AMERICA'S FARMERS' FORUM • HARRISBURG, PA
In order to continue hosting the largest agricultural show on the east coast, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture needed to expand their facility. The growing number of exhibitors necessitated increased space. To resolve the demand, administrators enlarged the original structure with a new front entrance, main lobby, exhibit hall, equine arena, equine barn and outdoor animal exercise area. They built a two-level concourse, connecting the original complex to the new areas and allowing for movement of animals.
International consultant Shen, Milsom & Wilke, Inc. worked with the PA Department of Agriculture to provide A/V design services for the project. Once the design was finalized, SAGE Technology Solutions, Inc. was chosen to provide equipment integration and installation services for the project. The close proximity of SAGE's headquarters to the Farm Show facility made the company a perfect fit for prompt service and labor.
SAGE DELIVERS
The proposed system needed to provide high-quality audio, but havr enough flexibility to route signals from one zone to another and to coordinate support with the calendar of events. The facility could be a rodeo arena one day and a ballroom the next, and the prospect of versatile sound reinforcement represented the first major challenge. SAGE chose the Peavey MediaMatrix mainframe with custom programming and AMX control. This was a logical choice: it would meet changng needs but be manageable enough for Farm Show personnel to operate.
With the AMX touchscreen and a custom graphical user interface (GUI), SAGE seamlessly integrated the entire audio/visual system, making preparations for the many different events at the Farm Show Complex fast and effortless. The configurations for an RV show, for example, can be saved as a preset within the GUI screens. Consequently, there is no need to reprogram the A/V system each time that the Farm Show hosts an RV event.
INTEGRATED SYSTEM FEATURES
- Flexible A/V matrix for simultaneous program operation.
- Designated destinations capable of use independent of other areas.
- Microphone and line-level inputs provided in 8 Exhibition Hall zones and the Equine Arena.
- Wireless microphones available for use throughout the new areas.
- Background music available from CD changers and cassette decks.
- Plasma-screen digital signage in the lobby and concourse displays event schedules, cable television stations and other video sources.
- Exhibition Hall and Equine Arena cameras provide a view of rooms; cameras can record via dedicated VCRs.
- Video sources over local area network provide view of rooms.
- Cameras can record with dedicated VCRs.
CUTTING-EDGE A/V TECHNOLOGY
The new A/V system allows all audio and video in the newly constructed areas to be controlled from one source. All necessary controls (such as volume and source selection) are activated from an easy-to-use touchscreen located in the main A/V equipment room. These same controls can even be accessed over the facility's local area network. This flexibility enables Farm Show staff to control audio and video while sitting in the new Equine Arena, Exhibition Hall, or even from their offices.
EQUIPMENT HIGHLIGHTS
- AMX NetLinx integrated controller
- Peavey MediaMatrix audio, communication and media systems processor
- Pelco PTZ color cameras in Exhibit Hall and Equine Arena
- AKG Acoustics wireless handheld and lavalier microphones
- B&C 12" coaxial Exhibit Hall speakers
SOLUTIONS PROVIDED BY SAGE
Due to project construction delays by the other trades, time was the most critical factor in delivery and startup of the systems. Right before the biggest event of the year, SAGE had to complete installation and fine-tuning in only sixteen calendar days. SAGE coordinated its strategy with the site's electrical contractor, the Edwin L. Heim Company, to complete the project on time. Despite a seemingly impossible time frame, the system was made ready.
Recently, SAGE Technology Solutions completed a complex-wide wireless voice and data network at the Farm Show. This system grants Farm Show exhibitors access to the internet, letting them demonstrate their products online and use telephone service to complete credit card transactions in real-time. With the numerous functions of the Complex's exhibit areas, installing hardwired drops for these purposes—wireless was the only option. SAGE still works with the Farm Show prior to exhibitor arrivals to activate the services, remaining on-site as technical support.
Half of the country's population lives within an eight-hour drive of the complex in Harrisburg. Realizing its potential, the Pennsylvania Farm Show strives to reach all of them and pushes to be the premier farm show exhibition hall on the East Coast. The technology installed by SAGE Technology Solutions takes them one step closer to achieving this goal.
RELATED PAGES:
SAGE Purpose-Built A/V Technology
PA State Farm Show Complex Installation Photo Gallery
Sound & Communications Article (High-Res)
Sound & Communications Article (Low-Res)
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