The Changing Mediums

Hewlett-Packard and Arizona University announced this week they have developed a paper thin, flexible, unbreakable display made of OLEDs. Wrap it, fold it, wrinkle it - the image does not distort! Amazing new medium for the new age. I can't wait till I get my first "flexscreen"! It is just another way that the developing technology is showing that all mediums are changing, both in practice and in theory, both in hardware and in software.

The Audio-Visual Integration and Installation industry can be summarized, for the most part, into a handful of categories: (1) Education/Classroom Technology, (2) Corporate Conference Room/Boardroom Technology, (3) Videoconferencing/Telepresence, (4) Digital Signage and (5) Large Venue Technology. Most of these categories have been around for 20-some years or longer - the ability to audioconference, videoconference, show a movie, review a spreadsheet, present a powerpoint, etc.

Most of these systems have a computer as the main source and typically one or two additional sources: DVD player, VHS deck (yes, really, still), BluRay, Videoconferencing Codec, etc. But the one trend I am beginning to notice more and more is how long will these multiple sources last?

We already have numerous ways to stream or download films, videos, etc from the internet: iTunes, NetFlix, Blockbuster Online... and now Google is talking about launching a video-rental site. On top of that, anyone with a camcorder (not to mention high-end production houses) can post their videos to YouTube, LinkedIn, their company websites, etc.

How much longer will the current technology formats last? When will it all change to being web-based? TV, video rentals, corporate communications - they can all now be run over the internet. Polycom, recognizing that in the future they will sell more software than hardware, has already begun marketing (and successfully selling) their PC-based software for videoconferencing over IP.

All I'm saying is that it's only a matter of time until we won't need the VCR, the DVD player, the Blu-Ray player or the videoconferencing codec in our systems. We'll simply need a Room PC and a laptop hook-up... and even that may be going quickly due to wireless! Who knows, by 2020, it may be that a conference room strictly consists of a 100% transparent glass OLED overlay that hangs on the wall and immediately comes to life when wirelessly connected to someone's blackberry. And from there, you will be able to review the P&L for the 2nd quarter, review the proposal for the new client, teach and train the staff on the use of the new CRM database, and do it all while in a multipoint videoconference to Malaysia, Japan, Canada and Brazil. Pretty cool - and it's coming quick.