Trilogy delivers enhanced communications to the European Parliament

Issued July 2009

Trilogy Communications Ltd has just delivered a second large scale matrix intercom system to the European Parliament in Brussels. Installed in the József Antall building this 128 port Commander intercom system complements an existing 96 port system installed in the Paul-Henri Spaak building (PHS) in 2008. This further develops the relationship between Trilogy and the European Parliament which started back in 1997 with the installation of two Commander systems in Strasbourg.

Both the existing and new systems are connected together via an E1 link to form a single Commander intercom system. This combined system offers powerful tools to simplify the running of the parliament and links the two buildings in real time. This allows, for example, a translator in one of the translation booths in the József Antall building to communicate freely with a journalist in the press centre of the PHS building.

The first Commander system installed in Brussels accommodated the many users within the impressive PHS building which is named after former President Paul-Henri Spaak. This building incorporates the hemicycle for plenary sessions, as well as a press centre and offices for the Parliament's President and senior Parliament staff.

The installation of this second system by Grass Valley, Belgium was to allow the five conference rooms, 25 translation booths and new press facilities of the József Antall building (formally known as D5) to be linked to those facilities in the PHS building. Commander has a proven track record of hundreds of installations around the world and offers full duplex, broadcast quality communications improving both the efficiency and effectiveness of voice communications. The system allows for instant connection in one to one, one to many or full conference formats for precise real time communications.

With its striking barrel-shaped glass roof, redolent of the Crystal Palace, the building is known to
locals as the “Caprice des Dieux” (whim of the gods)

The central processes of Commander are digital which allows for simple mixing and comprehensive level control. It also features analogue external interfaces which simplify connection to cameras and external lines etc., options for full redundancy of power supplies to ensure operation 24 hours a day 7 days a week and simple scalability allowing for system configuration from 6 to 576 users.

With the system now in place and operational new elements can be added to further increase the systems functionality. The first of these sees the addition of a pair of Mercury Interface Units (MIU’s). One MIU is connected to the Commander system and converts analogue audio to IP allowing it to be sent to and received from another MIU which is set up to act as a small scale intercom system for up to 32 users. This system can be housed in a flight case and is therefore completely mobile moving locations as demand dictates. This allows for coverage of any other buildings in Brussels or Strasbourg or indeed any other location with an IP connection. The system is able to accommodate a number of these flyaway systems and is therefore an ultimately flexible solution.