|
|
Volume 1, Issue 3 — September 20, 2012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Multi-Site Church Issues
By Anthony Coppedge
House of Worship Technology Consultant
“One church. Multiple locations.” That’s the tag line for hundreds of churches that have expanded by way of adding entirely new campuses as part of a multi-site strategy. In fact, according to the research team at Leadership Network, there are over 5,000 churches that have adopted the multi-site model.
Just three years ago, in 2009, there were about 3,000 multi-site churches, so the current growth curve is so fast that it’s even eclipsing the growth rate of mega churches (churches that have >2,000 attendees per weekend)! Every growth chart shows an increase in both the number of multi-site churches and in their rate of growth. In an economy that’s still struggling, this is a hot growth area.
The Perfect Market
The multi-site church movement is one that the AVL industry is perfectly suited to serve because multi-site almost always includes a good deal of technology, training and service needs. In addition to the normal demands of audio, video and lighting of any church venue, there is also a necessary infrastructure to stream, record and share audio and video (and even communication channels, click tracks and time code sync) between campuses.
There are three basic multi-site church models: satellite campus, extension campus and church plant campus.
The satellite campus is the most common type of multi-site church model. In this scenario, the main church sends out a stream of audio and video of what’s happening live or time-shifted and the satellite venue receives at least the sermon/teaching via video.
An extension campus is a campus that shares the resources and even some of the staffing from the main campus and is usually in close proximity to the main campus. Here the goal is to reach other nearby communities that are logistically too far for people to drive to the main campus by placing a local campus in their city/neighborhood. Again, audio and video are shared (or at least received by the extension campus).
A church plant campus is really a way to plant a new church but keep it part of the same church family — at least at first. Church plants that go it alone often struggle to have the resources or name-recognition to experience heavy, sustained growth. The idea with a church plant campus is to give the new church plant a shared identity and financial/physical resources to get them up and running. Some of these have their own campus pastor or even senior pastor, but fall under the governance and polity of the main church. The technology infrastructure is important because many of the teachings and resources are shared from the main campus.
In each of these scenarios (and other iterations), the multi-site model requires both local technology needs and shared tech resources.
Standardization is Key
Because the main campus is the originator of technology decisions, it simply makes sense to use the same tools — or at least the same brands — at each location. The redundancy in training, operation and troubleshooting is extremely valuable to churches because many will not add full-time staff at the multi-site venues.
From a manufacturer’s standpoint, the opportunity to market this strategy to churches is huge. Think about it: you have the chance to make the sale again and again and again, not just the first time. It’s not even high-pressure sales, because you’re meeting a need of the church and making it easier on them to scale their production needs and volunteer operations. With this in mind, start thinking about multi-unit service options to help churches make upgrades and schedule replacement components all at the same time. Make this affordable and simple and you’ll have a much more satisfied church client — highly important in a market famous/infamous for being heavy on word-of-mouth recommendations from other churches.
Systems integrators, too, are also poised to establish services as multi-site church experts. The expandability and scalability of technical systems has long been a hallmark of churches that are known for squeezing every last moment out of their equipment. From a service standpoint, thinking long-term with the church helps them see the end game of redundant systems, processes, training, and documentation. ‘Do once, repeat many’ is not only smart, it’s a great selling point.
Backup & Redundancy
The upside of multi-site for churches is the ability to share the message and resources from one main campus to many other campuses. The potential downside is a technology failure. In these environments, failure has much more significant implications than in a single location.
Imagine a weekend where the video and audio stream suddenly died. Or when the sync between the two becomes hugely distracting. Or if the playback device suddenly reboots in the middle of the message. Or a hundred other equally damaging scenarios. In a multi-site venue, failure is far less of an option.
Insomuch as standardization is key, redundancy is necessary. From redundant power supplies for the FOH mixing console, to dual-mic wireless for the main speaker, to dual recording/playback devices, having the extra rack space and budget to add redundant technology is part of the original design consideration, not a Monday-morning P.O. for a quick fix after a Sunday meltdown.
Manufacturers that have built-in redundancy need to promote it through targeted marketing campaigns. ‘When failure is not an option’ is the rule of the day. Like other mission-critical vertical markets, specialized service options for multi-site churches for overnight emergency replacements and sub one-week ship-repair-ship solutions are the kind of premium insurance policies these churches need. Dealers, too, have the opportunity to provide on-call service technician contracts and in-stock replacement parts for providing need-it-right-this-second options for these venues.
In an industry that’s always converging with other industries (high-voltage electrical, telephony, information technology, etc.), the AVL industry can provide more than just the gear and the talent: They can bring years of production experience from touring, road shows, network operation centers and military installations that each have aspects of ‘failure-is-not-an-option’ as part of their business model to bear on the church multi-site market.
Retrofit to Future Fit
I’m still surprised to find that many churches have gone multi-site — and are live right now — that haven’t added the strategic thinking above into their model. These churches are simply walking blindly into the next catastrophe that they hope won’t (but will) come. This opportunity is not simply for those churches considering multi-site, but also for those already full-tilt-boogie in multi-site without the redundancy, training or systems to ensure consistency week-in and week-out.
Multi-site retrofits are a serious need, which also means standardizing the main campus first in many cases. The opportunity to serve these churches well by helping them aim for zero-failure Sundays can start right now – and I’m here to tell you that you’ll have senior pastors thanking you and singing your praises to their friends when they have a string of zero-issue Sundays!
The church market is one where trust is slowly given. Helping a church with more than one campus is a worthy endeavor because it provides manufacturers and integrators alike with the opportunity to build trust again and again. This kind of trust equity turns into relational equity when they tell their pastor friends about your solutions and the peace-of-mind they have in knowing that every campus is ready every weekend!
A former staff member at three mega churches and church technology consultant, Anthony Coppedge has developed a respected reputation as a leader in technical and communications circles within the church marketplace. Reach him at anthony@anthonycoppedge.com or on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/anthonycoppedge
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top
|
|
Click here for more information
|
|
Contracting Staff to Churches
By Anthony Coppedge
House of Worship Technology Consultant
Volunteers are the lifeblood of local churches. This is a permanent truth in the house of worship market, which places servant-leadership as a core part of their belief system. And while volunteers will always be an important part of churches, the technical demands of creating quality, distraction-free services and events will always stretch even the most committed and trained volunteers.
Depending on the size, resources and leadership of a local church, there may be some part- and full-time staff devoted to the audio, video and lighting demands. More often than not, volunteers are the only people involved with the technical side, leaving a huge opportunity open for training, equipping and contracting to these churches.
Step Up the Training
I think a large number of manufacturers provide quality training opportunities for making the most out of their technology and troubleshooting it in the field. Unfortunately, most of this training is limited to the exclusive domain of rental and staging companies or systems integrator employees. I say that’s unfortunate because I know a number of freelancers who spend part of their time doing large productions and some of their time working gigs as weekend operators at local churches. These guys and gals are very frequently excluded from becoming certified in a particular technology because they’re not employed by a rental and staging or integration firm.
The logic goes something like this: If a manufacturer trains those who are certified partners (who sell their equipment), then the service that goes with the sale stays with the company that sold to the client in the first place. While there’s nothing wrong with this particular perspective, it’s simply a case of “either/or” instead of “both/and.”
Why not provide that training beyond the firms to freelancers? You’ll have more qualified people running around knowing how to troubleshoot and do in-the-field fixes, which means more up-time for your device (proudly stamped with your company name all over it). And, the more qualified the operator, the better the performance of your technology in action.
Taking this logic a step further, why not offer manufacturer-led end-user training for anyone willing to pay to become certified in operating and/or servicing your equipment? Look, if the democratization of the Internet has taught us anything, it’s that the power is in the hands of the many, not the few. I think it’s time for manufacturers to step into the 21st century’s democratization of information-sharing and embrace the genius of the ‘and.’
Church Staffing?
I’m not sure how many integrators want their employees becoming church staff, but, frankly, I don’t see that happening anyway. Instead, the opportunity is to look at contracting staff as outsourcing for local churches. More and more, pastors are finding ways to keep staffing costs low so more of the money goes to funding projects, helping people and reaching their communities. It’s not uncommon for 50 percent of a church’s income to go to staffing (including staff-related expenses), and this has been something that’s burdened the church for years.
I realize that your Monday through Friday staff can always moonlight and get gigs on the weekends with your company stepping into the outsourcing business, but the credibility, reliability and accountability of running this through your firm is likely more attractive to a church pastor than hoping for the best with a freelancer.
Consider this: Instead of simply offering services-for-hire, create entire outsource contracts that include the operator, reduced-rate weekend rentals, emergency loaners for similar equipment installed in the church and fast repair service to get them back up-and-running in case of a weekend failure. That’s something a freelancer cannot provide and helps build a relationship with a client that likely didn’t buy from you the first time but would look to your firm for any new purchases because you have a “guy on the inside.”
Share the Knowledge
Once you have a few of these contracts in place, it’s then easy to create Saturday or weeknight training on systems, processes and operation for other local churches — and do it right inside one of the churches where your staff is contracted. This ‘home field advantage’ is huge and further establishes your firm as thought-leaders and technical experts to these other churches.
Some manufacturers are still doing road shows (I wish more would do it) and bringing in the latest technology. In addition to the lunch-and-learns and the integration firm or rep firms offices, take some of these road shows to one of the local churches where your staff is outsourced and offer a Saturday afternoon lunch-and-learn with other churches in the area, even going so far as to ask the churches you’re staffing to make invitations to their friends at other churches.
Sharing the knowledge of what’s possible, what’s working and how to get it done is critical for freelancers, church staff and even key volunteers. You simply cannot place enough value on the relationship building that comes from giving good knowledge away!
The Shared Trifecta
I’ve long been a proponent of a trifecta: manufacturers, integrators and churches in a mutually beneficial relationship. In my experience from both my years in the design/build systems integrator business (at three large firms) and in the consulting business, it’s almost always best when a church has the direct relationship with both the integrator and the manufacturer. Sure, boundaries are established and go-to resources identified, but when the church feels the backing of the both their integrator and the manufacturer, their loyalty goes through the roof. And with the trend of multi-site (see this month’s TRENDS article), gaining this loyalty leads to standardization, which results in more sales, more installation and more service agreements.
Churches are looking for partnerships where the value proposition is greater than the cost savings from a good deal. It’s a massive opportunity for manufacturers, integrators and freelancers alike to realize the potential and create systems and processes that result in this trifecta solution.
A former staff member at three mega churches and church technology consultant, Anthony Coppedge has developed a respected reputation as a leader in technical and communications circles within the church marketplace. Reach him at anthony@anthonycoppedge.com
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top
|
|
Click here for more information
AmpliVox Upgrades All Wireless Mics to 16 Channels
All new AmpliVox Sound Systems wireless microphones will broadcast over 16 UHF channels, instead of two. This upgrade includes all wireless sound systems and wireless lecterns, with no price increase over earlier two-channel models.
The new 16-channel UHF frequencies expand the capability and range of earlier two-channel models by allowing multiple mic users in the same venue to select separate channels. The additional channels also enable users to avoid interference with competing wireless frequencies, assuring no frequency mix in any venue.
The new AmpliVox 16-channel UHF microphones are available as a handheld wireless mic or can be ordered in a bodypack-style transmitter with receiver.
You can find out more about AmpliVox here:
http://www.ampli.com
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top
TASCAM Announces TA-1VP Vocal Processor
The TASCAM TA-1VP vocal processor, co-developed with Antares Audio Technologies, is designed for both live performance or in the studio vocals. It features Antares’ Auto-Tune pitch correction, along with a combination of microphone modeling, tube modeling, compression, gating, doubling, de?essing and a high quality mic preamp.
The TA-1VP’s features are not only ideal for professional quality vocal production, but for a variety of other uses since it offers 1/4″ balanced line input and output, XLR mic inputs with +48V phantom power, a 2-band parametric EQ, S/PDIF digital outputs, a 1/4″ footswitch input, MIDI control and even Auto-Tune Evo. Musicians and engineers can utilize the TA?1VP when mic’ing up an acoustic or percussive instrument, taking advantage of the compression, microphone and tube models to make sure they’re getting high-quality sound for their recording or live performance. With over a dozen mic models, +48V Phantom Power to ensure compatibility with any mic, and the ability to double track, the TA?1VP is flexible for real?time performance or recording needs.
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top
DPI Unveils 3-Chip DLP 3D Projector Under $30K Including Lens
This year at CEDIA Expo, DPI introduced the new HIGHlite 330-3D, a new addition to the company’s HIGHlite Cine 3-chip DLP series. Two new models have been launched — a high contrast version delivering 2,500 lumens and greater than 10,000:1 contrast, and a high brightness version delivering 4,500 lumens. Both of these 3D projectors are priced under $30K MSRP including lens, making these about 60 percent of the cost of the entry level TITAN 3D models.
The two models also offer installation flexibility due to the HIGHlite 330-3D’s compact chassis design and lens shift range of 120 percent vertical and 30 percent horizontal. Multiple lens options provide further flexibility, with .77 and 1.16:1 fixed lenses plus zoom lenses with throw ratios ranging from 1.45 – 6.76:1. Connectivity options include two HDMI inputs, as well as RGB via D-15, component, composite and S-Video inputs.
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top
Sennheiser Launches Digital 9000 Wireless System
At IBC in Amsterdam this month, Sennheiser unveiled the Digital 9000, a digital wireless system that can transmit completely uncompressed audio. Targeting live audio events, Digital 9000 includes the EM 9046 receiver, SKM 9000 handheld and SK 9000 bodypack transmitters, plus a suite of accessories. Using a High Definition (HD) mode, the 9000 will transmit entirely uncompressed, artifact-free audio, rivaling what Senheiser claims as that of a cabled microphone. The Long Range (LR) mode has been designed for difficult transmission environments with many sources of interference.
In addition to IR synchronization between receivers and transmitters and an antenna loop-through for creating larger receiving systems, Digital 9000 also does not generate any intermodulation products — the high linearity of the entire system, from transmitters to antennas and receivers, and a special transmitter design make laborious intermodulation calculation a thing of the past. Transmission frequencies can now be evenly spaced without generating intermodulation, maximizing channel count in congested RF environments.
The SK 9000 is available in four different frequency ranges (88 MHz switching bandwidth) and a command switch for communication between crews and artists/reporters is available as an accessory. The AB 9000 provides a maximum gain of 17 dB and is available as a stand-alone booster or integrated into the A 9000 omni-directional antenna and the AD 9000 directional antenna. Two booster versions (470 to 638 MHz and 630 to 798 MHz) cover the receiver’s UHF range.
Check out all the specs here:
http://www.sennheiserusa.com/professional_wireless-microphone-systems
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top
Community Debuts Installation Series of Loudspeakers
Community has announced the second generation of its VERIS (VERsatile Installation Systems) Series. Dubbed the VERIS 2, these speakers are two-way and three-way speakers, plus subwoofer designs created for installed sound reinforcement and playback applications. The series includes 11 new models, from small-format enclosures for distributed systems, fill and delay applications to mid-sized three-way systems designed for superior front-of-house performance.
VERIS 2 includes some significant enhancements, including newly designed 1-inch exit HF drivers, as well as a newly re-engineered grille design. Community says all models offer improved crossovers, with individually voiced crossovers on 64 and 96 degree models. All smaller VERIS models come standard with a fully rotatable square horn.
Rounding out the new VERIS 2 line are three versatile subwoofer systems, ranging from the compact V2-210S dual 10-inch to the V2-212S dual 12-inch and powerful V2-215S dual 15-inch subwoofer for larger venues. All VERIS 2 models are available in black or white finishes, and are equipped with threaded mounting points, making them compatible with the full range of accessory brackets available for the original VERIS series.
Here are all the details:
http://www.communitypro.com/veris-2
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top
NEC Adds 40″ LCD to Super Slim Line
NEC Display has announced the addition of the 40-inch X401S display to its super-slim category within the specialty X Series product line. Along with its 46-inch X461S and 55-inch X551S models, the X401S includes Intel’s Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) slot, an industry-wide standardization designed to simplify digital signage installations. Connectivity includes DisplayPort, HDMI and DVI-D, as well as remote management through the Network Control and Communication tools. Ethernet connectivity provides email notifications to an administrator, while RS232 connectivity enables multi-display control and daisy chain capabilities to simplify display management.
The X401S will be available in November 2012 and lists for $1,699. Full specs are here:
http://www.necdisplay.com/p/x401s
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top
JVC Upgrades 4K Projector Lineup With e-Shift2 Technology
At CEDIA Expo, JVC announced a new line of projectors that scale 2D content to a 4K signal with a technology now called e-Shift2 (formerly called e-Shift). JVC’s new lineup are the Procision Series DLA-X95R, DLA-X75R, DLA-X55R and DLA-X35, marketed by JVC’s Consumer AV Group, and the Reference Series DLA-RS66, DLA-RS56, DLA-RS4810, DLA-RS48 and DLA-RS46, available through JVC Professional Products Company. All are 3D-enabled and all except for the base models in each series offer e-shift2.
Introduced last year on four models, e-Shift upconverts and scales 2D HD content to a 4K signal (3840×2160) and displays it at full 4K resolution. Compared to a Full HD (1920×1080) image, that’s twice the horizontal and vertical resolution and four times the number of pixels — over 8 megapixels. This year’s upgraded e-shift2 technology, available in seven models, provides higher native contrast in combination with a new polarizing wire grid engine.
In other enhancements, new 2K to 4K scaling technology using proprietary JVC algorithms replaces a two-band filter with an eight-band filter to apply more correction to more areas of the image. This delivers, according to JVC, a noticeable improvement with any compatible 2D signal. To optimize performance for different content, this Multiple Pixel Control offers five preset modes plus Off.
In this new lineup, the native contrast has been improved in most models through the use of a new polarizing wire grid. The flagship DLA-X95R and DLA-RS66 offer a 130,000:1 native contrast ratio. The DLA-X75R and DLA-RS56 offer 90,000:1 native contrast, and the DLA-X55R, DLA-X35, DLA-RS4810, DLA-RS48 and DLA-RS46 offer 50,000:1 native contrast. The DLA-X75R and DLA-RS56 have a native contrast of 90,000:1.
The new JVC D-ILA projectors will be available in November 2012 at the following prices:
- DLA-X95R/DLA-RS66: $11,999
- DLA-X75R/DLA-RS56: $7,999
- DLA-RS4810: $5,095
- DLA-X55R/DLA-RS48: $4,999
- DLA-X35/DLA-RS46: $3,499
Here are the specs: http://procision.jvc.com/product.jsp?pathId=71
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top
Christie Introduces Twist 4K
At IBC in Europe this month, Christie introduced Christie Twist 4K, a product that will warp, blend and color match multiple 4K projectors. Create large, ultra-high resolution canvases on almost any shape or surface. Christie Twist 4K includes quad DVI inputs so you can use standard 4K sources. Inputs include four DVI-D at 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97 or 30Hz for display of full 4K resolution (4096×2160), four 2048×1080 quadrants or two 2048×2160 split screen halves.
You can see all the details here:
http://www.christiedigital.com/en-us/products/accessories/Pages/Christie-Twist-4K-141-001102-XX.aspx
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top
Barco Launches New RLM Projector Series
Barco just introduced three new 1920×1200 (WUXGA) projectors in its RLM Series, which Barco claims are the quietest projectors on the market in each category. The three projectors are the RLM-W6 at 37 dB (6,300 lumens brightness), the RLM-W9 at 39 dB (8,000 lumens brightness) and the RLM-W12 at 43 dB (11,500 lumens brightness). All use three-chip DLP technology — the first two use TI’s .67″ DMD and the brightest one uses the .96″ DMD.
Here are all the complete specs from Barco:
http://www.barco.com/en/static/themostsilentprojectors
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top
For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe HOW [House of Worship] out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100 percent opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the ProAV industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that’s why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
Don’t like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send me feedback, don’t reply to this newsletter. Instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas, Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
A little about me: I graduated from Journalism School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where I am adjunct faculty). I’ve been in the AV-industry since 1987 where I started with Extron and eventually moved to AMX. So, I guess I am an industry veteran (although I don’t think I am that old). I have been an opinionated columnist for a number of industry publications and in the late 1990s I started the widely read KNews eNewsletter (the first in the AV market) and also created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue, which is now known as InfoComm IQ. rAVe [Publications] has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition.
Everything we publish is Opt-in — we spam NO ONE! rAVe ProAV Edition is our flagship ePublication with what we believe is a reach of virtually everyone in the ProAV market. rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA and launched in February 2004, is, by far, the largest ePub in the HomeAV market. We added rAVe Rental [and Staging] in November 2007, rAVe ED [Education] in May 2008 and then rAVe DS [Digital Signage] in January 2009. We added rAVe GreenAV in August 2010 and rAVe HOW [House of Worship] in July 2012. You can subscribe to any of those publication or see ALL our archives by going to: https://www.ravepubs.com
To read more about my background, our team and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com
Back to Top
Copyright 2012 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln. – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – (919) 969-7501. Email: sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors.