Background 

Mid Ulster District Council’s chamber conference system had become outdated and unreliable, frequently failing during critical meetings and lacking the capability to support modern hybrid or remote participation formats.  

The legacy infrastructure required manual reconfiguration for every meeting type, creating significant operational inefficiencies, increased staff workloads, and heightened risk of technical failures during proceedings. 

Following Northern Ireland government guidance promoting digital accessibility and remote capabilities across the public sector, the council identified an urgent need for comprehensive modernisation. The challenge was to preserve the integrity of traditional in-chamber functions while enabling seamless hybrid participation, all within the architectural and heritage constraints of the space.  

Partnering with System Integrator Rea Sound, the council required a solution that would support real-time streaming and recording, secure remote voting, and intuitive control. The project needed to be delivered within a demanding 90-day timeline driven by chamber scheduling requirements. 

Goal 

Key objectives included enabling single-touch setup across traditional, hybrid, and fully remote meeting formats while eliminating manual system reconfiguration. The council required inclusive participation for both in-person and remote attendees. This included managed speaking requests and secure voting functionality. 

Enhanced public transparency through professional-quality streaming with automated speaker identification was essential.  

The solution also needed to reduce technical complexity, provide a consistent experience across six locations, and allow remote monitoring to minimize on-site intervention. 

Solution 

At the core of the system is a custom-programmed Kramer KT-2010 control panel that serves as the command centre for the entire AV ecosystem. Rea Sound developed bespoke control programming that unifies disparate systems, including a Bosch Dicentis Wireless Conference System, an Allen & Heath digital matrix, Panasonic and Samsung displays, LED lighting, and Kramer AVoIP infrastructure into a single, seamlessly integrated environment. 

Staff can now select any meeting type – traditional, hybrid, or fully online – with a single touch. The system then automatically adjusts audio, activates cameras, configures display settings, and adjusts lighting, eliminating the need for technical expertise during setup or operation.  

Kramer AVoIP encoders and decoders form the distribution backbone, providing flexible, network-based routing of high-quality video signals throughout the facility. This IP-based setup ensures scalability while maintaining broadcast-quality imagery for both in-room displays and streaming applications. The system supports simultaneous multi-location meeting control, giving operators unprecedented flexibility wherever they are based. 

The Panta Rhei AV ecosystem platform provides advanced system management. Working alongside Kramer control, Panta Rhei Session Manager infrastructure. Session Manager is a software−only unified service for meeting/session initiation, content management, third−party application launch and wireless presentation. It enables managing the digital assets in meeting rooms and classrooms and enhances the user experience. 
Its primary purpose is to facilitate easy, efficient, and secure access to video conferencing, collaboration tools, and resources within meeting spaces. 

In addition, Panta Rhei delivers enterprise-level infrastructure oversight and transforms how the council manages its AV.  It provides comprehensive remote monitoring and diagnostics, enabling IT teams to track system health, performance, and device status in real-time from any location. This proactive approach allows issues to be identified and often resolved before they impact meeting operations, improving system reliability and uptime.  

All six upgraded spaces across the district are monitored and managed through a single centralized interface, ensuring consistent performance. Detailed usage analytics provide valuable insights that inform future technology investments and resource allocation decisions.  

Users experience effortless operation through Kramer’s intuitive interface, while technical teams maintain full oversight via Panta Rhei. 

Beyond the main chamber, five additional meeting rooms were upgraded for hybrid functionality and integrated into the Panta Rhei ecosystem. A unified training program allows staff to confidently operate any meeting space without learning different systems. 

Value 

The Kramer-powered solution has fundamentally transformed council operations across multiple dimensions. Automated setup through Kramer control has virtually eliminated preparation time and technical expertise requirements. What previously required extensive manual configuration now happens with a single touch, freeing staff to focus on higher-value activities and dramatically improving operational efficiency. 

Panta Rhei’s remote monitoring capability has significantly decreased the need for on-site technical support. Automatic shutdown features deliver measurable energy savings. 

The system preserves full democratic function across all meeting formats. Councillors attending remotely retain complete participation rights, including managed speaking requests in proper order and secure voting capabilities. This way of working ensures no compromise to democratic processes regardless of attendance mode, a critical requirement for civic governance. 

Citizens can now follow live meetings or access on-demand recordings, fostering greater civic engagement, governmental transparency, and public accountability. This enhanced accessibility aligns with modern expectations for open, participatory governance. 

The Kramer solutions deliver scalability and adaptability. As meeting formats and technological requirements continue to evolve, the system can be updated and expanded without fundamental architectural changes. Remote update capabilities ensure the infrastructure remains current and competitive without service disruptions or costly site visits. 

Strategic Director JJ Tohill of Mid Ulster District Council confirmed the project’s success: “I am very pleased with system functionality and look forward to the Council availing of and benefiting from its investment in the coming years. He also highlighted Rea Sound’s professionalism and their ability to deliver this project in a tight deadline: “I wish to acknowledge the professionalism, commitment and quality of Rea Sound.” 

The intuitive Kramer control interface has made sophisticated technology accessible to all users, regardless of technical background. Council staff report increased confidence in managing diverse meeting formats, while participants, both in-person and remote, experience seamless, professional interactions that enhance the quality of civic discourse. 

This installation demonstrates how Kramer’s intelligent control solutions, combined with the powerful Panta Rhei ecosystem, can transform complex AV challenges into streamlined, future-ready environments that enhance operational efficiency, preserve democratic integrity, and strengthen community engagement.