Volume 15, Issue 1 — January 10, 2018
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Editorial Editorial Editorial
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Industry News Audio Projection TVs Control & Signal Processing Cables, Furniture, Mounts, Racks, Screens and Accessories
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So You Want to Go to CES? Nah, No You Don’t. Really, You Don’t – Here’s Your CES 2018 Guide So You Don’t Have to Go
By Gary Kayye rAVe Founder
During the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) each year, nearly every big consumer tech company debuts something new — and many of them will declare it “disruptive” or “game-changing” or “innovative” or one of a dozen or so other self-congratulatory adjectives that mean nothing. And all the while, the city for Las Vegas commences to ripping people off like no other city can do quite as well. Drinks go up 20 to 30 percent. Hotel rates more than double or even triple from the week before. Taxis gouge riders, Uber drivers no-show riders not going “far enough” and everyone is grumpy by Wednesday.
Trying to navigate the Las Vegas Convention Center halls, filled with 184,000+ souls trying not to miss the “next-big-thing” (another over-used moniker by many for the booths) is a horrible experience. Just horrible. The food lines are 45 minutes long, minimum. The bathroom lines are longer than the entire time would would spend inside a bathroom at home on a normal week and the show’s aisles just aren’t wide enough. It’s like sitting in traffic on the 405 freeway in Los Angeles at 5:30 p.m. on a Friday. Bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Don’t get me wrong. Everyone should experience it. Once. But after that, you won’t want to go back — but you might have to, if you work for one of the 4,000 or so companies that will exhibit their new gear and software this year.
There will be some big news out of CES and we’ll be covering it at rAVePubs.com — or, at least the truly big news. But, in the meantime, so you don’t feel like you missed anything, here’s the most important things being launched there this week:
8K, 8K, 8K: Did I mention 8K? Yes, Sharp, LG, Sony and a few others will be showing 8K TVs, monitors, cameras and players. Some are LCD and some are OLED. But all of them are 7680×4320 resolution. (Editor’s Note: In all fairness, Sharp debuted an 8K TV back in 2017 here). You can’t use them with anything, yet, as there’s no content. But, there will be after the 2018 Winter Olympics — so if you want to watch that over-and-over then there will be some in March. But, don’t expect any of the big content companies to serve-up 8K content via your set-top box in 2018. However, if you want to watch 16 NCAA basketball games side-by-side on one screen in native 1080p in April during the annual tournament, you’ll love 8K!
Health-Tech: Now, this is, actually, the next big thing. There will be well over 300 companies debuting new DIY or self-management healthcare solutions that leverage your digital leash (i.e., smartphone). We’ve already seen some biggies over the past year: You can now manage (some types of) diabetes without pricking a finger; there’s a continuously-measuring heart-rate monitor through phones and the Apple Watch; and real-time personal monitoring can connect to your online medical records that your doctor (or EMS) can use to help you. But at CES 2018, we will see a new generation of heath-tech that will become a new economy for the world. A big economy — potentially like tech was back in the late 1980s. And, as Steve Jobs once said in his famous Stanford grad speech, “No one wants to die.” So, everyone will be willing to spend money on anything that is even remotely proven to help you save your life or make you healthier. Things as simple as hearing aids connected to the infamous cloud to things you swallow and monitor your body for anything that’s not normal. CES 2018 could forever be remembered as the year health-tech exploded on the scene.
Smart Cars: Let’s be honest here, we already have smart cars. A BMW, a Mercedes and even a Honda are all computers on wheels. Google and Apple entered that space with its on-board entertainment systems made for cars a few years ago. Heck, I wouldn’t even consider buying a car that doesn’t have Apple’s CarPlay. But, the self-driving car is nearly a reality and will change our lives forever. There will be a handful of them at CES — all prototypes, of course, but they will truly wow and amaze people. And, as Elon Musk and Google will tell you, we’re less than a half-dozen years away from seeing them in the showroom for us to buy. The only thing that could slow this down has nothing to do with technology, ironically. It’s the government. They might decide that the impact on the economy that self-driving cars would have may not be sustainable, yet, economically, so they may find a away to regulate its debut until they address the economic (i.e., job elimination) impact. But, expect to see companies like FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service as some of the first to use them.
Ugh, More Smart Speakers: For me, enough is enough. I love my Amazon Echo and Alexa. And, even though I’m probably an Apple fan boy, it’s going to take mind-blowing experience with Apple’s HomePod smart speaker to make me switch. I mean, I’ve not only trained Alexa to know what I want — in many cases before I even ask her — but we’re on a first name basis. At CES, there could be at least three major new launches of smart speakers from the likes of Roku, Vizio and even Microsoft, who I hear is going to take another try at it. Enough is enough. This will be a short-lived phenomenon as peer-recommendations will dominate here and the big three will likely shake out to be Amazon, Google and Apple, eventually. The rest will be also-rans or will license one of those (like Sonos did, integrating Alexa into the new Sonos One speaker). That said, what could eventually help Apple and Google against Amazon will be the seamless use of their technologies in their car entertainment systems — so you can have the same personal digital assistant in the car as you have at home (with all its expert knowledge of you).
VR & AR: You can’t have a review nowadays without saying Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. So, there you go. It’s said. It will be everywhere as it’s not only the buzz-term of the times but it’s also a way to attract VC (venture capital) funds. So, they’ll be plenty of it. Nothing earth shattering yet, except better gaming.
Fast Connections Everywhere: That’s the holy grail, right now, of technology. To be able to remain connected all the time with a fast connection was the promise of 3G, 4G, LTE and now 5G. But, even Wi-Fi has issues. Heck, in my 35’ x 35’ classroom at UNC there are places in the room where you can connect with blazing speed and places where students can’t even connect. It’s crazy. So, imagine doing that all over a town, a county or a state. That’s what AT&T, Sprint and Verizon have been trying to do for over a decade and, well, have failed to do. They just can’t keep up. CES will be all about 5G but it won’t fix our issues. I promise you that. But attendees will be impressed with the claims and the carefully-orchestrated demos.
OMG, I Almost forgot About AI: Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has actually been around for years — and we’ve been using it for years. It’s what makes Siri sort of recognize what you are asking her on an Apple device. And, AI is that feature where, when you’re Googling something, the search box fills out what you were going to Google before you finish typing it. Yes, that’s AI. AI is what’s making the device, the machine, the cloud and big-data aggregate your current device usage, instantly, with what everyone else in the world is doing right now and AI automatically figures out what you wanted. The ultimate in AI would be something that predicts what you want and need 100% of the time — but that would be terrifying, especially if someone else you knew got to see inside that, like reading your mind. But it’s coming. And at CES 2018, there will be no fewer than 200 companies showing AI stuff. And, all the biggies will, for sure.
Robot Fun: I have always wanted a robot. I would love to have a robot. Please, finally, come out with a robot. It doesn’t even have to be as cool looking as BB-8 from Star Wars. It can be square and flat — I don’t care. But I want it to be able to cook and clean. I love my Roomba (robot vacuum) but it’s lacking. I still have to clean behind it. And, it can’t cook. I want a robot that can cook. Seriously! Alas, the robots, and there will be a few of them, that will be at CES will be demos. Like the self-driving car, they are a few years away from anything substantial. They need that AI thing I talked about, above, to be better.
Hey, I have a great idea: How about a robot that can drive and I can talk to — or, better yet, a robot that knows where I want to go, will entertain me while going there and will feed me along the way?! Leave a Comment
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Resolve To Close More Deals In The New Year
By Lee Distad rAVe Columnist
Presumably you’ve had some quiet time over the holidays to reflect on the past year, and to look forward to the next. Since traditionally now is the time to think about resolutions for the coming year, perhaps you’re thinking about what you can do differently at work, whether it’s how to streamline processes to be more efficient or how to grow your revenue.
One thing you can take a look at is to drill down on what you’re doing to close more deals. When everything is going great it’s easy to be a star salesman just by picking the low hanging fruit. But what about when everything isn’t going great?
Hold on to your seat — you might actually have to do some work. That means not just drumming up more qualified prospects, because if the market is tough, there might not be more prospects than usual — there might be fewer.
It also means making more out of what you’ve got. If you have fewer leads then it seems self-evident that you’re going to have to close more of them.
Closing is misunderstood. That’s a hill that I will happily die on.
People commonly think of closing as asking for the sale, and then asking again and again until the client says yes.
In order to even get to the point where you ask, “So, will you buy it?”, you need to do a number of things well beforehand. Itemize them, track the and commit to doing them, and that will take you to where you want to go: closing the deal!
First, commit to seriously prospecting for new leads. By now I hope you all know about hunters and farmers, but if you don’t, “hunters” are the salespeople who have a knack for going out, cold calling and drumming up business. “Farmers” are salespeople who do better dealing with existing clients or dealing with people who walk in the door in a retail setting.
Hunters already know this, but if you generally prefer to farm, think of it this way: You’ll have more existing business to look after if you go and create some new leads for yourself.
Briefly on prospecting (I know I can go on about this): Make list of who you’re going to approach: builders, designers, architects, retail stores, whoever. Talk to your existing clients for referrals. Someone you know probably knows someone who needs your help.
Once you have a list, work it. Make every effort to get in front of decision makers and find that chemistry between you. What chemistry, you ask? You’ll found out if you commit to qualifying your leads.
Qualifying prospective clients is crucial. To use dating as a metaphor it’s the “get to know you” phase. By getting to know them, you’re not just learning what they think they need, but also uncovering hidden needs. Because heaven knows what clients first think they need isn’t always what they really need. It’s your job to help them realize it.
You may not necessarily walk away from those first get to know you sessions with a signed contract. And that’s OK. No one closes every prospect on the first meeting. That’s why you need to commit to scheduled follow up.
In retail we all dread the “I’ll-be-back,” but if you’re proactive, keep their contact information and follow up diligently, you can turn maybes into for-sures. You don’t need to stalk them but you need to work your list of prospects daily. Put them in your calendar. You’ll know from qualifying them what the appropriate timeline for follow up is, whether it’s a day, week, month, whatever.
I’ll tell you right now. If you actually follow up with prospective clients you’ll be among the top quartile of all salespeople, everywhere. As my realtor wife likes to say, joking-but-not-joking: “Hey other realtors, want to make more money? THEN ANSWER YOUR ******* PHONE!”
Trust me, it doesn’t just apply to real estate.
To close out, I want to be clear that when I say “close more,” I don’t mean the whole Glengarry Glenn Ross “Always Be Closing!” rant (as much as I never get tired of watching that). What I mean is being professional and consistent about the whole process, from prospecting all the way through to the finish. Resolve to do all of that, and you’ll have a great year.
Image via Glengarry Glen Ross Leave a Comment
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More OLED-on-Silicon to Come from New Joint-Venture
By Chris Chinnock Founder and President, Insight Media
One of the display technologies that is being used in Virtual Reality (VR) headsets is OLED-on-Silicon. Recently, a new partnership was formed between US-based Kopin and two Chinese partners: BOE and Olightek. The three have agreed to form a Joint Venture (JV) to build new state-of-the-art OLED-on-Silicon manufacturing facility in China to serve anticipated needs for displays in VR and AR headsets.
So why have these three joined forces? Kopin’s expertise lies in microdisplay design and manufacture (LCD, LCoS and now OLED) having produced over 30M devices so far. The company is strong in backplane design and has manufacturing experience with LCD and LCoS microdisplays. They have also been very active in development of all the elements of VR headset design (optics, electronics and ergonomics).
Olightek’s expertise lies in the manufacture of OLED microdisplays, in particular the deposition process. The manufacture of OLED microdisplays on Si is not the same as manufacturing OLED displays on glass for a tablet or cell phone. Since Si is opaque, microdisplays must use top-emitting OLED structures.
BOE is already the largest LCD maker in China and is the clear leader in direct view OLED display production in China as well for use in devices such as TVs and mobile phones. According to David Hsieh at IHS, “BOE’s [direct view OLED] capacity will grow by 10 million m² per year from 2017 to 2019 as it ramps up the B10 Fuqing Gen 8 and B9 Hefei Gen 10.5 fabs. Meanwhile, ramping up Gen 10.5 in late 2018 will allow BOE to take the capacity crown away from LG Display in 2019 to reach 54.8 million m² in 2019.” And it is expanding its OLED ecosystem activities in many areas. This includes OLED printing (Kateeva), sub-pixel rendering (Yungyinggu) and VR/AR headsets (Xloong).
The entry of BOE into this niche part of the display industry is interesting. The combination of Kopin, Olightek and BOE is a strategic blend of Kopin’s microdisplay expertise, Olightek’s micro OLED manufacturing capabilities and BOE’s world class large scale manufacturing and is designed to dominate the OLED microdisplay market.
The new JV is being capitalized with about $150M with BOE the major shareholder. The new OLED-on-Silicon manufacturing facility is expected to be operational in the first half of 2019. The initial capacity is expected to be about 1 million OLED microdisplays per year, and the longer term goal is to establish the largest OLED-on-Silicon capacity in the world. The new facility is expected to be built in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. Until the new facility is built Kopin and Olightek have entered into an agreement to expand Olightek’s current OLED manufacturing capacity by sharing the cost to procure additional deposition equipment for OLED-on-Silicon microdisplays. The new line is expected to produce displays in the first quarter of 2018. The intention is that this capacity will be able to meet initial demand and also allow potential customers to design products with the OLED microdisplays until the BOE facility is in production.
The manufacturing of OLED-on-Silicon microdisplays can get complicated, so let’s take a deeper look at the supply chain. First, there are only a handful of OLED-on-Silicon microdisplay suppliers in the world. These include Olightek, Kopin, Sony, eMagin and MicroOLED.
All outsource the fabrication of the OLED backplane to silicon foundries, but then employ different business models for the fabrication of the OLED frontplane and device packaging. All, except Kopin, are vertically integrated, meaning they do the OLED depositions and packaging in-house. Only Kopin is pursuing a totally fabless manufacturing model with Olightek and later BOE, providing the OLED deposition, color filters and packaging for the company.
Kopin claims such a model offers more flexibility and will lead to lower cost microdisplays and AR/VR products. Kopin says that while the capital investment in OLED microdisplay frontplane equipment is not huge compared to direct view OLED fabs, the utilization of the factory contributes to a large fraction of the cost of displays. The fabless model allows Kopin to leverage the OLED expertise of Olightek and BOE and their state-of-the-art equipment without the capex and opex burden.
So how will Kopin differentiate their microdisplays? Hong Choi, Kopin’s CTO said that their patents cover technologies that reduce power consumption, increase frame rate even for very high resolution (120 Hz frame rate for its 2k x 2k display), and improve image uniformity by mitigating any Si process-related non-uniformity. In addition, Kopin’s patented architecture can reduce motion artifacts by implementing a “rolling shutter” in which each line is reset to black a certain time after it is illuminated.
Choi made it clear that Kopin OLED-on-Silicon microdisplays will be very attractive based on the backplane design and features. He noted that their team has a long history of OLED backplane design expertise in addition to transmissive LCoS and reflective LCoS (via their acquisition of Forth Dimension Displays). But each technology needs a different backplane design with only limited commonality such as using ramp DAC (digital to analog converter).
Like the other display backplane designs, both analog and digital circuits are needed for the OLED backplane. To drive OLED pixels, transistors should operate at least 5V. Digital circuits can operate at 1.2 V or 1.8V. Either 0.18 um or 0.13/0.11 um design rules can be used. The smaller design rules with l.2V digital circuits are preferred for lower power consumption. There are many foundries that have mixed signal processes that supports both > 5V and 1.8 V (or 1.2V).
Clearly, Kopin, Olightek and BOE see a growing market for OLED-on-Silicon microdisplays and investing to satisfy this expected demand. We will have to see if this bet pans out. Leave a Comment
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Control4 Buys Remote Monitoring and Management Company IhijiControl4 today announced that it has acquired Ihiji, a provider of remote management services.
Control4 says that by combining two industry-leading network and device management solutions — BakPak from Control4 (after Control4’s 2016 acquisition of Pakedge) and Invision from Ihiji — into one unified service platform, Control4 will provide offer integrators a unified cloud-based system for device monitoring and management.
The joint team is now developing the unified cloud-based service platform which will be made available in phases to all Control4 and Ihiji dealers and their end-customers later in the year. The shared goal is to operate a single integrated monitoring and services experience that provides all dealers with complete visibility and control at the network level, which would include over 2,000 third-party products, as well as all Control4 and Pakedge smart home equipment. Today, Ihiji works with the industry manufacturers such as: Araknis, Belkin, Brocade, Cisco, Crestron, Dell, Denon, D-Link, Integra, Luxul, Marantz, Netgear, Onkyo, Pakedge, Panamax, Russound, Savant, Sky, Sony, SurgeX, Synaccess, Yamaha and others, and those integrations will continue to be central to the new unified management platform. The new solution will also deliver a comprehensive view of every home and customer to enable dealers to monitor, assess, remediate and track performance concerns associated with their customers’ homes.
Today, Control4 will begin selling the previously named Ihiji APP-750 network appliance under its new name, the Pakedge NX-1, with a list price of USD $650. Control4 also announced the elimination of all subscription fees associated with the Ihiji Invision management service.
The Ihiji product development and support teams are now part of Control4 and are working within the company’s networking group to continue supporting existing Ihiji dealers, and to deliver the new unified management platform later this year. All Ihiji dealers using Invision will continue to be supported and are encouraged to continue utilizing and installing Invision in new installations. Later this year, progress releases towards the new unified and integrated service platform will be made available to all Ihiji, Control4, and Pakedge dealers and their installed customers through a software update process for the APP-750, NX-1, NK-1, RK-1 and WR-1.
Control4 is here and ihiji is here. Leave a Comment
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Dan Dugan Sound Design Launches 50th Anniversary Celebration Dan Dugan Sound Design is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2018 and has launched a year-long celebration. Company founder Dan Dugan, CEO of Dan Dugan Sound Design, Inc. will be at the company’s display booth for several trade shows this year (including ISE, NAB, InfoComm, AES and others) to greet attendees and conduct his “killer demo” of legendary Dugan automatic microphone mixing technologies.
Dan Dugan began his sound designing career while working at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, where he designed the first multi-scene theatrical sound console along with other equipment. While at ACT, the production stage manager coined the title Sound Designer “to describe what Dan Dugan does.” He became independent shortly thereafter.
Dugan took on the challenge of designing sound reinforcement systems for regional productions of the musical Hair. He thought that there had to be a better way to handle 36 live mics on stage than twisting knobs on a rack of mixers. After six years of experimenting, he found a solution. His invention, the automatic microphone mixer, radically improved the quality of sound operation in installed sound, conferences and broadcasting. No longer did audio mixers have to sweat fading up the next talker while keeping system gain under the feedback point; instead, they were free to focus on the quality of the mix.
An automixer controls a group of live microphones, turning up mics when someone is talking and turning down mics that aren’t being used. The real-time voice-activated process invented by Dugan maintains overall system gain and ensures everyone is being heard at the right time. The technologies invented by Dan Dugan are widely recognized for their “transparent” gain-sharing operation. Overall system gain is held at the level of one microphone, regardless of who is talking, how loudly (or softly) they are talking or how many people are trying to talk at once. Operation is simple: microphones are connected, system gain is set, and the automixer takes care of the rest. The result is clear, understandable audio without upcutting talkers or shifts in background noise.
Over the years, Dugan products have been updated to conform to changing industry standards. Modern DSP technologies have been adopted, as well as current modes of I/O including ADAT, MADI and Dante. Control of “Dugans” has also progressed with the years, with remote control via PC and iPad apps and a physical control surface option.
Dugan products are used in education, corporate, live theater, television and government settings worldwide. In addition to manufacturing his own products, which connect to standard audio consoles via insert points, Dan Dugan licenses his algorithms to other manufacturers. Yamaha has now adopted Dugan technology in all of their digital mixing consoles and installed sound processors, and Dugan automixing is available in products from Waves, Sound Devices, and Protech Audio. Dugan also manufactures a plug-in automixer card for selected Avid products.
When not in his lab in San Francisco, Dan Dugan is an avid recordist for the Nature Sounds Society, often capturing realistic surround recordings in Yosemite National Park. He also has a lively interest in philosophy (particularly skepticism), the philosophy of science, and current controversies about scientific paradigms and alternative medicine. In the Professional Audio world, Dugan has made public challenges to fraudulent and overly extravagant claims for high-end hi-fi products.
For more information, go here. Leave a Comment
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VESA Readies 8K Resolution Ecosystem With DP8K Certified DisplayPort Cables CertificationThe Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) today announced that DP8K Certified DisplayPort cables — native DisplayPort cables that are guaranteed to support DisplayPort High Bit Rate 3 (HBR3) — are now available in the marketplace. HBR3 is the highest bit rate (8.1 Gbps per lane) supported by DisplayPort standard version 1.4 and provides the speed required to drive 8K video resolution at 60 frames per second (fps) using a single cable, as well as multiple 4K displays. Key applications supported by HBR3 include high-performance gaming, augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) and television broadcasting. With HBR3 already available in a wide array of consumer products, including GPUs and monitors, the availability of cables that have been certified by VESA to support HBR3 provides a crucial final link to the ecosystem. DP8K Certified DisplayPort cables are guaranteed to support HBR3, the highest bit rate supported by DisplayPort version 1.4.
VESA is also currently engaged with its members in the development of the next DisplayPort standard generation, with plans to increase the data rate enabled by DisplayPort by two-fold and beyond. VESA plans to publish this update within the next 18 months. With DP8K-certified cables, devices with native DisplayPort connectors can reliably support 5K or 8K monitors, as well as high-performance 4K monitors. For USB Type-C (USB-C) to USB-C connections, this same level of performance is available with “SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbps” cables, which support the HBR3 data rate for DisplayPort Alt Mode. A complete list of vendors offering DP8K Certified DisplayPort can be found here.
With the wide field of view offered by AR/VR displays combined with motion, the virtual world is putting more demands on resolution, refresh rate and color depth. In addition, two displays are needed for AR/VR applications, one for each eye, which doubles the data rate demand. Higher data rates will also be needed to support increases in HDR performance and resolutions beyond 8K for traditional displays. VESA is continuing to work on DisplayPort to increase data-rates by two-fold and beyond to enable the higher performance requirements demanded by these applications. In addition to pure display interfaces, VESA is also working to address the future needs of the mixed data-plus-video world of DisplayPort Alt Mode on the USB-C connector. USB-C now allows a single connector for USB data, video data and power, but for simultaneous support of SuperSpeed USB data (now running at 5 or 10 Gbps) and video, the USB-C signals need to be shared, which cuts the DisplayPort bit rate in half. Today, USB-C can support 4K at 60Hz performance utilizing the two lanes of USB-C in this configuration or 4K HDR or 8K at 30Hz by adding compression. Increasing the DisplayPort data rates in the future will also expand video display capability of a single USB-C connector.
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Jamo Intros New High-End Studio Speaker Line with Immersive Dolby Atmos Jamo, a Klipsch Group, Inc. brand, has announced the redesign of the Studio 8 speaker series. The new Jamo Studio 8 series includes three towers (S 809, S 807, S 805), two monitors (S 803 and S 801), two centers (S 83 CEN and S 81 CEN), two subwoofers (S 810 SUB and S 808 SUB) and one Dolby Atmos certified elevation speaker (S 8 ATM).
The larger towers (S 809 and S 807) and monitor (S 803) speakers have patent-pending conductive metal fasteners on the top of their cabinets that also serve as terminals for the S 8 ATM Dolby Atmos certified elevation speaker. The S 8 ATM Dolby Atmos elevation speaker’s metal feet innovatively align with these connectors so the back of the speaker has a clean design. The grilles on the tower speakers slide up to align with the Dolby Atmos elevation speaker and create one continuous line.
The slim line 10” and 8” subwoofers (S 810 SUB and S 808 SUB, respectively) can be placed vertically or horizontally against the wall, or even tucked on their side out of site underneath furniture. They feature a bottom-mounted amplifier and 90° power plug for additional orientation flexibility and a clean look.
All speaker models are available in three finishes with wood grain accents around the tweeters, at the bases, and feet. The fully magnetic grilles come in two unique colors – white speakers come with heather gray grilles, and the walnut and black speakers come with charcoal gray grilles.
They are available now and you can see them all here. Leave a Comment
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Klipsch to Incorporate the Google Assistant in Its Heritage Wireless Speakers Klipsch today announces that its next generation of award-winning Heritage Wireless table-top speakers will have the Google Assistant built in.
The Klipsch Heritage Wireless speakers The Three and The One with the Google Assistant built in are designed to make daily tasks faster and easier. Functionality includes: the ability to ask questions and get information, stream music, hear the news, weather and traffic, add to shopping list, control smart devices, make a phone call and much more. Although these new speakers will be available in special edition finishes, the unique design and powerful sound will remain consistent with the standard editions of each speaker.
Klipsch Heritage Wireless speaker The Three is a stereo tabletop with an integrated subwoofer for enhanced bass. Klipsch Heritage Wireless speaker The One is a smaller, semi-portable tabletop speaker with a rechargeable battery for placement versatility. Both speakers incorporate a mid-century modern design, premium materials such as real wood veneer and copper switches and knobs and Bluetooth wireless technology.
Klipsch Heritage Wireless speaker The Three with the Google Assistant built in ($499) will be available this fall, while The One with the Google Assistant built in ($349) will be available in the spring of 2019.
Here are all the tech specs. Leave a Comment
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AudioControl Adds Dynaudio to Sound Partners Program AudioControl has announced that Dynaudio has been added to its Sound Partners Program (SPP). The AudioControl SPP was established as a cooperative initiative with industry-leading architectural speaker manufacturers in order to implement optimized performance profiles as defined by each brand’s engineers. These profiles, when stored in the DSP onboard the AudioControl Director M-Series high-performance amplifiers as well as the new D-Series D2800 and D4600 that will become available Q1 2018, create an ideal whole-house entertainment/commercial audio platform for professional integrators, according to the companies.
DSP profiles are now available for Dynaudio Studio Series custom installation products, which include the S4-C65, S4-C80, S4-W65 and S4-W80. New speaker models from Dynaudio, available Q1 of 2018, will also be profiled as part of the Sound Partners Program. Integrators using both AudioControl DSP-enabled Director M-Series and D-Series amplifiers with any of these Dynaudio Studio Series loudspeaker models will be able to take advantage of the profiles as well as the fine-tuning capabilities of these amplifiers to deliver a superlative entertainment experience for their clients.
AudioControl’s DSP engine includes graphic and parametric equalization by zone, network monitoring/programming. Channels are bridgeable, giving integrators configuration flexibility for system setup.
All models are capable of 100 watts per channel at 8 ohms, 200 watts at 4 ohms and 400 watts bridged. M-Series amplifiers offer powerful DSP-based functionality along with AudioControl’s legendary sound quality and can be used either as a standalone matrix-amplifier or as part of a third-party control system from companies including Crestron, Savant and Control 4.
The Director Model M4800 is here. Leave a Comment
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BenQ’s Ships CineHome HT2550 4K UHD HDR Home Cinema ProjectorBenQ America today announced the availability of the native 3840×2160 resolution (4K UHD) CineHome HT2550 DLP projector at $1,499. The DLP-based projector uses the new 0.47″ single-DMD-chip that’s spec’d for over 96 percent coverage of the Rec. 709 color gamut and Delta EHere are the detailed specs.Leave a Comment
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Portrait Displays Delivers Auto Calibration for 2018 LG OLED and SUPER UHD TVsSoftware developer Portrait Displays has partnered with LG Electronics to provide autocalibration capability for LG’s 2018 OLED and SUPER UHD televisions.
Because all 2018 LG OLED and SUPER UHD TVs allow Portrait’s CalMAN direct access to internal look-up tables (1D and 3D LUTs), the color accuracy can be so precise that the TVs can now match the video accuracy of professional reference monitors. Portrait’s CalMAN software is the video calibration solution chosen by nearly every professional video calibrator, and by most end users in broadcast, production and post-production, as well as the most popular solution for home video enthusiasts. Autocalibration means a task that could require an hour into one that can be performed in minutes, according to the companies.
LG is the first manufacturer to allow CalMAN direct access to the underlying hardware look-up tables in the television. This allows for increased calibration flexibility and is not limited to the adjustment ranges of manual on screen calibration controls. They are also the first televisions to offer three-dimensional look-up tables (3D LUTs) as one of the CalMAN accessible tables. 3D LUTs allow correction of minute color variances. 3D LUT correction has long been the gold standard for video accuracy among video industry professionals.
The CalMAN AutoCal by SpectraCal capability on the 2018 LG TVs extends across the LG premium television product line, and is available not only for standard dynamic range (SDR) but also for all three varieties of high dynamic range (HDR): HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision.
CalMAN’s AutoCal for LG is here and the new monitors are here. Leave a Comment
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TechLogix Expands Its 18G Over Twisted Pair Range TechLogix Networx is expanding its 18G over twisted pair product portfolio with the launch of the TL-TP100-HDC2, a compact extender set which transmits HDMI, bi-directional control and Ethernet up to 100 meters over standard twisted pair cabling. The TL-TP100-HDC2 supports 18G 4K@60 4:4:4 HDMI, HDR, HDCP 2.2 and multi-channel audio.
The TL-TP100-HDC2 leverages VLC processing to extend full 18G 4K@60 4:4:4 HDMI up to 100 meters (330 feet). This unique technology senses signals over 10G and automatically compresses the color space for transport over lower bandwidth cables, such as Cat5 and Cat6. After transmission, the color space is then decompressed back to the original, full bandwidth.
Additional features include built-in audio return channel (ARC), analog and digital audio embedding, analog and digital audio de-embedding and flexible power at either the transmitter or receiver.
The TL-TP100-HDC2 is here. Leave a Comment
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Meet Milo, the First Combination Smart Speaker and Home Hub with Z-Wave Plus and the Google Assistant
The Milo Smart Home Speaker (Milo) by Hogar Controls claims to be the first combination smart speaker and home hub to include support for Z-Wave Plus; it also adds multi-platform access for Zigbee, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices. Milo’s integrated smart hub feature also works with the Google Assistant, so you can ask questions, control devices throughout your home, stream music and more.
Milo leverages the Z-Wave ecosystem for control of smart home devices including lights, shades, locks, thermostats, garage door openers and more; Milo also works with the Google Assistant, so it can stream music, news, weather and more. Milo can be both a hands-free speaker or one-touch controller of a user’s favorite scenes.
Milo is an all-in-one device with Z-Wave Plus hub functionality that works with the Google Assistant for voice control and streaming and on-board one-touch scene control built into the glass top. Features include:
- Smart speaker with built-in Z-Wave Hub featuring on-board touch controller
- Works with the Google Assistant
- Connectivity: Z-Wave Plus, Zigbee, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
- Z-Wave, featuring latest Z-Wave Security S2 framework and ability to connect hundreds of devices
- Zigbee 1.2Hz — connect with popular Zigbee devices
- Bluetooth 4.0-audio streaming
- Integrated three-microphone array for superior far field hands-free use voice recognition
- Integrated amplified high excursion speaker with 2″ driver and dual 2″ passive radiators to deliver clear highs and deep bass
- Controls hundreds of smart home devices through cloud to cloud integration within a home
- Glass top with back lit one-touch scene control buttons and volume slider
- Mic mute and unmute, configuration button
- Lux Sensors on top of device for triggering different scenes
- Rolled with fabric, with aluminum brim and black touch glass — available in light gray and black with other colors to come
- DC 12V Powered
- Compact 3.94” height x 3.35” width lightweight — less than 450 grams/1 pound
- Includes all-in-one mobile app for control of locks, lights, sensors, thermostats, music and more
Milo by Hogar Controls will be available in Q1 2018 for $149. Here are the details.
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Metra Home Theater Group Debuts Structured Wiring Panels and TV Mounts Metra Home Theater Group announces structured wiring panels and TV mounts. Metra Home Theater Group has expanded their portfolio to include structured wiring panels, a new product category for the manufacturer. The structured panels offer flexible mounting for stud spacing variations in either a recessed or a surface mount installation. They are constructed of solid steel with a durable, white powder coat finish and include grommets and ten cable ties and mounts. Three sizes are available for 14” (CS-SP14), 20” (CS-SP20) or 28” (CS-SP28) panels. Hinged metal panel doors are sold separately, and include a lock and two keys for added security. The structured panel doors can support up to four 120mm cooling fans with preset mounting holes and integrated louvered ventilation for improved cooling. Doors are available for 14” (CS-SPD14), 20” (CS-SPD20) and 28” (CS-SPD28) panels.
Commercial or residential buildings can provide a challenge for TV mount installation if the standard 16” studs are not in place. To address this issue, many of the new mounts are compatible with both 16” and 24” center studs to offer a more versatile mounting solution for integrators. Two new large, full motion mounts for 42” to 84” TVs are offered with a center extension (FML642) or a side extension (FML64S). These sturdy mounts have a weight capacity of 132 pounds, a tilting angle of +5 to -15 degrees, and allow for dual stud installation with 16” or 24” center studs. The LPU64 is a new, ultra-low profile, fixed TV mount for 42” – 84” TVs that is only 14 mm (0.55”) from the wall. It has a weight capacity of 99 pounds and offers dual stud installation. The FMM44 is a full motion mount for medium sized TVs from 26” to 60”, with a weight capacity of 66 pounds and single stud installation. The FM44IW is a 400×400 full motion mount designed for in-wall installations between 16” center studs. It fits TVs from 32” to 60” and has a weight capacity of 75 pounds.
Here are all the specs: https://metrahometheater.com/cs-sp14.html Leave a Comment
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New Key Digital KD-ProG Cables Deliver 18 Gbps Signals Up to 75′ Key Digital’s new KD-Pro30G, KD-Pro40G, KD-Pro50G, and KD-Pro75G are HDMI cables capable of sending 4K resolutions with Ultra HD/4K support up to 4096×2160 or 3840×2160 24/25/30Hz [4:4:4] and 50/60Hz [4:4:4] up to 75′.
The KD-ProG cables support 18Gbps of bandwidth and the latest HDMI standards. These cables feature HDR10 (High Dynamic Range) which provides for life-like images through the use of a greater range of luminance levels. They are HDCP 2.2 compliant and backward compatible with previous HDCP versions. The Ethernet channel on the KD-ProG cables support up to 100 Mb/s of Ethernet speeds between two HDMI connected devices.
The KD-ProG cables have Audio Return Channel (ARC) which allows the audio to be returned from the display back to the HDMI source for amplification and display. These cables support digital audio formats including Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio. The KD-ProG cables have been designed using Open Eye Technology and have been certified and tested for low loss and a noise-free performance. The KD-ProG cables offer the latest in 4K resolutions, super-fast data transfer rates, and HDR10 support making them the ideal cable for installation in racks, at displays or over long lengths in commercial digital video applications.
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Luxul’s Dual-Band Epic 3 Wireless AC31000 Router and XAP-810 AC1200 Wireless Access Point to Make European Debut at ISE 2018 Luxul will be at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2018 to debut the Epic 3 (XWR-3150) dual-band wireless AC3100 router with built-in Domotz remote management, router limits content management, roam assist technologies and the XAP-810 AC1200 dual-band Wireless Access Point (WAP).
With advanced 4×4 MU-MIMO (Wave 2) technology, Luxul says the Epic 3 delivers wireless data transfers of up to 3100Mbps for fast streaming and bandwidth-intensive applications. The router offers a full feature-set, with an easy-to-use interface and capabilities that ensure optimal network performance, scalability and security, including firewall, QoS, virtual local area network (VLAN) support, virtual private network (VPN) and more.
For integrators, the Epic 3’s integrated Domotz technology saves time and money by allowing them to remotely manage and support clients’ networks and all connected devices, eliminating the need for truck rolls and service calls. Integrators receive alerts when network issues arise, allowing them to take immediate action. Router Limits content management gives end-users control of their internet experience by allowing them to manage internet traffic, choose which devices can access the web, determine what parts of the web are OK (or not OK) and set the days and times the internet should be available. In addition, the Epic 3 router offers a built-in wireless controller featuring Luxul’s exclusive Roam Assist technology. This makes it simple for integrators to set up more than one access point in larger Wi-Fi networks, while ensuring a seamless roaming experience for their clients.
Luxul’s XAP-810 WAP features leading-edge 802.11ac 2×2 dual-band technology and 5Ghz beamforming to deliver data rates up to 1200Mbps and excellent wireless coverage for a world-class Wi-Fi experience. The WAP offers a sleek design that allows for unobtrusive mounting on a ceiling, wall, or other flat surface — making it a great choice for delivering coverage to smaller spaces. Installing the XAP-810 requires a single Ethernet cable, which delivers both power and data through the integrated PoE+ port.
Here are the details. 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).
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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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