Technical Resource Hub

Solution Overview Multi-Camera SolutionFlexible meeting spaces require flexibility solutions to maximise performance.  A front facing camera may be suitable for regular meetings, but for presentation or teacher / student interaction, additional AV equipment should be considered. There are a number of solutions on the market which offer camera switching, but these can dramatically increase the price of the solution for minimal additional performance.For many spaces, all that’s required is multiple camera, and the ability to switch between them easily.  The addition of a ReThink AV auto switching matrix allows both the in-room PC and guest laptops to access the AV and simply switch to the desired camera within the UC client (Teams/Zoom etc). For additional ease of use, the matrix can be programmed to switch sources on a keyboard shortcut or integrated into a room control system. Up to 5 USB peripherals can be configured and dual screen output is fully supported to allow maximum performance and flexibility. Optionally, wireless sharing can be integrated with the in-room PC.  We recommend AirServer or Mersive solutions, or for customers who want to use a wireless dongle, the Maxhub WB05 provides wireless sharing without the need to install software or connect to a wifi hotspot.Key Benefits- One-touch join of Microsoft Teams meetings- Easily switch between USB peripherals within your UC client, via keyboard shortcut or via control system- Up to 5 USB peripherals can be installed- Dual screen support- Bring Your Own Meeting support connects screen and peripherals.  Host the meeting on your computer.- Auto switching to your computer as soon as you plug in- Single USB-C connects your computer for video, audio, data and network*.  Plus, it charges your battery!*Wired network connection required to ReThink switch. ·        Core Components-  Dual Maxhub ND65 CMA 65” displays ·        -  Huddly C1 All-in-one camera / mic / speaker system ·        -  Additional cameras (RocWare RC821 shown) ·        -  Additional audio system (if required – Nureva - HDL310 shown) ·       -  ReThink AV MatrixRAV-MS-4x2DLHU-Tx/Rx - ReThink active USB-C cableOptional Components for wireless sharing-  Mersive POD v4- AirServer Connect 3- MAXHUB WB05 + buttonThis example includes dual screens and a MAXHUB XCore Pro MTR.A Huddly C1 is provided for front of room camera and meeting audio.When switching to presenter mode, the RocWare RC821 PTZ camera is mounted at the rear of the room to capture the presenter.A Nureva HDL310 is included to provide whole room audio in presentation mode.A wireless keyboard & mouse are installed to allow quick switching between setups. The Mersive POD 4 provides wireless sharing via the MTRA USB-C cable connects to the ReThink matrix to allow laptops to access the solution and enable BYOM or local presentation.Connection Diagram

Solution Overview MTR / BYOM via USB-CPerfect for small and medium sized meeting rooms, this solution provides a high quality system for Microsoft Teams meetings.  A Huddly C1 all-in-one camera and audio system gives crisp images with multiple options for automatic framing as well as rich audio.The ReThink switch extends the flexibility of the space by allowing users to attach their own computer for local screen share and access the Huddly C1 for Bring Your Own Meeting functionality. All this functionality comes at less than £4,500 RRP.Key Benefits- One-touch join of Microsoft Teams meetings - Exceptional video quality with AI framing & tracking - Outstanding microphone pickup and professional speaker output - Bring Your Own Meeting support connects screen and peripherals.  Host the meeting on your computer. - Auto switching to your computer as soon as you plug in - Single USB-C connects your computer for video, audio, data and network*.  Plus, it charges your battery!Core Components-  MAXHUB XCore MTR-  MAXHUB ND65CMA 65" display-  Huddly C1 all in one camera/audio bar-  ReThink RAV-SW-SW-C2x1HU switch-  ReThink active USB-C cableOptional Components for wireless sharing-  Mersive POD v4-  AirServer Connect 3-  MAXHUB WB05 + WT13Connection Diagram

Is History Repeating Itself? A meditation on 21:9 vs 16:9 Aspect RatioNote: This article contains cultural references.  If you were born before 1990, ask your dad.Commercial displays are going through a bit of a revolution – at least, that’s what some manufacturers would have us believe.  Thanks to advances in production technology, we now have access to ultra-wide 21:9 screens that provide a significantly broader canvasAnd yes, they look impressive.  With around 33% more display area than a standard 16:9 screen of equivalent height, they offer additional space for digital signage, video meetings and collaborative workspaces.But let’s not get carried away – bigger isn’t always better.  Sometimes, it’s just…wider.A brief history of Aspect RatiosTo understand the pros and cons of 21:9, let’s take a nostalgic trip back to 1998.The era of crop tops, tiny handbags and boy bands.  Robbie went solo; 5ive, Aqua & Fat Les stormed the charts.  At the cinema we cried at Saving Private Ryan, held our breath in Armageddon and were confused by The Avengers (the one with Eddie Izzard and some bees, not the other one). England didn’t win the World Cup.  Again.It was the year of the £2 coin, the Ford Focus, DVD’s and the start of digital television.  An visual revolution was starting.Back then, TVs (and commercial screens), were based on CRT technology so were big, bulky and immovable.  They were also 4:3 aspect ratio.  Want to know the spec of the screen?  Check out those horizontal lines.  How about that interlacing? TV was broadcast in 4:3, and most movies were released on VHS in the same aspect ratio.Then came the game changer: flat screens.  First plasma, then LCD.  These were larger, slimmer and – crucially – widescreen.  We stopped obsessing over lines and instead became familiar with new buzzwords – 720P HD, 1080i, and Full HD.But the content didn’t keep up.  That fancy new widescreen?  It showed black bars on the sides unless you were watching something special.  Even today, catch and old episode of Top Of The Pops to relive that nostalgic glory (and terrible haircuts).With the launch of digital TV, some content began appearing in widescreen.  At last, we could use the missing third of the screen.  DVDs followed suit, with options for aspect ratio settings to match your screen.  Now you could stretch your content to fill the display, but you would have squashed heads and pixellated everything.  Anamorphic fill?  No thanks.Then came Blue-ray in 2006.  Finally, content matched our screens.  Native 16:9 was here, and HD channels began broadcasting in earnest – only 8 years after flat screens had hit the market.Why the delay?  Well, when TV cameras cost £25,000 apiece – and up to 20 of them could be used on a single show – broadcasters were reluctant to reinvest.  Especially when no one was sure of HD wasn’t just another fad.  Remember 3DTV?  No?  My point exactly.Fast forward to Today : Welcome 21:9Unlike the shift from 4:3 to 16:9, which was driven by the consumer market, the current wave of 21:9 displays is primarily a business-led evolution.  These ultra-wide screens are designed to offer more information on signage and provide richer experiences in meeting.They’re especially good for touch applications.  Wider screens mean that more people can interact together – and crucially, no one needs a stepladder to reach the top.However, we nor find ourselves in a familiar place: a transitional period.  We’re stuck between current 16:9 HD resolutions and new 5K resolutions in 21:9 aspect ratio.As always, early adopters face challenges.  The infrastructure to support native 5K content simply doesn’t exist yet.  It’s Betamax, LaserDisc and HD-DVD all over again.If your application already supports 5K (or at least a lower resolution 21:9 ratio), then great.  You’re ahead of the curve.  But if not, your fancy new display may be stuck with the same black bars we saw in the early 2000’s, or you can use built-in image stretching.  And while this tech has come a long way, it still can’t prevent everyone on a Teams call looking like Danny DeVito.Let’s be honest – no one wants their meeting persona to look like something from a hall of mirrors.  So once again, you’re left with a dilemma : underutilise the screen or settle for distorted content.When (and when not) to position 21:9 screens Here’s the deal: if your application can run on a PC where you can force a 21:9 resolution, go for it.  Ultra-wide screens are fantastic in that case.If not?  You may be better served sticking to 16:9.For example, a Windows based Microsoft Teams Room (MTR system works well with ultra-wide displays.  Whilst they may not support full 5K, you choose resolutions like 3440x1440 or 3840x1660 to preserve 21:9 and fill the screen.  Plus, you get the full benefit of Front Row, which much better use of the available space than the default view.However, Android based MTR’s do you offer that flexibility. Either stick to a 16:9 screen or proceed with caution.If you’re running an application on an OPS module, that’s fine too – as long as your screen accepts OPS or has the correct module.  Always double check compatibility before you buy.Planning a Bring Your Own Meeting (BYOM) setup?  Be wary.  Most laptops run 16:9 native resolutions.  If you mirror the display onto a 21:9 screen, you’ll get black bars.  If you extend the desktop, some laptops may support 21:9 – but this depends on the machine.Running multiple ultra-wide displays for collaborative work?  You’ll need a high-spec PC with dedicated graphics card capable of powering multiple 5K screens.  This is not the time to skimp.  Cabling & infrastructure: not all cables are created equalMost screens and computers today support HDMI 2.0, but this does not handle 5K resolution.  You can, however, use HDMI to run 21:9 format at lower resolutions (3440x1440 or 3840x1660), if the computer supports it.HDMI2.1 and 2.2 are newer and support full 5K resolution, but they are rare in commercial screens, computers or AV infrastructure.DisplayPort will support 5K at 21:9 ratio. , but it’s generally found on higher end desktops, not laptops – unless you add an extra graphics card.USB-C can support 5K too, but here’s the catch: USB-C is just the shape of the port.  The cable inside could do anything – from charging your phone to transmitting high-speed video and data.  A full-featured Thunderbolt cable is what you need.  And there’s a second issue: passive Thunderbolt cables max out at 3 meters before the signal degrades.  Active cables can run up to 15 meters, but they’re expensive.  And because they are optical, they are also fragile.If you’re using switchers or extenders (like ReThink, LightWare, WyreStorm etc), don’t expect 5K support just yet.  Most of these max out at 4K, and any higher resolution will be scaled back.But there is good news.  Higher spec versions of these products are on their way.  Just like the migration from 4:3 to 16:9, there is lag between screen technology and the back end infrastructure.  Hopefully, this time it won’t take 8 years.In summary - your cut out and keep guide for customers-  Advances in screen technology tend to happen before advances in content for the screens-  21:9 ultrawide screens are still new to the market-  The majority of content and meeting room infrastructure is suited for 16:9 resolutions-  21:9 ratio screens need a dedicated computer to support ultra-wide resolutions-  21:9 ratio screens are best suited to applications such as Front Row on Windows MTR or collaborative planning-  16:9 ratio screens are best suited to Bring Your Own Meeting (BYOM) environments where content is routed via a sharing device or video infrastructure.-  Windows and MacOS both support 21:9 resolutions if directly connected – Android does not.-  Switchers, matrices and other infrastructure currently do not support ultra-wide resolutions-  Wireless sharing devices currently do not support ultra-wide resolutions-  Most laptops will only support ultra-wide resolutions on an extended desktop (screen 2).  -  If you mirror your primary laptop screen it will be 16:9.-  Most screens have an HDMI2.0 input which will support 21:9 ratio at lower resolutions (3440x1440 or 3840x1660).  To support 21:9, 5K resolution DisplayPort or USB-C Thunderbolt cables should be used.  Passive Thunderbolt has a limited cable length.  Active Thunderbolt is required to run longer distances.-  If you provide 16:9 resolutions to a 21:9 screen you can either:Display the native image, which will show black bars on either side of the screen OR,Set the screen to stretch the image, which degrades image qualityIt is important that you understand your requirements before recommending a 21:9 screen and they understand why they may not be able to get a full, native full screen image on an ultra-wide screenStill unsure? Speak to Nick in the Ascentae support team.  He still remembers Betamax.

During compatibility testing, we have identified the following potential issues when using all-in-one screens and USB switchers.Outline of issues When using a USB switcher with active cable, it is possible to exceed the maximum number of USB Tiers (levels / hubs)The total permitted number of USB tiers is 7.  This is set out in the USB standard.  In theory, this limitation shouldn’t be reached, but as laptops develop and AV installations make greater use of USB devices, it is possible to exceed the limit.In our tested scenarios we used 2 different makes of Windows 11 laptops, 4 switches and 4 screens.- A laptop computer typically users 2 or 3 tiers, depending on complexity of internal USB.- A USB Switcher uses 2 tiers- An Active USB Cable uses 2 Tiers- An All-In-One screen with built-in camera, speakers and microphone will use 2 or 3 TiersSymptomsIf the total number of USB tiers is exceeded, Windows 11 machines will typically display an error message ‘USB device not recognised’ or ‘Maximum USB Hubs Exceeded’.  Occasionally, a “silent failure” will occur and no error is displayed.  However, in Device Manager, a USB Hub will be shown in fail state.USB devices on the All-In-One screen will not be accessible via the USB switch (microphone, camera, speakers and touch back). Fig 1.  In this scenario, the laptop will not see any of the peripherals on the AIO screen  How to determine if you have this issueWhilst you can check within Windows, we downloaded a USB Diagnostic tool to provide more detailed information.  There are lots available, but we used the Liteware USB20 Configurator app. Potential WorkaroundsBecause this is a fundamental restriction of USB architecture, there is no ideal solution.  However, options may include:Option 1.Using a passive USB connection to the laptop (USB-C