Hotels and convention centers continue to specify divisible ballrooms where partition walls create two to four separate spaces on short notice. Fixed DSP racks with static matrixes often leave channels unused or create feedback paths when walls move. TesiraFORTE processors address this through dedicated room-combiner blocks that monitor partition sensors and adjust both audio paths and level settings without external control processors in most cases.
Each TesiraFORTE unit carries up to 32 channels of local I/O plus AVB or Dante networking. The room combiner object inside Tesira software accepts contact closures from magnetic or infrared wall sensors wired to the unit’s logic inputs. When a sensor reports an open partition, the block automatically sums the appropriate microphone groups and reallocates AEC references across the newly joined space. Output mixes shift to shared loudspeaker zones while preserving independent gain and EQ for each original room. A single FORTE unit can manage three-way or four-way combines; larger venues stack two units over AVB with one acting as master clock.
Programming Steps and Field Commissioning
Integrators report that initial file creation in Tesira takes roughly six to eight hours once the sensor map and loudspeaker zoning are finalized. The workflow starts with placing the room combiner block, assigning logic inputs to each partition state, then linking the block outputs to the main matrix. AEC and noise cancellation instances must be duplicated for every possible combined state; otherwise, reference channels drop during wall moves and produce audible artifacts. After the file compiles, technicians connect the sensors, run the built-in logic simulator, and verify that each wall position triggers the correct preset within 800 ms. On-site tuning still requires walking each sub-room with a calibrated SPL meter because the combiner block does not automatically adjust loudspeaker processing for changed room acoustics.
Equipment cost for a two-room divisible ballroom typically lands between $18,000 and $24,000 when using one TesiraFORTE AVB plus two EX-AEC units for microphone count. This compares with $32,000-plus for two independent DSP systems plus a separate control processor for combine logic. Labor savings appear mainly during commissioning; the single file reduces the number of site visits needed for preset verification. However, any partition sensor failure still forces a service call, since the combiner block has no fallback to manual override without additional custom logic.
Future projects will likely incorporate direct BACnet or REST hooks from building management systems into the TesiraFORTE logic layer. This would let scheduling software pre-load expected room counts and reduce daytime tech time spent on wall sensor checks.
Technicians also value the combiner block’s built-in diagnostics. Real-time logic status LEDs in the Tesira software display each partition sensor state, allowing quick identification of miswired contacts or failed magnets during routine checks. When a sensor fault occurs, the system can be programmed to default to the most conservative “all walls closed” preset, preventing runaway gain or lost AEC references until repairs are completed.
AVB network timing remains stable across stacked FORTE units because the master clock unit automatically propagates PTPv2 sync to the secondary processor. Measured latency through the combined audio path stays below 4 ms even in four-room merges, well inside acceptable limits for live speech reinforcement. Integrators note that this deterministic timing eliminates the lip-sync issues sometimes encountered when third-party control systems handle combine logic through serial strings.
Training requirements for end users remain minimal because the DSP manages all transitions automatically. Facility staff only need to understand basic wall-sensor behavior; they no longer toggle preset buttons or adjust master levels when rooms are reconfigured between banquets and breakout sessions. This simplicity has reduced callback rates by roughly 40 percent on recent hotel projects, according to two national systems integrators.
Looking ahead, Biamp’s roadmap includes tighter integration between TesiraFORTE and its SageVue monitoring platform, allowing remote logging of every combine event and predictive alerts when sensor contact resistance drifts outside normal ranges. Such cloud-assisted oversight could further lower operating costs for multi-property management companies that oversee dozens of divisible ballrooms across regions.
