Volume 13, Issue 16 — August 19, 2015
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Editorial Editorial Editorial
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Industry News Projection Staging & Live Events Audio Cables, Cases, Furniture, Mounts, Racks, Screens & Accessories Control & Signal Processing Displays Unified Collaborative Conferencing Lighting
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An Evening with Polycom — On Software and Experience
By Leonard Suskin Pixel and Ink-Stained Wretch
Last week my fellow consultants and I were invited to an event at conferencing stalwart Polycom’s New York City experience center. It’s a pretty and shiny new spot at One Penn Plaza, with a nice river view outside and their technological toys inside. For me the more interesting part isn’t the specifics of a single manufacturer’s offering but a broader overview of how manufacturers — especially traditional hardware manufacturers like Polycom — are positioning themselves in today’s increasingly software-based world. If one can deploy a simple room system utilizing Hangouts, Lync, WebEx, GotoMeeting or similar at a price tag under five thousand dollars (This is possible. I’ll leave the actual design as an exercise for the reader.), then those who once sold videoconferencing appliances for tens of thousands of dollars certainly need to pivot towards a more modern, more scalable and less costly set of solutions.
Save a few PowerPoint slides on the back-end stuff and general system topology, there was very little talk of hardware. A few years back, the first thing I looked at in a spec sheet was a back-plane photo; today’s world of streaming, USB video and various forms of software-based manipulation make the standard “picture of the back” less interesting and, ultimately, less informative. What they did talk about was software.
This isn’t surprising; years ago, Polycom started to rebrand itself as a software company. (Side note: The other giant in the hardware VTC segment, Cisco, also considers itself a software company. Yes, most of what it sells are physical boxes in switches, routers and the like, but the magic — what makes Cisco what it is — is in its OS and implementation of various tools and protocols. In the end, everything is software — even things that look like hardware. End of side note). Overall, they discussed three broad pillars in what they see as the “workplace of the future”: workspace, workflow and experience (the latter involving both technical staff and end-users — this is an important shift in focus which we all need to make). Years ago, simply being able to share video content was something noteworthy and special. In today’s world, many users have — at least broadly speaking — video sharing and communication tools literally in their pockets. Enterprise-grade tools need to be as easy and intuitive to use as their consumer counterparts.
The handful of live demonstrations scheduled for the event all focused on software-based tricks and implementations. Small gadget-type items included the following:
- A face-recognition tool for their cameras which will pan and zoom to include only those parts of the room containing human faces. If someone wanders out, it will zoom in a bit to only cover those remaining. Additionally, it can count faces to provide analytics for meeting attendance.
- An “audio-fence” algorithm which will mute audio from a talker as they move away from a predetermined location. The example they showed was at the reception desk in the very experience center at which the event was held. If the receptionist moves back from her desk to, for example, sign for a deliver her audio will mute. This is a neat way to reduce unwanted side-chatter. I’ll note that it didn’t seem perfectly seamless — her voice did cut in briefly in the “away” position — but it is a neat idea.
- Smart muting to shut down remote microphones if human speech isn’t detected. For this demo, the talker at the far-end was eating a bag of chips. When he stopped talking, his mic muted even though there was still (so far as any of us could tell) noise in the room from the chips bag. I, for one, appreciate Polycom’s employees taking the personal risk of increased cholesterol in service of a product demo.
None of these are quite major enough to force a decision of one system over another, but they’re all nice add-ons and the kind of thing which can possibly tilt a close decision one way or another, depending on a client’s personal preferences and priorities.
Another demo, and the one in which they drew a direct comparison to competitors, was integration with Microsoft Lync. Lync has been an increasingly major player in the professional AV space for several years now, and integration with room systems and infrastructure has become increasingly smooth and seamless. Overall, I find direct comparisons to competing platforms slightly off-putting; the cynic in me is certain that anyone can find the one thing their system does better than the competition and highlight that. What made it interesting is that the aspect discussed was not a standalone special ability but tighter integration with the Microsoft environment. This says something about where the current state of the industry is; not many years ago it would be unthinkable for a manufacturer of room systems to focus on integration with desktop infrastructures. Now, it’s a centerpiece. As an AV designer, it also serves as a reminder that a client’s larger ecosystem is more important than ever. Does your client use Lync? This would be a great option. Do they use Google Apps? You’re best off looking elsewhere, as Google’s choice of a competing vendor’s platform to handle the “Hangouts” video chat feature leaves Polycom unable to offer the same tight integration.
The presentation and most of what we spoke about focused on the above kind of factor. Interoperability. Scalability. Even mention of various pricing plans which can simplify and increase the focus on operational expenditures as opposed to capital expenditure. In an increasingly IT-based world, this is more the direction in which we will have to look. They spoke of simplifying what has traditionally been a bit of a confusing and opaque price structure, about scalability, about interoperability.
It is telling that the very last demo — really an afterthought after the event had “officially” ended — was a demonstration of an immersive telepresence room. It is, no doubt, pretty. And it’s impressive. Sadly, it doesn’t fit into today’s world as well as it once did. It’s gone from flagship product to a very niche item, albeit a fun one on which to end a visit. Leave a Comment
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Why Is Collaboration So Disconnected?
By Max Kopsho rAVe Blogger
It seems that every time I hear about collaboration in our industry lately it is referring to AirMedia, ClickShare, Brio, Via, Enzo or similar “Mirror Op” technologies and the emphasis is almost always on wireless and BYOD. These examples are great success stories and they have a great place in today’s marketplace. But I fear that with the message, we (AV) are missing such a huge market and better message around the fit for collaboration in existing infrastructure and enterprise environments. I know that some of these solutions have their enterprise versions but the overarching message from the manufacturers and channels seem to be BYOD and wireless “in room” content sharing.
How do we (as an industry) change the way we approach the customers with a new message to help them understand that there is so much more value to what the collaboration solutions have to offer their organizations? True collaboration is an enterprise application and can allow for content from anywhere on the network to be used anywhere on the network. The focus of the technological enhanced collaboration and communications industry message (of course) is around the increase in profit and productivity for our customers. Then how do we promote that message beyond the conference room and meeting space and make sure we are making it clear that these are solutions for the entire enterprise?
Here are my five steps for helping to transition your message from BYOD and wireless in a local space to make the message an enterprise solution to increase profit and productivity for the entire organization:
- Talk the Talk — Change your references to “BYOD” to “all your networked devices.” Make sure you are always referring to all of the devices as networked devices and continue to emphasize the fact that you are talking about ALL networked devices (wired and wireless). These simple changes and “turns of phrases” make a difference. Your IT customer may focus on what you don’t say. They may wonder why you do not mention wired devices when you talk about collaboration. That will leave them wondering if they can connect PC and Mac. When you do not mention “all your networked devices,” your customer may assume you can only connect to mobile devices.
- Ensure Interoperation — The emphasis should be that you can network your devices the way the customer wants to. There is no set way this must be done. Make sure you emphasize that these solutions can join an enterprise network, be set up on a separate physical network dedicated to networked AV or be separated using a logically segmented network for AV. Whatever way your customer needs to network, you can help them. All too often we go with an approach where these solutions must be implemented in one prescribed way (typically on a separate AV network — even in the wireless world and usually this is prescribed by the manufacturer) and that doesn’t have to be the case. Be open to working with the customer and doing it the way they say it needs to be done. You can, in-turn, find the right product from the right manufacturer that will fit the application rather than “force-the-fit.”
- Address Security — Security is important. Make sure you match and/or exceed the customer’s expectations on security. The keys to address security are “CIA” — Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability. You need to be able to confidentiality by preventing unauthorized use, integrity by safeguarding information and availability by making sure that only authorize users have access according to the customer’s prescribed requirements. Of course, all of that is at a minimum and there can be a lot more to address but it helps to know the basics and then when to bring in the experts.
- Be Flexible — Don’t lock yourself into one manufacturer. There are many options out there and each manufacturer has implemented their own set of unique values and options to their solutions. Seek out the balance of features, security, interpretability and standards that best fit your customer’s needs. Don’t be afraid to shop and to include your manufacturers in the pre-sales process. Many manufacturers have incredible resources on the pre-sales engineering side and many have now hired a lot of network engineers to assist in this area.
- Validate Support — Get comfortable with your ability to design, integrate and support your customers. Learn to leverage the support system that your vendors have. This support structure includes the design validation, pre-sales, integration support and (of course) after installation support. Warranties are nice but the support programs and people (skills, knowledge, and experience) are what really matters. Do your manufacturer and channel partners (distribution partners and manufacturer representatives) have the expertise to support the products you are installing? If so, use them.
Collaboration offers a sexy solution for the customer and is a really fun sell. The overarching message here is to think big. As I said in a recent blog: “Solve big problems, make big money” but more importantly solve big problems and sleep well at night knowing you served your customers well.
AirMedia is a registered Trademark of Crestron, ClickShare is a registered Trademark of Barco, Brio is a registered Trademark of Christie, Via is a registered Trademark of Kramer and Enzo is a registered Trademark of AMX. Leave a Comment
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Adding to Your Winning Team
By Max Kopsho rAVe Blogger
Who is the best person on your integration team? Where are you getting the highest value? Is it the engineer who can design a flawless system and bring it life through a detailed program report and drawing package? Is it the project manager who manages time, scope, and cost with incredible resource management skills and business acumen? Can your key player be the sales person who went through the entire needs analysis processes and gathered all of the site survey information needed to execute a perfect proposal and win the project? How about the installers, services team and support people who act as the glue to hold everything together and truly keep your customers happy? Can you pick which of these is your most important player on your integration team? Well, I say it is none of them. The most important person on your team is your customer. If you can engage your customer on a level where they “join your team” and are considered one of the resources that you can utilize and manage then you have truly found (or created) a winning situation.
The best example I have of this scenario is when I was a younger sales person and I was working closely with a customer on a very large project. Before we won the project, I was preparing to give a presentation with our customer to some of his management team. He had invited me in to help present to his bosses to assist him in getting approval for budget and scope for the proposed project. In this situation he embedded himself into our team and invited us to present to his bosses so in turn we became embedded into his team. The result of this relationship was quite the learning process for me. In one instance I was talking to him about certain features and benefits of our solution. I was giving him a great presentation in rehearsal for the presentation that we would eventually give his bosses together. I was really on it, presentation-wise, and even though I was covering every piece of information marketing had given me about the products and solutions, he stopped me in the middle of my presentation. When he stopped me he said, “You’re solving a problem I don’t have.” I was blown away that this customer took time to teach (or remind) me about uncovering pains and value mapping. The customer took the time to teach me because he was on my team. Had this been a different type of sales relationship, instead of one where the sales person and the customer are on the same team, I do not believe the customer would have been in a place where they would have been willing and able to help the sales person (me) learn and grow.
Another illustration I have for this is when I was working in videoconferencing sales. I was working late at night (or early in the AM) on a project with a customer. This particular customer was assisting with the install. To get this assistance we included it in the contract and we added him as a team member for the install. We even had an agreement where he formally agreed to follow the direction of the PM while working on the job. I have done this in other instances when non-profits such as churches, need to reduce the cost of a project by providing their own labor. This is a difficult thing to manage but when it is well documented and has a strong agreement behind it, it can be a great solution. Getting back to my story… we were up in the rafters together, under the conference table and staging equipment in the warehouse. In this situation, I was able to have the customer act as a tech on the job and he had a lot of skin in the game. When we ran into issues with IP addresses or other contractors, it really helped to have this champion embedded in our team. As a side note, this particular customer is now one of my best lifelong friends. This is another great example of how business and personal relationships are built. Once you become a trusted advisor and prove your sincerity in what you do, you build a personal and professional preference above many others..
By having your customer on your team, you are illustrating one of the most useful tools in sales. The acronym for this very useful too is: RADAR — Reading Accounts and Deploying Appropriate Resources. I learned RADAR from a very good book, Hope is Not a Strategy – The Six Keys to Winning the Complex Sale from Rick Paige.
When you use RADAR, you are maximizing all of your resources to include using the customer as a resources (when appropriate). I have a saying, “when a sales person is at the top of their game, they are doing the least amount of work.” Jokingly, I would say that the best sales people are the laziest people. Now that is a joke, but what I do mean is that the most effective sales people sales are the ones that utilize ALL of the resources that are available to them and manage those resources accordingly. This allows the sales person to focus on managing their sales instead of design, support, project management or many of the other things that can bog down a sales person. When you use RADAR you are deploying a team of experts and a wide range of resources that are best suited for each aspect of the project. Sometimes the customer is one or many of those experts and can be invaluable resources. The customer knows more about their application, situation and usage model than anyone else on your team. Use them and learn from them.
Customers want your project to succeed. In many situations their job depends on it. If you have the chance and the situation is right, have the customer on your team is a great resource and can result in a lifetime friendship.
Max has worked in the AV industry for over 17 years in various management and technical roles. Over the last 28 years, he has acquired an extensive background in supporting AV and IT systems, computer networks, telecom and VTC systems. Max developed one of the industry’s first networked AV solutions and that product is now deployed in a single network with over 15,000 network attached AV devices. Max has made considerable contributions to the InfoComm Education area in AV/IT and CTS preparations. He was awarded the 2010 Educator of the Year award for InfoComm and has prepared more than 1,000 candidates for their CTS exams. The views in this article are strictly the views of Max Kopsho and do not necessarily reflect the views of his employer or business partners. Leave a Comment
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Extron Acquires Entwine AG, Will Compete in Video Capture SpaceExtron just announced that it has purchased Entwine AG of Zurich, Switzerland. A software company, Entwine specializes in building end-to-end video capture and presentation capture solutions using an open source software called OpenCast Matterhorn, as well as HTML5 and WebRTC.
Of course, Extron’s been in the lecture-capture hardware market since last summer when they debuted its SMP-351, but this purchase of Entwine gives them a complete package as they now control the software side of things, too. Thus, current market leaders Sonic Foundry and Echo360 will see a big company, Extron, not only validating their market but also competing with them directly. The benefit to everyone is obvious as lecture capture has always been a niche market and Extron can mainstream it with more solutions as well as grow the overall market opportunities beyond what is mostly limited to higher-ed.
Although some of you may not have heard of Entwine, it was founded in 2011 and has offices in Zurich and San Francisco. According to the company’s website, it has decades of real-world experience designing, developing and deploying a wide range of video capture and distribution across across various industries. Its focus for lecture and presentation capture has been in the education, corporate and healthcare industries.
“Entwine has proven expertise developing software for enterprise-scale presentation capture systems, including Europe’s largest lecture capture system at the University of Manchester in the UK, which involves over 300 classrooms,” said Andrew Edwards, president of Extron Electronics. “With this acquisition, we are excited to add a software engineering group with many years of expertise in the field of network based presentation capture systems to Extron’s industry leading engineering team.”
In a joint statement, Andy Wasklewicz and Tobias Wunden, founders of Entwine said, “Extron is the market leader for AV systems products, and with the SMP 351 Streaming Media Processor they have set a new standard for high performance streaming and recording hardware. We are excited to join the Extron team and are thrilled at the opportunity to offer customers end-to-end presentation capture solutions that leverage the strength of our combined hardware and software technologies.”
Extron is here and the company’s SMP 351 is here. Leave a Comment
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Planar Merges With Chinese CompanyPlanar just informed its clients that it is merging with a Chinese manufacturer. Here is the letter they were sent (from Adam Schmidt, Planar vice president of sales):
Planar announced that we have entered into a definitive merger agreement with Leyard Optoelectronic Co. Ltd., pursuant to which a U.S. affiliate of Leyard will acquire all of the common stock of Planar. You can read more about the transaction and its potential implications here.
As a valued customer and partner of Planar, I wanted to provide you more information as we work through shareholder approvals and other specified closing conditions, anticipating completion of the transaction in the coming months:
- In our discussions with Leyard management, they were attracted to Planar’s strong selling and marketing organizations, customer relationships, history of innovation and overall organizational strength. The Planar executive team that has been guiding the company will remain in place, as Planar will continue to operate as a full service entity under the Leyard umbrella once the transaction closes. The Planar employees you rely on in service, marketing, sales operations, credit, and throughout the company are still here to support you.
- Until the time of the close, Planar and Leyard are two separate companies, with distinct product portfolios and strategies for sales and promotion. Planar does not have access to the Leyard product portfolio or vice versa at this time. Once the transaction is closed we will make decisions on the optimal way to bring the best value to you in terms of products, technology, service and support. As we make those decisions, we will announce them to you via our sales team, Channel Newsletter distributions, in industry publications, and at trade shows and events, as we always have.
- Together, we have delivered outstanding video solutions to thousands of customers. This transaction can add to our abilities to offer you ever-improving technology, products and service. As we contemplate the opportunities for the combined organization, one thing is clear: exciting times are ahead!
Planar can be found here. Leyard Optoelectronic Co. can be found here. Leave a Comment
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ScanSource to Acquire KBZ, AV’s Largest Cisco DistributorScanSource today announced the execution of a letter of intent to purchase the assets of KBZ, a Cisco Authorized Distributor.
Founded in 1987 and based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, KBZ operates in the United States and has approximately 75 employees. The company’s sales for the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2015 are estimated to total over $225 million. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to earnings per share and ROIC in the first year after closing, excluding one-time acquisition costs.
KBZ, formerly Tandberg’s largest distributor prior to its 2009 acquisition by Cisco, focuses its business exclusively on Cisco and complementary vendors. KBZ provides scale, video conferencing expertise, and services success with its ZCare offering to expand ScanSource’s business with Cisco. KBZ also brings a specialized public sector team to accelerate sales to Federal, state and local governments. Like ScanSource, KBZ has a focus on providing value-added services and support for its reseller partners. Their regional alignment of sales teams provides continued interaction with resellers and Cisco sales teams. KBZ’s sole goal is to help resellers be successful in selling Cisco – they do this by empowering collaboration through a focus on business, technology and expertise. With extensive Cisco certifications, the KBZ team offers the industry’s highest level of technical expertise to resellers. KBZ was named Cisco Americas Collaboration Distributor of the Year in 2014 and Cisco Americas Cloud Distributor of the Year in 2015.
KBZ’s Vice President Kyle Zorzi, along with the KBZ team, will join ScanSource. Mr. Zorzi joined KBZ in 2001 and currently oversees all sales and operations for KBZ, working closely with Cisco channel management teams to develop future business opportunities, strategic partnerships and best practices for partner development, partner and sales teaming, and value-added service offerings. Mr. Zorzi will serve as Senior Vice President of KBZ, a ScanSource Company. The company’s Owner and Founder, Ken Zorzi, will retire from the business.
“We are very committed to the Cisco business at ScanSource and are excited about the opportunities for growth for our partners through the planned acquisition of KBZ. Ken and Kyle Zorzi have grown KBZ to be a leading Cisco distributor, and Kyle will be instrumental to the continued success of the business,” said Mike Baur, CEO, ScanSource, Inc. “KBZ brings extensive experience in all of Cisco’s premise and cloud solutions, including video conferencing and services. We look forward to having Kyle and all of the KBZ employees as a part of the ScanSource team.”
“I’m very excited and proud to be a part of and contribute to the evolution of KBZ over the past 15 years. It has been a very special and unique opportunity for me to be able to work side-by-side with my father and build such an amazing successful company together,” said Kyle Zorzi. “We have a very special team of hard-working, dedicated, passionate people who love the technology and who go above and beyond every day for Cisco and our customers. I look forward to continuing our commitment to Cisco and our customers under ScanSource, as I believe they are the perfect fit for KBZ.”
The acquisition is expected to close in the quarter ending September 30, 2015. ScanSource is here and KBZ is here. Leave a Comment
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Registration Opens for NSCA’s Integration Business Survival Conference in AnnapolisNSCA has announced that registration is officially open for its Integration Business Survival Conference & Technology Showcase in Annapolis, MD, on Oct. 22. The information and advice presented at this one-day conference is based on feedback from NSCA members, as well as the systems integration community, gathered through online surveys and requests for suggestions.
The conference kicks off with a panel discussion focused on one of the industry’s biggest challenges: how to combat commoditization of the industry. Led by NSCA Executive Director Chuck Wilson, this general session features panelists from AVI-SPL, Advance Technology and Human Circuit, who will all share advice on how to continually succeed at selling an integration firm’s value in spite of plug-and-play, turnkey products. Harman and Solutions360 will also explain how manufacturers have been impacted by this industry shift.
The Integration Business Survival Conference now offers three tracks for specific staff roles:
Sales
- Stand Out from the Sales Competition
- Put a Strategic Account Plan to Work
- New Rules of Customer Engagement
- Develop Content & Social Media Strategies that Work
Finance
- Stop Overlooking These Tax Credits
- Unique Cost-Saving Measures to Achieve Greater Profits
- The Most Valuable Metrics to Measure
- Build Partnerships to Improve Finances
Project Management/Operations
- Create an Efficient Service Department
- Deal with Scope Creep Effectively
- Project Planning & Scheduling for Success
- Managing RMR on the Back End
The conference also offers technical training with technology-focused sessions on topics such as designing MNEC systems and understanding the newest trends in high-definition audio. A Technology Showcase features exhibits and a chance to network with manufacturers and organizations such as Harman, Lencore Acoustics, MSE Audio, Solutions360, West Penn Wire and more.
Registration for the one-day event is $99 for NSCA members and $199 for non-members. Registration includes access to the Technology Showcase, manufacturer training, business education, general sessions and all networking events. For more information about the sessions, registration or sponsorships, contact NSCA at 800.446.6722 or go here. Leave a Comment
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InfoComm Announces Details for 2015 AV Executive ConferenceInfoComm is billing its AV Executive Conference (AVEC) as a chance to recharge, refocus, and revitalize your business at the third annual InfoComm International AV Executive Conference (AVEC), November 18-20 at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, Fla.
The program starts with football legend Joe Theismann, followed by quick blitz talks from Leo Hopf, author of REthink, REinvent, Reposition: Strategies to Renew Your Business and Boost Your Bottom Line, and The Experience Economy from author B. Joseph Pine II. Attendees will then break into small working groups to collaborate with peers on business renewal and the “experience economy” scenarios for an even deeper dive into the morning’s topics.
This is their third year of AVEC. This year’s program combines keynotes, breakout sessions, small working groups, team-building exercises, and peer-to-peer networking to create a highly interactive and educational experience.
InfoComm says it’s rethought how AVEC can best help integrators meet the demands of a constantly changing AV landscape and have put together a program that attendees will remember for years to come.
Here are the complete details. Leave a Comment
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Almo Professional A/V Takes E4 AV Tour To Houston and New York This Fall
Almo Professional A/V announced it is taking its “Fully Charged” E4 AV Tour to Houston for the first time on September 11 and to the New York Metro area on October 8. In addition to the same refreshing training, electrifying new products and powerful networking opportunities that bring local resellers, integrators and consultants to the E4 events, the fall tour is launching two new hands-on “E4 Experience” workshops focusing on Digital Signage Content & Distribution and BYOD & Collaboration. Almo’s high-demand HDBaseT Installer Expert Certification training is also making a return this fall.
“We spent a lot of time pouring over the E4 spring surveys and learned that attendees want as much hands-on time as possible with new products and software so they can leave the event with actual experience using the latest equipment,” said Melody Craigmyle, vice president of marketing for Almo Professional A/V. “The E4 Experience workshops will each run five times throughout the day and are led by our Business Development Managers. E4 Experience provides a more personalized experience in a small group environment, allowing attendees to make the most of the time they spend at E4.”
The E4 Experience is being held in two workshop-style rooms that each hold a maximum of 10 people per session. The sessions will focus on the following:
- Experience #1: Digital Signage Content & Distribution. During this workshop, attendees will learn how to create their own custom piece of digital signage content using Brightsign’s BrightAuthor software and then publish it via a network-connected BrightSign player.
- Experience #2: BYOD & Collaboration. Bring your own device to this workshop and take the BYOD trend to a whole new level. Attendees will learn how to easily share content in a huddle room and a host of other ways to extend AV to smart devices. They will download apps on personal devices to interact with Barco Clickshare, Kramer Via Collage, Samsung displays and other BYOD solutions.
To learn more about the E4 Experience, click here.
The fall E4 events kick-off with a critically important keynote address by Gary Kayye of rAVe [Publications] called “Being Smart About Smart Buildings.” He discusses the essential practice of pre-engineering AV into every room in new construction and how to become a preferred provider to the architect and facility manager community.
Another highlight is the return of the 90-minute technical HDBaseT Installer Expert Program, which is designed for those who would like to learn more about HDBaseT technology, regardless of whether they are beginner or expert installers.
The complete line-up of E4 fall sessions include:
Business Track
- Keynote: Being Smart About Smart Buildings. Gary Kayye, rAVe Publications (1.5 CTS RUs)
- NEW! Working with Third Party Services to Increase Your Sales. Tom Stimson (TBA CTS RU)
- Successful Project Management for AV Design & Installation. InfoComm (1 CTS RU)
- NEW! Encouraging Interaction in the World of “Me”: Using Interactive LCDs for Productivity. Gary Kayye (1 CTS RU)
Technical Track
- NEW! The E4 Experience: Digital Signage Workshop (TBA CTS RU)
- NEW! The E4 Experience BYOD & Collaboration Workshop (TBA CTS RU)
- HDBaseT Installer Expert Program. HDBaseT Alliance (1.5 CTS RUs and Expert Installer Certificate)
- Videowalls: A Start to Finish Guide for Success. NEC (.5 CTS RU)
- Emerging Technologies that Will Change the Future of AV. C2G (1 CTS RU)
- What’s That Noise? InfoComm (1 CTS RU)
- IP Signal Distribution – An Introduction and Comparison of Dante, AVB and Cobranet Protocols. Rob Ziv,
- Business Development Manager, Almo Pro A/V (1 CTS RU)
To get all the details or to register, go here.
If you want to see videos rAVe NOW shot at past E4 events, go here. Leave a Comment
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Women of InfoComm Network and CTSThis year at InfoComm 2015, the Women of InfoComm Network Council held its first meeting with great success. Both women and men from all sectors of the industry were present and discussed initiatives, including CTS certification.
In the InfoComm Today Podcast Women of InfoComm and CTS, Christa Bender, CTS, Inside Sales and Marketing Coordinator at Applied Video Technology, talks about the importance of the certification and what their plans are to help women become certified.
“CTS is very important regardless of whether they’re male or female. Certification shows that you’re dedicated to the industry and properly portraying yourself and your company,” she said. “If you’re going to see a doctor, would you go to a doctor with a Dr. in front of their name or someone who’s pretending to be a doctor? I look at CTS as that. Someone who’s taking themselves and their work seriously.”
Right now the council is encouraging people to get involved and learn more about the CTS, CTS-D and CTS-I and showing them where to find materials on the website that are specific to their needs and goals through the LinkedIn group.
The CTS study group on LinkedIn is gaining momentum and with a diverse group everyone will be able to lend their expertise to those who need help in different areas.
“Right now, [the study group] is mostly online. If there is enough interest and we can break it up geographically we can certainly do that,” Bender said.
For more information on the CTS, go here. Leave a Comment
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PROXIMA is Back!Sam Malik, formally VP/GM for ASK Proxima as well as the person who ran Sanyo projectors back when they were #1, is the new president of PROXIMA DISPLAYS in Carson, Calif. Effective Aug. 17th, 2015, Malik is taking the reigns of the new company that will offer a full line of LCD and DLP projectors in North America. The new company with the famous legacy name PROXIMA and will offer projector displays and related product for the audiovisual industry in North America.
Malik’s extensive experience in the projector industry includes Toshiba, Vivitek, Sanyo and ASK Proxima, with a background specifically working with ProAV dealers and integrators. Proxima will focus on 5,000 to 12,000 lumen models and higher resolution for use in business, education, rental and staging and custom applications. We will focus on direct ProAV dealer and integration specialist relationships to sell our products throughout North America.
Sam Malik says, “The company and support team is ready and the new products are ready to start shipping in August to meet a strong demand for PROXIMA Projectors, we look forward to the continued success of the PROXIMA brand of products.”
PROXIMA DISPLAYS is here or you can call them at 855-899-6825. Leave a Comment
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KWIPPED Launches Web Platform Designed to Help AV RentalsKWIPPED is a brand-new online platform built to help AV companies source and rent specialized equipment. The KWIPPED.com rental marketplace aggregates rental demand for specialized commercial equipment using proprietary technology to streamline sourcing from a global network of AV rental suppliers. KWIPPED facilitates the process of sourcing and managing AV equipment rentals, navigating rental availability, execu ting rental contracts and coordinating delivery, which enables professionals to focus on their core business.
The KWIPPED.com platform is designed to accommodate the uniqueness of the AV rental sourcing process. Unlike traditional ecommerce, renting equipment must consider issues like insurance, security deposits, accessories, return shipping, replacement costs and the reliability of both the renter and the supplier of the equipment. Also, companies are often unaware that certain equipment is available for rent.
Participating suppliers are exposed to potential for business on a large scale. Suppliers can showcase their inventory for immediate rental transactions at KWIPPED.com or respond to requests for quotes for specific equipment. KWIPPED.com matches their inventory to the relevant renter requests, qualifies the renters, offers the first layer of customer service and takes the hassle out of the rental business. The end result, they claim, for suppliers is less equipment on the shelves and higher utilization rates.
Check out the platform here. Leave a Comment
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Yamaha DXS18 Powered Subwoofer Offers Highest Output and Lowest Frequency in the DXS SeriesYamaha today announced the release of the newest addition to the DXS Series of powered subwoofers, the DXS18. Joining the DXS12 and DXS15 models, the DXS18 is spec’d with the highest output level of the series as well as the lowest frequency range capability.
Yamaha developed the DXS Series to complement its speaker lineup and add a more prominent, well-defined bottom end to their sound. The DXS18 is integrated with an improved cabinet construction, DSP processing, protection functions and crossover control. The new model adds flexible features and higher power output suitable for larger or more professional applications.
Powered by a 1020W Class-D amplifier, the DXS18 houses an 18” woofer with a 4” voice coil in a band-pass type plywood enclosure spec’d at 136 dB maximum SPL (and an extended LF response down to 32Hz). The new model features Yamaha’s DSP technology with original D-XSUB processing for additional control of the low frequency range via two selectable modes — BOOST and XTENDED LF — and a selectable crossover with three different options (80/100/120Hz) for various applications. The DXS18 also features a Cardioid Mode setting for sound systems with two or more DXS18 speakers, effectively reducing the energy directed towards the stage while increasing bass levels directed at the audience.
Built with the expectation that users will transport and use these speakers extensively, the DXS18 features advanced protection circuits in the speaker unit, amplifier unit and power supply that ensure optimum reliability and extended equipment life. The enclosure is coated with LINE-X finish, also used in disaster protection applications, giving the speaker exterior added protection from the elements. The model also comes equipped with M20 and 35-millimeter pole sockets allowing for more flexible set up, while an optional wheel kit is also available for improved portability. Yamaha also offers optional speaker covers with a functional design that provide protection from unfavorable weather conditions during outdoor performances, dusty and dirty warehouse storage and the rigors of the road.
The DXS18 lists for $1,949 and will ship in October 2015. All the specs are here. Leave a Comment
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Listen Technologies Intros the Loopworks Measure SystemListen Technologies launches the Loopworks Measure system, a new induction loop measurement system, and a continuation of the Loopworks concept first launched in 2014. The Loopworks Measure systems combines a multi-platform iOS App, a self-calibrating receiver and a suite of online tools and resources.
The Loopworks Measure App and R1 Receiver are supported by the Loopworks online database and reporting tools that automate the process of collecting data, creating certification or test reports that give users direct access to support from Listen Technologies’ loop experts. Loopworks Measure brings together excellent value, high performance measurement, and ease of use to create a new end-to-end Hearing Loop measurement system.
- Measure R1 Receiver: The R1 Receiver is an audio induction loop receiver with a vertically mounted pickup coil designed to be used in conjunction with the Loopworks Measure iOS App.
- iOS device: Loopworks Measure will work with an iOS phone or tablet running iOS 8.0 or later. It requires an internet connection to set up, and to sync with the database, though is not required during testing.
- The App: The Receiver works via the App, which is available FREE from the iTunes store. The Loopworks Measure App + Receiver can be used in simple meter mode, and users can sign up for an account to access the full range of Loopworks functions and to save data or record audio.
- Loopworks: An Ampetronic‐hosted database, where all test data is stored, and data can be commented and edited into reports and test certificates.
Ampetronic will provide online training resources for the Measure platform. This includes a downloadable quick-start guide, a reference manual, a webinar introduction and a number of instructional video packages. These will all be accessible through the Loopworks portal.
The Measure R1 device can be purchased direct from Listen Technologies website. The list price is $240 and all the details are here. Leave a Comment
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RCF Debuts New VMAX Series of Passive SpeakersRCF is shipping its new lineup of passive solutions designed for the live sound market. The VMAX Series offers dedicated models with focused horn directivity designed for both portable and permanent situations where high SPL and long-term durability are primary specs.
The VMAX Series includes a 6”, 10” and 15” (all two-way cabinets), a dual 15” two-way cabinet, plus dual 18” and dual 21” subwoofers. And, a new V6-L dual 6” line array module is schedule to start shipping by the end of the year.
The VMAX Series incorporates RCF design and technologies including Precision Hyper-Vented woofers, high power and low distortion neo compression drivers, Constant Matching Design (CMD) of transducers with lower crossover points to maximize efficiency and output, CMD Coverage Matching Design providing consistent horizontal and vertical pattern control and their LICC Crossover Systems matching amplification and control system.
RCF claims the VMAX Series uses larger voice coils with inside/outside windings for better heat dissipation and mechanical resistance, high performance matched compression drivers enabling RCF to lower the crossover point for improved sound quality and musical clarity, mid-bass transducers providing accurate frequency response linearity with very low distortion, and designing cabinets of compact dimensions to the acoustic output.
The cabinets are a reinforced construction birch with coated weather resistant polyurea paint, free from any spurious vibrations. The grilles is an epoxy coated heavy duty steel grille, both cosmetically attractive and strong to handle the rigors of both permanent and portable use. The cabinets are multi-functional, with the two-way cabinets including pole mount cup and a number of M10 fly-points for permanent installation.
All the detailed specs on each model are here. Leave a Comment
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NEUTRIK Expands D-SUB Adapter Product LineNeutrik has announced an expansion to the company’s D-Sub feedthrough offerings, which are designed for audio networking and integration of equipment into video systems. In addition to the various male to female configurations, the NADB9 product offerings now include female to female products. These feedthrough adapters use the standard D-shape housing and are available in both nickel and black chrome housing finishes.
The new D-Sub female to female feedthrough adapters are available in both 9-pole and 15-pole versions. All Neutrik D-Sub feedthrough adapters incorporate an optimized ground connection to ensure quiet, noise-free signals.
The new Neutrik female to female feedthrough adapters include the following models:
- NADB9FF: 9-pole D-SUB, nickel housing
- NADB9FF-B: 9-pole D-SUB, black chrome housing
- NADB15FF: 15-pole D-Sub, nickel housing
- NADB15FF-B: 15-pole D-Sub, black chrome housing
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Audio Video Furniture’s Mobile Display Stand Designed Accommodates SMART kapp 84
You know how most monitor stands and carts that have wheels have casters? Then you also know that casters don’t perform well on carpets. Well, AVFI’s SYZ84 is a mobile stand with modern ball-bearing wheels that allow this unit to be rolled on any surface. This matters as the old-fashioned caster-way is dangerous and just isn’t built to push them safely because of the weight (and ultimate center-of-gravity) of most displays.
Some great design features include the column has grommets both on the top and bottom for passing cables inside the unit, The base is built of steel rather than aluminum so that the center-of-gravity is low to the floor, the monitor bracket that attaches to the column cane be moved to accommodate varying heights for different applications and it has the same accessible base design (that many of the AVFI products have) to allow access to the monitor without tripping over support legs. And, this product was specifically designed to accommodate the SMART kapp84 capture board (model SYZ84-K) as well as 40″ – 65″ displays including SMART kapp IQ 55″ and 65″ capture board (model SYZ84-S) and 70″ – 80″ displays (model SYZ84-XL).
This SYZ84 is available in white or black metal in two configurations, SYZ84-K (white only) and SYZ84-S/XL (white or black). The entire stand is 68” high, 22” deep and 44” wide. More information is here. Leave a Comment
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New Multi-Fiber Fiber Optic Cables from Camplex Simplify ConnectionsCamplex today announced the availability of two new lines of MTP fiber optic cables and breakout solutions that run 12 fibers through one cable to save space, simplify connections and reduce cleaning and mating times. For internal or external rack-to-rack and rack-to-equipment installations, the Camplex MTP Elite 12 fiber cable line includes MTP Elite connectors and is available in multi-mode and single mode configurations. The 12 fiber breakout cables come with LC or ST connectors. The Camplex OpticalCON MTP 12 fiber cable line featuring Neutrik optical CON MTP connectors are designed for outdoor field deployment and are offered with or without cable reels in X-TREME or standard tactical versions. Complex says the flexible polyurethane tactical cables are crush and impact resistant and withstand temperature extremes.
The MTP fiber optic solutions are here. Leave a Comment
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Kramer Intros Cloud-Based Control SolutionKramer released K-Touch 3.1 that’s capable of controlling lights, screens, sound, any AV equipment, HVAC, thermostats and more. Kramer says the K-Touch 3.1 is easier to use and reduces configuration time (compared to the previous version) with features such as sliders and new drag-and-drop programming modules for Apple TV, cameras, Vera Smarter Home Control products, Centralite Lighting and Kramer’s FC-26 I/O connectivity product. K-Touch 3.1 also introduces Apple TV IP control, immersive full-screen mode and support for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+.
With K-Touch, end-users can control any device in the room over Ethernet. The solution is scalable to over 100 devices, all controllable from any iOS or Android touch screen.
Non-Ethernet-based devices with RS232, GPIO, relays, or IR can be controlled over Ethernet using Kramer FC-series I/O connectivity products or third-party devices. Kramer RC-series button controllers can also be incorporated into any project to provide tactile operation.
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Hall Intros U2-160-4 USB 2.0 ExtenderHall Research’s new U2-160-4 USB 2.0 extender includes an integrated four-port hub. The extender utilizes standard Cat6 cables to extend high speed data of up to 480 Mbps up to 160 feet (50 meters). It is driver-free and platform-free, so it can be connected seamlessly to any PC with any operating system. The hub in the remote end makes it capable of connecting multiple USB devices such as printers, HD webcams, KVMs, smart boards and more.
In most applications no additional power supply connection is needed as power is drawn from the host and sent through the Cat5e/6 cable. A universal power supply is included which can be connected to the remote hub when using high power USB devices.
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Extron Debuts 5″ Touch Panel with Integrated Control Processor Extron just launched the TLC Pro 521M an all-in-one 5″ wall mount touchpanel with built-in control processor. The fully-configurable TLC Pro 521M uses the same capacitive touchscreen of their TLP Pro 520M TouchLink Pro Touchpanel but adds a control processor inside of it. Power over Ethernet (PoE) allows the touchpanel to receive power and communications over a single Ethernet cable and it’s aimed at classrooms, boardrooms and meeting rooms.
The TLC Pro 521M can be customized using Extron GUI Designer software. This interface design software offers ready-to-use templates for a wide variety of rooms and presentation environments. It is configured using Extron Global Configurator Plus or Global Configurator Professional software. The TLC Pro 521M also integrates with Extron’s GlobalViewer Enterprise software for complete AV resource monitoring, management, and control over a computer network.
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Ocean Matrix HDMI Coax Extender Transmits Over Existing Coax InfrastructureOcean Matrix has launched an HDMI Coax Extender, dubbed the OMX-HDMI-COAX, which is different than most of them out there as it converts HDMI signals to HD digital TV signals using DVB-T CATV transmission mode on existing coaxial infrastructures. Unlike traditional analog CATV signal, this extender uses 64 QAM mode to convert the signal and transmits via coaxial cables for long distances. One-to-multiple or a multiple-to-multiple matrices can easily be created on the same coaxial cable using a CATV splitter.
The Ocean Matrix HDMI COAX Extender already shipping and you can get details here. Leave a Comment
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Extron Upgrades SMP 351 Streaming Media Processors With Five Times More Internal Solid State StorageExtron just added two new models to ots SMP 351 Streaming Media Processor lineup. These new models offer 400 GB of internal solid state storage to accomodate more AV content. All SMP 351 models feature five inputs, creating presentations by combining two high resolution signals, a background image, and metadata into dynamic layouts that enhance a presentation’s message. Extron’s FlexOS embedded operating system makes the SMP 351 easily-adaptable to changing requirements. Applications can be uploaded to FlexOS that empower the SMP 351 to automate system operation using control ports.
Requiring no license fees, the SMP 351 is a flexible, cost-effective media processor for delivering dynamic presentations to larger audiences. It is ideal for any environment where AV sources can be streamed live or recorded, and where multiple AV sources are combined to enhance a presentation. Organizations use the SMP 351 to communicate with staff or students who cannot be present at an event, affording all the opportunity to review and gain insight into the live experience. It can be adapted to many applications, documenting virtually any meeting, conference, or activity that uses AV sources. The SMP 351 is ideal for use in corporate, education, government, healthcare, courtroom, house of worship, and rental and staging applications.
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ViewSonic Ships 70″ 10-Touch MonitorViewSonic’s 70-inch, CDE7060T, LCD with 10-point touch is now shipping. Pre-installed with annotation software, the CDE7060T allows multiple users — from students and teachers to boardroom professionals — the ability to write, draw or annotate with fingers or stylus devices simultaneously. The LED-based display features native 1080p (1920×1080) resolution for HD color and clarity, while the embedded ARM dual-core processor.
Connectivity includes HDMI, VGA, USB, LAN and RS232 as well as an optional slot-in PC and it’s integrated ViewBoard software.
The CDE7060T lists for $7,299 and here are the specs. Leave a Comment
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Sharp Ships 80″ AQUOS BoardThe new Sharp 80″ Class (80″ diagonal) PN-L803C AQUOS BOARD interactive display system is marketed as Sharp’s answer to collaboration. It features 10-point capacitive multi-touch, edge-to-edge glass and an intuitive interface that does feel like you are writing on a conventional whiteboard. In addition, up to four people can write onscreen at the same time, so it’s aimed at both classrooms and meeting rooms.
Features include:
- Uses Sharp’s original capacitive touch technology
- A new touch-operated onscreen user interface
- Supports installation of a Web camera in any one of seven positions
- Touch Display Link 2.0 (TDL)
- Multi-board mode: Up to three PN-L803C display units can be connected and used to display sequential pages that can be navigated by swiping side to side
- Touch-operated on-screen display
- Front-facing USB port
Here are all the detailed specs [PDF]. Leave a Comment
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Crestron Now Shipping Wireless, Battery-Powered PhotosensorCrestron announced today it is now shipping a new battery-powered photosensor with infiNET EX wireless technology (GLS-LDL-EX-BATT). This dual-loop photosensor provides superior natural light sensing and indoor light control for daylight harvesting applications. Two internal photocells — one for open-loop daylight sensing and one for closed-loop ambient light sensing — effectively cut costs in residential, commercial or retro-fit applications. The GLS-LDL-EX-BATT monitors natural daylight from windows, automatically adjusting shades and lighting to optimize natural light reducing energy usage while maintaining the comfort and convenience of the space and its occupants.
The battery-powered GLS-LDL-EX-BATT can be mounted in a variety of places and communicates with a Crestron control system via an infiNET EX wireless network. The sensor can be mounted to drywall with an anchor and screw, to a drop ceiling or lighting fixture with a magnetic strip, or in a temporary location with adhesive tape. For ceiling mounts, the entire photosensor snaps into a mounting plate that can rotate up to 40 degrees after being secured in place, allowing its position to be fine-tuned after installation.
The GLS-LDL-EX-BATT provides up to 10-years of service via two Lithium-ion AAA batteries. It is designed as a “sleepy” device that will not communicate with other infiNET EX devices unless a certain time or light threshold has been achieved. This ensures that the sensor does not draw on power unnecessarily and that the battery provides maximum lifespan.
Here are all the tech specs. 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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