Planning Notes for Audio/Visual Services

About the Rooms

Starting on Tutorial Day (Thu, Feb 22) we have access to the Preston Trail (I/II/III), Bent Tree (I/II/II) and Addison rooms, split into seven classrooms. We do NOT have access to the Grand Ballroom or the Mesquite room. The classrooms each have built-in a 7' x 7' screen which the hotel rents to us, as well as a sound system (plug panel + speakers). These classrooms will act as open space rooms during the main conference and sprint rooms after that.

The Main Presentations Day (Fri-Sun) give us access to the Mesquite and Grand Ballroom. The Grand Ballroom is divided into two, each with a projector, screen and sound system. The systems are ganged together during keynotes, duplicating the content on both screens/sound systems. This gives us three large presentation rooms. Each such room gets:

• (1) lighted podium
• (1) podium microphone
• (1) wireless lavalier microphone
• (2) standing microphones, for audience questions
• (1) sound patch, for recording sessions and other audio fun.
• (1) screen (9' x 12' in ballrooms, what to use in Mesquite?)
• (1) projector

Requirements

• (7) classroom projectors
• (7) classroom built-in screens

Equipment List (hotel prices don't include 22% service charge)

• Power Strips (PyCon owns a large number of these)
• Extension Cords (PyCon owns a medium number of these)
• 26" Projection Card (hotel rental $20/day - PyCon owns a few)
• 8' x 8' Tripod Screen (hotel rental $40/day)
• 7' x 7' Tripod Screen (hotel rental $35/day) (built into some rooms)
• 9'x12' FastFold Screen per Half Ballroom (hotel rental $175/day)
• XGA High-Brightness Projector (hotel rental $575/day)
• XGA (1024x768) Projector (hotel rental $225/day)
• 20' vga cable
• House Sound Patch (hotel rental $25/room/day)
• Standing Podium w/Light (hotel rental ????)
• Wireless Lavalier Microphone (hotel rental $125/day)
• Standing Microphone (hotel rental $35/day)
• 4-Channel Monophonic Microphone Mixer (hotel rental $75/day)
• 12x2 Channel Stereophonic Microphone Mixer (hotel rental $75/day)

The local Python Users Group is providing two projectors.

Challenges/Questions

• The classrooms are space-limited and a challenge is to provide to the instructor a place to set up his laptop and yet reach the projector. The projectors sit on tables in the approximate middle of the room. Instructors last year asked for video extension cables so they could sit where they liked. Some instructors wanted a chair to sit in while driving their presentation.
• Each room gets a wireless microphone and 2 standing Microphone. (when the 2 rooms are combined into one, then it will have 2 wireless and 4 wired.) Plus a bunch of other mics left over from the panel discussions. There will be 8 full hight mic stands.
• Open space rooms get the 2 DFW Pythoneers projectors, plus the 2 left over from tutorial days
• sprinting rooms get the 2 DFW Pythoneers projectors.
• In the evenings we would like to be able to play DVDs in two of the rooms, for video night. What is necessary for this to happen? The only problem here is security of the equipment: as long as we know who will be responsible for making sure it doesn't get stolen, hook a dvd player (consumer or laptop) to the equipment and try not to wake up the whole hotel.
• We have 65 power strips and unknown number of extension cords that will be used as needed.
• 2 projectors "Donated by DFW Pythoneers", we have use of those for 2007 WITH ONE SPARE BULB

Questions for hotel:

• Critical special requirement: for Guido's lunchtime keynote (on Saturday, IIRC), we need to pipe the sound from the ballroom out to the hallway where people will be getting their lunch.

Steve@marriott says: "if we are the only group in the area, I will try to get the sound into the hallways." we are, and Steve seems competent, so if it can happen I am sure it will.

• One speaker has asked to hook the audio output of his laptop to the room system. What is necessary for this to happen? we have lots of inputs into the mixer. main problem: laptop in front, mixer in back. the speaker should try to bring the long (50-100') cables needed to plug into http://www.mackie.com/products/cfx12mkii - av guys will have some stuff too, but anyone who wants to plug in should only rely on the mixer being there, so figure it out and bring your own cables.

Documents (kept in MS formats to deliver to the Marriott)

• Attach:PyCon2006-EquipmentNotes.xls
• Attach:PyCon2006-PlanningNotes.doc

Marriott price list: Attach:2007_Quorum_AV_Prices.doc 2006 http://dfwpython.org/uploads/DfwPyConBid/PyCon-EquipmentFees.gif

Notes:

Floorplan: http://us.pycon.org/uploads//TX2007/HotelFloorPlan07.png

room specs:

• A-E 63x75' deep, seats 260 schoolroom
• F-J -same-
• A-J 127x75 seats 600
• Mesquite 64' seats 100
• Addison 28x38 seats 50
• Bent Tree I, II, III each: 19x29, seats 24 (combined: 28x57, 80)
• Preston Train I, II, III each: 22x28, seats 32 (combined: 28x66, 120)

source: Attach:CapacityChart.PDF

Equipment rental companies:

Todd Lochan tlochan@rentechsolutions.com gets a big "thank you".

• http://www.rentech-solutions.com 877-398-7368 *

$5,192

Sheri Newland is a close second.

• http://www.nmrevents.com 800.637.2496 Attach:python_software_ro0166158_meeting.pdf $8,975.00
• http://avwtelav.com 800.868.6886 Attach:Pycon_AV_D12482.DOC $12000 (bid less tax)
• http://www.avhq.com 214-210-8081 Attach:Python_Software_xDA012855.1.doc $14,529.00
• http://www.rentacomputer.com 800-736-8772 * Attach: RAC
• http://www.digitalone.com (not really local - last choice) Not a rental co AFAICT.
• http://pcrentals.com We do not carry the 1000 lumin projector or wireless microphones. I will forward your email to an AV company.

summary of needs and bids: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pIfz0wOzPtW1Xbu8BGu_FJA

If you want to buy your own, here are some good deals (good in early 2007 anyway.) PLC-XU48 LCD Projector (1024x768, 3000 Lumens, 450:1) $1,314.99

Epson PowerLite 76C LCD Projector # 2000 Lumens # 1024 X 768 XGA resolution # 500:1 contrast ratio $749.99

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