MOUNT VERNON, VIRGINIA – JANUARY 2014: The Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington opened recently just outside the gates of Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, roughly fifteen miles south of Washington DC. Not only is the $45 million building the leading scholarly research facility for America’s first President, it is also filled with state-of-the-art technology that allows scholars-in-residence to videoconference with colleagues around the world. A SymNet Edge Dante networked audio DSP system with comprehensive conferencing features, including Acoustic Echo Canceling (AEC), delivers robust, high-quality audio for the library’s six video conferencing systems, as well as background audio and paging services. A dedicated SymNet Radius 12×8 DSP together with a custom Crestron computer control interface serve as the heart and brains of the library’s recording studio.
Richard Derbyshire of Shen, Milsom & Wilke’s Washington, D.C. office designed the sound reinforcement system, and IES Communications of Roanoke, Virginia installed it. Jim Hogan, A/V project manager with IES Communications, explained, “This is a high-profile, high-visibility installation, and the expectation is perfection. We’ve done a number of Symetrix installations, and they always go smoothly. The technical support from Symetrix is excellent, and the sound quality and stability of the units are great. The modular SymNet Edge system gives us tremendous flexibility with regard to inputs and outputs as well as customized processing.”
The sound reinforcement system and conferencing systems are located primarily in the conference wing of the library, where two larger conference rooms and two smaller conference rooms join the library’s signature lecture and conferencing space, The David M. Rubenstein Leadership Hall. A massive eighteen-foot by eight-foot micro-tile screen forms the focal point of Rubenstein Hall and allows the library’s scholars-in-residence to connect with individuals and groups across the country and around the world. Four SymNet Edge frames are outfitted with eleven AEC cards, two 2-Line analog telephone interface cards, three analog input cards, and two analog output cards, all working in conjunction with two SymNet xIn12 and two SymNet xOut12 I/O expanders. The units are integrated using the DanteTM network audio protocol. All of the conferencing systems benefit from Symetrix’ advanced AEC hardware and DSP algorithms.
In addition, the library staff has use of a small audio and video recording studio with which to create educational and other materials in-house. Hogan centered the studio workflow on a SymNet Radius 12×8 processor. He used its open architecture to design custom recording and playback functionality that users control via an intuitively laid out Crestron interface, thereby enhancing their productivity by providing them with efficient, easy to use tools.
ABOUT SYMETRIX Symetrix is dedicated to making life sound better. As a world leader in the development and manufacturing of digital audio signal processing (DSP) systems and accessories, Symetrix provides best in class audio management solutions to businesses, schools, non-profits and government organizations.
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