When a football fan in Highlands Ranch, CO, remodeled their home’s basement, the final touch was to be a massive 110-inch TV that would deliver the ultimate game-day viewing experience. They had to change the play, however, upon seeing the price tag for such a display — over $1000 per inch. Undeterred, the homeowner called an audible for a video wall, which would not only provide the screen real estate they desired at a significantly lower cost, but would also allow them to indulge their passion for football by watching multiple games at once. To cap off the remodel in the end zone, integrator Denver Sight and Sound got the nod.
The Challenge
Denver Sight and Sound equipped the basement with four 55-inch Sony BRAVIA OLED displays in a 2×2 arrangement, with video sources including four DirecTV satellite receivers and an Xbox, with a Sonos soundbar providing audio playback. To deliver the ultimate viewing experience, the company knew the homeowner would need the ability to easily send any source to any display and change the video wall configuration from four independent images to one large image across all four screens. To achieve this, a cost-effective video distribution system with integrated video wall capabilities was required, in addition to an intuitive control and automation solution.
“For video distribution, we needed a simple solution that was easy to use, reliable, and reasonably priced,” says Troy Springston, co-owner of Denver Sight and Sound. “Just Add Power is the only solution that meets all of these requirements. It’s practically plug-and-play and delivers rock-solid performance. Other products we looked at required a lot more in terms of set-up and networking, and came with a higher price tag.”
The Solution
Denver Sight and Sound utilized Just Add Power’s 3G Ultra HD Over IP platform, powered by a Luxul Gigabit switch. Each display is equipped with a VBS-HDIP-508POE 3G receiver, while each source is outfitted with a VBS-HDIP-707POE 3G transmitter. In addition to support for 4K Ultra HD resolutions, HDMI 2.0 devices with HDCP 2.2, and uncompressed lossless multichannel audio formats — including Dolby Atmos — the platform offers built-in video wall functionality for displays installed in portrait and flipped configurations, as well as image push, pull, and pop features. An integrated scaler on the receiver automatically adjusts the picture to fit the screen.
Designed with an innovative modular approach to video distribution, the Just Add Power platform also allows the homeowner to cost-effectively add displays, sources, and even emerging formats in the future with ease. Any additional screens or sources would only need another small receiver or transmitter, respectively, added into the system.
The homeowner has complete control over their viewing experience via a URC automation system featuring the MRX-2 auxiliary base station and the URC mobile app running on an iPad mini. Tapping the “Tile Displays” icon shows content from all four DirecTV receivers — one on each display — and allows the homeowner to choose which source will be played on the Sonos soundbar. Tapping the icon for any DirecTV box automatically displays its content across all four displays in one large image, selects the box as the audio source, and provides the homeowner with control over channels and volume.
The Results — A Win for the Home Team
“Our client absolutely loves their video wall and the versatility of being able to watch four games at a time or one game on a massive screen — all with a tap on an iPad mini,” adds Springston. “Just Add Power made it simple to deliver this awesome viewing experience, and if the homeowner ever decides they need to watch even more games at once, the company will make it easy to handle that request as well.”
