Show computers, the computers at front of house that are facilitating the speaker presentation or videos, are an often overlooked critical component of corporate events. While the “show computer” line item might seem like a great place to cut costs from your AV budget there are a number of advantages to rental computers that might not be immediately apparent. I’ve outlined a few big reasons to keep the rental computers in the mix.
1. Content is King
Good content is the backbone of a great live corporate event. And while the content (powerpoint, video, etc) might have been created by an internal team, ensuring the flawless presentation of the content needs to be secured. If your content is playing back from multiple computers from different locations you are compounding issues that could easily be avoided from renting several duplicate computers. Standardizing the process can ensure consistent playback of the most crucial components of your show.
2. Imagine for a moment
Imagine for just a moment: the crowd has finally taken their seats, the venue looks incredible, excitement is in the air, all eyes are looking at the stage, the lights go down as the music fades….then nothing. No video, no powerpoint; just a dark stage…The culprit: the show computer crashed.
This scenario happens more often than meeting planners care to admit. Often the issue comes down to a cut in production budget because “we can just use our computers” seemed like the best decision on paper. But is that small cost savings worth the risk of a show coming to a screeching halt?
3. Updates, updates and more updates
When you rent show computers from your AV partner, you can expect that the computers will come loaded with the latest software updates. Audio visual companies will QC show computers before your event to ensure that everything runs as it should. If you are using your own computers for your next event are you sure that all software is up to date and ready to go? If the answer is yes, then you’re good to go! But if not, don’t risk it. Rent it.
You only have one shot to make a live event spectacular. Renting great show computers might seem small but it can create a huge return on their relatively small investment cost.