High Resolution Systems' new UDC-400 Universal Device Controller, a software-based control platform that allows simple, cost-effective control of devices using IP (TCP/UDP) or serial (232/422/485) protocols, has made its debut at a major national convention with 3,800 delegates in attendance.
The UDC-400 interfaced with a Christie Vista Spyder and an array of routers that sourced images for the 90-foot screen onstage. "Within 15 minutes of telling the Spyder operator how the UDC system worked, he was programming the UDC panel to switch over for the backup Spyder," says Rob Zoucha, Sales Representative, with High Resolution Systems. "I set up another UDC panel on a Netbook for the show producer so he could preview all the Spyder inputs by controlling the routers from back at the Producer's table."
The UDC-400 is a fast, flexible, affordable cross-platform control solution tailored for a wide range of operators, not just programmers. The system's software can be used by itself or with the USB-connected UDC-400-M control panel which features 40 buttons that be assigned any commands for any device. The panel offers three different pages (red, green, blue) for a total of 120 programmable buttons. The UDC-400 runs on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 operating systems, is touchscreen compatible and can be used over multiple networks simultaneously.
At the convention, Zoucha used the UDC-400 to take the router sends from a Lightware DVI router, a Sierra analog router and a Datatek router inside the video system and plug them into an Image Pro with DVI, analog and SDI inputs. Then he sent control commands to the individual routers and the Image Pro to change inputs. The Image Pro then scaled those signals to a constant format, so the Producer only needed one monitor to view the signals, regardless of the original format.
"When the producer wanted to see Camera 1, we sent a command to the Datatek router that told it to route Camera 1 (Input 1) to Output 2, which was an input to the Image Pro at input 3," Zoucha explains. "We also sent a command to the Image Pro telling it to change to Input 3, which will take the feed from the Datatek router. The Output of the Image Pro was then sent to the Producer's monitor."
He notes that, "If the producer wanted to see the Spyder operator's preview monitor to check the next graphic for the big screen, he just had to push a button on the UDC-400 which I programmed to chang the output of the DVI router; that output went into Input 1 on the Image Pro and the UDC sent a command to the Image Pro to change to Input 1. And it dissolved to the operator's monitor - how cool is that?"
The ability of the UDC-400 to communicate with the Datatek router, which dates back approximately 20 years and has a cryptic command protocol, is key to smooth source integration. "Once we're able to communicate with that router, as well as the others, clients can have a monitor and a UDC panel and see everything that goes on in a show and switch among any technology," Zoucha reports. "We can run any input through the Image Pro and send a standard signal. With one button push you can switch to any source available on the system. That's hugely powerful."
About High Resolution Systems
High Resolution Systems is a company with a strong systems engineering and applications background. Its founders have decades of experience in the audio visual rental and staging industry, broadcast applications, A/V installations and system design. This combined experience allows them to provide the highest possible quality solutions to its customers in the most efficient manner. For more information, visit www.highresolutionsystems.com.