Visionary’s PacketAV Matrix Series Powers Seamless Network Video Distribution at Full Sail University’s Dubbing Stage

Located in Winter Park, Florida, Full Sail University is an award-winning educational leader offering programs designed for the world of entertainment media and emerging technologies. The university’s campus features over 880,000 square feet of real-world media production facilities. Full Sail graduates have worked behind the scenes for many of the world’s most well-known corporations and on widely acclaimed entertainment industry releases. In addition, Full Sail alumni have worked on numerous award-winning projects with individual recognition including OSCAR®, Emmy®, GRAMMY®, Video Game Award honors and more.

In 2006, Full Sail unveiled a professionally designed post-production lab, named the Dubbing Stage. In 2009, Full Sail’s Dubbing Stage joined an exclusive list of professional facilities approved for Dolby® Digital print masters. The Dubbing Stage features a high-quality mixing console, high-definition video and 35mm projectors, surround sound audio and theater seats for classes and private screenings. The mixing console includes four user stations with additional editorial systems that flank the outer sides of the studio. The Dubbing Stage enables students to gain relevant, valuable, hands-on industry experience. Most recently, the Dubbing Stage was retrofitted with new technology to support the future of post-production technology. 

“The Dubbing Stage is a space for students, faculty, and industry professionals to collaborate and create,” said Michael Orlowski, media systems engineer for Full Sail University. “We received many requests from our faculty to incorporate new technology that supported seamless content distribution across user stations, editorial systems and displays within the space. Additionally, we wanted to enable video routing throughout the facility, including the main theater, central machine room and projection booth. 

Full Sail wanted a versatile and compatible solution with the existing system that was already in place. “We required a KVM solution with a managed switch, rather than a traditional matrix solution, to provide us with flexibility across multiple spaces,” noted Orlowski. “Dante-functionality was also important to us because we were in the process of upgrading to Dante audio. We began researching solutions that would fit our existing technology and system requirements. We found Visionary’s PacketAV Matrix Series – It checked all of our boxes.”

Visionary’s PacketAV Matrix Series is a cinema-quality, ultra-low latency encoder and decoder solution designed to bypass the constraints of traditional matrix distribution systems. The PacketAV Matrix Series supports USB 2.0 over IP, including KVM over IP, and can be deployed on any industry-standard IP network by harnessing the flexibility and scalability of converged IP networks. Utilizing existing network resources, the encoders and decoders can be rapidly deployed, enabling cost-effective distribution of multi-channel Dante/AES67 audio and video over IP.

Full Sail’s hands-on programs prepare students for the business aspects of entertainment, media, arts and the emerging technologies industries. During COVID-19, Full Sail implemented a new technology to support hybrid learning that safely provided students with the same benefits they’d enjoyed pre-pandemic. Visionary’s PacketAV Matrix Series provided increased video distribution capabilities to support hybrid learning. 

“We introduced hybrid learning functionality by pairing one of Visionary’s PacketAV Duet-2 decoders with a video conferencing solution,” said Orlowski. “Not only can we send content anywhere in the room, but we can also distribute a live video feed across Zoom for our students that are participating in distance learning. We can combine mixing, software and a live feed of the room to create an immersive experience for our online students.”

Orlowski added, “Our experience working with Visionary and their PacketAV Matrix Series has been nothing short of a success. Visionary’s engineers provided us with technical support throughout the installation. Everything has worked well and, if we ever have issues with the system, Visionary’s team quickly provides remote troubleshooting. Their products and their team have been very favorable.” 

The final result was a success overall. Visionary’s PacketAV Matrix Series provided Full Sail with a networked AV system that significantly increased flexibility and functionality. Visionary’s 4K UHD over IP PacketAV Matrix Series encoders and decoders redefine traditional switch matrix systems to create a flexible, scalable, cinema-quality solution for IP networks. For more information on the PacketAV Matrix Series, please visit vsicam.com/product-cat/packetav-matrix-products/.

For more information on Visionary, please visit vsicam.com.