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Volume 4, Issue 10 — October 19, 2010
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3D in Rental And Staging – Is There a Killer App?
By Joel Rollins, CTS-R I’ve been involved in the world of communication electronics for about 25 years now… and one of the few things I’ve been able to successfully predict is the success or failure of a technology in our market based on the availability (or lack of availability) of applications that truly drive the technology.
Beginning in the ‘80s, I’ve seen technology rise or fall almost entirely dependent on clients’ need to do whatever it is the technology makes available… and seen many glitzy, gee-whiz new technologies fail because no application ever surfaced for them that made our clients more efficient or added new capabilities they decided they needed.
One of my favorite examples… does anybody remember the Cauzin Softstrip? No, of course not, since it lasted about 15 minutes. The Softstrip was a barcode method of software distribution, developed when floppy disks (anybody remember THOSE?) were really expensive. It allowed you to print a software program on paper as barcode, scan it into your computer, and run it. It was going to be the way software programs were distributed THROUGH THE MAIL, as in magazines, or maybe enclosed in a Birthday or Valentine’s Day card, I guess. There were a number of problems… printers weren’t very accurate, scanners weren’t very accurate… and we weren’t geeky enough. At the same time, floppies became virtually free, and the Bulletin Board Systems we geeks subscribed to online were showing the way to the Internet.
I’ve been involved in 3D in AV nearly as long, and did my first 3D event before the Cauzin Softstrip died its whimpering death. I’ve staged 3D using slides and motion picture film (anaglyphic separation), co-converged projectors using both active and anaglyphic methods, and almost all of our currently available technologies. I’ve sold 3D production software and systems, VR headsets, active and passive glasses, 3D effects packages… the list goes on and on. I LOVE 3D. I’m a believer. And there’s one thing, and only one thing, that I can tell you for certain has remained constant through all of it.
“Wow, doesn’t this look AWESOME” isn’t good enough.
There’s a lot of 3D staging being done, and the tools have become truly incredible – both on the production side and the booming display side. I’m astonished at the sudden availability of inexpensive (or at least affordable) 3D tools. And, Mr. Manufacturer, I KNOW my clients are all going to have 3D displays, and that cable, satellite, and even terrestrial broadcasting stations are going to send out 3D. I KNOW that there will be more and more 3D movies and programming available as time goes on.
But, industry pundits, you’re forgetting one thing. We aren’t allowed to show most of that material in a public meeting, at least not without navigating the copyright-licensing waters, which have always been pretty shark-infested. So the use of 3D in staging will still be dependent on a client having a NEED to show 3D material. Oh, I know how sexy it is when used for effect, and some big shows with big budgets will do it just for that, but in today’s economic times, that won’t drive the mass market in rental and staging. Sure, the projectors and monitors we use will be 3D-capable models, because they’re virtually all going to be, since that technology is a general display technology not developed for rentals alone, even when you “ruggedize” it.
No, clients will make their choices depending on applications that drive the need for 3D display.
Let’s look at a couple: - Movies, cable, and DVD sources: Like I said, we have to navigate the copyright waters. Our industry has skated around on “fair use” rulings for a long time… but look around you. Content developers are getting MUCH more serious about their intellectual property, and electronic protection systems are becoming more integrated. It’s going to be downright difficult, down the road, to use the kind of clips we have in the past. Plus, most of these productions aren’t formatted for the big screen, at least not enough to use very much of them. “Finding Nemo” would become downright scary on a 30’ wide screen with the kind of overwhelming image sizes we love so much.
- 3D conferencing: Some of you have been shouting, “What about 3D videoconferencing, Joel?” — at the top of your lungs. Go ahead — try it on the big screen. Look up the nostrils of the CEO, and as my friend Scott Sharrer would say about oversized conferencing images, “TALK TO THE GIANT HEAD!!!”
- Virtual Reality environments: Another one I love, but once again an environment designed for individual navigation and participation. Difficult to integrate into a staged event as a 3D source.
- Product Reveals: Doesn’t it kind of ruin the surprise effect when you have the Voice of God announce, “Put on your 3D glasses now?”
No, for the big, big business screen, we’re left with just a few “needs:”
- Effect: Yep, it’s truly zippy. Audiences love an opening of zooming stars and planets in 3D, and we’ll sell some of them. Hopefully lots of them.
- Charts, graphs, and data: Also great — but you need a CEO really hooked on effect — because this kind of data, in most cases, is more accurately portrayed in 2D. And once the “Corporate Accuracy Cops” get through, it’s what you often have. Go ahead — try it.
- Seismic, astronomical, geographic data: Better in 3D. Granted. Unfortunately, most of my clients are in finance.
Let me say it again. I LOVE 3D. I’ll be pursuing this “Killer App” as hard as I can, and I’ll come back to you when I find out what it is. In the meantime, DO BUY the 3D capable versions of displays.
But hold off on the bulk buy of glasses until your client signs the proposal. 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 |
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QSC and M&W to Co-Create Mixing Console Last month, QSC announced that they are partnering with M&W Pro Audio, Ltd., to create a series of digital audio mixing consoles for the live event market. In case you didn’t know, Greg Mackie and Peter Watts are, respectively the M and the W in the organizations' name.
Apparently, after retiring from Mackie Designs (now Loud Technologies) in 2003, Greg says he still had a desire to create the kind of innovative and high-value products he is known for. So it only took a little charm and cajoling by his long-time friend and collaborator Peter Watts to convince him to come out of retirement in 2008 and develop the concepts for a line of digital mixing consoles. Peter is also an experienced pro-audio veteran who has spent 35 years designing analog and digital recording consoles including the first digitally controlled console, the Trident DiAn. With concepts and preliminary designs developed, Greg and Peter began looking for a partner to bring these mixers to life.
Right now, this is all vaporware hype – so, we’ll have to see where this takes them and if we’ll ever see a final product.
QSC is here: http://www.qscaudio.com/
M&W’s website is here: Wait, they don’t seem to have one. Weird? Pulling together famous people to build new product lines is always exciting… but as Gary said, let’s wait to see what we should be excited about.
–JRR Back to Top L-ACOUSTICS Simplifies Acoustic Set-Up for Large Events L-ACOUSTICS announced that a new GLL (generic loudspeaker library) is now available for its WST systems, including KIVA, ARCS, KUDO and KARA. The development now provides complete compatibility between L-ACOUSTICS' SOUNDVISION and AFMG's EASE software applications for acoustic source data, as well as for audience area. The new GLL format allows quick insertion and setup of L-ACOUSTICS WST systems in EASE 4 system design software. The library provides true line source radiation patterns, and audience area data can be shared by both applications using import/export functions. According to L-ACOUSTICS, systems integrators will benefit from this new feature, as using EASE allows increased accuracy, taking into account the acoustics of the room and providing compatibility with projects being worked on by acoustic consultants.
For more information, go here: http://www.l-acoustics.com/ Like the rest of the industry, the audio portion is beginning to be driven by common data formats, just like data for video displays… and even entire buildings. The interchangeability of data in a world that is digitally controlled is vital.
–JRR Back to Top DVIGear Debuts HDMI to Coax Extender Need a new use for all that old coax sitting around your warehouse? Well, DVIGear's new DVI-7510a is actually an HDMI to coax extender/receiver combo that allows you to send HDMI signals up to 100 meters using plain old RGB coax (with BNC connectors). This extender consists of two units: a Transmitter Unit (DVI-7511a) and a Receiver Unit (DVI-7512a). Each unit comes with its own external AC power adapter and the link between transmitter and receiver is simply coaxial cables for red, green, blue, and clock channels. An optional fifth coaxial cable may be used to deliver DC power from the Tx unit, eliminating the need for a power adapter on the Rx unit.
This combo costs $595 and specs can be found here: http://files.dvigear.com/docs/DataSheets/DVI-7510a_Data.pdf Back to Top Panasonic Shows New 42" and 47" Flat Screen Displays Panasonic's new native 1080p 42” and 47” LCDs claim a spec of 700 cd/m2, feature a fairly slim profile/narrow bezel and weigh in at 40 and 49 pounds, respectively. Inputs include HDMI, DVI, Component video ports, RS-232 control. The displays include back-mounted speakers but are only 4” deep.
Interested in more info? Go to: http://www.panasonic.com
Lighter, higher resolution, and less expensive. Everything is moving in the right direction for rentals (not quite so good if you’re a reseller with more competition and slimmer margins as well as bezels.)
–JRR Back to Top Click above for more information Sanyo Claims 10K Lumens in a 2K Resolution Projector Sanyo has launched its first QuaDrive projector with 2K resolution in the form of the PLC-HF10000L. With 2048×1080 resolution, this native widescreen 3LCD projector is specified at 10,000 ANSI lumen brightness with a 3000:1 contrast ratio.
The QuaDrive engine adds a yellow color control device to the red, green and blue elements of the projector's 3LCD system. By automatically controlling the amount of yellow light in the image, Sanyo claims it improves color accuracy, produces a wider color gamut and enables higher brightness levels. In addition, the PLC-HF10000L includes Sanyo’s PJNet, built-in LAN networking through standard CAT5 network cabling, and a mechanical shutter system. Inputs include HDMI 1.3; DVI-D; D-sub 15 pin RGB; BNC for RGBHV and CV/Y-Pb/Cb-Pr/Cr; and S-Video, with optional boards available for HD/SD-SDI and Dual Link SDI.
This projector isn’t on Sanyo’s website yet, but when it is, it will be here: http://us.sanyo.com:80/Commercial-Projectors Can’t wait to look at an implementation of QuaDrive with these specs.
–JRR Back to Top rAVe Founder Speaking in San Francisco About Social Media Marketing Are you using social media in your marketing efforts yet? If you’re not, our founder, Gary Kayye, will be in San Francisco on October 21 for the Synnex FOCUS event delivering a session entitled: Social Media: What Every AV Dealer Should Know
The session is free and has helped more than 400 ProAV integrator focus in on their social media marketing plans already since Gary first delivered it at InfoComm 2010. The seminar specifically talks about how to integrate Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as YouTube, into your marketing plans in an amazingly cost effective way — free!
Want to attend? You need to register here: https://www.signup4.net/Public/ap.aspx?EID=FOCU27E
If you live in the area, you need to see this. I’ve spoken on a Synnex program with Gary, and I’m bullish on what he’s done to make this field specifically relevant to people in our industry. If you are in the area, go.
–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 2010 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln., 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. |
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