Figure 3 - Plasma displays above Extron 320 interface switchers and Routers in the Moot Observation Room
Rooms
That "Wow"
RJC Designs and the A/V
contractors (Pierce-Phelps and Vistacom) are proud of all the rooms and technology
designed and installed at Mandeville, and according to Lees, the response from
the university has been "overwhelmingly positive". However, several
rooms stand out in terms of the incredible versatility and the systems within.
Besides Master Control, these would be the Moot Boardrooms, the Multipoint Distance
Learning Center, and the Teletorium.
Moot Boardrooms
The room layout of each
of the two Moot Boardrooms comprises two tiers of elevated gallery seating in
a "U" shape surrounding a boardroom-style table in the center area
of the room. "We wanted an intimate setting where a board could interact
with the students," Father Rashford said. The board could stage model scenarios
or debates, while students could observe and comment on what went on in the
center area. Participants and observers could then exchange ideas and comments. At
each of 36 gallery seats are LAN connections for laptop computers. There are
also similar connections, under the boardroom table in the room's center. Unique
to the gallery seats - and what truly sets these rooms apart - is the Extron
Electronics RGB 320 computer-video interface system. Each seat has an interface
buffer, which converts a laptop's external video output to RGBHV and then sends
it off to an RGB 320 interface switcher in the Moot Observation Room. By pressing
the "Show Me" button on the interface, each occupant may display data
with audio follow from his or her laptop computer, which will then be displayed
via the room's projection and audio systems.
One group that has already found the Moot Boardrooms' usefulness has been the students in the Executive MBA program, who use the Extron buffer system to compare spreadsheets and other project models. "In free-form scenarios between participants, points, and counter-points can be viewed without instructor interaction, giving a more one-on-one personal feel." says Lees. Whether it is spreadsheets or debates, the technology used in this way facilitates a more convenient way to exchange ideas visually than previously available. Of course, if things got out of hand the instructor or curator could step in and override the buffers from the control system.
In between each pair of
seats in each two-seat location is a Crown PCC-17sw microphone. These small
and flat desk-style microphones provide the coverage and the quality to handle
the seating areas comfortably as well as reduce ambient noise. Biamp DIA93tc
Digital-Logic Automixers in conjunction with a digital remote interface were
used for speech and program audio. As the Moot Boardrooms' program and speech
audio could be configured for video teleconferencing, focus sessions, electronic
classroom presentations or in a business conference room style, it was important
that the audio system could be reconfigured easily by the user. Setting up various
44 one-touch macros through the AMX control system allowed the Biamp Automixers
to configure to the users' needs with ease.
Part of the design criteria
of the Moots was to have the capability of recording video if desired while
the rooms were in use. Cameras selected for the rooms included ParkerVision
Student pre-set and Presenter auto-tracking models. "These studio-quality
three-chip cameras allowed for the venue's versatility and demanding resolution
needs. Selecting the projector and lighting options wasn't so straightforward,
as recording in these rooms posed the age-old problem of room lighting being
bright enough for video production while the projection
system had to remain bright and clear when in use. To overcome this problem,
combinations of full lighting, focused task lighting and key lighting to specific
areas were programmed into the control system. The projector chosen was an SVS
lift-mounted Hughes-JVC model 100, which produces 1500 ANSI lumens of light
to a DaLite 120-inch diagonal screen. The light output and high resolution of
this projector made the image stand out well even in bright production-level
lighting.
Moot Observation and Control Rooms
Between the Moot Boardrooms
are the Moot Observation Room and Moot Control. The Moot Observation Room allows
observers to view ongoing activity in the Moots via windows on either side of
the room, or by video routed from the aforementioned cameras to either of two
40-inch Pioneer plasma displays. When not used for observation of the Moots,
this room can also be used as a conference room with various display abilities
as well as two-way voice and one-way videoconferencing. Source devices and codecs
are accessible from other rooms or from Master Control - either through the
control systems in the Moot Control Room or the local AXT-MCV/PB MiniTilt control
station.
Also located in the Moot
Observation Room are the support electronics for the "show me" computer
interface buffers in both rooms. Fourteen Extron RGB 320 interface switchers
are required to control the interface buffers. When a buffer is selected from
one of the interface switchers, (each one can control six buffers), through
one of two Extron CrossPoint 84HVA matrix switchers, and on to its routed destination.
As both Moots were designed
to function independently of each other or in tandem when necessary, a local
control room tying the areas together was needed. This room houses the remaining
support electronics for the two Moots, including a 64 x 64 matrix switcher,
video production equipemnt, monitors, a Panasonic MX-50A production switcher
and Biamp DLA93tc Digital-Logic Automixers. Computer
data is also commonly incorporated into video production here, for which an
Extron scan converter is used for RGB to NTSC conversion.
Multipoint Distance Learning Classroom
In addition to the electronic
display capabilities found in other rooms, the Multipoint DLC's criteria included
the following requirement: standard telephone conferencing, two-way voice with
one-way VTC, standard point-to-point VTC, and multipoint VTC with up to four
remote sites. The room must also be able to transmit and display locally generated
computer images.
To allow for four remote
sites to be viewed simultaneously and by the entire room, four Toshiba 50-inch
monitor cubes were recessed into the room's front wall. For conferencing with
a single site and other display needs, a Hughes G1000 projector with a 120-inch
Draper screen was chosen. When in use, the screen and projector would lower
out of the ceiling with the screen positioned between two of the monitors. "We've
been doing some two-way conferences with Penn State's agricultural economics
and agricultural science departments through the DLC," says Lees.
While the monitors and the
Hughes projector took care of the student viewing needs at the local end, it
was determined that this arrangement posed some problems when used in the distance
learning role, especially for the instructor. One could not face the local audience
and the ParkerVision auto-tracking camera at the rear of the room while viewing
the remote site feed displayed at the front of the room. To solve this problem,
an additional display for the instructor was necessary. To fill this role, a
Panasonic PTL-795U with a 52-inch Draper screen was positioned at the rear of
the room. This "heads-up" display is lined up with the instructor's
camera, allowing one to look at the audience as well as the camera, and still
maintain the illusion of eye contact with the remote site.
This arrangement also
works with multiple remote feeds by routing the signals through a Feral QS-400
four-way signal splitter. In a non-conference mode, the heads-up screen will
display any input the instructor wishes.
The DLC had very specific
requirements as far as student desktop usage went. The student desktop areas
were to be kept clear and open for laptops and the occasional low-tech book.
Since it was necessary to electronically canvas the room for voice pick-up and
desktop microphones were not an option, a voice lift system by Sound Control
Technologies, Inc., specifically designed for this kind of application, was
installed. This system consists (in part) of an AVT-24 echo-cancel/hybrid (used
for distance learning and VTC applications), zoning/combining electronics and
amplifiers, which are then connected with ceiling-mounted zone-arranged microphones
and play-back speakers.
Special care was taken when
designing this system due to the rake and acoustics of the room. There was a
three-foot ceiling height difference between front and back, which exceeded
the normal use of the standard boundary-type ceiling microphones. We had to
extend the microphones at the front of the room down from the ceiling so that
they could work within the specifications of the system. Great care should be
taken when considering a voice lift system. Poor room acoustics, mechanical
vibrations, HVAC noises, etc. all need to be remedied to get the full and clear
benefit of such a system.
In compliance with the Americans
with Disabilities Act, a Gentner TX-37A transmitter and RX-6A receivers for
assisted listening were installed. These small belt-pack receivers are available
for students upon request. RJC installed such systems for all presentation venues
in every applicable room in Mandeville Hall.
Great attention to detail
was taken with the design of every room, especially with the instructor's workstation.
Size, flexibility and layout were all taken into considerations. Workstations
were designed and specified by RJC for all the venues within Mandeville Hall
and KSI Professional fabricated them. Within the DLC, two side-by-side IBM 9514
color LCD monitors were used to accommodate the control system and the instructor's
PC applications. The LCD monitors being only four inches deep allowed us to
maintain a minimum of station depth.
Also at the instructor's station
are Extron architectural computer-video interfaces. The RGB-404 is reserved
for guest presenters and also provides auxiliary composite and S-video inputs
to the system. The RGB 406 is affixed to the instructor's PC. Unlike the buffers
used in the Moots, these single computer interfaces do all signal conversion
within the devices themselves and then route the signal through a matrix switcher.
Computer and other RGB signals are then converted to NTSC via a scan converter
and sent to a matrix switcher used strictly for NTSC sources. From here, computer
signals may be used in videoconferencing, recording, or be displayed on the
Toshiba 50-inch monitor cubes.
As the DLC could be set
up in various configurations depending on the application it was necessary to
develop a control system layout as simplistic as possible for the instructors
to use. To accomplish this, different one-button macros were set up on the control
system to configure the equipment for the presenter. For example, if the instructor
selected the "Electronic Classroom" configuration, only the devices
necessary for that application would be actuated. If "Multipoint VTC"
is selected, then the camera lifts would be activated to lower the cameras,
the rear "heads-up" display and the Toshiba monitors would be activated,
and lastly the room's audio would be configured for teleconferencing mode. The
control system's display would show all sources and destination to the assigned
and any local machine controls available. Of course, a knowledgeable instructor
or technician could reconfigure any of the macros or could program manual assignments.
Conversely, and as in every room, the unfamiliar operator could request a technician
in Master Control to run the system via the LAN-connected PCTouch system.
