The Tech Challenge

Constructing the banquet hall improvements presented all of the typical challenges of a remodel. For the new AV system, WSSU’s Technology Support Analyst Chris Screen worked with Winston-Salem based AV integrator Recursav, LLC to meet those challenges. Although they had a blank slate of an empty room, they had to devise an AV design that could be installed with minimum disturbance to the existing walls and ceiling, while meeting the need for multiple screens on each wall to provide good viewing angles for people seated around dining tables throughout the room.

Plans also called for additional video screens in the lobby area at the banquet hall entrance, which required drilling through existing concrete structure for cable routing. To simplify cable pulls through existing construction, AV over IP signal distribution over CATx Ethernet cable was the logical choice.

The integrator selected a range of Extron switching, distribution, control, and audio products to meet system design requirements.

The Design Solution

Extron’s NAV Pro AV over IP Encoders and Decoders form the backbone of the video signal path, using 1 Gbps Ethernet cable infrastructure to send 4K video and RS-232 control signals throughout Anderson Center’s conference venues, including the McNeil Banquet Hall, the Dillard Auditorium, and their lobbies. The Ethernet cable distributes the audio, relying on Dante audio network connectivity. A NAVigator AV over IP System Manager configures the NAV encoder and decoder endpoints and also manages matrix switching between AV inputs and outputs through an IP network switch.

Signal Routing and Distribution with NAV Pro AV over IP NAV Pro provides several advantages that make it the right choice at Anderson Center. It transports video, audio, and control signals over standard CATx Ethernet cabling using readily available Ethernet network switches, saving installation time and expense, and allowing AV content routing from any source to any destination. WSSU plans to add more endpoints to the building’s AV over IP network during future budget cycles.

Projectors in the Banquet Hall

The banquet hall has five ceiling-mounted laser projectors aimed at two screens on the South wall, two screens on the North wall, and one screen on the East wall. The East wall with the single screen is considered the “front” of the room, but event organizers have the flexibility to make any wall the focal point of the room to suit varying crowd sizes, dining table layouts, or when dual screens are needed for a presentation. The projectors are fed HDMI content and RS-232 control signals from NAV decoders mounted atop each projector.

Flat Panel Displays in the Lobby

The hallway lobby at the banquet hall entrance serves as the “pre-function” area, where attendees can mingle, register and pick up badges before going into the hall. Two 65″ flat panel displays on the wall of the lobby display informational messages, entertainment, real-time views of presentations screening in the hall, or views of what is going on in the hall captured by two cameras located on the North and South walls of the hall. Extron NAV decoders mounted behind each display supply HDMI content and RS-232 control signals to the displays.

AV Connections Between Venues

The banquet hall also has bi-directional NAV AV over IP connectivity with the Dillard Auditorium, increasing event capacity by 400 seats. Content from the banquet hall can be sent to displays in the auditorium, or the auditorium can supply content to the banquet hall.

According to WSSU’s Screen, the latter option came in handy during a heavily attended strategic plan presentation conducted by the Chancellor. The event took place in the auditorium, which filled to capacity. Multiple studio-caliber cameras connected through a live production switcher to a NAV encoder allowed the overflow crowd to watch from the banquet hall, as well as streaming to YouTube via an SMP 352 streaming media processor.

Commenting on how Extron NAV technology makes this possible, Screen says, “To get that kind of AV distribution capability with just one network cable pull? I’m so impressed with that.”

Streaming, Recording & Software Codec Conferencing

An SMP 352 Dual Recording Streaming Media Processor receives HDMI from two NAV decoders, as well as two DSP-enhanced analog audio channels. WSSU uses the SMP 352 to record and stream events from both the banquet hall and the auditorium. This allows events and conferences to be disseminated to wider audiences beyond the confines of the two venues.

Distant participants can also join events interactively via web-based software codec applications like Zoom. The soft codecs run on the AV system’s PC, which is looped into the AV over IP network via a NAV encoder and decoder.

NAV Wallplate Encoders Located Near Each Projection Screen

In keeping with the concept of making the room layout flexible for all types of events, a NAV wallplate encoder is located next to each of the five projection screens in the banquet hall. No matter which screen the presenter chooses to use as the main screen, there is an encoder nearby where they can plug in their laptop or other HDMI content source. NAV wallplate encoders are also located near each of the two cameras on the hall’s North and South walls, allowing the cameras to feed their HDMI content into the AV over IP network.

Clear, Powerful Sound in All Venues

The IP network also distributes audio, relying on Dante and AES67 network connectivity. Audio sources include program audio from presenters’ laptops, delivered through NAV wallplate encoders. Eight wireless mics provide audio from presenters and attendees. Sixteen SoundField ceiling speakers in the dining hall are driven by a NetPA four channel amplifier with 100 watts per channel.

A NetPA amplifier with two 100-watt channels drives six SoundField speakers in the pre-function area. Both amplifiers receive their inputs from the Dante audio network. Assistive listening transmitters at the North and South walls connect to the Dante network via AXI 22 AT D Dante audio interface wallplates and provide full coverage of the room for attendees who are issued portable auditory assistance receivers.

AV System Operation Through Touchpanels

Event organizers and presenters control the AV system at five TouchLink Pro 10″ touchpanels on the banquet hall walls next to each projection screen. Intuitive GUIs control the AV system power, raise and lower projection screens, route any AV source to any screen, and set up streaming and Zoom sessions. By entering a password at the home screen, AV technicians access a set of technical GUIs for performing advanced system configuration.

The touchpanels work together with an IPCP Pro xi control processor, an IPL EXP expansion interface, and the NAVigator AV over IP system manager to control all AV system functions. Using Extron Control for iOS, the control system mirrors the touchpanel GUIs via Wi-Fi to an iPad, enabling wireless control from anywhere in the room. Recursav designed and implemented the touchpanel GUIs using Global Configurator Professional and GUI Designer software.

A Flexible Space

On his first walkthrough of the McNeil Banquet Hall, WSSU Chancelor Elwood Robinson was inspired to post a panoramic photo of the space to his Facebook page with the comment, “The transformation of the Anderson Ball Room into a ‘State of the Art’ teleconferencing and technology center is amazing. I was blown away during my visit this morning!”

If the banquet hall’s packed booking schedule is any indication, those in the academic community and in the surrounding Winston-Salem community are blown away too. The hall hosts everything from educational symposiums to awards ceremonies, business meetings, weddings and memorials. First class food catering service and sophisticated multimedia capabilities make the McNeil Banquet Hall a natural choice for those seeking a convenient, cost-effective event space.

The post Extron’s NAV Pro AV over IP Powers WSSU Anderson Center Meeting Spaces appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The Tech Challenge

The corporate boardroom is used daily, which made it difficult to find a time on the schedule to complete the installation. While the director was abroad, the team had just two weeks to complete all major installation work. The client also wanted a clean, stylish installation that was powerful, yet largely invisible to the end user. In addition, the new system had to incorporate user-friendly, intuitive control, reliable, seamless AV switching among multiple formats, and efficient, remote system monitoring.

The Extron NAV Pro AV over IP Solution

The boardroom features two professional displays along the side walls and a four-display videowall at the front of the room, Extron NAV Pro AV over IP encoders, scaling decoders, and system manager, as well as AV switching and control systems, room automation and sound reinforcement products.

In the boardroom table, four Extron Cable Cubbies, equipped with Show Me cables, connect to Extron SW HD 4K switchers to provide HDMI content switching for source signals up to 4K resolution. Room control is handled with an Extron IPCP Pro 250 IP Link Pro control processor and Extron NAVigator System Manager conveniently accessed wirelessly via an Apple iPad running the Extron Control app.

Installing the Extron NAV Pro AV over IP System

Given the need for a discreet installation and very tight deadline, the ability to minimize cabling was critical to the project. Using LAN cabling, the installation was done using existing raceways, which saved the time and expense associated with running new cables. The team used Extron’s NAV Pro AV over IP encoders for their ability to stream ultra-low latency, high-quality video, audio, and control signals to NAV Pro AV over IP scaling decoders located by the Panasonic videoconferencing system and behind each display.

The compact, one-inch (2.5 cm) high, half rack width form factor of the NAV enclosures were easy to conceal beneath the conference table and behind the displays for a discreet installation. NAV endpoints also accept PoE+, eliminating the need for bulky power supplies and making concealment even easier for an aesthetically appealing installation.

Remote Monitoring Made Easy

The end user reported they were delighted to find that the entire system could be monitored and managed via LAN without affecting the main network, allowing the IT professional (located in another building) to monitor systems without needing to travel to UFlex’s headquarters and enter the boardroom.

The post Extron NAV Pro AV over IP Modernizes Corporate Boardroom appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The AV system had to be flexible and dependable. System requirements included high-performance AV signal switching and routing, exceptional sound, intuitive system control and remote management. Images and sound had to be crystal clear at each standard and bariatric seat. The space had to offer alternative ways to communicate with vision and hearing impaired persons. To facilitate lectures and panel discussions, the stage needed to offer multiple points of AV connectivity and system control.

The Extron AV Control System Solution

Syracuse University brought in Theatre Projects to design an innovative AV system that supported vibrant imagery and exceptional sound, all within ADA guidelines. Teamed with the university ITS Learning Environments and Media Production department, Theatre Projects selected XTP Systems, along with audio and control systems from Extron.

The K. G. Tan Auditorium seats 744, with a two-tiered design that provides unrestricted visibility throughout the space. Multiple floor boxes on the stage provide AV connectivity and flexible placement for a portable lectern. Gooseneck and lavalier microphones are available for the instructor, presenter or moderator and panelists alike. The main display is a videowall that is nearly 32′ wide. Two smaller videowalls installed on either side of it are dedicated as secondary monitors. Located within this room are eight PTZ cameras that are for use with web-based video applications, including Blackboard Collaborate Ultra and Zoom.

For the hearing impaired, the installation incorporates an Assisted Listening System and support for Communication Access Real‑time Translation – CART. The AV system enables captions to be displayed on either or both smaller videowalls.

The control center is located between the tiers at the back of the room. Multiple monitors and a bank of windows enable support staff visibility into the auditorium.

XTP High Performance and Reliability Ideal for Live Events

An Extron XTP II CrossPoint 3200 modular matrix switcher provides instantaneous switching among various installed and BYOD sources. It is configured to support 3G-SDI sources and extension of uncompressed HDMI video resolutions up to 4K/60 at data rates up to 18 Gbps. The XTP II matrix switcher frame features a 50 Gbps digital backplane that supports signals up to 8K by upgrading the input and output boards. A redundant power supply ensures continuous operation, which is critical during live events such as a panel discussion among scholars or a presentation by Veterans Affairs.

To compliment a separate SDI routing system, four XTP HDMI outputs feed Extron signal processors that convert HDMI signals to SDI. The signals are then passed to a 32×32 SDI matrix switcher. When the SDI sources are upgraded in the future, the modular nature of the XTP II CrossPoint matrix switcher will allow the current 3G-SDI input board to be replaced with a 12G-SDI version. Additional XTP HDMI and twisted pair I/O boards support the other devices. Audio, video and control signals are extended from the matrix switcher to XTP transmitters and scaling receivers using a twisted pair cable infrastructure.

Four outputs on the XTP II matrix are connected to an Extron MGP 641 multi‑window processor. This provides high performance scaling and windowing capability for the main videowall. This display can show up to four windows over a live or static background, and the windows can be independently arranged across the single canvas.

Professional-Grade Surround Sound

In addition to high-performance AV switching with the XTP system, clear, echo-free sound from local and remote sources is vital within this large space. The integration team installed an Extron SSP 200 processor to decode and process 7.1 surround sound from various sources. The processor provides individual trim level and delay for each channel, along with internal Dolby noise and full-bandwidth pink noise to sequentially calibrate each speaker. Then, they directed audio signals to specific speakers using the included software to verify sound coverage at each section of the auditorium.

Streamlined System Control with Extron

For intuitive AV system operation, the installation offers multiple points of control within the auditorium and the adjacent control room. Extron TouchLink Pro toauchpanels are located in the control room and the front wall of the auditorium. Floor boxes in the stage also offer several connectivity points for a touchpanel. A touchpanel and display in each green room enable visibility of events taking place within the auditorium. The touchpanels work in conjunction with an Extron IP Link Pro control processor to provide complete system control. Using an iPad running the Extron Control app, instructors and presenters can use the GUI on the tablet to control all system operations from anywhere in the room.

When the auditorium serves as a large lecture hall, the instructor can present and control the system using a standard university teaching station connected to one of the stage floor boxes. The station is a Steelcase Airtouch height‑adjustable table that includes a micro-computer running Microsoft Windows and the University’s Registrar Classroom Software, as well as a variety of AV devices. An Extron Cable Cubby enclosure provides connectivity for HDMI, USB, network, and power. An Extron 10″ tabletop TouchLink Pro touchpanel provides user-friendly AV system control.

Extron SMP and Kaltura Ensure Pristine Lecture Capture and Streaming

For live and on-demand lecture video capture with content management, the installation includes an Extron SMP 351 streaming media processor with the LinkLicense SMP Enhanced Kaltura Features upgrade. The processor integrates directly into the Kaltura video platform, working in concert to facilitate media capture and video content delivery to remote locations. Some of the features include the capability to schedule recordings from Kaltura and to stream live media ad-hoc or for a scheduled webcast or lesson to Kaltura using RTMP and RTMPS. This was extremely helpful with distance learning during the pandemic.

Results

Housed within Syracuse University’s NVRC, the K. G. Tan Auditorium and multi-media center serves all students, specifically those who are or were members of the U.S. military and their families. The facility has been in constant use for lectures throughout the pandemic. Now, as the pandemic continues to wane, it is being used for an ever-expanding range of presentations. The university and various third-party entities are hosting successful community activities, public information presentations for the residents of central New York, and national convening events and conferences.

The post Extron AV Control System Transforms Syracuse University Auditorium into Multifunctional Space appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The Anaheim, Calif.-based firm says the MediaPort 300, an extension of Extron’s MediaPort line, supports popular conferencing platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams while bringing 4K capabilities to the call.

The product is designed to bridge the gap between “simple webcam-to-computer” solutions and professional conferencing systems, especially those in small meeting spaces with just a computer and display. The MediaPort 300 enhances audio and video quality by adding support for professional-grade equipment such as 4K PTZ cameras, boundary microphones and sound reinforcement systems, the company says.

In larger spaces, the solution can easily integrate a conferencing computer into a fully equipped AV system with video distribution and processing, control, microphones, and full sound reinforcement, Extron says. The small 1-inch form factor also includes options for power-over-ethernet, making installation easier.

The Extron MediaPort 300 also features an HDMI input with HDCP-compliant loop through that accepts signals up to 4K/60, and scales output video on the USB-C connector to a host computer at rates up to USB 5 Gbps. Audio features include program and mic inputs, HDMI audio de-embedding, USB bidirectional audio, and line level outputs.

The MediaPort 300 also features audio mixing as well as level and mute controls, enabling it to serve as a soft codec interface, giving it the flexibility to integrate into larger hardware codec or DSP systems.

“Soft codec and UC solutions for remote meetings, work, and hyflex learning are becoming more common in modern workplaces and institutions of learning,” says Casey Hall, chief marketing officer for Extron. “By integrating pro AV systems with software codec conferencing applications, the MediaPort 300 enhances communication by bringing 4K quality to remote participants.”

The post Extron Releases MediaPort for Professional Conferencing Applications appeared first on My TechDecisions.

According to Extron, the products in the Zoom Rooms Certified Design Solutions have been designed and meticulously tested for best-in-class performance and ease of use.

“We are well known for our industry-leading Extron Control for Zoom Rooms – Native Room Controls,” says Casey Hall, vice president of worldwide sales and marketing at Extron. “These newly certified products enable the deployment of award-winning Extron audio technology in workspaces across the enterprise.”

Also Read: Designing a State-of-the Art EMS Simulation Suite at Wake Tech

Extron Products Certified for Zoom Rooms:

• DMP 64 Plus Series Digital Audio Matrix Processors
• DMP 128 Plus Series Digital Audio Matrix Processors
• XPA U 1002 Power Amplifiers
• XPA U 1004 SB Power Amplifiers
• SF 3CT LP and SF 3C LP Ceiling Speakers

All of the complete certified designs, featured solutions, and detailed information on the individual products they include are available on the Extron website.

With Extron control for Zoom Rooms, a single user interface is all users need to control every conferencing, audiovisual and room function. Together, Extron and its partners deliver complete AV and conferencing control across the enterprise.

This article originally appeared on MyTechDecisions’ sister-site CommercialIntegrator.com.

The post Extron Audio DSPs, Amplifiers & Speakers Certified for Zoom Rooms appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The Health Sciences Building includes an Emergency Medical Services simulation suite laid out like an apartment containing kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom settings equipped with high fidelity medical mannequins that instructors control from an adjacent control room. The instructors set up emergency scenarios, then monitor, guide and critique the actions of EMT and paramedic students through a direct observation window and via live and recorded video and audio feeds from multiple cameras. In addition, video and audio of the simulation sessions are recorded and streamed for viewing during debriefing sessions and for real-time peer reviews by students and instructors in remote viewing classrooms.

The Simulation Suite Challenges

A major portion of the budget for the simulation suite went toward room construction and acquisition of the patient simulation system. The state-of-the-art patient simulation system includes several full-body, anatomically correct adult, infant and obstetric mannequins remotely controlled by software capable of presenting a broad set of clinical symptoms and vital signs under a variety of programmable scenarios. The audiovisual system is as important as the simulation system because it records and streams the video and audio events of the training sessions for debriefings and real-time observation by instructors and students. With the limited budget allocated to the suite’s AV system, the designers were intent on not over-engineering it. Yet, they also focused on assembling an AV system that was robust enough to support the important mission of preparing future lifesavers for their jobs, while keeping operation simple so as not to distract from training. Extron provided the project’s AV switching, distribution, control, and audio products.

The Design Solution

To capture all the activity during training exercises, each of the simulation suite’s four “rooms” are equipped with a PTZ camera on the wall and a beam-tracking pendant microphone on the ceiling. An Extron DXP 84 HD 4K PLUS matrix switcher routes the HDMI video from the cameras. The simulation room mics, plus the instructor’s control room mic, feed into a digital audio distribution system that performs routing as well as digital signal processing for acoustic beam steering and acoustic echo cancellation.

Two of the HDMI outputs from the video matrix switcher connect to an SMP 352 dual recording streaming media processor. The SMP 352 also receives analog audio from the audio DSP. The SMP 352 records and streams training sessions from two simulation rooms simultaneously.

Related: Top-Ranked Med School Outfits Surgical Education Center with Extron

The SMP 352 recordings are played back for debriefs to help students and instructors evaluate student performance. Recordings are saved to internal memory and to USB flash drives. Students can take the flash drives with them to review independently or to show others.

For realism, only the student EMT team that would be present for a real-life rescue are typically in a simulation room tending to a “patient.” But the SMP 352 streaming outputs can be sent over the network to overflow classrooms, or even over the internet via a soft codec such as Zoom, allowing larger student groups to observe real time or review recordings.

Flat Panel Displays & Speakers in the Simulation Rooms

The simulation suite AV system is equipped with six 55″ flat panel displays to give observers a bird’s-eye view of the activity around each “patient.” One of these displays is located in the overflow classroom. The rest are mounted above the location of the mannequin in each simulation room. For example, in the living room setting, the display is above the foot of the sofa where the “patient” lies supine. In the bedroom, there are two 55″ displays – one above a bed, where an adult mannequin lies, and the other above a crib containing an infant mannequin.

All six displays show the same PTZ camera feed, as selected in the control room. The matrix switcher routes the selected PTZ camera HDMI video output to a DTP HD DA8 4K 230 distribution amplifier which extends the signal long-distances over DTP shielded twisted pair cable runs to the six displays. Mounted behind each display is a DTP HDMI 4K 230 Rx receiver that converts the signal from DTP to HDMI.

To accompany the video shown on the 55″ displays, the sounds captured by the ceiling mics in the simulation rooms are routed by the audio system to ceiling speakers in the simulation rooms. The AV control processor ensures that the sound heard from the speakers is from the same room being shown on the displays by commanding audio routing to select the mic feed from the same room as the currently selected PTZ camera. Sound from the selected microphone is also heard in the control room over a pair of SM 3 speakers that are driven by the stereo outputs of an MPA 152 Plus amplifier that receives its input from the audio DSP.

Managing the AV System from a Touchscreen Display

From the control room, instructors and their assistants can control the AV system and execute simulation scenarios from a single operator position. As seen in the images, a laptop on the desk directly in front of the instructor runs simulation software from Laerdal Medical Corporation, makers of the medical mannequins. This software can run pre-programmed simulation scenarios, or the instructor can operate the mannequins on-the-fly. Physiological parameters are set, trends initiated and actions logged. The Laerdal software provides “patient” vital signs to computer monitors in the simulation rooms.

A 24″ touchscreen monitor at the control room instructor desk is used to control the AV system. The Wake Tech AV team designed the AV control GUI and the Inter Technologies installation team configured the control system using Global Configurator Professional. An IPCP Pro 350 control processor commands all AV system components via a network switch. The touchscreen AV control user interface on the 24” monitor is implemented via a TLI PRO 101 TouchLink interface unit, allowing live HDMI video from the simulation room PTZ cameras to be displayed within the AV control GUI.

Results

Jennifer Unitis, manager of Academic Computing, notes that since the beginning of her AV career, she has been hands-on with AV installations, whether creating designs, climbing ladders to run cables, or racking-up equipment. Being that close to the hardware, she realized early on the capabilities, ease of installation and operation, and reliability of Extron AV products. That’s made Unitis an enthusiastic Extron advocate wherever she’s worked. Along the way, she and her associates trained with Extron and earned several Extron AV technology certifications. When Unitis took her current position at Wake Tech, she notes, “I was glad to learn that the school is an almost 100 percent Extron campus, and that everyone on the AV team has one or more Extron certifications.”

Unitis affirms her AV team’s sentiments that “Extron was incredibly helpful in assisting with the design of the EMS simulation suite. They helped us create a solution that met all of our goals. We built a high-end simulation environment for a fraction of the normal cost of a system with this much capability. Faculty and students find the system easy to operate and are fully satisfied.” The simulation suite plays an integral role in helping Wake Tech meet its EMS program mission of “Serving the state of North Carolina as a leader in education for the emergency medicine profession.”

The post Designing a State-of-the Art EMS Simulation Suite at Wake Tech appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The Tech Decision

Central to the project was creation of a 140-seat Surgical Education Center to connect UNC surgeons with their peers during weekly surgical grand rounds. The project also included new AV-enabled office spaces and conference rooms.

The Education Center AV system helps UNC surgeons cut to the core of concepts as deftly as they handle a scalpel. Positioned in front of a 24′ x 5′ videowall, a smart lectern feeds presentation video and audio into the AV system from the lectern’s PC or a guest laptop. An Extron Quantum Ultra 305 videowall processor allows wide latitude for windowing the video images in mixed resolutions, formats, and orientations for simultaneous display of information like patient charts, photos, and live video, all in crisp detail.

The direct-view LED videowall is comprised of left, center and right screens driven by up to six 4K HDMI sources via an Extron Quantum Ultra 305 videowall processor. The videowall processor allows wide latitude for windowing the video images on the screens in mixed resolutions, formats and orientations.

During videoconferences, the processor allows the monitors to display local content, shared content and far-end participants simultaneously as three separate images. Six flat panel displays above the audience reinforce views for the back rows. To interact with remote audiences, there are AV feeds to a Cisco videoconferencing system, to soft codecs for unified communications platforms such as Zoom, and to an Extron SMP 351 streaming media processor for livestreaming, storage, and archiving to the Panopto platform for lecture capture.

Other AV content sources include media players and a wireless access point for mobile devices. There are also inputs from a PC in the Control Room and from multiple PTZ cameras around the venue.

Extron NAV Pro AV over IP Encoders and Decoders, along with the NAVigator System Manager, link every AV source to every AV destination over UNC’s enterprise data network.

The NAV system provides ultra-low latency video and audio transmission, and allows easy, economical scalability, making it uniquely qualified for UNC’s application of transporting real-time video and patient vital sign telemetry among a large and growing array of endpoints.

New conference rooms use DTP switchers containing integrated audio amplifiers to operate as stand-alone meeting spaces or as overflow rooms for the Education Center. Controlling all AV functions are IPCP Pro control processors and a variety of wall-mounted and tabletop TouchLink Pro touchpanels.

The Result

“The Surgical Education Center, its videowall, and NAV AVoIP network tying all meeting spaces on the fourth floor together surpassed everyone’s expectations,” said Christopher Ferrer, CTS-D / CTS-I, AV Engineer at University of North Carolina School of Medicine, in a statement. “We couldn’t have done it without the aid of a company that was willing to embrace our design goals, train us, and support us, as Extron did throughout this project.”

The post Top-Ranked Med School Outfits Surgical Education Center with Extron appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The Tech Challenges

The renovation involved extensive remodels to the structure, and many high-tech additions and upgrades, including cutting-edge audiovisual amenities. New AV-enabled spaces include the Innovation Studio, a venue to display virtual reality and other emerging technologies; the Visualization Studio, with immersive 360-degree projection; and the Data Experience Lab, a collaborative space for data science and analytics. Also included in the renovation are more group study rooms, more learning labs and more presentation spaces. 

The in-house AV technology team at NCSU made a strategic decision to implement Extron AV switching, distribution, and control in the Hill Library partly because they were already using Extron’s GlobalViewer Enterprise software to manage their extensive deployment of Extron systems in many of the school’s other learning venues.

The Visualization & Innovation Studio

The Visualization Studio is an immersive theater-in-the-round experience, designed to showcase engaging content produced by faculty and students all across the campus. Eight projectors and twelve speakers deliver 360-degree video and enveloping Dolby Atmos surround sound for teaching and learning, research talks, special projects and events.

The Visualization Studio relies on a 16×16 XTP II CrossPoint 1600 matrix switcher to select and distribute program content to eight projectors. XPA U 1002-70V and NetPA 1001-70V AT amplifiers deliver Atmos audio from analog and Dante sources to seven SM 28T surface mount speakers surrounding the audience and four SF 26PT pendant speakers suspended from the ceiling.

AV functions and lighting in the room are operated through a touchpanel interface on an iPad mini running the Extron Control App. Responding to the touchpanel selections, an IPCP Pro 555 control processor controls all AV system components, while an IPCP Pro 250 controls room lighting.

The Innovation Studio is a learning space that showcases work of students and faculty using a interactive projection experience, in which 4K laser projectors in the ceiling project images onto display tables and depth cameras sense people’s’ hand motions in 3D space above the tabletops as they interact with the projected images.

The effect is a touchscreen, but without the “touch.”  An XTP II CrossPoint 1600 matrix switcher handles AV switching to the projectors and to MPA 601 amplifiers driving speakers above the tables. Controlling all AV functions are IPCP Pro control processors and a variety of wall-mounted and tabletop TouchLink Pro touchpanels.

The Results

Those who walk through the D. H. Hill Jr. Library are benefitting from state-of-the-art audiovisual technology that holds the interest of even the latest generation of students accustomed to pervasive technology in every aspect of their lives.

The post Extron AV Solutions Create Engaging Study Venues at Renovated NCSU Hill Library appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Per a statement, the company designed and also meticulously tested the Teams Rooms-certified products for performance and ease of use.

“We are confident that our high quality audio products will enable integrators to deliver a premium Microsoft Teams experience,” says Casey Hall, VP of worldwide sales and marketing at Extron. “We are very pleased to provide products certified for Microsoft Teams Rooms to our customers.”

According to Extron, the products certified for Microsoft Teams include the following:

• DMP 128 Plus Series Digital Audio Matrix Processors
• DMP 64 Plus Series Digital Audio Matrix Processors
• XPA U 1004 SB and XPA U 1002 Power Amplifiers
• SF 26CT Series Ceiling Speakers
• SF 3CT LP and SF 3C LP Ceiling Speakers

All information regarding the new announcement are now available on the Extron website. These include complete certified designs, featured solutions and detailed information on the individual products.

The Extron control for Teams Rooms enables a single user interface to control every conferencing, audiovisual, and room function. Extron adds that along with its partners, it thus aims to deliver complete AV and conferencing control across the enterprise.

The post Extron Certifies Portfolio of Products for Microsoft Teams appeared first on My TechDecisions.

In September 2020, the Maricopa IT Institute (ITI) opened to further that mission. The ITI was created in response to feedback from local business leaders expressing an acute need for qualified IT professionals. Meanwhile, Extron states that its switching and control equipment constitutes a lot of the AV tech that students encounter in their studies.

The ITI offers instruction in cloud computing, cybersecurity, desktop support, Linux administration, mobile app development, networking, programming, systems analysis, virtualization, web development, and windows server administration. In addition, ITI graduates pass rigorous tests required to earn CompTIA A+ certification. This certification is considered the gold standard credential for IT skills competency.

Per a statement, the college thus used over 150 items of Extron equipment in Phoenix College ITI’s AV systems.

Forming the Installation Team

An existing district building underwent an extensive remodel to create the ITI’s new home. The building is packed with IT, AV and network technology that supports classroom lesson delivery. It also serves as a real-life center where students can dive into computers, networks and AV systems.

Additionally, the A+ Classroom, two lecture rooms, Industry Collaboration Suites, and a Techpreneurship Suite occupy the ground floor. The second floor houses the Networking Classroom, Mac Lab, Windows Lab and the Cybersecurity Classroom.

Chuck Fortino, AV project manager for Phoenix College, and Henry Denman, Audio-Visual coordinator, oversaw design and installation of Extron equipment in the classroom AV and IT systems. They also had assistance from Jason Powell, Scott Eroe, Dylan Witzleb and Daniel Douros, Phoenix College technical support specialists. Further, they received installation assistance from Phoenix area pro technology integrator, Aspen Technologies.

Setting up the Classrooms

According to a statement, the team used similar AV components and connections in each room for simplicity of design and maintenance.

Some rooms have projectors while others have multiple flat panel displays. However, all classrooms have an instructor podium that supplies AV program content from a PC, document camera, or external sources. This includes wireless sharing from BYOD devices over WiFi. Additionally, an Extron IN1804 or IN1806 Presentation Switcher in the podium selects among the sources.

The content is then fed to the podium touchscreen display via HDMI and to the room displays over shielded twisted pair cable using Extron DTP transmitters and receivers. Each podium also contains a TLP Pro 725M 7″ touchpanel. This works with an IPCP Pro control processor to control various functions. These comprise system power, source selection, volume, and the projection screen in rooms equipped with a video projector.

The classrooms have FF 220T wide dispersion ceiling-mounted speakers that provide consistent sound levels across the listening area. This ensures clear audio delivery. XPA 1002 amplifiers also drive the speakers. Most of the rooms contain two speakers for stereo sound. Furthermore, the Network and A+ rooms contain three speakers per stereo channel to accommodate the size and layout of these spaces.

Moreover, OCS 100C occupancy sensors linked to the control processors automatically turn off all classroom technology when the rooms are empty. This is a nod to energy savings in Phoenix’s desert locale. The AV-IT support department also uses Extron GlobalViewer Enterprise to monitor and control the AV systems remotely from the main campus about three miles away. According to the department’s Henry Denman, this allows them to monitor the systems from a central location for maintenance purposes. It also helps them control remotely to provide rapid support to the faculty.

Designing the Cybersecurity Classroom

According to a statement, cybersecurity professionals are in high demand. This demand is due to proliferation of hacks and ransomware incidents plaguing enterprises worldwide. To meet this demand, Phoenix College states it designed its cybersecurity classroom. Thus, the classroom is the most complex classroom in the building. It includes its own isolated LAN where students gain experience by unraveling IT mayhem planted by their instructors.

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In the classroom, there are four student pods, each with five PCs. 50-inch flat panel displays at each pod receive content via XTP receivers connected to an XTP II CrossPoint 1600 Matrix Switcher. The five PCs thus supply content to the Matrix Switcher via an IN1806 Presentation Switcher at each pod.

Each pod also has a TLP Pro 525T five-inch touchpanel. Here, students select which PC supplies AV content. In this way, students can collaborate within their own pod using their own display. The instructor can also take control using the touchpanel in the instructor podium to send content from one particular pod to all other pods or push content from any of the podium sources to all pods.

Recognition for the System

The ITI opened in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Phoenix College says it adapted by conducting 90% of classes online. The ITI offered a single in-person class during the fall 2020 semester. Chuck Fortino, ITI project manager, expresses confidence that the ITI will live up to its full potential as in-person classes resume.

He notes, “I’m sure I reflect the feelings of the entire ITI project team when I say that it’s a privilege to be a part of an organization that has the potential to change the trajectory of our students’ lives. I hope that the Maricopa IT Institute at Phoenix College will have a lasting impact on our students and our community. Toward that end, we are always looking for ways to improve and upgrade the AV systems that we install.”

Click on “View Slideshow” on upper-left corner to view the Extron system installation at Phoenix College.

All photos courtesy of Maricopa County Community College District.

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