Big Screens Make for an Easier Install

THE JAMES E. BRUCE convention center—located in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, not far from Fort Campbell— boasts more than 26,000 square feet of space which can be divided into 11 separate rooms. The impressive facility includes terrace and patio spaces, open ballrooms, and small meeting rooms, and hosts a full schedule of events of all kinds. When convention center staff began surveying customers, however, they discovered there was a weak spot in their facility.

“On the questionnaires that were filled out by their customers, the AV side received the biggest complaints,” according to Peter Vaque, the President of Springtree Media Group LLC, Franklin, Tennessee. “There was nothing permanently installed so they were always scrambling to set up for the different events. The quality always suffered so we were asked to come up with a solution that would cover anything that came their way.”

Because of the size and layout of the center, Springtree decided that several screens were needed—and that they would have to be big. In the end, Vaque chose to go with four 165-inch diagonal 16:10 Premier tab-tensioned screens and two 278-inch diagonal Paragon tab tensioned screens. Due to the ability to control ambient light, and also budget restrictions, black-backed Matt White XT1000V viewing surfaces were used.

Even though these were some big—and heavy—screens, the Premier and Paragon screen cases actually brought some installation advantages to the project. I’m so glad we went with these,” Vaque says. “The competitors’ screens were heavier and required four flypoints. There were limited hang points at the structure so the Draper design saved our butts.”

The Premier screen case comes with mounting points for wall or ceiling suspended mounting built into each endcap. The Paragon case also features mounting holes for ceiling suspension in each endcap, and also ships with heavy-duty eyebolts on each end for use in hoisting the large screens up into position. Springtree installed four Hitachi CP-WX8255 5500 ANSI lumen projectors for the four Premier screens, and two Hitachi CP-WX8265 LCD projectors for the two massive Paragon/Series V screens.

So, what do convention staff and visitors have to say about the new permanently installed screens?

“The staff is giddy about the entire project,” according to Vaque. “They have already received rave reviews from several clients. The radio frequency (RF) remotes are fantastic and work the span of this massive building.”

“We have already heard back from clients on the brightness and ease of use,” confirms Petra Piffko, general manager for the Convention center. “With six projectors and screens situated around the room, we can accommodate just about any request without having to hang anything or run new cables.”