Volume 11, Issue 12 — June 30, 2014
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Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial
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Industry News Control & Signal Processing Cables, Furniture, Mounts, Racks, Screens and Accessories Projection
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Remote Power Management
By Lee Distad rAVe Columnist
What matters most to all those expensive black boxes neatly connected and stitched up in the rack, connected via other expensive black boxes to displays throughout the project aren’t buzzwords like resolution or bit-rate but one single, simple thing: electricity.
As even small (fewer than ten rooms or displays) systems depend on more sophisticated technology to distribute AV more sophisticated power management has become increasingly critical.
By now I would hope that every AV pro understands that without clean, stable power, systems are at risk. Unprotected or under-protected systems can (and probably will) fail more frequently than protected ones.
There are two primary concerns that power management addresses: system protection and system performance. Protection should be a top of mind concern for any system design. Even Installations that have relatively “good” AC power (stable voltage, little risk of lightning, low AC line noise) still require proper protection, line filtering and isolation from other electronics.
Every veteran AV pro has at least one good story about bad power. Here’s one of mine:
Years ago, in the span of less than a year our company experienced a remarkable number of power-related system failures, all in a single new development in town.
Coincidentally, I was friends with one of the power system engineers for the local electric company, and when I asked him about it he confided that surges and brownouts were an ongoing issue in that neighborhood: The local substation wasn’t upgraded, and was only rated for a third of the demand that it now faced.
Our takeaway from that was to not just specify power management as an afterthought, but to expand our understanding of the category and take it seriously.
Proper load calculation and design is a fundamental topic, and one I don’t have the space to cover here. What I do want to talk about is advances in remote system monitoring, specifically remote monitoring of power management.
Remote monitoring matters because AV pros need to manage their clients’ systems more efficiently and reduce service costs. Rather than having to roll a truck and a service tech to boot a locked up PVR or other device, AV pros can hard reboot locked up equipment via a remote reboot command. Time is money, and remote monitoring will save you both.
One example of power management with remote monitoring is Axess by SurgeX, an IP addressable, surge eliminating and power conditioning management system that allows AV Pros to monitor and control power distribution platforms online. It’s able to monitor individual outlets and power settings and custom sequences can be created across the entire network with notifications sent based on user-defined conditions.
One of its main advantages is that it provides two-way communication, collecting temperature, voltage and current draw measurements displayed on a simple interface. Other remote features include the ability to control power down to an outlet level, including turning outlets on and off and controlling expansion units from the master unit.
Sensors allow monitoring of temperatures in the rack, can be configured to activate outlets to which cooling fans are connected at specific temperatures, and sequentially shut down devices in a specific order if the heat reaches more critical levels. Automated email reporting quickly and easily sets up email reports to brief your service team the health and stability of your installed systems.
With regard to AV pros providing long term service and remote monitoring of their portfolio of installations, there are two key elements that need to be met. First, they need the technical components necessary to be effective. Secondly, and most importantly, they need the ability to monetize those systems and make them profitable.
I first covered ihiji in 2010 when it was still a startup. Its business model is to offer AV pros a zero-maintenance, cloud-based, remote network management solution. The company’s solutions are based around a centralized, web-based dashboard which provides AV Pros with visibility into multiple client networks at once.
The end goal is for AV pro clients to become more proactive and efficient at system service, which promises to eliminate up to 50 percent of service calls while also providing recurring revenue. ihiji’s latest network tool is a feature enhancement dubbed ConnectNinja, which provides technicians simple and secure remote access to troubleshoot and configure their client’s devices and networks through the ihiji invision web portal.
The key advantage ihiji claims is that ConnectNinja allows AV pros to resolve more complex issues by accessing devices through the invision portal without the need for VPNs or unsecure port forwards. Using ihiji’s servers, ConnectNinja passes securely through firewalls, connecting users directly to the networked devices.
Once connected, ConnectNinja functionality extends ihiji’s NetNinja Suite, which remotely resolves issues with networks and devices via PowerNinja, which remotely reboots IP power units; SwitchNinja, which remotely power cycles PoE ports; and StealthNinja, which provides direct soft-reboots of devices.
That’s a lot of ninjas.
The secure remote access feature cuts both time and money spent on deploying technicians to troubleshoot on site.
As interesting as that is for the AV Pros with technical IT leanings, let’s refocus on what caught the attention of the business-minded AV Pros earlier in the article: recurring revenue.
With the systems already in place for the technical side of remote maintenance, ihiji’s leveraged that with their new Client Care Plan which they began promoting last fall at CEDIA Expo. The ihiji Client Care Program is essentially a turnkey guide that includes step-by-step instructions, pricing calculators, customer facing collateral and sales training.
Described as essentially a proactive, preventative maintenance agreement, the Client Care Plan promises dealer higher customer satisfaction, more reliable systems and a recurring revenue stream.Most importantly, they suggest that AV Pros will be able to offer annual maintenance agreements that require tying up very less time or internal resources. Lack of resources, as I’ve written before, is often the biggest challenge AV dealers face in providing long term service contracts.
According to ihiji, its Client Care Plan can accommodate the scope and budget of most projects. That means that dealers can offer remote monitoring services even to clients with small installations for as little as a few hundred dollars a year yet also have scale up to be able to support much larger projects. Leave a Comment
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AMX: How to Achieve Harman-y
By Mark Coxon rAVe Blogger
I have seen a lot of discussion about the new acquisition of AMX by Harman.
Many have tried to say that because of the large consumer division of Harman, that AMX will be marginalized in the commercial space going forward. I’m quite certain that won’t be the case given that AMX has been placed in the ProAV products group with JBL Pro and Crown. JBL Pro has been expanding its line beyond their architectural loudspeakers for some time and now seem to have a rather competitive assortment of both small and large line arrays, pendant speakers, etc. Crown has also been a staple in the ProAV space for some time as well and I can’t count the number of jobs I surveyed from shopping malls, to houses of worship, to offices that were using Crown as the juice behind the distributed audio system.
The other detractors seem to focus on the fact that Harman is an audio-centric company and that AMX’s strengths are control and video. They question Harman’s experience in growing these two segments, especially in the commercial space. I would argue however that there is a difference in Harman’s experience in growing these segments and their ability to do so. I happen to think that Harman may be uniquely poised to take AMX to the next level, and to take some market share from the “The Tale of Two Trons”.
Harman’s unique advantage with AMX may lie in three other letters, AVB.
Let’s first remember that the V in AVB does stand for something, and that something is video. Harman has been very intimately involved in the AVB standard and its creation. Of course their main dog in the hunt has always been audio, but their knowledge of the standard may just be very advantageous considering this new acquisition.
AMX already has a line of Enova switchers, but to be fair, Crestron’s DM and Extron’s DTP/XTP products have subjugated Enova to a distant third for some time. Pushing Enova is necessary as that is what AMX has to sell currently, but I’m not sure that just leveraging a Harman centric dealer base and a having access to a massive marketing budget will be enough. It’s still a “me too” story in many respects.
However, if AMX could leverage Harman’s knowledge of AVB and then launch a series of products based around using existing enterprise level switching hardware that all changes…dramatically. Especially if you can then tie in network addressable amplifiers or even network addressable speakers with integrated amplifiers and AVB ports for distributed audio and emergency mass notification.
Crestron touted end to end 4k at InfoComm this year using their new 4k wire, which funnily enough, lost to Kramer for quality, in a cable challenge that Crestron themselves sponsored.
SVSi touts uncompressed 4k through enterprise grade switches with their video to IP converter boxes, as well as an audio partnership with QSC QSys and Global Cache for control.
But in this case, if Harman and AMX could pull it off, they could be the only ones doing end to end 4k with audio and control through the network switch. Now that may be a story worth telling, and perhaps a stone worthy of slinging at Goliath.
What do you think? Am I off base? Tell me I’m right or pick a fight (you won’t win ) in the comments below.Leave a Comment
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4K Shenanigans
By Matt Cooper Lead Designer
I’m starting the day off with one of the biggest feature buzzwords of InfoComm: 4K. And rightly so, 3D in the commercial world has safely faded into obscurity for what it should be – a gimmick to be used sparingly when you need to catch people’s attention for applications like digital signage.
At a certain size — anything over 60 inches in my opinion — 4K provides an eye-catching and beautiful image. On screen smaller than that, I think the benefit is debatable unless your face is inches from the screen. Other caveats to 4k superiority include the usual suspects like screen quality (contrast, sharpness, backlighting), and the processing power to even push those pixels smoothly in high-action scenes.
We’ve also written about the many complications regarding 4K signal standards and resolutions. It’s no wonder then that Crestron is pushing its 4K Certification program this year. For a control and signal processing box company, to guarantee that the myriad 4K sources and displays all play together smoothly.
But with the popularity comes the siren’s call to marking departments to ride the trend as much as possible. In it can be very constructive – I’m thinking about Crestron’s 4K certification program. I was skeptical with the idea initially – it seemed to be a way to boost 4k branding. But, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense from a practical point of view from a company who has to support thousands of sources and end points. When signals fail to scale and HDCP fails to handshake — who’s going to get the troubleshooting call? Probably the control/signal processing company. By forcing manufacturer’s to send test models of products for testing, Crestron can ensure cleared products will always play nice.
The less constructive use of 4K branding can be seen in booths like Sony. Don’t get me wrong – they have some beautiful 4k capable products. In particular, you should go see the demo of four powerhouse SRX-T516 4K projectors edge blended into an 8K picture, and the Sony F65 Camera that shoots in native 8K. The Sony laser 4K and 4K short-throw projectors are also worth a visit to the booth.
Where things get sketchy is when you see the 4Kx1K Presentation Solution – a slick interface for assigning sources to zones across two edge blended projectors. TWO 1080P projectors, not four. To my reckoning, that would give you 2Kx1K. When I asked if you can string four together to use this interface software, I was told it wouldn’t add any extra zones or functionality. I was told it was just a marketing sign, and didn’t represent the technical specs of the demo.
I think 4K is a solid trend people are going to continue steadily towards on an upgrade path. But, considering the array of competing 4K standards muddying the waters — marketers need to stop making it worse with confusing and deceptive marketing materials. I suspect this isn’t the last misuse of 4K I’ll see while I’m at InfoComm and make sure to give an update as we go these next two days. Leave a Comment
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Using Cell Phones to Make Noise Measurements
By Steven J. Thorburn, PE, LEED-AP Co-founder, Thorburn Associates
Twice in the last month, we have heard “I just used my cell phone to make noise measurements so you do not need to make measurements.” Mobile phone sound meter applications have added a new twist to our consulting services. As for using our smart phones as sound level meters… The standard phone, as delivered from Apple, Motorola, Samsung, etc. is an awful sound level meter that should not be used for anything other than fun! Of the over 120 and growing sound meter applications currently available, none of them make up for the inexpensive microphone that is part of the phone. The microphone elements we use cost hundreds of dollars, much more than the most expensive smart phone available. The meter that this very expensive microphone element attaches to is even more costly.
When the iPhone first came out, one of our colleagues was doing a demonstration to a city council. The demonstration was a recorded simulation of a noise event. Prior to the meeting he carefully adjusted the demonstration level in the council chambers, in order to show the most accurate information. At the time of the testimony, our colleague reproduced the calibration level and showed the council members that it was 60dBA — the goal for the calibration level. Then two different council members that had just gotten their iPhone for the holidays said, no I read it at 64dBA here and the other said no it is only 57dBA here. How do you argue with Apple? They clearly would not make a product that was not accurate.
In April 2014, the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America published an evaluation of smart phone sound measurement applications. In this article, authors Kardous and Shaw tested a number of different systems and apps. Their research confirmed this disparate range of readings reported when the devices are side-by-side in the same sound field.
A few weeks ago we tried a similar test… we used our sound masking system to create a uniform sound field as defined by our “true test meters.” We used three of our “test meters” to triple check the levels and all were within a few tenths of a decibel, as we would expect. Unfortunately, our smart phones had a 10 decibel range between the lowest and the highest and none of them matched what our “true test meters” reported.
Is there a use for the smart phone sound meter app? Sure, it gives you an idea of the relative level. How loud is the office relative to the kitchen at home, or how loud is my car with the windows rolled up at a stop light. Beyond that, be very careful of what you read on the web about acoustics, and what someone claims (and how they claim it) when it comes to a noise level measured by their smart phone. Leave a Comment
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HARMAN Completes AMX AcquisitionHARMAN last week announced the successful completion of its acquisition of AMX LLC, from The Duchossois Group, Inc. for $365 million. Richardson, Texas-based AMX is a provider of enterprise control and automation systems as well as audio/video switching and distributing solutions and will be integrated into HARMAN’s professional offerings servicing audio, video and IT pros.
Founded in 1982, AMX’s hardware and proprietary software solutions are designed to simplify the way people interact with technology. AMX employs more than 600 people across its operations in 19 locations worldwide.
“From the addition of Martin lighting and Duran Audio in 2013 to the completion of the AMX acquisition today, HARMAN Professional is aggressively pursuing opportunities to provide customers and partners with systems solutions that advance the integration and application of AV technology in the enterprise,” said Blake Augsburger, President, HARMAN Professional division. “The completion of this acquisition expands HARMAN’s preeminent role on stage and in the studio to the enterprise as a leading supplier of turnkey AV solutions.”
AMX products and operations will be integrated into HARMAN’s Professional division, the professional audio and lighting unit of HARMAN, featuring legendary brands like AKG, BSS Audio, Crown amplifiers, dbx, JBL Professional, Lexicon, Soundcraft, Studer and Martin lighting. As with other product brands in the HARMAN Professional portfolio it will be referred to as AMX by HARMAN. HARMAN’s Professional division designs, manufactures and markets professional audio and lighting products for recording and broadcast, musicians, cinema, touring sound, commercial applications like airports, stadiums, hotels and concert halls. Leave a Comment
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Crestron Ships 20″ HD Capacitive Touch Screen Crestron is now shipping its next generation V-Panel 20” HD Touch Screen Display (TSD-2020), a 1920×1080, ultra-thin display that can be used as a control touch screen, TV or computer monitor in a home or commercial setting. In addition to lectern, articulating arm and VESA mounting options, a flush-mount wall bracket for the TSD-2020 will be available soon.
The TSD-2020 merges Crestron’s capacitive touch technology with HD video, offering multi-window display of HDMI and other video sources, as well as an ultra-wide 178 degree viewing angle. The touch screen also offers three times the contrast ratio of earlier Crestron V-Panel displays. For presentations, built-in annotation allows users to write over video images or sketch out ideas on a whiteboard screen with the included touch pen.
The TSD-2020 is shipping now. More information is available here. Leave a Comment
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DVDO Launches Tiny 4K Scaler DVDO’s new iScan Mini is a compact SD (480p) and Full HD (1080p) to 4K scaler. Integrated with Silicon Image’s VRS ClearView technology, the iScan Mini includes noise reduction, edge and detail enhancement (sharpness control) and a useless side-by-side comparison mode of “before and after” video to showcase the power of iScan Mini.
Packaged in a small form-factor, the iScan Mini can be placed behind an existing AVR or even wall-mounted TV and it lists for only $299. Inputs and outputs include HDMI (video) and S/PDIF (audio), it’s included with EDID editing, IR control and 4:2:0 adaptive scaling.
All the detailed specs are here. Leave a Comment
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Crestron Intros 4K DM Receiver Crestron’s new HDBaseT compliant DM-RMC-4K-100-C-1G is a signal interface and control solution for a single HD or 4K display device in a DM system. A single cable connects the DM-RMC-4K-100-C-1G to a DM switcher or transmitter, or to an HDBaseT source, transporting video, audio, control, networking and power signals all through one category cable. Crestron says a single HDMI output port supports video at resolutions up to 4K (4096×2160). The DM-RMC-4K-100-C-1G can be gang-mounted beside an Ethernet jack or an electrical outlet equipped with proper dividers. Multiple receivers can be mounted in the wall all around the room and in 4″-deep floor boxes.
The DM-RMC-4K-100-C-1G includes built-in RS-232 and IR control ports to allow programmable control of the connected display device. It also provides an alternative to conventional control methods by harnessing the CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) signal embedded in HDMI. Through its connection to the control system, it also provides a gateway for controlling the display device right through the HDMI connection, potentially eliminating the need for any dedicated control wires or IR emitters.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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tvOne Debuts Magenta MultiView II DVI Receiver tvONE officially launched the new Magenta MultiView II DVI Receiver at InfoComm. The new MultiView II DVI Receiver provides a digital connection for most new display devices. Combined with the MV II DVI TX, the MV II DVI RX can extend 1080p video, SPDIF or analog audio, as well as bi-directional RS232, 1,000 feet — and all on any single CAT cable (Cat 5/5e/6/6a or low skew) providing a flawless, crisp uncompressed video image. The MultiView DVI TX/RX combination is far less susceptible to environmental anomalies than many other common Cat 5/6 video extension systems.
MultiView DVI’s most exciting feature is its full backwards compatibility with Magenta’s UTP-based crosspoint switch, the Mondo Matrix. Combining MultiView DVI with a Mondo Matrix provides integrators with the ability to implement digital video when utilizing one of the largest switches in the world, as the Mondo is configurable in increments of 16 inputs and outputs, from 16×16 all the way to 256×512.
In addition to the standard daisy-chain functionality that most MultiView receivers possess, users will also have a choice of outputting digital DVI video or analog RGBHV from a Mondo, by mixing and matching new MultiView DVI receivers alongside existing MultiView receivers. This adaptability ensures that architects, integrators, installers and end users are presented with more options than ever before for designing, installing and operating a switched environment that can easily adapt to multiple video formats, alongside audio and serial signals.
More specs are here. Leave a Comment
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Crestron DigitalMedia Adds Streaming and Uncompressed HD Video Using the new DMC-STRO Streaming Output Card for DigitalMedia switchers in tandem with the DMC-STR Streaming Input Card, Crestron DM switchers can send and receive H.264 streaming video.
The DMC-STR Streaming Input Card enables you to receive H.264 streaming video input and then output it via any output card in the DM switcher or the card’s local HDMI output and with the DMC-STRO Streaming Output Card you can create an H.264 streaming video output from any DM input, including HD video brought into the switcher using an HDMI input card.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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ESP/SurgeX Adds IP to Defender SeriesESP/SurgeX has just announced the Remote Portal, a new module that brings IP connectivity to SurgeX Defender Series Surge+Diagnostic and MultiPak smart energy management systems as well as the ESP Envision Power Conditioning System (PCS).
Adding remote IP connectivity to its diagnostic software allows ESP/SurgeX integrators to instantly view the history of power quality events, monitor live data, download/upload reports, manage voltage thresholds and diagnose power disturbances remotely. And because recorded and live power incidents are time stamped, integrators can isolate power quality issues chronologically to identify trends which may be causing disruptions or downtime.
Remote Portal also compiles and compares power disruption and usage data over a wide range of equipment locations and facilities to provide a cumulative or real-time view of power quality and energy consumption. For benchmarking purposes, the detailed logs and reports clearly demonstrate the improvement in power quality that results from integrating ESP/SurgeX products.
SurgeX’s Remote Portal can be easily integrated with existing systems or implemented as part of a new installation. Both the MultiPak and Defender Series Surge + Diagnostic models provide professional-grade, Multi-Stage surge protection, EMI/RFI noise filtration, over/under voltage shutdown, first-of-its-kind Cat6 network protection, telephone line and wiring fault protection. The Surge + Diagnostic solution features customizable power protection settings and advanced data intelligence that helps integrators diagnose service calls proactively and keep short and long-term records of power quality. The MultiPak was made specifically for installation behind flat-panels displays and will fit naturally within common mounting mechanisms to protect valuable digital signage and video solutions.
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Digital Projection Unveils 4K Laser Illumination Combination Projector Digital Projection International’s new INSIGHT LASER 4K projector is a 20,000-hours, no-lamp laser projector that has a spec of 12,000 ANSI lumens.
Aimed at simulation, visualization, entertainment, house of worship and large-screen applications, DPI says the INSIGHT LASER 4K has been developed with a ‘Set it and Forget it’ directive, delivering a simpler user experience. And, by bypassing regular lamp replacement cycles, nearly all lifetime costs for the INSIGHT are incurred at time of purchase.
Engineered within a lightweight and rugged all metal chassis, the INSIGHT 4K series offers the benefits of a laser light source (primarily, longevity – 20,000 hours of life) being projected through a phosphor wheel, yielding 12,000 lumens of brightness. The INSIGHT 4K also delivers full 4K 3D display capability. Dual HDMI and DVI inputs enable the latest high-bandwidth video delivery. A full range of 4K lenses, offering throw ratios from 1.13:1 to 4.98:1, with extensive vertical and horizontal lens shift, is available as well. DPI says this projector should be available by the end of the year
Here are all the tech specs. Leave a Comment
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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.
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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. |
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