Kramer has been selected by the Finnish basketball and multisports venue, The IKH Areena, to upgrade its AV infrastructure.
In a compelling case study, Kramer outlined the specifics of how the vendor is delivering more “exciting and immersive AV experiences both for match days and off-court facilities” at the venue, which resides within the town of Kauhajokin in western Finland and hosts the professional basketball team Karhubasket. The multi-purpose complex includes three restaurants, a lobby, six VIP sections, a large conference room, a team gymnasium, dressing rooms, and the court where the team plays.
The Background
Ville Nurminen, AV Technical Manager at Karhubaske, chose Kramer to serve both Karhubasket’s needs and those of the local community’s events. Kramer excelled in AvoIP capabilities and ease of use for Nurminen, with its local presence and support being decisive factors. The system integrator, Luova Tehdas, and the customer valued Kramer’s Finnish-language support, ensuring peace of mind during installation.
AV considerations were paramount even before the construction of the Areena began. Luova Tehdas designed the AV solution in advance, opting for a networked system facilitating the sharing of AV content from various sources.
The Technology
The comprehensive system comprises 50 KDS-7 encoders and decoders, alongside Kramer Control featuring SL-240C and KT-1010 touch panels. Additionally, high-end speakers, amplifiers, and screens from various manufacturers were integrated. This setup enables seamless switching of content throughout the Areena, including game information, highlights, crowd engagement messages, and advertising.
Nurminen said:
The setup is really easy to use, which was one of the main points, as we didn´t want to have a specialist in the arena all the time. Having a couple of iPads with the Kramer software installed is also a great feature, as users don´t have to go to the control room; you can see that everything is working smoothly from the iPad.”
The setup offers substantial time and cost savings for both Karhubasket and Luova Tehdas, with its easy setup and user-friendly interface negating the need for onsite specialists. Despite facing challenges during installation due to construction delays, the AV system was successfully implemented just one month before the opening game of the season. Its timely deployment contributed to a seamless start for the new arena.
The AV system’s reliability in a live game environment has been exceptional, bringing satisfaction to the arena’s IT team and delivering a more engaging experience for each game’s audience. The goal of a customisable solution has been realised, allowing Karhubasket’s AV team to modify panels as required effortlessly.
“Since the Kramer system is so intuitive and easy to use, it has also reduced support calls,” Nurminen added. “And with the ability to make changes online, we’ve been able to provide remote support.”
A Positive Time for AV Case Studies
This week, Kramer and the IKH Areena aren’t the only fascinating case study about AV upgrades to a sports centre.
i3-Technologies also kickstarted RSC Anderlecht’s new collaboration age by upgrading its meeting rooms and devices infrastructure.
The historic Belgian football club collaborated with i3 last year to overhaul its meeting room technology, which saw the latter equip three meeting rooms at Anderlecht’s training ground, Neerpede, with i3 Touch interactive screen with Screens by Copytec. These screens have been used to boost collaboration and efficiency during brainstorming sessions and employee meetings and assist Anderlecht’s ambitions on the pitch by enabling tactical discussions and player and team scouting.
It’s been an exciting time for organisations upgrading their meeting rooms and devices infrastructure, with last week Sennheiser and AVer publishing a compelling insight into how they enhanced the University of Greenwich’s hybrid learning experiences.
The higher education institution leveraged AVer’s cameras and Sennheiser’s audio products and services, namely its TeamConnect Ceiling 2 (TCC 2) microphone, to develop its innovative HyFlex solution.
