Nathan Nye of N-Squared, a sales and engineering solutions consultant, visited the Technology Engagement Center this past week to highlight two new and emerging AV technologies. The first is a small-form-factor Panopto capable computer that could easily fit inside a small podium or credenza. While the roughly 9” x 12” x 2” computer had a single HDMI input, it was capable of accommodating dual HDMI input for camera and content capture. We’ll be keeping an eye on this unit as it transitions from a prototype to a full-fledged product.
The second item on the docket was a demo of an IP AV solution from WyreStorm. For those that don’t know, WyreStorm is a manufacturer of HD and 4K AV solutions, located in England, with an emphasis on IP based systems. As I’ve joked with others, with IP based AV systems on the very near horizon… it’s time to throw away years of AV tech training and brush up on networking infrastructure design (I’m half joking here :-). Basically, with an IP based AV system, everything is just another box (either a transmitter or receiver) sitting on the network. The strength of such a configuration becomes apparent when dealing with flexibility, expandability, and cost… eventually. Cost is still a mixed bag at this point, but the cost of these devices is falling, but when you add in network costs, etc. the cost savings becomes somewhat more difficult to calculate. It’s still the early days of IP based AV systems at the University level, but the sun is slowly setting on the days of traditional AV systems. WyreStorm has a wide range of devices available to mix and match to create your ideal AV network.
