[Build] Sprucing up the classrooms

[Rubin Abdi]

An update.

Unfortunately still waiting to get paid, in turn much of this is on hold
until that happens.

I've put together an items list and budget on the AV overhaul...

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qejFd2i-m7vqtH7W8DB6hjXgj5ZCfCq0cY8KXVt8Q80/edit?usp=sharing

The general idea with these setups is to make it as easy and consistent
as possible for someone to walk into a classroom and throw images up to
the screen without looking for parts to make the thing go, while making
it as obnoxious as possibly for cables and gear to walk off and get lost
in other parts of Noisebridge.

I've decided that having a Chromecast and an AppleTV in the mix for each
projector will make it stupid easy for someone to open up their laptop
or phone and start a presentation for a class without ever needing to
figure out how to plug a cable into the system. The metal junction box
basically acts as an anchor point for all cables and to prevent the
AppleTV, Chromecast, and HDMI switcher to walk off. There'll be a combo
lock on the box, combination shared out to those who ask nicely and have
good reason to need to get into the box. Once the thing is locked up,
there really isn't a need to get in unless a cable goes bad.

Monoprice has some extremely affordable speakers (under $100 with amp)
that I think will work well for the Hackatorium, and the provided budget
mixer will be cable locked down to a angled podium or something above
the junction box. A pair of cheap mics and cables can be stored in the
junction box for usage when needed (and now you don't have to hunt down
shit to make 5 Minutes of Fame or Dorkbot go).

The projectors I've listed are as cheap as I could find them for the
throw distance, offer pretty good lamp life and lumens, and the one for
the Hackatorium can be pointed fairly close to the screen.

Anyhow, unsurprisingly it's a lot of money. about $1000 for each
classroom and $1600 for the Hackatorium. Some of this gear we'll be able
to find use on Ebay or cheaper elsewhere, and I'm sure there are
components and other things I'm forgetting, so consider these budgets as
ballpark but pretty close to end cost.

I personally think enabling teacher and presents to have a fairly easy
time to get into the space and have their class happen is extremely
important to making Noisebridge more of a functional space. And so I'm
willing to cover a little more than about half the costs here, which'll
either cover the classrooms or just the Hackatorium. I'm wondering if
there are other avenues available to get money thrown into this pot? I
have no idea if any money from the crowd funding campaign was budgeted
for this sort of stuff (actually doubtful as I'm pretty sure dealing
with electrical is going to be a lot). Are others interested in throwing
in some funds to make this happen?

thanks.

-- 
Rubin
rubin at starset.net

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