Fierce Gaming Competition Hits Center Stage on Massive Digital Projection LED Video Wall at Cutting-Edge eSports Lounge

There’s a reason GG Circuit has ranked All Systems Go as one of the 22 best esports arenas in America. The leading provider of esports software, service and support lauded the state-of-the-art public gaming venue, which opened in 2020, for its unique and vibrant atmosphere merging world-class gaming with a nightclub, sports bar, cocktail lounge, and coffee bar. The owners of All Systems Go envisioned the new facility as more of a social gathering spot than purely a gaming center and recognized the need for a good dose of cutting-edge technology to help tie it all together.

A crucial element of the tech integration in the versatile entertainment venue is a massive LED video wall from Digital Projection. The 20-by-8-foot Radiance VX-G Series 2.5 pixel pitch LED video wall stands front and center in the 6,200-square-foot, all-inclusive facility.

Designed, configured and installed by DNR Laboratories, Worcester, Mass., the video wall displays as many as 30 windows of gaming action direct from the 50-plus PCs in the esports area, plus food and drink specials, gaming scores and schedules, live and streaming musical performances, watch parties, zoom sessions for private corporate retreats, and more. “It’s the visual centerpiece that binds all the elements of this one-of-a-kind entertainment venue together,” says Don Gamsjager CEO and founder of DNR Laboratories. “They intended to use the display all day, every day, to keep visitors engaged and entertained no matter if they’re a casual and hardcore gamer, dining alone or meeting friends for happy hour.” Needless to say, consistency and reliability were paramount to the project.

Despite the customer’s request for an “inexpensive” LED display, DNR Laboratories knew a discount wouldn’t deliver the best multimedia experience. The Digital Projection Radiance video wall, on the other hand, certainly would. Bright, crisp imaging from a diverse range of on- and off-premise media, of multiple aspect ratios and resolutions was all well within its wheelhouse. At the time of the installation (2020), its 2.5mm pixel pitch was impressive, too. “There are 388 other LED display manufacturers currently advertising in the U.S., and DP, then and today, by far offers the best in terms of performance, as well as service and support,” Gamsjager says. The space allotted for the video wall was huge, the customer expectations high, so the installation would be expensive regardless of brand. “Our challenge was convincing the All Systems Go stakeholders to invest in a higher-end solution like the Radiance.”

Digital Projection’s end-to-end service and support helped cinch the deal. Given the intense, non-stop video action at All Systems Go, the individual panels comprising a video wall were going to get quite a workout. They were bound to require maintenance and replacement at some point. “DP is a rare manufacturer from whom we can get spare quality parts quickly, hassle-free, and delivered right to the job site,” Gamsjager relates. This results in less downtime—critical to the livelihood of clients like All Systems Go. Other service-related advantages for both All Systems Go and DNR Laboratories are DP’s 24/7/365 tech support and the backing of its parent company, Delta. “Delta has strong roots in the power supply business; LED displays require a lot of good, clean power for optimal operation,” Gamsjager continues. “It is reassuring in a project of this magnitude to know that power is a foundational element of DP’s heritage.”

Of course, there were plenty of performance aspects that gave the Radiance LED video wall an edge over its competition. Low latency is an absolute must for a high-caliber esports venue; the Radiance dominates in this category with a 3900 refresh rate, according to Gamsjager. As many as 30 separate windows of competing game play stay in synch. At the same time, the Radiance displays real-time footage from small POV cameras positioned around the gaming stations. These capture the facial expressions and body language of the competitors for even greater immersion.

Color accuracy and vibrancy were other winning attributes of the Radiance video wall, enhanced further through pixel-level calibration performed in the field by Digital Projection technicians. Most LED manufacturers calibrate their LED panels at the factory, says Gamsjager. Digital Projection does, too, but goes a step further by calibrating the display at the jobsite (see sidebar, Video Wall Calibration). “A differentiator and a game-changer, we were able to bring the image quality to near perfection,” he remarks.

DNR Laboratories utilized the expertise of the Digital Projection field techs in other aspects of the installation, as well. They built the framework for the LED video wall in a day and were able with assistance from DP to also complete the installation of the video wall in a day—”quite an accomplishment for our biggest, most elaborate LED video wall deployments to date,” Gamsjager says. DP’s in-field service and support freed up time for members of the DNR Productions’ crew to tackle the tech in the All Systems Go control room. Here, the all-important processors, switchers, and streaming computers feed a wide assortment of fresh, relevant content to the Digital Projection Radiance video wall. Esports might be the main draw of All Systems Go, but the outstanding multimedia capabilities and reliability of the Radiance video make this a venue that gamers and non-gamers alike can enjoy.

Video Wall Calibration—The Experts at Digital Projection Ensure Peak LED Performance

Calibration is a necessary part of any high-quality projection system. Digital Projection has been providing this valuable service to integrators for more than two decades, both at the factory and in the field. “Our internal team of calibration specialists are highly trained and have years of experience under their belts to fine-tune our projectors to exact customer specifications,” says DP senior executive George Walter.

Integrators can draw from this same level of calibration excellence as they build their LED business—and it’s just as important!  Here’s why? While it’s fairly standard for LED modules to auto-calibrate when they’re connected at the jobsite, this doesn’t account for specific customer expectations or the surrounding environment. That’s why Digital Projection goes a step further by offering its dealers on-site calibration using exclusive tools and techniques to adjust the color, contrast, and other performance aspects precisely for the specific application. “The finetuning we did to the LED video wall at All Systems Go is a prime example of how our expert on-site calibration service can take a great LED wall installation from great to perfect,” Walter says.

The Rest of the Tech Package

The 20-foot-wide Digital Projection Radiance LED Video Wall may be the star attraction at the All Systems Go esports lounge, but a lot goes on elsewhere and behind the scenes of this 6,200-square-foot venue to evoke an engaging, energetic atmosphere. DNR installed several LG displays, QSC loudspeakers and subwoofers, and a combination of Chauvet light fixtures throughout the facility—all managed by a central Crestron control system. From a dedicated command station on site, the Crestron CP3 processor directs the flow of media traffic and launches lighting scenes per edits programmed by DNR Productions. These preset macros alter the AV and lights automatically during normal gaming hours during the week. During busy weekends and live events, local AV professionals man the station.