Audio Visual System Upgrade Services

The vendor is required to provide the audio visual (AV) equipment will be updated to current technology, and the system functionality will be enhanced to include seamlessly integrated telephone and software-based video conferencing into the proceedings for the room.
- Audio
1. Voice reinforcement
• A mix-minus audio configuration will be utilized in the new system. 
• This system will implement individual loudspeakers at each participant station, as well as a microphone and the user interface to control them. 
• This allows for calibration of individual elements such as the microphone gain for a consistently quiet presenter and fully configurable audio mix.
2. Gooseneck microphones
• The existing line array microphones have reached the end of their life cycle and need to be replaced.
• The microphones will be replaced with gooseneck microphones with shock-mounts for council, staff, presenters, and the mayor.
• This means that the microphone will be positioned in the direction that each councilor and staff person are naturally inclined to face when presenting.
• These microphones will be high-quality gooseneck microphones with a forgiving pickup pattern.
• The personal touch panel at each seat will have a clear indication of the microphone’s status.
• These microphones will have 500mm (19.7”) semi-rigid stem.
• Length for the presenter microphones will provide additional reach to service multiple seats as well as standing presenters.
3. Wireless microphones
• There will be a wireless microphone system for use in the room as required, typically for the presenters.
• The wireless microphone system selected has one handheld microphone and one lapel style lavaliere microphone.
• The general use wireless there will be a pair of boundary wireless microphones intended to provide an equal and equitable experience to people that are unable to use the presenters desk in its current configuration, or where it is more appropriate to use the accessible seating area in the audience.
• These microphones are low profile and can be operated from the touch panel allowing maximum flexibility to position them on mobility platforms such as wheelchairs or on height-adjustable furniture.
4. Tabletop loudspeakers
• The existing loudspeakers will be replaced with a slightly more substantial desktop loudspeaker for improved audio characteristics.
• These new loudspeakers will be installed at each of the technology enabled seating positions and on the presenter desk. 
• They are aimable and will be directed towards the seated participants. 
• The new loudspeakers will be installed on the table surface to minimize interaction with the desk and to provide clear and controlled sound to allow for a mix-minus installation: each loudspeaker will reproduce the audio from the other microphones from around the room, conferencing participants, but exclude the adjacent microphones. 
• These new loudspeakers are approx. 5” cubed and will be more obvious that they are loudspeakers, while still not intruding into the ‘blotter’ portion of the desktop.
5. Ceiling loudspeakers
• The existing loudspeakers will be replaced with full-range pendant loudspeakers. 
• These speakers will be suspended from the ceiling between the crossbeams and will face directly downwards. 
• This will provide clean and even coverage of the audience area without problematic time alignment issues or reflects from the walls. 
• These speakers will be zoned in two rows allowing for time alignment which will improve speech intelligibility and reduce echo.
6. Digital signal processing 
• At the heart of the audio is a digital signal processor. 
• This device is responsible for the management of all the audio signals in the room. 
• It will provide all of the analog/digital conversions required to use AV over IP solutions and provide all of the processing, mixing, and controls including echo cancellation, equalization, volume control, delay, and automatic microphone mixing, to fully integrate the sound system in the room with remote participants. 
• The DSP also provides a USB connection to the computer that connects to the software-based video conferencing solution to allow full bi-directional integrated audio between remote participants and the local room. 
• The USB audio will be combined with the selected camera and provide a ‘speakerphone’ and ‘webcam’ connection to the conferencing host pc.
7. Hearing assistance
• A hearing assistance system will be installed that will allow for people with hearing loss to participate fully in the events. 
• This system will leverage the existing wi-fi in the building. 
• For patrons with Bluetooth enabled hearing aids, they will be able to download an app onto their personal device that will allow them to stream the audio from the facilities sound system through the wi-fi and connect directly to their hearing aids. 
• For patrons who have hearing loss, but do not have hearing aids, they will be able to do the same thing with wired or wireless earphones. 
• The system included has four receivers, a charging tray, and an assortment of earphones and induction loops.
- Video
1. Pan tilt zoom cameras
• To meet the needs of the project, four pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras are required. 
• There are four existing PTZ cameras currently installed in the chambers and these cameras are modern, in good condition and can be re-used. 
• These cameras are professional broadcast cameras and of high quality. 
• The existing cameras have a resolution of 1080i60. 
• These cameras are also upgradable and have the ability to add NDI licenses if there is a desire to add video production capabilities in the future.
• The cameras will re-use the existing SDI video cabling back to the main equipment rack where they will be connected to a new camera switcher that will allow the control system to select the active camera. 
• This active camera will be split and connected in parallel to the video recorder, the swag it streaming appliance, and converted to USB for connection to the conferencing pc. 
• In this configuration, the cameras are not configured for in-room use and are intended for streaming and recording. 
• The camera feed will be a single camera at a time with the same image routed to all streaming, recording, and overflow devices.
2. Video inputs
• Video input locations will be restricted to a laptop input on the presenters table, a laptop and conference (zoom) pc located at the legislative assistant desk, and a laptop input at the corporate officer desk at the legislative assistant’s desk there will be a zoom pc installed under the desk that is connected to the second monitor on the desk and to an AV over IP encoder. 
• There will be a USB connection that has the room audio and camera feed to support the zoom call. 
• There will be a keyboard and mouse that allows the legislative assistant to control this pc for managing the zoom call. 
• There will also be a laptop docking station that will allow a laptop to share video content in the chambers. 
• At the corporate officer desk there will be a laptop docking station with one monitor output connected to the second video display and the second connected to an AV over IP encoder to allow video content to be shared. 
• This docking station will also have the in-room USB devices connected for conferencing applications. 
• At the presenters table there will be a laptop input for sharing video and audio. 
• The council chamber is powered off; this video input will be routed to the gallery displays and the system will automatically turn on the tv’s and audio from this location when the room is used for training.
3. Main gallery video monitors
• The existing four video monitors that service the gallery will be replaced with new displays. 
• Installed approximately over the gallery front railing will be a pair of 98” diagonal video monitors. 
• These monitors will be installed with the top of the monitor near the ceiling directly in front of the wooden cross beam. 
• This allows the entire gallery, accessibility seating, and media table an unobstructed view of one or both displays. 
• By installing the displays near the ceiling, this allows larger displays to be installed without obstructing the view of the council or staff. 
• On-site coordination is required to position them to best match the goals described above. 
• These displays are sized for general viewing by the gallery and will provide a good viewing experience for maps, PowerPoint presentations, and videos. 
• These are not sized for displaying dense text, spreadsheets or detailed documents.
4. Front row video monitors
• Due to the overhead crossbeams and sightline restrictions, it is not possible to provide comfortable viewing angles to the front few rows of the gallery. 
• Supplementary 55” monitors will be installed for these locations. 
• As the distance to the viewers is shorter, to achieve the same general viewing target smaller displays can be used. 
• The size of these displays will be the same apparent size to gallery members in the front row and gallery members in the rear row viewing the main monitors. 
• These monitors will be installed immediately in front of the cross beam. 
• Mounting height will need to be coordinated on site to avoid obstructing the side camera views while also providing appropriate viewability from the gallery. 
• The bottom of these monitors must be installed a minimum of 6’6” (1980mm) above the finished floor to allow unobstructed walking underneath them.
5. Mayor monitor
• The mayor will also re-use their existing monitor. 
• It can show independent video but will be configured to ‘follow’ the council video displays in normal operation.
6. Recording
• The least formal method of recording in the chambers will be to use the built-in recording feature of the software conferencing platform such as zoom or teams. 
• This will capture the video and audio from the room and allow simple distribution to small groups. 
• The second way to record will be using the network recording appliance that is located at city hall. 
• This is intended for in-camera recordings, non-council related meetings, and as the backup recording for the council and committee meetings. 
• This recording appliance will have two video inputs, one for people (camera) and another for content. 
• This appliance will have the ability to composite a video image that is full screen or any combination of the two video sources combined, as well as provide two (2) discreet streams. 
• These stream presets will be pre-defined and selectable depending on the events in the council chambers. 
• The in-room sources will be connected to the inputs of the swag it recording appliance and is the primary recording method. 
• This is the recording that is linked to the city website and is used for formal broadcast and archive of the meeting. 
• This recording will have a dual channel recording. 
• An audio feed with all the in-room and remote participants will be included in all the recording methods.
7. Video distribution
• Video distribution will be done within the council chambers using AV over IP technology. 
• At each video input location there will be a video network encoder that will convert the video signal into a multi-cast video signal and register it on the network. 
• At each video display and recording input there will be a video network decoder that with convert the multicast video signal back into HDMI. 
• This allows video ingested into the network to be displayed on any display, in any location that is connected to the network.
- Bidders’ Meeting Date: July 15, 2025
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: July 21, 2025