Global Cloud Company Audio Video over IP (AvoIP) upgrade
Challenges
A global cloud company reached out to Digicom in relation to upgrading their existing All Hands Audio Visual (AV) system. Their existing system was built on a HDBaseT infrastructure for AV transport which essentially means that the transport was over standard network cable but in a point to point configuration.
The downside to HDbaseT and a point to point cabling architecture in today’s modern world of AV / IT is the inherent lack of flexibility and scalability as the scalability is limited by the capacity of the matrix switcher in question and flexibility is nil as the cabling runs from end devices to a central matrix directly.
The client was also very unimpressed with the audio system that their previous AV integrator installed and were looking for a system that was not only more engaging but provided better overall coverage but with a much higher quality benchmark and again more flexibility.
Solution
After multiple in depth technical workshops with the client, Digicom not only captured their essential ‘must have’ use cases but also their wish list of ‘above and beyond’ functionality. Fundamentally the system needed to cater for:
- An all company All Hands meeting / conference via the Zoom platform, providing exceptional audio and video quality.
- Smaller ad-hoc presentation style meeting / Zoom conference.
- Great sounding background music for general dining as part of this space is also their canteen area.
- Friday night ‘let you hair down’ type events with DJ’s, lighting etc.
- Full nightclub type lighting rig with moving head lights and stage lighting for events.
- Integrate a professional broadcast AV mixing system so as to record multiple cameras / sources simultaneously and also mix the events live for web streaming.
- Zoning (ability to combine) of all included areas.
To accomplish this we designed a comprehensive AVoIP system encompassing:
- 100 Crestron NVX AVoIP endpoint devices,
- multiple broadcast quality Panasonic cameras,
- a QSC Q-Sys network based audio system with 150 channels of Dante and Q-Lan networked audio,
- full range audio system with exceptional quality network amplifiers,
- speakers and subwoofers that were configured and set up properly to provide great audio for all events no matter how big or small, loud or quiet.
We also designed a comprehensive event lighting system to serve all of the above requirements, as well as a broadcast quality video mixing and recording platform and a Crestron control system to provide both end user simplified controls and administrator in depth control of the system.
Benefits
The beauty of this system is, as mentioned earlier, the flexibility and scalability. This client has future plans to expand this system to other areas of their local building and remote buildings (across their WAN) and all that needs to be done to accomplish this is more AVoIP endpoints, some network connection points and configuration.
Compare this to the traditional AV system where most systems are isolated and don’t communicate. To create a holistic system like the above would need a massive AV matrix switcher and even then you are still limited to the input / output configuration of the matrix, so 16/32/64/128 inputs and outputs.
What happens if you need 68 inputs? – you would have to procure a 128 I/O matrix with additional cost for what will be unused capacity and the complexity that this entails and still there is a scalability limit and lack of fundamental flexibility as all signals have to traverse through this physical matrix via point to point cabling to reach their destination rather than traverse an already in situ data network as IP packets.
So if you want to place your next AV project in a position of flexibility and have no limitations in scalability then AVoIP should be your first choice.
Get in touch with Digicom today for further details.