Mastering your Trade at Mediatech Africa
The AV technology industry is a constantly evolving and competitive market, as such, it is essential to be able to make use of current tools and expertise. In the digital age a vital element in the success of any company or industry professional, in South Africa’s AV market, is investment in training and education, thereby keeping up to date with advances in international trends.
Mediatech Africa is not only a crucial industry event for visitors wanting to explore ground breaking, advanced technology products and services, but an educational platform for optimising industry developments and getting expert advice on the best use of equipment.
The biennial exhibition takes place 17 – 19 July 2013 at The Coca-Cola Dome, where local and international delegates are invited to attend educational workshops, conferences and interactive training presentations – delivered over the course of the three days. Mediatech show director, Simon Robinson, is focusing efforts on an increased African presence at the exhibition: “We welcome African visitors attending the event, not only for the exhibition but also to gain valuable knowledge through the conference and educational workshop programs.”
Following the success of the presentation previously held at Mediatech 2011, SACIA and the Government AV Forum will be presenting another half-day workshop, with a focus on the use of broadcast and AV technology in government and state-owned enterprises. The workshop will take place from 8am – 12pm on Thursday 18 July at Mediatech. For the two days before Mediatech opens, SACIA will be hosting a new IABM training course focused on the broadcast market: Internet Protocol and Network Essentials for Broadcast Engineers. This course takes a look at the broadcast and media production world which is rapidly transitioning from a bespoke environment with dedicated interconnections between specific function hardware, to general purpose hardware, bespoke software and network interconnects based up Internet Protocol (IP). A similar transition has taken place in the distribution and play-out environment as servers become the norm and content is increasingly consumed through the Internet. The two-day course covers the core fundamentals representing the network infrastructure for interconnections in a file-based or streaming environment and will also cover the underlying communication infrastructure and practical media applications. The course cost is R13 500, but for SACIA members and out-of-town delegates pre-registered for the Mediatech show, the course cost is reduced to R11 350.
Also running immediately prior to Mediatech is the popular SACIA, InfoComm accredited GEN111 Essentials of AV Technology course. This three-day course will run 15-17 July and provides in-depth explanations of the science and technology for basic audio, visual and audio-visual systems integration. A brief overview of the sales, rental/hire, design and installation functions is included in the course content. This course builds the student’s understanding of the everyday fundamentals used in the AV industry. It is also great preparation for students wanting to earn the InfoComm-recognised AV Technologist certificate. Says Questek’s Tumi Dumisani, who attended the course in 2011: “Although I’ve been involved in the AV industry for a number of years almost all my knowledge has been self-taught. I’ve watched, listened and simply applied ‘common sense’ to everything I do. This course has added a scientific platform to my common sense and provided me with a solid foundation and a much broader view of the industry and the technologies we use. This course is thoroughly relevant to all in the AV market.”
This course has been a firm favourite with the AV community and is sure to be an attractive option for out-of-town visitors planning to attend the Mediatech show. The course cost is R6 500, but for SACIA members and out-of-town delegates pre-registered for the Mediatech show, the course cost is reduced to R4 500.
Both courses will be held at Blandford Manor in Northriding (just 5km from the Northgate Dome where Mediatech is being held). Visitors interested in attending can contact Kevan Jones at [email protected] for bookings and further information.
For an interactive and engaging experience, visit Mediatech Africa and hone your skill as a professional in production and live entertainment technology. Along with workshops and training, there is a myriad of activities to enjoy, including: outdoor sound demos, international speakers, live entertainment and over 800 brands represented by 125 companies.
Register online before 7 July 2013 and avoid paying R50 at the door.
For more information visit www.mediatech.co.za.
