- BATTLE CREEK, MI-When the Lakeview School District of Battle Creek, MI makes a good call they stick with it. In 2005 following the completion of the new high school, Dale Bartow, technology services director for the Lakeview School District, researched an affordable digital-powered AV mixer to meet the expanded integration needs of the school's sophisticated new classrooms. ICI, a Saginaw-based AV integrator, recommended the Sony SRP-X500P. Following impressive demos that illustrated the unit's power, flexibility, and ease of operation, Lakeview purchased SRP-X500P's for each of the high schools' 50-plus classrooms.
At Lakeview High in Battle Creek, MI, students learn in technologically sophisticated classrooms that feature Sony SRP X500P digital-powered AV mixers.
In 2006, following the total renovation of Lakeview's original high school building to accommodate more than 1,500 middle school students, RFPs went out again to local systems integrators. Ken Kuespert, head of Niles, MI-based TPC Technologies included the SRP-X500P in his winning bid and in a model "Classroom of Tomorrow" designed as a proving ground for teachers to train and provide feedback regarding instructional technology.
"The fact that two independent systems integration firms both recommended the SRP-X500P underscores the value of the unit," Kuespert said. "The SRP X500P's will control DVD, CD, auxiliary VHS, document cameras, four Atlas ceiling speakers and Lightspeed infra-red wireless mics. We knew the high school was extremely happy with their Sony digital powered mixers, and there was great logic in keeping the technology uniform throughout the school system. Most of the middle school graduates will be attending Lakeview High and they'll be fully versed in the technology," he added.
Secant Technologies, a Kalamazoo-based consulting firm specializing in computer network and AV projects for regional school systems was contracted by Bartow to design the classroom AV suite for the new high school. Company principal Alex Ellingsen selected TPC Technologies to provide a full system install for the Lakeview Middle School. In addition to basic infrastructure, Cat-5 cabling, wiring, coordinating AMX web-based control, DSP routing, rackmounting, and setting custom front panel lockouts to enable each SRP X500P to be controlled by external computers, TPC also provided system training for Lakeview teachers.
Thanks to the success of the initial two projects, Ellingsen reports that Secant Technologies recently released a specification for 110 Sony SRP-X500Ps for the Harper Creek Community Schools, bringing the total count up to 160 units.Sony Electronics...www.sony.com/professional
