Sound & Video Contractor - October 2020

OCTOBER 2020 // VOLUME 38 // ISSUE 10

svconline.com

SOUND&VIDEO

CONTRACTOR

R E V I E W S | T E C H N O LO GY | A P P L I C AT I O N S PRODUCT-AT-WORK COMMAND & CONTROL

BIG VOICES

CREATIVE NEW SPEAKER INSTALLS BUILD SONIC AND SPIRITUAL CONNECTION TECH SHOWCASES * CONFERENCE MICS AND SYSTEMS * PTZ CAMERAS, CAPTURE AND STREAMING DEVICES

OCTOBER 2020 // VOLUME 38 // ISSUE 10

contents

28

FEATURES 28

| B ig Voices Creative speaker installs build sonic and spiritual connection

36

Meyer Sound, d&b, and L-Acoustics bring new life to houses of worship

6 | O n the Circuit

By Chief Editor Cynthia Wisehart

Case Studies

6 | Power Protection 8 | Going HD Tech Showcases

The SVC Interview

10 | Conference Mics 18 | PTZ/Capture/Streaming

Integrators and their church clients survive and thrive in the new reality

Supplement

36 | C oping with COVID

39

39 | Emergency Operations Technology for essential infrastructure

Sound & Video Contractor, Volume 38 Issue 10, (ISSN 0741-1715) is published monthly by Future US, Inc., 11 West 42nd Street, 15th floor, New York, NY 10036.

Periodical Postage Paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Sound & Video Contractor, PO Box 8608, Lowell, MA 01853. One year subscription (12 issues) is $39. Outside U.S. is $79. Canada Post International Publications Mail (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 40612608. Canada return address: Pitney Bowes International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Š2020 Future US, Inc.

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on the circuit

Vol. 38 No. 10

October 2020

WWW.SVCONLINE.COM

O

By Cynthia Wisehart

Find me online cynthia.wisehart@ futurenet.com www.svconline.com/proavtoday and www.rebelmouse.com/ SVC_Online

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ur 2020 election is like a giant change order. Actually, it’s multiple change orders being simultaneously executed at job sites all over the country, under a range of jurisdictions, laws, and code requirements— some updating in real time.

There are scope conflicts, staffing issues, and problems with the venue(s) not being available. There are first-time workflows being overlaid onto long-standing expectations. There are communication voids and fails; sometimes too little information, sometimes too much of the wrong information. There is frustration and finger-pointing, new firmware and bad manuals. Support lines can be busy, or rollover to voicemail from mid-March when the office closed for pandemic.

“Please send an email.”

I’m not trying to be negative. As I know from site work, no matter what they think in the bleachers, change is hard. It takes logistical grit and good nerves and measured tones. We are changing a long-standing workflow that affects every aspect from deadlines, to communication to staffing to how far apart to put the chairs.

As we go to press, the voting process has begun. I’m working on get out the vote, as I do most elections. Some places things are going well. I call Miami Dade and they are up and running; people answer the phone with convincing information. In my own state, not so much.

From my experience, a lot of GOTV is logistical. Where is the polling place? Is there parking? What time of day is best to go? Will you need childcare? (Will you need to vote separately from your family members?) In every election, this has been satisfying work, with good answers and relatively simple plans to be made. That’s still true for some people. But for many, it’s obviously way more complicated to vote, just like everything else in 2020.

If I may say from experience, don’t take anything about your vote for granted this year. Check at your state’s website to confirm you are registered at your current address, especially if you are a first time voter. Research whether you want to vote by mail, dropoff your vote, vote in person early, or vote in person on Election Day depending on your state’s options. In many cases those options are probably different than last time you voted (and different from what you have heard on Facebook)..

Take note of when your state actually counts mail/dropoff ballots (for most it’s not until Election Day no matter when the ballot is received). That might affect your plan.

It can be a hassle—one more thing to muscle through in pandemic.

It’s easy to be cynical, so that’s why I make the GOTV calls. I get to talk to real people of differing viewpoints who are just trying to do their duty and exercise their citizenship as they see it, while working around all the 2020 variables in their path. Those conversations can be hard, because many times people’s obstacles to voting are their obstacles in general—age, disability, family responsibilities, transportation, time, childcare, safety, and this year especially—uncertainty. What I don’t hear are glib, easy criticisms. I hear people who are trying. Like the people who kept me going on site. So I keep trying too.

FOLLOW US @SVC_Online https://www.facebook.com/svconline CONTENT VP/Content Creation Anthony Savona Content Director Cynthia Wisehart, cynthia.wisehart@futurenet.com Contributors Bennett Liles Managing Design Director Nicole Cobban Art Editor Rob Crossland Production Managers Nicole Schilling, Heather Tatrow ADVERTISING SALES VP/Market Expert, AV/Consumer Electronics & Pro Audio Adam Goldstein, adam.goldstein@futurenet.com, 212-378-0465 Sales Janis Crowley, janis.crowley@futurenet.com, 845-414-6791 Debbie Rosenthal, debbie.rosenthal@futurenet.com, 212-378-0465 Zahra Majma, zahra.majma@futurenet.com, 845-678-3752 SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE To subscribe, change your address, or check on your current account status, go to www.mysvcmag. com and click on About Us, email futureplc@ computerfulfillment.com, call 888-266-5828, or write P.O. Box 8608, Lowell, MA 01853.

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the buzz CASE STUDY / HOUSE OF WORSHIP

POWER PROTECTION For E2i Design’s most recent worship design/ install, the company outfitted Northstar Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, with a full suite of AVL components including comprehensive power control.

“It’s becoming a trend for houses of worship to be more forward-looking, and at E2i, that’s something we talk organizations through. We want them to think not only beyond their needs today but also how their AVL budget and equipment can serve them well into the future,” said Josh Holowicki, the founder and CEO of E2i Design. “Northstar’s future vision was unique.

They wanted the infrastructure to support touring Christian artists and potential video upgrades.” So scalability in the power support mattered. from the wire For Northstar, E2i installed the For more case studies, visit LynTec RPC 365 master remote consvconline.com/the-wire.

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trol breaker panel along with the RPS 385 slave panel. Built on the industry-accepted G3 Powerlink hardware platform by Square D, the patented RPC family combines circuit protection and power management, on/off control, and power sequencing for audio, lighting, and viideo in an affordable, scalable panel. On the audio side, the panel provides customized circuitlevel sequencing, eliminating the challenges of properly powering on digital audio systems with a separate sequencer. With customized sequencing step rates built into the system, the church’s volunteer crew doesn’t have to worry about the proper order of turning on and off components; the system allows each circuit to be set with the exact number of seconds — anywhere between 1 and 999 — to allow digital equipment to fully boot up before the next step of the sequence fires.

The panel also protects the church’s stage and house LED lighting. The RPC panel provides remote power control down to the circuit level, providing staff with an easy-to-use system to power on and off its array of LED fixtures. It also supports Northstar’s current and future video requirements. In addition to the church’s two projectors and inventory of video displays, the church is planning to add a video wall to support onstage graphics. The LynTec panel cycles off video equipment when not in use and properly sequences it on, protecting against damage caused by inrush.

Northstar also benefits on the installation side. Using an RPC panel instead of a separate relay panel means that there are fewer points of contact to wire during installation. The labor involved to install a LynTec panel is the same as to wire a standard breaker panel.

the buzz CASE STUDY / HOUSE OF WORSHIP

GOING HD Standard definition is still a staple for some houses of worship, so the need to upgrade to HD remains an exciting transition. GT Church, a multisite church with two locations in Pennsylvania, recently upgraded its production equipment and processes to enable High Definition (HD) live streaming and recorded broadcasts of its services in-person and online services. Eager to make dynamic, engaging, and artful videos for its congregation, GT Church wanted to upgrade its increasingly outdated Standard Definition (SD) cameras and streamline its operational processes and equipment.

In addition to the physical upgrades of cameras and equipment, GT Church needed to ensure that the footage always maintained a consistent look and feel. This had been a major challenge for the camera crew from the wire and production team, as their existFor more case studies, visit svconline.com/the-wire.

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ing cameras each had to be set up individually.

Working with the cameras separately limited the scope and range of their filming abilities, wasted time and resources to set up and execute, and burdened the filming of live events with disruptive transitions between cameras.

GT Church worked with Adorama Business Solutions to identify and purchase the perfect production set-up to upgrade its SD capabilities to wireless HD. Selected equipment included: Canon EOS C300 Mark II Cinema Camcorder Body, Canon Cinema Zoom CN-E30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L S (EF Mount) Lens, and Cartoni Focus 18 Fluid Head System: Carbon Fiber & mart Lock ML Spreader.

Wireless cameras with modern technologies gave the staff greater levels of flexibility, enabling them to easily film anywhere in the congregation and film more discreetly and

with enhanced freedom on stage. Additionally, Adorama simplified the process of creating a unified look and coherent aesthetic throughout the footage by being able to save the settings from one camera to an SD card, which could then be easily copied to all other cameras on the system. For the GT Church production team, this was revolutionary.

“Adorama helped identify and solve problems I wouldn’t have known about until the gear was delivered, which would have cost us valuable time,” said Andrew Donohue, Visual Producer at GT Church. “All of our services and events can now be shot using HD technologies, bringing our congregation high-quality live streams and more engaging recorded broadcasts. During recent stay-at-home orders, our ability to connect with our community through live streams on our website has been indispensable.”

TECH SHOWCASE

CONFERENCE MICS AND SYSTEMS

By Bennett Liles

When the pandemic exploded we were all blown apart from each other and into a world where online conferencing, as a lifeline for both business and family, is AKG CGN321 the new king of AV apps. Integrators are planning installations and as we’ve all STS seen on TV, where personal and commercial systems merge, there is no shortage in examples of the right and wrong ways to do it. Where social distancing can be observed, in-room conference systems are still in demand and many of these systems are being connected online. Our survey here centers on commercial systems and components that companies are using to keep their workers and conference participants safe, productive and continuously in touch.

In environments that are acoustically lens can get all conference participants easily challenging or require continuous control of into the wide shot. Simultaneous video output individual microphones, the CGN321 STS is possible on both USB and HDMI outputs. professional table top microphone set from Available in white or black, the camera has a AKG has some key features. The 30 centi- fast and quiet pan/tilt mechanism and it can be controlled via TCP/IP, RS-232, USB and IR. meter long CGN351 gooseneck condenser The ATCS-60 infrared discussion sysmicrophone gets the mic close to the tem from Audio-Technica allows quick and participant while limiting background easy setup. It features four selectable channoise with its cardioid pickup pattern. The nels for multi-language conferences and switch on the base can be programmed for an automated camera function to integrate push-to-talk, push-to-mute, push-on/off and video sources. Using the software control low cut on/off. While not talking, each paroption, audio can be recorded, camera positicipant can mute their own mic to greatly tions adjusted and microphone sound levels reduce noise and eliminate feedback. The set. Of course, the infrared transmission also LED on the base indicates the microphone’s provides a secure environment free from RF selected mode and the XLR connector proeavesdropping. The chairperson’s unit can vided allows connection to a wide variety of control all of the others and all units have professional conferencing systems. a built-in speaker and headphone jack.

Atlona can provide the AT-HDVSAudioIn automatic mode, the microphones CAM-HDMI for conference rooms Technica sense voice and turn on, turning off complete with its USB interface for ATCS-60 again when the voice pickup stops. video and camera control. The 1/2.8in.

Power and mic LEDs flash to low noise HD CMOS sensor indicate a low battery. produces high quality color and The Audix Dante | AES67 detail while the multi-element Integrated Microphone System lens has a 10x optical zoom. At with its on/off contact closure the widest angle the auto-focus

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Atlona ATHDVS-CAMHDMI

and LED status indicators handles all of its functions through a single CAT5-CAT7 cable with RJ45 connections at each end. The system can be composed of the four input Dante |AES67 interface, the M70WD flush mount steerable ceiling microphone, the M55WD hanging microphone, the MD3K microphone and interface kit or the DN43 two input Dante

TECH SHOWCASE

Bosch DICENTIS

Audix Dante AES67

beyerdynamic Orbis

| AES67 interface. These components can be used in various combinations to custom tailor the system for the conferencing facility and allow the control to be designed to suit specific clients and operators.

The Orbis Wired Conference System was designed by beyerdynamic to be rugged and capable of using a variety of microphone types. The system can be set up in a line configuration for using up to 100 microphones or in a loop topology for redundancy with a maximum of 50 mics. Gooseneck microphones with a choice of stem lengths can be used or the Revoluto array microphones can

be connected depending on the needs of the specific venue and client. The connecting CAT5 cable may be attached to each microphone unit from the back or from the bottom.

Using the RS-232 interface, the Orbis can be connected to a media control system. There is also a module to enable connection of Extron control.

For use in its Tesira systems, Biamp has the ParlĂŠ TTM-X AVB low profile tabletop microphone. The microphone connects to a control box so that it can use beamtracking technology in four 90-degree zones. The control box has a digital signal processing mod-

ule along with an additional RJ45 connection to connect an optional TTM-XEX for pickup over a larger area. Available in black or white, the mic sits very low on the table and has a diameter of only 4.7in. Each one includes an LED status indicator and the beamtracking technology works right out of the box.

Conference centers and multi-purpose spaces frequently hold different events, each with different setups and configurations. With its flexibility, easy installation and use of WiFi technology, the award-winning DICENTIS Wireless Conference System from Bosch Communications is perfect for these kinds of applications – especially for where social distancing is required. Based on the IEEE 802.11n standard, the system operates in the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands so that it is recognized by other WiFi systems for non-interference and it automatically searches out free channels. Each user device has a 4.3in. capacitive touchscreen making it very simple to use. Two WAPs can be used for system redundancy and maximum reliability.

Certified for Microsoft Teams and compatible with Zoom, the Bose ES1 Ceiling Audio Solution includes the directional EdgeMax EM180 loudspeaker, Sennheiser TeamCon-

Biamp Parle TTM-X

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TECH SHOWCASE

Bose ES1 Ceiling Audio Solution

ClearOne COLLABORATE Live 1000

BSS DCP-555

Clockaudio CCRM 4000

nect Ceiling 2 microphone and PowerSpace P2600A amplifier. At the heart of the system is the ControlSpace EX-440C processor with four mic/line analog inputs, four analog outputs, onboard VoIP, PSTN, USB, Bose AmpLink output, eight-channel acoustic echo cancelling (AEC), and 16 x 16 Dante connectivity. The unit can be configured using the Bose ControlSpace Designer software with drag and drop programming. The EdgeMax EM180 mounts in-ceiling and is normally positioned at the front of the room near the display screen. The PowerSpace P2600A amplifier provides 600 watts per channel, and a Bose AmpLink input produces multiple channels of uncompressed, low-latency digital audio from Bose DSPs through a single Cat5 cable.

Crafted specially to facilitate audio for meetings, the Harman BSS DCP-555 Digital Conferencing Processor can be custom set for

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any specific room simply by using one of the many templates available and then tweaking in the configuration from there with a web interface. The unit provides four bidirectional VoIP connections along with I/O for BLU link, USB and 16x8 analog audio. In addition, there are built-in microphone tunings and JBL speaker tuning presets. When the system is used with AMX SVSI networked AV solutions, encoder syncing keeps the audio and video signals perfectly aligned. GPIO and relays enable remote control of muting and amp power on/off.

The Clearone COLLABORATE Live 1000 professional video collaboration system includes a Unite 200 PTZ camera with its 12x optical zoom, a CONVERGE Pro 2 audio processor, a patented beamforming microphone array ceiling tile and an easy to operate user interface. The CONVERGE Pro 2 includes 12 mic/line inputs and a USB audio interface, along with optional Dante for networked audio. The camera is capable of H.264 and H.265 streaming and it supports USB 3.0/2.0, HDMI, and IP with simultaneous video to all three of its outputs. The COLLABORATE Space software is a secure cloud collaboration suite allows access through a web interface, meeting scheduling and it integrates with

Microsoft TEAMS. For the ultimate in conference room applications in which having microphones on the table is not desirable, Clockaudio has the CCRM 4000 motorized ceiling microphone.

Designed for suspended ceiling installation, it drops down at the optimal position and it can be retracted when not in use. This ability makes it especially useful for minimizing background noise pickup in rooms with high ceilings. For very large rooms, up to 99 units can be daisy chained with the height of each one individually set and there is a plenum version available. Versions include a model incorporating a single element (C3 capsule) and a tri-element (C303W-RF). Included are an 18VDC power supply, ceiling tile mounting bracket and safety cable.

The Crestron Flex R‑Series Plus mobile UC system can be rapidly deployed to provide convenient video conferencing in a variety of professional settings, such as corporate, education, healthcare, or manufacturing environments. The first-of-its-kind UC system supports native Microsoft Teams or Zoom Rooms, and BYOD conferencing with the same hardware. Enabling social distancing without compromising experience, the Flex R-Series features an intelligent camera

TECH SHOWCASE

with 150-degree field of vision that autoframes participants, 360-degree quad mic array with up to a 20ft. range, and retractable Ethernet and power cables for easy connections. All components mount to a wheeled cart to bring collaboration to wherever it is needed.

Crestron 4K content sharing and dual display Flex R-Series support highlight the many features of the Lifesize Icon 500 conference system and its integrated PTZ camera provides a 5x zoom and full pan/tilt/zoom camera controls. Designed for small to medium sized conference rooms, the Icon 500 system uses Opus audio that is tuned for human speech. The plugand-play setup is augmented with centralized management and automatic updates. Additions can include the Lifesize Phone HD with its touchscreen controller, Lifesize Share for easy screen sharing and the Lifesize Lumens VCGO app that enables the user to B2U host meetings of up to eight participants from a phone or laptop.

The VC-B2U video conference camera from Lumens brings full 1080p HD video to the conference room while dual microphones allow participants to speak from a wide range of positions within a distance of about ten feet. The fixed lens can focus on attendees from the back of the room all the way up to within 30cm of the camera. Automatic audio gain, USB connectivity and camera exposure control make the system very easy for non-techies to use while concentrating on content. Compatible

Lifesize Icon 500

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TECH SHOWCASE

with Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and other conferencing conveyances, the BC-B2U can be integrated into any existing conference environment.

Mipro’s ACT-5800 Series wireless microphone receivers can be teamed with the BC58T wireless conference microphone base to form a system in which participants can locally mute and activate their own mic. The base can snap in the ACT-58TC body pack transmitter PCB or accommodate a wired connection. The BC-58T is powered by an ICR 18500 rechargeable lithium-ion battery and it has a built-in charging circuit for recharging the battery. The ACT 5800 Series receivers are digital units ranging from the ½ rack unit ACT-5801 with its single channel to the ACT-5814A quad channel receiver. Between these are the ACT-5802 ½ RU dual channel receiver and the 1RU ACT-5812A dual channel receiver. These units all operate within the ISM 5GHz band in a range of up to 24 channels.

One of the least visually obtrusive conferencing and telemedicine microphones around is the MXL AC-44 with its three capsule 180-degree pickup pattern and 30Hz-20kHz frequency response. The pattern enhances sound from the front while minimizing room sound and noise from the rear of the unit. The power is provided through a single USB-C connection and it adds a line level auxiliary output for recording and capture applications.

The metal frame and grill resist impacts and prevent any damage while its availability in white, black and cobalt assures its match with any room and other conference gear. A 6ft.

USBA to USB-C cable is included.

Sennheiser’s conferencing solution for medium to large size rooms with up to 16 participants is their TeamConnect Ceiling 2 microphone array. The device has 28 condenser capsules linked through DSP matrixing where all of the processing occurs inside

MXL AC-44

Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling 2

the ceiling unit. Using this method it can recognize which direction the sound is coming from and focus its pickup beam in that area while attenuating sound from other directions. Analog and digital outputs are available and power is supplied via PoE. The system can be set up with Sennheiser’s Control Cockpit software 4.0.0 and it can also be operated with a media control system.

Building on the success of its Microflex Advance line of microphones, Shure developed the new MXA710 linear array microphone for clear voice conferencing and capture using Shure IntelliMix DSP and Autofocus technology to adjust its pickup lobes. Available later this year, in black, white or aluminum finish and 2 and 4ft. models, the MXA710 can be mounted horizontally or vertically and on ceilings, walls and tables. The lowMipro ACT5800 Series

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Shure profile form factor of the MXA710 MXA710 subtly blends into any aesthetic without sacrificing audio quality. It is an ideal alternative for spaces where the MXA910 or MXA310 might not be the best option. There is also the A710-MSA mic

TECH SHOWCASE

stand adapter. The mic is Dante Domain Manager/Device Lock compatible, UL2043 plenum and IP5X rated. Dual LED status bars at each end can be configured in adjustable colors and brightness. When used with IntelliMix P300 Audio Conferencing, Shure audio encryption can be enabled.

Also being introduced alongside the MXA710 Linear Array Starin DTEN is the MXA Network Mute D7 or many networked devices in a room Button, a configurable PoE-powand is also compatible with thirdered mute button accessory designed party control systems via command for mute/unmuting of Shure networked systems products, including all MXA Arrays, strings. Shure also introduced customizable as well as the IntelliMix® P300 and Intel- options for the Microflex system including: liMix Room DSPs and ANIUSB-MATRIX front panels in sizes for user-specified dimenAudio Network Interface. It provides simple, sions; multiple colors in both brushed and programming-free mute functionality for one matte finishes, including black (standard),

AMIO

REAL-TIME STEERING ARRAY MICROPHONE

• • • •

• • • •

KEY BENEFITS

Natural conversation without concern for speaker location or traditional microphone set-up Natural reproduction of sound without accentuating ambient noises Unobtrusive profile capable of blending seamlessly with interior design Compatible with all 3rd party audio conferencing hardware

ADDITIONAL KEY BENEFITS

Presets for changing room configuration IPad App - intuitIve of set-it-and-forget configuration and real-time control of one or multiple AMIOs User-friendly mute control with clear status indtication Easy installation and flexible placement - including ceiling, wall, or tabletop applications

aluminum clearcoat, bronze, gold, grey, blue, orange, and red; customer logo and button labels in alternate languages; color touch screen that displays meeting information (speaker list, agenda, etc.) and enables control of features (interpretation channel selection, voting, etc.)

The Starin DTEN D7 is a 55-inch all-in-one videoconferencing solution for Zoom Rooms.

Featuring a built-in 4K camera, a 16 elements microphone array, amplified speakers and one-touch startup controls for Zoom Rooms meetings. As an added bonus, you gain annotation abilities through the software to ensure everyone in the meeting can clearly see what is being discussed or changed. Great for strategy sessions, brain-

www.toaelectronics.com

TECH SHOWCASE

storming, accounting reviews and much more. Audio Networnterfaces, The Taiden HCS-5300M/80A Series Digital Main Unit is the foundation for an infrared conferencing system and it can be used with a wide array of digital IR chairman and delegate stations, some of which allow both discussion and voting. The HCS-5300TD/80 digital infrared transceiver can be ceiling, wall or tripod mounted to pick up and distribute the IR signals between base and microphone units. The Digital Main Unit can handle multi-channel audio signals and it is capable of bidirectional data transmission and control. The wireless functionality makes the whole system very quick and easy to set up without stringing microphone cables.

TOA Electronics has a versatile conferencing solution that combines the TS-920RC Central Unit with the TS-921 Chairman Unit,

TOA Electronics TS-920RC

the TS-922 Delegate Unit and the TS-923 and 924 gooseneck microphones. The system, which can be PC controlled, features a voting function, feedback suppression and mp3 recording. The chairman is provided with a priority speech key and that unit can run on an AC adapter or on batteries. All user stations have a remaining battery indicator and they can fit the TS-923, TS-903 standard type and the TS-924, TS-904 long type gooseneck microphones. The standard and long stem microphones have two flexible joints and they are equipped with an illuminated ring that shows when the mic is activated.

Everyone can get into the picture and be heard clearly with the Vaddio HuddleSHOT All-in-One Conferencing Camera thanks to its 125-degree, built-in twin microphones and echo cancellation. Its two integrated speakers provide clear stereo sound while a red blinking LED lets participants know when the local mics are muted. For larger rooms the HuddleSHOT can

be used with an optional TableMIC or CeilingMIC microphone. The browser based user interface allows the system to be very intuitive and easy to operate. Included is a remote control, thin profile wall mount, PoE+ Midspan Power Injector with AC cord along with CAT5 and USB cables. The unit is also equipped with a 2X digital zoom.

The YAI-1 Wireless Microphone Conferencing System from Yamaha Unified Communications plugs into a USB connection and works right out of the box. The YAI-1 Boardroom version features eight Elite 12in. wireless gooseneck mics and the Yamaha MRX7-D DSP processor. There are also two VXL1-16 PoE line speakers, Dante AVIO USB adapter, SWR2100P-5GL2 network switch with PoE and a DCP1V4S wall mount volume controller. Also available are the YAI-1 Conference version with seven Elite wireless directional mics, the YAI-1 XL Conference with 16 Revolabs Elite wireless mics and the YAI-1 XL Boardroom with pre-configured and installed firmware and software. Any of these versions can be chosen to match the specific conference environment in which it will be used.

Taiden HCS5300M/80A Series

Vaddio HuddleSHOT

Yamaha Unified Communications YAI-1

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TECH SHOWCASE

PTZ CAMERAS, CAPTURE AND STREAMING DEVICES

By Bennett Liles

AJA Ki Pro Ultra 12G

PTZ cameras and streaming devices are more important than ever and there is a lot going on to meet the times.

Manufacturers are bringing out new options, repurposing existing ones, and adding features to better support workfrom-home and streaming to both videoconferencing and social platforms for the way we work and communicate now.

ARISTA IP Flash Caster

In July, ARISTA announced the RS-124-31 Series IP Flash Caster product line. With six models, the IP Flash Caster family lets installers and system integrators replace proprietary AV matrix switches with off-the-shelf Ethernet switches. The RS-124-31 Series is a 1U rackmount line that can be configured

1 Beyond AutoTracker 3

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with either dual SDVoE encoders / decoders with Copper or Fiber interface and a variety of different video signal format inputs and outputs. The IP Flash Caster RS-124-31 Series is an end-toend system for AV and KVM signal extension, IP-based switching, video wall and multi-view functionality. The product line provides support for HDMI 2.0a, HDR, high-fidelity video scaling, windowing and audio down-mixing, broadcast quality scaling, visually indistinguishable light-compression, multi-source video compositing, video splitting, color space conversion, framerate conversion, audio embedding / de-embedding, audio down-mixing and audio re-sampling. Features include multiview, PIP, and PAP capabilities, video wall processing, USB, RS-232, IR extension and switching capability, and the ability to provide 1GbE Ethernet over 10GbE Network. Available Q3.

The AutoTracker 3 from 1 Beyond combines the ability to zoom into detail while

still using an unattended camera. It does this by using facial recognition to automatically follow the established subject around the room with adjustable tracking settings.

This feature can be turned off to use manual operation with a joystick, an AV control system on RS-485/232 or network with standard VISCA commands. Control and power (PoE) are received on a single twisted pair Ethernet cable. The device is actually two cameras with separate HD video outputs from the wide angle and PTZ camera.

In June, AJA Video Systems released Ki Pro GO v2.0 firmware for its popular Ki Pro GO portable multi-channel H.264 recorder and player. The update introduces enhancements for improved H.264 recording quality and reliability, including recording support for up to 25 Mbps, 10-bit and 4:2:2 color space, in addition to new expanded timecode capabilities with LTC, enhanced super out and front panel audio monitoring, in-system drive formatting, network file downloads, and gang recording support. The new firmware also provides 4:2:2 color space and 10-bit options. Users can now choose from five recording settings opti-

TECH SHOWCASE Atlona ATHDVS-CAM

mized for different types of content. The new firmware supports gang support, improved monitoring, additional timecode choices, and in-system media formatting and network file downloading, eliminating the need for a separate PC. Also in June, AJA introduced the Ki Pro Ultra 12G, a new multi-channel HD recorder and 4K/UHD recorder/player with 12G-SDI connectivity and a host of powerful features. It offers single-channel 4K/UHD at up to 50/60p for recording and playback to and from Apple ProRes or Avid DNxHR, with flexible connectivity options including 12G-SDI, HDMI v2.0 (with HFR 4:4:4 and HDR capabilities) and optional fibre input and outputs.

Alternatively it provides up to four channels of simultaneous HD recording up to 1080 50/60p with independent ProRes profiles per channel.

It supports high dynamic range, with HLG and HDR10 recording and playback. The unit can display multi-matrix HD video for up to four channels during record over SDI monitor out, HDMI out, and on the built-in display. There is also multi-channel audio support (up to 64 channels) via embedded SDI or HDMI, AES/ EBU and analogue, with enhanced super out and front panel audio monitoring.

Atlona has expanded the HDVS-CAM family of PTZ cameras with two new camera models that are purpose-built for HDBaseT and HDMI interfacing. The Atlona HDVSCAM family is aimed at UCC systems as well as lecture capture and distance learning.

The two new models are native 1080@60Hz, include auto-focusing, a quick pan-and-tilt

tions to operate the many cameras they need for teaching, collaborating and training in a remote-based world. The camera features 12X optical zoom and 12x digital zoom, full HD 1080p60 and also utilizes AI auto tracking without the need of a camera operator. The click-to-track/remote control interface offers two specific modes, Presenter AVer Tracking (full or half body) and Zone TR311HN Tracking without requiring any physical lanyard. The TR311HN supports the latest NDI|HX2 protocol and includes three outputs with HDMI, NDI/IP & USB. The camera offers low-latency NDI video, audio linein for HDMI and NDI/IP streams and Power over Ethernet (PoE+) and tally light support.

The camera can be operated with AVer’s free mechanism with minimal noise and are avail- EZLive application for Windows or Mac or able in black or white. Both cameras also of- many commercial software platforms for capfer effective upgrades to existing codecs in ture, recording and livestreaming during reallegacy videoconferencing systems, deliver- time video conferencing.

For powerful and portable streaming, the ing high-quality imaging performance and installation ease. The AT-HDVS-CAM-HD- Impulse single-channel streamer/recorder MI features an HDMI output plus a USB 2.0 from AVPro Edge can stream and simultaneinterface for video and camera control, with ously record directly to a SD card or USB flash simultaneous video output available over drive. The Impulse features HDMI, component both interfaces to support conferencing and and SDI inputs, SDI output, direct audio input lecture capture, or a legacy hardware codec and an RS-232 port. Capable of handling video alongside modern software video conferenc- signals at a resolution up to 1080p, the device’s ing. The AT-HDVS-CAM-HDBT features an capabilities include H.264 & H.265 encoding.

HDBaseT output for extending video, power The USB port is on the front panel along with and camera control over distances up to 330 an LCD screen with navigation buttons for setup and operation. There is also an LED feet (100 meters), and enables simple, clean indicator that changes colors to indicate connectivity over category network caoperational status. The RJ-45 port albling. This camera simplifies remote AVPro Edge interfacing with HDBaseT switchers Impulse and extenders.

In July, AVer announced two cameras suited to the times. AVer designed the AI-driven TR310 AI Auto Tracking Distance Learning Camera for the evolving K-12 distance-learning classroom. The TR310 utilizes advanced AI to automatically detect the teacher’s movement in the Barix classroom, allowing them to focus on Instreamer ICE curriculum instead of worrying about staying within the camera’s view.

Also in July, the company announced the TR311HN AI Auto Tracking 12X NDI PTZ Streaming camera. The automated TR311HN helps organiza-

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TECH SHOWCASE

lows it to be set up and managed on IP with a web browser.

Barix has upgraded its affordable Instreamer ICE audio-over-IP encoder to enable simpler installation and is offering new customers a free audio-streaming service for their websites through September. Barix’s Instreamer ICE was originally designed to encode high-quality, bandwidth-efficient AAC+ or MP3 streams for Icecast-based streaming applications, such as Internet radio and multisite audio distribution. Streams can be sent to an external Icecast system or thirdBosch MIC party service provider for unlimited IP fusion propagation, or they can be distributed 9000i directly to up to 100 listeners via the unit’s built-in Icecast server. The upcustomers can email to remote ATEM Mini Pro dates to Instreamer ICE help users overcome firewall issues and user limits, enabling them studios. ATEM Streaming Bridge is the perfect to deploy the unit for streaming audio through way to use ATEM Mini Pro as a remote broadtheir website in less than 30 minutes. Barix cast studio. ATEM Mini switchers make it easy provides the customer with a configuration file to create professional multi camera productions comprising customized streaming parameters. for live streaming to YouTube and innovative The user simply plugs a microphone or audio business presentations using Skype or Zoom. console into the analog input of the encoder, Simply connect ATEM Mini and customers connects the device to the Internet, and loads can switch live between 4 high quality video the configuration file. The audio stream is now camera inputs for dramatically better quality ready, and, once a button for it has been placed images. Or connect a computer for PowerPoint on the organization’s website, visitors can start slides or gaming consoles. The built in DVE allows picture in picture effects, perfect for comlistening.

In July, Blackmagic Design announced mentary. There are loads of video effects too.

ATEM Streaming Bridge, a new converter that All ATEM Mini Pro models have live streamlets customers receive a H.264 stream from any ing, which can be used to connect directly to the ATEM Mini Pro switcher and convert it back ATEM Streaming Bridge. There’s also HDMI to SDI and HDMI video. This means custom- out for projectors. Microphone inputs allow ers can send video to remote locations around high quality desktop and lapel mics for intertheir local Ethernet network, or via the Internet views and presentations.

Among the advanced MIC IP family of moglobally. Setup is easy as the ATEM softtion cameras from Bosch Communications ware utility can create setup files that Blackmagic is the MIC IP fusion 9000i with optical and ATEM thermal imaging, 30x zoom, intelligent trackStreaming ing, metadata fusion and analytics while movBridge ing. Capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions and impacts, the camera is also resistant to vibration. All MIC IP cameras offer Intelligent Dynamic Noise Reduction and intelligent streaming, combined with H.265 video compression.

The system can capture images through smoke, complete darkness and in foliage. Installers can pre-configure the MIC IP cameras while they are still in the box and mount them in minutes.

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ClearOne UNITE 20

ClearOne UNITE 50 4k

ClearOne has the solution for sending Ultra HD 4K video between conference rooms with the UNITE 50 4K ePTZ Camera. Capable of a 120-degree field of view, 3x digital zoom and auto focus, the camera also features a USB 3.0 port for video and power. It also has super-high signal-to-noise ratio with advanced 2D and 3D noise reduction. Control is done through an IR remote or UVC protocol. Perfect for meeting rooms, huddle spaces and executive offices, the UNITE 50 4K ePTZ Camera can integrate an existing audio system for a perfect fit to the room. ClearOne also tapped into the workfrom-home trend with a webcam announced in April. The UNITE 20 Pro Webcam brings pro web collaboration options to what we are now calling “personal conference spaces.”

The UNITE 20 Pro Webcam easily mounts on a PC or laptop to provide a full 1080p30 image with an ultra wide-angle field-of-view up to 120°. It’s compatible with ClearOne’s COLLABORATE Space, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, WebEx, GoToMeeting, and others. It can also be paired with a ClearOne CHAT 50 or CHAT 150 speakerphone for quality video and audio.

The DM-TXRX-100-STR HD H.264 streaming transmitter/receiver from Crestron is designed to work with a DigitalMedia switcher with one or more streaming inputs or outputs and it can operate with other Crestron DM-TXRX100-STR

TECH SHOWCASE

Exetron StudioStation

systems as well transporting all video, audio, control, and power signals through a single PoE LAN connection. The system supports streaming input or output at resolutions up to HD 1080p and bitrates up to 25 Mbps while the sound uses AAC audio compression for stereo.

Unicast and multicast streaming are supported, with or without RTSP. The RTSP can be used to manage the configuration of numerous connections automatically.

In late August, Extron announced that its newest StudioStation One Touch Recording and Streaming Solution is now available.

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Simple to use, StudioStation empowers instructors and presenters to record and stream high quality content with a single touch. Extron designed StudioStation so that anyone, of any skill level, can quickly and easily record and stream content; a pre-configured package takes the guesswork out of designing, installing, and programming a recording system. For customers wanting to customize StudioStation for their application, an interactive, online, step-by-step StudioStation Builder navigation tool is available.

The Hanwah Techwin QNP-6230RH PTZ camera has a maximum 2 megapixel (1920 x 1080) resolution, 23x zoom lens and a maximum viewable IR distance of over 300ft.

Other features include Intelligent Analytics, H.265, H.264 and MJPEG codec support, IP66 weather protection and MicroSD / SDHC / SDXC memory. Imaging is provided by a 1/2.8in. 2MP CMOS chip that shows color in light down to 0.05Lux. Video output formats

Hanwha Techwin QNP6230RH

Jabra PanaCast

9/16/20 3:31 PM 15/09/2020 15:18

TECH SHOWCASE Magewell Ultra Stream HDMI CDNs. JVC’s ongoing collaboration with the Facebook Live technology team enables users to log in to their Facebook account directly from the camera and publish livestreams with a push of the button, no PC or outboard encoders needed. For those that need to stream from a fully-remote PTZ, JVC’s KY-PZ100 has received a firmware update that adds the RTMPS protocol for live streaming to Facebook. This PTZ camera was already networkfocused, utilizing an IP communications engine to support network connection via Wi-Fi, 4GLTE, or cabled LAN. It can be deployed as a standalone remote camera or as part of a multicamera system. In addition to its 3G-SDI and HDMI outputs, it is also capable of reliably streaming 1080i/60, 1080p, 720p, and 360p video with 2-channel audio. It supports Zixi and SMPTE 2022 QoS, along with the new RTMPS support.

The KDS-EN6 encoder from Kramer Electronics does 4K@60Hz (4:2:0) video streaming in addition to audio, IR, RS−232, USB on IP networks in unicast or mulJVC ticast through RTSP. Sound is input on GY-HM250 the HDMI or through the direct audio 3.5mm line-in port. The unit can handle 7.1 PCM, Dolby True–HD, and DTS– HD Master audio. The system is HDCP 2.2 compliant and it can run on an external power supply or PoE. The RS-232 port is on a terminal block and the IR connection is a 3.5mm mini jack. The front panel includes a reset button, up and down buttons and 7-segment display along with status, link and power LEDs. In May, Magewell expanded the recording and live streaming capabilities in their Ultra Stream Encoders; a free firmware update adds new recording modes for internal JVC and USB storage, RTSP protocol supPZ KY-PZ100 port, and more. Magewell designed the Ultra Stream to make live streaming

include a wide range of resolution capability and there is web connectivity that is compatible with many browsers. The body is ivory and the head is black plastic.

The plug-and-play Jabra PanaCast features panoramic 4K video using its three integral 13-magapixel cameras and patented real time video stitching. These provide a full 180-degree view of the conference room or huddle room. The Intelligent Zoom automatically includes all local participants in the room even under challenging lighting conditions. The unit is connected to a laptop or computer’s USB port and it’s ready to go immediately providing data and information via API. The camera system can be wall or stand mounted and it is designed to operate perfectly with a Jabra Speak Series speakerphone.

In April, JVC Professional Video launched the GY-HM250 Series 4K handheld cameras with built-in lower thirds, to give users a pro option for streaming directly to Facebook, YouTube, Twitch and other

Kramer Electronics KDS-EN6 22

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remarkably simple even for non-professional and first-time users, enabling them to record or stream high-quality video with one click using on-device buttons, a browser-based web interface or a smartphone app. In addition to streaming live to popular services or a custom server, Ultra Stream encoders (HDMI or SDI) can record video as files to a directly connected USB drive, internal storage, or an associated smartphone. The new update enables recording to the device’s built-in storage or attached USB drive with a choice of two modes. The default method stops recording if storage becomes full, while a continuous, loop-like recording mode automatically deletes the oldest saved clip to make room when storage fills up.

The 1.3 firmware upgrade also adds a userselectable Auto-Recording option that automatically starts recording to internal storage, a USB drive, or both when a stable input signal is detected. This enables “zero-touch” recording.

The new update also adds support for the RTSP alongside Ultra Stream’s existing RTMP capabilities. Other enhancements include expanded controls in the web-based interface; new tools for downloading recorded clips; and image adjustments including brightness, contrast, saturation, and hue.

In August, Marshall Electronics announced that in response to the increased global demand for remote streaming and collaboration, the company had enhanced the 3GSDI/HDMI to USB 3.0 converter product category. The VAC-23SHU3 USB 3.0 adapter enables any

TECH SHOWCASE Matrox Monarch EDGE

Marshall Electronics VAC-23SHU3

HDMI or 3G/HD-SDI video and audio source to be ingested into a computer for live streaming, video conference, collaboration, video production, and recording. These converters are simple to use and integrate with professional video sources and the user’s choice of PC-based soft codecs and applications. In April, Marshall Electronics also debuted four new HD and UHD IP zoom cameras that support streaming and Facebook: the CV730-BK, CV630-IP PTZ, CV420-30X-IP and CV355-30X-IP. In July, the range expanded to include the CV420-18X and CV355-10X zoom block cameras.

In July, Matrox announced the availability of the Matrox Monarch EDGE 4K/multi-HD encoder and decoder offering for next-level remote production (REMI) workflows. An essential platform for REMI and at-home productions, Monarch EDGE technology delivers low-latency 4:2:2 10-bit video at resolutions up to 3840x2160p60 or quad 1920x1080p60 over a standard one Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) network. Monarch EDGE includes next-generation connectivity—including 12G-SDI and SMPTE ST 2110 over 25 GbE connections— while supporting the popular MPEG-2, RTSP, and SRT streaming protocols. Equipped with

tally signaling and talkback functionality, Monarch EDGE allows live event producers to optimize resources by keeping more staff and equipment inhouse while providing broadcast-grade viewing experiences.

In April, NewTek announced that the TriCaster Mini 4K had been enhanced with software features to better allow users to reach audiences from anywhere. Updates include new automation and remote control features including Live Story Creator and LivePanel, which complement existing virtual sets, remote guest calling, social media integration, web broadcasting and more. Virtual sets allow users to turn any living room, garage, or basement into a professional studio reflecting the identity or brand of any business, house of worship, school or agency. Broadcast graphics, media playback, one touch automated control, multi-channel remote Skype video calling, integrated replay, social media integration and more are all delivered at up to full UHD p60 resolution. The new Live Story Creator allows an individual to run an entire production from a Microsoft Word document; a script triggers actions when loaded into the TriCaster Mini 4K, allowing the storyteller to

NewTek TriCaster Mini 4K

Panasonic AW-UE100

concentrate solely on delivery of the message rather than on technical setup and production.

The LivePanel feature introduces customizable, browser-based remote control of the TriCaster Mini 4K from anywhere on the same local area network, letting anyone including the presenter control live switching, compositing, mix/effects, media playback, audio, automation and more, from devices including tablets, smartphones and laptops. Configurable macros are now also supported. Two channels of Skype input allows simultaneous guest contributors to participate from their studios, laptops or phones across the globe, all presented with broadcast graphics for titles, double box effects and more. TriCaster Mini 4K will also ship with two recently announced Spark Plus IO 4K p60 encode/decode converters, enabling IP-based, NDI-first workflows using existing inputs and outputs.

In May, Panasonic announced the AWUE100 integrated PTZ camera, which supports a wide variety of IP transmission protocols, including high-bandwidth NDI (4K/60p at approximately 250 Mbs and HD at 100 Mbps), high-efficiency NDI|HX, and Secure Reliable Transport (SRT). A newly designed direct drive motor supports smooth pan and tilt movement. Panning range is ±175° and tilting range is -30° to 210°. The camera has a 1/2.5-type 4K MOS sensor and offers a wide variety of interfaces including 12G-SDI, 3G-SDI, HDMI and IP. For capturing images in tight spaces to large venues, the UE100 has a wide-angle lens with a horizontal angle of view of 74.1 degrees and a 24x optical zoom. Its FreeD output enables connection with AR/VR systems and allows camera tracking information (pan/ tilt/zoom/focus/iris) to easily build systems without an encoder. The

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TECH SHOWCASE

inclusion of a Direct Drive mechanism with roll compensation improves stillness and quietness during pan/tilt operations.

RTMP/RTMPS function provides direct streaming via a single cable to live broadcasting services such as YouTube Live and Facebook Live.

The PTZOptics 12x SDI is now second-generation. Features include wide dynamic range for performance in low light; 2D and 3D noise reduction via a new CMOS sensor; full frame rates (1080p60/50/30/25, 1080-60/50, 720p-60/50/30/25); broadcast frame rates (1080p59.94/29.97, 1080i59.94, 720p59.94); white balancing; and an array of remote robotic control options via devices, joysticks, PCs, software, controllers, and streaming products such as Tricaster and Wirecast.

In June, at InfoComm Connected, Sonic Foundry announced a powerful new video capture app, Mediasite Mosaic. It’s aimed at our digital-first reality that includes a mix of flipped lectures and real-time discussions and the possibility of indefinite remote work situations. The lightweight app, when combined with Mediasite Video Platform, allows users to create videos, screencasts and slideshows with just one click from any device, using their built-in webcams and microphones. Users can capture dual video, single video or audio only,

PTZOptics 12x SDI

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Sonic Foundry Mediasite Mosaic

and add additional media like PowerPoints, links, quizzing and other engagement features.

Users can record online or offline, preview, and publish anytime. They can record video with a built-in camera or other USB cameras; record an iPad display using Sidecar and Apple Pencil. Mediasite Mosaic can also be used to manage content created with other systems such as Mediasite, Zoom, WebEx, Teams, LMSs, etc. Mediasite Mosaic monitors when new content is being created on a user’s device, giving them the option to automatically upload all of their meeting recordings, corporate communications, trainings, and video lectures created on other platforms automatically into Mosaic into one secure, searchable place.

In late August, Sony announced that the free V2.1 firmware upgrade to the BRC-X1000/1, BRC-X1000/WPW and BRC-H800/1, BRCH800/WPW will allow producers and operators to simplify their VR/AR production workflows with support for Free-D protocol.

Through this update, the BRC cameras will output tracking data over IP, using the industry standard Free-D protocol. This enables the cameras to directly feed in real time the pan, tilt, zoom, focus and iris, as well as the position of the BRC Camera, making simple and cost effective VR/AR production without additional tracking devices or systems. This

new feature will allow productions to easily incorporate VR/AR into their live content, such as expanded sets or scenery, live animations, e-sports and graphic overlays, enriching their production. Free-D protocol is an industry standard, supported by major AR/ VR solutions providers. BRC-X1000 and BRC-H800 are currently under verification with The Future Group (Pixotope), Reckeen, Vizrt, and Zero Density, and plan to support integration with other partners implementing Free-D data.

As social distancing and reduced operational crews increase, the update will also improve the Pan/Tilt/Zoom operations of the BRCX1000 and BRC-H800. A reduced minimum speed more accurate tracking and more realistic, smoother output. Additionally, the cameras will now focus as soon as the preset is recalled, at the same time as the PTZ function, to enable more natural camera movements. Control when using a physical remote controller such as a pan-bar one will also be supported.

In March, TEKVOX introduced two easyto-use Live Streaming Mobile Kits for quickly equipping any room with live-streaming capabilities. No professional installation is required. The 71206-DI and 71208-DI Drop-In solutions are affordable, professional-quality, self-contained packages suitable for any space. They are pre-programmed and mounted and with minimal cabling. The two Live Streaming Mobile Kits have similar specifications, with the 71206-DI offering a single PTZ camera and the 71208-DI offering dual PTZ cameras. The cameras have preset positions, single-cable connection, 5x or 20x optical zoom, and studio-quality mics. Convenient, intuitive control of the cameras and live Sony BRC Series

TECH SHOWCASE

TEKVOX Live Streaming

streaming is done with a StreamDeck Mini controller. Audio, video and integration is preprogrammed and tested. Either system can be equipped with an optional factory-programed DSP for sophisticated acoustics processing and echo cancellation. The PTZ cameras are connected via HDBaseT so video, control signals and power travel through a single cable for a clean, no-mess setup. This Drop-In is compatible with any web-based videoconferencing software, including Zoom, Facebook Live, Teams, Skype, BlueJeans and WebEx, as well as Youtube.

Building on the success of the RoboSHOT 30E NDI Camera, Vaddio recently launched its RoboSHOT 12E PTZ Camera with NewTek NDI, a low latency solution in the NDI ecosystem. The RoboSHOT 12E NDI Camera is a recognizable video source by other NDIenabled applications and devices connected to a standard local area network. In addition, the camera’s pan/tilt/zoom and other controls can be accessed through NDI, creating a complete network IP workflow Vaddio for operator control. The unit’s RoboSHOT 12E NDI

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with VITEC’s MGW Ace Encoder and Decoder in its ultra-low-latency HEVC profile, the gateway provides optimized end-to-end latency. The solution enables remote production and contribution over the Internet. MGW ChannelLink is also interoperable with third-party encoders and decoders; the compression-standard-agnostic gateway is compatible with MPEG-2, H.264, and HEVC codecs, any resolution and frame rate (SD, HD, 4K, and more), and is engineered to evolve and support future transport protocols. Users can manage all incoming channels from around the world and view information and statistics, such as quality of the network link and packet 1/2.5-type Exmor R CMOS sensor delivers loss. The gateway also provides users with a 1080p/60 video in low light conditions; hori- centralized location for aggregating content zontal field of view is 70.2°. The camera uses and monitoring incoming streams. VITEC’s Vaddio’s Tri-Synchronous Motion technology MGW ChannelLink is well suited for stream to allow simultaneous three-axis movement management, routing, rebroadcasting, or for the same smoothness of a live camera IPTV stream reflection over WAN or the Inoperator. Supports simultaneous HDMI and ternet, including for secure government and NewTek NDI streaming outputs. Also new military full-motion video applications. Ideal from Vaddio, the Vaddio Deployment Tool en- for integrating with the ChannelLink gateables you to select devices from the network, way, VITEC’s popular MGW Ace Encoder choose an action like rebooting the device, uses HEVC/H.265 compression for ultra unmute the audio, or updating firmware for low latency HEVC streaming down to 16ms remote troubleshooting or mass firmware up- glass-to-glass while still supporting H.264 as well. Powered by the VITEC HEVC GEN2+ dates.

In June, VITEC announced its new MGW encoder, the unit enables Time-Synchronized ChannelLink IP distribution gateway for Playback and it features a portable, lowlarge, often global operations. In broadcast, power hardware design running on 28 volts. corporate, and government, the appliance The system ensures perfect synchronization acts as a central hub where IP channels from of multiple independent IP streams. Input the field can be received and reliably retrans- formats include 3G-SDI, HD-SDI, SD-SDI, mitted live over any IP network. It can re- DVI, HDMI and Composite video along with ceive a large number of input streams and analog and digital sound. A built-in video matrix enables routing of video sources to translate them into a multicast or unicast both the HEVC and H.264 compresMPEG Transport Stream over UDP sion cores for simultaneous H.265 (UDP TS) or an SRT-protected and H.264 streaming. stream. When used in conjunction VITEC MGW Ace HEVC

BIG VOICES

Creative new speaker installs build sonic and spiritual connection ateway Church is ranked among the nation’s largest multisite congregations with an average of more than 30,000 worshippers weekly attending 29 weekly services at nine campuses — eight in the Dallas-Fort Worth area plus an extension campus in Wyoming.

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Like many other contemporary churches, the Gateway Southlake auditorium is designed with wide, fan-shaped seating that wraps around the stage. Although this promotes a greater sense of intimacy, it challenges audio system design in general and, in particular, makes it difficult to maintain a stereo image while ensuring high intelligibility throughout the space.

The prior system based on Meyer Sound MILO line arrays was designed as an LCR mono configuration. For the recent upgrade at Gateway’s flagship Southlake campus, the 4,000-seat auditorium got 51 new Meyer Sound LEO Family loudspeakers configured as a novel mono-stereo “hybrid” system.

“This time we wanted to see if we could leverage the latest technology to open up our sound with a stereo feel for most of the congregation while still maintaining excel-

preferred experience. “People who are musically inclined and want the stereo image will sit more toward the middle,” he says, “where those who want direct energy from the stage will congregate toward the front. And those who want it just a bit quieter will go to the back, but with no sacrifice in the fullness of the music or speech intelligibility.”

“I love the way the LYON and LEOPARD system allows us to deliver energy and clarity at many different volume levels,” adds Director of Live Production Broadcast Systems Jason Aulds. “Because of our many different types of events, and our desire to mix with dynamics at each event, we can swing 20 dB or more within the music portion of worship and not affect the integrity of the mix. And we are equally happy with what it offers for spoken word and our theatre productions.”

All nine Gateway Church campuses are equipped with Meyer Sound systems, with most satellite locations updated to LEO Family systems based on LEOPARD compact line arrays lent intelligibility and without the effect being distracting to anyone,” says Brandon Conn, Gateway Senior Audio Engineer for Live Production. “We had already upgraded some of our satellite campuses to LEOPARD line arrays, so we were confident that the clarity and control of the LEO Family would help us achieve this goal.”

The new system was designed and engineered as a collaborative effort by Gateway Church audio staff, Meyer Sound Director of System Optimization Bob McCarthy, and system integrator Pro Sound & Video (a Solotech company). On-site installation was supervised by Pro Sound & Video’s Shaun Philips, assisted by TJ Volts, under the direction of company CEO Rod Sintow The eventual solution was to deploy three hangs of five-each LEOPARD line array loudspeakers aimed to cover the first ten rows of seating, all carrying a mono signal. The main center section with the great majority of seats is covered in stereo by left and right arrays each with five LYON-M main over six LYONW wide coverage line array loudspeakers.

“The idea here was to create a stereo image where it works well, but not attempt it where it would compromise performance or intelligibility,” comments McCarthy. “Up front, a

split left and right would be so wide it would pull you away from the stage. So there, a mono image reinforces an intimate connection with the stage, then from row 11 back it blends seamlessly into a more open stereo image.”

To assure uniform frequency response front-to-back in the field of the main arrays, McCarthy implemented Meyer Sound’s new Low-Mid Beam Control (LMBC) in the tuning process.

The audio overhaul also included new low-frequency components, with the former ground-stack-only system replaced by dualflown gradient cardioid arrays of five each 1100-LFC low frequency control elements for uniform dispersion throughout the auditorium. Four new 1100-LFC elements placed under the stage enhance the visceral effect up front. Eight UPQ-1P loudspeakers replaced the former stage side fills, and five GALAXY 816 Network Platforms took over signal optimization and drive. The existing delay systems, comprising a combined total of 41 UPQ-1P, UPQ-2P and UPJunior loudspeakers, were tested, found to be performing perfectly, and left in service.

According to Brandon Conn, sound is now uniformly excellent throughout, but the subtle differences allow worshippers to select their

n the heart of Music Row in Nashville, the non-denominational Belmont Church, is now streaming through Belmont.TV due to COVID19, and making use of new augmented arrays outfitted by Spectrum Sound, Nashville. Once home to Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith (and considered The Birthplace of Contemporary Christian Music) Belmont Church certainly fits the artists’ contemporary style of worship and high bar for sonic expectations.

From its beginnings in 1911 as a revival tent meeting hall, the church officially broke ground in 1915, and 100+ years later they are still at the same location. The 900-seat contemporary church underwent a complete audio system renovation to the church’s main sanctuary sound reinforcement system, recording studio, and broadcast audio-for-video infrastructure. New d&b audiotechnik A-Series form the heart of the sound reinforcement system for the main sanctuary, which was last updated 20 years ago.

David A. Terry co-founder of the music production company, Sodium Glow LLC, is a music producer, mix engineer, mastering

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engineer, and oversees all technical aspects of the church as well as co-leads the Worship and Arts department there. “Before I became a full-time studio guy, I did a lot of live sound for various artists, from small venues to 20,000 seat arenas,” says Terry who has attended Belmont Church since 1992. I was heavily involved in the PA install in 1998 and again in 2020. “The old PA at the church was clinging to its dying breath.

I had to use gaffer’s tape, tin foil, and paper clips to keep it functional for a couple years while we researched different options for the upgrade.”

“It was time,” states Ken DeBelius, System Integration Sales Manager, Spectrum Sound of the upgrade for the historic room. “As far as the room and interior design of the space, although it feels small, it does have a nice intimate setting. The geometric room layout posed significant challenges for a loudspeaker system design that would provide appropriate coverage uniformity to all the seating planes. The main concerns of the room were the asymmetric layout of the main floor seating around the stage, and a large, steep raked balcony, which not only shadowed significant portions of the main floor, but the balcony area itself is also asymmetric. A line array solution was out of the question; the room wasn’t nearly large enough to justify, and line arrays would create unacceptable sightline issues. That left a point source loudspeaker solution, still not ideal, particularly with obtaining the considerable vertical coverage needed, and how it would look overall rigging-wise.”

While a working point source design was still on the drawing board, DeBelius had the opportunity to audition the A-Series augmented array, designed to bridge the gap between line array and point source. d&b’s ArrayCalc software verified it would not only cover the room appropriately but would meet the SPL requirements while minimizing the impact to sightlines. The design included the use of ArrayProcessing, which delivers opti-

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mization of an array’s tonal balance and level distribution over the entire defined coverage area, front to back.

“My ‘must have’ list included even coverage in all seating positions across the frequency spectrum, excellent sound quality, and integration into our existing recording/broadcast studio and streaming system,” Terry said.

“I absolutely love the d&b design philosophy and the sound of their loudspeakers. Because we have line of sight challenges in some seating areas, we wanted to use a speaker with as small a vertical footprint as possible. The A-Series was perfect for our application both in physical size and desired coverage.

After I looked over the specs, we agreed with Spectrum’s recommendation to go with the A-Series.”

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the church has not had a live service with a congregation since the install was completed but has put the loudspeaker system through its paces with a small ensemble as well as prerecorded music for its streaming service, and were able to experience the coverage and sound quality in action.

The d&b A-Series system is comprised of

4 Main flown clusters, each consisting of 2 x ALi60 and 1 x ALi90 cabinets for a total of 12 boxes. 2 x Yi-SUBs center flown cardioid subwoofers, 2 x 21S under stage floor subwoofers, 8 x 5S front fills, 8 x 5S under balcony fills, and 10D and 30D amplifiers round out the d&b system. ock Bridge Community Church hosts six Georgia locations making it easy to be part of this contemporary worship-style church. Five of Rock Bridge’s venues deploy an L-Acoustics A Series constant curvature line source sound system, calibrated to near-identical sound thanks to the use of the manufacturer’s new M1 measurement tool suite “The L-Acoustics A Series is a very cohesive system,” says Steele Beaty of Skylark Audio Video, the Oklahoma City-based integrator that designed and installed the PA for all five worship spaces. “The Wide boxes have a 30-degree vertical pattern, and the Focus has a 10-degree vertical pattern. Between them, we have the tools we need to fill a chal-

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lenging venue like the Wink Theatre, where the balcony is 105 feet long, and the main floor is 95 feet long, but the entire venue is only 56 feet wide. It’s the very definition of a ‘shotgun’ room, and that’s why we chose to fly left and right arrays of five A15 Focus enclosures over one A15 Wide. Plus, the A15 enclosures have the Panflex adjustable waveguides that let us narrow the pattern width to 70 degrees, which also gives us a +2dB boost in the high frequencies. So not only do we avoid getting any energy on the walls, but we accomplish it without using any DSP. A traditional line source array simply can’t do what we were able to accomplish at the Wink with the L-Acoustics A Series medium-throw line source array.”

“The large balcony was the really difficult part,” adds John David Boreing, Rock Bridge Community Church Director of Strategic Initiatives whose portfolio at the church includes facilities and production. “With the previous sound system, the balcony was looking at the top of the line array and didn’t get any low end from the floor-mounted subs.

It was a tough room to get proper coverage for. The new A15-KS21 combo fixed that

immediately.”

From an installation standpoint, the manageable speakers helped with navigating a narrow footprint and many tightly turning staircases. “It was impossible to get a modern lift in there, and the ceiling isn’t structured, so the reduced weight and compact form factor of the A Series literally allowed us to get it in and get it hung,” he says.

The Wink Theatre installation, whose design was done using Soundvision modeling software, also made use of the new M1 suite, a comprehensive set of measurement tools from L-Acoustics. “We were able to measure the performance of all of the A15 speaker systems in one venue and create a consistent contour that we applied to all of the church’s locations,” says Beaty. “We were able to make them sound as identical to each other as humanly possible.”

One of the major benefits of the M1 platform is that it is a force multiplier. With a single microphone, users can measure all rele-

vant systems at multiple locations in the room, then make timing and EQ choices that are best for the room average, while being able to see the effect of any move on any location individually, or as an average. The ability to analyze data like this is pivotal in creating consistency not only in the measured room but also from venue to venue for system consistency and homogeneity.

“Now that the pandemic restrictions have finally been relaxed a bit on worship services, everyone is really enjoying the new sound at the Wink Theatre, which is better than ever,” Boreing says.

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SVC AV/IT INTERVIEW EXPERTISE

ALL IN AT GREAT BRIDGE With Bennett Liles

o we stay shut down? Do we re-open? How do we conduct installations safely? AV integrators are dealing with uncertainty. RTW Media had all of this in mind when Great Bridge Baptist Church called them in for a complete AV renovation. Operations Manager Zack Guida tells us how they made it all work.

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SVC: Tell us about RTW Media first. We’ll give you a chance to put your company up in the spotlight.

Zack Guida: Yeah, thank you. The audio, visual division of our company started about 15 years ago as a division of a general contracting firm. We started as a really small division and now we’re bigger than the GC part of our company. We have about 18 employees from field staff technicians, audio DSP folks, pro-

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grammers, engineers, and sales and support staff, and we serve a variety of clients. A couple of our biggest vertical markets are the higher education market and the house of worship market, but we service everybody. We have plenty of corporate clients, government clients, K-12, museums, so we cover the whole gamut.

How did you first get connected with Great Bridge Baptist Church?

Like so many times with our church clients, they call us with word-of-mouth referrals from other churches that we’ve done in their area. It was very similar in this case. We partnered with Regent University and Christian Broadcast Network on a handful of projects over the past three or four years. A few of the members of the church work over on the Great Bridge campus and they threw our name in the hat and said “listen, this is a qualified integrator that you definitely need to sit down and talk to.” We talked about their vision, both in the sanctuary and what they wanted to

What was the timeframe on the project as far as the COVID-19 pandemic? Had it already started when you got into this one?

The project kicked off in January. There were construction renovations going on in the sanctuary while we were doing our scope of work. So the sanctuary had shut down for the renovations and then as we reached the end of the project, COVID put a stop to reopening the sanctuary. So nobody has entered the sanctuary yet to experience the new upgrades. But the church has definitely been able to use the network that we built for them for their digital presence during this time, which has been really cool.

What precautions did you have to take when you were in there? Did you have to follow any special safety protocols or anything?

Yes. So each church is different in the protocols that they want. Like I was mentioning earlier, we do a lot of work for hire and do a lot of state and local government.

Every single client has a different set of protocols so it’s just all about communication. Then we mold our policies to match and to blend with the client’s. But most frequently our guys wear masks. They wear gloves. We try to keep crews to two or four maximum, hand sanitizer. Just pretty much the standards we live by every day on the job.

do beyond that and it was just a good fit for our company and a good fit for the church.

They’ve got an orchestra, a choir, a praise band. They’ve got a pretty big operation going.

They have a very big operation. They’ve got quite a few praise team members and a very big choir, a very big orchestra. They invested in quality gear over the years, but it had been getting towards the end of its lifecycle and in order to really elevate their worship on Sunday mornings, it was just time to invest in new gear. Technology can do so much more today than it could 12 years ago when they last looked at this. In addition to what they want to do for enhancing Sunday morning worship, they just have an awesome plan for their digital ministries, and this was even before COVID. They have a really exciting plan for reaching folks in their community over the Internet and over social media, so it was a very exciting project.

You designed a system I think with mostly Danley products.

Yeah. Danley is just our go-to choice for performance venues when it comes to point source sound. It’s so much bang for your buck. The coverage is just so uniform. If you look at the pictures of the install you’ll see that the 1,500-seat sanctuary is covered pretty much 100 percent by three speakers, the Jericho J3-94 speaker, and two side speakers that hit the left and right flanking balconies. And with the exception of some under balcony fills and a couple of front fills just for directionality, those speakers cover the entire room—it’s more power than the church will ever need – it’s got so much headroom and the coverage is just seamless.

And you got the DNA Series amplifiers.

Yep. We’ve got about 80,000 watts pumping through the Danley system, through all the DNA amplifiers which are super robust and easy to use and easy to set up.

When I look at the pictures of this it looks like you’ve got a few little challenging architectural things there. You’ve got a choir to get monitoring to. You’ve got an orchestra pit in there. How did you cover those?

Yeah, it’s really tricky. It’s tough in churches in general because everybody on the stage wants to hear themselves, but you’ve got to control that noise as best as possible. You can’t just have a bunch of really large speakers pointing at everyone’s ears on the stage.

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So we just strategically located some FLX12 Danley floor monitors on the front lift of the stage for the praise band. We’ve got two FLX12s on mic stands for the choir right up in their face. And we have some of the Danley Nanos, like six or eight of them, on mic stands. You know those Nanos are about the size of your fist and those are just little hot spot monitors that they can move around the stage for the orchestra as needed.

Are you miking the choir?

Yeah, we’ve miking the choir with some of the Earthworks choir mics, which are just the best in the business.

OK, yes. That would be a challenge to mike a choir and get them good stage monitoring acoustically at the same time.

Yeah, it’s a balance. A lot of it happens in front of house, but they’ve got a really good crew keeping an eye on things.

And I would guess that the performers have in-ear monitoring.

They do, yep. They’ve got Shure in-ear monitors. They’ve got a Danley eight-channel amplifier which just handles the multiple monitor mixes so they can get up to the eight monitor mixes. They’ve got some Aviom on the stage. They’re using the Dante network to get their Aviom channels onto the stage, floor pockets throughout. It’s a really flexible setup, so whether it be a Sunday morning service or a Saturday night wth a concert tour coming through, they’ve got the infrastructure to handle everything they need.

What kind of mixers did you put in there to use?

We went with the Allen & Heath dLive backbone. So front of house they have an S7000.

Up in the broadcast suite they have the 3500.

They’ve got a DMO in their amp rack and multiple I/O boxes around the stage. We created a really nice Dante network for them to handle everything in the sanctuary and to capture all of that and also to send it up to the broadcast suite for post-production in their digital ministries.

Well, that makes sense. The Allen & Heath S7000. That’s a very versatile mixer with a very small footprint.

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Yeah. It’s definitely our favorite. What it can do at the price point is just really remarkable. It creates such a robust network and Allen & Heath is always evolving and coming out with really great products that are scalable to that platform.

Let’s talk about the video a little bit. How many and what model cameras do they use to pick up the video?

They’re using the Panasonic HE130 pan/ tilt/zoom cameras. They have four of them throughout the sanctuary and those are being sent in to a Blackmagic ATEM switching solution. They also have a Blackmagic Smart Videohub 20x20 system that can pretty much send any input that they have into their system and we’ll be able to route it to any output, whether that be a digital signage player or a display four hundred feet down the hallway.

We’ve created a really nice video network so they can just have total flexibility in the sanctuary and throughout the building.

And in the sanctuary they’ve got some very big projection screens in there, too.

They do. Part of the renovation was moving those front walls and then the contractor framed in some projection screens. We have two RZ120 12,000 lumen Panasonic projectors projecting onto those screens. We have a 98-inch display in the back for the choir for a confidence monitor. And we have a 110-inch video wall in the lobby to welcome everybody into the building. So it’s definitely a very robust system.

So, let’s say worst case, will the church be ready to provide streaming-only services if there is a resurgence of COVID? Yeah. I mean, they’re ready right now and they were ready from Day 1. They’ve leveraged some of the backbone that they’ve invested in and they’ve been having drive-in Sunday morning service. So the pastor, Pastor

Will, gets up on the second story of the church and has a drive-in service, which they stream using the infrastructure that we provided.

They’re definitely ready. For a second phase of the project they’re creating a broadcast suite that will be able to handle a talk show. So not only will they be streaming on Sundays but they’ll be hosting some talk shows and putting out content. It’s a really cool digital ministry.

What sort of long-term effect on AV integrators do you think the pandemic will have? More videoconferencing installations maybe?

Yeah, if things keep trending the way they are, definitely more and more video conferencing and just remote connectivity and distance learning. We were quiet there for a couple weeks when the lockdown first hit and ever since those two weeks it’s just been crazy.

The demand for livestreaming in houses of worship, the demand for distance learning in lower education and higher education, the demand in the corporate business environment to have new infrastructure, to have some folks at the office and be able to reach people at home. The five-year plan that we expected just fast forwarded and happened in about three months, so I think we’re just moving towards a world where every room needs to have quality video and quality microphones and the ability to Zoom or stream.

So what’s coming up on projects for RTW Media?

We’re continuing to grow. We’re continuing expand our client base. We’re doing some really large higher education projects, really large performance venues in the works. We’re growing very organically, expanding our footprint into northern North Carolina/southern Maryland. We’re getting a bigger footprint in the DC area. So I just see us continuing to grow organically and we’ve got such a good team of guys that works for us.

SVC AV/IT INTERVIEW EXPERTISE

COPING WITH COVID With Bennett Liles

he pandemic has hit the AV industry hard and we’re writing the rulebook on how to deal with it as we go.

At Monte Brothers in New York, they’re designing and installing sound systems in a trying time.

Steve Minozzi talks about using remote system maintenance and solutions to AV supply line issues to give his clients—especially churches.

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SVC: Steve, great to have you back with us on the SVC Podcast from Monte Brothers in New York. It was late last year when we talked about more routine things but with everything that’s going on now that may as well have been a hundred years ago.

Steve Minozzi: [Laughs] You got that right.

How’s Monte Brothers doing? How are you guys hanging in there?

We’re actually very busy trying to help everyone because COVID-19 has created problems that people didn’t envision. So we’re busy and we have to deal with whatever the restrictions are that are constantly in motion. There’s nothing solid or stable out here right now.

Yes, that seems to be the case everywhere.

Are you experiencing different pandemic response rules in the various states? That must make AV operations more challenging since it’s not one size fits all.

No, it’s not. Initially restrictions in the Southern states were less severe than, obvi-

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ously, here in New York. We’re in the center of the pandemic.

Our headquarters are in Ardsley, which is roughly 15 minutes from New Rochelle where the whole thing started in New York.

So we were under severe restrictions here. We were allowed to proceed because we were under New York State law; our attorneys reviewed everything and we were considered telecommunications. And because we worked for law enforcement at NYPD and various other law enforcement agencies in Westchester County, we were able to function. We went to our employees and explained if you’re uncomfortable you stay home and we paid them, those that wanted to stay home. The other advantage to Monte Brothers was we are a very computer-oriented company because our design and sound systems management and implementation of systems are all done with computers. So remote access for all of our employees was not very difficult, and actually a lot of it is still in place now, because we’re complying with New York State and their restrictions on how many people can be in a space at one time.

With installation and upgrade projects all over the country you have different rules everywhere you go. I think you had an experience with a South Carolina church.

In South Carolina, churches were not severely restricted like New York. In New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut the churches were shut down. You could not use them. In South Carolina, we were doing a very big installation in North Myrtle Beach, a huge church holding about 1,500 people. They were permitted to open with about 400-450 people in the space, though less than half of that many initially came. That was then. Now, New York is doing better and is restricting travel from about 22-24 other states in the country; so if we send people to those states they have to quarantine for two weeks when they come back to New York.

We had to reschedule everything again. We have to work around whatever COVID-19 puts out the next day.

Can you describe your remote operation and maintenance capability and how that protects your workers and your clients?

Well, it goes back to 9/11. We got commissioned to do the new counterterror division for NYPD that was under the joint terrorism task force President Bush formed right after 9/11. New York had a secret 1,000-man headquarters in Brooklyn. They commissioned us to outfit it with sound so they could communicate internally. There was also a lot of different monitoring of international TV and other information all done in this 10,000 square foot secret facility. We brought in a bunch of experts from all over the country. We did the whole project, which was between $8-13 million and it was successfully implemented. The technicians that

we became associated with during that time are still with us. So later on, as the DSP processors and internet grew in capability, we commissioned some of the guys to design a proprietary remote access system that would allow us to access and control the sound system from anywhere in the country to anywhere in the country. So for instance, the cathedral in Cincinnati, St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, is our account. One Sunday morning they had an emergency two weeks ago-- they’re streaming and their system went down. Evidently there was a power surge. Our technician was on the New Jersey Turnpike. He pulled his vehicle over, accessed their system and got them back up and running. That was on a Sunday morning. So we already had that kind of technology, which meant COVID’s restrictions were not terribly restrictive for us as a company.

Now when you install a sound system anywhere, you automatically include a separate broadcast audio output as a standard thing.

That’s correct. That also happened after 9/11. For those funeral services, they had to have overflow outside. At that point, we realized that our sound systems should have broadcast-quality audio outputs that could be used for that purpose. So since 2001, our sound system designs automatically include multiple broadcast quality outputs.

That’s pure microphone without processing or equalization so it can be used for whatever you want. For example for a police funeral, you’ll have 20,000 police that are out in the street in addition to the people in the church. The police can come with their trucks and take the audio from the church and broadcast out to the massive amount of people outside. So that capability was already part of our system when COVID-19 hit and churches needed emergency streaming. A lot of churches were doing it with smart phones, tablets, whatever way they could. We were able to help them because our broadcast feed could be sent, via wireless in many cases, to their streaming device inside the church. They could put the phone or the camera right in front of the sanctuary and stream out over Internet through the device. It’s operating on 2.4 gig, it’s digital and it takes the broadcast audio and sends it right to the camera. They were able to do that with their cameras or their smart devices, phones or tablets, so they were streaming with pretty good audio. Kind of jury-rigged, but it worked.

I believe you used the Audio-Technica System Ten just straight to a phone. Is that something you use a lot?

It was very successful. We have close to 1,500 accounts in the country. I believe Audio-Technica is the biggest wireless manufacturer in the United States and I think we’re their biggest wireless customer. We’re not a big company, but we specialize heavily in wireless microphones.

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And that brings up the issue of equipment availability now. What’s been your experience with supply line issues?

It’s been extremely difficult. This has to be the case with all the manufacturers. We have an extremely strong relationship with Audio-Technica. For over 35 years we’ve worked with them in the design of a specific microphone design--the Engineered series wireless systems that we helped develop prior to the evacuation of the 600MHz band.

Unfortunately with all of the companies, Audio-Technica, PowerSoft, in Italy, the factories were either shut down or people didn’t come to work, so the supply line started to diminish. When they opened up, there was social distancing required, from what I’m told, so they had to restructure their assembly plants, shipping departments and everything. And I’m sure this is true for a lot of companies. They had to restructure a lot of their spaces, which took time. They may still be doing it now. But that, of course, put a damper on things. Everything was negatively affected by this.

And so AV integrators are having to try to plan ahead and get their orders in as early as they can.

Yeah. Fortunately again, because we specialize in houses of worship we don’t RFBs; we design/build with the consultant, the designer, and the installer. So we’re able to specify certain products. Audio-Technica works with us and we have reserved model products that have certain features as far as guarantee, service, repair. We know all of the equipment we need. We’re able to give them these orders ahead of time. We’re not waiting for the order to come in the door. We’re well setup with work that we have to complete, so that helps the manufacturer. All of them, Audio-Technica, PowerSoft, Biamp, we’re able to give them the orders in advance of needing them. That helped us a bit, but it’s still very tough. I’m sure every AV integrator is getting killed with this. I mean, even getting cameras and stuff on the Internet, you can’t get them.

I’ve heard from quite a few people who say the same thing, that they’ve had supply problems, having to plan ahead as far as

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they can and work on general infrastructure in the meantime.

Well, fortunately we know what we need and we can predict what we need because we know what we sold to these accounts. We track everything. We have accurate records of what they have, what frequencies are in their church, everything. Almost all of them are doing the necessary upgrades. Plus, believe it or not, the churches are using the time while closed to make improvements to their sound. The attitude is extremely positive in houses of worship. They know they’re going to open up again at some point and this is going to go away, so their point is hey, let’s be ready. We’re getting tremendous inquiries, we’re doing upgrade proposals, and we’re upgrading systems along with new ones.

And this isn’t happening in a vacuum.

There were already big things going on in the AV industry. How do you think the supply problems are affecting the wireless microphone migration out of the 600MHz band?

Severely. Just right now we are backed up.

Audio-Technica extended their rebates. The government had a July 13 deadline before COVID, so everyone was getting frantic about that. Now I know Audio-Technica has just extended their wireless rebate to our customers to September 30. And to be hon-

est with you, we’re lucky if we can get all this work done. You need the equipment and you need the manpower. Our technicians are back to work. They’re comfortable. They follow all the procedures, social distancing, and I will say, I’ve been to quite a few houses of worship and everyone is complying with New York’s restrictions. They’re wearing the masks, they’re social distancing. The churches are sectioning off where people can sit. So life goes on. People are still going to go to their church. They’re not going to stop going to church.

It may appear that congregations are coming back maybe not in full force like before but they still want to come in.

They do. And sooner or later everybody’s going to be back. It’s not a question of will people come back. One of the interesting things, though, is the churches now are moving toward the live streaming. I think they were not in favor of that much before because they felt better if the people were in the space, which is true. And you are required in certain religions to be physically present unless you have a reason. However, churches are realizing that during this time they’re still getting contributions to the church from the congregation. People are supporting their church. That money is going to benefit your worship capabilities, etc. So that’s not going to go away.

COMMAND & CONTROL TECHNOLOGY FOR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS

* INCLUDING G&D • HALL RESEARCH • NEOTI • PLANAR SV C ON L I N E.C OM | OC TO B E R 20 20 | S VC 39

COMMAND & CONTROL

IMPROVED VISIBILITY

he Lea County Communication Authority (LCCA) in Hobbs, New Mexico operates the Lea County 911 Call Center, which covers the cities of Hobbs, Lovington, Eunice, Jal and Tatum. Call Center dispatchers have the capability to deploy emergency and non-emergency agencies to all parts of Lea County. As a control room, the Call Center also monitors cameras at special events and throughout key areas of the county, including the county detention center and all public parks.

To improve the delivery of visual information in this mission-critical environment, the LCCA decided to upgrade a series of flat panel monitors to newer visual technology. AVI-SPL consulted on a solution that would provide dispatchers with the ability to better monitor coverage areas and respond more effectively to calls and emergency situations.

AVI-SPL, guided by Account Manager Glen Martinez and Audio Visual and Acoustics Specialist Adam Babb, presented LCCA with various design options that led to the selection and integration of a nearly 32-foot-long, 5-foot-high Planar TVF Series LED video wall with a 1.2mm pixel pitch (TVF1.2) in a 16x4 configuration.

“Visually, the installation is impressive and super clear—911 dispatchers can easily see it from anywhere in the control room,” Martinez said. “They can quickly pull up and view real-time information such as

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call statistics, high-level county maps or local resources,” adds Babb.

Mitchell Tuckness, LCCA information technology administrator, said the new installation makes a big difference in resolution, brightness and especially with the flexibility it provides for displaying data. “We have the ability to easily switch to different layouts and control the size of content on the display,” Tuckness said The Planar TVF Series LED video wall also serves as a valuable resource during larger emergencies. “If there’s an event like a giant grass fire and we get a lot more 911 calls, we can pull up a high resolution map and other information showing the areas that are affected,” Tuckness said. “It provides a clear visual indicator of the situation.” In addition to the Planar TVF Series, Tuckness has a 65-inch Planar EP Series 4K LCD display (EP6524K) in his office to allow him to monitor the same sources shown on the video wall.

Installation-wise, the Planar TVF Series was flexible and light enough to install on an existing wall without adding more structural support.

“Additionally, we didn’t have to bring in an electrician to upgrade the power to the video wall,” Babb said. “Instead, we were able to move all the electrical power to a server closet. Not having to bring in a subcontractor and introduce another trade to the project was definitely a value add for us.”

COMMAND & CONTROL

FLEX WALL Late last year, county officials undertook a major technological overhaul at Montgomery County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Conroe, Texas. The mission critical EOC acts as a central point for government officials and local agencies to analyze incoming data and manage response efforts to large-scale events or disasters, such as hurricanes.

Driven by the Christie Terra, a flexible SDVoE (Software Defined Video over Ethernet) based solution, a signal can now be distributed to any of the displays on-site via 10G Ethernet. A host of display technology – including 12 Christie Extreme Series 55-inch LCD displays - has also been installed throughout, allowing leaders, activated departments, and first responders to interpret and respond to unfolding and rapidly changing events.

“Montgomery County wanted a very flexible space, and a system that provided scalability,” says Chris Lawson, regional vice president, Conference Technologies, Inc. “It was important for them to be able to add sources and displays, and push information to them in real time with low latency in any arrangement of video and data required. Choosing Terra enabled that. They previously had a fixed chassis system, mean-

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ing they were limited in their number of sources and where they could push that information. We added a lot more displays during the upgrade and Terra helped to deliver that flexibility.”

The primary EOC room now features a 12-channel video wall in a 2 by 6 array of Christie Extreme Series LCD displays, which replaced a 2 by 2 videowall. Flanking the adjacent walls are several Christie projectors. In addition, there are a several conference rooms, each with display technology ranging from a single display to four displays. The EOC also features a press area in a nearby building with a projector, four displays, podiums and microphones, allowing journalists to be briefed on the latest news. Christie’s Terra solution allows distribution of any source from the EOC to any desired room and/or display.

Christie Terra enables the transport, switching, processing and control of audiovisual content, including 4K at 60Hz video formats, over 10G Ethernet networks. Built on standardized SDVoE technology, Christie Terra provides unprecedented performance capabilities including the delivery of uncompressed, zero-frame latency, artifactfree video over readily available and affordable 10G components.

Based on off-the-shelf 10G Ethernet components, the Terra solution allows for the design of simple, secured, flexible and highly scalable system architectures.

COMMAND & CONTROL

TAKING COMMAND Fulton County Schools build an EOC for the future With Bennett Liles

mergency has taken on a new meaning in these times. When Fulton County Schools in Atlanta called in Nisewonger AV to upgrade their Emergency Operations Center, the goal was to have a command center level EOC powered by AV over IP. Adam Yates, who was recently promoted to VP of Business Development at Nisewonger AV, is here to give us the story.

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SVC: Before we start talking about this project, I’ve been asking everybody recently about the effect of the pandemic on their business.

Adam Yates: It’s been okay. We certainly have seen some effects, some immediate effects. Toward the end of March, we stayed with a light crew. About mid-March to the end of March we shut things down – shut our physical office location down. Around the first of April, for about two or three weeks we were having people work from home.

My installers actually took advantage of some AVIXA online training courses. There’s never a great time to stop and do that, so we were able to take advantage of that time. At the time the pandemic hit, we had jobs ready to roll--so it was just kind of a halt. We had to take a time out. Then about two to three weeks ago we started trying to get back into the swing of things. My installers came back in. We took all the safety precautions.

They have to wear masks and gloves and such onsite. But they’re hang-

ing in there and we’re getting some of the projects done that we had in the pipeline to get completed.

So it’s looking like now it’s time to hit the road again.

That’s right. We were itching to get back to it. My wife and I, we were operating the business from our home and homeschooling our kids [Laughs] – running a business and running a home. That was a challenging experience, but it was one that we won’t forget and we’re glad to be on the other side of it. Of course there are going to be some lasting effects, I’m sure, even down to the education market. We were blessed to be involved in and working off of this year’s budgets and fulfilling some of the projects that we had in line. We were just anxious to get back and get some equipment and get some projects installed and completed because everything was just kind of sitting here. The summer’s going to look a little bit different and heading to the fall, no one’s quite sure how that’s going to shake out. But we’re staying positive and staying optimistic about the future.

Nisewonger AV has always been a leader in the education AV market and well-known in these parts. Last summer we had a great talk about your project with the Hall County School System and now the Fulton County schools, I think the fourth largest system in the state, has called you in. They wanted their Emergency Operations Center redone and so what exactly did they need there?

They really needed a scalable system. They had a system in place. They had several monitors kind of configured in a video wall-type format; however, they weren’t specific video wall monitors. They had a kind of HDMI matrix system in place, which was maxed out. They needed to add additional displays. We came in and utilized some of the existing audio systems, but as far as the video was concerned, we turned it on its heels and went with an AV over IP-based system created by Just Add Power.

This was the right scalable solution in that environment. I mean, this gives you the opportunity to add transmitters and receivers, as many as you can count, without having to change the infrastructure once it’s in place. We’re operating that off of a simple managed AV network switch that can be as big as you want it to be and you can add to it. Additionally, they really needed the capabilities to create a true video wall experience.

You replaced all the displays they had with 55-inch LG commercial video wall displays?

Yeah, we did. They had kind of a conglomerate of displays there. They

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COMMAND & CONTROL were more consumer-type displays so the bezels were thicker. When we started talking about upgrading to a true video wall experience we went to LG for their commercial displays with the ultra-thin bezels. These are phenomenal displays. You’re talking 500-nit brightness. Incredibly bright displays. And then on top of that you’ve got, I think, 1.75mm bezel between them, so it really gives you that true video wall experience. With the software/hardware combination, they now have the ability to just drag and drop images into the video wall to stretch across multiple displays to make their images larger, so when they pack that room out they can see what’s going on. So it really gives them that true video wall experience and the versatility that they needed for that space.

They’re using the MediaSwitcher interface for that, right? Makes it really easy?

Yeah, it’s super easy. It’s just a PC-based software. You can pull it up on your computer just like any other software and essentially you have the displays, the inputs and outputs right there, and it’s literally just drag and drop. They have so many different inputs and outputs to choose from it can look a little bit complicated when you see it, but the user interface is actually quite nice and you can actually set some presets.

Once they got into the mix of things and found configurations they liked

or used a lot, we went to set presets. We peeled back the layers of the onion on this one—we found more ways to customize the software and solution for them.

What kinds of sources are they looking at? There would be a lot of surveillance cameras and so forth, but I would think there are plenty of other sources, too.

They have a very sophisticated IP-based camera system. We were not involved with that specific piece, but the software they’re able to pull up through our system lets them select any camera across all their campuses to view either live or as recorded. Then on top of that, they have different weather feeds. They have different live news feeds and things like that so they can monitor not only what’s going on in the district but in the world, in the country. So they can be prepared for just about anything and everything. That’s really the beauty of the system. They have so much content and information they need to see at one time, so we made this 2 x 6 wall with 12 monitors. Now they’re able to display all kinds of content at any time and change it up at any time.

The video receivers and transmitters are from Just Add Power.

They’re PoE, I believe, with a built-in video scaler, so that simplifies

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COMMAND & CONTROL the installation. I think they can be controlled through RS232 or by infrared?

They can be. We’ve got RS232 going to each display monitor so they can essentially power on and power off the entire system. With the touch of a button, they can turn on all the displays and kick on all the receivers and transmitters and they’re ready to display content almost immediately.

You also interfaced the phone system with that MediaSwitcher setup didn’t you?

We did, yeah. We utilized their existing Biamp DSP, which has a voiceover-IP interface on it. We were able to bring that in and we customized the dialer on the Just Add Software MediaSwitcher program so they can dial out and receive calls in. They have microphones in that room and they have speakers, so they have two-way voice communication in and outside the room. Now they’ve adopted Microsoft Teams so they can integrate with that system as well.

You mentioned the weather inputs. That’s one type of emergency that we’ve had quite a few of here in Georgia lately. I don’t remember a springtime that has been so active and we’ve had so much bad weather.

That’s definitely a concern and a situation that can come up on very short notice with tornadoes coming at you.

That’s right. That’s right. And pretty much that’s the beauty of this system.

They can monitor all of that at the same time. I keep in touch with Paul Hildreth, who runs that operation center there, and there have been several incidents. They’ve had a water main break somewhere that they had to monitor.

So they can immediately rectify those situations when they arise. They’ve also got a place all the top officials can come together and see what’s going on. So it really is like an emergency operations center; really a command center-type atmosphere. When you walk in that room that’s the feel you get.

You didn’t have to worry about the pandemic when you installed it, but have you been back since?

Yes, I have been back. The EOC is on the 6th floor of the main admin building so it’s a large facility. All the departments for the whole district meet there and the superintendent’s office is there. I’ve been back there to turn in some RFPs, but they’re pretty much limited operational at this point in time. People are working from home and the Emergency Operations Center currently is not being utilized on site. We do have it set up where they can remote into it if they needed to. But currently there’s no one physically there in the EOC. I would guess at this point you’re just watching the governor’s office to see what’s going to happen with the schools. When they do get the official go-ahead I would think that it’s going to get real busy real fast.

Yeah, it is. I mean the summer for us is always a little bit different. Obviously a heavy project installation period. There\ are no students in the building, there’s limited faculty, and so we’re just kind of getting a jump start on the summer early this year because of the virus. When school does open back up, and we’re pretty confident of that in the fall, we shift into this training operation mode where we go in and train all of our customers

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COMMAND & CONTROL on the new installations and projects that we’ve done over the summer.

We’re scheduling training sessions, multiple a day, making sure that they know how to use their system.

Stock up on the hand sanitizer.

That’s right. That’s right.

How do you think over the long term, this is going to affect AV integrators? It’s going to have a dramatic influence but I’m not sure that anybody knows for sure what it’s going to be.

Yeah. I mean, it’s certainly going to create some innovation. It’s going to create some pivots in the markets. Potentially other integrators may look to new markets to pivot their strategies. We’re staying strong and we’re staying the course. We’re very blessed to be in the education market sector. I was talking with a sales manager the other day from LG, about education and how foundational it is to our country. We feel very confident and strong that the schools will come back in session and things will get back to normal there. So we’re just very blessed. We’ve been in business 52 years and education has been our core market and that’s not going to change for us. It remains our most pressing and piv-

otal market. We’re going to dig in even deeper there because we feel that that’s really where our value is.

I think it’s going to change the way the school systems operate quite a bit. Just as with private companies, there will be a lot more video conferencing, virtual meetings and distance learning even after things get back more to normal.

Yeah, sure. I mean, I can foresee that, absolutely. We were already gearing towards that. We do a lot of training rooms and things like that, so it’s very simple to add a video conferencing layer. We still see a need for those spaces to be outfitted properly and accordingly. I think with the addition of the software and soft codecs that allow for video conferencing, you can do so much. We just installed a culinary system in Fulton County that will give the instructor the ability to provide live demos either onsite or offsite livestreaming. Those kind of applications will be more pressing and I think there will be more need for them. I think the question will become ‘hey, if we’re not physically here in this location or the students aren’t physically here, how do we get that information out to them?’ I think that’s going to be a question that sits at the forefront of our projects versus on the back end.

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PLANAR TVF SERIES The Planar TVF Series is a family of fine pitch LED video wall displays available in 0.9, 1.2, 1.5, 1.8 and 2.5 millimeter pixel pitches.

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OPEN MIC

REASONS TO TRANSITION TO IP

by Jason Neureiter verything from personal computers to mobile technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, and the same is true of audio and video facilities. But audio and video routing topology for use within a given facility has been stagnant for decades, leading to inefficient and clunky production. Routing technology, which relies heavily on purposebuilt hardware and point-to-point cabling, is ready for a change.

Internet protocol (IP) based solutions are revolutionizing the way audio and video signals are transported, unlocking simpler and faster technology rollouts, increased flexibility, and reduction in costs. By transitioning from legacy hardware to the latest IP technology, creative and engineering teams across every industry can leverage the following benefits to grow their content creation and production services to scale their business and reach new markets.

Let’s look at ways production teams can work faster, smarter, and scale their production by transitioning to IP technology for audio and video routing.

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TRANSFORMING PRODUCTION WORKFLOWS

Traditional routers, as used by most production teams, are monolithic blocks of purpose-built hardware that usually take up a lot of physical space, power, and cabling. Each source and destination device has to be connected to a centrally-located router, and when new formats are introduced or more space is needed, the solution—replacing the whole router—is often costly and inconvenient.

IP routing doesn’t just replace a router: it eliminates it. With IP transport, the audio and video routing fabric is distributed quickly and seamlessly throughout an entire network, saving time, money, and convenience.

MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY, REDUCE COSTS

IP networks are built using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, the same hardware used in any commercial enterprise system. This also allows for the faster rollout of new technologies and equipment, which means simpler and more cost-effective upgrades.

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With the use of COTS hardware, manufacturers leverage the research and development costs across a very large install base, rather than developing purpose-built routing gear for the relatively small audio/video market, driving the cost down for everybody.

INCREASED FLEXIBILITY AND CAPABILITIES TO SCALE

Utilizing existing IP technology allows new capabilities to be added quickly. In an IP routing environment, the routing fabric can be extended at will, allowing for growth and expansion without spending funds to replace the entire routing system. As enterprises onboard support for new formats, there isn’t a need to replace the whole system, instead, just add interfaces on the edge.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) provide the underlying IP networking standards used by all networks, so the audio and video organizations like the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) and Audio Engineering Society (AES) can focus their attention on layering of applicationspecific protocols.

MAKING THE SWITCH

IP is poised to transform video and audio transportation over the next five years. For example, SDI will be rendered obsolete by SMPTE ST-2110, and SDI is expected to become the new NTSC (RS-170A). Moving to an IP transport system eliminates the need for large, expensive hardware and supports a range of formats.

And maybe best of all, it’s a flexible solution that grows with shifting technology and the organization’s needs.

This transition requires planning and consideration. Moving to IP-based transport and routing isn’t the right solution for everyone, but it’s imperative to assess if your clients should make the switch. It can be expensive, but the potential transformation to their workflow, hardware, and upgradability can greatly offset the cost and provide big payoffs in the future.

Jason Neureiter currently handles the broadcast and sports accounts for Adorama Business Solutions. He is a 20 year veteran of the media, broadcast, and sports worlds, having specialized in both transport and content management

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