A typical list of requirements for adding full AV switching capabilities to a classroom or meeting space that a designer may get might look like this:
- Ability to automatically or manually select between multiple video sources
- HDMI or VGA input from teacher’s PC
- HDMI or VGA input from a Document Camera/Video Presenter
- HDMI input from guest Laptop
- Apple TV or other signage video player connected to the school/corporate network
- Extending video sources from presenter’s desk to the video projector using a single Cat5 cable that can be up to 500 feet away
- Controlling the video projector’s power (on/off) state either automatically based on detecting video or manually from either WebGUI or physical wall-mounted keypad
- Extracting the audio embedded in the video and amplifying it for direct connection to 2 or 4 ceiling tile loud speakers with up to 50 watts of power
- Ability to mix wireless microphone input with the audio so the presenter’s voice is enhanced
- Ability to sense the presenter is speaking and automatically reducing the volume of the video (ducking)
- Control of volume and mute function from WebGUI or physical wall-mounted keypad
The requirement list can even be longer which at first glance seems daunting. The AV/IT manager or school superintendent may be thinking: Just how many different pieces of equipment is it going to take to do all of the above? How complex is the wiring and programming going to be? and I better start writing a request for a new grant or funding… because this sounds expensive!
UHBX-SW3- WP
Enter Hall Research’s two-piece solution. The UHBX-SW3-WP and VSA-X21 – that’s it! Of course, you’ll still need to buy the video projector, ceiling tile speakers and other accessories, but the routing and control requirements in the above list are taken care of with just those two simple but highly integrated and powerful products.
The UHBX-SW3-WP is a wall plate video switcher, scaler, and extender that provides the 3 video sources (2 HDMI and one VGA) at the teacher’s desk. It also has HDBaseT extension built-in (and is powered via PoH so no additional power supplies are needed).
The VSA-X21 is the other piece needed that can be located next to the video projector. It powers the wall plate and receives its video on a single UTP cable. It provides a local HDMI input for connection of the Apple TV or other signage players, it also has a line-level microphone input for the teacher’s wireless mic system.
WebGUI on a smart phone
The VSA-X21 has a single HDMI output that connects to the projector. It has both IR and RS-232 output for control and it has a user programmable WebGUI. The system, of course, has many more advanced features such as: priority page detection, ducking, connector for adding a physical wall-mounted keypad, the ability to mix Audio Return Channel (ARC) from the TV and more.
In summary, don’t let the requirements for adding AV to any classroom or conference/huddle room scare you, take a look at the VSA-X21 and one of Hall Research’s HDBaseT wall plate senders such as the UHBX-SW3-WP for a simple but complete package.
