AV Design and Integration

U.S. House of Representatives Budget Hearing Room

U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.

Challenge:

The primary needs for the U.S. Budget Hearing Room were an outstanding audio system, support for computer and video presentations, installation of videoconferencing and connections for satellite TV and Web casting. The primary directive, however, was to preserve the historic interior of the Hearing Room.

Solution:

In addition to a retractable 7.5'x10' Draper projection screen, ceiling-mounted Proxima projector, and two 50” Pioneer plasma monitors on swivel mounts, the newly equipped U.S. Budget Hearing Room features a 42” plasma screen was positioned in the middle of the lower tier of the dais. A small 4” monitor was installed at the Chairman’s position so he could follow the activity on the floor of the House.

Three voice-activated Panasonic cameras were installed on pan/tilt mounts: one each for the Republican and Democratic side of the dais, as well as one at the witness table. Engineers chose a minimal digital audio system installation approach for the historical structure of the dais. At each member position, a low-profile self-powered speaker and shock-mounted Shure microphone were installed, along with a polish brass plate that held the member's talk switch. The volume is controlled by a Peavey Cobra Net system, which utilizes an automatic gain-sharing mixer and works in conjunction with the program configuration to deliver the proper mix and level to each of the 48 powered speakers.

The Peavey system also handles the AV program feed as well as the video teleconferencing and Web cast signals. An AMX remote control system was installed that would allow a single operator to simultaneously run the audio system and the multimedia system. For this, three 15" LCD computer monitors were set up: one for displaying the audio system and presentation computer, the second to display the AMX control system, and the third to display the three cameras and the transmission feed to the quad monitor display.

Equipment Highlights:

Retractable 7.5'x10' Draper projection screen; ceiling-mounted projector; 50" Pioneer plasma monitors on swivel mounts; 42" plasma screen; voice-activated Panasonic cameras on pan/tilt mounts; 15" LCD computer monitors; Shure microphone; Peavey Cobra Net system; AMX control system

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