BrightLink - Product of the Year

Grant's Perspective on ... BrightLink Named Outstanding Product of the Year.

It is only the end of May but ProjectorReviews.com has named the Epson 450Wi BrightLink as  their Outstanding Product of the Year. It is very rare to find a review that positively gushes about a new product. This is if interest to everyone involved in teaching and training!

BTW - My ticket to InfoComm is booked and I'm really looking forward to seeing the new audiovisual products. I'm sure that I will be sharing pictures and comments from the show.

Grant

iPod Lectern Docking Station

Grant's Perspective on ... iPod's now docking on lecterns.

I continue to marvel at how communication tools evolve and are being integrated into the real world. The iPod family is certainly one of these wonders. Initially an iPod was a really compact Walkman with a huge library of MP3 music instead of cassettes. Now there are many different i-pods and iPhones available and they do much more than just play music.

We have past newsletter articles on using an iPod for event background music and using an iPhone as a remote AV system controller. Now Sound-Craft Systems Incorporated has launched an iPod docking station for lecterns as people are using them to create and transport their presentations.

Grant

Epson BrightLink Video & Review

Grant's Perspective on ... Epson BrightLink information update.

I noticed a great Projector Central review of the Epson Brightlink 450Wi.

I also like this quick video overview of the BrightLink  posted on YouTube.



We have been busy hosting BrightLink demonstrations across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. They have all been well attended as people in education and training see the value of interactive projectors.

Grant

Mounting Two Large Video Monitors

Grant's Perspective on ... attractive monitor mounting in multi-display situations.

Getting two or more monitors mounted side-by-side can be a chore. Basically monitors are two large flat plains and when adjoined any deviation between the two can be very noticeable and therefore will look sloppy and careless (i.e one is higher than the other,  further from the wall than the other,  tilted more than the other, the bezels do  not line up,….).  Dual monitors are often used in videoconferencing applications and therefore must appear “right at home” as the monitors are the main focus point in the room.

Chief has developed a wall mount system that alleviates this issue - the Chief LSMU Fusion Universal Flat Panel Micro-Adjustable Mount for 37" - 63" Displays.  With this system both monitors are attached on the same mounting apparatus and therefore align the same, resulting in a good looking display assembly. 

While Chief has some really well produced Fusion videos, I'm partial to their "work shop" production quality but highly informative video. They use clear glass plates as monitors so you can always see how the mount works. At about the 3:20 mark, they demonstrate a 2 display videoconference mounting system. The modular Fusion components are able to mount 2 large displays, speakers and video camera. I have posted a screen shot of the 2 display mount below and the full video link below.

The Chief Fusion mounts have impressed the clients and  Inland AV installation techs. Their flexibility in stud location, centerless shift, leveling and quick connect cable access is appreciated by the techs. The clients notice that the monitor is exactly where they want it and it looks great. In this situation I should say, what you don't see looks great.

View the video and see how flexible the Chief LSMU Fusion mounts are. If you can't view the YouTube video below click here.

Grant

Projector Throw Distance Calculator

Grant's Perspective on ... the Projector Throw Distance Calculator that works!

Epson has posted a Projector Throw Distance Calculator that I really like. This Flash based tool lets you input basic information such as the room ceiling height, screen format and desired image size. You select an Epson projector model and the calculations are made.

This app comes in handy particularly for the Epson Bright Link projectors.  These are the HOT, HOT, HOT ultra-short throw, high-performance projector & interactive pen combination units.  They integrate interactive functionality in one machine without the constraints or expense of an interactive whiteboard.  As a result you get one of largest interactive learning areas available, in a wide screen format (which is why they are a HOT item) without paying a premium for size.

The calculator provides two room views (see graphic below) of a Bright Link ultra-short throw installation. This gives a clear understanding how close an ultra-short throw projector is to the wall and screen.

Note the two arrows in the top left area of the room layout.  Your mouse can quickly adjust the projector's distance from the wall and the floor to ceiling distance, to see the relationships of projector placement and projected image location. 

You can enter the info manually.  This is beneficial if you are projecting onto an existing whiteboard as the screen size is known.  The calculator even provides the measurement for the mount location.  Time is saved and the install is done correctly.

It also allows you to change the aspect ratio for 4:3, 16:9 and 16:10.  I would use this when someone has a section of bare white wall they want to make interactive but are restricted on one side by perhaps a filing cabinet or window frame, and the lower level by perhaps wainscoting.  Using the calculator, I can demonstrate that the now common 16:10 format will fit.

Give it a try!

Grant

Wedding Reception Videoconference

Grant's Perspective on ... wedding receptions via videoconference.

I don't think I would do this on purpose but with the volcano disrupting people's travel plans worldwide, it's nice to see technology coming to the rescue enabling a bride and groom to attend their own wedding reception.

They married in Australia and stranded in Dubia, while their reception was in London.

Grant

Creative Projector Mount

Grant's Perspective on ... an amusing way to mount a projector.

One of the Inland AV Winnipeg staff sent me this picture.

He was participating in a lunch and learn presentation at a downtown restaurant. The venue had an old Sony 1040 video projector hanging from the ceiling. His first thought was "Wow, some of these dinosaurs are still working!" This quickly became "I don't remember these 3 tube projectors being so crisp and bright, especially on the edges."

A closer look left him laughing as the old 1040 was not working and a new LCD projector was gaff taped on top of the old projector. See the picture below with the 1040 turned around and an LCD projector taped on top of the 1040.

What a novel approach!

I think this is one to submit to the ChiefMounts Canada "bloopers" page.

Grant

Projector Selection Calculator

Grant's Perspective on ... choosing the right projector.

Many of our clients ask me what the best projector is. The answer usually starts off with "that depends on what you need." With so many different types of projectors and options to choose from where do you start? The first step is to understand and define your requirements.

Digital Projection, one of the projector manufacturers represented at Inland AV, has posted the Projector Toolbox to help people understand what their specifications should be.

The great thing about this calculator is it is very easy to use. Choose the application for the projector such as Corporate Boardroom, Education: K-12, Small Home Theatre, etc. You then choose an ambient room brightness. You do not need any technical expertise as they use plain language examples. You are then asked about the screen size and format that you want and the Digital Projection recommendations are delivered.

The recommended projectors are naturally Digital Projection products but the results include the general specifications that you should be looking for.

This is a great tool and available to anyone with no registration required.

Grant

Hiding Amplifiers & Speakers

Grant's Perspective on ...

Last weeks short blog post on hiding cables was straight forward - keep cables out of sight.  This post is about what I call making a "clean" installation.

For example, take the basic ceiling mounted projector installation.  The projector becomes a fixture within the room once it's installed. I strongly believe it's important any additional peripherals take the same route and become "built into" the room.  An audio system (amplifier and speakers) are common AV peripherals  included on many projector installations.

Utilizing a very small sized but powerful amplifier that can be tucked up onto the projector mount hardware eliminates a wall mounted audio rack within the room, or a mixer amp placed haphazardly on a table, filing cabinet or hidden in a credenza under the coffee mugs.

There are many options when selecting speakers.  A pair of speakers can be wall mounted on either side of the screen, one or more flush-mounted speaker(s) in the ceiling, or a speaker designed to look like a ceiling tile (usually used in boardrooms for aesthetics).  These speakers are all driven from the small amp located on the projector mount and therefore the cables are also hidden above the ceiling. See a photo of a ceiling tile speaker below.

Another neat & tidy peripheral is a simple control system.  The keypad and controller are both housed as a single device and is flush mounted in the wall similar to a light switch.  The controller eliminates the need for the projector's remote control (which ultimately gets lost) making it easy for presenters to locate the controller on the wall and take control of the primary control functions: projector ON/OFF, input selection (COMPUTER, DVD, LAPTOP, etc), VOLUME UP / DOWN; and perhaps a few more: VIDEO MUTE or SCREEN UP / DOWN.  They may even perform an auto-shut down of the projector and more sophisticated systems can control lighting and HVAC.  This saves lamp life and energy - how green is that?! See a picture of a simple Extron wall plate style controller below.

These inexpensive solutions both contribute to a "clean" installation.  Basically nothing is loose in the room. You could remove all the furniture to create an entirely empty room yet still have a presentation!

Grant

Hide Your AV Cables

Grant's Perspective on ... keeping the room neat and tidy.

While cables are required to connect an AV systems components together I sure don't want to see them cluttering up a room.

There are many different ways to hide cables. There are solutions for hiding cables under floors, boardroom tables and behind walls.

When doing a major renovation there is an opportunity to run the cables under the floor. This was a part of the Regina Henry Baker Hall renovation. The cables run under the floor so they are out of sight yet accessible so that as new technology becomes available cables can be added for system upgrades.

A July 22, 2009 post reviewed the AMX  HydraPort  and my June 9, 2009 post discusses keeping the boardroom table free of cables.

When cables have to be run up a wall it is best to put them inside the wall. This is not always possible so the next best solution can be to run a channel up the wall to keep the cables as neat as possible. See the picture below with the white channel hiding the video monitor cables.

With some planning you can keep cables out of sight improving the aesthetics and functionality of a room.

Grant