Volume 14, Issue 7 — April 11, 2016
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Industry News Projection Audio Cables, Cases, Furniture, Mounts, Racks, Screens & Accessories Control & Signal Processing Staging & Live Events
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On Language, AV/IT, Teaching and Learning
By Leonard Suskin Pixel and Ink-Stained Wretch
“Include Kodak in this room.” That’s the line in the client’s system review memo which confused me, and one with which I eventually opened an internal training seminar at SMW. What were they talking about? And what was the bigger message? Read on!
The memo in question came in a fairly late design phase of a project I’d inherited from one of my departed colleagues. It’s one with which I was familiar, having assisted with the design, but I’d not yet met any of the users and was quite honestly confused by this line. Was it some kind of legacy device from the Eastman Kodak company? A zombie-brand that was somehow leasing the Kodak name? Something to do with film, or old-school photography?
After a brief chat, it became clear that what they wanted was a video-teleconference appliance. My colleague had referred to it as a codec and the client, with no context for this word, heard it as “Kodak.” Mystery solved. This was a very much engaged client who understood what they wanted but appeared more ignorant than they were because nobody had taken the time to share the correct language with them. Using words correctly is not solely a matter of being understood, but of positioning oneself as someone who knows what they’re talking about. In the case of a client it’s not a serious issue; it’s our job as professionals to help give them the tools to navigate technical choices. When a client doesn’t know – when they say “Kodak” because someone else didn’t do a good job of educating — we have the opportunity to help guide them towards greater understanding.
The problem comes when we in the AV industry try to talk about IT matters. Too often we use words imprecisely and without understanding them. In a discussion of network-based AV systems we need to position ourselves as experts. We cannot afford to be the ones who say “Kodak” and wait for someone else to educate us; it’s our job to do the educating. Which means that first we need to educate ourselves.
Network has become a basic requirement. When I’m asked how to protect a system against complete network failure, my answer is that it’s the same as protecting against a complete power failure; the network is as much a basic requirement for a modern AV system as electricity. To carry the analogy a step farther, think about you we specify electricity. We might ask for technical power on a common phase. We might ask for it to come from a common breaker panel. In some cases, we might even ask for an isolated ground. These choices may impact the performance of an AV system and they’ll also cost somebody a measure of money and effort. It’s incumbent on us to understand these things so we can make reasonable choices which meet AV design requirements without wasting resources on over-design. How much bandwidth do we need? How many networks will we need? How many hosts will each of those networks need?
What do those last statements mean?
Another wake-up call came in submittal review. I’d find submittal items that look like this:
Working for a multidisciplinary firm, it’s quite easy for me to walk down the hall and show this sort of thing to an IT designer who can both translate it into English for me and confirm that it meets the project requirements. In the longer term, however, we all need to be able to present ourselves as experts which, increasingly, means at the very least speaking the language of networks and IT. If you are reading this and do NOT understand CIDR notation then you need to educate yourself before you end up being embarrassed with a question you not only can’t answer but that you also don’t even understand.
I’m fortunate in that I work for a firm which has a strong commitment to education and development. As part of our internal training program, I prepared an introductory “IT for AV Designers” session focusing on broad concepts and — in what should be no surprise to anyone here — on language. Why those of us in the habit of saying “TCP/IP” when we mean “network” sound ignorant. What “reliable” and “unreliable” transport means in the context of transport protocols. What this thing called “AVB” actually is. What QoS is and — in general — how it works.
There’s a great deal to learn — a great deal which we need to know.
I’ll aside that the Wednesday afternoon training and education program is one of the fun things about working where I do. We’re treated to a wide variety of viewpoints, of teaching styles, and of subject matter. Some presenters sit at a teaching desk. Some stand. I tend to pace about the room, while others pace across the front of the room, waving the power-point clicker casually about. Those who know me can likely guess into which category my presentation style falls. What’s best as a presenter is that it gives me the opportunity to refine my knowledge and understanding; I can take various sources — the notes I took from Paul Ziele’s QoS presentation at InfoComm 2014, my study material for my aborted attempted to get an entry-level Cisco certification (that’s another post!), and whatever else I’ve learned and distill it into a coherent story. By teaching we also learn, and by learning we learn.
This started the ball rolling, and was — I hope — a step towards having more of my fellow AV designers start to think like AV/IT designers. The next step is to drill down more deeply and put our newfound language to use. I already have a second session planned in which we walk through more details of basic network design, subnetting, etc. What’s important for now is that we all know the broad concepts and that we all have the correct language.
After all, if you’re reading this you are most likely an AV professional. We are the experts, we are the ones counted on to offer guidance and direction. We can’t be the ones saying “Kodak” and still keep our position of expertise. Leave a Comment
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InfoComm: Digital Signage Embraces Fast Cellular Networks
By Monica Heck Special to InfoComm International
As 3G and 4G LTE cellular technology – and now 5G trials — make headlines around the world in the field of mobile video delivery, the same technology has quietly emerged in the digital signage space. Swiss signage vendor Navori Labs recently disclosed that it’s powering 20,000 networked mobile ad players in taxi cabs in the Middle East and Asia over 3G and 4G cellular modems.
In this particular deployment, Android tablets are equipped with a 4G or 3G cellular modem to support content updates, live data delivery and real-time GPS tracking. Organic bandwidth consumption is limited to 19 MB per month on the 3G connections, based on a 24/7 connection cycle, giving priority to content downloads.
This large-scale mobile signage network, expected to expand to 50,000 players in the region in the next couple of years, is a first in the digital signage space based on its sheer scale and inclusion of LTE. Navori’s and other projects, such as Autobahn Tank & Rast’s early adoption of cellular technology to update content on more than 3,000 digital signage screens in 360 German motorway service areas, indicate that cellular networks have piqued the interest of the digital signage community.
4G LTE in particular, with its high data speeds, is well positioned to support the demands of the Internet of Things (IoT) when it comes to the type of machine to machine (M2M) communication common to digital signage network updates. The key difference between broadcast and digital signage use of fast cellular networks is, of course, that digital signage doesn’t often require live streaming. Many cellular-based signage applications use “store-and-forward” or caching infrastructures for content distribution, whereby the remote signage player downloads updates of a few kilobytes at various times.
In some cases, often to limit data costs, a 4G connection is established to one sign or kiosk charging station, which in turn becomes a Wi-Fi access point for nearby devices.
“This combination of LTE and Wi-Fi could be called Bring Your Own Network, ” explains Andrew Lund of Digi International, which supported digital-out-of-home (DOOH) advertising company Monster Media’s use of Verizon’s cellular network to wirelessly update content on thousands of displays across the U.S. In that case, the cellular network was deemed a more cost-effective and secure solution compared to a wired WAN, landline, Wi-Fi or even satellite technology.
Also in the U.S., Aurora Digital Signage, a Verizon wireless digital signage partner, is at the coalface of operator collaboration when it comes to digital signage data delivery over cellular networks, pairing its signage solution with Verizon’s cellular connectivity solutions. The company deploys cellular digital signage technology in sensitive data spaces such as hospitals, financial institutions or government entities that won’t allow outside units to access their networks. Indeed, the specter of Target’s infamous network breach at the end of 2013 still looms in organizations’ minds.
“We bring in our own network, turning screens into signs using ‘stick PC’ devices and using cellular data to operate a signage network without ever touching any other sensitive information,” says Brent Robinson, CEO of Aurora Digital Signage. “It also eliminates concerns like firewall issues and network settings, while allowing the deployment of digital signage in areas without Wi-Fi. We’re doing a project for a city, with off-the-grid locations where they want to use digital signage for communication without paying for a whole Wi-Fi network. A cellular data point will give them the same functionality.”
Over the last seven years, Robinson says he has witnessed the emergence of ideal conditions for boosting the profile of cellular networks in the digital signage space, making such a solution technologically viable. Those conditions include the advent of 4G, the evolution of smaller form-factor, plug-and-play hardware and the plummeting cost of digital signage technology.
The Data Usage Bill
However, the elephant in the room remains the data usage bill that lands on the customer’s doorstep. Although Robinson believes cellular companies are starting to make pricing more appropriate and enterprise-friendly, Jeff Hastings, CEO of BrightSign, believes the biggest challenge to using LTE technology for digital signage is the business case.
“The issue that has emerged after our many trials is not technical,” Hastings says. “It’s the fact that the cost per month is economically not feasible.”
Hastings says that the M2M world is an “odd place” for carriers such as Verizon. “We’re seeing rates for business customers in the range of $10 to $20 per gigabyte, which is an insane amount of money when you compare it to consumer plans.”
A cursory glance at Verizon’s M2M business plans shows that 1 MB a month costs approximately $9. “The hardware cell modem adds around $100 and a content update, usually about 1 GB, will cost even more,” Hastings says. “So for most customers, the first year cost is about $200 just to connect the device to the Internet. This is considered too costly for most customers.”
Hastings sees no inherent advantage to using a fast cellular network setup, other than the fact that it’s completely wireless and can be placed in off-grid locations, such as transportation hubs and vehicles. Even the security advantage is a red herring, he says, addressed in other solutions through the adoption of PCI-compliant (Payment Card Industry) signage technology. “Economics aside, there would be way more adoption of this type of technology,” he says.
Michele Dupré of Verizon Enterprise Solutions says it’s important to look at the bigger picture and the overall business goals of the customer. “It’s not just the wireless connectivity, you have to look at the entire package,” she says. “If it has its place in a retailer’s strategy, for example, and if it turns out LTE delivery — as opposed to wired or Wi-Fi delivery — is the way forward, the strategy will absorb the costs as the benefits will outweigh the inconveniences.”
Rogers Brewer at AOpen agrees that price is rarely a factor if tangible value is built into the solution. “Because [with cellular] you’re running on a very stable, secure network, it’s very robust,” he says. “Think of the headache related to interlinking any of this digital signage into your infrastructure, as opposed to being plug-and-play.”
That said, although AOpen partnered with Sprint for a 3G solution and with Verizon using the Sierra 4G hotspot module, Brewer hasn’t seen the turnaround he expected. “People want to stay with what sells and until someone does it at the right price point with the right partner, I think that everybody is missing an opportunity,” he says. “I don’t know that it will be the differentiating factor for one company but it’s a nice solution to have in your arsenal.”
In Europe, where 4G has better penetration than other parts of the world and B2B data packages are more attractive, wired digital signage installations are still considered more reliable overall.
“More and more small projects, such as ‘shop-in-shop’ solutions, are using 3G or 4G,” says Florian Rotberg, Managing Director of Invidis Consulting. “The drawback is that voice is always a priority on these networks. We met some challenges close to a school for example, where the signage network connection dropped at 10 a.m. on the dot when kids were phoning on their break, which affected the data transmission rate significantly.” (Integrated Systems Events, which along with InfoComm International produces the Integrated Systems Europe show, recently entered into a joint venture with Invidis Consulting. Invidis will bring its Digital Signage Summit to InfoComm 2016 in Las Vegas this June.)
Rotberg says that as long as 4K content isn’t used, price doesn’t usually kill the cellular network business case in Europe. “Less than 5 percent of digital signage projects are over LTE and it will always stay niche, as cable is more reliable,” he says.
But there are those who believe the niche stands to grow larger. In a future where LTE technology and cost become more attractive, and piggybacking on existing networks becomes more painful and dangerous from a security perspective, LTE is likely to become a stronger presence in the digital signage world. Says Digi International’s Lund, “There are other advantages of LTE that aren’t about speed, but related to latency and building penetration that from a technology standpoint make it attractive,” concluded Lund.
This column was reprinted with permission from InfoComm International and originally appeared here. Leave a Comment
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Almo Pro A/V Acquires IAVIAlmo Pro A/V today announced it is acquiring certain assets and assuming certain liabilities of International Audio Visual Inc. (IAVI), a global distributor. This will make Almo Corporation, celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, the largest privately-held professional audio video distributor in the industry and a $1.2B corporation. It also makes Almo a global company through the procurement of IAVI’s Latin American business. The transaction is expected to close next month.
The acquisition announcement was made public today during Almo Pro A/V’s E4 AV Tour in Washington, DC.
“We are proud to be a third generation, family-owned American company with a vision to expand job opportunities and fuel the economy,” said Warren Chaiken, president and CEO for Almo Corporation. “Taking care of our employees, partners and manufacturers has always been first. The acquisition will give thousands of resellers and integrators access to top quality distribution while making Almo Pro A/V a highly competitive global distributor.”
Sam Taylor, executive vice president and COO for Almo Professional A/V, says, “For nearly 20 years, IAVI has brought a value-add approach to the market with its high level of customer service, talented employees and established success in Latin America. This is in alignment with what Almo Pro A/V has been building, and why IAVI was a perfect fit to become a part of our company. Combined with our managed services, engineering and design support, and leading education and training programs, Almo brings a new depth of opportunity to the pro AV community that is currently not available.”
Wade Gilbert, founder and president of IAVI said, “In looking for ways to expand the business, we saw that becoming a part of a larger entity like Almo Corporation would provide a multitude of benefits for our customers, our partners and our employees,” said Gilbert. “Taking best practices from both companies will allow us to build an even stronger value proposition for our customers.”
The transition is expected to be seamless to current Almo Pro A/V customers. Previous IAVI partners can expect to experience a host of new benefits through the acquisition, including:
- Access to Almo’s content creation, installation and bandwidth managed services
- An eBusiness portal called Almo Access, which includes online tracking, ordering, price sheets, return requests, customized spec sheets, images and more
- Competitive pricing and shipping rates along with buying power that ensures healthy inventory and advanced logistics thanks to the size, scope and power of the division’s parent company, Almo Corporation
- Inventory in seven warehouses across the country for nationwide projects
- Access to new product lines for both the professional and consumer markets
- Educational programs such as the E4 AV Tour
Here’s a video we took with Almo Pro A/V executives Sam Taylor, Warren Chaiken and Gene Chaiken about the acquisition of IAVI.Leave a Comment
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Milestone Buys VaddioMilestone AV Technologies today announced that it has acquired Vaddio. Vaddio, based in Minnetonka, Minn., was purchased by Milestone for an undisclosed amount, and will now join the Milestone family of brands including Chief, Da-lite, SANUS and Projecta. Milestone is majority owned by the Pritzker Group, alongside management and The Duchossois Group.
“Adding Vaddio to our leading portfolio of commercial and consumer AV brands gives us the opportunity to deliver even greater value to our combined dealer base,” said Scott Gill, CEO of Milestone AV Technologies. “We are excited to further expand our product and service offerings. Vaddio and Milestone share not just a heritage of successful growth in Minnesota – the businesses both focus on making technology work for our customers with an unrivaled combination of installer-focused innovation supported by exceptional service.”
“We are very excited to have the Vaddio team join Milestone and continue delivering innovative products to market,” added Gill. Vaddio will continue to be based in its current Minnetonka, Minnesota location.
J.B. Pritzker, Pritzker Group managing partner, added, “Pritzker Group acquired Milestone because of their great team, industry leading brands and exceptional focus on customers and innovation. The acquisition of Vaddio represents a continued commitment to investing for the long-term behind the innovation and service that have made both companies a key partner to their customers.”
Milestone AV Technologies is here and Vaddio is here. Leave a Comment
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ISE By the Numbers – 65,000 and Counting, UpThe first four-day Integrated Systems Europe exhibition was an unqualified success – it was the biggest AV show, ever. In drawing over 65,000 actual attendees to meet with over 1,100 exhibitors, ISE attendance increased by 10.7 percent and over 30 percent of all attendees were there for the first-time! But, only 8 percent of the attendees were female in an industry where the ratio is closer to 70/30 male/female. That’s something that we will address later this month with a program we will be announcing in partnership with InfoComm, so, on the the good news:
We love this show. And, we spend a fortune covering it — it’s our most expensive show to cover each year. But, it’s worth every penny. We shot over 1500 videos of EVERY NEW PRODUCT launched at ISE and you can view them here.
We hope you’ll check out all our coverage as it includes over 3,000 photos of the show floor, we wrote over 500 news stories and recorded over 40 podcasts!
Integrated Systems Europe is here. Leave a Comment
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Freakonomics’ Stephen Dubner Headlines InfoComm 2016 as Keynote SpeakerInfoComm just announced that Stephen Dubner, best-selling co-author of Freakonomics, will deliver the keynote address at InfoComm 2016, the largest audiovisual tradeshow in North America. The annual event takes place this June 4-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.
Dubner is an award-winning author, journalist, and radio and TV personality. He is best-known as co-author of the New York Times bestselling Freakonomics series, which has sold more than 7 million copies in over 40 countries. Dubner is also the host of the Freakonomics Radiopodcast, which attracts 5 million downloads a month. He also maintains the popular Freakonomics blog, which has been called “the most readable economics blog in the universe.”
Freakonomics, published in 2005, was an international bestseller and cultural phenomenon. SuperFreakonomics followed in 2009 to similar acclaim, and in 2010 a documentary film version of Freakonomics was chosen as the closing film of the Tribeca Film Festival. The third book in the series, Think Like a Freak, was published in 2014 and immediately took up a long residency near the top of international bestseller lists. In 2015, marking the 10-year anniversary of this phenomenal series, When to Rob a Bank was published as a collection of the most popular Freakonomics blog posts.
Speaking to the commercial audiovisual industry at InfoComm 2016, Dubner will talk about how emerging communication technologies are changing the behavior of the people that use them. Dubner will explain what this behavior can tell the industry about the kinds of problems that can and can’t be solved by communication technology applications. What business opportunities can be created by these behaviors, and conversely, what false assumptions should be avoided in promoting new technologies?
“Though the AV industry loves technology, what AV professionals do every day is really all about people — helping them communicate, work and learn more effectively,” said Jason McGraw, CTS, CAE, Senior Vice President of Expositions, InfoComm International. “It can be hard to predict whether a technology solution is going to help achieve those goals unless you can think like a ‘freak.’ Stephen Dubner, co-author of Freakonomics, illuminates the unseen forces driving human behavior. His data-driven perspective will help InfoComm attendees better understand the most complex, failure-prone piece of any given AV system — the user. By looking at the factors that drive usage, InfoComm 2016 attendees will gain insight into how to nurture the successful adoption of new technologies.”
Dubner will deliver his keynote speech at 4 p.m. PST on June 7, 2016, at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino’s Paradise North Event Center which is located adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center. For more information about InfoComm 2016, go here. Leave a Comment
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D-Tools System Integrator 2016 Now AvailableD-Tools today announced the availability of the newest version of its System Integrator (SI) software platform, SI 2016. Building upon the architecture of the System Integrator platform, which includes a robust D-Tools Cloud infrastructure, this major release adds over 50 new productivity features and enhancements that make it faster and easier than ever for residential and commercial AV, higher education and security integrators, consultants, tech managers and systems designers to perform key functions of their business — estimation, system design and project management. SI 2016 offers improvements in virtually every functional area including integrations with SupplyStream and QuickBooks Online, purchase order management and numerous improvements to reporting, scheduling, and Mobile Install. Now available as an upgrade for existing customers, SI 2016 will be provided at no cost for customers participating in the D-Tools Software Assurance program.
Highlights of SI 2016 new features and enhancements:
SupplyStream Integration:
- Search SupplyStream product catalog from within D-Tools SI 2016
- See your actual cost and real-time product availability (requires SupplyStream account, which is free to D-Tools customers)
QuickBooks Online Integration:
- Sync D-Tools product catalog with QuickBooks
- Send estimates and purchase orders directly to QuickBooks Online
- Sync vendors when creating items in QuickBooks Online
Purchase Orders:
- Create and issue purchase orders from within a D-Tools project
- Order items for multiple projects and for stock on the same P.O.
- New D-Tools vendor portal facilitates communication between vendor and integrator
- Items received are updated in the D-Tools project’s order tracking log
Tasks and Scheduling:
- Timeline view added to calendar
- Add/edit business hours to the schedule
- Mobile Install enhancements
- Time Sheets – track and export time entries to payroll software
- Add site items to install tasks and service orders
- Send notifications when work order or service order tasks are completed
Drawing Enhancements:
- Off-page reference capabilities for schematic drawings in Visio
- Show coverage area for cameras, motion detectors and WAPs
- New cable tray shapes facilitate design and layout of equipment rooms
Reporting Enhancements:
- Ability to re-arrange the order of items in a proposal
- Four new client reports – Company Profile, Line Item Detail (Discount and Net Price), Line Item Detail (Unit
- Price and Total Price) and Product Details
- Checklist with Install Status
- New Report Definitions
Sign up for a free demo here or download a free 30-day trial here. Leave a Comment
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InFocus Releases New Ultra-Mobile Projectors in IN1116 and IN1118HDInFocus Corporation has launched two new mobile projectors in the form of the IN1116 and IN1118HD, WXGA (1366×760) and HD (1920×1080), respectively. The IN1116 and IN1118HD each weigh only 3.5 pounds and are spec’d at 2400 lumens and both are spec’d with a lamp life of 10,000. Inputs include HDMI, VGA and USB with 4GB of built-in memory as well as a PC-free player allowing you to present without anything connected but a USB stick.
InFocus IN1116 and IN1118HD are available now for $888.00 and $1,149.00 USD, respectively. Get all the specs here. Leave a Comment
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Barco Aims New 30K Lumen Laser-Phosphor at Rental MarketBarco has expanding its HDF projector portfolio for large venues and events with a three-chip DLP, 30,000-lumen model in WUXGA (1920×1200) resolution. Dubbed the HDF-W30LP FLEX projector, it features a laser-phosphor light source spec’d to last over 30,000 hours. Spec’d at 1900:1 contrast ratio with 90 percent uniformity, the projector includes horizontal and vertical edge blending and an optical lens shift at V: -30% to +120% / H: -40% to +40% on zoom lenses (memorized). Inputs include DVI-I, SDI and BarcoLink.
Reducing operating costs by more than 50 percent compared to a lamp-based projector, the HDF-W30LP FLEX enables customers to increase up-time while driving installation, service, and maintenance costs down. Thanks to its laser phosphor light source and advanced cooling design, this new projector provides up to 30,000 hours of maintenance-free operating time — resulting in considerable cost-savings on maintenance and consumables.
Running in any orientation, the HDF-W30LP FLEX offers users flexibility in projector location as users to tune and lock their projector’s light output to a specific application, from 10,000 to 30,000 lumens in incremental steps. The cooling unit can be positioned up to eight meters (26 feet) away from the projector, so it can be easily attached to a wall or mounted in a truss.
All the tech specs are here. Leave a Comment
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BenQ’s New S-Series Projectors Offers 7K LumensBenQ America today announced two new additions to its line of S-Series high-brightness professional projectors, the SU931 and SX930. They are designed for houses of worship, training and conference rooms as well as higher education settings. The new projectors are part of BenQ’s Integrator’s Choice program, designed to offer dealers professional-grade display solutions backed by education, training and support.
The SU931 is a native resolution WUXGA (1920×1200) projector with 6,000 lumens and a 3000:1 contrast ratio, and the SX930 XGA (1024×768) resolution projector is 7,000 lumens with a 2500:1 contrast ratio and feature BenQ’s Colorific technology. The new S-Series projectors feature a 1.6x big zoom feature, opening up a wider range of installation possibilities and making it easier to achieve the desired image size from nearly any location. Additional flexibility includes a vertical lens shift, vertical and horizontal keystone correction and corner fit geometric correction. Both models feature a microphone input, 20-watt stereo speakers, variable line level audio out and dual HDMI ports.
BenQ’s SU931 and SX930 are here. Leave a Comment
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BEHRINGER Ships U-PHORIA 192 kHz Audio InterfacesBEHRINGER has begun shipping its U-PHORIA UMC1820 and UMC404HD USB Audio Interfaces. Providing 18×20 and 4×4 audio I/O, respectively — plus MIDI I/O, the new models give users the ability to record multiple tracks to PC/Mac computers in a single pass with an audio quality of up to 192 kHz. The UMC1820 and UMC404HD are ideal upgrades from smaller interfaces and perfect for home studio setups.
The U-PHORIA UMC1820 and UMC404HD are designed to maximize portability and versatility, making live gigs easier and home recording sessions more productive. Rugged construction ensures the U-PHORIA Series will stand up to the challenge of life on the road, as well as the frequent trips between project and professional recording studios.
Both interfaces provide expanded I/O compared to previous models, and feature world-renowned MIDAS-designed preamps for the utmost professional-quality performance. Ease of use, low-latency operation and at-a-glance Signal and Clip indicators allow users to focus on projects without having to memorize a manual. The two models include a free download code for the current version of Tracktion Music Production Software.
Here are all the tech specs. Leave a Comment
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Meyer Sound Intros MJF-208 Stage Monitor, Upgrades LEO Family With MDM-5000 Distribution ModuleMeyer Sound just debuted three additions to its line of sound reinforcement solutions: the MJF-208 compact stage monitor, the MDM-5000 high-power distribution module, and the LYON-WXT extended vertical option.
MJF-208 Compact Stage Monitor: The self-powered MJF-208 stage monitor incorporates many of the features of the MJF-212A and the MJF-210 into a smaller, lightweight package. Each MJF-208 measures less than 13 inches high and weighs 45 pounds. Portability and ease of use for the MJF-208 are enhanced by an MDM-832 distribution module, which can route up to eight channels of AC power, balanced audio, and RMS monitoring data to multiple stage monitors.
MDM-5000 High-Power Distribution Module: The MDM-5000 is a rack-mount unit for quick connection and distribution of AC power, audio signals and RMS to LEO Family systems. Standard multicore connectors for audio and power are on the front panel, with discrete connectors on the rear for audio, RMS, and power. The MDM-5000 is available in CE- and UL-compliant versions for worldwide use.
LYON-WXT Extended Vertical Option: The LYON-WXT is an extended vertical coverage option for the LYON-W wide-coverage line array loudspeaker. The WXT option extends the vertical coverage of the LYON-W from nine to 15 degrees, giving the lowest cabinet or two in the array a wider splay angle to achieve uniform coverage at a much steeper downward angle. A principal application for the WXT option will be for 360-degree arena shows, where this extended vertical coverage reduces the number of line array and front-fill loudspeakers required.
The LYON-WXT maintains the aesthetic of a standard LYON-W loudspeaker and integrates into a LYON array without transition frames. Standard LYON-W loudspeakers can be updated with the LYON-WXT option kit, allowing rental companies to convert existing inventory as needed at minimal cost.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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JBL Lauches New Control 65P/T Pendant SpeakerJBL Professional by HARMAN today introduced the JBL Control 64P/T. The JBL Control 64P/T is designed as an affordable full-range pendant loudspeaker in the JBL Control Contractor Series and features a 30-watt transformer, so it can be operated at 8 ohms or used on either 70V or 100V distributed lines. This expansion of the pendant line is especially advantageous to integrators operating in the retail and hospitality markets — applications for which this loudspeaker is specifically designed.
The JBL Control 64 P/T features a frequency response of 65 Hz – 15 kHz and provides 120 degrees of coverage. The loudspeaker’s driver is a 4-inch (100mm) full-range driver with a polypropylene-coated cone for durability and a 0.8 inch (20mm) high-temperature voice coil for high power handling and long-term reliability. Consistent with other models in the JBL Control Series pendant loudspeaker line, the JBL 64P/T includes suspension hardware with a 15-foot (4.5m) galvanized steel cable and adjustable clamp.
The contemporary design of the 64P/T loudspeaker is designed for us in retail, restaurants, hotels, casinos, fitness centers, convention centers, exhibit spaces, conference rooms, atriums, museums, transit centers and other open-ceiling applications. Since the design is consistent with the other pendant models in the range, it can be seamlessly deployed in an installation that requires multiple models.
The JBL Control 64 P/T is available immediately in white and black finish options. Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
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AtlasIED Ships New DPA Series DSP Power AmplifiersThe new AtlasIED Series DPA series of amplifiers are network-ready DSP power amplifiers designed for both 70/100V and 8/4 ohm systems. Available in three models: the 600-watts DPA602, the 1200-watt DPA1202 and the 2400-watt DPA2402, all three incorporate on-board DSP and the graphical user interface (GUI) is embedded into the amplifier. You can configure and operate the amplifier using any standard web browser and does not require a standalone application.
To expand even further on the flexibility of the DPA Series, an expansion slot enables two card options. The DPA-DAC4 card provides four Dante digital audio inputs. The DPA-AMIX card provides 4 more analog input channels. Both increase the inputs from four to eight channels.
Features:
- Configurable for use as two-channel 70.7V amplifier
- Configurable for use as four-channel 4Ω amplifier
- Configurable for use as single channel 70.7V and two-channel 4Ω amplifier
- Networkable with on-board GUI
- Configurable DSP via GUI
- Site manager software with network auto-discovery fault reporting, input and output status, standby
- Status and remote activation via a scheduler timer
- User page with assignable input and output level control
- Mute assignments triggered via audio signal or contact closure
- Audio sense turn-on/off
- Four balanced inputs
- Optional accessory card slot for four-channel Dante receiver card or two mic / line, two aux input card
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Extron Retractor Series/2 Adds DC Power for Most Laptop ManufacturersExtron has announced they are shipping their new Retractor Series/2 Lenovo DC and Retractor Series/2 XL Lenovo DC cable retraction systems, which supply DC power to Lenovo laptop computers. These patented, variable-speed cable retraction systems are designed to work with AVEdge100 and Cable Cubby Series/2 cable access enclosures, and the TMK 120 R Table Mount Kit. Retractor Series/2 cables extend up to three feet (90 centimeters) and Retractor Series/2 XL – Extended Length models support cable extension up to five feet (152 centimeters).
All Extron Retractor Series/2 cable retraction modules are engineered for long life and reliability and tested to exceed 7,500 cable extension and retraction cycles. The mechanism is designed to withstand frequent use in schools, libraries, conference rooms and other high-utilization environments.
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Salamander Designs Introduces Motorized FPS Series Display Stands for Interactive TouchscreensSalamander Designs has announced the introduction of the FPS Series display stands for interactive touchscreen products such as the Microsoft Surface Hub and other VESA-compliant displays. The FPS Series is currently available in two form factors; mobile stands for easy portability and a low-profile wall-mounted solution, each providing precise motorized control of screen height. Some models offer the capacity to control tilt angle of the display as well when desired. Salamander FPS models are designed to provide ergonomically correct positions for working, drafting, collaborating or presenting while using an interactive touchscreen. The extended range of motion from highest to lowest position, offered exclusively on FPS stands, is useful to achieve ADA compliance and the best possible user experience for collaborators. When fully extended, viewing position is optimized for unimpeded visibility to large audiences. FPS Series products are robust, designed to accommodate monitors from 42 to 90 inches in size with a weight capacity up to 300 pounds.
FPS Mobile Stands: The Salamander FPS Series Mobile Stands utilize furniture-grade finishes in a sturdy powder-coated steel frame and wood panels, heavy duty casters for easy mobility and a premium-grade electric lift infrastructure and components derived from the healthcare industry. Available in three models to ideally accommodate each specific touchscreen, Salamander FPS Series products also place an emphasis on style, with compact designs that move easily between spaces, accommodations for wire management and options such as rack-mount equipment storage, retractable cable reel, a wireless remote and a rear-attaching shelf for keyboards or other peripherals.
FPS Wall Stand: The Salamander FPS Wall Stand provides a low-profile wall-mounted solution for your interactive touchscreen, delivering the same precise motorized control of screen height offered on the mobile stands. The FPS Wall Stand features a sleek, low-profile design that conceals all equipment and cabling. The base of the stand rests on the floor and is secured to the wall, capable of supporting the 55-inch Microsoft Surface Hub as well as flat panel displays from 32 to 90 inches and up to 175 pounds in weight.
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Comprehensive Intros 3×1 and 5×1 4K HDMI SwitchersComprehensive Connectivity has launched a new series of HDMI Switchers that are all specified at HDCP 2.2 (4K@60 4:2:0). The CSW-HD301K and CSW-HD501K allow for three or five sources, respectively, to be switched to one HDMI-capable display.
Comprehensive’s CSW-HD301K and CSW-HD501K are designed to support HDMI 2.0, HDCP 2.2, 3D, 12-bit Deep Color as well as High Definition Lossless Audio. In addition, the HDMI Switchers scale HD video signals to UHD 4K@60Hz (chroma sampling rate is 4:2:0) and audio signals up to Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio with the ability of receiving and transmitting up to 10.2Gbps of bandwidth with no claimed data loss. They are HDCP compliant for compatibility with HDCP protected devices.
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Matrox Announces Maevex Multi-Encoding and Decoding TechnologyMatrox Graphics today announced that it is expanding the Matrox Maevex product line of encoders and decoders with a new range of products designed for multiple real-time encoding, streaming, transcoding and recording. The Maevex 2 product line will feature a variety of form factors, including PCI Express cards, stand-alone appliances and OEM versions of the hardware and software, capable of supporting up to 64 channels of 4K capture, real-time encoding and streaming in a single 5U rack for high-density applications.
For extension and switching applications, Maevex 2 will provide Full HD, 4K and 8K extension and switching over standard IP including UHD at 60Hz with ultra-low latency.
For enterprise video management systems (VMS), Maevex 2 will feature Matrox Advanced Hybrid Streaming (AHS) which provides multiple source capture, real-time encoding and streaming, adjustable picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture, simultaneous stream and record, multi-protocol streaming, multiple concurrent bitrate streaming, and more.
For live streaming and recording in government and enterprise environments, Maevex 2 will provide maximum interoperability with third-party hardware and software. In addition to the market-leading real-time encoding resolution capabilities of Maevex 2 SKUs, the new products will be highly adjustable to bias for image quality to the point of near lossless video. 4:2:0 color sampling currently shipping on the Maevex 5150 Series will now be joined by Maevex 2 with support for up to 4:4:4 color sampling for the clear transmission of the most demanding detail in any application.
The new Maevex 2 product range will support commonly used streaming protocols such as RTMP, RTP, HTTP, MPEG2.TS and RTSP making new SKUs compatible with the current Maevex 5150 series and thousands of third-party hardware and software encoders, decoders, cameras, media players, network storage, mobile devices, browsers, and streaming media servers.
Matrox is further expanding the Maevex developer APIs to help OEMs, integrators and software developers incorporate Maevex features into their own applications including AV processors, digital signage software, enterprise video management software, the most challenging video and graphics recording applications, security and surveillance environments, and WAN and cloud tools for any need.
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Clear-Com Debuts HelixNet 3.0Clear-Com HelixNet Version 3.0 has debuted, expanding the system channel capacity of a single Main Station to 12 PL channels as an out-of-the-box standard configuration. For productions needing more communication links and customization, HelixNet can be expanded to a 24 PL channel system with a simple purchase of a firmware license.
HelixNet 3.0 is also customizable. In standard partyline systems, individual users need to accept the default user setting for all users. With Version 3.0, every user device has the ability to assign a role. A role is simply a label for a pre-defined configuration including channel assignment and audio parameters for a particular workflow. The number of roles is virtually unlimited, and a role could be used by many devices in a workgroup, or a unique role could be assigned to an individual. Roles can be bypassed for independent device programming if desired.
An added feature is the ability to stack and/or expand Main Stations with Remote Stations or Remote Stations with Remote Stations allowing Stations to act as one user position when it comes to addressing all channels. A single headset or microphone could command an entire multiple-device HelixNet system. It also allows the RMK (Remote Mic Kill) feature to affect ALL channels, not just the selected ones (as in previous versions.)
HelixNet 3.0 comes with a free browser-based software tool called Core Configuration Manager (CCM). This tool makes it easy to setup and configure all HelixNet devices online using the latest, most popular browsers running on Mac, PC and tablet platforms. The CCM displays and controls all connected devices, network settings and audio parameter functions on the screen, while the save/restore function allows quick duplication of systems. Here are the specs. Leave a Comment
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New Crestron DMPS3-4K Series Are Designed for Small Meeting RoomsCrestron said its expanding expanding its line of DigitalMedia 3-Series Presentation Systems (DMPS3) with two new models designed specifically for single-display applications. The three DMSP3-4K models feature a built-in Crestron 3-Series Control System, analog and digital AV switching, 4K scaler and direct LAN connectivity with Crestron Fusion software for network management.
All three models feature built-in Crestron .AV Framework technology, which provides several powerful and vital features right out of the box, including auto-switching, plug-and-play installation with Crestron Connect It cable caddies, automatic display on/off via CEC, and intelligent connectivity with Crestron AirMedia presentations gateway for wireless BYOD capability.
Using .AV Framework from the touch screen or web-based tool, integrators can do system setup. They can choose sources and display control and automatically generate the touch screen GUI, to deliver an intuitive, consistent user experience in every room, without any programming, according to Crestron.
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Altinex Debuts UT260-052 Under Table 5×2 HDMI SwitcherAltinex just launched the UT260-052 Under Table 5×2 HDMI Switcher. The UT260-052 is a five input, two output switcher and is designed to be used with Altinex ShareTime controllers that enable shared control of multiple inputs on a single monitor. It uses all HDMI inputs and outputs.
The UT260-052 switcher has five HDMI video inputs that can be routed to two outputs. In addition to the five external inputs, there is a sixth internal media player input available to play MPEG files from a USB flash drive that can serve as a simple digital signage media player.
TV power (or power for a video display with support for CEC commands) and input selection on the UT260-052 is controlled through the use of CEC commands from the switcher. At power up or upon waking the system, the switcher turns on the TVs and then sets the TV inputs to those connected to the switcher outputs.
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Kramer Launches VS-62HA, 6×2 4K Matrix SwitcherThe Kramer VS-62HA is a 4K@60 UHD (4:2:0) matrix switcher for HDMI (3D, Deep Color, x.v.Color, Lip Sync, ARC, HEAC pass-through, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD and 7.1 multi-channel audio) and analog audio signals that includes auto-switching and control. The VS-62HA reclocks and equalizes the signals and can route any input to either or both outputs simultaneously and the maximum data rate is 8.91 Gbps data rate (2.97 Gbps per graphics channel). Audio features include independent (breakaway) audio routing of embedded HDMI and analog audio content to two balanced audio ports.
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Extron Unveils New Versions of DTP Switchers With Audio Embedding and HDBaseT CompatibilityExtron just launched new versions of the DTP T USW 233 and DTP T USW 333 three-input switchers now featuring analog stereo audio embedding and compatibility with HDBaseT-enabled devices. The DTP T USW switchers send HDMI or analog video, audio and control up to 230 feet (70 meters) or 330 feet (100 meters) over a shielded CATx cable. The switchers can embed stereo analog audio onto the digital video signal for transport over DTP. This streamlines integration and is particularly useful when connecting to displays without analog audio inputs. Additionally, a selectable HDBaseT output mode offers the convenience of sending digital video and embedded audio, plus bidirectional control signals over a shielded CATx cable to any HDBaseT-enabled display. The new DTP T USW versions with audio embedding and HDBaseT compatibility are now available.
Extron says the DTP Systems product family is the industry’s most comprehensive integration platform for small to medium-sized AV systems. This family includes a number of different extender models in a wide variety of form factors and video formats, plus a broad offering of distribution amplifiers, switchers, and matrix switchers with essential AV signal processing and control features. DTP Systems allow complete flexibility in designing systems precisely to application and budget requirements.
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Turn One 4K Camera Into Four HD CamerasIn the ‘creative use of 4K department,’ Datavideo’s new KMU-100 is a unique 4K multi-camera production solution that delivers multiple virtual full HD (up to 1080p) scaled camera angles with minimal installation cost and simple operation.
The basic concept is straightforward: The output of a single 4K/UHD camera is connected to KMU-100, which then displays up to four 16×9 user-defined cropped windows that are sent out as four separate HD signals through HD-SDI. These user defined windows can be scaled to zoom in on a particular subject that you would like to highlight on the 4K signal. An additional 4K camera could be connected to allow up to eight defined outputs from the two 4K signals. As an option, the Datavideo RMC-180 camera controller can be added to easily pan, tilt, and zoom to create the user defined windows on the 4K signal. You can set up these shots in advance and save them as presets, or you can do it in real-time.
For example, if you wanted to broadcast a live three-piece band concert using a 4K camera; simply set up the 4K/UHD camera with a wide angle shot, then connect the camera output to the KMU-100. Use the RMC-180 controller to select up to four 16×9 windows which could be positioned with a joystick as well as resized from any part of the original 4K signal. You can now have the following shots:
- Wide angle of the band
- A close up shot of the lead singer
- Close up drummer and drum set
- Close up of piano player
These four virtual camera signals (up to 1080p) could be connected to any HD-SDI switcher, giving the illusion of a multi camera production when in reality, you only have one 4K camera.
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