Education | AV Distribution Tutorial Source Devices Digital signage publishers Also called digital signage appliances, these function essentially as storage devices to play back digital content, such as MPEG or Windows® Flash® animations, PowerPoint® They can also be set up to deliver RSS and XML data feeds, and other Web-based content in real time to your displays. They’re usually Windows or Linux® AVI media, movie files, and audio. They can operate on their own (directly connected to a screen), but are usually on a network with their own IP address, enabling management via a browser-based interface. based PCs by design with spacious drives and high-performance processors. They’re called publishers because they contain the software that enables you to manage content distribution, as well as creative design tools to set up and insert media into zones within a signage presentation. Other video sources This can be as simple as a Blu-ray or DVD player, or a robust dedicated or shared server hosted centrally or in a distributed environment. These devices can also be used to bridge the connection between your digital signage publisher and a content management system. For instance, prerecorded video and other content can originate from the content management system or a video library. For corporate applications, your AV distribution system can be connected to an Oracle® database or a CRM system, and in retail applications, digital signage screens can link to a PoS database running on a network and tracking available inventory. Source devices can also be whatever it takes to link a Internet or WAN feed to your video distribution or digital signage system, including network gateways or CATV or DTV set-top boxes. Extenders For maximum reach and image control in your AV distribution or signage application, you’ll likely need devices that enable you to send signals farther than what’s possible when using video cabling by itself. These transmitter/ receiver combos enable you to send DVI, VGA, or other types of video (as well as audio) from a PC or other source devices to remote screens. These devices include: • In-line extenders, like amplifiers and boosters, which are installed within a video cable run. • Baluns, which are devices that connect a balanced line, such as twisted-pair cable, to an unbalanced line, such as coaxial cable. Many versions are available for VGA and other analog RGB video standards, as well as CCTV camera connections. • CATx-based extenders, which convert the signal for extension over CAT5 or higher-grade cable, enabling you to use inexpensive wiring for your long-distance extensions. • Fiber-based extenders (or transceivers), which convert and distribute AV signals over interference-free fiber cabling at very long distances. • Broadcasters, which are like extenders in that they typically use CATx cabling to distribute video to remote locations. However, they also support multiple channels for multisite distribution. • QAM modulators. These encode and modulate video input and create an HDTV channel for low-cost video distribution over existing RF cabling. Simply use the QAM tuner of an HDTV to receive the channel. • IP-based streamers and encoders/decoders. These devices compress and encode source video for extending over a LAN using lossless compression technology. They can be for multipoint distribution (multicast) or point to point (unicast). 6 Tech Support 030 - 241 77 99 | Sales 030 - 241 77 77 | On-Site Services 030 - 241 77 44
Distribution Components Other Signal Distribution Components Splitters For displaying images on multiple screens, order a splitter. Unlike CATx-based broadcasters or multichannel extension products, splitters divide a PC’s VGA, DVI, HDMI® , DisplayPort, or other type of signal without sacrificing quality. In some cases, splitters buffer output and drive signals extra distances without any loss, so they essentially function as extenders, too. They’re a great choice for splitting signals in retail applications where you want to keep source equipment in a secure area. Plus, they’re very easy to set up. In most cases, you just connect the video cables, power up your system, and you’re ready to start duplicating images for multiple monitors or displays. Switches Available in VGA, DVI, HDMI, and other versions, these enable you to switch video from PCs with multiple video outputs to a common display. You can do this manually or set it up to switch automatically based on input detection. Many switches also come with IR remote control units so you can switch sources away from the unit itself. Most also include an RS-232 port for connecting to a serial console. Matrix versions are available for showing video images from separate sources on multiple displays, eliminating the need to constantly swap cables between inputs and outputs. For instance, if your operation has four PCs and you want to display the video on one monitor to the other three monitors, a matrix video switch is what you need to handle the job. In many cases, they can be linked to a Crestron, AMX, or similar system. Any source input can be routed to any display output, and their matrix functionality makes them ideal for command and control rooms where one has to frequently switch video from multiple sources to multiple screens. They are also great for video broadcasting, corporate theater, conference room, and training applications. For easy recall, most matrix switches store a number of preset routing patterns. And because many newer HDMI switches are HDCP compliant, they can be connected to Blu-ray players or other protected-content sources, a function that enables easy integration into video production environments. What about wireless distribution components? It is taking the industry longer to offer completely reliable solutions for distributing high-quality video wirelessly. Part of the problem is the inability to consistently transmit full-motion video in real time over an active wireless connection. Because the technology often involves multicasting video, audio, and peripheral signals, there are latency issues at a higher resolutions. Error propagation and latency can make transmittal unreliable if there is insufficient or shared bandwidth. Yes, it can be done, but bandwidth is still a limitation. Full HD video requires a huge amount of bandwidth, limiting distance. Even the best solutions on the market today are limited to maximum distances of about 100 feet, and having to go through walls reduces distances further. Also complicating matters: The wireless video solutions have to share the spectrum with other wireless services, including regular Wi-Fi. This may affect the reliability of the wireless video system as well as the Wi-Fi network, so some planning and careful design is recommended. If you require a wireless video solution, call our FREE, 24/7 Tech Support experts at 030-241 77 99. For more information and our online store, visit www.blackbox.nl Advanced video and peripheral sharing systems In some applications, switching just video and audio isn’t enough. You may also need to access and switch between peripheral USB HID devices and remotely located computer CPUs or backracked servers, and provide switching access to more than one employee. In these applications, a modular video and peripheral matrix switching system can provide you with the flexibility you require. These modular crosspoint switching systems enable you to switch between PC CPUs in applications where HD video is everything. They’re designed to interface with and enable non-blocking matrix switching of digital video, USB-HID, USB 2.0, RS-232, and audio ports. What’s more, they enable you to use the existing cabling infrastructure for connectivity between a console/CPU and a switch without a media converter or third-party switching device. In addition to matrix switching, they may even provide high-performance routing of HD video, audio, and data for complete signal distribution. In this instance, they work as extension devices, and like our IP-based extenders, they use multicasting to distribute signals over a network. If you don‘t need such advanced switching and extension capabilities, but just want easy monitoring and switching of video from multiple computer heads, a KVM type of sharing/switching device may be all you need. These give you the ability to control multiple CPUs or servers from one keyboard and mouse plus the ability to display the video from those multiple servers or servers on one monitor — all at the same time, and in real time. In addition to command and control rooms, KVM switches are ideal for workstations in financial, banking, engineering, graphics, and healthcare. QUESTI NS to ask. 1. Where do you intend to store most of your video content (on a backracked server, on a workstation PC, at a remote office, on an FTP site)? 2. Do you intend to distribute video from a number of different sources (including Blu-ray or DVD players)? 3. Will you need to integrate a sales CRM system or other database into your AV distribution system? 4. Do you intend to use RSS feeds or other external Web content on digital signage? 5. When outputting video from a single source to multiple displays, do you require extended distance? 6. Will you be transmitting in video areas with interference or vibration? 7. Do you have CATV or other RF coax wiring available? 8. Will you need to distribute signals from more than one source to a display? 9. Will many users, including those in remote offices, require workstation access to multiple computers for routing video to multiple screens? Contact the experts at 030-241 77 99. 7
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