Tech Forum

I'm hearing rumors of older church buildings being retrofitted with new technology. Specifically, I'm wondering if anyone here has seen the FM group redo audio, video, etc. capabilities to bring them up to standard. We have new wireless in our 32 year old building but the rest leaves something to be desired and the stake would like to broadcast stake conference from there occasionally.

Thank you.

I believe the building undergoes a sound/video system refresh every so often. I'm not sure of the schedule, but I'd guess 8-10 years. FM could probably tell the stake when a given building is due.

Our 40-year-old building recently got a new sound system complete with IR switches on the sliding divider doors.

mfmohlma wrote:Our 40-year-old building recently got a new sound system complete with IR switches on the sliding divider doors.

Same here, except ours was 34 years old.

About every 15-20 years they tune up or upgrade the audio systems in our buildings here, regardless of age. However- there are certain stipulations which the FM Group has to follow per guidelines from Salt Lake. Sometimes Salt Lake will say, sure, go ahead. Sometimes for something we think is practical and beneficial, they will say, nope. For example, we thought it would be nice to have a Stake Center chapel (built in 1978) redone in the sense of new walls were installed, (covered up the cold and dark colored brick) new pews, new carpet, new choir seats, while retaining the very beautiful good sized original pipe organ (even though it was converted over to electronic years ago because of the cost of maintenance on it and not being able to get parts for it) we also improved the lighting, and got new carpet, and new surfaces on the counters for the Sacrament Table and the old Clerk's Table. While the costs were approved, when Salt Lake sent one of their inspectors out like they do for an annual random inspection, they commented that the type of work done should not have been done. We indicated it was done to modernize things a bit and add to the comfort and beauty of the Chapel. They commented that old buildings generally are not to receive such upgrades and that we need to keep things more traditional looking and in line with what the building looked like when it was built. Likewise, we've had requests to fix or replace outdated lighting and blinds/curtains denied flat out. So sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you do not. Up until recently, the audio in one of the buildings here (built in 1961) was still classic analog and the only time we could get something replaced in that building was if there was a catastrophic failure such as the boiler giving up the ghost in the middle of the winter, nevermind that it was 40+ years old and had warning signs of failure which were reported on up the chain by the FM Group. But, we are to simply be humble and go with what the folks in Salt Lake say. And so we do. Fully aware that there are so many members in the world that don't even get a meetinghouse of their own to go to on Sundays.

mfmohlma wrote:Our 40-year-old building recently got a new sound system complete with IR switches on the sliding divider doors.

What does the IR switch do?

Infrared switch that activates chapel audio in the cultural hall automatically when the sliding doors are open.

RyanGard1977 wrote:About every 15-20 years they tune up or upgrade the audio systems in our buildings here, regardless of age.

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While the typical time frame is 15 to 20 years, it will vary drastically, based primarily on how well the system is performing. In most cases at the 15 to 20 year mark, a sound constant will be contracted to scope the building and make recommendations based on how well the system is functioning, and how much longer it is expected to function (If it aint broke, or endanger of breaking, don't fix it). That recommendation is then evaluated, along with others, and determined if it can be funded. Funding in turn depends on a whole host of other factors, not the least of which is how much other work needs to be done (anywhere in the world). Consider that all maintenance is paid out of the same big pie, and the more buildings which have burnt down or been damaged by natural disasters in a given year, the less funding is available for sound systems.

and everything else.