Click above for more information Expenses for Rental Techs, or "Sharing Rooms Isn't So Bad When You Don't Get to Sleep Anyway"
By Joel Rollins, CTS-R In our office, there are a lot of contentious issues. Yankees versus Mets for the game of the week, Italian versus Mexican for lunch, and even mornings versus afternoons for staff meetings.
But none of these sparring matches compares to the main event — Expense Reports: Rental Technicians versus Accounting.
It seems East will indeed never meet West. The Rental Techs complain that Accounting will never understand how difficult their job is on the road. Accounting seems to complain about every little expense, including small things like a $300 pair of ballet slippers or a $600 cab ride from San Francisco to Monterey (and yes, both have actually happened).
It doesn’t help that the Rental Techs tend to describe expenses… creatively. For instance, I was once asked to approve an expense report for a trip to a famous Montreal strip club, which was totally forbidden by company rules. The tech listed the expenses for the evening as “tickets to an exhibition of French-Canadian Folk Dancing." Because Rental Techs tend to get so wily in describing their inevitable transgressions, our accounting department has had to get equally creative in issuing expense rules. The following is a recent set of expense “guidelines,” liberally cribbed from many such expense memos I’ve sent (or been sent) over the years:
Travel Guidelines:
Travel is always to be booked at the lowest possible rates. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary to plan ahead. For instance, if traveling to Las Vegas, booking Gambling Junket packages often saves a great deal of money, as not only are the rates discounted, but they often also include valuable coupon books for hot dogs and giant Margaritas, saving on meals expenses (the value of these coupons will automatically be subtracted from the employee’s $35.00/day Per Diem allowance).
If traveling with another employee, booking a Honeymoon package can also be cost effective, not only saving the company money but also providing the two employees with an upgrade to a suite with a Jacuzzi tub and mirrored ceiling. (ONE IMPORTANT CAUTION: Las Vegas wedding chapel marriages are legally binding! Our last two employees to travel this way, Roger and Todd, are still trying to have their marriage annulled, and their wives are not amused.)
Employees should also not overlook savings that can be achieved by flying to a destination airport other than where the show is. For instance, for shows in Orlando, it may be cheaper to fly to Atlanta and rent a car with unlimited mileage to drive the rest of the way. This may also save the company lodging costs for the first night, since you may be driving all night to reach the show on the opening morning.
When booking lodging, remember that most hotels will provide free rollaway beds, and even free meals, for children staying in their parents’ rooms. This will allow three employees per room, as well as saving money on meals. Management suggests designating the youngest-looking technician for this purpose, as not only will “Junior” be more likely to be accepted as a child by the hotel, but will also be more likely to fit in a crib-sized rollaway bed. Should an employee be traveling alone, he/she should seek an opportunity to stay with a friend (or a particularly attractive stranger).
It is also important to control meals expenses. Employees should remember that local grocery store chains often supply free samples of many food products, and a trip to two or three of them can supply an excellent lunch. Should there not be time for this, the purchase of “Happy Meals” at a local drive-through is acceptable.
One further note: the entertainment of clients must be approved in advance by Management, and must also meet company expense standards (please see “Happy Meals” above).
Finally, please note that the reimbursement of travel expenses will require:
- A properly filled-out expense spreadsheet
- All original receipts
- The statements of three witnesses who saw the expense item take place
- An apology
Happy traveling.
Accounting
rAVe Rental [and Staging] contributor Joel R. Rollins, CTS-R, is General Manager of Everett Hall Associates, Inc. and is well known throughout the professional AV industry for his contributions to industry training and his extensive background in AV rental, staging and installation. Joel can be reached at Joel can be reached at joelrollins@mac.comBack to Top
Click above for more information Christie Digital's New Matrix Series of Projectors are Purpose-Built Christie Digital recently expanded the number of Matrix Series 3-chip DLP projectors with the introduction of the new Christie Matrix WU Series. Designed for the requirements of high-performance simulation and live events, the Christie Matrix WU2, Christie Matrix WU5 and Christie Matrix WU12 models feature native WUXGA 1920×1200 resolution and are aimed at applications such as maritime, flight and air traffic control simulation. Although purpose-built for simulation display specifications because the Christie Matrix WU Series features the latest 3-Chip DLP technology and a low maintenance of 650,000-hours Mean-Time-Between-Failure (MTBF) for the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) it will find its way into the Staging Market. The Christie Matrix WU Series is available in 2400, 5100 and 12,000 ANSI lumens and includes AccuFrame, which nullifies image artifacts and smearing in high-speed simulation. Excellent color, brightness uniformity and display control allow for cost effective solutions for the same simulation display requirements.
The Christie Matrix WU2 and WU5 models utilize a Color Purity Filter (CPF) to enable excellent color saturation and color matching. In addition, Christie’s SuperCR technology, which provides a contrast ratio of up to 2000:1, delivers superior black levels for unsurpassed day and night scene blending.
Check out the Matrix WU5 here: http://www.christiedigital.com/AMEN/Products/ChristieMatrixWU5.htm
Check out the Matrix WU12 here: http://www.christiedigital.com/AMEN/Products/ChristieMatrixWU12.htm
Check out the Matrix WU2 here: http://www.christiedigital.com/AMEN/Products/ChristieMatrixWU2.htm
Wow. An impressive set of specs for the lineup. Folks, watch this trend – the one toward more radically-refined models for specific purposes such as 3D and simulation. This is entirely driven by user demand, or manufacturers wouldn’t be chasing it. While the needs for most of these interactive projection environments are currently driven by the installation segment of the industry, they can’t fail to make their way into staging, especially as imaginative stagers think of ways to employ them in the rental environment.
–JRR
Back to Top Extron Intros Universal System Processor Extron Electronics has introduced the USP 507, a Universal Signal Processor that provides video scaling, transcoding, as well as analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog video conversion in a single product. Perfect for staging apps, the new USP 507 features a seven input switcher that supports all common analog and digital video formats, from composite video to DVI, RGBHV and optional SDI/HD-SDI. Advanced video processing automatically detects the input video format and applies high performance scaling. Two RGBHV outputs are standard, plus an Extron MTP Twisted Pair output that significantly enhances integration flexibility. In addition, optional output boards are available for scan-converted video, DVI, and HD-SDI. The USP 507 is ideal for applications that require universal compatibility to accept any input video format and produce high quality video for display.
The USP 507 features a high-performance, 30-bit scaling engine with the ability to scale standard definition, high definition, and computer-video signals up or down in resolution. It accepts computer-video signals up to 1920×1200 and HDTV 1080p/60, and outputs RGB or component video at 81 selectable output rates up to 1920×1200, as well as HDTV 1080p/60. For increased system flexibility, the USP 507 offers up to four simultaneous outputs, including two RGBHV or component video outputs, Extron MTP Twisted Pair output, and an optional output that can be ordered as DVI, HD-SDI, or scan-converted video.
To learn more, go to: http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=usp507&s=2
As I mentioned when I first heard about it, I think this is one of the best replacements I’ve seen for last decade’s “Swiss Army Knife” of video processing – the venerable old analog Sony DSC-1024G – that made its way into so many of our video racks. In the rental environment, this kind of broad versatility can save us from many difficult situations, especially as we’re still bridging the analog/digital format gaps.
–JRR
Back to Top Martin Debuts New MAC 250 Beam Upgrade to MAC 250 Wash The MAC 250 Beam is the newest member of Martin Professional’s popular 250-watt series, a compact beam fixture that generates variably sized pencil beams as well as wash effects via a motorized frost filter. Martin tells rAVe that it’s available as an easy and inexpensive upgrade that supposedly installs in only five minutes on any existing MAC 250 Wash fixture. The MAC 250 Beam upgrade kit consists of a new front module with micro Fresnel lens and a set of six beam effect gobos/apertures. It converts any standard Martin Professional MAC 250 Wash into a MAC 250 Beam in a matter of minutes, bringing new life and value to existing MAC 250 Wash fixtures for very little cost.
Want to read all about it yourself, go to: http://www.martin.com/product/product.asp?product=mac250wash
I love these kinds of adapter kits. The Mac 250 is one of the most common wash lights out there, and the ability to add a new capability to them at a reasonable cost is obviously interesting.
–JRR
Back to Top Meyer Sound Ships JM-1P Arrayable Loudspeaker System Meyer Sound has started shipping the JM-1P arrayable loudspeaker, a self-powered high-Q system designed to be used in tight-packed clusters where horizontal coverage must be predictably scaled to exacting requirements. Distinguished by its precisely defined 20-degree horizontal by 60-degree vertical pattern, the JM-1P delivers controlled coverage while minimizing reverberation in large or reflective acoustical environments.
Meyer Sound says that the JM-1P's precise high-frequency section is driven by a 4-inch diaphragm compression driver, complemented by a 15-inch, long-excursion cone transducer for the low-mid section. Power is supplied by a dual-channel class AB/H amplifier with a total power output of 1275 W (2550 W peak), while onboard processing includes electronic crossover, comprehensive driver protection, and correction filters for flat frequency and phase responses.
Check it out here: http://www.meyersound.com/products/concertseries/jm-1p/
Just as with projectors, we in the Rental segment are now continually being offered more and more specialized audio systems, driven by higher end client demand. These look great for really demanding coverage-control environments. But, as with more specialized projection systems, they’ll require a more and more educated Stager to employ them correctly.
–JRRBack to Top Extron Annotator Now Shipping Extron Electronics’ previously announced Annotator, a high-performance, hardware-based annotation processor for video and computer-video sources, is now shipping. It features an intuitive graphical user interface that allows the presenter to draw, point, or add text to electronic presentation materials using a touch screen and/or a keyboard and mouse. An integrated, seven input multi-format presentation switcher supports all common analog and digital A/V signal types. Three standard outputs are provided, including RGB, VGA, and Extron MTP – Mini Twisted Pair, with high performance scaling up to 1920×1200 and HDTV 1080p. For ease of integration, a configurable fourth output is provided for use with optional DVI, HD-SDI, or scan converter output boards. The Annotator is meant for use in any A/V presentation application that requires the overlay of graphic and text elements for emphasis.
For enhanced integration flexibility, the outputs of the Annotator can be configured as Preview and Program outputs, so that the presenter has full access to the annotation GUI on a local preview monitor, while at the same time the audience sees just the annotated presentation.
The Annotator can be used with popular touch screen displays. Two USB ports are provided to support multiple touch screens simultaneously. Up to 20 additional devices can be connected via USB hubs.
For more information, go to http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=annotator&s=2 To see a cool demo of the Annotator, go here: http://www.extron.com/company/article.aspx?id=annotatorad
I have a number of clients (especially in the financial industry) who just love to be able to draw live over projected graphics. We’ve used a LOT of different systems, from graphics tablets to Telestrators, but this looks like a really flexible solution, and I’m eager to try one.
–JRR Back to Top For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe Rental [and Staging] 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% opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the rental and staging industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions — in this case, it’s industry-veteran Joel Rollins' 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).
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rAVe [Publications] has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition. rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004. rAVe Rental [and Staging] launched in November 2007. rAVe Ed [Education] launched in May 2008. rAVe DS [Digital Signage] was launched in January of 2009.
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