Volume 14, Issue 9 — May 9, 2016
|
Industry News Control & Signal Processing Projection Media Players, Recording & Distribution Cables, Cases, Furniture, Mounts, Racks, Screens & Accessories Audio
|
|
|
What Missing a Flight I Was Early For Taught Me About UI
By Hope Roth A few weeks ago, I had the mortifying and frustrating experience of missing a flight that I was very, very early for. How does one go about missing a flight after sitting for a few hours in the terminal? It turns out that it’s a relatively easy process.
- Step One: Arrive early, then have your flight delayed.
- Step Two: Hear the announcement that your flight will be boarding soon. Make a brief trip to the facilities so as to avoid the uncomfortable experience that is using one of the tiny bathrooms on a regional aircraft.
- Step Three: Walk back to your gate, see that the agent is gone, and that your flight status hasn’t changed on the airport’s digital signage. Assume that you’ve been delayed again.
- Step Four: Look up at the digital signage just in time to watch your status change from “on time” to “departed.”
As best as I can tell, the flight only had a few passengers on it, they boarded quickly and then took off post-haste to try and avoid further delays. They claim that they paged me, but I never heard them. There was a flight from another airline that was boarding at the same time, so it’s very possible that my page got drowned out by the other gate agent.
Most people would have fumed for a bit, had a glass of wine in their hastily booked hotel room, flown home the next day and then forgotten all about it. I work on UI for a living, so I’m still thinking about what this incident can teach us about the user experience. I think that there are a few takeaways.
1. Beware your customer’s expectations, especially the ones that don’t get verbalized.
I might have had a chance of making my flight if I’d flagged down an airport employee as soon as I realized what had happened. Instead, I made the (in hindsight) silly mistake of going by the flight status on the terminal’s digital signage. My expectation when flying is that the signs will say “boarding” once the boarding process has begun. They might even say “Paging Passenger So-and-so.” You could make a reasonable argument that the fact that my flight never showed up as delayed and that I’ve never seen a flight at that airport listed as “boarding” should have been a pretty big tip-off that I needed to ask a real person instead of going with what it said on the TVs. But that’s the thing about sub-conscious decisions… they don’t get a lot of mental scrutiny. I didn’t think about my assumptions until *after* I’d missed my flight. And, by then, it was too late.
If any aspect of your UI relies on your end users thinking too hard about how it’s all supposed to work, you are not providing the optimal experience. The best UIs are intuitive. And some of the most important features to include might never got mentioned in an SOO meeting. There are certain things about how systems work that some users may have internalized to the point where they don’t even mention them to you. That’s why it’s so important to ask a lot of questions and ask for examples. I will always do my best to get my hands on a user’s existing system. It’s only by pressing all of the buttons and seeing what happens that you can really see what they’re used to. They very likely have expectations that they don’t even know that they have.
A good example of this would be mute and privacy buttons. I never want to be on the receiving end of an angry phone call after someone heard something they weren’t supposed to on a conference or video call because their audio wasn’t properly muted. Mute and privacy mean very different things to different people, and it’s important that your interface makes it clear what state the system is in. There’s also the question of feedback on the buttons. Does the icon change? Does the color change? Personally, I hate the look of flashing buttons, but that’s what you might need to do in order to avoid multiple service calls for “audio problems” in rooms where the system is muted. And, finally, if your system does any auto-muting or un-muting, it’s important that your users are expecting it. If they were already expecting it, you’d better hope you’ve covered that in your discussions and implemented it properly.
Many of these issues can be solved with a well-formulated scope process and with good documentation. I also find that it works well to create a dummy UI so that users can click the buttons and see what happens. The act of seeing things move on a screen will often help to drill down to issues that you might not have found if you just sent over a bunch of screen shots. And then, at the end of the day, your system still needs to be easy and intuitive for someone who *didn’t* spend 15 hours in meetings discussing button and slider placement.
This is why the people who are really, really good at UI (I am not including myself in this category, at least not yet) get paid so well. It’s a difficult, and often thankless job.
2. Base your system on the premise that some of its users will abuse it horribly.
If my gate agent paged me, it was likely lost in the noise of another delayed flight with a lot of passengers boarding very, very quickly. Technically, she paged me. Functionally, it was like she had just sat there and said nothing. I am not an expert on paging systems, but it seems like this could have been avoided by only letting one gate agent use the system at a time (and providing some sort of feedback that they need to make their announcement when they are clear to use the system). It’s quite possible that there is a logistical limitation because it was different airlines. It’s not my place to criticize a system that is outside my area of expertise. I am merely using this as a lesson in how our end users might interact with our systems.
There’s an old joke about someone who goes to see their doctor and says, “It hurts when I do this.” The doctor looks back and says, “Well, then stop doing that.” Groan all you want, but if your answer to a user saying, “The system does [bad thing] when I do [something maybe not so bright]” is, “Well, then don’t use the system like that,” you are probably not doing such a great job yourself. People don’t always pay attention to the buttons that they’re pressing. They get frustrated when things don’t happen right away and start jabbing at buttons repeatedly. If your system relies on your ends users to police their own behavior, you are borrowing trouble. You should be locking out certain functions while a projector warms up. You should prevent your system from queuing up commands while someone hits buttons and then letting them all go through at once. People hate it when the lights won’t stop flashing, or when the volume suddenly jumps from “barely perceptible” to “ear-bleedingly loud.” While we’re at it, unless there is a valid reason that your users need an “ear bleeding” mode, I think most of us know to lock them out of that function as well.
One thing that I’ve found that’s really helpful in defensive designing is to ask other people to mash buttons on my panels for me. If you don’t have a dedicated QA staff at your shop, you can either find the least technical person in your office… or the most inquisitive one to push buttons for you. Either of them will very, very quickly help you locate the ways in which an end user might “break” your system. Really, you just need someone who will say, “I wonder what happens if I do this” over and over again.
I program the same way I drive a car. I assume that everyone out there is about 10 seconds away from running me off the road.
My final takeaway is less about UI and more about big data.
3. Big data doesn’t always tell the whole story. Beware the law of unintended consequences.
As we were straightening out how I was going to get home, my gate agent very indignantly told me, “We waited three whole minutes for you.” At first glance, that seems rather uncharitable of her. Especially when you factor in the fact that I was 16 *hours* late getting home. But then, when you put it into context, a very different picture emerges. Airline departure times are assiduously tracked these days. Just a few minutes can be the difference between a good rating and a poor one. If you rank airlines on how quickly they can get their planes to their destinations, they are going to start doing everything they can to get their planes into the air as quickly as possible. Not even two weeks after I missed my flight, I was on a different airline’s plane and watched a flight attendant tell the man in front of me that they just couldn’t wait for the rest of his family and we’d be taking off without them. Not 30 seconds later, another flight attendant announced to the plane that we would be arriving 30 minutes early at our destination. I thought the suddenly solo traveler’s head was going to explode.
Flight delays are annoying. We all want to get where we’re going on-time. But they factor into ratings in a way that “angry passengers stranded at the gate” do not. That’s the price we pay for the technological advances that have allowed us to track just about everything. And, for the most part, this is a great thing. It means that we can all avoid hospitals that have high mortality rates. It means that UPS drivers are now instructed to never make left-hand turns, because they crunched the numbers and avoiding left-hand turns is both faster and safer. But it also means that a lot of us have had the experience of being rushed off the phone when calling tech support because their metrics are based on how many calls they can handle in an hour.
When you introduce metrics into a system, you just might be incentivizing less than optimal behavior. Try and think about how your employees might end up attempting to game the system. And always be prepared to make changes if you discover a way that they’re doing it that you hadn’t even thought about. It’s the law of *unintended* consequences, after all.
By far, the biggest takeaway from all of this is clearly:
4. While waiting for your small, regionally based flight… go ahead and use the facilities about 10 minutes *before* you’re scheduled to board.
You’re just going to have to trust me on this one. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
|
Standards in Action
By Tim Kridel Special to InfoComm International
Don’t miss the standards event of the year during InfoComm 2016 in Las Vegas. The annual Standards Plenary will be held Tues., June 7, from 1-6 p.m. Learn more about InfoComm standards and how companies are using them today. Register now.
Since the beginning of the year, Electro Acoustics, a Texas-based APEx integrator, has been able to reduce the number of warranty callbacks by 41 percent. Besides increasing customer satisfaction, systems that work right the first time, every time, have freed Electro Acoustics staff to focus on other projects, which means more revenue for the company.
The secret? Electro Acoustics is using ANSI/INFOCOMM 10:2013, AV Systems Performance Verification, one of several standards that InfoComm International and dedicated volunteers have created over the past seven years. Such performance standards differ from technology standards, such as IEEE 802.11 or HDBaseT, because they provide a framework for setting expectations with clients and verifying outcomes. The AV Systems Performance Verification standard includes a 160-item checklist for ensuring an AV solution performs the way it’s supposed to.
“It’s not that we didn’t do good work before,” says Luke Jordan, CTS-I, Electro Acoustics’ Service and Small Systems Manager. “We just didn’t check our work against a standard. Once we starting doing that, we saw a huge decrease in work defects. The amount of time and money we spent fixing our own problems was greatly reduced.”
InfoComm standards take a holistic view of an AV system rather than focusing on individual components. For example, ANSI/INFOCOMM 3M-2011, Projected Image System Contrast Ratio (PISCR) takes into account ambient light in helping designers, integrators and technology managers determine standard contrast ratios for their projection systems because ambient light affects contrast ratio as much as the projector and screen. Such an approach helps clients and AV pros agree on how to assess the system’s user experience.
“In my experience using PISCR, I have found its main value has been to replace the traditional subjective sign off for projected images — ‘It’s not bright enough’ — with metrics that really work,” says Greg Jeffreys, Director and Chairman of Paradigm Audio Visual and a founding member of InfoComm’s Standards Steering Committee. “Designing a system to conform to PISCR gives a better result for the viewer time after time.”
With technology standards, as opposed to performance standards like InfoComm’s, a common challenge is interpretation. Some companies interpret them differently. That’s not the case with InfoComm’s performance standards.
“There’s not a lot of room for interpretation,” says Jason Antinori, CTS-D, Design Specialist at TELUS and a member of InfoComm’s Standards Steering Committee. “They’re meant to be implemented the way they’re documented.” However, he says, firms can tailor their implementation to reflect particular conditions, such as a room’s size.
“There’s nothing wrong with professionals adapting standards to specific project requirements, starting with the basic methodology and principles and then adapting them as needed,” Jeffreys says. “I feel strongly that standards are not there to replace an AV professional’s hard-earned experience, but are there as essential tools to help create exceptional user experiences.”
Why Standards?
There are many reasons why more AV professionals are embracing and using standards in their projects. Importantly, standards offer a way to ensure that everyone at the client and the AV firm is on the same page from day one. Such agreement eliminates finger pointing and change orders.
“It makes sure that customer needs are realistic and achievable, and that information gets passed along to system designers,” Jordan says. “Then we don’t find out later in the project that we’re missing critical components and end up with unhappy clients and systems that don’t work well.”
InfoComm standards typically are used for new installations, but they’re also useful for analyzing existing systems.
“We have measured problem rooms before and after refits to demonstrate the success of great new systems,” Jeffreys says. “More importantly, the principles of PISCR are used to evaluate under-performing rooms and to make adjustments that achieve significant improvement without spending a penny. PISCR’s significance is that it’s a driver to achieving great viewer experience in a practical way that underlines that you don’t necessarily need to throw money or technology at a system to achieve your objectives.”
Standards can be effective sales tools and help explain the rationale behind a design. Besides helping win a project, AV companies find that standards can also be useful in convincing clients to increase the budget by quantifying the improvement in user experience “There’s a U.K. company using the projected image standard as a way to get into a potential client by saying, ‘Let me check out your contrast ratio because here’s the standard,’” says Ann Brigida, InfoComm Director of Standards.
The first InfoComm standard, ANSI/INFOCOMM 1M-2009, Audio Coverage Uniformity in Enclosed Listener Areas, debuted in 2009. The rest of the current lineup includes:
As their titles indicate, most InfoComm standards are approved by the American National Standards Institute, a private organization that administers and coordinates U.S standards. ANSI’s stamp of approval carries weight with clients.
“Having standards that are accredited by an agnostic national body of standards adds a level of credibility,” Antinori says. That was the case with one TELUS client, a financial institution at which the IT department was responsible for collaboration rooms.
“They came from a very standards-driven world,” Antinori says. “So right away, they were able to give more credit to our design than if we just showed up with an Excel workbook because it included standards. It helped us secure the business.”
Pro AV competes and coexists with IT and telecom, two industries whose use of standards goes back decades. Having its own set of ANSI-certified standards reflects pro AV’s status as a professional services industry, one with credibility in the eyes of CIOs, IT managers and other decision-makers. “It’s like looking for an electrician versus a handyman,” Antinori says. “You hire an electrician to do work that needs to be done by code and responsibly. You call a handyman to paint a wall.”
Putting Them to Use
One common misconception among AV professionals may be that standards are difficult to understand and use. Not so.
“The minute people hear ‘standards,’ they think of a document that’s too hard to read or too hard to implement,” Brigida says. “We performed standards usage and awareness surveys in 2015 and 2014. Consistently, people said that one of the major things they liked about InfoComm standards was that they’re easy to read and understand.”
Antinori agrees. “Don’t be afraid,” he says. “’Standards’ sounds daunting or legislative, but there are a lot of benefits to at least understanding them and knowing when it makes strategic sense to reinforce something you’re already doing through standards.”
The message seems to be getting through: In InfoComm’s 2015 standards survey, 41 percent of respondents had downloaded at least one. And 98 percent who’ve accessed a standard said they would recommend InfoComm standards to industry colleagues. Companies are realizing that adopting standards can put them at a competitive advantage in the market, but they also understand that to maximize their benefits, an entire organization must understand their value.
“It requires a paradigm shift of the entire organization, not just one or two people,” Jordan says. “It takes buy-in from the people doing the work and those working with the clients. It took us a few years to build up momentum. Now, instead of people asking why we do things a new way or worrying that it takes more time, they are fully on board. That’s when you start to see a 41 percent reduction in defects. And that’s when you start to see efficiency go up.”
This column was reprinted with permission from InfoComm International and originally appeared here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Private Equity Firm Buys AVI-SPL
H.I.G. Capital (H.I.G.), a private equity investment firm with $19 billion of equity capital under management,has acquired AVI-SPL, Inc. AVI-SPL, as you well know, is the industry’s largest commercial AV integrator. Some background that no one else covering this story seems to mention is that AVI-SPL was already partially owned by another private equity company, Silver Lake Partners, who has been shopping AVI-SPL for over 16 months now. So, H.I.G. basically bought that portion owned by Silver Lake and now owns all of AVI-SPL.
Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, the AVI-SPL has a little over 1,500 employees throughout 35 locations worldwide, with 29 offices in the US and 6 internationally (Canada, UK and UAE). The Company’s extensive office footprint has supported the completion of over 35,000 AV and video collaboration deployments since 2008 in over 101 countries. A diverse array of clients rely on AVI-SPL to design, engineer and integrate increasingly complex collaboration solutions and to support their systems with maintenance, on-site staff and cloud-based managed services.
Richard Stokes, Managing Director at H.I.G. Capital, commented, “AVI-SPL is the established market leader in the AV systems and collaboration solutions market and we look forward to supporting the continued expansion of the company’s service offering and geographic footprint.” Todd Ofenloch, Managing Director at H.I.G. Capital added, “AVI-SPL is exceptionally well positioned for continued growth, driven by the critical nature of its solutions within increasingly tech-enabled work spaces. We are excited to work with the company to take the business to the next level.”
Here is a list of the companies they own – this is the first company in the AV market. It may also be interesting to note that the WSJ says that the average time a private equity firm owns a property is 5.5 years but Silver Lake actually help AVI-APL for a little over 7 years.
“We’re proud to partner with H.I.G. Capital, a highly respected firm that is aligned with AVI-SPL’s vision of the future and the strategic plan to get there,” said John Zettel, AVI-SPL’s CEO, “AVI-SPL continues to distinguish itself through the rapidly growing collaboration solutions space. Together with H.I.G. Capital, our potential for accelerated growth to meet the needs of tomorrow’s enterprise clients is limitless.”
AVI-SPL is here and H.I.G. Capital is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
Barco Buys Control System Company MedialonBarco has purchased Florida-based Medialon. Medialon is known as a control system company that’s 100 percent cloud-based.
“For us, Barco has the piece we were missing — a sales channel,” Medialon North American Sales Manager, Eric Cantrell, told rAVe today. He continued, “It’s been an interesting several months. We are profitable and this gives Barco access to a market they want more control in — theme parks and museums — and they want to grow the corporate control business with Overture.”
Manufacturing and sales administration will move to Atlanta, Ga. and software development will move to Canada as part of X2O Media.
The acquisition has been announced to the distribution channel and becomes effective immediately. For the time being your current daily business contacts at Medialon remain unchanged, to ensure continuity during the integration period and beyond. We will inform you in a timely manner should any of your contacts change in the future.
Medialon is here and, of course, Barco is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
LeGrand Buys Luxul Wireless Legrand has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Luxul Wireless, an IP networking provider for professionally-installed, custom integration systems for residential and small-to-medium business (SMB) markets. Luxul, along with Pakedge that was acquired by Control4 earlier this year, are one of only two networking companies that specialized in routers and switches specifically for ProAV and HomeAV installs.
The explosive growth of IoT devices and automated systems throughout residential and SMB markets creates great demand for Luxul Wireless high-performance networks. As the leading networking provider in the market, Luxul Wireless will enable Legrand to capture this growing market demand.
This will further establish Legrand’s leadership position in the home AV systems market. We will see how this helps them on the ProAV space, too.
Luxul is here. Legrand is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
In a Blink: Sony’s Contact Lens Records VideoBlink and you could be recording video. Sony has designed a wearable contact lens that can take photos and video — and it has been sitting in the U.S. patent office for three years. The media (yes, all of us) missed the filing. Sony filed a patent in the U.S. in May of 2013 for a smart contact lens and it’s here.
Let’s hope they call it a Sony “Watchman” when they do release this product.
The device takes both photos and video on its own– no need to tether to a smart device. The camera has autofocus, automatic exposure and an adjustable zoom (no, don’t ask us how). It uses an organic electroluminescence display screen, and we guess it’s the curveable type.
Sony is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
InfoComm Announces 2016 Award Winners; Kramer’s David Bright, Rose Shure Among the Honored InfoComm International has announced the 2016 recipients of its annual awards.
Each year, InfoComm recognizes outstanding AV professionals for their contributions, leadership and commitment to excellence. In 2016, the InfoComm Awards Committee, a panel of volunteers, received nominations from across the AV industry and named winners for the Mackey Barron Distinguished Achievement, Adele De Berri Pioneers of AV, CTS Holder of the Year, Educator of the Year, Women in AV and Young AV Professionals Awards. The Harald Thiel Volunteer of the Year Award is bestowed by InfoComm staff. The Awards Committee did not name a winner of the Fred Dixon Service in Education Award for 2016.
“This year’s group of distinguished award winners represents the best and brightest in our industry,” said David Labuskes, CTS®, RCDD, Executive Director and CEO, InfoComm International. “If there is one thing they all have in common, it’s their commitment to giving back to their fellow AV professionals; their commitment to mentoring, inspiring, leading, innovating and educating so that the whole industry benefits and continues to grow.”
The winners are:
Mackey Barron Distinguished Achievement Award
David Bright
President, Kramer Electronics USA
Adele DeBerri Pioneers of AV Award
Dr. Roger Hajjar
Founder and CTO, Prysm
Women in AV Award (posthumously)
Rose L. Shure
Chairman, Shure Inc.
CTS Holder of the Year
Luke Jordan, CTS-I
Service and Small Systems Manager, Electro Acoustics Inc.
Educator of the Year
Jeremy Caldera, CTS-D, CTS-I
Lead Audiovisual Design Engineer, Zdi Inc.
Harald Thiel Volunteers of the Year
Christa Bender, CTS
Account Manager, Pivot Communications
Hope Roth, CTS
Programmer, Riordan Brothers
Young AV Professionals Award
Kelly Perkins, CTS
Marketing and Communications Manager, AVI Systems
Josh Srago, CTS
Design Engineer, TEECOM
All of the 2016 InfoComm Award winners will be honored in a ceremony immediately preceding the keynote address at InfoComm 2016 in Las Vegas, held June 4-10. For more information, go here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
rAVe Sponsored Dante AV Networking World at InfoComm to Feature Two Training Tracks, Dante CertificationAudinate, creator of the Dante media networking technology, will roll out a new format for the sixth annual Dante AV Networking World education event during InfoComm 2016. The workshop, to be held on June 7th at the Treasure Island hotel in Las Vegas, will feature in-depth training with two separate tracks: one for attendees that are new to Dante, and another for more experienced Dante users. Audinate will also introduce its new Dante certification program at the event.
Dante AV Networking World will give design consultants, system integrators, audio engineers and IT managers the tools and information they need to get the most out of Audinate’s revolutionary audio networking solution.
The free all-day conference will open with a general session for all attendees featuring the following presentations:
- Audio Networking Trends and Research, presented by Roland Hemming, RH Consulting.
- Unlocking the Power of Dante Via, presented by Brad Price, Sr. Product Manager, Audinate
- Inside Dante Labs: Preview of New Dante Features by Aidan Williams, CTO, Audinate
Following the joint general session, attendees will have the option of attending one of two tracks:
Track 1 is designed for attendees that are new to Dante, and are looking for the basic foundation to get started. This track will feature the following two sessions:
- Introduction to Dante, covering audio networking fundamentals, basic networking concepts, creating a small-scale Dante network, and using Dante Controller and Dante Virtual Soundcard.
- Intermediate Dante Concepts, covering topics such as Dante redundancy, clocking, latency, multicast and AES67.
Track 2 is geared toward attendees that are already using Dante, and are looking to create more advanced systems and learn best practices. This track will feature the following two sessions:
- Intermediate Dante Concepts, covering topics such as Dante redundancy, clocking, latency, multicast and AES67.
- Advanced Dante Workshop, an interactive session covering advanced networking concepts, mixed use networks, networking best practices, and troubleshooting techniques.
All attendees will receive 4 InfoComm CTS RU credits. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in Audinate’s new Dante Certification Program. The Dante Certification program provides an easy way for design consultants, integrators and others to promote their proficiency to build, operate and support Dante networks of various sizes.
rAVe is a sponsor of this event, along with Audinate, creator of Dante. You can register here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Extron Ships Fiber Optic Extenders for 4K Extron is shipping its new FOX II 4K Series for extension, switching and distribution of 4K video (up to 30 Hz with a 4:4:4 color space over one-fiber or @60 Hz with a 4:4:4 color space using two transmitters), multi‑channel audio, and bi-directional control signals over fiber optic cabling. The series includes the FOX II T DP 4K and FOX II T HD 4K fiber optic transmitters for DisplayPort and HDMI, as well as the FOX II R DP 4K with a Type 2 dual‑mode DisplayPort output to support DisplayPort and HDMI 4K resolution displays. They use Extron all‑digital technology for reliable delivery of video signals at resolutions up to 4096×2160. These extenders are HDCP-compliant, and expand the capabilities of the Extron FOX Series fiber optic products. Available in multi-mode and single-mode models, the FOX II 4K Series extenders are ideal for point-to-point installations or in combination with a FOX Matrix Switcher for an enterprise-wide 4K video distribution system.
The FOX II 4K Series fiber optic extenders provide signal extension for moderate distances of up to 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) over multi-mode fiber optic cable and extreme distances up to 30 kilometers (18.75 miles) when using single-mode cable. Both transmitters include a buffered loop-through for a local monitor at the source. Also, the FOX II R DP 4K provides audio de‑embedding and balanced return analog stereo audio output to support a remote audio source at the receiver. Other integrator-friendly features include Key Minder, EDID Minder, audio embedding, audio gain and attenuation adjustment, bidirectional RS232 and IR control, and real‑time system monitoring. Also, optional mounting kits such as the MBU 125 under-desk mounting kit allow signal extension from a source in a lectern to a remote display or central control room. These extenders are simple to set up and commission using Extron’s PCS – Product Configuration Software.
The specs on the FOX II DP 4K are here and the FOX II T HD 4K specs are here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
Altinex Debuts Anywire TP315-101 and TP315-102 Transmitter/Receiver System That Sends 1080p Over Speaker Wire Altinex just launched the Anywire TP315-101 and TP315-102 Transmitter / Receiver System designed for sending 1080p/60 Hz HDMI signal over any type of copper wire, including speaker wire, low voltage wires, any type of CAT wires, coaxial wires and more. Anywire facilitates the transmission of live video and computer video signals with synchronized audio over long distances, even without the presence of Cat6 cable.
The TP315-101 HDMI over Anywire transmitter facilitates the transmission of 1080p HDMI signals up to 600 feet using a simple two-conductor cable. The TP315-102 HDMI over Anywire receiver allows the receipt of the same signal. A single TP315-101 transmitter is capable of driving up to four TP315-102 receivers using either four individual wire pairs over 600 feet each, or by daisy chaining the receivers.
The Altinex TP315-101 transmitter and TP315-102 receiver are designed to create an economical solution for many audiovisual installations. Integrators need only to route the wires, cut and trim the installation and connect to the terminals. The unique design of the Anywire video transmission system provides stable video over greater distances than other designs. IR pass-through for receiver side to transmitter side control is provided without corrupting the HDMI signal during transmission of IR signals. Operation does not require any user control or interaction. Simply connect the Anywire input and when the transmitter detects the receiver, the receiver begins video transmission to the display.
Both the transmitter and receiver list for $375 each. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Extron Ships CCI Pro 700 Conference Room Control Interface Extron is shipping the CCI Pro 700, the industry’s first control system user interface optimized for conferencing, collaboration and AV control. The CCI Pro 700 is designed to support the functions needed in a conferencing environment, while providing an intuitive room control user interface that includes a 3.5” color display, a numeric keypad and backlit buttons. The information display can be used to show contact information, call directories and call status. Buttons directly below the display can be used to navigate custom lists and menus.
The CCI Pro 700 also offers the convenience of Extron System Templates. These free, professionally-designed audio conferencing templates provide a starting point for configuration with downloadable GC Plus files that include GUI layouts and sample system logic.
The CCI Pro 700 is configured using Extron Global Configurator Plus or Global Configurator Professional and GUI Designer software and works in conjunction with any Extron IP Link Pro control processor. It operates using standard network infrastructure and is easy to install with reliable and cost effective Ethernet cable.
Here are the detailed specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
tvOne Ships 1T-MV-8474 4K MultiviewerThe 1T-MV-8474 4K Multiviewer is the latest product in tvONE’s range of 4K enabled products. It can display up to four video windows simultaneously via sixteen different fixed layouts, which can be recalled to present your content in a variety of combinations. Combinations can vary from a straight forward Quad split, Picture-In-Picture, Triple, Side-By-Side, Full screen or something more complex with multiple layers.
The 1T-MV-8474 has seven inputs — four HDMI, two DisplayPort, one VGA/YPbPr supporting rRGB, YUV4:4:4, deep color at 3840×2160@30Hz on the HDMI input and RGB, YUV 4:4:4, deep color at 3840×2160@60Hz on the DisplayPort input. It is complimented by seven independent stereo analog audio inputs which can be assigned and embedded into any of the video streams. It offers a single scaled HDMI output capable of supporting resolutions up to 3840×2160@30.
A digital Toslink and eight independent de-embedded analog channels allow you to switch audio separately from the HDMI stream allowing you to integrate 7.1 audio with external equipment. Full EDID management and audio control including delay and volume adjustments are supported through the Web interface, making it easy to integrate the 1T-MV-8474 into complex systems. Control is via a Web interface, RS232, Ethernet, infrared remote or from the front panel buttons. Four of the buttons on front panel and the IR remote are assignable which means you can allocate specific preset configurations and easily recall them during presentations.
Here are the specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Canon Announces New Short Throw LCoS Projectors Canon introduced the REALiS WUX450ST Pro AV LCoS Projector. The newest short throw projector in Canon’s non-interchangeable lens product line, the REALiS WUX450ST has a native WUXGA resolution (1920×1200), is spec’d at 4500 lumens of brightness and uses Canon’s LCoS technology with AISYS-enhancement — all in a compact size (only 13.9 pounds). The REALiS WUX450ST projector’s 1.35x optical zoom, short throw ratio of 0.56:1 and 0 to 75 percent vertical lens shift and it has HDBaseT integrated as an input.
For those in the medical education and training fields, the REALiS WUX450ST D Pro AV Installation LCoS Projector is available with all of the same features of the REALiS WUX450ST, plus a special DICOM Simulation Mode for displaying monochrome digital X-rays, CAT scans, and MRIs with superb grayscale gradation. This unique mode, which offers both clear and blue base color temperature presets, simulates the results of devices compliant with the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) Part 14 standard. This mode can also be utilized in other specialized applications like black and white photography where an expanded range of gamma adjustment is required.
The Canon REALiS WUX450ST projector lists for $7,329. The Canon REALiS WUX450ST D projector has a suggested list price of $7,959 and both are currently scheduled to ship by April 2016. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
Hitachi Introduces First Solid-State DLP Laser Projector Hitachi America introduced the LP-WU9750B model, their first solid-state laser projector. The single-chip DLP-based WUXGA 1920×1200 resolution projectors aimed at large auditoriums, conference rooms, museums and concert or stage productions as it claims to have 8,000 ANSI lumens light output and a 20,000:1 contrast ratio. Like all other solid-state projectors on the market, the engine is protected with an air-tight, dust-resistant seal that minimizes the number of dust particles that enter the engine that could eventually lead to decreased brightness. This design gives the projector resistance against the effects of dust and allows the projector to be used in a large variety of environments.
This model also comes with five inputs including HDBaseT, two HDMI, DVI-D and 3G SDI. Seven optional lenses are available; compatible with Hitachi’s 9000 series allowing for projection distance ranging from 33-749 inches, some installations may vary. The LP-WU9750B is compatible with the Crestron Integrated Partner program and the AMX Device Discovery protocol, to help with control programming and it also supports web control and PJLink.
Complete specs are here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Canon Debuts New Laser Projector and Lens Line Canon has introduced the LX-MU800Z, the company’s first single-chip DLP Projector with a Laser-Phosphor light source spec’d at 20,000 hours of operation to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO). Additional key features on the LX-MU800Z projector include native WUXGA (1920×1200) resolution, a spec of up-to-8000 lumens, a dynamic contrast ratio up to 10,500:1, and seven interchangeable lens options with motorized lens shift for installation flexibility.
Like every laser projector in the market, the LX-MU800Z Laser DLP Projector can be rotated 360 degrees at any angle on the vertical axis, and can also be used to project in portrait applications. The LX-MU800Z projector also offers seven interchangeable lens options. Additionally, the projector’s lens memory function can be used to store up to eight different custom lens positions, each including lens shift, zoom and focal length.
Lens Options:
- Ultra Wide Zoom LX-IL01UW 0.75 – 0.93:1
- Wide Zoom LX-IL02WZ 1.25 – 1.79:1
- Standard Zoom LX-IL03ST 1.73 – 2.27:1
- Middle Zoom LX-IL04MZ 2.22 – 3.67:1
- Long Zoom LX-IL05LZ 3.58 – 5.38:1
- Ultra Long Zoom LX-IL06UL 5.31 – 8.26:1
- Short Fixed Zoom LX-IL07WF 0.76:1
The LX-MU800Z’s inputs include 3G-SDI, HDMI, DVI-D and a built-in HDBaseT receiver allowing uncompressed HD video, audio and control signals to be transmitted over a single LAN cable with a maximum distance up to 328 feet (100m).
The new Canon LX-MU800Z Laser DLP Projector will list for $17,969 and here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
Sony Adds HDR to Its 4K VPL-VW365ES Projector Sony Electronics announced today that it is bringing HDR capability to its 4K VPL-VW365ES home theater projector in May, and that current owners will be able to add the feature with a firmware update. Introduced at CEDIA 2015, the VPL-VW365ES is the third Sony home cinema projector, after the VPL-VW5000ES and VPL-VW665ES, to support the 4K HDR format.
Sony says that HDR video content delivers exceptional detail, color and contrast, with a far wider range of luminescence than other video formats. They claim the result is the most lifelike picture projectors have ever been able to create, with brilliant highlights and fine detail. Home cinema enthusiasts will now have the opportunity to experience total immersion through the imagery displayed from their VPL-VW365ES projector. HDR imagery is the closest representation of the reality our eyes see every day, with greater detail, wide contrast ratio, increased color volume, brighter highlights and deeper blacks.
The VPL-VW365ES uses advanced SXRD panels for a native 4K picture, with no artificial manipulation of pixels so that over 26 million pixels are displayed with each refresh cycle. Rich and accurate color reproduction is ensured by Sony’s proprietary TRILUMINOS engine design, while Motionflow picture technology serves to deliver clearer, less blurry images when watching fast-paced, cinematic or sports action.
The VPL-VW365ES allows users to enjoy the latest 4K and HDR content services using the latest HDMI standard and HDCP 2.2. A built-in RF 3D transmitter provides interface to industry-standard 3D glasses with a strong wireless signal for wider coverage and uninterrupted 3D synchronization stability. Professional calibration features allow operators to expertly adjust the picture to suit the viewers’ tastes. These color correction tools allow access to adjust the hue, saturation, and brightness of each color and the color space for red, green, blue respectively, to their desired level.
The VPL-VW365ES home theater projector was introduced at CEDIA 2015 at a suggested retail price of $9,999.99. All the specs are here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
New Extron LinkLicense SMP 351 Upgrade Enables Simultaneous Recording of Two Independent Sources Extron just upgraded the LinkLicense SMP 351 with a Dual Recording Upgrade that enables enhanced recording, streaming and audio DSP capabilities for the SMP 351 H.264 Streaming Media Processor. With this new upgrade, the SMP 351 can record two sources at the same time, at resolutions up to 1080p/30 and bit-rates up to 10 Mbps. This dual recording capability grants users increased flexibility in the selection of playback layouts with the Entwine EMP video player. The LinkLicense upgrade also includes simultaneous streaming of two separate sources and provides advanced audio DSP features including level controls, filtering and compressors. The LinkLicense SMP 351 Dual Recording Upgrade can be added when ordering a new SMP 351 processor and existing units can be upgraded with a LinkLicense Redemption.
The SMP 351 is a flexible, cost-effective streaming media processor for delivering dynamic presentations to live and on-demand audiences. It is ideal for any environment where AV sources can be recorded or streamed live. 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 support many different 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.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Datapath’s ActiveConnect Cables Don’t Require Power Datapath has launched a series of long-range fiber optic DisplayPort1.2 and HDMI2.0 cable, with lengths up to 100m that don’t require additional power and measure just 7mm in diameter. They are designed to provide a direct connection from any graphics card, including the Datapath ImageDP4, to either DisplayPort or HDMI monitors or from media players to Datapath’s HDMI or DisplayPort capture cards.
All video wall or digital signage installations require careful planning around how to connect sources to video wall equipment, and graphics cards to screens. Many cables can be large, heavy and difficult to manage, especially when installers are attempting to accommodate large bundles of cables from a video wall controller to a bank of screens, which is typical in many control room, hospital and live event applications. Another challenge is that conventional long-range solutions require additional power at both the transmitter and receiver end of the solution. However, Datapath’s ActiveConnect series overcomes all of these issues with a single, DisplayPort to DisplayPort or HDMI to HDMI fiber optic cable.
Along with the absence of additional power requirements a further USP is the transmission of full 4k signals at 60 fps to suit all high resolution applications. Each cable is HDCP compliant, allowing for protected sources to be carried within the Datapath system. In addition, the cables are Plenum-rated, ensuring they can be installed safely into building cavities such as walls, floors or ceilings.
Installation is simplified not only by the small 7-millimeter diameter of the cables, but by a weight of just 15 grams pre-meter (including connectors) and a maximum bend radius of 6mm, which allows cables to be maneuvered around obstacles with ease.
ActiveConnect cables are available with either DisplayPort 1.2 or HDMI 2.0 connectors. The DisplayPort is available in 25, 50 and 100 metre lengths, with the HDMI currently available in 25 and 50 meters, with 100 meters coming soon.
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Peerless-AV Adds SmartMount for Microsoft Surface Hub Peerless-AV has announced its SmartMount line of mobile carts and flat, tilt and articulating wall mounts for the Microsoft Surface Hub.
For mobile solutions in corporate applications, hospitality events, and education settings, Peerless-AV’s stylish SmartMount Flat Panel Cart (SR598-HUB) was designed to securely mount the 55″ and 84″ versions of the Microsoft Surface Hub at Microsoft’s recommended display positioning height of 55″. The cart is UL rated up to 300 lbs. and offers vertical adjustment so the display can be positioned at any height up to 60″ from the floor, if needed. The large rolling casters provide a smooth way to move the displays from one location to the next while the locking feature offers a stable foundation for use in touch applications. The integrated cable management channels ensure a quick, simple, and aesthetically pleasing way to hide cables, completing the overall appearance and look of the cart as the perfect solution for the Microsoft Surface Hub in any environment.
Corner bumpers are provided on the base of the cart to protect doorways and walls from unintentional damage while moving the cart and if desired, an optional keyboard tray can be located on either column under the display. The SR598-HUB is the ideal mobile solution specially designed for the Microsoft Surface Hub.
For more permanent applications, Peerless-AV’s SmartMount line features a variety of wall mounts ideal for increasing the functionality of the Microsoft Surface Hub. The SmartMount Universal Flat Wall Mounts (SF650 & SF680-HUB) offer versatile installation features and mounting options for the 55″ and 84″ models. Horizontal and vertical adjustment abilities allow for post-installation leveling while a low-profile design offers a sleek look to fit into any décor. Security screws deter tampering and theft and an open wall plate design offers total wall access, increasing electrical and cable management options. A Hook-and-Hang system and Easy-Glide adaptors allow for a seamless installation that is easily managed.
With the SmartMount Articulating Wall Arm Mount (SA771PU), users can extend the 55″ Microsoft Surface Hub up to 26.60″ or fully retract it to just 3.10″ as well as vertically tilt it +15°/-5°,making it easier than ever to find the perfect viewing position for each and every use. The Articulating Wall Arm Mount’s I-Shaped Adaptor plate ensures accessibility to the back of the Microsoft Surface Hub and integrated cable management offers a clean installation.
The SmartMount Universal Tilt Wall Mount (ST650) series for the 55″ Microsoft Surface Hub also offers great adaptability, featuring IncreLok tilt technology to lock the tilt angle at installation to prevent tampering or moving. The ST650 features post installation adjustments, security screws, an open wall plate design, Easy-Glide adaptors that hook onto the wall plate, and more, all ensuring a perfect Microsoft Hub installation with an ideal user interface. Like the Flat and Articulating Wall Mounts, the ST650 ensures a quick, simple, and secure single-person installation.
You can check it out here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Focusrite RedNet A8R Offers Eight Channels of Analog I/O With Redundancy Focusrite announces the introduction of its RedNet A8R, adding eight channels of analog I/O to its RedNet line of Dante-based audio-over-IP interfaces. In keeping with other modules in the series, RedNet A8R is housed in a 1U enclosure, and offers network-connected analog input and output with 24-bit, 192kHz A-D/D-A conversion, along with full network and power supply redundancy.
Access to the eight channels of analog I/O is provided via dual rear-panel DB25 connectors wired to standard AES59 specification, while two XLR connectors provide two channels of AES/EBU digital I/O. Word Clock I/O connections are made via BNC sockets and include switchable termination. Dual network connections are provided on locking etherCON connectors and the dual power supplies’ IEC power sockets include cable-retaining clips.
RedNet A8R operates at standard sample rates up to 192kHz/24-bit, including pull up/down, with sample rate, operating levels and other features configured remotely via software running on the host computer. The unit offers a dynamic range of 119dB A-weighted, A-D and D-A, with a frequency response of 20Hz-20kHz ±0.15dB. Front panel indicators include tri-color LED level indication for each channel along with sample rate, clock source, PSU and network status indicators.
All the detailed specs are here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
WorxAudio Technologies Announces PDA-1000R Power Amplifier with Integrated DSP and Dante WorxAudio Technologies, a division of PreSonus Audio Electronics, just launched the PDA-1000R power amplifier with an integrated DSP and Dante audio networking technology. The new PDA-1000R provides PreSonus’ Active Integration technology to create networkable Dante-enabled loudspeaker systems with a DSP that can be controlled by a computer running WorxControl (a loudspeaker management and remote control/monitoring application for AI-enhanced WorxAudio loudspeakers) over a standard LAN.
As a 2-channel, Class D power amp with 500W per channel, the new PDA-1000R incorporates two onboard Presets, High Pass Filter, Temperature, Signal, -3 dB, Limit and Clip indications, XLR Input, XLR Pass thru and Dante, which offers a no hassle, self-configuring, true plug and play digital audio networking experience. Central to the PDA-1000R’s capabilities is WorxControl, which provides a suite of advanced editing controls that enables one to customize the system to compensate for room anomalies, create delay systems, eliminate feedback, and more.
Key features of WorxControl include an 800 ms alignment delay adjustable in 0.1 ms increments so operators can align delay systems, center fills, and more. There’s also a Limiter with fully variable threshold that enables one to control dynamics without a mixer or an output processor as well as a Compressor with fully variable attack, release, threshold, ratio, and make-up gain. Additional functionality includes an 8-band Parametric EQ or selectable Low/High Shelving filters for each loudspeaker in the system, 8 Notch Filters for removal of unwanted frequencies (to eliminate feedback), a Low Pass Filter with selectable filter types, plus Input level and gain reduction metering.
With Dante audio networking capability, all of the PDA-1000R’s capabilities come with the added benefit of streamlined system cabling. Known for its ability to transport low latency uncompressed audio over standard IP Ethernet networks with sample accurate synchronization, Dante provides automatic device and channel discovery as well as easy-to-use signal routing. Dante audio networking provides control over audio feeds from remote locations and enables users to build sophisticated SR systems by deploying Cat5 cables throughout the venue as opposed to running conventional audio cables.
Here are all the tech specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
RedNet PCIeR Card for Dante Networks Claims Low Latency, Network Redundancy Focusrite announced the release of RedNet PCIeR for Dante networks, part of the expanding RedNet range of Dante-compatible interface products offering network redundancy. Functionally similar to the existing RedNet PCIe, RedNet PCIeR card adds dual RJ45 Ethernet ports, allowing two networks to be connected to the card, which can switch between them automatically according to network availability.
The card supports 24-bit/192kHz operation with connected interfaces, and requires a standard four-lane PCI Express card slot in a Windows or Mac computer or Thunderbolt chassis. The card delivers 128 inputs and 128 outputs at 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96kHz (64 I/O at 176.4 and 192kHz), with under 3ms analog-to-analog latency when used with RedNet A-D and D-A at any sample rate, combining the best possible system performance with exceptional reliability.
RedNet PCIeR is shipping now and lists for $1,299. Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Sennheiser Demos MK 4 Digital Mic for USB and iOS Sennheiser just demoed the new digital version of its MK 4, one of the audio specialist’s most popular recording mics. With high-quality Apogee A/D conversion and mic preamp technology, MK 4 digital connects directly to iOS devices, Mac and PC computers. The large-diaphragm MK 4 digital is designed for any mobile recording task.
The MK 4 digital is a must-have microphone for the home studio and in mobile recording, whether in the rehearsal room or on the road. Its exceptional sound quality will also be an asset in the recording of speech. It is delivered complete with a USB cable and a Lightning iOS cable for connecting to iPad, iPhone or iPod touch as well as a microphone clamp and a pouch.
The microphone can be used with common media production programs such as Logic Pro X, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Pro Tools or Ableton Live and iOS recording apps such as GarageBand and Apogee MetaRecorder. The MK 4 digital will become available from summer 2016.
Here are the specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe ProAV Edition out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100 percent opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the ProAV industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that’s why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: We run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
Don’t like us? Then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send us feedback, don’t reply to this newsletter. Instead, write directly to founder Gary at gary@ravepubs.com or Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
Everything we publish is opt-in — we spam NO ONE! rAVe ProAV Edition is our flagship publication with what we believe is a reach of virtually everyone in the ProAV market. rAVe HomeAV Edition is co-published with CEDIA, covering the HomeAV market. We added rAVe Rental [and Staging] in November 2007, rAVe ED [Education] in May 2008 and then rAVe DS [Digital Signage] in January 2009. We added rAVe GHGav [Green, Healthcare & Government AV] in August 2010 and rAVe HOW [House of Worship] in July 2012. You can subscribe to any of those publication or see ALL our archives by going to: https://www.ravepubs.com
To read more about rAVe’s team and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com Back to Top |
Copyright 2016 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln. – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – (919) 969-7501. Email: Sara@rAVePubs.com
rAVe contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |
|
|
|