Volume 12, Issue 8 — April 24, 2014
|
Editorial Editorial Editorial
|
|
Industry News Audio Control & Signal Processing Projection Displays Unified Collaborative Conferencing
|
|
|
AV People: Kevin Nelson of Zealth Audio
By Molly Stillman rAVe Director of Marketing & New Business Development
At the age of 12, Kevin Nelson’s mom bought and brought home a brand new organ. It was making this noise in the house and Kevin wanted to know why. So he tore apart the organ, took the speakers out, and figured out what made it work. Needless to say, he was grounded for it. In fact, according to Kevin, he’s still grounded to this day.
Kevin Nelson, founder of Zealth Audio, knew that his curiosity for the way things worked started at an early age and that curiosity continues to be something that fuels his interest and passion for the speaker-building business. However, the path to where he is today has certainly been rocky.
“I finished 11th grade in Hastings, Nebraska and decided to leave school and join the Navy,” recalled Kevin. “I was in the Navy for eight years total, but spent three of those years overseas. I was a nuke welder on submarines.”
Throughout those years, Kevin also learned the auto and diesel mechanic industry and spent a lot of time in that field. But his heart was always in audio.
“I had a dream one night about building a certain speaker cabinet design, so I woke up the next day and I made it… and pretty much went from there,” Kevin explained.
He spent the next few years working out at Camp Pendleton switching out computers. Then, one day, things took a turn for the worse.
He came home to find his live-in girlfriend had been unfaithful and once she left, he realized he was in over his head. His contracted job at Camp Pendleton had come to an end and he soon realized he couldn’t afford to pay the rent.
Kevin lost his girlfriend, his job, his apartment, and with only a few hundred dollars to his name, he went down to San Diego, got a hotel for a week and tried to find other work.
A week later, he walked out the door of that hotel with no job and no money.
In the meantime, he’d do odd jobs here and there to make what money he could. He reached out to the military but there just wasn’t anything for him. “San Diego is full of homeless veterans and the resources are pretty low,” Kevin said. “I’d go to Home Depot and stand outside hoping for a contractor to pick me up to work for the day. I’d do odd jobs here or there to make $50-$60 a day.”
However, San Diego isn’t cheap and by the end of a long day of doing contracting work, Kevin would be dirty and would need to go to the thrift store and buy new pants, get a hotel room to clean up, and then find himself having spent all that he’d made in a day. Saving up for an apartment was nearly impossible since most apartments in San Diego required both first month’s and last month’s rent.
This continued in a vicious cycle. Kevin went in and out of homeless shelters, but because the shelters had such strict hours and regulations if you wanted to be able to get in to eat, shower and sleep, having the time to prepare himself for a job interview AND work day laboring jobs was just too much to balance.
Kevin was homeless for almost five years. That whole time, Kevin’s dream of building speakers never left him.
“One day I was staying in a shelter in Oceanside called Brother Benos shelter,” Kevin explained. “This whole time I’d talk about the speakers and the dream I had. I always carried a picture of the speakers with me. Well, this one guy had a garage and said to me, ‘Do you want to build a pair?’ And I said, ‘Yeah!’ So, I went and worked out of his garage for a couple days and then put the speakers in storage.”
During what little free time he had, Kevin would spend time at the library reading, researching and learning as much as he could in the hopes that luck would come his way.
He found the website CNET and decided to take a chance and email them about his speakers. Kevin ended up getting ahold of Steve Guttenberg and Steve said that he’d do a story on Kevin. This was in 2009. CNET ran the story and all of a sudden Kevin got overwhelmed.
“I got thousands of emails, a whole bunch of investors, people wanting 50 percent of the profits… all kinds of stuff started happening,” he recalled. “I got a bunch of orders but I couldn’t fill them because I didn’t have any money. It just happened too quickly.
“Everyone that reached out to me got greedy and just wanted big money out of it, but I kept my dream out there in the hopes that someone, anyone, would bit on them.”
In 2012, after an old friend from middle school and high school contacted him through Facebook, Kevin moved back to Hastings, Nebraska. That old friend happens to now be his girlfriend!
Once he got back to Hastings, Kevin had a little bit of money, so he began buying, fixing up and reselling cars for a profit since he had past experience in the auto industry.
With that money he was making, Kevin started Zealth Audio and started finally building his speakers. He now has a two bay shop with a demonstration room and everything.
“It’s still just me doing it all,” explained Kevin. “After they saw the story, CES contacted me and gave me a room for free at the show and then I also went to the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest and sold four pairs of speakers there. I also have some stores in New York that want to hear them… my next step is to take that trip to New York!”
What makes Kevin’s speakers different than any other high-end home audio speaker is that there’s a right AND left channel in each cabinet – it’s crossfire imagine. “It’s full dimensional sound,” Kevin boasted. “These take away the center and back speakers… they fill the room right up. It really sets up one hell of a sound stage.”
And, to top it all off, the speakers cost under $1,000.
Kevin is truly a man with an entrepreneurial spirit, has a dedication to his craft like no one else, and the motivation to get it done.
To find out more about Zealth Audio speakers (or if you’re interested in hearing them for yourself), go here.
Author’s Note: Speaking with Kevin was truly a pleasure and an honor. He was extremely humble, very honest, funny, witty, and clearly very smart. I think the industry could use a few more Kevin Nelsons. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
|
Audiovisual Education and Training: One Size Does Not Fit All
By Melissa Taggart InfoComm
So much is being written about how people learn combined with the overwhelming pace of new content. We hear endlessly about the poor, poor, millennials who are apparently the most difficult people on the planet to work with and can only learn via YouTube. Articles stating that Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) will ring the death knell for all other types of learning appear almost weekly. Will flipped classrooms (lecture at home, exercises in the classroom) become the norm?
Classroom
In InfoComm’s 75th anniversary year, it’s a privilege to look back and see the decades of volunteer education and training for this industry. Groups like the Professional Education and Training Committee (PETC) and countless subject matter experts have provided our association with an unbelievable treasure trove of accurate content and curriculum about all things audiovisual. For many, sitting in a classroom with peers and a qualified instructor is the right way to go. More and more companies provide our training at their company sites, leveraging the company culture with great instruction to improve their bottom line.
Online
An adventurous InfoComm Board okayed the investment for web-based learning 18 years ago, and we’ve never looked back. With a strong Learning Content Management System (LCMS), InfoComm reached over 26,000 registrants worldwide in 2013. For members, you get three free online courses for you and all your employees when you join, plus the Registered AV Technologist Test. Check out the latest addition, Digital Signage for Technology Managers Online.
Tradeshows and Conferences
With tradeshows around the world and numerous standalone events with the best instructors in the industry, InfoComm continues to provide education to tens of thousands of attendees. Build your own, customized learning schedule to meet your needs.
Webinars
InfoComm reached over 5,000 people last year with free webinars. Convenient, current, and many provide renewal units (RUs) for CTS holders.
Virtual Classroom
A combination of online lectures and collaborative, self-paced work, this approach works from both a budget and timing perspective for many learners.
Books
From InfoComm’s publication of The Basics of Audio and Visual Systems Design by Ray Wadsworth 1983, to the most recent publication of Networked AV Systems by McGraw Hill in both hard copy and as an e-book, InfoComm has made huge amounts of content available around the world.
Let me get to the first call to action:
- What training delivery method do you want in the future?
- What training delivery method do you want for your employees to learn in the future?
This blog was reprinted with permission from InfoComm and originally appeared here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Hospitals Look to Patient Engagement to Meet Healthcare Delivery Challenges
By Stephane Willaert Vice President Strategic Marketing, Healthcare IT Solutions for Barco
Today’s hospitals are facing a sea change in the healthcare industry as a result of increasing pressures to deliver quality care to millions of newly insured patients gaining access under the new Affordable Care Act. Compounding the problem is the need to keep a tighter rein on costs as reimbursements are expected to continue their decline for many services. The challenge to do more with less has never been greater for hospitals, which must stay focused on their top priorities: patient safety, quality of care, patient experience and satisfaction and cost reduction.
Fortunately, the market is responding with interactive patient care aka “patient engagement” solutions that enable hospitals to manage clinical information and tasks, while providing a robust entertainment portal, right at the patient bedside. The best option is a turnkey system that bundles a bedside smart terminal with patient entertainment, personalized services and clinical access software, and which ensures seamless operation and smooth connectivity within patient rooms and across the enterprise.
Typically comprising a medically designed all-in-one computer, these consoles are available in wall- and ceiling-mounted options for easy viewing and mobility. User-friendly graphic interfaces, similar to smartphone menus, make applications easily accessible via a touchscreen. Secure smart- or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-card access ensures that only the appropriate caregivers have access to patient information.
Connecting Quality Care from Every Perspective
The primary objective of interactive patient care solutions is to help eliminate “solution silos” by centralizing multiple capabilities and enhanced functionality into an integrated clinical collaboration and patient engagement platform. This eliminates the need for costly redundant equipment and applications while facilitating communications between patients and their family and friends, as well as among clinicians and staff, to provide a more cohesive, patient-centric approach to care.
Each constituency within a healthcare organization has specific needs and issues that must be addressed in order to fulfill this objective:
Clinicians
Physicians require simple, streamlined clinical access that enables them to enter orders directly into a networked, interactive patient care system as well as view PACS (x-ray, MRI, etc.) images at the patient bedside. Nurses and medical staff also need more efficient ways to chart and administer medication at the point of care, as well as share essential healthcare educational materials with patients throughout their treatment and recovery to help them fully participate in their own positive recovery. All of these efficiencies result in the ability for medical personnel to more effectively deliver a higher level of service to patients.
Patient engagement solutions can greatly improve clinician’s performance by automating many aspects of patient care, allowing clinicians and staff to focus more time on patient care and less on administration. The ability to directly input data into a centralized information repository right at the patient bedside in real-time also results in fewer errors, which greatly increases patient safety.
These improvements also enhance workflow across the healthcare organization. The benefit to the bottom line is obvious: Any time you can reduce the number of steps involved in caregiving as well as shrink the administrative task burden, you’ll increase productivity, which positively impacts the healthcare delivery organization’s profitability.
IT & Facilities
From an information technology perspective, hospitals need a truly interoperable system that leverages the existing IT infrastructure, and which is both flexible and scalable in terms of implementation. It must enable streamlined, secure access to clinical information and facilitate regulatory auditing requirements, while offering patients easy, bedside access to entertainment, education and the internet as well as self-service room environment controls and service requests.
Hospital Administration
One of the most critical mandates for today’s hospitals is Meaningful Use compliance. Meaningful Use is the use of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology to:
- Improve quality, safety, efficiency, and reduce health disparities
- Engage patients and family
- Improve care coordination, and population and public health
- Maintain privacy and security of patient health information
Meaningful Use sets specific objectives that hospitals must demonstrate over a three-stage, five-year implementation schedule beginning in 2011 to qualify for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Incentive Programs.
While Stage 1 (2011-2012) required healthcare delivery organizations to implement EHR and CPOE (Computerized Physician Order Entry) technologies to centralize and streamline documentation, Stage 2 is focused on patient engagement. Beginning in 2014, hospitals’ performance attainment and improvement will determine their total reimbursements under CMS, whereby they are rewarded or penalized based on the quality, not quantity, of care provided. This is measured by the self-reported patient experience using the HCAHPS (Healthcare Consumer Assessment of Hospital Providers and Systems) Survey, which is the first national, standardized and publicly reported survey of patients’ perspectives of hospital care.
Empowering Patients through Engagement
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) defines patient-centered care as providing care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values and ensures that patient values guide all clinical decisions. Patient-centered care supports active involvement of patients and their families in decision-making. The Affordable Care Acts also puts consumers back in charge of their healthcare, featuring a new “Patient’s Bill of Rights” that gives Americans the stability and flexibility they need to make informed choices about their health.
Meaningful Use requirements are forcing hospitals to take a hard look at the quality of care they’re delivering, and patients are clearly in the driver’s seat. All of the measures to streamline workflow and enhance clinical productivity won’t be enough if hospitals aren’t also focusing their efforts on engaging patients in ways that will measurably increase their satisfaction and improve health outcomes.
The most effective patient engagement solutions provide a wide array of entertainment options, from television and on-demand movies, to games and interactive activities, to telephone, email and internet communications to stay in touch with family, friends and even their caregivers. Personalized patient services like meal ordering, room controls and patient service request systems can also be easily integrated with the leading solutions to ensure patients’ comfort and staff responsiveness in the most efficient way.
Patients can take satisfaction surveys online, right on their patient bedside terminal, to provide valuable feedback on numerous aspects of their healthcare experience to hospital administrators so they can make improvements to enhance the patient experience.
Patient Education: the Path to Reducing Readmissions
While interactive patient care solutions can go a long way toward creating happier patients, thanks to these entertainment and communications, the most important objective is to educate them with the goal of influencing successful health outcomes. The patient engagement platform can offer patients a wide array of educational modules and customized content to help them understand their medical condition, and provide drug purpose/side-effects/interactions, safety reminders and post-discharge treatment instructions. The system also automatically assigns appropriate videos based on the patient’s specific diagnosis code. Once the patient views the video, their EMR file is instantly updated to indicate their compliance. The result is that better informed patients typically benefit from a more positive healthcare experience, reducing the possibility of a costly readmission.
With the advent of Meaningful Use Stage 2, hospitals are seeking interactive patient care solutions to help them fulfill the mandate requiring them to provide patients with on-demand access to their health information, with at least 10 percent documented usage starting this year. Patient engagement systems provide an ideal compliance tool, with the ability to directly link to the hospital’s main portal which allows patients to register to fulfill the Meaningful Use 2 requirements.
Better Outcomes All Around
Safely and effectively delivering high quality patient care is no small feat today, and will likely present even greater challenges tomorrow. But by harnessing the power and flexibility of today’s interactive patient care solutions, healthcare organizations can make great strides toward achieving their top priorities and meeting Meaningful Use requirements with a minimum of anxiety and expense. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
ESP/SurgeX Acquires SurgeX InternationalESP/SurgeX, a manufacturer of power protection and intelligence solutions for AV, IT, digital signage and other markets, has announced the acquisition of SurgeX International, which had been operating as a separate entity since Electronic Systems Protection, Inc (ESP) acquired SurgeX North America in 2008. The move unifies all SurgeX operations under a single management team located in Knightdale, NC.
Global demand for smart energy and power management products is growing and the acquisition allows SurgeX to better serve the needs of an electricity-dependent world. The company is uniquely suited to handle the demand of established and developing markets based on its existing operational capabilities and extensive product offerings across IT, audio video, digital signage, office supplies, imaging, healthcare, hospitality, security and more. Uniting worldwide operations and management of SurgeX assets in the Knightdale, NC headquarters will increase product development and result in more consistent service for customers, distributors and dealers.
More information about SurgeX is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
Chief Updates Design Center ResourceChief has updated its online Design Center to provide AV consultants, architects and designers with a library of downloadable information to make specifying AV mounts easier.
Specifiers can find Revit files, CAD, tech drawings, manuals and literature for 24 of Chief’s most popular products. The site also lists certification information for the solutions.
Chief’s downloadable documentation also can be found on Autodesk SEEK.
As a Cornerstone Partner of the AIA, Chief offers a free binder for architects, designers and consultants. The binders are filled with information on all Chief’s AV solutions along with a selection guide to provide Chief’s top recommendations based on typology. Binders are mailed after filling out a simple form at the Chief Design Center. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Public Demo of 4K Live StreamingAt NAB 2014, Cisco and Sony became the first companies to publicly demonstrate the live delivery of full-frame rate 4K 60P content. The live demonstration streamed live 4K video from New York City to Las Vegas and was on display for NAB show attendees at the Cisco and Sony booths.
Live events in New York City were captured with the Sony F55 4K camera, and HEVC encoded using Cisco’s Videoscape AnyRes — with enhanced support for 4K and HEVC. The live stream was transported from New York to Las Vegas through a fiber optic network. The stream was then delivered to the Las Vegas Convention Center, decoded with a Cisco set-top box with 4K support, and displayed on Sony XBR 4K Ultra HD TVs.
Joe Cozzolino, senior vice president, general manager, service provider video infrastructure for Cisco, said, “This is an exciting time in our industry as advanced 4K content experiences reach a tipping point for distribution across multiple devices. We are ushering in the next era in content experiences with partners like Sony, and demonstrating that today’s cable networks are fully capable and ready to deliver full-frame rate 4K content.”
Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
Extron Launches EQIP Program to Educate, Qualify Independent Programmers for Its Control SystemsExtron’s EQIP is a new program designed to provide additional configuration resources to customers deploying Extron control solutions. Extron Qualified Independent Programming (EQIP) companies are apparently carefully screened and selected by Extron to provide expert configuration support for Extron Control System projects — in a conference call I had with the company today, I was told that they even immerse the programmers in the Extron S3 (Service, Support & Solutions) philosophy as, for many users, this will be their primary personal interface with Extron.
The program is designed so that Extron customers and integrators may employ EQIP companies to augment their staff, execute projects, and provide options to configure more advanced AV systems. EQIP companies have access to a variety of Extron resources including web-based tools, continuing education, and control system training. This program is similar to those offered by AMX and Crestron in that they are designed to help customers find “qualified” programmers that can handle larger systems and they are vetted by each manufacturer for their quality, capabilities and training.As part of the EQIP qualification, Extron says that programmers will become ECP — Extron Control Professional-certified. ECP i designed to prepare individuals to successfully deploy and maintain customized AV control systems, configured with Extron’s Global Configurator Professional, and built around Extron’s recently-launched IP Link Pro Series and TouchLink Pro Series products.
Here are all the EQIP Program details. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
BSS Audio Ships BLU-50 Signal Processor HARMAN’s BSS Audio is now shipping its BLU-50 signal processor, part of the Soundweb London family of digital signal processors. The BLU-50 is a half-rack width processor that offers a fixed configuration of four inputs and four outputs, configurable signal processing, logic processing and BLU link. The device can be powered with the included 12VDC power supply but can accept 12-48VDC via a terminal block connector. The BLU-50 can also be powered with PoE+ via the Ethernet port, allowing the device to be powered, configured, controlled and monitored using a single Cat 5e cable.
The analog inputs of the BLU-50 provide software configurable gain in 6dB steps up to +48dB per channel and software selectable phantom power per channel. Phantom power, signal present and clip information per channel is easily accessible, without the requirement for a PC, from clear front panel LED indication.
The BLU-50 features BLU link, a low latency, fault tolerant digital audio bus of 48 channels, which uses standard Category 5e cabling giving a distance of 100 meter between compatible devices. Fiber media converters can be used to increase the distance between devices to over 10km (6.2 miles) using single mode fiber.
The BLU-50 can be configured, controlled and monitored from both the newly introduced HiQnet London Architect version 6.0 and HiQnet Audio Architect version 1.4, to be released soon, and is compatible with other members of the Soundweb London family. Its 48 channel BLU link bus represents channels 1-48 of the larger 256 channel BLU link bus when integrated with the BLU-800, BLU-320, BLU-160, BLU-120, BLU-BIB and BLU-BOB devices. Up to 60 BLU link compatible devices can share channels on a single bus.
For more information, click here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
Eighteen Sound Adds XG10 Line Array Waveguide Eighteen Sound announced the release of the XG10 line source waveguide with a 1-inch throat entry. The company says that the XG10 has a transmission line acoustic design that minimizes internal reflections and acoustic loss, while the throat shape has been optimized for lowering air distortion.
The waveguide has been optimized to provide a 10o vertical dispersion angle, while the horizontal coverage angle can vary from 80o to 120o depending upon the specific cabinet design.
Features include:
- 1.0″ entry line-array source
- 10° vertical coverage angle
- Transmission line acoustical design minimizes internal reflections and acoustical losses
- Throat shape optimized for lowering air distortion
- Compact size for high arrayability
- Die-cast aluminum construction
For complete specs, click here.
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Aurora Multimedia Ships HDBaseT ReceiversAurora Multimedia is now shipping its DXE-CAT-RX3 series of HDBaseT receivers. There are four models all incorporating balanced analog stereo audio input and output with mixing capabilities, and dual relays for screen/lift control.
The DXE-CAT-RX3A model adds a 2×35-watt amplifier. Two additional models come complete with on-board IP/web based control (DXE-CAT-RX3-C and DXE-RX3A-C). The “C” versions include a stand-alone control system offering tablet integration and 1-RS232, 1-IR, 2-Relays, audio input mixing control and output level control. Built-in Web server features allow for non-platform specific web-control integration from iPad/Tablets and other web browsing devices.
For more information, click here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
Liberty AV Adds 4K Compatible HDMI Matrix Switch Liberty AV Solutions is now shipping the DigitaLinx four-input, four-output HDMI matrix, DL-HDM44. The new DL-HDM44 features four HDMI inputs and four HDMI outputs, which supports Deep Color, full 3D and 4K video, and up to 7.1 multichannel audio to be routed to any output. The DL-HDM44 can be controlled via front panel buttons, front panel IR, external IR, RS232 or through a Web browser when the matrix is connected to a network. The matrix includes a simple IR remote control to allow IR switching. The EDID settings for the matrix, either 1080p with stereo audio or the EDID of the display on Output A, are toggled by a button on the front of the matrix.
The DL-HDM44 can be controlled via the front panel, local or remote infrared (IR), RS232 or via a Web browser. The DL-HDM44 takes up a single rack unit, saving valuable real estate in an equipment rack.
Complete specs are here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Extron XTP Receiver with Extron Ships 90-Degree HDMI Wall Plate Receiver for Installation Behind Wall-Mounted Displays Extron is now shipping the XTP R HWP 201, a Decora-style wall plate receiver for XTP Systems. It features a unique design specifically to handle space constraints behind wall-mounted displays, with the HDMI output connector oriented upward at a 90-degree angle, in order to minimize stress on the cable and allow for a low-profile flat panel display installation. This HDCP-compliant receiver accepts signals from up to 330 feet (100 meters) away over a single shielded CATx cable and outputs video, audio, control and Ethernet to the display. It also provides HDMI audio de-embedding with analog stereo audio output and volume control. The receiver can be remotely powered by an XTP CrossPoint matrix switcher.
The XTP R HWP 201 supports video signals up to 1920×1200, including 1080p/60 Deep Color and 2K. In addition to HDMI video, it delivers embedded digital audio signals or can de-embed the audio for two-channel balanced/unbalanced analog stereo audio output. It also offers:
- EDID Minder for continuous EDID communication between devices;
- Key Minder that authenticates and maintains HDCP encryption for quick and reliable transmission,
- A cable tie-down point to for securing the HDMI connection,
- LAN and bidirectional control ports for the display
- RS232 and IR insertion ports on the front panel for bidirectional control
To see all the specs, click here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
Kramer Integrates Mass Notification & Emergency Communication System into ProScale Switchers Kramer’s new line of ProScale digital scaler/switchers, the VP-770, VP-771, VP-773, VP-774, VP-773AMP and VP-774AMP are all equipped with a unique built-in Mass Notification & Emergency Communication (MNEC) feature. In case you don’t know what that means, the feature provides the ability to have an education facility, corporate campus, or stadium-wide emergency notification immediately displayed on connected projection screens and monitors. When connected to a network, the Kramer ProScale digital scaler/switchers can be set up to automatically display an alert message. Notifications include flexible options such as the inclusion of an audio alert siren, and the choice of displaying either a text crawler or a text window. The system can even have the Kramer ProScale digital scaler/switchers power up displays that are off in order to display these important messages.
Messages with “Extreme” and “Severe” headers appear nearly full screen and cover any other content. Messages with lower levels of severity appear as text crawls along the bottom of the image. The new Kramer line of presentation switchers only requires an Ethernet connection to the appropriate campus network.
Emergency alert messages are composed and transmitted using the XML-based Common Alert Protocol (CAP) application. This allows a warning message to be consistently disseminated simultaneously over many warning systems to multiple proprietary applications and devices. These CAP alerts can include specifics about weather (hurricanes, flooding, storms, etc.), safety and security, as well as secondary functions, such as alert tones, horns, buzzers, and sirens.
The system complies with the official national warning system standard in the United States, the Emergency Alert System (EAS), which works in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and a number of U.S. national emergency agencies.
Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Extron Adds Digital Connectivity, USB Power to Hideaway Series Enclosures Extron Electronics is introducing the HSA 300, a new addition to the company’s HSA – Hideaway Surface Access Enclosure series of furniture-mountable enclosures. The compact HSA 300 provides inconspicuous access to AV connectivity, AC power and USB power. The enclosure’s tilt-up faceplate features connectors for HDMI, VGA, PC audio and network pass-through, as well as an AC power outlet and two 5 VDC USB power outlets for charging mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. AC power outlets are available for the U.S. and Central Europe, as well as a multi-region outlet that supports a variety of plug types. The HSA 300 is available a black anodized finish.
The HSA enclosures are available in three primary configurations that complement most room designs and furniture types: compact, tilt-up enclosures with fixed AV and network connectivity; tilt-up, modular enclosures with configurable connectivity; and vertically lifting, double-sided enclosures that provide access to connectivity and power from either side of the table. To operate, a user presses down on the top to release the HSA, which lifts the connector combinations into view. HSA enclosures are designed for easy mounting into tables, desks or other AV furniture, and sit nearly flush with the surface once installed.
For more information on the HSA 300, click here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Christie Joins HDBaseT Alliance, Intros HDBaseT-Enabled ProjectorsProjector manufacturer Christie has joined the HDBaseT Alliance, announcing that some of its projectors are now HDBaseT-certified. HDBaseT, powered by the Valens chipset, enables all-in-one connectivity between HD video sources and remote displays through a single 100m CAT5e/6 cable, delivering uncompressed high definition video, including 4K, audio, Ethernet, control signals and up to 100 watts of power.
The Christie Q Series 1-chip DLP platform — with brightness options ranging from 8,500 to 10,000 lumens and XGA, WXGA and WUXGA resolutions — is equipped with eClarity, which Christie says offers advanced image processing that enhances images by providing greater control over image sharpness, gloss and shading. With built-in High Dynamic Contrast Range (HDCR), image “washout” in high ambient light conditions is eliminated by adjusting the dynamic contrast to recapture detail lost by excess ambient light on the screen. The Christie Q series features HDBaseT Connectivity for simplifying installation and management by allowing for video content, audio and control to be delivered over low cost CAT5/6e cabling to HDBaseT compatible products. Christie Q Series is also equipped with DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) Simulation Mode for training purposes.
More specs on the Q Series are here.
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
|
PixelFLEX Intros FLEXLite LED Screen, a Cost-Effective Solutions for Permanent Installs and Small EventsLED screen manufacturer PixelFLEX has introduced the FLEXLite LED screen. Available in both indoor and outdoor options, FLEXLite was designed for clients that need an economical solution for permanent installations and lightweight event screens.
The indoor version comes in pitches of 3.0, 5.2, 6.9 and 7.8 mm and is designed for tradeshows, other events and signage. FLEXLite has a high refresh-rate, making it “camera friendly and an ideal solution for televised and filmed events,” according to the company. A dedicated outdoor version that comes in both blowthrough and non-blowthrough designs is availablie in pitches of 6.25, 8.9 and 12.0 mm with brightness of 5,000 nits.
The FLEXlite frame is made of die cast aluminum, resulting in a lightweight but durable tile that weigh 28 pounds each. PixelFLEX says it has taken all of the aspects it has been known for in its touring products, and transformed them into a single product that makes sense for installation. It can be installed and dismantled by one person, making FLEXLite time and labor efficient. The LED panel also comes in a rectangle shape – versus the traditional square – and consequently covers more space with less tiles.
It offers HDMI and DVI-D inputs and uses the latest debugging technology to prohibit issues with gray scale level, allowing for clear, crisp content playback. The LED screen also offers a 140 degree viewing angle so more of the audience gets the full impression of the desired content.
More information is available here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Arthur Holm Intros DYNAMIC1H Motorized Display SystemARTHUR HOLM is now shipping the Dynamic1H, a new, compact motorized solution in which the screen is always visible. Built in solid mechanized aluminum, this horizontal motorized system allows the screen to move from a flushed position in the desk surface up to 80 degrees.
Unique features include a memory system to recall the previous or favorite screen position and remote monitoring and control. The HD screen has an option for a multi-touch surface. The Dynamic1H offers two DVI inputs, HDCP compliance and RS422 I/O, directly addressable with a termination switch, allowing all the devices to be daisy chained with cabling distances of more than 500 meters.
Via AH-Net protocol, monitors can be grouped, with the control divided by zones. Connectivity is done through standard RJ45. Dynamic1H also provides a security system, which immediately stops the monitor movement in case of resistance detection. The Dynamic1H can be integrated into the same casing as the DynamicTalk retractable gooseneck microphone with a built-in camera.
For compete specs, click here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
SMART Intros SMART Board 6065 4K Interactive Flat Panel SMART Technologies Inc. has announced the SMART Board 6065 interactive flat panel (IFP) for education. The first in a new line of SMART Board interactive flat panels, the 6065 IFP offers improved image quality and new features. Measuring 65 inches (165 centimeters) on the diagonal, the SMART Board 6065 interactive flat panel offers ultra-HD 4K resolution as well as what SMART calls a smooth, low-friction surface that enables teachers and students to smoothly manipulate objects on the screen or write with great ease.
The SMART Board 6065 supports up to four touches simultaneously and automatically detects the difference between a finger, pen and eraser so users don’t have to interrupt the flow of a lesson to manually change modes. With the Pen Identification feature, two users can work simultaneously and independently with different colored pens or distinct tools, ensuring that technology never interferes with pedagogy.
The SMART Board 6065 IFP includes SMART Notebook collaborative learning software and a one year subscription to Notebook Advantage, enabling schools and districts to have access to a comprehensive suite of plug-ins, widgets, learning content and subject-specific add-ons.
The SMART Board 6065 will be available in June with suggested education pricing at $4,499. For more information, click here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
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).
Don’t like us? Then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send us feedback, don’t reply to this newsletter. Instead, write directly to founder Gary at gary@ravepubs.com or Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
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
To read more about rAVe’s team and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com Back to Top |
Copyright 2014 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved – 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 contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |
|
|
|