4K resolution is the talk of every ProAV tradeshow and cinema symposium, having rapidly infiltrated the entertainment industry, from 4K DCI projectors powering IMAX and premium large format screens to 4K UHD televisions forming the centerpiece of luxury home theaters. And now it’s making its way into the live events arena, thanks to leading AV manufacturers’ 4K large venue projectors fueling visually spectacular rock shows, projection mappings, and more in stunning, ultra-high resolution.

Another exciting, new application for 4K content delivery that’s just starting to get attention is 4K collaboration. 4K imaging technology can enhance the versatility and image quality of corporate and academic presentations to unprecedented levels, everywhere from executive boardrooms to huddle spaces, from training departments to universities.

Creating the digital canvas with end-to-end 4K collaboration
Implementing 4K technology in meeting rooms goes far beyond just increasing the number of pixels on the main display to achieve a clearer picture. By integrating all 4K AV components, from projectors, to LCD displays, to wireless presentation systems, into a seamless 4K collaboration platform, companies can create a room-size digital canvas to present a kaleidoscope of meaningful content. Multiple sources – streaming video, web browsers, live social media feeds, big data and high-res graphics, PPT documents, and more – can be dynamically configured and presented in native resolution at the same time, enlivening discussions with visually interesting, relevant information to enhance learning or decision-making.

Gary Kayye, founder of rAVe Pubs refers to this concept as the “digital canvas,” touting the benefits of enhanced control over every type of presentation venue, from the corporate meeting room to the higher education classroom. In his keynote presentation at Almo E4 events this year, entitled “4K: No Myths, No Exaggerations – Just the Facts,” he describes how 4K is ushering in a sea change in the way we do things, providing the ability to fill the room with an image, resize the active image area based on audience size, image map elements to enhance continuity or remove obstructions, color-correct for any surface to display uniform images, and display much higher-quality images. And it’s surprisingly affordable, because all of these capabilities are built right into the latest 4K laser phosphor projectors.

Barco ClickShare fuels dynamic knowledge sharing
Barco’s ClickShare wireless presentation system is the flexible and easy-to-use content management tool that brings it all together on screen. Leveraging the built-in 4K capability in the original ClickShare CSC-1 model, up to four presenters can display their content in crystal clear, native resolution on the main display at the same time. This creates the capability for second screen environments with multiple apps running, where you can watch a live video stream while tweeting, or view a complex 3D diagram while engaged in a video conference. The result: a diverse canvas of dynamic content that enriches discussions with information and ideas to drive a higher level of knowledge sharing.

Empowering the next generation today
So with all of this game-changing technology now available to enhance collaboration in the corporate and higher education space, it’s up to our industry to get the word out to customers. Many are still plugging along with older, hard-wired meeting room systems, totally unaware of the wonders of 4K projection and wireless presentation systems that can make collaboration richer, easier and more cost-effective. Because they don’t even know to ask for these solutions, ProAV consultants, integrators, distributors and the like, need to educate the market and show how these new technologies can help them vastly improve their collaboration experiences. After all, the upcoming generation is already steeped in real-time multimedia on a daily basis and will naturally expect the same level of sophistication as they take over our enterprises in the future.

Learn more at Gary Kayye’s presentation on 4K, part of the IST-01 Future Trends session on Emerging Technology, on June 7 at 8:00 am (separate registration/fee required).

See us at InfoComm!
Please join us as we showcase all the ways Barco can help you drive collaboration to a higher level with a wide array of high performance, easy-to-use solutions. Visit us at Booth #C8720 at InfoComm, June 8-10 in Las Vegas!