Crestron OnCue perfect For Classroom AV System Control

Grant's Perspective on ... user-friendly and cost-effective AV system control for K-12 classrooms.

Crestron has released the OnCue BPC-8AV system controller that is designed with the K-12 classroom in mind. The OnCue is user-friendly and cost-effective which is key in today's classroom.

The Crestron product web page sums up the features nicely so I have copied and pasted below:

• Ultra-affordable control for a single display device
• Also allows control of source components and other devices
• Compact design mounts in a single-gang wall box
• Affords an attractive and professional appearance
• Features large backlit buttons for easy control in any room
• Affords super-intuitive operation for any user
• Includes interchangeable button caps for flexible configuration
• Allows customizable LED button feedback behavior
• Supports up to 3 IR and 1 RS-232 devices
• Includes built-in IR library for simple out-of-the-box setup
• Allows advanced configuration via easy-to-use software and IR learner/programmer
• Macros enable sophisticated functionality from a single button press
• Enables user passcode protection and automatic projector shutdown

Contact us for more information on the OnCue system or any other AV system control questions you may have. 

 I wish everyone the best of the Holiday Season and look forward to what new technology 2012 will bring.

Grant

3D Product Launch

Grant's Perspective on ... 3D projection at the Hyundai Accent product launch.

Effective 3D projection can sure be entertaining. While I've posted on  research about 3D educational content it is also entertaining. I like the Hyundai Accent product launch. They have 3D images projected on the side of a building and also have the car on the side of the building. The YouTube video looks cool and would have been spectacular to see in person.





Here is another product launch on the side of a building by Nokia.



Grant

Sharp 70" Interactive Touchscreen Winnipeg Demo Days

Grant's Perspective on ... The Sharp 70" interactive touchscreen demonstrations in Winnipeg.

Staff from Sharp Electronics of Canada were in our Winnipeg office for a couple of days this week demonstrating the PNL702B 70" interactive touchscreen monitor.  It would take quite awhile to go through all the features so I will touch on a few points today.

Computer and Monitor Control - The included infrared "pen" works like a PC mouse with right and left click buttons and as an annotation pen. You can also use your fingers instead of the pen. You can drag and tap your finger on the screen to open folders and documents, move them around the screen and even use two fingers to size documents. I feel like I'm in an episode of CSI when using the 70" touchscreen!

You can open up a keyboard graphic and type into any program that you have on your computer.

 In the photo below, Nick Hoxha, Sharp Digital Presentation and Signage Group has opened an excel spread sheet and updated some of the fields numbers. He has then highlighted his changes in two ways: yellow highlighter and circled in red.

 

The next photo has Nick playing arm-chair quarterback as he analyzes and annotates a football video posted on YouTube.

 BTW - You can see a copier in the foreground of the photos. Nick also demonstrated how the monitor can both send and receive information from the Sharp copier. 

I'm sure to be posting more on this product in the coming weeks.

Grant

Speak Directly Into the Microphone

Grant's Perspective on ... Holiday Concerts and microphone use.

A quick note to anyone who is working on a school or church concert. Have your singers and actors speak directly into the microphone.

Most common microphones are designed to pick-up sound that is directly in front of them. They do not pick up from the sides, behind or too far in front. There are microphones that are designed with a larger pick up pattern but most microphones have a cardioid pattern and do not pick up anything outside of the cardioid pattern.

classic Shure cardioid microphone

Have your talent move to the microphone for their speaking parts. It is better that they move to the microphone rather than have them stand around the stage and hope that the microphone picks up their voice.

Grant

StarBoard Link Buy 4 Get 5

Grant's Perspective on ... Hitachi StarBoard Link Sale.

Hitachi is offering a "buy 4 get 5" deal on their StarBoard Link product. The StarBoard Link makes a dry erase whiteboard and regular projector and interactive surface. See the details below.

Grant

New Lumens DC190 Document Camera Records Video and Audio

Grant's Perspective on ... the new DC190 Ladibug document camera.

I really like the look of the new DC190 document camera. The feature that I think is outstanding is the built-in microphone. It can record audio and video. This is a feature that the teachers and students will both appreciate as they can create their own basic video content in the classroom.

The YouTube video below shows a demonstration of the audio and recording capabilities in science and story reading exercises.




Lumens was demonstreating this document camera at InfoComm this last June and they had acutal teachers doing the demonstrations instead of their own sales staff making the presentations. I thought this was a good idea.

Grant

Hey, SMART Technologies, Sharp's Gunning For You

Grant's Perspective on ... rAVe Publications review of the Sharp 70" touchscreen monitor.

I read the review of the new Sharp PN-L702B 70" touchscreen titled Hey, SMART Technologies, Sharp's is Gunning For You.

rAVe's main point was "... the big story here is the price, $7,750 - that's less than half of what SMART charges the same sized display."* Cost is always very important, but I think another important point to consider is how many executives will actually use the technology. Large touchscreen monitors are much more intuitive than an electronic whiteboard. 

User-friendly systems will be adopted quickly. Everyone is busy, so it is much easier to get people to use a new tool if they are already relatively comfortable with the technology. As we represent Sharp products in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba I have seen clients reactions first-hand when they try the Sharp touchscreens.

Cost-effective and user-friendly makes a great combination. 

* Please note that rAVe is an American publication so the price quoted are in US dollars.

Grant

Sharp 60" Touchscreen Demonstration At Inland AV

Grant's Perspective on ... 60" touchscreen demonstrations at Inland AV.

Andrew, Inland AV Winnipeg, was demonstrating the Sharp PN-L602B this week. He was really excited to be demonstrating the 60" touchscreen so I asked him why he was so pumped. Andrew had an immediate 5 point answer:

1. Cost of Ownership - Commercial monitors are rated at 100,000+ hours of use and the average projector is 3,000 hours of lamp use.
2. True HD - The monitor resolution is 1920 x 1080 perfect for today's high resolution laptops.
3. No Compromising - From PowerPoint to CAD, everything looks as it was designed.
4. HD Videoconference Monitor - True 1080p videoconference monitor for now or ready for future upgrades.
5. Aesthetically Pleasing -  A clean look with the monitor mounted on the boardroom or classroom wall.

Andrew demonstrates the 60" touchscreen

 With the recent announcement of the Sharp 70" touchscreen, monitors can work in even larger spaces.

Grant

Peter Gabriel Believes In 3D

Grant's Perspective on ... Peter Gabriel believes in 3D.

Peter Gabriel has released a new 3D movie "Hot Blood". Whether or not you enjoy his material is irrelevant to this blog, what I wanted to share was his comment about 3D technology, I read in the National Post.

“We have two ears and two eyes, so visuals should be 3D in the same way that audio should be at least stereo.”

A very simple explanation that works.

Grant

Lunch Time Jamming

Grant's Perspective on ... rental techs jam at lunch time.

Some of the Winnipeg rental techs have been jamming at lunch time over the summer. I think it is a great sign that the technicians who set up and operate AV equipment all day will spend their lunch time setting up equipment, strapping on Strats or Les Pauls and playing.

Keep on rocking!

Grant

Roland V-1600HD New Multi-Format Video Switcher

Grant's Perspective on ... the Roland Systems Group new product demonstration night.

John and Galen from the Roland Systems Group were in Winnipeg this week to demonstrate a raft of new products.  One of them was the V-1600HD, a multi-format video switcher. There are 16 inputs plus USB memory with built in scaling and frame sync. This all-in-one switcher even includes a picture-in-picture monitor. The switcher accepts multiple input formats and generates six types of output formats.

I recommend that you click on the link to the V-1600HD product page and have a look at the interactive overview that graphically outlines the product best. I posted a screen capture of the interactive overview below, mouse over the features and an explanation appears.

While Roland is well known in the musical instrument market, their new line up from the Roland Systems Group is sure to get noticed.

Grant

Chief Infrared Mounts Make Any Projector Interactive

Grant's Perspective on ... Chief introduces an infrared projector mount.

It was just a year and a half ago that if you wanted an interactive tool your only choice was a whiteboard.  At Inland AV, we were excited that Epson made the first breakthrough and launched the BrightLink and the interactive market took off. Hitachi soon followed with their iPJ-AW250N interactive projector. Other manufactures added interactive projectors and the people at Sharp introduced a 60" and now 70" touchscreens.  We then saw products introduced that enabled people to make their regular projector interactive. Epson introduced the BrightLink Solo and Hitachi introduced the StarBoard Link.

Chief  has now entered the interactive market with a series of interactive mounts. You can now mount your regular projector with a Chief mount and make it interactive.

I really like the functionality of their website for the new mounts.  The "compatibility" button lets you see if your projector will work with a particular mount. Their list of projector manufacturers looks exhaustive: there are over 50 projector manufacturers that start with the letter "A". Once you choose the manufacturer, you choose your model number. No guessing if your projector will work with a specific mount.

A short while ago you had no choice for interactive products. Now you have lots of options. Options are always good.

Grant

3D Education Blog Future-Talk 3D

Grant's Perspective on ... a blog that discusses the effectiveness of 3D and other technologies.

As an AV systems designer and programmer at Inland AV, I often wonder about how new technology is used. Is it just the re-packaging of existing content or does new technology lead to better and different ways of communicating? I sense that many people underestimate the power of learning in 3D and they feel it is just about going to the movies.

I was happy to see that Len Scrogan is sharing his observations and thoughts on using technology in the classroom in his Future-Talk 3D blog.

It is great to see someone looking at how best to use technology in the classroom.

Grant
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Sharp 70" Touchscreen Press Release

Grant's Perspective on ... Sharp issues a press release on their new 70" touchscreen LCD monitor.

We have confirmed that Sharp is releasing a PN-L702B 70" touchscreen LCD monitor.

I found it interesting that a 70" monitor has 30% more area than a 60" monitor. The working area of the monitor is over 5 feet wide and more than 3 feet high which is close to the average size of a whiteboard!

This is as large an interactive surface that most people would want as users could only comfortably reach up to 7 feet off the ground (most whiteboards and monitors are mounted at 30"- 34" above the finished floor). A rule of thumb is that the monitor or whiteboard should be higher than the boardroom table or desk and the top should be below the top of a standard door frame of 7'. You want the board or interactive monitor above the table height so that it can be seen by the audience and under 7' high so that the facilitator can reach the top with their marker or interactive pen. This 70" interactive monitor is about as large as it can be and still fit this guideline.

The monitor and floor stand pictured above illustrates how this unit will be easily wheeled from room to room so it should always be in use.

Grant

Sharp 70" Touchscreen Coming Soon

Grant's Perspective on ... Sharp introducing a 70" touchscreen.

It was back in January that Sharp demonstrated the PN-L601B 60"touchscreen monitor. Our representative called this week and announced that Sharp will be shipping a PN-L702B in October. A 70" touchscreen will be welcomed into corporate boardrooms, training and educational facilities.

I can't wait to get my hands all over it!

Grant

Workopolis National Work From Home Day

Grant's Perspective on ... telecommuting.

I noticed that Workopolis is encouraging companies to let employees telecommute to work once a week.

"We spend a lot of time and money getting to and from work each day, not to mention the environmental strain and stress that comes with commuting," Kelly Dixon, president of Workopolis, said in a statement. "Today, working from home is a viable option for many. We need to continue to promote the benefits of telecommuting and encourage more flexible working arrangements for Canadian workers."

With the technological advances in videoconferencing this is a real possibility. You can see the person that you are talking with and easily share computer screens and files.

Our website has a simple calculator (you do not have to give us your contact info to try). You check either US Dollar, British pound or Euro and then enter the price of gas, miles per gallon (or kilometers per litre, depending on currency) and distance you commute and your results are calculated.

click here to give it a try!

Give us a call if you want to learn more about videoconferencing.

I know that technology can help you be more productive and enjoy a better quality of life. I know I could not service all my clients in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta and still be home to have dinner and the evening with my kids without it.

Grant

Wireless Microphones and Canadian UHF Spectrum Changes

Grant's Perspective on ... will your existing wireless microphone work after the Canadian UHF spectrum changes kick in?

We have been seeing tons of advertising about the analog to digital conversion for people that use rabbit ears and antennas to watch television.

I wanted to mention that some wireless microphone users also face some government changes to available wireless microphone frequencies.

If you have a wireless microphone system, you need to check if your microphone's frequency is ok or if you need to make a change. 

TOA Canada has a change overview and a list of their wireless microphone systems that will be affected by the change.

Contact us if you need any help with this issue.

Grant

Epson PowerLite Pro G5450 Awarded Projector Central Perfect Score

Grant's Perspective on ...Projector Central awards a perfect score to the Epson PowerLite Pro G5450WUNL LCD projector.

Bill Livolsi awarded the Epson PowerLite Pro G5450WUNL LCD projector a perfect 5 stars on the basis of performance, features, ease of use and value.

 
Overall, reviewer Bill Livolsi was extremely impressed with the projector noting that it “sets the standard for high-resolution projection,” and pointing out features such as the “superb picture with excellent sharpness, depth and clarity,” color performance and connectivity. 

Bill says the Epson G5450 is "ideal for medium-sized conference rooms and classrooms. Its suite of features makes it a great choice for installation across a business's meeting rooms or a school's smaller lecture halls, while its accurate color makes it perfect for photography, art, and other applications where color accuracy is critical.”

As an Epson dealer in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta it is always great to see glowing reviews of the projectors that we represent.

Grant

Sharp PN-L601B 60" Touchscren Updated

Grant's Perspective on ... the Sharp 60" touchscreen update includes dual touch capabilities.

I first reviewed the PN-L601B in February when the 60" touchscreen was featured at our Open House event. Sharp has now announced several upgrades:

•  Sheets can be scrolled with two fingers to change the sheet
•  Screen can be enlarged or reduced by dual touch
•  A background image can be added
•  Yellow and white pen colours have been added
•  Functions like eraser speed, sheet scrolling and enlarging have all been improved.

Contact us for more information.

The Winnipeg office of Inland AV is moving today and tomorrow and then it's vacation time so I will be taking the next week or so off.

Grant

ECP3000 Old School Projector

Grant's Perspective on ... old rental projectors.

As we (Inland AV) are preparing to move to our new location we have been busy packing and one of my co-workers passed on some photos from a rental show back in 1991. Below are two stacked ECP 3000 data/video projectors and a 15' x 20' rear projection screen. I'm not sure how many ANSI Lumens each ECP projector put out but it must be close to 150!

I remember how heavy these 3 tube projectors were and how you had to converge the tubes every time you set them up. Things sure have changed with today's projectors coming in at a fraction of the weight and 100 times as bright.

BTW - I'll try and post the next few weeks but may be too busy moving!

Grant

SeaWorld Video Monitors

Grant's Perspective on ...the video wall at SeaWorld.

While attending InfoComm in Orlando recently, I attended educational courses, private product training and walked miles on the trade show floor. We decided to visit SeaWorld the day before the show. I loved their video wall system!

Here are pics of the main stage at Sea World.  There are four very large screens that will combine, split, rotate, move across the stage.  Real cool!

After this I ate sea food exclusively for the rest of the week.

I hope everyone enjoyed seeing these displays.  Hopefully someone was inspired or I triggered some new ideas.  We receive requests for video walls all the time and I expect we’ll be seeing more requests for the creative style of displays.

Grant

Crestron InfoComm Booth Monitors

Grant's Perspective on ... unique video wall configuration at the Crestron booth.

Crestron was another company showing creativity with their video display at InfoComm 2011. The previous blog was the Samsung video towers and now I wanted to post images of the unique monitor configuration in the Crestron booth. 

Here are pics of the main signage display at the Crestron booth.  I was intrigued by how they used the monitors tilted and interlocked.  Impressive!

You can see two logos starting to appear

the logo has grown

I took a handful of pics of various displayed images.   In the second pic you can see a logo in the centers, then it got larger until it filled the entire screen.  Imagine what it takes for the video wall processors to accomplish this.

In the next blog I’ll show how creative the producers at Sea World got with their video displays.  Should be inspiring!

Grant

Video Towers At Samsung InfoComm Booth

Grant's Perspective on ...the cool video towers at the Samsung InfoComm booth.

InfoComm 2011 displayed some impressive creativity put into various video displays.  I’d like to show some examples in my next few posts.  

Here are pics of the video towers at the Samsung booth.  It looked impressive from all sides, all views.  You couldn’t miss it!

I took a handful of pics of various displayed images so you can better see how cool this is.  Keep in mind these are still shots so I can’t show the movement, but you’ll get the idea.  It’s cool to see the video wall processors work their magic.

In the next blog I’ll show how Crestron uses the video monitors at an angle and interlocked with each other.   After that, the video displays at Sea World!

Contact us at Inland AV if you’re looking for displays for that wow factor impression.

Grant