At NAB 2026, AIMS did something the IPMX community had not done before. It set aside a 1,600-square-foot room off the West Hall and ran classes. In the past, members of the community have given educational presentations, but never a sit-down training with an instructor and a curriculum. More than 40 people came through the first sessions, and for a format that had never been tried, in a market still forming its opinion of IPMX, that room was worth paying attention to.

A standard tends to become real in three stages. First it gets written. Then it gets built. And then people learn to use it. IPMX has cleared the first two. The core specifications are published, IPMX certification is in place, and certified products are shipping and running in real installations, from legislatures and universities to enterprise and government facilities. What the room at NAB showed is that the third stage had arrived. There is now a body of people who need to know how to design, deploy, and support these systems, and until recently there was no dedicated place to learn.

The timing is not incidental. AV over IP is no longer an emerging idea. AVIXA now describes it as a mainstream aspect of AV installations, and the wider Pro AV market it belongs to is forecast to grow from $332 billion in 2025 to $402 billion by 2030 in the association's Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis. Broadcast AV, the discipline closest to IPMX's roots, has climbed to become the second largest solution area in the industry, behind only conferencing and collaboration. The broadcast and Pro AV worlds that IPMX was built to bridge are converging in real spending, not just in theory. And the constraint on all of it has shifted. For years, the open question was whether the technology would be ready. Now it is ready, and the harder question is whether there are enough people who know how to work with it. Industry surveys consistently put skilled-labor shortages at or near the top of integrators' operational concerns, and the gap is increasingly about the right skills rather than raw headcount. A standard with no on-ramp is a standard that adoption outruns.

IPMX Training is Live

That place now exists. The IPMX training program is live at training.ipmx.io. It is free, it is module-based, and it is hosted on a learning management system open for sign-ups today. The first modules went live on June 15, 2026. Five are available now, with more scheduled to arrive around IBC. AIMS developed the program through its Education Working Group in partnership with AV Community, the AV education firm led by Patrick Killianey, and the material is delivered as professionally produced, self-paced video that a student can work through on their own schedule.

The model behind it is one the industry has watched work before. Dante did not earn its place in professional audio on technical merit alone. It earned it by becoming easy to learn, through free, tiered, online certification that produced a large pool of people who could confidently specify and deploy it. That pool became its own kind of advantage, because a technology many people already know how to use is a technology that gets chosen. IPMX is following the same playbook, with one important difference: it is doing so for an open, multi-vendor standard rather than a single company's ecosystem. That difference shows up in what the training teaches.

Most credentials in AV are either product certifications tied to one manufacturer's gear or general industry certifications that stay above the protocol layer. IPMX training sits in a different place. It goes deep on the transport itself, and on the networking fundamentals beneath it: multicast, PTP timing, and how media flows are described and carried over IP. What a student learns is the standard, not any one vendor's implementation of it, and those fundamentals carry well beyond IPMX. The skill is portable across every product that carries the IPMX mark.

The content is organized into three levels, each building on the one before. Level 1, Foundations, is the accessible on-ramp, written for the consultant or salesperson who needs to speak the language and specify a system correctly without necessarily configuring it. Level 2, Systems, moves into building a working system: media profiles, device capabilities, and how the pieces fit together into something that runs. Level 3, Networks, goes deeper into the layer underneath, the switching, timing, and traffic engineering that keep a live media system reliable at scale. Throughout, the courses address the standards IPMX is built on, AES67, SMPTE ST 2110, and NMOS, directly rather than only as background. Because IPMX is effectively a superset of ST 2110 and AES67, learning it well means picking up those standards and specifications along the way. A student who works through the program comes away understanding not just IPMX, but a good deal of the broader IP media family it belongs to.

One design choice runs through all of it: the program starts at the ground floor. It is built to be approachable to anyone with no background in networking or video, whether a junior engineer, a salesperson, or a consultant. That accessibility matters more than it might have a few years ago. As AI reshapes which careers feel secure, a generation is moving toward hands-on, hard-to-automate work, the so-called toolbelt generation that has been steadily filling vocational and trade programs. Skilled AV engineering belongs in that durable category. It is on-site, cross-vendor, and judgment-heavy, the kind of work that does not automate away, and IPMX training is a low-cost, standards-based way into it. The Education Working Group set out to lower the barrier to entry and grow the base of qualified professionals as fast as the demand is growing, and free, self-paced modules are how that scales.

This is a starting point, not a finished program. More modules arrive around IBC, and AIMS plans to organize additional training opportunities beyond the online modules, including on-site training. The longer arc points toward a recognized way for the industry to identify people who genuinely know IPMX, so that the skill carries weight in the market. The room at NAB was the first proof that the appetite is real. The site is the answer to it, and it is open to anyone. If you design, install, or operate AV and broadcast systems, or you simply want to understand where IP media is heading, the modules are free and signing up takes a minute.

Start at training.ipmx.io.

The Sahuarita Unified School District, located in Arizona, serves more than 6,300 students across 11 schools. After the community voted to approve a bond for the Sahuarita Schools, the school district modernized its classroom technology, expanding a successful pilot program into a district-wide installation of LG CreateBoard interactive displays.

[Getting Testy with Product Development]

The classroom display technology across the district was aging and rapidly becoming obsolete. The district’s technology department determined that a change was necessary to bring its classrooms and quality of education into the 21st century in a way that was reliable, affordable, and future-proof.

During the initial planning phase for the bond, Sahuarita Intermediate School received donated funds and, under the leadership of its principal and with guidance from the district’s technology department, purchased LG CreateBoard interactive smart boards for selected classrooms as a pilot program. This initiative became the successful pilot program for the entire district. As the principal of Sahuarita Intermediate School explained there was a need for a solution that students and teachers alike would find easy to use and would stand up to the rigors of daily in-classroom education, but also ideal for other uses, such as lectures, group discussions, team collaboration, and school announcements.

As part of the planning for the bond, the district's technology department invited LG Electronics USA to provide a demo unit, which was presented to district and school administrators and teachers.

Several factors made the LG CreateBoard the clear choice. First, LG’s ongoing software updates future-proof the investment, providing long-term network security and asset protection. Additionally, Google interoperability was crucial, as the district had recently rolled out 5,600 Google Chromebooks to students. The LG CreateBoard’s versatile wireless Wi-Fi connectivity, compatible with Google Chrome OS, allows both teachers and students to connect from anywhere in the classroom or use it as a standalone device with access to the Google Workspace for Education tools provided by the district.

The chosen solution needed to connect with future technology and work with the district's existing equipment, such as document cameras and televisions. LG CreateBoards allow for easy camera connectivity, while HDMI and USB-C video inputs and outputs let teachers display content on other televisions in the room. Lastly, the district required a solution that was durable and robust in a real-world classroom environment, where many students and teachers will interact with it every day.

Due to the success of the pilot program, the approved bond funds were used to purchase 450 LG CreateBoard interactive smart boards (75-inch models) for the entire district. These were installed over the past few months in classrooms, libraries, and all areas dedicated to instruction. The project was completed in the summer of 2025.

“As an early member in the LG Schools Program, Sahuarita School District is taking a proactive approach to exploring how technology can support student learning and teacher effectiveness,” said Victoria J. Sanville, director of public and corporate sector B2B channels at LG Electronics USA. “We’re proud to collaborate with them as they pilot new tools to enrich classroom experiences.”

Get your free copy of SCN's Integration Guide to Education.

Course Correction

The “good enough” standard for technology in higher education classrooms has evolved. Amid enrollment pressures, shifting expectations, and more, institutions are rethinking how to approach AV upgrades and installations. Pain points like hybrid learning, sound reinforcement, user interfaces, and training are all integral parts of today’s modern classrooms.

At Issue

Industry experts from Absen, Ampetronic | Listen Technologies, Atlona, Sennheiser, Sharp, and WyreStorm Technologies discuss the formula for incorporating the “right” amount of Pro AV technology in today’s classrooms.

Download the Integration Guide to Education.

Read the April issue of Systems Contractor News.

As a thought leader among media institutions, Emerson College is at the forefront of audio education, ensuring its students graduate with the requisite skills and experience to excel in a rapidly evolving industry. Emerson integrated Focusrite’s RedNet solutions into its state-of-the-art production and learning environments at its main campus in Boston. Their strategic implementation enhanced the college’s ability to deliver industry-facing training in sound design, immersive audio, and media production, offering students hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology. With campuses in Boston, Los Angeles, and the Netherlands, Emerson fosters creativity and innovation, preparing students for leadership roles across the media landscape.

The integration was spearheaded by Bruno Caruso, manager of Design and Integration at Emerson College’s Engineering Department and aligns with the institution’s commitment to real-world production environments. Emerson’s Media Technologies and Productions Department designed and continuously supports its facilities, which span the media production techniques, from pre-production and recording to sound design, mixing, and final deliverables.

“Focusrite has been ahead of the curve in Dante networking, and that was a major factor in our decision to go with their RedNet solutions,” Caruso said. “We were looking for interfaces that provided a comprehensive range of I/O, including Dante, analog, optical, and MADI, without compromise. The RedNet lineup checked all those boxes, and its reliability and reputation in the industry made it an easy choice.”

Emerson facilities include five theaters, two television studios, immersive sound stages, a radio station, three recording studios, which serve as classrooms, and mix and post-production suites that cater to multiple disciplines throughout the College of Communication. As a result, one of the major challenges of this project was seamlessly connecting spaces across campus.

Dante-based networking and RedNet technology revolutionized student and faculty workflow efficiency throughout Emerson’s facilities. “We can route audio across multiple buildings in downtown Boston, using smaller rooms as remote voice-over booths, amp rooms, or ADR spaces,” Caruso said. “Because of our Dante infrastructure, a performance in our largest theater can be recorded in a completely different building in real time, while our radio station does a live mix for broadcast—all with virtually zero latency.”

Through partnerships with Parsons Audio, Emerson sourced and installed a comprehensive RedNet setup, including RedNet 16Line, RedNet D64R and RedNet AM2, among other devices. Caruso and his colleagues configured and calibrated the entire system in-house, ensuring seamless integration with their existing workflows.

Beyond infrastructure, Emerson found that Focusrite’s RedNet Control application serves as a valuable educational tool. “The graphical interface makes it easy to teach students about audio routing and signal flow,” Caruso noted. “It allows them to visualize how audio moves between rooms and devices, reinforcing both theoretical and practical knowledge.”

Looking to the future, Caruso envisions continued expansion of immersive audio education at Emerson and has encouraged Focusrite to develop additional tools to support spatial audio, loudness monitoring, and room calibration. “We’d love to see more built-in DSP solutions for Atmos and immersive workflows,” he said. “Focusrite has been fantastic in listening to the needs of educators, and we’re excited about where they’ll go next.”

When Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills, MI, unveiled two new video production spaces—its XR studio and a vodcast/podcast suite—the goal was to give its Pre-K-12 students access to professional-level production tools, often reserved for film studios, to improve storytelling opportunities.

“The most powerful two words are 'what if,'" exclaimed Danialle Karmanos, a trustee and donor, as well as a proud parent of three current DCDS students, whose early career in journalism sparked a love of production. These words acted as the catalyst for creating these two innovative spaces, which are among the first of their kind in a U.S. K-12 setting, made possible by a generous gift from Danialle and her husband, Peter.

“This is definitely the first project of its kind we’ve been involved in,” said Will Jennings, director of special projects for 4Wall Entertainment, the system designer and integrator for the XR studio. “There may be one or two others in the U.S., but for elementary and high schools, the cost is usually a barrier. In this case, donor support made it possible.”

Emulating Content

Located in the Upper School, the XR studio spaces anchor the arts wing, alongside photography, ceramics, and mixed media. A live camera feed streams to a 100-inch 4K display in the arts commons, allowing the entire arts wing to watch live productions in real time. The vodcast/podcast studio, positioned diagonally across from the media center, is visible through a glass wall that invites passing students to take a look.

“We wanted students to emulate the professional content they’re already consuming, short-form video and longer-form podcasts in a studio that feels real,” said Mike Medvinsky, DCDS creative technologist, who is the visionary hired by the school to oversee the use of studio spaces for the students.

The XR studio is anchored by an INFiLED DBmk2 1.9mm pixel pitch curved LED video wall measuring 26x8 feet. To support the system running in 4K resolution, it uses a setup managed by Brompton Technology, including a rack-mounted Brompton 4K Tessera SX40 processor and two Tessera XD 10G data distribution units.

“When we started researching the leaders in LED technology, Brompton rose to the top,” explained Medvinsky. “All the major concerts and video production studios are run through Brompton, so they were our first choice.”

Other key components include a Blackmagic Design ATEM Constellation and HyperDeck Studio 4K Pro, RED V-Raptor X camera, and a Mo-Sys tracking system. Workflows for the XR studio focus on the Disguise VX 2+ media server, which, when used with a Disguise RX III render node, supports real-time content playback and facilitates the ingestion and deployment of content across the LED wall.

“We recommended Disguise media servers, which are the industry standard in virtual production,” Jennings added. “It was very relieving when Mike said, ‘I understand this is the expensive option, but it is the best option.'"

Initial conversations with 4Wall about the XR studio started in August 2024, with design and product procurement continuing throughout the fall. By January, 4Wall was on-site for a three-day installation, which led to the official opening of the studio spaces in February 2025.

No Dumbing Down

Once installation was complete, 4Wall provided training to staff members and students to help them quickly get up to speed on their new facility, but Jennings emphasized that nothing installed was watered down for the younger audience who would be using it.

“Kids are using the exact same tools that film professionals use on set,” he said. “We didn’t dumb down the system; we wanted to provide that through line from classroom to industry.”

For the vodcast/podcast studio, known as "the Pod" at DCDS, Medvinsky led the technology integration, creating a four-camera, well-lit, switchable room designed for on-camera conversations, shows, and audio-only podcasts. He has focused on one-to-one collaborations with teachers to generate ideas for how the studio can be utilized in the classroom. Faculty members schedule time on a shared calendar with Medvinsky to co-plan, storyboard, and conduct research. Plus, he participates in classes to help with editing, working with students to make sure their workflows are practical.

And this isn’t just a “film-only” investment; students are applying it in various learning contexts, including math. One middle school lesson used the XR studio to simulate the Running of the Bulls, allowing students to measure distance with ceiling-grid markers and timed bull footage. Then, they moved to the field house to time their own sprints and calculate slope to determine the head start needed to “barely outrun the bulls” into the coliseum.

Usage varies by grade. For the younger grades, the XR team works more directly with students, providing edited clips, while older students take on roles in operations and editing. “Think of the XR studio as a creative classroom,” said Medvinsky. “It’s place-based learning when the place comes to you.”

Filmmakers In Training

Beyond classroom use, the XR studio enhances DCDS’s award-winning Film Program, offering students endless options to create critically acclaimed feature films. “When we say our students make full-length feature films, they are actually full-length amazing feature films," Karmanos added. "The Film Program premieres one each year at a local movie theater, selling out multiple nights."

DCDS has also established partnerships with nearby university XR programs, including the University of Michigan, to foster a regional knowledge exchange. Meanwhile, the College of Creative Studies enlisted DCDS students to design a couture runway in XR, with students taking on technical roles that gave them real-world experience.

“These creative spaces beget innovation,” Medvinsky added. “When students see what’s possible, ideas and courage compound.”

Karmanos is most proud of how the spaces have inspired teachers to think outside the box and use production as a key tool for creativity and higher learning. “There’s no exclusion in these rooms,” she observed. "Kids from every corner of campus are collaborating. Faculty trust is building, and once teachers see a simple one-day win, their guard drops. They realize this isn’t more work, it’s better learning."

In the future, DCDS and Medvinsky plan to continue strengthening relationships with teachers to co-design future uses and expand opportunities for regional partnerships. For Medvinsky, he wants the process to stay simple, the studio doors to always be open, and the focus to remain on how storytelling can enhance student learning. “When kids feel safe, seen, and technically capable," he noted, "they don’t just 'use' technology, they lead with it.”

Get even more insights: Download SCN's Integration Guide to House of Worship.

Puttshack is rewriting the rules of contemporary venue-based entertainment with its one-of-a-kind, upscale tech-infused mini-golf game, powered by proprietary Trackball technology. Founded in 2018, Puttshack is rapidly expanding into a global entertainment powerhouse with locations across the U.K. and North America.

Until recently, high-voltage infrastructure was simply the price of creating an atmosphere. That changed with the arrival of the QoraLux Low-Voltage Lighting Platform from SAVI iQ, whose control and automation technology has already redefined how venues automate and manage AV systems. By applying that spirit of intelligent design to lighting, SAVI made it possible to deliver the high-impact visual experiences guests expect, while dramatically cutting power draw, installation complexity, and long-term operating costs.

So, when Puttshack prepared to open its new 19,000-square-foot Minneapolis, Minnesota venue in the fall of 2025, it faced that same challenge: how to deliver a high-energy, visually striking experience without the high-voltage overhead. The lighting design was initially drawn up around a conventional 277-volt system, reflecting the approach used across other locations. But as construction costs rose and sustainability targets tightened, the brief evolved to preserve the design team’s creative intent and signature lighting effects while achieving them with simpler infrastructure, lower power demand, and seamless integration across lighting, audio, and video systems.

Working with SAVI iQ, the Puttshack team, headed by technology project manager Cory Lovern and vice president of Design and Construction Dominic Crespo, re-evaluated the original high-voltage specification against a low-voltage alternative built on SAVI QoraLux. What began as a lighting rethink quickly expanded into a full audio-video-lighting (AVL) integration, all centrally managed through the SAVI platform. The result achieved the same dramatic visual impact the designers envisioned, while eliminating the conduit farms, panel rooms, and high-voltage coordination that had complicated previous builds and laying the foundation for a new generation of smarter and more profitable Puttshack venues.

Puttshack Minneapolis consequently marked the brand’s first full-venue deployment of SAVI QoraLux, encompassing 101 lighting zones and 588 loads.

Lighting as Creative Core

Puttshack’s venues are defined by their layered, theatrical lighting, from the soft ambience of the main bar to the color-rich accents that bring each mini-golf course to life. The creative brief demanded a nuanced, highly zoned environment that could shift seamlessly between everyday operation and special-event settings.

SAVI QoraLux enables full-spectrum RGBWW color tuning, allowing staff to re-theme courses, lounges, and dining areas with a few taps: washing rooms in Coca-Cola red for a buyout, turning the venue emerald for St Patrick’s Day, or dialing in subtle ambers to complement interior finishes.

“What makes SAVI QoraLux so powerful for designers is that it removes the old electrical constraints without sacrificing nuance,” Derek Wilson, SAVI’s chief strategy officer said. “You get micro-zone control, smooth dimming, and rich RGBWW rendering, all on low-voltage cabling. It’s a single, coherent ecosystem rather than a patchwork of panels, drivers, and third-party interfaces.”

“Lighting has always been the last, most complicated piece to integrate and unify in a large entertainment build,” Byron Baird, general manager of SAVI Commercial added. “QoraLux changes that equation. You get precise zoning and cinematic, full-spectrum color at scale, while stripping out the heavy electrical infrastructure that slows projects and inflates costs. For Puttshack Minneapolis, we honored the designer’s intent with a system that installs faster, uses less power, and is dramatically easier to operate day to day.”

Measurable Savings and Performance

During the design phase, the team modeled a direct comparison between a conventional 277-volt high-voltage scheme and a low-voltage SAVI QoraLux alternative of identical scale. The difference was measurable at every stage. The fixture package showed a 43 percent reduction, while installation costs saved 45 percent.

In operation, the model showed total draw dropping from 188,357 watts to 54,400 watts, a 71 percent improvement for lighting alone across the year. The entire load now runs on just eight standard 20-amp circuits, with all other power and control travelling over Cat back to the drivers and controllers neatly housed in the AV rack.

Beyond the modelling, the real-world results proved even more compelling. Compared with Puttshack venues built using high-voltage fixtures, the low-voltage design delivered close to $500,000 in combined fixture and installation savings, while also reducing upstream switchgear demand by roughly 200 amps. The shift not only simplified electrical coordination but also underscored how a purpose-built PoC system could achieve the same visual impact at a fraction of the cost and complexity.

Previous Puttshack builds often wrestled with long panel lead times, conduit coordination across multiple trades, and ampacity upgrades that could ripple through the entire construction schedule. By shifting to low voltage, the Minneapolis team eliminated many of those dependencies. The design replaced hundreds of outlets with simple Cat runs, reduced field labor, and simplified inspection.

“QoraLux let us keep the aesthetics and lighting effects our designers specified, but it removed layers of field complexity that historically put pressure on our schedule,” Crespo said. “We didn’t need big panel rooms or miles of conduit, and that simplified the hand-offs between trades. The result was a cleaner build, fewer points of failure, and a clearer path to opening on time.”

“We asked for a higher-tech, lower-cost lighting system without diminishing the guest experience,” Crespo added. “The SAVI team helped us get there by cutting fixture and installation costs dramatically and simplifying service costs down the road.”

Unified Control and Automation

While lighting led the project, the full advantage came from bringing audio, video, digital signage, and lighting under one unified control environment powered by SAVI.

“In other venues, we have to juggle three or four different user interfaces just to manage lighting, audio, video, and signage,” Lovern said. “Historically, each system had its own workflow, which made even simple changes more time consuming than they needed to be. With SAVI, everything now lives together in one place. From virtually any device, we can adjust the lighting, change the music, or manage video playback. It’s faster, far more intuitive for the team, and it keeps the vibe consistent across the entire venue.”

Integration is the backbone of the project, traversing audio, video, lighting, and control (AVLC), including the venue’s entire LG commercial display network powered by SAVI Canvas. Because SAVI Canvas runs natively on LG webOS displays, no external media players or control processors are required to deliver the desired content to each screen. This direct integration eliminates latency, simplifies configuration, and enables real-time synchronization between video, lighting, and audio cues across the venue.

The LG webOS display mix includes a range of sizes and functions, from 32-inch touch displays to 75-inch models. This creates a visually unified digital signage ecosystem powered entirely by SAVI Canvas, capable of everything from menu boards and brand takeovers to synchronized ambient visuals that reinforce the overall guest experience.

For Puttshack staff, that translates to faster responsiveness, fewer points of failure, and a seamless, app-like control experience that mirrors the polish of the guest environment itself.

“Having SAVI as a single control interface has completely changed the way we think about managing our venues,” Lovern added. “In previous builds, our teams had to learn and maintain several separate systems; two (0-10v and DMX) for lighting, another for audio/video, another for digital signage. It works, but it isn’t seamless. In Minneapolis, all of that now comes together. From a tablet or a phone, we can set the lighting, music, and video to create the exact mood we want for any event. The whole environment feels coordinated and intentional, and it’s easy for new staff to learn because the interface is intuitive and consistent across everything we do.”

A Blueprint for Future Venues

With Minneapolis serving as a proof point, Puttshack is incorporating the same architecture into all new builds and evaluating selective retrofits for existing locations. For operations and design teams alike, the combination of both low- and high-voltage QoraLux Lighting Solutions and SAVI’s unified control system has set a new baseline for what smart venue infrastructure means, merging creative freedom with measurable efficiency.

“QoraLux is the low-voltage solution with high-voltage impact,” Crespo said. “We kept the artistry and gained a simpler, leaner build. What’s exciting is that it doesn’t just look great, it also changes how we plan and deliver future projects. We’ve proven that you can achieve the same atmosphere and visual energy our brand is known for, but with less wiring, fewer trades, and far greater control. That’s a big win for our design and construction teams, and for operations once the doors open.”

The experience in Minneapolis has also reinforced how technology partnerships can shape design thinking long before a venue breaks ground. By involving SAVI early, Puttshack was able to collapse layers of complexity, align creative and technical priorities, and set a foundation for a new generation of smarter, more connected entertainment spaces.

“Puttshack embraced an entirely new way of thinking about venue lighting,” concluded Baird. “They saw the opportunity not just to save money or streamline installation, but to build a smarter, more adaptive environment that connects lighting, audio, and video into one cohesive ecosystem. It’s a forward-looking approach that gives them flexibility today and a clear path for growth tomorrow, a model that’s already informing the design of future venues.”

Many large university campuses have a patchwork of AV systems—different brands, outdated wiring schematics, and a maze of departmental silos. Texas A&M University (TAMU), which has more than 75,000 students, faced this exact challenge. The institution’s AV infrastructure was growing organically, leading to inconsistencies, higher maintenance costs, and frustrated faculty and students.

“Five years ago, if you walked into one of our classrooms, you might find a perfectly working wireless sharing system,” Carlos Lucio, associate director of Technology Services for Texas A&M’s University Audiovisual Services Department, said. “Walk into the next building, and it was a different story—maybe an outdated HDMI setup, or a proprietary system that only worked with certain devices. We knew we needed a unified approach.”

The team’s goal was simple but ambitious: No matter where a student or professor was on campus, the AV experience should feel familiar, reliable, and intuitive. That meant standardizing everything—from control interfaces to wireless sharing—while still allowing flexibility for different teaching styles.

“When we design educational spaces, we stick to a curated set of equipment, flexible enough for any space and budget, with lean and efficient processes that scale. We need to be able to replicate, providing one user experience for any user in any TAMU environment,” University Audio Visual Services IT director Regina Greenwood said. “The user interface must be the same. The available connections must be the same. This makes it easy for users to acclimate to any environment, as well as for our team. If any space needs service, for example, it’s likely that we have seen the problem many times before and can quickly apply a fix.”

After evaluating multiple solutions, TAMU deployed Mersive Solstice as its primary wireless-sharing and collaboration platform, integrating it with existing displays, projectors, and conferencing tools.

CHALLENGES: One of the biggest hurdles was consolidating disparate AV systems. Before standardization, different departments—engineering, business, health sciences—had their own Mersive Solstice instances, each with unique configurations.

“We ordered about 330 Mersive Solstice Pods for our relatively new Instructional Laboratory and Innovative Learning Building (ILSQ). But then we discovered that the hundreds of Solstice Pods already in use across campus were all being managed separately,” Lucio said. “Some departments had their own cloud tenants, which meant we couldn’t troubleshoot issues centrally.”

The team migrated every Solstice Pod to a single cloud tenant, giving IT full visibility and control. Now, whether a Pod is in a chemistry lab, a lecture hall, or a remote campus, it has similar template protocols, branding, and user interface.

FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: Creating a templatized approach to AV wasn’t just about picking the right hardware; it was about building an ecosystem. The team categorized rooms into five tiers—ranging from basic single-display classrooms to advanced active learning labs—and defined standard AV packages for each. Wireless collaboration was a key pillar, but it had to meet strict criteria. TAMU required a solution with low latency (under 0.5 seconds) to avoid lag during lectures; cross-platform compatibility (supporting Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android), and centralized management to streamline updates and troubleshooting.

The impact was most visible in TAMU’s active learning laboratories, where Solstice plays a pivotal role. In the ILSQ building, for example, instructors are not locked into the typical sage on the stage teaching model but instead use Solstice to broadcast lab demonstrations to more than 30 displays simultaneously. Students then break into small groups, wirelessly sharing their own content from computers or laptops—without needing dongles or cables (although available).

With standardized AV packages, TAMU’s University Audio Visual Services team can now roll out new classrooms in days instead of weeks. “We did over 100 AV projects last year alone—classrooms, conference rooms, video walls—because we had a repeatable process,” Greenwood said.

Additionally, centralized management means fewer on-site service calls. “If a Pod in Houston needs a firmware update, we push it remotely. No more driving technicians across the state,” Lucio said.

Students and faculty have adopted the AV systems all over campus. “The best AV is the kind you don’t notice. When a professor walks in, teaches without hiccups, and never has to call us—that’s success,” Greenwood added. “Students and professors expect wireless sharing to just work, as it does on their phones. Now, it does.”

In astronomy, a "singularity" is the center of a black hole. At the University of Rhode Island (URI), “The Singularity” is the name of a massive AV installation project. The Singularity's goal is to standardize and upgrade AV equipment in 150 classrooms and 14 auditoriums at URI’s main Kingston campus.

This ambitious project, which is now being executed by URI’s five-person Information Technology Services (ITS) AV department, was inspired by the university’s struggles to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. “When COVID hit, almost none of our classrooms were hybrid capable in any way, shape or form,” recalled Jeffrey Levesque, URI’s lead information technologist. “The non-standard solutions we managed to patch together served their purpose back then—but we knew we needed to come up with an approach that was consistent campus-wide, easy for staff to operate using a consistent touchpanel interface in each room and capable of being supported remotely from our office.

"This is why we decided to standardize our AV equipment campus-wide. I wanted equipment that I could put into every room no matter what it was, whether it was an auditorium, an active learning, or standard classroom, a meeting room—all of them.”

AVoIP for All

To manage the entire system, URI selected Epiphan’s Pearl Nexus AV over IP content playout and lecture capture solution. This included using Pearl’s Panopto for content management and Q-SYS Core Nano platform for control. The result is a fully automated AV environment in each classroom that allows instructors to walk in, make a few connections, and teach.

“I really enjoyed programming in the Q-SYS environment,” said Levesque. “Our rooms use Core Nano so that we don't have to run audio ins and outs into those spaces. Instead, everything is running on a Dante network."

URI uses NETGEAR AV line switches and network power supplies to run its internal AVoIP multicast network. In each upgraded room, URI installs an Apple Mac Mini computer, QSC TSC-70-G3 touchscreen controller, Q-SYS NV-21-HU ingest and receiving device, QSC SPA-Qf 60x2 audio amplifier, and two QSC AD-S8T loudspeakers. There is also one QSC NC-20x60 PTZ conference camera with audio tracking. Each lecture is captured using an Epiphan Pearl Nexus that supports automated recording.

Video is displayed in two ways in URI’s classrooms and auditoriums. Each space is equipped with Sony laser projectors (the VPL-PHZ60 and VPL-PHZ61 are the main models) and Da-Lite Model C with CSR pulldown screens. Select rooms also include Sony 4K BRAVIA monitors, which are typically 65 inches but can be as large as 85 inches.

To ensure accurate, clear, and echo-free audio capture, each space features an Audio-Technica ATND1061DAN beamforming ceiling array microphone, which can automatically focus on designated zones for audio pickup, such as the lectern or areas where students are speaking. At the same time, this system prioritizes the instructor and follows them as they move, so the lesson’s audio never gets missed.

The ATND1061DAN shares its voice tracking information with the QSC PTZ cameras in real time. This allows the cameras to automatically adjust and follow whoever is speaking, resulting in human-level tracking quality without requiring an actual operator. Plus, the ceiling mic can support up to 32 user-defined pickup zones, which are configured using Audio-Technica's Digital Microphone Manager (DMM) software. This also includes defining exclusion zones near doors and other problematic areas to block unwanted noise. For instructors who are still not ready to rely on ceiling mics, URI also has a Catchbox Plus wireless lavalier mic system available.

URI supports a BYOC (Bring Your Own Conference) approach, where users can access platforms like Zoom, Teams, and WebEx. For those instructors and students who want to plug their own devices into the classroom AV system, URI provides HDMI, USB-C, and Barco ClickShare wireless connections.

In fact, the only thing that URI’s standardized AV rooms don't have is their own scheduling system. “This is because room bookings are handled by our scheduling department on campus,” said Levesque.

Working Ahead

Installing a standardized AVoIP network to 164 locations is a tall order for any IT department, especially one with only five employees. To handle the challenge realistically, Levesque and his people resorted to intensive planning before a single cable was cut.

“Our philosophy is to do all your prep work ahead of time and get all of the parts in house before you do anything,” Levesque shared. “Once you have what you need on hand, it is time to put a prototype system together and try to break it—in other words, try to figure out what things can go wrong in the installation and what can be done to fix it. We applied that philosophy to this new install, and that's what helped make it go really seamlessly.”

That said, challenges did arise once the actual installation began. “One of the biggest challenges was learning to stand up and manage the dedicated, internal AV over IP multicast network that we needed, which is isolated from the main campus network,” said Levesque. “Luckily, the NETGEAR switches made it really easy thanks to their intuitive interface, while their support has been top notch.”

The URI IT team also had some issues when it came to adding AVoIP into larger rooms where a typical 48-port switch wasn’t enough. The solution was to start stacking switches. “That's been a little bit of a challenge to execute, but it's actually not that bad," Levesque said. "Frankly, once we had the AV over IP networks up, the subsequent issues we’ve faced are really trivial.”

Lessons Learned

Since starting The Singularity AV standardization upgrade project in Spring 2024, URI’s ITS department has completed more than 30 rooms. Because the university operates on a seven-year planning cycle, its goal is to transition the remaining rooms within the next three to four years, pending annual funding allocations.

Providing URI with a standardized AV infrastructure is proving to be a shrewd move. As for lessons learned from the project? As outlined above, extensive upfront planning and prototyping results in fewer problems during installations and faster overall delivery times. “Putting together a fully working classroom in my office first really paid off,” said Levesque.

It's also vital to have the professional installation team do all of the work themselves, rather than solicit support from people who could do some of it for less. “We’ve learned that we can't ask our student population to help us install things,” he said. “We had issues when we tried to do that.”

The third and final lesson: “While we can stand up our own networks, we're slowly reaching that point where we do need to expand our team, especially now that we’re moving to more network-based classrooms,” said Levesque. “The trend in AV these days is to put everything on the network. As a result, we really do need to hire somebody full time to help manage the AV over IP network that we're standing up all over campus.”

CULTVR’s Theatre Dome recently installed a new 360-degree d&b Soundscape system, specified and installed by d&b partner Southby Productions. Since opening in 2019 as one of the first U.K. immersive arts center, CULTVR has positioned Cardiff as a destination for XR (Extended Reality) and the immersive possibilities of live performance. By harnessing the power of the latest technologies, CULTVR strives to redefine how audiences experience sound and visuals, and the d&b Soundscape system has become a key element of its toolkit.

[Bringing the Magic of Immersive Experiences to Life]

CULTVR’s aim with this sound system upgrade was to elevate the audio capability to the same level. Southby Productions first worked with CULTVR in 2023 when they, with d&b audiotechnik, supported an immersive show for Welsh band, Das Koolies, using d&b Soundscape. “We had an amazing time working with the team at CULTVR,” said Southby’s head of immersive, Aaron Holloway-Nahum, “and we knew it would benefit tremendously from a more permanent Soundscape solution to its audio.”

CULTVR’s Theatre Dome auditorium offers an immersive AV infrastructure beneath a 39-foot (12m) concave projection surface. As well as presenting shows and experiences, the Dome is also a key part of CULTVR’s ongoing R&D into immersive arts. The introduction of a 360-degree d&b Soundscape system is a major boost, delivering aural possibilities to match the enveloping visuals, and new vistas for creative presentation.

Designed by Holloway-Nahum, the Soundscape system uses a ring of 16 d&b 5S compact point source loudspeakers, driven by 5D amplifiers. The powerful DS100 signal processor provides the level and delay settings to each speaker necessary to create Soundscape’s signature naturalistic and ‘true’ sound. In addition, four E15X-SUB compact subwoofers are available to be used flexibly, either as part of the Soundscape system, or as a conventional sub array for CULTVR’s more traditional performance-based events.

The design was not straightforward, as Holloway-Nahum explains. “The biggest difficulty was that the dome reaches quite low down, so we had to be careful not to place speakers in positions that blocked, or cast shadows from, the projectors.”

Another obstacle was that the dome is too thick for speakers to be placed behind it. As a result, the ‘ring’ had to be set relatively low, at just 8.4 feet (2.55m), presenting challenges in covering each audience member with more than one speaker.

“To address this,” says Holloway-Nahum, “we made a change to the initial system design, from the E8, which has 90-degree rotatable dispersion, to the 5S, with its 100-degree conical dispersion. We also worked with the team there to achieve every last centimeter of height that we could.”

“This is a spectacular venue for anyone who wants to experience how top-quality spatial audio can come together with stunning visuals to create a truly immersive experience," Holloway-Nahum concluded. "We’re thrilled to see, support and work with partners like CULTVR who recognize just how much value top-quality audio adds to the experience.”

Located near the foothills of California's San Gabriel Mountains, Claremont McKenna College (CMC) is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, CA, and home to 1,300 students. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2025 Best US Colleges rankings rated Claremont McKenna as the 5th-best overall college or university and the best liberal arts college in the nation. When the college’s gym could no longer adequately serve the college’s expanding varsity programs, the school decided to build a new athletic center—Roberts Pavilion with a sound system enhance by LEA Professional amplifiers and dbTechnologies loudspeakers.

[SCN Installation Showcase 2025]

Groundbreaking for Roberts Pavilion took place in Spring 2014, and the building officially opened for recreational use in August 2016. It has become a central hub for CMC and the Claremont–Mudd–Scripps athletic community, offering facilities for varsity sports, fitness, physical education, and campus-wide events. However, the audio in the event arena no longer met the student body’s needs, so the college embarked on a project to improve the intelligibility and audio experience in the arena.

The staff at Roberts Pavilion reached out to Kevin Laymon, an engineer with Western Audio Visual, to upgrade the audio system in the event arena. Laymon promptly included LEA Professional amplifiers in the retrofit plan and contacted Geer Tech, the manufacturer's representative, to help with the installation.

“Basketball courts and other sports facilities are very challenging acoustic environments,” said Laymon. “We wanted to keep the direct court energy as close to the listener as possible, so we developed a distributed loudspeaker design with 23 loudspeaker locations. This required a different approach for amplification as well, so we turned to amplifiers from LEA Professional.

“LEA Professional was the obvious choice for this project,” said Alyssa Ishi, applications engineer at Geer Tech. “Its flexibility to support unique spaces, combined with the power of the Cloud, made all the difference. The students at Claremont College deserve exceptional sound quality, and that’s exactly what they now experience every day.”

Western A/V installed eight Connect Series 704D-ADSP amplifiers and 2 Connect Series 1504D amplifiers to drive 67 dbTechnologies IS Series loudspeakers around the arena, as well as 12 subwoofers. The 4-channel 704D-ADSP provides 700 watts per channel, while the 4-channel 1504D provides 1500 watts per channel. Both IoT-enabled amplifiers are equipped with 96 kHz-capable Dante and AES67 connectivity options, support Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z selectable by channel, and feature Smart Power Bridge technology. In addition, the CS704D-ADSP includes advanced DSP with 96 kHz linear phase FIR crossover filters, acoustically transparent look ahead RMS and peak limiters, and 32-bit floating-point DSP with built-in sample rate converters. .

Besides varsity matchups, the main arena is a versatile, configurable event space ideal for intramural or club competitions, campus convocations, speeches, concerts, and more. “Taming the reverberation in a gym isn’t easy—the high ceilings, hard bleachers, and parquet floors make it challenging for high intelligibility,” said Laymon. “That said, the project turned out great, as was working with Geer Tech and LEA Professional. I wish all my interactions with manufacturers were as enjoyable.”

Set against the backdrop of the Swiss Alps is Klangwelt Toggenburg, a cultural center that offers a unique blend of architecture, nature and sound. A new Klanghaus and Peter Roth Resonance Centre (Resonanzzentrum) invite visitors to engage with sound in an entirely new way. The Resonance Centre houses the Klangdom, Switzerland's first sound dome, equipped with 33 Genelec Smart IP loudspeakers to deliver an innovative auditory journey.

[Pro AV: By the Numbers 2025]

Blending architecture with acoustic design, the Klangdom celebrates sound by capturing textures and rhythms typically found only in nature — from overtone singing to whistling wind — carefully designed through 3D recordings and spatial compositions to immerse listeners in the sonic environment of Toggenburg. The project was spearheaded by Idee und Klang, a Swiss audio design company with a successful history of collaboration with Klangwelt. “Our existing partnership resulted in us being invited to join the latest project,” said Ramon De Marco, sound sceneographer at Idee und Klang. “The concept was extraordinary, but bringing it to life presented a real challenge. There were many discussions about what the project would be.”

The Peter Roth Resonance Centre is an introduction to Klanghaus and the world of sound. On the third floor, the Klangdom overlooks the views of the natural Swiss landscape and offers an interactive audio experience. “The Klangdom was conceived as a dedicated space for listening,” he stated. “The aim is to guide visitors into the essence of sound—sometimes contemplative and meditative, sometimes ecological and cultural.

developed the technical concept, alongside Arev Imer, a freelance audio engineer. Per De Marco, due to the architectural and acoustical complexities of the dome, a sound system was needed that could overcome these challenges, which led to Genelec from the very beginning. It delivers the perfect combination of studio-quality audio, precise performance, and enduring reliability.

The dome consists of three metal rings mounted with loudspeakers to create a dynamic listening environment. During the installation, the rings offered limited cable access, causing unexpected complexities. “Due to the motion of the rings, careful acoustic planning was essential to achieving the desired result,” said De Marco. “From experience, I know that planning is just as critical as the loudspeakers themselves. In this case, the Smart IP models proved invaluable thanks to their single-cable design.”

Thirty-three 4430 Smart IP loudspeakers were strategically installed in the Klangdom, bringing to life an immersive three-dimensional soundscape. “I’ve been familiar with Genelec loudspeakers for a while,” said Imer. “I was excited to work with the 4430 model, particularly due to its Dante and AES67 networking capabilities.” Eight 4430s were mounted on each of the top and bottom rings, while sixteen were mounted on a larger ring in the middle. Plus, one central ‘Voice of God’ loudspeaker was installed at the top of the dome.

Loudspeakers were grouped into small hubs on the rings, with each hub delivering a distinct layer of audio that can grow into an immersive soundscape within the dome. “Using Dante Controller and Virtual Soundcard, we identified, named, and routed the loudspeakers, and with the help of Smart IP Manager, we achieved a flat frequency response complementing the room’s acoustic treatment,” explained Imer. Idee und Klang mixed all the audio for the Klangdom, utilizing the loudspeaker hub configuration for precise and dynamic distribution of sound, enhancing the overall immersion and spatiality of the experience.

“Every hour, a 15-minute introduction is played through the loudspeakers, alternating between two different versions,” said De Marco. “Both begin with a poetic journey—from the origin of sound to the present—combining custom 3D recordings with archival material.” The first introduction draws the listener’s attention to soundscapes and acoustic ecology, immersing them in the sonic environment of Toggenburg. The second emphasises natural music, such as overtone singing. “It is planned that the system will be used for spatial compositions, generative ambisonic textures, and commissioned works that explore the full 33-channel setup of the loudspeakers,” he added.

“This project was an incredible opportunity to work on an immersive, publicly accessible multichannel listening space,” said Imer. “Unlike conventional environments, this installation invites visitors into a space dedicated entirely to the art of listening.”

“Free of visual distractions, the dome highlights listening as an embodied, collective act," De Marco concluded, "one where space itself becomes the instrument and sound is a bridge between people, culture, and environment.”

Located in Norfolk, VA, Old Dominion University (ODU) has continually invested in classroom technology innovation and tools to enhance teaching and learning for both in-person and remote students. In the wake of hybrid and online learning becoming a fixture in higher education, the university faced a growing challenge of capturing lectures with professional-grade quality at scale without adding complexity or staff. Enter AVer, and its lecture capture camera as part of the solution.

[SCN Installation Showcase 2025]

ODU’s classroom technology team set out to find a camera system capable of reliably tracking instructors during lectures, labs and presentations. The university required a camera that would operate without interruption, integrate seamlessly into existing classroom systems, and provide plug-and-play functionality. The faculty could not be expected to adjust equipment mid-lecture and the IT teams had to deploy technology that would scale across hundreds of rooms without requiring intensive training or ongoing support.

After evaluating multiple options, ODU was recommended AVer Information as a solution provider. AVer’s TR315 AI Auto Tracking Camera quickly seemed to be the right fit, with its built-in, hardware-based auto-tracking, which eliminated the need for external software or processors. The TR315’s architecture aligned perfectly with ODU’s requirement for simplicity and reliability across hundreds of classrooms. ODU ultimately chose AVer’s TR315 as its primary lecture capture camera and has since deployed thousands of TR315 units across campus, making it one of the largest higher-education installations for AVer’s TR315.

Designed for professional-grade environments, the TR315 features an 8MP sensor and 4K 60 fps video capabilities to deliver crystal-clear images that accurately capture instructors and content in dynamic teaching environments. The TR315’s 12X optical zoom with precision PTZ ensures instructors remain sharp and visible even from the back of the lecture hall while allowing students to see details on whiteboards, slides or lab demonstrations. With simultaneous USB, HDMI and IP outputs, the TR315 integrates seamlessly into a wide variety of workflows, from lecture capture to live streaming.

The TR315’s AI-driven tracking modes, including Presenter Tracking, Zone Tracking, and Hybrid Tracking, adapt to multiple teaching styles, allowing the camera to follow the instructor fluidly, prioritize teaching areas such as whiteboards or podiums or intelligently combine both approaches. By embedding advanced AI tracking directly into the camera hardware, the TR315 eliminates the need for camera operators or external computing power, reducing operational costs and points of failure while enabling instructors to focus on teaching rather than technology.

ODU’s classroom technology team undertook a phased rollout of the TR315 to ensure seamless integration with existing audio-visual systems. The camera’s plug-and-play design allowed rapid installation without disruptive construction or extensive cabling. Once installed, faculty could immediately begin teaching without additional training or adjustments.

“The overall quality of our lecture captures has greatly increased since we implemented the AVer cameras," Dwayne Smith, executive director, digital integration environment for ODU, explained. "Faculty are impressed with its tracking ability. The fact that it keeps them in frame during the whole class is very impressive.”

In large lecture halls, Presenter Mode reliably followed instructors as they moved between podiums, whiteboards and student seating areas. In laboratory settings, Zone Mode ensured cameras focused on critical workstations or equipment. The flexibility allowed ODU to standardize on a single camera model across diverse teaching spaces, giving faculty the freedom to move naturally around the classroom while remaining perfectly in frame. The TR315’s ability to adapt to different teaching styles transformed the way hybrid teaching was experienced at the university and enabled ODU to deliver consistent, high-quality video across all its instructional environments.

Since implementing AVer TR315 cameras, ODU has experienced positive results. The high-resolution, stable video from the TR315 provides remote students with an experience comparable to being in the room, enhancing accessibility and engagement. Faculty are able to teach with greater confidence and satisfaction, experiencing less distraction and more freedom to move, which has resulted in more natural and dynamic instruction. The elimination of external processors and camera operators has reduced technical complexity and support requirements. By providing consistent, high-quality content, both in-person and remote learners benefit from an equitable educational experience.

AVer’s partnership with ODU extends beyond hardware. “Working with AVer has been amazing,” Smith emphasized. “AVer’s support team is approachable and always willing to go the extra mile to provide solutions. AVer's engineering team even developed a custom firmware update to deliver a feature we requested—a level of support that’s increasingly rare in the industry.

“We have found AVer’s products to be consistently solid and reliable, with support that is truly second to none," Smith concluded. "Our experience with AVer has been outstanding, and we view them as a trusted partner in delivering the best learning experience for our students and faculty.”

Since first opening in 2002, Texas Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie has seen a variety of name changes: Texas ShowPlace, NextStage Performance Theater, Nokia Live, Verizon Theatre, and its current moniker, after Texas Trust Credit Union acquired the venue’s naming rights in 2021. The 6,350-capacity live performance hall is quite familiar with L-Acoustics, having a V-DOSC loudspeaker system installed there by Onstage Systems more than a decade ago. Now, the city-owned and AEG-operated indoor theater has upgraded its audio facilities with a modern L-Acoustics K2 concert sound system.

[SCN Top 50 Systems Integrators 2025]

“When looking for a new PA, L-Acoustics was the first contender on a very short list, and it was a very brief deliberation before deciding to stick with the ‘sure thing’ and a proven track record that is accepted on every rider,” said Tyler Johnston, Dallas operations manager for LD Systems, a Clair Global brand, which acquired Onstage’s equipment inventories earlier this year. “The venue’s V-DOSC system continued to deliver solid performance after more than a decade of service. However, as touring acts increasingly arrived with K2 systems, upgrading to match current industry standards became the logical next step—allowing the venue to offer seamless integration while maintaining the L-Acoustics reliability they’d come to trust.”

Working with L-Acoustics Soundvision and the manufacturer’s Application team, Johnston designed the new system, which now features main arrays of 12 K2 per side, each backed by a hang of six KS28 subwoofers in a cardioid configuration. These are augmented by four KS21 subs on each side of the stage, located below the mains, while coaxial X8i are spread out across the stage lip as front-fills.

L-Acoustics A15 enclosures are deployed for a center vocal array, as well as wide/out-fill arrays, with eight more A15 clusters flown from a delay ring addressing the upper balcony seating area. The entire PA is powered by LA7.16i amplified controllers, aside from the subs, which are LA12X-driven. The system also features a P1 processor and LS10 Milan-AVB front end that is fully redundant. For stage monitoring, the venue now offers a collection of X15 HiQ wedges and A15/KS21 side-fills, while a pair of DiGiCo Quantum3³⁸ FOH and monitor consoles round out the new gear complement.

The Soundvision design’s final result is a system that offers across-the-board improvements in power, fidelity, dispersion, and physical size. “We went from 15 boxes in the previous system to 12 per side, because of the vertical and horizontal coverage pattern of K2, and still got better coverage,” Johnston noted. “Single-box resolution on the LA7.16i amplified controllers allowed for optimal filtering from the top to the bottom of the arrays, providing very even coverage and tonal response throughout the venue. The delay ring is quite robust and those ‘cheap seats’ actually sound great now with overlapping A15 clusters hitting every inch of the balcony, while still getting some of the power and ‘feel’ from the big K2 and KS28 arrays at the stage.”

Johnston proudly reports that he’s already heard numerous positive comments about the “consistency of coverage and how there are no longer any bad-sounding seats,” he said. “And, of course, the rider acceptance is great. When your tech pack reads ‘K2 PA, X15 wedges, and Quantum338 desks’, there’s no pushback from any touring artist. The cost and hassle savings of not having to constantly negotiate removing house gear has been a huge boost to their operations, and their new K2 setup was absolutely the right choice for them moving forward.”

For Amanda West, AEG Presents’ director of production, the new system’s enhancements in fidelity and coverage were immediately noticeable. “The sound quality in the balcony and far reaches of the theater is striking—every patron is truly hearing the same concert,” she says. “Another big plus is that touring engineers are all really pleased with what we have to offer and enjoy mixing their shows in our space.”

Roger Gates, the venue’s operations manager for AEG Presents, also appreciates K2’s sonic performance. “Alan Parsons played a concert here, and it sounded absolutely amazing,” he said. “Alan is known for his studio magic and attention to detail when it comes to sound and the listening audience’s experience, and he did not disappoint when he performed on our new system. It was probably as close to his studio sound as you can possibly get, and both our guests and staff were floored by the quality of the audio.

“And there are many other similar examples,” he continued. “Dwight Yoakam played a great show, and his acoustic guitar was bright and up front in the mix. More recently, we hosted tribute act Brit Floyd, and the room sounded incredible with everything you’d expect from listening to Pink Floyd’s music. All of the details were clear and bright, with no muddiness or loss of fidelity. One could have easily confused the sound for a high-quality, well-mixed live recording. That’s a huge compliment, not only to the band and their engineer, but also our new K2 system, which delivers excellent sound quality throughout the entire theatre with no dead spots or gaps, even in the highest corners of the space.”

Curtin Singapore has transformed three adjacent classrooms into a fully reconfigurable teaching environment powered by Extron’s NAV Pro AV over IP system. Part of the university’s long-term commitment to hybrid education and efficient space utilization, the project, led by integrator AV-Science Marketing Pte, delivers a divisible classroom solution that supports three independent sessions, paired combinations, or a fully merged environment. Extron’s NAV System provides the flexibility, reliability, and ease of use required to maximize functionality within limited physical space.

[High Marks for AVoIP]

The goal of the project was ambitious: convert three standard classrooms into a reconfigurable space capable of supporting three distinct layouts: individual (1:1:1), partial merge (1:2), or full combination (3). The system had to be efficient, intuitive, and reliable enough for instructors to manage without technical assistance, while also meeting the university’s baseline standards for hybrid instruction.

Signal routing and room control logic had to be dynamically adjustable in order to match the room configuration at any given time. At the same time, each zone needed to offer the full suite of AV resources, including PTZ cameras, document cameras, wireless microphones, ceiling speakers, projectors, and flat panel displays. To complicate matters further, all of this functionality had to be delivered in a compact footprint that respected the spatial limitations of the existing classroom layout.

At the core of Curtin Singapore’s divisible classroom solution is Extron’s NAV Pro AV over IP system, the only no-compromise AV-over-IP platform specifically engineered for enterprise-scale deployments. NAV allowed the university to consolidate three classrooms into a fully flexible AV environment that can be divided or merged in real time. The system ensures signal integrity, system responsiveness, and user simplicity.

“Extron AV systems are very easy to use. From an integration standpoint, their architecture allowed us to solve what could’ve been a very complex routing problem," said Bertrand Seah, general manager, AV-Science Marketing Pte. "More importantly, instructors can walk into the space, tap a few buttons, and everything works.”

The installation features NAV E 121 encoders and NAV SD 101 scaling decoders for low-latency, visually lossless 4K/60 4:4:4 transmission, managed by the NAVigator System Manager for centralized configuration and monitoring. Control is handled by Extron TLP Pro 1025T TouchLink Pro touchpanels and an IPCP Pro 250 xi processor, while audio is supported by a DMP 128 Plus digital signal processor, XPA U 1004 amplifiers, and SF 26CT ceiling speakers. With additional integration of DTP HDMI 4K extenders, MediaPort 200, and PTZ cameras, the system seamlessly supports hybrid learning and conferencing. According to Curtin Singapore, the installation was completed in three months with minimal disruption, enabling instructors to adapt instantly to changing room layouts while maintaining clear communication and consistent AV performance.

Linfield University has implemented Chyron's cloud-native Chyron LIVE to provide high-production-value coverage of its athletic events. Chyron LIVE’s all-in-one, feature-rich production environment includes camera switching, audio mixing, live graphics overlays (names, scores, stats, headshots, and more), illustrated replay and clip playback. Chyron Creative Services provided a custom-built control panel, making game-day operation even easier.

[How the Texas Rangers Upped Their Broadcast Game]

“Linfield Athletics Communications is very excited to embark on a partnership with Chyron Live, introducing an innovative production platform within all Linfield Sports Network streaming webcasts,” said Linfield athletics marketing and events coordinator, Kelly Bird. “We view live video and streaming as the next battlefield of athletic communications. Over the last decade, the demand for high quality livestream broadcasts has increased as fans of our programs and family members of our student-athletes expect to be able to follow our programs in real time no matter where in the world they may be. At Linfield, we strive to be a leader at the small-college level in providing top-quality production values and broadcasts.”

“We turned the whole project around very quickly. By delivering graphics, data integration and a control panel, our talented team of designers is the secret sauce to a seamless launch,” said Stephen Hamilton, Chyron LIVE sales director. “While Chyron LIVE comes with a set of graphics that may be rebranded for any organization or event, we were happy to provide Linfield with their own unique graphics package built to integrate with their data sources, including scoreboard data and team rosters.”

With a handful of Linfield soccer games already successfully produced  with Chyron LIVE, the organization now has its sights on also covering basketball, wrestling, baseball, softball, handball and lacrosse with this versatile system. Single or multiple AWS Cloud production environments with Chyron LIVE can be activated at any time, making it easy to scale up or down and align costs directly with certain programs, events and revenue. 

Downstream of the Chyron-driven live production, FloSports takes the produced video and manages distribution for live game-day viewing and social media content for a seamless end-to-end workflow.

“When we learned this summer that our conference was moving to a paywall model with a partnership with streaming service FloSports, we knew we needed to step up our game even more to ensure viewer satisfaction,” said Joe Stuart, Linfield broadcast operations coordinator. “Chyron allows us to do that, providing the means for both experienced crew members and novice student employees to efficiently produce high-quality streams. The team at Chyron has been fantastic, understanding our needs from a small-college communications department perspective and working tirelessly to meet them. As one of Chyron’s first small-college clients, they’ve allowed us to continue to raise the bar and set Linfield apart from the rest of the pack with some of the best livestream broadcasts at the NCAA Division III level.”

The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry in London, Ontario, places an emphasis on experiential learning and research to prepare future physicians, dentists, and scientists to lead in their fields. In an effort to address chronic maintenance challenges associated with outdated UC equipment, the school set out to modernize its technology infrastructure with the help of Sennheiser TeamConnect solutions, including the TeamConnect (TC) Bar M collaboration bar, as well as the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 (TCC 2) and TeamConnect Ceiling Medium (TCC M) microphones. ​The goal was to reduce the need for on-site support and improve long-term system reliability.

[SCN Installation Showcase 2025]

The previous systems were prone to sporadic failures and required complex troubleshooting protocols, resulting in constant need for tech intervention in lecture halls, seminar rooms, and collaboration spaces, which created substantial and costly disruption to classes and essential recordings. ​"Prior to our current setup, we had used products that required a significant amount of support," David Creces, team leader, educational technology and media services at Schulich, explained. "[It was] leaps and bounds more than what the Sennheiser fleet we now have requires, which is practically zero."

As the UC equipment aged, classroom startups became increasingly unreliable, leading to frequent interruptions that disrupted instruction. This resulted in a dip in faculty confidence as well as an increase in operating costs, as IT staff spent more time maintaining outdated systems than supporting strategic initiatives. To address these challenges, the department sought a solution that would restore reliability, improve user confidence, and reduce the time and expense associated with ongoing maintenance.

The school chose to deploy Sennheiser’s TC Bar M, TCC 2 and TCC M across Schulich’s core teaching facilities, recognizing their ability to function as a unified, intelligent ecosystem, rather than simply a collection of disparate hardware components. The deployment included six TC Bar M units installed across small to medium collaboration spaces, 16 TCC M microphones in both medium collaboration rooms and classrooms, and eight TCC 2 microphones integrated into mid to large classrooms—establishing a consistent, scalable audio experience across the entire facility. This decision was largely driven by the quality of the sound capture, the solutions’ simple integration capabilities, and a design philosophy centered on intuitive, automated functionality.

The addition of the TCC 2 and TCC M microphones in concert with the TC Bar M played a pivotal role in enhancing Schulich’s AV infrastructure. The ceiling microphones’ advanced beamforming technology ensures the active speaker is always heard, regardless of his or her position within the room. For rooms installed with the TCC M, its Intelligent Noise Control feature significantly improved audio clarity, even in acoustically challenging environments with aging HVAC systems. The ceiling-mounted design delivered consistent, evenly distributed sound capture throughout classrooms and collaboration spaces, ensuring that instructors and participants were heard clearly from any location in the room. These ceiling mics not only elevated the technical sophistication of Schulich’s hybrid learning setup but also helped restore faculty confidence in classroom technology. The strategic mix of collaboration bar and ceiling microphone solutions enabled Schulich to tailor Sennheiser’s technology footprint to the acoustic and spatial demands of each environment, maintaining uniform quality whether in compact meeting spaces or lecture halls accommodating larger audiences.

For the IT team responsible for mass deployment, the TC Bar M offered high functionality with minimal setup complexity, proving its worth as a "plug-and-play" solution. A key benefit was its straightforward operation and ability to function consistently without manual intervention. "The sound quality is simply fantastic, and the features are equally excellent," Creces noted. "The user can install the TeamConnect Bar M and use it as is—or install it and customize it to their space. Deploying Sennheiser was a no-brainer for us and has been a complete and total win.”

The deployment of the TC Bar M immediately benefited faculty by enhancing the professional quality of their lectures, as features like dynamic speaker tracking and automatic framing ensured the lecturer was always clearly visible and centered. This capability facilitates a natural presentation style, allowing instructors to connect with remote learners effectively. “This elevated level of performance has truly improved both communication sophistication and communication awareness, transforming the remote learning experience,” shared Creces.

The successful utilization of the Sennheiser TeamConnect solutions yielded rapid, strategic gains for Schulich, proving their long-term value as critical infrastructure upgrades. The most compelling and impactful metric was the complete termination of support inquiries related to the AV fleet, establishing a new benchmark for system reliability. This lack of issues validates the decision to prioritize quality and durability, with Creces reporting, "We haven't had any service calls for this product. Actually, we have never had one single ticket related to a Sennheiser microphone or TC bar." This zero-ticket result represents significant savings in labor costs and maximizes valuable hours of uninterrupted class time.

The Sennheiser solutions have effectively freed up the IT team’s time and resources by providing a dependable platform that simply works. Consequently, the TeamConnect solutions now provide a reliable foundation for the future, giving the IT department confidence that expanding the deployment to new buildings and renovated spaces will be straightforward and predictable. With 30 individual Sennheiser solutions now networked and actively monitored through Sennheiser Control Cockpit, the Schulich IT team can oversee performance, firmware updates, and room status at scale—reinforcing the simplicity and reliability that drove the original decision to standardize on the platform.

By definitively solving the problems of reliability and complexity, the Sennheiser TeamConnect solutions have empowered Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry to shift its IT focus from reactive problem-solving to proactive support of its core academic mission. Based on the fleet’s exceptional, zero-downtime performance, the Schulich IT department offers an unqualified endorsement to other higher education institutions, with Creces stating, "I absolutely would recommend this setup. Sennheiser has built an incredible, reliable ecosystem with the TC Bars and microphones. We consider our experience—related to our Sennheiser products—a 100% success.”

Desperately needing to expand its classroom facilities but faced with little available space and aging infrastructure, John Abbott College, a relatively small, 8,000-student public general and professional institution in Montreal, Quebec, had to get creative. Instead of breaking ground on a new building, the school brought in 32 mobile home-sized modular units and connected them to create 13 new classrooms.

It’s a novel housing idea that’s sweeping across Canada and helped save time and money completing the new addition. The unique classrooms, each about 1,200 square feet in size, are now up and running at the school’s new Maple Hall building, where systems integrator AVI-SPL Canada (Quebec) leveraged a newly installed IP network to equip the classrooms with a variety of AV over IP technologies from Kramer AV.

Installing and testing all the AV equipment was completed in four months. Initial Cat 6 wiring started in September 2024, and students began using the new rooms in January.

“The extensive features of AV over IP make it easier to use and provide more value than traditional point-to-point setups,” said Marc Porlier, regional sales manager, Eastern Canada, at Kramer AV. “The technology enhances the learning experience by offering versatile and scalable AV solutions. AV over IP technology is straightforward to install, reducing setup time and complexity. Its flexible deployment options allow for seamless integration into various educational environments, accommodating different teaching styles and classroom configurations.”

Invisible to Learning

There’s now a new Kramer KT-208 8-inch control panel and a preview monitor at each teacher’s podium at the front of the room, driving an 86-inch SMART Technologies interactive screen and another 86-inch LG monitor. The smart display allows teachers to annotate, draw, and manipulate content in real time, making lessons more interactive and visually appealing. Students can also interact with the display, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

Signals are distributed over the IP network to enable different sources to be displayed both from the teacher’s laptop and other classrooms. While each classroom is operating as a separate identity at the moment, there have been some use cases of two rooms sharing resources simultaneously.

“The system handles a lot of the guesswork the teachers used to have to think about,” said Ryan Forster, coordinator, end user experiences at John Abbott College, who spearheaded the design and management of the classroom technology project. “So, we've simplified what they have to do to set up their lessons, but we're also trying something that's going to allow us to scale differently.

"We used to treat every classroom as an individual room, but now we've got the foundation for multi-screen environments. So, teachers can very easily split apart their activity. They can have this source on this screen for this group, and this source is on that screen for another group. The flexibility is really what attracted us to using IP.”

Kramer AV technology is not new to Forster, having worked with them on several projects at the college and nearly 100 traditional classrooms. They enjoy the simplicity of the technology for the end user and the ease of setting it all up.

“The exciting part is that video over IP will technically allow us to go from any encoder to any decoder on our campus, and we can realistically start to send content anywhere we need it to go very quickly and easily,” said Forster. “When we spoke to Kramer about the type of technology we wanted to use, we told them, ‘The best design for our purposes is almost no design.’ We want the technology to be very seamless for our teachers and not get in the way of their lessons.”

A key aspect of the new system is the implementation of comprehensive IP system control, which enables school administrators to quickly learn to seamlessly operate AV features, as well as room lighting and window shade positioning. For Forster, this allows them to make system adjustments without needing to call on the integrator for assistance. Plus, motion sensors automatically shut down the system when no movement is tracked for a given period, which results in significant energy savings.

“For us, this was a quick and easy install,” said Kevin McCoubrey, senior account manager at AVI-SPL. “The customer was prepared for us to come in, and the entire project was well planned from the beginning.”

New Yet Familiar

Most of the rooms at John Abbott College are traditional setups with a single podium and wall screen at the front, which McCoubrey called a "very closed" system. Now, they have a standard regular display for the content as well as an interactive display. Teachers can write annotations on their laptops that are seen on the larger display for the students. Plus, the Kramer control panel supports various multimedia formats, enabling teachers to incorporate videos, images, and other digital resources into their lessons.

A rack in each podium includes a small AV switch for video sources and audio levels. A Kramer AV audio amplifier powers everything. The college kept the familiar scenario of a podium with a laptop connection, but now there is much more flexibility thanks to the internal IP network.

Beyond the flexibility, officials also wanted something they could program on their own. Forster and the assigned IT project team worked with Kramer AV product engineers to create streamlined user interface software that runs on the Kramer tablet displays on the podiums, which teachers can operate without extensive training.

While there was a bit of coding software that was required, Forster said he didn’t want the teachers getting involved at that level. “I expect my teachers to come in and start their lesson right away,” he said. “For them, a minute lost or five minutes lost to technology is a problem. I don't want to have to get a call for a class in session and have to dispatch somebody and sort something out. So far, the systems have been very reliable and the teachers have taken to them quite easily."

Each room also has either six or eight Kramer Galil 6-C ceiling speakers. “We were a little concerned about the 8-foot height of the new rooms,” said McCoubrey, “but it all worked out fine.”

Another technology that’s used frequently is VIA GO, Kramer's device-agnostic streaming product, which is used by teachers and students for streaming up to 4K content from a phone, computer, or tablet to the big screens. The product gives iOS, Android, Chromebook, PC, and Mac users instant wireless connectivity with 4K advanced presentation capabilities.

“This is the type of device that I would see one per input so that I could have four or five student groups broken out and each working on their own screen,” Forster explained. “They can simply cast your content to the screens and they’re good to go. And then the teacher could remotely or from her panel share that with up to all five and say, ‘Guys, look at what Team One has done,’ and display that around the room.”

Networked Success

The AV over IP system at John Abbott College accommodates group-based work that doesn’t get in the way of teaching, which was the goal with the technology from the beginning. Plus, it supports the future expansion of AV options. For example, in the case of a class where a guest presenter attracts more attendees than the main classroom can accommodate, the system can easily connect additional rooms to handle the overflow.

With the initial success they’ve had, Forster said they will certainly add more networking to the college’s existing facilities soon. He sees it as the future of educational facilities around the world.

“I think there are two perspectives here on why an AVoIP infrastructure works so well for us, one from a pedagogical perspective and then one from the IT perspective,” he said. “The pedagogical perspective is looking for flexibility. And they want to expand and grow based on the needs that they have today, which might be different than yesterday or tomorrow. A classroom that was previously assigned to business students might be needed by the social scientists. Things can change rapidly, and the room needs to be able to accommodate those changes.

“From an IT perspective, if we don't have to pull everything else out and redesign from scratch, that's a win,” he continued. “So, by putting in a scalable system versus one that's point-to-point and does one job but really can't do anything else, that's an advantage from a resource perspective and a timing perspective. It offers a future-proof way to approach classroom spaces or teaching and learning spaces."

Walmart has chosen Marshall Electronics cameras for use across its brand-new corporate campus studios and event center. The installation includes Marshall CV568 Miniature Global Cameras with CV-4804.4-12MP lenses, RCP-PLUS Controllers and several CV-BSE-10FT Hirose Breakout Cables, all deployed to support high-quality production throughout the facility.

[Premium Podcasting]

The new campus features a dedicated radio studio designed for podcasting, where six Marshall CV568 cameras capture coverage of hosts and guests. Two additional cameras are deployed throughout the facility as needed, including the TV studio, conference spaces and the 1,550-seat auditorium, supporting live events, internal broadcasts and musical performances.

“Marshall’s cameras have been instrumental in helping us expand our production capabilities,” said Dave Magnia, chief engineer, AV/broadcast engineering-CRE at Walmart. “They’re small, unobtrusive and versatile, so we can put them anywhere. The interchangeable lenses are also a game-changer, allowing us to pick the right lens for the right application.”

These flexible setups allow Walmart to record podcast-style interviews with celebrity guests in the radio studio as well as capture musical performances and wide shots of live bands in the main auditorium. Walmart also uses the auditorium cameras to capture its iconic “morning meetings,” company-wide pep rallies that celebrate achievements, highlight the corporate culture and recognize long-term associates.

Walmart’s media and events team also relies on Marshall’s camera controllers to simplify operations and maximize efficiency. “The RCP-PLUS controller is extremely easy to use. At one recent event, we had a camera set up in under five minutes,” explained Magnia. “That’s critical for our team when we’re managing a long punch list ahead of a major event.”

Magnia also emphasized Walmart’s long-standing relationship with Marshall Electronics. “We’ve trusted Marshall for decades. The products are reliable, and the support is outstanding. It’s just a great company to work with,” he shared.

The Marshall CV568 Miniature HD Camera with Global Shutter and Genlock Sync features is built around an 1/1.8-inch Sony global sensor with 25% larger pixels and interchangeable M12 lens mount (comes with a 4.4mm-84 degrees).

The RCP Plus Camera Controller is designed to enhance production capabilities and streamline workflows. This advanced controller empowers users to seamlessly mix and match Serial and IP camera control, allowing for customized configurations where both types can be easily programmed to adjacent buttons.

With its combination of portability, lens flexibility and simple control, Marshall technology is helping Walmart deliver engaging experiences to employees and audiences across its new campus.

Digital media design studio Exhibitry created an immersive art installation to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of Purdue University’s College of Engineering using LED video technology from SNA Displays. Digital Dreams provided LED installation services.

[SNA Displays Supports a Brave New Vision]

The digital experience, located in the Herman & Heddy Kurz Atrium at Armstrong Hall, was designed to represent the engineering college’s three core virtues: innovation, ingenuity, and vibrancy. The video wall uses anamorphic creative to feature three of the most consequential Purdue engineers: Neil Armstrong, Amelia Earhart, and Lillian Gilbreth, the “First Lady of Engineering.”

“[We designed] the content to play with your sense of perspective, so from a particular viewing angle, you see depth and shadow and highlights that bring objects off the screen,” said Tracy Evans, president of Exhibitry. “It's an engineered approach to animation that uses digital magic tricks to affect visual perception and bring dimensionality to what is actually 2D content.”

From a certain perspective in the hall’s atrium, indicated by a sticker on the floor, viewers can relive Armstrong’s “small step” on the moon, watch Earhart depart a hangar in her Lockheed 10-E Electra, immerse themselves in Gilbreth’s groundbreaking motion-tracking studies, and experience John M. Atalla’s many inventions, including the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), the most frequently manufactured device in history. Peppered between these animations are content pieces unique to the school’s College of Engineering, such as Purdue AI Racing’s autonomous race car and Purdue Space Program’s rocket launch.

“It's a celebration of Purdue's commitment to innovation, discovery, and storytelling,” Evans continued. “For students and faculty, especially those in engineering, it's a real-world example of how disciplines intersect, where the visual arts, computer science, and structural engineering meet. The content of the wall honors Purdue's legacy while highlighting the latest advances and how the university is shaping the future. If you're part of the Purdue community, this wall is something you won't want to miss.”

Mounted flush within the brick wall above a doorway, the 1.8mm BRILLIANT Interior LED displays measures 7.9x13.9 feet (1,260x2,240 pixels) and processes more than 2.8 million. The content management system was designed to receive live input for presentations during events, and it integrates audio outputs for event speakers and Exhibtry’s content.

“While designed primarily to play pre-scheduled content, the CMS design and inclusion of live input panels allows for a wide range of experiences, including live events,” said William Kelly, senior project manager at SNA Displays. “It’s an excellent example of the versatility of LED display technology when paired with the right backend system and software. You can adapt it to just about any situation, giving the end user options they may not have even thought of at first.”

WSDG has successfully completed work on a Dolby Atmos control room for the Centre des Musiques Actuelles (CMA) in Geneva. CMA includes the École des Musiques Actuelles (EMA), a contemporary music school offering training in pop, rock, jazz, and other modern genres. The facility spans more than 32,00 square feet over two floors and features 45 classrooms, a 300-seat auditorium, a 200-person club, and state-of-the-art recording and production facilities.

[A Study in Flexibility]

The concept for both the Dolby Atmos control room and the immersive Ansermet Auditorium was initiated by Ladislav Agabekov, sound engineer and technical director at CMA. The project, part of EMA's 38 million Swiss Franc facility renovation, began in January 2024 and was completed in early 2025, with final system calibrations taking place in March. WSDG served as the acoustic consultant for the Dolby Atmos control room, collaborating with Valentin Cattel from the local architectural firm Reynaud Gaillard Architects, who oversaw building integration and installation, and system integrator ACR Pro. The WSDG team for the project included Amin Nehmeh, Dirk Noy (partner, general manager Europe), Leandro Kirjner (director of production), and Silvia Molho (partner, art director), with the company’s Miami office responsible for handling the design aspects, determining geometry, colours, and materials.

The new, 215-square-foot control room serves as the technical heart of the school's comprehensive audio production facilities, enabling immersive audio recording, mixing, and post-production within their educational and performance complex.

“EMA wanted to create an Atmos mixing room with a 7.2.4 speaker system,” explained Amin Nehmeh, project engineer at WSDG. “With Dolby Atmos becoming increasingly prevalent in the industry, the client wanted to ensure they were at the cutting edge, which meant upgrading to the newest standards.”

The control room was designed to interface seamlessly with EMA's other facilities, particularly their 300-seat main auditorium, equipped with a d&b audiotechnik Soundscape system featuring 64 loudspeakers for immersive live sound reinforcement projects and performances.

“We are mainly focused on music production. When we produce a completely object-based live recording in the auditorium, we can immediately reproduce that for the artist in the control room as an immersive experience, and also create binaural content for streaming," Ladislav Agabekov, technical project manager at EMA elaborated. "It's very attractive for creative purposes, especially for classical musicians, electronic musicians, and the experimental music clients we frequently host.”

WSDG employed the NIRO (Non-cuboid Iterative Room Optimizer) developed by REDI Acoustics to optimize the acoustic qualities of the compact space. The room presented unique challenges due to its size.

The acoustic treatment engineered by WSDG includes strategically placed absorption panels behind the loudspeakers and around the soffit, specially designed ceiling clouds, and a stretch fabric ceiling with built-in insulation toward the rear of the room. A large diffusor occupies a significant portion of the back wall behind the sofa, helping to scatter reflections and enhance spatial clarity. The lower sections up to 60-80cm height feature Helmholtz absorbers for low-frequency control.

The loudspeaker setup features Genelec's "The Ones" 8361s as the main monitors, Genelec W371A subwoofers, and smaller POE-powered surrounds. The entire system is networked, utilizing Dante protocol and controlled via an Avid S4 controller and Pro Tools.

“The results now that I've been working in the room are very, very good,” Agabekov confirmed. “It's quite an impressive room in terms of its acoustic qualities, and I have two Dolby Atmos live projects that I’m excited to mix in there.”

Agabekov sees a bright future for immersive audio. “The Dolby Atmos format for music is not so well implemented in Switzerland as in the U.S. because we don't have the same caliber of major record labels, and we know that Apple's Spatial Audio or Dolby Atmos is mainly used by them for the time being. But we expect that it'll be democratized in the months and years to come.

"The EMA Geneva project represents an exciting evolution in professional audio facilities. What makes this project particularly special is how seamlessly the Atmos room integrates with our existing performance spaces. The collaborative spirit between all parties involved—from the architects to the WSDG team, the system integrators, and the school itself—created an environment where technical excellence could truly flourish.”

Brompton Technology's LED processing solutions are at the heart of a recently installed virtual production studio at Detroit Country Day School. The private, independent, co-educational school in Michigan is known for its innovative approach to liberal arts education.

[Brave New Vision]

The new innovative facility features a rack-mounted 4K Tessera SX40 LED video processor and two Tessera XD 10G data distribution units, powering a 26x8-foot INFiLED DBmk2 1.9mm pixel pitch LED volume. The system runs at a 4K resolution (3840x2160) and is already transforming educational experiences across grade levels.

“When we started researching the leaders in LED technology, Brompton rose to the top,” explained Mike Medvinsky, creative technologist at Detroit Country Day School. “All the major concerts and video production studios are run through Brompton, so they were our first choice.”

The xR Studio is part of a larger complex called 'The Studios' which includes a vodcasting studio and VR lab. The donor-led project represents a significant advancement in PreK-12 educational technology and creates opportunities for students to engage with professional-level production tools.

The Brompton Tessera LED processing platform offers critical features that have proven invaluable to the school's workflow. “One thing we use often is the color shaping in the Tessera software, fine-tuning the color in the studios with the color through the in-camera lighting,” noted Medvinsky. “It really helps when we can fine-tune the saturation or the gamma using the curves in the software itself to match what's in the studio.

“The OSCA (On-Screen Color Adjustment) feature in the software is fantastic when we're trying to edit something in real time, and being able to adjust the nits in the software is also useful," he continued. "We're really trying to match the analog color with the digital color, and the Tessera software has really helped fine-tune those capabilities.”

The installation came with comprehensive support from Brompton Technology, including on-site calibration and training. The studio's technical infrastructure, designed in collaboration with 4Wall Entertainment as the integration partner, includes a RED camera with Mo-Sys tracking system and Disguise media servers that work seamlessly with the Brompton LED processors.

“When the 1.9mm pixel pitch INFiLED tiles were installed, there was an instant difference in the quality of the LED assets that we were putting on the volume. Firstly, through the eye, and then through the camera. It made such a difference,” said Medvinsky.

The xR Studio is already being utilized across the curriculum, with students as young as prekindergarten creating content while learning about virtual production workflows. In one recent project, an 11th-grade student created a documentary about the Detroit riots of the late 1960s using the studio's virtual production capabilities.

Looking ahead, the school plans to further expand the system's potential, and is considering adding an LED floor within the next year or so to take full advantage of the space’s xR capabilities.

Will Jennings, senior project manager, who led both the design and installation on behalf of 4Wall, reflects on the system’s versatility. “The INFiLED tile with Brompton LED processing is a dynamic combination, creating gorgeous visuals in person, but more importantly, looks incredible on camera,” he said. “During the design process, we focused not only on how the tools will go together, but how to put full control in the hands of the volume operators. Brompton’s reliability and advanced feature set make it as obvious a choice in classrooms as it is on the set of a feature film.”

“We are incredibly proud to see our Tessera LED processing technology, alongside INFiLED’s display innovations and 4Wall’s expert integration, enabling the next generation of visual storytellers at Detroit Country Day School,” concluded Webster Moyle, technical sales manager at Brompton. “This installation represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking application of our technology that we love to support. Seeing students as young as prekindergarten engaging with professional-grade virtual production tools that are identical to those used in major Hollywood productions and concert tours is truly inspiring. We're committed to continuing our support of educational initiatives like this, that bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry-standard technology.”

Pulaski Road Elementary, part of the Riverhead Central School District in New York, recently underwent a significant renovation, with audio upgrades from SoundTube in its auditorium prioritized as a critical first step. The district wanted to create a highly intelligible environment suitable for announcements, presentations, and assemblies without compromising the space’s architectural character.

[Go Inside the Historic Carolina Theatre for a Projection Mapping Experience Like No Other]

“This space really needed a line array that could keep sound from bouncing around,” said Thomas DePace from Advance Sound Company, wich was brought in to lead the installation. “I needed something with width and tight vertical dispersion to maintain clarity all the way to the back of the room.”

The auditorium, originally designed as a multiuse recreation and performance space, featured intricate woodwork, shallow depth, and reverberant surfaces. Prior loudspeakers, including SX300s reused from a high school auditorium, failed to meet the school’s needs. With intelligibility as the primary requirement, the district turned to Advance Sound to engineer a more targeted solution.

Advance Sound selected SoundTube’s LA880i line array speakers in white, which visually blended with the space and allowed for precise coverage without overwhelming volume. These speakers were mounted at a six-foot height from the stage floor to meet ADA clearance and minimize back-wall reflections. The LA880i’s controlled directivity and vertical dispersion were critical in keeping the audio focused.

“We tilted the speakers out to minimize reflections and ensure even coverage,” said DePace. “SoundTube’s LA880is gave us just what we needed—a clean, intelligible soundscape across the entire space.”

The system also incorporated a Symetrix DSP controller and a set of Shure SLX-D wireless microphones, offering a balance of reliability, simplicity, and expandability. Adaptive Technologies beam clamps were used to mount the speakers quickly and securely.

The upgraded gym audio system now delivers crystal-clear sound throughout the room enhancing events and ensuring accessibility. Following the success at Pulaski Road Elementary, Advance Sound Company has been called back for additional AV upgrades throughout the district.

“The district now wants us to survey other buildings. A good product paired with a repeatable, scalable system—it’s working for them and for us,” said DePace.

A significant installation of tvONE CORIOmaster video processors at the Virginia Tech State University has transformed how students learn, and lessons are taught.

[All the School Is a Stage]

Four distinct areas within the institution’s Alexandria campus now feature LED screens, projections, or displays driven by a range of CORIOmaster2, CORIOmaster mini, and CORIOmaster micro units. The project is part of a wider upgrade of projector screens, LED video walls, and TVs.

Virginia Tech’s AB1 AV manager Diego Romero worked closely with the tvONE’s Mid-Atlantic regional sales manager Mitch Klein to find solutions for all four spaces at the Alexandria campus’s Academic Building One. This building includes 300,000 square feet of academic space and cutting-edge research and development facilities, across 11-floors.

“The overall aim was to provide users with a smooth experience when sharing their content on displays that have non-standard aspect ratios and where multiple pieces of content could be shown at the same time,” explained Romero. “Prior experience with tvONE in other installations led us to selecting the company again, and by understanding the capabilities and relevant successes we’ve had with tvONE products, we knew selecting tvONE would help us reach the desired functionality at Academic Building One’s data-driven spaces.”

The four areas that were the focus of the installation are the AI & Machine Learning Lab, the Boeing Auditorium, the K-12 Gaming Lab, and the Lobby video wall.

“In the AI & Machine Learning Lab, we installed a tvONE CORIOmaster micro, opting for a CORIOmaster mini in the Boeing Auditorium,” explained Romero. “We specified a CORIOmaster2 in the K-12 Gaming Lab and a second CORIOmaster micro to cover the Lobby video wall. Each of the devices provides the right amount of processing and features. For example, AI & Machine Learning Lab and Lobby video wall are basic applications with a small number of inputs/outputs, meaning that the CORIOmaster micro was just enough for those spaces."

Inside the AI & Machine Learning Lab, LED video walls allow users to share content from a laptop while comparing results of AI or ML models that are being generated by a more powerful computer, side by side.

Over in the Boeing Auditorium, users can use five windows for content on a 60-foot-wide projection screen and select the content for each window individually.

At the K-12 Gaming Lab, users can drive a six-display video wall or display one large image spanning four different displays, as well as break up the image being displayed on the 98" displays into four smaller windows.

Down in the Lobby, the video wall is a display where the marketing team can create and play impressive content on a non-standard aspect ratio, as well as use it for regular digital signage and presentations when needed.

“I didn't have prior experience of using the CORIOmaster range of video processors but managed to figure out the basics on my own,” added Romero. “Most of the initial setup and programming was done by our main programmer and I fine-tuned the devices to match what we wanted to see on the screens.”

AVI-SPL supplied the tvONE equipment for AI&ML, Boeing, and Lobby video wall. RTW supplied the CORIOmaster 2 in the K-12 Gaming Lab.

“We mainly focus on using different layouts and recalling them depending on the desired use case for that moment,” concluded Romero. “Once we figured out how the windows in the CORIOmaster interacted with the general output of the system, it was a matter of just lining them all up with fine corrections. This made the process of aligning and setting up all the images for the K-12 Gaming Lab a much smoother process."

Named after NVIDIA co-founder Chris Malachowsky, the University of Florida’s newly constructed Malachowsky Hall for Data Science & Information Technology in Gainesville, FL, is a seven-story, 263,440-square-foot facility dedicated to the advancement of AI, computing, and data science. Completed just over a year ago, it houses faculty and students from the College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, Department of Computer Information & Information Science & Engineering, Department of Electrical & Computing Engineering, the Florida Institute for Cybersecurity Research, the Florida Semiconductor Institute, and the Warren B. Nelms Institute for the Connected World.

[SCN Exclusive: Signage Ahoy!]

One of UF’s primary missions is to offer all its students, regardless of academic focus, the opportunity to receive education on AI and its relevance in their chosen discipline. UF also works with other universities, colleges, and K-12 schools, helping them incorporate AI education into their own programs. Malachowsky Hall plays a starring role in these efforts.

Among the key spaces in Malachowsky Hall are the AI Lab, IOT Lab, and VR/Robotics Lab. Each features large Absen video displays that faculty and students utilize for data visualization. The systems were custom designed by the manufacturer in collaboration with UF’s in-house AV team, and integrated by MDM Commercial, an integration firm based in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

Monitoring Mosquitos and More

Hans van Oostrom is chair and associate professor in UF’s Department of Engineering Education, which, at 6 years old, is the university’s youngest department. The department oversees two AI master's degrees, along with the undergraduate AI certificate program that is open to all UF students. “Our focus is to improve engineering education through research methods and best practices,” he explained.

Currently, the VR/Robotics Lab is being used primarily for robotics projects. Students run programs and simulations off site and then come to the lab to monitor how their robots perform in a physical environment. Van Oostrom said the department is striving to develop VR technologies for education, but these efforts are still in their infancy. However, the lab is already equipped with the infrastructure to accommodate the sensors and camera systems required when more virtual reality-focused projects come to the forefront.

Swarup Bhunia, director of UF’s Warren B. Nelms Institute for the Connected World, was heavily involved in the development of the IOT Lab. He explained that the facility is used by graduate and undergraduate students to build smart sensors that are applied to internet of things technologies.

One project, led by Bianca Burini, assistant professor in the UF Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences Florida Medical Entomology Lab, is using IOT technology to track mosquito colonies in the interest of relocating them. Burini argued that genetically controlling mosquito populations is critical to reducing vector-borne diseases.

“We are developing a sensor module in the IOT Lab to track mosquitos [through] infrared imaging and recording the sound of their wing beats,” Bhunia explained. “On top of that, we are running a machine learning algorithm to detect how many mosquitos there are, where they are moving, whether they are an adult or an infant, and if they are male or female.” Once AI and sensor technology can track these colonies, researchers can use that data to determine how and where to relocate them.

Both the IOT and VR/Robotics Labs are outfitted with an Absen Acclaim A2712 PRO LED video display with a 1.2mm pixel pitch, measuring 24 feet wide by 13 feet tall. Chase Natoli, executive vice president of technical sales at MDM Commercial, noted that the Acclaim Series is well-suited for these rooms—bustling spaces where technology needs to be rugged.

“LED modules, inherently, are kind of fragile, [and] we’ve noticed this product has held up better because of the construction configuration of materials and the modules themselves,” Natoli said. “We were able to give them something that should last a long time and holds up to the kind of wear and tear that goes on in those rooms.”

AI on Display

A frequent user of the AI Lab, Kiley Graim, assistant professor at UF, focuses on computational genomics. “If you’ve ever known someone who’s gotten a disease and the standard of care hasn’t worked for them, I’m the person the med school would reach out to because my lab designs AI methods that figure out what’s going on based on their genetic data,” she explained.

In analyzing the patterns across an individual’s genome, Graim and her team can make predictions on things like how their disease will progress and what drugs they will respond well to. “And we’ve had some success," she added. "This is the goal, right? To make people’s lives better.”

Graim said that UF’s AI Lab offers the chance to build community. She and her students regularly host joint meetings with other AI and data science groups around campus. Plus, they use the facility to conduct “practice” defenses and conference talks, giving students the opportunity to gain experience on discussing their work.

The AI Lab features an Absen HC0.9 PRO II video wall at a 0.9mm pixel pitch. Peerless-AV provided a custom mount for the curved display, which spans 23.6 feet wide by 13.3 feet high. According to Fernando Correa, industry development director at Absen, this model figures in the manufacturer’s narrow pixel pitch line of displays, which incorporate Integrated Matrix Device (IMD) 4-in-1 technology. “This not only enhances mounted strength but also significantly lowers the risk of LED damage, which is crucial in a lab setting,” he said.

Lon Vance, senior engineer, project manager, Audio Visual Systems at UF, noted that the curvature of the screen in the AI Lab enables a more immersive experience for viewers that are close to the display. “It fills your peripheral vision,” he said.

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A Datapath video processor runs the displays in all three labs. A Crestron DM-NVX AV-over-IP-based system provides video distribution and allows for the same content to be shared throughout all three labs. According to Vance, UF took advantage of this capability for a presentation given by Jensen Huang, NVIDIA CEO, in Malachowsky Hall’s NVIDIA Auditorium. “He did the presentation in the auditorium downstairs, and we broadcasted it on those three displays,” Vance said, noting that transforming these labs into overflow spaces is practical when the university hosts high-draw speakers like Huang.

For Graim, Malachowsky Hall facilitates cross collaboration among UF’s different colleges and departments. “I work with people in chemical engineering and electrical and computer engineering, and we can just meet in the AI Lab [for] a shared seminar or a group meeting,” she said. “It’s wonderful because it puts a lot of us together, physically, on campus.”

AV/IT TEAM:

John Schrenker, manager of Learning Space and Classroom Technology

GOALS: The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) was founded in 1829 in Rochester, New York, and is known for its multi-disciplinary blend of technology, arts, and design. The latest development on campus is the Student Hall for Exploration and Development (SHED), which takes audience-centered design to new heights and covers more than 120,000 square feet of new construction.

RIT aimed to create an inclusive and technologically advanced space within its new SHED building. Integrator Kinly previously worked alongside RIT, which led to confidence in the team for the design and integration of the project. Kinly knew Crestron DM NVX AV-over-IP technology would be the right fit, as it is already incorporated into the school and AV system.

CHALLENGES: The primary challenge was creating a space that could accommodate the diverse needs of all students. The space needed to blend seamlessly with the rest of the college to maintain consistency and remain easy to use for students and instructors.

“We want to create a seamless learning environment for our students with an environment that supports the different modalities of our staff,” John Schrenker, manager of Learning Space and Classroom Technology at RIT, said. “Faculty have the flexibility to lecture in place or use active learning groups and displays around the room for a more collaborative approach.”

FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: RIT’s SHED allows students to explore multiple interests and consider what is possible when combining those interests. It houses maker spaces, team spaces, dance studios, rehearsal rooms, 27 new classrooms, an ASL and Deaf Studies Community Center, and a performing arts theater. Transforming the center of campus, the building spotlights students and faculty while empowering them to think laterally, be creative, and apply what they have learned in the classroom, while catering to students with accessibility requirements.

Crestron DM NVX AV over IP was introduced in a previous project and has become the standard. The implementation was done to future-proof its multicast environments and allow multicast streams to be broadcast campus-wide in future applications and projects.

“AV-over-IP is extremely flexible and allows us to adapt our spaces as needs evolve, Schrenker said. “For example, if we have a room that suddenly requires a second display around the room, DM NVX allows us to very easily add that additional input to the system.”

The atrium has a 23-foot-tall and 20-foot-wide video wall connected to the Crestron DM NVX technology systems. This wall displays advertisements and messages or streams live events. Most of the large classrooms and lecture halls are based on multiple presentation systems with seven laser projectors recessed from the ceiling.

Crestron Flex for Zoom software is available in every classroom for video conferencing, along with DM NVX technology for dynamic content sharing throughout the facility. Shure microphones are on all the tables, as well as handheld microphones for larger lectures. The smaller classrooms have LED display technology that leverages DM NVX technology for content sharing and distribution. Crestron scheduling panels are outside of each classroom to show whether or not the room is occupied.

Maker spaces also utilize DM NVX technology and laser projection, allowing engineering students to collaborate on projects internally and throughout campus. The multi-disciplinary robotics club, aero design, and electric vehicle teams all use these spaces to continue innovation and classwork.

The dance studio incorporates DM NVX technology, transforming the background of the dancers to fit each routine’s theme. The music room has a fully integrated laser projection and an LED display. Crestron touch screens, such as projection screens, lighting, and audio, are incorporated in large spaces and classrooms to control the environment. RIT also utilizes Crestron XiO Cloud technology operations management platform for device management and remote monitoring.

The SHED purposely synergizes technology, art, and design under one roof. With flexible spaces that foster and stimulate creativity, collaboration, and discovery, the building is designed to uniquely serve every student and support their ambitions.

[The Class of 2024: Celebrating AV/IT Teams in Higher Ed]

The Tykeson Rehearsal Hall at the University of Oregon’s School of Music and Dance is a place where tradition and innovation converge. The hall was designed with meticulous attention to its acoustics, making it ideal for early chamber music performances. With the help of Dante AV, the hall's historic acoustics now meet modern demands.

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Since 2017 the hall’s analog AV system served its purpose of capturing student performances and showcasing the work of musicians. But as the school’s reputation grew and its audience expanded, its analog infrastructure, tied to a single control room, could no longer keep up.

“We were really happy with the quality that we got from all of our analog equipment," said Jasper Walton, recording engineer, University of Oregon School of Music and Dance. "But we weren’t thrilled with the fact that we were tied down to just one place, or that it was a big hassle to run new lines every time you wanted to add or move a control room or a station."

The AV system Tykeson Hall was built around an analog workflow, with all microphones and cameras hardwired to a single control room located in the Bach Festival's boardroom. "We were always competing with space in there," said Walton. "Is this going to be a recording control room where we can put a technician, or is this going to be a place where the executives need to take phone calls and run meetings?”

While this setup worked in the past, it became increasingly restrictive as the school sought to expand its reach. The Oregon Bach Festival brings in hundreds of musicians as well as audiences from across the globe, and demand grew for livestreams and remote access to performances. "Audiences that weren’t able to be here were interested in all of the performances that were happening in this room and all the other places across campus," said Walton.

However, the analog system required all recordings to be funneled into the single control room, where they were digitized for streaming. This meant that performances could only be managed from one inconvenient location, and expanding the system to other parts of the building would require costly and disruptive rewiring.

"Part of the challenge of getting that stuff out to the world and the wider audiences was that the way this building was built and designed - we couldn’t move out of the control room until we could get things on the campus network," he explains.

Going Hybrid

The school tackled its challenges by adopting Dante, a network-based solution that allowed them to integrate their existing analog equipment into a modern, flexible system. By using Dante-enabled encoders and stage boxes, the school was able to transform its analog signals into digital ones that could travel across the campus network. This hybrid approach—bridging analog and digital technologies—not only modernized their system but did so without disrupting the school’s historic spaces. “We were able to move out of the boardroom into a newly created, dedicated, control room in a different room in the building,” Walton said.

At the core of the new system are Yamaha Dante-enabled stage boxes and AJA Dante AV Ultra video encoders. These devices act as bridges, respectively converting analog audio and video signals into Dante-enabled network signals.

"All of the analog microphones are coming in just over XLR cables, into the patch bay," Walton says. "That gets fed into this Yamaha stage box, which converts all the analog audio into Dante network signals we send to the control room over the campus network.”

The Dante AV networked video workflow is equally transformative. "All of the video, coming in over traditional analog SDI cables, comes into the patch bay," he said. These signals are then routed to the AJA Dante AV 4K-T video encoder. “This is the magic box that lets us place our control room wherever we need it. It converts our analog SDI video signal into a Dante AV signal, allowing the signals to travel wherever we need them across the campus network."

A second AJA Ultra decoder located in his office, in a totally separate building, is connected to the same network as the devices in Tykeson Hall and Beall Hall. “The Dante devices are each assigned to their own domains, which we manage with Dante Domain Manager. This allows us to share devices between each building’s domains,” said Walton.

Dante Controller, the software used to route and manage Dante devices, played a fundamental role in simplifying the deployment of this hybrid system. "Dante Controller is the tool that we use to interface with our Dante devices," Walton said. "It’s easy to learn and use, and it makes my job simpler, not more frustrating." The software’s simplicity enabled the school to quickly train student employees in its operation while still offering enough advanced functionality to manage unique setups. "When we add Dante AV to the mix to get video on the network, we don’t need a separate piece of software to manage video flows. Sending video streams to wherever we need them to go is just as simple as routing audio has always been."

The system also includes portable Dante AVIO USB adapters, which allow guest performers and technicians to plug laptops and other devices directly into the network and appear in Dante Controller for simpler routing and management.

The new system has enhanced and simplified how the School of Music and Dance manages its performances. Technicians set up control rooms wherever space was available, managing multiple performances simultaneously across various campus venues. Livestreams bring these events to audiences around the world, while faculty and students gain easy access to recordings for review and archival purposes.

The flexibility of the network-based AV system also opens up exciting possibilities for future workflows. “Currently, we use the second Dante AV decoder as a backup recording of performances in Berwick [Hall]," he says. "Potentially in the future, we are looking at consolidating all recording and streaming of events in our multiple venues into just one control room. This decoder would allow us to pipe the video stream over from Berwick."

Now the school can preserve its investment in analog infrastructure while gaining the flexibility of a modern networked AV system. The need for fixed control rooms was eliminated, and performances can now be managed from anywhere on campus with just a laptop and a network connection.

"We really enjoy the fact that we can now set up a control room or a mixing station or whatever we need, wherever we need it," said Walton. "It’s made life pretty easy."

AV/IT TEAM:
Tom Lynch (left), Institute technical manager; Tom Webster, Computer and Data Science technical coordinator

GOALS: The University of the Arts London’s (UAL) Creative Computing Institute (CCI) in the United Kingdom offers innovative new courses, research opportunities, and a public platform to explore computer science and creative practice.

UAL sought to implement an assistive listening solution to support students and ensure accessibility in teaching spaces. When a specific request arose, they utilized Ampetronic and Listen Technologies’ diverse portfolio to help evaluate multiple technologies, including Auracast, audio over Wi-Fi, infrared, and induction loop.

CHALLENGES: The most significant challenge for this project was finding a system with exceptional audio quality, minimal impact on users, easy installation, and future-proof potential to operate without dedicated receivers.

FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: After rigorous testing, Auri was selected as the best option due to its superior audio quality, ease of installation, and flexibility. The University installed three Auri-TX2N-D transmitters, two Auri-D4 docking stations, and four Auri-RX1 receivers across two 96-person classrooms and one 48-person classroom.

Using Auracast (Bluetooth LE Audio), Auri provided high-quality, stereo, low-latency audio directly to headphones and assistive listening devices. The system not only met immediate accessibility needs but also offered future potential for when Auracast-compatible receivers become available.

Early impressions confirmed Auri as an exceptional solution for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, with additional benefits for neurodiverse individuals.

“At Ampetronic | Listen Technologies, our mission has always been to drive innovation in assistive listening and ensure equal access to audio for all,” Chris Dale, Ampetronic’s UK general manager, said. “We’re proud that Auri has been selected by the University of the Arts London, demonstrating the real-world impact of Auracast technology in education. This installation highlights the potential of Auri to deliver high-quality, accessible audio with ease, setting a new standard for inclusive learning environments.”

[The Class of 2024: Celebrating AV/IT Teams in Higher Ed]

AV/IT TEAM:
Joe Guenther, Information Technology director; Danny Belanger, Information Technology team member

GOALS: The new Animal Health Education Centre (AHEC) at Olds College houses specialized rooms for animal treatment and student learning, as well as classrooms with network connectivity for remote participation and more flexible presentation options. Complementing the new facility expansion is an animal hospital with surgical, dental, and radiology suites, plus diagnostic labs and an animal housing space. The goal of a partnership with integrator Applied Electronics LTD was to outfit this new space with state-of-the-art audiovisual technology.

CHALLENGES: The biggest challenge for the Olds College team was finding a solution that would enhance the interactive and collaborative learning environment for students. The technology would need to support classrooms with connectivity for remote participation and presentation options; as well as serve specialized treatment rooms with cameras and displays to allow more students to observe procedures, thereby increasing student capacity.

FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: The team ultimately selected Sony Pro BRAVIA BZ30L displays, SRG-X400 4K NDI cameras, and VPL-FHZ80 projectors for installation in classrooms and labs for remote viewing and recording of surgical procedures and lectures.

In the Werklund Agriculture and Technology Center, a completely renovated building, the Sony displays and projectors support classroom presentations and collaborative discussions. Additional displays are used for break-out meeting rooms and digital signage throughout the building. A dozen projectors are installed across both buildings, with more than 20 displays in 70- and 75-inch sizes and 10 cameras.

“We’re capable of doing so much more now in terms of classroom presentation, viewing flexibility, network connectivity, and interactive collaboration,” Joe Guenther, Information Technology director at Olds College, said.

The Center is capturing HD footage for use in future course materials and to provide better access for students during procedures. The cameras and displays combine to create viewing gallery areas, allowing more students to observe procedures. “Why have dozens of students crowd around a surgery table when they can view live images and audio on a large, beautiful TV just outside the room?” Guenther said.

Each AHEC room is configured for maximum viewing and content-sharing options. “Having these cameras opens up the possibility to put any signal on any screen in any classroom,” Danny Belanger, Information Technology team member at Olds College, said. “We now have the capabilities to record on every single camera and then save to a shared drive, which authorized users can access. That wasn’t possible before.”

Since the entire AHEC installation is AV over IP, the technology is also used during student open-house tours. “We can show a live demonstration of medical procedures from the animal hospital in a classroom in another part of the building,” Guenther said. “Every device connects into our network switches, every source comes into the network, and every destination comes out of the network.”

The cameras’ security features allow easy control over privacy and user access. “We don’t give camera access to everyone,” Belanger said. “Once someone is done with a procedure, we assign a preset, which keeps it private. We route the cameras to whoever needs to see them, as long as they have proper authorization.”

The AHEC classrooms and labs all have one Sony SRG-X400 camera with varying combinations of Sony Pro BRAVIA displays and projectors, all connected via the school’s NDI network. The largest space is the diagnostic lab, with four 75-inch TVs. Instructors simply plug in their laptops at the podium, and content is displayed on all four screens.

“Even if students are facing the back of the room and looking at their microscopes, they can still clearly see what the teacher is presenting on the projection screen and the TVs all around the room,” Belanger said. “The camera in the ceiling can focus on anything on the instruction table, and everything is tracked smoothly.”

In addition to enhanced active learning, the technology’s benefits extend far beyond the classroom walls. The College now has a clear competitive advantage for attracting new students and experienced faculty, who both have heightened expectations for high-quality, easy-to-use technology in education.

[The Class of 2024: Celebrating AV/IT Teams in Higher Ed]

AV/IT TEAM:
David Kaplan, associate athletic director for Broadcast and Video Services; Evan Feinglass, associate director of athletics, Facilities Management and Planning; Jeff Mele, chief commercial officer at Metinteractive and project executive for Gampel Pavilion; Eric Pirozzi, integration technician at Metinteractive and project manager for Gampel Pavilion

GOALS: The University of Connecticut at Storrs recently sought to upgrade its AV systems at the Gampel Pavilion basketball facility in order to deliver an improved fan experience. This upgrade was the latest in a long line of projects that the integration team at Metinteractive has completed with UConn, including UConn Freitas Volleyball, Toscano Hockey arena, the student rec center, the university’s Athletic District Development, and exhibits for the UConn Hartford campus. Metinteractive also supplies the majority of UConn’s on-site AV game support.

“UConn is our home team—we’re big Huskies fans,” Jeff Mele, Metinteractive’s chief commercial officer and project executive for Gampel Pavilion, said. “As taxpayers in the state, it’s also important to us to see that tax dollars and donor dollars are spent wisely.

CHALLENGES: A major long-term challenge for both in-house staff and the integration team has been overcoming a lack of standardization between campus sports facilities. “Gampel Pavilion is part of the continuing effort to standardize and connect facilities across all sports on the UConn Storrs campus,” Mele explained. “Facilities that are fragmented often require more support and more initial capital expenditures due to their individual, complete systems. Although standardization and connectivity add complexity, the long-term results are lower costs and greater operational flexibility.”

An additional challenge, according to Eric Pirozzi, an integration technician at Metinteractive who served as project manager for Gampel Pavilion, involved “optimizing live production by installing an up-to-date broadcast system and integrating with existing infrastructure.”

FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: Gampel Pavilion’s geodesic dome structure “makes it unique in the NCAA spectrum,” Mele noted. Inside, the upgrade added new and improved LED videoboard displays and replaced old inner bowl seating. Metinteractive updated Gampel Pavilion’s existing broadcast system to enhance the university’s live production capabilities and planned for the future by tying Gampel Pavilion to the Rizza Performance Center’s control room, enabling a second basketball show to be produced there when Gampel Pavilion’s control room cannot accommodate people shooting for in-house and major broadcast simultaneously.

The control room was outfitted with two larger ElationLogic DV65 monitors, a Ross Ultrix router, Ross XPression motion graphics render engine, an Evertz DreamCatcher DC-ONE replay platform and a master clock for AV synchronization.

Metinteractive installed fiber to connect the control room to two much larger Daktronics LED videoboards mounted at each short end of the court and integrated a Ferrofish Pulse16 MX AD/DA converter with the displays’ video content.

“We have an extensive roster of work in sports facilities nationwide and have such a great relationship with UConn that it made this project go very smoothly,” Pirozzi said. “It’s always a pleasure to return to UConn and work with David Kaplan and Evan Feinglass.”

UConn director of athletics David Benedict thanked Metinteractive “for the incredible work” they did in updating the Gampel Pavilion. “The new graphics, lighting, and videoboards have truly transformed the venue, and the improvements are already making a noticeable impact,” he said. “Metinteractive’s attention to detail and dedication to enhancing the experience for everyone who visits Gampel is evident in every aspect of the upgrade.”

Benedict continued, “We’re excited to see the positive effects these updates will have on both fans and teams alike. It’s clear that Metinteractive’s efforts have set a new standard for what this space can offer, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the results.”

[The Class of 2024: Celebrating AV/IT Teams in Higher Ed]

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) focuses on digital media and production programs. As virtual production continues to lay its footprint as one of Pro AV's biggest trends, NTU recently installed its first virtual production studio. With ROE Visuals latest full-spectrum LED technology powered by Brompton LED processing and TrueLight technology, NTU provides a hands-on learning environment to train future professionals in the skills our industry increasingly demands.

[Bring on the Visuals: InfoComm 2025 Booths We Loved... and You Will, Too]

The Virtual Production Studio features four key spaces: the Green Screen, Foley/ADR, Black Box and Virtual Production studios. The latter studio integrates live-action footage with real-time computer-generated environments, highlighting the transformative potential of virtual production technology for ICVFX. The other studios further provide students and clients access to motion capture technology and high-end sound production facilities.

The facility is the result of a collaborative effort between Creative Technology Systems Integration (CT SI), Arri, and consultants Drama by Design, together creating a space that pairs advanced hardware with innovative workflows, aligning with NTU’s vision of combining educational and commercial excellence.

A key feature of NTU's new studio is the debut of ROE Visual's latest LED technology—the Carbon CB5 MKII RGBW panels. Based on the Carbon Series CB5 panel, these so-called full spectrum LED panels provide superior colour rendering accuracy, optimised for on-camera use, ensuring true-to-life visuals in demanding environments like broadcasting and filmmaking.

To maintain a seamless and uniform LED processing system throughout, Brompton’s 4K Tessera SX40 LED video processors alongside the Tessera XD 10G data distribution units were deployed, with Brompton’s TrueLight technology as a key feature.

With high-speed data distribution, redundancy features, and precise calibration capabilities, Brompton LED processing technology plays a crucial role in delivering a professional-grade virtual production environment.

“ROE was the first of our panel manufacturer partners to develop an RGBW panel powered by TrueLight,” said Patrick Goodden, Brompton’s technical sales manager (U.K. and Ireland). “TrueLight maintains full per-pixel colour calibration and gives users complete creative control over the panel’s colour output. Adding additional broad-spectrum LED emitters in a controllable way significantly improves colour rendition in situations where the LED panels are providing illumination for virtual production and XR applications, providing various elements, particularly skin tones, costumes, or props, with increased realism. We are delighted to see this innovative technology in action at the University.”

NTU's studio is the first of its kind to implement these full-spectrum LED panels, designed to deliver an unparalleled level of color accuracy, especially in skin tones. With the full-spectrum LED panels installed, students at the NTU will have access to technology at the forefront of the virtual production work field, enabling a unique and realistic production experience that is entirely up to date with what is being developed and used in the field.

“We are thrilled to see the next generation of creators develop their skills in such an innovative setting,” said Jonathan Sheard, managing director at ROE Visual UK. “By supporting institutions like NTU, we're nurturing talent and contributing to a future-ready industry workforce.”

AV/IT TEAM:
Left to right: Todd Hughes, AV project manager; Michael Kozar, Technical Services director; John Hahn, Technical Services assistant director; Andy Beasom, AV Systems and Infrastructure engineer

GOALS: The technical support staff of Duquesne University’s Conference and Event Services and the Office of Classroom Technologies worked together to design a new AV system for the Student Union ballroom.

CHALLENGES: The 16-year-old AV system used Cat5e cabling to connect a projector and eight 55-inch flat panels. Implementation of a matrix switcher was discussed, but the challenge of re-cabling a 57-year-old concrete building with two-foot solid concrete beams spaced throughout the ceiling was a daunting task.

FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: Knowing the future of technology is in AVoIP, the aged system was replaced with a network-based solution, providing a cost-effective, flexible, and scalable result that has improved the presentation options of the ballroom. The system uses professional NETGEAR network switches and Extron’s NAV AVoIP distribution solution to connect 15 endpoints for easy manageability over the existing Cat5e cabling. This complex design also includes both a touch panel and a network button panel programmed for user control and operation. Design, configuration, programming, and installation were completed by the in-house team for a first-of-its-kind system on campus.

Use of the ballroom is very diverse, ranging from groups using a simple, empty stage to the need for major presentations. An additional design aspect was needed to accommodate system access at a movable podium for an HDMI connection, basic system control, and access to a 55-inch floor-standing confidence monitor. The Extron NAV system and NETGEAR switches allow for a secondary switch at the podium, which permits the Network Button Panel, NAV encoder (for the HDMI connection), and NAV decoder (for the confidence monitor) to be connected with a single Cat6 cable, making the podium configuration quick and easy.

Due to their extensive AV and IT knowledge, as well as their technical teamwork, the team delivered a robust, future-proof solution at a fraction of the cost of an external vendor. The commitment to advancing technology has provided a full scope of options available to ballroom users. Now, instead of displaying the same content to all displays in the ballroom, users have a plethora of options. Having the ability to manipulate the displays and other equipment throughout the room sounds like a simple idea, but the behind-the-scenes implementation was no easy task. Thanks to the efforts of Duquesne’s AV and IT staff, the Student Union ballroom is now at the cutting edge of today’s technology.

AV/IT TEAM:
Left to right: Enrique Hernandez, senior Instruction Technology analyst; Wyatt Medina, audiovisual engineer; Chris Dieterich, manager of Instructional Technology; Jacob Phillips, lead systems design engineer

GOALS: The Phoenix Bioscience Core (PBC) is a unique life sciences innovation district located in downtown Phoenix. It is shared by multiple institutions, including Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona, along with TGen, healthcare providers, and life sciences companies. This collaborative environment is designed to foster innovation, education, and economic development through shared resources, facilities, and expertise. However, the presence of multiple schools and organizations also adds complexity for the instructional technology team responsible for managing PBC’s tech infrastructure.

“We don’t just serve one school; we’re supporting ten colleges across two universities,” Chris Dieterich, manager of Instructional Technology at PBC said. “Our team has to ensure the technology meets everyone’s needs.”

With a team of four, including Enrique Hernandez, Dieterich’s group operates as a centralized internal resource, tackling all tech requirements across the PBC. Recently, the team was tasked with upgrading conference rooms that were operating with decade-old equipment.

CHALLENGES: The existing conference rooms were equipped with outdated displays mounted on two-rail wall mounts. The mounts didn’t leave any room to service the display or to mount the room’s video conferencing system nearby. As a result, components had to be mounted either under the conference table or directly to the wall beside the display. This setup was not only unattractive but also hindered serviceability. Troubleshooting issues required tech team members to crawl under the table to access cables and equipment.

“It didn’t look pretty, and if something needed to be fixed during a meeting, people had to move out of the way,” Dieterich said.

Recognizing the need for a more efficient and aesthetically pleasing solution, Dieterich reached out to Legrand | AV for a solution.

FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: Legrand | AV recommended its Chief Tempo Flat Panel Wall Mount System. Designed to streamline installation, increase serviceability, and improve overall aesthetics, Tempo offers end-to-end scalability and flexibility that is purposely designed from installer feedback. One of the most valuable features of the Tempo mount is its service-access-friendly design. The mount pulls away from the wall for approximately 13 inches of service depth, allowing ample access to cables and AV equipment for simple, fast maintenance checks. Additionally, the Tempo system includes Lever Lock storage plates that can hold devices plus cabling, keeping everything concealed behind the display for a cleaner look.

The Tempo profile is less than two inches deep, which allows it to meet ADA compliance requirements when the display depth is less than two inches. It supports post-install leveling adjustments and offers a 10-degree display tilt for better viewing angles, enhancing usability. The Tempo Wall Mount System also includes accessories that further support and streamline the flat panel solution. The accessories include the Camera Shelf, 650mm Interface Extenders, Crestron UC Bracket Accessory, and Video-Sound Bar Mount.

In the initial phase, the team upgraded three conference rooms at PBC with new 65- or 75-inch displays, all mounted on the Chief Tempo Wall Mount System. Behind the display, the team mounted a Crestron NVX unit, Shure ANI4IN audio network interface, USB extender, and Middle Atlantic’s RackLink power distribution unit. This approach eliminated mounting equipment under the table, drilling and patching drywall, and painting. Plus, it resulted in a much cleaner and more organized setup.

Now, the team can simply pull the display out from the wall to access cables or devices, which is a considerable improvement compared to the previous mount, which required them to remove the display entirely for any kind of access. It also means they can manage issues or replace components with minimal disruption.

“We’ve definitely cut the installation time in half, but we’ve also sped up how quickly we can troubleshoot issues, do maintenance, or add or replace devices,” Hernandez said.

The conference room installation was just the beginning for the PBC. Even in just three rooms, the team could already see the benefits of using the Tempo Flat Panel Wall Mount System more widely.

“We revise our room type standard every year. The Tempo mount is our new standard, including the in-wall option for brand-new builds,” Dieterich said. “Anywhere we have a display mounted—whether that’s in a classroom, conference room, or digital signage—we’ll mount it with Tempo. It’s a no-brainer.”

[The Class of 2024: Celebrating AV/IT Teams in Higher Ed]

Sponsored Content

Industry partnerships and innovative products are never in short supply at InfoComm—and nowhere was this more evident in 2025 than at the booth of Panasonic Projector & Display Americas (PPNDA). Jared Darensbourg, director of sales, and Petro Shimonishi, director of new business development at PPNDA, gave AV Technology a brief overview of these developments.

Check out the full video interview below.

Foremost among the announcements from PPNDA was the company’s new sub-brand, MEVIX: Media, Entertainment & Visual Transformation.

“It's a game changer for us,” Darensbourg said. “You're going to see new products, solutions, and innovations coming out of the Panasonic brand that you're going to be super excited about. Our new RQ4K5—a 40,000-lumen, 3-chip DLP 4K projector—is going to be amazing for house of worship, rental and staging, and live events. You name it—there's going to be success for this model.”

And in recognition of the growing need for flexible spaces—particularly in higher education—PPNDA has partnered with Artome to create a new adaptable, portable projector solution.

“Nine times out of 10, our projectors are mounted to a ceiling. But a classroom may be laid out one way, and an instructor may come in and want to change the layout,” Shimonishi said. “Our partnership with Artome integrates our award-winning VMZ Series projectors with Artome’s new PT-VMZ-AVCART, which includes a space for VMZ projectors—any model—to be mounted inside. The cart features built-in speakers, subwoofer, and controls—pre-programmed and pre-wired for Panasonic projectors.”

Finally, Shimonishi revealed that PPNDA is now a member of the Open AV Cloud Association, which was formed in resistance to proprietary protocols in AV.

“With the cloud and artificial intelligence, our industry needs a great standardized architecture that allows for easier interoperability of devices,” she said. “Our vision is to make all of our products—from projectors, displays, dvLED displays, and immersive environments like this—easy to install, manage, and communicate with other products over the network.”

About Panasonic Projector & Display Americas LLC

Established on April 1, 2025, Panasonic Projector & Display Americas LLC (PPNDA) is a B2B company committed to delivering innovative visual solutions across education, corporate and entertainment industries. The PPNDA mission and dedication is to simplify complex workflows and empower professionals in the AV industry to focus on the art of storytelling, the power of communication, and the joy of connecting people through shared experiences. With passion, collaboration, and commitment, PPNDA will shape the future with cutting-edge product and services that enhance the customer experience. Learn more here

AV/IT TEAM:
Left to right: Nicholas Wong, recording engineer; Kerlin Cisneros, technical engineer; Jonathan Thomas, camera operator; Lillie Burke, co-producer; Andy Aquino, sound engineer; Taye Nelson, director; Production Services/producer; Craig Shibley, events supervisor; Tamiko Foster, production accounting (not pictured)

GOALS: The aim of this project was to launch Medically Speaking with Doctor Eve Glazier as a digital-first podcast designed to elevate public awareness around critical health issues—starting with a high-impact episode featuring Katie Couric. UCLA Health aimed to make expert medical conversations more accessible through modern, media-driven storytelling. Digital Spaces was brought in to ensure a seamless, professional production environment that could meet the urgency and profile of the launch.

The ITS Digital Spaces department, under the leadership of executive director, Doctor Joe Way, is a transformational new organization spawned out of UCLA’s Digital Campus initiative to revolutionize IT service delivery in alignment with the UCLA 2023-2028 Strategic Plan. The Production Services vertical, led by Taye Nelson, manages the campus live event services for four conference and events centers, BruinCast lecture capture service, and live- and post-production services across the enterprise.

CHALLENGES: Time and space were the most pressing constraints. With only 10 days to produce three episodes and no available studio or meeting space—due to several high-profile campus events, including the UC Regents’ session—the team had to identify and convert an alternative location into a functioning studio with minimal set dressing. Equipment shortages and limited crew availability further complicated logistics. Despite these challenges, Digital Spaces worked around the clock to source gear, align technical staff, and transform the space into a broadcast-quality set on an accelerated timeline.

“We had just days to find a location and gear up for a major shoot with one of the most respected names in journalism,” Nelson said. “Thanks to a total team effort, we transformed a complex production into an opportunity to showcase what Digital Spaces is all about—adaptive, tech-forward, and ready for anything.”

FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: The collaboration resulted in a polished, high-impact episode that significantly enhanced UCLA Health’s digital and social media presence, while delivering critical healthcare information in an approachable format. For UCLA Health, the project proved the value of media as a public health tool. For the AV/IT community, it showcased a nimble, cross-functional model for producing digital content at scale. The success of this partnership also positioned Digital Spaces as a trusted creative and technical ally in advancing UCLA’s mission of innovation in public engagement.

“When I walked into the room, it felt like I had stepped onto a real set,” Couric said. “The transformation was incredible—the AV team did such an amazing job creating a warm, professional environment that made it easy to have meaningful conversations.”

Following the success of this launch, UCLA Health plans to grow Medically Speaking with more expert-led conversations on timely health topics. Future episodes will continue bridging the gap between medical expertise and public understanding, reinforcing the role of digital media in healthcare education. Digital Spaces will remain a cornerstone of this initiative, supporting a long-term partnership focused on elevating storytelling, production value, and impact.

[The Class of 2024: Celebrating AV/IT Teams in Higher Ed]

AV/IT TEAM:
Left to right: Greg Hull, senior AV specialist; Antonio S. Cipriano, AV manager; Raymond Barnes, senior AV specialist

GOALS: The genesis of this project was a directive from the Smith School’s dean, Prabhudev Konana, to bring more value to the online and hybrid EMBA programs and align with the University’s strategic goal of reimagining learning. After evaluating other universities’ distance learning platforms, the goal was to build an immersive space that would allow instructors to interface with students via state-of-the-art technology and practices. By using technology familiar to faculty, they reduced the need for technical oversight during class, simplified adoption, saved training time, and boosted teaching efficiency. The dynamic and energetic teaching experience that a professor is now able to give over Zoom is unmatched by what they would be able to provide remotely from home.

A key design requirement was operational simplicity. The system would need to be engineered so that it did not require advanced technical expertise to operate. A technician would be able to prepare the room with just a few touches on the control panel, support the instructor before class begins, and then step away while remaining available for assistance as needed.

The space was also designed to provide a more professional environment for the school’s video production and marketing teams. The studio’s lighting and technology can now be leveraged to enhance photography and recording sessions. In that capacity, it has been used in numerous ways.

From a technical perspective, the team sought to create a seamless and immersive dvLED video wall experience that could simultaneously display Zoom participants, the active speaker, and the slide content being discussed by the professor.

For audio, the priority was to maintain mobility and avoid encumbering the professor with wired or wireless lavalier microphones. Instead, the team implemented a zone-based audio solution using a beamforming ceiling-mounted microphone. The goal was to allow the professor to move freely between the podium, lightboard, and green screen area without compromising audio quality.

At the podium, a touch display was installed, enabling real-time slide annotation and intuitive interaction with presentations or applications through natural gestures. Additionally, the team wanted to integrate the Zoom chat window into the video wall, allowing students to engage by asking questions, seeking clarification, or providing feedback in real time. This setup would enable the professor to respond immediately, without needing to return to a separate computer interface.

CHALLENGES: When the AV manager joined the school in September 2023, the project was still in its development phase. After review, it was clear the proposed design needed refinements to enhance its capabilities, improve the intended user experience, and better align with the potential of the chosen technology.

By early 2024, the design underwent a complete overhaul, retaining only the originally proposed studio lighting system. While the initial concept was tailored for a narrowly defined purpose, the revised design is significantly more flexible and dynamic, better aligning with the evolving needs of the program. In short, the final implemented design was designed, procured, and installed in about six months, just in time for the fall semester.

An additional key challenge was aligning the technology with faculty pedagogy to create an optimal teaching experience. Through iterative adjustments to video wall layouts, configurations, and furniture, the team collaborated with faculty to ensure the system supported instructional goals effectively.

FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: This space offers a dynamic and immersive environment designed to enhance the learning experience for both instructors and students. Primarily supporting online and hybrid MBA programs, the room provides a significant improvement over traditional remote teaching methods.

Rather than viewing an instructor delivering a lecture from a home office, students engage with a more interactive presentation, where the instructor can move through slides, annotate content in real time, and gesture naturally. The inclusion of a lightboard system further enriches the experience, allowing faculty to visually demonstrate formulas, workflows, and key concepts with clarity.

This setup fosters a more personal and engaging connection between students and faculty, ultimately adding substantial value to the online and hybrid MBA offerings. It exemplifies the innovative approach that distinguishes the Robert H. Smith School of Business from other programs.

[The Class of 2024: Celebrating AV/IT Teams in Higher Ed]

AV/IT TEAM:
Bruno Caruso (top), manager of Design and Integration; Allan Santos, assistant manager of Post Production Facilities

GOALS: Emerson College, an academic leader in media, communication, and the arts, integrated Focusrite’s RedNet solutions into its state-of-the-art production and learning environments at its main campus in Boston. Their strategic implementation enhanced the college’s ability to deliver industry-facing training in sound design, immersive audio, and media production, offering students hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology.

The integration was spearheaded by Bruno Caruso, manager of Design and Integration at Emerson College’s Engineering Department and aligns with the institution’s commitment to real-world production environments. Emerson’s Media Technologies and Productions Department designed and continuously supports their facilities, which span the media production techniques, from pre-production and recording to sound design, mixing, and final deliverables.

“Focusrite has been ahead of the curve in Dante networking, and that was a major factor in our decision to go with their RedNet solutions,” Caruso said. “We were looking for interfaces that provided a comprehensive range of I/O, including Dante, analog, optical, and MADI, without compromise. The RedNet lineup checked all those boxes, and its reliability and reputation in the industry made it an easy choice.”

CHALLENGES: Emerson facilities include five theaters, two television studios, immersive sound stages, a radio station, three recording studios, which serve as classrooms, and mix and post-production suites that cater to multiple disciplines throughout the College of Communication. As a result, one of the major challenges of this project was seamlessly connecting spaces across campus.

FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: Dante-based networking and RedNet technology revolutionized student and faculty workflow efficiency throughout Emerson’s facilities. “We can route audio across multiple buildings in downtown Boston, using smaller rooms as remote voice-over booths, amp rooms, or ADR spaces,” Caruso said. “Because of our Dante infrastructure, a performance in our largest theater can be recorded in a completely different building in real time, while our radio station does a live mix for broadcast—all with virtually zero latency.”

Through partnerships with Parsons Audio, Emerson sourced and installed a comprehensive RedNet setup, including RedNet 16Line, RedNet D64R and RedNet AM2, among other devices. Caruso and his colleagues configured and calibrated the entire system in-house, ensuring seamless integration with their existing workflows.

Beyond infrastructure, Emerson found that Focusrite’s RedNet Control application serves as a valuable educational tool. “The graphical interface makes it easy to teach students about audio routing and signal flow,” Caruso noted. “It allows them to visualize how audio moves between rooms and devices, reinforcing both theoretical and practical knowledge.”

Looking to the future, Caruso envisions continued expansion of immersive audio education at Emerson and has encouraged Focusrite to develop additional tools to support spatial audio, loudness monitoring, and room calibration. “We’d love to see more built-in DSP solutions for Atmos and immersive workflows,” he said. “Focusrite has been fantastic in listening to the needs of educators, and we’re excited about where they’ll go next.”

As a thought leader among media institutions, Emerson College is at the forefront of audio education, ensuring its students graduate with the requisite skills and experience to excel in a rapidly evolving industry. Through its partnership with Focusrite and ongoing investments in cutting-edge technology, Emerson continues to set a standard for media production education. With campuses in Boston, Los Angeles, and the Netherlands, Emerson fosters creativity and innovation, preparing students for leadership roles across the media landscape.

[The Class of 2024: Celebrating AV/IT Teams in Higher Ed]

AV/IT TEAM:
Regina Greenwood (right), University Audiovisual Services IT director; Carlos Lucio, associate director of Technology Services for the University Audiovisual Services Department

GOALS: Many large university campuses have a patchwork of AV systems—different brands, outdated wiring schematics, and a maze of departmental silos. Texas A&M University (TAMU), which has more than 75,000 students, faced this exact challenge. The institution’s AV infrastructure was growing organically, leading to inconsistencies, higher maintenance costs, and frustrated faculty and students.

“Five years ago, if you walked into one of our classrooms, you might find a perfectly working wireless sharing system,” Carlos Lucio, associate director of Technology Services for Texas A&M’s University Audiovisual Services Department, said. “Walk into the next building, and it was a different story—maybe an outdated HDMI setup, or a proprietary system that only worked with certain devices. We knew we needed a unified approach.”

The team’s goal was simple but ambitious: No matter where a student or professor was on campus, the AV experience should feel familiar, reliable, and intuitive. That meant standardizing everything—from control interfaces to wireless sharing—while still allowing flexibility for different teaching styles.

“When we design educational spaces, we stick to a curated set of equipment, flexible enough for any space and budget, with lean and efficient processes that scale. We need to be able to replicate, providing one user experience for any user in any TAMU environment,” University Audio Visual Services IT director Regina Greenwood said. “The user interface must be the same. The available connections must be the same. This makes it easy for users to acclimate to any environment, as well as for our team. If any space needs service, for example, it’s likely that we have seen the problem many times before and can quickly apply a fix.”

After evaluating multiple solutions, TAMU deployed Mersive Solstice as its primary wireless-sharing and collaboration platform, integrating it with existing displays, projectors, and conferencing tools.

CHALLENGES: One of the biggest hurdles was consolidating disparate AV systems. Before standardization, different departments—engineering, business, health sciences—had their own Mersive Solstice instances, each with unique configurations.

“We ordered about 330 Mersive Solstice Pods for our relatively new Instructional Laboratory and Innovative Learning Building (ILSQ). But then we discovered that the hundreds of Solstice Pods already in use across campus were all being managed separately,” Lucio said. “Some departments had their own cloud tenants, which meant we couldn’t troubleshoot issues centrally.”

The team migrated every Solstice Pod to a single cloud tenant, giving IT full visibility and control. Now, whether a Pod is in a chemistry lab, a lecture hall, or a remote campus, it has similar template protocols, branding, and user interface.

FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: Creating a templatized approach to AV wasn’t just about picking the right hardware; it was about building an ecosystem. The team categorized rooms into five tiers—ranging from basic single-display classrooms to advanced active learning labs—and defined standard AV packages for each. Wireless collaboration was a key pillar, but it had to meet strict criteria. TAMU required a solution with low latency (under 0.5 seconds) to avoid lag during lectures; cross-platform compatibility (supporting Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android), and centralized management to streamline updates and troubleshooting.

The impact was most visible in TAMU’s active learning laboratories, where Solstice plays a pivotal role. In the ILSQ building, for example, instructors are not locked into the typical sage on the stage teaching model but instead use Solstice to broadcast lab demonstrations to more than 30 displays simultaneously. Students then break into small groups, wirelessly sharing their own content from computers or laptops—without needing dongles or cables (although available).

With standardized AV packages, TAMU’s University Audio Visual Services team can now roll out new classrooms in days instead of weeks. “We did over 100 AV projects last year alone—classrooms, conference rooms, video walls—because we had a repeatable process,” Greenwood said.

Additionally, centralized management means fewer on-site service calls. “If a Pod in Houston needs a firmware update, we push it remotely. No more driving technicians across the state,” Lucio said.

Students and faculty have adopted the AV systems all over campus. “The best AV is the kind you don’t notice. When a professor walks in, teaches without hiccups, and never has to call us—that’s success,” Greenwood added. “Students and professors expect wireless sharing to just work, like it does on their phones. Now, it does.”

[The Class of 2024: Celebrating AV/IT Teams in Higher Ed]

Plainfield High School, located in Plainfield, NJ, recently underwent a major renovation on its campus. The project included the upgrade of the existing Plainfield High School auditorium to a professional-style performing arts center, its mini-theater converted to a black box theater, and two classrooms transformed into a new esports arena.

[Behind the Scenes of 'Renoir: A Luminous Evolution']

It was no easy task. One focus of the renovation was on making the auditorium the main viewing space for esports events. The problem? The performing arts center and theater were adjacent to each other; however, the esports arena was on the other side of the school. PureTek Group was brought on to make the vision and future of esports at the high school a reality.

The Space Between

Considering the magnitude of the project—three unique spaces that had to be interconnected despite the space between—PureTek Group completed the renovations quickly; it was only a year and a half from inception to the ribbon cutting on June 7, 2024. According to Dan Litvin, president, PureTek Group, the primary challenges were threefold.

For one, Litvin and his team needed to create a cohesive and integrated system across three distinct yet interconnected venues, each of which incorporated innovative technologies tailored to its unique function. Ensuring these systems worked harmoniously required meticulous planning and a deep understanding of both the individual requirements of each space and how they could complement one another.

That required forward-thinking, enhanced technologies leading to a second challenge—it had to be usable by the school staff and students operating the venues. “Designing high-performance systems is only part of the equation,” Litvin added. “Ensuring they are accessible, intuitive, and support a wide range of programming and curriculum needs was essential.”

Another major challenge was to future-proof the design, ensuring the venues remain visually inspiring, technologically advanced, and educationally relevant for years to come. "This meant not just using the best available technology but also designing with adaptability and evolution in mind," Litvin said.

Of course, there was also the challenge of tying it all together and keeping the communications open from the control room to the spaced-out theaters and arena. With the auditorium and esports arena on different sides of the school, a reliable intercom system that ensured good range and coverage was non-negotiable.

Litvin and PureTek Group selected Pliant's CrewCom 2+2 Control Unit (CCU) for the auditorium control booth, with three CrewCom 900MHz Radio Transceivers (RTs) located throughout the school to provide seamless coverage. The system also includes seven CrewCom 900MHz 2-Volume/2-Conference Radio Packs with seven SmartBoom PRO single-ear headsets.

"The main benefit that we found with this system is that the radio packs can 'roam' or switch between different radio transceivers for optimal signal quality, while maintaining uninterrupted communication," Litvin detailed. "This gives the user the ability to be within any part of the larger coverage area and still have connection."

This was important for this project because the CrewCom system is used during performances to coordinate between the control booth, backstage, and sometimes the green room (either the black box theater or a repurposed classroom during events). Also, during esports tournaments, while the auditorium is used as a viewing area for the live gameplay, the main broadcast setup is in the esports arena.

"The Pliant system allows the school to coordinate between the auditorium control booth and the broadcast setup in the esports arena," Litvin explained. "This allows for clear instructions among the entire production team and provides a cohesive, professional, and incredibly memorable experience for the audience."

It was the collaboration between Plainfield High School, PureTek Group, and expert partners that got the job done so successfully. "We maintained open and consistent communication, proactively solved issues before they became problems, and stayed focused on delivering a world-class result that reflects the values and vision of the Plainfield community,” Litvin said.

Let Them Play

Plainfield Public Schools’ leadership wanted to give its students every advantage and to make their new esports arena a must-see site for competitions. What started as a small, summer initiative caught fire and required its own arena for competitions.

Viewing the competitions takes place in the 1,600-seat performing arts center. Per Litvin, spectators can watch on a new 35x14.8-foot Da-Lite screen, which is supported by a Barco UDM-4K30 projector with R9862020 lens, as the event is streamed in real time with immersive lighting in the auditorium reflecting the effects in the esports arena to engage attendees. Live sounds of the audience are captured and played over speakers in the esports arena to keep players engaged with the attendees.

Because the black box theater across campus serves as a green room for esports events, clear and concise communication between the production teams is a must. "To achieve a collaborative performance, communication is key, so reliable coverage from a distance is a necessity," Litvin explained. "With CrewCom, production personnel at the school are able to communicate clearly from the esports arena all the way to the backstage booth in the auditorium. The CrewCom system is used extensively throughout the school and produces unified performance, from standard backstage theatrical production applications, to managing cameras, lighting, and audio from room to room at a distance."

The arena itself—which is restricted to competitors, coaches, and production teams—has 20 gaming stations that accommodate four teams of five players, with additional stations that are home to broadcast operators, two sets of shoutcasters, and a replay operator. It is also used for esports practices and hands-on STEM opportunities, making it much more than a gameday production center.

As Litvin explained, Corsair/Origin gaming machines were selected for the stations, while 20 PTZOptics Studio Pro cameras were chosen to capture players’ emotions and responses in real time. Two PTZ cameras capture wide views of the arena, two additional cameras capture shoutcaster teams, and a feed from the replay operator highlighting top plays in real time are used to livestream on YouTube, Twitch, and the auditorium. Productions are managed with a Vizrt TriCaster 2 Elite video production system.

Enhancing the Arts

The auditorium was not a fresh build but a renovation, which certainly helped the timeline. According to Litvin, prior to the upgrade, the auditorium contained outdated and broken technology, a difficult-to-use control system, and an uninviting aesthetic. Litvin and PureTek Group enhanced that with professional grade technology, making the performing arts center not only an exciting venue for cheering on the Plainfield esports team, but a wide range of theatrical performances for years to come.

As Litvin described, key to the upgrade were the unRAVL Controls by PureTek, which provide streamlined intuitive controls via touchpanel for the rigging, AV, and lighting systems to maximize usage of the space by students, educators, guests, and renters with authorized system access. A 30,000-lumen 4K laser projector brings the 35x14.8-foot projection screen to life. The screen is on a motorized hoist system to be raised and lowered for usage. A line-array speaker system, including Electro-Voice and Dynacord units, flanks the stage, while fill speakers below and above the balcony ensure even and high-quality sound distribution.

Additionally, the performing arts center contains more than 1,640 feet of RGBW strip lighting by Acolyte (with controls by Madrix) on 11 runs that cover the walls and ceiling. PureTek Group lighting designers outfitted Plainfield High School with control of 4-inch increments of the strips, with various presets. Also installed were three 4K PTZ cameras and one portable handheld camera to livestream performances to the Plainfield Public School’s YouTube channel. "Students and parents can receive recordings and share, in real time, with relatives and friends from near and afar," Litvin said.

Thinking Inside the Box

According to Litvin, the 120-seat black box theater was an underutilized, existing space that wasn't properly outfitted for performances. Now it is serving multiple purposes.

"As an esports green room, athletes will be able to watch gameplay in the black box theater while they await their scheduled game time," Litvin explained. "The [theater] is also being used as a setting for drama education, theater tech practice, as well as a small intimate setting for student-run productions. It is also being utilized for professional education seminars for Plainfield Public Schools educators and administrators, while also providing a college lecture-hall style classroom setting to prepare students for university and provide an alternative setting for education."

To accomplish the multifaceted happenings in the theater, it was equipped with a comprehensive unRAVL system including new rigging, AV, and lighting. The system is tied together via intuitive controls with presets for common applications, allowing usage of the space for multiple functions by a maximum number of users.

[Extra Lives for Esports?]

lainfield High School and PureTek saw immediate positive results, right from the start. “During the ribbon cutting, the Pliant CrewCom intercom system was a lifesaver,” Litvin said. “We had clear communication between the esports broadcasting space, the main control booth in the auditorium, and with students running production backstage. It allowed students to take ownership as well as enabled the smooth running of a complex event that included many back-to-back performances.”

The key to communications has been its ease of use, and that has shined through the early stages of use. “Making sure that students are able to use the equipment and that the controls are streamlined enough for them is always a consideration in our equipment selection,” Litvin concluded. “The feedback from Plainfield High School on the Pliant gear has been great.”

Learning equity is vital. Every student needs to have the best opportunity to learn the material for any course of study. This is especially true in higher education classrooms where students are more discerning about the value they receive from the institution. The classroom, especially the hybrid classroom, where remote and in-room students come together in one space, has become a cornerstone of modern-day AV technology. When envisioning a hybrid classroom, we typically think of the visual elements—projectors, smart boards, mobile devices, and cameras that make it possible. However, audio is the most foundational element in creating an exceptional, equitable, and inclusive learning environment. Simply put, when speech is intelligible, students can learn. For everyone in a room to hear clearly and naturally and participate in discussions with ease, large classrooms or lecture halls may require a voice lift system.

Far and Near-end Equity

In the last five years, the Unified Communications (UC) industry has exploded in education. UC technology made it possible for those on the far end (remote students) to attend and participate in classes, events, and discussions. In the hybrid learning space, the far-end experience has been prioritized to ensure students are fully included—they can hear clearly, see presentations, and participate seamlessly. However, for those students attending in-person classes, those classrooms may need specialized audio technology to make sure everyone feels connected and is receiving an equitable experience. Those in the classroom need to feel like they're part of the conversation as much as possible and can hear what's being said in the back of the classroom. Voice lift provides speech intelligibility for whoever is speaking, so everyone in the room can hear clearly.

What is Voice Lift?

Voice lift is an area of audio science that is often misinterpreted. It's not a public address (PA) or sound reinforcement (SR) system. With a conventional PA/SR system, all signals received in the room are boosted to the point where even the most distant presenter can be understood. However, two things happen: In order to achieve a sufficient gain before feedback (GBF), presenter microphones must be worn very close to the body, and good placement can be challenging. In addition, communication from students around the classroom is encumbered by either needing to pass around a microphone or having them move to one. What's more, the front-of-stage loudspeakers in those systems must be quite loud to reach the back of the room. This results in uneven volume levels, where front-row students experience overly loud audio while distant students may struggle to hear.

Voice lift is a more evenly balanced audio system. It was introduced to evenly distribute the presenter's natural speech volume, even to listeners at great distances. It maintains consistent speech levels throughout the room, regardless of distance. Voices sound as clear, close, and natural as possible without a hint of artificial tone or feedback. To achieve that intelligibility, it amplifies audio signals individually while increasing the speech level by 3 to 6 dB above the noise floor. Ceiling microphones and distributed loudspeakers are divided into different zones with their levels controlled by an external DSP system.

When is Voice Lift Needed?

A rule of thumb is that voice lift is used in a room when you have listeners that are 24 feet from the presenter, such as a lecture hall or auditorium, but acoustics can play a role too. If it's a well-balanced, acoustically treated room, then a voice lift system may not be needed. If it's a highly reflective room, then intelligibility will be compromised, making voice lift essential. Anything less than 24 feet, it's harder to control the zones of a voice lift system, but in some cases, such as instructors who are naturally soft-spoken or low-pitched, it may be beneficial. The goal is to achieve intelligibility for all participants in a room.

Voice Lift for Active Learning

Within a voice lift system, even distribution of sound with no feedback is achieved by splitting the loudspeakers and microphones into different zones within the room. The quantity and locations of the zones will be determined by the size and acoustics of the room, the number of listeners, the distance between the microphones and the loudspeakers, and the polar pattern of the chosen loudspeaker. Determining how loud the system needs to be for even coverage and speech intelligibility in the room will require calculating the potential acoustic gain (PAG) and the needed acoustic gain (NAG). This formula is very important in designing a voice lift, or even if one is needed.

The goal is to achieve a value of >=0 dB for the difference of PAG − NAG. This indicates a potentially stable voice lift system. If the calculated value is negative, the system is potentially unstable and could suffer from feedback and insufficient intelligibility.

The following formulas are needed to determine the PAG/NAG value:

PAG = 20*log((D0 * D1)/(D2 * DS)) − 10*log(NOM) − FSM

NAG = 20*log(D0 / EAD)

PAG − NAG = x dB

If x >= 0, this value indicates a potentially stable system.

If x < 0, this value indicates a potentially unstable system, which tends to suffer from feedback.

D0 = Distance between the talker and the farthest listener

D1= Distance between the ceiling microphone and the loudspeaker

D2=Distance between the farthest listener and the loudspeaker

EAD=Distance between the talker and nearest listener

DS=Distance between the talker and the ceiling microphone

NOM=Number of open microphones

FSM=Ceiling microphone feedback stability margin

Here's a PAG/NAG calculation to illustrate:

PAG=20*log((33*10)/(6*7))-10*log(2)-6=17.9

NAG=20*log(33ft/12ft)= 8.78

PAG-NAG= 9.12 dB

A Voice-Lift Scenario

Let's say we have a large classroom where there are two ceiling microphones paired with four loudspeakers. The room is divided into four coverage zones. The first coverage zone includes the teacher's area. When they are speaking, the loudspeaker in their zone does not need to be on. Likewise, the loudspeakers closest to the instructor will be at much lower volume because they can hear the instructor unassisted to some degree, so they need less amplification or voice lift. But as you move away from the speaker and the distance increases, more amplification is needed to hear in the sides or back of the room. Essentially, the back of the room will sound the same to those students as those sitting in the front row. With the ceiling microphones and audio zones, when someone starts to speak in the back, the system will do the opposite, muting the loudspeaker within that zone but applying appropriate amplification so other students, as well as the instructor, can hear that student naturally and equally. The loudspeaker in that zone is muted to avoid a feedback loop. Likewise, the other ceiling microphone for the instructor is muted.

When multiple open microphones are operated at the same time, the systems must be balanced against each other. As interactions between presenters and the audience can often be lively, it is important to manage the interaction between microphones, loudspeakers, and the persons speaking. This is why a DSP is needed. It allows for mix-minus, which refers to the muting or lowering of loudspeaker volume in zones that have active microphones. This will help to avoid feedback in each zone, regardless of who's speaking in the room. The speakers will automatically adjust, depending on which microphone is active.

Challenges with Voice Lift

Feedback can be very problematic in a voice lift system. This is why, in addition to a zoned distributed loudspeaker system, the microphone itself will be an important part of creating an optimal voice lift. It should be a beamforming microphone with strong third-party DSP and matrix mixer manufacturing partnerships. A beamforming ceiling microphone will be able to cover a large area but in very narrow beams. This increases its discernability in what audio it picks up and helps to reject the speakers around it. It's like a virtual shotgun microphone. Microphones that integrate well with the DSP and matrix mixer will allow for the creation of multiple zones of mics and loudspeakers that can be fine-tuned so that mics can be muted as needed and the gain of the speakers can change, depending on which microphone is live.

Microphones Specialized for Voice Lift

In addition to beamforming technology, microphones should include features specifically designed to suppress feedback. Microphones that feature voice lift technology significantly amplify speech within the classroom and activate many processes to automatically suppress feedback. When specifying, designers should look for a solution that employs frequency shifting procedures, which automatically apply algorithms to the microphone output signal to mitigate the risk of feedback from the loudspeakers in the room. This ensures that various frequencies are shifted in real time while maintaining the voice quality. Shifting the frequencies considerably reduces the risk of feedback, as sound is transmitted not as a single wave bundle but in multiple wave packets. It also allows you to achieve higher gain. This frequency-shifting technique is used to achieve the best possible speech results.

Of course, frequency shift won't be needed on the far end, so within a Dante stream, one will be a frequency-shifted stream while the other will be a clean mic signal without frequency shift that's sent to the far end. This gives integrators the ability to balance the system nicely and even get more volume than they might need.

Good Acoustics Can't Be Overlooked

Of course, attaining the best listening and speaking environment comes down to the acoustics of the room. The designer and/or architect should prioritize good room acoustics. A highly reverberant room, which many classrooms can be due to hard, reflective surfaces, should be mitigated before considering a voice lift system. Because it would be impossible to get rid of all reflections, integrators should deploy microphones that make use of any remaining reflective properties of a room. A narrow beam of 30° ensures that excellent speech intelligibility is achieved even in rooms with many reflective surfaces. This focused beam is able to pick up each individual's speech cleanly, even when the presenter is standing with their back to the microphone (e.g., speaking and using a whiteboard at the same time).

Acoustic education for integrators, consultants, designers, and architects is also key. Understanding the impact good acoustics have in a room is a conversation as old as time and stands apart from any trends.

The Future of Learning

Students in higher education today are much more discerning in the educational programs and experiences they're paying for. Schools have to be ready to demonstrate the value of in-person learning. All students entering the classroom, as well as the instructors, want to have a good listening experience. As accessibility and equity become a central focus for all grade levels, audio is an important factor for everyone, especially for those who are hard of hearing.

Live theaters such as Broadway have been implementing voice lift for years. They don't rely solely on stage loudspeakers but also loudspeakers that fill in at balcony seats and under the balcony so the audio for those seats sounds just as even and intelligible as other seats that are closer. People pay good money to go to a play. Why shouldn't the higher education classroom be the same?

As schools get deeper into the journey of designing classrooms built around equitable learning for remote and in-person attendees, it's also important to think about how those same ceiling beamforming microphones integrate with cameras and controllers. For example, if a student in the classroom asks a question, the beam (location) from the microphone works with the camera to activate the correct zone. That way, the person at home can not only hear who's speaking but see them as well. Sennheiser is one of the first manufacturers to provide positioning data and presets for its TeamConnect ceiling microphones for Q-SYS, Crestron, and other camera controllers.

More schools and other organizations are starting to look at voice lift systems and how it can improve the in-room experience. For instructors, they don't have to strain to hear questions, and discussions can happen more organically and naturally, which benefits students who may be anxious about speaking. People want to learn, and instructors want to get the message across easily.

Kenyon College, a 200-year-old liberal arts college in Gambier, OH. Recently, i expanded to include three multi-story buildings as part of its new West Quad. Designed by NV5 and deployed by Radiant Technology, the West Quad incorporates a range of Extron products and technologies to power presentations and collaboration, including high-performance AV switching systems consisting of DTP and IP Link Pro control, and NAV Pro AV over IP systems for linking within and between spaces.

The buildings offer presentation equipment in over 100 classrooms, as well as other learning and meeting spaces. The AV systems include one or more computers, at least one video projection system or large screen display, and AV connectivity available on walls and furniture. Many rooms are equipped with additional sources, such as an optical media player, a document camera, webcams, one or more Smart Pen displays, and Apple TV with screen casting. Certain rooms also provide lecture capture and streaming capabilities.

“We evaluated various technologies and brands with Kenyon’s representatives for their new West Quad buildings. We determined that AV over IP using Extron’s NAV system was the right solution for this particular project and client,” said Jesse Fishman CTS-D, DSCE, senior systems designer, Technology and Acoustics at NV5. “Implementing NAV systems throughout the academic, administrative, and library buildings for classrooms, meeting rooms, and general-purpose spaces made the most sense.”

Extron’s NAV Pro AV over IP system was selected because it provided flexibility, signal integrity, and video scalability in a high-performance solution. Within each room and space, NAV encoders and scaling decoders run through local switches, with the decoders distributing content at the native resolution for each display device. Learning space configurations change regularly; thus, the NAV endpoints are installed throughout the rooms. Connection points are provided on walls and floors and within furniture. The auditorium, seminar rooms, and presentation venues have the same type of flexibility using more of the standard products and connection options. The NAV system also facilitates overflow by routing signals between rooms.

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A range of other Extron equipment is deployed to provide complete AV systems. In some spaces, Extron DTP CrossPoint presentation matrix switchers provide switching within the room while connecting to the NAV system for complete routing flexibility. DMP Plus Series DSP processors are paired with XPA Series power amplifiers for enhanced audio reproduction. Intuitive AV system control is provided by a variety of TouchLink Pro touchpanels in a range of sizes and form factors. Mounted on lecterns, walls, and/or other furniture, the touchpanels work in conjunction with an Extron IP Link Pro control processor that monitors and controls each AV system. To manage bookings for reservable spaces, an easy-to-use TouchLink Room Scheduling Panel is installed outside of the door. Professors and staff can view room availability in real-time and reserve the space by following the on-screen prompts.

Kenyon College is using their new campus buildings with enhanced technology to embody their approach to solving problems from multiple angles, crossing disciplines to make connections. The West Quad, with its Extron systems and technologies, is helping to prepare their students to meet and even lead the way in today’s complex and ever-changing world.

The Putnam County School System (PCSS) located an hour east of Nashville, is one of the Tennessee’s largest public school districts, employing over 1,700 staff and educating over 12,000 students. The use of display technology plays a critical role in the teaching and learning experiences for its students and faculty across 22 schools, but also inside its busy, multi-purpose central offices. To enhance communication and engagement, the school system recently turned to PPDS digital signage solutions.

The PCSS central offices are a hive of activity, with important meetings, events, conferences, and collaborations both in person and virtually, with other districts and educational offices hosted on a daily basis.

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With an aging and inefficient digital signage system, the PCSS required a tailored, modern, flexible, and future-proof solution that would enable seamless, dynamic content management across its reception and common areas, conference rooms, and in the main boardroom. Key to its ambitions was the ability to display everything from event schedules and meeting agendas through to presentation materials and live feeds for virtual attendees, all in a visually appealing and professional format.

Teaming up with educational AV specialist Howard Technology Solutions, a selection of 10 Philips Signage 3000 Series (Q-Line) displays, ranging from 55-98 inches, were selected to achieve the office’s evolving and widening range of communication needs and ambitions.

“The new Philips digital signage solution has truly transformed our ability to communicate," said Sam Brooks, future ready aupervisor, Putnam County School System. "Not only have we enhanced the presentation of information, we have also made our meetings more engaging and effective for all, whether in person or virtual.”

Meeting the brief and budgetary requirements, the Philips Signage 3000 Series and its support of 4K content is ideal for the dynamic office needs of today and into the future, ensuring a consistent and reliable performance at all times.

With a professional Android SoC built in, the Philips Signage 3000 Series delivers fully secure remote management options to the PCSS team, adopting PPDS’ evolutionary Philips Wave cloud platform. The Philips Wave platform allows Putnam County staff to easily update content remotely (24/7), ensuring all displays showcase up-to-date, relevant, and consistent information.

This flexibility empowers staff to manage announcements, schedules, and materials effortlessly, improving communication during both in-person and virtual meetings, while also allowing for immediate resolution of any issues that may arise.

The installations of the Philips signage displays have had an immediate and overwhelmingly positive impact at the central offices, creating a more professional look and feel, while the capabilities have significantly enhanced the productivity and efficiencies for all meeting types.

Staff have also seen increased levels of engagement during meetings and events, with the Philips signage creating a more interactive and collaborative experience for all involved, with dynamic content ensuring all attendees are involved and engaged at all times.

The straightforward accessibility and user friendliness of the control system has been embraced by all team members, including those with minimal or no previous experience, allowing meetings and events to begin on time and to be presented with confidence and professionalism.

“With Philips Professional Displays we have enabled a seamless experience where anyone can enter our meeting room and, within just a few minutes, have their presentation ready to go," Corby King, director of schools at Putnam County School System, concluded. "The straightforward accessibility and user friendliness of the control system not only saves time but also allows individuals to lead meetings confidently, even if they lack prior experience.”

Dedicated to teaching, research, public service, and outreach at all levels, New Mexico State University (NMSU) has transformed an underutilized information technology teaching lab into a dynamic innovation center—the “NMSU IT Innovation Space.”

The new space will now serve as a demo environment for modern instruction technology while supporting learning development courses. It features an innovative 171-inch all-in-one direct-view light-emitting diode display from LG Electronics, perfect for big-screen videoconferencing and presentations. It also features a Google-certified LG CreateBoard 65-inch interactive display designed for use in a wide range of applications across the K-12, higher education, and corporate verticals.

NMSU is a NASA Space Grant and Federal Land Grant College, Hispanic- and minority-serving institution, and home to the first Honors College in New Mexico. On its 900-acre main campus in Las Cruces, the university offers an accessible education that shapes bright futures for every type of student.

The addition of the new technology-rich, IT Innovative Space—the first such space in New Mexico – is intended to support the university’s learning development initiative, and is part of a broader and ongoing deployment of LG CreateBoard solutions, digital signage displays (primarily within conference rooms and private offices, for wireless presentations), and computer monitors throughout the campus, driven by the success of the IT Innovative Space installation.

“Working with LG and our vendor partner, Bluum, on the development of the new NMSU IT Innovative Space, we transformed an underused area of campus into a dynamic new space for learning development,” said Frank Sage, AV specialist at New Mexico State University. “The successful deployment of both the interactive CreateBoard and LG DVLED displays in this space led us to re-evaluate our use of digital display technology across campus. The interactive board’s ease of use, feature-rich functionality, and high performance value have inspired us to install additional LG CreateBoards, digital signage displays, and computer monitors throughout the campus, with more to follow.”

According to Sage, the CreateBoard’s built-in Android 13 software added additional appeal, aiding learning development, with a plethora of application options.

The 65-inch LG CreateBoard is mounted on a Balance Box 400 mobile stand, allowing it to be repositioned anywhere in the room, either as a horizontal interactive workspace or tabletop solution, primarily for learning game development. With built-in Android 13 software and LG software suite, the intuitive and hyper-functional LG CreateBoard solution boasts a native resolution of 3,840 × 2,160 (UHD), brightness of 400 nits, and 50-point multitouch interaction. LG software suite includes LG CreateBoard Share, which establishes a seamless, wireless, and stable meeting room or discussion environment, without the need for extra cables or connections.

The first DVLED display installed on campus is LG’s 171-inch all-in-one unit, with more expected to be added to the additional display deployments because of the success of this installation. The display covers almost one entire wall of the IT Innovative Space and is intended primarily to aid with hybrid learning equity, helping to bridge the gap between on-site and distance learning, although the NMSU team intends to utilize it for a variety of different functions.

According to Sage, providing an immersive viewing experience with a 21:9 widescreen aspect ratio (2,560 × 1,080), the 171-inch DVLED is perfect for a variety of videoconferencing platforms, making it ideal for distance learning. An all-in-one package, it includes an embedded controller and built-in speaker, and is easily installed without the need for either controller connections or module configuration.

“Our LG CreateBoard and DVLED technology are more than just tools—they represent our commitment to helping higher education institutions like New Mexico State University reimagine how spaces can be used to inspire collaboration, learning, and innovation,” said Victoria Sanville, Education Director at LG Electronics USA. “Working with NMSU, we collaborated to identify and implement the ideal solutions for their groundbreaking IT Innovation Space. The success of this project is leading to broader adoption of LG technologies across campus, and we’re excited to continue working with the university’s IT team to bring their visionary ideas to life and transform their spaces into hubs of productivity and creativity.”

Long Beach City College has opened a new esports facility on its Liberal Arts Campus that relies on Extron AV control technology and NAV Pro AV over IP for switching and distribution of gaming content.

The gaming floor seats 47 players at Alienware gaming stations. Coaches monitor and advise players from five mobile stations that plug into the network at Extron connection boxes at the end of each team table. A shoutcaster booth with twin 65-inch flat panel displays seats a production and announcer staff of two. Designed and built by California firms HPI Architecture, P2S Engineering, and EKC Enterprises, with assistance from Extron, and under supervision of the LBCC Multimedia Technologies staff, the facility provides LBCC's championship-winning esports teams their own top-flight home field that replaces the gaming space they previously borrowed at a nearby high school.

"Extron's AV control system design for the esports facility met our requirement to keep things intuitive for users," said Chris Greenwood, project manager, educational and multimedia technologies at Long Beach City College. "The TouchLink Pro touchpanel GUIs show clickable room maps of gaming stations and video displays, which makes assigning gaming stations to teams, creating competition matchups, and arranging multiple video windows on room displays very natural for users while the control system and the NAV Pro AV over IP network handle switching and transmission behind the scenes."

The large number of AV endpoints, with possibly more over time, made NAV Pro AV over IP a logical choice. Adding more endpoints is as simple as connecting more encoders and decoders to the network. NAV's ultra-low latency transmission over 1 Gbps Ethernet provides an important player edge during competitions were fast player reactions are a must. NAV encoders connect gaming PCs, PTZ cameras, and other AV content sources to the network. NAV scaling decoders provide the AV content from the network to the many displays around the facility in 4K clarity, as well as streaming to internet gaming platforms like Twitch or YouTube via OBS Studio. MGP 641 xi multi-window processors let the production team create split screen presentations of up to eight source windows on any display to keep audiences glued to their screens viewing gaming action.

While implementing a districtwide one-to-one device initiative, the Downingtown Area School District—which serves more than 13,000 students across 16 schools and one cyber school—realized schools needed classroom technologies that better supported student devices while giving educators the flexibility and reliability needed for instruction. Enter the BrightLink Interactive Displays which are now enhancing educational practices and better supporting teachers and students.

Providing software flexibility, the displays seamlessly work with common software applications, including Office 365 and Google Workspace, eliminating the need to purchase additional software titles that often include recurring subscription fees. Featuring a built-in split screen feature, they also support simultaneous displays from both teacher and student devices, while delivering an extra-large, bright image that ensures all can interact with and see content clearly.

“Our K-12 school district needed a solution that would allow teachers to expand their lesson plans with more student interaction while also keeping up with the rapid technological advancements children are already experiencing at home,” said Bruce Lord, media and educational technology supervisor, Downingtown Area School District.

Aiming to standardize classroom instruction across its campuses, the district recognized the importance of versatile software and dependable technology in achieving its mission. To increase engagement and ensure all students have access to an equal learning environment, in 2011, the district launched its one-to-one student device initiative. During this trial process, educators in the district were asked to test out various technologies and note the impact on their curriculum.

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The BrightLink showed the most promise for academic success throughout multiple grade levels and different learning styles. Lord noted, “Using the BrightLink, teachers across the district were able to implement new educational practices and software that seamlessly integrated with both teacher and student devices.”

Equitable access was a priority in the district’s technological transition. With district support and teacher buy-in, installations began on a staggered schedule to manage costs and labor efficiently. Once classrooms were upgraded with BrightLink, the focus shifted to preparing teachers for effective implementation. Built for simple setup and to be controlled with ease, BrightLink allowed teachers to seamlessly project multiple student screens, fostering a new level of collaboration and positive peer work.

“Teachers quickly grasped the BrightLink training and adjusted their classroom routines to suit the needs of each group of students,” said Lord. “Whether using the full whiteboard space for presentations or solving problems directly on the board, the interactive display offered versatile options and allows teachers to use the traditional whiteboard space when the projector is not on.”

The BrightLink 1485Fi Interactive Display features a nearly maintenance-free 20,000-hour laser light source, removing the need for lamp purchases and replacements. Plus, with automatic image adjustment, simplified calibration and a single-cable, HDBaseT control pad, installation has never been easier. This enabled the district to focus their time on other priorities while seamlessly installing the displays across campuses, without the concern of cost or setup time.

Immediately after putting the displays to use, teachers recognized a difference in student engagement and the comprehension of the classroom material. “With an expansive display of up to 120 inches, every student in a room can easily see the content and fully immerse themselves in the material, creating a more interactive learning environment,” said Lord.

“Epson is continuing to enhance our display solutions as the needs of students and teachers evolve,” said Tom Piche, product manager, Interactive Displays, Epson America. “One-to-one device integration is often essential for schools today. By prioritizing equitable access to advanced display technology, Downingtown Area School District has enhanced engagement, collaboration and comprehension. We're thrilled to see BrightLink’s positive impact in the classroom."

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) is a premier, state-of-the-art facility with six performance venues, supporting over 1,200 events a year. Fostering creativity, education, and performance, The Clarice houses the School of Music; School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies; The Clarice’s own artistic platform for visiting artists, Clarice Presents; and the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library. As a hub for artistic innovation, projection plays a vital role in illuminating the center’s events, productions, educational courses, and communal spaces. Each show and event is very different, demanding a variety of projection solutions along with unique installation challenges and requirements. Epson’s extensive lineup of interchangeable lens laser projectors has been crucial for meeting the diverse projection needs across multiple venues.

“Our team handles all the tech in-house, and I’m a big fan of Epson’s versatile lineup and wide range of lens options,” said Zach Rupp, projections coordinator at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. “Every project has its own unique scope of work, and being able to use the same projectors, with lenses that can be used between models, has been crucial. The projectors’ level of adaptability and ability to completely change production with a simple lens swap has been invaluable as we manage so many different types of venues and events.”

The Clarice has used Epson projectors in multiple ways for many different productions, from using nine Epson projectors to light up the stage for an opera production with projected subtitles, to students working with the projectors in the immersive media design education program, to deploying 16 projectors to transform an entire lobby for its recent NextNOW Fest 2024. Epson’s versatile lineup has allowed the center to meet everyone's diverse display needs.

NextNOW Fest Projection

In its eleventh year, the annual NextNOW Fest 2024 – an inspiring arts experience that celebrates imagination, creativity and community – took place in early September at The Clarice. A signature event in the University of Maryland's Arts for All initiative, Rupp and his team used 14 Epson large venue laser projectors to cover nearly 2,000 square feet of space in the center’s Grand Pavilion, a central hub for its six performance venues. Lighting up nearly every surface in the multi-level lobby, scenes of abstract free-flowing color and form, to marketing content and a live camera feed took over the space, displaying eye-popping color and exquisite detail that wowed guests upon arrival.

Rupp and his team created and delivered the content using a combination of the projector’s built-in curved surface mapping tools, along with blending and stacking techniques and third-party management software, including WATCHOUT 6 multi-display software. The projectors were networked together, allowing for remote access and a convenient set-and-forget solution. Some of the projectors were stacked on top of one another in Epson’s projector stacking frame to increase brightness and provide redundancy. This also provided flexible stacking and peace of mind during installation and handling.

“The entryway blew attendees away right from the start,” Rupp said. “It truly set the stage for what to expect at the rest of the festival.”

Interchangeable Lenses for Diverse Applications

Epson also works with several equipment rental and staging companies such as 4Wall to offer end users greater flexibility, whether they need a temporary rental or a lens swap based on specific projector requirements.

“4Wall has been a fantastic partner for Epson rentals, allowing us to own what we need and supplement our collection with rentals,” said Jeff Reckeweg, technology shop manager, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. “Owning and renting within the Epson projector and interchangeable lens ecosystem has been both convenient and cost-effective.”

Epson projectors provide unmatched creative possibilities and audience experiences with state-of-the-art technology, delivering exceptional color output and durability. Featuring a single lens family that supports a wide range of projectors from 6,000 to 20,000 lumens¹ from ultra-short-throw to long-throw. Advanced projection technology combined with motorized lenses enables a wide range of lens shift capabilities for added installation flexibility.

“At Epson, we prioritize outstanding image quality and reliability while offering tools that make projector installations easier,” said Ramzi Shakra, senior product manager, Epson America, Inc. “The feedback we receive from end users is extremely important to us as it plays a crucial role in shaping our product development and improvements. It’s great to see The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center taking full advantage of Epson’s flexible lineup and versatile lens options.”

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Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) in Southern California is one of the largest community colleges on the West Coast. When it was time to renovate their Hilmer Lodge Stadium for their Mounties athletics programs, it built an entirely new 60,000-square-foot sports complex adjoining the historic stadium which is now powered by an Extron XTP system.

The complex’s AV system meets the structural and technology requirements to support the college’s football, track and field, and cross country athletics programs, as well as a wide variety of other spaces. The surrounding complex adjoins the stadium at each of its four levels, providing learning, meeting, and specialized-use rooms for the coaching staff and the student athletes. In addition to stadium refinements, the new AV system provides technology enhancements throughout the complex.

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Updated and connected spaces include the new box office, a larger concession area with digital menus, new broadcast and press booths, VIP rooms, weight training and fitness centers, a kinesiology instructional room, active learning spaces, offices, meeting rooms, and a complex-wide digital signage system. An Extron XTP system provides the AV distribution backbone for the expansive sports complex, including the 85x37-foot LED display that serves as the scoreboard and presentation video wall.

“Extron’s hardware and software products provide the flexibility, reliability, and power we require for our stadium complex,” says Chris Rodriguez, CTS, ECP, EAP, assistant director, audiovisual services at Mt. San Antonio College. “Their equipment and support are the best in the industry.”

Each of the four XTP II CrossPoint modular matrix switchers is populated with combinations of XTP CP input and output boards. They are configured to facilitate local and remote AV signal extension of HDMI, 12G‑SDI, and audio signals and RS‑232 control insertion. For local devices, the HDMI I/O boards support 4K/60 HDMI signals and stereo audio while the 12G‑SDI boards facilitate SDI transmissions. This input board also provides SDI and HDMI input loop-through for local monitoring.

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The XTP II CrossPoint matrix switcher rack-mounted in the tech booth supports the stadium video wall system, the rooms and digital signage on this level, and the displays within the AV‑enabled indoor and outdoor event spaces on the third level. Two inputs tied to the video wall processor route content to the stadium’s massive scoreboard LED video wall. To select from among the myriad of camera feeds and other sources, an operator at any of the tech booth’s six workstations uses an Extron TouchLink Pro touchpanel. The touchpanels are managed through the Extron IP Link Pro control processor.

The Extron XTP Systems installation helped bring the stadium up to today’s standards for sports training and competitive excellence, as well as providing top-quality broadcasting capabilities to Mt. SAC’s historic Hilmer Lodge Stadium.

QuickLink has released StudioPro Lab, an educational edition of its StudioLab platform. The Lab was created to equip students with the future of video production. This educational package, which includes StudioPro hardware and additional software licenses available to install on student machines, provides students with the tools required to develop real-world production skills.

StudioPro has been adopted by broadcast, corporate, house of worship, education and government production environments. Functioning similarly to a video-based Microsoft PowerPoint, with StudioPro, each scene is like a slide, allowing users to add multiple layers, effortlessly switching between scenes to create amazing productions. 

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“At QuickLink, our passion lies in live video production," said Richard Rees, CEO of QuickLink. "With the launch of StudioPro Lab, we aim to educate the next generation of media professionals and provide opportunities for those aspiring to build a career in the Media & Entertainment industry.”

Now, educational institutions can easily bring StudioPro into the classroom, as it can be integrated into journalism, media, film and other similar college or university curriculums. With StudioPro Lab, colleges, universities and schools can seamlessly adopt StudioPro into curriculums and get access to the free educational StudioPro software for student-use.

“We have seen incredible adoption of StudioPro across the industry,” Rees added. “We are pleased to now offer educators and students with the same high-end broadcast quality solution. By introducing this technology into educational settings, we are giving students valuable hands-on experience with the tools they will encounter in the professional world.”

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An easy-to-use live video production system, QuickLink’s StudioPro delivers true-to-life, ultra-low latency production experiences without the complexity of legacy systems. QuickLink StudioEdge technology, built-into StudioPro, blends QuickLink’s expertise in remote guest integration, enabling users to easily incorporate Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, and StudioCall callers into productions. Additionally, StudioPro’s intuitive, simple, user interface can be customized to accommodate users of all skill levels.

Located in the heart of Central Florida, Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC) serves 8,600 students annually and a 25:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The fast-growing LSSC is experiencing growing pains in its classrooms and campus facilities, and to meet the new demands, the college recently upgraded the audio system in The Everett A. Kelly Convocation Center with amplifiers from LEA Professional.

The multipurpose gymnasium is home to LSSC’s NJCAA volleyball program. With seating for up to 1100 spectators, the convocation center also hosts local high school basketball games and tournaments. Outside of athletics, the facility can be transformed to hold elegant events such as award ceremonies, banquets, and special events. A key event each semester is Commencement. Sound intelligibility was not adequate for many of the activities taking place in the gym, so staff reached out to Daniel Hunt, director of business development of JSC Systems, to design and deploy an AV system with better intelligibility. 

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“Like many gyms, LSSCs had lengthy reverberation. The spoken word accompanying games and other activities sounded muffled at best, so we knew we had to implement a system with better directivity,” said Hunt. “The old system was also underpowered, and we knew a perfect way to correct that particular issue was to deploy amps from LEA.”

The system utilized Crestron DSPs—one courtside to interface with event mics and another in the sound booth rack. LED displays adorn the walls which also double as digital scoreboards. Danley Sound Labs subwoofers were flown in the center of the gym, and multipurpose horns were mounted around the court. Hunt's teams also installed acoustic treatments to further reduce reverberation.

Hunt deployed several Connect Series 704 amplifiers to power the subwoofers and horns installed around the gymnasium. The IoT-enabled four-channel 704 provides 700 watts per channel, supports Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z selectable by channel, and features Smart Power Bridge technology. With three ways to connect, the school can engage the built-in Wi-Fi access point, connect to the center’s Wi-Fi, or connect to the local area network via Cat5 or Cat6 cable.

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The Connect Series features LEA Cloud, which enables AV teams to remotely control and monitor the amplifiers regardless of the location or time of day. Whether from within the gymnasium or elsewhere, controlling the Connect Series amplifiers from afar helps teams work more efficiently. 

“Taming the reverberation in a gym isn’t easy—the high ceilings, hard bleachers, and parquet floors combined with down-firing loudspeakers is a testament to JSC’s capabilities,” said Brian Pickowitz, VP of marketing for LEA Professional. “We’re very pleased to have played a role in elevating the audio experience at LSSC.”

With the help of PureTek Group, provider of innovative technology solutions for educational spaces based out of Boonton, NJ, Plainfield High School recently completed a major renovation to its auditorium, along with the addition of two new spaces—an esports gaming arena and a black box theater. To provide clear communication between those disparate parts of the school, Plainfield High School, along with PureTek Group, turned to Pliant Technologies’ CrewCom professional wireless intercom system.  

“We chose Pliant to help orchestrate what could be a very chaotic experience,” said Dan Litvin, co-founder and president of PureTek Group. “The CrewCom system is used extensively throughout the school and produces unified performance, from standard backstage theatrical production applications, to managing cameras, lighting and audio from room to room at a distance.”

Since the upgrade, the school’s intercom system consists of various Pliant solutions, including one CrewCom 2+2 Control Unit (CCU), three CrewCom 900MHz Radio Transceivers (RTs), seven CrewCom 900MHz 2-Volume/2-Conference Radio Packs with seven SmartBoom PRO single-ear headsets, along with other accessories, such as Pliant’s 6+6 Drop-In Radio Pack and Battery Charger, as well as 48VDC Power Supply cords.

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At Plainfield High School, the new auditorium and black box theater are directly next to each other, while the esports arena was constructed out of two adjacent classrooms on the opposite side of the school. Due to this distance, a substantial benefit of Pliant’s CrewCom system is its coverage capabilities. “The esports arena has only enough space for gamers and coaches, so for tournaments, the auditorium serves as a viewing area for audiences,” said Litvin. “To achieve a collaborative performance, communication is key, so reliable coverage from a distance is a necessity. With Pliant, production personnel at the school are able to communicate clearly from the eSports arena all the way to the backstage booth in the auditorium.”

With a combined production team of staff members and students, another important factor in choosing Pliant was ease-of-use. “As a company, we pride ourselves on providing high-end design in the educational space and incorporating education into our design,” said Litvin. “Making sure that students are able to use the equipment and that the controls are streamlined enough for them, is always a consideration in our equipment selection. The feedback from the customer on the Pliant gear has been great.”

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The ability to have multiple channels is another favored feature of the CrewCom system. “This has been really convenient for this installation because when the operators in the booth and the auditorium are trying to speak both backstage and to the broadcasting person in eSports, it's really nice to be able to switch between feeds and have single conversations,” explained Litvin.

He also commended the audio quality of the headsets. “It’s fantastic. There’s clarity even in the loudest environments,” he added. “The mics on the headsets are sensitive enough that the team can speak in hushed tones while a performance is happening, and you can clearly hear whatever it is they’re saying.”

Plainfield High School is already utilizing its latest performing arts and entertainment centers this school year, with plans to incorporate production into their curriculum. “We now have cutting-edge technology and we're very excited that our students have the opportunity to be very hands-on in terms of learning the equipment,” says Jean Gordon, Chief of Instruction and Programs, Plainfield Public Schools. “We are now offering our students a new skillset that they can take out into the world.”

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In addition, the school intends on renting out the space in the future, which could not be possible without the highest quality of equipment. “Having the Pliant system brings that level of professionalism and flexibility required to be able to rent out their facility to touring groups, lectures, corporates, etc.,” said Litvin. 

LG Business Solutions USA is collaborating with enterprise B2B software company Kokomo24/7 to bring paired solutions for health, safety, and operational efficiency to educational institutions. This collaboration combines LG’s hardware with Kokomo’s flexible software platform to form paired solutions targeted to customers in the education market, from K-12 schools through colleges and universities, across the United States. Kokomo’s platform complements LG’s expansive product offerings, including LG CreateBoard, LG Kiosk, digital signage displays, and One:Quick solutions.

The Kokomo platform has a software architecture that enables users to create both niche solutions and turn-key safety, health, and risk management software modules designed to tackle the most pressing challenges facing educational, government, and business environments. These modules are available for rapid implementation, enabling clients to quickly assemble a variety of solutions tailored to their specific needs and which interact seamlessly with LG’s portfolio of products.

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“Our close collaborations with schools ensure that we develop solutions addressing the real-world safety and security challenges they are facing today,” said Kokomo Solutions founder and CEO Daniel J. Lee. “With our unique and modular platform and LG’s advanced display technologies, we can rapidly innovate and adapt to the unique demands of the education market, as well as other sectors such as workplaces and healthcare.”

This joint effort is expected to enable both companies to deliver a comprehensive suite of resources, helping schools address both short-term technological challenges and long-term strategic goals, according to Nicolas Min, president of LG Business Solutions USA.

“At LG, our brand vision is Life’s Good, and our mission is Innovation for a Better Life,” he said. “To achieve this in the education market, we recognize the value of collaboration with dynamic partners like Kokomo. Together, we will provide our customers the tools and support necessary to address immediate challenges while also envisioning the future of school health and safety enabled by our integrated solutions.”

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Lee said Kokomo’s established relationships with anchor education clients in Los Angeles and New York provide a robust foundation for this initiative. “As LG and Kokomo lay the groundwork for further collaboration and partnership development,” he added, “both organizations remain committed to creating smarter, safer, and more integrated environments across the education, workplace, and healthcare sectors.”