The audiovisual system in 203 Mrak is shot.

That should come as no surprise to anyone who’s been in there in recent years — and there are plenty of you, given the fact that 203 is one of the most heavily used conference rooms on campus, not only by the administrative and academic units in Mrak Hall, but many other campus units, too.

Perhaps during a meeting in 203 you’ve seen a PowerPoint or an analog video — and you remember how, when someone pushed a button, the lights went down, the curtains closed and the projector came down from the ceiling on a big platform. After that, you could watch analog video.

Pretty cool stuff when it was installed almost 20 years ago. Not so today, considering a few “little” problems:

• The world has gone digital and high-def.
• The projector platform comes down — but it will not go up. So, campus techs have bolted it into the down position.
• Having the projector in position is one thing, getting it to “communicate” with the laptop on the podium is another. How many times have you seen two or three tech-savvy people trying to get the system to work, to no avail?

Today, most people bring their own laptops and projectors.

A 21st-century research university deserves, well, a 21st-century system. And we’re getting one, in work that is scheduled from July 30 to Aug. 31.

The projector platform will go away. Instead, the university is going with a digital video wall — today’s preferred technology in a room like this where the chancellor or other campus leaders may be called upon to engage in a videoconference, say, in an emergency situation.

The room also will be outfitted with cameras and microphones, to capture images and sound for the UC Davis end of a videoconference.

The project cost is about $200,000, including electronics and minimal restoration:

• Paint and some new carpeting (the gold border will be replaced).
• Remove the projector platform and restore the ceiling.
• New curtains — but they won’t open and close automatically. Instead, automatic blackout shades will be installed.
• The conference table’s surface will be refinished, and a touchscreen control panel will be embedded into the table, so someone can operate the room’s electronics without going to the podium. The moderator also will be able to plug in a laptop at the table, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• A new podium, adjustable up and down.
• New paint and carpet in the entryway and 204 Mrak, the smaller conference room next door.

Academic Technology Services, part of Information and Educational Technology, will install the electronics. (The campus considered a UC-preferred vendor, but ATS can do the work at a lower price.)

Building Maintenance Services (Facilities Management) will handle the rest of the project: painting, ceiling and carpet work, shade and curtain installation, and the other elements.

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