What's Your Focus?
May 1, 2006 12:00 PM
At InfoComm there's something for everyone; whether you're a systems contractor or AV consultant, there's a whole range of opportunities to learn the latest in your field or branch into another AV arena. Below you'll find a brief summary of just what InfoComm has to offer those in the AV design, integration, project management, sales, rental/staging, marketing, and installation business. For a complete course listing, check out the Conference Search tool at www.infocommshow.org or refer to the InfoComm 06 show directory.
AUDIO
InfoComm is the place to be for audio professionals. Not only will you learn about the latest techniques and products, you'll get to try them as well. At the Audio Pavilion, more than 250 companies showcase their products, allowing you an in-depth look at some products you may have had your eye on, but there's more:
Introduced at last year's show, the Audio Demo and Sound Rooms were such a hit that you'll be able to find them again this year, with the Sound Rooms on the show floor and the Audio Demo rooms located off the show floor. Top industry manufacturers, including Harman Pro Group, Renkus-Heinz, Tannoy, and Telex Communications, will pump up the volume for your listening pleasure. Also, don't miss THE InfoComm Party Tuesday, June 6 — The Smithereens will be rocking with a standout system you'll want to hear.
Also available at this year's show is a four-day workshop entitled Sound Reinforcement for Designers, which is offered through Syn-Aud-Con (see sidebar).
InfoComm newcomers and regulars alike will find a plethora of seminars, courses, and workshops. Wednesday, June 7, choose from morning sessions, like: Introduction to Acoustics (Steven J. Thorburn, PE, CTS-D, CTS-I); Principles of Arrayed Loudspeakers for Large Venues (Jerrold Steven); Measuring Sound Fields in Enclosed Spaces (Pat Brown); IR & FM Wireless Auditory Assistance Solutions (Russell Gentner); Long Haul AV Signal Delivery (Rich Hanna, CTS); and AV System Noise and Ground Loops (Bill Whitlock).
Wednesday afternoon sessions include Audio and Acoustics 101 (Jim Long); Live Audio Gain Structure (William Magod); and An Overview of Multi-Room Audio Distribution Systems (Mike Weems, CTS, MCP).
On Thursday morning, Jim Mobley teaches Commissioning Audio Systems, and Steven J. Thorburn, PE, CTS-D, CTS-I, will give you a deeper understanding of acoustical design in Advanced Acoustics. Plus, Jim Long will teach you about conventional loudspeakers and line arrays in Sorting Loudspeakers and Array Arithmetic and Kenneth Roy, Ph.D., FASA, will explore sound masking system design and speech privacy performance in Masking Sound. Later that afternoon, Charles Townsend, PE, offers Tips for Great Sound in Conference and Meeting Facilites, while William Magod teaches Audio 401: Limiters, Eqs, and System Processors. Ray Rayburn and Rich Zwiebel team up to teach Audio Networking.
On Friday, in a special session brought to you by Frederick J. Ampel of Technology Visions S.A., discover the proper usage and attributes of various methodologies for speakers and measurement in Loudspeaker and Speech Intelligibility from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
PROJECTION & DISPLAY
If projection and display is your forte, you won't want to miss InfoComm. Come to the Large Venue Display Gallery, sponsored by Extron, where you can see the finest and latest in video projection up close. Examine the system specifications in dark rooms, free of ambient light, so you can see crisp HD content the way it was meant to be viewed.
Aside from the mega technologies of the Large Venue Display Gallery, you'll also want to visit the Digital Signage Pavilion, where you'll see top companies presenting the latest in this rapidly expanding field. Plus, the InfoComm Academy offers many learning opportunities you should consider, including Advanced Display Technologies (Alan Brawn); What to Do With 16:9 (Greg Bronson, CTS-D); and Perfecting Your Image Path (Karl Rosenberg, CTS).
LIGHTING & STAGING
For some bright ideas, come see the many innovations in the Lighting and Staging Pavilion. Find products ranging from LCD curtains that replicate the night sky to affordable solutions to make advertising messages catch the consumers' eye. Also, don't miss: Rigging and Staging Demonstrations in the Lighting and Staging Pavilion; Super Tuesday's Rental & Staging Management & Operations session; and seminars from The ESTA Foundation within InfoComm Academy. Travel off-site on the AV Technology Tours, where you can see the work that goes into staging Cirque du Soleil La Nouba and SeaWorld.
DIGITAL CONTENT CREATION
You need not wander too far to see the world is reaching the brink of digital content. From video podcasts on cell phones and iPods to digital signage in airports, concerts and supermarkets, the demand for digital content is providing whole new dimensions of opportunity — and revenue — for professionals knowing how to combine cutting edge display and distribution technologies with compelling content. At the Digital Content Creation Pavilion, sponsored by Sound & Video Contractor and Digital Content Producer, you'll find new products and ideas.
CONTROL & DISTRIBUTION
Whether in university, corporate, or government environments, there is a variety of programs and products to control and manage AV devices. InfoComm is just the place to research your options. Check out the new System Programming & GUI Design Gallery for innovative demonstrations from Crestron Authorized Independent Programmers (CAIP) members on 15in. Crestron touchpanels. Get control of the technology future at some of the courses and sessions at InfoComm, including the Super Tuesday session Design for a Digital Age and various offerings from InfoComm Academy.
NETWORKING & AV/IT
The lines between AV and IT are blurring, changing the way contractors do their job. Streamed media, webcasting, digital signage processing, wireless applications, and AV-related software are causing the integration of the worlds of AV and IT. To maximize the advantages of adding IT and AV together, consider these educational opportunities: the Super Tuesday session Government and Corporate AV Information and Security; Networking Computing's AV-IT Educational Series with one- and two-day courses starting on Monday, June 5; other seminars and workshops include: on Wednesday, Wireless Networking Basics and on Thursday, 10 Gigabit Ethernet in the LAN and SAN, as well as others.
COLLABORATIVE CONFERENCING
Conferencing unites IT and AV to bring people together like never before. Whether you choose to meet with people from across town or across the globe, it can happen seamlessly from a conference room, with perfectly clarity. Whether it's web, audio, video, or a combination, technologies and solutions for all conferencing applications are at the Collaborative Conferencing Pavilion, along with HD Conferencing demos. There is also a multitude of courses and workshops: in the Institute, Videoconferencing: Applications, Technology and Trends; on Super Tuesday, Collaborative Conferencing; seminars from the Interactive Multimedia & Collaborative Communications Alliance and the American Telemedicine Association; and the first annual Collaborative Conferencing Users Group meeting and seminar on June 8.
DIGITAL SIGNAGE
Digital signage is becoming the fastest growing AV product available. At the Digital Signage Pavilion there's much to see and learn. You'll also want to consider the following opportunities to keep you aboard this speeding ship: the Super Tuesday session Digital Signage (Eric Cronwall, CTS-D); on Wednesday, June 7, the POPAI, will present three courses: The Digital Signage Market Opportunity, Digital Signage Hardware Selection and Deployment, and Digital Signage Content Management Software and Data Transport. For Thursday, the POPAI will present: The Importance of Digital Signage Content, Integrating Digital Signage into Your Marketing Mix, and Measurement and Metrics of Digital Signage Advertising.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT/BUSINESS
The key to every successful project is management. InfoComm provides numerous opportunities to sharpen your business skills. On Saturday, June 4, there are two three-day Institute courses: Project Management: Competencies and Structure (Brad Malone, PMP) and Professional Sales Skills for AV Systems & Equipment (Bill Sharer, CTS). Super Tuesday offers: Project Management Overview for Executives (Brad Malone, PMP) or Tools, Tactics and Technologies for Presentation Professionals (Rick Altman). On Wednesday, there are plenty of opportunities in the morning and afternoon, including: Effective Employee Evaluations (Greg Churchman), Selling at the Enterprise Level (Bill Sharer, CTS), and Growth Strategies for AV Companies (Tom Stimson, MBA, CTS). On Thursday: Marketing the In-House Media Department (Warren Harmon) and Estimating Your Projects for Profit (Michael Webb).
RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS
If you're contemplating entering the residential market, InfoComm can help you decide if the move is right for you. Not only can you familiarize yourself with the products available, you'll have plenty to learn about the market. To help you find out more about this market, attend the Super Tuesday session, Is the Residential Market Right For Your Company?
TOOLS FOR YOUR FUTURE
InfoComm 06 aims to prepare all AV industry professionals for the future. Whether you want to dive into a new area or learn new tools for your current focus, you'll find all you need in Orlando from June 3-9.
REINFORCE YOUR SOUND KNOWLEDGE WITH SYN-AUD-CON
Synergistic Audio Concepts (Syn-Aud-Con), renowned audio and acoustic seminar specialists, returns to InfoComm, bringing its outstanding four-day course on Sound Reinforcement for Designers. This intermediate-level course emphasizes the codependence of room acoustics and sound system placement. From Saturday, June 3 to Tuesday, June 6, you'll learn how to measure and predict the acoustics performance of enclosed spaces and how to manipulate the sound field's ratios in a space by loudspeaker selection and placement.
