Sound & Communications November 2019, Vol 65 No 11 by Sound & Communications

C O M M E R C I A L

A V

T E C H N O L O G Y

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A P P L I C A T I O N

November 18, 2019 Vol. 65 No. 11

CHAMPIONS NBA’s Golden State Warriors’ new AVL includes massive, moveable center-court LED display

A SYSTEM FOR

CONNECTING WITH FANS

National Soccer Hall of Fame connects with Toyota Stadium, engaging fans with interactive exhibits

EYES ON THE TIGERS

High school football scoreboard goes pro-level big

DMP 128 FlexPlus

Flexible DSP for Dante Systems The DMP 128 FlexPlus series of compact Dante Digital Matrix Processors features twelve FlexInput channels with full DSP, including AEC, and Dante connectivity, in only a half rack space. With an extensive mix matrix, a USB audio interface, and analog compatibility, the DMP 128 FlexPlus provides the ability to easily connect and route multiple types of source signals to accommodate diverse analog and digital system requirements.

Features: • 60 total inputs and 32 total outputs • 48x24 Dante audio networking • Dante Domain Manager and AES67 support • Twelve full DSP channels with AEC • USB Audio interface

FlexPlus - Ideal for Multiple Dante Sources The Dante-enabled DMP 128 FlexPlus series is ideal for applications that utilize Dante ceiling microphone arrays and other Dante-enabled devices. Featuring network connectivity for up to 48 Dante sources and 24 Dante destinations along with a built-in two-port Gigabit switch, the DMP 128 FlexPlus enables the creation of simplified, cost-effective audio systems.

• Up to eight VoIP lines • ACP Audio Control Panel compatible • Compact half rack size

FlexInputs All twelve main DSP channels of the DMP 128 FlexPlus offer FlexInput source selection to route any Dante input, expansion input, or one of the four mic/line inputs, to a main DSP channel. This enables the DMP 128 FlexPlus to process audio from any source with the full range of DSP capabilities, including AEC.

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CONTENTS Volume 65 Number 11

44 A SYSTEM FOR CHAMPIONS NBA’s Golden State Warriors’ new AVL includes massive, moveable center-court LED display.

A P P L I C A T I O N

By Dan Daley

11 NEWSLETTER 30 INDUSTRY POV

Game On!: Scoring winning digital-signage integrations for stadiums and arenas. By Nick Belcore

32 INDUSTRY POV

How Stadiums Can Up Their Game With Networked AV: Stadiums and arenas host competitions, but they also must compete. By Kieran Walsh

36 INDUSTRY POV

The Case For AVaaS In Digital Signage: Driving value and profit in light commercial and retail digital-signage deployments. By Scott Lowder

38 INDUSTRY POV

The Importance Of Better Collaboration Technology: It’s critical to the success of the world’s fastest-growing companies.

A N D

By Dana Corey

40 INDUSTRY POV 54 MAJOR-LEAGUE SOUND Dignity Health Sports Park invests in audio for a better fan experience. By Anthony Vargas

T E C H N O L O G Y A V C O M M E R C I A L 6

DEPARTMENTS

Live And File-Based Translation Opportunities: Machinelearning advancements are powering these capabilities. By Ken Frommert

42 INDUSTRY POV

Software Meets Hardware: A key pairing to create unforgettable sports and concert experiences. By Brandon Breznick

NEW

74 SPORTS: TECHNOLOGY

Eyes On The Tigers: High school football scoreboard goes pro-level big.

80 MARKET BRIEF 82 NEWS 82 CALENDAR 84 PEOPLE 85 PRODUCTS 87 SOFTWARE 88 CENTERSTAGE 90 MARKETPLACE

By Andy McDonough

64 CONNECTING WITH FANS

National Soccer Hall of Fame connects with Toyota Stadium, engaging fans with interactive exhibits. By Dan Daley

Sound & Communications November 2019

COLUMNS 8 WAVELENGTH

By Dan Ferrisi

14 SOUND ADVICE

By Peter Mapp, PhD, FASA, FAES

18 IOT

By David Danto

20 HOUSE OF WORSHIP: BUSINESS

By David Lee Jr., PhD

22 THE COMMISH

By James Maltese, CTS-D, CTS-I, CQD, CQT

24 WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

By Douglas Kleeger, CTS-D, DMC-E/S, XTP-E, KCD

26 AVIXA POV

By Sean Wargo

92 AVENT HORIZON

By Pete Putman, CTS

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WAVELENGTH I’m writing these words just one week removed from New York Digital Signage Week (NYDSW), NAB Show New York and the AES show, all of which emanated from New York NY and all of which took place at the same time. (Clearly, event organizers are conspiring to exhaust the editor and analyst communities!) My week was packed with highlights: enjoying lunch at Samsung 837, followed by a panel discussion about system-on-chip technology; hanging at the Experience United Social Club (XUSC) Oktoberfest, which brought together a “who’s who” of #avtweeps for a beer y, music-filled party; and moderating an AES panel, entitled “Solution-Based Approaches for Networked Audio in Live Production,” centered on the emerging Milan protocol. And that’s not even to mention catching up with the crew at the annual NEC Display Showcase and checking out LG’s NYC Tech Tour at Center415, a pop-up location. Exhausting, perhaps, but a load of fun, too! Given where all these industr y events were occurring, it’s unsurprising that,

all week, there were numerous New York Yankees fans keeping an eye on the American League Championship Series (ALCS) to see whether the Yanks would make it to the World Series. As such, glitzy outdoor LED signage, minuscule microphones that capture the human voice with remarkable fidelity, and networked-AV advancements that will change the way we work, play and learn found themselves competing with the ALCS for attendees’ mindshare. But in a world as saturated with distractions and attention-grabbers as ours is, isn’t that always the way? I’d wager that many sports franchises think so. There’s plenty of evidence that, in the sports world, competition extends far beyond the field, court or rink. Stadiums and arenas are outfitting themselves with wow!-worthy audiovisual technology to tr y to compete with the allure of taking in the game without having to rise from the recliner (or skipping the game and, instead, checking out the latest eye candy from the Mar vel Cinematic Universe). Take Chase Center in San Francisco

CA, for example. Its massive centerhung scoreboard measures 82'9"x 47'8"x52'8" (WxHxL) and the entire fixture weighs approximately 165,000lb. Dan Ferrisi Um…wow. Even high schools are getting in on the act. In Massillon OH, Washington High School’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium recently got a scoreboard upgrade to one that measures 27'x81' (HxW), spanning half the width of the gridiron. And did I mention that its video head-end equipment wouldn’t be out of place in the pros? If “Friday Night Lights” aren’t enough to secure a packed stadium, perhaps “Friday Night Sights” will be? The competition for our attention is heating up. But, in this matchup, the eventual winner won’t be determined by a best-of-seven series.

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CONTRIBUTORS A V F O R S Y S T E M S I N T E G R AT O R S , C O N T R A C T O R S A N D C O N S U LTA N T S

Editor Dan Ferrisi dferrisi@testa.com Associate Editor Anthony Vargas avargas@testa.com Assistant Editor Amanda Mullen amullen@testa.com Contributing Editors Pete Putman, CTS Jim Stokes

Contributors Nick Belcore Brandon Breznick Dana Corey Dan Daley David Danto Ken Frommert Douglas Kleeger, CTS-D, DMC-E/S, XTP-E, KCD David Lee Jr., PhD Scott Lowder James Maltese, CTS-D, CTS-I, CQD, CQT Peter Mapp, PhD, FASA, FAES Andy McDonough Pete Putman, CTS Kieran Walsh Sean Wargo Technical Council Joseph Bocchiaro III, PhD, CStd, CTS-D, CTS-I, ISF-C, The Sextant Group, Inc. David Danto, Interactive Multimedia & Collaborative Communications Alliance Douglas Kleeger, CTS-D, DMC-E/S, XTP-E, KCD David Lee Jr., PhD, Lee Communication Inc. Peter Mapp, PhD, FASA, FAES, Peter Mapp Associates Pete Putman, CTS, ROAM Consulting LLC Art Director Janice Pupelis jpupelis@testa.com Digital Art Director Fred Gumm Production Manager Steve Thorakos Sales Assistant/Ad Traffic Jeannemarie Graziano jgraziano@testa.com Advertising Manager Robert L. Iraggi riraggi@testa.com Classifieds classifiedsales@testa.com Circulation circulation@testa.com Operations Manager Robin Hazan Associate Publisher John Carr jcarr@testa.com President/Publisher Vincent P. Testa Editorial and Sales Office Sound & Communications 25 Willowdale Avenue Port Washington, New York 11050-3779 (516) 767-2500 | FAX: (516) 767-9335 Sound & Communications Sound & Communications Blue Book IT/AV Report The Music & Sound Retailer DJ Times • DJ Expo ConventionTV@NAMM ConventionTV@InfoComm

As Executive VP of Global Sales and Marketing at PeerlessAV, Nick Belcore is directly responsible for providing a global vision and strategy for growth across the entire global organization. In this role, Belcore also manages the North America, Mexico and UK Customer Experience teams, which include customer care, marketing and sales.

Brandon Breznick, Assistant Communications Manager, heads Premier Mounts’ public relations and strategic-outreach initiatives as a key part of the marketing team, and as part of the company’s future vision for brand-awareness growth within the AV community. He is passionate about esports, golf and educating people about the AV industry.

Dana Corey, General Manager/ VP of Sales with Avocor, is an experienced technical sales, marketing and operations executive who is successful at building high-performance sales teams and leading sophisticated organizations with P&L responsibility in the B2B electronics market. He has worked for technology companies like Prysm, Barco and Folsom Research.

David Danto has more than three decades’ experience providing problem-solving leadership/innovation in media and UC technologies for various firms in the corporate, broadcasting and academic worlds. He now works as the Director of UC Strategy and Research for Poly, and he’s the IMCCA’s Director of Emerging Technology.

Ken Frommert was recently named President of ENCO after a successful multi-year run as General Manager. Ken has grown ENCO’s vision from a leading radio automation supplier to a multi-faceted manufacturer for AV and broadcast systems, including the development of live audio playout and automation captioning innovations.

Scott Lowder is the Director of Product Development at Middle Atlantic Products, Legrand | AV. Previously, he worked for ASSA ABLOY for the security solutions industry for more than 10 years. He holds a BA from Fairfield University, as well as a BE and an MBA from the University of Connecticut.

Andy McDonough has been a musician, freelance writer and technology consultant for more than 25 years. His company, LearningFirm Media, provides education, training and technology solutions for Fortune 500 companies, arts institutions and government agencies.

Kieran Walsh joined Audinate in October 2010 and, today, he works to help integrators realize exciting designs using Dante networks. Originally a classically trained musician at the Royal College of Music, London, Walsh’s career has included work as a musician, and providing recording and editing, equipment-repair and systems-design services.

Exclusively on SoundandCommunications.com Craig Hubbell, President and CEO of Tectonic Audio Labs, calls out for a revolution in the loudspeaker industry, arguing that the time has come for an entirely new approach. Read it at www.soundandcommunications.com/audio-in-todays-commercial-av-applications. Sound & Communications (ISSN 0038-1845) (USPS 943-140) is published monthly for $25 (US), $35 (Canada & Mexico) and $65 (all other countries), by Sound & Communications Publications, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779. Periodicals postage paid at Port Washington, NY, and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2019 SOUND & COMMUNICATIONS PUBLISHING, INC. Reprint of any part of contents without permission is forbidden. Titles Registered in the U.S. Patent Office. POSTMASTER: Send U.S. address changes to Sound & Communications, PO Box 1767, Lowell, MA 01853-1767. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.

November 2019

Sound & Communications

NEWSLETTER GROUP ONE NAMED EXCLUSIVE NORTH AMERICAN PARTNER FOR SSL Solid State Logic (SSL, Begbroke, Oxford, UK) has announced a business partnership with Group One Ltd. (Farmingdale NY) to manage its US portfolio of audio solutions and operational infrastructure. Effective immediately, the deal brings together a prominent professional audio brand with Group One’s extensive distribution, customer support and partner network. Jack Kelly, CEO of Group One Ltd., commented, “We know the Solid State Logic North American team and business pretty well with our common links through the Audiotonix Group. Having the opportunity to help take this...brand and their...products to another level has all of the Group One team incredibly excited.” The partnership will see the introduction of pro-audio industry veteran Phil Wagner as North American Senior VP of SSL, working alongside the Group One senior management team. Wagner has been involved in the audio and entertainment industry for the last four decades. Having started as a recording engineer and technician using SSL consoles, he eventually worked for the company for 17 years, becoming President of US Operations in 2005. His career has also included President of US Operations for Focusrite Novation Inc.

LEGRAND, NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA, ACQUIRES CONNECTRAC Legrand, North and Central America (LNCA, West Hartford CT), has announced that it has acquired Connectrac (Dallas TX), prominent in the development of flexible floor-based cable-management solutions that bring power, data and communications to commercial interior applications. LNCA has expertise in power distribution and cable management, and, according to the company, adding Connectrac to its portfolio enables it to reach additional market segments, while also offering a platform to expand its ecosystem in commercial interiors. “Flexible access to power is more critical than ever before, given the high volume of mobile devices and the desire to connect from anywhere in the space not just near the walls,” John Selldorff, President and CEO of LNCA, said. “The acquisition of Connectrac allows us to bring together a unique set of solutions, designed to meet the needs of building owners and occupants at all stages of the building lifecycle.” Connectrac was founded in 2005 by licensed architect Clint Strong and Desiree Edwards.

—

QSC ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF ATTERO TECH QSC (Costa Mesa CA) has announced the acquisition of Attero Tech (Fort Wayne IN). This combines the growing portfolio of the Q-SYS audio, video and control ecosystem with Attero Tech’s portfolio of networked AV endpoints and I/O peripherals, while also boosting QSC’s development capabilities with Attero Tech’s Fort Wayne-based engineering staff joining the multinational QSC team. “This acquisition is a natural next step for our organizations,” Jatan Shah, Chief Operating and Technology Officer, QSC, began. “Both QSC and Attero Tech were early adopters of network audio transport technology, including CobraNet, Dante and AES67. In addition, when QSC expanded the control capabilities of the Q-SYS ecosystem in 2017, it allowed Attero Tech to become the first manufacturer partner to independently develop Q-SYS Control integration plugins, and [it] has since developed 20 plugins for their portfolio of I/O devices.” TJ Adams, VP, Systems Product Strategy and Development, QSC, added, “Adding the Attero Tech peripherals to the greater Q-SYS ecosystem will expand existing options for integration endpoints today and enlist this new engineering talent pool to accelerate the pace of future software innovation and native endpoints for the platform.”

MARSHALL ELECTRONICS ANNOUNCES NEW MXL DIVISION DEDICATED TO UCC Marshall Electronics Inc. (Torrance CA) has announced the creation of a new division of MXL Microphones dedicated to the growing unified communications and collaboration (UCC) industry. According to MarketWatch, the UCC market is expected to double in size by 2025, reaching $60 billion. You could have received this NEWSLETTER information about three weeks ago, with more detail and live links, via email. Go to www.soundandcommunications.com to sign up! November 2019

Sound & Communications 11

NEWSLETTER According to Leonard Marshall, Founder and CEO of Marshall Electronics, “[We] want to accelerate our new designs and production capability to capture the largest possible share of this growth.” The UCC/MXL division of Marshall Electronics is in charge of developing new solutions for huddle rooms, as well as medium and large conference rooms. It will also explore innovative opportunities in the growing and increasingly video-dependent markets of telemedicine, digital classroom, virtual banking, smart factory and human resources/talent recruitment. Trevor Fedele has been appointed Sales Director of the UCC/MXL division, covering both the US and international markets. He has an accomplished background in professional audio, and he’s dedicated to bringing clarity and quality to the UCC/conferencing market. In addition, Perry Goldstein will be rejoining the company, and he’ll handle business development and OEM applications.

BELDEN PLANS GRASS VALLEY DIVESTITURE Subsequent to the end of Q3/19, Belden, Inc. (St. Louis MO), made the decision to pursue the divestiture of Grass Valley (Montréal, Quebec, Canada). Belden’s Board of Directors has approved the divestiture of the business, and the probability is high that the divestiture will be consummated. John Stroup, President, CEO and Chairman of Belden Inc., said, “We [have] concluded that it is in the best interests of our shareholders, customers and employees to separate Grass Valley from Belden. This will enable Grass Valley to more effectively execute its strategic plan and pursue growth opportunities. Further, this separation will simplify Belden’s portfolio....” Stroup continued, “The remaining Belden portfolio will consist of strong businesses in attractive industrial and enterprise markets, each aligned with powerful secular trends. These include industrial automation, cybersecurity, broadband and 5G, and smart buildings. This portfolio, while smaller, offers improved predictability and multiple platforms for accelerating organic growth and margin expansion.”

IN-EAR MANUFACTURERS JOIN TO ADVANCE INDUSTRY In an effort to bring together in-ear manufacturers, dealers, suppliers and end users, Mike Dias, an expert in custom in-ear monitors (IEMs), has created an organization called the In-Ear Monitor International Trade Organization (IEMITO). The goal of the organization and its website (www.inearmonitor.org) is to be a repository of unbiased information and to act as a directory for all the members. Activities will include job-placement assistance, best-practices promotion, trade-show participation and more. Since its launch, IEMITO has been a hit with manufacturers. Most of the US-based companies, including Sensaphonics (Chicago IL), are onboard. The company’s Founder and President, Dr. Michael Santucci, said, “With the growth of the IEM product category over the past 25 years, it’s important to have a trade organization dedicated to meeting the needs of both manufacturers and end users, while promoting the use of in-ear monitors. Sensaphonics is proud to be a founding member of IEMITO.”

THE SEXTANT GROUP ACQUIRED BY NV5 The Sextant Group, Inc. (Pittsburgh PA), has been acquired by NV5 Global, Inc. (Hollywood FL). For nearly 25 years, The Sextant Group has provided independent building technology consulting services for higher-education, corporate and healthcare clients, among others. Services include audiovisual, information technology, security, acoustics and technical lighting. Now, as part of NV5’s Engineering & Technology group, The Sextant Group can provide clients with a broader range of services from a single entity. NV5 offers a range of services, including planning, engineering, construction quality assurance, program and construction management, commissioning and technology consulting. These services are offered to public-sector and private-sector clients in the energy, transportation, government, hospitality, commercial, healthcare and education markets. The company now has more than 2,700 employees, and it operates out of more than 100 locations nationwide and abroad. Dickerson Wright, PE, Chairman and CEO of NV5, noted that, with The Sextant Group’s technology capabilities, NV5 can play an increasingly important role in the design or retrofit of “smart” buildings. COMPILED BY DAN FERRISI 12 Sound & Communications November 2019

Talkback Communicate with camera operators and production staff.

USB Connection For updating switcher software and settings.

Program Mix Listen to the program audio mix.

Source Select Buttons Input buttons for PGM/PVW or cut-bus style switching.

Reference In Supports black burst or tri-sync reference for use with large broadcast systems.

Source and Control Downstream keyer, media players, fade to black and transition selection.

Source Inputs Connect up to 40 x 12G-SDI inputs for HD and Ultra HD or 10 Quad Link 12G-SDI inputs for 8K.

Spin Knob Control Scroll through on screen menus or adjust audio levels.

Independent Assignable Outputs 24 x 12G-SDI outputs for HD and Ultra HD or 6 x Quad Link 12G-SDI outputs for 8K.

Lock Button Locks front panel settings to protect against changes during production.

Multi View Outputs 4 multi view outputs for HD and Ultra HD or 1 Quad Link 12G-SDI multi view output when working in 8K.

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SOUND ADVICE

‘Bassic’ Instinct Why do we love bass?

By Peter Mapp, PhD, FASA, FAES

was looking at a church sound system last week and was staggered at the bass content that hit me when I plugged in my pink-noise generator—particularly as this was a traditional, small church, and one look at the speakers told me there wouldn’t be any low frequencies to speak of. Boy, did I get a shock! I soon traced the source of the bass energy to a corner-mounted, compact subwoofer. (The corner mounting, as it happened, was for convenience, not because it would deliver another 9dB to 12dB of bass content.) I then learned that the subwoofer was there because of the band, but there was no hint of this potential music source other wise. The problem was that all the mics, as well as the instruments, were routed through the subwoofer, resulting in a muddy, inglorious mess. For your edification (and perhaps warped delight), Figure 1 shows the spatially averaged frequency response of the sound system as I found it. As you can immediately see, these people like bass, as the response shows there to be a 20dB peak centered at 50Hz. This is excessive by almost anyone’s standards. Interestingly, I found that an external user of the system always cut the bass (using a global bass tone control) and partially tamed the beast, as shown in Figure 2. The bass control reduced the bass peak by around 7dB to 8dB, which cleaned up speech considerably. This was interesting, as I had forgotten how effective a simple tone control could sometimes be. Subjectively, the church was quite lively (acoustically speaking, that is), although the reverberation time (RT) was only 1.2sec. Now, whereas many sound-system operators and system tuners often adjust the frequency response to have a bass rise, the above situation is excessive. Figure 4, which shows the response of a high-quality line-array system in a concert hall, for example, is fairly typical. But why do we do this? Surely a “flat” response—particularly at mid and low frequencies—is more accurate, right? Well, as goes the famous saying in audio, it depends! More specifically, it depends on the sound level at which the system is playing, as our ears are highly non-linear and the frequency response that we perceive changes with sound level. (This was discovered by Har vey Fletcher and Wilden A. Munson back in the 1920s.) Figure 5 is a plot of the current equal loudness cur ves, as standardized in ISO 226. 14 Sound & Communications November 2019

Figure 1: Sound-system response. Note 20dB peak at 50Hz.

Figure 2: Sound-system response with bass cut.

Figure 3: Church RT characteristic.

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Figure 4: Typical high-quality sound system frequency response.

Figure 5: Equal loudness curves ISO 226:2003.

Figure 6: Long-term spectral averages for three bands.

16 Sound & Communications November 2019

As most people know, we are most sensitive to sound at high frequencies—namely, at around 2kHz to 4kHz—and we are much less sensitive to low frequencies. However, this depends on the level. The cur ves, for example, show that, at 60dB, a 100Hz tone has to be approximately 18dB greater than one at 1kHz to be perceived as being equally loud—and it rises to nearly 30dB greater at 50Hz. However, at 80dB, these increases reduce to 10dB and 20dB, respectively; meanwhile, at 100dB, the comparable levels are just 5dB and 12dB. So, adding some bass boost to a sound system would seem reasonable. However, there is a world of difference between judging the perceived loudness of tones in a lab and listening to music in a real space with reverberation. These days, many of the top mixers and operators seem to prefer a nearly flat response—as, indeed, many discerning public listeners do. Figure 6, for example, presents the long-term average spectra of three top bands playing in the same (prestigious) venue. The solid blue cur ve, which exhibits a nominally flat low- and mid-frequency response, was well rated by the audience; by contrast, the other two bands, which exhibited an emphasized bass response, received several complaints, and they subjectively were thought to have lower sound quality. Now, of course, there are a number of other factors that come into play here, but, certainly, there seemed to be a strong correlation between the bass response and the perceived sound quality. One factor is that, although this venue does not have a bass rise in its RT characteristic (actually it is slightly falling), it does have a fairly long RT overall. Therefore, the reduced control of the sound system at bass frequencies tended to excite the space. Hence, bass notes could “hang on” and muddy things up, just as the subwoofer in the church did (albeit on a rather different scale). Sound is all about time and frequency; therefore, you cannot just look at frequency response alone. What works, frequency wise, in one venue might not work in another. Maybe we need a new acoustic measure that combines the temporal and spectral responses. Then again, maybe just a good pair of ears could do?

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IoT

A New Day Will new collaboration-space entrants mean the end of locked-in room devices? By David Danto

used to tell the joke that, if my iPhone had been a person, I’d have married it. (I stopped telling that joke when my wife legitimately got annoyed. She didn’t like the explanation that Siri was better at directions than she was.) For a techie like me, my smartphone was the ultimate device to keep with me at all times—a life changer. Yes, before the iPhone, the convenience and security of having a mobile phone with me all the time was nice; once they added apps and sensors, though, oh boy! The iPhone changed so many things. I’d never become lost again, as it had a global positioning system (GPS) app. I’d never have to listen to a weather forecast again, as I could call up the weather radar whenever I needed it. I’d never have to print a boarding pass again, as I could grab the electronic version from the airline’s app. I’m sure those of you who use smartphones could make a list of your own benefits, chock full of how that platform has changed your life. One of the best things about an app ecosystem is that a different device isn’t required for each function. I no longer need a calculator, a GPS or the device associated with any other included function. The smartphone simply utilizes the relevant app. The smartphone was just as much of a miracle in my personal world of collaboration. I no longer require a “Brand C” telepresence system, as the app it made uses the shared screen, microphone and speaker in my smartphone. I no longer require a “Brand M” teams room, as the app it made also uses 18 Sound & Communications November 2019

the shared resources of the device. I no longer require a “Brand Z” room, also for the same reasons. The apps—programmed and certified directly by each individual platform vendor—sit side by side on my one device. They all share the same I/O and user interface (UI), and they can all be called upon as required—one right after the other, if necessar y. The problem, of course, is the screen, measuring a whopping six whole inches. It is really only useful at arm’s length. The same goes for the microphones and speakers; they were designed for one individual’s use. All this doesn’t make for a great life-sized telepresence experience. Well, as this year approaches its close, the world is changing yet again. The equivalent of these smart devices is coming to room collaboration systems. The industr y has already somewhat experienced this in the form of the existing general-compute products; as I’ve mentioned before, however, I’m personally not a fan of the PC/ Mac platform in this application. These excellent devices were designed for personal general computing—not public spaces—and there is not a consensus on their value versus their risk. (Admittedly, this is a source of public disagreement. Fans of these systems advocate for them as strenuously as I point out their flaws and risks.) That aside, however, new room appliances are just now hitting the market, as the new year arrives, and they’re based on the same platform and concept that our smartphones are. Think of the value of a bigger, scalable, manageable, locked-down, enterprise-grade iPhone or Android sitting at the front of all our conference rooms. Call up the app designed by the platform of your choice and you have a certified experience from that provider, using the shared room’s display, speakers and microphones. If you live the reality of the vast majority of enterprises and have a call on a different cloud platform later that day, just launch its app, using the same shared I/O and UI. The value of this room universality will be immeasurable to the users—not just in functionality, but also in breaking the chains of platform lock-in. If, for some reason, an organization becomes disappointed with its platform of choice—perhaps due to ser vice or price—then the organization can switch to a different platform without having to forklift the room gear. Additionally, the transition between the two will be seamless, as this new class of room devices will allow both platforms to work side by side for as long as needed, along with all the other apps that make up the device’s ecosystem. The platform providers will probably not like this reality at first. They will likely claim that their dedicated systems perform better than these new agnostic devices will—and that will likely be true, as some bespoke functions might not be fully emulated on the app. But when people say that a locked-down universal room appliance that uses side-by-side apps can’t be done, just pick up your smartphone (which already does this with ease) and slowly wave it back and forth in front of them. (Imagine you’re at a concert, asking for an encore.) It’s truly approaching the end of the performance for locked-in room devices.

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HOUSE OF WORSHIP: BUSINESS

From The Parking Lot To The Pew, Part 2 It’s time to be vigilant. By David Lee Jr., PhD Lee Communication Inc.

n Part 1 of this three-part series, I wrote, “We live in violent times. People are stressed, government is inadequate and people are experiencing bleak economic conditions. Social woes, challenging family conditions and religious conflicts are just a few of the factors that are fueling the stress people are feeling globally. I suggest that this stress is at least an underlying factor that is motivating people to snap and inflict violence on people in workplaces, in schools, in social settings, in family homes, in shopping centers, in movie theaters, in airports and, tragically, in houses of worship (HoWs).” Although only a small percentage of HoWs actually experience violent acts, the loss of even one person while worshipping is one too many. I believe that HoW leaders must take security seriously in order to prevent violence from occurring on their campuses. I don’t believe that we should be paranoid, but I do believe it’s time to be vigilant and tr y our best to understand who is entering our HoWs and take action to prevent acts of violence from occurring during worship ser vices. In that spirit, I present seven steps that I believe can help create a more vigilant sanctuar y for worship: (1) create an action plan; (2) create a security team; (3) train the security team; (4) create a video-sur veillance system; (5) keep most doors locked except for primar y in/out doors; (6) create a check-in/check-out system for children and teenagers; and (7) explain to the congregation the need for security. Let’s begin to explore these in detail. First is creating an action plan. You 20 Sound & Communications November 2019

might be asking, “What is an action plan?” The steps I am providing here could constitute an action plan; however, more generally, an action plan determines the depth of effort a HoW will expend to create a secure campus if an emergency occurs. An action plan could be as simple as stating, “If there is a fire, a medical event or an act of violence, we will call 911 for help.” (Naturally, one would hope that HoW leadership would create a more advanced action plan than only calling 911.) An action plan should be well defined to include multiple types of emergency scenarios. For example, what actions should be taken if someone has a heart attack during a worship ser vice? What actions should be taken if a fight or an incident of domestic violence occurs during a worship ser vice? What actions should be taken if there is an active shooter? Ultimately, to create an effective action plan, these and other profound and practical questions must be asked to create a “risk profile” of the HoW, which, in turn, helps leaders determine the level of security required at their particular HoW. For example, is the HoW known for taking strong positions in the community or about society? Is the pastor, rabbi, imam or other leader popular, and does he or she maintain a high profile? Would people in the general public potentially have issues with the leader? Who are the primar y and secondar y members of the congregation? Does the HoW have ministr y for infants, toddlers, elementar y-school kids, juniorhigh students and high schoolers? Does the location of the HoW potentially add to the risk of violence? How can the HoW establish deeper relationships with local law enforcement? Are there law-enforcement officers who attend the HoW? Would congregants accept a security team (perhaps called a “security ministr y”)? What equipment would a HoW require to implement a security team (e.g., radios, flashlights, special clothing to identify the team)? Once those questions, and many others, are answered, a real plan can be established that defines the scope of action that will be taken to prevent incidents from occurring, and that defines the actions that will be taken if an emergency does occur. Next is creating a security team. If the HoW decides to create a security team, HoW leaders recruit its members. For most HoWs, the security team is composed of volunteers who attend the HoW. In many cases, the volunteers are a blend of congregants who work in law enforcement, current or former military personnel, and people who have no security training. According to experts to whom I spoke, members of a security team should have (1) strong people skills; (2) mental and emotional stability; (3) the ability to observe people and situations; (4) good judgment; (5) a willingness to serve within the scope of the action plan; and (6) a desire to serve the HoW faithfully. We’re just scratching the surface of this ver y important and timely topic. There are additional steps that should be taken to secure a HoW. Thus, next time, in Part 3, I will detail the remaining steps of the plan. I believe we should do ever ything we can to provide a safe and secure place where people can worship freely. I also believe that security is becoming a fruitful industr y within the HoW market. That is what I believe. Please tell me what you believe.

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THE THECOMMISH COMMISH In the AV industry, the end users are typically represented by two separate, yet equally important, groups: the designers, who specify the systems, and the integrators who install them. My company acts as a third party to commission these systems. These are our stories.

Troubleshooting OK, where’s the drawing? Aha…Aha!

By James Maltese, CTS-D, CTS-I, CQD, CQT Level 3 Audio Visual AV9000 Checklist Items Under Test: 5.2.1: All audio paths on the flow diagram have been verified (all lines marked). 5.3.1: All video paths on the flow diagram have been verified (all lines marked). Reasoning: Whenever I’m troubleshooting an AV issue, I more than likely have a drawing in front of me. If we’re talking about an installation project, drawings are part of the package. If it’s a ser vice project, things get a little trickier because CAD AV drawings might not always be available. In those cases, it’s important to draw your own sketch of the system to help conceptualize exactly what’s going on. Most techs just want to get to the answer as quickly as possible; sometimes, however, you have to slow down to speed up. You might be able to address the issue in your head, but, more often than not, it’s worth the time to map out the system to document the various connections. It provides a clear snapshot of what’s connected to what, it’s easy to share with others if you need support and it can be extraordinarily valuable to the client, especially if the drawings were lost years ago. The Stor y: When was the last time you saw “Coming to America,” starring Eddie Murphy? I would watch that movie over and over again with my friends. Probably my favorite scene is the one in which Eddie Murphy is playing Saul. “Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait stop right there! Listen: Stop right there, man. A man goes into a restaurant. You listenin’? A man goes into a restaurant, and he sits down, he’s having a bowl of 22 Sound & Communications November 2019

Man says, ‘Waiter, come taste the soup.’ Waiter says, ‘Is there something wrong with the soup? Is the soup too hot?’ Man says, ‘Will you taste the soup?’ ‘What’s wrong? Is the soup too cold?’ ‘Will you just taste the soup?!’ ‘All right, I’ll taste the soup—where’s the spoon?’ ‘Aha!…Aha!’

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soup and he says to the waiter, ‘Waiter, come taste the soup.’ Waiter says, ‘Is something wrong with the soup?’ He says, ‘Taste the soup.’ He says, ‘Is there something wrong with the soup? Is the soup too hot?’ He says, ‘Will you taste the soup?’ ‘What’s wrong? Is the soup too cold?’ ‘Will you just taste the soup?!’ ‘All right, I’ll taste the soup—where’s the spoon?’ ‘Aha!…Aha!’ Whadaya know from funny, you bastards?” “Where’s the spoon?” To this day, I can say “Where’s the spoon?” to my friends when we miss something obvious and they reply with an “Aha!” Naturally, this got me thinking about troubleshooting AV systems. I’m sure you’ve received a call from field technicians in which they’re describing an issue they’re experiencing in the field. You’re neck deep in a proposal, the phone rings and you’re still kind of finishing your thought on the computer screen when you hear this from the phone: “The laptop transmitter is connected to the receiver through the wall, and the audio cable is coming from the projector back to the amplifier, but it’s over the headphone jack, and it’s getting noise. But I’m only getting audio from the VGA, not the HDMI. So, what should I do?” Huh? Wha?! I’m not even sure that’s possible. Who is this? What’s going on? Let’s start again. Tr ying to describe signal flow over the phone can be incredibly difficult, especially when you’re tr ying to describe the flow and potential solutions in the same sentence. I’ll grant you that, 10 percent of the time, the description triggers a lesson learned and you can pull the solution out of your keister right then and there. However, 90 percent of the time, it makes more sense to slow ever ything down and start a drawing. It might be frustrating for the folks in the field, but, most of the time, it will ultimately be quicker. Once there is system documentation, the solution is usually fairly straightfor ward. The drawing will help you stay aligned with what the technician is seeing in the field. Also, if you make a digital sketch, it can be stored in the case files for future use to save time or a trip to the field. The phone-conversation example was an actual recent issue that we encountered. The client had an older HDMI extender installed that did not extract audio from the

HDMI signal. The system was using the projector to do this (HDMI input, analog-audio output). However, the HDMI extender receiver had an audio output, as well, which was only used to pass analog audio through the extender—not to extract audio from the HDMI signal. With so much going on in this simple system, words alone were not adequate for my brain to understand what was happening. I spent a few minutes confirming which device was connected where, and we came up with a drawing over the phone. It became especially tricky when discussing the audio connections. The projector had a 3.5mm TRS audio output, and the HDMI extender receiver had a phoenix audio output. Both were connected to the amplifier, which had both a 3.5mm TRS

input, as well as a phoenix connector. It was tricky—indeed, nearly impossible—to describe over the phone and keep track of what was connected to what. Once the sketch was completed, however, a quick Google search with some experimenting turned up the answer: The 3.5mm TRS cable between the projector and the amplifier had to be replaced. The system worked with a VGA+Audio connection because of the analog-audio pass thru on the extender set. It was a simple system with a simple solution—but it would have been almost impossible to figure out with just a description. A quick sketch was necessar y to understand the system and what was actually going on with it. I’m reminded of a recent job that included a small network switch that

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had all its ports populated with system devices. The system did not have a network diagram. No one took the time to detail what network devices were connected to the switcher, or how many devices were actually connected. So, the QA engineer (QA) walks up to the field engineer (FE) and says to the FE, “Did you load the program?” FE says, “Is something wrong with the control system?” QA says, “Load the program.” She says, “What? Are the hostnames wrong?” “Will you load the program?” FE says, “Are the touchpanels not finding the processor?” “Just load the program.” “All right, I’ll load the program—where’s the ser vice port?” “Aha!…Aha!” Whadaya know from funny, you AV geeks?

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Sound & Communications 23

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Ask Permission Or Ask Forgiveness? If I may ask, what would you do?

By Douglas Kleeger, CTS-D, DMC-E/S, XTP-E, KCD

are extremely risky. For example, a few years ago, I was called in on a large militar y hen you have your mind project, where the account manager wanted to impress the stakeholders. I was hired made up to do something, but it goes to do pre-sales engineered drawings to show the firm’s prowess and full understandagainst company policy or even the ing of the request for proposal (RFP). Many thousands of dollars were spent, and company’s best interest (temporarily, at weeks’ worth of work was completed, in the hope of being selected. I would estimate least), do you do it anyway, not tell anythe overall expenditure to bid on this project was north of $10,000. And you know one and ask forgiveness if/when you’re what happened? Although this project represented more than $6 million ($2 million caught? Or, do you disclose what you in AV) for the GC, the GC never made the deadline to submit the bid at the end of want to do in advance, thus asking perthe day. (It was working on a $20 million bid instead.) Wow! What a way mission? On more than one to make a living!] occasion, I’ve had discussions When your Back to our scenario! A facility that I will not disclose sends out for bid with others on this topic, mind is a $5 million-plus RFP that has two audiovisual aspects to it—traditional and I’ve even lived through a made up AV and broadcast. The audiovisual integrator is not qualified to do the few scenarios where I had to broadcast portion (the predominant part), so it reaches out to another make this call myself. to do integrator to partner with so it can bid on the project. I’m writing about this something, There are some stringent requirements that state the prospective bidtopic this month because I ders must disclose, in advance, the “key staffing” for the project, as well just came across this exact do you just as their individual qualifications and the usual company qualifications. scenario with some folks I do it and In addition, the prospective bidders must send their key staffing to meet know. Let me describe the then ask for with the GC, consultant and owner for an inter view after submitting their scenario and ask, “What combined bid. In this case, the AV and broadcast teams attend. Would You Do?” forgiveness An important aspect here is that the audiovisual integrator is primar y, The scenario begins with if you’re whereas the broadcast integrator is a subcontractor to the audiovisual inan audiovisual integrator tegrator. The AV integrator is allowed to use a subcontractor if it chooses, that likes to bid on ver y caught? and the owner can decide if it wants to select a company that can comlarge public projects ($1 plete the entire project in house or one that uses a subcontractor. The overall key million-plus). Often, these projects are staff member (other than company executive management) is the VP of engineering, so large that audiovisual integrators who attended the inter view with additional engineering staff and the subcontractor are not even allowed to bid on them staffing. I was told that, although there were some tough questions and a few condirect; instead, they have to be selected cerns, the meeting went well. by either a general contractor (GC) or Wondering when the quandar y is going to arise? Drum roll, please! The project has an electrical contractor and then bid not been awarded yet, and word comes that the VP of engineering has resigned, givthe audiovisual portion as part of their ing two weeks’ notice. Should the AV integrator disclose this major staffing change to team. the GC before the selection of the winning bidder? In essence, the integrator would The GC or electrical contractor be asking if it could continue to be a candidate for the project by offering assurances marks up the audiovisual portion and it would be able to complete the project at the same level of expertise and on time. submits the overall bid, and you’re left Alternatively, should the AV integrator withhold the information from the GC on to hope the contractor knew what it the chance the resignation might affect the selection of the winning bidder? Then, was doing, it wins the bid, and then it the integrator would have to ask forgiveness in the event it’s awarded the project honors the agreement and gives the and hope it’s not deselected. What would you do? Would you ask permission or seek work to you! [A brief aside: These types of bids (continued on page 89) 24 Sound & Communications November 2019

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AVIXA POV

A Closer Look At Corporate Events AVIXA’s market research investigates the opportunities and challenges.

By Sean Wargo AVIXA

ne of the forest-for-the-trees issues within the broad commercial AV industr y is an assumption that, at the forest level, project work in this space is all about the sale and permanent installation of audiovisual technologies. However, a trip down into the trees reveals a different reality. Although integrated solutions are a sizable portion of the industr y, temporar y utilization through pop-up events or experiences is an important component of the AV solution set, generating strong revenues. Because of the contributions of these applications, and to help facilitate broader understanding of them, AVIXA has undertaken two distinct studies on live events this year. Those are in addition to ongoing efforts to measure the revenues they bring to commercial AV. What follows are 26 Sound & Communications November 2019

some of the key findings of the most recent of the two studies, covering the corporateevents space. Corporate events represent a growing market, and its dynamics are distinct from both the installed-AV and the performance markets. Of the $247 billion global AV market this year, the live-events component represents $26.7 billion—a sizeable portion. The term live events includes both live-performance events (touring concerts, primarily) and corporate events. However, the fact that the corporate-events market is not a separate AV vertical, but, rather, a set of solutions that cuts across all AV verticals means that corporate events represent a great opportunity for growth. And corporate events’ growth dovetails with the booming global business-travel market (worth more than $1.3 trillion in 2017). That’s good news by any measure. Attendees are treating “work events” as if they’re leisure events, showing attendance discretion based on high expectations for technology benefits and performance. A corporate live event at a convention or trade show, although work related, often has to compete with concurrent events; as such, attendees have choices about which events to attend. In addition, respondents frequently attend events that are not strictly required for their job; thus, they are not a “captive audience.” Their responses to our sur vey questions reveal what providers can do to make people excited to attend their

AVIXA POV

events. For example, in an industr y in which most of the activity has been on a stage at the front of a room, “interactive touch displays” topped the list of what most substantially enhanced an event for attendees. Digital signage also came to the fore in our sur vey as a desired/ requested tech solution, enabling better wayfinding and increased event personalization, among other benefits.

The end users—the gatekeepers, in most cases—are spending more on technology, while demanding better solutions and better workflow. The end user—often the event producer or meeting planner—is responsible for arranging for the provision of AV gear and/or AV ser vices for the corporate event. And these end users spend a

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significantly higher percentage of their total event budgets on AV than customers in AV-integration projects do, or as compared to AV for the entertainment/performance market. Half of the event producers and meeting planners sur veyed plan to increase the amount of owned gear in their inventor y. They also see the direct benefit of using great AV for their events, and they’re showing increased interest in new initiatives like creating digital archives of the events and doing more event streaming. The dynamics for AV providers are unique in corporate events: They are both the end user of AV gear and the ser vices provider for a new kind of experiential demand. The AV ser vice providers for corporate live events are the end users of AV gear: They either buy AV equipment for their own inventor y to use for their customers’ events or rent AV equipment for them. They balance each activity according to their own changing financial position and exposure, their pipeline of jobs, their customers’ needs and market evolution, including the emergence of new technologies, products and solutions. As AV providers, their most promising market is providing experiential technology and ser vices, and these go beyond virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). A VR headset is fun, but top AV stagers and gear providers are looking beyond that; a new kind of “collective VR” is more appealing in this market, and it’s catching on fast. Of course, the preceding is only a sampling of the extensive research represented by AVIXA’s report. In its pages, you will find the results of three distinct sur veys corresponding to the various components of the corporateevents value chain—audiences, meeting planners and events producers, and live-events solution providers. In total, the report forms a comprehensive look at the market for constituents who are either looking to enter the temporar ysolutions space or already ser ving it. Make sure to take a look at www.avixa.org/insight/marketintel for more information.

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INDUSTRY POV

Game On! Scoring winning digital-signage integrations for stadiums and arenas. By Nick Belcore Peerless-AV

ans in arenas and stadiums expect total immersion in the product they are consuming—or, in essence, never to miss a moment of the action. Similarly, fans these days want to engage and interact with the product or experience at a higher level than ever before. Whether fans are in the apparel shop or grabbing a snack at the concession stand, stadiums and arenas around the world are incorporating digital deployments to enhance the customer experience while, simultaneously, capturing data that can be used to improve overall stadium operations. With the cost of most new stadiums averaging more than $1 billion, these venues are constantly evolving to incorporate a variety of mediums. Doing so helps ensure that a diversity of cultures and generations are interacting with their product in a way that facilitates a more personalized experience and that keeps customers engaged and returning for the next game. But how is this done? Now more than ever, the answer lies in technology upgrades for stadiums and arenas. Relevantly, InfoTrends has found that 30 Sound & Communications November 2019

digital displays can increase brand awareness by almost 48 percent! The evolution of technology and analytics is finally catching up with our desire to have an agnostic platform from which to tailor user experiences, thus making the possibilities truly limitless and allowing venues to be as creative as they wish to be.

Continuous Fan Experience To establish an easily updated platform for wayfinding, advertising and interactive experiences, outdoor TVs, displays and mounts can be seamlessly installed. This platform then creates a continuous fan experience throughout the entire stadium—in essence, it makes some (or all) aspects of the stadium product-portable. Integrated kiosks offering entertainment and information are another smart option for arenas; they encourage fan engagement, and they can create a design element by using customizable branding, cameras, logos and more. Similarly, digital menu boards in concession areas can be customized with content that communicates estimated wait time, shares menu items’ availability or even tries to upsell key items. Of course, it would be impossible to discuss stadiums without paying tribute to the largest form of digital signage in an arena: the scoreboard. Direct-view LED (dvLED) is the technology that powers scoreboards, and, as a technology, it’s the only choice when going for a large-format wow factor. dvLED scoreboards allow for visibility at all times of the day—even in the brightest conditions—and they can be seen by fans seated anywhere in the stadium. The large size of the screen also allows scoreboards to provide advertising and entertainment opportunities that can be viewed far and wide, extending well beyond gameday, if desired and appropriately situated. With the ease of updating and segmenting content, it’s now simpler than ever for a stadium to update fantasy scores while, simultaneously, showing a replay from the game and displaying a featured athlete’s statistics. dvLED technology has advanced to the point that it can be deployed, in a cost-effective manner, anywhere in the stadium. That

information in real time, whether ensuring all parties are informed if an emergency occurs or providing general announcements during the game. Another leading benefit lies in adaptive signage networks’ ability to select content that appeals to the customer, creating a personalized digital experience; this, in turn, can have a massive impact on buying trends within the stadium, yielding happy purchasers and happy concessioners.

Key Considerations For Deploying Tech In Stadiums Once the decision has been made to deploy digital signage in stadiums, doing so effectively requires considering how to make the new technology work appropriately and meet compliance guidelines. When incorporating outdoor solutions, tech decision-makers should consider extreme temperatures, sunlight exposure

includes areas that previously would have been considered lesser-utilized or dead space. This further enhances both the fan experience and stadiums’ revenue potential.

Digital-Signage Benefits For Fans & Stadiums Understanding the opportunities for digital signage is the first step. Stadium and arena tech decision-makers must next focus on the benefits. For example, implementing digital displays can reduce fans’ perceived wait time in long lines for everything from concessions to the lavatory; this will increase customer satisfaction. Digital displays also help with wayfinding, they can serve as dynamic and promotional menu boards, they can offer entertainment and they can even deliver interactive experiences. For stadiums, digital signage creates a number of cost-related benefits and eliminates landfill waste by replacing traditional print advertising with a longlifespan, reusable platform. In addition, digital signage allows stadiums to relay

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for viewability and fading, product maintenance, and external conditions such as rain, snow, hail, humidity and dust. It must be assured that the displays can be seen, and will remain in working order, in any situation. Enhanced IP ratings on displays ensure enclosures are effectively sealed against intrusion from foreign bodies/moisture, and opticalbonding technology or an anti-reflection treatment will allow outdoor TVs to be viewed year-round, regardless of the position of the sun. Displays that are significantly impact-resistant can also mitigate much of the damage that might come from accidental (or intentional) impacts. Although visuals are a key priority, audio is also important for tech decisionmakers to pay attention to when incorporating digital-signage solutions into sta(continued on page 89)

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INDUSTRY POV

How Stadiums Can Up Their Game With Networked AV Stadiums and arenas host competitions, but they also must compete. By Kieran Walsh Audinate

out to the stadium or arena—be it for baseball, hockey, track and field, or roller part from improving a derby—teams must be innovative in their AV integrations. AV must be flexible, it team’s performance in the wins-andmust work across multiple demands within stadium operations, and it must enable losses column, the most impactful thing creativity among those in the promotions, marketing and media departments. a sports organization can do to boost (or maintain) attendance is improve Understand The Need and increase the level of fan engageFor integrators, the good news is stadium operators and sports teams understand ment and fan interactivity that take this need. The challenge is not convincing a team to offer such a system; rather, the place within a stadium. To do this, new challenge lies in providing an integration that works with all the subnets within a and more in-depth AV integrations are facility, that can scale and be altered for different uses, and that enables partners who required. are stakeholders come gameday. Consider that, in the past, when Sitting at the bottom of the stack—the base upon which all uses are constructed— sports teams at any level filled out a is the transport layer. Traditionally, the AV world has report on threats relied on serial digital interface (SDI) cabling, but to their attendance, this is quickly phasing out due to its lack of flexibility they looked not Live sports events don’t just in connectivity, its rigidity in terms of interoperability only at other sports and its cost at scale. These troubles are exponentially teams in the region compete with other athletic more painful at the scale of a stadium. That means a but also at parks, new transport layer must be used. swimming pools, events; they also compete Luckily, the solution sits in the standard networkfairs, museums and ing that ever y new and retrofit stadium has: 1Gb (or community events with entertainment more better) Ethernet. Networked AV has come into its taking place durown over the past decade. Audio and video signals ing the competition broadly. are now easily, effectively and powerfully routed season. Live sports over the network to enable complete AV solutions events don’t just that would have been nigh impossible in the past. compete with other With most capital-build projects today, the AV aspect is being determined at the athletic events; they also compete with electrical-consultant stage because that is when the network layout begins. Again, the entertainment more broadly. Because good news is it is no longer necessar y to get in at this stage and pitch networked AV: we, as a society, have never been more It has become a given with almost all new projects. digitally inclined and connected than The same goes for video security systems, access control and building-control we are today, this list of entertainmentsystems; they all join the network. And more good news: Bandwidth utilization is related threats to attendance has exlargely no longer a concern when systems share these connections. Network speeds panded to include fans’ mobile devices and lower costs have completely overtaken what is required for an effective audio and impressive at-home entertainment system. Even at 512 channels of audio—a massive build that few stadiums will ever systems. need—there is little concern about bogging down a network. Today, the average fan is more conAll that being said, the point is not that it’s now easier to work in networked AV; nected to his or her team than ever rather, the point is to recognize the critical role the network plays in stadium AV before. To get fans to continue to come

32 Sound & Communications November 2019

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systems. When approaching a stadium install or retrofit today, the network must be understood and leveraged effectively.

Ensuring Control Among All Partners Perhaps most critical to the transport layer is the level of control offered. This is also where it becomes critical to understand the multiple stakeholders and partners who come into a facility. For example, although broadcast is beyond the pur view of this article, it must be recognized that broadcasters have an inherent stake in the event. Although many still appear set on running analog cabling, more and more are adapting to the new era of networked AV. Providing a broadcaster with the option to tap into a network and access all AV feeds should now be commonplace. The ability to share elements, such as halftimeshow video and press-conference feeds, is becoming increasingly valuable to broadcasters. The ability to hear referee discussions—and even for there to be referee-worn cameras—is increasingly in demand. Internally, the stor y is much the same. Even though entertainment systems are often the competencies that get the most focus in stadium environments, you can’t leave out consideration of hospitality operations, security systems, and evacuation and safety systems. Working with stadium operations, broadcast operations and corporate operations is the key takeaway here. Although a demarcation remains between these different operations levels, it is important that an AV system caters to each.

Multiuse And Multizone Considerations Another critical component is to remember that stadiums are not just for sports. Although this article led with sports as the hook, the reality is that you could slot in a concert or an expo in the first few lines and the stor y would be the same. Live entertainment is still competing with increasingly impressive consumer experiences; thus, increas-

34 Sound & Communications November 2019

ingly impressive AV systems are the answer to getting people out of their homes and into your venue. To that end, an AV system in a stadium must be able to be repurposed so that the venue can switch its use and still find value in the installed AV. This is where the zoning of content becomes crucial. Adding a zone to a system with an analog structure used to be an expensive proposition. However, with the move to the network, it is now as simple as the click of a mouse. It can be done simply and quickly. What that means is press areas can quickly be set up, without PA systems drowning them out. It means audio can be switched on and off, dependAn AV system in a stadium ing on the demands of a touring band. It means no more mechanimust be able to be repurposed cal changes—only software-level alterations—to achieve the exact soundscape desired for a stadium so that the venue can switch or an arena. In the past, you often ran into its use and still find value financial concerns when tr ying to make such alterations; in in the installed AV. many instances, the answer when proposing changes would be “no.” But that has largely faded away in the era of networked AV. Planning ahead for different zones and different uses means a system that, ultimately, is flexible and can work with even more partners and stakeholders. Another consideration is the ability of the AV network to work over existing network infrastructure that has been properly broken up into multiple subnets. These are likely to be segmented by location and use. Sponsored suites, broadcast positions, announcers’ booths, concourse areas, public ingress/egress areas and hospitality spaces are all likely to have their own subnets—and the system must be able to operate, obser ve and control devices regardless of their location or their respective subnet.

Flexibility & Creativity Above all else, the end game in stadium AV should be to provide a system that doesn’t duplicate resources, that doesn’t require sticking to specific manufacturers and that works for anyone who needs to tap into it. It should offer a level of obser vability, management and security, while still being capable of scaling up. The reality is, the more data you can provide an AV user, the more of a palette you provide for that user to tell a stor y. This gets to the final point of how AV helps bring in more attendees: It is the great enabler of content. And content is the key differentiator in this competition for people’s attention. Allowing the operations teams in stadiums to be more flexible means more creativity is being enabled. Securely opening up the system to additional uses, such as live music and events, provides more experiences and events that can call the stadium their home. But, to bring all that together, it requires an understanding of the new networkbacked AV workflow. It demands that a level of control be offered to all involved. The flexibility to scale, change and alter audio and video signals is paramount. Bringing those technical considerations together is not only a great enabler but also a great democratizer, all thanks to networked AV. Professional-level production is now more affordable and more effective, thanks to the network. That means more stadiums and arenas will be able to compete for spectators’ time and attention.

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INDUSTRY POV

The Case For AVaaS In Digital Signage

Driving value and profit in light commercial and retail digital-signage deployments. By Scott Lowder Middle Atlantic Products

ncreasing the margins on digitalsignage projects in light commercial and retail environments demands maintaining a delicate balance between competitive differentiation and cost. Customers typically have ver y thin margins, which prevents them from making expensive capital investments in AV. However, recent advances in remote-monitoring-and-management (RMM) technology leveraged within an AV-as-a-Ser vice (AVaaS) model can help achieve a project win that boosts revenue for integrators and that drives value and flexibility for customers. This can increase the size of the project or the frequency of refresh cycles. In the traditional AV-sales model, the customer pays the quoted estimate upfront, and that is typically the whole of the customer’s capital investment. AVaaS, conversely, transitions that cost into a monthly operational expense. This transition allows customers to spread out their AV budget while gaining additional support ser vices that are typically value engineered out of a project proposal. Those ser vices lie at the heart of the AVaaS model. Not only are they competitive differentiators, but they also add to project value and strengthen customer loyalty and satisfaction. Among those ser vices, RMM has the greatest potential to help ensure a successful AVaaS effort, without significantly increasing financial risk to the integrator. Until recently, RMM took an extraordinar y amount of resources to develop, implement and support. For that reason, it was mostly cost prohibitive for all but the largest national inte36 Sound & Communications November 2019

grators and commercial installations. Now, however, integrators can take advantage of a new breed of RMM technologies evolving out of the residential space and into light commercial and retail digital-signage applications. Three things are happening that make RMM not only possible outside of residential applications, but, in fact, necessary. First, more AV components, such as displays, are digital, allowing them to be controlled remotely. Second, assurance of uptime is critical, and it can be done easily when RMM ser vices are built around global platforms such as Amazon Web Ser vices (AWS) and Azure. Third, security technology that allows cloud ser vices to operate in commercial environments is rapidly advancing. What was originally designed to turn outlets on and off in the home is now a sophisticated system that boasts robust security measures and ease of operation, and that allows integrators to manage digital-signage installations at multiple sites. In a restaurant franchise or a retail store, content for a digital-signage system is typically broadcast and updated from the brand’s central headquarters or content ser vice provider. The content broadcaster might be responsible for hundreds of locations. Often, a particular brick-and-mortar location doesn’t have any control over the content on its screens; worse still, if the system goes down, employees and even local management might be powerless to fix it. This means the loss of potential advertising revenue and customer engagement. This is where an affordable, yet robust, RMM solution can deliver tremendous value. When an RMM solution is bundled with the hardware and installation labor, integrators meet the customer’s design objectives while, simultaneously, insuring against downtime. The integrator can be alerted to a display that’s hung up, perform a soft shutdown, restart remotely and run diagnostics—all before the customer even picks up the phone. Some RMM systems also include monitoring, self-healing and advanced logging. The market for cloud-based RMM solutions is broadening. Therefore, integrators should narrow down manufacturing partners by examining those that have prioritized security and that deliver on the promises made in an AVaaS contract. Any weak link in the network poses a potential security and privacy risk, and commercial customers will have zero tolerance for introducing new threats to their business. For integrators looking to sell their clients on a bundled AVaaS digital-signage offering, the best pitch is to take a systems approach. Due to limited margins, digitalsignage systems are typically assembled from low-cost components, each of which can increase the risk of long-term performance problems. By utilizing a systems approach with AVaaS and RMM, integrators can meet the customer’s design and budget objectives with the whole system in mind—mounting, networking, thermal, security, signal transmission, content streaming, connectivity, wire routing and power. When ever y piece of hardware and software is integrated from the ver y beginning, the deployment delivers the reliability and experience that customers expect. That, in turn, cultivates customer loyalty while, at the same time, reducing integrator risk. This will ensure a profit cycle for years to come.

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INDUSTRY POV

The Importance Of Better Collaboration Technology It’s critical to the success of the world’s fastest-growing companies. By Dana Corey Avocor

f you look at the largest and fastest-growing companies, there can be significant differences in business core models, products and approach. But one thing that most organizations agree on is that a key tenet of their success is their ability to collaborate and communicate effectively. In fact, most Fortune 500 companies see global collaboration as a top-three trend affecting their strategic workforce planning. Many minds are better than one, and companies need the best talent to work together seamlessly, no matter their location. To make that teamwork seamless, businesses require end-to-end solutions that enable people to collaborate using the technology and platforms they already know and love. Collaboration technology and its ability to match the way we work today is a key contributor to company success. To understand the significance of new collaboration technology, it’s important to distinguish between the different types of collaboration technology, review where we’ve come from and look at where we’re going.

History Of Collaboration Technology & Key Trends Collaboration technology has changed a lot since the late ’90s, coming to match the increasingly connected way in which companies and people work in the digital workplace. Even 20 years ago, most people were in the office ever y day; they met over a confer-

38 Sound & Communications November 2019

ence table, on phone calls and via conferencing systems; and they flew across the countr y (or the globe) for face-to-face conversations in meeting rooms. Over time, the internet and email increasingly came to drive conversations. And, now, most modern workplaces rely on a combination of intraoffice communications apps, conferencing systems and meeting-room technologies, such as interactive displays with whiteboards, to stay connected. Collaboration tools can be divided into two categories: 1) online tools, digital apps and software and 2) physical technology (i.e., displays, interactive touchscreens, and other meeting or huddle-space devices) that helps bring the online components to life. Collaboration apps such as Slack, Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts are increasingly being adopted to bring teams together. Meanwhile, phone-conferencing/videoconferencing tools such as those from Zoom and Lifesize are important as companies are increasingly made up of teams whose members work remotely or in separate offices, ser vicing clients or partners around the world. This makes it essential to find effective ways to work with remote parties. Even looking just at the meeting-room-technology space, a wide variety of hardware exists for companies to choose from, and the display technology itself represents an evolving categor y. From tablets, to larger mounted monitors, to computer displays, interactive visual technology in meeting rooms and huddle spaces is increasingly driving collaboration. Until the last decade, most meeting rooms were fairly rudimentar y, being composed of a table, chairs, a whiteboard, a conferencing system and, sometimes, a projector. Now, companies are taking a cue from tech giants like Google and Amazon that promote flexible meeting areas and that prioritize technology like high-resolution, large-format displays (LFDs) and all-in-one systems that integrate cameras, speakers, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and other features. These trends are all in an ef for t to modernize meeting rooms and huddle spaces and to incentivize employees to collaborate more ef fectively, share ideas and share documents. There is also an increasing need for meeting areas that accommodate the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend so that employees can easily use laptops or phones to share and present information in a meeting. Meeting technology must be compatible with an employee’s existing technology, while, at the same time, ensuring security for sensitive information and enabling seamless work. Of all the options available to bring employees together in meetings, video displays that support apps and software are among the most versatile. Unlike the projectors of meeting rooms past, these interactive displays often provide features

such as touchscreen capabilities; moreover, they integrate with videoconferencing software such as Zoom. They can provide the ease of use that a traditional whiteboard offers so you can brainstorm with your hand or a stylus, and they can give you the ability to cast documents from laptop to screen to get feedback. Video calls with remote teammates or external partners are easy to set up, and they encourage confident decision-making. Indeed, technologies like this can improve and expedite team relationships and even help reduce meeting frequency, in turn bolstering productivity and bridging communication gaps.

Effective Collaboration Tech Creates Better Companies One factor driving new collaboration technology is the number of millennials in the workforce. Millennials now make up more than 35 percent of the working population in the US. They bring their experience with and preference for communications technology, and they desire to work more flexibly and casually with fellow team members. Companies have had to shift workflows, including meetings and collaboration, around this growing demographic; this has had an effect on how rooms are now being designed. Effective collaboration and the ability to work in teams, along with using the latest technology, are critical to keeping millennials interested in their work and feeling connected and incentivized. In addition to changes caused by younger company demographics, how companies meet and collaborate is changing because of the shift toward remote work. Freelancing is becoming more accepted and common, and there is an emerging expectation that companies want the best talent for each role— and they’ll hire globally to find it. To stay connected, remote employees and teams increasingly rely on collaborative communications tools and technology. Videoconferencing to connect teams in different locations is increasingly important, and it requires both software and

hardware to work in sequence. Studies have shown that communication, or a lack thereof, has a big effect on a company’s bottom line and employee retention. A sur vey conducted by The Economist found that “poor communications at work can lead to stressful work environments, stalled careers, missed performance goals and lost sales.” There are a lot of changes in how companies must manage their shifting team demographics. The meeting space itself will become more versatile as collaboration of all kinds continues to grow. In order to meet these needs, companies looking to make changes to meeting rooms, huddle spaces and other collaboration areas in their office environments should start by analyzing what they are using (hardware or software) to see whether it’s working

well and to determine what they want to keep. From there, it’s a matter of looking for additional pieces, such as an interactive whiteboard display, that will work seamlessly with the existing infrastructure. The best technology in this categor y will enable remote employees to work together in a manner that resembles as closely as possible the way they would be working if they were all in the same room. Choosing a system of displays that supports the latest collaboration software, in addition to providing the latest in touch-display, video and audio technology, will ensure seamless integration and team satisfaction. Ultimately, this approach will contribute to the general success of an organization, and it will boost team members’ ability to work together effectively and get more done.

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INDUSTRY POV

Live And File-Based Translation Opportunities

Machine-learning advancements are powering these capabilities. By Ken Frommert ENCO

he production and transmission of live, manual captioning and translation has long been challenged by high costs, limited availability, varied latency and inconsistent accuracy. Although achieving perfection is impossible because of the speed of live captioning and translation, the transition to more automated, software-defined captioning workflows has introduced new freedoms in AV environments. Automated captioning technologies first came to market so as better to meet closed-captioning requirements in broadcasting. However, the commercial AV industr y has embraced these same technologies for open captioning. Open captions are laid over top of video, such as in a meeting or seminar. In these scenarios, the captioning crawl appears at the bottom of a display screen with presentation content. In live lecture and presentation environments, open captions not only ser ve the deaf and the hard of hearing, but also provide value anywhere that content is being presented in a language that is not native to a portion of the audience. The speed and accuracy of speechto-text conversion continues to improve with the emergence of deep neural-network advances and machine-learning techniques. The statistical algorithms associated with these advances, coupled with larger multilingual databases to mine, more ef fectively interpret—and more accurately spell out—the speech the microphone captures. The same underlying technologies 40 Sound & Communications November 2019

that have powered automated open captioning in live AV environments are now being leveraged for an exciting new AV opportunity: live translation ser vices.

Serving Many Needs The desire for live translation ser vices emerged from a need to ser vice Spanishspeaking communities in corporate, education and house-of-worship (HoW) environments. At the outset, the main challenge was time. Early iterations took 30sec. or longer to produce translations—entirely too long for live environments. As speech-recognition engines improved, the latency was reduced to less than 10sec. Considering that these automated-translation technologies were not previously available, that latency improvement was enough to capture the attention of integrators and end users seeking to ser ve those listening to a language they do not natively speak. Previous translation workflows had been limited to adding subtitles to recorded content or having live translations delivered via an earpiece—manual approaches that were both tedious and expensive. By automating these processes, it will be easy and affordable to make AV content understandable to viewers. These advancements can provide near-real-time translations for participants in keynote presentations, board meetings, legislative sessions, lectures or sermons, as well as for recorded content such as training and instructional videos. For short- and long-form video-on-demand (VOD) content, users can embed translated captions for subsequent on-demand consumption, or they can display live, open-captioned subtitles on local video displays to assist in-person attendees. This is especially useful in K-12 and higher-education environments, which value online learning. Schools and universities might also want to leverage automated translation so as better to ser ve their English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students, especially in metropolitan areas that have a large population of foreign students. Likewise, HoWs are looking to automated translation to convey their message clearly to multicultural congregations; at the same time, local governments can leverage this technology to communicate to diverse constituents.

Technical Infrastructure As noted earlier, automated-translation workflows adopt many of the same processes and components as automated-captioning systems. Microphone audio is processed by a standalone system, consisting of a specialized speech-to-text engine that instantaneously outputs the speech as data on a display. For standard captioning, the live or file-based audio or video is transcribed in the same language, passing through the infrastructure as IP, NDI or captioning protocol-based streams. The translation ser vice works its magic from there, leveraging the same highly (continued on page 90)

MOVING FROM COLLABORATION TO MEANINGFUL CONNECTION

THE EVOLUTION OF UC METRICS FOR 2020 AND BEYOND WE’VE NOW ENTERED THE BUSINESS VALUE ERA

THE NEW, MODERN WORKFLOW HOW DOES IT CHANGE COLLABORATION?

22 nd Annual

Worship Center AV Survey

IT’S NOT JUST A MAGAZINE, IT’S AN

T E C H N O L O G Y

HUMAN-FRIENDLY DESIGN

OUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE

A V

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE OF VIDEOCONFERENCING

C O M M E R C I A L

UC&C 2020 ISSUE

October 14, 2019 Vol. 65 No. 10

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INDUSTRY POV

Software Meets Hardware A key pairing to create unforgettable sports and concert experiences. By Brandon Breznick Premier Mounts

hy would anyone ever have to leave their home to watch their favorite sports team or musical act? In today’s day and age, there are nearly limitless subscription ser vices that can stream your favorite entertainment, in real time, to the comfort of your living room. Stadium designers and operators are tackling this obstacle by leveraging digital technology to increase fan engagement. Someone headed to a venue has high expectations that a quality experience will be delivered almost instantaneously—from the moment he or she walks into the venue. For some, the experience might center on the tens of thousands of fans in the stands, cheering for their team; for others, it might be the many social-media moments to be found throughout the venue. Studies by Travolution, an online-travel news website, indicate that 40 percent of millennial travelers (ages 18 to 33) choose events and locations depending on how “Instagrammable” the destination is. What’s more, when a venue has experiential technology that drives visitors to capture videos, rather than photos, that venue benefits from the expanded reach of videos on social media. Indeed, stud42 Sound & Communications November 2019

Interactive elements are sure to get people activated and excited.

ies show that videos have 1,200 percent more shares than images and text posts do. With technology rapidly changing, the events and venue space has tremendous potential to create landmark destinations and unforgettable experiences for fans. Think about 8K videowalls, laser projection and other visual innovations; consider the endless ways they can be installed to renovate a space. Applications of digital displays have also seen a unique shift: Displays can now be hung from the ceiling or supported from the floor to create the kind of space that AV designers desire. Using correct mounting hardware, these displays can be safely installed anywhere within venues, ensuring guests enjoy the greatest possible visual impact. But much ink has been spilled talking about the latest and greatest hardware—so what about the benefits that software can unlock? Software and optics innovations introduce opportunities for fans to have surreal and mesmerizing moments. Tammuz Dubnov, Founder and CEO of Zuzor, an emerging experiential-technology company, described how venue managers could leverage software to increase engagement in many ways. He explained, “Our main work with event venues and stadiums is around activating their videowalls and turning their guests from passive viewers to active participants. With the amount of digital content people are bombarded with daily, the impact of the traditional videowall displaying pictures or videos is no longer truly effective. By turning a videowall into an interactive attraction, the venue can offer a better experience to their clients.” A combination of high-quality displays and interactivity is sure to get fans in high-foot-traffic areas activated and excited. Software is uniquely adept at getting attendees to engage and participate; combining those capabilities with the visual sensor y appeal of displays makes experiences memorable. For example, a depth-capture camera, movement-capture software and an LED videowall can create a digital canvas with which people can directly interface. Imagine taking a step up to a videowall in an arena concourse and having the entire screen move in the same direction. Fans crave interactivity like this; it gives them return on investment (ROI) on the cost of attending the event. By allowing visitors to engage in fluid digital activities, stadium and arena owners/ operators allow themselves to capture visitors’ emotions—something that is not easy (continued on page 90)

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Chase Center’s massive center-hung scoreboard measures 82'9"x47'8"x52'8" (WxHxL) and is composed of 17 individual displays. Photo courtesy Jason O'Rear/Chase Center.

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44 Sound & Communications November 2019

Underbelly LED screens let courtside-seat rows view the scoreboard content. Photo courtesy Jason O’Rear/Chase Center. The center-hung scoreboard has part of the arena’s extensive sound system embedded underneath, in the form of the loudspeakers arranged in two orientations: firing directly downward onto the court for pre-show dancers to warm up the crowds, and covering the first several rows of courtside seating as fills. Photo courtesy Jason O’Rear/Chase Center.

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Chase Center, which opened in September in San Francisco CA as the home of the six-time National Basketball Association (NBA) championship-winning Golden State Warriors, is everything you’d expect from a contemporar y California venue. It boasts quintessential amenities such as a 4,000-square-foot weight room, a sauna, a theater, a cr yochamber, a barbershop, a kombucha bar and nap pods. More relevant to us, it also includes state-of-the art AV systems that would make techno-slick Silicon Valley envious, including an all-IP video infrastructure. Notably, Chase Center, which boasts 18,064 seats, isn’t content just to be leading edge; it also succeeds in the size department. The crown jewel in an LEDdisplay-heavy environment is its massive center-hung scoreboard, which measures 82'9"x47'8"x52'8" (WxHxL) and which is composed of 17 individual displays; the entire fixture weighs approximately 165,000lbs. No one is saying “scoreboard war” yet, but Chase Center’s big picture raises the stakes in what has become an

Chase Center has lots of natural light, but its LED lighting is just as good. Lighting elements include moving-head fixtures, LEDs and lasers, all managed by a lighting console. Photo courtesy Jason O’Rear/Chase Center.

46 Sound & Communications November 2019

San Francisco’s Chase Center, home of the six-time NBA champion Golden State Warriors, offers everything you’d expect from a contemporary California venue—from a kombucha bar and nap pods to an all-IP video infrastructure and social-media-friendly art installations. Photo courtesy Jason O’Rear/Chase Center.

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Community-Oriented Content Programming

Video displays are ubiquitous throughout the venue, including in the concourses, where some of the hundreds of screens are hung. Photo courtesy Jason O’Rear/Chase Center.

upward-spiraling arc to make sports-venue scoreboards almost as big as the games themselves. In fact, Chase Center’s massive display—fabricated by Prismview, a Samsung Electronics company, and installed by Canadian rigger Summit Swing Stage—is nearly as big as the basketball court below it, Scott Heitman, Director of Scoreboard Operations for the team and the venue, commented. “When the court is in place and the scoreboard is hanging over it, it looks like it has almost the exact same footprint as the court,” he remarked. The scoreboard can be taken up into the ceiling almost completely and then covered by 79-foot-long retractable gantr y boards, which themselves are fitted with LEDs and can reproduce graphics and other information. Alternatively, it can be lowered to within four feet of the floor, allowing its displays to be used as backdrop screens for presenters involved with corporate and other non-sports-related applications the venue is intended to support. For safety reasons, control of the scoreboard’s position is a two-person operation. It’s done from the catwalk above or by using a remote device that can be plugged into a specialized outlet on the floor installed for that purpose. Even when the huge 1080p/6mm-pixel-pitch display hovers in place for games, its design takes into account that its main screens might not be fully visible from the uppermost seating areas and courtside seats. Therefore, it’s crowned by a cur ved “halo” screen that encircles the top of the main display. It is also fitted with several smaller screens within the base of the structure, angled downward. “A lot of thought went into the architecture of the venue and the screen within it,” Heitman noted. “The challenge for large sports scoreboards like these is how to make them big but still let ever y 48 Sound & Communications November 2019

Chase Center is the centerpiece of Thrive City, which features 3.2 acres of public plazas and more than two dozen retail locations. Thrive City’s 68'x38' (WxH) trapezoidal LED wall is the first outdoor movingvideo billboard in San Francisco. Photo courtesy Jason O’Rear/Chase Center.

Outside the arena, in the Thrive City plaza, Chase Center features a massive outdoor LED display that will be used for more than just to promote upcoming games and events and to advertise Thrive City’s various businesses; it is intended to be the centerpiece of Thrive City’s community-focused programming efforts. According to the Warriors’ Chief Operating Officer, Rick Welts, the videowall “gives us a second venue. You can put 1,000 people comfortably in this plaza.” He added, “We’ve used it to show the Women’s finals of the US Open. It’s not just [for] Warriors games. We can host movie nights. This is really going to be an unbelievable feature for us. It’s going to draw a lot of people here.” Regarding content programming for the outdoor LED wall, Paul Hawkins of Warriors Studio said, “We’ll be able to tell stories using some content that our studio has created, whether it’s telling stories about the arena, telling stories about the workers [or] telling stories about the local community. [Through] the local Sports And The Arts (SATA) program, we brought on a whole bunch of different artists that are in the local area to create art around the arena. So, we’re telling stories about all those artists—about 39 different artists—[and] their roots in the San Francisco area. We partnered with a company called BAYCAT, which is based out of Hunter’s Point right down the street here in San Francisco, to tell documentary-style stories about our local community, whether it’s children’s groups, homelessness [or] whatever it might be—different social issues in the area. So, it’s not all about basketball at all. We want to tell the larger story from across our community.” Thrive City’s outdoor display is currently the only large-scale outdoor LED videowall in San Francisco because of local regulations that prohibit the installation of outdoor moving-video billboards. The Warriors organization negotiated an agreement with the San Francisco Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure to get around the regulation, and, according to Welts, the central argument in favor of installing the videowall essentially boiled down to this: “We would be the only arena built in the last 20 years that doesn’t have one.” He added, “I also think we made a compelling [case] of why it was a community benefit.” —Anthony Vargas

seat see the information on them without visually obscuring the game itself.” The decision to go with 1080p standard dynamic range (SDR), as opposed to high dynamic range (HDR), reflects the longterm nature of sports-venue AV planning. Heitman said that HDR at this scale was still in its early stages when Chase Center was in its initial design phase. However, AV integrator Diversified, which built and integrated the venue’s control room, provided for HDR content capability. (Another AV integrator, Parsons Technologies, integrated Chase Center’s network infrastructure, fiber cabling, extender connections and main sound system, executing a design created by consultant WJHW.) Returning to HDR, Heitman said, “It would just be a matter of changing out the displays to accommodate [that] in the future.” A 68'x38' (WxH) wall-mounted trapezoidal display at the venue entrance—also 1080p and with a 10mm pixel pitch—is used for digital-signage applications. It looms over a public plaza and it’s in use almost constantly, promoting events and

public-service announcements (PSAs). In a sense, it gives the arena a civic connection to the neighborhood around it. Other large-scale uses of LED display technology within Chase Center include an LED wall near the box office and an LED backdrop for the inter view room.

SMPTE ST-2110 Standard Although the arena’s video played it relatively safe by sticking to 1080p, both its audio and its video are benefiting from the SMPTE ST-2110 standards suite that specifies the transpor t, synchronization and discover y functions of audio and video over IP networks, in real time, for live production. Imagine Communications installed the network, and it rides on Arista network switches. “The 2110 standard is especially useful for our in-house production because it enables us to de-embed any individual audio tracks from the video,” Heitman obser ved. “It saves on bandwidth and gives us more flexibility for productions.” The deity-like center-hung scoreboard

seemed to touch ever y part of the project. It even has part of the arena’s extensive sound system (soon to be detailed) embedded underneath—namely, the JBL AM7212 loudspeakers that are arranged in two orientations: one firing directly downward onto the court for pre-show dancers to warm up the crowds, and one covering the first several rows of courtside seating as fills. The scoreboard and the rest of the venue’s AV would be muted and dark, however, without the extensive cabling infrastructure that Parsons Technologies installed. The company also handled the distributed audio throughout the suites, clubs, concourses and other back-of-house areas.

Cable Backbone “Almost ever y system in the building, including ever y networked endpoint and device, all the speakers in the building, all video transport and all broadcast, operate on portions of the cable backbone we installed,” Erik Carlson, Parsons Technologies’ Construction Executive for sports and

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‘Cabling Highway’ What Carlson described as the venue’s “cabling highway” runs in conduit from the truck dock and the control room to various broadcast boxes around the venue; from there, they move onto cable trays that circumnavigate the operational and fan concourses. All the AV is networked on this highway, with Audinate’s Dante used as the transport mode for the audio, which extends from the high-flying line arrays above the bowl to the ceiling speakers in the lounges, restaurants and restrooms. The main sound system centers on JBL VTX speakers. It’s composed of eight main arrays, each of which consists of six JBL VTX V20s, and three JBL ASB6128Vs around the center-hung scoreboard, all on a chain-hoist system. In addition, four fill arrays of six JBL VTX-V20s are flown at the north and south ends of the building for mid-level fills. Power comes from Crown DCi Series amplifiers, with Dante-enabled BSS BLU DSPs. Although Heitman said the architectural design of Chase Center’s dome helps to minimize the kinds of sonic reflections typically encountered in arena spaces, Parson’s Carlson said that some acoustical 50 Sound & Communications November 2019

Fan Engagement Through Video

Much of the real estate on the displays in the arena bowl is taken up by statistics. The large size of the center-hung display makes the statistics readable from any seat in the house. And there are multiple displays dedicated to shottracking, like the one pictured here in the upper left.

Chase Center features a ton of displays. According to Kayde Anderson, Marketing Director for Samsung (formerly of Prismview, a Samsung company), the total count includes 64 LED displays (including the displays that make up the center-hung LED fixture) and 11,000 largeformat displays located throughout the venue. Although it might seem like this high display count is meant to overwhelm by virtue of sheer numbers, the fact is that most of the displays—particularly those displays within the arena bowl—have been designed and positioned with specific fan-centric use cases in mind. And, since Chase Center was built primarily as the home of the Golden State Warriors, many of these use cases are unsurprisingly focused on enhancing the fan experience at basketball games. For example, a number of LED displays within the arena bowl are dedicated to displaying shot-tracking information and statistics during games. What’s more, there are dedicated shot-tracking displays for both the home team and the away team. The shot-tracking displays are positioned so that, no matter where you’re sitting in the stands, you can see both teams’ statistics at a glance. These shot-tracking displays are part of Chase Center’s goal to be at the forefront of the gamification of sports, a trend that has seen sports venues promote real-time, app-driven, fantasy-sports-style analytics and stat-tracking as a means to promote fan engagement. To that end, the information shown on these displays will also be leveraged for fanfocused apps in the near future. Similarly, the massive center-hung LED fixture devotes a large proportion of its real estate to displaying statistics, with only a small portion of the LED surface area used to show live game footage. The immense size of the fixture enables these statistics to be presented in a format that is readable from any seat in the house. Although having the largest center-hung display in the National Basketball Association (NBA) is a great draw for the venue, its size serves a practical purpose for the fans in attendance, as well. “We just have so much surface area that we can show many, many times the game statistics that we were able to show before—the scores of other games, percentages, really geeky stats that the hardcore fans want. We never had the clarity or enough area to show that [before],” the Warriors’ Chief Operating Officer, Rick Welts, said. To promote fan engagement further, all the various LED displays in the arena bowl can be leveraged by the Warriors Studio in-house production crew for flashy effects that serve to hype up the home crowd during team intros, halftime and various other points during the game. For an example of what this looks like in practice, check out a short clip of the game-opening festivities from a recent Warriors preseason game here: www.sndcom.us/warriorsintro. —Anthony Vargas Photo courtesy Alden Bonecutter.

entertainment, stated. For the broadcast system, much of that backbone centers on Belden SMPTE 311M hybrid cable. Designed for high-definition cameras, these composite cables, which include two single-mode fibers and four copper conductors, can multiplex audio signals and video signals as well as deliver power to the cameras. The cabling scheme also enables a recent dynamic in which sports venues not only create more broadcast-quality productions in house, which are shown on their big screens, but also share their self-produced packages and raw AV with the broadcast-television remote-production trucks that are parked in the venue loading docks. “Along with a lot of triax cabling, the backbone lets the content move seamlessly between the bowl and the national or local [broadcast] networks,” Carlson stated. “There’s more and more sharing of the production [elements] going on between the venue and television. The building was designed [for that], and Parsons installed the cabling infrastructure to allow Chase Center to be as flexible as possible.”

treatments were implemented. Specifically, those are perforated-metal panels with absorptive-batting backing placed on the rear walls and designed to cut down on reflected sound, acoustical baffles that cover much of the ceiling deck and bass traps at the top of the bowl that are designed to absorb excess low-frequency energy build up. Benefiting from precise aiming derived from an EASE program analysis, the house sound system delivers highly intelligible speech—something that’s usually a substantial challenge for roofed sports venues. Indeed, JBL’s VTX speakers are considered “rider friendly,” meaning they’re acceptable to most major touring acts. During most concerts, the house upper delay speakers are employed to cover the uppermost seating areas. “The VTX is a great speaker for sports venues,” Carlson enthused, noting that Parsons has also installed them in the Milwaukee Bucks’ Fiser v Forum. “They have great intelligibility, but still sound awesome musically.” A BSS BLU DSP system lets individual back-of-house areas determine which audio feeds they want use; these can range from bowl sound, to network television audio, to local radio. Carlson said that kind of flexibility is in keeping with the venue’s desire to make individual spaces somewhat autonomous while still creating an immersive game-day experience. “Local managers can choose audio sources using the Crestron wall panels, or the main control room can control them all from a single location using the BSS DSP control,” he explained.

all managed by an MA Lighting grandMA3 lighting console. Meanwhile, laser projectors are located in all four corners of the bowl, and there is a total of six of them on the underside of the scoreboard; they’re used to projection-map the hardwood floor with the team’s logo and other eye-catching graphics.

Control Room The main control room at Chase Center is split-level: The lower level is used for the scoreboard and other video operations,

whereas the upper level, which is open to the bowl, is used for audio and lighting. The front-of-house (FOH) audio mix position is located there. The facility’s control room represents something of a sea change in technology in this generation of sports venues. “The typical control room has always been entirely focused on fan engagement, [but] it has evolved dramatically from the early days of simple video replays and game in progress to [become] the hub for scoring, stats and entertainment for the entire facility,”

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Pure Illumination Lighting has become far more integrated into the game experience, Carlson observed, and Parsons Technologies has been doing more of that component in recent years. At Chase Center, the firm designed and installed a slew of theatrical lighting. “The lighting in the bowl is arranged in concentric circles, similar to the way the speakers are installed,” Carlson commented. “The cabling and control of lighting is ver y similar to audio, so we’ve found that lighting is right in our wheelhouse and it’s becoming more a part of the AV package Parsons supports for sports venues.” At Chase Center, lighting elements include Mar tin Axiom hybrid beam/spot moving-head fixtures, Ayrton Khamsin-S 750W 8,000K LEDs and Pangolin lasers, Sound. Thinking.

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Duane Yoslov, Senior VP for sports and live events at Diversified, obser ved. Diversified built out the control room based on a design by consultant WJHW. “Instead of doing the event production for millions of people watching on television, they’re doing a production for 18,000 in the venue,” Yoslov noted, hastening to add, “but [it’s] one that’s just as sophisticated, if not more so. The goal is to give the fans there some-

thing they can’t see at home.” Yoslov has been working with stadium and arena entertainment systems since 1990, when he started at Sony the year after the company installed the first-ever Jumbotron in Candlestick Park in San Francisco CA. He noted that the paradigm around production has flipped, with engineers who once looked to television as the ultimate in production technology

now looking instead at how sophisticated venue production has become. “Control rooms used to be the training grounds for engineers who wanted to get into sports broadcasting,” he said. “Now, it’s becoming the other way around.” The challenges involved with creating the control room at Chase Center would be familiar to integrators in any vertical: AV often has to be the last trade in a space,

SELECTED EQUIPMENT 44 Ayrton AY011640/50 Khamsin S/TC 750W LED profile 7-58° automated fixtures 75 Belden 1694a low-loss serial digital coax cables 75 Belden 1800F 1-pair, 24AWG stranded (42x40) bare copper pair digital audio cables w/Datalene insulation 300 Belden 2412F Cat6+ (350MHz), 4-pair, F/UTP-foil shielded, riser-CMR, premise horizontal cables 1,500 Belden 2413 Cat6+ (350MHz), 4-pair, U/UTP-unshielded, plenum-CMP, premise horizontal cables 75 Belden 3613 Cat6+ (400MHz), 4-pair, U/UTP-unshielded, plenum-CMP, premise horizontal cables 500 Belden 5000UP 2-12AWG highly flexible stranded bare copper commercial audio cables w/PVC insulation 1,750 Belden 5T00UP 2-10AWG highly flexible stranded bare copper commercial audio cables w/PVC insulation 1,500 Belden 6000UE plenum-CL2P, 2-12AWG stranded bare copper security and commercial audio cables w/Flamarrest insulation 500 Belden 6100UE 2-conductor, 14AWG stranded (19x27) bare copper security and commercial audio cables w/Flamarrest insulation 2,300 Belden 9451 1-pair, 22AWG stranded (7x30) tinned copper pair audio cables w/polypropylene insulation 1,000 Belden FD4D006P9 indoor/outdoor plenum cables 2,500 Belden FISD006A9 indoor plenum cables 2 Bittree B96DC-HNPIT/ID M2OU12B audio patchbays 4 Bittree B96DC-NNSST/E3 M2OU12B 2x48 2RU patchbays 16 BSS BLU-120 I/O expanders w/BLU link 1 BSS BLU-160 signal processor w/BLU link 8 BSS BLU-326 I/O expanders w/BLU link and Dante/AES67 24 BSS BLU-806 signal processors w/BLU link and Dante/AES67 109 BSS BLUCARD-IN Soundweb London analog input cards 18 BSS BLUCARD-OUT Soundweb London analog output cards 2 BSS BLU-DA Dante/AES67 to BLU link bridges 1 BSS BLUDIGITAL-OUT Soundweb London digital output card 17 Crestron CP3 3-Series control systems 1 Crestron CP3N 3-Series control system 20 Crown DCi 2|1250N 2-channel, 1,250W @ 4Ω power amps w/BLU link, 70V/100V 4 Crown DCi 2|300N 2-channel, 300W @ 4Ω power amps w/BLU link, 70V/100V 16 Crown DCi 2|600N 2-channel, 600W @ 4Ω power amps w/BLU link, 70V/100V 18 Crown DCi 4|1250N 4-channel, 1,250W @ 4Ω power amps w/BLU link, 70V/100V 40 Crown DCi 4|2400N 4-channel, 2,400W @ 4Ω power amps, 70V/100V 22 Crown DCi 4|300N 4-channel, 300W @ 4Ω power amps w/BLU link, 70V/100V 8 Crown DCi 4|600N 4-channel, 600W @ 4Ω power amps 52 Sound & Communications November 2019

w/BLU link, 70V/100V 16 Crown DCi 8|300N 8-channel, 300W @ 4Ω power amps w/BLU link, 70V/100V 5 Crown DCi 8|600N 8-channel, 600W @ 4Ω power amps w/BLU link, 70V/100V 2 Extron FOXBOX Rx HDMI SM single-mode fiberoptic receivers for HDMI, audio and RS232 2 Extron FOX T USW 103 SM 3-input single-mode switchers w/integrated fiberoptic transmitters for HDMI, VGA, audio and RS232 4 Extron DSC 3G-HD A 3G-SDI to HDMI scalers w/audio embedding 10 Extron DTP HDMI 4K 330 Rx long-distance (330') DTP receivers for HDMI 4 Extron DTP HD DA4 4K 330 HDMI to 4-output DTP distribution amps (330') 3 Extron USB Extender Plus T transmitters 10 JBL Professional AM7212 high-power 2-way speakers w/1x12" LF and rotatable horns 24 JBL Professional ASB6128V high-output extended-response dual 18" subs 96 JBL Professional VTX V20 3-way high-directivity line-array elements 8 JBL Professional VTX V20 AF array frames 8 JBL Professional VTX V20 PB pull-back accessories 10 Kvant Atom 15 pure diode laser systems 1 MA Lighting grandMA3 lighting console 32 Martin Professional MAC Axiom Hybrid all-in-one hybrid fixtures 1 Pangolin BEYOND professional laser design and multimedia control software 1 Pangolin TC2000 SMPTE timecode device 252 Samsung UM55H-E 55" ultra-narrow-bezel videowall displays 9 Shure AD1 bodypack transmitters 2 Shure AD2/B58A handheld wireless mic transmitters w/BETA 58A capsules 8 Shure AD4D-US Axient digital 2-channel wireless receivers 2 Shure AD4QNP-A Axient digital quad-channel digital wireless receivers 6 Shure BETA 58A dynamic vocal mics 2 Shure ULXD1 digital wireless bodypack transmitters 2 Shure ULXD2/B87C digital handheld transmitters w/BETA 87C capsules 1 Shure ULXD4D dual-channel digital wireless receiver 1 Yamaha CL5 digital mixer Abridged list is edited from information supplied by Parsons Technologies. For the unabridged Parsons Technologies equipment list, go to www.sndcom.us/chase-center-equipment-list.

This LED wall near the arena’s box office greets fans as they enter one of Chase Center’s two main lobbies.

One of the “courtside” lounges, featuring a videowall made up of nine displays in a 3x3 configuration. Photo courtesy Jason O’Rear/Chase Center.

as it requires sheetrock, electrical and other infrastructure to be in place to do its work. Although that was the case at Chase Center, Yoslov added that this generation of venues and their control rooms are the first to be designed natively to IP signal routing. In this case, Diversified provided networked platforms including an Imagine Communications COTS-based IP router, Arista network switches, Evertz DreamCatcher replay, Ross XPression graphics system, Riedel intercom, Focusrite D64R interfaces and Laguna consoles—all natively networkable, or able to be networked using conversion through the Imagine Platinum IP3 router, for an HDR-compatible SMPTE 2110-compliant control room. The room’s production switcher is a Ross Acuity, and the entire LED display control system is powered by Ross’ Carbonite Mosaic video scalers and DashBoard control system. Yoslov pointed out that it’s up to the engineering staff to create a workflow environment that a venue’s production staff can work with transparently. In this case, he said WJHW and Diversified shared their IP system design and integration experiences with the venue’s engineering staff and internal production team, Warriors Studio, led by Paul Hawkins, to help them achieve exactly that. “The technology needs to be invisible to the production staff,” Yoslov declared. “The engineering staff should be able to present them with the equivalent of an SDI world without ever having to change how they work. That’s where integrators and designers need to collaborate with venue engineering staffs.” He continued, “[The key is] bringing the venue engineers in on the design, installation and commissioning phases of the project so they can follow it from the beginning. That’s what we do on ever y project.” The Golden State Warriors head into the NBA’s 2019-2020 season with NBA championships in three of the last five years (2015, 2017 and 2018) behind them and the keys to an arena that will help set the tone for sports venues in the years to come. (The Golden State Warriors franchise’s President and COO, Rick Welts, was presented with the actual key to Chase Center on August 2.) The venue’s audio, lighting and video systems—led by that huge center-hung scoreboard floating over the hardwood like a Steph Curr y three-pointer—will be central to making Chase Center a tastemaker in this vertical. As competition between stadiums and arenas becomes a sport unto itself, AV innovators are going to have to develop a really deep bench.

BY ANTHONY VARGAS Adding low-end audio support was an essential part of increasing fan engagement. Many of the main bowl’s audio zones now feature flown subwoofer arrays that support the new loudspeaker arrays.

DIGNITY HEALTH SPORTS PARK INVESTS IN AUDIO FOR A BETTER FAN EXPERIENCE.

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54 Sound & Communications November 2019

Installing an audio system in an outdoor athletic facility that’s located near a residential area is a tricky prospect; you have to ensure that the sound system is equal to the ever-rising standards of highenergy sporting events while still keeping noise complaints from the neighbors to a minimum (not to mention handling the usual headaches associated with designing sound for outdoor environments). That was the task that 3G Productions faced during a recent sound-system upgrade at Dignity Health Sports Park, a multiuse spor ts complex that primarily ser ves as the home of Major League Soccer (MLS)’s LA Galaxy, as well as the temporar y home for the National Football League (NFL)’s Los Angeles Chargers. The sprawling com-

SOU

The sound system for Dignity Health Sports Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main bowl is divided into eight zones of coverage. The positions and angles of the line arrays and subs were carefully chosen to provide even audio coverage to the crowd while minimizing on-field noise and spillover into the surrounding neighborhood.

All photos courtesy Debi Del Grande.

November 2019

Sound & Communications 55

Dignity Health Sports Park’s management felt that the old audio system was not up to par with the wellproduced, high-energy video content shown on the stadium’s displays, which put a damper on fan engagement. Fixing this disparity between audio and video quality was a main goal of this installation.

56 Sound & Communications November 2019

plex encompasses a number of different venues, and the scope of this project included upgrades to some of the park’s marquee spaces: the 27,000-seat main soccer stadium (which is also used for Chargers games), the soccer stadium’s concourse areas and the complex’s 8,000-seat tennis stadium. In addition, the integrator designed and installed a completely new head-end system to control audio throughout the venue.

Project Goals Dignity Health Sports Park is located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills, which presented a number of unique challenges in designing the audio system. “The venue is adjacent to California State Dominguez Hills to the east and residential communities to south, west and north,” Adam Duvendeck, VP of Operations at Dignity Health Sports Park, described. “So, one of the particular issues that we looked to solve was the bleeding of sound and focusing that sound within the stadium—trying to provide positive energy and impact for our guests, but not disturbing the university and surrounding residential neighbors.” In addition to fixing the bleed issues, the upgrade was also meant to address a number of practical concerns. For one, the complex was still using the same audio system that had been installed during its initial construction 15 years prior to the beginning of this project. That audio system was subject to degradation due to wear and tear and exposure to the elements. The other goals of the project were to add low-end support within the main bowl and to expand audio coverage to the concourse and other areas that previously lacked sound reinforcement. Of course, the age of the initial system meant that it was 15 years behind current technology, and, during those intervening years, AV expectations for athletic venues— particularly those that host professional teams—have evolved quite a bit. With those evolving expectations for the fan experience in mind, Dignity Sports Health Park wanted to prioritize delivering a live experience that would live up to the energy of the fans in the stands (especially the more raucous members of the LA Galaxy’s fanbase, who, from their seats in the stadium’s three designated supporter sections, set the tone for

the rest of the crowd). “The north end of the stadium is where two of our supporter groups are,” Duvendeck shared. “Supporter culture is a big part of soccer. I think we had a lack of audio in that area in the initial system, and that was definitely an area that we wanted to address during the retrofit.” In addition to meeting higher fan expectations, the new audio system would also have to live up to the expectations of professional players, staff and coaches. According to Duvendeck, this meant keeping as much noise as possible off the field—for soccer games especially—so that the players and coaches would not be distracted by the audio used to create the fan experience in the stands. “With soccer, we want to direct the audio to the fans and not to the field,” Duvendeck explained. “The previous system was more of an audio flood: We had a number of speaker banks up in the catwalk with zoning capabilities, but focusing the audio in certain locations was more difficult.” Another factor that necessitated the audio upgrade was the never-ending AV arms race in public venues of ever y type. In an

entertainment-rich market like California, which boasts a larger number of professional sports teams than just about anywhere in the US, Dignity Health Sports Park faces some stiff competition in its attempts to woo fans into the stands. In that sense, the audio upgrade has made the venue more competitive not only in the professionalsoccer market, but also in the highly competitive professional-football market. “The overall design intent was really with the Galaxy in mind, but, obviously, all of these positive improvements have had a major effect for the Chargers,” Duvendeck said. “Creating that high-energy fan experience is the NFL’s bread and butter. I think that, if you ask the Chargers, the previous system probably wasn’t delivering the full experience that they wanted. But the improvements that have been provided by the new system totally blew them away and are now a focus of how they design their in-house show.” He added, “With new stadiums being built in-market—the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) just two years ago and the new stadium in Inglewood CA coming online next year—making sure that we’re delivering state-of-the-art technology

and ensuring that we’re leaders in the fan experience world are critically important to not only the stadium, but also the club.”

Main Bowl Audio Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), owner and operator of Dignity Health Sports Park, put the project out for bid, and 3G Productions’ multi-zone design for the stadium’s bowl, which relied heavily on line-array speakers, proved to be the winner. Key personnel on the team from 3G Productions included System Designer and Engineer David Myers, Project Manager Don Hartley and Foreman Jame Giddens. 3G’s Chief Operating Officer, Keith Conrad, provided information about the project. When asked why AEG decided to go with 3G, Duvendeck responded, “They were the only company that presented a line-array system. The line-array solution for our venue and the modeling that 3G did in advance of their proposal—really looking at and identifying the challenges that we have and how to solve them—were very big reasons why we decided to go with them. We also have a familiarity with 3G because of the work that our touring and concert

Expanding audio coverage to the concourse and concession areas was another major priority. Prior to this installation, fans would be reluctant to leave their seats during games because they might miss out on the action while waiting in line for food or the restroom.

58 Sound & Communications November 2019

division does with them.” He continued, “I think they were uniquely qualified to understand some of the sound-bleed issues that we were having in our facility. So, there was a familiarity that 3G had with our venue, and they really understood the issues and concerns that we had. I think they uniquely addressed all those issues.” For the biggest piece of the installation—the soccer stadium’s main bowl—3G designed a system built on L-Acoustics’ KIVA II line-array platform, supported by the LAcoustics SB18i subwoofer. A total of 142 KIVA-II line arrays and 28 SB18i subwoofers are installed throughout the stadium; these are powered by a total of 18 L-Acoustics amplifiers (five LA4Xes and 13 LA12Xes), which are stored in equipment racks located up in the catwalks. “By using [the KIVA-II line arrays] throughout the whole venue, we designed a system that is scalable to accommodate each of the unique listener areas,” Conrad explained. “It also maintains the same tonal voicing and acoustical characteristics throughout the venue and maximizes the horizontal dispersion control.” He continued, “The amplifiers are all four-channel amplifiers, and each of the loudspeaker arrays in each zone is independently addressable for gain and muting using the head-end system.” The main-bowl sound system features eight autonomous zones of coverage, the zones being roughly defined by the areas of seating that they cover. The volume level of each zone can be controlled independently, and each zone can be turned off entirely when that area of seating is not occupied. The modular control over the independent audio zones, as well as the carefully selected coverage angles of the line-array speakers, is the means by which the new system prevents noise pollution to the park’s surrounding residential areas. “We have a pretty granular ability to modulate the sound throughout the stadium,” Duvendeck said. “Outside of the Galaxy and the Chargers, we also have a number of events here throughout the year that may not draw the types of fanbases that we see during the MLS and NFL games. For example, we might host a collegiate soccer match where we only seat the lower bowl or only seat the east side of the stadium. The new system gives us the ability to focus the audio on those specific areas, which helps with

a lot of the sound-bleed issues.” In addition to wanting to reduce audio bleed into the surrounding neighborhood, AEG wanted to prioritize keeping as much amplified audio as possible off the playing field, thereby facilitating communication between the players and coaches, while also accommodating TV broadcasts of the professional-level games that are played in the stadium. With that in mind, the placement and coverage angles of the line arrays were modeled using L-Acoustics Soundvision to cover the seating areas evenly, while also reducing the bleeding effect and keeping the noise level on the playing field to a minimum. “We used these mini line arrays—and a multitude of them, as opposed to doing an end stage or something like that—to keep the noise away from the field,” Conrad described. “We had to do a lot of different hangs and divide the system into more zones to really accommodate keeping the noise off the field, as well as to keep the noise away from the neighborhood. [The system is] unique in that, when you go to a lot of stadiums, they’re end-zone-based: They have a big scoreboard with huge line arrays, and that’s how they cover the majority of the stadium. This system has none of that. [The arrays] are hung just off the canopy around the stadium, and it’s all small clusters shooting outward. So, it’s ver y unique and specialized.” He added, “We also wanted to provide uniform audio coverage throughout the various areas. So, we were ver y particular in how we designed this [to ensure] that there is universal coverage throughout the stadium.” According to Duvendeck, 3G’s solution had the desired effect of delivering highenergy audio to the stands while keeping things relatively quiet on the field. “With the line-array solutions that 3G [installed] and the modeling that they were able to show us—which we really have found to be true and accurate—you have this high intensity and energy throughout the stands,” he described. “But, literally, within a 10to 20-foot jump onto the field, that decibel level comes way down.”

had not been equipped with sound reinforcement. The concourse area includes concessions, restrooms and the park’s main entrance gates. The lack of audio coverage in such high-traffic areas was detrimental to the fan experience at Dignity Health Sports Park; as such, correcting this was a top priority. “They saw that, during games, people didn’t want to leave their seats, [meaning] concession sales would be low,” Conrad said. “So, they really wanted to have a supporting sound system throughout the concourse and in the bathrooms so that people felt like they were still connected to what was going on in the game while they went to either relieve themselves or grab a drink or food.” The concourse is covered by 75 Community R Series outdoor loudspeakers. “We designed a system that’s scalable to accommodate all these different listening areas while maintaining the same tonal voice and acoustical characteristics, which is ver y important,” Conrad explained. “The con-

course system was divided into a total of eight zones. And each of those zones has different architecture and characteristics that required various horizontal coverages, output levels or throw distances. So, we used the R Series throughout, but we used different speakers throughout.” Conrad provided some examples of how the 3G team chose a specific R Series speaker for each area. “For the west concourse area, we used the R5.66 loudspeakers because their coverage angle was 60°x60°, [which is intended] for a design with high output and long throw in an outdoor application. There are 15 of these speakers throughout, and these were mounted on existing steel poles outlined on the edge of the concourse, along the concession booths.” However, it’s completely different for the east concourse area. “On the east side,” Conrad continued, “we used Community R.35 coaxial speakers, and these have 90°x90° coverage. [These are] kind of high output, but more of a medium throw, [and we used

Concourse Audio In addition to remodeling the main-bowl audio system, one of the major parts of this project included expanding audio coverage to the main concourse, which previously November 2019

Sound & Communications 59

The amplifiers for the main-bowl line arrays are housed in equipment racks located in the stadium’s catwalks.

them] because it’s a little bit smaller of an area, width-wise. It’s an outdoor application, and the speakers were mounted along the west-facing wall of the concession booths.” Whereas R Series speakers were used throughout the outdoor areas of the concourse, the restrooms were all outfitted with Community AD-C6T ceiling speakers. A total of 10 QSC CXD 4.5Q amplifiers are used to power the various speakers throughout the concourse.

Tennis/Boxing Stadium Audio The final area of Dignity Health Sports Park that this installation affected was the venue’s tennis stadium (which, as of this writing, is used primarily to host boxing matches). The main goal for this part of the project was to improve the sound system’s speech intelligibility. “This was a really small part of the overall installation,” Conrad shared. “We just upgraded the loudspeakers and the amplifiers. The existing system was composed of eight two-way, surface-mounted loudspeakers that were kind of mounted on the ends of each of the four tennis courts. We just replaced those with a total of eight Community horn-loaded loudspeakers, and [we] did some aiming and commissioning for optimal coverage and performance. [Previously,] the performance and reliability of the announcements and the background music was really bad, and it was just old technology. So, they wanted an improvement in speech intelligibility. That was the most important part of that.” In addition to the eight Community R.5-99TZ loudspeakers that cover the tennis courts, 3G also installed six QSC AD-S8TBKs as concourse-facing loudspeakers. All the speakers in the tennis stadium are powered by four QSC amplifiers (two CXD4.5s and two CXD4.3s).

Head-End System Tying all the aforementioned audio endpoints together is Dignity Health Sports Park’s new head-end system. “The head-end system is composed of an integrated QSC Q-LAN, Dante, AVB, AES and analog distributed digital-audio network that is supported by a multi-mode fiberoptic infrastructure,” Conrad described. “It’s responsible for digital audio transmission throughout the venue, digital signal processing, system tunings, 60 Sound & Communications November 2019

(L-R): Michael Palmer, Head of Sales – US and Canada, L-Acoustics; David Kuhner, Sales Manager – USA and Canada, L-Acoustics; Keith Conrad, Chief Operating Officer, 3G Productions; Dan Palmer, Business Development Manager, Sports Facilities – US and Canada, L-Acoustics; and Adam Duvendeck, VP of Operations, Dignity Health Sports Park.

and controls such as power on/off, muting, gain adjustments and presets. So, it’s kind of responsible for ever ything.” Dignity Health Sports Park’s in-house production team runs the head-end system, but 3G has the ability to access the system remotely via TeamViewer to assist with troubleshooting. The head-end system is designed with redundancy in mind. It features two Q-SYS Core 510i integrated processors and redundant network switches; in case one of the Core processors fails, the backup processor is activated immediately. “Each of these mission-critical devices is supported by an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) with a 10-minute runtime in the event of power loss,” Conrad added. The components that make up the digital audio network are housed in the venue’s broadcast control booth. “We modified the existing amplifier equipment rack to house the core components of the digital audio network,” Conrad began, “which include the two Core processors; two I/O frames; a seven-inch touchscreen controller; a rackmount computer; a rackmounted keyboard, mouse and monitor; three network switches; and a UPS.” He continued, “The existing distributed-zone audio amplifiers were connected to the analog I/O devices in this equipment rack to be controlled and processed via the same digital audio network as the rest of the system. The I/O frames provide a total of eight analog inputs, eight analog outputs and eight AES inputs/outputs as patchable sources and system inputs.” Conrad continued, saying, “The Core processors are equipped with redundant AVB and Dante digital audio cards. These processors serve as a digital audio bridge between these formats and ensure deliver y of digital audio signals to the LAcoustics amplifiers in their native AVB format, because AVB and Dante don’t always work that well together.” He added, “That’s something that we always have to work through with L-Acoustics—getting AVB to properly talk through Dante.” A redundant multi-mode 50/125 fiber loop was installed between the control booth and the four amplifier equipment racks located in the catwalks above the main bowl to deliver AVB digital audio signals from the Core processors to each of the amplifiers. The 3G team did not install a new mixing console; it did expand the existing console’s connectivity options, however. “The existing PreSonus digital audio mixer was modified to include a Dante digital audio card,” Conrad explained. “This allows the

existing mixer to join the digital audio network to receive or send audio signal along the network.” 3G Productions also specified two portable 8RU equipment racks that support analog inputs and outputs at the field level. These racks are used for flexible field-level PA applications during practices, cheerleading exhibitions, on-field presentations and tours, etc. “Each of these two racks are equipped with an AudioScience AVB-to-analog converter capable of eight analog inputs and eight analog outputs for future expansion, an AVB Avunet-compliant network switch, two fiberoptic transceivers, one UPS and a custom I/O Industry Exclusive Camera Extension Kits & Mounting Solutions

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EQUIPMENT BOWL SYSTEM NE Speakers 11 L-Acoustics KIVA-II 2-way passive WST enclosures 1 L-Acoustics KIBU-II rigging frame for KIVA-II 1 L-Acoustics KIVA-PULLBACK pullback accessory for KIVA-II

West Box Seat Speakers 10 L-Acoustics 5XT 2-way passive coaxial speakers 10 L-Acoustics ETR5 adjustable U-brackets for 5XTs

NE Corner Speakers 8 L-Acoustics KIVA-II 2-way passive WST enclosures 1 L-Acoustics KIBU-II rigging frame for KIVA-II 1 L-Acoustics KIVA-PULLBACK pullback accessory for KIVA-II 2 L-Acoustics SB18i-2 high-power subs (1x18) 1 L-Acoustics M-BUMP-I multi-system flying bumper

Installation 12 West Penn 227BK1000 12/2 speaker cables (black)

NW Speakers 11 L-Acoustics KIVA-II 2-way passive WST enclosures 1 L-Acoustics KIBU-II rigging frame for KIVA-II 1 L-Acoustics KIVA-PULLBACK pullback accessory for KIVA-II NW Corner Speakers 8 L-Acoustics KIVA-II 2-way passive WST enclosures 1 L-Acoustics KIBU-II rigging frame for KIVA-II 1 L-Acoustics KIVA-PULLBACK pullback accessory for KIVA-II 2 L-Acoustics SB18i-2 high-power subs (1x18) 1 L-Acoustics M-BUMP-I multi-system flying bumper SE Speakers 9 L-Acoustics KIVA-II 2-way passive WST enclosures 1 L-Acoustics KIBU-II rigging frame for KIVA-II 1 L-Acoustics KIVA-PULLBACK pullback accessory for KIVA-II SE Corner Speakers 8 L-Acoustics KIVA-II 2-way passive WST enclosures 1 L-Acoustics KIBU-II rigging frame for KIVA-II 1 L-Acoustics KIVA-PULLBACK pullback accessory for KIVA-II 2 L-Acoustics SB18i-2 high-power subs (1x18) 1 L-Acoustics M-BUMP-I multi-system flying bumper SW Speakers 9 L-Acoustics KIVA-II 2-way passive WST enclosures 1 L-Acoustics KIBU-II rigging frame for KIVA-II 1 L-Acoustics KIVA-PULLBACK pullback accessory for KIVA-II SW Corner Speakers 8 L-Acoustics KIVA-II 2-way passive WST enclosures 1 L-Acoustics KIBU-II rigging frame for KIVA-II 1 L-Acoustics KIVA-PULLBACK pullback accessory for KIVA-II 2 L-Acoustics SB18i-2 high-power subs (1x18) 1 L-Acoustics M-BUMP-I multi-system flying bumper East Speakers 45 L-Acoustics KIVA-II 2-way passive WST enclosures 5 L-Acoustics KIBU-II rigging frames for KIVA-IIs 5 L-Acoustics KIVA-PULLBACK pullback accessories for KIVA-IIs 10 L-Acoustics SB18i-2 high-power subs (1x18) 5 L-Acoustics M-BUMP-I multi-system flying bumpers West Speakers 25 L-Acoustics KIVA-II 2-way passive WST enclosures 5 L-Acoustics KIBU-II rigging frames for KIVA-IIs 5 L-Acoustics KIVA-PULLBACK pullback accessories for KIVA-IIs 10 L-Acoustics SB18i-2 high-power subs (1x18) 5 L-Acoustics M-BUMP-I multi-system flying bumpers

62 Sound & Communications November 2019

Amps 5 L-Acoustics LA4X amplified controllers w/PFC (4x1000 w/4Ω) 13 L-Acoustics LA12X amplified controllers (4x2600 w/4Ω)

HEAD-END SYSTEM Catwalk Rack #1 1 DDB Unlimited OD-50DXC_Custom custom outdoor rack w/air conditioner 1 Middle Atlantic UPS-1000R-IP 1000VA uninterrupted power supply 2 Pakedge FM-10G-LR-01 10G SFP+ fiber modules (1,310nm, 20km) 1 Pakedge S3L-24P 24-port AVB network switch Catwalk Rack #2 1 DDB Unlimited OD-50DXC_Custom custom outdoor rack w/air conditioner 1 Middle Atlantic UPS-1000R-IP 1000VA uninterrupted power supply 2 Pakedge FM-10G-LR-01 10G SFP+ fiber modules (1,310nm, 20km) 1 Pakedge S3L-24P 24-port AVB network switch Catwalk Rack #3 1 DDB Unlimited OD-50DXC_Custom custom outdoor rack w/air conditioner 1 Middle Atlantic UPS-1000R-IP 1000VA uninterrupted power supply 2 Pakedge FM-10G-LR-01 10G SFP+ fiber modules (1,310nm, 20km) 1 Pakedge S3L-24P 24-port AVB network switch Catwalk Rack #4 1 DDB Unlimited OD-50DXC_Custom custom outdoor rack w/air conditioner 1 Middle Atlantic UPS-1000R-IP 1000VA uninterrupted power supply 2 Pakedge FM-10G-LR-01 10G SFP+ fiber modules (1,310nm, 20km) 1 Pakedge S3L-24P 24-port AVB network switch Portable Field Racks 2 AudioScience Hono ASI2620-2300-1100 AVB appliances (8 analog ins/8 analog outs) 2 Entertainment Metals CU-12023-080217-1 custom quad fiber panels 2 Entertainment Metals CU-12023-080217-2 150' quad fiber cables, MM w/reels 2 Entertainment Metals Panel_Custom 2RUs 2 Gator G-TOUR 8U 8RU portable equipment racks 1 Middle Atlantic equipment rack hardware 2 Middle Atlantic UPS-1000R-IP 1000VA uninterrupted power supplies 4 Pakedge FM-10G-LR-01 10G SFP+ fiber modules (1,310nm, 20km) 2 Pakedge S3L-24P 24-port AVB network switches Control Booth Racks (existing) 1 Entertainment Metals Panel_TS custom rackmount panel for touchscreen 1 Middle Atlantic equipment rack hardware 1 Middle Atlantic UPS-2200R-IP 2200VA uninterrupted power supply

panel,” Conrad described. “The I/O panel includes a total of four XLR female connections, four XLR male connections, one Neutrik opticalCON QUAD fiber connector and one RJ45 data connector. We installed custom panels at the north and south field levels to provide one quad multi-mode fiber connection each via a Neutrik opticalCON connector. Two 150-foot-long quad fiber cables provide the connection between these panels and the portable equipment racks.” The concourse audio system is supported by SFP fiber ports in the head-end network switches; this enables digital audio signal distribution to the concourse via the fiberoptic network. All told, AEG is happy with Dignity Health Sports Park’s new audio systems. According to Duvendeck, the increased sound quality in the main bowl and the addition of low-end audio support have resulted in a fan experience that’s more high energy and engaging—one that lives up to the standards of any profes-

1 12 3 1 2 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1

MOTU Monitor 8 AVB monitor Pakedge FM-10G-LR-01 10G SFP+ fiber modules (1,310nm, 20km) Pakedge S3L-24P 24-port AVB network switches PreSonus SL-Dante-MIX Dante option card for PreSonus mixer QSC CAES4 4-channel AES/EBU I/O cards (local I/O) QSC CAN32 Q-SYS AVB bridge cards QSC CDN64 Dante bridge cards (64x64) QSC CIML4 4-channel analog input cards (local I/O) QSC COL4 4-channel analog output cards (local I/O) QSC Core 510i integrated hardware processors w/8 I/O card slots (256x256) QSC IO FRAME kits w/4 I/O card slots QSC MD-S small media drive kits (130 hours audio) QSC TSC-7w Q-SYS 7" touchscreen controller SuperLogics SL-1U-AH270M-LG 1RU rackmount PC (i5/16GB/500GB) 1 SuperLogics SL-RMKB-17-DF117 rackmount keyboard/mouse/ monitor/DVI Installation 1 West Penn 454BK1000 mic/line cable 6 West Penn WP9E045T 6-strand OM4 multimode fiber (1,000') CONCOURSE SYSTEM West Concourse Speakers 15 Community R.5-66TZ 12" horn-loaded speakers (60°x60°, grey) 15 Community PMB-2RR pole-mount brackets w/pan capabilities 1 Community BAND100FT pole-mounting bracket banding (100') NW Gate Speakers 2 Community R.5-94TZ 12" horn-loaded speakers (90°x40°, grey) 2 Community PMB-2RR pole-mount brackets w/pan capabilities 4 Community PMB-BAND pole-mounting bracket banding (92") East Concourse Speakers 27 Community R.35COAX 10" coaxial 2-way speakers (grey) 27 Community rotation/pan yokes for R.35COAXes NE Gate Speakers 1 Community R.5-66TZ 12" horn-loaded speaker (60°x60°, grey) 1 Community R.5-94TZ 12" horn-loaded speaker (90°x40°, grey) 2 Community PMB-2RR pole-mount brackets w/pan capabilities 4 Community PMB-BAND pole-mounting bracket banding (92")

sional sports venue. “Without that low end, I think it was completely lacking in delivering the full experience,” Duvendeck said. “Having that low end now has really brought for th the heartbeat of the facility as a whole. You see it in the way that the fans interact with the content we are pushing to the LED boards. When the pregame hype-up video comes up, the lights go down and the music starts to play, you can feel the energy. Watching the crowd jump to the beat while they scream and cheer is exciting. This installation has really accomplished all we set out to improve. I think we, as a result, have had a much more engaged fanbase.” Duvendeck added that, post-installation, the noise complaints from the neighbors have dropped off entirely. “Since the commissioning of the system, I don’t know that we’ve had any complaints from the surrounding community related to our in-game sound,” he shared, “which is a welcome change.”

South Concourse Speakers 11 Community R.5-66TZ 12" horn-loaded speakers (60°x60°, grey) 1 Community R.5-94TZ 12" horn-loaded speaker (90°x40°, grey) 11 Community R.35COAX 10" coaxial 2-way speakers (grey) 12 Community PMB-2RR pole-mount brackets w/pan capabilities 1 Community BAND100FT pole-mount bracket banding (100') 11 Community rotation/pan yokes for R.35COAXes SW Gate Speakers 2 Community R.5-94TZ 12" horn-loaded speakers (90°x40°, grey) 2 Community PMB-2RR pole-mount brackets w/pan capabilities 4 Community PMB-BAND pole-mounting bracket banding (92") SE Gate Speakers 2 Community R.5-66TZ 12" horn-loaded speakers (60°x60°, grey) 2 Community R.35COAX 10" coaxial 2-way speakers (grey) 2 Community PMB-2RR pole-mount brackets w/pan capabilities 2 Community rotation/pan yokes for R.35COAXes Restroom Speakers 32 Community AD-C6T 6" 2-way ceiling speakers Amps 10 QSC CXD 4.5Q 4-channel amps Concourse Equipment Racks 5 Middle Atlantic UPS-1000R-IP 1000VA uninterrupted power supplies 10 Pakedge FM-10G-LR-01 10G SFP+ fiber modules (1,310nm, 20km) 5 Pakedge S3L-24P 24-port AVB network switches 6 West Penn AQ227BK1000 12/2 water block speaker cables (1,000') TENNIS COURT SYSTEM Court-Facing Speakers 8 Community R.5-99TZ 12" horn-loaded speakers (60°x60°, grey) Concourse-Facing Speakers 14 QSC AD-S8TBK 8" 2-way surface-mount speakers Amps 2 QSC CXD4.5 4-channel power amps (1,000W/channel @ 70V) 2 QSC CXD4.3 4-channel power amps (500W/channel @ 70V) List is edited from information supplied by 3G Productions Inc.

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CONNE

N AT I O N A L S O C C E R H A L L O F F A M E C O N N E C T S W I T H T O Y O TA

WITH FANS

The NSHOF was built on the south side of the stadium, which opened in 2009, where it replaced low-revenue bleacher seating with a premium experience, which also includes 3,000 improved seats, four new locker rooms, a soccer-themed gift shop and a Heineken Red Star club. That end of the field also has two new Daktronics LED displays, each 27.5'x15.5' (WxH) with 13mm HD pixel layouts.

64 Sound & Communications November 2019

ECTING

A S TA D I U M , E N G A G I N G F A N S W I T H I N T E R A C T I V E E X H I B I T S .

BY DAN DALEY

Historically, soccer has had a tough time of it on the banquet table of American sports. The world’s most popular sport—one whose quadrennial championship is truly global—has had to compete perceptually in the US with sports like baseball (whose “World” Series has yet to make it any farther than Canada—and that has happened just twice in more than 100 years) and the National Football League (NFL), whose fans are somewhat scornful of soccer being called “football” everywhere but here. However, soccer has come forcefully into its own in recent years, most spectacularly with the US women’s national soccer team’s victor y in 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. (Notably, it was the celebrated squad’s fourth win over the last three decades, the most of any country’s team.) That’s part of what’s driving interest in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the US, where the league has expanded from its original 10 teams to 23 franchises, with plans to grow to 28. The league’s growth has naturally led franchises and cities to invest in more soccer-specific stadiums to host their dedicated fans.

The nearly 20,000-square-foot venue of immersive technology and interactive exhibits is unique in that none of the other major-league sports halls of fame is connected to an actual major-league sports venue. The NSHOF is part of the Toyota Center, home to FC Dallas. Photo courtesy National Soccer Hall of Fame.

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The new NSHOF, which had been located in upstate New York until 2010, is part of a recently completed $58 million renovation of Toyota Stadium. It relies heavily on advanced AV technology to portray soccer’s history, its place among the array of sports and its future in the US.

The personalization process is powered by NeoFace facial-recognition technology. Guests are recognized as they approach each exhibit, and the exhibit’s content is then tailored to the visitor’s preferences.

What sets apart Toyota Stadium, located in Frisco TX, home to MLS’ FC Dallas, however, is that it’s also the new location of the National Soccer Hall of Fame (NSHOF) and its museum. This nearly 20,000-square-foot venue, which boasts immersive technology and interactive exhibits, celebrates the people who helped build soccer’s popularity in the US. The NSHOF’s location, in itself, is unique; none of the other majorleague sports halls of fame—baseball’s in Cooperstown NY; the NFL’s in Canton OH; the NHL’s in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and the NBA’s in Springfield MA—is connected to an actual major-league sports venue. The new NSHOF, which had been located in upstate New York until 2010, is part of a recently completed $58 million renovation of Toyota Stadium. It relies heavily on advanced AV technology to portray soccer’s proud history, its place among the array of sports and its future in the US. “It’s definitely unique, having a sports hall of fame built into a sports venue,” Djorn Buchholz, Executive Director of the NSHOF, said. It was built on the south side of the stadium, which opened in 2005, in what Buchholz described as a strategic move: replacing low-revenue bleacher seating with a premium experience, which also includes 3,000 improved seats, four new locker rooms, a soccer-themed gift shop and a Heineken Red Star club. That end of the field also has two new Daktronics 66 Sound & Communications November 2019

LED displays, each 27.5'x15.5'(WxH), with 13mm HD pixel layouts.

Complex AV The NSHOF’s AV is as complex as a World Cup bracket. HealyKohler Design was the project’s exhibit designer. The 15 interactive exhibit stations in the venue utilize software designed and developed by Cortina Productions. The firm also developed the front-end applications that were integrated with museum sponsor NEC’s NeoFace facial-recognition technology, which is foundational to the overall venue’s operation: It recognizes guests as they approach, and then it tailors the exhibits’ con-

tent to the visitor’s taste. (NEC provided the cameras and backend systems for the project.) Connecting all those stations to related hardware, and then to a central control room, was the bailiwick of Capitol Museum Ser vices, the AV integrator and exhibit fabricator on the NSHOF project. Among other activities on the various interactive stations, visitors can build their dream US National Team, design their own MLS kits, create a team scarf that can be printed onsite, and test their soccer skills with gesture technology and virtual reality (VR); everything is heavily personalized to suit each visitor’s team and other preferences. The experience is on a par with any

contemporary experiential museum; however, in the process, it builds an affinity between visitors and this sport, whose popularity seems greater than ever.

Personalized Service As sports fans know, sometimes, the rules can change. Darren Hemminger, Senior Project Manager for Capitol Museum Services, said the project began for his firm a year before it opened with the expectation that personalization would begin with visitors entering their information into a computer kiosk in the lobby and then being issued some type of badge or lanyard, perhaps RFID-enabled. That would allow the exhibits to recognize them as they approached; as such, the experience would be prepared for their preferences and store their inputs for later use. Instead, Buchholz recalled, fate brought about a chance meeting at Toyota Stadium between FC Dallas’ President, Dan Hunt, and an executive from NEC North America. At that time, NEC became a sponsor and donated a significant number of video displays to the project. Accordingly, it was decided to deploy NEC’s facial-recognition software, as well, used in combination with OptiPlex 3050 19.5-inch all-in-one touchscreen scanners in landscape configuration. (Touchscreens in the museum itself, such as the one used for the “Welcome to Wonderland” interactive exhibit, where up to six fans at a time can build their own “Starting 11” for the US National Team, are fashioned by applying TSi Shadow Sense touch overlays to 65inch X651UHD-2 and 84-inch X841UHD-2 ultra-HD displays from NEC.) “We had to go back and redesign the structural housings to allow for the facialrecognition software,” Hemminger said. During that process, previously specified AV hardware was changed out and the facial-recognition equipment was incorporated. “It was a significant challenge,” he admitted. “We held several days of meetings with between 25 and 30 people from all the companies involved, working out how to adapt the plan. [We set up] and tested the elements of the exhibits in our warehouse to make sure they worked as they were supposed to…that they would recognize each person as they approached. This work was performed

by the NEC engineers, Cortina staff and the client.” Terence Healy, Design Principal at HealyKohler Design, said the redesign went all the way back to the lobby, where NEC facial scanners were set up for intake. “We needed to make the lobby as welcoming as possible in order not to make the scanning feel intrusive,” he obser ved. In fact, he added, although the project team expected that as many as a quarter of visitors might opt out of surrendering their personal information to a server-based sys-

tem, they were pleasantly surprised to find that barely one percent declined. “That’s a lot better than the TSA might expect!” he quipped. In the process of readapting the experience design for facial recognition, which measures the relative positions of the eyes and nose on faces, NEC had to scale its software to process up to six people at a time—that’s far fewer than the 40,000 for which it was originally designed, so it could continuously scan for security applications. “The software was designed for

“LED became a major part in the conversation with the theatre’s design team. Thanks to our long relationship with Absen, it was a natural fit to pull them into the project to help us design solutions to bring their vision to life.”

Brian Fitzpatrick

President and CEO RevelTv

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Be it corporate lobbies, airports, museums, theme parks or shopping malls, Absen provides the latest in LED display solutions helping its customers create engaging visual environments. To learn more about the Hale Centre Theatre and other Absen installations, go to usabsen.com/news

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It was discovered that cameras used to track visitors’ leg and foot movements in any of the four VR immersive environments became periodically desynchronized by daylight as the sun’s arc moved through the glass-lined walls of the NSHOF. The solution was simple but effective: sunshade film applied to the glass.

Exhibit areas are designed to let people move as much as they need to inside them because some of the exhibits are pretty physical, including using devices to track motion. In fact, visitors can get physical enough that the client was concerned about possible visitor injury and requested padding be added to the rails that fence the VR exhibits.

68 Sound & Communications November 2019

big and fast, [whereas] we wanted the experience to be slower and intimate,” Healy explained. Another challenge for the experience stations was discovered when cameras used to track visitors’ leg and foot movements in any of the four VR immersive environments—for instance, one in which the visitor plays a goal tender, fending off kicks— became periodically desynchronized by daylight as the sun’s arc moved through the glass-lined walls of the NSHOF. “At any given time, there might be one or two of the three cameras getting a distorted image as they tried to capture movement because of the shifting levels of light and shadow,” Healy explained. The solution, although not nearly as high tech as the experience is, was nevertheless effective: The team applied sunshade film to the glass. The facial-recognition system means that visitors can dive right into each station upon arriving because any of 46 Axis

In Control Capitol Museum Services put together the central control room, and the firm created the infrastructure for the NSHOF. The company’s mandate, however, extended to the exhibits in the form of installing and integrating the motion-sensor cameras in each one. In some cases, depending on the size and configuration of the exhibit, multiple cameras were integrated. Some larger exhibits also had the cameras positioned in landscape mode to obser ve a wider field.

Capitol Museum Services fabricated custom camera mounts to keep the cameras as unobtrusive as possible, even while maintaining their ability to see visitors coming in enough time to call up their stored information. “All the cameras are networked, with individual IP addresses, and they’re connected using Cat5e cable,” Chet Kaplan, Director of AV Integration at Capitol Museum Ser vices, explained. Steve “Chappy” Chapman, Capitol Museum Ser vices’ Lead Installer for the project, said that, in some cases, the cameras

cameras strategically placed throughout the exhibit area see them coming; scan their location, facial features and eye movements; and deliver content—from a ser ver in the central AV room—based upon the information they entered in the lobby. That data is traveling back and forth over Extron 4K HDMI extenders at each station and Cat5e and Cat6 cabled home runs to the central AV room. According to Stephen Platenberg, Principal and Creative Director at Cortina Productions, determining camera placement was critical. The project team spent months mocking up exhibit areas. Factors such as exhibit lighting and all the possible ways a visitor might approach a display were incorporated into the mockups. Specific physical aspects of each exhibit area were carefully considered in order to place cameras in locations that would be invisible to the visitor, but that would provide the best viewing angles for facial recognition. Another unique challenge was how to assess a visitor’s interest in a display based on the data provided by the facialrecognition system. “To achieve this goal, we created an attention metric based on data sets such as the distance between the visitor and a display, the angle of the visitor’s face as they looked at the display and the time spent by the visitor looking at the display,” Platenberg explained. “The team orchestrated extensive observation and onsite testing to determine when a visitor is interested in a display and how that interest is reflected in the recognition data. Threshold values for the data sets were incorporated into the personalization system based on this testing. The result is a system that is responsive to a visitor’s interest.”

were aimed as part of the testing at the firm’s warehouse. “Ever y exhibit area is different, but they’re designed around letting people move as much as they need to inside them,” he noted. “Some of the exhibits are pretty physical; some of them use Microsoft Kinect devices to track motion. The spaces are trapezoidal to make as much space as each one needs, but still fit all of them into the facility.” In fact, Chappy added, visitors can get physical enough that the client was concerned about possible visitor injur y. So, the NSHOF requested

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EQUIPMENT American Soccer Today 2 Chief XSM1U X-Large Fusion micro-adjustable fixed wall display mounts 2 Extron DTP HDMI 4K 330 extender pairs – long-distance DTP transmitters and receivers for HDMI 4 Innovox Audio MLA-16 ultra-slim line-array speakers 2 NEC X651UHD-2 65" LED-backlit ultra-HD professional-grade large-screen displays 2 Origin PC CHRONOS exhibit computers 1 QSC CX168 8-channel low-Z power amp National Team Interactive 1 Extron DTP HDMI 4K 330 extender pair – long-distance DTP transmitter and receiver for HDMI 1 Icron Technologies USB 2.0 Ranger extender pair 4 Innovox Audio MLA-16 ultra-slim line-array speakers 1 NEC X841UHD-2 84" LED-backlit ultra-HD professional-grade large-screen display 1 Origin PC CHRONOS exhibit computer 1 QSC CX168 8-channel low-Z power amp “Make Your Scarf” 2 Chief MSM1U Medium Fusion micro-adjustable fixed wall mounts 2 Extron DTP HDMI 4K 330 extender pairs – long-distance DTP transmitters and receivers for HDMI 4 Icron Technologies USB 2.0 Ranger extender pairs 2 Innovox Audio MLA-16 ultra-slim line-array speakers 2 NEC PA322UHD-BK-2 32" ultra-HD color-accurate desktop monitors 2 Origin PC CHRONOS exhibit computers 1 QSC CX168 8-channel low-Z power amp Skills Challenge Interactive 2 Chief LSM1U Large Fusion micro-adjustable fixed wall display mounts 2 Innovox Audio FS-H2 2-channel display-mounted speakers 2 Microsoft Kinect motion sensors w/adapters 2 NEC X651UHD-2 65" LED-backlit ultra-HD professional-grade large-screen displays 2 Origin PC CHRONOS exhibit computers 1 Stewart Audio AV25-2 2-channel subcompact amp (25W x 2 @ 8Ω) Game Day VR 4 Chief MSM1U Medium Fusion micro-adjustable fixed wall mounts 4 HTC VIVE base stations 8 HTC VIVE controllers 8 HTC VIVE Pro professional-grade VR headsets 4 Innovox Audio MLA-16 ultra-slim line-array speakers 4 NEC C431 43" thin-depth commercial displays 4 Origin PC CHRONOS exhibit computers 1 QSC CX168 8-channel low-Z power amp Current Champions Interactive 3 Brown Innovations Myriad compact, low-power audio amps 3 Brown Innovations SB-12 SonicBeam compact speakers 3 Chief RMF2 Medium FIT fixed wall display mounts 4 Extron DTP HDMI 4K 330 extender pairs – long-distance DTP transmitters and receivers for HDMI 1 Icron Technologies USB 2.0 Ranger extender pair 1 Innovox Audio MLA-16 ultra-slim line-array speaker 3 NEC C431 43" thin-depth commercial displays 70 Sound & Communications November 2019

1 NEC PA322UHD-BK-2 32" ultra-HD color-accurate desktop monitor 4 Origin PC CHRONOS exhibit computers 1 QSC CX168 8-channel low-Z power amp Hall of Fame Interactive 1 Chief PSMH2079 heavy-duty flatpanel wall mount 4 Dakota Audio MA-4 mini arrays 1 Extron DTP HDMI 4K 330 extender pair – long-distance DTP transmitter and receiver for HDMI 1 Icron Technologies USB 2.0 Ranger extender pair 1 NEC X981UHD-2 98" LED-backlit ultra-HD professional-grade large-screen display 1 Origin PC CHRONOS exhibit computer Supporter Section Interactive 1 Brown Innovations Myriad compact, low-power audio amp 1 Brown Innovations SB-12 SonicBeam compact speaker 1 Chief VCMU heavy-duty universal projector mount 1 Dataton WATCHPAX 20 plug-and-play media server 1 Extron DTP HDMI 4K 330 extender pair – long-distance DTP transmitter and receiver for HDMI 1 Icron Technologies USB 2.0 Ranger extender pair 1 NEC NP-PX1005QL 10,000-lumen 4K ultra-HD professional installation laser projector 1 NEC PA322UHD-BK-2 32" ultra-HD color-accurate desktop monitor 1 Origin PC CHRONOS exhibit computer Supporter Section Film 1 Chief VCMU heavy-duty universal projector mount 1 Dataton WATCHPAX 20 plug-and-play media server 1 Extron DTP HDMI 4K 330 extender pair – long-distance DTP transmitter and receiver for HDMI 2 Innovox Audio SL-1.1 US ultra-low-profile, 2-way, surface-mount speakers w/4" LF drivers 1 NEC NP-PX1005QL 10,000-lumen 4K ultra-HD professional installation laser projector Rise of the MLS 1 Chief MTMP1U Medium Fusion micro-adjustable portrait tilt wall mount 1 Extron DTP HDMI 4K 330 extender pair – long-distance DTP transmitter and receiver for HDMI 1 Icron Technologies USB 2.0 Ranger extender pair 2 Innovox Audio MLA-16 ultra-slim line-array speakers 1 NEC X841UHD-2 84" LED-backlit ultra-HD professional-grade large-screen display 1 ORIGIN PC CHRONOS exhibit computer 1 QSC CX168 8-channel low-Z power amp Broadcast Desk Interactive 2 Chief MSM1U Medium Fusion micro-adjustable fixed wall mounts 3 Extron DTP HDMI 4K 330 extender pairs – long-distance DTP transmitters and receivers for HDMI 1 Hall Research SP-HD-2A 2-channel HDMI splitter w/analog and optical audio output and 4K support 2 Icron Technologies USB 2.0 Ranger extender pairs 2 Innovox Audio MLA-16 ultra-slim line-array speakers 1 Marshall Electronics CV345-CSB 2.5MP 3G-SDI/HDMI compact broadcast-compatible camera (equipment list continued on page 72)

pious operation-and-maintenance manuals for each of the platforms Capitol Museum Ser vices makes for its clients. “There’s no real ambient sound to the venue.”

Fan Engagement Is the NSHOF a museum tacked onto a sports venue, or is it an integral part of an evolving live sports experience? Although it’s not one of the proliferating number of sports venues anchoring an entertain-

that padding be added to the rails that fence the VR exhibits, which use HTC VIVE Pro professional-grade VR headsets and track users with ceiling-mounted sensors, to avoid viewers bumping into them too hard. Capitol Museum Services also fabricated the housings for many of the video display components, and Hemminger pointed out that pre-assembly of interactive stations in the company’s warehouse becomes critical for a very specific reason. “Manufacturers usually supply ver y good specs with the products, but The NSHOF intersperses conventional, artifact-centered exhibits what we’ve found, for example, is that not ever yone with the interactive AV ones, creating an engaging hybrid. measures screens the same way,” he revealed. “Some measure the screen only; some include the bezel in the measurement. You don’t want to be surprised by that later, while onsite.” ment or retail district, Toyota Stadium is a site that regularly Audio, although fairly basic, certainly uses high-end systems. hosts music concerts; moreover, it’s part of an athletic complex When they’re not using the VR headsets, visitors are listening to with an additional 17 regulation-size, stadium-quality soccer Dakota Audio MA-4 mini arrays, Brown Innovations SB-12 Sonfields outside the main stadium. Those fields are used for pracicBeam compact speakers or Innovox Audio MLA-16 ultra-slim tice by FC Dallas, for matches by the FC Dallas reserve squad, line-array speakers. Additional audio comes through AuraSound and for hosting youth and other league soccer tournaments, NS2x3-184-4A 2"x3" full-range speakers. “All the audio is ver y such as the Olympic Development Program National Champilocalized to each exhibit,” according to Chappy, who assembles coonships. But even venues highly focused solely on sports need

November 2019

Sound & Communications 71

Green-screen technology is used to immerse NSHOF visitors.

(equipment list continued from page 70) 2 NEC C431 43" thin-depth commercial displays 1 NEC X551UHD 55" LED-backlit ultra-HD display 1 ORIGIN PC CHRONOS exhibit computer 1 QSC CX168 8-channel low-Z power amp Knowledge Game 6 AuraSound NS2x3-184-4A 2"x3" full-range speakers 6 Chief FSR Series small flat-panel fixed wall display mounts 2 Chief LSM1U Large Fusion micro-adjustable fixed wall display mounts 2 Extron DTP HDMI 4K 330 extender pairs – long-distance DTP transmitters and receivers for HDMI 8 Icron Technologies USB 2.0 Ranger extender pairs 2 Innovox Audio MLA-16 ultra-slim line-array speakers 6 Intel NUC 4"x4" mini PCs w/customizable boards 6 MCM Custom Audio 50-14805 compact, wall-mount 30W amps 6 NEC E232WMT-BK 23" multi-touch LED-backlit desktop monitors w/IPS panels 2 NEC X551UHD 55" LED-backlit ultra-HD displays 2 Origin PC CHRONOS exhibit computers 1 QSC CX168 8-channel low-Z power amp Women’s Soccer 2 Chief MTMP1U Medium Fusion micro-adjustable portrait tilt wall mounts 2 Extron DTP HDMI 4K 330 extender pairs – long-distance DTP transmitters and receivers for HDMI 2 Icron Technologies USB 2.0 Ranger extender pairs 3 Innovox Audio MLA-16 ultra-slim line-array speakers 1 NEC X551UHD 55" LED-backlit ultra-HD display

72 Sound & Communications November 2019

improved engagement platforms for fans; as ever, AV systems are at the heart of that effort. Healy said that finding acceptable ways to connect to fans—for instance, the facial-scanning system—and providing them with takeaways from their interactions with the exhibits in the museum, such as a customized scarf printouts, are providing deeper connections between the fans, the team and the sport. “And that fan information stays onsite, on servers, and can be accessed by them when they return,” he added. Healy noted that the team’s clublevel members, who number in the thousands, become de facto supporter-members of the NSHOF. What’s more, they can update the information they accumulate on the individual microsites the system builds and stores for each of them on the ser vers, and they can push it out to social media. The AV platforms in the NSHOF’s museum might become the basis for a deeper connection to the sports venue itself, including the possibility of extending the facial-recognition system to the stadium’s security infrastructure—the ver y thing for which the technology was originally designed. Such a connection could then greet those supporter-members when they arrive, either through the NSHOF or the stadium gates, and give them a personalized experience ever y time they visit, thus building an ongoing relationship. “That can also extend to the concessions and even the team store,” Healy added. “It’s all about making you part of the team and [part of] the Hall of Fame.”

1 NEC X841UHD-2 84" LED-backlit ultra-HD professional-grade large-screen display 2 Origin PC CHRONOS exhibit computers 1 QSC CX168 8-channel low-Z power amp Servers 2 Dell PowerEdge R730xd rack servers 7 NEC Express5800/R120g-1M high-density dual-socket 1RU rack servers Common Equipment 46 Axis Communications cameras for facial recognition 46 Axis Communications F8204 camera mounting brackets 1 Dell E2016 20" 1440x900 HD LED backlit monitor 2 Dell Inspiron PCs 1 Global Caché GC-100-18R network adapter w/18" rackmount kit 1 Medialon Manager V6 show-control software 2 Middle Atlantic BGR-4527 BGR Series racks (45RU, 27"D) Middle Atlantic miscellaneous rack accessories 2 Middle Atlantic UPS-1000R-8 Premium Series UPS rackmount power systems (8 outlet) NEC NeoFace facial-recognition technology 2 NETGEAR GS348 48-port gigabit Ethernet unmanaged switches 1 Network Technologies RACKMUX-UKT-LC rackmount 1RU keyboard mouse drawer 1 Network Technologies UNIMUX high-density DVI USB KVM switch 8 OptiPlex 3050 19.5" all-in-one touchscreen scanners 1 Video Storm CMX3838A2 38x38 AV matrix switch w/full DSP audio and NetPlay NAB100 streaming network audio board List is edited from information supplied by Capitol Museum Services.

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SPORTS: TECHNOLOGY Fans of Washington High School’s Tigers football get a clear view of the action with a giant new scoreboard installed at the school’s famous Paul Brown Stadium.

EYES ON TH HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD GOES PRO-LEVEL BIG.

By Andy McDonough

High-school football has long been one of the most prominent contributors to the culture of Massillon OH. So, it’s not surprising that, for this year’s football season, Massillon Tigers fans will be checking scores and watching replays on a new scoreboard. What is notable is the size of the state-of-the-art scoreboard, which is driven by a suite of professional video head-end equipment. “It is ver y much what you’d find at college and professional sports stadiums,” Dave Wagner, Scoreboard Operations Manager, stated. “Other schools come here to find out what we’re doing and how we do it.” If you think gameday is big where you are, take a look at what Massillon is offering its fans. Matching the city’s love for high-school football, the new scoreboard is big. At 81'x27' (WxH), it spans half the width of the gridiron.

Football Culture “People here don’t just like high-school football, they are passionate about game night,” Wagner declared. “You have to under74 Sound & Communications November 2019

stand: It’s in our DNA.” Although that statement might fly in the face of scientific DNA analysis, a look at the histor y of Massillon would explain why Wagner, himself an alumnus of Washington High School, might see football as more a genetic marker than a Friday-night pastime. Massillon is not counted among Ohio’s largest cities. Its population (around 32,000) doesn’t even put it in the top 40. However, this small, hardworking city supports its scholastic athletes in a ver y big way, and the indications are easy to spot: For instance, the city’s website welcomes visitors to the “City of Champions.” What’s more, Massillon is home to the oldest rivalry in high-school football, reaching back more than 100 years, pitting the Massillon Tigers against the Canton McKinley Bulldogs. With a capacity of just over 16,500 seats, Washington High School’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium can seat roughly half of the city’s entire population! The city even has a longstanding tradition that each newborn male child receives a football from the Tiger Football Booster

Thirteen custom-built, static LED sign panels installed at the top and sides of the new LED scoreboard advertise the team’s dedicated sponsors.

HE TIGERS Club before leaving the hospital. Clearly, this is a football town! What’s resulted from that football culture? The Tigers have won 24 state titles, and they’ve been the Associated Press National Champions nine times. Their home since 1939 has been a stadium completed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA helped carry out public-works projects in cities like Massillon that were recovering from the Great Depression by creating jobs for unemployed residents. The stadium, which has been used for National Football League (NFL) Hall of Fame events and numerous state playoff games, was named after local legend Paul Brown, who died in 1991. Brown, who graduated in 1925, returned to coach in 1932 at age 23. He compiled a spectacular 80-8-2 record, boasting six state titles, before taking over at The Ohio State University. Then, he coached the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. In 1967, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in nearby Canton OH. Although it has been years since Brown coached the Tigers,

his legacy clearly looms large when speaking to Wagner and the press-box staff. “We still feel his presence in the stadium,” Wagner affirmed. “He fostered the team’s drive for excellence on and off the field, and we all share that. The scoreboard staff does ever ything we can do to get behind our kids to make them successful.” According to Wagner, who started programming graphics for the stadium as a freshman in 1995, and who took over operations in 2001, it all comes together on game night. “Our team, the band, the cheerleaders and the fans all pull together. It’s what you see at a college- or pro-level game, and we do our part with the scoreboard and production technology to add to the experience.”

Video Head-End Design Using the best technology available, in the most effective way possible for the Tigers, is one way that Wagner and his scoreboard team add to the in-seat experience at the stadium. So, when the stadium’s scoreboard and video head-end equipment started to show November 2019

Sound & Communications 75

Flexible software for the new scoreboard allows the display to be dynamically reconfigured from five zones to full-screen at the touch of a button.

signs of impending trouble, the school and the Tiger Football Booster Club, which would fund the upgrade, reached out to two technical resources with which they had worked before: NPI Audio Visual Solutions of Cleveland OH for head-end equipment and Daktronics of Brookings SD for the scoreboard hardware, including video processing and control. Planning for the new scoreboard and control-room components took approximately four months and involved representatives from the school, Daktronics, NPI and the booster club. “We are always on the lookout to improve the experience for fans—something new and interesting,” Wagner said. “Great video can get the crowd going and give us a ‘push’ on gameday.” The scoreboard’s location, along with its principal goals of enhancing the inseat experience for fans, as well as realizing increased sponsor revenue, would remain the same for this project. However, project leaders also considered additional benefits that the new system would present for the Massillon community and for students interested in broadcast production technology. Many of the camera positions are manned by students, and student groups can come to the press box to learn about the use of modern production technology without having to leave the school grounds. Sam Avellone, Director of Sales for NPI Audio Visual Solutions, explained that his company is multifaceted, providing integration and design ser vices for AV projects of all types, along with offering rental 76 Sound & Communications November 2019

and production ser vices. NPI’s valued Elite Par tnership with NewTek and Daktronics, illustrated by projects like Paul Brown Three strategically mounted monitors provide clear, high-definition video displays as multi-views for the head-end video gear, Tiger Stadiscoreboard software and graphics station. um, serves to benefit NPI’s sports clients. “NPI provided the design, cord the input from each camera, I don’t installation and training specifically for the have to dedicate a specific camera for playvideo system head-end equipment, whereas back,” Wagner noted. He has the freedom Daktronics took a similar role handling the to choose the feed with the best coverage specialized processing associated with a after the down is over. state-of-the-art scoreboard and the scoreAlthough this feature is not currently board hardware itself,” Avellone explained. planned for use at the stadium, the TC1 “That provided us with a clean line of de- provides the ability to produce ISO recordmarcation.” ing to full-resolution QuickTime and H.264 NPI’s design for head-end equipment files, along with real-time streaming for centered on a NewTek TC1 AV switcher distribution on Facebook Live, Microsoft with a TC1LP live control surface and an Azure, Periscope, Twitch and YouTube NC1 studio I/O module. The switcher is Live. It also provides simple setups for engineered for live production, provid- sharing content with all popular socialing switching, streaming and recording media platforms. in HD, 3G and 4K ultra-HD 60p. Its native In addition to animated titles and transoftware-driven processing and flexibility sitions, advanced chroma keying and the facilitates sports production for Wagner’s ability to create live virtual sets, the design team. The team makes good use of the of the TC1 provides powerful production TC1’s integrated video ser vers and multi- automation with custom macro commands, source video mixing, employing eight of full-motion compositing and many flexible the unit’s 16 external inputs and four M/ control options. One of Avellone’s favorEs for camera feeds that provide different ite capabilities for sports—and a process vantage points for each play. “Since we reused by Wagner and his team—is creating

a highlight reel on the fly. “You can drag and drop great moments from the game into a folder to play at the end of the half,” Avellone said, “or [you can] save clips into a folder for specific players to create a player reel to share with potential college teams. In many instances, these types of features drastically reduce time spent in post production, or eliminate it entirely.” The TC1’s ability to switch, stream and record 4K ultra-HD resolution with support for native 2160p video at 60fps, without compromising the frame rate or the number of available inputs, makes it ideal for capturing and replaying sports action. For replays, NPI’s design called for NewTek’s 3PLAY 4800 instant replay system, equipped with the 3PLAY 4800 CS live control surface. 3PLAY provides quick access to multiple sources for instant replay, slow motion, custom animated transitions and 3D warping video effects. The system logs all the action as it happens on the field or at the event, allowing the operator to tag key events quickly with NewTek’s FastClip and find them later for replays, highlights or

bumpers. Wagner’s team can get a networkbroadcast look using the system’s built-in design elements and advanced abilities, including side-by-side playback, game-clock overlay and picture-in-picture simultaneous playback. Multi-speed playback at the system’s high frame rate allows the system to replay in real time, in hyper speed or in slow motion, all with outstanding clarity.

Scoreboard Design

Careful consideration was given to the location of video head-end and scoreboard control hardware, including the incorporation of rolling racks and “service loop” cabling to facilitate maintenance.

The team from Daktronics—chief members included Market Manager for High School, Park and Recreation Kyle Sydow and Product Manager for Spor ts Chris Westerman—designed a 68'9"x 20'9"x0'9" (WxHxD) video display with a pixel configuration of 1,368x408 (WxH) that employed the Daktronics HDX 15 HD LED component modules. In use at NFL locations, colleges and universities, the 15 HD pixel design is able to optimize picture quality with more lines of resolution in a shorter height. The design takes into account viewing distance and seating angles within Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, as well as the high-

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Scoreboard content, including live action, replays and advertising, is produced by two operators in the stadium press box, which has been modified to function as a video control room.

A well-designed control surface allows for both rapid reconfiguration of zones on the scoreboard and the routing of timely video content from video sources, including the stadium’s eight cameras.

quality video input available from the new head-end gear. With the installation of static sponsor panels on the top and the sides of the scoreboard, the total width expanded to 81 feet—about half the width of the field. Sydow worked closely with the booster club on a scoreboard design that would both take advantage of the quality of the HDX product line and fit into this premier high-school customer’s budget. According to Westerman, “Designing with Daktronics’ unique pre-engineered cabinet sizes helps achieve the best value for schools.” Sections used in scoreboards are built in one of the company’s three manufacturing facilities (Brookings SD, Sioux Falls SD and Redwood Falls MN) using 14.4"x14.4" LED modules that are assembled and meticulously tested by Daktronics. Modules are connected in a 57x17 (WxH) configuration and built into cabinets that need only be wired together at the site. “It’s important to note,” Westerman said, “that testing takes place all through the manufacturing process—from individual components to a final test of cabinets before they’re delivered to a customer.” Daktronics specified its Show Control and Display Studio software products as a liveevent control system for the installation. “It’s the same control system used at colleges and pro stadiums around the country,” Sydow offered. “This software provides operators with an easy-to-operate command center for the scoreboard. With Display Studio, operators can quickly configure buttons to show content or animations [and to] define 78 Sound & Communications November 2019

zones and scenes. It puts content at your fingertips.” A feature of particular interest to Wagner is the system’s webpage-playback ability, allowing him to keep fans informed by displaying, in real time, the scores from out-of-town games.

Installation The complete installation process, which involved multiple crews, took 10 days. Efforts included retrofitting the press-box location, which acts as the video control room for scoreboard operators, as well as the complete assembly and commissioning of the new scoreboard and the installation of fabricated fixed signage around the scoreboard. The existing fiber infrastructure and power at the press box and the scoreboard was reused. Minor modifications were made to the steel support struc-

ture for the new scoreboard and signage. Working with the original press-box floor plan from 1939, NPI and Daktronics technicians coordinated efforts to retrofit the space to accommodate new equipment, monitors and workstations. “The vintage press box was a tight fit for both the equipment and the technicians,” NPI’s Avellone recalled. “The space really only allowed for one company to work at a time.” To alleviate the space problem, a work schedule was arranged whereby NPI and Daktronics were in on separate days. Counter space was modified to fit an additional rolling rack, thus providing more rack space. A custom ser vice loop was added to the cabling that allows one rack to be rolled forward to facilitate access to equipment at the back. A Middle Atlantic WRK24SA equipment rack with rear rail, AC ventilation and a D4-LK locking storage drawer provides organized rack space for video head-end gear protected by a Middle Atlantic UPS-2200R uninterruptible power supply. Counter work space was modified to accept the new TriCaster control board. Two Middle Atlantic KB-SS under-counter sliding keyboard and mouse shelves were installed. In addition, track was installed for mounting several LG 24MB35B 1920x1080 HD monitors with 80/20 mounting hardware. Three monitors provide clear HD video displays for TriCaster multi-views; two are dedicated to the 3PLAY 4800 interface/multi-views; one is for the independent graphics station powered by Daktronics’ Show Control system to broadcast animated graphics and change screen modes (e.g., in-game, fullboard); and one monitors the NewTek NC1 studio I/O module. Additional equipment installed in the press box includes a NETGEAR ProSafe 24-port gigabit switch and a Blackmagic Design 20x20 smart video hub/SDI router equipped with a SmartView Duo rackmount

dual SDI monitor and a custom 110 panel for direct monitor input. A Furman PLPro C power conditioner was installed for power conditioning and distribution. Rick Cain, Project Manager with Adams Electric Signs of Massillon, oversaw the scoreboard assembly and installation, as well as the installation of custom aluminum signage cabinets and polycarbonate ad panels. Within the 10-day installation schedule, sections of the old scoreboard were removed and steel was fabricated, as needed, by the Adams team to support the new scoreboard. Assembly and installation of approximately 40 Daktronics cabinets was accomplished by a team of five technicians who followed plans provided by Daktronics. “Two cranes were used,” Cain recalled. “One [was] to lift scoreboard sections, and another—equipped with a man basket— [was] to put a technician in place to complete the installation and wiring.” According to Cain, adding 13 custom, LED-backlit signage cabinets to the top and the sides of the scoreboard brought the new scoreboard to its impressive total size. The new scoreboard was commissioned using Daktronics software to set up five primar y zones: a large center section for game action, as well as four smaller side sections for scores, play clocks and downs, game statistics and advertisements. Buttons were set up to assign inputs to screen sections, including the ability to reconfigure to full screen quickly for live action, replays, animated graphics, welcome messages and announcements. NPI provided two days of training for Wagner and the scoreboard technicians to ensure the opening day would be a success.

“There’s no ‘I’ in the word ‘team,’” Gof f said to explain how well the NPI and Daktronics teams worked with Wagner and the press-box crew. “Ever yone worked together to make it happen in tight spaces, under the counter and up at the top of the scoreboard.” Goff is clearly proud of how the tightly compressed press-box team works ever y week to bring fans a great show, making splitsecond decisions about replay content to enhance the game, offering timely and interesting statistics, and generating the

excitement the crowd has come to expect from Massillon Tigers football. Wagner, who has also worked five seasons in the notably larger video control room of FirstEnergy Stadium for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, is thankful for the camaraderie of his close-knit press-box team, as well as for the new technology at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. “Our new gear is right up there with the best,” he declared with pride. “It gives us the ability to create an impressive show—really to support our kids in the ver y best way we can.”

The New Scoreboard “People come to see a game,” Dave Goff, Press Box Manager, said, “and [that’s when] they can...experience the magnitude of the scoreboard. They must wonder how it all comes about!” With almost 30 years’ experience in and around the press box, Goff, who is a key player with the booster club, working to develop strategies for funding and sponsorship, has seen several generations of scoreboards. He’s witnessed dramatic changes in scoreboard and video technology, along with the attention all that has brought to the school, the team and the individual players. November 2019

Sound & Communications 79

MARKET BRIEF Stadiums & Arenas By Amanda Mullen

Stadiums and arenas serve as gathering places for some of the most exciting events people attend—from sports games to concerts to rallies—so it makes perfect sense that substantial effort would be put into building and maintaining them. After all, the surrounding environment can make or break these events; as such, it’s crucial that these venues maintain a clean and modern appearance. In recent years, simply showcasing a more modernized look hasn’t been enough to stay ahead of the competition, though. Large-scale venues also must embrace technological trends and offer convenient amenities to “wow” attendees—a fact that many facilities are picking up on as of late. Given the push toward larger, more impressive arenas and stadiums boasting advanced technology integration, there are plenty of athleticsoriented facilities currently under construction—either being renovated to improve conditions for both players and spectators or being built from the ground up to offer a completely new experience.

Bringing The Tech

Allinsports Arena will be entirely dedicated to simulated car racing.

Although Philadelphia might be one of the first cities bringing a permanent esports venue to its residents, Miami FL is also jumping on the esports trend. Millennial Esports Corp., a company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, announced its plans to construct an esports racing arena in “the Magic City,” one that will be entirely dedicated to simulated car racing. The project, dubbed the Allinsports Arena, will be located on Northwest 25th St.; promisingly, $2.8 million in private construction financing has been secured. The venue will encompass around 12,000 square feet in total, and it will feature 300 seats and 30 Allinsports eRacer simulators. The simulators will be capable of connecting to competitors in other states and even other countries. The facility is expected to open in 2020, although, at the time of this writing, groundbreaking had not taken place. The 19,000-seat Belmont Park Arena should be completed and ready for use by the 2021-22 NHL season.

The Fusion Arena will be one of the first permanent locations for esports events in the US.

If you read Sound & Communications regularly, you probably don’t need a reminder that technology can be used to create a more immersive experience within any commercial venue. AV innovations are especially important for a stadium like the Fusion Arena, which is currently being constructed in Philadelphia PA. Championed by the Philadelphia Fusion, part of the professional Overwatch League, the Fusion Arena will be one of the first permanent locations for esports events in the US. It’s no secret that professional gaming is on the rise, and it’s likely that we’ll see more stadiums of this kind cropping up over the next few years. This 65,000-square-foot venue, however, seems to be paving the way for those, racking up a $50-million price tag. Comcast Spectator, The Cordish Companies and Populous are collaborating on the project, which will be built within the Philadelphia Sports Complex, adjacent to the Wells Fargo Center and XFINITY Live! The official groundbreaking for the Fusion Arena took place on September 25, but it’s likely the venue’s doors won’t open to the public until 2021. The Fusion Arena will include a 6,000-square-foot entry area in addition to 10,000 square feet of space that will be divided into its Xfinity Training Center, broadcast studio and team offices. Seating will accommodate 3,500 guests, and amenities like bars, lounges and club seating will be built into the facility. The arena will also host entertainment events when esports competitions aren’t underway, thus necessitating that the installed AV be flexible. 80 Sound & Communications November 2019

Technology is also a focus of the Belmont Park Arena in Elmont NY, the New York Islanders’ chosen new home. Sterling Project Development and Oak View Group are aiding the team when it comes to building; together, the groups are going by the name New York Arena Partners.

MARKET BRIEF The official groundbreaking on the project took place on September 23, and, if all goes as planned, the 19,000-seat arena should be completed and ready for use by the 2021-22 NHL season. In addition to the arena portion, the project will encompass a 250-room hotel and 350,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space for patrons to enjoy when visiting. Those features aren’t the only way the Belmont Park Arena will strive to attract attendees when it opens, however; technological innovations might also be utilized to entice the audience. Smart jerseys and virtual reality (VR) are currently being discussed, although no official decision has been made on whether either of them will appear in the new venue. In its entirety, the project will cost around $1.3 billion. Empire State Development anticipates that it will generate 10,000 construction jobs during its erection and 3,200 full-time jobs afterward. What’s more, the overall project is expected to include transportation initiatives to make the Belmont Park Arena more Long Island Rail Roadaccessible.

Go Big Or Go Home

Colleges and universities must also pay careful attention to the arenas and stadiums associated with their campuses. Such sites can be used to attract prospective students, particularly those who have an interest in athletics or esports. Equally importantly, they reflect on the institutions as a whole, getting considerable attention when visitors attend on-campus events. Perhaps that’s why Marshall University in Huntington WV is erecting a new baseball stadium near its campus. The school’s baseball team is reportedly the only one lacking its own facility of this kind, and Marshall University appears to be trying to rectify that. A groundbreaking ceremony for the project took place in October, and construction is set to begin sometime in the spring of 2020. The university anticipates that construction could continue into 2021. AECOM will serve as architect for the stadium, which will reportedly seat 3,500 spectators. Overall, the new baseball stadium will cost around $22 million, $1 million of which was donated by Marshall University alum Rick Reed and his family. Private donations and fundraising are expected to finance the majority of the project, although the city of Huntington did aid the university in obtaining the land on which the stadium will be built. The Huntington Municipal Development Authority purchased the land for $500,000, a portion of the funds it procured from the America’s Best Community Competition. The University of Nebraska in Lincoln NE recently announced its intention to “Go Big” by constructing a new athletic facility that will enable the institution to expand its football program and provide Nebraska Athletics with a new complex. The expansion will amount to around 350,000 square feet upon completion, and it will be located northeast of Memorial Stadium. Groundbreaking for the project is currently slated for next summer, and the university hopes to have the complex finished by the summer of 2022. As a result of the expansion, Nebraska’s football program will see a new locker room, an equipment room, a strengthand-conditioning center, an athletic medicine space and additional areas for outdoor practice. After all is said and done, the North Stadium Expansion Project will come to about $155 million. The expansion is part of the more than $350 million investment the University of Nebraska is currently making to renovate, improve and build upon its on-campus facilities.

The University of Nebraska’s new athletic facility will enable the institution to expand its football program and provide Nebraska Athletics with a new complex.

Wabash College plans to erect a new stadium for its NCAA Division III team, the Little Giants, called the Little Giant Stadium.

Crawfordsville IN-based Wabash College is another school looking to up the ante when it comes to its athletics department—specifically, its football program. It plans to erect a new stadium for its National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III team, the Little Giants, as a step toward achieving that goal. The facility will be designed by the DLR Group of Overland Park KS; meanwhile, FA Wilhelm Construction of Indianapolis IN will oversee construction on the project. As of the time of this writing, the groundbreaking was scheduled for November 9. The Little Giant Stadium will feature 3,550 seats between its main grandstand, suites and W Club Lounge. Media booths, a new playing surface, relocated scoreboards and an all-weather track are among the other components planned for the new facility. The concession areas and restrooms will also see upgrades from the previous venue. Slated for a September 2020 opening, the Little Giant Stadium will have an eightfigure price tag when completed. November 2019

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NEWS Compiled by Amanda Mullen

Dara AV, Formerly JD Systems, Reveals Branding Initiative Dara AV, formerly JD Systems, has rebranded with a new name, website and company logo, all part of an initiative to differentiate itself from its competitors. The Staten Island NY-based AV integrator has been designing and installing audio, visual, lighting and control systems for more than a decade. Founded in 2008, Dara AV launched out of Owner and Founder Jak Daragjati’s home as an offshoot of his business as a nightclub DJ. Inspired by the technology behind the sound and video systems he used every weekend—and disheartened by subpar equipment in many venues—he began to repair, upgrade and provide systems to nightclub and restaurant owners. “I want people to know that our company is exactly the same,” Daragjati said. “We have the same employees, we carry the same brands, and we have the same commitment to quality and personalized service. At the same time, it was important to differentiate my company from competitors. I wanted a company name that reflects who I am, the company’s legacy and its future. There is only one Dara AV. When businesses hire us for their audio, visual, lighting and control systems, they know they are getting the best….”

AVIXA Announces 2019 India Award Winners AVIXA has announced the winners of its first India Awards, which recognize AV professionals for their achievements and commitments to the AV industry in India. The winners in the six categories were named and celebrated during an awards ceremony held on September 18, during InfoComm India in Mumbai, in partnership with the System Integrations Awards, which honored projects of the year. An awards committee selected the winners for most of the categories after reviewing nominations from across the AV industry. The winner of the Volunteer of the Year Award was selected by AVIXA staff. “The winners of our first awards program in India are accomplished AV professionals who have each made significant contributions to help grow the industry,” Jonathan Seller, Senior Director of Development, Asia-Pacific, AVIXA, said. “Behind each nominee and award winner lies an inspiring story of passion, determination and leadership. The winners of the AVIXA India Awards inspire their peers and represent examples of how this region continues to grow fast thanks to individual commitment and achievement.” The 2019 AVIXA India Award winners are as follows: India Volunteer of the Year Award: Rakesh Kumar, CTS-D, CTS-I; India Young AV Professional Award: Nithin Manjunath; India Women in AV Award: Sonali Singh, CTS; India CTS Holder of the Year Award: Leo Thomas, CTS-D, CTS-I; India Educator of the Year Award: TS Gopalakrishnan, CTS-D, CTS-I; and India Distinguished Achievement Award: Manmohan Gupta. 82

Sound & Communications November 2019

Registration Opens For 2020 Vectorworks Design Summit Vectorworks, Inc., has announced open registration for its fifth Vectorworks Design Summit. It will be held from April 22 to 24 at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in San Diego CA. The event offers design professionals, educators and students in the architecture, landscape and entertainment industries the opportunity to attend industry workshops, product training for all levels of expertise, inspiring keynote presentations, networking events and a customer-appreciation party. “This is our first time hosting the Design Summit on the west coast, and we look forward to the networking opportunities, training workshops and events we’ve planned for attendees in beautiful San Diego,” Vectorworks’ Director of Channel Operations, Tara Grant, said. “With the resort’s numerous activities and this year’s speakers, we know everyone will have the perfect mix of business and pleasure. Most importantly, they’ll obtain inspirational takeaways and lessons from the Summit [that are] structured to enhance and develop their design careers.” From now until December 31, attendees can register with early-bird pricing for $499. Plus, with each paid registration, attendees can buy a second registration at half price. This year will see the introduction of two exclusive training courses: “Basecamp for Spotlight Users” and “Basecamp for Architect & Landmark Users.” These will allow guests to kick off the Design Summit with eight hours of in-depth training.

DOOH Marketplace To Debut At DSE 2020 Digital Signage Expo (DSE) has announced that it will introduce an on-floor area at its 2020 event. The new area will feature a host of services for digital out-of-home (DOOH) network operators. They will include the following: anonymous video analytics, mobile and data sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, programmatic delivery and measurement, business intelligence, and network and audience measurement. Attendees will have the opportunity to see and compare a variety of similar services all in one place. Vendors will have a limited number of turnkey booth packages that include the following: a 7'x9' pre-set space, an eight-foot backwall with attached rounded counter, a 42-inch monitor and more. Exhibit space is currently available for reservation.

CALENDAR December

ASA’s 178th Meeting Dec. 2–6 San Diego CA ASA www.acousticalsociety.org

January 2020

The NAMM Show Jan. 16–19 Anaheim CA National Association of Music Merchants www.namm.org

February 2020 BISCI Winter Conference Feb. 9–13 Tampa FL BISCI www.bisci.org Integrated Systems Europe Feb. 11–14 Amsterdam, Netherlands AVIXA, CEDIA www.iseurope.org

NEWS Futuresource Consulting: Videoconferencing Hardware To Ship 3.6M Units In 2022 As remote working, developments in technology and shorter project lifecycles continue to influence the corporate environment, videoconferencing has become a key tool for many businesses. According to an industry report from Futuresource Consulting, videoconferencing hardware shipments increased by 50 percent last year, reaching 1.4 million units, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27 percent out to 2022. “The market is in a significant growth phase,” Chris Mcintyre-Brown, Associate Director at Futuresource Consulting, said. “Revenues reached $3.8 billion last year, and the total number of meeting rooms equipped with videoconferencing technology now exceeds four million worldwide. However, this still only represents around 10 percent of the available market.” As technologies proliferate, the market is beginning to shift from high-priced, hard-codec solutions to accessible, software-based solutions. Company budgets that were previously allocated to videoconferencing technology for one or two larger meeting rooms are now spread across multiple smaller rooms. It’s a challenge that is impacting many of the vendors, which are adjusting their business strategies to remain competitive. The adjustments include building in new features, releasing lower-cost versions of their systems with less functionality and exploring cloud-based solutions. Acquiring companies with complementary technologies is also a route being taken, demonstrated by Cisco’s recent acquisition of Voicea, a provider of real-time transcription, voice-search and meeting-highlight software. Futuresource Consulting’s report includes results from interviews carried out with more than 1,100 end users across the US, UK, Germany and France, revealing user behaviors, pain points, opportunities and barriers.

Meyer Sound Asia Established In Singapore Meyer Sound Laboratories, Inc., has established Meyer Sound Asia as a new entity to guide marketing and technical-support operations throughout the region. Headquartered in Singapore, Meyer Sound Asia will coordinate efforts with national distributors across a broad region that extends from Australia and New Zealand through southeast Asia and beyond. “We have seen tremendous growth in this region over the past few years, and we’re committed to building that momentum into the future,” Meyer Sound’s Senior VP of Marketing, John McMahon, said. “We (L-R): Andrew Poh, Salmah El Haissane are expanding our company presence with a full team and Chris D’bais dedicated to business development, design services and after-sale technical support specifically for Asia and Oceania. The best solution was to establish Meyer Sound Asia with an office in Singapore, a hub city with quick access to all countries in the region.” Heading the technical team in Singapore is a Technical Sales Support Specialist, Andrew Poh, who brings experience in system design and integration from prior positions with a global acoustical consulting firm and an audio manufacturer. Also based in Singapore is Salmah El Haissane, Marketing and PR Coordinator for Asia. Additional technical-support and administrative personnel will be added to Meyer Sound’s Singapore team in the coming months.

Stardraw.com Reaches Manufacturer Milestone Prominent software provider Stardraw.com has added its 1,000th manufacturer to the library of its design and documentation software, Stardraw Design 7. The symbols library, which now contains a total of more than 110,000 symbols of some 40,000 products, has been an integral part of Stardraw’s design software since 1992. Each symbol is drawn in house by Stardraw.com’s professional drafting team. All symbols are vector-based line art and, thus, resolution-independent. The addition of new products to the library is prioritized based on user requests submitted through Stardraw’s online Product Request Service; this feature ensures that only products relevant to the user base feature in the library. “Since we have an installed user base operating in different industry segments across nearly 90 countries worldwide, it’s impossible for us to guess what particular products might be important for any particular integrator,” Rob Robinson, Stardraw.com’s CEO, explained. “Requirements vary hugely from market to market and country to country. So, rather than randomly scraping catalog data for products that may or may not be useful to our users, we encourage our users to drive the process themselves via product requests to keep the libraries relevant to their needs. All we require is the manufacturer name and product model number, and we’ll do the rest.” Robinson continued, “To ensure that the system remains democratic, we recently implemented a FairUse policy by means of a Product Request Allowance based on the level of your subscription to ensure that product requests are properly and fairly prioritized. This speeds up the process for everyone and enables requested products to be published even faster.” November 2019

Sound & Communications

PEOPLE Compiled by Amanda Mullen

B. McAlpine

J. Mobley

C. DeFranco

R. Pugnier

N. Richardson

K. Howell

P. Cooksey

J. Crawley

K. Peterson

W. Elliott

V. Lombardi

M. Kurcab

M. Eiseman

M. Collins

T. Eisentraut

A. Voss

P. Bass

T. Knesel

K. Lombardo

J. Devries

MultiDyne appointed Bob McAlpine as COO…Renkus-Heinz promoted Jim Mobley to VP, Operations, and Chad DeFranco to Engineering Manager…Nortek Security & Control appointed Richard Pugnier as VP of Marketing and hired Nathan Richardson as CI Regional Sales Manager for the southern California territory…NTP Technology hired Kurt Howell as Sales Director for North America…disguise appointed Phil Cooksey as EMEA Sales Director and Joe Crawley as Regional Sales Manager for the EMEA sales team…AudioQuest welcomed Kris Peterson as Director of Education…Clear-Com appointed William Elliott as Regional Sales Manager for the southeast region and Caribbean and Vic Lombardi as Re84

Sound & Communications November 2019

gional Sales Manager for the north central region…d&b audiotechnik welcomed Michael Kurcab as Business Development Manager, Michael Eiseman as Regional Manager for the Midwest and Matt Collins as Regional Manager for the US northwest…Tripleplay appointed Thomas Eisentraut as Technical Account Manager…INFiLED hired Andreas Voss as Regional Sales Manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH)…MSolutions welcomed Philip Bass as UK Country Manager…Powersoft appointed Tom Knesel as General Manager, North America…Fulcrum Acoustic welcomed Kirk Lombardo as Loudspeaker Engineer…PAG Canada added John Devries to its sales team….

PRODUCTS

Compiled by Amanda Mullen

All product information supplied by manufacturers and/or distributors.

Extron’s 4-Input Scaler

Extron’s IN1804 DI/DO joins the IN1804 family of compact, 4-input scalers that provide video scaling, switching and integration features. It supports HDMI 2.0 data rates up to 18Gb/s and it is HDCP 2.2 compliant. The switcher incorporates the Extron-exclusive Vector 4K scaling engine with 4:4:4 chroma sampling and 30-bit internal video processing. A DTP2 input and a DTP2 output facilitate easy extension of AV and control signals up to 330' per endpoint over a shielded Catx cable. Delivering fast and reliable automatic switching, along with capabilities such as audio embedding/de-embedding, seamless transition effects, logo keying and twisted-pair extension, the IN1804 DI/DO scaler supports demanding presentation environments. It includes 2 DTP2 twisted-pair connections. The DTP2 input can receive signals from remote DTP and DTP2 transmitters mounted at a conference table, lectern or wall. The DTP2 twisted-pair output can send signals to a DTP or DTP2 receiver mounted behind a flatpanel display, above a ceiling-mounted projector or in other remote locations. Extron www.extron.com

TASCAM’s Multi-Zone Audio Mixer

TASCAM’s compact, single-rackspace MZ-123BT commercialgrade multi-zone audio mixer builds on its big brother, the 2RU MZ-223. It adds Bluetooth functionality and a simple, intuitive front-panel control design and layout that makes it easy to operate, install and set up. 3 music-playback input channels, including 1 aux/Bluetooth input, as well as 2 mic input channels, allow for a wide range of background music and announcement routing possibilities. This enables discrete mixes of background music and announcements to be routed to individual zones in a wide range of commercial applications, including retail, restaurants, bars, cafés and hotels, just to name a few. Stereo LINE inputs 1 and 2 (RCA, unbalanced) allow connection of source components such as CD players for distributing music or ambient sound playback. TASCAM www.tascam.com

Datapath’s Graphics Card

Datapath has launched a flagship graphics card for commercial-AV applications, capable of powering true 4K content on 4 displays from a single card. The Image4K graphics card provides flexibility and power for multi-display 4K installations. Up to 6 cards can be used in Datapath systems, providing a potential output of 24 displays—all in full 4K60 4:4:4. Connectivity comes from HDMI 2.0, with support for HDCP 2.2. The card is fully compliant with Datapath’s Display Configuration Tool (DDCT), Diagnostic Suite and WallControl 10 videowallmanagement software. Datapath www.datapath.co.uk

Datapath’s Image4K

Blackmagic Design’s Live Production Switcher

Blackmagic Design’s ATEM Mini live production switcher allows livestreaming to YouTube and business presentations via Skype. Simply connect ATEM Mini and customers can switch live between 4 high-quality video-camera inputs in betterquality images. Customers can even connect to a computer to present PowerPoint slides or add a gaming console. The built-in DVE allows picture-inpicture effects, suitable for live commentary. There are also video effects. To livestream, ATEM Mini has a USB output that works like a webcam, so customers can connect to any video software. There’s also HDMI video out for projectors. Mic inputs allow high-quality desktop and lapel mics for interviews and presentations. ATEM Mini features a compact control-panel-based design with all video, audio and control connections on the rear panel. The front panel includes buttons for selecting sources, adjusting audio inputs, and selecting video effects and transitions. Blackmagic Design www.blackmagicdesign.com

Extron’s IN1804 DI/DO

Blackmagic Design’s ATEM Mini TASCAM’s MZ-123BT

November 2019

Sound & Communications

PRODUCTS Riedel’s Wireless Intercom System

In addition to the Artist Integrated and Standalone Link system modes, Riedel’s Bolero wireless intercom system has a Standalone 2110 (AES67) mode. Whereas Standalone Link mode uses a configuration-free, proprietary ring topology with optional power distribution, Standalone 2110 (AES67) mode relies on standard gigabit Ethernet connections and switches between the antennas. This allows Bolero antennas to be distributed over new or existing AES67 IP networks. In addition, Bolero now includes a DECT Master selection that gives users more control over which antenna takes over should the designated master antenna go offline, and the system now supports up to 250 beltpacks in Artist Integrated mode. Plus, the E-Ink display on the antennas includes several improvements, including the ability to be inverted, the display of far more detailed information and the ability to perform configurations from scratch without requiring a web interface. Riedel www.riedel.net

Magewell’s HDMI Video Capture

The new versions of Magewell’s Eco Capture Dual HDMI M.2 and Eco Capture HDMI 4K M.2 make it easier for integrators and OEM partners to incorporate high-performance HDMI video capture in space-limited form factors. Whereas the initial models used a breakout cable connected perpendicularly to the M.2 card to provide externally accessible HDMI ports, the new alternatives employ a flatter ribbon cable and daughtercard combination that requires less space. The Eco Capture cards themselves measure 0.87"x3.15", matching the M.2 2280 size specification. The Eco Capture HDMI 4K M.2 captures 1 channel of 4K video up to 4096x2160 at 30fps, whereas the dual-channel Eco Capture Dual HDMI M.2 can capture 2 HD or 2K video signals up to 1080p60 simultaneously. Magewell www.magewell.com

ENCO’s Video-Delay Feature

ENCO has introduced a videodelay feature in its enCaption4 automated captioning system that enables lip-sync-grade caption synchronization, even when transcribing live feeds. The software-defined enCaption4 platform enables content producers to add closed or open captions to live and pre-recorded content. Its latest enhancement helps customers overcome an industrywide challenge in the captioning of live programming. enCaption4’s newest capability effectively synchronizes the live captions with the spoken words. enCaption4 can now delay the associated video and audio by a user-configurable duration to provide lip-sync-like alignment. 2sec. to 4sec. of video delay is generally sufficient to provide the desired temporal precision. By setting a longer delay, customers can choose to expand the audio analysis window to enhance enCaption4’s speechto-text accuracy. ENCO www.enco.com Riedel’s Bolero

Magewell’s Eco Capture Dual HDMI M.2

VocoPro’s Digital-Conference-48-Extend

ENCO’s enCaption4

Sound & Communications November 2019

VocoPro’s Conference System

VocoPro’s Digital-Conference48-Extend system suits facilities and AV managers who need a flexible audio-conferencing system. Packages with fewer mics (24, 36) are also available. VocoPro’s Digital Conference mic system is plug and play, and it can be set up easily. Operating in the futureproof 900MHz band with 16 unique frequencies designed not to interfere with each other, the design has been revised in the new V-2 Digital Conference mic base, which is capable of plugging in 2 more wired conference mics. This will expand the system to support up to 48 conference mics. This way of mixing both wireless and wired conference mics benefits AV users. Capacity is expanded without occupying more wireless frequencies, and there’s still a wireless connection to the receiver. VocoPro www.vocopro.com

Information about the latest software releases, apps, online tools, and software and firmware updates. Send details, with supporting graphic, if available, to dferrisi@testa.com.

SOFTWARE Compiled by Amanda Mullen

Visix’s Digital-Signage Platform

Visix has premiered v1.25 of its AxisTV Signage Suite digital-signage platform. The enterprise-class platform lets campus communicators create and publish a huge range of messages, media and data feeds to any number of screens. The software uses drag-and-drop widgets to integrate popular data sources like Excel, XML and JSON into screen layouts, and it integrates with popular campus calendar apps like 25Live, Office 365, Google for Education and EMS Platform. AxisTV Signage Suite is available as software-only, pre-imaged PCs or hosted in the cloud. New tools let administrators sort user accounts into organizations and suborganizations for a hierarchy that matches their own workflows. Users have the option to customize what is shown in the user interface (UI), but administrators retain the approval workflows and security parameters that universities require. Visix www.visix.com

Sennheiser’s Mic-Management Software

Release 3.2.0 of Sennheiser Control Cockpit offers an intuitive, easy way to set up and manage all networked Sennheiser mic systems, such as evolution wireless G3 and G4, SpeechLine Digital Wireless and TeamConnect Ceiling 2. The Sennheiser Control Cockpit software enables centralized monitoring and control. The software provides IT staff with a real-time overview of all networked devices on campus, including their location and status, and it’s accessible from anywhere in the network on all common platforms. To make routine procedures and workflows efficient, Sennheiser Control Cockpit offers a combination of automatic notifications, status information, and the ability to share responsibility and delegate tasks. Settings or firmware updates for mics can be done remotely, as can troubleshooting, with error messages helping to identify and rectify problems. Sennheiser www.sennheiser.com

Peerless-AV’s New Software

Peerless-AV has announced the availability of Building Information Modeling (BIM) content for its products through a new partnership with BIMsmith. With BIM data now accessible, architects and other building professionals can integrate highly realistic models of Peerless-AV products directly into their digital designs, rather than drafting them independently or using generic placeholders. Each digital model includes all the necessary data, specifications and certifications that professionals need from manufacturers when designing a building. The files are also modeled for compatibility with industry-standard design tools like Autodesk Revit. By partnering with BIMsmith, the entire Peerless-AV BIM library is also accessible to thousands of building professionals on the BIMsmith Market platform, a cloud tool for building product research and selection. Peerless-AV www.peerless-av.com

Datapath’s Video-Management Software

Datapath has added major developments to its WallControl 10 video-management software, broadening control scope as well as offering mobile control over the same IP network. Wall Control 10 v1.9 boasts web-interface capability, plus a KVM control function for connected PCs. The latest version of WallControl 10 allows for browserbased control of the videowall for the first time. Automatically scaling to any PC, tablet or smartphone types, WallControl 10 is now usable with any device. Users are able to discover and connect to available walls on a server, and to open and close layout files with a single click. Videowalls can also be made to be managed on an IP network or not, ensuring maximum control and security. Datapath www.datapath.co.uk November 2019

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THE CENTERSTAGE AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO SOUND & COMMUNICATIONS

d&b audiotechnik SL-Series Large-Scale Line Arrays

IDK America Bridge Between IP-NINJAR and Dante Audio Network New IP-NINJAR / Dante Audio Bridge, the latest AV over IP product, model: NJR-AB08DAN. The Bridge transcodes audio signaling directly between the IP-NINJAR (SDVoE) and Dante protocol environments. Audio signal transport is enabled from NJR transmitters to Dante devices and from Dante device to NJR receivers. The new IP-NINJAR Bridge eliminates third party converters and processors. This enhances system design flexibility while streamlining architecture, eliminating interoperability guesswork and optimizing reliability. Each NJR-AB08DAN can receive up to four (4) audio streams from IP-NINJAR transmitters outputting up to eight (8) channels in Dante protocol. Additionally, each bridge can accept up to 8-channel audio from Dante sources, outputting IP-NINJAR (SDVoE) protocol in up to four (4) audio streams. This feature enables Dante audio embedding on HDMI signals and de-embedding through analog audio outputs at IP-NINJAR receivers. WEB ADDRESS: www.sndcom.us/idk-corporation-ip-ninjar

The d&b audiotechnik SL-Series is the ultimate in large-scale line arrays: unparalleled performance, accuracy, and state-of-the-art features, carefully designed for easy, intuitive operation. GSL established the SL-Series, providing the highest performance of any d&b loudspeaker system for the largest sound reinforcement applications. A complete package for arena, stadium, and festival environments, delivering precise broadband directivity control across the entire audio bandwidth with quiet stages for performers, maximum art for the audience, and minimal noise for those beyond. The KSL is the versatile, no-compromise smaller sibling of the GSL delivering all of the benefits of its SL lineage including full range broadband directivity, extended LF response and advanced rigging options, in an accessible size and performance package. Designed to suit applications ranging from arenas, stadiums, and festivals, the KSL is ideal for large-scale to mediumsized applications, mobile or installed. WEB ADDRESS: www.sl-series.com

Williams AV FM Plus Assistive Listening System: App Enabled with Wi-Fi The new FM Plus integrates professional WaveCAST Wi-Fi audio server technology into a Williams Sound FM assistive listening system. End users can now listen with either an FM receiver or with their own smartphone (via the WaveCAST Listening App). Along with this flexibility comes exceptional audio quality, as the FM Plus is built on a professional digital audio (DSP) platform. The new FM Plus is designed to support those who want to use their own smartphones and headphones for a more discreet assistive listening experience. Simplicity is also available for those who want a more traditional assistive listening system with a dedicated FM receiver and headset. Venues no longer need to choose between providing FM or Wi-Fi assistive listening systems. FM Plus supports both the new iOS and Android WaveCAST Apps -- in addition to all of the current and legacy Williams Sound FM receivers operating on the 72-76 MHz bandwidth. WEB ADDRESS: www.williamsav.com E-MAIL: info@williamsav.com

88 Sound & Communications November 2019

Digital Projection TITAN 33000 4K-UHD Liquid Cooled 34K Lumen Projector The powerful and surprisingly quiet TITAN 33000 4K-UHD from Digital Projection delivers up to 34,000 lumens, making it the ideal projector for the most demanding large-venue, high ambient light applications. With IP60 rated sealed optics and inspiringly vivid imaging, the TITAN 33000 4K-UHD produces the vest best in visual entertainment for any stadium, arena, and public space. Liquid cooled, and completely filterless, this TITAN projector requires little-to-no maintenance, leaving you time to design and display truly stunning visuals for events and shows. When you want the very best, trust in a Digital Projection solution, and where bright, sharp images are required, the TITAN 33000 4K-UHD performs without compromise. WEB ADDRESS: www.sndcom.us/digital-projection-titan-33000

THE CENTERSTAGE AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO SOUND & COMMUNICATIONS

Yamaha Pro Audio STAGEPAS 1K All-In-One Portable PA System Yamaha STAGEPAS 1K is an all-in-one portable PA system enabling performers to quickly transform any location into a stage. The system is driven by a high-frequency array speaker packed with 10 small-diameter 1.5-inch drivers that provide professional-level accuracy and clarity. A 1000 W Class-D amplifier gives the system a significant upgrade in power. A new 12-inch subwoofer houses the sizable speaker and improves portability with its streamlined construction and reduced weight. Unique to the STAGEPAS 1K system is a five-channel digital mixer. Located in the back of the subwoofer, it features three channels of mono microphone/line inputs and stereo inputs, with two of the mono input channels fitted with Hi-Z connectivity for direct input of acousticelectric guitars and other instruments. The free STAGEPAS Editor iOS/Android app lets users adjust volume and EQ parameters remotely. WEB ADDRESS: www.sndcom.us/yamaha-stagepas-1k

Whirlwind New Generation Of Industry Standard DT12 Connectors Whirlwind is proud to introduce a new generation of industry standard DT12 connectors to fulfill the ever growing needs of broadcast production professionals. Our WDT12SKB series is fully compatible with all earlier generations of this connector. Designed and manufactured to the Whirlwind standard of quality, these connectors will provide years of reliable, and dependable service. Our innovative termination box has also been designed to offer a new set of features to front line technicians. Housed in a briefcase like SKB case, the drop box is easily portable, fully waterproof when closed, and the lid can act as a rain shield while in use. Like all our Whirlwind Snakes, these are built to last, built to trust, and made right here in America. WEB ADDRESS: www.sndcom.us/whirlwind-dt12-snake

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?: ASK PERMISSION OR ASK FORGIVENESS? (continued from page 24) forgiveness? This is a tough call. Many hours were spent getting this bid together. Questions were raised during the inter view about the possible downside of having to use a subcontractor for the project. And, if the audiovisual integrator were to disclose this major change in staffing in advance of the award, it would likely diminish the chances of winning the bid. I would love to hear from you about scenarios like this and learn what you did. What was the result? In a few months, after this plays out, I will share what feedback I receive and what you would have done. (I plan to highlight an integrator or two in the follow-up article.) That’s when

I’ll reveal what was actually done! Please share your thoughts and experiences by emailing dkleeger@testa.com.

INDUSTRY POV: GAME ON! (continued from page 31) diums. An IP65 rating, paired with durable construction material on all speaker systems, will ensure dust does not destroy sound systems. Tech decisionmakers should also address the size of the audio environment to ensure the equipment can be safely secured and protected, as well as to ensure the audio is sufficiently robust in a gameday-ambient-noise setting so that it can be heard throughout a large-scale facility like a stadium. Lastly, safety and compli-

ance standards for digital signage must be met, as this will ensure fans can enjoy the experience while also helping all staff working near these solutions stay safe. Hardware should feature e-coated paint, corrosion-resistant fasteners, and security features for enhanced safety for both the technology and the people who will be using it. There are also several safety certifications and standards, such as a strength test (UL listed), salt-fog and salt-spray test for coastal areas, wind test and seismic activity test (OSPHD). To comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all electronic information must be accessible for those who have disabilities. So, tech decisionmakers have to look at reach

height and side-reach limit, as well as any additional audio options to meet these standards. Given the high costs associated with building a stadium, it only makes sense that these facilities incorporate the latest and greatest in digital signage. This technology will encourage fans of all ages to return, it’ll keep attendees informed, it’ll streamline operational processes and more. Using digital signage for advertising, wayfinding, informational messaging, menu boards and entertainment throughout the stadium will create an unforgettable fan experience. Remember that engaged fans are likely to spend more time and money at your stadium, and that’s a winning combo we can all get behind.

November 2019

Sound & Communications 89

AD INDEX

Company

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Audio-Technica........................................25

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Blackmagic Design.................................13

STAGE POCKET SYSTEMS

CP Communications...............................39

THE STRENGTH OF

STEEL

d&b audiotechnik....................................47 DiGiCo/Group One.................................21

CONNECTRIX

Digital Projection.....................................19 Digital Signage Expo...............................37 Electro-Voice............................................43 ENCO Systems........................................31 Extron Electronics..............................2, 94 GE Current................................................7 IDK America............................................71

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NACE..........................................................5 NAMM......................................................73 Peerless-AV..............................................69 Platinum Tools.........................................59

INDUSTRY POV: LIVE TRANSLATION

Pliant Technologies.................................49

(continued from page 40)

RCF-USA..................................................26 Renkus-Heinz.............................................4 Rose Electronics......................................93 Sescom.....................................................57 Sound Control Technologies..................61 Stardraw.com...........................................23 TASCAM..................................................51 Toner Cable Equipment..........................10 Whirlwind.................................................17 Williams AV..............................................35 Winsted....................................................79 Yamaha Pro Audio...................................33

Sound & Communications November 2019

accurate, machine-learning-powered speech-recognition core used in automated captioning. Once the system interprets incoming live or file-based audio, the resulting text is fed to its advanced translation engine. Blending artificial intelligence (AI) with sophisticated linguistics modeling, high-quality translations are provided based on the context surrounding the current words and phrases. Ultimately, AV integrators familiar with the integration of open captioning simply have a built-in translation engine to manage. At present, integrators have options that they can deploy on-premise or in the cloud. In addition to simple ingestion and translation of live content, users can process large libraries of previously recorded content, providing end users with a long-term solution that can accommodate multiple projects and evolving requirements.

INDUSTRY POV: SOFTWARE INTERACTIVITY (continued from page 42) to do. This element of uniqueness broadens the benefit for fans, giving them a stor y to tell their family and friends. And when more people witness the technology in action, they will crave the sensor y experience that captured their attention. Venue operators should be mindful of that moving for ward. These technologies help keep seats filled throughout the year—and keep fans coming back. Going to a favorite concert or sporting event has to be an immersive experience that a fan will remember, tell his or her family and friends about, and share all over social media. Most importantly, the experience must be such that it makes him or her want to come back and do it all over again.

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Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation 1. Publication Title: Sound & Communications 2. Publication Number: 943140 00381845 3. Filing Date: September 25, 2019 4. Issue frequency: Monthly 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 12 6. Annual Subscription Price: $25.00 Contact Person: Vincent P. Testa (516) 767-2500 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of the Publisher: 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779 9. Publisher: Vincent P. Testa, 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779 Editor: Dan Ferrisi, 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779 Managing Editor: Dan Ferrisi, 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779 10. Owner: Sound & Communications, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779 13. Publication Title: Sound & Communications 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: September 16, 2019 Date: September 25, 2019

AVENT HORIZON: WHERE’D MY JOB GO? (continued from page 92) changes the bitrate using Quality of Service (QoS) targets and continual analysis of network conditions. To be sure, we’re not in a fully plugand-play world yet, but we’re getting darn close. It’s possible to have an AV control system with distributed AI learn ever ything it has to know about a piece of connected hardware simply by plugging into a network connection—no need to write any code. After all, how hard is it to connect your smart TV or smartphone to your home network? How hard is it to set up Amazon’s Echo or Dot? How hard is it to pair your phone to your car’s Bluetooth connection? (OK…that last one has given my wife fits.) My point here is not to diminish the value of technical knowledge. However, it would appear that an increasing number of end users are doing exactly that in ser vice of the bottom line and profitability, as more and more of our communications systems move to network architectures that make extensive use of AI and automation. The broadcast and cinema arenas are undergoing this transformation right now, but the AV marketplace will be next. Bet on it. At least, that’s what a little AI bird told me….

15. Extent and Nature Of Circulation Average No. Copies Each No. Copies of Single Issue Issue During 12 Months Published Nearest to the Filing Date A. Total Number of Copies (Net press run) 20,634 19,697 B1. Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions 19,418 18,926 B4. Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail ® Classes Through the USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail ) 57 53 C. Total Paid and /or Requested Circulation 19,475 18,979 D1. Outside County Nonrequested Copies 609 518 D4. Nonrequested Copies Distibuted through the USPS by Other Classes of Mail 350 E. Total Free Distribution 959 518 F. Total Distribution 20,434 19,497 G. Copies not Distributed 200 200 H. TOTAL 20,634 19,697 i. Percent Paid and /or Requested Circulation 95.31% 97.34% 16. Electronic Copy Circulation A. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies 8,597 8,932 B. Total Requested Print /Electronic Paid Copies 28,072 27,911 28,429 C. Total Requested Copy Distribution/Requested/Paid Electronic Copies 29,031 98% D. Percent Paid and /or Requested Circulation Print/Electronic Copies 96% 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership: Will be printed in the November 18, 2019 issue of this publication. 18. Publisher: Vincent P. Testa, President

COMING IN DECEMBER • • •

The 2020 Technology Forecast – Pete Putman, CTS, ISF, forecasts the evolution of commercial AV, including products, platforms, ecosystems and the user experience. WellSky Corporate Campus – The health care software and service provider moved its headquarters to a new 66,000-square-foot corporate campus in Overland Park, Kansas from which it will serve more than 10,000 customer sites worldwide. Benchmarking Your Company’s Compensation And Benefits – A new tool is here to help you.

• • • •

Collaboration Consulting 2020 – Riding the third wave of enterprise design and deployment. The Managed-Services Era – They’re not for everyone, but they might be for you. A Tariff Primer For The AV Industry – Trade-related developments have sown uncertainty in the commercial AV industry. Test Strategies For Managing A Complex Web of Signals – Portable, cost-effective HDBaseT and HDMI cable testing advancements can help maximize system performance.

November 2019

Sound & Communications

AVENT HORIZON

Where’d My Job Go? Communications systems are moving to network architectures that make use of AI and automation. By Pete Putman, CTS ROAM Consulting LLC sharing less and less of it with streaming giants like Netflix and Hulu. We now have TV programs that are scheduled and run from web-ser vice providers through fast fiber IT networks into a small, 1RU box that operates an entire TV channel (i.e., a “TV station in a box”). It’s monitored through a software interface, but, largely, it runs unattended. In the past, such a channel might have required a dozen different techies and engineers to keep things running. The third trend is advanced AI. Given a set of parameters that can change dynamically and quickly, onboard AI can alter the sequence of programs and commercials, call on backup ser vers to stream content if a primar y connection is lost, confirm that a given program played out, and possibly even monitor who was watching, when and for how long. All the program switching is done in software; there’s no need for a technical director to sit at a conventional video switcher, surrounded by monitors. These advances, coupled with a desire to cut costs, have driven The broadcast and cinema arenas are undergoing transformation hundreds of broadcast and studio engineers out of their jobs this year right now, but the AV marketplace will be next. Bet on it. alone. The thinking among management seems to be, “Well, now that At least, that’s what a little AI bird told me…. we do all our program distribution on IT networks, and the process is largely automated, what do we need you guys for?” The results are pink slips and buyouts, cameras in studios, to audio mixing especially for older industry veterans who can’t deal with these seismic changes. boards, to media ser vers. Coupled with The fourth and final trend is the rapid decline in hardware prices, partly due to softbasic artificial intelligence (AI) for ware taking on more of the workload. In a perfect example of the law of unintended presets, schedules, signal levels, virtual consequences, I’ve heard from numerous manufacturers that lower-cost versions of studio backdrops and even transmitter ever ything from matrix switchers to video cameras are taking hardware sales away monitoring, there are far fewer manfrom established brands; that’s despite the fact that the bargain-basement products ual tasks for engineers and technical aren’t nearly as reliable and don’t carr y the same warranties and ser vice support. people to perform. Curious about the rationale? Here it is: Why repair a camera when you can simply buy The second trend is the blurring of two inexpensive models and junk the first one when it craps out? Got a misbehaving media-distribution lines. Until a decade routing switcher? Pull out your power screwdriver and replace it with another one. ago, we went to movie theaters to see These were once long-term investments, but, now, they’re expendable, consumable movies, we turned on our TVs at 11pm purchases like copy paper. (And these are real examples!) to watch the news and late-night talk “OK,” you might say, “but that’s the broadcast world. What does it have to do with shows, and we rented or bought tapes us?” Plenty. We all know of customer facilities where installation and maintenance of and optical discs for non-linear program AV gear has largely fallen to IT departments. Ironically, we might be driving some of consumption. Today, those boundaries that change by (a) migrating AV signal distribution and management to IT networks are gone. We stream movies to ever y and (b) installing wireless presentation-sharing and collaboration products that run on possible device, we binge-watch series said IT networks. of TV shows coming from massive After all, AV gear exists solely to facilitate communication. The hardware isn’t anyser ver farms, and we have no interwhere near as important as the message(s) it conveys, and that hardware is becomest in owning a physical librar y of TV ing smaller, smarter, faster and increasingly reliant on network connections. Yes, a shows and movies that will just gather two-inch quadruplex videotape recorder/player was necessar y to air “The Smothers dust. Brothers Comedy Hour” 50 years ago, but we can now do the same thing with a $100 For media conglomerates, the key solid-state drive—and with better overall video and audio quality. business model now is to operate one Much of the hardware we install now is self-configurable, like Wi-Fi access points or more streaming ser vices, in addition and network switches. That’s a rudimentar y form of AI. As we become more familto any linear programming offered over iar with, and comfortable using, products like video encoders, we’ll see that their broadcast or cable channels. And each onboard AI automatically multiplexes several video/audio programs and dynamically media conglomerate is keeping all that programming in its libraries to itself, (continued on page 91) You might not be aware of it, but there is a big sea change rippling through the broadcast and motionpicture industries, and it’s having a decided impact on staffing—specifically, on engineers and other technicalsupport people. A combination of factors is at work here. First off is the increasing use of automation to operate ever ything from

Sound & Communications November 2019

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