Lucky School Wins 3D AVRover Outfitted for 3D Learning from BenQ and Texas Instruments DLP®
At this year’s TCEA Conference we met so many passionate and thoughtful educators hailing from all areas of Texas and had the privilege of showing them all of our products. One product that drew a great deal of attention was our 3D BenQ AVRover, which contains all the needed pieces for immersive 3D teaching. Though the 3D BenQ AVRover was unveiled for the first time at Infocomm in June of 2009, this February at TCEA, we did something with it that we hadn’t done before. We gave it away!
In partnership with Texas Instruments DLP and BenQ, attendees of the conference who saw the 3D AVRover at the Texas Instruments booth registered to win a fully loaded 3D AVRover! Attendees experience first-hand everything the 3D Rover has to offer and then enter for a chance to have their very own 3D AVRover sent to their school. Hundreds of attendees entered the drawing, that took place on the last day of the conference, many were intent on winning, but there could only be one winner.
The lucky entry was from Melinda Yoakum, a Tech Applications teacher with Chisholm Trail Middle School in Rhome, Texas. Melinda has been an educator for over 22 years, having spent 20 of those years teaching Science and 2 of those years teaching Tech Applications. A graduate of Abilene Christian University, she has been with Northwest ISD since 2001. “We are so excited about the 3-D Classroom equipment coming to our campus!” she stated.
Melinda engages her students with innovative and interesting projects which include: creating podcasts and Power Point films, while teaching them the ins and outs of the computer programs that have become part of daily life for many of us, like Microsoft Word, Power Point and Excel. We are excited to see how she will use her 3D AVRover Classroom system.
Melinda Yoakum-Tech Apps Educator
Chisholm Trail Middle School
A fully equipped 3D BenQ AVRover Classroom system shipped to Chisholm Trail Middle School,which includes: a BenQ MP772ST DLP Projector (with Texas Instrument’s 3D Technology), a custom 3D Computer with 3D software, content, an AVRover Mixer Amplifier and 3-Speaker sound system, 24 pairs of 3D Active Glasses with DLP-Link Technology, AVRover System Console with 2 Locking Drawers, patented projector mount, 25 ft retractable power cord and convenient connectivity.
We would like to thank Texas Instruments DLP and BenQ for partnering with us in order to make this giveaway possible.
About AVRover
AVRover produces portable AV systems for the classroom. Products include portable interactive whiteboards, 3D systems and all of the accessories that help teachers at a reasonable cost. AVRover is changing the way educators and districts think about their technology investments.
AVRover and ONfinity now on GSA Advantage!
January 8, 2009 Sound Video Systems has been awarded a contract with GSA Federal Acquisition Service. The AVRover and ONfinity product lines are now available through this contract. You can find Sound Video Systems at www.gsaadvantage.gov by entering our Contract # (GS-03F-0039V) or searching for AVRover!
AVRover introduces the K9 Grant Program!
September 16, 2008 AVRover introduces the K9 Grant Program offering grants of up to $1,000 to K-12 schools for the purchase of the AVRover model SVS200 with ONfinity interactive system including Freeclass and Easiteach interactive lesson planning software. Click here for an application and instructions.
AVRover Puppy is introduced at Infocomm in Las Vegas!
June 18, 2008 The AVRover Puppy was introduced for the first time this week at Infocomm in Las Vegas to wonderful reviews. The unit is designed for "Table Top" use and measures only 11" x 17" x 7". This light weight unit includes a 2000 ANSI lumens XGA projector, robust sound system and an interactive whiteboard.
Like it's mobil counterpart the SVS 200, the Puppy plays nicely with all of you electronic devices. Easy connections are included for DVD's, iPod or other devices. Like our other models the Puppy includes the VGA and Sound cables of easy computer hook-up.
A major feature of the Puppy is it's ability to keep the conference table clean. All wires and connections are inside the unit, it is truly plug and play. For more information and to see a demo, contact Sound Video Systems at 800-724-0236.
AVRover/Onfinity/RM Easiteach - an Unbeatable Combination!
March 3, 2008 We have been exhibiting the AVRover Model SVS200 with the ONfinity CM2 Max and RM Easiteach interactive lesson software at dozens of educational technology shows for the past several months and the response has been OVERWHELMING! Our solution at about $3,600 is more powerful, more flexible, more secure, easiest to set up, easiest to use - and at about half of the cost of any other solution on the market - it is the best value for 21st Century Classroom Technology.
Interactive technology in the classroom can be achieved in many different ways (interactive whiteboard, annotation tablet, or our ONfinity wand/stylus), but there is no other complete, secure, fully functional portable solution on the market that matches our sound and video quality, or our ease of setup and use, and most importantly the fact that our system does not need to be recalibrated every time someone bumps the cart because we calibrate to the IMAGE, not to an additional device (interactive whiteboard) that is separate from the projection system.
A lot of fuss has been made about the short-throw projectors that are being sold along with the interactive whiteboards. Yes it's true that the teacher can better see the image (less shadowing) while standing in front of the board, but the teacher should not be standing in front of the board because THE STUDENTS NEED TO SEE THE IMAGE. Our wand allows the teacher to stand clear of the image allowing the class to actually see what is being taught.
Additional features of our system are:
- The ability to easily raise and lower the image (and the interactive wand is still in calibration with the image) with our patented adjustable projector mount.
- The ability to move the system (SVS 200 rolls easily) from room to room, set up in less than a minute since there is no additional device (whiteboard) to roll along and re-connect to the projector and computer.
- Since all of our components are securely mounted inside the system, there is never a need to worry about cables coming loose or theft of components.
- Our system utilizes a projection screen or blank wall, both of which are bigger and better viewing surfaces than a glossy whiteboard.
- In the future, when you decide that a new projector is needed, it will install easily on our universal mount and the interactive image which will most likely be wide-screen (16:9), will be fine. Purchasing a 4:3 interactive whiteboard today will become obsolete in a few years.
News from BETT
January 22, 2008 AVRover’s Founder, Michael Rodems, recently attended BETT, the international educational technology conference, in London, England. There were over 40,000 attendees from all over the world and exhibitors consisted of many we see here in North America. Educational technology in the UK uses interactive whiteboards just as North America does, but the market in the UK is more saturated and with more options which have driven the cost up. The whiteboard manufacturers are finding ways to improve revenues, capturing more sales by adding projectors and mounts to their product offering. Both of these items bring significantly more cost to the typical classroom, and revenue to the whiteboard manufacturers, but neither adds much value. Purchasing these costly solutions is putting too much of the investment into one technology. Meanwhile, other technologies have emerged that offer significantly more value for the investment. Some of these are in the form of cost effective, more flexible and more functional technologies (see ONfinity CM2 Max), while others are software and content related.
Back to Basics - What's in store for the North American Educational Market in the upcoming years The real tool that will reshape learning is the personal computer (PC), not the interactive whiteboard. The market has not utilized the PC as much as it could for teaching in North America. The PC, along with the data projector, brings unlimited access to teaching tools and content to the whole class. Since content also contains audio, a quality sound system completes the communication to the students. All other tools (software, document cameras, student response systems and distance learning components) connect to the basic system. Once the basic system is in place, interactivity and other functions can be added as budgets allow.
SVS Announces Aggressive AVRover/Onfinity Trade Show Schedule
November 14, 2007 Sound Video Systems announces their trade show schedule for the upcoming year. The AVRover line of portable AV systems will be displayed at over 25 shows over the next 12 months across the U.S. and Canada. Since announcing the Portable Interactive Whiteboard by Onfinity, activity at the AVRover booths has increased significantly. Educators are excited about the ability to have a whiteboard in their classrooms without the expense or vulnerability of a whiteboard hanging on a wall.
Sound Video Systems Announces Onfinity Relationship
November 1, 2007 Sound Video Systems announced new technology that will revolutionize the classroom. Image Touch technology (ITT) allows any surface to be used as an interactive whiteboard. Compatible with any software, the Onfinity CM2 Max installed in an AVRover supports any image size up to 12 feet and allows the flexibility of being able to quickly move from room to room. The Onfinity unit can also be used as a traveling portable system, permanently mounted or with a rear projection screen.
AVRover.com is up and running!
September 14, 2007 Sound Video Systems today launched their new AVRover.com website. The new site will be more user friendly with additional product and support information. The primary market for the AVRover is education. The site will support a Rep network that in turn supports AV Dealers throughout the United States and Canada who service the education market.
AVRover Brand Announced
May 21, 2007 Sound Video Systems selects AVRover as the brand name for their line of portable AV systems. The AVRover name will be used for advertising, trade shows labeling and other applications. Dogs of all shapes and sizes will be used to promote the line and each will be named Rover.