Business Info - issue 136

01732 759725 41 magazine BUYER’S GUIDE Interactive boards As with a traditional whiteboard, when it comes to choosing an interactive board the first thing to do is establish the optimum size for your needs. A good rule of thumb, according to TonyWhite, sales and marketing director at ViewSonic Europe, is the bigger the room, the larger the interactive flat panel (IFP) required. “In primary school classrooms with up to 20 people, a 55-inch screen will be ideal, but for lecture halls and boardrooms with up to 100 people, an 86-inch display is the way to go.Where the IFP is installed is crucial as well – users’ eye lines should always align with the middle of the display, with the display centred in the room,” he said. And it's not just size that counts. White says that to get the best results, buyers need to think about screen resolution and viewing angles. “A large panel with a low resolution will ultimately not have the desired effect. The most effective IFPs offer a 4K resolution combined with an anti-glare screen to ensure content is displayed crisply and clearly, regardless of viewing angles – meaning all users have the same high-quality experience.” Clear to see Wolfgang Haunschild, product marketing manager, NEC Display Solutions Europe GmbH, says it is also necessary to consider how close viewers will be to the screen. “For analytical viewing, where details must be easily readable for active participation, the viewer needs to be positioned at a distance which is 1-2 times the display width. The screen resolution will also have an impact here. For proximity viewing, where the user is up-close for touch interaction, UHD resolutions ensure detail and clarity for a pixel-free viewing experience,” he said. Haunschild adds that ambient light conditions in a room also affect how clear the screen is for viewers. “In brightly lit rooms with lots of windows, a brighter display will ensure the content remains clearly visible.Where sunlight is directly impacting the screen surface, it can affect the performance of the touch technology. NEC’s ShadowSense touch displays maintain accuracy even in brightly lit spaces.” User experience It's all well and good buying a top-of- the-range interactive board with a vast array of features, but if nobody can work out how to use it then it's a wasted investment. For Chris Wood, Business Unit Director – Visual Solutions, Sharp Business Systems UK, ease of use is of fundamental importance. “Simplicity of use is absolutely key,” he said. “A solution that demands specific drivers, software licensing and a manual as long as your arm simply doesn’t work for the modern business. People need to get connected, collaborate with their colleagues and get on with their day job quickly and painlessly. Things also need to work first time, every time without the pain of finding the right cables, remote control or special pen.” Haunschild of NEC adds that devices that work in a similar way to smartphones are more intuitive for users. “A more user-friendly touch experience can be gained with technology mirroring that of today’s smart devices with pinch and zoom functionality. Compatibility with finger and pen touch control plus palm erasing will also enhance the user experience,” he said. Ease of use extends to connectivity, as ViewSonic’s White explains. “In both corporate and educational environments, reducing installation and setup times ensures productivity is not hampered by the technology. The most effective IFP displays feature a wide suite of connectivity options – including HDMI and DisplayPort– and the ability to remotely access, display and share content on the display from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.” Room for growth Finally, Natalie Harris-Briggs, VP Marketing, Avocor, highlights the importance of considering future requirements, not just what you need right now. She recommends choosing a display that can be upgraded to maximise the return on investment. “For instance, you might not have an immediate requirement for video collaboration, but this may be something your business needs in the future. So, one of the key considerations should be to choose a platform that enables you to connect to third party tools and applications,” she said. In brightly lit rooms with lots of windows, a brighter display will ensure the content remains clearly visible