Editorial: The Final Sayye by Gary Kayye
What a Great InfoComm!
Best Products, rAVe Radical Awards
Special Announcement News: 1. Can't Swing a Bat Without Hitting LCD, DLP and Plasma Displays
2. Sharp Goes 100 Percent DLP
3. Sean Matthews Returns to Tech Electronics
4. Dell Guns for Education
5. Christie Debuts 25,000-Lumen Roadie 25K
6. Crestron Introduces Isys i/O Touchpanel Media Centers
7. AMX Also Adds Annotation Capabilities, Resource Management Software, Wireless
8. Digital Projection Introduces LIGHTNING 30sx+
9. Barco's iCon Projector Features Integrated Display Server
10. Sony Rolls Out Four Significant Products at InfoComm
11. InFocus Introduces New Meeting Room Projector
12. SMART Reduces Rear Pro SMART Board Pricing
13. Epson Announces 802.11g Projector
14. HP Doubles DLP Resolution
15. TANDBERG Introduces New Meeting Management, Education Products
16. Mitsubishi Digital Introduces New Projectors, Data Wall
17. Sonic Foundry Adds Media Recorder to Mediasite Live Line
18. ViewSonic Introduces Three DLP Projectors
19. PLUS Vision Announces 1800-Lumen Three-Pound Projector
20. Canopus Ships Network Video System
21. ViewCast Looks to Simplify User Control With Interactive Video Network
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Editorial The Final Sayye by Gary Kayye What a Great InfoComm!
By Gary Kayye, CTS
Attendance was up over 22,000, booths were packed, new product introductions were everywhere and the special events such as the Projection Summit, EduComm and the Digital Cinema Forum were packed! So before we get into the new products that I saw at the show (outlined below) that are going to be hits in 2004 and 2005, here's my opinionated show wrap-up as well as my annual rAVe Radical Product Awards for InfoComm 2004. I sensed that the show was going to go really well at set-up. As I walked the show floor while the massive booth structures were being assembled, I was struck by the upbeat attitude of all the manufacturer personnel. Everyone seemed to think that this show was going to be a major turning point in the industry – especially in light of the good second quarter that most manufacturers were enjoying. But what really excited me was the number of totally new products and technologies that I saw being prepared for introduction (more on that later). As the show opened, people poured in. In fact, a 12 percent increase in attendance meant that almost 23,000 attendees browsed the 640-something booths (another record). However, aisles were not as packed as in past years (thanks to some ingenious thinking on the part of Jason McGraw of InfoComm) as they were a lot wider than in past shows. But, booths were packed. So the show was easy to walk and that made it possible to see what companies were introducing before walking into their booths. Thanks Jason! What a show it was. After a few years of slow or almost no growth by many manufacturers and even a downturn by some, it was nice to see and hear good things coming into InfoComm and going out of InfoComm for the ProAV market. Our market analysis shows that so far in 2004 the market for systems integration work has increased 19 percent and we are projecting an annual increase of 27 percent. So we should see growth over 30 percent in the second half of 2004. By the way, the growth we are seeing is not only in projector sales, but in the up-sell of networked systems, flat-panel displays and control system programming. OK, I know all of you are getting tired of reading this and just want me to get into the details of the products and technologies I noticed on the show floor as well as my annual 2004 rAVe Radical Product Awards for InfoComm. But before I do, a disclaimer. It's always tough doing an article like this as invariably someone or something gets cut out as there is a space limitation to what can be printed. Also, sometimes it takes a while to become obvious what had a true impact at the show. So although I didn't cover each and every manufacturer that introduced something significant, below you will see that we have over 40 product introductions in the NEWS section of this issue of rAVe and I am sure we will cover more new products in future issues as well – as they start shipping. So for those companies deserving of mention here but are not listed, I am truly sorry. But keep in mind that this is not necessarily designed as a product round-up piece as there are a half-dozen or so journalists who do a much better job at that than I will ever do. This is truly designed as a "here's what I noticed and should be considered as you move through the second half of 2004" – not a complete product roundup. So, here we go: Sony: Sony certainly had a number of new product introductions that are worth mentioning and some are below in the NEWS section, but a new technology they showed is what I want to tell you about. They showed and demonstrated a new, upgraded eConference technology for the future that they say will allow you to totally design and build meeting room systems without any analog cabling or infrastructure. Totally using the "network", this new technology is designed to allow for video, audio, HD, computer-video and even control signals to all be routed via an IP network infrastructure. Now certainly this concept isn't new as a number of us have been writing about it for two years, but they actually showed it working. They had cameras, computer video signals, program audio, VTC systems and even microphone signals all being routed via an Ethernet network and it looked pretty good – not perfect, but good enough. This will be something to watch as it is scheduled to deliver some time in 2005. Crestron: Their new Isys I/O TouchPanels were cool. Using Windows XP Embedded (not Windows CE, but XP), they are now capable of more than simply room and system control as Crestron added on-screen annotation functionality via a technology called MediaMarker, dual-windowing functionality, include QuickMedia inputs and outputs (Cat5 signal distribution of video, audio and RGB signals) and they also support wireless control via an industry standard WiFi (802.11x technology). So, what you have is a Media Center in a touchpanel. Speaking of QuickMedia, the second generation MediaManager product line made its InfoComm debut including a 4×2 and 8×8 matrix switcher and a 7×2 system switcher with three video/s-video/component video inputs, two RGBHV (VGA/XGA) analog inputs and two QuickMedia inputs all converted to two QuickMedia outputs that are capable of routing any and all system video, audio and RGB signals up to 350' via Cat5e cable. MediaManager is major competition for Extron's MediaLink room system and now MediaManager includes six flip-top interfaces to compliment the wall-plate interface introduced at last year's show. ClearOne: ClearOne is back. After a year in turmoil, they seem to be on the right track to recovery. And one of their best new products will sound familiar. Called RAV, the best way to describe it is they way ClearOne does. They say the new RAV 600/900 systems combine the sound quality and flexibility of a ProAV installed system with the simplicity of a conferencing phone for the ultimate group conferencing experience. This unique, plug-and-play system, complete with microphones, loudspeakers and a wireless control interface, is an incredibly affordable way to add high-quality conferencing capabilities to any meeting room. Basically, they are integration-level audio conferencing systems that connect as easy as a typical speakerphone. Ask/Proxima: Speaking of a company who is back, as some of you may know, InFocus has resurrected the Ask/Proxima brand into a systems integration projection brand/line. This is great strategy that will allow it to leverage the strengths of the InFocus brand and resources but also allow Ask/Proxima to introduce integration-only projectors for the ProAV market. At InfoComm, they introduced a nice new projector in the C170. Included with all the bells and whistles that all the integration-level projectors have these days and in a DLP package that delivers a specified 2000 ANSI lumen brightness spec and a 1000:1 contrast ratio as well as networkable projection (wired and wireless). The C170 will quickly become a hit in the average meeting room install. | |
Samsung: Showing off the largest plasma in the world wasn't enough for Samsung. The amazing 80" Plasma wasn't amazing because of image quality but because it was even there in the first place. It certainly had visible flaws including a noisy picture, but it was cool to sit there and ponder the possibilities of an 80" image like that coming from a flat-panel display technology whose colorimetry is virtually perfect. But Samsung didn't stop with the world's largest Plasma as they also showed the InfoComm attendees the world's largest LCD panel in a 57" model. Certainly not ready to ship yet, the 57" LCD was very, very bright sitting next to that 80" plasma. I am told that Samsung will ship by Q1, 2005. Clarity: Already THE market leader in digital signage, Clarity solidified its position in the ProAV market with the 61" Bengal and the 50" Margay rear-screen projection displays. Both using native 1280 x 720 (720p) DLP engines, they are less than 7" thick and look stunning – and NO BURN-IN. This section of Clarity's booth was packed all day, every day. These will be a hit in digital signage no matter what the application is and Clarity is poised to maintain a leadership position for a long time. NEC: Not every hit at the show was high performance. NEC's simple, affordable VT-470 projector was impressive in the form of 2000 lumen, 800 x 600, LCD projector aimed at the education market. It was the talk of the two EduComm sessions I did at the show as it hits a niche of affordability that's good enough for the education market. Sharp: Sharp is now a DLP company – when it comes to projection displays. In a move that surprised quite a few people, Sharp gave the nod to DLP technology this year by introducing new projectors that are completely based on DLP technology. Sharp introduced five new projectors ranging from mobile to installation starting at just over three pounds, from 1100 to 4000 ANSI lumens and from $1,895 to $6,995. Da-Lite: Da-Lite's latest screen technology is the Multi-Mask Imager – a screen with electronic horizontal and vertical image masking. Capable of allowing projection of 1.78:1, 133:1, 185:1 and even 2.23:1 images (all with black masking), the Multi-Mask Imager is a fixed frame screen that features both horizontal and vertical masking and is available with a choice of eleven projection screen surfaces – standard with the Pro-Trim finish, which is a fabric frame covering that aesthetically enhances the appearance of the installation while absorbing light that surrounds the viewing area. Barco: No other projector manufacturer has had as long of an AV/IT history as Barco. Barco was one of the first manufacturers to integrate the network into their projector line and have had one of the best integrations of the network into a projector with the IQ line. IQ isn't like having a PC inside a projector but more like having a workstation in a projector. Now, they've upped the ante again with the iCon H600 projector. Although, not a projector for the average install, I am told that follow-up versions of the iCon line will bring Barco's networking power to the masses with meeting room projectors. What makes the H600 so awesome? Well, the native 1920 x 1080 3-chip LCD projector garners a 6000 ANSI lumens rating using two 200-watt lamps, but that's not the key. Using what Barco engineers are calling an image "canvas", the H600 integrates multi-imaging in a $45,000 package. What you have to understand is that you get a 1920 x 1080 imaging canvas and with that resolution, you can create a multi-image screen (for example inside that 1920 x 1080 window you can project an XGA resolution computer screen and still simultaneously be projecting video and a document camera – on the same screen). What Barco's trying to do with this built-in imaging technology (obviously leveraging the strengths of the Folsom Research buyout) is give ProAV integrators the ability to build a virtual front-end of a room and make it a giant screen that you can use to project anything you want with one all-inclusive projector. Certainly this isn't for the average integrator, but if your company understands the value of leveraging an embedded XP computer in a 1080i projector and what you can do with multi-image meeting rooms – the H600 is one projector you'll want to make sure you check out. Digital Projection: This was one of the most impressive things I saw at the show. DPI put together, literally, a 10-megapixel image on a 35.5' x 16' Stewart Aeroview screen using five DPI Lightning 35HD projectors. This thing was incredible and was measured to ultimately deliver 85-foot lamberts from every point across the massive screen generating an image that was close to 90,000 ANSI lumens. Behind the scenes the five 35HD projectors were actually mounted vertically and the image used Large Screen Display mirror mounting system and an image edge-blending system that formed a projected display whose native resolution was 10,240 x 5,400 pixels. I commend DPI in doing this as it shows they get it — they were showing more than products here, they were showing an incredible application. TI: Texas Instruments introduced the SXGA+ single-chip DLP which provides a native resolution 1400 x 1050 resolution. And InfoComm brought the ProAV market the first projectors using the new so-called SXGA+ resolution in the form of the projectiondesign F1+ and Christie DS+25 projectors. The F1+ is specified at 2500 lumens and 2500:1 contrast ratio. The Christie model is specified at 2500 ANSI lumens and 2000:1 contrast ratio. And, at InfoComm, 14 manufacturers showed DLP-based products and more than 80 customers now manufacture DLP-based products. .According to Pacific Media Associates, DLP front projection market share grew 15% in less than two years, from 20.3% in Q2 2002 to approximately 35% in Q1 2004. Again, these products mentioned above are only the ones I personally saw as significant products and ones that captured significant praise from show-floor attendees. There were tons more and you can read about 60 or so more of them in the news section below. But, before that, it's time for my annual rAVe Radical Show Awards.
Best Booth: DPI's 10-megapixel booth Best Booth Location: Da-Lite, the 102 year-old AV company was front and center, again. Best Seminar Presenter: Mike Weems, CTS Best Booth Presentation: Barco Live! Best New Product 2004: (tie) Crestron's Isys I/O Touch Panels and
Best New Projector: Sony's SRX-R110 (4096 x 2160 resolution projector) Best New Flat-Panel Display: Clarity Bay Cat Most Creative New Product: WaveGuide's marrying Crestron and AMX control together Best Show Uniforms: NEC Worst Show Uniforms: General Projection, Inc. Best Booth Giveaway: Texas Instruments' DLP TV giveaway Worst Booth Giveaway: Vantage Point's autographed Vantage Girls photos Easiest Booth to Find: Sony Hardest booths to Find: Philips and EPSON (why didn't they have a booth???) Most Inappropriate Booth Entertainment: Vantage Point's girls Best Breakfast: Starbucks in the Convention Center Best Lunch: Nothing in that convention center was any good for lunch Best Dinner: Clarity's Dinner/Reception the first night of the show Best Classy Party: Crestron's Brian Setzer Party Best Wild Party: David Lee Roth Party/Concert by all the TI DLP Partners Best Drunk-fest: Extron's Southern Nights Party (which was a total blast!) Best After Party Hangout: Christie's Suite at the Marriott Marquis Best Late Night Snack: Ben and Jerry's Worst Late Night Snack: Ben and Jerry's |
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Kayye Consulting Announces Launch of Kayyebas!cs Chapel Hill, NC – June 1, 2004 – Kayye Consulting announced new solutions to assist professional audio visual dealers in expanding their sales and marketing and increase sales. The new Kayyebas!cs is a comprehensive, turnkey package of affordable marketing tools designed to increase marketing activities without increasing the dealers' sales and marketing staffs. Kayyebas!cs is headed up by seasoned ProAV dealer marketing professional David Scher, who joined the Kayye Consulting team in 2004. Coupling Scher's dealer marketing success with Kayye Consulting's manufacturer marketing success brings first-hand experience and knowledge to generate the materials and programs. Kayyebas!cs offers - Prepackaged Marketing Solutions
- Client-Influenced Marketing Solutions
- Custom Services
For additional information about Kayyebas!cs or to schedule an appointment to meet with a Kayyebas!cs representative at InfoComm, call David Scher or Brittany Dunstan at (919) 969-7501 or email: dscher@kayye.com or bdunstan@kayye.com
About Kayye Consulting, Inc.
Established in 1997, Kayye Consulting, Inc. was founded as a strategic marketing consulting firm. Since then, Kayye Consulting has developed a reputation as the leading provider of marketing consulting and training development services in the ProAV industry. Based in Chapel Hill, NC, Kayye Consulting is now under the leadership of Jody Thomas, CTS and Gary Kayye, CTS. |
Click above for more information News: While we covered a number of new products in our InfoComm preview edition — http://www.kayye.com/resources/rAVe_archives/06042004.asp — here are more recent news items worth noting.
1. Can't Swing a Bat Without Hitting LCD, DLP and Plasma Displays At our readers' request, we're going to pretty much forgo coverage of many of the DLP, LCD and plasma panels introduced at the InfoComm tradeshow since everyone- EVERYONE – had them. Most cited digital signage as the market they were all now entering (the next big thing). Since most companies don't manufacture their own, they aren't likely to be investing a lot in providing these displays but the market is now beyond saturation. I need to be totally frank here. At one time, it was cool seeing all these new projector companies entering the market and I enjoyed writing about all the new companies that were bringing us (the ProAV market) professionalism. But let's be honest here, we are near or at market saturation. Dell? Gateway? Sure, the market's going to grow for projection this year, and it will probably grow well. But, there are now over 40 so-called projector manufacturers literally, I mean literally, marketing products they don't even make. There are 15 or so that do make a substantial part of their own projectors (but not the imaging device as over 90% of those are made by three companies – we all know who those three are), and there are another four or five companies making their products from the ground up. That's almost 60 total projector companies. So, as we focus on new projection display introductions in the future in rAVe, we will focus on the unique parts of the projectors. Everyone has a lumen spec, a contrast ratio spec and a weight spec. But, not everyone's got networking. Not everyone's got a 6-segment color-wheel and not everyone's got great colorimetry and uniformity. So that's what we will bring you – unique projector offerings. The rest is easy to find. Rest assured that just about every company has a projector for each market segment. Not everyone can be an InFocus with the widest product range in the world and not everyone can be a Christie or a DPI with a segmented product line covering specific market niches. But there are a lot of companies that claim they have it all. Of course they don't, but a good 30 of them have most of what you're looking for. But, do they offer service and support – and product performance? And we know the future of projection loyalty among dealers will be biased toward unique product offerings and performance. But the ultimate key will be service. So we will also focus on that kind of specification as well. Sure, we'll bring you the next generation introductions in technology milestones (i.e. the SXGA+ 1400 x 1050 resolution DLP and the new 4K x 2K LCoS from Sony). But we may bundle future product introductions and announcements together and cover them as groups of manufacturers and save the detailed coverage to the unique stuff. This is due to reader feedback. There are plenty or trade magazines where more than 70 percent of their product coverage is dedicated to projection and we don't have the luxury of a 60-page magazine. So we'll continue to keep product introductions and announcements short and sweet – and honest and to the point. In that light, just about every projector manufacturer on the show floor now has integrated networking embedded in their displays. Not all of them know what to do with it, but a few of them do and did demonstrate their strengths such as InFocus with their newest generation of LightPort allowing for wireless projection of just about everything. And Barco with their follow-up to IQ known as iCon offering an on-board XP computer for multi-imaging (up to four separate images) on a 1080i canvas. And if you'll read the rest of the news, you'll see we talk in depth about products and technologies from Epson, HP, Sony, Christie, DPI and a few other significant product announcements in the projection world along with a few other noteworthy display introductions included the aforementioned 46" LCDs – from companies like Clarity and Sharp, and the 57" LCD from Samsung along with its 80" plasma debut.
2. Sharp Goes 100 Percent DLP Speaking of Sharp, in a move that surprised quite a few people on the show floor, Sharp gave the nod to DLP technology this year by introducing new projectors that are completely based on DLP technology – no more LCD?. In a statement by a spokesperson to rAVe: "Sharp is going to sell LCD projectors as long as stock is available and will continue to provide support. The company is in the process of transiting the line to DLP." Sharp introduced five new projectors ranging from mobile to installation starting at just over three pounds, from 1100 to 4000 ANSI lumens and from $1,895 to $6,995. For product details, go to http://www.sharpusa.com/products/FunctionPressReleaseSingle/0,1080,438-9,00.html
3. Sean Matthews Returns to Tech Electronics Sean Matthews, who was vice president of marketing and sales at Atlanta-based Tech Electronics from 1996 – 1999, recently returned to the company as its president. Matthews meanwhile was with MCSi, where he rose to the position of President of the Western Region before leaving MCSi earlier this year as the company wound down operations. We caught up with Matthews at InfoComm and he's excited to be back home, and enthusiastic about Tech Electronics' product line, which includes a real contender of a digital signage solution called AxisTV. The Tech Electronics team has been quite creative in marketing this system under Ed Matthews' leadership so we're expecting even bigger things with Sean's return. For more information, go to http://www.techelec.com/
4. Dell Guns for Education and ProAV Dell introduced the "Intelligent Classroom," a combination of computers, projectors, cameras and displays targeting K-12 and higher education classrooms. Dell is offering full end-to-end service with Dell Services, which will assess individual curriculum and budget requirements then design and install the systems and provide training. Their strategy is to package their Dell-branded and third-party solutions such as PCs, projectors, LCD monitors, interactive whiteboards, polling systems and document cameras all in pre-packaged solutions priced to apply to the educational market. Why mention this in a ProAV newsletter? You need to be aware of what is going on. There is no doubt that the market is already finding it difficult to sell some products with much margin above 15 percent and many systems are going out the door below 10 percent already. With Dell entering the market – even if they say it's only for education – it will change this forever. Companies like Dell and Gateway are not built on margin for the integration company. They are simply suppliers of technology and if you are structured to make money on services, you will like the news that Dell and Gateway are here – if not, you wont. But, either way, you can't stop them. Prices will go down, margins will reduce (much more rapidly than ever before) and product availability will become ubiquitous. For more information, go to http://www.dell.com/k12/classrooms
5. Christie Debuts 25,000-Lumen Roadie 25K Christie has a new high-brightness DLP projector in the Roadie 25K staging projector. This 3-chip DLP projector is specified at a native 2048 x 1080 resolution, a 1500:1 contrast ratio and separate projection head and ballast for placing the unit in small spaces. Christie says that the new Roadie 25K can also go up to a 2000:1 contrast ratio using a special high-contrast lens. And, of course, it comes with ChristieNET for networking. For more information, go to http://www.christiedigital.com/products/roadie25K/25kOverview.asp
6. Crestron Introduces Isys i/O Touchpanel Media Centers Crestron introduced the Isys i/O systems, 15", 17" and 10" (wireless) touchpanels that not only are used for control, but for accessing digital media and the Internet. The new Isys i/O family is comprised of three feature-packed models – the 15" standard display (TPMC-15-QM) and 17" widescreen display (TPMC-17-QM) tilt touchpanels and the 10" wireless WiFi tablet (TPMC-10). Each Isys i/O model provides a unified multimedia presentation and control solution for playback and control of most digital content without the need for additional computers. The new Isys i/O Touchpanel Media Centers have embedded PC engines that let users access the Internet, streaming digital media, e-mail, desktop videoconferencing, and multimedia presentation that also includes built-in annotation. Computer functionality is provided by a Windows XP Embedded operating system. For more information, go to http://www.crestron.com/news_room/show_releases.asp?press_release_id=1132
7. AMX Also Adds Annotation Capabilities, Resource Management Software, Wireless AMX introduced TakeNote, which adds on-screen annotation to its line of Modero Touch Panels. TakeNote lets users write notes, highlight key information, draw diagrams and illustrate ideas directly on the Modero, while also being able to view the same information on the PC. By touching the Modero, the user can annotate over any computer application or displayed item, including Microsoft PowerPoint, Word and Excel, as well as pictures and any Internet browser. The TakeNote application is located on a USB memory stick with AMX's Computer Control software which allows access to a PC through the Modero interface. For more information, go to http://www.amx.com/nr-press-releases.asp?release=2004-06-09g AMX also introduced its Resource Management Suite of software products, including an enhanced version of AMX's MeetingManager and a new product called AssetManager. The new software aids in scheduling rooms, and managing, monitoring and securing room equipment. For more information, go to http://www.amx.com/nr-press-releases.asp?release=2004-06-09d The new 802.11g WiFi Modero's include 12", 15" and 17" Modero VG Series, which also have optional RGB/Component connectivity for PCs and other video sources, including MAX by AMX. For more information, go to http://www.amx.com/nr-press-releases.asp?release=2004-06-09b
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8. Digital Projection Introduces LIGHTNING 30sx+ Digital Projection introduced their new staging projector, the LIGHTNING 30sx+ specified at 16,000 ANSI lumens and 1600:1 contrast ratio. It uses the new SXGA+ Dark Chip II DMD's which garners a native 1400 x 1050 resolution. For more information, go to http://www.digitalprojection.com/news/newsarchives/L30sx.htm
9. Barco's iCon Projector Features Integrated Display Server Barco introduced the iCon projector that has an integrated display server for displaying multiple sources on one screen using PIP, such as two video sources and a computer application in different windows on the display (up to four windows). The company points to higher ed, museums, corporate boardrooms and videoconferencing as target markets. For collaboration, the system allows control to be passed over the LAN to any other meeting location and functions are viewed in real-time by any other connected location. The server means that presenters can retrieve any file from connected devices, over the network, or from the server's hard drive. And what's nice is that it's operated with a mouse, rather than from a laptop, for example. The LCD projector itself is specified at 1920 x 1080 HDTV resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio and 6,000 ANSI lumens light output. For more information, go to http://www.barco.com/corporate/en/pressreleases/show.asp?index=1273
10. Sony Rolls Out Four Significant Products at InfoComm Sony Electronics introduced four new products at InfoComm 2004 covering more than just projection. The first, a desktop videoconferencing system, the PCS-TL50 is its first desktop videoconferencing solution for executive personal communication and/or small meeting space usage (using Sony's words). Built for personal VTC applications, the TL-50 is designed to leverage the power of the IP-based videoconferencing world and works best in in-house VTC applications. A second new product from Sony was its fully-featured videoconferencing endpoint solutions in the form of the PCS-G70 series. Built on the same platform as Sony's existing PCS-1 videoconferencing series, the PCS-G70 increases the IP connection speed from 2 Mbps maximum bandwidth to 4 Mbps, and upgrades the video from CIF to 4CIF for sharper resolution. Audio has been improved, as well, to achieve 14kHz Wideband Quality through MPEG4 Advanced Audio Coding (AAC). Additionally, the PCS-G70 extends the support of the recently ratified ITU-T industry standard H.264 video capability from point-to-point calls to multi-point calls, so that superb picture quality can be achieved at all call sites on half the bandwidth. The picture quality is enhanced through interlaced video coding, which enables 60 fields per second rather than 30 frames per second, resulting in sharper images and smoother, more life-like movement. In a move that was very impressive to look at, but I am just not sure where the market potential is, Sony introduced two "4K" large-venue projectors specified at 4096 x 2160 resolution. One is a 10,000 ANSI lumen model (SRX-R110); the other is a 5,000 ANSI lumen model (SRX-R105). Both using Sony's proprietary LCoS-based SXRD technology, both projectors were on display in the Large-Venue Gallery and looked pretty good for prototypes – some slight colorimetry problems, but virtually noise-free. Sony also introduced two wireless-capable (802.11b) LCD projectors, the VPL-CX70 and VPL-CX75. The VPL-CX70 ($2,200) is specified at 2,000 ANSI lumens and the VPL-CX-75 ($3,000) is specified at 2,500 ANSI lumens. Both are capable of receiving presentations via an Ethernet network (wired or wireless) and will deliver Q3 of this year. For all the Sony InfoComm news, go to http://news.sel.sony.com/pressrelease/4971
11. InFocus Introduces New Meeting Room Projector The InFocus LP600 DLP projector allows users to convert PowerPoint slides into JPEG files, store them on a flash drive, and plug it into the computer for projecting slides without needing a laptop to do it. The projector is DLP, specified at 2,000 ANSI lumens with 1000:1 contrast ratio priced at $1,999. OK, I didn't give you each and every spec on this projector, but do you really need to know more? The truth is, all these portable projectors nowadays have all the bells and whistles they need for just about any install you need to do, but the unique features are the ones that are listed fifth or sixth on the line listing of features most manufacturers provide on their spec. sheets. This one is cool in that it allows for file conversion INSIDE the projector. For more information, go to http://www.infocus.com/products/productview.asp?site_lang=1&site_region=1&prod=lp600&c=2
12. SMART Reduces Rear Pro SMART Board Pricing SMART Technologies reduced the price on its SMART Board 2000i-DVX interactive whiteboard to under $10,000 under the SMARTer Kids grant program. This is the rear projection model with XGA resolution. For more information, go to http://www.smarttech.com/company/mediacenter/press/releases/rpsbXGA.asp
13. Epson Announces 802.11g Projector Although not on the show floor, Epson showed privately in a local hotel suite. Epson announced the PowerLite 835p and PowerLite 830p – both specified at 3,000 ANSI lumens and XGA resolution. Both are 3-panel LCD projectors, but the key feature is that they 835p is embedded with 802.11g WiFi connectivity – which is enough network bandwidth to allow for both computer and video streaming of images to the projector. Epson says the PowerLIte 835p uses Epson's proprietary algorithm for extremely high-speed wireless streaming of video content. Users can upload or run presentations wirelessly at frame rates two to five times faster than 802.11b, they say, eliminating the need for video cables. The PowerLite 835p and 830p include six built-in display modes for various presenting environments including Epson's Blackboard mode. With Blackboard mode, the projector detects the display surface then adjusts accordingly. The EPSON PowerLite 835p and 830p will be available for $3,899 and $3,699 in mid-July. For more information, go to http://www.businesswire.com/webbox/bw.061004/241625320.htm
14. HP Doubles DLP Resolution
HP announced a cool, new technology called wobulation that doubles the perceived resolution of a DLP chip without changing the light modulator or increasing pixels. The technology actually came out of R&D in HP's imaging and printing group and was adapted to projector technology. HP has filed patent applications for this technology. "Wobulation" works by generating multiple sub-frames of data while an optical image shifting mechanism displaces the projected image of each sub-frame by a non-integral number of pixels. The sub-frames are then projected in rapid succession to appear as if they are being projected simultaneously and superimposed. The resulting image has significantly higher resolution than images produced by conventional digital projection devices. It works with both front and rear projection. HP will have products based on this technology in 2005. For more information, go to http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2004/040609a.html
15. TANDBERG Introduces New Meeting Management, Education Products TANDBERG introduced several new products to help manage meetings and the connected devices used for the meetings. The Media Processing System (MPS) is a new multipoint control unit which lets you connect up to 96 video and audio sites into a meeting with room for growth. The TANDBERG Management Suite (TMS) 9 offers enhancements designed to make it easier to control, manage and maintain a video-communications network. It also provides scheduling and IM capabilities. The Video System Software is an upgrade that provides scalable and dynamic directories with advanced search capabilities and support of H.239 as well as DuoVideo to show presenters and presentations at the same time side-by-side on a single monitor; and the H.235 v3 security standard. For more information, go to http://www.tandberg.net/press_room/viewPressRelease.do?id=70 TANBERG also introduced a mobile video system for education. The new TANDBERG Mediaplace, co-developed with NYIT, integrates high-quality video with a high-resolution projector, DVD/VCR and audio. The Mediaplace connects using various networks to link classrooms to museums, national parks and a world of off-campus teaching resources. For more information, go to http://www.tandberg.net/press_room/viewPressRelease.do?id=71
16. Mitsubishi Digital Introduces New Projectors, Data Wall
Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America' introduced the XL5U ColorView and SL4S ColorView projectors that aim to increase lamp life up to 5,000 hours (in low-lamp mode) which the company says is a 66 percent increase over their similar models. The XL5U ColorView ($2,995) is an LCD XGA projector specified at 1700 lumens and weighing 5.4 pounds. The SL4SU ColorView projector ($1,799) is specified at SVGA (800 x 600) resolution, 1700 lumens and 5.4 pounds. For more information, go to http://www.mitsubishi-presentations.com/pr_060904.asp Mitsubishi also introduced two new DLP projectors in the XD400U and XD450U ColorView models that, among having a nice design and style to them, both include a center-mounted lens – something that integrators prefer no matter how you slice it. The XD400U ColorView ($3,995) is specified at 2200 ANSI lumens and the XD450 ColorView ($4,495) is specified at 2600 ANSI lumens. Both have XGA resolution. The company also showed its latest data wall technology in its MegaView Wall line. The four different models use TI's 12-degree DMD chip, a number of functions for color and image management, and front access and remote control. The new display units are designed for 24/7/365 high-resolution applications, whether civilian, government or military, where "command" and non-stop monitoring and projection is critical. Among the models is a 67-inch SXGA MegaView Wall model. For more information, go to http://www.mitsubishi-presentations.com/
17. Sonic Foundry Adds Media Recorder to Mediasite Live Line Sonic Foundry introduced a media recorder for recording and disseminating live rich-media presentations. The Mediasite VL400 is a multi-channel recorder for video conferencing that instantly captures and synchronizes audio, video and graphics, including annotations, during two-way video conferences. Conferences also can be recorded and burned to a CD for offline viewing, or streamed via the Web for live and on-demand desktop access. Mediasite RL400 can be integrated with control systems, offers server-free recirdubg and playback, can publish to Flash so that it's compatible with all operating systems and offers reporting and tracking of content access. Mediasite RL400 is available for MSRP of $21,950. Other models will follow. For more information, go to http://www.sonicfoundry.com/news/ShowRelease.asp?ReleaseID=636&CatID=
18. ViewSonic Introduces Three DLP Projectors ViewSonic introduced the PJ255D, PJ520 and PJ1165 DLP projectors. The XGA PJ255D ($1,999) is 2.1 pounds, specified at 1100 ANSI lumens and 2000:1 contrast ratio. The SVGA PJ520 weighs 5.9-pounds and is specified at 2,000 ANSI lumens. The installation-class XGA PJ1165 ($4,299) is specified at 3,500 lumens with 800:1 contrast ratio. For more information, go to http://www.viewsonic.com/companyinfo/pressrelease_detail.cfm?key_press_release=375
19. PLUS Vision Announces 1800-Lumen Three-Pound Projector PLUS Vision announced a 3.3-pound projector specified at 1800 ANSI lumens, XGA resolution using DLP technology. The U4-232 has digital zoom, digital keystone correction, and a presentation timer for setting times of 10 to 60 minutes in 10-minute increments. The PLUS Vision U4-232 supports 480p, 780p and 1080i High Definition. Inputs include DVI, RGB, component and composite. For more information, go to http://www.plus-america.com/pr_jun_9_04.html
20. Canopus Ships Network Video System Canopus is shipping MediaEdge2, a network-based video distribution system supporting MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 and using standard TCP/IP networks. The company targets point-of-sale, educational, corporate and other video retrieval and display applications. The MediaEdge-STB2 set-top box operates as an MPEG decoding unit. Connecting to a standard Ethernet network and providing both S-Video and composite RCA outputs, MediaEdge-STB2 units include a remote control for navigating dynamically updated, Web-styled content menus generated by the MediaEdge server. The remote control also provides volume, pause, search back and search forward functions. MediaEdge-STB2 units can also be controlled remotely from the server. The new MVRD4000 board supports real-time encoding and decoding of MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 video. When MVRD4000 is combined with MediaEdge2, live external video sources, such as VCRs, DVD players and satellite feeds, can be encoded in MPEG-4 and rebroadcast across a MediaEdge2 network in real time. For more information, go to http://www.canopus.us/US/products/MediaEdge2/pm_MediaEdge2.asp
21. ViewCast Looks to Simplify User Control With Interactive Video Network ViewCast introduced the ViewCast IVN Interactive Video Network, which hopes to unite varying video interfaces into a single control environment. It's probably best explained by a statement by ViewCast President George Platt: "Without getting up from my desk, I can view the latest news on the broadcast financial channels, check to see if a visitor has arrived in the lobby, instantly create one-to-one video conferences, add in additional users on-the-fly, and even stream or multicast live discussions to any number of participants anywhere in the world." ViewCast IVN integrates technologies that source, switch, distribute, and manage live and stored video assets in applications including videoconferencing, on-site video distribution, distance learning, video resource sharing, and personal video communication for education, finance, government and business institutions. For example, ViewCast IVN can provide a complete video solution for K-12 educational facilities "whereby educators can schedule and deliver stored educational video playback, schedule and deliver remote teaching sessions from any classroom, bring in outside subject matter experts, stream content to homebound students, monitor hallway security video, and connect to live broadcast channels, instantly, right from the classroom. ViewCast IVN network nodes can be networked together via video "trunks." The two-way transport can range from low-bandwidth H.323, H.320, H.264, or MPEG riding on a corporate LAN or WAN to full-motion, uncompressed video over dedicated or shared fiber networks. The company says that virtually any available video delivery method can be used in any combination, with ViewCast IVN software managing the video transport resources automatically. ViewCast IVN offers seamless integration with other control mechanisms such as AMX and Crestron and the ViewCast IVN networks are directly controlled by users via touch panels, Web pages, and PC clients. For more information, go to http://www.viewcast.com/news/current/press040609.htm
Well, that's it for this edition of rAVe! Thank you for spending time with me as we muse the industry's happenings. To continue getting my newsletter, or to sign up a friend, click the link below. To send me feedback and news tips, don't reply to this newsletter – instead, write to me at gkayye@kayye.com Click here to forward Gary Kayye's rAVe to a friend Click here to subscribe A little about me: Gary Kayye, CTS, founder of Kayye Consulting. Gary Kayye, an audiovisual veteran and columnist, began the widely-read KNews, a premier industry newsletter, in the late 1990s, and created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue – which later became InfoComm IQ. Kayye Consulting is a company that is committed to furthering the interests and success of dealers, manufacturers, and other companies within the professional audiovisual industry. Gary Kayye's rAVe was launched in February 2003. The new rAVe Home Edition co-sponsored by CEDIA launches in February, 2004. To read more about my background, our staff, and what we do, go to http://www.kayye.com Back to top
Copyright 2004 – Kayye Consulting – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact Kayye Consulting, 400 Meadowmont Village Circle, Suite 425 – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – 919/969-7501. Email dharrison@kayye.com Gary Kayye's rAVe contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |