Washington Tacoma University once again trusts Extron for its new building

The campus covers more than 115 learning spaces. These have been equipped with AV systems from Extron to encourage cross-collaboration between all disciplines represented by the seven faculties of the University of Washington Tacoma.

The University of Washington (UW) Tacoma belongs to the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities (USU), formed by 42 public research teaching centers located in 24 states with a demonstrated commitment to their urban areas. Offers 60 degrees and 15 graduate schools of education, engineering, business, nursing, social work, criminal justice and urban studies.

The campus, with views of the Port of Tacoma and Mount Rainier, It is housed in centuries-old brick warehouse buildings that evoke the area's history as a transportation terminal for the port railway. These have been renovated to preserve their historical importance, while being updated as modern learning spaces. The campus also has newly built buildings, including Milgard Hall. Retail stores, museums and restaurants have opened nearby, increasing traffic and transforming a once moribund area into a bustling student city.

The campus covers more than 115 learning spaces that are equipped with Extron AV systems that help foster cross-collaboration among all disciplines represented by UW Tacoma's seven colleges.

“We have been an Extron campus for 18 years that I have been with the university. When I started here, we install 406 switches and button panels. We made the jump to DTP and XTP matrix switchers and TouchLink Pro touchscreens as soon as they came out. And since then we have stuck with Extron, including its technology in Milgard Hall”, explains Josh Carper, Computer Maintenance Technician III from the University of Washington Tacoma.

Modernize century-old buildings

The Tacoma campus opened in 1997, converting 19th century warehouses into 21st century academic spaces. Six historic half-abandoned brick structures, full of rusty parts for World War II Jeeps and home to hundreds of pigeons, were destroyed, upgraded and wired for 21st century technology.

“Our goal is to maintain productive learning spaces. The best AV equipment for this job is reliable equipment that in-house staff can install and maintain. Thanks to Extron standardization, Users and maintenance staff are fully familiar with AV products. We are all comfortable with the systems. We can also maintain a reduced spare inventory. Resulting in saving time and money, benefiting all stakeholders”, states Joe Kapler, Computer Maintenance Technician III from the University of Washington Tacoma

The fact that Extron equipment can be found in nearly every learning space on the Tacoma campus is the result of a methodical conversion to Extron over the course of 18 years. Joe Kapler, Computer Maintenance Technician III, began installing televisions and VCRs on the Tacoma campus in 1997, when these were considered cutting-edge audiovisual teaching materials.

When Extron introduced configurable MediaLink controllers, Kapler saw the possibility of simplifying the user's AV experience with the ease of pressing just a couple of buttons., so he started installing them in the classes. And people love it.

As educational technology systems have grown and become more sophisticated, the Tacoma classes have migrated to the IP Link control processors with TouchLink Pro touchscreens to keep the user experience simple and intuitive. Then came microphones augmented by Extron audio DSP and presentation switches that equip rooms with full AV switching capabilities, video escalation, audio processing, amplification and control in a single compact unit that has helped meet the design goals of standardizing AV rack heights.

Milgard Hall

UW Tacoma's long history with Extron is the main reason the college's AV team specified AV switching equipment, distribution, Extron Audio and Control for Milgard Hall. The design and installation of the AV system for this space was carried out by McKinstry, who carried out the construction of the electrical systems, data, audiovisual, fire alarm and access control.

Milgard Hall landed on the drawing board at the right time. We took everything we had learned from upgrading the AV systems in existing historic buildings on the Tacoma campus and applied all of this experience to this brand new teaching facility.. Extron's modern AV systems deliver the collaboration capabilities that were one of the key design goals for this unique and beautiful structure.. We are very excited with the result”, duck Paul Lovelady, Manager, Media Services, Information Technology at the University of Washington Tacoma.

Within its three floors, los 5.110 square meters of modern construction of Milgard Hall house elements of the Faculty of Business, laboratory spaces that support the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, a space for global design and innovation, and a teaching space for high-impact practices (HIP).

The building has shared classes, a computer lab and shared collaboration spaces. These spaces allow interaction between the different academic programs, as well as the broader Tacoma community. Audiovisual services are everywhere.

High Impact Practices Seminar

The HIP room has a projection screen main of 220 inches in front, magnified by four display devices 85 inches on side walls. PTZ cameras on three walls capture the activity of the room from multiple angles. And professional audio system has wireless microphones y column speakers wall mounted. There are connector panels located around the room to connect the HDMI and SDI video sources, plus audio sources.

The HIP lectern contains a switch six entries SW6 HD 4K Plus to select educational AV content from a multitude of sources, including a computer, a guest laptop, a document camera, a wireless video receiver, a Blu-ray player, gooseneck microphone and gooseneck webcam. Additional video and audio sources can provide content by connecting to the Cable Cubby on the lectern work surface. XTP transmitters and receivers make AV connections for signals from the music stand to the main AV rack in the control room and vice versa.

A control room is located behind the windows on the back wall of the HIP room. For large-scale events, A technical director operates the AV system from a TouchLink Pro touchscreen 15 inch desktop that controls AV system operation in the same way and with the same user interface as a touch screen 10 inch mounted on east studio wall.

The director also has a keyboard and mouse to interact with the control room computer and select AV content.. A display device 55 inches above the desk helps the director see the program material displayed in the room.

Behind the operator's desk is an equipment rack that houses a XTP II CrossPoint 3200 with a variety of input and output cards that accommodate sign AV XTP, SDI, HDMI and Dante that come and go not only from the lectern, but also the wall plaques located on the four walls of the living room and the study. The rack also contains other AV equipment, including a IP Link Pro control processor for AV system control, and SMP streaming multimedia processor 352 Captures AV sources and presentations as recorded media and streams live or on-demand.

Additionally in the rack are hearing aid WiFi and RF servers that allow attendees to hear through on-site receivers or their own smartphones.. Wireless microphone receivers allow multiple presenters to speak through lapel or handheld microphones. And Dante audio DSP processor adapts audio characteristics for optimal intelligibility. Audio amplifiers power the many speakers in the room. There is also a base station for this space's extensive intercom system.. Finally, The rack contains a control room computer to provide additional AV content, and a central Ethernet switch to the AV LAN of the room.

Classes 301 y 311

These are the largest classes in the building, each with seats for 80 students. Los sistemas OFF, identical in both rooms, have been built around a presentation switcher eight entries IN1808 and a 12" audio DSP processor×8 DMP 128 Plus equipped with AEC, VoIP and Dante and expanded with an expansion processor with DSP and Dante XMP 240 which increases audio processing capacity to 36 canales.

in every room, a laser projector and two display devices 75 inches display video content sent by the switch via DTP connectivity. Two in-wall speakers in each room provide clear sound that is selected and processed by the DMP 128 Plus.

Available AV content sources include an instructor computer, a Blu-ray player, a document camera, a webcam mounted on the lectern, a ceiling mounted PTZ, a wireless video receiver and an auxiliary HDMI input panel.

Audio sources include two wireless microphones, two ceiling-mounted directional microphone arrays and line or microphone audio sources connected to an auxiliary connector panel that also includes an HDMI port, one Ethernet/LAN port, a convenient AC outlet and USB charging port.

AV system control is handled by an IPCP Pro control processor 250 xi, with a TouchLink Pro touchscreen 10 inches on the lectern that provides the user interface.

Laboratories

All three plants have laboratories. For construction engineering students, The first floor has a concrete laboratory and another combustion laboratory.

On the second floor, there is a soil mechanics/geotechnology laboratory and a hydrology laboratory. Engineering students experience the biomechanics and robotics laboratories on the second floor. The third floor includes an air quality/environmental laboratory for environmental science students. AV systems are on mobile carts.

The lab's AV carts are built around a matrix switcher with DTP CrossPoint scaler of 8×4 with integrated audio DSP and integrated AV system control processor. a computer, a document camera, a wireless microphone receiver, a wireless video receiver, a Blu-ray player and a webcam provide the inputs to the matrix, everything mounted on the cart. A wall-mounted PTZ camera also transmits video to the switch.

DTP connectivity creates the video connection between the carts and two display devices mounted on the wall of 75 inches. Two wall-mounted speakers are powered by an audio amplifier in the cart. Each cart has a network switch for connectivity to the building's LAN, and a 10 touch screen″ above the cart that provides the interface to the AV operator.

Our AV class designs aim to meet user expectations. Manage a large number of AV sources: lectern computers, guest laptops, Blu-ray players, document cameras, ceiling microphones and wireless exchange.

“Capturing Panopto training sessions and distance learning via unified communications apps like Zoom is the norm. We have spent all summer adapting old buildings and classrooms to these standards, and we are still updating AV systems in two or three learning spaces a year”, comment Paul Lovelady, Manager, Media Services, Information Technology at the University of Washington Tacoma.

Small group rooms

The third floor includes six small group rooms used for small gatherings, collaboration sessions and video conferences. Supporting these rooms are easy-to-use, minimalist AV systems..

A display device 65 inches occupies the front wall of the room. Below the display device is a SB sound bar 33 Extron A which works directly with the audio of this device. A computer is mounted on the wall next to the display device.

a webcam, connected to computer via USB, It is mounted on the shelf of the sound bar that allows video conferencing. The computer connects directly to the display device via DisplayPort. Applications run on this computer. unified communications like Zoom and Teams for meetings with remote participants.

The computer can provide audiovisual content to the display device from internal storage or from the university LAN. Besides, HDMI ports on the display device receive content from a laptop and a wireless video receiver, allowing room occupants to contribute to audiovisual content via cable or wirelessly.

All AV equipment is manually turned on and off with a single button and switching between computer and laptop is accomplished manually using the display device's HDMI input selector control..

TouchLink TLS reservation screens connected to CollegeNET 25Live through the software Room Agent of Extron are installed next to the door of the breakout rooms. Students and instructors can reserve rooms through their computers, mobile devices or directly on TLS screens next to the door.

More spaces with AV equipment

There are many more AV venues in Milgard Hall. There are meeting rooms, small conference rooms, study spaces and interview rooms located throughout the building. These are equipped with AV systems similar to the minimalist systems in the small group rooms, optimized for situations where room reservation capacities, Video conferencing and wireless content sharing are not necessary.

An open assembly space and large conference room on the second and third floors feature AV systems similar to those in classrooms with 80 seating. IN1808 presentation switchers and DMP audio DSP processors 128 Plus form the center of the AV systems of these premises.

A display device 85 inches replaces the multiple devices found in classrooms, The sound systems have more speakers than those used in classes and some AV teaching materials that are not essential for meeting applications have not been included. Large conference room includes a tabletop microphone lineup, USB and HDMI hotspots on the conference table and TLS backup screens next to the doors.

Computer room borrows design from HIP's AV system. A matrix switcher for 8" DTP CrossPoint presentations×4 and a DMP audio DSP processor 128 Plus are the key units. As in HIP spaces, there are ceiling microphones and wireless microphones, a Blu-ray player, document camera, PTZ camera, webcam and wireless video receiver. Two projectors with DTP connectivity to the matrix switcher display audiovisual content on 110-inch screens.″. Sound is provided by six SoundField® speakers.

Located on the third floor is the financial well-being operations room. This has a display device 75 inches that runs on a dedicated computer that streams the financial news channel Bloomberg.

Accompanying this display device are two other display devices. 75 inches and a projector with a screen of 110 inches. All receive content via DTP connectivity from an 8-inch DTP CrossPoint presentation matrix switcher.×6.

A wireless microphone receiver, a wireless video receiver and two computers provide the inputs to the matrix. A computer is dedicated to video conferencing and a webcam and two PTZs support it. The other computer functions as the instructor's computer, serving content from internal storage or from the university LAN. Audio is provided by two in-wall speakers.

“Milgard Hall represents a space that welcomes students and community members and where business and industry can strengthen partnerships.”,” comments Sheila Edwards Lange, UW Tacoma Chancellor. “An el Milgard Hall, “Our students build better lives for themselves and their communities.”