Delta Galil Outfits New HQ with Extron DTP Systems, Pro Series Control & Room Scheduling

Delta Galil is a leading designer and producer of textiles and clothing, with over 10,000 employees in multiple geographical locations. The company is one of only a few global manufacturers that develops and produces their own raw materials and finished garments to ensure quality and sustainability throughout the process. This concept is carried over into their company environment.

The corporation recently completed construction of their new headquarters in the historic city of Caesarea, Israel. The facility houses the design center, R&D, and production divisions, along with the executive and corporate staff. At the direction of the Delta Galil board, renowned Italian architect, Pierpaolo Ricatti, designed the interior to optimize sharing and the flow of information between all levels of the organization.

Delta Galil's top priorities for the AV systems in the meeting and collaboration spaces were to have reliable systems with great image quality and user-friendly operation. They also wanted efficient room usage and centralized AV resource management. Audio Visual Control Solutions – AVCS was brought in to integrate the AV systems that included Extron DTP ^® Series digital switching systems, ShareLink™ Series wireless collaboration gateways, Pro Series control systems, as well as amplifiers and speakers. Two Extron software applications complete the system. Room Agent™ is the software behind Extron Room Scheduling, which enables convenient, on demand scheduling of meeting rooms, and GlobalViewer ^® Enterprise – GVE software simplifies AV resource management with intuitive control for hundreds of common AV tasks, including various help desk functions.

We found Extron to be a strong partner offering mature and complete solutions.

AVCS had a multitude of requirements to meet, including designing and integrating wired and wireless systems for high end management rooms, videoconferencing rooms, and basic meeting applications.

“The challenge was to create reliable, simple-to-use systems that provide a coherent experience for the user, regardless of the room they were using,“ says Mrs. Sharon Shemer, Technical Director at AVCS. “Using the broad range of product solutions provided by Extron, we were easily able to create complete systems offering user-friendly operation. Depending on requirements, we were able to select various solutions for video switching, digital audio, professional-grade touchpanels or simple button control, wireless connection, and advanced room scheduling.”

AV Needs and Challenges

The project for this four-story building included an executive boardroom and a 120-seat auditorium on the ground level and meeting rooms of diverse sizes and functionality on each floor. Each space is outfitted with Christie ^® projectors, Sony ^® LCD flat panel displays, or a combination of these display devices. Standard AV sources include a resident computer, a Blu-ray player, an Extron wireless collaboration gateway, and AV connectivity for devices with HDMI or VGA output. Specific spaces also offer videoconferencing capabilities and access to a satellite television system.

The design team proposed several AV switching and distribution designs based on both modular frames and fixed I/O matrix switchers. The options supported digital and analog technologies, and, for the larger spaces, video resolutions up to 4K.

Extron scaling presentation matrix switchers and presentation switchers met all requirements. Depending on room size and usage, the AV system is based on either an Extron DTP CrossPoint ^® Series seamless 4K scaling presentation matrix switcher or the Extron IN1604 DTP , a four-input scaler with built in extension over DTP.

DTP CrossPoint 4K Series: A Comprehensive and Efficient Solution for Medium to Large Spaces

The largest room at the facility is the auditorium. It shares the digital switching system with the adjacent boardroom. Presentations within both locations had to provide images of the highest quality.

The designer chose the Extron DTP CrossPoint 108 4K IPCP MA 70 , a 10x8 presentation matrix switcher with built-in scaling and processing features. This HDCP-compliant model was selected for its capability to fulfill important application and performance requirements, such as support of 4K video resolutions on inputs and outputs. The 4:4:4 chroma sampling provides enhanced color accuracy and picture detail, while scaling on DTP outputs delivers consistent high-quality images that match native display resolutions for the video sources. Extron technologies that ensure fast and reliable switching between devices and the built-in audio and control processors helped to streamline system design and installation.

Members of the board and guest presenters often bring their laptops to meetings. They have the option to share content wirelessly through the Extron ShareLink gateway or connect to the system using an HDMI or VGA cable. The same is true for presentations held within the auditorium. In the boardroom, Extron DTP T USW 233 switchers mounted beneath the table send signals to the matrix switcher, and in the auditorium, DTP T FB 232 switching transmitters extend source signals from floor boxes. Both DTP models are set to automatically select the active source, which simplified operation at the table and the auditorium’s unmanaged locations.

AVCS took full advantage of the EDID and audio embedding functions of these units to further enhance system operation. EDID Minder ^® enabled AVCS to easily configure EDID across the system for effective EDID management, and audio signals along with RS 232 for device control are embedded onto the transmission. Installed above each projector and behind the boardroom’s two 60" flat panel displays are Extron DTP HDMI 4K 230 Rx receivers that accept AV and control signals over one shielded CATx cable, further reducing the total number of individual cable runs in this large space. Connected to the DTP CrossPoint 108 4K IPCP MA 70, the two ShareLink wireless gateways provide room-to-room content sharing from wireless devices.

Videoconferencing is a valuable tool to enhance communication with remote facilities and connect with global customers; thus, including this capability within the boardroom and the auditorium was a requirement. The videoconferencing system's Vaddio Roboshot and PTZ cameras are tied into the codec using DTP transmitters and receivers through an Extron DXP HDMI 44 matrix switcher. This arrangement not only offers switching among the live viewing angles by room, it enables camera views to be included in archival recordings. An Extron SMP 351 H.264 Streaming Media Processor simultaneously captures auditorium and boardroom presentations of different resolutions.

Audio

Communication and collaboration depend heavily on the spoken word, so a key concern was room acoustics and speech intelligibility at each seat. The sound system also had to be compatible with the videoconferencing system, and support optimal sound at the far end. Another concern in the boardroom was a discreet loudspeaker system to avoid distracting from the carefully crafted environment.

By using the ProDSP audio processing in the DTP CrossPoint ^® matrix switcher, that eliminated the need for a separate processor to mix in the microphone feeds. For the boardroom, the unit’s Mic/Line inputs support four of the 10 boundary microphones. The remainder of the wired and wireless microphones are managed via an Extron DMP 128 C P 12x8 ProDSP™ Digital Matrix Processor connected to the DTP CrossPoint matrix switcher via its Expansion bus. It's powerful automixing algorithms ensure the maximum gain before feedback occurs. Microphones that are live but not in use are temporarily muted until the presenter speaks again. This keeps the system free of unwanted noise.

In addition to high-performance audio processing and routing, selection of this specific DMP 128 model came down to two capabilities: acoustic echo cancellation – AEC to support effective videoconferencing sessions and the option to connect to a POTS analog phone interface. AEC ensures that any remote two-way audio via videoconference or web link is free from confusing delays and echoes. The POTS feature is used to support the conference bridge. Three Extron XPA Series amplifiers, and a combination of SF 26X ceiling and SM 26 surface-mounted loudspeakers provide sound reinforcement.

The auditorium installation includes the DMP 128 C audio DSP processor with eight channels of AEC. An Extron XPA 4002 amplifier and two XPA 2001 100V mono amplifiers feed pairs of Extron CS 26T two-way, open back ceiling speakers and two surface-mount speakers mounted at the front of the room. The matrix switcher’s built-in audio amplifier feeds three of the auditorium’s 11 loudspeakers, further reducing the number of components in the system.

Control

Delta Galil required a user-friendly way to operate the AV systems in the boardroom and the auditorium. The AV system user interface had to be the same or very similar between rooms to ensure new presenters had familiar control capabilities regardless of room type. To provide versatile AV system control, each room includes an Extron TLP Pro 320M 3.5" Wall Mount TouchLink ^® Pro touchpanel installed by the entry and an Extron TLP Pro 1020T 10" tabletop model located at a lectern or the table. The customized user interface provides full functionality using a few menu pages, simplifying control for the presenter. This includes the use of the assigned ShareLink wireless gateway and the shared Telepresence system.

For system control, an Extron IPCP Pro 550 IP Link ^® Pro Control Processor works in conjunction with the IP Link Pro control processor built into the DTP CrossPoint 108 4K IPCP MA 70 matrix switcher. Devices such as the touchpanels and the satellite TV receiver are controlled via the IR/Serial ports, and the projector lifts and screens are operated using relays. The paired control processors provided the Delta Galil support staff with a customized and intuitive, Web browser-based control interface for monitoring and managing the application.

A rack in an equipment closet outside of the auditorium holds the shared DTP CrossPoint matrix switcher, videoconferencing system, SMP 351 streaming media processor, and the IPCP Pro 550 control processor, as well as the ShareLink gateways and the two sound systems. AVCS used Extron’s PCS - Product Configuration Software to configure the wide variety of Extron products at once from the same, easy-to-use application. “Integration was simplified because of the PCS configuration software, which helped us keep the project on schedule even after several building construction delays,” says Shemer.

Extron IN1604 DTP Provides High Quality Video Scaling and Signal Extension in Meeting Rooms

Meeting rooms are used for both scheduled sessions and ad hoc collaborations on subjects ranging from clothing design to textile research. To manage a variety of source signals, the system designer chose the Extron IN1604 DTP scaler that provides three HDCP-compliant HDMI inputs and a universal analog video input. The universal input is configured for RGB computer video, but it can be reconfigured to HDTV, component video, S Video, or composite video, if necessary. A ShareLink Series collaboration gateway connected to the scaler over HDMI enables use of wireless devices, such as a Windows ^® or OS X ^® laptop. To share content from Apple ^® iOS and Android™ tablets and smartphones, employees downloaded the mobile app, MirrorOp ^® for Extron ShareLink™ .

The IN1604 DTP presentation switcher scales the video to the display’s native resolution. Video and any program audio are extended to the 55" flat panel display over twisted pair cable. AV signals, along with bidirectional control from the Extron IPL Pro S3 IP Link control processor rack mounted in the credenza, are transmitted to the DTP HDMI 4K 230 Rx receiver mounted behind the display. In some of the meeting rooms, the distance between the display and the switcher is just under 230 feet, thus within the capabilities of the DTP receiver. All signals pass over the shielded CATx cable, simplifying the wiring and reducing installation time. This AV system design is also replicated in small collaborative spaces, such as the Focus Room.

Delta Galil requested simple button controllers for the meeting rooms. AVCS integrated an Extron Cable Cubby 700 enclosure, the Retractor Series/2 cable holding and retraction system, and the CCB 30 Three-Button Contact Closure Remote to meet this requirement. The power modules used within the Cable Cubby enclosure provides AC power for personal devices, and the Retractor system with HDMI, VGA, and audio cable modules supports AV connectivity. The three buttons on the CCB 30 panel are configured to power the AV system on/off and enable selection between active sources. “The combination of Extron’s smooth cable retraction system and CCB 30 button panel provided the straightforward AV system operation and control that Delta Galil wanted for their meeting rooms,” says Shemer.

Extron Room Scheduling Makes It Easy and Convenient for Employees to Book a Room

Mounted to the wall outside of each meeting space is an Extron TLP Pro 520M TouchLink Pro touchpanel. The stylish touchpanel with its 5" capacitive touchscreen is set up using Room Agent software that transforms it into a stand-alone, full-featured room booking appliance. An intermediate server is unnecessary as it communicates directly with Delta Galil’s Microsoft ^® Exchange ^® server.

The touchscreen interface, customized with the Delta Galil name and logo, lists the name of the room, current availability, date and time, and a timeline showing open and reserved blocks for the rest of that day. To schedule the room, an employee simply taps on a block of time and then the Reserve button. They can also reserve a room when scheduling a meeting through Outlook. With Extron Room Scheduling, all communication between the Room Agent software, the Exchange server, and the touchpanel is encrypted.

The presenter, or the first to arrive, presses a check in button on the touch screen, acknowledging the scheduled meeting. Bright LED bars on the sides of the touchpanel light green or red, clearly indicating room availability, even when standing down the hall. Whether the meeting starts on time or is delayed, pressing the check in button changes the LEDs to red and retains the reserved status of the room. When the scheduled time for the meeting ends, the LEDs change to green, indicating that the room is available.

GlobalViewer Enterprise for Remote AV System Control and Monitoring

Delta Galil required a software tool their IT team could use to manage all AV resources from a central location. AVCS chose Extron GVE, a server-based application that facilitates enterprise-wide scheduling, monitoring, operations, and help desk functionality.

GVE allows the Delta Galil technical staff to remotely control and manage every AV resource in the building. The software streamlines and simplifies many common AV tasks and enables users to access usage data, create reports, and control devices from any computer on the network. Technicians can remotely power down displays and other devices facility-wide or schedule them to power off at specified times. The IT Team especially appreciates how GVE combines multiple tools such as Room Control, Device Control/Status, and Calendar into one easily accessible view for intuitive control and visual confirmation of system status.

Results

From installation to commissioning, the new headquarters project only took six months, including gutting the existing office space. Delta Galil management and staff members are pleased with the operation and appearance of their new AV systems. The final phase is nearing completion, and includes tying the auditorium lighting system into the control system and training the support staff to use GVE.

“Our new office in Caesarea was built to the highest standards, and we were looking for a multimedia solution to match it. We found Extron to be a strong partner offering mature and complete solutions,” says Mr. Yakir Guttman, Chief Technology Officer at Delta Galil. “The project was professionally implemented by AVCS, and provided us the functionality and flexibility we required. Overall, we are very pleased with our choice, and plan to rollout similar solutions for additional locations.”

“Apart from the quality and the wide range of the products themselves, we benefited from the help and support of Extron personnel, both in Israel and in the Netherlands. In terms of documentation, logistics, and technical support, Extron happily provided all that we needed and on a timely basis,” says Mrs. Sharon Shemer at AVCS. “With the scale of the project, this was definitely an added value both to AVCS as the integrator and to Delta Galil, the end customer.”