With this integration, the work dynamics at Microsoft Bogotá have resulted in an improvement in the quality and productivity of work, with agile and user-friendly systems.
Richard Santa
Achieving collaboration spaces for the interaction of people in the new Microsoft offices in Bogotá, with meeting rooms of various capacities and providing all the necessary audio and video resources, was the objective of the intervention carried out by the company Riegner Soluciones Tecnologicas in mid-2016.
To learn more about this integration, AVI LATINOAMÉRICA spoke with Germán Oliveros and Alejandro Laserna, executives of the integrating firm, who stressed that the project included meeting rooms of different sizes, multipurpose rooms and digital signage.
The intervention was carried out on the four floors of Microsoft's offices in Colombia. The multinational was looking for an ALly in AV that understood and adapted the company's global standards in an innovative and versatile workspace, which complied with the established work dynamics.
They assured that "the experience of more than 30 years of the team understanding the needs of the client and compliance with the demands of multinational companies, allowed to build the necessary confidence to opt for the solution offered by the hand of an international consultant (ARUP), to comply with the high global standards of the corporation".
The spaces intervened
Before the intervention, Microsoft's offices in the city had manual meeting rooms, without automation and an automated divisible auditorium with Crestron technologies from 6 years ago. For the upgrade, the audio and video systems were integrated with Crestron and Extron equipment.
With Germán Oliveros, Sandra González, Alejandro Laserna, professionals who were at the head of the project by Riegner Soluciones Tecnológicas, and with products and systems from brands such as Extron, Crestron, Samsung, Biamp and Shure, the following spaces were achieved:
Rooms for 4 and 8 people:
These rooms feature a 350 nit EDD series industrial grade monitor. This LFD display shows the content of the presenter who has HDMI, MiniDisplay Port, Micro HDMI, and VGA connection on the table. The video and audio transmission was carried out by means of Crestron HDBaseT Extender, achieving the real resolution of the source in the LFD. EDID switching of the audio and video source is automatic and was achieved with an Extron MPS601 scaler switch previously configured to detect the connected source.
To simplify the action that the presenter must perform to operate the systems, a Crestron RMC3 controller with 360° presence sensor on the ceiling was used. In this way when the system detects a source connected to any input it sends the instruction to the controller to turn on the LFD, in this way the source is reproduced immediately. At the end of the session the user disconnects the video source and leaves the enclosure, the system detects that there is no activity, times 15 minutes and turns off the LFD leaving the room ready for the next user. In this way, the energy consumption of the equipment is optimized.
Rooms for 14 and 18 people
In them the exhibitor has a 94" projection screen of the Advantage® Deluxe Electrol® series of Dalite, automated. Video playback is done by a 4000 lumens ceiling-mounted video projector with native WUXGA 1920 x 1200 resolution.
The connectivity available on the table is HDMI, VGA, Minidisplay Port, Micro HDMI. The switching of these inputs is done automatically by means of an Extron IN1608 scale switch that tells the Crestron RMC controller to activate the curtain and turn on the projector without the user having no further intervention.
6 ceiling speakers reproduce the content of the source giving amplification resources to the exhibitor. The video transmission and control used was Extron DTP from the switch to the receiver above the video projector.
Multipurpose meeting room:
This room has the versatility to separate into two spaces both digitally and physically by means of acoustic division. Each room has a lectern from where the exhibitor can connect his device (PC, Tablet, Mobiles) and from which he interacts with the control of the room from a 7" touch screen of Crestron.
It has an audio and video control room that stores switching, transmission, amplification and control equipment.
The exhibitor has a projection screen for each room of 113 "and for the reproduction of video and projector of 6000 lumens with native resolution WUXGA (1920 x 1200), also has the support of a 20" touch monitor in the lectern of Smart Board to interact with the presentation. As sound support there are two lapel microphones and one Shure handheld microphone from the ULXD line with AES-256 encryption.
Each room has 12 speakers with a coaxial ceiling at 60W and two speakers on a 260W wall, as support for people with hearing impairment each room has a LISTEN LS-82-01-WH equipment with infrared radiator and 8 receivers per room.
The video and audio transmission used was HDBaseT and the input switch and video scaler used was CRESTRON DMPS3-300-C. for video interaction (joining and separating) between the rooms, CRESTRON DM-MD8X8 matrix switches were interconnected. The integration and processing of audio is carried out by means of DSP Tesira of the manufacturer BIAMP.
This room has been programmed so that the exhibitor from the touch screen of the podium can activate the room for the presentation, activate the electric curtain, the projector control, audio levels, switching of sources, union and separation of the room in a simple way.
Digital Signage
This system includes 12 industrial monitors previously configured as a digital billboard. These displays use the software of the proprietary Samsung Magic Info lite version, and are interconnected to a LAN network independent of the corporation. The information is managed and uploaded to the monitors from a PC server.
These screens have a schedule of on, off and playback of content. Such content is based on a Microsoft corporate channel designed and updated by a third party.
Global projects
For the design and execution of this project, an initial specification of the brands they have in alliance with Microsoft at a global level was made, which comply with the standards and designs established within a very uniform framework for each of their headquarters in the world.
On the way they encountered some difficulties that they had to overcome, among them the import times of some ceiling speakers which delayed the process of manufacturing the ceiling. In addition, they had to manufacture some additional local anchors in order to install them.
Finally, Riegner's experts stressed that "the advantages that have been seen in the work offices with respect to AV systems have been, above all, the optimization of individual times and productivity within this new concept of "digital nomadism", where the versatility of the jobs is sought, for the nearly 300 employees of the corporation. Also, the strengthening of team collaboration".
Riegner, winner of the AV Latino Contest 2016
In the 2016 version of TecnoMultimedia InfoComm Colombia, which was held in October, AVI LATINOAMÉRICA magazine gave recognition to the third version of the AV Latino Contest, which rewards the best installation made in the region during the last year. This time the winner was Riegner Soluciones Tecnológicas, with the integration in Microsoft.
Riegner Soluciones Tecnológicas arises from the union of a multidisciplinary team with more than 30 years of experience in the AV market in Colombia. Tradition that today allows to provide confidence to customers combined with the possibility of being flexible innovating in the face of customer requirements.
The company is focused on offering accompaniment from the design phase to the turnkey delivery of large-scale AV projects. Among its main clients, there are avant-garde companies in the corporate market such as Microsoft, AIG, Oracle and Mercado Libre.
The support given by the strategic alliances it has with the main manufacturers such as Extron, NEC, Epson, Milestone and Biamp, among others, adds to the experience of its founders and the technical team. Today the company is led by engineer Germán Oliveros as partner and project manager, Sandra González, partner and manager, Fanny Jimenez CFO and Alejandro Laserna in the area of marketing and sales.
Additionally, it has managed to bring together a team of engineers and installers who are experts in audio and video with experience in several very relevant projects in the country, with the certifications of the factories of the industry and the union accompaniment.
According to what was stated by the company's spokespersons, the motivation to participate in the AV Latino Contest was the satisfaction of hard work and well done, having the opportunity to work hand in hand with such important consultants at a global level as ARUP and the MSAV area, and also to be able to expose it to the most important players in the industry, motivating the evolution of AV in the country.
They stressed that "for Riegner, this award is the result of teamwork, passion for what we do and a commitment to continue working for the AV industry in Colombia. It means the beginning of a new stage that shows that the path traced is the right one to continue working on a dynamic of constant transformation, maintaining that communication between manufacturers and customers, with the certainty that there is support at all times of an innovative AV project and according to their needs in a modern corporate environment".
The company's future plans are to promote the development of a solid and professional AV industry in the country, which understands technology as a means to achieve the improvement of the quality of life and professional performance in corporate environments. Similarly, Riegner hopes to expand in Latam by putting his vision at the service of other countries.
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