AV case study for the University of Hertfordshire

Introduction

Based in Hatfield, the University of Hertfordshire is a leading higher education institution that’s ranked highly for its exceptional student satisfaction levels, which reached its highest score to date according to the National Student Survey 2015.

The university has a vision to be internationally renowned as the UK’s leading business-facing university and, in a bid to nurture its students’ entrepreneurial spirit, the project to create a more interactive and innovative learning environment through powerful AV technologies was devised.

proAV was commissioned to remove legacy systems and complete a full upgrade of the AV equipment in 18 teaching rooms across two campus sites as part of building refurbishments that would deliver a raft of forward-thinking technologies into more collaborative and interactive teaching spaces.

The project brief

The project was split into two distinct schemes; the first (Scheme A) was to deliver upgraded presentation, projection, display and control equipment into 18 teaching rooms across the University’s College Lane and De Havilland campuses. The new equipment was to replace a legacy AV system. The ability to link teaching rooms together to relay live lectures, display images in picture-by-picture mode and to provide a versatile presentation solution for divisible teaching spaces was essential.

The second scheme (Scheme B) was to supply and install AV equipment as part of the Film, Music & Media (FMM) Building refurbishment project. Here, a substantial performance space with a control room to the rear and various teaching rooms were equipped with professional audio, projection, display and control technologies to provide cohesive sound and multimedia performance and presentation to this nationally respected facility.

The University’s brief was to ensure AV technologies in key rooms were linked to relay live lectures with user-friendly projector output selection and acceptance via a command on the in-room touch panels. An additional divisible room space called for a versatile solution to link rooms effortlessly, regardless of configuration used, so commands on control touch panels were designed to facilitate audio and video feeds to assigned rooms intuitively.

The refurbishment of the FMM Building included an extensive upgrade of AV systems with a large performance space that is also used for teaching. This called for a lectern that could be easily moved, but which wouldn’t compromise the AV functionality being controlled from the control room at the back of the space.

Central to the success of the project was the seamless integration of all AV devices and technologies with control touch panels and the University’s new remote help desk and resource management software that’s now installed across the university’s teaching/ meeting rooms with tailored software controls written into each.

The technologies that feature in the University of Hertfordshire AV solution are highlighted below:

6200 and 5200 ANSI Lumens WUXGA LCD projection systems throughout
HDBaseT transmission
Full HD visualisers
PTZ cameras for lecture capture and live relay
Presentation/HDMI matrix switchers/scalers with VC feeds from main rooms
Audio systems including DSPs, wireless and gooseneck mics, surface mount speakers with controlled conical dispersion and three channel amplifiers
State-of-the-art controller and interface for HD/4K display devices as part of the DigitalMedia system
Control system featuring touch screens and control processing
Custom height adjustable lecterns
Professional presentation control and signal routing solution for main performance space and classrooms

In summary:

proAV was commissioned by and worked directly with the University of Hertfordshire to complete both projects according to the client’s exacting specification within the timescales of just three months.

The project to equip the University of Hertfordshire’s key teaching and performance spaces has resulted in a number of benefits for the client, including:

A powerful, integrated audio visual solution that sets the university apart with a pioneering educational environment and all the technological resources to deliver a dynamic, value added teaching experience to its students
New Return on Investment opportunities for technically ingenious spaces including the Film, Music and Media facility that can be hired for use by private and corporate users for conferencing, presentations and other events
Powerful displays and collaboration technologies for more productive, interactive learning sessions with intuitive, responsive controls that manage technologies and spaces, empower teachers and inspire students
A revolutionary AV solution designed to accommodate forthcoming technological advances and the University’s evolving needs

University Of Hertfordshire

Location:

Hatfield, UK

Sector:

Education

Introduction

The project brief

proAV was commissioned to complete a full upgrade of the AV equipment across two campus sites and deliver a raft of forward-thinking technologies into more collaborative and interactive teaching spaces.

The technologies that feature in the University of Hertfordshire AV solution are highlighted below:

In summary:

The project to equip the University of Hertfordshire’s key teaching and performance spaces has resulted in a number of benefits for the client, including: