The Value of Buying Groups
By Linda Seid Frembes
rAVe Columnist  The concept of a buying group is an old one. There is power in numbers, especially when those numbers are holding fistfuls of money. And in this economy, AV buying groups are more popular than ever – for obvious and not-so-obvious reasons.
“Stocking a large amount of inventory can be financially crippling to a smaller dealer,” says Jeannette Howe, executive director of Specialty Electronics Nationwide, a division of Nationwide Marketing Group. “But consumers like selection so you must look like you’re in the business.”
Specialty Nationwide caters to the brick and mortar dealers in the consumer electronics marketplace who also offer custom integration services. Specialty Nationwide’s 475 members have access to special training and educational opportunities, as well as marketing materials like online catalogs and shopping cart technology for their own web sites. There are also two member events each year called “PrimeTime!” where members can meet, mingle, and attend training.
“The goal is to level the playing field for the brick and mortar dealers,” says Howe. “It is about camaraderie; not rivalry. You don’t join a buying group to be predatory. You join to improve the bottom line.”
Home Technology Specialists of America (HTSA) is a 15-year-old buying group that takes a slightly different tact. According to David Berman, HTSA's director of training and public relations, they try to keep their membership number below 75 firms. “Currently, we have the top 60 system integration firms in the U.S. as members,” he says.
 HTSA members work on residential and commercial projects, but some requirements for membership approval include at least one showroom or demo space and having a top three position within your local market. Members must be located at least 200 miles apart (or less, depending on the market and client base.) There is a strong focus on selling lifestyle systems rather than pieces and parts.
The firm also has 40 vendor partners including projector manufacturer Digital Projection. “This is our first year as a preferred vendor for the group, and we have been happy with the partnership. They include outreach opportunities via both their HTSA quarterly publication that goes directly to their dealer network, as well as their quarterly HD Living publication, which is sent to their end user database,” says Michael Bridwell, DP’s marketing manager. “Other additional value includes a very proactive PR initiative. We partnered with a small collection of other HTSA preferred vendors including Samsung and Control4 on a recent demo in New York as an example. HTSA chooses a central location, coordinates with the dealer who will host the demo, handles PR both pre and post demo, and staffs the demo with representatives from both HTSA corporate and their PR agency.”
In addition to education and training, HTSA member can also use group power to procure services like advertising, financial analysis, or professional photography. “As the economy goes down, we become an even greater value,” says Berman. “We also become more attractive to firms who may not have joined in better times, but who are now looking to consolidate their lines and get better pricing.”
Another buying group is Home Entertainment Source (HES), the electronics division of the much larger Brand Source group. Its membership is comprised of 500 custom electronics dealers in the U.S. “We are unique in that we have a full staff of in-field consultants working one-on-one with our members to keep their businesses profitable,” says Andy Orozco, director of communications for HES. “The member-owned Expert Warehouse solution is by far the biggest differentiator. Our members can purchase audio and video products at or below factory cost. In addition we pass through all manufacturer-sponsored promotions such as display programs and sales incentives.”
 And for those looking closer to home, another group movement is happening at a grass roots level. Home Electronics Specialists Association (HESA) is a very small group of four companies in the Houston area who have banded together not only for buying power, but to also share labor and expertise. HESA was founded less than a year ago, but the group has big plans for the Houston area.
“We meet once a month for planning and information-sharing,” says Joe Travis, HESA co-founder and owner of Caveman Home Theaters. “We each have our own expertise and can help each other out on projects.”
 Travis sees HESA exercising their power with buying, group insurance, as well as agreeing on local standards for AV projects. For now the focus is on the Houston, but Travis sees this type of group expanding across the Southeast and beyond.
Linda Seid Frembes is a rAVe columnist who covers AV technology, installs, market trends and industry news. Linda has worked with high profile AV manufacturers, trade organization, systems integrators, rep firms and dealer/distributors in the industry including John Lyons Systems, Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW), Northern Sound & Light (NSL), and InfoComm International, among others. Reach her at linda@ravepubs.com
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To Catch an HD Thief
By Gary Kayye, CTS  In this issue, there's an article about CEDIA and HDMI, LLC (basically, the HDMI police) partnering to educate HomeAV integrators about the upcoming, impending analog sunset issues – when we turn off component video for good.
Believe it or not, that happens sooner rather than later. In fact, many Blu-ray disc players will totally turn of the HD output of their component video port this December. And, the law/rule actually is vague in its application of other devices, but, it's clear that it could be used to allow cableTV, satellite companies as well as set-top box manufacturers to have an excuse to do the same thing.
Why?
Well, consider this: for years, owners of bars and restaurants have signed up for satellite TV service using their personal/home address. Come on; admit it — it happens all the time. They do this since a commercial license for satellite TV runs on average about $400 per month whereas a home (totally open – getting every channel possible) package is about $150 per month. Over a year, a commercial TV package can cost $3000 more per year – PER TV!!! So, we turn the other cheek and let them call DirecTV themselves and sign up for a home TV package, all the while knowing they are actually using it for the restaurant or bar you just integrated AV gear in to.
And, as we all know, ever since HDTV came on the scene, we've used component video gear to route the signal all over the place.
OK, so, what's the big deal?
Well, TECHNICALLY, DirecTV can be very, very creative to catch all those so-called home accounts that are really commercial accounts. Here's how: DirecTV could make a decision to use the analog sunset deadline as an excuse to stop allowing component video to be fed from their boxes. Think they won’t do that? Well, here's why they might. Statistically, over 85 percent of home HDTV installs of flat screen TVs connected to actual HD satellite set-top boxes are connected with HDMI. Sure, 15 percent are done via component video, but they can solve that crisis by simply sending out a free HDMI cable to all those that call and complain (assuming they cut off the component video feed – or, more likely, step down the resolution to a max of 480p – like the Blu-ray players will be in late December of this year). So, imagine if they decided to KEEP component video open for all commercial accounts since that's very likely component video – in fact, statistically, 97 percent of those installs using HD DirecTV boxes ARE component video. You know that; you installed them. So, while announcing they are keeping component video open and feeding 720p and 1080i (as it's, politically, the right thing to do since we all know re-integrating them to be all HDMI right now would be cost prohibitive and nearly impossible), they also announce they are turning off component video at 720p and 1080 – only feeding 480.
This is VERY creative. Think about it: statistically, they field phone calls from homeowners who notice the lower resolution output and they offer to send them a FREE HDMI cable and tell them to connect it up to get the full HD feed. Of course, those same illegally connected bars and restaurants (those who have commercial accounts registered at their homes) will call up and complain the signal quality dropped. DirecTV tells them, “No worries! We'll send you an HDMI cable…" Ah, but herein lies the dilemma – the HDMI cable won’t solve the problem since they've got a component video feed distributing the TV stuff everywhere. So, they've either got to call you out to re-distribute HDMI via switchers and DAs or they've got to switch the account to a commercial one – thereby admitting they were stealing it all along. Remember, the concept here is that DirecTV would keep the component video the way it is now – at 720 and 1080. This way there will be no massive complaints from commercial accounts that are registered as such.
Hmm…
Don't think it could happen? Just wait…
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3D Glasses Poised for Mainstream
By Steve Sechrist
Sr. Editor and Analyst, Insight Media Want some real proof 3D technology is here to stay? Just type in "3D Glasses" into Google and take a look at the hits… One favorite is 3dglassesonline.com, with a "nifty fifty’s" take-out menu (web page genre) and the classic headline borrowed from McDonalds, claiming "Over One Billion Served!" That’s billion with a "B" and that’s just the anaglyph version of 3D Glasses from companies like American Paper Optics, Berezin and 3DGlasses.net, some selling the paper cut-out types in catalogues along with rainbow makers and other novelty toys. 
But the real story is that non-cardboard-based 3D glasses makers now include some of the biggest names in consumer electronics. Just look at the current list of 3D Glasses purveyors we’ve assembled to date — top brands like Panasonic, LG, Samsung, Sony, and Viewsonic, plus Dolby, Pentax, and NVIDIA. Then there’s the 3D Cinema technology companies like XpanD, RealD, Master Image (and Dolby mentioned above) all looking for a foothold in the consumer space. But that’s not all, there’s also the premium glasses suppliers looking to open new 3D niche markets, some with a high-fashion spin (and high price tag to boot), with others offering unique technology. San Diego based iZ3D and Gunnar Optiks (Carlsbad, CA), offer one such solution. MicroVision Optical 3D (San Diego) is sticking to "fashionable" passive glasses in theater market for now–selling in the $30 to $40 range. Bit Cauldron (Gainesville, FL) uses a ZigBee interface to connect its glasses with the 3D source device.
The big name CE makers are in the space with some interesting offerings. LG’s 3D glasses have been around since 2007, and include rechargeable batteries (model AG-S100.) They currently sell (retail) for $199 a pair, the same MSRP as the Samsung glasses that also ship with its current 7000 series 3DTVs in both (LCD and PDP) vintages. Panasonic’s 3D Glasses (model TY-EW3D10U) can be found at BestBuy for $149 and it has a new deal with nVidia which will allow their glasses to view content on the Panasonic 3DTV.
For its part, front 3D projection maker Viewsonic just announced a new pair of active-stereo 3D shutter glasses (PGD-150) selling for $99 retail. They are designed to work with Viewsonic’s latest TI based DLP Link 3D Projector (120Hz "3D Ready") and will probably extend to any DLP Link projector brand.
Viewsonic currently has nine different 3D-enabled projector models for sale, all for under $1K, (the PJD6251 XGA is the most expensive at $877.) Most all are XGA with two exceptions — the WXGA (PJD6531w), which sells for $714 and the SVGA (PJD45112), a $460 box from Viewsonic. The company is targeting the classroom with the relatively low cost 3D projector/glasses combination, according to our recent conversation with product manager Erik Willey. The bad news is that there is very little compatibility from one set of glasses to any 3D display. CEA has a task force to start to address this concern and Insight Media recently provided a report on 3D glasses to 3D @ Home Consortium, for use by CEA in their standardization effort. Nevertheless, as home 3D technology adoption continues this year and beyond, we think the 3D Glasses space is destined to develop into a full-blown CE category, and from the looks of the web, and companies listed here, we are not alone in this belief. So get ready as a new class of electronic eyewear that just may be poised to dominate the TV accessories category as we move into our second decade of the new century. And forget losing the remote… where in the heck are those 3D glasses? Steve Sechrist, a senior editor and analyst at Insight Media, is a 13-year display veteran with experience in business development strategy, competitive market analysis, and technology writing. He is responsible for the editorial management of Insight Media's Large Display Report and Mobile Display Report. Contact him at steve@insightmedia.info Back to Top 
Plan Your Trip to Indianapolis for CEDIA Boot Camps!  CEDIA is offering back-to-back Boot Camp opportunities at the CEDIA Training Facility in Indianapolis, with Basic Boot Camp offered May 17-19 and Home Theater Boot Camp offered May 20-22. Take advantage of this great training opportunity to advance your skills.
If you are new to the industry, CEDIA’s EST Basic Residential Boot Camp will provide you with the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary to start your career. This three-day session combines class room training and hands-on lab work. Participants will have the opportunity to perform typical installation tasks in a jobsite environment. Many CEDIA professionals have started their career with Basic Boot Camp. Learn more at www.cedia.org/bootcamp, or take the first step and register now.
Are you looking to round out your home theater installation skills? CEDIA’s Home Theater Boot Camp can get you up to speed in just three days. The lab portion of this advanced camp consists of installing flat-panel displays, HD projectors, A/V components, and acoustical treatments as well as completing system calibration. The classroom component of this camp will address more sophisticated concepts such as video display technologies, rack configuration, acoustics, and loudspeaker and audio component performance. Distinguish your company and add to your bottom line. Learn more at www.cedia.org/htbootcamp, or register now for Home Theater Boot Camp! Back to Top
Advance Your Audio Skills with May Power Hours  Audio can prove to be a profitable addition to your electronic systems company – just ask Richard Millson, who turned his career in audio into a highly successful electronic systems business. Millson will lead the May 4 Power Hour webinar, Using Audio as a Jumping Point to Build a Power House. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from Millson’s experience and to learn about standardization, the topic that created such a positive buzz at CEDIA Management Conference.
Fine-tune your audio knowledge throughout the month of May with the three-part Home Theater Audio and Acoustics series presented by CEDIA University. Part one, presented on May 6, will cover the fundamentals of loudspeaker measurement and listener perception. Looking to compare in-wall and free-standing speakers? Register for part two, presented on May 13, which will cover how multiple channels of loudspeakers can be used as well as free-standing and in-wall enclosures. The final installment of the series will be presented on May 20, and will cover strategies to optimize the listening experience.
Don’t miss the opportunity to advance your audio skills with this month’s Power Hour webinars. Visit www.cedia.org/powerhour for more information or to register.
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CEDIA and HDMI, LLC to Collaborate on Integrator Solutions Leading Up to Analog Sunset  Leaders from CEDIA and HDMI Licensing, LLC have agreed to work together to clarify and simplify HDMI integration through a series of educational training seminars aimed at increasing CEDIA members’ knowledge of HDMI technology, its capabilities, and applications.
CEDIA recently surveyed its membership to get a better perspective on the issues and concerns members have relating to HDMI implementation and how it affects their business. According to the survey, 66 percent of participants stated that 90 to 100 percent of their installations include HDMI technology. However, many respondents also reported issues. Through this new relationship, CEDIA and HDMI, LLC will work together to provide educational opportunities for CEDIA members on the best practices of HDMI system design and implementation.
Developing a training program and delivering solutions that address interoperability issues are two main priorities of the relationship. CEDIA and HDMI, LLC are planning to deliver joint training seminars in major U.S. markets including Los Angeles, CA; Sunnyvale, CA; Denver, CO; Chicago, IL; Houston/Dallas, TX; and New York, NY. At the Sunnyvale and New York locations, the technician training seminars will be held in conjunction with the adopter and developer focused HDMI Technology Seminars, allowing the program to bridge the gap between product design and the implementation in the home. The dates for all locations are still pending.
For more information on the CEDIA and HDMI, LLC partnership, please contact Utz Baldwin at ubaldwin@cedia.org
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New Samsung TVs Feature Silicon Image's InstaPort  Samsung’s new flagship line of 3D LED/LCD TVs is featuring Silicon Image’s enhanced InstaPort S single-second switching technology. InstaPort S-enabled HDTVs will work with any HDMI-connected source and is designed to significantly reduce the four to seven-second delay that typically occurs when switching between HDMI-enabled devices connected to a TV – a MAJOR flaw in the HDMI system that everyone loathes. Don’t you wish everyone would integrate this (or, better yet, that HDMI, LLC would fix this flaw)?
For more information on InstaPort, go to: http://www.siliconimage.com/technologies/index.aspx?Page=6&Section=1
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Sony, Toshiba, Samsung and Nokia Launch New HD Standard for Portable Devices  Nokia Corporation, Samsung Electronics, Silicon Image, Sony Corporation and Toshiba Corporation last week formed MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) Consortium to develop a new mobile audio/video interface standard for directly connecting mobile phones and other portable consumer electronics (CE) devices to high-definition televisions (HDTVs) and displays. The MHL standard features a single cable with a low pin-count interface able to support up to 1080p high definition video and digital audio while simultaneously providing power to the mobile device. The MHL Consortium is also announcing the availability of an abridged draft specification available for review at http://www.mhlconsortium.org
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Minnetonka Audio Ships Dolby E File Analyzer  Minnetonka Audio has shipped the industry’s first E File Analyzer in the form of the LTRT WavFileAnalyzer – a software product that provides automated content verification for stored media files and is designed for Broadcasters, Content and Service Providers. LTRT WavFileAnalyzer performs conformance and quality analysis as well as a range of customized checks for Dolby E to analyze the audio content along with the audio file container. In addition to splitting and reassembling Broadcast WAV files, LTRT WavFileAnalyzer checks the audio file header chunks, SMPTE 337M, and peaks for each input file. LTRT WavFileAnalyzer improves the efficiency of the QC process within the content management workflow and ensures that content verification is thorough and consistent. High-end home integrators could and should be using a product like this to make sure customers’ existing music collection sounds perfect.
Interested in the LTLR? Go to: http://www.minnetonkaaudio.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96&Itemid=104&lang=en
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JBL Offers Free Speaker Locator Calculator  JBL Professional just released what they are calling the CBT Calculator software, an engineering tool that allows audio professionals to design JBL’s CBT Constant Beamwidth Technology line array column loudspeakers into a wide variety of applications.
CBT Calculator 1.00 predicts the vertical coverage of CBT models in venues via a sound level coverage display (sectional view) at user-selectable frequencies. The program allows the modeling of either one or two CBT speakers in each simulation, virtual adjustment of their various installer-adjustable settings for vertical coverage (narrow or broad) and voicing (music/flat or speech), and a dedicated EQ, if desired, for each speaker. Positioning and angling of the CBT speaker(s) can be adjusted and up to four independent listening planes can be added for mapping the coverage.
In addition to the sound level vertical coverage mapping of a proposed design, the CBT Calculator can also ascertain the frequency response for up to six listener locations as well as provide an SPL summary of the various listener locations over user-defined frequency bands.
This new software allows system designers to determine the best CBT model, the proper vertical coverage and voicing settings, mounting height and down angle, enabling accurate design of the JBL’s CBT column line array speakers into virtually any application.
The CBT Calculator is a free download at: http://www.JBLPro.com/CBTCalculator
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Russound Redesigns E-Series Keypad  Dubbed the KLK-E6, the $599.00 Color Click Wheel keypad is what Russound is calling their next generation keypad – adding depth and detail to the form factor of its predecessor by way of a more visually appealing full color screen with a wide viewing angle. The KLK-E6 keypad offers a touch-sensitive ring for source selection and menu navigation (think iPod), responsive hard buttons for frequently used commands (think iPod), and a detailed display of source activity (think car radio). It includes a built-in IR receiver.
When combined with the Russound DTS1 Desktop Stand, this wall mounted keypad can be used for placement on a desk, coffee table, counter top, etc. The KLK-E6 is part of the E-Series product line available exclusively through the Russound Sphere Certified Integrators. Sphere Certified Integrators belong to an exclusive club, and only they have the tools to unlock all the features and benefits of Russound’s growing selection of E-Series products.
For more information on the E-Series, go to: http://www.russoundsphere.com/products.html
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Extron Premieres New Modular Power Enclosure for Fiber Optic and Twisted Pair Extenders  Extron has launched their PowerCage 1600, a rack-mountable, 16-slot enclosure that supports a wide range of Extron fiber optic and twisted pair A/V transmitter and receiver boards. Providing an efficient way to power and mount multiple transmitters and receivers, the PowerCage 1600 simplifies integration for large, rack-mounted systems. The PowerCage 1600 also features an optional redundant, hot-swappable power supply plus active power and thermal management to optimize reliability in mission-critical environments where continuous, 24/7 operations is essential. The hot-swappable, modular design allows for replacing or upgrading boards in the field at any time, without having to power down the system.
Available boards for the PowerCage 1600 include 14-fiber optic and four twisted pair extenders to support a broad range of video resolutions and formats. The fiber optic and twisted pair boards operate independently, and may be mixed and matched within the enclosure, making the PowerCage 1600 an ideal solution for larger systems that need to support remote sources and destinations. The ability to accommodate multiple transmitters and receivers in a single enclosure streamlines system design and installation.
For more information on the PowerCage 1600, go to: http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=powercage1600
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Elite Screens Adds All-In-One Ceiling Electric Screen  Elite Screens announced the launch of its in-ceiling electric projection screen for integrators, called the Evanesce Tensioned. The Evanesce is encased in a white-finished aluminum housing that is durable and moisture resistant. There are tensioned and non-tensioned options available in matte white material for its wide diffusion uniformity along with a black backing to eliminate light penetration. The MaxWhite FG is a 1.1 gain layered fabric screen material that is fiberglass-backed for increased flatness and the Elite CineWhite 1.1 gain black backed PVC tension material has side tab tension cords to provide flatness.
It’s available in sizes from 84" to 139" using tensioned or non-tensioned materials in 4:3, 16:9, 16:10 or 2.35:1 aspect ratios and starts at $1,349. You can see all the options at: http://www.elitescreens.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=303&catid=1&Itemid=19&lang=en
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Sharp Finally Ships Long-Awaited 4-Color, 3D LCD TV  Sharp Corporation has developed what they are claiming as the world’s first four-primary-color 3D LCD TV. Obviously requiring you to wear special 3D glasses, the 3D LCDs use a system based on time-sequential display technology with special active LC (liquid crystal) shutters in the glasses. In this system, images intended for the left and right eye are displayed on the LCD screen sequentially, alternating between the two perspectives. The LC shutters in the special 3D glasses are synchronized with this display, “opening” (becoming transparent) and “closing” (becoming opaque) in such a way that the left and right eye see separate images. The human brain combines these two slightly different images to create the perception of depth in a three-dimensional image. Sharp claims that displaying 3D images on a conventional display using this system resulted in low brightness and crosstalk.
Sharp’s four-primary-color technology utilizes four primary colors, adding Y (yellow) to the three conventional primary colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue). According to Sharp (and most people at CEDIA 2009, too), this technology contributes to brighter, more vivid colors thanks to higher light transmission efficiency through the panel and a wider color gamut (range of colors that can be reproduced), which had been difficult to attain on conventional three primary color displays.
Sharp’s actually set up an educational site on their 3D LCD technology at (but it’s all in Japanese?!?): http://www.sharp.co.jp/3d-tech/
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For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe HomeAV Edition out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100% opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the high-end HomeAV industry, 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 anything good (or bad).
Don’t like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send me feedback, don't reply to this newsletter – instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas: Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
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 HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004.
To read more about my background, our team, and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com Back to Top
Copyright 2010 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln. – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – 919/969-7501. Email: sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe HomeAV Edition contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |
