AV Technology - August 2008 - (Page 64)

opinion STANDARDS EQUAL PREDICTABILITY. WHEN YOU CAN PREDICT RESULTS, COMPLEX SYSTEM DESIGNS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED WITH CONFIDENCE, AND INSTALLED ON TIME AND WITHIN BUDGET. face products that communicate using what appears to be standard RS-type data that are not compatible. If the product adhered to the standard, how could they be incompatible? These products are incompatible because the manufacturer deliberately chose to make subtle modifications to the electrical levels, timing levels, or other parts of the protocol to ensure that only their products would be compatible. The consequences of this are far reaching. If any given manufacturer’s solution achieves some, but not all of the client’s requirements, the integrator must add additional hardware or services to the system. In a proprietary system it becomes very challenging (if not impossible) for an integrator to interface into this system using other components and for the technology manager to predict the system — all while reducing its overall reliability and profitability. As the AV systems being installed continue to grow in complexity, the number of arbitrary components being installed continues to grow as well. Who is ultimately responsible for maintaining and troubleshooting these unnecessarily complex and often cumbersome systems? After system installation, it falls upon technology managers to keep the system running smooth and to respond immediately when it doesn’t. They have a clear picture of the overall to the fiber optic transmission. When the system goes down and the technology manager investigates the issue more closely, they are left to troubleshoot not only the fiber optic link, the expected component of the system, but the interface boxes at the ends of that link, the additional connections, and cabling as well. Of course, this scenario becomes more difficult to manage and diagnose when working with the many products that require software in order to function properly. This can be a relatively new and painful experience to the technology manager who has his or her roots in the IT and/or broadcast industries. BENEFITS OF STANDARDS If standards were employed in pro AV today, what benefits can we expect? When manufacturers embrace the standards that define the solutions for common mechanical and electrical interfaces, they can then focus on the core of their product. They can innovate and develop products that offer more value, features, and ease-of-use. And they can respond to industry trends more quickly with a lower cost-to-market. In short, manufacturers become successful because of what is in the box when they compete on value. System integrators and technology managers can design and implement complex architectures with predictability and they can chose product based on its true merit, performance and value. They can eliminate the myriad of in-between boxes that have become essential components when interfacing incompatible products. This lowers equipment costs, installation times, and labor fees. When working with proven and documented standards, the integrator is no longer challenged with solving complex signal and interface problems on their own. Instead, the integrator is left to do what they do best: integration. Technology managers can enjoy increased reliability and respond more quickly when they results and cost. Rather than deciding upon and purchasing a product that offers the client the best performance and value, the integrator is often forced to install equipment because it is the only unit compatible. In other cases, they create ad hoc solutions to circumvent their interfacing problems that increase the system cost and the time to install and maintain that signaling objectives and they know how it is all interconnected. What they may not realize is that there are additional components lurking in dark corners or ad hoc undocumented design changes that make the whole system work, and it isn’t until a problem is reported that these interfaces and changes are discovered. For example, they may know that DVI is being sent to the classrooms over fiber, but they may not realize that there are interface boxes performing an HDMI-to-DVI conversion prior 64 | AVTECHNOLOGY | august 2008

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

AV Technology - August 2008 Contents Precedent Corporate: The Project’s Over...Now What? Government: Generational Diversity and the Rise of the Millennials Education: DIY ISP.EDU HD Videoconferencing On a Budget Using Automatic Mic Mixers The Way I See It: The Standards Dilemma in AV Something for Everybody AV Adds the Magic to Microsoft’s Hat Trick Simple Control for Smarter Classrooms Product Review: VeEX VePAL MX100 Product Spotlight: Amps; Touchpanels New Products Ad Index AV MO: Dealing with Ambient Light

AV Technology - August 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.