Founded in 1988, Downstream has created a global community of designers, production managers, content designers, developers and other creatives. With offices in the U.S., Amsterdam and Melbourne, Downstream serves customers with localized design, project management, build and installation capabilities. Downstream has created brand experiences for companies such as Microsoft, Verizon and the Atlanta Braves.

“Downstream is uniquely positioned. We’re a bit different than a typical AV consultant because we create content, build the story and provide custom software development,” said Trent Hays, technical principal for Downstream. “We develop design strategies, branded environments and immersive experiences for our clients. Many of these projects are incredibly intricate and require the highest quality technology with unique technological features. Because of that, we’ve built a longstanding relationship with Scalable. We’re in the middle of a few fascinating, unique projects where Scalable plays a key role. We also just wrapped up an interactive, art-centric project at Boise State University.”

At Boise State University, Downstream completed a project utilizing ultra-short drill lenses on glass with a front projection film applied. The projection was a small piece of a much larger, complex solution. Recognizing Scalable’s capabilities, Downstream confidently provided a projection solution that contributed to a significantly large project.

“We integrated eight projectors with 18 glass-paneled systems that we custom-designed with projection film and capacitive touch film to create a seamless 270-degree experience,” said Hays. “The design features comprehensive interactivity throughout all three walls. We were able to automate much of the projection with Scalable to create a sustainable and interactive projection solution.”

Scalable provides users with a technical advantage by pairing the highest pixel performance with quick, seamless calibration. Scalable’s software automatically calibrates the color, intensity and geometry of images from multiple projectors, resulting in a single digital display.

“Scalable’s one-touch calibration allows us to automate the calibration process,” said Hays. “We schedule the calibration during downtime and eliminate the need for a human to operate and adjust the system. Before Scalable, we would manually calibrate projectors. It was incredibly tedious and time-consuming. If the projector needed maintenance, it would need to be recalibrated. Scalable allows us to automate steps and reduce the time necessary to maintain a high-level system. It lets us think on a very large scale with projection.”

Scalable’s technology was developed at MIT by Dr. Rajeev Surati and Dr. Tom Knight. The company has acquired 12 patents relating to edge blending, warping and color-calibration technology.

“Scalable provides us with quality service and support, especially as we’re installing it in the field,” said Hays. “Their detailed understanding of the technical challenges in the projection field is unparalleled. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience, not just about their solutions, but also the requirements and capabilities of projects like ours. They’ve been a consistent partner for us. They provide us with reliable personnel from their team to support us during our installations. Their support has been very powerful as a partnership.”