A prominent private school in Brisbane deployed a powerful 10Gb AV-over-IP UBEX solution to ensure zero-latency delivery of uncompressed 4K video onto its sporting field screens and for live streaming.
St. Joseph College, Gregory Terrace, a highly reputable Catholic school for young men, has always viewed sports as a vital part of learning and an important element in the formation of the ‘Terrace Gentlemen’. Back in 2022, the sporting fields were flooded with rain downpours that rendered its AV infrastructure largely inoperable. The college took this challenge as an opportunity to renovate its audio-visual system to meet current and future needs. The administration approached Ashburner Francis Consulting Engineers to design and develop, not only a new ground-up top class PA system for the entire sporting complex, but took advice to re-imagine the AV recording and broadcast system for the college’s main sporting field and surrounding buildings… rather than simply replace what was there before!
Having won the tender, VIDEOPRO (the System Integrator) in close collaboration with the customer, consultant and relevant manufacturers, implemented a cutting-edge complex AV solution that underpins the impeccable reputation of St Joseph’s College. The new AV infrastructure was set to provide video broadcasting and recording based on the low-latency transport of 4K at 60Hz video via fiber optics over a 10 Gb network. It needed to be robust, reliable, have a minimal footprint, and be easy to use.
VIDEOPRO, with their award-winning practice of valuing quality provided by the world’s leading brands, strategically implemented Lightware’s UBEX 10Gb AV-over-IP transport solution for sourcing 4K video signal from professional cameras on the sporting field, patched over into the fiber optic points around the field and transported with zero latency to the AV stadium bunker for sending them out onto the arena’s LED screen and live broadcasting.
VIDEOPRO, in particular, utilized 3 units of UBEX-Pro20-HDMI-F110 optical scaling extender that allows 4K UHD@60Hz 4:4:4 uncompressed signal extension with latency-free multistreaming. UBEX’s operate as portable Transmitters for 3x field cameras to enable patching 4K video over into fiber optics AV-over-IP points around the field. Delivered into the AV bunker’s network switching devices, the 4K video is then received by 3 devices of UBEX-Pro20-HDMI-F110 operating as Receivers supporting HDR video and high bitrate audio standards. The UBEX units, installed within the bunker rack, demand minimal patching and are easy to operate for both the in-house AV team and external professional operators that utilize St Joseph’s AV system to live-broadcast large rugby union games and cricket matches.
Lightware’s UBEX-MMU-X200 Matrix Management unit controls and supervises the virtual matrix that operates as a crosspoint for the UBEX TX/RX units in the system.
UBEX technology enables scalability and asymmetrical build of the solution, should the college need more inputs or outputs in the future, they will easily meet the requirement by leveraging Lightware’s 10Gb AV-over-IP UBEX extenders which can simply be added as required and grow with changes in demand.
A number of DA2HDMI-4K-Plus distribution amplifiers are also included in the design to provide duplicated outputs where required.
The Roger’s Pavilion next to the sporting area, is a multi-use room where students and coaches meet to workshop, discuss and analyse games, but there can also be a requirement to send content from here to the outdoor LED screen, other buildings and facilitate Video Conference calls. As such, for this space, the customer needed a user-friendly meeting room layout with UC functionality, plus the ability to control certain elements of the entire AV system. To enable seamless collaboration here, VIDEOPRO utilized Lightware’s TAURUS UCX-4x2-HC30D USB-C powered matrix switcher that enables 4K60 video between laptops and displays, USB 3.1 host-switching layer for hosts and peripherals, charging at 60W, and DANTE audio capabilities as the heart of the system.
As the entire venue is controlled by QSC (which also forms the DSP backbone), the Rogers pavilion benefits from integration of the Lightware technology with a QSC Touchpanel to not only control all functionality in the room but also provides a central point to manage and route signals to other end points across the venue.
Here as well an UBEX-Pro20-HDMI-F100 extender operating as transmitter/receiver enables connectivity of the Roger’s Pavilion technology with the main rack switch, which means content from here can be utilised anywhere the 10gb distribution system reaches.
VIDEOPRO’s Account Manager of the St. Joseph’s College project, Mark Chaplin, says UBEX saw no competition, it was the right instrument for the challenging job of zero-latency extension of uncompressed supreme quality 4K UHD video over long distances via a 10Gb network.
St. Joseph’s College, which excels in fostering young men embracing values, has leveraged the same responsible and profound approach in renovating its AV technology. Lightware’s team was excited to be instrumental in creating the state-of-the-art AV solution for the college’s sports fields.
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
