It is of paramount importance for the School to update the audio-visual capabilities of the old educational building so that its capabilities and manageability go hand in hand with the newly developed, state-of-the-art opportunities in the new theoretical building.
Written by Gábor Szabó
It is a basic principle that no one should feel the disadvantage of where they are but bridging the gap between the age and design philosophy of the two buildings is not an easy task. Therefore, a team has been created whose members have sufficient insight into all elements of the issue. The Department for Technical Support of Education of the UPMS, the UP 3D Center and the streaming and AV experts asked especially for this task take part in this.
The new building has the technology available from the beginning for which the improvements in the old building must be suitable. The draft therefore required the harmonization of projection technology, sound technology, video, streaming and signage technology, the use of creative digital procedures, technology required for events (especially for conferences) and the development of IT infrastructure.
The experts followed the principle that the developments should function as logical and creative extensions of the existing technologies and opportunities in the new building in the affected spaces (four lecture halls, seven seminar rooms, operating rooms, TV studio, creative laboratory, ceremonial hall, conference room, assembly hall), so that they do not become duplicates.
As a result of the investment, the entire AV system will be renewed: 4K UHD laser projectors with enlarged projection screens, a state-of-the-art digital sound system, interactive control platforms and microphone system will be installed in the lecture halls. Several PTZ camera recording and streaming opportunities will be available in each lecture hall during the lectures. The flexibility of the system is increased by the wireless image transmission systems and the mobile recording and streaming set as well, which can be easily and quickly installed in any room, even occasionally, where educational activities are taking place. The establishment of the two long-planned computer rooms is also on the list: 40-40 workstations will support education, providing opportunities for individual and group work, as well as new forms of examination.
The most interesting and most exciting area is the development of operating rooms. The budget will allow more operating rooms to be equipped with an online broadcast system for surgical procedures in the sterile zone. This includes PTZ and special cameras per operating room, high-performance media recording and local archiving devices, the content of which can also be shared. There will also be a TV studio in the old building, which will be used to produce cinematographic teaching aids that help education. In addition to the state-of-the-art camera systems, it will also feature tripods, background installations, audio equipment and a post-production station.
The creative laboratory primarily serves the preparation and editing of digital or printed materials for curriculum development. From the AV side, this is accompanied by a high-performance workstation, complemented with the appropriate software package (database management software, transcoder, online streaming hardware, AR, VR, 3D and POTEPedia-enabled software solutions). It is important to emphasize that the solutions included here should reasonably expand the capabilities available in the new building: metadata management to support scientific research, capability of using subtitles and the “speech to text” function, as well as the possibility of a high degree of data management automation. The old building will also receive four 86” signage monitors with 4K UHD players, which will be a huge improvement compared to the current display options.
Special attention is given to supporting events. Special installed devices such as ceiling-mounted group microphones, remote-controlled cameras, interactive LCD displays, professional sound system, wireless image transmission, and central AV processing will help hold conferences.
The largest event venue on campus, the assembly hall is also undergoing significant change. The 60-square-meter, variable-height stage will receive a sound and light system installed on so-called “tomcat” frames with state-of-the-art digital control panels, line array speaker system. Next to the stage, there will be three five-meter-wide, 16:9 aspect ratio movable LED walls, complemented with the appropriate software control. The sound technology will be complemented by a movable acoustic panel system, which is mainly used for noise absorption.
The School still keeps the long-standing architectural renovation of the old theoretical building on the agenda, so all the devices in this project can be dismantled, re-installed or relocated as required without damage.
The development team took on a multifaceted and complex task; it is important to emphasize that this is not set in stone, but it is a proposal open to discussion and consultation. The leadership of the School considers it important that, as with any major investment or change affecting the School, the public and the widest possible range of stakeholders should be able to get to know, comment on and supplement the draft, including, of course, students. The commissioning of the AV system in the new building will certainly provide additional valuable experience, which will also be considered by the experts.