An IT company in Seoul undergoes an AV transformation to create flexible, multipurpose spaces. ESCO Korea shows us how it’s done.
Telechips is a global, fabless semiconductor development and manufacturing company that specialises in developing connectivity and multimedia solutions for the automotive sector. The company relocated from its previous headquarters in Songpa-gu to a newly constructed office building in Pangyo.
The company’s new facility required comprehensive AV systems that could accommodate its unique operational needs, spanning from small meeting spaces to large-scale town hall events. For this project, ESCO Korea was appointed as the systems integrator. Seokmin Kim, VP of sales at ESCO Korea, details how the integrator got the project: “We were commissioned by a partner construction company to provide comprehensive AV consulting for one of their clients, Telechips. Through meetings with the client, we consistently proposed solutions that aligned with their needs. They were impressed with our design, which led them to award the project to us.”
Kim shares the client’s requirements for the new spaces: “For the first time, Telechips has constructed a building exclusively for their own use. As a result, they wanted a detailed AV design that could cover every space within their office, from small to large areas. Interestingly, they requested our consulting services to create a band practice room for their employees, and for us to help configure the musical instruments. They also wanted a ‘library’ space which was meant to serve dual purposes; hosting large seminars and acting as a relaxation area for employees.”
Flexibility is key
The first key space to be outfitted was a 10-person meeting room, which required a flexible, user-friendly AV solution. To fulfil these requirements, ESCO installed an 85-in Samsung display to suit the medium-tolarge meeting room and paired it with the Logitech Rally Bar. A 10.1-in Logitech Tap device was placed at the centre of the room for easy meeting control, while the Logitech Rally microphone system ensured clear audio capture throughout the space.
Kim explains the choice of technology in the meeting room: “Since Telechips is an IT company, Logitech is a familiar brand to them. At the moment, the client does not have much need for videoconferencing, so we suggested Logitech as it is widely used, reliable, and simple to set up.”
Next, we take a look at the main town hall, a large space intended to host events, press conferences, and gatherings. Kim elaborates on the purpose of the main town hall: “This hall is meant to be an event lounge that could also function as a banquet hall. Additionally, the space needed to be rentable to external companies for hosting various award ceremonies and family events. To achieve this, the AV system in the space had to be easy to operate and user-intuitive, while also being of premium quality. Today, the space is able to host band concerts and seminars at the location, using the wireless scripter developed by ESCO.”
At the heart of the main town hall lies an Epson EB-PU2010B beam projector with 10,000 ASNI lumens brightness. The beam projector was chosen to ensure bright and clear visuals even in well-lit conditions, as the town hall had floor-toceiling glass windows with daylight streaming in. As for the projector screen, ESCO Korea decided to go with a customised screen made from local brand Jung-oh Media. To ensure the signal travels from the source to the projector seamlessly, an Aten over IP solution and switcher has been deployed.
Kim delves into the reasoning behind opting for projectors, focusing on both practicality and aesthetics. “First, they didn’t want to obstruct the view from the glass window on a regular basis, so projectors offer the option of the screen being rolled up when not in use,” explains Kim. “Second, we chose to go with projectors because if we had gone with an LED solution, it would have been visually unappealing as the back of the LED would be visible through the glass.”
On the audio side of things, the client emphasised high-fidelity and precise sound to be distributed throughout the space. Kim shares: “At ESCO, we have staff with extensive experience in pro audio. We tapped on their expertise to design a sound system that could navigate the challenges of the space. While sound amplification was crucial in this space, installing large, bulky speakers proved challenging. As such, we decided to deploy LD Systems’ Curv 500 system, a compact mini line array speaker.”
To ensure optimal sound delivery in the town hall, ESCO took a meticulous approach by preparing graphs to measure sound distribution throughout the space. These graphs underwent sound tuning, allowing the team to fine-tune the audio system for maximum effectiveness. By carefully adjusting the sound pressure and volume, the integrator was able to maintain consistency, ensuring that the variation across the entire room stayed within ± 3dB. In contrast to the main town hall, the cascading town hall was designed for events that required superior visual performance, such as high-definition sports broadcasts or movie screenings. According to Kim, the client had requested for a screen that was brighter than a projector.
ESCO decided to deploy a large 4K LED wall from Absen that is mounted in the middle of the stage space — mimicking the look and feel of a cinema. Boasting a pixel pitch of 1.95mm, the LED wall spans a dimension of 5.5m by 3m. A NovaStar video processor has also been fitted to complete the system.
Kim brings us through the process of installing the LED wall, which came with a few obstacles: “One of the most significant challenges we faced was designing the electrical distribution system and upgrading the building’s power supply to meet the demands of the LED wall. Unlike standard office equipment, the LED wall required a unique power setup, which made it difficult to establish an independent power line. Additionally, we had to resolve issues with audio interference, caused by conflicting electrical signals. However, thanks to our team’s experience, we were able to overcome these obstacles effectively, ensuring the system worked smoothly, and the client was highly satisfied with the result.”
For the audio setup in the cascading town hall, ESCO went ahead with the same mini LD Systems’ Curv 500 system as the main town hall. However, the team painted the speakers black to blend in with the overall aesthetic of the space. Finally, we are brought to the training room at Telechips.
The training room at Telechips was designed with flexibility in mind, allowing it to operate in both ‘combined’ and ‘divided’ modes. In the combined mode, the room functions as a single, cohesive space, ideal for larger seminars or group activities where everyone experiences the same content. Meanwhile, in divided mode, the room can be partitioned into smaller sections, each equipped with its own independent AV system, enabling multiple sessions or meetings to take place simultaneously without any overlap.
In the training room, an Epson low-light projector and projection screen were installed to deliver clear visuals. ESCO also integrated a wireless presentation sharing system, simplifying screen sharing and facilitating remote collaboration. The audio setup includes 12 wireless gooseneck microphones from Hanyang Electronics, which can be freely arranged to meet the diverse needs of participants. Kim explains more: “The client required the use of more than 16 channels of wireless gooseneck microphones. However, due to frequency restrictions in Korea, where only the 900MHz band is available, using standard wireless microphones isn’t feasible. To accommodate this, we proposed utilising other frequency bands such as 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz, which would allow for more channels.”
Supporting the microphones is a Behringer QX2442USB mixer, complemented by a Sennheiser wireless microphone system. For sound output, the LD Systems Curv 500 speaker system was installed, consistent with the setup in other areas of the building.
Successful outcome Throughout the project, the ESCO team encountered challenges that provided valuable learning opportunities. Kim shares: “Preparation is crucial for the successful installation of AV systems in a completely new building. It requires close collaboration with construction companies, interior designers, telecommunications providers, and the involvement of an expert project manager to oversee the project and ensure smooth execution. We worked on this project for an extended period, gaining valuable experience along the way.”
He continues: “One major challenge was the poor elevator access before the building opened, which made it difficult to transport products to the different floors. Hence, the process of simply moving different parts of products would often take several days. However, based on our experience from this, we are now able to schedule product delivery and installation without delays through careful pre-installation simulations.”
Reflecting on the success of the project, Kim notes: “It is much more challenging to propose an entire AV system rather than just a typical conference room setup. Ensuring that any solution provides excellent visual and audio quality is our responsibility. We will continue to explore new areas and provide thoughtful recommendations to our clients.”
He concludes: “I particularly enjoyed providing musical instrument suggestions for the band, recommending options tailored to each player’s skill level and budget. Moreover, Telechips has conducted a ‘Family Day’ event which was a huge success, showcasing both the recommended instruments and the main audio system that ESCO Korea provided.”