Syracuse University built a 744 seat auditorium into their new 115,000 square foot National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building. It’s used for an ever-expanding range of presentations with a full commitment to ADA compliance.
System requirements included high-performance AV signal switching and routing, surround sound, intuitive system control, and remote management. Images and sound had to be clear at each standard and bariatric seat. The space had to offer alternative ways to communicate with the vision and/or hearing impaired. To facilitate lectures and panel discussions, the stage needed to offer multiple points of AV connectivity and system control.
Syracuse University brought in Theatre Projects on design, in partnership with the university’s ITS Learning Environments and Media Production department. The auditorium’s two-tiered design provides unrestricted visibility throughout the space. Multiple floor boxes on the stage provide AV connectivity and flexible placement for a portable lectern. Gooseneck and lavalier microphones are available for the instructor, presenter, or moderator and panelists. The main display is a videowall that is nearly 32’ wide. Two smaller videowalls installed on either side of it are dedicated as secondary monitors. Located within this room are eight PTZ cameras that are for use with web-based video applications, including Blackboard Collaborate Ultra and Zoom.
For the hearing impaired, the installation incorporates an Assisted Listening System and support for Communication Access Realtime Translation – CART. The AV system enables captions to be displayed on either or both smaller videowalls. The control center is located between the tiers at the back of the room. Multiple monitors and a bank of windows enable support staff visibility into the auditorium.
The heart of the AV system is the XTP II CrossPoint 3200 modular matrix switcher. It is configured to provide instantaneous AV signal switching and distribution from various installed and BYOD source devices, including 3G-SDI and uncompressed HDMI video resolutions up to 4K/60 in 4:4:4 color space. AV signals are extended up to 330 feet (100 meters) over shielded CATx cable. The SSP 200 system decodes and processes 7.1 surround sound for clear, echo-free sound from local and remote sources, which is vital within this large space. The trim level and delay for each channel, along with internal Dolby noise and full-bandwidth pink noise, were used to sequentially calibrate each speaker. For intuitive AV system operation, the installation includes a variety of TouchLink Pro touchpanels in screen sizes up to 17” for multiple points of control within the auditorium and from the adjacent control room.
For powerful live and on-demand lecture video capture with content management, the installation includes an Extron SMP 351 streaming media processor with the LinkLicense SMP Enhanced Kaltura Features upgrade. The processor integrates directly into the Kaltura video platform. They work in concert to facilitate media capture and video content delivery to remote locations including distance learning. Some of the features include the capability to schedule recordings from Kaltura and to stream live media ad-hoc or for a scheduled webcast or lesson to Kaltura using RTMP and RTMPS.
