The Class of 2023: University of Québec in Montreal, School of Management

(Image credit: Future)

AV/IT TEAM: Jean-François Duguay, AV and Multimedia technical specialist

GOALS: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jean-François Duguay, AV and Multimedia technical specialist of the University of Québec in Montreal School of Management (ESG UQAM) began implementing a transition to an AV-over-IP system that included over two hundred Sennheiser Team Connect Ceiling 2 (TCC2) ceiling microphones.

The overall goal of the AV system was to maintain the integrity and dependability of every device on the network. Hybrid and remote learning were major components in the design program, and ensuring high-quality audio was an essential outcome for both teacher and students.

Sennheiser Team Connect Ceiling 2 (TCC2) ceiling microphones — The USC Digital Creative Lab control room. (Image credit: Sennheiser)

CHALLENGES: The integration itself was particularly challenging given the amphitheater’s 25-foot-high ceiling, as well as the frequent rumble from the subway stop that ran directly beneath the building. The TCC2’s also had to circumvent pre-existing elements in the facility, including a projector, roll-down screen, camera, sprinklers, and air patterns within the building.

François Wermenlinger, Eastern Canada Sales manager of Sennheiser was an active participant in exploring design options—including strategic placement of each TCC2. “At first, I was not sure it was going to work, but we looked at the design drawings and placed five TCC2’s around the amphitheater,” stated Wermenlinger. "We climbed up on ladders and taped the ceiling in mock positions.” Since the facility was undergoing simultaneous renovations, Dugay and his team were able to look at the wiring and infrastructure usually concealed by the ceiling further assisting with the installation. Montréal-based AV supplier, SoloTech, provided the TCC2 ceiling mics, and since the installation, each unit has been functioning perfectly.

EQUIPMENT SNAPSHOT

Sennheiser Team Connect Ceiling 2 (TCC2) ceiling microphones

FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: Each TCC2 device delivers a strong signal over the network. The patented beamforming technology is able to capture the voices of both students and faculty with superior intelligibility—without the noise. “The clarity is perfect, especially with a lot of reverberation in the big amphitheater,” Duguay concluded. “The recordings are clean, and the students sound as if they are speaking into a close mic. It is an avant-garde system that is future-proofed with the flexibility to be improved upon over time.” The new TCC2 system in the amphitheater in particular is getting heavy use. It hosts roughly 300 students from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., five days a week, as well as additional weekend events. The ability for the AV team to run diagnostics and monitor the devices remotely greatly improves the continuity.

Cindy Davis is the brand and content director of AV Technology (AVT). She was a critical member of the AVT editorial team when the title won the “Best Media Brand” laurel in the 2018 SIIA Jesse H. Neal Awards. Davis moderates several monthly AV/IT roundtables and enjoys facilitating and engaging in deeper conversations about the complex topics shaping the ever-evolving AV/IT industry. She explores the ethos of collaboration, hybrid workplaces, experiential spaces, and artificial intelligence to share with readers. Previously, she developed the TechDecisions brand of content sites for EH Publishing, named one of the “10 Great Business Media Websites” by B2B Media Business magazine. For more than 25 years, Davis has developed and delivered multiplatform content for AV/IT B2B and consumer electronics B2C publications, associations, and companies. A lifelong New Englander, Davis makes time for coastal hikes with her husband, Gary, and their Vizsla rescue, Dixie, sailing on one of Gloucester’s great schooners and sampling local IPAs. Connect with her on LinkedIn.