Volume 14, Issue 20 — October 19, 2016
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Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial
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Unified Collaborative Conferencing Displays Control & Signal Processing Audio Staging & Live Events Digital Signage Lighting
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The Latest RF Auction: What We Know So Far
By Dan Daley Special to InfoComm International
It’s time for our periodic update on spectrum — that invisible resource that pro audio counts on for wireless transmission, mobile companies covet for new services, and the government continues to auction off. We’re starting to get clarity on this big issue (though we’re far from done monitoring the situation), and it looks like perhaps spectrum reallocation won’t be as disruptive as first thought — maybe.
The Federal Communications Commission’s spectrum auction is headed into its final act, although it’s still quite a stretch. With the second phase of the auction poised to begin, it will likely take into early 2017 to find out how much and what kind of radio frequency spectrum will be left for professional wireless microphone users, such as event producers, broadcasters and houses of worship.
But even at this stage of the process, a few key outcomes have become clear.
Although 126 MHz of television bandwidth below the 698 MHz range was made available for bid by companies such as Verizon, AT&T and Comcast, the second round now decreases it to 114 MHz, so the spectrum put up by broadcasters will leave frequencies at and below 578 MHz available for professional wireless microphone use. That means that as much as half of the wireless systems in use today could remain legally operational. For instance, the microphones in Sennheiser’s A-range product line, which are tunable between 516 and 558 MHz, will remain viable for users. They’re being joined by the company’s new A1-range products, which can be tuned even lower, between 470 and 516 MHz
“That’s still well within UHF, a range that exhibits highly favorable wave propagation characteristics,” says Joe Ciaudelli, Sennheiser’s spectrum guru. “It’s still safe to invest in systems that do not tune above 578 MHz.”
Ciaudelli says things will become even clearer once the forward auction moves into subsequent phases, after initial, more speculative bids by broadcasters get a dose of reality through what is essentially a market-based approach to spectrum reallocation.
“Now it’s up to the wireless [broadband] industry to demonstrate the demand is there for low-band TV spectrum,” National Association of Broadcasters spokesman Dennis Wharton said in a statement this summer.
And that demand remains unclear. Initial indications from the auction have been disappointing. The asking price for 126 MHz of television airwaves — taken from broadcasters to be sold for wireless use — has come in at just over $23 billion thus far, well below the hoped-for clearing target of $88.4 billion. Ciaudelli describes that initial target as “the FCC’s letter to Santa Claus,” and like many on Christmas morning, expectations may have to be dialed back.
The second round of the FCC incentive auction establishes a lower clearing target, and having to go back to a reverse auction and then a second-stage forward auction will just prolong the suspense. Some stations will fetch lower prices, and some could drop out, deciding they don’t want to sell at diminished values. Ironically, all this could also mean that prices for spectrum go up as supply does down.
“We basically had some indication of the supply side of the equation, with the announcement of the initial clearing target. Some broadcasters are willing to relinquish their license if their price is met,” says Ciaudelli. “The question remains whether the broadband service providers will submit bids that exceed the threshold to pay the broadcasters’ prices, plus cover the other costs surrounding the auction. That did not occur in the first round of bidding, so the amount of spectrum to be auctioned will be reduced and a new round of bidding will occur. This will be repeated until demand matches supply.”
As time goes by, there may be other developments that affect outcomes. For instance, as Google Fiber encounters more resistance from entrenched broadband providers in its rollout cities (in Nashville, for instance, Comcast and AT&T are pushing back against Google’s efforts to access the same utility poles they already occupy), the company is looking at plans to beam wireless broadband directly to its customers, which would increase its need for spectrum.
What Users Can Expect
Meanwhile, wireless system providers are looking to manage customers’ expectations. Michael Mason, President of CP Communications, which supplies RF-based mobile products, frequency coordination and wireless audio communications for live events, says he’s been advising clients that it’s now okay to start buying wireless audio systems again, but to “buy low” — that is, systems that operate below 570 MHz, and only if necessary to replace systems whose useful lifespans would be ending anyway.
“Maintain the level of inventory you need to operate and have backup — there’s enough certainty about the lower end of the UHF spectrum now to do that comfortably,” he says. “But there will be new technologies and products that will more efficiently use higher-band spectrum in the future, between 941 and 960 MHz, in the 1.4-GHz range, and in the 6- to 7-GHz range.”
Henry Cohen, Senior RF Design Engineer at CP Communications, says event production users within a defined geographical area will have an advantage over touring companies.
“They’re simply going to have to carry multiple bands of wireless equipment in the future — in VHF and what’s left of UHF, and in the 1.4- and 3.65-GHz ranges,” he says.
That will also lead to a new set of challenges in terms of propagation: Different frequencies have different characteristics in terms of usable distance and effective penetration of varying kinds of obstacles. A more comprehensive understanding of the advantages and limitations of the broader spectrum that will be used in live wireless operations in the future will be critical.
Cohen also recommends that wireless microphone users start reviewing their inventories now and start budgeting for spectrum reallocation. “It’s not going to happen overnight,” he says, “but it is starting to happen now, and when the final notices of reallocation are published, the introduction of new products will likely happen quickly and all at once.”
Karl Winkler, Vice President of Sales at wireless systems maker Lectrosonics, whose products are used extensively in touring, theatrical, and house-of-worship applications, says initial anxiety over spectrum loss — this time — may have been overblown. “The process is going to take longer than had been thought, but we’re not going to lose as much as we thought initially,” he says.
Nonetheless, wireless microphone systems age regardless of governmental actions, and many are nearing the end of their useful life spans, especially those at rental houses. Winkler says there’s no reason that normal replacement cycles can’t continue, as long as users budget properly and buy astutely.
“Stay away from the 600-MHz band for new purchases,” he says. “But there’s a growing amount of products available at lower UHF frequencies and in other frequency ranges.”
Touring users will have the hardest time with spectrum reallocation as UHF goes through its next iteration. Winkler says that users will have to make compromises between performance and bandwidth — a wide range of possible frequencies in a system is necessary to find enough usable channels in a particular location, but spreading them too widely results in uneven and inconsistent reception.
It’s a balance that touring professionals may have to strike on a regular basis. Theatrical users will at least face a consistent spectrum challenge, while some church users may barely notice a problem at all, especially if they’re far enough away from densely populated areas with lots of wireless activity. (There are almost certainly some churches using legacy 700-MHz systems in the U.S., unaware of — or at least largely untouched by — the spectrum turmoil of the last decade and therefore not aware that they’re violating FCC rules for which they could face fines.)
The Bottom Line
Ciaudelli says that for all the angst this phase of the auction has engendered, audio professionals will come out of the process with a few additional burdens and costs, but with enough usable spectrum to keep the industries that depend on them communicating wirelessly. He points to the fact that some of the alternative ranges outside of UHF that are now open to wireless microphones have been utilized effectively during past mega events. In those cases, operators obtained “special temporary authorizations” from the FCC, but that step will generally not be necessary going forward, and alternate ranges are proven to be viable for wireless microphone operation.
“It’ll be more work,” he says, “but it’s far from the end of the world.” Leave a Comment
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Sell and Stay Within Your Scope of Expertise
By Erik Beyer Regional VP of Sales for CLAIR Solutions
An article by guest blogger for Audio Visual Bend, Erik Beyer – regional VP of sales – CLAIR Solutions
How do we, as professionals in the AV industry, help small businesses recognize the opportunities that are better serving of their needs? Systems that will better serve them in the long run and, in some cases, improve the environment altogether?
As an AV professional for roughly 16 years, I have discovered that when I walk into offices, venues, restaurants and churches, I immediately check out the equipment they have (or don’t have). It almost becomes a game to me because typically, I am not with anyone who would be able to really play along or understand this fascination.
In fact, I bet you do it too. I cannot help but notice the gear of all eras, types, styles and sizes.
Can you guess what I’ve discovered? Home theater products in a commercial environment.
There seems to be a regular use of consumer or home theater products as a solution in commercial environments. Again, if it works, then why not? But is that really the best solution? Probably not. I am not about to walk up to the owner and tell them they have a bad system. But this can open an opportunity for me to explore the current solution with the owner of the establishment.
The point of this articles though is not to tell you how I would up-sell someone, but rather dig into the idea of AV in a small business environment. Depending on the space, whether it’s an office space, cubicle farm, restaurant or retail store, you will find a broad assortment of solutions. On the surface the needs of these various spaces seem different, but once inside, the type of commercial AV systems needed could be quite similar.
For example, in an office you could have lobby music or a small conference room system. Or in a cubicle farm, you might have sound masking and a digital-signage system showing company announcements. In a restaurant you might have a multi-zone music playback and TV system and a retail space may be about the same. Gear wise, it’s amplifiers, speakers, TVs and some kind of head-end equipment.
Why would a business owner do this? For a variety of reasons and excuses.
The concern the establishment owner brings up is, “Why pay a premium for commercial products and services when you can go to a local big box store or online and order something for a fraction of the price?” It’s a tough sell to convince the owner that service, reliability and quality of product actually matter in a commercial environment, not to forget a quality install.
Have you ever walked into a restaurant only to find wires dangling everywhere, zip ties holding things up and no one seems to really care but you? I bet if you asked the owners, they also care. But they might say they don’t have time, or that they tried and it didn’t work, or some other excuse to make it better.
How can you address this issue and up-sell to commercial products? Share the “Buy Once” principle.
One of the ways to approach this type of environment is to make sure the owner knows that if they buy cheap and install themselves, they run the high risk of equipment failure and having to buy the equipment a second time. Whereas hiring an AV company, you will get commercial grade equipment that will last a lot longer, will offer services and have warranties not typically found in the consumer world. The cost of buying a piece of equipment twice, plus the labor involved to deal with it, is many times more expensive than buying a commercial system from an AV company. We can ensure proper operation and installation, saving you a lot of time and time is money!
Now what? Sell within the scope of your expertise and make sure you have the right AV equipment in the right environment.
In the end, it’s possible this article will just provide food-for-thought and nothing else. It’s possible it will encourage small business owners and AV companies to look at these smaller installs differently. I don’t know! Getting the right AV equipment into a small business can be tricky and selecting the right equipment shouldn’t be. The cost of a quality product and service may be slightly more but the longevity and use of the right product will more than pay for itself.
An additional note from Tony, the AV Guy: The moral of the story is: Don’t sell home theater equipment to a business and don’t sell commercial AV to residential customers. It’s easy to sell what you know the most about and convince the customer of this. But do what is right and give them what they really need, even if it means handing the job to another company. If you don’t know and apply residential installation parts and practices in your company, don’t pretend you understand it. You will do more harm than good and likely you’ll lose your good standing in your commercial AV circles. Leave a Comment
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The End of Conference Audio — AirPods for AV
By Roland Hemming RH Consulting
CUE: Dreamy music…
I remember back in late 2016 when a small package arrived — it was a pair of Apple AirPods. These were the latest headphones, designed to compensate for the lack of audio jack on the new iPhone 7. All my friends laughed at me for buying such an expensive gimmick. But they turned out to be the future and had the same impact on corporate AV as the iPhone had on Nokia and Ericsson.
Just two small pods in a tiny charging case. Headphones with built in beamforming microphones and a nifty means of instantly switching between audio on my smartphone, computer and watch.
Looking back, the original models were really clunky but they slowly improved. Now the fifth generation are well established and never need charging because of their kinetic chip. But it is what has gone on behind the scenes that has changed everything.
Yesterday was just a typical day. As usual I was driven to my office. I stepped out popped in my AirPods and my car went off to find a space to park.
‘Welcome to RH Consulting’ breathed the soothing message that everyone hears as they cross the threshold. No loudspeakers anywhere, the system detected my AirPods. At the same time my smartphone automatically downloaded the contextual app for my location. It’s so funny to think that we used to download apps. These days all shops and businesses have a services app that’s downloaded and disposed of as required. These give you a way of finding information, menus, meeting content, connectivity and much else besides.
I had to go straight into a presentation. The app had directed my visitors and they could only access the correct floor and doors appropriate to where they were going.
As we greeted each other, our Airpods all connected to the same channel. There were twelve of us, so we were provided with just the subtlest of amplification to our voices. Then we connected into the videoconference and heard crystal clear audio from each other and from the remote participants too. Later on I showed everyone our new corporate video. It played on the screen nearby, into our ears and for good measure onto everyone’s portable device.
We didn’t have a meeting room, we were sat around a table in a busy office with other meetings nearby. There were also a few solo workers, some of whom where on their own conference calls. You couldn’t hear others outside of our group because of the small modules located around the office area, playing noise for sound masking.
None of us had to do anything for all this to work. All of the connectivity is made possible by ‘AirPods for AV.’ Manufacturers pay a license fee to enable their technology to connect.
Our calendars determined members of the meeting and put us in a group. Otherwise just a double tap on the earphone within a few seconds of each other and in close proximity, connects you all together. Large conferences have a beacon that makes everyone connect.
Once you’ve set up group connection, other devices can access your audio and video as they need to. The video conference system mixed all our microphones and routed everything to the remote locations. Meanwhile our smartphones easily each have enough processing power to carry out acoustic echo cancellation and noise reduction.
During one part of the meeting it broke up into several sub-conversations. The software analysed the pauses between the smaller groups to identify who was speaking to who. It then provided more amplification for the members of each smaller group so they could hear each other more clearly. When it was time to get back to be a combined group I pushed a button and a discrete beep announced that everyone was grouped back together.
The technological breakthrough was when they worked out how to deal with local microphones. If you’ve ever had a mobile phone conversation with a person standing right opposite you know there is a long delay. This was a significant problem to solve.
The AirPod system actually uses two simultaneous methods of audio communication: a direct connection for local spoken audio and networked audio for everything else where a time delay isn’t important. The distributed sound masking modules contain the electronics to act as hubs for the direct, low latency, wireless audio connections.
The seamless mixing and switching of audio sources takes very little getting used to. I tend to keep one AirPod in all the time and then put the other in only when I really need to concentrate on something.
This has all been a natural progression to Bring Your Own Device, but now we come to work with a personalised audio system that just connects to any technology in a variety of environments.
The AV world was the first to roll this out because it enabled a fine tuned experience. It eliminated all the problems we used to have with conference microphones. Nowadays everyone is the same distance from their microphone and we don’t have problems with poor room acoustics. The settings are tuned for each voice. It has saved a lot of money too. No more expensive signal processors, racks of amplifiers or loudspeakers.
The audio manufacturers that survived moved to a software and services model some time ago with the vast majority of the audio processing being handled by our portable devices.
We get quite a few foreigners visiting us. Whilst some of the automatic translation apps are quite good these days, we use a more personalised translation service and our conference simply connects to an available online remote translator. The translation company deals with confidentiality non-compete issues for their workers.
There is an encryption option for users who want to pay for that. We each use our retina scan on our phone to authenticate and then participants share a secure stream.
After a few years of the conference world deploying this technology, then it came to digital signage that just connects when you are nearby. The Audio Privacy Act allowed us to opt out of automatic audio streams, before then it was a nightmare walking through a shopping mall.
I’ve just noticed that cash machines are starting to be equipped with AirPod connections too. Back in 2016 we’d already started moving towards a cashless world. So why do we still have such machines? Well, they didn’t know about the unexpected medical revolution they would bring about, but that’s another story.
Roland Hemming is an audio consultant and project manager and principal at RH Consulting. This blog was reprinted with permission and originally appeared here. Leave a Comment
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Higher Ed Still Offers Lucrative Opportunities
By Scott Tiner rAVe Columnist
In the last couple of days, I have run across a few things that have made me remember that education is a little slower in adopting technologies than other industries. Please remember as I write this, I love where I work. I actually think we are very advanced technically and always continue to advance. What I write about is more to help the integrators in our industry realize we still have huge gaps in higher education that need service.
The first surprising thing for me was when I walked into our main academic building. I looked at the digital sign, and noticed the content on it. Then, I looked next to it and saw a tripod with a printed sign on it. The sign was advertising an event administration wanted students to attend. It immediately hit me. We were not doing something correctly with the digital sign. After all, if we need to post printed signs directly next to it, then the digital sign is not getting the attention we need.
The opening here for integrators? Clearly, we need some support in creating and and managing our digital signs. Why are we investing money in the signs, if they are clearly not working? Why don’t we have metrics on the responses and viewing of the signs? We are wasting energy, time and money if these signs are not working as intended. Additionally, this observation comes at the same time as another revelation. Students don’t use email! It has been an issue at the higher education level for a while. In fact, even the New York Times had an article several months ago, on college students who did not know what email is. The question persists then. How do we communicate with students? How do we let them know of events at the college? How do we let them know about opportunities available to them? Perhaps, as e-mail has become less important over time, so has traditional digital signage. If you are an AV/IT integrator, this is an excellent opportunity for you to help your customers.
A second time actually occurred in two instances over the course of the day. First, I reserved a room in one of our buildings for a meeting I was having that day. When I arrived at the room, there was a paper schedule on the door of the reservations for the day. Mine was not on the paper. I assume it was because I made the reservation after the schedule was printed. So, it got me thinking: In 2016 do we really do this? Print out a schedule every day and put it on the door of the room? We have a schedule that is obsolete immediately after being put up. This results is less spontaneous meetings or huddles, and a tendency to over reserve rooms, therefore wasting valuable space.
This was driven home to me even further later that evening as I sat down and read rAVe Pubs. An article from Sara was about the new Extron Room Agent 1.2. The software runs on their touchpanels and allows it to be used as a schedule agent that shows a room’s availability and equipment. Certainly, this type of technology is not new. It has been in existence for years, from several vendors, including other AV companies and furniture companies. Yet, here we are, still printing signs, and I am quite sure we are not alone.
So, integrators and vendors around the country. Here are two great opportunities for you. My standard reminders applies. Don’t show up in my office and tell me for a “small” investment of a couple hundred thousand dollars, we can have this in all our rooms. Rather, come and find out what I already have. Then suggest ways that you can help me use those installs for room scheduling. We don’t have touchpanels at our doorways, and we are not going to start. So, how do we integrate the room scheduling onto the touchpanels in our rooms. Will you also have IT people available who can help us integrate the programming with our rooms schedules? Are you willing to look at this project as a multiple year project, so we can spread out the cost? If you continue to be creative, offer me solutions I need and provide my college value, then there is still an opportunity available to you. Leave a Comment
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Barco Intros weConnect Aimed at Colleges and UniversitiesBarco today launched something I saw at InfoComm, but they waited until today to debut — it’s called weConnect. This collaborative learning solution (aimed exclusively at higher education) gives both teachers and students all the connectivity, interactivity and information exchange tools they need to enable educational institutions to evolve from a teacher-centric to a student-centric experience and make education more engaging. It’s like a group collaboration system. It’s like a Barco ClickShare on higher-education steroids.
Lectures at many colleges are transitioning from a uni-directional information dump (from the instructor) to an active, interactive exchange among all participants — students and teachers, alike. And while students and teachers want to bring any personal device (BYOD) into the room and tap into the campus Wi-Fi network to share information and interact more actively, students can also be located anywhere (e.g., in a remote classroom or at home), so the same features need to deliver an on-campus experience to everybody involved. Designed for students who have grown up with mobile technology (aka Millennials), weConnect — Barco’s collaborative learning solution for higher education — provides teachers with a new palette of tools for making their preferred teaching methods state-of-the-art.
weConnect allows users to participate in a lecture from and with their own devices − not only to share screen content, but to collaborate and interact as well. They can do this in traditional classrooms, active learning spaces (environments that allow groups of students to work together), libraries and other locations on the campus. For example: students can interact with the teacher using their tablets or smartphones; the teacher can issue a poll or a quiz to solicit feedback; remote students can pose a silent question, which other students participate in, etc.
Consisting of just a couple of building blocks, Barco’s weConnect is a cloud-based system and all users gain access to the classroom system through a web-based cloud app. The app gives teachers full moderation control of the content shared within the classroom, and students get a close-up view of what is being shown on the classroom displays. Barco’s wireless presentation and display nodes portfolio enables students and teachers to share their information on the central screen or the pod display without any hassle. And both teachers and students experience the flexibility and intuitiveness of the software via the simple browser interface.
Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
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Sharp Debuts New Displays Sharp today announces its next generation of professional-grade LCD monitors for its PN-R series. Available in 42″ Class (41.9″ diagonal), 49″ Class (48.5″ diagonal) and 55″ Class (54.6″ diagonal) models, they are all commercial-grade displays for digital signage and ProAV.
The new PN-R556/R496/R426 professional LCD monitors offer a slimmer, sleeker, design with a bezel of only 7.8 millimeters on all four sides. This is 50 percent slimmer than its predecessor and the thinnest Sharp has introduced in this size format.
The PN-R series are the first to incorporate the new Mini Open Pluggable Specification (Mini OPS) design, which Sharp brings to market in collaboration with Intel. This enables simplified digital signage development and deployment, low power, reliability and a validated compact, fan-less design.
In addition, the PN-R series accommodates an optional HDBaseT 2.0-compliant receiver board that supports various types of media and control signals. Installing an HDBaseT Receiver Board (PN-ZB03H) allows the monitor to receive HDMI video, audio signals, and control signals sent up to 328 feet via a single LAN cable. This brings convenient connectivity with fewer cables, reducing both the time and cost of installation.
To allow for even greater amounts of flexibility and collaboration, an optional wireless board (PN-ZB03W) allows up to 10 devices — including Mac or Windows computers and users can display the content of one device on the whole screen, or from up to four devices in a 2×2 split screen.
The PN-R496 display will be available to ship in October 2016. The PN-R556 display is scheduled to ship in November and the PN-R426 display in January 2017.
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NanoLumens Debuts Front-Installable, Front-Serviceable 1.25MM Pixel Pitch LED Display NanoLumens today announced the market introduction of the world’s first 100-percent front-installable and front serviceable 1.25MM Pixel Pitch LED display, featuring new “touch-free” technology that was developed specifically for a United States military command and control center.
Designed to be easily installed in any display environment without requiring changes to an existing location or infrastructure, the new NanoLumens 1.25MM pixel pitch display features precise alignment technology and an updated system layout that supports an exact 1920 RBG pixel wide by 1080 RGB pixel tall, final display of any resolution in 384×360 increments. The display allows for “direct to wall mounting” at a depth of less than 4 inches and comes with a decorative back for optional hanging applications.
Easily front serviceable thanks to NanoLumens’ magnetic Nixel attachment methods and perpendicular removal, the display also incorporates NanoLumens’ new NanoZ technology that assures exact alignment in the Z axis for all Nixels.
In addition, the display boasts the industry’s highest advertised brightness of 950 cd/m2 and features power supplies that are 100% embedded from the line input, meaning there are no external power supplies, no added conversion loss and no additional fans. The new 1.25MM display is available now.
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Crestron Ships DigitalMedia Ultra Midspan PoDM++ Injector Crestron is shipping its new DigitalMedia Ultra Midspan PoDM++ Injector (DM-PSU-ULTRA-MIDSPAN), which provides a small footprint, single-point, midspan solution for simultaneously delivering power long-distance over DM cable to both upstream and downstream DM devices for multiple applications. Its power capacity supports PoDM++ (i.e., Power over DigitalMedia) powered devices and features two RJ45 connectors for HDBaseT and DM signal pass-through, without affecting the video or data signals.
The new DM-PSU-ULTRA-MIDSPAN joins the Crestron family of PoDM power supplies, which also includes the DM-PSU-8 and DM-PSU-16. The DM-PSU-ULTRA-MIDSPAN is the first to transmit PoDM++, and offers a unique small footprint (1/2 rack wide x 1 RU high) for installation virtually anywhere power is needed.
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Extron Expands Line of DSC HD‑HD 4K Scalers With New Economical 4K/30 Model Extron is now shipping the DSC HD‑HD 4K A, an HDCP 2.2-compliant HDMI to HDMI scaler. It accepts signals from 480i to 4096×2160, and produces a scaled output from 640×480 to 4096×2160. It features 4:4:4 processing for signals up to 4096×2160 @ 30 fps. It incorporates the Extron-exclusive Vector 4K scaling engine that includes integrator-friendly features such as on-screen display, stereo audio embedding and de-embedding, internal test patterns and the ability to display custom images and logos for on-screen corporate branding and messaging.
The DSC HD‑HD 4K A is the latest addition to the DSC HD‑HD 4K Series. There are three models in the series: the DSC HD‑HD 4K A, DSC HD‑HD 4K PLUS A, and the DSC HD‑HD 4K PLUS A xi. The DSC HD‑HD 4K PLUS A supports 4:4:4 signal processing for signals up to 4K/60. The DSC HD‑HD 4K PLUS A xi features a pair of HDMI inputs and outputs, allowing one or two connections for input and output signals up to 4K/60 with 4:4:4 signal processing.
For more information on the DSC HD-HD 4K Series, go here. Leave a Comment
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Renkus-Heinz Ships ICONYX Integrated with Dante Renkus-Heinz has announced the immediate availability of new Dante-enabled versions of ICONYX Gen5 and IC Live for Fixed Installation. Iconyx IC Series and IC Live ICL-F Series models are now available in -RD versions, offering Dual Redundant Dante connectivity with audio transport and configurable sample rates up to 96kHz.
Concurrently, Renkus-Heinz has announced the release of RHAON 2.1, a major update to the company’s acclaimed RHAON II software now with support for Dante connectivity. The new v2.1 update of RHAON II (Renkus-Heinz Audio Operations Network) incorporates over 100 software updates and enhancements, including support for multiple zones, as well as a new Device Icon View mode for organizing larger systems. System Status reports covering all device parameters can easily be generated, and copy/paste of DSP settings between different device types is also supported.
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PreSonus Releases StudioLive AR USB Hybrid Mixers PreSonus is now shipping its StudioLive AR USB-series hybrid mixers. The series includes three models: the 18-channel StudioLive AR16 USB, 14-channel StudioLive AR12 USB and eight-channel StudioLive AR8 USB.
StudioLive AR USB mixers are equipped with a Mac- and Windows-compatible, 24-bit, 96 kHz, USB 2.0 audio interface that can capture all input channels and the main mix. Like every PreSonus mixer, StudioLive AR USB mixers are bundled with everything you need to record, mix, and distribute your music. Create multitrack recordings with one click in PreSonus’ Capture live-recording software, then mix, edit and distribute from award-winning Studio One 3 Artist DAW production software; both are included free. Every StudioLive AR USB mixer comes equipped with an onboard stereo SD recorder that lets you record the main mix without a computer — just hit Record and go. You can also use the SD recorder to play up to 32 GB of MP3 and WAV files for hours of program music or backing tracks without needing a computer.
StudioLive AR USB mixers also feature the unique PreSonus Super Channel, which allows you to play audio from four stereo sources simultaneously. Plug a media player into the Super Channel’s unbalanced RCA inputs. Connect your tablet to the 1/8-inch stereo input. Play stereo audio from the onboard SD recorder or from your USB-connected Mac or Windows PC. Use onboard Bluetooth 4.1 to pair your phone to your StudioLive AR USB mixer and instantly have wireless access to your music library for break music, backing tracks, or ear-training. Have a song you want the rest of the band to learn? Pair your phone and start rehearsing. The Super Channel allows you to play back audio from four stereo sources at one time.
Compact and road-ready, StudioLive AR USB mixers are packed with the connections and features needed to mix and record live, in the studio and in rehearsal, including Class A mic preamps; instrument and line inputs; semi-parametric three-band EQ; and an internal stereo effects processor, providing a superior all-in-one solution for mixing and recording your performances. All models are shipping and the prices are StudioLive AR16 USB, $599.95; StudioLive AR12 USB, $499.95; and StudioLive AR8 USB, $399.95. Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
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NEC Display Solutions Announces Collaboration with Raspberry Pi NEC Display Solutions Europe today announced that it will be sharing an open platform modular approach with Raspberry Pi, enabling a seamless integration of Raspberry Pi’s devices with NEC’s displays.
Originally developed to promote the teaching of basic computer science in schools and developing countries, the original Raspberry Pi delivered good performance at a very low cost. However, the latest Raspberry Pi 3 compute module boasts significant performance and networking capabilities, making it the perfect for NEC’s display.
With a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, the board is no longer just a basic computer for coding but a reliable intelligent device with unlimited possibilities. In addition to the standard Raspberry Pi 3 compute module, NEC will also offer a customized model to meet the specific performance demands of the display industry.
Being an incremental part of NEC’s Open Modular Intelligence (OMI) platform, the Raspberry Pi 3 embeds with NEC’s new range of P and V Series large format displays. The new displays allow easy access to embedded intelligence smartly connected to Internet of Things (IoT) for digital signage as well as presentation use.
NEC’s new series of intelligent large format displays with Raspberry Pi connectivity will be launched from January 2017 onwards. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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GLP Announces Release of New 30W X4 atom GLP has announced the release of the upgraded 30-watt version of its X4 atom fixture. GLP says adding a new high power light source into the unit has doubled its brightness and introduced greater optical efficiencies within the unit. At the same time, an additional six-way PSU has been added to the product line up.
The brighter 30 Watt RGBW LED source is from the same family used across all GLP’s X4 range. This ensures full color matching across fixtures despite its compact size.Also, the X4 atom has a 9 to 1 ratio zoom that goes from a wide 34° wash down to a tight 3.5° beam for pinpoint accuracy and great mid-air effects — all the while maintaining a clean output and even distribution of color and intensity.
The X4 atom runs from an external power supply, with a six-way and a 12-way option available that feeds fixtures via an industry standard four-pin XLR cable, tapping into existing infrastructure and reducing the overall environmental impact of the fixture.
The X4 atom is here. Leave a Comment
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