Tips and Articles
Importing from China
Quality Onion Style David Edis-Bates November 2011
Quality and the intrigue of the onion syndrome. How what could be happening and what should be happening created a new mindset for me.
China - the Afternmath of the Financial Crisis David Edis-Bates June 2010
How the financial crisis is affecting production in small to medium size enterprises in China today.
Microsoft to check Chinese supplier abuse allegations Iain Thomson (April 2010) with comments by David Edis-Bates
Report tells of teenagers working long hours for low pay – but comments attached to the article reveal the more likely scenario
Importing - Getting it Right in China David Edis-Bates
How to evaluate the risks and best practice for importing goods from China. An insiders practical guide to the opportunities and pitfalls
Chinese Counterfeits David Edis-Bates
Tips to Avoid and Combat Counterfeiting and Piracy
Outsourcing in China China-Britain Business Council
An article published by the China-Britain business council providing advice about sourcing product from suppliers in China
China tax: Understanding the China VAT rebate Mike Bellamy (February 2008)
Value-added tax (VAT) is one of the most confusing and overlooked issues when purchasing from China.
This article from the US Customs Service is intended as a general explanation of import requirements for a person interested in establishing an importing business in the USA or a person who may be importing something for personal use only (not for resale) into the USA.
Marketing, Buying and Selling - tips and articles
Marketing on-line for Profit David Edis-Bates May 2012
Tips for increasing sales, improving customer satisfaction and determining key trend using on-line marketing
A simplified explanation of acceptance testing and Acceptable Quality Levels (AQL)
Bundle Products and for Profits Mark Smallwood (Aug 2007)
An insight into bundling products and services to increase sales and profits
6 Tips for Better Trade Show Display Graphics David Edis-Bates (March 2010)
When designing trade show display graphics the following six simple tips are key to success.
Green Light to get past Gatekeepers D.M. Arenzon
Read this article to learn more about what salespeople can do to bypass gatekeepers,assistants and screeners.
Breaking Down an Appointment Setting Script E. R. Carpenter
After getting past the gatekeeper, these are some of the things to say on the phone to convince a prospect to have a face to face meeting...
Simple Search Engine Optimisation David Edis-Bates (April 2010)
A simplified guide to Search Engine Optimisation for those contemplating starting afresh or reviewing their current website and it's ranking on search engines.
12 Tips for Psychological Selling Dean Rieck
A few basic psychological tidbits that can help you write compelling copy and improve your selling skills
How to use Twitter for Business David Edis-Bates December 2010
Tips for newcomers on how to join Twitter and use it for marketing and social media networking
Market Reports and Forecasts
CSC report on cable prices in the USA - October 2010
Cable materials prices addressed in market brief by CSC October 2010
InfoComm Economic Snapshot - October 2010
InfoComm Economic Snapshot Survey October 2010
Interactive voting systems are forecast to hit 8 Million handset sales in 2010 according to a report by Future Source Consulting.
Whiteboards set to Boom David Davies (September 2007)
Decision Tree Consulting - analysis of the interactive whiteboard and projection markets reveals quite how many opportunities now exist for suppliers Europe-wide.
Seasonal Sales of AV and IT products into UK schools David Edis-Bates
This article provides a snapshot of the seasonal sales trend for AV and IT products installed in schools in the UK as an aid to forecasting.
Education and Technology in the Classroom
Android Tablets for the Classroom David Edis-Bates November 2012
Technology is racing on, especially in the classroom. In some schools tablets or laptops are being provided instead of textbooks.
Tips for Using WiFi in the Classroom David Edis-Bates October 2012
Large numbers of users using WiFi in the same area at the same time can result in a very poor service. There are many challenges for groups of Wi-Fi users in areas such as classrooms, hopefully the following tips will maximize your chances of success.
School Website Must Comply with Government Ruling David Edis-Bates September 2012
The UK Government has passed legislation requiring schools to publish the following information on their websites
Speech Intelligibility in the Classroom David Edis-Bates August 2012
There are some serious misunderstandings that reach me about the quality of sound systems in the classroom.
A Better School Website Terry Freedman
14 Ways To Make Your School Website Better
Choose the Best Aspect Ration for your IWB David Edis-Bates June 2012
When choosing a touch screen, LCD or whiteboard the choice of aspect ratio can be a tricky decision. Aspect Ratio is one of the most misunderstood aspects of image display. Here are some tips and insights on how to make better choices.
6 Tips for Choosing a Classroom Sound System David Edis-Bates May 2012
Very few speaker systems are designed especially for teachers in the classroom. Here are 6 tips for choosing a classroom active speaker system based on our experience and teacher feedback:
Damages for losing voice Rachel Williams November 2010
Teacher who lost voice trying to make herself heard awarded £150,000 by Hillingdon council in the UK
Amplified Classroom Barbara Pytel June 2008
Nearly 250,000 schools have amplified classrooms so every student can focus on the lesson and not strain to hear the teacher over the ventilation system and other noises (an article published in the USA by Barbara Pytel).
Birth of a Classroom Speaker System David Edis-Bates (October 2009)
Case study : to design an active speaker system for interactive whiteboards that meet the needs of the classroom with only the minimum of customer input and to a demanding target price.
Standard Length of Cables for AV Systems in a School Classroom David Edis-Bates (November 2009)
A simple calculator for judging lengths of standard audio visual cables needed for a classroom audio visual installation
Sound reinforcement systems David Edis-Bates (March 2009)
Sound reinforcement systems in the classroom can significantly improve pupils academic performance.
New UK Government fast tracks 'Free' schools David Edis-Bates June 2010
More than 720 groups in the UK signed up for the new 'free' schools scheme made up of teachers in deprived parts of the country and parents who have few or no local schools in their areas, what opportunities for suppliers?
Audio Visual Articles - Technical
Projector Cable Choices David Edis-Bates January 2012
VGA Cables are still the most used cable for projectors in education despite digital HDMI cables becoming more popular
All you need to know about Microphones David Edis-Bates
Different types of microphone explained including their connections and the use of VHF and UHF wireless microphones and their frequency allocations.
Business v home theater projectors Andrew Ghigo
A comparison of the difference in projector requirements for the home and for the office
Buying Quality Audio Equipment. Techno - Jargon Revealed Phoenix Roberts (March 2007)
Modern consumer electronics let everybody carry their favorite tunes almost anywhere and anytime. Audio gear comes in a wide variety of sizes and configurations. In order to get the best gear, consumers have to know what the technical data is and how it affects the system they're thinking about buying.
Cables for Home Theatre System Installation Vic Metten (July 2008)
How to connect HDTV to other equipment such as AV receivers and DVD players
Create a complete Home entertainment system with a PC
A summary of recent articles with tips and advice on how to use a PC and Media centre software to watch and enjoy a complete home entertainment experience on TV
HD ready or HDTV? Alex Bradbury (March 2009)
This article helps you to choose whether to buy HD ready or a fully configured HDTV
How to choose LCD HDTV Sets - Secrets They Don't Want You to Know James V Palmer ( July 2008)
The wrinkles of HDTV explained in simple terms.Tips for buying current HDTV technology in a single article.
PC Troubleshooting: Solve USB Power Problems
A self-help guide about USB power problems with some tips on how to resolve common difficulties.
RMS Power vs Peak Power David Edis-Bates (December 2007)
RMS and Peak power are the ratings of home audio products, such as speakers, subwoofers, and amplifiers. This article provides an overview of how these ratings can be used and abused.
Stretch Your Budget by Tossing Tinning Marketing Communications (June 2005)
Historically, tinned copper conductors were a reliability feature. Today, the cost may not be necessary.
The EdisConnect Cable Kit Story David Edis-Bates (November 2009)
The story of a cable kit from concept to final solution and the process behind saving installers time effort and costs.
100 Volt Line Speaker Systems and how they work
In a typical paging, background music, announcement system several loudspeakers are placed across a single amplifier in parallel. This article provides an insight into how these speaker systems work.
Unravel the differences between Cables for HDTV Vic Metten – July 2008
How to choose the right cables for HDTV ?advice for distributors and re-sellers!
VGA cables and connectors for Projectors and monitors D J Edis-Bates, June 2008
This article discusses the design of long VGA cables and associated connectors and how the choice of materials and construction can enhance performance for projector and monitor systems
What's the Matter with HDMI? Kurt Demke - May 2007
How the designers of the HDMI standard screwed up, and what's to be done about it ? ....as described by Kurt Demke from Bluejeans cable in an article published by Audioholics.com.