Application Notes: Dante in Corporate AV Installations
Boardrooms, conference rooms, campuses, lobbies — real-world deployment scenarios Corporate AV is among the most practical deployment target for…
The Challenge
A mid-size technology company in Austin, TX was expanding into a new 12-room office floor. The original AV specification called for Crestron CP4-R processors with TSW-570 touch panels in each room, totaling over $15,000 per room including hardware, programming licenses, and integration labor. With 12 rooms, the projected AV control budget alone exceeded $180,000.
The IT Director pushed back: We need reliable room control, but we cannot justify $15K per room for a system that requires a certified Crestron programmer every time we want to change a button label.
The Solution: KanexPro Controls Ecosystem
The integrator proposed a tiered KanexPro Controls deployment using four products, all programmed through EASYAccomplish software (Windows, Mac, and iOS):
| Room Type | Product | Why This Product |
|---|---|---|
| 2x Executive Boardrooms | CR-TOUCH6R | 6-inch widescreen touch + knob. RS232 + RS485 for projector and lighting. Knob for volume. |
| 4x Conference Rooms | CR-TOUCH4A | 4-inch touch panel. Graphical UI for source switching, display power, presets. Gigabit PoE. |
| 4x Huddle Rooms | CR-KEY8U | 8-button 1-gang keypad. 4x RS232 controls matrix, DSP, display directly. |
| 2x Training Rooms | CR-KEY10R | 10-button + knob 2-gang. Projector, screen relay, lights RS232, camera TCP/IP. |
The Deployment
Week 1: CAT6 to each room. All panels PoE-powered. Touch panels in 86 boxes with surface-mount adapters for US. CR-KEY8U in US 1-gang. CR-KEY10R in US 2-gang.
Week 2: One tech programmed all 12 rooms with EASYAccomplish on MacBook. Configs exported/imported across identical rooms. 3 days total vs. 2-3 weeks for Crestron.
Week 3: Web GUI config at 192.168.0.101. Custom button labels. Branded touch UIs. Knobs mapped to DSP volume and lighting.
The Results
| Metric | Crestron | KanexPro |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware/room | $3,500-$5,000 | $200-$500 |
| Processor/room | $1,500 | $0 (standalone) |
| Software | $2,500+ | $0 (free) |
| Programming | 2-3 weeks | 3 days |
| Total 12 rooms | ~$180,000 | ~$25,000-$35,000 |
| License fees | Annual | None |
Savings: ~$145,000-$155,000 (80%+ reduction)
Key Takeaways
- Tiered deployment: Touch panels in boardrooms, keypads in huddle rooms. One EASYAccomplish platform.
- No processor required: Standalone Linux (keypads) or Android 11 (touch panels).
- I/O density: 4x RS232, RS485, 2x IR, 2x Relay, 2x I/O built into keypads.
- Cross-platform: EASYAccomplish on Windows, Mac, iOS. Export/import configs.
- PoE everything: Single CAT cable per room.
Products Used
- CR-TOUCH6R - 6-inch Touch Panel with Knob, RS232/RS485, PoE
- CR-TOUCH4A - 4-inch Touch Panel with PoE, Android 11
- CR-KEY8U - 8-Button Keypad with RS232, IR, Relay, PoE
- CR-KEY10R - 10-Button Keypad with RS232, IR, Relay, PoE
Visit kanexpro.com or call 888.975.1368.
