Volume 16, Issue 2.1 — January 24, 2018
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Audio Unified Collaborative Conferencing Control & Signal Processing Cables, Cases, Furniture, Mounts, Racks, Screens & Accessories Displays Digital Signage Lighting Staging & Live Events
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The Demand for AV as a Service: A Tech Manager’s Perspective
By Mark Coxon rAVe Blogger
There seems to be a continuing debate out there on the demand for a true AV as a Service, (AVaaS) model. I have seen good points on both sides of the argument, each giving some logical reasons as to why a true AVaaS model is either the future of AV or an idealistic pipe-dream.
There are all sorts of ideas on how AVaaS would be facilitated financially speaking. Will manufacturers bear the brunt of the cost by seeding their products into AV systems for a monthly payment instead of an up-front purchase price? Will larger integrators with cash flow surpluses fuel an AVaaS model? Will equipment leasing companies play a role in providing this cash flow? Will larger investment banking companies continue to buy up AV companies and use their existing capital to take market share? Will the new tax laws that allow for 100 percent equipment depreciation in year one allow companies to effectively buy mass amounts of equipment realizing a 100 percent commensurate tax break in the same year?
All of these are good questions, and several of the ideas could be the key to AVaaS, however, these are logistical questions. Without a demand for AVaaS, they are really just academic concerns. The larger question becomes,
Is there a demand for AVaaS in our typical conference and meeting room environments in the first place?
Before I address that, we need to understand why AVaaS is suddenly more relevant than ever.
Convergence.
Ignore any buzzword connotations this term may ignite in your mind. The truth is that now that most of our AV devices are IP enabled and many of our appliances have been turned into cloud-based apps, creating AVaaS offerings that leverage limited hardware investments is more realistic than it has ever been.
I know a tech manager that manages hundreds of AV systems across as many rooms throughout the country. Due to his high profile, he asked me not to use his name here, but he did offer me his thoughts for print.
I talked to him this summer about AVaaS and his first comment related to the very convergence I referred to above. According to him:
“In my opinion, AV as service will begin to take shape in these markets as more pressure from the IT force wins big on budget control. For me, I’m in!!! AVaaS with utilizing and leveraging true network protocols (talking Ethernet layer 3). I really look at AV as just another service on my network. A network that exists everywhere!”
If you start to think of AV in this way, then you can leverage resources across multiple rooms and implement a licensing per room or even per-use model with an appropriate Service Level Agreement (SLA) based on the customer needs and the intended purpose of the system.
He went on to ask,
“Can you see buying DSP or video distribution as a service? It’s all there ready to go!”
Let’s explore that idea. Take a typical conference room. Now outfit that room with IP enabled equipment including powered speakers, a beamforming microphone, an IP camera, and a connected display. An on-prem or cloud-based server would be running DSP and control sessions for the devices in the room, and a wireless presentation software would allow BYOD devices to not only control the room, but also share content wirelessly through the existing wireless access points. A corporate-wide content management system would replace the traditional AV matrix switch, as content would all be stored in the cloud or on a server and delivered on demand to whatever speakers and display(s) happened to be assigned to that meeting, regardless of location.
This type of arrangement would require very little upfront capital expenditure for the limited hardware in each room while leveraging the existing network for management and distribution as well as existing devices for control.
So what’s stopping the industry from developing this level of AVaaS?
When I asked this question to the tech manager I know, he went on to talk about what he feels is the biggest challenge for AVaaS adoption. Ironically, he doesn’t believe it has anything to do with market demand, but rather to some of the industry’s resistance to change.
“The single biggest challenge we face in AV is knowing how our customers expect to use AV. This requires a tremendous amount of flexibility when looking at providing the best possible, most cost-effective solution. The only way to reach this type of customer is AVaaS, in my opinion. This kind of thinking is pretty disruptive since AV design firms, AV integrators and AV manufacturers are very satisfied with the current “build the empire” model (monster control systems, complex audio and video routing systems) including touch panels installed in the rooms that typically require an IT/AV person to navigate.”
Many end-users are ready for a change. They don’t want to be tied to legacy systems any longer. The very fact the Alexa is even being considered as a viable alternative to the robust systems of the past tells us that customers haven’t always realized the full value of these systems.
“I don’t want my customers having to call for IT support to set up a conference call in a meeting room. Simple is AVaaS in my opinion. This empowers the user and customer base to only pay for what they want. For me, I want my users to walk into a room, and see a simple device that looks a lot like something they have at home.”
So is there a market demand for AVaaS in all markets? I would argue that there is and I know quite a few others who think the same thing. The question that remains is who will develop the first full-fledged offerings? Will it be a manufacturer or an integrator or maybe even an IT services company?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on AVaaS below, especially with regards to any end user conversations you’ve had on the topic. Leave a Comment
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New Dante AVIO Profit Should Be Earmarked to Help Their Partners – Not Go to Audinate’s Bottom Line
By Gary Kayye rAVe Founder
Last week, Audinate introduced the Dante AVIO series of endpoint adapters that enable legacy analog and digital audio equipment to be networked to the Dante system. Starting at $129, the Dante AVIO series features six new adapters including line-in and line-out analog adapters, a bi-directional AES3/EBU adapter and a bi-directional stereo USB adapter.
Each Dante AVIO adapter acts as a completely independent Dante network device, allowing legacy gear to be networked. These devices transmit uncompressed audio streams over long distances without the noise and ground issues common to analog connections. Being part of a Dante system also allows for mostly unlimited scalability while providing low latency and easy configuration. Dante AVIO adapters enable audio professionals to extend the value of their non-networked equipment, making it interoperable with any of the more than 1250 Dante-enabled products on the market.
The Dante AVIO Analog adapters are available as dedicated inputs or outputs with one or two channels of audio. Analog input adapters allow mixers, mic preamps, stage DIs and more to connect to a Dante audio network, while analog output adapters are perfect for driving amplifiers, powered speakers or recorders. Long runs of noisy analog cable can be eliminated and all signal routes are managed via Dante Controller software.
The Dante AVIO USB adapter connects any computer to a Dante audio network without additional software, providing class-complaint stereo input and output that can be used by any audio application. Ideal for presentations and conference rooms, the Dante AVIO USB adapter may be passed between computers without altering networked audio connections.
The Dante AVIO AES3 adapter provides stereo input and output, preserving investments in AES3-connected DSPs, mixers, compressors, preamps and more. Any AES3 device may be fully connected to any Dante network with no degradation of signal due to extraneous D/A and A/D conversion.
But, is this a good idea? According to Audinate’s website, by the end of 2016, the number of brands licensing Dante technology had reached nearly 350. Over 950 Dante-enabled products representing 159 brands were on the market. Before the Dante AVIO, Audinate was in the business of selling Dante as a “standard” via their chip technology but now they’re selling and FGI (finished goods inventory) product – effectively competing with their own 350+ partners, who are paying Audinate to add Dante gear to their lines. I reached out to Audinate and the CEO, Lee Ellison, got back to me Friday and said that the reason they did this was because none of their partners had done it. He explained that they believed that these adapter products will help everyone. When I asked him if he thought it was competitive to their partner’s offerings, he said no and he claimed he hadn’t heard from any of their partners since launching them. Ellison claimed to me that none one seems concerned except me.
Well, I think there may be a potential ethical issue with the AVIO line as they are selling adapters, for profit, while also selling a recognized “standard” in Dante that nearly everyone has adopted.
I really like these adapters and happen to agree they are needed. But, I challenge Audinate to consider donating ALL the profit of them back onto partner marketing of the Dante standard or into better education about the idea of networked audio. That way, ALL 350+ partners benefit from these adapters.
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D.A.S. Audio Explains Line Array Line D.A.S. Audio has expanded the Event series of line arrays and bass systems with two new powered models, the Event-212A line array and the Event-121A subwoofer. The new products are aimed at providing Event Series users with the tools needed to handle an even a wider range of applications.
The D.A.S. Event-212A is a powered, three-way line array which employs two D.A.S. 12-inch loudspeakers in a dual band configuration where each speaker operates in a specific frequency range. The D.A.S. loudspeaker units have been teamed up with a single M-75 compression driver and purpose-designed injected aluminum high frequency waveguide to provide unmatched performance, sensitivity and coverage in both the 90º and 120º formats offered.
The Event-212A line array incorporates the DAS control interface that offers a quick and hassle-free set-up of the systems in arrays and easy alignment with the Event-218A and Event-121A subwoofer systems. Presets for the number of units of the array, HF compensation for throw distances and correction for the splay angle of the array can be selected by way of DAScontrol and the LCD screen located on the back of the cabinet. The powerful digital signal processing of the Event-212A includes Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters providing linear phase response and precise impulse response which, in terms of performance, results in added clarity, defined attack in percussion and overall, a more natural sound.
Along with the new line array, D.A.S. launches the Event-121A, a direct radiating rear-loaded powered subwoofer system which incorporates a single 21-inch neodymium loudspeaker to provide “earth-moving” low-frequency reproduction for the Event Series line arrays. The combination of direct radiation and rear-loading provides a high output, tight and accurate sub-bass response.
The Event-121A employs the new D.A.S. 21LFN loudspeaker which offers impressive features such as a 4-inch sandwich split winding voice coil, a powerful FEA optimized neodymium magnet assembly and a FEA optimized suspension system with double silicon spider. The result is a loudspeaker with exceptional sensitivity, high power handling capacity and a quality suspension design capable of withstanding the stress and mechanical fatigue of today´s high-power pro audio systems.
An aluminum demodulating ring benefits lower distortion and effective forced ventilation of the voice coil gap provides for a high thermal rating, and reduced power compression.
The Event-121A electronics package includes a 3200 watt peak Class D amplifier and 24-bit high-end DSP for top quality audio reproduction. On the rear panel, controls can be found for gain, polarity and a continually variable low-pass filter that ranges from 63 Hz to 100 Hz. A unique “cardioid preset” button simplifies the use of subs in cardioid configurations, making setup of two to three units a snap without the need for an external DSP. The Event-121A is phase response coherent with the Event-208A, Event-210A and Event-212A active tops offering precise alignment. Two balanced inputs with stereo filtered outputs, which can be switched to pass-through connections, are provided.
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Bose Professional Debuts T8S and T4S ToneMatch Stereo Mixers Bose Professional has extended the ToneMatch audio engine series with a new eight-channel T8S ToneMatch mixer and the four-channel T4S ToneMatch mixer. Compact and portable, both the T8S and T4S are gig-ready.
The compact eight-channel T8S ToneMatch Mixer is intuitive to operate, with illuminated tactile controls, an LCD display and scene recall and ToneMatch processing presets with the DSP engine (including studio-quality effects and Bose zEQ equalization, which redefines low, mid and high ranges for each ToneMatch preset) are designed to simplify usage.
Each T8S channel has dedicated ToneMatch, EQ, dynamics and effects. The T8S effects includes compressor, limiter, de-esser, noise gate, chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, delay and reverb functions. Tap tempo delay and a chromatic tuner are built-in. Aux send 1 has a dedicated reverb of its own while a master output EQ helps compensate for venue acoustics.
The T8S offers high-density connectivity unparalleled in a small digital stereo mixer. Eight high-quality audio preamps with XLR-combo jacks accommodate microphones or instruments, with switchable phantom power. Two aux inputs allow for additional source inputs. Outputs include four aux sends, balanced quarter-inch TRS and XLR stereo outputs and an independent headphone output. USB-A and USB-B connections allow for USB drive playback or PC/Mac interface. The T8S includes a ToneMatch power supply.
The four-channel T4S offers most of the same features as the T8S, except for the following differences: The T4S features an aux send count of two and outputs to either quarter-inch TRS balanced stereo or dual ToneMatch links — designed to send digital audio to L1 Model 1S/II systems while receiving power on the same provided ToneMatch cable. (When not used with an L1 system, the T4S can also be optionally powered by an accessory ToneMatch power supply.) The final difference between the mixers is the T8S exclusive output meter.
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Atlona Prepares Launch of Next-Generation Gain Series of Wired and Networked Amplifiers at ISE 2018 Atlona is set to unveil its next generation of compact amplifiers in the Atlona stand (5-U80) at the ISE 2018 show, being held February 6-9 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre.
Available in three models, the new Gain Series of ENERGY STAR qualified power amplifiers include three models – the Gain 60 (AT-GAIN-60), Gain 120 (AT-GAIN-120) and Gain 120NET (AT-GAIN-120NET) – all have low- and high-impedance outputs, RS-232 and Ethernet control, front panel metering and convection cooling. The availability of dual-impedance operation is significant as integrators and designers can manage a simplified inventory or quickly specify the proper amplifier optimized for either program speakers or distributed speaker systems.
Based upon the application, each amplifier offers specialized functions. The Gain 120 Net features an AES67 and Dante dual-channel audio bridge for accepting two channels over a network from a Dante or AES67-equipped DSP, as well as Atlona OmniStream AV encoders. The Gain 60 is ideal for certain municipal jurisdictions where high-impedance systems are limited to 24 volts. The compact Gain 60 is also UL 2043-rated for placement into plenum spaces.
Each amplifier offers both low- and high-impedance operation. The Gain 60 offers two channels of 30 watts into 4 or 8 ohms, as well as 60 watts (mono) at 24, 70, or 100 volts. Both Gain 120 models offer 60 watts into 4 or 8 ohms and 120 watts (mono) at 70 or 100 volts. Output modes are easily selected via back panel switch.
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TAIDEN’s New Wireless Discussion Microphones Are Digital InfraredSmaller than your average smartphone, the new digital infrared wireless discussion system by TAIDEN is a low-profile microphone designed for boardrooms and videoconference spaces. The HCS-5335 product series, with gooseneck or boundary microphone options, is officially being introduced at the February ISE Show in Amsterdam in booth 3-C105.
The solution is ultra-portable, with no equipment rack pieces. The infrared transmitter and central processor are combined in one small tabletop unit that can be placed at the center of the table with a wide coverage radius of 8 meters (26 ft.). A PoE Dante-enabled solution ensures simple, scalable installations with simplified wiring. Key conference management capabilities – audio settings adjustments, battery charge monitoring, microphone activation and camera tracking – can be achieved through web control, from any browser-enabled device.
The HCS-5335 series is using the company’s digital infrared audio processing and transmitting technology with a wide frequency response of 20Hz to 20 kHz.
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VUE Intros h-Class of High Definition of Loudspeakers VUE Audiotechnik just launched the h-Class family of high definition powered systems. The hm-108A is a precision slant stage monitor and is a narrow dispersion sibling to VUE’s h-8.
The h-8N, with its narrow 60-degree coverage, adds another level of versatility to the h-Class range, while dramatically expanding applications for VUE’s flagship technologies. The driver complement is identical to the h-8, with a precision-engineered 8-inch transducer that’s combined with a neodymium compression driver capable of unparalleled high-frequency performance thanks to the Truextent beryllium diaphragm at its core.
Also new is the hm-108A, an ultra-compact stage monitoring system that benefits from the same 8-inch transducer and beryllium-infused compression driver as the h-8 and h-8N. Designed specifically for maximum transparency, the hm-108A is ideally suited for critical foldback applications including legitimate theater, choir, orchestra or anywhere that absolute fidelity trumps raw, unbridled horsepower.
Both models of the h-8, as well as the hm-108A, feature powerful onboard VUEDrive electronics benefiting from a state of-the-art digital signal processor that’s explicitly programmed for each unique transducer/cabinet combination. In addition, dual-channel, high-efficiency Class D amplification deliver ample power while eliminating the need for noisy cooling fans.
Drivers and electronics for all h-Class models are housed in a robust birch enclosure with extensive interior bracing for resonant free operation. Like the h-8, the new h-8N also incorporates M10 rigging points and an integrated pole-mount for both portable and fixed installation applications.
Both new models feature the h-Class aesthetic, with grill and handle surrounds that benefit from a two-part finish that lays a coat of transparent candy-apple red over a black base for a deep hue that’s uniquely VUE. The signature look is completed with a heavy aluminum rear panel/amplifier assembly with machined “VUE” logo integrated into the heat sinks.
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Bose Professional Debuts S1 Pro Multi-Position PA System Bose Professional is debuting the S1 Pro multi-position PA system — an all-in-one PA, floor monitor, practice amplifier and primary music system. Designed for general PA use, the S1 Pro is 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) and with dimensions of 13″ x 9.5″ x 11.2″ (330 x 241 x 286 millimeters), it easily fits in an airplane’s overhead compartment.
The S1 Pro is engineered to be used in four different positions to accommodate a wide range of applications — tilt-back, elevated, mounted on a speaker stand or placed on its side (as a floor monitor). Built-in sensors detect positional changes and trigger Auto EQ, which automatically recalibrates the system’s internal settings for each different placement/application, ensuring that users always sound their best with optimum sound in any position.
The S1 Pro comes with a three-channel mixer. Reverb and tone controls are featured on two channels with XLR / quarter-inch combo jacks and a third channel is for either 3.5 mm (1/8”) line-in or wireless Bluetooth connectivity. Additionally, a line-out jack offers easy expansion to other systems.
Using the wireless channel, music can be played from a mobile device easily using Bluetooth streaming (great for pre-produced backing tracks or background music), while getting great sound quickly with integrated ToneMatch processing for microphones and instruments. Additionally, users can enjoy hours of play on-the-go with the S1 Pro’s optional rechargeable lithium-ion battery; a special setting and intelligent circuitry offer a choice between trickle charge or dedicated full-power charge.
The S1 Pro multi-position PA system is $599 (optional rechargeable lithium-ion battery is also available at $99). Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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Amate Audio Launches Smart Active Compact Loudspeaker Series Called NÍTID ISE 2018 sees Amate Audio’s debut of its new Nítid,a high performance, ultra-compact active loudspeaker series. Nítid claims to establish a new performance paradigm for compact sound reinforcement, attaining higher SPLs and standards of sonic reproduction from cabinets of this size, at a competitive budget point.
Feature highlights include premium components and the company’s universal switching mode power supply. Integral plug and play power and control technology includes optimized DSP presets for near instantaneous setup and system configuration. Rear mounted control panels feature proprietary SensitiveTouch weatherproof capacitive sensor keypad technology. A selectable ECO mode automatically powers-down the system in the absence of any signal.
Exclusively designed lightweight speaker grilles provide robust protection and improved sound quality, with the best perforation coefficient in the market. Polyurea finishes ensure durable protection for the birch-ply cabinets and electronic circuits and controls are smartly protected against moisture. Recessed handles and custom flying points are designed to aide handling, portability and rapid deployment.
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Ten Months After Launching It, Yamaha Finally Ships CS-700 Collaboration Room Sound BarBetter late than never, right? Well, late is now! Yamaha UC is now shipping the Yamaha CS-700 Video Sound Collaboration System for huddle rooms. The all-in-one wall-mounted UC solution is marketed as a Video Sound Collaboration System for huddle rooms. It includes an adaptive beamforming microphone array, four Yamaha speaker elements and a wide-angle HD camera that captures every meeting participant.
Through a single USB cable, it is ready to connect to an organization’s chosen UC platform, such as Skype for Business, Cisco Spark, GoToConference, Zoom Rooms, and others. In addition, the CS-700’s integrated network management system allows IT staff to deploy and remotely manage each unit from one location.
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DVDO Ships New TILE Digital Canvas BoxDVDO’s new TILE is a “universal wireless casting box” for both professional and commercial integrators. DVDO will also be demonstrating the TILE solution at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) February 6 – 9, 2018 in RAI Amsterdam in the Custom Home Europe, Stand #1N85. The DVDO TILE claims to simplify the process of wirelessly connecting multiple users to an existing display system (think: Barco ClickShare but with input overlay capabilities). TILE allows casting of any desktop, application, video, image or other content to the shared screen with the simple touch of a button (sound familiar?).
Up to five different tiled windows can be displayed simultaneously, allowing multiple users to share content, compare videos and images, or to bring up websites alongside presentations. The TILE system offers five HDMI inputs including an HDMI 2.0a 4K pass through, two USB inputs and two HDMI mirrored outputs. Aimed at collaborative environments, TILE users manage their inputs and output configuration via the TILE App, which is available for iOS and Android mobile devices, as well as for Mac and Windows PC systems.
A Moderator mode can help approve and queue the casted content before it is shown on screen, offering an amazing feature for educational environments such as universities.
The DVDO TILE is $1,199. Here are the detailed specs. Leave a Comment
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Latest Bluescape Release Focuses on Collaboration With Virtual Workspaces Bluescape today announced the latest release of their software that enables dispersed teams to innovate, iterate and deliver new products faster. With a focus on improving the way teams work with multiple, different types of content during a project, the release introduces new features — Canvas, Bluescape Clipboard and Layout — meant to evolve its virtual workspace solution.
Bluescape’s newest features improve the process by enhancing workspace structure, persistence and accountability:
- Canvas provides easier workspace navigation and a more cohesive shared experience of content. Instead of a pinpoint location, Canvas defines a windowpane view of diverse content assets that makes it simpler for teams to work with a shared collection of assets as a whole, rather than by individual content type.
- Bluescape Clipboard allows you to copy content from one workspace to another, making it easier to share the same content in different workspaces with different teams. Once copied, the content persists on your clipboard until the next copy you make — the difference being that the content is directly tied to your account, and supports any Bluescape workspace elements.
- Layout adds a new element of structure to the workspace with the ability to align and arrange content within a grid. In addition to tightening visuals for presentation, Layout supports teams that require specific structural elements to define workflows.
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WolfVision Introduces vSolution MATRIX Feature Pack: AV Over IP collaboration Using Cynap systems WolfVision will launch the vSolution MATRIX Feature Pack or its Cynap collaboration system at ISE 2018 (Booth #1M20). When activated, this AV-over-IP feature pack enables configuration, control, distribution and sharing of video and audio between multiple workstation monitors using multiple Cynap and Cynap Core units connected using network infrastructure.
This collaboration solution is designed for active learning classrooms, meeting and training rooms of all sizes, where the requirement is for multiple workstations to be deployed to leverage collaborative learning and working.
A single Cynap unit, designated as the ‘main’ system in the room, is connected to multiple workstations with either a Cynap or a Cynap Core system installed. Audio and video content is shared between connected monitors and the main screen in the room over the network, using a simple drag and drop interface, with all processing performed by the installed Cynap systems themselves. This eliminates the need for additional encoding/decoding hardware.
Wireless BYOD screen sharing for all smartphones, tablets, and laptops, is available at every workstation, with no need for apps, dongles or additional software. Annotation and whiteboard funtionality is provided and the Cynap built-in media player handles playback of any content accessed from cloud, network or other connected sources.
Enterprise level encryption ensures secure delivery of content materials between workstations, and this scalable, cost effective, presentation and collaboration solution gives all the performance, and reliability associated with traditional AV distribution methods.
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InFocus Debuts Jupiter PixelNet 2.0 Distributed Display Wall System InFocus Corporation today announced PixelNet 2.0, an update to its Jupiter PixelNet solution. The new distributed display wall system increases the density of processing power, connecting more sources and displays to a single input or output node, while providing centralized control to support a wide variety of installations with live audio and video, streaming data and other real-time sources of information for control rooms, conference rooms, lobby displays, offices and classrooms. New features enable real-time HD or 4K information display to a virtually unlimited number of screens at sites spanning a building, a campus or a continent.
PixelNet 2.0 input and output nodes can now be configured with fiber optic connections via SFP+ or with Ethernet. Fiber network capabilities allow PixelNet 2.0 to support very large distributed systems with an unlimited number of sources and displays across multiple locations and vast geographies. Applications including redundant control room display walls in multiple locations, manufacturing and process management, digital signage, law enforcement and security monitoring and instructional networks. PixelNet 2.0 systems can scale to suit any requirement to connect and distribute video across buildings, campuses or global networks.
With PixelNet Domain Control (PDC), centralized configuration and management of the system and its content is simple. The PDC mimic function allows operators to visualize any video wall or single display in the network, placing any video or data source in a window anywhere on the wall or within a single screen. A single source of information can stretch across a large video wall for easy viewing, or multiple sources can be viewed in many windows to enable simultaneous monitoring of complex processes. Multi-casting allows streams to be shared at multiple sites.
InFocus says that PixelNet 2.0 delivers an increased density of processing power and connectivity, which yields a per channel price reduction of 30-40 percent over its predecessor. Users from enterprise to government to education will benefit with reduced project costs or the ability to expand the size of projects.
Backwards compatible with first generation PixelNet systems, PixelNet 2.0 is easy to install and supported by the self-configuration feature in PixelNet Domain Control which automatically assigns available inputs and outputs. Content can be managed simply with the PixelNet Domain Control software, which allows users to drag and drop input sources across a display wall mimic, as well as provide control over multiple connected video walls.
Each PixelNet 2.0 Input Node allows the connection of four 4K or eight 1080p inputs, while each Output Node provides two 4K or six 1080p outputs, all rack-mounted. PixelNet 2.0 features high bandwidth networking for real-time streaming sources, pixel perfect visual quality using uncompressed video and resolutions ranging up to 4K. New datacenter-grade Jupiter by InFocus switches support up to 100GB Ethernet connections.
Jupiter PixelNet 2.0 will debut at Integrated Systems Europe at stand #2-B60 or more details are here. Leave a Comment
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Semtech Announces New Features for BlueRiver AV-over-IP Platform Semtech Corporation today announced an updated feature set for its BlueRiver AV-over-IP chipset which allows manufacturers of AV transmitters and receivers to address important requirements in key markets including industrial and rental and staging environments.
New BlueRiver capabilities include support for two data ports enabling failover to a second Ethernet switch when necessary in applications requiring high availability and support for automatic media selection of a copper or fiber port. The link redundancy lets manufacturers create products with two Ethernet ports which can be connected to different switches. If one link goes down, the other link will automatically be brought up and used within seconds. This is important in command and control, industrial and broadcast environments that need real-time vision and data.
Automatic media selection for a copper or fiber port is ideal for rental and staging applications such as live concerts and conferences where integrators and installers face variable network infrastructure from job to job. The automatic media selection allows products to be designed with one copper and one fiber port. BlueRiver detects which port is active and automatically uses that port for 10G connectivity. Manufacturers can select which port takes priority in case both are connected. This allows manufacturers to build a single SKU for rental and staging applications and gives installers field-level flexibility to stock just one device that is used with either 10G network type.
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Hall Research Intros Economical USB and HDMI Extender EX-HDU is what Hall Research calls an economical HDMI and USB extender comprised of a single-gang wall plate sender and compatible receiver. The product uses a single Cat5/6 cable up to 200 feet long. HDMI audio is extracted and is provided both as analog stereo and multi-channel digital. The receiver can also be used to control other equipment by providing programmable contact closure I/O, RS232 and IR outputs. Receivers with LAN connectivity are also available offering integrated user configurable WebGUI and IP control.
The patent pending wall-plate gets its power from the receiver via the same UTP cable and for convenience integrates a USB hub with two USB ports. The plug-and-play extender does not require driver installation and is compatible with all PCs, MACs and Android devices. The receiver provides HDMI video, stereo analog audio, four USB ports, IR emitter, terminal strip with RS232 output and four programmable digital I/O ports. A mini-USB port is also provided for uploading user defined configuration for applications where the Receiver is used as a room control system.
Users can upload RS232 commands to the EX-HDU to control other equipment such as turning a projector on and off. Commands can be triggered automatically by detecting video, activated manually via the buttons on WebGUI, or by sensing open and close contact events on the I/O ports. For example, a simple toggle switch can be connected remotely to activate RS232 or IR commands for turning projectors on and off. Each of the I/O ports can be configured to act as an input or output. When an I/O port is configured as output, it can be used to lower or raise a motorized projector screen.
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New Extron Room Scheduling Panels Make Booking a Room Easier Than Ever Extron just introduced a new generation of room scheduling solutions. The new TLS family of TouchLink Scheduling panels are designed to help ease integration and provide customers with powerful, dedicated panels for all their meeting space reservation needs. Right out of the box, TLS panels are ready to be customized with free Room Agent software and then to connect directly to Microsoft Exchange, Office 365 and Google Calendar without the need for additional scheduling software or external processors. There are 5″, 7″ and 10″ panels available, in both wall and VESA mounting varieties. Users can make reservations directly from these panels, a computer, or any smartphone or tablet that connects to any one of the supported mail servers. Bright red and green LED light bars makes it easy to see if a room is occupied or available even from down the hall. New room scheduling analytics provide the information customers need to closely analyze room usage, activity patterns and occupancy trends across the organization.
All TLS panels are configured with Extron Room Agent software. Simply connect the touchpanel to your computer, open the free Room Agent software, fill in the required fields to compose the user interface, and you’re done. Customization options include custom colors and background images, interface text fields to be shown or hidden, depending on user preference. TLS panels equipped with a digital input will work with just about any occupancy sensor, including the Extron OCS 100 series, which monitor room occupancy and, after a user-defined time, release the room back to available status.
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Tributaries New HDMI Cables Are 18Gig Tributaries just launched the UHDT TITAN line of HDMI cables. The TITAN series uses two new patented developments in HDMI signal transfer: a metallurgy which enables longer lengths of passive cables and active electronics equipped with a DDC accelerator and three discrete internal power supplies.
The development of a passive HDMI cable that can transport 18Gbps up to 26 feet is a result, in part, of the application of advanced metallurgical engineering. Tributaries claims an HDMI signal that operates at very high frequencies will travel on the surface of a conductor with very little depth of penetration. This phenomenon is known as “skin effect.” This design has provided a method of extending the length of an 18G passive HDMI cable from a previous longest length of 4 meters to more than doubling that to the new longest length of 8 meters and possibly 10 meters or 33 feet.
Tributaries active UHDT cables use the TITAN DIGITAL module embedded. This module is designed to function under HDMI 2.1 with four discrete channels each capable of 12Gbps (an aggregate of 48Gbps). Powered by an USB cable, TITAN delivers three discrete voltages that work independently of the HDMI source’s 5V supply preventing voltage variations from the source. TITAN is also the first active solution engineered with an 18Gbps DDC accelerator designed for cables longer than 10 meters. Tributaries UHDT TITAN cables will provide guaranteed stable 18Gbps performance from 12 meters to 25 meters.
Tributaries UHDT TITAN cables are available now in 6m & 8m Passive cables and Active cables from 12 meters, 15 meters, 20 meters and 25 meters. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Leyard and Planar Announce Third Generation Clarity Matrix LCD Video Wall System Leyard and Planar announced the third generation Clarity Matrix LCD Video Wall System, which combines the industry’s thinnest profile ultra-narrow bezel LCD with improvements to video processing, installation, management and off-board electronics.
The new Clarity Matrix G3 LCD Video Wall System advances nearly every aspect of the unique Clarity Matrix architecture. It features a new, off-board video controller that offers unrivaled video processing capabilities built into the product. It includes new Leyard WallDirector Software to further simplify video wall installation, monitoring and management.
Clarity Matrix G3 claims to be the first LCD video wall solution on the market to embed advanced video processing directly into the product. The new Video Controller offers built-in video wall scaling for a single source input beyond 6K resolution (5760×3240) with Planar Big Picture Plus video wall processing, providing flexibility without the need for an external video processor or audio/video switch. Customers can take multiple 4K @ 60Hz signals and scale them across an entire video wall or separate sections within a video wall. They can also display content from a higher number of independent sources, superimpose a smaller image over a larger one with Picture-in-Picture (PiP) and incorporate up to four different image sources within a single display with 4K quadview. Clarity Matrix G3 supports 4K connectivity standards, including both HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2.
Clarity Matrix G3 also comes standard with the touch-based Leyard WallDirector software that simplifies video wall set-up, configuration, operation and monitoring. The powerful, web-based interface automatically identifies video wall components such as the display configuration, power supply quantities and source inputs, significantly reducing the time it takes to configure a complex video wall. It offers the ability to drag-and-drop sources onto the video wall canvas and easily manipulate their size and position. Presets can recall video wall windowing layouts, making it easy to quickly configure content on a video wall.
Leyard WallDirector also makes it possible to monitor the health status of all video wall components from a central, local or remote location.
Clarity Matrix G3 comes with a new Clarity Matrix G3 Remote Power Supply that moves heat, noise, weight and service points away from the video wall and into a ventilated rack room. The advanced Remote Power Supply offers three times the power density per rack unit of previous versions, minimizing rack unit requirements.
As with Clarity Matrix G2, it offers a tiled bezel width as small as 1.7 millimeters and also includes standard and high brightness 46-inch and 55-inch models along with options for Planar ERO (Extended Ruggedness and Optics) glass, fiber video extensions, passive 3D and interactive multi-touch.
Clarity Matrix G3 also features the Planar EasyAxis Mounting System.
The Clarity Matrix G3 LCD Video Wall System will begin shipping in early 2018 and the details can be found here or here. Leave a Comment
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Peerless-AV Launches New Ultra-Slim Portrait Kiosk Peerless-AV will introduce its newest kiosk, the Ultra-Slim Portrait Kiosk (KIPC35 Models). Featuring a pre-assembled design with lean frames and a small footprint, Peerless-AV’s Ultra-Slim Portrait Kiosk serves as a digital signage solution for any indoor application, including corporate, education, transportation, retail and more.
Peerless-AV can integrate an Ultra-Slim Portrait Kiosk with a wide array of components such as a flat panel display, media player, touch technology, camera, and software from various digital signage partners, including NEC Display Solutions, Samsung, Sharp, Panasonic, Philips MMD, LG, AOpen and more.
In addition to a slimmer design, the new line of Ultra-Slim Portrait Kiosks offer a robust set of features, including:
- Pre-assembled design to reduce installation/integration time
- Eight-way tool-less adjustment to quickly position the display within the kiosk window for a flush alignment
- Enhanced security through hinged rear doors with combination locks, allowing convenient access to just the parts requiring maintenance
- Customization through a wide range of aesthetic options, including multiple colors, vinyl wraps, etc. to meet the needs of any environment or brand
- ADA compliance
Here are the products. Leave a Comment
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LynTec Adds to Power Control Lineup With New Single DMX Address Zone Control Feature LynTec today announced the release of Single DMX Address Zone Control, an optional control system feature for the company’s RPC family of motorized circuit breaker panels, RPCR remote-controlled relay panels and NPAC rack-mounted relay panels. Enabling use of a single DMX address to turn on and off a selected group of electrical circuits, the new feature reduces the number of addresses required for lighting control and, in turn, allows installers to use smaller, lower-cost DMX control boards for their projects.
The new Single DMX Address Zone Control feature, which comes standard on all networkable LynTec panels, is easy to set up using any web-browser-enabled device, a network connection and LynTec’s built-in web server. Users can add or remove circuits from a group associated with a single DMX address and the group — effectively a zone — can include anywhere from two circuits to all the available circuits in the power control system. When it is necessary to operate each circuit independently, the user may assign each circuit a unique DMX address. Any DMX control source can be used to operate the system.
The new feature for LynTec’s RPC, RPCR and NPAC panels is available now. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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PreSonus Unveils EarMix 16M AVB-Networked Personal Monitor MixerDesigned to work seamlessly with the PreSonus StudioLive Series III family of mixers, yet compatible with other AVB-enabled systems, the PreSonus EarMix 16M 16×2 AVB-networked personal monitor mixer provides a high-quality, expandable, networked monitoring solution for stage, installed sound systems, and studio recording. Part of PreSonus’ fast-growing ecosystem of AVB-networked products, each EarMix 16M accepts 16 mono channels of input via AVB networking — and you can network multiple units with a StudioLive Series III mixer.
EarMix 16M features a loud, clear headphone amplifier that can drive low-impedance devices such as professional-caliber in-ear-monitors. Channel grouping and stereo channel linking let you create custom mixes for each musician, and you can apply limiting and three-band EQ with sweepable midrange frequency to each channel, as well as to the main mix. Once you’ve perfected a set of monitor mixes, save the whole scene to internal memory; you can store and recall up to 16 mix scenes locally.
The EarMix 16M can be powered with its included external power supply but in many cases — such as when it’s difficult to provide power across multiple onstage locations — it’s better to use Power over Ethernet (PoE), which enables network cables to carry electrical power to compatible devices.
A pair of AVB jacks enable you to chain multiple EarMix 16Ms while also connecting to a StudioLive Series III mixer. You can expand even further by chaining EarMix 16Ms from multiple PreSonus SW5E AVB switches. Once you’ve created your AVB network, setting up EarMix 16M routings from a networked StudioLive Series III console or using free PreSonus UC Surface control software for Mac, Windows, iPad, and Android is fast and easy.
EarMix 16M is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2018, with an anticipated street price of $399.95. For more information, go here. Leave a Comment
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For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe ProAV Edition out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
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