Open Forum

My museum is needing to update it's a/v equipment and interactive components, and I was curious what works best for other small museums?

We aren't a big museum, but we do have a number of (small and medium) interactive touchscreen displays and audio files that the public can engage with to enhance their overall experience when visiting.

I'd love to hear what computer systems/programs, video players, speakers, etc. work best for you and your organization? 

Thanks!

I'd be happy to chat about your A/V for the Heritage Center. I worked with the OKC National Memorial Museum planning their anniversary expansion, and many others. I'd also recommend speaking with Dustin Potter there at OKCNMM. He's been managing their tech from the beginning. Feel free to reach out to me directly using the contact info below. OKCNMM has a stronger budget than most museums, but I can offer advice on much more modest, cost-effective solutions. I am an independent consultant, not a salesperson.

My museum is needing to update it's a/v equipment and interactive components, and I was curious what works best for other small museums?

We aren't a big museum, but we do have a number of (small and medium) interactive touchscreen displays and audio files that the public can engage with to enhance their overall experience when visiting.

I'd love to hear what computer systems/programs, video players, speakers, etc. work best for you and your organization? 

Thanks!

My museum is needing to update it's a/v equipment and interactive components, and I was curious what works best for other small museums?

We aren't a big museum, but we do have a number of (small and medium) interactive touchscreen displays and audio files that the public can engage with to enhance their overall experience when visiting.

I'd love to hear what computer systems/programs, video players, speakers, etc. work best for you and your organization? 

Thanks!

My museum is needing to update it's a/v equipment and interactive components, and I was curious what works best for other small museums?

We aren't a big museum, but we do have a number of (small and medium) interactive touchscreen displays and audio files that the public can engage with to enhance their overall experience when visiting.

I'd love to hear what computer systems/programs, video players, speakers, etc. work best for you and your organization? 

Thanks!

Thanks Jim!

Yes, we are in the process of getting a full audit of what we have. The majority, minus an item here or there, are over 10 years old and contain a lot of refurbished parts. We plan to eventually renovate and do a complete overhaul of our content, but for now we are looking to update what we have so we're (hopefully) not constantly having to fix or replace parts in the equipment every couple of months. 

I agree with your label and text panel comment. Most of our a/v tech is used for visitors to scroll through oral histories or photographs and they do get used quite a bit.

We've discussed the iPad route briefly, but with how our touchscreens are installed, that would require us to replace the housings for the current equipment and some the housings are integrated into the exhibit itself. We do have one iPad with Kiosk Pro that we use for visitor surveys, so we are familiar with that.

My museum is needing to update it's a/v equipment and interactive components, and I was curious what works best for other small museums?

We aren't a big museum, but we do have a number of (small and medium) interactive touchscreen displays and audio files that the public can engage with to enhance their overall experience when visiting.

I'd love to hear what computer systems/programs, video players, speakers, etc. work best for you and your organization? 

Thanks!

Thanks Jim!

Yes, we are in the process of getting a full audit of what we have. The majority, minus an item here or there, are over 10 years old and contain a lot of refurbished parts. We plan to eventually renovate and do a complete overhaul of our content, but for now we are looking to update what we have so we're (hopefully) not constantly having to fix or replace parts in the equipment every couple of months. 

I agree with your label and text panel comment. Most of our a/v tech is used for visitors to scroll through oral histories or photographs and they do get used quite a bit.

We've discussed the iPad route briefly, but with how our touchscreens are installed, that would require us to replace the housings for the current equipment and some the housings are integrated into the exhibit itself. We do have one iPad with Kiosk Pro that we use for visitor surveys, so we are familiar with that.

My museum is needing to update it's a/v equipment and interactive components, and I was curious what works best for other small museums?

We aren't a big museum, but we do have a number of (small and medium) interactive touchscreen displays and audio files that the public can engage with to enhance their overall experience when visiting.

I'd love to hear what computer systems/programs, video players, speakers, etc. work best for you and your organization? 

Thanks!

Starting with an audit is key. You need to consider each exhibit individually without losing sight of the project as a whole. I hate to see anyone approach upgrades piecemeal, without a solid plan. Inevitably such projects stall without delivering significant value.

Just a few random thoughts to consider:

10-year-old PC-based applications can be hard to move forward to modern equipment. Sometimes it works just fine, sometimes it's not worth the effort. It will not make them look any newer and may make them look worse. I recommend testing before any big commitments.

Many old Windows applications are so simple "under the hood" that they can be rebuilt using modern tools quickly and easily, resulting in far superior upgrade for minimal cost. Any exhibits where the concept is simple and effective are great candidates for rebuilding. Sometimes all an exhibit needs is a visual refresh.

Brightsign players. These are ubiquitous because they are hard to beat, especially in small to mid-sized museums.

Touchscreens are generally easy. The biggest issue is fit, especially if the exhibit was originally not widescreen.

Networking, Cloud services, Media Asset Managers (MAMs). What seemed unreasonable and out-of-reach 10 years ago may be the best solution now. This is especially true for what is loosely called "Digital Signage." 

Smartphone-based content delivery. Again, not an option 10 years ago, but widespread and relatively inexpensive today.

Projection. Even with larger and larger monitor sizes, projection is back. They are still a niche solution, but they can turn a "monitor" into a "theater" if the content warrants it. 

Bluetooth beacons. Embedded touch points. Motion triggers. QR codes. 

And while you are at it, don't forget an accessibility evaluation. Open captioning, audio description, reworking interactives to improve visibility and ease operation, changing monitor mounting. These are all things that were rarely consider a decade ago.

Thanks Jim!

Yes, we are in the process of getting a full audit of what we have. The majority, minus an item here or there, are over 10 years old and contain a lot of refurbished parts. We plan to eventually renovate and do a complete overhaul of our content, but for now we are looking to update what we have so we're (hopefully) not constantly having to fix or replace parts in the equipment every couple of months. 

I agree with your label and text panel comment. Most of our a/v tech is used for visitors to scroll through oral histories or photographs and they do get used quite a bit.

We've discussed the iPad route briefly, but with how our touchscreens are installed, that would require us to replace the housings for the current equipment and some the housings are integrated into the exhibit itself. We do have one iPad with Kiosk Pro that we use for visitor surveys, so we are familiar with that.

My museum is needing to update it's a/v equipment and interactive components, and I was curious what works best for other small museums?

We aren't a big museum, but we do have a number of (small and medium) interactive touchscreen displays and audio files that the public can engage with to enhance their overall experience when visiting.

I'd love to hear what computer systems/programs, video players, speakers, etc. work best for you and your organization? 

Thanks!

My museum is needing to update it's a/v equipment and interactive components, and I was curious what works best for other small museums?

We aren't a big museum, but we do have a number of (small and medium) interactive touchscreen displays and audio files that the public can engage with to enhance their overall experience when visiting.

I'd love to hear what computer systems/programs, video players, speakers, etc. work best for you and your organization? 

Thanks!