IHSE USA Receives Two Best-of-Show Awards at InfoComm 2016

IHSE USA’s Draco tera compact UNI matrix switch, introduced earlier this year, has added two more prestigious awards to its portfolio. Two Best-of-Show awards — one from AV Technology and another from Sound & Video Contractor — were presented at InfoComm 2016. Earlier this year at the 2016 NAB Show, the Draco tera compact UNI matrix switch won Best-of-Show awards from Government Video and TV Technology.

The Draco tera compact UNI matrix switch is designed for small to mid-sized KVM requirements, with backplane technology that switches high-speed data signals such as SDI and USB 3.0 in a method similar to traditional crosspoint routing switchers. The advantage comes in the ability of each port to be configured as either an input or output by way of IHSE’s tera tool control application.

Designed with universal SFP card cages, any combination of fiber or BNC-style SFP modules for SDI can be inserted and set up to switch signals based on SMPTE’s ST-259, ST-292, ST-424, and ST-2081 formats up to 4K resolutions. Either in combination with SDI or as a stand-alone system, the UNI matrix switch can switch USB 3.0 SuperSpeed signals at 5 Gbps within the same frame using special high-speed fiber SFP modules.

The UNI matrix switch comes in two frame sizes: a 1-RU frame supporting 16, 32, and 48 ports; and a 2-RU frame supporting a hybrid of either Cat-X/UNI or fiber/UNI. The hybrid frames offer either 48 KVM ports and 16 universal ports or 48 KVM ports and 32 universal ports. Hybrid models can switch a combination of KVM signals in parallel with SDI or USB 3.0 signals. Up to 48 KVM slots are available for connecting the IHSE Draco vario or compact series of extenders to support DVI, Dual-Link DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, USB 2.0, and RS-232/422.

For those who prefer a third-party control application, the Draco tera compact UNI can be configured using IHSE’s API protocol to operate with many popular control systems, such as those made by Crestron, HRS, and Lawo. In addition, IHSE has partnered with DNF Controls to develop programmable push-button panels using the IHSE API. The panels enable quick push-button source and destination control normally found in broadcast and studio environments.

The Best-of-Show awards were evaluated by a panel of anonymous, CTS-certified InfoComm members. Judges evaluated each entry against multiple criteria, including innovation, performance against the category standard, richness/relevance of the feature set, ease of installation/maintenance, network friendliness, and value/ROI. Products with the highest total points were designated as winners.

“The multiple signal formats supported by the Draco tera compact UNI matrix switch allow AV system integrators to create a more universal digital workflow environment that fits almost any design criteria,” says Dan Holland, marketing manager for IHSE USA. “One of the judges called the UNI matrix switch the ‘Swiss Army Knife of switchers.’ We welcome that high praise and are grateful to the judges for recognizing the versatility and value we worked so hard to achieve with this product.”