Transportation “Nerve Center” Gets a Revamp

When the Utah Department of Transportation decided an update was necessary for the primary display capabilities at the Traffic Operations Center in Salt Lake City, they knew that just as it would be for any road emergency, it was best to call in the “Pros.” To the rescue was AVPro Edge, a manufacturer of high-performance connectivity products engineered to provide professional audio/video installers with the best solutions they must have to address every scenario, alongside leading Salt Lake City integrator, TVS Pro , and their chief technology officer, Dalton Parker. For this project, TVS Pro chose MXnet 1G, one of the AVPro Edge Audio Video over Internet Protocol (AVoIP) ecosystems, to connect with, distribute, and manage traffic camera feeds from Utah state roads and highways within the operations center.

As the nerve center from where more than 1,700 traffic cameras are monitored for any signs of incidents requiring a swift response, the Traffic Operations Center performs a 24/7/365 mission-critical role supporting Utah highway safety. And, with safety a key aspect of what was at stake, combined with long-haul reliability, Dalton specified AVPro Edge MXnet 1G products for routing the camera feeds across the complex.

UDOT wished to replace its aging and dated rear-projection primary operations display system, originally installed by TVS Pro, with a newer type of video technology. The concept Parker’s team arrived at was a three-screen array centered by a massive multi-panel, cinema-dimensioned main display, flanked on each side by quite large auxiliary screens. The result is an impressively impactful, state-of-the-art control room and video wall that dutifully monitors the stimulating pulse of traffic flow all over the state.

Camera information arrives from locations dotting the Utah landscape and is received by camera decoders equipped with HDMI outputs. A signal selected for more intrinsic viewing is patched via HDMI into one of 36 MXnet 1G encoders, all of which when combined serve to create a virtual matrix switcher for the 36 packetized, routable streams that are ferried across the network.  After routing, the streams are converted back into HDMI by MXnet 1G decoders. MXnet dispatches all signals at near-zero latency through its multicast routing, providing operators with low-delay switching for visually lossless camera images.

[ Watch SoundTube Bring Audio Life to Windows On Orlando ]

Using MXnet as a transformative virtual matrix, the MXnet 1G decoders subsequently supply camera content to 32 inputs of a tvONE CORIOmaster2 video wall processor, which generates a seamless video design canvas. Touch panel control enables operators to efficiently customize images to conform to the needs at hand, with overlay, picture-in-picture, multi-picture, and multi-size capabilities, or a solo full wall image. The CORIOmaster2 then passes all outputs through to an additional signal processor that interfaces with every display panel to provide connecting paths from the CORIOmaster2.

For eco-conscious government agencies, a great deal of importance is placed on the environmental impact a wholesale equipment changeover might present, and often there are restrictive limits placed on the amount of additional power consumption a remodel or new project is allowed to assume. TVS Pro points to the highly efficient MXnet encoders and decoders as a decisive advantage over competitive products. Each unit siphons less than 5 operational watts from the power grid, running cool to the touch from clever utilization of the metal chassis frame working strategically with the main processing chip, and its top-mounted heatsink, to efficiently extract heat and disperse it quietly, fan-free, and noise-free.

Supporting gen-locking, MXnet stabilizes video system operation by syncing all decoders to a source, which is essential for tear-free performance with video walls.

Compatibility with popular remote monitoring software, such as OvrC, provides a heads-up to potential servicing needs. TVS Pro cites these features—along with the AVPro Edge hassle-free, 10-year warranty, and its award-winning tech support—as key additional reasons for selecting MXnet.

A guiding principle shared by both Pro companies is their customer-centric philosophy. TVS Pro places a strong emphasis on open communication and a consultative approach, with a concentrated focus on providing customized solutions tailored to client needs. Similarly, AVPro Edge leverages customer feedback to refine existing products and bring high-value, leading-edge solutions to market.

The UDOT Traffic Operations Center has been operating trouble-free for more than nine months since the transformation, a testament to Parker and his TVS Pro team’s commitment to excellence.