Volume 9, Issue 9 — September 7, 2016
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Tiner’s Take Editorial Editorial
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Ticketing Solutions for AV
By Scott Tiner rAVe Columnist
If you serve the education market, you are well aware that the crazy season is upon us. Students are back on campus and the faculty are joining them and getting ready to begin a semester of new classes. On our campus this is always an exciting and nerve wracking time. Everyone is a little disappointed that summer is over, but the excitement of a new year and new challenges can not be denied.
This year I have taken on some new roles and responsibilities which gives me even more insight into some of the hectic nature of getting ready for classes. This year I am also supervising our IT Service Desk and the purchasing areas of our IT department. What I have learned could be very valuable for those integrators who are looking to move towards services as products, instead of hardware as products. If you want to know more about moving your firm in this direction, read my column from last month where I discussed this transition.
In managing the Service Desk, I have become more appreciative of the need for organization and standard operating procedures. Why? Because the volume is simply higher, as I think it would be in any organization. We all have more IT needs and problems than we do AV needs and problems. In IT, like AV, many of these problems need to be researched and studied in order to be resolved. With over 75 tickets coming into our Service Desk each day, we need to keep careful track of each call and make sure we get back to our customers with a solution.
Why does this matter to AV? More importantly, why does it matter to the those reading this column? It matters because in the AV world we have no really good systems of managing calls (tickets) and allowing our customers to follow up with us and see how we are progressing with the solution. This is true whether we are talking about a request or an incident. So, in a typical environment a tech would take a call, write it on a piece of paper (in a sophisticated environment it may actually be a spreadsheet) and take care of it themselves or give it to another technician. But, what if that problem can not be fixed immediately? How does the client know? What if the tech who took the call tried a few things and narrowed it down to a specific problem, but is out sick the next day when the client calls for an update? How do you know what that technician did? Most of the time you don’t. Either you tell the client they have to wait until the person returns, or you start the troubleshooting all over again. Neither of these actions produce value. In fact, they both waste the valuable time of you and your customer.
What does all this mean? It means that AV is in need of a good ticketing system. Some systems out there claim to do some of this. Crestron’s Fusion software for example, allows you to enter what a solution is for a trouble call. Yet, that trouble call had to come in via the Fusion software. There is no way to manually enter a ticket (say if a person calls you on the phone).
There are many (many!) ticketing systems in the market for IT Service Desks. Some AV groups in higher ed may choose to piggyback on this system. However, in many cases these systems are much more complex than is needed for AV. They involve far too many departments and escalation techniques for the average AV shop. So, most colleagues I know of continue to do this on some type of homegrown system, all too often analog systems.
So, here is your chance to build a PRODUCT that is also a service. If an integrator could build a ticketing system that was specific for AV needs, I believe they would have a large market. Some things this system would need to do:
- Monitor lamp life and enter tickets automatically for them to be replaced
- Allow help calls to be entered manually
- Allow for technicians to be assigned a specific call
- Tie the client to the call — so that the client and the technician can follow up on the call
- Develop an FAQ that will allow customers to try and resolve their own issues
- Allow clients to submit tickets directly. These tickets would be for both problems and for project requests
- With both of these people would be able to track the status of their request
- Hold an inventory of equipment
- Run reports on help calls per building/per room/per specific user
These are the needs that stick out to me every day as a technology manager. We have built a system that almost does all of these things. But that system is a combination of several different systems and requires a decent amount of labor to put the reports together. If an integrator was able to develop a system that integrated all of these things, perhaps even host it then I would be very interested, as it would take a lot off of my plate. Yet, the system needs to be affordable. I work at a small college. Please don’t try to sell me a system that is going to cost $25,000 per year. I can HIRE a person to do it for that amount of money.
However, don’t fret, the SERVICE you provide could entice me to pay more. So, for example, if you automatically replaced lamps for me, that would be great. I would even be willing to think about a set contract amount for that service. If you were able to determine that certain rooms had recurring problems, and suggest some fixes for me, that may entice me to pay more money for the product. Why? Because then you are providing me with both a SERVICE and a PRODUCT. That’s the best of both worlds! Leave a Comment
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The Cost of Late Adoption
By Mark Coxon rAVe Blogger
If you are a student of technology adoption, you’ve most likely seen this curve.
It’s the Technology Adoption curve and it reveals how people adopt technology over time. Looking at the curve as an integrator, you may use this curve to justify a delayed entry into a tech market. After all, around 70 percent of consumers don’t come into the market until the middle. If you take that viewpoint, you’re not alone. In fact, according to data I heard come out of the InfoComm standards plenary, integrators seem to adopt new technology into their businesses in almost exactly the same way consumers do, with the majority waiting for the swell in the middle. I think that this is a major mistake.
Before you start to disagree too much, let me lay out why I think there is a unique advantage for integration companies to be innovators and early adopters when it comes to offering new products and services in their businesses.
First off, it’s a marketing and sales advantage. 70 percent to 85 percent of the integration community is probably not telling this new technology story to their clients yet. That’s a great advantage when pitching a job, especially if the client is tech conscious or savvy themselves. However, I think there is a unique advantage in the actual numbers as well.
Let’s look at another common curve. The Product Life Cycle curve.
This curve, when over laid on the Technology Adoption curve above, shows that most integrators are waiting until growth has been demonstrated or sometimes even until the product has reached full maturity. This may not sound like a bad thing. In fact, the terms growth and maturity seem to denote stability.
But stability and profitability are two different things.
Now given all of the above let’s look at a couple curves I came up with in thinking through this adoption trend.
The first is the product margin curve.
When a product is first introduced and is novel or innovative, higher prices will be paid by consumers. Given this, typically products have higher margins as they are introduced and as the product reaches maturity and then market saturation, those margins fall and then level off at some small differential above the manufacturing costs.
But selling the product is only half of your integration business. Unless you are a box mover, you are selling installation, programming and support services with these products as well — so you also have a Labor Margin curve to factor in here as well.
Notice anything? It’s almost the opposite of the Product Margin curve. In the beginning, when a technology is new, your integration firm will inevitably spend more time training and installing the product, troubleshooting errors, etc. However, as the product reaches maturity, labor margins increase with the efficiency of the installations, programming and support of the product.
Given this, you really need to look at the sum of both graphs to get a good picture of the Profit curve of a integrating a new technology. If the product costs and integration costs are about equal, then you get something like this.
As you can see the green line is the sum of the two margin curves for Product (orange) and Labor (blue). Of course depending on the price of the product(s) in the system, these curves could move slightly. The point is however that in the example above, the integrator in question adopts the technology early. This means that the product margins offset additional labor expenditure during the learning phase, and then as product margins decrease, the integrators experience with the product provides advantages in actual integration costs to increase labor margins. Overall, the two competing curves can level each other out, creating a stable profit line over time for the technology itself.
But what happens to the integrator who waits?
A delayed entry into the market in growth or maturity mode means that the integrator will not take advantage of early, higher product margins. However, the labor margin curve remains. As an integrator, it still takes your team some time to become familiar with the technology and gain those economies. The result is a product margin curve that remains the same and a labor margin curve that is delayed.
As you can see the delayed entry affects the stability of the green profit line. If you look at the curve profit curve above, you’ll notice that profit actually decreases initially, and that many times causes an integrator to rethink their entry into the new market and perhaps retreat, not knowing that the trend is a direct result of the late entry, and will at some point climb back up as efficiencies in installation and programming are realized.
If you want to compare the profit curves of integrator 1 and integrator 2, it looks something like this.
If you take a look at the two profit curves above, an early entry into the market not only allows Integrator 1 (dark green) the opportunity to turn profit for more time than Integrator 2 (light green), but also gives them an advantage in profit during a huge portion of the Technology Adoption cycle as a whole. They have earned higher profits that allow them to be more competitive in a bid situation as well as present a longer track record of success with the technology.
All in all, the early adopter from an integration perspective can benefit greatly from adopting technology early, capturing a large percentage of early adopters and also creating advantages downstream as the technology matures that allows the same firm to continue an advantage until the product fades toward decline.
From a product manufacturing perspective, many argue that being second may be better than being first in that the follower can learn from the leaders mistakes. That may also be true here with integration if the delay to market is relatively small. However, even in manufacturing, no one argues that there is an advantage to entering the market in the middle or at the end. It may be a good time to look at the way your integration firm is adopting new technology to see if you’re benefiting from an early mover advantage.
I’d love to hear your take here. Feel free to use the comments below to start the conversation. Leave a Comment
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Lean Model to Determine Designs
By Scott Tiner rAVe Columnist
We have all heard, “Well that is how it was designed.” Or, “the integrators made this more complicated than it needed to be.” I, as much as anyone like to pass the buck, but when dealing with customers we need to make sure we provide the end result they want. A lean model of looking at design can help integrators provide the desired result the first time around, improving their relationships, reputation and future revenue stream.
The first step is to look at the Current (as designed) State. This is the state of how something operates right now. So, if you were looking into installing digital signs in a location that previously had corkboards, you would want to know several things about the current state.
- Are there rules about what gets posted on the bulletin board?
- How often is the bulletin board cleared off?
- Who “owns” the bulletin board?
The next step, and maybe the most critical, is to determine the Current (as-is) State. This is the way that things actually work. So, that list of rules you were given about what gets posted on the current bulletin board, does anyone actually know them, or follow them? If they tell you the bulletin board is cleared off on a weekly basis, does that actually happen?
Why are these types of questions important? Because if you design a system according to the as designed state, but that is not the actual as-is state, you are going to have unhappy customers. In the bulletin board example, if there are a bunch of rules, you will build the ability to follow these rules into a new digital signage system. This may cost development time, or a higher cost for the software. However, what if the customer never actually follows any of those rules? You have provided them what they asked for, but not for what they wanted. You have given them a product that costs more than what they need, and possibly added complexity to the system. Additionally, the person who suddenly has to monitor all those rules will feel as though this has caused them more work. Alternately, what if the people tell you they never follow the rules, but that they really want to start? This is critical to know before you design the system as well. Otherwise, you may observe them not following the rules, and build a system that does not allow them to enforce the policies they want.
So they key for these first two steps is to first determine how the current process/system is supposed to work. Often, that will not be how it actually works. Second, you need to determine how the system does actually work.
Now you have what you need to determine the Future (to-be) state. This is where you determine what the design of the new process/system will be. You need to put together what you have learned from the first two steps. As you work through this final step you should reference all the other things you have learned, and observed, through the first two steps. Now, you can start your design. When you present the final design to the customer, you should include your observations of all three states. Make sure you give them the opportunity to correct any of the observations or facts that you have collected. It is only through these steps that you and the customer can be on the same page about what they want. When that happens, you won’t hear the types of things that I wrote in the first sentence. Rather you will hear customers who are very happy with what you provided them. This means they will call you next time they need an upgrade or service. Leave a Comment
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Extron Introduces eBUS Button Panels for Volume Control and Video Transport Extron has introduced nine additional eBUS Button Panels. Six of these provide volume control, microphone level and muting control, while the other three provide full-featured video transport control. All of these easy-to-use control panels connect to an IPCP Pro control processor and feature customizable, soft-touch buttons that are backlit for easy operation in low-light environments. Each model features two eBUS ports for easy system expansion. eBUS button panels are linked to the control processor and to each other using a single cable that carries both power and communication. eBUS Button Panels are available in Decora, EU and MK form factors. For applications worldwide, the EU models are compatible with Flex55 modules, mounting kits and enclosures.
Extron’s integration-friendly eBUS technology is based on a unique digital bus architecture that allows for easy control system expansion, greater design options, and future upgrades. As with our TouchLink Pro touchpanels, eBUS button panels are designed for use with any Extron IPCP Pro Series control processor. A single eBUS button panel can be used as the AV control interface for a smaller system or multiple button panels and touchpanels may be combined when a more elaborate control system is required.
eBUS button panels come in industry-standard form factors and multiple units may be linked together by a single cable that carries both power and communication. Since they have the same physical appearance as Extron’s broad range of MediaLink controllers, eBUS button panels can be used alongside them throughout a facility while preserving a consistent look and user experience. Buttons can be easily customized using the online Custom Button Builder application.
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Apogee Intros MiC 96K USB Microphone Apogee Electronics has announced the MiC 96k for Windows and Mac. MiC 96k is a professional 96kHz, 24-bit USB microphone that’s designed to capture vocals, voice overs, podcasts and acoustic musical instruments on a Windows or Mac computer. With MiC 96k and your laptop you can make studio-quality recordings anywhere.
Features:
- Cardioid condenser microphone
- Up to 96kHz, 24-bit analog-to-digital recording
- Works on Mac and Windows 10 computers (and iOS devices)
- Apogee engineered microphone preamp with up to 40dB of gain
- Control knob allows easy input level adjustment
- Multi-color LED for status indication and input level monitoring
The MiC 96K lists for $199 and here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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beyerdynamic Debuts New Gooseneck and Array Microphones with Programmable Button beyerdynamic has extended its product range of the Classis installation microphone series with new gooseneck and vertical Revoluto Array microphones, which are fitted with programmable buttons. The button functions can be easily selected with a rotary control.
By using the programmable button of the SP variants you can select the operating mode ON/OFF, Push-To-Talk or Push-To-Mute. The microphone button can also be completely disabled. Furthermore, there are two settings of the frequency response possible: linear or with bass roll-off to suppress low-frequency noise. The LED ring to display the microphone status can be deactivated.
In addition to the features of the SP variants, the RC version allows the operation by an external control. In addition to this an external device can be controlled via the control output when operating the microphone button.
Versions:
- Classis GM 313 SP – gooseneck microphone, 300 mm (12“) long, LED ring, programmable button
- Classis GM 315 SP – gooseneck microphone, 500 mm (20“) long, LED ring, programmable button
- Classis GM 315 RC – gooseneck microphone, 500 mm (20“) long, LED ring, programmable button, remote control
- Classis RM 31 SP – array microphone with Revoluto Technology, LED ring, programmable button
- Classis RM 31 RC – array microphone with Revoluto technology, LED ring, programmable button, remote control
All the specs are here. Leave a Comment
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Extron Announces New HDMI Cable Equalizer for 4K/60 Sources Extron just introduced the HD 4K 101 Plus, an HDMI cable equalizer supporting video signals at resolutions up to 4K/60 with 4:4:4 chroma sampling. Used at the destination end of a long cable run, the HD 4K 101 Plus actively equalizes poor or marginal source signals, reduces jitter and skew, and adds output pre-emphasis to reliably extend the HDMI signal. The HDCP 2.2-compliant equalizer supports HDMI 2.0b specification features, including data rates up to 18 Gbps, HDR, Deep Color up to 12-bit, 3D, HD lossless audio formats and CEC. To streamline integration, the 1/8 rack wide unit can be powered by the connected HDMI source or an optional external power supply.
The HD 4K 101 Plus compensates for poor HDMI source signals and low-quality cabling. It can be used in conjunction with products such as the Extron HD 4K 110 Series to provide a cost effective solution for extending 4K video signals between the source and the display. DDC channels are actively buffered, allowing pass-through of EDID and HDCP information between source and display. EDID pass-through ensures that the source video is at the optimal resolution for the display, and HDCP 2.2 compliance enables extension of encrypted content from Blu-ray players, satellite and cable TV tuners, DVRs, laptop computers, and other HDCP-enabled sources. These capabilities and other features such as a compact enclosure and ability to be powered by the source device make the HD 4K 101 Plus an indispensable addition to AV designs and existing systems with 4K video requirements.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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Bose Professional Ships New Line of PowerShare Adaptable Amplifiers Bose is now shipping its new PowerShare adaptable power amplifier line, consisting of three 1U models: two- and four-channel fixed-install models (PS602 and PS604) and one two-channel portable amplifier (PS602P). Each model delivers 600 watts of power that can be shared across all output channels. With support for both low- and high-impedance loads up to 100V, PowerShare amplifiers adapt to a wide range of applications. Onboard configurable loudspeaker processing and direct access to zone controllers eliminate the need for an additional signal processor in many installations, while outstanding audio performance and reliability are assured with patented technologies inherited from the field-proven PowerMatch line.
Patented PowerShare technology allows installers to use total amplifier power in the application. This enables more flexibility during the initial design, or later on-site when making unplanned changes that take advantage of surplus power.
For applications requiring additional signal processing, the PowerShare Editor software offers real-time selection and control of Bose loudspeaker EQs, 9-band PEQs, mixing, crossover, limiters, delay and mute/output polarity through a USB connection. For basic setups without a PC, rear-panel settings allow installers to recall Bose loudspeaker equalization and protection per output channel. These features eliminate the need for an external signal processor in many applications.
Bose PowerShare products are here. Leave a Comment
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PureLink Adds New Modular Fiber Extenders to HDTools PureLink introduces the HOF1 Tx/Rx and OLC III Tx/Rx One-Fiber Extension Systems for HDMI and DVI to its line of HDTools long-range extension solutions. Both models feature modular/detachable transmitter and receiver pairs that claim to simplify integration.
The HOF1 Tx/Rx provides extension of Ultra HD/4K HDMI, embedded audio, RS232 and bi-directional IR to distances up to 1,000 meters, all over a single-strand multi-mode fiber optic cable.
The OLC III Tx/Rx extends DVI content up to 300 meters using multi-mode fiber optic cabling to deliver HD video signals, EDID data, and HDCP over fiber in what they claims is real time.
With lower attenuation than copper cables, fiber is becoming a choice for long runs and high data rates. Fiber is immune to electromagnetic interference, providing optimal signal transmission and is readily used in government or corporate applications where data security is crucial or required.
Both the HOF1 Tx/Rx and OLC III Tx/Rx extension systems can be combined with PureLink’s TotalWire two-strand or four-strand LC-terminated fiber optic cables to maintain signal transport and optimal picture quality.
Here are the specs. Leave a Comment
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Eiki Debuts the EK-600U and EK-601W DLP Conference Series Projectors Eiki just launches the EK-600U and EK-601W Conference Series Projectors with support for HDBaseT, HDMI and DisplayPort. Both models provide two HDMI ports.
The Eiki EK-600U is spec’d at 6,000 ANSI lumens brightness with 85 percent uniformity and a 10,000:1 contrast ratio. It offers horizontal, vertical and corner keystone correction and its native resolution is WUXGA (1920×1200). The EK-600U’s specs include:
- Zoom Max: Min: 1.8:1
- Throw: Width 1.20-2.16:1
- Lens shift vertical is +100~120 percent (Manual)
- Len shift Horizontal: +/-10 percent (Manual)
The EK-601W projector is 5,500 ANSI lumens brightness with 80 percent uniformity and a 10,000:1 contrast ratio. Like the EK-600U, the EK-601W provides horizontal, vertical and corner keystone correction for superior image control. The projector’s native resolution is WXGA (1366×768). The projector’s estimated lamp life is 7,000 in eco mode or 4,000 hours in normal mode. Other EK-601W specs include:
- Zoom Max: Min: 1.8:1
- Throw: Width 1.20-2.16:1
- Lens Shift Vertical is +100~120 percent (Manual)
- Lens Shift Horizontal : +/-10 percent (Manual)
List price for the EK-600U is $4,195 and the EK-601W is $2,795. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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TASCAM Intros New Portable Recording Device with DR-100mkIII TASCAM has raised the bar with portable audio recording with the new DR-100mkIII Handheld Digital Stereo Recorder. The newest generation of TASCAM’s flagship Handheld Digital Stereo Recorder delivers crystal clear, ultra-high resolution recordings up to 192kHz/24-bit resolution, with an unprecedented 109dB S/N ratio. Ultra-precise, temperature-compensated clocking and high-performance dual-mono AKM “Velvet Sound” converters combine with TASCAM’s acclaimed HDDA microphone preamps to deliver the ultimate in pristine, transparent recordings. Coupled with support for SDXC cards up to 128GB, the DR-100mkIII is truly in a class by itself.
The DR-100mkIII has dual stereo mics in both AB and omnidirectional patterns for maximum versatility, two XLR/combo jacks, switchable phantom power, and a dedicated input level control for fast, tactile operation. And the DR-100mkIII’s innovative dual battery technology utilizes a built-in Li-ion rechargeable as well as AA batteries, giving you extended recording times and the ability to change batteries on the fly.
The DR-100mkIII features TASCAM’s exclusive Dual Recording Mode, which simultaneously captures a lower level safety track, to safeguard against unexpected source level spikes. And the DR-100mkIII sports TASCAM’s legendary durability as well, built on a rugged black aluminum chassis that’s road-worthy enough for the most hardcore location duties.
The new TASCAM DR-100mkIII lists for $399.99 and here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Extron Debuts Quantum Ultra Modular 4K Videowall ProcessorExtron just introduced the Quantum Ultra, a modular 4K videowall processor with 4K scaling and windowing technology for a wide range of applications. The Quantum Ultra features the Extron Vector 4K 4:4:4 scaling engine and 400 Gbps HyperLane video bus capable of carrying a multitude of high-resolution sources for unmatched real-time performance. A single processor can support multiple videowalls with mixed resolutions and screen orientations, providing flexible system design with minimal complexity and cost. Customizable output resolutions, output overlap, and mullion compensation provide compatibility with nearly any display technology. RS-232 and Ethernet interfaces provide direct connections for control systems.
Quantum Ultra utilizes a modular card-frame architecture that can be populated with input and output cards selected to match source and display requirements. Multiple card frames can be configured and operated as a single system to accommodate any size videowall. Quantum Ultra can accommodate a mixture of display devices with varying resolutions. Features such as output overlap, mullion compensation, output rotation, and custom output resolutions provide compatibility with current and future display devices.
An interesting future-ready feature is that the Extron HyperLane bus has a maximum throughput of 400 Gbps, sufficient to simultaneously carry more than twenty 4K/60 sources with 4:4:4 chroma sampling. It also possesses the bandwidth required to support evolving signal formats, such as 8K, and the higher resolutions, high dynamic range – HDR, greater color depth, and expanded color gamut these signals will provide.
Sources can be windowed and positioned anywhere on the video display. Static image files such as logos and maps can be stored locally on the Quantum Ultra, and displayed with full keying and alpha channel support. Internally generated clocks can be presented in a variety of time formats, in multiple time zones. The integrated VNC client can decode multiple simultaneous VNC server streams for presentation on the videowall. Custom color borders can be applied to any window, with support for rounded corners, drop shadows, flashing, and transparency.
Quantum Ultra was engineered for continuous operation in mission-critical environments. Redundant, hot swappable power supplies, dual IEC power connections, a write-protected, solid-state operating system drive, and secure communication protocols, ensure system redundancy, security, and stability.
Quantum Ultra setup and preset configuration are performed using Extron VCS – Videowall Configuration Software. System configuration is broken down into logical tasks, such as wall configuration, source setup, preset design, and EDID Minder for simplified integration. Online and offline editing allows creation and configuration of systems with or without an attached processor. Familiar editing controls streamline layering, aligning, and sizing of source windows. Live and Preview modes provide the option for immediate or controlled wall response to edits. With an intuitive workflow and familiar interface, VCS provides efficient configuration of any Extron 4K videowall processor.
This intuitive application simplifies configuration of even the largest and most complex systems. Settings and preset changes within the software are automatically synchronized and stored on the videowall processor, facilitating direct RS232 or Ethernet connection of remote control systems to the Quantum Ultra card frame.
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Extron Adds End-to-End 4K Twisted Pair to XTP Systems Extron has announced the expansion of the XTP Systems family with several new extender and I/O board models designed specifically to support video resolutions up to 4K. Each model is HDCP 2.2 compliant, and supports HDMI specification features that include data rates up to 10.2 Gbps, Deep Color up to 12-bit, 3D, and HD lossless audio formats. Common features across the line include signal extension up to 330 feet (100 meters) over one shielded CATx cable, bidirectional RS232 and IR for AV device control, Ethernet extension, remote power capability over CATx cable, and easy setup and commissioning with Extron XTP System Configuration Software.
The new XTP transmitters and receivers deliver convenient signal extension from the rack, wall, floor, or lectern. The XTP T FB 202 4K is compatible with floor boxes from OBO Bettermann, MK by Honeywell, Electraplan and PUK. Transmitters with multiple inputs, such as the XTP T USW 103 4K with connectors for HDMI, DisplayPort and VGA sources, feature automatic switching between inputs with selectable prioritization for operation in unmanaged locations. Each extender supports embedded digital audio, and most transmitters offer audio embedding as well.
The new receivers also provide a variety of capabilities for streamlined operation and integration. The XTP SR HD 4Kscaling receiver incorporates Extron Vector 4K scaling technology for uncompromised image quality, and the HDMI output connector on the XTP R HWP 201 4K Decora-style wallplate receiver is oriented upward at a 90° angle for easy installation behind a flat panel display. The rack-mountable receivers include audio de-embedding to digital S/PDIF or analog stereo audio outputs along with relays for room control. All receivers and most transmitters provide Ethernet extension and insertion of bidirectional RS232 and IR, allowing LAN access and AV device control at remote locations.
The Extron XTP CP 4K Input and Output Boards enable extension of video, audio, bidirectional control and Ethernet over a shielded CATx cable. These XTP I/O boards are also HDCP 2.2 compliant, and support video signals at resolutions up to 4K. For further flexibility, embedded digital audio signals can be routed independently for external systems. Ethernet extension along with RS232 and IR insertion provide LAN access and remote AV device control. Signals can be sent up to 330 feet (100 meters). Available in four-input and four-output models, each twisted pair port can supply remote power to a connected XTP endpoint.
Here they are. Leave a Comment
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Magewell Adds 4K Video Capture Card to Lineup Nanjing Magewell Electronics announced today the addition of two new models to the company’s 4K video capture cards. The new Pro Capture HDMI 4K and Pro Capture HDMI 4K Plus complement the previously-announced Pro Capture AIO 4K Plus card, with all three models now available to customers and OEM partners.
Magewell’s real-time, 4K video capture cards bring 4K-resolution video acquisition to markets and applications including broadcast, surveillance, medical imaging, gaming, video wall design, motion picture production and more. The Pro Capture AIO 4K Plus features both HDMI and SDI inputs with embedded audio support, capturing 2160p60 Ultra HD video over its HDMI 2.0 interface and 2160p30 via 6 Gbps SDI.
The two newest cards deliver similar capabilities for HDMI-only input applications. The Pro Capture HDMI 4K supports 2160p30 over an HDMI 1.4 interface, while the Pro Capture HDMI 4K Plus captures 2160p60 via HDMI 2.0 connectivity.
All three cards feature a PCIe 2.0 high-speed interface and support resolutions all the way up to the 4096×2160 4K digital cinema and production standard, including 3840×2160 4K Ultra HD. As with all Magewell Pro Capture cards, each video source can be output as multiple streams to separate applications simultaneously, enabling concurrent live broadcast, recording and preview. Resolution, frame rate and video processing can be controlled independently for each stream.
Built-in, hardware-based, 10-bit video processing delivers high-quality de-interlacing, up/down conversion, video enhancements, color space conversion, graphic overlay and more without requiring CPU usage, thus maximizing CPU availability for third-party software — particularly beneficial because of the quadrupled processing requirements of 4K video compared to HD formats. The cards also feature advanced bit depth (8/10/12-bit) and color space (4:2:0/4:2:2/4:4:4) capabilities, supporting 4K Ultra HD standards.
Multiple 4K Pro Capture cards can be used simultaneously in the same system, increasing multi-channel capture density. Magewell’s universal Pro Capture drivers offer broad 4K capture compatibility with popular encoding, streaming, live production, collaboration, video conferencing and virtual reality (VR) creation software running on Windows and Linux operating systems, with Mac support for the 4K cards to follow soon.
You can see all three of them here. Leave a Comment
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Videon Partners with Intel for Video Streaming Products Videon’s Greylock HD H.264 Encoder/Decoder is a high performance encoder/decoder that supports both HDMI and SDI inputs. Based on the Intel Atom CE5300 Dual Core media processor, it’s designed to convert their camera’s HDMI or SDI data into an encoded stream that can be sent online.
Greylock supports resolutions up to 1080p60 and claims to offer push-button streaming and multiple streaming formats (including unicast, multicast and RTMP). Greylock’s encoder is aimed at education, digital signage, live events, houses of worship and broadcast applications.
The input resolutions supported include both 720 and 1080 and output can be anything from 480 to 1080. Bit rate is 1 Mbps to 20 Mbps and encode latency is spec’d at 250ms. Inputs are HDMI, SDI, USB and it works on standard Ethernet networks.
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SI Debuts Floating Screen at CEDIA — Aims it at Both Residential and Commercial Installs Screen Innovations (SI) has announced something they are calling Zero-G, a motorized projection screen that, when deployed, SI claims it literally appears to be floating in midair and rolls out of the way when not in use.
Zero-G was created to allow you to watch a movie on an image that “levitates” in your space on cables that can be color-matched to their surroundings using their proprietary “color matching system” in order to be as un-obtrusive as possible.
SI has included features that makes Zero-G a simple product to install and setup. Removable PCB, upper lift tubes, and factory pre-programmed bomb-bay doors on its flush model, are just a few of these features. SI has also engineered an automatic upper limit setting by using an optical sensor, and will also optionally ship the material tube separate from the case for new construction installations.
Zero-G supports up to a maximum of 160-inches diagonally in 16:9 aspect ratio and is aimed at both HomeAV and ProAV installs.
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HDMI Releases Alternate Mode for USB Type-C Connector Enabling 4K HDMI Signals with No Adapters HDMI Licensing, LLC today announced that it is releasing the HDMI Alternate Mode (“Alt Mode”) developed by the HDMI Founders for the USB Type-C Specification. This will allow HDMI-enabled source devices to utilize a USB Type-C connector to directly connect to HDMI-enabled displays, and deliver native HDMI signals over a simple cable without the need for cumbersome protocol and connector adapters or dongles.
This enables two of the most popular solutions for connectivity to come together — the small form factor, reversible, and multi-purpose USB Type-C connector being adopted by smartphones, tablets and PC products, and HDMI, which is the leading display interface with an installed base of billions of displays. Almost 290 million HDMI-enabled display devices are expected to ship in 2016, including projectors, monitors and 100 percent of flat panel TVs.
HDMI Alt Mode will support the full range of HDMI 1.4b features such as: resolutions up to 4K, Audio Return Channel (ARC), 3D, HDMI Ethernet Channel, and Consumer Electronic Control (CEC). The HDMI cable will utilize the USB Type-C connector on the source side and any HDMI connector on the display side. Unlike the other Alt Mode display technologies which require various adapters or dongles to connect to HDMI displays, HDMI Alt Mode enables an easy connection via a simple USB Type-C to HDMI cable.
The HDMI 1.4b Alt-Mode on USB Type-C Specification is available to all HDMI Adopters here.
For more information on the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), or the USB Type-C specification, go here. Leave a Comment
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Yamaha Expands TF Series Digital Mixer Lineup with Rack-Mount Format for Installs and Rentals Yamaha today introduced TF-RACK, a compact rack-mount version of the company’s TF Series digital mixing consoles. TF-RACK offers all of the features found in TF Series desktop models released in 2015, and is intended for smaller or more portable venues, particularly when a proper mix position may not be available.
TF-RACK is in a 3U rack space and is aimed at smaller live music venues, a portable house of worship or in a meeting hall. The rack-mount edition carries the same core engine – Steinberg Nuendo Live recording software, apps for mixing and expansion capabilities – as each of the other models.
In addition, the TF Series rack-mount mixer will ship with firmware version 3.0 that adds full fader views on its touch screen, the ability to add an administrator password, and many other enhancements. Yamaha has also partnered with Ultimate Ears, a premier supplier of in-ear monitoring products to create presets for the TF Series to provide stunning sonic clarity for the performer.
Like its desktop counterparts, TF-RACK is compatible with TF StageMix for wireless Wi-Fi remote mixing via iPad, and the MonitorMix app for aux send mixing via most smartphones or tablet PCs. Since it is not Wi-Fi dependent, TF-RACK sets a new standard for reliability in mixing, allowing it to maintain its full functionality even if the network goes offline. Users can simply continue mixing on the touch screen or opt to use it as their primary control surface as they wish.
TF-RACK includes:
- 16+1 stereo inputs, 16 outputs
- 1-knob COMP and 1-knob EQ for fast, easy control over your sound
- GainFinder input setup for optimum gain structure
- QuickPro Presets optimized microphone, music and output presets that include popular model choices from Audio-Technica, Sennheiser, Shure and Ultimate Ears
- Instant loading single step scene recall
- Expansion capabilities of up to two stage boxes, as needed
- TouchFlow Operation for easy, efficient control combining Select Channel and Cetralogic interfaces with the touch screen functionality
- A comprehensive range of I/O connections directly on the rear panel
- An optional NY64-D Dante I/O card and Tio1608-D I/O rack
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BenQ’s New Business Projector Offers Native 1080p, 4.5K LumensThe BenQ MH750 Colorific projector is a native HD (1920x1080p) resolution box with a 4,500 ANSI lumen and 10,000:1 high contrast ratio spec. It includes two HDMI inputs as well as MHL connectivity and built-in QCast for near-field communications (NFC) wireless streaming of content and LAN control.
BenQ’s SmartEco technology claims an energy savings of up to 70 percent and their “Eco Blank” mode allows users to blank out the screen whenever projection isn’t needed, while a “No Source Detected” mode automatically reduces power consumption to 30 percent when no source has been detected for more than three minutes. With the “Auto Power Off” function, the projectors automatically shut down when not in use for 30 minutes. When inactive, they keep power consumption to a minimum, <0.5-W standby power, for even more energy savings.
The MH750 projector lists for $1,399. More information is here. Leave a Comment
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Epiphany Debuts Pearl-2 Epiphany Video announces the launch of Pearl-2, their next generation an all-in-one live video encoder. Pearl-2 brings live 4K video encoding and streaming to the impressive list of features it inherits from its predecessor, Pearl. Along with 4K support, Pearl-2 adds significantly more processing power, giving it the ability to handle up to six simultaneous 1080p video signals at 30 frames per second.
Pearl-2, like its namesake, captures, streams and records multiple video sources simultaneously. The company says that many of Pearl-2’s hardware upgrades, including USB 3.0, XLR audio inputs, 12-G SDI inputs and 4K HDMI output ports are the direct result of customer feature requests.
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Atlona Intros 4K AV Extender with HDRAtlona is introducing the Centum Series AT-CENT-301-CEA, a 4K AV extender with HDR (high dynamic range)that delivers 4K/UHD video @ 60 Hz (or 60FPS) with 4:4:4 chroma sampling and HDMI data rates up to 18 Gbps up to 330 feet.
The AT-CENT-301-CEA is HDCP 2.2 compliant and provides HDMI transmission up to 330 feet (100 meters) over category cable with embedded multi-channel audio. HDR and 4K/60 4:4:4 video extension are made possible through the use of VESA Display Stream Compression (DSC). This extender also supports Ethernet pass-through, RS232 and IR control and Power over Ethernet — the receiver is powered by the extender. EDID management features ensure proper audio formats and video resolutions are provided to the AV system.
The extender pair also supports the HDMI Audio Return Channel, with the ability to transmit digital audio from a television back to the transmitter, and then to an AV receiver via HDMI or a TOSLINK digital audio output. This allows easy integration of audio from over-the-air TV broadcasts and smart TV apps.
The AT-CENT-301-CEA is configured and managed by the company’s Atlona Management System (AMS) and will be available March 2017 for $1,499.99. Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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Extron Announces New Larger HDMI 4K Distribution Amplifiers Extron has two new 4K distribution amplifiers in the DA HD 4K Series, the DA4 HD 4K and DA6 HD 4K provide reliable distribution of a source video signal to as many as four or six displays, respectively. All three models in the HD HD 4K Series are HDCP compliant and support data rates up to 10.2 Gbps, Deep Color up to 12‑bit, 3D, Lip Sync and HD lossless audio formats. Extron technologies provide easy EDID and HDCP management, and automatic input cable equalization ensures signal integrity up to 50 feet (15 meters) when used with Extron HDMI Pro Series cables.
The DA HD 4K Series offers integration-friendly features that include automatic color bit depth management based on EDID, selectable output muting via RS‑232, as well as front panel indicators for easy monitoring and troubleshooting. They also feature Extron EDID Minder and Key Minder technologies to maintain continuous EDID communication between between connected devices and ensure simultaneous distribution of HDCP-encrypted source content. Each output provides +5 VDC, 250 mA for powering peripheral devices such as an Extron UHD4K 101 or HDMI 101 Plus cable equalizer. Now available in sizes ranging from two to six outputs to match the most common design needs, the DA HD 4K Series is ideal for applications that require the reliable distribution of a single HDMI source signal to multiple displays.
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