Volume 11, Issue 10 — May 29, 2014
|
Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial
|
|
Industry News Control & Signal Processing Audio Cables, Furniture, Mounts, Racks, Screens and Accessories
|
|
|
Definition of UHD TV Becomes More Muddied
By Chris Chinnock Display Central
Most manufacturers and consumers think a UHD TV should have 3860×2160 color pixels, which typically is understood to mean red, green and blue (RGB) subpixels make up one color pixel. That understanding is now being challenged as subpixel structures using red, green, blue and white (RGBW) and red, green, blue and yellow (RGBY) are increasingly being marketed as UHD or UHD-like panels and TVs. This is going to create more confusion and finger pointing that I think will ultimately hurt the emerging UHD TV market.
Compounding the issue will be UHD TVs coming soon that will offer other enhancements like 10-bit processing and display, wide color gamut, high dynamic range, 4:4:4 or other color subsampling support and more. Clearly the technology is getting out ahead of the standards which will create problems in the market.
The RGBW subpixel arrangement is reportedly being used by Samsung Display (its Green UHD panels) and by LG Display (its G+ UHD panels) and perhaps by others as well. The reason this structure is being adopted is to lower the cost of the TV by reducing the number of drivers needed to move images onto the panel. Samsung and LG are doing this so they can have lower cost panels to compete with Chinese and Taiwanese producers who are selling gobs of low cost UHD TVs in the China market.
The RGBW solution can save 33 to 50 percent on component costs while simulating 4K resolution, said an Innolux spokesperson in April after reports surfaced that they were supplying “fake” 4K panels to Chinese TV brands. Innolux denied the report but said RGBW has lower picture quality.
Some efforts to define a UHD TV have been done. For example, VESA considers a display that delivers 2160 lines of information to meet its definition of a UHD TV. In October 2013, the Digital Europe group started a label/logo program for UHD TVs that defined them as:
- Native Resolution: 3840 x 2160 Pixels
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Colorimetry: ITU-R BT.709
- Color Bit depth: 8 Bit
- Frame Rate: 24p/25p/30p/50p/60p
- Audio: PCM 2.0 Stereo
Note that the subpixels structure is not defined so an RGBW panel may well meet this definition.
Sharp has also been promoting a “Near UHD” TV to consumers as well based on its RBGY subpixel structure. These Quattron TVs use a standard red, green, blue stripe pattern, but add a yellow band as well.
As shown in the diagram, an RGB full HD TV will have 1920×1080 color pixels composed of RGB subpixels, or 1920x1080x3. With the Quattron TV, you get 1920x1080x4 (RGBY). At CES 2014, Sharp introduced its Quattron Pro pixel that horizontally divided the subpixels to double the number of addressable subpixels to 1920x2160x4. That works out to 16.58M addressable subpixels, or 1920×2160 color pixels.
An RGB UHD panel has 3840x2160x3 addressable subpixels or 24.88M addressable subpixels. When Sharp combines a Full HD resolution Quattron Pro panel with subpixel rendering, it brands this as Quattron + Revelation. The company claim this produces a 4K equivalent image, which it demonstrated against a native UHD TV in its booth at CES. We saw this demo and could indeed see little difference in picture quality.
To learn more about what Samsung Display Company (SDC) and LG Display (LGD) are doing, we reached out to David Barnes, the principle at BizWitz. He said that the so-called green panels use RGBW dots but Samsung and LGD differ in the way they render images by grouping dots into pixels. In both cases, they have a similar subpixel arrangement, as shown in the diagram below.
Barnes says, “SDC renders this as two sub-pixels per pixel: RG or BW to produce 16.6 million colors with a format of 1920 x (4) x 2160, which is FHD x 2.7 essentially. This provides less than a typical RGB stripe structure but it reduces the number of TCON and DIC channels needed to render UHD video. Color gamut mapping algorithms (GMA) and sub-pixel rendering (SPR) software compensates for the reduced “RGB” resolution. This seems to be an extension of Candice Brown’s concepts that SDC applies to AMOLED for Galaxy displays. The effective pixel aperture is greater with this method, so BLU cost is reduced while power efficacy is increased.”
The result is very similar to the Sharp Quattron + Revelation approach but use a white segment instead of a yellow one.
“LGD pares the pixel countdown less than SDC does buy assigning 5 dots to 2 pixels… you might think of it as 2.5:1 instead of SDC’s 2:1,” continued Barnes. “This provides 24.9 million colors with format of 2880 x (4) x 2160.”
This is now similar in terms of addressable subpixels and colors as a native UHD RGB resolution display.
In projection, JVC markets the eShift 4K/UHD projector. This uses a full HD resolution panel that can be optically shifted a half-pixel left/right and up/down to time sequentially project 4K pixels within a standard video frame time period.
So with new pixel arrangements, subpixel rendering, time/space shifting and other methods, the value of native resolution seems to be becoming less important — at least to consumers who may not be able to tell the difference visually. But it also creates and labeling and standardization nightmare that is not likely to be resolved soon. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
|
AV Pros And Subcontracting Control Programmers
By Lee Distad rAVe Columnist
Success doesn’t mean that you don’t have problems; it just means that your problems have changed. Quite frankly, it’s preferable to face the problems associated with having a booming business than the ones that you have when business is slow.
As your company’s client base grows, and both the number of projects in your funnel increases and become more complex, you reach the point where the programming for each requires more labor hours. Matching standardized equipment lists in system design with standardized control programing obviously reduces workload and the labor overhead of each project, but since no two projects are ever truly identical, there’s always going to be programming work on each project that can’t just be copy and pasted from other systems. Once your company is at that point it’s time to consider outsourcing the work to a contractor.
So if you’re going to subcontract the programming for systems to a freelance programming contractor, what do you need to know in order to decide to subcontract?
First, remember that time is money. Your approach to every process you have should be: “How can we do this the best way possible?”
To figure that out, apply the “Make/Buy” analysis, which is one of my favorite tools.
Solve the answer to this question: Is it more time- and cost-effective to maintain your current programming staff, hire and train more programmers or use outside contractors on a contract basis?
Begin by assessing your team’s strengths and weaknesses. Do your best programmers have the resources to carry on or do they already have a full plate? How long will it take you to find and recruit a promising potential programmer, and train them to the point where they stop being a liability and start being an asset?
Subcontracting is an obvious fix for that: Programming contractors already know their brand of control systems inside and out. No training required.
Outside talent also saves you from reinventing the wheel. Just like control system manufacturers develop and release software modules for specific applications or third party hardware, programming companies also develop their own solutions in-house, and paying for them will likely be cheaper than developing them on your own.
Even if your company has a ninja programming team, having a business relationship with a contract programmer is still advisable. Two heads are always better than one, and when you’re paying an outside contractor for a specific project your in-house team are learning from them at the same time.
How do you pick a programming contractor? Where do you find a contract programmer? Try asking your control system vendor: It will know experienced, often certified freelancers that can be counted on. Call your vendor’s account manager and ask for a referral to a competent programmer. Knowing that your prospective programmer is vendor-approved is a big plus.
Interview her pretty much as you would look for an employee: experience, skills and training, and review a portfolio of her work. Get references and ask other AV pros what their experience has been.
Be aware that the best programmers are often in great demand. Discuss their availability and workload, and what they’re reasonably able to deliver to you in terms of deadlines.
In my experience, it makes sense to contract out programming more often than not. Your mileage will of course vary, but now you’re equipped with the right questions to find out for yourself. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
What’s Your Swoosh?
By Gina Sansivero FSR
All these articles about AV news, new product announcements and acquisitions in the AV industry being released before InfoComm got me to thinking about company recognition. Then at a meeting the other day, one of our reps stood up and told us a story about his contact in a K-12 school who went up to the wall, pointed at it, and told my rep “That’s where I want the Crestron.” My rep looks at him and said, “What specifically are you asking for?” The client said “You know, the Crestron, the Crestron.” For him, Crestron was synonymous with a touch panel control system. Now, not all touch screens are Crestron touch screens, but Crestron has done a great job making themselves recognized as the “go to” manufacturer for this type of product in the education market. (This is not an advertisement for Crestron, please read on. )
It doesn’t matter what industry you are in; branding should be an important part of your business strategy. A lot of people think “I am a small company in a small industry; I will never need a brand like Coca-Cola or Nike.” That doesn’t mean that your brand isn’t just as important to your company as the swoosh is to Nike. Your company’s brand is its identity. If you are consistent with your brand and with your message, it will be recognizable to those who are important to your company’s overall success. It is important for Nike to be recognized by consumers worldwide, so their entire branding strategy including messaging, advertising, promotion, packaging, etc. reflects this reach. Make sure your branding and messaging reflect your company values. It isn’t just cliché that people interact with (buy from) those they like.
When promoting your brand, ask yourself what your target markets are, what are the demographics of these markets, where / in what type of arena they are active, and what you want your perceived value to look like. It can never be said enough that consistency in branding is imperative. Changing logos, colors, and messaging too often will result in brand confusion and decreased interaction. There are specific times, however, when you may want to modify your brand or re-brand. For example, a re-brand can be successful when your company is no longer growing (stagnant) or is unstable, when there is a large shift in or addition to the product offering, or when there is a move into a new market or venue.
Regardless of company size, a strong and stable branding strategy will result in increased company recognition and interaction. A constantly changing brand will not only result in a less recognizable company and offering but will also confuse the people you want to engage, rendering the brand less valuable. So whatever your swoosh is, stick with it. You may become the Nike of your industry. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
|
Must-Have Install Gear You Hadn’t Even Thought About
By Lee Distad rAVe Columnist
I’ve never met an AV pro who didn’t love tools and gadgets. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that of all the AV pros I’ve known all these years, their love of tools and gadgets vary only by degree.
Some, like my friend and former co-worker Mike, one of the most talented installers I’ve known are at the far end of the bell-curve, in full-blown toolphoria. The man loves his tools, which he carts around in no less than three wheeled toolboxes of descending size, like poppa, momma and baby bear. When the catalogs from tool vendors like Klein Tools arrived in the mail with their glossy, full-color pages Mike’s eyes would light up like a child’s on Christmas Day.
In that context, I’m much more reasonable. I seldom impulse purchase shiny new tools. Well, hardly ever. What, to me, defines a tool is that it accomplishes a result that is either impossible to achieve without it, or does it better than an alternative.
Pablo Picasso famously said “Everything is either easy or impossible.” The line between the easy and the impossible isn’t carved in stone, either. Often the difference between the two is having the right tool for the job.
There are a lot of great tools out there. And not all of them are expensive, esoteric or even all that glamorous. Sometimes the most useful tools are so unassuming that you can be forgiven for not knowing about them. Today I’m going to talk about two of them.
NiteIze is a manufacturer that makes a variety of gadgets, from LED flashlights to tie-downs. Its Gear Tie family of products are reusable rubber twist ties which have a tough rubber shell that provides excellent grip, and a strong wire inside that holds its shape.
Gear Ties are essentially a reusable zip tie. They come in six sizes (3″, 6″, 12″, 18″, 24″ or 32″) and have quite literally an endless number of applications.
The larger sizes are handy for things like tying up the cords of your power tools in neat coils or lashing tools and devices to a ladder when working up high. The smaller sizes can be used for all sorts of things, the most common being cable management in installations.
As a consequence of developers building MDUs as fast and as cheaply as they could during the housing boom, the interior walls of many condo developments used sheet steel studs instead behind the drywall. A direct consequence of that for AV Pros is the load-bearing capabilities of lag bolts and anchors when hanging flat panel displays or anything else for that matter.
It’s been around for a few years now, and yet I still find a lot of AV Pros who’ve not heard of the SNAPTOGGLE, which is an essential anchor for mounting anything that has some mass to walls with metal studs.
The SNAPTOGGLE Hollow-Wall Anchors holds up to 356 pounds in 5/8″ drywall. They also only require a hole from a 1/2″ drill bit, which minimizes the risk of mangling the client’s drywall. If that wasn’t enough, they’re reusable in the same hole; you can remove the bolt without losing the anchor behind the wall.
Here’s a handy instructional video that demonstrates how easy these things are to install. You can go to Toggler.com for more information, but they’re widely available at big box hardware stores.
And remember, having the right tools is often the difference between easy and impossible. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Harman Buys AMXIn a surprise move, today Harman announced that it will acquire control company AMX for $365 million, pending regulatory approvals. AMX was previously owned by The Duchossois Group, a privately held investment firm. HARMAN already owns many well-known AV brands, including JBL, Crown, dbx and others, though most were primarily focused on audio. The purchase of one of the biggest three home and commercial control companies is a big move into the rest of the market — a sign that Harman wants to be in more than just audio.
rAVe founder Gary Kayye says, “This is the largest acquisition in our market in a couple years. This is a good marriage between two companies the probably need each other and will be complementary to each other. HARMAN has a great distribution channel and fills out what AMX doesn’t have — an audio side — and likewise AMX gives HARMAN access to switching, routing, room control and new collaboration technologies. One interesting thing that should be noted from this is how much HARMAN paid for AMX. I think most people believe AMX was much larger than it really was. Based on this purchase amount, it appears that AMX is about 25 percent the size of Crestron and likely doing 1/6th of the amount of business Extron is doing.”
Below is the complete press release from HARMAN:
Harman International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE:HAR), the premier infotainment and audio group, today announced it has signed an agreement with The Duchossois Group, Inc. and its affiliates to acquire AMX LLC for US$365 million. AMX is the leading provider of enterprise control and automation systems and audio and video switching and distributing solutions. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals.
“The sale to HARMAN fulfills one of our fundamental objectives, which was to position this business with a leading entity that will take AMX to an even higher level of performance and success.”
“HARMAN is the leader in smart connectivity. Our vision is to extend our reach beyond the car into the enterprise, where we already have a substantial audio presence,” said Dinesh C. Paliwal, Chairman, President and CEO of HARMAN. “AMX is the global technology leader in enterprise control and automation as well as audio and video switching and distribution. With the addition of AMX, HARMAN will be uniquely positioned to provide complete audio, video, lighting and automation solutions to our customers globally.”
Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Richardson, Texas, AMX’s hardware and proprietary software solutions simplify the way people interact with technology and are implemented worldwide throughout a variety of enterprises and venues such as conference rooms, hotels, classrooms, network operation / command centers, entertainment venues and broadcast facilities. AMX employs more than 600 people across its operations in 19 locations worldwide.
“Starting with the acquisition of Martin lighting last year, HARMAN has set forth a clear strategy to add visual solutions to our legacy of audio offerings” said Blake Augsburger, President, HARMAN Professional division. “AMX’s strong portfolio of video distribution hardware and software is a significant step into the video domain, reinforcing HARMAN’s commitment to expand our professional portfolio with industry-leading technologies and brands in adjacent and complementary markets.”
“HARMAN is a world-class company, and this transaction will provide additional opportunities to grow the AMX business,” said Robert L. Fealy, President and Chief Operating Officer, the Duchossois Group, and Chairman of AMX. “The sale to HARMAN fulfills one of our fundamental objectives, which was to position this business with a leading entity that will take AMX to an even higher level of performance and success.”
AMX will be integrated into HARMAN’s Professional division, a leading professional audio and lighting business, featuring legendary brands like AKG® Acoustics, BSS Audio®, Crown® amplifiers, dbx®, JBL ® Professional, Lexicon®, Soundcraft®, Studer® and Martin ® lighting. HARMAN’s Professional division designs, manufactures and markets leading professional audio and lighting products for recording and broadcast, musicians, cinema, touring sound, commercial applications like airports, stadiums, hotels and concert halls. HARMAN systems are installed in world renowned entertainment and hospitality complexes, transportation centers, and cultural and academic institutions around the globe.
Update:
The following message was sent out to AMX employees and dealers from AMX President and CEO Rashid Skaf:
AMX Partners,
I have some very exciting news that I want to share with you and your team. Earlier this morning, Harman International signed an agreement with The Duchossois Group, Inc. to acquire AMX. While the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, I want to let you know about the announcement and what it means for AMX. As you know, AMX is the global technology leader in enterprise control and automation as well as audio and video switching and distribution. HARMAN is known for smart connectivity in the car, as well as superior acoustics in the studio, on the stage, at home and in the car. With the addition of AMX to the HARMAN portfolio, we can now provide audio, video, lighting and automation solutions to our combined customers. I realize you may have a few questions for me about potential changes, the timing of those changes and other logistical issues. For now, it’s business as usual. We have a few weeks until we close the deal and there are many details to discuss with the team from HARMAN. I can tell you that AMX will be integrated into HARMAN’s Professional Division, where we will join other legendary brands like AKG Acoustics, BSS Audio, Crown amplifiers, dbx, JBL Professional, Lexicon, Soundcraft, Studer and Martin lighting. In addition, I will be joining HARMAN, working for Blake Augsburger, who heads up HARMAN’s Professional Division. In the meantime, I want to thank you as always for your partnership and support of AMX and look forward to working with you during the transition and beyond as AMX finds a new home within HARMAN. Best Regards, Rashid Skaf President & CEO AMX Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
|
Kramer Intros 1×4 HDMI Distribution Amplifier Kramer Electronics’ new VM-4HN is a 1×4 HDMI distribution amplifier that relocks and equalizes the signal and is spec’d to distribute it to four identical outputs. The VM-4HN claims a maximum data rate of 10.2 Gbps (3.4 Gbps per graphic channel) distributes signals with resolutions up to 4K (3840×2160), 24 Hz refresh with 8-bit/10-bit/12-bit color, and 30 Hz refresh with 8-bit color, which means it supports WUXGA (1920×1200) up to 12-bit color and 1080p at all color bit depths.
Kramer says the VM-4HN supports Deep Color, x.v.Color, Lip Sync, HDMI Uncompressed Audio Channels, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD and CEC. It is HDCP-compliant and features I-EDID Pro Kramer Intelligent EDID Processing, an intelligent EDID handling and processing algorithm that ensures Plug and Play operation for HDMI systems. The default, pre-programmed EDID also allows the VM-4HN to be connected quickly and without having to connect a display to the output. It also passes 3D signals.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
|
Artcoustic Ships Spitfire SeriesUK-based Artcoustic is now shipping three new Spitfire Subwoofer models including the Control 1, 2 and 3.
The Control 1, the smallest and shallowest of the three, has two long throw 10″ bass units. It’s designed for medium and large rooms. Specs include:
- Operating Range 20 Hz to 120 Hz
- Sensitivity 95 dB
- Max. SPL Average Peak @ 20Hz 107dB @ 30Hz 113dB @ 40Hz 118dB
- Weight 22 kg
- Dimensions H: 844 W: 500 D: 150 mm
The Control 2 is a larger version of the Control 1 that’s specified with extended dynamic range and higher sound pressure level at frequencies below 30Hz. The Spitfire Control 2 has two long throw 10″ bass units and is also for use in medium and large rooms. Specs include:
- Operating Range 20 Hz to 120 Hz
- Sensitivity 95 dB
- Max. SPL Average Peak 20Hz 111dB @ 30Hz 117dB @ 40Hz 121dB
- Weight 29 kg
- Dimensions H: 844 W: 650 D: 200 mm
Finally, the Control 3 is spec’d to be the most powerful subwoofer in the Artcoustic line up much higher sound pressure level at frequencies below 30Hz. The Spitfire Control 3 has three long throw 10″ bass units and is for any size room. Specs include:
- Operating Range 15 Hz to 120 Hz
- Sensitivity 95 dB
- Max. SPL Average Peak @ 15Hz 112dB @ 20Hz 116dB @ 30Hz 121dB @ 40Hz 124dB
- Weight 47 kg
- Dimensions H: 844 W: 844 D: 300 mm
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Brick & Bullet Wants to Bring Affordable AVB Audio to the Connected HomeA Kickstarter campaign has been launched by AVB.io, a company founded by CE veteran John Gildred, formerly of Pioneer, in order to bring to market the Brick & Bullet — what the company describes as a “low-cost Ethernet AVB switch and 24/96 live audio adapter.” The company’s goal is to bring affordable, high resolution audio, including that of live performance audio, to the home and small commercial live-venue installations via the network.
The system has a “brick,” which is basically the router, allows uncompressed audio signals to travel up to a total of 300 feet. It’s built on the IEEE 802.1 standards. The other piece is the “bullet,” a small endpoint that can be connected to both the network, and then to any source or speaker that does not already have AVB built in. (MacBook Pros, for example, already have native Ethernet AVB support via Thunderbolt.) This allows you to mix and match AVB and non-AVB equipment while still using digital audio signals and keeping them on the network. Bricks can be daisy-chained together so signals can travel as long a distance as needed.
Control of the products seems to currently only be done via Macs at the moment, and not through a user-friendly interface at that. (This may present an integrator opportunity.) But these products will still appeal to audiophile clients that want to get uncompressed audio all over their houses, and also to small recording studios and live venues for which digital audio was previously an expensive impossibility.
Final pricing isn’t determined yet, but via the Kickstarter campaign, you can get one Brick for $300, or a Brick and two bullets for $850.
More information is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Fusion Research Intros Single-Zone Music ServerFusion Research announced this month that it is shipping a new single-zone audio streamer called Signature.
The Signature is priced very competitively at $499 retail and has an integrated DAC that allows the Signature to output at 24-bit/192KHz and is the first Ovation product to ship with Apple AirPlay capability. The Signature can be expanded to two discrete music sources with the use of the also new Ovation Wireless Player (OWP2). It also uses the existing Ovation drivers for automation and has compatibility with Control4, AMX, Crestron, Extron, etc.
Other features include:
- Burr Brown DAC
- Full 192 kHz — 24 bit HD Audio
- Runs on less than 1 watt of power
- Two-way drivers for virtually all control systems
- Free two-way drivers for iOS and Android devices
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Extron Adds Compact Two Channel Amplifiers for High Impedance SystemsExtron has introduced the Extron XTRA Series XPA 1002-70V and XPA 1002-100V, half rack 1U, convection cooled power amplifiers delivering two channels of 100 watts rms for 70-volt and 100-volt distributed speakers. These professional grade amplifiers feature a 100 dB signal-to-noise ratio with 0.1 percent THD+N specifications.
Features include:
- ENERGY STAR qualification
- Advanced Class D amplifier design
- Patented CDRS – Class D Ripple Suppression
- 1U, half-rack width metal enclosures
- 2.5-pound weight
- Energy-efficient design generates little heat
- UL 2043 plenum rated when used with the optional Flexible Conduit Adapter Kit
They include an auto power-down feature that automatically places the amplifier into standby after a period of inactivity, and consumes just 10 watts when idle and less than 1 watt in standby mode. Extron says each amplifier also has an ultra low inrush current draw to prevent power circuit overload that occurs when multiple amplifiers are switched on simultaneously. This feature eliminates the need for power sequencing in systems with multiple amplifiers in large centralized equipment racks, and prevents other equipment from experiencing power interruption from associated power surges.
For more information on the these amplifiers, click here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Kramer Intros Pull-Resistant HDMI CablesCalled K-Lock, this new pull resistant HDMI connector from Kramer provides up to 15 pounds (6.8kg) of retaining force when pulled. Not all HDMI cables will have K-Lock, but the ones that do have small springs on the surface of the connector that hold the cable tightly in place.
The K-Lock connectors are available on Kramer’s C-HM/HM, C-HM/HM/ETH, C-HM/HM/PRO, C-HM/HM/FLAT/ETH,
C-MHM/MHM, C-MHMA/MHMA and the Kramer HDMI cables in retail packaging.
It’s an interesting concept and something that installers will appreciate. Here are the full specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
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 Back to Top |
Copyright 2014 – 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. |
|
|
|