Sports bars and airport lounges are installing AudioZone systems to allow customers to listen to TV audio on their smartphone headphones. The AudioZone server connects to TV sources and broadcasts the audio over WiFi for customers to access through a free app. This allows customers to listen to the audio of games and broadcasts privately without disturbing others. The system is simple to install and use, giving customers control over which TV audio they listen to through an easy-to-use app.

1. Sports Bars and Airport Lounges install
AudioZone for customers to follow TV
audio on their phone headsets
Customers at The Maple Leaf,
a busy sports bar in Covent Garden,
London are watching a replay of an
ice hockey match while they have
lunch. The bar is playing music on
the sound system but these particular
diners are still managing to follow
the match commentary by using
a free app on their smartphones.
With a single ear bud plugged in to
one ear and banter flowing into the
other, they are satisfied customers.
The app they are using is AudioZone.
“We developed AudioZone after
supplying Walkabout sites with silent
disco equipment to transmit TV audio
to customers wearing headsets,”says
AudioZone Sales Director, Richard Konig.
“They used that equipment to create virtual
audio zones for customers when commentary
from a different match was on the main
sound system, when a band or DJ was playing
at the time or when someone had popped in
during the day to catch up on a replay while
there was background music playing in the
venue. It was all about being able to give the
customer what they wanted more often.”
“The problem with the silent disco kit
was that it was up to the venue to manage
the headsets. Keeping them charged,
keeping them clean and keeping them
in good shape was an ongoing hassle.
The idea behind AudioZone is that venues
can still offer this service but that the
customers now use their own device and
headsets so the hassle is removed.”
A demonstration of the system immediately
reveals that it is very easy to install.
The small server is connected to the Sky
decoder with the supplied audio leads,
the power supply is plugged in and that is
it! The device is already broadcasting its
own WiFi signal for users to connect to.
A customer now only has to install the
app on their phone, connect to the WiFi,
and start the stream by pressing the
speaker icon on the app. Actually, they also
have to connect their headsets because
AudioZone does not let you listen via the
phone’s speaker which cleverly maintains
the ambience for everyone else in the
venue.
The audio stream is clear and in synch
with the video on the TV. There is a drop
down list of available TV broadcasts to
choose between – one for each decoder
attached to the server. Switching between
them allows customers to select the audio
for the TV they are watching. This is a
great feature for sports bars and fitness
clubs with multiple TV broadcasts running
in the same room.
While the system was developed with sports
bars in mind, there has also been interest
from airport lounge operators. It seems
that the era of guessing what is being
discussed on a muted TV news broadcast
while you wait for a flight may soon be
behind us. Fitness clubs, hotels and retail
bookmakers are also installing AudioZone
where they have silent televisions. A lot of
the international interest comes from expat
bars where football fans have the choice of
several simultaneous 3pm Premier League
games to choose between.
AudioZone costs £189 for a single channel
server and there are no ongoing costs
after the initial purchase. The app is totally
free with no paid features, no advertising
and no intrusive permissions required.
The system is available online at:
www.audiozone.net
0207 1758880
november 2017 35