Author: Info

by Mark Wyatt
66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
http://www.hanscom.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123435621
1/6/2015 – HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. — Hanscom Conference Center officials recently announced that an upgrade to the audio visual equipment in the Lexington Amphitheater and Concord Room is complete and that a ribbon cutting and open house is scheduled Jan. 20 from 1 to 3 p.m. to mark the occasion.

Among the $500,000 worth of improvements to the conference center’s two largest and most frequently used meeting rooms are new projectors, dual screens, podiums, smart technology, sound systems, a wireless microphone system, new audio, confidence monitors and video record capability, as well as a new technology called AirMedia.

“With AirMedia, anyone can present content from an iOS or Android mobile device to the projection system as long as they are connected to the public Wi-Fi network and have the capability to download and install the free Crestron AirMedia app,” said Donn DeSilva, 66th Communications and Information Division information technology help desk specialist. “There are no wires to hook-up or complicated settings to configure.”

To demonstrate just how user-friendly that and other upgrades are, conference center staff invite members across the installation to a ribbon cutting ceremony with senior leaders promptly at 1 p.m. From there, attendees will be invited inside to take a look at all the changes and learn more about the conference center.

“We scheduled the open house to display the new capabilities and show just how easy it is to use,” said Ann Markman, 66th Communications and Information Division director, who worked with conference center personnel on funding the upgrades.

Much of the audio visual equipment used previously was repurposed from a project more than 20 years ago.

“In the past, as a result of the age of the equipment, often there would be a lot of feedback from the microphones, distracting noise from the program speakers as well as frequent equipment failure,” said Patrick Libby, 66th Communications and Information Division network engineer and former IT specialist who was responsible for recommending many of the Hanscom Conference Center upgrades.

Hanscom Conference Center staff will be on hand to answer questions about new technology and how it can impact their presentations, said DeSilva.

The facility is available for organizational meetings, retirement ceremonies or commander calls to any federal agency, or any agency that is sponsored by a base organization.

Equipped with open Wi-Fi to the Air Force Network (AFNET) and commercial cable connectivity to customers, the conference center also offers wired connections from each room. In addition, convenience laptops are available in the conference center’s lobby for general use.

The conference center also offers video teleconferencing capabilities between two or more locations from many of the rooms in the building.

For larger groups, the ability to overflow between the two large conference rooms and lobby areas is also available.

The two large rooms are also equipped for classified meetings.

To schedule an event at the Hanscom Conference Center, contact Linda DeMeo at 781-225-6165.

For further information on the Hanscom Conference Center or the open house, contact DeSilva at 781-225-6166.

When crises emerge, municipalities turn to their Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for quick help.
With the addition of a video wall, any EOC is better equipped to deal with both man-made and natural disasters.
Read on to see why a video wall is fitting in any Emergency Operations Center.

Video Wall Solutions for Your Emergency Operations Center

An Emergency Operations Center With Real-Time Situational Awareness

With a video wall, employees at your Emergency Operations Center can have all the information they need on an easy-to-view display Seeing crucial real-time information provides full situational awareness to the Emergency Operations Center. This can include video feeds from security cameras, satellite or cable news feeds, networked computers, recording devices, conferencing systems, etc.. Your video wall can show one large image or multiple images across the screen that can be moved or rearranged as needed.

Large Screen, High Resolution, Small Footprint

With high definition displays, you’ll have the highest quality video and text. Since today’s video wall displays are extremely bright, ambient light in the room is no longer an issue. Best of all, your video wall will make a big visual impact while maintaining a small footprint. Your Emergency Operations Center won’t be cluttered by individual monitoring systems requiring extensive cabling, networking, desks, and other infrastructure. You can take advantage of the height of your walls without losing precious floor space.

Options That Aren’t Available on Individual Screens

While individual screens can function as monitoring devices in an Emergency Operations Center, they can’t match the display capabilities of a fully-integrated video wall. Staff will be able to size and place images anywhere on the wall using a mouse and keyboard or even touchscreen functions. You can completely customize what is displayed and how it appears, whereas for individual displays, options are limited. Plus, adding a video wall to the Emergency Operations Center will allow all employees to view multiple types of content at once, rather than viewing content on separate displays.

Add a Video Wall to Your Emergency Operations Center

If you want to best equip your Emergency Operations Center, consider video wall integration by CCS New England. We can help prepare your Emergency Operations Center with a display system to help you better handle any emergency.

As more people bring mobile devices to the boardroom,video conferencing technologies allow for greater collaboration in the boardroom.
In particular, cloud-based video conferencing is on its way to becoming the standard for business communications. It facilitates mobile conferences, telecommuting employees, long-distance training, and remote clientele without an extensive investment in infrastructure, hardware, and networking.
Why consider video conferencing in the cloud? Read on to see what benefits cloud-based video conferencing offers businesses.

Cloud-Based Video Conferencing: The Future of Business Communications?

Accessibility

Thanks to cloud-based video conferencing, people can participate using whatever means necessary – their desktop, mobile device, or conference room system will all work with the cloud-based technology. With the ease-of-use of cloud-based video conferencing programs, employees and clients will be able to operate them comfortably, enabling a smoother conversation focused on substance, not technical troubleshooting. Connecting to participants in remote locations will be quick and effortless.

Investment

Traditional video conferencing set-up involves a more costly infrastructure, including equipment for all user locations set up for the conferencing system and networking with significant bandwidth to accommodate the calls. Cloud-based video conferencing does away with most of these costs. Your cloud service provider will handle setting up and maintaining the necessary infrastructure, leaving you to focus on your conferences.

Streamlined Process

With cloud-based video conferencing in place, your communication processes will be streamlined, as the technology will standardize the way calls are connected and managed, whether they are multi-point calls or point-to-point calls.

What if your in-house video conferencing system differs from that of one of your participants? Cloud-based video conferencing services offer transcoding, a process that essentially translates differing protocols from video conferencing systems to establish a uniform format, enabling the systems to “speak” to each other.

Expand Your Communication Horizons With Cloud-Based Video Conferencing

Let CCS New England help you select and operate a cloud-based video conferencing solution to change the way your business communicates. We can provide full system integration to outfit your conference room with the right equipment, allowing you to easily operate cloud-based video conferencing sessions.

Look around your local mall and you’ll see that our increasingly digital and visual society has made the video wall a part of everyday life. No longer are metropolitan areas like Times Square or Tokyo the only places you’ll find lit up with video walls — businesses have expanded their use of the technology to retail areas and other public spaces.

Here’s why we think a video wall might be the MVP when it comes to your business’ advertising efforts.

What Makes a Video Wall an Important Business Tool?

High-Performance Equipment to Produce Stunning Visuals

If you build your video wall right, you’ll be using state-of-the-art equipment to create one large, seamless display. Cutting edge technologies like DLP and LED will ensure the image quality of your video wall, creating a showstopping display to best engage consumers.

With the right displays and systems integration, you can create a color calibrated video wall with uniform brightness and saturation. A modern video wall will also be able to handle high resolution content consumers will love.

Reliable Display, Easy Maintenance

Your video wall can run 24/7 without interruption. Commercial-grade displays and components are designed to withstand the elements when used in outdoor applications. Systems are designed to enable easy maintenance when it’s required. DLP and LED technologies also ensure a video wall that’s long-lasting.

Versatile Design & Applications

The versatility of the video wall also makes it an advertiser’s dream. Displays configured in almost any way you envision. Screen sizes, orientations, and configurations can be adjusted to create the video wall you envision. They can be used in countless commercial applications, from retail spaces and corporate lobbies, to airports and casinos, to athletic complexes and concert venues.

Your video wall can also be equipped with advanced functionality like touchscreen technology, content creation software, and control systems. A professional systems integrator can advise you on the right industrial-strength video wall displays to use, help design and deploy the video wall, plus integrate cooling and electrical elements needed to create a proper, functional infrastructure.

Wow Consumers With a State-of-the-Art Video Wall

Stand out from the competition with a stunning video wall that consumers can’t look away from. CCS New England can guide you through the process, from video wall design and component selection to systems integration and training.

To learn more about creating a video wall with CCS New England, call us today.

Take a moment and try to think of a time when you didn’t look at a screen every few hours.

Thanks to advancements in technology and the interconnectivity of the internet, screens have become a part of our everyday landscape. If you’re a business owner who’s not capitalizing on this with digital signage, then you’re missing out on a prime opportunity.

Today, we’re exploring the digital signage trends you can use to better promote your business.

Digital Signage Trends for Businesses

Proximity-Based Digital Signage

With proximity-based technology, digital signage can now be used to target nearby customers with Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones or tablets. This means your business can supply coupons or special offers to consumers who are close, encouraging them to stop by.

Facial Recognition

Digital signage can even use cameras with facial recognition to pinpoint the demographics of passing consumers. It will then display ads that appeal to their gender and age group. Additionally, it can track how long the person views the ads, allowing advertisers to measure the effectiveness of their content.

Touchscreen Technology

Touchscreen digital signage is rising in popularity, partly because it captures consumers’ attention with its interactivity. Consumers are more engaged with touchscreen digital signage, and thanks to the spread of smart phones, many people are comfortable using touchscreens.

Interactive Ads

Advertisers are taking the interactivity of touchscreen digital signage to a new level. Some digital signage can even be accompanied with sensors that detect people’s movements and play corresponding ads, provide coupons, or even supply product samples. The more interactive your digital signage, the more firmly your advertisement will stick in the viewers’ minds.

Cloud-Based Digital Signage

With cloud-based digital signage, advertisers can control signage remotely on desktops, laptops, or mobile devices. This will allow for easier content adjustments and more streamlined campaign launches.

Stay Updated on the Latest in Digital Signage with CCS New England

CCS New England is your resource for the latest in digital signage technology. Call us today to discuss your needs, and we can match your business with the best digital signage products.

Communication is a key component of any good organization. Without the right communication tools, you won’t reach your full potential.

One of the most vital communication tools in our visually-inclined world is video conferencing. As businesses look for ways to bridge geographical distances and enable more flexible collaboration, video conferencing has emerged as an effective solution.

Here are three key ways that your small business or corporation can benefit from video conferencing technology.

Why Your Business Needs Video Conferencing

Serve a Wider Area Without the Expense

With the right video conferencing technology, your company can communicate with remote customers or business contacts while reducing travel expenses. Hold meeting with distant clients and colleagues from your conference room or office. With video conferencing, you can communicate across the country or across the globe with the click of a finger.

Offer Flexibility to Clients & Employees

Video conferencing enables businesses to be more flexible with customers and employees alike. Your customers will appreciate the high definition visual communication and employees can participate in meetings remotely which allows them to be more productive.

Communicate More Thoroughly & Effectively

When you use video conferencing, your communication is more personal than with a simple conference call or email. With video conferencing, you can use visual aids, walk your client through any processes, and troubleshoot issues in real time and more.

Get High-Quality Video Conferencing From CCS New England

Don’t limit your company’s communication potential. CCS New England can help you select and install the right video conferencing technology for your business.

To learn more about video conferencing with CCS New England, call us today!

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