Extron AV Connectivity Solutions Help Vivint Smart Home Arena Create a Multimedia Hit with Fans

Before the upgrade to Extron, if a television or Blu-ray player was changed out to a different model, a certified programmer was brought in to modify control system drivers. With the Extron Pro Series control system, Vivint Arena’s in-house AV Technicians can do these replacements without outside assistance.

Brent Parker,
Sales and Design Engineer at TVS Pro Division of TV Specialists, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah

Challenges

Vivint Smart Home Arena is Salt Lake City’s premier sports and entertainment venue. The 18,300-seat facility is the home court of the NBA Utah Jazz. It also hosts big-name concerts, rodeos, ice shows, circuses, motor sports, hockey, and conventions. The arena operators realized that to deepen fan engagement before, during, and after events, they needed to up their multimedia game on the concourses, in the food concession areas, in the luxury suites, and in the “super clubs.” A recent $125 million renovation included major AV upgrades, including 600+ digital signage screens and big improvements to the multimedia experiences in clubs and suites.

TVS Pro, the pro-audio division of TV Specialists, Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah, replaced the AV transmission and control systems providing multimedia content to 56 luxury suites, four clubs, the coaches’ lounge, and the players’ locker rooms. A variety of Extron DTP Systems products were selected for AV distribution throughout these venues. Extron TouchLink Pro touchpanels work in concert with IP Link Pro control processors to provide intuitive control of AV systems throughout the venue. Extron products were chosen to provide a consistent guest experience and to make system maintenance easier.

TVS Pro sales and design engineer Brent Parker explains, “Before the upgrade to Extron, if a television or a Blu-ray player was changed out to a different model, a certified programmer was brought in to modify control system drivers. With the Extron Pro Series control system, Vivint Arena’s in-house AV technicians can do these replacements without outside assistance.” Regarding the consistent end-user experience achieved with the upgrades, Parker notes that, “Someone can walk from one club to another, or a player can go from the players’ lounge to the locker room, and they’re able to operate the televisions and audio systems in the exact same way.”

Solution

Extron's DTP Systems consist of a versatile range of products designed to support long distance signal transmission over shielded twisted pair cable in AV switching environments such as the Vivint Arena. The DTP product family includes transmitters, receivers, distribution amplifiers, switchers, and scaling presentation matrix switchers. At Vivint Arena, DTP T UWP 4K 232 D wallplate transmitters accept HDMI, VGA, and analog audio signals. These signals, along with those from other sources, are routed by DTP CrossPoint 84 4K, DTP CrossPoint 86 4K, or IN1608 IPCP MA 70 switchers. Output signals from these switchers are sent up to 330 feet over shielded twisted pair cable to DTP HD DA 4K series 4 output or 8 output distribution amplifiers. Those work together with DTP HDMI 4K series transmitters and receivers, which feed the signals to multiple displays, providing an exciting experience for fans. System functions are managed by IPCP Pro 550 IP Link Pro control processors. Viewers make content selections at MLC Plus 200 MediaLink Plus Controllers and TLP Pro 725M 7" TouchLink Pro touchpanels. Audio amplification for public address speakers is provided by XPA 2001 200-Watt mono 70/100-volt amplifiers.

Results

A key goal of the Vivint Smart Home Arena renovation was to enhance the fan experience in the suites and clubs, as well as the concourses and other public areas, so that fans enjoy lingering — and making purchases — in these venues. The AV options available to fans bring exciting and informative new dimensions to the live action in the arena bowl. The synergy of live action with engaging multimedia commentary and background programming entices fans to forgo their home big screen TVs and come out to games and events in person as the ticket buying, food and beverage consuming patrons that keep arenas such as Vivint financially vibrant.