AV Technology - June 2008 - (Page 38)

KEEPING AHEAD OF TECHNOLOGY OBSOLESCENCE As product lifecycles shrink, obsolescence creates problems at both the front and back end of AV/IT integration projects. by Linda Seid Frembes o one doubts that advances in digital technology have made life easier. Devices like cell phones, laptops, space-saving flat panel monitors, and portable projectors have changed the way our world communicates. But whether at home or at work, we’ve all arrived at the same problem: what to do with a mountain of obsolete technology collecting dust in storage closets and desk drawers. As more attention is paid to green living and sustainable practices, the AV industry is following the lead of the IT world in addressing the issue of obsolescence and electronic waste. In 2005, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that discarded TVs, computers, peripherals (including printers, scanners, and faxes), mice, keyboards, and cell phones totaled about 2 million tons. Of that, about 80-85 percent was discarded primarily in landfills. Formerly cutting-edge technology like the cathode ray tube (CRT) display should not be thrown in the trash due to high lead content. A 36inch CRT can have 7.7 pounds of lead in the glass. Thankfully, there are recycling centers that can handle CRTs and other displays, but what about projectors, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and other AV equipment that are in the waste stream? According to the EPA, recyclers recover more N than 100 million pounds of materials from electronics each year, but individual statistics do not exist specifically for AV equipment. SPECIFYING AV Delaying obsolescence on an AV project begins, well, at the beginning. Specifying AV for a large project can sometimes be a challenge, especially considering the fast pace of technology. “The timeline can be three or more years between system design and installation. We provide the infrastructure design, but also design the AV system as late in the process as possible to take advantage of any technology advancement and price decline,” says Mark Alspach, principal and head of the AV group at AV consulting firm Shen Milsom & Wilke in New York City. The firm will often work on large projects with AV budgets ranging between $10 million to $20 million. www.avtechnologyonline.com ILLUSTRATION BY NEEL PATIL 38 | AV TECHNOLOGY | june 2008 http://www.avtechnologyonline.com

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

AV Technology - June 2008 Contents Precedent Corporate: Global Standardization Government: Strategic Technology Planning Education: It’s All Just a Click Pre-Empting Projector Breakdown Dealing With Technophobes Keeping Ahead of Technology Obsolescence Understanding Video Codecs Rules of Engagement Network, See & Learn Sound From the Heart Sportsbook Makes an Impact Upgrading an AV Image Product Review: Polycom’s RealPresence Experience HD Tech Horizons: A True AV Networking Standard? Product Spotlight: Digital Media Servers; Flat Panel New Products Ad Index AV MO: Calculating Fiber Optic Transmission Distance

AV Technology - June 2008

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