Volume 15, Issue 12.2 — June 28, 2017
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Editorial Editorial Editorial Editorial
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Industry News Control & Signal Processing Projection Displays Audio Unified Collaborative Conferencing
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Can You Hear Me? The Disgraceful Tale of the Three Chandeliers
By Dr. Frederick Ampel President & Principal, Technology Visions Analytics
Once upon a time, there was a great and renowned chef who was planning to open a prestigious restaurant in a highly prosperous suburb of a lovely city. He wanted to have not only stunning food, which he was quite sure he could provide, but also an exceptional architectural presentation and interior design as well. He commissioned a legendary craftsman to create for him three visually stunning chandeliers to illuminate and decorate his food palace.
He incorporated hand-built, custom fabricated marble topped cast metal tables, carefully fashioned beautiful marble floors and many other interior design elements to enhance the space.
But amidst all this visual beauty, one thing was forgotten — the essential purpose of the space from a human perspective.
As many of you know by now, I have been crying out from my orator’s soapbox about the failure of architects and interior designers to include acoustical treatment as a standard part of their designs thus making it possible for people to hold normal conversations in public spaces like the restaurant in our story.
I would add that it is important for audio system designers to offer acoustical treatment to their clients and it is important for those clients to insist on appropriate acoustical treatment in their initial consultation with architects and interior designers.
But, after half a lifetime (it seems) of furious debate with negligible improvement, perhaps it’s time to deploy a new army of good sound missionaries. After all, is it not essential that any space into which people enter to hold conversations, allow such communication to be heard with sufficient precision to be understandable by those people?
The voluptuous design and accoutrements of the esteemed chef’s food palace did not create such a possibility. For its marble, glass and metal made the room a giant echo chamber, and the chef’s customers could only hear a cacophony of sound with no clarity or distinction — and, despite great food, they were greatly disappointed by their “customer experience.”
ACOUSTICAL REALITY
While the fairy tale above is framed as a story, unfortunately, the reality is that this problem crops up every day, everywhere, in all kinds of spaces, with restaurants being consistently some of the most egregious examples.
Perhaps a bit of background is necessary.
Realistically, once you get to any room somewhat larger than a standard sized residential bathroom, you’re more than likely going to need some kind of acoustical absorption or diffusion to make the space useable for people and conversation. It might well be as simple as including thick under-carpet padding, or a significant amount of wall space taken up with filled bookcases, or even some sprayed on version of that fluffy looking ceiling popcorn type material home builders were so fond of 20 or 30 years ago.
Or it could be (wait for it) actual, real, calculated, professionally planned acoustical treatment based on proper science and methodology, plus real world measurements — Holy smokes, Dr. Sabine!
The essential issue here is that 99 percent of restaurants need it. Thus, any qualified architect/interior design team should have included it in the budget and their schematic plans and as submitted designs from day one. The discussion with the clients and owners should be about how much and where, not “oops, I forgot it again.” What would happen if the architects and interior design team forgot the bathrooms? Think anyone would notice that? Well…. both are equally essential to a functioning space.
Somehow this “Oops, I Did It Again” (to quote that notorious intellectual, Brittany Spears), attitude seems to be most prevalent within the restaurant design cosmos. Why they do it so routinely remains one of the great mysteries of the universe, but suffice to say it is absolutely positively, definitely and totally guaranteed to anger 4.9 out of five patrons.
While cogitating on this great mystery, the thought occurred that perhaps we should create and promote a special Facebook page called the Acoustic Fiasco “Hall of Shame” — highlighting an EPIC FAIL each month (although weekly wouldn’t be out of the question). Yes, it would be an immensely cheap and easy shot, but then there is that one example that rises so far above the norm as to deserve its own article — this one!
So…. the award goes to a project entitled “The Three Chandeliers.”
Let’s start with the basics. This restaurant is one of a planned chain.
As we look upon this work of utter genius from a reflected ceiling plan perspective, one notices the elegant custom Italian (read seriously high $$$) marble floor offering no acoustical absorption. The perimeter wall is half glass and half drywall, offering little surface area for treatments.
The high ceiling adds another second or so to the reverberation time and perhaps a few reflections, yet offers several obvious but initially unused [see below for the eventual result] opportunities to add acoustical absorption.
Now take a moment to have a longer look at the last (ceiling coves) photo. For any acoustician, even a novice, this should have been a slam dunk to resolve. A ten minute discussion, a costing and materials memo, and a couple of spec sheets would have easily done the job — UP FRONT, or even while construction was underway as long as final finishes had not yet been applied.
OK, so the answer is blatantly obvious and easily implemented. So the critical question becomes, “Was there no budget for acoustical absorption?” Clearly there was more than enough money for some posh “statement” three-tiered crystal chandeliers, custom marble floors, hand built dining tables, and I’m sure logoed china, maybe custom silverware, and of course embroidered uniforms or clothing for the staff, first class chef’s hats, six- to seven-figure kitchen fit-out and on and on. Oh, and I’m also sure the staff went to training to develop that slightly arrogant, cynical attitude necessary for such a high dollar dining experience, with menu pricing to match.
The irony of trying to have any sort of remotely useful spoken or heaven forbid musical content intrude into this gigantic hollow echo chamber of a space other than “Can you please repeat that?” is mildly entertaining. Oh and in case you missed them, look for the two dangling video monitors, which are switched off — anyone want to hazard a guess as to why?
Now the comeuppance. After about three months, and a continual litany of complaints, even some in the reviews from the hoity-toity food critics (local and national), magically time and budget were found to make use of the obvious space and install some effective acoustical absorption to this facility. I’m sure there was massive screaming and yelling from his highness the chef/owner and the top line staff about the three days they were temporarily closed for the needed work to be accomplished. But it was done — well after it should have been done and at a much higher cost (including three days of not serving big buck prix-fixe dinners). But where do you think they put it? And, by the way, a dark drape was hung over the glass facing the street during the work to hide the fact that it was being done — just too arrogant to admit their mistake!
Figured it out yet? Besides the you-can’t-see-it materials up in the ceiling, look closely at the tables. Each table bottom is carpeted with a fiberglass foam board material sandwiched above. A clever solution which while helpful could easily have been avoided, if the issue had been handled beforehand. Of course there was much hair tearing about the visual effect this had on those brutally costly custom marble table but oh well.
Unfortunately the conversation that would really have been revealing is lost to the echoes in the space. That is the one between the owner and the architect about the acoustics right before opening.
After all, the issue wasn’t just acoustical treatment. It was the lost perspective on the purpose of the space and the fact that genuine homo-sapiens with (assumedly) functional ears would be occupying it nightly. Didn’t anybody consider they might want to actually have a conversation? Leave a Comment
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The Overlooked Attendees of InfoComm – Church Tech Leaders
By Anthony Coppedge House of Worship Technology Consultant
In the sweltering humidity of Orlando in June, InfoComm hosts tens of thousands of attendees, each traversing the exhibit hall floor to find technological inspiration and an air-conditioned respite from the sticky Florida air. Among these roaming masses are the nondescript technical directors, front-of-house engineers, video production staff and volunteers sent by their church leaders to bring back ideas and products to meet their ever-changing needs. This underserved market segment desperately tries to look past the tech specs, the marketing spiel emblazoned upon booths and the regurgitated product pitches by the uniformly logo-clad armada of representatives confined to the carpeted slabs of territory marked by aisles. These sojourners from houses of worship are ever less inclined to purchase more of the same and instead seek out the differentiators and innovators offering new ways of approaching old and new problems.
The tradeshow floor/expo hall is a mixed opportunity of vendors hawking marginally improved technology and the new innovations that build upon reliable infrastructure to offer limited risk with the upside of a better reward. Aisle after aisle looks similar enough so that the competition bears little differentiation, but an intensified focus on Nth-degree increases in faster processing or upgraded hardware. The point of diminishing returns is not lost on seasoned church techs, who have been jaded by over-promises in product reliability and underserved support options for what for all intents and purposes are mission-critical technology venues similar to network operation centers or data centers. Fortunately, InfoComm recognizes that the house of worship market has significant buying power and has at least added sessions geared for churches to their educational track. In fact, this year ICIA has partnered with Church Technical Leaders (CTL), a non-profit organization focused on educating church technicians and building a community for these professionals and volunteers to foster the sharing of experiences and insights. A total of eight church technology-oriented sessions offered by CTL are taught from their ranks of professionals at InfoComm 2017 out of the 220 sessions and events during the show.
Veteran trade show attendees plan out their days’ walking to spotlight key vendors and technologies they want to see first, carefully mapping out their path to avoid the redundancy of re-walking miles of aisles. In the process, these wizened attendees walk past hundreds of vendors that may have a technology solution that would fit their venues, only to miss out on helping a church tech leader self-identify with a product offering because no visual reference alerted the potential buyers of vertical market applications. In a sea of me-too products and marketing verbiage, the would-be buyers pass by untold opportunities simply out of ignorance that certain vendors have technologies that would serve the house of worship market.
The educational focus in classrooms is well and good (and taught by the esteemed professionals of CTL), but the swing-and-miss for the exhibitors and tech pilgrims alike is the notable inclusion of general vertical market segments (education, government, corporate) and marked omission of the house of worship market segment.
What’s still needed at tradeshows like InfoComm is a focus on selling to and working with vertical market segments for the Audio/Video/Lighting (AVL) systems integrators and contractors, something that would benefit from the experienced leaders from Church Technical Leaders. The average booth attendee wears no distinguishing identification to help booth staff distinguish the potential buyer, and the name badges are prone to be flipped backward anyway, so perhaps this is an area where attendees can choose to have a uniquely colored ribbon added to their lanyard to identify the kind of organization they represent? InfoComm, and trade shows like it, would do well to help make the visual connection between the specialty of the potential buyer and the expertise of their market segment align with key staff in the vendor booth. As it is, the booths are largely oriented towards a general audience that makes it harder to discern the value of the technology on display out of the context of venue requirements in each of the vertical markets. Booth square footage is ludicrously expensive temporary real estate, yet there needs to be a way to identify the applications and problem-solving aspects of the promoted technology for the intended audience segments.
Bravo to InfoComm to opening up a partnership with CTL, as they’ve done previously with other partners in the house of worship market, but the eight out of 220 sessions and events is a far too limited an offering for most churches to send their tech teams across the country. AES, NAB, LDI and other trade shows that have a strong presence of church buyers need to drastically increase the focus on this market segment. As I’ve written about previously, the money is there. See ($580M in One Year — Multi-site Churches; Align to Church Growth Trends; Church Attendance Surging, Pushing HOW Market Growth; Trends and Data Point to Church Market Opportunities) for examples of how this 300,000+ church market (in North America alone) is still underserved.
Do you notice church tech leaders at trade shows? How can trade shows like Infocomm improve in attracting and serving the church market buyer? Share your opinions and experiences in the comments below. Leave a Comment
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What Do I Think of Legrand Buying Milestone AV?
By Gary Kayye rAVe Founder
Legrand announced the acquisition of Milestone AV early this morning but the rumors of a Milestone AV purchase had been flying for weeks. (Here’s a link to our breaking news story.) There was no question they were selling, but this is a merger of two giant, awesome companies. I can see nothing but fantastic things about this acquisition. Why?
First off, Milestone AV is well run. Scott Gill, the CEO of Milestone, is one of the smartest people I have ever met. And, he’s surrounded himself with a bunch of savvy and detail-oriented winners in Laurie Englert, Troy Peifer and Karen Smidt. And in case you haven’t noticed, they have the best system of integrated brands (behind the scenes with its ERP system) of any of the multi-brand companies. The company’s website, CMS and relationship-management systems are all connected — across brands — as is its order processing infrastructure. This was intentional. I remember the week Milestone started this project — I happened to be there at the headquarters in Minnestoa then helping start a social media marketing plan — and the plan was flawless. Even Legrand doesn’t have this, so in reality, Legrand is “buying-up.” Yes, all the brands that Milestone AV has — companies like Da-Lite, Vaddio, Sanus, Projecta and Chief — are great brands but the back-end systems that Milestone AV has set-up could very well be THE REASON that Legrand purchased them.
The announcement specifically mentioned that Legrand planned to put all the Milestone AV companies under the Middle Atlantic umbrella. As you may know, many of the Legrand brands are HomeAV-oriented while Milestone AV does well in excess of 80 percent of its business in the ProAV market, so the Middle Atlantic connection seems like a good decision.
Milestone AV employs nearly 400 people and the company’s annual sales are in the range of $460 million. The transaction is worth $950 million based on enterprise value.
Congrats to the people of Legrand as they acquired one of the best run companies in the AV market — let’s just hope they keep those four top-tier people I mentioned above. Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it employs one of the best salespeople in AV in Mark Coxon and one of the best content marketing people in AV too in Joel Hagen. Legrand needs to hold on to these two superstars as well.
Oh, and for all you cynics out there, NO Milestone AV is NOT currently a sponsor (and neither is Legrand) of rAVe. So, NO, I didn’t write this to brown-nose them. We don’t write puff pieces like that — we leave that up to all our competition as they regularly write puff pieces about their sponsors all the time. This piece is 100 percent my personal observation having worked with this team in various capacities (non-sponsor-related) over the past 10 years. Leave a Comment
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rAVe NOW’s InfoComm Coverage Is Next Best Thing to Being There
By Gary Kayye rAVe Founder
There’s no substitute for going to InfoComm — it’s a must-attend trade show if you are in the commercial AV industry. But, not everyone is allowed to attend.
If you weren’t one of the lucky 44,077 people that were in Orlando for InfoComm 2017, then we have a solution for you.
We actually brought over 25 reporters to the show. So, we have way, way, way more coverage than anyone else. And, we covered more than you could have had you attended yourself.
How? Well, we went to every single booth on the show floor and shot videos (1,650+ of them) of all the new products launched at InfoComm this year. And, we recorded podcasts (45+), we video live-streamed daily each day using Facebook LIVE, we wrote blogs 20+), we published 300+ news stories and we shot in excess of 3,500 photos from the show floor!
And, it’s all in one, searchable, dedicated website — a website we built just for infoComm 2017. Check it out here.
InfoComm 2018 is in Las Vegas so you should put it on your calendar now — June 6-8, 2018!
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BREAKING NEWS: Legrand Buys Milestone AV
Legrand (parent company for Middle Atlantic, Luxul, ON-Q and Vantage) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Milestone AV Technologies, the parent company of AV brands including Da-Lite, Vaddio, Sanus, Projecta and Chief, which makes projector mounts, projection screens, PTZ cameras, equipment racks and AV furniture for both the HomeAV and ProAV markets. The completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including termination or expiration of the applicable waiting period under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act.
What does rAVe founder Gary Kayye think of this — and how much was Milestone AV purchased for? Go here and find out.
Here is the letter that Middle Atlantic President Mike Baker sent to its partners.
“Legrand is committed to serving the professionally installed AV industry which is an attractive growth area driven by the advancement and expansion of video applications,” said John Selldorff, president and CEO of Legrand, north and central America. “The combination of Milestone’s display mounting, projection screen and content capture technologies with Legrand’s strong offering in enclosures, power, furniture, connectivity and cable management, will greatly enhance Legrand’s position in the industry – in both the commercial and consumer segments – and make us a more significant AV infrastructure supplier to our customers and channel partners.”
Once the transaction closes, the plan is for Milestone and Legrand’s Middle Atlantic business to come together under the AV Division of Legrand. Both the Milestone and Middle Atlantic product lines will continue to remain in the market place, establishing an offering that can be expanded to serve AV customers globally.
“Legrand and Milestone are recognized for solving customer challenges with innovative products and delivering exceptional customer experiences,” said Scott Gill, CEO of Milestone. “Bringing together Milestone and Middle Atlantic under Legrand will allow us to offer an expanded range of highly complementary AV brands to our customers while leveraging combined best practices to deliver continued innovation.”
Milestone AV is here. and Legrand is here. Leave a Comment
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InfoComm 2017 Included Record Attendance, Record Number of End Users, Record Attended Education
InfoComm welcomed more than 44,000 visitors for the first time in its history. The theme was “What Will You Create?”
“It’s a watershed year for InfoComm,” said Jason McGraw, CTS, CAE, Senior Vice President of Expositions, InfoComm International. “The technology on display was amazing again, and we’re thrilled with the tremendous response, but we’re especially excited that guest after guest told us this InfoComm offered new and different experiences for our growing, innovative audience.”
By the time the doors closed for the week, InfoComm 2017 had logged 44,077 registered attendees, 13 percent more than the last time it was held in Orlando, Fla., in 2015, and 14 percent more than InfoComm 2016 in Las Vegas. All of the rAVe coverage of InfoComm – including well over 1700 videos, 350 new product articles and nearly 80 podcasts is here.
InfoComm 2017 visitors hailed from all 50 United States and 117 countries; 17 percent of attendees were from outside the U.S. The show’s 950 exhibitors anchored a massive expo that spanned more than 545,000 net square feet of exhibits, demo rooms, and special events space, making it the biggest InfoComm ever.
“Brand-new show elements like our TIDE conference, Center Stage, The Park, and the Immersive Technology Experience made for an incredible atmosphere and attracted an unprecedented mix of qualified attendees,” McGraw said.
In all, 41 percent of InfoComm 2017 attendees identified as technology managers and end users — more than in any previous year. And 39 percent were first-time visitors, a sign that InfoComm continues to attract new customers and professionals to the AV solutions marketplace.
“InfoComm is committed to serving as a catalyst for market growth by offering content and programs that speak to the outcomes achievable through AV solutions,” said David Labuskes, CTS, RCDD, Executive Director and CEO, InfoComm International. “As we build greater awareness of the magic of AV, we believe the InfoComm show will continue to draw more and different market participants, from content creators to enterprise decision-makers. InfoComm 2017 has proven to be a significant step in that direction.”
Other notable news from InfoComm 2017 in Orlando:
- More than 3,700 attendees took part in InfoComm training and education – up 24 percent from 2016.
- Nearly 190 professionals passed a Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) exam, bringing the total number of CTS holders to 11,105.
- More than 650 volunteers participated in InfoComm council activities, including record attendance at the Women of InfoComm Network Breakfast.
“I had the pleasure of speaking to many of the enthusiastic, engaged InfoComm 2017 visitors at the week’s meetings and receptions,” Labuskes said. “It left me inspired by their dreams and ambitions for audiovisual experiences and how they continue to impact people around the world.”
InfoComm 2017 was sponsored by Presenting Show Partner Samsung, Strategic Show Partners Blackmagic Design and Crestron, and Supporting Show Partner LG.
InfoComm 2018 will be held June 2-8, 2018, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
InfoComm is here and all the rAVe coverage of the show is on a dedicated microsite here. Leave a Comment
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NanoLumens Files Patent Infringement Lawsuits Against Four LED Display ManufacturersNanoLumens today announced that it has filed patent infringement lawsuits against LED display manufacturers PixelFLEX, of Nashville, Tenn.; InFiLED USA, of Marietta, Ga.; DetaiLED Solutions, of Marietta, Ga.; and Gable Company, of Baltimore, Md. for unspecified damages stemming from the companies’ infringement of four U.S. patents issued to NanoLumens.
According to NanoLumens CEO Rick Cope, the decision to file suit in federal court was not undertaken lightly and follows repeated good faith efforts and multiple communications by NanoLumens to resolve its concerns with the four companies to create meaningful business relationships. “NanoLumens has invested millions of dollars and man hours in the development of pioneering innovations that have been justly recognized by the United States Patent Office,” Cope said today. “Patent protected innovation is what makes the United States the leading innovator that it is. Failure to protect against patent infringement opens the door to the death of innovation and that is not something that this company will ever stand for.”
The lawsuits allege that PixelFLEX, InFiLED USA, DetaiLED and Gable Company have, in one form or another, infringed upon US Patents 8,963,895 (Ubiquitously Mountable Image Display System), 9,159,707 (Flexible Display), and 9,640,516 (Flexible Display Apparatus and Methods), all of which are owned by NanoLumens. NanoLumens currently holds over a dozen United States Patents covering virtually every aspect of its flexible LED display design and engineering, with more patents pending.
At NanoLumens the vision of a universal modular display that can be built in any size, shape, curvature, or pixel density has been the singular focus of the company for many years. That focus has led to numerous innovations, patents and patents pending covering key aspects of the technology portfolio that, collectively, deliver superb performance in the NanoLumens flexible Nixel display module. Patented features enable the NanoLumens Nixel display module to seamlessly tile and re-tile display surfaces, accept a wide continuum of changing curvatures and placements and maintain pixel-to-pixel uniformity.
NanoLumens is here. Leave a Comment
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Barco Silex Updates Its 4K-Over-1Gb OEM Solutions With New Features Barco Silex is announcing new features on its Viper OEM AV-over-IP solution. The new features include PTP synchronization, support for video wall, HDMI 2.0, and fine-tuned video compression. The addition of these functionalities enables Barco Silex customers to address more use cases and applications in the professional audio/video market.
The Viper OEM solution is a fully functional stand-alone hardware board that enables HDMI over IP. It is a turnkey solution for anyone willing to develop its own product for distributing audio/video signals over IP network. The flexibility and scalability of IP networking infrastructure makes it the best solution for transporting Audio/Video in many cases. Viper is a unique solution for transporting a 4K signal over a single 1Gb Ethernet cable with uncompromised quality and extremely low latency.
The PTP support enables accurate clock synchronization across all the Viper encoders and decoders within the IP network. By using PTP, the audio and video from several sources distributed across multiple displays remain synchronized, even in extreme large installations.
The updated Viper solution now comes with a full-featured video wall mode. The video signal is distributed over the IP network from the source to a configurable array of displays. The video wall mode supports many different layouts and orientations of display thanks to the embedded image processing capabilities.
The Viper solution is here. Leave a Comment
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Christie’s New AV-over-IP Line Aims for AMX, Crestron & Everyone ElseToday, Christie announced Christie Terra, a line-up of new products that use the Software Defined Video over Ethernet (SDVoE) Alliance standard for AV-over-IP system. Comprising of a line-up of transmitters, receivers and control hardware and software, Christie Terra solutions are designed for small, mediums-sized and ever large systems and capable of sending up to 4K video, audio and control over Ethernet.
Built on standardized SDVoE technology, Christie Terra can send 4K at 60Hz (10-bit color) audio and control uncompressed over a 10G Ethernet system. Christie is officially debuting Terra during InfoComm 2017 in Orlando, Fla. June 14 – 16.
As part of a Terra solution, the Christie Terra Transmitter processes AV sources and control signals and transports uncompressed, zero-frame latency, content over 10G Ethernet networks. The Christie Terra Receiver accepts the AV and control from the 10G Ethernet network and supplies it to displays or other AV devices. The Christie Terra Controller provides complete operational control and management for the streamlined installation, configuration, programming and upgrading of Christie Terra systems.
A Christie rep told rAVe today that Christie WOULD be integrating an AV-over-IP input on all their displays eventually.
Christie Terra features:
- A spec of zero-frame latency
- Uncompressed AV processing: 4:4:4 chroma sub-sampling (up to 10-bit color) maintained from source to display
- Up to 4K@60Hz resolutions (3840×2160 and 4096×2160)
- Complete AV and control connectivity: Support includes video, audio, RS-232, IR control, Gigabit Ethernet and USB
- System scalability: Using off-the-shelf 10G Ethernet components
- Built-in video scaling to convert all signals to 4K
- EDID and HDCP signal management
Here are the detailed specs. Leave a Comment
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Crestron Intros 3-Series 4K60 DigitalMedia Presentation Systems with Built-In AirMedia Crestron just introduced its new DMPS3-4K-350-C and DMPS3-4K-250-C 3-Series 4K60 DigitalMedia Presentation Systems at InfoComm. The new models add built-in Crestron AirMedia (AM-101) for wireless presentation functionality and a higher-powered amplifier to the already robust feature set, including 4K60, full support for HDCP 2.2, and Control Subnet.
The AirMedia gateway built into the DMPS3-4K-350-C and DMPS3-4K-250-C enables wireless presentation of content from a laptop, smartphone, or tablet device via the room’s Wi-Fi wireless network.
The DMPS3-4K-350-C and DMPS3-4K-250-C combine DigitalMedia technology with an IP-based 3-Series Control System, 4K60 switcher, mic mixer and audio DSP in a single rack mountable package.
In addition to the LAN port, the DMPS3-4K-350-C and DMPS3-4K-250-C each has a built-in Control Subnet port, which enables deployment of a separate DM network.
Crestron says the DMPS3-4K-350-C and DMPS3-4K-250-C are designed to meet all audio distribution needs. In addition to the built-in audio DSP and codec mixing, they provide breakaway audio routing, surround sound pass-through, six-channel mic mixing and a new higher-powered integrated amplifier than other DMPS3 Series models, enabling it to directly drive a pair of stereo speakers (25 watts RMS per channel @ 8 ohms, 4 ohms tolerant), or a group of distributed ceiling speakers (50 watts RMS @ 70 or 100 volts).
Here are all the detailed specs. Leave a Comment
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DVIGear Launches DisplayNet DN-200 Series at InfoComm The new DVIGear DisplayNet DN-200 Series, an extension of the DisplayNet AV-over-IP product line. It leverages the latest SDVoE technology to distribute uncompressed AV signals with resolutions up to 4K /60p over a 10GbE Ethernet network. The DN-200 Series adds support for HDMI 2.0 with up to 12-bit color, HDCP 2.2, DisplayPort 1.2, and high speed USB 2.0. A high-performance scaler in both the Transmitter (Tx) and Receiver (Rx) units enables very fast switching, multi-viewer and enhanced video wall processing. The DN-200 Series supports twisted pair (CAT6a or CAT7) media up to 328 ft. (100 meters), or Fiber Optic media using an industry standard SFP+ module supporting extension distances up to 18 miles (30 km).
The DN-200 Series consists of four different versions: DN-210, DN-210U, DN-220 and DN-220U. The DN-210 units include a copper network port for the 10GbE link, whereas the DN-220 units employ an optical 10GbE port. The DN-210U and DN-220U include High Speed USB 2.0 connectivity. Each version has an available Transmitter (Tx) and Receiver (Rx). All these models will available for shipping in September 2017. DVIGear will also exhibit the DisplayNet Server system control and management platform at the show. DisplayNet Server provides a central interface between the control equipment/software and the DisplayNet endpoint devices; therefore, it should be included with every DisplayNet system. This server supports web browser-based DisplayNet Manager software that provides a host of powerful control features, as well as tools to facilitate the use of third party controllers that enable DisplayNet to be easily integrated into a wide range of professional AV applications. DisplayNet Server and DisplayNet Manager make the system integration process easier, faster and more efficient. Here are the tech details. Leave a Comment
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Barco Debuts New Overture AV Control System Aimed at Meeting Rooms at InfoComm Barco will provide an opportunity for visitors at InfoComm to test drive the new Overture solution. The new version of Overture will be available to ship by Aug. 31, 2017. This new system is an attempt for Barco to take a position in the control system market — competing with Crestron, Extron, AMX, Utelogy, etc.
Overture is an enterprise-wide AV control software solution. It controls and monitors all AV and other networked devices in multiple locations via an interactive user interface. Running on commercial off-the-shelf hardware, Overture features a low total cost of ownership while helping to reduce other operating costs in the office environment.
The latest version of Overture emphasizes automation. Overture “behaviors” enable the automatic creation of tasks for specific rooms. For example, an administrator can set a task to automatically switch on or off all the devices in a single room — without any programming. The system can seamlessly integrate with presentation tools such as Barco ClickShare, allowing a presenter to set-up the room in seconds — from switching on the main display to adjusting the lighting — with the touch of a ClickShare button.
The Scheduler capability now allows users to set certain actions at pre-defined moments in time, such as turning off all devices at night to save electricity. With the addition of the Behaviors and Scheduling functions, a facility or IT manager can easily configure the system to enable the entire enterprise to be controlled with the click of a button, or even execute tasks automatically for specific times.
Barco’s Overture AV can be found here. Leave a Comment
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Crestron DM NVX Series Is 4K60, 4:4:4 and HDR AV-Over-IP System on a 1Gb Network Crestron is here at InfoComm four months after ISE where they had the original launch of their new DM NVX Series. Crestron says that DM NVX Series makes it possible to securely transmit stunning 4K60, 4:4:4 and HDR video over standard 1 Gigabit Ethernet, with no latency. A key component of the company’s secure Enterprise Room Solutions, DM NVX Series provides for a scalable network AV solution, from a simple point-to-point setup, to thousands of endpoints and requires only DM NVX Encoders/Decoders. DM NVX integrates with DM HDBaseT, 4K60 fiber and H.264 streaming products.
Crestron also says that the DM NVX Series is the only 4K60, 4:4:4, HDR video over 1Gb Ethernet solution that provides network security at the product level, leveraging a battery of standard network security protocols including 802.1x authentication, Active Directory credential management, PKI authentication, AES encryption, TLS, SSH, HTTPS and secure CIP.
The DM NVX Series is comprised of: DM NVX Encoder/Decoder Boxes (DM-NVX-350, DM-NVX-351) and DM NVX Encoder/Decoder Cards (DM-NVX-350C, DM-NVX-351C), which also provide USB 2.0 routing, built-in DSP, auto-switching and support Ethernet natively, as well as fiber, with optional SPF modules, the DM NVX Card Chassis (DMF-CI-8) and DM XiO Director, a network appliance which serves as a centralized “virtual switcher” that facilitates configuration, control, and management of large-scale DM NVX Series AV networks. DM XiO Director is available in models that support 80 (DM-XIO-DIR-80), 160 (DM-XIO-DIR-160) or unlimited (DM-XIO-DIR-ENT) endpoint devices.
Software residing in the DM NVX Series Encoder/Decoder boxes and cards makes it possible to configure, deploy, and manage entire systems from the web. Integrators choose sources and displays, and set bandwidth and latency to meet the needs of the application and infrastructure. For larger DM NVX Series systems, Crestron’s new DM XiO Director allows you to provision and manage them over a standard IP network.
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Christie Adds to Its GS Series with 10K Lumen Models with BoldColor TechnologyThe new Christie DHD1075-GS and Christie DWU1075-GS 10,000 ISO lumen laser phosphor projectors combine many of the potent features from the Christie HS Series, including more powerful grid-based warping and blending with Christie BoldColor Technology, all in a more compact form-factor.
Whether used in fixed installations or event staging, the DHD1075-GS and DWU1075-GS are “rugged” and built for staging as well as install markets. Compact and lightweight for easy transportation and handling, both projectors blend easily into their environment and thanks to the camera-based stacking, blending and warping, can be quickly aligned with other projectors. The Christie 599-GS, 700-GS and 850-GS models are available in HD and WUXGA in either black or white. The Christie 850-GS and 1075-GS models include Christie BoldColor Technology for the most life-like images and natural color reproduction possible with laser phosphor illumination. Christie 555-GS models are available in three resolutions: WXGA, HD, WUXGA in black only.
Featuring two HDMI inputs and one HDMI loop out, DVI and 3GSDI, both projectors ship in the summer of 2017. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Optoma Debuts UHZ65 Laser Phosphor 4K Projector for $4,999At InfoComm, Optoma introduced two new 4K UHD resolution (3840×2160) projectors to bring the ultimate in crisp, sharp images to the market. With the laser phosphor-based Optoma UHZ65, the $4,999. In addition, the company unveiled availability and pricing for its 4K500 lamp-based 4K UHD projector at $6,999.
The UHZ65 is spec’d at 2,800 lumens, a 1,500,000:1 contrast ratio, compatibility with HDR10 and the color gamut (REC.2020) and it’s integrated with a 15 percent vertical lens shift with a 1.6x optical zoom. HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 inputs allow for uncompressed 4K sources up to 18Gbps to be connected. Aimed at corporate environments, houses of worship and ProAV installations, the Optoma 4K500 4K UHD projector is also 3840×2160 and spec’d at 5,000 lumens, a 1,200,000:1 contrast ratio with Dynamic Black enabled, horizontal and vertical lens shift, motorized zoom and focus, keystone correction and a 2.0x zoom ratio. It is also has a variety of inputs, including HDMI 2.0. It will ship in July for $6,999.
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Casio Intros New WXGA Short Throw Projector Casio America announced today that it has expanded its LampFree line of projectors with the introduction of the XJ-UT311WN Ultra Short Throw Projector.
Designed for displaying images at close range, the XJ-UT311WN has a built-in 0.28:1 fixed lens and a mirror system that projects an 80” image from just 1.5 feet away (up to 110” diagonal). The XJ-UT311WN is 3,100 lumens of brightness and native WXGA (1280×800) resolution and has a 20,000:1 contrast ratio.
In addition to projecting at close range, the XJ-UT311WN is equipped with Casio’s unique cool-running Laser and LED Hybrid Light Engine that lasts for up to 20,000 hours without ever needing to replace costly lamps or filters and requires minimal maintenance. This technology combines a laser and LED light source to create a high-brightness, mercury-free tool that uses up to half the amount of power per unit than other lamp-based projectors.
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Epson Expands Laser Projector PortfolioEpson just introduced several new display solutions aimed at the rental and staging, corporate, education, and installation markets. The BrightLink Pro 1470Ui, BrightLink 710Ui and PowerLite 700U ultra short-throw laser displays and the latest Pro L-Series projectors leverage Epson’s 3LCD technology and integrated laser light source. The BrightLink Pro 1470Ui and BrightLink 710Ui are the world’s first 3LCD interactive laser projectors. As the first manufacturer to combine inorganic 3LCD panels with an inorganic phosphor wheel, Epson projector lamp-life is spec’d to up to 20,000 hours. Here are the new products:
- BrightLink Pro 1470Ui for corporate – At 4,000 lumens of color brightness and 4,000 lumens of white brightness in full HD (1920×1080), the BrightLink Pro interactive laser display works on nearly any flat surface turning it into an interactive finger and touch enabled digital whiteboard – turn it on and start writing – making it the ideal collaboration solution for the modern meeting room. Designed to change the way technologies, people and their ideas converge into one seamless digital experience, the 1470Ui offers a 100-inch display size to enhance and provide better readability for meeting rooms, and increase productivity and collaboration.
- BrightLink 710Ui for classrooms – This interactive laser display converges technology, teachers, students, and their ideas into one seamless digital experience, resulting in a truly collaborative learning environment. The new laser display is perfect for the type of large format viewing that takes place in classrooms by delivering a large, bright, 100-inch image, up to 20,000 hours3 of virtually maintenance free operation, and instant ON/OFF. Offering 4,000 lumens of color and 4,000 lumens of white brightness with a Full HD WUXGA display for crisp images even in well-lit classrooms, built-in pen/touch interactivity, and multi-platform connectivity options, the 710Ui is the ultimate interactive display for the modern, collaborative classroom. The BrightLink 710Ui also works with popular software used in classrooms today and includes a one-year subscription to SMART Notebook.
- PowerLite 700U – This ultra short-throw 3LCD laser display inspires creativity with stunning color and up to a 130-inch image in portrait or landscape mode with native WUXGA Full HD resolution for vibrant images. With 4,000 lumens of white brightness and 4,000 lumens of color brightness2, the PowerLite 700U delivers sharpness and unmatched image quality, even in well-lit environments. Diverse connectivity options, remote management and control tools for ease of access and maintenance, 360-degree placement capabilities, and a dynamic contrast ratio of up to 2,500,00:1, are all included, making it ideal for signage, break rooms, conference rooms, classrooms, and areas where longevity and image quality combined make a difference.
- Pro L-Series – Ideal for rental and staging, as well as permanent large venue installations, the new Pro L-Series laser projectors enable creative professionals to present extraordinary content for the world to see. Seven new models are being introduced: six WUXGA projectors with 4K Enhancement4 ranging from 12,000 to 15,000 lumens of color and white brightness2 and one SXGA+ resolution projector with 15,000 lumens. The projectors feature new remote image capture with a built-in camera for diagnostic purposes, flexible connection options, high native contrast ratio, and flexible 360-degree installation and projection at any angle. The new Pro L-Series is also compatible with Epson’s extensive selection of lenses, which is expanding to include a new ultra short-throw option, the ELPLX02 lens that projects from 100 inches up to 600 inches.
The BrightLink Pro 1470Ui, BrightLink 710Ui and PowerLite 700U will be available in November 2017, and the seven new Pro L-Series projectors will be available in December 2017. Here are more details. Leave a Comment
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LG Debuts Transparent LED-Film LG Electronics USA Business Solutions today unveiled a unique new LED display with very cool installation capabilities — the LG Transparent LED Film Display.
The LG Transparent LED Film display (model LAT300MT1) offers digital content and information while interacting seamlessly with its surrounding environment. The versatile LED Film offers over 1,000 nits brightness, with each 480x480mm panel containing 256 LED pixels that support gray-scale tones, a great way to display content and information. The product also supports standard and irregular aspect ratios to provide even more display options with a dynamic look and feel.
At just 0.8 millimeters thick, the 30-millimeter Pixel Pitch display can be installed on any existing glass surface using its self-adhesive transparent film, making it easy to install with minimal construction required. As a result, the LG Transparent LED Film display is ideal for indoor and window-facing areas with large glass surfaces such as retail storefront windows, where it draws the attention of passing customers without obstructing the view of the products behind the glass or blocking light from coming into the store.
Other applications include mass transit rail platforms and safety barriers, where it can display digital content and information while interacting seamlessly with the environment, and lobbies and large public areas where the film can convert ordinary glass into stunning, eye-catching digital signage displays. Even tall glass elevator shafts can be transformed into stunning pillars of graphics and light.
With the ability to connect up to two film panels to the display’s bezel kit and support up to 24 film panels through daisy-chain from the unit controller, the LG Transparent LED Film can be scaled easily to fit a variety of installation environments. Even more, the flexible display works on curved surfaces and in parallel to the bezel, can be cut to size, truly converting any area of ordinary glass into state-of-the-art digital signage.
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Christie Launches New Access Series of LCD panelsProviding what Christie says is commercial-grade quality at consumer-based pricing, the new Christie Access Series of LCD panels feature 4K UHD resolution (3840×2160) and USB playback in a flexible package. Debuting at InfoComm 2017, designed for meeting rooms and retail applications, all four panels feature an OPS slot and with the optional touch overlay, the Access Series provides an interactive solution.
The Christie Access Series includes 55- and 65-inch models designed for 16/7 operation. For customers looking for a larger display, both portrait and landscape mode, and 24/7 run times, Christie Access Series offers 75 and 86-inch models, which are perfect for high-use settings like hotel lobbies, airport terminals and mission-critical environments such as control rooms.
The Christie Access Series panels are here. Leave a Comment
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Kramer Claims Industry’s First Digital Sound Processor (DSP) over IP at InfoComm Kramer just announced the KN-DSP100 Kramer Sound Server, claiming to be the industry’s first ever digital sound processor (DSP) over IP networks. KN-DSP100 enables simultaneous processing of 64 input channels and distribution of over 1000 outputs. The product is compatible with any Dante audio signal and provides auto-detection of all Kramer devices and their functionality.
This new single-box, plug-and-play hardware- and software-based IT-oriented solution is designed for large-scale DSP deployments such as airports, hotels, courtrooms and hospitals. KN-DSP100 seamlessly integrates with standard IT infrastructures and simplifies the IT manager’s user experience with a single point of contact for both management and support of all audio devices.
KN-DSP100’s processing capability is powered by Waves Audio. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Bose Professional Introduces EdgeMax In-Ceiling Premium Loudspeakers with PhaseGuide TechnologyBose Professional announces the introduction of its EdgeMax in-ceiling premium loudspeakers. EdgeMax loudspeakers feature proprietary Bose PhaseGuide technology, which provides room-filling coverage while improving overall sound quality compared to the performance of conventional ceiling loudspeakers. Designed for mounting near wall boundaries, EdgeMax loudspeakers project high-frequency sound throughout rooms up to 65 feet (20 meter) wide using only perimeter mounting locations, and can effectively cover an area that would require up to four conventional conical-coverage models. Thus, EdgeMax loudspeakers can eliminate the need for conventional ceiling speakers mounted in the center of rooms, or surface-mount loudspeakers mounted on walls. And because of their unique design and consistent coverage pattern, EdgeMax loudspeakers enable installers to move efficiently through the installation, creating a great-looking and great-sounding end result. Additionally, EdgeMax loudspeakers produce excellent intelligibility for speech and full-frequency response for music, making it ideal for retail, commercial, industrial, institutional and residential applications.
EdgeMax in-ceiling premium loudspeakers are available with two different horizontal coverage patterns. EdgeMax EM90 models provide nominal 90-degree horizontal coverage and are intended for in-ceiling mounting near room corners. EdgeMax EM180 models provide nominal 180-degree horizontal coverage and are intended for in-ceiling mounting near wall boundaries centered along target coverage zones. Both models feature 75-degree asymmetrical vertical coverage, which is optimized for ceiling heights between eight feet and 20 feet.
Key features of EdgeMax in-ceiling premium loudspeakers:
- PhaseGuide technology, which provides unique asymmetrical vertical coverage pattern designed for room-filling sound when mounted in-ceiling near wall boundaries
- 1.3-inch diaphragm compression driver for best-in-class audio quality with superior frequency response and coverage consistency versus typical dome tweeters
- Eight-inch woofer with wall-boundary loading, which provides extended bass impact
- Two-way passive crossover with 8-ohm or 70V/100V transformer taps
- New mounting-clamp system for fast, easy installs
- Magnetically attached grill for quick access to wiring and tap settings
- UL1480 listing for air-handling (plenum) space installation
- Easy installation, saving integrators time in the field
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Biamp Systems Launches TesiraFORTÉ for Small-Room Applications Biamp Systems announced the expansion of its TesiraFORTÉ family of digital audio processors. The TesiraFORTÉ family was engineered to reduce design, programming, and commissioning time while offering increased flexibility. The new TesiraFORTÉ VT provides both VoIP and POTS options within the same chassis; TesiraFORTÉ VT4 delivers the same flexibility designed specifically for small conference rooms.
The TesiraFORTÉ VT includes stand-alone, AVB, and Dante versions, and provides all the features of the original TesiraFORTÉ family. The TesiraFORTÉ VT4 includes AVB and Dante versions, while providing the same flexibility for small conference rooms with four analog inputs and four analog outputs.
The new models include:
- TesiraFORTÉ VT
- TesiraFORTÉ AVB VT and TesiraFORTÉ AVB VT4
- TesiraFORTÉ DAN VT and TesiraFORTÉ DAN VT4
The TesiraFORTÉ VT and VT4 solutions are equipped with Biamp’s AEC technology to eliminate acoustic echoes and feedback, networked audio via AVB or Dante, and USB audio to interface directly with soft-codec conferencing technologies. Other features include Ethernet control, VoIP and POTS input, RS232, a general-purpose input/output, as well as an OLED display that comes standard on all TesiraFORTÉ models.
The TesiraFORTÉ VT and TesiraFORTÉ VT4 will be available in October 2017. The product details are here. Leave a Comment
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New USB Microphone Now Available from beyerdynamicbeyerdynamic, Inc. has announced that the Classis BM 53 USB microphone is now available. The plug and play USB solution is designed to use for recording or transmitting sound using a laptop or PC. This USB boundary microphone is also perfect for teleconferences, video conferences, Skype conferences and teaching purposes.
The microphone can be simply attached to a laptop or a PC using the included 9-foot USB cable, and recording can begin. When using a boundary microphone with a half-spherical polar pattern, the direction of speaking is immaterial. To record meetings, the microphone can simply be placed in the middle of the conference table.
The Classis BM 53 USB has a silent film button with braille. Depending on the application, you can choose between the operating modes ON/OFF, Push-To-Talk (PTT) and Push-To-Mute (PTM). In order to reduce low-frequency noise, the frequency response can be adjusted with a bass roll off switch of 150 Hz. The switchable gain of -10 dB, 0 dB and +10 dB is to compensate loud or quiet speakers and small or large distances between microphone and speaker. An LED indicator shows the ready-to-talk status. The rugged housing with a high-quality design is covered with a very exclusive, dust repellent black fabric.
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ClearOne Introduces UNITE 150 Professional PTZ USB Camera ClearOne introduces the ClearOne UNITE 150 PTZ, a full high-definition, USB camera that designed for all room types and sizes. The UNITE 150 is compatible with PC-based applications in meeting rooms, such as Cisco Jabber and WebEx, GoToMeeting, Google Hangouts, Microsoft Skype for Business, ClearOne’s Spontania and more. The camera rounds out the UNITE line, providing the balance of high-end PTZ features with an economical USB-only interface for PC-based conferencing applications.
Compatible with both USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, the UNITE 150 features 1080p video resolution but also has SNR and 2D & 3D noise reduction. The 12x optical zoom provides close-ups of incredible clarity, while the 73° wide-angle view enables UNITE 150 to capture all participants in a meeting room for both small and large meeting spaces.
The new UNITE 150 PTZ is available and shipping now for a list of $1,199. Here are the derails. Leave a Comment
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