Exhibit Multimedia Blog by point2explore

Digital Cameras

I often get asked to recommend a digital camera for purchase. This makes me a bit uncomfortable since I have only used a handful of cameras my self over the past 7 or 8 years. However, I do have some strong general opinions on digital cameras which have helped people choose the best camera for their needs.

First, I LOVE digital cameras. I love the freedom they give the photographer to take as many shots as wanted without any cost of film. This feature alone allows for much more creativity and experimentation by photographers and in my opinion, MUCH more enjoyment.

I have three basic rules for purchasing a digital camera. First, buy the most Megapixels you can afford. Second, buy the biggest optical zoom you can afford. Third, buy a camera manufactured by a camera company, not a computer company.

Megapixels. Basically, the final quality of your photos depends on the number of megapixels within your camera. Imagine a grid, say a 5 square by 5 square grid. Imagine drawing a circle within the grid by filling in squares. The resulting circle would be very jagged looking. Now imagine a grid of 100 squares by 100 squares. Now you have the ability to create a circle that is much smoother than the previous circle. Every digital camera contains a grid that stores the image. The higher the megapixels, the bigger the grid, the better quality images produced.

Zoom. In my opinion, optical zoom is the only zoom. Optical zoom uses the lens to allow you to zoom into a subject and get a close up shot. Using optical zoom does not degrade the image at all (unless you understand the optics of a lens and consider distortion). Digital zoom, in my opinion, is simply a marketing ploy. Digital zoom simply stretches the image and reduces the number of pixels used for the image. Remember our 100 by 100 grid from above. Imagine a 100 by 100 pixel image with a small circle (25 by 25 pixels) in the center. Using digital zoom to make the 25 by 25 pixel circle larger would simply take the 25 by 25 pixel area and stretch it to the size of the 100 by 100 pixel area resulting in a bigger 25 by 25 pixel circle (not a 100 by 100 pixel circle).

Brand. I always recommend buying a digital camera manufactured by a camera company and not a computer (or even worse, a no name) company. Although there are computer components in the camera and it will be used with a computer, the experience that a camera company brings to its products can make a big difference. I believe that the most important considerations are the quality of the photo and the ease of use. The most important part of the camera, when considering image quality, is the lens. Camera companies have much more experience creating lenses and, I believe, offer better lens options. As far as ease of use, I like a camera that works like a camera and not like a computer. Camera companies draw on their design experience to create cameras that feel good in your hands, allow you to easily use the controls, and often offer options that others may not (like the ability to use an external flash).

So, for what it’s worth, that’s what I recommend. If you have opinions you would like to share, please click the “comments” link below and post them. We’d love to read them.

One last thing, since exhibit multimedia is so dependent on great images, we highly recommend the use of a good quality digital camera when acquiring images for your projects. Our point2explore games allow for customization of images and we always encourage our customers to use the best available equipment and personnel to get the best shots.

Chris Meyer, president
CD Meyer, Inc./point2explore
Visit http://point2explore.com

AAM 100 – American Association of Museums Conference

I attended the AAM Conference in Boston a couple of weeks ago. It was great to wander the exhibit floor and see people I haven’t seen since my last conference. I was mainly there to connect with exhibit designers, but I saw a few technology items that caught my eye.

Playmotion!, a company I hadn’t heard of, was showing interactive, projected image hardware.  I’ve seen technology like this, but had little luck in dealing with the company.  This company seems very interested in new development ideas.  I spoke with them about developing point2explore software that will work with their hardware. This could be a great partnership.

I also saw a very cool audio system where the speaker was actually a large floor panel that projected the sound upward.  They were promoting that their systems focused the sound well.  This system seemed to work well (better than the other systems they had at the show.  Unfortunately, their marketing efforts were not very good because I don’t remember who the company was, I can’t find them in the directory, and I don’t have any giveaway with their name on it.  I’ll find them just in case we get any inquiries.

On a side note: While in Boston, I met with the Museum of Science.  After my meeting I wandered through the museum with my daughter and went through their Star Wars exhibit.  It was a great exhibit for any Star Wars fans.  They had original costumes and models, a lot of informative video, a robotics show, and a real hover craft that my daughter drove.  The exhibit ended there on 4/30, but will be traveling, so look for it.  It’s well worth a trip.

Chris Meyer

President, CD Meyer/point2explore

Fingerprints, Dust, and Gummy Bears. Clean screens and kiosks!

Probably the most common question I get asked by our customers is “How do I clean the touch screen?”  I thought I’d share a few helpful hints for the general cleanliness of exhibit technology and kiosks.

Fingerprints:  First, touch screens are no fun unless they are touched.  But with today’s concerns for germs, keeping the screens clean is very important.  Touch screen displays are very easy to keep clean which is why most of our point2explore software is designed to use a touch screen and no trackball, mouse or keyboard. 

To clean the fingerprints (and whatever else) off of your touch screen, simply wipe down the screen with a damp, soft cloth.  If you need more than just water, you can use mild glass cleaners as long as they DO NOT CONTAIN AMMONIA.  Do not spray water or cleaners directly on the screens.  Spray on to a soft cloth and then gently rub the screen.  Clean screens will make for a more appealing exhibit.

Dust:  Probably the most damaging type of dirt for a computer/kiosk is dust.  Dust is drawn into a kiosk or computer because there are exhaust fans in them (and the air that is blown out typically is drawn in with dust in it).  It is very important to clean the dust regularly from the open areas of your computer or kiosk and especially from the fans.  What they say about rabbits goes for dust bunnies also.  They seem to multiply at a very fast rate.  Large accumulations of dust can cause fans to over heat and burn out.  Burnt out fans cause overheating.  Overheating causes dead computers.  I use a good, portable vacuum to collect the dust from all of the cracks, crevices, and fans.  You may want to also wipe down dust-coated areas with a damp cloth.

Gummy Bears?  Yes, I have found gummy bears in kiosks.  Generally, any opening that a child can find becomes a challenge to fill.  You probably will find a lot of strange things in your kiosks (or on them).  Regular cleaning will make your kiosks more user friendly and in turn, more effective.

If you have found any strange items in your kiosks or exhibits, please post a reply.   We’d love to hear about them.  As a side note, all of our point2explore software and hardware is shipped with complete care and maintenance documentation.

If you would like to post a comment, simply use the “Comment” link below (it probably has a number next to it showing the number of comments).  Don’t be shy; we would love to get some feedback.

If you would like information on our exhibit multimedia products visit http://point2explore.com.

Chris Meyer

point2explore

Welcome to the NEW point2explore blog!

As we continually try to add value to our point2explore product line (http://point2explore.com), and since we have not found a good blog with information specifically on exhibit multimedia, we now have entered the blogosphere.  This blog will be dedicated to offering information on exhibit technology for both museum exhibits and corporate exhibits.  We'll probably include hardware recommendations (i.e. touch screen displays, specialty interfaces, etc.), kiosk setup information, ADA compliancy information, and any other infomation we come across to share. 

We welcome your comments and questions.  In order for this blog to be most effective and helpful, we need interaction from people interested in our theme. We are approaching this effort as a service and a venue for discussion.  If you are having issues with your touch screen display, let us know.  If you are struggling with a software bug, let us know.  We hope that this blog will become a place for questions to be answered and problems to be solved.  We also hope that it remains informative and does not become a place to upload an excessively harsh comment on a product or service.  We will closely monitor the submissions to maintain civility and courtesy.

So please respond to our submissions and share this blog with others.  The more participation, the better. 

Chris Meyer, president, CD Meyer/point2explore

http://point2explore.com