Q&A for Your Wireless Microphone - Memphis Audio Visual Solutions

Is there an analogy between signal to noise ratio at a loud party and the operation of a wireless microphone or a wireless PSM system?
Yes, indeed there is. Please read below:
Conversation at a Loud Party…and Wireless Microphones
Recently, I arrived early for a party. The host was working in the kitchen 20 feet from where I stood. “Have a seat and I will tell you what’s been going on,” she said. I settled into a nearby comfy chair and we chatted. The house was quiet and it was no problem to converse even though the talker/transmitter (the host) was located 20 feet from the listener/receiver (me).
Later that evening, the house was filled with guests when the host decided to continue the earlier conversation. But to hear each other we had to be one foot apart…the talker/transmitter had to be much closer to the listener/receiver. What changed?
The answer: the ambient (background) noise level had increased due to the many conversations in the room. For me, the host’s voice was the signal that I wanted to hear. All other sounds were noise, because these were signals that did not interest me. Yet when I arrived at the party and the noise level was quite low, I could be 20 feet away and still have a conversation.

This is a practical demonstration of Signal-to-Noise Ratio. The signal is the voice of the host; the noise is everything else. The noise is uncorrelated (random) acoustical debris. If the level of the noise is greater than the level of the signal, I cannot understand what is being said. Everyone has experienced a poor Signal-to-Noise Ratio at a party, or a rock concert, or sporting event. Noise creates an acoustical fog that makes it difficult, or impossible, to understand what is being said.
Here is a related question: Why might a Shure wireless mic system work properly over a distance of 500 feet in the Utah desert, while the same exact Shure wireless system will work properly for only 50 feet in New York City? As the wireless mic system did not change, what did?
The answer: the ambient (background) RF (Radio Frequency) noise level increased due to the many sources of RF transmission in New York City. Examples are numerous TV station transmitters, two-way radio signals, broadcast radio signals, Wi-Fi, data networks, plus the ubiquitous smartphone, owned by every New Yorker and consistently in use. These signals are uncorrelated waves of electro-magnetic debris. Even though most of these RF noise sources do not operate on the same frequency as the Shure wireless system, these sources raise the level of the RF garbage. This makes it more difficult for the Shure transmitter (talker) to be heard by the Shure receiver (listener). Just like what happened at the party, the receiver has a tough time sorting out the desired transmitter signal from the undesired noise.

In an environment with a high level of RF noise, the receiver (or the receiver antennas) must be located closer to the transmitter. This improves the RF Signal-to-Noise Ratio. The receiver then can pick up the desired transmitter because the signal is now stronger than the noise.
A wireless receiver can be made more selective (improved ability to sort out the signal from the noise) by adding “front-end RF filters.” Located after the antennas, these filters reduce the level of RF noise sent into the receiver. Effective RF filters are expensive thus they are primarily found on higher priced wireless systems.
For more information on wireless microphones, contact MCC’s Audio Visual Solutions Division today! 

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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

Want information fast or want it right? Learn how to have both

One of the ironies of modern business is that the amount of data in corporate repositories is exploding, yet, in many organizations, knowledge workers can’t get information when they need it.

In fact, workers often wonder, “If I can get all the world’s online information in less than a second through a Google or a Bing question, why can’t I get last quarter’s sales numbers just as easily?” according to Tom Davenport, professor of IT and management at Babson College.

Information delivery can affect how companies compete because it plays a critical role in fast decision making. Davenport and John McCoy, solutions architect for business process management (BPM) at Lexmark, discussed effective strategies for dealing with information-delivery challenges in a recent InformationWeek webcast sponsored by Lexmark.

Define key decisions

Before it can effectively meet the information needs of various departments, IT has to know what the critical decisions are for each group. Executives need to identify and prioritize decisions that are critical to their business strategy so the information they need to make those decisions can be optimized for analytics and business intelligence.

“Identify which decisions really matter to the business and what kinds of information can speed the specific strategic and tactical actions that follow,” Davenport recommended.

Many companies have processes in place that could be greatly optimized through better information dissemination. “By getting information to decision makers faster, we realize efficiency gains they never imagined were possible,” Lexmark’s McCoy said. “I’ve yet to see a process that could not be improved by more timely information delivery.”

Yet IT organizations are rarely focused on how workers use information to make decisions. They create state-of-the-art data warehouses that store troves of information, but don’t necessarily know how that information is being used, Davenport said.

Identify the types of information work

Another step in helping IT support decision making is to identify what kinds of information work take place in the company. Davenport described four models and the technologies that best support them.

• The transactional model involves highly routine work that depends on formal rules and procedures and doesn’t involve a lot of choice (call center work, for example), requires workflow systems and document management.
• The integration model, which involves fairly structured tasks typically carried out in teams (IT programming work, for example), benefits from workflow and collaboration tools. Support for content reuse helps teams build on existing work so they don’t have to recreate everything from scratch.
• The expert model, in which the work is very judgment oriented, based on individual expertise (an individual doctor in a medical practice, for example), needs decision-support tools and rules engines to capture expertise. However, experts must have the option to override automated recommendations.
• The collaboration model, which involves improvisational work that’s highly dependent on practitioners working in teams (lawyers or bankers collaborating on a merger or acquisition transaction, for example), is the hardest to support. Often, teams are simply given access to a data warehouse along with spreadsheets and other simple tools, because it’s difficult to predict what the process will involve.

Modern case management tools help in these scenarios, according to Lexmark’s McCoy. “We’ve had some exciting advances in dynamic case management and adaptive case management where we can support processes that don’t necessarily have a straight line trajectory from start to finish,” he said.

Drive the right delivery speed

Although knowledge workers want information when they need it, most don’t want all their information delivered faster. Davenport cited research he conducted in which most managers felt they were receiving cash flow, receivable and payables information with plenty of speed. “These are areas where information has to be processed and delivered quickly,” Davenport said. “But 70 percent said they need customer and employee satisfaction information faster, which indicates that many organizations do not collect this kind of data frequently enough.”

The economy can also affect which information people want quickly. In a recession, cash flow, spending against budgets, and receivables/payables are important because they reveal how companies are doing. In a growing economy, managers want timely employee satisfaction data so they can keep attrition rates down. Precise cash flow and market share data are less important in a booming economy, since management is focused on filling orders and meeting customer demand.

Eliminate information bottlenecks

Before the speed of information delivery can be addressed, executives need to identify what their key decisions are and what information is necessary to support those decisions.

“It can be a big mistake to do the opposite and begin with the technology before you’ve established those needs,” McCoy said, “because you may find that the technology you’ve selected cannot achieve those goals.”

Once information requirements are identified, IT departments should look for solutions that meet user and technical needs. For example, managers and professionals should have the ability to pull information when they need it. Alerts can be useful when decision makers can define the boundaries of when they want to be automatically notified.

Several technologies can improve information delivery. In-memory applications are used for analytics and scoring, rapid interactive analysis, and database processing. New types of databases, such as vertical or columnar, are optimized for query and reporting. Case management can speed up workflow and information delivery for semi-structured processes. Easy-to-use analytical software lets workers do their own queries and analyses, pulling information proactively rather than waiting for it to be delivered.

Information delivery plays big role in decision making. Yet the human factor can’t be overlooked. “Decision making relies on getting the right information in a timely manner,” McCoy said. “Once you’ve done that, there are no excuses. Make sure the people receiving the information have the knowledge and understanding to make the right decision.”

- See more at: http://memphiscommunications.net/blog/?p=1573#sthash.ayPyYK0f.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

Toshiba’s Latest e-STUDIO Series Fulfills Users Need for Speed:

Next Generation Security and Mobile Features Complement Multifunction Products’ High-Volume Print Output

For organizations of any size seeking to produce high-volume print output, Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. unveiled its e-STUDIOTM557/657/757/857 series of multifunction products (MFPs).

With a maximum resolution of 2,400 x 600 dots-per-inch, the latest version of the company’s award-winning e-STUDIO line offers crisp monochrome documents at up to 85 pages-per-minute. Through its 7,600-sheet maximum capacity, the e-STUDIO857 series is capable of handling virtually any print job. Complementing the series’ productivity and exceptional image quality capabilities are leading security, mobile and eco features.

To assist in allowing end users and IT personnel to rest easier, the company’s newest MFPs include a robust 320 GB Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) that meets the ultra-stringent U.S. Federal Information Processing Standard 140-2. By attaining this validation, Toshiba’s latest print fleet may be used in such highly regulated environments as financial institutions and government facilities. Allowing for even greater data protection, Toshiba’s new e-STUDIO models include a Hard Copy Security feature to prevent the copying of sensitive documents.

For users seeking to wirelessly print and scan, Toshiba’s latest MFP fleet incorporates its next generation e-BRIDGETMcontroller affording all of the benefits of cloud and mobile printing and scanning for Apple® and AndroidTM smartphones and tablets.

Underscoring its commitment to designing and delivering products while allowing its customers to demonstrate their environmental stewardship, the e-STUDIO857 series1 are EPEAT registered. EPEAT is the definitive global rating system for greener electronics. The products also meet the environmentally rigorous Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) compliance.

To further reduce users’ carbon footprint, Toshiba’s e-STUDIO line integrates recycled plastics throughout its chassis while coupling a low-temperature fusing toner and Super Sleep Mode feature – which reduces power consumption to as little as 1.5 watts.

As an environmentally-conscious company, Toshiba provides free toner recycling through its “Zero Waste to Landfill” program. As a result of its partnership with Close the Loop, Toshiba accepts all brands of spent toner cartridges. To further support its Zero Waste to Landfill initiative, Toshiba partners with internationally-recognized Sims Recycling Solutions allowing for the proper recycling of its e-STUDIO products once they are no longer operational.

“By unveiling our e-STUDIO857 series, any company from small to mid-size to large, has the capability to produce high-volume print while limiting the associated environmental impact,” said Toshiba America Business Solutions Chief Marketing Executive, Bill Melo. “Additionally, they gain added security and enhanced mobile functionality enabling them to scan and print documents on the go.”

MCC is your authorized Toshiba dealer. To learn more contact our Document Solutions Division today!

- See more at: http://memphiscommunications.net/blog/?p=1564#sthash.qomoWYhu.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

Cloud Storage: 7 Must-Have Features for Business - Memphis Communications

Cloud storage is one of the best ways to keep your business’s important data safe and accessible.

More and more small and midsize businesses are turning to cloud storage services to keep files and documents backed up and available from any Internet-connected device — even when those files contain sensitive company and client data.

Adopting a cloud storage platform will keep your files at your fingertips, but choosing one can be tricky. A dizzying array of cloud computing services have emerged, each with a unique feature set.

When choosing a cloud service, it’s important for each business to consider its individual needs. Instead of looking at the best overall cloud storage solutions, we’ve compiled a list of seven important features to look for in your next cloud storage service.

1. File versioning

With a service that supports file versioning, you can edit worry-free.

Services with this feature don’t overwrite your old files when you make changes. Instead, they save multiple versions of your files so you can retrieve the old copies later.

That could be a lifesaver for business users who need to retrieve important data that have been overwritten.

The vast majority of cloud computing services support file versioning in some form, but some will only maintain a limited number of versions, or even delete old versions after a set period of time.

Even if a file is deleted, most services allow you to retrieve it. Check to see how long the service saves deleted files before they’re wiped forever.

2. Automatic sync

Automatic syncing capabilities are a must for business users who depend on the cloud. Services with this feature will update your files to reflect any edits you make in real time.

Not all services with syncing functionality will do it automatically. That could be a major problem if you forget to sync your files before your next business trip.

With automatic syncing, you can rest easy knowing that your data are always up-to-date. The best cloud storage services also allow users to schedule permanent backups to an external drive to occur at specified time intervals.

3. Collaboration tools

When you need to share and edit files with an employee or other member of your business team, you’ll want top-notch tools.

Collaboration features vary by service. The best services allow users to share files with an authorized user on any device in multiple ways, including via direct link and email.

The best services also keep your shared data secure, with nuanced password protection that can be enabled at the folder and sub-folder levels.

Before picking a service, make sure it has features to fit the workflow of your team.

4. View and edit files from the cloud

This is the bread and butter of a business-ready cloud computing platform. Transferring important files from device to device is a time-consuming hassle; business owners need to access their files at a moment’s notice, wherever they are.

The vast majority of cloud computing services allow users to view and edit files from the cloud on any computer, smartphone, tablet or other Internet-connected device. That means you can make quick edits on the fly, and have your edits synced across all your devices.

But make sure to double-check before you subscribe. Some services, like the music- and media-focused Amazon Cloud Drive, require you to download a file to your hard drive to make edits and then reupload it to the cloud once you’re finished.

When you’re working on the go, that shortcoming could seriously hamper your productivity.

5. Security and file encryption

Security is a top concern when you take your business to the cloud. Your company’s private data could be compromised if the service you use lacks the right features.

Make sure your service encrypts your data at least once before it ever leaves your servers. The best services also allow you to pick your own encryption key so that not even that company’s employees can view your files.

You should also have the ability to protect your files with a password, particularly when accessing them from a mobile device, as well as the capability to set different levels of access for different employees.

Top-notch security features will let you relax when sending private information about your clients to the cloud.

6. Flexible storage capacity at an affordable price

Your storage needs are unique to your business. Small business owners are most likely looking for a cloud storage platform that can accommodate data from five to 10 employees, with ample space at a reasonable price.

Some storage platforms offer a limited amount of data for a cheap price and get progressively more expensive as they scale up; others start off at a more expensive rate but offer bigger storage plans at a lower rate.

The price for 1TB of storage can vary from as little as $250 up to thousands of dollars per year, depending on which features you need. And only some services offer plans with unlimited data storage, though your small business may have more modest needs.

Still, the best cloud storage solutions may be the ones that can grow alongside your business. You may be starting off with just a handful of employees, but consider picking a service that can accommodate your company well into the future.

7. Reliable tech support

When it comes to your business’s daily operations, technical difficulties are no joke. If you or your employees can’t access important files when they’re needed, it could seriously cost you.

Help and technical support services vary from service to service. The best services respond promptly and have someone available to help you 24/7.

In addition to email and phone support, some services also offer live text chat to help you troubleshoot. Take a few minutes to review your options before choosing a cloud storage solution.

Learn more about Cloud services by contacting MCC’s Integrated Solutions Division today!

- See more at: http://www.memphiscommunications.net/blog/#sthash.52v4EDHY.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