There comes a time in almost every architectural project when budgets have to be re-evaluated. The process of budget alignment, known as value engineering, tends to hit “optional” items first, a category that frequently includes audiovisual (AV) technology. So how can an architect or owner make smart decisions about how to reduce the cost of AV … Read more
It’s hard to escape any conversation about technology these days without hearing about how the Internet of Things is affecting the corporate enterprise. What exactly does the workplace IoT mean for our everyday work life, and for how commercial office building owners and architects plan and design the buildings of the future? Most people think of … Read more
Collaboration: About Face Collaboration can be a rich, satisfying experience. A dynamic leader can engage a group of committed people and draw a result much greater than the sum of the parts. From the dawn of humanity until recently, collaboration has been an in-person activity. Then postal mail came along and brought with it a means … Read more
As 2018 comes to an end, the optimal smart building — one that integrates technology on every level to drive performance, interactivity, and productivity — remains largely on the horizon. What’s holding us back? A lack of systems interoperability, a robust enough information infrastructure, and a vision for what to do with all that data mean that … Read more
In 2018, nearly every audiovisual device that gets installed has some form of network connectivity, from systems that transmit high definition video and low latency audio over IP to simple IR blasters. Even speakers, the dumbest of dumb AV devices, have become network connected, with new PoE-capable models available on the market. For some of these … Read more
Enterprise web conferencing or online meeting software platforms are flooding the market. You’ve probably used more than one of them — JoinMe, GoToMeeting, Google Meet, Skype for Business, WebEx, BlueJeans, Zoom — and you’ll probably see a new one next month. The relative ease of deployment of software in comparison to traditional conferencing hardware has helped … Read more
Your video conference is all set up. You logged in without a hitch. The display screen on the wall shows your (brilliant) content in crisp high-definition. This will be a great meeting, you think. Then your boss logs on remotely, and says, “Hi.” Only it sounds like this: “Hihihihihihihih…i…i…” D’oh! Bad acoustics strikes again. Optimizing Audiovisual … Read more
Executive Briefing Center Audiovisual Strategies Executive and customer briefing centers (EBCs and CBCs) can create enduring impressions on visitors. How can the media systems we design help make them wonderful places? Consider these four key executive briefing center audiovisual strategies: First and foremost, let’s tell a coherent, compelling story: All the audiovisual tricks in the world can’t make up … Read more
In case you haven’t noticed, the internet is eating all the things. Audio and video components in both home and commercial environments are no longer standalone devices. Instead, they are often networked to one another and to the internet. The pro audiovisual industry refers to this as the AV/IT convergence, and it offers many advantages for businesses. … Read more
If keeping up with technology churn is tough for corporations, consider the plight of most civic organizations, for whom funding cycles are unpredictable. Cities, counties, and other governmental organizations rely on technology to communicate with the public by broadcasting council meetings, holding large public meetings that require amplified sound, and providing access to visual information. As … Read more
