What's included with the IMU system

Pangolin's Interactive Messaging Unlimited system comes in a box with a cellular modem, a CD-ROM containing the IMU and VMU software, and a printed Installation Manual.

There are two versions of the IMU system: Basic and Pro. Click here for a page comparing IMU Basic and IMU Pro.

The software will run on any modern Windows computer. You can use a laptop -- suggested for mobile DJs -- or desktop -- suggested for fixed installations like clubs and TV stations.

Your IMU-equipped computer should have dual-monitor capability. This means you can plug in a second monitor and put different windows on each monitor. Fortunately, most current computers -- both laptops and desktops -- have this capability.

What you need for video output

The included VMU software lets you connect your computer to a video display device such as a computer data projector or a TV set. This is so that the audience can see the VMU screen containing the text messages, voting results, ads, photos and other graphic elements. The video hardware you need for this is simple: The computer's output needs to be accepted by the display device's input.

• Many digital projectors and digital TVs can directly input from the computer's monitor signal. They have a VGA input (pictured) intended for computer signals. Just use an external monitor cable, to connect between the computer monitor output and the display device input.
      One important specification is the resolution of the display device. The higher the resolution, the more detail you can get on the screen. Common resolutions are: VGA (640 x 400 pixels), SVGA (800 x 600), XGA (1024 x 768), SXGA (1280 x 1024), and UXGA (1600 x 1200).
   

• Some video display devices will only have analog video inputs, such as an RCA jack or S-video connector. Many modern computers include video outputs.
      If your computer does not have a video output, you can use a scan converter. This converts the computer's monitor output signals into video signals. Scan converters are readily available at computer stores such as Radio Shack and CompUSA. Some genlocks also include scan converters.
   

• Pangolin's system also handles SDI (Serial Digital Interface) video. This provides the highest possible quality since the signal remains digital, unlike analog monitor and video signals. Pangolin's IMU system outputs to SDI, as long as the host computer has an appropriate SDI video board. We recommend the NVIDIA Quadra 4000 series of boards.
       Using SDI, it's easy to output in high-definition video. For example, an IMU system was used to create the first interactive HDTV show in the United States.

What you need for web and laser output

The IMU system can go beyond video output. You can use add-on programs to output to the web and to laser projectors:

• Web -- Pangolin can provide you with a collection of Java server and client components. These let you run SMS promotions on the Internet so that browsers will generate VMU-like displays live, on a page at your website. This expands your potential audience to the whole world (or use our optional password protection system to allow only authorized persons to view the web broadcast).
   
• Laser -- Pangolin's Lasershow Messenger software is used for projecting text messages in laser light. In addition to Lasershow Messenger, the computer will also need to have Pangolin's Lasershow Designer 2000 software and hardware. The LD output board (QM 2000) connects to any ILDA-standard laser projector.

Video display 

Here's a typical setup for projection video. The cellular modem (left side in photo) is connected to a laptop computer with the included USB cable. The laptop runs Pangolin's IMU software. In the photo, the moderator's message queuing screen is shown.

Most modern computers can drive a second monitor with a different display. Here, the second monitor output goes to a standard data projector (right side in photo). It will project the VMU screen -- what the public sees. This screen includes SMS text messages, voting results, ads, photos and other graphics.

Portable and easy-to-use

You can bring your IMU system with you anywhere. In this photo, the computer and modem are in one bag while the video projector is in another. It's easy to use IMU at nightclubs, parties, festivals and special events.

All you need is electricity and cell phone service. You don't even need to be connected to the Internet -- everything runs directly off of your computer!

For more details

Click here for details about how the IMU software works.