PureLink Case Study: Video Distribution at Port Everglades

INTRODUCTION

PureLink partner and professional A/V integrator VIDELIO-HMS was brought on by Carnival Corporation to design and implement a state-of-the-art video distribution system as part of a facility renovation of Cruise Terminal 2 at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

THE COMPANY

Last October Carnival Corporation completed a multi-million dollar redesign and upgrade of Cruise Terminal 2 at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. Used exclusively by the company’s Princess Cruises Brand, the upgraded terminal now features a more streamlined departure design, interactive experiences, a movie theater, and more comfortable pre-boarding areas. Port Everglades is consistently ranked as one of the three busiest cruise ports in the world with more than 3.8 million passengers in fiscal year 2016. Currently, 10 cruise lines, one ferry service, and more than 40 cruise ships sail from the South Florida seaport.

THE CHALLENGE

One of the main reasons for the A/V system makeover was to introduce the Ocean Medallion System – a virtual personal concierge designed to enhance travelers’ experiences from the moment of arrival to pre-boarding. The A/V upgrade consisted of multiple video walls, as well as a 70’ curved LED wall, located in the gateway (main entrance), aquarium, and theater. Content from independent video sources (PCs) would be distributed to each video wall/display via point-to-point extension systems managed by a QSC Q-SYS control platform. This created many issues from a trouble-shooting perspective involving steps such as re-setting the video wall processors, which were located on a different level of the facility, each time an extender was disconnected or maintenance was performed on the rack.

THE SOLUTION

With intuitive touch screen menus and a complete external control command set, PureMedia Signal Management Systems provide the features and functions that meet the unique requirements of each application. Third party control modules allow remote operation and automation of PM matrix switchers, providing a fully customizable solution that delivers a seamless user experience. Comprehensive EDID management provides a quick, clean switch from source to display.
With the ability to control the PureMedia Matrix Switcher via RS-232 from Q-SYS platform, the video wall inputs could be switched instantaneously from a QSC Touchscreen adjacent to the video walls, streamlining connectivity issues. “This simple feature was probably the biggest resolution we experienced by [implementing] the PM-16X,” stated Fernando Aspuru, Director of Land Operations at Videlio-HMS. “One of the most attractive things we found with [this system] was its absolute ease of use,” he added. “Not a plug-n-play when you need to program EDID, but it’s as close as you can get to it.”
PureLink’s HTX HDMI over HDBaseT Matrix Switching Systems were also implemented to drive theater presentations and route video content to digital signage displays throughout the terminal.

https://www.purelinkav.com/case-studies/video-distribution-at-port-everglades/