Click above for more information A Midsummer Night's Dream, or Why Home AV Suppliers Won't Beat You
By Joel Rollins, CTS-R Infinity. That’s what the time period between Infocomm and CEDIA brings to mind. As in, an enormous number of pundits writing an endless number of columns. Also, as in the old “infinite number of monkeys with an infinite number of typewriters” proposition. You can look it up on Wikipedia, or you can take my word for it: given an infinite number of monkeys pounding away, one of them is mathematically certain to accidentally type the complete works of William Shakespeare.
However, it seems none of our AV gurus are destined to accidentally produce anything remotely close to Hamlet (the one about an AV guy from Denmark). After all – look at the nonsense they spew at this time of year. It’s totally formulaic – and wrong.
Let me remind you of some of the gems that issue from this typing pool each year as the prognosticators type away with their feet:
“[Insert name of big corporation here] plans to enter the commercial AV business, and will put all existing dealers out of business because of their superior volume and business acumen.”
“Microsoft, with the next release of Windows, is going to dominate the conferencing market by creating their own unbeatable, reliable standard based on Outlook.”
“Best Buy/Fry’s/Circuit City/etc. are entering the commercial and boardroom market and will displace the current distribution channels.”
Remember, these are the same people who predicted that DLP would completely replace LCD by 2003, and that Microsoft “Bob” would succeed. So it’s no wonder that they’re scurrying to put out the other insane pre-CEDIA prediction that they seem to indulge in every year. Here’s that whopper:
“Because of the popularity and ease-of-use of home systems, home theater installers are going to be led into the boardroom market by their clients and take it over.”
Enough monkeying around. There are a lot of exciting developments in the home theater world. And, indeed, home theater technology often does lead, or at least inspire, technical development in professional AV. But long ago, a child’s toy inspired the development of the helicopter, and we still don’t ride in aircraft labeled “Mattel.”
Home theater technologies, and people with home theater orientations, lack some of the essential qualities for professional systems:
Interoperability. Let’s face it. There’s a new, mutually exclusive “standard” introduced in the home theater industry every seven minutes. While I’m perfectly willing to turn over my home theater system frequently to take advantage of the latest whiz-bang gadget, I’d be a lot less willing to do so with my boardroom, where interoperability with my other employees, clients, and peers is the real key.
Stability (see above). Try explaining to your CTO why your boardroom runs on pre-release software, the way home theaters often do.
Scalability. Technologies that work great in home theaters don’t often scale well to professional levels. As an example, I had a client who was looking at a digital signage system for their new HQ. Spotted the Apple TV, loved the size, cost, and network connectivity – and decided to go it alone because his home unit was so easy to set up. This is not the place to tell a horror story, but suffice it to say that all his bosses now have Apple TVs at home (because they didn’t work in the boardroom).
I’m not saying there isn’t some crossover between professional and home systems or installers. But, like the key differences between Installation Techs and Rental Techs, they are there. And the kid in the Pearl Jam T-shirt with the can of Red Bull and the latest issue of “Wired” is no threat. rAVe Rental [and Staging] contributor Joel R. Rollins, CTS-R, is General Manager of Everett Hall Associates, Inc. and is well known throughout the professional AV industry for his contributions to industry training and his extensive background in AV rental, staging and installation. Joel can be reached at Joel can be reached at joelrollins@mac.com
Back to Top Click above for more information Electro-Voice Launches Tour X Line Electro-Voice has been an icon in touring sound systems since the industry began. In meeting with them at InfoComm, they explained that the new Tour X Series condenses every ounce of EV's tour-proven engineering expertise into a complete line of multi-purpose loudspeakers designed to deliver the ultimate audio experience for portable applications.
Comprised of the TX1122 (12" two-way), TX1152 (15" two-way), TX1181 (18" sub), TX2152 (dual 15" two-way), TX2181 (dual 18" sub), TX1122FM (12" dedicated monitor) and TX1152FM (15" dedicated monitor), each model in the Tour X line seamlessly balances aesthetic form and road-ready functionality.
• Unique Backbone Grille for superior strength and distinct style
• All-new 500W (continuous rated) SMX woofers and road-tested DH3 and ND2 compression drivers
• Dedicated vertical floor monitors with patent-pending SST (Signal Synchronized Transducers)
• Super-comfortable, ultra-sonically welded handles are air and water-tight
• Passive crossover designs utilizing up to 36 dB per octave slopes
• Six threaded suspension points (on top boxes) for simple installations.
You can read all the specs of the Tour X Series here: http://www.electrovoice.com/productfamilies/98.html
I haven’t had a chance to see these yet, but EV has always occupied a certain niche in rental sound systems, and these seem no exception. Love the integrated threaded suspension points, which accommodate the fact that we seem to fly PA more and more, even in smaller shows.
–JRR
Back to Top Showlogix Announces Software Player for Multi-Display Presentations Showlogix, a player in the growing “4D theater and show control software” market, announced recently that it has released the Logix-3D Player with additional frame-accurate synchronization between computers. This will enable what Showlogix says is “economic playback of video content in multi-screen applications.” Translation: it costs less than the previous version.
Logix-3D player allows for playing two video files using a dual output graphics card. It can be used as a stand-alone player or used along with Logix-4D software (free version) to communicate with multiple display computers for control and synchronization.
The result is a network of numerous audio/video channels with frame accurate playback, ensuring a perfect image on an almost limitless number of displays.
Features include:
• Frame-accurate synchronization between players using a highly efficient and reliable algorithm
• Dual stream player (2 independent HDTV files)
• Supports various files and output devices
• No resolution limit
• PIP with transparency control
• Scaling and aspect ratio adjustments
• Built-in FTP server, distributes the media to the presentation computers
• Can be controlled and triggered remotely from anywhere via IP
Learn more at: http://www.showlogix.com/
I love this one. Frame sync between multiple screens is something we require more and more, even with show materials that weren’t produced for synched playback. I’m looking forward to getting a look at it.
–JRR
Back to Top Panasonic Launches Affordable HD Camera for Staging Panasonic’s AW-HE870 HD/SD multi-purpose camera delivers the price and quality breakthrough Stagers have been waiting for in the ultimate iMAG camera.
With a list price of $11,500, just about half the cost of competitive 2/3” cameras, the HE870 features 2/3” 3-CCDs for higher sensitivity and captures stunning images in 1080i, 720 and 480i. Its 38-bit digital signal processor, 14-bit A/D converter and 12-axis color correction assures you’ll always capture clear, accurate HD and SD images in a wide range of lighting conditions and applications.
Compatible with Panasonic's comprehensive line of high-performance indoor/outdoor pan-tilt systems, most 2/3” motor drive lenses, and a wide range of third-party peripherals, the compact HE870 offers a simple, cost-effective upgrade path to HD. An optional SDI card (AW-HHD870) provides a switchable HD/SD-SDI signal.
Learn more at: http://catalog2.panasonic.com
It’s nice to see more of this type of high-performance, inexpensive HD camera, although it brings up the current question in cameras – with the rising cost of talent, many companies are using robotic cameras more and more. Are you? I love them – my field techs are less enthusiastic. But they’re in our future, one way or another.
–JRR
Back to Top Lighthouse Launches Suite of Products In launching their new Control Master (LCM) – 4K and XGA interface processors, the LEDscape Mesh LED panel and HELIOS, Lighthouse has, again, established a leadership position in large-format LEDs.
Lighthouse’s new LCM is a next generation interface processor that combines a scaler and processor in a single control platform designed to simplify live show LED operation. The LCM also includes auto addressing, which reduces set-up and take strike time and lowers the risk of installation errors. Featuring up to 16-bit processing, the LCM series are what Lighthouse claim are the top in their class, delivering better color accuracy (rAVe: definitely true), more vivid images, greater contrast, higher brightness levels and significantly improved picture quality (rAVe: over their previous model). On-site color correction increases user-friendliness, and the top of the line LCM-4K supports a resolution of 4096×2160, giving rental/staging the broadest array of multi-screen options that have ever been available (due to the resolution of the total canvas).
The new Mesh is a 12mm pixel pitch panel and features wide 140-degree horizontal and 120-degree vertical viewing angles for killer long-distance off-axis viewing. Manufactured with aluminum, each panel is highly durable (and light) and 23 percent transparent, opening up users to a range of creative possibilities that will stretch one’s imagination to the limit. And, since each module weighs just about 6 pounds, they are very easy to set up and tear down.
Finally, Lighthouse launched HELIOS – although sort of aimed for the Digital Signage market, it WILL have plenty of staging applications. HELIOS is basically an LED on one side and a back-lit poster-insert on the other. Featuring a 6mm pixel pitch, 3000 nits brightness, rugged weatherproof design, built-in audio, and the ability to display dynamic content in a rotating fashion, HELIOS is unique. Content can even be sent to and stored on it via WiFi connectivity.
Complete details can be found here: http://www.lighthouse-tech.com/PressReleasesDetail.aspx?id=c2e77c15-bfce-4bcc-9ee6-655e5c872a9e&c=2009
LEDs continue to expand our staging possibilities, and Lighthouse has always been a leader. New types of panels for off-axis viewing and transparency are welcome, and only add to our toolbox.
–JRR
Back to Top Shure Ships New USB to XLR Adapter Last month, Shure announced that the new X2u XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter is now shipping and is available by itself or in bundles with either the SM57 or SM58 microphones. The X2u Adapter is a modular accessory that connects any XLR microphone to a computer to create better-than-CD quality recordings. As home recording flourishes, the X2u redefines what musicians and podcasters can do in their homes and on the go. The X2u mimics the sleek, beautiful design of Shure’s iconic SM57 and SM58 microphones and can be used unobtrusively for live and in-studio recording.
List price on the X2u is only $129 and you can read all about it here: http://www.shure.com/NewProducts/X2u/index.htm
For a couple of years now, I’ve carried a Griffin iMic in my laptop case to accommodate mic inputs – not happy with the quality, but loving the convenience and size over carrying any of my other audio interfaces. This may change that. I’m buying one.
–JRR
Back to Top For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe Rental [and Staging] out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100% opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the rental and staging industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions — in this case, it’s industry-veteran Joel Rollins' opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that’s why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
Don’t like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send 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
rAVe [Publications] has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition. rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004. rAVe Rental [and Staging] launched in November 2007. rAVe Ed [Education] launched in May 2008. rAVe DS [Digital Signage] was launched in January of 2009.
To read more about my background, our team, and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com
Back to Top Copyright 2009 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 510 Meadowmont Village Circle, Suite 376 – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – (919) 969-7501. Email: sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe Rental [and Staging] contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |