An idea to provide more layout information at exhibitions

[Chris M]

This may well have been done before but I don't recall seeing it.

In previous topics there has occasionally been a request for more information about layouts at exhibitions. I've made a YouTube video with a commentary about my layout. There are pictures of the layout but the idea is for visitors to run the video on their smartphone but just listen to the commentary while watching the layout. A bit like those audio tours you get at historic sites. In order get the video a visitor just needs to click on the QR code that I propose to attach to my layout. Just wondering whether folks here think this is a good or bad idea? It could well be that nobody will bother to click on the QR code but if I don't try it I'll never know.

At the moment the commentary is about six minutes long. Would say five shorter ones be better? Like I say just after your thoughts. The QR code is shown so you can listen to what I have done do far. You will of course need to find a way of reading the QR code from this topic.

 

[Ian Smeeton]

Any chance of a link for those who are qr'ly challenged?

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Butler Henderson]

My phone seems to be overly challenged too often trying to read those codes. Suggest you use a short url address as well and ideally get both published in the show guide.

[Phil Parker]

A URL is a lot easier, especially on a forum.

[woodenhead]

Why not simply ensure your exhibited layout has a thread or a blog here on RMWEB and then just have an advert for RMWEB somewhere on the front of the layout.

 

Really @Phil Parker I would have thought that was the obvious answer to come from an admin.

[PMP]

I've had a prominent QR code on Albion Yard from 2013. The code takes readers to the web site.

https://definemodellers.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/define-day-14-jan-17-8.jpg

There has been very little use of it according to my stats, and I can't recall seeing anyone actually use it. The layout went to Manchester, Warley, Railex, Derby Roundhouse, Model Rail live, Define, Larkrail, all shows reasonably well attended by modellers and the general public. It also had its web address on the fascia boards too.

 

I'm likely to put both web address and QR patch on Shelfie2 when that goes out, but from first hand experience there doesn't seem to be a rise in viewings of any significance when attending a show.

Edited August 1, 2019 by PMP

[Chris M]

13 minutes ago, PMP said:

I've had a prominent QR code on Albion Yard from 2013. The code takes readers to the web site.

https://definemodellers.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/define-day-14-jan-17-8.jpg

There has been very little use of it according to my stats, and I can't recall seeing anyone actually use it. The layout went to Manchester, Warley, Railex, Derby Roundhouse, Model Rail live, Define, Larkrail, all shows reasonably well attended by modellers and the general public. It also had its web address on the fascia boards too.

 

I'm likely to put both web address and QR patch on Shelfie2 when that goes out, but from first hand experience there doesn't seem to be a rise in viewings of any significance when attending a show.

That's about what I expected but it's worth a try. I'll give it a try at TINGS anyway. I'll add the URL.

[PMP]

17 minutes ago, Chris M said:

That's about what I expected but it's worth a try. I'll give it a try at TINGS anyway. I'll add the URL.

 

A quick thought, I may have been subject to early adopter syndrome, we are far more widely using smart phones these days, I may have peaked too early!

[Dave Searle]

We've had a QR code displayed on Hinksey Yard since 2014 which points to our thread RMweb. I dont remember seeing anyone using it though.

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

[njee20]

I'm afraid I can't think of anything worse than standing next to someone with commentary blaring out of their phone at an exhibition.

[bbishop]

Standing next to "The Commentator"?

 

Bill

[Chris M]

1 hour ago, njee20 said:

I'm afraid I can't think of anything worse than standing next to someone with commentary blaring out of their phone at an exhibition.

Maybe telling yet another visitor exactly the same thing as you have told so many other visitors that day?

How do you feel when visitors ask questions and the exhibitors answer ? Surely that is much the same thing.

[Pete the Elaner]

I'm going to go against the trend here...

 

QR codes are a great idea & currently very underused, probably because we do not see enough of them.

You can do so much more with one than simply provide a URL.

The more common they get, the more useful they will be.

I doubt you will try to make this the only way to get information, just another option.

[Worsdell forever]

Got one on my display that stands by the layout at shows, directs to the layout thread on here.

 

 

[Ian Morgan]

I had to resize your QR code and play with the contrast to get my phone to read it from the screen:

 

[njee20]

28 minutes ago, Chris M said:

Maybe telling yet another visitor exactly the same thing as you have told so many other visitors that day?

How do you feel when visitors ask questions and the exhibitors answer ? Surely that is much the same thing.

To my mind no, it's not the same at all, that's a dialogue. In the same way I may enjoy a television program I don't wish to sit next to someone on the train listening to it out loud!

 

It's an ingenious idea, and I can understand your motivations, I'm just giving my feedback.

[Torper]

Many layouts I've seen already have quite a bit of information about them - it's in old fashioned writing stuck up in a prominent place (and can include the URL).  Good thing about it is that it's easily accessible to everyone and doesn't require people to huddle in front of the layout, blocking everyone else's view, while they read all about it on their mobile phone.  And of course there's that other old fashioned means of communication, speech - I find that if you've a technical query verbally asking the operator(s) usually brings a helpful response.  In any event, I'm much more interested in the operational aspects - what is this train coming in, what's it going to do, why is it there, and so on, and i always linger much longer at layouts that have screens or flip charts that explain the moves being carried out as they happen.

 

DT

[rdr]

8 hours ago, njee20 said:

I'm afraid I can't think of anything worse than standing next to someone with commentary blaring out of their phone at an exhibition.

i agree, but think if all the people in the whole exhibition were doing it, or even just half of them...chaos.

[Dave Hunt]

9 hours ago, njee20 said:

I'm afraid I can't think of anything worse than standing next to someone with commentary blaring out of their phone at an exhibition.

 

56 minutes ago, rdr said:

i agree, but think if all the people in the whole exhibition were doing it, or even just half of them...chaos.

 

My feelings exactly. I sincerely hope that this idea, despite the good intentions with which it was first mooted, is not widely taken up.

[PMP]

I very much doubt that people will stand around with their phones on speaker setting to listen to any audio feed.  Most people use an earpiece to listen to their phones when in public spaces, so it’s highly unlikely normal behaviour will change to listen to a model railway audio feed. The background noise of a typical show would likely make using a speaker impractical anyway.

It’s important to realise that QR codes aren’t solely for audio feeds, mine simply takes you to the website, no other functions.

 

Still if more people take up their use, we can add a ‘Too many people standing in front of layouts with ear phones in’ complaint to the perennial exhibition and Warley whinging threads..

[njee20]

Yes, that’s fine - but the OP is specifically talking about linking to a YouTube video providing audio commentary, and whilst most show goers will have their phone with them how many will have headphones too? Then what proportion of those will plug them in in order to listen to the commentary?

[298]

10 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

 

My feelings exactly. I sincerely hope that this idea, despite the good intentions with which it was first mooted, is not widely taken up.

 

I doubt it would be, most people just look at the layouts that interest them/walk on from those that don't, probably from a first impression. 

 

I think it's a good idea for instant information over googling the layout or finding a website, but I doubt it wouldn't see alot of use and certainly not after the event. 

 

It would be interesting to see how modellers could hide the QR code on a layout (such as on the flat roof of a building), as o wouldn't like to see them go the same way as a pet hate of mine, namely Totems stuck on backscenes like some kind of Zeppelin or UFO.

[Evertonian]

I am a firm believer in raising the standards of presenting exhibition layouts, and although much of of a  technophobe myself, anything which

adds to the visual scene offered to the spectators in the way of further information (if required) can only be beneficial in my view. Perhaps 

only a handful of people may take advantage, but still worthwhile methinks.

 

Chris Knight

[roundhouse]

On 02/08/2019 at 12:26, Dave Searle said:

We've had a QR code displayed on Hinksey Yard since 2014 which points to our thread RMweb. I dont remember seeing anyone using it though.

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

I used to have a QR code on the layouts for some time but only remember seeing one person use it. Since then stopped the website as that was not getting very many hits and it required a lot of updates.

Even having a monitor displaying photos of the real place got far less interest than the current folders placed on the fiddleyard top that viewers can flip through the photos at their own leisure.