Volume 2, Issue 3 — March 25, 2016
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Editorials Editorials Editorials
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Attention and Retention: The Key to Successfull AV at Events
By Mark Coxon rAVe Blogger
We’ve all heard the saying that in a digital world, content is king. Some still stand by that saying and in the face of a never ending avalanche of content out there, others have started modifying it to include variations like relevant content is king or context is king. I don’t disagree with any of these assertions. Relevant content given in the right context is extremely important… if someone actually notices it exists. There are a multitude of digital marketing specialists out there that help companies get noticed in the virtual world online. They help with websites, blogs, reputation management and social media.
I’d like to focus on the original social media, the face to face, handshake and personal interaction kind that takes place at a trade show or networking event.
I heard once that the average time a person that walks into a trade show booth stays is 45 seconds. That’s not long and that’s if they walk into the booth at all.
So what are the keys to using technology in a way that maximizes your investment in those events?
Attention and Retention.
Attention
The truth is everyone has a 4″ to 10″ screen in his pocket and can access any content he wants at virtually any time. What is going to make him consume yours? There is no longer such a thing as a captive audience. You need to get people’s attention. Just throwing a flat panel in a booth isn’t going to cut it anymore. Flat panels are everywhere and everyone else will have one too, meaning they will all be tuned out.
Go Big or Stay Home
One way to get attention is to be too big and bright to be ignored. A video wall or large scale projection based system will draw eyes just based on size alone. Now of course the 8 second attention clock in everyone’s head starts ticking after that, so you have to deliver once you get the eyes as well. We’ll talk about that in a minute.
Think Outside the Rectangle
The right angle may be to avoid right angles altogether.
Let’s be honest, the rectangle is boring. Four right angles with a picture floating in the middle? Yawn. We all have one at home. Try creating media in organic shapes, on curved or contoured walls, on the structure of the building. Domes and tunnels invite people to explore and act as portals into your world of possibilities for your clients. If you haven’t heard terms like mediatecture and projection mapping, it’s about time you have.
Retention
What good is it to get someone’s attention only to lose it eight seconds later, or to get three minutes of face time with someone, only to have them forget you ever existed by the time the day is over? You need to focus on retention, both of the initial attention and of your message long after the experience is over.
Tell a Story.
One exhibit that has been shared quite a bit on LinkedIn lately is a booth in which they use a Tesla Type S as a canvas to project upon, transporting it through many different environments. It’s a great show of technology for technology’s sake, but according to at least one commentator, they missed the point. He said “It looks great… now tell a story.” He was right!
It is one thing to exhibit technical know how, it’s another to tell a story using that same technology. Why not show the car driving through a polluted city with exhaust and gasoline usage totaling up as the car goes through it’s typical year. Then one night “lightning” strikes the car, the Tesla symbol is projected on the hood, and the car is mapped with the electricity running through the drive train to the wheels as it drives through pristine air and as a very small electrical recharge bill tallies in the background. Now you’ve not only engaged the eyes, but you told a story without subjecting anyone to death by Power Point.
Create an Experience.
Take Disneyland as an example. Put its roller coasters in Magic Mountain’s park, stripped down to their steel skeletons and they would get very little traffic compared to the thrill based monoliths that already reside there. However, if you can transport riders to another time and place and then tell a story with the ride, you’ll have two-hour waits daily. Create an experience and you’ll get retention on the side.
When I used to work in the visitor center and museum space, the goal was always to create a “place based” experience. By this I mean an experience you can only get by showing up. If you can create an experience like this people will share it. And guess what? If people share it, they’ll remember it. It’s just simple logic. If you read something out loud, you remember it longer. If you share a story you remember the experience more vividly. If you make something shareable, you make it memorable and that is why going viral is not just for online content, but why a place can go viral too. People will come to get the experience despite the content.
Putting together a booth or exhibit that just allows people to surf your website on a touchscreen or sort a picture gallery will not do the trick. If you want to leverage existing content that is fine. But do it differently, and in a way they can only do there. If you have a photo gallery on your website and videos on YouTube, take advantage of them. Maybe create a 3×3 interactive video wall with 8 sections of the picture scrambled up. Allow the user to unscramble the pictures like an old slide lock puzzle and when the puzzle is solved, a video launches detailing the product.
At the end of the day, companies spend a lot on the spaces they buy at trade shows and networking events. We should be leveraging technology in a way that maximizes those investments, by attracting the attention needed to get people into your booth and then making sure you convert that attention into a memorable experience that they take with them when they leave, sharing it with others well after the event is over. Leave a Comment
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So You Want to Talk Security…
By Corey Moss rAVe Blogger
Headline: Channel Partners – 3/10/16: Network Security Incidents High Among World’s Largest Companies
Story: A new survey of IT and security professionals reveals that 72 percent of organizations have experienced five or more network security incidents in the past 12 months.
Regardless of region or technology, IT and security administrators revealed that their networks have significant blind spots, underscoring that too many organizations deploy network security technologies in silos with little or no communication between products and teams, according to the survey.
Respondents reported low confidence in their patch-management agents (37 percent), mobile device management agents (35 percent), encryption agents (28 percent) and antivirus agents (27 percent).
Question: How does the industry overall, if government and enterprise can’t fully help themselves (I’ve even had conversations with employees about this), approach security as a benefit to the end user?
What capabilities do manufacturers, integrators and consultants at this time have to truly bring the proper knowledge and education to the corporate and government space where AV/IT and even IoT security is concerned? It’s always been about on-premise security — this now represents a whole new industry turn.
So we had a scenario with the device backdoor “1MB@tMaN” username situation that has in essence been blown to kingdom come. I wrote a blog, along with the many others who blogged and podcasted about it in the industry, though I will claim that my writing was from the absolute beginning of the reveal by Forbes where I saw it pop up on the writer’s Twitter site…
…and a full examination of the situation throughout the week, concerning this being as much about sensationalism with a measure of factual data and information when I finally did publish the blog “Baffling” Backdoor Cyber-Talks. Oh and his lead reference to the the Juniper backdoors incident being in any way comparative to this one was just — wrong.
In fact in a later update to the article this statement appeared:
A spokesperson from Harman confirmed the backdoors had been removed but said they were benign and not “hidden.” They added: “First, ‘Black widow’ as an internal name for a legacy diagnostic and maintenance login for customer support of technical issues. Commonly used in legacy systems, it was not ‘hidden’ as suggested, nor did it provide access to customer information. While such a login is useful for diagnostics and maintenance, during our routine security review in the summer of 2015, we determined that it would be prudent to eliminate this feature as part of a comprehensive software update. We informed our customers and the update was deployed in December 2015.
“‘1MB@tMaN’ was an entirely different internal feature that allowed internal system devices to communicate. It was not an external login nor was it accessible from outside of the product. The ‘1MB@tMaN’ internal system device capability also was not related to nor a replacement for the ‘Black Widow’ diagnostic login. The only connection was the fact that our software update that eliminated ‘Black Widow’ also provided an update to the ‘1MB@tMaN’ internal capability that eliminated this name.
Could it be though that Thomas Fox-Brewster (whose Twitter handle as you see is may have intended this to be purpose-filled fuel that would eventually lead to the clamor that is still taking place in the industry? Of course there were the umpteen other articles written (Ars Technica’s for one) that fueled this charge against AMX by Harman, as well as further building this security uproar.
Here’s one though that most may not have known about — ZDNet reported in late January, in yet another AMX-related article that Cisco was forced to fix a critical vulnerability that was found in its Aironet 1800-series wireless access point devices that would effectively allow an attacker to walk in with backdoor access. It was reported in the article that according to Cisco, the flaw was due to the presence of a default user account that is created when the device is installed. Cisco said that although the account did not have have full administrative rights, it still allowed an attacker to gain unauthorized access to the device. Should we now turn our targeted attention toward Cisco, being the major industry presence that they are (even if it is videoconferencing and collaboration), or the next company that is found to have a device-based “vulnerability?”
And why is the industry getting all fired up now? I’ve been writing on cybersecurity and have attended conferences here in Washington, DC for about two and a half years now — my first blog on the subject was here on rAVe in January 2014 Cyber Security: Defending Against an Escalating IT War (I’ve written blogs in other media sources as well), in fact I wrote this passage in the blog:
While cybersecurity may not yet be a focus of the industry, with the ongoing threat to whole enterprise operations in numerous realms of business, a stronger look may be possible in the time to come.
With networked AV as well as IoT being primary topics of industry discussion, as well as primary focus at trade shows, security needs to be a prime focus among such discussions as well. Industry experts Paul Zielie, Manager Enterprise Solutions at Harman who talks and educates on networked AV and security and Toine Leerentveld, Technology Manager for Control Systems at Crestron (as well as a part of their network security team) who discusses the subject in this interview at ISE, are two who well represent that security discussion in the industry.
Want to get information from a well-known and highly reliable source in terms of cybersecurity? Brian Krebs is an American journalist and investigative reporter who is best known for his coverage of profit-seeking cybercriminals. You can read his KrebsonSecurity in depth security and information news — here are some recent articles to give you an idea of high profile security incidents as well as a product that this security expert recommends:
A California-based Internet hosting provider that specializes in protecting customers from massive “distributed denial of service” (DDoS) attacks aimed at knocking sites offline, has itself apparently been massively hacked…
Hackers Target Anti-DDoS Firm Staminus
A phishing attack of a well-known technology company…
Seagate Phish Exposes All Employee W-2s
A user-friendly and secure device (as Krebs states) where he says “hardly anyone would pick either word to describe the vast majority of wireless routers in use today.” He goes on to state that the eero system did indeed noticeably extend the range of his home WiFi network, as well as how his most recent router — an ASUS RT-N66U, a.k.a the “Dark Knight” never gave him coverage throughout their three-level home despite multiple experiments with physical placement of the device.
Wait — The Dark Knight? Hmm, seems like Krebs likes the DC Comics approach as well…
eero: A Mesh Wi-Fi Router Built for Security
I will be talking to networking and security experts — not just in AV, but in IT and IoT as well in the months to come to get to the heart of certain discussions for the industry and end user. If you are an integration company or consultant that can fully satisfy the enterprise and government end user’s AV/IT and even IT security needs, all the added value power to you. In fact I’d like to talk to you about your approaches and methods. If not yet, look for proper resources for information and education inside and outside of the industry, and stay tuned here as well.
Reference: Channel Partners: Network Security Incidents High Among World’s Largest Companies Leave a Comment
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Digital Signs Move Onto The Body
By Scott Tiner rAVe Columnist
For Christmas I received my long awaited Apple Watch. For several months leading up to the holiday I wanted to buy one, but held off knowing it would make a great gift. Boy, was I right. Now, I know that there have been a variety of evaluations of the Apple Watch. Most people agree that the watch is for early adopters and “tech geeks.” Which is exactly why you should go get one right now and start thinking about how they will change the future of what you do.
I have used the watch for making phone calls, sending text messages, calendaring and many more things. A lot of the apps have a long way to go but some of them are pretty impressive for the nascent product. The health applications are pretty impressive already and clearly are continuing to grow. I think Apple has a real opportunity in the health market with the information it is able to gather from the device around your wrist.
And that is the golden key that all marketing and technology firms are interested in, data.
So, how does this affect digital signage? I can envision a couple of ways that digital signage will integrate with wearables in a very short time. One is with the sharing of data. Right now the Apple Watch knows my heart rate at any given time. That means it also knows my resting heartrate, active heart rate and average heart rate. It knows how many steps I take in a day, how much exercise I have done and how often I have stood compared to sat. In conjunction with my iPhone it also knows everywhere I have been. All of this information would be very interesting for drugstores and pharmacies. By walking up to a digital sign and allowing my wearable to share information with it, the sign can point me to specific items (e.g. vitamins, health drinks) that may be of interest to me. If I go into an athletics store, the information on my watch could be shared with the digital sign to point me in the direction of clothes specific to the exercise I like to do. It could also point me in the direction of equipment that may help me with my regular exercising, say a book on proper stretching before running.
Think about wayfinding and appointment at offices. How often have you you walked into an office building and wondered where you are supposed to go? Colleges and Universities try hard to provide wayfinding, but their campuses are so large it is very difficulty. What if you could hold your watch near a digital sign and it read your appointments for that day. Then the sign showed you a map of exactly where you needed to go. That map could then easily be send right to your phone. When you walk into a doctor’s office, you could simply check in by getting close to the digital sign. Heck, at the same time you could share some of the health information that your watch has been tracking.
All of the above examples are what we can do right now with the technology that exists. Think about how this changes and grows as Apple and other competitors begin to develop better products.
There is one major caveat about all of this working as planned. Right now, Apple does not permit developers access to the iWatch NFC radio. There seems to not be a strong reason for Apple to keep this from developers. I would expect that they will begin to see the power that access to the NFC antennae would give developers and how that would drive sales at the App Store, and before too long they will provide this access.
I am a believer in the concept that those of us in the technology field need to be early adopters and tech geeks. We need to understand where technology stands today and where it is moving in the future. If you don’t have a smart watch of any type, now is the time to go get one. The future is moving in that direction! Leave a Comment
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LG Intros 86″ “Stretch” 7-foot Wide by 1-foot Tall, 4K Resolution MonitorLG introduced an 86-inch “Ultra Stretch” digital signage monitor at DSE aimed at transportation, retail stores, banks and museums.
Using an aspect ratio of 58:9, the Ultra Stretch Signage monitor measures seven feet long and one foot wide. Dubbed the LG 86BH5C, it’s a 4K Ultra HD resolution and uses LG’s Picture-by-Picture technology, which allows the user to divide the long, rectangular signage into four seamless screens in landscape or portrait installations.
Offering integrators a range of customization options, the monitor supports lateral tiling by linking together 1×4 or 4×1 landscape or portrait installations, and up to a 4×4 installation with a daisy chain configuration. The LAN daisy chain allows users to control and monitor devices, distribute content and update firmware. These unique features empower users to customize the display to maximize content and impact.
LG’s 86-inch Ultra Stretch Signage monitor has a host of other features including LG’s SuperSign media editor that allows users to easily edit images or video clips of original content without the need for additional editing programs.
You can see all the detailed specs here. Leave a Comment
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X2O Media Intros Unified Digital Workplace Solution X2O.JoinX2O Media, a Barco company, will debut its new X2O.Join connected desktop app next week.
X2O.Join extends the power of the X2O platform by allowing users to browse and view any channel on the X2O network, where channels featuring data-driven graphics, video, social media content and more can be displayed as floating windows on the desktop or used as screensavers. In addition, widgets containing bite-sized amounts of real-time information can be pinned to the desktop for continuous updates. Channels can also be sent as targeted pop-up notifications and shared with colleagues. Finally, in the event of an emergency, critical alerts, security or safety announcements can be displayed quickly and easily across the network as well.
Designed to deliver real-time visual communications to the right audience, at the right time, on the right device, the X2O platform transforms enterprises into digital workplaces by providing employees tools to create, distribute, and view dynamic visual channels. The X2O platform easily manages and delivers media-rich content in four solution areas:
- The Connected Desktop enables users to view and interact with channels and content widgets directly from their desktops or laptops via the X2O.Join app. Specific use cases include company news channels, business information dashboards, interactive polls and live alerts.
- The Connected Workspace supports multiple users, where teams collaborate in a shared virtual workspace, either in-person in a huddle room or remotely via interactive touchscreens and mobile devices, desktops, and laptops — enabling information sharing, collaboration, polling participation and more.
- The Connected Workplace promotes communications in real-time through connected screens and devices found throughout a facility such as digital signage, interactive touchscreens, video walls, IP phones or wearable devices.
- The Connected Workforce enables organizations to share real-time content with a global community of connected users and remote workers through mobile devices, cross-campus digital signage networks, and online communication tools. This means companies can maintain up-to-date communications across entire workforces, regardless of location.
X2O Media’s X2O.Join is here. Leave a Comment
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Proxima Debuts 1920×1200 5K-Lumen LCD ProjectorProxima Displays Corporation is back and their newest projector is the M1030U, a WUXGA (1920 x 1200) resolution LCD projector. Spec’d at 5,000 lumens, it includes VGA, HDMI, BNC, DVI and RJ45 inputs. The M1030 ships with the standard lens, and offers four additional lens options, from rear projection through short-throw lens capability.
The M1030U is Crestron RoomView, AMX and Extron certified and tested and it is aimed at education, HOW and rental/staging applications. More details are here. Leave a Comment
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Nureva Creates a 30′ Surround Version of SpanNureva announced the creation of a 30-foot (9.1 meters) immersive collaboration environment that surrounds teams with their digital content. The surround experience is created by three panoramic projectors installed on adjoining walls and enabled by a multi-display setup tool in Span software. This tool links the computers and merges the cloud-based canvas across the three systems. The resulting immersive environment gives teams a truly expansive view of their content, which comprises digital sticky notes, sketches, images and flip charts.
This configuration transforms huddle rooms into rich environments for creativity and innovation. As in any project room, team members benefit from being close to their content. Every detail is within easy reach, and content can be fluidly and efficiently moved across walls and around corners. Panning at any location seamlessly moves the whole canvas and its contents around all three walls. The result is more efficient collaboration and an enhanced sensory experience with users reporting reduced distractions and a heightened focus on their content. Team members can quickly identify connections, fill in gaps and see relationships that spark new ideas. In addition, the system’s cloud-based software enables in-room and remote participants to access the material any time through personal devices.
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Tightrope Media Systems to Unveil All-in-One Carousel Digital Signage DisplaysTightrope Media Systems is developing a new all-in-one display system powered by its Carousel digital signage software. Aimed at applications for interactive, information-based kiosks in busy consumer and visitation spaces as well as “end of aisle” deployments in supermarkets and retail stores, as well as large campuses (corporate, higher education) and exhibit-based environments (museums, zoos and parks).
Developed in partnership with Thinlabs, the Carousel All-In-One display systems offer what TMS says is a rugged kiosk designed to withstand heavy use in high-traffic locations. Its interactive properties are elevated through 22-inch projective capacitive touch displays with built-in quadcore computing to accelerate content delivery, intelligently organized and delivered on-demand by Carousel’s powerful content playout software.
Systems integrators benefit from the system’s Power over Ethernet (PoE) connectivity, which minimizes wiring and eliminates high-voltage concerns. This simplifies initial deployments, requiring only a low-voltage Ethernet cable to connect the kiosk to the network. Ongoing maintenance is streamlined through hot-swappable motherboards, and a three-year warranty provides additional assurances and protections for customers whether deploying standalone systems or a large network of kiosks.
All the detailed specs are here. Leave a Comment
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Vivitek Ships New DU8090Z Laser-Phosphor ProjectorVivitek announced that the DU8090Z laser projector, using a laser light source spec’d at 20,000 hours of operation time and 8,000 ANSI lumens of brightness. The projector is aimed at installs for conference halls, auditoriums and theaters.
With built-in edge-blending, warping and portrait mode projection with 360 degrees, the Vivitek DU8090Z is a versatile projector, designed for multiple applications. The DU8090Z is native WUXGA (1920×1200) resolution and includes the DLP and BrilliantColor technologies from Texas Instruments. The DU8090Z specs a contrast ratio of 10,000:1.
In addition to the 3D compatibility and a wide range of interchangeable optical lenses, the DU8090Z features a full suite of connectivity options including HDMI 1.4a, DVI-D, component 5BNC, 3G-SDI and HDBaseT interface support for the distribution of HD video contents over a standard CAT5e/6 LAN cable.
Easy to set up and install, the Vivitek DU8090Z has a wide range of interchangeable lenses available to choose from, as well as motorized focus and zoom in addition to horizontal and vertical lens shift for greater installation flexibility and 10 predefined lens positions which are registered in the Lens Position Memory (LPM).
All the specs are here. Leave a Comment
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Sennheiser Launches TeamConnect Wireless, Mobile Audio Conferencing Solution for Up to 24 ParticipantsSennheiser’s TeamConnect Wireless claims to bring to an end the age of conference call frustrations, delivering unmatched ease of use and excellent sound quality in a portable system for up to 24 participants.
TeamConnect Wireless offers peerless connectivity options, making any device immediately capable of establishing a professional quality conference call in seconds. Users can quickly connect their own Bluetooth smart device or computer wirelessly, with NFC making pairing with compatible devices simple. Wired connections are also possible via USB – ideal for web or video conferencing via a computer – or jack cable, so it can readily fit in to a broad range of hardware set-ups.
Simply slide the four units from the case and they automatically power up and link together. The touch-sensitive control panel on the master unit allows you to connect devices and control calls, while the satellite units have touch controls for muting or adjusting volume. TeamConnect Wireless also supports multiple simultaneous audio channels, so additional callers can be joined to an existing conference by just connecting another device.
With set up taking no time at all, TeamConnect Wireless sets the stage for a brilliant meeting. As a Sennheiser product, it delivers excellent acoustic clarity and speech intelligibility, which allows for natural conversation and improved meeting productivity.
Alongside leading edge functionality, TeamConnect Wireless is designed to be at home in even the most prestigious office environments. Use of premium materials such as glass and aluminum makes the system tough but elegant.
Here are the specs. Leave a Comment
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Another Tiny Digital Signage StickSeneca will launch something it’s calling the Seneca HDS — a media player on an HDMI stick. Media sticks are often frowned upon for an enterprise installation for myriad reasons. Security, theft, performance and failure rates are the most common complaints around media sticks in a digital signage environment. But the Seneca HDS claims to be the first media stick purpose built for digital signage. The Seneca HDS negates these challenges with purposeful design and feature sets. Features like a solid state, fanless design, Kensington lock and NIC port position this media stick well for enterprise installations.
Not many specs are available, yet, but we will see it at DSE next week. However, it includes both a USB input as well as wireless Wi-Fi and LTE capability and we hear it has the ability to output both 1080p and 4K video.
Here are the known details, however. Leave a Comment
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Listen Technologies Introduces ListenWiFi — TV Audio in the Palm of Your HandListen Technologies is now shipping its new line of ListenWiFi products. ListenWiFi allows venues such as fitness clubs and others with multi-screen deployments offer a personal listening experience by streaming audio content from multiple TV or audio sources directly to their customers’ smartphones via the Personal Listening Wi-Fi network.
ListenWiFi delivers unprecedented audio quality, manageability and flexibility. Customers download the app, connect to the ListenWiFi network and tune into the channel displayed on the TV, with no disruption to their workout when changing machines at the gym. They can also easily manage audio channels and the app contents via the cloud.
Software for the server and app is updated automatically with no monthly fees, so venues know they can always connect to the widest variety of mobile devices and have the latest features. The flexible system can be configured with anywhere from four to 24 channels without having to replace the server. The server is compact and quiet, allowing venues to place it in a wide variety of locations. This standalone system utilizes its own Wireless Access Point to easily and reliably create a network for distributing quality audio.
ListenWiFi offers numerous benefits: fitness clubs can eliminate the costly, easily damaged audio headphone jacks on their cardio machines, and other public venues can offer their patrons easy access to the TV audio content they choose. The system uses its own Wireless Access Point for Wi-Fi broadcast of the Wi-Fi Personal Listening network. ISP connectivity provides internet access for customers connected to the Wi-Fi Personal Listening network and delivers software upgrades. Best of all, ListenWiFi is easy to install and maintain, and it comes with excellent support — and it gives users complete flexibility to stream virtually any audio source they choose, with no monthly service fees.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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BenQ Intros New WXGA Short Throw ProjectorBenQ’s new MW883UST is a native WXGA (1366×768) resolution single-chip, short-throw projector.
Spec’d at 3,300 ANSI lumens and a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, the MW883UST has something BenQ calls PointWrite, an interactive module aimed at adding collaboration capabilities to the classrooms of budget-conscious schools. PointWrite allows teachers and students to interact easily with and annotate course material on-screen. Additionally, BenQ QWrite interactive software allows teachers to capture and save lessons easily so that students can be more fully immersed in the class and get the exact notes as they appear on the board. Wireless connectivity and content sharing is enabled via an optional QCast dongle.
Featuring dual HDMI ports (one being MHL-compatible), a USB reader for PC-less presentations and document saving, an integrated wireless docking port to house accessory dongles and powerful 20-W audio, the projector is a stand-alone entry-level system for schools. The MW883UST can be placed just a few inches from the projection screen and can project images up to 140 inches.
You an see all the specs here. Leave a Comment
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Proxima Debuts Another Laser Projector in LP8500UProxima has another laser-phosphor projector in the form of a 8500-lumen LP8500U, a single-chip, DLP-based WUXGA (1920×1200) resolution projector. The LP8500U is a water-cooled laser diode-based projector that has one VGA input, two HDMI inputs, a combo DVI/Display port input, an HDBaseT input and LAN RJ45 inputs for control and content management. The LP8500U ships with the standard lens and offers four additional lens options, from rear projection through long-throw lens capability.
The Proxima LP8500U is spec’d at 20,000 hours. All the details are here. Leave a Comment
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Schertler Intros Arthur, the Mixer You Design and Build YourselfSwiss manufacturer Schertler just unveiled a really cool product: the Arthur Format48 mixer — it’s a new modular mixer that can be designed and built by the user. Yes, you read that right!
The mixer can be created from a choice of eight different Class A input and output modules. These include a Mic Input unit, Yellow instrument input unit, Stereo Input unit and Spring Reverb unit, as well as L/R Master, EQ Master, Aux Master and external Power-In units. The units, which can be combined in any order and quantity, contain all the standard features you would expect to find on other mixer channel strips, as well as some more innovative functions for enhancing workflow and ensuring best possible sound quality.
Arthur’s electronic design is also very interesting as they say it’s completely absent of negative feedback (NFB) from input to output. According to Schertler, all filters and summing amps are free from restricting back loops in the mixer’s straightforward high-speed design. This results in an ultra fast response and a natural attack, neither of which is achievable with NFB circuitry. All circuits are built using discrete components (in Class A) and pure high-voltage DC-amps (without any capacitors in the signal path), offering 30dB headroom and low noise, as well as what Schertler says is unparalleled stability, warmth and transparency.
Combining the various mixer modules is a straightforward process involving a series of connecting rods and hexagonal screws. Users have total freedom to design their own personal channel sequence, as there are no mechanical or electrical restrictions. The number of units that can be included depends the power supply used: For simpler combinations of eight or 16 units, there is a choice of two compact power supplies. A further high-end power supply is also available for use with any combination of units ranging from only a few to as many as 60. (For larger combinations, power-in units are also required.)
Once Arthur has been built, the user still has freedom to customize the unit sequence and add further units, should additional mic or instrument inputs be required for example.
Here are all the tech specs. Leave a Comment
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Sterling Audio Introduces MX Series Powered Studio MonitorsSterling Audio announces its new MX Series powered studio reference monitors using their proprietary dual-axis WaveGuidanceVH technology. The series includes three models: the MX8, which features an 8-inch low-frequency driver and 1-inch silk-dome tweeter; the MX5, with a 5-inch woofer and 1-inch silk-dome tweeter; and the MX3, with a 3-inch woofer and ¾-inch tweeter.
Sterling’s WaveGuidanceVH technology claims that the MX monitors a very wide “sweet spot,” with extraordinarily wide and high dispersion allowing for even when listening off-axis both horizontally and vertically.
All three models feature variable highpass (+2, 0, or -2 dB) and lowpass (-3, 0, or +3 dB) filters that enable you to custom tune your MX monitors to suit your listening preferences and recording environment. The MX8 and MX5 provide balanced XLR, balanced ¼-inch TRS, and unbalanced RCA inputs; the MX3 offers unbalanced RCA inputs.
The MX8s will be priced at $249.99; MX5s for $149.99 and the compact MX3s will be $99.99 for a pair. More specs are here. Leave a Comment
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GDS Announces Color Digital Poster Using E Ink epaper TechnologyGDS has announced a 54”, A0 size, Color Digital Poster based on E Ink epaper technology. The new display is part of GDS’ e-Tela product family and can be used in any indoor or outdoor application opening up many options previously not possible. It can be powered directly or Solar powered, reducing the infrastructure build out costs. The new product is ideal for menu boards or timetables in public areas.
The 54” display consists of 3 tiled 32” E Ink displays using GDS’s G+Bond technology and G+Natural-light technology. G+Bond creates a seamless display that is suitable for any indoor or outdoor environment. G+Natural-light gives the display a uniform front light making the display ideal for use at nighttime as well is in full sunlight, taking full advantage of the characteristics of an E Ink display. e-Tela large format displays are very low power, completely fan-less, sunlight readable, and ultra-thin, making them ideal for harsh outdoor applications in transportation, QSR, retail, road signs, price signs, gas stations and other DOOH applications.
The Color Digital Poster has a resolution of 1280×2160 with 94 DPI and measures 27.75” wide by 47.25” tall and replicates an A0 size poster. Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
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Extron Introduces 10″ Capacitive TouchLink Pro TouchpanelsExtron just introduced 10” versions of their control system touch panels in the form of the TLP Pro 1022M and TLP Pro 1022T. Available as both wall mount and tabletop TouchLink Pro touchpanels with capacitive, edge-to-edge glass touchscreen, they are 1024 x 600 resolution. As with all TouchLink Pro models, these new, customizable touchpanels feature faster processing and more memory. The convenience of Power over Ethernet — PoE allows the touchpanels to receive power and communication over a single Ethernet cable. The TLP Pro 1022M and TLP Pro 1022T have the same sleek design as our larger TouchLink Pro touchpanels and features that make them ideal for control applications requiring fully-customizable touchpanels with flexible mounting options.
The TLP Pro 1022M and TLP Pro 1022T work in conjunction with any Extron IP Link Pro control processor and are designed for use in AV system applications that require complete, interactive control of a broad range of devices. All TouchLink Pro touchpanels operate using standard network infrastructure and are easy to install with reliable and cost effective Ethernet cable. They are customized using Extron GUI Designer software. This powerful interface design software offers ready-to-use resource kits to help design a wide variety of interfaces for rooms and presentation environments. For mounting flexibility, the TLP Pro 1022T can be removed from its base and mounted on any VESA standard mounting arm or bracket.
The TLP Pro 1022M and TLP Pro 1022T are both here. Leave a Comment
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Kramer Releases VIA Site ManagementKramer today released something they are calling VIA Site Management (VSM), an enterprise-wide management platform that lets VIA administrators control and configure all VIA devices in a network from a single window. VSM is part of the Kramer VIA family of Wireless Presentation & Collaboration Solutions.
VSM’s web-based interface gives users at-a-glance visibility from any PC, laptop or tablet across the entire VIA environment. With an integrated dashboard, administrators can monitor real-time performance data and usage, perform simultaneous firmware updates, and optimize every VIA device in the network.
The platform’s pricing model is based on the number of VIA units being managed and VSM supports both Windows and Linux systems.
Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
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FSR and Connectrac Partner to Sell and Support Wireways LineFSR has announced its partnership with Connectrac, manufacturer of Wireways. Wireways is a floor-based series of cable management solutions for bringing power, data and communications from the wall to all interior commercial applications. The newly branded partnership, FSR+Connectrac, will allow FSR to extend its product line and offer customers the ability to run cabling across the floor in an organized fashion, while the wiring remains unseen.
FSR+Connectrac offers users in the professional AV market two options: In-Carpet Wireway, which furnishes discreet and elegant power and technology connectivity in open interior spaces of all kinds, and the On-Floor Wireway, which installs directly on top of any type of flooring.
The In-Carpet Wireway combines an extruded aluminum central wireway flanked by ultra-low sloping floor transition ramps, creating a subtle, powerful and beautiful cable pathway solution for virtually any need. Extremely durable and flexible, the FSR+ Connectrac In-Carpet Wireway offers a multitude of power options and telecom capabilities. FSR+ Connectrac is ideal for open space connectivity.
The FSR+Connectrac On-Floor Wireway system installs directly on top of any type of flooring. Also durable and low-profile, it offers a wide array of power/AV/telecom connectivity options. The FSR+Connectrac On-Floor Wireway leads the industry in both ease of installation and capacity for telecom/AV cables. In-Carpet and On-Floor Wireway are the best solutions when aesthetics, speed of installation, flexibility and value are critical.
For use in conference rooms, workstations, training rooms and classrooms, both Wireway options offer such features as: low-profile extruded aluminum wireway, cable pathway with no core drilling or trenching, a multitude of power and telecom/AV options, pre-wired power components for speedy installation, removable wireway top cap for ease of changing cables, multiple finishes and ADA-compliance. In-Carpet Wireway offers moisture-resistant MDF floor transition ramps; On-Floor Wireway installs directly on top of any type of flooring and is ideal for low-traffic areas.
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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InFocus Releases New Ultra-Mobile Projectors in IN1116 and IN1118HDInFocus Corporation has launched two new mobile projectors in the form of the IN1116 and IN1118HD, WXGA (1366×760) and HD (1920×1080), respectively. The IN1116 and IN1118HD each weigh only 3.5 pounds and are spec’d at 2400 lumens and both are spec’d with a lamp life of 10,000. Inputs include HDMI, VGA and USB with 4GB of built-in memory as well as a PC-free player allowing you to present without anything connected but a USB stick.
InFocus IN1116 and IN1118HD are available now for $888.00 and $1,149.00 USD, respectively. Get all the specs here. Leave a Comment
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Elite Screens Debuts Whiteboard Projection ScreensElite Screens recently announced the launch of its new line of whiteboard projection screens. The multi-role combination of a whiteboard and theater-grade projection screen is interesting for a classroom or training facility. The Whiteboard Screen-TE or “Thin Edge” classroom projection screen combines the two most vital classroom visual aids by providing theater-grade imagery and a dry-erase writing surface within one well made design. A standard whiteboard is ill-suited to be a projector screen. Between surface glare and distracting color shift, regular whiteboards impede the instructor’s attempts to present a clear message. The Whiteboard Screen TE provides superior picture quality free from glare and with full color neutrality.
The Whiteboard Screen TE is the latest in Elite’s line of whiteboard-projection screens designed to work with Standard, Short Throw & UST projectors. It uses Elite’s Versawhite dry-erase material over a magnetic backing. The Versawhite material is made of a 1.1 gain matte white projection surface that gives clear color reproduction and a wide viewing angle for limitless training/classroom applications. The material is coated with a scratch-resistant optical nanotech resin. This allows the screen to also serve as a dry-erase board. Lastly, this product is GREENGUARD certified for indoor air quality compliance. It is important to make sure that the synthetic products you use are not emitting potentially harmful chemicals into the air that you and your students breathe. This certification guarantees that this product meets the strictest safety requirements for indoor air quality emissions.
The thin-edge design serves two purposes. First, it’s 5mm edge bezel protects the screen’s exterior while allowing the instructor to maximize presentation space. Second, it has an aesthetically pleasing appearance that also supports a utility tray. Also referred to as an accessory tray, it has a stout design that not only holds all the dry-erase essentials but can act as a support for the various interactive whiteboard accessories on the market today, in essence, turning your projection surface into a large interactive video display.
All the specs are here. Leave a Comment
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Sound Devices Announces Firmware Update For Its Rack-Mount RecordersSound Devices announces firmware version 2.30 for its full line of rack-mount recording solutions, including the Video Devices PIX 270i and PIX 250i video recorders, and the Sound Devices 970 audio recorder. This update provides a number of significant enhancements, including new copy functionality and grouped playback of non-native files.
PIX 270i users now have the ability to group multiple video decks together for frame-accurate playback of non-native files, including those created in Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro and Avid. This new feature is ideal for use with multi-screen presentations. With this update, the PIX 270i and PIX 250i can also recognize timecode from non-native files.
The v2.30 firmware release also enables the PIX video decks and the 970 audio deck to copy recorded files and Reel folders from one drive to another without the need for a computer. Drive-to-drive copying may be initiated through the device or remotely via the PIXNET web interface.
The firmware v2.30 upgrade for these rack-mount products is now available as a free download online at the following links:
Features and changes in this firmware update also apply to the discontinued Video Devices PIX 260i video deck, which is still in use in many production applications worldwide. Updated firmware downloads for this device are available here. Leave a Comment
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For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe AVBuyers.Club out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100 percent opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the ProAV and HomeAV industries, 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 or say anything good (or bad).
To send me feedback, don’t reply to this newsletter. Instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas, Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com.
A little about me: I graduated from Journalism School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where I am adjunct faculty). I’ve been in the AV industry since 1987 where I started with Extron and eventually moved to AMX. So, I guess I am an industry veteran (although I don’t think I am that old). I have been an opinionated columnist for a number of industry publications and in the late 1990s I started the widely read KNews eNewsletter (the first in the AV market) and also created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue, which is now known as InfoComm IQ. rAVe [Publications] has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition.
rAVe ProAV Edition is our flagship newsletter with what we believe is a reach of virtually everyone in the ProAV market. rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA and launched in February 2004, is, by far, the largest ePub in the HomeAV market. We added rAVe Rental [and Staging] in November 2007, rAVe ED [Education] in May 2008 and then rAVe DS [Digital Signage] in January 2009. We added rAVe GHGav [Green, Healthcare & Government AV] in August 2010 and rAVe HOW [House of Worship] in July 2012. rAVe Radio, our podcast network, was launched in 2012. AVBuyers.Club, our first publications targeted at end users, launched in May 2015. You can subscribe to any of those publication or see ALL our archives by going to: https://www.ravepubs.com
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