In a digital exclusive, Hurrairah bin Sohail finds out how BAP Technology Consultant provided easy to control and adjust AV systems that allow Neptune’s Restaurant to be flexible and adaptable when catering for patrons.
AV systems for hospitality settings in restaurants need to set the ambience in addition to performing their usual functions. Neptune’s Restaurant in Hong Kong engaged BAP Technology Consultants [BAP] to deliver AV which comprised lighting control systems together with outdoor digital signage, projection, audio and control.
The setting at the venue required special consideration as Marco Tang, director of sales at BAP, says: “Neptune’s Restaurant is the only aquarium restaurant in Hong Kong with a colourful backdrop of a lively underwater world, seen through a 13m wide panoramic viewing panel. Guests can enjoy sustainable seafood in an elegant dining environment. This aspect was extremely important for the AV component of the project, because the system design had to embody comfort yet prestige while also following Ocean Park’s compliance rules.”
Neptune’s Restaurant is designed to cater for variety of events and dining arrangements. The venue can be divided into several zones for different private parties or large wedding and corporate events. AV systems were required for VIP rooms, reception area, staging area, dining area, outdoor signage, kitchen and more.
With such a range of spaces and different use cases, BAP knew that the AV systems would have to be versatile. Tang details: “A flexible and simple AV solution that could support different dining events with low labour cost and turnaround time was essential for this project. This would require automated handling, processing, and distribution of video and audio. Ideally, the system would be able to be controlled from an intuitive touchscreen interface that operators could use with confidence and ease.”
Having come up with a plan of action, BAP set to work. An Epson EB-L510U laser projector and Epson EH-LS100 short throw laser projector paired with Grandview motorised projection screens are used to provide visuals.
Regarding the choice of projectors, Tang says: “Epson laser projectors were used because of their advanced laser technology. The laser projectors can turn on and off instantly, no waiting for a bulb to warm up or cool down, and they don’t dim like a bulb, which means it has greater consistency and a longer life. Consistency and cost saving were what the client’s expected, that’s why we deployed Epson projectors.”
Samsung OH46F 46-in panels are used for the purpose of outdoor signage. An Oppo UDP-203 Blu-ray player is used as the input source along with a Panasonic AW-HE40HK + AW-RM50 HD integrated camera with remote control.
Video is distributed with the help of an Extron DTP CrossPoint 8x6 4K switcher. Tang says: “The scaling presentation matrix switcher is rack mounted in a storage room. It scales content to the outputs in 1,920 by 1,200 native resolution, and relays on the integrated control processor to facilitate operation of the projection screen and displays.”
He continues: “The Extron 8x6 matrix switcher was selected for its capability to fulfil important application and performance requirements, such as HDMI and DTP twisted pair inputs and outputs that support 4K video resolutions. It also features integrated audio DSP with AEC for events when needed. Extron DTP HDMI 4K transmitters are used to extend signals from the inputs to receivers rack-mounted with the matrix switcher over the twisted pair transmission infrastructure. The transmission distances over the shielded twisted pair cable at Neptune’s Restaurant were well within the 330ft [100m] capability of these DTP extenders.”
Regarding the choice to go with Extron, Tang says: “We were definitely confident that Extron solution would be able to provide a stable guest experience and make system maintenance and operation easier.”
Audio in the staging and dining area is provided by JBL Control 26CT and Control 30 speakers together with a JBL PRX418S subwoofer positioned carefully to facilitate a well-balanced mixture of speech reinforcement and music playback. The audio system is powered by Extron and Crown amplifiers and is controlled by an Extron DMP 128 Plus ProDSP Processor with AEC and Dante. The processor provides key audio functions including mixing of four Shure wireless microphones along with program audio, equalisation and tone control.
Tang says: “The DMP 128 processor is integral to the AV system design to receive signals from Shure QLXD Dante enabled wireless microphone receivers and multiple Dante-enabled sources.”
In the VIP rooms JBL Control 26CT ceiling speakers are installed and powered by Extron XPA U 1002-70V amplifiers to ensure clear sound. The audio signal in each room is routed independently to the amplifier so that different signals can be output to different rooms.
Tang says: “With the deployment of the Extron ProDSP Processor and the fully networked audio system, combining and dividing rooms is extremely simple and efficient, with all inputs and outputs automatically assigned in pre-set states. The Shure QLXD wireless microphones can then be shared to use within the restaurant with them having the ability to assign any microphone to any partition space freely and easily.”
Control for the AV system is provided via an Extron TLP Pro 725T 7-in TouchLink Pro touch panel located at the reception desk and it is connected to the rack-mounted Extron IPCP Pro555 and IPL PRO CR88 IP Link Pro control processors, which include LinkLicense for customised user interfaces.
Tang elaborates: “The touch panel provides intuitive controls for venue partitioning, signal source selection, screen control, in-room light adjustment, audio level adjustment and the ability to power the display devices on or off. For combined usage of the space, a simple button press can reconfigure the AV system to display signals to designated areas.”
He continues: “With the Extron control solution, two Apple iPad tablets can be used as remote touch panel control that allow the operator to use the system without being in front of a physical touch panel, as well as providing the support team with remote access to the system. Rather than being held captive by a traditional control system that requires a programmer, Extron control allows the support team to reconfigure and manage an AV system on the fly.”
Multiple zones of light with various lighting sources and loads are connected to a Lutron HomeWorks QS processor. The lighting control system has been integrated with the Extron control system and can be accessed via the touch panel. The operator is able to adjust light levels through the Extron TLP Pro 725T 7-in touch panel and the Apple iPads.
Tang says: “In selecting the lighting control system, great consideration was given to ease of use and ensuring the lighting control solution could create different lighting atmospheres for a wide variety of events ranging from wedding receptions, to private parties, to company events. The dining area accommodates it all with well-planned partition and zoning designs.
“With Lutron HomeWorks QS lighting control system in place, the restaurant operators have the ability to recall the pre-set light environment for different uses such as speech, march-in, dining and presentation modes. Transitions between lighting scenes can range from 1 second to 1 hour, in such a way that the guests won’t even notice the subtle change in light levels. Sequencing of scenes can also be done for special occasions like private party to create dramatic effect and surprise the guests.”
Finson Lam, director of engineering at BAP, sheds light on how the project progressed and was completed: “One of the challenges was to create an easy to use control for non-technical operators. Building a system is not the most difficult part, but designing an user-friendly interface that facilitates users to control the audio, video and lighting systems with confidence is always a challenging task. Our programmer spent much effort to understand operational requirements and workflows from the client through effective communication and then came up with a solution that allows control everywhere with a touch of a button. This drastically reduced the labour costs and turn-around times.”
To conclude, Tang says: “The design and final AV systems deployed fully satisfied expectations from the client, because all the non-technical operators in the restaurant are able to manipulate the system to change room layout as well as operate AV and lighting system via the user-friendly touch panel control.”