Volume 11, Issue 16 — August 28, 2013
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rAVe BlogSquad Recently from rAVe’s BlogSquad rAVe RADIO Recently from rAVe RADIO Industry News NPD: TV Will Drive OLED Materials Market Growth Interactive Whiteboard and Flat Panel Display Sales Up 20% In First Half of 2013 PSAV Up for Sale Registration Opens for GovComm Digital Signage STRATACACHE Introduces Optika, a New Specialty Display Division Projection Epson Introduces Brighter EX-Series Projectors Cables, Cases, Furniture, Mounts, Racks, Screens & Accessories Denmark-Based Neets Intros EasyConnect Power Elite Screens Intros In-Ceiling DIY Electric Screen Line Network Control Added to BlueBOLT Power Management Platform Control & Signal Processing Atlona Ships New 6×6 HDMI to HDBaseT Matrix Switcher Crestron HDMI Extenders with HDBaseT Supporting 4K Ship BitWise Controls Unveils Its Newest Product, the BitWise Room Remote Crestron Adds New IOEX Control Modules for IR, Series, Relay Devices Extron Shipping All DMP 128 Audio DSP Models Atlona Ships 4K HDMI Distribution Amplifiers Extron Ships Two-Input Fiber Optic Transmitter Wall Plate Lighting Savant Releases Wi-Fi Lighting Control System Displays Sharp Intros 20-Inch LED Display That Can Be Used In Any Configuration DynaScan Intros 65-Inch LCD Specified at 3,000-nit Brightness Barco Adds 16:9 LED Video Wall Displays to Economical OverView M Series Audio Extron Reveals Fast-Installing, Two-Way Surface Mount Speakers In Brief Christie Hires Jeff Klass Kramer USA Moves to New Headquarters Facility Adam Daniul Joins FOR-A as South Regional Sales Manager Cheri Wolf Joins enVu Sales Team Planar Systems Adds Art Martinez as Account Manager for Southwest USA BitWise Controls Launches A New Dealer Store
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AV People: Michelle Miller of Advanced Audio Video Technologies
By Molly Stillman rAVe Director of Marketing & New Business Development
For Michelle Miller, her interest in AV started in high school. The church she attended at the time allowed the senior high youth to run the sound board for services and, although she never had the chance, she always had an interest in learning how to run sound. It wouldn’t be until she was dating her now husband that her love of AV would grow even more.
When Michelle first met Ethan, he was working for a Christian radio station network in the Dallas/Fort Worth area controlling the satellite feeds. “We would go up to the radio station and he would show me how to run the board, how to mix the music, fade in and fade it out just right – and that just got me interested in radio and learning more about sound,” explained Michelle.
After moving to Louisiana, Ethan began working for a local radio station. “I applied for a job at the same radio station and started out on the AM station running the board for the national and local sports programs,” said Michelle. “I then started filling in nights and weekends on the FM station running some of the local and syndicated shows.”
In addition to their full-time jobs, both Ethan and Michelle also work for their church. “Ethan runs sound at our church for all of the services and so I began watching him during the services. A mixing board can look pretty intimidating at first, but once you understand how to run one channel, it’s actually pretty simple. I started out learning how to mix the vocalists. I had a background in music, so I had an idea of how to blend the vocals to make it sound appealing. Later, I began working as the video technician for our church, preparing the songs and sermon notes for the church services. In 2001, Michelle and Ethan had their first son, Cameron. Michelle left her full-time job at the radio station to become a stay-at-home mom and work for their church part-time, running the video projectors for the church services. In 2004, their daughter, Paige, was born.
In 2005, while working for someone else, Ethan began to realize his passion to run his own AV business. He knew he didn’t want to work for someone else the rest of his life. Ethan and Michelle set goals and made plans to make this dream a reality. Michelle’s passion was seeing her husband reach his goal. So, they put into place a plan that by 2008 they would be running their business full time.
“There was a lot of time while he was building the business that we didn’t get to see him very much, but we knew it was important,” explained Michelle. “In 2007, while he was trying to build and run a business AND work a full-time job, Ethan asked for my help running the business. I started out just taking care of the business side of things; learning QuickBooks, entering invoices, creating quotes and tracking expenses.” In 2008, Ethan left his full-time job and together they launched Advanced Audio Video Technologies full-time.
As the business grew, Ethan encouraged Michelle to learn more about the AV industry. Ethan began to encourage Michelle to take the InfoComm certification courses and get her CTS.
Ethan had taken his CTS exam and passed in 2010. Then, last fall, there was an opportunity where Kramer Electronics was going to be in Houston teaching a CTS preparatory course. Ethan encouraged Michelle to take advantage of the opportunity to take the prep course. After a little hesitation Michelle signed up for the class.
“I was unsure of my abilities at first. I wasn’t sure I really knew enough about the industry to be qualified to take the CTS class or test. I just did all this AV stuff in the background to help and support my husband,” explained Michelle. “I was just doing what I felt like God was calling me to do – and that was help my husband fulfill his dream.”
Once in Houston, Michelle took the CTS preparatory course from Malissa Dillman of Kramer. “As Malissa was teaching,” said Michelle, “I was so surprised at how much I actually knew. I thought, I can do this. I know this! And then as we were sitting there in class, Malissa began encouraging everyone to take the higher certifications as well. She said it was a good follow-up for continuing our education. So, I took the CTS test and I passed and I was just so proud of myself. In fact, I passed with three points higher than my husband. But the truth is, I couldn’t have done that without the help and encouragement from both my husband and Malissa.”
Malissa kept encouraging Michelle to take the CTS-I exam. Michelle had done installs, helped with installs – in fact, when they were launching the business, Michelle and Ethan did everything. So, Michelle began the CTS-I class online, took the exam, and passed.
When Michelle earned her CTS-I in February of this year, there were only two women with CTS certifications in the state of Louisiana – Michelle was the only one with a CTS-I.
But Michelle’s determination didn’t stop there. “Our business has grown exponentially! As our business has grown, so have the services that we offer our customers. Until recently Ethan was primarily responsible for the design work for our customers. Ethan and I realized that our company could benefit greatly from having another person on our staff that was capable of creating AV designs.” With Michelle in the office full-time, helping Ethan with AV designs would ease some of his workload. So, once again, with the encouragement of Ethan and Malissa, Michelle started by taking the AV design level one course this past spring.
At InfoComm in Orlando this year, Michelle took the design level two course.
Michelle is taking design level three in October and plans to take her CTS-D test shortly thereafter.
“We’re already seeing the benefits in our business,” explained Michelle. “I’m able to put what I’ve learned to use. It’s neat to see not only how our business has grown, but how I have grown. You know, there are times where you wonder how you’re going to get all this work done and you just don’t know. But then you look back and you realize what a blessing all of this was. We were able to overcome so much and work through the growing pains — even in a down economy.”
Michelle’s optimism and desire for personal and professional growth is contagious.
And she’s not stopping there — she’s passing that passion down to their children.
“Our children are old enough now where they get to see what we’re doing,” said Michelle. “My daughter has learned to run the computer and go through the slides for songs at our church. Our son is learning about running sound. He has always loved working with his father and me. In fact, the first time my husband paid him to run some cable underneath the church stage because he was the smallest one and could fit under there.”
Michelle’s passions aren’t just in her work for the church and in AV; Michelle also has a passion for philanthropy.
Michelle is an active member of P.E.O. International — a philanthropic education organization for women. It is an organization that supports higher education through grants, scholarships and low interest loans for women to continue their education beyond high school.
“Right now I serve as the VP for our local chapter,” said Michelle. “Through our annual fundraisers we help women locally, statewide, nationally and internationally reach their goals of higher education. This year, our chapter started a named scholarship for the International Peace Scholarship. The IPS is a unique project that PEO offers. This scholarship is offered to women who are from other countries to study in the United States.”
Michelle knows in her heart that education is the foundation for everything. No matter what industry you work in.
“Never stop learning; take advantage of every opportunity,” said Michelle. “When you have an opportunity to talk with someone who is seasoned in the industry, be a sponge. Absorb everything you hear and learn. Never think that you’ve “completely” arrived – because you never really do. Technology changes so quickly. Stay on top of what’s out there. Read trade news. That’s the key to continuing to grow.”
If Michelle’s determination and desire to learn doesn’t set an example for others in our industry, I don’t know what will.
Do you know someone in the industry with an interesting story that should be featured in our monthly column? Email Molly and let her know. Leave a Comment
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The Finer Art of Gimmickry
By Mark Coxon rAVe Blogger
There are two major areas of buzz in the display market right now. The first is 4K, (or really 2160p), a technology that is arguably not ready for prime time for most applications until the content catches up to the standard (if you missed my thoughts on 4K, see them here). The second display technology making its press release rounds, is the curved OLED Screen, and it is on this technology that I felt compelled to give some thoughts.
Why Curve a Screen?
For those of us who have been around the block in AV curved screens are nothing new. Projection screen manufacturers like Da-Lite and Stewart have been producing large format curved front projection screens for some time. In large format, front projection scenarios this makes complete sense.
In a front projection environment, a screen has a gain coating that reflects the light back to the viewer. This means that projection screens have always had a viewable “cone” where the image would be seen at full brightness. As the screen increases in scale, the image has the potential to get dimmer at the edges just due to physics of the way the light is reflecting.
Light projected from a center point hits the edge of the screen at an angle and reflects outward in an opposite fashion. The larger the screen, the steeper the angle of entry at the edges, and the steeper the outward angle of reflection, making the image dimmer to the viewers at those locations. Make sense? Good! (If not, I heard there was some CTS thing out there that covers some of this…)
So in the world of front projection, where light is being reflected back to the viewer curved screens are a GREAT idea. They curve at the edges in toward the audience. That curve means that the same light projected from a center point, now hits the screen at a shallower angle, creating a reflection back in toward the viewer, and keeping the image uniformly bright and sharper even at the extreme edges.
What is the Advantage and Promise of OLED
The image that you see on a curved OLED is not produced by reflected light. It is produced at the display, meaning the image is projected at the viewer from the screen (as opposed to bouncing off the screen to the viewer in a front projection environment). Look up OLED if you want to know exactly how it works, that isn’t the main point here.
The point is that OLED screens project light toward the viewer and have wide viewing angles. They project light very uniformly in a wide angle toward the audience, meaning that off axis viewing and perceived brightness at the edges is not an issue. Even if the screen were larger than the 55″ curved OLED introductions we are seeing, the need for a curve is non-existent based on the way OLED projects light toward the viewer.
The real promise of OLED is in separating the electronics to a control box, and being able to connect 1 wire to an OLED film of 100″ that you just adhere to a surface. Now, when that happens, projectors and screens are replaced by a thin flexible screen material that produces its own light without a bulb or any other consumables. It is also in a flat panel that is more energy efficient although in the current form, OLED takes a ton of power to create “white” which is why Quantum Dot Screen technology is being explored as well (never heard of that? Click here)
So why are they curving these new OLED screens?
And now ladies and gentlemen, comes the finer art of gimmickry!
OLED is flexible, thin and oh yeah, expensive. Putting it into a “flat” screen does not take advantage of OLED’s flexible nature, and curving the screen doesn’t take advantage of its thinness.
So how do you take a technology that has been developed at a high cost and try to make it attractive to consumers before its time? Introduce a gimmick. That is all the curve in theses OLED screens provides.
I know what you are asking, if it spurs sales how is it a bad thing? Well here is the bad part. We talked earlier about how a curved screen reflects light and…
That same science says that a curved TV screen will reflect other sources of light back to the viewer. Windows or lights behind the viewer will be reflected back to the viewer introducing more reflections and causing more glare. (Even anti-glare coatings have glare, they just dissipate it a bit.) So the curve actually detracts from the image quality in this scenario, as opposed to improving it like in the projection example.
The other part is that the curved screen may look nice if it sits on a piece of furniture like a credenza etc, but it is a terrible idea for a wall installation.
Curved OLED is Off the Wall!
One of the major customer requests with flat panel installations I received was to get it as close to the wall as possible. This was not only to increase clearance and eliminate the potential to “clip” a screen with an arm or shoulder while passing by, but also to mitigate the view of the mounting hardware and cables behind, not to mention any video extension or signage boxes that may reside back there. LED-lit LCDs have helped a lot in creating more clearance, and the fusion of thinner mounts and better back plate and rail designs have mitigated the cable view issues.
Curved OLED destroys all that, as the edges curve away from the wall, enhancing the viewable angles to the mount and cabling, and revealing the very things customers desire to hide.
Curved OLED also stands off the wall more than an LED lit LCD would, bringing the accidental “clipping” issues back into the picture. I would argue that the potential damage to these screens from clipping is also much higher as you are putting uneven pressure on the curved substrate.
At the end of the day, design considerations may mean that form takes precedence over function in these displays. They will perhaps look pretty in environments with well designed lighting, sitting on a modern piece of AV furniture. However, in most cases these screens will cause more issues than they solve. Hey, OLED manufacturers! Why not go one step further and make these screens curve left to right and top to bottom? Then you could harvest reflections from all over the room and reflect images upside down on top of the images being projected by the screen right side up! (Try this at home by looking at your reflection in the “bowl” of a spoon.)
Now that wouldn’t be distracting at all.
What are your thoughts on curved OLED? Weigh in below! Leave a Comment
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InfoComm: AV Freelancers Face Training Challenges
By Dan Daley Special to InfoComm International
It wasn’t that long ago — two generations or so — that someone could become a lawyer in the U.S. by becoming an apprentice to a working attorney, doing the reading, absorbing how the process works, and eventually setting up her own practice. You’d have to go back considerably further to find a time when you could become a doctor the same way, but it was still little more than a century ago.
Today, however, it would seem that even the most basic jobs require some level of post-secondary education, even if it’s a certificate course or two. Yet many of those working in or just entering the live-event production calling are still acquiring their degrees from the school of hard knocks, in situations that are configured less as formal apprenticeships and more like learning on-the-fly, from gig to gig.
“All of us mostly stumble into this business when you think about it,” observes Patty McGoldrick, CEO of Immediate Connections, a Boston-based AV staffing company and also the force behind an initiative to create a boot camp for aspiring AV technicians, under the aegis of InfoComm’s Rental & Staging Council. “Many of us went to school for television work or video or graphics or music. No one really sets out to go into live-event production. But many of us find ourselves here.”
Many people do — literally — find their calling when they discover live events can be a career, whatever route they take to get there. And freelancers, or independent service providers, form a healthy part of the market. Chances are, if you aren’t an independent freelancer yourself, your company hires them when business is especially busy or to staff a project at a location where you don’t have full-time staff. But it’s also true that digital technology, for example, has transformed live-event production to such an extent that it brings into question whether the apprenticeship model is still valid as the sole educational methodology it once was.
McGoldrick’s plans are aimed at entry-level aspirants; she envisions a certificate program based on small groups of trainees — she estimates six per class — completing 16 hours of training. It’s enough training, she says, to “get someone off to a good start in the business.”
McGoldrick says she is motivated in part by the fact that her own company finds itself scrambling for qualified AV freelancers during busy seasons. But what she’s sure of is that it will require the help of live events companies — the AV system providers to the event business. These companies, she says, need knowledgeable workers the most. Many of these companies already have training regimens in place, though some in the industry point out that such training tends to be focused around the vertical markets that each company finds itself working in most often, such as hospitality, corporate or entertainment.
A more comprehensive level of education in AV technology is available from for-profit schools, such as Full Sail and The Art Institutes, which have many locations throughout North America. However, these commercial schools often come with high costs — an associate’s degree in live-event production from Full Sail can cost as much as $45,000 or more.
Another hindrance to an educated workforce is the intermittent nature of freelance work in AV. “The irregularity of the work can be a problem,” says McGoldrick. “The peaks and valleys can be huge. During the peaks you don’t have time to do anything but work, and in the valleys you’re not in the mood to spend money on training.”
InfoComm and the ITSP
Even freelancers with a good knowledge-base face challenges, including matching their particular skills with companies that need those skills on short notice. In part to address that, InfoComm International formed the Independent Technical Service Providers Council (ITSP) in October 2011, with the objective of promoting the role of freelancers for outsourced integration and event-project work. The council also gives the independent technical service providers a collective voice with hardware and software vendors.
“[We] wanted to create a home for this particular segment of InfoComm members” says Mark DelGuidice, CTS, owner of Wire Wizards Integration in San Diego and co-founder of the ITSP. “These professionals fill a specific role that differs from those of traditional integration, rental, staging or distributor organizations.”
DelGuidice agrees that training in the AV industry often tends to be haphazard, done “on the fly,” he says, which explains why many independent AV technicians may have significant knowledge about certain systems but relatively little about others, even other systems that interact directly with the systems they’re familiar with. “Often, someone is called on a job at the last minute and they’re working with a piece of equipment they’ve never seen before,” he says.
Gabe Solomon, CEO of MertzCrew, an Orlando, Fla.-based AV staffing company that provided freelancers for more than 600 live-event projects last year, including the Super Bowl, says that such a narrow field of training can be problematic. “Freelancers are responsible for their own training [and are] always making trade-offs when it comes to managing their time,” he says. “The good news is that they can choose to focus on fields that interest them the most while staying ahead of the curve by moving quickly to gain new skills. The downside is that they are typically self-funding any training and have to make sure there is a market for the skills they’re developing.”
DelGuidice is optimistic about how information regarding new systems, products and protocols is being disseminated and made available to a wider array of AV freelance professionals. This includes online courses offered by InfoComm, which recently changed its membership structure to include a $150 Affiliate membership for individuals and individuals. Affiliate membership includes discounted training, as well as free online courses, such as Essentials of AV Technology Online and the popular preparatory class for Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) certification. And manufacturers are also making training available through webinars, online tutorials, and free in-person classes, such as Soundcraft’s Mixing With The Professionals program.
“Manufacturers have really stepped up to the plate in this regard,” DelGuidice says, acknowledging that it’s also in their interest to tout their products to people who may not only use them but also recommend them to the various companies they do work for. (This is becoming more ubiquitous and intense with new technologies still establishing a pecking order among providers, such as what’s currently taking place in the audio networking field, where many providers are championing competing systems.)
Plus, information is more readily available electronically. “The Internet and smartphones allow technicians to get info immediately,” he says. “That’s important because you have to been seen as knowing what you’re doing — if someone sees you having trouble getting a projector running, the rental company may not hire you the next time.”
MertzCrew’s Gabe Solomon says the industry’s knowledge-base has to grow along with the increasing array of systems, such as LED lighting and AV networking, but at some point specialization is inevitable.
“We’re not at that tipping point yet where highly specialized knowledge of a particular technology is valued above the more general knowledge necessary for making an event happen,” he says. “But with things like social media and live streaming being integrated into shows, that kind of specialization is becoming more important. A year ago very few events acknowledged Twitter; now, they want their Twitter feeds updated in real time. The guys who are staying ahead of the curve are going to make themselves very valuable to show producers.”
This article was reprinted with permission from InfoComm International and originally appeared here. Leave a Comment
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Is it Time to Replace Fluorescent Tubes with LED Tubes in Commercial Applications?
By Chris Chinnock Display Central
On July 30, Norwalk, Conn.-based Trans-Lux announced a new LED tube as a T8 fluorescent tube replacement, which I learned about on a visit to the company a couple of weeks ago. Most LED replacements have had a narrow emission cone of perhaps 120 degrees. This new product has a wide 300-degree cone and frosted glass so it looks and outputs just like a fluorescent tube – but with the energy use and long life advantages of LEDs. While the LED tube is still much more expensive than a fluorescent tube, for commercial installations, the numbers are starting to make sense.
This development is coming from an unlikely source. Trans-Lux is a 90-year old company that installed the first ticker tapes on Wall Street in the 1920s. It grew and transformed itself to later provide LED signage to a variety of customers. But the company fell behind competitors and three years ago brought in new management led by J.M. Allain, a former Panasonic executive who is now president and CEO. I had a chance to meet with him and Vincent Galdi, who heads up their marketing and public relations effort.
The company has a number of interesting new products for the traditional LED video wall and signage market – and I will discuss them in other articles. But for this Display Daily column, I want to focus on this lighting product as it really got me thinking.
The first question you want to know of course is the price. A single T8 replacement will soon retail for about $55 including the new driver. This is still a lot more expensive than a fluorescent lamp, and for homes the math does not make too much sense yet. But for commercial operations where there are hundreds or thousands of fluorescent tubes that operate for long hours, the math does make sense. Allain says that by their calculations, institutions are probably looking at about a two-year time frame for a return on the investment for the conversion.
Here is how they figure it. First of all, the LED lifetime to 70 percent brightness is currently speced at 50K hours. For operations that run lights 20/7, that means the LEDs will last 6.8 years to 70 percent of brightness. With some R&D they have on-going, they hope to increase this to perhaps 100K hours. Standard fluorescent T8 lamps are rated at around 20K hours, but this is very dependent upon the type of ballast used.
In reality, it is the driver that is likely to fail well before the LEDs. This is primarily an AC/DC converter to provide the power for the LEDs. Two models will be offered with 1,800 lumens (18W) and 2,050 lumens (22W). Neither are dimmable now, but an optional model could allow dimming too – something fluorescent lamps can’t do.
Trans-Lux is now on its second or third generation of LED T8 tube lamp. Think of this as a strip of LEDs mounted on a solid metal substrate that runs the length of the lamp – all in the shape of a round fluorescent tube. The first one had a big metal rounded substrate that only allowed light from the LEDs to emit in a 120-degree cone. When these were placed in a standard two or four lamp fixture, you could see bright and dark regions between the tubes – something the fluorescent tubes don’t exhibit. This is a product that Trans-Lux current sells in 2-, 3- and 4-foot versions. The new design shrinks the size of this aluminum substrate so that light can now emit in a 300-degree cone. This is now sufficient to provide uniform illumination in the fixture.
The big cost saving for moving from a T8 fluorescent tube to an LED tube lamp is the reduced electrical costs due to the higher efficiency of LED sources — nearly twice as much as fluorescent lamps (the LED tube achieves 110 lumens/watt). But additional benefits accrue from the long life of the lamps too. According to Allain, some installations actually have one or two guys whose only job is to replace lamps all day. Once the retrofit is complete, these people can be assigned to other useful tasks. In addition, there are reduced air conditioning requirements with the LED lamps.
Many say they don’t like the light produced by fluorescent lamps and wish they could have a more tungsten-like illumination. While the color temperature of the LEDs is tunable, the fact of the matter is that customers end up expecting the fluorescent tube replacement to look like a fluorescent tube, explains Allain. The new lamps will be available in color temperatures from 3500K to 5000K (4200K is standard) – the typical range of fluorescent tubes today, with a color rendering index of >80.
Trans-Lux is proving out the ROI math at test site at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where about 20,000 of the LED tube lamps have been installed so far. Many of the circuits where the fluorescent tubes have been replaced operate at 20/7 or 24/7 and were replaced in the evening hours or slow periods of the day. A specially designed 16.3W LED tube lamp was developed by Trans-Lux for RTI to replace mostly 32W T8 fluorescent tubes (the new T8 LED tube is an upgrade of this version). “Upgrading to the new LED lamps was easy and only took about eight minutes per fixture,” said David Harris, director, utilities and environmental management at RIT. “We are anticipating saving about $300,000 on the 20,000 lamps we have installed so far.” Maintenance on conventional fluorescent lamps is reported to cost $55K per year.
Trans-Lux offers an innovative comprehensive TL Energy LED lighting program that includes project management, survey configurations and engineering recommendations, rebates and incentives, removal and disposal of existing lighting, LED light bulb installation, ongoing maintenance and support.
But what is particularly compelling about this program is that it can enable a new business model too. Essentially this boils down to the concept of “leasing light.” In other words, instead of a customer paying all of the upfront conversion costs, a company like Trans-Lux would offer a 10-year lighting contract, for example, with installation and maintenance provided by Trans-Lux for a stable monthly fee. While all the details still need to be worked out, the concept is certainly interesting and one that many customers could wrap their head around.
We like the technology and thinking that Trans-Lux is bringing to this and other markets. Maybe it is indeed time to consider replacing vast arrays of fluorescent tubes with LED tubes. Leave a Comment
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NPD: TV Will Drive OLED Materials Market Growth Growing demand from large TV panels is expected to increase OLED material revenues at a compound annual growth rate of 67 percent through 2017, even as material revenue from mobile phones slows after 2014. According to the Quarterly OLED Materials Report from NPD DisplaySearch, revenues from organic materials used in the emission and common layers of OLED displays are forecasted to reach $530 million in 2013 and grow to $3.4 billion by 2017. The growing importance of OLED materials is emphasized by this month’s announcement that Samsung, the leading OLED panel manufacturer, was acquiring Novaled AG, a developer of common-layer OLED materials.
Until recently, active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays have mainly been used in mobile phones, but AMOLED display manufacturers are now starting to make inroads into TVs, tablet PCs, and other large-area display applications. OLED TV unit shipments are expected to remain modest at less than a million units in 2014 and only reaching 10 million after 2017, when they will account for 10 percent of total OLED panel shipments. However, on an area basis, OLED TV panels are expected to account for 17 percent of the OLED display materials market in 2014 and will exceed the share of mobile phone panels by 2016.
“The large size of TV panels will result in OLED display area growing quickly through 2017,” noted Jimmy Kim, senior analyst for NPD DisplaySearch. “The demand for materials in the emission, common, and other OLED layers is proportional to the area of the panels; furthermore, the low yield rates for OLED TV panel manufacturing means that the consumption of raw materials is further increased; thus, the introduction of OLED TVs will result in rapid growth in the market for OLED materials.”
Figure 1: Forecast of OLED Material Revenue by Application
Source: NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly OLED Materials Report Leave a Comment
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Interactive Whiteboard and Flat Panel Display Sales Up 20% In First Half of 2013
For the first half of 2013, sales of interactive whiteboards and interactive flat panel displays in the education and corporate sectors were up 20 percent, according to the latest quarterly research from Futuresource Consulting. This is despite the increasing presence of personal tablet devices in the education sector, which continue to gain a foothold. The following data provides key highlights from the market report.
Asia: China dominates with 40 percent of all sales, but will decline in 2014
Asia is, by far, the largest world region with over half of all sales. This was primarily due to China, which retained its position as the largest world country market, with 40 percent of the global market and 77 percent of the region’s sales.
“By the end of 2013, 37 percent of classrooms in China will have an interactive display, which means it’s fast approaching the drop zone,” says Colin Messenger, senior market analyst at Futuresource. “When the UK and USA reached this level of penetration the volumes started to decline, and the same is likely to happen here; our forecasts show that by 2017 China will represent 20 percent of world sales, from its current position of 40 percent.
“India also experienced a substantial quarter, with more than a 50 percent uplift in sales so far this year. Across Asia, we expect large-scale education tenders to continue throughout the year.”
USA: market continues to fall
“In the USA, Q2 volumes fell to 15 percent below 2012 levels and the education market will continue to decrease over the next few years,” says Messenger. “By the end of this year over half of K-12 classrooms will have an interactive display and the early models sold into the market are not yet ready for replacement. The growth of tablet adoption continues unabated – Apple recently announced a large deal with the Los Angeles Unified School District – consequently not only hitting the displays budgets but also offering a must-have alternative.”
EMEA: Strong growth expected next year
EMEA experienced a slow start to the year after substantial growth in 2012. However, with large expectations from the FATIH tender in Turkey, 2014 is expected to be by far the highest performing year on record.
UK: interactive flat panels account for 25 percent of sales in Q2
Interactive flat panel displays are starting to take market share from interactive whiteboards in the UK and some of the first replacement boards are being purchased, with schools inclined to buy the same brands again. Futuresource forecasts show the market value will rise 10 percent per year with the increased adoption of interactive flat panels in schools.
The construction of new free schools in the UK — also known as partnership or charter schools in other countries — continues to present an opportunity. In the third wave 102 are due to open in September 2013, bringing the total to 181 with more applications submitted to 2015 and beyond.
The Global Perspective
Futuresource forecasts show that the total display technologies market of interactive whiteboards, interactive flat panels and interactive projectors will reach 1.05 million devices by 2017. However, the adoption rates of the three products are very different by country and even by region (Futuresource has compared all three technologies in 66 countries).
“In 2012, over three million tablets were purchased by schools across the globe and this has definitely contributed to increased competition for education budgets,” says Messenger. “However, the scale of the corporate space presents a number of alternative opportunities. With over 67 million meeting rooms worldwide, this segment of the corporate market alone is twice the scale of school classrooms. As a result, moving forward we see the corporate market as the fastest growing sector, increasing to 23 percent by 2017, with the growth coming from more developed markets like the USA, UK, Germany and Sweden.”
Get more information about Futuresource Consulting here. Leave a Comment
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PSAV Up for Sale PSAV, the hotel and event AV integrator, is up for sale, according to a Reuters article published last month, and could sell for $900 million to $1 billion. Current owner and private equity firm Kelso & Company (who acquired PSAV in 2007 for $413.4 million) has hired Barclays and Macquarie Group to find a buyer.
The Long Beach, Calif.-based company has earnings (EBITDA) of between $130 million and $140 million. It acquired competitor Swank Audio Visuals last year for $270 million.
See the Reuters article here. PSAV’s website is here. Leave a Comment
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Registration Opens for GovComm GovComm, the government audiovisual conference and trade show, has opened registration. The event will be held Dec. 4 – 5, 2013 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, and co-located with Government Video Expo (GVE).
The event is designed for AV managers, IT professionals, engineers and public affairs officers that product AV communications for federal, state and local government agencies. Exhibitors include AMX, Crestron, Christie Digital, Aurora, Anchor Audio, JVC, Da-Lite, PESA, Quantum Instruments, Planar and others. See the complete list of exhibitors here.
Last year, the event (in combination with GVE) brought together the east coast’s largest contingent of government AV/IT specialists with video production, post, digital media and broadcast professionals, featuring over 150 exhibits and drawing nearly 6,000 registrants from across military, government agencies, government contractors and the AV industry.
Qualified attendees can register for free here. Leave a Comment
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STRATACACHE Introduces Optika, a New Specialty Display DivisionSTRATACACHE just announced the opening of a new specialty display division called Optika Display. Located in Dayton, Ohio, the new division will expand STRATACACHE’s specialty display service offerings for its digital merchandising, digital signage and digital Interactive solutions worldwide — meaning digital signage.
Optika told rAVe it will focus on LED technology, outdoor and durable glass displays, specialty lighting, glass coatings, and specific interfaces (multi-touch, etc.).
STRATACACHE has appointed Jason Meyer to oversee and manage the new division.
Optika is here. Leave a Comment
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Epson Introduces Brighter EX-Series Projectors Epson today introduced its new EX-Series — four LCD projectors: the EX7220 (WXGA), EX6220 (WXGA), EX5220 (XGA) and EX3220 (SVGA) — all spec’d at 3,000 ANSI lumens and with HDMI inputs. The EX6220 and the EX3220 also have wireless projection capabilities. All the projectors include keystone correction, remote lens control and a 1.2x zoom lens. They also feature Epson’s iProjection wireless system that allows computers or mobile devices to display video wirelessly.
The list price for the EX7220, EX6220, EX5220 and EX3220 projectors is $649, $599, $549 and $449, respectively. All the details are here. Leave a Comment
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Denmark-Based Neets Intros EasyConnect PowerDenmark-based Neets’ EasyConnect is an all-in-one connector box that’s made to be integrated into a tabletop or lectern. The standard version accommodates all five typical connections for laptop computers and most tablet-type mobile devices (VGA, HDMI, RJ 45, 3.5mm audio and USB). A sixth cable (optional) can be included to accommodate, for example, a DVI connector, an XLR microphone, ¼” audio jack or RCA jack for composite video for K-12 applications. Cables are terminated at both ends.
The new EasyConnect Power is an addition to the EasyConnect Control, adding two power ports. There are three versions:
- 305-0250 Neets EasyConnect – Power EU, 2 x Power
- 305-0251 Neets EasyConnect – Power DK, 2 x Power
- 305-0252 Neets EasyConnect – Power UNI, 2 x Power
All the details are here. Leave a Comment
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Elite Screens Intros In-Ceiling DIY Electric Screen LineThe Evanesce B is a DIY (do it yourself) in-ceiling projection screen that conveniently disappears from view when not in use. It can be installed from within the above-ceiling airspace or from below thanks to its removable base panels. It’s integrated with Greenguard-certified, MaxWhite FG (fiberglass-backed), 1.1 gain matte white material with wide diffusion uniformity. The screen is moved by a fast-acting tubular motor and comes with a full IR, RF, 12-volt trigger and Ethernet control package. It’s available in 100, 110, 120” sizes with an 8” top masking border.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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Network Control Added to BlueBOLT Power Management Platform BlueBOLT, now a separate brand from Panamax/Furman within the Core Brands group owned by parent company Nortek, today introduced a network management feature to its cloud-based power and energy management platform. The new feature allows users to query (ping) any device with an IP address on a network from a BlueBOLT-enabled component with a BlueBOLT-CV1 card. In the event of a failed ping response, BlueBOLT can send email notifications, reboot an outlet, reboot a series of outlets in sequence or any combination of the above. Existing Panamax and Furman equipment owners with products that have a BlueBOLT-CV1 card already installed can upgrade for free via a firmware upgrade. In addition, the feature will be available in Q4 for use with the Panamax MD2-ZB and BB-ZB1 product family.
Initially designed to facilitate the control of power and energy usage and remotely reboot problem components in installed electronics systems, the company’s hardware and software technology provides an intuitive, plug-and-play Web interface where users can control AC outlets to schedule, monitor and manage their energy consumption easily. With this new feature, BlueBOLT expands from power and energy management to network management for a full systems management platform.
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Atlona Ships New 6×6 HDMI to HDBaseT Matrix SwitcherAtlona is now shipping its PRO3HD66M 6×6 HDMI to HDBaseT matrix switcher that uses HDBaseT and Power over Category cable (PoCc) to extend up to six sources to six HDBaseT outputs and two mirrored HDMI output connections over a distance of up to 230 feet (70 meters). The device powers zone extenders eliminate the need for remote receivers to require a separate power source and result in increased cost-effectiveness. In addition, control via IR and RS232 or Ethernet is available too.
The PRO3HD66M switcher’s S/PDIF outputs support multichannel audio up to Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1. In addition, Dolby TrueHD lossless HD digital audio and DTS HD Master Audio are supported on two mirrored HDMI outputs, enabling multichannel HD digital audio from Blu-ray sources.
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Crestron HDMI Extenders with HDBaseT Supporting 4K Ship Crestron has announced the availability of its new HDMI over HDBaseT Transmitter (HD-TX3-C) and HDMI over HDBaseT Receiver (HD-RX3-C). The new devices support 4K and offer a solution for extending uncompressed HDMI signals up to 330 feet (100 meters) via HDBaseT over a single CAT5e/UTP cable without signal degradation.
Available in a black or white faceplate, the HD-TX3-C makes it simple to connect an HDMI, DVI or DisplayPort multi-mode source to an HDBaseT display. Conversely, the HD-RX3-C enables easy connection of an HDBaseT source to an HDMI or DVI display. They also support IR and bidirectional RS232. A wall mount transmitter is available with black or white face plates. The transmitter and receiver with IR and RS232 are also available bundled together (model HD-EXT3-C). A different model, the HD-EXT4-C transmitter and receiver set, offers (instead of the control parts) separate analog audio in and out to support DVI, or other devices that don’t support embedded digital audio. The analog audio output of the transmitter can also feed a room amplifier or powered speakers, according to Crestron.
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BitWise Controls Unveils Its Newest Product, the BitWise Room Remote BitWise Controls has a new handheld RF remote that can be used to control all BitWise-connected devices in a room. Called the Room Remote, it includes keys for the most common functions and it allows a room to be controlled with the remote as well as by BitWise apps. The remote and apps stay in sync during use, which means a selection made via control app is automatically transferred to the remote and vice versa — so there is no need to re-select.
Integrators will be able to add a Room Remote and RF receiver to any BitWise controller, and multiple remotes can communicate with a single RF receiver. Additionally, up to 255 remotes can be incorporated into an installation, making this a scalable option for commercial projects — like bars and restaurants. The BitWise Room Remote will be debuting at CEDIA but full specs are here. Leave a Comment
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Crestron Adds New IOEX Control Modules for IR, Series, Relay DevicesCrestron has announced the release of two new infiNET EX IOEX Wireless Control Modules. Designed for retrofit applications, the IOEX modules offer a way to add wireless control of serial, IR and relay devices in homes and commercial buildings. The INET-IOEX-IRCOM enables long distance wireless communication between 3-Series control systems and devices such as TVs, cable boxes, displays, projector screens, AV components, switchers and other equipment that is controllable using basic serial or IR commands. The INET-IOEX-RYIO provides a low-voltage relay and digital input control interface for remote devices such as garage door openers, sensors, motorized screens and other relay-controlled devices, while providing the same wireless communication to a Crestron control system. Using either or both modules, the connected device can then be controlled from any Crestron user interface or from any Apple or Android mobile device.
The INET-IOEX-IRCOM features one RS232 and two IR control ports and can be mounted discreetly behind a display or inconspicuously on a wall near the desired device. INET-IOEX-RYIO provides two isolated relays and two digital input ports while communicating with a Crestron control system over the infiNET EX wireless network to enable control and monitoring of the remote equipment.
Get the specs for the INET-IOEX-IRCOM here and for the NET-IOEX-RYIO here. Leave a Comment
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Extron Shipping All DMP 128 Audio DSP ModelsExtron is now shipping all DMP 128 Series audio digital signal processors, including models with Dante audio networking, AEC — acoustic echo cancellation and analog telephone connectivity. The DMP 128 Series are 12×8 audio mixers featuring Extron ProDSP, automixing and I/O expansion capabilities. The DMP 128 C P and DMP 128 C P AT are the newest models shipping, and feature POTS – plain old telephone service capability for connection to an analog phone line and handset. The DMP 128 Series offers a configuration approach to DSP that Extron says simplifies mixing, routing, conferencing and room optimization. The DSP Configurator Software allows the DMP 128 to be installed quickly, with easy-to-learn adjustments that can be heard in real-time.
The DMP 128 features Extron ProDSP, a technology that features a 64-bit floating point DSP engine and studio grade 24-bit converters with 48 kHz sampling. ProDSP is managed by the DSP Configurator Software, featuring a GUI that allows for complete audio system visualization in one window.
All DMP 128 models include an automixer with gated and gain sharing modes for managing up to eight groups of microphone signals. DMP 128 C models feature Extron AEC with eight independent channels of high performance, fast echo cancellation for optimal intelligibility in conferencing applications. DMP 128 P models include analog phone interfacing with POTS line and handset connections, allowing users to answer and initiate calls to remote attendees over the PSTN – public switched telephone network or in a PBX — private branch exchange. DMP 128 AT models with Dante provide scalable audio transport over a local area network using standard Internet protocols. Each processor sends out 24 channels of 24 bit/48 kHz digital audio and can receive 56 channels over the network. A built-in four-port Gigabit switch also provides direct interconnection of multiple DMP 128 AT units to create larger audio matrixes.
For more information on the DMP 128 Series, click here. Leave a Comment
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Atlona Ships 4K HDMI Distribution Amplifiers Atlona is now shipping its AT-HDDA-2 (1×2) and AT-HDDA-4 (1×4) HDMI distribution amplifiers. The AT-HDDA-2 and AT-HDDA-4 extend HDMI sources to two or four zones, respectively, for commercial applications. Atlona says they support 4K resolution.
The AT-HDDA-2 and AT-HDDA-4 distribution amplifiers are ideal for small- and medium-sized TV showroom and digital signage applications. For larger settings, up to eight HDDA units can be cascaded. These DAs also support all lossy and lossless audio formats up to Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, and 3D up to 48-bit deep color.
Featuring advanced EDID management, the units learn reference EDID from the first connected output display and mirror it to all outputs. The AT-HDDA-2 and AT-HDDA-4 feature locking HDMI ports, link status LEDs for sources and outputs, and mini USB ports for in-field firmware upgrades. The AT-HDDA-4 ships with dual-purpose wall/rackmount ears.
Learn more about Atlona’s HDMI distribution amplifiers here. Leave a Comment
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Extron Ships Two-Input Fiber Optic Transmitter Wall PlateExtron is shipping its new FOX T UWP 302, a two-input fiber optic transmitter for long haul transmission of HDCP-compliant HDMI, RGBHV or HD component video and stereo audio signals over fiber optic cabling. This Decora-style wallplate transmitter can transmit images up to 1920×1200, including HDTV 1080p/60. Analog signals are digitized to ensure high quality transmission. It also offers features including EDID Minder, Key Minder, audio embedding with gain and attenuation control, auto-input switching and real-time system monitoring.
The FOX T UWP 302 occupies a three-gang space, and is available in multi-mode and single-mode models. This transmitter is compatible with FOX Series HDMI, DVI Plus, DVI, and VGA receivers. The FOX T UWP 302 can also be used in combination with FOX Series matrix switchers for HDCP-compliant signal distribution systems up to 1000×1000 and larger.
For more information on the FOX T UWP 302, click here. Leave a Comment
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Savant Releases Wi-Fi Lighting Control SystemDesigned for residential and commercial applications, Savant Systems announced this month its new SmartLighting Wi-Fi 802.11-based lighting control products, a solution that can be used as either a standalone lighting control platform or as part of a complete Savant automation system.
The system uses a dimmer inside each Wi-Fi-connected keypad. Once the keypads have been connected to existing line voltage and lighting load wiring in the wall, they become a networked device that can be controlled using Savant’s new standalone lighting control iOS app or as part of a larger Savant ecosystem. Savant’s double gang keypad features its own internal processor, eliminating the additional installation expense associated with external hardware and related wiring. Additionally, the Savant SmartLighting Wi-Fi keypads deliver real-time energy usage data.
Savant’s networked lighting control solution can be used in the commercial marketplace, suited to such applications as event scheduling; having your conference room lights turn on just before a meeting, or having predetermined facility lights turn off once the security system has been activated, reducing energy costs. And because these lighting control devices operate on the network, integrators will be able to offer remote system maintenance, control and diagnostics with maximum efficiency utilizing Savant’s Enterprise Management System, which the company says will be introduced later this year. Savant’s Wi-Fi lighting control system includes a standalone lighting control iOS app that will become available in October 2013.
Learn more about Savant lighting here. Leave a Comment
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Sharp Intros 20-Inch LED Display That Can Be Used In Any Configuration Sharp has debuted a unique, multi-touch LED 20″ display that can be used while flat, angled or while hanging or mounted. When flat, it can be mounted in tables or lecterns in classrooms. When angled, it sits at 75-degrees with the included stand. It can also be used as an interactive second computer monitor, or when vertical, it could be used as a digital signage kiosk.
The 1920×1080 resolution LL-S201A uses an edge-to-edge glass design; it weighs in at just over 5 pounds and is 1″ thick.
Sharp Pen Software makes the 20″ LCD like an AQUOS BOARD Interactive Display as it’s integrated with Windows 8 compatibility. A palm cancellation function prioritizes the touch of the pen over touch – making it easy for any sized hand or user. It supports up to 10 touch points, and can be used in a wide variety of applications, including corporate, digital signage, creative work and proofreading, medical, education and even gaming or as a personal tablet.
See all the specs here. Leave a Comment
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DynaScan Intros 65-Inch LCD Specified at 3,000-nit Brightness DynaScan Technology just introduced a new 65-inch LED-backlit LCD, the DS651LR4, that’s spec’d at 3,000-nits brightness, and offers lower power consumption and a wide range of video inputs.
Using a locally-dimmed LED back light, the DS651LR4 has a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 (dynamic). The company says that it consumes up to 20 percent less power than its predecessor. Inputs include VGA, HDMI (HDCP compliant), and it features built-in video daisy chaining. A single video source can be used for up to 36 displays without the need for any additional external video wall controller. The narrow bezel size also makes it easy to integrate the display in an external enclosure or kiosk while maintaining a small profile.
To increase performance and prolong the lifespan of the display, the DS651LR4 utilizes a fan-less thermal management system. Heat generated by the display is radiated away from high temperature areas while a sensor continuously monitors the internal temperature to protect the system from overheating. All of this is done without the use of any fans, resulting in silent operation and greatly reducing the potential of mechanical failure.
More information about the DS651LR4 is here. Leave a Comment
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Barco Adds 16:9 LED Video Wall Displays to Economical OverView M SeriesBarco has just released two new rear-projection video wall cubes in the OverView M series. The OverView MVL-621 and OverView MVL-721 are industry-standard modules with full HD resolution and screen diameters of 60” and 70”, respectively. These 16:9 models complete the OverView M series, which already features three 4:3 models.
Barco’s OverView M series is designed to fit the requirements of medium-sized industry-standard control rooms. Using six-fold redundant LEDs as a light source, Barco says the OverView M series offers long lifetime, low maintenance due to the absence of consumable components, reduced power consumption and long uptime. The company also says that power consumption is 30 percent lower than that of comparable products. And the Sense5 automatic white-point and full-color calibration system ensures uniform color and brightness levels over the entire video wall.
The M Series is designed to be a less expensive alternative to Barco’s OverView O Series, which offers active liquid cooling, fully featured redundancy and full-spectrum calibration.
Learn more about the OverView M series here.
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Extron Reveals Fast-Installing, Two-Way Surface Mount Speakers Extron’s new SM 26 SpeedMount Surface Mount Speaker is a two-way speaker with a patent pending, concealed wall mounting system. It features a 6.5″ (16.5 cm) woofer with dual tuned ports and a 1″ (2.5 cm) tweeter. The SM 26 provides wide frequency response from 70 Hz to 18 kHz, and a power rating of 60 watts continuous pink noise, 120 watts continuous program capacity. The mounting system is designed to accommodate division-of-labor installations and save costs. The SM 26 is available as an 8 ohm model, and an SM 26T version which can operate in 8 ohm direct as well 70 volt and 100 volt modes. The SM 26T features a 6 position power tap selector, which can conveniently be accessed through the grille from outside the speaker. All models of the SM 26 and SM 26T are immediately available, in a black or white finish.
The SM 26 slides onto the mount and locks into place. In the same installation step, the integrated electrical contacts on the speaker automatically mate with the pre-wired contacts on the mounting plate to speed up and simplify installation. A release on the speaker baffle allows for quick removal from the mount. The release is lockable and hidden, and together with the concealed speaker wiring contacts, helps to deter theft.
To meet a variety of installation needs, the flexible mounting system includes a 0° mounting plate and a 10° mounting adapter. The 0° mounting plate provides the electrical connections and allows the SM 26 to be oriented vertically or horizontally, flush with the wall. When the versatile 10° mounting adapter is added to the mounting plate, the SM 26 can be positioned with a 10° tilt downward, upward, left, or right.
The SM 26 saves time and installation costs for AV system contractors working with low-voltage contractors in a division-of-labor installation. During rough-in, a low-voltage contractor installs the mounting system on the wall and terminates the speaker cable to the mount’s integrated wiring contacts. Later, the AV system contractor completes the installation by sliding the SM 26 onto the mount.
For more information on the SM 26, click here. Leave a Comment
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Christie Hires Jeff KlassChristie has announced that Jeff Klaas has joined the company in the role of vice president for Christie’s Business Products division. Reporting to Jack Kline, president & COO, Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc., and based in Christie’s Cypress headquarters, Klaas will focus on managing the company’s Business Products strategies across diverse product platforms. He will support each of the company’s key geographic regions and markets with the goal of increasing sales and building relationships internally and externally.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Leave a Comment
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Kramer USA Moves to New Headquarters FacilityKramer Electronics announced the opening of its new United States headquarters facility, the new home for the Kramer USA sales, marketing and product development/support teams. The new facility is located in the Township of Union, in Hunterdon County, NJ; about two miles from the company’s previous U.S. headquarters facility.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Leave a Comment
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Adam Daniul Joins FOR-A as South Regional Sales ManagerFOR-A Corporation of America announces that Adam Daniul has been named sales manager for the southern U.S. Daniul is responsible for FOR-A sales and managing the dealer channel in the southeast and south central regions.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Leave a Comment
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Cheri Wolf Joins enVu Sales TeamenVu, an out-of-home (OOH) interactive media company, today announced that Cheri Wolf will join the enVu team as director of sales for its midwest region.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Leave a Comment
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Planar Systems Adds Art Martinez as Account Manager for Southwest USAPlanar recently hired Las Vegas-based Art Martinez as the new Southwest Zone Manager for Arizona and Nevada. Art joins the Planar team with 18 years of experience working in the Las Vegas AV Market as a commercial integrator, as well as a manufacturer’s representative, and carries a strong background selling products to the Las Vegas casino market.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Leave a Comment
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BitWise Controls Launches A New Dealer StoreBitWise Controls announced this month the launch of a brand new Dealer Store for its authorized representatives, integrators and dealers. The BitWise Dealer Store was built to provide a one-stop-shop for integrators designing commercial and residential automation systems. Along with GUI templates, the store carries BitWise and third-party programming modules for easy download. The modules are single files that combine device programming and pre-configured GUI content, allowing integrators to skip the time-consuming task of writing custom two-way device drivers.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Leave a Comment
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For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe ProAV 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 percent opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the ProAV 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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Everything we publish is opt-in — we spam NO ONE! rAVe ProAV Edition is our flagship publication with what we believe is a reach of virtually everyone in the ProAV market. rAVe HomeAV Edition is co-published with CEDIA, covering the HomeAV market. We added rAVe Rental [and Staging] in November 2007, rAVe ED [Education] in May 2008 and then rAVe DS [Digital Signage] in January 2009. We added rAVe GHGav [Green, Healthcare & Government AV] in August 2010 and rAVe HOW [House of Worship] in July 2012. You can subscribe to any of those publication or see ALL our archives by going to: https://www.ravepubs.com
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