Audio Visual Insights for Web-Conferencing and Live Streaming

As we wind down 2019 and look ahead to the new year, many of us are making renewed commitments to our business objectives. As next year's expected business trends typically get highlighted at the end of the year, you may find yourself wondering what will really have staying power in 2020. Terms like AI and other tech abbreviations are filling the pages of business magazines and blogs. Some trends are showcased because they’re innovative and exciting or because tech giants with huge advertising budgets are pushing their message. Did you see the recent hype around Tesla's Cybertruck? The AV industry may not quite have as splashy of an approach, but this industry will be critical to providing meaningful ways to enhance your 2020 business practices.

Have you noticed the buzz around telemedicine? It's a growing field that's getting a lot of media attention...and for good reason.

Kayne West and Joel Osteen are inspiring millions. If you're a church leader or involved with church production, you can too!

Despite our Conference Room Systems name, a bulk of the customers we serve are houses of worship using live streaming cameras and technologies to reach their congregants. Live streaming technologies are popular solutions for churches who wish to engage all the members of their community, many of whom are unable to attend weekly services due to illnesses or location constraints.

Greetings! You may have seen me give a studio tour on YouTube, highlighting some of the products we use to create a live stream for CRS "Tech Talk" each week. But if you're just starting a live stream or even thinking about it, you may need something a bit more in depth.

Look no further than the upcoming StreamGeeks Summit, coming to New York City Friday, Nov. 8 to the Dream Downtown Hotel.

Recently, CRS caught up with Phoenix Audio Technologies to talk about some of their audio technologies that are helping colleges and universities meet their distance learning objectives.

If you're ever seen an article about "BYOD" (bring your own device) you probably know the term sometimes evokes fear and uncertainty. Privacy issues loom when employees use their personal devices for business purposes. Yet, as strategies and policies have been adopted across organizations, many realize that employees are highly productive when they're using their personal devices--from smartphones to laptops. These devices often help employees meet deadlines and create important, time-sensitive documents, photos or presentations. Considering personal devices a risk is no longer common practice because sharing and collaboration is vitally essential to any successful venture. With those security concerns addressed, employees can share information among their co-workers and clients, collaborating seamlessly using a variety of devices.

It was an exciting week at Conference Room Systems, as we debuted the premiere of CRS Tech Talk, a weekly show streamed to both our YouTube and Facebook channels, covering audio visual solutions and conferencing technology.  The show, hosted by me, will air Wednesdays at 2 p.m. Eastern Time (11 a.m. Pacific).  Please make sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel and like our Facebook page for show notifications!

One of the signature product lines at Conference Room Systems (CRS) is the PTZOptics camera line. These cameras offer broadcast quality that support camera control and allow users to control the pan, tilt, zoom and preset locations via a single USB camera connection.

As work spaces and the way we work is ever changing, we need audio-visual technologies to be implemented with ease. Currently, there are roughly 7 million conference rooms in the United States, but many of us are using co-working spaces or home offices. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 23 percent of the U.S. workforce works remotely at least part of the time. These changes require products and solutions to accommodate both people and organizations.

Recently, the Conference Room Systems crew visited the Olivet United Methodist Church in Coatesville, Pa., to check in on some PTZOptics cameras that they purchased from us in late 2018. Did you know that CRS has a suite of products that are being used by houses of worship to live stream their services? Olivet, like many houses of worship we help throughout the United States, incorporates a live stream as part of its weekly service. Members of the church say the weekly live stream has allowed not only the worshipers inside the church to see the service projected onto two large screens but also congregants at home or those out of state are able to tune in. Additionally, the larger screens have also helped visually impaired congregants who have found the larger print on those screens easier to read, helping them to participate in weekly services. 

We asked Mike Givler, whose been heading the church's live streaming efforts, some questions about his experience: