January 24, 2005
Multi-System Integration
• Cynthia Wells, who works for HB Communications’ healthcare division, discusses the integration of new communication technology into medical environments.
• Joseph Bocchiaro III, PhD, CTS-D, covers specification of particular products during an audiovisual design process, as well as employing “generic” systems descriptions.
• Nextel, headquartered in Reston VA, addresses the pressing issue of employee safety with the installation of an 18-building EDICT paging system. An article by Dawn Allcot.
• In Prince William County VA, the Emergency Operations Centers’ AV was ready just in time for use during Hurricane Ivan. An article by Jim Stokes.
• The first Lion’s Den room, located at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla NY, utilizes AV and lighting gear to help children have fun. An article by Emily Tan.
• Both Jonathan Laney, senior audio consultant with The Talaske Group, and David McNutt analyze the recent installation of an audio system at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park in Chicago.
• Neal Weinstock, who edits IV/AV Report and is the founder/president of Weinstock Media Analysis, explores whether 802.11n is truly the next generation in wireless.
Available
$5 USD ($10 outside US) - click to order >> ONLINE - EMAIL [more info]

February 21, 2005
Theme Parks and Attractions
Eighth annual Worship Survey report, NSCA issue, ISC West issue
• Frank McCann, founder/president of McCann Systems, addresses audiovisual trends in the corporate community, particularly with respect to videoconferencing.
• Writer Jason Frenchman covers the $67 million evolution and expansion project titled “America West Arena: The Next Generation” in Arizona, focusing in particular on the Bud Light Paseo.
• In Washington DC, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian redefines the museum-going experience with the help of AV. An article by R. David Read.
• Joseph Bocchiaro III, PhD, CTS-D, analyzes issues relating to the US Green Building Council and certification under the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Green Building Rating System.
• Neal Weinstock, editor of IT/AV Report and founder/president of Weinstock Media Analysis, addresses the new generation of digital signal processors.
• Wes Alderson and Karen Alderson look at the larger picture, analyzing interactions between the AV industry, economics, cultures, government and the individual.
Available
$5 USD ($10 outside US) - click to order >> ONLINE - EMAIL [more info]

March 21, 2005
Government Facilities and Public Works
• David Goldenberg, VP of Integrated Systems Group of ACE Communications, covers the basics of doing business with the US government and its agencies.
• The NYPD’s Emergency Operations Center makes use of an array of AV gear, from a digital video wall to plasmas to dozens of cameras. An article by Jim Stokes.
• Dawn Allcot explores how the latest in technology makes remote science and engineering operations possible for the Mars Rover Mission at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratories.
• Logan UT’s Cache County Jail exemplifies how communication and control systems play a vital role in the operation of a modern prison facility. An article by R. David Read.
• The Clackamas County Public Services Building, Clackamas County OR, and in particular its new Hearing Room, makes government functions more open and transparent to the public. An article by Jason Frenchman.
• Scott Woolley, who heads up ClearOne Communications’ product training, discusses the benefits and effective use of audio systems in courtrooms.
Available
$5 USD ($10 outside US) - click to order >> ONLINE - EMAIL [more info]

April 18, 2005
Worship Centers (NAB issue)
• Tony Warner, CTS-D, CDT, director of RTKL Associates Inc.’s AV design department, covers the relationship between the integrator and the consultant, as well as the importance of building a spirit of cooperation.
• David Lee, PhD, CEO of Lee Communication Inc., provides a refresher course on how to communicate with church leaders and secure work in the worship market.
• The Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington IL, which has a new $73 million, 7200-seat auditorium, employs AV for religious services, musicals and conferences. An article by Jim Stokes.
• State-of-the-art AV and broadcast technology is at the heart of a $64 million expansion of Georgia’s First Baptist Church of Woodstock, enabling it to deliver its message locally and globally. An article by Jason Frenchman.
• The new First Baptist Church in New Orleans LA offers a complete AV experience, including both sound and video elements, enabling full-blown productions. An article by R. David Read.
• Dawn Allcot explores how Oak Ridge National Laboratory uses the latest in PC-based distance-learning technology at its Joint Institute for Computer Sciences.
• Ed Carabetta, president of Cabletime USA, discusses AV/IT convergence and MPEG through the prism of business communications.
• Michael Assael of Excel Media Systems, Lee Baker of Beacon Technologies and Glenn Peacock of Peacock, Jorgensen & Lewis face off about IT and AV integration. An article by Jason Frenchman.
• R. David Read writes the 14th installment of Sound & Communications’ series documenting Industry Pioneers, this time covering Paul W. Klipsch.
Available
$5 USD ($10 outside US) - click to order >> ONLINE - EMAIL [more info]

May 23, 2005
Schools and Colleges
InfoComm issue, 50th Anniversary issue
• As part of Sound & Communications’ 50-year-anniversary celebration, R. David Read explores the birth, development, evolution and success of the magazine.
• The executive directors of InfoComm International, NSCA and AES reflect on AV’s history through the prism of industry associations.
• Industry veterans Tony Warner, Mackey Barron and Charlie Wheeler reflect on the AV industry’s past, and look toward its future.
• Generations of AV professionals—Herbert Jaffe, Don and Carolyn Davis, Chris Foreman, Fred Dixon, Jerry Brookman, Martin Schaffel, Mario J. Maltese, Jim Ford, Dan Van Meter, Joel Lewitz, Robert Thiel, Jim Long, Greg Bronson, Guy O’Hazza, David Lee, Chad Gillenwater and Gary Kayye—observe evolution in the industry.
• Industry manufacturers—Rose Shure, Steve Lampen, Emily M. Nikoo, Judy Loughran, Kevin Madden, Mark Gander, Olaf B. Hampel and John Sexton—reflect, analyze and look ahead.
• Wes Alderson and Karen Alderson analyze how the sound and communications industry came into existence, employing the metaphor of a scattered jigsaw puzzle.
• Messiah College’s Boyer Hall, home to the Boyer Center, in Grantham PA, augments classroom learning with technology, including nearly two-dozen multimedia classrooms. An article by Jim Stokes.
• The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine’s campus in Bradenton FL is unique in design with integrated multimedia technology to support its distinctive curriculum format. An article by John Gregory.
• 42" plasmas in the classrooms of Queensbury Union Free School District in Queensbury NY capture the attention of each student. An article by Dawn Allcot.
Available
$5 USD ($10 outside US) - click to order >> ONLINE - EMAIL [more info]

June 20, 2005
Theaters and Auditoriums
• Michigan’s Village Theater at Cherry Hill employs AV to deliver “big city” sound in an intimate setting, exuding an older, traditional flavor. An article by Dawn Allcot.
• Behind-the-scenes concerns were part of the drama installing a new sound system during a major renovation of the historic, 750-seat Englert Theatre in Iowa City IA. An article by Jim Stokes.
• Palm Desert CA’s 1127-seat McCallum Theatre underwent a $2 million upgrade including a major $900,000 overhaul of its 16-year-old audio systems as well as upgrades to its stage lighting. An article by Scott Lehane.
Available
$5 USD ($10 outside US) - click to order >> ONLINE - EMAIL [more info]

July 18, 2005
Retail Environments
20th annual Contractors Survey report
• Dan Shoman, GM of Masque Sound, analyzes the benefits of building future executives from within, and capitalizing on the in-house talent pool.
• Kent Meske, national director of sales-systems for DMX Music, addresses the relationship between audiovisual systems and the retail experience, in the increasingly competitive world of retailing.
• In his AV Café, Joseph Bocchiaro III, PhD, CTS-D, explores whether AV and security technology are really so different after all.
• The Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant chain has pervasive video; just one venue boasts more than 40 combinations of 27- and 32-inch TVs and some plasmas, as well as multiple projectors. An article by Jim Stokes.
• Dougie Lazer, founder of XS Lighting & Sound, details the vital role lighting plays in retail, focusing on Niketown, Coach, Burberry, A/X Armani Exchange and MAC Cosmetics.
• Canada’s leading specialty retailer, Holt Renfrew, executes plans for a two-year, $33 million overhaul of the crown jewel in its 11-store chain. An article by David Weiss.
• Dennis Krob, CRT product manager for Peerless Industries, Inc., discusses professional flat panel mount installation, as well as safety, security and aesthetic concerns.
• Bret Emerson, RCDD/NTS, president of CommTech Design, addresses the issue of convergence, and more particularly the crucial role that connectors and cabling play.
Available
$5 USD ($10 outside US) - click to order >> ONLINE - EMAIL [more info]

August 22, 2005
Corporate Facilities
CEDIA issue
• In his AV Café, Joseph Bocchiaro III, PhD, CTS-D, discusses the new book Audiovisual Best Practices: The Design and Integration Process for the AV and Construction Industries.
• From a network operations center to conference and training rooms, AV plays a major role in the function of RadioShack’s new campus in Ft. Worth TX. An article by Jim Stokes.
• Carlos J. Lerma, PE, a design engineer with Audio Visual Innovations, discusses Nielsen Media Research’s technology upgrade, covering NOC and the Situation Room.
• Neal Weinstock, who edits IT/AV Report and is founder/president of Weinstock Media Analysis, addresses the issue of franchising coming to IT systems integration, and whether convergence will help it succeed.
Available
$5 USD ($10 outside US) - click to order >> ONLINE - EMAIL [more info]

September 19, 2005
Entertainment Venues
AES issue, ISC East issue
• The Phoenix (AZ) Symphony Hall underwent an AV upgrade that included surprise elements, such as re-routing conduit and re-establishing other systems, in addition to the planned project. An article by Jim Stokes.
• The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum in Springfield IL employs AV and IT gear to enhance visitors’ experiences. An article by R. David Read.
• Bob Eastman, RCDD, principal of audiovisual consulting at Sparling, explores why technology is critical to the success of modern theaters and auditoriums.
• J. Michael Hughes, VP/GM of Professional Audio Division, HM Electronics, Inc., addresses the benefits and continuing evolution of wireless intercom systems.
• Richard Honeycutt, BS Physics; PhD, Electroacoustics, covers the topics of loudspeaker directivity, what it’s good for and how you get it.
Available
$5 USD ($10 outside US) - click to order >> ONLINE - EMAIL [more info]

October 17, 2005
Hotels and Restaurants
LDI issue
• Lars Pedersen, Scharff Weisberg’s director of technology, covers the inevitable union of the video and lighting worlds, arguing we mustn’t lose sight of the effect convergence is having across larger boundaries.
• Joseph Bocchiaro III, PhD, CTS-D, addresses the dedication of AV pros in the context of Hurricane Katrina, particularly the much-labored-over AV projects that were destroyed by the monster storm.
• The Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in Nassau, The Bahamas, employs a range of AV to keep everybody, from children to businesspeople, satisfied. An article by R. David Read.
• Ambient noise-compensated multiple audio zones and high-definition video displays have brought the AV system at the Prairie Rock Brewery in Schaumburg IL into the high-performance era. An article by Jim Stokes.
• In Indianapolis IN, the Music Mill, a medium-size live-performance venue, features AV enhancements, including extensive acoustical treatment. An article by Shonan Noronha.
• Guy O’Hazza, president of Guy-Tek, Inc., discusses the creation of proprietary systems using commercially available hardware, particularly with respect to Dave & Buster’s retail entertainment chain.
• Part 1 of Don Sutherland’s tome about the history of AV takes a fond look back at the true beginnings of our industry. He focuses particular attention, this time, on dissolves.
• James Lamb, business development manager, Digigram, Inc., imparts a basic understanding of networking, network models, the ISO’s OSI and TCP/IP.
• R. David Read delivers his Katrina Report, focusing specifically on how the storm affected members of the AV industry, as well as how the industry has rallied to help victims.
Available
$5 USD ($10 outside US) - click to order >> ONLINE - EMAIL [more info]

November 21, 2005
Stadiums and Arenas
• At the kickoff opener of the newly remodeled Oregon State University Reser Stadium in Corvallis OR, football fans were greeted with an updated sound system. An article by Jim Stokes.
• The Charlotte (NC) Bobcats Arena has an AV system that features FOH line arrays and distributed sound, a technologically advanced-design scoreboard, fiberoptic feeds and more. An article by Jim Stokes.
• David E. Marsh, FASA, managing principal of Pelton Marsh Kinsella, discusses the acoustic challenges presented by indoor stadium design.
• Don Sutherland presents Part 2 (of three) of “A Thousand Years of AV?", a tome that takes a look back at the true beginnings of our industry.
• Taly Walsh and Cheryl Regan, of InfoComm International, discuss the industry association’s relationship with the residential market, arguing the association is adjusting to its membership’s needs.
Available
$5 USD ($10 outside US) - click to order >> ONLINE - EMAIL [more info]

December 19, 2005
Large Commercial Buildings and Offices
• John Miceli, president of Technomedia Solutions, discusses an experiential exhibit that complements the Rockefeller Center Observation Deck in New York City.
• Jones Day, a major international law firm, launched an ambitious program to deploy state-of-the-art AV and videoconferencing systems. An article by Shonan Noronha, EdD.
• Gary Kayye, CTS, presents Kayye’s Krystal Ball V.06, in which the author reviews the accuracy of his previous predictions and reveals what he sees for the future.
• Jeff Quint, NSCA’s executive VP, discusses NSCA’s publication of its annual Financial Analysis of the Industry research report, which, this year, shows some positive signs.
• Larry Bernath, national sales manager for Valcom Services LLC, addresses paging technology for hospitals, arguing advances allow for increased power, flexibility, management and integration.
• Chris McCauley, product manager for the ViewCast Interactive Video Network solution, discusses integrated video networks and bridging the gap between cost and performance.
• Don Sutherland presents the conclusion of his three-part tome, “A Thousand Years of AV?”. In this feature, Sutherland takes a look back at the true beginnings of our industry.
Available
$5 USD ($10 outside US) - click to order >> ONLINE - EMAIL [more info]