The AV Report by B4UShowit.com

Speaking from the Podium

2012-01-17T08:02:00.000-08:00

Should you speak from the podium or wander with a wireless lapel microphone?

Many presentation experts tell presenters to get away from the podium because it's too restricting and the presenter will be more casual with the audience by being on the floor rather than the stage (among other reasons). Those same presentation experts don't seem to understand about how open microphones work with different sound systems.

First off, when it comes to sound system configurations and room designs, there are many possible combinations and wireless lavalier mics don't work well with all combinations. Some systems are in the ceiling, some at the front left and right of the room, some in the middle of the stage, etc. Some rooms are dead-sounding, some lively and bright, some have low ceilings and some have flutter echoes (those repetitive echoes between hard, parallel surfaces - clap your hands in any room to find them).

Second, when it comes to presenters and public speakers, there are many different loudness levels, clarity and dynamic properties of the human voice. So, if a person doesn't speak loud enough or very clearly, wireless lapel microphones won't do much good. A presenter needs to be loud and clear, especially with wireless lapel microphones, because the microphone is under their chin and not directly in front of them.

A good podium microphone has the advantage of being directly in front of a speaker's mouth as well as being perfectly stationary, in an optimal, fixed position, away from loudspeakers; any roaming microphones will present problems if they are too close to a loudspeaker.

Let's look at the advantages of being behind a podium versus being on the floor in front of the audience:

Presenting from behind the podium

- you can hide your notes

- you can have a computer screen right in front of you

- the microphone is right in front of you

- there are no batteries to ever worry about

- a podium light can illuminate your face so you are visible from the back of the room

- you are a foot or so higher than the audience, so everybody can see you

- you can take your shoes off (okay, I threw that in just for a laugh!)

Presenting from the floor, in front of the stage

- wireless lapel mics may feed back when too close to a speaker

- you are not lit properly, sometimes (in larger rooms)

- if you don't project and enunciate, people at the back won't hear you well

- if you move your head to the side, you will be further away from the mic (because podium mics are right in front of you, you will never forget they are there; not so with lapel mics)

- if the batteries on the body pack die, well...

- if you make a point by hitting your chest, you will hit the mic

- your wardrobe or jewelry can hit the mic intermittently

- if you put it on your lapel, it is off centre, and therefore you are more likely to be 'off mic'

- if you forget you have it on, you might be in the bathroom with a live mic!!

Anyway, hope this helps shed some light on the benefits of speaking from behind the podium. There is nothing wrong with speaking from behind the podium. If you must be wireless, a hand held microphone is a great option, because you are pretty much forced to keep it directly in front of you. Cheers!!

- Buck Moore

(Live Event AV Specialist with direct experience from over 4,000 events)

Last Minute Presentation? Be Prepared!

2011-09-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

The beauty of the USB key is obvious - presenters can make last minute changes and bring their presentation to a host computer last minute (but, with virtually no time to check it out to make sure it works).

PROBLEM

Here is a situation from an event in September, 2011 where a PC-based PowerPoint show was created as a .pptx and handed in to the host computer the morning of the event with no time to check it out. The host computer was a Mac with an older version of PowerPoint that only reads .ppt (not .pptx).

The slide show was too big to email and there was not time to FTP. The slide show was eventually transferred to another computer, which could save it in various formats, but ten minutes had passed (the error was discovered during the preceding presentation).

One might suggest that a presenter call ahead to ask what computer and software is being used, but there is no guarantee that the same equipment will actually be in place on the day of the event. A better solution is to have a plan B as well as a plan C.

SOLUTION

Save the slide show as .pptx, .ppt and .pdf, and put them on the same USB key. If the slide show has audio or video in it, the .ppt will still play the media, but the .pdf will not (unless something has changed recently that I am not aware of).

Another note about Macs - bitmaps need to be converted by Quicktime or else they won't show, so only use jpeg images (you'll still go through the 'converting metafile' process on the Mac, though, so allow a few seconds for the Mac to prepare the images for display).

- Buck Moore

Two Screen AV Ninja Set-up

2011-05-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

The benefits of the AV Ninja set-up:

1) Low profile AV gear - the AV technician sits behind a projection screen, which frees up space in the room as there is no need to skirt the AV table at the back of the room. Also, there is no need to run cables to the back of the room, reducing floor trip hazards and unsightly cables.

2) Direct assistance from the AV technician - because they are set up beside the stage, they are able to assist presenters and public speakers at a second's notice. They won't have to walk briskly through tables chairs from the back of the room, thereby keeping the show smooth in the event of problems arising.

3) Save money on AV services - since there aren't as many cables to route through the room and tape down, set up time is reduced and tape costs go down. It's much easier to hide cables behind stages and skirts than it is to tape them down. In fact, many of our set-ups have only 2-4 cables exposed on the floor, and those are for the AV projector power and signal. When using projectors with 'short throw' lenses**, the cabling is reduced even further as the projectors can be much closer to the screens.

(** - I've had great success with InFocus short-throw lens projectors, and I would choose them over wireless projectors, until I am satisfied that the wireless projector technology can handle video and has good security).

How to Set Up a PA System with Free or Cheap iPhone Apps

2011-04-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

I have a 3G iPhone now because of the toolkit I could have in my hand when working on AV projects. For live sound gigs, it is very small and convenient to use and I now prefer it over my cumbersome laptop and hand held SPL meters.

Don't get me wrong, I will always use my probe-mic ANSI IEC Type II SPL meter for paid consultations along with my Radio Shack analog meter for details, but when I set up a sound system, I usually try to identify gross fluctuations rather than fine details, so the iPhone app seems to give me my feedback problems and my 'boxy' frequencies to correct.

Method for ringing out feedback with RTA Lite:

1) With amplifiers turned up and balanced properly (unity gain or thereabouts), turn up the master volume fader of the mixer to unity (or '0dB' or about 75% up, depending on the mixer), turn up the mic channel fader to maximum setting (unity or +5dB, depending on how you handle your gain structure), then increase the mic channel trim pot slowly until mild feedback occurs (a slight ringing only!!).

2) Cup the bulb of the mic carefully to induce more feedback, but don't allow spikes! With the RTA Lite app, see which frequency is reacting the most and cut by about 5dB.

3) For Low frequency resonance, be sure the high-pass filter for the mic channel is disengaged and say some low-toned words directly into the mic to see what is reacting ans cut those frequencies a bit just enough to stop the 'trail' of resonance. For 'boxy' sounds, say words like 'walk' and 'dog' to identify where to cut and what bandwidth of frequencies.

For estimating maximum SPL and headroom with Studio Six SPL Meter:

1) For live bands - set the meter to 100dB on the dial and sing very loudly (or shout, if you can't sing). A very loud singer should be able to sing just over 100dB, A-weighted. The bass drum (or loudest low frequency transient sound) should be between 106-110dB, C-weighted. Anything louder than that and you're on you're own.

2) For speeches - set the meter to 60dB and speak into the main microphone at a distance of about two feet from the mic, to simulate the worst case scenario. You should be reaching conversational level throughout the room (between 55-65 dB, A-weighted). Anything quieter than that and people will complain (get the speaker to talk closer to the mic).

3) For media soundtrack playback - set the meter to 70dB, A-weighted and set the playback levels to about 60-65dB for dialogue. Switch to C-weighted and adjust low frequency EQ so it runs at about 65-70dB (depending on the soundtrack mix). Business presentation media will be as compressed as a TV commercial (around 5dB of dynamic range) and feature films will be as follows - 60dB for A-weighted dialogue and up 80dB C-weighted or more for the loudest sound effects.

The results you get will be fairly accurate and you should get great results for less than five dollars of iPhone apps.

One last note - do you need pink noise to ring out a sound system? The answer is: maybe, maybe not. Pink noise will help to EQ a system to a 'flatter' response, but flat doesn't always mean it will be good-sounding. In fact, trust a reference song or pre-recorded speech when it comes to tuning for naturalness and clarity.

I'd want to tune a large concert system or a movie theatre with pink noise, but not necessarily a night club or conference room. I mainly aim for four areas of correction in this order: upper middle frequency feedback, boxy vocal sounds, low frequency resonance trails and proper SPL delivery, and the two apps I use help me do just that.

Buck Moore

B4UShowit.com

The USB Key, Woe is Me!!

2011-04-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

Oh, the USB key! Both the savior and bane of my AV existence. When I started working with computer presentations, as a part of live events, I would get last minute PowerPoint updates on floppy disks and CD's, with only a small handful of presenters who were savvy enough to carry USB keys. Clearly, those savvy presenters were a sign of what was to follow.

Once upon a time when data projectors with 800 x 600 native resolution ruled the day, having floppies and CDR's to upload data was somewhat precarious, and hot-swapping PC computers with 15-pin VGA cables was a recipe for disaster.

As we entered the age of the highly portable USB key, 64 MB beat floppies and 128 MB was a luxury for some. As things progressed, storage increased dramatically, prices plummeted, USB2 picked up speed (punny!) and audio-video files for playback became commonplace. Oh, what a wonderful, digital world! Or, is it?

Having these fast-loading hot-swappable little memory banks is necessary for the fast-paced world of live events, but they can also be and excuse for being unprepared! Since presenters can keep making countless updates, it is a very simple matter to hand over a USB key to an AV technician to load onto a host computer, unless the technician gets five at once with no labels, unclear file names (and hierarchy), font changes, .pptx files, missing PowerPoint images, unlinked AV files and the list goes on.

The technology has gotten smarter and faster, but it can also be a crutch when half a dozen presenters leave everything until the last minute and thus, to chance. The newer technology doesn't matter when the planning has been compromised and results in details falling through the cracks or the wrong presentations appearing on a huge projection screen.

With that all being said, here are some great tips for presenters and meeting planners who are a part of all-day events with multiple presentations:

1) Avoid interrupting anybody who is actively loading and double checking a presentation. Instead, develop a system* for updates and last-minute presentations with an AV control sheet and sticky notes, or little Zip-lock (tm) baggies with presenters names marked on them. Nothing should be left to memory.

2) Ensure all media files on the USB key are linked to the presentation software. The presentation file and the media files should be in the same folder, usually located on the desktop for easier access. If the media files won't play, start the presentation from the USB key directly, plan a workaround so the technician can assist in the playback manually.

3) Ensure all the files are sensibly named on the USB key and put into a folder that makes sense when someone else is looking for it.

4) Bring a USB extension cable if your key is wider than average or it won't fit into the USB port with other peripheral devices beside it.

5) Label the outside of the key or put it in a labeled envelope (or baggie) with first and last name, and name of the file.

6) If the USB key is password protected, make arrangements for someone else to open it when they need to.

Hope these tips help you to experience a smooth conference or other business meeting!

Buck Moore,

B4UShowit.com

* One such system I developed involves numbering preloaded presentations for every presenter. If presenter #1 and #4 have preloaded presentations on a host computer (or master USB key), but #2 and #3 bring theirs on the day of the event, the numbering order should be the following:

Presenter #1 - 1

presenter #2 - 1a

presenter #3 - 1b

presenter #4 - 2

Both the AV sheet and the computer files should be re-named with the numbering system as the prefix for each. That way, they will show up in numerical order and can be located quickly and tracked as to when they were received. If the first presenter of the day did not have a pre-loaded presentation, but brings on the day of the event, the should be numbered "01", so the order is always right.

When to Use Slide Shows for a Presentation

2011-01-26T10:46:00.000-08:00

Some folks balk at the idea of using PowerPoint or Keynote for visual aids during a presentation. Such people are usually snobby speakers, frustrated meeting planners or jaded AV technicians who believe a person should just be able to jump up to a podium an deliver an electrifying speech.

Public speaking has come a long way and while it is true that many visuals shown to audiences are unnecessary because printouts are already supplied (that or the presenter reads the slides anyway), visuals have their place and often become a crucial method of idea support for modern audiences.

During such events as medical conferences, digital media summits or sustainable technologies meetings, slide shows are as integral to the experience as the person on the stage presenting. Great graphics and detailed pictures will help a presenter open a window into their industry sector that speech alone usually cannot accomplish.

So, the next time somebody suggests that a slidwshow presentation is a crutch, ignore them. BUT, you must know how to use the slides to facilitate a successful presentation.

Ask me, I can help!

- Buck Moore
buckmoore.net

Review of the Coby Kyros MID7015 - Battery Life of the Coby Kyros MID7015

2011-01-20T12:05:00.000-08:00

Battery Life of the Coby Kyros MID7015

I wanted one, I got one. My main concern was battery life, since I intended to use it for light note-taking and light web surfing and maybe a few more apps, but not for gaming or jamming full of stuff that I shove into my laptop.

Stated Battery Life - 7 hours

Battery Life Test Results - from full charge to 'low battery warning' - 6 hours, 45 minutes.

Test procedure - fully charged unit and turned it on at 8:30 am. I used it intermittently for light applications and I was hooked up to the wireless internet. Screen brightness was 50%. Every so often, I checked the level indicator. I kept it awake the whole time (if it went on standby, I'd wake it up right away).

8:30 -   100%
8:48 -   90%
10:14 - 70%
11:11 - 50%
12:55 - dipped to 25% or a second or two, went back to 50%
1:30 -   50%
1:48 -   25%
2:03 - 25%
2:17 -   25%
2:36 -   25%
3:15 -   12% (approx - 1/8 the scale, so math equals about 12.5% or so)

It may have lasted until 3:30 (7 hrs), but most people would want to charge it when it gets that low so as not to chance losing data. So, 6 hours, 45 minutes of usefulness on battery with 50% screen brightness hooked up to the wireless web connection and doing light work.

I did this because I wanted to know rather than hear what people say or belive ads. Oh, and by the way, when not in use for more than an hour, turn it of - the battery will die overnight when left on standby.

- B. Moore

Preparing a PowerPoint Slideshow for Video Editing

2010-07-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

If you're a presenter or public speaker and you intend to videotape your business presentation, including your PowerPoint slide show (or Keynote slide show for Mac), here are a few tips for getting the best results and saving time (and money!) on the editing of your video.

Video Framing and adjusting

First, it should be noted that the best looking videos are with the camera frame on a medium close-up of the presenter (mostly, but wider shots for variety) and the slides with the text leaving some room for the video to be superimposed onto it, rather than the video camera trying to capture the speech and the slides all at the same time (the camera will have to continually be adjusted to get both light and dark areas and be focused every time). (Sample listed below).

Pre-editing the Slides

The font should be as simple as possible and large enough to see when the video frame is reduced in size for playback (the large screen in the meeting room will look very different from a DVD or video file playing back on a TV or computer).

As mentioned, leave room for the video image to appear on the slide (this is where the medium close-up will look best as it will be shrunk, usually). Avoid using the whole slide for text as some TV's will cut off borders of the final image (use two slides, in that case, but do it before in case any viewer is reading the slide show print out along with the video).

Using Microphones

Podium microphones - speaking loud and clear at a podium will allow you to be a foot or two away and still get great results in both the meeting room and on the video. If you aren't loud enough, but stay far away from the mic, the sound of the room will be picked up too much and sound noisy on the recording (and in the room, but not as much since the people are already in the noisy room).

Don't leave the podium mic unless you have a lapel mic as back-up. If speaking really close to the mic - avoid popping P's and T's, by aiming the mic up, so it sits just below your mouth - this will look better on video as well.

Lapel microphones - the best position for lapel mics (or 'lavalier microphones' or 'lavs'), is about a few inches below the knot of a tie, in the middle of the chest (for men) and the lapel that is closest to the screen (for women). Try to avoid hitting the mic during the presentation and consider removing anything that may interfere with getting a clean sound. The microphone should be unobstructed at all times.

For a video example of Better Presentations - see below!

Q&A Sessions
Always ask attendees to 'please use the Q&A microphone' (usually a wireless hand held or mic on a stand for political meetings). If they refuse, or suddenly burst into a question, reiterate the question for the benefit of the viewers (and it helps the editor spend less time on subtitles - or, they will have to listen to the words and spend much time figuring out a 'lost voice' in the background).

Before the Q&A session, it may be wise to ask attendees to refrain from long dialogue that can be dealt with in a one-on-one meeting, especially if they go on and on without the support of a microphone or simply do not include the Q&A session on the final video and treat it like a 'you'd have to have been there' experience.

If You Have a Cold

Always leave a second or two before and after you cough or clear your throat so the audio waveforms can be easily seen on a computer and dealt with quickly. This will save an incredible amount of time during editing. Also, avoid saying 'sorry' or 'excuse me' right before and after coughing or clearing as the waveforms will be jumbled together and take longer to identify. Instead, simply let the audience know that you will cough from time to time before you present.

Have great presentation! - Buck Moore (watch a sample of edited video)

Invisible AV - How to Plan a Stealthy Loudpseaker Set-up (by Buck Moore)

2010-02-27T13:14:00.000-08:00

A traditional loudspeaker set-up for a business meeting might include a left and right speaker on either side of the stage or the use of the ceiling-mounted distributed speaker system already installed in the venue. Often, the former are medium-sized cabinets that can obscure viewing angles and the latter can sometimes sound 'tinny', if not simply cut out sound from time to time (the audio controls are usually pre-set and can collect dust, which can cause the sound to be intermittent even at the finest of venues).

Aside form being very 'present' in a room, medium-sized speaker cabinets can have annoying little lights on the front of them and their larger speaker stands can create extra trip hazards. Using smaller speakers with high audio output can allow the AV technician to create zones of audio and adjust each zone independently and on-the-fly as needed. Also, smaller speakers won't obstruct viewing angles and can sit on smaller stands or even small tables, which are unlikely to be tripped over.

Large speakers at the front are usually only useful for live music and DJ's, where a full sound is desired, but for speaking voices and multi-media, they are very often unnecessary. Ideally, speaker zones should be planned with a combination of powered and non-powered speakers, especially along air-walls, where running power drops to them can be a pain.

Below are two examples of zones created with powered and non-powered speakers from initial planning to implementation:

The bottom example was planned for front projection, but we actually decided to go with rear projection because we had the room behind the screens - it was an aesthetic choice by the meeting planner and would allow for more tables near the front (not to mention the venue politics involved in getting the event up and running).

Using smaller cabinets, distributed throughout the room and aimed properly (to even out levels and avoid audio delay effects) can cover large audiences and minimize the appearance of loudspeakers everywhere. Proper planning of an audio system cannot be left to chance and following these simple guidelines can make your next meeting an AV success!

- Buck Moore can be reached at www.b4ushowit.com.

Invisible AV - How to Hide an AV Set Up and Save Money at Your Next Event

2010-02-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

Invisible AV set-ups, where the AV person and main loudspeakers are hidden from view behind the screen, ensure quick reactions by the AV technician to any problems which may arise as well as having the appearance that the show is running by itself.

Two major concerns among fellow technicians include a lack of proper monitoring out front and loudspeakers not on stands, above the ears of the audience - two issues which shall be addressed here.

The following picture illustrates some of the benefits of hiding the audiovisual technology behind the screen (in this case a rear-projection screen) - no cables taped to the floor and no speakers on stands. Showing too much technology tends to look less streamlined, which is why some AV companies and operators insist upon setting up a 'skirted area' at the back of the room so they don't stand out too much, but they are still very much out there.

Going with a rear-projection set-up such as the this won't work in all rooms, however, and must be planned out carefully so that a given projector can fill the screen from behind. The screen shown is a 6 X 8 foot Dalite Fastfold. To fill the screen, there needed to be about 16 feet behind it using a projector with a 1.1:1 zoom ratio, which means the projector lens can make the image 10% larger than the smallest image setting. For rooms with less area behind the screens, a zoom ratio of 1.6:1 would be needed, so that only 12 feet would be needed behind the screen.

The primary loudspeaker was positioned behind the skirt* of the screen and aimed out toward the seated audience, while a second loudspeaker was above the rear half of the audience, aimed down and hidden behind the golden handrail, which is just out of frame to the right. The ideal set-up would have included an audio delay to keep the 'fill' speaker from being noticeable, but turning it lower in volume than the main speaker also works well.

* the skirting for the screen frame should be thin enough to avoid cutting out the higher audio frequencies that are needed for audio intelligibility

The invisible AV set-up has some distinct advantages over the traditional back-of-room AV set-up, including:

1) There are fewer cables to route to the back of the room - this should save some money** because there is less to set up and there will be no unsightly cables taped to the floor that people can trip over.

** individual AV companies differ in this respect, so ask a lot of questions

2) The AV technician can respond immediately*** if technical problems should arise - this saves time and keeps things running smoother as the technician doesn't have to run to the front of the room to fix the problem (this is especially important where there are no proper aisles planned when setting up tables).

*** not all AV staff will help with EVERY aspect of the technical side of things - for example, some technicians will not do much about trouble with multimedia playback that doesn't go as planned

3) The projector doesn't take up room in front of the screen - if you decide that rear-projection is right for the room and event, you will not have to worry about somebody bumping into the projector table (or cart), nobody can trip over the cabling and there will be more room for an extra table or two for the audience.

To sum up, the invisible AV set-up is a streamlined way of running the technical side of an event that can save you money on set-up and strike, look as though it is running by itself and has the benefit of less cabling exposed. Even if you must use front-projection because of the room size, you can still minimize exposed cabling and still have the AV technician close by.

Monitoring the event is quite easy as the AV technician can do an occasional walk-around to ensure proper audio levels and, in the case of two-screen set-ups, can angle the screens 'in' to be able to monitor what's being projected from behind a screen (see picture below). The invisible AV set-up is ideal for meetings of up to 200 people where the meeting planner needs excellent results within a modest budget.

Here is one more example of a two screen, front projection set-up at an event for 180 people in New York City:

I had a clear view of the presenters and the screen content

with perfect control of the multimedia playback.

- Buck Moore can be reached at www.b4ushowit.com or email: buck@buckmoore.net

How To Make Lighting Work For Your Event (by Terry Holdershaw)

2010-01-19T17:52:00.000-08:00

Lighting is something that is often over-looked which is a shame as lighting can make a huge impact on any event, small or big. Whether you are having a meeting of conference for 50 people or a huge gala for 3000 people, lighting can make a huge difference and impact on your event.

From simply lighting up the podium or stage to adding room ambience and logo projection, lighting is a very important aspect to every event. Whenever you have a presenter or performer you should always have the podium or stage that they will be presenting from lit up, especially if there will be photo or video being taped. Typically you will use a Ellipsoidal lighting fixture, known as a Leko Light to light up a podium or stage.

Leko Lights are adjustable and focusable to light up only the specific area, such as a podium that you want. This is especially important when you also have video projection being used in the room as you don’t want to wash out the screen with the light. Leko’s are very bright and can light up a podium or stage from the back or side of pretty much any meeting room. It is best practice to light up a person or object from two angles, one light from each side for even light and to avoid shadows.

It is also important to use a dimmer pack and control console with these lights so you can adjust the brightness of the light. For lighting a stage there are also Par-Can lights that are often used, you see these most often on music stages and concerts. Par Can’s have to be used closer to the stage, typically they are hung above the front line of the stage and also are used on the back and side lines of the stage as well. Par-Can’s are not focusable or adjustable, you can insert gels into the light to change the colour and that’s about it, but they are very good for lighting up a stage and bands.

The biggest trend with lighting is LED and ambient room lighting. The most popular type of LED Lights right now are LED Pars and LED Bars. The pars are similar to the traditional par-can, but with LED lights, not quite as bright, the white isn’t as white as a traditional light bulb and you can change the colours of the LED’s very easily. The LED Bars are the same idea and concept of the LED Par except they are in the shape of a bar about 3 feet long. LED Bars and Pars are often used and look great for up-wall lighting, lighting up bars, the backdrops of stages, head tables, entry ways, pillars, doors, art pieces, signs and much more.

LED’s are very versatile, you can change the colours, brightness, create colour scrolling patterns, strobe and much more with a controller such as the computer based Martin Light Jockey. LED Technology is advancing very fast and improving, they now have moving head LED Lights and also LED’s that are able to create a white almost the same as the traditional lights, but they are very expensive and most AV companies are not carrying these models yet.

Intelligent Moving Head Lights are very common for larger events, mainly galas, awards ceremonies, weddings, AGM’s, but also can be used at meetings and conferences. Moving Head lights are very useful and versatile lights. They are called “intelligent” lights because you are able to control and program the light to tell it what you want it to do whether it be to change colours, pattern, shape or to move around the room fast or slow, etc. Martin is the industry standard for moving head lights with their most common fixture being the Mac 250, there is also competitors out there, most popular being the Elation Design Spot.

Here are just a few common uses for intelligent moving head lights: pin spot a podium, stage wash, dance floor lighting, ambient room lighting, Hollywood light theme, custom gobo projection and much more. The basic idea of these lights is that the lamp projects it’s light through a circular lens, there is then a colour wheel that you can change the colour of the light and there is also a gobo wheel that you can change the pattern or design of the light.

A gobo can be made of either glass or metal which when placed in front of the lamp, it projects whatever pattern or image is on the gobo, for example you have a metal gobo with a star shape cut out of it, the star is what will be projected by the light. You can have custom gobo’s made with company logos, slogans, etc. made which is popular for corporate events that want to have their company at the forefront of the guests mind.

Custom Gobo’s can be made for all moving head lights as well as Leko Lights and a few other Gobo Projection lighting fixtures such as the Martin PR1. If you are looking to impress your guests at your next event, whether it be a Sales Meeting, AGM, Gala, Awards Ceremony, Wedding, Holiday Party, Customer Appreciation Event or Grand Opening make sure to consider and think about lighting to help enhance your event and make it memorable for your guests. Everybody has been to a boring plain meeting or banquet room and nothing really stands out about that, but you can really transform and add a lot to a room by adding a little bit of lighting.

- Terry Holdershaw
Scotia Entertainment
Terry grew up in Nova Scotia and moved to Toronto in 2001 where he attended and graduated the Audio Engineering Technology program at Trebas Institute. He also took additional courses in the Music Business Management program at the International Academy of Technology. Terry has extensive DJ experience ranging from Bars & Clubs to Weddings, Corporate Events, Award Shows, Gala’s, Festivals, Fundraisers, Stag & Does, School Dances and Proms.

Save Money on AV Services: Live Video Coverage

2010-01-15T19:42:00.000-08:00

Buck at a live event in Toronto

Video coverage for live events is a great way to keep a record of what happened because, if it goes well (which it should if you plan right), you'll be glad you had it recorded. That being said, if you're going to do it, don't leave too much to chance!

1) Give a schedule to the video team - email or send a schedule to let the video team evaluate the time they have to set up, especially between presentations, if there are a full day's worth. If the itinerary isn't carved in stone, perhaps it can be discussed before the final version gets sent out. Better planning up front may mean a bit more money initially, but much less in post production. This is especially important if there are 'breakout' sessions happening simultaneously with very little time to set up gear from room to room.

2) Hire the video team for a site visit - they may include the visit because it is in their best interest or they may charge a little extra, but a site visit will go a long way and minimize any surprises. Believe me, I've encountered many! People don't often think much about cable-routing or noisy corridors because they do not know what questions to ask. Ask the right questions, get the right answers and save yourself from both on-site and post-production nightmares!

3) Ensure all presenters and public speakers know it is going to be recorded - some speakers are represented by bureaus and may not want to be recorded. They should know about the available microphones and the limitations of the technology. For example, a speaker who refuses a lapel mic (it happens) may drift away from a podium and not be heard well on the recording. Ask the speakers if they are 'standers' or 'roamers' because the microphones must be selected and planned beforehand (wireless lapel microphones require their own article!!)

At another event, covering audio and video in Uxbridge

4) Have all materials available to the video team before editing - nothing is more time-consuming and costly than not having materials available, exactly the way you want them to appear, available at the time of the edit. One question about titling* can hold up the production for a day or more! Late-arriving PowerPoint presentations must be edited for screen and converted to still images for the edit and if they are prepared beforehand, it will save a lot of time for the editor (and look great on video). * Choose the font you want before editing!

5) Allow enough time for a proper edit - there are way too many details involved in an edit of an event to rush it. Rush jobs are 'rough jobs'. Allow enough time for rough edits (to evaluate), correspondence and proper titling. This will help the project flow along nicely and avoid any frustrating snags for the editors.

Tip - a proper video team will have audio recorders as back-up just in case something happens to the video. The cost is minimal and should be a part of the whole package - a small price to pay for seamless audio! (see below)

Did you know - videographers often use 'cutaways' when shooting video? A cutaway is a visual change from the main action to another action, such as an audience reaction shot or wide shot of the whole room - to establish the size of the crowd. This ensures proper coverage and good material in post production. Also, if something were to interrupt the video, the audio would be seamless and not interrupt the message.

Have a great event!!

- Buck Moore

Media Back-up and Organizing for Public Presentations

2009-06-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

Very often, and especially recently, I have run into problems with live presentations full of multimedia content from computers. The major issues I will discuss include back-up media and labeling of media.

Rewind a few years ago - I was often given CDR's and floppy discs to load presentations onto a computer. The presentations were 100% PowerPoint and the floppies were on their way out of fashion. Soon, the laptops did not included floppy drives and compatibility with USB floppy drives was less than perfect - maybe around 75% success. The CDR's, although much better at compatibility, were harder to label unless a thin marker was used (like the ubiquitous Sharpie).

Even still, many presenters (or their assistants) were too busy to label the disc, so they simply wrote on the disc sleeve or plastic case, which meant very little to me once the disc was out of the case. I would sometimes end up with six or seven discs with little or no identification on them, so I would have to open each one just to see who it belonged to. To add to my confusion, some presentations were labeled electronically with the author's name and not the presenter's while others had no author's name.

I soon developed a system which allowed me to identify the CDR's with a single number, no matter who authored it or who presented it and it has served me well for the past five years, when followed. CDR's were easy, just look up the presenter's time slot, assign them a number and write the number on the disc. Then came the barrage of USB keys, which are harder to write on (sticky notes don't work well). So, I now ID the USB drives by their manufacturer - it ain't easy, but it's something.

Problem #1
So, there I was, a few weeks ago, in front of 200 people trying to load a presentation onto a laptop (PC) only to discover the CDR was corrupted and the transfer process froze the computer. The back-up was corrupted as well. The presentation was over 100 MB and so I had to wait two minutes each time to see if it would work. Then, the presenter pointed to a USB key, which had the same presentation on it. The only problem was that the presentation was renamed on the USB key and there were many PowerPoints on the key, so locating it was next to impossible without opening every single PowerPoint on the key - never mind that some presentations may be very similiar to each other.

Problem #2
That same day, my fancy numbering system was not followed which resulted in a presentation not being loaded onto the host computer. Not only that, the presenter didn't have a back-up. I found this out as the presenters were on stage looking for their presentations in front of the same 200 people. Offices had to be called, emails had to be sent and the event had to be quickly reorganized because the missing presentation was full of pictures to illustrate the topic. Fingers were pointed and blame was assigned, but those actions don't get things done.

These problems were solved in record time, but they potentially created a massive blow to the credibility of the meeting planners. It didn't look good and some tempers flared. In my experience, it's quite easy for a person to lose their mind in such a situation, when they are facing a crowd of peers or customers and expected to deliver. Without on-site support, it could have been a whole lot worse.

So, what did I learn from this? Nothing, actually. I've been through it before, but the problems arose due to lack of communication and not following established procedures. It is not a matter of who is at fault in situations like these, but how the situation can be immediatley solved, then improved and maintained in the future.

Five Tips for Better Presentations

2009-04-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

Instead of writing a whole bunch, I am posting this video with five quick presentation tips. It is a part of my 'Better Presentations' package which will be available soon for either download or ordering a hard copy. To sum up the tips:

1) Choose a font that can be read from a distance. This usually means a big, bold font that can be read from the back of the room and even in brighter rooms. Stay away from fancy fonts, especially, when they are small.....people cannot read them from the back.

2) Choose a background color that does not interfere with the font & works in bright rooms.

3) Use as few words as possible. The slides themselves can serve as 'spark words' that can set you off on a topic. The less people have to read, the more they can listen to your message.

4) Practice as much as possible. People want you to do well, but you don't have to be the perfect presenter, you just need to be able to get the message across and be as smooth as possible. Practice speaking in your car, in a quiet room where you can't be disturbed and even consider recording your speech on a voice recorder, then listen back to it as often as possible.

5) Practice 'microphone technique'. Actually learn how to use a microphone. Sound silly? Well, a lot of people don't know how to use one properly. It's not hard, takes some time and it's easy to master the very few principles involved.

There is much more in the full package available soon. I'll cover such things as audio & video playback from a computer, presentation technology, video recording, how to make a video demo, advanced lecture tips, back up plans, DVD compatibility and a whole lot more. Enjoy the video and stay tuned for Moore!

- Buck Moore

How to Take Great Pictures with Your Digital Camera

2009-03-20T07:20:00.001-07:00

(there is a video on this topic below the blog entry)

I currently use a Kodak 5MP camera with (Kodak Easyshare C530) to take pictures of all the AV events I am part of and all the pictures for my fun website, simplyannoying.com. I bought it for less than $100.00 about two years ago or so and I don't want another one right away - it has everything I need, even though it's pretty tiny. It's a user-friendly camera aimed at the consumer, not pro.

No matter who a camera is designed for, never let that get in your way of taking great pictures; even someone who has a 10MP SLR can take bad pictures, if they don't know how to use it. With knowledge of a few simple principles and techniques, anybody can take decent pictures with an inexpensive camera.

I once took a picture for a restaurant owner to be published in a major newspaper and, after following guidelines, the owner loved it, it was printed and the rest is history. I am not in the business of taking newspaper photos, but that just proves that the 2MP camera I had at the time was, in the right hands, capable of taking great pictures (I am a videographer/filmmaker and I am very particular when composing/shooting images).

So, here are the guidelines to follow if you want to take great pictures with an inexpensive digital camera:

1) Say no to digital zooming! In my experience, I've never had a good shot with digital zooming from either a still camera or video camera. The specs might read: 30X Digital Zoom, but that means the resolution of the pictures will go down significantly as evidenced by excessively pixilated pictures. Optical zoom, where the lens itself moves, is the way to go when zooming. If you need more zoom, get a camera with a higher zoom capability or interchangeable lenses.

2) Use a tripod instead of a flash indoors. Tripod and flash in the same sentence? Yes, because when a camera is hand-mounted, the environment must be sufficiently bright in order to take blur-free images. If it is not so bright, a tripod will allow you to open up the iris (f-stop) and keep the picture still. I have a tripod that I got for $20.00 and it folds up into a small carrying case, is lightweight and has a removable wedge plate for quick mounting.

A flash does have it's place, though, when taking quick vacation photos or happy-time pictures at a social event or when taking pictures of people outside on a bright day - the flash will fill in their faces nicely.

3) When taking product shots, get up close and light the scene. But don't get too close if your camera can't focus up close. I use a technique called 'three-point lighting', where I set up a 'key light' in front of the product (on an angle, not straight on), a less intense light, called a 'fill' light (to fill in undesirable shadows and reveal detail) and a 'back light' (to add light from above in order to separate the subject from the BG or fill in shadows from above - also called a highlight or rim light, depending on how high above the back of the subject it is shining down from).

(See below for lighting techniques)

4) Monitor your temperature (of your color, that is) when taking product shots. When using more than one light, be sure they are the same color. Color temperature means that you should mix the right color values from lights to create even color reproduction. Daylight has a much higher color temperature than a standard light bulb. Even the new CFL bulbs are available in different color temperatures.

One of my favorite lights is the halogen, available in any hardware store. Try lighting techniques to see which works best for you. Check out these comparisons - taken with the EasyShare C530 for my eBay listings (by the way - the backdrop was bought at a fabric store for about six dollars! When put over my Ikea chair, there is no horizon line).

5) The rule of thirds - compose your shot so that you balance the frame with the subject. The product shot below (the first DaVinci photo) has the front corner of the VHS box just off center because the longer portion of the box occupies the left side of the frame. Picture your frame containing 9 boxes of the same size (two horizontal lines, two vertical lines) and balance your subject within those boxes.

Key, fill and highlight - the finished product shot!

Key light only.

Fill light only.

Highlight only.

Key light and highlight (no fill).

Flash only.

Flash and 3-point lighting. (The big difference between this shot and the first shot is the shadow around the left edge on this shot - the flash, from directly in front, causes that shadow and doesn't separate the subject from the background very much - you can also see the flash lighting up the edges of the tapes on the right side).

A picture of my workstation (2007) - I was trying to capture the lighting I use when I work at night recording and editing.

A product shot of Bodum cozies (aka 'French press').

One of my favorite shots - from a an AV gig the first time I went to Las Vegas. I held the camera still on an overpass garbage bin to get the steady shot with no blur.

A picture I took of an event I worked at in Toronto, in early 2009 (I take these for my website at www.presentation-av.com)

Hope this helps!!

- Buck Moore

Save Money on Content Creation for Online Advertising and In-Store Display Screens

2009-03-20T06:30:00.000-07:00

I watched it happen in the music world and I'm seeing it happen on the internet - people are making wiser decisions when it comes to producing content - and now, the timing could not be better.

Thinking 'Indie'
Independent musicians are the ones who don't have major contracts and are left on their own to record their own music and produce their own videos. Because computers got cheaper and more useful, musicians no longer had to rely on major record companies to get stuff done.

Independent musicians who were locked out of the major record labels had turned to the internet to showcase their talent, sell music and advertise their upcoming shows because they really had no other option. They could not get air time on TV, the radio wouldn't touch them (aside from college radio) and they could not justify the expense of print advertising (aside from street pole advertising). Suffice it to say that the internet was a Godsend to the independent musician.

Well, now that commercial TV ads are relatively expensive, I see smaller businesses turn to online video and in-store screens for advertising; and, I've seen some pretty darn good content. I've also seen some lame content, but fortunately, the content itself won't break the bank for anyone considering OOH (Out-of-Home media), digital signage or whatever it's being called these days.

Slide-Show Loops
The beauty of it is that it is not expensive to produce a 'slide-show' loop of a store's interior or products and that same slide-show can be re-purposed for a website quite easily. Not only that, once the content is created, it can be easily re-edited in various lengths. What does it take to produce a slide show video with fancy fades, moving slides and catchy titles/logos? Not much. I do it all the time. I just finished working on a documentary involving many still photos and titles and we were in a hurry to get it done. So, within four or five hours, it was done.

Live Action Ads
If a retailer decides that they want a live action ad produced, it will generally cost more, but once it is produced it won't cost much to upload it to the internet or play it in-store. One of the best options for saving money on live-action advertising is to hire a video crew to shoot the interiors with happy staff, great close-ups of products and smiling customers AND, as long as the camera is there, it may as well shoot interesting images (I've seen a few TV ads from smaller business that were pretty terrible - and, I still do!).

In summary, if a retailer or other small to medium business owner has a screen or two available, but they can't justify the expense of having an in-store network, they can easily have digital content produced for their existing screen or screens.

I was recently at a Home Hardware in Toronto and saw that they had one screen near the exit on the way out. I thought they did a beautiful job because the loop was nice-looking and informative, and it was something that caught the eye when waiting in line (a common tactic, of course). It was the only screen that I had noticed in the entire store and the effectiveness could not have been better. They could have put a few up, overhead, and they would not have worked as well as the one on the post at average eye level.

Parting Thoughts:
1) Have some content created for an in-store display (start with a slide-show).
2) Re-purpose the content and have it cut shorter for web use.
3) Upload versions of the content to video sites (shorter versions)
4) Get one or two screens and playback device (computer, DVD player, etc) and place them in the best spots possible.
5) Keep the content interesting and informative (and only repetitive enough to satisfy a long wait in line - people may be more frustrated waiting when they see the loop start again).
6) Have different loops playing for different times of day (different age groups).
7) Talk to a consultant about live action options.
8) Make the most from spending less!

Cheers!
- Buck Moore

Wireless Microphones: The Good, The Bad and The Ksssshhhh!!

2009-03-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

I have been using wireless microphones for years on stages and film sets. They are a good thing to have during Q+A sessions with a large audience, but they are not all equal. Even some higher quality brands of the same model act differently than one another and until the technology improves, I never recommend using wireless mics without a back-up plan.

There is Something in the Air Tonight (and Every Day, too!)
There seems to be more and more being fed into the airwaves every day. Now that analog TV is out, I've read (and heard at a technology conference) that those left over frequencies are being bought up by companies who'll use it for wireless internet and cell phone communication. Check out these blurbs (and search for many like them, if desired):

"Many wireless microphones operate in this frequency space (the 700MHz band)....The FCC is wanting the devices to have geolocation services in them, so that they do not operate on known used frequencies in the area of the device. This means that all area devices (wireless microphones) will need to be registered with the FCC....Even though wireless microphones would retain their licensed, secondary use status (secondary only to digital television), the white spaces proposal creates a potential for interference to wireless microphones from unlicensed devices." - (http://production.marshillchurch.org/2009/02/04/fcc-selling-frequency-space)

"White space device prototypes reportedly were unable to detect the transmission of wireless microphones -- for instance, the kind that referees wear on the field -- prompting Shure, the manufacturer of those microphones, to proclaim in advance that those tests will "conclusively show that spectrum sensing white space devices will cause harmful interference to wireless microphones during live events." The FCC itself yet to issue a final report." - (http://www.betanews.com/article/Having-lost-its-own-bid-Google-advocates-giving-analog-TV-space-to-public/1219075156)

Suffice it to say that there is some major concern, especially during live events. At many events, cell phones and Blackberry devices are heard checking or receiving messages with their tell-tale little 'click, click, click' through a nearby speaker system. It's IMPOSSIBLE to ask people to turn off their devices and the AV people are often stared at when this sort of thing happens. We can't do much about it, though.

Different Types of Wireless Microphones
There are two main types of wireless systems in use at live events and film/video productions - VHF and UHF. VHF is Very High Frequency (30MHz to 300MHz) and UHF is Ultra High Frequency (300MHz to 3GHz). The microphone systems operate on a certain bandwidth of those spectrums, with UHF being the better technology for live events.

Every single time I have used VHF live, there was always some sort of interference where UHF offered minimal interference. But, I have had noise problems when certain units had been shut off while the mixer still had it on an open channel. There should always be somebody at the mixer when wireless microphones are being used.

One more thing - two antennas are better than one. One antenna systems have no recourse when the signal fails on the one antenna.

Lavalier Microphones
Lavalier mics (lavs, tie-clip, lapel mic) offer a great deal of freedom for a presenter, but trouble can occur if the speaker system is too low or they go too close to a loudspeaker on a tripod stand. Plus, since they are not directly in front of the mouth, they lack clarity (not to mention the noise that can happen when wardrobe rubs against them).

There is another issue with lavs - they are cumbersome to change over if presentations are back to back and that will create scheduling problems when things run late. Plus, with two or more presenters, the rental costs can be fairly high.

I'm not dead against wireless lapel microphones, but they do have to be planned for in advance if they are to work properly.

Hand-held Q&A Microphones
One can't escape the wireless Q&A for certain types of meetings. For example, when people pay large amounts of money to be at an event, I rarely see them willing to move to far to ask a question. If the meeting were more of a public event, people are more willing to stand in line to ask a question through a wired microphone. Another issue with private meetings and wired mics - you can't put the stand anywhere without it being in someone's way of the screen, unless it's way off to the side.

In any case, a wirless Q&A mic should be UHF and fully tested the day before the event.

Back-up Plans for Wireless Mics
Q&A - if the wireless mic fails in any way (interference, dead battery), audience members should be instructed to stand and deliver, keep it short and ask the presenter to reiterate the question so everybody can hear. Having a wired mic on a stand, ready to go is another great back-up option.

Video recording - VHF mics for video cameras can wreak havoc in a sound system. Even if one could trace and eventually solve the problem, there is very little time before things get underway, so a back-up plan is needed.

Consider asking the AV person if they can somehow 'split' the wired microphone signal in the event of wireless failure. A good AV person will have a few break-out kits with many different cables and connectors to solve many last minute problems. I once installed a mic splitter right at the podium mic to give a video person a feed, just moments before the event was to begin. I could not have done that without a well stocked break-out kit.

Happy wireless and good luck!!

- Buck Moore

Taping and Cabling

2009-03-09T06:21:00.000-07:00

The goal of taping and cabling is: safety first.

We cannot have a successful event without cables. They are not a necessary evil, they are simply necessary. Even in a wireless world, we use cables for everything from sound systems to projectors to electricity for every event and this will not slow down in the near future.

There are reasons for cabling - minimal interference, strong AV signals and fast data transfer rates. Until the wireless world catches up, I'll trust cables over wireless any day.

That being said, I must acknowledge that cables can be ugly looking trip hazards, but good AV people know how to minimize safety issues and keep things looking as good as possible. During a site visit, the issue of cabling can be planned out properly with minimal interference, especially with air-wall doorways, which will tear up taped cables every time. The problem with these types of doors is that you can't simply route the cables over the door frame because there is nothing to hold them up. Even if you could, it sure does look ugly.

One solution to that problem is to hide the AV desk behind the screens so you can avoid long cables to the sound system. The only cables exposed will be those of the projectors, but they are up front (if floor-mounted) and have minimal traffic over them.

Hiding the appearance of cables is often done with matte tape that matches the carpeting, or at least camouflages pretty well on it. The one foreseeable problem here is that, if it hides too well, people can still trip on it, especially in low lighting conditions. My choice is to tape little X's on the taped down cables with thin masking tape that is clearly visible to anybody walking over the cables.

Cables can also be hidden well with stage skirts and clever taping to a podium. If the stage is to be an open concept, fireside chat style, the cables can come from behind the stage and taped down along the cracks of the stage sections (4' x 4' is quite common for stage sections).

If you have an event in a large room where the AV team insists upon setting up at the back of the room, they will usually require a 'snake' to run all of the audio cables from the front to the back of the room. Snakes are much thicker than other cables because they contain many cables inside of them. Running a 150' snake can be tricky and there is often no point of taping them down.

One option is to ensure there are snake covers for high traffic areas - they are like a shield for the snake with a tiny ramp on each side. Be careful, though because these are trip hazards, especially in a corporate meeting where people are walking by with drinks, food and cell phones and not necessarily looking at the floor.

Whatever the plan is, the routing and tape-down of cables is a very important consideration at any event. And one more thing - ensure any taping is straight and professional looking.

Cheers!

- Buck Moore

Content Assessment Part I: If content is king, why not make it better?

2008-12-23T06:45:00.000-08:00

The Current State of TV Ads - Hook, Line and Stinker:
Television advertising has indeed come a long way in terms of overall production value, message quality and acceptable humor. And I am aware that TV ads are the bookends that sandwich together the inevitable content created to fill the space in between. So, why are so many off the mark?

I don't need statistics in ad costs to realize that a lot of money is spent on advertising vehicles (although I have perused many) as I have been on many film and video sets in various positions and have produced and directed a few projects of my own. But, I can tell by the auto industry bail-out situation and recall incidents, that the mega-bucks for vehicle advertising could be better spent.

I realize that emotion sells products over need, but I have a hard time watching a car commercial with a shiny new vehicle hugging corners on empty, coastline highways, speeding through rough terrain in slow motion and zipping through a busy city with an over-worked, financially bruised Gen-X'er sitting up straight with a fist in the air saying: "I gotta get me one of those!"

I have an equally difficult time with great, humorous ideas that fizzle out with the reintroduction of what was once a great moment in the annals of television advertising. I can think of many examples of brilliant humor that people talk about in the coffee room at work, and when word of mouth spreads, they hit us again with what the creative teams think we want more of, until they see us rolling our eyes.

I prefer to think of audio-visual content in terms of the 'eye-roll' factor (ERF, for short). On many occasions, I have been in a movie theatre as a member of a captive audience, being forced to watch an ad, a trailer or a feature and counted how many times my eyes had rolled during the course of the presentation. Although I can't watch others roll their eyes, there is always the familiar sound of the dis-approving mouth-smack that comes from the tongue's interaction with the hard pallet - at least, that's how I make the sound.

The funny thing is, I only ever make the sound when I have maxed out my eye-rolls. When the mouth smacks run out, the head-turning groans with mouth-smack inevitably begin (I call them HTG's or HTG-MS). Of course, with a short ad, getting right to the groan is a very, very bad sign. Heaven forbid an ad exec should ever hear the phrase: "Ohhh, puh-lease!!"

Street-level metrics aside, it is clear that the modern media-watching audience is fairly savvy and won't put up with poor content without making some funny noises.

Let's go over humor for a moment. I know there are TV shows dedicated to outstanding advertising and there are even award shows for it. Plus, one can even download those 'banned' ads from the internet. The most commonly shared ads are the humorous ones and there is good reason for it - people like to share a laugh. Whether it's absurd humor, like the Barq's series, or toilet humor ads, working people need a laugh now and then and will go out of their way to spread the word of a funny new ad they've discovered.

But, what happens when an innovative, funny ad appears and is run for a while, then the brand, or somebody representing the brand, decides to give the people more of the same? They risk being accused of 'digging' for material to keep people liking that brand. It's similar to a successful feature film's sequel being directed by someone else - it may work, or it may stink because the magic isn't always there.

There is an organic chemistry between humans when they embark on an exciting project, and it is difficult to sustain over a long period of time (but, not impossible). The look and feel of a sequel may work, but something intangible is missing too often.

To be fair, sometimes the sequel is better than the original. But that's feature film, which is often more artistic in nature because of the way the story is told. TV ads don't have the same amount of time to tell the story, so they've got to hook you as soon as possible - hopefully quicker than the average person responds to the remote control. And, if they hook you with something familiar, but different, they'd better not let you down!

Any kind of digital media is subject to ERF's, HTG's or HTG-MS. Whether we are watching the newest 'cool' TV drama or standing in a grocery store produce section watching the most savvy out-of-home (OOH) network, the content creators must find ways of keeping us watching. After all, we are bombarded with thousands of messages every single day according to the latest research, not including the text messages and emails we check while in line somewhere.

And soon, ads in every mall will be custom-tailored for us with demographic face recognition software as well as creep right into our multimedia cellphone technology. So, if we are to be slapped in the face with it, shouldn't it be a humorous love tap?

BTW - I like advertising, feature films, out-of-home media and scalable cell-phone videos...I just think it could be better.

- Buck Moore

How to Handle a Q&A Session at a Live Event

2008-11-19T07:21:00.001-08:00

There are several methods for question and answer sessions at live events and the right one for your event depends on how your room is set up and whether or not you are recording the session. Recording or not, it's nice to be able to hear the questions at the other end of the room, so the mics are fed into the house sound system, which can then be sent to a recorder or media feed, if needed.

Method 1 - stationary microphone(s) in audience
This method works well for any political situation where the public can ask questions of the politicians and other speakers. But, there are some guidelines that should be followed (see below). This set up is great for public events and not paid events, because at paid events, people will not want to get out of their chairs to go to a microphone).

- ensure the microphone cable is taped down properly to avoid trip hazards.
- put up a small sign which asks people to keep their questions short and to talk directly into the microphone.
- ensure the microphone stand is not obscuring somebody's view of the podium or screen.
- place the microphone within about 50 feet of the stage in cases where you are using loudspeakers at the front of the room (as opposed to ceiling-mounted speakers, where the microphone can be anywhere), which will help minimize any signal 'delay' effects (sound moves relatively slow in the air, so a person too far back will hear their own voice when they speak, then when the sound arrives from the loudspeakers at the front of the room - very confusing!)

Method 2 - roaming wireless microphone
This method is the most efficient way for larger audiences of up to a few hundred where people have paid to be at the event. The following guidelines should be followed:

- ensure that the tables are set up with enough room to allow somebody to walk around with a microphone.
- be sure to rent a UHF diversity system (Ultra High Frequency with two antennas) for greater roaming distance (avoid VHF systems!).
- test out the wireless mic before the event, then on the morning of (but, interference can still happen with wireless mics!).
- ask the venue if the staff use two-way radios because they can cut into the wireless signal.
- ensure the 'roamers' know where the mute switch is, so when they run out of the room and talk, or go to the bathroom, the audience won't hear it over the PA system.
- change batteries every four hours, whether they need it or not, if you can, or simply keep an eye out for the 'low battery' signal.
- make sure there is always somebody at the sound board because some wireless units can be unpredictably noisy.
- keep the microphones 'on' or 'muted' until the sound board channel is turned down, or some units will go into crazy, loud static if there is no signal (doesn't happen often, but when it does...yikes!!)

Method 3 - small meeting with no sound system, but being recorded
A video operator can record the voice of a public speaker, then use a special microphone (shotgun microphone) to isolate an audience member when asking a question. Since, there is no sound system (loudspeakers), there will be no loud feedback and the Q&A will be heard on tape.

Hope this helps!! Cheers!

- Buck Moore

How to Choose the Right AV Supplier for Your Next Event.

2008-11-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

In the world of Audio-Visual (or 'audiovisual' or 'AV'), there are many choices for staff covering your special event. It is important to know what the right match is for you and your event and understand exactly what services they provide.

For example, some AV companies cover 'staging', which involves detailing the overall look of the event - including actual stages, lighting and pipe & drape - , while some companies only provide AV technical services - setting up and operating projection systems and sound systems. Some big audio companies only deal with audio, at least in terms of specialization, and some are more display-oriented.

Some places say they cover everything under the sun and some specialize in fewer areas, but choosing the right AV supplier should not be a big headache. Rather than just pick up the phone and call a company that starts with the letter A, you can refer to the following list to help you shop around (print if out for reference).

When you should hire an AV consultant, an AV company, a staging company and a sound company.

AV Consultants
A qualified AV consultant should give you unbiased information and be paid for their consulting service
- if you need to know exactly what is on a quote you have received
- if you need an unbiased opinion on which company to hire
- if you don't have time to shop around
- if you want to know that you are only paying for necessary items
- for very important meetings - not just big, but important, no matter what the size
- if you are considering a multi-screen display or several break-out sessions with AV gear for each one
- if you are hosting an outdoor event
- if you plan on having audio or video coverage

AV Company
AV companies can have several departments and are a wise choice for larger events where you simply don't have time to call a company for every service. Caution, however, as some companies have services that they don't necessarily specialize in.
- if you have a large event that requires AV, staging, special lighting, etc
- when you are planning to have multiple locations running at the same time
- if you've got your hands full and need one company to handle all of your needs
- when you need specialized gear that a smaller organization can't supply
- when you need any rigging done with overhead trusses or scaffolding of any type
- when you are not allowed to bring in your own AV services to certain venues

Staging Companies
Companies who offer staging services often operate under the umbrella of AV and include staging as one of their services. Others offer special projection design or set design.
- when the look must be custom-designed
- when you have a larger budget to work with
- when you need event management services
- when something must be constructed

Sound Companies
Sound companies specialize in concerts large and small and are not limited to small audio set-ups. Some sound companies also offer rigging, staging and AV services.
- when you have live music or other performances to be mixed
- when you need speakers hung above crowds (rigging - a specialized area of AV and sound)
- when you need to meet certain electrical requirements for high-wattage sound system
- if you need high-impact sound for a presentation
- if you have a large audience and need to create several audio zones to properly cover them
- when you need a large event recorded for broadcast or for sale on video
- when you have a stage production with several wireless microphones

Whatever your event needs, a qualified consultant can help you meet your objectives, take the worry out of technical decisions and ultimately make your event run smoothly.

Until next time...

Buck Moore

Plan B, from Earth (back-up planning in action)

2008-11-07T11:03:00.001-08:00

I believe in a solid AV set-up, with all details considered, so that audiovisual presentations (slide shows, audio, video, multimedia, special film screenings, etc) play back in as flawless a manner as possible. However, being an earthling from Earth, I know the gods can be crazy from time to time.

With all the possible technical connections going on these days with audiovisual presentations, there are bound to be some compatibility issues somewhere, especially where computers are involved for playback. I know that if you were to phone a technical support line during a problem, you may get an answer such as: "Well, it should work." when you know it doesn't, or the old: "Well, it worked last night.", from somebody presenting, when it doesn't work today. Last year, I was in Vegas for an event and was handed a DVD for playback with virtually no time to test it - AND nobody had informed me as it was a last-minute decision to play it. The 'brand new' laptop played in back choppy in front of a room-full of AV industry people. I tried my best to make it play back smooth, but it was too late. Given some proper notice, I'd have done what I've described below.

My main point is that there should always be a Plan B in place to avoid a complete disaster when things don't go exactly as planned. My tag-line for business cards and websites is: "For when you can't rewind." because when a presenter is standing in front of a group of people and the earth-based technology is not behaving like it 'should', every second can seem like an eternity. Ask yourself: "What would I do if..."?

CASE STUDY #1 - DVD PC Playback
After setting up an AV playback system, I was faced with a laptop which would not play back a DVD smoothly. It was playing a burned video DVD with Power DVD as the player - the sound and image were both choppy and pretty much un-presentable.

Troubleshooting method:

- before blaming the DVD (being a burned one with smudges on the information side), save some valuable time by trying the same DVD on another player, then on another computer (player first so you don't have to keep swapping it back and forth, which takes too much time with every 'loading' of the disc).

- if the player doesn't matter, try another computer. If the new computer plays it back smoothly, there is obviously something going on with how the first computer is playing back DVD's.

- problem - the supplied projector has only 1 15 pin VGA port but came with a DVI to VGA cable (both 'male', BTW). The VGA cable going to the projector is also male. You cannot connect the two together and therefore you cannot have two computers going into the same projector, in such a case.

- solution - a 'gender changer' connection (or 'turnaround') will allow the two male connections to work. But, where do you get one at a moment's notice? GEEK ALERT - an experienced AV person will have a well-stocked supply of various cables and connectors (we call them 'break-out' kits). The male VGA from the computer can now go to the VGA side of the DVI cable and the DVI cable goes into the projector. Press 'source' on the remote of the projector and 'done'. Computer #2 is now going into the one and only VGA input of the projector and the AV person can simply switch inputs, with the projector's remote, in a couple of seconds - computer #2 plays the DVD, while computer #1 has the slide show.

- optional solutions - have everything going through a seamless switcher and operated by the AV person. BUT, this is an expensive item to rent or buy for many people who are cutting costs. So, the AV person can make the switching fairly seamless and the presenter needn't worry about anything, so they can concentrate on their message and not offer apologies for technical failures to an unimpressed crowd. Or, load the original media file onto your laptop for better playback.

- Caution - choose your AV team wisely - ask if they are prepared for this or any other type of common situation (way too common, so be careful!). Also, ask how much they are willing to help out - I have worked alongside many AV and sound people who stop at the all-too-familiar 'not my job' barrier when they just don't want to be bothered. I don't believe in such a practice. I think it's a cop-out. The AV staff should at least be able to 'try' and help with anything that comes in the way of a great event, even if it's something they didn't expect to be integrated into the system.

Before you read any further and rack your brain trying to remember all of this, you may consider hiring an AV consultant to take care of it for you - it is worth it! I am a consultant - hey, you can hire me! But, if I am not in your area, I can at least tell you what to ask of a consultant.

1. Don't trust technology completely.
2. Have a solid Plan B.
3. Ask the right AV questions.
4. Test ALL AV playback on the equipment that it will be shown on. Test again in the morning (or, before the presentation ON the day of.)
5. Choose your AV team wisely.
6. Check which inputs are on the projector which is being used. If there is only one 15-pin VGA, you can buy a cheap KVM switcher (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)for less than $20.00. It will allow you to switch between multiple computers. OR, rent a DA (distribution Amp) but ensure the ins and outs are of the proper configuration (AV companies won't always tell you unless you ask). OR rent a 'seamless switcher' and have it set up for more than one computer (and you can also have a DVD player hooked up to it).
7. Ensure you've rented a DI box for audio output and get the proper cables to hook it up.
8. A DVD player with a BACK-UP copy of the DVD, waiting to go, sitting next to the projector (with a DI box set up) is also a great idea. You can use the built in speakers of the projector, but only for small groups and definitely low-fi sound quality.

So, at the time of the AV presentation, it does not matter 'why' the technology isn't working, despite very thorough planning and testing, it matters how one is going to work around it - and with a solid Plan B, the workaround is fairly simple.

Cheers and may the AV gods be smiling upon your next event!

- Buck Moore

QUICK TIPS FOR DVD PLAYBACK ON A PC COMPUTER with Windows XP:
- make sure your computer isn't running a virus scan
- hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete and look at how many processes are running
- turn off your wireless function (if you aren't using it)
- turn off your virus protection (only for playback, then keep it on)
- do your best to make sure no background apps are going on that don't need to be
- turn off any instant messenger software
- if possible, get a copy of the original media file and put it on your hard drive for more reliable playback

Using Open Vocal Microphones

2008-10-22T17:26:00.000-07:00

Microphones are THE essential component in just about every live situation. They are also one of the more difficult things to set up compared to other components used and once they are set up, the sound person must carefully monitor them because they now have to watch the users.

(The mic shown is an Apex podium microphone with a base attached - and an XLR connector built into the back. It's a low profile, matte black mic which works great with my Sony ECM windscreen. It hides nicely and, with a little EQ magic, it's sounds great! The talker shown had great mic technique!)

Once the sound person 'rings out' the loudspeakers, it's up to the user to work around the limitations of the system. There is a lot to consider for the sound person here, including microphone type, loudspeaker orientation and position of the 'source' (or presenter). The sound person follows a set of guidelines, which are well established in the audio industry, to maximize what we call 'gain before feedback' - or, getting the loudest, best quality signal from a sound system.

Once the sound system is set up properly, the person behind the microphone must do their part and speak directly into the microphone to get the loudest, clearest sound. If the speaker ('presenter') cannot be heard throughout the room, a series of checks must be performed to find out why - and fast, as an audience will not tolerate poor sound. Let's go over some of the most common causes of unclear vocals coming through a mic:

System not 'rung out' properly
When a sound system squeals, it means that either someone is pointing the microphone at a loudspeaker (which never works and can damage the speaker) or the sound system has not been tuned properly. Basically, the most efficient frequencies travel from the loudspeakers, back into the microphone and form a loop of sound we call feedback. Have you ever stood in between two parallel mirrors and saw and endless pattern of reflections? It's very similar to that.

When we turn up a sound system, certain frequencies start to ring before all others and we have to take these out before we can make the system any louder. We can achieve this with an equaliser (aka "EQ") that has multiple 'bands' for controlling individual regions within the sound spectrum. We simply take them out a little bit so they don't squeal, but this can only be done until the sound system will get as loud and clear as it gets - then we can't do it anymore.

Loud room
After we EQ the sound system properly within a room, we must now pay attention to the room. Even if it were possible to really CRANK the volume to incredible amounts, we would, at some point, only be increasing the volume of the room itself through the sound system.

This happens in rooms with loud HVAC systems or external noise problems (such as noisy service corridors or shipping areas right outside the room). When you start hearing the sound of the room, including audience sound, through the loudspeakers, it's time to investigate the possibility of briefing talkers on 'mic technique'.

Quiet talkers/singers
Assuming the sound system has been EQ'd ('tuned') and the room itself is not being amplified too much, the rest of the work is left to the talker or singer. Quiet talkers cannot be amplified without the risk of feedback (when going past the original tuning of the sound system or amplification of the room.

Quiet talkers can simply be reminded, before they speak, that they must speak up (or 'project') and stay within the useable range of the microphone (within 6 inches). They must be able to sense when they get too loud as well, by moving away from the microphone (unless a sound person is carefully monitoring them).

There's my three cents worth! Have a fantastic day!!

DVD Compatibility (DVD Burning Tips)

2008-08-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

So, after my DVD blog a while ago, I've been doing a lot of burning and the best solution so far for compatibility is this:

Burn a master DVD to a DVD+R (Verbatim works the best for me). Burn all copies onto DVD-R (Taiyo-Yuden seems to be the most compatible so far). Whenever I do this, my DVD's play on my older +R home DVD player and all of my other players, from computer to portable (five in total).

Good luck!!

Before You Play Back Audio or Video from Your Laptop Computer...

2008-08-20T08:36:00.000-07:00

Compression looks bad and sounds bad when the file is too small! When you blow it up, it is terrible. If you don't prepare your AV content for playback, there may be a time-lag before your media player shows on a screen. This is not always because of a mis-match of projectors, in fact, I've used two matched projectors, bought at the same time and one of them had a four second delay before the image was shown. So, one screen will show and the second follows with a time lag.

I've done this in a room full of AV professionals and not one of them could give me a definitive answer on this, so much more troubleshooting and research must be done by me in order to find out why this happens with a matched pair. I could read specs until I'm blue in the face, but there still has to be a workaround before this does occur to make the presentation look professional - see below.

If you play a DVD from your computer, make sure it plays back smoothly. Not all DVD players on computers behave properly 100% of the time. If they did, I would never hear: "Well, it should work." or "Well, it worked last night." because those words don't help much when 200 people are staring at the screens, expecting to see and hear something; they'll soon start to look at the presenter. This type of problem can be easily corrected and I'd love to help out.

With these things in mind, check these tips out:

COMPRESSED AUDIO and VIDEO PLAYED BACK LIVE:
If it's a video played for humor, who cares if it's perfect. If it's a sample of advertising or the newest content for the Out-of-Home media industry, it has to play back well. So, I'd suggest having an uncompressed digital file on a DVD-R or +R (data DVD), but not a DVD-RW (they are not as compatible). That way, the file simply needs to be dragged and dropped onto a host computer and will play back smoothly.

If you have your own laptop, even better - BUT, you must set the audio to have the proper gain structure! As a rule of thumb, set your .wav volume to 75% and you master volume to between 50% and 75% (cranking the .wav volume can distort, depending on your sound card - I wish there were more of a standard!).

If you embed a file into PowerPoint, you may have to change the 'file size limitation' setting to allow your .avi to be played back from within PowerPoint. There is no better way to test this than to run it through the equipment you will be using the day of your presentation.

IMPROPERLY PREPARED AUDIO-VISUAL PLAYED BACK LIVE:
Always have a selection of video formats to play back from on a series of data DVD's. DVD's do not take up much room. Carry a 2.5" portable hard drive with various formats on it and you probably can't go wrong. I have sat and edited video and audio, last minute, for many presenters, burned a quick DVD and got it running for them - but, what if you don't have the proper AV support?

Also, be sure that your edited video has a four second time delay before it (a blank screen) to avoid a time-lag before you see the video - the audio will play but the first four seconds of the video can be cut off.

DVD PLAYBACK ISSUES FROM A LAPTOP.
If you have your own laptop to play back from, ensure the settings match the projector's native settings (at the moment, 1024x768 is the norm) because the projector may go out of sync or the image won't fill the screen.

Also, be sure there are no issues with wireless connections 'searching', anti-virus software interrupting or chat boxes opening up during the show.

Bottom line - until all computers and projectors get along in the real world (not the product literature world), AV presentations must be checked and double checked through the exact equipment which will be used on the day of a presentation.

AV issues? I can help!

Buck Moore
Live Event AV Specialist
Public Speaker

How Many Screens and Lumens?

2008-08-20T08:11:00.001-07:00

There is a very simple way to determine how many screens you need for proper AV playback in the section below:

- Long rooms of 100 - 200 feet work best with one big screen (7.5' x 10' or 9' x 12'). The reason is that people at the back are always bouncing their eyes between the screens if there are two in a long room. Also, even the best-matched projectors aren't always the same color - this won't always be evident with every picture, but it depends on the colors played back (the bulbs aren't exactly the same). Further, if you have to swap a projector with an un-matched projector, good luck matching them! It looks cheap and your meeting will be judged accordingly.

- Wide rooms work best with a stereo screen set-up (two screens) because you have to ensure everybody can see. But, get a matched set of projectors (however, see above). Some high-end venues admit they need to replace a bulb in one of their projectors and so they have to cheat the image playback by cranking brightness or contrast! Yikes! Watch what happens to the 'cheated' image. The whites get blown out, the blues are off and the list goes on. Part of the problem is that many ceiling-mounted projectors need cherry pickers to access them - and not when there are people in the room. Ask how much you are paying for the rental!

How many lumens of brightness? It depends on the playback angles and room light ambience ( or 'ambiance', for slicker pronunciation):

- Lumens are not the only answer - contrast ratio is important, too (ratio of lightest to darkest in an image). But, the method of measurement is also considered ('full on/full off' VS 'ANSI' checkerboard - a google search will suffice for more info).

In the real world of presentation AV, I have found that a floor-level front-projected image for up to 200 people with a projector of 2000 lumens and CR of 2000:1 works very well - but not with every projector - that's why I always rely on the Canon LV series (no endorsement, just preference). They have a wide zoom as well.

For a ceiling-mounted front projected image, with a long throw, 3000 or more would be best. This can cover a few hundred people just fine. But, the added brightness only works when the lights cannot shine in people's eyeballs! So, 3000 or more lumens on the floor should be used with caution.

Rear-projection - you can use higher lumens, especially with a larger audience, BUT how far must you bring the screens out to get a big sized image? Also, there are 'hot-spots' on rear-projected images - a little distracting for viewers.

By the way, stated lumen count does not always mean actual lumen count. Some may be off by a couple of hundred or so lumens when tested by a third party.

This information is based on actual useage throughout many years of AV support for live events, not product literature sales information.

As always - Presentation-AV.com: "For when you can't rewind."

Buck Moore
Live Event AV Specialist

Call for AV Topics!!

2008-08-02T06:37:00.000-07:00

I am always researching AV topics by working in the AV field, so it sometimes takes a while to assess the data, etc. In the meantime, if there is anything AV someone would like a report on, I will search my notes and post a blog based on that.

Stay tuned...

Buck Moore
presentation-av.com

Would You Like a Mac Dongle With That?

2008-07-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

Macs and PCs can sometimes get along, sometimes not get along. Mac users swear by the stability and operation of their notebooks and PC users say they have more choice in software. Whatever the case may be, there are a few things to consider when using a notebook to run a slide show from.

Firstly, I like PowerPoint and I use it for my own presentations. I lecture about ten times per week and many times I use a PowerPoint slide show, when I need to show information. I have a Dell Inspiron 700m and it is a great little PC. I plug a VGA cable in, hit my 'Fn CRT' buttons and it works (most of the time). The PowerPoint comes up and looks great. I must mention that I don't use transitions, I simply do sharp changes from one slide to the next. I use custom animation to illustrate things and I embed AV, but that's about it.

So, I'll back up a bit to the last conference I was at (Las Vegas), taking care of AV. There was a problem with a Mac-produced PDF turned into a PPT. It didn't work on the PC. When I asked three (3) Mac users if we could try a Mac to run the slides from, not one of them were able to do it because they didn't have their Mac VGA dongle with them! It's just one more item to add to a checklist, but often forgotten about. I've seen three versions of this dongle/adapter - DVI, Mini-DVI and Micro-DVI! Which do you have?*

I'll back up a couple of years to AV in Washington, DC. A presenter wanted to run a show from his Mac, but didn't supply the notebook until just before he was going to present (maybe a half hour or so before). I asked about the dongle and he didn't have one because he didn't realize he would need it. Off he went to the nearest Mac store in a nearby mall to buy one. The time slots changed and there was very little time to change over when he got back, but I had him up and running, even with the multimedia playback (on-the-fly audio level adjustment, resolution changeover, etc).

There were a few other times that this sort of thing happened as well, but those two situations got event coordinators and AV staff pretty nervous. I must mention that I like Keynote as a slide show program because of the slick transitions, and I am not saying the Mac is a bad choice, but one of the caveats of owning a Mac is the dongle situation.

I try to carry as many small connectors as I can, but I don't have everything ever invented at any given time. So, Mac users, you need to carry your accessories with you. PC users, you don't have to, but please find which 'unique' key combination you need to press in order to display your slide show. In Mac, it's 'detect display' and in PC, it can be 'Fn CRT' (F5 or F* or even F7, I've seen) and when that doesn't work, try to right click on the desktop to see the graphic output options. If that doesn't work, you may need to re-boot (in this day and age? Yes!)

The DVI vs VGA topic can be found in a google search (mini DVI - Mac, VGA - PC).

* "...it might make sense for Apple to standardize on fewer laptop display connectors." (from: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=477977)

Cheerio! Stay tuned!
Buck Moore
Presentation AV Specialist
Public Speaker

Audiovisual Field Testing: Projection.

2008-07-12T07:38:00.000-07:00

Report on AV Technology: What Works Well in the World of Multimedia Presentations (and What Could Work Better!).

CONTENT ASSESSMENT - PRESENTATION TECHNOLOGY - LIVE EVENT MULTIMEDIA

In my travels as a presentation AV and multimedia playback specialist, I continually face AV challenges and offer solutions during live events. During the last twenty years, I've been performing live, presenting material in front of groups and running the technical side of live performances, public speaking, multimedia playback and I know what works and what doesn't work.

Over these years, I've worked on many film and video projects as writer, director, camera person, actor and editor, and that experience has made me very interested in helping people assess their live presentation content. Whether it's a business presentation, live performance or film screening, I am very interested in what the end user experiences. In AV planning and content assessment, I am not a critic, I am the ultimate end user and I tell it like it is.

I'd like to start this AV field report with my technology choice for projectors:

Canon LV-7255 (and others in the LV series): This is my projector of choice. I've used several LV projectors and I like them all, especially the newer ones. The brightness is great for presentations of up to 150 - 200 people (with stereo screens on Dalite FastFold 7.5' x 10', front projection screens). I use longer VGA cable runs of 25 - 50 feet, so I use a Kramer D.A.(distribution amp) for the stereo display, but I have even run these projectors through a daisy-chain (one connected to the other) and a 50 foot VGA cable with no D.A. and I get great results every time.

I've really put these projectors through the paces and two of the reasons I rely on them are because of the manual zoom and the manual focus. It would be nice to have a horizontal keystone control, but the vertical control, especially auto-keystone, works very quickly and well.

Like many projectors I've used, when computer inputs are hot-swapped, you may end up with horizontal sync issues that result in the side of a presentation being cut off, but that is easily correctable with the 'auto PC' button on the top of the unit. I know it would be best not to hot-swap and have all computers hooked up to a seamless switcher and ready to go, with all resolutions set to the default 1024x768, but I am talking about the real world, where things are set up and swapped at a moments notice. Therefore, I need a projector which does not give me grief on the road.

Stay tuned for more!