Organizing the A/V equipment needed for Chapel Presentations
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 5:59 pm
It usually takes an hour of somewhat anxious activity to get ready for a presentation in the chapel that involves, video, cordless mikes, and occasionally an emergency audio backup for receiving stake conference broadcasts. Occasionally it is desirable to connect to a TV on the stand that leaders can watch. Sometimes it is necessary to have the ability to switch between several A/V input devices.
The A/V inputs can include a laptop, a smartphone, an iPad, Miracast, Apple TV, DVD player, and etc. Sometimes you don’t know until the meeting starts what type of media you have to work with.
To be successful, you usually have to collect a number of things together including cables and adapters. It is not uncommon that something has gone missing and the setup usually looks like a mess.
I have been wanting to find a way to clean this up so the setup would be easier and so the capabilities would be the same for every meeting. I've shared three photos of the setup.
Here is a description. Three objects were attached to the front of a piece of 3/4" plywood that was painted white.
1) A Behringer XENYX 802 mixer Audio Mixer, Sometimes this is needed to get enough volume from an input device.
2) A Blackbird 4k 4x2 HDMI Matrix
Provides selecting between 4 possible A/V inputs and two outputs.
It provides an audio only output.
The 2nd HDMI output can help with putting a display on the stand.
3) Behringer Ultra-DI DI400P This is a replacement for "the crab" except that is a lot tidier
None of these are expensive.
Several cables of various configurations were needed to make all of the permanent connections.
I think the key contribution of this came from something that may seem pretty silly. It was to permanently attach a 9" by 13" Tupperware sandwich box under the piece of plywood. Holes were drilled through it. All of the wire, cables, and wall warts, and the power strip were put in the box. The lid is easy to remove but the intention is that it is left closed and never touched.
The only wire that leaves the board when it is not in use is the power cord that goes to the plug strip that is hidden below and inside the Tupperware container.
All of the connections were straight forward with one exception. If the audio from an HDMI signal is stereo, there was a need to turn it into a mono feed for the chapel sound system. The trick for doing this is to connect all four of the RCA jacks for Tape In and Tape Out together. The 1k Ohm output impedance makes this work. Doing this makes turns the Control room output into a Mono signal. The Main Output remains a Stereo signal.
Completed A/V Interface board
View from the bottom showing what is inside of the Tupperware box.
View of the entire assembly from the bottom.
All of the wiring is inside and the lid does not need to be removed.
The A/V inputs can include a laptop, a smartphone, an iPad, Miracast, Apple TV, DVD player, and etc. Sometimes you don’t know until the meeting starts what type of media you have to work with.
To be successful, you usually have to collect a number of things together including cables and adapters. It is not uncommon that something has gone missing and the setup usually looks like a mess.
I have been wanting to find a way to clean this up so the setup would be easier and so the capabilities would be the same for every meeting. I've shared three photos of the setup.
Here is a description. Three objects were attached to the front of a piece of 3/4" plywood that was painted white.
1) A Behringer XENYX 802 mixer Audio Mixer, Sometimes this is needed to get enough volume from an input device.
2) A Blackbird 4k 4x2 HDMI Matrix
Provides selecting between 4 possible A/V inputs and two outputs.
It provides an audio only output.
The 2nd HDMI output can help with putting a display on the stand.
3) Behringer Ultra-DI DI400P This is a replacement for "the crab" except that is a lot tidier
None of these are expensive.
Several cables of various configurations were needed to make all of the permanent connections.
I think the key contribution of this came from something that may seem pretty silly. It was to permanently attach a 9" by 13" Tupperware sandwich box under the piece of plywood. Holes were drilled through it. All of the wire, cables, and wall warts, and the power strip were put in the box. The lid is easy to remove but the intention is that it is left closed and never touched.
The only wire that leaves the board when it is not in use is the power cord that goes to the plug strip that is hidden below and inside the Tupperware container.
All of the connections were straight forward with one exception. If the audio from an HDMI signal is stereo, there was a need to turn it into a mono feed for the chapel sound system. The trick for doing this is to connect all four of the RCA jacks for Tape In and Tape Out together. The 1k Ohm output impedance makes this work. Doing this makes turns the Control room output into a Mono signal. The Main Output remains a Stereo signal.
Completed A/V Interface board
View from the bottom showing what is inside of the Tupperware box.
View of the entire assembly from the bottom.
All of the wiring is inside and the lid does not need to be removed.