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Volume 4, Issue 1 — January 22, 2018

Latest Headlines: Should AV Be Seen? Plus Gary Kayye\’s Krystal Ball and AV Predictions for 2018, a Report on CES, and New Product Introductions from Samsung, Extron, Vaddio, Epson and Others

Volume 4, Issue 1 — 22, 2018

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Editorials

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Editorials

Should AV Be Seen?

By Erik Beyer
Regional VP of Sales for CLAIR Solutions

In the AV industry, for as long as I can remember, the idea of being able to have an AV system of some kind and making it as invisible as possible has been a request of clients. At the end of the day, can you ever really hide all of the equipment in a system? Obviously, this depends entirely on the installation and equipment being used. If you think about the size of technology, meaning the physical size of gear, we have seen certain things shrink in size while maintaining an acceptable level of performance. In addition, we have seen some changes in technology, from projection, to displays, speakers, microphones, control systems and the pieces that make it all work.

Concealing Projectors in Conference Rooms

When looking at a conference room setting there are certain things you can’t avoid seeing. For example, if you have a presentation, you are going to have some kind of projection or display to show the content. But, if projection is being used, it’s now easier to conceal projectors while using lift systems or just smaller projectors with more capabilities, making it easier to leave it exposed and make the necessary adjustments to get the picture you want and need.

Concealing AV in Small Spaces

LED displays are a big deal now in small to medium sized spaces as they are more affordable, require less installation work, and look pretty sharp. If it’s so important that the display not be seen when not in use, there are ways to conceal the display in a wall or even overlay it with some kind of white board or even a framed picture. But, to what expense is hiding this technology really necessary? Obviously if a client demands the ability to have these types of things hidden this may prompt some discussion.

If you think about other aspects of AV systems in small space, you have to put the rack and control equipment somewhere. Now, in a really efficient system, some of these items live in the ceiling as part of the projection mounting. Others require a little more equipment and there may be a furniture-like credenza that has accommodations for rack equipment. In a larger space, you can actually put the control equipment in a closet somewhere else, out of site. There are times when that rack equipment has fan noise that needs to be dampened or silenced to avoid creating noise in a room commonly used for video and teleconference calls. In a small space, this may be a challenge. But by using furniture racks, you can oftentimes accomplish a very clean solution while achieving the quite space you need.

Concealing AV Equipment in Larger Spaces

Now, in larger spaces, especially in performance spaces, churches, hospitality and restaurants, having the AV equipment exposed is not only acceptable but desired as part of the aesthetics. Having worked with a lot of traditional looking churches, there is often the discussion of finding ways to conceal the AV and lighting systems as much as possible. From an audio perspective, many times this is quite possible with proper planning and execution with the right gear. Manufacturers have taken this need into consideration and many have provided gear that make this need very accessible.

Planning and Priorities for an AV Project

Going back to asking the question, “Should AV be seen?” depending on the client and location, will pose the common discussion of priorities. In a project, there are three criteria that drive planning discussions. Those are timing, cost and quality. The saying then goes, you can only pick two. When talking to a client or if you are planning a space that requires AV and possibly even lighting equipment, and you wish to conceal it as much as possible while still achieving great performance, it’s important to make sure you have the time to design and engineer the system, weigh in the quality of equipment that may be required to accomplish such a design, then most importantly, make sure the budget supports the desired outcome of the project.

With the right planning, design, and budget, anything is possible. It’s just important to be realistic and to make all expectations known up front. If the project supports it, getting renderings done to show the visual concept of the desired design is helpful to confirm an approach. I would like to think that these kinds of steps go without saying. Stealthy AV equipment is readily available and can make for a very sleek and highly functional project. Just decide ahead of time what you are willing to see exposed, both when in use and when not in use, to manage the expectations of a project.

Erik Beyer, AV and Technology Consultant for AV Bend

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THE BIGGEST Trend in AV in 2018 Will Be… Kayye’s Krystal Ball Is Back!

By Gary Kayye
rAVe Founder

The year 2018 could turn out to be full of giant changes. The market is certainly poised for it as you have a number of technological advancements that have emerged simultaneously — each of them have a lot of potential. First, let’s review all the latest in emerging AV technology and then and I’ll tell you what I think will be the biggest one of them all in 2018, and why.

SSD Lighting: In the world of projection, both laser and LED lighting will hit the big-time in 2018. Although Christie Digital’s public pronouncement last month that 91 percent of the projectors they sold in 2016 were still lamp-based, it has — along with nearly every other projector company — retooled its production lines for laser-based projection. If a company hasn’t done that, it’s most likely decided on the other leading SSD (solid-state device) lighting source, LED. SSD lighting will change everything in AV in 2018. And, I am not just talking about third-party relamping companies going out of business. I am

saying that colorimetry will be revolutionary. Any — I mean ANY — side-by-side you do with a traditional lamp-based projector compared to a laser-based projector will win you the project for the replacement every single time (unless, of course, the customer doesn’t have the budget — and, in that case, why do the demo?). When given a reference to what the color reproduction from the original source is on lamp vs. laser, laser wins 100 percent of the time. With LED (vs lamp), it’s easily 90 percent of the time.

But, SSD isn’t all about color — tt’s about lifetimes too. Most laser- and LED-based projectors, no matter the brand, are being spec’d at 20,000+ hours of operation — and some are even reaching the 30K hour mark. This simply blows away any lamp-based projection model. Everyone will want to upgrade.

But not everyone will be able to afford it. And, although SSD lighting will be the largest trend in projection, it won’t be the biggest thing in AV for 2018 — so keep reading.

Direct-View LEDs: It drives me — and about about 85,000 other AV professionals — crazy when I see ads on TV or even in our own trade publications touting the new generation LCD displays as LEDs. They aren’t LEDs. There’s a big difference between LED-lit LCDs and actual LED displays. Sure, LED-lit LCDs are awesome and way, way better than CFL-lit LCDs — who would’t buy an LED-based LCD monitor or TV today? LEDs last longer, have way, way less uniformity issues and much better colorimetry than any other backlighting technology for LCD monitors. But, they aren’t LEDs. LEDs will be big in 2018 and we need to stop the confusing the customer with our nomenclature as since they are, in fact, very different from LED-lit LCDs.

The big thing for LCDs in 2018 will be how they continue to get thinner, cheaper and lighter while also getting brighter. We’ll see brightness go up 30 percent in 2018, we’ll see prices reduced nearly 50 percent from mid-2017 pricing and we’ll see a plethora of 75″+ displays hit the market by mid-year — all at half what they cost now. But this won’t be the biggest thing to happen to AV in 2018. So keep reading.

LEDs: If I were starting new business in the market right now, I’d start an advertising agency that specializes in content for LED displays — this is the next big thing in advertising. The entire digital signage space will be revolutionized by LED and much of it will start to happen in 2018. In places where we were putting LCDs before (e.g., menu boards, drive-thrus, transportation signage and retail video walls)m LEDs will swallow up the market. I mean, LEDs will dominate nearly every direct-view display conversation and will certainly own 60 percent recent of the video wall market by the end of 2018. And because they are SSD, they too will have colorimetry that’s significantly better than LCD. In many cases we’re actually having to run the LED panels at 40-60 percent of their potential brightness because they’re too bright — so really will last forever. Yet, even with all that happening in 2018, LEDs will still not be the biggest thing to effect the AV market in 2018. So keep reading.

OLED: So far, LG is kicking butt with OLED. LG’s Wallpaper display is the one everyone wants for direct-view installs, but it’s still very expensive. But if the client wants perfect colorimetry throughout their signage network or in conference room, there’s only one choice in direct-view and that’s OLED. No one sees it and doesn’t think so — even LG’s competitors. However, issues like so-called burn-in, 24/7/365 operation limitations and cost will relegate OLED to the very high-end of display technologies. Companies like LG and Sony will be perfectly fine with that as they

improve from generation to generation. OLED will accomplish 24/7/365 operation in 2018 without burn-in and pricing will fall. But even with all that happening, it’s not the biggest overall trend of 2018. What is? Keep reading — and no peeking ahead.

4K to 8K: Every single friend I have — whether they are in the AV market or not, wants a 4K TV. I live in a liberal arts college town full of non-techie types that see me as their only tech outlet and I get asked, all the time, about 4K TVs. Heck, even my parents went out over the holidays and purchased a 4K TV from Samsung — the QLED Q7 series. It looks amazing — even with old-timey 1080p coming from their AppleTV. But, all this talk in our market about 4K will diminish when Sharp debuts an entire line of 8K displays at CES next month. This introduction will garner much of the CES attention worldwide and will help put Sharp right back on the big-time monitor-map as an alternative for more than just their collaboration systems, dubbed AQUOS BOARDS. 8K will be big for Sharp.

However, just because you can display it, doesn’t mean you can use it yet. 8K will mostly be relegated to demo-land and wow-factor applications. So, although you will see it garner a lot of attention in 2018, routing signals will be difficult (in fact, currently, the Extron XTP II CrossPoint Series is the only switching system able to route 8K without compressing it because of its 50 Gbps digital backplane). 8K will impress, no doubt, but it won’t be the biggest trend in AV for 2018. So again, keep reading.

BYOD & Collaboration: Thanks to Barco and its ClickShare systems that debuted in 2012, a new market was spawned for wireless transmission systems — heck, Barco even bought one of them: WePresent. 2018 saw the launch of the first 4K BYOD system in the Barco CSE-800 and a few others have followed as well. Barco will continue to own the largest market share for stand-alone BYOD systems in 2018 and watch for them to launch a more cloud-friendly version this year (more on that later).

But, 2017 spawned an even bigger segment for AV than BYOD that will get even bigger in 2018. Dubbed the collaboration board by this very author when the segment found its way to the mainstream market, these are mostly direct-view LCDs that include white boarding, annotation and wireless sharing. They are integrated with cloud-based video- and audio-conferencing (without a PC), most have a USB camera and all of them include multi-touch

interfaces. Infocus and Sharp didn’t totally invent the category a few years ago with respective launches of the Mondopad and the AQUOS BOARD, but they certainly set the bar for what was to come. And, 2017 saw nearly 15 new companies enter the market with collaboration boards — now everyone from Google to Sony has one. Name any display company and they have one. The biggest surprise here wasn’t a flat-panel manufacturer but projector manufacturer EPSON. The company’s BrightLink Pro, once aimed only at the higher-ed market, grew exponentially in 2017 because of two factors: They launched a corporate version and they added laser-projection models.

You can also expect to see digital canvas pioneers Nureva launch laser and higher resolution models this year as well. This market will explode in 2018. Everyone will be talking about collaboration, again, this year and the number of companies and products won’t contract one bit — you will see more, in fact. This will, no doubt, be the largest growth segment of the AV market for 2018 but it’s the second largest big-trend of the year. So read on.

AV-over-IP: Network-based AV, AVIT, AVN — whatever you want to call it, AV-over-IP is coming and coming fast — maybe faster than we all thought? In all honesty here, there are segments of the AV market that are all-in when it comes to an AV-over-IP future (like higher-education) and there are segments that are still in the “not yet” stage (like the corporate AV market). The adoption of AV-over-IP might even be outpacing supply as there are very few alternatives. The SDVoE (Software Defined Video Over Ethernet) protocol based on the Aptovision chip reference design is the leading technology out there due, in part, to their 25+ partners building (including companies like Sony, Christie, DVIGear, iMAGsystems, Aurora and Belden) and also, in my opinion, to their savvy hiring of industry-leader Justin Kennington. Justin has set a great vision and organizational system in motion over at the SDVoE Alliance and they are the system that will likely emerge at the end of 2018 as the leading sales of AV-over-IP systems — passing industry leader SVSi.

That said, the AV-over-IP market will literally explode and change the landscape WHEN Extron and Crestron BOTH have a family of AV-over-IP offerings. In fact, they will likely help validate the market shift towards IP. Crestron has one line, so far, in the NVX series using JPEG 2000 over a 1Gig network, but expect to see more in 2018. Certainly AV-over-IP won’t come close to 10 percent of the signal routing market by the end of 2018, but we could see one or two clear leading systems or direction site market is going — setting up for 2019 or 2020 to be the big-shift to move it all to the network.

The VTC Cloud: Desktop videoconferencing has been around for years, but 2017 was the year it truly became mainstream with, mostly, Zoom Video Communicaitons and Skype for Business, dominating the discussion — so much so that both Cisco and Polycom partnered with them. And, Zoom was savvy enough to have even worked deals with companies like Creston — who integrated Zoom into their Mercury huddle room system as well as Logitech, box and Slack. Although Cisco is still the market leader in videoconferencing, Zoom isn’t far behind them — along with Skype (aka Microsoft), BlueJeans and newbie (at least in this segment) Google. What this all means is that the video call is going in the cloud. Zoom just needs a PC (or something like it that can connect it to the Internet) and a USB camera — that can be a 720p, 1080p our even a 4K USB camera. You can even make 4K calls! The days of the hardware-based solution is numbered and 2018 will put most of the proverbial nails in that coffin.

And, speaking of the 4K call, a tiny unknown company called Altia Systems — you’ve probably never heard of them but probably heard of their product, the Panacast USB camera — took advantage of the concept of the 4K video call and created a 180-degree field-of-view USB camera that allows everyone in a room to be seen on a video call — even when sitting right up next to the screen. This, along with the new Logitech 4K Brio and MeetUp USB cameras, turn Skype, Zoom and BlueJeans into the “this is more than good enough” videoconferencing system for more than 90 percent of the users.

2018 will see more USB cameras, a new, giant company enter the so-called soft-codec (cloud-based conferencing) market and a nearly total shift away from hardware-based codecs. This is still not the biggest of all new trends of 2018. But what’s next is!

AVaaS: AV as a Service. Maybe you’ve heard of it, maybe you haven’t. But you will. And you’ll start doing it in 2018. The future of everything we do is in services and customers love this concept. It takes the confusion, complexity and caution out of buying AV gear from them. It simplifies your AV lines (as you can build all your AV systems with just a few lines rather than having to carry hundreds of brands), allows you to always specify what you want (and what you can best control and maintain) and sets you up to OWN the client relationship. Basically, to simplify it — your customer would be leasing each system from you rather than buying it. And, as long as it did what they wanted, was simple to use and worked when they need it, they won’t care what you use. So, you are in control of it all.

Look, AVaaS requires much more than a few paragraphs in a future-looking product round-up, and I will write about it a lot in 2018 as it emerges, but, here’s the basic concept:

AVaaS is where all the AV hardware, software, programming and integration services are paid on a recurring basis — maybe annually, quarterly or even monthly. The customer will like this as it removes the risk of owning a depreciating asset that is generally locally managed. And, you will like this as, since you are the owner, technically, of the AV gear, you become their in-house AV company — their go-to for all AV needs. Most of your clients have been using this model in some capacity for years for both IT and furniture. But, in the AV space, until now, we’ve pretty much only applied it to services — selling recurring service or maintenance contracts — and sometimes proactive monitoring, too. But why not everything?

The obvious response right now, from the integrator who may be reading and pondering this is that they can’t afford to finance the AV gear — you can’t afford to buy it all and lease it, in a sense, to the customer. But, you can. Basically, you form a relationship with a leasing company, you slightly mark-up their service and then resell it to the client. But, you also get to roll-up the programming, software licenses and integration fees (and maintenance, if you want) into one recurring fee. The advantages are huge — the obvious ones are, as I said, you own the relationship with the client. Since you’re managing and charging them regularly for the training rooms, why not use you for their meeting rooms too? And, and this is the biggie, you get to ALWAYS pick the the right AV gear for them. This will significantly reduce your overhead, eventually, as you can basically standardize on a set of AV gear you always use for every system. OK, maybe not all of it — but certainly 90+ percent of it. This means you will know that set of gear inside out: how it works, what its idiosyncrasies are, what its tolerances are, etc. — you’ll know those systems so well you’ll know before something happens what’s likely to happen. Servicing identical systems becomes easier and more profitable — especially if you’re good at selling services and/or proactive maintenance plans. Ssimplifying your systems means you’re carrying fewer brands, have fewer SKUs, spend less time finding a product that does something unique for the client and spend less time differentiating each system. In an AVaaS model, leasing programming becomes, legally and technically possible — and very profitable. There’s no question who owns the code.

AVaaS will be HUGE. The clients will start to demand it, eventually. So, consider adopting it now — be a pioneer and, if you don’t know how to do it, ask! AVaaS will be THE BIG THING everyone starts to talk about in 2018 and it’s my pick for the biggest new trend for the new year.

An Honorable MentionDigital Content Management: Back in October of 2017, Barco issued a press release on a new version of its higher-ed focused WeConnect system. In that press release was a barely-mentioned “Digital Engagement Platform.” But, that mention didn’t go unnoticed by us. This is foreshadowing the direction Barco believes the future of the AV market is heading — content management. The press release describes the Digital Engagement Platform as a digital collaborative portal allowing clients to manage their WeConnect subscriptions over the internet. Translation: Barco has set up an online system to manage content that doesn’t require a locally-hosted network AND they’re even setting up WeConnect as an AVaaS product that has a sort of a seat-license to use it.

Maybe this was intentional or maybe it wasn’t. But you can be sure that every major AV manufacturer who currently does signal routing and management did notice — or at the very least, is looking at integrating such a platform themselves. This is all part of the future, forthcoming AVaaS model and this would even stack on content management — the holy grail (think AppleTV for the corporation) — the AppleTV is his the device and all the content management is the secret sauce. Or, put another way, the Amazon Dot or Echo is only the cheap interface to the intellectual-property-rich Alexa platform. The value of the Digital Engagement Platform is, in fact, intellectual property!

That’s it! I hope you enjoy this and will share it on social. Please also post it in your cubical or office and track it for accuracy. I’m curious what you think too! So comment below and let us know your thoughts.

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So You Want to Go to CES? Nah, No You Don’t. Really, You Don’t – Here’s Your CES 2018 Guide So You Don’t Have to Go

By Gary Kayye
rAVe Founder

During the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) each year, nearly every big consumer tech company debuts something new — and many of them will declare it “disruptive” or “game-changing” or “innovative” or one of a dozen or so other self-congratulatory adjectives that mean nothing. And all the while, the city for Las Vegas commences to ripping people off like no other city can do quite as well. Drinks go up 20 to 30 percent. Hotel rates more than double or even triple from the week before. Taxis gouge riders, Uber drivers no-show riders not going “far enough” and everyone is grumpy by Wednesday.

Trying to navigate the Las Vegas Convention Center halls, filled with 184,000+ souls trying not to miss the “next-big-thing” (another over-used moniker by many for the booths) is a horrible experience. Just horrible. The food lines are 45 minutes long, minimum. The bathroom lines are longer than the entire time would would spend inside a bathroom at home on a normal week and the show’s aisles just aren’t wide enough. It’s like sitting in traffic on the 405 freeway in Los Angeles at 5:30 p.m. on a Friday. Bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Don’t get me wrong. Everyone should experience it. Once. But after that, you won’t want to go back — but you might have to, if you work for one of the 4,000 or so companies that will exhibit their new gear and software this year.
There will be some big news out of CES and we’ll be covering it at rAVePubs.com — or, at least the truly big news. But, in the meantime, so you don’t feel like you missed anything, here’s the most important things being launched there this week:

8K, 8K, 8K: Did I mention 8K? Yes, Sharp, LGSony and a few others will be showing 8K TVs, monitors, cameras and players. Some are LCD and some are OLED. But all of them are 7680×4320 resolution. (Editor’s Note: In all fairness, Sharp debuted an 8K TV back in 2017 here). You can’t use them with anything, yet, as there’s no content. But, there will be after the 2018 Winter Olympics — so if you want to watch that over-and-over then there will be some in March. But, don’t expect any of the big content companies to serve-up 8K content via your set-top box in 2018. However, if you want to watch 16 NCAA basketball games side-by-side on one screen in native 1080p in April during the annual tournament, you’ll love 8K!

Health-Tech: Now, this is, actually, the next big thing. There will be well over 300 companies debuting new DIY or self-management healthcare solutions that leverage your digital leash (i.e., smartphone). We’ve already seen some biggies over the past year: You can now manage (some types of) diabetes without pricking a finger; there’s a continuously-measuring heart-rate monitor through phones and the Apple Watch; and real-time personal monitoring can connect to your online medical records that your doctor (or EMS) can use to help you. But at CES 2018, we will see a new generation of heath-tech that will become a new economy for the world. A big economy — potentially like tech was back in the late 1980s. And, as Steve Jobs once said in his famous Stanford grad speech, “No one wants to die.” So, everyone will be willing to spend money on anything that is even remotely proven to help you save your life or make you healthier. Things as simple as hearing aids connected to the infamous cloud to things you swallow and monitor your body for anything that’s not normal. CES 2018 could forever be remembered as the year health-tech exploded on the scene.

Smart Cars: Let’s be honest here, we already have smart cars. A BMW, a Mercedes and even a Honda are all computers on wheels. Google and Apple entered that space with its on-board entertainment systems made for cars a few years ago. Heck, I wouldn’t even consider buying a car that doesn’t have Apple’s CarPlay. But, the self-driving car is nearly a reality and will change our lives forever. There will be a handful of them at CES — all prototypes, of course, but they will truly wow and amaze people. And, as Elon Musk and Google will tell you, we’re less than a half-dozen years away from seeing them in the showroom for us to buy. The only thing that could slow this down has nothing to do with technology,

ironically. It’s the government. They might decide that the impact on the economy that self-driving cars would have may not be sustainable, yet, economically, so they may find a away to regulate its debut until they address the economic (i.e., job elimination) impact. But, expect to see companies like FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service as some of the first to use them.

Ugh, More Smart Speakers: For me, enough is enough. I love my Amazon Echo and Alexa. And, even though I’m probably an Apple fan boy, it’s going to take mind-blowing experience with Apple’s HomePod smart speaker to make me switch. I mean, I’ve not only trained Alexa to know what I want — in many cases before I even ask her — but we’re on a first name basis. At CES, there could be at least three major new launches of smart speakers from the likes of RokuVizio and even Microsoft, who I hear is going to take another try at it. Enough is enough. This will be a short-lived phenomenon as peer-recommendations will dominate here and the big three will likely shake out to be Amazon, Google and Apple, eventually. The rest will be also-rans or will license one of those (like Sonos did, integrating Alexa into the new Sonos One speaker). That said, what could eventually help Apple and Google against Amazon will be the seamless use of their technologies in their car entertainment systems — so you can have the same personal digital assistant in the car as you have at home (with all its expert knowledge of you).

VR & AR: You can’t have a review nowadays without saying Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. So, there you go. It’s said. It will be everywhere as it’s not only the buzz-term of the times but it’s also a way to attract VC (venture capital) funds. So, they’ll be plenty of it. Nothing earth shattering yet, except better gaming.

Fast Connections Everywhere: That’s the holy grail, right now, of technology. To be able to remain connected all the time with a fast connection was the promise of 3G, 4G, LTE and now 5G. But, even Wi-Fi has issues. Heck, in my 35’ x 35’ classroom at UNC  there are places in the room where you can connect with blazing speed and places where students can’t even connect. It’s crazy. So, imagine doing that all over a town, a county or a state. That’s what AT&T, Sprint and Verizon have been trying to do for over a decade and, well, have failed to do. They just can’t keep up. CES will be all about 5G but it won’t fix our issues. I promise you that. But attendees will be impressed with the claims and the carefully-orchestrated demos.

OMG, I Almost forgot About AI: Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has actually been around for years — and we’ve been using it for years. It’s what makes Siri sort of recognize what you are asking her on an Apple device. And, AI is that feature where, when you’re Googling something, the search box fills out what you were going to Google before you finish typing it. Yes, that’s AI. AI is what’s making the device, the machine, the cloud and big-data aggregate your current device usage, instantly, with what everyone else in the world is doing right now and AI automatically figures out what you wanted. The ultimate in AI would be something that predicts what you want and need 100% of the time — but that would be terrifying, especially if someone else you knew got to see inside that, like reading your mind. But it’s coming. And at CES 2018, there will be no fewer than 200 companies showing AI stuff. And, all the biggies will, for sure.

Robot Fun: I have always wanted a robot. I would love to have a robot. Please, finally, come out with a robot. It doesn’t even have to be as cool looking as BB-8 from Star Wars. It can be square and flat — I don’t care. But I want it to be able to cook and clean. I love my Roomba (robot vacuum) but it’s lacking. I still have to clean behind it. And, it can’t cook. I want a robot that can cook. Seriously! Alas, the robots, and there will be a few of them, that will be at CES will be demos. Like the self-driving car, they are a few years away from anything substantial. They need that AI thing I talked about, above, to be better.
Hey, I have a great idea: How about a robot that can drive and I can talk to — or, better yet, a robot that knows where I want to go, will entertain me while going there and will feed me along the way?!

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Samsung Flip Is New Digital Flipchart

Samsung Electronics just unveiled its new Samsung Flip digital flip chart display. Introduced at the company’s First Look event, the Samsung Flip 4K resolution WM55H allows for sharing, annotation, movement and even searching via a portrait-based, 55” LCD touch-screen. Additionally, the Flip’s portable, wheel-based stand transforms any location into a huddle room, meaning added flexibility to businesses with limited conference space.

Through simultaneous multi-user engagement, the Samsung Flip allows up to four different participants to content or annotate directly on screen at the same time using either their fingers or a dual-sided pen. It’s all mounted on a cart with integrated wheels.

For added interactivity, the Samsung Flip display also offers device compatibility through both wireless connectivity and USB, PC and mobile ports. An integrated screen-sharing functionality makes Flip content available on connected PCs, smartphones and tablets without interruption or reduced visual quality. Likewise, users also can import personally-stored content onto the Flip display’s screen and introduce fresh ideas to the discussion.

The Samsung Flip display delivers collaboration efficiency by condensing the multiple tools and processes required for a traditional meeting into an all-in-one design. Participants do not need a specialized touch pen to interact with the screen, and can erase notes through a quick palm swipe. Flip users also can access up to 20 pages of writing space, with embedded search functionalities available to instantly direct participants to specific content. This continuous, rolling stream avoids the lost time and interruptions that often result as participants have to search through multiple sheets of paper or lines of notes to locate a specific detail.
 
Each Flip display is customizable and can configure to portrait or landscape orientations to suit unique meeting needs. When coupled with its height-adjustable stand, the Flip also maximizes available writing space at users’ preferred positions. Should a meeting require more centralized, roundtable-style discussion, users can remove and connect the Flip display to a compatible wall mount.

Here are the details on the $2,699 Flip.

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Extron Now in the Custom Control Market With Debut of Global Scripter Using Python

According to CodeEval in 2016 (the last year data is available), the world’s most popular programming language is Python – with nearly 27 percent of the market. Java is number two with a 22 percent share and C++ is third with 10 percent. That’s not just AV control system programming — we mean all programming languages for all things.

This was the impetus for Extron using Python as its core language platform for their fully-programmable AV control system products. Called Global Scripter, Extron’s Integrated Development Environment harnesses the dynamic and intuitive nature of the Python programming language — an object-oriented language that enables programmers to reuse code and save development time. Since Python is the most popular programming language being taught to both high school and college kids, Extron believes there’s a path for both entry into AV as well as one that allows AV-based Python programmers to expand value outside of just programming AV products.

Extron already has hundreds of certified EQIPs — Extron Qualified Independent Programmers — as the company quietly debuted Global Scripter and a customizable ecosystem of AV control products and software in late 2015. Extron has spent the last two years making it “easier and better.” For now, the customizable Extron control system products include the eBUS line, the TouchLink Pro line and its IP Link Pro line. But Extron says more is coming.

Global Scripter works with its ControlScript Python library and uses familiar AV terms, which Extron says makes it easier for integrator-programmers to program AV control system projects. When combined with Extron Pro Series control hardware, Global Scripter and ControlScript make a system fully custom programmable.

We learned today that the new Atlanta Braves stadium, SunTrust Park, is integrated with Extron’s new custom control system running everything AV — and since it’s Python, which is the same language all the other services in the park use too, it’s connected to the system running nearly everything in the stadium.

As mentioned above, Python is an object-oriented programming language that’s known, by programmers, to be easily readable, and editable, making it a very popular scripting language. Python allows programmers to leverage libraries, modules and functions without the need to learn syntax. With ample documentation available in print and on the Internet, there are numerous programming resources for novices and experts alike.You don’t have to learn a custom programming language.

Access to Global Scripter and ControlScript is available to certified Extron Authorized Programmers. Additional programming support is available with our well-established EQIP program, which provides resources to customers deploying Pro Series control systems. Extron Qualified Independent Programming companies are carefully screened and selected to provide expert support for Extron control system projects.

Here’s a video that explains Extron’s philosophy in using Python as well as how it works.

Here’s a site that explains Extron’s Global Scripter.

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New Extron 7″ Wall Mount Touch Panel Blends Performance and Style

Extron just introduced the TLP Pro 725M 7″ wall mount TouchLink Pro touch panel. Extron redesigned this latest TouchLink Pro touch panel inside and out with a new quad-core processor and eight times more memory. The display is a higher resolution 1024×600 capacitive touchscreen built with scratch- and smudge-resistant, edge-to-edge Corning Gorilla Glass. The TLP Pro 725M also features the convenience of PoE (Power over Ethernet), which allows it to receive power and communication over a single Ethernet cable. It is ideal in any environment requiring a stylish, wall-mountable touch panel with a fully-customizable interface.

The TLP Pro 725M is built for today with an eye on the future. With its improved graphics engine, quad-core processor and increased RAM, you’ll see faster background graphic loads and crisper page flips. These performance enhancements offer an enhanced user experience now, while providing ample memory and processing power to support exciting new features and capabilities in the future via firmware updates. A variety of mounting kits are available, providing a clean installation on a wall, glass, podium or other surface. All TouchLink Pro touch panels can be customized using Extron GUI Designer software. This powerful interface design software offers ready-to-use templates for a wide variety of rooms and presentation environments.

The TLP Pro 725M is here.

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Biamp Debuts Tesira Beamtracking Microphones and PoE+ Amplifier Technology for Conference Rooms

Biamp Systems announced the expansion of its Tesira audio and video platform which include new power over Ethernet (PoE+) amplifier technology and a series of beamtracking ceiling microphones.

Providing full 360-degree room coverage, each of the new Tesira microphones uses Biamp’s Beamtracking technology to identify and lock to a signal source — even if the person speaking is moving around. With little or no setup required, the Tesira beamtracking ceiling microphones actively track and intelligently mix conversations from around the table, allowing everyone on the call to be heard. The microphone models include:

  • Tesira TCM-1: AVB ceiling microphone with built-in DSP for beamtracking
  • Tesira TCM-1A: All of the same features and capabilities of the TCM-1 plus a two-channel PoE+ amplifier with burst power mode
  • Tesira TCM-1EX: An expansion microphone specifically designed to be daisy-chained to either the TCM-1 or TCM-1A microphone for expanded coverage within the space

The new Tesira AMP-450P is a four-channel, PoE+ conferencing amplifier that can be placed wherever it’s needed, including air-handling spaces. Well-suited for ceiling speakers, program speakers, and mix-minus systems, it’s capable of operating in a burst mode to handle peak loads, providing up to 50 watts per channel.

For smaller conference rooms, solutions are available that utilize a single Ethernet cable to connect a TesiraFORTÉ AVB VT4 to the new Tesira TCM-1A beamtracking microphone. For larger conference rooms, use a TesiraFORTÉ AVB VT in conjunction with the Tesira AMP-450P and TCM-1.

The Tesira beamtracking ceiling microphones and the AMP-450P amplifier will be available in the second quarter of 2018 and all the technical specs are here.

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LMG Acquires Silicon Valley-Based Firm AV-Integrators

LMG, an ETP company, announced its acquisition of AV-integrators, an audiovisual and broadcast video integration company based out of Silicon Valley. Founded in 2002, AV-integrators is a systems design build firm providing customized audiovisual and broadcast video solutions to numerous industries throughout northern California and known for their early-stage system planning and post-installation support.  

“We’ve been serving clients in Silicon Valley with our own distinct style of high-touch support and responsiveness for more than a decade,” says Brian Owens, president of AV-integrators. “Now, with LMG’s increased support and expansive resources, we are extremely excited that we’ll be able to take things to an entirely new level.”

LMG, Inc. is a national provider of video, audio, lighting and audiovisual support headquartered in Orlando, Fla. LMG is known as an industry leader delivering show technology for corporate events, tradeshows, concert tours and systems integration around the country. 

LMG is also the keystone brand of Entertainment Technology Partners (ETP), a parent company formed in 2014 that unifies a collection of brands dedicated to providing top-notch quality, service, and support in the live event and entertainment industry. 

“We’re very fortunate that Brian Owens will continue his leadership as the Silicon Valley facility’s general manager,” says Ross Hancock, director of integration at LMG. “Brian’s deeply rooted local expertise and decades of industry experience will help support the technology rich area while leveraging all of LMG’s offerings.” 

This acquisition is ETP’s fourth in three years.  

“We are so thrilled to be expanding LMG with the addition of AV-integrators,” says Les Goldberg, CEO. “AV-integrators has a remarkable reputation and the acquisition leads to an exciting period of growth and opportunity for our brand in Northern California.” 

LMG is here and AV-integrators is here.

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Herman Now Offers Union Labor Services in New York City

Herman Integration Services is now providing much needed Union labor in New York City.

Unified Global Services (UGS) has joined Herman Integration Services as Herman’s new union labor division. Now, Herman clients have a CWA union labor resource in New York.

“Providing union labor in New York enables Herman to be a more valued resource in supporting the needs of our partners. UGS is a perfect fit with Herman, because of their culture and talented team. We are excited to bring this new level of service to our valued customers,” said Chris Bianchet, president of Herman Integration Services.

Herman has a qualified team ready to assist integrators with structured cabling and AV integration. In addition, the 3,500-square foot facility located in Brooklyn, gives integrators ample space to stage projects as a gateway into New York and Herman can fabricate racks in house.

Herman is here.

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TrueConf and NVIDIA Bring 4K Video Conferencing to Smart TVs

TrueConf introduced 4K (2160p) video calls to smart TVs for NVIDIA SHIELD TV users. Backed by NVIDIA, TrueConf has released a new solution to run 4K video conferences on smart TVs based on NVIDIA SHIELD TV consoles. The integration is powered by NVIDIA NVENC technology which has been supported in TrueConf for Android application. Video is transmitted at 2160p and 30 FPS. Incoming and outgoing streams are processed using H.264 codec.

TrueConf integration turns NVIDIA SHIELD TV into an Android-based 4K video conferencing endpoint for living rooms or offices. Just connect a USB camera and TV to your console to call your friends and colleagues and enjoy high-definition video on a large TV screen. TrueConf for Android TV users have access to all the features of TrueConf for Android, while the application interface is fully adapted for gamepad or remote control. The app is already available on Google Play Market.

TrueConf will demonstrate 4K video conferencing on smart TVs based on NVIDIA SHIELD TV console at Integrated Systems Europe in Amsterdam. Here are the details.

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Ten Months After Launching It, Yamaha Finally Ships CS-700 Collaboration Room Sound Bar

Better late than never, right? Well, late is now! Yamaha UC is now shipping the Yamaha CS-700 Video Sound Collaboration System for huddle rooms. The all-in-one wall-mounted UC solution is marketed as a Video Sound Collaboration System for huddle rooms. It includes an adaptive beamforming microphone array, four Yamaha speaker elements and a wide-angle HD camera that captures every meeting participant.

Through a single USB cable, it is ready to connect to an organization’s chosen UC platform, such as Skype for Business, Cisco Spark, GoToConference, Zoom Rooms, and others. In addition, the CS-700’s integrated network management system allows IT staff to deploy and remotely manage each unit from one location.

All the specs are here.

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TAIDEN’s New Wireless Discussion Microphones Are Digital Infrared

Smaller than your average smartphone, the new digital infrared wireless discussion system by TAIDEN is a low-profile microphone designed for boardrooms and videoconference spaces. The HCS-5335 product series, with gooseneck or boundary microphone options, is officially being introduced at the February ISE Show in Amsterdam in booth 3-C105.

The solution is ultra-portable, with no equipment rack pieces. The infrared transmitter and central processor are combined in one small tabletop unit that can be placed at the center of the table with a wide coverage radius of 8 meters (26 ft.). A PoE Dante-enabled solution ensures simple, scalable installations with simplified wiring. Key conference management capabilities – audio settings adjustments, battery charge monitoring, microphone activation and camera tracking – can be achieved through web control, from any browser-enabled device.

The HCS-5335 series is using the company’s digital infrared audio processing and transmitting technology with a wide frequency response of 20Hz to 20 kHz.

Here are all the tech specs.

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New Extron Room Scheduling Panels Make Booking a Room Easier Than Ever

Extron just introduced a new generation of room scheduling solutions. The new TLS family of TouchLink Scheduling panels are designed to help ease integration and provide customers with powerful, dedicated panels for all their meeting space reservation needs. Right out of the box, TLS panels are ready to be customized with free Room Agent software and then to connect directly to Microsoft Exchange, Office 365 and Google Calendar without the need for additional scheduling software or external processors. There are 5″, 7″ and 10″ panels available, in both wall and VESA mounting varieties. Users can make reservations directly from these panels, a computer, or any smartphone or tablet that connects to any one of the supported mail servers. Bright red and green LED light bars makes it easy to see if a room is occupied or available even from down the hall. New room scheduling analytics provide the information customers need to closely analyze room usage, activity patterns and occupancy trends across the organization.

All TLS panels are configured with Extron Room Agent software. Simply connect the touchpanel to your computer, open the free Room Agent software, fill in the required fields to compose the user interface, and you’re done. Customization options include custom colors and background images, interface text fields to be shown or hidden, depending on user preference. TLS panels equipped with a digital input will work with just about any occupancy sensor, including the Extron OCS 100 series, which monitor room occupancy and, after a user-defined time, release the room back to available status.

TouchLink Scheduling panels are here.

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Extron TLP Pro 1025T Is All-New 10″ Touchpanel Design

Extron just launched the TLP Pro 1025T 10″ Tabletop TouchLink Pro Touchpanel. Extron redesigned this latest touchpanel inside and out with a new, high-performance quad-core processor, eight times more memory, a higher resolution, 1280×800 capacitive touchscreen built with scratch and smudge-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass, and a sweeping back design. The TLP Pro 1025T also features PoE – Power over Ethernet, which allows it to receive power and communication over a single Ethernet cable. It is ideal in any environment requiring a stylish, tabletop touchpanel with a fully-customizable interface.

The TLP Pro 1025T has a quad-core processor, increased RAM that Extron says helps in faster background graphic loads and crisper page flips. These performance enhancements offer an enhanced user experience now. All TouchLink Pro touchpanels can be customized using Extron GUI Designer software. This powerful interface design software offers ready-to-use templates for a wide variety of rooms and presentation environments.

Here are all the technical specs.

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Epson Ships Seven New Pro L-Series Laser Projectors and Ultra Short-Throw Lens for Live Events and Large Venue Applications

Epson today announced it is now shipping its seven new Pro L-Series laser large venue projectors and the ELPLX02 ultra short-throw lens. Epson’s Pro L-Series laser projectors are intended for use in large venues, including rental and staging events, lecture halls and digital signage installations.

The new Pro L-Series includes seven new models – six WUXGA projectors with 4K Enhancement ranging from 12,000 to 15,000 lumens of color and white brightness and one SXGA+ resolution projector with 15,000 lumens. The projectors feature BT.709 color space, flexible connection options, high native contrast ratio, and 360-degree installation. In addition, the three 15,000 lumen laser projectors operate from a standard 120V power outlet and feature the same compact cabinet as the rest of the line – this is a big, big deal for the rental market.

All six models are spec’d for up to 20,000 hours of laser light source operation. Epson is the first manufacturer to combine inorganic 3LCD panels with an inorganic phosphor wheel to achieve this level of brightness and colorimetry in a laser projector.

In addition, the new ultra short-throw ELPLX02 lens that projects from 100-inches up to 1000-inches is now available alongside Epson’s extensive selection of lenses. The ELPLX02 ultra short-throw lens is the perfect solution for space-constrained environments and rear-projection applications. It also enables the 12,000 and 15,000 lumen Pro L-Series laser projectors to deliver large-size images from very short distances. With a 0.35 throw ratio, negative offset and impressive lens shift range.

Each projector uses a solid-state laser light source and electrostatic air filter and inputs include HDBaseT, 3G-SDI, HDMI, VGA and are compatible with Crestron RoomView, AMX, Extron XTP, Control4 and Art-Net. There are nine optional interchangeable lenses including the new ultra short-throw ELPLX02. And, because they are SSD, you can install at any angle (full 360-degree installation flexibility). The new Epson Pro L-Series projectors are currently available and the ELPLX02 ultra short-throw lens (list $13,999) will be available in January 2018.

Here are the full specs on the projectors and here are details on the lens.

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Vaddio Launches DocCAM 20 HDBT In-Ceiling Document Camera

Vaddio has launched the DocCAM 20 HDBT Camera, a new high definition, recessed in-ceiling overhead document camera which features 20x optical zoom and high-definition 1080p/60fps resolution.

Equipped with a OneLINK HDBaseT port, the DocCAM easily connects to Vaddio’s OneLINK extension systems or other HDBaseT-compatible devices to simplify cabling installation and extend video, power, control and network up to 328 ft (100 m). DocCAM 20 HDBT features a 59.5° horizontal field of view to capture more of the tabletop in the camera view. Its laser dot alignment feature frames the subject matter quickly and easily with a remote control.

With its USB 3.0 output, end-users can send uncompressed, high resolution video over USB by pairing with the OneLINK AV Bridge AV Interface. It’s capable of 1080p/60fps for the smoothest video available. DocCAM 20 HDBT has an intuitive web-based user interface for remote configuration, management, and control.

Here are all the details.

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Unified AV Systems Acquires Xzact Technologies

Unified AV Systems announced today the completion of the acquisition of Xzact Technologies and plans to merge the operations of Xzact Technologies into the company effective Jan. 1, 2018.

Unified AV Systems (UAVS) is an Atlanta, GA-based company providing design, engineering, installation, and maintenance services for Audio Visual & Video communication systems to corporate, education, and government clients. Unified AV has operational offices in Atlanta, GA, Greenville and Columbia, SC, Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh, NC and Knoxville, TN. An ESOP entity, UAVS is a 100 percent employee-owned company with approximately 140 staff members.

This transaction addresses a key element of the UAVS Strategic Plan to expand beyond pure audiovisual solutions for customers and the ability to provide a full breadth of IT, AV and other low voltage capabilities to enhance client operations.

“This is a very deliberate and strategic move to provide our customers with a partner that can be their single source for all AV, IT and low voltage solutions,” said Barry Goldin, UAVS president. “We have a long history with, and immense respect for, the Xzact Technologies team and look forward to integrating our operations to the benefit of our customers and employees.”

Xzact Technologies is a Charlotte, NC-based company providing design, engineering, installation, and maintenance services for mission-critical infrastructure and network communications technologies to both private and public sector clients. Xzact Technologies has offices and staff in Charlotte, NC, Raleigh, NC and Columbia, SC.

“It is our belief that, as technologies keep converging and complexity continues to grow, the physical layer and the mission-critical infrastructure will become the essential part of any customer technology solution,” said Javier Martin, Xzact Technologies CEO. “Together, we bring a powerful combination to the market by both enabling a well-planned and more efficient IT infrastructure, and enabling greater engagement with leaders and learners by providing state-of-the-art integrated solutions.”

UnifiedAV Systems is here and Xzact Technologies is here.

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Optoma’s Newest Projector Aimed at Both Corporate and House of Worship Installs

Optoma today announced two new ProScene projectors – the WU615T and EH615T are WUXGA (1920×1200) and 1080p, respectively, fixed lens projectors that are specifically aimed at both the corporate and houses of worship markets.

These new Optoma ProScene projectors both have 1.8x zoom (throw Ratio: 1.2 – 2.16:1), 360-degree and portrait mode operation, four corner geometric correction, vertical and horizontal lens shifts and keystone correction. Optoma tells rAVe they are designed for image stacking and uneven surfaces and offer usability from any angle. Connectivity includes two HDMI ports, HDBaseT and MHL and both projectors also feature Eco+ lamp power management mode.

The Optoma ProScene WU615T is native 1920×1200 WUXGA resolution and is spec’d at 6,500 ANSI lumens for $2,999 and the ProScene EH615T is 1920×1080 at 6,200 ANSI lumens for $2,799. Both projectors are also spec’d with a contrast ratio of 10,000:1.

Here are all the specs.

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NEC Display Releases New Native 4K Resolution RB Laser Projectors

NEC Display Solutions today announced the release of two new projector models, the 30,000 Center (26,000 ANSI) lumen PH2601QL and the 40,000 Center (35,000 ANSI) lumen PH3501QL. Both are native 4K (3840×2160) resolution projectors.

Both projectors are designed for auditoriums, theaters, lecture halls, museums, sanctuaries and other large venues. NEC says they have dust protection for artifact free images and no loss of brightness over time. Built-in edge blending, stacking and geometric correction help support projection mapping when single or multiple projectors are required. These two models also offer the ability to provide image integrity, incorporating stable brightness (constant brightness) over a longer time period to alleviate image decay.

Additional benefits of the PH2601QL and PH3501QL include:

  • Viewable in high ambient lighting conditions
  • 4096×2160 native 4K resolution
  • True 4:4:4 4K signal support with HDR
  • Complete panel for digital inputs, including HDMI (V2.0), DisplayPort w/ HDCP (V.1.4), HDBaseT w/ HDCP
  • (V1.4/2.2), Quad 3G-SKI and an OPS slot
  • Screen size from 50 to 500 inches (1.27 to 12.7 meters)

Both new projectors will be available in January 2019. The PH2601QL will have a minimum advertised price of $129,999 and the PH3501QL will have a minimum advertised price of $149,999.

Here are all the specs on the PH2601QL.

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InFocus Introduces IN3140 Series Projectors Aimed at Classrooms and Meeting Rooms

InFocus Corporation just announced the IN3140 Series projectors — a less than seven pound line of 5,000 lumen (4,000 lumens in Eco Mode) projectors including the native resolution 1080p (IN3148HD), WXGA (IN3146) and XGA (IN3144).

The projectors offer 1.5x optical zoom and supports aspect ratios of 2.35:1, 4:3, 16:9, and 16:10 with a contrast ratio of 11000:1. Inputs include two HDMI v1.4 (one with MHL compatibility), two VGA, composite, s-video, as well as 3.5-millimeter and RCA L/R audio ports.

The IN3140 Series supports multiple forms of 3D content, including Blu-Ray, 3D broadcasting, video games, and PC connectivity. For easy network management, the IN3140 Series projectors also feature RS232 and RJ45 connections.

The IN3148HD, IN3146 and IN3144 are priced at $1,361, $1075 and $1,037 respectively. Here are the detailed specs.

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Sharp Debuts the 70″ PN-L705H 4K Resolution AQUOS BOARD

Sharp has introduced its first 4K Ultra-HD resolution (3840×2160) AQUOS BOARD interactive display system. The 70″ PN-L705H interactive display offers Sharp’s Pen-on-Paper user experience that they says makes writing comfort close to using an actual pen on paper. The PN-L705H interactive display is especially designed for architecture, design, corporate collaboration, museums and libraries because of it’s ability to be mounted in various configurations (including flat).

The LCD panel in the new AQUOS BOARD is native 3840×2160-pixel and is bonded directly to the protective glass layer, thereby eliminating the air gap between them, for a consistent and natural feel when writing. It uses capacitive touch technology and has an expansion slot compatible with the Intel Mini OPS system including a optional wireless board (PN-ZB03W), an HDBaseT receiver board (PN-ZB03H) or media player (PN-ZB03AO).

It lists for $15,795 and here are all the detailed specs.

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For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe AVBuyers.Club out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!

For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100 percent opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the ProAV and HomeAV industries, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that’s why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write or say anything good (or bad).

To send me feedback, don’t reply to this newsletter. Instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas, Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com.

A little about me: I graduated from Journalism School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where I am adjunct faculty). I’ve been in the AV industry since 1987 where I started with Extron and eventually moved to AMX. So, I guess I am an industry veteran (although I don’t think I am that old). I have been an opinionated columnist for a number of industry publications and in the late 1990s I started the widely read KNews eNewsletter (the first in the AV market) and also created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue, which is now known as InfoComm IQ. rAVe [Publications] has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition.

rAVe ProAV Edition is our flagship newsletter with what we believe is a reach of virtually everyone in the ProAV market. rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA and launched in February 2004, is, by far, the largest ePub in the HomeAV market. We added rAVe Rental [and Staging] in November 2007, rAVe ED [Education] in May 2008 and then rAVe DS [Digital Signage] in January 2009. We added rAVe GHGav [Green, Healthcare & Government AV] in August 2010 and rAVe HOW [House of Worship] in July 2012. rAVe Radio, our podcast network, was launched in 2012. AVBuyers.Club, our first publications targeted at end users, launched in May 2015. You can subscribe to any of those publication or see ALL our archives by going to: https://www.ravepubs.com

To read more about my background, our team and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com.

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Copyright 2018 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln. – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – (919) 969-7501. Email: Sara@rAVePubs.com

rAVe contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors.