Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1347119
April/May/June 2021 I 27 POWER 12V 0.7A MAX L R L 8Ω / 4Ω CLASS 2 WIRING R 10V V C G 50mA L MPA 152 Plus R INPUTS OUTPUTS REMOTE 0.2A MAX POWER 12V SW4 HD 4K 1 Tx Rx G G C T G C G 1 2 3 4 C T T G C T +V RS-232 AUTO CONTACT IN/TALLY OUT 2 3 4 INPUTS OUTPUT REMOTE MediaPort 200 100-240V 0.4A MAX 50/60 Hz HDMI LOOP OUT MIC/LINE +48V LINE L R LINE L R REMOTE OUTPUT LAN USB AEC AUX RESET RS-232 +12V I/O Tx 0.1A MAX Rx G I1 I2 G O1 O2 INPUT POWER STANDBY Internet MODEL 80 FLAT PANEL WiFi 1 2 3 4 HDMI Audio Audio Audio Audio HDMI Ethernet TCP/IP Ethernet/ AV LAN USB Video/Audio HDMI HD Camera Laptop Document Camera Boundary Microphone PC with UC Platform Software Display Remote Students Touchscreen Control Amplifier Switcher with Intergrated Controller Speaker Speaker Microsoft Teams FIGURE 5: Integration of UC into a typical classroom AV system that supports remote and hybrid learning. Figure 5 illustrates one suggested way to integrate UC into a typical classroom AV system that supports remote and hybrid learning. The scaling bridge is key to this inte- gration. It gathers audio and video from all the sources in the classroom AV system and feeds them to a computer running the appropriate UC codec software that connects with the chosen UC platform(s). Schools have a wide choice of UC platforms to choose from, and each has its own codec software. More than one can be installed on the computer to make the room truly universal, but the school administrators will be making the choice, since each comes with a significant recurring licensing fee for the pro versions. The USB connection uses generic USB drivers for universal compatibility with any computer and operating system. The bridge's video scaling provides video reso- lutions at the USB output ranging from 320x180 at 15 Hz or 30 Hz up to 1080p at 15 Hz to match common soft- ware codec requirements for optimal quality of camera or computer video content. Some scaling bridges also process audio, providing digital mixing, routing, and an audio echo cancellation (AEC) reference output that external AEC processors can use to ensure the remote learners hear echo-free audio. For the design shown in Figure 5, the switcher does most of the work of selecting the AV sources in response to choices made by the instructor via a touchscreen user interface. Most AV manufacturers have partnered with at least one UC platform, offering integrated control of all conferencing and AV system functions from a single graphical user interface. Integrating Classroom AV with Streaming Solutions The UC solution is a great choice to replicate an in-room experience for remote learners. It is a two-way commu- nications medium that allows instructors to interact with students and students to interact with each other, just like in a real classroom. However, it increases instructors' workloads because they must coordinate session schedules, initiate the online sessions, and act as online moderators. Also, the number of participants is limited to the caps imposed by the UC platform. Those caps have increased due to consumer demand but are not unlimited.