AV Technology - October 2008 - (Page 40)

ed standardizing, presentation technology was very awkward in terms of setting up and breaking it down in a room. Making technology the same from room to room helped demystify it and encourage usage. Incorporating the right supporting gear is also important. A component of all rooms now is a tablet PC that mimics a whiteboard or a chalkboard. BEFORE Because of the architectural and historical aesthetics of this room, a typical projection screen installation was not permitted. Boston College’s AV technicians devised a method where the screen rises up from behind the blackboard. Top photo shows the room in its normal state; below shows the room with the screen raised up. Photo courtesy of Boston College. How do you approach technology upgrades in the context of the need for standardization and functionality, but also budget constraints that may necessitate a phase-in? Corkum: One component of a smart room is the ability to support emerging technologies. If a faculty member requests a new technology, we may experiment with it in one room on a test basis. The school of management wanted a podium-based system and we looked at some different options. In the end, we replaced an 8-year-old room system there with an entirely new one. Now we’re evaluating other new technologies for other rooms, like classroom capture, IP video, and audience response systems. Bradley: In the course of phasing in smart rooms in two high schools — one of which is complete — we’re going to reach a point where we’ll have some that are outmoded. But worries about obsolescence can’t keep you from moving forward. Ritchie: First, we always evaluate whether a change is needed. It’s hard to integrate an upgrade in one fell swoop, and you also can’t plan too far ahead expecting everything will change. But we figure on projectors maybe lasting four years and changing out a quarter of them a year. Control systems need to be changed every eight years or so. We’re not jumping on everything new. We’re sticking with VGA inputs and not DVI, and we are putting in Blu-ray inputs on an as-needed basis. What are the critical, core functionalities of your smart rooms, and what products get you there? Bialas: Our goal is to reduce the complexity of our training and meeting spaces. We do that with a basic Extron 104 controller that has hard push buttons rather than a touchpanel for simplicity, a projector, and a laptop computer. Users needing DVD playback can utilize the player built into the PC. Room size drives the microphone and sound system selection. In some larger rooms, where more sophisticated programming and room division is needed, we tie together multiple control systems. Corkum: In general, the rooms are equipped to meet the presentation and learning needs of various users. They’re “smart” because they support a wide range of current and emerging technologies. It’s basic tech — DVD/VCR, projectors, overheads, displays, www.avtechnologyonline.com AFTER 40 | AV TECHNOLOGY | october 2008 http://www.avtechnologyonline.com

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

AV Technology - October 2008 Contents Precedent Corporate: Residential AV Does Not Equal Commercial AV Government: Funding Problems? Education: DIY ISP.EDU, Part Two The Cost of Bandwidth Star Grounding Wars Understanding IoIP How to Equip a Smart Classroom Two Rooms With A View From Primitive to Professional Product Review:�Visionary Solutions AVN 420 Encoder Product Spotlight: Document Cameras New Products Ad Index AV MO: Using Infrared Microphones

AV Technology - October 2008

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