Polish Museum of Remembrance Modernizes a Hallowed Space with Discreet AV Solutions

The Museum of Cursed Soldiers and Political Prisoners of the Polish People's Republic is a remembrance site in Warsaw, Poland, that honors World War II veterans who were tortured and killed by the communist regime. The museum's architects’ vision was that the museum should subtly accent both the old and the new architecture to respect the site’s authentic substance.

Creating a Versatile and Functional Space

The Museum required a multi-functional room capable of handling various activities, including:

• Ordinary presentations from computers and films (cinema room)
• BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) video conferencing meetings
• Conference recording and streaming
• Panel discussions

This room needed to be versatile enough to function as a cinema for movie screenings, a videoconference room for meetings, and an audio transmission space for interviews.

Thanks to the excellent Extron audio system, consisting of a sound processor, amplifier, and wall-mounted speakers, we were able to achieve fantastic sound in an acoustically challenging room. Since the end-user’s employees who use the rooms are not tech savvy, we needed to create a very intuitive and automated control system. Extron’s Global Configurator Professional software enabled us to configure the system to our client’s needs. Then, using the Extron GUI Designer software, we were able to create an intuitive interface on the TLP Pro 525T touchpanel that allowed the end users to easily manage the many devices in the room.

CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

One of the main challenges was the historic nature of the facility, which required modern technology and cabling to be hidden to maintain the aesthetic integrity of the building. Additionally, the museum staff primarily consists of people with limited technical knowledge, necessitating a simple and intuitive control system.

Solution: The integrator, Polixel, selected Extron's audio-video solutions based on their proven reliability and ease of integration. Extron's products allowed the team to design a system that was not only powerful but also user-friendly. The control system was configured to be simple and clear, ensuring that even individuals without technical expertise could operate it effectively.

Integration and User Experience

Polixel integrated all devices and designed the control system to be straightforward and user-friendly, tailored specifically for the museum staff. The intuitive presets and scenarios allow users to set up the room for various functions without needing to understand the detailed configuration of each device. This approach ensures the room can transition seamlessly between different uses, meeting the museum's diverse needs.

Putting it All Together

Extron products within the new multi-functional room enable presenters to share information effectively with everyone within the space. The DXP 42 HD 4K Matrix Switcher allows switching between sources that include a conferencing laptop, Blu-ray player and mobile devices, in addition to de-embedding the source audio and passing it to the Extron DMP 64 for audio processing. Audio from the DMP 64 Digital Matrix Processor is sent to the Extron XPA U 2002 SB two channel amplifier and then out to the pair of SM 28T Surface Mount Speakers. The Extron TLP Pro 525T Tabletop TouchLink Touchpanel along with the IPCP Pro 250 xi control processor provides presenters the ability to switch sources and control audio volume from a simple and intuitive graphical user interface.

CONCLUSION

Extron's AV solutions played a crucial role in transforming the Museum of Cursed Soldiers and Political Prisoners' conference room into a highly versatile, multi-functional space. The professional design and implementation by Polixel, combined with Extron's innovative technology, provided a robust and adaptable solution that meets the museum's unique requirements while preserving the historical integrity of the facility. This project exemplifies how thoughtful integration of advanced AV technology can meet complex client needs.

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