AV Technology - May 2008 - (Page 42)

MINIMIZING EQUIPMENT THEFT additional layer of security was to add FlexGuard locking systems to all of their loose equipment. They also chose to install Sonic Shock alarms from Comprotec. But these alarms do not shock a thief into submission: they are a device mounted directly to a component that sounds an alarm at 117 decibels if the sensor cable connected to the equipment is cut. That’s loud enough to be painful; it’s comparable to the sound pressure level at 120 feet of a jet airplane take-off. Not only is it loud, it will continue to alarm for up to two hours or until a special key is inserted to disable it. Neff also found that simply adding a visual deterrent like a warning sticker on a piece of equipment helps. “We put stickers on our projectors and our podiums. When people see those stickers, they are less likely to mess with it,” says Neff. For the past seven years, he has been working on a custom webbased application to help minimize theft. It’s a beefy program, with over 50,000 lines of code so far, all written by Neff. The software started deploying interesting new solutions to protect their investment. UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO The University of Idaho (UI) is one school that has plenty of equipment to protect. Over 1,300 individual components, from flat panel displays and projectors, to document cameras and touchpanel controllers are housed in 80 classrooms around the campus. In the mid 1990s, UI recognized that keeping their equipment safe and secure was a priority. They started off like most did during this time, by securing loose items in the classroom such as computers and touchpanels with high-strength aircraft cable and a lock. For their CRT projectors, they threaded one end of the cable through the projector and locked the other end directly to the ceiling mount. According to John Neff, a media equipment specialist with the FOR WOULD-BE THIEVES, CORPORATIONS ARE TYPICALLY NOT EASY TARGETS. MOST HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF BUILDING ACCESS, SECURITY, AND MORE. A MAJORITY OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, HOWEVER, ARE OPEN CAMPUSES, WHICH MAKES KEEPING EQUIPMENT SAFE AND SECURE MORE CHALLENGING. Most projectors now incorporate the familiar Kensington Security slot for attaching a wire rope cable to an AV cart or permanent surface. resides on a Dell 2950 running Microsoft’s Internet Information Server. The custom application “pings” all classroom equipment with IP addresses (projectors, computers, touchpanels, controllers, etc.) every 30 seconds, and if the equipment is not on the network, the software automatically notifies his group through email and SMS messaging. Protecting non-networked components like standard DVD and VHS players is done through the AMX control system they use. During the power up cycle, the AMX software looks for both a power and video signal from these devices. If either is missing, that system will send out email as well. CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, PA takes a similar approach to equipment security in their classrooms. The Media Technology Services group is responsible for more than 80 classrooms www.avtechnologyonline.com Classroom Technology Services group, who is responsible for the campuses over $1 million investment in classroom technology, this was a great start, but not enough of a deterrent. “We had one incident in our engineering building where thieves took the whole mount and all,” he says. “They got up in the ceiling and removed the tiles and took the mount and projector.” The thieves even left a note on the door saying they were repairing the projector and would bring it back. Of course they never did. This was no laughing matter, losing a CRT projector back then cost the university over $10,000. Neff says they learned a valuable lesson and decided to beef up their security strategy. The first step was to anchor their projectors with security cables attached directly to concrete. They also purchased special security screws to install the projector mounts and for all of their rack-mounted components. These screws are hex keyed, which requires a special tool to remove them. An 42 | AV TECHNOLOGY | may 2008 http://www.avtechnologyonline.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AV Technology - May 2008

AV Technology - May 2008 Contents Precedent Corporate: How to Qualify an AV Supplier Education: Working Smarter AV Technology's Guide to Networked AV Government: IPv6 — Why You Should Care Calculating ROI on Your Digital Signage Investment Enhancing Audio in the Classroom Minimizing Equipment Theft Smart AV The Tribe Has Spoken AV Enables Interactive Research AV Image Enhancement Product Spotlight Tech Horizons Product Review New Products AV MO

AV Technology - May 2008

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