But we shouldn’t think of change as bad. Through change, we can grow and progress—not in spite of the outside changes, but because of them. The famous evolutionist Charles Darwin said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one most responsive to change.”

The changes in our nation’s—and the world’s—economic climate can offer all of us marvelous new opportunities, and, of course, serious threats. For example, one of the fastest growing companies in the United States is ZipCar, a company that scatters cars around a city for short-term, automated rental. Tens of thousands of young, professional city dwellers are either selling their cars or not buying cars, choosing instead to rely on public transportation and ZipCar. In turn, these people are saving hundreds of dollars per month compared to owning a car. The major auto manufacturers and conventional rental companies resisted change—and are going bankrupt, struggling financially and relying of taxpayer bailouts.

Some factors to having a car stayed the same, such as people still needed point-to-point transportation. But others changed; the amount of parking space decreased and license fees and fuel costs increased. The companies that changed, even promoted change, progressed. Those that didn’t are now living on the public dole.

Alfred North Whitehead, a mathematician and philosopher, said it best 70 years ago, “The art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order.”

We all need to look at our businesses with an eye to distinguish the difference between the fundamentals which do not change, and those things which we must change if we’re to progress.

Novus International

• Part One
• Part Two

Sacred Heart Church

• Part One
• Part Two

It was less than 15 years ago that printers and scanners were bought and managed by the IT department, while copiers and fax machines were purchased and managed by the facilities department. Then multifunction devices were introduced to the market: one device that can print, copy, scan and fax. This resulted in new questions around ownership, as well as the purchase and management of these new devices.

Today, leaders need to have a central role and make strong decisions because the boundaries between traditional IT and AV equipment are disappearing. For example:

• Projectors are often equipped with a network connection and are used to project data stored on a shared network or from a SharePoint site. In the past, a laptop with a VGA cable connection was needed.
• Meeting room reservation systems are connected to a central calendar system (e.g., Microsoft Exchange). The scheduler can see if participants are available to join, as well as if the desired meeting room is available.
• Data networks are used for video and voice. Videoconferencing can occur over IP on both high-end AV-originated tele-presence systems, as well as on low-end IT-originated systems such   as  Skype, Office Communication Server or MSN Messenger.
• Multitouch screens, although still under development, are growing fast. They will dramatically change the way we can interact with information – from static to dynamic and interactive. The continuing integration raises questions:
• Who will manage these merging technologies and how can this be done effectively and efficiently?
• Who is responsible for security?
• Where should each technology be used?
• How will the technology fit into the architecture?
• How should the technology be used within our organization?

This is where leaders need to step in with the answers that ensure this process is seamless and efficient.

Work Styles

Besides the convergence between IT and AV, we’re also seeing changes in work styles within organizations. This directly impacts the requirements regarding the components of IT and AV. The physical world is becoming more virtual – employees, suppliers and customers have access to more technology, which is ultimately changing the way people work and interact together. New working styles – where work can be done anywhere – are quickly becoming embraced, requiring a modern approach to collaboration and the distribution of information, thus impacting IT and AV requirements.

Digital signage on an enterprise level is a relatively traditional way of distributing information. With more employees working remotely, or in different locations across the globe, traditional digital signage solutions no longer work. Today, distributing information takes more than just putting it on a Web site or pushing it out using digital signage. Dissemination now requires companies to look at new communication strategies involving IT and AV components, including tools such as video casts, pod casts, blogs or streaming media.

Coordinated strategy

To be able to adapt to the changes as an organization, it’s critical to create a coordinated IT and AV strategy based upon a company’s information and communication needs. Based upon this strategy, AV and IT components are selected to be part of the overall architecture and integrated network, and then should be managed using methodologies like Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) since the network is critical for the organization.

This coordinated strategy will result in the best solution for each situation – sometimes a traditional IT solution will be chosen for a regular AV challenge or vice versa.

The role of the CIO

Through the convergence of IT and AV, it’s clear the facility department and the IT department need to work closely. The CIO should not just look at the IT environment, but should also be a dominant player in the audiovisual planning and buying decisions. A proper CIO will not wear two hats, but one converged hat in which AV and IT will make the most of each other and help support the organizational needs. Centralized management of this integrated environment will be a big part of this strategy in addition to delivering functionality to ensure availability and supportability.

Economy of scope

The advantages are clear. By looking at IT and AV from a different angle and integrating them from an innovative viewpoint, organizations will benefit from new and almost endless possibilities. They’ll find new, effective and efficient ways to distribute information while lowering costs. Also, new ways of collaboration will arise that fit the new work styles better. At the same time, the support structure will be easier for an employee to access when they need help. Just one desk for both IT and AV related questions, so there is no worry about which department to call. From a support point of view, the environment will be much easier when AV and IT are not just touching each other, but integrated and leveraging the same support model, processes and tools. Management can move from reactive to proactive, creating a more stable infrastructure.

Ben Loos is the owner of MII (www.mii.nu). MII is an independent consulting firm focusing on the integration of IT and AV. MII helps coordinate and integrate ICT/AV vision and strategy to lower management/operational costs, increase availability and enable new communication technologies. The company does not sell nor install any AV or ICT hardware/software to ensure independency, instead helping customers with the most innovative solutions where ICT and AV are key enablers.

Several assumptions collected by the 100 revolved around the universal standards and open source product applications that AV and IT sometimes share:

• The computer will increasingly become a multifunction tool supplanting specific AV devices.
• The AV Industry needs to fully understand unified communications, networks, and wireless applications.
• The value of installed systems will be in software rather than hardware.

However, the majority of cited trends suggested that customer experiences will increasingly drive expectations. In other words, both the AV and IT industries must connect learn to the end-user on the end-user’s terms:

• Customer demand will “pull” technology to their expectations instead of the industry “pushing” their own agenda.
• “Plug and play” will be expected.
• Network traffic will surge with “real time” voice and video.
• Inclusionary technology will be expected to be everywhere.
• There will be a mainstream shift towards do-it-yourself installations.

In essence, the 100 are suggesting that neither AV nor IT will be calling the shots – but their customers will. In fact, what the end-user wants will require no less than a full and thoughtful collaboration between AV and IT. Neither industry is fully prepared for this, which is why efforts like AVConnect.org are so important right now. The AV Industry has the most to learn and perhaps the most to gain from bridging the AV-IT gap. Their top goal must be to gain credibility within the IT world. In my opinion, this will be accomplished more quickly through faster adoption of IT open standards in the AV world. This will lead to more productive discussions about currently conflicting standards and eventually put the AV community at the IT standards table to protect the visual communications experience of the end-user.

While it may not be fulfilled in the five-year horizon discussed by the InfoComm 100, AV and IT will one day converge into something one participant called the Technology Integration Industry. Visually, AV will always be at the top of the industry pyramid. It represents the end-points and drives the user experience. Technology makes up the middle and encompasses the virtual and real hardware over which information flows. It makes the user experience possible. The foundation of this ever-growing pyramid is cabling and building infrastructure that exists with or without the accompanying technology or audiovisual end points. Eliminating the gaps in human communication between these three technology components means releasing our collective imaginations so that anyone, anywhere can interact with anything or anyone.

Tom Stimson, MBA CTS is the President of The Stimson Group, a Dallas-based business consulting firm specializing in the needs of AV Industry management. Tom is the 2009 President-Elect of InfoComm International, a member of NSCA, and a prolific columnist and blogger. Learn more at www.trstimson.com or tom@trstimson.com.

If Crestron’s expanding DigitalMedia family of products and trends in commercial and residential installation are any indication, audio and video information already exists in the digital realm. The only question now is how to manage it. Difficult questions about formats and copyright protection schemes, and the hardware solutions that make them play nicely together, are answered for designers and integrators in Crestron’s DigitalMedia Design Guide and through the manufacturer’s ongoing educational efforts in 40 dedicated training locations among its 59 total offices worldwide.

DigitalMedia, just like AV/IT, is an all-encompassing term that seems to cover every aspect of the new era of audiovisual integration. Those looking for a single piece of hardware to affix this brand name onto will find a “solution” instead. DigitalMedia is more than switchers; it’s also input and output cards, transmitters, repeaters, room controllers, and wiring and cable offerings.

“We didn’t want to make a digital switcher,” Silberstein explained. “We wanted to make a solution that reflects everything going on in the market.”

Such an endeavor is an ongoing effort, and Silberstein noted that right now there are five years of product releases in the queue at Crestron. Furthermore, the manufacturers touchpanel product lines must all be made ready for the new digital path. Of course, analog is still a part of many (if not the majority) of installations, which is why DigitalMedia in fact also supports legacy equipment.

Last week I joined my NewBay editorial colleagues Jeremy Glowacki of Residential Systems and Mark Mayfield of AV Technology on a tour of Crestron’s training, R&D, tech support, manufacturing, and distribution operations in its multiple buildings in northern New Jersey.

Crestron founder and CEO George Feldstein pours 40 percent of the profits from his privately owned company back into hardware and software R&D, and as Silberstein pointed out, “there’s tons of research before development.” The DigitalMedia line alone benefitted from the work of 46 engineers over a span of six years before the first DM products were launched. Ongoing partnerships with Microsoft, Cisco, and Texas Instruments also feature prominently in the R&D process.

As such, the purpose-built R&D facility is Feldstein’s playground. His office is located there, rather than in the nearby corporate headquarters, and his handiwork can be spotted throughout the various cutting-edge prototyping and experimental research areas.

The diverse array of products in development at the company reveal how the company has grown from a manufacturer of wireless slide projector controllers 40 years ago to today’s varied product mix. Today, Crestron’s core products, control systems, represent 30 percent of the business, while Media Manager and Lighting products each stand at 20 percent; Audio Distribution/Amplification reflects 10 percent, the Video Distribution, Processing, and Switching category is also 10 percent, and HVAC fills in the rest at 5 percent.

Overall, it looks like the convergence of AV and IT comes down to bandwidth, both in terms of gigahertz and product mix.

Check out a slide show of photos from our visit at our sister site Residential Systems at www.resmagonline.com/SlideDetails.aspx?CatID=20108&ID=33032.

Original Source: http://systemscontractor.com/blog/33020.aspx

1. The AV industry will need to fully understand unified communications, networks, and wireless applications.
   There is a segment of our industry that feels that they will never be involved in computer networks, security system integration, or telecom. They say there is plenty of room for small companies that specialize in hanging AV displays and setting up plug and play control systems. However, I don’t think this small slice is what defines the AV Industry now or in the future. The beauty of AV and the reason it will survive as a dominant player in global communications, is the fact that it CAN integrate with any kind of network or telecommunications system. It may also control and interface security, HVAC, and a myriad of other infrastructure systems not yet considered. The fact that so much of future technology will depend on wireless communications and data management puts an exclamation point on the need to understand 1. HOW unified communications works and, 2. HOW we can be a dominant player in its implementation.
2. There will be growth in multidiscipline AV providers.
   If you believe #1, then #2 logically follows. Smart integration companies are already adding Network divisions, which should expand their managed Services divisions, which should in turn drive more multidiscipline sales. Add some Security, Paging, and Residential and poof! The big implication here is the impact these new disciplines may have on how integrators and consultants approach business development and sales. We may need to graft together great enterprise sales experts with multidiscipline design engineers (or multiple engineers). We will never send just one person to a meeting again. Another huge implication of this converged world will be increased demand for certifications in network, telecom, and AV disciplines.
3. “Open source” will be the norm.
   If you believe #1 and #2, then you not only believe in open source, you are an ardent advocate. Proprietary solutions are the bane of elegant design (although sales people like to sell them). And one thing the AV industry needs is more elegant design.
4. 3D and virtual reality will increase in prevalence and demand.
   Anyone that attended this year’s InfoComm or NAB Show will attest to the prevalence of 3D and virtual meeting solutions. I am not sure I totally agree with the need, but the fact that so many folks do makes it a relevant trend. In my opinion, 3D is not a viable business tool – but it has huge applications in education and medical markets. The danger here is not keeping abreast of what these products can and will do. When a gimmick finds practical application, then hold on for a fast and furious ride.
5. The computer will increasingly become a multifunction tool supplanting specific AV devices.
   Time for a Star trek analogy: Remember how incredulous you were when Spock would manipulate a lot of unlabeled console buttons and often when he touched the same button it did something different? Why do we need different user interface tools in every environment that we work in? Why couldn’t our tri-corder, uh… I mean cell phone, PDA, or laptop serve as our control interface, transceiver, and display wherever we are? See items #1, 2, and 3 above.
6. The value of systems will increasingly be in software not in hardware.
   If you believe #5 (and 1,2,and 3), then software may become your primary product. Will you be a software developer, integrator, or implementer? Probably all three! But there is another aspect of the word “software” that I think is implied by this trend. Intellectual property in the form of “soft services” is hard to define and harder to budget, but has become the core of the AV industry. Anyone can sell hardware. As hardware becomes smarter, more people can design to its application (see plug n play in the secondary assumptions). Our last frontier is creativity – which is always valued and rarely charged for in our industry. This topic may be worth its own blog entry, so I will let that soak in for a while.
7. There will be massive needs for more bandwidth.
   Ok, I can buy this. It’s funny when you think about how massively overbuilt the fiber infrastructure was at the turn of the century. Video content sucks up an amazing amount of bandwidth, but we all want more. I know I have misjudged bandwidth needs once or twice along the way. Network consultants may still be dramatically underestimating the future demand for telepresence-type products, video on demand, and Web 2.0 applications. We can help through better education of not just our clients, but of their suppliers and internal consultants as well.

Comments on Secondary Assumptions:

There were two recurring themes in the secondary assumptions that I think tie in well with the above:

1. There will be more “plug and play” devices that need to be intelligently managed.
   This is one of several trends that point towards end-users defining the experience THEY want to have instead of us techies telling them how it’s gonna be. Increasingly, when consumers do not find the features they want, they don’t buy. This also harkens back to my point about the AV Industry needing to embrace creative design. Creativity solves problems, which in turn forces product innovation.
2. There may be a catastrophic failure of a major AV system due to being digital and networked.
   A major complaint amongst industry visionaries is the tolerance for down time in AV installations. In order for our products and services to be dominant and not relegated to “cool toys” status, AV has to be considered MISSION CRITICAL (emphasis intended). There are two issues: one, the stuff has got to work; two, if it works consistently, then perhaps users will come to depend on AV they way they do IT services. Heck, our television delivery systems are more reliable than most AV installations. Ouch!

Tom Stimson, MBA, CTS is a twenty-five year AV Industry veteran with a wealth of management, business, and organizational development experience. Tom is also the President-Elect of InfoComm International, frequent columnist on business and AV topics, keynote presenter, and seminar instructor. Learn more at www.trstimson.com. Link to Article

According to Nielsen Online, the amount of time spent in the US on social media sites has climbed 83 percent from a year ago: in April, people spent 13.9 billion minutes on Facebook, 4.9 billion minutes on MySpace and 300 million minutes on Twitter.

To read more, visit http://www.prosoundnews.com/article/22680.

Recognizing the convergence of the AV and IT industries–and seeing a need for a resource that facilitates collaboration between the two–Biamp Systems created AV Connect. There’s been a lot of discussion about the difficulties of converging AV and IT, but we at Biamp believe this transition offers significant opportunities for both AV and IT–integrating technologies from remote AV control to IP-based videoconferencing to Ethernet-driven, computer controlled networks. Specialists in these two worlds are working together like never before to provide end users of these products and systems greatly expanded capabilities in order to answer the new questions and develop an increased understanding about the merger of these technologies.

This new world of growth requires a sharing of knowledge and language through resources such as this one. Through AV Connect, we invite you to sharpen your skills in both fields, troubleshoot problems, find out about new industry developments, and connect with colleagues. In short: be a part of the successful merging of AV and IT. As a public resource for these two industries, this site will be a benefit to both professionals and end users of AV and IT systems.

Our intent is for AV Connect to be a resource where general knowledge is shared to benefit the entire industry–whether it’s in the form of industry news, case studies, interactive how-to articles, or links to upcoming education and networking events. We are proud to offer this resource and hope that end users and professionals in these merging industries will take advantage of it. We believe that AV Connect is a natural expansion of the Doing Business Better philosophy at Biamp. We have always worked hard to provide our partners with the opportunities and resources that will help them and the entire industry grow and succeed.

Many of us in the AV and IT industries agree: the merging of our worlds is inevitable, and we are all better served when we open up the doors to shared knowledge and collaboration. Biamp Systems hopes you will use this site to make that happen. Welcome to AV Connect.

Sincerely,
Ralph Lockhart
President, Biamp Systems

An organisation’s boardroom often represents the pinnacle of its audiovisual investment. Here, critical business decisions are made on the basis of the information available to the directors or executives of a company. It’s therefore vital that the information is presented in as clear a way as possible, and that everyone around the table gets their voice fairly heard.

The boardroom is also the company’s showcase facility and as such, aesthetics are often as important a consideration as the technology itself. Discrete integration of equipment and furniture leads to a stylish and inspiring workspace.

A case in point is the newly refurbished boardroom of international pharmaceutical company Zentiva, in Prague. The job was carried out by AV Media, and senior sales consultant Zdenek Rychetnik described the project as being “a representative solution, which met the company’s requirement for modern technologies as well as good design.”

At first glance, it looks like an elegant meeting room with some AV equipment installed, but this belies the truth. Aside from the two large plasma screens, which are visible, there is a hidden electronic projection system should a larger display be required. There is also a pair of ceiling mounted document cameras, and carefully concealed table-top tanks for all connections that might be required.

This kind of project is replicated across the region, as integrators leverage the reduction in size of input devices such as cameras and microphones, and increases in space efficiency of large format display devices.

A good example of this is the reduction in the adoption of rear-projection technology. Once the staple of any company that wanted to avoid having a projector hanging from the ceiling, the reduction in cost of large format LCD and Plasma displays has meant that much better resolution and clarity can be achieved at lower space costs. Rear projection does however remain an important tool if aesthetics are an absolute priority and the space is available.

The inevitable discussion about the choice of display size throws up some interesting results. Channel distributor Steljes’s Mark Bird reckons the most popular size still to be around the 42” mark for plasma and 40” for LCD, whilst Julian Philips, MD of integrator Impact Marcom believes that 50” is the most common sell into the corporate market, with demand for both 60” and 65” models strong in the boardroom. Clearly nothing is set in stone, but Asysco’s MD Richard Brookes believes both display technology and size should be selected on the basis of application:

“The decision to choose LCD or Plasma flat screen technology depends on the display application. Plasma provides a more film like performance and is therefore suited to video emulation or controlled data emulation. LCD is suited to high quality video emulation and data emulation. Screen sizes are selected to suit the viewing distance.”

The Zentiva boardroom shown in the photo uses twin 65” plasma displays.

Projection is the other side of the display coin. The most commonly installed resolution remains XGA, but both Impact Marcom and Asysco believe that WXGA is gaining significant traction. On the brightness front, there is a continuing march towards higher brightness. 5000 ANSI lumens is not uncommon according to Asysco’s Brookes. High brightness projection allows the user to go for longer throw lenses and to avoid dimming the lights while the projection system is in use. Another advantage is the ability to run projectors in so-called “eco mode” reducing operating brightness and extending the lamp life.

One of the drivers for the change in boardroom technology is video conferencing. What was once an application built into a dedicated suite, is now firmly integrated into the boardroom environment. Products such as telepresence require HD displays and increased network bandwidth. All parties are observing the migration from ISDN-2 to IP as the preferred transport mechanism, but this is bringing AV more into conflict with IT as the fight for bandwidth intensifies. This miss-match between bandwidth required and available is illustrated by Richard Brookes: “HD solutions are now being widely adopted, however it’s worth noting that you require 1 mb bandwidth each way on an HD call. Therefore in practice, whilst many firms are deploying HD ready equipment SD resolutions are being operated in the first instance due to bandwidth restrictions.”

Sound in the boardroom has never been particularly sexy. Despite the best efforts of various manufacturers, the loudspeaker is unsightly, and nowhere is the demand for invisible, floating speakers more great. Mark Bird from Steljes describes one alternative in the shape of flat panel ceiling loudspeakers from Armstrong. There are of course other suppliers of similar products from the like of Artcoustics and Panphonics.

In the case of larger boardrooms, where there is the requirement for voice reinforcement as well as programme sound, microphone options needs considering. As Petr Smolink, product manager for Audio at AV Media puts it: “No one wants to notice the microphone, but everyone wants studio quality sound. Users prefer wireless lavalier microphones for presenters or cable microphones suspended from the ceiling. More commonly we use goosenecks from presentations and boundary type or suspended modules for teleconferencing or recording.”

Another growth area is the use of wireless microphone technology. Companies such as Revolabs have come to market with simple to use wireless solutions that remove the need to drill holes in boardroom tables and that can be removed when not required.

Dumb microphones as opposed to dedicated discussion systems are the norm in all but the largest boardrooms as there is little need for translation or voting services. However, there is increased adoption of DSP based solutions. As the number of microphones increase, and the adoption of videoconferencing in the boardroom grows too, tools such as acoustic echo cancellation as well as basic EQ functions are required. Another thing that DSP can do for you is to ameliorate some of the problems caused by bad acoustic design in a space. Unusually shaped boardrooms or funky materials can cause all kinds of problems if not carefully thought out and catered for in the AV design.

Of course no self-respecting boardroom would be complete without a sleek, sexy looking touch panel to make it all happen. The subject of control systems is almost a non-issue now. The real discussions lie in how much of the room it controls, and how easy for the user the programmer can make it. Nothing will lose an integrator business faster than a control program that doesn’t work as expected or frustrates the MD of a company with an unclear interface. As one integrator recently put it to me, the dreaded question: “Who put this in?” is not one to bring comfort.

The use of wireless technology is also on the increase for control panels. AV Media’s Zdenek Rychetnik reports “significant” adoption of wireless controllers, whilst Impact Marcom’s Philips says the use of wireless control is now common in his company’s work.

The use of control systems such as AMX or Crestron also allows access to site-wide and even enterprise wide remote control and monitoring. Particularly helpful when that interface isn’t doing what it’s expected to by a frustrated, but less than tech-savvy user.

Interactivity is another technology finding a foothold in the boardroom. The interactive whiteboard is still considered an education product by many. However in a space typically used for sharing and discussing information, there is a clear case for their use. For companies who are willing to take the plunge and combine these technologies with videoconferencing there are obvious benefits.

Steljes’ Mark Bird said: “Historically, collaborative displays have been seen as a ‘nice to have’ rather than a business necessity. However Steljes has recently seen a significant uptake in this category as manufacturers have simplified the experience for the end user.” Bird cites the example of client Computacentre who bought a Smart Technologies solution combining interactive whiteboards with Smart’s Bridgit conferencing software. The company’s international sales director Chris Hanson attributes a 75% drop in his average travel mileage to his adoption of the system.

So we’ve established our standard tool kit. HD display solution, videoconferencing with attached DSP, wireless microphones and concealed loudspeakers are all controlled by a wireless touchpanel and our board members are sitting around an undamaged mahogany table. But that’s what everyone else is selling too, so how can you differentiate yourself from the crowd, or add some more value to what you’re doing?

Opinions vary one what extra services AV integrators should look to offer. AV Media’s Rychetnik believes that opportunities lie in the traditional areas of control system programming and design, as well as the further incorporation of technology into furniture. However Asysco’s Richard Brookes, sees that as a risk, which is best left to a joinery partner. In his opinion, supply of a complete end-to-end system encompassing all the services we’ve mentioned is the right approach. Impact Marcom’s Julian Philips agrees: “There are two types of integrators – those concerned with the price point of the products they sell and those concentrating on the engineering and design of those produces. Integrators should decide to become better educated in order to add value and choose between high-end and low-end integration.”

One area which all the major players in this market are well aware of is the business of winning service and maintenance contracts. These are usually built in to the tender for an initial build of a new facility, but making sure you are in poll position for upgrade work and renovation for years to come in terms of revenue going forward.

Everyone still remains positive about the prospects for business in the corporate market. The sector continues to grow, and even if economic pressures dampen its enthusiasm for new projects in the coming months, there will still be a need, perhaps even a greater need than now, to maintain existing facilities. Make sure your initial build is up to scratch, to ensure that you hold on to those precious service contracts. Link to Article