World-Class University of Paderborn Uses Extron TouchLink-Based Control, Switching, and Fiber Solutions

Founded in 1972, the University of Paderborn ranks among the leading German universities in electrical and systems engineering. The school has one of the top-ranked computer science departments in the world. When updating the AV systems in the university’s lecture halls, school officials used Extron TouchLink®-based control systems, SMX System MultiMatrix switchers, and FOX Series fiber optic transmitters and receivers.

Extron media controllers smoothly integrate a variety of equipment in an installation.

Eugen Hahn, Media Engineer, Paderborn University

The Rooms

The university has 30 lecture auditoriums and 90 lecture halls. The halls seat up to 100, while the auditoriums seat up to 400. Video and audio equipment in the rooms include HD projectors with VGA, HDMI, and video inputs, Blu-ray/DVD players with HDMI outputs, wireless microphones, HDMI and VGA video and audio inputs integrated into the instructor’s desk, and HD video cameras.

The auditoriums are equipped with either one or two digital projectors and wireless microphones. The smaller halls contain a single projector. The front walls of both types of rooms are coated with a special paint that turns the wall surface into a projection screen.

Control

Eugen Hahn and Matthias Driller, Media Technical Engineers at the University of Paderborn, installed Extron TLP 700MV 7-inch Wall Mount TouchLink Touchpanels and IP Link® IPL 250 Control Processors in the auditoriums, and Extron MLC 226 IP DV+ Enhanced MediaLink Controllers in the smaller halls. “Extron media controllers smoothly integrate a variety of equipment in an installation,” Hahn says. “TouchLink-based control systems were chosen because of their easy setup and configuration, as well as the included templates for everything from a single projector room to a multi-image system.”

Switching

In larger auditoriums, Hahn and Driller used the Extron SMX System MultiMatrix digital and analog multi-plane modular matrix switcher. The SMX allows for a combination of matrix switcher boards in a single frame with a single point of control, eliminating the need for separate digital and analog matrix switchers. The SMX routes VGA, AV, and HDMI signals to the local room’s projectors, as well as through FOX Series transmitters to FOX Series receivers in other auditoriums. Fiber was used between the auditoriums in order to future proof the installation.

In the smaller auditoriums, Hahn and Driller selected the MPS 409 Media Presentation Switcher, which combines digital, VGA, video, and stereo audio switching in a single compact enclosure. The MPS 409 features a unique “combine switcher” mode that allows DVI and HDMI signals to be routed to the display on a single HDMI cable.

Audio

Hahn and Driller used Extron’s DMP 64 ProDSP Digital Audio Matrix Processor, HAE 100 HDMI Audio De-Embedder, XPA 1002 stereo amplifier, and SI 28 two-way surface mount speakers to handle audio in all the auditoriums.

In the lecture halls, the smaller space allowed Hahn and Driller to use MLS 100 A four input stereo audio switchers with audio input gain and attenuation to help maintain signal integrity. Extron MPA 152 15 watt per channel stereo amplifiers ensure the signals are properly amplified, with Extron CDRS ripple suppression technology providing a clean audio waveform.

Results

With matrix switching and Extron configurable control systems, Hahn and Driller were easily able to accommodate the school’s variety of source and display equipment in more than one hundred of Paderborn’s lecture auditoriums and halls, with more to come.”