Volume 15, Issue 3 — February 14, 2018
|
Industry News Control & Signal Processing Cables, Furniture, Mounts, Racks, Screens and Accessories Audio Media Players, Recording & Distribution
|
|
|
Sunk Costs: Part 2
By Lee Distad rAVe Columnist
In the first installment, I flew over what sunk costs are and how they differ from the other kinds of costs you face in your business.
To recap briefly, economists and business courses make the point that sunk costs should not be taken into account when making decisions about new expenditures. The money is spent, it can’t be recovered and making new decisions that take past decisions into account can be unwise.
It can be an easy mistake to make. If you’re familiar with the construction business, and many of you AV pros are, remaining attached to sunk costs can lead to cost overruns.
Consider a scenario where you’ve paid $5 million for a new building in an industrial park, but for whatever reason the project has stalled and the building remains uncompleted. Now, for the sake of argument, the two hypothetical scenarios you face are to complete the existing building, only now, with new contractors it will cost another $5 million to complete. Or through another set of circumstances that have worked out in your favor, you have the opportunity to start fresh, in a different location and building brand new will only cost $3 million.
On paper, the decision is pretty clear cut. But in real life, it’s not always easy to disassociate yourself from the money you’ve already spent. It can be hard psychologically to write things off and face a loss on something.
Certainly with municipal projects this happens all the time. Politicians face even more scrutiny than business people, and often end up shoveling even more money at projects that were already overdue and over budget to begin with.
We don’t have to examine cases outside of the AV business, such as construction or research and development costs to understand sunk costs. With some thought we can find examples that we’re all familiar with.
And just like builders, AV pros can find themselves in situations where an AV installation, particularly if it’s a legacy system can reach an impasse, where the question must be asked, “Do we keep applying expensive Band-Aids to this mess or do we scrap it all and start over?”
We could be here for days itemizing case studies like that.
The big one that comes to mind, and that affects most of us is inventory.
With AV equipment, the minute a new piece of gear ships from the manufacturer and ends up in distributor or dealer warehouses the clock is ticking on its value.
What’s cutting edge and in-demand today, is obsolete and fit only for a trip to the recycling station a few years later.
I still recall a conversation I had with the then-area rep for several brands, including Onkyo/Integra. It was the year that their AVR line debuted HDMI switching with built-in video scaling.
Talking about their performance, he exclaimed, “I can’t tell you how glad I am that I sold off my $20,000 Fujitsu video scaler last year!”
In this business your inventory is always at risk of being a sunk cost.
Once past the best before date, it doesn’t matter what you paid for it, you’re not going to get your money out of it. And any further decision making can’t be predicated on what you’ve already spent for anything you own that’s on its way to becoming an antique.
In order to shed the mindset that leads you deal less-rationally with sunk costs its necessary to disassociate from those prior decisions. Sunk costs weigh most heavily on those who feel personal responsibility for having made those decisions at the time. And while the may well have been the best choice at the time, you need to know when it’s time to let go. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
|
Crestron Rumored to Be Starting an AV-over-IP Alliance with Microsoft and Intel
By Gary Kayye rAVe Founder
Update: I spoke to Robin van Meeuwen, president and CEO of Crestron EMEA, at ISE 2018, where he confirmed this story to be true.
I think it’s possible that Crestron is, behind the scenes, forming an “alliance” of sorts of AV-over-IP companies that focus exclusively (for now) on the 1Gig method of sending AV signals over an IT network. Sources from at least two big display manufacturers have told me that Crestron contacted them to join a new alliance that it’s forming with Microsoft and Intel. Here’s one reason I think this could be true.
Microsoft and Intel? Yes, that’s what both of the sources told me and that site, if real, certainly indicates that.
Apparently, Microsoft wants to standardize the security of an AV-over-IP network and Intel is providing the chip technology. Crestron apparently provided the engineering to create the platform of a combined input/output board that they would OEM to manufacturers to put inside monitors and projectors. I use the term input/output intentionally as Crestron is supposedly telling manufacturers that one board would serve as both.
The Intel chip technology used in the 1Gig platform is based on an Altera chip that compresses up to 4K60 4:4:4 video to 1Gig — Intel purchased Altera back in late 2015. The chip actually being used is the Arria 10 that supposedly has the CPU processing power to encode/decode (and scale) UHD (3840×2160) content.
But, the big news here is that Crestron, a manufacturer, would be forming an alliance with Microsoft and Intel to, conceivably, complete with the SDVoE Alliance — started originally by AptoVision who has since been purchased by SEMTECH. SDVoE is the only 10Gig AV-over-IP system on the market right now and is supported by over 25 companies who are making AV-over-IP gear (and switches in NETGEAR’s case) for the AV market. And the SDVoE Alliance includes control companies like Kramer and Savant as well as switching and AV distribution companies like DVIGear (Disclaimer: I am the founder of DVIGear, though I no longer hold any ownership in the company.), Aurora, ZeeVee, IDK and iMAG Systems and display manufacturer, Christie Digital.
For the naysayers out there that might not believe this is possible, I’ve included some screen-shots of what I was told is in a PowerPoint presentation given to the two display companies. Both of them sent me similar screen shots. And, if it does include Microsoft and Intel (both IT companies), and they help promote it, it will carry more weight than if Crestron tried to do this alone.
Crestron seems to have taken a very offensive approach with their NVX product line, lately, by not only lowering the pricing, according to both manufacturer reps and dealers I spoke to recently, but they told us they plan, at the ISE show in Amsterdam next week, to do a side-by-side of their 1Gig solution in a sort of a shoot-out with the SDVoE 10Gig solution and AMX’s own SVSi products — the current market leader.
I will let you know what I hear (and see) at ISE as I will be there.
One last note: AV-over-IP is at the beginning of its growth curve — at most, innovators and early adopters. This is all new. The industry is going to switch from HDMI and traditional matrix switching, eventually, but not all at once in 2018. 2018 will be the launching-pad year for the technology and AV integrators will likely see every major manufacturer enter the space in one format or another this year. But the idea of an all-of-a-sudden switch all AV to move all our signals across a network is a decade-long-process before it truly pervades the early majority. Not a one-year thing.
(We contacted Crestron to see if they would confirm the rumored alliance, but they did not want to comment at press time.) Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Tabatha O’Connor Named CEDIA Global President and CEOThe CEDIA Board of Directors has announced the promotion of Tabatha O’Connor from acting to permanent CEDIA Global President and CEO. We believe this is a HUGE step in the right direction for CEDIA. CEDIA’s external perception has been one of a “good-old-boy” club and clearly this trumps those concerned industry-wide. O’Connor joined the CEDIA team in 2002. Over her tenure, she has led many different departments including membership, finance, human resources, operations and volunteer development. In 2015, O’Connor was promoted to COO, a role that had her creating structures and processes to manage the association’s activities. She has deep experience in association management and governance and has served as acting global president and CEO since May 2017. David Humphries, CEDIA chairman, says, “CEDIA is not the same organization it was 12 months ago. We are shifting focus from an organization whose primary function was running a tradeshow to an organization that will push the industry forward through education, outreach to design and build specifiers and increasing professionalism though standards, guidelines and best practices.” O’Connor is the board treasurer for Integrated Systems Events, the management company co-owned by CEDIA and AVIXA that produces ISE, the world’s largest tradeshow for the professional AV and electronic systems industry, among others. She also serves as board treasurer for ESPA (Electronic Systems Professional Alliance). In 2016, she was chosen by Dealerscope as one of their Powerful Women in Consumer Tech. Prior to CEDIA, O’Connor worked in association management in the construction and public service industry.
Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Valens Adds New HDBaseT Chipsets to the Colligo Family for Plug-and-Play Product Design Valens, the developer of HDBaseT and founder of the HDBaseT Alliance (which does absolutely nothing to help or support the HDBaseT standards), announced the availability of the VS200 and VS210 chipsets, for simpler HDBaseT installations where not all 5Play features are necessary.
The addition of the VS200 and VS210 to the Valens Colligo family allows HDBaseT equipment vendors to design and manufacture a range of products, from high-end to low-end, using a common hardware platform. The VS200 enables the distribution of high-definition video (1080p), audio, controls and power over a single Cat6 cable, for up to 70m, or 4K video for up to 40m (uncompressed 4K 60Hz 4:2:0/4K 30Hz 4:4:4 or 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 and HDR10 using visually-lossless compression). Fully compliant with both HDMI 1.4 and 2.0 with support for HDCP, the VS200 employs EDID adjustment mechanisms for HDMI 2.0, at pixel clocks higher than 340MHz. It supports all major digital audio formats, including those supported by HDMI. Control interfaces include UART, IR, I2C (slave/master), RS232 and general purpose MSIO serial channels for extension of proprietary controls.
The VS210 enables the same features as the VS200 plus support for USB 2.0, configurable as host or device, for further applications. Both are pin-compatible with other Valens Colligo chipsets, allowing for the differentiation of a range of products through assembly options of a common printed circuit board.
You can see details here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Click above to learn more
|
ProSource Adds Six New Members in Q4 2017 ProSource, an audio, video and integration buying group in the United States, announced today the addition of six new custom integrator members. 44 members were added in 2017.
The following new custom integrator members were added:
- AC/DC Systems, LLC, Kihei, HI
- Creative Systems, Collegeville, PA
- Fisher Technologies, Inc, Eagle, CO
- HIVE, Tampa, FL
- Hoppen Home Systems, Tampa, FL
- Imagine More, Windsor, CO
ProSource added a total of 44 new members in 2017.
Additionally, ProSource has announced a new level of responsibility for Sherry Dantonio, director of membership. In her new role, she’ll act as the main contact for Power members, complementing the work of district managers in the field by adding an extra layer of care to this growing segment of the ProSource membership.
ProSource is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
BlueDog Data Services Merges with Audio Design, Inc. BlueDog Data Services, a provider of data management services supporting the tools, processes and standards necessary for integrators to compete, grow and remain profitable, announces a merger with Audio Design, Inc., a provider of outsourced system design and documentation, to form the BlueDog Group.
The companies combine to offer a more comprehensive suite of design (proposals), project documentation (drawings), and data management services to integrators. Residential and commercial systems integrators can utilize these services on an “as needed” basis. By partnering with BlueDog, integrators can focus their internal staff on sales, installation and customer service leaving the time-consuming tasks to BlueDog. This enables them to save more money on labor costs and increase efficiency all while continuing to grow their business.
Utilizing BlueDog’s Design Services, systems integrators using D-Tools will have detailed, accurate proposals reflecting equipment, materials, time budgets, support documentation and more, with current product information and pricing. For architects, contractors and interior design professionals, the BlueDog Group will develop realistic budgets for each client based on detailed specifications as well as work alongside the client to select a contractor through a formal bid process.
“With the BlueDog Group, we can fulfill the needs of an in-house engineer for a fraction of the cost,” said Curt Hayes, chief executive officer of BlueDog Data Services. “While providing integrators with one-on-one, personalized services, the BlueDog Group specializes in accurate, complete and consistent data for proposal, engineering, and accounting needs. We look forward to providing existing customers and potential new customers with comprehensive, complementary services only available at the BlueDog Group.”
BlueDog Group is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
FutureSource Says Silicon Labs’ Z-Wave Deal May Herald New Dawn for Smart Homes2018 could bring a breakthrough in smart home device interoperability. Silicon Labs – a Texas based manufacturer of ZigBee Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips – is set to buy the Z-Wave operations of Sigma Designs for $240 million. The deal could boost the $6 billion Smart Home industry*, which is already expected to grow strongly in the coming years.
Silicon Labs originally hoped to acquire Sigma Designs in its entirety for $282 million or $7.05 per share. Those plans fell through at the end of last week, when Sigma failed to divest its Smart TV and Set-Top Box business.
Assuming the revised deal goes through, this is good news for the smart home industry. The list of standard protocols used in the industry is long: ZigBee, Z-Wave, Thread, DECT-ULE. In addition, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are present in everyone’s pockets and on wrists via smartphones and smartwatches, but increasingly also in smart home devices. One of the obstacles that the industry has faced on its path to becoming mainstream, is the lack of interoperability that results from this proliferation of standard protocols. No protocol has managed to stand above the rest because each has strengths in particular use cases.
Integration and multifunctionality have become increasingly key in home-automation. For example, lighting and even audio might be used as part of the home security system to simulate presence. This type of seamless configuration of multiple devices though has been impeded by the protocol issue.
Both Z-Wave and ZigBee are low power and low range chips. Z-Wave technology is easier to install but comes at higher price points. It has established itself as the main standard protocol of security and monitoring systems and is used by manufacturers and service providers such as Yale and ADT. The protocol has also been adopted by telcos and pay-TV providers that bundle smart home services/devices with their services (e.g. Comcast’s xFi, previously Xfinity).
ZigBee, meanwhile, is a lower cost technology, but can present more technical challenges. It is prevalent in other areas of home automation such as lighting and can be found in brands including Philips Hue and Sengled.
The trend towards linking devices to maximize use cases or even create new ones is the main reason the acquisition of Z-Wave by Silicon Labs may be a defining moment for the smart home industry. Silicon Labs is already one of the leading ZigBee manufacturers, albeit not the only one, as ZigBee is — unlike Z-Wave — an open source standard. If Silicon Labs starts churning out Z-Wave chips along with the ZigBee systems that it already produces, a few interesting possibilities emerge.
The most exciting scenario is for Silicon Labs to invest in the production of chips combining both Z-Wave and ZigBee. This is not unlikely, as Silicon Labs already produces multiple protocol chips (e.g. chips that come with Bluetooth, Thread and ZigBee). A combined Z-Wave and ZigBee chip would shake the industry, as the two protocols have a combined share in the smart home industry of over 60 percent. Such a move could also bring closer together areas such as monitoring, lighting and climate control; substantially increasing interoperability in the smart home industry. Security and monitoring are currently Z-Wave’s turf, whilst ZigBee is commonly used in lighting. Climate control is shared territory with important brands on both sides of the Z-Wave/ZigBee divide. A combined chip could end turf wars to the benefit of the whole industry.
Another possible, but less likely, scenario is for Silicon Labs to scale down activity in one of the two protocols and then leverage its presence as a large chip manufacturer to persuade its clients to adopt the other one. This would potentially mean convincing OEMs that currently use Z-Wave to switch to ZigBee. In this scenario, ZigBee would be an improved protocol. By acquiring Z-Wave, Silicon Labs will be taking in Sigma’s Z-Wave workforce and expertise. If these resources were used on ZigBee, a much-improved standard protocol could result.
Assuming Silicon Labs maintains research and development in both protocols after the acquisition of the Z-Wave assets from Sigma, (a more likely scenario) the result would be the concentration of resources focused upon improving the two market leading protocols, potentially to the benefit of the whole industry.
It’s worth bearing in mind that a growing number of smart home start-ups use Bluetooth or even Wi-Fi connectivity in their devices. These two forms of connectivity are present everywhere, and Bluetooth Mesh and 5G can address challenges such as range and overcrowding. Bluetooth and especially Wi-Fi involve high power consumption when compared to Z-Wave and ZigBee, but future improvements in this field could ultimately challenge the relevance of low data transmission protocols such as Z-Wave and ZigBee.
For the foreseeable future, though, low power chips such as Z-Wave and ZigBee remain the best solutions for most of the smart home use cases and any movements to bring them closer – as the Silicon Labs/Sigma deal can do – will benefit the industry.
FutureSource is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
CEDIA Now Accepting Awards Entries for 2018 CompetitionCEDIA has announced that the 2018 CEDIA Awards program is now open and accepting entries for both the home technology professional awards and the manufacturer awards.
“CEDIA’s Awards program recognizes technical excellence and product innovation, and celebrates the many ways technology enhances the home,” said Jenny Scott, CEDIA director of member engagement. “We are excited to be able to launch the program earlier this year, providing members needed time to complete the entry process.”
Categories for the home technology professional awards are as follows: Integrated Home; Media Room; Home Cinema; Innovative Solution or System; Showroom; Auto, Marine or Aircraft; and Multiple Dwelling Unit Design. Installations may be entered in multiple categories and are judged by industry technical experts. Entrants compete and are recognized within their region — Americas, EMEA, or Asia Pacific — based on their primary location.
Finalists, announced in July, will be considered for additional sub-category awards based on their region: A panel of technical judges will choose winners for Best Documentation, Best Dressed Rack and Best Lighting System. A panel of design/build professionals will select a winner for the Life Lived Best at Home Award and the Technology Meets Design Award. The home technology professional Global Award winners are selected from the overall winners in all regions. Deadline for entry is April 2, 2018.
The CEDIA manufacturer awards include the following categories: Best New Software Product, Best New Hardware Product and Product Hall of Fame. All entries are evaluated by industry professionals and finalists will be selected in August. Deadline for entry is May 14, 2018.
Americas winners will be announced and recognized at the CEDIA Expo in San Diego, Calif. EMEA winners will be announced and recognized at the 2018 EMEA Awards event in London. Asia Pacific winners will be announced on August 23, 2018 at the CEDIA Awards event in conjunction with Integrate 2018. Members may begin their entry here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
New Extron 7″ Wall Mount Touch Panel Blends Performance and Style Extron just introduced the TLP Pro 725M 7″ wall mount TouchLink Pro touch panel. Extron redesigned this latest TouchLink Pro touch panel inside and out with a new quad-core processor and eight times more memory. The display is a higher resolution 1024×600 capacitive touchscreen built with scratch- and smudge-resistant, edge-to-edge Corning Gorilla Glass. The TLP Pro 725M also features the convenience of PoE (Power over Ethernet), which allows it to receive power and communication over a single Ethernet cable. It is ideal in any environment requiring a stylish, wall-mountable touch panel with a fully-customizable interface.
The TLP Pro 725M is built for today with an eye on the future. With its improved graphics engine, quad-core processor and increased RAM, you’ll see faster background graphic loads and crisper page flips. These performance enhancements offer an enhanced user experience now, while providing ample memory and processing power to support exciting new features and capabilities in the future via firmware updates. A variety of mounting kits are available, providing a clean installation on a wall, glass, podium or other surface. All TouchLink Pro touch panels can be customized using Extron GUI Designer software. This powerful interface design software offers ready-to-use templates for a wide variety of rooms and presentation environments.
The TLP Pro 725M is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Tributaries New HDMI Cables Are 18Gig Tributaries just launched the UHDT TITAN line of HDMI cables. The TITAN series uses two new patented developments in HDMI signal transfer: a metallurgy which enables longer lengths of passive cables and active electronics equipped with a DDC accelerator and three discrete internal power supplies.
The development of a passive HDMI cable that can transport 18Gbps up to 26 feet is a result, in part, of the application of advanced metallurgical engineering. Tributaries claims an HDMI signal that operates at very high frequencies will travel on the surface of a conductor with very little depth of penetration. This phenomenon is known as “skin effect.” This design has provided a method of extending the length of an 18G passive HDMI cable from a previous longest length of 4 meters to more than doubling that to the new longest length of 8 meters and possibly 10 meters or 33 feet.
Tributaries active UHDT cables use the TITAN DIGITAL module embedded. This module is designed to function under HDMI 2.1 with four discrete channels each capable of 12Gbps (an aggregate of 48Gbps). Powered by an USB cable, TITAN delivers three discrete voltages that work independently of the HDMI source’s 5V supply preventing voltage variations from the source. TITAN is also the first active solution engineered with an 18Gbps DDC accelerator designed for cables longer than 10 meters. Tributaries UHDT TITAN cables will provide guaranteed stable 18Gbps performance from 12 meters to 25 meters.
Tributaries UHDT TITAN cables are available now in 6m & 8m Passive cables and Active cables from 12 meters, 15 meters, 20 meters and 25 meters. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Basalte Intros Thin iPad Dock in Eve PlusBasalte introduces an iPad docking station in the same minimalist design as its fixed Eve mounts for iPad & iPod touch. Eve Plus lets users mount the iPad in any orientation while keeping it permanently charged. The Eve Plus allows users to keep their iPads always charged and ready to take for all applications at home and at work: playing music, using it in meetings or taking orders at a restaurant.
Eve Plus has the same minimalist design as the fixed Eve mounts and is precision machined from high grade aluminum. Eve Plus offers both the company’s slimmest case and the smallest base ever. Just slide the iPad in the case and magnetically attach it on the Eve Plus wall base to hold and charge. Eve Plus cases are available in a satin white, brushed black and brushed aluminum finish. The wall base has the same form and dimensions as the Basalte switches and sockets. It’s available in the case’s aluminum finishes, as well as in brass, bronze, copper and more.
Eve Plus is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
SI Debuts Totally Wireless (Including Power) Motorized Screens and the Zero Edge Series Screen Innovations (SI) is at ISE 2018 (Booth #1-N85) debuting its Solo motorized screen that the company says requires zero wiring. Powered by a lithium core motor, Solo is charged by the use of SI’s patent-pending magnetic power cord that they say provides over two years of life with one charge.
SI is showing two variations of the Solo screen at ISE. First, Solo, which comes in a clear anodized cassette, is being shown in a 100” configuration. And second, Solo Pro, which can be ordered in 12 different designer-selected colors and in low-voltage, is being shown in a Ferrari red cassette color and suspended on aircraft grade cables.
In addition, SI is showing a new type of Zero Edge screen called Zero Edge Pro — a screen that’s 36 screens in one. SI is here. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Nuvo Launches P600 Streaming Audio Player for DIN Rail Mounting Legrand just introduced the Nuvo P600 Player, the first model in the Player Portfolio whole home audio line designed specifically for the DIN rail mounting system heavily adopted throughout Europe and the rest of the EMEA. The new player, which is compatible with other amplifiers in Legrand’s expanding ecosystem of Nuvo streaming players, supplies up to 40 watts of power to a single zone. The system supports as many as 16 players and 16 simultaneous, independent streams.
The P600 Player also gives any room access to endless music options from networked collections or a variety of Internet radio and streaming services, including Spotify, Napster and Deezer, all controlled with the intuitive Nuvo Player Portfolio app. For efficiency and quality, the P600 features a built-in Class D digital amplifier.
Designed for DIN rail mounting, the P600 can be conveniently installed alongside compatible devices from Legrand and other manufacturers on the rail. Power to the P600 is provided through Legrand’s new P601 power supply, and one P601 can be used to power four P600 players.
The P600, like all players in the Nuvo Player Portfolio system, is compatible with Nuvo in-wall keypads, the Nuvo Player app for iOS and Android devices, the P500 Soundbar and Subwoofer, and the P400 Tabletop Speaker, among others, so users can easily create a complete multi-room audio solution. It can also be integrated into third-party control platforms including Vantage, Bticino, Control4, Crestron, KNX, URC, RTI and more, as well as with the Domotz PRO remote network management platform for an improved dealer experience in troubleshooting and support scenarios.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
TDGAudio Intros SKYBAR TDGAudio’s SKYBAR is a three-piece, seven-channel surround system made up of one SKYBAR LCR and two SKYBAR Satellites. SKYBAR is in a small 6” x 25¼” x 3¾” enclosure.
Specs include:
- For in-ceiling or in-wall installation
- Angled front baffle
- 6” x 3” full range driver array
- 1” soft dome pivoting tweeter
- Fully magnetic paintable metal grill
SKYBAR Satellite
- For in-ceiling or in-wall installation
- Two-channel configuration for either surround or surround/rear
- Dual 3” full range surround
- 3” full range reflecting surround or rear
- Fully magnetic paintable metal grill
Both the SKYBAR LCR and SKYBAR Satellite are expected to be $1,000 and more details will be posted here during the show. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Bryston and StormAudio Announce Collaboration Bryston has announced that they will be working in collaboration with StormAudio, a premium audio hardware manufacturer based in France, enabling both companies to leverage their respective design and manufacturing expertise in an array of new product offerings. As a byproduct of the cooperative effort, Bryston will be unveiling an SP4 surround processor and StormAudio will be leveraging Bryston’s Cubed Series amplifier technology.
The SP4 will be a 16.2-channel processor with an option to add four channels to achieve 20-channel mode. The SP4 will support all popular immersive surround formats, such as Dolby Atmos, Auro-3D and DTS:X as well as conventional formats. The SP4 will also feature Dirac Live room correction, giving home theater dealers and enthusiasts access to the latest technologies within a Bryston home theater. Most critically, the SP4 will be built on a 3U modular platform, enabling Bryston engineers to integrate advanced technologies and make upgrades available to consumers, extending the life of the product. The SP4 will also be compatible with popular control system platforms, including Savant, RTI, Control4 and Crestron. The Bryston SP4 is expected to become available Q2, 2018.
StormAudio will introduce two-channel and four-channel amplifiers based on the Bryston Cubed Series technology. Bryson is here: bryston.com Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
Crestron Announces It’s Adding Video to Crestron Pyng PlatformCrestron announced today that the upcoming release of Crestron Pyng platform will support integration of video control and all the benefits of Crestron DigitalMedia. The update represents a quantum leap forward, making it simple to configure and control the full Crestron smart home experience — control of lights, shades, audio, door locks, security systems, thermostats and now video. Crestron is demonstrating the upcoming release in Hall-2, Stand 2-C20 at ISE 2018, 6 – 9 Feb., 2018.
The new release will support display and source control, room and source selection, volume control for groups and other rooms, video routing via DM and DM NVX Series, audio and video grouping, user profiles and TV presets based on zip code and provider.
Here are all the details.Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
Lode Audio Debuts LA4-D Music Server at ISE 2018 Lode Audio is using ISE in Amsterdam to debut the flagship LA4-D music server. Features include:
- Per zone outputs: one coaxial SPDIF, optical SPDIF, analog stereo RCA pair;
- Analog outputs use 32-bit Burr Brown DACs;
- All outputs are simultaneously active for every zone, offering highly flexible installation options;
- Volume pass-through feature enable the control of third-party amps via Lode apps (requires control system integration with amplifier and Lode);
- Reduced power consumption from 35W to 15W without compromising on CPU power;
- Same single billet milled chassis with new feet design to better sit on a shelf;
- New front panel “LED off” feature when not required.
The LA4-D joins the existing LA4 and LA1 music servers which each offer analog RCA outputs for use in systems where only those outputs are required.
Built on Lode Audio’s patented LodeNet, all Lode Audio products can be used as a stand-alone unit or integrated with other Lode Audio products to offer up to 64 zones without the need for complicated network components. Thanks to Lode’s audio over IP protocol LodeNet, this is all achieved without the issues of interference, latency and outages experienced by many wireless-based audio systems. Whether being used in residential, commercial, hospitality or marine, Lode Audio offers the ideal music server for any application.
Developed over a four-year period, the Lode Audio music server range is built around the company’s patented LodeNet audio distribution protocol. LodeNet is a low-latency digital matrix that offers up to 64 zones of groupable audio streams (each with Apple Airplay compatibility) for synchronous playback without the need of a hardware matrix. Lode Audio products automatically log on to the LodeNet matrix as soon as they are powered up, therefore requiring very little setup other than selecting and signing into any of the integrated market-leading music streaming providers, whereby one login gives access to every zone within the system.
Lode Audio products are controlled by the company’s proprietary IP protocol, removing any of the conflicts and time delays associated with more traditional UPnP-based devices. Offering full wireless control via iOS and Android apps, control latency is negligible, whilst full browse control, super-quick cover art population, gesture swipe, single/grouped room control and full room lock control (allowing the user to see and control only one chosen room within a larger system natively) are standard. Significantly, the app has been designed to integrate seamlessly with third-party apps, offering full app-in-app functionality, enhancing the user experience.
Unlike other audio server products already available, Lode Audio products also offer total integration with third-party automation platforms. The latest Crestron Media Player driver, Control 4 driver update and Command Fusion integration driver offer extended features, including dynamic browse and queue functions, as well as cover-art integration with a quick response time of background image change when tracks are skipped. To enhance reliability and reduce physical and electrical noise, all Lode Audio products have fan-less designs. With the scourge of all CI products housed within equipment racks being heat dissipation, Lode Audio products are built in the UK to medical-grade specifications and feature chassis honed from single billets of aluminum for perfect heat distribution.
With the Lode Audio product range, installers finally have a dedicated music source that has been built for the application yet will deliver the performance desired by even the most ardent audiophiles and music enthusiasts.
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
multiCAM Systems to Introduce Flexible Network Interface for IP and NDI Video Streams at ISE 2018multiCAM Systems will demonstrate its new IP Box solution at ISE 2018. Available in March, IP Box can receive up eight IP or NDI video streams directly from the local area network. Its IP functionality reduces the size and cost of the central server, as a PoE switch or injector can support all power, video streams and PTZ camera control over the network.
IP Box as a network interface that requires no additional hardware or software and works with the company’s new mCam PTZ camera as well as any third-party PTZ camera available today. IP Box is also interoperable with NDI-enabled equipment including switchers, signal processors and automated playout systems. IP Box’s NDI interoperability is a new feature integrated since the company’s initial product announcement in late June, and has been rigorously tested to ensure exceptionally low latency in live production environments.
IP Box is limited only by network and bandwidth limitations and supports a much greater number of cameras that is traditionally enabled through SDI capture cards. It is ideal for use within classrooms, corporate AV environments (meeting and huddle rooms, large conference spaces) and auditoriums using MULTICAM CONF, MULTICAM E-LEARNING or MULTICAM IN-SITU systems to produce and stream lectures, presentations, medical trainings and live events. IP Box also benefits broadcasters using MULTICAM RADIO for Visual Radio applications.
Once deployed, users also have more freedom to consolidate resources and leverage equipment from other locations over the local area network. For example, a director can quickly recall and go live with cameras in adjacent studios to integrate guest speakers and other compelling content into the production. In addition, NDI interoperability simplifies how users can bring in guest speakers and lecturers over a variety of video conferencing platforms.
Systems integrators benefit from the ability to gradually transition end users from SDI to IP or NDI environments. As an example, IP Box allows users to leverage their existing SDI infrastructure for as long as they wish. However, the transition to IP or NDI will not require an expensive switching matrix and it will also eliminate the need for traditional 19-inch rackmount servers. The latter can be replaced with a much smaller unit and network cabling, reducing rack space as well as costs and labor associated with legacy wiring.
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
Share Article
Back to Top |
|
For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe HomeAV Edition out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100% opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the high-end HomeAV industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that’s why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
Don’t like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send me feedback, don’t reply to this newsletter – instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas: Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
A little about me: I graduated from Journalism School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where I am adjunct faculty). I’ve been in the AV-industry since 1987 where I started with Extron and eventually moved to AMX. So, I guess I am an industry veteran (although I don’t think I am that old). I have been an opinionated columnist for a number of industry publications and in the late 1990s I started the widely read KNews eNewsletter (the first in the AV market) and also created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue – which is now known as InfoComm IQ. rAVe Publications has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition.
rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004.
To read more about my background, our team, and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com Back to Top |
Copyright 2018 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln. – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – 919/969-7501. Email: sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe HomeAV Edition contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |
|
|
|