What's Your Focus (Video Systems)

May 12, 2005 12:05 PM

           

There's never enough time to do it all.

InfoComm is now dense with opportunity. If your style is serendipitous, you'll have no trouble finding interesting things to see and do. But if you have specific information and education goals it mind, it takes some focus and planning to get maximum return on your time. The excellent site at www.infocommshow.org is a great place to explore. The following is a brief overview of some important topics that can be investigated in a multi-faceted way at the show, as well as some highlights that caught our eye.

Collaborative Conferencing

According to ICIA's 2005 Market Forecast Survey, more than 80% of respondents reported an increased use of conferencing. They also identified key needs and trends that demonstrate increased relevance of conferencing technology. Among those trends: a need for AV solutions to solve communication challenges; the ability of AV to improve education and presentation of information in general; the further integration of AV and IT systems; the increased use of streaming media services, wireless technologies, and IP-based products, services, and control systems; and the broader availability and adoption of high performance networks and broadband.

What does it all mean? As The Wall Street Journal recently pointed out, people see video as the language of the future, and AV infrastructure as the backbone of future business and communication.

Whether you want to specify it for a client or use it yourself for AV production, training, or myriad other purposes, there is no better place to learn about collaborative conferencing than InfoComm. ICIA has a five-year tradition of leadership in collaborative conferencing—InfoComm was the first tradeshow to take it seriously as a part of AV displays and applications.

This year, the role of collaborative conferencing at InfoComm is further expanded. The Collaborative Conferencing Pavilion on the show floor is a good place to start. With Sony Teleconferencing as a Platinum sponsor, and other high-profile sponsors, the pavilion provides a comprehensive collection of workplace and educational environments. A highlight is a working mobile command-and-control center within a Hummer, sponsored by Tandberg.

In 2002, ICIA/InfoComm and the Interactive Multi-media Collaborative Communications Alliance (IMCCA) formed a partnership to promote the use of conferencing worldwide. IMCCA co-sponsors the Collaborative Conferencing Pavilion and holds a four-day co-located event at InfoComm.

In addition to the many manufacturers who bring videoconferencing technology to the show floor, InfoComm Academy offers an array of educational choices. IMCCA conducts a full-day beginners' session on June 7 entitled Introduction to Collaborative Conferencing. Among the three-day offerings at the Institute for Professional Development pre-show are Lighting for Videoconferencing and Presentation Spaces and Video conference Technology, Applications, and Trends. More than a dozen other courses cover conferencing topics from its role in homeland security to the aesthetics of videoconferencing to rich media collaboration. Streaming & Archiving Your Conference (IM1) is just one of many topics that deals with practical, and often overlooked aspects of conferencing. A special Lunch and Learn session (seminar IM9) is devoted to the State of the Collaborative Conferencing Industry. For more information on all sessions go to www.infocommshow.org, click on the "Conference Search" link or the InfoComm Academy link and then follow the schedule link. The searchable schedule is comprehensive.

Production

Though InfoComm has its roots as a presentation technologies show, that role long ago expanded to encompass all aspects of AV-based communication. AV production professionals will want to explore the Large Format Display Gallery for insights into what today's presentation technologies are capable of, as well as a seminar on Sony's remarkable SXRD projector (MT32). But beyond that, there are several InfoComm Academy courses for AV content creators. Project Management for Web Development (MCAS1) is a basic starting point for developing web content. Encoding, Authoring, and Serving Streaming Media (S20) is another basic, practical web course; or consider Integrating Motion Media on the Web (MCAS5) or Web Design: Look, Feel & Function, both taught by Kenan Doyle Branam of Paradigm Communications.

International Productions—Getting It Right (MCAS2) tackles the issues of international production for your corporate video or other AV projects. Video Compression Technology—How Far Will it Go? (S9) is an intermediate track that is a must for all video pros that want to understand the impact of compression. Learn to market yourself through Power Self Marketing (MCAS8) or via E-Marketing: Websites, E-zines, Chat Rooms, and Blogs (MCAS3). Get clear about the impact of the hot new camera formats—HDV, XDCAM and P2 (MCAS14) or learn to Beat the Writers' Block (MCAS9).

One potentially interesting intermediate business session investigates the worth of creativity through a seris of survey techniques, benchmarking, rate comparisons and key performance indicators to help the media professional quantify the value that a creative team provides. Applying standard business tools to creativity may seem counterintuitive, but the speaker Richard E. Van Deusen of Media Strategies, Inc., promises you will be able to do just that.

Production professionals may also want to consider attending Beyond the Cineplex to learn how American Family Insurance moved to HD for their in-house production, and to hear from a unique content creator Kristen Cox about how she produces documentaries and live shows, sometimes simultaneously.

Streaming

Those who are at InfoComm to learn about streaming, can take in the Streaming Media Pavilion on the show floor. In addition to streaming technology displays by manufacturers, speakers will present throughout the day Wednesday through Friday. The InfoComm Command Center located in the LVCC Grand Lobby is a state-of-the-art command control/media distribution center that sends and receives audio, video, and data to several kiosks in the technology pavilions on the exhibit floor, and to the Next Gen Home outside the convention center. InfoComm Academy courses include Encoding, Authoring, and Serving Streaming Media (S20), Wireless Video and Streaming Media Prototypes (S50) and Live Streaming: A Practical How-to (S55). This is the opportunity to get your arms around streaming and its potential for your institution or customers.

Display and Digital Signage

As always, display technology factors in heavily with the offerings at InfoComm. If this dynamic, ever-changing technology plays even a peripheral role, you should consider the following opportunities: Fundamentals of Display Technologies (Alan Brawn), The Basics of Projection Screen Application (Blake Brubaker), and Wireless Display Networking 101 (Mike Weems). All three seminars are held on Wednesday, June 8. Among Thursday's seminars, Selecting the Right Projector for the Job (Steve Borho), DLP Technology Seminar (Frank Moizio), Working with LED Displays (Brent Watson), and Advanced Display Technologies (Alan Brawn) all present strong learning opportunities to the display professional.

The digital signage marketplace continues to grow. Useful in participating in that growth is Behind Digital Signage: Applying Audiovisual Products and Techniques to the Retail Environment, taught by Eric Cronwall on Wednesday. On Thursday, Digital Signage: The Future is Now (Alan Brawn) and Define, Design, Deploy: The Three D's of Successful Digital Signage (Jeff Dowell) are available.

Education

One of the largest blocks of InfoComm attendees comes from the Higher Education and Public School markets. In addition to the co-located EduComm Conference, InfoComm is a rare opportunity to see the many technologies that are transforming culture and business. Through the show floor and courses, educators can better understand the world their students will be entering after graduation, as well as determining how to best use those technologies in the teaching environment. The Collaborative Conferencing Pavilion is a must-see. The Facilities Design for Universities course—part of the pre-show IPD—makes it worth considering spending the full week at InfoComm. The Meet the Dashboard for Controls industry forum is a unique event that should appeal to educators both in its substance (a universal interface for AV presentation users) and the interactive format of the forum itself. Also explore the schedule for InfoComm Academy courses in collaborative conferencing, web and streaming, and Defining the Perfect Teaching Station (S48), Designing an Electronic Classroom (W5), the Interactive Classroom (S57), Collaboration in Education (IM7), and Classroom Assistive Technology for disability (S73) among others. The UNLV Avloution tour should also be a highlight for educators.

Benefits of ICIA Membership

• InfoComm: Enjoy free passes to the show with ICIA membership. Exhibiting members receive deep discounts on show floor space.
• EduBucks: Receive access to and discounts on numerous educational opportunities. Choose from online, classroom, and InfoComm courses—and with your member EduBucks, take advantage of special member pricing.
• Career Site: Get discounted rates for posting job openings.
• Membership Directory: List your or your company's information in ICIA's online Membership Directory, a valuable resource to find AV providers. It's updated daily and available to all visitors to www.infocomm.org.
• iQ Business Tools: Make full use of ICIA's marketing and business tools to advance your company's position.
• Market Intelligence: Get a discount on the many survey reports offered, as well information on future surveys.

For more information, visit www.infocomm.org.