Case Study: AREC in the Pioneers Palace – a major cultural and historical landmark of Almaty.

Dear ADENA Partners, this month’s case study focuses on the grand Pioneers Palace in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Our distributor, STEPLine, has completely remodelled the main conference hall of this educational institution, equipping it with modern AV technology for conferencing, recording, and streaming from AREC, BXB, AUDAC, MAXON, and other leading brands. Read on to discover more about the solution in the story below.

The Almaty Pioneers Palace was established in 1983 to provide after-school education for children and to host important events. It quickly became one of Almaty’s historical and cultural landmarks, renowned for its distinctive architectural design and the wide range of extracurricular activities it offered. By 2014, the institution provided around 80 such activities in science, technology, sports, arts, and crafts.

After three decades of continuous operation, it was time for a major renovation and modernisation. Over the past ten years, every facility within the palace has been reviewed and progressively upgraded – including the main conference hall. Several design proposals were considered for it, and after careful evaluation, the authorities chose the offer from our distributor, STEPLine. Their plan incorporated AREC devices for video capture, processing, recording, and streaming, complemented by audio products from other leading brands.

LS-860 Media Station

At the heart of this solution was the LS-860 – a four-channel Media Station capable of recording and streaming video mixed from up to four sources, such as cameras, computers, and other HDMI or network devices. The station can record these sources together in customisable layouts with user-uploaded overlays and backgrounds, while also recording each source individually at the same time. Recorded videos can be saved directly onto the station’s built-in 2 TB hard drive, as well as to USB and NAS devices. In addition to recording, the LS-860 can simultaneously stream to two RTMP platforms – such as YouTube and Facebook – and supports a variety of other valuable features, including individual channel audio recording, SRT streaming, transition effects, and more.

In the palace’s conference room, the LS-860 mixed video from four AREC CI-22H PTZ network cameras. These cameras are an excellent fit for any conference environment thanks to their powerful 20x optical zoom, 1080p60 resolution support, and flexible connectivity. They offer simultaneous video output via HDMI, USB, and network interfaces. In the hall, the cameras are controlled via VISCA by the BXB C901 system, which automatically directs them towards active speakers using BXB microphones.

BXB UFO microphones, AUDAC PRE240 preamp mixer, and MAXON XM-250 amplifier form the audio capture and processing part of the installed solution. These devices are connected both to the LS-860 for audio recording and to AUDAC CIRA724/W and KYRA12/B loudspeakers for local sound output. The AUDAC loudspeaker columns minimise echo and feedback effects, ensuring clear and balanced audio throughout the venue.

A-BR02 HDMI-to-USB Bridge

The combined audio and video output from the LS-860 is converted from HDMI to USB by a RADA Bridge. This device transforms the HDMI input into a USB webcam and microphone signal for conferencing and other applications. The Bridge is a plug-and-play solution that requires no additional software or drivers. It supports video output of up to 2160p30, includes an HDMI loop-through output for duplicating content to a display or projector, and features a 3.5 mm line input for adding an external audio voiceover. In the conference room, the Bridge ensured that remote participants could both see and hear every meeting attendee joining from the palace.

The remodelled solution perfectly complements the grandeur of the Almaty Pioneers Palace in both function and style, and will continue to serve this institution reliably for many years to come. Are you working on a similarly distinctive conference room project? Contact us at www.a-dena.com to discuss how AREC solutions can meet your project requirements.