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Volume 10, Issue 11 — June 20, 2013
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Apple’s TV: Is Licensing the Solution?
By Paul Gray DisplaySearch
Could ‘iWatch’ be the trade name for Apple’s TV and not a watch at all? In the latest piece of the jigsaw puzzle to be turned over, Tim Cook recently hinted that Apple may open its ecosystem; might this pave the way for a TV product?
While Apple connoisseurs might crave an Apple TV set (and afterwards an Apple car, house, etc.), the business case is far from clear. Obstacles include the high retail price, low margins and logistic complexity of high-end TV sets compared to the small high-value boxes at which Apple excels.
It is often forgotten that Apple made a brief foray into audio equipment with the iPod HiFi, something which it quietly discontinued in 2007. The company correctly discerned that the differentiation lay in the iPod, not the speakers – and a fertile market for audio systems in time strengthened the value of iPhones’ audio capabilities. In short, Apple gained more from encouraging a diverse world of audio systems than going it alone.
So maybe we are reaching that point again – how about an iOS-compatible TV? It would give an instant boost to set makers struggling to find relevance and uniqueness in their smart TV platforms. Apple could take a licensing fee – a no-risk strategy which would also strengthen iTunes’ hand in future content access negotiations based simply on its installed base. Apple could closely guard and specify the user experience (which it does best) while select TV brands focused on the manufacturing and logistics, at which they still excel. The only companies left out of this would be Samsung, who remains focused on beating Apple at their own game, and Google, whose TV hardware ambitions still seem stuck in neutral.
Apple’s corporate DNA has been extreme independence: Its first instinct is to exclude rather than cooperate with partners. But the lock that the iPod connector exerted is weakening rapidly, as wireless streaming replaces physical links. Miracast and Bluetooth audio mean that hardware accessory makers no longer have to choose between Apple and Android compatibility. Apple is also deeply wedded to hardware – iTunes and the App store are well-executed way to boost hardware sales, not independent businesses.
Apple’s problem is how to keep its platform big, while avoiding competing with itself. Apple has used its combination of hardware, content and services to drive the business and become the default choice for developers, but its platform strategy has to change if it is to continue to drive iOS device sales. With the smartphone market moving toward entry-level price points, the matter of its platform staying attractive to developers becomes important. TV is the obvious choice, as opposed to smartphones, where a low-cost iPhone might prove all too attractive to many existing customers.
This column is reprinted with permission from DisplaySearch and originally appeared here.
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Is 3D TV Dying in The U.S.?
By Paul Gagnon DisplaySearch
3D TV is back in the news, but not in a good way. This morning, an ESPN PR spokesperson announced in a tweet that they were discontinuing 3D to focus on other things, like UHD. This move had been rumored for some time in the tech press, stemming from a 2011 decision by AT&T U-Verse to stop carrying 3D channels and a significant lack of 3D news coming from ESPN recently as it announced its fall college football coverage.
But really… is anyone surprised?
Over the last year, as demonstrated in DisplaySearch TV shipment data, 3D has shown no real growth in the North America market. Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, 3D has continued to grow, although that growth has recently tailed off a bit.
Figure 1 – 3D Share of TV Shipments (DisplaySearch)
The reason for the poor adoption in what many considered to be the best market for 3D? I believe there are a multiple reasons for the low interest:
3D, as a feature, one that is often offered with other features, still carries a hefty premium and U.S. consumers have been very unwilling in recent years to spend more for features when they can get a large size instead. The average 3D premium for a 55” TV in North America was more than 40 percent in Q1’13, almost exactly the same as it was in Q1’11. US consumers seem to be far more price sensitive than other regions.
Burden of 3D glasses. Consumers have cited the expense and inconvenience of having to use 3D glasses, of any type, in order to view 3D programs. Given a choice, most consumers would prefer glasses-free 3D TVs, but the technology is a long way from being consumer friendly.
Demonstrations at retail are often not functioning properly.
Consumers in the U.S. have been exposed to 3D at home many times in the past (anyone remember red/green anaglyphic glasses that used to come in cereal boxes?) and the experience has been poorly received. This time around, there is a fair bit of skepticism. In other parts of the world, 3D at home is a fairly new experience and the level of wonder and optimism for content is probably sustaining demand.
Finally, content has been very limited, even 3 years after the launch. Few live programs are available in 3D and most of what is available (exclusive of 3D Blu-Ray releases) is from a limited range of material that is re-run often.
It’s understandable that content creators are hesitant to continue investing in costly new technologies if the viewer base is not growing at an attractive rate. However, this move by ESPN might signal that the momentum has shifted away from 3D in the U.S. and TV manufacturers and retailers would be wise to take note.
This article was reprinted with permission from DisplaySearch and originally appeared here.
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Headphones and Home Audio: Part 1
By Lee Distad rAVe Columnist
It’s neither new, nor surprising that the face of AV retail has changed dramatically and continues to do so. However, what is surprising is the directions in which those changes can take us.
The other weekend I was supporting one of my retailers at their annual sales event, representing a couple of my brands. While there, chatting with another rep from a large, well known AV distributor he commented that headphone sales now make up more of their sales dollars than home AV equipment.
That factoid was reaffirmed in a subsequent conversation with Jason Zidle, director of marketing and product development for Erikson Consumer Canada. “Beyond what you’d expect from single unit sales,” he explained, “of course you’re going to sell more units of headphones than home theater AVRs. But total majority of dollars are also coming from headphones at all price points.”
That’s a shift in demand that some specialty retailers have already moved to capitalize on. In the past year, one of my retailers set itself up with a boutique headphone department, including demo stations and custom designed displays. To date, they’ve enjoyed some success with it, although they’ve learned some expensive lessons along the way.
Headphones as a category of audio are kind of an odd duck, in that they are both a luxury and a commodity product at the same time. Price points for ear bud type headphones start at $9.99 and run up to $150 or more, with over-the-ear types starting similarly around $19.99 and heading into the stratosphere: $300, $400, even $1,000 or more for a pair of cans.
The challenge then for AV dealers is to decide which end of the business they’re going to commit to, and that’s not an easy choice. “The challenge we’ve had as a distributor,” said Zidle, “is convincing high-end dealers that they need to stock at least some inexpensive headphones alongside their flagship products.”
The rationale for that strategy is to target Aspirational Shoppers: Getting a new customer to make a relatively inexpensive purchase at your upscale specialty store, and looking to retain their business when they want to upgrade.
The downside is that the low-end of the headphone business is clogged with me-too price point brands that are difficult to differentiate, and are ubiquitous at retailers across the land, from big boxes like Best Buy to off-beat places like drug store chains. After all, if everybody is selling cheap headphones, then no one retailer is selling all that many of them.
That’s a lesson that my aforementioned retailer has learned. Somewhat to their surprise they’ve found that their sweet spot for sales has been in the $200-$350 range. The reason for that is that they’ve been a high-end choice in their other business, 12v car audio sales, for the past fifty years, and their customers already know to come to them for a better grade of equipment. In their case, the “Aspirational” $20-$150 price band hasn’t performed well, and they’re clearing out their cheap inventory to better focus on what’s working for them.
In the next installment, I’ll continue more in depth with the ins and outs of the category, and how to decide if it’s something your company should pursue.
Lee Distad is a rAVe columnist and freelance writer covering topics from CE to global business and finance in both print and online. Reach him at lee@ravepubs.com
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InfoComm 2013 HDMI Extender Shoot Out Results
By Mark Coxon rAVe Blogger
Anyone who followed my last couple posts about my scAVenger hunt on the floor may be curious to know how things turned out. Well we invited quite a few folks to come and try out their Cat5 based extenders on the show floor.
Who we invited and what they said:
Atlona — Wanted to come, but were afraid the floor units may be prototypes so they decided no too.
Kramer — Wanted to come, but all their extenders were tied down, and they weren’t sure they had power supplies, didn’t come.
Crestron — They said they would come out, but didn’t show up.
AMX — Weren’t interested, it seemed.
Hall Research — AJ said they may come but didn’t know if they had power supplies, didn’t see them.
Altinex — Wanted to come, but only had their Muse Cat6 extenders on the floor that distribute video and enough power for a display.
Key Digital — Didn’t have a product they wanted to test, were showing their extenders on their own cable.
FSR — Wanted to come, but don’t have an extender that they market as 300 feet over Cat5e, instead they have a 325 foot HDMI ribbon cable that terminates directly on the fiber (no need for boxes or power supplies).
SVSI — I asked but they didn’t think they had power supplies either.
Monoprice — all in, no hesitation, said yes.
Wyrestorm — Martha’s answer was “Bad Ass! Let’s do it” (She is way cool, I remember her from her Monster Cable days).
Just Add Power — Heard about it on Twitter and jumped right in, said yes.
Who showed up?
Originally two showed up, Monoprice and Wyrestorm. Part way through the test, prompted by some much appreciated Twitter activity on the part of Women in AV’s Jennifer Willard, Just Add Power threw their hat in the ring as well.
Here was the setup.
My laptop was connected via HDMI to the transmitter side of the video extender, which was connected to my “triple t” (tagged, toned and terminated) 299 feet of Cat5e. It was run around the large “U” above the main entry on the third floor. On the other end was a 29″ NEC monitor, connected via HDMI to the receiver side of the extender, which was plugged into the other end of the Cat5e cable.
Here is what happened:
Nothing. At least initially.
Monoprice went first. We connected their HDBaseT extenders, the link light came on, the laptop responded as if it were about to send a signal, and then nothing. The screen was blank and the HDCP light just blinked in a mocking manner at us all. We tried connecting, reconnecting, power cycles, and even retested both HDMI cables by direct connection from the laptop to the display.
Wyrestorm came next. We added Wyrestorm’s HDBaseT extenders (with PoE to power the receiver side which ROCKS) and again nothing. The display again cycled, changed resolution, indicating EDID was being received, and the screen stayed black. It would then release, and reconnect, again with no video to be seen.
So now, at this point, we are at that point every integrator on the floor has experienced. The cables all test positive. The source and monitor work fine in a direct connection. The connectors are seated properly, and everything has power, but the video just doesn’t make it through.
Head scratching ensued. Wyrestorm went back to the booth to get the non PoE version. Monoprice left to get their active wall plate form factor. I retested all the cables, again.
Upon return Wyrestorm hooked up their non-PoE HDBaseT version. Same result. Monoprice hooked up their alternative form factor HDBaseT wall plates, same result. And then! Something happened! Monoprice changed out the RedMere High Performance HDMI cables with a version that cost — get this — 93 cents!
Guess what happened? BOOOMMM! We had video. We then redid the test with all of the extenders that previously failed, and they all worked. Wyrestorm even had us crank up the resolution to push 2560×1080 at 60 Hz and their unit worked flawlessly at that resolution at 300 feet.
Jon Ogden, fueled by a Twitter taunt, ran over excitedly with his Just Add Power HD over IP unit, the only non-HDBaseT contender, and that product worked on the first try with the new corrected setup.
So congratulations all who participated as they passed.
What do I make of all this?
1) Wyrestorm, MonoPrice, and Just Add Power make units that they were confident could push signal over typical Cat5e at 300 feet, and it was proven that they could.
2) Wyrestorm and Monoprice have some great critical thinking, technical staff that can troubleshoot issues. They both have tech support to give integrators access to extra gray matter when an issue arises. They were also adamant about finding the issues and proving the signal would pass.
3) Windy City Wire makes Cat5e that pulls easy, is marked for easy measurement, AND, most importantly, will pass at least 2560×1080 video at 300 feet. This really shows that proprietary, specially-designed wire isn’t necessary, at least with the three we tested.
4) HDBaseT and HD over IP extenders mitigate the distance issues of the old guard.
5) HDMI still sucks. There is no other way to say it. The high end cables didn’t help, and in fact hurt, the transmission. The revolving door of HDMI versions and unenforced set of ‘pick and chose’ standards is a nightmare that means every job will have the possibility of looking exactly like this test. Our RedMere issue in this test illustrated this perfectly.
One More Note: If this was an integrator on a jobsite, he most likely would NOT have had extra extenders and multiple HDMI cable types on hand. He would have had to return to home base to get parts. He may even need to order them, meaning the job is delayed for days at best. We spent an hour troubleshooting this one drop, before we figured out what was happening.
If we assume 50 percent of jobs have HDMI extenders, and then 50 percent of those don’t go off smoothly, we can estimate that HDMI extender issues cost the Top 50 integrators nearly $1.7 million dollars in unbillable labor.
If you want to mitigate these issues completely, then switch to fiber extenders. If there is no budget for fiber, make sure you bench test before you install, as you never know what you may find.
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Sony, NEC, Panasonic and Samsung Show Strength in Flat Panels According to Latest TFCinfo Report
TFCinfo has announced the completion of its annual Flat Panel Brand Customer Perception and Preference Study 2013. This is the 7th year that TFCinfo has conducted this research which analyzes and compares perceptions and preferences for LCD, LED and plasma displays among both business and home users. “By analyzing brand strength and perceptions across important market segments, a clear picture emerges year over year as to where brands fall short and where they are improving in each of these segments,” says Tanya Lippke, TFCinfo director of survey market research. “This research not only analyzes the important aspects of brands and their competitive profiles, but also features, such as higher refresh rates, lower power consumption, and 3DTV. This research reveals which features are most important to end users, the level of interest in upgraded features at different display sizes, and how much more customers are willing to pay for these features.”
When focusing on the three main elements of brand strength which are studied in depth in this research: awareness, image, and intent, some interesting findings are revealed through historical trend analysis in comparing the yearly results.
Awareness
Most notable are Sony, Samsung and Panasonic. All three brands come in at the top on unaided free recall among both the business and home entertainment segments. NEC, Mitsubishi and Samsung are important to note as these brands increased their free recall scores this year in both markets surveyed. Unaided free recall is extremely important to ensure that brands comes to mind to be included in the important pre-purchase research. LG has had a great year when it comes to aided brand recognition, taking the #2 spot among those in business and #3 in entertainment.
Image
A clear picture is forming with regard to some of the most important flat panel purchasing factors and the brands that are being associated with them. Some of the most important factors end users are looking at when purchasing a flat panel are overall picture quality, reliability and price. This year experienced flat panel users and purchasers name Sony, Samsung and Panasonic as the top brands described as having an excellent image quality. Respondents name Vizio, Acer and Viewsonic as the brands that offer the best price (value), while on the polar end Samsung, Sony and Panasonic are named as offering a better investment (higher price/higher quality). This is a great position for Samsung to be in as end users in this research are viewing the brand as both a great value and a high quality investment.
Intent
While this research shows that Samsung, Sony, and LG are the most considered brands for purchase, it is important to note the movement among other brands. While NEC may not be one of the most recognized flat panel brands, the brand has been extremely consistent and solid in their growth. NEC has posted an increase in purchase consideration each year, for the past four years now. They have improved their consideration levels among the business segment by roughly 15 percent since 2009. Samsung is another brand where their momentum cannot be ignored. Samsung has done a phenomenal job with its image in this category and it shows in their purchase consideration scores. This tracking study shows that Samsung has improved their numbers every year for the past six years, gaining nearly 25 percent consideration since 2007.
“Many brands post great scores this year, even some of the lesser known brands. This is very positive news for these brands as initial end user consideration is crucial,” said Lippke. “In order for brands to turn this consideration into an actual purchase, consumers must have a clear understanding as to what your brand offers in correlation to the purchasing factors that are most important to them. This report reveals what messages the major brands are delivering and how these perceptions are affecting them in the market-place.”
Many brands were researched in-depth and each show significant strengths and weaknesses in certain areas. Brands that are analyzed in depth include: Acer, LG, Mitsubishi, NEC, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Viewsonic and Vizio.
You can get the entire report here.
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Wolf Cinema Intros $8,000 3D Nearly 4K Projector
Claiming hand-matched D-ILA panels (LCoS) and custom-crafted gamma curves, Wolf Cinema is launching an $8,000 3840×2160 resolution 3D projector. Dubbed the SDC-15, it uses a 230-watt NSH lamp that is specified at 4,000 hours and 1,300 ANSI lumens of light output. It’s capable of projecting (natively) nearly every widescreen film aspect ratio including as wide as CinemaScope 2.35:1/2.40:1.
It’s integrated with two HDMI 1.4a ports and VGA ports as well as component video. The projector weighs a whopping 60 pounds, and, to be honest, isn’t very aesthetically pleasing. It looks like a giant black square box — it’s 19″ wide x 8″ deep and 22″ long. It does have a center-mounted lens.
Full specs are here: http://www.wolfcinema.com/pdf/SDC-15_Product_Bulletin_02-13.pdf |
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Parasound Debuts Half-Rack Four Channel Amplifier
Parasound has expanded its Z-Custom line of half-rack-width components with the introduction of the Zamp Quattro, a four-channel/two-zone power amplifier. The Zamp Quattro is a Class D amplifier for custom integrators (CI) that Parasound says use Swedish high-grade parts. With additional output filtering the result is a great sounding amp that produces very little heat, is stable with low impedance loads and is protected from short-circuited speaker wires.
In addition to RCA line input jacks, it includes speaker-level inputs to integrate with receivers lacking pre-amp outputs. Channels 3 and 4 can be connected with RCA jacks or to a bus from Zone 1. Level controls are rear-mounted to avoid client tampering. Automatic turn on options include a 12-volt and an ultra-sensitive audio trigger. Speaker outputs are 10 amp terminal blocks for convenience when connecting speaker wires.
The Parasound Zamp Quattro is available in a black half-rack width rack-mount capability. Optional accessories are a matching blank panel to rack mount a single set, a panel coupler to rack mount any two Z-Custom models and the half-rack width Zrack to mount up to five Z-Custom components and lists for $650.
Here are all the specs.
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Channel Vision Releases the Front Door Intercom Amplifier Kit for DP Series and IU Series Front Door Intercom Stations
Channel Vision finally released a front door intercom amplifier kit for its DP Series and IU Series Front Door Intercom Stations — something the CI community has been asking for for a long time. Dubbed the TE-AMP kit, it provides added volume and clarity when DP and IU Series Front Door Intercom Stations are placed in conditions with excessive ambient noise or requires louder sound levels. The TE-AMP Kit is an easy upgrade that can be done in the field or can be ordered with your next DP or IU Series Front Door Intercom Station. The TE-AMP Kit can be added to existing Channel Vision Front Door Intercom Stations.
The kit includes:
- Amplifier Board
- Phillips Screws
- Washers
- Stand-Offs
- Nuts
- 2×28 AWG Wire
You can see all the specs here: http://www.channelvision.com
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Leon Intros Aesthetically-Pleasing Speakers, Subs for Home or Pro Market
Leon’s Horizon Commercial Series speakers are hand-crafted and built-to-order to match the exact width and finish of any flat-panel display. Combining left, center and right channels all in one cabinet, the Horizon Commercial Series revolutionizes the audio experience for video applications. From the 1.5″ deep Horizon 250-UT to the 120″ wide Horizon OS, the Horizon Commercial Series is the most dynamic audio solution for residential and commercial environments.
At just 1.5″ deep, the Hz250-UT uses Leon’s exclusive 2.5″ aluminum cone woofers and cloth dome tweeters. Leon says this compact speaker produces a wide sound stage with extension and accuracy below 120Hz. Leon’s reference-grade Horizon OS speakers measure just 4″ deep. Its 5″ woven poly cone woofers and 1″ soft dome tweeters allow it to produce utterly transparent and brilliant sound with extreme output for any size room.
Other models in the Horizon Commercial Series include the Hz300, Hz400 and Hz500. Leon’s Horizon Commercial Series is available now at a starting MSRP of $1,195/each for the Hz300-LCR up to $8,495/each for the HzOS-LCR.
Leon also introduced the Aaros Commercial Series subwoofers, which offer solid billet aluminum baffles and highly specialized drivers. Available in custom colors, and designed for in-room and in-wall applications, Leon’s line of subwoofers can be easily placed or hidden away completely.
Measuring only 12.5×14.5×4.5″ (HxWxD), the ACS10-UT is the Aaros 10″ ultra-thin subwoofer. The ACS10-UT is easily convertible to a down-firing position to fit under a couch or hide away in any cabinet. At less than 4″ deep, the ACS8-IW, Aaros 8″ in wall sub offers color-matched perforated metal or fabric grills so it can blend in. The ACS8-400 powered cube subwoofer features an 8″ rigid, long throw driver powered by an efficient 400-watt, on-board amplifier. It’s available in satin black or pearl white.
To complement the ACS10-UT and ACS8-IW, Leon’s L3-1K, 1,000 watt Class A/B subwoofer amplifier offers adjustable crossover, variable phase, and tunable EQ, allowing installers to tailor the sound of the sub to match any room.
The Aaros Commercial Subwoofers are now available for an MSRP of $2,295 for one ACS10-UT or $3,495 for two and $1,895 for one ACS8-IW or $2,895 for two. Both subs are sold with Leon’s L3-1K Class A/B subwoofer amplifiers.
Get all the specs here.
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Screen Innovations Debuts Pure Zero Edge Projection Screens
At InfoComm, Screen Innovations (SI) debuted two new reference quality screen material options that are being added to its Zero Edge line of projection screens. Pure White is a 1.3 gain screen, while Pure Gray is a .8 gain screen. Both feature SI’s Zero Edge bezel and use a proprietary “Micro Texture” that SI says is nine times finer and smoother than that of the best screen material available on the market today (hmm, let’s see if Da-Lite, Stewart and Draper agree – comment below!).
According to SI, Pure Zero Edge screens do not require any additional assembly once unpacked. Mounting options include on-wall or flown from the ceiling by slender cables. New optional LED Lighting is built in to the frame and now incorporates six custom preferences and 256,000 colors, including 6,500 kelvin white.
Available in large-format projection screen sizes up to 120” in 16:9 and up to 150” in 2.35:1, the Zero Edge line now includes Pure White 1.3 gain, Pure Gray .85 gain, Black Diamond 2.7 gain, Black Diamond 1.4 gain or Black Diamond .8 gain screen materials.
Prices start at $1599 and full specs are here.
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SANUS Ships iPad Mounts and Stands
SANUS is now shipping its full product line of iPad Mounts, iPad mini Mounts and stands. With SANUS iPad Mounts, you can take your tablet from your hand to your desk, the wall, under a cabinet or to any magnetic surface.
Features include:
- MagFit Case keeps your iPad safe, clean and protected whether you’re at home or on-the-go; easily removes and attaches to mount and stand options
- Allows for easy iPad viewing at eye level and easily adjusts to deflect glare
- Add additional mounts and stands for a complete home/school/office solution
- Included MagFit case works with Apple SmartCover
They are all here: http://www.sanus.com/us/en/products/visionmount/ipad-mount/
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Pakedge Introduces Its First 8-Port Fully Managed PoE Gigabit Switch
More and more AV is going IT. And, Pakedge’s new S8Mpd allows for all resolutions of uncompressed video and audio to be routed simultaneously via Ethernet and fiber. Adding to its flexibility, the S8Mpd can be powered Power over Ethernet (PoE) – a major advantage in a retrofit situation where it may not be possible to connect to AC power or where only one Cat5e cable is available in a room.
The Pakedge S8Mpd is a fully managed enterprise-grade switch that allows for maximum dealer customization via its Web-based graphical user interface and CLI programming capabilities.
The S8Mpd is VLAN-capable, allowing the integrator to set up segmented virtual local area networks. Each device on the network — for example, A/V streaming hardware, VoIP phones, gaming systems and guest networks – can be prioritized to enable faster, more efficient network operation.
The S8Mpd is extremely quiet in operation and like other Pakedge products, all cables are installed from the back for a faster, cleaner installation without any messy wires protruding from the front. This switch can either be rack-mounted or wall-mounted using the supplied brackets. These brackets are uniquely designed to be used for rack mounting, and can be flipped around and also be used for wall-mounting.
Details can be found here.
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Top-10 Tour Feature #3: FSR HDMI Ribbon Cables (Booth 2259)
Over this week, we’ll be previewing all the rAVe Top-10 Tour Winners. Each product highlighted, will be on rAVe’s 2nd Annual Top-10 Tour at InfoComm. The rAVe Top-10 Tour is NOT a “pay for play” tour or product preview (like MOST AV publications do). These 10 products were selected from over 70 submissions from InfoComm 2013 exhibitors. Of those 70, these are the 10 we thought you NEED to see at the show – and if you’re not able to go to InfoComm, the products featured here will give you a good overview of what you missed:
FSR says its HDMI Ribbon Cables use a proprietary technology to allow high speed, high definition HDMI signal transmission over distances of up to 325 feet. Active circuitry embedded in the connector shells provide all the active signal buffering needed, and eliminate additional bulky electronics.
The cables hybrid fiber/copper structure delivers a speed of 10.2 Gb/sec video bandwidth and can easily handle 1080p Full HD, 4Kx2K, 3D, Deep color, HDMI-CEC, HDCP and most newer hi-res formats. The small ribbon shaped jacket is 5 millimeters by 2.5 millimeters and are available currently in six lengths, ranging from 50 to 325 feet. The cables are UL listed, plenum rated and provide optical performance at the price and simplicity of copper.
With optical-to-electronic conversion hidden inside the connectors, this cable uses the same standard HDMI ports as copper cables. The cables require no bulky external power connectors or extenders, instead drawing power entirely from the HDMI port without exceeding HDMI maximum power output standards.
Key HDMI Ribbon Cable features include:
- HDMI signals can be sent up to 325’ via a thin, ribbon-like wire.
- It’s cost competitive to FSR’s traditional HDMI wire.
- The signal integrity is maintained via amplification built into the HDMI connector.
- It offers multi-format compatibility with all HDMI signal versions.
- No external power or special tooling is required.
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Crestron Adds Gesture Control
Now all Crestron apps for iPad and iPhone offer a new feature called Smart Graphics. Crestron says the new apps provide everything programmers need to deliver the same dynamic experience on Apple iOS devices as on in-wall touch screens. Smart Graphics enable sliders, knobs, technology dashboards, scrolling lists, widgets and other iOS-like features in the app and on Crestron touch screens. Additionally, Smart Graphics enable programmers to save a touch screen project as an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch project and then upload it, dramatically reducing programming time.
The Crestron apps integrate with Apple iOS 6 devices with Crestron 2-Series and 3-Series control systems.
Here are all the specifics.
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Extron Ships “Economical” HDMI Over TP Extender
Extron has started shipping its DTP HDMI 230 D, a Decora-style transmitter and receiver set for transmission of HDMI, audio and bi-directional RS232 and IR control signals up to 230 feet (70 meters) over a single CATx cable. The HDCP-compliant extender provides an economical and effective means for extending HDMI with embedded multi-channel audio from HDMI-equipped devices. In addition, the DTP HDMI 230 D accepts analog stereo audio signals and digitizes them for simultaneous transmission over the same twisted pair cable. The wall-mountable design and remote power capability make the DTP HDMI 230 D ideal for extending HDMI, audio, and bidirectional control while offering aesthetically pleasing integration in space-challenged environments.
This extender streamlines integration with analog and digital audio signals. It allows a direct analog audio connection from devices with stereo output, such as desktop computers or laptops, and provides balanced and unbalanced audio output from the receiver. Additionally, the DTP HDMI 230 D continuously maintains DDC communication of EDID and HDCP between a source and display for reliable operation, ensuring direct compatibility and optimal signal transmission between devices.
The DTP HDMI 230 D is compatible with Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat7 twisted pair cable, and can be used as a point-to-point solution or integrated with an HDMI matrix switcher to extend inputs or outputs to remote locations. It supports signal resolutions up to 1920×1200, including HDTV 1080p/60 and 2K and supports HDMI specification features including data rates up to 6.75 Gbps, Deep Color up to 12-bit, 3D, HD lossless audio formats and CEC. For added flexibility, either the transmitter or receiver can be powered over the original twisted pair cable, allowing both devices to share one external power supply. Both devices are available separately, and may be mixed and matched with the desktop DTP HDMI 230 transmitter or receiver to suit the installation requirements of a specific application.
Here are the details.
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rAVe Scoop: ZeeVee Adds HDMI Modulation at InfoComm 2013
ZeeVee launched four new ZvPro models that are all built on the HDbridge 2000 Series backbone. The first two are the ZvPro 820 and 810 both of which can encode and modulate (and send) unencrypted HDMI signals via coax (RF). The other two, the 620 and 610, only do component and VGA inputs. All of them claim to accept and broadcast 1080p/i, 720p and/or 480p/i video.
New ZvPro models are compliant with QAM and DVB-C standards and they are frequency-agile. They include 45 dBmV of output power plus integrated closed-captioning support, MPEG2 video and AC3 or MPEG 1 layer 2 audio encoding (varies by region), full color front-panel LCD with local and/or web-based configuration and fan cooling. Tuning is simple via an HDTV’s own built-in tuner, requiring nothing at each HDTV nor any home-run wiring. Units can be easily combined to distribute hundreds of channels over existing coaxial cabling to an unlimited number of HDTVs, drastically lowering the cost of deployment and simplifying installations.
All of them will likely ship in Q3. Details of the products are here.
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Kramer Adds the VP-425 ProScale Digital Scaler
Kramer Electronics announced the VP-425 digital scaler for computer graphics video and component HDTV signals at InfoComm 2013. The Kramer VP-425 up- or down-scales the PC or component video input and embeds the stereo audio into the HDMI output.
The VP-425 is HDTV compatible and features a non−HDCP encrypted HDMI or DVI output signal on an HDMI connector. The built-in ProcAmp allows convenient signal adjustment and the On-Screen Display (OSD) makes it easy to set up and adjust. The OSD is accessible via the unit’s front-panel buttons. A freeze button is also included in the unit.
The VP-425 has a maximum resolution of up to WUXGA and 1080p. Its non-volatile memory retains the last settings used. Controlling the VP-425 is done directly via the front panel push buttons and the on−screen display (OSD). It’s housed in a compact MegaTOOLS enclosure. Two units can be rack mounted side-by-side in a 1U rack space with the optional RK-T2B universal rack adapter.
The VP-425 is available now. Click here for more information.
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Crestron Edge-to-Edge Glass Touch Panel Line Debuts at InfoComm
Crestron’s new TSW family of touch screens use capacitive touch screen technology and are integrated with H.264 streaming video, edge-to-edge glass, (like the Modero line from AMX) and are connected via a single-wire PoE. The TSW-1050 ten-inch touch screen is designed for video conferencing applications, while the seven-inch TSW-750 and five-inch TSW-550 are general-purpose panels. Each is available in wall-mount or table-top models.
Features include:
- Rava SIP Intercom technology: Enables hands-free full-duplex VoIP communication between any two Rava-enabled Crestron touch screens and IP phone systems. This feature makes it extremely convenient for calling the help desk if support is needed.
- H.264 Streaming Video: Streaming video capability means users can view content from media servers, including the Crestron Network Video Streamer, security cameras, web cameras and other H.264 streaming video sources.
- Power over Ethernet: PoE connectivity simplifies installation as control, video, intercom, and power signals are transmitted over a single Ethernet wire.
- TSW-1050 and TSW-750 wall mount models install easily using a standard two-gang backbox. Using the included post-construction brackets, any TSW can neatly and quickly attach directly to drywall and other surfaces.
Here are all the specs.
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Extron Ships Eight-Input Scaling Presentation Switchers with DTP Extension
Extron is now shipping the IN1608, an eight-input, HDCP-compliant scaling presentation switcher with four HDMI inputs, two universal analog video inputs and dual HDMI outputs. It also features two Extron DTP 230 twisted pair inputs and a DTP 230 output for extending HDMI, audio and bidirectional control signals to DTP 230 transmitters and receivers, each over a single CATx cable up to 230 feet (70 meters). The IN1608 provides the convenience of supporting local and remote displays with fast and reliable input switching, and a high performance scaling engine that converts all HDMI and analog sources to the optimal resolution. Selectable output resolutions are available up to 1920×1200, including 1080p and 2K. The IN1608 also includes a host of audio switching and processing features. It is available as a standard model with two stereo audio outputs, the IN1608 SA that adds a stereo 4/8 ohm power amplifier, and the IN1608 MA with a mono 70 volt amplifier.
The two DTP 230 twisted pair inputs can receive signals from remote DTP 230 transmitters in areas such as a conference table, lectern or wall for connecting a guest laptop. The DTP 230 twisted pair output can be used to transmit from an IN1608 in a rack to a DTP 230 receiver behind a flat-panel display on a wall, above a ceiling-mounted projector, or any other remote location. To simplify installation, bidirectional RS232 and IR signals can be inserted from a control system and transmitted over the single CATx cable together with the video and audio, enabling control of a source or display. The IN1608 can also remotely power each of the DTP 230 transmitters and receiver over the same CATx cable, streamlining system design and installation.
In addition to video switching and processing, the IN1608 can serve as the central component for audio system integration. It includes eight-input audio switching, two mic/line inputs, HDMI audio embedding and de-embedding, and several audio processing features for mixing, ducking, tone adjustments and more. Audio configuration features and options can easily be accessed through the internal Web pages, with a GUI that provides access to all available adjustments and settings. Two IN1608 models feature integrated power amplifiers. The IN1608 SA delivers stereo power amplification with 50 watts rms per channel into 4 ohms and 25 watts rms per channel into 8 ohms, while the IN1608 MA provides mono 70 volt amplification with 100 watts rms output.
The IN1608 features an advanced scaling engine that can scale HDMI, RGB, component and standard definition video signals to a common high resolution output. It provides high performance 1080i deinterlacing and Deep Color processing to deliver optimal image quality.
Here are all the details.
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Herman Announces Distribution Partnership with Da-Lite
Herman, the leading provider of AV products, procurement services and labor resources to systems integrators in the commercial AV and broadcast industries, announces a new distribution partnership with Da-Lite, one of the biggest names in the projection screen category.
To read the complete press release online, click here.
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SAVANT Joins HDBaseT Alliance
Savant, LLC has joined the HDBaseT Alliance to deliver the benefits of HDBaseT technology to Savant’s markets of home and commercial automation. Savant has also released its first HDBaseT-enabled digital modules, SmartLink service cards available for Savant’s SmartMediaPro family of controllers.
To read the complete press release online, click here.
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WiSA Association Opens Testing Center in California
The WiSA Association, an industry group dedicated to bringing reliable, high-performance, interoperable, wireless, surround sound audio products to the home theater market, today announced the opening of its first authorized test center (ATC), in Sunnyvale, Calif. The ATC will be managed by Simplay Labs, a provider of development tools and interoperability testing services and solutions for the global HD connectivity standards HDMI and MHL, with testing centers in the U.S., China and Korea. The WiSA ATC is now operational and in the process of receiving, testing, and certifying Association members’ wireless products for the home theater market in accordance with the WiSA Compliance Test Specification (CTS).
To read the complete press release online, click here.
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Core Brands Changes Rep Program
Core Brands announced this month that it is making changes to its domestic manufacturer representative network.
Starting in July, all of the brands in the Core Brands portfolio will be represented in certain territories by a single rep firm, and in the remaining territories the brands will be managed by two rep firms.
To read the complete press release online, click here.
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Premier Mounts Names Tom Noack Director of Marketing
Premier Mounts announced this month that Tom Noack, previously marketing manager, has been promoted Premier Mounts’ director of marketing. In this role, Noack will lead execution of strategic marketing initiatives, oversee marketing research, and spearhead the company’s web and e-commerce programs.
To read the complete press release online, click here.
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For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe HomeAV Edition out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100% opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the high-end HomeAV industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that’s why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
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A little about me: I graduated from Journalism School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where I am adjunct faculty). I’ve been in the AV-industry since 1987 where I started with Extron and eventually moved to AMX. So, I guess I am an industry veteran (although I don’t think I am that old). I have been an opinionated columnist for a number of industry publications and in the late 1990s I started the widely read KNews eNewsletter (the first in the AV market) and also created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue – which is now known as InfoComm IQ. rAVe Publications has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition.
rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004.
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