Stewart Audio has announced a new web portal and the first in a series of webinars specifically designed for installed sound professionals.
The new web portal can be accessed here.
The inaugural webinar dates are Friday, May 20, 2011 at 10:30 AM PST and Friday June 10th at 10:30 AM PST. A link to register for the webinars can be accessed in the web portal.
One of the most notable aspects of registering with the Stewart Audio web portal is the fact that users will have access to detailed drawings of products and single line drawings of applications showing how to use the products.
All drawings are in ACAD and VISIO formats. Further, the drawings will be available as TIFF files to be inserted into documents, which consultants and designers present to clients, and PDF format for quick printing and presentation.
Stewart Audio has also compiled libraries of Visio and ACAD stencils which can be downloaded from the portal and used by consultants and designers to create their own drawings quickly.
Another tool that can be downloaded in Word format from the portal are Master Format 04 construction specifications. The construction specification is not like other manufacturer construction specifications.
This construction specification covers everything in an AV system – faceplates, cables, amplifier, display (monitor or projector and screen), speakers—even cables for connecting devices to the faceplates. The consultant is provided instructions in the margins for where to place specific part numbers or make required choices.
Once completed, the consultant and designer will have a complete system specification for most typical small to mid size AV systems such as classrooms, conference rooms, board rooms, and restaurants/bars.
Other resources on the portal include pricing information posted on product pages, calculators and spreadsheets used for designing AV systems, articles and archives of the webinars, and other resources that will help to further their education and make designing simpler.
Stewart Audio’s first webinar will be entitled How do I use this Box? Participants will learn how amplifiers can be used in specific applications and what to consider when selecting an amplifier.
At completion of the webinar, there will also be an introduction to the Stewart Audio web portal and a guided tour of the site and the available tools. Future webinar topics in the series will be announced in the coming months.
Eric J. Marshall, the webinar series host who serves as Stewart Audio’s consultant liaison and oversees both the new web portal and the company’s training initiatives, is a BICSI certified trainer and technician as well as a Registered Communication Distribution Designer (RCDD).
A former teacher, Mr. Marshall has been consulting, designing, and project managing AV installations since 2004. He has designed over 40 schools, many with converged infrastructures and systems.
Marshall commented on the new Stewart Audio web portal and its significance to the installed sound professional, “The portal will have resources designed to make the consultant’s job significantly easier.”
“The amount of time they will save by not having to create or adjust specs and drawings is significant. Further, the portal’s resources are much like having a coach to ensure areas in a system that may have been overlooked are properly addressed and how best to accomplish specific tasks.”
“Designing and implementing today’s AV systems can be a very challenging process,” said Sean O’Malley, President of Stewart Audio. “There are frequently a tremendous number of products from a variety of equipment manufacturers that, ultimately, must work together as a unified whole.”
“I envision our new portal and the webinar program becoming a ‘go-to’ destination for a wide range of project information. These new efforts further demonstrate Stewart Audio is a consultant friendly company providing the tools and products to streamline their projects.”