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Volume 10, Issue 4 — February 28, 2013
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Back To Basics: Part 1
By Lee Distad
rAVe Columnist Thanks to the proliferation of jargon and the growth of business-self-help books as a category, expressions like ‘best practices’ get thrown around a lot.
Alas, like most jargon, people say things like that and while being well meaning, fail to really apply those expressions to what they do every day.
What is a best practice, really?
At its most simple, it’s doing something in a way that helps, rather than hinders your goals.
Make no mistake, there’s more than one way to do something, but inevitably there’s always a best way.
Or, as my old boss and mentor, they guy who more than anyone drilled the importance of processes into my brain, used to say, “There’s the wrong way, and there’s OUR way!”
With that in mind, I felt that it was time to codify and compile a summary of best practices of what it takes to make it as an AV Pro, based on both my personal experience, and my observations from networking with AV Pros all over North America.
Successful AV companies all share similarities and, perhaps unsurprisingly, unsuccessful AV companies share similarities too; often by doing the exact opposite of what successful companies do.
So with that in mind, let’s begin.
First, start small, and build your way up from there. Regardless of whether you’re new to the business, or you’ve struck out on your own from an established firm to start your own company, begin by selling and installing projects that are well within your ability to complete on time, and profitably.
While it will stand you in good stead for your entire career, learn the power of knowing when to say “No” to a prospective client.
While this may seem like a forehead slapper to the veteran AV guys reading this, I assure you that this nugget of wisdom isn’t obvious enough.
Virtually every nightmare job I’ve ever seen, been told about or been paid to pick up the pieces on has had one thing in common: a company that bit off more than they could chew, who then compounded the disaster by, when they were already in a hole, continuing to dig.
If all you can reasonably deliver on is “hang and bang” flat panel installs, or setting up a one-room AV system, then do it — there’s no shame in that.
In fact, my old friend George Berlinguette, owner of Classic HiFi in Sherwood Park, Alberta said it to me best. After barely keeping afloat after a series of huge and nearly disastrous whole-home integration projects he turned his back on large projects and focused his company on the meat-and-potatoes category that delivered not only the most profit, but the most pleasure to do: single room theatre projects between fifty to one hundred thousand dollars. As he put it, “Why risk losing my ass on a big house, when my crew can do a theater room a week, every week?”
Building on the first point, keep your designs and your processes simple. Both your design documents and the way that you install in site need to avoid complexity.
Don’t over-specify, and don’t over-wire your design. Remind yourself that every single box and every single interface between each box is a chance for something to fail. Expect devices and interfaces to fail, and plan accordingly.
Listen, actually listen to what your client wants out of their system, and design accordingly. In so far as it’s in your power to do so, design the control interface so that your client and their children and elderly parents (not just you or your brilliant programmer nerd) can operate it.
Both when pitching the system to the client and drawing out the system, stop and ask yourself, “Just because we can do something, does that mean we should?” If more AV Pros asked themselves this, more often the world would be a better place.
Lee Distad is a rAVe columnist and freelance writer covering topics from CE to global business and finance in both print and online. Reach him at lee@ravepubs.com
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OLED-TV, Where are You?
By Ken Werner
DisplayDaily By my count, LG missed three promised deadlines last year for the commercial introduction of its 55-inch OLED-TV set. Samsung, apparently never happy with the idea of bringing OLED-TVs to market before their time, grudgingly said it, too, would introduce a 55-inch OLED-TV in 2012, but when LG missed its final deadline of the year you could almost hear the sigh of relief rising over the Samsung Electronics headquarters in Suwon.
Now, LG says it has taken 100 pre-orders in Korea for its 55-inchers at a unit price of roughly $10,000, and said at CES the sets will be available in the U.S. market starting in March for about $12,000. The company announced earlier this week that it would invest KRW 706 billion (about US $648 million) in a Gen 8 OLED fab, to be installed in its P9 plant in Paju. LG Display (LGD) will start spending money on the line in Q1’13, and expects volume production to start in H1’14, with a monthly input capacity of 26,000 sheets. LGD will use the RGBW color-by-white process it obtained from Kodak when it bought Kodak’s OLED business.
LG should be able to put 6 55-inch panels on each sheet, which might sound like the line will produce a lot of OLED-TVs. And someday it will. But there are persistent, if highly unofficial, reports, that LGD’s manufacturing yield is running at about 10 percent, with plans to increase it to 30 percent by repairing some of the defective units. That is still a dismal yield, and it will keep prices high until yields improve and manufacturing costs decline. And they will, eventually.
In fact, we have lived through this story before. When Samsung began making cell-phone-sized OLED displays, it took more time than anyone – including Samsung – expected before yields rose to acceptable levels and prices came down to acceptable levels, and OLED market projections from the leading market intelligence companies were revised downward multiple times.
Late last year DisplaySearch projected that 500 OLED-TVs would be shipped worldwide in 2012, 5000 in 2013, 1.7 million in 2014, and 4.8 million in 2015. Now, Displaybank is putting those numbers at 1600 for 2013 and 1.7 million in 2015. And I wouldn’t take bets that those numbers won’t be revised downward before all this is done.
When it comes to OLED-TVs, we have all spent so much time looking at LG and Samsung, that Panasonic and Sony caught many of us by surprise when each of them showed a 56-inch 4K OLED-TV at CES this January. That diagonal and pixel count are unusual enough in the OLED world that you might expect the panels are coming from the same place, and that is partly true. The backplanes are coming from the Gen 6 fab of Taiwan’s AUO. One report said the backplane was LTPS; another that it was IGZO. It is worth noting that AUO has done a great deal of R&D on oxide TFTs over the years. On the other hand, while LTPS is certainly not impossible on a Gen 6 substrate (Samsung has been doing it on its Gen 5.5), it is not easy and it does not scale readily to Gen 8 (although Samsung has been planning to do exactly that for its first Gen 8 OLED plant). I will speculate that IGZO is the more likely approach from AUO, and it is the approach that will ultimately drive OLED prices down faster.
The front planes are different. Panasonic used a printing process for at least some of the OLED front-plane layers, while Sony used vacuum thermal evaporation. Printing of some sort is likely to be a significantly lower-cost approach, but development has been going on for many years.
So where are our OLED-TVs? They’re coming, which is what I said last year.
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Share Article Back to Top StereoD Changing Doubters to Believers Regarding 3D Conversion
By Chris Chinnock
DisplayDaily Insight Media had a chance to visit with 2D-to-3D conversion house StereoD (Burbank, Calif.), where President William Sherak gave us a tour, discussed the 3D conversion pipeline, and provided screenings of some recent high profile Hollywood conversions. My conclusion? 3D conversion has come a long way in two years and can now rival, and in some ways, exceed the results possible from native 3D capture.
Sherak’s message to the industry is that they want to demystify the 3D conversion process, implying that his competitors have made it mysterious and hard to fathom. And, by the end of the meeting, he has done just that.
One of the most effective tools he has is a demo reel that shows how the conversion process is accomplished using the following sequence.
1) Receive assets such as original 2D plates, or 2D or 3D elements (from the VFX house) and perform an ingest into their proprietary asset and pipeline management system called CTAC.
2) After an extensive shot-by-shot review, the rotoscope team begins “Roto Annotations.” These are representative frames from each shot that have defined colors and guides that tell the roto team how to break down each object for depth.
3) The roto team performs their work, and produces a simplified version of the completed roto.
4) Once the roto is complete, it is handed off to the depth team that use proprietary software, VDX, and other tools to define the scene’s depth.
5) Then, if the shot needs it, an in-house VFX team will add 3D augmentation for things like smoke, sparks, rain, confetti or any type of particles.
6) Finally the paint team adds the final polish to the shot to ensure a beautiful end result.
The quality of the conversion process is also evident in the films they have worked on like Titanic, The Avengers, Thor, Captain America, Red Bull Stratos, Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters, Katy Perry Part of Me and others. Plus, they have some big titles in the works like Star Trek and others we were told about, but can’t name. As you can see, StereoD has a close relationship with Marvel with the fifth conversion project now underway using a well-established pipeline.
The level of conversion that StereoD offers is not cheap ranging from $50K to $100K per minute. The costs vary based on the complexity of the scenes and visual effects, and if they get a “flat” movie or if they can get the get the separate visual effects to render as part of their conversion process. As a result, StereoD, which is a subsidiary of Delux, now has 1000 employees with 40 percent in the U.S. and the rest mostly in India.
The most time consuming part is the “painting”, which is the generation of missing pixels that must be created on a frame-by-frame basis by qualified graphic artists – with knowledge of stereoscopy.
One of Sherak’s favorite expressions is that they can “bend space.” What he means by this is that they have the ability to create a different 3D rendering of various parts of the frame. That means they can have a different camera separation for example, for the foreground, midground and background to achieve a visual look that one cannot get with native 3D camera capture. This technique can even be used on native stereo content to change the 3D experience.
Sherak says part of the bad reputation of 3D conversion was forged in the early days where projects were rushed through the process. Today, he says most projects now have a minimum of about 12 weeks, but that varies from project to project, of course. Titanic, with its 180K frames, took nearly a year to complete.
Another factor that is helping StereoD to win over major Hollywood directors is their approach to working with them. “We want to be style agnostic when working with the directors,” says Sherak. For example, he says that Marvel likes to “make their characters to have big 3D volume, whereas in Titanic, the style was to make the 3D space seem as big as possible. You wanted that boat to go onto infinity,” says Sherak.
Each director approaches the 3D conversion process differently, but all soon become quite engaged in the decision making pretty quickly, explains Sherak. The first part of the process is making the depth decisions for each scene and frame. Here, StereoD says the director can have unlimited revisions until it feels right. Once this is decided, the time consuming tasks of rotoscoping, doing 3D special effects and painting can begin.
This process is done with teams that work on various parts of the film. A lead stereographer guides each team, reviewing content on a 47” or so sized passive 3DTV. Fine tuning can take the form of expanding the depth of the nose or rounding out the face.
All team members attend dailies twice a day, where scenes are “approved”. This helps the team to see how the whole movie is coming together and to develop a consistent style. StereoD has two screening rooms – one a passive polarized set up and the other with active stereo glasses.
And the company does not just work on legacy conversions, but day and date releases too. To support this, they have a fiberoptic private network that can stream extremely high resolution content to several screening rooms around the world to facilitate the decision making process. “We have to deliver the highest quality to be sure these decision makers see exactly the same thing they would see in our facility in Burbank,” explained Sherak.
So there you have it. High quality 3D conversion can be quite masterful, but it comes at a hefty price. But that’s okay. Given time, I would expect many of these tools and skills to begin to migrate to enable lower cost conversions. The really tricky part – painting pixels by trained artists, will be very difficult to replace in the long term – certainly for theatrical screenings where every error can be visible. –Chris Chinnock
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Recently from rAVe's BlogSquad Back to Top Former SpeakerCraft CEO Jeremy Burkhardt Buys Soundcast Systems Soundcast Systems, developer and manufacturer of wireless music systems, has been purchased by former SpeakerCraft CEO Jeremy Burkhardt. Burkhardt brings 23 years of industry experience to the company. It looks like he's decided to compete directly with his old company. He is also currently suing SpeakerCraft, with whom he had a non-compete, but Burkhardt says is invalid. This should be interesting to watch. Burkhardt says, "Soundcast is an innovative, engineering driven company and one of the first to deliver high-performance working wireless technology and portable outdoor speakers. The unique opportunity lays in the fact that it's a company with proven cutting-edge wireless, DSP and amplifier technologies with multiple patents under its belt. They've lacked the capital resources to grow the business with more products, marketing and field training initiatives that are necessary for its dealers." Burkhardt's longtime business partner Jeff Francisco will take the role of CTO at the company, but the company says it will maintain its current management, sales and operations team, including Oscar Ciornei as head of business development. "Soundcast already has a great management and sales team in place, but together we will make a great team even better by adding our collective strengths along with the financial resources I can deliver to the company. With our added people and resources we will strengthen our customer service, technical support, product time-to-market and new product innovations," Burkhardt said. The headquarters will remain in Chula Vista, Calif. In addition, expansion plans will be announced in the near future for larger headquarters facilities and staffing. Soundcast's current and ongoing president Mike Weaver states, "Jeremy brings a powerful combination of vision, experience and fervor to Soundcast. All that plus a combination of new products and more ways to use existing platforms to grow with our channel partners. I am excited to work alongside Jeremy, our leadership team and network of global partners to rapidly grow Soundcast to new heights." The company plans to accelerate the development of new products that best fit the needs of the modern connected world, with many new innovative models slated for 2013 and 2014. Soundcast has one of the most comprehensive patent portfolios for wireless audio in the world. The company says it plans to aggressively protect the company's intellectual property of its wireless audio, digital amplification and proprietary high-performance battery technologies. For more information on Soundcast, click here: http://www.soundcastsystems.com
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Share Article Back to Top Peerless-AV Acquires Ciil Technologies, Manufacturers of Outdoor and Weatherproof TVs and Displays Peerless-AV today announced the acquisition of Ciil Technologies, LLC, a manufacturer of environmental/weatherproof outdoor TVs and displays marketed under the UltraView and Xtreme brand names.
Peerless says that Ciil’s products are the only outdoor TVs and displays that are completely sealed and utilize no external vents, exhaust fans or filters. The patented design holds the highest protection rating in the industry at IP 68 and NEMA 6, allowing the products to be submerged in water for 30 minutes without failure. Applications range from professional and college stadiums, public transit, marinas, cruise ships, yachts and factory floors to residential backyards and poolside patios. Models from 26” to 55” are available.
“The market for outdoor TVs is growing rapidly in commercial settings, where weatherproof displays are replacing expensive enclosures, as well as in residential environments, where the backyard has become the new living room. With this acquisition, our customers can take full advantage of this expanding market sector,” said Michael Campagna, president of the Peerless Technology Division.
“At the same time, this is a strategic acquisition that extends the investment in emerging technology that led to last month’s announcement that we have formed a separate technology division,” Campagna said. “Our goal is to build a global technology business on a par with our global AV mounting solutions business. Acquiring Ciil is a key building block in that process.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Ciil’s manufacturing and operations will be relocated to Peerless-AV’s headquarters and 320,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Aurora, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. Ciil products will now be produced in a dedicated 10,000-square-foot area within the Peerless-AV plant, including a 3,000-square-foot clean room for assembly and testing.
All Ciil TVs and displays will continue to be manufactured in the U.S., all Ciil personnel and management will be retained and Ciil products will continue to be sold under the Ciil trademark and the UltraView and Xtreme brand names.
The transaction closed on Feb. 1, 2013. Financial terms were not disclosed. More information on Ciil’s products can be found at http://www.ciiltech.com
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Share Article Back to Top Crestron's Essence and Aspire Speakers Ship Crestron today announced that its Essence and Aspire speakers are now shipping. These speakers feature an innovative toggle clamp mounting system and a paintable zero-bezel grille design that makes them virtually invisible in ceilings or on walls.
The Aspire series are woven poly-glass composite woofers with a 1-inch synthetic polymer dome tweeters sing out crisp, soaring highs and stacattos. Offset post-mounted tweeters reduce midrange frequency response anomalies.
The Essence series are woven Kevlar woofers to deliver deep, defined low end, and use large 1.1 inch advanced synthetic polymer dome tweeters and cast aluminum woofer baskets. In-ceiling models include both round and square zero-bezel grilles to match light fixtures or décor.
Essence and Aspire are sold in pairs and are available in both in-ceiling (round) and in-wall (rectangular) models. Choose from three sizes: 5.25", 6.5" and 8". The Aspire 8" 2-Way Single-Point Stereo In-Ceiling Speaker is sold individually.
You can see them here: http://www.crestron.com/products/speakers/
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Share Article Back to Top NuVo Launches Wireless Home Audio at ISE ISE visitors to the NuVo stand were treated to an up-close look at the manufacturer’s new Wireless Audio System. The NuVo Wireless Audio System uses a flexible modular design with two interchangeable wireless zone amplifier options, the P100 (40 watts) and the P200 (120 watts) players. The NuVo Wireless Audio System can start with a solitary zone, while allowing for easy expansion with additional zones. Also available is the NuVo P3100, which operates three zones from one rack-mountable, wired unit, which can be used with the wireless player options for customization, meeting the demands of any homeowner’s design, budget or timeline. The inherent flexibility offered through three interchangeable wired or wireless zone options makes the system an ideal fit for most every installation scenario. Additionally, featuring an all-in-one approach, the player devices are equipped to stream content from network stored audio, analog sources and several Internet Radio services, rendering additional source equipment unnecessary. The P200 also employs the aptX audio codec, which provides “wired” quality Bluetooth stereo audio. NuVo says its Wireless Audio System offers “lossless delivery of pristine and dynamic audio, and the highest-grade of synchronization technology, for perfectly timed audio even when playing a tune throughout all zones.” The system’s wireless connection is preserved through use of the NuVo Gateway, which connects to the home router and establishes a secure line of communication between players and distributes the audio. Controlling all zones is also done simply, thanks to a control app, available for both Apple and Android phones and tablets. The NuVo wireless system was designed for easy third party connectivity, integrating smoothly into home automation systems. A Control4 driver for full control is being offered through developer Extra Vegetables.
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Share Article Back to Top LG Intros Hecto Laser TV Projection System LG has added to to its home entertainment range the new Hecto TV system, which the company says projects HD video onto a 100” screen from just about 22” away. An impressive (specs-wise) home cinema system, the 100” Laser TV includes an immersive screen and an external Ultra Short Throw (UST) projection unit capable of displaying large images at short distances. The unique system offers Full HD 1080p resolution and impressive contrast as a result of LG’s advanced laser-based illumination system. The projection unit is Wi-Fi-enabled, giving it smart TV and digital TV functionality allowing for web browsing and video on demand services. It also has three HDMI ports, a 10-watt speaker and comes with LG’s Magic Remote. As a laser projector, the system also has an extra-long lifespan, capable of operating for 25,000 hours of viewing – more than 5x times longer than conventional mercury lamps.
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Share Article Back to Top Acer Attacks Home Gaming Projector Market with $800 Projector Acer America today announced that its Acer H6510BD projector for home gamers is now shipping. The 1920x1080p projector includes 2D-to-3D conversion without requiring extra software and is spec'd at 3,000 lumens brightness. It includes a so-called ExtremeEco mode enable power savings up to 70 percent and extend lamp life up to 7,000 hours for a low total cost of ownership. It's also compact enough for travel measuring 10.4×8.7×1.3 inches and weighing just 4.8 pounds.
The projector is equipped with several connectors for multiple-PC source input, offering instant switching and connection options. Input interfaces include analog RGB/component video (D-Sub), composite video (RCA), S-Video (mini DIN), component (three RCA), two HDMI (video, audio, HDCP) and PC audio (stereo mini jack).
It lists for $799. Here are all the specs: http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/series/projectors-home
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Share Article Back to Top SAVANT Expands SmartView Video Tiling Technology Savant Systems has expanded the capabilities of its SmartView Tiling technology to deliver up to nine high definition (HD) windows of content or media on a single display. SmartView Tiling, initially unveiled with a six-tile capacity, is a versatile technology featuring broadcast quality video processing and scaling that is appropriate for both residential and commercial applications. Savant SmartView Tiling will accept video input resolutions up to 1080p while delivering HD video to the display via HDMI. Source inputs can broadly range from Blu-ray players, cable boxes, security cameras or other video devices. Most importantly, users will be able to easily arrange their tiling, change content programming and save "favorite" configurations all via Savant's intuitive iPad interface. The nine-tile version is available now with Savant's multi-window video processing modules, the VOM-SV02 and the SVT-009T platform.
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Share Article Back to Top Extron Announces New EDID Emulator for HDMI Extron introduced the EDID 101H, an EDID Emulator for HDMI signal sources. It features EDID Minder, an Extron exclusive technology that automatically manages EDID communication between connected devices. Pre-stored EDID is communicated to the source based on a user-selected resolution and refresh rate. Alternatively, the EDID 101H can be set to capture and store EDID information when connected to a display. A unique HPD (Hot Plug Detect) port provides control for remote cameras and other signal sources that require a periodic HPD trigger.
The EDID 101H joins the EDID 101 Series of EDID emulators, which includes the EDID 101D for DVI and the EDID 101V for VGA signals. The EDID 101H is housed in a compact 1" high, quarter rack width metal enclosure for convenient, discreet installation. An energy-efficient external universal power supply is included.
Here are all the specs: http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=edid101h&s=5
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Share Article Back to Top Savant Calls Ube's Bluff with Wi-Fi Thermostat Savant Systems has announced the availability of the Savant Wireless Thermostat, SST-W100. The SST-W100 is a Wi-Fi enabled digital thermostat designed to control Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems within any residential or commercial setting and integrate seamlessly into a Savant-controlled environment. The SST-W100 is a versatile thermostat for one and two stage control of forced air, radiant, heat pump and HVAC systems.
The Savant SST-W100, requiring only standard thermostat wiring at its mounting location, is ideal for retrofit installations thanks to its wireless communication to Savant's SmartSystem controllers. The SST-W100 provides access to temperature adjustments from anywhere in the home or from a remote location using any Savant interface. Multiple Savant thermostats may be networked over an existing Wi-Fi network, enabling temperature and humidity adjustment from any SST-W100 in the home. Energy conservation is achieved by programming the HVAC system (using the HVAC Scheduler within the Savant TrueControl iPad app) to automatically respond based upon outside temperature, season or time of day.
Up to two optional remote temperature sensors (sold separately) can be connected to the SST-W100 for enhanced flexibility and optimized performance when required. Climate can be regulated according to the average of multiple sensors or the built-in sensors within the thermostat can be disabled entirely to allow the SST-W1000 to be installed out of sight.
Key features include:
- Wi-Fi (802.11) enabled thermostat
- Supports standard or heat pump HVAC systems
- Includes 128 x 64 backlit graphical display
- Local temperature displays on backlit LCD
- Set point display and control
- System mode (off, auto, heat, and cool)
- Fan display and control (auto, manual, and on)
- Six buttons with on-screen labels
- Fahrenheit or Celsius modes
- Optional remote sensors
- Optional flush mount accessory
- Integrates easily with TrueControl
- Automatically sends changes, so there is no polling
Here are all the stats: http://www.savantsystems.com/product-details/savant_wireless_thermostat.aspx
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Share Article Back to Top Extron Expands HDMI Distribution Amplifier Lineup Extron has introduced two new, larger HDMI distribution amplifiers as part of its HDMI DA Series product line. The HDMI DA4 with four outputs, and HDMI DA6 with six outputs, are HDCP compliant and support HDMI specification features including data rates up to 6.75 Gbps, 12-bit Deep Color, 3D, Lip Sync and HD lossless audio formats. They also support HDTV 1080p/60 and PC resolutions up to 1920×1200. For ease of integration and reliable operation, the HDMI DA Series features two Extron technologies: EDID Minder, which maintains continuous EDID communication between connected devices, and Key Minder, which continuously authenticates HDMI encryption between all devices, ensuring the simultaneous distribution of source content to connected displays.
To enhance and simplify integration, the HDMI DA Series offers features including automatic input cable equalization, automatic color bit depth management and selectable output muting, as well as indicators for monitoring and troubleshooting. Input cable equalization restores and reshapes incoming HDMI signals, reducing the need for additional signal conditioning equipment by compensating for weak source signals or signal loss from a long input cable. The HDMI DA Series automatically adjusts color bit depth based on the display EDID, preventing color compatibility conflicts between source and display. Outputs can be muted independently via RS-232, allowing content to be previewed on a local monitor. Additionally, the distribution amplifiers provide immediate visual confirmation of EDID status, HDCP authentication, and signal presence confirmation for each port via front panel LED indicators.
Here are all the stats: http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=hdmidaseries&s=5
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Share Article Back to Top DPI Announces New Training Opportunities Digital Projection International (DPI) has announced certified training opportunities for ProAV and HomeAV integrators. Class topics range from the general, with an overview of two-piece projection systems, to the specific, with an intensive look at warp and blend application techniques. Integrators interested in earning CTS and AIA credits while learning advanced skills in projection technology have numerous opportunities throughout February, March and early April. To register for any of the following training dates, please visit www.digitalprojection.com/training.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Back to Top Core Brands Adds Adam Griffin as Northeast Regional Sales Manager Core Brands announced this month that the group has named Adam Griffin as its northeast regional sales manager. Bringing more than 15 years of consumer electronics industry experience to Core Brands, Griffin is tasked with managing the group's sales efforts and business relationships across the northeastern United States, including New England, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Back to Top THIEL Audio Appoints Stephen DeFuria as National Sales Manager THIEL Audio has appointed Stephen DeFuria as national sales manager effective immediately. DeFuria had been most recently employed by Tempo High Fidelity as the North American Sales Manager for Musical Fidelity, a UK-based audio electronics manufacturer.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Back to Top AMX to Launch New End User Website AMX is launching a new end user website starting tomorrow at amx.com. This new resource was developed to assist integrators in the time-consuming task of educating their prospective end users about the benefits that technology automation can offer them. The new AMX.com End User site is a front end to the AMX.com Dealer Site that already exists.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Back to Top SAVANT Adds Speco Technologies to Partners in Excellence Cooperative Program Savant Systems, LLC has announced the addition of Speco Technologies to its PARTNERS IN EXCELLENCE cooperative program.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Back to Top For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe HomeAV Edition out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100% opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the high-end HomeAV industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that’s why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
Don’t like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send me feedback, don't reply to this newsletter – instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas: Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
A little about me: I graduated from Journalism School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where I am adjunct faculty). I’ve been in the AV-industry since 1987 where I started with Extron and eventually moved to AMX. So, I guess I am an industry veteran (although I don’t think I am that old). I have been an opinionated columnist for a number of industry publications and in the late 1990s I started the widely read KNews eNewsletter (the first in the AV market) and also created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue – which is now known as InfoComm IQ. rAVe Publications has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition.
rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004.
To read more about my background, our team, and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com Back to Top Copyright 2013 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln. – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – 919/969-7501. Email: sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe HomeAV Edition contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors.
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