Volume 14, Issue 1 — January 19, 2017
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Editorial Editorial Editorial
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Industry News Projection Control & Signal Processing Audio Media Players, Recording & Distribution
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Quantum Payment Mathematics — When 30 Becomes 90
By Frederick Ampel President & Principal, Technology Visions Analytics
As a new year dawns, and those of us who operate on a calendar fiscal year analyze 2016 and plan for 2017, I thought it was time to expose an often hidden, but costly practice which is rapidly becoming more prevalent within the industry. Be sure to read all the way to the end for specific practical recommendations on what to do and how to do it.
A little science first:
Even the most basic synopsis of quantum physics, will reveal that it IS possible for something (a sub-atomic particle in most examples) to be in two places at the same time (or super-positioning as the physicists are fond of calling it).
On an ever increasing number of days, it seems as if the invoices we send out are operating in a quantum reality — that is they are in two places at the same time. The first place is the 30 day customary payment terms almost universally accepted (but infrequently written into or stated on an invoice and even less often enforced) as the reference point in most B2B relationships. The other is the 60-, 90-, 120-day or even longer terms that many who get these invoices seem to think they can attach to them despite the fact that no such arrangement was ever agreed to.
So we have the same invoice in two distinct places — a pay within 30 day place (what you expect when you send it out), and a pay whenever we decide to acknowledge the debt place… (which is where it ends up, without your knowledge or — more importantly — your agreement).
How Did We Get Here?
All of the dozens of integrators and consultants I spoke to in researching this issue, essentially put it the same way: “Blame it on the bean counters. They’ve been getting away with this kind of disingenuous behavior as a standard practice, for decades now. Somehow it seems as if they transitioned themselves into a hazy operating cost control and secret profit producing factor, and have quietly taken absolute command of both ends of the cash flow pipe.”
If you’re looking for the beginnings of this rise to power of the “accountants (bean counters in colloquial parlance) running the show” and making life miserable for everyone who is at the outflow or receiving end of the cash flow pipe, look no further than the utterly brilliant ‘float’ scheme secretly created by American Express’ controllers and finally exposed to the light of day in the early 1980s.
Here is how it worked then* and still in an adapted form works today:
The Float’s Time Lag Is the Secret to Everything
It’s the mid 1980s and you buy American Express Travelers Cheques weeks in advance of a planned trip, and your trip lasts a few more weeks. Amex first makes front-loaded income in the form of commissions from the sale of those travelers’ checks to you (convenience fee or some such euphemism), but makes far more income on the time lag inherent in the system. That is the delay between the time you purchased those checks and the time you spent them (which is when Amex or any other such supplier actually has to pay out the money you originally put in).
This delay between purchase and redemption, which could be anything from a modest few weeks to many months later and sometimes never**, is called “float…” and Amex used this “float” money to make more money. Float money is interest-free to Amex and other sellers of these instruments, but Amex can charge high interest rates to all sorts of borrowers (including the use of float funds in Inter-bank Key rate lending) for the use of float money. The longer the float, the more money Amex and others can make… The company survived fiscal problems that caused many other firms to crash and burn by using this float and combining it with additional float derived from the lag between when you got your card statement and when it paid its merchants (minus a bonus 5 to 6+ percent service fee), which grew from 30 days to 60 days or sometimes even longer.
Staying Afloat in a Late Payment World
Think about it — or ask some of your retired former fiscal management staff. A generation ago (30 years is the generally accepted rule of thumb for a generation) most reasonable clients could be expected to pay their bills within 30 days. This meant from a sound fiscal management perspective that your firm should keep a minimum of one month’s operating expenses in the bank.
In the intervening three decades the default 30 days has become 45 days for no apparent reason other than bean counters perceive they can get away with it. If you supply goods, have you checked recently to see how many purchasers are taking advantage of the percentage early pay discount — I’ll bet it’s far fewer (if any) than it was even five years ago, let alone a decade — so few that many suppliers have simply stopped offering it.
Every Second of Every Day Billions of Dollars Are Flying Around the Globe
Despite billions of dollars being moved in fractions of a millisecond, globally, every second of every day and ultra-sophisticated spreadsheets and other fiscal tools, it now by some strange permutation of the natural order of the universe, takes two, three, four times longer to pay an invoice, that it once took prior to such innovations.
In one 10-second phone call, I can send a payment in any currency to any bank account in the world, and it arrives literally seconds later. Yet somehow our invoices have managed to avoid this pathway and remain in the days of quill pens, green eye-shades and hand kept ledgers, plus the five to seven days it now takes the USPS to deliver what used to be one to two day first-class mail (for multiple times the cost).
No one ever wants to publicly raise or discusses the inevitable counter reaction to this type of financial chicanery. Well, I will!
Unless I’ve been living in some other dimension, I do not know of any mortgage payment, tax authority, credit card, utility company, parking ticket, gas station, grocery store or overnight plumber that accepts 45 day payments. If you do please let me know where they are.
What happens when that 30 day framework becomes 60 days or 90 days?
Obviously, you now have to bank an additional month of income for every 30 day extension of the pay date just to remain solvent. Without such a cushion, any business will be forced to stop investing in new equipment and infrastructure, training, and other growth oriented expenses. Now whatever it is has to be non-functional to have a chance of being replaced.
The inevitable result of this stretched payment window is that as a business, in order to remain liquid, and meet your own 30 day obligations, you now need to keep two, three or more months of typical income in your bank (frozen to keep a reserve in place), earning some fraction of 1 percent if you’re lucky. This is money you can’t spend on anything safely. Of course, there’s a cost for that: The automatic result is that you and everyone else has to cover the missing available revenue, so rates go up and project costs follow.
I personally watched two very competent, well-regarded engineering/consulting/design firms who got themselves subcontracted to an architect (who had really slick lawyers with negative ethics quotients) painfully go down the drain in exactly this way. A few years later, one of the architect’s principals boasted in a national magazine how he kept his company afloat during the recession by stiffing his vendors. He looked upon it as one of his career achievements. He’s a hero to the bean counters, float experts and ride-the-backdoor-interest-wave crowd, but I think there are some folks out there looking for a rail and some tar!
The Stuff That’s Buried Deep in the Legal Boilerplate Will Never Be in Your Favor
Increasingly, because we represent a small percentage of the overall project budget, the project is structured so that your discipline is a sub to a sub to a subcontractor. Worse still, there’s often a “paid if paid” or “paid when paid” clause buried kilometers deep in the 6 point legalese fine print — so deep that even competent legal contract eagles often don’t see it or find it, until it raises its ugly head.
This is where the shenanigans live and they are never in your favor — even if such clauses are illegal in your state, that does not stop them from being hidden away or used despite their illegality.***
What Can and Should You Do?
First, make sure you have solid, competent legal resources available, should they be needed and invest in having every contract document, form, invoice, letter — anything that talks about payment terms, money or any related issue reviewed and vetted. Be sure you are on totally solid ground before doing anything else. Remember, they usually have more — and more expensive — lawyers than you do, and are perfectly willing to sit back and be sued while you go out of business waiting for a hearing or judgment.
Second, make sure every invoice or other payment document has VERY specific and clearly-stated terms in bold visible print and that you inform anyone receiving such a document of those terms both in writing and through whatever channel you send your invoices (email, etc.).
Be sure to mark the emails, read receipt required or whatever your mail client allows, and be sure to have a record of your informing anyone being billed for anything of the terms and conditions. You never know when you will need the proof!
Third, whatever terms you use be sure to ENFORCE THEM! If you state 30 days, on the 31st day send a polite reminder that payment is due and be prepared to escalate as needed. If you let them slide, they will and the word rapidly gets around that you’re an easy delay pay target! Remember — it really is a small world after all! Finally and most importantly, do not be afraid of asking for what you are owed. Any legitimate client will not have a problem with that. It’s only the sleazy who make it an issue, and you need to ask yourself — do you really want to have to fight for your money every time you do business with that client?
The time you spend doing that is never positive and never will be!
* Imagine hundreds of millions of dollars sitting in Amex’s bank accounts every day, 365 days a year, accumulating interest at the kind of 15-20 percent prime rates prevalent during the ’80s — we’re talking some serious profit margin folks. (Source: American Express: The Unofficial History of the People Who Built the Great Financial Empire by Peter Z. Grossman)
** Estimates vary but the general consensus is that there are at a minimum, still several BILLION dollars in never cashed travelers checks out there — money which AMEX gets to keep as pure top line profits.
*** What’s legal in any state varies by state — so be sure to check with appropriate authorities wherever you do business to find out what is and is not contractually viable. In some cases this can vary by country or even by city so be VERY careful to check thoroughly and, then re-check using a competent legal professional/advisor, before signing anything. Leave a Comment
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Acquiring and Managing Competitive Information
By Lee Distad rAVe Columnist
Nobody’s business operates in a vacuum. Your company is surrounded by a network of clients, vendors, collaborators and competitors. Everyone in that network has their own challenges that they’re dealing with. Some of it won’t impact you and some of it will. The key is to maintain awareness of the world outside your own little bubble.
Everyone keep tabs on their local marketplace. In casual terms, we call it “gossip.” Taken to a more formal level, it’s referred to as “competitive intelligence.” Really large companies in some industries, like energy or manufacturing have a focus on intelligence gathering.
There’s always an upside to every situation, and upheavals in the marketplace can provide new opportunities. And the best way to find those is to keep tabs on what’s going on in your local market.
A little digging can often pay off. In one instance, a dealer friend heard through a third party that a builder felt ambivalent about their existing relationship with a rival. Spurred on by this, he sought corroboration from another source, prepared himself, and reached out to the builder, and was able to close him.
I know, this goes on all the time, everywhere. But just like anything else in your professional life, you should frame “industry gossip” in professional terms and treat it like any other part of running a business.
Because that’s how my mind works, I break it down into steps.
First, collect information. The opposite of gossiping isn’t not-gossiping, it’s listening. You’re already plugged in to virtually every source that you can learn new info from. Your existing network of business contacts is how most things will come your attention. Further networking will bring you even more sources.
Here’s a pro tip: Vendor sales reps are, by and large, notorious gossips. They travel far and wide, are told a lot, and aren’t always the most discreet. Some of the hottest tips I’ve gotten in my career were from vendor reps. As a result discretion is something I’m very mindful of myself now that I’m a rep. Even so, as an AV pro, try to be circumspect with regard to what you tell your vendor reps.
When news comes your way, be flexible and open minded. Not everything is going to come gift wrapped as something you clearly need to act on. Be able to read between the lines, and determine if it requires further inquiry.
Next, corroborate the information. Not only is your network the primary way you learn about new developments, but also how you can corroborate: “Trust, but verify,” as the saying goes.
Chances are, when you hear something from someone, there’s at least one other person in your network who either knows it, or knows something related to it. It’s like putting together a puzzle where you have to collect the pieces from more than one source. Once you’ve assembled a more clear picture, you can move to the next step.
Finally, if necessary, evaluate and act. Once you’re aware, whether it’s an opportunity or a threat, you need to decide what you’re going to do about it.
As the kid’s cartoon show said, knowing is half the battle. Take steps to acquire and evaluate information, short of actual cloak and dagger work. Formalize it in your thinking like any other business function. That makes it more than mere gossip, that makes it “intelligence.” Leave a Comment
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2017 Will Be the Year of The… My Predictions for the Upcoming Year in AV Technology
By Gary Kayye rAVe Founder
After years of a terrible world economy and very little innovation, 2016 was a boon for new technology — especially in the world of AV. And, some of it crossed both high-end residential as well as commercial. Let’s take a look at a little of what was 2016 and then I’ll tell you want to realistically expect from 2017 in the way of innovative technology in AV.
4K, 4K, 4K: I have to start with that one. 2016 will forever be remembered as THE YEAR 4K debuted. It was the talk of all four major trade shows including ISE, InfoComm, Integrate and CEDIA Expo. We’ve seen more 4K products (including displays, cables, switchers, scalers, decoders, transcoders, servers and media players) than any other single technical innovation of the year. 4K is going to be big business and HUGE in 2017 — keep reading to hear why.
2016 FINALLY brought us the long-promised AV/IT convergence that everyone’s been touting (including yours truly). Sure, we’ve had networked-audio for years — thanks to Audinate’s Dante system. Video seemed like it was never going to be networkable, but companies like AptoVision have led the way in AV-over-IP systems, partnering with more than 10 different companies that are already building 4K-over-IP systems or plan to in 2017. Those include ZeeVee, iMAGsystems, IDK and Gefen. In addition, biggies like Crestron and AMX have also announced 4K-over-IP systems. And, each one of those companies is offering a plethora of options — with various compressions rates — depending on what your customer wants quality- and cost-wise.
The laser projector made its debut in 2016 with companies like Sony and Barco leading the way — they shipped laser-phosphor products that not only promised to have amazing colorimetry, but actually did. Laser might well end up being the saving grace for the projector market too, as it’s currently being swallowed up by the flat-panel monitor companies.
With regards to flat-panels, the big news this year had to be from LG. LG managed to launch both concave and convex displays as well as what they are claiming as wall-paper displays. All of them use the future-forward-thinking OLED technology that we’ve been hearing about for, well, a decade. At ISE, InfoComm and at Integrate, LG had one of the most popular booths as everyone wanted to see the creative applications of OLED.
Speaking of large booth crowds — Sony, at InfoComm 2016, blew away all booth attendance records with the launch of its Micro-LED called Canvas. It’s expensive but the company showed a pixel-less 8Kx2K resolution image that was 35 feet wide. If you were listening at InfoComm, it’s all you could hear anyone talking about it.
Innovations in 2016 weren’t relegated to video. In fact, 2016 was a big year in audio too. Harman — the industry’s biggest audio company — was purchased by Samsung, but not before debuting the largest line of network-based audio products across six different subsidiary brands. All use Dante as the networking platform and allow for networkable everything — including speakers individually addressable via the network. Now, just about every speaker company does this. So, instead of planning the “zones” of a distributed audio system before install, you can do it any time now — and change them on the fly.
Have you heard of Amazon Alexa? Although it’s aimed at the consumer market (to encourage them to order more stuff from amazon.com), it’s being adopted by all the control system companies as an option for voice control. Amazon is happy to oblige, making its API for Alexa development open and free for anyone to use!
Finally, collaboration. It moved from a word meaning people working together on something to one that means the same thing as a Barco ClickShare. Yes, that happened. The ClickShare, although launched in 2012, is still dominating the wireless-collaboration market (meaning, connecting multiple laptops, tablets or phones to the same display over an ad-hoc network). Sure, there have been imitators, but Barco crossed the 150,000 unit sales mark in mid-2016. That’s a lot of boxes. Also, never underestimate an end user’s love of a simple, giant button.
So, on to 2017
If you want to see the future — I mean years-out future — go check out anything that Oblong is doing. You interact with a truly collaborative system with natural hand gestures and it’s always connected — no having to go to a meeting 15-minutes before it starts to make sure the AV technology works. It’s always on. But not everyone can afford a room that STARTS for $150,000 and moves up from there.
In 2017, we will see some major technological developments (some from the consumer market that will trickle-up to the commercial market) that will get nearly every room more than halfway to an Oblong Mezzanine room for way, way less. How? Well, read on!
First, let me start with the Digital Canvas. Now that we have 4K in both flat-panels and projectors, we will see the opportunity of a lifetime. And, the death of the projector can be slowed down if you offer your clients with something I call the Digital Canvas. The Digital Canvas concept is simple — and now we have projectors high-res enough to do this — instead of deciding what size screen to put in a room based on least-favored-viewer stats, you put in as big of a screen as the room can handle — fill the front of the room with projection, if you can. Then, use the projected image to provide you with your “normal-sized” projected image for PowerPoint or whatever else you’re showing but use the leftover projected image (mind you, it’s all in 4K resolution so you can actually have four PowerPoint slides up simultaneously in native resolution) to project stuff like the preview slides, a clock or even social media feeds. All simultaneously filling the front of the room — thus, you make a giant Digital Canvas.
A flat-panel can’t do that.
So, the benefit of 4K isn’t just prettier pictures — it can help us turn every room space into a Digital Canvas. By the end of 2017, this Digital Canvas concept will start to catch on as 4K projectors will be 30 to 50 percent less expensive than the first generation launched this past fall. And thanks to laser imaging, the colorimetry will be stunning. We will see blacker-blacks and whiter-whites and thus all color will look better. So, laser can be the saving grace of projection.
However, that won’t be fast enough to save the projector from being pushed almost totally out of the small to medium-sized meeting room. Nearly every integrator that specifies a screen that’s 80” or smaller now uses a flat-panel instead of a projector. That number will grow to 94” by the end of 2017 and could reach 100” depending on what Samsung, Sharp and LG decide to debut in 2017. But expect the 100” LCD to come down, considerably, in price next year.
Speaking of flat-panels, as I mentioned above, LG (and Samsung) both have curved displays which, in to digital signage, make for some creative installs. 2017 will be the year the TV/monitor moves into art in a big way. We will see more flat-panels installed for digital signage and museums than any other year before now — expect that growth to be in the 20 to 25 percent range. And, the more creative the install, the more profitable it will be. 4K will also massively drive down the price of 1080p displays, while the 4K TVs themselves will be 50 percent of what they were in cost in 2016 by the end of 2017 — making for more to install.
Virtual Reality (VR) has been in the ProAV market for years — in fact, years ago, there were companies that come to shows and built VR caves — using projection. But, now that Facebook owns Oculus, Samsung has its VR Gear and Microsoft is shipping its VR games, what is relegated to gaming now will move in to the commercial AV space. The cost of developing content for VR applications will be driven down so we, the AV market, will need to get in to the VR market for higher-end installs — virtualization in architecture, visualization of fashion, recreating history in museums and a plethora of new applications where content drives the display format. And, you will even be selling the gear, too.
Speaking of content, the way the digital signage industry works now is soon going to be the way you’re designing classrooms and meeting rooms. So, why not get into digital signage to learn it now? Here’s the deal: All the content in a digital signage system isn’t carried from display to display via HDMI or VGA. It’s all driven by the network. All the content is sent to the various displays from an integrated cloud-based network. So, playing the content doesn’t require a computer to be connected to the display (or at least the kind of computer you know computers to be). But, the content travels across the network and is output through a $200, $99 or even a $25 media player — like a purpose-built digital signage computer. So, that methodology is what will happened in the not-so-distant future of the classroom and meeting room. If the content (e.g., PowerPoint, website, slide-deck) is on the network, there will no longer be the need for a dedicated computer or VGA port or HDMI port in the room. Just keep it on the network and “play” it using the display’s media player — one that’s built-in (e.g., Samsung SmartSign) or using the $25 media player (e.g., ChromeStick). So, that, alone should be reason enough for you to get into the digital signage network (to learn how to design the classrooms and meeting rooms of the future). But in case that’s not enough — how about the fact that the digital signage market, although less than 10 years old, is larger than the entire education AV market? And, in fact, it’s the fastest growing segment of AV right now.
Collaborative systems, rather than products, will be the wave in 2017. Everyone was rushing out to build the Barco ClickShare competitor for the past three years but, everyone failed miserably. But now that the wireless collaboration market can be realized (thanks in part to bandwidth and in larger part, thanks to Barco paving the way), you will see more collaborative systems — even Barco is doing it with its new WeConnect. Sure, we will see more ClickShare competition in 2017 but, more importantly, we will see a plethora of companies debut complete integrated systems you (that are all 100 percent network-based) and you can drop in to nearly every room. Sure, not every room, but 90 percent of them, however. This will be big.
Simplicity will be a HUGE theme in 2017. This is what Amazon Alexa is all about — people turning complicated systems into something you can talk to to carry out commands — sort of like an iPhone Siri for your room. Speaking of Siri, Apple has already staked a claim to controlling the home, and everything in it, via Siri and its new HOME app. So has Google with its home line where you tell Google everything you want to do — and assuming you have Android, it works. You will see a massive more towards simplification from everyone in AV — less individual boxes and more integrated systems (or all-in-one) solutions.
Finally, there’s one thing that I skipped that needs to be mentioned as our industry has, forever, been driven by the display. Well, I already predicted that nearly any projection system that’s under 100” would be relegated to flat-panels. And, I told you all about the applications of 4K and why it will usurp 1080p. But, in 2017 we will see the rise of tiny projectors (some pico and some just ultra-portable) cross the 3,000- and 4,000-lumen category and be cheap — like $1,000 cheap. This could change everything. And, no, it does NOT spell doom and gloom for AV. This will provide the ability to put displays EVERYWHERE. Think about it — imagine classrooms with projection on all four walls. Imagine the previous slides on the left and right walls in a lecture hall while the current slide is front-and-center. Well, you’ll be able to spec that inexpensively by the end of 2017. So, instead of putting in just one display at the front of every room, this is true multi-imaging. That’s our future!
Oh, did I forget to mention the forthcoming 8K displays? Ugh, ran out of space in this column… Leave a Comment
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Extron Gives Away the Best Educational Resource on HDR EverWith 4K becoming the next big thing in projection and already big in consumer TVs, mastering the impact of HDR (High Dynamic Range) isn’t going to be an option — your clients will want to know (and it will become an amazing sales tool). But do you even understand it?
When HDR is added to a 4K/UHD display, the differences between 4K/UHD and HD are striking; maybe mesmerizing is a better word. HDR video technology incorporates greater color accuracy and a wider range of displayed luminance than 4K/UHD that lacks HDR. Extron’s FREE white paper tells you everything you need to know to understand HDR — and it includes a glossary, list of standards, answers 100 percent of the 4K HDR questions you will ever get and explains the impact of different (coming) color bit depth standards.
You can download it here. Leave a Comment
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rAVe’s 2016 Year-in-Review VideoOne of the most anticipated videos we produce, annually, is our Year-in-Review Video where we take a look at everything that shaped the year in ProAV, HomeAV and Digital Signage. 2016 likely set a record for new technology as more companies spent money on developing new products and pushing the market forward. So, we encapsulated the entire year 2106 in this short, fast-paced, 4-minute, video.
So, without further delay, here it is – the official debut of rAVe’s 2016 Video. Watch it as you very-well may be in it – or certainly a lot of people, products and technology you use! Leave a Comment
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HDMI Forum Announces Version 2.1 to Even Handle 8K Resolutions and 48G Cables HDMI Forum this week announced the upcoming release of Version 2.1 of the HDMI Specification. This latest HDMI Specification supports a range of Higher Video Resolutions and refresh rates including 8K60 and 4K120, Dynamic HDR and increased bandwidth with a new 48G cable. Version 2.1 of the HDMI Specification is backward compatible with earlier versions and was developed by the HDMI Forum’s Technical Working Group whose members represent some of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer electronics, personal computers, mobile devices, cables and components.
HDMI Specification 2.1 features include:
- Higher Video Resolutions support a range of higher resolutions and faster refresh rates including 8K60Hz and 4K120Hz for immersive viewing and smooth fast-action detail.
- Dynamic HDR ensures every moment of a video is displayed at its ideal values for depth, detail, brightness, contrast and wider color gamuts — on a scene-by-scene or even a frame-by-frame basis.
- 48G cables enable up to 48Gbps bandwidth for uncompressed HDMI 2.1 feature support including 8K video with HDR. The cable is backwards compatible with earlier versions of the HDMI Specification and can be used with existing HDMI devices.
- eARC supports the most advanced audio formats such as object-based audio, and enables advanced audio signal control capabilities including device auto-detect.
- Game Mode VRR features variable refresh rate, which enables a 3D graphics processor to display the image at the moment it is rendered for more fluid and better detailed gameplay and for reducing or eliminating lag, stutter and frame tearing.
The new specification will be available to all HDMI 2.0 adopters and they will be notified when it is released early in Q2 2017. More details on HDMI are here. Leave a Comment
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Epson Intros Slimmest Ultra-Portable Projectors with New PowerLite 1700-SeriesEpson today introduced its slimmest (as thin as a laptop and just four pounds) ultra-portable projectors to date – the next- generation PowerLite 1700-Series. The PowerLite 1795F, 1785W, 1781W and 1780W are the smallest form factor of any 3LCD projectors on the market, according to Epson, and are designed for business travelers. They include totally wireless connectivity and automatic vertical keystone correction.
Epson projectors feature 3LCD, 3-chip technology and the new PowerLite 1700-Series projectors support Google Chromecast, Roku, MHL-enabled devices and anything HDMI. The PowerLite 1780W, 1781W and 1785W are native WXGA resolution (1280×800), and the flagship PowerLite 1795F is native 1920×1080. The PowerLite 1780W is 3,000 lumens color brightness and 3,000 lumens white brightness, and the PowerLite 1781W, PowerLite 1785W and PowerLite 1795F deliver 3,200 lumens color brightness and 3,200 lumens white brightness.
The PowerLite 1781W lists for $799, the PowerLite 1780W is $749, the 1785W is $1,099 and the 1795F is $1,249. Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
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Optoma Unveils Two 4K Projectors (One for Less Than $3,000) and a New Pico Projector Too Optoma is launching a few products this week — one is a native 4K projector. Dubbed the Optoma 4K UST (Ultra Short Throw), it’s a native 3,840×2,160 laser projector with HDR10 wide color gamut, an ultra short throw of just 0.18 for up to a 140-inch image size from just inches away and it’s priced at $19,999. But, this projector won’t be available until Q3 2017.
The Optoma ZH55, also a laser projector, is spec’d at 3,000 lumens of brightness and a 20,000:1 contrast ratio with Rec. 709 color and dual HDMI ports with MHL. The installation-aimed ZH55 has a throw ratio of 1.06 along with a zoom of 1.36x. No pricing or availability though. Expect late 2017.
Optoma UHD60 is the surprise, though. Optoma claims it’s a native 4K UHD (3,840×2,160) resolution home cinema projector with vertical lens shift at only $2,799. That would be an amazing price-point. And, it will ship in Q2 2017.
Also, Optoma just launched the IntelliGo pico projector using Android 4.4 OS with a customizable home screen and the AptoideTV app store with access to Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora and more. In addition, it is WiFi and Bluetooth compatible, has USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, and offers 2D to 3D content conversion. It will be available in late Q1 2017 for just $599. But, it’s only 60 lumens.
The successor to one of Optoma’s most popular home cinema projectors, the Optoma HD28DSE, will be the Optoma HD29Darbee. It’s spec’d to be 3,000 lumens with a 30,000:1 contrast ratio (and a DARBEE Visual Presence image enhancement technology) with Rec.709 and sRGB color modes. It will be available Q1 for $699.
All the details are here. Leave a Comment
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Sony Launches VPL-VZ1000ES Ultra-Short Throw 4K HDR Home Theater ProjectorSony Electronics announced today the VPL-VZ1000ES ultra-short throw 4K HDR home theater projector. Sony’s latest is High Dynamic Range (HDR) compatible, native 4K resolution (4096×2160) laser-phosphor-based light source projector that can be positioned as little as 6 inches away from the wall and project a 100 inch image (measured diagonally in 16:9.).
The VPL-VZ1000ES is approximately 36 x 20 x 9 inches in size (WxDxH, 925x494x219 millimeters) and weighs about 77 pounds (35 kilograms). This is over 40 percent smaller than the currently available Sony VPL-GTZ1 ultra-short throw projector. The VPL-VZ1000ES’s Z-Phosphor laser light source generates 2,500 lumens of color light output and uses Sony’s SXRD (LCoS) panels coupled with the laser light engine.
VPL-VZ1000ES Ultra-Short Throw 4K HDR Home Theater Projector will be available April 2017 and will list for $24,999.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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SIM2 Ships the NERO 4 UHD Projector SIM2 is now shipping its NERO 4 projector. The NERO 4 uses the new 0.67” DLP UHD 4K (3840×2160) chipset from Texas Instruments as well as a pure-glass telecentric lens. SIM2 says that special coatings have been applied to the optical components to enhance image and color performance. This is SIM2 Super Hi-Resolution Optics in action. It’s spec’d at 5,000 ANSI lumens and uses a 450W UHP lamp and the throw ratio of the lens is 1.36-2.68:1. Inputs include two HDMI 1.4a, 1 HDMI 2.0a, as well as one DisplayPort and component video.
NERO 4 is now shipping and the MSRP is $30,000. The specs are here. Leave a Comment
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Wolf Cinema Releases Four New TXF Series Projectors and One is Native 4K Wolf Cinema today announced the release of an all-new series of advanced 4K imaging projectors for the home — three using 6th generation three-chip D-ILA light engine integrated with laser/phosphor for light output and colorimetry.
The new projectors in the so-called TXF Theater Extreme 4K series are the native 1080p lamp-based TXF-900, TXF-1400 and TXF-2000 and the 4K resolution (4096×2160) TXF-5000. Starting at under $10,000 list, include three traditional lamp-based editions, plus an all-new second generation, high-output Blu-escent laser-phosphor flagship projector. All four models are available now.
Every version of the TXF series incorporates full 18Gbps Ultra HD HDMI 2.0 inputs with HDCP 2.2 compatibility — with up to 4K60 4:4:4 sources (scaled to 1080p for the first three models) and brightness specs between 2,500 and 3,200 ANSI lumens. And, all four include HDR10 imaging compatibility, multiple aspect ratio memories, custom factory gamut and gamma calibrations and are housed in an all-metal chassis.
The most interesting of the TXF series is a second-generation Blu-escent laser/phosphor projector, model TXF-5000. Incorporating what Wolf says is an all new, 0.69 inch three-chip native 4K D-ILA technology core, and illuminated by a 20,000-hour life Blu-Escent laser diode/phosphor light source, the TXF-5000 is their high-end. With 3,200 ANSI lumens, Wolf Cinema actually specs the contrast at unmeasurable levels [∞:1] — yes, that is an infinity sign and we’re not sure what to make of that, to be honest. The all-glass, 18-element precision primary optics package includes lens shift for (±100 percent vertical, ±43 percent horizontal) and, like the other three models, is specified at HDR10, Hybrid Log-Gamma for live HDR broadcasts, easily achieving the BT.709 and Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI) color gamut and over 80 percent of the ultra-wide BT.2020 color space.
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Matrox Maevex 6100 Quad Encoder Card Now Available Matrox announced the immediate availability of the next generation of Matrox’s H.264 AV-over-IP portfolio, the Matrox Maevex 6100 quad encoder card. Delivering quad 4K input capture, the Maevex 6100 also offers multiple encodes, variable bitrates, and a broad choice of protocols, allowing simultaneous streaming and recording of four or more channels.
The Matrox Maevex 6100 quad encoder card delivers 4K/UHD (4:4:4 @ 30Hz) and Full HD multi-channel capture, encoding, streaming, and recording. Built on H.264, the world’s most common codec, this plug-and-play solution fits seamlessly into existing infrastructures and interoperates with any device on the network, ensuring high-density content distribution and system scalability.
The bundled Matrox PowerStream Plus software application and the available API provide flexible management of local or remote data, ensuring full reach and control over the entire network. PowerStream Plus allows access to Matrox’s powerful advanced hybrid streaming (AHS) features, including multiple source capture, multiple picture-in-picture (PIP) and picture-by-picture (PBP) composite options, and multi-protocol and multi-bitrate streaming. Designed to control all Maevex products, including the Maevex 5100 Series of encoders and decoders, PowerStream Plus allows for the expansion of existing Maevex networks and allows users to pick and choose the Maevex product which best suits their AV streaming needs.
Matrox Maevex 6100 is a 3/4 length PCI Express 3.0 x8 card with 4 Mini HDMI (type C) inputs that allow the capture of up to four 4096×2160@30Hz sources. Offering RTSP, RTP and MPEG2.TS streaming support with an onboard RJ45 network connector (RTMP support to soon follow), the Maevex 6100 can encode a multitude of H.264 streams at the same or varying bitrates. Capable of simultaneous streaming and/or recording to shared network drives or network attached storage, the Maevex 6100 features programmable start time, recording duration, maximum file length and file frequency.
All the specs are here. Leave a Comment
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Sony Intros New Receiver, STR-DN1080Sony’s new STR-DN1080 Object Audio Compatible HiFi AV Receiver supports audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X as well as having a “Phantom Surround Back” technology where they claim you can hear 7.1.2 channel speaker sound in a configuration with actual speaker settings with 5.1.2 channel. The receiver also supports a long list of legacy surround formats, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.
To complement this, the STR-DN1080 includes Sony’s latest sound field compensation technology, D.C.A.C. EX, which combines Advanced D.C.A.C.2 with Speaker Relocation. This technology balances output to closely simulate sound as would be produced by optimally positioned and angled speakers — even when the ideal configuration is not possible. The results are nothing short of breathtaking, with the entire sound field seamlessly integrated for outstanding surround sound.
In addition, the STR-DN1080 has six HDMI inputs and two outputs that provide full HDCP 2.2 compliance and supports the latest 4K 60P (4:4:4) Ultra HD content (up to 4096×2160). It can also distribute both 4K video and multichannel audio simultaneously to two different zones. The STR-DN1080 is even compatible with the new BT.2020 wide color gamut broadcast standard.
The STR-DN1080 HiFi Audio Video Receiver will be available Spring 2017 but no price was specified. Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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KanexPro Adds Active Optical Cable to Product Lineup KanexPro announces what they are calling the Active Optical Cable (AOC) — an HDMI 2.0 cable with Ethernet up to 18 Gbps. The Active Optical Cable accepts the same electrical inputs as traditional copper cables and instead utilizes optical fiber between the connectors to extend HDMI signals with zero loss or latency.
The Active Optical Cable (AOC) from KanexPro specs say uncompressed 4K resolutions with 32 audio channels for multi-dimensional immersive audio with up to 1536 kHz sample frequency for high-quality audio. Available in lengths of 30 meters, 50 meters or 100 meters, the Active Optical Cable has an integrated USB connector to draw power from the display and dynamic synchronization of video and audio streams. KanexPro says the cable supports sub-sampling rates of 4:4:4, 4:2:2 and 4:2:0 YUC with deep color and HDR, the AOC is resistant to EMI and RF interference to provide users with noise-free video and audio. The Active Optical Cable is HDCP compliant and supports wide angle theatrical 21:9 video aspect ratio, 3D and 4Kx2K.
The details on the cable are here. Leave a Comment
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Atlona Ships 4K Matrix Atlona announces the debut of the AT-UHD-CLSO-840, an eight-input, four-output 4K HDMI and HDBaseT matrix switcher built for videoconferencing, multi-screen presentations and divisible room installations. The CLSO-840 offers both local and remote inputs and outputs for flexibility across AV formats and connectivity options, aimed at classroom, corporate and hospitality environments.
The new matrix has five HDMI and three HDBaseT inputs, two HDMI outputs and two HDBaseT outputs. The CLSO-840 integrates into an audio system with DSP, through an independent 8×4 audio matrix that routes de-embedded HDMI audio to analog audio outputs, with gain control and EQ also available. There are also four analog audio inputs, each dedicated to embedding content onto a corresponding video output.
The new matrix includes Ethernet and RS232 and it can extend Ethernet from a control processor and features IP to RS232 translation for converting TCP/IP commands to RS232. This provides the flexibility of extending TCP/IP or RS232 control to remote devices over HDBaseT. The list is $4,999.99 and here are the details. Leave a Comment
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RTI Ships New Z-Wave Control and Lighting SolutionsRTI today announced the company is now shipping its all-new Z-Wave solutions. The ZW-9 Z-Wave interface is aimed at cost-effective monitoring and control of Z-Wave-enabled systems and devices via an RTI control system.
The ZW-9 Z-Wave interface utilizes the Z-Wave wireless protocol to provide the communication link between RTI systems and lighting, door locks, thermostats and other Z-Wave-enabled devices. Eliminating the need for a different app for each device, the ZW-9 — combined with an RTI XP processor — provides users with unified control and monitoring over all devices directly on their RTI user interface. Through the power of RTI’s Integration Designer software, programming and installation is simple and affordable.
Designed to accommodate both new construction and retrofit installations, RTI’s new Z-Wave lighting control solutions include light switches, dimmers, a lamp module and receptacles with no new or specialized wiring required. For instance, the battery-operated Anyplace switch requires no wiring of any kind. Utilizing Z-Wave RF technology, these lighting control solutions create a wireless network that integrates with RTI’s home and commercial automation systems via the ZW-9 Z-Wave interface.
Here are all the specs and options. Leave a Comment
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Parasound Ships Four-Zone DAC and Crossover Parasound has begun dealer shipments of the custom installation industry’s first four-zone DAC and crossover. Parasound said the ZoneMaster 4 DAX creates a CI business opportunity for more effective implementation of multi-zone streaming audio using Sonos Connect, Chromecast and similar technologies.
The ZoneMaster 4 DAX improves digital sound quality while simplifying connection options and dramatically reducing equipment clutter for multi-zone setups. While these popular streaming products traditionally compete in the retail market place, Parasound’s 4 DAX creates a profitable value-added alternative for the custom installation industry. It also provides installers with the opportunity to incorporate higher quality amplifiers, speakers and subwoofers.
The Parasound ZoneMaster 4 DAX is a single chassis unit that achieves superior DAC performance by using four premium 192kHz ESS DACs using optical and coaxial inputs. In addition to the DAC, each Zone has a premium analog crossover with level controls and outputs for full-range stereo, high-pass stereo, full-range mono, high-pass mono and an 80-Hz low-pass mono subwoofer output. Each zone also has an audio-triggered 12V output to activate additional equipment such as amplifiers and cooling equipment. Parasound’s own 2-, 4-, 6- and 12-channel ZoneMaster amplifiers have independent trigger inputs for each zone making them a perfect companion to the 4 DAX.
The Parasound ZoneMaster 4 DAX lists for $995 and here are the details. Leave a Comment
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The DaVinci Group Launches Signature SeriesThe DaVinci Group (TDG) has started shipping the new Signature Series line of speakers. After a series of design revisions (since the CEDIA 2016 launch), the two models shipping are the IWLCR-66 and the IWS-210. Because of the physical dimensions (26”x17”), each model in the Signature Series features a one-piece, steel frame, an integrated MDF back-box and a new mounting system that attaches the speakers directly into 16”-on-center studs. The company says this virtually eliminates any possible performance-robbing mechanical vibration.
The IWLCR-66 is a large-format, in-wall, full-range speaker based on dual 6½” heavy-duty drivers designed to be the front left/center/right speakers in a professionally designed and installed dedicated theater. It’s specified to handle up to 150 watts and weighs 36 pounds. The IWLCR-66 components include two 6½” heavy-duty woofers, one 4” midrange driver and a ¾” silk dome wide-dispersion tweeter. All of these components are housed in a back-box constructed from a rigid MDF.
The IWS-210 in-wall subwoofer utilizes a 10” carbon fiber subwoofer and a 10” carbon fiber passive radiator which combine to reproduce the lower octaves of much deeper bass for more dramatic music performance. The IWS-210 has the same construction of all of the Signature Series models, including one-piece steel frame construction, MDF back-box, heavy duty drivers and the unique mounting system. It’s spec’d to handle up to 200 watts.
All the details can be found here. Leave a Comment
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B&C Expands RBX Series Subwoofer RangeBuilding on the family of the recently released 18RBX100 ferrite subwoofer, B&C Speakers has added a 15″ alternative to the RBX range.
The 15RBX100 high output subwoofer features a 25mm high, 4” (100mm) diameter copper wire voice coil that is combined with a laminated double silicone spider, water resistant curvilinear cone, and triple roll surround — for even more excursion and linearity. The corrosion resistant motor structure incorporates an aluminum demodulation ring that effectively controls inductive rise as well as harmonic and intermodulation distortion. This subwoofer can be used for a wide variety of applications, including compact vented enclosures as small as 80 Litres.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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AirTV Debuts Over-the-Air 4K Streaming PlayerToday at CES, a barely-known company called AirTV debuted a set-top box and service called AirTV. The AirTV player is a 4K Android TV-based streaming device that integrates free over-the-air (OTA) channels, Netflix, Sling TV and YouTube into single experience. An interesting smart remote controls the AirTV Payer, your TV and your sound system and features dedicated Netflix and Sling TV buttons to speed up access to those services. Alternatively, an AirTV Adapter, plugged into the USB port of any TV, enables the TV to receive local OTA channel access (in 4K) when an OTA antenna (sold separately) is connected.
AirTV Player, built on the Android TV operating system, is a streaming device that, at launch, can integrate Netflix, Sling TV, YouTube and all of the apps in the Google Play Store with free local OTA channels (OTA channel integration requires an AirTV adapter and an OTA antenna, both sold separately). Internet access is required for streaming platforms and AirTV Player is Wi-Fi and Ethernet compatible. AirTV Player connects to a TV via HDMI.
The AirTV Player, with the optional OTA AirTV Adapter, is shipping and lists for $129. The stand-along AirTV player for streaming services is $99. Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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Sony Shows New 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player Sony Electronics announced a new Ultra HD Blu-ray universal player. Sony’s first 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (dubbed the UBP-X800) is compatible with Ultra HD Blu-ray (3840×2160) as well as video streaming in 4K resolution and High Dynamic Range (HDR). The UBP-X800 provides Ultra HD Blu-ray playback with wide color space BT.2020, which offers twice the color range of existing conventional Blu-ray players and HDR is up to 100 times dynamic range. The UBP-X800 also integrates both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object.
In addition to support for Ultra HD Blu-ray, the UBP-X800 utilizes a Sony developed Precision HD drive to help maintain consistent performance with virtually every optical disc format, including DVD Video and DVD Audio, CD and Super Audio CD, as well as Blu-ray 3D4K and BD-ROM media in additional to almost any format available via USB. The UBP-X800’s specially designed Frame and Beam (FB) chassis increases structural rigidity and its honeycomb top plate, sf heat sync and offset insulator feet reduce the effects of airborne and mechanical vibration. This high quality construction contributes to Hi-Res Audio sound reproduction which can playback up to 192kHz/24-bit and DSD 11.2MHz.
The UBP-X800 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player will be available spring 2017 but no price was specified. Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe HomeAV Edition out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100% opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the high-end HomeAV industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that’s why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
Don’t like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send me feedback, don’t reply to this newsletter – instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas: Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
A little about me: I graduated from Journalism School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where I am adjunct faculty). I’ve been in the AV-industry since 1987 where I started with Extron and eventually moved to AMX. So, I guess I am an industry veteran (although I don’t think I am that old). I have been an opinionated columnist for a number of industry publications and in the late 1990s I started the widely read KNews eNewsletter (the first in the AV market) and also created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue – which is now known as InfoComm IQ. rAVe Publications has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition.
rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004.
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Copyright 2017 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln. – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – 919/969-7501. Email: sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe HomeAV Edition contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |
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