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Volume 5, Issue 6 — June 27, 2011
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The Changing Game: Apples and Oranges
By Joel Rollins, CTS Well, every year at the time of the InfoComm show, we burn up our email and our cellular minutes looking into the industry, doing two things: asking friends and colleagues what they think will be new at the show, and asking them how business is. We are all comparing ourselves to others performance, especially during times of economic uncertainty.
A lot has been written lately (some of it here) about a return of volume to the rental and staging business. We blithely compare a current rise in volume to a return to 2009.
In fact, we're making a mistake to compare it to the past – in many ways, although we'll still be renting equipment and staging shows, to use the metrics we used to use, to draw economic comparisons, is missing the point altogether. In many ways, our current times mean we are returning to a business that is not the same as it used to be – a kind of twilight zone return, where everything looks like it used to but the whole tone has changed. It will mean that the same volume of orders will spell out fundamentally different results.
How so? The dynamics have changed. Oh, they've BEEN changing for years, but the current circumstances will solidify those changes, even making them economically imperative in some ways.
So what fundamental things have changed the business during the economic downturn?
Booking Later
Well, I think the first trend that radically changes both the operational and financial dynamics of a rental company is that there seems to be overall agreement among the people I talk to that clients are booking, or at least confirming orders, much later than they used to. This means that balancing workloads among staff and planning for freelancers and union crews is more difficult and happens later in the process, leading to higher costs and inefficient use of resources. This is especially harmful to financial performance given what I think is arguably the most important change in the market dynamic, which is:
Higher Cost of Labor and Benefits
When I started in the business about 25 years ago, we were cheap. The market was full of kids (and we WERE mostly kids) who were enamored with video and audio equipment and technology, and there was no other kind of robust environment that demanded the skills that we had developed as the first generation that grew up with those technologies. Today, we compete for that generation of labor with the computer, telecom, and internet technology industries, which are not only just as exciting for a young person as this industry is, but arguably pay more and have faster advancement — and where you lift fewer heavy objects. Combine this with the gigantic increases of wages and the spiraling cost of benefits, and you have an industry where the cost of people VASTLY outpaces all our other costs – and completely obsoletes our old pricing model, where for any given show our revenues came more from gear than people. Continuing to bid shows in this way keeps us on a model that is doomed to fail, because of the third factor:
Lower Cost and Useable Inventory Life of Equipment
The model where our pricing came from the STUFF used in a show is as obsolete as whale-oil lanterns. Gear is not only much less expensive than it used to be, much of it is practically disposable, and is hard to justify at rental prices because the client can now compare lots of it to their cost of BUYING the gear through CDW – or even Costco. The gap between consumer electronic technologies and professional technologies narrows every day, and in fact in many categories the difference is simply disappearing. This is also made worse by the fact that the rapidly increasing pace of product development means that there's no depreciation schedule that can work — we practically need to be able to write it off the day we buy it, because we know it will be made obsolete much more quickly than that.
And those are just a few of the things that spell out a new world order. We also face a world where to produce a show we now need employees with some new skill sets we need to engineer into our mix, a world of distributed meeting technologies where people are still meeting – perhaps even more – just not GATHERING in the way our traditional model needs them to. A world where a reduction in travel — A PERMANENT reduction in travel for meetings — is not only an economic imperative but an ecological one — a factor that will not change in our lifetimes. Plus, we face a new generation of decision makers who grew up with those technologies and will be increasingly in charge — ones who value a good speaker at a podium less, and a good "social media" presence more. So we face both internal competition for "the meeting" — and a new decision making model about it.
None of this spells an end to the rental and staging business. But it DOES spell a new kind of beginning, and yet another "inconvenient truth."
But a return to 2009? Dream on, starship troopers…
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 joelrollins@mac.com Leave a Comment
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Calibre Develops Video Wall Image Processor Aimed at Staging Market Dubbed the LEDView510, Calibre’s new image processor is basically a switcher with some special effects, including image warping and blending, plus proc-amp controls for SD, HD and even DVI signals. Capable of combining inputs to form a giant seamless image (7680×4800 resolution) the LEDView510 creates a 4×4 monitor wall from any input source and can combine or even separate them in any configuration.
Available next month, the 510 specs can be seen here: http://www.calibreuk.com/led.htm
And, here’s a video rAVe NOW shot of it at InfoComm 2011: https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_ravevideo&ravevideo_id=4304&view=ravevideo Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top Mackie Launches 16- and 22-Channel Staging Mixers on a Budget Like all ProFX Series mixers in the Mackie product line, the new 16-channel ProFX16 and 22-channel ProFX22 deliver a host of features designed to eliminate the need for additional rack-mount gear. On the front end, Mackie low-noise, high-headroom preamps work with LED metering and 60-mm faders on each channel to keep levels in check. Every channel also features 3-band EQ. All ProFX mixers offer an integrated 32-bit RMFX effects processor with 16 so-called “gig-ready" FX and a 7-band graphic EQ for simple tuning of mains or monitors. The built-in USB interface allows the user to record the show and stream back music for breaks or integration into the mix. A rugged, solid steel chassis with protective ABS side-cheeks. The new ProFX16 and ProFX22 also feature dedicated inline compression for simple, one-knob compression of critical vocals and instruments.
See details of the ProFX16 here: http://www.mackie.com/products/profx16/
See details of the ProFX22 here: http://www.mackie.com/products/profx22/ Leave a Comment
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Click here for more information Rental and Staging Network Continues on Growth Track The Rental and Staging Network (RSN), a network of geographically-diverse rental and staging companies with complete event capabilities, announced the addition of two new companies to the organization: ProStage Event Technology, representing Orlando, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada, and Stage Right, Inc., representing Chicago, Illinois.
This brings the total membership of RSN to 16 live event staging companies located throughout North America, helping to further achieve the organization’s mission of providing members collaborative business opportunities, a forum to define best practices and support for their commitment to excellence.
The RSN Board of Directors continues to identify the best-qualified rental and staging companies throughout North America to join this growing network. Since its inception in 2007, RSN has aimed to bring the industry’s best audio/visual rental and staging companies together to provide nationwide service with the benefit of local contacts, eliminating the need for clients to spend valuable time verifying the competence and capabilities of multiple companies.
To find your local RSN provider, visit www.rentalandstaging.net and click on “Network Members.” Contact Lynn McCullough at (609) 799-4900 to learn about joining the network. Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top Christie Intros New 3D LED Mirage WU-L Projector Last week, Christie extended its acclaimed Mirage Series projector line with the launch of the Christie Mirage WU-L, a solid-state LED light engine offers years of worry-free operation — in fact, six years of it.
The Christie Mirage WU-L delivers high resolution (1920×1200 at 120Hz) as well as a unique-to-Christie “continuous system calibration,” in a small footprint unit capable of advanced 2D-3D visualizations. Targeted to the professional market, the Christie Mirage WU-L is designed for everything from entertainment, to museums and education, scientific research, manufacturing, and oil and gas exploration facilities.
The one-chip DLP with RGB LED is the first Mirage Series projector to use solid-state LED illumination, providing precise, lifelike, vibrant colors and consistent performance over an estimated 60,000 hours (approximately 6.5 years) lifecycle.
For complete specs, go here: http://www.christiedigital.com/en-us/3d/products-and-solutions/projectors/Pages/christie-mirage-wu-l-1-chip-dlp-projector.aspx Leave a Comment
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Click here for more information PixelRange Launches QPar PixelRange launches the fully-programmable, plug and play QPar, a high powered color-mixing LED wash fixture.
QPar features 12 high-intensity, QUAD color, RGBW CREE LED's for color quality as well as color-washing capabilities with a completely homogenized light source.
Accessing a wide color spectrum, QPar can create pastels or deep saturated hues. The unit offers outstanding longevity (Lumen maintenance: 50,000 hours L70 at 50°C (full output)) with very low consumption (8W at standby, 112W at full intensity).
QPar features a 10-degree beam angle as standard via a toughened glass front lens though further light-shaping diffusing lenses are available to provide variation. A choice of dimming curves include tungsten, television and fine — all controlled via DMX. External control requires DMX512 digital signal via 5-pin XLR.
IP20-rated, QPar can be floor or truss mounted using dual yokes — useful for lighting stages, backdrops, sets, cycloramas, structures and corporate events.
Complete specs are here: http://www.pixelrange.com/pixelrange/product_qpar-sm.htm Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top Shock Boxx Claims World's First Shock System for Lighting Truss At InfoComm 2011, Kai Knox Technologies and Scott Almand Designs announced the launch of Shock Boxx, what they are claiming to be the first-ever pre-rig lighting truss shock system. If true, this breakthrough product could protect expensive truss-mounted lighting and video equipment as it’s transported around the world, finally providing a solution to a common challenge for the touring market.
A Shock Boxx unit is comprised of a box-shaped carriage system, a shock system, and locator bars. First, the carriage system is positioned snuggly inside the pre-rigged truss. Then the shocks are installed on the sides of the truss. Finally, the locator bars are positioned in the desired location of the lighting fixtures. Integrating Shock Box into existing truss inventory is fast and convenient — the easy-to-assemble retrofit kit can be installed in less than ten minutes.
Available in multiple configurations and sizes — and shipping in July, Shock Boxx is compatible with any standard pre-rig truss (26 in. x 30 in.) or HUD/GT truss (14 in. x 24 in.) system. See all the specs here: http://www.shock-boxx.com/ Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top New Products Enhance Christie MicroTiles Christie unveiled at InfoComm a tech preview of the newest members of its Christie MicroTiles solutions family: the Christie i-Kit touch interactivity kit (powered by Baanto ShadowSense) and the software and media server called Christie JumpStart.
The Christie i-Kit, a multi-touch interactivity kit suitable for large format displays, attaches to the perimeter of any large arrayed display up to 16×6, including Christie MicroTiles, allowing multiple users to interact simultaneously with a rectangular video wall with sufficient resolution and speed to support finger-based gestures.
Easy to install and operate, Christie JumpStart is a front-end content solution suited for delivering informative and attractive content to 5-10 megapixel tiled digital displays such as Christie MicroTiles.
Targeted to designers, system integrators and rental/stagers in architecture, out-of-home advertising and event production, Christie JumpStart is the choice for tiled display walls requiring up to four video inputs and outputs.
Want more details in the i-Kit? Go here: http://www.christiedigital.com/SupportDocs/Anonymous/Christie-i-Kit-Datasheet.pdf
And, here’s a video rAVe NOW shot of it at InfoComm 2011: https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_ravevideo&ravevideo_id=5080&view=ravevideo
For JumpStart, go here: http://www.christiedigital.com/SupportDocs/Anonymous/Christie-JumpStart-Datasheet.pdf Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top Extron Adds HDCP HDMI Compliant Cards for Quantum Elite At InfoComm 2011 last week, Extron introduced the new Quantum HDMI Input and Output Cards that add HDMI connectivity and HDCP compliance to the Extron Quantum Elite and Quantum Connect Videowall Processing Systems. They enable presentation of Blu-ray Disc, digital satellite or cable, and other HDCP-encrypted sources on HDCP-compliant displays. The Quantum HDMI Input Cards accept two HDMI inputs at resolutions up to 1920×1200 and HDTV 1080p/60. The Quantum HDMI Output Cards include two HDMI outputs for driving two video wall displays at resolutions up to 1920×1200 and HDTV 1080p/60, and display up to 128 windows per output card. The input and output cards feature high performance scaling technology to optimize real-time image processing and ensure high quality image presentation on video wall displays.
Want more details? Go here: http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=quantumelite&search=quantum
Here’s a video rAVe NOW shot of it at InfoComm 2011: https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_ravevideo&ravevideo_id=4336&view=ravevideo Leave a Comment
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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).
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
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.
To read more about my background, our team, and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com Back to Top Copyright 2011 – 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 Rental [and Staging] contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |
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