The ability to watch, monitor, and switch between live games simultaneously is the ultimate capability for any dedicated sports fan. But when the rankings of competitive fantasy football are at stake, overseeing several games at once becomes an enormously valuable tool — creating a considerable advantage over opponents. For a football fan in Spring, Texas, this wish became a reality when integrator iEvolve Technology turned a spacious 2,800-square-foot game room into a setup similar to today’s sports broadcast centers. Using RTI’s intuitive lineup of interfaces and control products, the customer’s unique multi-screen command center means this devoted fan will never miss another second of the action.

“Today’s connected technologies have transformed fantasy sports from a hobby into a high stakes pursuit where players are looking for any advantages to help them rise in the rankings of their pool,” said Mike Roberts, Owner, iEvolve Technologies. “To keep a close eye on his selected teams and players, our client was seeking a simple way to watch at least three games simultaneously, allowing him to track trends, statistics, and transactions as they are broadcast through traditional channels. This also meant creating a solution where audio could be switched in real-time, enabling him to listen to any display at any given time.”

To create a live, innovative sports hub, RTI’s XP6 control processor allowed the integrator to incorporate third-party devices easily such as the client’s three TVs, cable boxes, Blu-ray™ player, and audio receiver. With flexible connection capabilities such as RS-232, relay, IP, and routable IR control, the RTI unit allows seamless communication to and from RTI’s innovative interface solutions. To interact directly with the devices, the client uses the RTIPanel app that allows incredibly intuitive handheld control via any iPad^® or iPhone^®. To further customize the experience, the interface features a “Game Day” button which allows single-button access to a ready-made sports experience without adjusting any of the system’s settings or components. This seamless process includes auto-on for the entire system and automatically activates each Comcast receiver to a different sports channel — instantly unleashing the multi-screen game experience sought by so many of today’s sports fans.

To tailor the immersive sports experience even more, the RTI Panel app was also customized to play the WAV file of ESPN’s well-known musical intro to its football broadcasts upon activation — creating a fun way for raising excitement levels before an afternoon of action. To make creative panel customization an extremely easy process, RTI Integration Designer^® programming software lets integrators work within an amazingly intuitive drag-and-drop onscreen interface — enabling complete customization of user interfaces and two-way programming without the need for any complex coding. For added convenience, RTI’s SURFiR companion remote was integrated into the system, allowing the user control to his viewing experience using tactile buttons. As a result, the affordable device removes the need to swipe the system’s graphical interfaces during situations such as frequent or rapid access to multiple televisions.   

“As a programmer and graphic designer, RTI’s Integration Designer allows me to create custom interfaces using a blank canvas,” added Roberts. “I was able to load a screenshot of the Sportscenter broadcast into Photoshop, use the ESPN font to recreate the logo and insert the customer’s name, and redraw all menu bars in order to create custom buttons that I could easily manipulate. The powerful tool lets me unleash my creativity without any complex programming, giving me virtually unlimited options for system designs which help my business distinguish itself in the industry by delivering a unique service that really wows my clients.”

“My guests are incredibly amazed by the high level of customization that went into the system to create something so uniquely tailored to the type of experience that football fans can normally only dream about,” said Sonny Das. “At the touch of a button, I gain instant access to three simultaneous football games and audio/video switching capabilities that allow me to keep an eye on the action that interests me most without worrying about complicated setups or unsightly wires running across my game room. I even brought the system’s iPad to my office to show-off the interface to my colleagues, I expect Robert to get a few calls following the enthusiastic reception it received!”