Over the past two years, much work has gone into mitigating disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and one such area which required a technological fix was that of the courthouse.

The sudden shift of court proceedings from in-person to online was challenging for all involved.

But AVoIP solutions provider Key Digital was on hand to assist in one particular project in Arkansas, to offer a simplified and user-friendly approach to a full online courtroom experience, keeping all necessary confidentiality and privacy intact.

In theWhite County Courthouse in Searcy, Arkansas, local company Fortress Audio Visual and Surveillance installed a comprehensive custom system to bring the courthouse into a virtual realm.

Based on the Key Digital Courtroom Communications System KD-CCS, the new setup placed AV-over-IP encoders and decoders at each participant’s table, allowing every position access to the full range of digital data necessary to assure efficient proceedings. Unlike traditional AV systems, the KD-CCS does not require a centralised equipment rack, making it especially ideal for installation in existing courtrooms; instead, the system runs smoothly and reliably via a managed-network switch and provides users with familiar PC interface control software to route video content and camera feeds.

The White County Courthouse now has the ability to route each participant’s voice, and the audio and video from camera feeds and shared laptop content, for local and remote activities. The KD-CCS system is user-friendly: White County legislative officials as well as attorneysand judges are all able to use the system without need for any IT assistance.

The KD-CCS system consists of a request button for each participant, KD-CAMUSB 1080p PTZ cameras, push-to-talk USB microphones, KD-IP1022ENC and KD-IP1022DEC 4K AV-over-IP encoders and decoders, KD-RMPC mini computers, a Linksys LGS328MPC managed network switch, and PC control software for the operator (offering AV routing of each participant to a single participant or to all participants, as well as PTZ camera control).

Key Digital Management SoftwareTM (KDMSTM) provides an intuitive GUI designed for an optimized user-friendly experience. At the heart of the installation is Key Digital’s pre-configured AV over IP foundation, with its KD-IP1022 encoders for camera and laptop capture via HDMI and a decoder for each participant’s monitor. Key Digital’s KD-CAMUSB provides adjustable PTZ and preset control at each station. With the press of a KDMS button, participants can change from camera view to laptop share. The audio portion provides two-way audio via USB microphones for public and private communications and uses the display’s speaker for audio or may be integrated with an amplifier or assisted listening system if desired.