This Zebra Has Sophisticated Audiovisual Stripes
SUWANEE, GA—Chip Kessler, owner of Zebra Construction Company, a concrete and masonry subcontracting firm, knew that the company had outgrown its existing facilities, both in terms of limited physical space and an aged AV system. Rather than renovate, Kessler opted to build a new facility and hired dB Audio & Video, an Atlanta area-based integrator, to make its AV system shine.
Two of the requirements of the new facility were a better training space for employees and the ability to deliver more impressive and comprehensive presentations to clients. Satisfying those requirements would demand complex, but easy to operate, AV systems in the training room, Kessler’s office, the boardroom, a “war room,” and the executive offices.
The training room contains two Panasonic PT-D5000U DLP wide screen projectors on a custom-built ultra-wide screen. The two sides of the screen can display the same image or two independent images. The presenter stands at a Soundcraft 4848V custom multi-media wooden lectern where a Crestron DTT-15V3 Dual- Touch Technology touch panel controls all the technologies in the room.
Kessler’s office features a Danley Sound Labs surround system with the DTS-20 and a Digital Projections iVision projecting onto a Da-Lite screen. recorder (for recording a presentation), and the channels of two satellite systems. The touch panel provides volume control for the Biamp Nexia CS audio system, two wireless mics, and a Sennheiser i42-C lectern mic. Presenters can use a dedicated presentation computer or they can plug a laptop directly into the system.
Kessler’s office has audio and video firepower worthy of the very best home theater systems. “We began with the idea that Chip’s office would be used not only business conferences with his executive and support staff but, as a place where his clients and business associates could meet on less formal occasions,” said Neil Philpott, dB’s systems advisor. “We built a system that would make any AV audiophile junkie drool!”
50-inch 1080P HD Panasonic TH- 50PH10UK plasma TV with speakers allows Kessler to view his desk computer and satellite feeds. The opposite end of the office houses the Denon 5.1 AVR988P surround sound system with loudspeakers from Danley Sound Labs: two SH-100Bs and one SH-95 for the front channels and two SH-100s for rear channels. A Danley DTS-20 subwoofer generates bass down to 16Hz. Digital Projection’s iVision 30-1080p-XL projects onto a 116-inch wide Da-Lite screen with High Contrast DaMat screen material to deliver full high-definition native 1080P video. Content from the system’s HD satellite feed or from its LG BH200 Super Blu-Ray disc player is stunning. A Crestron ST-1700C color touch panel with ST-DSN docking station gracefully controls all the systems in Kessler’s office, including lighting. A 2-Series CP2E control system with CNRFGWA one-way remote RF receiver make the touch panel wireless for convenient control from anywhere in the room.
Zebra delivers presentations to current and potential clients in the boardroom. A Crestron MC2E control system with a QM-MD5X1 distribution center is operated from a QM-FTCC-TPS4-B QuickMedia fliptop touch panel computer center mounted into the boardroom table. Computer graphics project onto a 16- x 9-foot screen using Smart Board 690 technology and a Panasonic PTFW100NTU widescreen projector.
