SamanthaD

We use TurningPoint - dedicated handheld voting devices or I believe you can use your mobile device as well....

We always used to use the Voice Recorder app on an iPod touch. Simple enough and the quality was pretty good, though we usually had to top and tail the files for them.

The SY kit is good - HDBaseT and not too fussy about cables. Small but does get a little warm! (Just noticed that's what DalekSec has linked to above!) But as a norm we use Extron DTP kit - it does need shielded Cat6 though. Audio de-embedding - to what level do you want it extracted to? 2ch? 2.1? 5.1? 7.1?

Guessing you use exam logins? Just put the files onto the desktop of the accounts that need them?

Or use a touchscreen with on screen keyboard?

We use TopTec a lot. Not used that lectern in particular but have only good things to say about Explorers and Rubis, plus we have some Contours, Geminis and recently Juno units installed. Bottom line is yes they're a bit more pricey, but they last. Really well. If the monitor is always going to be visible (Endo arm?) then why shouldn't the mouse and keyboard be there to?

We have the Vision in one of our rooms - very basic and not great quality. The WA210 does look good though - like the USB slot on the side, very sleek. Might not be too good in a kitchen though!

If you can turn the assembly by hand, get it started on one side then rotate it to pull the belt on - sort of what a tyre fitter does with a tyre?

This is one of those occasions where asking permission is much better than forgiveness. If you can find a contact at the council you can have a quick 5 minute chat with might pay dividends??

CCTV in all PC suites. Had it in my last school, I can count the amount of vandalised kit on one hand over the 2 year period I was there.

I'm in the process of modifying my Viano. Currently ripped the rear seats out and fitted a double bed, along with LED lighting, USB sockets everywhere for charging purposes, swivel seats and a leisure battery system. Split charge is next.... (Does a DIY camper conversion count? :-) )

Kramer VP-242 looks like it would do the job - includes a switcher for 2 sources if you want to connect a laptop up! Available on CPC here

For 65" we use the Samsung DM65E-BC, don't think it does the freeze but everything else should be good. Anything larger than that it's either Ilyama or Surface Hubs.

Managed to get 12 bottles of Irn Bru in glass bottles! It does taste different.... Already drunk 4 - might save the other 8 now and see what they're worth!

You're putting a big, heavy lump above kids heads, in a place where it has huge potential to get knocked, and you want to save money on the mounting hardware? Go cheap at your peril. Not just for having to go up a scaffold to re-adjust it, but for peace of mind that it won't fall on anyone's head.

Depends on your setup. I always use Qlab (Mac) for audio playback. You could use this for your projection as well, and the latest version also spits out DMX so could run your lighting too. However unless you're doing a very long run of the same show I'd not bother with that... I use Chamsys lighting software - a DMX dongle costs around £70. Once you've got the hang of it it's very easy to program and use. Lots of YouTube tutorials and very powerful, the software is free and is the same across all their consoles, so you can patch and program a lot of the show on a laptop before you even get in the room (it includes a free basic visualiser) then hire a console for the show if you wanted a real desk. Following on from that, I would either use Chamsys MagicHD or Powerpoint for projection. PPT for simple one off shows, or for a decent length run I'd have MagicHD running as a media server, then connected to the lighting desk via ArtNet. Very powerful way of doing things, means you can put projection onto the same cue stack as your lighting. Always have at least 2 people running the show, if nothing else if something breaks one of you can run and fix it while the other one manages both desks. I used to use older pupils to operate the desks once the cue lists were built, leaving me free to problem solve on the fly...

Worked with him during a Panto in Swindon. Top bloke who was the same guy off screen as he was on, funny without being crude (naked jungle excepted perhaps...) and just a top genuine entertainer. Panto will never be the same without a few "Weyhey"s along the way. RIP.

https://www.howtogeek.com/297721/how-to-create-and-use-symbolic-links-aka-symlinks-on-a-mac/

Hi, You need to search for a HDMI distribution amplifier, not a splitter. We use a variety of Kramer and Extron DA's, however they come in at just under £200 a pop. I wouldn't want to recommend a cheaper product - trial and error! If you held a gun to my head the ProSignal stuff on CPC isn't bad, if it were my money I'd give a couple of those a go first to see how well they did. Just thought - you mention you're powering the splitters you have from USB - but the PSU in the photos you've linked say 5v @ 2A. Is your USB bus spitting out enough juice? I'd try mains PSU's first before splashing any cash at all....

Depending on hardware - if your PC has VGA and HDMI I would use VGA for local monitor, HDMI for screen. This should remedy the issue without too many headaches. What HDMI splitters are you using? Decent ones should split the video AND audio, not just direct the audio in one direction. The PC will see the splitter as the device, not the end display. Alternatively try swapping the HDMI ports on your splitter, so if local monitor is on 1 and screen on 2, swap them so screen on 1 and local monitor on 2. Maybe a priority thing on the splitter. If all else fails put external speakers in. Chances are they'll sound nicer than the inbuilt ones anyway!

Sounds like you want to keep everything in the same place but physically move files across 2 drives? If so have a look at symbolic links - this way you can have your Documents folder on the non SSD drive while maintaining the file structure you're used to.

Doesn't Skype for Business need an app to be downloaded?

GoToMeeting?

If you're using wireless microphones then I would suggest you need a decent mixing desk if you want to improve! Lots of companies that will gladly bid for your business, CPS have traditionally done a lot of school installs (especially their sister company Stagecraft), based in Christchurch so localish? Not sure where the mountains of madness are, Google doesn't help! If you want more a drama based install they might be worth a look. Other than that we use GV Multimedia for a lot of our installs, more general AV classroom based. Nationwide support, and you get what you pay for.

If you want a bootable USB creating give me a shout - looks like we're neighbours!