WOODBURY, MN, March 11, 2009 — As the march of instructional technology continues into the K-12 classroom, implementing better strategies and tools to manage operating costs has become a top priority for many school districts. To help reduce energy use costs from instructional technology devices, multimedia control solution manufacturer Calypso Systems has introduced the Smart Block AV, an affordable power management tool for K-12 classrooms.

Designed to work in tandem with Calypso’s CB-5000 and CB-1000 wall mount controllers, the Smart Block can forward a command at a preset time for complete power shutdown to low-voltage devices like amplifiers, tuners and audio reinforcement systems, reducing the amount of energy wasted by devices that are plugged in but not on.

“Many people don’t realize that classroom technology devices still draw small amounts of power even when not being used, which can add up to a lot of wasted kilowatt-hours when spread across many classrooms over the course of a school year,� said Rick Mathewson, vice president of product development for Calypso Systems. “By cutting off the power to classroom devices that are plugged in but not in use, the Smart Block gives district technology administrators an easy, affordable way to reduce energy costs.�

When combined with the scheduled shutdown capabilities of Calypso’s CB-5000 and CB-1000 wall mount controllers, the benefits of the Smart Block extend beyond managing energy consumption. With the centralized power control, the responsibility of turning off devices at the end of the day no longer falls on facility managers or teachers. The Smart Block also saves districts money by extending the life of devices by reducing the amount of “on� time.

“Based on the data we’ve seen on the average energy consumption patterns of classrooms with two or three multimedia devices, we estimate that schools will be able to realize ROI for the Smart Block in a relatively short time period,� said Mathewson.

The Smart Block is ideally suited for K-12 environments because of its affordability and high functionality. Smart Block AV can be set for power control or relay control, converts serial data to IR output and features four relay terminals. It has an MSRP of $199.00 with K-12 pricing available.

For more information about the Smart Block or other Calypso Systems solutions, please visit www.calypsocontrol.com or call (888) 381-9646.

About Calypso Systems
Calypso Systems, headquartered in Woodbury, MN, is a manufacturer of a full range of open architecture control, user interface, audio, microphone and connectivity products designed to create integrated classroom solutions for teachers, students and administrators. Calypso products are sold exclusively through commercial audio-video electronics dealers throughout North America and around the world.

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