VfB Stuttgart stadium signs up for digital signage

The Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, home of the VfB Stuttgart football team of the German Bundesliga, has been equipped with an IPTV and digital signage system composed of 105 LCD flat screens implemented by Trinity Solutions and Teracue.

The Mercedes-Benz Arena, home of the German football club VfB Stuttgart, is being remodeled to become one of the most modern sports facilities in Germany, with space for 60.000 spectators. As part of this modernization process, VfB Stuttgart is using a combination of IPTV and digital signage as a flexible information system.

More than 105 LCD flat screens in the 21 business boxes, in event boxes, at the Fan-Treff meeting point and in the large SoccerLounge room. At first, An IPTV television system was needed to transmit the internal live broadcast signals of the stadium and also external television programs in HD and SD on the displays. Besides, screens had to be able to display digital signage, such as advertising content, information and sponsorship, since the demands imposed on the screen output can vary greatly depending on the event.

A specific channel for each box

VIP boxes allow a more intense football experience with the capabilities offered by IPTV. In combination with the digital signage system, each individual box can receive its own branding and its own channels. A unique feature at the Mercedes-Benz Arena is that VIP guests in the boxes can choose to access television channels through digital signage players by using a remote control.. Digital signage content that is normally predefined by the signage system can be controlled and changed locally, so that VIP guests can freely choose and show television and video footage.

On non-match days, These areas of the stadium and screens are used for other events, as training sessions, conferences and workshops, where a TV connection is often needed, a live video presentation and digital signage. The television and information system allows different applications and scenarios, all centrally regulated from multiple workstations.

14 channels in total

Input and network transmission of television channels and stadium broadcast signals are carried out by an IPTV network headend of Teracue. Four DVB-to-IP gateways of the DMM-140 series are being used for live transmission of public and private television networks (DVB-C to IP network stream conversion). In total there are always available 14 channels and can be played at any time on the LCD screens, as full screen or in a scaled video window next to other text, informative image or ticker. The EnBW-FanTV signal content produced in the stadium and the transmission of the other high-definition television channels are carried out using Teracue's ENC-300-HD-SDI and ENC-300-DVI/HDMI H.264 encoder hardware.

To create and distribute all digital signage content, the digital-composer from the German company is used Trinity Solutions. LCD screens are connected to signal player PCs via HDMI. A total of 55 signal players manage the 105 screens. Data transmission is carried out via conventional CAT cable, which is protected against malfunction by an additional link. No need for additional video and fiber optic cabling.

The VfB Stuttgart facility has been successfully developed through close cooperation and collaboration between Trinity Solutions and Teracue AG.. In the digital-composer from Trinity Solutions, Live HD video playback has been an important part of this installation, so the digital signage system can also be used as a television system – with local and central remote control / peripheral.

It is also planned to connect the digital signage and IPTV system with the club store located in the city center.