Closed Due to COVID-19? Use This Time to Update Your A/V Systems

televisions TVs sports barsA good ambiance in your sports bar or restaurant is key to bringing in customers.

And although it may seem like sports will never return, the reality is they will, and your bar will need to be ready to screen what is sure to be in-demand content. With the current COVID-19 closures, this could be the best time to make upgrades to your current audio, visual, and security systems.

People go to sports bars and restaurants for food, drinks, and sports on television. Each of these things bring a special ambiance for your business.

The first thing people will notice when they walk in to your establishment is the music and then they will notice the lighting and televisions. When it comes to audio, there are certain aspects you should look into when deciding on which system best suits your space and the aspect of your business.

Audio Systems

The audio systems in these businesses are critical, and you can fail miserably very quickly if it isn’t designed and engineered properly.

In commercial audio installations, the first thing we do is look at the infrastructure and see what will work from an audio standpoint as far as listening, but also the visual aspect of the setup.

For instance, if your location has pendant lighting throughout, then we want to do pendant speakers in order to continue with the style and flow of the space. We don’t want to fill the space up with massive subwoofers if that’s not how the bar is designed.

Bar owners want people to feel the aspect or theme of the restaurant when they first walk through the doors. And having the correct audio system helps with this.

You do not want to skimp on the audio system when upgrading your devices because if you put in the wrong system then people can be yelling over the music and this creates noise. You want the best system for your area so that it helps improve the ambiance and not just a bunch of noise.

Visual Systems

The second aspect that bar owners should pay attention to is the video system.

There are many ways in which you can upgrade your video system. The amount of televisions, if you want a video wall, and the way the video and audio systems work together are all important aspects you want to know when deciding what is right for you.

When deciding on the best video system, you must understand your audience. Do they prefer watching the football games on Sundays, or is it a more diverse crowd where you need some other form of content playing while the games are on so you can provide entertainment for everyone?

Video walls have become popular recently because not only do they provide a great viewing experience for sports, but they can also be used to help you advertise drink and food specials you are offering on any given day.

Tabletop Devices

Along with the video displays, gaming displays at the tables are important to look in to. Not everyone who goes to a sports bar is into sports.

For example, a husband may want to go out with his friends and then suddenly everybody decides to do a couples night out. Some of the people may not be interested in sports, so you can cater to those customers by having gaming apps on the table devices. This will allow the people who aren’t into sports to still have an entertaining experience at your establishment.

Lighting and Securitybar lighting

Finally, the lighting and security systems are important.

The lighting adds to the ambiance, and the security system protects you from break-ins and employee theft.

Many bars serve high-end alcohol and keep the bottles locked up in certain rooms. The owner will want to secure these areas with key card access and code pads, which are crucial to providing the best security for these systems.

When using a handheld device, such as an iPad or smartphone, the owner can be notified whenever a key card or number pad is used to enter high security areas. This allows the owner to keep track of all traffic in these areas and if people are in these areas when they shouldn’t be.

These systems can be controlled completely from handheld devices and are very simple to use. A simple app can be placed on your phone to control the lights, audio, video, shades,  locks, and many other aspects. These systems are becoming more high-tech and featuring more automation, and it is important to understand these systems and what exactly you need when upgrading your bar.

Again, when deciding to upgrade the systems in your bar or restaurant, you need to focus on the ambiance first. If you do that, then all of the other aspects will fall into place.

Hiring a good company to do these installs can benefit you in this process because they will know what you need and what you don’t need for your space. This will provide you with the best systems but also ways in which you can save money.

By Jason Fischbeck, the owner of Automated Environments in Mesa, Arizona. Automated Environments has been installing commercial/residential audio, visual, and security systems in the central Arizona area for 25 years.
Photos (top to bottom): Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash; Q.U.I on Unsplash.