Mandeville Beer Garden Focuses On The Details With The ELAN Control System

Launching a restaurant is often a sink-or-swim moment. It’s stressful, exciting and demanding, so any help keeping things organized and flowing smoothly is essential. Just ask Rebekah Gelvin, the proud owner and operator of the new Mandeville Beer Garden in Sarasota, Florida. With 30 draught beers, 150 bottles and a classic beer garden-style food menu, the last thing the staff wants is to have to remember tricky procedures for operating TVs, stereos and other utilities on site.

As the city’s first-ever beer garden, Gelvin knew it might be popular, but was pleasantly surprised at the community’s overwhelming response. Luckily, she thought ahead and outfitted the establishment with advanced technologies designed to lighten the load for her and the staff, centered around an ELAN control system that automates the audio, video, lighting, surveillance cameras and HVAC.

“It’s nice not to worry about turning things on and off,” Gelvin said. “It might seem like a little detail, but there are hundreds of little details that we need to nail every day, so anything that checks a couple items off the list is a big help. As far as grand openings go, ours has been wildly successful, but that does mean that the staff can sometimes be racing around to keep every customer happy. In that environment, giving the bartenders the ability to change TV channels or turn up the music from their personal smartphones is a big help. It saves time and frustration, and even attracts the customers’ attention when they ask how we did that.”

Automating the utilities of the beer garden was a core consideration during construction, according to Mark van den Broek, owner of the Sarasota-based electronics integration firm Smarthouse Integration.

“Technology is basically a given for a modern bar or restaurant, and Rebekah knew that going in,” van den Broek said. “But where legacy owners might see TVs and speakers as the end-all be-all, she recognized that more could be done to simplify operations and free up staff to attend to customers quicker and more effectively. In addition, the energy savings can be considerable. For instance, the beer garden’s lights, TVs, and speakers all automatically turn on 30 minutes before opening and off 30 minutes and after closing. This eliminates the need for a worker to be responsible for these duties, and ensures that it always happens. Even if someone did turn on a light after closing, Rebekah can see that and turn it off using the ELAN g! mobile app on her smartphone or tablet.”

In addition to the automated on/off settings, van den Broek worked closely with Gelvin to create a smart lighting timeline that self-adjusts the lighting levels throughout the day to match ambient light. Combine that with an intelligent HVAC schedule, an integrated security system, 10 IP surveillance cameras and three separate zones of audio and video, and it’s clear the ELAN control system plays an essential role in the beer garden’s operations. It even gives the staff instant control over the beer garden’s functions through their mobile phones.

“Another thing we knew going in is that every customer wants WiFi. They want to take pictures, upload them, search for our beers on apps and be as connected as they are at home,” Gelvin added.

To satisfy this insatiable desire to be connected at all times, van den Broek installed Luxul networking equipment to provide a private network for the staff and a public network for customers. To keep customers informed of specials and restaurant info, two commercial LG display panels show special info and menus as well as TV programming through digital signage software.

The installation includes a variety of indoor and outdoor speakers from JBL and SpeakerCraft with Niles and Crown amplification, all distributed through the ELAN system. Each audio and video zone can be controlled independently from the ELAN mobile app or a 7-inch ELAN touchscreen mounted behind the bar. To keep all the equipment running smoothly and reliably, van den Broek utilized the Panamax MB4315-Pro Power Manager to deliver clean, consistent and protected power.

NanoLumens Introduces NanoClear™, the Next-Generation Transparent Visualization Solution!

NanoLumens®, the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of visualization solutions in any size, shape, or curvature, today announced the introduction of the next great advance in its solutions offerings — the groundbreaking, fully-transparent NanoClear™ display platform.

“NanoLumens has always been unique in its ability to provide customers with visual solutions in any size, shape or curvature — solutions that in every respect live up to their imagination,” NanoLumens Vice President of Marketing and Business Development Nate Remmes explained. “However, the introduction of our transparent visualization technology takes the company to the next level of innovation. We’re proud to be one of the first companies to commercialize this industry-changing technology, and provide exceptional solutions to customers around the world.”

Utilizing state-of-the-art nano-optical particle diffusion, the new NanoClear display platform allows objects to seamlessly float in space. The display can accept input from nearly any device or content management system to produce specific messaging on the clear display. Extremely slim and ultra-lightweight, NanoClear, like all NanoLumens visualization solutions, is also energy-efficient and feature a bright, seamless, high-resolution picture quality.

The company’s patented display technology and highly innovative visual solutions are transforming the way companies engage their audiences in every type of higher education, retail, hospitality, stadium, arena, casino, transportation and public event environments.

In fact, according to Remmes, NanoClear has recently been installed in major retail locations, airports, and arenas, including the TD Garden in Boston. “We’re thrilled to see this new technology already changing the atmospherics in so many diverse installation environments,” he said.

Valley View Agri-Systems Personalizes Office With Custom Table, Lighting Fixture, and ELAN g! System

Logos are one of the most important advertising tools that exist, helping us recognize and remember world famous brands regardless of language or location. Valley View Agri-Systems, a leader in grain storage and material handling solutions, took their logo to heart when redesigning their Arkansas office to impress visitors and potential clients. Using the logo throughout their design and incorporating an intelligent control system made by ELAN, the company created a meeting and working space truly unique to their brand.

In a new conference room dubbed “the war room,” a custom-designed conference table and lighting fixture in the shape of their logo accentuate the space and reinforce the idea that Valley View Agri-Systems is in control of the meeting environment. That control is further highlighted by the advanced ELAN g! control system, which allows meeting leaders to easily manage and use the war room’s audio and video systems from an iPad docked on the conference table or an ELAN HR2 handheld remote.

According to installer Ryan Heringer, owner of Jonesboro, Arkansas-based Sound Concepts, the consolidated control of A/V in the conference room and eight separate offices gives the Valley View staff another means of impressing potential clients and visitors.

“With a few taps they can pull up presentations and videos without any complications, every time,” Heringer said. “Anyone who has frequented board rooms for presentations using technology can likely tell you how frustrating it is when things don’t work perfectly, or that it is a nuisance for someone to require advanced knowledge to simply operate the TV and audio system. What we are able to provide through the ELAN g! system is a dead-simple interface that turns everything on and presents the video options and computer connections in a truly easy format so even a first-time user can dive into operating it with ease.”

In addition to the requirement that the system be basically foolproof, keeping everything hidden was a top priority. Using in-ceiling adjustable direction speakers and the wireless ELAN g! system, the only things visible in the room are an iPad for control and the TVs on the walls. Infrared signaling and IP connectivity allows for all the processing equipment, video players and amplifiers to remain behind the scenes in a rack located in small closet in the war room.

The war room consists of a 14-seat conference table in the shape of Valley View’s bulging-rectangle logo, situated directly beneath a matching lighting fixture designed in precisely the same shape. Beyond the head of the table is a wall-mounted 80” Sharp 1080p TV, with two 65” Samsung 1080p adjustable-angle TVs flanking the table’s long sides, providing easy presentation and video viewing for every person in the room. Eight in-ceiling speakers provide clear audio without cluttering the room.

Outside the conference room the integration extends into eight offices, each featuring a wall-mounted 40” Samsung TV and a single in-ceiling speaker. An ELAN S1616A amplifier/multi-room audio controller provides power for all 16 speakers throughout the conference room and offices, and can send separate signals to each room. This way the war room conference does not affect a smaller office meeting, while everything runs through the same reliable system. The equipment rack includes nine cable boxes, one for each separate room, in addition to two Apple TVs and an Integra Blu-ray player with access to Netflix and Vudu. A Binary 16x16 HDMI matrix switch routes all video from the equipment closet to the 11 TVs.

To download additional hi-res photography, click here.

Stampede to Demonstrate the Many Ways to Strike Gold in Vegas at DSE 2015!

Digital signage resellers attending DSE 2015 who think the only chance they have to 'strike it rich' is either at the slot machines or the tables should bypass the casinos and proceed immediately to Booth #2128, where they will find that Stampede will be offering a number of exciting new risk-free ways to build revenues and profits by incorporating complete digital signage solutions into their 2015 business plans. 

“Displays, media servers, media content, managed services, and all of the traditional product categories that attach to make a complete digital signage solution will be displayed at this year’s DSE,” said Kevin Kelly, President & COO of North America’s oldest, largest, and still fastest growing distributor of high value-added ProAV solutions.  “No one offers more ways to ‘strike gold’ in today’s dynamic digital signage industry than Stampede.  We offer solutions for every vertical market and in every major system configuration, from simple in-store signage to complete customer engagement solutions.” 

What’s more, according to Kelly, Stampede will be making its business points at this year’s DSE by wrapping them around an array of exciting in-booth promotions that are all themed around the gold rush that made the West famous. 

As for the business side of the show program, Stampede will be offering it all: 

•  The Samsung RM48D Smart Signage Platform, featuring a wireless connection and offering both portrait and landscape modes of operation, as well as a custom wall-mount solution that makes this choice the industry’s most complete ‘signage in a box’ solution.

•  The just-introduced 70” NEC E705 Display that is built upon NEC’s proven V Series digital signage platform.  This is the clear winner when it comes to high quality, cost-effective display signage panels that can be used in a wide variety of applications.

•  The industry-leading Sharp Professional PN-Y Series of digital signage displays, incorporating a built-in USB content player, fan-less architecture, and out-of-the-box portrait and landscape mode operation — all of which makes this option the perfect reduced profile winner.

•  The new 98LS95A-5B LG display from LG Electronics, which is the new 98” addition to the state-of-the-art LG line-up featuring 4K resolution, IPS glass, as well as the software needed to enable the screen to be divided into video wall quadrants using WebOS.

•  High performance, weather-proof SunBrite displays for every kind of outdoor signage environment.

•  The latest MicroTile solutions from Christie Digital that can be used in video wall applications, broadcast studios, and so much more.

•  The ultra-bright DS55LX3 55” DynaScan video wall that is specifically designed to deliver a brilliant, high ambient light solution.

“Just as important as the display solutions on exhibit are the content management systems that can be combined with them,” Kelly emphasized.  “Stampede offers everything a ProAV dealer needs to profit from offering digital signage solutions and this includes content management solutions from 11 Giraffes, BrightSign, Cenique, and WonderSign.” 

Finally, Stampede will be offering ProAV resellers a complete range of services to make their implementation and use of digital signage solutions as simple and efficient as possible, including nationwide warehousing; direct-to-job delivery; market-dedicated digital signage specialists; account relationship managers strategically placed throughout the United States, Canada, and Latin America; pre-configured solutions for specific installs; a selection from more than 150 different manufacturers; and professional services that include installation, network monitoring, and system configuration. 

“We’re doing everything possible to help DSE 2015 attendees strike it rich in the most meaningful way possible,” Kelly concluded, “and that’s with well thought-out solutions that include every piece of the digital signage puzzle — displays, content management platforms, media, and services.  Don’t gamble your future anywhere else. Come to Stampede, where you will always ride ahead of the herd.”