When The Crack Shack, an organic, locally-sourced chicken and eggs restaurant that first opened in San Diego in 2015, found something that worked, it stuck with it. That meant outfitting its new Encinitas location with the same ELAN Entertainment & Control System that gives managers and staff full, simple control of AV and surveillance systems at the San Diego location.
According to systems integrator Zack Paradise of Paradise Infotech, the ELAN system gives staff an easy way to manage TVs, audio systems, cameras, and climate control. Plus, the owner can use a single ELAN app to monitor multiple locations.
“Restaurant chains are built on the idea of operating with a standard set of tools and rules throughout every location,” Paradise said. “For many of the same reasons, using a replicable control and AV system is smart business. By standardizing the technology used in each new restaurant, managers and ownership only need one mobile app to manage multiple locations and ensure the audio, video, surveillance cameras, climate controls, and any other integrated systems run smoothly. It’s like having a live window into each location that the owner can view from home or anywhere else.”
The AV system at the new Encinitas Crack Shack offers bar patrons live TV, but also creates an ambience in the restaurant that differs from how many other eateries focus their technology. In the seating area adjacent to the bar, a 2×2 videowall featuring four 70-in. JAP displays can easily switch from a professional sporting event to a calming scene of ocean waves washing ashore, depending on the needs of the moment. Using three Risevision digital signage players, the restaurant’s messaging can be laid over live TV content from six DirecTV boxes, or displayed on its own. All of these systems are connected to an ELAN gSC10 controller, the brain of the control system.
Audio is played through 16 in-ceiling SpeakerCraft speakers throughout the restaurant, while 10 Wirepath IP cameras keep an eye on every part of the business. All of this is viewable and controllable from the ELAN mobile app, which staff can access on a wall-mounted iPad, and managers and the owner can access on their iPhones from anywhere.
“Everything is out of sight, and it just takes a few taps in the ELAN app to change the channels, music, volume, or review surveillance footage or live feeds,” Paradise said. “The customers never have to see the tech that helps provide the unique atmosphere.”
PRODUCT AT WORK
ELAN gSC10
The gSC10 includes connections for eight serial RS-232 devices, two serial RS-485 devices, four ELAN sensors, 10 IR emitters (capable of driving dual emitters), 10 dry contact relays, and one USB-A, and connects through the PoE port to Ethernet-controlled systems.
