CONTENTS · 02 the SPAce 2.1 room capacity Classroom Boardroom A given space may be used in...

The guide To corporaTe audio-visualhow to integrate presentation and Meeting Facilities into the corporate environment

CONTENTS 01 Introductionscopepresentations and Meetingssystems integration

02 The Spaceroom capacitydisplay heightviewing anglesdisplay arrangementFront projectionrear projectionequipment spacepower

03 The Imagecreationdirect view displaysprojectiondisplay resolutionimage aspect ratiodisplay Brightnessdisplay contrastvideowalls3d displaysdigital signage

04 The Sourcesource Typesvideo conferencing and camera systemscomputer sourcesselecting the sourceimage processing

05 The Soundaudio in avMicrophonesTeleconferencingloudspeakersshow sound

06 The Light & Environmentlighting and its controllighting scenesdimmersdaylightenvironment

07 The Controlroom control systemextenderscontrol cablesspecial sub-systems

08 The NetworkNetwork enabled equipmentWirelessshared resources

09 Glossary of Terms

10 Support Serviceservice levelsManaged services

11 ElectrosonicWorldwide locations

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The guide To CORPORATE audio-visual

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The integration of audio-visual facilities, such as video and graphics displays, audio and room control, into the working environment is of great relevance in today’s business world. Most of the important rules have not changed for many years. What has changed is that the rules of good presentation are now easier to obey, thanks to computer-based presentation methods. however, today’s omnipresence of smart phones, tablets and large screen Tv sets, has created new expectations in respect of system performance.

This guide reviews the needs of permanent av installations and describes how today’s technology can best meet them. The emphasis is on av in training rooms, marketing suites, boardrooms, offices and lobby displays. The starting point is that all av material is now delivered electronically, and facility planning can be done on the basis that images are displayed by electronic means. Note that this guide does NoT cover large auditoriums and performance spaces.

Effective, interactive audio-visual mediums on computers have led to a change in emphasis from formal pre-rehearsed presentations to participatory meetings, where everyone can easily contribute visual material. other advances in source and display technology mean that it is easier and cheaper than ever to utilize a variety of media to support the communication of business issues.

however, the use of av to enhance a meeting or presentation should be simple, and fit in with the user’s preferred method of working. an av system for slick formal presentations can be quite complex, but may be unsuitable for regular meetings. a properly designed and integrated av system can meet both requirements.

(Photos) Taqa Bratani was faced with a common problem when it moved into ready-built offices in Aberdeen, Scotland. It needed six meeting rooms which could be set up boardroom-style for groups of between eight and twenty people in a space which could also cope with larger groups of up to 150 for “Town Hall” meetings. This required a flexible AV system that could automatically adapt to the room layout in use.

The meeting room corridor, all partitions in place.

One of the meeting rooms.

The whole space opened up.

0 1 I n t r o d u c t I o n1.1 Scope

1.2 preSentationS and meetingS

This is where an experienced systems integrator can be a real help. such an organization will not work on the basis of “one size fits all”, but will use its experience to ensure the specific communication objectives are met. project management skills and close liaison with the client are considered as important as engineering ability. Systems are built and fully tested off-site in clean factory conditions. complete installations are supported by appropriate maintenance agreements that can range from simple “call out” to full-time site support.

The procurement of an av system is sometimes incorrectly treated as a commodity purchase, with little thought given to system design until the building, and even the interior fit-out, is complete. The performance of an AV system improves dramatically if it operates in harmony with its surroundings. Therefore it is best to seek the advice of an av systems integrator or consultant at the earliest stages of a project, well before the ground is broken or the

lease signed. in organizations where several presentation facilities are required, a good systems integrator will ensure compatibility between the installations, whether they are all on one site, or in several locations. Through careful design, the user interface of control systems can be given a unified look and feel across an organization; this ensures that users feel confident in their use of the technology in different locations.

A typical corporate AV system is not “off the shelf”. depending on its complexity, the complete build and installation process may take 8 – 16 weeks. an example schedule for a “new build” installation is shown here. Items above the time line are off-site activities, and those below are on-site. Before the process can start, there should be an extensive period of collaboration between the client, architects, interior designers and systems integrator, to achieve an agreed specification.

The progress of a typical corporate AV project.

1.3 SyStemS integration

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

orderplaced

projecTcoMpleTed

elapsed TiMe iN Weeks

Finalize detailed design.procurement of equipment. issue electrical requirements and facility impact drawings to other contractors.

Factory builds equipment racks. Manufacture custom panels, etc.

electrical contractor completes low voltage installation. First fix of mounting brackets, screen frames, outlet panels, etc.

installation and commissioning of system. programming of room control.

completion ofas-built drawings anduser manuals.

handover and user staff training.

Factory system test(may be witnessed by clientor representative).

Carpets fitted and rooms completely clean and dust free. all wet trades off site. All electrical and air conditioning installations complete and working.

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Any space used for shared activities – such as meetings, training and presentations – needs sufficient floor area to accommodate the maximum number of participants, and adequate ceiling height to allow the participants to view shared visual information. When it is known that a space will be used for one purpose only, it is best to optimize the room layout for that activity.

Room capacity depends both on the size of the room and the seating density. The figures below show minimum spacing for theater and classroom style seatings:

Theater style seating with minimum spacing. Classroom style seating with minimum spacing.

0 2 t h e S P A c e2.1 room capacity

Classroom Boardroom

A given space may be used in different ways, and the following four figures show how a typical space accommodates between 14 and 45 people depending on the seating arrangement. Note that the figures are not prescriptive. They show the probable need for two image surfaces being met by back projection. While this might be the best choice for a large room, users now have a choice that, besides back projection, includes front projection, front projection with ultra short throw lenses, and large lcd panels for direct viewing. The actual room capacity, which might be anything from three or four to a couple of hundred people, will to some extent influence the technology choice.

Theater Island

participants need an unobstructed view of the display. This means that the bottom of the display must be at a minimum height from the floor. For a seated audience with staggered seating, this is at least 1.2m (4ft) to avoid unacceptable head interference. If the “boardroom” seating arrangement is used, the bottom of the display can be lower. The legibility of the display depends on its size, and the critical dimension is the display height. The diagrams below are based on the low ceiling height often found in offices, and show that rooms for large groups, or rooms requiring a large amount of data to be displayed, must have higher ceilings. as general rules, viewers

should not be closer to the display than 2.5 times the image height, or further away than eight times the image height, although closer viewing distances apply to some interactive and collaborative applications.

special considerations apply when video conferencing is incorporated. here the aim is that perceived eye contact between locations is natural, so both the location of the camera(s) and vertical positioning of the screen must be planned accordingly. usually the screen will be lower, but on the other hand there will be comparatively few participants, possibly only one row.

Display must be high enough to avoid head interference. Maximum viewing distance is eight times the image height.

2.2 diSplay height

2.85m(9’6”)

15cm(6’)

1.5m(5’)

1.2m(4’)

90cm (3’)minimum90cm (3’)minimum 3.75m (12’6”)

Preferred minimum (2.5 x H)

Maximum (8 x H)

1.5m(5’)

Absolute minimum (2 x H)

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While modern display and projection systems offer even illumination over a wide viewing angle, it can be uncomfortable to view a display from an acute angle. so, viewers should be within ±30° of the centerline of a single display. Where dual displays are used, this must apply to both displays so the optimum viewing area is reduced.

Twin displays reduce the optimum viewing area.

2.3 Viewing angleS

an important decision is that of determining the arrangement of any common display. Training spaces are best served by a combination of a teaching surface (whiteboard or equivalent) and an electronic image display. in presentation and meeting spaces, there is an increasing need to show multiple images, such as a video conferencing image at the same time as a computer data image. if the display has a high resolution, it may be possible to combine the images on a single big screen, but only if the room is high enough or the “audience” is small. often it is necessary to install a twin display arrangement where the wider aspect ratio lends itself to a multi-image display.

Until recently, “small” images would be presented on flat screen monitors similar to large TV sets, and “large” images would use projection. however, recent developments, both in display technology and in working practices, have both introduced more options and made the choice more difficult. In particular:

• large lcd monitors up to, for example, 85-inch diagonal, are now available, meaning that for many moderate size rooms, flat screen displays can be used without the need to consider projection.

• in training and collaboration environments, there is a demand for “interactive” displays, using touch, stylus or a combination of both. in principle, it is possible to provide the facility with either projected images or flat screen displays. A further possibility is the use of gesture input.

This meeting room in LKAB’s Koskullskulle research center uses a 2×2 array of 55-inch LCDs with narrow borders to create a 2.42m × 1.4m (approx 8ft × 4ft 6in) image. This arrangement is fine for most material, but may not be suitable for the close examination of speadsheets.

2.4 diSplay arrangement

• interactive displays need to balance the requirements of the audience with the physical size of the person using the equipment; if the presenter cannot reach the top of the screen, interaction is by default ‘limited’.

The economics of the different approaches are changing all the time. The final choice may be affected by practical issues such as the fact that a projected interactive surface is less easily damaged than an lcd, or by functional issues, such as the display system being compatible with a required software application.

For this reason it is strongly recommended that no “interactive” display system be installed without consultation with the intended users.

Small rooms can use flat panel displays, but big rooms need to use projection to achieve a sufficiently large image. Today’s projectors are sufficiently bright that front projection gives reasonable results. The projectors are designed so that they can be installed on the room ceiling with their lens approximately level with the top of the screen. There is a wide choice of projection lenses, so the projector can be sited any reasonable distance from the screen.

Normally the projector is supported on a suitable bracket, and here it is most important that the ultimate anchorage is solid. vibration of any kind (people walking on the floor above for example) will spoil the image. Mounting projectors within the room is only practical for relatively small projectors, since the fan noise from large projectors is unacceptable. however, projector performance has improved to the extent that projectors giving up to 6000 lumens can still be suitable for in-room installation. The aim is that projector noise does not exceed 37dB.

a comparatively recent development is the introduction of ultra-short throw projection lenses that allow the projector to be sited right next to the screen. They are particularly suitable for interactive whiteboard applications, and in this case are integrated with the screen. Factors that have led to their widespread use are:

• The realization that an instructor using a conventional ceiling mounted projector who faces a class over prolonged periods could suffer eye damage from the optical radiation received by looking into the projection beam.

• That the arrangement eliminates the problem of the presenter casting a shadow on the screen.

• The projection installation is simplified.

if front projection is used, it is essential to aim for high contrast (see also sections 3.6 and 6.4). interactive whiteboards come as a packaged item, so all that can be done is to ensure that minimal ambient light falls on the screen. If installing a “proper” screen for a large image, then the choice of screen surface may be critical. an “ordinary” matte white screen may be adequate for a low light environment, but if there is significant ambient light, the result will be disappointing. New screen constructions are available that give good results even under quite high ambient light. Note that “high gain” screens have a narrow viewing angle, but if the rule shown in section 2.3 is followed, this should not be a problem.

2.5 Front projection

Ultra short throw projectors. Fixed installation (above) and on a mobile interactive whiteboard (below).

Photograph of a projection screen made up of three types of screen material under typical room lighting. The center strip is a conventional matte white screen. The top and bottom strips are respectively high gain and high contrast versions of screen material designed to reject ambient light. Photo courtesy of Paradign Audio Visual.

This is one of the largest projectors that is suitable for in-room installation. It can deliver 6000 lumens.

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A full size rack housed in a rear projection space.

Typical dimensions for a full height rack are

2090mm high, 600mm wide and 650mm or

800mm deep. Back access is often required and this may mean that the rack

must be on castors.

For meeting rooms requiring large images, better results are achieved using rear projection. The reasons are as follows:

• By using a high contrast rear projection screen, ambient light falling on the front surface is absorbed, so it does not “dilute” the image and it is easier to achieve the recommended contrast level for decision making.

• The user has more options in setting lighting conditions.

• it is easier to integrate the display into the room interior.

• There is no possibility of accidentally obstructing the projector beam.

• There is no perceptible mechanical noise from the projectors.

• There is more security for the equipment.

• if the system needs updating, it can be done “behind the scenes”.

The amount of space needed for rear projection is surprisingly small. a combination of short focal length lenses and mirror optics means that the space required is not much deeper than the screen height. combined mirror and projector mounting systems are available as pre-fabricated items. The mirrors are surface aluminized with a hard protective coating to avoid the double image that would appear with a conventional “bathroom” mirror.

Rear projection screens are available as either flexible material or as rigid screens. For permanent installations, only rigid screens should be considered since air pressure differences on either side of a flexible screen can cause image distortion; the rigid screen also confers sound insulation and security. The screens are available with either a glass or acrylic substrate; glass being the most durable and dimensionally stable.

If large screens are required, there may well be a problem in the delivery and installation of the screen, and a practical delivery route must be planned from the outset.

Typical “single bounce” mirror projection rig installed in a projection room. Photo courtesy of RP Visual Solutions.

Principle of rear projection using mirrors to save space.

2.6 rear projection

Installing a large glass rear projection screen is not a trivial task.

Mirror

Mirror

Mirror

The siting of supporting equipment will depend on the installation, but it is usually best to mount the source and control equipment in standard equipment racks (known as “nineteen inch” racks).

• in a single room installation, equipment is often placed in a “credenza”. This is a sideboard-like piece of furniture which, for this application, has a built-in framework to accept equipment in the 19-inch mounting format.

• in a single room installation using rear projection, a convenient place is the rear projection area. equipment can include ventilation fans, so siting all equipment here eliminates the problem of equipment noise.

• in an auditorium, the central equipment is sited in the projection room.

• in multi-room installations, there may be one or more “control” rooms supporting a number of meeting rooms. This can make more effective use of shared equipment, such as video servers and video conferencing codecs.

2.7 equipment Space

a frequently encountered problem is that of equipment ventilation. interior designers, especially those designing custom built credenza furniture, should seek advice from the systems integrator or consultant as to the likely thermal load and the best way of dealing with it.

Within the room space itself, the aim is to minimize the impact of equipment. Rear projection screens and flat panel displays are easily integrated into the room design, but if the latter are to be recessed into a wall, provision must be made for ventilation.

provided the ceiling void is deep enough, ceiling mounted projectors can be mounted on motorized lifts. These retract the projector when not needed, leaving an uncluttered ceiling. By working closely with the architect and facilities manager, the systems integrator can help ensure that other items that must be in the room space itself, such as microphones, loudspeakers, video conferencing cameras and control panels, are all either concealed or unobtrusive.

A compact rack suitable for locating in a meeting room.

This photograph shows a conventional ceiling mounted projector directed at a screen that provides good contrast even when there is some daylight and full lighting is on. The overhead pendant microphones, while visible, are unobtrusive and allow participants complete freedom of movement.

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Examples of Credenzas

With the exception of high light output projectors (>7000 lumens), av systems can work from standard electrical circuits. The important point is to make power available wherever it might be needed. The cost of extra sockets at initial installation is trivial, but adding them later is not. points to remember:

• power must be available wherever a computer may be used, including access points in tables.

• The power needed by the central equipment rack must be agreed with the systems integrator.

• always install twin socket outlets, even for single devices like projectors. The other outlet is often needed for service or unexpected system configurations.

current practice in the engineering of av systems is to design for minimum power usage. This means using the control system to switch equipment off when it is not needed. Where it is necessary for equipment to remain on, equipment is selected that uses negligible power when it is in its “stand-by” or “sleep” mode. Considerable advances have been made in reducing stand-by demand in items like displays and amplifiers.

a recent development has been the introduction of both “Power over Ethernet” (PoE) and “HDBaseT” (See glossary). Both these arrangements allow for a limited

The Axis M11 camera is an example of a product using PoE, therefore not needing a separate mains power supply. Photo courtesy of Axis Communications AB.

2.8 power

amount of power to be delivered over standard caT-X cables, while the cable also carries its network traffic. For example, a wireless laN access point can be installed without a mains power connection, or a small display can use hd BaseT for both power and signal delivery. however, both cases assume that the source devices (respectively network switch or network video source) are appropriately equipped.

0 3 t h e I M A G e

electronic images are created in several ways. direct view displays can be light emitting, where the display itself creates light, or light modulating, where the light from a light source is controlled by some form of shutter. light modulating displays can be transmissive, where a separate light source is behind the modulator, or reflective, where ambient light is the light source. projected images are achieved using a concentrated source of light directed at a compact light modulator (either transmissive or reflective) and sending the wanted light through a lens system to magnify the image to the required size.

A 70-inch interactive LCD installed in a small conference room at the Scottish Government Media Briefing Centre. The furniture beneath it is a shallow credenza housing local source equipment.

3.1 creation

Reflective direct view displays are the basis of many “reader” products, and may well be owned by individual corporate users, but are not generally relevant to corporate av.

There has been incredible progress in displays since the turn of the century, and many technology limitations have been overcome. The current relevant technologies are reviewed here.

The LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) in its transmissive version is the dominant technology, and is expected to remain so until the end of the decade. liquid crystal pixels modulate the light by changing its polarization. The illumination for lcds has been from ccFl (cold cathode Fluorescent lamp) but this is being superseded by led (light emitting diode) illumination. unfortunately and confusingly, the consumer Tv market is promoting its recent offerings as “LED TVs” when in fact it is only the illumination that is led, and the display itself is lcd.

3.2 direct View diSplayS

The PDP (Plasma Display Panel) is an emissive display where light is emitted by phosphors stimulated by uv radiation created by a gas plasma. in the 1990s, it was expected to be the dominant technology for large displays since it was not expected that lcds could be economically made as big, or that they could give acceptable performance on “movie” images. In appropriate configurations, PDP is generally acknowledged to provide a superior image for “movie” and sports content; however this only becomes apparent under the correct viewing conditions, especially in respect of ambient light. early pdps were known for “burn in” where any still image, like a logo, maintained for a long time would be seen as a shadow image. correctly used, modern PDPs do not suffer significantly from this problem.

A 103-inch PDP installed in an orientation space at Kaiser Permanente in Washington, DC.

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The LED (Light Emitting Diode) Display is an emissive display where the pixels of the image are made from individual leds. The led itself is a semiconductor device, similar to a transistor, which emits light when current is passed through it. currently, led displays are of low resolution but of high brightness, and are used for large public displays. Because of their modular construction, they can be built to any required size, and they can be sufficiently bright to work outdoors in sunlight. They are expensive, especially in higher resolution versions. Theoretically it would be possible to make large (say 80- or 90-inch) Tv-sized led displays, and these have been demonstrated, but it is expected that this market sector will be better served by oled.

The OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) Display uses a different kind of LED. Unlike conventional LEDs which use inorganic elements like gallium, aluminum and arsenic, the oled uses organic (carbon chemistry) compounds. oleds are suitable as the basis of high resolution displays made by mass production methods. The aMoled (active Matrix oled) display is emerging as a strong rival to lcd because it has the potential to deliver much higher contrast, better motion rendering, better color and lower power consumption. already well-established in the handheld and small tablet market, it is now entering the premium Tv market. an added attraction here is that the displays are incredibly thin.

An easily overlooked point about the installation of flat panel displays is the need for a robust mounting arrangement that is both secure and permits safe and easy exchange of the panel.

Note that some displays weigh 100kg or more, and that the wall must be suitable for supporting this weight. In the case of displays that are 80-inch and above, it may be necessary to plan an “installation access route” to get the display to its required location.

The Comcast headquarters lobby in Philadelphia features a giant mural using 4mm pitch LED. Display designed by David Niles.

OLED TV displays were first publicly shown in early 2012.

Representative characteristics of commonly installed flat panel displays. The larger sizes of LCD are becoming available in 3840 × 2160 resolution. High brightness versions (1000 – 2000 Cd/m2) are made for the signage market, but are not relevant for normal corporate installations. The 152-inch PDP is included for completeness but cannot be called “common”!

NOmINAL sIzE

ImAgE sIzEW × H mm

DImENsIONsW × H × D mM WEIgHT POWER REsOLuTION LumINANCE

TyPICAL mAX

42-inch lcd 927 × 520 1003×628×50 12.5kg <155W 1920 × 1080 300 cd/m2

50-inch pdp 1105 × 622 1204×724×97 46kg <390W 1366 × 768 1200 cd/m2

52-inch lcd 1152 × 648 1208×698×100 28kg <240W 1920 × 1080 500 cd/m2

60-inch lcd 1328 × 748 1407×817×90 38kg <170W 1920 × 1080 450 cd/m2

70-inch lcd 1538 × 865 1615×947×100 50kg <240W 1920 × 1080 450 cd/m2

80-inch lcd 1772 × 997 1868×1094×122 79kg <270W 1920 × 1080 450 cd/m2

85-inch pdp 1889 × 1062 2015×1195×100 117kg <1100W 1920 × 1080 250 cd/m2

103-inch pdp 2269 × 1276 2412×1419×130 201kg <1450W 1920 × 1080 250 cd/m2

152-inch pdp 3416 × 1800 3600×1980×150 577kg <3700W 4096 × 2160 200 cd/m2

Currently, three different technologies are used in mainstream projectors:

LCD is the most widely used technology and here, projectors are based on transmissive lcd. projectors suitable for corporate use have three such displays, one each for red, green and blue. leading manufacturers promote this arrangement as “3LCD”. Such projectors give good performance for moderate duty applications. Early versions suffered from short panel life, but this has been greatly improved by the introduction of inorganic alignment layers within the lcd.

LCOs (Liquid Crystal On silicon) is a reflective technology that uses the liquid crystal polarization control technique in a reflective mode. This has the advantage that the modulator does not have to absorb the energy represented by the unwanted light. Three lcos displays, red, green and blue, are used. The technology is noted for its high contrast performance, and for its high resolution.

Example of a “3LCD” projector intended for the business market. This one has XGA resolution, 3600 – 4500 Lumen luminous flux and both digital and analog inputs. Dimensions are 470 x 381 x 135 mm and it weighs 6.7kg.

An example of a projector with true “4K” resolution and exceptionally high contrast based on LCOS technology. Intended for high end home theater and similar applications.

3.3 projection

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DLP™ (Digital Light Processing) is a reflective technology developed by Texas instruments. it is based on the digital Micromirror device (dMd) which has a minute moving mirror for each pixel. The mirrors reflect wanted light through the projection lens, but deflect unwanted light. premium projectors use three dMds, while standard projectors use a single dMd which works fast enough to present the red, green and blue images sequentially. such “single chip” projectors are usually based on a rotating color wheel, but many are now available with sequential laser or led illumination which eliminates the color wheel. dlp is the leading professional technology because it permits the construction of high brightness projectors on the one hand, and very compact projectors on the other. in suitably designed projectors, it can provide 24/7 operation.

projector illumination is traditionally by lamps. The highest quality and brightest projectors use xenon arc lamps, while mainstream projectors use high pressure mercury UHP™ lamps, which are more efficient and have a longer life. There is a move to replace lamps with led, laser or hybrid light sources. These are gaining an increased market share.

leds give good color and contrast, and are used in products like home theater projectors and videowall “cubes”, but they are inefficient. Commodity projectors use lasers or a hybrid solution. Typically efficient blue lasers are used with phosphor conversion to green and a better blue. red may be produced either by phosphor conversion or by separate leds.

For high brightness systems (e.g. cinema), direct laser light sources will eventually give the best results, but adoption will be slow until costs come down.

DLP technology is used in small projectors like this example, which is only 105mm x 104mm x 37mm and weighs 360g, yet has WXGA resolution and a light output of 300 lumens from LED illumination.

DLP technology is also the basis of the biggest and brightest projectors. This example has 4K resolution and a light output in excess of 30,000 lumens.

Examples of DLP projectors using new illumination technology. The one on the left is targeted at the education market, and uses laser with phosphor conversion. The one on the right uses a combination of laser and LED, and also features the recently introduced HDBaseT digital input connection.

The spatial resolution of electronic displays is determined by the number of pixels (picture elements) in the display, usually described horizontal by vertical, such as 800 x 600. a high pixel count is needed so that:

• at the required viewing distance, the viewer cannot see the pixel structure.

• The display can show the image at the required detail. For example, a map display needs much finer detail than a frame of moving video.

There is no advantage in having a display of greater resolution than the source image, other than to meet the first requirement. In the digital domain, the number of data bits allocated to each pixel determines the ability of the display to show shades of gray and color. For example, if eight bits are allocated to each of red, green and blue (24 bits in all), then for each of the primary colors it is possible to display 256 different shades, including zero or black.

The table at the right shows some of the common resolutions used for electronic images. Notice there are three “families” of images, one based on TV or “video” images, one on “computer” images and one on “cinema” images. One of the earliest “standard” computer display resolutions was vga (video graphics array) which itself was essentially a progressive scan version of the NTsc television standard. as computer power increased, vga proved inadequate, and increasingly higher resolutions have been introduced over the years, such as Xga (eXtended graphics array).

The table to the right is representative; resolutions of portable displays may be lower than those listed. Many displays are capable of accepting multiple resolutions, which are electronically scaled to the display’s ‘native’ resolution. external image processors can perform the scaling role more comprehensively.

Table of some standard electronic image resolutions. S=Super, U=Ultra, W=Wide, Q=Quad

NAmE PIxEL ARRAy

ImAgE AsPECT RATIO

sd video pal 720 × 576 4:3 (1.333:1)

sd video NTsc 720 × 480 4:3 (1.333:1)

hd video 720 (hd) 1280 × 720 16:9 (1.778:1)

hd video 1080 (Fhd) 1920 × 1080 16:9 (1.778:1)

WFhd 2560 × 1080 21:9 (2.37:1)

QFhd (4k uhdTv) 3840 × 2160 16:9 (1.778:1)

super hivision (8k uhdTv) 7680 × 4320 16:9 (1.778:1)

vga 640 × 480 4:3 (1.333:1)

svga 800 × 600 4:3 (1.333:1)

Xga 1024 × 768 4:3 (1.333:1)

WXga (non standard)

1280 × 7681280 × 8001360 × 768

15:9 (1.666:1)16:10 (1.6:1)

16:9 (1.778:1)

sXga+ 1400 × 1050 4:3 (1.333:1)

uXga 1600 × 1200 4:3 (1.333:1)

WuXga 1920 × 1200 16:10 (1.6:1)

QXga 2048 × 1536 4:3 (1.333:1)

WQXga 2560 × 1600 16:10 (1.6:1)

2k digital cinema 2048 × 1080 1.85:1 & 2.39:1

4k digital cinema 4096 × 2160 1.85:1 & 2.39:1

3.4 diSplay reSolution

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3.5 image aSpect ratio

The aspect ratio of an image is expressed as a whole number ratio, or decimal ratio, for example 4:3 or 1.333:1. it gives the ratio of the image width to image height, and the resolution table shows the aspect ratio for the different formats. The reasons why there are so many variations are a combination of the historical and the practical.

The 4:3 ratio is that of standard definition TV and roughly that of “academy ratio” cinema. The 16:9 ratio is the high definition TV ratio, which is in practice, also acceptable for showing normal movies (which should be 1.85:1). The 16:10 ratio emerged as a computer display format in the Xga family, especially in laptop computers. The 21:9

A concept image from projectiondesign showing how a single F35 Panorama projector with 21:9 aspect ratio can be used to project two side-by-side images.

F35 Panorama projector

ratio is approximately the widescreen movie aspect ratio, and is emerging as WFhd in consumer home theater displays. however, it is also possible to use this format as a “collaboration format” since it can show the equivalent of two high resolution images side by side.

The professional av market is small compared to the consumer Tv market, so for large displays it must be accepted that the best value products are likely to have 16:9 aspect ratio. in practice this is suitable for most applications, even if the original image must be resized to fit (or occupy only part of the display). The need to present images in 4:3 and 16:10 is now best met by projection.

our perception of brightness is both subjective and highly dependent on the environment. The word has, unfortunately, been hijacked by projector manufacturers to describe the light output of their projectors in lumens, but lumens alone cannot tell you how bright an image will appear. More correctly, manufacturers of flat panel displays use the term in respect of their displays’ Luminance.

luminance is measured in candelas per square meter (cd/m2) or Nit. The table shows some examples of display luminance compared to that of some other sources of light. The luminance of flat panel displays is given as part of their specification; but the luminance of projection screens has to be calculated from a knowledge of the screen size, the nature of the screen surface and the projector light output in lumens.

Examples of Luminance

DIsPLAy OR LIgHT sOuRCE LumINANCE IN CD/m2 OR NIT

daytime sky, typical 2000 - 8000

Surface of fluorescent lamp 8000

Calibrated white on a cinema screen (Digital Cinema Specification) 48

lcd computer monitor 70 - 200

lcd video monitor or Tv set 300 - 500

premium pdp monitor or Tv 250 - 350

signage pdp and lcd monitors 450 - 1000

2m × 1.5m (80in × 60in) rear projection diffuser screen with 4000 lumen projector 400

4m × 2.5m (13ft × 8ft) matte white front projection screen with 4000 lumen projector 110

LED “indoor” display 1000

LED “outdoor” display 5000

it is important that display luminance matches the surroundings. The advent of new display technologies has meant that, whereas in the past the problem was getting bright enough displays, today the problem can be that displays are too bright, especially when people are working in the same room for a large part of a day. as an example, in a normally lit meeting room, the aim should be that the brightness of the display should be similar to, and not more than double, that of white sheet of paper in front of a participant. An office meeting room might be lit to 500 lux (lumens per square meter) at the table surface, which would result in the white paper having a luminance of around 180 cd/m2. The display should have an initial luminance in the range 200 – 400 cd/m2.

Note that in the usa it is still common practice to use the “old” Imperial units for photometric measurement, and this includes the film industry. Here illuminance is measured in Foot candles (lumens per square foot) and luminance is measured in Foot lamberts (1/π candelas per square foot). The conversion factors are:

10.76 Ft candles = one lux0.2919 Ft lamberts = one cd/m2

3.6 diSplay BrightneSS

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displays appear to be brighter when they exhibit good contrast, but the contrast performance of the display device itself is not the only factor. What matters is “system contrast” which takes into account the effect of ambient light. in the dark, a cinema projection system can have a contrast ratio of 1000:1, but achieved contrast ratios in the presence of ambient light, as is the case in corporate applications, are much lower – as little as 10:1 or even worse.

The table shows examples of recommended minimum system contrast for different applications. The cinema figures are derived from the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiative) recommendations, and the rest from the new standard from aNsi/iNFocoMM (document 3M-2011).

document 3M-2011 is valuable because it not only recommends display system contrast for different activities, but also defines the procedures for checking that a system meets a specified performance. It is expected that corporate facilities will be specified to meet one of the minimum system contrast ratios, and that systems integrators will have to demonstrate compliance as part of the system acceptance procedure.

A videowall can be defined in many ways, but starts with the idea that users want to achieve a large image from a display that can operate in relatively high levels of ambient light, and be much bigger than a standard display, such as a 60-inch lcd. The videowall may be required to show just one large image or show multiple images.

until recently this would have been considered a specialist subject outside the scope of this document; however, the real cost of such displays has come down so much that they are finding wide application in corporate lobbies, marketing suites and similar locations.

A “traditional” use for videowalls is in control rooms. These include network operations centers, security control rooms, utility and transport control rooms. The need here, at one extreme, may be to monitor many closed circuit

Examples of display system contrast.

NATuRE Of vIEWINgmINImum sysTEm

CONTRAsT

informational (e.g. wayfinding, schedules) 7:1

Basic decision making (e.g. meeting room) 15:1

critical decision making (e.g control room, board room) 50:1

Full motion video (e.g. home theater, professional presentation)

80:1

digital cinema, inter-frame contrast 1200:1

digital cinema, intra-frame contrast 100:1

television (ccTv) images, and at the other end, involve complex high resolution graphics with superimposed live data coming from scada (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems. often a combination of both facilities is required. The needs of control rooms, especially those operating “24/7”, are complex, and specialist advice should be sought before making technology decisions.

Big video displays in corporate lobbies and similar places can really animate the space, and allow many creative possibilities. here the technology choice will be much more dependent on design considerations, and the choice will be made on the basis of the final “look” of the display. In principle, “videowalls” can be achieved in many ways; here are some of the possibilities:

3.7 diSplay contraSt

3.8 VideowallS

LCD displays are by far the most popular way of achieving videowalls. Special “narrow bezel” LCDs, which result in a “mullion” between images of 7mm or less, are available and are widely used in digital signage applications. despite claims of 24/7 suitability, many professionals advise against using lcds on a 24/7 basis, recommending a regime of around 20 hours on four hours off. For most corporate applications, this is unlikely to present a problem.

A demonstration by Sharp showing how its narrow bezel LCDs can create unusual videowall formats.

DLP rear projected displays are available with very narrow mullions and are suitable for 24/7 operation. The displays are referred to as “cubes”, but are surprisingly shallow. They are the favored choice for high end control rooms which must be “pixel perfect” with no missing pixels and must run for many years. Modern cubes use led illumination which helps minimize maintenance costs.

Control rooms may show both live video and high resolution data images, and must operate 24/7. DLP cubes are the preferred videowall technology.

LED allows the creation of displays of any shape and size. however when it comes to high resolution required for internal spaces, it is very expensive. Not suitable for close viewing.

The Pixel Depot is a showroom where designers can evaluate different formats of LED displays.

PDP displays can be used, but are really only suitable for moving images. There is only one manufacturer of “narrow bezel” PDPs.

The only source of narrow bezel PDPs is Orion.

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DLP cubes are normally quite large (typically 50-, 60- or 70-inch diagonal). however, two manufacturers have introduced “mini” DLP displays that open up new creative opportunities. Christie’s “MicroTiles” were first on the market but were rapidly joined by Eyevis’ “Omnishapes” which are not restricted to a rectangular format.

LPD (Laser Phosphor Display) is a relative newcomer and is at present only available from one manufacturer. physically it is similar to the dlp cube construction, but of much lower resolution. it uses scanned ultra-violet laser beams to excite phosphors which have a color performance similar to the cathode ray tube (crT). one of its main claims is its low power consumption. lpd is not suitable for close viewing.

When a videowall is used for functional reasons, such as in a control room, the image sources will already be defined and will in turn determine what kind of routing, processing and programming equipment is needed. such equipment will represent a significant proportion of the overall investment.

When a videowall is used for signage or decor purposes, the support equipment required will depend very much on the nature of the images to be shown. The LCD panels supplied for this application may well include internal processing to “split” an incoming image across all the panels in the display, so at its simplest, an installation might consist only of the wall itself and a suitable digital signage player. however, prestige installations are likely to require much more sophisticated source equipment to allow multiple image presentation at the highest practicable resolution. here the equipment required can only be specified when there is a full understanding of how the content is going to be produced, and just as important, how it is going to be refreshed. There have been cases where users have installed elaborate displays with no thought as to how to keep the program content up-to-date.

3d or, more correctly, stereoscopic displays have, at present, limited application in the corporate field. A notable exception is the oil industry, but here the actual end users are experienced in the technique and may well be the best qualified to determine how their needs should be met.

However, in the education field, 3D presentation is heavily promoted for its benefits. The Texas Instruments website www.dlp.com has many case studies claiming the improvement in comprehension gained by the use of 3d. it is therefore quite possible that the training departments of some businesses may require a 3d presentation facility.

any 3d system requires two separate images to be presented, one for each eye. it also requires a means by which each eye only sees the image intended for it. There are many methods of doing this, but there is not space here to review them all. The most common method, used widely in the education field, will suffice.

This depends on the use of “active shutter glasses” working with a projector that is able to present the left and right eye images alternately. Typically each image is presented 60 times a second, and the liquid crystal shutter glasses, controlled by an infra-red or radio signal, open and close in sync as required. Many projectors using dlp™ technology are equipped with the “DLP-Link” feature which allows them to be used for both conventional 2d and 3d presentations.

While projection is the simplest method of achieving 3d, it is also possible to obtain flat panel displays which work fast enough to present the alternating images.

Probably the most widely used shutter glasses are those from XpanD.

Demonstration of flat panel 3D using active shutter glasses.

3.9 3d diSplayS

A Mitsubishi DLP™ projector, typical of many models fitted with the DLP-Link facility.

(Top) The University of Salford uses Christie MicroTiles to explore new display formats. (Bottom) Eyevis Omnishapes allow the creation of unusual display designs.

The Prysm LPD can create large images. Thirty modules are needed to show one WUXGA image.

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digital signage is usually associated with so-called “Digital Out Of Home Advertising”, largely represented by displays in shopping malls and transport hubs. however, there are some relevant examples in the corporate world, mainly concerned with event and wayfinding information.

For example, room booking systems (see section 8.2) may well have a facility to run a small display outside each meeting room that shows the current and forthcoming meeting details. “Public” areas within offices such as break-out areas and restaurant areas may have display screens showing forthcoming corporate events, current media releases, or simply a 24-hour news feed.

all these systems are in principle easy to incorporate, but do require consistent design and proper system engineering. in particular:

• display sizes and appearance need agreement between the interior designer and systems integrator to ensure they can present the needed information at the intended viewing distance.

• Normally, all such displays will need one or two network connections and a power connection. small displays can now run using “Power Over Ethernet” so may be able to dispense with the power connection.

• The location of any central equipment must be agreed, and also the operating regime of the displays, especially in respect of power control, must be determined.

• as with lobby displays, the responsibility for providing and updating content must be clearly defined.

In busy multi-room meeting areas, it can be helpful to have exterior signage showing the current and forthcoming room occupancy.

3.10 digital Signage

Breakout areas in corporate offices are now often equipped with displays that provide both company information and general news.

0 4 t h e S o u r c e

all displays need a source and most require several. Traditionally, image sources have provided an analog output where the electrical signal is a continuous variable voltage corresponding to the image intensity. This was the case even if the original image itself was created digitally; that is to say that each pixel intensity value is stored as a number.

currently, the industry is going through the “analog sunset” where, just as in broadcast TV, all images are to be distributed digitally. This is done in various ways. The broadcast industry developed a number of digital video standards where the digital (numeric) data is transmitted continuously in a format unique to the standard concerned.

However, in the broader field of data transmission, it has long been the case that better results are obtained by transmitting data in “packets”. This technique is better for error correction, and allows “mixed traffic” to travel on the same data highway. it is fundamental to the success of ethernet local area Networks and the internet.

Electronic images require a huge amount of data; every pixel in the image may need 24 bits of data and, if for example, the images are being presented at 60 frames per second, the required data rate or bandwidth runs in to gigabits per second. The digital nature of the image signal allows it to be processed by a mathematical means called compression. so for example, the dvd uses Mpeg compression to store a full length movie on a single disc.

Within an av system, it will usually be the case that any image source will produce an uncompressed output which is fed to the display. any decoding of the compressed signal is done in the source device itself (like a Blu-ray player, set-top box or video conferencing system).

it is still convenient to divide electronic images into video images of the kind seen on television, and computer images which are primarily data and graphics images. The arrival of digital video has meant that, in principle, it is now easy to cater for high definition (HD) video, especially in respect of specially commissioned content.

The table shows the data rates needed by various digital images. Ethernet typically offers 100Mb/s or 1Gb/s, but in reality much less. So the only practical method to transmit images over networks is to compress them. Amazingly it is possible to compress an HD video image by a factor of 1000, requiring only 1 – 2 Mb/s.

sIgNAL fORmAT PIxELs PER ROW ROWs COLOR bITs

fRAmEs / sECOND

gIgAbITs / sECOND

sd video 720 486 24 30 0.25

720p hd video 1280 720 24 60 1.33

1080i hd video 1920 1080 24 30 1.49

svga 800 600 24 60 0.69

Xga 1024 768 24 60 1.13

sXga 1280 1024 24 60 1.89

sXga+ 1400 1050 24 60 2.12

uXga 1600 1200 24 60 2.76

1920x1080 1920 1080 24 60 2.99

WuXga 1920 1200 24 60 3.32

4.1 Source typeS

DvD Disc Player The dvd became the preferred means of storing portable programs; however, its use in the corporate sphere has declined.

blu-Ray Disc Player The dvd is restricted to standard definition (SD) images. By using blue laser diodes, the Blu-ray player uses discs storing much more information, making it suitable for high definition (HD) video.

video sources likely to be needed include:

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In the corporate world, the “physical media” methods of distributing content requiring discs or tapes are giving way almost completely to digital content derived from:

It should be understood that at the time of writing (2013), many installations are “hybrid” in that they still include some analog video signal paths. In the “sunset” analogy, the sun has not yet dropped below the horizon.

Off Air (requires a digital Tv tuner) corporate facilities may need to see current Tv programs, including world news, financial news and sports.

Cable/satellite (requires one or more set-top boxes) These may be in addition to or instead of the Off Air facility. can provide hd programming.

video server users with a lot of video material now store it in the form of video files on a computer. A video server is a computer device specially configured for the playing of video programs, and can be considered another source. particularly suitable for internal video programs e.g. corporate, training and special events and hd material.

Digital video Player A “catch all” description for the many devices now available to play digital video content. Most relevant is the “network” enabled box which can play out content streamed over a network, or store content which itself has been downloaded over a network. players

developed for the “digital signage” market are good value. Some permit the use of USB “memory sticks” to be used as the source of the content. available in hd versions.

Digital video Recorder a variant of the above that is configured more like a consumer video recorder, able to record and play back video content and with conventional controls.

LAN Tv a further elaboration of the network enabled box above. clearly in addition to the streaming playback box itself, there is a need for central source equipment that originates or acquires the content and formats it for network distribution.

Tablets in corporate installations, the use of tablet computers (most often ipad®) as sources is becoming more common using a docking station or Wi-Fi for connection.

(Left) The Cabletime “LAN-Caster” is a device which has a direct terrestrial or satellite digital TV input. It can then transfer the programs onto a LAN, thus providing a “LAN-TV” service.

(Above) The Cabletime Mediastar Evolution can decode MPEG and H264 compressed digital video streams. It is an “IP-TV” receiver.

video conferencing provides an output just like any other standard video source. video conferencing systems use codecs (encoder-decoders) to connect to the outside world, and require one or more remote controlled video cameras to be installed in the meeting space. standard video conferencing equipment delivers standard definition (SD) images, but where large (so called “life size”) images are required, it is best to use high definition (HD) images.

in the corporate world, video conferencing has become very important, and for some rooms it will be the prime source. it is therefore vital that the room is equipped with displays and cameras which are optimized to the room layout and function.

although video conferencing can be achieved using a single image, the need to collaborate with documents, and/or hold a conference with more than one “far end”, means it is desirable to display more than one image simultaneously. This is achieved either by displaying more than one image on a single screen, or by using two or more screens. A popular and efficient layout is to have two screens side by side, and to display “far end” on one whilst looking at documents on the other.

camera positions are vital. a main camera should be mounted so when members of an audience view the screen(s), they appear to be looking into the camera. cameras should be placed at seated eye height, or slightly below, and be able to pan and tilt to view the whole

Many companies use video conferencing on a daily basis for small group communication. In this example, the camera is directly under the display screen.

A two screen arrangement is common. Here one image is a “far end” and the other is shared graphic information. Photo courtesy of Polycom.

4.2 Video conFerencing and camera SyStemS

audience. A large or “wide” audience may require the use of multiple cameras.

The decision to use video conferencing brings with it the problem of how to connect to the outside world. For some users, a good broadband internet connection may be sufficient, but many, particularly international, users may also need access to the ordinary telephone (psTN) network. This in turn introduces some system management problems (see section 10.2). security is an important aspect which needs to be considered as it can become the reason why many conference calls fail.

Modern professional video conference systems use the owners’ internal network (or a segregated portion of it) to transmit images and documents to the far end if that is within their firewall, although some administration may still be necessary to secure the conference and the documents. allowing access to an external connection outside the owners’ network can potentially expose the internal network to others, and this would not be acceptable.

video conferencing infrastructure equipment is therefore used either to provide “gateways”, which convert IP signals to connect far end sites using isdN, or to provide “gatekeepers” and similar devices; these permit selected external sites to be registered and then allowed to connect to the owners’ network securely and without risk.

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An extreme example of telepresence. This is the Polycom® RealPresence® system. It is scaleable and uses either two or four contiguous displays to cope with a range of from four to 28 participants. Image courtesy of Polycom.

Visualizers can be either table top or ceiling mounted. In both cases there is a clear indication of the image area that will be picked up by the camera. Photos from Wolf Vision.

Telepresence In the corporate world, telepresence can be considered a “high end” version of videoconferencing. Here, efforts are made to make users really feel that they are all in the same space. This means the use of large high definition images, and great attention to room furnishing, decor and lighting. it is usually applied to groups of people, such as a board of directors. it requires considerable bandwidth to be convincing. (Note that cisco Telepresence ® is a trademark of cisco).

Document Camera or “visualizer” For video conferencing, there may be a need to be able to show paper documents and other printed material. The required set-up is a high resolution camera on a simple stand with built-in illumination. cameras with only sd video resolution are not suitable for this application.

visualizers can also show solid objects. More sophisticated visualizer systems use a ceiling mounted camera and a projected light area on which the user places the object or document. 3d visualizers are also now available.

The Strategic Health Operations Centre (SHOC) in Brazzaville, Congo. In an emergency, this room can communicate with several remote sites simultaneously. The display can show both data and “far end” images. Notice the two cameras sited at seated head height on either side of the display.

ip video conference networks are complex designs which need to be thought out carefully; issues that must be addressed include:

• The network; there may be unexpected “bottlenecks” which must be circumvented.

• Taking into account the likely increased use of video conferencing over time. Will the system allow more rooms to be added without network congestion?

• allowing the system to interface with related software packages, such as room booking systems.

• Compliance; some users may be obliged to record some or all calls. This requires the network to have a bridge to a suitable recording device.

• Providing for multi-site calls; multi-site conferences need the support of an Mcu (Multipoint control unit) to work.

corporate users often require multi-site video conferences that combine multiple “proper” video conferencing systems with less formal methods, such as desktop video

conferencing, and in principle, this is possible. There are tools which can be incorporated into video conference network design, which allow connection of public systems to private networks, such as connecting skype® users to a professional network.

consideration of who to connect to, and a method for doing so, is important to maintain quality and to ensure calls are successful. There are standards which should be met and maintained (defined as “QoS” or Quality of service) to ensure this for both video and audio.

For a successful video conference, the audio element must be considered seriously. The issues involved are covered in section 5.

it is also vital that users are taught good practice and “video conference manners”. For example, the single most widespread cause of audio problems within conferences is when participants use handheld devices, such as mobile phones, to connect. They must mute their device until called upon to speak.

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These are all briefly described in the glossary, but their significance is, for example, that unless full account is taken of such things as hdcp, the system will either have glitches or delays when sources are changed, or may simply not work at all. With new standards of transmission, such as those used in displayport, the theoretical resolutions available are in some cases beyond the capabilities of large displays and projectors, and also beyond the switching capabilities of quite modern systems. hdcp (which is mandatory for some content) encrypts the signal, and as a result, it may not be passed through switchers. care has to be taken to manage user expectations!

Back and front views of a typical source switcher for a small system. This one caters for a mixture of analog and digital inputs. It uses EDID to ensure its output is compatible with the display, and its digital connections are HDCP compliant. Its output to the display uses the “extender” principle (see Section 7.2). Photo from Extron.

all installations need to accept computer sources. This is where a full understanding is needed of how the space is to be used. For presentation spaces, there may be a need for a permanently installed computer and for a facility to “plug in” a “visiting” computer or tablet (a facility now popularly referred to as “Bring Your Own Device” or BYOD). For meeting spaces, there will be a need for multiple inputs so several participants can access the display.

Note that it is important that the display system should be able to accept electronic images of all resolutions that can come from standard computers. provided it has good image resizing, it is not necessary that the display system has the same resolution as the source, although if its

Some projectors and large flat panel displays accept multiple inputs, and a remote controller can be used to select the required input. This may be suitable for a small system, but more usually there will be a source switcher mounted in the rack carrying the source equipment.

The digital world is bringing many benefits, but it is also bringing a number of complications which, once a system is working properly, are invisible to the user, but which can cause difficulty at the system commissioning stage.

until quite recently it was convenient to present most image signals in an analog format. For example, all computers and laptops had the ubiquitous “VGA 15 pin” connector, and hd video and high resolution computer images were distributed using separate coaxial cables for red, green, blue and sync. however new computers no longer have vga connectors, and video players and display devices are moving towards having digital-only connectivity.

The digital connections not only carry the picture information, but they also carry a lot of other information about the display capability and the nature of the content, and may also carry the associated audio. Many new acronyms have emerged and the systems integrator now has to wrestle with such mysteries as DvI, EDID, HDmI, HDCP, HDbaseT, HDsDI, Displayport, Thunderbolt, and others.

4.3 computer SourceS

4.4 Selecting the Source

resolution is significantly lower than that of the source, some content may not be useable.

connections to the corporate network will be needed for access to network-resident files and the Internet. Because the security ramifications of this have to be considered, it is essential that those responsible for the user’s iT systems are fully involved in the final system specification.

While in the analog world the connection of computers to display devices has been comparatively simple, the latest generation of computer and consumer products is using new methods of digital connectivity which have thrown up a number of practical problems.

in designing this part of the system, the systems integrator will take account of:

• The nature and number of the image signals. • cable lengths and cable types. • The special needs of twin or multiple screen displays.

The task is not trivial, as the table of common signal connection methods makes clear.

Common image signal connection methods. A=Analog, D= Digital.

NAmE AorD CONNECTION mAxImum REsOLuTION

composite videoa

single coaxial cable with BNc or rca connectors.

525 or 625 line interlaced video @ 25 – 30 hz

s-video or Y/c (separate color and luminance information) a

Two coaxial cables with BNc connectors, or single s-video 4 pin connector.

525 or 625 line interlaced video @ 25 – 30 hz

component or Y, pb, pr (Two separate color components and luminance)

aThree coaxial cables with BNc or rca connectors.

hdTv 720p or 1080i @ 60hzp = progressive scani = interlace scan

rgB (separate red, green and Blue signals; may have a sync signal combined with green, or have two extra horizontal and vertical sync signals -rgBhv)

a

Three or five coaxial cables with BNC connectors; or multicore cable with vga 15 pin d connector.

a four cable arrangement with combined sync is also used -rgBs.

1920 × 1200 @ 60hz

sdi (serial digital interface)d

single coaxial cable with BNc connector.

sd video (interlaced)

hd-sdi(High Definition SDI)

dsingle coaxial cable with BNc connector.

hdTv 720p or 1080i @ 60hzhdTv 1080p @ 30hz

3g-sdi(Three gigabit sdi)

dsingle coaxial cable with BNc connector.

hdTv 1080p @ 60hz

dvi (digital visual interface)d

Four twisted cable pairs in common sheath. dedicated dvi connector.

1920 × 1200 @ 60hz2048 × 1080 @ 60hz

dual link dvid

The dvi connector can handle two dvi streams, increasing the overall bandwidth.

2560 × 1600 @ 60hz

HDMI (High Definition Multimedia interface) d

Multiple twisted pairs in common sheath. dedicated hdMi connector. can also carry audio.

2560 × 1600 @ 60hz4096 × 2160 @ 24hz

displayport

d

Multiple twisted pairs in common sheath. dedicated displayport connector.

3840 × 2160 @ 60hz

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In a “show” context, an image processor can be used as part of the show itself, introducing format and source changes at programmed points in the show. in the more usual “everyday” application, the processor is programmed to a number of standard templates that can be accessed by push button or touch screen.

Analog signal connectors.

Digital signal connectors. (Connector photos from Wikicommons).

users requiring multiple sources and multiple displays may well need a “Scaler” or Image Processor to simplify operation, and to ensure a polished presentation. at its simplest, a scaler converts all incoming images to the native resolution of the display so that the display never has to accept a change of image type or resize the image. More advanced image processors have multiple inputs and one or more outputs. They are able to:

• provide glitchless switching of sources.

• place any incoming image anywhere on the display at any size.

• show selected parts of incoming images and/or show magnifications of image sections.

• split an image across two or more displays when multiple screens are being used.

• show multiple images simultaneously, such as using a graphics source as a background with video conferencing images as “picture in picture”.

• Provide dynamic transitions between formats; at an extreme, showing “flying, zooming” windowed images.

In this prestige presentation and simulation facility, the screens show multiple images from many different sources; to do this in a way that is easy to operate, it uses a dedicated image processor that can position images anywhere on the display. Photo of its “Catalyst” facility courtesy of Thales.

4.5 image proceSSing

DVI Single Link HDMI DisplayPort BNC

RCA BNC S-Video VGA

0 5 t h e S o u n d

Bad sound is tiring and prevents effective communication. New digital signal processing techniques have greatly improved the performance of audio systems, and there is no excuse for poor sound reproduction.

The audio in an av system consists of one or all of the following:

• speech reinforcement within the room space.

• audio from a remote site (or sites) when audio and video conferencing is used.

• program sound within the room space, for example audio accompanying video.

The aim is to have a system that is unobtrusive and works automatically. speech reinforcement is needed in all but the smallest rooms. It may even be necessary to fit speech reinforcement within a large boardroom table.

good speech intelligibility can only be assured when the microphone is close to the speaker. For large meetings this implies a lot of microphones, which brings the problems of ‘open’ microphones picking up unwanted background noise, and ‘howlround’ resulting from microphones picking up the loudspeaker sound. Fully automatic audio mixers and switchers ensure that only microphones actually in use are open, and that the output level is kept constant. For meetings with many participants, such equipment includes a chairperson’s “over-ride” facility.

Microphone arrangements are different for different corporate activities. only occasionally will there be a need for a big multi-participant conference using “discussion unit” microphones. This kind of system needs special consideration since it is often linked with additional facilities like simultaneous interpretation and voting systems.

Most corporate installations can be relatively simple. in a large space with a lectern or similar presentation position and maybe a seated “panel” of other speakers, it is always necessary that each presenter has his or her own microphone. Most in-house events can use automatic switching, but major events may warrant having an operator present. Wireless handheld microphones can be used for discussion contributions from the floor.

In a formal presentation situation, there must be separate microphones for the principal contributors.

Directional line array microphones are a neat solution when it is required to capture a single presenter, whether he or she is standing or sitting. They avoid the “clutter” of gooseneck microphones.

Example of a “discussion unit” used when there are a large number of participants. It includes a local loudspeaker which is muted when the microphone is activated. Photo from Bosch.

5.1 audio in aV

5.2 microphoneS

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The most widespread need for microphones in corporate installations is their use in teleconferencing, both video and audio only, and here a special problem arises. in this case, speech from participants at distant sites must be relayed. The problem is that the microphone(s) at the receiving end are also sending sound back to the

The problem of echo in an audio or video conferencing system is best dealt with by using a separate echo canceller for each microphone.

Conf

eren

ce L

ink

Loudspeaker Loudspeaker

Microphone at far locationpicks up A from the loudspeaker

Microphone A

A Voice at Far Location

A speaks

Echo of A

Pendant microphones are a good option for picking up sound from a group.

Small audio conferences with less than 10 participants can use a freestanding device like the Polycom “Sound Station” that combines microphones with a loudspeaker.

5.3 teleconFerencing

The placement of loudspeakers for speech reinforcement is critical. in a multi-microphone conference or boardroom system, it is common to fit multiple small loudspeakers within the furniture or in the microphone fixture. The system then ensures that when a particular microphone is used, any loudspeaker right next to it is muted. Where it is impractical to fit loudspeakers in or on the furniture, they

5.4 loudSpeakerS

can be sited in the ceiling. This again requires a “zone” arrangement to eliminate feedback.

Different considerations apply to large rooms and auditoriums where loudspeakers are placed to give the illusion that the sound is coming from the presenter.

originating site. Without “echo cancelling”, the distant site hears its own sound back again with a delay that depends on the transmission path. Modern digital audio/video conferencing equipment can provide both the automatic mixing and the echo cancelling.

The 5.1 format is the most widely used multi-channel sound format. A typical show sound playback chain. The audio player may be synchronized to video sources and effects control systems by timecode..

5.5 Show Sound

speech reinforcement is all about intelligibility. sound that accompanies video or multimedia presentations may also require emotion and a sense of drama.

Most small av installations requiring show sound are best served by a 2-channel (stereo) audio system. even small meeting rooms can be large compared to a residential living room, so “consumer HiFi” equipment on its own may not be suitable.

The sound should seem to come from the display, so the usual loudspeaker arrangement is a pair of full range loudspeakers sited on either side of the screen. They should be sited so they can be seen, ensuring that sound reaches the listeners’ ears directly. They can be recessed into the screen wall if required, but any fabric or material placed across the loudspeaker must be acoustically transparent (and must not rattle).

surround sound has become a common consumer audio technology. This is available via dvds, Blu-ray discs, new audio disc formats and computer audio files. Multi-channel sound is usually in 5.1 format. This has five main channels: left, center, right, rear left, rear right and a “sub bass” channel. The placing of the center loudspeaker may present some practical difficulty, especially with rear projection installations. The rear loudspeakers can be quite compact and the positioning of the sub-bass loudspeaker is not critical – unlike all other loudspeakers, it can be placed at floor level.

All “show” sound systems require a switching/mixing system to select the right sound source. This operates automatically in synchronization with the video switcher. The following are points to watch for:

• There is a need to have separate controls for level and “equalization” (tone control) for each source.

• There must be rules for which source takes priority when more than one image is being shown simultaneously. it is possible to have manual control to over-ride or deliberately mix sources when required.

• if image processing is being used, there may be a need for an audio delay to ensure precise picture and sound synchronization. programmable dsp (digital signal processing) devices combine the functions of automatic mixer, equalizer and delay, in one box.

• if meeting participants are able to plug in their laptop computers to show their material on the screen, this may also have audio content. so wherever a computer can be connected, there should also be a facility for connecting audio.

• The overall room control facility should provide a master volume control that can be used to adjust the level of show sound as required. This should always revert to the preset level whenever a new source is selected.

other audiosources e.g.computerOff-Air

8-Trackhard diskfor surroundsound

dspswitchingequalizationFilterdelay

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6.1 lighting and itS control

0 6 t h e l I G h t & e n v I r o n M e n t

lighting control is an integral part of any av installation. There are two rules about its use:

• it is essential that the lighting control system is “standalone” and can operate quite independently of the av system (even though the av system is also able to access the lighting control). av systems are prone to changes, whereas lighting is an essential part of the room infrastructure.

• The primary lighting controls are accessible at the room entrance(s).

The lighting itself should be designed to enhance the space and to facilitate its use. some points to remember:

• if there is a whiteboard or similar writing surface, it needs separate illumination. lighting should not be directed at any electronic display screen (lcd, plasma panel or projection screen).

• if front projection is used, the whole area near the screen must be at a low light level.

• shiny surfaces (which include some computer monitor screens and some glass rear projection screens) are prone to specular (mirror-like) reflections. Care must be taken in the placing of luminaires to eliminate this problem.

• There must be sufficient light at working surfaces for people to take notes, etc. With today’s high luminance

displays, rooms can operate with high ambient light, so subdued lighting is not necessary for meetings or training sessions; but if a “show” or film is presented, it will have more impact if the ambient lighting level is reduced.

• While fluorescent lamps can be dimmed, they cannot dim to extinction, and should not be relied on to achieve low light levels. Tungsten halogen lamps are best for accent lighting and for low lighting levels. however, legislation is moving towards eliminating incandescent light sources, so led-based luminaires will become standard. These must be checked for the ability to operate at low level, and particularly, for acceptable color performance. Multi-channel led lighting can be used to provide color balanced lighting and continuously variable color washes.

• if video conferencing or recording is to be used, then the participants must be correctly lit. lighting must be from more than one direction to avoid shadows on people’s faces and, most importantly, they must be illuminated to a higher level than the background behind them. Never place participants against a light colored wall or window. Their faces will appear as dark blobs because the camera will react to the bright light behind them.

• if the space includes a lectern, there should be separate lighting for the speaker giving formal presentations.

In the Scottish Government Media Briefing Center, the panelists and presenter are correctly lit for video conferencing or recording using largely concealed LED luminaires.

6.2 lighting SceneS

Today’s electronic displays are so bright that meeting activities can take place in a fully lit room, even with some daylight. however, it is still a good idea to think in terms of several lighting “scenes” that correspond to different uses of the room. scenes could include:

• Meeting (high level of general illumination but screen easily viewable).

all lighting circuits should be on dimmers, or the luminaires themselves should have the dimming facility built-in. Non-dimmable light sources should be under relay control. a lighting controller then stores the lighting level settings and circuits required for each scene. it is usually possible to modify any selected scene by applying an overall “raise” or “lower” command. Scenes, or scene modifications, can then be selected by any of the following:

• permanently installed lighting control panels (e.g. at the door).

• The room control system (if fitted) via a suitable interface. This in turn may give access through a multi-purpose control panel, touch screen and/or cordless controller.

• dedicated cordless lighting control.

• smart phone or tablet (subject to an application being available).

For many years, lighting control systems have used a variety of digital protocols to simplify the control wiring

Lighting controls installed at the room entrance can be simple push button controls or compact touch screen controls that give the user much more information about the possible scene selections. Photos from Helvar.

6.3 dimmerS

required. in principle these allow the control signals to be “daisy chained” round all the controlled devices, while still allowing individual control of each luminaire. Two common protocols are:

• DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) This is a robust protocol with very simple installation requirements. it is favored for commercial and architectural systems and is likely to be found in many meeting room environments.

• Dmx (Digital multiplex) a protocol originally developed by the theater and entertainment industries. it is less robust than dali, but when properly installed is reliable and allows the control of many more “channels” (512 instead of DALI’s 64). It also allows a shorter interval between successive commands. it is likely to be found in those installations which have an element of “show” or “dynamic decor”, such as in marketing suites or lobby displays. Many controllers provide multiple dMX ‘universes’ to break the 512-channel barrier.

• presentation (lower level of general illumination, no light near screen, presenter separately illuminated).

• show (low level of illumination to allow concentration on the screen – only needed for certain kinds of room).

• cleaning.

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daylight can make a valuable contribution to a room, making it a more pleasant place to work in when long sessions are involved. however, there have been many cases where architects and owners have not properly considered its impact, notwithstanding the general availability of seasonal sunlight data. some simple points are:

• Daylight is so much stronger than artificial light that it can completely obliterate displayed images, quite apart from any discomfort from glare.

• avoid siting projection screens or displays such that they face windows, especially if the windows are likely to receive seasonal low sunlight.

• in many cases, the use of blinds is essential to achieve acceptable contrast. if motorized blinds are used, the daylight/blind combination can be considered part of the lighting system.

A meeting room designed for video conferencing (notice the twin screens and compact table microphones). When sunlight is too strong, the window blinds operate. (Photos courtesy of Cisco Business Collaboration Center, Milan.)

The shape of a room, its surface finishes and its furnishings can all have a dramatic effect on the effectiveness of equipment installed within it. For example, hard wall, ceiling and floor finishes, can create reverberation that makes it difficult to hold a good audio conference. Another common problem is audio “bleed” from one room to another due to inadequate acoustic isolation. acoustic problems are extremely expensive to correct later, so architects and interior designers should enlist the services of an acoustic consultant at an early stage to ensure that room spaces will be fit for purpose.

Long rooms may need “repeater” screens to ensure legibility for people at the back of the room. light surfaces on tables improve video conferencing images since reflection from the table tops provides some underlighting for the participants. Wall surface colors should be chosen not only to provide the right lighting conditions, but also to be aesthetically pleasing when video conferencing.

The creation of an effective communications environment is a team effort between the client and his or her advisors, the interior designer and the av systems integrator.

6.4 daylight 6.5 enVironment 0 7 t h e c o n t r o l

When properly installed and programmed, a room control system brings control of multiple images, audio and lighting, to a single point. it presents the control options in a logical, intuitive way.

a touch screen panel initially displays the main control and display options. When one is chosen, “Play DVD” for example, the control system not only does the obvious thing of starting the dvd, it also works the video switcher, routes the audio signals and, if appropriate, changes the lighting and adjusts drapes or blinds.

In addition to offering the main options or show configurations, the touch panel offers items such as lighting control and sound volume control all the time, since these must be easy to access. if image processing is used, the controller can select the display layout template required.

one of the advantages of the soft control panel is that it can be configured in different ways. There can be the “everyday” look to the panel that provides all the basic facilities, and then separate “expert” panel layouts, maybe only accessible using a pass code, that are used for special events or for maintenance. While the general advice is always to keep systems as simple as possible, some of the features that can be found on room control systems include the following:

• internet connection option to allow remote diagnostics.

• image windows on the control panel allowing the preview or confidence view of the main images. This can be useful when the presenter has his back to the screen.

• integration of dial-up and control facilities for video conferencing.

• programming of simple show sequences for automatic presentations, such as “house shows”.

• Multi-room facility for when an area can be used as one large room or two, three or more separate rooms.

• access to media from a computer network.

• “Mouse” system to feed back into a source computer. This may be cordless.

• energy and consumable cost management programming to ensure that projector lamps are only on when needed.

Examples of customized touchscreen layouts. The one above is a wireless control allowing the user to select the configuration of a flexible conference suite – different rooms can be combined as required. The one below is a typical small room control. Notice the lighting and audio volume controls, on the right and left, are always available. Photos courtesy of Taqa Bratani and LKAB.

The placement of the control panel depends on the room use and layout. it may need to be used in more than one place, or a duplicate control may need to be fitted. For example, a separate wireless freestanding unit that can be placed on a meeting room table.

Control is not confined to touchscreens. Hardwired push button panels and cordless hand controls can be used either instead of the soft control panel or, more likely, in addition to it. There is also now an increasing tendency to offer control by tablet with, for example, the major manufacturers of room control systems offering applications for the apple ipad™.

7.1 room control SyStem

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AV systems used to require many different cable types. leaving aside mains supply cables, there would be plain vanilla multi-core cables for control, simple screened cables for low level audio signals, more complex screened or co-axial cables for video and computer images and so on. These would soon be joined by uTp cables for computer network connections.

In the 1990s when “structured cabling” for computer networks became the standard, it was realized that the same type of cable and its related hardware could surprisingly carry video signals. here it must be emphasized that the cable was simply to replace the previous cable types, and in no way were the signals actually being put on to a network; so while the cables might indeed live next to computer laN cables, they were not connected to a laN.

developments in chip technology meant that it was possible to construct devices which could transmit high resolution analog video signals over standard “caT 5” network cables. Such “extenders” are supplied in transmitter/receiver pairs and are specified in respect of transmission distance (e.g. 100m) and image resolution. such devices may also carry accompanying audio and control signals.

The extender idea is now being applied to digital images. Standards like DVI are only specified to operate over short distances of a few meters, so “digital extenders” have been introduced to achieve more practical ranges.

it has to be admitted that extenders and their related cabling are one of the biggest causes of problems in commissioning av systems. This can be due to components not meeting their advertised performance or to poor installation; for example, CAT 5 cables should

Front and back views of typical extender products. Both these are “receivers”, i.e.the unit that is sited next to the display. The one on top can receive a DVI signal from 70m of “CAT 5” cable. The one on the bottom can receive a DVI signal from 30km of fiber optic cable.

7.2 extenderS

control and signal wiring comes in many forms, and practice is changing. The advice is to install only what is needed for the project. The proviso is that there must be generous provision of cable containment so that it is easy to pull through additional cables later. all the low voltage and signal cables can live together (but always separate from mains cables), so the usual arrangement is two-compartment trunking, or separate cable trays for mains and low voltage. in specialist large auditorium installations, there may be a requirement for further separation of cable types, but this should not apply to standard av systems.

Floor traps are available that match two-compartment trunking, and the low voltage part of the panel in these can be customized for the project. careful planning of the positioning of these is needed, and it may be necessary to over-provide in flexible spaces. The aim is to avoid a

7.3 control caBleS

situation where the trap is sited just away from a table, thus giving rise to a trip hazard. attention should also be paid as to how furniture (tables and lecterns in particular) relate to the traps, and that there is a neat and unobtrusive way for cables from them to reach the floor-mounted connectors.

a recommended technique is to terminate all low voltage cables relating to a room in a wall-mounted box fitted with appropriate multipole connectors and installed next to the rack position. The rack, which should have been factory assembled and fully tested before arrival, comes with a matching cable/plug set, and installation time is kept to a minimum.

as implied in section 7.2, in complex multiple room or distributed display installations, it is often possible to standardize on using caT 5, caT5e or caT6 (computer network) cabling only.

some users have requirements that warrant either a considerable increase in the complexity of the basic system, or a special purpose sub-system.

examples of these include:

• simultaneous interpreting systems.

• conference microphone systems, where large numbers of microphones are used.

• voting systems.

• room booking systems.

sometimes this type of equipment can be combined. For example, it is possible to install conference microphone units that including a voting facility and/or a headphone connection for simultaneous interpretation.

7.4 Special SuB-SyStemS

The iPad™ is now a popular means of control.

not be forced into sharp corners. For this reason it is recommended that large systems are subjected to a factory acceptance test prior to delivery that precisely emulates the cable conditions expected on site, and that cable installations are tested to meet their performance criteria prior to handover.

When video signals must be sent over long distances (say more than 100m), fiber optic distribution is a better method than using cables.

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0 8 t h e n e t W o r K

Much of today’s information technology practice is based on the idea of computer networks, where computers share information over a local area Network or laN. however, the devices on a LAN need not be confined to computers; any device that can use the information on the network, and has the necessary interface, can be connected.

With the introduction of such “network enabled” products, it is possible to network everything together, but in practice there are some stumbling blocks.

For example, it is now possible to get projectors that have some computing power built in and that can be connected directly to a laN. This means that it can directly load a file needed for display, such as from a participant’s laptop computer or from a server, thus doing away with the need for any external image resizing, video image signal cables, switchers and so on. The present problems are:

• any arrangement of this kind requires the display device to be kept up-to-date with the user’s current application software.

8.1 network enaBled equipment

8.2 wireleSS

Brief mention was made under “Control” of the possibility of using “cordless” or “wireless” controls within a room. a careful distinction must be made between simple telecommand equipment and network equipment.

Telecommand controls are simple in that the amount of information is very limited and quite specific (maybe the equivalent of 20 or so push button commands). The most familiar control of this type is the vcr or Tv remote control, and controls like these, using infra-red (ir) radiation as the signal carrier, are widely used in av installations. The only difference is that the AV versions may have a longer range.

ir only works within a single space, since the ir cannot get through walls or partitions. alternative radio Frequency (rF) controls are available, and are preferred for longer range and where there may be obstructions.

Network equipment is altogether more complicated because it must allow for much faster data rates, for full

two way operation, error correction and so on. it is now possible to have wireless terminals on laNs, so in theory it is possible to put in an installation with no wires at all.

The problems here are really no different to those applying to the basic laN idea – with the exception that present wireless laN equipment is even less suitable for streaming video than the wired laN. so while wireless laN technique can be used effectively as a means to providing sophisticated wireless remote controls with touch screens etc, it may not be adequate for the transmission of full-motion, big screen images. in principle complete dependence on a wireless system requires a commitment from the owner and the iT manager to ensure that the appropriate infrastructure is in place, and that network capacity is reserved for the av applications.

it is likely that easy network access methods such as Wi-Fi will suffer from spectrum congestion as users move towards using it for media streaming. it may therefore become an unreliable component of any corporate av

• sometimes this reveals that the application software cannot “fit in” to the remote device.

• if moving video is involved, there is then a need for sophisticated decoding within the display device.

• Not all current networks are adequate for the satisfactory fast downloading of video files or “streaming” of real time moving video of high quality suitable for big screen displays.

• Many iT managers are reluctant to allow devices that they are not familiar with, or have not subjected to approvals testing, to be connected to any corporate network. Their concerns are related to security and the use of network bandwidth (av applications can clog the network).

however, as technology advances, media streamed from a network is playing a bigger part in meeting room systems.

The Barco “Clickshare” system is a neat arrangement for small meetings. It allows up to four users to have wireless access to a common display. Photo from Barco.

Buildings with many rooms may centralize common resources for easier management and cost effectiveness.

Many large organizations have av systems installed throughout their buildings, and in this case, it is common to provide some form of central control. This makes the best use of the available facilities and can enable equipment to be shared, thus reducing the need for an item per room, and increasing the frequency of use of equipment. one example is the use of “codec farms”, rooms full of video conferencing codecs that are patched to user rooms via a central manned control facility. There may be 50 user rooms but only 20 codecs, and these can be managed such that the users have adequate access.

Multiple rooms bring the need for sophisticated facility management. Networking their control systems not only facilitates the operation of a booking system, but allows for remote room configuration and patching of shared resources. The central control point (and if necessary, the systems integrator’s service department) can monitor all the installations. This helps in the remote assistance of users, in diagnosing faults, and in routine maintenance (for example, by being able to check lamp running hours on projectors).

8.3 Shared reSourceS

system. Much more promising is the use of short range wireless connection, using hitherto unexploited parts of the rF spectrum, that only works over relatively short distances. either as a component of a laptop computer, or, more likely, as a dongle, direct communication between BYo devices and the display system, without the need for wired connection will become common.

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the meaningS giVen to the termS liSted are thoSe relating to their audio-ViSual uSage only.

0 9 G l o S S A r y o f t e r M S

ANALOga continuously varying electrical signal representing a physical quantity; e.g. sound. All AV devices were once analog, but are now moving to digital.

ANAmORPHICAn image can be “squeezed” or unsqueezed optically or electronically. An example is squeezing a high definition widescreen image to 1400×1050, and showing it on an sXga+ dlp projector.

ANsI american National standards institute. its methods of determining the luminous flux (lumens) and contrast ratios of electronic projectors are accepted worldwide.

AsPECT RATIO ratio of width to height of an image. see sections 3.4 and 3.5.

ATsC advanced Television standards committee. The organization that supervised the introduction of digital and high definition (HD) television in the USA. The most widely recognized usa hd standards are 1080i (1080 lines × 1920 pixels interlaced), 1080p (1080 lines × 1920 pixels progressive), and 720p (768 lines × 1024 pixels progressive) both at 59.94 or 60hz frame rate. european hd operates at 50hz frame rate.

Av RECEIvER combines decoding of surround sound music signals, a preamplifier and a power amplifier into a single item. commonly used where dvd is a source.

bACk PROjECTION see rear projection.

bALuN derived from Balanced – Unbalanced. a device to convert an unbalanced signal to balanced and vice-versa. it is the basis of extenders that allow video signals to be sent over standard twisted pair cables such as caT 5. bANDWIDTH in the analog world, bandwidth is the frequency range needed to carry a signal. in the digital world, the bandwidth is a data transfer rate referred to in kilo/Mega/giga/Tera/ peta bits or Bytes per second.

bETACAm Trademark of sony. a high quality professional analog, component video recording system based on half-inch video tape cassettes. Followed by “Digital Betacam”, a digital equivalent.

bIT Binary digit. The fundamental unit of computer information that can only take the values 0 and 1.

bIT DEPTH When a physical quantity such as picture brightness is expressed in digital form, the precision is expressed as the number of bits used per pixel or sample. an 8-bit video image gives 256 levels of brightness (or color) and is standard for most corporate video and graphics. 10-bit (1024 levels) is used by professional video. some high resolution display systems sacrifice bit depth for spatial resolution and may only give 6-bit color. cd audio is 16-bit to give 65,536 levels of sound per sample.

bIT RATE a method of expressing digital bandwidth.

bLu-RAy an optical disc, which, by using a short wavelength blue laser, can store much more data than the red laser based dvd. Blu-ray discs can store 25gB in their single layer version making them suitable for high definition content.

bRIgHTNEss perceived brightness depends on a number of factors, but the closest measurable quantity is Luminance defined as the luminous intensity per unit area measured in candelas per square meter (cd/m2), also known as Nits. The alternative imperial measurement is Foot Lamberts. 1Ftl = 3.416 cd/m2).

bROADbAND a high bandwidth digital connection for data communication.

byOD “Bring Your Own Device”, the prevalent method of co-operative working where groups bring their own computer or tablet but can then share common display and networking facilities in a meeting environment.

byTE a group of bits. an 8-bit byte can represent the decimal number range 0 – 255 (256 different values). In the absence of any qualifier, and for describing memory capacity, etc., it is usually understood that a byte has eight bits, but within computer bytes, may have 16 or even 64 bits.

CANDELA The fundamental unit of luminous intensity. The unofficial, but easiest to understand, definition is that if a point source of light produces one Lumen per Steradian (unit of solid angle), its luminance is one candela.

CAT 5 “Category 5” data cable is the most widely used cable for computer networks (laNs). it consists of four twisted pairs within one sheath in either screened (sTp) or unscreened (uTp) versions. For termination and patching, the rj-45 connector is used. caT 5 is intended for data rates up to 100Mb/s, but can also be configured to run “Gigabit Ethernet”. CAT 5 has become a generic term for cables of this kind; however in practice, cables with superior performance, such as caT 5e and caT 6, are now more widely used. While originally intended for transmitting computer data, the same cables are now widely used for carrying video, audio and control data (both analog and digital).

CD compact disc. For nearly 30 years the standard for distributing uncompressed digital music recordings in stereo. Now giving way to other methods of distribution, such as audio streamed over the internet.

CD-ROm an inexpensive method of storing up to 650MB of data. available in recordable and rewriteable formats. can be used to store short video and audio clips. Now giving way to alternative methods such as USB “memory sticks”.

CODEC an encoder-decoder. used for compressing video images for sending down isdN or broadband lines for video conferencing, and for decompressing the received image.

CHROmINANCE (also chroma) The part of the video signal carrying the color information.

COmPONENT vIDEO a color video signal starts as three separate signals red, green and Blue. Because the eye is less sensitive to color detail than to brightness detail, signal bandwidth can be

reduced by separating luminance from chrominance, and recording the chrominance at lower resolution. can be in digital or analog form. also referred to as Yuv, Yprpb or Ycrcb.

COmPOsITE vIDEO an analog electrical signal carrying the information for an entire color video moving image down a single wire.

COmPREssION Methods of reducing the amount of digital data to be stored or transmitted, especially in relation to audio and video. compression can be lossless when it simply eliminates redundant information, or lossy, when aspects of the original signal are eliminated.

COmPREssION RATIO The ratio of the original data to the compressed data. For video, it is possible to achieve lossless compression at about 3:1. For playback, with lossy compression, ratios can be 50:1 or more.

CONTRAsT RATIO The ratio of the brightness of the brightest part of an image to the darkest part. good contrast performance is just as important as brightness.

CRT cathode ray Tube. The dominant method of displaying an electronic image in the twentieth century. Now obsolescent, becoming obsolete.

DA Distribution Amplifier. Needed when a source must feed several separate output devices. available for both audio and video (vda), and for graphics signals. available in both digital and analog versions.

DALI digital addressable lighting interface. a lighting control protocol recommended for commercial and architectural lighting control. Many lamp and led drivers are delivered with a dali interface.

DIgITAL electrical signals that have only two values 0 and 1, and that can represent a bit of data. audio and video signals can be represented by a stream of bytes, each one representing a momentary numerical value for the sound or image.

DLP™ digital light processing. a trademark of Texas instruments. see dMd.

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DmD Digital Micromirror Device. A reflective projection technology from Texas instruments based on using a tiny (approx 17mm) moving mirror for each pixel. lightweight projectors use a single DMD. “Digital cinema” and professional projectors use three dMds.

Dmx digital MultipleX. a lighting control protocol most widely used in entertainment and decor applications. Many color changing and moving light luminaires are delivered with a dMX interface.

DOCumENT CAmERA see visualizer.

D-ILA Direct Drive Image Light Amplifier. A trademark of JVC. a proprietary lcos projection technology used in mid-range projectors.

DsL (ADsL) digital subscriber line. Broadband telephone service using existing copper lines. Offers a permanent connection at typically 0.5Mb/s - 2Mb/s for internet access.

DsP (audio context). digital signal processing. a means of providing graphic equalization (sophisticated tone control), delay, filtering, mixing and level control entirely in the digital domain. used in av receivers, show sound systems and echo-cancelling devices.

D1 - D6, Dv, DvC, DvC-PRO, DvCAm digital video is recorded onto tape in many ways. d1-d6 are the original professional broadcast studio standards. dvc-pro (panasonic) and dvcaM (sony) are mid-professional formats using some compression; DV and dvc are consumer formats also using compression. Now the use of tape has declined to be replaced by solid state memory packs or individual “chips”.

DvD digital versatile disc. replaced vhs tape as the standard for distributing video recordings. supports widescreen video and surround sound audio. can be used to store 5.4gB of computer data, video and audio clips. available in recordable and rewriteable formats.

DvI digital visual interface. a standard for connecting digital image sources to displays digitally. data is uncompressed and consists of gamma corrected red, green and Blue. “Single Link” DVI can support resolutions up to and including 1080p video and 1600 × 1200 graphics. “dual Link” DVI supports higher resolutions. DVI-D connectors are “digital only”; DVI-I connectors also provide access to analog versions of the same signals.

EDID Extended Display Identification Data. This is data stored in a display device which describes the capability of the display, such as resolution, refresh rate, etc. it was originally introduced in vga displays in the 1990s so that a computer graphics card would output signals compatible with the connected monitor and has since been greatly extended and incorporated in hdMi and other standards. The edid data is exchanged over a separate display data channel (ddc). Failure of this channel, for example through the use of sub-standard cables, prevents a display from working.

EquALIzER see dsp.

ExTENDER device which allows, typically, a video signal to be sent over a longer distance than would be normal over a standard cable. Best known examples are devices which send video signals over caT 5 and related twisted pair cables. They use a combination of balun technique and circuitry that compensates for the differences in the propagation of different frequencies.

fIELD conventional Tv and video divides each frame into two fields to reduce the required bandwidth. The first field displays the odd number lines, and the second field interlaces the even numbered lines.

fIREWIRE a high speed (400Mb/s +) serial data connection suitable for connecting digital video cameras to computers, etc. Firewire is a trademark of apple inc. The standard is called ieee 1394. sony’s implementation is called i-Wire.

0 9 G l o S S A r y o f t e r M S fOCAL LENgTH a length usually expressed in millimeters that relates the image size produced by a lens to the distance of projection and to the size of the object being projected. Because the latter varies in electronic projectors, it is now common to describe lenses by a ratio (e.g. 4:1) that gives the ratio of projection distance to picture width.

fRAmE an individual image within an image sequence.

fRAmE RATE Number of frames displayed per second, expressed as “fps” or Hz. In European video (PAL), there are 25 frames per second; in North American video (NTSC), there are 29.97 or 30 frames per second. computer images typically run at 60hz.

fRAmE syNCHRONIzATION Means of locking video and/or graphics sources together so they may be displayed simultaneously, or switched cleanly from one to the other.

gAIN (in the context of projection screens). a matte white screen with uniform dispersion has a gain of one. rear projection screens with wide dispersion can also have a gain near one. special surfaces have higher gains (typically 1.5 – 5, i.e. can give up to 5 times brighter image), but only in a specified direction. High gain screens have a narrow viewing angle.

gIgA Factor of 109 in decimal and 230 in binary as in gigahertz (ghz) and gigabyte (gB).

HD High Definition. Video images with a resolution of at least four times that of conventional video, offering “film-like” picture quality.

HDCP high-bandwidth digital content protection. a method of preventing unauthorized copying of digital audio and video content devised by intel corporation and administered by digital content protection llc. it is incorporated into the common connection standards hdMi, dvi and displayport. it prevents an unlicensed device from showing or transmitting hdcp-protected content, encrypts the data from the content source, and revokes the license of any device known to have been compromised. hdcp data is exchanged between devices over the edid data channel. hdcp presents many practical problems in the implementation of av systems.

HDbaseT The most recent effort by the consumer electronics industry to simplify the connection of source and display devices. uses caT 5e/caT 6 cables and rj45 connectors. can transmit hd video, computer images, 100BaseT ethernet, 100W power, audio and control signals over 100m.

HDmI High Definition Multi-media Interface. This is currently the most widely used connection method for digital images in the consumer market. it is in principle similar to and compatible with dvi and exists in both single link and dual link versions. however, it has additional capabilities including the ability to carry digital audio, and to support alternative video formats like component video Ycbcr.

HDsDI High Definition Serial Digital Interface. The means of distributing uncompressed high definition serial digital video signals in the professional environment, following the pattern set by sdi. Bitrate is 1.485 gb/s. standard is sMpTe 292M. a still higher bit rate of 2.970 gb/s supports full 1080p hd is covered by sMpTe242M and is referred to as 3g-sdi.

Hub a computer network device that allows connection of multiple computers to a network.

ImAgE PROCEssINg The modification or enhancement of digital electronic images. includes such processes as image splitting, re-sizing, enhancement and image blending. digital standards conversion, scan conversion, compression and decompression are other examples of image processing.

ImAgE RE-sIzINg Converting one image resolution to another; e.g. converting a 1024 × 768 computer image for display on a 1400 × 1050 LCD monitor. Also referred to as “scaling”.

INfRA-RED (IR) short-range, low-bandwidth wireless communication technology. Typically used for remote control and data transfer applications.

INTERACTIvE av programs that allow input from the viewer to determine the course of the presentation. The means of physical interaction is usually one of touch screen, trackball or mouse – but any device, sensor or transducer that can produce an electrical signal can be used as input.

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INTERfACE This term covers a whole range of devices that facilitate interconnection. examples are power switching interfaces that allow a computer to control mains voltage signals, and electronic display interfaces that allow a computer to have a local monitor display in addition to a remotely sited projected display.

INTERLACE sCAN Conventional video and television “scan” the image line by line from top to bottom; however to reduce bandwidth, the process is done in two successive fields, each containing half of the lines. The lines are interlaced, with odd numbered lines in one field and even numbered lines in the other. computer images, and some varieties of hd video, use progressive scan where all lines in a frame are sent together.

IP see Tcp/ip.

IsDN integrated services digital Network. a dial-up digital service available through telephone companies. Typically each line provides 64kb/s, so a group of lines has to be used to achieve the capacity required for video conferencing (around 384kb/s). Traditionally the service most used for business video conferencing, it is now losing out to other broadband services.

jPEg joint photographic experts group. This group initiated the well known “JPEG” method of compressing electronic images (recognized as .jpg in computer files). The method applies to individual images, and can provide a wide range of compression ratios. it uses the discrete cosine Transform (dcT) as the means to identify redundant data. jpeg-2000 is a later standard which uses the Wavelet Transform, which is computationally more intensive but gives better results. jpeg-2000 is used in digital cinema.

kEysTONE When a projector is not pointing directly at the screen, a “keystone” shaped image is produced. This can be corrected optically (by adjusting the lens axis) or electronically (by non-linear resizing).

kILO Factor of 103 in decimal or 210 in binary. as in kilohertz (khz) and kilobyte (kB).

LAN local area Network. originally applied to computers where several or many computers use a network to share information and common facilities such as storage or printing. Now extended to av applications and av devices.

LCD Liquid Crystal Display. Used as the basis of most flat screen monitors, and, in the form of microdisplays, as the imaging element in lcd projectors based on light transmission.

LCOs liquid crystal on silicon. Microdisplays used in projectors based on the reflection of light. Liquid crystal material is placed on a reflective substrate below, which is the driving electronic circuitry. d-ila is an example of lcos.

LED light emitting diode. used as a light source in many lcds, and also the basis of low resolution high-brightness flat panel displays; such displays are used in applications where there is high ambient light, and viewing distances are greater – e.g. lobbies, events, sports venues.

LumEN The unit of luminous flux. It is a unit of power, related to the Watt, but modified to take into account the eye’s different response to each wavelength of light. The light output of a projector is expressed in lumens, but the lumen figure alone cannot give the image brightness, which is also dependent on the screen size and screen material.

LumINANCE (a) The luminous intensity per unit area of a light source (see candela and Brightness) (b) The white, or Y, component of a video signal (see component video).

mATRIx a grid. (a) in connection with digital displays, describes the grid of pixels. (b) in connection with signal switchers, a matrix switcher has a number of inputs and a number of outputs and can be instructed to switch any input to any combination of outputs.

mCu Multipoint control unit. a device required for multi-site video conferencing.

0 9 G l o S S A r y o f t e r M S mEgA Factor of 106 in decimal and 220 in binary; as in Megahertz (Mhz) and Megabits per second (Mb/s)

mONITOR used to describe any direct view (i.e. not projected) display, e.g. lcd, plasma.

mPEg Motion picture experts group. This group developed a series of standards for compressing moving video images, and its method was fundamental to the success of satellite broadcasting. The principle is that only the parts of the image that change between successive frames are stored. The most widely used version was, and for many applications still is, Mpeg-2, but Mpeg-4 part 10 avc (advanced video coding, also called h264) gives significantly better results, and it in turn may give way to HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding, also called H265).

mPLs Multi-protocol label switching. organizations with dedicated broadband connections (with such service provided by a major operator) use this to allow the connection to be used for mixed traffic including video conferencing traffic.

NIT unit of luminance, alternative name for candelas per square meter. see Brightness.

NOC Network operations center. a room where the operation of a network can be controlled and monitored. such a facility is an essential component of the provision of managed services.

NTsC National Television standards committee. commonly used to describe the standard definition color TV system in North america. 525 lines interlace scan, 29.97 frames per second.

Off-AIR used to describe terrestrial broadcast television sources. until quite recently, broadcast Tv was analog, but now most countries have switched to digital transmission in order to make better use of the available spectrum.

OHP over-head projector. The functions of the ohp can be provided by direct presentation from computer, interactive whiteboards and visualizers.

OLED organic light emitting diode. a light emitting diode based on “organic” or carbon chemistry, whereas the standard led is based on inorganic elements such as gallium and aresenic. oleds allow the creation of thin displays with very high contrast.

PAL Phase Alternating Line. The standard definition color TV system in europe. 625 lines interlace scan, 25 frames per second. While this is an obsolescent analog system, the line standards have carried over into sd digital video.

PDP plasma display panel. Flat screen display for large monitors (42-inch to 150-inch diagonal). Noted for its excellent motion rendering and high contrast.

PETA Factor of 1015 in decimal and 250 in binary, as in petabyte (pB).

PIP picture in picture. refers to display of one image source superimposed on another.

PIxEL picture element. The small dots that make up an electronic image. The smallest part of an electronic image that can be separately controlled.

PLAsmA see pdp

POE power over ethernet. a means by which a standard ethernet cable both carries its network data and delivers power to the remote device. requires that there be a power source embodied in, for example, the network switch. a typical application is an ip-based security camera.

PROgREssIvE sCAN As opposed to interlaced scan used for “traditional” video, computer graphics displays are scanned progressively, i.e. in a single pass from the top to the bottom of the screen.

PsTN public switched Telephone Network. May be used for both audio and video conferencing. While many users need only a (public or private) broadband connection, there are still locations which are only accessible through the public network. For video conferencing, isdN is then the normal means of access.

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qOs Quality of Service. A metric used to define the performance of computer networks. it covers such factors as bit rate, error rate, latency, out-of-order packet delivery, etc. unless there is an adequate Qos, the streaming of video or the use of voice over ip is impractical.

REAR PROjECTION This is when the projector is placed behind the screen and the audience views the image by transmission (and dispersion) of light, as opposed to reflection when front projection is used.

REsOLuTION Usually refers to “spatial resolution” that describes the number of pixels contained in an image. higher resolutions offer greater detail in the image.

Rf radio Frequency. Broadcast television uses the baseband video signal to modulate a much higher rF signal for transmission. “Wired RF” is an efficient method of distributing a lot of Tv channels, as in cable systems. Transmitted rF can be used for computer wireless networks and for remote control (telecommand) purposes.

Rgb red green Blue. The three primary colors used in electronic images to generate all other colors, using an additive process.

ROOm CONTROLLER a programmable device that brings together the control of all electronic and electrical devices in a presentation space.

ROuTER a device for switching electrical signals. The word is used to cover devices like matrix switchers and hubs.

Rs232, Rs422, Rs485 recommended standards of the eia (electronic industries association). These are serial data signals used for control. rs422 is used in the broadcast industry for the control of video machines; RS232 is used for short distance control by room controllers, for example as a means of interfacing with lighting control; RS485 is used for longer distance applications. data rates are in the kb/s range.

sCAN CONvERTER device used for converting computer images to Tv standard images or vice versa. e.g. Xga to pal, or NTsc to svga.

sDI serial digital interface. The professional communication protocol for distributing serial uncompressed component digital video images in the production environment. resolution is 10-bit. Bit rate is 270Mb/s for 4:3 images, and 360Mb/s for 16:9 images. standard is sMpTe 259M.

sECAm séquentiel couleur à mémoire. The French composite video signal. Same line standard as PAL but uses a different method of separating the color difference signals.

sERvER a computer-based item of equipment containing a large amount of storage. in the context of computers, resides on a network, providing files to client computers. In the context of audio and visual, the server plays video and/or audio programs to displays and loudspeakers.

sET TOP bOx device to convert an incoming av signal into a standard form that can be shown by a monitor or projector. usually required when satellite or cable TV signals are the source; also now in “network” versions that derive their signals form computer networks.

smPTE society of Motion picture and Television engineers. it sets standards for professional video protocols and for sMpTe timecode.

sNmP simple Network Management protocol. a protocol that does as it says; it is particularly useful for monitoring the status and performance of remote devices, such as video conferencing equipment and projectors.

sOfT EDgE Technique for using a number of projectors to show a single large image by “soft edge blending” of over lapping images.

sTANDARDs CONvERTER Device for converting from one video standard to another; e.g. pal to NTsc.

0 9 G l o S S A r y o f t e r M S sTREAmINg Technique for sending audio and/or video material across a network that is played back as it is received. streaming servers often save the stream for later playback.

s-vIDEO, s-vHs a consumer analog video standard that provides better image quality than composite video by using separate chrominance and luminance signals.

syNCHRONIzATION (syNC) in the analog video signal, each line of the image is scanned from the top of the image down to the bottom. synchronizing signals tell the system when to start. The Horizontal Sync indicates the start of each line; the vertical sync indicates the start of each frame.

TCP/IP Transmission control protocol/internetwork protocol. Tcp/ip is the most common protocol used by computers connected together by a network, including the internet.

TELECONfERENCE a technique for holding a meeting between two or more separate sites employing audio relay of the meeting participants. requires special techniques to avoid echo.

TERA Factor of 1012 in decimal and 240 in binary, as in Terabyte (TB). video servers have storage capacities measured in terabytes.

TfT Thin Film Transistor. refers to the driving of lcd displays. passive matrix displays have all their driving electronics outboard and are not suitable for video. active matrix displays have TFTs deposited on the display substrate at each pixel position. Big lcds use amorphous silicon transistors, but these take up too much space for projection so the more complex poly-crystalline silicon transistors (poly-si) are used for this.

TOuCHsCREEN an item of user interface equipment commonly found in boardrooms. Buttons and other controls are displayed on the screen and activated by touch.

TuNER A device for receiving off-air radio or television broadcasts, with outputs suitable for feeding to the presentation display and audio systems.

uHP ultra high pressure mercury arc lamp. a lamp technology developed by philips which is used in the great majority of projectors. ideal for videowall and similar applications where long life (can be in excess of 10,000 hours) is essential. lamps available in the range 100W – 300W. Being challenged by led and laser light sources which in theory give a lower cost of ownership.

usb universal serial Bus. a serial data output for computers offering higher data speeds than RS232. USB1 offers 12Mb/s; USB2 up to 400Mb/s. Allows connection of several devices simultaneously. Typically used for mice, keyboards scanners and electronic whiteboards. also used for USB “memory sticks” or “thumb drives” as a very convenient way of transferring files into or out of a computer.

vDA Video Distribution Amplifier. See DA.

vERTICAL INTERvAL The time interval between successive video frames; see synchronization.

vEsA video electronics standards association. standards group for video graphics displays. The standards specify not only the resolution, but also the signal timing and the type of connectors to be used. see vga.

vgA, svgA, etc a range of graphics resolutions from 640 x 480 to 1600 x 1200 and higher. see the table in section 3.

vHs Video Home System. Half-inch videocassette format; until quite recently the most widely used method of distributing video programs, now usurped for av applications by dvd, memory “sticks”, and networked video.

vIDEO CONfERENCE a technique for holding a meeting between two or more separate sites employing both audio (as for teleconferencing) and video relays of the meeting participants. it requires a video conferencing camera, microphone and codec at all locations; lower cost units combine these into a single station. computer application displays may also be exchanged.

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vIDEODIsC From 1984 until around 1999 the standard storage method for video programs to be run in permanent exhibitions, etc. was the laserdisc, a 12-inch diameter disc giving 30 or 60 minutes of playing time. This disc is now obsolete for business av, having been replaced by dvd, video servers and dedicated digital video players, such as those designed for the digital signage market.

vIDEO PROjECTOR The term is used to describe projectors showing both standard video images, and images of much higher resolution than standard video. projectors use many different technologies. See DLP, LCD, LCOS.

vIDEOWALL The first videowalls appeared in the mid 1980s and consisted of a bank of crT monitors served by an electronic “splitter”. These were shortly followed by walls using rear projection to minimize the gap between image sections. Today’s “video” walls now embrace displays showing multiple computer sources simultaneously at very high resolution – far in excess of that which can be achieved by a single projector.

vOTINg sysTEms For council chambers and training applications requiring participant feedback, various electronic voting systems are available. voting results can be displayed on the main projection screen or on an auxiliary display.

vIsuALIzER one of the words used to describe a simple camera stand for showing documents on a video display. has replaced the ohp for many applications. high resolution cameras are used since sd video is not suitable for this application.

WHITEbOARD Training spaces still need a surface on which an instructor can write – but the simple whiteboard is giving way to the interactive whiteboard.

xENON ARC lamp type used in professional high power projectors (e.g. 3-chip dlp). gives the best color rendering, but requires the most complex power supply and, in the very short arc versions needed for electronic images, has a short life.

0 9 G l o S S A r y o f t e r M S

The av systems integrator can advise users on the likely cost of ownership of a system that covers amortization, consumables and routine maintenance. a modern av installation requires remarkably little technical service, but may well require operational support. The level of support service needed depends on the complexity and the usage of the system, and can be tailored to the specific installation. Typical service “levels” are, in ascending order:

• call out on an as-needed basis. This is suitable for the lightly-used installation, and is charged on a simple hourly basis. There may be a premium for out-of-hours call outs or a guaranteed response time.

• service contract. This is available with many variations. a full service contract would cover call outs as needed with agreed response time, provision and installation of consumables as required for planned usage, routine service based on regular visits to site, and the provision of replacement equipment should any item not be repairable on the first visit. Charging is based on a fixed annual fee.

• on-site service. some installations, for example those with many meeting rooms and many users, require an av technician or engineer permanently on site. The systems integrator may be able to offer a service based on providing on-site staff competent to provide both operational support and technical service. operational support can include services such as setting up video conferences, managing room booking systems, support for in-house events and providing a help desk.

1 0 S u P P o r t S e r v I c e 10.1 SerVice leVelS

users with multiple sites, or with many rooms on a single site, can benefit from having actively managed services. A typical example might be a multi-national company with many “endpoints” on its video conferencing network.

setting up a multi participant video conference under these circumstances can be quite complex. This is because it is often necessary to “bridge” between different types of networks, such as the psTN, the internet, and Mpls networks run on a company’s broadband system.

There is now a choice between having this management facility “in house” or employing an outside provider. Such a provider will have a Network operations center (Noc) that runs 24/7. Besides providing the facility for setting up “bridges”, the NOC also monitors all equipment by using sNMp. so even installations that do not need the video conferencing facility can benefit. For example, a large museum site with maybe 200 av installations can use managed services to ensure that equipment is in order, that lamps are being replaced on schedule and so on.

10.2 managed SerViceS

A Network Operations Center can monitor many remote sites all over the world, and assist users by setting up video conferencing calls and monitoring equipment status.

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electrosonic is one of the world’s most experienced audio-visual systems companies. it was founded in the uk in 1964, and in the usa in 1972. it currently (2013) employs over 430 people and has an annual turnover of us $118 million.

Electrosonic’s head office is in Burbank, CA. It includes extensive systems engineering facilities and the usa-based design consulting team. Other USA offices offering local sales and service support are in Minneapolis, MN; Orlando, FL; and New York, NY.

The electrosonic eMea headquarters is in dartford, uk. other uk locations are canary Wharf, edinburgh, Newquay and corsham. The corsham facility houses electrosonic’s video Network operations center.

Electrosonic also has offices in Stockholm, Sweden; Shanghai, China; Hong Kong and Dubai, UAE.

electrosonic specializes in the av needs of corporate communications, visitor centers, Museums, decision spaces, retail display, Theme parks and exhibitions. it does this in three ways.

1 1 e l e c t r o S o n I c

here the company provides turnkey solutions, based on high engineering standards and strong project management. electrosonic has an excellent relationship with many leading equipment manufacturers to ensure the use of the most appropriate equipment for the project. electrosonic is independent of all equipment suppliers and manufacturers.

SyStemS integration

A separately staffed service business provides ongoing site support on an as-needed or contract basis. Contract service can include the support of multiple sites (e.g. for retail display applications), or the provision of permanent staff on a single site (e.g. for major corporate installations or museums). electrosonic can also provide Managed services for multi-site video conferencing, and for remote system monitoring.

SerVice

electrosonic undertakes design and consulting in respect of av systems, with a special emphasis on the needs of entertainment and control room clients. often such work is required long before a project is fully committed, and the service ensures clients get a practical and fully budgeted design at an early stage. The design service is a separate service and there is no obligation to employ electrosonic in a design project’s execution.

deSign

Burbank, CA Headquarters

EMEA Headquarters in Dartford, UK

W o r l d W I d e l o c A t I o n S

For a complete list of offices, visit the Electrosonic website:www.electrosonic.com

Los Angeles3320 North san Fernando BlvdBurbank, ca 91504Tel: +1.818.333.3600

New york318 West 39th street, 9th FloorNew York, NY 10018Tel: +1.212.206.7711

Orlando4501 vineland road, suite 105orlando, Fl 32811Tel: +1.407.839.1154

minneapolis10320 Bren road eastMinnetonka, MN 55343Tel: +1.952.931.7500

The Barn, hurstwood grange,hurstwood lane, haywards heath,West sussex, rh17 7QX, ukTel +44.2033.260.153

uSa

gloBal immerSion-uk

London - Head Officehawley Mill, hawley roaddartford, kent da2 7sYTel: +44.1322.222.211

London - Canary Wharfunit 99, cannon Workshopshertsmere roadlondon e14 4asTel: +44.207.719.8107

Corshamhartham park, corsham,Wiltshire sN13 0rpTel: +44.207.005.6384

Edinburgh107-109 Whitehouse loanedinburgh, eh9 1aTscotlandTel: +44.131.447.6211

Newquaylower TregennaNewquaycornwall Tr8 4hsTel: +44.1637.875.824

emea

Other Countries

shanghaielectrosonic audio-visual Technology (shanghai) co., ltd.suite 1003, Block ashanghai universal Mansion172 Yu Yuan road200040 shanghaichinaTel: +86.21.6249.2522

Hong kongunit B, 12/F shun point commercial Building5-11 Thomson road Wan chaihong kongTel: +852.2525.1828

stockholmelectrosonic aBgustavslundsvägen 139167 51 BrommaswedenTel: +46.8.522.057.00

Dubaipo Box 62425dubaiunited arab emiratesTel: +971.4.311.7402

other countrieS

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