Interesting power issue with new audio/video system

My stake center just had a new audio/video distribution system installed. Works quite well so far. However I noticed a quirk, and I am not sure if this is by design, or an error was made in programming. (If you have one of the new systems with the Extron selectors, please chime in.) When the chapel pulpit controls are off, the bottom programmable power strip, turns off Outlets 2, 3, & 4. Not sure what the others do, but when 2 turns off, the whole HDMI distribution system for the building goes down (Throughout the building all of the LEDs on the Extron HDMI faceplates go dark). When the chapel is turned on (at the pulpit controls), On the bottom programmable power strip, outlets 2, 3, & 4 turns on. When 2, turns on, the HDMI distribution comes back to life, and the Extron HDMI faceplates come back on.

Is this normal? To me this doesn't seem correct.

At first glance, that seems like a good idea. Most of the time, any video is either going to originate from the chapel, or the chapel will be part of it. Either way, the chapel sound system will be on.

However, that would be an issue for viewing BYU football. (I'm not sure if it's still broadcast on the church satellite system or not.) That can't be viewed in the chapel. Likewise, any other broadcast with a smaller audience where the chapel would be too large.

russellhltn wrote:At first glance, that seems like a good idea. Most of the time, any video is either going to originate from the chapel, or the chapel will be part of it. Either way, the chapel sound system will be on.

That is all well and good, however, it does present a problem. (I am having trouble articulating the problem). In our building, the general modus operandi is that the chapel sound system is only on when someone is at or going to be speaking in the chapel (Sacrament meeting). We generally will run an overflow into the relief society room for certain meetings as needed, and the sound system is not turned on until they are ready to speak. So in the overflow, they will have nothing on screen until they turn on the system, the HDMI matrix powers up (about a minute), and by that point they have lost a bit of the opening of the meeting. I have seen this setup in another building, and their HDMI matrix is on 24/7 and not tied to the chapel audio system.

russellhltn wrote:However, that would be an issue for viewing BYU football. (I'm not sure if it's still broadcast on the church satellite system or not.) That can't be viewed in the chapel. Likewise, any other broadcast with a smaller audience where the chapel would be too large.

There is that problem. Meetings that are not large enough to warrant the use of the chapel cannot use the satellite system for training due to the HDMI matrix being powered down.

Is this the normal behavior? Or should I report this as a problem?

rl_albright wrote:Is this normal? To me this doesn't seem correct.

Our video is independent of the sound system (but all in the same tall AV rack). Turning off the chapel sound does not affect the video distribution system, not does the chapel sound need to be on to set up and test the video points around the meetinghouse, and the webcast system.

rl_albright wrote:Is this the normal behavior? Or should I report this as a problem?

I don't know about "normal", my stake is still on SD video. But it's creating a problem for you. I'd report it that way.

But, I'd also suggest that you power on the podium during setup. You don't want to wait until the start of the meeting to find out you've got an audio problem.

Along the same lines, I'd had problems with the "regional stake conferences" that are broadcast over the satellite. They have opening exercises and then switch over to the satellite at about 0:15 after. The problem I've had is that when the presidency leaves the stand, they turn off the power out of habit. There goes the audio for the chapel.

So, my suggestion is that for reasons that have nothing to do with video distribution, you need to tape over the power switch for certain meetings.

russellhltn wrote:The problem I've had is that when the presidency leaves the stand, they turn off the power out of habit. There goes the audio for the chapel.

Except in this setup they do that, and we lose the video and audio feed for about 90 seconds. (The longest 90 seconds ever!!)

rl_albright wrote:(The longest 90 seconds ever!!)

I prepared a little card that I keep with the other webcasting equipment. I place it over the power button as needed and it says, Webcasting -- do not turn off the sound system.

So far, that has solved the problem for me.

rl_albright wrote:On the bottom programmable power strip, outlets 2, 3, & 4 turns on. When 2, turns on, the HDMI distribution comes back to life, and the Extron HDMI faceplates come back on.

I'd report it to FM. All they'd have to do is move the power for the HDMI distribution system to an always on plug. No programming change necessary.

jamiep39 wrote:

rl_albright wrote:On the bottom programmable power strip, outlets 2, 3, & 4 turns on. When 2, turns on, the HDMI distribution comes back to life, and the Extron HDMI faceplates come back on.

I'd report it to FM. All they'd have to do is move the power for the HDMI distribution system to an always on plug. No programming change necessary.

Yes that is what I was thinking, however per my Facilities Manager, it is suppose to work this way due to "heat problems in the rack".... WHAT??? The HDMI matrix equipment does not generate enough heat to do that. Now the Crown amps on the other hand... yep!

rl_albright wrote:

jamiep39 wrote:

rl_albright wrote:On the bottom programmable power strip, outlets 2, 3, & 4 turns on. When 2, turns on, the HDMI distribution comes back to life, and the Extron HDMI faceplates come back on.

I'd report it to FM. All they'd have to do is move the power for the HDMI distribution system to an always on plug. No programming change necessary.

Yes that is what I was thinking, however per my Facilities Manager, it is suppose to work this way due to "heat problems in the rack".... WHAT??? The HDMI matrix equipment does not generate enough heat to do that. Now the Crown amps on the other hand... yep!

I work for a school district and we have dozens of those same types of setups that are all on 24/7 with no problems. If they don't want it to be on always they could adjust the programming so that if any room in the building selected an HDMI source then the power conditioner could turn on. (Assuming the system is the BLU series with the 4/8 button control pads like most new installations I've seen have. They probably could adjust the programming in whatever the system is to do that.)

I think that is a bug probably programminr or the the wrong things plugged into that power strip. You should be able to route video to other parts of the building without the chapel system on.

Contact the FM group, ask them to have the installer/integrator contact you or meet you so you can show them the issue.

We have one of the new systems in a brand new double chapel YSA stake center, however I have not tried video in other rooms yet, but the rooms have audio options including that of satellite audio I have tested that are not dependent on the chapel being on.

Kevin

We're several months into them trying to get our new HD distribution system installed and working properly, and we still have several problems with the system. It's not officially "done." One of the issues was about what is supposed to be switched on/off or left on. They mentioned the same issue about heat, although when we leave everything on, we're not noticing excessive heat. We've given them many notes along the way. Our stake president wants to let them officially be "done" and then we can do another walkthrough and make more notes. I don't know if they've made a decision on what's supposed to be "on" yet or not. I think they were having some kind of electrical issue what was preventing the remote control on/off from working properly.

We installed a switch in parallel with the low voltage relay contact that turns the system on. We switch that on in the rack and the video system comes on and stays on regardless of the podium switch setting. The podium switch still determines if the microphones are active. It was a very simple and easy fix. The switch is an inexpensive brown "decora" light switch that fits in one of the empty slots in the rack where the HDMI connections are located. As long as we are careful to turn the switch off after meetings, everything powers up and down using the podium control.

I couldn't weigh in on this topic until our stake got the upgrade AND I got somewhat familiar with it. As others have pointed out, our rack also powers down the Extron video extenders when the system is switched off at the pulpit. I don't see the big issue, as there are 2 ways I know about to restore that feature. 1) Walk up to the rostrum and turn the system on. (Really, it's not that hard.) 2) The automated power distribution unit (PDU) in our rack has touch-sensitive pads on the front panel that turn on/off that particular circuit. In standby mode, 4 are on and 4 are off. In active mode, they're all on. Simply turn them all on at the rack.

I don't see it as a heat issue as much as a power savings one, like trying to get my dear, sweet wife to turn off the lights when she leaves the house. Even though most are LED's, it's still a cost saving issue.

Mikerowaved wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 11:49 pm Walk up to the rostrum and turn the system on. (Really, it's not that hard.)

The problem I've had, more than once, is once a leader is done with their announcements, they power off the sound system. They don't understand/remember that it's needed for the video portion. I've even seen that happen in another stake, leaving their specialist wondering what's wrong with their setup.

I've fixed that with a bit of duct tape across the switch. Low-tech, but it works.

russellhltn wrote: I've fixed that with a bit of duct tape across the switch. Low-tech, but it works.

I have a little card that fits over the pedestal power switch that says: Webcasting. Please do not turn off sound system.

I was told by the AV installer that the reason the video stuff is all turned off in the rack is to disconnect power to the HDMI receivers and transmitters in the wall boxes. Their is very little heat dissipation possible with the active electronics installed in the space where a normal outlet was installed. Heat kills electronic items. Given that most of the time a building is unoccupied and even if occupied often the AV system is still turned off this strategy will probably add years to your systems life.

What the system really needs is a mute button on the rostrum so the entire system doesn't need to be power cycled when the bishop wants a private conversation on the stand.

dave.swartz wrote: Mon Apr 25, 2022 6:11 pm What the system really needs is a mute button on the rostrum so the entire system doesn't need to be power cycled when the bishop wants a private conversation on the stand.

Made me smile. I Just finished webcasting our stake conference this past weekend and I always like to let it stream after the benediction for a while to let people disconnect gracefully, rather than have YouTube auto-start some other video. (Yes, auto-start is an easy switch to turn off, but since it defaults to "on", that's where most have it set.)

Anyway, those viewing the webcast could hear the visiting authority pretty clearly talking to the stake president as they shook hands in front of the podium until I reached over and muted the audio on the webcast. Fortunately, it was just polite conversation.

The BLU systems are no longer being installed, just a heads up. At least out here. They are still doing some IVIE iflex new installs but they have gone to a new QSC Solution just recently for sound system upgrades. QSC Amps and controllers, and some Crown Amps as well.

RyanGard1977 wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 10:39 pm The BLU systems are no longer being installed, just a heads up. At least out here. They are still doing some IVIE iflex new installs but they have gone to a new QSC Solution just recently for sound system upgrades. QSC Amps and controllers, and some Crown Amps as well.

That is true church wide. Mostly due to supply issues. Harmon had become VERY difficult to work with a parts were getting REALLY hard to get (this was even pre-pandemic). I had a BLU-100 DSP that took 5 months to get repaired.