JVL has achieved quite a lot in its relatively short existence, Helen Fletcher spoke with chief executive officer Peter Guterres to find out what sets this company apart from its competitors

JVL introduced the Concorde countertop in 1995, which was the first countertop to use the CD Rom instead of a hard drive. CD R has the advantages to store vivid game graphics, images and digital sound, all with exceptional speed and easy upgrades.

In 2000 the company introduced the Conquest line, which pioneered the use of flash and CD Rom technology – a combination, which produced an extremely reliable countertop. For the Eclipse model, flash only technology was utilised in 2004, in the hope of creating a machine that was so reliable there was little downtime because there were no moving parts to repair or replace.

At the time, the manufacturer was certain that flash technology was the future of the industry because there are no moving parts, it is more reliable than a hard drive, and it can download faster and store hundreds of games. It incorporated this flash technology in the products that followed - the Vortex and the Retro.

Recently JVL introduced the Encore countertop model at the AMOA show in Las Vegas, a complete entertainment system offering games and music that features a high definition widescreen LCD display.

Commenting on the company’s most recent product, chief executive officer Peter Guterres said: “JVL has led the industry with innovation and reliability so Encore is a natural evolution for us. We have dedicated our resources to developing a countertop unit that delivers a truly unique experience for players. The Encore allows patrons to play high-quality games and enjoy music on one device. To continue our tradition of strong earnings and low service requirements, we are employing some of the latest technology in the Encore.”

No details have been overlooked by JVL in designing the Encore – it features a 22ins high definition LCD display, a glossy piano black finish with red accents, 3D games and an all new graphical user interface. Users are able to flip through JVL’s entertainment selections via interactive carousels with the touch of a finger - navigating their way through the interface is now part of the overall experience.

Encore will also benefit from JVL’s new Media Stream, ready for release in the US in the first quarter of 2009, a digital streaming music system that accepts songs through the millions of song choices and allows the user to send a text to a mobile phone or access iTouchMusic.com from a customer’s smart phone.

“This new digital music system breaks new ground in entertainment affordability as it is the perfect solution for generating higher returns by providing a digital music system for a fraction of the cost of a traditional digital downloading system,” continued Guterres.

So why are operators worldwide choosing JVL countertop machines over some of its competitors? According to Carson Jenkins of Mountain Coin Distributors, based in the US, interviewed in a Play Meter article, JVL is a company that listens to its customers and that makes all the difference.

“We were very impressed with not only the product but the service we get with JVL,” he said. “The company listens and I mean really listens to its customers and pays attention to the needs of the customers in the market and it does its best to fill them. JVL will earn as good or better than anything out there, but the main advantage is the durability and reliability of the product. Although we, as a distributor, are losing service revenue because the machines just don’t go down, our customers are much happier that they don’t have to bring their machines in for repair as often as they were used to doing.”

And it would seem the situation is the same for Desert Amusements also based in the US, with Eric Johnston saying: “When we began installing JVL machines in our locations the revenue went up and up. The reliability made a huge difference to us as we are in a 24-hour town in Las Vegas and had at least two of the old machines from another manufacturer in the shop every single week because they just break down.”

JVL has and will continue to support this industry and the operators it serves. With the release of the Encore, JVL has revolutionised technology once again, laying the foundation for many innovations to come.