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Going Mobile
As part of our ongoing work toward making it easier for AV professionals and their clients to meet demands; use, repair and optimize systems; and connect with AV products using the most innovative, accessible technologies, Control Concepts introduced two new mobile applications.
The CrestDiag® and NetLinxDiag® mobile applications turn an AV pro's iPad, iTouch or iPhone into a remote control diagnostics and debugging tool. CCI mobile apps improve technician response time, saving cost on maintenance and promoting efficient, targeted response.
Reviews are in on these "handy little apps," with one user explaining how the apps make it easier for him to do his job on the go: "I take my phone and fix cabling and test right there without lugging my laptop through the job site. When I get back to my laptop, problem solved!"
Entrance into the mobile applications market is an exciting new step for Control Concepts. Mobile technology allows Control Concepts to create new opportunities and give our clients advanced, accessible, effective tools to have at their disposal.
More AV-centric apps are planned for the future as well as expansion in to the Android platform. For information on future releases, stay tuned to our website and sign up for our newsletter.
Test drive our mobile apps now.
The AV Configurable System Uses Complex Models to Make AV Easier
A Sense of Control, CCI Blog, November 2011
Control Concepts is embracing the idea that the control system programming element of a project can be streamlined and made more cost effective for the client. Rather than programming complex one-off systems that are costly to design, program, implement and maintain for each system with a project, CCI developed an innovative solution in which a single complex model is developed to minimize implementation, upgrade and maintenance costs.
Control Concepts developed the AV Configurable Solution as a means of maximizing current technology and responding to increased demands to
provide programming more quickly, easily and inexpensively.
Costs are incurred in a system when programmers are required to reinvent the wheel each time similar systems are implemented. Additional costs sprout up to maintain and upgrade systems that have already been deployed.
A configurable system requires an upfront investment to create a standard design for all related systems maintaining consistency and leaving place holders for upgrade paths and future equipment. The initial investment in a configurable system is recouped because each time a new system is implemented, it only costs a nominal license fee and minimal implementation and upgrade charges.
Designing the Configurable System
To create a configurable AV system, Control Concepts develops a comprehensive master program working with the most robust and highly flexible version of the system to define an operation standard that is maintained throughout all the configurable combinations.
The operation and design standard is typically created on a per client basis. It also can be created on a per designer basis.
The system has a technical user interface that allows an installer to configure the system by selecting from functionality and components present in the specific installation space.
For example, a master system may have two displays, video conferencing, audio conferencing, shade control, lighting control, three computer inputs, two cameras, etc. The ability to pick and choose which of these options is available in a particular space allows for something in the range of 2x2x2x2x2x2x2 = 128 combinations of systems that can be deployed easily using a configurable system.
Flexibility Promotes Long-Term Savings
The beauty of this model is that once the system is fully tested, it can be configured and deployed without programming support, reducing cost and complexity. Additionally, if features are added, when the software is reloaded, those features become available automatically in all rooms. If a new feature, like adding video conferencing and cameras to a non-video conferencing room, is introduced to a room down the road, programming is already built-in.
The system can be configured to the point that various makes and models of components can be supported, further lowering the cost of upgrades and maintenance.
Where Do We Go from Here?
With the network-ability, web interfaces, and recent dynamic architecture advancements made by control system manufacturers like AMX and Crestron, Control Concepts has leveraged new technology to provide solutions beyond what have been commonly been able to offer in the past.
We are excited about taking our programming capabilities to a new level and providing solutions that meet the demands and needs of our current and future customers.
Share Your Sense:
Guest Blog on A Sense of Control
Do you have new ideas about AV programming, efficiency and design? CCI has limited guest blogging opportunities available, please
contact us
if you would like to guest post on our blog.
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