Extron’s NAV System and ControlScript Provide Hybrid Learning Support in New Academic Building at UNCW

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington’s (UNCW) newest and largest academic building, Veterans Hall, needed to be filled with flexible spaces that would support “Active Learning” and “Hybrid Distance Education.” Their Integrated Educational Technology team knew the traditional way of large matrix switching cabinets and stand-alone control systems wasn’t meeting their needs, so they decided to go with an AV-over-IP solution. They chose an Extron NAV system that would eventually span six floors with 205 endpoints tied back to a single Navigator. Because they needed unique and flexible systems, UNCW programmed the system using Extron ControlScript to realize their vision for the building.

“Without the flexibility of Extron ControlScript, the Veterans Hall AV systems would simply have not operated with the ease and versatility UNCW needed,” said Richard Blaylock, CTS-I, AV systems engineer, Integrated Education Technologies, University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Dynamic variables, object-oriented programming, smart use of GUI and code interconnections and access to things like event handlers and TCP/IP client-server functionality all factored into making a building-wide system that has continued to work well for over a year of high-stakes use. UNCW has already gone on to leverage ControlScript in other projects, including upgrading existing Distance Education control rooms, a refit of a three-way divisible ballroom, the audio control system for the main basketball coliseum, a film studies post-production computer lab and a new 4K digital cinema.

Read more on the Veterans Hall redesign here.