See how Intel speaks about Crestron

Intel® and Crestron® partnership lays the foundation of a new industry merging the best in AV, UC and IT expertise.

Here’s a 2-minute view of how Intel powers 3 of our key products: Crestron Flex, Crestron DM NVX™ and Crestron XiO Cloud™. It’s good to know that our partners are proud to partner with Crestron.

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Crestron Offers Innovative Solutions To Streamline Audio-Visual Technology

In today’s blog post, we’re pleased to highlight some of the exciting innovations happening at Crestron, a digital technology partner for CCS Projects. We’re pleased to work with Crestron, offering their digital entertainment and integration solutions together with our leading audio-visual services to a wide array of clients across the country.

For years, Crestron has been a leader in the manufacture of advanced control and automation systems, helping to innovate technology and reinvent the way people work and live. More recently, with the growth in digital capabilities across the world, Crestron is adept at streamlining technology and improving the quality of life for people in corporate conference rooms, hotels, classrooms, auditoriums, and in their homes.

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One of the company’s recent innovations is its QuickMedia® transport technology, which helps to streamline presentation system design and simplify installation by integrating 16 separate cables into a single CAT5-type wire. True HD video, with balanced and unbalanced line and mic-level audio and high-resolution computer signals gets delivered over the QuickMedia single cable.

Crestron points to the efficiency of QuickMedia being the perfect integration for multimedia presentations in lecture halls, boardrooms, banquet halls and auditoriums. Simply put, QuickMedia works. It’s among the best integration equipment we’ve seen, even when faced with an array of AV sources, multiple computer inputs and several input locations, with multiple displays including plasmas, projectors and LCD monitors with sound reinforcement and program audio outputs. For installed setups, Crestron offers the QuickMedia Wizard to help users with a fast and simple programming and system configuration.

Another facet of Crestron’s service offerings is its MediaManager presentation solutions, which help save costs to organizations. It acts as a lower-cost presentation solution that uses QuickMedia technologies to save integrators cabling costs, and significantly reduce installation time and money.

CCS is proud to be a reseller partner for Crestron Audio Visual solutions across the country. Find out how we can complement your business, leisure or education environment with Crestron technology solutions. CCS Presentation Systems is among the largest U.S. audio-visual system integration firms, and one of the leading providers of audio-video products and solutions in the nation.

For a broader look into Crestron’s advanced control and automation solutions to infrastructure and interfaces, have a look at the inner workings of this successful company in the video clip below.

Crestron Corporate Video from DataVox on Vimeo.

Light Up Swampscott Final Press Release

LIGHT UP SWAMPSCOTT COMMUNITY FUNDRAISER RAISES $16,607 FOR SWAMPSCOTT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PURCHASE & INSTALL A NEW PROJECTOR AND DONATES ONE YEAR WARRANTY AND REPLACEMENT BULB VALUED AT $2,255.

June 23, 2015 – Swampscott, MA. – The Swampscott School District raised $16,607 as a result of the “Light Up Swampscott” fundraiser program, a partnership between the District, UNO Pizzeria & Grill, Swampscott Education Foundation, CCS Presentation Systems New England, Eastern Bank and Salem Five Charitable Trust.

This community effort had several components including donations of $7,965 from the Swampscott Education Foundation, $5,000 from Eastern Bank, $3,002 from UNO Pizzeria & Grill, $500 from Salem Five Charitable Trust and $140 from private donors. CCS Presentation Systems New England gave a $1000 discount on the installation and also agreed longer term support for the School District by providing a 1 year on-site warranty valued at $1,595 and an additional projector bulb valued at $660.

A new Hitachi CP-WX9211 digital projector will be installed replacing the auditorium’s original projector. The new projector will add high resolution, higher brightness, vivid colors, and sharp image quality to enhance presentations impacting education and community meetings and performances. . CCS will also provide digital HDMI connectivity, so that updated devices have a means of easily connecting to the system. The current system only allows for analog video connectivity. The auditorium serves as the venue for a wide range of teacher and student group activities in addition to numerous community meetings, performances, and forums. This new projector will ensure many more years of community usage and help enable greater student and school staff productivity.

”I am so grateful to UNO, the Swampscott Education Foundation (SEF), Eastern Bank, Salem Five, and the community for coming together to make our Light Up Swampscott fundraiser a success.”, says Superintendent Pamela Angelakis. “This kind of community generosity is what makes Swampscott such a special town. We will be holding a celebration in early fall when the installation of the projector at the high school is complete and we hope everyone will attend. A special thank you to Annie Pulaski at UNO for working so closely with the schools and for encouraging us from beginning to end.”

Dave Richie, President and Treasurer of the Swampscott Education Foundation, says, “I think this project was an excellent example of what our local business and institution can do when they work together and align their goals. It is my hope that we have an opportunity again to pool our resources and tackle these types of problems.”

”Combining the business, school and philanthropy communities proves that collaboration does have impact. Swampscott’s students and the community as a whole will now have increased opportunities to make use of advanced technology.”, adds Laura Kurzrok, Executive Director of Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation.

“CCS is pleased to be a part of the LIGHT UP SWAMPSCOTT COMMUNITY FUNDRAISER to help support technology in the classroom” says Chris Gamst, Vice President of CCS Presentation Systems.

“We are thrilled for the opportunity to support education and the Swampscott community through our fundraiser program. And this new Hitachi projector will benefit both the students as well as the community at large.” says Annie Pulaski, Local Marketing Coordinator of UNO Swampscott. “We are proud to be an active contributor to this community initiative.”

A “LIGHT UP SWAMPSCOTT” Projector Unveiling/Celebration Party will be held at a later date after the projector has been installed and school has reconvened in the fall. It will be a fun event for the whole Swampscott community to celebrate the success of the program and to kickoff the new school year. The date and details of this special event will be released at a later date.

For complete information on the “Light Up Swampscott!” Program, please contact Annie Pulaski at [email protected] or Sarah Coletti at [email protected].

Additional Information:

About Swampscott Education Foundation:

The Swampscott Education Foundation Inc. (“SEF”) is a registered non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, dedicated to raising money and funding grants that enhance the educational experience of the students of the Swampscott public schools. There has been a community based educational foundation supporting the Swampscott schools for the past twenty years and over that time it has awarded $300,000 to grant recipients. It is the SEF’s vision to build from that base and positively impact the educational experience of every Swampscott public school pupil. You can learn more about the Swampscott Education Foundation by visiting www.swampscottfoundation.org.

About UNO and UNO Dough Rai$ers:
Uno Pizzeria & Grill offers a complete casual dining menu, including seafood, burgers and steaks, pasta dishes, appetizers and desserts, as well as its signature Chicago Original Deep Dish Pizza™ and all-natural crust flatbread pizzas. There are over 140 Uno Pizzeria & Grill restaurants located in 24 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Honduras, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Uno is proud to support the local communities it serves with its hugely popular Dough Rai$ers program. To date, Uno has donated more than $4 million to deserving organizations. Organizations host a lunch, dinner or both at their local Uno and earn up to 20% of sales generated from guests who eat at Uno to support the cause. (http://www.unos.com/raisers.php)

About CCS Presentation Systems New England:
CCS Presentation Systems New England was founded in 1998 by Cheryl and Chris Gamst. CCS serves New England-area customers in the corporate, government and education sectors. The company provides full service sales, design, integration, installation and maintenance of audio and video equipment including interactive whiteboards, classroom response systems, projectors, LCD and video conferencing systems, digital signage, audio systems, document cameras, energy management systems, sound masking and more. During the past 16 years, CCS New England has been named a Top 50 Woman Owned Business, Top 50 Diversity Owned Business and Top 50 Privately Held Business. Additionally, CCS is a five time honoree on the Inc. 5000 list for fastest-growing private companies in America, has consistently ranked in the top ten for Systems Contractor News and was named Integrator of the Year in 2013 by Commercial Integrator. For more information about CCS visit www.ccsnewengland.com

About Eastern Bank:

Founded in 1818 and based in Boston, Eastern Bank is the largest and oldest mutual bank in the country, with $9.8 billion in assets and more than 100 branches serving communities in eastern Massachusetts and southern and coastal New Hampshire. Eastern Bank offers banking, investments and insurance all under one roof, and prides itself on working harder to understand its customers’ needs so it can deliver these services in a committed and personal way. Eastern Bank, which includes Eastern Bank Wealth Management and Eastern Insurance, is a recognized leader in corporate social responsibility and for its advocacy on behalf of a number of social justice causes. You can learn more about Eastern Bank by visiting www.easternbank.com, www.facebook.com/easternbank or www.twitter.com/easternbank.

Using SMART Board solutions in Architecture, Engineering and Construction

In B2B circles, great technology strides are being made in areas you don’t read about in the Web headlines each day. But these tech advancements are touching humans in ways not seen five years ago, designed for humans to lead, teach and instruct.

For professionals in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) communities, there are amazing tools being put to use. Real-time connectivity is allowing for increased communication on projects, work sites are being rendered in 3-D modeling and scores of workers are training in understanding the latest projects using audio-visual solutions with interactive technology innovations.

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Among the creative leaders in this area are leading-edge companies like SMART Technologies and AutoDesk Navisworks, whose technologies are bringing new excitement to the AEC community, while fostering new complementary opportunities for industry visionaries.

Autodesk Navisworks makes project review software products to help architecture, engineering, and construction professionals gain control over project outcomes. When combined with SMART interactive technology, its software can integrate, share, and review models and multiformat data with every project participant. Teams get better organized through complex installation projects using a comprehensive set of integration, analysis, and communication tools, even before construction or renovation begins.

It’s a fascinating leap into the future right now, and professionals are finding greater uses for these blending technologies. See below for a fascinating demo into how innovations from these two companies are helping design teams in AEC communities all over the country.

Other companies involved in installing integrated audio-visual solutions for business and education markets are also seeing opportunities with these technologies. CCS Presentation Systems, one of the country’s leading providers of audio video products and solutions, works on high-quality, on-time project installations for many leading audio-visual systems projects. From Ritz-Carlton hotel projects to large-scale casino installations and school classroom connections, CCS can utilize many digital solutions for discerning customers. It has found a growing market in using SMART Board interactive whiteboards in education, but also in corporate and government opportunities.

SMART interactive whiteboards and displays, software, services and support work seamlessly together, helping users move objects onscreen, or open files, applications, websites or multimedia. Project participants can write notes in digital ink, save them into files and share instantly via e-mail – and all participants can see and contribute to the work in real time, regardless of location.

Collaboration and training are key to the software’s potential in business. As construction projects become more sophisticated, engineers need to work with increasingly complex information from multiple cross-functional teams. Virtual design and construction (VDC) makes efficient communication between disciplines essential. SMART business solutions help by enabling these engineers to share information and plans, quickly and effectively.

Choosing The Ideal AV Integrator For Your Business

With today’s evolving technological state, businesses must migrate towards advances that facilitate good communication. Confirming to such changes is useful in improving interaction in real time and strengthens working conditions and workflow. Applying audio visual integration system is one way of incorporating technological advances to improve intra and intercompany communication.

Simply put, audio visual integration combines hardware, both audio and visual, for a more unified communication experience. The system often comes with a user-friendly interface whose design is dependent on the client’s needs and functionality requirements. Once a business decides to upgrade to an AV system, choosing the right integrator is the next crucial step.

Here are some tips to help guide in the selection of a good AV Integrator.

CCS System Design And Project Management

The top choice of integrator should obviously be one that has experience in developing and managing AV systems for similar businesses. Thoroughly review their portfolio or seek external information from their clients regarding systems that they have designed. This way, making the decision is based on proof of their success in integrating AVs for other similar companies. Testimonials from clients may help establish a level of customer satisfaction with the integrator’s product.

Degree Of Technical Support And Maintenance

Integrators should essentially provide constant support to ensure smooth operation of their systems. The degree of support they offer should be enough to demonstrate their commitments to their clients. An Integrator that caters to the needs of their client and avails themselves to ensure seamless user experience is obviously the best option.

The ideal integrator should outsource audio and visual technologies from high quality, reliable sources. Nobody expects to use outdated hardware for a modern communication system. They should also demonstrate their ability to evolve with the changing technology. For example, equipping their clients with hardware and systems that can be upgraded expanded or replaced by upcoming, new models.

This means integrating a fluid system that can accommodate changes.

How Well Do They Respond To Servicing And Repair Needs

A good integrator should constantly offer a servicing option for equipment and repair in the event of damage. Anticipating damages or failure is a smart move to cover a business from risk and eventual losses. One should critically asses the ability of their integrator to respond to and service failure or damage within the AV system.
Installation Services And Quality Of Audio Visual System

Many integrators offer installation services for their systems. Aside from how well they can install the system, how reliable is the AV system function? If there are complaints about the subpar performance of previously installed systems, reconsider your options. Compromising on quality of installation invites delays, breakdowns and unexpected errors within the system. These are certain to inhibit rather than promote communication.

It is quite clear that in audio visual integration choosing the right integrator is elemental to the smooth transitioning of businesses to more efficient communication methods. These factors are sure to guide anyone in deciding on the most suitable integrator for their business.

What’s The Differences Between a Consumer and Commercial Flat Panel Displays

There are two types of flat screens to choose from when shopping for a flat-screen TV. Both types, commercial and consumer, produce outstanding quality pictures. They are engineered in different ways and have general differences to take into consideration. The end use of the display screens will help with the decision. When the customer is a business who will be using Flat Panel Displays to disseminate information to the public, Commercial Audiovisual systems can be a good choice. It is important to know the differences between the two types of flat-screen displays.

Professional AV Design and Engineering companies such as CCS Presentation Systems will guide their clients through the process of choosing the correct flat panel displays for their advertising or information dissemination. These companies will help customers design a whole advertising or information presentation program to display on the flat panel display screens.

General Differences In Consumer vs Commercial Flat Panel Displays

Generally, commercial kinds of screens are designed and made to work well with PCs and the accompanying architecture for long hours of use. Consumer type flat screens are designed for use with video and TV that are used for shorter periods of time. Some of the other differences include:

  • Warranties are longer for commercially rated flat panel displays. Commercial screens have multi-year warranties, while consumer displays used for commercial purposes have only 90-day warranties.
  • The burn-in and image retention technology is extensive and advanced on commercial screens and standard features on consumer flat panel displays.
  • Security features for public display are incorporated on commercial and not available on consumer display screens.
  • Commercial screens have VESA compliant mounting devices but consumer type screens don’t always have VESA-compliant mounting brackets and may need special optional ones.
  • Commercial-type flat panel displays are built to do both landscape and portrait modes but most consumer screens do not offer portrait modes.
  • Pertaining to heat and operating hours, the consumer type screens are not recommended for 24-hour use, while the commercial ones are designed to be used for long operating hours with superior heat dissipation technology.
  • The commercial screens and consumer screens have slight differences in backlight and grayscale levels. The commercial screens show all 255 levels of luminance or brightness. Consumer type screens are more geared to the bright white end of the scale and the vivid saturated colors that are wanted for TV motion.
  • There are differences in internal Scalier/algorithm and connector interface features between commercial and consumer screens. The commercial type screens have more advantages in these areas.

Each type of flat display screen has many successful uses. It is important to match the type screen with the end user and consumer needs. If a company uses the device to give lectures and sales presentations that last short periods of time, the consumer type flat screen will work as will the commercial type screen. But, if the information will be displayed on the screen for long periods of time, the commercial style flat panel display screen will be better.

Every Home Theater Could Benefit From A Digital Cinema Projector

Every home theater could benefit from a Digital Cinema Projector for the the ultimate theater like experience in your home. In today’s homes, more and more people are choosing a space to be a dedicated home theater for family movie viewing. They are completely remodeling a room to look like a miniature movie theater with special seating, the best CCS Presentation Systems, and movie theater decor. Many homeowners are choosing a Digital Cinema Projector that offers full 2k 3D resolution. There is no need to pay high movie theater ticket prices and put up with other movie patrons talking, using cell phones, or otherwise spoiling the film enjoyment.

The Home Theater Room

When designing a home theater, there are many details to consider. There are even renovation companies that specialize in building home theaters. Even if the homeowner wants to do most of the work themselves, they should hire an electrician with knowledge of home theater needs. The room should be planned out first with a realistic budget set. Next, the homeowner should do a little research into home theaters and what equipment will be needed.

The proper placement of each piece of equipment must be planned for the best movie projection and sound quality. Where will the screen be located? Where will the projector be located? How many and what kind of speakers will be needed and where will they be placed? What is the optimum location for seating for the best viewing experience? Then the decision should be made about what treats and refreshments will be available in the room and where they will be stored. Will the room be sound-proofed? Will the walls be a dark color like many theaters use? When everything is planned, then work can begin.

The components such as speakers, projector, and screen must be ordered. An electrician should be called in to update the electrical service and locate power outlets where they will be needed. The walls, ceiling, and floors can now be finished to be ready for the movie viewing equipment and seating. Then, the movie viewing equipment and seating can be installed. When all is complete, the family can enjoy many hours of comfortable, private movie viewing.

Shopping For Digital Projectors And Other Equipment

The homeowner can find an electronics shop or big box store to shop for their home theater equipment, or they can shop online. Shopping online For NEC projectors from CCS Presentation Systems may be a good option for people who don’t want to drive around to different businesses looking for the correct components.

There is always the chance that even if a person goes to a local business, they will end up special ordering all or part of their equipment and waiting for it to be shipped. So, shopping from home can be a good option. The online website can have everything needed for a perfect home theater set up ready to ship. Often the customer will choose the digital projector such as the NC1000C projector first, then get everything else to go with that model.

This particular projector is recommended for theaters with small screens like home theaters. It utilizes a 3-chip DMD reflection method of projection. It is a very compact 2K DCI certified digital cinema projector that can be installed in small projection booths. It can also be transported to mobile applications. This projector is easy to operate and user-friendly, with little maintenance required. It has air cooling with a dust-preventing electrostatic filter.

This projector will work with screens up to a size of 34ft. / 10.3m. It comes with a 2-year parts and labor warranty for registered owners. It features an easy dual lamp system to ensure no black screen and an all in one integrated media server with large memory capacity and versatile connectivity. For more details, contact us at CCS Presentation Systems today.

The Importance of Presentation Technology in the Classroom

When it comes to teaching in an educational setting, educators are constantly looking for ways to reach and entice their students. One way to do this is by integrating presentation technology into their classrooms and lesson plans. Presentation technology exists to help teachers bring content to life and presents information in a way that better resonates with students. Some educators take their presentations to the next level, while others prefer more old-fashioned methods. By using presentation technologies in the classroom you can go “beyond the PowerPoint” with your class. This blog outlines the importance of presentation technology in the K12 and higher education settings as well as the benefits it can bring to teachers and students alike.

ClearTouch, InFocus and Epson are three brands that make our lives easier by introducing new, time-saving technology. On the left you’ll see an image of a set of SMART board displays. SMART displays are great learning tools that increase student engagement tremendously. As far as K-12 goes, SMART boards, ClearTouch displays, JTouch displays, and Epson interactive projectors are currently offering multiple ways for new, young students to begin to love to learn.

In 2006, SMART Technologies, Inc. reported that there were more than 250,000 SMART interactive displays installed in classrooms across the globe. Can you even begin to imagine what that number looks like now? JTouch displays are similar to SMART interactive displays, as they both allow for increased student engagement and a higher level of new-student passion for what they’re learning. An interactive display allows for students to learn at their own pace, in an immediate way. As an audiovisual integrator, we are able to help provide K12 classrooms with new technologies that give students new, innovative learning tools to help them connect with and appreciate what they are learning.

In higher education settings, the main focus is communication. With laser projectors by Panasonic, Sony, NEC, Hitachi, Christie & Epson, educators will be properly prepared to present information in a professional, transparent way. High quality displays help with graphics arts majors, and programs like TeamViewer shown on products such as the NEC ThinkHub allow for college undergrads to actively collaborate on projects with their instructors and fellow students. While we obviously think audio visual technologies are great, research has shown that “a campus with new innovative, educational technology allows for >50% increased student innovative reasoning skills, and higher communication skills between students and faculty.

As a whole, technology greatly changes the way information is presented, taught and experienced in both colleges and K-12 settings. Text that was once only available in a hard copy book is now readily available via ebook on a tablet device. At local Charter schools all around the United States, children are now prompted to BYOD, or Bring Your Own Device. Technology is constantly changing and advancing as each year passes. CCS Presentation Systems stays at the forefront of these changes to provide you with the knowledge and guidance to integrate it into your daily lessons. As a company, we have witnessed the everlasting effect that immediate access to technology at an early age, in an education setting, can have on up and coming scholars. Contact us today and revitalize your classroom with affordable, innovative education technology! Your students will thank you, trust us!

Contact CCS New England today and get your classroom motivated to learn through Presentation Technology!

photo credit: Chicago Policy Review

Extron Now Shipping The StudioStation

Extron has announced they are shipping their StudioStation a quick, simple, and convenient solution for one-touch recording of high quality video and audio presentations. To turn the system on, insert a USB stick and press the record button to begin recording. Systems are customizable to support any installation. StudioStation solutions are ideal for flipped classroom recordings, lecture capture, product presentations, board meetings, rehearsal spaces, deposition recordings, moot courts, or any other application where convenient, one-button recording is desired.

StudioStation uses Extron scaling and flexible signal processing for recording of nearly all HDMI source resolutions. The default recording setup is configured for 720p at 5 Mbps, producing an MP4 media file which is compatible with virtually any media player or editing software. Using the embedded web page, it is easy to customize the default configuration to meet the needs of many applications.

Simple to Operate

When the user inserts a USB storage device into the remote control panel, the system automatically powers up and is ready for use. Simply press the record button to begin recording. Once the recording is complete, removing the USB storage device places the system into a standby state and turns off any devices connected to the power controller. The core components can be located securely in an equipment rack, with only the control panel and USB connection visible to the user.

Quality Recordings for Any Application

Extron’s high performance scaling and flexible signal processing enable superior recording of nearly all HDMI source resolutions. The default recording setup is configured for 720p at 5 Mbps, producing an MP4 media file, which is compatible with virtually any media player or editing software. Using the embedded web page, it is easy to customize the default configuration to meet the needs of many applications.

Shure 600 MHz Rebate Program

SHURE 600 MHz Rebate

In an effort to help customers adapt to the results of the FCC Spectrum Auction affecting the 600 MHz frequency band, Shure is announcing a trade-in and rebate program for its wireless systems.
Due to the FCC spectrum auction, use of wireless microphones and personal monitor systems in the frequencies between 616 MHz – 653 MHz and 663 MHz-698 MHz (“600 MHz Band”) will
eventually be prohibited by law.

Customers using wireless systems that operate in the 600 MHz Band should plan to transition to another range of spectrum.

Shure’s 600 MHz Wireless Rebate allows you to trade in your eligible system for a rebate towards your purchase of a new system. The rebate program runs from April 17, 2017, until April 30, 2018.

Claim Your Rebate by viewing the pdf file here, and to learn more about qualifying system purchases, you can always speak with a CCS representative!

To see the full Shure 600 MHz Rebate Flyer, click on the link to the pdf here.