As a leading creator of engaging lifestyle television and digital programming, Scripps
Networks Interactive knows the power of impressive visuals. So, when the company
recently began to feel that the lobby in its Knoxville, Tennessee headquarters lacked a
certain impact, sizzle or “wow’ factor, they decided to give it an exciting visual update.
To do this, they implemented a redesign that was completed in March 2017. They
hired the nationally known video collaboration and strategy company Whitlock to
install an 8’ tall x 15.5’ wide 1.2 mm pixel pitch Nixel Series™ LED display from
NanoLumens, the award-winning creators of uniquely compelling interactive LED
visualisation solutions.

According to Whitlock account executive Erica Fox, Scripps Networks Interactive felt
the space seemed out of date, and it was her job to come up with ideas and a
concrete solution to deliver an ultra-modern video presentation solution that would
shine in 2017 and for years to come. Having previously specified NanoLumens LED
display solutions, she knew the company would provide exactly the engaging and
exciting visual experience Scripps Networks desired.

“As a space where employees, guests and clients pass through every day, the Scripps
Networks headquarters lobby should represent the hip and forward-thinking culture of
the media company,’ Fox explained, “and in that regard, the current tech was less
than effective. Featuring an ageing multi-panel videowall that had lost its lustre after
about a decade of use and technological advances, the company wanted to update the
space with a vibrant video solution that would impress for the next ten years.’

This goal of long-term relevance led Greg Moore, Scripps Networks Interactive’s
director of facilities project management, to increasingly push for the latest, most
technologically advanced video display solution. After learning about NanoLumens’
innovative LED displays through Fox, Moore visited the NanoLumens headquarters in
Norcross, Georgia to gain a first-hand understanding of the different options and
benefits offered by each NanoLumens solution.

“The company originally was fairly budget conscious, but once Greg visited
NanoLumens he quickly understood the value of using the top-of-the-line product to
achieve long-lasting relevance,’ Fox added. “There are always considerations given to
cost, but in many cases spending a bit more to utilise the highest-quality product and
ensure the best result is the right decision. In this case, the discussion was what pixel
pitch to pursue, and the in-person demos conveyed how NanoLumens’ tightest pixel
pitch, 1.2mm, made a noticeable difference for this specific application and the
environment they wanted to create.’

In addition to the need for a long-lasting, impressive display technology, the
brightness capabilities of NanoLumens’ technology proved important to achieve
improved visibility in the often washed-out installation location. As a ground floor
lobby with two-story windows, ambient light can be intense throughout the day and
affect the visibility of digital displays. Another core benefit was the front-serviceable
design of NanoLumens displays, made possible through the use of the manufacturers’
patented NixelTM technology, which are small panels of LED pixels that piece together
seamlessly to form displays of any size, shape and curvature. Individual Nixels can be
removed and replaced if necessary, greatly reducing maintenance time and costs.

For the actual use of the display, Whitlock utilised a Crestron control system and
interface to provide simple operation and satisfy a multitude of use scenarios,
including presets for live presentations in conjunction with installed in-wall speakers
and a microphone. Through the control system, operators can project a single image
or video on the entire LED display or stream ten live TV channel feeds to “windows’ on
the seamless display in a variety of configurations.

There are also overlapping modes, where windows vary in size and sit on top of each
other digitally, providing a sense of 3D layering, much like windows on a computer
screen. Programmed presets allow these changes to be made instantly with little
effort, even from a mobile device or PC through a virtual X Panel Whitlock designed
and delivered. This provides an extra layer of insurance against equipment issues, in
case the Crestron panel fails for any reason.

Eric Seigler, the NanoLumens Regional Sales Director responsible for this project, said
there were a few other factors that made NanoLumens the final choice for Scripps
Networks Interactive, with the company’s U.S.-based operations among them.
“Between the value proposition of a display that has a six-year, down to the pixel
warranty, our unbeatable image quality, the fact that we engineer and assemble our
displays in the United States, and the thin, low-heat design that allowed Whitlock to
recess it into the wall and blend with the lobby’s architecture, Greg Moore and the
Scripps Networks decision makers were sold,’ Seigler said. “Scripps Networks
Interactive is a visionary organisation that leads in the lifestyle content industry, and
with our product, they now have a leading visual system at their headquarters to
match.’

Fox also noted that this project was aided by the technical knowledge of Doug Price
and Eric Seigler, so that on both the purchasing and selling sides, there was always a
clear understanding of the technological needs, capabilities and usage scenarios to be
considered.

“At Whitlock, we always try to help our clients imagine all the different ways they may
use their video technologies, and by doing so throughout the entire process we ensure
that installations are as future-proof as possible,’ she concluded. “We strive to give
every client a robust solution that can do everything they want, and more that they
may not even have considered. NanoLumens helped us do that for Scripps Networks
Interactive.’