Down here at the US sales office of a computer hardware manufacturer

Undertoad · 09-17-2014, 09:53 AM

I often think about this. I wish I could be as "true confessional" as the previous Down Here threads, but now it comes back to true confessions could hurt me. That's how it is in a kind of professional salaried situation, isn't it - if I lost my job or screwed things up at the tweaker's, who gives a shit? When the stakes are a higher, there's no call for confessing much of anything. And besides, I do like these people ok, even though there is some drama and personalities involved. Like there is in any situation involving people.

And besides, there's not as much of a story here - I guess - which is a good thing - I guess.

fargon · 09-17-2014, 12:14 PM

Moar Plz. I have an inquiring mind.

glatt · 09-17-2014, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

now it comes back to true confessions could hurt me. That's how it is in a kind of professional salaried situation, isn't it - if I lost my job or screwed things up at the tweaker's, who gives a shit?

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose."

Gravdigr · 09-17-2014, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

...there's not as much of a story here - I guess...

Well, damn, dude, if there's nothing happening, make sumpin up!

What? The media does it all the time.

xoxoxoBruce · 09-17-2014, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Down Here threads, but now it comes back to true confessions could hurt me.

Absolutely, and they don't have to even explain, hurt their feelings, tape a review to the cubicle, you're gone.

Quote:

I do like these people ok, even though there is some drama and personalities involved. Like there is in any situation involving people.

Any and every, it comes with the people, but at least you can get away from it at the end of the day.

Undertoad · 10-30-2014, 07:58 PM

There has been a flurry of support activity around our video wall product. I always love it when I find out the installations are interesting. Yesterday I worked on a wall that will be a part of the local news set of an ABC TV affiliate in Oregon. Today I worked on a wall that will be decor in the World Series of Poker.

Clodfobble · 10-31-2014, 06:51 AM

So what exactly is it that you do for the walls? I assume they come with some kind of controlling computer, they aren't just hooked up to whatever the folks have on site?

Undertoad · 10-31-2014, 07:28 AM

We make and sell these controlling computers, a unit the size of a small briefcase, and it splits a video signal up into multiple signals to create a wall. One source can be split into as many as 64 different sources, in case you wanted an 8 by 8 wall, or something huge like that.

But it's not always easy to see how the whole thing fits together. Also there are always issues that come about when people are trying to convert the signal from one type to another.

In the case of the TV station, they bought a box to convert their old standard def signal into an HDMI signal, and then they converted that to DVI to use our box. The gear that they used to do the first conversion didn't do it in a way that supported a digital signal that our box could interpret correctly.

In the case of the World Series, they had correctly built content that was a moving stripe, and couldn't figure out from our setup guide how to build a 3x1 horizontal wall to show the stripe.

Undertoad · 12-04-2014, 09:39 AM

This thing is driven by my company's technology

http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/25/7...n-times-square

lumberjim · 12-04-2014, 09:57 AM

TERRIFYING

Undertoad · 12-04-2014, 10:55 AM

It IS terrifying. They are claiming that it's dropping frames.

lumberjim · 12-04-2014, 02:27 PM

Blame Hardware, STAT!

monster · 12-04-2014, 07:18 PM

tell them to turn it off, unplug it, then turn it back on again.

Undertoad · 12-09-2014, 09:29 PM

Yesterday I helped a gent who was setting up a video wall for a big Netflix premiere in NYC. He said he was sound designer for the NY Philharmonic.

Today it was an issue at a huge wall at a major Vegas casino.

Hey, it's tech support.

glatt · 12-10-2014, 07:38 AM

Kick ass tech support, you mean.

09-17-2014, 09:53 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Down here at the US sales office of a computer hardware manufacturer I often think about this. I wish I could be as "true confessional" as the previous Down Here threads, but now it comes back to true confessions could hurt me. That's how it is in a kind of professional salaried situation, isn't it - if I lost my job or screwed things up at the tweaker's, who gives a shit? When the stakes are a higher, there's no call for confessing much of anything. And besides, I do like these people ok, even though there is some drama and personalities involved. Like there is in any situation involving people. And besides, there's not as much of a story here - I guess - which is a good thing - I guess.

09-17-2014, 12:14 PM	#2
fargon Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: La Crosse, WI Posts: 8,924	Moar Plz. I have an inquiring mind. __________________ Annoy the ones that ignore you!!! I live a blessed life I Love my Country, I Fear the Government!!! Heavily medicated for the good of mankind.

10-31-2014, 06:51 AM	#7
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	So what exactly is it that you do for the walls? I assume they come with some kind of controlling computer, they aren't just hooked up to whatever the folks have on site? __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

12-04-2014, 09:57 AM	#10
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	TERRIFYING __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

12-04-2014, 02:27 PM	#12
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	Blame Hardware, STAT! __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

10-30-2014, 07:58 PM	#6
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	There has been a flurry of support activity around our video wall product. I always love it when I find out the installations are interesting. Yesterday I worked on a wall that will be a part of the local news set of an ABC TV affiliate in Oregon. Today I worked on a wall that will be decor in the World Series of Poker.

10-31-2014, 07:28 AM	#8
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	We make and sell these controlling computers, a unit the size of a small briefcase, and it splits a video signal up into multiple signals to create a wall. One source can be split into as many as 64 different sources, in case you wanted an 8 by 8 wall, or something huge like that. But it's not always easy to see how the whole thing fits together. Also there are always issues that come about when people are trying to convert the signal from one type to another. In the case of the TV station, they bought a box to convert their old standard def signal into an HDMI signal, and then they converted that to DVI to use our box. The gear that they used to do the first conversion didn't do it in a way that supported a digital signal that our box could interpret correctly. In the case of the World Series, they had correctly built content that was a moving stripe, and couldn't figure out from our setup guide how to build a 3x1 horizontal wall to show the stripe.

12-04-2014, 09:39 AM	#9
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	This thing is driven by my company's technology http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/25/7...n-times-square

12-04-2014, 10:55 AM	#11
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	It IS terrifying. They are claiming that it's dropping frames.

12-04-2014, 07:18 PM	#13
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	tell them to turn it off, unplug it, then turn it back on again. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

12-09-2014, 09:29 PM	#14
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Yesterday I helped a gent who was setting up a video wall for a big Netflix premiere in NYC. He said he was sound designer for the NY Philharmonic. Today it was an issue at a huge wall at a major Vegas casino. Hey, it's tech support.

12-10-2014, 07:38 AM	#15
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Kick ass tech support, you mean.

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