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January 6, 2025

Kramer gets the party started at the Tavastia Live Club

Tavastia Live Club from the outside
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“Kramer’s products are working well and are easy to use. The client is very happy with the end result.”
— Mika Lausamo, Sales & AV, Frendy

Background

Tavastia Live Club, Finland’s most famous rock club, faced significant challenges with its audio-visual setup due to outdated technology and inefficient processes.

Consisting of 3 bars, a backstage area, an outdoor area, and a tech room, the venue’s initial situation revealed a reliance on over decade-old television, characterized by thick bezels and low picture quality. The video signals, transmitted through analog cabling, originated either from a single PC or directly from the concert hall’s equipment.

This old system supported only PowerPoint 2003 for displaying advertisements, making updating the content manually very time-consuming. Moreover, the system could not support video content and could only switch between advertisements or live stage footage.

This setup posed significant challenges, especially for clients who wished to display their own advertisements or present material from personal computers, as there was no capability to accommodate such needs. Overall, the venue’s AV system was in dire need of an overhaul to meet modern standards and enhance users’ and visitors’ experience.

Goals

The requirements for the new AV system were clearly outlined to future-proof the venue’s technological capabilities. These goals were crafted to transform Tavastia’s AV capabilities into a flexible, efficient, and future-oriented system that enhances operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

The goals included:

  1. Ensure the new system supports a wide range of multimedia formats to accommodate all types of content advertisers wish to display.
  2. Introduce a multi-output system that simultaneously displays varied content across different screens, catering to diverse needs during events.
  3. Allow for quick and effortless updates of advertisements and promotional content, ideally through automated or remote updating capabilities.
  4. The interface needed to be intuitive and easy to operate, allowing staff with basic technical skills to manage the system effectively without extensive training.
  5. Build a system with scalability in mind, allowing for easy upgrades and expansions as new technologies emerge and the venue evolves.

Solution

To meet the ambitious goals of upgrading the AV system at Tavastia, the integrator, Frendy, developed a comprehensive solution encompassing hardware and software improvements that were tailored to the venue’s needs.

The system was equipped with multiple KDS-EN7 transmitters and KDS-DEC7 receivers, allowing for the simultaneous display of different content on various screens. AVoIP technology is the perfect match to modernize the AV needs of Tavastia Live Club; this flexibility was essential for catering to the diverse needs of different events and presentations at the venue.

A user-friendly Kramer Control RC-206 device with multiple buttons, each programmed for different functions, was introduced to simplify operations. This setup enabled staff to easily change content, adjust settings, and control the system with minimal training. With just one press, staff could change the displayed content to communicate important messages swiftly and clearly to guests.

To complete the upgrade, Frendy installed modern high-definition displays with minimal bezels, connected through a virtual matrix system that utilized the local network for signal transmission, ensuring high-quality and reliable video signals throughout the venue.

“We upgraded Tavastia with high-quality LG information displays and SmartSign’s user-friendly content management system, complemented by Kramer’s solutions for effortless signal transfer,” says Mika Lausamo, Sales & AV at Frendy.

Value

These improvements have led to significantly better customer experience, enabling clients to display their advertisements seamlessly and enhancing their engagement and satisfaction during events.

Designed to be user-friendly, the new system allows staff with basic technical skills to easily manage and operate the AV equipment, reducing the need for extensive training. In addition, the system’s ability to simultaneously display different content on various screens has enhanced the venue’s capability to cater to diverse event requirements and audience preferences.

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“If Tavastia wishes to bring in more displays in the future – it’s easy to do so with Kramer’s products and solutions.”
— Mika Lausamo, Sales & AV, Frendy

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Tags:

Hospitality

AVoIP Solutions

Control

EMEA

Finland

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November 28, 2024

Fabryka Wełny Hotel & Spa modernizes its AV system with Kramer

Fabryka Wełny Hotel from the outside, at night time
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“The combination of Kramer’s AVoIP, Kramer Control, or Kramer VIA with other AV system components is easy to integrate and implement.”
— Łukasz Trojanowski, Modulit Solutions Polska

Background

Fabryka Wełny Hotel & Spa is a stylish and modern hotel located in the heart of Poland, not far from Łódź. It was built on the grounds of a former industrial factory, one of the region’s largest and most modern factories. The industrial atmosphere of the building has been preserved in the hotel and is reminiscent of the past. The hotel offers 122 unique, comfortable rooms, including nine conference rooms, a ballroom, a wedding hall, and a philharmonic hall.

Goals

The customer commissioned an implementation of an intuitive control system. The project also required a solution for transmitting an audio-visual signal from one room to the conference rooms and the philharmonic hall, regardless of the distance or when the signal needs to be duplicated, driven, or reformatted. The conference rooms also required a collaboration system that would be intuitive to use for end users.

Solution

The integration company, Modulit Solutions Polska, participated as a partner from the very beginning of the implementation as its expertise lies both in the supply of audio-visual signal distribution solutions and in design and consultation within this area.

Modulit Solutions Polska chose Kramer’s solutions for Control, KDS-7 for AVoIP (with Kramer’s USB-C cables), and VIA GO2 for conference room collaboration. Few manufacturers worldwide offer such a broad portfolio of solutions in Signal Management and AV signal processing, and Kramer is one of them. Kramer’s extensive range of AV signal extenders, including AVoIP solutions, offers extraordinary flexibility in managing AV signal transmission.

Due to the existing conditions of multiple rooms, the possibility of quick connection and splitting, and the client’s expectations (automation and simple operation), we decided to implement the most optimal solution for AV content management, i.e. Kramer’s AVoIP technology. AVoIP also means flexibility in the event of future changes, especially when it comes to adding more terminals, whether they be signal sources or displays. – explains Łukasz Trojanowski of Modulit Solutions Polska.

After implementation, the hotel’s AVoIP system took full advantage of Kramer’s technology by allowing simple point-to-point AV transmission (i.e., from one transmitter to one receiver), as well as one-to-many or one-to-all. 

Alongside this system, Kramer Control has been implemented. Its function is to help the end users conduct lectures, training, and presentations efficiently. It also allows control of the presentation and the projection screen and even allows set automation: at the push of a button, the window blinds lower, the projection screen comes down, the lighting scene changes, and the projector starts up, ready to take a cue from the user’s device.

The combination of Kramer’s AVoIP, Kramer Control, and Kramer VIA with other AV system components is easy to integrate and implement.”, says Łukasz.

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“We are particularly pleased to see the project’s success – because a successful project is one where all parties are happy. Fabryka Wełny in Łódź is exactly such a project.”
— Łukasz Trojanowski, Modulit Solutions Polska

Value

The users and venue staff are pleased with the simplicity of the distribution system, the control system configuration, and Kramer VIA. As Łukasz Trojanowski of Modulit Solutions Polska explains it:

“Both users and venue staff appreciate the automation running in the background and the ability to simply change system settings from the touch panel. An addition that has also received excellent feedback is Kramer’s VIA, allowing a user who wants to show something on the big screen to connect wirelessly to the display system – a projector or screen. Whether from an iPhone, Android, Windows laptop, or MacBook, it simply works without cables (although there is also an option for traditionalists) and without USB dongles that ‘like to disappear.’ Positive feedback also comes from our partner – MKM Display. The combination of Kramer’s AVoIP, Kramer Control, and Kramer VIA with other AV system components is easy to integrate and implement. And we are particularly pleased to see this – because a successful project is one where all parties are happy. Fabryka Wełny in Łódź is exactly such a project.” says Łukasz.

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Tags:

Hospitality

AVoIP Solutions

Collaboration Applications

Connectivity

Room Control

EMEA

Poland

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April 2, 2024

University of Helsinki enhances education with Kramer AV

University of Helsinki, where Kramer VIA is installed
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“We chose Kramer products because they have the best price-to-quality ratio, hands down.”
— Jyri Poittinen, Head of AV Services, University of Helsinki Property Services

Background

The University of Helsinki is the oldest and largest institution of academic education in Finland. Established in 1640, it now has 31,000 students and nearly 10,000 employees across four campuses and 11 faculties in Helsinki, with an additional 10 locations, including campuses and research stations overseas. Highly competitive, it regularly ranks among the top 100 universities in the world.

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“Kramer’s VIA is easy to use, can be managed remotely, and has frequent firmware updates to ensure data security.”
— Jyri Poittinen, Head of AV Services, University of Helsinki Property Services

Goals

To solidify its reputation and ability to provide its students with the latest technology, the University of Helsinki required a wireless presentation solution to avoid cable clutter and provide a more flexible method for presentation. After careful consideration, the facility opted for Kramer collaboration technology, with Kramer VIA facilitating meeting experiences in a more convenient manner for students and lecturers alike.

“We had already acquired a wireless presentation solution from a Kramer competitor,” says Jyri Poittinen, Head of AV services, University of Helsinki Property Services. “But the previous vendor was operating on an open network, and there were significant data security issues, with about 200 security attacks reported daily.” Beyond the serious security and privacy implications, this was causing the IT department immense frustration.

The university also wanted to be able to use different meeting platforms with the wireless presentation solution natively, and to enjoy collaboration and remote control – all with an easy user experience.

Solution

The University of Helsinki switched its presentation solution to Kramer wireless technology, installing 150 VIA Connect Plus presentation and collaboration units, together with the VIA Site Management server.

The university chose VIA, a wireless solution, primarily because of its strong security functions, the competitive price of the gateways, and the affordability of VIA Site Management, which has no yearly maintenance fees.

Today, Kramer VIA is used in the university’s meeting rooms and some auditoriums, with constant expansion taking place. Following years of great success with VIA Connect Plus, the university has begun upgrading all units to VIA Connect2.

Value

Switching to Kramer meant an upgrade in capabilities, as VIA has many features that were not available with the university’s previous system. Among them, wireless video conferencing and collaboration, and the ability to use Microsoft Teams and Zoom natively from VIA are particularly big advantages for users. The IT department greatly values the remote, centralized deployment, management, and configuration, and the easy user experience due to centralized software package distribution.

“In addition to the clear price-to-quality ratio inherent in the Kramer solution, the university has been able to save on cabling costs and has been able to modify its premises into more transformative spaces for education,” says Jyri. “For example, the main building has been able to be fitted-out fully wirelessly, since microphones are also wireless today. There is no need for fixed tables anymore. And the low latency in video conferencing improves quality.”

Beyond those significant benefits, it’s the convenience and security of the Kramer VIA system that Jyri is most enthusiastic about. “Kramer’s VIA is easy to use, can be managed remotely, and the VIA app for PC users is especially user-friendly,” he says.

“Operating on a closed network with frequent firmware updates, the solution has also proven to be data secure,” he elaborates.

Feedback from users has been predominantly positive, and the University’s IT department is satisfied with the improved data security and remote management.

Having successfully upgraded its presentation solution with Kramer, the university is continuing to expand and enhance its AV capabilities. “We are expanding all the time,” says Jyri. “We have been focusing on expanding our current facilities to be suitable for hybrid teaching methods, and we want to enhance our teamwork facilities.”

As for recommendations for colleagues and other universities considering their options for a new AV solution, Jyri concludes: “You should investigate different options very carefully and test devices in real-life scenarios. Personally, there are three different things I’m looking for when considering these decisions – remote firmware updating, available product support, and that the lifecycle of the chosen products is long enough.” All areas that, in his assessment, Kramer has successfully met. The current program to upgrade all VIA Connect Plus units with the newer VIA Connect2 is a solid indication of the university’s satisfaction.

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Tags:

Education

Collaboration Devices

EMEA

Finland

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January 28, 2024

Israeli municipality ready to handle any situation with its Kramer-equipped Command & Control Center

Ramat Gan municipality's command & control room, in which Kramer's Control and AVoIP solutions are installed
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“In a major city, we need to be able to operate all vectors during regular times as well as emergencies. The complete visibility ensured by Kramer technology allows us to maintain essential services, and provide assistance, no matter what.”
— Kobi Noah, CIO, Municipality of Ramat Gan

Background

Ramat Gan is a city in central Israel, located just east of Tel Aviv. With a population of over 150,000, home to a central medical center, the National Diamond Exchange, and many high-tech industries, it’s a major metropolis.

In addition to providing routine civil services like education, firefighting, and garbage collection, the municipality must be prepared to handle any emergency that emerges, whether a natural disaster such as an earthquake or flood, or a safety and security event, such as a terrorist attack or mass transit incident.

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“There are Kramer setups in each department of the municipality, and a main one in the central station. At the click of a button, any station can be brought up in the central command, so the mayor, CEO, or relevant department, can get an immediate view of the current situation and take control.”
— Eyal Bracha, Deputy CIO and Director of Command Control Multimedia, Municipality of Ramat Gan

Goals

The Security Department and the mayor requested a new Command & Control center to enable the city management team to monitor and coordinate the municipality’s activities on a day-to-day basis and in emergencies.

Kobi Noah, Ramat Gan’s CIO, recalls: “We wanted to facilitate smooth operations of all municipal services under any conditions, ensure continual business operations for all parties, and support emergency services in times of need, such as engineering units working to locate dangerous buildings. At the time, the city management team worked in different locations. This new center would enable the team to control the city more effectively and assure the wellbeing of its citizens, 24/7.”

To do so, all devices throughout the space needed to be connected. Easy operation was a must to ensure effective communication between the different locations. In addition, the system needed to be extremely stable over time, with zero failures. Identifying the need for a new command center as extremely urgent, the municipality set a tight four-month deadline for delivery and sought a single-source partner for the full solution.

Solution

Kramer was chosen as the supplier for Ramat Gan’s new Command & Control center, based on the city’s past successes with Kramer and the company’s high level of local support. Kramer’s ability to offer a full end-to-end solution, provide all the needed equipment from stock, and guarantee fast delivery, were also central to this decision.

With its enterprise IT-grade security and advanced intuitive management, the Kramer KDS-7 family line was selected as a perfect fit. Kramer took into account the municipality’s specific needs and built a complete solution, with a full range of networked endpoints, including KDS-7 encoders, KDS-7 decoders, and auto-switch encoders, as well as a dedicated manager device, to support 4K video sources and enable any-to-many video sharing between rooms.

Using an AVoIP network, the AV encoders and decoders were connected to the endpoints of the city’s IP network. Leveraging the switching power of the IP network eliminated the distance limits on AV deployments. This simple and reliable approach enabled the use of a huge number of devices in a single network and made expanding into new spaces easier.

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“The service that Kramer gave us has definitely earned our praise and solidified our desire to build a strategic partnership with them for many years to come. ”
— Kobi Noah, CIO, Municipality of Ramat Gan

Value

A highly customized, end-to-end proof-of-concept setup was built in Kramer’s lab before the installation, enabling Kramer and the integration team to tackle any challenges ahead of time. Kramer also quickly created a full topology diagram of the project in advance to accelerate the bill of materials (BOM) process.

Although the deadline was extremely tight, with immense dedication on everyone’s part, it took just four months from design until the Command & Control center was up and running 24/7.

Ramat Gan municipality now operates 11 different control rooms (one for each department) from a single space, spread out over two floors. Most of the rooms are simple, with one or two operators, a few displays, and a worktable, while others are like boardrooms, with many participants. One large room is reserved for the mayor to lead any critical situation that may occur.

Utilizing a full AVoIP streaming solution, the staff of this new Command & Control center enjoys a low-latency, high-quality 4K60 content distribution and switching. This ensures a highly secure, deeply functional Command & Control center that’s able to effectively provide services under any conditions, at any time, with zero failures.

“We have 120 AVoIP endpoints spread over two floors. Ten assemblies reflect each wing of the municipality, and one central assembly,” explains Eyal Bracha, Ramat Gan’s Deputy CIO. “Everyone sits in their place, and any computer can be brought up with the click of a button so the mayor, city manager, or any relevant party can control the computer, and immediately assess the current situation.”

Digital signage is dispersed throughout the facility to share special announcements for the Command & Control staff. Full control of the system is maintained with various touch panels located throughout the facility. The specific audio DSP-AEC prerequisites are handled with a sophisticated touch panel user interface for control, ensuring excellent audio transmission between rooms.

On top of that, the municipality was impressed by the experience of working with Kramer. “We took KDS-7 to the edge in terms of operation and programming,” elaborates Eyal. “Nothing like this has ever been done here in Israel. And I can honestly say that Kramer’s performance across the board has left us amazed.”

Summing up the project, Kobi says: “The service that Kramer gave us has definitely earned our praise and solidified our desire to build a strategic partnership with them for many years to come. For other Command & Control centers thinking about what matrixes or technological solutions they need, from a professional perspective, I highly recommend opting for Kramer.”

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Tags:

Government and Defense

AVoIP Solutions

Control

EMEA

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January 22, 2024

Cregagh Presbyterian Church engages worshippers thanks to Kramer solutions

Cregagh Presbyterian Church from the outside, where Kramer's solutions are installed
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“Now the church is a beacon of modernity and technological advancement, offering an enriched worship experience to its congregation”
— Roger McMullan, Director, Rea Sound AV

Background

Cregagh Presbyterian Church, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is found on Cregagh Road, between a busy shopping area and a residential neighborhood. In this symbolic crossroads location, it has been at the heart of the district it serves for over 110 years.

An inclusive and welcoming community, it hosts Sunday services, a rich array of weekly activities, a Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Music Ministry, and more.

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“Using an iPad as the control hub, we enabled the church committee to easily share inputs throughout the building. This allows the congregation to participate in services from anywhere, using existing televisions and projectors.”
— Roger McMullan, Director, Rea Sound AV

Goals

Rea Sound AV was tasked with transforming the Cregagh Presbyterian Church into a seamlessly integrated and technologically advanced space, in the most cost-effective manner.

The objective was to implement a user-friendly control system that would enhance the church’s audio-visual capabilities, while integrating smoothly with its existing infrastructure.

As a multi-building, multi-story complex, with varied spaces, the church needed the system to be very flexible, capable of supporting different spaces and meeting varying needs. The goal after all, was to facilitate an immersive and captivating experience for both in-person and remote church attendees, and participants in different parts of the complex. This demanded cutting-edge technology, but it was also important that the solution match the church aesthetic.

Solution

After assessing the church’s needs, it was clear the existing infrastructure could not meet the new requirements. So, Rea Sound devised a comprehensive solution to address immediate challenges, and provide a reliable and efficient control system for future needs.

This started with the selection of Kramer Control. “We’ve done two other churches very similar to Cregagh Presbyterian and worked with Kramer for a long time on many projects, so we know the quality of its products and the ease of control and flexibility it gives,” says Roger McMullan, Director of Rea Sound AV.

A customized Kramer SL-240C room controller now serves as the central control unit, running Kramer Control. It provides an intuitive interface for church committee members to operate the system effortlessly, with no need for a technical background. Multiple Kramer KDS-EN7 AVoIP encoders distribute signals to displays and projectors, while KDS-DEC7 decoders handle input sources. AV signals are transmitted over IP, using NETGEAR AV Line Managed Switches.

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“Kramer Control met the requirements of the client, with ease of use and reliability from day one.
But most importantly, it provides confidence every Sunday or mid-week service, knowing that everything will just work.”
— Roger McMullan, Director, Rea Sound AV

Value

Since installing a comprehensive Kramer Control solution, Cregagh Presbyterian Church has been enjoying a smooth and reliable user experience. The sophisticated control layout Rea Sound designed and deployed ensures the system can manage multiple audio and video inputs, with fast and smooth switching.

Roger details how “using an iPad as the control hub, the church committee can now easily share inputs throughout the building, including the church hall, creche, and other rooms.” This allows the congregation to participate in services from anywhere using existing televisions and projectors, with the audio and picture perfectly in sync. Additionally, it enables engaging AV experiences for other communal events the church hosts.

“The audio-visual environment was further enhanced by installing a cutting-edge projector, carefully selecting displays to match the church’s aesthetics, reconfiguring client displays, and upgrading streaming services,” he continues.

Overall, Cregagh Presbyterian Church has undergone a remarkable transformation. “Kramer Control met the requirements of the client, with ease of use and reliability from day one. But most importantly, it provides confidence every Sunday or mid-week service, knowing that everything will just work.” Roger adds.

With its technologically advanced AV capabilities, Cregagh Presbyterian Church provides an immersive and captivating experience for both in-person and remote attendees, enriching the worship experience and helping extend the church’s reach to more congregants.

Roger concludes: “We’ve received very positive feedback from Cregagh Presbyterian Church. They love the system. They even have visits from other churches interested in seeing what they succeeded in doing.”

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Tags:

Houses of Worship

AVoIP Solutions

Control

EMEA

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Case Study

Karhubasket scores a major victory with its new AV equipped arena

IKH Areena, Kauhajoki, Finland - where Kramer's equipment is installed
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“I can only recommend Kramer. There is nothing in the system that is not as promised.“
— Ville Nurminen | Manager and AV Operator, Karhubasket

Customer

IKH Areena, Kauhajoki, Finland

Industry

Sports/Leisure

Goals

  • Make home games more exciting with an immersive AV experience
  • Enable easy sharing of images and audio from various points, across multiple sources
  • Avoid the need to have an AV specialist onsite during games
  • Support customization and easy expansion, to meet evolving needs

Project Scope

  • Equip a new sports arena with an AVoIP system, to serve both the local basketball team and facilitate local events

Value

  • Fans enjoy an engaging AV experience during games
  • Users are happy with the ease of use and the iPad-based control capabilities
  • The easy setup and user interface ensure no specialist is required onsite to operate the system
  • Service calls have been reduced, and remote support is now possible
  • The system can be easily adapted and expanded to changing needs

Solution

Background

IKH Areena is a multipurpose sports venue located in the town of Kauhajoki, Finland. Opened in October 2022, it is home to the professional basketball team Karhubasket, which plays in the highest national tier – drawing thousands of fans to its home games – and serving as a meeting place for the town’s 13,000 citizens.

The space comprises three restaurants, a lobby, six VIP sections, one big conference room, a gym for the team, dressing rooms, and the court on which they play.

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“Kramer has been there every step of the way. They have great local support and service. And products in stock. Everything works and the quality is impressive.”
— Antti Kivekäs, Audio Visual Sales, Luova Tehdas

Solution

A few AV equipment companies were considered, but ultimately Kramer was selected. In addition to scoring top marks for its products’ capabilities and ease of use, Kramer’s local presence and support were a major plus, helping make Kramer the top choice. Its local presence and Finnish-language support were priorities for both the system integrator, Luova Tehdas, and the customer.

Luova Tehdas began designing the AV solution before the arena was built, opting for an AVoIP system. “You can achieve so much more with AVoIP and send anything to anywhere,” says Antti. “It is such a simple solution, yet it allows us to do much more than with a basic matrix system. Plus, it’s more flexible, and we can scale up if needed.”

The comprehensive system includes 50 KDS-7 encoders and decoders, and Kramer Control with SL-240C and KT-1010 touch panels. To complete the solution, the Kramer equipment was connected to high-end speakers and amplifiers, and screens from various manufacturers.

Value

Ville Nurminen, Technical Manager and AV Operator for Karhubasket, is more than satisfied with the arena’s AV system, and is particularly pleased with the ease of use, versatility, support, and quality.

“The setup is really easy to use, which was one of the main points, as we didn´t want to have a specialist in the arena all the time,” he says. “Luova Tehdas did a good job of making the user-interface friendly. Having a couple of iPads with the Kramer software installed is also a great feature as users don´t have to go to the control room; you can see that everything is working smoothly from the iPad,” he continues.

Antti is also a fan. “Since the Kramer system is so intuitive and easy to use it has also reduced support calls. And with the ability to make changes online, we’ve been able to provide remote support.” This, of course, is a significant time and cost saver for both Karhubasket and Luova Tehdas.

Installation came with some added challenges as the integration team had to wait for construction to be completed, which was finally done just one month before the opening game. Despite the tight schedule, the AV system was live in time, helping create a great start for the new arena.

Antti recalls: “We had great support from the local Kramer office, and we could call our Kramer Account Manager at any time – he also called us and asked how things were going.” He adds: “He is not just a guy that we buy from, we now consider him a friend.” 

With huge global shortages plaguing many AV companies at the time, Antti was impressed that all Kramer equipment was delivered on time, hassle free.

The Kramer AV system has proven to be extremely reliable, which is essential in a live game environment. The arena’s IT team is happy, and each game’s audience gets a far more entertaining and immersive experience.

In addition, the goal of a customizable solution has paid off, with Karhubasket’s AV team’s ability to easily modify the panels as needed.

Best of all, Karhubasket’s expectations have been fully met. As Ville says: “I can only recommend Kramer. There is nothing in the system that is not as promised. With Kramer, there’s no false promises.”

Antti also rates Kramer highly as a partner: “Kramer has been there every step of the way. They have great local support and service. And products in stock. I also think the reliability is important: everything works, and the quality is impressive.”

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Tags:

Entertainment

AVoIP Solutions

Control

EMEA

Finland

Related Content

Facepunch ups its game and delivers the “wow” factor – with Kramer AV excellence

A picture from Facepunch Studios, VR with a big wall screen - with Kramer's AV solutions are installed.
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“With Kramer equipment, it’s very easy to set up a room for a BYOD meeting, and easy to set up a fully hosted meeting in the boardroom. Plus, wireless presentations are simple and productive.”
— Leigh Holmes, Operations Manager, Facepunch Studios

Background

Facepunch Studios is an independent game developer based in Birmingham, UK. It initially rose to fame with the release of Garry’s Mod in 2006, followed by the Rust and Chippy games, all of which regularly feature in the top 10 most popular Steam games, and are amongst the best-selling Steam games of all time. To date, the studio has sold 38.6 million games and currently employs 50 people worldwide.

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“Facepunch Studios is delighted with the end result and benefits from seamless wireless presentations, flexible conferencing, and a reception area with a real wow factor.”
— Alex Bird, Business Development Manager, Vision On AV Systems Ltd

Goals

In 2022, Facepunch moved its offices to new premises in Birmingham’s prestigious Colmore Row area. The company wanted to be able to facilitate BYOD conferencing collaboration, with easy and reliable wireless presentation capabilities, across all office spaces.

While facilitating game development was key, as a company known for its strong visuals, Facepunch wanted its new offices to deliver a real “wow” effect. To this end, it wanted to have huge media walls in the reception area showing larger-than-life game footage, plus a large interactive screen enabling dynamic product advertisements.

The company had a clear vision for the AV equipment and capabilities it wanted throughout the new offices, specifying a fully automated boardroom with wireless presentation and multi-platform VC (Video Conferencing), interactive displays, zoned audio, and high-end executive offices with BYOD conferencing capabilities. A key target was to minimize hardwiring, so an IP-based solution was preferred.

Solution

Kramer AV equipment was chosen by Vision On AV Systems, the project’s system integrator, for its flexibility, reliability, and excellent product support available from Kramer’s local UK team.

The IP-based solution required a new, segregated, and highly stable AV network to provide solid wireless access from all over the office. Ubiquiti Enterprise Layer 3 switches were used, and the AV network was carefully planned to ensure minimum disruption to service and expedient commissioning.

For control purposes, the AV system was split into four spaces: Media Wall No.1, Media Wall No.2, Boardroom, Office Audio and Remote Control Stations. The central communications room serves as the hub of the AV solution. It comprises the KC-BRAINware-5 for overall control, encoders, audio-video sources, and multi-zone audio amplifiers/mixers, with all devices connected via Ubiquiti Enterprise network switches with fiber links.

Individual rooms have VIA wireless collaboration and conferencing platforms, interfaces, decoders, and local amplifiers. BYOD video conferencing was implemented in most rooms using the VIA Connect2 collaboration platform and VIA Versa virtual camera drivers, while the fully-automated boardroom uses VIA Campus2, and a camera-speaker bar. Additional decoders were added to meeting rooms, the boardroom, game development area, bar, and interactive spaces.

To create the “wow” factor for the 3X3 video walls in the reception area, an encoder/decoder solution was chosen for its great flexibility and because it allowed setup, easy source and audio changes, and remote device control using RS-232.

One of the main challenges was readying the system for testing before the main network was fully operational. Using a simple router and a single SL-240C, Vision On AV Systems was able to commission the floor space-by-space, before moving over to KC−BRAINware once the network was fully commissioned, with external access to the Kramer servers.

Value

The new Kramer-based AV solution has been instrumental in improving collaboration across Facepunch Studios, facilitating the simple and seamless video conferencing that is essential for the success of an international team.

“It’s very easy to set up a room for a BYOD meeting, and easy to set up a fully hosted meeting in the boardroom,” says Leigh Holmes, Operations Manager at Facepunch Studios. And similarly, wireless presentations are simple and productive.

This allows for the level of communication required for working on some of the most cutting-edge gaming technology around – enabling creative juices to flow, while enhancing meaningful interactions that foster productivity. With full BYOD compatibility and excellent AV quality, conferencing is quicker, easier, and more fluid, helping employees engage, even with colleagues overseas. The intuitive interface and automated start-up, resets, and shutdowns of the AV system in each room make using the AV system simple and assured.

Stills from Facepunch games are used as the backgrounds on the user interfaces in every space and room, creating a high-impact branded experience.

“The two media walls in the reception area really do have the wow factor we were after,” says Leigh. “They’re very simple to operate and give visitors plenty to talk about.”

The feedback from everyone involved in the AV project has been exceptional – from Facepunch Studios management and employees alike, as well as other companies involved in the build.

As Alex Bird, Business Development Manager, at Vision On AV Systems concludes: “Facepunch is delighted with the end result and benefits from seamless wireless presentation, flexible conferencing, and a reception area with a real wow factor.”

Now all that’s left to do is watch how this whole new level of interactive collaboration plays out as its fans around the world eagerly await the next Facepunch game.

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Tags:

Enterprise

AVoIP Solutions

Collaboration Applications

EMEA

United Kingdom

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Charterhouse prepares pupils for future success – with skills gained in an updated, AV-rich space

Charterhouse School, UK, from the outside. a school where Kramer AV solutions are installed
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“The transformation of our Lecture Theatre and introduction of a modern and comprehensive AV solution is allowing our teaching methods to diversify, to better prepare pupils for real-world work challenges ahead.”
— Chris Hibbs, Director, External Relations & Foundation, Charterhouse

Background

Founded in 1611, Charterhouse is one of the nine great public schools in England. Located in Godalming, just outside of London, it is home to 960 students – called Carthusians – aged 13 to 18, the majority of whom board onsite. Having educated a vast number of prominent alumni, the School maintains a reputation for imparting scholastic excellence alongside life skills and the School’s values of perseverance, responsibility, moral courage, open-mindedness, and kindness.

In 2019, Charterhouse set its vision on becoming the best coeducational boarding school in the country. Central to this vision was developing a truly world-class campus with targeted investment in its academic and co-curricular facilities.

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“The AV solution is easy to use with interfaces that are self-explanatory. I’ve been impressed with the audio sounds and the quality of the visual definition. The solution is reliable and straightforward to troubleshoot. Overall, we’re having a very positive experience.”
— Member of the IT Department, Charterhouse

Goals

Chris Hibbs, Director, External Relations & Foundation at Charterhouse, says the School wanted to “provide a technologically rich environment that would enable us to transform and step-change the experiences and learning of our pupils, in preparation for their adult lives.”

However, its lecture theater, built in the 1980s, was technologically outdated and therefore was underutilized. The School needed an AV system advanced enough to meet high expectations for modern program delivery, with the potential to be utilized for real-world and business scenarios, not just traditional teaching.

The new Charterhouse Entrepreneurship Diploma is one of the signature programs to be delivered from this facility. It combines a taught syllabus through lectures and speakers, with a framework for pupils to get involved in creating their own presentations. The lecture theater needed to be equipped with modern AV technology that would enable pupils to present and pitch, emulating the type of workspaces they will encounter at university and in professional workplaces.

Chris adds that “it was also essential that pupils and teachers alike are able to use the equipment with ease and efficiency.”

Solution

With the renovation of the lecture theater entirely funded by donations from the School’s community, the transformation of the AV solution began.

Prime AV, the integrator for the project, recommended Kramer as the ideal technology vendor for the new AV system. Kramer was chosen for the high robustness, reliability, and ease of integration of its products, and because the Kramer Control system is sophisticated without being complicated, delivering a good user experience. The Kramer equipment installed included a control keypad (RC-74DL), a room controller (SL-1N), and a presentation switcher/scaler (VP-440X).

In October 2022, the School opened its newly renovated lecture theater, a modern auditorium with sophisticated AV and presentation facilities.

Value

“We are now in the advantageous position of having an AV-rich facility that is being utilized by all year groups, across all academic disciplines,” says Chris.

He notes that “Pupils are now able to practice live presentation skills as well as receive feedback from peers and through video analysis reviews. This takes them through real challenges and real problems, and gives them proper exposure to some of the technologies that they’ll encounter, preparing them for future work.”

In addition to meeting the needs of the Entrepreneurship Diploma program, the collaborative and inclusive environment facilitated by the Kramer AV equipment means Charterhouse is also able to host dynamic speaker events and loan the space through its Community & Partnerships Program to assist with external educational endeavors.

For example, the School hosted a lecture on ‘The Science of Fireworks’, which was attended by several other local schools. “The space was a brilliant area for demonstrations, and guests could clearly see the projector screen from all angles in the room,” comments David Dickinson, Head of Chemistry at Charterhouse. “The display and audio-visual equipment were also very easy to use, and provided a great backdrop for the demonstrations while presenting key information to pupils.”

The quality, ease of use, and reliability of the Kramer solution are all appreciated by Charterhouse’s IT department. According to a team member, “The AV solution is easy to use, with interfaces that are self-explanatory. I’ve been impressed with how the audio sounds, and the quality of the visual definition. The solution is reliable and straightforward to troubleshoot.”

Overall, Charterhouse is very pleased with how the comprehensive Kramer AV solution has helped the School transmit and build the desired skills in students. As Chris notes: “Being business-minded, entrepreneurial, adaptable, creative, and technologically savvy are fundamental skills for both further education and professional environments.”

While he is proud of the School’s achievements thus far, Chris says he recognizes that great institutions do not rest on their laurels. He looks with optimism toward more development to ensure that “modern, progressive, and enjoyable learning at Charterhouse truly prepares Carthusians to lead fulfilled and purposeful lives.”

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“Our newly renovated lecture theater enables traditional teaching environments to diversify, and teaching staff to present and educate in a style that is modern and engaging.”.”
— Chris Hibbs, Director, External Relations & Foundation, Charterhouse

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Tags:

Education

Control

EMEA

United Kingdom

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