FM Group and TV's and Libraries

Discussions about using TVs, projectors, laptops, tablets, smartphones, DVD Players and other media players in meetinghouses including standards, management, how to connect to them, proper use, and support.
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farwest
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FM Group and TV's and Libraries

#1

Post by farwest »

Just looking for an answer from other stakes on what is the TV policy? When the "Come Follow Me" program came out our stake president wanted it to work and embraced it after the training we took. The TV's we have are not able to play video through a usb port. So we as a stake bought 8 Samsung 32" TV's with a usb port to play the video's not wanting to stream them because of stalling problems. We gave each ward building two TV's and we also bought two Roku box for two older TV's to try that out. Here is my issue, FM has taken some of the older TV's that we used the Roku boxes on so we are down to our LED TV's and one older tv. The FM group told me today that they are suppose to count the tv's we bought against the 3 tv's per meeting house. Are idea was to have enough tv's to make this program work. Now we are being blocked from doing what we intended to help our youth. If we had known that they would count the tv's we bought against us we would of never used our stake funds to purchase them. We feel this is not right and I don't know if this is correct or not. What is correct?
russellhltn
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Re: FM Group and TV's and Libraries

#2

Post by russellhltn »

FM plays by rules we can't verify. We're stuck in the situation were we cannot independently identify what the rules are.

If you want solid answers, I'd suggest your stake president talk to his "upline" - the area authority. I think what you'll get here are other people's experiences with their FM group - which my or may not accurately reflect the real rules.
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gregwanderson
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Re: FM Group and TV's and Libraries

#3

Post by gregwanderson »

What he said... but this is the whole thing I was going to write before he beat me to it...

Similar concerns have been discussed at length on these forums. There are varying degrees of interpretation of "official policies" about the number of TV monitors, the sizes we should have and who, exactly can or cannot pay for them (or, perhaps, donate them). But it does seem clear that the number of TVs that "should" be in a building (according to the official meetinghouse library guidelines) is not enough if you plan to have three Young Men classes, three Young Women classes and, perhaps, priesthood and Relief Society groups using the church-provided videos at the same time during your meeting schedule. So, if my vote counts, I say we need to allow (if not require) more monitors per building.

As far as your FM Group taking away old TVs… that's really puzzling to me. What are they doing with them anyway? Who wants an old TV that can't be connected to modern playback equipment (unless they also confiscated the modern playback equipment)? It sounds like your FM Group is interpreting the guidelines in a way that could be disputed. And, from what I gather watching discussions around here, your best move is to let the Stake President push for something. They seem to be able to make things happen when they really want to (as opposed a lowly secretary or Ward Technology Specialist like me, whose calling isn't even "a real calling" if you go by the standard of who gets any special access at LDS.org).
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Mikerowaved
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Re: FM Group and TV's and Libraries

#4

Post by Mikerowaved »

mrrad wrote:As far as your FM Group taking away old TVs… that's really puzzling to me. What are they doing with them anyway? Who wants an old TV that can't be connected to modern playback equipment...
Just like old PC's, they don't plan to use them, then plan to dispose of them. The church as a whole has to maintain accountability for properly disposing of certain electronic devices, including TV's, PC's, projectors, copiers, etc. If an item is purchased as a replacement, then they must get an older (or broken) item back for disposal. The FM groups have companies contracted to come by and pick up the used/broken equipment. What happens to it from that point I'm completely in the dark. I don't even know if the church is compensated for the old gear or if they pay to have it hauled off. That knowledge is above my pay grade. I DO know they maintain records on the whole process and probably go through regular audits just like any ward or stake.

If you want/need a couple of extra older TVs, I don't see why a SP couldn't authorize someone to go to DI or Goodwill and pick up a couple. The ones I saw at DI today were well under $20 ea.
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Gary_Miller
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Re: FM Group and TV's and Libraries

#5

Post by Gary_Miller »

farwest wrote:The FM group told me today that they are suppose to count the tv's we bought against the 3 tv's per meeting house.
The FM is responsible for all equipment in the buildings, no matter what the funding source is. If you stake had used Stake and Ward Activity and Operations Funds (Budget Allowance Funds) for tables and chairs they would do the same thing.
farwest wrote:Are idea was to have enough tv's to make this program work.
While the Idea has merit the use of Budget Allowance Funds was in appropriate and a misuse of funds.
farwest wrote:Now we are being blocked from doing what we intended to help our youth.
I don't buy into this thinking. I have yet to see all the TV in the library being to the extent that someone could not teach their planned lessons. Although I'm sure someone may have had a different experience. What I have seen is most leaders bringing their own laptops or tablets and using them.
farwest wrote:If we had known that they would count the tv's we bought against us we would of never used our stake funds to purchase them. We feel this is not right and I don't know if this is correct or not. What is correct?
It was not right for your stake to use Budget Allowance Funds for these purchase. That was a misappropriation of funds. Budget Allowance Funds was never intended to purchase equipment for the building.
Gary_Miller
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Re: FM Group and TV's and Libraries

#6

Post by Gary_Miller »

Mikerowaved wrote:If you want/need a couple of extra older TVs, I don't see why a SP couldn't authorize someone to go to DI or Goodwill and pick up a couple. The ones I saw at DI today were well under $20 ea.
What good would this do the FM group would just come and remove them also as the building would be over there allotted amount. And this would be a miss use of Budget Funds.
eblood66
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Re: FM Group and TV's and Libraries

#7

Post by eblood66 »

farwest wrote:Just looking for an answer from other stakes on what is the TV policy? When the "Come Follow Me" program came out our stake president wanted it to work and embraced it after the training we took. The TV's we have are not able to play video through a usb port. So we as a stake bought 8 Samsung 32" TV's with a usb port to play the video's not wanting to stream them because of stalling problems. We gave each ward building two TV's and we also bought two Roku box for two older TV's to try that out. Here is my issue, FM has taken some of the older TV's that we used the Roku boxes on so we are down to our LED TV's and one older tv. The FM group told me today that they are suppose to count the tv's we bought against the 3 tv's per meeting house. Are idea was to have enough tv's to make this program work. Now we are being blocked from doing what we intended to help our youth. If we had known that they would count the tv's we bought against us we would of never used our stake funds to purchase them. We feel this is not right and I don't know if this is correct or not. What is correct?
Like others have said, it's hard to know what rules the FM group is working off of. However, the recently released Meetinghouse Technology Policy in section 6.3 indicates the the FM group is supposed to track the inventory for AV equipment provides for new construction and by the FM group and that local units track the inventory purchased with local unit funds. This seems to indicate (to me at least) that purchasing AV equipment with local budget funds is not prohibited and that the FM group should only worry about the equipment they provide and that local units are (completely) responsible (including for repair or replacement) for equipment they purchase.
Gary_Miller
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Re: FM Group and TV's and Libraries

#8

Post by Gary_Miller »

eblood66 wrote:This seems to indicate (to me at least) that purchasing AV equipment with local budget funds is not prohibited and that the FM group should only worry about the equipment they provide and that local units are (completely) responsible (including for repair or replacement) for equipment they purchase.
Except if you look at the document as a whole you will see that, Local Unit Provided Equipment, was addressed in 4.1 and 7.3. However it was not addressed in 6.2, which would seem there is a mistake in ether 6.2 or 6.3.
eblood66
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Re: FM Group and TV's and Libraries

#9

Post by eblood66 »

Gary_Miller wrote:
eblood66 wrote:This seems to indicate (to me at least) that purchasing AV equipment with local budget funds is not prohibited and that the FM group should only worry about the equipment they provide and that local units are (completely) responsible (including for repair or replacement) for equipment they purchase.
Except if you look at the document as a whole you will see that, Local Unit Provided Equipment, was addressed in 4.1 and 7.3. However it was not addressed in 6.2, which would seem there is a mistake in ether 6.2 or 6.3.
Yep. It's not clear. Another interpretation is that purchasing AV equipment with local funds is no longer permitted but any equipment purchased before the new policy is the responsibility of the local unit.

The document indicates that questions should be directed to the Meetinghouse Technology Coordination Team. Asking them may be the best course of action for the original poster.
russellhltn
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Re: FM Group and TV's and Libraries

#10

Post by russellhltn »

Mikerowaved wrote:Just like old PC's, they don't plan to use them, then plan to dispose of them.
The only time I've seen that happen is when a new PC is provided by FM. I've never seen/heard of it happening when there's donated machines - such as to the FHC.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
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