When Jennifer O'Donnell took over K O'Donnell’s Sports Bar and Grill in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2019, she had one mission: to make it the ultimate destination for sports fans. From made-from-scratch menu items and specialty cocktails to trivia nights, every detail is crafted to enhance the customer experience. But it isn’t just the ambiance and food that make K O'Donnell’s stand out—it’s also the unbeatable video atmosphere.
Deciding it was time to transform K O’Donnell’s into a high-tech viewing haven, RevampIT AV was enlisted for the massive AV installation. The project brought in a network of 71 displays and 21 video sources supported by Just Add Power’s Ultra product series, allowing every customer a clear view of the action, no matter where they sat.
O'Donnell wanted more displays, a simpler control system for her staff, and a setup that would ensure her bar could accommodate all types of sports and digital signage needs without a hitch. For Jack Thompson, owner of RevampIT, the upgrade was an exciting challenge.
“K O'Donnell’s is packed on game days. With this kind of demand, reliability is non-negotiable. They can’t afford a system that goes down. That’s something a lot of sports bars are challenged with and why integrators need distribution and manufacturing partners who understand these challenges and how to solve them,” Thompson said.
To ensure seamless distribution across the expanded display network, RevampIT installed a stack of three Ruckus switches, which were instrumental in supporting the high-performance, AV-over-IP system powered by Just Add Power. RevampIT added six new displays and eight new video sources, including DirecTV, Roku streaming devices, and an AppleTV for Chive TV programming—each supported by Just Add Power decoders (receivers) and encoders (transmitters).
The team also implemented SAVI, a user-friendly control system that would make managing 77 displays more practical for the staff. Since Just Add Power’s rich feature set is compatible with most control systems, RevampIT AV was able to confidently install the SAVI system while benefitting from Just Add Power’s innovative image pull feature, which allows the bar’s managers to view what’s on each display from the SAVI control device without having to walk around the building.
“With Just Add Power’s image pull feature, managing the displays has never been easier,” Thompson said. “They [bar staff] just check the screen on the device, and they know exactly what’s playing. For a venue with this many displays, that makes their job fast.”
The upgrade at K O’Donnell’s demonstrates Just Add Power’s scalability and sustainability. The previously installed Just Add Power components are joined by the new Ultra encoders and decoders in the system, the models of which can be independently selected based on the source and distribution requirements. Just Add Power’s UL-708POE model is integrated with the bar’s DirecTV sources, which provides the flexibility to break out the audio signal and broadcast it over the speaker system on game days. This adaptability is critical for a bustling sports bar like K O'Donnell’s.
Blackwire Designs played a vital role in the installation’s success. Blackwire’s expertise with both the Ruckus switches and Just Add Power’s AMP configuration software helped to ensure smooth integration between the devices. RevampIT also relied on Blackwire’s Network Provisioning Service, which preconfigured the network hardware before installation, allowing Thompson to skip on-site setup and troubleshooting.
“Thanks to Blackwire, this project was nearly turnkey,” Thompson added. “I was even able to send them the existing Just Add Power encoders, and they preprogrammed everything with the new Ruckus switches. It saved me a ton of work.”
Blackwire’s support proved even more indispensable when a power surge caused by a neighborhood transformer outage damaged some of the Just Add Power units. Blackwire stepped in immediately.
For K O'Donnell’s, the upgraded system has not only met but exceeded expectations, offering O'Donnell and her staff the flexibility, control, and reliability they need to keep patrons engaged and coming back for more. And with Just Add Power’s scalable, future-proof design, the system is ready to adapt to whatever needs may come next, ensuring K O'Donnell’s remains one of Scottsdale’s premier sports bars.