Why Having a Videoconferencing Camera is So Important

Sep 28, 2023 6:45:00 AM / by Smarter Systems posted in Video Conferencing, Work From Home, Live Streaming

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It’s Tuesday morning and you’ve got a big meeting coming up first thing at 9 AM. A prospect is not only super interested in what you have to offer, but they’re bringing along some of their key decision-makers to the meeting as well, so it's crucial that you make a great impression.

 

But later, you find that no one has their cameras on during the meeting. Half of the people there are muted anyways.

 

As you present to them, you stumble a little bit while critically thinking to yourself – do they seriously have an interest in what I have to offer to them? The emails before the meeting were spectacular. But now you’ve got a cloud of doubt over the whole deal because they had their cameras off.

 

Cameras on or off, both can have pros and cons to the situation that you’re in. Maybe you’re having a bad day and forgot a hair tie, or you simply don’t have a camera.

 

But if you don’t have a camera to begin with, you’re missing out on some fundamental benefits.

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Ultrawide Displays - What Are They?

Sep 7, 2023 7:00:00 AM / by Smarter Systems posted in Audio Visual, Conference Room, Training Room, Video Conferencing, AV Integrator

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Widescreen seemed revolutionary when it first came out in the mid 90s.  It almost seemed like we had one eye shut when we watched movies in 4:3!

 

What you didn't realize though is that 16:9 isn't as wide as we can get.

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Privacy in the Digital Age - Why You Should Encrypt Your Videoconference

Aug 17, 2023 7:30:00 AM / by Smarter Systems posted in Conference Room, Video Conferencing, Live Streaming

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Whether for business meetings, virtual classrooms, or catching up with loved ones, we rely heavily on video conferencing platforms to connect and communicate.
 
However, with the increasing prevalence of cyber threats and surveillance, protecting our digital privacy has become a paramount concern.  Thus, encrypting your video conferences is no longer an option, but a necessity.
 
 
If you're confused about what encryption is, here's a crash course in how it works, and how your videoconferencing is protected by it.
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Cable Management: Why It Matters

Aug 3, 2023 7:30:00 AM / by Smarter Systems posted in Video Conferencing, AV Integrator, Additional Services

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Cables - we've dealt with them since the invention of the telegraph.  We've figured out interesting ways to dress, coil, and place them all around the world to facilitate communication.

 

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Why You Should Have a Service Plan for A/V

Jul 27, 2023 7:30:00 AM / by Smarter Systems posted in Conference Room, AV Integrator, JUMPSTART ROOMS, Additional Services

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Let's be realistic for a minute.

 

Technology shouldn't be looked at as a return on investment.  Here's a scenario on why.

 

Your team is prepping for a big meeting, and you walk into the office a few minutes early to get the conference up and running.  But out of nowhere, your system isn't turning on.

 

 

You're stunned.  You just installed this eight months ago....and it's already broken?

 

But don't fret.  The solution is probably easier to spot than you realize.  And although it's frustrating that it's not working right now, well, we've got a solution!

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Everything Everywhere All At Once

Jul 6, 2023 7:30:00 AM / by Steve Tripi posted in Audio Visual, Conference Room, Huddle Room, Training Room, Barco, Wireless Presentation, Video Conferencing, Live Streaming, AV Integrator, Additional Services

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When it comes to A/V, can you really have Everything Everywhere All At Once?

 

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Five New, Cool Things We Saw at InfoComm This Year

Jun 22, 2023 7:00:00 AM / by Smarter Systems posted in Audio Visual, AV Integrator, JUMPSTART ROOMS

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For any A/V professional, InfoComm is the ultimate field trip.  Not only do you get to get a few days out of the office (woo!), but you spend the week checking out new gadgets, mingling, and soaking in the Florida sun.

 

So it's no guess that we saw a few things we liked this year.  Here's a list, with some on-the-street footage!

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Projector or Display: Which One Is For Me?

Jun 8, 2023 7:00:00 AM / by Smarter Systems posted in Audio Visual, Video Conferencing, AV Integrator

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When it comes to displaying content in a commercial environment, two notable options are projectors and displays.  Both have their pros and cons, and the decision on which to use ultimately depends on the specific needs and requirements of the setting.  Here, we will discuss the technical differences between projectors and displays, and when each is best suited for commercial environments.

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The Psychology of Background Music - What's It There For?

May 25, 2023 6:45:00 AM / by Smarter Systems posted in Audio Visual, Sound Masking

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"ATTENTION KMART SHOPPERS!"

Background music is everywhere. From the frozen vegetables aisle of your favorite grocery store to the seating areas of restaurants, businesses nowadays always occupy their guests with music turned up just enough to provide a sense of environment. But is there any reasons deeper to providing ease? The short answer is – yep!  But there's so much more to it than that.

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AI in AV: What's it Improving?

May 4, 2023 6:15:00 AM / by Smarter Systems posted in Audio Visual, Video Conferencing

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Artificial intelligence!

It may seem like more of a buzzword in recent years, but the truth is AI is trending because it's changing the way we work, find information, and collaborate.

Not only is it automating mundane tasks, but it's also being used by companies of all sizes to aid in decision-making,customer service, and product development.  The rigorous process of data collection is becoming more streamlined every day, allowing for companies to increase their productivity and accuracy.

As an audio-visual company, we've felt the aftershocks of the AI boom in the audio-video world too.  More often we're installing conferencing solutions with AI capabilities like facial and speech recognition.  But that's just the tip of the iceberg - here's a much broader scope of what it's improving.

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