Hi Mango!
Thanks for that - I checked it out and it is good. However, I don't feel it fulfills the requirement addressed earlier completely. Content is heavily US based (not everyone on the planet uses NeverTwicetheSameColor NTSC). Allot of postings relate to "Hey bill, howÂ?s the kids? - wanna buy my truck?" kind of content and it seems that the forum has attracted a huge number of guys in suits with titles and little technical know how (obviously there are exceptions). From a simple name point of view, the problems stem from the site's branding. Churchmedia, turns off all those who know exactly how un-professional anything technical related to church can be (I'm not saying it's something were not here to change - but let's face it, among the technical fraternity, and even the Christian technical fraternity, the word Church cuts both ways - positive and negative). Churchmedia as a brand attracts people who are interested in media, and interested in church, not people who know about media and want to implement it in church. The forum attracts the right people by default (in that there is nowhere else for them to go), but there are a lot of hanger-on-ers, people with very little practical contribution to make, and church trendies with titles rather than real innovators (nerdy closet dwellers) who are not necessarily the suit's perception of cool - but know there stuff and make things work.
You might say I'm being a bit harsh. But I know when I build a team which I'd rather have on it (and it wouldn't be the 'churchians' who want to rise the ranks of freeform modern Christian hierarchy).
That aside, the PAL/secam electronic product market is distinct and could do with something to cater for it. We have an opportunity to be real innovators not just sound techies, light techies, or video techies. What is the difference between 'church' and outside professional technical teams? - Churches have techies who are generally (and I mean only generally) misunderstood for there attention to detail, lateral thinking and different-ness (sorry it's not a real word). Theatres and professional organizations have engineers and crew members.
Are we a bunch or nerdy, church, techies or do we aspire to be hardened, professional specialists, sold out for God and his purpose of glory through us? God created the universe - He did not cut any corners, he did not say - "oh that'll do, it's only for church", he did not skimp on the details or throw the universe together at the last minute. And I'm not talking about finance here (before someone tries to make an issue out of it
). You and I have been given adaptable, creative, innovative minds. We can think around corners and we can solve problems laterally. The question is not what are our limits? (For we truly have none, innovatively). The question is what does our creator want us to create?
We have a unique insight into our existence, which has the potential to allow us to be the most innovative creative professional testaments to our creator's glory in existence. Let us not belittle this awesome heritage which was bought for us at such great cost. Let us take up the standard of our creator and choose to excel for his glory.
Ok, got a bit impassioned there.
Sorry. Thanks for the links. They are helpful once sifted. Perhaps a PAL/secam based site or just something new to clear the air.
Diceman