It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Maintenance…

“’twas the night before Christmas, and all through the shop not an order is stirring so let’s get out the mop…” Yes, the holidays are upon us again. And with the exception of holiday parties and events, many of us can find ourselves looking for things to do. Having spent a few years working in […]

It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Maintenance…

Strange Re-Tales: If It Fits It Ships

There are all kinds of lovely aphorisms about how important it is to prepare ahead of time: Forewarned is forearmed An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure Measure twice, cut once I could go on. The thing about aphorisms and common wisdom is, to borrow another one, that they so often go […]

Strange Re-Tales: If It Fits It Ships

When Was The Last Time You Did an AV Demo?

For as much traction as the so-called smart home has gained in consumer awareness, it’s still audio and video that remains a key part of the residential business. While I’ve met a few HiFi shop owners who loathe automation and prefer to deal with it in the context of cinema room design, I don’t think […]

When Was The Last Time You Did an AV Demo?

CEDIA Announces Certification Roadshow for ESC-T Review

CEDIA has announced that it will host a certification roadshow throughout the month of December. The six events, which will include the ESC-T certification review, ESC-T certification exam and an emerging trends talk, are part of CEDIA’s ongoing effort to make certification more accessible. “Earlier this year we announced that CEDIA Certification Exams are now available through the Kryterion testing […]

CEDIA Announces Certification Roadshow for ESC-T Review

JVC Debuts D-ILA 4K Projectors Aimed at Simulation

JVC Visual Systems will introduce two Visualization Series projectors designed for the simulation market next week. The DLA‑VS4700 projector is native 4K resolution with e-shift technology (it can display up to 8K resolution using this pixel-shirt process), while the DLA‑VS4010NLG is JVC’s brightest simulation projector and provides 11 percent more vertical picture area than other 4K projectors, according to JVC. Both three-chip D-ILA projectors feature their […]

JVC Debuts D-ILA 4K Projectors Aimed at Simulation

New Construction — Room Acoustics, Part 2

In the first part of this two-part series, published in September, a wide variety of acoustical solutions and issues specifically focused on dealing with a space that already exists were discussed. Although the basic concepts and applications outlined in that article apply regardless, the issues and problems of a new building are in many ways […]

New Construction — Room Acoustics, Part 2

SANUS Expands Wireless Speaker Stand Series to Accommodate Sonos® PLAY:5 Speaker

SANUS is launching a new member of its Wireless Speaker Stand Series designed for the Sonos PLAY:5 speaker, the largest of the home sound system’s family of wireless speaker products. The new, wireless speaker stand, the SANUS WSS51, holds the Sonos PLAY:5 at the manufacturer’s recommended angle for ideal audio dispersion at the optimal listening height. At 31.5″ tall, it fully […]

SANUS Expands Wireless Speaker Stand Series to Accommodate Sonos® PLAY:5 Speaker

Symetrix Releases Control Server, USB Audio Card and Composer v5.6

Symetrix, Inc announced this week the release of the Control Server platform, as well as the USB Audio Card for its Dante-enabled Radius and Edge DSPs and an update to Composer v5.6, its award-winning open architecture design software. Control Server is a web services platform for control of network AV systems, including Symetrix Radius, Edge, Prism, and Solus NX […]

Symetrix Releases Control Server, USB Audio Card and Composer v5.6

James Loudspeaker Introduces Three Omni Planter Outdoor Loudspeakers

James Loudspeaker has introduced three Omni Planter landscape speaker systems engineered for applications where in-ground solutions are not practical. Omni Planter speakers incorporate a down-firing subwoofer and deliver 360-degrees of sparkling clear entertainment. All James Loudspeaker Omni Planter models accommodate a decorative plant of choice nestled into the top section of the all-aluminum powder coated loudspeaker enclosure available in an […]

James Loudspeaker Introduces Three Omni Planter Outdoor Loudspeakers

MIPRO Adds Dante Options and Expands 8 Series

Avlex Corporation has announced that Dante audio networking capability has been added to select MIPRO wireless products. This new feature is available on two ACT 7 Series wireless receivers as well as the dual channel variant of the company’s ACT 8 Series product line. Additionally, the MIPRO ACT 8 Series product line has been expanded with the introduction of the new ACT […]

MIPRO Adds Dante Options and Expands 8 Series

Vivitek Debuts the 18K Lumen DU9800Z Projector

Vivitek just launched the DU9800Z projector — a solid state illumination source projector spec’d at 18,000 ANSI Lumens with a native WUXGA 1920×1200 resolution and a 20,000 hour lamp source. The new flagship DU9800Z projector uses 1-chip DLP technology and laser-phosphor illumination and adds a new “Constant Brightness” feature to help reduce blending maintenance with customizable brightness. Equipped with a smart sensor, the DU9800Z […]

Vivitek Debuts the 18K Lumen DU9800Z Projector

New Klipsch On-Wall Speakers Debut

Klipsch today introduced its Reference Premiere Designer On-Wall speakers for flat panel TVs. The Klipsch Reference Premiere Designer On-Wall speakers is made up of four models. The RP-140D, RP-240D and RP-640D can be used as left, center, right or surround speakers, while the RP-440D SB is a three-channel passive sound bar. Equipped with four-way keyholes for horizontal or vertical wall mounting, each speaker […]

New Klipsch On-Wall Speakers Debut

RTI’s New Custom Control Kit Debuts

RTI today announced the availability of a new custom control kit that integrates Pro Control solutions into the RTI control platform. Bundling the company’s XP-3 control processor, Pro Control’s Pro24.z remote, and an unlimited RTiPanel license in one cost-effective package, the C2K1 starter kit allows dealers to offer their customers a quick way into home automation.The new starter kit […]

RTI’s New Custom Control Kit Debuts

A Sub-$2,000 4K DLP Projector Debuts from BenQ

BenQ America just launched the CineHome HT2550 DLP projector that they say is capable of hitting 96 percent Rec 709 color and is native 3840×2160 (4K UHD) resolution using single-chip DLP. BenQ’s HT2550 projector uses 0.47″ single-DMD-chip DLP technology and employs BenQ CinematicColor technology and a RGBRGB color wheel to hit the 96 percent coverage of Rec. 709 color gamut. The HT2550’s 4K video includes […]

A Sub-$2,000 4K DLP Projector Debuts from BenQ

A Rant on Publishing by Dr. Frederick Ampel

Normally, my various rAVe contributions are carefully and specifically focused on a problem, or a solution or a combination of both. The articles are always written with a singular focus — providing valuable information and solid, proven answers gathered from four-plus decades of real-world experience to the kind of problems AV professionals in both the […]

A Rant on Publishing by Dr. Frederick Ampel

Blackmagic Design Announces New 6G‑SDI Mini Converters

Blackmagic Design today announced new broadcast quality 6G‑SDI mini converters for converting SDI to HDMI and HDMI to SDI. The Mini Converter SDI to HDMI 6G and Mini Converter HDMI to SDI 6G models make it possible to convert SDI to HDMI or HDMI to SDI in all formats up to 2160p30. Both models feature professional multi rate 6G‑SDI and […]

Blackmagic Design Announces New 6G‑SDI Mini Converters

QSC CEO Named President-Elect of 2018 AVIXA Board of Directors

QSC’s CEO and President, Joe Pham, has been named President-Elect of the 2018 board of directors for AVIXA (formerly InfoComm International). This will be Pham’s fourth year serving on the board where he served as secretary-treasurer in 2017. “Part of AVIXA’s rebranding is to reinvigorate the market and focus more on the user experience,” says Pham. “As this industry shifts […]

QSC CEO Named President-Elect of 2018 AVIXA Board of Directors

Blackmagic Design Announces DeckLink 8K Pro with Quad Link 12G‑SDI

Blackmagic Design today announced DeckLink 8K Pro, a new high performance capture and playback card featuring quad link 12G‑SDI to allow real time high resolution 8K workflows. This new DeckLink 8K Pro supports all film and video formats from SD all the way up to 8K DCI, 12‑bit RGB 4:4:4, plus it also handles advanced color spaces such as Rec. […]

Blackmagic Design Announces DeckLink 8K Pro with Quad Link 12G‑SDI

Gefen Ships 4K 600 MHz EXT-UHD600-1SC Extender over Fiber

Gefen from Core Brands today announced that it is now shipping its new 4K Ultra HD 600 MHz Extender for HDMI over one Fiber-Optic Cable (EXT-UHD600-1SC). The EXT-UHD600-1SC is a compact HDMI 2.0 audio and video with High Dynamic Range (HDR) up to 200 meters over a single strand of SC-terminated multi-mode fiber-optic cable. This new 4K Ultra HD 600 MHz extender […]

Gefen Ships 4K 600 MHz EXT-UHD600-1SC Extender over Fiber

Laird Intros 10Gig CAT6A Cables for HDBaseT Applications

Laird Digital Cinema has introduced two high performing 10 Gig, Cat6A cable series featuring IP RJ45 connectivity for wired LAN and wireless access points, digital signage, PTZ security cameras, audio consoles and more. The Laird CAT6A-REV cable assemblies feature Belden’s REVConnect system to enable easy connector modification in the field. The cable assembly is riser-rated and PoE ready for devices requiring power up to […]

Laird Intros 10Gig CAT6A Cables for HDBaseT Applications

Three Major Technology Shifts Coming for Churches

In the not-too-distant future, three major technology shifts will happen in the house of worship market: wholesale lighting replacement, the micro-portable church and Video as a Service (VaaS). To be ready for these shifts, the AV industry needs to prepare for how this could play out and align their offerings to anticipate these needs. As […]

Three Major Technology Shifts Coming for Churches

Apogee MiC+ Debuts

Apogee just introduced their new MiC Plus, professional quality USB microphone for iPad, iPhone, Mac and PC. Designed for music production, voice recording, YouTube or live streaming, MiC Plus is a significant upgrade to the Apogee MiC product family first introduced in 2011, MiC plus features an entirely new design with improved sound quality, dynamic range and built-in headphone output for latency-free […]

Apogee MiC+ Debuts

Key Digital Ships Audio Matrix with DSP

The new Key Digital KD-MAX8x8 eight input to eight output audio matrix switcher with built-in audio DSP. The KD-MAX8x8 has analog and digital connections for input and output and enables analog-to-digital or digital-to-analog conversion of signals, or can operate as two independent audio matrixes (one digital and one analog). Analog audio inputs are connected on balanced/unbalanced six pin phoenix terminal blocks and digital […]

Key Digital Ships Audio Matrix with DSP

Peerless-AV Announces Newly Upgraded Xtreme Outdoor Soundbar

Peerless-AV has announced an upgraded Xtreme Outdoor Soundbar (SPK-080) — an all-season solution for outdoor audio entertainment. The new Xtreme Outdoor Soundbar is part of Peerless’ next generation line of outdoor soundbars, offering what they say is a more powerful and durable outdoor audio solution as it’s equipped with 200 watts of total system power and an IP65 rating. The soundbar can also be used […]

Peerless-AV Announces Newly Upgraded Xtreme Outdoor Soundbar

Luxul Releases New Epic 3 Wi-Fi Router With Built-In Remote Management Software

Luxul today introduced a new AC3100 dual-band gigabit router with a host of built-in features. The new Epic 3 integrates Luxul’s wireless controller with Roam Assist, remote network monitoring and management from Domotz and cloud-based content management and parental controls from Router Limits. With the Epic 3, installers can now create a roaming Wi-Fi experience for their clients and […]

Luxul Releases New Epic 3 Wi-Fi Router With Built-In Remote Management Software

VR Days Europe Delivers New Realities in Europe

The VR Days Europe festival, which took place in Amsterdam on 25-27 October, exceeded all expectations with record attendance and participation from speakers, attendees and exhibitors. The three-day event explored the latest Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality content, technology and production techniques being used in entertainment and enterprise businesses –  including those closely aligned with AV. Integrated Systems Events, producers of the Integrated […]

VR Days Europe Delivers New Realities in Europe

Barco Picks Global Cache as Hardware Partner for IP-Based Overture Control System

One could argue that Global Caché might have just won the AV-lottery with a new partnership with Barco to supply Overture control software and Global Caché hardware to integrators. The new partnership provides what global cache calls seamless compatibility of Global Caché hardware from within Barco’s IP based Overture control software. Thus, Overture, is shipping now with Global Caché support and connectivity built-in. […]

Barco Picks Global Cache as Hardware Partner for IP-Based Overture Control System

HDR Is the Key to 4K Marketing and Branding Success With AV Manufacturers

The UHD device market continues to excel with media streamers, set-top boxes, games consoles and UHD TVs all demonstrating significant growth. The quantity of 4K UHD content that is being created is also growing, but there is limited delivery of it to consumers, finds Futuresource Consulting in its latest 4K UHD Consumer Market Tracking report. Futuresource forecasts that […]

HDR Is the Key to 4K Marketing and Branding Success With AV Manufacturers

WyreStorm Launches In-Wall HDBaseT Transmitter and Standalone PoH Receiver Kits

WyreStorm has released two new in-wall HDBaseT “5Play” transmitter and standalone PoH receiver kits for HDMI and VGA connectivity and distribution in Huddle Rooms. Available in two models, the TX-IW-70-POH-KIT and TX-SW-IW-0201-KITs, both are two-gang in-wall Class A HDBaseT transmitters with PoH receiver kits (with MK-Euro compatible versions available Q4 2017). The TX-IW-70-POH-KIT and TX-SW-IW-0201-KIT are both HDBaseT wall-plates for the delivery of HDMI and VGA with audio signals (up to 4K) and feature front-facing local source connection […]

WyreStorm Launches In-Wall HDBaseT Transmitter and Standalone PoH Receiver Kits

AV Industry Loses Another Icon as John Stiernberg Passes

John Stiernberg, 66, president and founder of Stiernberg Consulting, passed away Nov. 11, 2017, after a months-long battle with cancer. A Chicago area native, John was deeply committed to his college sweetheart and wife of 45 years, the former Jeanne Broughton. Together they founded Stiernberg Consulting in 1993, a seminal business development consultancy within the music, audio-video, and entertainment technology industry. […]

AV Industry Loses Another Icon as John Stiernberg Passes

TEAC Introduces the AD-850 Cassette/CD Multi-Function Player for Karaoke

Bridging the best of old and new, the TEAC AD-850 combines a CD player and cassette deck and also adds features like MP3 recording and playback, USB memory stick recording and playback and even a front panel microphone input for karaoke. In addition to commercial CD playback, TEAC says the AD-850 supports recordable CD-R and CD-RW discs, including discs with MP3 files and […]

TEAC Introduces the AD-850 Cassette/CD Multi-Function Player for Karaoke

Middle Atlantic Earns Patent for RSH 1 RU Custom Rackshelf

Middle Atlantic Products today announced it has been awarded patent number 9,648,771 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its RSH Series 1 RU Custom Rackshelf. The 1 RU rackmount solution features the series’ innovative snap-together assembly that speeds up integration and a front-face design that addresses the need for quick and easy last-minute equipment installation and upgrades and […]

Middle Atlantic Earns Patent for RSH 1 RU Custom Rackshelf