Specifications

May/June 2000 ExtroNews 11.2 9
were selected by the committee to carry on
after Imre. The INFOCOMM show schedule
back then cycled from Jan/Feb annually. The
change to the June show dates did not occur
until 1994. Being chosen to support the
Shoot-Out in September with the show
coming up in January meant we really had to
hustle to be ready. There was a myriad of
tasks to do including creation of new
software, design of the distribution system,
ordering of equipment, borrowing of
specialized equipment, and coordination
with ICIA on all entries and show plans. The
1992 INFOCOMM show, our first Shoot-Out,
was held in Washington, D.C.
Early Planning
Planning for the Shoot-Out starts about
eight to ten months prior to the show date.
The show venue is known and, initially, there
is a review of the site plan to see if the Shoot-
Out will be appropriately accommodated. At
least two trips to the site for detailed review
and planning with convention staff take
place during the months prior. Usually the
annual Shoot-Out Committee meeting takes
place at the coming show venue. This
facilitates an understanding of facility details
and issues among participating equipment
manufacturers. It also serves as an
opportunity for me to review details of the
Shoot-Outs unique requirements with all
affected convention staff. One of the primary
contacts made at that point is pursuit of a
relationship with the electrician staff. Details
of the convention center wiring are
reviewed, drawings obtained, and general
requirements of the event presented.
Back at Extron, the task of sourcing image
material begins. Many of the images used in
the show come from prominent stock photo
libraries. Others come from donated sources
such as Intergraph’s annual Golden Mouse
graphics competition, ARC Sciences, William
Munns, CAD designs submitted by members
of ICIA’s Design Consultants Council,
collages of scanned objects, and others.
Selection of graphics and photo images takes
several weeks. For each photo or graphic
selected to be in the Shoot-Out Software, I
personally review approximately 300 images.
Selecting imagery for the Shoot-Out requires
an eye for not only high technical quality, but
also an understanding of image attributes
that challenge video processing and
reproduction in display devices.
Two distinct sets of image files are created
for the Shoot-Out. The total collection of
images under consideration for the
INFOCOMM show is assembled first for
inclusion within the official software CD.
From this group of images (usually about 50),
I select the final twenty images that will be
used in the Shoot-Out’s rotating image
presentation. I call this group of images the
“show file.” Facilitating this production
process is Jim Taylor of JVC Technology. Jim
has assisted me annually in this activity since
1994. Once all the images for the CD are
selected, Jim makes all final adjustments to
aspect ratio, cropping, resolution labeling
(this must be manually added in the lower
corner of each one individually), and creation
for each of the eight different resolutions
used within the CD and the show files. In
addition, Ray Soneira of DisplayMate
Technologies provides test signal support. He
and I review the test signal needs of the
Shoot-Out annually and make changes that
challenge the displays.
Preliminary CDs with a collection of
probable images are mastered and sent to
participants about one month before the
show date. This provides an opportunity for
all manufacturers to test their products with
images likely to be used in the Shoot-Out.
The final software CD includes all
resolution groups used in the Shoot-Out plus
some bonuses. In recent years, bonuses have
included past show images, a collection of
“The Best of the Shoot-Out”, and image files
in widescreen formats. The widescreen
formats have fostered the ability of
manufacturers to see their products perform
with imagery specifically designed to show
off new widescreen technology.
Producing the Product
Putting the Shoot-Out together at show
time is yet another project. Prior to show
setup, all entry information is reviewed
several times, formatted for the Supplement
that each attendee may pick up at the show,
and coordinated with the floor plan. As all
entries are typically arranged within a given
group by specific criteria, the final
arrangement is in ascending order by price.
Entrants do not know their position in the
show until arrival for setup. All Shoot-Out
product entry information must be carefully
reviewed to make sure that no discrepancies
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TECHNICALLY SPEAKING...
Attendees comparing images at the Shoot-Out.