Based in Middletown, CT, The Connection offers programs that address complex community problems such as homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse and community justice rehabilitation. The organization received a grant from Connecticut Office of Policy and Management’s Non-Profit Grant Program to upgrade the training room at their Middletown main office, turning to Metinteractive for the installation.
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Metinteractive provided project management and engineering for a design/build upgrade to the ’s training rooms. Operations manager Jesse Alford served as project executive for this job, secured the project for Metinteractive.
“We wanted to upgrade our in-person and hybrid training space with better resources; it’s been on our wish list for a while,” noted Christina Liuzzo, The Connection’s director of IT. “This grant funding enabled us to upgrade all the networking equipment at our different sites, get a lot of new computers and upgrade the training rooms. The new displays and audio are a major improvement from the monitors mounted on rolling carts we used before.”
The large space that was renovated is divisible into three rooms with foldable partitions configuring the space as needed. They are equipped for local, remote and hybrid presentations and training using common owner-furnished software, including PowerPoint, MS Teams, and Zoom. The rooms are in frequent use with new hire orientations scheduled every two weeks.
When the rooms are divided, content is displayed on a flat panel permanently mounted in each room. When the rooms are combined, any source may be selected for display on one or multiple monitors as desired. Video calls utilizing OFE conferencing software use the microphones, cameras and speakers in the room. Ceiling-mounted microphone arrays (one per room) use advanced technology to track the location of the speaker in the room to isolate their voice and substantially reduce background noise and echo. The technology also guides the selection and positioning of the camera. Optical detection in the cameras frames the presenter to optimize the image shown to the far end.
Presentation sources in each room include an OFE PC (located in the server room) with a wireless keyboard and mouse for use by the presenter; a wall-plate HDMI connection for laptops and other portable devices; and a wireless presentation system for tablets and other devices with a Wi-Fi connection. The wall-plate also has a USB3.0 connection to connect the room’s AV system to a video conference call hosted on the laptop.
A wall-mounted touch panel in each room provides presenters and staff with an easy-to-use GUI to select the source to be displayed on screen, the audio volume level in the room and the ability to combine rooms when the foldable partitions are opened.
When the space is divided into three rooms, the end room includes a ceiling-mounted projector and projection screen. The end and middle rooms have wall-mounted 86-inch flat panel displays, which replace smaller displays and smartboards. The smallest room is outfitted with a 75-inch flat panel. Mersive Solstice systems provide Wi-Fi connectivity.
The rooms feature wall-mounted Q-SYS sound bars under the displays for program audio playback. Sonance ceiling-mounted speakers reinforce program audio as well as far-end audio; Shure beam-forming ceiling mic arrays pick up speech for transmission to the far end.
Q-SYS video cameras at the front and rear of the rooms deliver a view of the instructor's presentations. An additional camera in the end room captures a view of the presenter when the room is in combined mode, and the orientation is along the long axis of the room. Touch screen control is also via Q-SYS.
“We tried to use as much Q-SYS equipment as possible since we have seen how solid it can be from cameras to sound bars to network video endpoints,” said Metinteractive project supervisor Scott Tunkel. “It was definitely able to meet our expectations and work effectively for the client.”
Metinteractive has provided excellent support and customer service throughout the process, including opportunities to properly train The Connection’s staff on the new equipment. “This project reflects our commitment to innovation and excellence in service delivery. With these new tools, we’re better equipped to train, collaborate, and grow—ultimately improving outcomes for the individuals and families we support,” said The Connection’s CEO, Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore. “Metinteractive brought not only technical expertise but also a deep understanding of our values. Their team worked alongside ours with care and precision, and the result is a space that truly supports our work.”