The Brief
The brief from the client was simple – he was disenchanted by earlier experiences with AV marine specialists and specified a cautious approach to the redesign and installation of the AV and CCTV system. The onboard AV racks demanded a complete rebuild, the cable infrastructure re testing and the majority of cables re-dressing. We were asked to replace the main system, as the AMX user interface required fully reprogramming. The owner also wanted the same approach taken with the CCTV system.
The Proposal
Our proposal started with a full redesign and reworking of the main AV racks. The previous racks were poorly dressed, poorly designed and, in some cases, incorrect rack equipment had been specified. There was little access for maintenance and service for the equipment. A new AV rack design was created to enable us to utilise and support as much of the previous equipment as possible. The original equipment power requirements were split between 110v and 240v, and during the redesign process was taken into careful consideration for kit locations within the rack.
The Technology
We adopted the existing S-video distribution system as requested and upgraded the local cabin systems to HDMI specification. This project was more about improving the existing installation to give the best performance and make it easier to maintain, rather than carrying out a major upgrade. Any future upgrades would now be easier to implement.
The Installation
The installation was smooth thanks to the approach taken by the project management team, with the help of the designers and the cooperation of the onboard technical staff. The original fixed rack was removed and a new pull out rack installed to allow the system to be serviced in a much simpler way. The entire cable infrastructure leading to the main head end was redressed, relabelled and executed in a more logical manner to make access and future servicing easier. New TVs were installed throughout the vessel to support the upgraded local systems.
The Challenges
The main challenges were logistical, as the vessel refit took place in Antigua. We had to address a poor cable infrastructure that needed upgrading and reuse existing equipment where possible. The existing installation was generally of a lesser quality than we had anticipated and we had to commit many additional hours to complete the works within the tight one-month timeframe. Replacing a fixed rack with a pull out one entailed extending all the CAT5 infrastructure cables by several feet, this one task alone took a week.
The Follow Up
100% system reliability was delivered from a previously unreliable infrastructure. The owner is now convinced that he made the right decision to work with Sensory International as he can now enjoy using his entertainment system.
