Everything You Need to Know About Video Wall Technology
Video wall technology allows organizations from various sectors – from data-centric enterprises to public safety agencies – to harness the potential of visual data. Haivision’s video wall solutions stand at the forefront of command and operation center excellence, enabling seamless collaboration and informed decision-making. However, navigating the many technologies and configurations can be a large undertaking, especially if it is the organization’s first foray into building a center using this technology. So, in an effort to provide some initial guidance to those unfamiliar with the ins and outs of video wall technology, here’s everything you need to know about video wall solutions that are designed to elevate operational efficiency.
Understanding Video Wall Technology Solutions
Video wall technology represents a system of solutions that integrates multiple visual sources onto expansive screens, creating an immersive and unified display. Once implemented, its significance in command centers is unparalleled, enabling real-time data monitoring and facilitating rapid, informed responses. For example, Akamai Technologies, Inc., a global content delivery network, cloud services, and cybersecurity provider, has a single, large control room that houses both their Broadcast Operations Command Center (BOCC) and Network Operations Command Center (NOCC). In this combined space, the company incorporates new technologies that enhance workflows and streamline operations.
Beyond singular applications, video wall technology’s adaptability spans various industries, each with its specific needs (we’ll explain these industries and needs later on in this article) and brings a level of scalability that supports multi-site operations regardless of location.
The Key Components of a Video Wall Solution
Creating an effective, high-performance operation or command center starts with the right technology stack. In this section, we outline key solutions within our video wall portfolio that contribute to the display of critical content, including software, video processors, and encoders.
Haivision Command 360 Video Wall Software:
At the core of critical visualization technologies lies Command 360, a solution that provides a user-friendly interface that seamlessly controls the flow of virtually any type of content, ensuring the dynamic display of critical data on primary video walls and across facility-wide screens.
Beyond visual display control, Command 360 serves as a pivotal tool for user access management and dynamic source manipulation, enhancing informed decision-making during crises. It offers visual display control, user access management, and dynamic source changes, enabling informed decision-making during crises. Command 360’s hallmark, however, is its open architecture, which allows for effortless integration with diverse video wall components. This eliminates the necessity for external equipment or custom programming.
Its scope extends to enterprise, defense, government, and public safety sectors, enabling rapid responses to urgent scenarios such as cybersecurity breaches and public emergencies.
Alpha FX Video Processors:
These high-performance processors facilitate real-time video display, high-resolution visualization, and the establishment of enterprise-scale AV/IP networks. Haivision’s Alpha FX Video Processors are easily integrated into a video wall ecosystem, providing high-density inputs and outputs, multi-video wall control, and native content support.
Stryke Video Processor:
Tailored for tactical operations, the ruggedized Stryke Video Processor provides the same capabilities as the Alpha FX while delivering real-time situational awareness in varied environments. This technology complements mission-critical operation and command centers, designed specifically for the demands of on-the-go processing and military operations.
Video Wall Components:
As you may have gathered, many different technologies contribute to a high-performance video wall ecosystem. Beyond the central solutions listed above, there are other components in a Haivision video wall solution that can facilitate better decision-making and faster responses in business-critical and mission-critical environments. This includes encoders, decoders, and KVM access points, augmenting situational awareness capabilities and seamlessly integrating with Haivision’s video wall software and processors. Explore Haivision’s suite of accessory components here.
Portable Video Walls:
In some military and defense circumstances, the ability to capture the same real-time visualization capabilities while in the field demands a portable solution. Haivision’s portable video wall solutions are designed for on-the-go situational awareness during tactical missions or disaster responses.
Video Wall Technology Applications for Diverse Sectors
Public Safety: Video wall solutions are crucial for swift responses, inter-agency collaboration, and effective crisis management. As a result, video walls are often used in the form of emergency operation centers and command centers within law enforcement agencies to support precision policing, as well as fire departments, and emergency medical services.
Enterprise: Also known as corporate or business sector, private organizations can also benefit from the real-time visualization capabilities of video wall technology. These solutions easily address the needs of telecom companies, large enterprises with extensive IT infrastructure, major IT firms, cybersecurity entities, cloud service providers, and financial institutions, optimizing operational efficiency and decision-making processes.
Government: Much like public safety entities, federal and public sector government agencies use video wall technology within security operation centers and emergency management agencies to ultimately drive real-time crisis monitoring, rapid-response coordination, and resource and infrastructure management.
Defense: Advanced technology plays a key role in national and global security. Serving global and domestic armed forces, military bases, intelligence agencies, reserve forces, and combatant commands, video wall technology empowers critical decision-making, strategic planning and real-time monitoring of military operations. Additionally, training centers use video wall solutions for simulation and training purposes, ensuring preparation for various mission scenarios. They rely on this technology to coordinate multi-national defense operations and ensure clear communication, situational awareness, and decision-making in critical situations.
Key Considerations Before Implementation
Constructing a video wall ecosystem and, more broadly, an operation or command center is a significant undertaking with many considerations to take into account. Choosing the right solution requires organizations to carefully evaluate their current infrastructure, existing and future needs, and realistic expectations for how the system will support their objectives. Haivision’s video wall experts are there to assist organizations in determining the right solution for you, but it is helpful for customers to carefully assess some of the following needs before taking the leap.
- Infrastructure Assessment: Beyond basic infrastructure, evaluating network robustness, scalability, and security protocols ensures seamless integration without compromising existing systems.
- User-Centric Approach: Understanding user needs, roles, and interfaces helps tailor the video wall technology to optimize usability and functionality across diverse operations.
- Technology Compatibility: Ensuring compatibility with existing technologies, software, and hardware systems prevents integration conflicts and streamlines operational efficiency.
- Long-Term Scalability and Maintenance: Planning for future expansions, software updates, and system maintenance guarantees sustained functionality and minimizes disruptions in critical operations.
By delving into these critical considerations, organizations can effectively leverage video wall technology and Command 360, paving the way for streamlined operations, enhanced decision-making, and rapid responses across diverse sectors.
With the help of high-performance, intuitive video wall solutions, Haivision has seen firsthand how technology empowers operation and command centers. Today’s technology allows for more data-driven decision-making and faster responses through dynamic content management, ensuring critical data reaches primary video walls and facility-wide displays and, ultimately, business-critical and mission-critical personnel.
