Microsoft Technology Center Paris

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Microsoft is a world leader in computer and software technology. Overthe years, the company has been setting up a global network ofMicrosoft Technology Centers. These centers are collaborativeenvironments that give Microsoft’s customers access to innovativetechnologies and world-class expertise, enabling both parties toenvision, design and deploy solutions tailored to each customer’s needs.For the center in Paris, Microsoft has partnered with Barco, a globalleader in visualization technology, to create a unique collaborativeexperience.

A unique, immersive and collaborative experience with Barco

“Our technologies for meetingrooms blend nicely together. Weoffer software and networkingand Barco offers the mostadvanced visual collaboration.This allows us to present our cus-tomers with a full technologysolution for their collaborationneeds.“Frederic Aatz, Director,Microsoft Technology Center

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Barco is an ISO 9001 registered company.The information and data given are typical for the equipment described. However any individual item is subject to change without any notice.© May 2010 by Barco

Barco nvPres. Kennedypark 35, B-8500 Kortrijk

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www.barco.com/virtualreality

The Microsoft Technology Center Paris ispart of a network consisting of twentytechnology centers worldwide. TheseMicrosoft Technology Centers are collabo-rative environments that allow Microsoftto demonstrate its business solutions toits customers. To provide customers withthe very latest in value-added productsand services, Microsoft partners withindustry-leading companies such asBarco.

The Microsoft Technology Center Parispresents customers with a structuredsolution to their business needs and givesthem a chance to meet Microsoft’s tech-nology experts and partners. One of themost impressive areas in this center is the‘Envisioning Center’, a demo room withthe latest collaborative technologies avail-able on the market. A unique room with-in the Microsoft Technology Centernetwork, it has been designed to over-whelm customers with a full-blownimmersive media experience.

Crafting a solution together

For the Envisioning Center, Microsoft part-nered with Barco for its proven collabora-tion and visualization technology. Barcoprovided a custom-made solution consist-ing of a Galaxy NW-12 projector combinedwith XDS Control Center software. “Thebest part about this project was that weshared a similar vision on unified commu-nication in meeting room data collabora-tion,” comments Frederic Aatz, Director ofthe Microsoft Technology Center Paris.“This way of working would not havebeen possible with any other partner.”

Setting up a collaborative environment

The Envisioning Center features a BarcoGalaxy NW-12 projector, positionedbehind the 3.6 by 2.25 meter screen. TheGalaxy NW-12 is a three-chip DLP projec-tor that projects in full native WUXGA res-olution. Thanks to its 12,000 lumens lightoutput, it is strong enough to project clearimages even in the brightest of environ-ments. In combination with the XDS Con-trol Center software, the system allowsusers to choose any connected hardwaredevice and open it in a window that canbe resized and positioned anywhere onthe screen.

The XDS Control Center software suiteallows users to view multiple sources atthe same time and control them withmouse and keyboard on a large-screenWindows desktop. The suite helps makecollaboration and decision-making moreefficient in a visualization context.

A meeting room to impress customers

“Even though this was a complex projectfor us, the overall installation process ransmoothly,” adds Frederic Aatz. “TheMicrosoft Technology Centers are knownto partner with the very best in the indus-try. We knew Barco as a strong businesspartner in the visualization market andthey truly lived up to their reputation dur-ing the project.”

He continues: “The XDS Control Centersoftware gives our meeting room aninstant wow factor. The multi-windowingfunction is so easy to work with – withjust a mouse click, you can have as manywindows as you want, in every possiblesize, on the screen.”

“We are proud to bring our customers tothe Envisioning Center,” Frederic Aatz con-cludes. “Our technologies blend nicelytogether, and this allows us to present ourcustomers with a full technology solutionfor their collaboration needs. TheMicrosoft Technology Center Paris expectsabout 10,000 visitors per year – and weestimate that this will result in about 900engagements with our various partnersevery year.”

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