Automation & Control Power User: Davenport University

BlueWater Technologies Installed & Configured a State-of-the-Art Digital Media Solution

When Davenport University added the Robert W. Sneden Center to their list of facilities, they wanted to ensure they had the right infrastructure in place not only for the technology that was installed at the time but for the technology of the future. With that goal in mind Davenport sought out the experience of BlueWater Technologies’ AV Integration team to help design a system that could easily adopt new technology as it was required.

“We designed the systems in the Sneden Center to be as future proof as possible,” explains a BlueWater senior systems engineer. “The systems had to be state-of-the-art and easily added on to, since the university did not have the budget to do everything they wanted in the initial build-out, particularly in their new auditorium.”

In the auditorium, on of the keystones of the project, BlueWater installed a Crestron DigitalMedia backbone, which allows the ability to transport and switch digital audio and video signals between all the devices over Crestron’s version of a network cable. Crestron’s cable standard supports much higher bandwidth than traditional network cable to facilitate the transfer of full 1080p HD video and audio signals over much greater lengths.

The auditorium design includes multiple projectors, audio control and processing, and a number of different media sources including PC and Blu-ray. Future additions to this system are planned to include streaming, production, and distance-learning capabilities to support the various types of events planned for the auditorium. With this much equipment, installing a control system was necessary to simplify day-to-day use.

To accomplish this, a 15” Crestron touchscreen was installed into the main podium and programmed with an easy and intuitive interface that was simple enough for novice users to learn. A second 15” Crestron touchscreen in the equipment area was installed for the technical operator; with much more advanced controls over the equipment.

The Sneden Center executive boardroom, also designed around the Creston DigitalMedia backbone, was outfitted with HD video conferencing and digital AV presentation capabilities that allow the university to regularly interact with its 14 other campuses throughout Michigan. BlueWater installed projection, audio reinforcement equipment, and a number of different sources including Blu-ray, computer, laptop inputs, and the university’s video distribution system, which carries cable news and television plus campus programming.

To keep things simple for the faculty and administrators using this room, BlueWater provided a clean and intuitive control solution that anyone can use by following the on-screen instructions. Through use of control and automation, high-end technology can be at a much more friendly level that doesn’t require an expert to use.