Volume 7, Issue 11 — November 18, 2013
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On Your Marx
By Joel Rollins rAVe Columnist
Over the last two issues, we’ve talked about the emerging generation of executive clients, and how the attitudes and expectations of that generation will change the way they make business decisions, and thus (if we are smart) the way we do business. Among these changes, broadly, are the tendency to distribute information more widely and openly, the need to distribute decision making among larger groups and a different way of evaluating both the quality and effectiveness of media and communications.
If you have read any of my previous columns or blogs (thank you, by the way), then you know I am an avid reader of business books. But let me clarify — I am a reader, but not necessarily a follower. For every gee-whiz business system or philosophy that’s out there, you can point to standout successes who did exactly the opposite. I think that every business “system” is a process that worked for a particular team, in a particular business, in a particular market. I tend to take a leaf from every guru’s book, adapting their advice to my needs and the particular time and place. A long time ago, a good friend and teacher, Bill Sharer, taught me a simple truth. He told me, “It doesn’t matter what system you decide to use — just don’t let me catch you not using one of them.”
So for the last sixty days, while analyzing the changing values of the next wave of business executives, I have been struggling to develop a system for dealing with these changes — one with a simple, memorable paradigm I could work with. And I’ve found one.
Marxism.
No, not the Karl Marx kind (sorry, proletariat). The Groucho kind.
Horse feathers, you say? Let me explain. On stage, in the movies, and now available for download, Groucho, Harpo, Chico and sometimes Gummo and Zeppo only looked like chaos incarnate. In fact, in every extravaganza from The Cocoanuts to Love Happy, our heroes take a quick look around, learn the native customs and steamroll their way to success. Otis B. Driftwood and his pals had a system, all right. Focus, fan out and above all, adapt.
Walk this Way
Let’s face it, we have always tried to fit in with our clients. And if we are going to play on the team with a new style of management, we have to show them that we are equipped to do so. This means that the way we communicate ideas, information, and progress has to fit right in. Collaboration and project management systems, online meeting systems, and social media communication have to be in place. And we have to be users of the systems we are promoting.
It’s not so much that new executives are the first online generation. The antecedents of the Internet date to the late 1950s. Email dates to the ’70s, the World Wide Web to the ’90s and Web-based videoconferencing to the start of this century. I think social media marks the start of the new generation of managers. Pre-social media, if you recall, you still did your best to appear as if you were in a formal office environment, even when you weren’t. So clients who got your voicemail had the impression they had reached your office, you sent formal business correspondence on letterhead, even though the letterhead lived inside your PC, you handed out printed business cards and you wore a tie to Web meetings. Post-social media, for better or worse, the illusion of a formal business environment is less and less meaningful. Ideas, and how well they are expressed and executed, will capture the attention of the new executives, and the dollars they have to spend. Which brings me back around to why we want to “walk this way.”
Your first appearance in a project often determines your role throughout. Be prepared to adopt the client’s methods of communication, and demonstrate that you know your way around the digital landscape, with its subtle boundaries between personal and professional information exchange.
Heck, in this type of environment, bringing better systems to the table and roping clients into using your systems may be the best way to get on the team — and to stay on it. (It worked for Rufus T. Firefly.)
Out Goes Innuendo
If the prevalence of electronic communications will cause our clients to adopt more collaborative management styles, we must also cope with the inevitability of a larger sales process with more information distributed to more people. Format and content are going to equally important in this open-source world. Information must be formatted so that it can be provided to the project team in common, and in easily post-able and shareable segments. And it has to be able to stand alone for those who may be participating remotely or offline. The content has to be clear, and each piece has to easily fit into the project as a whole, so that team members can access their parts on demand, and work on their parts, knowing their work product will fit seamlessly into the finished project. (This is where how the Marx Brothers did things is probably a bad example — Chico always seemed to understand what Harpo meant by “Honk! Honk!” but the rest of us just took his word for it.)
New executives expect project information to be widely shared, and therefore, easy to share. The practical implications for our industry are that we have to get over guarding our bids and project documentation as if they were state secrets, we have to spend some time figuring out what the most efficient online sharing tools are, and we have to pay a little more attention to the quality of our content. You don’t have to wear a tie to web meetings anymore –but now it’s essential that the quality of your proposals, plans and running exchanges speak well of you.
Measuring Quality
Groucho: Pick a number from one to ten. Chico: Eleven. Groucho: Right! — Duck Soup, 1933
Standards ain’t what they used to be, by which I mean, the new generation of executives use different standards to assess your company’s suitability for a project. In the old days, management wanted to see your plan. Now, they want to see your process first. So leave the glossy brochure in the car. You don’t want to jump right into how you do business, however. First, let them know you’ve done your homework, and that you understand the basics of their project. Ask questions about their process, and look for areas of similarity to yours.
When it comes time to share your process — and this may happen at the first meeting or the third — pack the process narrative with examples of achievement. Give examples of projects both similar and dissimilar to theirs, and emphasize what you have learned from each example. Show that your team is experienced in non-linear project methodology and systems.
Finally, whenever possible, get your people involved with their people. This doesn’t have to wait for the sale. An open, informed team is the best way to show next-generation clients that you can play on their team, and the general on-the-ball-ness of your group can translate into credibility throughout the project.
Ready? On your Marx, get set, go! Leave a Comment
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The Evolution of Large-Venue Projection: Is Laser the Next Frontier?
By Richard Marples Strategic Marketing Director, Venues & Attractions, Barco
The entertainment world has a virtually unquenchable thirst for innovative media, embracing new technologies as soon as they’re introduced to power their creative visions. Today’s large venue projectors have evolved in technical sophistication to the point whereby visual entertainment is limited only by show producers’ imaginations. From projection mapping on mountains to virtually morphing objects on giant screens, the sky’s the limit when it comes to creating innovative entertainment venues with stunning visualization.
One of the hot, new trends is laser illumination — but there are several other aspects to consider based on new and emerging technologies. So, let’s take a closer look at where projection technologies are heading and how you can make the most of them to optimize your live events.
Projector illumination: two roads diverged
Up until recently, event producers had to rely upon xenon-based lamps as the principle light source for large-venue projectors. UHP high-pressure mercury arc lamps have grown in strength with brighter and brighter versions introduced seemingly every year. We now have single 450W UHP lamps producing around 5,500 lumens on a single chip DLP projector at a cost that we could only have dreamed of a few years ago. These advances are only expected to continue as lamp manufacturers continue to push the envelope.
Solid state lighting solutions came to the forefront a couple of years ago in the form of LED-based products. Although they have proven to be an extremely reliable light source, they have never really delivered on the brightness front. They are used more often in rear projection cubes where light output requirements aren’t that high compared to event projection levels, and where very long life time, low power consumption and good color performance are much appreciated. I don’t think we are going to see LED break into the large venue projection market in the foreseeable future.
One of the most exciting new developments in projector illumination has to do with variable, or “FLEX” lumens option as Barco calls it, with regard to our latest large-venue models. This innovative feature enables rental and staging houses to lock the brightness of a projector at a desired level so they can inventory a single model to deliver many brightness variants. As a result, they can better control the costs to maintain a fleet of projectors while maximizing lamp lifetime and keeping expenses to a minimum.
The laser equation What we are starting to see are hybrid laser projectors that use different combinations of Laser, Laser Phosphor and LED. This market is very much in its infancy due to a number of reasons. First, legislation in much of the developed world prohibits the use of lasers inside projectors above a certain power because of some outdated laws still on the books that were created to protect audiences in laser light shows in the ’70s and ’80s. Although a laser-powered projector is no more dangerous than a lamp-powered projector, the law will need to change before we see lasers being used properly.
Secondly, the prices of the actual lasers are still very high compared to traditional lamp costs. It is virtually impossible today to make the business case for direct laser-powered projectors versus lamps, which is why we are now seeing a path toward laser phosphor route being taken. Laser phosphor basically makes use of the cheaper blue lasers in combination with a phosphor wheel to produce red and green. We see projectors on the market now that touch about 3,000 to 4,000 lumens with promises of 20,000 hours of lifetime or so.
Based on the customers that I speak to, there seems to be some skepticism about whether these projectors will deliver the goods. Consumers should carefully read the fine print of the warranty to verify what’s included and what’s not. Even if the lasers do last the stated duration, they aren’t much good if the phosphor wheel has failed. Another question to ask is what light output can you expect to get towards the back-end of the lifetime? The laser phosphor route is however a good technology that allows for especially single chip DLP projectors to be produced at a reasonable cost probably up to about 10,000 lumens eventually.
Barco has demonstrated direct laser projectors delivering 55,000+ lumens and we still offer the brightest digital cinema projector in the world using a traditional xenon lamp. Our current brightest Xenon-based Rental & Staging projector delivers 40,000 lumens, and we have clients that regularly double stack them for shows and installations. So it is obvious that the appetite for brightness is certainly there! I’m sure you’ll see many manufacturers, including us, pushing up brightness as soon as legislation and laser pricing allows us to do so, both in single-chip and three-chip projectors, as well as in direct laser and laser phosphor configurations.
Resolution on the rise
Higher resolution is beginning to play a bigger role in large venue projection. Many show producers want to play back content in its original format, so 4K projectors are a necessity. We also see a trend for more and more resolution to support the very data rich content sets that customers are using in fixed installation projects. PC graphics cards are now capable of such high resolutions that customers want display devices to be able to view the content that they generate. Unfortunately, DLP chips are currently limited to 4K resolution and we don’t see alternative technologies gaining momentum in Large Venue because of the brightness required to push through the system.
However, in the collaboration space, we do expect to see more and more multi-channel blended screens that are capable of higher resolutions. projectiondesign, recently acquired by Barco, is the only company to date to offer a single-chip WQXGA (2560×1600) model as well as a unique Panorama projector with 21:9 2560×1080 resolution. These projectors can deliver a greatly enhanced user experience to boost the efficiency of meetings when used on a large screen in a collaborative work environment with multi-windows, data sheets, video conferencing and more. The image quality that projectiondesign projectors manage from just a single chip, a technology traditionally associated with much less expensive images, is of a very high quality.
Image processing matters
With the increasing demand for higher and higher resolution, there is a corresponding need for more powerful image processing, i.e., the processor has to be able to process many more pixels, and quickly, because frame rates are on the up as well to allow projection of 3D images. Ultra-fast switching and perfect scaling of multi-format images and sources can be accomplished with presentation switchers produced by leading manufacturers.
Blending technology is another area that has improved in general with an increasing number of manufacturers recognizing the need to perform black level compensation, in other words, adjust the black levels so that the blended region does not look so bright on dark scenes.
Another arena ripe for positive changes with respect to large venue is the delivery system. Customers should consider systems like BarcoLink, which can deliver images to projectors faultlessly and cheaply via a proprietary link that uses a single coax cable with BNC connectors to deliver 1920×1200 images at up to 60Hz over 100m. While it is possible to use systems such as HD-BaseT and other data-cabled solutions, they may not be robust enough for large venue rental and staging needs.
The price of being green
Many of the technological advancements in projector illumination, including LED, Laser and Laser/Phosphor, will make projectors more energy efficient. Using better quality optics is another way to increase efficiency, and manufacturers are working to develop more efficient prisms and light pipes that result in fewer light losses. But these are only viable in projectors that require very big amounts of light output.
However, the vast majority of customers, in my experience, are less concerned about the energy efficiency of the projector and much more focused on the initial purchase price. They would also rather have a brighter projector than one that consumes less energy. I believe this is for a number of reasons, but the main one I see is that you have two different departments involved. On the one hand, you have a purchasing department, which is typically rewarded by bringing down company expenditures on capital goods. However, these individuals have little to do with running those projectors once they are installed, so aren’t concerned with factoring in operating costs.
The fact is that until governments establish legislation that forces everyone to be greener, consumers will largely continue to maintain their current priorities. Once everyone, meaning competitors, are all being forced to comply with stricter environmental standards, companies will get on the bandwagon to employ a solution that’s green and also meets their light output and cost requirements.
By keeping all of these factors in mind when considering large venue projectors, rental and staging companies and show producers can stay abreast of new technologies and build an effective arsenal to meet their show needs now, and in the future. Leave a Comment
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InfoComm: Wireless Sound Systems Find Their Niche
By Dan Daley Special to InfoComm International
The phrase “portable PA system” conjures up images of an ancient E-V bullhorn speaker with a handgrip connected by a thick curly-Q wire to the kind of microphone Broderick Crawford used on Highway Patrol in the 1950s. And anything that conjures up images of Broderick Crawford isn’t actually marketing gold today.
Yet that’s the image portable PA systems have had for decades: battery-powered boxes with built-in handles intended for generic field work in temporary venues. (And not without valid reason: One manufacturer offered to put us in touch with a hostage negotiator who’s used its system to discuss terms with holed-up suspects.)
However, those boxes has been sounding a lot better lately, and they’ve adopted a key attribute of 21st century, live-event production — wireless operation. In the process, wireless PA systems have become far more user-friendly, aimed at DIY event production where pros want flexibility without scrimping on audio quality.
Surprise!
“People are surprised at how good portable PA systems can sound today,” says Emily Golding, director of marketing at Anchor Audio, which made its first portable sound systems in a small building in Torrance, Calif., in 1975. Those systems, with untethered-sounding names, such as Liberty and Explore, are still manufactured today, but, says Golding, go through continuous reengineering every four years or so.
Frequency response has improved, though systems are still focused heavily on the speech-intelligibility range, which underscores the category’s primary mission of projecting the spoken word into a wide array of environments.
Portable PA systems have also taken on features such as integrated CD/DVD and MP3 players. And beyond AC-free, battery-powered operation, new systems have become even more wireless; Anchor’s Liberty system incorporates up to two built-in, 16-channel UHF wireless receivers.
Need more? Ease of operation has improved, with single-button start-up aimed at the DIY user. Anchor’s incorporated other new features, such as an automatic ducking function, which automatically lowers the volume level of a music track by a preset amount to allow a user to speak over it. Anchor’s next round of products will include Bluetooth connectivity, which will allow them to access the growing number of Bluetooth microphones and music servers.
Golding says that the core markets for portable PA systems — education and government — remain strong, but the category has seen significant growth in the live-event markets, driven in part, she says, by tighter budgets during the recession that resulted in many smaller events.
“We’re seeing increased use of portable PAs in the meeting and hospitality markets,” Golding says. “Large events will have conventional sound systems — either installed or rented — for use in the main area, but a portable system lets them set up separate, smaller sound zones outside or in other areas of the venue.” That kind of flexibility is even driving some AV rental contractors to purchase portable systems for fill-in work.
Valerie Jensen, senior product specialist for Sennheiser’s LSP 500 PRO wireless speaker system, which was introduced at InfoComm 2013, says demand for easy-to-operate and set-up portable PA systems is coming from a wider range of users. She cites IT departments at corporations that want to put on their own small events but don’t want to involve the AV specialists at their company. “The systems set up fast, are simple to operate and they get events moving quickly,” she says. This allows subsets of groups to set up their own side shows at larger events.
Sennheiser’s LSP 500 PRO has Bluetooth and wireless microphone receivers built in. It supports up to four speakers, connected wirelessly via a central router, and allows remote control of the system via an iPad.
In fact, Jensen says, the company views the product as an extension of its wireless microphone systems, which are already used for high-end, live-event production. The portable PA system is part of the company’s strategy to become make live events a bigger part of its market. To that end, Sennheiser is heavily marketing the wireless system to rental companies, again, as a fill-in for larger PA rentals.
Better Music Response
Although speech intelligibility remains a primary function of portable sound systems, including MP3 and CD inputs, via USB ports, and wireless Bluetooth, demonstrate that manufacturers understand music is an integral part of program content at all types of events, even the niche ones to which portable PA systems are geared. As such, frequency response has been improving. Anchor’s Liberty system covers ground between 60 Hz and 15 kHz, while Sennheiser’s LSP 500 PRO ranges from 65 Hz to 18 kHz. That’s compared to typical conventional PA systems that provide closer to the 20 Hz to 20 kHz standard response range.
What’s noticeably lacking in the portable systems’ response is the low end, which would normally be addressed with a subwoofer. Subs, however, might be viewed as encumbrances on a portable system, whose integrated mixers are not always equipped with crossovers to divert lower frequencies to subs.
It’s the flexibility inherent with wireless that attracts users. “It’s like wireless Internet,” says Jay Elliott, director of Tidewater TechExpo, a Washington, D.C.-area event production firm that specializes in government-to-business expositions. “Once you’ve used it, you never want to go back to an Ethernet cable.” But it’s the sound that keeps them coming back.
Elliott says he didn’t use wireless PA systems as extensively as he does until their sound quality improved. “They used to be pretty scratchy sounding, but that’s gotten much better in the latest models,” he says. “Things can change at the last minute with government expos and I don’t want to be locked into locations if I have to move things around on the floor. With a wireless system I can put it where it needs to go when I need it there.”
Those who sell PA technology to live-event production markets say there has always been a small but steady demand for portable PA systems. But recent technological enhancements and newly robust feature sets should cause that to grow.
Richard Ash, director of pro audio retailer GC Pro, which sells portable systems from Anchor Audio, Alto and Sennheiser (selling the predecessor models to the new SLP 500 PR), says that buyers include hospitality companies and those who serve them, such as DJs, who set up “lobby events” — temporary occasions in hotels and other event spaces.
“They want something that sounds good without having to expend too much effort or cost,” he explains. “It needs to set up and tear down quickly, and doesn’t involve cables.” (The lack of cables has a salutary effect on clients — fewer things to trip over mean less potential for liability problems.) “We see portable PA systems used a lot in church foyers and cry rooms, too. Wherever it’s not really feasible to run cable,” Ash adds. “And as new features like Bluetooth get added, that kind of user is finding more places they can use them.”
Wireless PA systems don’t represent a sea change in sound technology the way, for example, line arrays revolutionized sound reinforcement. But as their sonic qualities improve, they’re bringing to event production the kind of freedom that producers have found using wireless tablets, such as Apple’s iPad. We’re not quite talking about an iPA device here, but these new portable systems are increasingly finding roles where other systems can’t go.
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Premier Mounts Ships Heavy Duty MountsPremier is now shipping its FPS-200 and PSD-HDCA. The PSD-HDCA’s claim to fame is a one-step process with no special tools required. The PSD-HDCA adapter proves versatile with its ability to adapt to any of Premier Mounts PSD dual pole stands, UFA adapter plates or AV shelves, providing a wide array of mounting options. With a 4.5” bolt pattern, the attached mount has a 100×100-millimeter VESA mounting pattern as well as a tested weight capacity of 500 pounds, making it accessible for a vast amount of displays. With Premier Mounts’ UFA adapter plate series, the PSD-HDCA will easily work with mounts with a 200×200-millimeter VESA pattern as well as any other custom pattern in the UFA series.
The FPS-200 flat-panel lifting mount provides a simple stationary or mobile wall mounted unit that utilizes a motorized lifting and lowering system to help gently guide the display to the desired height. Mounting over the top of a whiteboard, the FPS-200 can be easily adjusted to the desired vertical position and provide a great tool for interactive presentations or classroom learning environments.
The FPS-200 is here.
The PSD-HDCA is here. Leave a Comment
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LynTec Launches Intelligent Mobile Power Distribution PanelLynTec this week introduced its new Remote Power Control Mobile (RPCM), an intelligent power distribution panel offering three distinct new features to the mobile power distribution market. With motorized circuit breakers, current monitoring at the branch circuit level and remote monitoring capabilities, LynTec says the RPCM brings smarter mobile power distribution to houses of worship, theaters, arenas/stadiums and other temporary entertainment venues.
The RPCM uses switch-grade motorized circuit breakers to provide electrical protection and on/off control within a single enclosure, enabling simple power distribution and control for production companies within large, live venues. To enable real-time load balance and notification alarms, the unit provides the ability to perform current monitoring at the branch circuit level. Circuits can also be turned on or off sequentially, providing significant benefits when being powered by a generator. A built-in Web server allows users to monitor and control distribution directly on the network or from any browser-enabled smart device.
To protect large events during demanding load mixing situations, the RPCM lets users monitor loads on specific circuits. As a result, they can immediately see the impact of added demand on the unit’s interface — providing a straightforward and complete data overview. The RPCM is programmable to send circuit alerts by text or email, allowing users to take action remotely for greater flexibility and more efficient energy control, including the ability to perform remote hard reboots of connected devices. The circuit breaker panel can also be used for remote on/off control.
As lighting professionals increasingly turn to LED solutions, the RPCM can be used to control non-dimmed circuits as a more efficient alternative to dimmers. Since dimming is performed directly within LED fixtures, traditional on/off control at the dimmer rack-level is eliminated, resulting in the need for circuit-based on/off control. Available as a custom-built box, the RPCM can also be used with third-party control systems using DMX, sACN or TCP/IP protocols to provide flexible interfacing with all popular platforms.
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Analog Way Announces QuickVu, a Tri-Scaler Mixer / Switcher Analog Way’s new QuickVu is a Mixer / Seamless Switcher with three built-in scalers. QuickVu is based on Analog Way’s new Midra platform and includes eight seamless-switching inputs and 14 source ports: 4x universal analog, 4x DVI-D, 4x HDMI and 2x 3G-SDI. According to Analog Way, a feature called CleanCut allows it to switch between each of the 14 inputs without fade through black or loss of sync. And, EDID signal management is enabled for inputs 1-6.
To fit any display resolution, QuickVu offers custom output format management, with a main layer fully resizable and that can be positioned anywhere (this would, for example, allow you to use the output in a Christie MicroTiles system where it’s not a contiguous configuration).
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Earthworks Now Shipping 521 500 Series Pre-Amp
Earthworks’ 521 ZDT Preamps for its 500 series racks are now in stock and shipping. Based on the ZDT Pre-amp technology designed by David Blackmer, the Earthworks 521 brings the exacting standards of the ZDT Zero Distortion Pre-amplifiers to the convenient 500 series format, providing a pristine amplification option to the 500 series rack.
The solid state 521 features switchable phantom power, polarity invert and peak amplitude clip detection, just as in the original ZDT Zero Distortion Pre-amplifiers. The transformer-less output stage of the 521 will easily drive long cable runs without loss of quality. Transparent gain is switchable from 5 dB to 60 dB in 5 dB steps.
The Earthworks microphone pre-amplifier topology provides outstanding common mode rejection, excellent overload margin and an incredibly low noise floor, combined with the ultra-wide bandwidth of the ZDT Preamps (1Hz to 200kHz ±0.5 dB) and distortion of less than 1 part per million (0.0001 percent). This exceptional level of performance is maintained over an extensive range of impedances applied to the input, making the 521 suitable for practically any microphone — ribbon, dynamic or condenser.
The Earthworks 521 lists for $999 and full specs are here. Leave a Comment
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Neumann Introduces TLM 107 MicrophoneAt this year’s Audio Engineering Society convention, Neumann announced its newest studio microphone: the TLM 107 large diaphragm microphone.
The TLM 107 features what Neumann calls a “surprisingly fresh design and a novel operating concept.” All of the microphone switch functions are controlled through a navigation switch. The contemporary, intuitive operating concept includes an illuminated pattern display in the chrome ring, with the Pad and Low Cut status LEDs positioned to the left and right. The switch and display are located on the rear of the microphone so as to not distract singers. After 15 seconds, the display is turned off automatically, allowing the TLM 107 to be positioned discretely on the stage.
The newly developed double diaphragm capsule is inspired by one of Neumann’s top models, the D-01. The TLM 107 is particularly suitable for percussion and the finest overtones of stringed instruments. As a multi-pattern microphone made by Neumann.Berlin, the TLM 107 is impressive not only in the cardioid setting, but also delivers balanced sound for all five directional characteristics: omnidirectional, cardioid and figure-8, with the intermediate patterns wide-angle cardioid and hypercardioid.
For all polar patterns, up to 8 kHz the sound reproduction is almost linear, while a slight high frequency boost lends brilliance and freshness to recordings. Particular attention has been paid to the natural reproduction of the human voice, especially the critical “s” sound. Low sensitivity to pop sounds is ensured by an acoustically optimized grille. The capsule is designed to minimize sensitivity to humidity and other environmental influences. For example, the front and rear diaphragms are at ground voltage, thus preventing the electrostatic attraction of dust particles.
Transformerless circuitry permits a high degree of linearity and a large dynamic range. The self-noise of only 10 dB-A is practically inaudible. The maximum sound pressure level, specified as 141 dB SPL, can be increased to 153 dB SPL via the two-stage pre-attenuation, so that sound from even the loudest sources can be transmitted without distortion. The switchable Low Cut with the settings Linear, 40 Hz and 100 Hz has been carefully adapted to practical recording situations: The 40 Hz setting eliminates interference noise below the range of fundamental tones, while the 100 Hz setting is ideally suited to speech and vocal recordings.
The TLM 107 lists for $1,699.95 and complete specs are here. Leave a Comment
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HARMAN’s JBL Professional Introduces 9320 Large-Format Cinema Surround LoudspeakerHARMAN’s JBL Professional today announced the introduction of its 9320 Cinema Surround loudspeaker, a large-format loudspeaker designed for high power handling, extended bass response and wide dynamic range in professional cinema applications. The two-way JBL 9320 features a 12-inch MB12-8 low-frequency driver and 2408H-1 high-frequency compression driver. The large JBL Progressive Transition rotatable waveguide ensures 120×60 degree coverage and smooth frequency response with the loudspeaker mounted horizontally or vertically.
The MB12-8 low-frequency driver provides high power-handling capability and bass extension and the 2408H-1 high-frequency compression driver is designed to be mated with JBL’s Progressive Transition Waveguide, which HARMAN claims provides constant beamwidth and directivity across a 120-degree horizontal/ 60-degree vertical coverage pattern, along with smoother frequency response and a more seamless blend with the woofer. The waveguide is rotatable, enabling the 9320 to be used a vertical or horizontal mounting position.
The JBL 9320 enclosure is fitted with M10 threaded mounting points on the top and on the sides to facilitate U-bracket mounting. In addition, four M10 mounting points are located at the rear, arranged in a standard pattern to accept a variety of multi-mount brackets. The speaker terminals are located on top of the cabinet and the enclosure is constructed of multi-ply birch coated with JBL’s DuraFlex finish and is heavily braced to maximize low-frequency performance.
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BEHRINGER X32 CORE Digital Live/Recording Mixer ShipsThe BEHRINGER X32 CORE 40-Input, 25-Bus Digital Mixer, fitting into a single rack space, integrates with BEHRINGER’s Cat5e digital audio systems, including S16 Stage Boxes, P16 personal monitoring, iQ-Series intelligent loudspeakers and other X32 family products.
Up to six S16 Digital Stage Boxes, each containing 16 MIDAS-design pre-amps, can be connected to two of KLARK TEKNIK’s SuperMac AES50 ports, providing access to a total of 96 inputs and 48 outputs. Full Ethernet and OSC based remote control of all mixing parameters is available via the X32-Mix app for iPad or the X32-Edit software for Mac, Windows and Linux — all of which are free downloads. Connecting the X32 CORE to any available wired or wireless IP network enables the engineer to move about and make adjustments to parameters from anywhere in the venue. Performers can even use the X32-Q iPhone app to mix their own wired or wireless personal monitor sound right on stage.
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GLP Intros LED Spot Fixture, the Volkslicht SpotGLP’s newest LED-based Spot fixture, the Volkslicht Spot, is based on the company’s impression Spot One but is a smaller, lighter and less expensive version. GLP says the Volkslicht Spot Fixture features a 300-watt RGB LED engine that offers a high output through an optical system with gobo projection, even field distribution and smooth dimming without any color shift — all contained in a spot fixture format.
Aside from its fixed beam angle, the feature set includes a motorized iris, rotating gobo wheel with seven positions plus open, a static gobo wheel with nine positions plus open, a rotating prism, motorized focus, 16 bit pan / tilt movement and high speed electronic shutter — all within a small body so that it can be rigged discretely and in any orientation. Its light weight (just 33 pounds) makes it ideal for permanent installations, particularly where the shorter throw distance is required.
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BEHRINGER UltraLink ULM100USB Ships BEHRINGER’s new ULTRALINK ULM100USB wireless microphone has a tiny transmitter dongle that can be connected directly to any BEHRINGER UFX, QX or Q-Series “wireless-ready” mixers, as well as similarly equipped EUROLIVE active loudspeakers. The hand-held mic’s built-in transmitter, which works anywhere in the world in the license-free 2.4 GHz range, and digital encryption ensure the signal gets through without the random artifacts that often plague wireless systems. It uses AA batteries and is specified to last 8 hours.
The details on the $99 mic are here. Leave a Comment
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Blackmagic Design Announces UltraStudio 4K with Thunderbolt 2 Technology Blackmagic Design’s newest offering is the $995 UltraStudio 4K, which uses Thunderbolt 2 technology. The UltraStudio 4K is a rack mount capture and playback device based on Thunderbolt 2 technology, which was developed by Intel and used in most Apple computers. Featuring a machined aluminum front panel with an integrated color LCD, video and audio connections include 6G-SDI, HDMI 4K, analog component/s-video/composite, as well as balanced analog and AES/EBU digital audio.
With 20 Gb/s speed of Thunderbolt 2, UltraStudio 4K is capable of capture and playback Ultra HD, 4K, YUV video at 60 frames per second and Ultra HD 4K RGB video at 30 frames per second via the advanced 6G-SDI video connections. The Thunderbolt loop thru allows connection of up to six devices so customers can connect fast disk arrays for massive amounts of video storage with a single Thunderbolt connection to their computer.
UltraStudio 4K handles virtually every television format, featuring 6G-SDI connections that instantly switch between SD, HD, Ultra HD and 4K, making it a possible solution for post production and broadcast users when working on design, editing, paint, color correction and visual effects tasks. UltraStudio 4K is also perfect for 3D workflow as it features both interleaved/side by side and dual stream capture and playback. Interleaved 3D allows the left and right eye to be interleaved as fields into a single video connection and file, so customers can edit using current editing software.
UltraStudio 4K features include:
- Single Link 6G-SDI, Dual Link 3G-SDI connections, supports SD, HD up to1080p60 and 4K DCI.
- Compatible with Mac OS X computers with Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt.
- SDI inputs include full SDI re-clocking for capture from poor quality SDI sources.
- HDMI in and out, supports SD and HD formats up to 1080p60, frame packing 3D and 4K.
- Component analog in and out.
- Component analog switches to s-video and composite.
- Two-channel balanced analog audio in and out. Additional RCA HiFi audio in.
- Two-channel AES/EBU unbalanced audio in and out.
- Timecode in and out on XLR connectors.
- Genlock/tri-sync input.
- Sony compatible RS422 deck control.
- Supports uncompressed 8/10 bit and compressed video capture and playback.
- Supports Ultra HD and 4K DCI capture and playback using new Single Link 6G-SDI or Dual Link 3G-SDI connections and HDMI.
- Capture/playback of side by side, line by line, top and bottom and frame packing 3D via HDMI.
- Capture/playback of side by side, line by line, top and bottom and dual stream 3D via SDI.
- Includes hardware up down and cross conversion on playback.
- Includes hardware SD and HD keying.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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HARMAN Professional Introduces JBL HiQnet Performance Manager Version 1.6HARMAN Professional today announced the latest update to its live sound system configuration and control application software, JBL HiQnet Performance Manager. Version 1.6 features improved group muting controls and a new library cleanup tool, along with several other updates including the ability to save files with EQ in Line Array Calculator Tapering/Shading mode and open them in multiple arrays.
JBL HiQnet Performance Manager claims reduced design time, simplified networking and automated control interface configuration in a true workflow-based user experience for live performance installation professionals. Offered in version 1.6 is the new I-Tech 4×3500 HD firmware version 1042, a critical update for front display operation, a new array and ground stack Auto Amplify button to help guide automatic amplification of loudspeakers and Group Muting and Signal Generator controls are now available in Test System mode. When selecting groups within the Group list, the affected loudspeakers are now highlighted in the main workspace to aid navigation.
In addition, each Array or Ground Stack now has its own mute button to facilitate left/right testing, time alignment and tuning, as well as the ability to amplify speaker groups from the Configure Array dialog. Overall subwoofer array delay is now completely separate from individual subwoofer electronic delay steering (EDS) delays and the delay panels now show these as two separate values. This new feature allows for more sophisticated low frequency steering for either cardioid or front-firing subwoofer arrays while providing a convenient interface for global system time alignment.
The updated version also provides users with a new library cleanup tool, which helps to eliminate the accumulation of inadvertently large files for archived Custom Racks and Generic Speakers. A new “Clean” button has been added to both the Add Speakers and Add Amplifiers modes to remove custom racks and generic loudspeakers not in the current file from the disk library, as well as the file itself.
Performance Manager is available for purchase via license key here. Leave a Comment
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SceneX Lighting Introduces LED Tape with Individual Pixel Control GLP US has just launched a Pixel LED Tape with individual pixel control via DMX as part of its SceneX line of LED products. Used in a wide range of live, scenic and architectural applications, the SceneX range of LED solutions now offers greater control and creative possibilities.
The new Pixel LED tape adds individual control to each pixel in a tape system that has a higher resolution and higher output than competitive products. Included as standard is a 3M adhesive backing. As with other LED tapes in the SceneX range, an IP65 rating allows the tape to be used outdoors, or in other environments where it is likely to get wet. Scenex’s pixel tape has a pitch of 32 millimeters and is available in different lengths, with both black and white PCB backing.
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