As part of its Hybrid Learning Project, Eastern Washington University recently deployed a large amount of electronic equipment across 17 buildings and 85 classrooms, with the bulk of the equipment being drawn from the catalog of Raleigh, NC-based Alfatron Electronics.
The Spokane-based campus' Carl Combs, classrooms and labs team supervisor; Dave Stewart, senior IT audiovisual design and engineering specialist; and Adam Klinger, IT/AV specialist of the classrooms and labs team designed and oversaw the deployment of the new Alfatron equipment. Over a three-year period, the team began testing various hybrid learning solutions, after which they started implementing the various setups. The Alfatron products were gradually placed into service and after fine-tuning the system configurations, the equipment was deployed campus wide.
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“The Alfatron equipment has made a dramatic improvement in video quality, features, and functionality," explained Combs. "We did not have a standard for in-room video conferencing prior to Alfatron. Before Alfatron, we would temporarily set up webcams, Logitech Group systems, and/or Logitech Meetups in the various classrooms, conference rooms, and meeting spaces.
“Installing Alfatron technology was a great solution from an engineering perspective,” Combs added. “Only two Ethernet cable runs were needed for each camera—providing power, video, and IP control. We did not need to involve our Electrical Shop and/or external electrical contractors, which saved significant time and money. The combined Alfatron/Extron classroom control system integration proved successful, thanks to EWU-Alfatron-Extron engineering collaboration.”
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Per Klinger the ALF-SCK41TSswitcher has enabled professors and presenters to quickly share different cameras and camera views. The IP control of the ALF-SCK41TS was used to integrate into Extron systems. The ALF-TPBK70R HDBaseT receivers, Stewart added, were integrated into the systems along with the HDBaseT cameras. That enabled the team to eliminate a transmitter and dedicated power at each camera location, all while extending the HDMI video signal longer distances.
When designing systems of this size and complexity, questions inevitably arise. Hence, manufacturer support during this crucial period is essential. “We started looking into different hybrid learning camera solutions and had to find something that was easy, facilitated longer cable/HDMI signal runs, and did not require electricians," Stewart said. "One Diversified, a systems integrator EWU frequently uses for projects of all sizes, recommended looking into Alfatron Electronics. Our experience with Alfatron Electronics has been top notch. Kevin Gelman at Alfatron has been invaluable to our process for knowledgeable support and troubleshooting. The support we received during the project, and still receive currently has been consistently fast, friendly, and accurate.”
