Matrox Monarch LCS — Full-Featured Lecture Capture Appliance Now Shipping

Matrox Video recently announced that the Matrox Monarch LCS, a compact, easy-to-use, two-input lecture capture appliance is now available for purchase. 

The Monarch LCS accepts video from any SDI or HDMI camera and presentation content from computers over HDMI. The inputs can be encoded independently and in sync for use with the latest multi-stream video players. Alternatively, the inputs can be combined prior to encoding in a variety of production layouts, including picture-in-picture and side-by-side, for use with standard video players.
 
“Video is an integral part of the modern classroom, and easily delivering content from educator to student is a challenge that Monarch LCS solves,” said Dan Maloney, technical marketing manager, Matrox Video. “Monarch LCS is an affordable solution that efficiently syncs the three aspects of a high-quality lecture: video of the instructor, audio of the spoken information, and high-resolution, computer-generated content such as slides or media presented in the physical classroom.”

Monarch LCS is a reliable, standalone network appliance that IT administrators will find easy to set up and integrate into video management systems (VMS), such as Opencast and Kaltura, and learning management systems (LMS) such as Moodle. An intuitive web interface lets users define profiles for live streamed and recorded lectures, mixing camera and presentation material from SDI and HDMI sources. Powerful scaling, deinterlacing, and noise reduction engines ensure only pristine images are sent from the encoders. For streaming purposes, the encoders use either RTMP or RTSP protocols to deliver live streams to local media servers or cloud-based CDNs. In recording applications, the encoders write MP4 or MOV files directly to network-mapped drives, eliminating the need for post-lecture file transfer, or alternatively to local USB drives or SD cards.

Monarch LCS comes with a comprehensive set of HTTP-based control APIs that let network- or cloud-based video management platform developers and A/V integrators harness the streaming and recording capabilities of Monarch LCS appliances from within their own environments to create customized user experiences. A control module for Crestron room media controllers is also available.

Recipient of five major awards at NAB 2016, the Monarch LCS was honored with Best of Show Awards from TV Technology, Sound & Video Contractor, and Video Edge. It also received a Video Innovation Award from the British Columbia Professional Videographers Association (BCPVA) and was chosen as one of the Best Products of NAB 2016 by Streaming Media Magazine.