center visitors with information pertaining to their specific meetings, and about other activities occurring at the center during their visit. The video wall also depicts branding information about The Advisory Company, shows live news and weather, and provides lecture information when the video wall space is used as a classroom overflow area. "The fact that we can do so many different things with it is a real asset," Hollingsworth says. "In particular, being able to customize it to deliver meeting information for an individual group, along with stunning background imagery of the Washington, DC area, leaves a very strong impression and feelings of enthusiasm about the conference center experience," Hollingsworth adds.
Video wall is integral architectural element
A multi-disciplined team was assembled to design and build the conference center space, and to implement the video wall and create and manage its content. C&G Partners (New York) provided initial consulting services, ultimately became the provider of the video wall content, and was assisted by Synect Media (based in Redmond, Washington) for video wall design and programming for multi-display of dynamic feeds. YCD Multimedia (headquartered in New York) provided the content management engine for the video wall, with Avitecture (Sterling, Virginia) assuming a role in the design process and then handling the key roles of installation and integration. Davis Construction (Rockville, Maryland) constructed the overall space and the housing for the video wall. The input of many in this team lead to the selection of the Planar video wall, and of a unique design, a 12-wide by two-high (12x2) array of Clarity™ Matrix LCD Video Wall with G2 Architecture displays (MX55HDS) installed within a unique slate-wall surround. "We call it architectural AV, and it speaks to the ability of Clarity Matrix to be an integral part of this one-of-a-kind architectural space," says Bill Apter, Senior Consultant for Avitecture.
Clarity Matrix video wall offers numerous capabilities and benefits
Avitecture made effective use of key features of the Clarity Matrix displays. Each display measures about 55 inches diagonally and has a sub-four inch depth that readily accommodates the architecturally-designed slate surround. The displays have a tiled bezel width of only 5.5mm. Many of their components are housed in a remote rack room more than 100 feet away—G2 Architecture makes this distance possible—from the video wall, where just two CAT 5 cables for each display terminate to provide for transmission of power and data.
"There are many inherent benefits," Avitecture's Apter says. "The ultra-thin tiled bezel delivers an almost seamless picture. The video wall itself seems nearly at one with the slate surround; components that could generate unnecessary heat are kept away from the video wall, thus enabling reliable, extended operation and lowered cooling requirements. And because we didn't have to put power outlets behind any display, we saved thousands in labor and materials costs." He adds that remotely locating components also facilitates maintenance and minimizes service time and effort. "No other video wall offers this design and delivers these benefits," he adds.
Planar delivers top-notch engineering and support
Apter says that Planar's engineering and support also figured heavily into the success of the Advisory Board Company project. For starters, he says, Planar provides highly accurate CAD drawings of its displays; the team was able to use these drawings to ensure that there was precise alignment of the video wall bezels with the slate surround mullions. "Because Avitecture didn't need to create architectural drawings specifically to match the video displays to the slate, we saved time and lowered costs."
The Clarity Matrix displays arrived on site having been initially calibrated and color balanced at the Planar factory. Once Avitecture installed them within the slate surround and powered them up, it took their video wall technician less than one day to finely calibrate and balance the 24 panels. "This would have taken much longer with other video walls and we wouldn't have had the assurance, as we have with Planar, that their color balance and calibration would hold, Apter continues." The Advisory Board Company's Hollingsworth echoes this benefit and adds that the image characteristics of the Clarity Matrix MX55HDS displays, such as 800-nit brightness, 3500:1 contrast ratio, 1920 x 1080 resolution and 178-degree viewing, have proven themselves to be the right solution for the conference center project. "We have complex and unique content to depict, which is also rich and beautiful to any viewer's eye. The effect of this video wall is stunning and we are convinced that it makes a powerful statement about the center and our company."
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
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With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
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Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
