Tag: Digital Signage

Sports Bars

No Such Thing As “Too Many TVs”

televisions in sportsbarsLast week, I was lucky enough to visit Fenway Park in Boston, MA.  Now, I will freely admit, I am NOT a member of the Red Sox Nation, but I DO love going to baseball games, and I DID go to Fenway over 25 years ago, so I was pretty excited. Before the game, my girlfriend and I had lunch at Cask ‘n Flagon, which has been voted “Top Baseball Bar in the Nation” by ESPN (according to their sign in front of the bar, or #2 according to Wikipedia, like it matters?)  

televisions in sportsbarsPerfectly located just across street from the Green Monster, this sports bar had dozens of Panasonic flat panel televisions showing any and every sporting event being broadcasted (although most were showing Red Sox pre-game commentary).  There were also plenty of EAW loudspeakers providing clean, well-balanced program audio at even levels throughout the bar and restaurant.

televisions in sportsbarsIf you were watching a Red sox game in this bar, you would not miss a thing, no matter where you were seated. My favorite part was the restroom.  Wait, that came out wrong… ah crap… it just keeps going… must push on with blog... What I meant was, there were displays above the urinals and the sinks, and speakers in the ceiling, and as an AV geek, I was impressed.  I wondered what the other patrons were thinking as I was taking photos in the restroom?

Now get your head out of the toilet, and tell me about your favorite sports bar install.

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Medical Buildings

D.D.S. = Doctor of Digital Signage?

Like most people, I wasn’t looking forward to having my tooth yanked out; but when I walked into Marin Oral Surgery earlier this week, my attention was suddenly shifted.  The waiting room was decorated to resemble a small, but very comfortable living room, including big a comfy couch and a fake fireplace (or is it “faux fireplace”?)

Digital Signage For Doctors
I love the furniture, but what is the deal with those miniature matching sailboats?

There was a  40″  flat panel mounted above the faux fireplace, but instead of a blaring television program, it was showing ART! Yes, a slide show of art, in that slowly-zoom- for-20-seconds-then-fade-to-next-image sort of slide show fashion.

This art was tasteful, very calming, with no advertisements. The power outlet  was located behind the display, and all of the wiring was well-dressed inside the wall.  There was a speaker bar mounted underneath the display, and a ceiling speaker overhead, playing the type of music you might hear in a spa or yoga studio.  Namaste.

When I walked into the patient room, I was glad to see the slowly-zooming art slide show followed, this time on a wall mounted flatpanel display facing “the electric chair”.  It’s like good vs. evil, I thought. It was the exact same slide show, probably driven by a hidden DVD player, a home theater distribution amp, and some off-the-shelf component RCA video cabling.  There was also a nurse’s computer hidden under the counter with a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Digital Signage In Waiting Room
I may have to hire this oral surgeon to do some home theater installations

The computer monitor was also wall-mounted, with the wires and power completely hidden.  The nurse switched the input on the television to show me a c.y.a. (cover your ass) video before the surgery.  The computer was the source, playing a DVD inside its drive.  The audio and video quality was decent, though I wished the flat panel display was centered on the chair.  And I wish I had a Playstation, and some Tony Hawk 2.

The nurse told me that the oral surgeon, Alex Kashef, DDS, MD designed the entire office, including the  audio and video systems. Wow, take that, local AV integrators!  I complimented him, and just was suggesting that he  add some acoustic panels in each room, when suddenly the anesthesia started kicking in…and I thought to myself… you know … this would make a great blog poooozzzt. ;?

Flat Panel Display In Patient Room
I grabbed this photo of another patient room during my follow-up visit. Surgeon must think Im crazy

Please tell me about your alternative doctor’s office or digital signage experience.