Johnson Boardroom at Butler University

I am a Bulldog.  I have always cheered for Butler, even before Butler made back to back appearances in the final game of the NCAA basketball tournament.  In fact, the first time Butler even made it to the tournament was the year I graduated in 1999!  I have always loved Blue (our adorable mascot), and most importantly, I have always been proud to be a Butler graduate.  The College of Business was revamped after I graduated with all new technology, that included Draper screens.  I did not get to take advantage of that technology as a student, but I have been back and guest lectured and am duly impressed.  And the University seems dedicated to staying on the cutting edge.  When Sensory Technologies shared this experience with me below, I had to blog about it.  It’s a great testament to Butler and to Sensory…and luckily there are some Draper screens involved too.

“It isn’t that we’d never integrated AV around artwork before,” notes principal and co-owner Andrew Sellers, “but this was a 2,120-square-foot mural that’s expected to be a memorable part of the Butler community for generations to come. Plus we value our client partners and work hard to embrace their business objectives. University officials wanted this room to be very special. We did too.”

The previously traditional space had not been renovated in more than 20 years. New carpet and re-purposed, angled walls surrounding a giant window offered dramatic visual potential. A mural – depicting seven of the most iconic images on the Butler University campus – was planned for the main wall. That was a significant challenge – how best to integrate a state-of-the art AV presentation system “around” the mural?

Longtime client-partner Butler University engaged Sensory Technologies early enough in the process to make the unique, customized AV integration more manageable.

Two NEC NP-PA550W widescreen projectors with long throw lenses now sit on customized, ventilated shelves at the rear of the room inside the top of the door frame each projecting to Draper Targa Series 137” screens. A Crestron Digital Media infrastructure with an 8×8 DM switcher allows connectivity to the lectern, two floor boxes containing power, Ethernet, XLR inputs, HDMI connectivity, and a patch panel in the equipment rack located in a closet at the back of the room.

The lectern contains connectivity through an Extron Cable Cubby that includes VGA and HDMI laptop connections, an MP3/IPod connection and a USB connection. An 8.4” Crestron touch panel is flush mounted into the lectern, plus the room can be controlled wirelessly via an IPad. A PC dedicated to this room and a Blue Ray DVD player will also be housed in the lectern. A Crown dual channel audio amplifier with 500 watts per channel was used to power the system speakers – including six Extron ceiling-recessed speakers. A Bosch Audio Conference System with 24 microphones (1 for every 2 people) was specified to handle Butler University’s conferencing needs. A Biamp Nexia TC audio processor was integrated for echo cancellation and clear, crisp audio conferencing.

Sensory Technologies worked with University officials to coordinate having the artist paint the mural over the screen cases such that when the screens are not in use, it gives the impression there are no screens mounted on the wall. Sensory Technologies’ client is thrilled with the space – considered to be “the” showcase space currently on campus. The newly renovated Johnson Board Room will serve as the venue for Board of Trustees meetings and other special Butler events. University officials intend to make the space available for weddings and receptions, as well.

About Sensory Technologies
Sensory Technologies is a leading audio-visual, telepresence system and collaboration solutions provider offering fully integrated, customized solutions consisting of system design and engineering, equipment procurement, system installation and integration, on-site service, and comprehensive Client Solution Center (CSC) support (Bridging & Cloud Based Services, Hosted Digital Signage, Streaming & Archiving, Asset Management Service, Support & Warranties, On-Site & Remote Diagnostics). Solution Areas: Collaborative Presentation, Virtual Collaboration & Communication, Immersive Collaboration Experience (ICE), Situational Awareness/Command & Control, Content Delivery – Digital Signage, Streaming & Archiving. Website: http://www.sensorytechnologies.com.