Matt Tibbitt, product manager at video processing specialists Datapath, discusses Command and Control room flexibility.
Everyone likes flexibility – the freedom to change things to their preference or purpose. The world of audio visual brings countless examples of applications set up to work perfectly with user requirements, whether it be switchable sources or the ability to share and collaborate with colleagues.
For some organisations this brings a welcome, time saving, and cost saving convenience to operations. However, in a Command & Control room environment this flexibility, and the immediacy of it, is nothing short of essential.
Today’s large Control Room display systems are central to the smooth running of the operation. Information from a wide variety of sources can be accessed and displayed on the video wall providing up to the second information for teams of operators to review and, as required, respond. Visualised data from monitoring stations, production machinery & SCADA type applications combine to provide a detailed picture of what is happening in real time. The ability to display the correct information at the correct time in the correct place is therefore crucial to the effective running of the operation.
In a Utilities Control Room it may be necessary, at the click of a button, to display all the information relevant to a particular sub-system in order to effectively review operational efficiency, manage energy output & component temperatures. Having flexible controls allow all of this information to be easily accessible, with multiple teams being able to seamlessly work together in the full knowledge that they have all of the relevant information in front of them.
Powerful video wall controllers cater for these situations at the touch of a button. By operating a Command & Control video wall as a ‘blank canvas’ users can select and scale sources exactly to their needs. Different sources and windows can be pre-set to deal with a variety of situations, with additional ability to customize at will. No longer are screens and bezels the borders. Today’s ultra-thin bezels bring a single-sheet approach to displays, with LED eliminating the ‘border’ issue altogether.
Having a rigid display on a video wall is underutilizing what is possible for maximum efficiency. Anything is now possible for today’s displays, from carousel windows showing security feeds, to auto source switching when emergencies happen.
