Bolton AV Integrator TVC takes pole position as Formula 1 Arcade Opens in Birmingham

Following the success of the first F1 Arcade in London, TVC Technology Solutions, a division of TVD Group, has completed the project to bring the F1 social racing experience to Birmingham.

Following the enormous success of the first F1 Arcade in London earlier this year, Bolton-based AV integration specialist TVC Technology Solutions has brought its AV and smart display technologies to Birmingham, for the second Formula 1 Arcade.

Located opposite Albert’s Schloss in Paradise, near Chamberlain Square, the exhilarating F1 racing experience in Birmingham delivers the full spectrum of excitement, glamour, and thrills synonymous with Formula 1.

Key to the F1 Arcade project is creating a fully immersive sensory AV experience that recreates all the noise, splendour, and excitement of F1 racing. The zoning of the audio was critical, from the immersive experience of the gaming areas to the party atmosphere of the DJ booth and buzzing ambience of the bar.

To support the 53 motion F1 simulators, TVC was tasked with enhancing the social and competitive element of F1 Arcade with multiple large-screen TVs, a multi-zone audio system and an attention-grabbing LED video wall display.

Using the latest in AV technology, TVC provided an LED video wall, multiple large screens, digital signage, lighting effects, professional audio, and a DJ Booth, with Wyrestorm HDMI solutions with HDbaseT over Cat6 AV distribution, and Demopad system control.

For sound, TVC used A Symtrix Prism 128-channel DSP, KV2 amplification and 30 KV2 loudspeakers spanning 5-inch wall mount models for discrete installation areas to 8-inch KV2 speakers paired with KV2’s potent 12-Inch subs for zones requiring greater audio impact. For visuals, TVC majored on multiple Samsung Crystal 4K UHD LED screens in 75-inch, 2 LG 86-inch commercial TVs and a 3m x 2m LED wall with a high resolution 2.6-pixel pitch, all secured using B-Tech and Peerless professional mounting solutions.

The F1 Arcade’s pit-wall screens deployed banks of LG 27in Full HD monitors, while the DJ Booth features Pioneer CD decks, mixers, and active monitors. The static highlight of the venue is a F1 car hanging from the ceiling, illuminated with state-of-the-art lighting effects by TVC using a Chamsys QuickQ DMX controller with a Chamsys 10 scene wall plate and multiple Chauvet Gobos.

The system integrated Mipro wireless microphones and Mipro digital receiver for the DJ area, networking equipment and fire alarm integration, along with iPads for master control. With the main 42U rack built off-site to ensure the neatest link cabling, the overall F1 Arcade AV install used over 3km of Cat6 networking cable, 3km of 14/2 OFC speaker cable and almost a kilometre of balanced mic cable for analogue connection.

Lucia Maguire, Managing Director at TVD Group, commented, “The F1 Arcade in Birmingham was another incredible high-profile integration project to work on and we feel honoured to be an integral part of bringing the second phase of this prestigious concept to life having completed the London F1 Arcade earlier this year. The result is a truly breathtaking leisure venue with AV that delivers all the buzz and excitement of F1 racing in a social gaming environment.”

Devised by Adam Breeden, the man behind popular entertainment venues including Flight Club, Puttshack, and Bounce, the F1 Arcade concept is an immersive state-of-the-art racing simulation and social gaming venue in full association with the Formula 1 motorsport brand. This is the second F1 Arcade in the UK and joins a growing list of high-profile AV projects for TVC Technology Solutions.