Renewed Vision software at heart of NYC American Bible Society atrium
Published: WORSHIP
WORLD: Atlanta-based Velocity Productions, a full-service production and event management company and content delivery specialist, has remodelled the atrium of the NYC headquarters of the American Bible Society (ABS). ProVideoPlayer and ProPresenter software from Renewed Vision were at the heart of the installation.
The atrium, inside the large glass pavilion on ABS’ Broadway façade, has been transformed into a space for New Yorkers to relax, socialise, use Wi-Fi and be exposed to both scripture and the free Museum of Biblical Art (MOBIA). The focal point is a four-by-two tiled video wall comprised of eight 46-inch Barco LCD monitors driven by eight Apple Mac Minis running ProVideoPlayer digital signage software. Seven of the Minis are slaved via network node versions of the program to the eighth Mini, which is running ProVideoPlayer HD.
Seating portals contain additional Barco video monitors – three facing into the space and three directly behind them showing the same content to pedestrians and drivers outside. Video material for each screen pair comes from a single Mac Mini running ProPresenter 5 media presentation software. Four vertically mounted monitors adjacent to the stairway detail MOBIA’s exhibits upstairs, while a 19th Barco NSL-4621 screen serves as a digital menu for the café. Mac Minis loaded with ProPresenter all drive content for these devices
‘The entire system is networked together and can be monitored and operated from anywhere,’ said Velocity president Brian Pirkle. ‘Using Apple’s Remote Desktop feature, we can easily power up every computer and display in the Atrium from our mobile phones. I’ve watched our system engineer, Aaron Hawthorne, restart computers from his phone while out to dinner.
‘The Renewed Vision software is extremely user-friendly and the ABS staff – most of whom are not really technical people – have no problems using and updating it on a daily basis,’ he added. ‘But the fact that we can immediately troubleshoot any device on their system from our offices without having to jump on a plane or walk them through a complicated series of steps over the phone was a significant driving decision in going with the ProVideoPlayer and ProPresenter solutions.’
‘The atrium transformation stuns both our internal staff and visitors,’ added ABS director of arts and media, Matt Steinruck. ‘There’s nothing like it in New York. Already in the first two months, we’ve seen powerful engagement, interaction, and stories of life-change, both in interpersonal communication as well as interaction with the installed media and technology.’
Velocity Productions will continue to deliver fresh media content to coincide with the atrium’s exhibits. Projects on the horizon include displays based on GSN’s game show, The American Bible Challenge, and Kurt Warner’s new series for USA Network, The Moment.