Collaboration Archives - Page 4 of 6 - Exertis Almo Installments Blog

Did you say BYOM?

by Nathan Dwelly | Oct 31, 2023 | Collaboration, Uncategorized

The professional audio-visual (Pro AV) industry has witnessed significant growth over the past few years, driven by technological advancements and the increasing demand for immersive and interactive experiences. In this dynamic sector, understanding customers’ needs has become a fundamental aspect of delivering successful AV solutions. This post speaks of the importance of comprehending customer requirements in the Pro AV industry and advocates for the incorporation of Bring Your Own Meeting (BYOM) devices in commercial AV solutions.

Understanding Customer Needs in the Pro AV Industry

The Pro AV industry is a diverse landscape, catering to a wide range of clients, from corporate enterprises to educational institutions, healthcare facilities, entertainment venues, and more. To deliver solutions that meet and exceed expectations, it is vital to understand the unique requirements of each client. This understanding ensures that the AV solutions align with the client’s goals, budget, and the end-user experience they aim to create.

One of the primary benefits of comprehending customer needs is the ability to customize AV solutions. This customization ensures that clients receive technology that is tailored to their specific requirements, whether it’s enhancing communication, collaboration, or providing a memorable entertainment experience. Understanding customer needs also allows efficient integration of AV solutions with existing infrastructure, which is crucial for minimizing disruptions and cost overruns.

The Role of BYOM Devices in Commercial AV Solutions

Bring Your Own Meeting (BYOM) devices have become increasingly relevant in the Pro AV industry. These devices enable users to connect their own devices, such as laptops and smartphones, to AV systems for presentations, video conferences, and other collaborative tasks. BYOM solutions provide many benefits, some of which are:

Flexibility: BYOM devices offer users the flexibility to work with familiar tools and platforms, making the collaboration process smoother and more efficient.
Cost-Efficiency: BYOM solutions reduce the need for specialized equipment and training, ultimately saving costs for businesses and institutions.
Enhanced Collaboration: BYOM provides a collaborative environment, allowing participants to seamlessly share content, which is especially important in today’s hybrid and remote work environments.
Future-Proofing: BYOM devices can adapt to changing technologies and standards, ensuring that AV solutions remain relevant in the long term.

Barco ClickShare as the Optimal Solution

In the competitive world of Pro AV, Barco ClickShare emerges as the best option for BYOM solutions. ClickShare offers a seamless and intuitive BYOM experience, which aligns perfectly with understanding the various needs of customers in the Pro AV industry. Its features include wireless screen sharing, compatibility with a wide range of devices, and user-friendly interfaces. The XMS Cloud platform is free of charge and allows for many advanced features that make ClickShare far more advanced than it has ever been before and separates the range of devices from other collaboration devices on the market, yet it’s not being utilized nearly as much as it could be. For more information on this, reach out to us at Exertis Almo and we’d love to assist.

Barco ClickShare’s commitment to customer-centric design, ease of integration, and scalability makes it a top choice for businesses, educational institutions, and other entities seeking cutting-edge AV solutions. By prioritizing customer needs and incorporating BYOM devices like Barco ClickShare, the Pro AV industry can continue to deliver experiences that attract and inspire, driving its growth and innovation in the years to come.

About the Author

Nate Dwelly

BDM – Brand Specialist

Supported Manufacturers: Barco (East)

Projectors vs. Displays: Audio-Visual Solutions for Equitable Hybrid Learning Environments

by Angie Greene | Jul 13, 2023 | Collaboration, Education, Projectors, Uncategorized

Over the past few years, hybrid learning has quickly become the new normal in a variety of educational spaces. In order to accommodate the needs of in-person and distance learners alike, modern educational environments require innovative audio-visual solutions to ensure that classrooms provide a productive and equitable experience for everyone involved.

This poses an important question. Display or projector?

hybrid-lecture-projector When designing or renovating a classroom, there are several key factors that affect an integrator’s decision in choosing to install a display or a projector. Generally speaking, the decision is based on the room size, seating layout, and light levels of the overall environment – both natural and overhead lighting included.

Displays are more commonly utilized in smaller meeting rooms, as they provide clear, crisp images for students viewing at a short distance. In larger classrooms of more than 20-25 participants, integrators usually prefer to install projectors, as they better accommodate the students seated in the back of the classroom and serve as a more cost-effective option for lecture halls and higher education spaces.

The CMZ50 from Panasonic is an excellent addition to any mid-size to large learning environment, as the projector features high visibility and dynamic visuals in bright rooms and flexible installation for a variety of room layouts, including a 21:9 aspect ratio for hybrid learning and remote collaboration. Perfect for the education space, the projector features a compact design and long-lasting power. Plus, the simple set-up and wall-mounted installation provides crystal-clear images up to 120” with little to no chances of projector shadows from the presenter.

Although projectors are a cost-conscious choice for larger rooms, some recently designed classrooms are including both projectors and displays in order to create an equitable experience for students, no matter where they’re seated. By placing displays midway through a lecture hall, these additional screens tend to mirror the content displayed on the main projectors for students seated in the back of the room.

Panasonic’s variety of professional displays for educational spaces create fascinating learning environments that enhance classroom collaboration. With hybrid learning in mind, Panasonic’s education-focused displays are designed for simple use, 24/7 operation, and advanced adaptability to keep up with the evolving education market.

hybrid-lecture-display Additionally, we’ve seen an increased demand for both displays and projectors in hy-flex classrooms, which follow a small group-based layout. These learning spaces feature a main projector, or several, at the front of the classroom, but separate students into small groups, each with their own individual display at their meeting table. The professor can walk around the room and supervise the individual groups, with the capability to transmit a video feed from the small group displays to the main projector to share content with the whole class.

In fact, integrating both products into a learning space can be beneficial when there are obstacles in the way, like low ceilings or an obstructed view from a certain seat. Whether these secondary displays are presenting supplemental material or reinforcing the content on the primary projector(s), this combination of technologies is a versatile way to accommodate the needs of every student and prioritize classroom equity.

However, there are some challenges and additional elements to consider when choosing a classroom layout, including fire code compliance, natural light levels throughout the day, and the existing layout of the room. For example, ceiling technologies, like projectors and microphones, have to be adjusted to prevent interaction with fans, HVAC systems, and more.

If you’d like to learn more about the Panasonic, please visit our website. You can also contact me here or reach out over on LinkedIn.

About the Author

Angie Greene | DSCE

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: ScreenBeam and Panasonic

Overcoming Security Threats: In-Room Collaboration Technology

by Angie Greene | Apr 13, 2023 | Uncategorized, Wireless Collaboration

Wireless Security Layers

With the increase in hybrid collaboration following the pandemic, cybersecurity is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, especially in office meeting spaces and conference rooms with a great amount of traffic throughout the day – team members and guests included. IT and maintenance departments are incredibly precise with the hardware they are installing, focusing heavily on certifications and the way in which certain products handle these cybersecurity risks – in some cases, even gluing the USB ports of a government-issued laptop to manually prevent any plug-ins.

Wireless display technology presents many security risks, and in order to provide protection against any threats, there are three layers of security that are typical (and industry standard).

1. Connection Level

This involves the user’s laptop connecting to the closest access point and authenticating itself to the network (representing the standard set of security protocols WPA, 802.1X, WEP, etc.).

2. Session

The session involves the transmission of data – searching out, sending an email, connecting to a wireless printer, and much more. When a user transmits their data from a laptop to an access point, they are in an active session – the data is encrypted.

3. On-Screen

The on-screen layer involves a display pin that needs to be entered, requiring someone to be physically present in order to connect.

Network Security

Along with these three layers of security, ScreenBeam adds additional protection in the architecture of the device itself, providing an internal network for employees and an external network for guests, with a firewall in between. In your conference room, users with Apple devices can connect to the access point and use AirPlay to discover ScreenBeam as a display point over the network infrastructure – this applies exclusively to company employees. For those with Windows 10/11 devices, users may connect to ScreenBeam using P2P mode. On the other hand, guests may use WiFi tools with ScreenBeam an access point, without ever interacting with the internal network. If they require Internet access, they can gain this permission through WLAN1.

When utilizing ScreenBeam, users must authenticate themselves, as anything shared is encrypted. With other similar technology, you must choose between putting a device on the internal network (which guests cannot use) or putting a device on the guest network, which requires every employee to also switch to the guest network. ScreenBeam is connected to both the internal network and the external network at the same time, so you can connect securely to both networks, without ever exposing your internal network to guests, since their access is directly connected to the display.

Additionally, when faced with guests that require a connection to the network, other similar devices would likely opt to provide guests with access to the internal network, therefore punching a hole in the firewall, which is not the most secure choice. With ScreenBeam, there is no connection between the local WiFi and Ethernet, which prevents access to the wired Ethernet, even if someone were able to hack into the local WiFi.

When it comes to in-room collaboration security, there’s much more to the product than most people realize.

With any questions or to learn more about ScreenBeam’s innovative solutions, I encourage you to contact me or reach out over on LinkedIn.

About the Author

Angie Greene | DSCE

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: ScreenBeam and Panasonic

Tech Tips with Tom Kehr | LG pt 2 – The Quick Differences

by Tom Kehr | Oct 25, 2022 | Cameras, Collaboration, Uncategorized

In part 2 of the Exertis Almo Tech Tips with LG video, Tom Kehr, Systems Designer & Trainer at Exertis Almo, and Dan Baker, Technical Business Development Manager at LG discuss savvy solutions for conference rooms, education, and work spaces.

43″ 3840 x 2160 One Quick Series LED Backlit LCD Large Format Monitors

43HT3WJ-B

LG’s 43HT3WJ-B is the all-in-one display for simple and quick video calls. With LG One:Quick Flex’s 43-inch all-in-one display complete with built-in camera, microphones and speakers, there’s no need to stress over online meetings and calls and no more inconvenience of connecting to and setting up video conferencing. Simplicity meets effective collaboration with touch and drawing. Equipped with In-Cell touch technology, the One:Quick Flex turns ideas into reality. With a dedicated touch pen, taking notes and drawing is easy. Work can be saved as files, and easily shared via mobile phone. On the move? This monitor is easy to transport with a movable stand. The One:Quick Flex can be used anywhere indoors where it can be moved by wheels.

More LG Products

Tom Kehr

CTS-D, CTS-I, Network+, LEED Green Associate, ISF-C, ATD Master Trainer

In-House System Designer and Trainer

Supported Applications: System Design

Tech Tips with Tom Kehr | LG pt 1 – How Quick? One:Quick

by Tom Kehr | Oct 14, 2022 | Cameras, Collaboration, Uncategorized

In Part 1 of Exertis Almo Tech Tips with LG video, Tom Kehr, Systems Designer & Trainer at Exertis Almo, and Dan Baker, Technical Business Development Manager at LG discuss how to achieve less hassles with all-in-one video conferencing solutions.

Less hassles with all-in-one video conferencing solutions from LG.

55″ 3840 x 2160 One Quick Series LED Backlit LCD Large Format Monitors

55CT5WJ-B

Video conferencing setup doesn’t need to be stressful. This all-in-one solution features a built-in Windows PC, crisp 4K UHD camera, microphone, speaker and a digital whiteboard. Experience clear video and sound qualities in your meetings.

More LG Products

Tom Kehr

CTS-D, CTS-I, Network+, LEED Green Associate, ISF-C, ATD Master Trainer

In-House System Designer and Trainer

Supported Applications: System Design

Atlona’s WAVE-101 for a Hands-free Meeting Experience

by Guest Blogger | Jul 13, 2022 | Uncategorized, Wireless Collaboration

Wireless Audio Visual Environment

What product do you know of that can wirelessly share from Windows, iOS, Andriod, and MacOS, dynamically adjust the interface based on the number of presenters, play videos from YouTube, allow presenters to control who is on screen, and even livestream the output of your presentation straight to remote audiences on YouTube – all while maintaining a hands-free experience?

The Atlona WAVE-101 (AT-WAVE-101) is probably the smallest wireless presentation tool that we’ve put on our bench – made for the commercial professional audiovisual market, by people who know the Pro AV space.

Device Types

We’ve seen a lot of screen sharing and collaborative devices over the years. From full servers to set top boxes – then, to dongles, and now this little cube. Typically, the smaller they get the fewer features they have, but this is not the case with the WAVE 101. Let’s discuss why.

Wireless presentation tools fall into a few categories. The ones that require a dongle to be connected to your computer in order to connect to the screen in the room. The ones that require software for you to connect to the screen in the room. Lastly, the ones that have the wireless protocols for the specific OS variations built in – no additional software needed.

Operating Systems

This is where the WAVE-101 sits in the market. It provides wireless screen casting with iOS^®, Android^TM, Mac^®, Chromebook^TM, and Windows^® devices through native AirPlay^®, Google Cast^TM, or Miracast^TM protocols. This covers pretty much all the major OS’s and device types. No additional dongles or software needed.

Ease of Use

Users connect via the instructions onscreen and start sharing content. The system dynamically adjusts the screen when additional users want to share content, and the meeting gets moving with no added wait time.

Device Ports

The Wave-101 has a Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) port for connecting into the local network, an HDMI port for connecting to the display, and few USB ports for accessories. Lastly, it has a Kensington lock (a.k.a. K-Slot or Kensington Security Slot) for what I would call a removal deterrence feature.

This is simple hardware that even includes a Vesa Mount in the box to secure the cube to the back of your monitor.

Top 3 Features

Here are the 3 features that we think will make you want to use the WAVE-101:

#1. Instructor Mode

When used in a classroom, or even a rowdy conference room with engineers who are always trying to flash photos of their latest Dungeons & Dragons conquests, this feature can really come in handy to reign in control of the screen. A queue is displayed to the instructor showing who is connected and wants to share content. The list of available content will appear on the page, and the instructor can show up to 4 contributors at the same time – or deny them from sharing altogether. Instructor Mode allows a user to manage content, adjust audio volume, upload and play media content, stream YouTube^TM, and switch between layouts.

Because this is a media device, URLs and media content can also be loaded into the queue. So instead of the content being driven by a device, a contributor can load up a URL to YouTube and let the internet do the sharing. Thankfully, since it’s in the queue, the final decision on what’s shown is still in the hands of the instructor.

#2. Room Occupancy Sensor

Atlona added one more trick up their sleeve – room occupancy sensor integration. When coupled with Atlona’s Network-Enabled Occupancy Sensor (AT-OCS-900N), the WAVE-101 will automatically turn the room on when a person enters the space, and turn off, after a set time of having no one in the room. The sensor, along with the Instructor Mode feature, allow for the room to be used with no additional control system required. Even better, this allows for hands-free operation of the room – to enable safer and cleaner conference rooms.

#3. OMEGA Switchers & Extenders

Coupled with Atlona’s new Omega series switching and extension products the WAVE-101 can create a very simple huddle room, or add collaboration to a full size conference room with multiple displays, microphones, and PTZ cameras – making any room the video conferencing hub of your organization.

Contact your Exertis Almo team for more information on
how Atlona can change the way you present.

Innovating Wireless BYOD and Beyond

Atlona’s Wireless Audio Visual Environment (WAVE) and the AT-WAVE-101, is a new, innovative wireless presentation platform designed for quick and easy content sharing from up to four PCs or mobile devices. The versatility of the WAVE-101 expands well beyond BYOD content sharing, with a host of additional features to enhance education, corporate, and many other applications.

Learn More