Since HEC Montreal specializes in business management and research, it only makes sense that the school — which educates future business leaders — continually searches for educational tools to enhance efficiency and depth of learning. [related]
Recently, it put forward a plan to improve classroom lectures through enhanced AV aids, seeking best-in-class technology.
The HEC Montreal AV department awarded the project to several equipment manufacturers, including MuxLab, in order to provide a complete, state-of-the-art system. The first phase supported more than 30 classrooms.
“MuxLab is honored to have been selected as the provider of the AV over IP equipment needed to extend and interconnect sources and displays in a simple and efficient manner,” says Daniel Assaraf, President of MuxLab.
“Our technology is contributing to the improvements of tomorrow’s educational institutes, today.”
Each classroom includes a control station at the professor’s desk, which allows him/her to select which source will appear on which display. Content is delivered to two displays at the front of the classroom and to the instructor via two monitors at the rear.
All four displays can operate independently of each other and may be switched to different sources, or to the same source, as needed. Selectable sources include an overhead camera, desktop computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet.
AV over IP Flexibility in the Classroom
MuxLab’s HDMI/RS232 over IP Extender Kit with PoE delivers content to any or all of the displays allowing any source to be switched to any display in the classroom or even among classrooms.
The solution for each classroom consists of a control station located at the teacher’s desk, and allows the professor to easily select at the touch of a finger which of five AV sources is sent to which display.
The control station sends commands to the MuxLab AV over IP transmitters and receivers to instantly execute the connection being requested.
Content is presented to students over two monitors at the front of the classroom and to the instructor via two monitors at the rear. The audio is transported to distributed speakers.
All four monitors are independent of each other and may be individually switched to different source material, or to the same material, depending on lecture content.
The Impact at HEC Montreal
HEC Montreal is modernizing the classroom with the aid of the latest AV technologies, allowing the classroom to be a flexible and adaptable presentation tool for both professors and students alike.
This AV over IP system connects AV sources to the school’s LAN; system receivers deliver content to any display. AV sent over the network can be routed among all displays, forming an any-to-any virtual matrix. Content can also be multicast in a one-to-many scenario.
Users can easily up or downscale the system, and to practically any size, supporting hundreds of sources and displays. HEC is planning a multiple phase approach with over 80 classrooms.
