The Kramer SummitView system has become part of the fabric of Iowa’s Johnston School District, not only because of its intuitive classroom technology, but also for its customizable features that personalize the system. Colorful school logos are projected in classrooms, thanks to the SummitView system, and the purple and gold school colors flash vibrantly on each SummitView connected LCD projector.
According to Tony Sparks, director of technology for Johnston School District, the personal attention they received from the Kramer Electronics team was priceless. “The engineer showed up personally to demonstrate what the system could do,” Sparks said. “Kramer installed a test room to be sure everything was working properly before rolling it out to all the classrooms. They personalized the system with neat little things like our logo,” he noted.
In addition, Sparks was impressed with the parts and warranty program on the SummitView system. “Kramer offered a parts clause and provided us with two of everything, plus a seven-year warranty,” he said. “If a failure occurs, there is no down time waiting for parts.”
Seven of the eight schools in the district have SummitView systems, and Sparks says they plan to roll out more systems to the remaining classrooms in each of those schools next year. The systems were recommended and installed by professional audio/video specialists Midwest Computer Products, Inc. Sean Bolton, presentation product specialist at Midwest Computer Products, Inc., said that by demonstrating the flexibility of the SummitView system, Midwest Computer Products, Inc. was able to replace the district’s previous system and help with the migration to the digital classroom. “The SummitView system’s pre-set controls, its energy conservation features and the easy CAT5 wiring made it a great solution for the district,” Bolton commented.
The typical system in the Johnston School District includes an LCD projector, white board, DVD or VCR, document camera, laptop computer and audio speakers connected to the SummitView system – a simple product solution that includes a processor/switcher, and a variety of wall plates, room controllers, amplifiers, speakers, cables and enclosures. All of the SummitView equipment uses economical CAT 5 twisted pair cable for signal transmission. All of Johnston School District’s inputs on the switcher are clearly labeled for ease of use.
Sparks and Bolton acknowledged that the system has received excellent feedback from the technical staff and the faculty. Both groups were trained on the system’s features, and they feel comfortable using it. The intuitive design allows for simplified use of an integrated classroom. And, much to their delight, the little extras of life-sized school logos and flashing purple and gold draws students in to the classroom ready to learn!
