For years, experts have predicted the convergence of AV systems into IT networks. Now a strategic alliance between Vizual Symphony and Embee Technologies positions both companies as a leader in AV/IT convergence in the college and university setting.
Vizual Symphony, an audiovisual system design and integration firm, and Embee Technologies, an Information Technology infrastructure, wireless and structured cabling services company, will officially announce at TechEd 2008 that they have partnered together to bring AV/IT convergence into the educational setting.
The partnership, which will allow community colleges, universities and training facilities to integrate their AV systems into the IT network on campus, positions both companies to become leaders in the AV/IT convergence trend which experts have been talking about in the AV industry for years. The trend has created a widening gap among the few companies that can integrate AV and IT and the majority of those who can’t.
Because both companies specialize in higher education and training facilities, the partnership brings great benefit to colleges and universities, which face ever-growing enrollment numbers. Higher enrollment leave these institutions in dire need of integrating the AV systems into the campus’ IT network to make better use of multimedia presentations and lectures in classrooms that house several hundred students.
“The classroom environment is ever-changing, especially in higher education where the need to keep up with technology is even more necessary,†said Christina DeBono, managing principal/vice president for Vizual Symphony. “The challenge is to make this transition seamless for educators and Embee and Vizual Symphony worked closely together to make it as easy as possible.â€
Adds Luke Slymen, president of Embee Technologies, the partnership also allows their company to work alongside an organization that has become known for creating “smart†classrooms, and the ability to implement technology into classrooms that allow faculty to use computers and the internet during a lecture. This type of service is attractive to the educational institutions that Embee works with.
“Being able to have these ‘smart’ classrooms throughout campus is always of interest to colleges and universities. But having a smart classroom that integrates completely and can be controlled, managed and maintained through the IT network on campus is invaluable,†Slymen explains.
Victor Valley Community College – How Convergence Works In Education
The project included creating smart classrooms that contained interactive whiteboards and allow instructors to present and interact with digital images during a lecture; projectors with closed captioning; audio systems; DVD players, Smart Panel control systems, and multimedia lecterns that house the AV equipment and dedicated computers.
The smart classrooms were integrated into a “smart†patching system, installed by Embee, which allows the school technicians interactive, real-time control over the network connections so that they can automate routine management tasks, identify and service problematic components and quickly identify and respond to unauthorized usage of the system. “The project gave Victor Valley College access to audiovisual tools that help with their main goal of providing students with the best education possible. And the networking solutions help ease costs and maintenance of using these tools in the classroom,†said DeBono. “As a result, faculty and staff will have more resources to provide the students with information and education in a manner that they can understand and retain better.â€
