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Volume 10, Issue 9 — May 16, 2013
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Furniture For AV Pros: Part 2
By Lee Distad
rAVe Columnist Last week I tried to make the case that AV dealers in search of both margin and market share need to embrace entertainment furniture as more than just an afterthought to audio and video. Rather, it has to be treated as an equally important category, and detailed some trends in styling and design that are worth being aware of.
Beyond styling, as an AV dealer, you’ve got equipment-centric considerations for any furniture line you offer. For one thing, storage is a major consideration, something that AV dealers are better positioned to understand than furniture stores. Remember the armoires for CRT TVs fifteen years ago whose designers didn’t grasp the depth those TVs needed? An AV pro will already be paying attention to those things. These days you’ll have other priorities, such as engineering for flow-through ventilation and cable management.
Many people’s media consumption takes place in multi-use rooms like living and family rooms. Alas, many designers see the TV as the elephant in the room and don’t consider storage for media, remote controls or even cord management. Hence the importance of a mix of storage options based on buying a system and then mixing and matching configurations to suit, allowing things that are deemed unsightly to be hidden, and contrast with showcase features like glass cabinets or open shelves where décor items can be displayed.
Another aspect of entertainment furniture to consider is built-in lighting: both as accent lighting for display areas and as general indirect room lighting. Good lighting strikes a balance between what to conceal and what to reveal. Additionally, lighting is a topic that can get design-conscious clients and their personal interior designers on board with new furniture very quickly.
AV dealers need to counsel their clients with regard to furniture choices just as wisely as they do with equipment considerations. The two most important things when buying furniture are to plan and to measure. Most AV furniture vendors have online or app-based planning tools that are great for designing and customizing furniture selections depending on the client’s space and the equipment.
Once you’ve committed to broadening your furniture horizons, bear in mind the need for good logistics and project management. Back room and warehouse space is typically at a premium, and with the exception of ready-to-assemble furniture that’s flat-packed, entertainment furniture, especially seating, can be massive. Having to store seating for twelve for several weeks until delivery during the final installation of a major integration project isn’t an ideal choice.
Fortunately AV pros understand the need for just-in-time shipping, and using project management to order the client’s furniture from the vendor with an appropriate amount of lead time. Proper liaison with your vendor to meet delivery deadlines and minimize the hassle of having to warehouse lots of furniture in your own space is just good management.
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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To Cut or Not Cut the Cable Cord?
By Molly Stillman
rAVe Staff Well, the time has come. My husband and I have been discussing this for months. We've gone back and forth asking the same questions over and over again:- "Are we ready?"
- "Will our lives be different?"
- "Will we miss anything we used to have?"
- "What if we regret our decision?"
- "Is it actually going to be cost effective?"
- "Are there other options out there?"
- "Will we feel different?"
And what, exactly, are we trying to ultimately decide? Whether or not to get rid of cable.
The truth is, we've been extremely unhappy with our cable provider for a LONG time – months. Okay, years. We hate strongly dislike our cable provider. We've tried talking with customer support, we've had a technician out dozens of times, and nothing is better. In fact, our service only continues to get worse. And for the amount we pay each month for cable and internet, the fact that our service cuts out almost 50 percent of the time now, it's just getting to the point where we are a bit fed up.
Yes, I know this is a total first world problem, but the fact of the matter is, when you're throwing $130+ a month at a company, you expect the service to work, right? Right.
So, as our contract is up in the next couple months, we've come to the point where we're trying to decide whether or not we should continue with cable or if we should just bite the bullet and cut the cord.
Seeing as how I work for an AV publication, I felt like this could be something that might be interesting to document our experience. Plus, I feel like if there's anyone else out there that's either A) been through this before or B) might have some good advice, it's AV people, right? Right.
So, here's our current situation:
- We have two HDTVs in our home — one of which is actually plugged into an HD cable box, the other is plugged directly into the wall and is not getting HD feeds (it's a small TV in our bedroom).
- We have an Apple TV plugged into our downstairs (main) TV.
- We watch more Netflix than anything else via the Apple TV on that downstairs TV.
- We bought an indoor HD antenna to see what kind of over-the-air HD channels we could get, and we get the main networks (ABC, CBS, NBC), but that's about it.
- The only real television that we would miss (that we can't currently get on Netflix or via Airplay on an Apple device) is live sporting events. (We're big Carolina football and Carolina basketball fans in our house…)
Now, do we bite the bullet and get rid of cable and do without live sporting events and be rid of our awful cable provider? Or, do we suffer through? While the answer may seem obvious, when you have two big sports fans like us living in a house, the answer is more difficult than you may think.
So, while we have completed Step One by purchasing an over-the-air HD antenna, we still don't totally feel ready.
Therefore I put it out to the rAVe readers: Have any of you cut the cable cord? Thought about it? What are your experiences? What are your thoughts? I'd love to hear them!
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Share Article Back to Top Could Biscotti Become A Thorn in the Side of the Videoconferencing Market?
By Gary Kayye
rAVe Founder There's a product we've written about a few times here in rAVe called Biscotti. Biscotti started out two years ago as a little $200 camera that you set on top of a TV that let you connect to other Biscotti users as well as to any Google Gmail user – face to face, via video and audio.
Fast forward two years and now it comes in three models. The "high-end" $249 version includes 802.11abgn networking, has the capability to do multi-party calling (up to 25 people at a time) and delivers 720p video on both ends of the call (via Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet.
Sure, it still sits on top of a TV, but now these features, along with a new wireless keyboard, a separate table-top microphone and clearly aiming itself at the videoconferencing market, Biscotti has to be bugging the heck out of companies like Polycom and Cisco. And, to top it off, they've now added XMPP and SIP. What's next? Skype compatibility?
Basically, what Biscotti is giving you is a glimpse into the future. Sure, it lacks a lot of the heavy-duty features of most professional VTC systems, but what it does do is show you how simple it is to take videoconferencing to the cloud. Basically, Biscotti is just a camera (5MP), mic and network connection to the Internet. Most of the codec functions are happening in the cloud through the company's servers. That's why it's so cheap ($150 – $250) with unlimited calling for a $25 per month plan (or free if you use less than 40 minutes a month on multi-party calls and all one-on-one calls are totally free). And, since it's completely in the cloud, they actually automatically record every VTC call for you and store it up to 30 days. Plus, you can then move the call to YouTube or download it at your convenience after that.
Now the company has officially decided the business videoconferencing market is something it wants a piece of. It's even launched a Biscotti for business site – here' a video that explains how it works: http://www.biscotti.com/business. If I were you, I'd go there and watch the two-minute video.
So, should the commercial VTC market be worried? Well, maybe a little. Biscotti is a small company and it's brand new technology. In fact, I'm betting one of the big boys of videoconferencing is already making a play to buy them. Or, if they aren't, they should.
It's only $150 for the home version. Oh, and by the way, that $150 one can handle connecting up to 25 people together on one screen, too, as long as you don't spend more than 40 minutes a month doing it — or you'll have to pay the $25 per month fee. Why not buy one and try it? I think once you have, you'll see that this might not just be a thorn on the VTC market side — it might be more like a stake.
Gary Kayye is the founder of rAVe [Publications]. Reach him at gary@ravepubs.com
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Is The Switch From Volume To Value Unanimous?
By Paul Gray
DisplaySearch Samsung has a regular spot at the IFA Global Press Conference, an opportunity to tease the world’s CE press before the IFA Show in September. This year, the big question the audience wanted answered was what Samsung would do in 4K2K. While flagship products such as 85” had been shown, the real question was what Samsung’s response to 4K2K products in real-world sizes like 55” would be.
The answer was realistic. Michael Zoeller, European sales and marketing director of TV at Samsung pointed out the hard facts behind the 4K hype:
- There is no 4K broadcast standard
- There is no 4K interconnect standard
- 4K Blu-ray is still not agreed
- No 4K TV released today is future-proofed for even the first 4K formats.
At this point he explained how Samsung's expansion port and ‘evolution kit’ approach at least means that any of their 4K sets sold today have a fighting chance of being usable when 4K material does arrive.
Compare and contrast with Samsung's approach when 3D first appeared: Immediately Samsung went onto a war footing and out-developed its competition, producing the widest 3D product range within months. I don’t think that Samsung is being complacent today, but it does show how much the market has changed. Samsung's strategy is now to protect (and recover) margins — a necessary step after the profitless prosperity which has broken retailers' and TV set makers' businesses. Samsung has gone from being the upstart to the boss, and we are of course promised more Samsung 4K TV product launches at IFA'13.
Of course, things do not stay still for long. Chinese set makers made their presence felt at the last two big events: IFA'12 and CES'13. They look to me to be poised to break out of their domestic market and are using 4K2K as a first attempt to reposition their brands, having mastered the technology. The new challenge for the Chinese brands is to master marketing in unfamiliar markets: product management of 4K TV will be the first test. If it turns into another price war, there will be no winners.
This article was reprinted with permission from DisplaySearch and originally appeared here.
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Share Article Back to Top CEDIA Releases Telepresence White Paper Technology and demand for telepresence are increasing within the residential space. 3.1 million people consider home their primary place of work. CEDIA is keeping members on the forefront of this opportunity by offering a new white paper to guide home technology professionals in the installation of these high performance systems.
As technologies have evolved, video communications have moved from a static, blurry, delayed video conferencing system to a form that is more advanced. The advanced form is often called “telepresence video conferencing” and refers to the highest levels of video communications that employ improved reliability of both sight and sound, creating the illusion of being physically present. Telepresence is not easy to achieve. It requires expert implementation of the human sensory qualities of audio, video and environment.
“Video conferencing systems, from class rooms to board rooms, have long been a staple for commercial technology integrators. The demand for high performance video conferencing systems is now reaching into the residential market. This is where CEDIA professionals can step in to greatly improve collaboration and productivity for their clients,” said Rich Green, CEDIA technology council chair and president of Rich Green Design. “The CEDIA white paper on residential telepresence will introduce home technology professionals to new technologies in this developing market and help them get started with the design and installation of telepresence systems in their client’s homes.”
The white paper, Telepresence Opportunities for Home Technology Professionals, discusses room layout, data sharing, acoustics and other essential elements that are needed to create a high performance residential environment. CEDIA members may access their complimentary copy through the CEDIA Marketplace; non-members may purchase a copy for $9.99 in the CEDIA Marketplace here: http://www.cedia.net/marketplace/
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Nielsen Says U.S. Now Has 115.6 Million TV Homes The universe of U.S. television homes is growing — and so is the TV audience. According to Nielsen’s 2014 Advance National TV Household Universe Estimate (UE), there are 115.6 million TV homes in the U.S., up 1.2 percent from the 2012-2013 estimate of 114.2 million. Nielsen estimates that 294 million persons age 2 and older live in these TV homes, an increase of 1.6 percent from last year.
Nielsen uses U.S. Census Bureau data and auxiliary sources such as state governments and the U.S. postal service to arrive at Advance TV UEs in early May before the television industry’s upfronts. It then distributes final UEs before the start of each TV season.
The 2014 National UEs reflect 1) real changes in population since last year; 2) updated TV penetration levels, differentially calculated for qualifying market break and age/sex demographic categories; and 3) the expansion of Nielsen’s current definition of a TV home to include homes that receive TV via broadband connection only.
“This year, the Advance National TV UEs are as we expected,” said Neilsen's SVP of Insights and Analysis Pat McDonough. “Though we see slight shifts reflecting trends in population changes, the Advance UEs are largely stable and television viewing remains very strong. The expansion of the definition of a TV household, which we announced in February 2013, will include viewing from additional sites in current homes and new homes for the September TV season. In collaboration with clients, we continue to expand the reach of television audience measurement—how and where consumers choose to view content."
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Share Article Back to Top Recently from rAVe's BlogSquad Back to Top NAD Launches New Audio Products with AirPlay NAD Electronics unveiled three affordable products: the D 7050 Direct Digital Network Receiver (MSRP: $999), the D 3020 Digital DAC/Amplifier (MSRP: $499) and the D 1050 USB 24/192 DAC (MSRP: $499). All three models will be July 2013.
The D 7050 Digital Network Receiver is basically an amplifier with Apple’s AirPlay Wi-Fi streaming technology integrated into it (in addition to Apple’s AirPlay, the D 7050 can also stream any UPnP audio content on a home network) – and, if no network is available, it can also stream directly from a smartphone or laptop using the latest Bluetooth. Of course, there's a wired digital audio (no analog input, though) and a USB drive port. Digital is converted to analog (for speaker ports) via a passive two-pole reconstruction filter located right at the speaker outputs. NAD claims it's the worlds’ first successful closed loop digital amplifier. Closed loop means that the output is compared to the input, and then compensated for any differences to achieve a ‘perfect’ output. Output is spec'd at 30-watts.
The D 3020 allows for inputs from a computer (analog) along with other digital and analog sources as well as a USB audio port. Coaxial and optical S/PDIF (digital) inputs allow for connection of anything digital (e.g., CD and DVD disc players, TV set top boxes and Apple TVs). There are also analog inputs for iPods and older non-digital audio components such as FM tuners. NAD also includes a headphone amplifier output. There's no network port though, like the 7050 has, but it does have a Bluetooth port. It, too, is specified at 30 watts of output power.
The NAD D 1050 USB DAC is an adapter that allows you to add computer audio (via 3.5 millimeter) and HD digital audio (S/PDIF, optical and coax) to a traditional component hi-fi system. The digital inputs include S/PDIF inputs support balanced AES/EBU, coaxial and optical connectors. It also supports USB Audio Codec 2.0 allowing 192 kHz signal transmission.
All three products consume less than 0.5 watts of power in stand-by — making them a GreenAV product.
In the press release, NAD said these products were ground-breaking, however, embedded AirPlay, USB audio inputs and network, as well as Bluetooth audio have been available on many audio products for several years.
Check out all three of them here: http://www.nadelectronics.com
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Share Article Back to Top Niles Intros In-Wall Soundbar Today Niles launched the industry's first in-wall soundbar, called the Cynema Soundfield, that the company says can be perfectly centered under flat-panel displays without the hassle of cutting or drilling wall studs. The Cynema Soundfield system is available in three active models and one passive model in lengths of 48, 55 and 65 inches — paralleling today's most popular display sizes. The in-wall soundbar consists of left, right and center self-contained speaker modules and includes a preamp/amplifier module for the powered models. Powered models also include a separate low voltage power supply – easily mounted in a stud bay adjacent to a wall outlet or behind the display – to eliminate the need for high-voltage wiring in the wall and the electrician required to do it.
Cynema Soundfield's speaker and amplifier modules easily snap in from the front into rails mounted on the wall's studs, and can be adjusted between the studs as needed to achieve the best soundfield. Installers can configure the mounting positions of each speaker module and the amplifier around existing studs with ease. The speaker and amplifier modules have small foldable L-shaped brackets on each side to enable the installer to temporarily hang the modules on the in-wall mounting system's rails, freeing up both hands and making the speaker and amplifier connection terminals easy to see and connect. Wiring is run through specially designed spaces in the mounting system to eliminate the need to drill holes in the studs. Included spacers can be inserted to cover any empty areas between modules for a clean installation. A low-profile, magnetically attached, and paintable MicroPerf grille makes the entire assembly virtually invisible to end users for a clean look.
Included with the CSF-65A, CSF-55A and CSF-48A amplified models is a three-channel by 30 watt digital preamp/amplifier with Dolby Digital processing. The preamp/amplifier module can be operated via IR for simple integration and auto-senses audio input to function as a seamless extension of the TV's remote control. The amplified Cynema Soundfield systems incorporate versatile design features that enable them to work effortlessly as part of a whole-house distributed audio system and connect wirelessly with Niles subwoofers. The passive CSF-48P does not include an amplifier module, allowing integrators to utilize any form of amplification for added flexibility.
The Cynema Soundfield passive model contains three speaker modules, one in-wall mounting system with grille, and one cutout template for the in-wall mounting system. The three powered models contain one preamp/amplifier module, one in-wall power supply unit with AC power cord, one cutout template for the in-wall power supply box, one Niles SW-T bracket for mounting an optional Niles SW-T wireless subwoofer transmitter, one 3-meter TOSLINK optical cable, one stereo 3.5-millimeter to dual RCA cable, one 1.5-meter DC power cable for the optional wireless transmitter and three speaker wires for the left, center and right speaker modules.
The Cynema Soundfield system is now shipping at a list price of $1,195.95 for the CSF-48P, $1,599.95 for the CSF-48A, $1,749.95 for the CSF-55A and $1,999.95 for the CSF-65A.
Here are the details: http://www.nilesaudio.com/
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Control4 Intros New Wireless Lighting Control Control4 launched a new line of wireless lighting control products today that are controllable from the Control4 MyHome app on a mobile device. Control4 integrates lighting control with other automation functions to create "scenes" which enhance convenience and safety for customers. Some of the more popular uses include: a "Home" scene that creates a lighting path from the entry to the kitchen and disarms the security system; an "Entertainment" scene that dims all the lights and cues the AV system; an "Away" scene that lowers the shades, places the AC into energy savings mode, shuts off all but a few select lights and activates the security system.
The new Control4 Wireless Lighting product family includes products aimed at both residential and commercial installations – both for retrofit and new construction projects (100-277 volts). The new Control4 Wireless Lighting family includes:
- Control4 Wireless Adaptive Phase Dimmer, which is compatible with a broad range of dimmable load types including most LEDs, incandescents, halogens, electronic low voltage (solid state) transformers, magnetic (iron core) low voltage transformers, fluorescents and compact fluorescents. It lists for $180.
- Control4 Wireless Configurable Keypad can be configured with two to seven custom-engraved, LED backlit buttons, using four different button sizes, for a total of 37 possible configurations. It lists for $200.
- Control4 Wireless Keypad Dimmer that lists for $250.
- Control4 Wireless Fan Speed Controller with four fan speed buttons and an off button. The Wireless Fan Speed Controller also enables fan speed to be incorporated into Control4 systems for climate control and other automated events. List $190.
- Control4 Wireless 0-10V Dimmer, which is an in-wall control of four-wire 0-10V dimmable fluorescent ballasts and LEDs. It lists for $190.
- Control4 Wireless Forward Phase Dimmer for dimming forward phase compatible loads, including incandescents, line-voltage halogens and magnetic transformers. Particularly well-suited to dimming high-wattage loads such as chandeliers and large banks of recessed lights, the Forward Phase Dimmer is also compatible with forward phase dimmable LEDs, CFLs, and fluorescents. It lists for $140.
- Control4 Wireless Switch provides on/off control for virtually every type of load, including LED lights, incandescents, halogens, electronic low voltage (solid state) transformers, magnetic (iron core) low voltage transformers, fluorescents, compact fluorescents, and motors, including ceiling fans and bathroom ventilation fans. It lists for $140.
- Control4 Auxiliary Keypad offers three-way control and lists for $40.
The new Control4 Wireless Lighting products are compatible and easily integrated with the new Control4 Panelized Lighting products and you can see them all here: http://www.control4.com
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Share Article Back to Top Digital Projection Offers Free Lamps For Any Projector While in Warranty DPI has introduced a new 'Lamp Freedom' program for customers in both the ProAV and HomeAV markets that allows end-users to receive a free set of replacement lamps in years two and three of a new projector purchase made between now and the end of June 2013. The program is offered to end-users purchasing HIGHlite Series or TITAN Series projectors from authorized DPI Commercial AV or Home Cinema dealers in North America.
Lamp replacement costs are obviously a key concern when calculating the long-term cost of ownership of high-brightness projectors. DPI’s ‘Lamp Freedom’ program offers customers a dramatically reduced cost of ownership benefit on their HIGHlite and TITAN projectors. Depending on the DPI projector model purchased, this program can represent more than $10,000 in lamp savings during the three-year warranty period. For customers with typical use applications, which DPI defines as 1,000-1,500 hours per year, this program will completely eliminate lamp purchase costs during the warranty period.
To qualify, end-users must purchase and take delivery of HIGHlite and TITAN 3-chip projectors during the 5/1/13 – 6/30/13 timeframe. This qualifies the customer to order one set of replacement lamps, at no cost, in each of years two and three.
For more details on DPI’s ‘Lamp Freedom’ program, go to digitalprojection.com/freedom
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Share Article Back to Top Digital Projection Launches Home Cinema Trade Up Program Digital Projection is offering $500, $750 and $1,000 credits towards trading in an old projector (and in many cases, it doesn't matter if it's an old DPI projector or any third-party brand) and buying a new one. |
This program is in effect from May 1, 2013 through June 30, 2013 and you can sign up to get details here: http://www.digitalprojection.com/RequestInformation/tabid/95/Default.aspx |
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Share Article Back to Top CEA Rejects AMX, Crestron and Control4 Standards and Announces New Standard Group for Connected Home and Smart Energy The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announced this week that it is forming the R7.8 Working Group 2 to develop a new standard to enable home electronics to communicate energy use data to smart energy management systems and apps. The new standard will be called CE-Energy Usage Information (CE-EUI) and will conform to the North American Energy Standards Board Energy Usage Information (NAESB -EUI) model, which forms the basis for the national Green Button initiative.
“Product manufacturers already understand how much energy a device will use during operation, based on its design,” said Brian Markwalter, senior vice president of research and standards at CEA. “By programming that information into the device and enabling the device to calculate how much energy it uses over time, manufacturers can help homeowners accurately capture the data for their energy management systems and applications.”
The standard will be compatible with the new Green Button “Download My Data” and “Connect My Data” initiatives. Green Button defines how consumers and authorized third-party services can access a history of their home’s total energy usage and cost based on smart meter readings. By enabling each device to report its own energy usage, consumers will be able to see the energy each CE-EUI-compliant device consumes and make better informed decisions. The standard will be network agnostic, operating over networks, such as Wi-Fi, Ethernet, ZigBee and Z-Wave, that are an existing part of the home ecosystem.
For more information on this new effort and how to get involved, email: standards@CE.org
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Share Article Back to Top New Home Automation Company to Rely 100 Percent on Android OS A new company home automation company called Automated Control Technology Partners, Inc. (ACTP) will officially launch at InfoComm. Its home automation brand, TiO (Turn it On) is an entirely new approach to home automation, one driven by what they call an “outside in” philosophy that focuses on the customer experience. TiO home automation solutions will provide be marketed through integrators with a home automation solution that's Android-based.
“TiO is driven by our vision to provide homeowners with an experience that seamlessly captures their mood and provides them with comfort and peace of mind,” said Mike Anderson, president and CEO of ACTP. “TiO is unlike any other home automation system because it truly allows the customer to control how the system interacts with their daily life. We’ve designed the TiO system to be simple and intuitive enough for the consumer to perfectly match their moods and create satisfying and powerful experiences in their home. We want to deliver a solution that adapts to the customer instead of asking the customer to adapt to the system.”
TiO’s “outside in” philosophy will drive the company’s team of experts to effectively bring to market home automation solutions that perfectly and effortlessly match the mood of a homeowner and offer relaxing and comforting experiences in the home.
Among those in charge of bringing those solutions to life is an impressive collection of product development, engineering, sales, and marketing experts, including: Mike Anderson, president and CEO (formerly of JVC, Niles Audio and Russound); Matt Curtin, vice president of sales and marketing (formerly of Tweeter and Russound); Bert Culpepper, director of software development (formerly of Scientific Research and Mitsubishi); Kyler Anderson, director of operations (formerly of integration company Envirotech Integration Systems and Best Buy); David Fonseca, creative marketing director; and others.
TiO systems will run on Android-enabled devices. The company says it promises to be one of the easiest home automation systems to set up, with each system configured by an integrator via an Android tablet.
TiO will unveil its initial product offering in June 2013 and will demonstrate product for the first time at InfoComm 2013, June 12-14 in Orlando. The product is expected to ship by July 1.
For more information on TiO and to sign up to be among the first to receive information on the upcoming product launch, visithttp://www.tiohome.com
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Share Article Back to Top SANUS Readies iPad Mounts to Ship SANUS' new line of iPad Mounts and iPad mini Mounts will be shipping in the next two weeks. With SANUS iPad Mounts, you can take your tablet from your hand to your desk, the wall, under a cabinet or to any magnetic surface.
Other features of the mounts include:
- MagFit Case keeps the iPad safe, clean and protected; easily removes and attaches to mount and stand options
- Allows for easy iPad viewing at eye level and easily adjusts to deflect glare
- Add additional mounts and stands for a complete home/school/office solution
- Included MagFit case works with Apple SmartCover
Here are the details: http://www.sanus.com/us/en/products/visionmount/ipad-mount/
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Share Article Back to Top Channel Vision Announces High-Resolution Varifocal Dome Camera Channel Vision has intro'd a new Varifocal Dome Camera in the 6821-O Varifocal Eyeball Dome, which uses the Sony 700VTL CCD. It offers the following features:
- IP66 Rated
- vandal-proof
- oil rubbed bronze finish
- waterproof outdoor design
- LED illumination for applications where there is no ambient light or shelter for the camera
The 3-Axis mount allows for external focus and zoom control screws for fine-tuning during installation.
The 6821-O Varifocal Eyeball Dome list for $122 and you can see it here: http://www.channelvision.com
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Share Article Back to Top WyreStorm Announces HDBaseT Matrix Switcher WyreStorm has announced the MX1616-PROAV-010, a 16×16 matrix that processes audio, video, Ethernet, control and low-voltage power over a single Cat5e/Cat6 from as many as sixteen sources to sixteen displays, with transmission distances that they say is up to 100 meters. Using redundant power supplies and integrated with KVM switching, the MX1616-PROAV-010 switches HDMI, VGA, HDBaseT and audio sources and outputs them on either HDBaseT (Cat5 connectors) or HDMI (simultaneously) as well as two-way IR control.
WyreStorm says the matrix "reads and copies EDID from connected devices" and has "constant HDCP preventing screen drop-outs" but that terminology doesn't exactly explain what is being done with the HDCP or EDID signal information within the switcher. Alternatively, when you look at a data sheet from a company like Extron, you see very specific data on how it handles both EDID data and HDCP signal processing.
Until we understand how WyreStorm processes EDID and HDCP, you might want to wait to specify it.
Here's a link the company's HDBaseT products: http://www.wyrestorm.com/catalog/hdbaset-70m230ft-cat5e-matrix
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Share Article Back to Top SANUS Introduces New, "Safer" TV Stand The new SANUS Basic Series BFV846 TV/AV Stand is actually three pieces in one: a solid piece of furniture, a tilting TV wall mount and an ultra-sturdy steel pillar. Use all three parts together to get the benefits of a wall-mounted TV without drilling, or use them separately to create your own custom home theater setup.
Other features include:
- Fits TVs up to 52"
- Open design maximizes airflow to equipment and provides easy access to back of components
- Thick tempered glass on a powder coated steel frame offers durability and aesthetics
- Cable management system organizes and keeps cables hidden
- Adjustable feet ensure furniture is level on any surface
- Quick and easy assembly; all hardware included
- Compatible with the SANUS ELM701 TV anti-tip strap
Here are all the details: http://www.sanus.com/us/en/products/av-foundations/av-basic/BFV846
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Share Article Back to Top Atlona Partners With AVProAlliance.com Atlona has announced the appointment of AVProAlliance.com, a service group led by experienced AV professionals, as a national distributor for its full line of connectivity products including the company's latest HDBaseT matrix switchers and extenders. AVProAlliance.com will also support Atlona as it targets the residential custom integrator markets and video collaboration businesses.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Back to Top Soundcast Systems Recruits Sean Mitchell, Alan Poe and Nick Berry Soundcast Systems, developer and manufacturer of wireless music systems, has added three new members to its leadership team; Sean Mitchell as VP of finance, Allan Poe as customer service manager and Nick Berry as director of sales. The new positions and staff additions follow the company’s recent announcement of securing expanded capital for its accelerated growth strategy now in full swing.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Back to Top Tony Ferrero to Join Audio Authority as Sales Manager Audio Authority, manufacturer of AV switching, distribution, conversion, and intercom products, announced this month that Mr. Tony Ferrero will join the company as sales manager.
Tony Ferrero has over twenty years experience in developing and managing successful sales and customer service teams. Most recently, as the general manager of Bob Carver LLC, he led the audio start up to a profit within the first year of business, and now they are doing business in over twenty-five countries.
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).
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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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