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Feature Article Destroying the Myths of Fiber There are several myths about fiber technology that presently circulate within the A/V community. While some of them may have been true in the past, the state-of-the-art of fiber technology has changed so dramatically in recent years that they are no longer true. It is a common belief that fiber is an expensive technology to install and maintain. In fact, the average cost of a single core of fiber cable is less expensive than a single CAT-5 or coaxial cable. And, this one simple fiber cable can carry more information than multiple CAT-5 and coax cables and do it bi-directionally. The diameter of a typical fiber cable is less than 3 mm with a bend radius of 25 mm. It can be installed in many places where CAT-5 and coax cannot be installed due to their physical limitations or electrical properties. This saves significantly on installation material and labor costs compared to copper cables. In the past, terminating or splicing a fiber cable in the field was a difficult and time-consuming task. But today, very simple and easy to use field termination kits and connector systems from companies such as Corning have made the task quick and reliable. Anyone with the skills to terminate a BNC connector onto coaxial cable can easily terminate an ST connector onto fiber. Average termination time is less than 3 minutes per connector. No epoxy or polishing of the connector end is needed and the cable is ready to use the instant it is terminated. Simple and inexpensive splice sleeves are also available to create reliable field splices of two cables without adding connectors. There is a common belief that fiber cable must be installed in some special way and that it has to be isolated or kept away from other copper cabling in the installation. The fact is, fiber can be installed directly next AC power lines. It can co-reside with audio, video and data cable in the same conduit or cable tray. And, with the low weight, small bend radius and outer diameter of fiber, the installer has many more options for installing fiber than copper. Fiber cable is not nearly as fragile as you might think. Its construction includes a rugged jacket and Kevlar fibers to isolate the glass fiber from any pulling stress and from being crushed. Add to these characteristics the fact that fiber systems do not create ground loops, are not subject to interference from RF signals and will not corrode and you can understand the many installation benefits of fiber compared to copper.
The system designer or integrator needs to think of fiber as a solution to the A/V application at hand from the start of the project. Too often only copper technology is considered and it is only after much design work has been done, or the installation is started, that it is realized that fiber would have been the better technology to use. Sometimes it is because inexpensive copper solutions do not perform as advertised and it is discovered too late in the installation stage of the project. Other times, it is because unanticipated installation problems arise, such as ground loops and RF interference, which could have been avoided if fiber were used instead of copper. From a cost point of view, it has always been thought that fiber installations would be more expensive than copper installations and so fiber was only used when copper transmission of A/V signals would not support the longer distances. Fiber was never considered for the more routine cable lengths that could be supported by copper. The result was that fiber was only thought of as a distance technology and not a performance or economic technology. Today, however, fiber can be considered all of these. Clearly, the transmission of one or two signals 100 meters is probably best done by copper. But, what if multiple signals and of different types are to be transmitted that same 100 meters? Perhaps the low cost of fiber cable and its ability to transmit a variety of A/V signal types will be the better technology to use.
Consider the application where XGA video and stereo audio from a video server needs to be distributed to multiple plasma displays within a shopping mall or airport. The diagram illustrates how easily this can be done with just one fiber to each plasma display panel. A simple fiber optic transmitter supporting XGA can convert this high-resolution image, together with stereo audio, into a digital fiber signal for transmission over only one fiber. An active optical distribution amplifier can also be used to eliminate the need to run individual fibers from the transmission location to each plasma display. This saves on installation costs and eliminates the need for multiple fiber transmitters.
As the chart illustrates, fiber should no longer be thought of as a solution to solving long distance transmission problems. It should now be thought of as a solution from the very beginning of system design for more intricate and complex systems even if the transmission distances are relatively short. Today, digital fiber can deliver the signal quality and fidelity demanded by today's A/V customers and with economic savings. This powerful combination of high performance and low overall system cost will be increasingly difficult for any copper technology to beat as A/V systems become more complex and higher performance. Founded in 1983, Communications Specialties, Inc. is recognized worldwide for its development of innovative products in the areas of fiber optic transmission and computer-video technology. Among its many products are the Fiberlink line of point-to-point fiber optic transmission systems for video, audio and data and the award-winning Scan Do® line of scan converters and Deuce video scalers. The company is headquartered on Long Island, NY and has a fully-owned subsidiary, Communications Specialties Pte Ltd in Singapore.
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News: Have a news tip? Send them to rAVe Editor-in-Chief Denise Harrison — dharrison@kayye.com
Projection Panasonic Ships SXGA 3-Chip DLP Projector
Also in this projector is a new Panasonic technology called Dynamic Iris, which constantly monitors the amount of light output and adjusts the intensity of the light source to match it. Dynamic Iris integrates with Dynamic Gamma correction to increase highlights for blacker blacks while retaining brightness, according to the company. The PT-D7700U has Panasonic's BriteOptic dual-lamp system that equals the power and reliability of two high-intensity 300W UHM lamps through a high-precision prism, says Panasonic, and the lamp auto-changer alternates lamp operation for 24/7 use without interruption. The company says this projector's edge blending increases the horizontal resolution while keeping the vertical for up to 100 (10 x 10) projectors at a time. The projector weighs 48.5 pounds and measures 20-7/8" W x 7-7/8" H x 22-13/32 D. The PT-D7700U has MSRP of $35,000. For more information, click here.
InFocus Ups Lamp Life for Sub-$1,000 Projectors
Replacement lamps cost $299, according to the company. For more information on these projectors, go to http://www.infocus.com/products/index.asp?site_lang=1&site_region=1&view=category2 NEC Solutions Gets Exclusive on NEC DLP Cinema Models
The new deal comes not long after NEC Solutions' announcement of its new multiplex-wide digital cinema system, STARUS, including the STAR*Beam iS8 and STAR*Beam iS15 digital cinema projectors. For more information, go to http://www.necsam.com/press/read.cfm?Press_ID=77d13d16-da74-4726-bebf-2e9bbfa05a25
The Model MW-71PY10 is specified at 1920 x 1080p resolution and uses LG's XD Engine. The XD Engine is LG's image processing and optimization technology, which is also used in the company's new 42- and 50-inch PY10 plasmas, and all of its LCD DLP HDTVs. For more information on LG Electronics Lodging division, go to http://www.lgcommercial.com/LG_channel_lodging/LG_lodging.html For more on the company's plasma line, go to http://www.lgcommercial.com/LG_channel_b2b/LG_b2b_plasma.html
Hitachi, Toshiba and Matsushita Collaborate on New Display Technology
According to the report, IPS is a type of TFT-LCD in which the crystal molecules rotate. The new company, IPS Alpha Technology, will begin operations in 2005. For more information, go to http://www.avinteractive.co.uk/News.View.aspx?ContentID=1421
Integrator Solutions
Altinex included a number of upgrades in its v1.4 version of AVSnap design software. Altinex added password protection, an updated design mode, easier switching between library and design modes and PowerPoint-style presentation. For more on AVSnap, go to http://www.avsnap.com/index.htm TEi Offers Stand-Alone Content Creation and Management for AxisTV
Other upgrades include a new text attribute, content management tools, single-click installation of theme packs for backgrounds and new event management capabilities. All new orders are shipping with version 5.4.1. Upgrade pricing is available to current AxisTV users but the upgrade is available at no cost to SMA and warranted users. For more information, go to http://www.techelec.com/news/press/111704_axis541.htm Draper Announces StageHand for One-Person Screen Setup
StageHand is available in two sizes – to fit 1-inch folding screen frames or 1.5-inches. StageHand telescopes from 65" to 120" in length, and is meant for use with screen sizes through 7'6" x 10'. For more information, go to http://www.draperinc.com/Screen_Pages/StageHand.htm
Industry News
ICIA Academy launched OnDemand, rich-media presentations about the business and technology of AV available anytime, anywhere from a Web browser. For the launch, ICIA is offering one OnDemand course at no charge. Sponsored by rich media capture and stream company Sonic Foundry, InfoComm Academy OnDemand captures curriculum materials normally presented during onsite seminars, and offers those presentations via the Web. This way, high-quality training becomes available to a greater number of students. Students earn credit toward their ICIA certification (CTS) renewal.
OnDemand presentations are open to anyone for a $40 fee; $25 for ICIA members. To register for any of the OnDemand courses, call an ICIA training counselor at 703.273.7200 or 800.659.7469 or e-mail sales@infocomm.org For more information, go to http://www.infocomm.org/index.cfm?objectID=F992B25E-24A0-424A-B7D4D9D09637F8D1 Control
AMX announced a control system for multi-dwelling units, the AMX Amenities Solution, offering communication between residents and hospitality services. With the AMX Amenities Solution, developers provide residents the ability to select, request and schedule services from a menu available on AMX Touch Panels in their homes. These include services such as concierge, activity scheduling, maintenance requests, and business and local information access. An AMX amenities server is housed on the property and manages workflow and data, including scheduling the tasks for the staff. The AMX Amenities Solution is a subscription-based service and fees will typically be paid to the association. For more information, go to http://www.amx.com/nr-press-releases.asp?release=2004-11-15 Audio New Wireless Audio Presentation System From Audix
The Audix RAD-360 is a UHF Wireless microphone system with 193 selectable frequencies and a dual tuner, true diversity receiver and operating in the UHF band between 638- 806 MHz. The RAD-360 has menu driven displays on all components of the system. Both the receiver and the transmitter are synthesizer controlled via Phase Locked Loop (PLL) for stable Radio Frequency (RF) signals. The hand-held microphones have a convenient gain setting control that will enable a -10, -20, and -30 dB pad to help prevent overload or distortion. The RAD-360 bodypack transmitter can be used with with lavalier, headset, and specialty instrument microphones. The true diversity receiver (RAD-360R) is rack-mountable for either 1 or 2 systems into a standard 19 inch equipment rack. An Optional Amplified Antenna Distribution System (ADS-4) is available, allowing up to 4 systems to be run off a single pair of antennas, and 4 systems to run off of one DC power supply. An optional antenna booster (AB-1), which can be wall-mounted or mic stand mounted, is available to strengthen incoming signals, improve signal to noise ratio, and increase the RF range. RAD-360 wireless systems are available in different prepackaged configurations beginning at $799. Individual components are also available. For more information, go to http://www.audixusa.com/home.html
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Feature Article Display Technology Shoot-Out Part IIIb Special Display Technology Issues
Display Aging Phosphors are the source of light in CRT, LCD and Plasma displays. The primary issue for these displays is phosphor aging. While you may hear talk about phosphor burn, the phosphors used in modern displays generally don't burn (which is actual heat damage to the phosphor that can be seen as a discoloration when the display is turned off). All phosphors lose brightness based on cumulative use, which results from coulomb aging (due to an electron beam current) or solarization (due to ultraviolet radiation). The greater the electron current or ultraviolet radiation the faster the aging progresses. The aging specification is generally in hours of use up to when the intensity falls to 50 percent of its original value, which is referred to as the Lifetime. The backlight in LCDs is made up of a varying number of fluorescent lamps that have a phosphor coating. Most LCD displays have a Brightness Control that varies the brightness of the lamps, which affects the rate of aging and therefore the time to 50 percent luminance. You'll see a wide range of lifetime ratings for LCDs, typically from 25,000 to 60,000 hours. That should be 8 to 20 years of use at 8 hours per day before the brightness falls by 50 percent. The unknown factor is whether that spec is for the maximum backlight intensity or some lower value, in which case the display will age faster than you think. Be sure to find that out. (The longer lifetimes are generally for the lower brightness settings.) For LCDs the lamps should all age uniformly and, in principle, they can be replaced when they get too dim. Unless it's a really expensive display you probably won't find that worthwhile. For CRT and Plasma displays aging is more complicated because the phosphor aging can be non-uniform over the screen. The biggest issue for home theater users is caused by Letterboxing (watching wide content on a narrower display) with reduced aging at the top and bottom of the screen or Pillarboxing (watching narrow content on a wider screen) with reduced aging on the left and right sides of the screen. Some displays and signal sources introduce gray bars to help balance this form of uneven aging, but this method can be quite distracting, and it may be unnecessary. If you start to detect uneven aging many Plasma displays have user utilities that can help reduce it by running negative images as part of a maintenance function. To test for uneven aging put up uniform full-screen test patterns in white, red, green and blue at 75 percent signal intensity and look for any unevenness. Another form of aging is due to repetitive content like video games or station logos. This is the origin of the term image "burn-in" where (negative) ghost images of the repetitive content appear superimposed upon whatever is on the screen. Many Plasma displays deal with this potential problem by introducing a very slow orbiting motion to the image on the screen. Negative images can also be used to rebalance the aging if it becomes a problem. Another issue is that the red, green and blue phosphors can age at different rates based on their physical properties and your viewing habits. (If you watch a lot of golf the green phosphor will age faster.) In very critical calibrated imaging applications this actually requires the regular replacement of displays, but for most people all of the uneven aging tends to average out over time and it isn't particularly noticeable. We have been describing all of the variations on CRT and Plasma aging; now it's time to get a handle on the time scales for aging to 50 percent luminance. For CRTs it can vary quite a bit but 20,000 hours is a typical value (this includes the aging of the cathode, which is the "C" in CRT). That's almost 7 years at 8 hours per day. For the current generation of Plasma displays the value is typically 60,000 hours, which is about 20 years at 8 hours per day. However, there is a subtle factor in these lifetimes just as with LCDs: it's the Average Picture Level APL used for those published specifications. For computer CRTs it's generally a 100 percent APL, but for Plasma displays in video applications it's 15 to 25 percent APL, which is the average for video. So if you're watching typical video then it will take 20 years to reach 50 percent luminance (but for higher APL content it will be proportionally less). While you're not likely to hold onto a display for nearly that long it's a tremendous safety net for all of the potential uneven aging that we discussed above, making it much less likely that it will be a factor during the time you own the display. Projectors are the easiest aging category. They have a replaceable bulb with a specified number of hours to 50 percent luminance (which may be different from the replacement time). Some projectors have a high and low lamp setting, which will result in two specified lifetimes. There are many other subtle factors in display and projector aging but they are generally of concern only in commercial signage applications. Ambient Light Virtually all direct-view and rear projection displays include one or more layers of screen treatments that are designed to reduce reflections and glare. The most common method is to add a light absorbing layer on the screen that transmits, for example, only 50 percent of the light. While this cuts the display's luminance by a factor of two, it cuts down the ambient light reflections by a factor of four because they have to travel through the absorbing layer twice if they are reflected back towards the viewer. On the other hand light originating within the display travels through the layer only once. As a result the Dynamic Range (full field contrast) improves by a factor of two if the ambient light reflections are greater than the display's own black-level (which is often the case). If the room is pitch black then there is no ambient light; in that case the Dynamic Range does not change because both the peak brightness and the display's own black-level are reduced by the same factor. Still, in our example, the hard earned peak brightness is always reduced by a factor 2, which might seem to be an incredible waste. But the payoff in both cases is a lower black-level, which is even more precious than peak brightness. (Note that if the peak brightness is too high for normal use and you reduce it using the Contrast Control, the black-level generally remains unchanged, so the Dynamic Range (full field contrast) decreases from the manufacturer's published specifications. So it's generally better to find a display with an appropriate peak brightness, particularly if it's obtained with an appropriate absorbing layer.) Another common screen treatment is the addition of a matte surface finish to the front of the screen (for example, by etching a glass screen). This cuts down on specular (mirror-like) reflections from the normally polished screen surfaces. It also causes a small loss of image sharpness due to the additional light scatter. A much more effective and expensive (and less common) approach is to use a multi-layer optical coating like those on high quality camera lenses. Screen treatments are almost always separate from the display device so they will vary significantly from model to model. That's why manufacturers should be bragging about their special anti-reflection and anti-glare treatments and contrast enhancement factors. There are some inherent differences between display technologies: the phosphors used in CRT and Plasma displays are highly reflective so they need to have a good absorbing layer. (CRTs almost always have the absorbing glass built into the faceplate.) LCDs have an advantage because their polarizers and color filters automatically reduce ambient light reflections, however many LCDs still supplement this with an additional 50 percent light absorbing layer in order to further improve ambient light contrast. For rear projection the treatments are part of a complex and expensive multi-layer screen. The cost of a rear projection screen can vary from $50 to $1000 so expect to see major differences in performance based on how much the manufacturer decided to spend on the screen. (For front projection all of the ambient light treatments are part of a separate projection screen.) A good way to qualitatively compare different displays and display technologies for ambient light effects is to shine a bright flashlight at the screen from a few feet away when the display or projector is turned off. The darker it looks on the screen the better. There is a side effect to the contrast enhancing absorbing layer: it reduces the range of viewing angles for the display because light going through the absorbing layer at an angle travels through a greater thickness of material than when going in the normal face-on direction, so it experiences greater absorption. As a result the brightness (luminance) decreases with viewing angle. We consider this topic next. Viewing Angles A perfectly diffusing screen (called a Lambertian source) will disperse light so that the luminance doesn't vary with viewing angle. This is considered the theoretically ideal distribution and direct-view CRT and Plasma displays come very close to producing it. As discussed above, the contrast enhancing absorption layer increases the attenuation as the viewing angle increases, so CRT and Plasma displays will show some luminance variation with angle, but they still produce the widest light distribution that you're likely to see in a display. The viewing angle that's quoted for Plasma display specifications is the angle where the luminance drops to 33 percent of the face-on value. One problem with a Lambertian light distribution is that a lot of light is wasted in directions where no one is likely to see it, like the ceiling, for example. So almost all front and rear projection screens intentionally concentrate the light in the directions where there is likely to be an audience. By redistributing the light the image appears brighter than it would with a uniform distribution. This increase is called the gain of the screen and the higher the gain the narrower the light distribution. For screens the viewing angle is defined as the angle where the gain or luminance drop to 50 percent of peak, and it's often different for the vertical and horizontal directions. Note that this definition is different than for Plasmas, so the viewing angles for each cannot be compared. LCDs generally produce the narrowest viewing angles of all the display technologies and much of their R&D is directed towards improving this along with their response time. Many of the major manufacturers have their own proprietary technology for increasing the viewing angles so you'll see acronyms like IPS (In Plane Switching, Hitachi and NEC), MVA (Multi-Domain Vertical Alignment, Fujitsu), PVA (Patterned Vertical Alignment, Samsung), and ASV (Advanced Super View, Sharp) for many panels. The problem is that it's very hard to compare the true viewing angles for these technologies because for LCDs the viewing angle is currently defined as the angle where the full-on and full-off contrast (Dynamic Range) decreases to a value of 10 (yes, ten, it's not a typo), which is an incredibly low value that may be meaningful for LCD watches but not for imaging displays. As a result, for computer and video LCDs you'll generally see viewing angle specs in the narrow range of 170 to 178 degrees, which isn't particularly helpful. The best thing to do under these circumstances is to do a visual check yourself. Put up a high quality still photographic image that has a wide range of intensities and colors, then shift your viewing position and decide whether it's an acceptable variation in image quality for you. Hopefully the entire display industry will come up with a uniform and useful definition of viewing angle in the near future. One definition is the angle where the luminance or contrast decrease to 50 percent of maximum. Another is the percent of maximum luminance or contrast at 45 degrees. Either one or both would be very useful. Direct-View versus Rear Projection Let's compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of each: the major marketing advantage for direct-view LCD and Plasma displays is that they are very thin, typically 3 to 5 inches deep, so they have a much greater set of placement options and can be hung on a wall or conveniently put on top of a piece of furniture. On the other hand, rear projection units are typically 13 to 25 inches deep and so it's much harder to find an appropriate location for them. The extra depth is required by the optical system in order to project the image from inside the unit. In a recent major development InFocus has developed a proprietary rear projection "Light Engine" that produces a 61 inch screen size in a cabinet that is only 6.5 inches deep, so its placement options are similar to LCD and Plasma. It's likely to be a major factor in the balance of power between the display technologies. In terms of image quality direct-view is generally sharper because the pixels are generated right at the screen, while the optics and screen reduce sharpness in projection units. On the other hand, direct-view displays show much greater pixelation because the red, green and blue elements are tiled side-by-side on the screen. So, for example, when only a single primary color is on, the fill factor can't be any higher than 33 percent because the other two primary colors are black. This means that the Screen Door Effect is much greater for direct-view than front or rear projection. This doesn't apply to direct-view CRTs because the phosphor elements are generally much smaller than the pixel size. In a similar fashion, as the screen resolution increases the visibility of the Screen Door Effect decreases because the eye is unable to resolve the pixel structure at normal viewing distances.
Kayye Consulting offers a resume posting service for readers. While we include the location of the candidate, please remember that many candidates are willing to relocate. Here is a sample of the job-seekers located in the current Kayye Consulting's AVJobs listings. See them all at http://www.kayye.com/resources/av_jobs.asp Employers: To view all resume listings, go to http://www.kayye.com/resources/av_jobs.asp Employees: If you are a candidate interested in this resume service, write to: jobs@kayye.com
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 [forward-Click here to forward Gary Kayye's rAVe to a friend] [subscribe-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 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.
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InFocus now offers a 4,000-hour lamp for the company's sub-$1,000 projectors. The lamps are offered for the InFocus X2 and InFocus X1a projectors.
This just in from the nepotism department — NEC Solutions nabbed exclusive North American distribution rights for NEC ViewTechnologies' 3-chip DLP Cinema projectors – rights previously held by Digital Projection, Inc. According to the announcement, a worldwide agreement among NECVT, NECSAM and DPI means DPI will now focus on marketing a full range of non-cinema 3-chip and single-chip DLP projection systems to all non-cinema industries.
LG Electronics announced a 71-inch plasma monitor for in-room entertainment in hotels. The new TV, yet to be priced, was shown at the 2004 International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show.
AV Interactive reports that Hitachi, Toshiba and Matsushita are working together on a new flat screen TV technology called IPS.
Altinex Upgrades AVSnap
TEi announced that the company now offers its AxisTV as either a bundled solution with the server hardware or just the content management and creation software. The new version 5.4.1 can be purchased as a software application and loaded on any number of compatible server platforms, so the specifier can choose any compatible server. The bundled solution remains available for those who prefer the turnkey product.
Draper has a new one-person folding screen tool, the StageHand, which allows an installer to assemble the screen face up on the floor, then to pull it up into place. StageHand holds the screen into place while you position and lock the screen legs.
New OnDemand Web-Based ICIA Trainings — Get One Free
AMX Develops Specialized Control System for Luxury Condos, Planned Communities 
Audix introduced the RAD-360 wireless audio system with handheld or bodypack UHF wireless microphones, receiver and transmitter. The company says the system is suited to houses of worship, corporate meetings and events, live performances as well as fixed installation applications.