Hybrid Teaching Technology FAQs

American Sound & Electronics helps teachers have more effective classroom settings and outcomes with classroom sound reinforcement systems as well as interactive classroom technology that helps your students engage with their lessons.

Hybrid teaching has made huge strides and headlines since the COVID-19 pandemic changed our modern world and how teachers handle their lesson plans and teaching methods.

Today, our team answers frequently asked questions about hybrid teaching technology.

What hybrid teaching technology does each classroom need?

Hybrid teaching involves in-person and remote learning. As such, you must set up your classroom for both types of teaching for maximum effectiveness.

  1. Computers. The teacher needs a desktop computer to manage everything effectively, while students should have laptops or tablets so they can follow along in their lessons.
  2. Video technology. In addition to cameras, there are devices called visualizers that allow teachers to show intricate details by magnifying a small object, such as a leaf, document, insect, image, or chart, and displaying the object on a screen in the classroom or on a student’s computer monitor. If you walk around as you teach, auto-tracking cameras are vital to this teaching model.
  3. A wearable microphone. A teacher should wear a portable microphone so students can hear every part of the lesson.
  4. Speakers. The microphone should connect to speakers in the classroom but also the remote learners. Everyone should be able to hear the teacher.
  5. Interactive displays in the classroom allow you to change what’s on the screen and send what’s on the display to students’ computers at home.
  6. Interactive control boxes let teachers to share screens through multiple sources, allowing students with computers to see the same information.
  7. Charging carts and cabinets. For in-classroom learners, you need a secure place to charge laptops and tablets. A cabinet or cart specifically designed for this purpose keeps everything safe and secure.

How is hybrid teaching technology set up?

Every classroom is different, and a professional sound system installation company can help you with your hybrid teaching technology setup. The exact configuration depends on the technology tools you have on hand, the size of the physical classroom, the shape of the room, and how many students you have.

Here is a basic way to set up your classroom tech:

  1. Install cameras so remote and in-person learners can see all materials on the board and in the classroom, and so they can see the teacher when needed.
  2. Arrange the cameras around the communication and collaborative technology tools, such as whiteboards and visualizers.
  3. Keep your physical classroom space flexible and moveable, depending on classroom activities. While a traditional setup can work for some lessons, when you teach other lessons, it might be more appropriate to have a circular arrangement where in-person learners form a circle around the teacher.

Why should my school invest in hybrid teaching technology?

Several good reasons to invest in this technology include:

  1. Fostering every kind of learning style: audial, visual, and hands-on.
  2. Offers collaborative learning.
  3. Teaches children how to use technology at a young age, which will help them later in life.
  4. Professional equipment works together to bring about the best learning outcomes.
  5. State-of-the-art equipment makes teaching easier and more effective.
  6. Modern equipment is upgradable.
  7. New, professional equipment lasts for several years, allowing your school system to get the most out of your investment.

Who should I contact about professional hybrid teaching technology?

Contact American Sound & Electronics for more information, or call (859) 261-9024 in Cincinnati or (502) 694-3339 in Louisville. 

We’ll discuss your needs and options with you.

Video Wall FAQs

Videoconferencing Technology FAQs

Conference Room Technology & Equipment FAQs

What Is a Seamless Video Wall? How Does Your Business Get One?

The popularity of video walls has increased exponentially in recent years due to their ability to deliver consistent, high-quality videos and images, minimal maintenance, and scalability. If you’re wondering what a seamless video wall is and how you can get one, you’ve come to the right place! Here’s a quick explanation from the experts at American Sound & Electronics.

Related post: Conference Room Technology Design Trends to Watch

What is a seamless video wall?

A seamless video wall is an LCD or LED wall display that is compact, slim, and lightweight, but that can still cover a broad and sizable area. It’s designed to display large images without any gaps between the panels by merging the pixels between the displays where they meet on the edges. They can be used in many different environments, such as corporate offices, retail stores, restaurants, network operation centers, simulation rooms, concert venues, and much more.

One of the main benefits of these video walls is that they are designed to run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with very minimal maintenance. 

However, they also have many other benefits for companies, including:

  • Outstanding image quality with bright and vivid colors for a better and more consistent viewing experience
  • Improved visibility of your business’s message
  • Reliable and consistent signage
  • High video quality scalable to any size
  • Good for indoor or outdoor environments
  • Custom configurations to meet a variety of business needs

How do I get a seamless video wall for my business?

The easiest way to get a video wall for your business is to order one directly from the manufacturer online. You’ll want to consider your budget, as the cost for a video wall can range from around $5,000 for a smaller display to $30,000 or more for a large, complex configuration. You’ll also want to factor in the cost of mounting hardware (if it’s sold separately) and professional installation.

When you order a seamless video wall online and have it shipped to your business, the manufacturer can also help you plan and build a video wall that is specific to your space and budget, so you’ll have guidance along the way.

Related post: 4 Huge Reasons Why You Need Video in Your Conference Rooms

Need a seamless video wall for your business?

Please call (859) 261-9024 or contact American Sound & Electronics online to speak with a knowledgeable team member. We can help you visualize, design, and install a seamless video wall for your conference room, business, showroom, or another use case. Call today to get started!

Conference Room Technology Must-Haves In the Digital Age

5 Reasons for Classroom Sound Reinforcement You Might Not Know

There are many reasons to have a classroom sound reinforcement system. We want to give our children the best environment possible to learn, and much of this begins with hearing instructions given by a teacher. But did you know there are five critical reasons your children must hear well to learn? In today’s blog, we will explore these reasons. 

Related Post: Choosing the Right Classroom Sound Reinforcement System 

1. Students Hear Better

Research shows that a teacher’s voice should be 15 decibels above the rest of the classroom. Yet a busy room with many kids and distractions means it’s hard to hear the teacher. 

Students hear better with classroom sound reinforcement systems. Better hearing leads to better listening and improved learning outcomes.

2. Children Pay Attention

Children are used to hearing their parents at home as authoritative yet gentle voices. Students pay better attention in class when they hear their teacher’s voice better and more clearly through a classroom sound reinforcement system.

3. Increase On-Task Behaviors

Students increase on-task behaviors because students are able listen to people speaking clearly and effectively in the classroom. Again, students listen to authoritative voices and pay attention to adults. As teachers give instructions to finish classroom tasks, a classroom sound reinforcement system represents a vital part of that teaching paradigm.

4. Fewer Teacher Absences

Classroom sound reinforcement systems lead to fewer teacher absences. Why? Less vocal fatigue, which leads to less sickness. When there is less fatigue, a teacher’s immune system stays more robust because it isn’t trying to repair vocal cords while fighting off a cold or seasonal allergies.

5. Better Social Skills for Kids

Children become social from a very early age. They learn to respond to others from how they understand what is being said to them and how it’s being said. Every child in a class with a sound reinforcement system has a chance to develop better social skills with their teacher and peers because they simply hear better.

Related post: Tips and Tricks to Optimizing Your Classroom Sound Reinforcement

Classroom Sound Reinforcement by American Sound

Want more information about the systems we can install in your school? Contact American Sound & Electronics or call (859) 261-9024 to learn more about the classroom sound reinforcement systems we install.

Showcasing the Many Components of Professional Sound Systems Like the One in Paul Brown Stadium

We know the architects of ancient arenas and stadiums understood how sound traveled. That’s why many of these are designed in a bowl shape with stadium seating. When creating a sound system as large and complex as the Paul Brown Stadium, understanding how sound travels and why is essential. 

When you have a large space that needs the highest quality sound and video, look to the example of the engineering and electronic excellence found in the Paul Brown Stadium. In today’s blog from American Sound, we explain why. 

Ancient Principles

Sports have always been considered an essential part of not only American culture but societies around the globe. There is evidence in ancient Mayan, Roman, and Egyptian cultures that sports played a huge role in their daily life. 

Part of the experience is sound. To be able to enjoy the games entirely, attendees must be able to hear announcers and players. The Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, is an excellent example of refined sound engineering. 

Home to the NFL Football team, the Cincinnati Bengals, the stadium’s sound system was completed in three phases.

The Q Values 

One of the first things the engineers had to identify were the Q values of the speakers within the stadium. 

A Q value, or Q factor, is the amount of output or distance a speaker can carry the sound away from itself. Understanding this is crucial when designing sound systems for large spaces like stadiums and concert halls. 

If improperly designed, the speakers will not distribute appropriately, creating echoes and sound displacement. This produces an unpleasant experience for the attendees, precisely what the sound engineers at Paul Brown Stadium were trying to avoid. The result was custom-building speakers to fit the specific needs of this stadium. 

The Speakers

The first phase was completed in 2018, consisting of new delay loudspeakers on the upper deck and canopy sections. A year later, 120 new loudspeakers were added to the lower level and another 70 to the canopy to go along with eight dual subwoofers. 

While many things during the pandemic of 2020 came to a halt, the third phase of the project continued. 

To complete the transformation of the stadium’s sound system, hand-assembled loudspeakers were part of phase three. We installed Italian-made horizontal coverage cabinets along with narrow coverage speakers. 

The result is described as a ‘moving experience.’ The sound was appropriately dispersed, giving attendees a clear sound at the correct acoustic levels. 

Stadium Sound by American Sound

If you have a space that needs expertly engineered sound and video, coupled with the finest state-of-the-art equipment, contact American Sound & Electronics or call (859) 261-9024 to learn more.

Hardware to Use for Your Zoom Conference Room

Finding the proper hardware for your conference room or workstation can be the difference between hours of wasted time and consistently hosting productive and collaborative meetings. And with remote work becoming more of the norm today, it’s more essential than ever to have remote conference capabilities that provide high-quality sound, video, and interactive capabilities. 

To ensure that your conference room is up to the challenge, here are a few devices that American Sound recommends installing because their design is a natural pairing to Zoom Rooms, Zoom Phone, and Zoom Meetings. 

Neat Bar

The Neat Bar is a compact meeting device. It provides high-quality audio and video and comes with a built-in intelligent room sensor technology known as Neat Sense, which monitors the meeting space environment’s air quality, humidity, CO2, and the number of people in the room.

Logitech Rally Bar Appliance

This video bar is excellent for a mid-size conference room. Ideal for video collaboration, you can plug and play Rally Bar with any PC or Mac or run the Zoom Rooms on the device itself without a computer. It also features calendar integration, touch-to-join, instant content sharing, and more.

Neat Board

This collaboration device features a 65” 4K multi-touch screen, wide-angle camera, and powerful audio capabilities. Set up is easy, and you can choose from a floor stand, wall, or table mount to fit your conference room. It also offers Neat Sense technology so you can monitor your meeting space.

Yealink MeetingBar A30

Practical and straightforward, the Yealink MeetingBar A30 is an all-in-one video collaboration bar, ideal for a medium-sized conference room. It’s based on Android 9.0 OS and features a dual-camera system, enhanced smart video and HD audio, and more. 

If you’re using the A30 meeting bar, no PC or Mac is required, and you’ll enjoy a convenient and fast setup because it combines a computing unit, camera, speaker, microphones, Wi-FI, and Bluetooth.

Related Post: 3 Perks of A Service Contract Through American Sound & Electronics

Want more details on conference room hardware installation?

Contact American Sound & Electronics. The above hardware recommendations are all great additions to any conference room, but if you’d like to know which meeting room systems we install, please call (859) 261-9024 or contact us online.

Microsoft Teams Conference Room Basics

As we begin to emerge from the COVID remote working era, the future of the workplace is yet to arrive. Many employers may continue to work remotely full-time, others may return to their in-person office, and some may do a bit of both. 

To meet worker needs, conference rooms need to serve as collaborative spaces where in-person and remote employees can feel engaged and productive. 

Microsoft Teams Rooms are an excellent solution that provides many critical benefits for collaborative teams in all industries. Let’s take a closer look, with our experts at American Sound, at what it is and what you need to make it work in your conference room.

What Are Microsoft Teams Rooms?

Microsoft Teams Rooms are a meeting room solution that provides a Microsoft Teams experience with HD audio and video on Teams-certified hardware. It offers reliable, high-quality audio/visual meeting experiences and is available on select devices. Teams Software enables a person to manage a meeting with a touch-panel control in the center of the room for convenience and ease of use. The touch-panel control can also be paired with certified A/V components that allow you to customize the setup to fit the size of your conference room.

Hardware Requirements for Teams

Of course, you’ll want to ensure that your equipment meets all the necessary hardware requirements for Microsoft Teams Rooms before implementing it in your conference room. Below are basic hardware requirements for Teams on Windows PC, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS mobile devices.

Hardware Requirements for Teams on a Windows PC

For video calls and meetings, you’ll need a 2-core processor. However, a 4-core processor (or better) is necessary with 4.0 GB of RAM and 3.0 GB of available disk space for higher resolution. You’ll also want a display with at least 1024 X 768 screen resolution. Your operating system should be one of the following:

  • Windows 10
  • Windows 10 on ARM
  • Windows 8.1
  • Windows Server 2019
  • Windows Server 2016
  • Windows Server 2012 R2

Hardware Requirements for Teams on a Mac

You should use a device with an Intel Core Duo processor with 4.0 GB of RAM and 1.5 GB of available disk space. Your display’s resolution should at least be 1280 x 800 for optimal results, and one of the three most recent versions of macOS is necessary.

Hardware Requirements for Teams on Linux

For video calls and meetings, you’ll need at least a 2-core processor (although a 4-core is preferred) with 4.0 GB of RAM and 3.0 GB of available disk space. Your display’s resolution should be at least 1024 x 768. The ideal Linux operating system should be capable of installing DEB or RPM.

Hardware Requirements for Teams on Mobile Devices

You can use Teams with Android phones and tablets, but it is limited to the last four major versions of Android. Likewise, Teams is compatible with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, but support is limited to the two most recent major versions.

Want More Details About Outfitting Your Conference Room for Microsoft Teams Rooms?

American Sound & Electronics can help. We install a variety of conference room hardware systems. Please call (859) 261-9024 or contact us online to learn more about our installation services.