The HETMA Approved program was created to provide a service to evaluate products through the lens of higher education technical managers. A diverse group pooled from our membership allows for different perspectives to shape the out come of any approval. The following is the findings of the Approved Committee and the evaluating members.

Company: Epiphan
Product: Pearl Nano
Over all score: Meets Standards
Approval Status: Approved - UCC

Results of this evaluation are good for the term that the product is in its current production state as outlined in the terms and conditions. Any major change in build, firmware, or software could result in a need for re-evaluation.

Please respond to this email with permission to post results on HETMA social media and contact information for marketing team for Approved Program media packet for posting on company websites, social media, and print media. Please indicate also if attending InfoComm and if this product will be featured.

 

Evaluator Demographic Information

Institution/University size:
Small(less than 5000): 1    
Medium(5000-10000): 2  
Large(greater than 10000): 2

Evaluator Certifications: CTS, CTS-I, Extron A/V Associate, Crestron Master Technology Architect, CompTIA N+, Dante, Extron DSP, Project Management or A/V-AVIXA, QSYS

 

Evaluation Results and Notes - Questions asked in the evaluation

1. Verification: How we tested the product or service.  
 The evaluators tested the Pearl Nano in a variety of situations and conditions. Tested a variety of recording and streaming situations and all worked well and as expected per the manufacturer's specifications. It was also tested integrated into LMS and taking in an RSTP stream. Overall it met the specifications that Epiphan has set for the Nano.

2. Quality: Does the product or service meet quality standards? Does it have a warranty or replacement program?     
Physically it has a solid build quality using a steel chassis and a fast responding front panel UI. The look and feel of the unit seems fairly robust and does not feel it it would have issues with wear and tear being in a classroom or studio. We would love to see the warranty standard moved to the 3 year optional plan instead of the 1 year it comes with.

3. Performance: Does the product or service perform below, at, or exceed expectations?
Everything we were able to evaluate was smooth and responsive. We had no problems with local recordings or RTSP streams. For a unit this small and compact, it has more features than we initially expected and they all work very well. The built-in adjustable audio delay was not a feature we expected but was pleased to see. Audio input selection is very flexible. Fast response to starting the recording or stream. The control API is well documented. One thing we feel is missing from this unit is native camera support for usb cameras. That would elevate this unit to an easy recommended product.

4. Network and Security: If networked, how is it deployed? What network standards does it follow? How secure is it? Is there any physical security options?     
There is a port for a Kensington style physical lock and It connects with Ethernet. It offers multiple 802.1x EAP options, including PEAP, EAP-TLS, and EAP-TTLS. Admin and web accounts all use HTTPS for security and you can enable a PIN code for front controls. The device has admin, operator, and viewer accounts to limit access to system functions. It also supports LDAP integration. All these features make the Pearl Mini an easy install and passes what most of our network teams would like to see from a device.   

5. HETMA+: What about this product or service makes it a good fit for higher education and for technical managers?
The point of the Approved Program is to provide higher education technical managers with recommendations for products that can better the lives of students, faculty, and staff by providing a better learning and teaching environment. With that in mind, we evaluate products not just for the specification and performance review but for how it fits into our space and the impact it could have. The Pearl Nano meets the HEMTA expectations for performance and quality. The only things which we feel could be improved is the warranty to include the 3 year option included in purchase native usb camera support. A few of our evaluators have already added this to their classroom build outs. Some comments:

"For a unit this small and compact, it has more features than I initially expected and they all work very well. The built-in adjustable audio delay was not a feature I expected but was pleased to see. Audio input selection is very flexible. Fast response to starting the recording or stream. I selected "exceeds expectations" for performance because as I thought of new situations or configurations to try, there were ways to do what I wanted plus several other ways I hadn't thought of (especially with regard to automatic file transfer). Overall it solves a number of problems we currently have with our existing streaming workflow.  
It's easily managed both individually and at scale, easy to operate, secure on the network, tons of integration options, gets the job done well, and it's reasonably priced.
This seems like a great device with a very reasonable feature set. The company seems to have a good reputation, and their support is all North American based. The Nano is a great fit for simple systems or for pairing with a video production switcher in larger venues.  
Works as advertised but isn't something I would recommend for higher ed applications. Needs to be have native webcam capability.  
Mostly useful when paired with a Pearl 2. Of limited use by itself compared to lesser priced alternatives. USB webcam capability would elevate this to an easy recommendation."

We are happy to give the Pearl Nano our HETMA Approval. We are confident in the product and with recommending it to our membership.                      

- HETMA Approved Program Chair.