Project: Immerse & Engage
Scope:
Design & project manage the implementation of AV into Immerse.
This included -
- Development of concepts and budget estimates
- Detailed Designs – describing the functional areas, in-depth detail of each space, services, requirements, AV layouts and relevant schematics
- RFQ Documentation – Provide equipment and services required for invitees to submit a tender. Highly detailed BoM to avoid ambiguity
- Project management - keep the project schedule on track and ensure budgets are maintained
- Commission – Manage variations closely, ensure credits due are received and additional charges are justified
- Defect Management – perform detailed inspections to identify defects and assignment of rectification works.
Deliverables:
Immerse
- Create an immersive environment with wow factor to inspire students to create the next level in gaming design
- Monitor and communicate with users in Immerse from the control room
- Distribute any input to any output (including Engage spaces)
- Touch screen control (control room)
- Lighting Control
Engage
- Design appropriate AV solutions for each space. Designs should facilitate room configuration changes
- Distribute any input to any output (including Cave)
- Allow for other faculties (nursing) to use the spaces and share content back to their areas
- Allow for MoCoWs throughout Engage spaces, especially where there’s no fixed AV equipment
Client Benefits
The visual impact that Immerse provides has satisfied the desire for wow factor and USC are excited to see the impact it will have on students. It’s already igniting creativity amongst other faculties wanting to create simulation scenarios for students.
This well-thought-out solution has enabled USC to share any source to anywhere in HD. Configurable inputs/outputs, initially were to be located in the Engage and Immerse space however after seeing the potential, cabling was also extended to nearby Nursing learning areas and General Purpose Spaces. This solution fits current requirements but can grow and change without excessive costs. It’s negated the need to invest in expensive, surplus hardware usually designed to facilitate growth, but (in reality) usually remains redundant until the growth is experienced.
Technologies
- All AV infrastructure adheres to the University’s structure cabling standards. There is no proprietary cabling.
- HDBaseT transmitters and receivers facilitate for HD signal transmission over long cable runs.
- There are a total of 80 inputs/outputs. All wired back to a patch panel.
- Dedicated (frequently used) inputs and outputs are patched through to the 32x32 Matrix. Infrequently used points can be temporarily patched and connected with the addition of transmitter/receiver.
- The AV cabling is essentially a data network, so to avoid confusion and differentiate the AV ports from standard data points - TERA connectors have been used.
- Dante was used to transmit audio signals across the network.
- The 6 ceiling mounted Projectors were edge blended to give a seamless result.
Immerse
- 6 x Epson Full HD Short Throw Projectors edged blended
- 7.1 Surround Sound
- 4 x Crestron Digital Media Transmitters
- 1 x 15” Crestron Touch Screen
- 1 x Electro Voice Netmax 32x32 DSP
- 4 x Panasonic Full HD Digital Cameras
- 2 x ClearOne ceiling array
Engage Spaces
- 2 x Epson Full HD Short Throw Projectors
- 120” Motorised Screen
- 1 x Crestron 32x32 Matrix Switch (fully populated)
- 8 x In-ceiling Speakers
- 12 x Crestron Digital Media Transmitters/Receivers
- 1 x 55” Samsung Interactive Full HD LCD Display
- 2 x Samsung Full HD LCD Displays
- 3 x Crestron Touch Screens
What we're proud of
This is a true example of convergence – an IT Standards approach to AV infrastructure design… USC wanted to plenty of options to add equipment around change room configurations. To make these all these points active would require 64x64 matrix switch, but the budget didn’t permit. We didn’t let that stop us from delivering the flexibility on USC’s wishlist.
Solution – wire all inputs/outputs back to patch panels and then to the 32x32 matrix. While the fixed equipment inputs/outputs are always connected to the matrix, less used points are patched in, on an as needed basis. By add a ‘roving’ HDBaseT transmitter/receiver to the floor box/table box in question, it’s ready to accept or share AV signals. And because we’re meticulous about the details, we even custom designed the table and floor boxes to facilitate for the temporary addition of the transmitter/receiver. (See appendix for cabling designs)
Putting on our architect’s hat…
To be able to edge blend the projectors in Immerse successfully, we needed them to be mounted with millimetre precision and not move. We independently redesigned the entire ceiling infrastructure to meet the strict mounting tolerances (and still managed to avoid the existing building services) – not the usual request for an AV designer.