Author: Info

Makerspaces And Their Benefits

The term “makerspace” has been around for quite a few years now, although the purpose and the implications of having access to such a space are just starting to show their impact. Having an association with anything from robotics development in laboratories to Lego stations at the local library, a “makerspace” is anything defined as space where people come together to explore and create.

The type of exploration and creation that takes place in a makerspace has everything to do with the type of tools contained within as well as the community that it hosts. Technology rooms, woodworking shops, sewing rooms, and print centers are all types of makerspace facilities; for younger explorers, community rooms and libraries that host Lego building and craft corners become a springboard to exploration born of curiosity and creativity.

Schools and businesses alike are beginning to embrace the concept that group collaboration breeds creativity, and when given the proper tools, such as pens and paper, computers, 3D printers, laser cutters, and other tools designed to turn concepts into reality, people can come together to stretch a collective imagination and create truly innovative things.

Because makerspaces provide a safe and inviting space for learners of all ages to come together to explore and create, the possibilities are endless for how you could use an environment like this to boost creativity and maximize productivity.

Benefits Of Makerspace Environments

1. They provide an opportunity for hands-on learning. Makerspace environments take the theory out of learning and move it into the realm of application. Students are better able to understand the concepts of cellular biology thanks to virtual reality exploration. Architecture projects are brought to life with the use of a 3D printer to test form, function, and design. Another benefit of makerspace environments is that they allow for the use and application of brand new technologies in learning.
2. Makerspace environments are relaxing and reflective. Humans possess an innate desire to create and reflect on their creations—a makerspace environment is a perfect place to access the potential of both of these activities as we learn more about life and ourselves through our creations.
3. Makerspace environments encourage in-depth exploration. In a supportive, unthreatening environment, students and adults alike delve into concepts that they want to learn more about, and this freedom to explore topics more extensively gives way to some wonderful discoveries.
4. One benefit of makerspace environments is that they place very expensive tools and materials in the hands of individuals who could not afford to own them outright; the access to this cutting-edge technology levels the playing field for all types of creation to occur.
5. Makerspace environments are non-threatening places to learn. In an inclusive environment where free thinking and exploration are encouraged, there is a certain freedom that comes with trial and error. Free thinking is encouraged, and every mistake made brings the learner one step closer to success.
6. Makerspace environments are community and skill building. The collaborative nature of makerspace environments lends itself well to cooperative learning and skill building. All participants learn the value of working together to create something larger than themselves. It is this collaborative learning experience that resonates so powerfully in the minds of passionate learners who desire to make learning come alive.

As learning is continually evolving, and the needs and desires of students changes with our evolving content, the development of makerspaces is perfect for the increase in creativity and collaboration through learning. It is our hope that this trend is only built upon as we realize our true growth potential through hands-on opportunities for building something new.

Audio-visual consultants are more and more in demand. But what exactly is an AV consultant and how can you become one? The following explains what it takes to do to make your dream of becoming an audio-visual consultant a reality.

Job Duties

The duties of an audio-visual consultant are often complex and multifaceted. As an audio-visual professional, you will be required to have a great deal of creativity and maintain exceptional attention to detail. You will also need to understand all of the technical aspects of audio-visual equipment as it relates to their implementation in a professional AV setup.

As an audio-visual consultant, you will be expected to:

• Meet with a number of varying clients to determine their audio-visual needs
• Document client needs to devise a custom audio-visual plan
• Develop and manage a predetermined AV budget, ensuring that all audio-visual needs are met within the budget
• Create and design professional audio-video systems for a myriad of businesses and organizations with varied AV needs
• Collaborate with audio-video vendors to meet the design plan’s equipment needs while working to maintain pricing that aligns with the predetermined budget
• Oversee and assist in the implementation and installation of the AV plan
• Test the audio-visual equipment after installation, correcting anything that doesn’t work properly
• Monitor and sustain relationships with the audio-visual client after installation is complete, ensuring that the AV setup is maintained and functional

As you can see, a career as an audio-visual consultant requires a lot of knowledge and expertise. You must have a mastery of the professional technology you are installing, as well as an understanding of how that technology meets the client’s business goals. So what type of training and education is needed to become an AV professional?

Education and Training

Because audio-visual consulting requires an advanced understanding of professional AV technology, it is recommended that those interested in a career in this field have education and experience that goes beyond the high school level. Audio-visual programs at both technical schools and universities give students the background knowledge necessary to perform the everyday duties in their career as a consultant. An associate’s or bachelor’s degree also offers audio-visual consultants a professional advantage in the highly competitive field.

Many technical schools and trade schools offer one- and two-year programs that focus on careers in the audio-visual industry. These programs usually result in certificates or degrees that will give you a competitive advantage as a consultant. They also help prepare students for a more advanced degree at the university level, should you later choose to pursue that route.

At the university level, students are offered more advanced training in the audio-visual field. A university education usually results in a 4-year bachelor’s degree. While program offerings vary depending on the university you choose, many AV professionals find the following degree programs useful to their career:

• Television production and management
• Broadcasting
• Visual journalism
• New media

Audio-visual consultants with advanced training or certificates related to specific AV equipment may also find it to be advantageous in their careers.

Professional Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in the audio-visual industry are anticipated to grow 12% by 2024. Audio-visual consultants are expected to see a rise as part of this growth. The job prospects for highly qualified audio-visual experts look positive, and well-trained consultants will be needed as the industry continues to grow. Companies like CCS Presentation Systems will continue to look to partner with the very best in the audio-visual community, including with the best consultants.

A career in audio-visual consulting is within your reach. With the right training and an understanding of the necessary skills, you can be well on your way to a job in just a few years.

Although home automation is a great concept, many people have the impression that being able to control your lights, security, shades, music, and temperature by a touch of their mobile devices is quite an expensive ordeal. It’s a fact though that automating your home has been made quite affordable due to the technological advancements and the competition between the numerous tech companies out there churning out automation products.

Moreover, you don’t have to be tech savvy to operate these controls. Automating a home is not a preserve of the rich anymore. In addition, you don’t have to undergo some complex training in order to start operating the automating systems in your home after installation.

How automating a home has been made affordable

The systems that the tech companies install in homes nowadays are affordable and scalable. You can start small and change options or add other systems into your home depending on your personal preferences and needs.

Since iPhone’s inception over a decade ago, people wouldn’t imagine that it could transform people’s lifestyles across the world as it has done. Millions of people currently use smartphones to navigate through their daily lives. Besides communicating, there are several functions of a smartphone that are just amazing and using it in your automation systems is just one of them.

When the first smartphone was introduced in 1992, it had a few features but it was very expensive to most people. In other words, as technology keeps advancing, services increase, and new devices emerge but prices keep going down. So, smart homeowners are slowly jumping from smartphones and embracing the of smart homes in this era of the Internet of Things (IoT). The automation systems are available everywhere at prices that are affordable to many.

In this app-driven world where you do almost everything using an app on your mobile devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones, it’s only reasonable that you automate your home and start getting the benefits of automating the way you live inside your home. Although automating a home might not be a consideration for many whenever they buy a new home, it’s prudent that you consider researching around for credible tech companies that can give you these conveniences that come with automating a home.

Benefits of Automation

Regardless of whether you own a vacation home or luxury home that you intend to rent out, smart home technologies should be your priority upgrade. The upgrade will boost the security and convenience of your home and make it more attractive to renters. In fact, the technologies will give renters increased comfort that they may consider as luxury amenities.

A vacation home can sit on a large portion of land for a long period without being occupied. That predisposes your home to several dangers like insecurity. Thieves target these homes because they’re guaranteed to a lot of time to conduct their burglaries.

A property that is unoccupied is also vulnerable to other problems such as a leak that goes on for an extended period unnoticed, vandalism, and other damages like mold or fire damage. Investing in automation will solve these problems for you.

With the smart security, you can keep the thieves off and it can also alert you immediately in case anything goes wrong on your property. The system motion and environmental sensors will pick up signals if anything problematic is happening on the property. On the other hand, the security cameras will let you check in whenever you want regardless of your location or time by using your mobile devices. Automating your home will also increase the value of your home in case you want to list it in the real estate market, and hence it’s an affordable investment at the end of the day.

If you’ve had a child in school over the last couple of years, or know of someone that does, you’ve most likely seen the new, state-of-the-art interactive whiteboards. And while the crank in us might regard these as nothing more than another step in the evolution of technology, there’s reason to believe that these whiteboards are far superior to their old-age counterparts in a number of ways.

Though the first interactive whiteboard was officially introduced in the early 1990’s, it’s only been within the last 5-10 years that they have been embraced by the mainstream educational system, primarily because new research has shown them to dramatically increase learning comprehension. Though the whiteboard and accompanying LCD projector are nothing new, the software that connects the two is, allowing the teacher to manipulate the screen with a touch of the hand or click of a pointer.

One example of this is seen in a class on geography, where the teacher projects a map of the African continent, and then asks the classroom to pick a location they would like to visit. Kenya is voted on by the class, and the teacher simply selects Kenya, and immediately is presented with a range of options including topography, animals, climate, and more. This not only saves time, but keeps the students continually engaged and learning.

But this technology is more than just fancy imaging: in a world where smartphones and instant messaging dominate kids’ attention, the push is to use that as a force for good instead of fighting against it by using antiquated techniques. The attention span of a child is normally two to five minutes times their age, so for a class of eight-year-olds, you have anywhere from 16-40 minutes max to engage their brains. Spread out over a full school day, and that rate drops substantially.

Research has continually proven that multi-sensory interaction and engagement is the key to help children learn, and this is especially true for whiteboard instruction. A 2010 study using students from different disciplines asked them to comment on what they liked or disliked about using whiteboard technology. Overwhelmingly, the respondents remarked about the level of interaction they had with the lesson, as well as even references to how it felt more like a game than school. Being able to change variables in a car crash simulator, for instance, allowed the students to quickly see different scenarios and how they changed with different variables.

This interactive technology can be used for a variety of different purposes outside of simple classroom instruction, for instance:

Group problem solving

Student showcases

Virtual field trips

Graphs showing individual progress

Lessons used by substitute teachers

Further research backs up the claims to overall efficacy. The University of Wisconsin reported that visual aids, specifically interactive types, increased learning rates by nearly 200%. Student retention went up 38%, according to studies performed at Harvard and Columbia Universities, and the Wharton School of Business claims that the time it took to explain problems dropped 15%. That same 2010 study mentioned earlier also stated students’ self-reporting themselves 20% more capable of learning than with traditional means.

The one drawback with this type of software is one that has plagued educational institutions since their inception: money. With many teachers struggling to provide even basic visual aids for their classrooms, the introduction of highly advanced software can lead to a strain on school budgets that are already heavily taxed as it is. However, many companies make the argument that these technologies can reduce teaching costs in the long-term.

Fortunately, the myriad of tech companies that are lining up to fill the gap in this marketplace is increasing daily. At the time of this writing, there are at least six different companies that provide this service (SMART, Promethean, Mimio, Numonics, eInstruction, and Polyvision), each with their own version of the software and different price points to match.

With the ability to engage classrooms on a deeper level, the specialized learning that can be adapted to students with learning disabilities, and the convenience and flexibility that interactive technologies allows, there’s little doubt that it will continue to find its way into the local school system. How quickly and what grade levels, however, remains yet to be seen.

Interactive whiteboards were introduced in the mid-2000s and spread through k12 classrooms. However, since then their usage has run into many issues due to technical problems and poor implementation. Yet the potential of these interactive products to aid in teaching remains, with a study that involved 85 teachers and 170 classrooms finding that the boards increased student performance by 16 percentile points. With the right implementation, there are many ways for interactive boards to enhance the classroom.

Digital organization

Interactive whiteboards combine the presentation of the chalkboard that’s served classrooms since 1801 with the organization of the computer. Teachers can add animations and graphics to their lessons and play them with a tap of their finger. Use of these visual aides has been shown to increase student performance by 26 percentile points.

Teachers can also write with a stylus as they go, creating new content like a chalkboard but with a wide range of options for presentation and connecting with the internet. Besides literally adding color to the lesson these features communicate information to students clearer, quicker, and with more engagement than a traditional board.

Positive Learning Enforcement

Interactive boards remove the delay in feedback that adds a barrier between student-teacher interactions. A teacher normally teaches a lesson, hands out a quiz, then reads out the answers and lets the students grade themselves. There’s a disconnect as the student is left to their own devices to complete and grade their exams. Now students each have a handheld voting device. The board displays a live bar graph of each possible answer submitted. Then that becomes a pie chart of right vs wrong answer percentage. The teacher can work directly with the students question by question.

Teachers are also given tools to positively reinforce their students. They can play applause whenever a student picks the right answer or performs a presentation. Directly commending students like this encourages them to participate in class more, and encourages them to study and pay attention to the lessons.

Recording Data

Computers enable teachers to save their board work and lessons. No more erasing all their work when they run out of board room, they can create a new page and keep teaching without losing any content. Their lessons will be saved as PDF files for use after class. They will available to the teacher for any future use, be it for their own review to help build tomorrows’ lesson or to provide to their students as a study aid before homework or exams.

There are also interactive lessons available to all teachers online. These can be downloaded from the following sites to provide more life to an ordinary school lesson.

• Starfall.com: an online literary aide that helps with grammar and writing, while providing interactive multimedia books.
• National Library of Virtual Manipulatives: a repository for math and science interactive features that work with all interactive boards.
• Interactive WhiteBoard Resource from Topmarks: A UK based database of dozens of useful sites.

Student Participation Aids

Students can also directly utilize the interactive board. When doing group projects, the teacher can let each group take turns presenting their work on the board, provided they understand the controls and tools available. The teacher can also call up students to answer questions on the board, getting the entire class directly involved in their learning experience.

The teacher can also implement the online interactive programs listed above. Students can be called up to do these in front of the class, further engaging them in their learning experience.

Different Brands of Interactive Products

There are a wide array of interactive products available to teachers to put at the head of their classrooms and use to educate their students. There is a difference between an interactive board and a projector with interactive software.

• SMARTboard 700 Series: the most common board, so widely used that SMARTboard has replaced the term interactive board in the lexicon. Teachers can write directly on the board with any utensil and have a wide variety of annotation features. Applications have clear functionality and are simple to use.
• Epson BrightLink Interactive Projector: This is a projector with software, compatible with the teacher’s existing whiteboard, making it very versatile. There’s much built-in software and application support.
• Clear Touch Display: Another smart board with its own touch whiteboard.
• InFocus Jtouch: an interactive board with excellent sound projection and powerful programming for running complex programs, plus a built-in whiteboard. However, it’s extremely heavy and the low definition screen limits visual applications

Whatever choice is made, the studies are in. A properly used interactive board is one of the most powerful tools in modern k12 classrooms.

Sources:

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/nov09/vol67/num03/Teaching-with-Interactive-Whiteboards.aspx

https://www.neamb.com/work-life/creative-ways-to-use-your-interactive-whiteboard

Several classrooms around the globe are taking advantage of Interactive whiteboards (IWB) or SMART boards. The whiteboards enable teachers to integrate chalkboards with different technologies such as computers, projectors, and televisions when teaching. SMART Board launched its first smart board in 1991, which was simply LCD attached to a computer. Whiteboards can be utilized in environments such as training rooms for sports coaching, broadcasting rooms, classrooms, and corporate boardrooms.

A research conducted by Futuresource Consulting concluded that one in every seven classrooms in world was expected to have a whiteboard by the year 2011. By the year 2004 about 24% of classrooms in Britain had IWBs.

A smart board can be a standalone computer or a functioning touchpad being used by computers. A device driver is attached to the computer in such a manner that the smart board acts like a human input device similar to a mouse. The output of the computer video is connected to a projector so that images from the computer can be displayed on the surface of the whiteboard.

The user of the IWB will calibrate its images by matching the position of the image in reference to the IWB using a pointer whenever necessary. The user can then use the pointer to activate programs on the IWB display just as one could do using a mouse on a computer monitor’s screen. At this point, the user can invoke an on-screen keyboard so as to enter text or better yet use handwriting recognition if the IWB provides for that option. In other words, the IWB emulates a mouse and a keyboard. The user can teach a classroom or make a presentation by exclusively using the IWB.

Furthermore, the IWBs come with certain improvised features that optimize the interactive opportunities that these whiteboards can provide. Some of these features are instruments that can be used in traditional classroom environments and they include rulers, virtual protractors, highlighter solutions, compasses, and flipcharts. Whiteboards can be used for:

• Capturing notes written on the IWB and saving them on the connected computer.
• Capturing the notes written on a tablet connected to the IWB.
• Running a software that is loaded on the connected computer or laptop or any other software that can be used in a classroom environment.
• Controlling a computer from the IWB using the click and drag option, markup that annotates a presentation.
• Translating a cursive writing on a tablet into text by using an OCR software.

The common forms of interaction between the projected content and the user include:

Resistive touch-based whiteboard

It involves a pointing device. The surface membrane deforms to conduct with the back-plate. The touch pint location will then be registered as a mouse event. For example, when the user touches the surface membrane it’s registered as a left mouse click. Most manufacturers of this form claim that it’s a natural and easy to use IWB.

Infrared scan technology

It’s a large IWB that connects to a PC and a projector. The whiteboard is mounted to a wall. The movement of a pen or even the user’s finger is registered when it interferes with infrared light on the board’s surface.

Electromagnetic pen

Wires are fixed behind the whiteboard surface that interacts with the stylus tip so that they can determine the coordinates of the stylus vertically and horizontally. The pen alters the electrical signals produced by the IWB.

Ultrasonic pen

The technology behind this IWB is ultrasound positioning combined with infrared. The technology works by computing the speed of light against that of sound as is the case in thunderstorm. These types of boards are available in portable formats.

Audiovisual communication is essential to businesses, government institutions, and even schools. Specifically, if your goal is to produce presentations that are impactful, engaging and efficient in communication, it is important to go for the services you need from a qualified consultant.

What do AVs do?

As a consultant, you are required to come up with system designs and manage your clients. Furthermore, these specialists dig deep into the project to analyze and design systems that uniquely accommodate all your technology requirements for you as a customer. Moreover, audiovisual consultants develop fully integrated systems besides proving expert insights of AV solutions available in the market.

Audiovisual consulting also involves the use of current AV systems to update and upgrade existing systems. Likewise, as an AV consultant, you will choose optimal equipment that will be used to bring ideas to life ideas for the client. Consequently, a good consultant will help your company to save money without compromising on quality. For this reason, you are expected to have up to date information on latest Audio Visual and Video technologies as a consultant. Above all, an excellent track record is vital to making sure that you get the services tailor-made for your project.

Audiovisual Consultancy Process

As much as the user interface is essential to the end user, the design, structure, construction, and installation is crucial to the whole process. Similarly, the client is the most esteemed party in this process. The consultants value you as a customer, and because of that, they take time to prepare before pitching an idea. In essence, the consultant presents a well-thought AV solution that will serve your business well.

After confirming that you have selected a certain AV consultants, the first step is to prepare and review all the possible solutions, options and AV requirements that are suitable for your project. In short, after considering the above options, the consultant team moves to the design stage of the process. The fundamental elements of the design stage include in ascending order:

• Concept
• Functionality
• Aesthetics
• Human interface
• Engineering
• Costing

Each item from the above process has relevant documentation, diagrams, and illustrations. Additionally, every stage is continuously reviewed and improved through criticism. Likewise, communication between the consultant team and the client’s team is highly regarded throughout the whole process. Communication has always reduced redundancy when it comes to coordination from one team to the other.

System Building and Integration

This step encompasses the construction of the entire system. The engineering aspect is the central element at this stage. The process involves experts such as engineers, programmers and project managers. They work through every technical aspect of the project from design to the actual physical structure. Finally, system integration comes next. Customizing the AV system to the client’s requirement comes in handy. Fabrication and assembly are implemented alongside testing for optimal performance.

AV System Installation

Once the system is built and customized, the consultants bring experts onboard in AV installation. The installation is per the needs of the client in consultation with the AV experts. Consequently, more system checking and testing processes are performed in the presence of the customer. At this stage, all adjustments are on site. A product overview is presented to the client, and later on, the system is finally handed over to the customer. Furthermore, future schedules maintenance is arranged and agreed upon by both parties.

In conclusion, audiovisual consultancy is a professional that only admits top-notch skills. As audiovisual communication continues to gain traction in the business and education arenas, it is important that excellent services are available for clients. As Audiovisual service providers, CCS will hold your hand through the whole process from design, planning, construction and finally installation. That means that a good AV consultant will coordinate all the aspects of your project and maintain the system after handing it over to the clients. That is what it takes to be a prestigious and esteemed AV consultant.

The Importance of Collaboration in a Corporate Environment

The business domain is one that elicits a certain set of skills, some of which involve the ability to collaborate well with other individuals. In the modern world, collaboration is still done in-person, but a great deal of work is also conducted over the internet. One way to enhance your office collaboration is through video conferencing. By understanding video conferencing solutions and the applications it offers, it will show you why this type of collaboration is so important for your business.

Technological Understanding

Encouraging or requiring employees to communicate with one another through technology only helps to further their understanding of new devices. Some employees may express hesitation about harnessing the power of technological tools in the workplace, and such an attitude can lead to a slowdown. When employees have to communicate on a regular basis, they can also build some troubleshooting skills for themselves. While you do want to have a help desk staff available for serious inquiries, you also want to encourage employees to learn how to tackle such problems without assistance.

Company Cohesion

Having branches of your business in different states or even different countries means that you get to increase productivity and expand the opportunities that your company has to conduct business. However, one downfall is that your employees may feel as though they are not working for the same business. Video conferencing solutions help to build a bridge over that gap. Even though employees are not together in the same room, they can still work on the same project or address the same problem through a video conference, giving them a sense of the face-to-face interaction they would receive if they were working with the people in an office setting.

Traveling Ease

Sending employees out on business trips allows your company to establish its presence at conferences, national meetings and the like. Still though, you may want to communicate with your employees while they are away. In fact, you may wish to watch the presentation that they’re making live. A video conference is one way that you can still play a role in your employees’ routines when they are traveling for the business. Do proceed with caution though, you don’t want your team members to feel as though you’re watching their every move because you don’t trust them.

Multiple Perspectives

When you’re trying to solve a problem, you may come up with a multitude of solutions. However, since you were so focused on finding a solution, you may fail to recognize the possible problems that could come into fruition with it. Bringing in multiple perspectives from employees at your branch and at different ones can help you to have a fuller perspective. A video conference can prove useful in another way when it comes to solving conflicts too. When you are stuck and can’t find an answer, you can bring in other members to assist.

Maintained Communications

Chances are that you’ve had to close down the business at least once due to unforeseen circumstances. For example, a serious weather event might have rendered it unsafe for employees to travel to the office. If such a situation were to occur again, you could still maintain business operations by communicating with everyone online. Another perk here is the incorporation of more work-at-home opportunities.

In recent years, you may have found that more and more employees are requesting to work from home at least one day per week. Without the proper technology, granting this request could prove difficult. When you decide to bring video conferencing solutions to the job, however, you could offer more telecommuting positions. You may find that opening up positions to people who are willing to work from home can bring on a whole new level of talent.

Collaborating in a business environment is quite important. This process allows for the exchange of ideas, and it helps employees to learn how to better tackle challenges at work. When employees communicate with one another, they are also developing rapport. Exploring new and improved technological means of fostering this environment is a wise move for virtually any business.

One of the greatest blessings that we have as Christians is to sing church songs with people of a similar faith. It is the way we commune with God, it is the way we commune with others, and it is the way we “let the Word of Christ richly dwell within us” (Col. 3:16).

For centuries, this activity has looked much the same: the congregants file into the building, pull out a hymnal from a pew nearby, and begin singing. While this is certainly the easiest way to allow everyone to sing, it’s by no means the most efficient.

With presentation software, you have the distinct advantages of…

• Getting People’s Heads Out of the Book

This creates a better overall sound and a more natural singing position. Facing forward projects the voice better and allows for a more enthusiastic worship.

• Saving Time in Between Songs

Normally, the congregation has to wait for all the members to turn to a particular page and familiarize themselves with which song they are about to sing before they can begin. With projection hymnals, the songs are instantly displayed up on the screen and the congregation can begin singing.

• Simplifying Worship

Musical notation is a beautiful thing, but for some who are unfamiliar with shape notes and general music basics, it can also be intimidating, particularly for newer songs. A projected song has the benefit of allowing the congregation to follow the leader as opposed to focusing on the do-re-mi’s of the song.

This technology is certainly not for everybody though. In your auditorium is particularly long, then people at the back may not easily be able to read the words projected on the screen. Also, projecting hymns on an overhead does come at a considerable cost in the form of buying church projectors and display screens, among others.

If your congregation is considering moving to presentation software for their worship service, keep a few things in mind:

• Make Sure You are Legal

It would seem counter-intuitive in a religious setting to worry about legal practices, but unfortunately, there are many unscrupulous dealers peddling copyrighted material that can land your congregation in trouble. While many of the older songs, such as “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art” usually have expired copyrights and can be used, the newer songs sometimes do not. When in doubt, get a CCLI license (Christian Copyright Licensing, Incorporated), which allows your congregation to print and use hymns for worship services.

• Make Sure You Have the Resources

Cost is not the only thing you need to consider when deciding whether or not to project church songs, you must also consider whether or not you have space for it. Some church projectors are designed to project an image a few hundred feet, but if the point of reception is too small, the image can be unreadable or distorted. Make sure you not only have the resources to cover the costs, but also the available space and manpower to operate the equipment.

• Make Sure You Prepare

When dealing with technology, anything can go wrong at any time and for any reason, so it’s imperative that you have print hymnals still scattered about in case the system goes down (some people may prefer them anyway). Also, make sure that whoever is running the slides has ample time to familiarize themselves with the technology and practice before services. The last thing you want is someone who is inexperienced disrupting the worship experience.

When done right, projecting church hymns on a screen can enrich the worship and breathe new life into hymns that we have sung for years. If you take the time to prepare the technology and utilize it in the correct manner, it will be of immense value and benefit the congregation for years to come.

One of the most common questions that surround business signage of any kind is whether to opt for digital signage or neon signs. There are contextual differences between the situations in which digital signs or neon signs are better, but the following reasons are also the most important things to keep in mind to ensure that you always make the best decision.

Flat price and maintenance

In general, the flat price of neon sign tends to be slightly lower than that of a digital sign. Though many people can be attracted by the slightly lower price point of a neon sign all by itself, what also needs to be taken into consideration is the amount of money that needs to be invested in the upkeep of the neon sign. Maintenance, operational costs and possible repairs can easily make the overall price of a neon sign much higher than the flat price for purchasing it. Though slightly more has to be invested to acquire digital signage solution, once it is operational, there is barely any kind of regular maintenance that needs to be conducted on a regular basis. In addition to low maintenance, a digital sign consumes far less power in the long run as well. Compared to a neon display, a digital display require as little as a tenth of the power that a neon display requires to show the same thing.

Spatial constraints

When it comes to choosing the right signage solution, the size that is occupied should be taken into account just as much as the operational costs. In general, a digital sign will be a lot less bulky or than a neon sign. In order to accommodate the mechanisms that make neon lighting possible, a neon sign will usually have to be thicker, taller and wider than a simple LED panel. In addition to being slightly smaller than the neon counterpart, a digital sign with an LED panel is usually much easier to fit onto walls and windows without as much hassle.

Readability

Naturally, it is very important to make sure that whatever form of signage that you choose is actually clear enough to be read by the people that you want to see it. When it comes to the ease of reading whatever is displayed on a signage solution, what tends to be the case is that a digital variation is much more reliable than the neon variation. Digital displays are much brighter than neon displays, and in addition to that, they can be freely adjusted to flexibly show whatever you need them to show at any given point in time.

Summary

Having an effective signage solution can help the business save several thousands of dollars on getting exposure in their target market. While the potential to save money for great benefits is very high, a small business owner without infinite funds to start with has to be very pragmatic about the choice that they make between different forms of signage.

Digital signs take up less space, are more cost-efficient, more adaptable and brighter than neon signs. The overall margin of error is much lower when it comes to a digital sign, making it far more dependable and less potentially costly in the long run than the neon alternative.

NEC display solutions are some of the more effective digital signage options that are applicable to just about any category of business that there is. With NEC display solutions, small business owners are in a much better position to get the exposure that they need without breaking the bank or sacrificing quality.