Project Spotlight: Iowa State Basketball Practice Facility

The heartland takes its sports seriously, so when Iowa State University decided to build a new basketball practice facility, it approached Digital Residence for help consolidating and simplifying all audio, video and control systems. At 36,000 square feet, this $8 million facility required the combined expertise of the Digital Residence staff to design and install a custom Control4 solution.

Home to Staff and Athletes

Housing two practice gyms, one for each program (men’s and women’s), the ISU Basketball Practice Facility also includes the full-time offices for administration, training, and coaching staff. Through Control4, Digital Residence simplified the access and control of all media in the building. Now, any new team or staff member can figure out the system with the option of selecting media from an iPod, CD/DVD/BD, AM/FM radio, or DirecTV.

Going Remote

ISU also requested a powerful system that was easy to program, but offered remote monitoring and maintenance capabilities. With Control4, they got both. Besides being aesthetically pleasing, Control4’s core functionality offered security and flexibility to ISU. When possible, Digital Residence tucked away any Control4 equipment, keeping the physical print of the system to a minimum and streamlining the design.

Wowing Recruits

Despite offering a building large enough to hold both the men’s and women’s organizations, ISU also wanted an automation system that attracted potential recruits. In addition to offering 24-hour access to the courts, athletes will enjoy the 65-inch HDTVs, iPod docks, Playstation 3s, and Nintendo Wiis in both the men’s and women’s lounges. Athletes can manage the multiple systems using either a Control4 remote or a 7-inch, in-wall touchscreen.

Time to Work

Staff and players will both appreciate the 133’’ screen in the auditorium. When combined with cutting edge, in-wall subwoofers, and a 7.1 channel surround sound system, viewers can watch video at almost life-size proportions. Digital Residence also installed other iPod docks throughout the facility for players and coaches to dock their iPods and play their music anywhere.

Multiple Systems

All told, Digital Residence built a whole-building solution using 26 Control4 controllers, 26 remotes and 4 in-wall touch screens. The system supports 31 LCDs, two plasma screens, 13 CoachComm DVD/VCR devices, 24 DirecTV receivers, 6 game systems, 6 iPod docks, 4 AM/FM tuners and 2 headset mics for the practic gyms. Now, with the help of Control4, the Iowa State Cyclones have a practice facility that makes both practice and recruiting a pleasure for athletes and staff alike.