MSolutions, a leading supplier of AV test devices and collaboration solutions, has evolved it’s AV product portfolio to better support today’s space-constrained, USB-centric meeting and learning spaces. Leveraging its deep expertise in measuring and assuring signal integrity for demanding HDBaseT installations, MSolutions’ latest products, to be on display at ISE 2022 (Fira Barcelona, Gran Via, Barcelona, May 10-13, Stand 2P200), cost-effectively solve common videoconferencing challenges in today’s collaboration environments.
MSolutions last year introduced a five-input, USB 3.0-compatible extender set (MS-6U41A) that foreshadowed a more complete AV solutions focus. The company announced a wide array of space-saving video and audio acquisition products for collaboration rooms, including a 4K camera, a beamforming microphone and a soundbar with a built-in camera—the latter two representing the company’s first pure audio products. MSolutions also introduced a second USB-C extender set, removing extra features of the MS-6U41A to provide a more affordable, focused signal acquisition and transmission solution for rooms of all sizes.
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“We have put extensive research and development efforts into solving today’s most urgent commercial AV challenges, and hybrid meeting and learning spaces are chief among them,” said Ariel Marcus, CTO, MSolutions. “That includes developing affordable solutions for these spaces with proven interoperability between all video and audio products. This ensures a unified USB workflow for wireless transmission that maintains exceptional quality from the original acquisition points.”
New camera and extension products
On the video side, MSolutions introduces its MS-4KCam 4K Ultra HD USB camera and MS-6U1C USB-C extender. The company’s first 4K camera offers digital ePTZ capability that enables select portions of the camera’s wide angle picture (up to 120 degrees) to be magnified and repositioned to fill the frame. The extreme wide angle makes this camera ideal for mid to large spaces like conference rooms and auditoriums, however its low profile and affordable cost is perfectly suited for huddle spaces.
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The MS-6U1C extender set pairs perfectly with the camera in all installations, allowing a single USB-C data channel to be extended up to 333 feet/100 meters over a single CATx cable. The MS-6U1C also supports RS-232 serial pass-through and bi-directional 12V PoC (Power over Cable), and its robust reliability ensures that signal integrity is maintained even when peripheral devices are concealed from sight.
“When space is at a premium, people want to install USB devices on the walls, atop video displays, or in other out-of-the way spots to keep the conference table uncluttered and enhance the room’s décor,” said Eliran Toren, CEO, MSolutions. “When USB extenders are used to connect USB devices that are situated beyond the reach of a single cable, the result is often visible signal degradation—such as the loss of many frames per second—which wouldn’t otherwise occur with a single, direct USB connection.”
Sound and video vision
MSolutions’ two microphone solutions serve audio capture and conferencing needs across small, medium and large spaces. The company’ MS-SP8 Digital Array Microphone offers innovative, beamforming technology to reduce noise and produce clear sound quality in boomy acoustic environments. This patent-pending technology is built into a full-featured microphone with USB-2.0 and 3.5mm audio interfaces, making it ideal for use as a hands-free lecture and presentation device.
The new MS-BEAM2 is an all-in-one soundbar takes the same audio quality approach for huddle spaces and smaller classrooms. Its beamforming microphone can pick up a speaker’s voice anywhere in the room, and its full-frequency loudspeaker ensures intelligible audio while maintaining an overall compact product footprint.
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Both audio products add a low-distortion BF algorithm that automatically detects and focuses on the person speaking, enhancing sound pickup without picking up other audio distractions in the room. However, the MS-BEAM2 is distinguished by a streamlined three-in-one design that also integrates a 4K UltraHD camera, providing an all-one video and audio solution that can be easily moved from room to room when sharing amongst many smaller spaces.
Looking forward, MSolutions will release soon a USB-C testing to its popular MS-TestPro handheld AV test devices.
“Since vendors can modify the designs and structures of the USB-C cables they make, testing helps determine whether a particular USB-C cable has sufficient bandwidth to support high video traffic volumes,” said Marcus. “We intend to add this capability in response to global customer demand, as the latest generation of laptops now rely on USB-C’s wider bandwidth to transmit hi-res 4K UHD video.”
