We didn’t just walk the walk at InfoComm. We talked the talk.
We were proud to participate in the discussion, “AV over IP and Networked Video Walls: The Evolution of Control Rooms,”, which brought together industry experts to explore the impact of the convergence of audiovisual (AV) and information technology (IT) in control room environments. The panelists included Ray May, CTO, Parker Group; Angela Nolan, CEO, Vistacom, Inc.; Nick Mathis, Director of Business Development, VuWall Technology; and Dan Gundry, Senior Director – LVX, Americas, BARCO Media & Entertainment. The session focused on the challenges, value, and solutions associated with deploying video walls in control room settings.
Overview of the Panel Discussion
The panel discussion revolved around the increasing importance of video walls as a critical component of control rooms. Control rooms require seamless access to multiple data sources and continuous monitoring, leading to various challenges such as distribution and control, interoperability, data management, user-friendliness, and security. The panel aimed to address these challenges, discuss the impact of AV and IT convergence and explore the available solutions in the industry.
Key Points Discussed:
The Convergence of AV and IT:
The panelists emphasized how the convergence of AV and IT has transformed the landscape of video wall deployments in control rooms. The convergence of AV and IT has enabled the integration of video walls into the existing network infrastructure of control rooms. This allows for centralized control, monitoring, and content distribution of video walls through standard IT protocols and network switches.
Value of AV over IP in Control Room Operations:
By leveraging AV over IP technology, organizations gain flexibility, scalability, and improved access to data sources. The panelists stressed the importance of understanding the value AV over IP offers in enhancing control room functionality. The benefits are well known — increased collaboration and great situational awareness, among others — but the adoption of the technology has moved slower than expected, often due to silos between departments.
Addressing AV over IP Challenges:
The panelists emphasized the need for a shift in the approach to designing video wall projects, streamlining workflows, and selecting the right technology available in the market. They debunked the myth that AV over IP makes control rooms more vulnerable to hacking, explaining that network security has evolved to adequately protect these systems.
Taking Control Rooms Remote:
The discussion explored the possibilities of making control rooms safe for remote work. The COVID-19 pandemic brought a lot of new challenges to control rooms and we are still finding proper solutions but the panelists touched on remote access, collaboration, and monitoring capabilities that AV over IP technology can provide to enable secure remote operations.
Promoting AV over IP as the Future:
The panelists emphasized their role in educating industry professionals about the potential of AV over IP technology. They considered it to be the future of control room deployments, offering enhanced capabilities and driving innovation in the industry.
The panel discussion at InfoComm shed light on the evolving landscape of control rooms and video wall deployments. By recognizing the impact of AV and IT convergence, understanding the value of AV over IP, and addressing associated challenges, organizations can select the appropriate technology and optimize control room operations. The panelists highlighted the immense potential and benefits that AV over IP technology brings to control rooms, dispelling myths about its security and positioning it as the future of the industry.
