View from the third floor

By Jeff Fink, VP of Sales

Note to Self: Never assume anything. Especially if a 700-lb, 103” monitor is involved.

When a client wanted to upgrade the AV equipment in his 3rd-floor Washington, D.C. boardroom, we determined that a 103” Panasonic plasma display was the ideal solution.

Our team has delivered and installed large screens into buildings all over DC for years. Surely this client’s building, like all the others, would have a freight elevator or at least a few large stairwells, right?

A crane hoisted the Panasonic display to the window

Wrong.

Not only did the building lack a real freight elevator, but the stairwells were narrow with low-hanging pipes. A simple delivery quickly became a real challenge.

We called in the experts – piano movers and building engineers. Our group came up with a solution: Take a window out of the building, close one of the nearby streets and hire a crane.

A half hour later, the display was in the room.

No install is too difficult for AVI-SPL.

To learn more about our products and services, call (866) 559-8197.

West Africans are known for their hospitality. It was not long before a shepherd invited the pastor’s group to his “windy” (temporary village) a few kilometers out in the bush.

Villagers in Western Africa

The village was primitive, no water, electricity or permanent structures. Many of the children had never seen a “toubob” (Westerner). The village elder told Pastor Hamilton that those who had seen “toubobs” before were often afraid because the tourists took so many pictures.

“I shared that American culture was a visual culture,” Pastor Hamilton said. “We learn through pictures, videos, television, etc. The elder shared that in his culture, they learn through oral stories.”

As they continued to talk, the elder started to understand why “toubobs” took so many pictures. Dr. Hamilton explained that photographs are a way of communicating special experiences, like a trip to Africa.

To demonstrate the way Westerners communicate with images, Dr. Hamilton asked if the elder and his village would like to see a video documenting a previous group’s visit to the region. The elder agreed and invited Pastor Hamilton to return that evening after dusk.

But how do you show a film to a West African village with no electricity?

Laptops can’t withstand the desert’s heat and dust. Small DVD players could only be watched by a few at a time.

Villagers watch a video on the Optoma PK102

Fortunately, Dr. Hamilton had discovered the Optoma PK102 Pico Pocket Projector a few months before visiting the Ferlo. He asked Ron Schall, AVI-SPL Denver for help finding one to bring along.

“I was intrigued and immediately thought of our upcoming trip to West Africa. The size and apparent durability of the projector seemed to be a perfect match,” Pastor Hamilton said.

That night, Pastor Hamilton and his crew returned to the village after sunset. They draped a sheet over the door of a grass hut, powered up the Optoma PK102 and showed the video to the villagers. External speakers provided the sound.

“It was a big deal and the entire village turned out,” Pastor Hamilton recalled. “Everything worked great and the folks were fascinated. I don’t think that they were shocked by the technology, but it was certainly new to them.”

At 11 lumens, the PK102 easily overpowered the fire in the center of the village’s compound, the only ambient light.

“This kind of technology is absolutely revolutionary to our efforts around the world,” Pastor Hamilton said. “If these things can handle the beating they will take in deserts and jungles of third world countries, they will become invaluable to those in the field.”

Pastor Hamilton is working to get more Pico Projectors for his teams working throughout Africa and Central America.

Based in Dade City, Fla., Academy at the Farm is a unique K-8 charter school that serves nearly 400 students a year. Today, this A-rated school features SMART’s 680i interactive white boards and Elmo document cameras in nearly every classroom. “This technology has helped increased our kids’ enthusiasm, as well as that of our teachers,” says Director Mike Rom.

A Dramatic Difference
The SMART Notebook software has proven invaluable to the Academy teachers, from watching eager kindergartners perfect their penmanship to using the innovative programs to increase algebra skills among eighth graders. The school has also improved overall communications, using the SMART Boards to stream morning and afternoon announcements, and even have their students conduct live chats with Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite.

Tell us, how has SMART Technology helped improve the level of excitement and interactivity at your school?

From more details on the Situation Room’s technology, including the Crestron programming and IP-based systems, click here.

A strong emphasis would be placed on the use of high-definition (HD) audiovisual systems in conjunction with digital signals. In the video below, Ringling’s assistant VP/director of facilities, Jeff Poleshek, and AVI-SPL’s sales engineer, Jamie Knoop, take us on a tour of the latest advancements in HD projection, digital surround, control panel technology and more.

Click here to learn more about this project.

In the video below, USF’s Assistant Director of Operations, Jennifer Hernandez, takes us on a tour of several installation areas, including their 1,100-seat ballroom, meeting rooms, 700-seat auditorium and senate chambers.

“The changes implemented have provided that ‘wow’ factor, which is what students expect in a facility of this nature,” says Hernandez. “Everything is easy to use, with cutting-edge technology available at the simple touch of a button.”

In developing this project, AVI-SPL received a great amount of collaborative support from Beck construction, TLC Design and Multimedia LED. To learn more about this case study, please click here.

Pride of the Yankees

Bronx Bombers stadium AV scores.
By Jim Stokes
Sound & Communications

For the Yankee Stadium AV project, AVI-SPL, Tampa FL, was a subcontractor for Unity Electric. The $5.7 million contract was completed in March 2009 after a two-year duration. Looking at the scope of Yankee Stadium AV integrated systems, AVI-SPL was responsible for providing engineering for the audio and broadcast cabling, as well as the distribution of television (SMATV) systems. The audio system includes a fully digital sound-reinforcement system comprised of a digital console, digital signal processing (DSP) and amplifier control to more than 625 speakers in the seating bowl and 675- plus speakers in the back of house systems and suites.

Moving from the bowl, there are 675 speakers serving the BOH (back of house). Bryl acknowledged that AVI-SPL Senior Programmer Julia Cooper programmed all the Crestron throughout the Stadium, which included the press conference room, party suites, Great Hall and Yankee clubhouse, as well as other areas designed for Crestron control. For example, the Crestron controlled party suites can be divided into seven individual suites or other combinations with the same audio or choice of audio feeds.

Click here to read the complete article »

The Maryland Stadium Authority, who manages the state-owned facility, contracted with the Tampa-based AV integration company AVI-SPL. The system was designed by New York-based SIA Acoustics, who was the audio consultant for the Baltimore Orioles on the project.

“…The upgraded audio system that SIA Acoustics designed and AVI-SPL installed certainly reaffirms Oriole Park as a world class ball park. EAW speakers made our job easy as they just sound great!”

Click here to read the complete article »

Texas Woman’s University (TWU) faced several AV challenges when the university decided to build a new Houston campus. TWU, the nation’s largest university primarily for women, has campuses in Denton, Dallas and Houston. After 45 years at its previous Houston location, TWU planned for a new Institute of Health Sciences-Houston Center in the heart of Houston’s world-renowned Texas Medical Center. The new building was a 10-story, 202,000 square-foot complete “campus in one building.”

Our goal was to add the ability to present, communicate and teach within the campus and to other campuses,” said Jeremy Blanton, AVI-SPL project manager. “Technology has become a critical piece of teaching the school’s curriculum, so they wanted to ensure that the instructors had the latest technology to support the applications in the medical field.”

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