Blog

Saving Time With Labeling

5/6/2019

A few weeks ago, we talked about signal flow and troubleshooting signal issues. As audio and video techs I’m sure many of us have spent far too much of our time tracing cables!! Often that is the only way to truly verify whether cables are plugged in correctly when you are having a signal flow issue. One way we at Lambda AV have tried to eliminate or greatly reduce tracing cables is a relatively simple process… Labeling the cables! Labeling the cables and having accurate documentation on where every cable is actually going can save you lots of time in your trouble shooting and in any future redesign projects!

As you can see in these pictures, we use a combination of labels and color-coded heat shrink to identify each cable and what connection they have. Check through your list and make sure each is connected where it is supposed to be.

Labeling along with good documentation, like you can see here can help you trace a cable in seconds instead of minutes or hours!

Rushworks PTX Model 2

5/6/2019

Check out the camera pan and tilt head at Rushworks!The PTX Model 2 connects to your favorite camera or recorder. It easily integrates to the PTZ controller, also by Rushworks, or can connect to virtually any controller using DMX , LANC, and VISCA, including many of the ATEM switchers. Not only does the PTX work with some of our favorite ATEM equipment, but it is perfect for connecting with Black Magic cameras, Marshall cameras and others. The PTX has multiple channels allowing you to control pan, tilt, zoom, focus, iris, record start/stop, and so much more! They are designed to provide production productivity and versatility by using remote control from a location convenient to your team’s setup.
With easy setup these units can also be daisy chained to be controlled separately. Imagine all your cameras controlled from the convenience on one room! With your cameras up and out of the way in your production room and a streamlined system for controlling them, you can easily have the quality, stress-free production you’ve been looking for!
We've used these on multiple jobs and are preparing to use them again on an upcoming install soon! Stay on the lookout for more case studies!

Using Equipment To It's Fullest

5/6/2019

One of the biggest things we like to push at Lambda Audio Visual is using your equipment to its fullest. Almost every piece of equipment we work with and sell is positioned not only fill your needs but to grow with you. Our tech tip this week is non-other than the equipment user Manual!
We affectionately speak of this amazing tool on our crews as our most important and knowledgeable crew member ‘El Manuel’ (of course we say it with an accent). “Have you checked with Manuel”, is a common day to day saying for us. This is because while our training's do a great job of getting teams started and helping to solve problems, it’s only when you dig in to what the manufacturer has designed the equipment for that you can fully understand it.

Every day at Lambda we are reading manuals on new pieces of equipment, learning about each of them to their fullest and we recommend you do the same! It may not be the most interesting piece of reading material, but it sure can help you out in a pinch.

So, you’re interested now, and you want to try our idea, but you threw away the box your equipment came in along with that precious little book of knowledge. Never fear, the internet is a treasure trove of manuals and information. Some of our favorites are
Black Magic Support with a constantly updated user manuals for all their products. We also love the Youtube resources for Obsidian control systems, formerly known as Martin Lighting. They have an expansive tutorial set online showing step by step how to become an expert with their products Obsidian Control Systems - YouTube. Yet another incredible catalog of resources is from Boxcast. The have a library of support and tutorials to help you troubleshoot in minutes.
Join us in educating yourselves on the products you own so you can use it to its fullest capability!

Sonnoc Projection

5/6/2019

We’ve talked before about how much we like Sonnoc projectors. They provide clear, bright lumens to make your screen bright in any lighting. Sonnoc has multiple projectors and today we’d like to introduce you to the EXL550 series. This little projector is light and versatile! It’s an affordable option for replacing lowkey projectors while still providing a great image. This projector comes with some powerful options including lens shift, HDBaseT and Network control. You can project video sources wirelessly over phone, tablet or computer making presentations easy to view from multiple presenters. It also has the capability of screen splitting to project multiple sources. Sonnoc projector are a great investment, but if you’re unsure, contact us for a demo! We’d love to show you what it looks like in person.

Multiple Outputs On Pro Presenter?

5/6/2019

One of the things we get asked about a lot is how to get a Pro Presenter to output 2 different things at the same time. We love Pro Presenter, but the simple answer is…it can’t…unless you get tricky. This is where the multi display controllers enter the scene!

These devices have been used for years to display content across projector blends or multiple screens. The most common devices used were the triple ead 2 Go and the more robust Datapath 4. There was a trend, especially in church worship spaces, around 5-7 years ago to display ultra-wide content and use multiple projectors to display on a single very wide screen or 3 screens to fill up blank wall and create a more engaging stage. This trend has mostly disappeared, but the idea behind it, we can repurpose!

These boxes worked by causing Pro Presenter to see a single extremely large monitor and then the box would divide this large signal into 2 or 3 displays. This worked because Pro Presenter saw only a single monitor, but a module add on would allow it internally to display different content in different areas.

This brings us to re-purposing. Most churches today want to create an engaging and interesting stream environment and to do this they need to be able to display lyric content and sermon notes along with video. In the room itself most commonly we want to use what is referred to as full screen content. This simply mean the video or lyrics will fill the projection screens so everyone in the room can easily see it. On a stream we need the same content but in the format of what is called a Lower Third so that viewers can see video from the room and lyric content at the same time. Most of the time this would require two computers and two operators, but this becomes a problem with budget and a small volunteer space. With Pro Presenter and a multi display controller we can cheat a little.

Notice in the pictures we setup Pro Presenter to display an ultra-wide screen with half showing full screen lyrics and half showing a Lower Third. These two sources are then fed into a video switcher and sent to the destinations they need to be at. Just like that you have the content you need for an in-room venue and a streaming venue being generated from a single operator and at the same time. Looking for other time and volunteer saving ways of utilizing equipment? Drop us a line and see if we can leverage some equipment to do the work for you!

BOXCAST Pro Streaming

5/6/2019

This week we will be installing the Boxcaster Pro Streaming Encoder for a multi-site church and wanted to share about it with you!
The Boxcaster Pro allows you to stream high-quality video to nearly any destination. It has both HDMI and SDI inputs to support 4K up to 60fps. It is also equipped with XLR/TRS jacks for additional audio input. Streaming with the Boxcaster Pro is done over a network connection, either hardwired Ethernet or WiFi, whichever option is better for your situation. While the Boxcaster Pro itself can only stream to the Boxcast Platform, from

there you can send the stream to any number of compatible CDNs, such as Facebook Live, Youtube and others, through Boxcaster, saving on-site bandwidth. This allows for clearer, interruption free livestream with quality video. When you aren’t using your Boxcaster, you can pack it up in the included hard case for protection during storage and transport. The interfacing is clean and simple. With multiple LED lights, you can check video, audio and network connections at a glance. With Boxcaster you can make sure your viewers are getting the connection and quality video they deserve!

March 18th, 2019

3/18/2019

As an audio visual guy, probably one of the things most people have noticed about me over the years besides my orange hat has been my backpack! My backpack carries all kinds of tools and survival bits I use when I’m traveling to spec jobs or run installs and shows. Over the years what I keep in it has changed, but the purpose is still the same, to have the essentials to survive on the road and not be a bottomless pit of AV mess. Since I get so many questions about what I carry around in my pack I wanted to share a few items with you.

The first item is my backpack itself. This is a North Face back pack really designed for day hikes. This is the second #northfacepack I have owned as an AV guy and the first one lasted over ten years. I love these packs because they have tons of storage compartments, are rugged enough for me to continually jam it under airplane seats and the bright colors help me find it when I set it down right next to wear I’m staging hahahaha. 😉

Inside my pack is the workhorse of Lambda Audio Visual my 2017 MacBook Pro. I have had several MacBook pro’s over the years, and I have been loving this one the best, so far. I use it to design spaces and systems as well as control and program AV systems. It is light weight and rugged being all aluminum. A lot of folks complain about USB-C but once I found the right set of adapters, I have begun to find it extremely versatile. I can plug anything including the power adapter into any port and I love that.

My #Anker charger is one of my favorite finds. With frequent stays in hotel rooms, VRBO's and just hanging around different conference halls and venues, I need a way to charge all my day to day stuff with ease. The#ANKER charger allows me to plug my phone, my watch and all kinds of other stuff in at the same time on a bedside table or desk and have one small plug that can plug into any outlet i run into. This brings me to some of the devices I love that charge via USB. This year at Christmas my wife bought a USB rechargeable flashlight for me; it's amazing. I am always needing flashlights while looking through AV systems and though I have owned several, they never got used more than my phone flashlight because the batteries were always dead. The USB on this flashlight allows me to top off the charge the night before I go and use it for at least a few days before I simply plug it back in.

Lots of folks notice my #bosch laser distance tool as the first piece they see on any job. A laser distance measuring unit allows quick measurements of a room with only the click of a button. It also performs verification and leveling of objects in the air. There are a variety of laser units ranging $50 - $300 in price. This is a new unit I just picked up to replace an older unit. Like my flashlight it is USB rechargeable, and as an upgraded feature, it also has a camera for those times when it is hard to see where the laser is pointing, and Bluetooth to record measurements on my phone. I simply couldn’t get through most days without a unit like this.

Not all my gear is about tech. Some of it is comfort for me. That is where my travel pillow and water bottle come in. This travel pillow I picked up in Houston Airport after an extended travel stay during a storm. I never owned one before, but Jolene of Any Screen Inc said I had to own one and now I understand why! This pillow is memory foam and compacts easily so anytime I need to catch a nap in an airport or truck it really does help me to rest. I can’t recommend enough picking one up to take care of yourself on the road. My water bottle is a #YETI bottle and was given to me by owner of Pixel Pro LED, Dave. It keeps my water ICE cold, which I love, all day long. I can put ice in the bottle in the morning and keep refilling it all day. I never have been good at staying hydrated, but doing so keeps me clear thinking and level headed wherever I am.

The last few items I have are based around keeping this backpack of mine organized. My lovely wife has helped me with this every year gifting me new ways to keep things organized. My first item is the#GridIT. It’s a flat 8x10 area covered in elastic straps. I use it to hold all my most commonly used adapters and cables for quick access. It stores upright in front of my laptop in my backpack and lets me easily grab what I need, and make sure I have it all when I leave a venue. The next pieces are these little zippered pouches from REI. I use each one to hold specific types of cables, or devices so my backpack does not become a giant pile of stuff inside. If I need my laptop power adapter I grab the bag with it, if I need my stash of USB cables I can quickly grab the bag with those, or the bag with coffee pods and my foam football.... These are extremely handy and allow me to even quickly unpack my backpack and re pack it when TSA decides they don’t like what they see.

The last piece I will include is my #Tile devices. These handy Bluetooth locators I put not only on my keys, but in my suitcases and one in my backpack. They help to make sure I never lose track of all these great tools that keep me functioning on the road. What are the cool devices you keep with you? Do you use a backpack, side pack, or briefcase? Let us know in the comments on Instagram or Facebook!

Yamaha TF1 Mixer

3/18/2019

Mix it up with Yamaha’s TF1 mixer! Yamaha has created a new mixing console to truly give you more freedom and creativity with your mixes. The TF1 is a rack mountable, digital audio mixing console expandable up to 40 input channels. TouchFlow Operation™ introduced in the TF series consoles allows the user to respond to the music and artists on stage with unprecedented speed, taking live sound reinforcement to a new level of refinement. With the TouchFlow optimized for touch panel control, experienced sound techs as well as newcomers to the field will find it easier than ever to achieve the ideal mix. This console also has advanced live recording features and seamless operation with high performance.

The TF series has also added the latest touch-screen technology to deliver an evolved experience in console operation. Smooth setup and operation, practical presets and refined design, along with software applications that integrate seamlessly with the entire system make the Yamaha worth talking about. They offer comfort and convenience in their consoles, for a wide range of users and applications. If you want to know more, don’t hesitate to ask!

Pixel Pro LED Wall

3/18/2019

This week we are excited to tell you about our friends at PixelPro and their LED wall panels! As LED becomes more affordable and more specialized, we are looking forward to using it more. LED walls are durable and robust in construction. PixelPro engineers work to ensure quality without adding costs and have the same quality standards we like to have here at Lambda. PixelPro has several different types of LED wall to accommodate your needs, but today we’ll talk about the GO-2!
The GO-2 is designed to be a great balance of value and viewing distance. It offers a huge range of color, brightness and resolution while still being within a reasonable budget. It has high pixel count creating a clean, shape image for whatever your needs are. These also have a high refresh rate for flicker free performance. The GO series is designed to have all of the fast service features of touring model LED panels. This includes fast power supply, brain and module swapping as well as a curving feature.
If you are looking for a sleek, high tech, changeable option to add to the aesthetics of your stage, give us a call about these LED walls! The possibilities are endless with these!

Testing Your Equipment

3/18/2019

A few weeks back we talked about the “Lambda process” for turning your dreams of a new audio, video or lighting system into a reality. Part of that process is all about the gear testing that happens before the equipment ever gets to your location. After the gear has been ordered and has arrived in our shop, we set up all the equipment and each component in the shop just as it will be for the install. This ensures that when we arrive for the install, there aren’t any surprises and there won’t be “that one missing part.” Plus, we have an assurance that each piece of the gear we install will work for you leaving no questions of whether your new parts are faulty.

Nothing can be more frustrating than when you have a piece of gear and it doesn’t seem to be working properly, or even working at all! Here at Lambda AV one of our goals is to not just to help get your current system up and running, or even to replace the gear you already have. It’s to help you to know your system to the best of your ability! Often when you encounter problems in an audio, video or lighting system it can be daunting to try and diagnose where the issue is actually coming from. Often a quick check of signal flow and making sure all the cables are plugged in correctly can save you a lot of time and frustration! There are multiple different ways to go about checking your signal flow. I personally like to start at one end of the system and begin verifying each piece of equipment and cable is working correctly. A piece of gear like this Elite Core Cable Tester, can help you verify that all the cables are working properly. If something like testing gear feels a bit overwhelming to you, not to worry! We would love to schedule a time to do a training on your specific system and gear to help you get to know it better and know the best way to diagnose when equipment isn’t working right! From there, you will be better informed to make the decision to fix something or to plan for a replacement. If you have any questions about what our training's look like, you can check out our Article Here or contact us anytime!