Royal Randwick’s $168m investment includes one of largest and most sophisticated signage and signboard solutions in the world.
Story: Christopher Holder
The Australian Turf Club’s $168m redevelopment of the Royal Randwick Racecourse is something to behold. With full glass frontage on all levels, the new grandstand provides an uninterrupted outlook of the racecourse and surrounding parklands as well as spectacular views of the CBD skyline.
With views like this it may come as a surprise to many that the grandstand packs a whopping 800 networked hi-def displays! The truth is, of course, that the punters’ needs come first, and the latest in digital signage ensures racegoers will never miss any of the action (at Randwick and elsewhere) as well as providing all the odds and other vital raceday information.
The screen experience is powered by an Exterity IPTV system, supplied and installed by systems integrator The PA People. Consultants Norman Disney & Young specified a system that would accommodate a broad range of content sources from terrestrial free-to-air television, satellite pay TV, outside broadcast vans, production facilities and locally produced digital signage produced in-house by the Australian Turf Club (ATC).
There are over 60 channels at the site with over 30 signage pages displayed. The Exterity IPTV System from Hills enables each screen to access any content under central control of the Exterity management platform.
High definition displays are located right throughout the venue including bars, suites, ballrooms, dining areas, outdoor spaces and management facilities and the Exterity IPTV system enables control of each display and associated content both centrally and from AMX control panels located throughout the facility.
A CASE FOR IPTV
An IPTV system such as this makes plenty of sense for a large facility such as the Royal Randwick Racecourse. Each of the screens has its own IP address and as a result, with the aid of some simple controls gives the user the ability to change ‘stations’ to suit. In the hospitality areas, each table (some 200 in all) has its own Sony Vaio touchscreen — effectively a self contained tablet PC — which allows patrons to change the channel via an idiotproof interface designed by The PA People. Only an IPTV system could provide this manner of flexibility.
Similarly, every corporate box has operator controls for adjusting the content of their screens. Other displays in bars and concourses are under the control of ATC staff.
The entire system is managed from a control room deep in the bowels of the grandstand. Sophisticated management software from Exterity allows the ATC to manage its digital signage content creation and scheduling.