Video Wall columns create dazzling resort lobby environment

The Cosmopolitan is a unique luxury resort hotel located in the heart of the Las Vegas strip. Its two high-rise towers house 2,995 residential-styled living spaces with breathtaking skyline views, one-of-a-kind restaurants, vibrant nightlife, an eclectic mix of hand-selected boutiques, a high-end spa and 110,000 square feet of casino space. These and other amenities have helped it earn recognition as one of the top hotels in the world.

A continuing goal of the resort is to retain this status and remain a preferred entertainment destination for Las Vegas visitors from around the world; particularly those seeking a venue with world-class amenities and an ultra-modern vibe infused with technology. This objective has been met once guests set foot in the lobby where they are welcomed in a most unusual and highly creative manner. This space is dominated by a jaw-dropping display of digital art; high definition video shown on eight 15 foot tall columns – 460 Clarity® Matrix® LCD Video Wall System displays from Planar.

The concept, design and implementation of this signature of The Cosmopolitan was the work of PSX Worldwide Audiovisual Technologies. PSX has 25 years of experience serving customers in the casino, convention center, hotel, arena, museum, restaurant, and entertainment markets and more.

This digital art installation combines architecture, contemporary art, and Planar's advanced technology to create an unexpected and dynamic experience. Says Jeffrey Borne, President of PSX Worldwide "It meets the goal of transforming the lobby space into a welcoming, immersive environment."

Video wall meets customer's space, operational and performance requirements

Borne says the PSX team selected the Clarity Matrix video wall for its cost-benefit value and its ability to perform dependably for extended periods in a very prominent environment. "Clarity Matrix met the budget and space requirements, and could be counted on to operate flawlessly, such that the customer or its guests would enjoy a dramatic, round-the-clock digital experience. Clarity Matrix was the right product and perhaps the only product suitable for this project."

Contributing to the dependability of Clarity Matrix, Borne says, is one of its key features: the ability for certain components, such as power supplies and controllers, to be located away from the video walls themselves, and housed in a remote rack room. In creating this capability, Planar anticipated customers' preferences for video walls, installed in high-traffic public spaces, that would run cooler and more quietly. It was particularly essential for The Cosmopolitan lobby project since each face of each video wall column was to be covered with a hinged, clear-glass panel that would protect the displays . "This capability, which Planar calls off-board electronics, also benefits us as systems integrators because it provides convenient access for monitoring and managing the video walls, and for performing updates to the system and adding or upgrading software as needed. It is, perhaps, the most important feature of Clarity Matrix," Borne says.

Two factors enable and complement the off-board electronics capability. One is the fact that every Clarity Matrix LCD display has a simple connection to the rack room: just one power cable and one data cable. Second is that each Clarity Matrix LCD display hangs on a first-of-its-kind installation mechanism, the Planar® EasyAxis™ Mounting System. Planar EasyAxis is a six-way alignment system that is critical to achieving completely flat surfaces on the four sides of each of the eight columns. It also enables front access to each video wall, allowing technicians to pivot any LCD display up and away in order to get to any other LCD display should servicing or replacement of a display ever be necessary. "Without this system, a single display failure could require the shutting down of an entire video wall, disrupting the lobby experience. Because of Planar's engineering of Clarity Matrix, this is something we never even have to think about," Borne says.

Clarity Matrix sets a high bar for the resort property

Beyond the uniqueness of having eight video walls, The Cosmopolitan enjoys digital platforms that deliver stunning video imagery to resort guests. Content is vivid, moving, atmospheric scenery that catches the eye and the imagination. "What you see is very big, very clear and really sets a high bar for the property," Borne adds.

Borne concludes that "Clarity Matrix made it possible to meet the very short time that was available for installation. But because of the engineering of the product and the support from Planar, the end result for the customer was fantastic."