Hurrairah bin Sohail speaks with i-Control about how the integrator fitted out Maxim’s Jasmine restaurant in Hong Kong with AV systems that take the spaces to a new level of functionality.
The importance of AV is hard to quantify. We have metrics to try and define AV’s impact, but AV systems provide much more in
the way of of intangibles which
are harder to pin down.
Jasmine, a restaurant in Hong
Kong, serves as a good case study.
Maxim’s Group, the owner and
operator of Jasmine, embarked
on a project to elevate its spaces
with AV systems that met its
requirements and enhanced the
experience at the restaurant.
Kirby Ho, project manager at
integrator i-Control, talks about
the client’s vision: “Maxim’s
Jasmine was looking to really
upgrade the capabilities of the
restaurant. In the past, they had
only a few inputs to manage. But
the department head wanted to
change this, they wanted to use
new and innovative technology
and shift away from the past.
This meant that they were
going to have to support a larger
number of inputs and outputs.
They would have to try out new
technology. For example, they
wanted to see the additional
functionality that wireless
sharing via Bluetooth could
bring.”
Ho delves down to the core
requirements: “From the start,
it was obvious that a traditional
AV design and a traditional AV
system would not meet the user
requirements, because this was
the way that they had been doing
things in the past. We were really
brought in to help the client
understand what the users
wanted and then provide them
concepts and ideas about the
new services and technologies
that are available.”
All aspects of AV, from
design to deployment and
commissioning, were managed
and delivered by i-Control.
Jasmine restaurant spans
across two floors. The spaces
and areas have been designed
to enable a range of functions
according to the client’s
direction.
Starting with the second floor,
the space can be broken down
into four rooms which serve as
multi-function areas. A range of
Bose speakers, along with Bose
amplifiers and a processor, are
used to provide audio.
Ho details: “Such restaurant
spaces traditionally use ceiling
speakers, and these are often
placed in the middle of the
space, not at the side as we have
done at Jasmine. The interior
design of the restaurant has a lot
of chandeliers and they didn’t
want these to be damaged or
moved. This meant that our
speakers had to be installed at
the sides and this also meant
that our speaker selection had to
be perfect. This is why we chose
the Bose Edgemax speakers
because they were able to deliver
the quality audio performance
we wanted with the installation
restrictions that we had.”
The Bose platform for audio
systems also played a part in
the project. Ho explains: “Bose’s
software system helped us
facilitate the installation design
for the best positioning of the
speakers to provide the best
sound. We used this design to
calculate the best positioning,
volume and angle. In addition to
the interior design, we were also
dealing with a high ceiling and
the open floor plan of the second
floor, so the designing stage was
quite important. We worked
hard to make sure that all the
variables, like audio distribution
and volume levels around the
different areas were calculated
and correct.”
The intended use of the
multi-function spaces drove
i-Control’s execution of the
project. Ho says: “From our
conversations with the client,
we found out that restaurant
staff had issues with controlling
the audio system and connecting
to it. This led us to explore the
possibility of using Bluetooth.
We discussed it with the client as
an option to present wirelessly.”
He continues: “Jasmine wanted
to be able to rent out the multifunction room, and that was the
guide for us. Bluetooth allows
them to not only have the option
to watch TV, but also have the
flexibility to connect to the AV
system with their phones to
play their own content. The IDs
of the Bluetooth are set up to
allow pairing with the different
function rooms. The Bluetooth
connection is enabled through
Crestron control, which allows
us to be able to control which
devices are allowed to connect
and send content.”
Shure microphones are used
for audio pickup. Ho talks about
the considerations: “Stability for
the microphone system was very
important. In the past, Maxim’s
Jasmine had faced challenges
where the sound was not
balanced, they had issues
with bad transmission for the
microphone signals. It was our
job to make sure these problems
were fixed.”
He continues: “The restaurant
spans across two floors and we
started with this when we began
our design. We ensured that even
if the microphone is being used
at the bottom floor, even if it is
being plugged in at the second
floor, there would be no drops in
transmission after taking into
account the interior design and
the architecture.”
On the ground floor, Bose
Panaray 502 A speakers are
deployed together with MB210
subwoofers which deliver full
range of audio.
Ho says: “The idea was to make
sure that the ground floor was
suited for events, like wedding
banquets. For such events,
customers are demanding
quality audio and a level of
loudness for the display of short
format wedding videos or for
intelligibility for speeches.”
Both the reception and the
entire first floor area of Maxim’s
Jasmine restaurant also uses
Bose Edgemax speakers installed
at the edge of the ceiling to make
sure there is no conflict with the
interior design such as lighting
fixtures and ceiling decorations.
With audio handled, i-Control
set its sights on providing
adequate video systems for
Jasmine restaurant. Epson
projectors are used on both
floors along with tension
projection screens. A Kramer
VS-88UHDA 8x8 matrix switch
with Crestron extenders is used
for video signal transmission.
Ho narrates: “We needed fast
and stable video distribution for
the content. The feedback that
Maxim’s Group had received
from its customers was that the
latency of the video content when
output with the old AV system
was disruptive. So, i-Control
selected brands that were stable.
Selecting the right matrix and
extenders would minimise this
problem as much as possible
and the result has been very
successful.”
Vaddio cameras are used for
video input in the different
spaces. Philips professional
monitors are also provided.
A Crestron processor, along
with Crestron touch panels and
keypads, provide control for the
AV systems.
Ho details: “We decided to use
Crestron control for the multifunction rooms and other areas,
all of which can be used in a
flexible manner and combined
together when needed. Without
the stable control system, the
end user would not be able to
completely use the AV systems
according to their wishes.”
Regarding the challenges
that i-Control faces, Ho says:
“The timeframe within which
the project had to be completed
was very tight. We had been
allowed three weeks for the
installation and we were very
fortunate to have the support of
our vendor partners who had the
stocks ready for us and supplied
them in time for us to be able to
do our job.”
To conclude, Ho says: “Maxim’s
selected i-Control because it
believed that we would be able
to deliver the project within
the short timeframe. This was
possible because we have a large,
experienced project team as well
as internal programmers. We also
provide AV design and drawing
services. This mix allows us to
take on a project from the start
and deliver it at the end."