SOLUTIONS: MALL OF THE EMIRATES ATRIUM UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The writing’s on the wall
One of the largest shopping centres in the world has invested in a fittingly extravagant videowall, writes James Christopher
The huge wall is immediately visible to shoppers (Picture: ALMOE AV Systems)
[ABOUT THE INSTALLER]
Founded in 1994, ALMOE Group consists of five divisions covering areas including digital solutions, AV rentals and online solutions
The company employs more than 400 staff and has a presence in four countries
It offers technical expertise in AV and IT across the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and India
ALMOE represents over 40 AV and IT brands, including Sony, Bose, Hitachi and Promethean
DUBAI’S MALL of the Emirates, one of the largest shopping centres in the Middle East, has its fair share of attractions: an arts centre, movie theatre, indoor ski resort and now an epic 54-monitor videowall. Installed by ALMOE AV Systems and integrated by a local distributor, the wall displays dynamic digital
[INSTALLED]
VIDEO Samsung UD55A 55in ultra-thin LCD monitors Scala digital signage platform Samsung MagicInfo software Matrox Mura MPX-4/2 and MPX-4/0 controller boards OpenScreen Mura MPX Wall Controller Management software
MOUNTS AND CONNECTORS
Chief LSMVU – Large Fusion Micro-Adjustable Pull-Out Mount Extron DVI cables
signage content aimed at the 30-million-plus shoppers visiting the mall every year. Dubai, the largest city in the United Arab Emirates, has become famous for its skyscrapers and architectural innovation in general. The Mall of the Emirates is no exception, with 2.4 million sqft (223,000sqm) in gross leasable area, firmly placing it on the list of the largest shopping centres in the world. Its new 54-monitor videowall, located in the mall’s atrium and measuring 10.9m x 4.2m, fits in perfectly.
Prior to this installation,
the largest videowall in the mall was a 4 x 4 portrait configuration – less than one-third of the size of the new display. Tasked with enhancing the centre’s digital signage, ALMOE AV Systems and partner Mediasys, which provided local support, installed the 9 x 6 videowall.
Comprising 54 55in ultra- thin 1920 x 1080p Samsung LCD monitors, the wall enables the visually pleasing and more-effective
76 October 2013
dissemination of mall activities and promotions. The videowall content,
created by the mall’s advertising department, is managed remotely by a Scala digital signage platform and Samsung MagicInfo software, and is captured and displayed by Matrox Mura MPX Series boards installed in a Matrox-validated 4U system. A HP managed Ethernet switch connects each screen enabling easy control. The Mura MPX boards are controlled remotely by OpenScreen’s Mura MPX Wall Controller Management software. All of these elements were chosen by ALMOE for their interoperability.
EASE OF USE Mura MPX Series’ overall ease of use is reflected by standard form factors, simple system integration, a straightforward installation process, and a wide range of control options, including third-party applications like OpenScreen’s software. Housed within a Matrox-
validated 4U system, a mix of Mura MPX-4/2 and Mura
MPX-4/0 boards (featuring four outputs each and two and zero inputs respectively) power the 54-monitor videowall. Mura MPX Series boards
feature a multifunctional design that facilitates video switching, signal conversion and scaling – eliminating the need for separate solutions. The first PCIe x16 Gen2 board class to feature both HD inputs and outputs, the Mura MPX Series integrates up to four of each on individual single-slot, add-in cards. Boards can be combined within single systems to power small to larger-scale walls. “The client had a clear understanding about the prices of other videowall processors on the market. Ultimately, a Mura MPX- based videowall controller was the most cost-effective choice,” says Gareth Armstrong, contracts manager at ALMOE AV Systems. The boards’ universal input support enables the capture and display of digital signage content from external sources such as the Blu-ray
Disc player currently being used with the wall. Mura MPX also features HDCP compliance, so that copy- protected content from either a Blu-ray player or other sources such as digital cable, satellite set-top boxes, and video streamers can be shown on compatible displays. ALMOE AV Systems worked after hours at a height of over 11m off the ground to install the prominent videowall. Immediately visible to all who enter the atrium, it is a clear focal point for mall visitors. “Shoppers can’t help but notice the videowall and enjoy all the massive, superior-quality visuals,” says Armstrong. “Mura has provided the Mall of the Emirates with a huge boost to its digital signage as well as to the overall experience of going to the mall.”
www.almoe.com www.chiefmfg.com www.extron.com www.matrox.com www.mediasysdubai.com www.samsung.com www.scala.com
www.installation-international.com
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