Product Review: Panasonic Panaboards

The most effective tool to improve your next meeting, training, and presentation.

The latest development in presentation and interactive learning is the Panaboard (the whiteboard), also commonly known as the interactive whiteboard. They may look a little similar to the standard whiteboard; but they provide a huge number of services.

Panasonic whiteboards allow the user to function a computer right from its’ very own surface. They have a touch sensitive screen which projects the computer image on it. The user controls what is on the screen with a finger, marker, or pen, in this way, the user can change pages as required. The user can also access, print and email documents through this technology without having to go to a computer, and also access directly to the internet during a presentation. Notes can be taken on top of the projected images. These notes can be saved directly into files from the Panaboard to the computer. Afterwards, if need be; they can be edited and retouched as desired. The saved notes can be mailed to whoever needs them.

With all these benefits that the Panasonic Panaboards offer, have rapidly reached a big popularity, such that has been replacing regular chalkboards in the classrooms, meeting rooms, etc.

Panaboards have become immensely beneficial tools for many businesses. They are being installed in the boardrooms and meeting rooms and adding excitement to conventional meetings and presentations. They have helped in overcoming the hindrance of lack of communication with the remote employees and satellite offices. Now employees can work in partnership from anywhere in the world where this service is available. It has completely cut down on the wastage of time due to manually entering data into a computer, printing and distributing it. Now, all of these processes can be done directly on the Panaboard. High quality digital Panaboards also have an in-built printer. Users can print handouts directly from the Panaboard. Thus, Panaboards have not only saved time and money, but also energy.

Similarly, this outstanding teaching technique has allowed that lessons that are generally hard to deliver in the classrooms can be conveyed in a thrilling and motivating manner. This is because of the increased interaction the panaboard can create for the students not only with the teacher but also amongst each other.

In such an environment, students are highly inclined towards being attentive in the class. This teaching tool allows the teachers to create interactive lessons, and thus increasing student productivity through participation. Such subjects that require more diagrams, illustrations, note-taking (Math, Science, English, etc.) have been perked up through the use of Panaboards.

Panaboards are revolutionary whiteboards that improve the efficiency of all types of meetings, both daily discussions and major presentations, and also allows information to be effectively shared between presenters and participants, and even with people who cannot attend.

Panasonic offers not only an extensive but the best range of market leading Panaboards or electronic whiteboards. Panasonic Panaboards come in interactive and networkable models. They consist of all those preferred features that you need to fulfill your requirements.

AppleTV (2nd Generation) Review

The AppleTV is one of Apple’s most popular creations and can help bring music, TV, movies and pictures into your living room or workspace. While the first Apple TV was built with an aluminum frame and grey finish on the top panel, the second generation adopts a polished black housing. The device now looks more like a typical A/V component.

The new device easily connects with Wi-Fi networks, including faster 802.11n routers, and 10/100 Ethernet for wired homes. It includes access for for iTunes, Netflix, Flickr, MobileMe, YouTube, Internet radio or other services. Enabling Home Sharing allows the Apple TV to connect with videos, music, and pictures from iTunes libraries. Users can easily access content from multiple computers on a home network.

One of the highlighted new features is AirPlay, Apple’s wireless standard that will allow Apple TV users to access content stored on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. The feature should be a popular option for people who start to watch something on their i-device and want to finish watching it upon arrival at home. Pushing an AirPlay button will automatically switch the presentation from the handheld to the TV.

Content

Apple has worked to expand the range of content accessible through Apple TV. The company changed its business model regarding videos, which are now distributed as rentals rather than outright downloads. The shift is appropriate for the new Apple TV, as it eliminates the need to store anything on a local HDD.

Renting iTunes content allows users to rent HD or SD TV shows for $0.99 each, which provides 48 hours to finish an episode after playback has been started. For movies, the pricing jumps to $5 for HD new releases or $4 for library titles. A dollar is slashed from each price if the movie is streamed in SD quality, while all movies have a 24-hour limit to complete watching.

Netflix subscribers have access to a wider range of content, with TV shows and movies from NBC Universal, CBS, Paramount, MGM, 20th Century Fox, ABC, Disney, Warner Brothers, Lions Gate, and New Line Cinema. Using the Apple TV UI, users can access their queue or search for content.

Conclusion

People don’t want to rent discs anymore and streaming content is the way to go. The second-generation Apple TV has succeeded in making a simple experience even simpler. It is a perfect device for the masses, especially those already renting content from Apple’s own iTunes portals.

Sonos Controller for iPad

Sonos Wireless System & iPad Controller app.

Sonos, makers of the World’s #1 multi-room music system, released their free controller for the iPad and we are not only going to review that app right here for you, but we are also going to show you how you can create one of the most amazing home music systems you have yet to experience. Surely this is something you don’t want to miss.

Who Is Sonos?

In order to appreciate what we are about to review, you will want to know who Sonos is.  Sonos is a company headquartered in Santa Barbara, California that was created by music lovers, for music lovers.  Their philosophy is to create products that are well designed, of the highest quality and express their passion for music.

Sonos takes a new approach to consumer electronics.  They make it super easy to enjoy the best music all around your house.  And now, they have taken a significant leap forward in the world of music systems with the launch of the iPad Controller app. Essentially, Sonos has created a way to experience music that we all thought would be possible one day.   And now it is.

What Is A Multi-Room System?

The Sonos multi-room music system is a way to have multiple wireless speakers located around the home that can all be controlled using a single controller.  But these speakers wouldn’t be much without great music right?  As it turns out, the Sonos system also has access to your own home music library, thousands of internet radio stations, and several great online music systems such as:

• iTunes
• Last.fm
• Pandora
• Rhapsody
• Audible
• iheartradio
• SIRIUS
• Wolfgang’s Vault
• Zune Marketplace

All of these music choices are sent out to each of your wireless speakers separately or in unison.  Now, in order to connect all these wireless speakers together, Sonos has created a great little accessory called the Zone Bridge.  It is a small white box that plugs right into your wireless network and allows all of the speakers and your controller to talk – instantaneously.

The Components

So, what do you need to set up your own multi-room music system?  Here is an example of simple entry level system:

• ZonePlayer S5 (two)
• Controller
• ZoneBridge

Sonos does make other products that you can use, but these 3 things are sufficient for the most basic set up.  If you want to use your own speakers or have in-ceiling ones, it’s no problem.  Sonos has different wireless receivers based on your desires.

Music throughout your home does not get much better than this.  If you are looking for a home music system that not only takes advantage of the latest technology but one you can use with your iPad, then here it is.

The layout is extremely well designed and easy to use.  On the left, you have your “Zones” which are the ZonePlayers. In the middle of the app you have the current music being played and on the far right are your music choices.

All of the music services work great, including Pandora.  The great thing here is that you could sign into Pandora and it loads up all your stations.  If you have network attached storage or your computer is turned on and sharing, then it will locate your home music library. If you use the Mac iTunes library, it will find it and list all your music just as you would see it in iTunes.

Other features we love from the Sonos iPad Controller app are the timers and alarms.  You can easily tap on “timers” and it will let you set a sleep timer up to 2 hours as well as set an alarm.  So it’s like having a wireless alarm clock as well.

If you have one iPad or two or more, each one can control the ZonePlayers.  This is nice because you might want to have Internet radio playing in the Living Room but Rhapsody playing in the Master Bedroom.

This is the perfect example of taking an amazing multi-room wireless music system and pairing it with an app that actually makes sense.  It brings together two amazingly innovative systems: the iPad and the Sonos.  The app does not crash. It is intuitive and it works so well you really won’t want to part with it.

Conclusion

From the minute the Sonos arrived to the time we loaded the new iPad controller app, we have not only been impressed but amazed.  Sure, it’s a speaker system.  But it’s more than that.   It’s a well thought out speaker system that changes how you listen to music completely.  It’s a system that just about anyone can use.  And most importantly, it shows off the value of the iPad and makes it that much more useful in your everyday life.

The 3D Phenomenon

If there is one thing that was made abundantly clear at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last year, it was that the entire consumer electronics industry was strongly pushing for a switch to 3D. Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, Vizio, Sharp and a number of other manufacturers have all announced new 3D capable models that they will be releasing over the course of this year (2011). Never before have we seen such widespread industry support for 3D, and this will certainly go a long way in helping bring 3D to the masses.

Riding on the enormous success of James Cameron’s latest movie, Avatar, many of the big name electronics manufacturers are making a strong case for bringing an authentic 3D experience to the consumer’s living room. This time around the timing seems perfect. Over 60% of Avatar’s ticket sales were for 3D viewings of the movie, a startling statistic given that the number of 3D capable screens around the world is far outnumbered by their regular 2D counterparts.

New 3D technology overcomes previous limitations

Old 3D technology from many years ago never really caught on, but new 3D technology overcomes its previous limitations.

1. Unrealistic to Realistic 3D – An unrealistic effect was caused due to the images for the left and right eye being unnaturally spaced causing eye strain. However, current 3D video capture technology coupled with the projection of both left and right eye images by the same device ensures that such effects are mitigated in new 3D displays.
2. Goodbye to Nausea and Headaches – These side effects were predominantly due to the analog nature of 3D films many years ago when the films for the left and right eye view were projected simultaneously but were hard to keep in sync with one another. This resulted in an uncomfortable viewing experience, confusing the viewer’s brain due to the unrealistic and unnatural visual stimulation.  Current 3D displays however, are digitally synced so no such issues exist and these “3D Symptoms” are thankfully a thing of the past.
3. Poor to Great color fidelity – Using Anaglyph technology, images were split into chromatically opposite colors so that by using tinted glasses the viewer was able to view a unique image for each eye thus providing a 3D effect. However, the use of these tinted glasses drastically changed the appearance of colors and in general resulted in a poor 3D experience. With the use of new Polarized or Active Shutter technology, this has been done away with as the image displayed on the screen represents the true color and each eye piece does not distort the image color in any way (apart from lowering the incoming brightness of the image by a small amount).

3D Content

Many people seem to whine about the lack of 3D content and that this lack of 3D content guarantees the failure of this industry push towards 3D. After all, content is king right? There are some issues with this criticism however.

1. ESPN, DirectTV, Discovery Channel and UK’s Sky have pledged support for delivering 3D content as early as 2010. ESPN has already procured the necessary equipment for shooting live events in 3D and plan to air football and NBA in 3D in the near future. A number of other content providers are also joining ranks and pledging support for delivering more 3D content. While 3D content is still at a nascent stage, we have to keep in mind that these are still early days. However, with all the industry support so far, the signs seem very positive.

2.      Hollywood is also backing this push to 3D with over 20 3D movies released on 2010. Keep in mind also that every 3D animated film will likely be available in 3D as this medium enables an effortless transition for producing movies in 3D. These numbers will only increase, especially if there is widespread interest in 3D content as witnessed by the success of Avatar in 3D.

3D TVs are Backward Compatible with Regular 2D

This is one of the main reasons why 3D will eventually succeed over time. Pretty much all the proposed 3D technologies that are being developed by various electronics manufacturers are compatible with regular 2D content. This of course is for a good reason as it would be suicidal on the part of device manufacturers to make their 3D sets not compatible with conventional 2D content given that there is a long transition period ahead as we make the switch from 2D to 3D (and perhaps it will never be a complete 100% switch).

Displays requiring active shutter glasses are pretty much your regular high performance LCD or Plasma TV with a high refresh rate (120-240 Hz) and the ability to sync with your active shutter glasses. However, they are perfectly capable displays for 2D content as well and there shouldn’t be any real decrease in performance or image quality. Additionally, the high refresh rates of newer 3D TVs will actually be a bonus for regular 2D content as this refresh rate boost will help smooth the display of fast paced 2D scenes and sporting events. Finally, the prices of the TVs themselves aren’t going to be all that much more than regular TVs.  If you don’t want 3D at all, you could still buy a 3D capable set for roughly the same price as regular TVs and just skip buying 3D glasses and any other accessories that you might need for viewing 3D content on your new TV. All in all, it’s a win-win situation either way and this is one of the main reasons why the long run adoption of 3D TVs will hence in general a will win situation.

What Audio/Video Improvements Can Do For Your Organization

Audiovisual isn’t just slide shows on rickety projectors anymore.  The audio video industry, like everything else, has taken a gigantic leap into the technological future.  Audiovisual systems enable a business to get their message across more effectively, because in many cases, visual presentations of information are much more memorable

Your company likely doesn’t have anyone with expertise in audio video.  It’s not uncommon to see IT specialists called in to try to set up a firm’s audio video system just because they have a basic techie background.  But real audio video specialists are engineers who can design to your company’s exacting specifications.  They do everything from hanging a projector from the ceiling of your meeting room to installing a motorized screen that comes out of the wall to programming the software that facilitates it all.  Your conference room can be transformed into a state-of-the art think tank, with all the equipment controlled by a single remote.

Seventy-five percent of all projection systems sold are for PowerPoint presentations, but audio video services range from LCD projectors to interactive whiteboards to audio and video conferencing systems that enable your staff to exchange ideas from as far away as separate continents.  Technological advances have kept pace with those in consumer electronics, with wall-hanging plasma displays that can handle inputs from different sources, including DVD and computer sources.  With all these technologies, your meetings can include interactive video, striking graphical representations of any kind of data, and information that viewers can engage with in powerful ways, whether the context is an employee in-service training, consultations with business partners or proposals to prospective customers.

The key variables in selecting audio video services are centered around what your company is going to use them for. The initial meeting with is called a “needs assessment,” and based on the information you provide, services will be designed around that.  Are the majority of your presentations based on PowerPoint, videoconferencing or computer-based training?  The number of meetings you conduct, the size of the group, and what type of presentation you are conducting should all be taken into account.

LED Television Technology – Why Should you Buy an LED TV?

The Advantages of LED HDTVs

The LED-HDTV is the new option if you are looking to buy a new flat screen. Whereas before our choice was mainly limited to LCD and plasma TVs., now we have another contender to consider, the LED television. However, an LED screen will currently cost you more money than a standard LCD or plasma TV, so we need to understand why we might think about buying one of these televisions.

Here are a few reasons of why it may be worth switching to an LED television.

1. Brightness

LED lights are brighter than a fluorescent lamp, and so you should expect to get a brighter picture with an LED television compared to a standard LCD.

This should be especially useful in bright rooms with plenty of daylight, as the image should stand out much better.

A non-reflective screen, together with a brighter image, could make this a perfect choice for some rooms where the reflection of daylight could be a problem.

2. Picture Quality

The excellent picture quality is where a backlit LED HDTV comes into its own.

If you want to have a picture quality that is similar to that of a plasma screen, but wish to stick with LCD screen technology, then a backlit LED HDTV is worth considering.

An LED TV that is backlit, with local dimming and RGB LEDs, should have a much improved picture over that of a standard LCD TV.

You should expect to see a better contrast ratio and color accuracy.

3. Great Looks and Easy Installation

The new edge-lit LED HDTVs look fantastic.

They are thin, sleek and very modern-looking – so they will be a breeze to hang on the wall or stand elegantly in the corner of the room.

If you want to impress your neighbors, then just install one of these beauties in your room.

This might be reason enough to switch to an LED HDTV.

4. Low Power Consumption

The power consumption of LED HDTVs does vary between models.

So if you were thinking of buying an LED screen to save on power, it is wise to check with each particular model.

However, an edge-lit LED television can consume 30-40% less power than any other type of LCD or plasma TV.

Be more careful with backlit LEDs. They can actually be more power hungry than standard LCDs – and can be similar to that of a plasma screen. However, it is difficult to generalize about this issue as using different types of LEDs can also make a difference.

Backlit models which use RGB LEDs are often more power hungry than those that just use white LEDs – so if power saving is an issue for you, then check out an edge-lit LED television.

LED Television Technology Summary

So are the benefits of LED HDTV technology worth it to spending a bit extra?

No technology is perfect, and so there is always a need to weigh up the pros and cons of any TV before you buy one.

While these TVs are currently more expensive than plasmas or standard LCD TVs, there are reasons why it may be worth the extra money.

An LED screen can offer looks, ease of installation, low power consumption and an improved picture over other types of television – so decide how important these features are to you.

San Diego Audio Visual

Gotuwired of San Diego is a full-service supplier of audio visual, installation and staging for any conference room, facility or trade show in San Diego County and all surrounding areas. Our company can provide you with the latest and greatest turn-key audio visual systems to support all your conference room or event planning needs.

We also provide continued technical support to ensure the audio visual system operation long  after installation is complete.

GotuWired Audio Video has refined the methods of design, integration, and support for audio visual systems, by combining high-class audio visual practices with a truly client-oriented approach. We are proud of our wide experience and we are dedicated to integrity, flexibility and quality in all that we do.

San Diego has chosen us as its number one source for audio visual equipment installation services because of our exceptional skills, flawless execution and the years of audio visual experience in San Diego.

Call us now on 760.587.1516 to speak to one of our friendly audio visual specialists, we’re your best choice in San Diego!

La Jolla, Del Mar, & Rancho Santa Fe Home Theater

For over 10 years Gotuwired has specialized in installing custom home theater systems within all of San Diego including La Jolla, Del Mar, and the Rancho Santa Fe communities. Our highly trained staff is up to date on all the latest technology from 3D-TV to media streaming Blu-Ray players.

Gotuwired offers fully integrated, completely customized, turnkey home theater systems. Our attention to detail is put into every audio/video system installation, whether it’s a fireplace HDTV installation, whole-house audio system or a simple universal remote, we make sure you are satisfied with every job. With years of experience, our skilled installation teams are always prepared to serve you anywhere in La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe or within San Diego. We can provide you with the home theater solution that will give you, your family and friends years of enjoyment.

Gotuwired also has a wide range of experience in designing custom home theater systems with fully integrated components. If you are considering buying a new HDTV or building a custom home theater system to enjoy the latest movies on DVD or Blu-Ray, we can definitely help you choose the best components to fit your needs. Our system designers will come to your home, understand what you are looking and create a solution that fits within your budget. Because we’re an independent company and not allied with any single manufacturer or brand, you’ll always get the equipment recommendation that’s best for your project.

Also, if you have already purchased a new surround sound system or HDTV, we can help you integrate and install your new TV, speakers or A/V components regardless if your home is located in La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe or anywhere inside San Diego County.

For all your home theater needs; Gotuwired is the company for you.
Contact us now at (760)587-1516

High Definition Televisions

HDTVs (also known as High Definition Televisions) provide a higher resolution and vibrant colors up to five times than standard TVs.

By the time the first set of High Definition Televisions released to the market in 1998, movies and sports fans got really excited with the surround sound and high resolution. With High Definition TVs, movies fans could also play movies in their original widescreen format for the fisrt time without the annoying black bars.
Apart from the picture clarity of High Definition TVs screens, it can be used on mobile phones or public display. High Definition transmission can be received through wired and wireless media; including satellite dishes, cables, mobile phones, PCs and even directly to storage devices with no intervention.
With up to five times better picture quality than standard definition and increased color vibrancy, it’s easy to realize the benefits that High Definition TVs bring to your viewing experience. When including the Digital surround sound system, you’ll be able to experience a cinema at your own home.

How HDTVs work

If you look closely at a color TV screen through a magnifier, you can see that it is made of groups of tiny red, green and blue dots called sub pixels. The TV pictures are always made of these sub pixels, no matter if the TV is analogue or digital. High Definition transmission is simply the transmission of the color and brightness values of these pixels, plus the sound signal, as digital data. These values are then converted back into pixels, and hence viewable pictures, at the receiver end of the transmission path.
The clarity of the picture depends on the difference in the number of pixels; Standard Definition TVs display a 720 by 576 pixels picture, which means the screen is made of less than 500,000 points of light. However, High Definition TVs can display a 1920 by 1080 pixels picture. Which means the screen is made of over 2,000,000 points of light.

How To Choose a New HDTV

You need to answer following two questions in order to choose the HDTV that suits your needs:

Which screen size fits to your room?

Which TV features you can’t live without, and which features can you live without?

At GotUWired we draw a map of all your space and components and help you choose the right High Definition Television brand and Audio receivers that fit your lifestyle.

Finally, you can always get good HDTV advice from one of GotUWired expert Advisors. Contact Them Now!

Plasma vs LCD

Having trouble deciding between plasma and LCD televisions? You’re not the only one. The truth is you are not going to go wrong with either. Each technology still gives you a far greater picture than any analog TV, and with the widescreen image you get to see more information.

In general LCD TVs are best for more well lit rooms, however, Plasma TVs give a better image when you have solid light control.
If you tend to watch your TV a lot during the day then we recommend LCD TVs. If most of your TV watching is in the evenings, then we would recommend Plasma technology. Plasma TVs will give typically give you a sharper image but because of their reflective glass, it really depends on your viewing times.

On the other hand LCD TVs are best for playing video games, or for hooking up to PCs, as they less likely to suffer “burn-in”, which can be caused by having static images on the screen for too long. Plasma TVs, however, are best for watching movies and sports.

The key thing is that you are living in high definition, but, to help you out we’ve got this handy chart to help you determine which technology is best for you.

	Plasma	LCD
General
Screen sizes	42-65+ inches	5-65+ inches
Cabinet depth	3+ inches	3+ inches
Power consumption	Slightly less-efficient per square inch	Slightly more-efficient per square inch
Off-angle viewing	Excellent from all angles	Image fades slightly when seen from extreme angles from sides or from above or below
Reflectivity of screen	Glass screens can reflect lots of light, so may be an issue in very bright rooms. Some models have glare-reducing screens that are more- or less-effective	Matte plastic screens usually reflect less light. Some models have screens that are actually more reflective than plasma
Features
PC connectivity	Less common but still included on many models	More common than with plasma
Other features	Varies per model	Varies per model
Picture quality
Motion blur caused by display	Negligible	Difficult to discern on most models, although subject to more blurring than plasma. 120Hz models less-subject to motion blur
Black-level performance (depth of “black” displayed)	Varies, although excellent on many models.	Varies, although generally worse than plasma on many models, and better than plasma on best models
Color saturation	Varies, although generally a bit better than LCD due to black level and off-angle advantages	Varies, although the best models can equal the best plasmas
Resolution	Typically 720p, up to 1080p on high-end models. The benefits of 1080p are not obvious at screen sizes below 50 inches to the majority of viewers.	Typically 720p, but 1080p is more common than plasma at more price and size points. The benefits of 1080p are not obvious at screen sizes below 50 inches to the majority of viewers
Durability
Burn-in (faint after-images left on-screen)	Possible with still images left on-screen with very bright settings for hours, although new models much less susceptible, and most burn-in is temporary and goes away after watching moving images	May occur in extreme situations (very bright still images left on-screen for days) but much less likely than with plasma or even standard tube TVs.
Lifespan (hours until fades to half-brightness)	Typically 60,000 hours, or about 20 years if used 8 hours per day.	Typically 60,000 hours, or about 20 years if used 8 hours per day.
Program type
HDTV	Excellent	Excellent for HDTV-compatible models.
Standard-definition TV	Dependent mostly on screen size. The smaller the screen, the better standard-def usually looks	Dependent mostly on screen size. The smaller the screen, the better standard-def usually looks
DVD Movies	Excellent given a model with good black-level performance	Very good, although models with worse black-level performance are less desirable
Games	Excellent for most users, although burn-in might deter gamers who leave screens paused for hours or overnight	Excellent, although motion blur might deter the most sensitive gamers

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