Volume 3, Issue 11 — November 17, 2017

The core price (which is what one of the items would cost to keep the comparisons valid) is that price which we pay for any product, hardware, software, accessory or whatever as it arrives in our hands — the invoiced to us cost of the product.

Now of course there are variables in that final number such as how many of the items are bought (quantity discounts), dealer or re-seller incentives and so forth (but for the purposes of this discussion those are not considered). Whatever that final number may be, it will always include the obvious expenses associated with producing the product, such as R&D expenses, the cost of materials, the cost of custom fabricated molds for plastics or similar materials and so forth but it will also include some significant costs that are not so obvious, but do affect the price we pay for anything.

The Marketing Costs of Surprises

The first and most obvious add-on cost is marketing expenses. Now while you may think that means advertising, promotion, and similar standard type overhead, you may not realize that lumped into that cost center are trade show expenses, associated costs for factory and training personnel travel, events or meetings/seminars, those big-bash show parties and the hidden costs of some of those events.

For example, let’s look at what it really costs the average pro-audio industry non-mega company to attend a trade show.

• Booth space cost
• Setup/teardown of the booth
• Travel costs for company personnel and endorsers, trainers, etc.
• Food and beverage, especially if they throw a party or reception

Those four items are fairly obvious and nobody objects to those expenses, but here’s where it gets sneaky.

All that hardware, booth materials and such have to be shipped from the company or booth builder to the show site and back — i.e., round trip freight — which let’s say for the average exhibitor is about $1 a pound. Pretty normal for bulk truck freight. But that only gets the stuff to the convention site loading dock and here’s where a big cost surprise that you are paying for happens. In the convention business, there are service companies that provide everything from the fork-lift truck to moving freight to the tables, chairs, pipe & drape, carpet and so forth. While the costs vary by location, in major convention locations, a few companies control that business, have long term contracts with the convention centers AND set their own rates. Exhibitors have no say in those rates, they just get a bill and there are no alternative choices — it’s a closed system.

Here’s where the wallet-stunning numbers come into play. Based on data from a mid-sized loudspeaker company’s 2016 trade show costs, the cost to move 6,000 pounds of crates from coast to coast for a show was about $6,000 — but the cost to move that same 6,000 pounds of stuff about 200 feet from the loading dock to the booth site
(called “drayage” in the trade show business) was nearly $12,000 — or about $60 per foot vs. $1 per mile round trip (6,000 miles cost to coast to coast). That 12K did nothing to make a better product or improve customer service, or train dealers or anything useful, it just went into the marketing cost budget as an expense.

Do that a few times a year and suddenly you have $40K to $60K worth of costs to allocate to the dealer price of the product and you, the buyer, got nothing except a hidden cost increase. The same kind of gigantic cost multiples apply to furniture rentals (again, no choice in who you have to rent from) or any similar expenses. Toss in some mandatory $90+ per-hour union electricians and $95+ per-hour union carpenters, $90+ per-hour miscellaneous union labor and wham — what the company faces is a bill that was three, four or five times the original cost estimate. In many of these venues, your own people (company that is) can’t even touch a screwdriver without paying for a union person match. So if you bring five people to set up your booth you have just bought five union people to go with them. Do the math. It get expensive very quickly. Trust me — you’re paying for those costs.

Licensed IP/Technology

Almost every product that wants to offer real IT/IP connectivity needs to provide connectors based on proprietary, licensed-use technologies such as DisplayPort, HDMI and other options as well. Designing the hardware or acquiring the IP/software for this is easy and straightforward. But then there are the licensing costs. For example, in a recent blog post, Gary Kayye commented on this issue: “I was talking to one of my oldest industry friends at ISE in Amsterdam and he told me how he’d been “shaken-down” by the MPEG LA (the licensing people for DisplayPort). Basically, some two years after he’d been selling products with DisplayPort connectors, he was called, out of the blue, by the MPEG LA and told he needed to pay 16 cents for each DisplayPort connector on a product. So, if he’d sold a 1×4 DisplayPort distribution amplifier, he needed to pay $0.80 per unit sold. Plus he’d need to go back and figure out how much he owed since he started in business — back-payment.

This whole process reminded me of the neighborhood protection shakedown scheme. But it’s totally legal and officially above board.”

Now realistically, there has to be a proper and valid process for this worldwide and both the HDMI, LLC and MPEG LA are true consortiums/alliances run independently from any one manufacturer. They exist to set standards and enforce them. Thus, these fees go to fund the association and support the licensed technology and its users. But, it does add to the cost of the product and you probably didn’t think about that. Sure it’s only pennies, but it adds up and if the product in question uses multiple licensed IP or technologies to provide what the market wants, it’s paying multiple organizations for every unit shipped, assuming the manufacturer is obeying the laws and rules.

So add a few bucks to each product for this low visibility cost. Yes, they are necessary but because the AV world allows closed source ‘standards’ to exist these costs remain. Perhaps it’s a reason to push for and look to open source options and new paths to get the result? Worth a calorie or two in thought.

Where It’s Made Matters – But

Ever read the fine print in those car ads — the part about being manufactured in the USA with GLOBALLY sourced parts? Well, where something is made does have an impact on its cost. Globally sourced really means exactly that for electronics. For reference, and to showcase that supply chain, the chart below shows the number of suppliers, by country, for an Apple iPhone. This chart includes EVERY company involved in putting that product on the store shelves.

(If you are really curious, go here for a detailed listing who makes what, where.)

Clearly, China (no surprise there) is the dominant player, not just because assembly costs (wages and overhead) at vendors like FoxConn are very low, but also because huge numbers of the component parts are also made in factories in China, especially plastics and various semiconductors. Please take note of the large numbers for Japan (semiconductors, optics) Taiwan, Korea (memory chips primarily) and then the southeast Asia semiconductor quartet of Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines. If this were a laptop, Malaysia would rise up to make a quintet because of its disc drive and semiconductor facilities. But even just listing the countries obscures the real data because a company nominally based in South Korea or Japan or Taiwan, for example, actually outsources to lower cost facilities, perhaps in Malaysia or Thailand or Vietnam. So the complex web is actually far more finely meshed than the data would indicate.

But despite this obvious globalization, the one topic that gets the most headlines and attention from spreadsheet MBA management types is the hourly wage paid to factory labor. Below is a table showing (as of 2015) the average hourly manufacturing wage (converted to U.S. dollars) for countries that produce electronics or components product used in or by the proAV industry worldwide. The website credited has much more data on this topic. But here’s the rub. The hourly wages to assemble and build a product is only a fraction of its total manufacturing cost — although it is the hot button pushed by every cost control addict in our industry. To truly reflect actual assembly costs, both direct material costs and direct labor costs must be included in the price calculations, which makes the hourly wage issue somewhat of a red-herring.

So if we take JUST the hourly wage (not a true number in and of itself) as representative of location-based manufacturing cost, building an amplifier in China saves $41 vs. Sweden and $14.02 vs. Korea. Based on only that number, it becomes obvious why companies think they will benefit by off-shore production.

But not calculated here are all the other costs associated with such off-shore production, like quality control, freight, inventory/stock overhead. If you have to wait eight weeks for the product to arrive you must have enough inventory in a U.S. warehouse to cover that eight weeks and that costs serious money, not to mention items such as inventory taxes, etc. (As an aside, ever wonder why a lot of companies moved warehousing to Nevada from California? California has an inventory tax; Nevada doesn’t.)

Now you know why almost every small kitchen or personal appliance says “made in China” on the box. It’s also why that really cool Italian-made Espresso machine at your local Starbucks costs thousands and the look-a-like you bought for your office from China cost $49.95 (we will not talk about the quality of the espresso).

But remember that “globally sourced” notation from earlier? Where these wage costs really matter is when a product is built in a high cost country for “cachet” or marketing purposes, but can and does source the labor intensive elements of that product from low cost countries. That is why it is possible to build amplifiers in Scandinavia and still be able to sell them for something way less than the national debt of a third world country — and remain competitive in a global market. It’s also why the boutique limited production ‘high-end’ audio stuff has a five-figure price tag — they can’t effectively source the tiny quantities of what they need from low cost suppliers because the numbers are too small to matter to the parts vendors. Nobody who is geared to make 10,000 of something a month (like power supplies for example) wants to sell a tiny boutique company 100 of them a year.

However, there are often no choices for some product categories — especially video displays, for example. When 90+ percent of the possible sources for an LCD/LED panel are located in China or nearby areas, the manufacturer, no matter where it is located, is left with no option but to source such panels from those suppliers. The same applies to almost every IC, memory chip, CPU, DSP, chip and so forth.

The Layer Cake Manufacturing Process

Where this can and does affect your cost is hidden in the layer cake of suppliers that have arisen in the supplier countries. Let’s assume you are XYZ Display Corp., and you supply commercial displays to a wide range of users. How much added no-value to the buyer/user cost is accumulated by any SKU you build will be determined by how well you manage and vet your OEM suppliers.

Think of this process as a layer cake. If the cake has four layers, it costs x dollars per slice. But if it has eight layers, it’s still the same cake but the per slice cost has nearly doubled — at a minimum. If the product gains no actual value from those four layers (other than pure size and calories), then the purchaser is paying more, but not getting more.

So, if XYZ just chooses the lowest cost OEM for the panel itself, but then has to find multiple other OEMs to supply the bezel, housing, power supply, connector panel, etc., — its bottom line landed cost will be higher than if they had done their due diligence and found an OEM that had those capabilities built into the supply chain from the outset.

The full-service OEM will almost automatically have lower overall costs because it’s sourcing all those other bits and pieces in huge quantities for many customers. But if XYZ sourced just the amounts they needed for their panels, directly, you can absolutely guarantee they are paying more for each part even if they are using exactly the same sub-vendors and suppliers. It’s a game of numbers and in this case, bigger means cheaper.

How do you determine how many layers are in the cake you are buying? It’s not all that easy, but you can compare products and look at the value equation and cost to get a idea of who’s doing their homework on the manufacturing side and who isn’t.

For example, if the company you’re buying from makes 15 panels sizes in multiple models vs. a company that has added five key sizes to their mix to provide “one-stop-shopping,” it’s more than likely that the second company is paying more per panel (and may well be relabeling the product from the larger panel vendor just to have the SKU), so your received value is likely to be lower if the prices are the same. The cost cutting is happening somewhere along the way — you can be sure of that.

In the End

What really matters on the bottom line is the amount of non-value cost added to any product.

How do you determine who’s giving you the most actual product value for the price? It requires a little thought, some research and, most importantly, evaluating the position of the product in the supplying company’s revenue mix.

What that means is not complicated. If you’re buying a product that is part of a company’s core mix of offerings, it’s more likely to have a higher net value than if you’re buying a low volume add-on or “just because product” from that same company. It’s highly probable that the supplying company is outsourcing that low volume, but we-think-we-need-to-offer-it product, since building only a few of anything costs way more than building thousands. Think about what you’re buying and from whom.

It may require you to rethink some vendor relationships, and look more closely at the supply-chains of the people you’re doing business with, but if you do, and do so thoughtfully, you may well find a better value equation at the end of the process.

Happy globalization!

We think of what we do.

Today I spent the morning with what might not be the biggest vendor of conference room tech, but one of the largest tech vendors with a foothold in the conference room. Today, along with my team, I visited Microsoft for a discussion of its Surface Hub. That discussion ended up being less about the hardware and more about the things of which I’ve been speaking for years now: about culture, about workflow and about ecosystems.

Even if it Isn’t About the Hardware – It’s About the Hardware

I can’t help it; I’m a technologist. I love hardware, especially well-made and carefully thought-out hardware. Hardware with solid build quality, hardware that’s easy to integrate. Hardware that does what it should do.

As I said last month, software runs on hardware.

You all know the specs of the Surface Hub by now. Either a 55″ HD display or 84″ 4K. Dual 1920×1080 cameras. Four microphones. Integrated PC running Microsoft Windows 10 Team (NOT the Windows 10 you know and love from your desktop, but a close cousin). Seeing it in person confirms what anyone who’d seen the Surface tablet would guess: Microsoft makes nice, solid-feeling hardware. In fact, our friendly Microsoft rep demonstrated just how solid by repeatedly punching it with a closed fist. Thankfully, the gorilla glass-clad screen neither fell off of the wall nor shattered.

That glass is part of a very nice capacitive-touch display with as many points of multi-touch as one could possibly want. Writing is very smooth and comfortable; note how clearly differences in pen-texture translate as my colleagues and I signed-in on the device.

You can clearly see the difference between my fellow systems designer, myself and an account executive whose handwriting is expected to be actually legible. This is much better than the experience one gets from an optical touch-overlay, which will register touches but not tell how hard one is pressing.

So yes, the hardware is quite good.

But, as I said, it isn’t really about the hardware.

Teams, Office 365 and the Same Conversation

One thing to note is that the Hub is NOT a Windows 10 device; it runs a custom version of Windows 10 called Windows 10 Teams that’s designed for the type of environment and workflow in which the Hub is expected to work. The most interesting facet of this is how it handles login management; the Surface Hub itself will have its own non-password protected account for whiteboarding and local presentations. One can walk up to it, draw one of the capacitive-touch pens from its holster on either side of the device and start whiteboarding. One touch can lead you to the Skype application where you would join a meeting under the Hub’s account. Or one can sign in with ones own Microsoft account, either from the home screen or the Skype meeting page. The team at Microsoft sketched some quick “home page” splash screens with arrows and instructions for the various choices.

Why is this interesting? The biggest reason is that it solves the “guest access” problem; a third-party presenter can use the device without having to be given a login which might compromise security. Better yet, they can access their own calendar and contacts via a sign-in to Microsoft Live. On sign-out all of the session data is deleted, adding another layer of security and protection.

This is part of the conversation about workflow, the other part being tight integration with Microsoft applications, especially the new “Teams” collaborative tool. For those who don’t know, Teams is Microsoft’s answer to Slack or Cisco’s Spark. It is a lightweight tool for asynchronous collaboration including threaded messaging and document-sharing. Document editing – at least for documents generated by the MS Office suite of products — is more seamless in Teams than in competitor products. If a client uses, say, the Google GSuite products then the experience would be less well-integrated. Whiteboard notes can be exported directly into Microsoft’s OneNote notetaking program. Again, great integration for those who work that way.

This is the biggest point – designing and recommending AV systems is no longer only about content and video sources and viewing distance. It is now more than ever about workflow and about ecosystem. It’s about what people do and how they do it. The Surface Hub is a tool optimized for certain applications – specifically Skype for Business and Microsoft Office. Users who use Cisco for videoteleconferencing and GSuite for mail and document creation will not get a positive enough experience with the Surface Hub to be worth the price tag. Those who use Microsoft products AND use them to collaborate will likely find value here.

One Thing it Doesn’t Do – and What That Says

Two years ago, I wrote about voice control as one of the “shiny toys” the home tech market is developing and of which we still don’t see much in the boardroom. Given that the Surface Hub has integrated microphones and runs a Windows 10 variant, I took the opportunity to ask about Microsoft’s digital assistant, Cortana. The answer is that Microsoft DID conceive of Cortana voice-integration as a means of interface, but that in practice it worked neither consistently nor helpfully enough to be usable. Part of the issue may be the aforementioned security features; as session data is not recorded (for security), the Cortana assistant in a Surface Hub doesn’t have the ability to learn the voices of its most frequent users. In each interaction, Cortana is hearing you for the first time. This makes the experience less than ideal.

It raises a question about when — or if — the world of digital voice assistants will make the move from living room to boardroom. Certainly in Microsoft’s experience they aren’t there yet, though they remain on the roadmap for home use.

For the nonce, the Hub remains an interesting tool for a certain ecosystem and workflow.

Another tradition is to own the previous year’s predictions, which generally falls somewhere between eating humble pie and establishing spotless credibility. Let’s have a look at how things panned out this year.

1. Solutions Overtake Products

I pointed out that it takes more than devices and software to effectively operate a digital signage network, and that vendors offering full solutions would eventually crowd out those pitching the next big thing. I believe this trend has indeed begun. RFPs seem to always include services, integrated technologies and a preference for one throat to choke. Few, if any decisions hinge on display technologies, and nearly none hinge on media players. Software platforms are generally differentiated at some level either by price, function, architecture or focus, but they no longer exist in a vacuum. As further evidence, there is more activity than ever of hardware vendors trying to align with software and services vendors to work together. Score this one a hit.

2. Consolidation Continues

Another hit… OK, I had an edge on this one, as our company was already in talks to be acquired by STRATACACHE when I wrote it. That tap-in putt notwithstanding, the wave of deals in the vendor and network spaces has continued across the globe. This is how marketplaces work and it is healthy. On the flip side of the M&A activity is the slow march towards death of others who have hung in there. As some drop out, we move toward a more sustainable ecosystem. There’s more to come.

3. Android is Dead, Long Live Android!

No question that this one proved prophetic. The marketplace has gone from Android zealotry to strong preference and has now receded to, “Will it work for me?” The zealotry was driven by opportunistic vendors who trumpeted a game changer without knowledge of how it would work at scale and in league with a trade press eager to fill columns with unsubstantiated puff pieces. The challenges posed by lack of hardware reliability, OS version variability and device management issues drove cost of ownership higher not lower. And as predicted, Intel has responded with lower cost, reliable x86 products such as Cherry Trail that have closed the gap. Android won’t die, but it will be forced into niches.

4. Display Manufacturers Can’t Suppress Their Desire to “Go Wide”

Yes, many display manufacturers continue to push their own software and hosting solutions either in stealth mode (a/k/a screwing partners with plausible deniability) or quite openly in order to try to increase their footprint on deals of scale. Their challenge has been trying to convince people who know better that their proprietary OS, rudimentary software and no-way-out commitments are a good idea. It will never work out, but we are talking about a very stubborn bunch. I thought we’d see a display company buy a software platform to market around, but that did not happen. Nevertheless, I score this as a hit.

5. Standards Come to Programmatic

I suggested that the struggle to bring programmatic tools similar to long-established online versions to digital signage would continue, with some solutions breaking through, driven by widespread adoption of standards and best practices. The first part is certainly true, led by the emergence of Vistar as a potential powerhouse, but driven more by its own evolution than by industry adoption of standards. It feels like this space will have room for a few players, but it seems clear that standards will become important so that buyers can work across multiple platforms with familiar terms of art, metrics and processes. I still believe the DSF’s new Global DOOH Council will help get us there. I will call this a miss.

6. The Battle Goes Outdoors

I suggested that the battle of the drive-thru was on, and that at least two major users would place their bets on solutions during the year. Despite a huge amount of activity, evolving enclosure designs and dozens of parallel tests, those bets have not yet been placed. So this is a miss, largely due to timing as in the programmatic prediction, but a miss nonetheless. Keep watching the outdoor space. There is too much business driving through those lanes to not invest!

7. Mobile Integration Starts to Make More Sense

I suggested that this would be the year that digital signage would find ways to embrace mobile that works for end users. Without doubt, mobile has continued to be the predominant element of overall digital strategies. There have been good examples of mobile integration with digital signage, but that bridge to make it a seamless and persistent part of the experience still seems to be lacking. We will get there, and I continue to clutch my NFC pearls. But the scorekeeper says it’s a miss. Note: Between the first draft of this piece and the final, STRATACACHE (parent company of RDM) announced the acquisition of Walkbase. It is a mobile-DOOH game changer in every way, and makes my miss on this prediction a near miss based on timing. More on Walkbase another time!

In summary, four hits, two misses and a near miss if you cut me slack on number 7. That is better than last year, so I feel a lot of pressure to improve once again. Here we go… strap on your VR goggles and fly into the Grand Canyon of guesswork with me:

1. The Checkbooks Are Out: Different Targets

This year’s version of the consolidation prediction goes something like this: I believe that there is still plenty of money on the sidelines getting very, very interested in the DOOH and digital signage space. I think very little of any VC/PE money will find its way into the vendor space, although one can expect a few M&A deals. However, my guess is that there is renewed interest in network properties that lend themselves to scale and the ability to leverage emerging technologies for targeting ads. The Outcome Health deal is the poster child for this, and it won’t be the last such deal.

2. Interactivity Sparks More Interest Than Video Walls

This is not to say that video walls are dead…. far from it. But it says here that buyers see greater benefits from interactivity in more places than from iconic deployments in fewer places. Interactivity itself has taken on meaning beyond traditional touch. Gesture, AR, VR and mobile-based interactivity are all in play. In the end, interactivity and large-scale walls serve different purposes and create engagement in very different ways. Look for more interactive deployments in the coming year.

3. So Niche To See You

As our industry (gulp) matures and success stories from all corners of the space become more well publicized, it seems clear that most vendors and networks will run toward defensible niches that offer growth opportunities. It becomes harder to sell product into verticals without vertical expertise to build credibility and confidence. From the network side, it becomes harder to raise money or sell advertising without a good amount of evidence that the market being addressed can be segmented and targeted. Look for increased movement toward specialization and niches from companies large and small.

4. Industry Events Start to Evolve

In line with the concept outlined in #3 above, it makes sense that both buyers and sellers look harder at how they invest their time and money in industry trade shows. There is still a huge need for education of people and companies new to the space (and there are many). Several conferences, notably DSE and InfoComm, do a fine job on that. Yet there is also a great need for matching (educated) buyers with (qualified) sellers and trade show floors are not meeting those needs. Quasi-events like NYDSW, coming up on Halloween, have less educational value, but greater ability to have buyers and sellers self-select by interest and focus. Finally, vertical shows such as NRF, NACS, NRA, FMI, HIMSS and the like need to do a better job of embracing OOH technologies as their members gain interest. The prediction here is that event mangers will take a long look at programming and how they manage their show floors in order to remain relevant to both attendees and exhibitors, both of whom will likely be budget conscious in the coming years.

5. Beacons and AVA Assume their Proper Roles: Measurement & Triggering

I’ve written on the fallacy of beacons as a push technology in the past. Not much has happened to change my position on that. Yet they are not useless. They do a great job of collecting data from mobile device pings and that can be used by savvy software to measure traffic and even engagement. You will hear less about the silly push schemes and more about big data from little beacons. Anonymous Video Analytics (AVA) burst on the scene years ago as a way to prove the value of advertising CPM rates. As time has passed, AVA has begun to be more valued for measuring engagement, identifying demographic trends and perhaps most importantly, driving relevant content to screens via triggers. Relevancy is the most important aspect of content if one is hoping to engage and the ability to increase relevancy based on what you know about viewers is very valuable. Tools will evolve to meet the needs of network owners AND viewers.

6. People Start To Worry About Leadership

You may have noticed I gulped when I mentioned a maturing industry in prediction #3 above. Digital signage has shown many of the characteristics of a maturing industry: attention from consulting firms, large-scale investment of private money, a strong industry advocate and association and ongoing innovation. Yet where we are lacking is the development of new (read: young) talent that will become the next generation of leaders in the space. A customer recently asked me to come up with some names for an executive position with some pretty strict guidelines. It was not easy. The pioneers of this industry are not getting younger and we need smart, entrepreneurial men and women to step in and step up. We need the current leadership crowd to take mentoring seriously. We need to create jobs to attract leaders. If you aren’t worried about this, you ought to be. My guess (and hope) is that many people and organizations will take action on this in the coming year.

7. International Efforts will Start to Bear Fruit

It has often been noted that there are many lessons to be learned by sharing ideas, technologies, lessons and pain across international borders. To be sure, the challenges in India are different than those in Mexico, but the manner is which challenges are met are very instructional. So much more than cricket and rugby happens in the geographically isolated technology test beds of New Zealand and Australia that many Yanks would benefit from understanding their insights. International efforts, such as the Digital Signage Federation’s Global Digital Out-of-Home Council, with North American and European groups sharing ideas and information will be a vanguard of advancing best practices and standards across borders. There will of course be other vehicles for such sharing at trade shows, conferences, and various communications vehicles. As companies from all ends of the marketplace examine how others have succeeded in very different environments, it will make them better, faster and stronger. Next year should see increased activity on that front.

That’s it for this year. Business and the creative process are such that we’ve seen a total eclipse, two major hurricanes and two Kardashian pregnancies since I started this post. I hope the next post takes less time. Please feel free to provide feedback and your own predictions in the comments section.

This column was reprinted with permission from Ken Goldberg and originally appeared here. Ken Goldberg is CEO of RealDigital Media, a STRATACACHE company. Ken is a frequent writer and speaker on industry topics, and is a past chair of the Digital Signage Federation.

And, Yuan is actively involved — even serving coffee from a backpack to users at their recent ZOOMTOPIA event.

At that event, Zoom launched built-in, automatic transcribing of all ZOOM conferences, integration with Workplace by Facebook, more Zoom Room options and even demonstrated holograms in real-time on the Zoom platform.

But Yuan’s customer-centric focus has concerned AV integrators — making them worried that Zoom wants to take their clients away by integrating Zoom Rooms themselves.

I had a sit-down, one-on-one interview with Yuan earlier this month and he addresses all of this — and his happiness principal.

Watch the video here.

Designed for small conference rooms and huddle spaces, the ConferenceSHOT FX has an extra-wide 88-degree field of view to capture everyone in the meeting room. Its USB 3.0 output sends uncompressed, high resolution video over USB and is capable of 1080p/60fps for the smoothest video available.

ConferenceSHOT FX has a web-based user interface for remote configuration, management, and control. Its offers a 3x optical zoom with configurable presets and manual pan/tilt operation. Users can automatically or manually adjust image color, shading, backlight and wide dynamic range to optimize color for different settings.

Here are all the specs.

The new Big Knob series delivers all that and more, with the addition of high-resolution Onyx USB recording and playback delivering a powerful, hybrid solution that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. Both the Big Knob Studio and Big Knob Studio+ offer high-resolution USB interfacing, with dual Onyx mic preamps to deliver an ultra-wide 60dB of gain range and award-winning sound quality.

The Big Knob Passive allows for selection for two sources and two monitors, its no-power-required passive design ensures pristine sonic integrity for any home studio application or for integration into a large studio or group of editing suites. Big Knob Studio adds USB recording/playback and expands the I/O routing to three sources and two monitor pairs. It also incorporates essential studio features like integrated talkback and dual headphone outputs. Big Knob Studio+ adds even more features, with three selectable monitor outputs and four input sources, including a USB playback from a DAW with 192kHz / 24-bit audio conversion.

Big Knob Passive, Big Knob Studio and Big Knob Studio+ are all shipping now worldwide. Big Knob Passive lists for $89.99, Big Knob Studio lists for $259.99 and Big Knob Studio+ lists for $389.99. All of them are here.

“This is all about synergy, with both Genesis and Audability bringing different skillsets and experiences. This will propel us forward to become a much stronger force in the Audio Visual and Collaboration marketplace,” says Kelly McCarthy, president of Genesis Integration Inc.

Together, Genesis and Audability’s combined focus will bring added value and depth of offerings to their client base. “We are integrating the combined talents of two companies making one great company with exceptional capabilities,” says Audability CEO Andrew Turner. “Being Canadian owned and operated, we have a unique understanding of this country and the needs of our customers.”

Genesis is here. Audability is here.

The AT5047 features four rectangular two-micron-thick diaphragms, which function together to provide a combined surface area twice that of a standard one-inch circular diaphragm. Advanced internal shock mounting decouples the capsule from the microphone body and the included advanced-design AT8480 shock mount provides isolation.

AT5047 specifications:

• Element: Fixed-charge back plate, permanently polarized condenser
• Polar Pattern: Cardioid
• Frequency Response: 20 to 20,000 Hz
• Open Circuit Sensitivity: -29 dB (35.5 mV) re 1V at 1 Pa
• Impedance: 150 ohms
• Maximum Input Sound Level: 148 dB SPL, 1 kHz at 1% T.H.D.
• Noise: 6 dB SPL
• Dynamic Range (typical): 142 dB, 1 kHz at Max SPL
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 88 dB, 1 kHz at 1 Pa
• Phantom Power Requirements: 48V DC, 2.7 mA typical
• Weight: 592 g (20.9 oz)
• Dimensions: 165.3 mm (6.51”) long, 57.0 mm (2.24”) maximum body diameter
• Output Connector: Integral 3-pin XLRM-type

The AT5047 is now available with a list of $3,499. Here are all the specs.

Looking to minimize distortion as well as increase the dynamic range, or workable area, of its d:screet and d:fine lines of microphones, DPA developed this new amplifier to create an even clearer sound from the highest of the highs to the lowest of the lows. The dynamic range has been expanded in all ‘CORE’ miniature capsules. For example, the dynamic range of the d:screet 4061 and the d:fine 4066 has been increased by 14 dB at 1 percent THD. DPA says that CORE technology gives the microphones a more clear and open sound in the whole level range.

Located in the capsule of its miniature mics, CORE is currently available in the d:screet 4060, d:screet 4061, d:fine 4066 and d:fine 4088 mics. Microphones purchased with the new technology will come in CORE packaging and will have a blue label near the serial number on the cable to differentiate between these and the original versions. A very discreet laser engraving stating ‘core’ has been incorporated at the microphone capsule as well. The remaining d:screet and d:fine microphones and full range of color options will be available with CORE technology in early 2018.

The new ‘CORE’ omnidirectional microphones will also provide water and moisture resistance through nano coating and hermetic sealing of the sensitive electronics.

All of CORE’s specs are here.

Featuring Christie RealBlack technology for solid-state illumination, the DWU630-GS produces a 4,000,000:1 full on/off contrast ratio. It ships this month and here are all the tech specs.

To run video calls in Ultra HD quality, both participants need to use 6th generation Intel Core i7+ processor-based PC, a 4K webcam, an Ultra HD monitor and a high-speed network connection (8 Mbps in both directions). If these system requirements are met, the client application will automatically switch to 4K resolution (3840 × 2160 at 30 fps).

For more details, go here.

The unified communications speakerphone provides a scalable solution engineered to support the audio requirements of large meeting rooms, rooms with special table configurations, and even remote education classes or seminars within the Skype for Business application. The design provides fast, simple connection to a PC via USB and/or smartphones with Bluetooth. Featuring Yamaha’s adaptive echo cancellation and other unique sound processing technologies that have been developed over the years, the system facilitates stress-free conversation.

Here are the details.

The SE-102-N has been tested to pass extended operating temperatures (-40°C to +70°C) and meet extreme system reliability requirements that allow its deployment in a wide range of harsh indoor and outdoor environments. The fanless and noiseless system comes on board with a lower-power Intel Atom x7-E3950 @ 2.0GHz quad-core processor with an Intel HD Graphics, which combines efficiency and excellent performance, ensuring industrial-grade reliability for stable operation. It has two dual-channel DDR3L-1866 sockets to provide up to 8GB memory and 64GB mSATA SSD for faster system boot and low heat emission.

The SE-102-N’s super-slim chassis can fit into the tightest spaces behind displays and offers an array of connectivity options including a Gigabit Ethernet, audio, USB 3.0 ports, and two HDMI interface supporting 4K UFD resolution. Powered by a 60W adaptor, the SE-102-N also has a Mini PCI-E slot for optional WiFi, Bluetooth, 4G and video capture functions. The player has two HDMI outputs together supporting independent audio outputs, as well as built-in hardware EDID (extended display identification data) simulation to prevent screen convergence problems and issues due to cable disconnection or failure to identify EDID. It also comes with IBASE’s unique iSMART intelligent energy-saving and Observer monitoring technologies that feature automatic power on/off scheduling, automatic power recovery, low temperature boot protection and hardware monitoring.

All the specs are here.

The U841R delivers exceptionally intelligible audio reproduction in a super-compact, low-profile design. Equipped with UniGuard® RFI-shielding technology, this omnidirectional condenser boundary microphone is designed to capture audio for clear, highly intelligible sound reinforcement, professional recording, television and conferencing in surface-mount applications. The U841R has a 360° pickup angle and operates on phantom power.

U841R features include:

• UniGuard RFI-shielding technology offers outstanding rejection of radio frequency interference (RFI)
• Small-diameter capsule near boundary eliminates phase distortion and delivers clear, high-output performance
• Heavy die-cast case and silicone foam bottom pad minimize coupling of surface vibration to the microphone
• Low-profile design with low-reflectance black finish for minimum visibility
  Operates on phantom power

Both the XAP-1440 and XAP-810 can be easily set up on a network with Luxul’s XWC-1000 wireless controller, taking advantage of the controller’s Roam Assist feature to provide a continued, seamless roaming experience for users.

The new Luxul XAP-1440 and XAP-810 access points ship mid-November. Here are the more detailed specs.

The 6000 Series system consists of the following components: the ATW-R6200 receiver, the ATW-T6001 body-pack transmitter, an optional ATW-DA410 antenna distribution system, and a number of compatible Audio-Technica lavalier and headworn microphones. Audio-Technica describes key features as high-performance filtering to remove external noise; clear, easy-to-read displays; transmitter frequency setup from receiver via IR sync; network monitor and control; durable, compact body-pack transmitter design; and a reliable new miniature input connector.

ATW-R6200 receiver specifications:

• Receiving system: True diversity
• Operating frequency: 946.125 to 949.875 MHz
• Simultaneous channels: Total of 31 channels (125 kHz intervals)
• RF sensitivity: 20 dBμV (at 60dB S/N ratio)
• Total harmonic distortion: <1 percent (63 dBμV input, 1 kHz, frequency deviation ±10 kHz)
• SN ratio: 110 dB or more
• Audio output level: XLR balanced +6 dBV (LINE) -13 dBV (MIC) (frequency deviation ±15 kHz, 600 ohm load)
• Antenna input jack: BNC type (50 ohm) DC 12V OUT (max 60 mA x 2)
• Audio output terminal: XLR 3-pin male (balanced) 1/4″ (6.3 mm) standard stereo jack (balanced)
• Headphone OUTPUT jack: 1/4″ (6.3 mm) standard stereo jack; max power output: 100 mW + 100 mW into 32 ohms
• Power: AC 120V 60 Hz
• Operating temperature range: 41°F (5°C) to 113°F (45°C)
• Power consumption: 25 W
• External dimensions: 18.97″ (482 mm) W × 1.69″ (43 mm) H × 14.21″ (361 mm) D (excluding protrusions)
• Weight: 10.4 lbs (4.7 kg)

ATW-T6001 body-pack transmitter specifications:

• Operating frequency: 946.125 MHz to 949.875 MHz (31 channels)
• Frequency step: 125 kHz
• Spurious emissions: Following federal and national regulations
• RF power output: 50 mW / 10 mW / 2 mW
• Normal deviation: ±5 kHz
• Maximum deviation: ±16.25 kHz
• Frequency response: 70 to 15 KHz
• Batteries: Two 1.5V AA alkaline (not included)
• Battery life: Approx. 6 hours (using two alkaline batteries at 50 mW)
• Current consumption: 230 mA or less (at DC 3V)
• External dimensions: 2.44″ (62 mm) W x 2.76″ (70 mm) H x 0.67″ (17 mm) D (excluding protrusions)
• Weight: Approx. 3.2 oz (90 g) (excluding batteries)

The Audio-Technica 6000 Series wireless system is available with the following components and pricing:

• ATW-R6200 receiver: US $2,999
• ATW-T6001 body-pack transmitter: US $1,299
• ATW-DA410 antenna distribution system: US $4,349
• ATW-F948 pair of antenna filters: US $189
• AT898cH subminiature cardioid condenser lavalier microphone: US $179
• AT899cH subminiature omnidirectional condenser lavalier microphone: US $179
• BP892cH MicroSet subminiature omnidirectional condenser headworn microphone: US $309
• BP893cH MicroEarset omnidirectional condenser headworn microphone: US $259
• BP894cH MicroSet subminiature cardioid condenser headworn microphone: US $359

All the applications details are here.

Designed specifically for staging and high-usage applications, the new Christie Crimson projector line uses 3DLP laser phosphor technology and have lumens outputs up to 25,000. Featuring an IP5X sealed, solid-state laser light source, all Crimson projectors weigh 165-pounds and are spec’d at 2000:1 contrast ratio. The launch includes two models – the 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) resolution WU25 and the 1920 x 1080 (HD) resolution HD25.

With Christie BoldColor Technology, these projectors have their TruLife electronics electronics for ultra-fast processing up to 120Hz and includes Christie Twist (image warping and mapping) and is, of course, compatible with all Christie processing products. The line is ILS lens compatible and inputs include HDMI, DVI, 3G-SDI, HDBaseT and ChristieLink (QSFP + Fiber). They re compatible with 4K up to 12-bit color 4:4:4.

Here is a detailed spec sheet.

With the Epic 3, installers can now create a roaming Wi-Fi experience for their clients and service their networks remotely. With Domotz remote network monitoring built in and installers receive alerts when issues arise on their clients’ networks, allowing them to fix problems before customers even realize they exist. Luxul claims that having the Epic 3 on a client’s network also means quicker setup times and easier network maintenance for installers.

The Epic 3 router is compatible with Luxul’s access points (APs), allowing installers to add APs to maximize the performance and budget of each project. Capable of managing additional access points, the Epic 3 offers a cost-effective multi-access-point roaming solution for residential and small commercial networks.

Luxul’s Epic 3 with built-in Roam Assist, Domotz remote management software and Router Limits content management boosts Wi-Fi reliability while allowing users to remotely maintain the network to which it’s connected, and fully control their internet experience.

• Roam Assist provides seamless Wi-Fi connection throughout the home, eliminating problems such as low, dropped or lost signals.
• Domotz remote management software gives installers the power to manage, maintain and troubleshoot their clients’ networks from anywhere in the world.
• Router Limits content management means end-users are in control of their internet experience by managing internet traffic; choosing which devices can access the web; what parts of the web are OK (or not OK) and the days and times the internet should be available.

The Luxul Epic 3 Dual-Band Wireless AC3100 Gigabit Router will be available in late November 2017 with KRACK vulnerability protection. All the details are here.