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Volume 3, Issue 1 — February 25, 2012 |
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Straight to Video
By Scott Walker, CTS-D, LEED AP
President and CEO, Waveguide Consulting
I travel a lot, somewhere between 75,000 and 100,000 miles a year. I also get a lot of emails, somewhere between 75 and 100 a day. These are the two great time sucks of my life, and, I imagine, of life in general for many of you as well. Both are necessary, both are a drag, and both can be dramatically improved through the pervasive use of videoconferencing. Let’s discuss.
Because I travel so much I am a Platinum-Medallion frequent flyer with Delta, which means I get bumped up to first/business class almost every time I fly. When I do, I typically chat up the person sitting next to me (you never know; it could be a potential client). If the person seems inclined to talk, I usually get around to asking him (or her) what he does for a living and why he’s traveling. Some are lawyers, some are in finance, some are business consultants, and most of them travel a lot more than me. When they invariably tell me they make this same trip every week, I usually explain to them what I do for a living and ask them why they don’t conduct these meetings via high-definition videoconferencing.
Their responses are so similar I could probably mouth the words as they say them. “Well, we have some old videoconference carts we bought years ago, but no one really knows how to work them. Plus, the quality is terrible, so I just end up flying. I do use Skype sometimes, but we need to share content, so travel it is.”
ARRRGGGHH!
As we in this industry know, the story shouldn’t end there. The current quality offered by today’s videoconference solutions is stunning and can eliminate a huge percentage of business travel. If my row mate seems interested at all, I usually pull out my iPad and show them some photos of spaces we’ve done for clients in the same business as them. I also show them photos or video of collaboration using desktop videoconferencing that I do with employees, partners and clients. They usually say something along the lines of “Wow! I didn’t realize the technology had advanced so far.” Business cards are exchanged.
But let’s get back to me and my little pity party. Last year, I hit my breaking point with email. If you get 100 real (non-spam) emails a day and you travel a lot, you can quickly get 500 or 1,000 emails behind, which results in many weekends and late nights spent farming emails. When I analyzed those emails, about two-thirds were internal, many of which required me to review some document and make some decision. Thus, I was becoming a bottleneck to forward progress within my own company. I’m sure this happens in many companies, both large and small.
So, at Waveguide we deployed desktop videoconferencing for everyone in the company, in addition to the HD videoconference rooms we have at each office. Our goal was to use “presence” information to determine who was online and who wasn’t and replace email with chat and video. The term “straight to video” is a pejorative in the film world, but it is a mantra at my company for escaping the tyranny of email.
Since our roll-out has taken root, I’d say that I probably average four to six video calls a day, 10 or so chat messages, and fewer and fewer internal emails all the time. My office phone is becoming something of a dinosaur used for occasional incoming phone calls from new and prospective clients. With existing clients, I try to get on a video call with them whenever possible since we are usually talking about some sort of content (RFP for a new project, CAD files on a current project, etc). As we go forward and replace internal phone calls with video, I can imagine not buying phone handsets for some of our employee’s workstations.
So, why do I still travel so much? Well, some travel is very necessary and very positive. Most of my travel is for project interviews, project kickoff meetings, industry tradeshows/events, and extended visits to our remote offices. This type of business travel should always continue. However, this year was the first year we conducted employee annual reviews using videoconferencing, and it was totally great while saving us a few thousand bucks. (And, for the record: Yes, I’ve seen “Up in the Air” and understand the limits of videoconferencing in a business setting.)
So, as I discussed in last month’s article, we need to be our own lab rats and experiment internally with green technologies like videoconferencing. If we make pervasive video part of our culture, we will be better positioned show our clients a way to a better (and more sustainable) future where travel is relegated mostly to vacationing, introductory business meetings and networking events. Attendance at Little League games will skyrocket.
So let’s get out there and take some airplanes out of the sky.
Scott Walker, CTS-D, LEED AP, is president and CEO of Waveguide Consulting, a national AV, IT and acoustical consulting firm. Scott is a past president of InfoComm International, and he currently chairs InfoComm’s AV Sustainability Task Force, which is responsible for developing the Sustainable Technology Environments Program (STEP) rating system. Scott can be reached at swalker@waveguide.com
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That Frog Was Right: It’s NOT Always Easy Being Green(AV)
By Midori Connolly
CEO and Chief AVGirl, Pulse Staging & Events, Inc.
If you have an interest in sustainability, you’ve skimmed a dozen articles and subscribed to rAVe GreenAV. You’ve had a few conversations and read a bit about some of the upcoming standards. You’ve possibly even sketched a few notes about how you could be greener. Well, my friends, that is not enough. You know that I’m usually bouncing around in “rah, rah, rah” mode, giving you the pep and cheer to keep you motivated and excited about how you can adapt green practices. But as we kick off 2012, I want to talk about resolutions, a point of focus as we begin a fresh new year (resolution… focus… so nice to have an audience who might actually get the joke).
First, take a look at the definition. Resolution means “the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose.” Think about resolve and having intent. If you are an employee who fervently nods along to your GreenAV newsletter each month, but then stash your green pom poms back under the desk (along with your ideas and passions on how to inspire sustainability in your workplace) and carry on with your day, now would be the time to get those pom poms out and shake them in the face of your management. If you’re unsure how to gain their buy-in, then you haven’t actually paid attention to what you read over the last year of my column. If innovation, cost-savings, employee morale and long-term growth aren’t appealing enough, then you might want to hunt for a new job. Just sayin’.
If you’re a manager who is toying with the idea, but you’re unclear about how to start… well, put the toys down and just get started!! I have produced no less than four columns about defining the steps to sustainability in the AV company. From writing a policy to communicating your green efforts to understanding standards, you have all the tools you need. It appears that what you would need is, um, resolve.
I know it seems a herculean undertaking, but if I did it, so can you. When I wrote the Sustainable Staging best practices, I was driven by a simple passion and a vision to make at least a small change in this world. It was NOT easy and it didn’t happen in a month, or even two. It took me a full year of research and writing to complete the guidelines. I didn’t always know what I was doing, but I let my instinct — and resolve — guide me.
The word resolution comes from the Latin resolutio — process of reducing things into simpler forms. I would suggest building some type of steadfast deadline and build calendar reminders for your goals along the way. I admit, I happened to be lucky that my second baby was due by a certain date, so I couldn’t not finish — but maybe you have some scheduled vacation or a yearly review or shareholders meeting that would make an excellent hard deadline for your goal. Additionally, if you can break this resolution down into simpler, measurable outcomes, such as joining a green association or achieving an educational goal or even writing that sustainability policy I talked about last month — you might find it makes your commitment that much more approachable and reachable. OK — rah, rah, rah after all, I guess!
Midori Connolly is CEO and Chief AVGirl of Pulse Staging & Events, Inc. in Escondido, California. She wrote the first-ever set of Sustainable Staging guidelines after discovering none existed. She is the vice-chair of the AV committee for the U.S. EPA’s Green Meetings Standards and regularly speaks and writes about corporate social responsibility and green practices in live events and meeting planning. Reach her at midori@pulsestaging.com
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An ISE Must Attend: Embracing Energy Management: An Introduction to Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems
Rising energy costs, green issues and customer expectations of an integrated home mean that today’s installers are being asked to include control of HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) in homes.
At 10 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2, Dave Robinson, managing director of Sensible Heat, will lead a CEDIA course in the ISE Education Zone that explains the basics of HVAC systems, including both heating and cooling systems, and explains new technologies such as heat pumps and solar thermal heating.
The session also covers control of HVAC, with the emphasis on energy efficiency and comfort. Robinson will also discuss user interfaces (often subtly different than those for audio/video and lighting) and touch on contractual issues such as who is responsible for what.
By the end of this course you will gain a good working knowledge of HVAC terms, of how the mechanical systems work and of the issues involved in controlling them.
Want to register? Go here: http://www.iseurope.org/kcms/home.php?navi=48&site=education&gname=CEDIA%20training
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HAI MicroControl Companion Announced, Remote Control for Stand-Alone Energy Management System
Home Automation, Inc. (HAI) has announced the development of a MicroControl Companion for inclusion in its stand-alone wireless energy management system.
HAI’s wireless ZigBee-based system claims to ensure energy savings in new construction and retrofit, controlling lights, lamps, fans, shades, pumps and more. The system features a wireless mesh network, with each device automatically repeating the signal as necessary. The system may be used stand-alone or integrated into an HAI home control system for increased functionality.
Homeowners may set this item on a tabletop or mount to the wall and monitor or control temperatures and other energy-consuming devices. Multiple MicroControl Companions may be used, up to the 64 device limit of a MicroControl system. HAI expects the MicroControl Companion to be available at the end of the Q1 2012.
More specs can be found here:
http://www.homeauto.com/Products/Omnistat/ZigBeeWireless.asp
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Casio Adds Six to Hybrid LED Line
Casio’s SLIM Series has been updated with six updated models: the XJ-A141, XJ-A146, XJ-A241, XJ-A246, XJ-A251 and XJ-A256. Weighing in at only five pounds, the new SLIM projectors are 1.7 inches high, making them the thinnest projectors in the industry.
Leveraging its LASER & LED HYBRID light source production, Casio America added six updated models today: the XJ-A141, XJ-A146, XJ-A241, XJ-A246, XJ-A251 and XJ-A256. With a wide-angle 2x power zoom lens allowing an extensive range of projection distance, the refreshed SLIM series sets the standard for mobile projection. Three of Casio’s new SLIM projectors — the XJ-A146, XJ-A246 and XJ-A256 — are equipped with USB capabilities, MobiShow, Wireless Presentations and a presentation timer.
All use DLP technology with a hybrid Laser/LED light source, which provides lamp-free, eco-friendly projection that combines blue laser light and a fluorescent element to generate a high output of green light. The green light, blue laser light and the light emitted by a red LED are projected through a DLP chip which, in turn, is passed through the projection lens to form an image. This technology achieves an increase in color spectrum compared with a mercury lamp, while lowering a projector’s total cost of ownership and maximizing investment.
The new SLIM models will list for $999.99 – $1,499.99 and will ship next month. You can see all the specs here:
http://www.casioprojector.com/products/Slim_Projectors
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SMART Technologies Enters Projector Market
Billed as the only interactive projector that includes SMART Notebook collaborative learning software, SMART’s new LightRaise 40wi is an ultra-short throw (0.30:1) DLP projector that offers native WXGA resolution (1280×800). It’s capable of projecting image sizes from 77″ to 100″, includes integrated 10-watt speakers, plus a microphone input, one HDMI input, two VGA inputs and network connection. It also comes pre-loaded with SMART Notebook collaborative learning software. Housed in a wall-mounted enclosure and designed as a purpose-built projector specifically for SMART classroom applications, the 40wi is spec’d by SMART as having 2500 lumens. It uses a 2500-hour lamp (with an eco-mode that helps the lamp achieve 4000 hours), has built-in scaling for everything from VGA to 3D HDTV and includes a rechargeable interactive pen. It’s also truly a GreenAV product as it consumes less than 1 watt of power in standby mode.
If you’re interested in seeing the brochure, go here:
https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/documents/SMART-Technologies-LightRaise.pdf
If you’re interested in what rAVe founder Gary Kayye thinks of this addition to the SMART product line, go here:
https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6554&catid=165:gary-kayye3&Itemid=247
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Furman Ships New GreenAV SmartSequencers
Engineered specifically for ProAV integrators, the CN-1800S (15A capacity) and CN-2400S (20A capacity) SmartSequencers from Furmam combine AC power distribution, protection, filtration and sequential system power on/off in 1RU, 120VAC rack-mount units for installations of any size. According to Furman, SmartSequencing technology allows AV systems to be safely powered on and off as bidirectional communications between installed units enable a primary unit to control and sequence multiple secondary units, ensuring multizone electronic systems are powered on and off safely and dependably from a single control point across an entire installation. Units can be connected via current loops at runs of more than 1,000 feet, and offer backwards compatibility with Furman’s legacy sequencers and/or third-party products. Both have RS232 or can accommodate Furman’s RS232-to-Ethernet adapter (sold separately) for IP control.
Both devices feature eight rear-panel outlets, in addition to one front-panel convenience outlet, in four duplex outlet banks. Three of the banks are capable of being sequenced on and off with an adjustable delay. All outlets provide clean, safe power with Furman’s SMP, EVS, plus LiFT protection and filtration technologies.
Complete specs are here:
http://www.furmansound.com/
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SpinetiX to Launch Next Generation HMP130 Hyper at ISE
Swiss digital signage manufacturer SpinetiX will launch the new HMP130 Hyper Media Player at ISE. Designed to run the new SpinetiX Fusion content management software, the HMP130 uses an open Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) platform and performs the function of mixing streaming video, encoded video or images and audio file formats with other dynamic information such as RSS or XML. The unit is also pocket-size, weighs just 190 grams (6.07oz.) and uses only 3 watts of power.
As a browser based application, Fusion displays instant information, including videos with tickers and animations, thanks to more powerful processing from technology partner Texas Instruments’ DaVinci video processors. SpinetiX has told rAVe that the HMP130 will replace the HMP100 Hyper Media Player.
The HMP130 will launch tomorrow (and be shown at ISE in a couple weeks), which is when you can find it on SpinetiX’s website here:
http://www.spinetix.com/
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IEEE P1901.2, Smart Grid IP Control Standard, Almost Complete
IEEE’s P1901.2 – the Standard for Low Frequency (Less Than 500 kHz) Narrow Band Power Line Communications (PLC) for Smart Grid Applications — has entered its final approval process in the Working Group. Letter ballot on the draft standard supporting indoor and outdoor communications over low-voltage power lines opened Dec. 20, 2011 and will continue through Jan. 25, 2012.
“Smart Grid projects worldwide are moving ahead, and broad adoption of flexible, globally applicable standards such as IEEE P1901.2 for low-frequency, narrowband PLC (power-line communications) are needed now to accelerate wider-scale rollout,” said Jim LeClare, chair of the IEEE P1901.2 Working Group. “More than 30 semiconductor manufacturers, meter and systems manufacturers, software developers, service providers and utilities have contributed to the work of the IEEE P1901.2 Working Group since its inception in fall 2009, and this broad base of participation has been crucial in helping us grow industry consensus and develop a globally meaningful and useful standard.”
Sponsored by the Power Line Communications Standards Committee of the IEEE Communications Society (ComSoc), the foremost international forum for the exchange of ideas on communications and information networking, IEEE P1901.2 is designed to specify secure PLC at data rates up to 500kbps and at transmission frequencies of less than 500kHz for applications such as grid to utility meter, electric vehicle (EV) to charging station, home area networking and lighting and solar-panel communications. The standard addresses low-frequency, narrowband PLC over low-voltage lines of less than 1000 V between transformer and meter, through transformer low-voltage to medium-voltage (1000 V up to 72 kV) and through transformer medium-voltage to low-voltage power lines in both urban and in long distance (multi- kilometer) rural communications. IEEE P1901.2 supports the balanced and efficient use of the PLC channel by all classes of low-frequency, narrowband devices by defining detailed mechanisms for coexistence among standard technologies operating in the same field, data rate and frequency band.
The next IEEE P1901.2 Working Group meeting is being held Jan. 30 – Feb. 3 in San Diego, Calif. For details of the meeting and additional information, visit the IEEE P1901.2 working group page here:
http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/1901/2/
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Well, that’s it for this edition of rAVe GreenAV Edition! Thank you for spending time with us as we muse the industry’s happenings. To continue getting my newsletter, or to sign up a friend, click the link below. To send feedback, don’t reply to this newsletter – instead, write to Publisher Gary Kayye at gary@ravepubs.com or Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons atsara@ravepubs.com
A little about Gary Kayye, CTS, founder of rAVe and Kayye Consulting. Gary Kayye, an audiovisual veteran and columnist, began the widely-read KNews, a premier industry newsletter, in the late 1990s, and created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue – which later became InfoComm IQ. Kayye Consulting is a company that is committed to furthering the interests and success of dealers, manufacturers, and other companies within the professional audiovisual industry.
rAVe Pro Edition launched in February 2003. rAVe Home Edition, co-sponsored by CEDIA, launched in February 2004.
rAVe Rental [and Staging] launched in November 2007.
rAVe Ed [Education] began publication in May 2008.
rAVe DS [Digital Signage] launched in January 2009. This publication, rAVe GreenAV, was launched in August 2010.
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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 GreenAV contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors.