Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/255439
A Tune In New electroNics aNd architectural optioNs make aV systems simpler aNd more effectiVe by Stefan Dubowski Ask someone who used an audiovisual conferencing system for business meetings a few years ago to describe his or her experiences with the technology, and you may hear it was far from enjoyable. "It wasn't unusual for a 9:30 a.m. meeting to get going at 9:45 a.m., because people were figuring out remote controls with conventional systems," recalls Tim St. Louis, executive VP of sales at Sharp's Audio Visual in Calgary, which sells AV conferencing solutions. Today, conferencing technology takes digital communications to a new level. St. Louis points to Sharp's new SMART Room System for Microsoft Lync. Users don't even have to turn it on. The HD touch- screens start automatically the moment people walk into the room. The surround sound speakers crisply convey participants' voices. The advanced cameras capture clean images and make it seem as though people on the other side of the country are sitting at the other end of the boardroom table. The technology makes it easy to share presentations, collaborate on documents and ultimately reduce travel costs. Fewer flights, train rides and car trips, "that's a large part of the return on investment for these products," says St. Louis. The AV world is changing. The technology is sim- pler to configure than ever before. It's more flexible and is suitable for a wide range of applications and customers. Thanks to new interior architectural products, even the most exacting clients can count on excellent AV performance in any setting. Boosting Interactivity An increasing number of organizations want AV conferencing for their boardrooms, but companies don't want to buy conferencing equipment that won't connect with the rest of their technology infrastruc- ture. That concern drives many companies to consider conferencing capabilities based on Microsoft's Lync software. "Most companies already use Microsoft and many use Lync for desktop-to-desktop videoconfer- encing. Extending Lync for the boardroom is the logi- cal next step," says St. Louis. Some organizations have to address an interior design problem first, though. A popular trend sees designers using hard materials on walls, floors and ceilings for a sharp, modern look. Yet hard surfaces create rooms with reverberation, which wreak havoc on AV systems. Clients often call on Sound Solutions to reduce reverberation in the boardroom so their AV systems work as well as possible. Ed Makarchuk, co-owner of the company, says his firm can install a range of mate- rials to improve the situation. Acoustic plaster offers a clean, crisp look while decreasing reverberation. Less-pricey alternatives include Pinta foam and metal tiles, Tectum acoustic wood and Avanti fabric-covered fibreglass panels. Although Sound Solutions often receives requests for its services after the interior designers have left the building, Makarchuk would rather hear from plan- ners sooner in their projects. Many designers may not consult Sound Solutions well before work is complete, but "when budgets get tight, the acoustic treatment is usually one of the first things to go," he says. Makarchuk says that shouldn't be the case. Fixing reverberation problems later on means asking com- panies to give up their boardrooms for renovations. While Sound Solutions can complete a retrofit in just a few days, even a brief time without a meeting place spells lower productivity. It pays to mind acoustic performance beyond the boardroom – and beyond electronics, too. For example, the owners of the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery in Sarnia, Ontario, found that their high, exposed ceilings and hard-surfaced walls made for a cacophonous cavern during showings and other events. Sound Solutions installed Pinta ceiling tiles to reduce reverberation, so visitors to the gallery no longer need to yell to be heard. "Before we did our work, the space was disastrously loud during any private function," Makarchuk says. "Now the room functions much better." Entertaining New Options Pinta and other products help make public spaces more pleasant. Acoustic panels also help improve sound quality in public entertainment venues. The performance areas at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts in Kingston, Ontario, for example, feature Fabri-Lok acoustic and reflective panels arranged to clearly convey excellent sound. A monolithic fabric finish covers the panels for a uniform appearance, explains Lyle Fuller, general manager at Wallworks Acoustic Architectural Products, which installed the system. In the facility's public areas, Wallworks installed ceilings using the Barrisol stretch-fabric system. The technology provides a bold, modern appearance. "Barrisol is quite well known in Quebec already, but we're trying to promote it for more facilities across the rest of the country," Fuller says. He adds that customers throughout Canada are becoming more familiar with Barrisol's stylish, high-end appearance and effective acoustic capabilities. Wallworks also installs Fabri-Lok extra-wide fabric systems for especially large expanses – up to 15 feet wide. That long reach means Fuller and his team can improve acoustic performance in spaces that call for a wide, continuous fabric expanse, such as public entertainment lobby areas and car showrooms. Soundscaping The Home Turning to the home, many clients want to experience the authentic sound of a live performance right in their living spaces. In the past, excellent sound meant big speakers, amplifiers and audio equipment connected with the finest copper wires. But high-end electron- ics manufacturer Bang & Olufsen recently extended its product range to include wireless capabilities, introducing a new level of flexibility to its portfolio. Ariel Skelley/Getty 38/ february 2014 audio Visual Systems p38-39AudioVisual.indd 38 14-01-23 11:42 AM