The Middle Tennessee State University LEVEL Up esports arena draws people from all across campus to the Student Union Building to experience esports action. The arena boasts 24 gaming PC stations, a coaching station, a shoutcasting booth, a bevy of point-of-view (POV) cameras, large displays, web streaming capability, and a powerful sound system.
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Tying it together is a flexible, scalable AV switching and distribution solution based on NAV Pro AV over IP, augmented by Extron streaming media processing, audio DSP processing, and audio amplification. It’s all controlled using an intuitive Extron Pro Series control system that includes 10-inch TouchLink Pro touchpanels working in concert with an IPCP Pro xi control processor. MTSU’s IT-AV technical staff, led by James Copeland, director-classroom technology, has long relied on Extron AV systems in hundreds of classrooms, conference rooms, and event spaces across their campus. It’s not surprising that MTSU tapped Extron for the AV amenities that power the esports action in the LEVEL Up Arena.
“When we were contemplating building a dedicated esports venue, we reached out to Extron, because they have a lot of experience in that area. They showed us examples at other schools and proposed a NAV Pro AV over IP design that was really flexible,” said James Copeland, director of classroom technology at MTSU.
NAV Pro AV over IP infrastructure provides visually lossless distribution of 4K video over 1 Gbps Ethernet. It’s easily scalable to accommodate as many AV sources and destinations as needed. NAV E 121 compact encoders connect all AV content sources, including gaming PCs, coaching PCs, and POV cameras, to the AV over IP network. NAV SD 101 scaling decoders connect displays and other output devices to the AV over IP network. Two decoders feed a SMP 352 dual recording streaming media processor that streams gaming action to the Internet for league competitions, while recording the streamed content for later viewing. TouchLink Pro touchpanels and IPCP Pro xi control processors allow users to control AV system functions though an intuitive interface with buttons and sliders that select AV sources and destinations, adjust sound volume, aim cameras, and perform other AV system actions.
Additionally, A DMP 128 Plus audio DSP processor with acoustic echo cancellation optimizes all audio sources in the arena. The coaching mic connects directly to a mic/line input of the DMP 128 Plus. All other audio sources are delivered via the AV over IP network to the DMP’s Dante/AES67 port. This includes gameplay sound from the player and coach PCs and play-by-play commentary from two shoutcasters who speak into headphone boom mics that feed into the AV over IP network via an AXI 44 AT Dante audio interface unit.
The DMP 128 Plus drives the room’s speakers through a 200 watt XPA amplifier and also feeds the conditioned audio into the SMP 352 for streaming and recording.
"When our college leadership came through for the first time, they were impressed," Justin Reed, MTSU's director of Student Union event coordination concluded. "Their eyes got wide, and jaws dropped. Student reaction is overwhelmingly positive.”