Saudi Chemical Giant Chooses Extron TouchLink Configurable Control

We used Extron control products because they're easy to install, use, and maintain.

Yousef Abdul Hadi - Smartech Projects Manager

SABIC, the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, an $84 billion chemical company headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is one of the largest companies in the world. So when SABIC wanted an AV system for its new training academy, it demanded world class equipment and service. AV integrator Smartech Technologies chose Extron signal routing and control equipment for the installation.

"We used Extron products because they're easy to install, use, and maintain," says Smartech Projects Manager Yousef Abdul Hadi, "allowing us to create a fully integrated and powerful system with equipment from a single manufacturer."

The Academy

SABIC Academy is a learning and development center providing education and training to SABIC staff from around the world. The academy consists of 34 rooms, including lecture halls, training rooms, classrooms, meeting rooms, and an auditorium.

The academy uses trainers from around the world, so the AV system had to be user friendly, yet able to handle the academy's wide variety of high end equipment, including PCs, DVD/Blu-ray players, auto tracking video system, HD videoconference systems, document cameras, projectors with motorized ceiling lifts, motorized projection screens, and plasma displays. "By using Extron products, we installed the system in record time and integrated it smoothly with all the AV equipment," says Abdul Hadi.

Room Types

The academy has three classroom sizes: a regular meeting room, Chief Learning Officer meeting room, and an auditorium. All rooms utilize an Extron configurable control system comprised of a TLP 350MV 3.5 inch (8.9 cm) wall mounted TouchLink touchpanel and an IPL 250 IP Link control processor.

Classrooms and Meeting Rooms: TouchLink, IP Link, and Matrix Switchers

The small and medium-sized classrooms and regular meeting room have a fairly simple presentation design. The TLP 350MV and the IPL 250 IP Link control processor work together to control each room's LCD projector and 100 inch (254 cm) motorized screen. A dedicated PC at the teacher's desk interfaces directly with the projector, while laptops interface with the projector via a furniture-mounted Extron Cable Cubby 200 cable and outlet enclosure.

The medium-sized classrooms include two projectors and screens, DVD player, and a 65 inch (1.7 meter) plasma display. Signals to and from the additional equipment are routed through an Extron MVX 44 VGA A matrix switcher.

The large classrooms have Sony HD video systems and TrackVIEW 100 video camera tracking systems for videoconferencing. Signals from these are routed through an Extron MAV 48 AV matrix switcher.

Chief Learning Officer Meeting Room: IN1508 Scaling Presentation Switcher

In addition to the other AV equipment, the CLO meeting room contains:

• Sony HD video conference system
• Televic HD video conference system
• Audio matrix mixer
• DVD recorder with 1080p upscaling via HDMI
• Interactive pen display

Signals from laptops plugged into an Extron Cable Cubby 600 , the Sony video conference system, and the teacher's PC, are sent through a MAV 44 SVA 4x4 AV matrix switcher to an IN1508 scaling presentation switcher. A Blu-ray player feeds directly into the IN1508 .

From the IN1508 , video signals from the various sources are routed through an Extron video distribution amplifier to a 65 inch (1.7 meter) plasma display, LCD projector, and through an Extron VSC 500 scan converter to a DVD recorder.

Auditorium: Large but Simple

The auditorium is simply configured: a TLP 350MV TouchLink Touchpanel and IPL 250 IP Link control processor, an LCD projector, 240" motorized screen, 50 inch (1.27 meter) LCD display, and HD video camera. Source signals are routed through an Extron MVX 48 VGA A matrix switcher to the displays. Abdul Hadi stressed the importance of the integration of the ClearOne digital audio mixer, Shure microphones, and JBL Line array speaker system, all controlled by the TLP 350MV .

World Class Results for a World Class Company

SABIC's new AV system, built around Extron TouchLink-based configurable control, fully meets the academy's need for participant feedback, global networking, cross-functional and cross-cultural learning, and uniformity of both content and delivery. According to Abdul Hadi, "Extron never disappoints, always providing a high level of quality, service, and support. We've used Extron many times, and with each new project we become even more impressed."