A Comparison of unmanaged AV against Managed AV Systems

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A Comparison of unmanaged AV against Managed

AV Systems

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What is Crestron RoomView Express? Crestron RoomView® Express is the first and only real time, multi‐user help desk software to deliver complete global network control of AV resources. RoomView® Express is simple to install on any PC and runs in a similar manner to a local application like Microsoft® Word or Excel®. Just double click the icon and RoomView immediately opens. The client provides a real‐time Control and Network Operations Center for true helpdesk functionality. RoomView Express works seamlessly with all of the Crestron award‐winning Ethernet enabled control systems to manage an entire network of AV devices and subsystems. With an efficient point and click interface, there's no need to deal with a confusing array of cluttered screens; from any PC on the LAN or WAN, RoomView Express offers a simple "at‐a‐glance" view of the entire control system network. No other professional AV help desk software can match the capability of RoomView Express to monitor hundreds of rooms, in real time, in a single view. RoomView Express allows administrators and support staff to manage AV resources, perform remote system diagnostics, track the usage of projector lamps, log network activity, and automate tasks through event scheduling. RoomView can track any Crestron‐based function, including input selection, power status, lights, audio levels, motion detection, temperature, and more. Interactive help desk capabilities allow users to send help requests from their touchpanel or Web browser. Support staff can send instant text messages to the touchpanel, alert e‐mail contacts, and even launch e‐Control®2 to control the room and its AV equipment. Imagine managing all the AV devices and Crestron‐based functions throughout a facility with hundreds of rooms, allowing staff to log on and perform system tasks while limiting their access to restricted areas and automatically sending e‐mail alerts to any number of recipients based on their assigned status, all from any computer connection on the network. With built‐in logging, report, and chart generation, organizations can quickly determine equipment usage to allow informed purchasing needs, user activity and room usage. Tasks that could typically take days to complete are reduced to a few mouse clicks with RoomView Express.

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Key Features (Full Version) Supports 250+ rooms Client/server topology allows unlimited users with password log‐in Assignable user permissions for room access and functionality—restrict system power and display device power control to authorized staff Restrict user access to specific rooms Run multiple instances of RoomView ‐ help desks running on individual computers can share room information and logging data 2 users ‐ 1 administrator with full rights and 1 user with view/control permissions only Real‐time facility‐wide monitoring and control of AV devices and systems Fully customizable graphical interface with easy‐to‐read status icons Display status of virtually any function ‐ lights, audio levels, room occupancy, online status, temperature... Track projector lamp life in bar graph format Instant notification of help requests, service reminders, device failures, device removal or theft E‐mail alerts to unlimited recipients with assignable contact attributes Fully interactive help desk with 2‐way instant messaging to/from room touchpanels Links to live room Webcams and e‐Control®2 control pages Time and date stamping of help requests Built‐in event scheduling Built‐in logging, report, and chart generation ‐ track device usage, call statistics, and user history Built‐in asset manager ‐ assign devices to rooms, track and schedule maintenance and lifespan, register serial numbers, and manage maintenance contracts ODBC database integration for SQL Server and Sybase Windows Event Log support for integration with 3rd party applications

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What is Crestron RoomView Server? RoomView® Server Edition is a multi‐user resource management program built on Microsoft® .NET™ technology, offering global room scheduling, monitoring, controlling, and reporting of AV resources and environmental systems. RoomView Server Edition provides an efficient point‐and‐click interface and a simple "at‐a‐glance" view of the entire control system network. RoomView Server Edition integrates seamlessly with Microsoft® Exchange Server and the full line of Crestron devices to ensure that every room is connected. The integration of RoomView Server Edition with the Microsoft® Exchange Server provides flexible room scheduling in conjunction with MS Outlook®. Any Crestron touchpanel can display room calendars, enabling users to view scheduled meetings for a specific room, view availability status of all rooms, schedule a meeting for an open room and cancel scheduled meetings as necessary ‐ all from any Crestron touchpanel on the network. RoomView Server Edition allows facility managers, media directors and IT specialists to manage AV resources, perform remote system diagnostics, track the usage of projector lamps, log network activity, and automate tasks through event scheduling. An ideal master controller, RoomView Server Edition remotely locks out selected rooms to prevent unauthorized use of TVs, CD players, and other AV equipment. In fact, RoomView Server Edition can track any Crestron‐based function, including lights, audio levels, motion detection, temperature and more. Interactive help desk capabilities allow users to send help requests from their touchpanel or Web browser. RoomView Server Edition enables full two‐ way text messaging between support staff and touchpanels in each room, fully customized e‐mail alerts, and even launch e‐Control®2 to control the room and its AV equipment.

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Key Features Web‐based cross‐platform and PC executable interfaces available Fully customizable and user‐defined interface Fully integrated with Microsoft® Exchange Server and Microsoft® Outlook for scheduling Room calendar available on touchpanels for booking rooms, displaying room availability in immediate area, and declining meetings Direct database integration with SQL Server, Sybase, and Oracle Windows Authentication supports client authentication by forms (username/password) or by Windows credentials. SQL database authentication also supports Windows credentials Security Policies includes functional and object security policies that define user rights within the software Networking support including DHCP and SSL Windows Event Log support Device usage, system usage, error alerts, and call statistics reports Asset management tools to track and schedule maintenance Enhanced customization of attributes, contacts, logs and reports Advanced plug‐in modules for calendars, hot lists, action items, Instant Messenger and web cameras Multiple server support with rollover capability for disaster recovery Multiple rooms can be edited at once for common properties, and attributes can be added to multiple symbols Room and asset Custom Properties provide user‐specified data fields for room and asset setup pages Email Templates Editing enables the user to define the HTML and plain text format for email templates defined in the database No per room licensing issues or fees Once Installed, adding rooms, contacts, assets and users to the friendly RoomView GUI, and displaying the global status of all rooms simultaneously, in real‐time, is easy.

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What does RoomView offer? Decreased need for heavy after‐hour investments (manpower) to turn off projectors (saving valuable lamp life and wages for the manpower to facilitate the task). Decreased response time in solving in‐room (within the presentation rooms) presenter hardships with the A/V equipment. Decreased amount of manpower (hours) responding to the in‐room presenter hardships. Decreased projector theft with the increase of "captures" of would‐be projector thieves. Increased security of the A/V equipment and room conditions in general. Increased efficiency of lamp life monitoring. Increased capture of information regarding what in‐room equipment was utilized. Increased capture of information regarding how often the rooms are used. Increased efficiency with scheduling of the rooms for service. Increased efficiency regarding the tracking of information about the A/V assets.

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Return on Investment Independent Case Study

This study was carried out by the University of Minnesota to discover the definitive cost of ownership of AV systems as well as looking in the ability to protect the investment made in to the AV equipment. As part of this they installed and monitored the cost for an equal number of rooms without control systems, rooms with just a control system and rooms with centrally managed and networked control systems. The following information was obtained over a five year period: No control system or Room management solution (RMS) Investment: $12,000 per room Average time of room availability– 64% Downtime due to user problems – 24% Downtime due to equipment problems – 12% Control system only Investment: $16,000 per room Average time of room availability – 82% Downtime due to user problems – 10% Downtime due to equipment problems – 8% Networked centrally managed system (RMS) Investment: $19,000 per room Average time of room availability – 97% Downtime due to user problems – 2% Downtime due to equipment problems – 1%

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Yellow M w = initial inve Measuring Rea Hourly Hourly $0 $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000 Imp $ $ Deprecia estment al Cost y cost over 1 y No control Fully manag y cost over 5 y No control Fully manag $12 $6,0 $10 $28 No Contro Tec lementation C $0.00 $2.00 $4.00 $6.00 $8.00 10.00 12.00 No C Sys ated Implemen Red = Servic year system ‐ $11 ged system ‐ years system ‐ $4.3 ged system ‐ ,000 000 ,000 ,000 ol System ch System F Cost 5 Y Control stem Netw Mgmt S $11.88 $ $4.37 ntation & Hou

ce contract co 1.88 $10.72 30 $2.89 $16,00 $6,00 $4,00 $26,0 Control Sy Five Yr Tota Yr Repair $ H orked System $10.72 $2.89 urly Operating ost Blue 00 00 00 00 ystem Netw al Costs 5 Yr Ass

Hourly Cost Over Hourly Cos g Cost- 2,000 h = Non service $19,000 $7,000 $2,000 $28,000 worked Mgm sistance $ r 1 Yr t Over 5 Yrs hr/yr e contract cos 0 0 t System st

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Conclusion

 Un‐managed system This solution provides device control with an acceptable user interface. However, due to the non‐intuitive nature of the user interface, problems occur in the operation of the equipment that could have been easily prevented with an intuitive user interface. All monitoring was passive and reliant on a technician visiting the room on a regular basis. All scheduling of the room were based on a central diary system. This prevented to rooms being double book, but only if the central diary was consulted prior to the room being used. This did not always happen. All reporting was dependant on the room users feeding information back to the technicians. In short the system was only as good as the users themselves.  Controlled system This solution provided better usability than the un‐managed solution, thanks to the simplified user interfaces. However, there were still a few niggles. These could be attributed to the user’s lack of confidence, or misreading the user interface. Problems still occurred with equipment problems, primarily the failure of projector lamps. Problem reporting, again, was down to feedback from the users. Also the room booking was still centrally located. Whilst this solution cut the down times, considerably, the technicians still had to attend the rooms to correct simple problems  Managed system This solution had all the benefits of the controlled system solution, but had the additional benefit of remote system control. This provided “live” help facilities, which resolved 99% of user created problems without the technicians leaving their room. Also any unforeseen equipment failures, lamps etc. were resolved before they occurred! In addition to this, the facilities managers were able to see the room usage and schedule the rooms globally. Each room was only out of use due to unforeseen circumstances, which were beyond any control whatsoever. Although the cost of each room was higher the University felt, and could prove, that a Managed control solution provided the best return on investment as it provided them with full system administration.