AV SYSTEMS DESIGN

THE JOURNAL OF AV SYSTEM DESIGN AND ENGINEERING

Training the Future Doctors

of British Columbia

Extron XTP Systems

Streamline AV
System Designs

Audio System
Gain Structure

Summer 2015 | AVSD.com

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 1 6/11/15 11:31 AM

 The Extron XTP II CrossPoint modular matrix switchers are the first in the Pro AV industry to offer a 50 Gbps digital switching backplane.
Representing a monumental leap in engineering and product design, XTP II lets you design an AV system infrastructure with switching bandwidth that
exceeds the data rate required to distribute 4K/60 video with 4:4:4 chroma sampling at 16 bits per color. These matrix switchers can be configured
with a variety of boards including the new XTP II HDMI input and output boards that support HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2, a new family of XTP 4K fiber
optic boards and endpoints, or any of the existing XTP Systems family products.

50 Gbps Ultra Performance Backplane
XTP II CrossPoint matrix switchers are engineered to exceed the
bandwidth required by HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 signals.
Three modular frames are available for 16x16, 32x32, and 64x64
I/O configurations.
HDMI 2.0 Boards with HDCP 2.2
The new XTP II HDMI input and output boards offer the highest level
of HDMI 2.0 performance, with supported specification features
including data rates up to 18 Gbps, 12-bit Deep Color, 3D, and HD
lossless audio formats.

4K Switching and Transmission over Fiber

We are excited to announce a range of new XTP 4K fiber optic I/O
boards, transmitters and receivers. The fiber optic scaling receiver
features Extron Vector 4K signal processing technology.

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 2 6/11/15 11:32 AM

 AV Infrastructure for an 8K Future
Integrators worldwide are excited about how easy it is to install and set up XTP Systems. What they are saying:
hat
d
r
Our commissioning time was about half of what it
normally is for similar installations.
Ryan Poe, CTS-D, CTS-I, Senior Engineer at Whitlock
Setup was easy and the system has worked flawlessly.
vel Dirk Macalpine, Senior Systems Designer at Whitlock
D Extron XTP Systems has given the industry a long-
anticipated, future-proof solution.
Seon Chan, Managing Director at Resonance Engineering
Consultancy, Ltd.
The system was so simple to install and configure.
Eric J. Marshall, Business Development Manager at
WPCS International, Inc.
Design, quote and integrate XTP Systems with ease
and confidence.
John Voelkl, Director of Engineering at AV Solutions
I cannot say enough about this excellent Extron product.
Paris Orrison, CTS, Audio Video Design Engineer at AVI-SPL
The XTP System provides the high performance thats
needed.
Martin Waverley, President at AVDB Group
The XTP System was an ideal choice.
Alessandro Vella, Project Manager at Sistemi di Comunicazione
Multimediale - SCM
www.extron.com/xtp2cpseries
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 1
Deploying the system was quick and easy.
G.R. Malik, Director at AV Science and Technologies
XTP was foolproof. It didnt skip a beat.
Ian Wilks, Operations Director at Vega
The XTP switch is the way to go.
Bob Morin, Sales & Engineer at Integrated Multimedia Solutions
It just works!
Wolfgang Pechmann, Sr. Project and Installation Manager at
Applied Electronics Ltd.
It is simply awesome!
Stuart Allen, Principal at Allen Visual Systems, Inc.
Extron had the equipment we needed.
Michael Stark, Project Manager at O&P Projektingenieure
We have been successfully integrating Extrons XTP
technology for over a year.
John McKenney, Director of Operations at Video Dynamics, Inc.
The XTP System offers the best option for switching digital
video signals.
Shawn Pun, FMP, CTS, Project Manager/Designer at
Galaxy Entertainment Group
Extrons XTP Systems was the answer.
Ritchie Boyd, Academic Technology Specialist at Montana State
University
6/11/15 11:32 AM
 Contents VOLUME 3, NUMBER 1

20 38

Cover Story

20 Training the Future Doctors of British Columbia

Innovative AV and Fiber Optics Ensure Equal Learning
Experience for Future Doctors of British Columbia
By Andrew Evans

Feature Story

38 Extron XTP Systems Streamline AV System Designs

Simplify small or large system designs with complete AV
integration on a single cable infrastructure.
By Keith Scheffler

Technically Speaking

62 Audio System Gain Structure

Properly setting gain levels is essential to delivering optimal audio system performance.
By John Fish

Departments
52 Whats Inside 56 EXTRON NEW 68 Hidden Gems 70 Education Central
The XTP II CrossPoint PRODUCTS HAE 100 Learn about Emerging
Modular Digital Matrix Switcher The latest product By Dave Pincek AV Technologies
introductions from Extron

2 AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 2 6/11/15 11:32 AM

 62 7 13

52 70 74

NEWS COLUMNS

7 Company News 4 From the Editor

Introducing the New AVSD App for iPad Product, Training, and Support: A Powerful Combination
New York and Dallas Training Centers By Casey Hall
Regional Offices
EQIP Extron Qualified Independent Programmer 6 Corner Office
New Extron Control Certifications Engineering Excellence
XTP Certification Program By Andrew Edwards
Op Center Showcase, Upscale Meeting Rooms
Landmark University Uses Extron 15 Stories from the Road
Distance Learning with SME 100 Product Commissioning: Are You Ready?
By Keith Scheffler

16 System Design Trends

MasterFormat 2014 and the AV System Designer
By Andrew Evans

18 The Pro Perspective

Its More Important than Ever to Obtain the Knowledge You Need
By Dick Tolberg

71 Company Events 74 The Last Word

Extron Institute and Tradeshows Specsmanship: The Movie
By Steve Somers

AVSD.com 3

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 3 6/12/15 6:21 AM

 From the Editor
Product, Training, and
Support: A Powerful
Combination
F or an AV Integrator new technology has always been a
double-sided coin: the heads of opportunity juxtaposed by
the tails of challenge. Today is no different. Those of us lucky
enough to be in this industry are expected to be experts in cloud
services, 4K video, IP networking, smart building control, and
BYOD. The race to stay on top of the consumer market has driven
display manufacturers into a product-release frenzy, searching for
the next technology that will drive sales. Sources are no longer
found in just the equipment rack or the lectern, they are carried
in an end-users pocket. The need to future proof our systems
pushes even the most conservative among us farther and farther
toward the bleeding edge.
Underlying all this is the reality that we now reap the benefits
and accept the consequences of a digital AV world. No matter
how incredible the images, AV systems are now susceptible to
the cliff effect. When it comes to digital AV, not right means its
not there.
The bar for switching and interfacing products, what we have
always thought of as the glue of AV systems, is high. Devices
dont just send signals to displays. They connect, communicate
and handshake. Its not about signals anymore, its about data
transmission and data rates. The company that has taken the time
to get it right is the one thats going to help you out by eliminating
problems even before they begin. Features are important, but
build quality, rigorous testing, and quality control are critical.
At the same time, the influence of the consumer market
mixed with increasing price pressure has created a world where
sources and displays are released to market knowing they work
under optimal conditions. Since when did we in the AV industry
have the luxury of working under optimal conditions? These
incompatibilities can be hard to predict, even if a manufacturer
is claiming their product is certified or based on an accepted
standard or protocol. We are playing by a new set of rules, and
the ugly truth is not everyone plays well together.
Its when such an incompatibility occurs that the mettle of
an AV integrator is shown. Extron has always been focused on
training and support. Training is your preparation against the
4 From the Editor
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 4
unknown, the curve-ball that you didnt expect or count on. Do
you design with an EDID strategy in mind? Do you understand
compression standards and their impact on streaming video
systems? Are you knowledgable about the reality of 4K today,
and its predicted evolutionary path? Effective, thorough, and
honest manufacturer training can be a godsend to an integrator
working to be successful in todays AV market. Invest heavily in
manufacturer training. Beware, however, the manufacturer class
that is, in reality, just a sales pitch in disguise. If the trainer
spends time bashing the competition or just running through part
numbers, prices and features, they are doing you a disservice and
wasting everyones time.
Finally, you should realize that, despite best efforts and best
practices, there could likely come a time when you need the
assistance of the manufacturer. Extron has led the way with our
famous Technical Support Hotline. In addition, we realized years
ago that the landscape was changing. Being onsite, alongside the
integrator is becoming increasingly common if the root cause of a
problem is going to be found. Thats why at Extron we have been
hiring and continue to hire field engineers and field technical
staff. Also, we continue to hire support engineers at our offices
around the world. At this point, we have over 50 field engineers
available and on call in the US alone.
Product, training, and support. Thats a powerful combination.
You owe it to your customer and to your firm to select a
manufacturer that delivers on all three.
Casey Hall, Vice President Sales and Marketing, North America
For more information about training and certification
opportunities, please contact your Extron S3 Customer
Support Representative or go to www.extron.com/training.
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 4:17 PM
 The Most Complete System Integration Platform for
AV Signal Distribution, Processing, and Control
The Extron DTP Systems product family is the AV industrys most comprehensive integration platform for small to mid-sized AV systems.
This family includes 46 different extender models in a wide variety of form factors and video formats, plus 14 switchers and matrix
switchers with essential AV signal processing and control features. DTP Systems allow complete flexibility in designing systems precisely
to your application and budget requirements.

Powerful Integration Capabilities Flexible System Designs

The comprehensive product lineup delivers all the powerful
integration capabilities required to create a flexible and reliable
AV switching and distribution system. They include scaling,
signal processing, switching, matrix switching, audio
amplification, audio DSP, and AV system control.
Reliability, Performance, and Ease of Operation
DTP Systems include many features that maximize reliability,
performance, and ease of operation, such as the Extron-
exclusive EDID Minder, Key Minder, and ProDSP
technologies. IPCP Pro 350 control processors are built into
select switcher models to provide complete AV system control,
and a highly reliable DTP cable infrastructure.
DTP Systems provide a complete system integration solution that
supports 4K, accommodates digital and analog video formats, and
provides all the components that are essential to any AV system.
These systems transmit AV and bidirectional control up to 230 feet
(70 meters) or 330 feet (100 meters), plus provide remote power over
a shielded CATx cable to streamline system design and installation.
Select DTP System models can also deliver an HDBaseT-compatible
output that works with any HDBaseT-enabled display.
Integration with XTP Systems for Facility-Wide Applications
For large-scale AV system applications, DTP CrossPoint matrix
switchers installed in rooms can be easily integrated into a central
XTP CrossPoint matrix switcher to provide complete, end-to-end
signal distribution throughout a facility.

www.extron.com/dtpsystems

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 5 6/11/15 11:32 AM

 Corner Office
Engineering
Excellence
E xtron is known for support. Worldwide, with over 40
offices and more than 200 applications engineers and field
engineers, Extrons famous technical support is just a phone call
away. Having been a reseller myself, Ive called manufacturers
for support, only to be told, Wow, thats the first time weve
heard of that problem, when I knew good and well the problem
had already been reported. Thats not my way and thats not the
Extron way. At Extron, we go the extra mile to solve problems
and find solutions. As you may know, I have a 100% personal
satisfaction guarantee that backs up every Extron product you
buy. What you may not realize, however, is the Extron support
philosophy starts with having the right products. When we
engineer and build the products right, everything else, including
our support gets a whole lot better. Let me explain what I mean.
Underlying every Extron product is an engineering philosophy
you may be unaware of. You see, I love having the best, and
when it comes to products, having the best means having the
engineering talent to design from the ground up. Make no
mistake Extron is an engineering driven company.
At Extron we have over 500 engineers dedicated to the design and
development of our products. Our design engineering and product
development departments occupy over 250,000 sq. ft. of physical
space. Our budget for engineering and test equipment is in the
millions of dollars. When it comes to designing products, we spare
no expense to get it right. Having all this engineering horsepower
gives Extron the ability to design products others cant, and in
ways others cant. Most manufacturers design products based on a
chipset suppliers reference design and on intellectual property
(IP) developed by others. They piece together products using audio
DSP purchased from one supplier, scaling technology from another.
These manufacturers short-cut the engineering process, ship a
product, and hope for the best. Thats where Extron is different and
as you know, I love being different than the competition.
Designing products using IP developed at Extron gives us an
ability to step up and make adjustments when unforeseen field
issues occur. As an example, we have encountered applications
with medical displays that only accept very unusual resolutions
6 Corner Office
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 6
and video signal timings. In these instances we have been able to
adjust the algorithms in our scaling products to match the signal
parameters required by the displays.
When we had an issue with power supplies, I even went so
far as to find and hire the finest power amplifier engineering
team in North America, led by Eric Mendenhall. Im proud to say
Extron products have the best, most reliable power supplies in
the industry. This has been proven through documented testing
in our heat chamber which enables highly accelerated lifetime
testing (HALT), and through years of reliable, stable performance
in the field. Most recently, our design team burned the midnight
oil to deliver what I consider to be the pinnacle of power
supply design for use in our new XTP II CrossPoint Series. On
page 52 of this issue of AVSD youll find detailed coverage of
the technology our engineering teams created that makes XTP II
a game changer for digital switching.
Dedication to product quality is something I wont
compromise on. I have a take no prisoners policy when it
comes to quality assurance. The next time youre in town, ask for
a tour and we will be happy to show you around our compliance
engineering facility, which is an Underwriters Laboratory (UL)
Authorized Testing Laboratories facility. With multiple
semi-anechoic chambers online, Extron is able to test products
for FCC and European standards for CE mark compliance and
UL certification in house. By taking time to rigorously test
our products, Extron is supporting you, our customers, and
eliminating potential problems even before they begin.
Extron has always been known for world class product and
world class support. The two go hand-in-hand. Having the best
products built to standards that others cant or wont match
gives you an edge. It lets you, our customers, deliver systems
you can count on and makes it possible for us to deliver on our
commitment to support you, whatever it takes.
If you have comments, I would like to hear your thoughts.
Email me at president@extron.com.
Andrew Edwards, President
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 4:17 PM
 COMPANY NEWS

Introducing the New AVSD App for iPad

We recently released the new AVSD app Getting started is easy. Simply please contact your Extron Customer
for the Apple iPad and iPad Mini. In download the app to your iPad from the Support Representative.
addition to the print and online versions, iTunes Store. All users will be able to For more information about the new
our readers now have a third way to access read a sample issue. For complete access AVSD app, visit www/avsd.com/app.
all the great content in every issue. The to all past and current AVSD issues, enter
new AVSD app makes it convenient to read your Extron Insider login credentials.
AVSD wherever you are; in the office, at When a new issue is available, you will
home, or on the road. be prompted to download it through the
Unlike many electronic publishing app. If you do not have Insider access,
platforms, the AVSD app is much more
than simply an electronic version of the
print publication. Each issue has been
carefully designed to provide a rich
and engaging experience, with features
that take full advantage of the iPads
capabilities and allow for a superior
reading experience.
Each issue delivers everything you get
in the print edition PLUS:

Stunning photo galleries with bonus

images not included in the print edition
Exclusive 360-degree product
animations of featured new products
Interactive graphics for a deeper look
into our stories and technologies

AVSD.com Company News 7

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 7 6/11/15 11:32 AM

 Extron S3 Technical Institute training and
certification courses.
Theres also a large conference room
New York Office in each locationfeaturing the Teamwork
Digital Collaboration Systemthat can be
used for meetings and presentations.
Other North American training
New York and Dallas country. At the heart of each new facilities are located in Anaheim,

Training Centers facility is a large demonstration room,

showcasing the latest Extron products
California; Raleigh, North Carolina; and
Washington, DC. Weve scheduled a wide
We are committed to providing valuable and technologies. Hands-on work stations range of classes in the coming months,
training and support resources that easily let guests experience live demonstrations including XTP Systems Certification for
accessible for our customers. In North of video signal processing, AV signal Design Engineers, School of Emerging
America, our newest training and product distribution, AV system control, and Technologies, and Configurable Control
demonstration centers are in New York audio products. Systems. Seats are still available.
City and the Dallas metropolitan area. Fully equipped, state-of-the-art For information on attending a class,
The New York office is conveniently classrooms at each location are booked scheduling a meeting, or arranging
located in mid-town Manhattan, just a regularly for a familiar variety of Extron for a custom product demonstration,
few blocks from Times Square, Madison training choices, including hands-on contact your Extron Customer
Square Garden, and Penn Station. A fully training using real-world scenarios and Support Representative.
equipped, state-of-the-art training room
features a 42 video wall powered by a
Quantum video processor.
The Dallas office is located in Irving,
Texas, very close to the Dallas/Fort Worth
Airport, which is a major flight hub and
easily reached from anywhere in North
America. The facility is home to a regional
sales and technical support team and
includes a state-of-the-art training center
featuring two classrooms.
With our customers busy schedules,
it can be difficult to attend training if
its not offered locally, says Casey Hall,
Vice President of Sales and Marketing for
Extron. Our new offices in the Dallas
area and New York City have made
training and support more accessible Dallas Office
to customers in those regions of the

8 Company News AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 8 6/11/15 11:32 AM


Regional Offices
Extron has opened several regional offices
to make product demonstrations and
training more accessible to customers
in countries around the world. The new
offices are located in Johannesburg,
New Delhi, Seoul, Moscow, and Mexico
City. Offices in Tel Aviv, Stockholm, and
Toronto will open later this year.
Each new facility includes a
state-of-the-art training room that is fully
equipped to showcase and demonstrate
the latest in Extron technologies and
solutions. Staffed by Extron S3 Institute
experts, these facilities feature a familiar
variety of Extron training choices,
including courses to pursue various
Extron Certifications. Each facility also
has meeting space and workspace to
house expanding support teams.
These facilities are another example
of our commitment to expanding
EQIP Extron
Qualified Independent
Programmer
Extron recently introduced a new
program designed to provide additional
configuration resources to customers
using Extron control systems. Extron
Qualified Independent Programming
companies are carefully screened and
selected by Extron to provide expert
configuration support for Extron Control
System projects. Each EQIP company
meets specific business standards,
employs certified individuals, and has
the reputation of being an experienced
and reputable service provider. This
qualification will enable Extron to
confidently provide customers with a
referral to these companies supporting
AVSD.com Company News
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 9
Clockwise from top left: Johannesburg, New Delhi, Seoul, and Moscow office
training and making it easier to reach
out to our customers around the
world, says Andrew Edwards, President
of Extron.
Our newest facilities are strategically
located in the some of the worlds
advanced control system configurations
using Global Configurator Professional.
As part of the EQIP qualification,
programmers will become ECP Extron
Control Professional-certified. ECP
prepares individuals to successfully
deploy and maintain customized AV
control systems, configured with Global
Configurator Professional, and built
around Extrons recently-launched
IP Link Pro Series and TouchLink Pro
Series products.
Extron customers
may employ EQIP
companies to augment
their staff, execute
projects, and provide
options to configure more
advanced AV systems.
EQIP companies have
access to a variety of
COMPANY NEWS
largest metropolitan centers, to
ensure that our customers are able
to access valuable Extron resources.
When all of our planned facilities are
open, Extron will have more than 30
offices worldwide.
Extron resources including web-based
tools, continuing education, and control
system training.
Response to EQIP has been very
enthusiastic, and we are pleased to offer
EQIP companies in many locations.
To find an EQIP company near you or
for more information about this exciting
new program, please contact your
Extron representative.
9
6/11/15 11:32 AM

New Extron Control
Certifications
Two of Extrons newest certification
programs, ECS Extron Control Specialist
and ECP Extron Control Professional are
now preparing individuals to successfully
deploy and maintain customized AV
control systems that are built around
Extron Pro Series control systems and
our new Global Configurator Plus and
Professional software.
XTP Certification
Program
The Extron XTP Systems Certification
program has been going strong. Since
launching the program in the summer of
2012, courses have been held worldwide
through Extron Institute with great
response from our customers. To date,
over 1,200 AV professionals have earned
XTP-E certification as Design Engineers
for XTP Systems.
This certification program provides a
balanced approach to theory and hands-
on application with an emphasis on the
practical aspects of designing, configuring,
and supporting enterprise-wide digital AV
systems. Not only are students educated
on the general principles of system
management, maintenance, and support,
10 Company News
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 10
The ECS program is ideal for industry
professionals who install, configure,
operate, manage, and troubleshoot AV
control systems. This includes design
engineers, system integrator installers,
system integrator project managers,
and control system programmers with
a background of AV control system
design and installation. Individuals
will learn the new advanced features
within Extrons Global Configurator
Plus software as well as gain insight on
but they also learn about
complete XTP system
design concepts, complex
system configuration,
and designing for
real-world scenarios.
Students in the XTP
System Certification
program learn through
a combination of online,
instructor-led, and hands-
on training. The program
offers two distinct certifications to develop
a thorough understanding of XTP Systems:
XTP Systems for Technicians, XTP-T and
XTP Systems for Design Engineers, XTP-E.
Extron XTP Systems Certification is an
industry-recognized way to demonstrate
acquired expertise related to digital
AV system design and implementation.
GlobalViewer Enterprise capabilities and
GUI Designer software.
The ECP program is ideal for advanced
users or those with a programming
background who understand the
complexities of more sophisticated
systems. A background of 2-5 years of AV
control system design, programming, and
installation experience is recommended.
Individuals will learn sophisticated
control system design concepts and
advanced configuration techniques
within the industrys most advanced
configurable control system software,
Global Configurator Professional.
This hands-on class will also expose
individuals to GlobalViewer Enterprise
AV resource management software
and provide an opportunity to create
custom control interfaces with Extron
GUI Designer.
To learn more about these new
certification programs, including details
on how to register, please contact your
Extron Customer Support Representative.
Participants who attend XTP Systems
Certification training are finding this
instruction valuable, and are giving us a
lot of positive feedback.
Dont delay; start on the path to
XTP System Certification today. To enroll,
please contact your Extron representative
or go to www.extron.com/training.
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:32 AM

Op Center Showcase
Houston-based oil exploration giant Noble
Energy recently hired AV Consultants D.L.
Adams Associates, Inc. of Denver, to design
the AV systems for its new operations
center in Greeley, Colorado. The Greely
center will oversee operations that include
drilling horizontally nearly two miles into
the Niobrara shale. Noble wanted to equip
the offices with Supervisory Control and
Data Acquisition (SCADA) workstations,
an industry standard control system
used for industrial processes. DLAA
designed a modular system using Extrons
DMS 1600 DVI Matrix Switcher and
TLP 700TV TouchLink Touchpanel.
The 1,800 square foot operations center
contains six pairs of operator control
stations. Each control station pair uses
an Extron DMS 1600 matrix switcher
to route DVI signals from a tower PC
and three-output thin client server to
four 23-inch LCD displays and a 47-inch
LCD display above the four smaller
Upscale Meeting Rooms
Chteauform, The Home of Seminars,
specializes in organizing business
meetings and seminars in its venues
throughout Europe. Chteauform
recently set out to update the AV
presentation systems at one of their
newest venues, La Cascina Erbatici, a
AVSD.com Company News
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 11
ones. In addition, there is a 47-inch LCD
positioned between each pair of control
stations for viewing by both operators.
DLAA configured the DMS 1600 frame
with three 44 I/O DVI boards to
create a 1212 matrix, leaving space for
future expansion.
For system control, DLAA chose
the Extron TLP 700TV 7-inch Tabletop
TouchLink Touchpanel with an IPL 250
rustic-style farmhouse in
the Italian countryside.
Integrator Sistemi
di Comunicazione
Multimediale, selected a
range of Extron products
and technologies,
including XTP Systems,
TouchLink-based control
systems, audio digital
signal processors, and
amplifiers for the auditorium and
multi-purpose room.
The open areas and long hallways to control the system hands free with an
between the equipment room and the
two main meeting rooms made wiring
the AV equipment a challenge, especially
with the layout of the rooms already
defined, says Alessandro Vella, Project
Manager for SCM. The XTP System was
COMPANY NEWS
IP Link Control Processor. Noble wanted
to have flexible control of the displays with
a simple, easily configurable, touchscreen
interface able to accommodate future
SCADA software and hardware changes,
says DLAA Vice President Ed Logsdon.
The TLP 700TVs modern, compact, thin
bezel design also helps maintain the neat,
showroom look Noble wanted for the
highly visible SCADA room.
an ideal choice for its ability to maintain
signal integrity over long distances and
transmit video, audio, power, and also
device control with just one twisted
pair cable.
An Extron DMP 128 C audio digital
signal processor for each room provides
essential audio functions, along with
acoustic echo cancellation for Web
conferencing sessions. Extron TLP 710MV
7" TouchLink Touchpanels enable
simplified operation of the entire AV
system. Chteauform also allows users
iPad running the Extron TouchLink for
iPad app.
The use of Extron products in La
Cascina Erbatici fulfilled the need for
performance, reliability, flexibility, and
ease of use.
11
6/11/15 11:32 AM
 Landmark University
Uses Extron
The Invasive Medicine Centre at the
Medical University of Gdask in Poland
is one of the most modern hospitals
in Europe. As an integral part of the
university, the Centres surgical theatres,
classrooms, seminar rooms, teaching and
computer labs, and 288-seat auditorium
offer interactive training for the countrys
future doctors. To link the various spaces,
Integra AV designed a fiber optic AV signal
switching and distribution system with
live broadcast and recording capabilities.
The system includes a full complement
of fiber optic, control, and streaming
products from Extron that provide high
performance video presentation and
recording, streaming, videoconferencing,
and wired/wireless control. We chose
Extron products because quality,
installation and configuration simplicity,
and ease of operation are important, says
Jaroslaw Patschull, Owner of Integra AV.
The AV system is built around
the Extron FOX Matrix 7200
modular 7272 matrix switcher that
is populated with singlemode fiber
optic boards. The technology helps
eliminate electromagnetic interference,
which is especially effective for the
operating theatre with Faraday cage
12 Company News
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 12
shielding. According to Patschull, the
FOX Matrix includes the features
and high performance switching
that are vital for this mission-critical
environment. For remote locations, an
Extron PowerCage 1600 enclosure loaded
with modular fiber optic extenders and
FOXBOX DVI Plus SM transmitters
and receivers enable signal delivery
throughout the facility.
To simplify AV operation for the
instructors, rooms include the Extron
TLP 350MV 3.5" Wall Mount TouchLink
Touchpanel or TLP 700TV 7" tabletop
model. One of the many advantages of
the wall-mount touchpanel is the Power
over Ethernet PoE feature that allows
it to receive power and control over the
single twisted pair cable. Built-in Ethernet
capabilities of Extron IP Link control
processors installed with the touchpanels
enable remote control, monitoring, and
troubleshooting from anywhere on the
network. Relays and contact closures
provide management of lighting level and
motorized screen operation.
The universitys IT department uses
GlobalViewer Enterprise GVE, a
Web-based AV resource management
and remote control application for
institutional AV environments. AV
devices are grouped by location in GVE
to provide specific details for each level
of the organization. Thanks to Extrons
GlobalViewer application, management
and control of the system throughout the
building is very simple. This is a reliable
tool for our day to day operations, says
Mikolaj Burka, System Administrator at
the Medical University of Gdask.
To share data over the universitys
Extranet and document special
events, Integra AV installed Extrons
SME 100 HD streaming media encoder
and a separate VN-Matrix streaming
and recording system. Visually lossless
compression and system synchronization
ensure that camera video and computer
visualizations can produce an audio-
visual experience that is identical to the
original event.
University administrators are quite
pleased with the AV systems, and
instructors have commented that
presentation control is easy. For the
international student body, the Extranet
is proving to be just as valuable as
anticipated. The new Invasive Medicine
Centre, with its AV system consisting
of fiber optic, control, and streaming
products from Extron, is an excellent
example of why the Medical University at
Gdask is a recognized leader of higher
learning in Europe and around the world.
For the complete story, go to
www.extron.com/MUGdansk
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:32 AM

Distance Learning
with SME 100
With 18,000 students, nine lecture halls
for streaming, and two audio video
production studios, Dalarna University in
Sweden is a nationally recognized pioneer
in Web-based learning. More than 67% of
Dalarnas students participate in distance
learning online. In the Spring of 2012,
Dalarna University produced its latest
version of a Web-based recording and live
streaming system that supports distance
learning and on-demand access to
course lectures. Extrons SME 100 H.264
encoder for pro AV systems was selected
as the best streaming media encoder to
integrate into this system.
Each updated lecture hall features an
Extron SME 100 HD encoder that streams
an instructor-selected classroom source.
The SME 100 provides high quality AV
encoding to a media server, which
delivers video streams that are easily
decoded and viewed live or on demand
within the university and anywhere in
the world.
System Challenges
To meet the challenge of minimizing
support and administrative costs for
instructional technology, a solution
was required that made it simple for
instructors to Webcast live lectures with
student interaction and to produce edited,
on-demand recordings. The system
needed to support submittal of questions
from online viewers via Web chat and
manage a variety of AV source signals.
Most university instructors have little or
no knowledge of streaming, recording, or
network technology, so this multifaceted
system needed to be intuitive and easy
to use.
A variety of streaming encoders were
evaluated, and according to Ragnar
Olafsson from Dalarna University, Next
Generation Learning Centre (NGL-Centre),
AVSD.com Company News
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 13
The SME 100 distinguished itself as
the best product designed specifically
to support encoding requirements for
an AV presentation environment. The
SME 100 supports the wide variety of
video and computer signals required in
pro AV applications, including DVI, RGB,
HDTV, and standard definition sources,
and it features integrated switching
with loop-through connections for easy
integration into AV systems. Additionally,
the SME 100 HD features integrated high
performance Extron signal processing to
scale and optimize video input signals,
eliminating the need for additional AV
processing equipment.
Dalarna University produces over 1,800
recordings and 3,500 hours of video a year,
all of which are available both in realtime
and archived online for Dalarna students.
The SME 100 provided an encoding
solution that integrated easily with
classroom source inputs and presentation
requirements. H.264 encoding and
standard streaming protocols made the
SME 100 compatible with a media server
that supported streaming to a variety of
viewing platforms. This modern media
technology extended the teaching process
COMPANY NEWS
by streaming and recording lectures,
supporting distance learning, and adding
an on-demand element, all with minimal
support requirements.
Online recorded lectures give students
at Dalarna University access to teaching
materials whenever it is convenient for
their schedules. They can participate
from home or while travelling or working
abroad, watch lectures repeatedly as
desired, and work in a collaborative,
online, real-time environment. As Andrew
Casson, Director of Education and
Research at Dalarna University, is quick
to point out, Its not just about being
somewhere else though, really. Its not
about distance at all, in fact. Its about
closeness; its about accessibility; its
about flexibility.
13
6/11/15 11:33 AM
 Choose Quantum. Choose Success.

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At Extron, we know videowalls. From small conference room displays to the largest command and control systems, we know what
customers expect from a videowall processor. Thats why we designed Quantum to be easy to specify and provided features that
make it quick to integrate and simple to operate. With full HDCP support and a wide range of input options including HDMI and 3G-SDI,
Quantum processors are the superior choice for videowall displays.

Successful Designs Successful Integration Successful Operation

D Integration: Quantum videowall processor
input and output options integrate seamlessly
with your switching, distribution, and control
systems.
D Input and Output Flexibility: Accepts
3G-SDI, HDMI, DVI, analog RGB, HD, and
standard-definition video signals, and works
with nearly any display device including
projection cubes, 4K projectors, LCD Flat
Panels, and MicroTiles.
D Fast input detection: Detects and displays
input sources in less than one second.
D Simple source setup: Quantum videowall
processors allow you to quickly create
capture profiles for non-standard sources
applying them to all input channels in a
single step.
Quantum Elite 615
HDCP-Compliant Scalable Videowall Processing System
D Simple Control: Control Quantum using the
included Control Software and an Extron
TouchLink touchpanel, or third-party
controller.
D Quality imaging: High performance, patented
scaler technology maintains optimal image
quality.
D Reliability: Designed for 24/7 operation in
mission critical environments.

Quantum Elite 408 Quantum Connect 408

HDCP-Compliant Scalable HDCP-Compliant
Videowall Processing System Videowall Processing System

www.extron.com/quantum

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 14 6/11/15 11:33 AM


Product Commissioning:
Are You Ready?
By Keith Scheffler, Systems Design Engineering Manager
O ne of the most satisfying parts of my job is when I go on
site for product commissioning in the final stages of a
system installation. Our Product Commissioning Service is a
program that we launched a few years back to ensure that Extron
products are ready for operation and fully optimized. The program
covers our Quantum Series videowall processors, WindoWall
multi-graphic processing system, VN-Matrix streaming products,
XTP systems, and fiber optic systems.
Our Product Commissioning Service starts with a pre-installation
design review. We engage your project manager in dialogue to verify
that the system design and products selected are optimized, and
that they will perform as intended with no on-site surprises. We
also provide a document with site readiness requirements and
expectations for meeting the commissioning criteria.
After the installation has been completed, an Extron engineer
visits your project, typically for one or two days, to configure and
dial-in the Extron products for the highest system performance
possible. The engineer will also conduct on-site training for you
and your customers to ensure proficiency, product maintenance,
and complete satisfaction with the system operation.
Its easy to see why both integrators and end users value this
service, which is part of what makes the work so rewarding.
When everything goes right, everybody wins. On more than a few
occasions, though, Ive arrived on site ready to work, only to find
out that the system wasnt ready.
Heres an extreme, but true, situation. A few years ago, I arrived
at a job site on a hot, sticky, summer day in Dallas, TX, and
discovered that there was no electricity in the entire building. This
was new construction and apparently the general contractor had
not yet run power to the facility. So there were no lights anywhere
and the indoor temperature was over 100 degrees. To make
matters worse, the restrooms were unfinished and inoperable, so
portable toilets had been placed outside the building. In many
ways, it was still a rough construction site. However, the end user
expected the videowall to be installed and completed on time.
Ive encountered a wide range of AV system projects that
were scheduled for commissioning, but were anywhere from
almost ready to nowhere-near-ready. Unfortunately, any of these
conditions makes a successful system commissioning impossible.
Such situations lead to extra time, unnecessary effort, additional
AVSD.com Column
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 15
Stories from the Road
cost, and enormous frustration for all parties, not to mention that
they make everyone involved look unprofessional.
How can you be sure your system is ready for commissioning?
Extron has developed a list of requirements that must be completed
prior to the engineers arrival on site. Here are a few requirements:
Extron products installed
Source equipment installed and ALIVE
Display equipment installed, aligned, and operational
AV equipment installed network (as necessary)
Equipment properly wired, terminated, and tested
Necessary IP addresses provided
Facility power provided and operational
In addition, it is critical that the proper personnel be on site
at the right time. A reseller representative must be present to
assist with commissioning and to manage any technical issues
created by equipment that wasnt provided by Extron. If the
system includes a third-party control system, it is vital that the
programmer is available for the entire commissioning process.
If system training is expected, everyone who wants to be trained
must be on site for the entire duration of the training. This
includes both reseller and end user representatives.
The benefits of expert manufacturer commissioning and
training are considerable. Resellers and integrators can be certain
that the system will deliver its best possible performance. Also,
it provides peace of mind when you know the manufacturers
engineer is on site for live instant support. For the end user, it is a
testament that the manufacturer backs its products and integrators.
The end user also gains key system operation skills and becomes
better equipped to maintain the product going forward.
Our goal is to help you realize these benefits without costly
delays and frustration. My experience has shown that this can
only be successfully accomplished with sufficient planning,
thorough preparation, and effective communication between all
parties. See you on the next project!
Keith Scheffler is Systems Design Engineering Manager at Extron Electronics. He leads a team
of System Design Engineers who provide system design support and technical troubleshooting
services to system integrators before and after the sale. Keith has over 20 years of experience,
including senior level engineering positions with several major AV integration firms.
15
6/11/15 11:33 AM
 System Design Trends
MasterFormat 2014 and
the AV System Designer
By Andrew Evans, Manager of Product Marketing
A s a commercial integrator, its likely that you have received
more than a few Request for Quotation or Request for
Proposal documents. Even though those documents originated
from different consultants or end-users, they probably all shared
common structural elements. That commonality is due in part
to the construction industrys MasterFormat standard for project
documentation. If you have been in the system integration
business since before 2004, you may have noticed an evolution
in the structure of those documents. In this article, well take
a look at MasterFormat 2014 specifications. You will have a
better understanding of where these documents originated, how
theyre used today, and how they will be used in the future as
we move forward with technology and the integration of Building
Information Modeling (BIM).
WHO STARTED THIS PROCESS?
The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) was founded in
1948 to address the building boom that resulted from the post-war
construction demand. CSI was originally made up of writers from
government agencies, but quickly expanded to include members
from the private sector. Since that time, it has grown into a
national organization with more than 140 chapters that comprise
10 regions. With more than 13,000 volunteers, they continue to
promote improved facility performance.
CSI now collaborates with Construction Specifications Canada,
CSC, to produce GreenFormat; MasterFormat; and Uniform
Drawing System, which is a major portion of the National CAD
Standard and a key part of coordinating drawings in BIM systems.
Other frameworks and formats include OmniClass, PDDFormat,
SectionFormat, PageFormat, and UniFormat.
MasterFormat is a standardized system of contractual
documents for organizing the scope of work for a project. These
documents are issued with the design drawings to expand on
the definition and expectations of the Owner for the building
and/or systems that the Owner is contracting a builder to provide.
To better organize the large volume of information required to
define the project, the MasterFormat was introduced to provide
a standardized system of trade division numbers and titles
that are intended to define the scope of work, organize bidding
16 Column
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 16
information, define the contractual requirements, provide
standardized product and installation specifications, drawing
notes, cost data, and more. These documents are intended to
classify work results, which are the permanent or temporary
aspects of a construction project that are applied through a
particular skill or trade.
When practical, the title is listed as the work result. As
an example, 09 91 00 defines Painting, not Paint. Military,
institutional, federal, state, and local government, and healthcare
organizations, as well as commercial clients, rely on MasterFormat
when undertaking projects.
An earlier version, MasterFormat 1995, had only 16 divisions
and couldnt adequately address the changes occurring in
construction and building technology. The 16-division structure
dates back to 1964. To put that in perspective, these trade
divisions were in use approximately five years before Apollo 11
landed on the moon and up until about the time that NASAs
Mars Exploration Rovers landed on Mars. As you can imagine,
construction and technology have progressed rapidly since
that time. As a result, MasterFormat 2004 was created and
administered by CSI as a system of numbers and titles for
organizing construction documents.
MasterFormat 2004 was developed to replace MasterFormat
1995 in an effort to support new construction materials and
technologies and the increased use of databases. This version also
provided flexibility for future updates. In April, MasterFormat 2014
was released. Currently, MasterFormat 2014 is composed of 50
divisions that include reserved division numbers for future use.
A full list of the new numbers and titles is available on the CSI
Web site at http://www.csinet.org/numbersandtitles.
07 50 00
Division 1 Level 2 Level 3
Division numbers and titles are assigned for work results
and are broken into three pairs of numbers. A fourth pair of
numbers, Level 4, is available when a work result requires a
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:33 AM
 greater degree of specificity. If even more granularity is required,
an optional fifth set of characters can be added for user-assigned
numbers. Level 1 indicates the Division, Level 2 is the Broad
Scope, Level 3 is the Medium Scope, and Level 4 is the Narrow
Scope. The Broad, Medium, and Narrow nomenclature applied to
MasterFormat 1995, but was eliminated with the introduction of
MasterFormat 2004.
Intended as a living document, updates are administered
by the MasterFormat Maintenance Task Team so that the
specifications evolve continuously rather than require major
updates every five to seven years.
THE IMPACT ON INTEGRATORS AND CONSULTANTS
The current version provides many benefits for our industry. The
majority of AV systems are listed in Division 27 - Communications,
although a few IT-related systems and technologies are listed in
Division 28, e.g., 28 39 00 Mass Notification Systems. A few of the
vital infrastructure elements that support AV and IT technologies
include Division 23 - Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning,
HVAC; Division 25 - Integrated Automation; Division 26 -
Electrical; and Division 28 - Electronic Safety and Security.
Here are a few of the Level 2 items you can expect to find in
Division 27:
27 10 00 Structured Cabling
27 20 00 Data Communications
27 30 00 Voice Communications
27 40 00 Audio-Video Communications
27 50 00 Distributed Communications and Monitoring Systems
It should be noted that the installation of cabling and
terminations for low voltage technologies is under Level 2,
separate from the equipment.
WHATS IN STORE FOR THE FUTURE?
Building Information Modeling has received a lot of attention
lately. BIM is a system for creating and managing the
infrastructure and building in a holistic, cradle-to-grave manner,
with the goal of completing projects faster, more economically,
and with less environmental impact. As you can imagine, the
prospect of achieving those goals is incredibly appealing to both
the construction trade as well as the building owners. BIM can be
used from the initial stages of a project to determine the design,
provide visualizations and error checking (clash detection) of the
project to ensure there are no physical conflicts, run simulations
to evaluate different scenarios that could impact energy use, and
offer insight when making future decisions about the completed
project. There are still some kinks that need to be resolved
within the industry before BIM is completely interoperable across
every vendors platform. However, CSI specifications provide a
AVSD.com Column
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 17
solid foundation for organizing the core data that constitutes
the components of a building information model. As the
industry moves forward, there will be more discussion and more
coordination required.
Andrew Evans is Manager of Product Marketing, Fiber Optic Systems for Extron Electronics.
Before joining Extron, he spent ten years as a design engineer supporting AV systems for
corporate and government end users, including flight line monitoring systems for the United
States Air Force.
Extron and MasterFormat
Our New A&E Specifications Streamline
the Proposal Development Process
As an aid to consultants and system designers,
Extron offers Architectural and Engineering
A&E Specifications in an industry-standard
format to streamline the drafting of your next proposal.
A number of Extron products, including the XTP Systems,
PoleVault, and FOX Series product lines, offer A&E Specifications
that are designed to allow copy-and-paste addition of key product
information into your proposal documents. To simplify the process
of system design, product information is structured to a recognized
system of numbers and titles that is common for construction
document organization. Use of structured text allows project
proposals and bids with Extron products to be compiled faster and
more economically.
To access a products specification, simply log in at extron.com,
select the product, and click on the A&E Specifications link to
view the information in a pop-up window. A click of the Copy Text
button ensures that all data is available for pasting directly into
your documents.
Extron A&E Specifications help with:
Organizing bid information
Identifying contract requirements
Refining system specifications
Assembling drawing notes
New A&E Specifications are made available for products on a
regular basis. Look for the A&E Specifications link on select Extron
product Web pages. Note: On our European Web sites, look for
Consultant Specifications.
In addition to A&E Specifications, Extron provides a number of
resources for architects, consultants, and design engineers to aid
in the development of AV presentation systems. These include CAD
drawings, cut-out templates, block diagrams, and AutoDesk Revit
architectural files for three-dimensional modeling. For assistance with
a resource or to request A&E Specifications for a certain product,
please contact your Extron Customer Support Representative.
17
6/11/15 11:33 AM
 The Pro Perspective
Its More Important than Ever to
Obtain the Knowledge You Need
By Dick Tolberg, Senior Design Engineer for AVI-SPL
M ost AV integrators present themselves as solution
providers. The implication is that clients have a need that
requires a solution. Their need may be to create an environment
for communication, or entertainment, or education, or persuasion.
In any case, clients look to those in our industry to solve
their problems.
The first task in designing a solution is to understand the
problem. That requires working with clients until there is
agreement as to their goals. But what is the next step after that?
Based on hundreds of systems that I have seen over the years,
the next step has typically been to simply install someones
favorite equipment into a room and consider the problem solved.
This usually results in an unhappy user who is frustrated with the
technology, or the integrator, or both.
The correct next step is to engineer a solution. There are three
important aspects that must be considered.
First, you need to case the place. Review the room
environment with the clients goals in mind. The industry has
made great strides over the years to provide guidance on what
to look for and key benchmarks for attaining a satisfactory room
environment. Affordable tools are available that engineers can
use to document parameters, such as ambient noise and lighting
levels. Ignoring these foundational aspects of design may mean
the difference between a successful solution and one that will cost
a lot of money to fix, if it is fixable at all.
The second aspect of a solution is: Do the math. You have
determined the clients goals. You know the parameters of the
room based on your measurements. Will you be able to create a
successful solution? The math will tell you. Will you get enough
gain before feedback? Will the audio system be loud enough? The
math will tell you. Will the image be large enough? Is the ceiling
high enough? The math will tell you. Will the image be bright
enough? Will the contrast ratio be acceptable? The math will
tell you. I could go on and on, but you get the picture. Applied
properly, the math will save you money and embarrassment.
Ignore it and someone who knows the math will come in and
tell your client why your solution doesnt work. Their gain will be
your loss.
Finally, Choose the right tools. There are hundreds of
manufacturers that provide one or more products to help you
18 Column
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 18
solve your problem. You need to know those tools. You need
to understand how they work. You need to understand their
limitations. Using the wrong tool for an application is a recipe
for failure. AV manufacturers offer online courses and training
classes on all aspects of system design. They want knowledgeable
integrators. A knowledgeable integrator properly applying their
product provides a positive experience for both parties and results
in repeat business for both the integrator and manufacturer. Take
advantage of the education that the manufacturer provides. Check
what they are telling you with your room environment and AV
concepts knowledge. Does it make sense? If it doesnt, ask them to
explain their solution based on your knowledge. If they cant, you
may want to use someone elses product.
I recently went through a list of all the products that I used
when I first began designing AV systems in the mid '80s. The
only products I still specify today are microphone and speaker
cabling. Thats how much the technology has evolved. However,
the foundational concepts that I learned back then still remain. In
both cases, the education process continues.
Can you do the math? There is no substitute for a solid
knowledge of foundational AV concepts. Its easier than ever to
obtain the knowledge you need. Back when I started in the AV
industry, there were only a small handful of reference materials
available to someone who wanted to learn how to analyze a room
environment or perform mathematical calculations required for
room design. Today, we stand on the shoulders of giants who have
spent years of testing and experimentation to develop the tools
we use on a daily basis. Trade associations and respected industry
experts continue to refine many of these tools and offer easily
accessible online courses that provide this knowledge to everyone.
Get that knowledge. Leverage it. Apply it to your designs and your
client will thank you for it.
Dick Tollberg is a Senior Design Engineer for AVI-SPL and based in Chicago. Tollberg has
been actively involved in the design of AV solutions for Fortune 500 companies for the past
28 years. He has also been a regular advisor to numerous AV equipment manufacturers
regarding development of new products.
EXTRON TRAINING
For information on Extron training opportunities, see our
Education Central column on page 70.
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 1:12 PM
 Bigger and Better

DTP CrossPoint 108 4K

10x8 4K Matrix Switcher with Built-in Scaling, Audio DSP
with AEC, Audio Amplifier, and Control Processor
Built-in DTP and XTP Extenders
Seamless switching and logo keying
Efficient Audio Amplifier with Pure, High Fidelity
Performance
Integrated IPCP Pro control processor supports
TouchLink Pro control panels
The DTP CrossPoint 108 4K incorporates the Extron Vector 4K
scaling engine specifically designed with best-in-class image
upscaling and downscaling. The Extron Vector 4K scaling engine
embodies a new set of image processing algorithms that deliver
uncompromising scaling performance with 30-bit precision
processing and 4:4:4 color sampling that retains color fidelity and
image detail.

The Extron DTP CrossPoint 108 4K is a highly versatile 4K

presentation matrix switcher that delivers all of the technologically
advanced capabilities necessary to design and integrate a large
AV system in one product. This includes a 10x8 matrix switcher
with 4K inputs and outputs, four built-in 4K scalers powered by
the latest Extron Vector 4K scaling technology, integrated DTP
and XTP transmitters and receivers, comprehensive audio DSP
capabilities including built-in AEC - acoustic echo cancellation,
and an advanced control processor that is uniquely expandable.
The DTP CrossPoint 108 4K sets the new industry standard for
fully integrated AV systems, greatly simplifying system design and
installation, and dramatically reducing total cost of ownership. Choose from the AV industrys most Complete Selection
of Digital Twisted Pair Transmitters and Receivers

www.extron.com/dtpcp1084k

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 19 6/11/15 11:33 AM

 Training the
Future Doctors of
British Columbia
Innovative AV and Fiber Optics Ensure Equal Learning
Experience for Future Doctors of British Columbia
By Andrew Evans, Manager of Product Marketing
E
arly in 2002, British Columbia
was faced with a critical
shortage of doctors to serve
its approximately 4.6 million citizens.
Additionally, the northern, southern,
and island regions had a difficult time
enticing new doctors to set up practices
beyond Vancouvers metropolitan
area. Two primary factors contributed
to this situation. First, the Faculty of
Medicine FoM at the University of
British Columbia UBC in Vancouver can
accept a maximum of 128 new students
each year. Second, continuing medical
education opportunities tend to occur
in the lower mainland, which attracts
new doctors to that region where they
remain for the duration of the four-year
undergraduate program and primarily
remain in the area for the two to seven
years required to complete their residency
and specialization studies. They develop
20 Cover Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 20
professional and social attachments over
this extended period and end up settling
in and around Vancouver rather than
return to their native regions or set up
practices in remote locations.
To address the need for more physicians
in all regions of the province, the Ministry
of Health issued a mandate to UBC. The
annual number of new doctors graduating
from the program had to double, and new
medical practices were to be established in
rural and underserved areas.
Dr. Joanna Bates, FoM Senior Utilizing Technology to
Associate Dean at UBC, accepted this Enable Learning
daunting assignment. In cooperation The teams premise was to use technology
with government officials, the University to train medical students in their home
of Northern British Columbia UNBC, regions while utilizing the expertise of
the University of Victoria UVic, and UBC instructors. The plan avoided the
the provinces six health authority expense of developing full medical school
organizations, Dr. Bates and her project facilities in multiple locations and the
team developed a plan to implement the difficulty of finding enough qualified
Ministrys mandate using technology. instructors living in the remote areas.
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:33 AM
 Aerial view of the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver courtesy of UBC Faculty of Medicine

The Ministry of Health agreed to fund the
project for a three-year trial period.
Various AV system design firms told the
project team that the technology of the
time was incapable of meeting their needs;
the leadership at McSquared System
Design Group Inc. of Vancouver saw it as a
challenge. Working closely with the project
team and BCNet British Columbias
shared IT services consortium for higher
education, McSquared conceptualized an
enterprise system that would become the
core of the provinces new Distributed
Medical Program DMP.
The prototype DMP-AV system
included two lecture theaters at each of
the three university campuses. It enabled
an instructor at UBC to teach students
at UNBC and UVic as well as the local
students. UNBC in Prince George is
approximately 500 miles (805 kilometers)
north of Vancouver, and UVic is 57 miles
(92 kilometers) across the Georgia Straight
on Vancouver Island. Post graduates at
the Gordon & Lesley Diamond Health
Care Center located on the grounds of
Vancouver General Hospital were also able
to participate through a room linked to
the prototype system.
My colleagues and I had done a lot of

AVSD.com Cover Story 21

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 21 6/11/15 11:33 AM

 2

1
5

Distributed Medical Program Design Challenges and Solutions

1 Innovative design provides province-wide interaction in real time
DESIGN CHALLENGE
Traditional distance learning and videoconferencing technologies do not provide the level of interaction and collaboration
required for the UBC distributed learning environment.
SOLUTION
Work directly with leading AV Industry manufacturers to develop products with the needed features and capabilities.

2 Dual Visual Presence for distributed learning applications

DESIGN CHALLENGE
Share two camera images, the instructor and the audience, from a single site as part of the main videoconferencing channel.
SOLUTION
Use two videoconferencing CODECs working together to provide the ability to feed the instructor camera image and the
audience camera image into the main channel videoconferencing image split. High definition video from the cameras is
delivered to the CODECs through the fiber optic switching and distribution system.

3 Future-ready design
DESIGN CHALLENGE
Provide a high-performance signal routing and distribution system to support both digital TDMS video signals and legacy
analog video formats. Enable future upgrades without pulling new cables.
SOLUTION
Upgrade to a fiber optic infrastructure at each facility to ensure compatibility with multiple video formats, span long distances, and
enable future upgrades. Use fiber optic transmitters and receivers for HDMI, DVI, VGA, and standard definition video sources and
displays, and a high-performance scaler for conversion of standard definition video to high-resolution DVI video.

22 Cover Story AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 22 6/11/15 11:33 AM

 7

3
4

4 Excellent image quality delivered throughout each facility

DESIGN CHALLENGE
Support high resolutions and exact color imaging.
SOLUTION
Fiber optic extenders enable all-digital signal transmission to deliver pixel-for-pixel image quality with precise color replication.

5 Advanced audio digital signal processing DSP, routing, and distribution

DESIGN CHALLENGE
The audio system needs to process and manage audio from students, instructors, and AV equipment to ensure students and
instructors at both local and remote locations can fully participate in lectures, discussions, and presentations.
SOLUTION
The audio system includes a variety of sources, including push-to-talk student microphones, wireless microphones, wired
microphones, multiple computer audio inputs, a DVD player, and audio from the videoconferencing system that are processed
and routed to program speakers, an array of ceiling speakers, the videoconferencing CODEC, and an archiving system. A bank of
DSP units and DSP-based matrix mixer/router units provide the necessary processing, switch logic, and routing hardware.

6 Real-time video and audio shared across extreme distances

DESIGN CHALLENGE
Distribute video and audio to facilities located in different buildings and to remote campuses across the province.
SOLUTION
Link a facilitys AV system to the dedicated videoconferencing network to achieve real time interaction across the province.

7 Reliability
DESIGN CHALLENGE
Distance education AV system uptime mandated availability of 99.9%.
SOLUTION
Specify quality brands and models to ensure continuous functionality and performance. Build Central Technology Offices at the
larger facilities to monitor and troubleshoot local systems. Monitor all systems and operations from a master control room in
Vancouver. Uninterruptable power supply UPS units provide power for critical system components.

AVSD.com Cover Story 23

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 23 6/11/15 11:33 AM

 videoconferencing beforehand but nothing
of this nature or scope, says Marcel
Schoenenberger, Principal Consultant at
McSquared System Design Group Inc. We
really had to work within and develop very
stringent requirements so that the students
at remote participating sites would receive
an education thats equal to the students
participating locally.
Launched in 2004, the DMP-AV system
consists of a myriad of interlinking
technologies that enable simultaneous
and interactive training at and
between facilities.
At the end of the experimental phase,
the prototype had proven to be even more The TEL system enables local and remote participants an equal opportunity to learn and interact with the
effective than anticipated. Capitalizing instructor and other students.

on this success, the Ministry drafted the

Medical Provincial Academic & Affiliated
Campus Technology MPAACT initiative
in 2005. The initiative lists general goals
for expansion of the program, including
enhanced system performance and a
future-proof design.
The plan mandates additional training
sites for both the undergraduate and
graduate programs. New spaces range
from large scale FoM facilities at the
universities and teaching hospitals to one
or more technology-driven training rooms
at regional hospitals and remote medical
practices. Under the tenure of Dr. Kristin
Sivertz, FoM Senior Associate Dean at
UBC, these specialized training sites began
to come online as part of the distance
education AV system.
Designing Innovation into
a Technology
To understand the scope of the distance
education AV system, it is necessary to go
back to the beginning. In 2002, McSquared
determined that the best method to
ensure an equal learning experience was
to support simultaneous voice-activated
videoconferencing. It was imperative to

University Academic Campuses Clinical Academic Campuses

UNBC
Prince George

PHOTO BY CLIVE CAMM (REGIONAL CENTRE); PHOTO BY STEVE HILTS (COMMUNITY FACILITY)
UBCO
Kelowna
UBC
Vancouver
0 100 200 300 mi UVic 0 100 200 300 mi
Victoria
PHOTOS COURTESY OF UBC FACULTY OF MEDICINE

0 100 200 300 km 0 100 200 300 km

The four University Academic Campuses As part of a large health care facility,
offer medical training by region: Vancouver- a Clinical Academic Campus provides
Fraser, Island, Northern, and Southern. A instruction ranging from standard
university includes lectures halls, seminar practice to highly specialized care. Each
rooms, labs, and other spaces designed for is designed to help increase the number
undergraduate program instruction, which and variety of health care professionals
encompasses the first two-years of training. in British Columbia.

Vancouver Fraser Medical Program Island Medical Program Southern Medical Program Northern Medical Program

24 Cover Story AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 24 6/11/15 4:17 PM

 create a large scale system that enables
all students to view course materials and
communicate directly with the instructor
and participants at remote sites.
After approaching a number of
conferencing equipment manufacturers,
McSquared elected to work with Tandberg,
Inc. Together, the two companies
developed the technology that became
the Dual Visual Presence DVP dual
codec videoconferencing system. The DVP
component of the distance education AV
system enables participants in multiple
locations to interact with each other in
real time. A selection of industry-leading
AV and control products completed
the system.
Facility planning came next. As most
AV professionals have experienced first-
hand, the general contractor is finishing
room layout before the client considers
AV needs. From the beginning, this
project was different. McSquared worked
directly with the architect and general
contractors on building and space designs.
Blueprints and room plans were modified
to address any and all factors that
could interfere with a students learning
experience. To achieve required system
performance, the consultant coordinated
project assignments, worked with the
various teams, and oversaw all related
or involved disciplines, ranging from
HVAC, electrical, and lighting systems
to room layout and color pallets. Release
of the MPAACT initiative compounded
these responsibilities.
Creating a Future-Proof Design
with Fiber Optic Technology
During Phase 1 of the upgrade to a
digital system, coax and CAT 5 cables
were run at each facility. Because the
distance education AV system shares
conduit, closets, and cable trays with
active systems, those overseeing network
activities and service were insistent that
future AV upgrades have little to no impact
on existing operations. Stakeholders also
voiced concerns about possible service
disruptions and costs associated with an
infrastructure upgrade.
The recommendation of a fiber optic
AV routing system at each facility was
Benefits of Specifying
Brands and Products
From an operational perspective,
specifying brands and products
ensures system reliability and assists
with management of project funding
and annual budgets. Varied and
unregulated products can create
an unacceptable burden on the
Operations Departments, incurring
costs and additional effort to
successfully maintain a wider variety
of technology and vendors. Also,
spare and replacement equipment
purchases are minimized when only
specific models may be integrated
into the system.
in direct response to these concerns. As
a future-proof solution, fiber allows the
continual renewal of active hardware while
enabling each facilitys cable infrastructure
to stay in place. It also supports MPAACT
requirements for high performance
switching of pixel-perfect images and
immunity to electrical interference.

Affiliated Regional Centres Community Education Facility & Rural Sites

PHOTO BY CLIVE CAMM (REGIONAL CENTRE); PHOTO BY STEVE HILTS (COMMUNITY FACILITY)

0 100 200 300 mi 0 100 200 300 mi

PHOTOS COURTESY OF UBC FACULTY OF MEDICINE

0 100 200 300 km 0 100 200 300 km

An Affiliated Regional Centre is associated In addition to providing health care, these

with a regional hospital, and each can urban and rural sites enable medical
accommodate a set number of students. students and residents to receive an equal
Instruction centers on 3rd and 4th learning experience while serving in an
year medical studies, family practice, underserved area. This also encourages
and may offer specialty programs for students to establish connections within
postgraduate residents. the community.

AVSD.com Cover Story 25

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 25 6/11/15 4:17 PM

 To validate the long term value of a
fiber optic design to the stakeholders,
the consultant prepared a cost risk
assessment. Factors used to calculate
the risk assessment include capital
procurement cost, operational cost over
system lifespan, and the potential savings
of leaving the infrastructure in place at
the time of capital renewal. This was with
the understanding that any CAT 5 cabling
installed in 2009/2010 would need to be
replaced during the next and subsequent
renewal cycles. The supposition was that a
cable manufacturer would not guarantee Seminar and Problem Based Learning room layouts vary to accommodate different teaching styles.
performance unless the infrastructure
was upgraded to the standard of the
time. In other words, if eight years from confirmed that the expense, time optimal signal integrity, and high
the renewal date the standard for twisted requirement, and difficulties associated reliability. Specified brands include
pair systems is CAT 7, then the CAT 5 with replacing the infrastructure at the Extron for AV switching and distribution,
infrastructure would need to be replaced time of capital renewal far outweighed the Tandberg which is now Cisco - for
at the same time as the active hardware. cost of a fiber optic system that remains the videoconferencing network, Biamp
The assessment includes the widest in place. This became readily apparent to for audio, and Crestron for control. The
range of details conceivable. One all stakeholders, particularly to those in recommended solutions were tested
risk analysis calculation, for example, charge of hospital facilities where shutting individually and in combination with other
compares the cost of running cabling down critical medical systems or powering system components to validate the design.
from a lectern to a rack located at the down a floor is not an option. The digital AV system is designed to
back of a lecture theater. In addition to deliver high resolution video images to
typical renewal expenses, the formula Signal Integrity and System lecture theaters, laboratories, and seminar
takes into account the cost per linear foot Reliability with Digital Technology and Problem Based Learning PBL
of cable, termination, labor, and potential In 2005, McSquared offered an upgraded rooms. It enables close examination of
operational or service issues. When design utilizing digital technology to shared microscopic samples and color-
comparing the calculation for running meet MPAACT requirements. The design accurate views in training sessions,
ten CAT 5 cables versus one 12-strand lists select brands and products by including multipurpose or dry lab and
fiber optic cable, the risk assessment function to ensure device interoperability, gross anatomy or wet lab exercises. Digital
sound systems and enhanced control
operations round out the design. By the
end of that same year, the upgrade to a
Best Practices to Ensure Digital Signal Integrity: digital system was underway.
Start at the Source
A digital signal can be easily processed, stored, and reproduced while maintaining its
Optimum AV Drives the
original integrity. However, source and display devices have a direct impact on the final Learning Experience
image and there can be a wide variance in endpoint device quality within any signal Factors to consider when designing any
path. Under the same conditions, one brand of Blu-ray player may perform fine while distance education AV system include
another may not. The same applies to displays. original image size and distances for
Testing source components and displays during initial system conceptual design can readability, vertical viewing angles,
save time and money when determining why the image quality is poor or a screen color accuracy, and zoomed viewing
is blank. Check the source and display first by connecting the devices with a short capabilities. Because pixel size relative to
length of pre-tested cable to verify operation under ideal conditions.
viewing distance and angle determines
perceived image quality, these elements

26 Cover Story AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 26 6/11/15 11:33 AM

 influence how each room is shaped, where
individuals may sit or stand, and mounting
locations of cameras and displays.
An additional requirement of a
medical application is the necessity to
achieve and maintain precise display
calibration to support Digital Imaging and
Communications in Medicine, or DICOM.
This technology ensures interoperability
between high definition medical imaging
equipment and video system components
without loss of image quality or color tone.
For example, new imaging devices with
DICOM support contributed to the need for
digital displays in the large seminar rooms.
Analog projectors were replaced with three
65" flat panel displays that are mounted
side by side to achieve the proper size-
to-distance ratio. The system parameters
define the proper calibration of the display
devices Content Channel settings to suit
the requirements for medical imagery.
Content is arranged so that the center
screen displays the instructor while a
side screen shows course materials and
the other provides windowed views of
the other active locations. A later renewal
cycle included installation of 103-inch
displays in the larger spaces, further
augmenting readability from back rows
and more sharply angled seats.
High Speed Switching and Distribution
Phase 2 of the digital system upgrade
required that the system provide high
speed routing of the highest resolution
signals in a future-proof design. McSquared
and MedicineIT - MedIT at UBC agreed
that the system had to be based on fiber
optic technology. They began evaluating
different fiber optic switching and
distribution solutions in 2007.
After testing a wide selection of
fiber optic solutions, the project team
selected the Extron FOXMatrix system.
According to project team members the
FOX Matrix provides the performance,
functional requirements, and reliability
they needed. The track record for product
AVSD.com Cover Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 27
manufacturing, services provided, and
turnaround time is very important factors;
so was the ability for us to have input into
the engineering process, Schoenenberger
says. I think thats another area where
Extron stands out. They listen first and
then they go to work.
To offer proof of design and product
specification, McSquared arranged for
the representatives from FoM, university
administration and IT departments,
and other stakeholders to witness a
comprehensive series of live testing
demonstrations at Extrons headquarters in
Anaheim, CA. Testing provided validation
of system interoperability between source
and destination components and, from
a technical perspective, confirmed that
the matrix switchers performance, image
quality, and reliability easily achieved
curriculum sharing requirements.
The decision to implement the
new digital design at each facility was
unanimous. In 2008, existing sites as
well as facilities under construction were
scheduled to migrate to a fiber optic
AV routing system based on Extrons
FOX Matrix and extension products.
In lecture theaters such as this
one in Okanagan, a student
simply presses a button on the
microphone base to ask the
lecturer a question.
Speech Reinforcement
An equally important concern in
a distributed training model is
speech intelligibility. Fundamentally,
videoconferencing is a methodology
intended for small groups and works
best when parameters such as acoustics,
lighting, and room size are carefully
specified. In larger spaces, poor room
layout can lead to sound distortion
and dead zones. To ensure clear sound
in DVP-enabled spaces, facilities are
designed with a centralized digital signal
processing system by Biamp. Microphones
are mixed for in-room delivery using an
auto mixer to manage feedback and allow
simultaneous audio signal processing
with automatic gain control and digital
echo-canceling. The speech reinforcement
system also enables management
of audio signal equalization, signal
delay, compression, limiting, and level
adjustment requirements.
The digital signal processor is integrated
into the distance education AV system to
share audio with multiple sites. When a
facilitys AV playback system is selected as
the source, loudspeakers associated with
27
6/11/15 11:33 AM

Each two-seat dry lab station includes two displays and a gooseneck microphone, allowing students to
ask questions in real time.
a rooms main displays combine with the
speech reinforcement system to provide
audio to the other active locations.
Bridging the Gaps Between Structures
Part of the upgrade involves signal
transmission between different buildings
or facilities on the same campus. The
latest design incorporates additional
video, audio, and streaming functionality
tie-ins, such as the tie-in for the jump-
alone video format system that transports
native video signals. Each buildings
VLAN provides the link for high resolution
videoconferencing, simplifying installation
and controlling costs by reducing the
overall number of home runs between
campus locations.
The design works particularly well at
UBC where the Life Sciences Centre is
one building within a cluster of buildings
that house distributed education facilities.
Built to support the distributed medical
training program, its networks have
significant overhead to allow installation
of either a B Level or C Level VLAN, which
is dependent on need. Other facilities
required extensive retrofitting to support
this level of communication.
The Equal Learning Experience
According to FoM instructors, face-to-
face exchanges and high quality images
are essential to closing the geographic
28 Cover Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 28
gap and holding successful lectures and
lab exercises. The distance education
AV system enables selective windowing
of the instructor, audiences, individual
participants, and video sources on each
monitor and display - see the signal flow
diagram on page 30. A screen can and
often does include images from a computer,
medical imaging equipment, and a local
document camera or DVD player, as well
as content sourced from remote sites.
For example, a typical histology lesson
requires students to attend a lecture and
then pair up to apply the theory in a lab
Ceiling-mounted displays in wet labs allow students to reference high resolution content without
risk of damage to the panels.
exercise. The instructor may be presenting
from a remote facility while groups work
on their digital slide exhibits in local labs.
During the lecture, each screen displays
images of the instructor, participants,
and course materials, such as slides from
the instructors laptop and images from
medical equipment or a facility server.
When the lab exercise begins, screens are
switched to display pertinent lesson data.
In a typical dry lab, each pair of seats
includes two monitors and a gooseneck
microphone. One monitor displays the
lesson data and the other is used as the
main channel. To ask for recognition, a
student simply pushes a button on the
microphone base. Once the instructor
activates the students mic, the appropriate
PTZ camera automatically focuses on that
station. If the instructor is occupied with
another group, local teaching assistants can
also provide clarification of an assignment.
Wet labs are set up differently. Displays
are ceiling mounted and angled for ease
of viewing and to protect the panels from
accidental damage. Lab technicians are
on hand to address minor issues and
alert the instructor of questions. If a
group experiences a unique situation, the
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:33 AM
 The central control room at an active site operates
the TEL system for a facility that lacks the space for
a local control room.

The TEL system enables an FoM instructor to provide training to students participating from DVP-enabled
spaces located throughout the province. INSET: Large screen displays allow the instructor to monitor remote
sites and check video presentation from the front of the room.

anatomical specimen is positioned under a
lab camera so that the instructor may zoom
in for all participants to see and discuss.
Whether the presentation is local
or being taught from a remote site is
unimportant. The distance education
AV system allows control of views and
communication, regardless of the number
and location of active sites.
Multiple Points of Control
Simplify Operation
Instruction can be shared from any facility
in the system. The distance education AV
system reaches approximately 130 rooms in
the wider system to share instruction across
four universities and over 25 hospitals.
Rooms are reserved using Resource
Scheduler, a space-booking program made
by PeopleCube of Assure Software.
Each room includes ceiling
loudspeakers and PTZ cameras as standard
equipment. The size and intended usage
of a space determines the selection and
quantity of other in-room devices, with
similar types of spaces having like AV
products and control capabilities.
The Videoconferencing Support Desk
located in the Diamond Health Care Centre
is the primary point of system monitoring
and master control. This support desk in
Vancouver is responsible for establishing
and maintaining active links among any
selection of facilities and can remotely
operate individual spaces. Default sound
levels and camera angles are set from either
this support desk or a facilitys Central
Technology Office. The support desk
can fix a vast majority of user problems
remotely, without the intervention of a site
technician. It has optimized our resourcing
without impacting our just-in-time service
levels, says AnthonyKnezevic, Senior
Manager of Collaboration Technologies,
MedIT Faculty of Medicine at UBC.
Facility-based Control Rooms
Each university and clinical campus has a
Central Technology Office to monitor and
help manage in-session AV signal switching
and distribution - see the signal flow
diagram on page 33. The majority of large
seminar rooms have direct connection to
the facilitys control room over multimode
fiber optic cable for system monitoring by
support personnel, as well as AV control.
Control room staffing is determined by
location size and session needs.
The standard control room layout
includes two or more AV equipment racks
to support one or more DVP-enabled spaces,
depending on room adjacencies. The benefit
of positioning the AV racks in the control
room is twofold. Removing the equipment
from the instructional space helps to
minimize noise, which could be disruptive
to both local and distributed instruction. It
also allows better temperature regulation of
expensive rack-mounted equipment.
Facility renovations did not always
allow the Central Technology Office to
be positioned adjacent to DVP-enabled
spaces. In this situation, the control room
is located elsewhere in the building and a
separate rack room allows AV devices to
remain close by. Some facilities without
space for a control room are supported
remotely by the closest active facility with
control capabilities.
When it is necessary to install the
Central Technology Office in a different

AVSD.com Cover Story 29

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 29 6/11/15 11:33 AM

 DVP-Enabled Lecture Theater
Instructors Lectern
Audience Cameras #1 and #2 Instructor Cameras #1 and #2

Document DVI
Camera
AUDIO IN
COMPUTER IN
VGA HDMI HDMI

Composite
VIDEO AUDIO

L R

POWER FOXBOX Tx HDMI Tx Rx POWER FOXBOX Tx HDMI Tx Rx

12V RS-232 12V RS-232

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK
100-240V 50/60 Hz Y R-Y
B-Y RS-232 1.0A MAX OVER FIBER ALARM 1.0A MAX OVER FIBER ALARM
SDI RGB/R-Y,Y,B-Y/YC/VID R G B
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100-240V/ 5AMAX

UNSWITCHED
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0.3A MAX 1 2 3 DVI-I HV ACT LINK

DVS 304 DVI

HDMI AUDIO INPUT Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL HDMI AUDIO INPUT Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL

DVI

PowerCage 1600
PowerCage 1600 PowerCage PowerCage PowerCage
Power Supply FOX Tx DVI FOX Tx VGA FOX Tx DVI
Plus Plus

Rx

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Tx

Tx

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RS-232 ALARM

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1 2

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OVER FIBER

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HDMI AUDIO INPUT Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL

FOXBOX Tx HDMI POWER

12V
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1.0A MAX OVER FIBER ALARM

HDMI AUDIO INPUT Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL

POWER FOXBOX Tx HDMI Tx Rx

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PC
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1.0A MAX OVER FIBER ALARM

HDMI AUDIO INPUT Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL

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HDMI AUDIO INPUT Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL

HDMI

AV Booth Central Technology Office

FOXBOX Tx HDMI Fiber Fiber FOX MATRIX 3200

POWER FOXBOX Tx HDMI Tx Rx
12V RS-232
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX OVER FIBER ALARM

HDMI AUDIO INPUT Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL

INPUTS INPUTS

HDMI 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Fiber 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 CONTROL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 CONTROL

CONFIG ENTER PRESET VIEW ESC CONFIG ENTER PRESET VIEW ESC

FOXBOX Tx VGA Rx
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
REDUNDANT
PRIMARY Fiber 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 PRIMARY

REDUNDANT
Tx
OUTPUTS OUTPUTS
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LINK

LINK
TEMP
OVER

RGB

CONFIG

FOXBOX Tx VGA OPTICAL FOX MATRIX 3200 FOX MATRIX 3200

FIBER OPTIC DIGITAL MATRIX SWITCHER FIBER OPTIC DIGITAL MATRIX SWITCHER
POWER RGB INPUT
12V AUDIO RS-232
1.0A MAX OVER FIBER ALARM

FOXBOX Tx VGA Tx Rx 1 2

VGA FOX MATRIX 3200 Central Monitoring and Control. Also Provides Connections to other
Fiber Fiber Lecture Halls, Auditoriums, Labs, etc.
COMPUTER IN
AUDIO IN

FOXBOX Rx HDMI FOXBOX Tx HDMI

POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS POWER FOXBOX Tx HDMI Tx Rx
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE 12V RS-232
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OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx HDMI AUDIO INPUT Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL

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LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

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FOXBOX Rx HDMI
HDMI 1 DVI-1 2 HDMI 2 DVI-1 3
1 2 3 1 (L) 1 (L)
+12V

GND

1st 4 3 2 1 I
Input Output
OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx
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HDMI AUDIO INPUT Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL
CODEC C60 Composite 3 2 (R) 2 (R)
HDMI 1 DVI-1 2 GPIO USB 2 Camera control

POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE

HDMI
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

HDMI
POWER
12V
Tx Rx
HDMI AUDIO
OUTPUTS
AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
POWER
12V
FOXBOX Tx HDMI
RS-232
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720p Projectors
LINK

LINK
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232 1.0A MAX OVER FIBER ALARM

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx HDMI AUDIO INPUT Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL

HDMI
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FOXBOX Rx HDMI
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1 2 2 3 3 3 1 2 3 4
POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS 1st 2nd
(SPDIF)
1 POWER FOXBOX Tx HDMI Tx Rx
PUSH PUSH PUSH PUSH
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE 12V RS-232
LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232 1.0A MAX OVER FIBER ALARM
HDMI 1 DVI-1 2 HDMI 2 DVI-1 3
1 2 3 1 (L) 1 (L)
+12V

GND

1st 4 3 2 1 I
Input Output
OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx
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Tx Rx 1 2 POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
HDMI AUDIO INPUT OPTICAL
DVI-1 2 CODEC C60 Composite 3 2 (R) 2 (R) 12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

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1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

HDMI
FOXBOX Rx HDMI OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

FOXBOX Tx HDMI
HDMI
720p Projectors
FOXBOX Rx FOXBOX Rx HDMI
DVI Plus
POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

Tx Rx
AUDIO

LINK

LINK
TEMP
OVER

FOXBOX Rx HDMI FOXBOX Rx HDMI

DVI

HDMI
CONFIG

POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS

FOXBOX Rx DVI Plus OPTICAL 12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE 12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232 1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

POWER POWER Tx Rx POWER Tx Rx

12V MODE OUTPUTS OUTPUTS
DVI-D OUTPUT AUDIO RS-232 12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE 12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON OVER FIBER ALARM 1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232 1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232 OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

1 2

FOXBOX Rx HDMI FOXBOX Rx HDMI

FOXBOX Rx DVI Plus Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

HDMI HDMI
POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
12V HDMI AUDIO

DVI HDMI HDMI

AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

FOXBOX Rx HDMI HDMI

MPEG IMX Digital BETACAM HDCAM HDCAM High Definition
Video System

POWER REMOTE EJECT

1(9P) 2(50P) RS-232C

PHONES

ASSEMBLE INSERT MULTI RECORDER SHUTTLE/VAR

CONTROL
VIDEO TC CH1 CH2 CH3 CH3 CUE JOG
HD SDI HD SDI HD SDI HD SDI JOG
E VAR
PUSH/ PLAYER SHUTTL

00:00:00:00
db db db db db SHIFT
0 0 0 0 0
10 10 10 10 10 ALARM E FO
RS RW
20 20 20 20 20 CHANNEL KEY INHI VE AR
30 30 30 30 30 CONDITION RE D
DISPLAY
40 40 40 40 40
FULL/FINE RESET
50 50 50 50 50

HOME F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6

1-4 L
LIST GOOD SHOT MARK TRIM REC REC INHI
EXT
REC/ PREROLL EDIT
INPUT CH1 5 CH2 6 CH3 7 CH4 8 IMX CUE MONITOR ERASE IN AUDIO OUT
REC 5-8 R STANDBY

Annotator Screen
MIXING DMC EDIT DELETE
ENTRY
MEMORY
REC REC
REW PLAY F FWD STOP
CH1 5 CH2 6 CH3 7 CH4 8 CUE PREVIEW AUTO EDIT REVIEW

PB PB IN OUT

UNITY VARIABLE

Recorder 42" Instructor Confidence Monitors (Lectern)

20" AV Booth Monitors

FOX Series matrix switchers and extenders distribute video signals to videoconferencing CODECs, allowing participants in multiple locations to
interact in real time.

30 Cover Story AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 30 6/11/15 11:33 AM


LEFT: Placing racks in a facilitys central control room helps reduce noise in DVP-enabled
spaces and provides a cool environment for the equipment. RIGHT: Cabling is neatly bundled
and properly labeled according to best practices.
campus building, usually the distance
education AV system enables
communication between structures.
However, the fiber optic infrastructure
extends between buildings in certain
unique installations such as the
application at UVic. The university
includes a backup operations system that
seizes control of all campus networks and
systems during an emergency. In addition
to multimode cabling within the medical
facility, singlemode cabling provides
connectivity between the facilitys Central
Technology Office in the IMP building
and the UVic emergency operations center.
Other university locations are already at
work on this type of solution as well.
Front of Room Control
To operate local and remote AV sources
and displays from the front of the
room, a touchscreen is mounted to the
instructors lectern. This control interface
enables precise control of image selection
and window arrangement, on-screen
annotation, activation of participant
microphones, and operation of other
equipment, such as a document camera or
Blu-ray Disc player.
To create familiarity for periodic and
traveling instructors, room control needs to
be alike from space to space. For example,
the interface in a teaching hospitals
AVSD.com Cover Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 31
lecture theater supports operation of
lectern-based AV equipment and control of
the environment, including lighting levels,
camera angles, and speaker volume. The
interface also enables control of devices
at active remote sites, such as pulling data
from a universitys file server or activating
a remote participants mic. Confidence
monitors are mounted on or within sight
of the lectern to provide a view of the
displayed images. Once accustomed to
system capabilities and device operation,
the instructor is comfortable teaching from
Some DVP-enabled spaces offer mobile lecterns to simplify room reconfiguration.
a lecture theater at another facility.
The AV operations group and educational
technology group place emphasis on
instructor training and orientation, as
well as ongoing support, to promote the
necessary changes in instruction needed
in a distributed environment. This has
been a key success factor in the positive
experiences students have expressed
through annual surveys.
The practical, forward-thinking features
of the system allow each space to be utilized
to its fullest. All instruction is in real time,
regardless of the ever increasing number of
distance education AV system facilities.
Environmental Adaptations to
Existing Spaces
Upgrading an AV system to a digital design
requires environmental changes as well
as a new infrastructure and hardware.
McSquared set the original building
specifications particularly high for the
FoM facility at UBC, but most sites utilize
existing rooms for training purposes.
Space redesigns cover a wide range
of specified environmental parameters,
from architectural elements that could
inhibit line-of-sight between instructor
31
6/11/15 11:33 AM
 and student to wall color and exact
spacing between seats. For example, one
environmental parameter addresses the
number and degree of reflective surfaces
in a given space. High definition digital
cameras with high resolution signal output
are more susceptible to low ambient light
levels than the original analog composite
video cameras used to capture lectures
and labs. Higher ambient light levels
require a stronger contrast ratio on the
screens, which requires an upgraded
lighting system to support the HD cameras
without washing out displayed images.
Reflective surfaces affect lighting, having a
direct impact on screen visibility.
Upgrading AV at a Medical Facility
Construction in a medical environment
is different from construction in any
other type of building. McSquared and
system integrators work closely with
program stakeholders to minimize
disruptions at operational sites, while
ensuring that students receive an equal
learning experience throughout building
construction, retrofitting of existing
facilities, and distance education AV
system upgrade phases.
While a new building such as the one
completed at Kelowna General Hospital
in 2010 is designed with sufficient cooling
and power to support DVP-enabled spaces,
system upgrades within hospital settings
require careful planning and execution to
prevent disruption of service. Dust control
is also a big component, with specific
spaces requiring a hermetic seal because
of room adjacencies. Some retrofitted
spaces are very close to emergency rooms
or surgical wings so an unscheduled cut of
power or water is not an option.
This was the situation at St. Pauls
Hospital, one of the oldest acute care
facilities in downtown Vancouver. In 2011,
a full size clinical academic campus was
installed in the hospitals basement. The
facility includes a retrofitted 170-seat
lecture theater and new construction of a
32 Cover Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 32
70-seat lecture theater, two seminar rooms,
and a Central Technology Office. These
spaces are directly below the surgical
suites. Throughout the installation, every
effort was made to meet the construction
schedule without inconveniencing the
surgeons or jeopardizing patient care.
The toughest undertaking with
existing facilities and operational hospital
environments is securing the appropriate
space and then working with an architect
or design team to make that space fit
the need, Schoenenberger says. Once
that part is done, then you still have to
implement the technology without taking
down the whole floor.
Construction Zone Issues & Concerns
A complication arose at a number of
facilities when it was time to replace
existing runs with fiber optic cabling.
During Phase 1, a variety of lubricants
had been applied to the cabling to ease
pulling through conduit. Unfortunately,
certain gels had degraded over time into
an adhesive. Integrators had to use force
to remove the previous infrastructure,
occasionally damaging conduit, walls, and
horizontal surfaces. Removing the old
cabling was costly and caused periodic
schedule overruns, but this best practice
was necessary to meet Canadas building
codes and standards.
During the initial upgrade to digital,
another factor that caused installation
delays at multiple locations was
temperature control. From a building
perspective, rack-mounted digital devices
produce more heat than analog products.
On average, the power consumption and
generated heat load of a digital switcher
or signal processor is higher by as much
as 30%. Although fiber optics use light to
transmit signals, the components generate
as much heat as other digital devices and
more heat than analog products.
If a facilitys air conditioning system
does not have the necessary overhead,
the cooling capacity in rack rooms and
control rooms may prove to be insufficient.
New cooling modules or changes to the
HVAC infrastructure allow for improved
temperature regulation. Although this
increases the cost of an individual project,
the process extends product life for long
term savings and, more importantly,
ensures system reliability for up to 10 years.
According to Schoenenberger of
McSquared, power is typically less of an
issue. Designed to support a wide range
of medical devices with unknown power
needs, facilities have sufficient overhead
to accommodate the power requirements
of a digital system. However, power issues
at specific locations can negatively impact
system reliability. For example, the power
grid at UNBC is very susceptible to brown-
outs. The universitys system includes
extensive surge protection, online UPS
modules, UPS battery extenders, etc. to
provide backup power for a defined period
of time.
Achievement of MPAACT Mandates
As each DVP-enabled space is brought
online, all systems and connections are
tested at that site and between linked
facilities. Commissioning of individual
systems and the enterprise application
combined with continuous system
monitoring from the support desk
contribute to the achievement of 99%
system uptime.
The upgrade to a future-proof fiber
optic design offers other advantages, such
as a much smaller electrical infrastructure
that is isolated. Fiber provides emission-
free transmission of AV and control
signals and avoids causing electrical
noise to delicate medical instrumentation,
which is also a requirement of the
MPAACT initiative.
Electromagnetic interference EMI
is a concern in any medical training
facility, and DVP-enabled spaces within
regional hospitals and remote practices
are especially susceptible to ground noise
and electrical emissions. DMP facilities
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:33 AM
 Central Technology Office
Operator Station Operator Monitors
Wall-mount Flat Panel Displays
MODEL 80 MODEL 80 MODEL 80

FOXBOX POWER
12V
FOXBOX Tx HDMI
RS-232
Tx Rx

LINK

LINK
1.0A MAX OVER FIBER ALARM

HDMI Input Tx HDMI HDMI AUDIO INPUT Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL

FOXBOX Tx Rx
AUDIO

LINK

LINK
TEMP
OVER

RGB

CONFIG

Tx VGA POWER
12V
FOXBOX Tx VGA

RGB INPUT
AUDIO
OPTICAL

RS-232
1.0A MAX OVER FIBER ALARM

FOXBOX Tx VGA Tx Rx 1 2

VGA Input FLAT PANEL FLAT PANEL FLAT PANEL

COMPUTER AUDIO

Equipment Rack

DVD Player
MGP 464 Pro
MGP/WINDOWALL PRO SERIES
REMOTE LAN

INPUTS VIRTUAL INPUTS RESET

1 2 3 4 5 8 11 14 17
RS-232/422
R R R R VID VID VID VID VID
R-Y R-Y R-Y R-Y Y Y Y Y Y
BACKGROUND OUTPUTS
6 9 12 15 18

G/Y H/HV G/Y H/HV G/Y H/HV G/Y H/HV VID VID VID VID VID R/ G/Y B/
VID VID VID VID B-Y B-Y B-Y B-Y B-Y R-Y B-Y
C C C C C
100- 240V -A MAX
7 10 13 16 19

B/C V B/C V B/C V B/C V VID VID VID VID VID H/ V

B-Y B-Y B-Y B-Y R-Y R-Y R-Y R-Y R-Y HV

HDMI HDMI

FOXBOX POWER
12V
FOXBOX Tx HDMI
RS-232
Tx Rx
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX OVER FIBER ALARM

Tx HDMI
50/60 Hz HDMI HDMI HDMI HDMI

HDMI AUDIO INPUT Tx Rx 1 2 OPTICAL

FOXBOX
FOX Matrix 3200 Rx HDMI
POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE

LINK

LINK
1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

INPUTS
OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 POWER
12V
Tx Rx
HDMI AUDIO
OUTPUTS
AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE FOXBOX

LINK

LINK
1.0A MAX ON L R

Rx HDMI
OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
OFF

POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE

LINK

LINK
1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 CONTROL OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

CONFIG ENTER PRESET VIEW ESC

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 PRIMARY

REDUNDANT
OUTPUTS

MGP 464 Pro

POWER SUPPLY

FOX MATRIX 3200

FIBER OPTIC DIGITAL MATRIX SWITCHER
MGP/WINDOWALL PRO SERIES
REMOTE LAN

INPUTS VIRTUAL INPUTS RESET

1 2 3 4 5 8 11 14 17
RS-232/422
R R R R VID VID VID VID VID
R-Y R-Y R-Y R-Y Y Y Y Y Y
BACKGROUND OUTPUTS
6 9 12 15 18

G/Y H/HV G/Y H/HV G/Y H/HV G/Y H/HV VID VID VID VID VID R/ G/Y B/
VID VID VID VID B-Y B-Y B-Y B-Y B-Y R-Y B-Y
C C C C C
100- 240V -A MAX
7 10 13 16 19

B/C V B/C V B/C V B/C V VID VID VID VID VID H/ V

B-Y B-Y B-Y B-Y R-Y R-Y R-Y R-Y R-Y HV

HDMI HDMI

50/60 Hz HDMI HDMI HDMI HDMI

FOXBOX
To/From Rx HDMI
125 Seat
POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

Lecture Theatre
OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

POWER
12V
Tx Rx
HDMI AUDIO
OUTPUTS
AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE FOXBOX
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R

Rx HDMI
OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

MGP 464 Pro

To/From MGP/WINDOWALL PRO SERIES

75 Seat
REMOTE LAN

INPUTS VIRTUAL INPUTS RESET

1 2 3 4 5 8 11 14 17

Lecture Theatre
RS-232/422
R R R R VID VID VID VID VID
R-Y R-Y R-Y R-Y Y Y Y Y Y
BACKGROUND OUTPUTS
6 9 12 15 18

G/Y H/HV G/Y H/HV G/Y H/HV G/Y H/HV VID VID VID VID VID R/ G/Y B/
VID VID VID VID B-Y B-Y B-Y B-Y B-Y R-Y B-Y
C C C C C
100- 240V -A MAX
7 10 13 16 19

B/C V B/C V B/C V B/C V VID VID VID VID VID H/ V

B-Y B-Y B-Y B-Y R-Y R-Y R-Y R-Y R-Y HV

HDMI HDMI

50/60 Hz HDMI HDMI HDMI HDMI

FOXBOX
Rx HDMI
POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

To/From
OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

Multipurpose
1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

Lab POWER
12V
Tx Rx
HDMI AUDIO
OUTPUTS
AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE FOXBOX
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R

Rx HDMI
OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

POWER Tx Rx OUTPUTS
12V HDMI AUDIO AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

FOXBOX
Rx HDMI
POWER
12V
Tx Rx
HDMI AUDIO
OUTPUTS MPEG IMX Digital BETACAM HDCAM HDCAM High Definition
Video System
AUDIO RS-232 REMOTE
LINK

LINK

1.0A MAX ON L R OVER FIBER ALARM RS-232

POWER REMOTE EJECT
1(9P) 2(50P) RS-232C

OPTICAL FOXBOX Rx HDMI OFF HDMI Tx Rx 1 2 Tx Rx

PHONES

To/From
Gross Anatomy
ASSEMBLE INSERT MULTI RECORDER SHUTTLE/VAR
CONTROL
VIDEO TC CH1 CH2 CH3 CH3 CUE JOG
HD SDI HD SDI HD SDI HD SDI JOG
TTLE VAR
PUSH/ PLAYER SHU

00:00:00:00
db db db db db SHIFT
0 0 0 0 0

Lab
10 10 10 10 10 ALARM SE FO
R R WA
20 20 20 20 20 CHANNEL KEY INHI VE
30 30 30 30 30 CONDITION RE RD
DISPLAY
40 40 40 40 40
FULL/FINE RESET
50 50 50 50 50

HOME F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6

1-4 L
LIST GOOD SHOT MARK TRIM REC REC INHI
EXT
REC/ PREROLL EDIT
INPUT CH1 5 CH2 6 CH3 7 CH4 8 IMX CUE MONITOR ERASE IN AUDIO OUT
REC 5-8 R STANDBY
MIXING DMC EDIT DELETE
ENTRY
MEMORY
REC REC
REW PLAY F FWD STOP
CH1 5 CH2 6 CH3 7 CH4 8 CUE PREVIEW AUTO EDIT REVIEW

PB PB IN OUT

UNITY VARIABLE

Recorder

Fiber optic cabling connects DVP-enabled spaces to a facilitys Central Technology Office, where support personnel can monitor up to 12 video feeds
on three wall-mounted displays.

AVSD.com Cover Story 33

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 33 6/11/15 11:34 AM

 typically share space with research
centers, blood and gross anatomy labs,
surgical suites, simulation rooms, and
acute and ambulatory care units, which
have equipment that emits various levels
of electrical interference. FoM facilities
are also exposed to other sources of EMI,
including intranet and control networks for
data streams, door locks, environmental
settings, and a variety of other systems.
In a setting that is subject to a constant
bombardment of EMI noise, fiber optic
technology provides the requisite
transmission isolation and performance
without impacting other systems or
networking operations.
ROI of the Distributed Medical
Training Program
The programs return on investment has
been and continues to be substantial.
Currently, the MD program can accept
288 new students each year, more
than doubling the number of annual
enrollments since 2003/2004. Up to
192 applicants enroll in the Vancouver
Fraser Medical Program at UBC annually,
and the regional programs accept an
additional 32 students per campus.
Students attend the first two years of
instruction at one of the four universities:
UBC in Vancouver, UNBC in the north,
UVic in Victoria, or the University of
British Columbia Okanagan UBCO in
the southeast.
Clinical training in the third and
fourth years includes rotations and
rounds at hospitals and clinics followed
by graduation and a residency period of
two to seven years. Unlike traditional
programs that involve facilities in a single
geographical location, the distributed
learning model enables students and
residents participating from remote
locations to gain experience in a wider
variety of diseases and the latest treatment
options. For example, residents, physicians,
and other health professionals at 17
different facilities that included a number
34 Cover Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 34
The new Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences facility at UBC includes chemistry labs designed specifically for
distributed training purposes.
of rural practices recently attended an
academic grand round held at Vancouver
General. It was a hosted round as part of
the postgraduate training program and
continuing professional development. The
distance education AV system ensured
that each had an equal opportunity
to participate.
An unanticipated benefit of the
distributed training model is the added
freedom it provides to faculty members.
The distance education AV system allows
instructors to relocate to communities
beyond Vancouver. One of the first to
take advantage of this new flexibility
was the head of gross anatomy. After 30
years of teaching at UBC, he longed to
live in Victoria but there were no FoM
lab facilities on the island. With the
completion of the DVP-enabled gross
anatomy lab at UVic, he continues to run
the gross anatomy department and teach
from his new location in Victoria.
Information sharing goes beyond
instructor-to-students; instructors with
common specialties but at different
facilities are now able to teach together
using the distance education AV system.
In one course, a specialist in Vancouver
and another in Kelowna collaborate
during sessions. They share the same
field of specialization but with a different
emphasis. Teaching from their respective
locations, they cover two related
topics each session to foster a better
understanding of the subject matter. The
AV system is the platform that permits
this depth of instruction and level
of communication.
The benefits associated with the
Dual Visual Presence videoconferencing
solution combined with the capabilities
and future-proofing inherent with a fiber
optic AV switching and distribution system
are twofold. The distance education AV
system enables students throughout the
province to enroll in the prestigious
FoM training program, which in turn
encourages the new doctors to set up
practices in the remote and underserved
areas by offering medical instruction in
the students home region. Just as vital,
the sharing of information between fields
of specialty and disciplines increases
medical understanding and generates
new treatments for the citizenry of
British Columbia.
The system has proven its value beyond
that of undergraduate medical education.
Were seeing demand from a variety of
health professionals wanting to extend
their reach to all their colleagues in the
province, says Knezevic of UBC. Were
proud because weve removed one of
many barriers to retaining talented health
professionals in our underserved areas.
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:34 AM
 Global Acceptance and Adoption of
the Distributed Training Model
The success of the distance education AV
system has triggered other programs to
adopt the distributed training model. The
schools of Physical Therapy, Dentistry,
and Pharmaceutical Sciences are
making use of the DVP-enabled spaces
or have developed their own distributed
training programs.
Related programs are tied into the
distance education AV system, with
the FoM acting as the host from a
videoconferencing perspective. Physical
Therapy, which is a department of FoM,
resides in a separate building at UBC linked
through the distance education AV system.
Because of the increasing number of
applicants at UBC and UNBC, the Physical
Therapy Departments own distributed
training program launched in late 2013.
As another health program, Dentistry
partners with the FoM to share courses
similar to both degrees for delivery from
the Life Sciences Centre. DVP-enabled
spaces allow this instruction sharing
between the dental and MD programs.
The Faculty of Pharmaceutical
Sciences is a separate faculty from the
FoM. Program stakeholders adopted the
distributed training model to increase
the number of pharmacists in rural
communities. The new DVP-enabled
pharmaceutical sciences building at UBC
went online in the autumn of 2012. The
programs distance education AV system
enables the instructors to reach pharmacy
students at the other universities and
at the teaching hospitals. Similar to the
distance education program designed for
pharmaceutical sciences, the Business
School at UBC is in the process of
installing its own distance education
AV system to be taken online in the
near future.
Just as various faculties at UBC
recognize the value of the distributed
training model, the success in British
Columbia continually draws the attention
AVSD.com Cover Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 35
of public and private institutions. Many
countries are experiencing the same issue
of medical practices concentrated in and
around the larger metropolitan areas,
leaving the population in rural areas
underserved. Delegations from universities
around the world, including other
Canadian provinces, the United States,
Australia, and various European countries,
have visited UBC to review the distance
education AV system model.
Germany, as an example, has the
same concerns about its underserved
rural communities. Most doctors trained
in Dusseldorf establish practices in the
general vicinity. Beyond city limits there
is a severe shortage of doctors. British
Columbias distance education AV system
proved to the German delegation that
the best way to solve this problem is to
educate the doctors where you want them
to practice.
System in Review
According to Schoenenberger, three factors
must be considered when converting an
analog system to a digital solution. With
30% increase in heat load, the top concern
is cooling and the HVAC system. The next
concern is lighting. Digital cameras and
other high resolution image-capturing
devices require a substantial increase
in lighting levels to produce a good
quality signal. The third factor is the
infrastructure, including networks and
hardware for switching and distributing
signals. Essentially, it is designing a system
that is suitable for the current and next
generations of technology. He modestly
attributes much of the systems success to
the AV manufacturers he worked with on
the UBC project.
Extron and some other AV
manufacturers are very much open to
the input we provide, and its reflected
in the features and functionalities
that they design into their products,
Schoenenberger says. This responsiveness
plays a significant role in the
decision-making process for us and our
clients like UBC. It makes it very attractive
to work with them.
Impressions
Dr. Joanna Bates and Dr. David Snadden
shared the vision of what a distributed
medical training program could mean to
the province. Dr. Bates spearheaded the
project from its inception in 2002, and
Dr. Snadden, Senior Executive Dean of
Education for the UBC Faculty of Medicine
and who is located at UNBC in Prince
George, now champions the program. Both
doctors worked closely with AV consulting
firm McSquared to actualize their
vision. McSquared evaluated available
technologies, conducted extensive research,
and performed a detailed cost/benefit
analysis prior to selecting a fiber optic
infrastructure. Through multi-year phases
that include equipment upgrades and
system expansion, the doctors, MedIT,
and the consultant have achieved an
award-winning program that serves as an
example for education programs worldwide.
The continued success of the program is
attributable to the on-going commitment
by all parties to the original vision.
Utilizing AV products from
industryleading manufacturers, UBC
and its partnering universities, regional
teaching hospitals, remote practices, and
the provincial health authorities have
succeeded in creating a system that has
a direct impact on society. The ratio of
physicians to patients continues to improve
and more practices are being established
in the provinces rural areas every year.
The unique distance education AV system
has taken AV from an afterthought to
the driving force that ensures an equal
learning experience for the future doctors
of British Columbia.
Andrew Evans is Manager of Product Marketing, Fiber Optic
Systems for Extron Electronics. Before joining Extron, he
spent ten years as a design engineer supporting AV systems
for corporate and government end users, including flight line
monitoring systems for the United States Air Force.
35
6/11/15 11:34 AM
 4K Video Distribution with
Uncompromising Quality

Extron FOX II 4K Series

The Extron FOX II 4K Series enables high performance extension, switching, and distribution of 4K video, multi-channel audio, and
control signals over fiber optic cabling. FOX II 4K extenders are ideal for point-to-point designs or in combination with an Extron FOX
Matrix Switcher for a complete, end-to-end 4K video distribution system up to 1000x1000 and larger. Support for 4:4:4 color sampling
ensures your mission-critical video is preserved from end-to-end in a FOX fiber optic distribution system.

Lossless 4K DisplayPort and HDMI Extension Upgrade to 4K Without a System Overhaul

The FOX II 4K Series HDCP-compliant extenders are designed
with uncompromising quality and proven performance to ensure
reliable, lossless transmission of computer and video resolutions
up to 4K, while 4:4:4 color sampling preserves image detail.
FOX II 4K Series Simplifies Integration
The FOX II R DP 4K fiber optic receiver features a Type 2 dual-
mode DisplayPort output to support a 4K-capable HDMI or
DVI device with an appropriate adapter. Selective downscaling
ensures interoperability with lower resolution displays and
videowall systems.
FOX Matrix Switchers already support 4K resolutions. Simply
adding FOX II 4K extenders to an existing design provides
an easy upgrade to the latest technologies while maintaining
compatibility with legacy equipment. FOX Matrix Switchers
are modular and expandable to support multimode and
singlemode fiber infrastructures from 8x8 up
to 1000x1000 and larger, delivering highly
reliable enterprise-wide 4K video distribution.

Maximum Maximum Color Bits

Resolution Frame Rate Sampling Per Pixel
1 Fiber 4096x2160 30 4:4:4 24
2 Fibers 4096x2160 60 4:4:4 24

www.extron.com/fox24k

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 36 6/11/15 11:34 AM

 A New Era of AV System Control

Extron Pro Series Control Systems

Get ready to expand your AV control capabilities with our advanced configuration software, exciting new touchpanels, more
powerful processors, and a broad range of other tools and breakthrough technologies geared to handle the evolving complexities
of todays AV system designs. There are over 40 Pro Series control products, all designed to make complex systems simpler and
simple systems more powerful. And of course, all are backed by the Extron Quality Guarantee and S3 customer support you trust.

Powerful Configuration Software

One software package with two modes: Global Configurator Plus and Global Configurator Professional
Both pack the power of conditional logic, local variables, and macros
Global Configurator Plus is ideal for smaller applications
Global Configurator Professional has further enhancements that make it especially well-suited for applications
requiring multiple control processors and advanced configuration

Larger, More Powerful Touchpanels

Twelve new TouchLink Pro touchpanel models with faster processing and more memory
Five of them feature new 5", 12", and 15" sizes with vibrant, capacitive touchscreens
12" and 15" models feature high resolution video preview and a sleek new design with edge-to-edge glass

Six Versatile New Control Processors

Faster, more secure, and more powerful than ever
Built-in Gigabit Ethernet and the latest protocols satisfy todays network infrastructure
Combined with Global Configurator Professional, they offer enhanced functions including conditional logic

www.extron.com/proseriescontrol

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 37 6/11/15 11:34 AM

 Extron XTP Systems
Streamline AV
System Designs
Simplify small or large system designs with complete
AV integration on a single cable infrastructure.
By Keith Scheffler, Systems Design Engineering Manager
A
ny successful system design requires careful
consideration for managing and distributing video,
audio, and control signals. It is also essential to
plan for provisioning data and power, to ensure
that AV devices can be integrated onto a LAN for system control
or Internet access, and that the electrical infrastructure can
accommodate the AV system. Integrators and AV system designers
traditionally strategize their approaches to meeting video, audio,
control, Ethernet, and power requirements over their respective
signal paths, coordinating with IT, electrical contractors, and
other trades as necessary.
As an end users AV requirements increase in scope and
scale, so does the potential complexity in designing the system
to adequately distribute and manage all signals. There may
also be additional, hidden challenges and costs associated with
implementing the design. For example, a large environment, with
a central equipment location plus many remote AV endpoints
and control interfaces may require significant IT support for
network drops, managed switching, and IP address allotments.
An electrical contractor may be asked to modify AC circuit
load capacity or add outlets in areas not originally planned.
AV system designs may also be more complex when there are
several different video and audio formats to be accommodated,
possibly requiring dedicated signal processors as well as
separate switching and distribution paths.
Extron XTP Systems
Extron XTP Systems enable streamlined AV system design and
implementation, on a platform easily scalable from small to large
38 Feature Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 38
applications, without additional complexity. They are completely
integrated switching and distribution systems for digital video and
audio, supporting local AV connectivity as well as remote devices
over shielded CATx and fiber optic cable. In addition to video and
audio, these cables carry bidirectional RS-232, IR, and Ethernet,
enabling a single cable infrastructure that can help minimize
network requirements at AV endpoints. Twisted pair endpoints can
be remotely powered over the same CATx cable. XTP Systems also
include an extensive feature set for managing, converting, and
routing a variety of video and audio formats, as well as simplified
integration with control systems.
High degree of system design versatility Supports a wide
variety of AV, control, network access, and remote powering
needs in a system design.
Supports high resolution digital video plus legacy analog
formats Analog signals are converted to digital for
distribution and transmission alongside HDMI and DVI.
Extron Intelligent Technologies Fast, reliable source
switching and distribution with Extron SpeedSwitch plus
Key Minder and EDID Minder for advanced HDCP and
EDID management.
Digital video signal integrity Fully preserves the integrity
of digital video signals throughout the system, from a
source at a remote location to a display at another endpoint.
Audio signal management A wide range of options for
handling and distributing embedded HDMI and stereo
audio throughout the system, without the need for audio
signal processors.
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
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 AVSD.com Feature Story 39

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 39 6/11/15 11:34 AM

 Flexible options for integrating device and system
control Control signals can be inserted into an XTP
System, allowing you to easily enhance the scale and
reach of your control system.
Ethernet extension Extend 100 Mbps Ethernet over the
same fiber optic or CATx cable to deliver LAN connectivity
or control signals out to remote locations.
Powering endpoints Remote XTP transmitters and
receivers can be powered over CATx cable.
User-friendly software application The Extron XTP
System Configuration Software is used for intuitive
configuration and expedited setup of XTP Systems.
XTP System Design Executive Briefing Center
To best illustrate how an XTP System can be applied in a
streamlined AV system design with many remote endpoints, lets
explore a sample design for an AV environment that represents
a real-world scenario. The environment is an executive briefing
center in a new headquarters building, with AV presentation
needs for a lobby, two auditoriums, three meeting rooms, a dining
area, and open spaces. AV systems will operate independently
within the meeting rooms and auditoriums, each with their
own sources, guest device connectivity, displays, speakers, and
touchpanels. There will also be a need to display digital signage
and play background music throughout the facility. The end user
has also requested support for videoconferencing, TV broadcasts,
and streaming live or recorded presentations to mobile devices
and PCs.
A total of 24 locations for flat panels and projectors have
been identified, as well as 13 audio zones and six locations for
touchpanel control. Specific details about the installation and
functional AV requirements are available in the illustration on

System Design Considerations

Integrators and AV system designers aim to devise effective approaches and strategies in their designs for managing
all of the essential signals. A well-planned system design helps to ensure efficient, timely system installation and project
completion within budget, with end user expectations fully satisfied for functionality and performance. In order to deliver an
optimal AV system architecture, designers must address the following signal requirements:

Video Consideration for anticipated signal transmission distances, the type of cable infrastructure, preferred source
resolutions, native resolutions of the displays, and sources or destinations that are not HDCP-compliant. A very important
part of video signal management is an effective strategy for managing EDID communication for the displays and sources.
Audio Identification of source audio formats, including microphone, analog stereo, and HDMI embedded audio, as
well as multi-channel surround sound, if requested by the end user. Will audio be reproduced through a dedicated
sound system, or using speakers built into the displays? Would the sound system design need to include distributed
audio, program audio, or both? It is also important to identify potential audio presentation scenarios in which mixing
or conversion between formats may be necessary.
Control Determining the number and locations of devices to be controlled, locations and number of touchpanels
and other user interfaces, and AV control functions and capabilities desired by the end user. It is also essential to
determine the appropriate control signal types for the devices Ethernet, RS-232, or IR and how to get these
signals to locations remote from the control processor.
Network Which AV devices need connection to a network? Are they for the control system, or are other network
applications intended, such as streaming? Will a dedicated LAN for AV be suitable, or will AV devices need to be
integrated onto the IT infrastructure? If the latter is the case, then you will need to work with IT to determine the best
network support strategy for AV devices and systems.
Power Will the entire system be powered in a single rack location, or will there be several areas where AV devices
will be installed? What are the AC outlet and circuit load requirements for the central rack and other locations? For
new construction projects, you should review electrical blueprints to determine whether additional capacity may be
necessary to support AV systems.

40 Feature Story AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

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 pages 42 and 43. The scale and scope of this AV application
call for a large system design supporting both local and
centralized AV functions.
An Extron XTP System Design Example
There are various system design approaches that could satisfy
the AV requirements for this application. This particular design
is just one example. It features an XTP System with an Extron
XTP II CrossPoint 3200 to provide centralized video and audio
distribution for the facility. This 3232 modular matrix switcher
is to be located in the central equipment rack in the control
room. It will be configured with a combination of I/O boards for
connections to AV devices in the rack, plus CATx connections
going out to XTP transmitters and receivers at the endpoints.
The XTP System, and its features and capabilities are used to
develop effective system design strategies for video, audio, control,
network, and power. Each of these areas will be explored in
further detail.
VIDEO
Cable infrastructure. Cable runs up to 300 feet (90 meters)
will be necessary, from the central AV equipment racks to the
most distant sources and displays. XTP Systems are capable of
transmitting AV up to 330 feet (100 meters) over shielded CATx
cable, so a twisted pair cable infrastructure is ideal for this facility.
AVSD.com Feature Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 41
The same type of CATx cable selected for the IT infrastructure
could also be used for the XTP System. However, Extron
XTP DTP 24 cable will be used instead. This cable has been
specifically engineered for reliable, long distance signal
transmission in AV systems. It features a high quality cable
construction, with an outer braid and foil shield design for optimal
protection against external interference when cables are bundled
or run near electrical sources. Using XTP DTP 24 cable also avoids
potential reliability issues associated with lesser-quality CATx
cables that may be used in an IT infrastructure.
Switching and distribution. The XTP II CrossPoint 3200
matrix switcher will serve several important AV functions for
the facility. It will transmit digital signage content from a PC
and a digital signage player out to displays in the lobby, open
areas, and the auditoriums. The matrix switcher will also be
used to share two videoconferencing codecs among the meeting
rooms and auditoriums on an as needed basis, with high
definition PTZ camera feeds in these rooms transmitted to the
XTP II CrossPoint 3200. There will also be the flexibility to route
any of these camera feeds to a streaming media encoder, interfaced
with a media server for viewing live or recorded presentations on
PCs and mobile devices. Camera feeds can also be sent to rooms
designated to provide overflow from the auditoriums.
Additional sources in the central equipment rack, including
Blu-ray Disc players and DirecTV receivers, are to be distributed
41
6/11/15 11:34 AM
 XTP System Design Executive Briefing Center
An advanced technology company has identified the need for multiple AV presentation systems to support its new executive
briefing center. The center includes a lobby, two auditoriums, three meeting rooms, a dining area, and open spaces. The
company aims to use AV to deliver carefully orchestrated presentations with eye-catching imagery to reinforce its corporate
image to visitors, business clients, and investors.

General Meeting Room
General AV Requirements A small meeting room with a
single display
Individual AV system operation
for each of the rooms HDMI and VGA connectivity
at conference table
Flexibility to share resources to multiple locations
Resident PC
Support for connecting guest devices,
including laptops and iPads PTZ camera for videoconferencing
Lobby
Three large displays for digital
signage, including welcome
messages and daily events
AV content provided by
sources in the control room
Distributed audio
XTP R HDMI receivers

Videoconferencing and streaming media support XTP T HDMI and Touchpanel at reception desk
XTP T USW 103 transmitters
Large, bright LCD flat panels and projectors
XTP R HDMI receiver
High quality, high resolution display
of HD video and graphics Distributed and program audio

Distributed audio throughout, plus stereo Touchpanel on conference table

playback and surround sound in select locations
User-friendly touchpanel interfaces

Multipurpose Meeting Room

A configurable room for videoconferencing,
recording, training, or meetings
HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA
connectivity at conference table
Resident PC
Blu-ray Disc player
PTZ cameras for videoconferencing
and streaming
XTP T HDMI and XTP T USW 103
transmitters
Dining Area
Digital signage or local
XTP R HDMI receivers
broadcast content
Distributed and program audio
AV content provided by
Wall-mounted touchpanel
sources in the control room
XTP R HDMI receiver
Distributed audio

42 Feature Story AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

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 Executive Briefing Auditorium Lecture Auditorium
A large auditorium with multiple displays and a A classroom setting with two large displays and a
confidence monitor confidence monitor
HDMI and VGA connectivity at lectern HDMI and VGA connectivity at lectern
Resident PC Resident PC
PTZ cameras for videoconferencing and streaming Blu-ray Disc player
XTP T HDMI and XTP T USW 103 transmitters PTZ cameras for videoconferencing and streaming
XTP R HDMI and XTP SR HDMI receivers XTP T HDMI and XTP T USW 103 transmitters
Distributed and program audio XTP R HDMI and XTP SR HDMI receivers
Touchpanel at lectern Distributed and program audio
Touchpanel at lectern

Open Areas
Digital signage for daily events
AV content provided by
sources in the control room
XTP R HDMI receivers
Distributed audio

Executive Meeting Room

An elegant meeting room with three
displays, including two side-by-side
HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA
connectivity at conference table
Resident PC
Blu-ray Disc player

Control Room PTZ camera for videoconferencing

Presentation monitoring and control for the executive XTP T HDMI and
briefing auditorium. Centralized switching and XTP T USW 103 transmitters
distribution of AV source content for the entire facility. XTP R HDMI receivers
Resident PCs Distributed audio, program
Blu-ray Disc players audio, and surround sound

DirecTV HD receivers Touchpanel on conference table

HD videoconferencing codecs
XTP II CrossPoint 3200 matrix switcher
Streaming media encoder
Local displays for system monitoring
Control system for the entire facility

AVSD.com Feature Story 43

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 43 6/11/15 11:34 AM

 out to the dining area and other spaces as appropriate. Two LCD
displays in the control room, connected directly to the matrix
switcher outputs, will be used to monitor system operations.
Extron DSC 301 HD scalers will be used to optimize camera and
computer source signals for the videoconferencing codecs.
Transmission to and from endpoints. An Extron XTP R HDMI
receiver is to be mounted behind each LCD flat-panel display.
Throughout the facility, there will be LCD panels of various
sizes, but all will have 1080p native resolution to match the
1080p output of the sources. However, the projectors in the

AV Infrastructure for an 8K Future

AV system designers generally design AV switching and distribution systems

to provide at least five to seven years of service. A major challenge today is
ensuring that new systems wont be outdated in just a few years, given the rapid
technological evolutions in video resolutions and other capabilities. AV devices
and systems are already at their limits in handling the substantial bandwidth
requirements for 4K video, and forthcoming enhancements will push the envelope
even further.
Extron XTP II is an all-new switching and distribution platform, engineered with an unprecedented 50 Gbps digital switching
backplane. XTP II goes further than any other AV manufacturer in handling the maximum capabilities of 4K/60 video and todays
digital video standards, with ample headroom for future video resolutions, formats, and capabilities in the years to come.

Modular and Highly Flexible

XTP II CrossPoint matrix switchers are modular and can be configured with any combination of XTP I/O boards, including
the latest XTP II HDMI input and output boards and XTP 4K fiber optic I/O boards for long-haul signal extension to remote
endpoints. Theyre also fully compatible with all existing XTP Systems family products. The new HDMI and fiber boards are
just the beginning of a forthcoming series of XTP II input and output options. XTP II is an evergreen AV infrastructure platform
that will evolve along with industry standards, and as new video transport formats are introduced and accepted in the market,
Extron will introduce new switching boards to keep pace with the latest signal interface standards.

HDMI 2.0 Boards with HDCP 2.2

The XTP II HDMI input and output boards offer the highest level of HDMI 2.0 performance, with a full 18 Gbps throughput
at each port, and are also HDCP 2.2 compliant. No other competing HDMI 2.0 distribution solution offers this capability to
distribute uncompromised 4K/60 at 4:4:4 RGB color for computer graphics.

4K Switching and Transmission over Fiber

The XTP 4K fiber optic I/O boards, transmitters, and receivers are available in multimode and singlemode versions for signal
extension within facilities and over extreme distances. The fiber optic scaling receiver features Extron Vector 4K signal
processing technology, engineered in-house to deliver optimal 4K scaling quality.

Complete AV Distribution Platform with Powerful Engineering and Integration Features

XTP II CrossPoint serves as the heart of a fully integrated AV distribution system, designed for mission-critical performance
and reliability, as well as integrator-friendly configuration and operation.

For an in-depth look at the features and design of the XTP II CrossPoint, see the Whats Inside feature on page 52.

44 Feature Story AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

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 auditoriums are OFE owner-furnished equipment and have a resident PC, plus HDMI and VGA for new or legacy guest devices.
native resolution of 19201200. An Extron XTP SR HDMI scaling Another example is illustrated below for one of the meeting rooms,
receiver will be installed above these projectors for optimizing with an XTP T USW 103 mounted below the conference table and
incoming 1080p source signals to 19201200. The XTP R HDMI interfaced with an Extron TLP Pro 720C providing user access
and XTP SR HDMI receivers are UL 2043 plenum-rated, so they ports for HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA, and audio.
can be concealed above a suspended ceiling. EDID management. XTP Systems include Extron EDID Minder,
The XTP SR HDMI includes a particular feature, known as which provides direct EDID communication to sources at
Aspect Ratio Control that can be set to FOLLOW or FILL mode, every HDMI and analog VGA input within the system, whether
depending on whether the end user wants the image displayed at connected directly at the XTP CrossPoint matrix switcher or
its original aspect ratio, or to fill up the screen so no black bars an XTP transmitter. With EDID Minder, a source devices EDID
are visible. Once the mode has been set, Aspect Ratio Control negotiation with the XTP System remains constant and is never
works automatically. For additional flexibility, a control system can interrupted when signals are switched.
be configured so a presenter can engage FILL or FOLLOW modes To set up EDID Minder, you specify the EDID to be
from a touchpanel interface. communicated to a source. EDID Minder includes several
Local sources in the meeting rooms and auditoriums, including pre-stored EDID settings at various timings. You can also use
PCs and Blu-ray Disc players, are to be connected to Extron EDID Minder to capture and store the EDID right from a display,
XTP T HDMI and XTP T USW 103 transmitters. The XTP T HDMI and set that to the source. In an XTP System, EDID Minder
is a transmitter for an HDMI source, while the XTP T USW 103 automatically captures and stores EDID from any display newly
includes a three input switcher for two HDMI sources and an analog connected into the system, whether at the matrix switcher, or
VGA source. Depending on the room, these transmitters would be out at an XTP receiver.
situated in a lectern, under a conference table, or in a credenza. The The XTP System Configuration Software lets you set up
PTZ cameras will connect into XTP T HDMI units nearby, whether EDID Minder for an entire XTP System including the endpoints
on a shelf with the camera, or tucked behind a flat-panel display. within a single GUI. The GUI provides a view of all of the EDID
The XTP T USW 103 allows convenient local source switching captured from local or endpoint displays, available pre-stored
within a room, but also will be used to provide connections EDID selections, and a listing of all inputs to the matrix switcher
for guest laptops or tablets. In the auditoriums, for example, a and the XTP transmitters. To assign an EDID, all you need to do
lectern-mounted XTP T USW 103 will accept signals from a is click on the icon for your desired EDID, and drag it onto an

Laptop Laptop Laptop

HDMI VGA Audio DisplayPort

Extron
TLP Pro 720C
7" Cable Cubby
Extron

TouchLink Pro
Touchpanel
Aux

DVD
Volume
Laptop

PC
3
12
Tuner
Tuner Mute
Blu-ray Channel
Security channel Number
Pad
Camera
Presets Preview
Video
Display Audio
Control
On

Off Bravo System

Off
103
PM
T USW
Mute - 2:48 3
XTP
STATUS
2
2011
10, 1
May
SIGNAL
Screen
Extron
CHED

HDCP
Control Help
UNSWIT

Lighting
Control
2
CHEDMAX
5A

AUTO
100-240V/
UNSWIT

1
NORMAL
MAX
5A
100-240V/

MODE
AUTO
SWITCH CONFIG

VGA HDMI HDMI Audio Ethernet

POWER INPUTS SIG LINK XTP T USW 103

12V OVER XTP
--A MAX AUDIO RS-232 IR CONTACT RS-232
RESET

1 2 3 XTP OUT ACT LAN LINK Tx Rx Tx Rx 1 2 3 Tx Rx

Extron
XTP T USW 103 To XTP CrossPoint Switcher
XTP Transmitter

An Extron XTP T USW 103 three input transmitter installed below a conference table, with an Extron Cable Cubby provides user device connections for HDMI,
VGA with audio, and DisplayPort.

AVSD.com Feature Story 45

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 45 6/11/15 11:34 AM

 EDID management is intuitive and straightforward with the XTP System Configuration Software. Display-shaped
icons clearly identify EDID captured from the displays or available within the pre-stored library.
input see the software screen shot above. You can also easily
assign an EDID to multiple inputs, or all of them.
EDID management is intuitive and straightforward with
the XTP System Configuration Software. Display-shaped icons
clearly identify EDID selections captured from the displays
or within the pre-stored library. It should be noted that most
Extron AV products with EDID Minder, including XTP System
components, are shipped from the factory with a default
pre-stored EDID setting at 720p. This is intended to help ensure
the best compatibility with displays when they are connected to
the product out of the box. In most cases, some EDID Minder
configuration will be necessary to ensure optimal compatibility
with the sources.
Before using the software to set up EDID Minder, you should
have a strategy in mind for managing EDID in your system. In
this sample system design, all of the flat-panel displays have a
native resolution of 19201080, and there are 19201200 projectors
in the auditorium. All of the source devices are presenting content
at HDTV 1080p. Therefore, you could assign an EDID at 1080p to
all of the inputs. However, if the end user specifically wants the
output of the auditorium resident PC to match the projectors in
the same room, then you would modify your EDID strategy by
assigning a 19201200 EDID to the PC.
The EDID Minder GUI includes a useful feature when dealing
with a mix of displays in various native resolutions. You can select
the icons for their EDID as a group, and then a list appears with
compatible timings common between the displays. Clicking on
any of these timings highlights a matching icon in the pre-stored
EDID library, which you can then assign to any input.
HDCP management. XTP Systems provide HDCP key
management from the inputs to the outputs using Extron Key
46 Feature Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 46
Minder technology. Key Minder provides automatic, continuous
HDCP negotiation between all connected sources and displays.
No configuration is necessary at all with Key Minder. Within
the software GUI, you can quickly confirm real-time HDCP
authentication status.
Key Minder maintains constant HDCP key negotiation with all
sources, regardless of any signal switch in an XTP System. With
constant HDCP negotiation, together with Extron SpeedSwitch
technology, XTP Systems provide virtually instantaneous
switching speeds for digital video.
Selective HDCP authorization. For this system design, the end
user has noted that guests will frequently be using their iPads as
presentation sources. iPads and other iOS devices, as well as Mac
computers, will encrypt their digital video outputs if connected
to an HDCP-compliant device, regardless of whether or not the
content is protected. This presents compatibility problems if
the content needs to be sent to a videoconference codec or the
streaming media encoder, neither of which are HDCP-compliant.
XTP Systems include a feature known as HDCP Authorized,
which provides the ability to selectively disengage HDCP
authorization for any input. This will allow the source to output
unencrypted digital video into the system. It is important to
note that without HDCP authorization, protected content cannot
be displayed.
AUDIO
For this AV application example, several audio presentation
functions must be supported, including background music, voice
reinforcement, and multimedia such as TV broadcasts. The end
user also has requested 5.1 surround sound for the executive
meeting room.
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:34 AM
 Distributed audio is to be provided in all areas throughout the
facility, with a separate zone for each of the meeting rooms and
auditoriums to support a live presentation or videoconferencing
session in the room. These rooms will also need program audio
playback, which in some cases will be delivered via speakers
integrated into flat-panel displays. Audio routing flexibility is
necessary for providing overflow from the auditoriums during live
presentations, and for sharing videoconferencing, streaming, and
other resources between the rooms.
Audio signal management and routing. Most of the sources
in the system, including PCs, Blu-ray Disc players, and DirecTV
receivers deliver audio embedded within their HDMI outputs.
However, commercial audio devices usually do not accept digital
audio from HDMI sources. Additionally, the streaming media
encoder and videoconferencing codecs accept DVI but require a
separate analog stereo input.
An XTP System provides considerable flexibility for managing
HDMI embedded audio and analog audio at its inputs and
outputs. Many audio format conversion and routing capabilities
are available that allow an XTP System to be used for centralized
or supplemental audio signal distribution in complementing a
sound reinforcement system design.
HDMI audio can be de-embedded within an XTP System
The XTP II CrossPoint 3200 can de-embed HDMI audio to
provide analog two-channel audio output, while leaving the
original embedded audio intact. HDMI multi-channel audio
can be de-embedded and then downmixed to two channels.
De-embedded audio enables interfacing of HDMI sources
into the sound reinforcement system, as well as the codecs
and streaming encoder. At the endpoints, XTP receivers
also provide de-embedded HDMI audio. If part of the sound
reinforcement system design, this audio can be used to feed
local systems for the meeting rooms and auditoriums.
Analog stereo audio signals can be embedded onto
HDMI This allows for integration of analog audio sources
alongside HDMI, such as an iPod or MP3 player for
background music. These sources can be embedded onto
an HDMI output in place of the original audio, which can
be convenient when there are flat-panel displays serving
as audio destinations. XTP Systems can deliver audio-only
content to the displays by generating a black video screen
to allow HDMI audio embedding.
Gain controls for stereo analog inputs and outputs The
XTP System can serve as a preamplifier for the sound systems,
so that it can connect directly into amplifiers at a central
location or throughout the facility. Gain controls can be used
to normalize source signal levels and set volume levels for
speakers in various rooms or zones. However, in this type of
AVSD.com Feature Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 47
AV environment, a system designer is more likely to design
sound systems with digital signal processors to provide a
range of gain controls and audio optimization features.
Breakaway switching for routing audio independent of
the video This allows an integrator to define specific
audio routing paths for distribution to sound systems
as well as flat-panel displays with their speakers. Within
the XTP II CrossPoint 3200, distinct routing paths can be
created for HDMI embedded and separate stereo signals.
The sidebar on the next page provides more information about
the audio format interfacing and routing flexibility in XTP Systems.
Surround sound. The executive meeting room will include a
5.1 sound system with a surround sound processor. A Blu-ray Disc
player and a PC are available for playing movies, music, streaming
video, and other multimedia. In addition to these sources, the end
user wants the ability to watch TV broadcasts in the room and
XTP System Configuration Software
The XTP System Configuration Software provides an intuitive, user-
friendly graphical interface for configuring, operating, and monitoring
the entire XTP System, including the XTP II CrossPoint matrix switcher
and all of the XTP transmitters and receivers. A single window
provides a complete view of the system, allowing a user to quickly
obtain overall system status. The user can click on individual inputs,
outputs, and endpoints for further status details, or access controls
such as HDMI audio de-embedding, or input source switching at the
XTP transmitters. The software also makes it easy to assign remote
power to XTP endpoint devices, configure EDID management, create
I/O presets, back up or restore system settings, and much more.
For XTP Systems small and large, the application software makes
it easy and intuitive to set up the XTP II CrossPoint matrix switcher
and all of the XTP transmitters and receivers as if the system was
a single product. Even with full 3232 matrix switching, plus all of the
endpoints, system designers and AV technicians will always have the
same user-friendly graphical interface for configuring XTP Systems.
47
6/11/15 11:34 AM
 Audio Signal Management and Routing with XTP Systems

AV system designers frequently have to handle a mix of audio sources, some which output analog stereo, and others that
deliver stereo or multi-channel audio embedded within their HDMI outputs. These signals often need to be converted and
distributed to audio digital signal processors, amplifiers, surround sound systems, and wall-mounted displays for playback
through their internal speakers. XTP Systems feature powerful audio capabilities with the flexibility to convert between
audio formats, and independently route embedded and stereo audio to HDMI and analog audio outputs. Below are two
examples of audio signal management and routing for an XTP II CrossPoint matrix switcher.

XTP CP 4i DMA Board XTP Backplane XTP HDMI 4o Board

XTP HDMI HDMI HDMI Digital Audio HDMI HDMI HDMI

XTP Receiver HDMI Receiver Video Mux
Signal Signal Signal Signal Switch Signal Transmitter Signal

De-embedded
Audio

Re-embedded
DMA Audio

Digital to
Downmixed Digital Digital Audio Digital Digital Analog
Analog
Audio Audio Mux Audio Audio Audio
Converter

Remote XTP Inputs to Local HDMI and Analog Audio Outputs

In this example, multi-channel audio is embedded within an incoming signal from a remote XTP transmitter. This audio is extracted,
downmixed, and then made available to the breakaway audio switching plane. At the same time, the XTP input is passed to the video switching
plane with its embedded audio intact. This allows stereo audio distribution independent of the XTP input. The breakaway audio can be
routed to a local HDMI output and re-embedded in place of the original audio, or to any of the analog audio outputs available on the board, or
elsewhere in the system.

XTP HDMI 4i DMA Board XTP Backplane XTP CP 4o Board

HDMI HDMI HDMI Digital Audio HDMI HDMI HDMI XTP XTP
HDMI Receiver Video Mux
Signal Signal Signal Switch Signal Transmitter Signal Transmitter Signal

De-embedded
Audio

DMA
Re-embedded
Audio

Downmixed
Audio

Analog to
Analog Digital Digital Audio Digital Digital Audio Digital
Digital
Audio Audio Switch Audio Mux Audio
Converter

Local HDMI and Analog Audio Inputs to Remote XTP Outputs

Local HDMI input boards accept analog stereo audio input alongside HDMI and its embedded audio. After de-embedding, multi-channel
audio is downmixed to two channels, while the HDMI input is passed with its embedded audio intact. Either the analog input signal or
de-embedded stereo audio can then be routed independently of the HDMI input. The breakaway audio can be re-embedded onto any XTP
output in place of the original audio, and then transmitted to a remote XTP receiver.

48 Feature Story AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 48 6/11/15 11:34 AM

 elsewhere in the facility. DirecTV receivers in the control room
serve as the central sources for TV content.
Many TV broadcasts include Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, which is
ideal for the surround sound system. However, a problem arises
when simultaneously delivering this content to the executive
meeting room and other areas in the facility. Commercial sound
reinforcement systems and flat-panel displays typically are not
compatible with Dolby Digital 5.1.
XTP Systems can decode and downmix Dolby Digital 5.1
and other surround sound formats to two-channel audio. The
XTP II CrossPoint matrix switcher can then route the downmixed
audio to sound systems and flat-panel displays via analog audio
and HDMI, while sending the original HDMI source signal with
Dolby Digital 5.1 to the executive meeting room. Multi-channel
audio downmixing is available with select input boards for the
XTP II CrossPoint. In the executive meeting room, the XTP
receiver can de-embed the Dolby Digital bitstream audio and send
it out over S/PDIF to the surround sound processor.
Audio EDID management. For HDMI sources and destinations,
proper EDID communication can be just as important for audio as
for video. Displays and surround sound processors specify audio
formats in their EDID. Similar to video, the EDID is read by a
source which then outputs an audio format compatible with the
destination device. For example, a Blu-ray Disc player, connected
to a flat-panel display will send out two-channel PCM audio, since
that is the format listed in the displays EDID.
Some displays, including projectors and desktop monitors
do not have built-in speakers, and also do not include audio in
their EDID. A source connected to these displays usually will not
output audio over HDMI. This can be a problem when a source is
connected to one of these displays but audio output is still needed
for a sound system.
As an example, consider the AV setup in the auditoriums. The
projectors in these rooms do not include built-in speakers, so
their internal EDID does not specify audio. If this EDID was
communicated to a PC, then it is likely that it would not send
audio with its HDMI output. Therefore, no embedded audio would
be available for the XTP System to de-embed and feed the sound
system for the auditorium.
You can easily address or prevent these problems by setting up
EDID management with the XTP System Configuration Software.
Within the GUI for EDID Minder, you can select an icon for the
EDID at the resolution you need for the display, plus support for
two-channel PCM audio see the diagram above. Then its just a
matter of assigning this EDID to the input source.
The EDID Minder GUI can also be used to solve a potential
EDID-related issue in the executive meeting room. A DirecTV
receiver from the control room is feeding the flat-panel display via
the XTP receiver, which is also sending S/PDIF digital audio into
AVSD.com Feature Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 49
EDID icon selections in the XTP System Configuration Software clearly identify
audio format compatibility, including PCM two-channel and multi-channel audio.
the surround sound processor. The source should be delivering
Dolby Digital 5.1, but is only sending out two-channel PCM
because it is using the displays EDID which does not include this
format. This issue can be resolved by assigning an EDID to the
DirecTV receiver that matches the native resolution of the display,
and includes support for multi-channel audio.
CONTROL
Control signal infrastructure. Throughout this facility, the
displays, Blu-ray Disc players, PTZ cameras, and other devices
will be integrated into a control system. In addition, there will
be tabletop or wall-mounted touchpanels in each room, for
controlling the Blu-ray Disc player, displays, cameras, and audio
system volume, as well as videoconferencing functions and TV
channel selection. Satisfying these needs will require a means of
distributing RS-232 and IR control signals throughout the facility,
and providing access to a local area network.
For devices at the endpoints, the XTP System allows easy
integration and distribution of control signals by carrying them
over the same CATx cable used for audio and video. Bidirectional
RS-232 and IR control signals can be inserted from a control
processor into ports on the XTP input and output boards of the
XTP II CrossPoint matrix switcher, and extended out to the XTP
transmitters and receivers. The XTP endpoint devices would
then interface via IR with Blu-ray Disc players, RS-232 with
PTZ cameras, and either RS-232 or IR with the displays. XTP
receivers also include two relay ports which could be used in the
auditoriums to operate projector lifts, for example.
To further streamline control system design and installation,
the XTP II CrossPoint matrix switcher can receive RS-232 signals
from the control processor over a LAN. The matrix switcher then
distributes the RS-232 signals out to their designated XTP endpoints.
49
6/11/15 11:34 AM
 House Network Switch AV Control Network Switch

House Ethernet Ethernet AV

LAN Ethernet Ethernet LAN

Extron
XTP T UWP 202
XTP Transmitter

XTP CP 4o HDMI

XTP CP 4o HDMI
XTP CP 4o

XTP CP 4o

XTP CP 4o

XTP CP 4o

XTP CP 4o

XTP CP 4o
XTP CP 4i HDMI

XTP CP 4i HDMI

XTP CP 4i HDMI DMA

XTP CP 4i

XTP CP 4i

XTP CP 4i

XTP CP 4i
IN IN IN IN IN IN IN OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT Projector

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx
IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR
R

R
PWR HDCP HDMI PC

Ethernet

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232
Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx
L

L
AUDIO INPUT
HDMI INPUT

Laptop

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx
IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR
R

R
REMOTE

IR/RS-232 OVER XTP

IR/RS-232 OVER XTP

IR/RS-232 OVER XTP

IR/RS-232 OVER XTP

IR/RS-232 OVER XTP

IR/RS-232 OVER XTP

IR/RS-232 OVER XTP

IR/RS-232 OVER XTP

IR/RS-232 OVER XTP

IR/RS-232 OVER XTP

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232
RS 232/RS422

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx
COMPUTER IN

L
AUDIO

AUDIO

AUDIO

AUDIO

AUDIO
LAN

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx
IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR
R

R
RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232
Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx
L

L
ACT LINK

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx
IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR

IR
R

R
ACT

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232

RS-232
Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx

Tx Rx
LAN

L
LINK

Ethernet

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK
POWER
SIG LINK OUTPUTS XTP R HDMI
OVER XTP HDMI AUDIO AUDIO S/PDIF

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN
12V RELAYS
--A MAX RS-232 IR ON L R 1 2 RESET

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT
RESET

XTP

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK
LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK
OFF + - + -
I O XTP IN ACT
LAN
LINK Tx Rx Tx Rx HDMI

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP
N U
T

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG
Extron

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG
P
P

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR
Extron
U
T U
T

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK
S

XTP R HDMI
S

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN
XTP T HDMI XTP

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT
LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK
LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK
XTP Receiver for HDMI

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP
XTP Transmitter for HDMI

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG
SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG
PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR
LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK
POWER
INPUTS SIG LINK
HDMI AUDIO AUDIO OVER XTP

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN
12V
ON L R

XTP
--A MAX RS-232 IR RESET

XTP

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT
LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK
HDMI LOOP-THRU OFF + + XTP T HDMI Tx Rx Tx Rx XTP OUT ACT
LAN
LINK

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP
SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG
100-240V --A MAX

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR
LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK
Ethernet

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN

LAN
Blu-ray Player XTP
ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT

ACT
LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK

LINK
Projector
50-60Hz

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP

XTP
SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG

SIG
DISCONNECT POWER
PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR

PWR
CORD BEFORE
SERVICING

Ethernet

OUT

OUT

OUT

OUT

OUT

OUT

OUT

OUT
IN

IN

IN

IN

IN

IN

IN
STANDBY/ON
PQLS HDMI OPEN/CLOSE FL OFF

USB

Extron
XTP T USW 103
XTP Switcher OUTPUTS XTP SR HDMI
SIG LINK
POWER OVER XTP HDMI AUDIO S/PDIF
12V AUDIO RELAYS REMOTE
RS-232 IR ON 1 2 RS-232
--A MAX L R
RESET

with Integrated XTP IN ACT

LAN
LINK Tx Rx Tx Rx
OFF HDMI + + Tx Rx

XTP Transmitter
Extron Extron
XTP SR HDMI
INPUTS SIG LINK XTP T USW 103

XTP II CrossPoint 3200

POWER
12V OVER XTP
--A MAX AUDIO RS-232 IR CONTACT RS-232
RESET

1 2 3 LAN
XTP Scaling Receiver
Modular Digital Matrix Switcher
XTP OUT ACT LINK Tx Rx Tx Rx 1 2 3 Tx Rx

Ethernet
Extron
TLP Pro 720C Security
Camera

Display

On
Blu-ray Tuner

Presets
123 PC

Tuner

Channel
Laptop DVD Aux

Volume

7" Cable Cubby

channel
Off
Number
Mute Bravo Pad
Mute
Video Preview

Screen
Control

Lighting

TouchLink Pro
System
Audio
Control Help May 10, 2011 - 2:48 PM Control
Off

Extron

Touchpanel

Ethernet Extension allows 100 Mbps Ethernet to be extended from the XTP II CrossPoint to an XTP transmitter or receiver. House and AV networks can be
integrated in an XTP System while maintaining separation between them.

Touchpanels require connection to a LAN with the control When controlled through Ethernet, only a single IP address
processor. You may also want to control specific devices through is needed for the entire XTP System. However, an XTP System
their Ethernet ports, such as projectors. This may necessitate a does not need to be integrated onto a LAN for normal operation.
request for network drops and support services from IT, as well as The end user can operate the system via RS-232 serial control.
approval to put AV devices on their network. Firmware can be updated with an Internet connection, or by
With an XTP System, you can simplify or reduce the need for downloading to a PC first and then uploading to the XTP System.
IT services, even with larger system designs. Ethernet extension
ports on the XTP input and output boards can be connected to NETWORK
an Ethernet switch and the control processor. The XTP System IT departments typically plan for sufficient network drops
extends Ethernet from these ports out to the XTP transmitters throughout a facility for resident PCs and other devices it knows
and receivers. At the endpoints, Ethernet extension ports connect it will be supporting. This may include an Ethernet switch in the
right into the touchpanels. XTP Systems allow you to provide a control room for integrating AV devices and PCs onto the house
dedicated AV control network separate from the house LAN. In LAN. However, at the remote locations, there is the possibility that
doing so, you can specify the Ethernet switch of your choice house LAN access had not been initially planned for Blu-ray Disc
without having to arrange for one from IT. players, guest laptops, or projectors that may be receiving content
XTP System control. The XTP System itself is set up and over the network. Or, you may have decided that a device should
configured using the XTP System Configuration Software and be controlled via Ethernet rather than RS-232.
an Ethernet or USB connection to the XTP II CrossPoint matrix These scenarios can easily be addressed with an XTP System.
switcher. The entire XTP System is essentially operated as a Ethernet ports on the house AV LAN switch can be connected into
single unit, with automatic box-to-box communication between the XTP System infrastructure, and extended out to the endpoints
the XTP II CrossPoint and the transmitters and receivers. From a to provide network connections. This Ethernet extension feature
single GUI within the software, you can check signal status and makes it easier for AV designers and integrators when planning for
make configuration settings for all XTP devices. network requirements see the diagram above.

50 Feature Story AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 50 6/11/15 11:34 AM

 Ethernet extension also allows you to integrate AV and house
networks in accordance with IT policy. Each Ethernet extension
path, from the matrix switcher to an endpoint, is totally isolated
from the others. This allows you to maintain separation in
extending Ethernet to touchpanels on one network, and providing
server access to PCs on the house LAN. You could also tie in a
network switch configured with VLANs for segregating streaming
media, AV control, and general network traffic.
POWER
The XTP transmitters and receivers can be powered by DC power
adapters plugged into AC outlets nearby. However, there are
several locations in this facility where outlets have already been
allotted to resident PCs, guest laptops, displays, cameras, and
other devices. The XTP II CrossPoint 3200 in the control room
powers the XTP transmitters and receivers over the CATx cabling.
This can minimize the need to request additional AC outlets or
circuit extensions, whether during the system design stage or after
installation has been completed. Remote powering can be especially
beneficial for the Extron XTP T UWP 202 wallplate transmitter,
since it avoids the need to bring a power line or outlet to the unit.
The XTP II CrossPoint 3200 can power up to 24 XTP endpoint
devices, which in some system designs can be enough to power the
entire XTP System. If you need to remotely power additional devices,
you can add Extron XTP power injectors to the rack, which can
be inserted into the XTP inputs or outputs of the matrix switcher.
They insert power into the CATx cables to the transmitters and
receivers, while passing signals to or from them without impacting
transmission performance. XTP power injectors are available in two
models, a single-port Extron XTP PI 100 and a four-port XTP PI 400.
In many system designs, you may find yourself just a few ports
short of powering the XTP System from a single location. This
large system design calls for a total of 28 XTP transmitters and
receivers. Since the XTP II CrossPoint 3200 is able to power all but
four of them, simply adding one XTP PI 400 power inserter will
complete all of the XTP System powering needs.
Summary
Successful system designs always require careful consideration
and advance planning to ensure that video, audio, and control
signals can be managed and distributed for consistent, reliable
system operation. An optimal AV system architecture also needs
to fully account for power requirements at all device locations,
and successfully provision network integration for control, Internet,
streaming media, server access, and other data applications that
may be integral to an AV systems functions.
All these needs can present challenges for integrators and
system designers creating AV solutions for large environments
or complex applications. XTP Systems have been designed to
AVSD.com Feature Story
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 51
allow for a completely integrated AV system design for video,
audio, RS-232 and IR control, Ethernet, and power on a single
platform and cable infrastructure. Whether youre designing for a
single-room environment, or a larger setting such as the executive
briefing center example presented here, XTP Systems are equally
applicable. They simplify system design and implementation with
a user friendly configuration software GUI, flexible features and
capabilities, and integrated management of all essential signals in
an AV environment.
Keith Scheffler is Systems Design Engineering Manager at Extron Electronics. He leads
a team of System Design Engineers who provide system design support and technical
troubleshooting services to system integrators before and after the sale. Keith has over
20 years of experience, including senior level engineering positions with several major AV
integration firms.
XTP Systems Design Engineer
Certification Program
The XTP Systems Design Engineer
Certification Program provides
instruction and training on creating
successful digital AV system designs,
based on specific design strategies
engaging key features and capabilities of XTP Systems. In this
program, youll acquire the knowledge and insight for designing and
implementing digital AV systems, in environments from individual
rooms to enterprises. The program includes an online course, plus
two days of instructor-led training on digital video principles, Extron
digital video technologies, and XTP Systems.
A major portion of the XTP Systems Design Engineer Certification
Program is devoted to the practical aspects of digital AV system
design, in which you will devise effective approaches to addressing
AV, control, network, and device power requirements. You will
design systems in the context of several real-world examples, similar
to the executive briefing center in this article.
Upon successful completion of this certification program, youll
become an official Extron Certified XTP Systems Engineer - XTP-E,
validating your expertise in designing for digital AV applications with
XTP Systems. For more information about the program, contact your
Extron Support Representative or visit www.extron.com/xtpcert.
51
6/11/15 11:34 AM
 WHATS INSIDE
Take a peek under the hood to see what makes the XTP II CrossPoint unique.

Extron has an extensive history of developing product solutions and technologies that are tailored
to meet the diverse needs of the AV industry. At the core of our design philosophy is an ongoing
commitment to deliver products that meet the highest standards of performance and reliability.

We proudly present the XTP II CrossPoint Series as
the culmination of many years of engineering R&D
efforts. The attention to detail begins with advanced
design, but extends to manufacturing processes, along
with the selection of the highest grade materials and
components available to ensure continued operation
with maximum efficiency and longevity. XTP II is a
future-ready technology platform that provides a
robust, high performance, adaptable AV infrastructure
designed to remain in place within a system for many
years. The 50 Gbps digital video backplane at the core
of each XTP II modular matrix switcher delivers the
absolute highest level of performance available in the
AV industry. This backplane provides more than enough
bandwidth to handle the highest data rates of todays
most demanding signal formats and resolutions, while
providing ample headroom to accommodate anticipated
future rates and resolutions.

50 Gbps 4 K 64 I/Os 4 Power Supplies 100,000 Hour

MTBF
Digital switching Fiber optic and HDMI Modular, hot-swappable Robust, hot-swappable, Highest quality metal fans
backplane performance boards provide 4K design supports I/O state-of-the-art power are individually monitored
exceeds the data rate video switching and sizes up to 6464 and supplies are engineered to ensure optimal cooling
requirements of todays transmission upgrades to next- to last
most demanding signals generation video cards

XTP II CrossPoint road-map to performance, efficiency, and longevity

52 WHATS INSIDE AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 52 6/11/15 11:35 AM

 WHATS INSIDE

Reliability and Performance by Design

Engineered with the highest quality materials and manufactured to the
most exacting standards, XTP Systems are designed to deliver the
best switching performance available in the industry combined with Warm air Warm air
exceptional dependability to support mission critical applications.

Unmatched Performance
High-speed switching ICs and a high density,
multilayer PCB deliver 50 Gbps backplane
performance with bandwidth capability
that exceeds HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 100,000 hour
signal requirements for all 4K/60 rates, MTBF cooling fans
plus support for emerging formats and
resolutions, such as 8K.

Channeled air
flow through
I/O chamber

Thermal Management
Dual, monitored fan banks with top and
bottom chassis ventilation deliver optimal
Four, hot-swappable,
thermal management by drawing cool
Extron-designed power
air from the bottom, pushing forced air
supplies: 2 primary
through the I/O board chamber, and
expelling of warm air out the top of 100,000 hour
and 2 redundant
the enclosure. MTBF cooling fans

Engineered to last: Cool air Cool air

components arranged
High temperature for maximum efficiency,
Precision-wound,
rated, electrolytic airflow and cooling
resin-encapsulated
capacitors
transformers

Audio Signal Routing and Management

XTP Systems provide easy integration of analog audio alongside digital embedded signals and offers extensive signal routing
and management options. Two separate audio switching planes gives increased flexibility to deliver audio breakaway, digital
audio de-embedding, and analog stereo audio embedding without requiring additional components.

XTP Chassis
XTP II CP 4i HD 4K PLUS XTP Audio I/O XTP II CP 4o HD 4K PLUS

HDMI HDMI Video HDMI Digital Audio HDMI HDMI HDMI

HDMI or DVI Signal
Power Supply Design Receiver Signal Mux Signal Switch Signal Transmitter Signal

These Extron power supplies incorporate a state-of-the-art

design that utilizes the highest quality and performance-rated De-embeddedAudio Re-embedded Audio
components available to deliver maximum efficiency and Metal fan assembly
sustained operation in the most demanding environments. with high quality
Analog to Digital to
bearings and longest Analog Digital Digital Audio Digital Digital Audio Digital Analog
Digital Digital Audio Analog
Audio Audio Switch Audio Mux Audio Audio
available lifetime rating Converter Converter

AVSD.com WHATS INSIDE 53 54

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 53-54 6/11/15 11:44 AM

 WHATS INSIDE

EXTRON
NEW PRODUCTS
Modular and Upgradable
The modular, hot-swappable frame design delivers substantial
flexibility by allowing onsite field service, upgrades, and expansion
without affecting system operation. System performance can be
enhanced to support future video standards and resolutions by
installing new switching cards.

4K Switching and
Transmission over Fiber
New fiber optic I/O boards, transmitters and receivers expand XTP
System capabilities. XTP fiber products can send video, audio,
control, and Ethernet over a single fiber and support 4K/30 video
signals with 4:4:4 chroma sampling at 8 bits per color. Extron
exclusive, custom designed optical modules offer increased distance
performance over standard OM4 fiber.

XTP 4K Fiber I/O boards

XTP 4K Fiber transmitter and receivers

XTP II CrossPoint Series

HDMI 2.0 Boards with HDCP 2.2 AV Infrastructure for 4K and Beyond
The new HDMI 2.0 input boards and output boards offer the full
18 Gbps data rate, and support 4K/60 video with 4:4:4 chroma
sampling at 8 bits per color. Our new HDMI boards offer a big step The Extron XTP II CrossPoint modular matrix switchers are the first in the Pro AV industry to offer a 50 Gbps digital
up in performance compared to virtually all competing HDMI 2.0
switching backplane. Representing a monumental leap forward in engineering and product design, XTP II lets you design
distribution products, which only support the lower 10.2 Gbps data
rate and are therefore forced to use 4:2:0 chroma sub-sampling a future-ready AV system infrastructure with switching bandwidth that exceeds the data rate required to distribute 4K/60
compression to transmit 4K/60 video signals. video with 4:4:4 chroma sampling at 16 bits per color. The XTP II CrossPoint offers more bandwidth than is required for
HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.3 signals, and is the only AV technology platform that supports uncompromised 4K video
while providing additional capability to accommodate anticipated future video resolutions and formats, such as 8K. These
matrix switchers can be configured with a variety of boards including the new XTP II HDMI input and output boards
that support HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2, a new family of XTP 4K fiber optic boards and endpoints, or any of the existing
XTP II CrossPoint 6400
XTP II HDMI PLUS I/O boards XTP Systems family products. XTP II CrossPoint is the definitive AV industry standard you can depend on now and in
the future to meet the challenges of 4K and beyond. Three modular frames are available for 1616, 3232, and 6464
I/O configurations.

LIFT PAGE
55 to see more features 56 Extron New Products AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

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 EXTRON NEW PRODUCTS

XTP II CP 4i HD 4K PLUS

XTP II CP 4o HD 4K PLUS

XTP II CP HD 4K PLUS I/O Boards

HDMI 4K/60 Input and Output Boards with Analog Stereo Audio

The new XTP II HDMI input and output boards offer the highest level of HDMI 2.0 performance, supporting data rates up
to 18 Gbps. They are HDCP 2.2 compliant, and support computer and video resolutions up to 4K/60 with 4:4:4 chroma
sampling at 8 bits per color. Capabilities include 12 bit Deep Color, 3D, and HD lossless audio formats as well as separate
analog stereo audio signals for local connectivity. Available in four-input and four-output models that are compatible
with XTP II CrossPoint matrix switchers as well as the XTP CrossPoint models, the XTP II CP HD 4K PLUS I/O matrix
boards are ideal for XTP Systems that require flexible local routing of HDMI and analog audio signals.

XTP CP 4i Fiber 4K SM

XTP CP 4o Fiber 4K SM

XTP CP Fiber 4K I/O Boards

Fiber Optic Input and Output Boards with RS-232 and IR Insertion

We are pleased to introduce the XTP 4K Fiber input and output matrix boards that enable long haul extension of 4K video,
audio, bidirectional control, and Ethernet over one fiber optic cable. They support resolutions up to 4K/30 with 4:4:4 chroma
sampling at 8 bits per color. Capabilities include data rate support up to 10.2 Gbps, 12 bit Deep Color, 3D, and HD lossless
audio formats. Extron technologies ensure quick switching and reliable signal extension. These I/O boards are compatible
with the new XTP II CrossPoint Series as well as XTP CrossPoint matrix switchers. Available in multimode and singlemode
models, the XTP CP Fiber 4K I/O boards are ideal for XTP Systems that require signal extension over very long distances.

AVSD.com Extron New Products 57

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 EXTRON NEW PRODUCTS

XTP FT HD 4K

XTP FT HD 4K
XTP Fiber Optic Transmitter for HDMI

The new XTP FT HD 4K transmitter enables long haul extension of 4K video, audio, bidirectional control, and Ethernet over
one fiber optic cable. It supports resolutions up to 4K/30 with 4:4:4 chroma sampling at 8 bits per color. Capabilities include
support of data rates up to 10.2 Gbps, 12 bit Deep Color, 3D, and HD lossless audio formats. Extron technologies provide
automatic management of EDID communication between endpoints to ensure reliable signal extension. For streamlined
integration, this XTP transmitter includes an HDMI loop through with selectable audio control and enables embedding of
analog stereo audio. Available in multimode and singlemode models, the XTP FT HD 4K transmitter is ideal for XTP Systems
that require signal extension over very long distances.

XTP FR HD 4K XTP SFR HD 4K

XTP FR HD 4K and XTP SFR HD 4K

XTP Fiber Optic Receivers for HDMI

The new XTP 4K Fiber receivers enable long haul extension of 4K video, audio, bidirectional control, and Ethernet over one
fiber optic cable. They support resolutions up to 4K/30 with 4:4:4 chroma sampling at 8 bits per color. Capabilities include
data rate support up to 10.2 Gbps, 12 bit Deep Color, 3D, and HD lossless audio formats. For streamlined integration, the
XTP FR HD 4K provides selectable HDMI audio pass through, audio de embedding, and relays for device control. The
XTP SFR HD 4K scaling receiver features Extron Vector 4K, an exceptional video signal processing technology that scales all
incoming signals to a common rate to match the optimal signal parameters for each display device. Available in multimode and
singlemode models, these receivers are ideal for XTP Systems that require signal extension over long distances.

58 Extron New Products AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

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 EXTRON NEW PRODUCTS

DTP T 3G-SDI 330 D

DTP T 3G-SDI D Series

DTP Wallplate Transmitters for 3G-SDI

The Extron DTP T 3G-SDI 230 D and DTP T 3G-SDI 330 D are single-gang, Decora-style transmitters for sending 3G-SDI,
audio, and bidirectional RS-232 and IR signals up to 230 feet (70 meters) or 330 feet (100 meters) over a shielded CATx cable
to Extron DTP-enabled products. Both DTP T 3G-SDI D models feature built-in signal conversion for full compatibility with all
DTP 230 and DTP 330 Series receivers, and DTP-enabled products. They provide seamless integration of broadcast-type
video signals into DTP Systems, supporting video rates up to 2.97 Gbps. The transmitters accept analog stereo audio signals
for simultaneous transmission over the same shielded twisted pair cable. They feature input loop-through, remote power
capability, and bidirectional RS-232 and IR pass-through for remote AV device control.

DTP T HD2 4K 330

DTP T HD2 4K Series

DTP Transmitters for HDMI with Input Loop-Through

The Extron DTP T HD2 4K 230 and DTP T HD2 4K 330 are transmitters for sending HDMI with embedded audio, and
bidirectional RS-232 and IR signals up to 230 feet (70 meters) or 330 feet (100 meters) over a shielded CATx cable to Extron
DTP-enabled products. Both DTP T HD2 4K models provide one HDMI input with loop-through to support local monitoring of
digital video, and one DTP output. They support video signals at resolutions up to 4K, including 1080p/60 Deep Color. The
transmitters offer many integrator-friendly features such as EDID Minder, Key Minder, bidirectional RS-232 and IR pass-through
for remote AV device control, remote power capability, and compatibility with HDBaseT-enabled devices.

AVSD.com Extron New Products 59

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 EXTRON NEW PRODUCTS

DTP T DWP 4K 332 D

DTP T DWP 4K D Series

Two Input DTP Wallplates for DisplayPort and HDMI with Audio Embedding

The Extron DTP T DWP 4K 230 D and DTP T DWP 4K 330 D are two input Decora-style transmitters for sending DisplayPort
or HDMI, audio, and control up to 230 feet (70 meters) or 330 feet (100 meters) over a shielded CATx cable to Extron
DTP-enabled products. Both DTP T DWP 4K D models provide one HDMI input and one DisplayPort input, with independent
analog stereo audio connections. They support video signals at resolutions up to 4K, including 25601600 and 1080p/60
Deep Color. Analog stereo audio embedding and RS-232 remote control facilitate integration in demanding professional
environments. Integrator-friendly features include EDID Minder, auto-switching between inputs, remote power capability, and
bidirectional RS-232 and IR pass-through for remote AV device control.

SMD 202

SMD 202
H.264 Streaming Media Player and Decoder

The SMD 202 is a compact, high performance H.264 decoder and media player used in end-to-end streaming applications
with Extron H.264 streaming media processors and encoders. It provides the flexibility to present content from a connected AV
source, decode a live streaming source, or play back media files from internal memory, a local USB device, or network storage.
The SMD 202 supports a wide range of media file container formats and streaming protocols, making it adaptable for use with
a variety of encoded media. Advanced signal processing, scaling, and aspect ratio management supply high quality signals to
AV displays. Designed for pro AV applications, the SMD 202 can be controlled using Ethernet, RS232, IR, or wired IR.

60 Extron New Products AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

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 EXTRON NEW PRODUCTS

Room Scheduling System

Transform TouchLink Pro Touchpanels into Full-Featured Room Booking Appliances

In todays business environments, meeting rooms are in high demand;

and finding an available room can be a time-consuming experience.
Extron has simplified the room booking experience with Room Agent
software, which works in concert with 5" and 7" TouchLink Pro
touchpanels to create a complete room booking system. The Extron
Room Scheduling System conveniently displays a rooms meeting
information and occupancy status on the touchpanel.
While competitive devices rely on additional scheduling software or
external processors, Room Scheduling touchpanels connect directly to
Microsoft Exchange, delivering a convenient stand-alone room booking
solution for any size facility. Users can reserve rooms from any
Exchange-connected device, including their mobile devices, or from
Extron Room Scheduling uses standard
the touchpanel, itself. Multiple mounting options are available, including 5" and 7" TouchLink Pro touchpanels
on-wall, in-wall, as well as secure mounting to almost any flat surface,
including glass or granite.
Depending how they are set up, Extron TLP Pro 520M, TLP Pro 720M, and TLP Pro 720T TouchLink Pro Touchpanels
can be configured and used as either traditional touchscreen interfaces or as room scheduling appliances. Free Room Agent
software makes setting up TouchLink Pro touchpanels a snap. Simply connect the touchpanel to your computer, open the
software, fill in the required fields that compose the user interface, and youre done. Customization options allow fields to be
shown or hidden, depending on user preference.

AVSD.com Extron New Products 61

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 TECHNICALLY
SPEAKING
Audio System Gain Structure
Properly setting gain levels is essential to delivering
optimal audio system performance.
By John Fish, Consultant Applications Engineer
Who Should Read This?
In short, you should. AV technicians need
to know gain structure so that they can
set up systems in a better, faster, and
more efficient manner. AV engineers
need to know gain structure so that
they can design systems with proper
interfacing components, allowing the
system to perform at its best. Senior AV
engineers should read this as a potential
resource to educate their technical staff.
Salespeople should read this to obtain a
cursory understanding of gain structure,
and how it affects the bill of materials.
What is Gain Structure?
Gain structure can be thought of as
the sequence of level settings applied
to audio signals as they pass through
various devices in an audio or AV system.
When proper gain structure is applied,
Gain Structure and
Acoustic Echo Cancellation
Proper audio system gain structure
ensures optimal signal-to-noise ratio
performance and protection against
clipping. Good gain structure is
also very important for optimizing
acoustic echo cancellation - AEC in
conferencing systems. The levels of the
incoming far end audio and the near
end microphones need to be properly
set at nominal in the DSP to ensure
the best possible echo cancelling.
Optimizing AEC in conferencing audio
systems will be a feature in the next
issue of AVSD.
62 Technically Speaking
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 62
the system as a whole performs its
best, with speech, music, and other
content sounding clear, dynamic, and
free of distortion. Many audio devices,
such as audio digital signal processors,
preamplifiers, mixers, AV switchers,
amplifiers, and some source devices
include one or more user-accessible
gain controls. Proper audio system gain
structure is the result of careful selection
of equipment and properly setting
audio levels through each gain control
within each device, allowing for optimal
signal-to-noise ratio and headroom.
Understanding Gain Structure
To help get a better sense of gain
structure in an audio system, lets use
plumbing as an analogy. The water that
we drink originates from a water tower
or reservoir, and then travels through a
Figure 1
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
A sequence of valves in a plumbing system is an effective analogy for visualizing audio gain structure.
maze of pipes and valves before it comes
flowing out of our faucets. If some or
all of the valves along the way are not
opened enough, we get a dribble of water
from our faucet, as illustrated in Figure 1a.
We are not getting enough water and
the pressure is so low that the water is
picking up impurities from the pipes.
If all of the valves along the way are
opened too much, we get plenty of water
pressure, but we run the risk of bursting
any of the pipes along the way. See Figure
1b. In this case, we are getting too much.
With a mixture of valves opened too
much and valves opened not enough,
it is possible to get sufficient water
pressure at the faucet, but the water will
have impurities and we run the risk of
bursting a pipe. See Figure 1c. By setting
all valves to the proper pressure, we get
sufficient water pressure at the faucet,
and enough pressure in the pipes to
ensure no impurities and the pipes wont
burst, as shown in Figure 1d. This is the
ideal scenario for this plumbing system.
How Does Plumbing Relate to Audio
Gain Structure?
Consider the water impurities as an
equivalent to circuit noise or in an
audio system, the noise floor, which
can be heard as hiss. Sufficient water
pressure ensures that the quantity of
Figure 1c
Figure 1d
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:36 AM

impurities at our faucet is inconsequential.
Similarly, having sufficient audio levels
through each AV device ensures that
the noise floor will not be noticeable
at the loudspeakers. Consider the
bursting pipes as equivalent to clipping
or distortion. Too much water pressure,
even in only one pipe, can put the entire
plumbing system at risk of a burst pipe.
With audio, signal clipping or distortion
in one component will affect the entire
signal path. For example, if there is
clipping at a microphone input, the rest
of the system will pass that distortion
through with great clarity and accuracy.
What you hear will be objectionable, and
your customers wont be pleased.
Why is Proper Gain
Structure Needed?
Proper gain structure makes the
difference between good and bad
sound. Maintaining a low noise floor and
preventing clipping distortion are the two
most notable reasons for proper gain
structure. See Figure 2.
What Can Be Expected With Proper
Gain Structure?
More benefits than one would expect.
There is actually a return on investment
when audio systems are set up properly:
Clear, undistorted audio Getting
the best possible sound reproduction
from the system. Voices are intelligible
and the music sounds good.
No hiss How many times have you
stood near a loudspeaker and heard
a hiss? This is a good indication of an
improperly set up gain structure.
A consistent mix Everyone will
be heard equally in a conferencing
application, with the far end hearing
the same thing as the near end,
and the recording being a good
representation of both. In following
proper gain structure, a well-balanced
mix becomes inherent to the system.
AVSD.com Technically Speaking
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 63
Optimum acoustic echo cancellation
Echo cancellation has come a long
way in the past 10 years, but it is not
foolproof. By providing an adequate
signal and mix to the echo cancellation
algorithm, it is better able to do its job.
Commissioning time is reduced
Following a systematic procedure
for gain structure minimizes
troubleshooting efforts, saving money
for your customer.
Service calls are expedited When
an organization employs a logical and
consistent approach to gain structure,
they establish a common baseline for
all technicians to follow. This unified
approach aids the service technicians
in resolving an issue in a quick and
efficient manner.
What Can Happen With Improper
Gain Structure?
Many more problems than one would
expect. Unfortunately, audio systems
are frequently performing below their
potential because of improper or
arbitrary gain settings:
Clipping Apart from the intended
effects of turning up guitar amps to
eleven, distortion is not pleasing to the
ear. Slight distortion can be perceived
as a tonal quality issue. Many have
tried to equalize it out, not realizing that
it is distortion. Speech intelligibility can
also be affected by distortion.
Excessive noise As discussed
above, poor gain structure can
increase the noise in a system to an
audible degree.
Bad mix Errors in gain structure at
the inputs to a DSP can make mixing
and routing to various destinations
much more difficult. While they can
be fixed in the mix, technicians may
find setup and programming to be
more complex. A technician may be
able to keep track of any deficiencies
and work around them. But passing
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
important system details onto others,
or remembering them three months
later can be rather difficult.
Improper automixer operation
An automixer manages multiple
microphone signals to ensure low
background noise, clear and intelligible
speech, and maximum system gain
before feedback. However, if the
microphone signal level coming into
an automixer is too low, the gate
may cut off soft voices intermittently,
making them sound chopped. If
the microphone level coming into the
automixer is too high, the gate may
not attenuate background noises
such as participants shuffling their
papers. Also, the automixer may be
less effective in managing microphone
signals when participants are
conversing back and forth.
Difficult troubleshooting When
service technicians are called to site,
Figure 2
Maximum or Clipping (+21 dBu)
0 dBFS
Headroom Nominal
17 dB (+4 dBu
Reference)
-17 dBFS
S/N Dynamic Range
-60 dBFS
88 dB 105 dB
Outside
of Meter
Range
Noise Floor
-105 dBFS
Audio signal levels should be sufficiently high
to ensure a very low noise floor, but also allow
for ample headroom to avoid signal peaks
from being clipped. Specifications and meter
range are shown for an Extron DMP 128 audio
DSP. Targeting a nominal or average signal
level of around +4 dBu, which correlates with
-17 dBFS in the DMP 128, allows for about
17 dB of headroom more than sufficient for
pro AV applications.
63
6/11/15 11:36 AM
 TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
they are often given the unenviable
task of finding an issue in a system
they are unfamiliar with. When an AV
company uses a consistent approach
to audio gain structure, the service
technician needs less time to become
familiar with the system and can jump
right to finding the issue at hand.
Unhappy customers Inconsistent
audio within and between systems
can quickly turn a satisfied customer
into an unhappy customer.
What Can Cause Bad
Gain Structure?
There are many reasons why AV systems
end up improperly calibrated for audio
system gain. Audio system setup and
optimization, which includes gain structure,
equalization, and other procedures,
requires adequate time and resources
for signal measurements, system
programming, and evaluation of audio
performance. Ideally, this would occur
after all AV equipment has been installed
and connected, acoustic treatments hung
on the walls, and all furniture in place.
Given all the usual procedures, tasks,
and training necessary to complete the
AV project on schedule, there is often very
limited time available for audio system
setup. This can be complicated further
by construction delays pushing into fixed,
immovable completion dates. AV can
often be the victim of the big squeeze at
the end of new construction projects.
With the commoditization of small
and medium AV systems, aggressive AV
integration budgets sometimes do not
provide for adequate audio setup and
optimization. This is an unfortunate but
very real problem in the AV industry. It
is often the case that insufficient hours
devoted to proper audio setup during
installation later cut into the service budget.
Common practices that lead to improper
gain structure include the following:
1
Unity gain refers to a device or system passing a signal through with no amplification or attenuation.
64 Technically Speaking
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 64
Sound Pressure Level Meter
Test Signal Source
Proper audio gain structure requires some essential tools for making sound measurements and
generating audio reference signals.
Improper input gain. This is probably
the most prevalent error. Once an input
gain has been set incorrectly, it usually
forces more errors all the way through
the system to try to compensate.
Amplifier input gains set wide open
with DSP output gains at less
than 30%.
Combining consumer gear with
professional gear in the same
system. Consumer gear, with a line
level of -10 dBV, is approximately
12 dB lower in reference level than
professional gear, with a line level
of +4 dBu. Proper gain levels are
essential in mixed consumer /
professional systems.
Not adhering to unity gain 1
throughout the system.
Setting gains to counteract wiring
errors, rather than checking for and
fixing them first. For a balanced audio
cable, if the + or - wire is not connected,
the circuit will pass audio but with a
6 dB loss. Increasing the gain of that
circuit fixes the immediate problem,
but what happens when the wiring
connection is fixed later? The audio
signal is now 6 dB too high, which could
be enough to cause clipping distortion.
Multimeter Acoustical Sound Source
Even with sufficient time and budget
available, an additional challenge remains
the need to ensure all technical staff
is sufficiently trained and up to date.
Professional AV firms must not only
embrace audio theory, but video, control,
and networking as well. Adequately training
and educating technical staff requires
considerable time and resources.
Many excellent resources are
available that detail the theory and
concepts in setting up audio systems.
It is from this body of knowledge
that we have assembled a subset of
practical procedures that technicians
can use without prerequisite training,
and apply them to commercial and pro
AV applications.
How Do I Get Proper
Gain Structure?
In a word, discipline. There certainly is
much more to it, but discipline is priority
number one. There is always pressure to
get the systems running and playing music
as soon as possible. This pressure comes
from fellow technicians, other trades,
anxious customers, and from within
ourselves. Succumbing to this temptation
can lead to a disappointing first impression.
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:36 AM

Discipline means being able to insist
to everyone that you need to complete
your setup, because the system isnt ready
yet. It also means that the first things they
are going to hear are test tones and pink
noise, not the customers favorite music
selections or an awesome movie sound
clip. This actually works in your favor, since
there is no better way to clear a room than
to play pink noise for 45 minutes straight.
Priority number two is creativity. Site
conditions and project schedules may
limit how much you can get done at any
given point in time. Sometimes you need
to be creative to get results, given the
practical limitations.
What Tools Are Needed for
Setting Up Gain Structure?
Equipment for testing, measuring, and
evaluating audio systems can include
many types of audio devices, but here we
will only list what is necessary for setting
up audio system gain structure. For that,
an AV technician should have the following:
Digital voltmeter or multimeter
A device that measures rms voltage.
Ideally, it would be rated for a 20 Hz to
20 kHz frequency response.
Sound pressure level meter
A device that measures the level of
sound in a given location.
Signal generator A device that
generates audio reference signals,
such as an Extron VTG 400 Series
test generator.
Acoustical sound source, such
as a portable loudspeaker Used
to approximate the human voice for
configuring microphones.
It should be noted that smartphones,
tablets, and laptops can be used with
specific apps to generate test signals,
measure sound pressure levels, and
function as a loudspeaker. The use of these
devices should be considered when in a
situation without proper test gear. However,
AVSD.com Technically Speaking
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 65
while such devices are handy, they are
not a true substitution for purpose-made,
properly calibrated audio test equipment.
Setting Gain Structure
for Pro AV Systems
It may seem complex and overly time-
consuming to properly set up an audio
system. However, it really takes just
four essential steps to successfully set
up gain structure. Weve developed a
straightforward, step-by-step procedure
that encompasses them and can be applied
to any sound system installation in the field.
For brevity, well provide here an overview
of the four essential steps; full details of the
procedure are available at AVSD.com, or
by downloading the Extron Audio Gain
Structure for Pro AV Systems guide.
Before we proceed, lets take a moment
to clarify a typical sound system in a pro AV
application. Todays systems are typically
based on an audio digital signal processor
(DSP) that functions as the central audio
device for signal routing and processing.
See Figure 3. The system includes source
devices such as microphones, media
Figure 3
Front End
Sources
Mics
DSP
Blu-ray Player
Laptop
Codec
Input ADCs
Recorder
A typical sound system in a pro AV application, including the front end or sources, a DSP as the
central audio device for signal routing and processing, and the back end or destinations.
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
players, and laptop or desktop PCs, which
are collectively referred to as the front end
of the system. There are also destination
devices such as amplifiers, ceiling
speakers, program speakers, and assistive
listening devices (ALS), which together are
known as the back end of the system.
Other devices, including videoconferencing
codecs and recorders, can exist as both
source and destination. Similar principles
can be applied to systems with both analog
and digital-based audio signal processing
and distribution.
The Four Essential Steps
In working with pro AV and pro audio
systems, usually it is best to envision
the audio path from start to finish, or
to begin with the sources, then the
DSP, and finally the amplifiers and
loudspeakers. While this sequence
provides a logical signal flow, in reality
it is often not practical to perform gain
structure adjustments. Conflicts on the
job site can delay installation of furniture,
onto which microphones may be
mounted and in which program sources
Back End
Destinations
Amplifier Ceiling Speakers
Amplifier
Program Speakers
Codec Recorder ALS
Processing Mixing & Routing Processing Output DACs
65
6/11/15 11:36 AM
 TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

Figure 4
processing may shift signal levels, so it
is important to recheck gain structure
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 within the DSP.

Back End DSP Front End DSP Routing, Listening Tests and
Outputs to Amplifers, Microphones and Processing, and Final System
Step 4: Listening Tests and
Loudspeakers, and Source Devices to Internal Gain Adjustments Final System Adjustments
Other Destinations DSP Inputs Structure
Now that youve completed the setup,
Begin gain structure Test all front end cable Create submixes in the Perform a series of
setup with an initial connections, and then DSP for the microphones system tests to finalize the final step is for you and the customer
configuration of the DSP. set up gains at the DSP and program sources. system gain structure
Then test all back end inputs for microphones, Then, set up the routing and listening levels.
to listen to the system. Youll apply
cable connections, and program sources, and within the DSP for these equalization and tone shaping as needed,
set up the system to external switchers. submixes, as well as the
achieve desired room telephone hybrid and and set desired listening levels and
SPL and levels to videoconferencing unit.
external devices.
maximum gain before feedback. Again,
recheck gain structure in the DSP when
The four essential steps to setting up an audio system for proper gain structure. adding any type of audio processing.
However, most important in this final step is
having your customers full satisfaction.

may be installed. Gain structure setup
can be expedited, however, by setting
up the DSP and amplifiers already in the
racks or equipment closet, while system
installation is still in progress.
Therefore, the four essential steps in
establishing gain structure for pro AV
systems may at first seem out of order
see Figure 4. There is, however, a
rationale to this approach that speeds up
the process and increases the probability
of a properly set up audio system.
It should be noted that before
performing gain structure setup, the audio
DSP program should already be written
or configured, and all control system
hooks defined.2 In complex systems, this
is actually a necessity. However, as AV
then feed it into the outputs of the DSP,
one by one. Check the signal level for unity
gain through the audio DSP,3 and then at
the input of each destination device. Next,
send pink noise into the DSP and feed
it, one by one, to each loudspeaker zone.
Make adjustments to ensure that each
zone is delivering the same sound level.
Step 2: Front End Microphones
and Source Devices to DSP Inputs
For Step 2, at the DSP inputs, levels are
checked to ensure that all microphones
are picking up a human voice at the
same level. Program and conferencing
sources are also set up so that they are
bringing good signal levels into the DSP,
and are normalized between them.
Summary
Properly setting gain levels is a very
important factor in allowing audio
systems to perform to their full potential.
The ultimate goal is to achieve excellent
sound quality that meets the end users
expectations for performance. Following
a logical method for setting gain structure
results in consistent performance from
system to system. A system with good
gain structure will often seem deceptively
simple. That is its elegance.
John Fish is a Consultant Applications Engineer at Extron
Electronics. John has over 30 years of experience in live
sound engineering, as well as designing and implementing
theatrical and performance audio systems. He also brings
over 20 years of experience in pro AV system design
and integration for large-scale environments such as
convention centers and corporate campuses.

field technicians will attest, this is not

always the case. Following the four steps
will allow the field technician to develop
the DSP configuration as a byproduct of
the procedure.
Step 1: Back End DSP Outputs
to Amplifiers, Loudspeakers, and
Other Destinations
In this first step, bring a sine wave test
signal into an open input of the DSP, and
Step 3: DSP Routing, Processing,
and Internal Gain Structure A Practical Approach to Gain
If the DSP has not yet been configured, Structure for Pro AV
create separate submixes for the Extron has created Audio Gain
Structure for Pro AV Systems, a
microphones and program sources. Then practical, intuitive guide to establishing
route these submixes, plus conferencing proper gain structure in pro AV
sources to the DSP outputs. If the DSP systems with sound reinforcement.
The guide is available for free at
has already been configured, engage AVSD.com, and as a download at
any audio processing that had been www.extron.com/gainstructureguide.
bypassed in Step 1. Adding DSP audio

2
Control system hooks are designated functions of a DSP for interfacing with a control system. They can include gain controls, group masters, mute functions, and source selection.
3
Bypass any equalization, filtering, tone controls, or other audio processing in the DSP configuration.

66 Technically Speaking AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 66 6/11/15 4:17 PM

 Take Your Presentations Farther with
AV Streaming and Recording
Live Event Stream and Record

SMP 351 Streaming Media Processor

The SMP 351 is a high resolution streaming and recording processor for capturing and delivering your live presentations. It combines an
AV source and camera video of the speaker in an engaging format that delivers the live presentation experience. The SMP 351 is easy
to control and operate and provides a flexible, cost-effective solution for extending your presentations to a larger audience.

High Resolution AV Processing Flexible Streaming and Recording

The SMP 351 combines two high resolution video sources with
mixed audio, a PNG background image, and metadata into a
blended output. To ensure optimum flexibility, the integrated
scaler provides flexible two-window management for output
resolutions up to 1080p/30.
Record and stream simultaneously. Stream at two different
resolutions and bit rates concurrently, supporting archive,
overflow, distribution, or confidence viewing applications.
Save recorded MP4 media files to the internal solid state drive,
USB thumb drive, or network storage.

Integration Friendly Easy to Use and Cost Effective

Designed for use in professional AV systems, the SMP 351 can be
configured and controlled from the front panel, Ethernet, or serial
RS-232 ports. Four digital I/O ports are also available to accept
control triggers from simple push button controls and sensors,
or manage digitally controlled devices.
The SMP 351 offers simple control from the front panel or an
external control system, ensuring that presentations are efficiently
streamed and recorded. With no licensing or support fees, the
SMP 351 is a cost-effective solution for your next generation AV
presentation system.

www.extron.com/smp351

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 67 6/11/15 11:36 AM

 HIDDEN
GEMS
HAE 100
HDMI Audio De-Embedder
By Dave Pincek, Vice President of Product Development
I ts great to have high definition video
and audio signals travel on one HDMI
cable from the source, isnt it? Video
signals along with embedded audio allow
system designers to simplify the cabling
through the switcher. The convenience
doesnt last long though. Typically, the
video needs to be switched with other
sources and routed to the display while
the audio signal will be mixed and
processed for the acoustical environment
on its way to the loudspeakers.
The HAE 100 HDMI Audio Extractor
de-embeds audio from an HDMI source
and provides a stereo analog output on
captive screw connectors and a digital
stereo or multi-channel output on S/PDIF
RCA connections. The extractor provides
both the analog and digital audio outputs
at the same time. In addition, an HDMI
output is provided so HDTV 1080p
and computer-video resolutions up to
19201200 can pass through. There
may be some situations where the audio
needs to travel with the video to its
68 Hidden Gems
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 68
ultimate destination for local monitoring at
the display. The extractor accommodates
this requirement for audio pass-through
with a dipswitch setting on the rear panel.
The HDMI output connection does not
have to be connected for the HAE 100 to
de-embed audio.
Another advantage is built-in EDID
management with EDID Minder and
Key Minder. EDID Minder ensures that
a source connected to the HAE 100
powers up and provides the correct
output format. Key Minder maintains
continuous HDCP encryption between
input and output devices to ensure quick
and reliable switching, such as when
the HAE 100 is connected between a
switcher and a display.
The HAE 100 provides a great way
to extract Dolby Digital or DTS surround
sound signals from a DVD or Blu-ray
player. Flipping the toggle switch on
the back panel to the S/PDIF position
provides EDID information to the source,
indicating support for these formats. This
allows the S/PDIF signal to be routed
to an Extron SSP 7.1 Surround Sound
Processor to decode the multi-channel
audio signal for routing to the DSP and
amplifiers in the system.
Lets look at a larger scenario in
which a number of high definition
sources, including a satellite receiver, a
laptop with an HDMI output, Blu-ray
player, and media player, have all been
connected to an SW4 HDMI switcher.
The switcher output is sent to the
HAE 100, which extracts and routes
the audio to a DMP 64 Digital Matrix
Processor for the rooms sound system.
At the same time, the HAE 100 provides
an HDMI output for the LCD display.
Its hard not to appreciate all the
integrator conveniences packed into this
little guy. The extractor is built like a
proper piece of AV gear with input/output
connectivity on the back panel, and
status indication on the front, along with
an easy-to-reach configuration port. All
of this fits into a 1U, quarter rack-width
enclosure for easy mounting on a rack
shelf. With a glance on the front panel,
you get immediate acknowledgement of
the audio signal type, HDCP encryption
status, and confirmation of active
incoming and outgoing HDMI signals
for easy set-up and troubleshooting.
Another advantage for integrators is
automatic input cable equalization that
compensates for a weak source signal or
signal loss with cables up to 25 feet.
HDMI outputs are showing up on
more and more devices because they
simplify the output interface of a product.
But that doesnt always simplify our job
of getting those signals where they need
to go. Keeping the convenience of the
HDMI signal from becoming a headache
is what makes the HAE 100 a real
hidden gem in the Extron line-up.
Dave Pincek is Vice President of Product Development at
Extron Electronics.
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:37 AM
 Fully Customizable Collaboration Systems

HDMI Show Me Cable

for TeamWork Collaboration
Systems

TeamWork
Extron TeamWork is a simple, intuitive, and fully customizable collaboration system that can be tailored to your precise requirements, in
three easy steps. The online TeamWork System Builder quickly steps you through the creation of a custom TeamWork system. Select the
Extron switcher and Show Me cables, control processor, and Cable Cubby enclosure that are best suited to your needs. Pre-configured
TeamWork system packages, designed to fit common collaboration needs, are also available for fast installation with minimal setup.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Select a switcher and HDMI, VGA, Select an Extron IP Link Select a Cable Cubby enclosure, wallplate,
or DisplayPort Show Me cables control processor or other architectural connectivity

www.extron.com/teamwork

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 69 6/11/15 11:37 AM

 EDUCATION
CENTRAL
Learn about Emerging
AV Technologies
K eeping pace with advancements
in technologies and products is
essential in the AV industry. Extron
training and certification programs help
you accomplish this goal, providing an
objective way to measure performance at
a defined skill level. Our programs help
you attain and validate a level of skills
and knowledge that shows your expertise
in the latest AV technologies, industry
best practices, and Extron solutions. One
of the many educational offerings is the
School of Emerging Technologies.
This School covers new and evolving
technologies, helping to refine digital AV
system design by teaching concepts
and techniques for various technologies.
The leading edge courses help you
understand the latest developments in
the areas of 4K video, digital systems
design, fiber optic design principles,
multi-image processing, configurable
control, streaming technologies, and
audio systems.
70 Education Central
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 70
Training on Todays AV Technologies
We continually update courses in the
School of Emerging Technologies, to
ensure that you are informed on the
most current industry technologies. For
example, we discuss important details
about 4K video for successfully designing
4K systems that are future proof, perform
reliably, and meet customer expectations.
Key topics include understanding the four
critical 4K video performance parameters
and which is the most important with
different source types, using the Extron
True4K Specification, calculating the
required data rate for a system, and
more. We also cover best practices for
streaming 4K content, and designing
professional AV systems that deliver 4K
and UHD resolutions at pixel-for-pixel
quality over fiber.
A growing number of AV applications
incorporate BYOD and wireless
technologies, and system design
complexities are evolving as a result.
This School includes a course on
wireless AV technologies, identifying
differences between Wi-Fi based wireless
AV systems and proprietary solutions
that do not use shared-bandwidth
networks. In a course on configurable
control, we cover BYOD and integrating
third party touchscreen displays as a
control interface, as part of a larger
discussion on the best ways to use
Extrons Pro Series Control products,
software, and technologies in todays
systems. Networked audio systems are
being integrated into a wide range of
AV applications. An audio technologies
course discusses Dante audio
networking, enterprise Dante systems,
and integrating Extron audio DSP for
optimal audio reproduction.
Valuable Educational Opportunity for
New and Previous Attendees
The School of Emerging Technologies
is a valuable educational opportunity for
new attendees as well as those who
have previously participated. Instructor-
led courses provide an optimum learning
experience with hands-on and real-world
scenarios that complement presentations
and discussions. This reinforces the
concepts and techniques taught by our
instructors. Over 25 training centers
around the world, including our S3
Technical Institute headquarters in
Anaheim, CA, East Coast Operations in
Raleigh, regional training and product
showcase centers, and international
offices, make it easy to attend. Extron
Institute On The Road provides more
opportunities in areas beyond those
served by regional centers.
For more information about training
and certification opportunities, please
contact your Extron S3 Customer
Support Representative or go to
www.extron.com/training.
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:37 AM
 COMPANY SCHOOL
School of Emerging Technologies
Extron Control Professional
LOCATION
1 Singapore
1 Amersfoort,
DATE
Sep. 1-2
Sep. 2-4

EVENTS
Netherlands
Extron Control Specialist 1 Singapore Sep. 3-4
GC Medialink 1 Mexico City, Mexico Sep. 7
Configurable Control Systems with GC Plus 1 Amersfoort, Sep. 7-8
Netherlands
Extron Control Professional 1 London, UK Sep. 7-9
2015 Extron Institute Extron Customized Training (Higher Education Only) 1 Singapore Sep. 8
SCHOOL LOCATION DATE Configurable Control Systems with GC Plus 10 Moscow, Russia Sep. 8-9
School of Emerging Technologies 1 Bangalore, India July 1-2 Extron Control Professional 1 Melbourne, Australia Sep. 8-10
Configurable Control Systems with GC Plus 1 Amersfoort, July 6-7 Extron Customized Training (Higher Education Only) 1 Singapore Sep. 9
Netherlands Extron Control Specialist 1 Mexico City, Mexico Sep. 9-10
School of Digital Video Technologies 2 Frankfurt, Germany July 6-7 XTP Systems Certification for Design Engineers 9 Seoul, Korea Sep. 9-10
Configurable Control Systems with GC Plus 1 London, UK July 6-7 XTP Systems Certification for Design Engineers 6 Shanghai, China Sep. 9-10
School of Emerging Technologies 10 Moscow, Russia July 7-8 XTP Systems Certification for Design Engineers 1 Amersfoort, Sep. 14-15
Extron Control Professional 1 Melbourne, Australia July 7-9 Netherlands
School of Emerging Technologies 6 Beijing, China July 8-9 School of Emerging Technologies 1 Montreal, Canada Sep. 14-15
XTP Systems Certification for Design Engineers 1 Mexico City, Mexico July 13-14 Configurable Control Systems with GC Plus 1 London, UK Sep. 14-15
for Higher Education (Higher Education Only)
School of Digital Video Technologies 10 Moscow, Russia July 13-14
Extron Control Professional 10 Moscow, Russia Sep. 14-16
XTP Systems Certification for Design Engineers 1 London, UK July 13-14
School of Digital Video Technologies for 2 Frankfurt, Germany Sep. 16-17
Extron Control Professional 1 Raleigh, NC July 13-15
Higher Education (Higher Education Only)
XTP Systems Certification for Technicians 2 Amersfoort, July 14-15
XTP Systems Certification for Design Engineers 1 Sydney, Australia Sep. 16-17
Netherlands
Extron Control Professional 1 Montreal, Canada Sep. 16-18
School of Emerging Technologies 1 New Delhi, India July 14-15
Consultant School of Emerging 1 Anaheim, CA Sep. 17-18
Extron Control Specialist (Higher Education Only) 1 New York, NY July 14-15
Technologies (Consultants Only)
XTP Systems Certification for Technicians 1 Sydney, Australia July 15-16
School of Digital Video Technologies for 1 Amersfoort, Sep. 21-22
Extron Control Professional 1 Mexico City, Mexico July 15-17 Higher Education (Higher Education Only) Netherlands
School of AV Integration for Higher 1 Amersfoort, July 20-21 School of Emerging Technologies 1 Raleigh, NC Sep. 21-22
Education (Higher Education Only) Netherlands
XTP Systems Certification for Design Engineers 10 Moscow, Russia Sep. 21-22
School of Emerging Technologies 1 Washington DC July 20-21
Practical Audio in AV Applications 1 London, UK Sep. 21-22
Practical Audio in AV Applications 2 Frankfurt, Germany July 21-22
School of Emerging Technologies for Higher 1 Dallas, TX Sep. 22-23
Extron Control Professional 6 Shanghai, China July 22-24 Education (Higher Education Only)
Extron Control Professional 1 Washington DC July 22-24 Configurable Control Systems with GC Plus 5 Paris, France Sep. 23-24
School of Digital AV Technologies 1 Melbourne, Australia July 22-23 School of Digital AV Technologies 1 Melbourne, Australia Sep. 23-24
Extron Control Specialist 9 Seoul, Korea July 22-23 Extron Control Professional 1 Raleigh, NC Sep. 23-25
XTP Systems Certification for Technicians 1 Amersfoort, July 27-28 Practical Audio in AV Applications 1 London, UK Sep. 28-29
Netherlands (Higher Education Only)
Configurable Control Systems with GC Plus 10 Moscow, Russia July 27-28 Practical Audio in AV Applications 1 Amersfoort, Sep. 28-29
Extron Control Professional 1 Dallas, TX July 27-29 Netherlands
School of Emerging Technologies 11 Hong Kong, SAR July 28-29 Extron Control Professional 2 Frankfurt, Germany Sep. 28-30
School of Emerging Technologies for Higher 1 Washington DC July 28-29 Extron Control Professional 5 Paris, France Sep. 28-30
Education (Higher Education Only) School of Emerging Technologies 1 Auckland, Sep. 29-30
Configurable Control Systems with GC Plus 1 Johannesburg, July 29-30 New Zealand
South Africa XTP Systems Certification for Design Engineers 1 Washington DC Sep. 29-30
Extron Control Specialist 1 Dallas, TX July 30-31 Extron Control Professional 1 Singapore Sep. 29-Oct. 1
Extron Control Professional 1 New York, NY Aug. 3-5 Extron Control Professional 1 Johannesburg, Sep. 29-Oct. 1
School of Emerging Technologies for Higher 1 Anaheim, CA Aug. 4-5 South Africa
Education (Higher Education Only) XTP Systems Certification for Technicians 1 Washington DC Oct. 1-2
XTP Systems Certification for Design Engineers 1 Singapore Aug. 4-5 School of AV Integration for the Sales Professional 5 Paris, France Oct. 2
Extron Control Professional 1 Sydney, Australia Aug. 4-6 School of AV Integration for the Sales Professional 1 Amersfoort, Oct. 5
School of Emerging Technologies 1 Hyderabad, India Aug. 5-6 Netherlands
Extron Control Professional 1 Mexico City, Mexico Aug. 5-7 Practical Audio in AV Applications 3 Amersfoort, Oct. 5-6
Extron Control Professional 1 New Delhi, India Aug. 5-7 Netherlands

Extron Control Specialist 1 New York, NY Aug. 6-7 School of Emerging Technologies 1 Detroit, MI Oct. 5-6

Extron Control Professional 1 Anaheim, CA Aug. 10-12 School of Digital Video Technologies 1 London, UK Oct. 5-6

Extron Control Professional 10 Moscow, Russia Aug. 10-12 Extron Control Professional 1 Dallas, TX Oct. 5-7

Extron Control Specialist 1 Anaheim, CA Aug. 13-14

Language: 1 = English, 2 = German, 3 = Spanish, 4 = Italian, 5 = French, 6 = Chinese,
XTP Systems Certification for Design Engineers 1 Melbourne, Australia Aug. 13-14 7 = Dutch, 8 = Thai, 9 = Korean, 10 = Russian, 11 = Cantonese
School of Emerging Technologies 1 Mexico City, Mexico Aug. 17-18
To view the current Extron Institute schedule, please visit www.extron.com/edschedule.
School of AV Integration for the Sales Professional 10 Moscow, Russia Aug. 18
School of Emerging Technologies 1 Ahmedabad, India Aug. 19-20 Extron, AVTrac, Cable Cubby, CrossPoint, EDID Minder, Flat Field, GlobalViewer,
XTP Systems Certification for Design Engineers 1 Mexico City, Mexico Aug. 19-20 Global Configurator, IP Link, Key Minder, LockIt, MediaLink, PoleVault, PowerCage , Pure3,
Quantum, SpeedMount, SpeedSwitch, System Integrator , TeamWork, TouchLink, VN-Matrix,
Extron Control Professional 6 Beijing, China Aug. 19-21
VoiceLift, WallVault, and WindoWall XTP, XTP Systems are registered trademarks of
School of Emerging Technologies 1 KL, Malaysia Aug. 25-26 RGB Systems, Incorporated.
Configurable Control Systems with GC Plus 1 Johannesburg, Aug. 25-26 S3 Service Support Solutions is a registered service mark of RGB Systems, Incorporated.
South Africa AAP, Auto-Image, CDRS - Class D Ripple Suppression, EDID Manager, SIS - Simple Instruction Set,
XTRA, and ZipClip are trademarks of Extron Electronics.
School of Emerging Technologies-Audio 9 Seoul, Korea Aug. 26
All other trademarks and copyrights mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.
Extron Customized Training (Higher Education Only) 1 KL, Malaysia Aug. 27
2015 Extron Electronics.

AVSD.com COMPANY EVENTS 71

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 71 6/11/15 11:37 AM

 N
O
W
H
Extron has great career opportunities! IR
IN
G

Extron USA and EMEA are seeking qualified applicants for a variety of career opportunities in Sales, Technical Support,
and Product Support. As an industry leader, Extron is committed to maintaining the outstanding level of quality services our
customers expect. We strive to continually provide Service, Support, and Solutions to our customers: dealers, consultants,
and AV professionals. Our customers are our most important asset, and our employees are essential to maintaining that
asset. We seek individuals who can help us grow and who desire to achieve a rewarding career in a technical environment.

Extron USA West, Headquarters Extron USA East Extron Europe

Extron Middle East Extron Asia Extron Japan

SALES Design Engineer Order Processor - UK

Applications Engineer
Applications Technology Engineer International
Support Japan
AV Regional Trainer
AV Systems Design Engineer - Chicago, DC,
San Jose, NY, Toronto, Dallas
Consultant Applications Engineer
Control Systems Programmer
Customer Support Representative
Field Systems Design Engineer
Education Technology Specialist
Regional Accounts Specialist Sales Professional
Software Applications Engineer - CA/NC
Systems Support Engineer AV Streaming
and Network Products
Systems Support Engineer Audio Products
Design Engineer, FPGA - NC
DSP Engineer
Embedded Linux Software Engineer - CA, NC
Embedded Software Engineer - CA, NC
Product Support Engineer
Web Developer JavaScript / CSS / HTML /
MVVM - NC
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Application Engineer Control Systems - CA, NC
Applications Engineer
Networking Engineer AV Streaming
Product Development Manager AV Streaming
- CA, NC
Software Applications Engineer AV Streaming
Software Interaction Designer - CA, NC
Repair Center Supervisor
Sales Manager - France
Sales Manager - Netherlands
System Design Engineer - Netherlands
System Design Engineer - Scandinavia
Technical Account Manager - Germany
Writer/Translator - German
ENGINEERING - EUROPE
(UK, DARTFORD KENT)
Application Software Test Engineer
Design Engineer Application Software
Design Engineer Web Applications
TRAINING - EUROPE
Technical Trainer

MARKETING SALES - EUROPE SALES - ASIA

Product Marketing Manager
Web Application Developer
Web Content Specialist
Web Manager
ENGINEERING
Application Software Engineer Video - NC
Application Software Engineer Web Sr. - CA, NC
Applications Software Engineer .NET / C# /
WPF - CA, NC
Applications Software Engineer Enterprise
Web Architect (Principal Engineer) - CA, NC
Applications Software Engineer Video
Streaming - NC
Applications Software Test Engineer
Audio Power Electronics Design Engineer
DC-DC Power Electronics Design Engineer
Applications Engineer - Germany Applications Engineers - Singapore
Applications Engineer - Turkey Applications Engineer - Thailand
Applications Engineer - UK, London Customer Support Representatives - Singapore
Application Engineer/Repair Technician - Russia Software Applications Engineer - Singapore
Business Developer - Germany
Consultant Manager - Germany SALES - JAPAN
Consultant Manager - UK Applications Engineer
Control Applications Engineer - UK, London
Customer Support - Iberica
Customer Support - Italy For a complete list of current career opportunities
Customer Support - Germany worldwide, please see our Web site at
Customer Support - Scandinavia www.extron.com/jobs
Customer Support - UK
Extron USA
Education Account Manager - Germany 1025 E. Ball Road
Education Account Manager - Scandinavia Anaheim, CA 92805
Education Technology Specialist - Netherlands EMAIL: jobs@extron.com
Education Technology Specialist - Germany EOE M/F/V/D

72 AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 72 6/11/15 11:37 AM

 New Extron Digital Technology
Certifications

A Balanced Approach to Digital Design Theory and Hands-On Application

Weve launched the Extron XTP Systems Certification program for design and implementation
of digital systems based on Extrons XTP Systems. XTP Systems provide a completely
integrated switching and distribution solution for a multiple digital and analog formats. They
support local connectivity as well as extended transmission capability for sending high
resolution video, audio, RS-232, Ethernet, and power up to 330 feet (100 m) over a single
CATx cable.

The XTP Systems Certification program provides a clear pathway for you or your employees
to gain the digital AV knowledge and experience needed to grow your business. Instruction is
balanced between theory and hands-on application with an emphasis on the practical aspects
of designing, installing, and troubleshooting enterprise-wide digital AV systems. Certification
shows your customers, peers, and colleagues that you have an advanced understanding of
emerging technologies and the skills to integrate them into any presentation system.

To find out more about the XTP Systems Certification program, contact your
Extron S3 Customer Support Representative.

www.extron.com/xtpcert

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 73 6/11/15 11:37 AM

 The Last Word
Specsmanship:
The Movie
By Steve Somers, Vice President of Engineering
U sually, when you get something off
your chest, so to speak, its time to
let go, isnt it? In the last AVSD issue, I
addressed specsmanship and I thought
we covered it. But specsmanship in our
business has recently risen to a new level.
Or, perhaps I should say it has sunk to a
new level that of elaborate, but poorly-
staged video magic shows, if you will,
purporting to offer the viewer scripted
insights into the competition along with
a neat, bundled scenario demonstrating
their deficiencies in real time, anytime.
Does this mean that YouTube and
manufacturers web sites are the new
forums for garage band style product
shoot-outs? Are we witnessing a new
dimension of specsmanship widening its
associations to include late night used car
salesmen flanked by festooned ponies
and rented circus clowns?
74 The Last Word
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 74
We humans constantly compare
things one to another, dont we? Its
not contrived, its natural. Its an innate
action that grounds our reality and tells
us if our quality of life is improving. Or, if
the decision we are about to make will
improve our QoL. I realize that every
decision I make involves some comparison
of one thing to another, whether in the
present or the past. Can you relate?
It seems to me there are naturally two
ways in which comparisons are made.
There is a perceptive comparison: Does
this new thing appear to be better, or
appear to be worse? And, then, I believe
there is an experience comparison: Yes,
Ive tried it. It is better, or it is worse.
The chasm separating the perception
from the experience is the risk, which
is another way of describing the cost of
the experience.
Further, there are fundamentally two
methods for making a comparison: vertical
and horizontal. This concept may be a bit
foreign and it does not refer to whether
you are standing or reclining. I first heard
of it in relation to wine tasting. Vertical wine
tasting compares vintages of one type
of wine by the same maker. Horizontal
wine tasting compares one type of wine
across several different wine makers. And
so it goes with any product: we compare
products within the manufacturers
product line (vertical) and we compare
products among different manufacturers
(horizontal). All of us attempt to rationalize
and equalize the differences among
products with our knowledge and
experience. This is a kind of mental
method for leveling the comparison to
arrive at a reasonable decision based,
hopefully, in facts. For those who take the
next step: that is, actually testing a product
in their actual application, the real facts
arise and make themselves known.
There is the operative word: facts.
Recently, I watched a short presentation
on color and our perception of color on
TED Talks. The speaker said that color
interpretation is one of the simplest
functions performed by the brain, but can
be manipulated readily to modify our base
perception and belief. Skillfully prepared
presenters can influence us to believe
and see colors as they wish through
manipulation of circumstances. Another
TED Talk on Artistry and Illusion illustrated
this point through the skill of magicians; a
world of skilled presenters within which we
derive entertainment via deception. I love
AV SYSTEMS DESIGN Summer 2015
6/11/15 11:37 AM

what magicians do. But good magicians,
the ones that make money at it, are
very rehearsed and skilled. They spend
countless hours honing their trade. Their
facts exist as those specific moves and
elements of deception known to elude our
skill of perception.
It is no surprise that there are
advertising magicians; an untold legion
of behind-the-scenes experts showing
how one product trumps another daily
in television commercials. Shoot-outs
abound between paper towels, laundry
detergents, cars, you name it. A
commercial need only muster enough
believability to motivate you to try the
better product; in other words, create
momentary suspension of disbelief the
same vehicle rented by regular magicians.
Its the ultimate thirty-second elevator
pitch. And, let us not overlook marketings
largest motivational force: fear. Fear
of failure by not employing the better
product is a tremendous motivator.
Fact or fear. Two suddenly important
four-letter f words rising in our
consciousness to become key decision-
driving forces balancing like children
drifting up and down on a playground
seesaw; one occasionally gaining over
the other, until one abandons and
the remainder becomes immediately
grounded. Ultimately one or the other
claims dominion over a pending decision.
Clearly, becoming grounded in fact is the
better foundation supporting any decision
you or I might select.
Do you remember the InfoComm
Projection Shoot-Out? Extron embraced
and sustained that one-of-a-kind, side-by-
side, supreme display comparison event
for ten of its thirteen tumultuous years.
What a rich, challenging experience for me
and for all those here who participated in
its operation. We learned two fundamental
things: what it takes to produce a level, fair
comparison environment; and, the lengths
at which some people will go to tip the
environment in their favor.
avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 1
CORPORATE
We recount many tales of serious EXTRON USA West
infractors of the Shoot-Out rules 1025 E. Ball Road
Anaheim, CA 92805
from those days, which in these later USA
Sales/Tech Support: +800.633.9876,
years have morphed into comical
+1.714.491.1500
remembrances. Time heals as they Fax: +1.714.491.1517
say; but today with a video camera and
EXTRON USA East
Internet speed, those skilled in the art 2500 N. Raleigh Blvd.
Raleigh, NC 27604
of visual deception can once again kick USA
up the dust of self-serving tendencies to Sales/Tech Support: +800.633.9876,
+1.919.850.1000
invent faux rules of fair play and unleash a Fax: +1.919.850.1001
specsmans pitch that pales the local spiel
EXTRON EUROPE
of a tradeshow by electronically attaching Hanzeboulevard 10, 3825 PH Amersfoort
itself, at virtually the speed of light, to the The Netherlands
Phone: +800.EXTRON.S3 (+800.3987.6673)
undiscerning perceptions of the masses. +31.33.453.4040
Someone is to have said, All other Fax: +31.33.453.4050
things being equal, its easier to be EXTRON MIDDLE EAST
offensive by making a comparison which Dubai Airport Free Zone
F13, PO Box 293666
is untrue, than to be clever by using United Arab Emirates
Phone: +971.4.299.1800
elements of truth. Truer words were never
Fax: +971.4.299.1880
spoken by an unknown source. Is not
EXTRON ASIA
truth our quest? Truth is all we thirst for.
135 Joo Seng Road, #04-01
Truth is all we need. Truth is the building Singapore 368363
Phone: +65.6383.4400
block of fact. And, fact does not require Fax: +65.6383.4664
suspension of disbelief the zero gravity
EXTRON CHINA
of decision-making. Commercials with 686 Ronghua Road, Songjiang District
used car salesmen and comparison Shanghai 201611
China
videos may conjure up the notion that its Phone: +4000.EXTRON (+4000.398766)
time to take a look at something new or +86.21.3760.1568
Fax: +86.21.3760.1566
different, but it should evoke no more than
just that. EXTRON JAPAN
Kyodo Building, 16 Ichibancho
I say: Be your own magician! Make Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0082
the smoke and mirrors disappear by Japan
Phone: +81.3.3511.7655
getting down to basics: question all Fax: +81.3.3511.7656
you see and hear, perform your own
evaluations, and most of all, execute your
own due diligence by testing products
within the bounds of your commissioned
applications. Of course were still going to AV SYSTEMS DESIGN magazine is published by
Extron Electronics/RGB Systems Inc. No portion of this
occasionally pull out the video camera. Ill publication may be reproduced in any form without written
permission from Extron Electronics. Every effort has been
made to ensure accuracy in content; however, Extron
have to don a fresh uniform and learn a assumes no responsibility for errors and omissions in the
information provided herein. AV Systems Design is sent
new spiel that I can hopefully perform in free of charge to AV industry professionals and end-users.
one take. We must still defend ourselves Subscriptions
To receive your free copy of AV Systems Design
magazine, please contact your Extron Customer
from those video vigilantes. Take heart, Support Representative.
Im no magician. Im not out to entice We welcome your comments and contributions! Please
submit ideas to the editor at editor@extron.com.
your suspension of disbelief. But, were it Extron Electronics
1025 E. Ball Road Anaheim, CA 92805
possible, I would waive my magic wand
and make all the specsman disappear.
Steve Somers is Vice President of Engineering at
Extron Electronics.
6/11/15 11:37 AM
 Transforms Any Room into a BYOD
Presentation and Collaboration Space

TRAINING THE FUTURE DOCTORS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

ShareLink 200 Wireless Gateway
The Extron ShareLink 200 Wireless Collaboration Gateway enables anyone to present content from
a laptop or mobile device. To eliminate constantly changing sources during a session, ShareLink
technology provides simultaneous display of presentations, images, documents, and other content
from up to four different devices. Content from a single device shows full screen, and content from
multiple devices appears simultaneously in four windows on the display. In collaboration mode,
anyone can share content and control the presentation, and a moderator mode ensures only
approved content is displayed. The ShareLink 200 Wireless Collaboration Gateway is designed for
professional AV systems to create a stand-alone wireless collaboration and presentation system or
to add wireless presentation capabilities to a wide variety of wired designs.

Key Features:
Wirelessly share content from laptops, tablets, and smartphones
Supports Windows and OS X computers as well as Apple and
Android smartphones and tablets
Simultaneous content display from up to four different devices
Moderator mode ensures only approved content is displayed
Content from a computer can be sent to multiple ShareLink 200 units
on the network
Dropbox integration within the MirrorOp for Extron ShareLink app
provides easy access to content stored in the cloud
Summer 2015

www.extron.com/sharelink200

avsd_spring2015_cc.indd 2 6/11/15 11:37 AM

TRAINING THE FUTURE DOCTORS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Summer 2015