Projectors vs. Screens: Which Suits Your Needs Best? – Memphis Audio Video Solutions

Every company needs a way to display content. Whether it be for presentation purposes, videoconferencing needs, announcements, information, or simply to catch customers’ eyes, enterprises require ways to distribute content in their offices.

There are two major products—projectors and video screens—for meeting these needs. However, with HD and Ultra HD screens becoming more affordable and easy to install, and with projection systems slowly transitioning into 4K as well, it’s tough to decide which display suits us best. There are benefits and setbacks to each system. It all depends on the end users’ needs.

Video Screens

The benefits of screens can be seen simply by looking at a display system. Screens allow for digital representations of images that can be customized to provide more vibrancy, brightness, and image quality than projection systems are capable of. Especially in spaces with high amounts of ambient light. Where projected images would appear washed out, screens can allow images to stand out.

Due to the high quality of video screens, and because of the ambient light that often illuminates corporate lobbies, a video screen is likely the best solution for video walls in highly trafficked areas. The screens can stand out to display company information and goals, announcements, and welcome messages to visitors. Quality makes the images onscreen easy to view and often will compel visitors to stay for a minute just to watch the screen.

There is also much to be said about the versatility of video screen systems. Screens can be placed together to form a larger display, and each screen can be used to display separate content at will. Screens can also be customized into various unique shapes that display content across the screens in the same way they would in a rectangular design, with blank spaces unaccounted for. While impractical for presentation, these customized screens are great for visibility. Companies can also buy tiled screens to build out their own video wall that connects content even when screens aren’t touching.

Screens aren’t only useful in lobbies to provide visual stimulation. An increasing trend in open office spaces is the huddle room, and within huddle rooms video screens can become a necessity. Many companies are beginning to sell screens with built in videoconferencing abilities. Add in the ability to display presentations wirelessly onto screens, share content between those videoconferencing upon the screen, and hold all wireless and videoconferencing hardware within the screen itself, and a display screen becomes an all-in-one tool for huddle rooms and videoconferencing suites.

“Flat-panels, except for some of the extreme large-sized ones, really work best in rooms that are less than twenty feet. That keeps our viewers close enough to the screen that they can read text and things that appear, and it still looks good for them,” says Mike Hancock, Vice President at MechDyne Corporation. “It’s the appropriate size and image so that everyone can see it and everyone can read it.”

If you are looking for the highest quality picture, something that stands out and is easily viewed in any environment, consider a video screen system. For collaboration considerations, a video screen can provide the capabilities and quality of image that become very useful for mobile workers and meetings with clients and customers at a distance. Also, for installation purposes, mounting a video screen is often a simple process that many people do in their own homes, and that won’t cost much in labor costs.

Projection Systems

The biggest factors that will inform your decisions on whether or not to buy a projection system are size and cost.

For a projection system, first there is a need to find a place to set up the projector where the image will not be impeded. This can be solved with short throw and ultra-short throw projectors that require little distance between the product and the screen. In larger spaces, placing the projector in a rack on the ceiling can usually solve this problem whether the product is short throw or not.

Then there is the need to install a screen to project upon. This is where cost comes into play most of all. Installers need to fit the screen size to match projection image, ensure that the screen is flush, and often will need to install a manual or automatic system to bring out and hide the screen between presentations. As the image grows larger, multiple screens can be called for, in which case the screens must be installed to come together seamlessly while still splitting apart to be hidden when needed.

All of these factors contribute to labor costs when installing the system. On average, a projector is going to be a less costly product than an HD or Ultra HD video screen would be. However, when taking into account the hours that would be needed to install supplementary products, namely projection screens, the overall cost can raise to a point where the projector and the screen become comparable in cost. This only holds true, though, up to a certain image size.

“Where projection starts to shine is when we start looking at higher resolution,” says Niel Wittering, Director of Product Marketing, Corporate AV for Barco. ” If you need some other resolution than [1080p], you need to start tiling them together. Once you do that, you need to deal with the seams that come into the display. When that becomes objectionable we come into projection systems.

“Projection can keep pace with the resolution command, for sure,” says Wittering. “It’s becoming easier and easier to drive more and more pixels onto a screen, and it’s becoming easier and easier to blend projectors together.”

Many companies are going to require an image that is larger than 100 inches. The cost of a customized screen or of building a screen through a tiled system will be significantly more than the cost of commercial screen display products. In large presentation rooms and auditoriums, or for displays that require life-sized images fit to scale, a projection system is really the only way to go. The costs of installing screens, while still pricey, will not be able to measure up to the cost of enough screens to match the image size of a projector.

“When it comes to large images, and when I say large images I’m talking about 90-inches or 100-inches plus, projectors are still going to be the most cost-effective option,” says Brian Rhatigan, Business Development Manager for Almo Professional A/V. “A typical medium-sized projector for a medium conference room can project an image well over 100-inches diagonal and can be had for about $1600, whereas a 90-inch flat panel is going to start somewhere in the area of $7000.”

We want projection systems in areas where large presentations will be held. While quality and brightness of the image will not be equal to that of video screens, projectors will allow for a size that screens cannot reach without dropping serious cash. In spaces where the system will be utilized infrequently, a mobile projector that can be displayed against a wall and moved into different rooms is a less costly solution than installing a screen in every room. In spaces with unique architecture, such as curved and rounded walls, a projection system can be used where a screen is unable to be mounted.

Into the Future

“I think that there’s always going to be a place for projectors because it’s always going to be that you can have a much bigger image with the projection technology for the dollar,” says Jay McArdle, Vice President and CIO of Zdi, Inc. “You’ll always have a $2000-$3000 projector that can put up a 120-inch image. You’re not going to ever get that out of an LED wall because there’s not going to be that cost.”

That’s the answer in a nutshell. Yes, screens are going to continue to get cheaper to install, cheaper to produce, cheaper to own. However, the price points on projectors are going to see the same reduction. It will always be a cheaper solution than a video wall, especially when we reach out into the 100-inch diagonal and more.

What we are most likely to see is flat panel display screens replacing projection systems in smaller sized rooms for smaller image display. Also true is that larger display screens will become more affordable, and some companies will wish to utilize those technologies on larger systems. Companies are going to go for the cheapest option that still gives them everything they need. For now, and for the near future, that means going with projectors for large displays and screens for smaller, over-lit, and highly occupied rooms.

Need to find the right solution for your organization? Contact MCC’s Audio Visual Solutions Division today to help eliminate the guess work! 

- See more at: http://www.memphiscommunications.net/blog/#sthash.yLgPFiEB.dpuf

For more details please contact us at:

Memphis Communications Corporation

4771 Summer Ave

Memphis, TN 38122

Tel:  901.725.9271

Fax: 901.272.3577

Toll Free:  866.805.5893

Service and Supplies:  901.257.2500

Email: sales@memphiscommunications.net

Website: http://www.memphiscommunications.net

The Cloud: Public, Private, or Both? – MCC Cloud Services

The cloud is here to stay. It is accessible. It is manageable. It is changing the way that we work. Many companies have already implemented cloud storage into their business models, and those that have not are quickly learning that the cloud is the future of storage and functionality for their needs.

A large amount of videoconferencing service providers are already utilizing cloud systems in order to provide sufficient service to their customers. Most content management solutions require cloud storage to allow several users in different locations to work on the same project simultaneously. Even if it’s not for collaboration, clouds are being used to store company files, freeing up space in the network and allowing accessibility from different locations.

“In terms of sharing and processing data with our customers, everybody is moving over to the cloud,” says Marc LaVecchia, Owner of BMA Software Solutions, Inc. “[Our customers] are all moving in this direction right now, and pretty fearlessly I might add. It’s become the norm for us at this point.”

When it comes to your company, the question is not whether or not you need the cloud. If you work with outside vendors or customers, if you have files to be stored or shared, and if you want to streamline your processes, then you should be implementing a cloud system. The question is what sort of system you need for your purposes.

The Public Cloud

In a public cloud system, a third party service provider holds the hardware and infrastructure. You subscribe to their services and pay a monthly fee in order to utilize their system. You keep your information and documents within their network, freeing up hardware space, physically and digitally, within your own office.

Let’s say your company is project based, whatever those projects might be. You have presentation files, and architecture files, and progress files, and scheduling files, and each of these is being accessed and distributed to managers, laborers, customers, etc. Sending these files around is using so much bandwidth that your network can barely run a website. Not to mention, laptops and desktops are filling up with these files.

Public cloud systems allow for all of these processes to take place. Content is stored on the third party’s servers, and accessed across their bandwidth. Not only that, but you can monitor files; who accesses them, when things are added, reviewed, received, and responded to, updates of uploads, downloads, and alterations, etc.

“The big change is the public server, where other companies are managing the hardware and managing the servers. You’re just purchasing server space and processing power,” says Ken Danner, Senior Software Engineer at Control Concepts. “They essentially have an infinite supply of space and processing power and you just buy what you need when you need and scale back when you don’t need it.”

There are concerns that you need to take into consideration when choosing a cloud service provider, mainly around keeping your data secured and making sure they have systems in place to do that. This is where private clouds come into play.

The Private Cloud

The private cloud works the same way as the public cloud, in that it allows for content to be stored and shared wirelessly throughout the system. The difference here is that, in a sense, your company becomes the service provider. You would need to hire a company to provide the hardware and infrastructure, but once the system is put into place your company holds the keys.

“The benefit on the private side is that you’re handling everything yourself,” says Mike Maniscalco, Co-Founder of Ihiji. “That can add in security. You have control over every configuration throughout the entire system. So you can bring more security to the picture by doing that.”

Once you buy the equipment and set things up, you are able to control all aspects of your cloud’s security. So, if you have a database with secure information that is protected behind a firewall, only people internal to your system can access that information. The information is protected within your organization, so only people within your organization that you deem so can have access to the information. The same can be said for a public system, however the information still sits out on the public network, and you still have to access it across the network. This creates more of a risk.

The problem with private networks is price. The up-front cost is going to be much larger than a public system. Now, you might say that over a lifetime, the monthly cost of a public system would reach the same numbers if not more than private. Which could be true, if you happen to have the right personnel already on staff. The private system needs an administrator to set up configurations and maintain the system. This requires specialized knowledge that many desktop IT personnel won’t have. Hiring a salary worker is going to cost you more than the monthly cost would have.

The Hybrid Solution

There is an issue with private cloud systems that we have yet to address, and that is the need for capacity to handle extra traffic coming into your network.

“That’s the benefit of a public system. If you’ve got the right provider there is, in theory, infinite scalability. Services like Amazon run for that reason, because there’s always space available to be leased from those providers,” says Maniscalco. “If you’ve got a private system you’re physically limited to the hardware you have on premise. If you outgrow that hardware capacity then you’re stuck without adding more hardware, which takes physical installation and time. In the public cloud, that’s just sitting there waiting to be utilized by whoever needs it.”

So, your company has a need for extra security, but also manages significant traffic and must be able to plan for an influx of usage from time to time. This is when you would utilize a hybrid cloud. A hybrid solution allows for you to pick and choose the pieces of a system, allocating certain information to private or public areas.

You could, for example, keep customer records within the private cloud while project documents are stored publicly. This means the customer information is as safe as you need it, while less secure or more visible information is held in a public cloud that can be expanded upon and reached by whoever need it with a phone call to the service provider. Even if you don’t expect to expand on your bandwidth, you are saving cost by housing a smaller, private system and still carrying all of your information on the cloud.

Decisions, Decisions

Only you will be able to decide what kind of system to utilize.

Keep in mind that major providers are at risk of losing their reputation, which means losing their customers, if their system is compromised. Without significant funds it is unlikely you will create a system more secure than their own. However, if you have information that must be secured, go private. Just know that you will pay for that security. In many cases you will be paying for little more than peace of mind, but if you have the capital peace of mind can be worth it.

If you are simply looking for a way to access information remotely, and a way to allow customers to do the same, go public. It allows for easy collaboration and safe (enough) storage for your company’s information.

If both of those options sound good then work with a service provider to create a hybrid solution. It is not often you can have the best of both worlds.

In any case, consider hybrid solutions and, if you haven’t yet, begin making the switch. You can’t fight the future, and in this case, you’ll wonder why you ever tried.

To learn more about the Cloud, contact MCC’s Integrated Solutions Division today!

- See more at: http://www.memphiscommunications.net/blog/#sthash.LcGptg2d.dpuf

For more details please contact us at:

Memphis Communications Corporation

4771 Summer Ave

Memphis, TN 38122

Tel:  901.725.9271

Fax: 901.272.3577

Toll Free:  866.805.5893

Service and Supplies:  901.257.2500

Email: sales@memphiscommunications.net

Website: http://www.memphiscommunications.net

MPS 2.0: From Managed Print Services to better business - Memphis Communications Corporation

IT faces a dilemma. Budgets are shrinking, even as companies increase their expectations that IT organizations innovate and deliver on business objectives, according to Angèle Boyd, group VP and general manager of Imaging/Output Document Solutions and SMB at research firm IDC. Mobile devices and cloud-based applications, the explosive growth of unstructured data, and the demand that social media be integrated with key business functions are all creating security concerns and adding to IT workloads.

The impact of managed print services solutions on these challenges was discussed during a recent InformationWeek webcast, sponsored by Lexmark and featuring Boyd and John Crandall, Lexmark VP and general manager of Worldwide Enterprise Business and Global Services.

What’s driving MPS 2.0?

The highest level of managed print services — MPS 2.0 — helps optimize a company’s business processes to make employees more effective and efficient. Several industry trends are behind the ascent of MPS 2.0, according to Boyd. The doubling of digital content every two years, largely due to compliance requirements, is causing companies to look closely at costs. Employees and customers also expect that content to be available anytime, anywhere.

Companies are also moving many applications to the cloud and enabling business processes to be used on tablets and smartphones. With multifunctional devices, companies can capture a large variety of information and introduce this content into common digital workflows. According to Boyd, the need to manage and secure this vast amount of content is driving the demand for management services, which IDC expects to grow from today’s $12 billion worldwide to $19 billion over the next three years.

Boyd also notes that IDC found that 37 percent of employees use cloud-based file services such as Dropbox, often without permission from IT.

“Storing valuable data in a potentially insecure way is a big risk, but business process improvement software can manage smart multifunction printers, which scan and store documents and then trigger a sophisticated workflow with rules and routing,” says Boyd.

Strong savings and proactive management

According to Boyd, MPS 2.0 takes a holistic approach to printing, scanning and managing documents and tying it to business optimization.

“MPS 2.0 delivers 25-50 percent of sustainable cost savings, and reduces the number of pages your organization produces, saving printing, storing and warehousing expenses,” Boyd says.

What’s more, MPS 2.0 reduces bottlenecks and business process cycle times. Companies that take maximum advantage of MPS save an average of 29 percent of their printing and document handling expenses, enabling IT to shift resources to more strategic activities. As Boyd points out, “MPS is really about helping you grow your business and differentiate your services from your competitors.”

MPS 2.0 goes beyond addressing a company’s cost-per-page printing expenses. A key benefit is that it brings all of a company’s output devices into one view. Most managers do not have good visibility into their printing and document management costs, says Boyd, which are usually much greater than they think.

Part of the problem is that many groups share ownership of these costs — IT, facilities, operations, lines of business and procurement — so it is typically difficult to get an accurate roll-up.

Understand the entire business process

MPS 2.0 helps companies better focus on process optimization to enable employees to spend more time with customers. A key part of MPS 2.0 is change management, which includes incentivizing and motivating employees to embrace the changes that are necessary.

Although many customers who implement MPS go into it with a focus on procurement and consolidating devices, hardware expenses are really a small part of the overall costs, according to Lexmark’s Crandall. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the entire business process, the role that documents play in it and why and when users need to print.

“It’s critical to understand how users are doing their work and to consider the technology that supports business processes before you do a quick push to consolidate devices,” explains Crandall.

Choose a provider with a broad understanding

Customers should look for a solution provider that has a broad enough portfolio to deliver MPS 2.0, says Boyd.

“Don’t base your search only on who has an impressive portfolio of hardware, but look for a provider with the software tools and experience — business process management software, intelligent capture — that are necessary to optimize workflow. Professional services skills are also important.”

Make sure the provider offers capable proactive services to maintain equipment and replace consumables before employees have to get involved, adds Crandall.

“Your environment should be automated to detect when it’s time to replace consumables, order them and schedule their installation. This way, employees can be more productive.”

Seek out expertise and excellence

Choose a vendor who can deliver a workflow solution — not just “scan to archive.” The solution should be specific to a company’s industry, and work in both the front and back office, so it can streamline workflow in an end-to-end manner. Companies should also make sure the solution can scale globally, Boyd says.

Finally, companies should do business with an MPS 2.0 provider that has demonstrated operational excellence in their industry and has business process expertise. The provider should understand the importance of helping employees be more effective and productive.

- See more at: http://memphiscommunications.net/blog/?p=1696

For more details please contact us at:

Memphis Communications Corporation

4771 Summer Ave

Memphis, TN 38122

Tel:  901.725.9271

Fax: 901.272.3577

Toll Free:  866.805.5893

Service and Supplies:  901.257.2500

Email: sales@memphiscommunications.net

Website: http://www.memphiscommunications.net