The Tavastia Live Club in Finland has overhauled its AV system, turning to Kramer for control and AV-over-IP signal transmission technology.
From the Ramones to the Foo Fighters, the Helsinki venue has hosted some of the planet’s biggest rock acts since it opened in 1970. Fast forward to today, and Tavastia desperately needed to update its in-house digital communications and improve experiences for music fans and VIP guests.
Maintaining an old-school look and feel was high on the agenda for the 700-capacity venue that plays host to an almost daily lineup of live entertainment, ranging from local aspiring artists to some of the biggest names in rock royalty.
Magnus Hultquist, regional sales director at Kramer, said: “The venue’s initial situation revealed a reliance on over decade-old television, characterised by thick bezels and low picture quality. The video signals, transmitted through analogue cabling, originated either from a single PC or directly from the concert hall’s equipment.
“The 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.”
To tackle the issues, AV/IT integration specialist Frendy built and installed a flexible and future-focused AV system tailored to the venue’s precise needs.
Competed in just under a week, the AV system was equipped with multiple KDS-EN7 transmitters and KDS-DEC7 receivers, allowing for the simultaneous display of different content on various screens. AV-over-IP technology was suited to the AV needs of Tavastia which needed flexibility to cater to the diverse needs of different events and presentations at the venue.
A 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 high-definition LG displays with minimal bezels, connected through a virtual matrix system that used the local network for signal transmission, ensuring high-quality and reliable video signals throughout the venue.
Clients can now display their advertisements seamlessly and engagement and satisfaction has improved during events.
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.
Mika Lausamo, sales & AV at Frendy, said: "We have a long history of cooperation with Tavastia in network and IT matters. One day, we woke up to the fact that Tavastia's old screens had come to the end of their road. The technology did not represent today, and updating the ads was very laborious. We solved this with LG's high-quality digital signage, Smartsign's easy-to-use content management system, and Kramer's signal transmission solution. This entity makes users' everyday lives easier and brings a lot of new opportunities for Tavastia's operations.”