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Good conference room tech is a huge factor for holding better meetings both in-person and via remote links. Not only does the right technology impress participants, but there are also many modern tech solutions that streamline communication and operations. And more efficient meetings means success for you and your team. And it’s all laid out in this easy-to-implement action plan.Read on for 10 easy ways to create a better impression for your company by optimizing and improving your conference room, or visit our workplace solutions page for tech-driven solutions to a more productive workplace.
First impressions count. Strangers form lasting opinions in the first seven seconds they meet. The same holds for your conference room. Clients, customers, partners, and employees. They’re all influenced – positively or negatively – by your conference room’s design, layout, furnishings, and more. Visible tech makes a strong initial impact. (Is it aging or up-to-date? Oversized or sleek?)
Beyond how your conference room looks, if your conference room tech lets you down when you get down to business it can seriously derail productivity and potential. Both form and function are key to maintaining a conference room that does more than provide a place to meet.
A well-equipped, well-functioning conference room helps:
Connect remote participants
Connection is critical. For one thing, more workers are in the office less often. Flexible work arrangements are at an all-time high. Work-from-home time grew 103% between 2005 and 2015. And some experts predict that half the workforce will telecommute by 2027. Beyond support for road warriors, video conferencing reduces costs, expedites decision making, and boosts productivity. Fortunately, reliable cloud-based video conferencing makes it easy to convene effective video meetings from your conference room.
Appeal to top talent
With a talent shortage expected to last at least through 2021, this one’s a biggie too. Details like compelling design and current tech impress job-hunters with options. Tech-savvy millennials are unlikely to settle for a company with outdated tech that doesn’t support their collaborative work style. That’s important, given that millennials are the largest generation in the workplace. And they’ll account for 40% of all workers by 2020.
Boost productivity
Connectivity issues, incompatible dongles, pass-the-cable content sharing. These are common conference room setbacks that waste time, sap creativity, and fragment focus. When everything works as it should, meeting participants get objectives accomplished more quickly.
Sadly, it’s not uncommon for conference rooms to fall short of their potential. If yours does, you’re not alone. Complaints about technology, seating, sound quality, shortages of cords or power outlets – and much more – are common.
Nearly two-thirds of companies use video conferencing daily. Yet setting up those calls eats up around 15% of the time in an average meeting. Background noise and video quality interrupt so often that they result in about $34 billion of lost time value every year. With between 36 and 56 million meetings per day, ineffective meetings cost the US economy between $70 to $283 billion annually.
Think it’s time to step up your conference room’s game? If your meeting space doesn’t have the right appeal, consider ways to upgrade your conference room. Here’s a roundup of 10 overlooked ways to improve your conference room and help it rise to its potential.
A picture may be worth a thousand words. But a conference room meeting without strong sound can be utterly unproductive. Unfortunately, the plague of poor audio is surprisingly widespread. In the US, 67% of workers say background noise interrupts their meetings at least some of the time.
Forty percent say audio quality issues occur frequently. Having taken a back seat to advances in video and collaboration tech, audio is making a comeback. 28% of US AV hardware budgets for large meeting rooms are being invested in audio. And demand is up for pro-grade speakers and microphones.
Let’s say your conference room display speakers are top-notch. And you’ve invested in pro mics and speakers. Even so, the room itself may be sabotaging your sound. Conference room acoustics play a big part in whether participants can clearly hear one another. The culprit is reverberation time (RT), the time it takes for sound to fade in a closed space. Absorbent surfaces quickly squash sound.
In rooms with lots of reflective surfaces, sound lingers longer. Modern conference rooms with glass walls, hard ceilings, and large displays are susceptible to high levels of RT. Sounds bounce back and forth between these surfaces. This often results in muddled-sounding speech for those on the receiving end of a call or video conference. Participants in the room can also find it difficult to clearly hear one another. Room acoustics also impact privacy. Sound leakage is a common problem that can reveal conference room conversations to those beyond the closed doors.
Adding sound-absorbing materials is a surefire way to reduce reverb and increase sound clarity. An impressive array of attractive options let you customize the look, from subtle to sizzling. Beautifully printed sound panels even pass for artwork – including prints, photography, graphics and logos. Tackle sound leakage with sound masking tech positioned around conference rooms. Often referred to as white noise machines, these devices are discreet and inexpensive to deploy.
Smart film is poised to revolutionize conference room design. Also known as “switchable film,” this tech has come a long way lately, with formulations that can be easily retrofitted onto existing surfaces. Glassed-in meeting rooms create a distinctive aesthetic and keep spaces open and airy. Smart film keeps the look minimalist and modern while enabling on-demand privacy by becoming opaque with the flip of a switch. On windows, smart film filters UV rays and makes it easy to block out glare.
Go beyond good looks and great tech. Conference room guests need to be comfortable to be truly impressed – and truly productive. Comfort promotes productivity. Discomfort distracts and derails thinking and creative energy. Annoying fans, flickering lights, and wobbly tables top the list of irritants. Overcrowding is another source of discomfort. Attention to detail is key to maximizing conference room comfort.
Make a list of discomforts and distractions and check it regularly. Provide adequate seating and enough table space for personal comfort. Allow ample room for attendees to stand up and move around during lengthy meetings and to facilitate breakouts.
Comfort is one thing. Design for health and wellbeing goes deeper. It’s a growing trend backed by ample evidence and proven productivity impacts. Forward-thinking companies are incorporating it into their conference room design. Standing-height conference tables build on the popularity of sit-stand desks and address the health hazards of prolonged sitting. Beyond the health boost, studies show that standing meetings can improve focus, collaboration, and creativity.
Because not everyone can (or wants to) stand for an entire meeting, bar-height chairs, stools, and “standing supports” complete the package. Another hot health-minded design trend is bringing the outdoors in, with natural light, plant walls, and other natural elements having been shown to improve health and productivity.
Just make sure it’s your statement. Think of your conference room as an extension of your brand. Integrated marketing is all about creating a unified and seamless experience when interacting with your brand – and that includes your conference room.
Consult with your marketing team about incorporating branding elements like colors, logos, and brand personality into your conference room design. Some choices may be obvious, like sticking with a corporate color palette. Others may be subtler, like extending your company’s personality through a quirky or formal design.
Your conference room technology facilitates seeing, hearing, and collaborating efficiently. Integrating that tech into the room design kicks things up a notch. It’s a trend that’s going gangbusters. A chief concern is concealing the masses of wires that often accompany tech.
Any technology that’s skillfully integrated into the environment helps guests get down to business quickly. And amps up positive impressions. Think tables and other furnishings with built-in power adapters. Multi-media capabilities. Wireless charging options. Source options that add convenience and functionality while minimizing clutter, inconvenience, and cords.
Device-agnostic that is. The last thing you want is for your conference room tech to derail meetings. For the ultimate in ease, the pieces all need to play nicely together. Whether you’re doing a complete ground-up installation or want to upgrade your conference room as budget allows, choosing components that work well together is key.
This one is essential to creating a top-notch conference room. Relying on cables to connect presenters to your display is becoming beyond old school. For one thing, it saps loads of valuable meeting time. For another, today’s wide range of connectivity options makes it nearly impossible to accommodate every need. Wireless presentation solutions save time and facilitate an easy flow of information. Good solutions allow multiple users to share content from any device. The best solutions enable content cast-in from around the globe, plus annotation capabilities.
The days of conference room display tech simply showing a picture are fading fast. So too have static whiteboards gone the way of the dinosaurs. In their place, sophisticated collaboration displays have evolved to deliver an array of digital and analog collaboration tools in a single platform. At their best, collaboration displays deliver a productivity-boosting (and impressive) triple play: video conferencing, wireless presentation, and collaborative whiteboarding.
Brighter and clearer than projectors, these displays let you keep the blinds open and lights on. This enables easy note-taking and collaboration-boosting eye-contact. Built-in web browsers make it easy to access virtually any content. Integrated annotation tools let presenters write atop content.
Content-sharing apps let guests cast onto the display for easy, group-wide participation. All of which are huge improvements over the days of dark rooms and static projected PowerPoints. Want your conference room to rise to its true potential for impressing, connecting, collaborating, and creating? This tool is a must-have.
Growing product categories attract hordes of new suppliers. The interactive display market is no exception, and buyer beware is critical when considering buying from these newbies.
With over 30 years of designing display solutions, ViewSonic has been a player in conference room interactive display since day one. And since that day, we’ve been continually adapting ViewBoard collaboration displays to deliver the latest in conference room capabilities.
A ViewSonic® ViewBoard® display like the IFP6550 or IFP7550 makes it easy for guests to collaborate and interact right out of the box. All with a single, easy-to-use, high-impact interactive platform.
Count on ViewSonic ViewBoard displays to improve your conference room with:
Out-of-box collaboration triple play:
Plus:
Enhanced productivity features:
Business-ready:
If you found this article to be helpful you may also enjoy How to Choose a Presentation Display for Your Meeting Spaces, or visit our workplace solutions page for more valuable insights into improving workplace productivity through innovative technology.
Video-assisted learning is becoming increasingly common. In fact, our own research has shown that the majority of teachers use videos as an educational tool at least occasionally. However, certain challenges keep coming up. Teachers have difficulty finding and curating appropriate video content. Luckily, we have a handy list of both free and premium video resources for you below.Continue reading for tips and tricks that will bring your video-assisted learning to the next level. Or go straight to myViewBoard Clips for an educational video solution.
Effectively using educational videos could become a large burden or blessing to teachers. From our recent whitepaper Video-Assisted Learning Insights: The Struggle for Teachers to Access Video Content, we have found that an incredible 96% of teachers surveyed are using videos in their classrooms. Educational videos are absolutely a part of today’s lesson plans but to use them effectively is not an easy task.
1. Videos are not replacing entire lessons but used to stimulate discussion and liven up lessons. Teachers report that the length of videos preferred is generally 2 to 10 minutes according to 79% of teachers surveyed.
2. Teachers are also not abusing the use of videos as a form of reward or entertainment for students. Eighty-four percent of teachers said they only use videos strictly or mostly related to the curriculum being taught.
3. In addition, 90% of teachers are using videos to engage students by asking them questions to encourage participation in the classroom.
Although teachers have identified videos as an important educational teaching tool, we have also identified many problems and bottlenecks:
1. Quality, inappropriate content, advertisement, and copyrights from free Internet resources: Eighty-four percent of teachers reported that they use YouTube and 61% of teachers actively search Google for websites to find the videos they need.
2. Blocked Internet access and websites: Another 30% of teachers reported they have a hard time accessing videos saying that their school’s blocks or limits access to the internet and certain websites.
3. Time to prepare: Teachers are also struggling with their current workload and time management. Over 60% of teachers report feeling frustrated sometimes in their search for the right educational videos.
Take a look at 5 Myths About Video Learning to learn more about problems and misconceptions around video learning.
Our survey identified four key aspects teachers want from an educational video platform. The solution teachers want needs to:
1. Provide video suggestions (71%) – Recommend content that would match the search inquiry
2. Ability to organize (67%) – Permit teachers to organize videos into groups and store videos
3. Ability to edit (62%) – Allow teachers to edit videos such as shortening, cutting, dubbing, etc.
4. Ability to share (56%) – Permit teachers to share videos without worry over copyrights
Considering the insights identified in our whitepaper we recommend that teachers follow a guideline when using videos in their lesson planning:
1. Identify the main topic of the lesson and draft the presentation outline
2. Take notes of key points and resources that may help emphasize the learning outcome wanted. Choose from the following resource types:
3. For videos specifically began with:
4. Conduct the video search on your trusted video resource list such as Youtube, TED, Udemy, Khan Academy, and Coursera. If you cannot find anything from your trusted video resource list, go to Google search to see what else is available online.
5. Place selected videos into your presentation and test.
Test to see if the video will work within the presentation once saved.
Create back-ups to access your video if the first option does not work when needed such as a video link, downloaded copy to a USB, downloaded copy to your Cloud server, or email the video to yourself.
Test your presentation and video in the classroom to see if it plays correctly and the classroom equipment works such as the screen, projector, digital whiteboard, microphone, and speakers.
6. Finalize your lesson plans and delivery notes to include notes to play the video, questions to ask, and other activities to conduct before and after the video
Start to build your own list of educational videos providers here: 18 Unexpected Free Educational Videos Website for Teachers
Many steps in the guideline above can be shortened and streamlined if teachers have better resources for educational videos. The current alternatives and solutions to educational video searching are few and lacking. New solutions need to be developed which will help teachers to safely, seamlessly and quickly create engaging lessons that incorporate educational videos.
These video-assisted learning platforms need to have curated content that is meant for educational subjects and learning, while also being usable by teachers without advertisements and copyrights restrictions. Teachers need help with finding videos that can easily be used in lessons, engage students, and encourage participation.
The key aspects of the solution our survey identified are to provide tailored video suggestions to cut downtime and efforts for the teachers. Moreover, this solution needs to enable teachers with the ability to quickly organize, edit, and share videos to provide a complete solution.
Currently, there are several platforms that provide educational videos mostly created in-house by their own or partnered content producers such as TED, Open Culture, and Academic Earth. These resources are more trustworthy than other online resources because they are education orientated and content providers are normally highly respectable contributors in their fields.
As a dedicated education solution provider, ViewSonic has developed our own video-assisted learning platform to provide teachers using our digital whiteboarding solutions the best tools to prepare exciting content, present engaging lessons, and encourage participation in the classroom.
Our solution is to create a video-assisted learning platform for educational videos that teachers can use without concern over advertisements, inappropriate content, copyrights, sharing, and restrictions. Check out myViewBoard Clips powered by Boclips to learn more. It is the video-assisted learning platform that provides educational videos from premier media brands to help teachers safely, seamlessly, and quickly create engaging lessons. myViewBoard Clips is commercial-free, copyright-cleared, and curated for educational subjects.
Learn more insights into video-assisted learning in our full whitepaper: Video-Assisted Learning Insights: The Struggle for Teachers to Access Video Content.
Color management is one of photography’s more important skills. It’s also one of the most difficult skills to learn. A good color management workflow includes knowing the various color gamuts and color spaces, the capacities of your hardware, and how to get the most out of it all. And there are likely to be a few surprises along the way, too.
Luckily, we’ve included a handy color management guide below to get anyone started in bringing out the best in their photos. And to make things even easier, we’ve built some incredible color features right into our ColorPro professional monitors.
Despite what you may have learned as a child, there are far more colors than those 7 present in the rainbow. The same goes for the 12 in the color wheel.
When it comes down to it, particularly when digital color management is involved, the number of possible color variations amounts to a near limitless number, above that of googolplex.
While the average layman might not know this, it’s well-known to those who have made colors the focus of their careers, including photographers. The camera is their tool, and color management is their craft. With that in mind, consider their perspective.
Picture this: you’ve just slaved away on a project, adjusting colors ever so slightly to perfect each and every hue…
You save the file, export it, and feel good about the masterpiece you’ve just created – only to find that the colors don’t look like what they did when you were working on them.
As photographers, I’m sure we’ve all been there at one point or another. A truly annoying (even heartbreaking) situation!
What if we were to tell you that there is a way to say goodbye to this dilemma for good?
Well, today that’s exactly what we’ll do, and it starts with learning the fundamentals of a concept called color management.
Whether you’ve heard of this concept before or not, this simplified guide to color management will help you understand some color management fundamentals and get you on the right path for developing a solid color management workflow.
So what exactly is color management?
Color management is essentially the process of controlling the way colors are represented across various devices such as cameras, computer monitors, and printers.
Why is color management important?
Simple – because in photography, you want to make sure your colors are exactly as you want them!
Sounds easy enough, right?
Yes and no. While color management in itself is easy, there are plenty of opportunities to make small mistakes during your color management workflow if you’re not careful.
These small missteps often occur because people forget that colors also have to stay consistent across each device in their photo editing workflow. Keeping them consistent will keep your clients happy and ensure the quality of your work.
To make sure that colors look the same (or as similar as possible) across all the devices in your color management workflow, as long as each device is capable of producing each specified color, that is.
So are photographers the only people who can benefit from color management?
While it is true that photographers do benefit greatly from a solid color management workflow, they are not the only ones. In fact, there are actually multiple creative professions besides photographers that rely on good color management to ensure the quality of their work. Some of the more common ones are:
Essentially anyone who can benefit from predictable and consistent color output across multiple devices can benefit from color management.
Before we get started, let’s have a look at some of the fundamentals of color management.
Our goal in establishing a good color management workflow is to align the color characteristics for every device involved.
Some common examples of the devices we’re talking about include:
Since not all devices speak the same “color language”, exact 1:1 color replication is not always possible, but establishing a good color management workflow reduces the margin of error and gives you more control over the way colors look in your final product.
So, how do we align colors?
First, we must take a look at two things:
After you’ve answered these questions, you will be able to select the correct color space to work in.
A color gamut is the range of colors a device is capable of producing. Devices can include digital cameras, printers, monitors… even paper!
As an example of the different types of color gamut offered by different devices, we can take a look at the difference in color gamut between a monitor and a printer. There are some colors that can be displayed on a bright, colorful IPS monitor panel that just can’t be replicated by a printer.
To take things even further, there are differences in color gamut for the same type of device. For example, some colors can be displayed on a professional monitor with a wide color gamut that cannot be replicated on, say, a laptop screen or on a normal non-professional monitor.
Let’s try to visualize this concept to understand it a little better, shall we?
We’ll use people reaching for objects in a cupboard as an example. If you compare a person who is 5-feet tall with someone who is 6-feet tall, the 6-foot tall person has a larger range of objects that they can reach from a standing position(i.e, higher shelves, items further back, etc.). Some objects will naturally be too high and thus out of the 5-foot-tall person’s “range”. We can look at this “range” of reach as their “gamut”, where the 6-foot-tall person has a larger “gamut” of things they can reach than the 5-foot-tall person.
Color on monitors works much in the same way, and the reason for this has to do with color space, which we’ll discuss in the next section.
Now that we understand what a color gamut is, let’s get into color space and how it relates to color management.
Color space is a specified range of displayable colors.
Examples of different color spaces include sRGB, Adobe RGB, ProPhoto RGB, CYMK, and more.
Let’s take a quick look at what makes each of these color spaces unique:
This is the color space used by printers. This color space differs from the color spaces mentioned above because it is subtractive, which is used for mixing inks, dyes, etc., and involves taking color away from the mixture in order to create a color.
The sRGB color space is a smaller range of displayable colors than Adobe RGB and ProPhoto RGB. Although it has a smaller range of displayable colors, it is considered the standard and is the color space used by browsers across the web and for many monitors and other types of displays, including mobile phones and tablets.
The Adobe RGB color space is larger than the sRGB color space and includes more shades of green and red than sRGB. Typically, Adobe RGB is only used for printing because using Adobe RGB over sRGB for printing allows you to take advantage of the larger range of greens and blues in your prints.
ProPhoto RGB is a standard that was developed by Kodak in an attempt to recreate the complete range of colors you would be likely to see in everyday life. It is the largest of the color spaces mentioned.
All of the color spaces mentioned above are generally mapped within the CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram of color as a way to map color spaces. This space is said to contain all the colors visible to the human eye.
Selecting the correct color space to work in is the first step in developing a good color management workflow.
Almost all of us would agree that the more color, the better.
Although this is the case most of the time, when talking about color management, choosing the correct color space is more important than choosing the largest color space.
But why?
Take ProPhoto RGB for example. It covers the largest range of color out of the color spaces we mentioned earlier (aside from CIE 1931). One of the issues with using the ProPhoto RGB color space, however, is that some of the ProPhoto RGB colors are actually beyond what is capable of being produced by any monitor currently available.
This, in turn, will mean that when you work in ProPhoto RGB, you will be forced to shift out of it and convert the colors to a different space. More conversions will result in a higher chance of making a mistake somewhere along your color management workflow.
So what should we do?
To reduce your potential for error, it is always best to plan around your result.
If you are looking to post your work on the web:
It’s probably better to stick with sRGB throughout your color management workflow because it is the industry standard color space for web browsers and web content.
If you’re looking to print your work:
Start out using Adobe RGB if your monitor is able to. The reason for this is that most laser printers are capable of displaying the extra hues of green, indigo, and blue displayable by Adobe RGB but not by sRGB.
As long as you know your desired end result and work in the appropriate space from start to finish, you should have no problems with color inconsistency in your color management workflow.
Our Color Management Color Checker Tool will help you get an idea of how selecting different color spaces throughout your workflow may affect your finished product.
For photographers, projects begin at the camera level. For this, we’ll take a look at one important decision you’ll have to make before you get shooting.
What file format should I use to take photos?
The two basic file formats you should be familiar with are JPEG and RAW.
These formats determine how your camera collects information when taking a photo. Both file formats have their pros and cons, and choosing the correct file format will depend on your specific circumstances, which we’ll discuss below.
When JPEG files are captured, they are processed in-camera. This means they are available for immediate use and don’t need to be processed before being posted on the web or sent out for printing.
The benefits of JPEG files include:
JPEG files have a smaller file size – typically one-third or one-quarter that of a RAW file. The benefits of a smaller file size mean that you will be able to take more shots before filling up your memory card. You’ll also be able to take more shots in rapid succession before filling up your buffer (such as when shooting sports and other live-action).
The drawbacks of JPEGS include:
Since JPEGs are processed in-camera, information that has been overexposed or underexposed (also known as “clipping”) will not be recoverable. While you can always add elements to JPEG images in post-processing, elements that have been added by the camera, such as contrast and saturation, will be difficult to remove.
A RAW file records all of the information captured on your camera’s sensor in an uncompressed form. RAW files need to be processed in an application such as Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop’s Camera RAW before they can be used, and therefore will look flat when taken straight out of the camera.
The benefits of shooting RAW include:
Since RAW files record all the information captured by the sensor, you have more control and flexibility over different elements in the photo during post-processing, such as white point, contrast, sharpness, etc. RAW photos also capture a larger dynamic range than JPEGs and will give you a higher quality image.
The drawbacks of RAW files include:
Images will need to be processed in a photo editing application before they can be used. RAW photos come at the expense of a large file size.
Here’s a comparison of JPEG and RAW file formats at a glance:
For most professional photographers, shooting RAW will be the best option because of the extra dynamic range and post-processing flexibility that RAW files provide.
It’s always best to first think about whether you plan to process your images or not when deciding on a file format.
Color accuracy will differ from device to device, and you can’t control how someone else’s device – whether phone, tablet, or monitor – will display color.
What you can do, however, is ensure that the color is accurate on your end. The way to do that is through monitor calibration, which we’ll discuss below.
Regular monitor color calibration is an absolute must for good color management.
Doing regular monitor color calibration will allow you to be sure that you’re looking at the true colors of a particular file rather than colors that have been adjusted because of your monitor’s settings.
A non-calibrated monitor can lead to color inconsistencies when you output your work to a printer or even when you are viewing your work on another monitor.
Our eyes naturally adjust to non-calibrated colors over time and doing regular monitor color calibration can drastically improve your perception of the colors you see on your screen.
Luckily for us, calibration is a pretty simple process.
There are essentially two methods for conducting monitor color calibration – software calibration and hardware calibration.
The simplest calibration method is with monitor calibration software. Hardware calibration is another method, which uses a color calibration tool, such as the ViewSonic XRi1, and allows you to make further customizations to white point and luminance.
If you would like to learn more about color calibration, you can take a look at this article about software calibration vs. hardware calibration.
Monitor Calibration and Uniformity
Uniformity is the way colors are distributed on your monitor screen.
Poor uniformity will result in colors and luminance (otherwise known as brightness) being unevenly represented on your screen, for example, brighter in the middle of the screen than around the edges.
Monitor calibration has the added benefit of helping ensure that colors and luminance on your screen are distributed evenly across your screen so that colors are represented accurately.
As we mentioned earlier, not all devices speak the same “color language,” and there are slight variations in the way each device reads, interprets, and outputs colors.
To ensure that colors are being read from each of the devices in your color management workflow accurately, color profiles can be used to better align color information.
ICC color profiles are device-specific and describe the way a particular device represents color and translates it in a way that aligns with the other devices in your workflow. ICC profiles are available for specific makes and models of cameras, printers, monitors, and even paper.
You can download ICC profiles from Adobe’s website here.
Although it may not seem like it, the environment in which you review work and edit photos in can also impact your color management workflow. The reason for this is that when elements in your environment are reflected off your screen, they affect the way you see colors.
The key to creating the ideal viewing environment for editing your work and managing color is reducing the number of distractions around your monitor.
Some common examples of distracting objects in your environment include:
Now we’re not saying you need to go blackout your windows and get rid of all your furniture just to see colors correctly. Simply following the steps below can help you create a viewing environment that will be sufficient to reduce most distractions.
Now that we have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of good color management for photography, it’s time to check your colors! We’ve developed a Color Management Checker Tool that will give you an idea of what colors may look like in good color management for photography workflow vs. an inconsistent one.
If you are interested in developing a solid color management workflow, you can browse some good professional monitor options that are all designed specifically for color management and professional creative work. You can read about the benefits of using a monitor that displays color correctly from the perspective of professional photographer Mykii Liu if you would like to learn more about professional monitors.
With the fundamentals outlined in this guide, you will be able to set up a sound color management workflow and are now on your way to higher-quality work!
Classroom design has come a long way in the last few decades. We are seeing a massive shift away from the classroom’s origins as rigid, structured places of teacher-centered learning. Instead, classrooms are embracing technology and more flexible approaches to learning for the benefit of students and teachers. How can you take advantage of this trend for your students?
Continue reading on to learn more about classroom design or see how ViewSonic is changing classroom design for the better with the ViewBoard education solution.
Rows of seats. Instructor front and center. Student eyes trained on the teacher. This classroom model worked well for centuries. Efficient and easy to set up. Old-school classroom design supported the idea that teachers impart knowledge to students. The one-to-many transmission philosophy of teaching.
Traditional types of tech did this well. The blackboard or overhead projector for the teacher at the front of the room. Pencil and paper for the student to take notes. But education is in a state of rapid change where traditional approaches can be ineffective for some situations.
The transmission model is being replaced by a constructivist approach. Constructivism is all about students and instructors developing knowledge together. It’s the opposite of the passive student taking notes while the teacher lectured. At its core is the idea that meaningful learning is a creative process.
This shift is both a result of, and further propelled by, technology. There are many influences such as the internet, personal computing devices, interactive displays, and collaborative software. Even social media and YouTube can play a part. Within this fluid environment, educators are striving to adapt.
One important adaptation is the shakeup of classroom design. Schools are creating classroom layouts that support successful 21st century learning. A key to today’s classroom design is flexibility. The ability to rearrange components supports the many faces of constructive learning.
Versatility enables learners to actively conduct experiments. To perform real-world problem-solving. And to gather in groups to collectively process information. Instructors meanwhile facilitate and guide activities to help students expand their knowledge.
21st-century classrooms design trends utilize many new layouts, including:
One fifth grade teacher calls her classroom redesign the “Best Decision I Ever Made.” A participant in the CUE Bold Classroom Cribs initiative, Marianne Emery was inspired by a visit to a flexible seating classroom. She talks about her success with next-gen classroom design in her Rockin’ it in 5th Grade blog.
Research reveals the importance of classroom design. Without a doubt, classroom design has a big effect on student engagement and academic performance. A landmark 2012 study found that classroom design alters academic progress over a school year by 25%. Strikingly, that impact can go either way – positive or negative.
That is, a child in the best environment would do 50% better than an equivalent child in the ‘poorest’ classroom environment. In fact, the best- and worst-designed classroom difference accounted for a full year’s worth of academic progress.
The study found five key design factors account for 73% of the variation in student performance. These classroom design factors are:
Follow up studies provided insight into the relative impact of each of these factors. The authors of this major 2015 classroom design study hypothesized that “Clearly from the literature it can be anticipated that the built environment of the classrooms will have a great impact on pupils’ academic performance, health and wellbeing…”
Their study confirmed the impact of physical classroom features on academic progress. It found three categories that account for the difference in performance:
Educators are embracing the need to adapt learning spaces. The specifics of the classroom designs differ due to curriculum, class size, space, budget constraints, and the like. However, two factors are common. One, the flexibility to deliver adaptable, active learning spaces. Two, the integration of technology that fosters collaboration and sharing.
Flexible classroom design creates learning environments that can be continuously adapted for changing needs. These classroom layouts model the flexibility we want for our up-and-coming generations. In a case study published by Edutopia, the author highlights the key benefits of versatility in classroom layouts.
“Flexible classrooms give students a choice in what kind of learning space works best for them, and helps them to work collaboratively, communicate, and engage in critical thinking.”
The internet is full of tips to help teachers create future-forward classroom design on a budget. Districts can source products from education furnishings makers in lockstep with the trends.
Classroom design pros recommend including the following:
The experience of Albemarle County Public Schools in Albemarle, VA shows the tremendous benefits of embracing the new. After implementing flexible classroom design, ACPS educators found that:
“We’re really looking at how we support kids working collaboratively. And we can’t do it if they’re isolated in rows and every kid is an island,” said Becky Fisher, the director of educational technology at Albemarle County Public Schools.
Check out this article for more on what made these classroom transformations a success. It includes great tips for funding DIY redesign as well as district-supported projects.
Successful active learning spaces include well-matched EdTech resources. The most common ways to leverage tech for constructivist learning include:
We’ve come a long way since the humble blackboard. Today’s educators need a powerful, multi-tasking classroom display. They want to easily display online content. They want their students to actively interact with content. They want the ability to annotate on top of any content, from any source. When they can record the content, annotations, and surrounding audio, they can share digital content files. Today that’s a must-have for flipped lessons, test review and keeping absent students up-to-date. Google Classroom integration makes it even easier to educate tomorrow’s citizens.
ViewSonic offers a range of options to fit any budget. Products include interactive flat panels, interactive projectors, and retrofit interactive kits. ViewSonic ViewBoards are designed to support education with best-in-class Google Classroom integration features and more.
Interactive Software
Add interactive software to amp up the capabilities of existing flat panel displays. ViewSonic® ViewBoard® for Education delivers robust interactive features that bring lessons to life. The powerful software supports direct file saving to Google Drive and encourages active engagement.
Content Sharing
Wireless content sharing makes it fast, easy and efficient for students to display content. The most robust solutions work with any personal or school-issued device. ViewSonic content sharing options include the ViewSync® 3 wireless interactive presentation gateway, the ViewStick 2 wireless HDMI adapter, and myViewBoard.com collaboration software. ViewSonic offers robust collaboration software from partner Quizdom.
Ximbus interactive presentation and collaboration software enables easy, real-time student-teacher collaboration. Features include instant polling, easy compatibility with Google apps. Seamlessly integrates with Google Classroom, including Google login, contacts, resources, and Google Drive. Oktopus interactive presentation and collaboration software offers a complete blended learning solution. Oktopus combines whiteboarding, collaboration, polling, and self-paced learning, all of which seamlessly integrate with ViewSonic ViewBoards and projectors.
Call them what you will, these tech-laden spaces foster exactly what 21st-century educators seek: active, constructivist learning. Huddle spaces typically feature an interactive display or smart display. Content sharing capabilities lets students easily display material from their smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
Significant research and educator experience confirm that the traditionally-designed classroom lacks what’s needed to prepare engaged 21st-century citizens. Instructors and administrators are working to apply this knowledge to new classroom design practices. These future-forward classroom layouts leverage flexible furnishings and collaborative technology to create spaces that promote active engagement and meaningful learning. ViewSonic offers a wide range of technologies that bring greater interactivity and collaboration to any classroom’s front of room display, huddle stations, desktops, learning labs, and more.
Real-time collaboration across great distances has never been easier. Internet-based communication tools and online platforms like digital whiteboards are bringing teams together in amazing ways. Advantages range from saving money to more diverse teams. Disadvantages could include communication challenges or technical issues, but we provide a few ways to overcome these problems, too. Continue reading for a look at both sides of real-time collaboration through online platforms. Or learn about ViewSonic’s collaboration platforms here.
Real-time collaboration platforms may be the key to the future of online learning. Nothing leads to better results than working together.
In any project in recent years, a high likelihood exists that certain team members will be operating remotely, whether it be across the city, the country, or the world. As such, real-time collaboration by way of the Internet, particularly via online whiteboards, has gained in popularity. With its fair share of advantages and disadvantages, a firm understanding of real-time online collaboration is key for any professional or academic wishing to engage in it.
In almost every non-English speaking society, it’s not uncommon to find a contingent of expatriates wanting to either teach English or engage in the lifestyle of a digital nomad. To merge such work scenarios would be to teach English via the internet. Although this is regarded to be a sort of holy grail within the ESL profession, digital education technology has only recently reached the proper level of viability in the past few years.
Specifically referring to platforms that update in real-time, meaning those that update near-instantaneously for all users, regardless of location, digital collaboration has never been more efficient. In the context of education, digital whiteboards have ensured that students and teachers alike can engage in dynamic lessons, using the most effective resources possible, from anywhere in the world. For anyone teaching anywhere, collaboration via online whiteboards has never been better than it is today.
By and large, the use of online whiteboards, particularly when it comes to real-time collaboration, is advantageous for all involved. From both the perspective of the teacher and the student, the benefits are not only strong, but appealing, and will surely be regarded as a selling point. Some of the advantages are as follows:
Plane tickets, multiple nights of accommodation, meeting spaces, resource installations – the total, external cost of having an in-person meeting can get quite high, quite quickly. When collaborating in real-time via the Internet, however, the total cost is limited to that of having an internet connection. If working out of a coffee shop, for instance, then that cost may go as low as $2. Compared to the alternative, that’s quite a lot of savings!
Project management is not always the most straightforward of tasks. Long email chains, to-do lists, updating workflows, and storage of resources are just a few tasks that frequently arise therein, which have the capacity to grow to immensely complex proportions. Through real-time collaboration, whether by digital whiteboard or some other platform, these regular project management tasks become much simpler. This achieved by the ability to store all communications, documents, and lists in a single, universally accessible location.
With easier project management comes faster project completion. With real-time collaboration, inputs, solutions, and decisions can be implemented with ease. Compare that to an analog collaboration process, where agreement regarding problem-solving solutions might take multiple meetings over the course of several days, particularly if far-away time zones are involved in the process. The same goes for run-of-the-mill approvals, feedback, and brainstorming. Collaboration has never been so fast!
When working or teaching in a collaborative digital environment, those who work together do not necessarily have to be in the same region together. For instance, when teaching English to native Chinese speakers, the teacher could be a resident of Kunming while three of his or her students could be located in Shenzhen, Beijing, and Xiamen.
The same goes for professionals, whose teams might comprise of people located in the United States, Germany, Taiwan, and India. Considering the organization’s freedom that is allowed by real-time collaboration platforms, teams may be optimized in terms of having the best members possible, considering the subject matter, rather than those who are simply living in convenient regions.
For just a moment, consider the workaholics, both the academic and professional varieties, of the world. Imagine the panic they once felt when outside of the office and/or classroom, especially for long periods of time. Disconnecting from an important project can be a very real and disconcerting thing. This was particularly the case when meetings had to either take place in person or via programs exclusive to a workplace server.
Now, online collaboration programs or, notably, real-time digital whiteboards, enable users to access anywhere and anytime. With such universal access available, no one need panic about going on vacation, going out for coffee, or simply leaving their office, ever again.
Derived from the hybridization of collaboration and competition, ‘co-opetition’ refers to how entities may work together to mitigate risk, share knowledge, and facilitate research. Beyond small scale collaboration, it’s a beautiful aspect of the Internet that allows people from all over the world to share and exchange ideas, information, and culture. While this popularly manifests today as Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram, those platforms are not everything.
Although this is often used in a business-related context, imagine the possibilities in an education capacity. At present, our digital whiteboards allow teachers to do their jobs without delay. Therein, images, diagrams, lectures, videos, and collaborative activities may be introduced and executed in any number of dynamic ways. Taking that concept forward, ‘co-opetition’ could enable student-centric projects, as directed by their teacher, to interact with the subject matter in a way that’s symbiotic.
Admittedly, not everything is perfect. Even the best of the best have a drawback or two. Real-time online collaboration programs are no exception. Having said that, it’s up to the discerning consumer to weigh the value they place on the disadvantages and to decide whether they exceed the advantages. To that end, the disadvantages of real-time online collaboration programs are as follows:
Sometimes dominant personalities and voices usually direct the flow of conversations and meetings. As a byproduct, others may be suppressed into not speaking up. This social phenomenon is known as groupthink, and it’s a problem that can notably arise when using online collaboration platforms, where face-to-face interactions are inherently not always possible.
Therein, by sheer force of will and participation, project planning, and overall decision making may be undertaken by only a small number of the collective. By leaving out, or keeping quiet, other members of the team, valuable ideas and opinions may be lost, thus potentially weakening the final product.
As with any technological product, regardless of whether it is hardware or software, glitches and breakdowns are an inevitability. When it comes to online collaboration, particularly that involving real-time digital whiteboards or professional project management platforms, the possibility of breakdowns can be a serious drawback.
If your livelihood, as well as that of the class, company or school, relies on a given project, imagine how devastating a technical or digital breakdown might be. Moreover, the potential for maintenance or upgrade-related downtime is a threat as well. When looking to invest in an online collaboration tool, be sure to research the reliability of its architecture beforehand.
The international facilitation that comes with real-time online collaboration is a wonderful thing. Specialists and students originating from all over the globe can come together in the pursuit of business and academia alike. Therein, not only are you engaging in the subject matter at hand, but also in the unique linguistic and cultural aspects of those you work or study with.
However, this benefit is a bit of a double-edged sword. For all the advantages that come with being apart of a multi-cultural team, the possibility for misunderstanding is not insignificant. Cross-cultural communication is an area of study unto itself, and sometimes the efficiency of a team can be hindered as a result. As such, in this instance, international differences within a team can be considered a disadvantage.
Working or studying remotely, or via the Internet, can be an amazing thing. Wake up when you want, eat when you want, and work when you want – for many, it is the ideal work situation. However, when working online, it may become difficult to leave your work at the office. Since we’re always connected to the internet, you may soon come to feel that you’re always working and that a reasonable work/life balance is a thing of the past. When working in tandem with multiple time zones, this can especially become the case, since may feel like your workday never ends.
To that end, since you’re not actually working with people in a live, face-to-face manner, it’s entirely possible that you may grow to feel isolated. When engaging in work based on real-time digital collaboration, remember to take your day-to-day wellbeing into consideration!
Sometimes, the initial price you pay for a technological product, especially online services, is not the total price you’ll pay when all is said and done. Hidden costs, even in the world of online collaboration tools, such as digital whiteboards, are possible. From unstated membership premiums to unneeded user charges, there is a likelihood that you could find your account charged for amounts you find surprising and unacceptable. The moral of the story – make sure to read the small print before confirming your investment.
Complacency in the face of technological aid is by no means a new phenomenon. When your Roomba cleans your room, why vacuum? When Uber will deliver your food, why cook? This holds true even in the context of project management. In that regard, certain project leaders may feel that since they possess the tools and benefits of an online collaboration platform, organizations and oversight may be no longer as essential. Even in the case of teachers, real-time digital whiteboards may supplant, in their minds, the need for a focused and well-thought-out lesson plan. Just because these tools make your life easier, don’t forget to keep up your hard work!
There are several online whiteboards on the market from an equally varying number of developers and distributors. The addition of real-time emphasis, while relatively new, is already growing in popularity. To meet that demand, ViewSonic has just announced the launch of myViewBoard for both education and business-related applications.
In practice, myViewBoard makes every teaching scenario dynamic and fun for all involved – From in-class use to those professionals participating in online seminars. From automatic team distribution to spontaneous pop quizzes, the teacher’s job has never been so engaging.
The same goes for myViewBoard’s ability to integrate and search for videos and images at an instantaneous whim. With an emphasis on flexibility and interactivity, the possibilities for a collaborative and informative lesson, in both business and education, just became endless. For more information, please visit myViewBoard’s education portal.
Using videos in the digital classroom is a heavily researched topic that has demonstrated high benefits for many different types of students. With the relatively recent availability of free, high-quality video online, it also makes a perfect addition to blended learning environments. Students, parents, and teachers all agree on the effectiveness of using video as a teaching tool. And there are a number of ways to implement video-assisted learning. Continue reading to learn how to fully implement videos into your classroom, or checkout ViewSonic’s education solution for improving student outcomes!
The evidence is in: the digital classroom benefits students. 1:1 student-to-device ratios work. Tech-fostered collaboration works. Student response clickers work. Blended learning and flipped classrooms also both work. When teachers leverage technology, learning outcomes improve.
Whether to enhance a lesson or be the lesson, options are virtually endless. From virtual labs and games to digital textbooks and online curriculum, digital classrooms rely on video. For decades, research has revealed the benefits of using video in the classroom. With better tech, the use of digital video content has skyrocketed and multiple benefits abound.
Our lives are changing more rapidly than ever before. The first 20 years of the 20th century saw more technological advancement than in the entire 19th century. The prediction for the 21st century is even faster. In the 100 years of this century, we’ll experience the equivalent of 20,000 years of progress, at today’s rate.
Education is no exception. Classroom layouts, teaching methods, ideas about testing (and so much more) are transforming almost before our eyes. Amidst this rapid change is a sense of urgency. Educators are striving to transform learning environments to meet changing needs. Students must be prepared to compete and contribute in a global economy. Tech plays a crucial role, as districts scramble to create “the digital classroom of the future.”
Every year, Project Tomorrow conducts its Speak Up poll. It’s a survey of K-12 students, parents, and educators. In 2015, more than 90% of district administrators said instructional tech is important to achieving their core mission of educating students. Parents echoed this view. 84% said that school tech adds value to their child’s learning. 78% said the best way for their child to develop college, career and citizenship skills needed for success is the regular use of tech at school. (See the study here.)
Blended learning combines traditional classroom learning with self-paced online learning. Districts using blended learning are at the forefront of using digital content. These pioneers found blended learning to be so effective that they increased use from 42% to 61%. That’s a 45% increase in just one year.
Principals at blended learning schools agree digital content increases student engagement. 63% also believe it increases the relevancy and quality of the instructional materials. Among the teachers in these classrooms, 50% or more stated that because of digital learning, students are:
Students agree. Two-thirds of middle school students said that effective technology use increases their interest in what they’re learning. (See the study.)
Instructors have been using video to support learning for decades. But, video has usually been relegated to supplemental learning. In today’s digital classrooms, video is by no means a new thing. Research over this span of time has consistently shown the positive benefits of its use. Evidence-based findings indicate using video in the classroom:
Video’s power to inspire and engage goes beyond increased attention. It’s been shown to increase motivation and improve grades. Notable among these findings:
IN SOME CASES, VIDEO CAN BE AS GOOD AS AN INSTRUCTOR IN COMMUNICATING FACTS OR DEMONSTRATING PROCEDURES TO ASSIST IN MASTERY LEARNING WHERE A STUDENT CAN VIEW COMPLEX CLINICAL OR MECHANICAL PROCEDURES AS MANY TIMES AS THEY NEED TO.
In the digital classroom, video is new only in its improved quality and wider availability. The use of video in the digital classroom will continue to expand. As it does, insight into the benefits will undoubtedly likewise grow. At present we know that principals who’ve employed blended learning in their schools say that the use of digital content:
Video is becoming the go-to tool in digital classrooms. According to one survey, 94% of teachers used video the previous academic year. On average, they used it at least once per week. Is the DVD player-laden media cart a thing of the past? If not yet, it will be soon.
In the 2016 Speak Up survey, 68% of teachers said they used online videos in 2015 – compared to 48% in 2010. That’s a growth rate of more than 40% in just 5 years. The survey further revealed that over three-quarters of middle school students (78%) are themselves using online video for learning. Parents surveyed further supported digital video for learning. 64% said that watching online videos can help students learn by supporting different learning styles. Another 59% appreciated video for enabling students to watch repeatedly as needed. (Learn more here.)
Another study showed that 49% of blended classrooms use online curriculum.11 A growing phenomenon is the use of teacher-created videos. Doubling in use from 2013-2014, 20% of digital classroom instructors in the 2015 Speak Up survey were developing their own video content to support the curriculum.
Digital content is clearly making a major impact in K-12 education. In addition to the videos noted above, blended classrooms are using online textbooks (37%), animations (29%), and virtual labs (14%). Students may, in fact, be using video at least as often as their teachers. Savvy instructors recognize their students’ YouTube affinity and are tapping into it by assigning video projects instead of presentations.
Video is a must for flipped classrooms. First, students watch content at home. The source could be a teacher-created video, the Khan Academy, or other digital resources. Students then discuss the topic during class time. As noted by the Center for Digital Education in its Q1 2015 report on digital technology trends:
BY OFFERING LESSONS THAT WOULD HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN PRESENTED DURING CLASS TIME AND THEN MAKING THOSE VIDEOS AVAILABLE ONLINE, STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO ACCESS LESSONS ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. THIS ALLOWS STUDENTS TO LEARN AT THEIR OWN PACE AND ON THEIR OWN TIME. BY USING VIDEO, EDUCATORS CAN OFTEN COVER MORE SUBJECT MATTER AND MOVE THROUGH TOPICS QUICKLY AS THEY DO NOT HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING. ADDITIONALLY, IT EMPOWERS STUDENTS TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR OWN LEARNING — THEY CAN SPEED UP, SLOW DOWN OR RE-WATCH EACH LESSON AS NEEDED. STUDENTS CAN ALSO USE VIDEO IN A FLIPPED CLASSROOM MODEL TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY ON GROUP PROJECTS DURING CLASS TIME.
Research strongly suggests that flipped classrooms are positive for instructors and students alike. As a result:
Data and teacher experience are far from the only drivers of video in education. Student experience is a key factor in the explosion of video in the classroom. Today’s school-age children have never known a world without video. Among children age 8 or younger, 21% use smartphones. Around three-quarters of teens own smartphones. A quarter of these say they’re “constantly connected” to the Internet. 91% of US teens watch Youtube, compared to just 55% that use Snapchat and 61% that use Facebook.
Since video is a constant in students’ personal lives, it’s natural for them to want to use it for school. Here’s how students are using video to support their education:
Effective video-based learning requires the ability to see and hear content clearly. Classroom technology must have adequate audio and quality image display. Chromebooks and tablets are designed for use with headphones or near the user.
These student devices can be counted on to deliver sufficient audio quality. The audio provided by classroom displays, however, can fall short. To engage a roomful of students, large-screen displays need top-quality audio.
Projectors and interactive displays are often evaluated solely by their image display abilities. Unfortunately, many manufacturers treat audio as an afterthought. Projectors may lack audio altogether. Those that do often deliver sub-optimal audio quality that’s difficult to hear throughout a classroom. Look for projectors designed with both audio and image resolution in mind.
Education projectors are known for reliable, outstanding image quality. They also incorporate robust audio capabilities to support the range of multimedia applications. When shopping for a projector, consider brightness, lamp life, laser, and short-throw options. Laser projectors are a great budget-minded approach, as they have longer-life capabilities compared to lamp-based projectors.
If you’re interested in an HD projector for education, consider short throw or ultra-short throw options. These projectors work best in smaller classrooms, by being closer to the screen. Short throws provide the added benefit of preventing any blinding lights from distracting the presenter. They also prevent any distracting shadows or finger puppets from being cast onto the screen.
Interactive projectors with SonicExpert™ technology are designed for higher volume and enhanced sound quality. These compact speakers are powerful enough to fill classrooms with clearly audible, wall-to-wall sound. SonicExpert™ projectors deliver higher volume, advanced sound clarity and full-range sound thanks to multiple design features, including:
Interactive displays are another option, as they easily allow for annotation, screen recording and watching videos from websites like YouTube. Adding additional speakers for loud, amped-up sound is easy via the SPDIF audio-out port.
ViewSonic ViewBoard interactive displays are an all-in-one solution. ViewBoard IFPs come equipped with an embedded processor, web browser and dual integrated speakers. This empowers students and instructors to seamlessly integrate video, apps, and web-based content. They can then write directly on top of the content and save it to share or refer to. Powerful dual speakers deliver stereo sound for an immersive multimedia experience.
Video has been an important teaching tool with a proven track record for enhancing learning. Today we are at the forefront of an even greater reliance on video in the classroom. Both teachers and students are creatively leveraging video for learning. The use of video will continue to rise for the foreseeable future. Greater availability of tech and faster internet connectivity are key factors in this growth.
Increasing evidence about the benefits of blended learning benefits will further continue to promote the use of video. As schools equip themselves to support multimedia learning, the careful evaluation of hardware audio in tandem with image quality will enable students to most fully benefit from this transformative trend.
Using videos in the digital classroom has many different benefits and can be adapted for a variety of different learning objectives. Not to mention, research continues to provide more insights on how we can better utilize video in the digital classroom.
If you’d like to learn more about using videos to engage your students and provide them the best learning environment possible, check out how ViewSonic is creating engaging learning spaces or read our article on 5 interactive presentation ideas that will engage your students.
While a backlit RGB gaming monitor is primarily a cosmetic effect, it can also have an effect on the gaming experience in unexpected ways. From improving contrast to reducing eye strain, the RGB LEDs on the back of gaming monitors have a practical function.Find out more about how form meets functions in RGB gaming monitors, or take a look at the Elite Gaming series.
Thinking of upgrading to an RGB Monitor? A monitor occupies a prominent position on any gaming setup. So why keep it so dull compared to other modern components? In fact, choosing an RGB Monitor over a traditional one is a significant improvement in both function and aesthetics.
The market is in love with RGB LED Monitors, but one can argue that some of the applications of these RGB lighting systems are questionable (to say the least). It might strike you as a surprise at first, but an RGB Monitor is one of the few peripherals where RGB lighting actually makes sense.
For one, would you like to automatically see an enhancement in terms of picture quality without going through the hassle of configuring all the monitor settings? If so, follow along as we explore that, and much more on the topic of RGB Monitors and understand if it is something you need to add to your gaming setup.
To put it simply, an RGB Monitor is a computer screen equipped with a lighting system that illuminates the backside of the monitor – usually against a wall – and has the ability to display any RGB color of your liking.
This trend is slowly picking up momentum inside the gaming community. The logic behind this application has been proven to work from years of DIY projects as well as some commercial TVs. Any innovation moving the computer monitor space forward is very welcome because compared to other devices and even different types of displays; it hasn’t enjoyed the same explosive curve of evolution. However, it is impossible to deny how elegantly curved monitors like the ELITE XG350R-C look and how smooth games run on the ELITE XG240R with 144Hz.
The RGB lights are everywhere on a desktop computer if you have been shopping in the last few years. From obvious choices such as chassis to more obscure inventions in the likes of mousepads and gaming chairs capable of full-blown RGB light spectacles.
Imagine yourself sitting on a comfortable racing chair ready to start playing your heart out at your favorite game. Notice how the only light available is the one coming from the computer screen, flashing in all kinds of colors and directly penetrating your retina. One of the beautiful things about Nature is its clear bias for balance, and if you keep the image of this room in your mind for one more second, it should be pretty clear that something is horrendously out of balance. Now, what if RGB LEDs are shining being the screen reducing the brightness disparity between the monitor and everything else?
You can feel your eyes much more at ease with this new lighting arrangement while your viewing experience also improves. Although you are not yet sure why that happened, the blacks seem deeper, stronger. Everything looks terrific until you suddenly realize RGB LEDs are very limited on what they can offer because they are either they are all on or all off. So, is it possible to make the RGB LEDs just a little bit smarter?
RGB LEDs are a common solution found in most DIY bias lighting projects. They work, they are affordable, but they are dumb. However, there is a much better way of doing it utilizing ARGB, short for Addressable RGB.
As this is one of the critical differences between a gimmick and an effective ambient RGB lighting, it is important to understand how RGB and ARGB LEDs work.
For starters, an RGB LED is a package housing a Red, a Green, and a Blue LED. Each one of the smaller LEDs inside the package is powered independently. Theoretically, it is possible to create all the colors on the visible spectrum. They are limited because the whole array of LEDs can only display one color at a time and use the same effect because there is only one IC controlling the array.
ARGB LEDs are slightly more expensive and complex. In this case, each LED can be individually controlled, allowing for all kinds of color combinations and virtually unlimited lighting effects. That is the only way to enjoy some of the benefits of having an RGB Monitor in the first place.
Item number two on the list of 5 quick steps you can take to protect your eyes against eye strain is related to proper lighting in the room. The soft light from an RGB Monitor is incredibly effective in providing a pleasant indirect light while avoiding glare and reflections resulting in less eyestrain during long hours of computer usage.
There are two classical types of photoreceptors in the human eye, known as the rods and the cones, which functions include sending signals to the muscles in the iris. Depending on the signal, the iris expands or constricts, reducing or increasing the size of the pupils to regulate the amount of light that reaches the retina. To understand the benefits of a well-thought-out RGB Monitor is critical to note that the rods are very sensitive to light and thus are used under low light conditions whereas the cones are used under high light conditions.
When you are staring at a rectangle that is the only light source in the room, emitting amounts of light that vary every split second, your eyes are hard at work for long periods, and that is one of the reasons for fatigue and eye strain. The ambient display backlighting you get from an RGB Monitor is a fantastic way of maintaining a more consistent level of light around the room to help your eyes.
Would not all that additional light result in a worst perceived image quality? On the contrary, blacks on the screen in contrast to a dark background wall look washed-out compared to blacks on a lighter background. Rich, deep blacks are just mesmerizing to look at on computer screens and smartphone displays. Multiple optical illusions play tricks in our minds by completely altering the color of a given object only by changing the color of the background.
A bonus effect caused by the soft light aura visible around an RGB Monitor is that it makes the screen look bigger without the steep price difference, nor the decrease in pixel density.
The number of headaches you avoided by using an RGB Monitor to reduce your eye strain, might be equal to the number of headaches you’ll have to endure if you go for RGB LEDs everywhere on your gaming setup. Ideally, you want to synchronize or combine them in a way, and ELITE RGB Alliance Software is an easy way to do that with integration between ViewSonic and other manufacturers like CoolerMaster, Razer, and Thermaltake that boast some of the most widely adaptable customizable RGB lighting systems in the gaming community.
Even the installation is super easy, and the first step is to connect a USB cable (provided) between the computer and the monitor. Next, use the OSD control button on the screen to navigate to the Setup Mode and turn on the option “ELITE RGB.” From here on out, depending on what RGB components you fancy, you’ll be using one of the partners’ software: MasterPlus+, Chroma, or TT RGB Plus. These are powerful RGB lighting ecosystems where the list of compatible devices grows regularly.
This alliance will push the limits of your imagination on how much it’s possible to accomplish with an RGB Monitor. You can go for basic options where all the RGB-enabled components follow a particular effect and color scheme or expand the functionality by tying the lighting color to specific computer status metrics such as temperature or usage. Gaming-wise, a popular option is having the RGB Monitor lighting following the colors on the screen or display game-related alerts such as health or available ammunition.
On a handful of online reviews, users mention that bias lighting, in general, can be distracting at times. This should only be the case if you go absolutely crazy on lighting effects and fail to establish any connection to what you see on the screen. However, reviewers that are more conscious reiterate the benefits of the technology explained above and cannot imagine going back to a traditional monitor after trying an RGB Monitor.
Ambient lighting cannot be overlooked if you are trying to improve your viewing experience on a computer screen or even on a TV. However, the price impact of third-party solutions is significantly higher when compared to native RGB Monitors like the ViewSonic ELITE XG240R and the ViewSonic ELITE XG350R-C.
Taking everything we have talked about thus far into consideration, there are only a few questions we have left to answer. When it comes down to it, here’s the simple truth about RGB ecosystems:
Are they necessary? No, not at all.
But are they cool? YES.
Can they be a great addition to your gaming atmosphere? Absolutely!
Seeing a PC set-up (especially a custom-built one) with an RGB ecosystem in full display is immediately impressive. It is a way to showcase your pride in the work you’ve put into your PC.
In addition, as we have learned today, an RGB ecosystem really is not difficult to acquire.
The fact of the matter is, you can take your PC from just “functional” to “functional AND beautiful” with ease!
So if you’re looking to show off your pride in your PC, or even if you solely want to create a beautiful external custom display, then an RGB ecosystem seems right for you!
Learn more about ELITE gaming monitors here.
Colors vary in many different ways, in terms of hue, saturation, brightness, and gloss. What we perceive as ocean blue, mustard yellow, or Bordeaux red is caused by how light is reflected to our eyes. However, each of us sees colors differently. The same dress can be seen as black and blue by one person and white and gold by another.
This is the same for how different screens show and reproduce color. Most displays are limited in the colors that they can produce, each device will also follow one or more color standards that define its specific color gamut. Though there are a surprising number of different color gamuts available, there is probably one that best suits your needs.
So what exactly is a color gamut, and which one do you need on your monitor? Find out in our article below. Or learn more about ViewSonic’s color-accurate solutions for creative work here.
The color gamut describes a range of colors within the spectrum of colors, or a color space, that can be reproduced on an output device. Depending on how wide the gamut is, every screen will display different quantities of color. For example, most monitors can produce 16.7 million colors, but some can achieve much more.
Consider what you primarily notice when you go shopping for a television or monitor. Sure, the physical size and width are important factors, but you may also pay close attention to the colors contained within the images presented. Dark blacks, vibrant reds, and greens, and so on. A striking, color-dominant spec video that reflects reality in ways previously unseen may make the difference between a browser and a shopper.
Be warned, it might be tempting to confuse color gamut with resolution. It’s understandable, given that color quality and overall quality may not seem just complementary, but interchangeable. With that in mind, the aforementioned representation of color and how it differs between products is directly influenced by color gamut, color coverage, and the many color standards.
A product’s color coverage indicates its ability to reproduce and communicate colors from its source. For the sake of understanding, consider the visual difference between a modern cinema projector, a previous-gen iPhone camera, and a TV from the 1990s. The way they depict colors couldn’t be more different, not only in terms of breadth and depth but also in how it creates the colors themselves. This is where color standards become a relevant part of this discussion.
Before we get there, however, first you must understand how color gamut is depicted on a technical level. Presented as a triangle on an XYZ axis, the Y refers to the maximum color luminance possible within the gamut, while the X and Z points indicate the complete range of chromaticity — a color’s hue and colorfulness. When all is said and done, the final result perfectly reflects a color gamut’s range of capabilities.
Oftentimes, especially in commercial applications, colors are generated via the mixture of other colors, rather than natively producing the color on its own. This is mostly due to cost-related factors. Consider for a moment that home printers typically only contain ink for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. All other colors you may see on your printed page are the result of a combination of those base colors.
Which frameworks set the standard for color production, regardless of whether it’s via printers, monitors, or cameras? The answer lies in color standards, which relate directly to the standardized color gamut. With that in mind, common color standards include sRGB, Adobe RGB, NTSC, EBU, and DCI-P3.
sRGB is the most commonly found color standard around. From cameras to monitors and televisions, it is guaranteed that you have encountered sRGB at some point in the past. That said, sRGB is popular for a reason. Its input and output experience very little lag time and/or discrepancies. These benefits lead sRGB to become as widespread as it currently is.
Adobe RGB is a color standard that was designed to compete with sRGB. When properly implemented, Adobe RGB is meant to offer a broader color gamut and to depict colors in a more realistic fashion. At the time of its introduction, and given its attention to vivid detail, Adobe RGB was a tad too ambitious and advanced for the technology for which it was meant to become the standard. As LCD monitors, as well as photography technology, have advanced, Adobe RGB has seen increased levels of use.
In a break from the popular options, the Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers opted to introduce its DCI-P3 color standard. With an emphasis on digital video capture and projection, DCI-P3 opts for a color gamut that is nearly 25% wider than its sRGB counterpart. Given its organizational roots, the DCI-P3 color standard is compatible with all digital projectors on the cinematic level. On the consumer level, on the other hand, DCI-P3 can be found, notably, within iPhone rear cameras.
The National Television Standards Committee, or NTSC, created its color standard in the hope that it would become the standard for all newly produced televisions. Largely similar to Adobe RGB, the NTSC color standard differed slightly when it comes to the production of red and blue colors. Although it has yet to become the televisual standard, the NTSC color standard has found its niche in monitors meant for professional-level video and photographic editing.
Just as with the NTSC, the EBU, or the European Broadcasting Union, sought to implement its color standard. Traditionally, the EBU color standard has been focused on the photography, video editing, and graphic design fields. With the advent of wider color gamuts and ultra-high definition resolutions, including 4K, the EBU color standard began to be placed outside of its niche and into more common consumer-level products.
As was previously stated, the range of a color gamut is determined by its placement on the X and Z axes. Until recently, those data points didn’t change too widely, regardless of the color standard in use. This was primarily due to the technological limitations present at the time of their creation.
Today, with the presence of OLED technology, the limits on color gamut are no more, thus leading to the creation of wide color gamuts. Unlike their non-wide counterparts, which produce colors based on mixtures of others, wide gamuts are capable of producing pure, native colors.
The implications of this recent development are, frankly, astounding. From more accurate printing to the potential production of even the most difficult of colors, the sky’s the limit.
Find out how you can achieve more authentic colors with ViewSonic’s ColorPro creative monitors here.
Interactive flat panels consistently improve productivity in classrooms. From improved organization to gamification to direct automation, this tech is extremely useful in so many ways. And take a look at #5 to make assessment less of a chore.Read our full list of six ways interactive flat panels can improve your class’s productivity. Or learn more about ViewSonic’s interactive displays for classrooms here.
Would you say that your classroom productivity is high?
As time has gone on, our society has become more and more results-oriented.
We know, it’s tough.
Whether it’s in the classroom or in the workplace, sometimes it’s necessary for productivity to see a boost.
That’s where interactive flat panel displays come in. Thanks to the implementation of technology into the classroom, research has discovered that these tools boost productivity for teachers and students alike.
However, the simple presence of interactive flat panel displays does not automatically yield the results you may be looking for. Instead, proper use and planning are of paramount importance.
What that said, we’ve gone ahead and listed, in no particular order, 6 Productivity-Boosting Uses for Interactive Flat Panels in the Classroom.
If your aim is to boost productivity in the classroom whilst using interactive flat panels, look no further than their collaboration features. It’s been proven that when students work together, they learn together. That is to say that when students collaborate, they will likely grasp the subject matter at a faster pace. Therefore, if students are learning faster, then you can go through the curriculum at a more efficient clip, thus boosting overall productivity.
Interactive flat panel collaboration features function on two levels – classroom organization and student co-learning. In the case of the latter, these features include file-sharing, sharable annotations, and digital classroom forums, among others. Fair warning — When it comes down to it, these tools enable will enhance productivity when implemented in a productive manner. If done so without proper planning and training, then don’t expect the results you may be looking for.
In the theater, they say to never turn your back on the audience. The same goes for teaching. You might have the students completely engaged, but if you turn your back on them for even a moment, they might be lost to you. Between that and the time it takes to get back on track, turning your back is an incredibly inefficient in-class action. Unfortunately, for a long time, it was unavoidable. This was primarily due to the reality of whiteboards and chalkboards the world over – you have to turn your back to write on them.
Given the rise of interactive flat panels in the classroom, constant front-facing education has become possible! By controlling an interactive flat panel by way of a smaller screen present on your teaching podium, teachers will never again have to turn their backs on their classes. As a result, if all else goes well, your students’ attention will not be lost. For those teachers aiming to boost productivity in the classroom, this is definitely a factor to consider.
It may seem obvious, but not all students learn best in the same way. Some might excel when they ‘learn by doing’, while others might learn best when confronted with visuals and/or audio. For a long time, however, teachers were limited by classroom resources and a certain utilitarian philosophy – the greatest good for the greatest number. While that certainly allowed for streamlined lesson planning, classroom productivity was ultimately hindered since those students who were ill-suited to that single teaching method often fell behind.
That’s where interactive flat panels come in. In conjunction with proper use, resource limitations will become a thing of the past and, as a result, will boost classroom productivity. The integration of multimedia aids, whether it be video clips or illustrative images is seamless. This comes in contrast to the old days when the act of introducing a video took finding a TV, rewinding the VCR, and so on. When it comes down to it, the use of interactive flat panels to integrate multimedia aids will ensure that all students are accommodated, thereby eliminating the potential time wasted when spent catching students up.
Remember how not all students learn the same way? Bearing that in mind, it stands to reason that not all students absorb new content when communicated via a dry classroom lecture. Teachers who rely on this single teaching style often struggle with maintaining student engagement, particularly when students are on the younger side. This, inherently, can lead to a decline in classroom productivity. As a result, it’s easy to understand why gamification has become so popular in the education world.
Interactive flat panels, if nothing else, make the introduction of in-class games as simple as possible. With just a little preparation and click of a button, teachers can implement subject-relevant games, presented in front of the whole class, in order to promote student engagement and incentivization. A popular example of this is Jeopardy!, which is a game commonly used for pre-test review. In that regard, when students are engaged so they can excel at a game, teachers will find that classroom productivity spikes in turn.
When you were in school, teachers probably used to say that quizzes and tests were only there to help them gauge how well the class was understanding the material. Although this was indeed true, the fact remains that the introduction of a quiz or test never fails to induce a wave of groans. Now, consider for a moment the productivity that was lost, both on the part of the teachers and the students, by the creation, dissemination, reluctance, and completion of these examinations. What a waste.
With that in mind, what if the load could be lightened for all involved? Of course, exams will never be fully eliminated, but interactive flat panels can certainly make the experience more productive. Instead of preparing and copying a quiz, a common feature of IFPs involves the easy implementation of on-the-fly comprehension questions. By placing those at strategic points throughout the lesson, there should be no reason to create or pass out an analog quiz paper, thus boosting classroom efficiency.
As a teacher, consider the amount of time wasted, in every lesson, on mundane administrative tasks. From grading to assignment collection and attendance, these tasks sum up to a not-insignificant number of minutes that could otherwise be spent engaging in instruction. It’s a pity, yes, and a massive drain on classroom productivity, but it’s also a phenomenon that is easily resolved by the integration of an interactive flat panel into the classroom.
One of the greatest accomplishments of our technologically advanced era is that of automation. Now, machines and artificial intelligence can operate factories, take restaurant orders, and ship packages. The same takeover is being applied to education, where interactive flat panels are facilitating the automation of the aforementioned tedious administrative tasks. The time that was once wasted on grading and taking attendance can now be spent teaching. If you engage in these processes, you’ll find that your classroom’s productivity has been irrevocably improved, all thanks to interactive flat panels.
Interactive flat displays in the classroom enhance communication between teachers and students and encourage collaboration amongst classmates. By integrating technology into learning spaces, you are bringing a whole host of benefits to your students and their learning outcomes.
Read about how technology like interactive whiteboards can help increase student engagement in this article. Or learn more about ViewSonic ViewBoards for your classroom here.