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Special Announcement Join Gary Kayye as he Moderates the Fourth Annual InfoComm Manufacturers Forum!
Editorial Top Ten Pro AV Myths
Special Announcement rAVe eNewsletters Sponsoring Digital Signage Pavilion at InfoComm
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Welcome to another edition of rAVe! Brian Huff is back, this time with the myths that customers have about AV. You’ll recognize plenty of these from your own experience. Thanks, Brian! Did you hear that Google bought a desktop conferencing software product? Everyone is wondering if it will be a “gotcha” to Cisco’s recent WebEx purchase. Enjoy the issue! Gary Kayye, CTS Special Announcement Join Gary Kayye as he Moderates the Fourth Annual InfoComm Manufacturers Forum!
If you’re interested in candid, insightful opinions about the current and future state of the AV industry, it’s an event not to be missed! And, it’s free to all attendees! To read about last year’s forum, go to http://www.ravepro.com/issues/2006/07/vol4_iss13/index.html#d2 For registration information, go to http://www.infocommshow.org/html/842_2572.htm
Thanks to our sponsor D-Tools, worldwide leader in easy-to-use, highly accurate system design software. System Integration just got easier!
rAVe — the most widely-read eNewsletter in the ProAV industry — is offering a way to extend the life of your application stories. Within the newsletter, we will link to your case study in a special section called AV in Action – the Case Study Quarterly. The entire rAVe subscriber list can read YOUR case study/application story for three whole months. Space is limited. Contact Sara Abrons at sabrons@kayye.com.
Editorial Top Ten Pro AV Myths
Myth #1: By the time this project (goes to bid, gets installed, etc.) the technology will be half as expensive as it is now. Truth: Moore’s law is a powerful force, and consumer technology does get cheaper, but user expectations typically increase to make up the difference. In other words, the originally planned $10,000, 3,000 ANSI lumen NTSC video projector has been replaced by two $5,000, 3500 ANSI lumen HD video projectors because now dual-screen Hi-Def display is required in every room. Myth #2: The holidays are down time for us, so that’s when we’ll get the project installed. Truth: Hard to imagine, but Pro AV engineers and installers are normal human beings, with families, children, and demanding work schedules. And the best designers, technicians, and project managers are employed by quality companies that don’t usually ask them to work on Christmas Day. If they choose to work over the holidays, they will be compensated with time and a half or double time pay which will be passed on to the client. Myth #3: I’ll buy some or all of the gear online and save a bundle. Truth: Good luck convincing a quality integrator to install gear bought on the Internet and then require them to stand behind it. Contractors need the revenue and cash flow from equipment sales to stay in business, and labor-only jobs will be very unattractive when there is plenty of work around that is profitable in both the labor and equipment categories. Myth #4: We have connections with XYZ manufacturer and can get a lot of this gear donated. Truth: You may in fact be able to get equipment donated, but as with equipment purchased elsewhere, professional integrators will find the project less appealing and may not warranty it if it wasn’t bought though their purchasing department. More importantly, donated equipment is shipped when and if the manufacturer can spare it, so don’t expect the project to be completed on any predictable timetable. Myth #5: Now that the Pro AV contractor has been paid in full, they should be happy to come back and finish the work. Truth: This one should be self explanatory, but just in case, when a contractor receives final payment, it is commonly interpreted as the owner’s indication that they are happy with the project and consider the installation and the contractor's on-site work complete. Myth #6: My neighbor’s son-in-law is an AV technology expert, and he says that the system you specified is (too expensive, not cutting-edge enough, should include XYZ products, etc.) Truth: If your neighbor’s son-in-law was really so knowledgeable, he’d be gainfully employed as a Pro AV systems designer, not working at the local DVD rental store. Alternatively, if he actually is as knowledgeable and experienced as he says, perhaps he'd like to apply for a position at our firm? Please forward his resume, we are always looking for new talent! Myth #7: There’s no difference between AV contractors, and we’re sending the bids to them all. Truth: There’s a huge difference between audiovisual systems integrators, and you’d be well advised to find out which ones are best suited to manage your project. Some are one-man shops working out of the trunk of their car, and some are $100 million corporations with large engineering departments, installation crews, and professional project managers. And there are good and bad integrators all across the spectrum. Myth #8: If I buy ten units, I should get a substantial discount. Truth: If you’re buying a popular product, chances are it’s already being sold at end-column cost, and ten or even a hundred units won’t change the pricing structure much. However, if you’re talking about one thousand units, that could be worth discussing. Myth #9: AV won’t impact the building design or construction schedule, so we’ll add it in after we have finalized everything else. Truth: AV impacts everything, including the building footprint, room configurations, tel/data plans, HVAC design, lighting, building power, furniture, seating, acoustics, you name it. If you want AV that looks and performs like an afterthought, then by all means put it in after the building is designed. Myth #10: Once the equipment is installed, I won’t have to worry about it anymore. Truth: AV equipment, just like anything else, needs maintenance, repair, and an occasional upgrade. A $100,000 AV system will essentially cease to function within 5 years without care and feeding. In addition, users will abandon systems that don’t function reliably, so it’s prudent to plan for the cost of increased internal technical support staff, or contract with an outside support vendor for as long as you expect to own the system. There are many more of these examples in all facets of our industry, and while it’s easy for me to satirize them in an industry forum, it’s not so easy to convince clients that their notions are ill-advised. It is always best to offer up some examples of why certain assumptions may not be in the client’s best interest, and most importantly, to illustrate a better approach to the perceived problem. This is known as managing expectations, and is the key to good project supervision. Above all, it is imperative to respond to all client preconceptions, however naïve or ill-informed with a consistent level of respect and diligence. That’s why clients hire professional AV personnel, to help them avoid pitfalls, bring knowledge and experience to the table, and guide them through the complicated world of technology with empathy and sincerity.
Special Announcement rAVe eNewsletters Sponsoring Digital Signage Pavilion at InfoComm
Digital signage is one of the fastest growing components in the AV industry and is one more factor driving the convergence of the worlds of AV and IT. InfoComm’s Market Reseach forecasts digital signage to reach over 1 million displays by 2009 and industry players estimate that digital signage orders are growing by 10% each month. Digital signage is bringing AV into supermarkets, car dealerships, retail stores and other places where AV has never appeared before. rAVe is the media sponsor for the Digital Signage Pavilion at InfoComm. Here are some of the events you won’t want to miss. Experience the most dynamic digital signage applications presented by more than 100 companies demonstrating their newest products and technologies. The pavilion features displays by the top companies in the field, including Accordent, Ingram Micro, Matrox, Omnivex, Scala, Stampede, Wireless Ronin and X2O Media. Gold Sponsor: Sony Media Sponsor: rAVe Supporting Organization POPAI, the global association for marketing at-retail
Experience applications for environments ranging from airport terminals to casinos and office buildings in the Digital Signage Application Showcase in Hall E. Sponsored by Sony and integrated by Spinitar, the showcase will feature fully functional signage applications deployed around the world and impacting your everyday life. Part of the display area will focus on where the digital signage industry is moving. Dynamic Digital Signage Super Monday Session Manufacturers Training Choose from nearly a dozen Manufacturers Training courses, June 18-21 – all focused on digital signage. Subjects range from Design, Specification and Installation to Fast and Easy Mounting Technologies, as well as How to Webcast Live Video and Media Successfully over the Internet and Fiber Optic Applications and Products for AV. Learn from the experts at Avocent, Chief Manufacturing, Communications Specialties, OmniMount Systems, Peerless Industries, Roku and VBrick Systems. The modest fee is only $25 to attend each product- and service-course by InfoComm exhibitors. And you receive a $25 coupon to spend at the InfoComm Show Store on books, market surveys, software, hats, shirts and much more! Use the TRAINING SEARCH at www.infocommshow.org to see the complete list of offerings.
Interested in Exhibiting? The Show floor is nearly sold-out. Contact EXHIBITSALES@ INFOCOMMSHOW.ORG to secure your booth today.
Harman International Acquired by KKR and GS Capital
The Harman deal is worth roughly $8 billion and was unanimously approved by the Harman Board of Directors, following the recommendation of a Special Committee of independent directors. Under the terms of the agreement, Harman stockholders will be entitled to receive $120 in cash for each share of Harman common stock they hold. As an alternative to receiving the cash, Harman's stockholders will be offered the opportunity to invest in the new corporation incorporated by KKR and GSCP in order to acquire Harman. The company will continue to be named Harman International Industries and Dr. Sidney Harman, Founder and Executive Chairman, will remain Executive Chairman.
For more information, go to http://www.harman.com/press/pdf/harman-kkr.pdf For more about KKR, go to http://www.kkr.com/index.html
Two New Affordable XGA Business/Education Projectors From Epson
The PowerLite 77c is a little less bright, at 2200 lumens, and has an estimated street price of $749. For more information, go to http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/ProductCategory.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=-13921 Kramer Introduces FC-5 Protocol Translator and Controller
The FC-5 comes pre-configured with two serial translation tables; a generic serial switcher control protocol to Kramer’s Protocol 2000 and the Sierra Video Systems’ serial protocol to Kramer’s Protocol 2000. An included PC-based software program will allow the building of translation tables for the FC-5. The FC-5 can be programmed to work with up to 4 translation tables, each with up to 256 commands. Translation tables can be chosen via convenient dip switches on the bottom of the unit. For more information, go to http://www.kramerelectronics.com/indexes/item.asp?name=FC-5
New 56-Inch Quad HD Display From Barco
Barco also has 42- and 47-inch models in this series. For more information, go to http://www.barco.com/corporate/en/pressreleases/show.asp?index=1900
Mitsubishi Announces New 42-Inch' WXGA Commercial LCD Monitor
The LDT421V is available in May for a suggested price of $3,995. For more information, go to http://www.mitsubishi-presentations.com/products/monitors/LDT421V.html
Polycom Introduces New Products and Services for HD Conferencing
Version 2.0 of the software also delivers support for 11 additional languages (12 total). Languages supported include English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Russian, German, Korean, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Norwegian. And the new software allows support for PSTN and VoIP audio with dynamic configuration of audio and video resources, so the system can scale from 20 to 400 ports. Polycom is offering new support programs through Polycom Global Services. The new High Definition Readiness program helps facilities ease into HD conferencing. A project manager is assigned to work either remotely or on-site with the channel and customer to assess quality of service, bandwidth and call quality of the existing network. Once HD-readiness analysis is completed, the project manager will recommend corrective actions if required, then provide the customer with a proposal to install and test the necessary additions and corrections. The new On Demand Conferencing Services support customers moving from IT-scheduled conferencing applications to end-user-initiated, reservationless, or instantaneous, conferencing. This is an on-site service that scopes the anticipated changes, timeline and costs of the project, specs it, delivers it and trains personnel. The remote and on-site HD Readiness Services have MSRPs of $4,995 and $9,995. The Single Path IP Assessment Service has an MSRP of US $495. On Demand Conferencing Services are priced on a quote basis. The company also announced ReadiManager SE200 Version 2.0, which is an integrated application for conference management, scheduling, gatekeeping and device control. This centralizes control of conferencing and network resources, participants and devices. It is also the only such program that can manage Polycom RMX 2000, says the company. For more information, go to http://www.polycom.com/company_info/0,,pw-164,00.html Google Buys Videoconferencing Tech From Sweden
Marratech technology comes from research at the Centre for Distance-Spanning Technology (CDT) at Luleae University of Technology. It was initially developed for distance learning but turned into e-meeting and web collaboration software. The deal "will enable from-the-desktop participation for Googlers in videoconference meetings wherever there's an Internet connection," notes Douglas Merrill, VP engineering. "It will be used in combination with our current video-conferencing equipment. If Google offers this as a free service, this could hit Cisco (who just acquired WebEx), Microsoft LiveMeeting and Adobe Connect. For more info, go to Google Blog on Marratech http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/04/collaborating-with-marratech.html Special Events at InfoComm
Immediately following the Manufacturers Forum is InfoComm’s Big Night, a free special event taking place in three stages, sponsored by Barco and Bosch Communications Systems. It begins as a networking event with opportunity for attendees to grow their list of contacts, connect with friends, and discuss industry issues over drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Afterwards, the best in the professional AV industry will be recognized during a free, fast-paced awards ceremony. Award winners will be announced while images of their achievements are displayed. InfoComm International will present the Harald Thiel Volunteer of the Year, Distinguished Achievement and Educator of the Year awards. NewBay Media’s SCN (Systems Contractor News) recognizes the best installation products while its Rental & Staging Systems issues its staged events product awards. ARCHI-TECH pays tribute to the best fixed installations. PLASA’s Lighting&Sound America acknowledges the best staged events of the year. The awards ceremony is immediately followed by drinks, dancing, and the AV Industry Battle of the Bands, where three industry bands will compete on a state-of-the-art stage for fun and prizes. Bands interested in entering the contest can visit http://www.infocommshow.org for a complete list of rules. Another event will be the new Rack Building Contest. Systems integrator teams will compete in a 24-hour contest to design and build a fully operational AV system. Attendees should stop by the contest area in Hall E throughout the Show to watch the build process, and visit sponsors’ booths to enter to win the contest’s winning rack system valued at $25,000. On Tuesday, June 19th, international attendees and exhibitors are invited to mix at InfoComm’s popular International Reception from 5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m. For more information, go to http://www.infocomm.org/cps/rde/xchg/infocomm/ InfoComm Executive Update Welcome to the Executive Update
For much of last year, InfoComm was embroiled in a dispute with CEDIA and NSCA regarding government relations activities and licensing initiatives. Of issue to InfoComm was the lack of transparency in our partners' legislative agenda, the attempted use of government mandates to secure a competitive advantage for association certification programs and the pursuit of legislation that could create onerous burdens on all players in industries involved with technology design and integration without consultation. Several weeks ago, InfoComm was part of a meeting involving CEDIA and NSCA, as well as BICSI, the Consumer Electronics Association, the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, and the Security Industry Association. The aim of the meeting was to revisit the events of last year, and determine if and how we could better work together to address common concerns. I am pleased that our association executive directors, presidents and government relations staff were able to gather around the "kitchen table", address concerns about previous events, offer and accept apologies, and move on to the task of creating a framework for working together to achieve common ground. At this meeting we all committed to sharing our government relations activities with each other in a transparent manner, respecting each others' positions and avoiding legislative or regulatory efforts that will impact or divide the group. We were also assured that the new ESPA Certification Program, designed to create a new entry-level certification program for various industries, will not contain a government relations component. I believe that by adhering to these principles our associations' members will greatly benefit. Over the next year we will be working to identify common goals. In the meantime, we have been able to unite in responding to legislation in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. And perhaps most importantly, we will be able to settle our differences at the kitchen table, as family, rather than at the legislative hearing room table. This meeting had the ideal outcome for the audiovisual industry, as well as for the other industries involved. The leaders of InfoComm look forward to continuing this spirit of cooperation. I am aware that industry watchers have been curious about InfoComm's position on the new ESPA certification. Indeed, InfoComm has only commented on ESPA once, and some have chosen to fill the information void with their own, and unfortunately wrong, characterizations of InfoComm's position. InfoComm's Board of Governors was concerned about the potential for ESPA Certification to become a required third level of certification for our members through mandated state licensing, as promoted by an ESPA-produced government relations program. InfoComm would be opposed to such requirements, and we were very happy to receive assurance that this course of action will not be pursued. InfoComm strongly supports the goals of the ESPA program. We have a critical need to bring more qualified entry-level staff into the audiovisual industry. We applaud all groups that try to accomplish these goals even when they are doing it in a manner different than ourselves. Around the kitchen table in Dallas, we wished CEDIA and NSCA well with their ESPA project. Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D. Executive Director InfoComm International NSCA Offering Student Scholarships
“The future of the commercial electronic systems industry relies upon the next generation of individuals entering the marketplace,” said Melissa Henderson, NSCA Education Foundation managing director. ”As part of NSCA’s outreach program, the Foundation and its supporters plan to educate students about our market and provide them with the resources and training necessary to begin their careers.” In addition to the scholarship program, the Foundation will also provide 200 students with free NSCA memberships. Student membership benefits include: access to an online job board and resume database, free entrance to NSCA Expo, member pricing on NSCA University classes and updates on legislation facing the industry. The scholarship application deadline is June 15, 2007. Award criteria and the application can be found on the NSCA Education Foundation Web site at http://student.nscafoundation.org Winners will be chosen by a selection committee and notified by both mail and phone. For more on the foundation, go to http://www.nsca.org/Foundation/tabid/54/Default.aspx
 Well, that's it for this edition of rAVe! Thank you for spending time with me as we muse the industry's happenings. To continue getting my newsletter, or to sign up a friend, click the link below. To send me feedback, don't reply to this newsletter – instead, write to me at gkayye@kayye.com or for editorial: Denise Harrison at dharrison@kayye.com A little about me: Gary Kayye, CTS, founder of 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. Gary Kayye's rAVe was launched in February 2003. rAVe Home Edition co-sponsored by CEDIA launched in February, 2004. To read more about my background, our staff, and what we do, go to http://www.kayye.com
Copyright 2007 – Kayye Consulting – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact Kayye Consulting, 400 Meadowmont Village Circle, Suite 425 – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – 919/969-7501. Email: dharrison@kayye.com Gary Kayye's rAVe 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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