Linda, Peter is right. The headphones & germs issue has been tackled & resolved innumerable times in the past 60 years since the invention of audio guides, not to mention in every museum that has ever had an audio or video kiosk or installation with headphones. I recommend you talk to any reputable audio tour company and they can offer you a number of solutions for keeping headphones hygenic, as well as a range of headphones at different price points and audio quality. You'll get much better sound than with a single ear device or wand, and if this is an artwork, I imagine the quality is important.
On another note, we just had reps from Apple working with us at the Smithsonian and they were asked about using iPads as screens in the museum. They actually advise against it, saying that they are asked this frequently but know that there are cheaper ways of getting a small screen into a museum (or other display venue) than iPads. I'm sure this list can recommend some... I hope this is helpful! Nancy On 11/12/10 3:00 PM, "mcn-l-request at mcn.edu" <mcn-l-request at mcn.edu> wrote: > Message: 4 > Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2010 09:58:07 -0500 > From: "Linda August" <laugust at librarycompany.org> > Subject: [MCN-L] Audio wand > To: <mcn-l at mcn.edu> > Message-ID: > <9BF40B762E635B4197742D4579D6E925743CF9 at lcp-sbs.lan.librarycompany.org> > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > From: Linda August > Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2010 3:11 PM > To: 'mcn-l at mcn.edu' > Subject: Audio wand > > > > Hi, > > I'm new to your list. I've already found some great information in your > archives, so I'm hoping perhaps you can help. > > We have an artist in residence who is creating a 5-7 minute animation > video. We've decided to purchase a touchscreen tablet (like an ipad) and > mount it to the wall to display the video. To keep the noise level down, > I wanted to get headphones to plug into it. Other staff here think > headphones would be germy. So I'm trying to find an audio wand > (something you could hold up to your ear as opposed to over your head) > that could be easily plugged in. Any suggestions or recommendations of > companies for this? > > What about getting some kind of basic audio-tour equipment? I can't find > anything that gives any idea to the cost (all of the companies want to > be contacted for a quote). Does anyone have any ballpark figures? > > > > Thanks so much! > > > > > > Linda August > > Reference Librarian > > Library Company of Philadelphia > > 1314 Locust Street > > Philadelphia, PA 19107 > laugust at librarycompany.org <mailto:laugust at librarycompany.org> > > 215 546-3181 > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2010 10:47:08 -0800 > From: "Johnson, Peter" <pjohnson at skirball.org> > Subject: Re: [MCN-L] Audio wand > To: "Museum Computer Network Listserv" <mcn-l at mcn.edu> > Message-ID: > <2A6CDDE8F1CB5D428E7CA6014794A5820317BF16 at scc-mail.skirball.org> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Linda, > > Keep in mind that a hand-held audio wand is not going to any less germy > than headphones, and will need to be cleaned on a regular basis if not > after each use. > > Peter Johnson > Skirball Cultural Center > Los Angeles, CA Want to hear more about mobile? * Smithsonian staff can sign up for the SI Mobile mailing list here: https://collab.si.edu/sites/OUSFA-OCIO/WNMS/wiki/Lists/SI%20Mobile%20Mailing %20List/overview.aspx * For global mobile news join the mailing list here: http://wiki.museummobile.info/ * Follow the museum mobile community on Twitter: #mtogo #SImobile -- Nancy Proctor, PhD Head of Mobile Strategy & Initiatives Smithsonian Institution Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) http://si.edu proctorn at si.edu @nancyproctor t: +1-202-633-8439 c: +1-301-642-6257
