Grant's Audiovisual Perspective

Digital Projection on Canucks Ice

2012-02-06T16:30:00.003-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Canucks using Digital Projection projectors to play video on the Rogers ice surface.

Digital Projection (Inland AV represents their line of projector Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta) sent us their latest newsletter that featured their projectors utilizing the ice surface as a projection screen. The YouTube video below shows the Vancouver Canucks pre-game video introduction. Digital Projection projector use the entire ice surface as a projection screen. Four translucent vertical banners are also projected onto as well as the score board video screens and arena power ring.

A great way to get the crowd into the game!

Grant

AV Seminars Winnipeg January 27

2012-01-20T16:45:00.000-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Driving Technology AV Seminars and Demonstrations, January 27, Greenwood Inn, Winnipeg.

Inland AV is hosting a day of 5 educational seminars and over 20 audiovisual manufacturers demonstrating the latest in AV technology at the Greenwood Inn, Winnipeg. Seminars include: Crestron Digital Media, Navori Digital Signage Applications, Sharp 70" Interactive Touchscreen, Epson BrightLink and AMX System Control.

It is a great opportunity to meet with the manufacturer reps!

Grant

Sharp Interactive LCD Monitor Demonstrations In Winnipeg & Edmonton

2012-01-13T11:41:00.000-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Sharp interactive touch-screen LCD monitors.

I encourage all of our readers in the Winnipeg and Edmonton area to attend the Inland AV Driving Technology Audiovisual Seminars and Demonstrations. The Winnipeg event is on January 27 and Edmonton is on February 10.

One of the seminars will feature Joe Ng, Sharp Electronics of Canada. Joe will be making a presentation on the 70" interactive touch-screen LCD monitor. Sharp recently visited our office to demonstrate the interactive monitor (see photo below).

Nick Hoxha, Sharp Digital Presentation and Signage Group

The seminars will be of interest to anyone who is looking at interactive technology because in addition to the Sharp interactive touch-screen seminar, Epson Canada will deliver a presentation on their BrightLink projectors.

This will be an excellent opportunity to learn about interactive monitors and projectors at the seminar and to try the technology out at their demonstration booths.

Grant

XGSV100W Swivel Projector Demo In Winnipeg and Edmonton

2012-01-06T16:33:00.000-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the Sharp XGSV100W swivel projector will be at the Inland AV Winnipeg and Edmonton Driving Technology events.

Last month the Sharp reps were in our office and demonstrated the new XGSV100W projector. The projector rotates 180* right and left. This is a great feature for training and banquet rooms that can be set up in different configurations. The projector can be pre-set for different screens on different locations in the room. The picture below shows the demonstration set up. A really good idea as an installed unit is mounted on the ceiling and we could get a close up of the working demonstration.

Looking forward to seeing all the latest equipment at our Winnipeg and Edmonton events.

Grant

Crestron OnCue perfect For Classroom AV System Control

2011-12-16T14:00:00.000-06:00

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

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

Grant

3D Product Launch

2011-12-06T09:16:00.000-06:00

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

2011-11-25T11:59:00.001-06:00

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

2011-11-18T16:51:00.000-06:00

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

2011-11-10T14:47:00.000-06:00

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

2011-11-04T13:27:00.006-05:00

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

2011-10-25T17:14:00.001-05:00

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

2011-10-19T10:59:00.000-05:00

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:

Cost of Ownership - Commercial monitors are rated at 100,000+ hours of use and the average projector is 3,000 hours of lamp use.
True HD - The monitor resolution is 1920 x 1080 perfect for today's high resolution laptops.
No Compromising - From PowerPoint to CAD, everything looks as it was designed.
HD Videoconference Monitor - True 1080p videoconference monitor for now or ready for future upgrades.
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

2011-10-13T22:08:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-07T09:02:00.003-05:00

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

2011-09-29T22:31:00.000-05:00

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

2011-09-23T12:31:00.004-05:00

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

2011-09-16T09:24:00.001-05:00

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

2011-09-09T10:21:00.005-05:00

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

2011-09-02T16:52:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-25T09:31:00.001-05:00

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

2011-08-15T13:31:00.005-05:00

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

2011-08-11T11:07:00.000-05:00

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

2011-07-26T09:40:00.000-05:00

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.

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

2011-07-19T16:34:00.001-05:00

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

2011-07-17T14:02:00.003-05:00

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

2011-07-13T13:46:00.001-05:00

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

2011-07-08T09:31:00.001-05:00

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!

Grant

2011-06-30T15:23:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the green Laser Phosphor Display.

A few years ago the popular buzz word was "Green". Green this and green that to save energy for a better planet. Lots of chatter but not a tremendous amount of substance. But after the 2011 InfoComm I feel confident that some new products really are green.

Prysym video walls – see photo of the huge video wall – the technology is lasers and the entire wall operates with less power than a regular hairdryer.

I wish everyone a happy Canada Day and look forward to the July 1 long weekend. After the weekend I'm going to start packing my office as we are moving into a new building in July.

Grant

70" Sharp Monitor At InfoComm

2011-06-22T16:40:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the new Sharp LC-70LE732U LED LCD TV

One of the new products that generated big buzz at Infocomm was the 70" monitor at the Sharp booth. I left with the specifications but what stood out in my mind was 70" LED monitor for MSRP of $3899.00 Canadian! See the photo below that I took at the show and the Sharp YouTube advertisement.

I will post more pictures from InfoComm next week!

Grant

AMX Introduces 20" Touch Screen AV System Controller

2011-06-17T08:29:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the widescreen touchscreen for controlling boardroom audiovisual systems.

I'm down in hot and humid Orlando as a part of the Inland AV contingent attending InfoComm 2011.

One of the items that caught my eye was the new AMX 20.3" Modero X Series Panoramic Table Top Touch Panel. This looks like a great solution for a boardroom requires a control system to include videoconferencing screens and lots of other control screens open simultaneously. Below is a photo I snapped at the AMX booth.

I was also intrigued by the Hitachi stacked projectors. They were promoting the idea of using two 4,000 Lumen projectors instead of one 8,000 lumen projector.

I will follow up with more detail once I return home to Winnipeg.

Grant

U2 360 Tour A Riggers Dream

2011-06-01T16:15:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... U2 360 Tour is a rigger's dream.

Last week I posted a photo of the U2 stage set up for the Winnipeg concert. I attended the show and snapped a couple of photos that would be of interest to riggers. Riggers are the people that mount audio systems and video screens into ceilings and truss. Riggers play a major role in setting up rock shows and are also an important part of Inland AV's staff.

The photo below shows 3 follow spot operators being hoisted into a leg of the "Claw" about 20 minutes before the show. Once they were in place they were hardly noticeable.

The next 2 photos below show a foot from the "Claw", one taken out in the parking lot and the second with it set up, supporting the "Claw". It’s a good indication of how huge this structure really is.

The last photo captures the video screen expanding so that it almost touches the stage. You can see the band under the screen to provide an idea of the size of the stage and video screen. A lot of people did not see that coming (the video screen expanded like an accordion)and as a result the fans were blown away. Now that's a cool use of technology.

BTW - With the U2 show finished I am looking forward to InfoComm!

Grant

U2 360 Tour Setting Up In Winnipeg

2011-05-26T12:10:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the rock-n-roll circus stops in Winnipeg.

One could not help but notice that the U2 360 Tour is in Winnipeg this Sunday. Early this week a huge convoy moved into the parking lot at Canad Inn Stadium.

They have been hard at work setting up what I'm sure will be a very impressive stage. It is amazing the amount of work it takes to design and build the set, never mind the organization and work that it takes to set up in every city of the tour.

While the U2 tour is far removed from the corporate boardroom, they do have much in common. The audience in both environments expect to be able to clearly hear and see the presentation. The PowerPoint presentation and videoconference needs to happen as quickly and smoothly as Bono and the boys put on their extravaganza.

I remember TV commercials that were 1 minute long before the advent of MTV and newspapers had articles that were long. The expectations are much different today. Everyone demands that the visuals are bright and crisp. The audio must be clear. Transitions must be quick and flawless.

The boardroom and training facility audiovisual system has to be well designed, user-friendly and perform on demand just like my expectations for a spectacle that U2's 360 Tour will bring to Winnipeg this weekend.

Here is a time lapse video of the same stage being set up.

Grant

InfoComm 2011: The Center Of IT All

2011-05-20T14:17:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... InfoComm 2011

The InfoComm website tells me that there are 26 days until the annual pro AV industry show. I will be making my annual pilgrimage to the June 13 - 17 show that is being held in Orlando. They have 950 exhibitors and over 300 seminars planned with over 32,000 delegates registered.

We expect to see the latest advancements in 3D, unified collaborative conferencing, digital signage and interactive technology. I was talking to our Sharp rep (Joe) yesterday and he said there should be a new PN-L601B 60" touchscreen on display. The 60" touchscreen was a hit at our Open House event last January. I would love to talk more about the increased interactivity but Joe made me promise not to let the details out ahead of the show.

I will try to see as much as possible and post my thoughts on what is happening.

Grant

StarBoardLink Makes a Dry Erase Board Interactive

2011-05-20T10:27:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the new interactive Hitachi StarBoardLink.

Hitachi has long been a part of the interactive market with their StarBoard series of interactive whiteboards. They have now brought the StarBoardLink to market.

The StarBoardLink is a good fit for the teacher that already has a projector and a smooth hard surface (standard whiteboard or wall) and would like to make their classes interactive, on a budget. This is the same technology as the Hitachi StarBoard but now without the board.

The StarBoardLink has an Infrared Image Sensor that is mounted at the top of the surface. The reflective bars are then mounted in a U shape around the Infrared Image Sensor.

The Infrared Sensor is pre-drilled so that it can easily be permanently mounted at the top of your hard surface. With the sensor being mounted at the top of the surface it would be a good solution for rooms that have very low ceilings.

The interactive area is scalable. it can be set up with a 4:3 ratio ( 45" - 77") and the HD 16:10 ratio can be 45" - 90".

This adds another option for people that have been looking at interactive whiteboards or some of the other interactive systems such as the Hitachi iP-AW250N interactive projector and the Epson BrightLink and BrightLink Solo.

I have just read the StarBoardLink literature and look forward to getting my hands on the unit and putting it through some hands on testing.

Grant

PowerLite Pilot Connection and Control Box

2011-05-06T09:26:00.001-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Epson's new PowerLite Pilot Connection and Control Box.

Epson has introduced an easy-to-use AV system controller to help teachers keep AV technology organized. With many classrooms using projectors and audio systems with computers, DVD players, document cameras and iPods a controller system is a good addition to the AV system.

The Pilot mounts on the wall and comes with a cover to help protect it and keep the cables in place.

I'm intrigued by the "Use as an extension box — expand the range of your cables for added flexibility" point on the Epson product website. I'm assuming this means that the Pilot works as a USB extender. This is a great feature as USB cables only work when the length of the cable run is short. I look forward to getting my hands on the unit and testing it out.

The photo below shows the inputs and outputs available: HDMI, AUX Audio, USB Type A, USB Type B, Audio inputs, 2 VGA inputs, Audio outputs, Rec out, S-video, Composite, RS-232.

While we are an Epson dealer, there are many other AV system control devices available to suit your needs and budget. AMX, Crestron, Kramer and Extron all make some great products. If you are tired or embarrassed having to plug in and unplug cables and maybe even tripping over the cables in front of people in classrooms and boardrooms, then it is time to look into an AV control system.

The Pilot will be available next month (June, 2011).

Grant

iPad Wall Mount For Digital Signage

2011-04-28T15:21:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Premier Mounts introduces iPad mounts including a wall mounted version.

Premier Mounts sent us some information on a new line of iPad mounts (9 in total) that will be available next month (May 2011).

The mount that caught my eye was the one designed for wall mounting an iPad in a digital signage application. It is secure, allows for ventilation and comes in several different finishes. People have access to the screen but none of the other controls. All you see and can touch is the screen.

Grant

Telecommute Would Save Calgary $53B

2011-04-19T13:20:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... telecommuting to save travel costs and improve worker productivity.

I read with interest about the Calgary Economic Development WORKshift initiative that encourages organizations to consider telecommuting. They have a white paper that claims that $53 billion a year would be saved if workers telecommuted twice a week.

A Calgary Herald article stated that a major impediment to telecommuting was that "... managers believe that they have to see people working in the office," said (Bob) Schulz, a professor at the U of C's Haskayne School of Business."

If the organization deployed personal videoconferencing systems (we can help with that) then employees can talk and see each other as well as share computer screens. The reluctant managers could be reassured that the employees are working! Many people are already comfortable collaborating with other people who are not located at the same office.

As the report suggests: save money, create a smaller carbon footprint and foster productive and loyal employees.

Give it a try.

Grant

Extron TLP700MV Touch Screen System

2011-04-15T14:00:00.001-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Extron TLP700MV Touch Screen Installation.

We have just finished an installation of several training rooms in downtown Winnipeg. We took some archival photos of the racks and I wanted to post one that features an Extron TLP700MV. This is a great touch screen that has a couple of nice features.

There is a rotary volume control for quick and easy audio volume changes instead of the up and down buttons that need to be clicked repeatedly. The unit also has 10 hard quick access keys around the touch screen so that drilling into different pages of the touch screen is kept to a minimum.

I also like the fact that the system is hidden inside a row of great looking cabinets.

The photo of the rack is below. I also included a screen shot from the Extron website so that you can see the TLP700MV detail.

BTW - I live just north of Winnipeg and like many people in Manitoba are dealing with the Red River flooding. Here are a couple of photos that my family took while taking a walk on a highway by Selkirk after the river waters receded leaving debris and icebergs behind.

Grant

iPad as a Crestron Controller

2011-04-08T14:56:00.001-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the iPad as a Crestron controller.

A while back Crestron produced an App for Apple iPads and Apple iPhone / iPod touch that will control your Crestron System. We've programmed systems that include control specifically from iPads and receive more & more requests to include this functionality. I've been wondering if this is the best way for organizations to go.

In the world of AV we (Inland AV) specialize in commercial grade control systems for boardrooms, meeting rooms, classrooms, lecture theatres and the like. My comments are focused on professional AV and not home theatres or home automation.

Traditionally the control system user interface is a graphical one - a touch panel. There are many different sizes and types depending on the application.

Crestron control via Apple products is a great idea. Actually prior to this we've done many systems where an IP based control panel (Crestron X-Panel) is a duplicate of the primary touch panel hardware, could be accessed anywhere via a web browser from a PC, and of course the almighty Mac.

An example of where this feature is beneficial is in a Help Desk application. In a facility using touch panels in many training rooms (Schools, Universities, Colleges, manufacturing facilities, etc.), or even a smaller facility but with many different first time users (education, hotels, public/rental facilities, etc) the Help Desk personnel can see any rooms' touch panel pages on their own computer and assist the user to know what button to press, and even press it for them.

While the X-Panel works great in the AV world, and while I believe control via Apple products is fantastic, the iPad control system doesn't necessarily have its place in the professional AV World. It's more of a residential thing, as marketed in this ad.

I doubt the education market will ever want to use control via iPads but the corporate market - boardrooms - seem to want this. While that's cool, and the iPad looks really good, the corporate boardroom and training rooms should still have the customary Crestron touch panel. The iPad may be a great secondary device but the touch panel should not be replaced.

Reasons: a touch panel is attached, ideally, to the room and is always there - like a light switch, and not like remotes getting misplaced or inadvertently stuffed in a laptop bag. Also, the user needs to be able to access the touch panel when required - it should be there close by and readily available - the user shouldn't need to flip through Apps or wait for the App to load and connect. That's not corporate boardroom functionality.

The touch panel is a solid commercial grade device and should not be replaced by an iPad. An iPad makes a great secondary control but it is not quite ready to be the sole source of an organization's AV system control.

Grant

Wireless Micrphone Frequency Changes: Will Your System Still Work?

2011-03-28T15:45:00.001-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... wireless microphone users need to check their unit's operating frequency.

The end of this month will see the first changes to the use of wireless communications frequencies. Industry Canada has reallocated the 698 - 806 MHz spectrum to make more room for cell phone systems. This means that if you use wireless microphones you need to know what frequency they are set to or you may soon have a rude surprise.

Sennheiser Canada has released details of a trade in allowance for people that have systems that will soon not work properly. A good idea! Contact one of our Inland AV locations for more information on wireless microphone systems.

Grant

New Media Manitoba Press Conference

2011-03-25T09:35:00.003-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... New Media Manitoba receives funding to develop an interactive Digital Media Strategy.

I was pleased to see that Western Economic Diversification, Entrepreneurship Training; Trade, and Innovation Energy and Mines have provided the funding to have New Media Manitoba develop a Digital Media Strategy. This funding can only help Manitoba's technology sector get stronger.

The video below is from the press conference announcing the funding. The Inland AV Rentals department supported the event.

NMM: Funding Announced for a New Media Strategy from Handcraft on Vimeo.

Grant

Keeping Crestron Updated With MasterInstaller

2011-03-16T12:22:00.002-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Crestron makes keeping current with software updates easy.

When creating a custom Crestron control system, there are a handful-plus of software applications required in order to write the custom program. Ditto for data bases. Primarily there is one program for the controller and one for the touch panel. Then there are the miscellaneous Apps needed for uploading, configuring, etc. and the data bases containing device modules and logic symbols, etc. I pity the beginner programmer who naively figured they could download some software and create a masterpiece in a few hours - LOL.

With all the data bases, new features, graphics, etc. Crestron is excellent at providing, all the software applications and data bases need to be updated. This occurs so frequently I upgrade all these apps and data bases every time I start a new project. And keep in mind the files are huge!

Crestron has now made it easy! A while back they provided an App called MasterInstaller that will do this for me. I simply open Master Installer, it automatically checks the current version of all my Crestron Apps and Crestron data bases, and provides a list of what needs to be updated. I can edit the list and then simply let it proceed with downloading and installing all the new updates. Awesome! Since most of the downloads are huge, I can just let this run while I’m away at a meeting, when I return it’s all done. Double Awesome! Life is good and this computer-impatient person doesn’t have a cow before 10:00 am!

This is also very beneficial to field techs who are working with Crestron long distance. I know they will have their “tools” updated as required on a regular basis.

AND, even better, this is good for the Crestron customer. They can be assured what they get under the hood is recent. I believe a control system should run for years for the client and the only time the client should need an upgrade is when they want to add more devices or control features to the system.

Grant

Sharp PNV601 At Digital Signage Expo 2011

2011-03-11T10:19:00.000-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the Sharp PNV601 video wall monitor bezel mirror.

I was sent a link to a video made on the floor of the Digital Signage Expo 2011. I had earlier posted on how impressive this monitor is for video wall applications with the "world's thinnest" bezel. Sharp has added a mirror bezel which reflects the image from the monitors so that at a distance the bezel is nearly invisible. How cool is that!

Below is a screen capture from the video with a close up of the mirror. Click through to have a look at the entire 1 minute video.

Grant

Hitachi Introduces the iPJ-AW250N Interactive Projector

2011-03-04T16:06:00.001-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Hitachi iPJ-AW250N interactive projector.

Hitachi has announced that they will be soon adding the iPJ-AW250N interactive projector to their product line-up. This ultra-short throw projector is a 2,500 ANSI lumen projector with a resolution of 1280 x 800 (16:10).

Their preliminary information refers to this projector as being "software agnostic". This means that any software that you run on your computer will work with the projector. You are not restricted to using proprietary software that is licensed by the hardware manufacturer.

I was pleased to see that Hitachi has included an HDMI input. HDMI is a cable standard for high definition (HD) equipment that carries both audio and video signals.

Below are Hitachi photos of the projector and infrared pen.

We are anticipating the release of this interactive projector soon.

Grant

Future of AV System Control & Touch Screens

2011-02-24T22:49:00.001-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the future of audiovisual system control and touch screens.

I came across this Corning video of where they see the future of system control. I really like the "video phone" chat. The "phone" is placed on a table and the screen jumps onto the table so the image can be larger and the whole family can participate in the call (1:48 mark). Control of window tinting and using the bathroom mirror, fridge, counter, car, bus stops and everything at the office as a touch screen and monitor.

If this is really what’s in store for us, then this is cool.

Grant

Telepresence Foreshadowed On Star Trek

2011-02-17T17:53:00.000-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... telepresence foreshadowed on Star Trek.

I was surfing the other night and noticed that howstuffworks.com had a post on "Top 10 Star Trek Technologies that Actually Came True". The Tricoder was number one and telepresence was second on the list.

Below is a photo of a telepresence room. The idea of telepresence is that all participants feel like they are really meeting face-to-face. The photo below illustrates this. The people on the video monitor are at eye level with the other people in the room. The background and lighting are the same so they feel they are in the same room. The audio is ideally stereo and comes from the direction of the person who is on the monitor.

Beam me up Scotty!

Grant

$1.3 Trillion on Business Travel & Videoconferencing

2011-02-10T10:13:00.000-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... radio "Tough Trivia" contest reminds me that videoconferencing can save money.

I was listening to the local 92 CITI FM Winnipeg radio show this morning as I got ready to leave for the office. They have a Tough Trivia contest every weekday morning and today's question was "1.3 trillion dollars is spent on this annually." The winning answer was business travel.

This reminded me of the travel savings that videoconferencing can deliver. I encourage anyone interested in spending less time on the road and/or in the air to look at the online Videoconferencing Business Advantage Calculator to see how much money they can save (never mind the improved family life!) by using technology.

Videoconferencing Business Advantage Calculator

Grant

Sharp 60" Touchscreen At Inland AV Winnipeg Show

2011-02-04T16:32:00.002-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... touching the Sharp 60" monitor.

At last week’s New Wave of AV event (Inland AV’s annual Open House) one of the products featured was the Sharp PN-L601B 60" Touchscreen.

This item is a 60” LCD monitor with built in touch screen – a fantastic tool for interactive communication. It is designed for presentations, meetings, training seminars, videoconferencing, etc, etc, etc.

Pictured below is Mr. Joe Ng from Sharp doing a product demonstration of this unit.

I noticed there was a lot of interest and many questions. It quickly became a common topic of discussion throughout the event. Some of the topics, in no particular order of popularity, were:

Everyone liked that it’s a monitor and touch screen all-in-one.
The unit looks really good and it’s not bulky.
It’s impressively large yet everything is within arms reach.
The image quality is amazingly sharp (no pun intended).
Very bright! “It’s bright enough to work in our boardroom with the blinds open!” And on that note, this unit is Mercury Free – no fluorescent tubes. think Green.
People took note of the energy savings – cool how so many attendees are concerned about this. This is accomplished by the backlighting (where these units get their light from) done with a full array of LED’s. That’s where the energy saving comes in as LED’s use way, way, way less energy
Everyone liked the technology involved in the interactive abilities. There are multiple infrared sensors that detect one infrared LED light in the pen. This means the system can precisely detect detailed touching points. It also works with your finger!
Everyone liked the simple and intuitive user interface. Some mentioned that the folks back at their office would be able to use it with ease, and therefore be more effective in their presentations. In the photo, on Joe’s left, you can see that Joe moved his selection of favourite tools to the left side of the board.
It was asked if this unit was shipping now, and it is!

So definitely a winner product – and a one of a kind in the market place.

Thanks to Joe for his stamina with answering all the questions all day.

Grant

Boardroom Light Fixture & Projector Mount

2011-01-27T15:04:00.000-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... architects placing a light fixture where a projector will be hung.

It is time for me to get on my soap box and ask why do architects want to include a light fixture in the exact spot that a projector is to be installed? Or above a screen washing out the projected image? Including a bulkhead over the presentation area of the room for the sake of décor causes the screen to be located lower on the wall (the screen needs to be high up so it can be seen when the room is full of people!).

I’ve seen situations where a screen is included in the blueprints, and often it’s known that a projector is to be installed on the ceiling, but the positioning of the projector is not considered. In the past I’ve seen light fixtures hanging very low and right in the path of the projection, causing the lights to cast a shadow on the screen. How many ways can you say “Argg!”? The issue with light fixtures near the screen is more pronounced lately now that ultra-short throw projectors are available. Bottom line; the room would look much better if the projector location was taken into account before the room was built or renovated.

The picture below is an Epson BrightLink 450Wi ultra-short throw, interactive projector installed into a corporate boardroom. Note the pot light and bulkhead above it. I wonder if the client feels that their clients will think they’re sloppy?

But, more and more I’ve noticed Architects and AV integrators waking up to these concerns and communicating so we can all provide a much better product in the end for the client.

Grant

Sharp 60" Touchscreen at New Wave of AV Show

2011-01-21T10:12:00.005-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Sharp PN-L601B Touchscreen coming to Winnipeg January 28, 2011.

I was privileged to have been invited to a sneak preview of the Sharp 60" touchscreen monitor, A.K.A. an LCD Whiteboard, at the 2010 InfoComm last June and again more recently at the Canadian introductory event. Now this impressive unit will be featured at the Inland AV New Wave of AV event. It will include a seminar for the PN-L601B touchscreen conducted by everyone’s pal Joe Ng from Sharp.

The touchscreen will be on demonstration all day and our clients will love the opportunity to get their hands on this interactive monitor - literally get your hands on the pen and take it for a test drive! (no digital obscenities please - LOL)

I think the unit will be a huge hit for boardrooms. The monitor when wall mounted will look quite elegant and with the excellent video image will be worthy of any high-end décor.

They can also get their hands on the Epson BrightLink interactive projector that will be on display as well.

Grant

The Snow Must Go On!

2011-01-14T13:27:00.000-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Edmonton rental technicians deliver in blizzard conditions.

I received some photos from the Edmonton Inland AV manager that were taken hours before the sun came up.

"We had to walk 500 meters to get to the shop as the access road was impassable. We then towed the vans to 178 Street and then another tow into the hotel parking lot. At the end, we had to tow the vans back 500M into the shop... It's a miracle that the show went off on time."

There is enough work to staging a show without battling through blizzard like conditions. Hats off to Edmonton Rentals staff for believing that the show must go on!

Grant

Music Priority and Ambient Noise Detector

2011-01-07T13:07:00.002-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... audio technology used in marketing.

One of the interesting areas of designing AV systems is adding features that can generate revenue or additional marketing opportunities that previously did not exist. Two recent examples come to mind:

A - Music Priority

I recently updated an audio system for a restaurant/sports bar venue that included a music priority system. The facility provides background music, which is always constantly playing, and also a juke box for their patrons. Both music sources are broadcast over the house sound system for all to hear. When coins are inserted into the juke box and the songs are selected, the audio system will turn off the background music and play the selected songs from the juke box. This added feature will allow the juke box to play at a higher volume. Then, and typically, when the juke box is done and the background music returns at the original volume level, more coins will get inserted into the juke box to get the place hopping again with music. Ka-ching!

I explained this to someone who didn’t realize this was the idea and their eyes opened wide with realization. The client, who was watching this conversation, smiled and vehemently offered confirmation of the additional source of revenue.

B - Ambient Noise Detector

Another example of including features, this time for the benefit of marketing, is the use of ambient noise detectors in sound systems. Many times a sound system will broadcast pre-recorded messages for the purpose of marketing/advertisements. The problem is messages are too loud when there isn’t much going on, like the non-busy hours in a store, but then can’t be heard when the area is busy. The ambient noise detector will automatically adjust the volume of the advertisement in accordance of the area’s noise level. The message gets heard and product & service awareness is increased.

There are so many ideas that AV systems designers can contribute when we understand the clients world and the client is open to new ideas.

Grant

Season's Greetings

2010-12-24T11:09:00.000-06:00

Grant's Perspective's Season's Greetings.

I'm looking forward to spending the next few days with my family eating turkey.

A big thank you to everyone that has been reading this blog. Also a big hug to all.the good people at Inland AV.

I look forward to continue tracking the AV industry in 2011.

Grant

Sharp PNV601 Video Wall Applications

2010-12-17T17:33:00.004-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... applications for the Sharp PNV601 video wall.

I wanted to expand on last week's post that talked about the Sharp demonstration of the PNV601 video wall monitor. This 60" monitor has the world's thinnest bezel and has a really bright yet even image.

What video wall applications are there?

1 - Utility Control Centers require very large screen viewing areas so that they can visually monitor their pipeline or transmission lines over a very large geographical area. Perhaps a 2 monitor high x 5 monitor wide display would provide the aspect ratio required to display the very important information. Or a 3 high x 5 wide and with the addition of a video processor would accommodate many video sources and provide a mix of various video windows placed where and when required.

2 - Shopping Malls can use a video wall to inform shoppers about mall events, entertain them with a feed of important cultural events (think back to the Vancouver gold medal hockey game) and it is a revenue generating opportunity as stores can advertise. A 5 x 5 (25 monitors) wall would work well in this application to provide one giant live video screen for live events like fashions shows, multiple images for advertising, and a combination of the two where part of the screen is live video and surrounding smaller images for advertising.

3 - Corporate Reception Foyers could configure a 1 x 2 video wall as a part of their digital signage solution.

4 - Trade Displays that incorporate a video wall as a part of their booth would really attract attention! A simple 2 x 2 while fitting within the booth is not only flashy to get attention but also practical to present idea’s or display media materials.

5 – Clubs – someone somewhere will utilize a video wall for the dance floor to blow away that Saturday Night Fever system. Probably already done somewhere…..

Below is a video shot at a trade show showing the video wall and the video floor. At the 1:21 mark a person walks onto the monitors.

If you can think of other applications (theme parks, smaller arenas), feel free to add a message to this post!

Grant

Sharp PNV601 Video Wall Demo

2010-12-10T10:02:00.001-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the new Sharp PNV601 monitors in a video wall application

This week I had a SHARP experience. ( www.thesharpexperience.com ) LOL. I was invited to the Introduction of Sharp’s PNV601 Ultra Slim Bezel LCD Monitor event at Sharp Electronics of Canada Ltd. in Mississauga.

Most of the event revolved around creating video walls and was very interesting to a guy like me who has tolerated the older technologies used in video walls. I’m glad the days of CRT monitors, 3-gun projection cubes, and fluorescent backlit LCD monitors are done.

Sharp is a world leader in LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). Their LCD panels are used in many products everywhere including the displays in new automobiles. The reason I mention this is Sharp has been the first to do many things; LED backlighting in LCD monitors. Sharp arranged LED elements in an array directly behind the LCD to create uniform brightness across the entire panel. In addition, the lens over each LED has been developed to improve light output and increase the dispersion of the light to also improve the brightness uniformity. Here’s a illustration of a monitor that had the LCD panel cutaway to expose the LED array.

This is very important in video wall applications as the screen brightness of each individual monitor needs to be uniform from edge to edge as the monitors are all butted up against each other. Otherwise non-uniform brightness will show even more and make the wall look cheap.

For example if you’ve ever seen an LCD type video wall where the brightness isn’t consistent, it’s probably because those monitors use CCFL (Cold cathode fluorescent lamps) – fluorescent tubes basically – they’re notorious for not being able to illuminate from edge to edge.

The Sharp PNV601 monitors used in the wall I saw have the World’s Slimmest Bezel Width of 6.5 mm. When the monitors are butted up against each other the gap between them is minimal, creating almost seamless display for a more desirable and impressive wall.

Add in the ability of Sharp products to create a fantastic picture. The images are clear and sharp and the scaling of the video is just great. In fact I’ve designed systems where I utilize the electronics processing inside the Sharp instead of using a 3^rd party controller.

And talk about bright! Holy crap – everyone was making jokes about needing sunglasses

There are more factors that contribute but these are the main ones. For any facility that wants to do it up right, this is the way to go.

Grant

Edmonton Grey Cup & Cold AV Techs

2010-11-30T15:41:00.001-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... AV techs working and biking in the cold.

AV rental technicians are a hardy bunch. Last weekend's Edmonton Grey Cup was a huge success and I take my hat off to the techs that worked in the cold. They snapped a photo from the post game press conference and people inside the tent still had their parkas on!

Our Winnipeg location has a tech that is biking to and from work. Click here to see a video that a local media outlet posted of our man biking the snow covered roads to work.

Grant

School Holiday Audio System

2010-11-26T17:57:00.001-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... understanding how to get the most from your audio system for school and worship holiday presentations.

This is the time of year when organizers of school and worship holiday presentations start rehearsals and begin using their audio system.

Here are some tips:

1 - Understand Your Microphone

This is key. There are many types of microphone pick up patterns but the most common is the dynamic cardiod microphone. Pictured below is the very popular Shure SM58.

I found a chart on microphone use on the Shure website looks at common microphone use issues and placed a screen capture below.

People talking and singing need to be close to the microphone (6" - 2') and should handle the microphone as little as possible.

What this means is that if you only have 1 or 2 microphones, set them up on stands at the front of the stage and have the actors and choir move to where the microphone is to say/sing their lines. You are better off with people moving to the microphone than to not have their voices picked up because they are too far away from it!

2 - Understand Your Audio System

If you have a sophisticated audio system with multiple wireless microphones and proper choir microphones with a large mixer and outboard gear, read your equipment manuals, test your ideas to get the most from your systems and have a great time producing a fantastic event!

For a general introduction to the many types of microphones, read this Wikipedia article.

If you live in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North West Ontario or the NWT give your local Inland AV office a call to discuss your audio needs.

Grant

Kramer RC-8iR Audio Visual (AV) System Controller

2010-11-19T15:52:00.002-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the RC-8iR a simple wall plate AV system controller with tremendous power.

Kramer has a simple 8 button AV system control wall plate that programmers, integrators and clients love. With only 8 buttons, the unit is very user-friendly but allows for some fairly sophisticated programming. See the photo below taken at an Inland AV installation.

Pressing the "on" button can set up the entire system by lowering the projection screen, turning on the projector, dimming the lights and powering up the audio system. The RC-8iR has infrared capabilities and can learn the functions of IR remotes. It can also be controlled via IP meaning that the system can be set up to be controlled from anywhere a person has internet access. This is a great feature for AV technicians working at a large university institution.

The screen capture below is a Flash demonstration of the RC-8iR wall plate at the Kramer Canada website. Click through the text links and give it a try! Please note you need to click on the Product Overview button to view the interactive room simulation.

I have installed hundreds of these and they have always been well received.

Grant

Ceiling Rack Mount - New Way to Hide AV

2010-11-10T17:05:00.002-06:00

Grant's Perspective on ... mounting AV equipment in the ceiling.

Dennis the Premier Mounts representative made the trip from Anaheim to Winnipeg to demonstrate some of their new products. One of the products that caught my attention was a rack to house equipment in ceilings. It is a part of the "GearBox™ Series of products designed to safely support and protect valuable A/V equipment. Offering flexible installation options - indoors and out - for projectors and flat-panel displays, GearBox™ has got your gear covered. ”

See the picture below (taken from their website) of the rack with the door open.

Many times a room's walls are not deep enough for a rack to set in place. Many current systems do not have equipment that needs to be accessible for day-to-day use but does need close proximity to the room. This would include wireless microphone receivers, amplifiers and mixers. The system can be set up once and locked away, as long as there is at least a wall plate interface for a computer connection and a touch screen system controller that can turn the system on and off.

See the pictures below of Dennis holding the rack and mounting tray. Items can be fastened to the equipment mounting tray and the tray is mounted inside the rack. The bottom picture is the rack with the lockable door in place.

For use in a suspended ceiling, this box replaces a standard 2 x 2' ceiling tile and the perforated lid looks like an HVAC return register when closed.

I was concerned that this would vent into the plenum and therefore not meet code. Dan replied “There are no vents into the plenum, only downward into the room. The box preserves the integrity of the plenum space. ” Small fans can be added to help with circulation issues.

Click here to see the PDF spec sheet.
What a great idea and a solution we will keep in mind.

Grant

Sharp Interactive Touch Screen 60" Monitor

2010-11-05T14:47:00.002-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the new Sharp PN-L601B LCD touch screen interactive monitor.

Here’s a good example of "Improved communication from technology integration, and a lot of other cool stuff too…”: The PN-L601B brochure states, “Put the Power of Interaction to Work with a Sharp Integrated Touch-Screen Solution”. That’s what I’m talking about.

This is totally the “executive” version of the popular interactive whiteboard. As high-end boardroom design and installation is one of our forte’s, and knowing the fine ability of Sharp monitors to scale various video signals and the crisp image they produce, this is a product that will be requested and suggested as a great solution.

Here is a photo taken from the Sharp brochure and specifications sheet.

The key points from the PN-L601B announcement include:

Ultra Bright Screen with Low Energy Consumption
Super Accurate Touch-Screen Finger and Touch Pen Response via Proprietary Infrared Detection System
Easy-to-Use System Interface and Original Pen Software

Besides the low power consumption, this monitor uses LED backlite technology. This means that it is mercury free!

The interactive marketplace is now a bit more crowded with Sharp Electronics announcement of the PN-L601B touch screen, interactive monitor.

It was just a few short months ago that the interactive choices were limited to whiteboards. Epson launched the BrightLink interactive projector this past spring and it has been enthusiastically received by our clients in the educational and corporate world. Now Sharp has introduced an interactive monitor. Now there are 3 options for people looking for an interactive communications tool.

I see many applications for the 60"monitor/touch screen in small seminar and boardrooms and look forward to integrating them into appropriate AV systems designs.

Our Sharp representative Joe informs us that the touch screen monitor will be arriving next week and our Edmonton office will see it first.

Grant

Reliable Audiovisual Systems & Crestron Wireless Access Point

2010-10-26T16:37:00.003-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... building in reliability to AV systems

Reliability is key to audiovisual system design.

Make sure we utilize quality product. An obvious and simple enough idea but it does take experience to know what product is good and what isn’t. Being around as long as we have, the product line is solid. As technologies emerge and evolve we come across many products. Some are good (Epson BrightLink qualifies as a great product), some we decide to not use and there are some we know not to touch.

Make sure the Integration will work. Like I say, “Improved Communication from Technology Integration”. When the various components for a system are selected to function as one, you’re good to go. Again, a simple strategy that should be easy to implement but too often I see those who think one can simply draw boxes representing various devices and connect them together with a line. Not the case. Even when two components ideally should work together, experience shows us that some components don’t play nice. I know when I chat with IT people about this and remind them of the clone computers that were so troublesome because one type of hard drive doesn’t work well with one type of mother board, and so on and so forth. They always fervently shake their heads in agreement as they know you can’t rely on those types of systems.

System commissioning. This is when the gear has been installed and verified functioning as per the design spec, the various items need to be setup, or “commissioned”. This completes the system. But sometimes a setting in one device may affect another. Some features of some of the various devices within the system may need to be disabled, enabled, or a certain parameter selected to ensure the system performs reliably. Or an item might require configuring via a laptop. Here’s an example: A projector will auto search for live video sources; meanwhile the control system is commanding the same projector to switch to a particular input. At certain moments this may cause the projector to get confused and it will “lock up” like any CPU controlled device typically will. Of course this will happen when the CEO wants to use the system.

One way of creating reliability is to have less components. Here’s an example of a situation that could make or break a system depending on what or who’s product you use. There are times where a client will want wireless touch panels but I advise to use wired if wireless ability really is not required (sometimes it is just there to look cool), thereby eliminating a component like a wireless touchscreen that might be affected by outside factors like interference. This is especially a trade off when using anything wireless.

Crestron has the CEN-WAP-ABG-1G Wall Mount 802.11a/b/g Wireless Access Point (pictured below). This device provides wireless connectivity to wireless Crestron WiFi Touch panels.

But the design of this Crestron device really fits our AV world well. I like the fact that this WAP can be placed in the Boardroom or theater so there are no issues with signal strength like with a router placed in a metal (signal blocking) rack one hallway over or in a back room. This WAP has also been designed for Crestron WiFi touch panels, so that’s half the battle right there. It’s somewhat inconspicuous, and it looks good too. And so far they’ve been dependable. It’s on my list.

Grant

Bandwidth Cost & Managed Videoconference Services

2010-10-22T15:08:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... getting more from your videoconference system with Managed Services.

Inland AV recently launched Managed Services to help people get more from their existing videoconference system.

We sat down with one client and discussed their company requirements. They had 3 locations that required systems. They needed to buy a videoconference system for each location, more network infrastructure, TMS licences and to increase their bandwidth. We then compared the cost of the client buying 3 basic videoconference systems and using Managed Services to take care of the rest of the infrastructure and management issues.

The difference in cost and services were huge! Their increased bandwidth alone was approximately $1,000.00 per year. Their complete Inland AV Managed Services package that included their additional bandwidth (and so much more) was $750.00 per year. Add on the cost of the annual TMS licences, additional network infrastructure and the extra staff costs to manage the system make it a "no brainer" to go with Managed Services.

The Inland AV website has posted a page with more Managed Services information.

Grant

Audiovisual Rack Design Tool

2010-10-16T09:51:00.001-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Chief's online rack builder application.

ChiefMounts Canada, an Inland AV supplier of monitor & projector mounts as well as racks and accessories has posted a rack builder application. You can configure your own rack by following their step-by-step process. You choose the size and style of rack and then add components and accessories and save. The finished result is a PDF or jpeg file that you can share with your audiovisual supplier when discussing your new AV system.

This is a nifty little tool to help visualize a rack and see how it will look before ordering.

The one issue we had in testing the application was that it ran best in Explorer and Chrome. We had trouble with it when tested in Firefox. Not perfect but a great tool to visualize a project before the money is spent.

Grant

Obama Lecturn Malfunction

2010-10-07T10:50:00.002-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... no one is exempt from AV problems.

It was not too long ago I commented on Obama's teleprompter glass breaking during a news conference. This week the presidential seal fell of the lecturn while he was delivering a public speech.

He handled it well with his "You know who I am" statement but was more telling with his "somebody back there is really nervous right now."

Just another example of whatever can go wrong in a presentation, will go wrong.

There are times when an AV pro can assist in unexpected situations. I recall someone telling me about a situation where a presenter was going to sneeze. It was obvious to eveeryone in the audience that this was going to happen. The presenter continued, then quickly said "Just a moment ..." then blasted out the pending sneeze. The audio operator had turned off the presenter's mic for the sneeze and then had it back on when the presenter said "Excuse me".

The audience turned to the audio tech and applauded his quick thinking and fast action.

Now there is an AV Tech that get's it!

Grant

Slim-Line Array Speaker System Review

2010-09-30T15:33:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... K-Array ultra slim-line KV50 speaker system review

This week we reviewed some audio equipment from K-Array, an Italian company with fresh thinking ideas, distributed in North America by Sennheiser.

One product that caught my attention was an ultra slim-line array speaker, the KV50. This might be a great solution for video conferencing systems and boardrooms – the speakers look nice, are small and lend themselves to blend into the décor. They provide full range audio in the vocal spectrum, and use a technology that will assist with echo canceling.

I am holding one of the speakers beside a videoconference monitor in the picture below. This perspective provides an idea of the look and size of the speaker that could be mounted on the wall on either side of a monitor.

They may also be a great solution for areas where hidden AV is a requirement. The small size but effectiveness of the audio dispersion assist to blend the speaker into its surroundings. The gallery on the K-array website shows some interesting applications.

I know their larger systems get rave reviews and these units seem to be very well built.

Once powered up and cranking some tunes and a live mic through it, the crystal clear punching sound cuts through the air like a knife. This is the best way I can describe how these speakers reproduce the sound.

Grant

BrightLink Awarded a Buckaroo

2010-09-21T16:16:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... BrightLink Earns a Buckaroo Award.

I noticed a press release this week that the Epson BrightLink earned a Buckaroo Award from Pacific Media Associates.

The press release noted “At PMA, it is imperative we provide the projection industry with information on the most advanced and cost-effective multimedia solutions available in the market today,” said Dr. William Coggshall, founder and president of PMA. “The Epson BrightLink is a perfect example of innovation at its best, deeming it worthy of a Buckaroo Award.”

It is great to see the AV industries premiere research firm acknowledging the BrightLink as a breakthrough in interactive projectors. Even our shipping department recognizes the significance of the BrightLink based on the number of units coming in and going out.

Grant

You Know You Are a Hard Core AV Pro When ...

2010-09-16T15:44:00.000-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... you know you are a hard core AV pro when...

I am a member of the LinkedIn AV Professionals group to help keep up on AV industry issues. I was amused by the "You Know You are a Hard Core AV Pro When ..." discussion.

My favorite comments are:

every party you attend someone says, “There’s this one thing I can't get working on my TV system....”
you refuse to buy any piece of gear that does not have a Serial port.
you have a customer from 15 years ago call you and ask a question about the system that was installed. Without ever being in the building since the system went in, you tell them where to look for the ___ and how it was connected. You do this without even stepping away from the phone to find the old drawings.
you simply CANNOT walk by any EQ which shows a smilie face without grumbling.
the only clothes you own are black.
you sit in a church giving hand signals to the sound booth guy instead of listening to the sermon.
you know a projector lamp life without looking at the projector menu setting.
you wear out one knee on all your pants from taping cables down.
you avoid sports bars with screens that need the color adjusted.
you empty your pockets and find them filled with all kinds of connectors you forgot about.
your coffee mug collection includes at least 3 AV manufacturers who are no longer in business.
you refuse to run sound for the school musical because you know that a single microphone being spoken at from 20ft will not cut through to row 25 via the speaker 10 ft away from the mic.
you have a drawer full of polo shirts with AV manufacturer's names embroidered on them

And last (and probably least) my entry: Your own home system is in shambles as you're too busy creating and tweaking "masterpieces" elsewhere.

Grant

Interchangeable DLP Projector Colour Wheels - 4 Segment or 6 Segment

2010-09-10T16:30:00.002-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the new DLP projector that users can swap colour wheels.

The friendly people from Digital Projection International visited our Winnipeg office this week to demonstrate their newest innovations to us. I was impressed with the E-Vision series of projectors.

The E-Vision 600 is a 6,000 lumen projector (dual lamps) with 2,400:1 contrast and a native resolution of 1280 x 800. The projector features interchangeable lenses and colour wheels. While many projectors have interchangeable lenses allowing the projector to be optimally placed in a room, this is the first time I've heard of a projector being designed to allow the end user to quickly change the colour wheels.

The different colour wheels provide options for the user based on what is important to them in the next presentation. With the 4 segment colour wheel in place the projector produces 6,000 lumens. With a 6 segment colour wheel installed the same projector now produces 4500 lumens of light output. While the projector is not quite as bright there is better colour saturation, the user can decide which is more important.

The above image is a photo of the Digital Projection presentation and the image below shows the colour wheel module.

Thanks to Phil and Paul for making the trip to Winnipeg and the half day of demonstrations they provided.

Grant

Commercial and Consumer Monitor Differences

2010-09-03T16:33:00.001-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... the differences between professional and consumer monitors.

I am often asked about the difference between equipment that is labeled as professional and consumer. Many clients wonder why they should purchase a professional monitor when they can go to their local big box electronics store and save themselves some money.

I noticed a discussion on this subject on the AV Industry Professionals LinkedIn page. The main points are:

1 - Most professional monitors have a better cooling system than consumer monitors. Most consumer monitors have a passive cooling system and is designed for 3 hours of use at a time. I think this is why my Mom restricted us to 1 hour of TV per day (lol). Professional monitors have a cooling system that enables the monitors to run 24/7.

2 - Professional monitors generally offer more options when integrating multiple monitors together.

3 - Professional monitors can generally be set up in a a portrait format but a consumer monitor with a passive cooling system would not function properly.

4 - Consumer monitor used in a professional setting voids most warranties.

There were also a few comments that not all professional monitors are created equal. The purchaser should beware that just because a monitor is labeled as professional that does not guarantee that the monitor can run 24/7 without fail.

Contacting a reputable AV company is always a good idea.

Grant

AV System Includes the Kitchen Sink!

2010-08-27T13:14:00.001-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... New meaning to "everything but the kitchen sink".

I noticed the Inland AV Rental Technicians noisily working in the shop. When I asked if they were building a house they replied that they were not making a house, just a kitchen. I walked by a few hours later and was shocked to see they had in fact built a working portable kitchen!

All was clear when they explained that we were helping Zellers with a cooking exhibition at the Polo Park Centre Court. Roger Mooking, host of Everyday Exotic on Food Network Canada, worked his culinary magic for the Saturday afternoon shopping crowd.

I've heard people comment about "they bring everything but the kitchen sink". Now we have seen an audiovisual system that includes a kitchen sink with hot and cold running water!

Ken

Grant will be back from another week of vacation soon.

Outdoor Rock Speakers

2010-08-19T09:46:00.001-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... landscaping speakers hide your outdoor audio.

Our OWI representative sent us some new literature last week and I noticed the professional landscaping speaker systems. These are great for the entrance to restaurants, lounges, hotels and other hospitality and retail venues. The 200 lb sub-woofer below is concrete reinforced with glass fiber that houses a 12" speaker capable of producing 250 watts of power.Now the audio system can be hidden from view but the audio can help set the ambiance for the venue.

Now that is rock solid!

Feel free to contact your closest Inland AV location for more information on this and any other professional audio project you need help designing.

Grant

Field Videoconference With Low Bandwidth

2010-08-12T14:10:00.001-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... LibreStream releases low bandwidth field videoconferencing.

Librestream develops portable hand held videoconference systems that stream live video, audio and data over a wireless network (see the photo at the end of the post). Due to the nature of a portable system, bandwidth availability can be a challenge.

When the pipe is wide open, you can share HD video, audio and telestration with remote experts without a worry. But if you are out in the field using a cellular network the amount of available bandwidth depends on the number of people that are drawing on the same cell tower. It is this unreliable bandwidth environment that can cause the call to drop.

Librestream’s Onsight collaboration system now provides an ultra low bandwidth video option and automatically adjusts the call to fit the available pipe. Your call stays connected and your remote expert continues to hear and see uninterrupted video coming from the field. You can also take hi-res pictures, share them with the remote experts and draw on the images to pinpoint problem areas visually.

If you are interested in more information or a demonstration of the Onsight field videoconference system, contact your local Inland AV representative.

Ken, filling in while Grant is on vacation.

Telecommuting: A Part of Business Continuity Planning

2010-08-04T12:30:00.003-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... telecommuting as a part of a business continuity plan.

I have generally thought of telecommuting as a life/work balance tool. The recent article by Government Executive reminds me that telecommuting is a way to keep a business moving forward during unusual circumstances (floods and blizzards from a Manitoba perspective).

People who may telecommute for one or two days a week now have an alternative work plan in place if a major disruption occurs.

Grant

Neil Young Twisted Road - Winnipeg Show

2010-07-27T14:10:00.001-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Neil Young solo show at Winnipeg's Centennial Concert Hall.

Grant is on vacation this week and I've been asked to post while he is enjoying the summer with his family. I attended the Neil Young Twisted Road show last night and wanted to comment on it.

The stage set up was a great mix of old and new technology. The old being the instruments including his "borrowed" Martin D-28 guitar, Les Paul & Gretsch electrics, old beaten upright piano, grand piano, bass pedals and pipe organ. Another acoustic guitar (had an interesting, processed sound) that he played some of his newer still to be released songs. A series of old Fender amps made for some exquisite feedback that Neil wrung out of his electric guitars. His harmonicas (with big glass of water to rinse them out in) rounded out the instrumentation.

The lighting system included old school chandeliers over the pianos, some traditional lighting instruments and effective LED lighting. Neil was wearing a white coat that reflected the changing colours of the LED foot lights. You can see the panels mounted like audio wedge monitors in front of the mic stand below. The back drop was LED up lighting prop pillars.

Neil used old and new technology and treated the sold out Concert Hall audience to a glimpse into the mind of a genius.

Thank you to Matt (sat beside me at the show) for sending me the photos he snapped with his phone. Another great evolving technology.

Grant will be back next week.

Ken

New Epson Ultra-Portable PL-1700 Series Projector Announced

2010-07-16T15:12:00.003-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Epson ultra-portable projector announced at InfoComm.

Epson was displaying the new ultra-portable Pl-1700 series projector at InfoComm. This looks like a great unit designed for the "road warrior" who needs a portable projector to work with their laptop or USB drive. The new 1760 projector comes in at less than 4 lbs, 1.7" tall, with 2600 lumens of colour and white light output. That's a lot of output for such a little machine!

The traveling presenter will also appreciate the wireless USB connection between their laptop and the projector avoiding the awkward setting up of the projector in unfamiliar settings (Murphy seems to make the needed distance from the laptop to the projector a foot further than the cable). The automatic vertical keystone correction feature makes for a quick set up with minimal fuss. Horizontal keystone correction is also included so you don't have to ask the client to move their chair from it's customary position.

Grant

Epson IU-01 Interactive Module Available In October

2010-07-13T17:30:00.001-05:00

Grant's Perspective on ... Epson IU-01 will be available in October, 2010.

My July 9th post talked about the Epson IU-01 demonstration at InfoComm. The IU-01 is the interactive part of the Epson BrightLink and enables any projector to become interactive.

I said that I would let everyone know when it would be available. Epson posted a news release yesterday announcing that the IU-01 will be available this October and will be priced at an estimated $599.00 USD.

Grant