It’s not that long ago that sending signals around a large building depended on specific AV cabling. Signals would be sent to each screen from central locations (like satellite decoders) – and needed new cables whenever screens were moved, or added to.

You’ll still find evidence of these systems in buildings, especially in comms rooms – “RGBHV” matrixes, signal processors, scalers, and splitters to get the content to where it’s needed. But these are often now in abandoned racks – all becoming out of date as soon as the formats change. When content becomes higher definition, or digitally protected, it all becomes useless.

How is it done now then? The best way is to make use of the standard network cabling in the building. Which standard you might use depends on what you are trying to achieve.

1. Audio-Only Distribution:

The main way to move audio around with standard network cabling is with a standard called Dante. Dante converts sound inputs (from all types of sources – microphones, TV tuners, Laptops and PC’s, etc) and puts the signal onto the network – and it can easily be sent to any Dante receivers on the network. Dante is a well-known standard, and so there are many speakers and amplifiers that can receive the signal directly from the network – getting the power from the network switch too – like the NetPA range from Extron. This means you can get the same audio signal all round a building – wherever there is a network socket – and even if there isn’t, running new network cable is cheaper, easier, and more flexible than dedicated audio cables.

The big advantage is how easy it is to add new speakers, or new audio sources, without any new cables – and how changes in the type and quality of the content can all be accommodated.

2. TV and Broadcast:

Another common building distribution challenge is broadcasting a similar or identical signal to multiple screens – for example, when you see a TV news channel playing in all the common areas. These systems were among the first uses of “IPTV” – an acronym more associated now with streaming services like Netflix. Instead of running aerial/satellite cables all round the building to each screen, the signal is centrally received in the comms room by an “encoder”.

The encoder tunes into the desired TV channel or channels, and makes the channel available on the network for any device to receive. These devices can then by centrally managed, turning to certain channels on a schedules, and controlling the screens.

There is plenty of customisation available – like adding your logos, news or weather feeds, wayfinding, or company data.

Since you are, in effect, creating your own TV channel, there is plenty of customisation available – like adding your logos, news or weather feeds, wayfinding, or company data. You’ve probably seen this in hotels, or in large reception sites. They can be incorporated into building systems, automatically setting the screens to assist with evacuation instructions for example. The best examples have inbuilt digital signage options, but if you already have a platform, then adding the existing signage as a “channel” is also possible.

These systems can work directly with modern, network-capable, displays, or with really low cost receivers – and make sure that any “channels” you encode in that building is available anywhere. Pacific work with Tripleplay and Streamvue – so we’ll be able to find an IPTV distribution system that fits your building.

3. AV-over-IP:

AV-over-IP is another way the existing network is used to distribute the signals – like the audio systems described earlier, but with video as well.

It differs from IPTV as it isn’t intended for broadcasting throughout – it’s more for taking advantage of the network cabling to cut the cost and increase the flexibility of AV in multi-use spaces. Consider a university lecture theatre, or corporate “town hall” space. These might have 3 or 4 displays around so everyone can get a good view – and maybe 5 different possible inputs – 2 laptops, a camera, and a 2-screen Teams Room PC. In a traditional system, you would need a “matrix switcher” – with the 5 inputs and 4 outputs – and AV cabling to and from the switcher. If you want to move the camera, you must re-run the cables (and make sure they are compatible with both the camera and the switcher!). If you need an additional screen, you may not even have enough spare outputs, and need to replace the whole switcher. Perhaps, to fit more people into your lecture or meeting, you think to use another room on another floor – but now can’t get the signal there.

Products can be placed on the network instead of the matrix switcher.

This is where the advantage of AV-over-IP lies. Products like the industry-leading Crestron NVX, or good value lines like Aten can be placed on the network instead of the matrix switcher – one box for each display or source device.

That way, if you need to move something, it simply needs plugging back into your network somewhere else. If you need a new display in another part of the building, just plug in an AV-over-IP decoder there. If you want a new source available – maybe another camera, it’s no problem, you just add an AV-over-IP encoder. Most of these are powered over the network too, for added install convenience, and many can be both encoder and decoder, so can be reused however you need them.

So, audio and video signals can be distributed around your building in a number of ways – but the best current approach is to use standard network cabling. This reduces the costs and increases the flexibility of the installation. Whether you need audio (for background music, announcements, etc.), IPTV broadcasts (for signage, TV, etc to a large audience), or flexibility in larger spaces (like divisible meeting rooms, town hall areas, or lecture theatres), Pacific will, with our technology partners, be able to find the right network distribution system.