The WynnBET Sports Bar in the new Encore Boston Harbor hotel marks the second major project for Wynn Resorts utilizing Analog Way videowall processors. Oxford, Connecticut-based Metinteractive, part of the original construction team for the resort, which at the time was the sixth-largest private construction project in the U.S., handled the final engineering and all the integration and programming of the Aquilon C+, Analog Way's 4K/8K multi-screen presentation system and videowall processor.
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In the WynnBET Sports Bar, Aquilon C+ drives a striking 123-foot-long, wraparound LED videowall that spans three walls with two 90º wraparound corners. The elevated videowall offers a massive canvas for sports viewing as fans enjoy a full-service bar and cuisine from Shake Shack and Frank & Nick's close to the gaming floor action. The almost 20K resolution Mitsubishi direct-view 1.87mm LED videowall, with full 10-bit display for the highest image quality and color fidelity, required building a back end with enough horsepower to drive the complex system.
"We were honored to be tapped by Richard Gold and the Metinteractive team to assist with another of their high-profile projects," said Analog Way regional sales manager Seth Teates. "In this case, we needed to solve for a nearly 20K resolution LED wall, with up to 24 4K HDR sources, and drive a 10-bit HDR10 display. The system needed to be mission-critical reliable, flexible, and easy to operate by non-technical staff. We also had to provide a futureproof platform that would upconvert SDR sources today and be ready for full 4K 60Hz HDR sources on all inputs in the future. The Aquilon C+ was a perfect fit, easily checking all those boxes."
According to Metinteractive CEO Jeffrey Mele, "Analog Way equipment is a go-to in our toolbox for high-end, large-canvas rendering. I first used Analog Way as a format conversion tool about 20 years ago for the Hall of Ocean Life at the Museum of Natural History in New York City, and we've stayed with them ever since for the quality and robust nature of their products for large-canvas scaling, processing and switching."
Sources for the videowall include 24 DirecTV receivers, including two C61K 4K receivers; 12 channels off the existing COM3000 system; and 14 computer and streaming inputs.
"The client was very interested in being forward thinking and designing a system to accommodate 4K HDR10," explained Metinteractive senior engineer Richard Gold. "Now, just one DirecTV receiver broadcasts 4K HDR10 live sports, so sources are limited, but in a few years a lot more will take advantage of the system's capabilities and we'll be ready for it."
Gold cites Metinteractive's and Wynn's history with Analog Way equipment, the Wynn staff's familiarity with the gear, product quality and reliability, and an attractive price point as all playing a role in choosing the Aquilon C+.
"During the course of system design and working out the layouts of the videowall in preparation for programming we got Analog Way, Mitsubishi, Larry Spurgeon from AV consultants Spurgeon Design & Development, programmer Mark Paul Smith and ourselves together," says Gold. "We wanted to find the optimal way for programming to be both flexible enough for operators to create layouts they wanted as sports events happen and yet as easy as possible for them to run. Seth and Analog Way chief technologist Andrzej Lubaszka were very helpful in highlighting what we could accomplish so when we turned the system on, it just worked, and the client was very happy with the solution."
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"Analog Way's service and support has always been greatly appreciated," said Mele. "When a project is highly reliant on a single large device, without backup, you have to know you can get immediate support when you need it. That's where the competition fails and Analog Way succeeds, hands down."
"We're very happy with Analog Way's support," said Gold. "It was great to have Analog Way's very skilled field engineer, Todd Stark, on site to fine tune the system and train our client's operators."
