Service Status Indicator for Classrooms?

[mcentrye]

Hey,

I'm looking for ideas on a way to keep classrooms aware of the timing in the main service. I know some folks just monitor the service, but I'm looking for a way that someone in the tech booth could push a button and a status light come on or change colors. Or even an LCD with predefined messages could be displayed.

I've seen one company that sells a "traffic light" type display that works off a paging system, but it is wireless and I'm wanting to communicate to multiple classroom that are in a separate building. I could run a hard wire (cat5 maybe) but RF will not work. That system was also pretty expensive. I need to be about to put the "displays" in multiple rooms and they be changed by a single remote trigger. I do like the traffic light idea though.

Any ideas?

[bpalermini]

text message to the teacher(s)?

[rjwalker]

Originally Posted by bpalermini

text message to the teacher(s)?

I'm thinking you could even set up email groups using the teachers' cell numbers for the recipients and alert them all with one "email" text.... assuming the projection booth has internet access....

[petereit]

Our head usher just walks over to the classrooms when he knows Pastor is close to closing. (Yeah, real high-tech!)

[waynehoskins]

A light bulb (or LED, or similar) and a switch?

[Natepelzel]

iPads have a stage display app for propresenter (assuming you're using propresenter and aren't already using the stage display function for your worship team) its a bit of a stretch I know, but I thought it may be worth mentioning. We use an IM client to communicate accross the building. There are lots of clients available for smart phones. Actually, I remember using IM clients on my flip phones way back when. So it may be a pretty easy to implement solution.