International Airport features an innovative Experiential Media Environment (EME) that aims to create an unforgettable travel experience for passengers. A key component of the EME is the Windows On Orlando (WOO) video feature.
The Windows on Orlando Video Feature
The WOO comprises three adjacent panoramic screens that form a 100-foot-long, 32-foot-tall display. It is a 31′ x 33′ triptych video wall with 4′ mirror reveals built into the wall, creating a huge digital window.
The moving images displayed on the WOO cross the different windowpanes to unveil surprising and compelling visuals of Orlando for arriving passengers, creating anticipation and expectation. For departing passengers, it serves as a lasting impression and memory of their Orlando experience.
The WOO aims to showcase Orlando in unique ways, displaying content relevant to the locale such as space launches, underwater adventures, and the story of Florida’s transformation from springs and ranchlands to the dawn of theme parks and spaceports.
Audio Requirements and Goals
The audio system for the WOO feature was a crucial component to provide an immersive and high-quality experience for passengers. The key audio requirements and goals included:
- Provide ambient, multichannel audio to complement the visuals on the WOO video screens
- Ensure high-quality audio distribution and reproduction to match the visual experience
- Integrate the audio system seamlessly into the glass panel architecture of the WOO feature
To meet these requirements, the project team selected SoundTube’s SolidDrive SD-1G speakers for the WOO feature. The factors that influenced this decision included that the SD-1G speakers could be discreetly mounted directly onto the glass panels of the WOO, minimizing the visual footprint. In addition, the SD-1G speakers provided a point source audio approach, allowing for precise multichannel audio placement to match the video content. Lastly, SoundTube’s reputation for high-quality, commercial-grade audio products gave the team confidence in the reliability and performance of the speakers.
Outcome and Client Feedback
The SoundTube SD-1G speakers are reliable and well-suited for the 24/7 operation of the airport. The audio integration with the visuals on the WOO feature has been praised by the client, creating an immersive and memorable experience for passengers.
“The unique glass mount product with a commercial high-quality manufacture legacy, made this a simple choice. The SD-1G has been very reliable and is used in a 24/7 operating airport”, said Neil Hahn, Vice President of Hahn Integrated Systems and the Owners Authorized Representative on this project. “This is a unique application because the screens all have multichannel audio feeding these drivers that are attached to the glass panels to protect the features from the passengers. They image very well because of the multi-channel feeds.”
“The EME system is very complicated with a multi-million-dollar content distribution system. It’s driven with QSC equipment and some Meyer Sound speakers for the moment vault feature due to size constraints.
My favorite aspect of the project is that I insisted on audio being part of these features during design and the impact it has with the amazing screens and content the airport commissioned. The client was so impressed with the environment it created.
Overall, the SoundTube SolidDrive audio solution has been a crucial component in delivering the client’s vision for the Experiential Media Environment at the Orlando International Airport’s new South Terminal Complex.”
