AV/IT TEAM: Jean-François Duguay, AV and Multimedia technical specialist
GOALS: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jean-François Duguay, AV and Multimedia technical specialist of the University of Québec in Montreal School of Management (ESG UQAM) began implementing a transition to an AV-over-IP system that included over two hundred Sennheiser Team Connect Ceiling 2 (TCC2) ceiling microphones.
The overall goal of the AV system was to maintain the integrity and dependability of every device on the network. Hybrid and remote learning were major components in the design program, and ensuring high-quality audio was an essential outcome for both teacher and students.
CHALLENGES: The integration itself was particularly challenging given the amphitheater’s 25-foot-high ceiling, as well as the frequent rumble from the subway stop that ran directly beneath the building. The TCC2’s also had to circumvent pre-existing elements in the facility, including a projector, roll-down screen, camera, sprinklers, and air patterns within the building.
François Wermenlinger, Eastern Canada Sales manager of Sennheiser was an active participant in exploring design options—including strategic placement of each TCC2. “At first, I was not sure it was going to work, but we looked at the design drawings and placed five TCC2’s around the amphitheater,” stated Wermenlinger. "We climbed up on ladders and taped the ceiling in mock positions.” Since the facility was undergoing simultaneous renovations, Dugay and his team were able to look at the wiring and infrastructure usually concealed by the ceiling further assisting with the installation. Montréal-based AV supplier, SoloTech, provided the TCC2 ceiling mics, and since the installation, each unit has been functioning perfectly.
Sennheiser Team Connect Ceiling 2 (TCC2) ceiling microphones
FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: Each TCC2 device delivers a strong signal over the network. The patented beamforming technology is able to capture the voices of both students and faculty with superior intelligibility—without the noise. “The clarity is perfect, especially with a lot of reverberation in the big amphitheater,” Duguay concluded. “The recordings are clean, and the students sound as if they are speaking into a close mic. It is an avant-garde system that is future-proofed with the flexibility to be improved upon over time.” The new TCC2 system in the amphitheater in particular is getting heavy use. It hosts roughly 300 students from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., five days a week, as well as additional weekend events. The ability for the AV team to run diagnostics and monitor the devices remotely greatly improves the continuity.
[ Check out more from The Class of 2023: The AV/IT Teams of Higher Ed ]
