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Volume 10, Issue 13 — July 23, 2013
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The Secret to Success: Watch Field of Dreams… Backwards
By Mark Coxon rAVe Blogger
Many of my friends and followers of my Twitter feed, @AVPhenom, may have gathered that I ended up with a little bit of “unexpected” free time lately. That left me with a touch of extra insomnia as well, and as such I turned to my old friend the DVR.
I had Field of Dreams on there and hit play. Realizing it was near the end, I hit the “<” arrow 4x and initiated a rapid rewind catching every few frames, (seemed like a lot of work at the time to go back to the List, select the show again, and hit “Start Over”. It was late OK?) As I sat in the dark in silence watching a 24 year old movie (yes, it’s THAT old now), in reverse, lightning struck.
Thunder followed and as I was standing outside smelling ozone and staring at the tree that fell on my neighbor’s car, I had a sudden idea as well.
Field of Dreams spells out the secret to running a successful company, as long as you watch it backwards. So let’s start over, from the end.
The Ending.
At the end, Ray Kinsella finally realized who he was doing everything for. He went through the whole movie thinking he was looking to please Shoeless Joe, when really it was his father he should have been thinking of. In a similar way in business, we first have to figure out who the journey is all about. We know it is not about “us.” Nobody buys from our business because they want us to be successful. They do it because in some way it benefits “them.” So first we have to figure out who that “them” is. Who are we setting up our business to help?
“Go the Distance”
At several points in the movie, Ray hears a voice driving him, and the last thing that voice utters is “Go the Distance.” In the movie, going the distance meant going and talking to experts like Terence Man and getting their opinions. It meant looking at history and statistics to identify the need and then assemble the unique group of players needed to form the perfect team. Then you need to bring them all back and put them in the proper positions. The parallel here is obvious, so I won’t belabor the point. Talk to experts in the field and find people who know what the market lacks and needs and who have the attitude and aptitude needed to fulfill your company’s mission and then get them on the payroll before someone else does.
“Ease His Pain.”
Now that we have isolated the potential customer and assembled a team, we need to figure out what the customer needs and wants. What could they benefit from that is not currently being offered in the market, how could it be provided in a better, faster, more efficient fashion? This is really the foundation of our mission statement or unique value proposition.
Our company helps “X” with “Y” by doing “Z.”
“X” is the specific customer, “Y” is the “Pain” and “Z” is the product or service designed to “Ease His Pain.”
“Build it and he will come.”
These were the first words Kinsella heard, so they are what we end with. However, your job is now much easier than Ray’s was as you know who “he” is already. You know the customer, you have the team and have uncovered the mission. It’s now time to choose a location and start the real work of building a business to deliver. Fill in any additional team members needed now that the mission is formed and gather all the resources to make good on your promised benefit.
Stop the movie now!!!
This is where you need to turn the movie off and stop carrying the analogy any further. Otherwise, if life imitates art, just like Ray Kinsella you will find yourself at the kitchen table with your wife scratching your head and wondering how your farm went bankrupt. I’m fairly certain that is not where you want to be at the end of all this, but who knows, we all have different dreams. Who am I to judge?
The nice thing about building, is that like the Winchester House is San Jose, it never has to be complete. You continually reassess who you need to help, what pain they are experiencing and how your business can best deliver the remedy to that ailment.
The exciting part is, that whether you are just starting a business, or whether yours is 20 years old, the formula above can help you continually evolve and create a legacy of success.
Memento, ha! Christopher Nolan, eat your heart out.
Reach Mark Coxon at mark@marketexplosion.me or on Twitter.
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UHD TV Market Forecast Discussed at CE Week 2013
By Norbert Hildebrand DisplaySearch
One of the highlights of the CE Week 2013 show floor were the UHD TV sets from several manufacturers. At the same time, they also held the Ultra HD Conference at the same location. The conference covered topics surrounding Ultra HD from product, market and technology standpoints.
In the first section, Shawn DuBravac from CEA, Paul Gagnon from DisplaySearch and Jack Wetherill from Futuresource discussed their views of the Ultra HD market in the coming years.
CEA sees the U.S. Ultra HD market developing strongly correlated to the trend to larger TVs in the market. Over the last few years, the average screen size has grown significantly. While the average screen size was only 27″ in 2003, 2012 saw already an average of 37″. This trend is believed to continue. At the same time, the percentage of units with 60″ or above sizes are growing readily and are expected to reach 11 percent of the U.S. market by 2016. In the same year, CEA believes that over 1.4 million, or roughly 5 percent of the TV market, will comprise Ultra HD TV sets in the U.S. Their optimism is based on the fact that Google searches for “4K” are increasing strongly in the U.S. since the beginning of 2013. They see this as an indication of a broader consumer interest.
While DisplaySearch saw a contraction in the worldwide TV market in recent years, they believe that in 2013 and going forward, the TV market will be growing slowly but steadily. By 2016 the TV market will reach around 250 million units worldwide, with LCD and OLED being the only remaining technologies of commercial importance.
When it comes to adoption of new features, the U.S. has lagged in recent years, be it 3D, LED or connected TVs. Regions like China, Eastern and Western Europe, as well as Japan are much more innovation friendly and shown higher adoption rates. With current Ultra HD TV set pricing, this technology addresses a very small portion of the market. According to their numbers, the Ultra HD TV addresses less than 5 percent of the total market. With decreasing prices this percentage will increase accordingly. Their forecast of Ultra HD TV sets in 2016 is around 11 million worldwide, and 2.5 million for North America.
Futuresource sees the the adoption of Ultra HD in the TV space being limited by content. As the adoption of HD in homes is still an ongoing process. According to their numbers, 79 percent of homes had a HD TV in 2012 while only 49 percent of all households accessing HD on pay TV last year. They also argue that much of the worldwide HD TV adoption happened after 2006, leaving many households with relatively new sets in their home. These two issues will slow adoption of Ultra HD TV adoption. By year 9 of market introduction (around 2022) they see the market penetration reaching 19 percent of the households compared to 54 percent for HD TVs. They did not discuss a sales forecast at the conference.
Overall the analysts were cautiously optimistic that Ultra HD will be a success in the market based on the trend to larger TV sets and fast price declines.
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Headphones and Home Audio: Part 2
By Lee Distad rAVe Columnist
In the prior installment, I had discussed the surprising growth of headphones in home AV, including how, for some retailers and distributors, their sales now eclipse stereos and surround sound AV equipment.
I also touched on the importance of determining which price level your company should focus on: whether your customers are looking for entry level products or something more high end.
For what it’s worth, that’s not necessarily an easy determination to make. Everybody has their “thing” as it were; their own passions where price sensitivity is less than for other things. For some people four grand for a wrist watch is no big deal, but they think spending five hundred dollars on a pair headphones is crazy.
By that same token, your existing clientele may come to you for upscale AV solutions, but their attitude towards headphones may be decidedly utilitarian: They’re just going to get lost, broken, or their cat will eat the cords (don’t laugh, it happens a lot), so while they commissioned you to install an 84-inch flat panel in their rec room, they don’t want to spend a hundred bucks for a pair of ear buds to work out in.
With that in mind, some thought has to go into how you’re going to do the headphone business. If you’re going to do it at all, you need to do it right. It’s been my observation over the years that AV dealers who branch out at random, and slap new businesses onto their old ones like two handfuls of Playdoh only to see disappointing sales.
In some rare cases, I’ve seen AV dealers go long on plays that were, at best, a Hail Mary pass, and it sank them into bankruptcy. I don’t say that to try and scare you, just to remind you to think things all the way through.
As a specialty AV dealer, your best bet is to commit to an effective demo display, which needs to be an attractive presentation, be functional from a demo perspective (allowing switching between your own demo sources and the customer’s iPod/iPhone), and incorporate loss prevention anti-theft systems.
The reason for demonstration capability is simple: people buy cheap headphones based on some combination of price, color, brand awareness and prior experiences. More expensive headphones require both knowledgeable sales personnel and the opportunity to listen to them, no different from taking a sports car out for a test drive.
Frankly, the retail landscape is already littered with places where people can buy headphones off the shelf without trying them first. Really, doing the same in your business doesn’t differentiate you one bit from even the drug store down the street, let alone Best Buy. So if you’re going to go at all, go all in with a full-service experience.
Reach Lee Distad at lee@ravepubs.com or on Twitter.
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Sharp and CEC-Panda: The First Chinese-Japanese Joint TFT LCD Fab
By David Hsieh DisplaySearch
Last week, Sharp announced that it will expand its alliance with CEC (China Electronics Corp.), the parent company of CEC-Panda, a Chinese TFT LCD panel maker. Sharp sold its Gen 6 line to CEC-Panda back in 2011, and now has decided to play an important role in CEC-Panda’s planned Gen 8 TFT LCD fab in Nanjing. Nanjing CEC-Panda LCD Technology Co., with 17.5 billion RMB ($2.9 billion) in capital, will be a joint venture between CEC Group (92 percent) and Sharp (8 percent), the first joint Chinese-Japanese TFT LCD fab. This follows Samsung and LG Display’s efforts to build Gen 8 fabs in China through joint ventures with TCL and Skyworth, respectively.
There were several factors leading up to this announcement:
- When Sharp sold its Gen 6 line to CEC two years ago, there was a condition attached that if CEC decided to invest in a higher-generation fab, Sharp would enter into a joint venture and provide technical assistance.
- As reported in the Quarterly FPD Supply/Demand and Capital Spending Report, CEC-Panda originally planned to establish a Gen 10 fab in Nanjing, but due to the risk and lack of technology readiness, the company shifted their focus to Gen 8.
- As a government-owned company, a source of technology is a necessary condition for the Chinese government to approve the Gen 8 investment.
- With smart handheld devices (smartphones and tablet PCs) growing faster than LCD TV, CEC-Panda is planning to shift its business focus from TV to smart handheld device panels, which require high resolution, slim form factor, low color shift, high color saturation and low power consumption. This shift requires high performance technologies and processes, which Sharp can provide.
- Sharp will benefit from the cash flow coming from royalty and technology transfer income, and will have first priority for the allocation of the output of the Gen 8 fab.
- Sharp is the first to implement oxide TFT (in particular IGZO) technology for handheld devices, in order to achieve low power consumption and high resolution. Sharp may implement IGZO technology in Nanjing, not only to help the joint venture company to ramp up high resolution panels, but also to collect royalties from any IGZO production.
So what might be the impact to the TFT LCD industry?
- As we have analyzed, by 2015, there will be 8 Gen 8 fabs in China, at which point China will have the most Gen 8 capacity; one of these will be the CEC-Panda/Sharp line. As the LCD TV market matures, some of these fabs will start to produce high-resolution smart handheld device panels.
- Taiwanese panel makers might be further marginalized and forced to reshape their strategy toward the China market. Taiwan panel makers are the largest suppliers to China at present, with LCD TV panels supplied by AUO and Innolux, and smartphone and tablet PC panels supplied by HannStar and CPT. However, with Korean and Japanese makers invested in China, Taiwanese panel makers will be the only ones facing import duties. Taiwan panel makers will be forced to make additional panel cost reductions or somehow create a unique offering in China (such as new TV sizes, or large but lower resolution smart handheld panels).
- CEC-Panda is not recognized as a leading panel maker due to its limited product mix (monitor panels and 32” in Gen 6) and lagging technology. The company has no experience in high resolution (like 4Kx2K) TV panels or smart device panels. However, with help from Sharp, CEC-Panda may become a competitor for high-end panels.
- Foxconn had intended to get closer to Sharp to access to high-resolution and low-power technologies, but has not been able to strike an agreement with Sharp, and the relationship is so far limited to the Sakai Gen 10 joint venture and TV business.
This column was reprinted with permission from DisplaySearch and originally appeared here.
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rAVe Scoop: Nortek Seeks Buyer for TV One and Magenta Research
Earlier in May of this year, Nortek announced that it had experienced double-digit growth, as well as a slight increase in gross profit year-over-year. But, at the same time, it announced a net loss of $15.1 million, or $0.98 loss per share, compared with a net loss of $1.2 million, or $0.08 loss per share, in the first quarter of 2012 – a significant increase.
So, it’s not surprising that Nortek would be looking to dump a company or two to increase cash flow. We heard a rumor at InfoComm that Nortek was actively shopping a buyer for at least two of its Technology Solutions Group companies. Now we understand, via two different sources, that those two companies are TV One and Magenta Research. TV One is a video, audio and multimedia processing manufacturer primarily known for its proprietary CORIO video conversion technology and Magenta Research is best known for making video and audio to CATx UTP cable extenders.
We’ve asked for comment, but Nortek, being public, obviously won’t say anything on-the-record, but if you’re interested in buying one of the two companies, contact them here.
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LED-lit LCD Is The Technology Of Choice For Future Flat Panel Purchases Shows New TFCinfo Study
TFCinfo recently announced the release of its yearly benchmark study on the strength of flat panel brands (32+”) and flat panel purchasing preferences. This research reveals that although end users are clear on their desired technology of choice, the major motivators behind each technology (LED LCD, LCD and plasma), and the way end users weigh their most important desired characteristics with these motivators, the final purchase decision may likely be affected.
Overall, LED LCD is the technology of choice for future flat panel purchases. Well more than half of the business users and entertainment users surveyed state that if they were in the market for a flat panel display today they would want to purchase an LED LCD. But will they actually end up purchasing the LED technology when it comes down to weighing all of their options in their final purchase decision in the future?
Besides overall picture quality, technical aspects are driving end users to LED LCDs. Two of the top reasons respondents’ state that they would most desire an LED LCD is because of the lower power consumption and the thinness of panels. These findings are very interesting because this research reveals that lower power consumption and thinness of panel are two of the least important purchasing factors considered by end users when shopping for a flat panel display today. The price premium analysis in this research also reveals that lower power consumption is the upgrade feature that comes in with the least amount willing to pay a premium for it.
On the other hand, while LCD is not the technology winner for future purchases of either group, the top motivators for LCD are some of the most important factors considered by end users. Both business and entertainment users state the top reasons they would choose an LCD is primarily because of price, reliability, picture quality, resolution and no burn in issues.
While a high percentage of end users would prefer purchasing an LED LCD, it may be some time before this shift would eventually be able to take place, especially with price and size considerations being so important to consumers.
TFCinfo can be found here.
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CEDIA Accepting Nominations for 2014-15 Board of Directors
The CEDIA 2014-15 Board of Directors election and appointment process is underway. The election and appointment process is led and implemented by two volunteer teams, the Governance Committee and the Nominating Working Group. Both the Governance Committee and Nominating Working groups are made up of CEDIA members, approved by the Chairman of the Board and supported by staff. Home Technology Professional (ESC member type) board members are voted on by all active CEDIA members
CEDIA is looking for individuals with specific qualities and competencies for the 2014-15 board of directors. They include:
- Success in education program development and delivery
- Expertise in e-learning delivery
- Future focused technology visionary and strategist
- Expertise in sale management; building membership, client base and market share
- Knowledge of one or more of the IT Professional, Security, or Electrical Contractor channels
Individuals who possess these qualities and competencies may be nominated for the CEDIA board of directors. Individuals are encouraged to nominate themselves or others.
Nominations are due July 31, 2013 and can be done online here. Get more information about the board of directors here.
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BenQ Releases Entry-Level, Short-Throw Projector for Home Theater Spaces
BenQ America’s newest projector, the W770ST, is a $650 short-throw home entertainment projector. Using a native 1280×720 DLP chip, the short-throw W770ST projects an image 62 inches wide at 40 inches from the screen and is integrated with a 10-watt speaker — so it’s pretty much designed as a “take it out of the closet and show it” projector.
Spec’d to project 2,500 ANSI lumens and a contrast ratio of 13000:1, it’s integrated with the Rec. 709 color gamut, which BenQ says allows users to enjoy projected color images that match film studio and television broadcast standards, right out of the box — meaning, its color temperature is very warm and the colors are likely highly saturated.
To lower the device’s TCO, the W770ST comes with BenQ’s SmartEco technology that automatically adjusts lamp power, which the company says results in a power savings of up to 70 percent and less frequent lamp replacements.
The W770ST short-throw projector supports full 3D timing, including Blu-ray 3D 144Hz content and provides HDMI connectivity and comes with a pair of 3D glasses.
Available now, the BenQ W770ST retails at $649. Here are the details.
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AudioControl 1600-Watt Amplifier Introduced
The AudioControl Director D4400 is a multi-zone amplifier that drives sixteen channels of amplification and delivers 100-watts per channel, all channels driven. The D4400 features on-board digital signal processing, graphic and parametric equalization by zone, network monitoring and programming and control. It allows individual channel and zone selection via standard TCIP, the ability to bridge the channels up to 200 watts per channel and operates stable into low impedances.
The Director D4400 can be connected to the network and can be controlled via browser-based user-interface to manage and control the amplifier on-site or remotely including:
- Create and name zones based on the actual configuration of the system.
- Control the amplifier set-up, configuration, monitoring and alert status.
- Calibrate graphic and parametric equalization settings that provide a acoustic room set-up for each zone with up to 128 EQ filters
- Program subsonic filters and high frequency tweeter protection circuits
- Set dual buss inputs with signal source switching over the network
- Monitor live channel status, including temperature and protection modes
- Save and recall memory settings for back-up and fast-start templates
- Group selected audio functions including muting and zone selection
- Use DHCP protocols to facilitate faster network settings and manage multiple amplifiers across the same network
- Introduce Network Device Discovery to simplify set-up via UPnP
- Allow compatibility with Class A, B and C network protocols
Here are all the specs.
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Several IC Realtime Surveillance DVRs Now Integrate Natively with Compass Control
Key Digital and IC Realtime have announced that several of IC Realtime’s surveillance DVRs, including the Flex Series, Elite Series, NVR700N and NVR700S2P, now integrate natively into Key Digital’s Compass Control system. IC Realtime was already a Compass Allaince Partner and worked with Key Digital to develop bi-directional drivers that offers DVR control and feedback from the device.
Compass Control is a control system designed around Apple’s iOS devices such as iPads and iPhones. The system provides installers with bi-directional IR, two-way RS232 with feedback, and two-way TCP/IP control. The new drivers are part of the design software.
For more information on IC Realtime surveillance DVRs, click here. For more information on Compass Control, click here.
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Extron’s Larger HDMI Distribution Amplifiers Ship
Extron has started shipping two new larger HDMI distribution amplifiers as part of its HDMI DA Series product line. The HDMI DA4 with four outputs, and HDMI DA6 with six outputs, are HDCP compliant and support data rates up to 6.75 Gbps, 12-bit Deep Color, 3D, Lip Sync and HD lossless audio formats. They also support HDTV 1080p/60, 2K and PC resolutions up to 1920×1200. For ease of integration and reliable operation, the HDMI DA Series features two Extron technologies: EDID Minder, which maintains continuous EDID communication between connected devices, and Key Minder, which continuously authenticates HDCP encryption between all devices, ensuring the simultaneous distribution of source content to connected displays. .
The HDMI DA Series offers integrator-friendly features, including automatic input cable equalization, automatic color bit depth management and selectable output muting, as well as indicators for monitoring and troubleshooting. Input cable equalization restores and reshapes incoming HDMI signals, reducing the need for additional signal conditioning equipment by compensating for weak source signals or signal loss from a long input cable. The HDMI DA Series automatically adjusts color bit depth based on the display EDID, preventing color compatibility conflicts between source and display. Outputs can be muted independently via RS-232, allowing content to be previewed on a local monitor. Additionally, the distribution amplifiers provide immediate visual confirmation of EDID status, HDCP authentication and signal presence confirmation for each port via front panel LED indicators.
Full specs are here.
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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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Barix Makes SIP-Compatible Hardware Device for Crestron Rava-enabled Touch Screens
IP audio and control specialist Barix today starting shipping its Annuncicom 200-Rava, a bidirectional IP audio interface for door stations that allows PTT (push-to-talk) intercom with Crestron Rava-enabled touch screens. Combine Crestron Rava-enabled touch screens with an analog door station and the Annuncicom 200-Rava for a complete residential, office and small business IP intercom solution. The Barix Annuncicom 200-Rava device is built specifically for these environments, and includes specialized SIP firmware to simplify integration of Rava-enabled touch screens with analog devices, such as intercom panels. The device also includes built-in amplification, reducing infrastructure at installation points and minimizing equipment costs.
Crestron Rava touch screens leverage SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) to permit voice intercom, telephone and paging (point-to-point and group) among other applications. The Barix device uniquely establishes compatibility between Rava-enabled touch screens and door stations without a central server. This allows customers to continue to use existing devices when upgrading to Rava touch screens, providing seamless IP to analog integration.
Details on the Annuncicom-200-Rava are here.
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Gefen Adds 4K Compatible Splitters
The Gefen ToolBox 1:8 Splitter is designed for routing HDMI signals that are up to 4Kx2K resolutions. It takes one HDMI input and splits it in to eight HDMI outputs so you can connect them to eight displays simultaneously. This product works with any HD source. It features what Gefen calls “Fast Switching Technology,” supports HDCP, Deep Color, 3DTV pass-through and lossless audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. are supported.
Here are all the details.
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NuVo Launches Beta Android App for Music Port
NuVo Technologies has added an Android device control app for its Music Port and Music Port Elite source components. The app is free and available now on the Google Play store.
Both Music Port and Music Port Elite work with NuVo’s Concerto, Essentia, and Renovia whole home audio systems, or as standalone sources, and offer four simultaneous streams of audio from internally or network-stored content, as well as from a variety of popular Internet Radio subscription services.
Usable with any NuVo system that includes the Music Port or Music Port Elite, this beta app allows for simple navigation of the sources and control of all zones. NuVo says this this addition of Android compatibility is a response to dealer input and to further accommodate the increasing variety of mobile devices available today. More customers can now fill the queue, adjust volume or switch sources, all from the Android component they already carry with them.
Go here for more details.
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Extron Ships EDID Emulator for HDMI
Nearly everyone has EDID (Extended Display Identification Data) issues when using HDMI, especially if you’re using different sources or different displays simultaneously. Extron is shipping its EDID 101H, an EDID emulator for HDMI signal sources. It features EDID Minder, an Extron technology designed to provide automatic and continuous EDID management, ensuring that the source powers up properly and reliably outputs content. The EDID 101H also features a unique HPD (Hot Plug Detect) port that provides control for remote cameras and other signal sources that require a periodic HPD trigger.
The EDID 101H joins the EDID 101 Series of EDID emulators, which includes the EDID 101D for DVI and the EDID 101V for VGA signals. The EDID 101H is housed in a compact 1″ high, quarter rack width metal enclosure for convenient, discreet installation. An energy-efficient external universal power supply is included.
Here are all the specs.
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Crestron Adds to Commercial Wireless Lighting Control Product Line
Crestron has announced several additions to its line of infiNET EX wireless lighting control products.
The Green Light Power Pack (GLPP-EX) is an intelligent room controller available with infiNET EX wireless technology to provide quick, reliable wireless communication with a central control system. It’s designed to communicate with photocells, occupancy sensors and control stations. Part of the Power Pack family, you can start with a simple standalone system and easily expand into a centralized automation powerhouse without having to pull new wires.
The new Battery-Powered Wireless Occupancy Sensor (GLS-OIR-CSM-EX-BATT) is a low-profile occupancy sensor meant for spaces that are especially difficult to wire. It eliminates the need to homerun wires to every office in order to get sensors in. Crestron says it delivers 10 years of battery life.
The new 2-Button Wireless Keypad (HTT-B2EX-BATT) is battery-powered, portable and designed to control a wide range of applications. It can be used as a personal workspace controller, hotel bedside controller, conference room presenter selector or a simple living room lighting/shade controller.
These products all use Crestron’s inifiNET EX 2.4 GHz mesh network technology, which Crestron says are designed to ensure reliable communications in even the most densely populated areas where interference from wireless networks can cause intermittent signal interruption and sluggish performance. With mesh networking, each node captures and transmits its own data, as well as serving as a relay for other nodes.
For more information, click here.
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D-Tools Announces New Website
D-Tools, Inc. this month announced the launch of its newly redesigned website. Boasting a cleaner, more refined and contemporary look with a streamlined user experience, the new website features enhanced navigation that quickly delivers concise information, helpful resources and needed functionality.
To read the complete press release online, click here. See D-Tools’ website here.
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Amber International Adds Three New TruAudio Products
EMEA distributor to the CI trade, Amber International has added three new TruAudio speaker products to its portfolio – the SLIM-200 home theatre soundbar, the Trunami Series in-wall subwoofer and the new ‘Grand Canyon’ family of Ghost Series in-ceiling speakers.
To read the complete press release online, click here.
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Salamander Unveils New Website
Salamander Designs, Ltd., a manufacturer of audio/video entertainment furniture, theater/lounge seating and accessories for over 20 years has announced the unveiling of a new website designed to make it easy and efficient for dealers and consumers to navigate the broad range of A/V furniture, seating and accessory products offered by Salamander.
To read the complete press release online, click here. To see Salamander’s website, click here.
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Draper’s Penny Sitler Receives Women in AV Award from InfoComm
Draper, Inc. has announced that Advertising Manager Penny Sitler, CDT, LEED AP, has been named the recipient of a 2013 Women in AV Award from InfoComm International.
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).
Don’t like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send me feedback, don’t reply to this newsletter – instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas: Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
A little about me: I graduated from Journalism School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where I am adjunct faculty). I’ve been in the AV-industry since 1987 where I started with Extron and eventually moved to AMX. So, I guess I am an industry veteran (although I don’t think I am that old). I have been an opinionated columnist for a number of industry publications and in the late 1990s I started the widely read KNews eNewsletter (the first in the AV market) and also created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue – which is now known as InfoComm IQ. rAVe Publications has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition.
rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004.
To read more about my background, our team, and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com
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Copyright 2013 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln. – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – 919/969-7501. Email: sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe HomeAV Edition contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors.
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