Unified Communications (UC) tools are moving out of the board room and into the realm of higher education. In a great post on the UC Strategies blog, Blair Pleasant discusses a variety of areas that universities could use UC to streamline communications between faculty, staff, students, and others.

All UC vendors today are trying to find ways to differentiate themselves from one another and to stand out from the crowd. I generally recommend that they focus on professional services and/or applications, especially vertical applications. One vendor that has been successfully building UC applications and solutions based on its vertical expertise is NEC, which is working with its partners to understand the business challenges and business processes in the areas of health care, hospitality, higher education, and government.

For the full text of the blog post, click here.

For more information about UC products and services from AVI-SPL, click here.

NEC Display Solution’s NP215 and NP410 are the first projectors worldwide to be awarded the new TCO Certified label for quality and environment.

In order to receive TCO certification, a projector needs to:

• Satisfy strict criteria regarding acoustics, energy consumption and the materials used in the product and its packaging.
• Feature an Eco mode in which the device can be operated with lower energy consumption and less noise. When the video or computer interface is disconnected, the projector has to enter standby mode automatically.

In addition the meeting the above, the NP215 and NP410 offer a Carbon Savings Meter tool to calculate and total the CO2 savings that are achieved when the device is being operated in Eco mode.

With this in mind, are you leaning more towards a “green” approach in your projector selection? If not, what factors have you hesitant to make the move?

To view a list of featured NEC projectors, click here »

NEC Display Solutions announces their latest in the NP Installation Series projectors – the NP4100. With the ability to create screen sizes from 40 to 500 inches (at projection distances between 2.6 and 283 feet), the NP4100 projector is perfect for auditoriums, training and network centers where there are high levels of ambient light. Audiences can enjoy larger and easier to view images due to its high level of brightness at 6200 ANSI lumens.

The NP4100 also combines advanced features and innovative technologies, created to extend the life of the projector for increased use at the same rigorous level. ECO Mode™ technology increases lamp life by up to 25% and decreases fan noise. Quick Power Off technology protects the lamp during cool down with temperature monitoring, preventing the projector from powering on until the lamp is properly cooled. In addition, a sealed dust-resistant optical system was specifically designed to decrease the long-term effects unwanted particles can have on a projector. This enables the NP4100 to deliver crisp, distortion-free images throughout its lifecycle, even while enduring the rigors of 24/7 applications. The projector will be shipping this month.

Click here for projector specs. »

Click here for other featured NEC projectors »

NEC Display Solutions introduces the groundbreaking 46” NEC MultiSync® X461UN ultra-narrow display. The large-format LCD display is intended for video wall solutions, where its impressive ultra-narrow bezel allows for a screen-to-screen distance between two neighboring MultiSync X461UN displays of only 7.3 millimeters. This is a near 500% improvement from NEC’s previously revolutionary 34mm MultiSync 20 Series displays and close to a 1400% improvement compared to the 100mm MultiSync 15 Series.

The display, which is ideal for digital signage and broadcast applications, can be deployed in video wall matrices of up to 10 x 10 (100 displays), creating a total surface area of approximately 645 square feet. The barely discernable transition gap between displays ensures a homogenous picture across the matrix, creating a near-seamless video wall.

The MultiSync X461UN includes a professional-grade LCD panel and components for the most formidable digital signage industry requirements. It has been specifically created for rigorous 24/7 use where high reliability is key. The display’s 1360 x 768 WXGA native resolution provides true 16:9 aspect ratio, maximum brightness of 700 cd/m² and typical contrast ratio of 3000:1.