Systems Integration Blog

Streamline Audio Visual Scheduling & Support, While Delivering Better Experiences and Significant Savings Using Crestron Fusion.

Posted on: May 20th, 2013

IMS Technology Services prides itself on meeting all our clients’ audio visual goals and expectations. Our team accomplishes this by providing enhanced audio visual professional services, creativity, and innovative technologies with an old fashioned “can-do” attitude. IMS works with business of all sizes to enhance their audio visual capabilities while simultaneously reducing costs. One of the ways we can accomplish this is by integrating Crestron Fusion’s enterprise management platform.

The Crestron Fusion enterprise management platform enables facility and IT managers to centrally monitor and manage audio visual equipment, room scheduling, lighting, shades, climate, and energy consumption from a single platform. Fusion RV® is the audio visual and technology management component of Crestron Fusion. Whether integrated into an existing system or installed with a new system, Fusion RV® enables you to seamlessly monitor and manage boardrooms, classrooms, lecture halls, video conferencing rooms and more. With Fusion RV® administrators can view room and projector status from the web-based user interface; remote control and chat with rooms via the built-in help desk; view reports showing room usage; receive email alerts when a projector lamp is nearing end of life.

With a deep understanding of the power of effective communication and presentation technology, IMS Technology Services integrates solutions like the Creston Fusion platform for clients that want:

Fast, Intuitive User Interface

The Fusion RV web-based user interface is extremely easy to navigate. Tabbed-type navigation makes it easy to quickly jump from one management area to the next. Fusion RV also allows for additional tabs with custom URLs to be created. Easily customize your view with sorting, groups and filtering. Add documents, floor plans, and other images to rooms and assets. Control any room via the virtual touch screen and view activity in real time via a web-cam. Send instant messages to discretely communicate with the presenter.

Reporting

One of the most powerful features of RoomView Server Edition is reporting; analyzing what rooms get used most and how many times lamps need to be replaced each year are just two items that are invaluable for planning budgets and forecasting staffing needs. The reporting in Fusion RV has been completely redesigned from the ground up: built-in templates make it easy to run quick reports; quickly add new reports dynamically; scheduled reporting automatically sends any report to a group of recipients on a regular basis.

Scheduling

Not only can Fusion RV schedule events like end-of-day shutdown, but it can also schedule rooms—based on its location, capacity and assets—via the built-in scheduler, Microsoft® Exchange, Lotus® Domino® and R25®. Schedule via the web-based Fusion RV interface or use the convenient RoomView Add-in for Outlook. Take advantage of new email notifications for meetings with message templates.

Additional Benefits of The Creston Fusion Platform:

• Monitor, manage and control every room across your global enterprise
• Streamline the help desk with chat and real-time room status
• Provide remote assistance — control the display, source, volume and more
• Track and analyze room usage
• Maintenance made easy with email notifications
• Schedule rooms via Outlook®, Lotus Notes® and R25®
• Room status and ad-hoc booking via touch screen
• Scalable, redundant server architecture for increased performance across large organizations
• Auto-discover assets upon deployment for improved tracking
• Quick reports using built-in templates
• Powerful administrative tools
• Media management for Crestron® CaptureLiveHD™[2]
• Supports cloud-based Exchange/Office 365

Coming Soon! Fusion API provides a web service for the development of custom applications to interface with Fusion RV®

For more information on how IMS Technology Services can assist with the design and integration of boardrooms, meeting spaces, classrooms, auditoriums, conference centers, conference rooms, training rooms, multipurpose rooms, command centers, production studios, video networks, and lobby/greeting areas contact us today.

1.855.467.2828 • www.imstechnologyservices.com

What is EDID and why is it important?

Posted on: March 6th, 2013

A hallmark of IMS’ approach to systems integration is a keen understanding of the role end users play in the perceived success of technology integration as well as focusing on how we can ensure their experience is more success story than a struggle. EDID stands for Extended Display Identification and is a signal transmission across a video connection, such as VGA or HDMI, intended to transmit native resolution (i.e., 1366 x 768) information from a display, such as an LCD TV, to a source device, such as a laptop. Often times, EDID is not considered in a design which can lead to frustrated end users as they troubleshoot their devices syncing with displays.  The signal transmission configures the video card to automatically match the display’s native resolution, regardless if the source (laptop) natively offers that resolution through its operating system or video card driver. EDID management is critical for maintaining optimal user experiences and for minimizing user errors because it enables the user to simply connect to the display via cable and send their image to the screen without needing to best-match resolutions. In more complex systems, such as those with multiple displays or systems that integrate owner-furnished equipment, EDID becomes critical in ensuring that all sources are displayed properly on all display points. All of the branded display solutions that IMS recommends and represents support EDID communication. IMS Technology Services strives to include EDID management and EDID communication in all of our designs, thereby simplifying system operation and increasing the frequency of success by end users without the need for technical support.

For more information on how IMS Technology Services can assist with your next audio or video installation, contact us today.  

1.855.467.2828 •  www.imstechnologyservices.com

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Case Study

Posted on: February 13th, 2013

The research facility at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has over 5,000 employees in a multi-building campus which includes a fully staffed conference center. Being a global leader in the pharmaceutical industry requires that Wyeth takes a global approach to video conferencing and communication. To meet this requirement it is critical that the internal meeting support group at Wyeth is skilled at producing large video centric meetings. With help and guidance from IMS Technology Services Wyeth was easily able to leverage our expertise in audio visual design and systems integration to run their most important business meetings.

When the Wyeth internal meetings group initiated a high profile project to expand their video and collaborative conferencing system, they were looking or a partner that could help them enhance the ability of their 70 seat conference room. Besides enhancement to the audio visual components, Wyeth also wanted to upgrade the furnishings and interior finishes of the room. Additionally, they needed to raise part of the floor for handicap accessibility. IMS Technology Services was chosen to collaborate with their facilities, lighting, GC and AV staff in order to complete the design build of this multi-use High Definition Video Conference and Global communications hub. For Wyeth’s top executives and scientists this room was viewed as critical for communicating across various divisions and countries within the Wyeth organization.

Upon completion of the project the upgraded conference room included:

• 70 seat table configuration featuring 35 integrated 4” Clock Audio RF Rejection goose neck microphones, each with its own mute button.
• A Custom programmed Biamp Audia Flex as the DSP of the audio system.
• Custom programmed 15” Crestron Touch panel features, HD video preview and control of all aspects of the AV system.
• Video/Audio Conferencing.
• Lighting and Shades.
• Four Automated Sony HD PTZ Cameras used with a Polycom HDX 9004 System allowing dynamic HD video for all participants to be seen and heard.
• Display systems included a 42” confidence display integrated opposite the lectern.
• 2 -58” Panasonic Professional HD displays flanking a 6000 Lumen HD Panasonic 3 Chip DLP Projection System. 
• A 40” lectern which can be active from one of two locations w/integrated microphone, AV sources and controls.

All in all, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals required a high tech, fully integrated hub capable of communicating across various divisions and countries within the Wyeth organization. Using our unique design-build methodology for systems integration earned IMS Technology Services a “A” on every aspect of the project from Wyeth. Providing design and implementation services under one contract with a single point of accountability made our partnership with Wyeth a success.

For more information on how IMS Technology Services can assist with the design and integration of boardrooms, meeting spaces, classrooms, auditoriums, conference centers, conference rooms, training rooms, multipurpose rooms, command centers, production studios, video networks, and lobby/greeting areas contact us today. 

1.855.467.2828 • www.imstechnologyservices.com

Inc. Magazine has ranked IMS #78 in the Philly Metro Area…

Posted on: December 5th, 2012

IMS Recertified by WBENC in 2012.

Posted on: December 4th, 2012

The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) has once again certified IMS Technology Services in 2012. Certification is one of WBENC’s three core values: Certification, Opportunities, and Resources. Certifying women owned businesses is the foundation of WBENC’s mission, along with connecting WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs) with WBENC’s Corporate Members to facilitate real time business opportunities and serving as a Resource to offer training that helps the Corporate Member and the WBENC-Certified WBE grow their capacity.

WBENC’s world-class certification is accepted by more than 1,000 corporations representing America’s most prestigious brands, in addition to many states, cities and other entities. WBENC is also an approved Third Party Certifier for the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program. WBENC Certification validates that the business is 51 percent owned, controlled, operated, and managed by a woman or women. 

IMS Supports “Campout for Hunger” Movie Night.

Posted on: December 3rd, 2012