Challenge & Requirements

When HB decided to renovate their headquarters, the company re-imagined how AV technology could be implemented and integrated across their entire organization. With this in mind, the idea of Audiovisual Ecosystem emerged: a holistic approach to applying AV technology in ways that would truly impact the business.

Employees embraced the opportunity to create an advanced AV landscape to support high-value communication and collaboration experiences and showcase the company’s unique technology applications and capabilities. Working as an extended cross-functional team, HB created their vision for a state-of-the-art environment designed to accommodate meetings, impromptu collaboration and formal presentations to live or remote audiences. The Hub—a space for collaboration and events would sit at the center surrounded by several adjacent work areas dedicated to smaller meetings, brainstorming or ad hoc discussions.

Real-time data about HB Communications’ managed services and clients would be showcased in a new network operations center while an onsite content studio would enable in-house AV production and broadcasting.

To bring the vision to life, HB had several key requirements: 

• One centralized easy-to-use collaboration platform for all mobile, desktop & onsite users
• Quick seamless meeting attendance via any device & in any conference room
• Fast & easy room scheduling via personal devices or wall-mounted touch panels
• Streamlined meeting access & conference room schedule for remote users
• Improved employee & customer communication
• Enhanced brand experience for employees & customers
• Capabilities showcased through modernized workplace

QUOTE COMPONENT HERE: “Being an AV company, we were so focused on what our customers needed that we didn’t focus enough on how we could apply technology solutions to our own organization. Through analysis, we identified opportunities to innovate and found out what employees needed and wanted, which drove our technology decisions. We used our technology specializations to enhance our own communication, collaboration and brand experience–just as we’ve helped so many of our customers do.”

-Daniel Barron, director Brand Strategy, HB Communications

Solution

To support ecosystem technology requirements, HB needed a future-proof cable and connectivity solution that could:

• Ensure constant uptime
• Guarantee smooth, reliable connection & integration of all devices & content (immersive video walls, 4K video, surround sound, digital signage, etc.)
• Integrate audio visual & IT for a live 24/7 connection between headquarters & remote locations 

To enable AV transportation and video switching, over 5,000 feet of Belden 4K Ultra HD Media Cable supports a Crestron DigitalMedia system connecting the Hub and other spaces to a central frame serving as the AV backbone.

Belden cabling was also deployed to support a Biamp Dante audio networking system to transport low-latency, uncompressed audio-over-IP networks. For sister company HB Live (rental staging arm), the sound system would roll over a mixing console and plug into the Biamp audio network with a single cable for access to everything available in the built-in audio system.

More than 38,000 feet of Belden 10GX Category 6A Cable and high-density connections for superb mechanical and electrical performance enable HB’s Audiovisual Ecosystem. Belden’s REVConnect Connectivity System with a universal core comprised of a cable manager and cap, simplified the termination process.

QUOTE COMPONENT HERE: “REVConnect reduced jobsite headaches. Ideally, terminations are tested once they’re complete. When installers are under a tight schedule however, this step is sometimes deferred. The cable is pulled, terminated and connected to the endpoint equipment. If the device doesn’t work, the installer has to deductively wade through many possible causes to confirm the root cause. With REVConnect, we can eliminate bad cable termination. 18 months later and we’re still issue-free.”   Brian Metcalf, Engineer Director at HB Communications

Technicians quickly gained comfort with the new termination method, saving considerable time over standard RJ45 connectors. “Our employees are confident with how easy REVConnect is to use and they want to use it. There’s been a lot of growth in IP-based applications, particularly in teleconferencing and AV-over-IP. REVConnect improves HB’s productivity, which shows our customers they can enjoy this same productivity increase with a similar technology investment.”

Results

By re-imagining its headquarters and creating an Audiovisual Ecosystem for seamless internal and external communication, HB Communications proves that almost any type of collaboration is possible through the integration of AV and IT technology.