INTEGRATION September / October 2018
www.av-integration.co.za
Special Report
Wireless presentation gains traction in SA
COVER FEATURE
Unified communications at PwC
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IN THIS ISSUE
Contents
OMEGA FOR PwC • Digital Signage • PRODUCT REVIEW • Internet of Things
34 4 wePresent TRAINING Barco opens first training centre in SA
6 Avixa standards AVIXA releases Rack Building Standard for audiovisual systems
7 CASIO LAMPFREE PROJECTOR Casio LampFree Projector in number one market share position
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Unified communications for PwC
PRODUCT REVIEW Consumer advice Wireless presentation
Omega Digital deploys an AV solution that sets the standard for the company’s continent-wide AV
14 AV for FINANCIAL ADVISORY SERVICES Jean Archary speaks about AV in the financial services sector
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gains traction in SA
28 Video applications Harnessing the power of video in the corporate world
34 How to choose the right AV solution
40 5G: Internet of Things A paradigm shift in the role of IoT
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IoT Shaping Facilities
Profile
New management paradigms
Wynand Langehoven
Digital signage Bruce Genricks speaks about the digital signage market in SA
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Editor's Comment
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EDITORIAL Nicole Barnes – Editor editor@pro-systems.co.za +27 (0)66 489 3482
Contributors Chaz Nielsen | An AVIXA-Certified AV Technologist at Audio Visual Centre, Nielsen specialises in AV solutions for the corporate, commercial and domestic markets.
AV supporting SA business
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Jean Archary | Jean, a Certified Financial Planner is a development specialist at Old Mutual Wealth.
Michelle Janse van Vuuren | Michelle is marketing director at Canon SA
Welcome to the spring edition of AV Integration Magazine. The past few months have been a busy – if somewhat anxiety-provoking – time for business in South Africa, with fluctuations in the Rand, rising costs and depressed economic growth casting a further shadow over what has been a challenging year. While it is tempting to feel disheartened during these tumultuous times, it is also a great opportunity to showcase what AV technology has to offer the business community in the country. Unified communications continues to drive greater levels of collaboration and productivity for some of the world’s leading organisations, setting an example for those in developing markets to follow. The ever-rising cost of fuel and the global drive to reduce travel-related carbon emissions have made the adoption of video conferencing a necessity rather than a nice-to-have for organisations of all sizes. In short, I think that our current situation may prove an advantage for the AV industry – if harnessed creatively. In this edition of AV Integration, we feature the award-winning installation achieved by Omega Digital for PwC, a system deployment that will span the continent on completion. The PwC Tower provides a stunning example of world-class technology elevating a local enterprise to compete on the world stage and showcases the international level of expertise and competence of South African integrators. Expanding on the theme of South African businesses successfully adopting technologies that are rapidly becoming a world standard, we also feature Barco’s ClickShare range and speak to a number of end users across various verticals in South Africa about their experience with the product. In addition, we spoke with Electrosonic managing director, Bruce Genricks, about the rapid expansion of the digital signage market in South Africa, and he shared some important pointers for those looking to invest in digital signage for their businesses with us. Chaz Nielsen, an AV technologist who currently works for Audio Visual Centre – a leading integrator in the country – throws some light on the factors that end users need to consider before deciding to invest in or upgrade their corporate AV systems. Finally, managing director of Peripheral Vision, Wynand Langehoven, recently granted us a unique opportunity to discuss some of his insights into the past, present and future of the professional AV integration industry in SA. As always, we welcome any comments and feedback from you, and I hope that you enjoy the read. Regards
Nicole Barnes
Cover image: Michael Lotriet
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Peripheral Vision appointed as an Extron Accredited Value Add Reseller Peripheral Vision, a leading distributor of professional AV integration solutions, recently announced its appointment as an Extron accredited value-add reseller, effective immediately. Peripheral Vision has recently announced that it will serve as an accredited value-add reseller of Extron’s extensive range of products for the South African market. Speaking to AV Integration in a recent interview, CEO of Peripheral Vision, Wynand Langenhoven, explains that the company has assessed market trends, and has decided to establish a partnership with Extron in response to changes in market demands. “Peripheral Vision has built its reputation on providing dealers and installers with the best range of products and support services to deliver solutions that answer the needs of the end-user. We feel that the addition of Extron to our stable of products
Wynand Langenhoven
will go a long way to support this objective,” Langenhoven explains. He goes on to state that Extron has a local office and an established reputation for excellence in the South African market. “The partnership between Extron and the integration skills and service delivery that Peripheral Vision prides itself on, will pave the way for new innovative solutions,” Langenhoven concludes. Peripheral Vision has also announced that their long-standing relationship with AMX by
BARCO OPENS WEPRESENT TRAINING CENTER IN SOUTH AFRICA Barco is opening its first wePresent training centre in the world. The certified training centre is housed at the facilities of Barco distributor Alpha Technologies in South Africa. In the new centre, which was officially opened in August, Alpha Technologies provides their customers with tailor-made
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training sessions to get the most out of their Barco wePresent technology. The wePresent training sessions aim to
HARMAN will be drawing to a close. “Consistent evaluation of the market and available technologies remains critical to our business development, and while this has been a difficult decision, we feel that it is time to look to new opportunities to continue to serve the best interests of our clients,” Langenhoven states. For more information, kindly contact www.peripheralvision.co.za.
further strengthen Alpha Technologies’ ties with their clients and to improve productivity for all parties involved. Those participating in the classroom-style training courses get accredited as official Barco resellers. Joseph Milan, managing director at Alpha Technologies, comments: “We consider it an honour and a privilege to provide the facilities for the first Barco wePresent training centre. We very much look forward to sharing our know-how of maximising the use of Barco’s collaboration technology with our resellers and dealers in the South African market, thus helping them grow their businesses.”
INDUSTRY NEWS
AVIXA releases Rack Building Standard for aV systems AVIXA has announced the release of its newest standard, Rack Building for Audiovisual Systems, which details the requirements for integrating AV systems into racks by providing a process for consistent assembly, mounting, and cable management. This standard covers the fundamental elements of building a reliable AV equipment rack, including: • Assembly of AV equipment racks, associated options, and accessories in single and multi-rack installations • Mounting and affixing of
rack-mount and non-rack-mount AV equipment • Cable management, including planning, lacing, location, and separation of signal and power cables for cable management entering and within racks • Final cleaning, labelling, and finishing of the AV rack build Planning for the use of this standard should begin during the project design phase and be implemented in conjunction with a fully-developed project documentation package. This standard does not cover design elements; therefore, the AV system design should be documented prior to beginning the rack building. AVIXA’s forthcoming standard AV Rack Design will outline the requirements for AV planning, design, accommodation, and equipment layout. The standard will be published in 2019. “An improperly assembled AV rack leads to negative consequences for the system’s performance, and the end users are the
AV rack deployed at the Coca-Cola Head Office in Johannesburg
ones that suffer,” said Ann Brigida, CTS, CStd, AVIXA’s senior director of standards. “This rack building standard was one of the top-requested standards by the AVIXA community,” said Timothy Troast, vice president of product management at Middle Atlantic, and moderator of the Rack Building Task Group. Developing this standard began at Integrated Systems Europe 2016 with a group of AV experts from around the world. Since then, through numerous events, surveys, and phone calls, AVIXA has built a standard that is collective of the AV community’s experience.” To learn more about the Rack Building for Audiovisual Systems standard, visit www.avixa.org/AVrackbuilding.
QSC introduces new Q-SYS control training series Online and classroom courses provide control programming fundamentals for the Q-SYS Platform QSC has announced the Q-SYS Control training series. Much like the award-winning Q-SYS Training Level 1 and 2, this new series includes Q-SYS Control 101, which is an online introductory course with 20 new videos that help lay the foundation for programming, and Q-SYS Control 201 classroom training, which applies this foundation to common third-party meeting room devices and control scenarios, ultimately unleashing the power of Q-SYS Control.
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Q-SYS Control 101 is ideal for those integrators looking for their first exposure to control programming training, or for those programming experts who want to apply their existing knowledge specifically to the Q-SYS Platform. The online course covers Q-SYS plugins, custom control components, the new Block Controller visual coding tool, and a basic introduction to modern Lua scripting. Available now, Q-SYS Control 101 takes approximately 4-5 hours to complete and offers 2.5 AVIXA CTS renewal units (RUs) at its conclusion.
“The Q-SYS Platform offers a unique approach to AV control, achieving more flexibility and scalability than any control platform, all without dedicated control hardware,” said Patrick Heyn, director of marketing, QSC Systems. “This new training curriculum represents a major milestone for Q-SYS by pairing a simplified control paradigm with an equally simplified way of learning control. Our training takes full advantage of the modern scripting languages and innovative tools available in Q-SYS Designer Software to teach fundamental programming principles in a matter of days rather than weeks and months. Moreover, we are proud to deliver this content in a way that is fun, interactive and accessible for programmers of all levels.”
INDUSTRY NEWS
CASIO LAMPFREE PROJECTOR WINS FIRST PLACE According to a recent report published by Future Source Consulting, the Casio LampFree Projector has once again achieved the number one market share position for sales of semiconductor light source projectors, a position that the company has occupied for the past eight years.
Casio’s LampFree Projectors offer an optical engine unique to Casio that combines a high-luminosity blue laser and a red LED. The colour green is achieved by passing the blue laser through phosphor. This projector’s bright projection at low power consumption – compared with high-pressure mercury-lamp and other semiconductor light source projectors – has been achieved through outstanding power-saving technology and optical block optimisation, both of which realise high projection efficiency.
The Casio LampFree Projector does not requires lamps or filters, enabling a reduction in costs on spare parts and the labour expenses involved in changing them. Also, with Casio’s advanced power-saving technology, power consumption has been reduced by 40-50% compared to highpressure mercury lamp models, making Casio Projectors extremely competitive from a cost of ownership perspective. Casio projectors are distributed locally by PanSolutions. For more information, visit http://www.pansolutions.co.za.
ISE VISITOR REGISTRATION NOW OPEN ISE 2019 promises increased floor space, an additional venue and an expanded conference programme. Integrated Systems Europe has announced that visitor registration for ISE 2019 is now open. The show, which takes place at the RAI Amsterdam on 5-8 February 2019, features more exhibition space and a bigger conference programme than ever before. It is expected to draw numbers in excess of 2018’s totals of 80,923 registered attendees and 1,296 exhibitors. In response to the growing demand for exhibition space at the RAI Amsterdam, ISE 2019 will feature an extended Hall 5, approximately one-third larger than previous editions. In addition, ISE is spreading beyond the RAI by hosting a range of new and established conferences at the nearby five-star Hotel Okura. ISE attendees will also be able to utilise the newly opened Metro line 52, which carries passengers from Amsterdam Centraal to a new Europaplein station, just in front of the
RAI, in only eight minutes. Mike Blackman, Integrated Systems Events managing director, commented: “The ISE will return to the RAI in Amsterdam in 2019 extension of Hall 5 and the opening of the new Metro station adjacent to the RAI the AV User Group to arm AV professionals Amsterdam will all contribute to the delivery with the insight needed to elevate their of a great ISE experience to increased performance in the marketplace.” numbers of attendees and exhibitors.” The biggest-ever ISE conference Leading trade associations and ISE programme reflects the show’s increasing co-owners AVIXA and CEDIA are building on segmentation into vertical markets and a the success of previous ISE shows by offering desire to meet the information needs of informative and thought-provoking content increasing numbers of end user visitors. Five aimed at members and non-members alike. of these conferences will be held at the AVIXA will host half-day What’s Next Okura. conferences on the Tuesday and The popular InAVate Awards, powered by Wednesday afternoons. These will explore AV ISE, will once again take place on the integrated experiences in higher education evening of the first day of the show and enterprise environments respectively. (entries are still open). AVIXA will also be hosting free 20-minute In addition to visitor registration, the FlashTrack education sessions at its stand. updated show website allows attendees to “AVIXA’s education programme for ISE will book their flights and hotel accommodation explore the trends at the forefront of through ISE’s travel partners. contemporary AV design,” said AVIXA CEO For registration and further information, David Labuskes. “We’ve partnered with kindly visit: https://www.iseurope.org. esteemed organisations SCHOMS, EUNIS and
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Photos by Michael Lotriet
INSTALLATION CORPORATE
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INSTALLATION CORPORATE
PwC SETS NEW STANDARD FOR UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS Professional services firm PwC recently relocated to their iconic new head office at the centre of Waterfall City in Midrand. The multinational services company relied on a long-standing partner, Omega Digital, to deploy an AV solution that would set the standard for the company’s continent-wide AV deployment. Sales and marketing director of Omega Digital, Michael Kellaway, spoke with AV Integration in a recent interview about the award-winning project.
The 26-floor headquarters of PwC, South Africa
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INSTALLATION CORPORATE
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PROGRESSIVE PARTNERSHIPS
A TURN-KEY SOLUTION
Professional services firm PwC has a huge presence in South Africa, with over 4,800 employees and 23 offices throughout the country. When relocating to a new, 26-floor headquarters, known as PwC Tower, in Waterfall City, it wanted a comprehensive smart workspace solution to deliver maximum productivity and support employees into the future. Kellaway explains that Omega Digital, one of the leading collaboration experts in the country, has a long-standing relationship with PwC, having provided managed services for the group for more than seven years. “Due to the close working relationship that we have developed with PwC, we have a solid understanding of the organisational culture and the direction that the company wants to take,” Kellaway points out. To deliver on PwC’s objectives, Omega Digital proposed Crestron as the ideal partner for this vast project. Omega Digital expertly integrated a suite of Crestron solutions to manage the audiovisual (AV), video conferencing (VC), room booking and digital signage throughout PwC’s impressive new building. This complex integration included 155 meeting rooms and a 17-room training facility, with connected technologies controlled through Crestron DigitalMedia 32x32 Matrix Switchers installed on each floor. “The need to make the world smaller using video conferencing and collaboration platforms was integral to our firm’s vision of our new office, as well as the rest of Africa. This was where the combination of Omega and Crestron became extremely important,” states senior manager at PwC, Grant Kemp. According to Kellaway, one of the major advantages for Omega Digital was that their dedicated on-site team were involved in the conceptualisation and design of the tower prior to the deployment of PwC’s new collaboration solution. “PwC relies on Omega for all of their onsite technical support, and our dedicated team have been involved in the design, installation, and programming of the AV and collaboration solutions for the PwC Tower, as well as the satellite offices in Cape Town and Durban, which makes for a seamless user experience.”
The 155 meeting rooms within PwC Tower are comprised of a combination of small and medium-sized AV and VC rooms. Each room is powered by Crestron’s AirMedia to provide easy-to-use, fast and secure wireless connectivity. Participants can sit or stand anywhere in the meeting space and easily connect their laptop or smart device to the main display, providing seamless switching between presenters. Cabled connectivity is also available via Crestron FlipTops, mounted into the meeting room tables. Crestron FlipTops provide a highly configurable and well-organised connectivity solution with versatile combinations of pull-out cables, cable retractors, connector panels, and AC power outlets. Switching between sources is seamless thanks to Crestron’s centralised DM Matrix switchers, which work in synchronicity with Crestron’s HD-MD-400 to manage the instant scaling of files, documents, images, and videos – to ensure the best possible quality display and high-definition presentations. Multiple rooms are also equipped with Crestron Mercury, for easy collaboration and crystal-clear conference calling. It’s the only AV and VC all-in-one tabletop solution that supports any web collaboration application, including Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business, enabling people to work together regardless of location or preferred application. To provide high quality audio throughout the office, Crestron’s inceiling amplifiers have been paired with Crestron’s Excite ceiling speakers, for exceptional sound across multiple rooms. This discreet solution is ideal for delivering great audio to the abundance of rooms at PwC. All meeting rooms are managed centrally via Crestron Fusion, a monitoring and scheduling software that adds a layer of intelligence for seamless room management. Crestron Fusion allows employees to
INSTALLATION CORPORATE book rooms and verify room availability, giving complete visibility of room status at any time and preventing people from occupying rooms they haven’t booked. There is also a ‘check-in’ function allowing better analytics of meeting attendance and to allow rooms to be made available should participants not arrive for their meeting slot. Outside each meeting room, a Crestron 7” TSS-752-B-S touchscreen connects to the Crestron Fusion platform, integrated into a third-party scheduling application allowing users to book rooms with ease. The touch screen is programmed with a standard Crestron interface that has been visually customised for PwC, making it easy for everyone to use – from the managing director to a visitor. Users can instantly check the status of the room or adjust the room's settings, such as temperature and lighting. Kellaway goes on to explain that PwC has various personnel that utilise the equipment on a daily basis, and every member of staff needs to be able to approach Crestron touchscreens and know how to use them. “Therefore, the standardisation of interfaces is extremely important to the success of the installation, and the adaptable and flexible nature of Crestron technology made the entire process far easier, and the complications much simpler to overcome,” he concludes.
INTUITIVE CONTROL According to Kellaway, the driving concept behind the design of the installation for PwC was creating a simple, easy-to-use experience for the end user. “We have designed everything with simplicity in mind. The end user gets to experience that simplicity, but in the background, there is a tremendous amount of programming and coding that goes into achieving this slick and seamless experience,” he explains. Each intelligent room has been programmed to activate into a pre-set state when a meeting organiser checks into the room via the external touch panel. The room automatically switches on the lights, wakes up the monitors and activates the AV/VC. Once the meeting is over, the room shuts down by switching the lights off and turning the technologies to standby mode, saving energy and costs. Stand-by is activated based on two criteria: the first is a motion sensor that monitors the room for detected activity and the second is triggered by the calendar if the room is not booked for use within the next ten minutes. Kellaway adds that one of the greatest advantages of the meeting room installation is that everything in the room, including the lights, the VC unit, the screen and tabletop interfaces are all on the network, and Omega Digital is able to control everything from a centralised point.
Omega Digital expertly integrated a suite of Crestron solutions
Each room is powered by Crestron’s AirMedia to provide easy-to-use, fast and secure wireless connectivity
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INSTALLATION CORPORATE
AN AWARD-WINNING INSTALLATION Omega’s smart and comprehensive Crestron integration has helped to make PwC’s vast modern workplace operate smoothly, simplifying the way that employees undertake meetings and saving them time by delivering user-friendly solutions that don’t require a panic call to IT. This world-class connected office is a leading example of how to drive productivity in the future workplace and consequently earned Omega Digital a coveted Crestron Integration Award in 2018 for Best Corporate Application. Commenting on the project, Crestron’s regional director for South Africa, Rupert Denoon, states: “As the regional director for Crestron in the territory, I am very proud of Omega Digital, who did a phenomenal job on the Crestron installation at PwC. The project showcased how much Crestron can do from a turn-key perspective and represents the cutting-edge of smart building technology, providing an example for others to follow.” The deployment of collaboration solutions at the PwC head office in Midrand served as the starting point of a much broader roll-out, Kellaway explains. “Now that the system is up and running effectively at the PwC Tower, we will be standardising the solution to extend to all of PwC’s offices in South Africa and across the African continent.”
"As the regional director for Crestron in the territory, I am very proud of Omega Digital, who did a phenomenal job on the Crestron installation at PwC." – Rupert Denoon
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EXPERT OPINION INDUSTRY FOCUS
AV LEADS THE WAY TO NEXT-GENERATION Technology has become a big driving force in how businesses across various sectors engage and deliver services to clients. During recent years, the financial planning profession began shifting from being product-led and once-off to advice-led and longer-term. It is now focused primarily on building compelling value propositions and meaningful long-term relationships with clients.
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FINANCIAL ADVISORY SERVICES
EXPERT OPINION INDUSTRY FOCUS
By Jean Archary, Development Specialist at Old Mutual Wealth Jean is responsible for development of the OMW Business Management Services proposition which helps financial planning practices operate in a future-fit environment. Jean is a Certified Financial Planner and her work experience includes financial planning and management. Jean is passionate about empowering others through financial education.
The profession was recently threatened by the introduction of robo-advice, where basic financial advice could be obtained and implemented online using technology-based solutions. However, this type of advice does not appeal to all client segments. The high net worth and ultra-high net worth segments are typically those with more complex financial planning needs and still require and value the services a human adviser offers. However, this does not mean that financial planners working within this market segment are not driving change when it comes to technology. Global research indicates that clients prefer a mix of both digital and personal advice. Digital does not necessarily have to replace human interaction or advice but can be used to drive delivery of advice to clients. Digital experiences are online, on-demand and a convenient way of interacting and getting things done. Financial planners need to recognise the benefits that technology offers not only for their clients but also for their staff and the business. While new systems and tools may require an initial outlay of time and money, businesses that are failing to consider a digital strategy risk losing their competitive edge. Currently, financial planning businesses are able to access various systems and tools through the product providers they partner with or via external third parties. Building these on their own is a costly exercise. Many of these systems and tools are used for planning purposes, implementing new business, managing client data, back office support and online reporting. Independent financial planners especially face the challenge of needing various tools and systems as their clients have investment portfolios with various providers. There is no one consolidated solution that they can use throughout the planning process. Financial service providers are partnering with financial technology, IT and AV specialists to build sophisticated and user-friendly planning tools. Integrating these tools with other systems is becoming a necessity as it simplifies the planner’s life and ability to do business. The financial planning industry is highly complex, and there is no room for errors as it can have disastrous financial outcomes for clients. The industry is also highly regulated, and financial planners are required to maintain a certain level of knowledge when it comes to financial planning and the products they recommend. The planner’s world becomes more complex depending on the number of providers they partner with, and so providers have a stake in simplifying and enabling planners to do business with them.
At Old Mutual Wealth, we have developed our own range of planning tools that are aligned to our philosophy. These tools enable planners to follow our client engagement process step by step. It takes into consideration the client's goals, the gathering and storing of data, planning scenarios that visually reflect the trade-offs clients are required to make thereby keeping them informed in the planning process. Once solutions are agreed on, seamless and straight-through processing can be implemented linking the advice given. Because financial planning is not a once-off transaction, planners have a fiduciary responsibility to review the client’s goals and make sure the solutions implemented are on track towards achieving them. This is made a lot easier through technology. Online reporting and client portals allow for ongoing engagement with clients. Many providers do not have the resources or skills to build or enhance these tools on their own, so partnering with specialists who offer various types of technology that can integrate with their systems or components becomes a necessity. CRM tools, as an example, offer a central storage system that allows for the easy management and access of client information and records. Integration of these tools helps to give a more consolidated view of client data and provide additional functionalities, making it easier to manage business. Another challenge prior to the professionalisation of the industry was the location of client meetings. Many client visits took place at the client’s office or home and this became part of the client’s expectations. If all parties lived in the same town, this would be easy to manage. However, today many planners have clients that live in different cities, provinces and countries. This is time-consuming and expensive, and does not allow the business to scale up. Remember, our industry is highly regulated and is moving away from a transactional type of business to more meaningful long-term relationships with clients. This means that the number of clients a planner can maintain relationships with is small. However, with the use of technology, planners no longer need to spend time and money on the road getting from one client to the next. Technology has enabled planners to conduct meetings using virtual meeting rooms and video conferencing facilities. Virtual meeting rooms are also now integrated with CRM systems to allow planners to record meetings and even sign documents digitally. This makes the compliance process a lot easier as recording the advice given is a critical regulatory requirement in the financial planning world. Although advances in technology comes with their own challenges, they also provide a number of opportunities for financial planning businesses. The automation and integration of technology simplifies the way in which we do business. We can now conduct business in a manner that adheres to regulatory requirements, improves the delivery of services to clients and allows the financial planner to scale their business.
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EXPERT OPINION DIGITAL SIGNAGE
The digital future
signage of
Advertising has been a major force in capitalist economies since the early 1900s, when mass media in the form of newspapers and periodicals created a direct channel of communication between those selling products and those buying them. With the advent of digital communication over the past few decades, the way that advertisers communicate with audiences has changed dramatically, and businesses need to adapt or resign themselves to being ignored. Bruce Genricks has a unique insight into the benefits and challenges that adopting digital signage solutions hold for end users in the South African marketplace.
What in your opinion is driving the demand for digital signage solutions? Digital signage is a market that has shown explosive growth over the past few years. The trend is supported by the fact that people are bombarded with visual content on a never-beforeseen scale, and therefore static billboards are no longer an effective way to capture the attention of potential customers. Businesses are looking for more dynamic advertising solutions, and digital signage answers this challenge.
How can businesses use digital signage to their advantage? The applications for digital signage are varied and highly scalable. The benefit of digital signage over conventional printbased billboards is that a single display in a well-positioned area can host an array of advertising, it is easy and cost-effective to update content, and content can be scheduled to run at strategic times.
Digital signage can be used in-house by a stand-alone store to display products and special offers, or larger retail chains can deploy digital signage across their stores and manage content from a single point using Cloud-based technology. In shopping centres, digital displays can be deployed in public areas, and advertising space can be shared. Another application which is rapidly gaining popularity is way-finding. Many professional display panels are able to support interactive overlays, which means that you can create touch panels so that people are able to interact with them using their fingers. We see many shopping centres taking advantage of this technology to provide store directories while hosting third-party advertising when the display is not in use. We have also seen digital signage solutions being used to great effect in motor showrooms, with interactive displays allowing customers to design their own vehicles, choosing the colour, the type of wheels and special paint effects, for example. This level of interaction is also gaining popularity in retail fashion, with interactive displays allowing customers to approach a panel displaying a life-size model and being able to change the colour or size of an outfit on offer at the store.
Bruce Genricks, managing director of Electrosonic SA, a leading distributor of professional digital signage technology in South Africa
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EXPERT OPINION DIGITAL SIGNAGE
“With digital signage, content can be updated frequently, scheduled to take into account audience traffic and, in some cases, the customer can interact with displays to create a whole new level of communication.“ 17
EXPERT OPINION DIGITAL SIGNAGE
What are some of the challenges of deploying digital signage? The digital signage market is fairly new and, as such, business owners and investors do not always understand the factors that need to be taken into consideration when deploying a digital signage solution. When deciding to invest in a digital signage solution for your business, one needs to take into account your available budget, the complexity of the installation and the level of professional support that you will need. It may seem like a more affordable solution to purchase a standard LCD panel from a retailer. However, residential displays are not designed for commercial applications, and as a result, you may compromise the warranty on the product. This has implications on the cost of ownership because, while the capital outlay for a professional display solution may be larger, the cost of maintaining your system over a five-year period will be much lower if you invest in the appropriate technology from the get-go. In most instances, it is best that you contract a professional systems integrator to assist in designing and installing your digital signage solution, to ensure that you deploy a system that is best suited to your needs, is reliable and is eligible for after-sales support.
What are some of the factors that need to be considered before investing in digital signage? One of the most important factors that need to be considered is your product choice. Professional displays are specifically designed for commercial use and come with an array of inbuilt features that support the deployment of digital signage. The ProSpectre range, distributed by Electrosonic, is an example of a professional display that is designed with the commercial market in mind. ProSpectre panels come with an extremely thin bezel, to ensure that the display looks the part. The manufacturer uses higher-grade components than are used in residential displays to ensure that the screen can be operated 24/7. In addition, commercial displays by ProSpectre come with the digital scheduling software that makes managing your content simple and efficient. Another factor that needs to be taken into account before investing in a digital signage solution is how your content will be distributed to your screens. It is important that you have the means to distribute different signals to different areas or panels as the need arises, and there are various methods that one can use. In the past, it could have been as simple as inserting a flash drive loaded with your content directly into your panel. However, as technology evolves, content needs to be more dynamic and, as with the vast majority of modern technology, we need to start connecting panels to the internet. One of the major advantages of the ProSpectre displays is that they have a built-in media player, hosted on an OPS PC, and you can slot in either an i5 windows-based processor or – if you don’t need the speed and functionality of a Windows-based system – an Android processor. This means that you do not need to connect a PC to the panel to run your content. Also, ProSpectre panels can be connected to your source using traditional HDMI cables, HDBaseT technology, a LAN connection or wireless technology, depending on the infrastructure and design of your digital signage solution. Another advantage is that ProSpectre panels are equipped with a fail-over system, which means that you will never be stuck with a ‘blue screen’. One simply loads content onto a flash drive that is inserted into the panel. If the internet connectivity or the media server fails, the panel will default to the flash drive, and the screen will continue playing content until you can resolve the problem.
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EXPERT OPINION DIGITAL SIGNAGE
“One of the things that you want to avoid at all costs is 'the dreaded blue screen of death' – when things fail, and you end up with a DOS screen or the panel reverts to Windows it looks extremely unprofessional.” – Bruce Genricks, MD Electrosonic SA
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EXPERT OPINION DIGITAL SIGNAGE
What are the benefits of investing in a professional digital signage installation? The power of first impressions is something that has come up often in popular culture, and a customer’s first impression of your business offering is often defined by your advertising campaign. Poorly executed digital signage is unlikely to portray an image that will attract customers. By installing an amateurish digital display for an inhouse installation, you are placing your own advertising at risk. If the display is in a public space, nine times out of ten, the display will be used to host advertising by third parties. Advertisers want to know that their adverts are flighting at the right time because they are paying for the service. Reliable operation is not the only factor that you need to consider; it is just as important that the LCD panel can display all of the colours as they should be displayed, and at the right resolution to enhance the product offering.
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While the quality of your digital signage is of paramount importance for an effective digital signage solution, so is managing the cost of ownership. ProSpectre screens come with a two-year warranty, which can be upgraded to a five-year warranty, supported by Electrosonic SA. If your professional display fails during the warranty period, Electrosonic will ensure that repairs are carried out locally by certified technicians, using spares that we keep onsite. If the screen cannot be repaired immediately, the end user will be offered a loan unit while repairs are carried out to ensure that they suffer no downtime. As the certified distributor of ProSpectre screens in South Africa, Electrosonic only sells ProSpectre displays to reputable integrators, and we pride ourselves on supporting the professionals that install our products. As a result, investing in a professional digital signage solution, using commercial-grade products that are supported locally and installed by professionals, will ensure an effective advertising solution for your business that is guaranteed to offer a long-term return on investment.
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USER REVIEW Barco
WIRELESS PRESENTATION GAINS TRACTION IN SA Over the past eighty years, Barco has grown into a global force in the AV technology market, with an annual turnover of $1.102 billion and more than 3500 employees across 90 countries. In 2012, Barco added to their reputation as a world leader in visualisation technology with the launch of ClickShare, a wireless presentation solution that Barco promised would revolutionise the modern meeting room experience. Over the past five years, Barco’s ClickShare wireless presentation
ClickShare User Review
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solution has been adopted by some of the world’s leading enterprises, and South African businesses are starting to follow the trend. AV Integration takes a look at Barco’s industry-leading ClickShare wireless presentation range and spoke with some South African end users across various sectors about their experience with the product.
A LOCALLY SUPPORTED SOLUTION Barco is a globally-recognised leader in visualisation technologies, and many of South Africa’s foremost enterprises have made use of their technologies accross a range of project areas over the past few decades. Barco panels have been used to supply one of the world's largest video wall installations for Telkom SA, as well as for the mission-critical video walls at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). In 2012, Barco launched ClickShare, a game-changing wireless presentation system aimed at revolutionising how content is presented and shared in corporate meeting spaces. According to Barco, more than 30 million PowerPoint presentations are produced on a daily basis, and ineffective AV technology in meeting spaces costs global enterprise enormous sums in technical support services and loss of productivity. ClickShare wireless presentation technology not only enables a presenter to get content on-screen almost instantly, but also allows multiple participants the opportunity to contribute using wireless technology that is both reliable and secure. Since its launch, Barco’s ClickShare has captured a 57% market share in wireless presentation technology in meeting spaces, based on sales distribution figures from 2016 and 2017. With over 350,000 units sold globally by the end of 2017, 40% of which were to Fortune 1000 companies, it is fair to state that ClickShare is among the most popular and successful wireless presentation technologies on the market today. In line with international trends, ClickShare technology is quickly gaining a foothold in South Africa as an optimal wireless presentation solution for the corporate environment. Barco has been highly selective in establishing distribution channels in the country to ensure the provision of after-sales support and service across its ClickShare product range.
1934
Belgium American Radio Corporation (Barco) founded by Lucien de Puydt
1949
Barco launches the first multi-standard television to accept different signal standards
1951
Barco launches the Barc-O-Matic jukebox
1967
Barco becomes one of the first European companies to produce transistor-based portable televisions
1970
Barco branches out into mechanical components and quality control monitoring
1979
Development of cathode ray tube (CRT) projection aboard aeroplanes
1980
Barco becomes a main projection technology supplier for IBM, Apple and Hewlett-Packard
1988
Barco lists on the Brussels Stock Market
1991
Barco’s market share in the graphics projection market reached 75%
2000
Barco established as a leader in LCD, LED, and DLP technology
2012
Barco ClickShare launched
2017
Barco ClickShare reaches 57% market share in the wireless presentation market
EIGHTY YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
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USER REVIEW Barco
INTRODUCING THE BARCO CLICKSHARE FAMILY ClickShare CS-100
The ClickShare CS-100 is a stand-alone wireless presentation system, designed for small meeting rooms, and is the entry-level model in Barco’s ClickShare range. As with all ClickShare wireless presentations solutions, the CS-100 enables meeting participants to connect and share content in real time. Users plug a USB-powered ClickShare Button into their PC or Mac and click the button to get the content from their laptop onto the meeting room screen. With the ClickShare App, users can also share content from their mobile phones or tablets. ClickShare is designed to be highly intuitive and userfriendly, negating the need for end user training. Features include: • Wireless connection to a central screen • Single user on-screen • Share from laptop, tablet or smartphone (BYOD) • 1x HDMI output • Shipped with 1 Button
ClickShare CSE-200
The CSE-200 offers the ClickShare experience for small and medium-sized meeting rooms and has been specifically designed for enterprise rollouts. As such, the CSE-200 offers enhanced security features, and a wider range of connectivity options including AirPlay and Google Cast support for non-HDCP content, TouchBack support and central management. Allowing two participants to share content simultaneously, the CSE-200 ensures direct connectivity to the central screen and encourages collaboration. Security features on the CSE-200 can be set to one of three predefined levels, depending on the company’s policies and needs and the device’s API simplifies integration into the company network. Features include: • Up to two users on-screen • Enhanced security features • TouchBack support • Central management • Delivered with two Buttons
ClickShare CSE-800
The CSE-800 is designed for deployment in boardrooms, high-end meeting rooms and conference rooms, and combines all of the functionality of the CSE-200 with a number of unique features specifically suited to larger environments. The CSE-800 allows for simultaneous sharing for up to eight participants. To ensure that collaboration between multiple contributors is effectively managed, the CSE-800 comes with a moderation functionality that enables a meeting moderator to select the content to appear on the screen manually. In addition, the CSE-800 comes with blackboarding and annotation, enhanced security features and multiple connectivity options. Features include: • Up to eight users on-screen simultaneously • Enhanced security features • Moderation • Blackboarding and annotation • 4K DCI
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Products Barco
SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESSes COMMENT ON BARCO CLICKSHARE Wendy serves as personal assistant to the managing director of the South African branch of a major international stationery company, situated in Germiston, Johannesburg. The company has invested in a single Barco ClickShare as a stand-alone unit for their boardroom. What motivated your decision to invest in a Barco wireless presentation solution for your boardroom? When we decided to upgrade the AV system in our boardroom, we recognised that it was not cost-effective to make alterations to the office building or furniture in the process. We, therefore, decided to go with a wireless solution. Due to budget constraints, our AV integrator originally suggested that we use another brand of wireless presentation devices, which was half the price of the ClickShare. He explained to us that we would need to install software on our laptops to connect to the projector. After we received the quote and sent it off to the IT department at our head office in Germany, the IT manager suggested that we use ClickShare, because of its network security features and trusted name in the market.
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When I used the ClickShare for the first time, I asked our IT specialist to come and assist. However, I never
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ended up consulting with him, because it was so easy to use and quick to get my presentation up on the screen.
What was your experience of the technology? When we first installed our ClickShare unit, we were a little sceptical. It was quite a change from the way that we used to connect to our projector because, for years, we plugged a VGA cable into our mobile projector on the table for our presentations. I quickly overcame my reservations because of how easy it is to use. It was as simple as plugging in a USB flash drive and opening a file. When I used the ClickShare for the first time, I asked our IT specialist to come and assist. However, I never ended up consulting with him, because it was so easy to use and quick to get my presentation up on the screen.
How do you feel about your investment in Barco ClickShare? We are well impressed and satisfied with the product that we have purchased.
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USER REVIEW Barco
Marius is the marketing manager of a leading grocery retail chain with offices in Boksburg, Johannesburg. The management team has four main meeting rooms, including a large-scale boardroom, all equipped with Barco ClickShare units. How has the adoption of Barco ClickShare affected workflow?
Would you say that Barco’s ClickShare is user-friendly?
When my team get together to share ideas about new products or artwork that we need to launch, we always use the main boardroom where we have access to the ClickShare CSE-800, which is connected to our video conferencing system. With this AV system in place, we can have multiple people up on the screen simultaneously and compare our artwork and documents with one another, as well as make a VC call to our head office in the USA. Since we have started using ClickShare together with a VC solution, our company has saved hundreds of thousands of Rands in travelling expenses and time alone. In my opinion, our marketing team is far more productive as a result of the adoption of Barco’s wireless presentation solution in our meeting rooms. Things happen quickly in meetings, and there is no more frustration or scuffling around to locate HDMI cables or install software to get our PCs to display content on the screens.
The CliskShare wireless presentation solution is extremely user-friendly. The name really does say it all – you simply click and share. In summary, ClickShare is everything that you want in a meeting room solution, as it is simple and effective. After using multiple other wireless presentation devices in my career, I find the ClickShare far superior to any other product out there.
How have guest presenters responded to the meeting experience in your boardrooms? A fair percentage of visitors, whether it be clients or sales reps, have prior experience with ClickShare, which makes it easy to collaborate effortlessly and securely. However, some have not encountered ClickShare before, and they are typically impressed. Those that are familiar with ClickShare may not have experienced all of the features of the CSE-800, like the annotation and whiteboard functions. Also, our guests appreciate the way we have set up a dual LCD display on 4K in our main boardroom, especially when using content sharing over our preferred VC platform.
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In my opinion, our marketing team is far more productive as a result of the adoption of Barco’s wireless
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presentation solution in our meeting rooms.
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Richard is the IT manager for a leading university in Johannesburg. He is responsible for overseeing an installation of nine Barco ClickShare units on the institution’s network. How do you manage the need to connect guests to your network so that they can present from their laptops?
How has the adoption of Barco ClickShare affected support call volumes from meeting room users?
The fact that all you have to do is plug in a USB device, provide a lecturer or student with a button and they are instantly able to present from their private laptops has saved us an immense amount of time and frustration, and has had a positive effect on productivity. Being an institution of higher learning, it is imperative that we uphold strong cybersecurity prevention procedures. We appreciate the fact that all we have to do is issue a button to a new user, without handing out our WiFi password too. Guest lecturers and presenters are, however, always welcome to use our guest network, because ClickShare does not use the person's wireless card to connect to the base unit, just the button.
Since we have integrated ClickShare, the amount of time wasted due to IT staff having to run around to boardrooms across the building, trying to get people connected to projectors and monitors by finding the correct adapters or cables for the table pop-ups or wall-plates, is a thing of the past. When a room is booked for a meeting, we leave a tray of ClickShare buttons on the boardroom table, and anyone who wants to present simply takes one. The executives do not typically need to call for assistance, because there is invariably at least one person in the meeting who is familiar with the technology, so help is always just a seat or two away. Some of our top executives have their own ClickShare USB-C buttons, and they simply send support an email ahead of the meeting to confirm which boardroom they will be utilising and IT can link the desired button to the correct base unit remotely.
What was the most important factor in your decision to invest in Barco ClickShare? The central management suite software that manages and monitors all ClickShare units across the enterprise LAN was the functionality that decided the final vote on the implementation of this product for our institution. We currently manage nine ClickShare units on our network, and appreciate how simple it is to update, programme buttons, manage and even reboot all our units simultaneously if required. In the past we have had multiple security threats and viruses on our server due to corrupt content or illegal software that students had on their devices and shared onto our network. The enhanced safety features on Barco’s ClickShare have contributed to resolving some of these issues. When we had to upgrade our AV, we did a proof of concept (PoC) for two weeks, and loved it after the very first day.
The Barco ClickShare family of products is distributed locally by some of the leading AV distributors in the country, and is fully backed up by certified technicians that are able to provide comprehensive after-sales support. Should you wish to learn more about deploying Barco ClickShare wireless
presentation solutions in your meeting spaces, kindly contact Peripheral Vision (www.peripheralvision.co.za) or SkyGroup Communications (www.skygroupcom.co.za) for more information, or speak to a reputable AV integration specialist in your area.
ADVERTORIAL VIDEO SOLUTIONS
HARNESSING THE POWER OF VID Sharing information, motivating staff and providing on-going training are all key to the success of corporate enterprises. With today’s employees deluged by meetings and emails, video is becoming an increasingly efficient way to communicate more effectively with staff, wherever they are located. Here we explore five key communication challenges facing enterprises today, and how IP video and digital signage solutions can help address them, increase employee engagement and improve overall business operations.
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Aid critical decision-making
Increase visitor and employee engagement with digital signage
High-pressure industries often need to react quickly to changing circumstances, and businesses of all sizes are realising that having constant access to live news is critical to their success. More companies are choosing to stream live TV and video around their premises – not just to displays, but also straight to desktops and mobiles – to keep staff continually informed and aid critical decision-making. IP video, also referred to as IPTV, is modern, scalable and future-proof, enabling an organisation to distribute terrestrial and satellite television and radio, video on demand, digital signage and web content to any screen throughout an office. Channels can be centrally managed, configured and controlled, ensuring the correct content is delivered to each recipient.
Integrated IP video and digital signage is a powerful communications vehicle for sharing up-to-the-minute corporate information, video and messaging with employees and visitors in an impactful way. Strategic placement of signage screens throughout the busiest parts of the office, such as in the canteen, main office areas, reception and hallways, can help ensure communications have the broadest possible reach.
ADVERTORIAL VIDEO SOLUTIONS
DEO IN THE CORPORATE WORLD 3
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Improve collaboration with flexible and mobile work
Enhance staff training with on-demand video
Protect premium video with end-to-end content protection
The very nature of the workplace is changing at a tremendous pace. With challenges like finding specialised talent, catering to an on-demand workforce and accommodating more flexible work environments, organisations are having to rethink how they recruit, retain, train and grow their workforce to achieve future success. Keeping staff up-to-date in a globally dispersed organisation is a case in point. Town hall meetings, for example, are critical to communicating a company’s direction; when every employee can participate in the live event, they’re more likely to feel involved, engaged and an integral part of an organisation. Remote workers and a growing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) culture also means enterprises need to deliver a seamless experience on a variety of mobile devices to improve the reach of internal communications. With an IP video system, organisations can deliver high-quality video content optimised for a range of mobile devices and distributed beyond the constraints of the corporate wired network via a WAN, Wi-Fi and the Internet.
Employees feel engaged and motivated when their employers invest in developing their skills. When large numbers of employees need to undertake regular training, trying to coordinate in person is not always possible, so making use of video is a natural alternative. IP video can provide a cost-effective and flexible solution by archiving learning materials and corporate updates for on-demand playback. Live training events can also be broadcast to multiple locations, saving the need for employees to travel to a specific venue.
In an era with vast amounts of digital content passing across multiple networks, video piracy and new video consumption habits combine to pose new security risks. The onus is on the end user to protect premium content when distributed over IP, or face potentially costly consequences. Companies need to ensure they adhere to the latest content protection requirements to ensure that content is accessed and distributed legally across different types of networks. It’s vital that corporations select video solutions that ensure compliance with broadcaster requirements for premium content delivery. Protect video end-to-end from illicit access and distribution – and bring peace of mind to your organisation.
Find out more at www.exterity.com
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OPINION PIECE INDUSTRY FOCUS
High performance double-glazed curtain wal
Green roof
Design for active occupants
Efficient lighting throughout the building
Rigorous environmental and waste management processes during construction
1 Discovery Place on the corner of Rivonia and Kathrine, Sandton has been awarded a five-star rating by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) *Source: Green Building Council of South Africa https://gbcsa.org.za/resources-listings/case-studies/
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OPINION PIECE INDUSTRY FOCUS
IoT shaping new facilities management paradigms With the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) and connected technologies, the landscape of facilities management will change radically within three years, as the number of connected devices globally rises from 10 billion in 2015 to an estimated 34 billion in 2020.
Daylight harvesting and occupancy sensing
Driven by broadband internet, decreasing technology costs, ubiquitous smartphone penetration and more devices created with built-in sensors and Wi-Fi capabilities, the implications of the IoT on building management are significant. Vast datasets, generated by connected building devices, provide new opportunities for building owners and facility managers to derive insights from data and improve building performance. According to a January 2017 research report from Morar Consulting in the U.S., 63% of facility managers show interest in implementing new digital technologies, such as intelligent analytics to improve maintenance decisions and operations, and 89% indicate they expect to achieve a return on their IoT investments within three years.
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OPINION PIECE INDUSTRY FOCUS
Building efficiency paramount In line with the US and the EU, South Africa is also supporting building efficiency and focusing on workplace efficiency by creating comfortable and productive workspaces, while also reducing energy consumption. The Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) certifies buildings according to the Green Star rating system, and these buildings are recognised for their resource efficiency, which is rated in minute detail using sustainability indicators on every aspect of the development, from light and water fixtures, to paint and carpeting. In 2018, the GBCSA expects the proportion of green buildings to climb from 2017’s 41% to 61% of all South African building project activity. This global move towards uncovering valuable insights from building data and making adjustments to improve efficiency has shifted attention away from equipment manufacturers and into the hands of system integrators and support teams. While the building management system (BMS) still serves as the backbone of any smart building, these systems have become commoditised over the years. The real value of these systems lies in their ability to connect to other devices within the building environment and reveal opportunities to improve efficiency and performance.
"Facility managers must learn new skill sets such as data analysis and broaden their technical
Connected technologies that need to be integrated into a modern BMS were not being applied five years ago and did not exist a decade in the past. In buildings of the past, the facility manager was the person who handled the mechanics and daily functions of the systems in the buildings they managed. Today’s facility managers are concerned with not only the building systems they have ownership of but also with the plethora of smart, connected devices that interact with their facilities on a daily basis. As a result, facility managers must learn new skill sets such as data analysis and broaden their technical knowledge base in order to manage and make the most of today’s building technologies. They must also work with the right systems integrators who know how to install and manage the most optimised and comprehensive intelligent energy solutions. While technology has greatly impacted the role of today’s facility professionals, we are also seeing a demographic shift as older workers retire and leave the workforce and are replaced by the next generation of facility managers. These younger facility professionals are technologically savvy when it comes to network connectivity and information technology. However, they often lack a deep knowledge of mechanical systems. To be successful, the next generation of facility professionals must find a way to merge their new-world knowledge of the IoT with the mechanic knowledge that drove the building management industry for decades.
knowledge base in order to manage and make
Industry experts add knowledge
the most of today's building technologies.
The key to success in today’s building management landscape for both experienced and newer facility professionals is gaining a deep understanding of the components critical to achieving comprehensive energy management within homes and facilities – including lighting and room controls, power distribution, data communication, HVAC control and energy monitoring. To achieve in-depth knowledge to optimise building control, operational efficiency and energy management, facility professionals should seek out industry experts who can offer support in the following key areas:
They must also work with the right systems integrators who know how to install and manage the most optimised and comprehensive intelligent energy solutions." Facilities management changing rapidly The South African Facilities Management Association defines facilities management as, “An enabler of sustainable enterprise performance through the whole life management of productive workplaces and effective business support services.” Today, the efficient running of a company’s internal services and its premises is of paramount importance, in terms of both the enormous efficiencies and cost savings that can be gained. However, the shift towards IoT-enabled buildings is fundamentally changing the role of today’s facilities professionals and creating new requirements for them to be successful at their jobs. As smart technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, new questions are being raised. How can it be integrated into building systems effectively and strategically? How do we interface it with the many other devices that are in our buildings and homes?
• Specialised training in the most critical challenges facing building owners and facility managers and the solutions that can solve them • An open network of fellow facility professionals and system integrators that promotes idea-sharing and best practices implementation • Access to industry-leading technology solutions that will drive the future of intelligent buildings In a world where technology is constantly evolving and creating opportunities for facilities to reach new levels of efficiency, future growth will hinge on specialised knowledge and education. These insights and resources will ultimately help system integrators grow their business and provide facility professionals with more control over the complete building environment, as they create and manage the smart buildings of tomorrow. * Source: www.schneider-electric.co.za.
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EXPERT OPINION CONSUMER ADVICE
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT AV SOLUTION By Chaz Nielsen An AVIXA-Certified AV Technologist at Audio Visual Centre, Nielsen specialises in AV solutions for the corporate, commercial and domestic markets.
In the modern business environment, technology can be your best friend or your worst enemy, depending on how you choose to approach the acquisition and integration of technology for your organisation. In my experience, there are companies that are more than willing to spend without a thought on a 20-seater boardroom table, and high-end furniture complete with an imported coffee machine. However, when it comes to choosing the right AV solution for their organisation, they settle for an option that may be the most affordable but which brings frustration upon all parties involved. On the opposite side of the spectrum, I have worked with progressive companies that are not afraid to invest in technology. One of the most important differentiating factors is that early and successful adaptors do their research, and budget accordingly.
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EXPERT OPINION CONSUMER ADVICE
Consulting an AV professional can be the make or break of your organisation's journey into the world of smarter offices and improved business practices. – Chaz Nielsen
If one looks at the factors to consider before buying a family car, for example. An educated consumer will consider the needs of the family, the expected mileage, and running and maintenance costs of the different options on the market. You would likely ask what the cost of parts will be, ensure to invest in a service plan and have your vehicle serviced at a certified service centre to get the most out of the warrantee period. While generations of trial and error have created a strong drive towards responsible consumer behaviour in the automobile industry, the same cannot be said for the technology sector. We regularly get bombarded with new products, latest upgrades, and next-best-thing promises. Therefore, any business executive, procurement officer or IT manager that is tasked with specifying a fully-fledged AV system for their company, has to do their homework first. Making the wrong choice is almost always expensive, not only because of the hardware and software costs, but also because of the loss of productivity, poor user uptake and the risk of falling behind your competitors.
As with any specialised field, research can only take you part of the way – as anybody who has Googled the possible causes of a headache can tell you. And, unlike a doctor’s consultation, most AV companies are willing to supply a sales representative to conduct a site inspection for free. AV technologists such as myself have a passion for assisting clients in finding the perfect solution for their individual needs. Consulting an AV professional can be the make or break of your organisation's journey into the world of smarter offices and improved business practices. When consulting with a professional AV Technologist, it is also important that you ask the right questions. Here are some of the questions that I routinely ask clients seeking to update or invest in AV technology for the first time. Give some thought to how you would respond to your AV consultant before deciding on the best AV solution for your organisation.
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EXPERT OPINION CONSUMER ADVICE
WHAT EXISTING AV DO YOU CURRENTLY OWN AND HOW WOULD YOU CHANGE IT?
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE AV SYSTEM?
HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE USING THIS SYSTEM ON A DAILY/ WEEKLY BASIS?
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Are you looking to start from scratch or do an upgrade on your existing equipment? If you have a system in place, what do you like about it and what is not working for you? Perhaps the screen in the boardroom is too small, and figures on excel spreadsheets are not clearly visible. It may be that your clean, slick boardroom is marred by a nest of unsightly cables making wireless technology a better fit. Your projector could be outdated, making connecting to newer PCs a problem? Ask your colleagues for input – especially those that use your AV-enabled rooms or have to answer calls for support most frequently.
Now we need to examine any mission-critical requirements. Are you trying to save valuable time and money by eliminating travel expenses from executives frequently flying in and out for meetings? Perhaps a Virtual Meeting Room (VMR) video conferencing solution would benefit your organisation. Do you provide online training and need to do live YouTube streaming of training sessions, or maybe communicate with your supplier overseas regarding the manufacturing of new products? Perhaps all you need is a smart TV mounted on the wall with an HDMI cable plugged in for presentations. Make these requirements clear to the system designer or installer and let them make some suggestions.
Establish whether only a group of individuals in management will be using the meeting room, if departmental meetings and breakaway groups will also have access, and whether there will be regular guests doing presentations. This information assists the system designer to establish the necessary connectivity required to cater to diverse needs. When larger groups of participants need to connect, you can expect more connectivity issues on different brands of laptops, all with different operating systems, screen resolutions and processing hardware. Some of the workarounds that can be implemented include a permanent in-room PC with a shared drive to access all the company files required for presentations and a wireless keyboard and mouse, so nobody ever has to bring a laptop into the meeting.
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HOW REGULARLY WILL THE SYSTEM BE USED?
HOW URGENT IS THIS PROJECT?
WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO SPEND AND HOW ARE YOU PLANNING ON PAYING FOR IT?
EXPERT OPINION CONSUMER ADVICE
Most popular AV products are built to last and usually have good warranties, but when it comes to things like projector lamps and screens, these are products that do wear out and deteriorate with continued usage. It is, therefore, imperative that you not only spec the right products for the right environments but that you regularly service the equipment or perhaps even take on a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with your installer to ensure you have a happy and healthy AV system at all times. Instead of opting for a standard smart TV or DLP projector, that only offer you around 10,000 life-hours, rather pay a little bit extra for a professional commercial display or laser projector that will last up to 50,000 hours on average and will not require much maintenance. If the meeting room is a space that is always buzzing with activity, then opt for products that portray user-friendliness and reliability.
Prices in the AV industry are constantly changing, with fluctuations in the rand adding to the complexity of pricing models. It is a good idea to shop around for pricing, seek professional opinions and educate yourself on technology before you buy. If you are just browsing, and currently AV is not at the top of your priority list, please be aware that the specific products you like could, in fact, be here today and gone tomorrow. It is not uncommon for products to get discontinued or replaced by alternative models, nor is it unusual for specific products to run out of stock very quickly at the supplier due to big project demands or installations. So take your time, but when you have the funding, and you are fully persuaded that the solution is what you are looking for, don’t delay sending a purchase order or ask your dealer to book the stock for you to avoid unnecessary delays.
Start by making a list of all the no-compromise features required in your meeting space, then write another list for some nice-to-have extras you may want to add if the budget allows. You could even ask your AV dealer for multiple quotes – one on a bare minimum costeffective solution, and one “shopping list” quote with some bonus gadgets for interest. It is essential to let the professionals educate you on the brands that fit your budget, so don’t be secretive about this matter and make it known to them what your spending limit is, as this helps them to narrow down which brands to go for in order to get you the best value for money. Speak to your integrator about rental agreements that are available. When you move the AV budget from your capital expenditure to your operational expenditure, some companies might benefit from the fact that they get to rent a fully-kitted conference room for 36 months and have the option to either buy, remove or exchange the technology when it comes time to renew.
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Start by making no-compromise your meeting space, then write another list for some nice-to-have extras you may want to add if the budget allows. – Chaz Nielsen
Capacity Estimated Cost
Huddle Space
features required in
Boardroom
a list of all the
4–5
6-20
20+
30K-70K
80K-200K
250K+
Equipment Smart TV HDMI/VGA Wall-Plate In Table Pop-Ups Audio System Wireless Presentation 4K Commercial/Touch Display Auto-Switching & Scaling Projector & Screen Video Conferencing End-Point VMR (Cloud) Subscription Extra Table/Ceiling VC Mics Control System & DSP
- Minimum Requirement
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Conference Room
EXPERT OPINION CONSUMER ADVICE
- Optional Extra
shift 5Gin the: A paradigm role of the EXPERT OPINION TECHNOLOGY
Internet of Things
By Michelle Janse van Vuuren, Marketing Director at Canon SA
In just a few years, the fifth-generation mobile network will be commercially available, promising better connections, faster speeds and lower latency for those living in a hyper-connected world. Its processing power, for example, has the potential to move us to the ‘haptic web’, the vision of an internet world where the single touch of a sensor can be felt and intercepted by a computer running in the cloud.
5G is more than the next step in the evolution of connection, however. Its lightning-fast speed, greater bandwidth and improved up-time have the potential to transform industries. With most countries aiming for full commercialisation by 2020, this connectivity has the potential to transform how businesses operate, from how they manage daily communications to smarter business applications and organic growth opportunities. It means a quasi-intelligent device or sensorbased system will soon be able to port previously onboard controlling intelligence to a cloud-born computer ecosystem. Imagine printers, televisions, fridge freezers and coffee
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machines all integrated into a global mesh network, able to instantly charge for services based on customer choices and consumption. 5G will be transformative for businesses in every sense of the word—and it’s got product designers brimming with anticipation of a new era in communications.
Evolution of everyday tech in a post-5G suburban life Faster speed, lower latency, and greater capacity could enable on-the-go, ultra-high-definition video, virtual reality,
EXPERT OPINION TECHNOLOGY
and other advanced applications. Even simple business applications such as conference calling have the potential to be made-over. As it is, the bandwidth needed to support this type of technology has only become commercially viable in the past five years and has had limited geographic coverage. But in the future, access to greater speeds, mobility and capacity will see this evolve even further, and we should expect mass adoption of virtual reality technologies, both in the boardroom and outside it, which allow remote users to see and interact with each other as if they are in the same room.
ability to monitor health in this way could well have a major impact on the insurance sector, with the price of premiums dictated by customer lifestyles. The industrial-scale transfer of sensitive data to pervasive ecosystems means that IoT security will be a source of major investment in coming years.
A new 5G cloud While 5G networks will become increasingly important in keeping up with rising demand for connected devices, it will also provide the bandwidth and latency needed to improve enterprise cloud services. In the future, it’s likely that cloud technology will become stable enough to replace traditional data centres altogether. This reliance on the cloud will also mean that manufacturers no longer need to include the processing elements and memory storage found in today’s devices – so hardware is destined to get more and more compact. The cost efficiencies for businesses could be huge, especially as devices will not have to undergo continual updates to keep pace.
The everywhere SIM
Outside of the office, 5G will be used in the future proliferation of smart cities, as well as self-driving vehicles and auto-piloted drone swarms with the potential to build new structures without scaffolding. Faster connectivity will allow for the continuous connection that offers the potential for cars and robots to “talk” to each other and the streets; to influence how much street lighting is provided, for example. You could receive messaging from your local city council on the best route into a city based on traffic conditions at any particular time of the day. And in healthcare, 5G will enable a host of new innovations such as remote robotic surgery and personalised medicine based on data from wearable health trackers. The
While many businesses connect to the Internet via WiFi, the IoT is not without its problems. Next-generation technology will soon enable 5G SIMs, meaning that IoT devices, from home security systems to smart mattresses, can connect without having to rely on WiFi. This will mark a new standard in device connectivity as businesses will be able to insert a SIM into hardware that does not traditionally require one – cameras, laptops and printers for example – and be able to operate these devices straight away. The initial stages of this technology are already being seen, with ASUS launching its first eSIM tablet in February this year. As adoption becomes more widespread, the functionality of hardware will change once again, giving technology companies more reason to take a minimalist approach. As well as practical improvements, eSIMs promise greater security and flexibility for increasingly mobile workforces, allowing for seamless connectivity wherever you’re working from. This will eventually mean that one user can operate across several different profiles at the same time, all using one device. Not only does 5G promise to boost efficiency and unleash the potential of automation, but it will also enable us to explore developing technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality, which could lead to unparalleled levels of disruption. Set to reinvent the future of consumer-life and business, 5G promises to become the backbone of a hyper-connected and hypermobile world, responsible for a new wave of exciting innovation. Whether it’s an SME or an international conglomerate, a self-driving car or AI in hospitals, access to fast speeds and low latency has the potential to see improvements at every level – from how businesses communicate and how they connect with customers, to how everyday life is run across cities and public sectors.
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PROFILE
interview 2 1 Wynand Langenhoven has enjoyed a varied and illustrious career in the telecommunications and AV integration industries for more than thirty years and is widely recognised as one of the country’s most respected thought leaders in the professional AV integration field.
Langenhoven currently holds the position of CEO at Peripheral Vision, one of the leading distributors of premium AV solutions in South Africa. In addition to the leadership role that he has taken in the corporate AV integration business stream, Langenhoven has made his contribution felt across the broader AV industry through his role as a founding member and director of the industry association SACIA. Wynand recently granted AV Integration Magazine a unique opportunity to discuss some of his views on the past, present and future of the professional AV integration industry – in addition to sharing some interesting insights into what keeps him ahead of the pack on a more personal level.
How did you start your career in the professional audiovisual field?
I started my career in telecommunications with South Africa Post and Telecoms, now known as Telkom, where I received my technical training and qualifications as a Technologist. After qualifying, I moved to Eskom, working in telecoms for a further four years, before starting up my first independent company. I joined the AV industry as a branch manager for a company called Future Media, which became one of the largest system integration companies in the country. I worked for Future Media in KwaZulu-Natal for two years, before taking the position of Technical Director at the company’s Johannesburg offices. I developed my knowledge and expertise as a systems integrator during my time with Future Media and continued to work for the company after Dimension Data acquired it in the early 2000s. In 2006, I decided to strike out on my own once more and established a small business called Kwyni Technology Solutions, which started out specialising in home automation systems and then branched back into the corporate integration market, delivering boardroom and meeting room solutions. When the company was about five years old, Leon Fourie and the family that was running Peripheral Vision at the time, decided to emigrate to Australia, and they gave me the opportunity to take over the business. I have been at the helm of the company ever since, and it has grown into one of the leading distributors of premium AV technology to a large dealer network across the region.
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Who has inspired, supported and mentored you during your career?
The technology insight that I gained from Telkom was the best that anybody could have asked for. I was with the organisation for eleven years, and over the first six years of that period, I was exposed to consistent training, with classroom learning interspersed with hands-on experience in the field, until I qualified as a Technologist. One gains a much deeper insight into the technology when you receive both theoretical and practical training over a long period. This foundation has made my skill set very adaptable, and I can apply my knowledge and skills in just about any direction that the technology takes. As my career developed, I have needed to cultivate business acumen to compliment my technical knowledge. It is important to understand the technology, but you also need to understand how to solve business problems. I would like to acknowledge the role that Leon Fourie played in mentoring me as a business owner. He has also helped develop my ability as a strategist – which is extremely important as a business owner in such a dynamic industry. On a more personal note, my father has played a critical role in shaping the man that I have become. My father was also a very technical guy, and he provided me with a lot of guidance. We had a number of years where we didn’t get on too well, but towards the end of his life, we became very close. One of the most important people in my personal and professional life is my wife. Karen and I have worked together for many years, and she has been intimately involved in all of my business ventures. Karen has been – and continues to be – behind me all the way. After pursuing a career as an independent coder, our son Lloyd has also come into the business and has become an anchor within the organisation in his own right. While there are challenges in managing the balance between family life and work time, we have reached a point where we are able to navigate the complexities and respect the boundaries that separate work and personal time.
PROFILE
“What is happening now is that technology which has been around for a while, but has required a degree of technical knowledge to operate, is becoming easier to use and therefore is gaining a lot of traction.�
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3 PROFILE
What was the opportunity that opened the door for your professional development? The technical training that I received at Telkom was, without doubt, the most important growth opportunity that I have received in the course of my career, and set me on a path to success with a solid foundation. I also think that the role that I have played in establishing and growing the industry association SACIA has played an important part in shaping my career. I was one of the founder members and remain a director of SACIA, and I have spent many years with the organisation, which provided me with the opportunity to develop relationships and become more deeply involved in various aspects of the professional AV industry. There are two main elements to SACIA, the one is to champion ethical business practice within the professional AV industry, and the other is about establishing standards, and liaising with the government to oversee qualifications and designations within the industry. The goals and responsibilities that SACIA assumes are closely affiliated with my own approach – which means doing business ethically and competently to deliver a solution to the customer. As SACIA is not only involved in professional AV integration but also plays a role in broadcasting, rental and staging, my involvement with the organisation has broadened my view of the professional AV industry and helped me to develop an understanding of how we can participate in multiple aspects of the field.
“As AV and IT converge, the field is moving to a situation where very few people actually understand all of the inner workings of every aspect of the technology used to deploy a solution, and most people don’t need to know. We are perfectly able to deploy technology and make money by deploying it, without needing to understand the nuts and bolts of everything that is involved.”
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What has been the most important gamechanging technology during your career?
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Where do you see the field of professional AV going in the next decade? In my opinion, professional AV is going to go in the direction of commodification, because AV technology is not only becoming easier to use but also easier to implement. The potential for the channel being at risk exists, as manufacturers could start to sell directly to end users because it is going to become easy to buy a product and put it to use out of the box. I do, however, believe that there will always be situations where a professional integrator will have to deploy a solution – especially for very large organisations using premium products. At the same time, you will be amazed by how much can be commodified through direct, online purchasing. I think that the industry will need to adapt to the changing dynamics, and integrators will have to start scaling cost-bases and overhead structures to commeasure with the size of sale that one can realistically make with products that are not commodified. Secondly, integrators need to focus on building recurring revenue income through service level agreements, which makes new product sales only one in a diversified income stream. I think that we may see the industry size level off as commodification becomes more of a challenge, but at the end of the day, this is happening in all industries. If you look at the cloud-orientation of things, for example, the sale of services from the Cloud means that the end user no longer needs a channel – because they can purchase directly from a company’s cloud presence from anywhere in the world.
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If I had to put my finger on it, I would say that one of the most important disruptors over the past few years was the change from analogue signals to digital signals, which created a lot of opportunities for AV integrators at the time. The next big change is underway, with the shift from digital, dedicated switching type systems, to AV over IP. The next game changer is the growth of cloud service, and we see this shift in a lot of areas, for example in video conferencing. In the past, people would have a lot of infrastructure on premises, such as bridges, gateways and recording facilities, which are all now moving towards cloud-based solutions. Players in the video conferencing space, who are not moving with this trend are at risk of being left behind. In my view, game-changing technology is defined by its ability to make things easier and simpler to use for the client. Video conferencing has made a promise for decades to make it easy for you to have video calls instead of travelling. People who are not technically inclined are expected to make the technology work unassisted, and if they can’t make it work they feel stupid, and they don’t want to touch it. More
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recently, people without a huge degree of technical knowledge or experience are able to operate a VC system at the touch of a button and connect from anywhere to anyone, without having to navigate complicated compatibility issues. As a result, user uptake is taking off, and I think that it is going to accelerate exponentially over the next few years. The other game-changing trend that deserves to be mentioned is wireless technology. As a case in point, Peripheral Vision has installed Barco ClickShare units as well as control and switching systems in our offices. We still have all of the VGA and HDMI cables installed, and they are all functional, but we never touch the cables. We simply use ClickShare for all the presentations that we deliver in the building – not because we are trying to sell it but because it works – it does what it is supposed to do and is simple and secure. Installing cables comes with infrastructure costs, and wireless technology has matured to the point that it replaces all of the hard-wired infrastructure, while providing a reliable and secure solution.
Outside of your career, what are your interests and hobbies? I have a number of hobbies and interests outside of work, including my passion for golf and camping. A passion that Karen and I share is off-road caravanning. We enjoy going deep into the bush, into the game reserves up in Botswana for example. The magic lies in the complete change of pace and setting, where you can remove yourself from the urban environment and experience nature in an intimate way. When we arrive at a campsite, we have to work really hard to get everything set up – and once I am finished, I am instantly in relax mode – it is just amazing. We try to go camping at least once every couple of months – sometimes just a few hours from home. Having this downtime is really important to maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
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