IHSE USA, Lawo Unite KVM and Control Systems to Benefit Broadcast and Production Ops

IHSE USA announced a partnership with Lawo whereby IHSE’s Draco tera matrix switch frames support Lawo’s Virtual Studio Manager (VSM) broadcast control and monitoring system.

A number of broadcast companies such as NEP Australia, YLE Finland, Danish Radio Denmark, and key broadcast and cable companies in the U.S. are already using Lawo’s VSM control environment to manage KVM switching via the IHSE products in their editing suites, master control suites, and mobile production studios.

“KVM systems have gone from being a basic backroom tool for network administrators to an integral part of any broadcast or production environment. In the process, IHSE’s KVM systems have become indispensable for media operations around the world — not only for connecting to any keyboard and mouse, but also for routing A/V and data signals,” said Dan Holland, marketing manager for IHSE USA. “Lawo’s widely adopted VSM system is equally valuable to many of these same types of customers. The partnership with Lawo is an example of how easily IHSE’s KVM solution integrates into third-party systems, and how our many existing field installations prove the performance and reliability of our joint solution.”

IHSE’s KVM system gives broadcasters a way to share computer sources without having to dedicate specific workstations to operational needs. With KVM, they can connect any workstation to any server or computer source on the KVM matrix grid. This connectivity means they can move noisy and heat-generating CPU units to a more centralized and secure location while giving users immediate performance from a workstation’s keyboard and mouse. Simple API commands ensure easy integration using common GUI configurations that can be adapted as needs change.

Beyond those benefits, IHSE’s KVM system offers performance gains with higher-resolution video and audio, such as 4K resolutions and broadcast-quality digital and analog audio. Furthermore, KVM systems from IHSE provide legacy support for RS-232 and RS-422 shared serial data signals.

Meanwhile, Lawo’s VSM broadcast control and monitoring system provides a structured control system that manages all of these signal types under one interface, with symbols that can be easily mapped to touch-screen or touch-pad devices. The Lawo VSM solution relies on unique logic to simplify operational user interfaces and workflows. A powerful yet intuitive toolbox allows users to expand the broadcast system and make changes to the workflow or configuration without manufacturer support. In this case, broadcasters are using Lawo VSM to configure and control IHSE’s KVM switching workflows.

“IHSE’s KVM solutions offer powerful tools to customize and simplify operations. Integrating the VSM system into an IHSE KVM solution offers even more possibilities in terms of connectivity, workflow flexibility, and connectivity, freeing the users from hardware restraints and giving them ultimate freedom,” said Axel Kern, senior product manager at Lawo.