Microsoft Canada Development Centre
Situation
Microsoft Corporation is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. Microsoft Canada has grown from five people in 1985 to more than 900 employees, who represent the 90,000 Microsoft staff worldwide, today. AVW-TELAV has played a role in facilitating that growth by providing a range of permanent AV infrastructure installations and ongoing service and support.
The Microsoft Canada Development Centre, as with similar centres around the world, was built both to tap into the extensive programming talent in the Vancouver market, as well as to act as a holding tank for talent that are awaiting authorization to work in the US at Microsoft's main campus in Redmond, Washington. Given its proximity to Redmond, collaborative requirements for this facility to Redmond are even more critical than any other around the world. The technical complexity involved to meet Microsoft's installation requisites truly demonstrated the breadth, and possibilities, of AVW-TELAV's execution capabilities.
Solution
Project highlights include:
•Eight meeting rooms, which follow Microsoft's worldwide meeting room standard, using Crestron Roomview which allows monitoring, diagnostics, and reporting from Redmond Operations Centre and interface to MS Outlook for room booking with schedule display and ad-hoc booking capability from a touchpanel outside of the room. In addition, motion sensors connected to the Crestron in each room delete room bookings for no-shows to maximize room-use efficiency.
•A 24-seat Distance Learning Lab used for computer training; each station features a PC and a shared microphone for student audio pick-up. Content sharing is capable from any PC in the room. The lab also includes a custom Microsoft Videoconferencing encoding PC (which utilizes 2 x Pan/Tilt/Zoom cameras) that allows for connectivity to similar labs in Redmond Head office and around the world. There are dual SXGA+ resolution projection screens at the front of room and a single 57" LCD flat panel at the rear of room for the instructor to easily view the far end of the audience.
•A Triple MPR Room, which is, essentially, three rooms divided by removable air walls to create a single large room. In each room, there are presenter podiums with multiple PC inputs, touchpanel control, and a microphone for local speech reinforcement and audioconferencing. For operator-assisted presentations, there is a source and control patch point at the rear of the room. Combining the rooms allows for a central podium to feed all projectors.
•Other systems include an "Enhanced Collaboration" Videoconferencing-enabled boardroom, a Cafe Digital Signage Display and multiple Common Area displays for digital signage and open-area-working group presentations.
Results
For a high-level of reliability and minimal downtime when technical issue arise, Microsoft currently receives AVW-TELAV's post-installation service, support and preventative maintenance for all its audio, visual and related systems. This service includes monthly pre-emptive maintenance with reporting to Microsoft AV in Redmond; priority onsite response for system failures, an inventory of critical loaner equipment; and ongoing consultation, design, and installation for audio visual upgrades.
