PERENCO
in association with
Digital information is a significant asset in oil and gas production. When key decisions hang in the balance, the successful delivery of advanced analytical data makes the difference and reduces costs through efficiency.
Recognising the value in transparent information, one of the industries leading independents wanted to use cutting-edge technology to share this critical resource across their global reach in a rapid and consistent manner.
However, it wasn’t simply enough to have several disparate systems in play. What was required was an integrated solution, with an intuitive control system at its core to unify the technology and enhance business practise; presentation, communication and environment all needed to be seamlessly and centrally managed.
Considering the nature of the project and the broad functionality required, one manufacturer stood head and shoulders above the rest: AMX. Prior to the construction of their new Central London Headquarters, an agreement was made to streamline all future collaboration spaces utilising AMX NetLinx Processors, AMX Enova Digital Media Switchers and AMX Modero Touch and Booking Panels.
The end-user employs over 6,000 people across 13 countries, 300 of whom are based at the London Office. Having outgrown their Kensington premises, the end-user elected to build new headquarters in the heart of Mayfair. This clean-break in environment provided a great opportunity to examine the technologies used in meetings, conferences and training sessions.
Historically, user experiences had suffered at the hands of unreliable kit and inconsistent control; the belief that an AV system would respond in the correct way had completely diminished. As a result, more pressure was put upon the end-userís IT Department to effectively operate the rooms, setting them up in accordance with the usersí needs and, more often than not, circumventing inherent system issues. This continued waste of resource was a key factor in adopting a new integrated strategy moving forward.
The end-user wanted a simple, reliable control system that offered a consistent experience across all collaboration spaces, enabling staff to enter any meeting and immediately be familiar with how to use the room and its various functions, ensuring that meetings could be started on time, every time. This was of particular importance to the end-user, due to the time-sensitive nature of the industry.
To improve reliability and security, AV systems were to be arranged in a semi-centralised topology. On each of the six floors, a Comms Room would contain the AMX NX Series processors, Enova Video Matrices, conferencing equipment and audio amplification required to run the rooms on that floor.
Presentation sources remained local to the room and AMX Enova Transmitters and Receivers were used to carry the signals back and forth from source to screen. To take advantage of the Enova 4K video backbone, Sony 4K Commercial displays were used to provide peerless image quality and robust compatibility with AMX control code.
The project planning phase was rigorous due to the ongoing construction and the state of the build. A full specification document was drawn up, taking into consideration the environmental concerns and the intended infrastructure cabling. Avita enlisted the services of Unique Control to develop the user interface using guidelines provided by the end-user. Having an experienced programmer on the team ensured that Avita could meet the end-users expectation of a clean, concise control scheme and guaranteed system reliability.
In total, 24 rooms with several different configurations were integrated with AMX technology. Among the meeting room portfolio, the end-user now boasts five fully equipped offices for key executives, seven large rooms, a training room, a cafeteria and a variety of smaller meeting spaces.
The AMX Control Processors and Modero Panels solved the problem of managing complex technology with a reliable, consistent and scalable solution that unifies control and automation, system-wide video and audio switching and AV signal distribution, room booking and technology management. Now when an end-user uses a collaboration space to deliver critical and detailed information, there is one point of control for every function through a highly reliable table top touch panel.
The Boardroom is typically used for large scale executive meetings and presentations. Featuring four Sony 4K displays, integrated video and audio conferencing, wireless and wired laptop connectivity and other presentation sources. By using AMXís Smartscale technology, any source of any resolution can be sent as content via the video conferencing system, eliminating the need for a 3rd party software solution such as Webex.
It can also be used in the event of a crisis, adapting at the push of button and streamlining functionality to only the required level. All activity within the room is recorded using ceiling mounted cameras, embedded table microphones and the sources leveraged by the AMX Enova matrix. By achieving this, Avita have helped the end-user meet its own internal requirements and allowed them a complete record of the crisis response.
The final result is a London office, with a professional meeting room control system, where employees can share vital information via the highly intuitive and reliable AMX technology.
