Setting the Scene
Mattera AV Design Dishes Up AV Distribution and System Control for Jersey City’s New Los Cuernos Restaurant and Cantina.
Project Results
About the Project
The latest addition to Jersey City’s booming culinary scene, Los Cuernos opened its doors in February 2019. Andrea and Phillip Barraza, the husband and wife team already known for the popular Taqueria Downtown, were the masterminds behind the new eatery. The 5,600-square-foot restaurant and cantina delivers an upscale take on Mexican cuisine in a fun atmosphere.
Objective
To set the mood across Los Cuernos’ main bar, dining room, secondary dining room/special events area, mezzanine bar, and outdoor patio, the Barrazas chose a décor of vintage movie posters, photos of rock n’ roll legends, and murals of Mexican icons. In addition, they wanted audio and video to play a key role in the guest experience, with both distributed throughout the space.
With numerous servers and staff using the AV system daily, control was a key concern for the Barrazas. They would need the ability to easily send any video source to any screen, and swap between audio sources.
Furthermore, the Barrazas wanted to provide servers with local audio and video control in individual zones, while offering master control over all zones, sources, and screens from the bar. To meet these needs, Mattera AV Design utilized solutions from RTI.
Solution
We installed Epson projectors & Dragonfly motorized screens in the main bar & special events area, in addition to a 75-inch Samsung display in the main bar and 55-inch Samsung display in the mezzanine bar.
Video sources - including Apple TV, two DirecTV receivers and Blu-ray player - are distributed to the projectors by RTI’s video matrix switch, in combination with four long range extender sets. The VHD-8 allows for seamless switching of any source to any display in any zone.
For high-quality audio, and the ability to play it at extreme levels if needed, we utilized QSC commercial-grade speakers and an 18- inch subwoofer, driven by Crown amplifiers. Music is provided by an iPhone or other auxiliary device connected to a remote source wallplate, or can be streamed via a Denon HEOS audio system. Both sources are distributed throughout Los Cuernos by an RTI audio distribution system.
Results
"The Barrazas have been completely blown away by the ease of use of their control system and how seamlessly sources flow. It took very little training to get staff up and running on it,” added Mattera.
Furthermore, they are very pleased with the remote management capabilities of RTiQ and how quickly we are able to respond to issues.
With RTI, we’ve been able to take their ideas and translate them into reality, and they couldn’t be happier with the result."
- Joe Mattera
System Details
RTI was a one-stop shop for this project. In addition to the company’s extensive range of audio and video distribution solutions, the RTI control platform has the ability to bring a variety of components together into one unified system that is extremely easy for anyone to use.
“While Andrea and Phillip were more familiar with other manufacturers, they quickly saw the value in an RTI ecosystem with its reasonable price point, high reliability, and extensive customization capabilities.”
Los Cuernos’ control system is powered by RTI’s XP-8v control processor, which commands the Epson projectors, Dragonfly screens, AD-8x, and VHD-8 via RS-232; video sources using IR; Denon HEOS system with an IP driver; and four Crown amplifiers via relays. KX3 3.5-inch in-wall touchpanels located in the main dining room, secondary dining room, and mezzanine provide servers with control over audio and local video. A KX10 10-inch in-wall touchpanel at the main bar allows staff to view the powered state of any zone, the source playing, and the volume level — in addition to footage from a Luma CCTV system — while enabling them to make changes on the fly.
To prevent downtime and ensure a seamless experience for Los Cuernos’ customers, Mattera AV Design is remotely monitoring and supporting the system using RTI’s RTiQ remote management platform. RTiQ allows MAV to monitor all main RTI equipment on the network and trigger “trouble-shooting events” to restore proper operation if staff presses a wrong function or accidentally shuts off a component they shouldn’t.
Mattera AV Design is taking advantage of remote monitoring services as a recurring monthly revenue opportunity for his business offering extended service programs for an affordable monthly fee.
The latest addition to Jersey City’s booming culinary scene, Los Cuernos opened its doors in February 2019. Andrea and Phillip Barraza, the husband and wife team already known for the popular Taqueria Downtown, were the masterminds behind the new eatery. The 5,600-square-foot restaurant and cantina delivers an upscale take on Mexican cuisine in a fun atmosphere.
How it works
- 1 A Quick Phone CallA chance to speak with a knowledgeable member of our team about the products and services you’re interested in. Don’t worry, it only takes a few minutes as we cover a few basic questions.
- 2 Site VisitWe’ll visit your business to check the technical aspects like existing wiring and architecture, location of rooms and components. We’ll also want to hear more about how you want to use your system and your dream scenario.
- 3 Detailed ProposalYou'll receive a detailed proposal outlining plans and all estimated costs, including equipment, cable & hardware, programming, engineering, installation, design, project management, related taxes and discounts.
- 4 DeliveryAfter coordinating with all parties, we deliver, install, program and train you on your new system. We're located nearby, in midtown Manhattan, to provide you with any extended maintenance and care.