Selecting the right user interface for enterprise AV control is essential for delivering successful projects and an exceptional user experience. In this series, we explore AMX Varia touch panel personas—pre-loaded apps that define the complete panel experience.
Previously, we spotlighted the Book Scheduling and Web Kiosk personas. Now, we focus on the G5 Control persona and how to maximize its potential to transform your installation. We spoke with Graham Barrett, Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships at HARMAN Professional Solutions. Graham shared his expert insights on G5 Control, drawing on his extensive experience advising enterprise video and control clients.
Additionally, a new Varia ‘Any App’ persona is now available, enabling Varia panels to run Android apps. This update further reinforces Varia’s mission to deliver reliable, secure, and adaptable enterprise-grade panels. Any App is available on all Varia panel models with a simple firmware upgrade to version 2.13.16 or higher.
Key Uses & Features
Q: Graham, thanks for talking with us. Can you describe the G5 Control persona and some of its key uses?
Dive into the many possibilities of the AMX G5 Control Persona in this overview video of the app.
A: It’s my pleasure to be here.
G5 is a mature, specialized AV user interface solution. Combined with the TPDesign5 app, it provides a simple way for programmers and technicians to create everything from very simple to extremely powerful user interfaces without needing specialized web development skills.
The Varia G5 Control persona allows touch panel files created in TPDesign5 for current or past projects to run on the latest Varia touch panels.
Q: What features of the G5 Control persona do system integrators and technology managers you’ve worked with, typically find most appealing?
A. As G5 is an AMX platform, it natively provides a simple, supported end-to-end solution for delivering an AMX control solution. But what system integrators and technology managers get excited about is Varia touch panels’ ability to adapt to their evolving requirements.
For example, a touch panel originally installed with the G5 persona selected to talk to an AMX NetLinx controller can be quickly re-configured to a different persona when the control system is updated to one of our next-gen platforms. This removes the requirement to rip-and-replace the touch panel when upgrading other parts of the system.
Remote Management & Maximizing ROI
Q: How do Varia Panels support remote management and monitoring?
A: For large, geographically dispersed estates, remote management and monitoring are critical for delivering an excellent customer experience.
Varia panels support remote connectivity via VNC (Virtual Network Computing), enabling support staff to view and operate the G5 control environment as if they were standing in front of the physical panel using freely available and ubiquitous IT tools.
Get an in-depth overview of each of the Varia personas, including G5 Control.
Q: In what ways does the G5 Control persona contribute to reducing operational costs and improving ROI?
A: Besides functioning as a control surface for AMX and other control platforms, Varia touch panels also feature light and motion sensors. These sensors—coupled with Varia’s low-power mode—allow the panel to draw minimal power when not in use, automatically “waking” when a user approaches or when the room lights are turned on.
In the G5 persona, these sensors integrate with the AMX control system, which can programmatically shut down other devices and systems when a space is unoccupied. AMX touch panels are renowned for their long service life and resulting ROI, with countless examples of 7 and even up to 10 years of 24/7 operation.
Security & Deployment
Q: What security features are built into Varia panels to ensure the protection of enterprise AV systems?
Learn more about the latest JITC-security enhancements, including a variety of Varia Touch Panel models.
A: Recent large-scale hacks on global organisations have leveraged vulnerabilities in devices as diverse as air conditioners and printers.
It’s arguably not a case of if but when an AV device is compromised so Varia supports the latest security protocols, including HTTPS, 802.1X, TLS 1.3, and Modern Authentication or OAuth 2.0.
This makes Varia running the G5 persona, a highly secure option for AV control applications in the most demanding secure government and enterprise environments.
Q: What are your clients thoughts on the configuration, deployment, and management of Varia panels?
A: For far too long, AV systems have required provisioning, configuration and updates to be delivered on a one-to-one basis. With Manager, our next-gen devices like Varia can be mass configured, deployed and updated.
Check out this video case study of Australia’s Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and how they utilized Varia Touch Panels to provide clients with streamlined design and user-friendly controls.
At install, each touch panel is simply connected to the network and then any number of panels can be simultaneously configured to run the G5 persona, connect to the required controller and even have the design file transferred, all via Manager.
In production, firmware or UI updates can be quickly pushed to a fleet of panels. This type of capability is what today’s IT-centric AV managers demand and Varia delivers.
Scalability & Use Cases
Q: How does AMX ensure scalability and future-proofing of its Varia and G5 Control-enabled panels?
A: The persona functionality delivers on both the scalability and future-proofing requirements of today’s demanding integrator and end-user with it’s ability to change it’s operational mode based on current requirements.
For example, a Varia panel configured for G5 today could be repurposed as a scheduling panel tomorrow and run a custom APK, simply by selecting and configuring the required persona.
Q: Can you share some interesting use case stories of clients using AMX G5 Control persona-enabled panels to accomplish their unique needs and goals?
A: For large AMX fleet owners, Varia touch panels are the go-to upgrade to replace end-of-life panels. The backward compatibility of G5 allows simple replacement without reprogramming of the system.
Watch how Australia-based, TechnologyOne transformed their infrastructure with Varia touch panels and the AMX MUSE automation platform.
Other clients are deploying Varia running G5 today with a view to transition to our next-gen AVX suite in the future, secure in the knowledge that this will be a simple persona change to adopt the new UI.
Finally, several customers have standardized on Varia and simply select the appropriate persona for the application, G5 for control, Book for scheduling and Web Kiosk for custom applications at installation. This allows simple stocking and sparing whilst the wide range of mounting options allow for Varia panels to be installed in just about any location.
WRAPPING UP & EXPLORING FURTHER
As discussed, G5 not only simplifies initial deployment and remote management but also future-proofs your installation with easy configurability. By leveraging Varia’s range of personas—from G5 for robust control to Book for scheduling, Web Kiosk for custom applications, and now Any App for running Android apps—integrators can create secure, dynamic AV environments that evolve seamlessly with technological advancements.
Below is a collection of additional resources designed to guide your research and purchasing decisions. We’re excited to explore new ways to better serve your needs going forward.
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