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How American Sound Optimizes Your Conference Rooms

Posted on by American Sound & Electronics

Having the right conference room equipment and setup makes it easier to connect, collaborate, and produce great things! If your conference room is lacking, there are many ways you can optimize your setup for the best results. Here are some of the ways American Sound & Electronics can take your conference rooms to the next level.

More AV equipment

Your computer’s microphone and a set of speakers simply aren’t going to cut it in a modern setup. With more employees working these days remotely, conference rooms demand much more, and poor sound quality can significantly disrupt your company’s ability to be productive. 

We can help you improve by outfitting your meeting space with microphones specifically designed for video conferencing, so everyone can easily hear one another without having to pass a mic around the room.

We can install several microphone pickups for larger conference rooms to fit the space better and ensure the best sound quality possible. Ceiling and wall-mounted microphones are even an option. 

These will significantly improve your meetings, so you’ll spend less time trying to decipher what team members are saying and more time making progress on projects and tasks.

Room scheduling with smart speaker integration

For large organizations, room scheduling gives employees the ability to book conference rooms for meetings or workspace. With high-quality room scheduling technology, individuals can quickly locate the space that best serves their needs and reserve it right away.

At American Sound & Electronics, we can help you implement this technology and combine it with smart speakers and a virtual assistant so you can verbally book your meeting in the fitting conference room without having to type a thing. (Talk about convenience!) A room scheduler can also connect with remote workers for easy collaboration.

Interactive video conferences

Remote video collaboration can do wonders to build your team and boost productivity. With an interactive display, you can host highly engaging and inclusive meetings with employees who work remotely and on-site. 

Whether you favor Zoom, Go To Meeting, Slack, or some other conference call software, we can install an interactive video display that will enable you to include things like polls, quizzes, and virtual whiteboard annotations in meetings and presentations.

Related Post: Tips And Tricks For Optimizing Your Classroom Sound Reinforcement System

Find Out How We Can Optimize Your Conference Rooms Today

Having the right reliable equipment can genuinely transform any conference room into a well-used space that produces fruitful meetings and enhances collaborative efforts. If you’re ready to update your conference room with new hardware installation, call us at (859) 261-9024 or contact us online to learn more about our services.

Conference Room Technology Design Trends to Watch

Posted on by American Sound & Electronics

With many companies fully embracing remote work opportunities, conference room technology design trends are quickly changing. To stay competitive, look at some of the top trends to watch for in 2021 from American Sound & Electronics.

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

1. LED Video Walls

LED video walls are more common now, and thus, they’re also more affordable. They offer better quality visuals than projectors or monitors do, with bright and vivid colors and high-quality, clear and sharp images. LED video walls can also save you money down the line because they are extremely energy-efficient. (For reference, they use about half as much energy as projectors.) They also boast lower operational and maintenance costs when compared to monitors and projectors.

2. Interactive Whiteboards

Interactive whiteboards give you the ability to create more dynamic presentations and keep people engaged. This conference room technology makes meetings run more smoothly by enhancing video conferencing with premium features that allow you to do several things.

Interactive whiteboards can:

  • Record video conferences.
  • Spotlight a particular area on the whiteboard (drive attention there instead of elsewhere).
  • Zoom in and magnify images.
  • Screen shade (hide particular information and reveal it when needed).
  • Take screenshots (to use later as handouts).
  • Run files, programs, and apps that are designed for computers.
  • Surf the internet.
  • Play videos.

3. Custom-Branded Conference Rooms

With video conferencing becoming the new norm for many businesses, more organizations are jazzing up their conference rooms to spark creativity and inspire employees. Adding custom-branded signage, painting an accent wall with branded images and design, is a great way to transform a boring conference room, enhance a team’s company culture, and make online conferences more interesting and engaging. However, you’ll want to be careful that you don’t go overboard. Too much signage or paint might also be distracting, so balance is key.

4. Full Automation

When your conference room technology fails you and refuses to work well together, company leaders and employees get equally frustrated and annoyed. Not to mention how it hampers your productivity. Instead, many organizations are beginning to install an intuitive automation system in their conference room. This type of automated system ensures that lighting and audio/visual gear all work efficiently and cohesively.

Need Conference Room Technology Installation From the Pros?

If you want to take your conference room technology to the next level, contact American Sound & Electronics for installation. We can help you transform your conference room into a more useful and effective space.

What Microphone Types Are Available for Hybrid Classrooms?

Posted on by American Sound & Electronics

When choosing a microphone for hybrid classrooms, teachers have to consider a variety of factors, such as cost, convenience, comfort, and most importantly, audio quality. To help you sift through the options, here are some details about the different types of microphones available for teachers in today’s blog from American Sound & Electronics.

Related Post: Three Main Considerations for Choosing a Classroom Sound Reinforcement System

1. Wearable microphones

Wearable, hands-free presenter mics are ideal for live or pre-recorded lectures. They feature clip-on mics so instructors can have their hands free while teaching and also move around the classroom easily. 

Generally speaking, there are two types of wearable mics:

  • Battery-operated wearable mics. These types of microphones require teachers to carry a battery pack while they navigate around the classroom. They also have to recharge the batteries every so often. 
  • Cordless battery-free wearable mics. If instructors prefer a wire-free and battery-free option, many wearable mics can deliver on those promises. These types of wearable mics usually include a USB base station and charger that has a built-in receiver. They typically provide a range of 65 feet or more, ensuring clear communication as the instructor moves around the classroom.

2. Speakerphone microphones

Speakerphone mics are another great option for instructors who are teaching primarily online. A portable speakerphone is ideal for interactive hybrid classrooms and can help ensure a collaborative experience. Some speakerphones also utilize a special sound technology that eliminates background noise outside a specific range. This is a great solution to ensure that students can hear the instructor’s voice over any other distracting classroom sounds like papers rustling or side conversations.

3. Wireless portable microphones for students

Wireless portable microphones improve remote learning by encouraging student discussion and interaction in hybrid classrooms. Instead of struggling through the clunky logistics of muting and unmuting speakers via your video conferencing platform, classroom participants can pass around a wireless portable microphone to easily discuss topics and contribute to the conversation. Many of these portable microphones easily integrate with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other video teaching platforms for a smooth and superior hybrid teaching experience.

4. Plug-and-play microphones

There are many different brands and types of plug-and-play microphones available, but essentially, they just plug directly into your laptop via USB and instantly provide clear and accurate audio recordings (with no additional driver installation). Many of these microphones also come with an adjustable desktop stand so instructors can position the microphone as needed. Compatibility varies depending on the brand, but many plug-and-play mics are compatible with Mac OS, Windows, tablets, and other mobile devices, which make them very practical for travel and use in the classroom or at home.

Related Post: How an Investment in Classroom Sound Reinforcement Pays Off in the Long Run

Need Equipment Installation for Hybrid Classrooms?

Contact American Sound & Electronics for help. We offer professional installation of audio equipment for hybrid classrooms to ensure that instructors and students have the best learning environment available during these challenging times. Call (859) 261-9024 today for more details.

Tips and Tricks for Optimizing Your Classroom Sound Reinforcement System

Posted on by American Sound & Electronics

If your room has a classroom sound reinforcement system, you already know the basics of how it works. The team at American Sound & Electronics teaches you how to use the system. However, it may need some fine-tuning after a while. 

Speakers and microphones are excellent additions to your room as part of a sound reinforcement system, but there are other considerations to think about as well. Today’s blog from American Sound & Electronics offers tips on how to optimize your investment and give you and your students the best possible learning and hearing environment. 

Related Post: Choosing the Right Classroom Sound Reinforcement System 

Having a Great System

The speakers are installed and your wireless microphone is working. It seems like the students are hearing better. They are engaging more throughout the day and test scores are improving. Not to mention your voice isn’t strained at the end of the day. All of these are excellent benefits to a good system. However, there are small things you can do to complement the system, ensuring an even greater quality of hearing. 

Reducing Ambient Noise 

While the sound inside the classroom has improved, there may be external factors that can impact your students. This can include the sounds from traffic in the hallway, such as loud voices, footsteps, slamming lockers, and doors. These can all be distractions from focused listening. The same can be said for outdoor traffic like cars, horns, sirens, and pedestrian movement. There are ways to decrease these noises, allowing your classroom sound reinforcement system to work to optimum capacity. 

Sealing doors. Sealing large spaces between floor and door can dramatically reduce incoming noise. By installing a bottom door seal or bottom door stopper, it can reduce outside noise and stop drafts as well. If there are windows in the door, seal them with caulk to also reduce hallway noises. 

Soundproof fabrics. You have a few options to block external sound. Purchasing soundproof or noise-reducing sheets or curtains over windows can absorb and filter noises from outside coming into the classroom. These items can also be placed over doors. 

These items can be found at many home improvement stores or online. 

Reducing Lost Sound in High Ceilings 

Sound travels. We know this. But in large rooms, it has to travel further. When this happens, it becomes lost in the “dead spaces” of a room or ceiling. The further it has to go before it comes into contact with a hard space, the more reverberation the sound has. The more reverberation, the more distorted the sound becomes. This results in poor hearing. When 75 percent of a student’s day is from listening, it’s vital that the distance sound travels is as short and direct as possible. American Sound & Electronics will show you how to optimize the classroom sound reinforcement system by placing the speakers properly 

Many classrooms have high ceilings, particularly in larger rooms or older buildings. This is great for offering feelings of space, but it can make speaking and hearing difficult, even with a good microphone and speaker system. 

Acoustic ceiling panels. Installing acoustic panels is a great way to give sound a hard space to bounce off of and travel back down to the ear. These panels are made from various materials like polyester fibers, fabrics, and foam that are hard enough to bounce sound and soft enough to absorb ambient noises. Many companies now make these out of recycled materials, reducing your carbon footprint. 

Room dividers. Room dividers are another way to stop sound from travelling into parts of a room where it doesn’t need to go. Like the acoustic panels, room dividers can be purchased in a variety of sizes, styles and materials. Strategically placing these in the back of the room can increase the quality of hearing your students need. You can even place student’s artwork inside the panels to add color and showcase work. 

Area rugs. If you can’t afford to carpet the whole room, placing area rugs around your desk, in large play areas or in open spaces will stop noise from bouncing off the hard floor. 

Classroom Sound Reinforcement by American Sound

These are great additions to your new sound reinforcement that don’t cost much and create a huge value to you and your students. Contact American Sound & Electronics or call (859) 261-9024 to learn more about the classroom sound reinforcement systems we install.

What About Classroom Sound Reinforcement for Outdoors?

Posted on by American Sound & Electronics

American Sound & Electronics understands that teachers need to be heard above the din of an indoor classroom setting. But what happens when you take the class outdoors? Today’s blog from American Sound & Electronics talks about classroom sound reinforcement for outdoor spaces. 

Related Post: How to Make Classroom Sound Reinforcement Cool for Elementary Kids

Megaphones

Megaphones represent the most common method teachers use for outdoor classroom sound reinforcement. However, megaphones can distort voices, create feedback, and might scare kids too close to the device. Plus, communal megaphones can spread germs if the people using them are unmasked. Megaphones offer great range and volume.

Wearable Wireless Microphone Systems

Portable wireless microphone systems offer decent sound amplification. A teacher might wear a microphone and speaker at the same time. But this type of classroom sound reinforcement has a limited range as people need to be relatively close (50 feet or so) to hear the small portable speaker.

Portable Sound Reinforcement

A portable sound reinforcement system is the way to go when you take your class outdoors, whether it’s for recess, lunch, PE, or science class. American Sound & Electronics can create a custom setup that allows you to sync your microphone with portable outdoor speakers that are robust enough for students to hear clearly. Our technicians will show you how to operate the system correctly and effectively for best results.

Related Post: How to Combine Hybrid Learning and Classroom Sound Reinforcement Technology

Classroom Sound by American Sound & Electronics

Contact American Sound online or call (859) 261-9024 to learn more about our classroom sound reinforcement solutions. Not only will we install each system, but we’ll train your teachers on how to use them.

Three Main Considerations for Choosing a Classroom Sound Reinforcement System

Posted on by American Sound & Electronics

A classroom sound reinforcement system helps save your teachers’ voices, reduces the spread of germs, and enhances learning in your school. You’ll need to select the right system based on classroom size, acoustics, range, and the type of instruction. 

But there are other considerations to think about as well. Today’s blog from American Sound & Electronics discusses three things to keep in mind when investing in a classroom sound reinforcement system.

Related Post: How to Make Classroom Sound Reinforcement Cool for Elementary Kids

1. Does it have enough power for everyone to hear the teacher?

The most important component of classroom sound reinforcement systems is the speaker set up. You’ll need speakers that can reach everyone in the classroom. Plus, technicians have to optimize the system to prevent feedback from the microphone, balance the decibel levels throughout the room, and eliminate echoes in the room.

2. How well does it reproduce sound?

Students must be able to hear the teacher intelligibly at all times. Not only does this foster learning, but it can help save a teacher’s voice. Being able to hear the teacher also comes in handy for emergency drills, weather emergencies, and other class announcements. 

The connections among the microphone and speakers need to be robust. Broken connections, lack of power to the microphone, and interruptions in the transmission all lead to lower volume and time spent troubleshooting instead of teaching. The team at American Sound & Electronics will show you how to use the classroom sound reinforcement system and ensure the equipment operates properly.

3. Is the classroom sound reinforcement system easy to set up and move around?

You may choose to alter your classroom configuration from time to time to foster better learning. There might be instances where a classroom undergoes a renovation or the class size changes. 

All of these instances might present a situation where you want to move the speakers for the classroom sound reinforcement system. We’ll demonstrate how to do this easily and effectively for optimal sound in your classroom.

Related Post: How an Investment in Classroom Sound Reinforcement Pays Off in the Long Run

Classroom Sound Reinforcement by American Sound

Do your teachers need a little extra help in their classrooms? Contact American Sound online or call (859) 261-9024 to learn more about the classroom sound reinforcement systems we install.

5 Ways Classroom Technology Enhances Your Students’ Learning

Posted on by American Sound & Electronics

Classroom technology is continuing to evolve. When used the right way, interactive technology helps your students dive deeper into a larger world by helping them understand that what they learn in the classroom has real-world and practical implications. In today’s blog from American Sound & Electronics, we explain five key ways classroom technology enhances your students’ learning for more effective results.

1. Technology Is Everywhere

Kids love technology. They probably already know how to use Mom or Dad’s smartphone. Classroom technology helps kids learn how to use tablets, laptops, and computers responsibly and correctly in a supervised setting. In 15 to 20 years, elementary students will need to know how to use technology for their careers. Teachers set the parameters for connected devices used in the classroom. But this technology is so much more than having one device in the hands of each student.

2. Supporting Your Existing Curricula

Interactive whiteboards, with advanced video and audio, support your existing curricula. Imagine a lesson about the English alphabet, and today’s letter is Z. An interactive whiteboard displays several objects. Some of them start with Z, while others don’t. The teacher can ask students to come up to the board, one at a time, to pick out the items that start with Z. When the student picks one, that object moves and makes noise. A cartoon zebra starts galloping or a zipper opens or closes with a zipping sound. The other items on the screen also have the same effects, and the teacher can make a point to say what the items are and what letter they start with. 

3. Customization

Classroom technology also allows for customization. Back to the interactive whiteboard and a science lesson about animals. On the big screen are all kinds of mammals, from aardvarks to zebras. The teacher can call out to students to see what animals are their favorites or what animals they like the most. Let’s say Stacy really likes elephants. The teacher can tap on the image of the elephant and send a video about elephants to Stacy’s tablet computer. Steven gets excited with the sloth on the screen. The teacher can do the same thing with the sloth.

4. One-on-One Assistance and Communal Learning

Schools tout one-on-one assistance for students using the mantra “one computer for each student.” Yet communal learning also has its benefits. Classroom technology delivers the best of both ideals. Students get customized learning on their computers, while group projects and larger concepts can be handled on the interactive whiteboard. Students can still help each other out when taking care of group projects or classroom-wide lessons by calling out answers or adding to the discussion and collaborating with their peers.

5. Accountability

School districts tout the accountability of their curricula when appealing to parents and the public. Interactive classroom technology helps achieve that goal. Tablet computers and desktop systems for teachers record every aspect of lessons, learning, and assignments every minute of every day. These systems can track student progress each day throughout the semester. 

Classroom technology can also point to areas where students need improvement. A teacher can offer more assistance to a student who may not understand certain concepts yet. Computers help teachers identify opportunities and techniques to foster a more positive learning experience.

Classroom Technology by American Sound & Electronics 

Count on American Sound & Electronics for state-of-the-art classroom technology. We specialize in eBeam, a system that combines interactive boards, audio, video, and software supported on existing tablets and laptops. Contact American Sound & Electronics or call (859) 261-9024 for more information on our classroom technology, whether you need it for an elementary school, an entire school district, or a 300-seat lecture hall.

8K UHD: What You Need to Know From American Sound

Posted on by American Sound & Electronics

You’ve seen DVD and home video technology evolve over the years. First, there was HD (high-definition). Now stores are filled with 4K UHD (ultra-high-definition) movies. There’s a new standard on the horizon: 8K UHD. What does this mean? American Sound explains.

8K: Four Times 4K

Four plus four is eight, right? That’s not quite how it works in digital imagery. 8K UHD has a resolution of 7,680 by 4,320 pixels, which is quadruple the number of pixels per square inch in a 4K UHD television monitor at 3,840 by 2,160 pixels. 

8K UHD resolution packs four times more pixels than 4K UHD and 16 times more than 1080p resolution. Do you want to see 8K in action? American Sound has a new 98” 8k display in our conference room. With AI upscaling technology exclusively from Samsung, you’ll be blown away by what it can do. 

More Than Higher Resolution

When you zoom in on a shot from far away, the resolution and clarity of the shot lowers in quality, usually. 8K UHD solves that problem. For moviemakers and videographers, cameras that shoot with 8K UHD allow them to take wider shots and more far-away shots. In post-production, editors can go into a particular frame, zoom in on an element, and then improve the resolution of that element. You don’t lose any pixels by zooming in. There is no such thing as a grainy shot with 8K UHD. AI upscaling with 8K UHD takes footage made in a lower resolution and converts it to 8K.

8K UHD in Your Building

Imagine a beautiful drone shot of your facility. It soars from the front door to the roof and around back. Along the way, the drone takes footage of people waving, walking to their cars, and sitting on the patio just outside of your break room. Rather than needing to zoom in to get close-ups of people’s faces, the drone maintains a safe distance. In post-production, an editor zooms in on Steve waving happily. Stacy looks radiant as she’s talking to Jenny on the patio. Some high-end drones can already shoot in 8K UHD video. American Sound can work with you to bring 8K footage to life on a huge monitor or a video wall.

Other Applications

8K UHD has other applications. Consider telemedicine. Doctors may need to perform complicated surgeries, and they need to consult with experts in other countries. Improved camera resolutions allow surgeons to see very small things with greater clarity. How about research and development with a foreign client? Let’s say you’re manufacturing a new line of parts, and you need input from a team in Germany. 8K UHD footage and monitors can show you details in a part you might not have been able to see otherwise. When visual clarity is a must, 8K monitors are the next logical step.

Video Walls & 8K UHD by American Sound

You can make a dynamic first impression on everyone who walks into your facility when you have an incredible 8K video wall in your lobby. Contact American Sound & Electronics or call (859) 261-9024 for more on our 8K UHD display video wall capabilities. Better yet, make an appointment to come by and see it for yourself. We’d be happy to show you.

5 Major Benefits of Video Wall Systems

Posted on by American Sound & Electronics

Video walls are more than just a fancy TV. They are computer-controlled interactive displays that allow you to view multiple streams of information at once. The options are endless due to the dedicated computer processor. American Sound & Electronics discusses five major benefits of video wall systems.

Single display projectors have a maximum resolution based on the surface area they cover. Video walls increase their resolution with every display added to an array. Not only do you get more surface area with a video wall, but you also achieve better resolution versus a single unit. If you decide to add more monitors later, you increase the resolution even more.

Video walls are more than just TV screens. One monitor could show a news feed, while another might display real-time data relevant to your company or clientele. Another segment of the video wall could show a live feed from somewhere in your building or outside the facility. Everything is integrated, synchronized, and controlled from a single processor or bank of processors dedicated to displaying exactly what you need.

Video walls deliver engaging, interactive presentations that keep your audience interested in what they’re viewing. For example, you’re live streaming a conference hosted by your company at a downtown hotel. Not everyone can attend, but it’s a marquee event that you want to showcase to your employees and clients coming in the door. A video wall can display multiple camera angles and views all at once without sacrificing image size or resolution.

The technology behind video walls achieves better brightness levels compared to a single monitor or projector. You don’t have to dim the lights or reduce ambient light to see a clear picture. Projector images become washed out and blurry when they get bigger. You don’t have these issues with a video wall.

TVs and projectors are often limited in the types of content they can display at once. A video wall controller manages signals from multiple devices at the same time, including satellite dishes, cable boxes, computers, cameras, wireless connections, and HDMI cables. You don’t need to press a button and wait for your projector to switch from one format to the other. A video wall controls this process seamlessly.

American Sound & Electronics in Cincinnati and Louisville. 

Many types of businesses need video walls so they can view and interpret data or visual imagery. Video walls are also great for the wow factor. Security firms, TV stations, corporate headquarters, event venues, and schools all benefit from video walls. Contact American Sound & Electronics or call (859) 261-9024 for more details on what we can do for you.

Who Benefits From Sound Masking?

Posted on by American Sound & Electronics

Sound masking technology creates ambient sound throughout a room that’s barely perceptible to a room’s occupants. This technology overrides the noise of people talking in other rooms to eliminate the ability to overhear conversations in quiet or noisy settings. Today’s blog from American Sound & Electronics discusses who benefits from sound masking technology the most.

Related Post: Sound Masking Terminology You Need to Know

1. Patients

Healthcare providers must follow privacy laws and strict HIPAA regulations. Personal privacy is of utmost importance to patients of hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, dentists, and even optometrists. Sound masking makes it nearly impossible to hear a conversation coming from another room, even if someone is talking right next door.

2. Bankers

Financial institutions also value the privacy of their customers. No one should overhear a customer’s account number, Social Security number, account balance, or the current state of their finances. You simply don’t know who would be unscrupulous enough to misuse information from a conversation you assumed was private. Sound masking technology adds a layer of security for bankers in a lobby, offices, and executive suites.

3. Attorneys

Attorneys absolutely need client information to remain confidential, especially in an office with multiple conference rooms for client consultations, depositions, and phone calls. Installing sound masking technology ensures no one next door overhears a conversation about a highly sensitive case.

4. Everyday Office Workers

Everyday office workers need to concentrate on their tasks at hand. Multiple conversations in the background simply lead to distractions. Sound masking allows for private conversations in managers’ offices when it comes to human resources, personnel decisions, high-level discussions, and strategy sessions when concentration is a must.

5. Architects

Architects are the master planners for new construction and renovations. Installing sound masking technology is much easier during new construction or major renovation because we can work the devices into the ceilings before the structures are finished. We don’t have to work around existing ducts, conduits, or wires. Anyone who designs or builds a facility should consider sound masking technology if there is a concern about privacy regarding staff, clients, or customers.

Related Post: How Sound Masking Technology Works

Sound Masking Technology Installed by American Sound

The professional sound experts at American Sound have been outfitting Cincinnati-area facilities since 1946. If privacy is important to you at your building, sound masking technology is one way to ensure conversations stay on a need-to-know basis. Contact American Sound & Electronics or call (859) 261-9024 for more information. We offer video conferencing technology, professional sound, classroom technology, and event audio-visual rentals.

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