Extron AV Technology Connects Autopsy, Observation, and Training Spaces at Lubbock County Medical Examiner's Office

Lubbock County, Texas built a new Medical Examiner's Office to support forensic work for the county and several nearby counties. The new thirty one to thirty two thousand square foot facility replaces an older building and brings key services back in house. It includes autopsy rooms, a special autopsy space, a viewing room, a morgue, circulation hallways with paging, and administrative areas. The new office also includes a training and conference room with live audio and video links to the autopsy suite. The system designed by technology consultant DataCom Design Group focused on clinical workflow, accurate forensic work, and clear communication between rooms.

Extron allowed us to implement a robust yet flexible control system to give medical staff access to a wide range of AV technology.

The county wanted reliable video and audio from the autopsy areas routed to observation and training spaces. Staff needed to see and hear procedures in real time, record sessions, and review material later. Moyers Group installed the AV systems and now provides ongoing support. The design called for two independent AV systems, one serving the autopsy, observation, and circulation areas and one serving the training conference room. Each system is centered on its own DTP CrossPoint matrix switcher, allowing them to operate separately while still supporting communication between the autopsy spaces and the training room. These systems give medical staff clear control for viewing, recording, and communication across the facility.

CHALLENGES

Lubbock County needed clear audio and video between autopsy rooms, the special autopsy space, the viewing room, and the training conference room. Each space had different routing needs. The system had to send signals only to selected rooms. Staff wanted to see procedures in real time, record sessions, and review material without delays. They also needed simple controls for switching and monitoring.

The new facility introduced two separate AV environments with different roles. One covered the autopsy, observation, and circulation spaces, while the other served the training conference room. The county needed both to operate independently, yet still support direct communication between locations. A routing method was required to connect these systems without merging them.

Coordination with the IT department was important. The training room had to work with the county’s Cisco Webex Codec. This required careful planning. The codec needed to integrate with touchpanels, cameras, microphones, and local device inputs. Staff training also mattered. The system offered many options, so users needed to understand each function.

DESIGN SOLUTION

The AV design uses two independent systems, each centered on a DTP CrossPoint 86 4K matrix switcher. One system supports the autopsy, special autopsy, viewing, and circulation areas. The second supports the training conference room. Each system operates on its own. Staff can link the two systems when needed through the DTP CrossPoint 86 4K matrix switcher.

The autopsy areas use DTP HDMI transmitters and receivers for local device connections. Video from the autopsy suite feeds into the CrossPoint matrix. It then routes to the viewing room or the training room. The SMP 352 dual channel recorder captures live procedures. Staff record video and audio for review or case reference. The system supports simple source switching, camera feeds, and local playback.

The training conference room AV system is also centered on a DTP CrossPoint 86 4K matrix. The room includes multiple local HDMI sources and camera feeds, as well as an Extron ShareLink Pro for wired and wireless connections. It enables meeting participants to share audio and video from their own laptops or other devices. The system connects to a Cisco Webex Codec for communication with the autopsy area. AV control and camera integration work with the codec, allowing staff to view autopsy procedures and speak with medical staff in real time.

Both systems use TLP Pro 1025 touchpanels in wall mount and tabletop versions. The touchpanels give staff clear control of routing, camera selection, audio levels, and recording. The IPCP Pro 255Q xi processor runs the control logic. Programming time dropped because Extron templates, including a Cisco themed interface, were used to match the county’s workflow.

The system supports third party devices. This includes conferencing codecs, microphones, displays, and PTZ cameras. This flexibility let the integrator match county preferences with the Extron control environment. It also created consistent operation across all rooms.

Extron excelled with a wide range of control drivers that allow simplified control/programming of third party devices such as conferencing codecs, microphones, displays and ptz cameras.

RESULTS

The new Medical Examiner's Office offers clear audio and video between autopsy suites, the observation room, and training spaces. Staff can view live procedures, speak with teams in other rooms, and record sessions for later review. The system supports daily clinical work and training tasks. It also supports future room uses without changes to the core design.

The DTP CrossPoint system provides a direct link between the autopsy areas and the training room, allowing staff to hold sessions for instruction or case review. The training room also supports local presentations and works with the conferencing codec, so remote participants can call into the autopsy area with one touch.

TouchLink Pro control panels give the medical team clear control of cameras, audio, and routing. Extron control templates, including a Cisco themed interface, reduced programming time, aligned the system with the county’s workflow, and staff learned the controls quickly. The dual channel recorder streamlined capture, allowing recordings to be reviewed or used for training without additional equipment.

The county now has an AV environment that fits the clinical demands of the building. It supports training, case review, and communication. With their system design, and use of Extron technologies, the Moyers Group helped the medical examiner move from an aging facility to a modern space with reliable AV tools across all rooms.

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