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Volume 2, Issue 1 — January 9, 2013 |
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Mission-Critical Upgrades
By Anthony Coppedge
House of Worship Technology Consultant
Panic. When a major equipment failure happens at a church during a service, it’s a natural reaction for both the operator and pastors to feel a sense of panic. As with any venue during a live event, major technical failures are a worst-case scenario. And like other venues, churches feel the pain just as acutely but have less than a week to either completely solve the problem or come up with a viable temporary solution.
“Sundays come every seven days” is the mantra of churches, where weekend services are the culmination of efforts to invite friends and neighbors and provide a compelling experience for attendees. So when equipment failure happens, it’s an all-hands-on-deck effort to identify the issue and come up with solutions — fast!
Cater to failure?
Though catastrophic failures are infrequent in churches, there are plenty of weekends where significant failures cause more than a hiccup during the service. Every time a failure happens, the tech team feels the sting and the leadership may begin to lose trust in the tech team. Every weekend is mission-critical for churches, so when a major malfunction happens, the ability to respond immediately can easily set a manufacturer or integration firm apart from the competition.
Dealing with the immediate issue can often be remedied with a rental unit or, in some cases, a demo of an ideal replacement unit to help the church out in a time of crisis. The key is to have a program or system in place that churches can utilize in these critical moments. Some manufacturers have a loaner program to send a similar product for the church to use while their original equipment failure is repaired or replaced. This is a good idea for churches that have their equipment installed the first time, but the vast majority of situations will be where a competitor’s equipment has failed. This is a one-two punch opportunity: Provide a free unit for the church to use for a week or two and show them what they’re missing by not having newer, upgraded technology.
I can almost hear the unified cry of many manufacturers: “That’s what our dealer/distributor/integrators are there to do.” I almost agree. Sure, the boots-on-the-ground support from local firms is always helpful, but I submit that manufacturers need to be just as accessible. In today’s hyper-competitive market (in a down economy, no less), it’s not a large burden for a manufacturer to provide this kind of service when purchasing loyalty is on the line.
Though it may sound like catering to failure, it’s really a significant opportunity to be known among church leaders as the brand that pulled them from the fire and helped them upgrade.
Quick fix or complete solution?
As much as a program like the one described is needed, the next logical step is to both help in their time of need and to offer a complete solution to the problem. Rarely will one piece of equipment truly solve the entire issue that the church is experiencing. Usually, there’s an open door to have an honest discussion about not only the cause of the failure, but the long-term possibility of other issues cropping up.
This is where more than a few have in the A/V/L industry has failed the church market. Instead of looking for a win/win/win scenario (manufacturer/integrator/church), the sales vultures have had a tendency to swoop in during one of these major failures and sell the church what they have in stock or are EOL’ing (End-Of-Life) in order to make a quick buck. Churches, having experienced this before, are wanting to either A) get the cheap fix because they have been burned before; or B) interested in building a relationship with a trusted manufacturer that will meet their urgent and long-term needs.
Almost 20 years ago, I worked with a manufacturer that focused on the church market with a dedicated sales team and marketing program. The idea was great, but where they missed the real opportunity was not in creating a sales program for upgrading to their latest-and-greatest, but in understanding how to share their message in a way that didn’t sound like a somewhat cheesy sales tactic (using ‘church terms’ in their marketing and sales pitches). Sure, every manufacturer has the “angle” of needing to sell equipment, but what churches don’t usually want is to be catered to in a way that looks opportunistic. How a program like the one I’m describing is set up, marketed and organized has more to do with the success of the program than the technology being offered.
Extend the Conversation
In every issue of rAVe HOW [House of Worship], I’ve said that building trust relationships with church leaders is the key to consistent, long-term success. When a church has a major technical failure, it is a golden opportunity to capture not only their information, but to define their pain points. Why is this important? Because when a manufacturer can identify the pain point, they can offer the pain remedy. And, chances are, it’s not just another rack-mounted hardware fix, but a total system solution via their own program and their trusted integrators.
Think this one through: Church has a major failure. They Google the issue and see a sponsored ad from a manufacturer offering 24-hour turnaround replacement gear and an equally fast response from one of their partners. The church fills out a short Web form with their contact information and a brief description of the problem. Based on their zip code submitted, the manufacturer’s database sends this information as an urgent service lead to a local integrator and also has one of the manufacturer’s regional reps call and find out about the situation.
This mostly automated process provides a quality lead, has the manufacturer in direct contact with the prospect and brings the integrator into the loop, too. Win/win/win.
As soon as you get past the point of equipment failure, it’s all relational from here on out. This high-impact, high-touch solution both solves the immediate problem of the church and begins building a trust relationship. Sure, there are logistics to solve, costs to be calculated and man-hours to be spent; that’s part of the ROI calculation for landing a sale of a new client and simultaneously removing a competing manufacturer.
There are a myriad of variants to this concept, but in the house of worship market, the key will be two-fold: solving the Sunday-comes-every-seven-days critical issue and building a relationship for a complete solution. Serving the church market requires a change in thinking. And change, at least at first, is always hard and bad; having the vision to see past the pain point and into a profitable future is what leading an organization is all about.
A former staff member at three mega churches and church technology consultant, Anthony Coppedge has developed a respected reputation as a leader in technical and communications circles within the church marketplace. Reach him at anthony@anthonycoppedge.com or on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/anthonycoppedge
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Church Buyers
By Anthony Coppedge
House of Worship Technology Consultant
A pastor, reverend and priest. No, this isn’t the setup line for a joke, but the actual titles used across multiple church denominations for clergy. Before your marketing or sales teams try to sell into the house of worship market, it’s helpful to know who today’s — and tomorrow’s — influencers and decision-makers will be. This is a look at the current roles and future trends that manufacturers, integrators and PR firms need to understand as part of making headway in this vertical market.
Denominations
It’s messy. There are hundreds of denominations/sub-denominations within the Christian church alone, much less adding in other religious beliefs. The reason for the focus on Christian Protestant churches is simple math: In the United States, the house of worship market includes approximately 335,000 congregations (churches). About 300,000 of them are Protestant congregations; 22,000 are Catholic (with approximately 68 million members); only 12,000 are non-Christian congregations. Nonetheless, it is still easier to help identify the role of the church staff (and sometimes volunteer [“lay”] leaders) along denominational lines as a starting point.
The graphic below, courtesy of Wikipedia, demonstrates a small representation of just how messy trying to understand denominations can be. And it doesn’t begin to show to further breakdown into specific denominational lines (of which there are hundreds).
Mainline Churches
There are four groups of ‘mainline’ churches; that is, churches with a long denominational heritage. These are Lutheran, Presbyterian/Reformed, Anglican/Episcopalian, Methodist/Wesleyan. Within each of these are many sub-divisions (United Methodist, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, etc.).
Typically, these mainline denominations are the oldest churches, with the heaviest concentrations in the northeastern part of the US.
Episcopalian: The clergy are called “rector,” but they’re addressed as “father.” Taken as an offshoot of the Catholic church and Protestant church, Anglican/Episcopalian is a middle-ground between the two. Other possible buyers/decision makers: associate rector, director (of something or other), committee personnel (lay).
Presbyterian: The clergy are called “pastors,” but you will see “Rev.” or “Reverend” in front of the name. They go by pastor. Other possible buyers/decision makers: associate pastor, director (of something or other), elder (lay), committee personnel (lay).
Lutheran: The clergy are called pastors, but you will see Rev. or Reverend in front of the name. They go by pastor. Other possible buyers/decision makers: associate pastor, elder (lay), committee personnel (lay).
Methodist: The clergy are called “minister.” Unlike some other denominations, the title of elder is one of great significance, but they would still be addressed as minister. Other possible buyers/decision makers: associate minister, director (of something or other), deacon (staff or lay), committee personnel (lay).
Evangelical Churches
Where the mainline churches were the first in the U.S., evangelical churches began their meteoric rise in both prominence and size (attendance) in the late 1800s. The term evangelical is not the best term, since some of the mainline churches would also fit into the evangelical title. However, as a way of distinction from the very old denominations, the term evangelical arose as a way to describe the newer Protestant churches.
There are, literally, too many denominational titles to even begin to list (including some from the above list). However, a basic list of churches in this category includes: Baptist, Church of God, Church of Christ, Assembly of God, Holiness Church, Foursquare, New Life Churches, Apostolic Church — and the list goes on.
Depending upon the heritage of a particular denomination, they may include clergy positions that fit the titles from any number of mainline churches (pastor being most prominent), and also include “bishop,” “apostle,” “apostolic elder” and more. Generally speaking, if the denominational affiliation (or lack thereof) is unknown, you’ll most likely be safe when using the title pastor.
Growth Churches
The last 30 to 40 years has seen a trend in churches that experience double-digit or greater annual growth. Only a small percentage of churches have this kind of dramatic growth, yet the trend shows that they are often either offshoots of an existing evangelical denomination or non-denominational churches. Far and away, these churches started off as new churches or church ‘plants’ by another church.
Growth churches, too, have a wide variety of background heritage, but even if they do have a denomination they support in some way, most downplay (almost hide) this affiliation. Again, the majority of clergy titles are pastor, but often with a twist. For example, the senior pastor will not likely be an influencer or decision-maker for technology products, not because of a lack of authority, but a delegation of authority to other staff to handle the day-to-day operations of the church. Instead, influencers may include “associate pastor,” “pastor of (insert area here),” “business administrator,” “technical director,” “media pastor” and the key decision-makers are often “executive pastor” or “senior associate pastor.”
Church Size
As with any organization, the larger the church becomes (in attendance) the more departments, department heads and diverse the needs. Generally speaking, churches that exceed 2,000 in weekly attendance are dubbed “mega churches.” It is with these churches where most of the big bucks are spent on new construction and renovations/upgrades. Whereas the 1980s began the age of the mega church mega building, with auditoriums often accommodating 4,000 per service or more, the new millenium saw a new trend: multi-site campuses. These churches have grown more rapidly than any other church market trend, now with over 5,000 churches reporting multisite campuses.
Understanding today’s church, from denomination to clergy role to campus type is critical in marketing to and selling in this very unique vertical. And while it’s probably smart to target growth churches and address the leaders as pastor, the church planting movement and relaxed venue vibe may have them correcting you to “just call me Mike.” Hey, it’s church in America: ever-changing.
A former staff member at three mega churches and church technology consultant, Anthony Coppedge has developed a respected reputation as a leader in technical and communications circles within the church marketplace. Reach him at anthony@anthonycoppedge.com
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InFocus Launches New Networked Projectors
InFocus’ new IN3120 series includes a new XGA model (IN3124), a WXGA model (IN3126) and a 1080p model (IN3128HD). All three projectors offer VGA ports, an HDMI port and a content-based USB port for projection directly from a flash drive. They have a specified brightness of over 4,000 lumens and offer 3D capabilities. Presentations can be accessed from anywhere via LAN or WAN, while network connectivity also allows the projectors to be easily integrated into a range of IT environments and room-control systems for simple maintenance and remote management.
The IN3124, IN3126 and IN3128HD projectors are available now with list prices of $1,225, $1,499 and $1,699, respectively. All specs are here: http://www.infocus.com/projectors
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ClearOne Releases New Wireless Microphone System for Installed Audio Products
ClearOne’s new WS800 Digital Wireless Microphone System, part of the company’s installed audio conferencing product line, uses radio-frequency digital wireless signal transmission technology with secure encryption. It’s optimized to work with CONVERGE Pro and INTERACT Pro products. |
The WS800 system includes four new models of wireless microphones/transmitters and a base-station receiver with either four or eight channels that connects to professional audio mixers. The WS800 system offers features such as:
- Multiple RF bands (902 to 928 MHz, 710 to 740 MHz, 603 to 630 MHz) for any application
- ClearOne’s 24-bit digital signal processing for unmatched, crystal-clear audio
- 256-bit encryption (conforming to US Govt. AES specifications) for robust security
- Ability to daisy-chain up to a 32-channel system to support large venues
- Rechargeable and field-replaceable standard AA batteries for flexible power options
- Docking station to provide convenient recharging and storage
The WS800 ships in January. Here are all the specs: http://www.clearone.com/products_conferencing_microphones
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Holophone Introduces Customizable Performance Mics
Holophone introduced this month a line of single-channel stage and studio microphones. Designed for live, recording and broadcast applications, these new Holophone mics also have a customizable appearance.
The new Super C handheld supercardioid condenser is the first in a new line of customizable performance mics created by Holophone. Combining ruggedness and low handling noise with “ergonomic comfort,” the Super C features the same proprietary capsule technology employed in Holophone’s surround microphones, including the H2-PRO.
Holophone’s new mics also deliver individuality, with a design that allows the user to customize the mic’s appearance on the fly. Each microphone’s casing, windscreen, and grille can be instantly changed to any of a wide range of custom colors.
The Super C includes a custom carrying case, microphone clip and other accessories. It will be available for $499 list price and you can get more details here:
http://www.holophone.com/
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NEC Adds 55-Inch and 65-Inch Displays to V-Series
NEC has added two new models to its commercial-grade V Series, a 55-inch and 65-inch. The V552 and V652 offer LED backlighting to reduce the product’s depth, weight and power consumption when compared to their predecessors. Each 1080p (1920×1080) display also features built-in 10-watt speakers and an Open Pluggable Specification (OPS)-compliant expansion slot. Additionally, video, RS232 control and power are passed internally from the display to the accessory, allowing the elimination of additional cabling and simplifying installations.
The V552 and V652 include the following features:
- LED backlighting technology
- Commercial-grade LCD panel
- 320/450 cd/m² brightness (typical/maximum) and 4000:1 contrast ratio deliver brilliant imagery
- DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI-D (in/out) enable connectivity to a wide range of peripherals
- RS-232C, Ethernet (RJ45), IR Remote, DDC/CI are available for control
- Built-in, low-profile 10-watt speakers enhance the experience with superior sound
- TileMatrix technology that allows for video walls up to 10×10
- Optional accessories include speakers, stand, a variety of internal and external computers, digital tuner, calibration kit and wall mount
A solution with a built-in ATSC digital tuner (SB-03TM) allows for HD broadcast capabilities on the V522-AVT and V652-AVT models. In addition, a bundled solution is offered that includes a single board computer (OPS-PCAF-WS) for simple digital signage — models V552-PC and V652-PC.
The V552 and V652 are available at minimum advertised prices of $2,399 and $4,999, respectively. The V552-AVT and V652-AVT models are priced at $2,599 and $5,149, while the V552-PC and V652-PC cost $3,199 and $5,899.
To see all the specs, click here: http://www.necdisplay.com/category/large-screen-displays |
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FSR’s New CORE Product Line Addresses Floor Space Challenge
FSR is debuting its new CORE family of products that’s aimed at small classrooms, boardrooms and meeting rooms where floor space has reached a premium. The CORE stands for Cool Overhead Rack Enclosures. The lines consists of a ceiling box family of products that’s installed in standard 2’x2’ or 2’x4’ drop ceiling tiles and provides from two half-rack to four full rack spaces for equipment mounting. Optionally, the Ceiling Box family can be equipped with a projector pole mount adapter so that the projector can mount directly to the ceiling box and cables can disappear through the pole. |
The newest member of the CORE family is the Top Shelf wall mounted rack. Top Shelf mounts to a wall just below the ceiling in installations without a drop ceiling or where space above the drop ceiling is limited. The Top Shelf provides four rack units of mounting space; the plastic cover allows RF and Wi-Fi signals to pass unobstructed between the equipment and the room.
Here are all the specs:
http://www.fsrinc.com/products/ts-400.htm
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Sony Intros Two New Install Projectors
Sony two newest projectors are the VPL-FH36 and VPL-FH31, which are both 3LCD projectors designed for installs and rentals. They are spec’d with 5,200 lumens and 4,300 lumens (non-ANSI) brightness, respectively, and a 2000:1 contrast ratio. Offering native WXGA resolution (1920×1200), these projectors have HDMI, VGA, DVI and RGBHV input ports, have Ethernet content delivery and control and include up to vertical optical lens shift of +60% -0% and horizontal optical lens shift of +/-32%.
Both models are available in white or black enclosures and have PIP and Picture by Picture Image Projection.
Here are the specs of the VPL-FH31:
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/product-VPLFH31/W/
Here are the specs for the VPL-FH36:
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/product-VPLFH36/W/
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EIKI Enters Switcher Market
Projector company EIKI has entered the switcher market with its new ProSwitch 400S, aimed at the house of worship, broadcast, education and ProAV markets. The ProSwitch 400S has eight inputs (SDI, two video, s-video, HDMI, VGA, DVI and RGBS) and two outputs (one VGA and one DVI). It’s LAN- or RS232-controllable and includes seamless switching with last-frame-hold or fade through black transitions (for scaling and switching live video and IMAG). It also supports PIP/POP/PAP with a video and computer image sources.
EIKI says the 1U rack-mountable ProSwitch 400S can scale sources up to 1080p and WUXGA (1920×1200) resolutions, uses the Reon HQV video processing chip and is based on Calibre’s HQView platform.
Calibre and EIKI are partners, with EIKI acting as the North American distributor for Calibre products.
Here are all the specs:
http://www.eiki.com/usa/products/EIKI-accessories/proswitch400s
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Chief’s First Fusion Series Ceiling Mounts Ship
Chief is now shipping the FUSION Single Flat Panel Ceiling Mounts. Features of the single ceiling mounts include continuous tilt ranges with four set locking points that eliminate guesswork when adjusting multiple screens; easy on/off installation and service; tool-free latching flags to secure the display; optional padlock security; Centris technology to provide fingertip tilt between +5 and -20 degrees and optimization for a wide range of display sizes up to 125 lbs. (56.7 kg). The display can be installed in portrait and landscape positions on the medium mount. The large mount handles landscape positioning with a portrait option available in the first quarter of 2013. The mounts are available in black and silver.
The LCM1U and MCM1U single display mounts are the first in a series of FUSION ceiling mounts and accessories that will be rolling out over the next several months. Future options will include ceiling mounted menu board and video wall solutions.
Check them out here:
http://www.chiefmfg.com/Series/LCM%20Single%20Display
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Extron Intros Three Input HDMI and VGA Switcher With Both HDMI and Fiber Outputs
Extron’s new FOX T USW 203 is a three-input switcher (VGA, component or HDMI) with an integrated fiber optic transmitter for long haul transmission of HDCP-compliant HDMI, RGBHV, or HD component video, plus stereo audio and RS232 control signals over fiber optic cabling (or over an HDMI output). The FOX T USW 203 switcher uses Extron’s all-digital technology to transmit video images at resolutions up to 1920×1200, including HDTV 1080p/60 and analog AV input signals, which are converted to digital to ensure that a high quality signal is transmitted to the final destination. To streamline installation and system operation, the switcher includes integration-friendly features such as buffered HDMI output and VGA input loop-through, EDID Minder, Key Minder, audio embedding, auto-input switching, RS232 control and real-time system monitoring.
One unique feature is that you can output signals from either the HDMI port (that’s buffered) or via Fiber optic (or simultaneously). You can see all the specs here:
http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=foxtusw203
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VFI Beefs Up Huge Mobile Flat Panel Cart
Video Furniture International’s LFT-7000 is designed to handle LCDs that weigh up to 300 pounds and are as large as 90″ diagonal. Fitted with 5″ metal casters with ballbearings and non-marking wheels, the LFT-7000 includes a wiring channel inside the main pillar and has a scratch resistant powder-coated finish with a frame that’s shark gray. It includes an integrated 3U rack and the display can move up and down the pillar. The LFT-7000 is 51 3/8″ wide, has a 33″ depth and is 71 3/4″ high. It also includes a remote (for operating the TV lift so it can raise and lower on the center pillar) and is ADA compliant.
Here are all the specs:
http://www.video-furn.com/m_LFT7000.html?v
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BenQ Intros New 1080p Projectors
BenQ America’s new W1070 and W1080ST projectors both use Texas Instruments’ new native 1080p, 3D-capable DLP Dark Chip 3 (DC3). The projectors are also integrated with NVIDIA 3DTV Play, DLP Link and dual HDMI. Specified at a contrast ratio of 10,000:1 (non-ANSI) and with 2,000 lumens brightness (ANSI), both projectors have two HDMI inputs, component video capability and VGA ports.
The W1080ST can project an image more than 100 inches wide at less than six feet away from the screen and has a unique “Auto Blank” mode that blocks light output when objects are detected in front of the lens, therefore avoiding flashing light directly in presenter’s eyes when crossing the projection. With a Rec. 709 color gamut, the W1080ST also enables color calibration right out of the box. BenQ says users can enjoy projected color images that match film studio and television broadcast standards with no adjustments necessary.
The W1070 and W1080T list for $1,099 and $1,299, respectively. The complete specs are here:
http://www.benq.us/product/projector/w1080st/specifications
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Sony Launches S-Series LCDs
Sony introduced this week the new S-series LCD line, which completes the company’s transition from CFL-based backlighting to LED-based backlighting for its LCD displays. The S-series is available in both 42″ (FWD-S42H2) and 46″ models (FWD-S46H2) and utilizes an edge-lit LED. They are specified at 700 cd/m2 brightness and are integrated with DICOM simulated gamma settings for medical reference use. They have both VGA and HDMI inputs as well as HD-SDI/SDI. Control is RS232 or Ethernet and the displays can be mounted in portrait or landscape orientation.
Here are the specs for the FWD-S42H2:
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/product-FWDS42H2/
Here are the specs for the FWD-S46H2
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/product-FWDS46H2/
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MXL Adds Wireless Microphone Technology To Its Field Recording Line
MXL Microphones’ new FR-500WK is basically a kit comprised of the FR-500WT Transmitter and the FR-500WR Receiver, plus accessories geared toward DSLR users. The MXL FR-500WK lets videographers add audio to video without the need for cables.
The FR-500WK Wireless Audio System is designed for interviews and field reporting, with a range of up to 280 meters in a straight line of view. Distinguishing features include easy access group and channel controls, a wide frequency response from 40Hz to 18kHz, and an Ultra High Frequency from 566.25 to 589.75. Other features include:
- 64 channel selections. (4 groups x 16 channels)
- LED lights indicate different channel groups.
- Long transmission range: up to 280m in line of sight
- Long battery life (2x AA): up to 10 hrs
The FR-500WT Transmitter has a built-in microphone, 1/8″ (3.5 mm) mic jack and line in. A discreet omni lavalier microphone is included. The FR-500WR Receiver has a built-in speaker, 1/8″ (3.5 mm) headphone jack and line out. A hot shoe adapter and a 1/8” to 1/8” cable are included to mount the receiver on top of a DSLR camera. A 1/8” to XLR male cable and ¼” adapter are included to connect the receiver to mixers and other pro audio gear. Additionally, the receiver can be used with headphones and a recording device.
Here are all the details:
http://www.mxlmics.com/microphones/Kits/
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PMA Announces Top-Selling Projector Models During November 2012
Pacific Media Associates (PMA) has posted its recent results to the “Top Selling Projectors” area of the company’s website.
For more than 15 years now, Pacific Media Associates (PMA) has collected monthly sell-through data from leading North American projector dealers, retailers, web resellers and distributors. Its Tracking Service family of monthly reports offers timely sell-through data and analysis on unit sales, true volume-weighted street prices, and inventories of front projectors for these channels.
Each month, Pacific Media Associates posts the Top 5 Projector Lists for the following product categories:
New Era / Pico and Personal (sub-1000 lumens) Projectors – The November results showed that three of the Top 5 selling models, by unit volume, to be Optoma PK–Series pico projectors. Coming in number one, two and three, respectively, were the Optoma PK-320, the Optoma PK-120 and the Optoma PK-201. Rounding out the Top 5 were AAXA’s M2 Micro pico projector and Vivitek’s Qumi Q2 personal projector. In addition, DLP technology remains most popular for the New Era category, with four out of the Top 5 models being DLP based. This Top 5 list is compiled from data collected from PMA’s monthly Retail Projector Tracking Service sample, which is made up of North American retailers and web resellers.
Mainstream (1000 to 3999 lumens) Projectors – For the Mainstream category, NEC took top honors, by unit volume, with the best-selling NP-V260X. InFocus landed the number two and three spots respectively, with the IN112 and IN114. Hitachi took the fourth spot with the CP-X3015WN and NEC rounded out the Top 5 with the NP-V260. In addition, XGA resolution models were most popular for Mainstream purchasers, with three of the Top 5 having 1,024×768 resolution. This Top 5 list is compiled from data collected from PMA’s monthly Distributor Projector Tracking Service sample, which is made up of North American distributors.
High-End (4000+ lumens) Projectors – The November 2012 results showed Epson leading the pack with the top two selling models – the PowerLite 1945W and the PowerLite Pro G5750WU. NEC also made a strong showing in the High-End category with the NP-PA500U-13ZL in the number three spot, and the NP-PA550W-13ZL taking the fourth spot. Mitsubishi rounded out the Top 5 with their WL7200. In addition, WXGA units were most popular in the High-End category, with three of the Top 5 models having 1,366×768 resolutions. This Top 5 list is compiled from data collected from PMA’s monthly Pro A/V Projector Tracking Service sample, which is made up of North American dealers and integrators
Resellers, distributors, manufacturers, and the press are invited to visit PMA’s site each month at
http://www.pacificmediaassociates.com to see the 5 Top Selling projectors for these categories, as well as new product blogs and information on Pacific Media’s projector market research offerings.
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Chief Adds Arrays to Kontour Mount Line
Chief is expanding its Kontour series of monitor mounts to include array configurations, which are now shipping.
The K3 group of mount arrays, ideal for offices, call centers, security desks, control rooms, health care or IT settings, includes 3×1/2×1, 2×2 and 1×2 configuration options. Each comes in either free standing or grommet mounting styles. A clamp accessory provides a third choice for installers.
The 3×1/2×1 configuration is the first of the arrays on the market and features:
- Telescoping lateral shift
- Room for three 27″ monitors or two 30″ monitors
- Independent height adjustable arms and center head
- Adaptable heads can be detached from telescoping arms and moved all the way toward the column
- 12 degree Centris tilt in each direction for each arm head
- 10 degrees up and down tilt for the column mounting head
- Flexible array arm angle: from flat up to 15 degrees toward the user
- 15 lbs (6.8 kg) weight capacity per monitor
- Landscape and portrait orientation
- Integrated cable management
All mounts are first available in black with silver coming soon. The 3×1/2×1 configuration includes the K3F310B desk stand, available now, and the K3G310B grommet/bolt down stand, which will be available later this month. The 2×2 configurations include the K3F220B desk stand and the K3G220B grommet/bolt down stand. The 1×2 configurations include the K3F120B desk stand and the K3G120B grommet/bolt down stand. All models will be available in black finish by the end of January.
For all the specs on the new K3 series, click here:
http://www.chiefmfg.com/Series/Kontour%20Arrays%20K3
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Parasound Debuts $4,500 CD Player
Parasound has introduced a high-end Compact Disc (CD) player that they say represents a radically different approach to extracting the best possible sound from a CD. The new Parasound Halo CD 1 uses new CD playback and processing technology that is the result of a collaboration between Parasound and Holm Acoustics in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Parasound CD 1 uses a new method for playing CDs that is based on using a CD-ROM drive instead of a conventional CD drive and a Linux-based computer to read and process the CD data. The CD ROM drive in the CD 1 runs at four times the speed of a conventional CD player drive in order to accumulate a vast amount of data. An on-board Intel ITX computer, running the Linux operating system kernel and Holm’s proprietary software dramatically improves the reading of CD disc data. It analyzes CD data and reads every part of a CD as many times as are needed to significantly reduce errors and, accordingly, the negative effects of error concealment. The result, according to Parasound, is a nearly bit-perfect data stream.
The CD 1 includes a ‘Discrete OpAmp’ selector that gives users the option of listening to the analog outputs directly from the low noise National LME49990 op-amps or via discrete transistor output stages. The discrete output stage uses individual transistors in a Darlington configuration that operates in the feedback loops of the LME49990s. This subtly changes the sonic character of the CD 1 and they tell rAVe that there is no “wrong” choice.
The Parasound Halo CD 1 is offered in both traditional Halo silver chassis and the new Halo all black finish and lists for $4,500. Here are all the specs:
http://www.gspr.com/parasound/files/Parasound%20CD%201%20white%20paper.pdf
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