March 30, 2006 | Volume 3, Issue 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
News
Thank you to our sponsors of this issue: |
Introduction
Feature Article
CEDIA Says CEDIA News
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Manufacturers: Do your messages target system integrators? So do ours! rAVe Home Edition is the only eNewsletter written for design and installation professionals working in home theater and automation. rAVe Home Edition, co-sponsored by CEDIA, currently has one opportunity for an annual sponsorship. Sponsorships are limited in number and restrictions apply. To see if your company is eligible, contact Alex Gibson at agibson@kayye.com or (919) 969-7501. Introduction Welcome to another issue of rAVe Home Edition! — Gary Kayye, CTS Editorial Way Too Hard = Way Too Bad A recent study by a major university on the Netherlands found that product complexity actually caused over 50 percent of product returns.
By Matt Brennesholtz Analyst for Insight Media
About a month ago we reported that Mitsubishi planned to develop a rear-projection TV using lasers instead of lamps as illumination source. Now, Seiko Epson has announced it will be manufacture red, green and blue lasers for use in projection applications, including microdisplay TVs (MDTVs). To accomplish this, Epson has entered into a joint development and license agreement with Novalux to develop it NECSEL (Novalux Extended Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) RGB illumination devices. Mitsubishi didn’t say who would supply its lasers, but we suspect Novalux, or perhaps now, Epson. The agreement calls for Novalux to supply Epson with the laser semiconductor chips on a header. Epson will package these up into laser illumination modules to be sold to customers. But it can also use them to build laser-based optical engines and even finished products like MDTVs. “Epson is a well respected name in projection supplying components, engines and finished products,” said Novalux VP Marketing, Greg Niven, “so this is an ideal partnership for us. I understand they have committed over 60 engineers to this project so they are very serious about making it successful.” The idea of using a laser as a light source for a projection display is nothing new. In fact, Texas Instruments issued an internal report titled “Experimental Laser Display for Large Screen Presentation” in January, 1966. It is well understood that lasers have several major advantages over lamps, including low étendue that allows them to couple efficiently into small microdisplays, good colorimetry with very saturated primary colors and polarized light output. The problem with laser illumination has always been the cost of the lasers. While there are a few laser projectors on the market today, their prices all run into 6 figures US . Even if the price were 6 figures in Yen, the price would be too high for most mass-market projector applications. Novalux has worked since 1998 to develop red, green and blue lasers with high enough powers and low enough costs to allow them to be used in mass-market projection displays. Today’s development indicates that these efforts may finally be coming to fruition. “We are delighted to enter into this agreement with Epson, one of the world’s leading microdisplay manufacturers,” said Jean-Michel Pelaprat, Novalux chairman and CEO. “It is a testament to the benefits that our technology brings to the display marketplace and a validation of our business model. It will allow solid-state light sources to infiltrate projection display, a market that has been severely limited by legacy lamp technology. NECSEL sources are higher performance, longer life and lower cost—they are perfectly suited for next-generation projection devices and will enable the best viewing experience to date.” Epson is presumably excited about one of the features of the Novalux lasers – the output of polarized light. This simplifies the design of 3LCD projectors by eliminating polarizing components. NECSEL lasers can also eliminate fold mirrors, dichroic color filters and the fly’s eye integration lenses. All this can help to reduce cost. Epson President Seiji Hanaoka said, “We believe laser illumination is a breakthrough in lighting technology that – combined with Epson’s cutting-edge projection technologies – could allow us to provide enhanced device performance at a competitive price. NECSEL technology is ideal for this application and we are excited to work with Novalux to bring this innovation to our customers.” Epson did not mention any specific projector types or timetable for product introduction. SID’06 and INFOCOMM are coming: hopefully we will be able to see demonstration projectors soon.
CEDIA Says
The Times, They Are a Changing By Andy Willcox CEDIA President To quote the one of the quintessential bards of the music world for the past 40 years, Bob Dylan……. “The Times they are a Changing.” Let’s take a look at the some of the challenges.
• Increased consumer demand – a good thing! • Commoditization of electronic systems products – a fact of life • Constantly evolving technology – keeping us in tune with the product • The economy – a roller coaster ride • Your process of execution – a variable that is controllable • Staffing needs – the dynamics of human resources • Finance and profitability – having your money under control • Industry convergence – the new players
Increased consumer demand – We, as RESCs and manufacturers hope that this will never change. As awareness and need for technology grows, each of us has exponential opportunities to capitalize on this if we manage our businesses properly. Commoditization – As our products become more and more accessible online, from big box retailers and other sources the prices will come down, it is a fact. More and more players are being factored into the equation and prices are being driven down. How do we deal with this? Constantly Evolving Technology – The race is on to build the “Better Mousetrap” in almost every different discipline of consumer electronics. Manufacturers previously engaged in areas other than the consumer electronics industry are stepping up and in a big way! We see the big software companies and the IT professional industry racing to introduce their concepts and technology to the consumer electronics marketplace. How do we compete with this and survive? The Economy – One of our constant challenges is the state of our economy. Each of us will experience different dynamics in our respective regions and local markets. How can we monitor, market and make the proper moves to assure that we have a steady influx of profitable business? The Process of Execution – With the variety of scope in the RESC community, each of us has different structures and methods that we utilize in our respective companies. How can you determine, develop and implement the proper and most effective process that takes you from project inception to completion? Staffing Requirements – You will find that the need for new staff and personnel is a constant. If there is one constant it is change and you will experience attrition within your ranks for one reason or another. How can we manage this and maintain quality and consistency with our team? Finance and Profitability – Finances and achieving profitability are crucial elements and the lifeblood of the success of your business. How do you manage your assets, liabilities, cash flow, operating capital and hopefully, profitability as you grow? Industry Convergence – Many different entities have been watching our industry and have come to the realization that there are huge opportunities. The big box retailers, internet sales companies, and other trades are ramping up continuously to enter the consumer electronics and service industry. How can you create a positive growth environment for you company to survive and thrive? These are all issues that you should seriously consider as you attempt to grow your business both culturally and profitably. No one has all of the answers and there will be further challenges to consider as time progresses. Please never lose sight of the resources available to you through your association, CEDIA. CEDIA is constantly building new educational programs and curricula to assist you in determining how to assess your specific needs and implement methods to apply and achieve success. Remember that CEDIA EXPO is looming on the horizon in Denver , Sept 13-17th, and there will be many opportunities to learn new methods to improve and thrive within this industry. In addition, CEDIA University , CU on the Road, is available to you regionally throughout the year. Please, take advantage of all of these resources to benefit your businesses! See you in Denver …good selling, better learning, and the best in business practices! Andy Willcox President of CEDIA
Calendar of Events
Monday April 3, 2006 through Tuesday April 4, 2006 Location: CEDIA Training Facility – Indianapolis , IN
Integrated Systems China 2006 Wednesday April 12, 2006 through Friday April 14, 2006 Location: Shanghai , China
Friday April 21, 2006 through Monday April 24, 2006 Location: Media Dynamics – Toronto , ON
For a complete list of CEDIA events click here.
CEDIA News
William Leszinske is the General Manager of the Networked Media Platform Group within Intel Corporation's Digital Home Group. He previously served as the Intel® Viiv™ Technology Platform Manager.
Bill has an extensive background in sales and marketing. In 2004, he formed the Digital Home marketing team within Intel's Desktop Products Group. He also served as director of Chipset and Software Marketing for the same group. Prior to joining Intel, he was a regional applications manager for one of the world’s largest computer companies. Leszinske will speak at CEDIA EXPO Thursday, September 14 from 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Annual Meeting & Membership Luncheon Keynote – Steve Forbes Don’t miss this great opportunity to see President and CEO of Forbes, Inc., Steve Forbes, speak at CEDIA EXPO on Friday, September 15 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Steve Forbes is President and Chief Executive Officer of Forbes and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes magazine.
Since Mr. Forbes assumed his position in 1990, the company has launched a variety of new publications and businesses. They include: Forbes FYI, the irreverent lifestyle supplement; Forbes Asia; and Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Arabic, Hebrew and Polish editions of the magazine. Forbes also publishes the Gilder Technology Report, as well as a number of investment newsletters.
Visit http://www.cedia.org/expo for more information on both keynote speakers and for the latest information on CEDIA EXPO 2006.
News Have a news tip? Send them to rAVe Editor-in-Chief Denise Harrison — dharrison@kayye.com Winegard will show at EXH a new triple-stacking signal technology designed to bundle VoIP, high speed internet and video as well as HD signals. But not just one HD signal – Winegard says the company bundles all three HD signals from the three different satellites from, for example, DirecTV, and stacks all this on one coax cable. This eliminates the need to pull two or more cables in order to receive HD on an HD set-top box. TRIAD does all the above on one RG-6 coax.
2. Coaxsys and XAVi Introduce TVnet Modem for IPTV Coaxsys and XAVi jointly introduced the X7823r+ ADSL/ADSL2+ modem designed for IPTV deployments. The TVnet IPTV networking solutions from Coaxsys were introduced last year and now XAVi’s new modem, which integrates the Coaxsys TVnet, lets Telcos distribute IPTV throughout the home without adding additional equipment, and making the installation process simpler. The X7823r+ integrates TVnet using a Mini-PCI card inside of the modem's casing. The product is plug-and-play, says the company, requiring no software or switch settings, no configuration, and no monitoring. For more information, go to http://www.coaxsys.com/news/view_press_release.php?release=Xavi_Integration_Release
3. Parasound Introduces Rack-Mounted Cooling Fan Parasound added a rack-mounted cooling fan to its Zcustom custom installation product line. The Zbreeze uses three fans mounted in a half-rack enclosure and it is designed to ventilate localized hot-spots (rather than trying to cool everything at once). The Zbreeze uses three 3.6-inch (92mm) diameter fans with three speeds for up to 90 cubic feet per minute airflow. It has three turn-on modes using either a standard 12-Volt DC trigger signal, 120 VAC, or a front-panel button. The turn-off can be instantaneous, or the installer can set a 10-minute delay before powering down to continue air movement even after the rack’s main cooling fan is turned off. The Parasound Zbreeze is currently shipping with MSRP of $200. For more information, go to http://www.parasound.com/zcustom/zbreeze.php
Audio 4. Sony Introduces AV Receivers, Flat-Panel Speakers Displays
Sony says the company will ship new high definition BRAVIA and Grand WEGA TV sets in the second half of 2006 basically in the same timeframe as the introduction of Blu-ray players. Expect to see a wide variation in sizes and a big Bu-ray-HD marketing splash when these ship. The new models each have two HDMI inputs and an HD front component input for HDV camcorders. The KDF-55E2000 and KDF-50E2000 units will ship early this summer for about $3,000 and $2,500, respectively, while the KDF-46E2000 model will be available in mid-summer for about $2,200. For more information, go to http://news.sel.sony.com/openhouse/
6. Westinghouse Adds 37-Inch HD LCD The new 37-inch weighs 43 pounds and is priced at $1,899 Westinghouse already had a 42-inch model, the LVM-42w2. It’s not yet on the website, but for more on Westinghouse’s 1080p models, go to http://www.westinghousedigital.com/c-7-1080p-monitors.aspx
Of course, you need a Slingbox, a device that connects to the cable box, satellite receiver, or DVR and lets viewers watch content from home on a PC anywhere there is an internet connection. Slingbox has already become the darling of the mobile TV industry and with this mobile device announcement, it may just provide the quickest path to mobile TV yet available in the U.S. For more information, go to http://www.slingmedia.com/slingbox/slingplayermobile.php
8. Pioneer Testing Ruckus WiFi TV Distribution Pioneer Telephone Cooperative (interesting name, huh?) is beginning a customer trial of the in-home “smart Wi-Fi” system for streaming digital TV content over 802.11g. Pioneer is using the Ruckus Wireless technology for distributing broadband digital services, such as IPTV, to thousands of homes throughout Oklahoma . Pioneer says it is currently one of the nation's largest providers of commercial IPTV services, with more than 20,000 broadband subscribers throughout 76 cities. The Ruckus smart Wi-Fi system (see previous rAVe coverage at http://www.ravehome.com/issues/2006/02/vol3iss4/index.html#13 ) monitors multimedia content for specific types, then directs Wi-Fi signals over the best path according to that content, rather than broadcasting the signal in all directions. A big deal for Pioneer, says the company, is that by reducing wiring installation, installs go from three hours to 45 minutes and labor and truck rolls are cut in half. And, Pioneer expects the technology to ultimately be able to be self-installed by the subscriber. For more information, go to http://www.ruckuswireless.com/press/releases/20060321.php
9. Crestron Introduces 10-Button Wall Touchscreen the Size of a Light Switch PlateApple Announces iPod Hi-Fi Crestron introduced the new Isys TPS-4L wall mount touchpanel that packs a 3.6-inch active-matrix color touchscreen with 10 white backlit pushbuttons into a panel the size of a light switch plate. It is specified at 320 x 240 resolution and 16-bit graphics, and the ten pushbuttons are engravable. The 32-bit Motorola ColdFire Microprocessor and OS support graphics and images, dynamic text, full-motion video, animation, multimode objects (buttons, frames, gauges, and sliders) and popup/dropdown sub-pages. Crestron's Synapse Image Rendering Algorithm enables system programmers to more quickly and easily produce graphics, and it even supports enhanced 3D effects. The TPS panels are compatible with standard CAT5 and Crestron’s QuickMedia. The TPS-4L wasn’t on the website at press time, but for more on Crestron touchpanels, go to http://www.crestron.com/features/touchpanels/#c2
10. RTI to Debut Control Products at EHX Remote Technologies Inc. will introduce several new products at EHX. One is the T4, a new wireless system controller, a handheld control system with a color touchpanel that also includes 802.11 Wi-Fi for web browsing and future control capabilities. The T3 is a handheld universal controller with color LCD display, 32-bit MCU, 32MB of memory, and Wi-Fi communication option. The new RK3 is a stand-alone in-wall controller with a 3.5" color touchpanel, integrated Ethernet port to view web pages and control IP addressable devices, 9 programmable hard buttons, and a built-in IR receiver. For more on RTI, go to http://www.rticorp.com/main.shtml
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