HDMI Case Studies
Distributing Reliable, High-Quality AV Signals Between PCs and Displays Located in Multiple Locations
Atlona Technologies is a solutions-based manufacturer of Audio Video technology.
Job:
GBL Systems Corporation, a provider of technical services to clients including the U.S. Armed Forces, needed to distribute reliable, high-quality AV signals between PCs and displays located in numerous software development labs and their main conference room.
Challenges:
For over 20 Years, GBL has provided an extensive line of technical services from systems and software engineering to electronic warfare support to clients including the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S Army. The innovative, cutting-edge technology that GBL provides allows it to stay ahead of the market, and to offer high-performance, high-reliability solutions to its clients. The GBL facility contains numerous labs reserved specifically for software development. In two particular labs and the main conference room, GBL wanted to create an integrated AV distribution system for their PCs and displays. Chris Kremer of GBL, head of the integration project, needed the system to distribute high-quality, high-reliability audio and video signals. With two labs consisting of 10 PCs each, a main conference room with multiple displays, and expansion plans to take the labs up to 16 PCs each, a very complex system had to be integrated. There were many important variables to deal with in order to adapt/convert, extend, and distribute the signals from all these PCs to the corresponding displays. First, DVI output from the PCs had to be converted to HDMI before being connected to a distribution amplifier. Compatibility was essential because of the number of different PCs used. The signals then had to run through another set of distribution amplifiers over CAT6 cable to a matrix switcher in a central location. It was critical to develop a system that allowed the four inputs on the matrix switcher to be user-selected to display two PCs in each lab on the desired outputs. In the main conference room, two large LCD displays and a projector also had to be integrated into the system. The goal there was to allow three users to connect their laptops to the three displays in the conference room. To accomplish this, the signal first had to be converted from VGA to HDMI, and then extended over CAT6 cables.
Solution:
With so much converting, extending, and switching required, Chris Kremer new that the AV units selected for this system had to offer an efficient and reliable solution. After researching thousands of AV manufacturers, ATLONA Technologies came out on top. Manufacturing AV equipment for over 10 years, ATLONA offered the all-in-one solution that Chris and GBL were looking for. Since they offer cables, converters, extenders, and switchers of all sorts, Chris was able to use Atlona solutions for the entire project, rather than constructing a ‘Frankenstein’ system with mix-and-match parts from different manufacturers. In each of the two software labs, Kremer installed an Atlona AT-HD-V81, a high-performance HDMI 1.3 switcher with remote and RS232 command capabilities and relocking HDMI technology. Using the PC’s secondary video output with a DVI-to-HDMI adapter, he was able to connect to the distribution amplifiers, with allowance for future expansion up to 16 PCs in each lab. To connect each AT-HD-V81 to a centralized matrix switch, Kremer used Atlona’s AT-HD-IR40SR, a top of the line, innovative dual-CAT6 HDMI extender. The matrix used was the AT-HD88M-SR 8x8 matrix switch, capable of recording the EDID from all eight displays, and offering as a highly reliable solution. Since the system needed to distribute HDMI video from multiple sources to multiple remote displays at the same time, and since all the other PCs would be running through this matrix from the distribution amplifiers, reliability was absolutely essential. Four of the eight inputs were connected to computers in each lab, allowing them to be viewed either simultaneously or independently across all displays. After finalizing the distribution for the labs, the last step was to integrate the main conference room, consisting of two LCD displays, one projector, and three VGA sources. A VGA-to-HDMI adapter was used to connect to the AT-HD-IR40SR, which allowed three users in the conference room to hook up their laptops and output the signal to any desired display.
Products:
Atlona HDMI v1.3 Extender with 3D over 2 CAT5e Cables with IR up to 200ft (AT-HD-IR40SR), The 8x1 Atlona HDMI 1.3 Switch with 3D Support (AT-HD-V81), The Atlona 8x8 HDMI Matrix Switcher over Cat5/Cat6 with 3D Support (AT-HD88M-SR)
Industry:
The AV system integrated at GBL has been running reliably and has proven to be a success. Many installers worry about long runs, and the performance of a matrix switcher, especially when it is the foundation of the whole system. ATLONA offered a first-rate Matrix switcher for GBL’s application that proved to be highly reliable and functional at long distances. Chris Kremer notes: ‘Our furthest display is over 100ft away from the 8x8 switch, and it works perfectly.’
Lessons Learned:
No task is too small, No task is too large! When a reliable, affordable, and high-quality solution is needed, Atlona is the answer. Selling solutions rather than products is why customers like GBL consistently turn to Atlona for their AV integration needs.
Company description/Services offered
Atlona Technologies is a solution-based manufacturer of AV accessories whose product lines have grown to cover almost every conceivable solution in the industry.
Service Area:
Sunnyvale, California
Contact Information:
Joshua Carlson
PR Director
JCarlson@Atlona.com
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