EN/中文
Goal of the project： The goal was to enable a single teacher (lecturer) to cover two classrooms when high demand for a specific lecture exceeded the capacity of a single classroom.
GDS
A prominent private education franchise in Korea, serves a market where many students seek additional private classes after school to enhance their academic performance.
Here's a summary of the customer's requirements:
1. Realistic Visual Experience
2. High Picture Quality for Main Screen
3. Consistent Picture Quality for TVs: The video (with accompanying audio) from the auto-tracking camera in Classroom A should be transmitted to the TVs in Classroom B with the same high quality.
4. Synchronization of Video & Audio: The motion displayed on the 6-meter screen must be precisely synchronized with the motion shown on the TVs in Classroom B.
5. Fast & Easy Setup
The System Design for Recording+ Mirror Class
A 6-meter-wide screen powered by two projectors
emerged as the most effective solution for delivering an immersive visual experience for the students.
The 4K video feed from the main PTZ camera was routed to a Video Wall Controller, which sliced the video into two streams with overlapping regions. These two streams were then sent to the projectors to create the expansive 6-meter-wide display.
Simplified System Architecture Diagram
Meanwhile, another camera’s signal is output via SDI to Vela. While Vela records the content (for students’ on-demand review after class), it simultaneously loop-outs the SDI signal to Studio 2. Studio 2 then encodes this into a Full NDI stream.
On the decoding end, Studio 2s receive the NDI stream, decode it, and output the signal to TVs.
4K PTZ camera was added in classroom A
A 6-meter-wide screen and TVs in classroom B
Studio 2 at work (Rx mode in this picture)
Studio 2 at work (Tx & Rx in classroom A & B)
Consequence
The management, staff, and students expressed high satisfaction with the new classroom environment, marking the project as a success.Consequently, they decided to implement this virtual lecture system, the ‘Recording+Mirror Class,’ at another affiliated institute called GDS-G in Seoul.This subsequent implementation was designed to transmit the virtual lecture across different floors.
GDS-G (Seoul)
GDS-D (Seoul)
Building on the successful implementation in GDS-M and GDS-G, two more affiliate institutes have now decided to adopt this system to enhance the flexibility and efficiency of their facilities. As you may be aware, rental costs in downtown Seoul, particularly in the highly competitive Gangnam area where many private education institutes are located, are substantial. Therefore, this investment can be justified if it effectively increases the capacity of their limited space.
At GDS-D and GDS-T, this system now provides greater flexibility in scheduling classes within their limited number of classrooms.
For instance, at GDS-T, they have installed 4K cameras in two classrooms and with 6-meter-wide screens and TVs in three classrooms. Classroom A can transmit its lecture to Classrooms B and C, while Classroom B can transmit to Classrooms A and C.
Additionally, Classroom C can receive lectures from either Classroom A or B. This interconnected setup allows for a highly adaptable class schedule, accommodating fluctuations in student numbers from month to month.
IP Video: Flexible
It’s widely acknowledged that implementing IP-based video and audio solutions in practice can present complexities.
It may entail higher installation costs, demand greater technical expertise and effort for on-site troubleshooting, and necessitate efficient ongoing maintenance.
However, the significant advantage of IP-based video and audio lies in its inherent flexibility.
A classroom can serve as a traditional lecture space with both a teacher and students, yet it can also be readily transformed into a virtual classroom without a teacher whenever needed.
Dyna Hub – two Studio 2 units per classroom
Let me share a story that truly highlights this flexibility.
About a month ago, the main 4K camera responsible for transmitting video to the 6-meter-wide screen in the next classroom suddenly failed.
We spent two frustrating hours troubleshooting, initially assuming a camera malfunction. However, we eventually discovered that the 50-meter-long AOC-HDMI cable was the culprit. Replacing this cable at night was impractical due to the lack of a spare and the significant time it would have taken.
So, we opted for a more agile solution, utilizing my spare Studio 2 unit as a temporary workaround. I switched the 4K camera to Full NDI mode and connected a Studio 2 to the network switch, configuring it for Receiver (Rx) mode. This allowed us to successfully deliver the 4K video from the camera to the video wall controller, salvaging the situation.
Studio 2 was temporarily deployed for 4K video delivery
Just as modern vehicles are increasingly equipped with driving assistance technologies like lane keeping and automated parking, enabled by the electronic control of the steering wheel, accelerator, and brake by the vehicle’s ECU (Electronic Control Unit), a similar trend is evident in the Pro AV business.
With most equipment, such as PTZ cameras, encoders, decoders, and computers, being interconnected via a network, end-users gain convenient online access without needing to physically move around the facility. This access extends even to remote locations, such as their homes, or through their smartphones.
Consequently, IP-based video and audio systems offer easy and faster access to equipment for both operational tasks and maintenance. For instance, a user can quickly visually identify that four out of six encoders/decoders are offline – indicated perhaps by a lack of connection or a network issue.
If the devices are online, typically indicated by green status indicators, users can remotely modify various parameters, including the encoder/decoder name, IP address, volume levels, and the decoding source (if the unit is in Rx mode).
Dyna Hub – four Studio 2 units are off-line
Conclusion: “The only constant in life is Change.”
This project presented another significant challenge, requiring seamless cooperation from experts across four distinct product categories: projectors, video wall control, cameras, and encoder/decoders. It was akin to a film production where the camera, lighting, audio, backgrounds, actors, and various other staff must all align. If even one element is missing, the entire production crew is held up. The complexity was amplified by the fact that two projects were running concurrently.
Of course, this project yielded both financial benefits and valuable new experiences and know-how. Customers are continually seeking innovative solutions for enhanced efficiency and a greater return on investment. I firmly believe that IP-based AV can provide this answer, particularly when implemented with robust and reliable equipment.
About the author
As the CEO of Monitor4u Inc., Charlie Shin heads a company that leads in the sales and marketing of professional Audio-Visual and Broadcast equipment. His career spans 32 years in the Display and Broadcast Equipment sector.