Vista Spyders Take Care of Business for Dow Jones Videowalls

Audio visual integration company A-V Services has installed Vista Spyder video/widescreen display processors for three large videowalls on the trading floors at Dow Jones's new midtown Manhattan space. Based in Fairfield, New Jersey, A-V Services designs and installs boardrooms, conference rooms, distance-learning centers and videowalls for Fortune 1000 companies.

"The Spyders act as engines for the videowalls providing multiple windows of information and broadcast video to the trading floors," explains Ralph Capria, president of A-V Services. A total of seven Spyders consisting of a custom-configured mix of Spyder 200 and 300 series systems, are required for the three different videowalls. Nick Asadourian of New York-based consulting engineers Lilker Associates provided AV design for the project.

One Spyder is dedicated to a large videowall of 40-inch bezel-less Orion plasma screens in a 12x3 configuration. "It scrolls a constant stream of Dow Jones business information through a custom-written application from A-V Services," says Capria.

Another Spyder is on hand for a videowall that spans two stories in portrait mode on another trading floor. Its 40-inch bezel-less Orion plasmas take on a 4x8 configuration in the atrium space where they display Dow Jones broadcasts and feeds of FOX News. This wall is also surrounded by a U-shaped perimeter videowall suspended below mezzanine level. It consists of 40 displays, edge-to-edge in a ribbon configuration. Three Spyders are needed to process the three-section perimeter videowall.

All of the videowalls can display single large images or multiple images combining the latest financial data and broadcast feeds. They feature Crestron control systems and custom GUI interfaces by A-V Services.

A-V Services is a longtime user of Spyders in major corporate installations and has "always been happy" with the equipment, according to Capria. So Spyders were a logical choice for the new Dow Jones videowalls.

"The Spyder is a powerful and versatile video engine," he says. "They're able to create any configuration needed which makes them ideal for a lot of these applications. When you deal with large videowalls like Dow Jones', multi-window capabilities are essential."

About Vista Systems

Vista Systems was acquired by Christie, a global leader in visual solutions for business, entertainment and industry, to create a comprehensive source for imaging processing and projection solutions. The acquisition combines the power and flexibility of Vista's video switchers and real-time windowing and composition products with the power, performance and reliability of award-winning Christie projection systems. Vista Systems' switchers have become the industry standard for live multiple-destination video and data mixed signal switching. For more information on Vista Systems, visit their Web site at www.vistasystems.net.