Epiphan Pearl Mini Enables 400+ Classrooms at MTSU

Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) embarked on a journey to enhance the accessibility and efficiency of their educational offerings, both in-person and online. With an extensive array of classroom technology, spanning more than 400 rooms, including projectors, sound systems, document cameras, computers, and laptops, MTSU saw the potential to optimize their resources for lecture capture and student access. They faced a critical challenge in aligning these diverse devices for lecture recording and enabling student access via live streaming or later viewing.

Traditional software solutions proved ineffective, leading MTSU's Classroom AV team to explore hardware-based alternatives. They required a solution that could automate lecture capture, initiate and end recordings seamlessly, and deliver content to both Panopto and Zoom. Additionally, they needed a scalable, cloud-based system to effectively manage this technology across their extensive campus with a small staff of just two members. Moreover, they sought to eliminate human error, saving time for the AV team and enhancing the overall learning experience.

The solution emerged through a strategic partnership with Epiphan, Panopto, and Zoom. Epiphan Pearl Mini proved to be the ideal choice, offering automated lecture-capture capabilities to harmonize various video sources, manage recordings, and deliver content to Panopto and Zoom. With cloud-based features, the AV team gained real-time, remote monitoring capabilities, providing a flexible and comprehensive solution.

Epiphan Pearl Mini streamlined technology deployment and seamlessly integrated with Panopto, the Content Management System (CMS). This integration allowed simultaneous live streaming and local recording, enhancing the viewing experience for students.

An additional benefit was the improvement of the Zoom experience. By utilizing existing cameras and microphones within classrooms, Pearl Mini rerouted audio and video to Zoom, ensuring students attending virtual sessions had clear access to content, enhancing the remote learning environment.

The Epiphan Pearl Mini's cloud capabilities offered remote access and real-time issue alerts, eliminating the need for on-site troubleshooting and enhancing the efficiency of the AV team's operations.

Moreover, Pearl Mini simplified lecture capture for both faculty and students, with its intuitive one-touch operation requiring minimal training. Faculty members could schedule recording sessions, eliminating the need to manually initiate recording at the start of each class. This empowered faculty to enhance teaching methods and improve the learning experience for students.

The implementation of Epiphan Pearl Mini brought MTSU closer to their goal of creating an inclusive, efficient, and immersive learning environment that benefited students and faculty. It streamlined classrooms, saved time for the AV team, and improved academic performance for students. With its user-friendly design and seamless integration with Panopto and Zoom, this solution laid a robust foundation for advancing the educational experience at Middle Tennessee State University, aligning with their vision of accessible and efficient learning for all.

Read the full case study from Epiphan HERE