Start with capturing the best picture possible.
The video conferencing process starts with the camera. To deliver the best image quality to participants on the receiving side of the conference, the camera capturing your image of that of an entire classroom or meeting room must be as high in quality as practical, made very easy with a product such as the Logitech Brio.
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While it may be more convenient to use the webcam available on your laptop, it likely is not nearly as capable as a stand-alone webcam. Capturing more than four times the data that a standard 1080p web camera, the 4K Logitech Brio represents an excellent example of excellent webcam performance. 

Getting that Captured data into your conferencing software.
Now that you have captured a high-quality video signal  the next step is getting the data into your video conferencing software. Most webcams come equipped with a six foot USB cable, while most USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 cables exhibit data loss at distances in excess of ten feet. For camera placement farther than ten feet, choosing the correct USB extension cable is critical. 

Bullet Train USB fiber optic extension cables will transmit 4K webcam data up to  forty meters, or 131 feet. Another way to extend USB connections is to use a USB hub. USB hubs may require extra power but allow multiple USB devices such as microphones, keyboards, or mice to be connected and used simultaneously, while also providing added length. Bullet Train makes a USB extension cable with a USB hub, allowing the use of up to four USB devices,  up to forty meters away. 

Conference Software
We are all working in post-pandemic environments where operating Zoom, Teams, and other video conferencing software is second nature. Since these platforms work in the same manner, personal preference is the only rule of thumb. Communications between participants go through an encoding process, with audio & video compressed for more manageable travel across the Internet. The signal is decoded and reassembled at the receiving end with data loss as minimal as possible. Poor compression algorithms may add artifacts which reduce image fidelity. Software unable to manage 4K bandwidth cannot send or receive 4K signals, regardless of other system architecture. 
 
Internet Speed
Another limiting factor for high-quality video conferencing is Internet speed. The data travels through Internet cabling subject to the inherent bandwidth limit of the cable infrastructure, the slower the upload rate, the more compression will be required to send the data at a fast pace. If upload rates are less than 25Mbps, expect heavy compression to affect the video signal. If the speed is in excess of 25Mbps, expect the image to look good to participants with comparatively fast Internet speeds. When bandwidth is insufficient, audio and video looks “choppy” and may drop off completely. 

A quick way to boost speed is to switch from WIFI if it is being used, and hard connect your computer or codec. Video conferencing over a WIFI connection is not recommended. The farther the WIFI access point is located, the lower speeds will be reducing the overall quality of the stream. 
 
Out of your hands
You are now prepared to send a high-quality video signal for video conferencing. However, you could still face quality-related problems if remote participants suffer from slow internet speed or a poorly performing computer. 4K video conferencing has the potential to be plagued by pitfalls preventing  a high-quality result. Not to worry, though; you have yourself covered. Simply share this article with your conferencing partners on the other end! 

Remote working or learning can be very impactful when all participants are correctly equipped. Be ready for your next video conferencing session with the correct components, software, and internet speeds.

​ConferX by AVPro Edge has a full solutions line-up including two unique conference room/classroom matrix switchers, the AC-CXMF62-AUHD and AC-CX84-AUHD!

Let's start with the Multi-Format 6x2 Matrix, a six input, two output matrix switcher with VGA, HDBaseT, HDMI, and DisplayPort video inputs, with HDMI plus HDBaseT outputs. This 4K switch can display any of the six sources through both the HDBaseT and HDMI output port, both of which are independent of each other, allowing the user to show two sources simultaneously. With additional audio inputs and outputs, this product also works with microphone or intercom systems. Check out these applications...

​The ConferX 8x4 Matrix is an 8 input, 4 output HDMI/HDBaseT matrix switcher featuring Quick Switch technology. Using Quick Switch, a 4K/30 signal will switch in less than 3 seconds, while a 1080p signal will switch in less than 2 seconds. This 4K switch can display any of the eight inputs through both HDBaseT and HDMI output ports. All four of the outputs are completely independent from each other, allowing the user to show four sources simultaneously. 

The applications for this switch are truly endless, take a look at some of the solutions below:

Both switchers work seamlessly with the entire ConferX line-up to give every end-user a simplified experience for sharing ideas inside a classroom, conference room or huddle space.
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Give us a call to make your next conference room or classroom a ConferX project, 877-886-5112!

As AVPro Edge readies more 8K products, logistically we are beginning to reduce the number of 4K HDBaseT SKUs currently offered, starting with 10.2Gbps receivers. The AC-EX100-UHD-R3, an early-on original workhorse for us, is being replaced by one of our existing, slimmer-chassis 18Gbps receivers you already use with AVPro Edge HDBaseT switchers, the AC-EX70-444-RNE, but with a new twist. Called the AC-EX70-444-RNE-P, the new SKU includes a DC 48V power supply for stand-alone application use, such as with ConferX wall plates.

Please note, the AC-EX70-444-RNE-P differs slightly from the AC-EX100-UHD-R3 and does not feature ethernet connections. Its 18Gbps increased bandwidth provides more headroom, accommodating signals up to 4K/60Hz@4:4:4 and VESA resolutions up to DCI 4K (4096 x 2160).
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The AC-EX70-444-RNE remains available for applications when the power supply is not required. ​

​In today's Employee Spotlight we are talking to Michael Hamilton, a new asset to the AVPro Edge team! We're sure you've already enjoyed reading some of his deep dive articles so let's get to know the man behind the words!

What is your Name and your roll at AVPro Global Holdings?
I am Michael Hamilton (though my Witness Protection Program status may now be compromised) and I am the Technical Writer.
 
Whats you favorite Color?
Smokey Mauve Pearl (at least it will be when the car I had ordered in March finally arrives).
 
Whats your favorite food?
Without a doubt, sashimi.
 
What do you like about working at AVPro?
The creative freedom allowed with the position I am in. It is liberating to arrive unassumingly at the office each morning to discover the day unfolds only in the manner with which I render it.
 
From your point of view, how is AVPro different from other places you worked?
I have known many AVPro employees from my long-time association with the ISF, so in one respect it feels like working with family. I’ve worked in structured environments like the NHL (19 years), in Hollywood as a professional calibrator (3 years, until Covid shut the industry down), and for close to five decades in specialty A/V retail/integration in ownership, management, sales, and purchasing positions. I had witnessed the AVPro culture from a short distance, always admiring Jeff’s ever-present can-do approach to any situation, while admiring Matt’s stewardship growing Murideo and AVPro into the juggernauts they’ve become. I’m humble and fortunate to be able to contribute in my small way to the continued success of AVPro.
 
What has been your best “moment” since working with AVPro?
Collectively, meeting and working with industry veteran Nick DeMaria has indeed been very special, as he never fails with an answer to questions I may have related to automation interfacing with our products. Working alongside Jason Dustal, whom I’ve known for nearly 7 years now, vis-à-vis Joel Silver and the ISF, is itself a reward, able to discuss all things ISF and our times on the road and the myriad of stories we’ve accumulated. Best moment, though? The fishing charter 55 miles into the Gulf…first time ever!
 
You work out of AVPro South in St. Pete, what’s the best way to handle the humidity in Florida?
It has been kept secret from me…but it seems to keep my guitars happy compared to Arizona’s mythical “dry heat” (122 degrees during monsoon season is not for the faint of heart).
 
If you had it your way, what is one thing you would change with the professional audio video world?
Though a few remain, it is unfortunate the marketplace has seen a demise of the local retail specialist shop. The place you could go to on a Saturday afternoon to audition and dream of your next upgrade. Many integration companies have fill this void with remarkably well-done showrooms however, the entire zeitgeist of the “golden age of hifi” era has dissolved, unlikely to ever return.  
 
What is your favorite Consumer Electronic?
A day in the not-too-distant future, I hope once again to be regularly listening to Magnepan speakers via a Prima Luna tube integrated amp.
 
Word on the street is you like F1 racing, What are some of your predictions for the rest of the season?
Mercedes seems to have made the necessary changes to their package with cars appearing rid of the “porpoising” that plagued them worse amongst the teams when the new spec cars were launched this year. They still retain their tremendous reliability and may supplant Ferrari as the only threat to Red Bull Racing, with Ferrari continuing to face problems despite a promising start. I see Verstappen repeating as World Champion for 2022, with Sainz passing LeClerc for second place in the driver’s championship. 

“Heresy!” you proclaim, however, permit us an explanation. Like you, and your clients, we’re also people who appreciate great sound in every nook and cranny of our homes.
“So, what gives” you ask, “how did you come up with that?” Here’s the true* story, from an unidentified source, retold, secondhand…

It was an otherwise nondescript, blustery South Dakota day, where inside the AVPro Edge engineering department (to which, mere mortals are forbidden entry) the team gathered for lunch. Seated, and as was the norm, sporting a round of Yoo-Hoo (strawberry, if reports were accurate), someone remarked hearing news of how the chip-draining void in the marketplace was plaguing audio distribution product availability. In less than a picosecond, as if on cue, all lunged for a napkin.  A chorus of what ifs? arose harmoniously, reverberating about the walls of the hallowed room, as all began furiously sketching ideas at a pace fervently equal to Wagner’s Ride Of The Valkyries. 

The Problem: How to collect audio from sources located in any room of a home, traffic them to a central location for distribution with the aid of familiar automation systems and their support products, then select these sources for private localized listening, or whole-house enjoyment.

One hour and six Hot Pockets later, a solution lay gloriously revealed, drawn full size, artfully detailed, three and one-half napkins wide: The AC-AEX-RC-HUB.
 *Okay, perhaps that was a slight embellishment (subsequent rumors insisted only four Hot Pockets, nobody had two) but a story like that has got to be true.

Of far greater importance than its genesis is how the new AC-AEX-RC-HUB can work transparently with your distributed audio systems seamlessly in the background, its API interfacing with and controlled by the third-party systems you are using, such as Control 4, Crestron, Elan, Savant and more. Perhaps highest in importance, the first link in your supply chain begins in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 

The AC-AEX-RC-HUB configuration features 12 audio inputs and 12 audio outputs with I/O connections using Toslink or analog RCA, with eight of the inputs uniquely designed for retrieving audio from sources located remotely from core system distribution components, via Power over Cable (PoC) category wire. Distances up to 100m are possible with Unshielded Twisted Pair, extending to 130m when using Shielded Twisted Pair. An AVPro Edge AC-AEX-T Digital/Analog Audio Extender Transmitter (not included with the AC-AEX-RC-HUB) must be paired to each of these eight inputs for complete operation. All Toslink signals are 2 CH PCM stereo (there is no multichannel downmixing) and analog signals are Left/Right stereo via RCA connectors.

The AC-AEX-T transmitter may be discretely placed behind the thinnest OLED, sending audio from TV-led apps or ATSC tuners back to the AC-AEX-RC-HUB for routing to the system, then passing on to architectural speakers at the TV location through system distribution components. It may also be placed in the system rack, using a short RJ-45 jumper for connecting to the AC-AEX-RC-HUB for rack-based sources such as multi-output music streamers.

System designs often consist of more audio-oriented areas than video destinations. Another interesting application for AC-AEX-RC-HUB is expansion of the audio outputs from a video matrix, such as the AVPro Edge Axion series, to 12 additional zones. 7 onboard pre-set EQ curves shape the sound as desired, and output volume may be tailored to meet your installation needs.   

However you may choose to incorporate the new AC-AEX-RC-HUB into your next installation, be assured it is built with the same rigid standards and reliability you expect from any AVPro Edge product, fully backed by our no-nonsense, 10 year warranty.  The AC-AEX-RC-HUB and the AC-AEX-T are shipping soon, order yours today. 

Show of hands: Who can’t wait for college football to start? Ah yes…Okay, good.

​Now, who has a NextGen TV and can watch games in 4K, uncompressed 4:4:4 color with HLG, plus Dolby AC-4 Atmos or DTS:X immersive sound? (This would be where I would insert the icon for PUZZLED, indicating a rapid disappearance of those hands).
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While displays sold thus far with an ATSC 3.0 onboard tuner only number about 5 million units, Next-Gen TV is taking off in a big way and this fall may perhaps signify the long-awaited turning point.  

Many in our industry feel we’ve been hearing about 4K broadcasting for so long, it seems like the idea originated before Tom Brady won his first Superbowl. During CES each year for nearly this past decade, talk abounded NextGen TV was around the next corner. Realistically, the system genuinely was conceived, designed and implemented in a compacted timeframe, compared to the primordial pace of previous broadcast television upgrades. 
 
The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) issued a call for proposals outlining a new standard to supersede ATSC 1.0, the current HDTV Over The Air (OTA) broadcast standard on April 4th, 2013. On November 16th, 2017, the FCC adopted the rules outlining ATSC 3.0, allowing broadcasters to use the Next Generation Broadcast Standard on a voluntary, market-driven basis. In the announcement, the FCC anticipated broadcasters would provide consumers “with more vivid pictures and sound, including Ultra High Definition television and superior reception, mobile viewing capabilities, advanced emergency alerts, better accessibility features, localized content, and interactive educational children’s content”.

​This summer, currently 68 markets encompassing nearly 50% of US homes have access to ATSC 3.0 OTA transmission. 54 designated market areas have at least one full-power station providing ATSC 3.0 services, with coverage projected to expand to 80% of US homes by the end of 2022. Many medium markets have leap-frogged ahead of the largest media centers.   

Manufacturers LG, Sony, Samsung and now Hisense market ATSC 3.0-enabled sets, typically medium-featured through top-tier models, most of which fall into the wheel house for the majority of televisions buying group-affiliated integrators specify and install. How many of your customers are aware they may already own a television capable of ATSC 3.0 reception? Do their system capabilities allow ATSC 3.0 use? Is the ATSC 3.0 tuner an accessible option from the iPad-based system remote you’ve provided them with? Was the audio system designed to monitor sound output directly from the TV?

Often I hear one of our superb AVPro Tech Support team members gathering problem-solving information. As expected, a vast number of systems are traditionally designed with a centrally located automation / distribution system hosting a mixture of Apple TV, Roku, DirecTV/Dish and cable box source devices. While most if not all are capable of delivering 4K HDR serial and dramatic content, live events are overwhelmingly 720p / 1080i stereo pass-thru broadcasts, depending on provider (everybody say ‘HULU’).  

Integrators should consider incorporating ATSC 3.0 playback into systems you presently have in your D-Tools/Portal.io design queues and when upgrading clients to new displays, almost assuredly with ATSC 3.0 tuners, make control system and audio playback provisions for ATSC 3.0 tuner content. Forecasts for 2023 call for as many as 10,000 ATSC 3.0 enabled sets sold each day. Be in the best position to deliver sports and live action programming to your clients with all the advantages UHD 4K offers and take note that an antenna is required for OTA acquisition. ATSC 3.0 has engineered out many of the reception issues that plagued early ATSC 1.0 adopters, using a different method than ATSC 1.0’s 8-Vestigal Side Band (8-VSB) transmission scheme. OTA signals are designed to be easily received in areas previously found difficult with OTA HDTV. During pre-wiring, it might be to your advantage to run a coaxial cable into an attic or accessible space for an ATSC 3.0 antenna, though most sets will suffice with an easily concealed indoor antenna similar to that for an FM audio tuner. You’re clever integrators! You can find the perfect spot. And look to many of the tools AVPro Edge has, such as HDMI switching devices and Bullet Train AOC cables, for HDMI 2.1a eARC.      

Other capabilities with ATSC 3.0 implementation are data streaming of interactive content, relative to the program or live broadcast (think of sports statics), and more effective public alerting during emergencies, particularly dangerous weather situations. The standard has a feature to “wake up” enabled sleeping devices when warnings are prevalent. 

AVPro Southern command is within (an eagle’s) eyesight of the ATSC 3.0 Tampa stations, an across-the-bay view from our offices. Nebraska takes on Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland on August 27th at 12:30 p.m. ET on Fox. I’ll be ready with a new calibrated ATSC 3.0 OLED.  

Recently, AVPro Edge was chosen by the TVS Pro team of Salt Lake City, UT as the backbone of the distribution system for Community Ambulance's new conference room in Henderson, NV. The team used the AVPro Edge AC-MX-88HDBT, AC-EX70-444-RNE,  AC-EX100-UHD-R3 and the AC-CXWP-HDMO-T

​The installation also included 2 Newline 86″ displays and an Epson interactive projector and screen. PTZ cameras were mounted in 3 separate rooms and Extron was used to control the systems.

Big changes are coming to the AC-MX-42 this July. Through a new, OTA-available firmware update, this switch is gaining a ton of new features.
Our best-selling 4X2 matrix switcher will gain priority switching. This will simplify the client user experience by enabling auto-switching when an input is connected (or even disconnected).  Check out all these new features:
 
Priority Switching (Auto-Switch Mode)

• When the AC-MX-42 is in Auto-Switch Mode, Priority Switching can be enabled.
• Priority Switching sets hierarchy per output, allowing you to designate favored inputs, preventing overtaking by lower priority inputs.
• Perfect as a Conference Room solution when remote connections might need priority over local input sources.

 
Fallback Input (Auto-Switch Mode)

• When the AC-MX-42 is in Auto-Switch Mode, the Fallback Input can be enabled.
• Fallback Input allows forced output of a desired input when the current active input is disconnected.
• A use example might be returning to an input with a corporate logo or, digital signage information when the source input is disconnected.

 
EDID Blend (Web GUI/EDID Management)

• Allows creation of custom EDIDs by combining video capabilities from one source with audio capabilities from another.
• A custom, blended EDID unlocks the full potential of your system, eliminating the “bottleneck” EDID incompatibilities often create.

AVPro Edge's 1G MXNet AV over IP Ecosystem is one of our most popular product lines. It supports 3rd party control systems like Crestron, is fast switching, supports unlimited video walls, and so much more. In addition, all system components, including our network switches, are designed, engineered, and manufactured by us, which allows for unique features not found with other AV over IP systems. Learn more...

The next generation of MXNet is just around the corner. MXNet 10G, AVPro Edge’s premium AV over IP system, provides crystal clear uncompressed 4K video with versatile AV distribution application support. Applications and features include point-to-point signal extension, seamless HDMI matrixing, 4K multi-view, multi-window video walls, KVM, and 1Gb Ethernet. The MXNet 10G Ecosystem is currently in production and will be shipping August 2022 with network switches launching even sooner. Learn more...

Extend USB 2.0 & 3.0 with AVPro Edge extenders and Bullet Train USB extension cables and Hub. The AC-EXUSB-2-KIT extends USB 2.0 100M via HDBaseT and supports Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and USB cameras. KVM is a piece of cake with the AC-CXWP-KVM-KIT sends bi-directional HDMI and USB signals in convenient wall plate design. Finally, you can trust Bullet Train for a variety of USB extension cable and hub lengths.

AVPro Edge's AXION X gives the integrator the power of customization with card options for up to 16 inputs and 16 outputs. This 16x16 matrix becomes the backbone of your entire installation delivering 4K signals from the source to display. The integrator's choices make AXION stand out; selecting between HDMI, HDMI with scaling, or HDBaseT for long video runs lets the integrator decide what type of infrastructure will work best for them. Learn more...

​We are here to make your installs easier, let us know how we can help. Give us a call at 877-886-5112 or +1 605-274-6055!