CASE STUDY: education

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Biamp Systems Beaver ton , Oregon , USA w w w. b iamp.com +1 503 .6 41 .7287

The design and installation teams came up with solutions as flexible as the architecture. The key is Biamp’s highly intuitive, open architecture Audia® Digital Audio Platform. Processing for the distributed system is built around four AudiaFLEX units, which provide all the signal and speaker processing

– from EQ compression to feedback suppression and delay. The AudiaFLEX units also allowed the HP team to set up a series of profiles for use with the DSA speakers.

Telex Safe-1000 wireless systems are supplemented by Shure MX-series

podium mics with a Shure SCM268 auto mixer. The system allows two audio modes. In one, the Shure automix runs through the Mackie 1604 mixer. In the other, the inputs are assigned to the auto mixers in the AudiaFLEX units.

SOLUTION

CHALLENGE

The John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum is Harvard University’s premier arena for political speech, discussion and debate. The space gets reconfigured for different uses on an almost hourly basis. The vast range of events demanded an extremely flexible AV system that could handle multiple information streams.

The open three-story, student union-like space at the heart of the John F. Kennedy School of Government presents multiple acoustic and visual challenges, including mezzanines and interior angles. The room can be repurposed using modular stage and podium components, movable drapes and partitions. The entire project had to be completed during the short summer break – in the midst of other renovations.

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RHB Communications. Engineers from HB’s Connecticut and Waltham, Massachusetts

offices installed the new AV equipment.

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NTMCSi, Inc. The national media firm MCSi

designed the AV system for the challenging space.

“The Audia® is really the glue that brings the audio together. It provides literally all the signal and speaker processing.”

- DARREN CLARK, SENIOR PROJECT ENGINEER AT HB COMMUNICATIONS

HARVARD GRADUATES TO INTELLIGENT AV wITH A bRILLIANT SOLUTION fROm mCSI AND Hb.

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Biamp Systems Beaver ton , Oregon , USA w w w. b iamp.com +1 503 .6 41 .7287

www.b iamp.com

harvard universityCASE STUDY: education

CONCLUSIONS

The Audia-based networked media system delivers the power and flexibility required by the chameleon-like nature of the Forum. It also minimized installation time and hassles during the fast-track renovation project, while saving resources by replacing complex wiring with economical CAT-5 cable. The AV system is poised to evolve to meet ever-changing needs and communication trends, no matter what the students dream up.

“The graphic interface on the Audia software is really refreshing. You can literally just draw what you want and let the computer do the work.”

- DARREN CLARK, SENIOR PROJECT ENGINEER AT HB COMMUNICATIONS

The primary audio system features Eastern Acoustic Works’ Digitally Steerable Array loudspeaker systems, employing two DSA 250 full range boxes and two DSA 230 LF-only boxes on either side of a main plasma display.

The main video display, an existing rear projection system, is located at the room’s focal point, visible from all three levels of the building. The projection system is augmented by a 61-inch NEC plasma unit, which performs as a confidence monitor for the presenter, as well as two

supplemental Pioneer 50-inch plasmas. Eight Viewsonic VP230MB 19-inch monitors can be lowered from the ceiling via custom-built Inca motorized lifts. Two NEC 50-inch plasmas, primarily dedicated to digital signage, are located in the entry ways.

The system side of the video is all Extron, built around CVDA6MX distribution amplifiers and a Matrix 3200 routing switcher. Crestron TPS-6000 and TPS-5000 series touch panels are used for system control,

with a selection of TPS-series video and data display modules. A Crestron Pro-2 series control processor runs the show, with a CP2E at an operator position for more I/O.

The Forum offers several means of connecting to the outside world, including streaming via a Polycom VS4000 codec and VBrick streaming encoders. Most of the Forum’s live events are offered on its website in Real Media format.

SYSTEm SpECIfICS

SYSTEm COmpONENTS

AUDIA® SOfTwARE

4 AudiaFLEX units

Eastern Acoustic Works’ Digitally Steerable Array loudspeaker systems: 2 DSA 250s; 2 DSA 230s

1 61-inch and 2 50-inch NEC plasma units

2 Pioneer 50-inch plasma units

8 Viewsonic VP230MB 19-inch monitors on custom Inca motorized lifts

Extron CVDA6MX distribution amplifiers and a Matrix 3200 routing switcher

1 Crestron Pro-2 series control with a CP2E

Crestron TPS-6000 and TPS-5000 series touch panels

Crestron TPS-series video and data display modules

1 Polycom VS4000 codec

VBrick streaming encoders