Volume 16, Issue 7.1 — April 5, 2018
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Industry News Unified Collaborative Conferencing Control & Signal Processing Audio Projection Media Players, Recording & Distribution
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Did Plantronics Bail Out Polycom or Is This Perfect Timing?
By Gary Kayye rAVe Founder
As the rest of the advertiser-supported AV press just reprints the Polycom or Plantronics press releases, we’re going to call it how we see it — with the truth about this “acquisition.”
Yes, Plantronics is taking control of Polycom — a history-making videoconferencing company that all but invented the space — for what amounts to $2.0 billion in enterprise value, but the financial breakdown of the deal is this:
- Plantronics assumes about $690 Million of Polycom debt.
- They pay about $948 in cash and 6.4 million Plantronics shares (that’s valued at $362 Million the moment the deal was announced yesterday).
- Polycom shareholders end up owning about 16 percent of Plantronics
The transaction has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, and is expected to close by the end of the third calendar quarter of 2018. Polycom is privately held and for CY2017, Polycom had GAAP revenue of $1.1 billion, Non-GAAP gross margin of 56.6 percent, Non-GAAP operating income of $183.1 million and Non-GAAP operating margin of 16.0 percent.
But, who wins and who loses in this deal?
Well, to be frank, this could be one of those win-win deals in a few different ways. First off, Plantronics has been begging to be noticed in the commercial AV space ever since debuting its Habitat Soundscaping sound-masking environment last year. It’s garnered a lot of popular press and some nods from the integration community (and they’ve paid for a few awards) but it hasn’t yet taken hold in a big way. The system is truly unique and one of the most creative products we’ve seen in years. It should sell but it’s a bit complicated to pitch as it’s not simply sound masking.
Simultaneously, companies like Zoom and products like Skype for Business have been eating Polycom’s lunch when it comes to conferencing and collaboration. To combat this, Polycom even partnered with Zoom back in 2017 but in reality, most people use Zoom as a stand-alone product/service. Zoom is currently valued (remember, it’s private) in excess of $2 Billion by many financial analysts. Zoom has publicly stated it’s in 90 percent of the top-200 US-based universities and that more than 50 percent of the Fortune 50 companies primarily use Zoom.
So, this is the perfect time for Plantronics to buy Polycom. Plantronics needs distribution in the commercial AV market and Polycom needs both a tech and financial boost if it wants to eventually compete with the likes of Skype, Zoom and even Cisco’s Spark platform. Plus, as an added bonus, Plantronics has key contacts inside the IT world of the Fortune 1000 via nearly unanimous adoption of its phone headset market — it has well in excess of a 90 percent market share there. Polycom could benefit selling its hardware-based systems into that already-developed market owned by Plantronics.
In the public statement yesterday after the acquisition announcement, Plantronics said that Polycom “brings a global leadership position in voice and video collaboration, accelerating Plantronics vision of delivering new communications and collaboration experiences.” This is absolutely true. Polycom has some of the best people in AV and its brand is like the “Kleenex” of the VTC market.
This will help Plantronics ease Habitat Soundscaping in to the ProAV market — or, at the very least, get noticed.
Polycom is a provider of communications and collaboration technologies. Polycom is privately held and has been an innovator in personal collaboration, group collaboration, and services (including customer care, managed and professional services, and cloud services for interoperability, management, and analytics). For CY2017, Polycom had GAAP revenue of $1.1 billion, Non-GAAP gross margin of 56.6 percent, Non-GAAP operating income of $183.1 million and Non-GAAP operating margin of 16.0 percent. Significantly Enhances Plantronics Long-Term Shareholder Value
The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to Non-GAAP EPS. Plantronics targets achieving annual run-rate cost synergies of $75 million within 12 months of transaction close.
Plantronics intends to fund the cash portion of the consideration with cash on hand and approximately $1.375 billion in new, fully-committed debt financing. Wells Fargo Bank and affiliates have committed to provide the debt financing for the transaction, subject to customary conditions. Plantronics expects to pay down a significant portion of the debt within the next several years with cash on the balance sheet and through cash generation.
Plantronics is here and Polycom is here. Leave a Comment
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Toys R’ Us and Missed Opportunity
By Mark Coxon rAVe Blogger
Just in case you were hiding under a rock this month, the big news in the business world was that Toys “R” Us will close or sell all of its 735 stores in the U.S., ending a 70 year legacy for the retailer and also putting 31,000 workers back in the market for a job. Of course, analysts are all pointing toward Amazon as the main reason for the collapse, and rightly so.
However, eCommerce in itself is not the main reason that Amazon is starting to wreak more havoc in the retail world. Amazon launched in 1995 and it took 8 years for them to turn a profit. As it expanded through acquisitions like that of Zappos in 2009, they widened their net and began to gain steam. However, despite an ever-growing mix of products and great customer service, retailers still maintained an advantage:
Instant Gratification
Consumers can be impatient and many were willing to pay more to get things right away. Retailers enjoyed a stay of execution, as brick and mortar was still the fastest way to acquire what their hearts desired. Amazon knew this was inhibiting their growth and so Bezos did something that no one else in eCommerce had ever done. He turned the corner on logistics and same-day shipping and did so in a way that leveraged reasonable subscription services to eliminate large additional shipping costs on each individual purchase. Now the curve has again accelerated and retailers have been on the run. Amazon shoppers can get the best price and get items right away, it’s a deadly combination.
In fact, many think that brick and mortar may continue to crumble under the weight of the web until it is almost non-existent, but I believe that retailers have one last stand to make if they want to survive.
I’m 6’5 and about 220 pounds, which in itself, makes it hard enough to buy clothes. However, I have an even larger challenge as well. I don’t have overly long legs, but I have a really long torso. This means I’m not wide enough for extra large shirts, but I’m too tall for large ones. If I’m going to buy a shirt of any kind, I 99 percent of the time have to try it on and I can’t do that if I’m shopping online.
At one time I also belonged to a co-op for produce. It was an amazing deal. I would get 20 pounds of local fruits and vegetables for about $15. However, I like my apples extremely crisp and my bananas slightly on the green side. I like avocados when they’re firm. I quickly found that although the co-op was extremely convenient and priced well below supermarket prices, I still liked picking out my own produce.
I have two Nespresso machines at home. One is especially for espresso and has a milk frother. The other is more focused on coffee. I’m in a coffee club that delivers the highest quality coffee and I get to pick the ones that have the flavor profile and intensity that I personally like the best. I could easily have a cup of coffee at home on my days off and sit in the comfort of my own home enjoying a leisurely morning. Yet on Sundays, I find myself getting up and driving to Bear Coast Coffee in San Clemente or at my favorite Peet’s, paying five times what it cost me to have coffee at home.
What do all my anecdotes above have in common? One thing.
Experience
Each of the scenarios above provides an experience that goes above and beyond price savings and convenience. In fact, you could say that each of them takes MORE effort on my part and costs me MORE to get what I want. However, the experience, either with the product or with the environment surrounding the product, is what makes the difference.
If you’re out there rolling your eyes, underestimating the power of experience, you’d be wrong. What is the best evidence that experience actually matters in a post-Amazon world and that brick and mortar still have value? The fact that Amazon itself is building physical stores. The strategy behind this move and its potential advantages were laid out by Fortune magazine just last year. The strategy boiled down to one thing:
Experience
Coming full circle, when Toys “R” Us found itself on the ropes with its behemoth warehouse-style stores getting beaten handily by the Amazon in the war of price, it should have leveraged experience instead. In the face of Amazon’s new logistics capabilities rendering the “I want it now” argument moot, experience was the unseen solution.
Toys “R” Us should have leveraged its footprint to host LEGOS Brick Masters clinics, STEM learning labs utilizing the newest coding kits and circuit building toys, or even eSports tournaments, just like movie theaters are doing as they see a continued shift toward home-based entertainment.
If Toys “R” Us had created a place to not only buy products, but also to create a community, to engage creativity, and to help kids develop skills around their passions through interactive play, they would have been providing something Amazon could never dream of providing online with a Prime membership.
People visit public spaces like retail outlets and malls for a variety of reasons, only one of which is to complete a task like making a purchase. There are several human motivations for visiting these types of spaces (I’ll be blogging about these reasons soon). Retailers with brick and mortar should be looking at how they address those other motivations to create a physical destination people are drawn to, to create something impossible to replicate on the Internet because it’s not a task-driven exercise. It’s an experience.
Perhaps, just like in the modern day stories of Blockbuster and Netflix, there are some lessons for our industry in the fall of Toys “R” Us. We also face an invasion of commoditized hardware through online vendors and through non-traditional AV channels that have been eroding our margins. The solution may be to move from our traditional role as hardware integrators to a new one dealing with overall experience.
Sure, as integrators and manufacturers, we have always delivered an experience with our product or service. However, the experience with our hardware and services has always been a by-product of the hardware plan we developed and services we sold. The experience was therefore arrived at by accident. Maybe it turned out well, and maybe it didn’t.
The model needs to be flipped on its head, with experience being the end-goal and not an accidental by-product.
Experience needs to be discussed and agreed upon with the end user, and then the hardware, systems, services, etc. provided need to be tailored in a way that they meet the end goal. There must be some flexibility and headroom built in to accommodate the customer in the case that he or she decides they subjectively don’t like the current performance. After all, if the customer says the system is a failure and not what they expected, then they’re right and we failed. If we fail consistently over time, our market loses confidence in us in more ways than one.
For those who keep arguing that experience is not a relevant part of their AV business because they don’t build theme parks or museums, think again. Experiences are not limited to large AV jobs with a “wow” factor. Experiences are also about consistency, ease of use, relevance, social connection, etc.
Experience is not a fad. It is a new reality.
Creating experiences not only sets you apart from the turn-and-burn box movers, it may just save your business in the long run as well.
Toys “R” Us had the opportunity to embrace experiences and potentially change their destiny. They missed it. What will we do? Leave a Comment
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STRATACACHE Buys X2O Media From Barco Barco announced the sale of Montréal-based X2O Media to STRATACACHE. STRATACACHE will offer an enhanced focus and new growth opportunities for X2O. After its acquisition in 2014, X2O became part of Barco’s Enterprise division, which focuses on solutions for meeting and control rooms. Over the years, X2O secured top tier customers including John Deere, Verizon, FoxNews and Accenture. All customer agreements will continue to be managed by X2O to ensure continued support and service for current customers.
“The decision to divest X2O Media comes after a careful evaluation of its profitability and growth opportunities,” says Jan De Witte, Barco’s CEO. “As digital signage is no longer a strategic focus for Barco, we are convinced that selling X2O to a major player like STRATACACHE will provide the company with the focus and contacts it needs to reach the next level of scale and success.”
“With the acquisition of X2O Media, we will expand our portfolio with a complete solution for dynamic content display based on real-time data, plus great new tools in the E-Learning and Broadcast Markets,” says Chris Riegel, CEO of STRATACACHE. “The X2O software platform versatility, and its capability to address any display – be it fixed or mobile – will prove to be an important asset. This complementary technology will help us to further build on our core competences in the ever expanding digital display and data visualization marketplace.”
X2O Media employs about 45 people and will continue to operate from Montréal, Canada. Today, the company reports annual sales of 5 million euro with EBITDA close to break-even. Final closing of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected in the coming weeks.
STRATACACHE is here and X2O Media is here. Leave a Comment
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Vivitek Releases V 3.1 of NovoConect Collaboration SoftwareSo far, the Vivitek NovoConnect is the top competitor to the Barco ClickShare for a button-based wireless collaboration system. Vivitek also just released version 3.1 of its software, adding what it’s calling Quad View screen capability allowing four inputs to be wirelessly-streamed to one screen in nearly any layout format — not just a 2×2 wall configuration — including Apple AirPlay and GoogleCast capability.
In addition, new features like AES-256 security protocol compatibility, a software interface that is not only faster to download for their Launcher buttons to connect but also a better UX and a configurable sleep-mode timer.
Other features include something the company calls AirNote (UI flow includes on-off control, current user display, user designation, etc.), Full on-screen mirroring in iOS or Android, slideshows can now be used in full-screen mode and no WiFi password is required.
Go here or search for Vivitek in the Chrome Web Store App Store, or Google Play Store and get the update for free. Leave a Comment
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TrueConf and Panasonic Partner for Videoconferencing Solutions Using Panasonic Phones
Panasonic and TrueConf have teamed up on a family of video conferencing offerings. TrueConf Server is officially compatible with the Panasonic KX-HDV430 SIP deskphone and Panasonic’s KX-VC-series, including the KX-VC1000, KX-VC1300, KX-VC1600 and KX -VC2000.
This integration will expand video conferencing capabilities as people using Panasonic deskphones and high-definition video conferencing systems can join conferences running on TrueConf Server using SIP-server internal assignment (IP-PBX). The integration was performed through TrueConf’s gateway, which is commonly used to connect external subscribers to video conferencing endpoints.
One of the key elements of the integration is Panasonic KX-VC1000 — KX-VC2000 systems. The systems provide Full HD video quality at 60 FPS and have built-in MCU. Depending on their needs, users can choose any of the following KX-VC-series models: KX-VC1000 for point-to-point video calls, KX-VC1300 for four connections, KX-VC1600 for 10 connections and KX-VC2000 for 24 connections. KX-HDV430 is the first Panasonic corporate deskphone with support for up to 16 SIP lines.
TrueConf and Panasonic experts believe that the integration can be used for various corporate needs. The integration eliminates the video communication barrier between TrueConf and Panasonic users and opens up new opportunities for collaborative use of their video conferencing solutions.
Here are more details. Leave a Comment
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TVU Networks to Show Evolutionary Changes in Broadcast Video Workflow at NABAt the upcoming NAB Show, TVU Networks will introduce updates and new features for every aspect of the TVU ecosystem — from acquisition and transmission, to production, distribution and management. TVU Networks will showcase updates for its TVU Grid v5.0 live video switching, routing and distribution system, TVU Anywhere app v7.0, TVU RPS Remote Production System v4.0, and TVU Command Center v3.0 cloud-based centralized management solution, as well as enhanced social media integration capabilities.
New releases will be shown at NAB for TVU Anywhere — TVU Networks’ powerful app that enables organizations to instantly capture and transmit footage from anywhere at anytime. One new feature of TVU Anywhere v7.0 is remote access to camera on phone control from a central operations room via the TVU Receiver. This allows for complete control over the camera’s focus and brightness and features Pan, Tilt and Zoom ability, providing an operator back at the studio with unprecedented control over camera framing and exposure without degradation of HD picture quality. Another new feature enables users to record and stream live video on their smart phone while leaving a full copy of the recording. TVU Anywhere aggregates all available data connections for streaming, including Wi-Fi, cellular and Ethernet.
TVU Networks will also showcase a new version of TVU Grid — which provides live video switching, routing and distribution with sub-second latency. TVU Grid v5.0 includes the all-new TVU Grid Market, which gives Grid users the ability to exchange, share and sell video content using the solution’s infrastructure. Users can view TVU Grid public video sources that are available around the world and request to take the stream and make it available for their own viewing audience. The entire process of transferring a selected video source is automated with minimal delay from source to destination.
Enhancements to TVU’s video content management solutions include updates to TVU Command Center. TVU Command Center offers centralized remote management and control of all TVU products and services. As a cloud-based solution, it offers the convenience of remote access from anywhere with an Internet connection. With version 3.0, TVU Command Center now integrates with the TVU Booking Service, enabling broadcasters to better manage their IP video workflow through a simple-to-use management system. Extensive booking management features have been added in for greater options and control over the scheduling of daily TVU transmission. TVU Command Center v3.0 also supports metadata creation and editing, including Story Slug, to provide a description of the event to be captured.
TVU Networks will also introduce TVU RPS v4.0 for the first time at NAB. TVU RPS provides a simple solution for live, multi-camera, fully synchronized remote productions using low-cost commodity Internet. Ideal for sporting events, on-location news, concerts or corporate events, TVU RPS encodes up to six synchronized SDI sources in the field and transmits over a standard, low-cost commodity internet connection to a broadcasters existing studio control room for production. TVU RPS v4.0 includes new extensive support for the following: 16 channel AES/EBU embedded SDI audio, Variable Bit Rate (VBR) and the ability to set channel priorities.
TVU’s social media integration capabilities are now updated to include Periscope API support to go along with existing support for Facebook Live and YouTube Live.
All the details will be posted here, go here. Leave a Comment
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GeoBox VNS Debuts Three New Video Wall Controllers for Signage VNS has unveiled a new series DCi/UHD 60fps 4 CH-8 CH video wall controllers. Three models in G400 series incorporate HDMI 2.0 input and HDMI 2.0 loop-through port for daisy chain connection with HDCP 2.2 as well as synchronized FHD outputs. Each output has independent color adjustment, image 90 / 180 / 270 rotation, scaling and cropping for irregular video walls. There are no limitations in multiple unit cascades.
- G406 (4x inputs, 4x CH out) – 2x HDMI 2.0 + 2x DP 1.2 inputs ports with matrix switcher function to display one, two, three or four independent pieces of content on four LCD video wall. Two HDMI 2.0 loop-through ports allows user to select different display contents while cascade with multiple units.
- G406Lite (1x input, 4x CH out) – Simplified model of G406 with 1x HDMI 2.0 input and 1x loop through port. Lower cost and easy setup but still with their top video performance and irregular video wall capability.
- G408 (2x inputs, 8x CH out) – Eight screen model with 2x HDMI 2.0 input and 2x loop through ports. It can serve as one eight-screen or two four-screen video wall controller with their top video quality and irregular video wall capability. Two units with 16 monitors can easily achieve 8k/4k video wall display.
- G400 series is a pure hardware, standalone 4K/60 system. All operations can be easily implemented through IR remote controller, USB or Ethernet.
All the specs are here. Leave a Comment
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ATEN Debuts New KVM Switch Series ATEN Technology today announced the expansion of its enterprise KVM solutions line with the launch of a new series of Secure KVM switches. The 18 new KVM switches are compliant with PSS PP v3.0 (Protection Profile for Peripheral Sharing Switch, Version 3.0) and certified by the National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) to ensure high-level desktop security, protection and data safekeeping for organizations in industries such as government agencies (e.g., Department of Defense, Department of Justice, CIA, military, etc.), finance and other environments using multiple computers with different security classifications.
ATEN’s new PSS PP V3.0 Secure KVM Switches provide isolation between computer sources and peripherals while sharing a single keyboard, mouse, monitor, speaker set and Common Access Card (CAC) reader between connected computers with various security classifications. Compliance with PSS PP v3.0 ensures peripheral sharing capabilities provide maximum user data security when switching port focus, preventing unauthorized data flows or leakage between connected sources. Key protections include isolation and unidirectional data flow, restricted peripheral connectivity and filtering, user data protection, configurable device filtering and management and tamper-proof design, keeping sensitive assets isolated and providing advanced security and a user-friendly design for instantly secure deployment.
ATEN’s new PSS PP V3.0 Secure KVM Switches support multiple customer demands with options including two-port, four-port and eight-port models; video interfaces including DisplayPort*, HDMI and DVI. The ATEN series of Secure KVM Switches also provides customers with the flexibility to connect single or dual displays, providing up to 4K UHD (3840×2160 @30Hz) video quality.
ATEN will start accepting orders for its 18 new certified Protection Profile for Peripheral Sharing Switch, Version 3.0 Secure KVM Switches on April 2nd, 2018, with shipping expected on April 30, 2018. Here are all the models. Leave a Comment
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Matrox and IBASE Power Booming 3×3 Digital Signage Video Wall Demand Matrox Graphics and IBASE have partnered on something called the IBASE SI-61S, a nine-monitor system. Designed specifically to drive 3×3 video walls for digital signage applications, this Matrox C900-powered bundle features nine HDMI ports as well as a dedicated graphics processor designed to power all nine displays as one contiguous desktop at the full 5760×3240 resolution. This 18.7 megapixel signage player maintains the popular Full HD aspect ratio of 1.78 while allowing nine times the actual pixels of Full HD for up-front-and-personal digital signage applications.
Based on 7th Gen Intel Core desktop processors, the IBASE SI-61S is listed as industrial-grade and also supports video wall software expansion including compatibility with the Matrox MuraControl video wall management software and the Matrox NetAPI video wall development API.
Here are the tech specs. Leave a Comment
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RTI Enters AV Signal Routing Market
RTI, known as a control company, today announced a line of video matrix switches, extenders, presentation scalers and audio mixer amplifiers. The video distribution offering all uses HDMI and HDBaseT technology and is capable of distributing 4K video (4:2:0). The VHD-4 and VHD-8 HDBaseT video matrix switchers extend video, IR and RS232 signals up to 230 feet over a single Cat 5e/6 cable. Also new to the lineup are the VHX-4 and VHX-8 HDMI matrix switchers for HDMI 2.0.
The new VFX-124 and VFX-248 matrix switchers are 12 and 24 I/Os that are all configurable as inputs or outputs depending on the application. To handle different signal types, a variety of input and output cards is available for HDMI, HDBaseT, VGA, audio and more. And the VSS-51 is a Presentation Scaler Switcher Kit that combines seamless switching with scaling.
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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TASCAM Expands Acclaimed DA-6400 Multitrack Digital Recorder TASCAM’s DA-6400 Multitrack Digital Recorder has been given a powerful new upgrade, with the new Version 2.0 firmware update adding a host of new functions and enhancements. In addition to a variety of performance and functionality improvements, the new Version 2.0 update incorporates two new features: Theater Play mode and playlist support.
The new Theater Play function enables DA-6400 users to set start and end marker points for individual takes. These markers allow theater operators to trigger multichannel events manually or via external control, after which the system automatically proceeds to the next scheduled cue and waits patiently in standby mode. This potent feature enables venue designers to easily combine audio, lighting and scenery cues into a single, easily controllable experience.
Using playlist mode, users can define regions and non-destructively set playback ranges within individual multitrack Takes, and create dynamic scenarios whereby these regions are played in various orders and/or multiple times each. This makes creating complex performances from chains of events quick and intuitive.
Other new functions include playback of WAV files in 32-bit PCM and 32-bit floating formats, sorting functions that allow the take list to be arranged in Take timecode or Take name order and mDNS support so that network connection with the DA-6400 can be achieved from Mac OS and Telnet or VNC and FTP apps that support mDNS.
TASCAM DA-6400 Firmware V2.0 is available now as a free download here or to see the DA-6400, go here. Leave a Comment
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Studio Technologies Intros On-Air Capabilities with Model 205, Model 206 and Model 208 Announcer’s Consoles
Studio Technologies just expanded its Dante compatible offerings with three new announcer’s consoles, the Model 205, Model 206 and Model 208. All offer different combinations of analog and digital audio resources to create on-air talent hubs in both Dante audio-over Ethernet and traditional analog audio environments. The Model 205 and Model 206 are specifically designed for table-top use, presenting a very small “footprint” for applications such as court-side basketball commentator locations. The Model 208 is optimized to allow easy mounting to the top- or bottom-surface of a broadcast set or talent location. Its form-factor also lends itself for use in a range of custom mounting scenarios.
The Model 205, Model 206, and Model 208 include Dante receiver (audio input) channels to supply the user with talent cue (IFB) signals. Should the cue signal be “mix-minus,” an integrated sidetone function provides a microphone confidence signal. The Model 205 features three Dante audio output channels, one designated as main (for on-air) and two as talkback, as well as three associated pushbutton switches for direct control over audio routing. The Model 206 adds an additional talkback button and associated Dante audio output channel, making it well-suited for both on-air and production support applications. The Model 208 is designed with two Dante audio output channels, one designated as main (for on-air) and the other as a talkback, as well as two pushbutton switches. All three units have talkback audio channels available as Dante outputs, allowing for simple and flexible routing to inputs on a variety of devices such as matrix intercom systems, audio consoles, and monitor loudspeaker systems. The audio switching is performed in the digital domain and is virtually “click-free.”
Integration into both Dante audio-over-Ethernet applications and standard analog audio environments allows the Model 205, Model 206, and Model 208 to provide a solution for many on-air talent locations. With just a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) connection, a microphone, and a pair of headphones or an earpiece, broadcasters can use the units to achieve a complete broadcast on-air position. A microphone output on each of the announcer’s consoles can support a direct connection to an analog microphone-level input on an associated camera, remote I/O interface, or audio console. The Model 205 and Model 206 provide two configurable remote-control inputs, allowing external switches or contact closures to activate the desired main and talkback output functions. Two contact inputs on the Model 208 allow external signals to work in conjunction with the mic on/off button and talkback button functions.
The output of the mic preamp and compressor is routed to an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) section. The three units support a sampling rate of 44.1 and 48 kHz with a bit depth of up to 24. In addition, the Model 208 supports sampling rates of 88.2 and 96 kHz. The audio signal, now in the digital domain, is routed through a microprocessor and onto the Dante interface section where the audio is packetized and prepared for transport over Ethernet.
Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
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Hitachi’s Newest High-Lumen Laser Projectors Are Aimed at Houses of Worship MarketHitachi’s two newest projectors are both 1080p native resolution laser projectors aimed at house of worship facilities. Hitachi’s LP-WU6500 and LP-WU9100B both have HDBaseT and HDMI inputs, are single-chip DLP and offer brightness specs of 5,000 and 10,000 lumens, respectively.
With 20,000 hours of maintenance-free operation, laser projectors are good for house of worship facilities because of their low maintenance and long life of performance. With built-in HD resolution, four digital inputs and a built-in lens with a lot of flexibility, the 5,000- and 10,000-lumen laser projectors are easy for any AV team to adjust once installed.
With Hitachi’s new high-lumen additions to its solid-state light projector line, house of worship facilities can be prepared for any congregation size, no matter the time of year.
Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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Epson Introduces LightScene – a New Category of Laser Projection for Digital Art, Spatial Design and SignageEpson today announced LightScene — a new category of accent lighting laser projectors for digital art and signage. LightScene is designed to simultaneously illuminate and project dynamic content on virtually any surface or material to engage audiences and provide an immersive experience for commercial signage applications in markets such as retail, hospitality, showrooms and museums.
With two models available in a spotlight form factor — LightScene EV-100 in white and LightScene EV-105 in black — the laser projectors blend in discreetly and offers an array of configuration, mounting and programming options. Specs include:
- 3LCD laser technology — Epson laser technology is spec’d up to 20,000 hours in a sealed optical engine
- Built-in content management — Includes templates, effects, color filters and customizable options
- Scalable — Daisy-chain multiple LightScene projectors and utilize Edge Blending technology
- Easily programmable — Playlist and playback functions allow for content management for single or multiple LightScene projectors
- Flexible positioning — Includes vertical and horizontal rotation with 360-degree mounting on tracks, floors, walls or ceilings; 1.58x powered optical zoom and powered focus allows for installation in both large and small spaces
- Connectivity includes HDMI, RJ-45, wired and wireless LAN and SD card slot for direct content storage
- Up to 2,000 lumens of color brightness and 2,000 lumens of white brightness
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FOR-A to Introduce MBP-1000VS 12G-SDI/IP Multi-Channel Video Server FOR-A has announced that it will introduce a new 12G-SDI/IP multi-channel video server next month. The MBP-1000VS is designed for 4K editing environments, offering multi-input/output 4K and HD support and ingest, playout and 4K recording functionality.
With the new FOR-A video server, users can choose from four SSD capacities with maximum 9.6TB to meet their system needs, and can add an LTO option for immediate archiving of captured 4K material or extended recording. With the LTO option, for example, the 9.6TB model MBP-1000VS unit can record approximately 31 hours in XAVC Intra Class 300. The unit also enables recording of HD material for approximately 318 hours in MPEG-2 10-bit 4:2:2 50Mbps. Offering a full range of playout and ingest system applications, the MBP-1000VS is controllable from a variety of automated production control systems and offers redundant power supply.
4K XAVC and MPEG-2 codecs are available with the MBP-1000VS. FOR-A is offering a range of MBP-1000VS interfaces for 12G-SDI or video over IP transmission, including 12G-SDI, 3G-SDI and SFP+, to accommodate varying user needs for inputs/outputs and size of internal storage (SSD). The MBP-1000VS-12G, which mounts 12G-SDI in/out, supports quad-channel 4K XAVC codec. Standard configuration of this model provides two channels for recording and two for playback and it can be configured with up to four channels for recording and four for playback. The MBP-1000VS-IP includes a SFP+ port for 10 Gbps video over IP I/O. It supports up to dual-channel 4K XVAC codecs and can switch channels from encoding to decoding as needed. Supported formats for video over IP include SMPTE 2022-6/7 (TICO) and NMI (LLVC). This model also offers 3G-SDI output capabilities for monitoring. The MBP-1000VS series also includes an HD supporting model, which supports MPEG-2 codec and can be configured with up to eight channels for inputs/outputs.
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Magewell to Debut Standalone Streaming Encoder
Expanding beyond its video capture and playout cards, Magewell will show company’s first standalone, hardware-based streaming encoder at the 2018 NAB Show next month. Dubbed the Ultra Stream HDMI, it’s capable of recording or streaming video and audio from a variety of sources with one-click using on-device buttons or a smartphone app. Designed for users who want to stream but may have very little technical knowledge, the encoder is aimed at church volunteers, teachers and gamers to corporate marketers and live event organizers.
The initial configuration is performed over network or Bluetooth connectivity with the free iOS or Android app. Once encoding and destination parameters have been set (e.g., entering Facebook or YouTube keys), recording and live streaming can be started and stopped directly with physical buttons on the Ultra Stream unit or via virtual buttons in the app. It can natively stream to Twitch, YouTube and Facebook Live or to a custom-specified RTMP server. Streams can be output to multiple target services simultaneously, while real-time video preview in the smartphone app allows for monitoring.
The first of multiple planned models in the Ultra Stream family, the Ultra Stream HDMI captures, encodes and streams video up to 1080p60 via an HDMI input interface from sources such as video cameras, players and game consoles. The encoder also supports 4K HDMI inputs at 60fps with 4:2:0 color subsampling, down-converting them automatically to HD (H.264) for recording and streaming. Embedded HDMI audio is done by an analog microphone input and a headphone output for monitoring. HDMI loop-through connectivity enables source signals to be simultaneously sent to a monitor or projector without the need for an HDMI splitter.
In addition to outputting live streams, the Ultra Stream HDMI can record video as MP4 files to a directly-connected USB drive or the associated smartphone. Footage can also be recorded in a loop on embedded storage within the unit for subsequent previewing and downloading. The device supports H.264 video compression and AAC audio, with HEVC encoding and recording planned for a future update. Two distinct combinations of resolution, frame rate and bitrate can be specified, enabling simultaneous recording and streaming with different parameters. Still frames can also be captured with the app.
The compact Ultra Stream HDMI measures just 3.7 inches (94.2 mm) square with a height of 1.1 inches (28.5 mm). The flexible unit offers both wireless and wired network connectivity, with built-in Wi-Fi as well as an RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port. Here are the specs. Leave a Comment
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Marshall Electronics Announces New HD PTZ Camera
Marshall Electronics just debuted a new high-definition PTZ camera, the Marshall CV620-WH2/BK2. Built on a 2-megapixel, 1/2.8-inch sensor, the Marshall CV620 delivers 1920×1080 video and can be controlled remotely via RS232 over Ethernet cable or RS422 over twisted pair. It uses common protocols to make it compatible with most integrated control systems.
The Marshall CV620 has multiple outputs including HD-SDI (3G) and HDMI (DVI) and many broadcast adjustable settings, such as white balance, exposure, iris, gamma, black level and more for tremendous flexibility of use. The pan-tilt range spans 340° horizontally and 120° vertically. It offers simultaneous 4D control for pan, tilt, zoom and focus.
The Marshall CV620 can be set to resolutions of 1920x1080i, 1920x1080p and 1280x720p, with adjustable high-speed frame rates of 60, 59.94, 50, 30, 29.97 and 25 frames per second. The high definition PTZ camera, available in black (BK2) or white (WH2) color options, is mountable via table, wall or ceiling and includes flappable images.
The Marshall CV620-WH2/BK2 is here. Leave a Comment
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Bitvu Launches Spark Digital Signage Player
To complement its Wi-Fi-only Freedom player, Bitvu just announced its latest digital signage player, called Spark. Integrated with all the features of the Freedom, Spark targets a more professional user and environment. Spark can be used both wirelessly — using dual band Wi-Fi — or wired via ethernet (later models also feature Bluetooth capability). If the screen is in an offline environment, Spark enables you to edit ads and playlists right in front of the screen using the Screenspace App. It outputs an HDMI 1080p signal.
List price is USD$250. Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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Zixi Announces Hitless Failover Between Many IP Video Types Zixi claims hitless failover capabilities, which include a patent-pending, DNA-like resequencing algorithm in the latest version of the Zixi Platform. These new features allow hitless failover between non-uniquely identified multi-path streams from multiple contribution points, which can prevent missing and out of sequence packets and jitter.
Zixi currently supports SMPTE protocol 2022-7, which is a working industry standard for Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) for videos that have uniquely identified and numbered packets. However, the media industry often has multiple video sources, many of which are not RTP.
Zixi’s latest product improvements solve the widespread problem for media companies who distribute at scale with multiple, asynchronous video streams. Whether packets are uniquely identified or numbered, or not, the Zixi Platform can now create one coherent stream out of multiple stream fragments. This new solution includes a patent-pending reconstruction algorithm that does not rely on unique identification. Instead, the Zixi Platform applies a multiple alignment algorithm that works much like DNA sequence alignment, to reconstruct the original sequence of IP packets that best recreates the original video stream.
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