Can technology save the meeting

ast time, we touched upon the productivity issues in today’s meeting culture and the pressure from management to treat collaboration as a competitive asset.

In Barco’s ‘Meeting Room of the Future’ survey, held last summer, 8 out of 10 business leaders indicated that technology could help provide a solution to the quest for greater productivity, and (wireless) presentation tools were considered the No. 1 priority when updating meeting rooms. You can consult the full results of the survey on SlideShare and YouTube.Link below -

Survey on SlideShare

Improving decision-making

Investments in visualization and presentation technology are usually made with one goal in mind: improved decision-making. In fact, 70% of the people we surveyed cite improved decision-making as the top benefit of data visualization tools.

But there are many aspects to be kept in mind when choosing the right technology for your organization, including: technology requirements, implementation needs, managing user expectations, and proving return on investment. Such a decision is never taken lightly – not even by those of us who go for consumer-like presentation and collaboration gadgets or other budget-friendly, functionality-light tools.

6 challenging dimensions

In my opinion, there are six key elements to consider when you are weighing your options for having technology take you to the next level of collaboration:

ease of use
open standards
technology
enterprise integration
security
and, of course, the user of the solution.
Six dimensions – and each of them creates unique challenges.

The perfect Barco showroom? You’ll find it in Bogotá

Excitingly trendy, stylish and high-tech: that is the first impression you get when entering the showroom that Barco set up in its Colombia office. As trusted partners in state-of-the-art control room projects in Spain and Latin America, Barco and system integrator Gesab decided to take their partnership a step higher still and equip the Barco showroom together. As you can see in the pictures, the end result is definitely worth a visit!

Best of both worlds 
Located in Colombia’s capital Bogotá, the corporate showroom exhibits the best of both worlds: Barco’s high-tech visualization solutions as well as the technical consoles and control room furniture made by Gesab. “As our showroom is frequently visited by customers and end-users, we installed our very best solutions like a 3×2 LED-lit video wall, a 2×2 OBLX freestanding system, an F32 projector, our networked visualization solution and the ClickShare wireless presentation systems,” said Manuel Navarrete, Barco Colombia Sales Manager. Sleek and good-looking, the solutions seamlessly blend into the showroom with smartly designed Gesab desks, chairs and consoles.

Control rooms need not be boring! 
“This is a special place where you can see, touch and feel the emotions that provoke work environments with this attention to detail, with clean lines, a minimalist look with high-quality materials and a unique design that delivers distinct added value,” added Francisco Fandiño, General Manager of Barco Colombia. They’ve definitely convinced us: control rooms need not be boring!

Large meeting room screen, Presentation and collaboration system

Barco’s ProAV solutions give new meaning to “Connecting the World” at InfoComm 2014

“We want to show our customers how Barco is transforming the way people present and share information and ideas across the enterprise and around the world,” comments Wim Buyens, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Entertainment & Corporate for Barco. “Our solutions fulfill the critical need for high-quality visualization, real-time video processing and collaboration – all of which are necessary to engage stakeholders wherever they may be located to maximize situational awareness and speed decision-making.”

Collaborative visualization enhances situational awareness
Barco enables true networked visualization via a wide array of high-resolution LCD displays, video walls, controllers and software, which combine to stream numerous sources to any end point across any IP network. Barco’s TransForm N and TransForm C controllers allow users to optimally use their pixel real estate to dynamically configure layouts for multiple displays to enhance collaboration. Users can quickly and easily configure a robust common operational picture with unlimited perspectives to view better, share faster and resolve quicker.

One-click presentation and collaboration, from the executive briefing room to the control room
From huddle spaces to executive briefing rooms, ClickShare makes it easy for anyone to share their content with the click of a button. Integrated with Barco business projectors, high-resolution video walls and any computing device, ClickShare brings meetings to life, enhancing collaboration for faster decision-making.

High-quality projectors for meeting rooms offer a clear view
Conference and situation rooms outfitted with Barco business projectors provide the perfect setting for incident handling and issue resolution. Optimized with video conferencing for true anytime, anywhere collaboration, Barco solutions help users quickly share information and collaborate more effectively.

Large-venue projectors add impact to live events
Pump up the visual volume of live events with ultra-bright, high-lumen projectors that enliven shows with brilliant imagery. Multi-projector blends, 4K resolution, steep angles, and ambient light are a snap thanks to Barco’s proprietary scaling and light engine technologies. Barco’s new Screen Management empowers event producers with enhanced creativity and control for producing dynamic live events.

LED and LCD display systems bring brands to life
Make a bold impact and engage your retail customers with bigger-than-life digital signage that’s not only eye-catching, its interactive! Many options feature touch technology, cameras for audience measurement and gesture control, NFC, WiFi and compatibility with social media and mobile devices to connect with your audience.

Real-time source distribution for connected visualization
Barco’s X2O technologies go beyond basic video streaming, allowing users to create real-time, customized information channels combining TV-quality graphics, animations, video, social media and live data in a visually stunning format.

Barco introduces game-changing meeting room technology

When you know that 30 million PowerPoint presentations are produced around the world every day, you can imagine how much time – and money – is lost waiting for technicians to get them working properly. ClickShare is Barco’s answer to this inefficiency, making connection to the meeting room’s video system a matter of clicking a button.

A solution for PC and MAC

A standard ClickShare set-up consists of four USB devices (the ‘ClickShare Buttons’), a storage basket (the ‘ClickShare Tray’) for neatly storing the Buttons when they’re not in use and a Base Unit. The Base Unit has a fixed connection to the meeting room’s AV system and handles all processing. Users who want to put their presentation on the large meeting room screen simply connect a Button to their PC or MAC, click it … and immediately their desktop is transferred wirelessly to the large visualization system. What’s more, ClickShare doesn’t interfere with the laptop’s resolution, and it automatically displays the screen content optimally. ClickShare also allows you to show video clips with frame rates of up to 20 fps.

Collaborate in style

But there’s more: ClickShare enables the other meeting attendees to participate more actively. When they too connect a ClickShare Button to their laptop, they can put their content on-screen as well. In total, four participants can be on-screen simultaneously. This saves people the hassle of disconnecting the video cable and passing it to a colleague.

And, as appearances matter as well, ClickShare couples usability with good looks – so, it’s a solution that people are eager to use, during every meeting.

Changing meeting dynamics forever

“ClickShare is one of those innovations that really excite people,” says Eric Van Zele, CEO of Barco. “You can immediately see that it’s a spot-on concept that will make life easier for millions of people every day. And the best thing is: ClickShare is so incredibly simple to use. Click and you’re on-screen. Everybody can do it. And because people are encouraged to share more information with the other participants, ClickShare will change meeting dynamics forever. Barco is very proud to launch this product today – we really believe ClickShare will strengthen our company’s position in the Corporate AV market.”

Barco goes 3D at Petrotech 2014

From 12 through 15 January, professionals from India’s growing oil and gas industry assembled in the India Exposition Mart in Greater Noida for the Petrotech international oil and gas conference and exhibition. Here, Barco presented its latest innovations, including a 3D video wall, ClickShare, and the projectiondesign F35 AS3D 3D projector. In addition, Barco partner Schlumberger—a system integrator for the oil and gas industry and a Petrotech crystal sponsor—displayed its latest sector solutions on a Barco MVL-621 video wall.

Drilling for opportunities 
For the eleventh year straight, Petrotech acquainted professionals in India’s growing oil and gas industry with the latest tools and solutions to both overcome the sector’s most pressing challenges and seize every possible opportunity. Technology can play a key role in both objectives. “Over the years, Barco’s appearance at Petrotech has become a tradition,” says Abel Garamhegyi, managing director at Barco India. “This year, we are happy to showcase our latest collaboration 3D technology: stereographic cubes that help the oil industry make wiser, more effective, and more cost-effective decisions.”

At this year’s edition, Barco presented a range of products designed to help professionals work more efficiently. For the very first time, Petrotech visitors experienced our 3D video wall solution, as well as the unique features of the projectiondesign F35 AS3D projector. These features include the display of fully uncompressed 3D images with the highest amount of detail at an affordable price. With these solutions, Barco is proving once more that 3D technology can play a large role in facilitating both oil and gas exploration and the management of existing wells.

Slick collaboration 
The ClickShare presentation tool, developed to foster collaboration in the meeting room, was also demonstrated. Visitors experienced its intuitive, wireless interface for themselves and discovered why so many companies are adopting the system to make their meetings more productive and enjoyable. And while we’re talking collaboration: Schlumberger—a leading technological supplier and system integrator in the industry—used Barco’s OverView MVL-621 video wall to display its products under the best possible conditions.

Video conferencing leaves participants baffled and irked

An internet based survey conducted to evaluate the efficacy of video conferencing and online meeting room tools sparked a discussion that invariably garnered attention of the millions of people. A prime reason here was the flow, which wasn’t very positive; especially when it came down to the suitability of meeting room tools as the constructors of the new age conference rooms, a particular section was clearly not amused. Now the question is why…why are people annoyed with a technology that is simply outstanding. An online meeting room tool is the fastest possible way to connect with a group and engage in discussions that lead to fruitful conclusions. Without actually having to meet in a room, the participants of a meeting are able to collaborate, all thanks to these video conferencing gadgets and presentation systems. The costs are significantly lower and meeting time is unimaginably condensed; then why the chaos…?
Well, a closer look at the remarks clears the air. Assertions like ‘my system administrator is a compulsory attachment with the presentation system’ or ‘it is a wire fiddle’ and ‘more wires less talks’ shed light upon the actual reasons. Users of such online meeting room tools aren’t particularly against the technology; rather their dismay is indicative of the issues associated with the average quality products available in this category.

Explore the options

A presentation and collaboration tool that is not wireless is actually a set of entangled cables, each demanding to be adjusted in a highly structured manner. Professional expertise of a system administrator with high end knowledge in this domain is thus essential. Moreover, with these systems, even if one participant is not able to figure out the connections, the entire group could face connectivity issues. The troubles of such wired presentation systems that claim to be the best in India are simply many. Every meeting mandates an engaging session with the instruction manual and thus while the administrator is terribly occupied getting it all right, decisions and discussions related to business matters are coerced to assume a back seat.

From wire to wireless

Embrace the technology right to experience the true benefits – give Clickshare’s one click meeting room tool a shot. This wireless presentation and collaboration system comes with a large meeting room screen that not only seamlessly connects, but also imparts a feel of a physical get-together. Barco Clickshare is minus cables and thus while discussions via this large scale video wall collaboration tool are convenient, setting up is even easier! With just a few clicks, the participants can connect and thanks to the video and audio quality, the members of the group can engage in the most crucial discussions that seamlessly lead to vital solutions.

Vote for Barco’s 4 InAVation Awards 2014 finalists

Today, InAVate magazine revealed the jury’s choice of nominees for the InAVation Awards 2014. Barco is proud to have 4 products in the running for an award. Help us win all 4 by voting now!

Each year, European trade magazine InAVate honors outstanding companies and products in the professional audiovisual industry with an award. On 5 February 2014, the second day of the AV trade show ISE, the awards will be distributed during a ceremony in Amsterdam. Now is the time to vote. Go to this page and make sure to vote in every category for a valid entry. Encourage your customers, partners and peers to also cast their vote before 26 January 2014.

These are the nominated Barco products:

‘Most InAVative Conferencing or Collaboration Product’

The CSM Base Unit for the standard meeting room, recently added to the ClickShare wireless collaboration and presentation system portfolio.

‘Most InAVative Display Product’

LiveDots’ V14m lightweight outdoor transparent LED display for the rental and staging market.