Teamwork Brings Retailer’s Vision to Life

PDC AVL is well known in the pro AV industry for their unique installation methods. When the job calls for it, they will design and fabricate custom mounts and brackets specific for the needs of the project. In the commercial and church audio visual and lighting world they work in, it happens frequently.

AOTO, a leading global LED application products manufacturer, was recently contacted by Sound Solutions for help with an unusual LED video panel installation at one of their long-term clients. The retailer was designing and constructing a brand-new location in Los Angeles and had a unique vision with a short timeline before the scheduled store opening. Sound Solutions realized they needed AOTO’s help to meet deadline.

PDC AVL has worked on several projects with AOTO using their LED video panels and each of those jobs required custom mounts and brackets. When AOTO heard Sound Solution’s details of the complex installation in a small space with tight deadlines, they knew the crew from PDC AVL were the right folks to bring to the project.

Client’s Needs

The video design for the Los Angeles location included two large LED Oculus screens that required heavy-duty installation and mounting within the plenum. These screens were then viewed from below through large portholes. The overall effect created is a skylight where the atmosphere of the space could be changed at will. Due to the complex nature of the construction, it was incredibly important that these screens be low-maintenance and extremely reliable.

  • Designing, fabricating, and installing an 8’ diameter custom mount with twenty-eight AOTO CLD27RS1.5 LED tiles in the main area. The overall effect of the video wall and the porthole below it was intended to give a skylight feeling.

  • A second custom mount to accommodate nine AOTO M2.5C tiles would need to be designed, fabricated, and installed for a 7’ diameter video wall over another area in the store using AOTO’s patented ATLVC-4K controller to manage both displays in separate rooms.


Project Challenges

As mentioned above, Sound Solutions brought AOTO into the project when:

  1. The project had incredibly tight timeline restrictions for the AV installation.

  2. There were scheduling conflicts with the structural engineer who was sharing the workspaces with the AV team.

  3. The originally fabricated LED mounting rig did not fit properly in the space due to last-minute changes to the infrastructure.

Why AOTO?

Sound Solutions chose AOTO’s LED products for this project because they deliver a superior visual performance, have a wider viewing angle, and custom display capabilities which are perfect for high-end retail. With AOTO’s leading image display technology, high-quality service and outstanding cost-effective products, Sound Solutions knew they were the perfect fit for this skylight vision.

What they didn’t anticipate was the store’s last-minute infrastructure changes that made the original custom mounts unusable for the project. When AOTO called PDC AVL to help with the job and create a mounting solution for the artificial skylights, they were excited to tackle the challenge.

“We love working with AOTO products," said Brett Perkins, owner and lead designer of PDC AVL. “We can count on AOTO LED displays for high-quality, long-lasting products for mission critical jobs. Reliability is paramount in retail displays and especially on this job due to the infrastructure challenges we worked with. The whole interior was basically designed around these screens; reliability is vital.”

“My experiences with AOTO have all been outstanding. Even service calls, when necessary, are simple and quick due to AOTO’s integrated software and processor inside every display panel, continued Brett. “This gives us the ability to confidently and easily service any issue that may arise.”

Installation

The panels were attached directly to PDC AVL’s proprietary mounting hardware then the mounting hardware itself was bolted securely to a custom-designed and fabricated steel frame. The frame was then mounted into the ceiling of the plenum; the rig was hung free on thick steel wires so that the panels would not touch the porthole opening. The panels technically sit above the opening, due to the shape of the skylights.

Installation Issues

During the designing and fabrication stage for the large skylight’s mounting rig, there were some changes to the opening that PDC AVL had not anticipated. This meant that their original rig did not fit properly. On top of the already pressured time constraints, this hiccup provided a very large hurdle for the team. Once the new design had been created and approved, Brett and the PDC AVL team got back to work fabricating a rig that would fit properly.

After that, everything fell into place. Towards the end of the project’s timeline, everyone on the job site was pitching in to help get the skylight job completed on time. The Sound Solutions team, general contractor, project manager, and even the end-user got involved helping with the project.

When Only the Best Will Do

Without a doubt, AOTO leads the video industry in research and development (R&D). In fact, AOTO offers its own proprietary software and hardware that make it into each video wall or panel. This means that each client’s installation is a carbon copy and easily controlled by AOTO’s 4K controller.

At the end of the day, AOTO makes a high-quality, ultra-reliable, consistent product that lends itself well to installations in many different scenarios. Specifically for Sound Solutions and their client, AOTO was the clear solution, given the type of space available and the limited access to the space itself. Sound Solutions, the technical team at PDC AVL, and the end-user are all highly satisfied with the outcome of this project, regardless of the difficult nature of the project overall.

“This is a true win-win. We enjoy working with contractors and using our talent to make the client's vision become a reality,” Brett concluded.

# # #

About PDC AVL

PDC Audio Video Lighting is an integration company located in Orange County, California providing area houses of worship and commercial locations with custom AV, control, and lighting solutions. For over 20 years owner Brett Perkins has focused on quality for his customers while growing his technical skills. PDC AVL works with their clients to take their vision and turn it into an easy to use, reliable and aesthetically pleasing project that meets budget needs.

PDC AVL is committed to outstanding customer service with smooth installations while using the industry’s most respected quality products. Learn more about PDC AVL at https://www.pdcavl.com/ and contact them at info@pdcavl.com