Volume 11, Issue 23 — December 10, 2014
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Industry News rAVe BlogSquad
Control & Signal Processing Audio Cables, Furniture, Mounts, Racks, Screens and Accessories
Media Players, Recording & Distribution
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Never Mind Smart Wiring: How About Wiring Smart?
By Lee Distad rAVe Columnist
Wiring is the foundation of AV installation. Without that foundation, everything else that follows is on shaky ground. As fundamental as it seems, it’s too important to take for granted. It’s worth looking at the nuances of home run and series wiring, and their respective applications, as well as how to most effectively estimate wiring lengths during the planning and design stage.
Home run, also known as “star wiring” in some manuals means running wires directly from each device in the building to an equipment rack that’s centrally located.
Series wiring, by contrast, loops multiple devices together: Device A is wired up to devices B, then to C, then to D and E, looping back to A. Since virtually everything you’re wiring up that isn’t a loudspeaker is a network device, home run wiring is what’s required. But wiring in series still has its uses. Loudspeakers can be wired up in series of course, but also two-wire devices like door or motion sensors for security can be wired in series to a single line back to the panel. Additionally, some lighting control dimmer switches allow installers to either wire them in a home run to their controller or in Series to several other devices.
So why would an AV pro opt to wire in series rather than home run? One scenario that comes to mind is if you’ve been contracted for an automation project that’s either a retrofit or if the building is already halfway completed, that allows some flexibility in situations where wiring home runs everywhere has cost challenges.
Talking about costing is a great segue into wiring estimation. Don’t dismiss the importance of ensuring that both jobsite tasks are being done efficiently, and that the system design supports an efficient install schedule.
One very good reason for effective estimating is that rolling trucks with inadequate stock for the job will lead to delays which eat away at profit margins. At the same time overestimating wire requirements means that extra inventory dollars are tied up in spools of wire that end up sitting in inventory above and beyond what’s necessary.
“Whatever,” some AV pros will mutter. “Wire is cheap.”
It’s precisely that attitude that leads to bleeding inventory costs. On a per foot basis wire is cheap, but if you have too much you’re wasting money. Worse yet, what if you don’t know how much wire you’ve got in stock? That’s an ugly thought. So since wire estimation is important, what’s the best way to do it?
With the scale plans of the jobsite on your desk, on which the equipment locations are marked, take an architect’s scale and a notepad, measure the right angles it takes to reach from Point A to Point B. For each move from one floor to another add nine feet for the vertical measurement. Then add a few percent extra to your estimate, just to be safe. 7 percent is the rule I’ve always used.
The reason why good designers do that is to compensate for the differences between the blueprints and the jobsite, something that builders call “as drawn” versus “as built.” Believe it or not, on-site change orders or substitutions can affect where a wire run gets placed. Ask any installer whose ever found their wiring path blocked by a steel beam where no steel beam should be.
Calculate all the required lengths for each cable type in the installation, and only order what the project requires. After the pre-wire is completed and the in-office and install compare what was estimated and what the installers actually pulled, I’ll tell you right now that the two numbers will be pretty close. Leave a Comment
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Fun with HDBaseT
By Leonard Suskin Pixel and Ink-Stained Wretch
HDBaseT has been described as a bridge technology between traditional video transport and IP-based systems, the time for which is rapidly arriving. It’s a technology about which I’ve not been excited for some time; every manufacturer not only uses the same chipset (produced by Valens), but appears to have settled on the same form-factor and product line. There’s the standalone transmitter, the standalone receiver (with or without scaling), a two-gang, wall-plate transmitter with VGA and HDMI, a single-gang HDMI-only transmitter, and card-based modular matrix switches in 8×8, 16×16, 32×32, 64×64 and sometimes 128×128 sizes. Are there any innovations to be had in this realm and, more importantly, do they matter? To answer the first question, there are three products I’ve seen recently which I find interesting. As to whether or not they matter, time will tell. At present there is still enough need for point-to-point transport that HDBaseT types of solutions can have a place either in place of IP-based systems (for small, single-room systems) or as part of a hybrid system (for larger deployments).
Lightware
I had the pleasure of meeting the Lightware team last month here at Primeview’s showroom in New York City. In addition to having the foresight to build their matrix switches with a high enough bandwidth backplane for 4K content, Lightware has a few interesting quirks. One is that their matrix frames each have a single local input and output, sizing them at 9×9, 17×17, etc rather than the traditional 8×8 or 16×16. It’s a very minor point, but one that has the possibility to save design headaches in those rare, specific situations in which one has, for example, a ninth input and doesn’t want to move up to the next size frame. More practically, because it’s a local-only output it creates an easy connection point for a rack-mounted monitor. Nice? Yes. Groundbreaking? Not really.
The other item of which they are proud is their Modex line of HDBaseT extenders. This is an interesting mix-and-match concept in that the standalone transmitter and receiver boxes are populated by modules; one for copper or fiber transport, one for audio or video inputs, etc. This allows one to purchase units with exactly the desired connectivity. Sadly, the modules are neither user-swappable nor available for purchase a la carte. If they were, it would be an intriguing way for contractors to create a transport “toolkit” in which they mix-and match modules on the fly for specific purposes. Hopefully this will come someday.
Hubbell
While I tend to think of Hubbell as an architectural connectivity company rather than a source of electronics, they do have an AV division producing active devices, including HDBaseT extension. Their “110 AV” line is interesting in that, unlike other AV over twisted pair transport, they connect via 110 punchdown blocks rather than RJ45 jacks. This is more in line with BICSI wiring standards (as well as common practices by teledata contractors), which indicate that field cable is NOT to be terminated to a male connector. In fact, the only people one is likely to see field-terminating UTP are audiovisual contractors. This not only creates a potential failure point, but makes packaging AV wiring with the rest of the structured cable contract a challenge.
Speaking of wall plates, they have taken advantage of their line of power receptacles to create what stands out in my mind as the most clever means of locally powering a wall plate device. They’ve modified one of their standard duplex receptacles with a low-voltage DC pigtail to run into the back of a single-gang wall plate HDMI transmitter. Both transmitter and receptacle can then be mounted together in a custom two-gang wall box with an integrated low-voltage divider. It’s a neat way to combine device power with video transport.
Hubbell’s weakness here is that they lack the scope of most other participants in this market segment; they have perfectly reasonable point-to-point transmitters and receivers, but lack the matrix switches, scalers, and other units we’d expect from a more AV-centric manufacturer. They’ve also, as of yet, not done enough homework on interoperability to be able to tell us which display manufacturer’s integrated HDBaseT receivers with which their transmitters will work. This, sadly, limits their usefulness.
Crestron
This is the one item I’ve not physically gotten my hands on, but it’s an interesting one. Crestron has, for some time, offered a two-channel H.264 transmitter as an output card for its modular matrix switches. I have used this, and it does what one would expect it to. The part that I’ve not played with yet is a corresponding H.264 streaming input card. This is useful for system designs utilizing point-to-point transport within a room and the addition of streaming to share content across spaces. It’s the kind of solution that can give HDBaseT longer legs.
The Future?
The folks at Valens tell me that the HDBaseT chipset has capabilities not yet being used, including the ability to divide available video bandwidth into separate video channels. This may or may not be useful; I still see complicated systems as more likely to be handled over IP in the future. Leave a Comment
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CEDIA Announces 2015 Leadership CEDIA has announced the 2015 volunteer Board of Directors. The board has three new directors: Omar Hikal, Kris Hogg and George Walter.
“CEDIA’s Board of Directors continues to be filled with distinguished members of the industry and we are excited to welcome these three new additions,” said CEDIA Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, Don Gilpin.
Omar Hikal became the CEO of Archimedia in 2010. His primary focus is ensuring that Archimedia is consistently delighting and impressing its clients with solutions that are thoughtfully designed and flawlessly executed. Before joining Archimedia, Omar held various positions in Information Technology, Sales, Marketing and General Management. Omar holds a Business degree from Boston University’s School of Management and, subsequently, attended executive management programs at INSEAD and the Senior Executive Program at Harvard Business School. In addition, Omar is a CEDIA Certified System Design Professional and also sits on the CEDIA EMEA Board of Directors.
Kris Hogg is the founding director of UK integration firm, Konnectiv Technology Ltd. Kris has been in the home technology industry since 2000. In 2010 he formed Konnectiv Technology Ltd and the company has rapidly established itself as one of the leading experts in the UK home automation field specializing in large apartment schemes as well as private client work. Kris was elected to the CEDIA EMEA Board of Directors in 2012 and currently serves as the Chairman of the EMEA Board. He has also served as a board member on the global IT industry trade associations, the Association of Service and Computer Dealers, a US based trade body that lobbied at governmental and manufacturer level both in the USA and Europe to ensure fair trading practices and the development of recognized industry standards.
George Walter is currently Director of Home Entertainment for Christie Digital, where he has been responsible for launching the Christie Digital residential business unit. Prior to joining Christie Digital, George spent 14 years with Digital Projection Inc. where he launched the residential channel for Digital Projection’s projector line and eventually became Vice President of Home Theater for Digital Projection Inc. George has been a CEDIA member for 15 years,and also sits on the board of Azione. George earned a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from Syracuse University.
The 2015 CEDIA Board of Directors:
- Federico Bausone
- Robert Brown
- Dennis Erskine
- Hagai Feiner
- Omar Hikal
- Kris Hogg
- Dave Humphries
- Richard Millson
- Terence Murray
- Larry Pexton
- Michael Pope
- George Walter
- Joe Whitaker
The Directors’ term will begin January 1, 2015. CEDIA is here. Leave a Comment
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BenQ Announces BL3201PH 4K IPS Monitor BenQ America just launched a 32-inch 4K monitor dubbed the BL3201PH. Made specifically for CAD/CAM community and for users looking for accurate color reproduction desktop monitors, the IPS panel inlaces two modes of operation: 100-percent sRGB color accuracy, and BenQ’s own RevolutionEyes mode.
BenQ’s BL3201PH is considered a 4Kx2K (3840×2160) UHD resolution display that uses IPS technology, and a higher pixel per inch (ppi) rate, while the monitor’s 100-percent sRGB color space (an actual color standard). The monitor has been purpose-built to follow the sRGB (standard Red, Green, Blue) industry color standard — a widely used guideline for color accuracy in smartphones, monitors, cameras, printers, and now even projectors like the recently introduced BenQ HC1200 Colorific projector.
For setting control, the BL3201PH includes BenQ’s external OSD controller, which allows users to save presets such as CAD/CAM, Animation, Low Blue Light modes, and many others for rapid activation at the push of a button. Users can also easily connect keyboards or external storage media through the monitor’s four rapid-transfer USB 3.0 ports or using the device’s SD card reader.
The BL3201PH retails at $1,099. Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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Kramer Debuts VS-211HA HDMI Auto-SwitcherKramer has announced the VS-211HA, a two-input HDMI auto switcher that can be set to select between autoswitching (last-connected or priority) and manual switching modes (manual and manual override). VS-211HA detects actual HDMI signals (instead of just 5V presence) allowing auto switching only to sources actually in use. HDMI 5V output turns off when no inputs are connected to enable cascaded setups and to let displays go into sleep mode.
The Kramer VS-211HA offers full signal re-clocking and parallel analog audio and HDMI switching. VS-211HA also features HEC, ARC and 3D pass-through and supports full HD video up to 6.75Gbps (2.25Gbps per graphic channel). In addition, it has PC audio ports for separate switching of 3.5-millimeter audio.
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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BenQ Ships treVolo, the World’s First Electrostatic Bluetooth Speaker BenQ America entered the audio market today with their new treVolo, the company’s first audiophile-grade Bluetooth speaker. BenQ’s treVolo portable speaker uses electrostatic technology to provide the overall tonal balance that BenQ says was previously only available on high-end, floor-standing speakers. And, the speaker features dual woofers with dual passive radiators — something most small speakers don’t have.
Available in silver or black, treVolo features collapsible wings and they’re all painted with an anodized metal finish. One interesting business features is the addition of a speakerphone function with noise-cancelling microphone.
treVolo features three preset audio profile modes to generate unique electrostatic sound signatures that optimize any type of music. BenQ describes the three modes: “Using its “Pure” default mode, treVolo provides balanced tonal accuracy with minimal equalization to maintain a song’s natural detail. For a softer sound experience, the device’s “Warm” mode generates a more traditional Bluetooth speaker sound with emphasis on accurate bass reproduction. Lastly, treVolo’s “Vivid” mode allows users to accentuate vocal melodies or lead instruments such as guitars, horns or other elements in multi-track recordings.”
Using aptX Bluetooth wireless technology, treVolo allows music to instantly pair handheld devices including iPhones, Android devices, tablets, or PCs.
It lists for $299 retail and details are here. Leave a Comment
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AVnu Alliance Announces First Certified Audio Endpoint Reference Platform XMOS and AVnu Alliance have announced the first AVnu-certified Audio Video Bridging (AVB) audio endpoint reference platform. The XMOS software-defined solution has passed all testing for certification and will now bear the AVnu-certified Logo.
According to AVnu, the newly AVnu-certified XMOS AVB hardware and software reference platform is an affordable, scalable and production-ready solution that allows customers to quickly and easily build a wide range of AVB-enabled audio products, from single speakers and microphones to complex multichannel mixing desks and multi-port conferencing systems.
Because the AVB functionality of the XMOS audio endpoint reference platform is defined in software, running on the company’s family of multicore microcontroller semiconductor devices, customers can create the exact feature set required for their products. Already in use by companies such as Revolabs and Pivitec, the reference platform enables transport of A/V streams across mixed-use networks with a very high quality of service. Its software-configurable nature also means that it can be used as the basis for multi-standard systems that carry a variety of data types, and interface with a variety of legacy systems, such as CANbus in the automotive and industrial markets.
AVnu Alliance has built robust and comprehensive testing requirements for products based on the market requirements. AVnu Certification is open for switches and professional audio products at its appointed testing house, University of New Hampshire InterOperability Lab (UNH-IOL). Any member may enter a product into certification testing.
You can learn more here. Leave a Comment
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THIEL Audio Introduces the TT1 Loudspeaker THIEL Audio has announced the introduction of the TT1 floor-standing loudspeaker. The TT1 is part of the company’s Avenue Collection, named after the street in Nashville where THIEL is now located. The 3rd Avenue Collection features speakers aimed at both traditional two-channel music systems as well as home cinema.
The THIEL TT1 utilizes a four-driver array and multi-order crossover network in a heavily braced, vented MDF enclosure. The elliptical side panels of the TT1 are created using proprietary tooling and the rigid baffle construction and mid-range mounting architecture have been engineered with a focus on back-wave optimization, resulting in what THIEL claims is unusually flat response and overall clarity.
Not much is known about the speaker, yet, as it’s not officially launched until CES next month, but here’s where there will be more information. Leave a Comment
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Screen Innovations Ships Zero Edge Screen Screen Innovations (SI) is now shipping its new Zero Edge FLEX projection screen — the video industry’s first projection screen that claims a flexible form factor and a Zero Edge appearance.
Zero Edge FLEX is a flexible projection screen available in sizes up to 250” diagonal and is available in the ambient-light-rejecting Slate, acoustically transparent Maestro Weave, and traditional Pure White, and Pure Gray, and acoustically transparent Maestro Weave (coming soon) projection screens.
Screen Innovations says Zero Edge FLEX easily breaks down into a compact, traditional fixed-frame box and assembles on-site, making it simpler to ship AND allows integrators to navigate tight spaces, elevators and stairways. SI says the new design will dramatically cut down on freight damage and make international shipping easier.
When it’s on their website, it will be here. Leave a Comment
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Crestron DM Ultra Cable Ships Crestron today announced its new high-performance DM Ultra Cable is now shipping.
The Crestron DM Ultra Cable is specified by Crestron for 4K HDMI signals via HDBaseT up to 100 meters. The DM Ultra Cable is a Cat7a shielded twisted pair cable designed for 10 gigabit Ethernet. Crestron has a special DM-CONN-20 connector, which doesn’t require any tools or crimping.
If you’re interested in seeing the specs or cable, go here. Leave a Comment
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Universal Remote Control Ships SNP-2 Streaming Network Player URC’s SNP-2 Streaming Network Player merges all music sources into one solution and graphical menu, providing access to streaming music services such as SiriusXM and Pandora, Rhapsody, vTuner and thousands of other internet radio stations — plus your own music collection that’s stored on an attached NAS drive, PC, and/or Apple computer. Windows Media, iTunes files and Playlists are supported.
With just one button press on a URC remote, keypad, touch screen or on a smartphone or tablet, you can control of your tunes from anywhere. And, URC says that multiple units may be connected at the same time. The SNP-2 has an HDMI output and you can view and control the SNP-2 on a TV — if you don’t want to use a remote.
The SNP-2 can be used as a standalone music component with URC’s Complete Control system or may be connected to our Total Control whole-house automation system for selection throughout the home and outdoors. With Total Control Amplifiers, you can stream audio to up to 32 different areas, and control the music effortlessly from one of many devices such as our TRC-1080 Remote. Choose songs, view artist and album information, and set up a party playlist for entertaining in minutes.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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Kaleidescape Introduces a New Movie Player Kaleidescape today announced the launch of the Kaleidescape Alto, a movie player that is the first movie player to import 100 percent of its locally-stored content from the cloud, via downloads from the Kaleidescape Store — with over 8,500 movies and 1,600 TV seasons licensed from the major motion picture studios.
Kaleidescape Alto can play directly from a Blu-ray disc or DVD and use the Kaleidescape Movie Guide and video bookmarks to start movies right at the beginning without trailers and warnings and access scenes and songs. The slot-loading optical disc drive can also be used to recognize discs and present digital offers via the onscreen user interface. Digital offers allow physical discs to be converted into digital downloads so that movies can be watched instantly without having to find and handle a disc or having a disc present in a player or disc vault.
Kaleidescape Alto is based on Kaleidescape M-Class architecture, a platform for the onscreen user interface and for playing Blu-ray content. Blu-ray quality movies on disc or downloaded from the Kaleidescape Store are played in high-definition video with lossless audio, including support for 1080p video with 24 frames per second, and bitstream pass-through of Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio multichannel soundtracks.
The rack-mountable or desktop player weighs 10-pounds and is 17”wide x 10” deep and 3” high. Outputs include HDMI and optical audio and it supporst all movie aspect ratios including 2.35:1.
Here is a spec sheet. 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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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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