By: Annette Haebel - The AC is set to high; some listeners already start putting on their coats. Lights on, lights off, too light, too dark. Which computer runs my presentation? And how do I turn on the sound? The technology provided in the room seems to be a bit too much for the poor tutor. That’s not even unusual considering he holds a Master in Economics instead of Media Technology. Why can’t technology for non-technicians simply be simple? Or can it? Together with German company Medientechnik Thomas, Guntermann & Drunck solved this task for their customers.
Operation via touchpad
In the foreground: simple operation via touchpad
The team behind it
L to r: Henry Niemeyer and Martin Althaus, Product Management Guntermann & Drunck GmbH with Uwe Thomas and Philip Weber, Medientechnik Thomas
Industry, administration, education, traffic control centre or control room - for many users, media equipment can pose almost insurmountable technical challenges. Instead of being technology experts most users are experts in their respective fields. Despite their lack of technical understanding, they still need to be able to manage complex equipment including high-tech computers.
Focus, please!
Wouldn’t it be nice for users to be able to control their devices with very little effort and without having to have a master’s degree in the technology behind the technical systems they use? This is where a joint development from KVM manufacturer Guntermann & Drunck and Medientechnik Thomas comes into play. Both companies developed a media control to intuitively run different switching scenarios for the entire computer, house and media system over one graphical user interface. It gives users access to several computers, logs them in, displays the image of a computer on a specific monitor or a video wall and takes over many other tasks. All integrated system devices can be intuitively operated via computer, tablet or smartphone. That’s not only a relief for users, but also reduces the amount of servicing needed as well as the costs for maintenance.
Simplifying complicated switching
A superior, intelligent operating system takes over the central device management, which manages, monitors and controls the entire system. The provided GUI can be adjusted individually. It’s even possible to store entire switching scenarios, which initiate comprehensive sequences of commands and connections in the background and therefore relief the user of having to think about these aspects.
What’s behind all this?
The buttons of the GUI trigger configured actions. The GUI consists of an individually selectable image file. It’s even possible to take an image of a room where the user can tip the computer and switch its image to a particular display or video wall. Simple, isn’t it?
The operating system transmits image, sound and control independently and without any loss in quality. Even the technology of an entire house can be integrated in a media control to operate everything from the sound system to the blinds or the air conditioning system. Due to its modularity, the system can be easily expanded.
Cooperation of knowledge and experience
With their passion and discipline, the technicians from Guntermann & Drunck and Medientechnik Thomas found a way to unite computer technology, KVM and media control. Medientechnik Thomas continuously cooperates with market leaders from the media industry and supports them by designing, planning and implementing comprehensive media projects. Guntermann & Drunck’s core competence is KVM: extending, switching and distributing of computer signals. Both companies are managed by their respective owners and look back on decades of experience in areas like signal transmission, media monitoring and media control.