The ability to facilitate easy connectivity to AV equipment as well as provide network and Internet access are critical concerns during the design of today’s state-of-the-art conference facilities. For their new conference room, Plainville, CT-based GE Industrial Solutions adopted a 360-degree approach with multiple video displays—and central to their AV connectivity are PNP417 Pop-N-Plug interconnect boxes and AC301-250 Dual Button Controllers from Brea, CA-headquartered Altinex.
Paul Downs.
- Bridgeport, PA-based Paul Downs Cabinetmakers, Inc., a firm that designs and manufactures custom conference and boardroom tables, was contracted to design and deploy a new conference table for General Electric. Paul Downs, president, and Nathan Rossman, design engineer for Paul Downs Cabinetmakers, discussed the project and their reasons for utilizing Altinex AV connectivity solutions.
- “This is a large boardroom space,” explained Rossman. “For this project, we designed a 24 foot round, open center table. Positioned directly above the table’s center are eight video displays mounted from the ceiling. This arrangement enables everyone seated at the table to converse easily and follow the video presentation or whatever else may be taking place on the displays. It was imperative that meeting participants be able to quickly and easily connect their laptop computers into the room’s AV system so as to give PowerPoint presentations, access the company network, and so forth. As the manufacturer of custom conference tables, design aesthetics were equally important and, for this reason, we integrated eight Altinex PNP417’s and eight AC301-250’s into our design.”
- By utilizing the surface cutout of the table so as to make a perfect match, the Altinex PNP417 offers convenient, one touch access to a variety of video, audio, computer, network, and power connections—making the tabletop connection point attractive for any boardroom or conference room table. Working in conjunction with the Altinex UT250-101 under table switcher and featuring illuminated output select control, the Altinex AC301-250 Dual Button Controller enables each person to direct their video to one of the switcher’s two outputs—making this an extremely efficient means of directing content to video displays.
- Paul Downs discussed the PNP417’s attributes, “The Altinex PNP417 provides superior aesthetics because of its ability to match the wood used in the table and it also provides extremely reliable operation. Equally important is the fact that when the PNP417 is in its closed position, it’s absolutely flush with the table. This enables people to pass papers back and forth among themselves without those documents getting caught on the edges of the connector unit. This is a critically important consideration when designing a conference table of this nature.”
- In addition to the design aesthetics of the Altinex PNP417 interconnect boxes, Rossman stressed another important consideration. “The fact that the PNP417 offers the ability to customize the unit’s connector plates is a huge benefit,” he added. “Our customer wanted both VGA and HDMI connectors, so the fact that these units can be outfitted with a custom connector configuration is a terrific advantage. Altinex offers a wide range of connectors for these units, so it’s easy to set them up exactly as you want.”
- Interfacing a variety of audio and video components into an intuitive, easy to use design is no small task. That’s why quality customer and technical support is so essential. On that note, Rossman was very complimentary of Altinex. “Everyone on staff at Altinex has been a pleasure to speak with,” he said. “The company is very helpful and responsive. As an AV integrator, it’s important to be able to gather as much information as possible. When speaking with Altinex personnel, not only was I able to get the answers to my questions promptly, I have learned additional information that I can pass on to our clients to help them take the best advantage of their equipment.”
- With the GE project scheduled for completion in May, Rossman reports the new conference table is exceeding expectations, “This project has been a terrific experience right from the start. We’re extremely pleased and I’m quite certain that our client will be equally impressed. I’ve worked with Altinex for several years and I’ve always had a positive experience with their products. Their equipment does everything that’s expected of it—and does it well.”
