From closed circuit television to cell phones and conference calls, IP connectivity already plays a fundamental role in professional work environments. In the commercial AV market, however, this technology hadn't been a very good fit — until recently.Replacing the clunky hardware and physical limitations of traditional AV equipment, AV over IP (or AVoIP) is a flexible and responsive way to meet customer requirements for large-scale and enterprise projects. In addition to being convenient and cost-effective, AV over IP technology provides an optimal experience for the end user.As a result, the perception and industry-wise use of the technology has changed.
AV over IP: An Introduction
AV over IP differs from traditional distribution methods because it doesn't require the use of a matrix switcher. Instead, encoders are placed on all source devices and decoders are placed on all destination devices. As AV consultant Mike Tomei says, having all encoders and decoders tied to ethernet switches enables a near-infinite number of devices to be added. This results in an easier, more affordable way for companies to scale up audiovisual projects and add destination sources without complication. Such changes in technology and infrastructure have enabled companies of all sizes to adopt AV over IP. According to Anthony Brennan, an analyst at Futuresource Consulting, AV over IP is becoming more accessible in commercial electronics installations due to lower operational costs and reduced hardware prices. “The low barriers associated with AV over IP are allowing smaller companies to compete directly with these large enterprises, merging the worlds of IT and AV, placing software solutions at the heart of the AV industry and fostering innovation and competition,” he says.
Barriers to AV Over IP Adoption
AV over IP has numerous benefits for audiovisual distributors and end users, but there are many industry professionals who are still reluctant to adopt the technology. Here are the key areas where systems integrators tend to hesitate — and why many industry professionals are converting to AV over IP due to its affordability and quality user experience.
Compression
Some systems integrators are unsure about adopting AV over IP because they fear that audio compression will hamper the viewing experience, according to Commercial Integrator editor at large Craig MacCormack. However, IP technology actually offers a more advanced and responsive form of file compression.
In fact, “AV on an IP network won't require one compression method, but instead by being on IP foundation allows the compression (and bandwidth) to fit the application/need,” Intel Corporation Technology Strategist Greg Schlechter says. In other words, IP will only compress AV files when and how it's necessary, with no decrease in video quality for the end user. Greg Aradjan and Diane Hagan at IVCi chime into this conversation, adding that AV over IP has the potential to improve the overall quality of audio and video signals. Adjan and Hagan add that AV over IP enables HD and Ultra HD signals to be transmitted through IP-based products, providing a boost to distribution speeds..
Bandwidth
Another reason systems integrators have neglected to take advantage of this technology is due to the fear that AV over IP will slow down bandwidth. As the demand for high-resolution video in professional environments continues to grow, this is an increasingly valid concern. However, Shaun Oxenham, CEO at Cabletime, reassures these woes. Oxenham says that point-to-multipoint solutions, like AV over IP, actually conserve bandwidth because they send data over an IP network in a single transmission. As this approach uses fewer servers and reduces burden on the network, Oxenham adds, it lowers capital and operational costs.
Customer Needs
Although some integrators worry that AV over IP might reduce picture quality and come with slow loading times, experts in the field say AV over IP can actually expand an AV distributor's ability to meet customer needs.
For example, Installation International's Michael Burns explains that security is a key concern for clients when adopting any form of IP technology. Fortunately, AV over IP advancements have enabled top-tier security safeguards — like AES content encryption and active directory credential management — that keep all content and employee data safe and secure.
AV over IP technology can also meet the demands of large corporate networks and educational campuses, which often want to stream media-rich presentations with multi-point attributes. A campus may want the ability to show presentations with full video alongside chat feeds in every one of its classrooms. AV over IP technology supports this need, helping students and educators access content in real time.
Streamlining AV Over IP Adoption
Despite the many benefits of AV over IP, there remains one fact that's true of all hardware and software adoption: Learning to operate new technology can be a challenge. Fortunately, professional audiovisual experts understand this challenge, and have defined a few methods to streamline adoption.
Rob Lane, owner and managing director at Bigger Boat PR Limited, says that a key point of struggle for converting to AV over IP is the fact that IT skillsets tend to differ from those of AV professionals. This makes it harder to merge IP requirements with AV technology, since these two fields of knowledge traditionally haven't placed nicely together.
However, this challenge can and will be overcome. Namely, companies that invest in IP infrastructure training — and seek to hire IT professionals with an interest AV — will have the best chance of reaping the long-term benefits of AP over IP adoption.
Another way to streamline adoption is to change how you learn about video codecs and approach transport methods. Matt Pruznick,, senior editor at NewBay Media, says that it may be more beneficial to start with the use case of the space rather than the benefits and details of each transport method. Addressing the needs of the space — and how the AV needs of a hospital may differ from a college campus, for example — can provide a stronger approach to systems engineering.
Skepticism about AV over IP isn't new. In fact, Commercial Integrator editor in chief Tom LeBlanc compares it to skepticism from the early 2000s about digital audio. Those skeptics, too, eventually accepted MP3 technology and audio streaming.
Although AV over IP is unfamiliar to some commercial systems integrators now, it can and will transform our entire industry.
Although AV over IP is unfamiliar to some commercial systems integrators now, it can and will transform our entire industry.
東京的建築和城市構造受到了其歷史的深刻影響。東京近現代歷史上的兩個事件對城市造成了極大的破壞:其一是1923年的關東大地震,其二是第二次世界大戰中的東京大轟炸。由於這兩次時間造成的破壞,東京的城市景觀主要由現代和當代建築所構成,而較老的建築則很少見。東京的建築中包括兩座著名的塔:東京塔和東京晴空塔,其中後者是全世界第二高的建築物,僅次於杜拜的哈利法塔。東京的摩天大樓集中在新宿、丸之內、銀座、六本木等幾個地區。
東京還擁有許多公園和花園,東京境內有四座國家公園,其中包括覆蓋伊豆群島全境的富士箱根伊豆國立公園。
東京迪士尼度假區(日文:東京ディズニーリゾート、英文:Tokyo Disney Resort)又稱為日本迪士尼,是一座位於日本千葉縣浦安市,是日本Oriental Land公司在美國華特迪士尼公司授權下經營的迪士尼度假區。
雖然名為「東京」迪士尼度假區、實際所有設施都位於「千葉縣」。園區包含東京迪士尼樂園、東京迪士尼海洋兩大主要遊樂設施,還包括一些例如三家迪士尼飯店、六間「東京迪士尼渡假區公認大飯店」、伊克斯皮兒莉購物中心、東京迪士尼渡假區商品專賣店旅途愉快以及一些相關零售、餐飲及娛樂設施。整個區域佔地達201公頃,有公路、鐵路連接等等設備。
另外,此度假區是世界唯一一個非迪士尼直營的度假區,之前位於巴黎的樂園也非迪士尼直營,但是在多年虧損後,2017年被迪士尼買回股份。
東京巨蛋城(日語:東京ドームシティ/とうきょうドームシティ、TOKYO DOME CITY),是由株式會社東京巨蛋所運營,包含東京巨蛋、東京巨蛋城遊樂園、後樂園會館、LaQua、東京巨蛋飯店等設施所組成的都市型綜合娛樂區。。所在地位於東京都文京區後樂。
過去因東京巨蛋的暱稱「BIG EGG」與稱作BIG EGG CITY,2000年1月1日定為現名。
2003年,與洗浴設施為中心的商業設施LaQua開幕,成為集「觀賽」、「遊樂」、「放鬆」於一身的都會渡假城。年遊客約3500萬人。
東京巨蛋也是日本特攝超級戰隊系列近十年開始主要的拍攝地。同時也是超級戰隊秀的大本營。
東京的建築和城市構造受到了其歷史的深刻影響。東京近現代歷史上的兩個事件對城市造成了極大的破壞:其一是1923年的關東大地震,其二是第二次世界大戰中的東京大轟炸。由於這兩次時間造成的破壞,東京的城市景觀主要由現代和當代建築所構成,而較老的建築則很少見。東京的建築中包括兩座著名的塔:東京塔和東京晴空塔,其中後者是全世界第二高的建築物,僅次於杜拜的哈利法塔。東京的摩天大樓集中在新宿、丸之內、銀座、六本木等幾個地區。
東京還擁有許多公園和花園,東京境內有四座國家公園,其中包括覆蓋伊豆群島全境的富士箱根伊豆國立公園。
東京迪士尼度假區(日文:東京ディズニーリゾート、英文:Tokyo Disney Resort)又稱為日本迪士尼,是一座位於日本千葉縣浦安市,是日本Oriental Land公司在美國華特迪士尼公司授權下經營的迪士尼度假區。
雖然名為「東京」迪士尼度假區、實際所有設施都位於「千葉縣」。園區包含東京迪士尼樂園、東京迪士尼海洋兩大主要遊樂設施,還包括一些例如三家迪士尼飯店、六間「東京迪士尼渡假區公認大飯店」、伊克斯皮兒莉購物中心、東京迪士尼渡假區商品專賣店旅途愉快以及一些相關零售、餐飲及娛樂設施。整個區域佔地達201公頃,有公路、鐵路連接等等設備。
另外,此度假區是世界唯一一個非迪士尼直營的度假區,之前位於巴黎的樂園也非迪士尼直營,但是在多年虧損後,2017年被迪士尼買回股份。
東京巨蛋城(日語:東京ドームシティ/とうきょうドームシティ、TOKYO DOME CITY),是由株式會社東京巨蛋所運營,包含東京巨蛋、東京巨蛋城遊樂園、後樂園會館、LaQua、東京巨蛋飯店等設施所組成的都市型綜合娛樂區。。所在地位於東京都文京區後樂。
過去因東京巨蛋的暱稱「BIG EGG」與稱作BIG EGG CITY,2000年1月1日定為現名。
2003年,與洗浴設施為中心的商業設施LaQua開幕,成為集「觀賽」、「遊樂」、「放鬆」於一身的都會渡假城。年遊客約3500萬人。
東京巨蛋也是日本特攝超級戰隊系列近十年開始主要的拍攝地。同時也是超級戰隊秀的大本營。