Volume 3, Issue 3 — March 16, 2017
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Editorials Editorials Editorials Editorials
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The Three Golden Rules of Interactive Display Design
By Meghan Athavale CEO, Lumo Interactive
There are obviously all kinds of factors that influence how a display is designed, and how it works. These include things like lighting requirements, durability, intuitive user experience, target audience, localization, accessibility… the list is super long.
However, there are three simple rules that I’ve discovered must be followed in order to ensure that any interactive display is as successful and engaging as possible. If you’re planning an event or campaign, and you’re planning to incorporate a motion, gesture, or touch reactive digital experience, these rules will help you get the most out of your investment.
I’ve been the CEO of Lumo Interactive, a company that specializes in interactive digital display software, for over 6 years. In that time, we’ve deployed over 15,000 software licenses, and helped design tens of thousands of interactive displays, from motion reactive floors and walls, to gesture tracking games, to touchscreen and holographic displays of every shape and size.
In that time, I’ve learned a lot about what works (and doesn’t work) when designing a display that hundreds or thousands of people are going to engage with. There are obviously all kinds of factors that influence how a display is designed, and how it works. These include things like lighting requirements, durability, intuitive user experience, target audience, localization, accessibility… the list is super long.
However, there are three simple rules that I’ve discovered must be followed in order to ensure that any interactive display is as successful and engaging as possible. If you’re planning an event or campaign, and you’re planning to incorporate a motion, gesture, or touch reactive digital experience, these rules will help you get the most out of your investment.
RULE 1: WRITE THE ENDING FIRST.
An interactive display can be a useful way to engage an audience. It can also be a complete waste of money, space, and time if you don’t know what you want the audience to take away from your installation when it’s over. Your goals will help determine the end product, so it’s important to understand exactly what you want to achieve. Here are some of the reasons digital displays are used in an activations, and how they can inform design decisions.
You want to teach people something.
Research shows that one of the most effective ways to share and retain information is through an interactive experience. This is something that e-Learning platforms have understood for a while. Even outside the digital world, interactivity is on the rise in the classroom, from kindergarten to Harvard. Even large companies are getting the message — training new staff has always been a challenge, and linear videos and booklets just don’t have the same appeal as a personal, tangible interaction with the content.
When education is your primary goal, your design should focus on ease of use, which includes reducing the learning curve and evaluating success once information has been shared. This means you’ll need to eliminate surprises as much as possible, by creating something comfortable with familiar interaction metaphors, and incentivizing the interaction in a meaningful way.
The Heart Lounge table by digital design company Aarra is a nice example of an accessible way to learn about the components of blood, including what each cell is responsible for. By manipulating each component, users can learn about their functions in a variety of ways. This helps people learn by physically exploring, which leads to better information recall.
You want to create a meaningful connection between the audience and your message or brand.
In this case, the takeaway is a feeling. You want your installation to have an emotional impact on the audience. There are any number of ways to do this with a digital display, but there are important design considerations when the main point of your project is to trigger an emotion.
You need to consider context, both in terms of the physical structure of the display, and in terms of the location. A wonderful example of this is the Pathways to Housing campaign by Sarkissian Mason, which demonstrated the impact average people could have on homelessness simply by not ignoring it.
The installation targeted average New Yorkers who walk by, and probably ignore, the growing homeless population on a daily basis. To raise awareness, this campaign took place right on the streets of New York, and featured a life sized projection of a homeless individual, offering curious passers by a chance to help by engaging via SMS.
You want to spread the word.
If your goal is shareability, your design should involve elements of surprise, entertainment, and novelty. Remember that when someone shares something, it’s a reflection of themselves — your interactive display should be interesting, clever, or delightful enough to motivate the audience to share it because it will reflect well on them, personally.
A really good rule of thumb when it comes to shareability is that the more fun it is to watch other people engage with the installation, the more sharing it will get. Consider this augmented reality experience sponsored by National Geographic. Since all the action takes place on a big screen, the number of people able to see and share the installation is huge, even though the number of people actually engaging at any given time is relatively small.
RULE 2: ADD A SHINY RED BUTTON.
This rule is obvious, but difficult to follow. If you think of your display as a really amazing person everyone wants to meet, you need to identify the feature that makes that person so attractive… are they funny? Do they make you feel smarter? Do you feel cooler for having spent time with them?
In the case of an interactive display, you need to make sure there’s a clear reward for engaging. In some cases, this is obvious (at a way-finding kiosk, for example). But in many cases the reward is not as clear. Generally speaking, the more engaging the display, the more the reward has to outweigh the level of discomfort many people feel while using a new technology in a public place.
The shiny red button is an analogy for whatever it is about your installation that draws the audience and retains them so that they can have a personal experience.
Often, the easiest way to do this is to add a new level of engagement to a button that people press without thinking every single day. In this example, this is a literal button, created by design team Urban Invention.
The point of this installation is to encourage people to wait until it’s safe before crossing the street. The experience rewards people who engage with a game of pong against someone waiting across the street, occupying dwell time and decreasing impatience.
Here is a similar project, created by BBDO Berlin for Smart. On the surface, the goal seems the same, but in this case the shiny red button is unexpected amusement for the audience waiting, and a chance to actively engage in a different, nearby location.
Even though both displays seem to have the same end goal, (make people wait before crossing the street), this isn’t actually the case. In the first installation, a single person plays a game against someone waiting across the street. This experience may be watched (and may entertain) people standing very nearby, and it may even be shareable (the original test generated around 5 million views).
The second installation, however, was a lot more viral, led to several marketing awards, and offered two completely different levels of engagement. It’s also worth noting that the second installation differs from the first because it was designed to be a temporary experience in an event setting, and the goal was to generate ad collateral, rather than provide an actual, somewhat practical way to encourage people to wait at crosswalks.
Different desired outcomes informed the way these displays were designed.
This just goes to show that the perceived intention of an installation is not always the actual motivation. This why it’s so important to really understand what you want at the end before you add your shiny red button.
RULE 3: REMEMBER ALL THE HUMANS.
I’m a huge proponent of accessibility, but that’s not what this rule is about. When you go through the time and trouble to create an interactive digital experience, engaging your immediate audience should be your primary goal, but it should never be your only goal. This is because humans get bored. Fast. This means that in order to extend the shelf life and value of your installation, you need to either attract new humans or build an experience that lives on long after the original concept is executed and packed away.
One way to achieve this is to do something no one’s ever seen before. Consider the LG Halloween prank video, which was done once, totally staged, and caused so many people to upload and share it that I can’t find the original video.
This rule applies to any interactive display you want people to continue to use and/or talk about. Way-finding kiosks may seem like something you wouldn’t need to update often, since people in an airport or mall will always want to use them to find their way. But eventually your original audience will know where they’re going. Turning the kiosk from a tool into an experience may become really important. However, doing this in a meaningful way is more challenging when the display is meant to be practical rather than entertaining.
Creating a reason to return (or a reason for new humans to show up) can be as simple as customizing the experience each time. Imagine a way-finding kiosk that creates a personalized augmented experience people can take with them when they leave.
Customization is also the key to designing interactive displays that offer brand new experiences for participants, without reinventing the wheel for each new project. This is an exciting time to be in the feild of digital display design. We can incorporate an almost unlimited number of ways to engage with content. Artificial intelligence and deep learning can make our installations smarter and more adaptable. Audiences are becoming more familiar with technology, allowing their curiosity to over-rule our species’ tendency towards fear of the unknown. Understanding how you want the display to change the behavior of your audience can help you navigate the vast array of technology choices available.
Conclusion
This is obviously not a comprehensive list of every possible thing to consider when designing a compelling interactive display experience. But when you apply them to your project, you’ll achieve a much better, much more satisfying outcome, for your team, your clients, and the audience.
Have you done something super cool with interactive digital displays? Let us know, we’d love to share it!
This column was reprinted with permission of Meghan Athavale, CEO of Lumo Interactive, and originally appeared here. Leave a Comment
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Is VRTC the Next Big Thing?
By Mark Coxon rAVe Blogger
There has been a lot of discussion lately about the use of Virtual Realty (VR) technology. One of the applications being touted as ripe for VR is virtual meetings — a Virtual Reality Telconference (VRTC) if you will.
But will VRTC be the next big leap in meeting technology?
Imagine getting ready for your next meeting at work. You are at home, so you put on your VR headset and launch the meeting application. You are transported to a virtual room where you take a seat at the conference table. Others also join the table, some that are in the office together as well as others in remote locations like yourself.
Each participant is represented by a computer generated avatar inside the room. The animated presenter starts the meeting and triggers content that seems to float in front of you. Then a 3D model of your latest product appears over the table and the participants in the room can manipulate the object in 3D space to explore it’s form and functionality.
The meeting ends, and you remove your headset finding yourself back in your living room.
On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer. The efficiency of a video teleconference coupled with immersive content and interactive 3D visualization seems hard to find much fault with. However, does the VRTC experience actually promote better collaboration and teamwork?
Upon closer inspection, VRTC may actually be less effective than current video teleconferences. In what way?
No live video of participants.
The main draw of adding video to traditional teleconferences is to be able to actually see the other participants. We’ve all heard that communication is 7 percent words, 38 percent tone of voice and 55 percent body language. Adding video added the other 55 percent of communication by allowing participants to see each others facial expressions and body language as they speak and listen to one another, thereby creating more effective communication than is achieved by audio alone. A virtual avatar does not offer the same advantages or convey the real time expressions and body language of the participants.
Observed participation.
Many companies also leverage video in their conferences as an accountability tool. In a standard audio conference and employee can call in to the conference and then leave the room, go eat breakfast, answer email, etc. and the meeting organizer would never know the wiser. Adding video adds accountability to each participant as they know they are on camera. This means that participants are more likely to pay attention and be present at their computer during the conference. Again, a virtual avatar would be present in the VRTC room, but wouldn’t create the same accountability for the participant. Just like with audio, no one would know if participants are actually engaged in the meeting and the content.
Eye Contact.
There has been a lot written about eye contact and its importance in communication so I won’t rehash all that here. I do have a couple quick notes on the subject though. “Increased eye contact is associated with credibility and dominance and lack of contact and blinking are interpreted as submissive.” A virtual avatar won’t make genuine, expressive eye contact and essential communication may be missed altogether.
The Benefit of One to the Detriment of Many.
Depending on the businesses office set up, this could be a real concern. Imagine six people are in the office and put on headsets to get into the virtual room. One remote participant also joins the VRTC from their home. For the person at home, the VRTC experience, even with the drawbacks of digital avatars discussed above, may get a net benefit from being “transported” from the distractions of their home into a virtual room. However, the six people that are in the office are foregoing an in-person, face to face meeting around the table. They are losing out on the opportunity to interact face to face with their peers, all so one person can have an immersive experience remotely. In these cases, I would say the headsets become more of a barrier to good communication than a value added piece of the puzzle.
So is there a way to get the advantages of an immersive, interactive experience and minimize the negative consequences of digital avatars listed above?
The answer may lie in a Mixed Reality (MR) or Augmented Reality (AR) based system instead.
This type of system would utilize a camera on the VR headset to feed the display, or a pair of glasses like HoloLens that impose digital images in the near field over actual items in the real world. Devices like HoloLens use a clear plastic lens, which means for the people in the conference, they can continue to see each others eyes.
If wearing a full VR headset for deeper submersion in a remote or foreign environment, Google has created a way to recreate the semblance of eye contact with people wearing VR headsets.
They utilize a camera that scans the face and saves the image. Then a QR type code is placed on the front of the VR headset. Anyone looking through their own headset will see that code, and the scanned face is transposed over the headset so they can see each participants full face. The recorded expressions are fixed, so there is still no visual feedback during the communication other than a stare, which can imply hostility. Regardless, the MR/AR scenarios seem like they would allow for immersive and interactive content while still allowing for a more natural face to face meeting and keeping the video portion of the VTC to assure participation as well.
The other question here is does eye contact matter to Millennials and GenZ as much as it has meant to previous generations? Does a generation that uses text and social media as a primary source of communication even care about seeing the other person? Is a digital avatar more acceptable to them? I don’t know that answer, but I do know that there is something visceral about face to face contact, not only for humans, but for animals in general. The digital generations may not actually transcend their nature, and if not, seeing the person they are talking to will still facilitate a better experience.
So what do you think? Is VRTC the next big thing in communications or is it a fun gimmick that will trend for a short time before returning to a traditional camera based environment coupled with MR/AR instead? Weigh in below in the comments section.
Second image courtesy of http://vrscout.com/author/jonathan360/ Leave a Comment
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Is SiliconCore About to Kick Everyone’s Ass in LED?
By Gary Kayye rAVe Founder
At ISE, I had a chance to get a behind-the-scenes, top-secret look at the new SiliconCore LISA technology. LISA is basically an LED video-wall material (modular, like all the others) where the electronics and board drivers use Chip On Board (COB) manufacturing technology. So, on one side of the PCB is the LED array and on the other are the processing and video chips as well as all the power electronics driving it.
No big deal?
WRONG. LISA is a big, big deal — and nearly every LED company I spoke to at ISE, the big mega-AV show held last month in Amsterdam, asked me my thought about it. In fact, I hadn’t even planned to go by the SiliconCore booth until I was asked about LISA for the fourth or fifth time in a matter of a few hours after the show opened the first day.
So, what is Chip On Board (COB) LED LISA?
LISA could be a disruptive technology in the LED display markets. The individual Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are directly bonded to the PCB — eliminating the use of traditional Surface Mount Diodes (SMDs) on the board — to make the module mechanically more rigid, increasing its durability. And, it’s all one board — not two separate boards inside a housing (like nearly every other LED company). LISA debuted at ISE in a 1.9-millimeter format. But, SiliconCore told me that they will have it down to 1.2 millimeters later this year and even smaller in 2018.
Here’s an EXCLUSIVE look at the actual PCB in my hand at the show — I snuck a photo! On one side you see the LEDs and on the other is the electronics — this is all one PCB (PC Board).
And, although SiliconCore wouldn’t confirm this, at least three LED manufacturers told me they will be OEM’ing this from SiliconCore so you will see if from a plethora of companies.
So, the benefit?
Thin, thin LED displays that can be attached via magnets and/or Velcro — and not limited in size as this, in my hand in the photo above, is a PCB LED module. You can use it to build a display as large as you want or need! Oh, and they can be indoor or outdoor! Leave a Comment
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I loved AVI’s LIVE Show – Here’s Why
By Gary Kayye rAVe Founder
I was honored to be the Luncheon Keynote Speaker at the AVI LIVE 2017 show yesterday in Cincinnati, Ohio, yesterday. And, it was incredible. Everything about it! The branding, the education, the atmosphere, the venue, the vendors, the customers, the food — well, OK, the food was decent, but the rest was awesome.
The Branding: AVI Systems founded in 1974 as OMF Audiovisual, is owned by Joe Stoebner — an industry icon — has no debt, and is growing as fast as any AV integration firm is in the entire USA. And, as someone who teaches branding to college students at the University of North Carolina School of media and Journalism, I must say that I think they have some of the best branding in the AV industry. The logo, their style, they’re culture and they’re aura is all consistent with the image they portray. Kudos to AVI’s marketing team!
The Education: Unlike most dealer integration shows, AVI’s was different. Instead of just having a mini-tradeshow with a class or two sprinkled throughout the day, at the core of AVI LIVE was education. The two-day event included 12 hour-long courses — all pre-show. This is a big deal as most integrator shows I’ve been to or spoken at hold the show all day and the educational offerings are either all product-focused or happen during show hours. LIVE was neither. Even the manufacturers who help educational offerings talked use case, technology or workflow — not about products. And, the attendees appreciated this as the show floor actually opened AFTER the educational sessions were over and they would enter the floor seeking out the technologies discussed in each session. For example, in my keynote, I talked about how collaboration was not just an emerging trend but that there were over a dozen companies on-hand there at the LIVE show who could demonstrate collaborative meeting rooms and classroom systems right there on the show floor. And, AVI themselves had three completely integrated room systems to demo, too — one even usedAmazon’s Alexa to totally control the room.
The Atmosphere: Everything seemed new. Sure, the cool branding of the event itself likely helped with this observation but, all the exhibiting companies showing there showed only new stuff. New gear. And, in many cases, they were co-located with partner vendors where they showed their stuff working together. Everything was systems-focused.
The Venue: OK, this was the gem of the whole experience — the AVI LIVE event in Cincinnati was literally held inside the Cincinnati Reds’ stadium — the Great American Ball Park. Who can’t love that? And, the day culminated in a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium itself.
The Vendors: AVI LIVE was a who’s who of AV today. Prysm, Extron, Crestron, Barco, Cisco, Polycom, Epson, Harman and Kramer is just part of the story — and, again, all of them were systems-focused. Over 45 vendors showed at the Cincinnati event this week and all of them will be in Chicago and Minneapolis for the May events.
More to come and we’ll be covering the Minneapolis and Chicago events way, way bigger! Hint, Hint! Leave a Comment
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Navori Labs Prepares Launch of Next-Generation QL Digital Signage EngineAt the Digital Signage Expo later this month, Navori Labs will unveil its next-generation QL digital signage engine to address the main challenges and pain points of a quickly-growing industry. Navori QL 2.0 offers a completely redesigned user interface, support for 34 languages and a highly robust backbone to serve the largest out-of-home networks among other new capabilities.
As with previous generations, QL 2.0 features three distinct elements:
- QL 2.0 Server: A highly scalable and fault-tolerant server with robust load balancing to manage thousands of players across enterprise networks, improving reliability while accommodating growth. Automatic failover strengthens network uptime while connectivity to third-party content delivery networks (CDNs) extends reach. A special software development kit (SDK) also expands customization options.
- QL 2.0 Content Manager: Featuring the refreshed CMS and new adaptive HTML5 user interface at its core, Content Manager both simplifies and enhances the way users work with templates, video files, social media, tickers, tags and more across multiple seats, devices and operating systems.
- QL Player 2.0: QL 2.0 is the first solution to offer a native player engine across Windows, Android and Samsung Tizen. Operationally, QL Player 2.0 accommodates image and data feed pre-loading plus an enhanced API set to trigger events and establish interoperability with Navori add-on modules and third-party systems. This can include point-of-sale systems, sports scoring software, and advertising sales and scheduling. A built-in “watchdog’ application ensures all modules run properly and at peak efficiency.
Most of QL 2.0’s flexibility begins with Content Manager. The ability to edit, update and upload a message or media file using any web browser or device empowers users to work from virtually any location, while drag-and-drop simplicity removes the coding and management complexities of working with social media and other real-time data feeds. On the social media side, both QL 2.0 Content Manager and Player automatically integrate with and update Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google Calendar feeds.
The preview functionality also for the first time enables YouTube-style content viewing directly within the user interface, while an improved Template Designer adds the ability to see dynamic data instead of a rectangular fields reference.
QL 2.0’s multi-lingual support and single sign-on authentication provide two additional benefits across opposite sides of the spectrum. Its native support for 34 languages, a higher number than most digital signage systems on the market, ensures almost limitless possibilities for networks deployed across various regions, countries or continents. From a systems administration and management perspective, QL 2.0’s single sign-on authentication feature simplifies the way users can work remotely, while maintaining a high level of security for content and network protection. Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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Hitachi Introduces Its First 3,500 Lumen LED ProjectorHitachi America just launched the LP-WU3500, a 3,500-lumen, WUXGA (1920×1200) LED projector. The High Lumen Density (HLD) technology works by channeling blue LED light through a phosphor rod, where it is discharged as bright green light. Working in tandem with high brightness red and blue LED lights, it achieves maximum brightness and a 30,000:1 contrast ratio. LED technology delivers enhanced image quality with a wider color gamut which results better color.
Hitachi says the LP-WU3500 operates at a much lower noise level than other projectors thus they are aiming it for use in a classrooms, conference rooms, art galleries, museums and digital signage. The dust resistant structure applied to the optical engine reduces the effect of dust and particles in the air and enables the projector to be used in an array of environments without overheating and creating unnecessary noise.
Here are the details: http://www.hitachi-america.us/projectors Leave a Comment
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Vivitek Debuts Two New Laser-Based Large Venue Projectors and a Dual-Lamp Meeting Room Projector
Vivitek has announced two new large venue laser projectors, the DK8500Z and the DU8190Z, both using 20,000 laser light sources. The DK8500Z is 3840×2160 resolution and is 7,500 ANSI lumens and the DU8190Z is a WUXGA projector with 10,000 ANSI lumens brightness. Both projectors offer motorized lens shift and lens position memory function with eight optional lenses ranging from 0.38:1 to 5.31-8.26:1 throw ratio. And, both are integrated with built-in edge-blending, warping and portrait mode projection with 360-degrees capability for digital signage or mapping applications. In addition to the new laser projectors, at ISE 2017 Vivitek also showed a new dual lamp projector, the DU6771. Intended for large meeting rooms where brightness and installation flexibility is a key consideration, the DU6771 is 6,500 ANSI lumens and WUXGA resolution with 3,000:1 contrast ratio. The motorized zoom, focus and lens shift features allow for easy adjustment and movement and image adjustment is made easier with four-corner and keystone corrections.
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James Loudspeaker Redesigns QXC Mounting System Making Upside-Down Ceiling Installations Easier James Loudspeaker has redesigned the mounting system for their QXC series of architectural speakers, making it dramatically easier for integrators to secure them in place. The new QXC loudspeakers utilize a lightweight aluminum frame with semi-circular clamps that attach to the ceiling or wall surface using stainless steel hardware. Once the frame has been secured with speaker mounting screws in place, the QXC speaker can be simply rotated into position using the provided keyhole shaped receptacles in the speaker’s mounting flange. This methodology eliminates the need for the installer, often perched precariously on a ladder, from having to balance the speaker while simultaneously holding tools and hardware.
Here’s a real-time video they made doing a ceiling install.
The QXC Series speakers (available in 6.5 and 8-inch models) feature aluminum cone woofers with Santoprene rubber surrounds and quad aluminum tweeter arrays. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Eiki Launches EK-100 Series of Classroom Projectors Eiki International just debuted the EK-100 Classroom Series projectors. Common to all four models in the EK-100 Series is a 10,000-hour lamp life (in economy mode, 4,000 in normal mode), 10,000:1 contrast ratio, corner keystone correction and each have HDMI and MHL (Mobile High-Definition) inputs. They also include a 1.48-1.78:1 throw to width manual zoom and focus lens.
Eiki’s new EK-100 Classroom Series projectors are shipping now. Here are the details:
- EK-100W: WXGA (1266×768), 3,600 lumens, $995
- EK-101X: XGA (1024×768), 4,200 lumens, $995
- EK-102X: XGA (1024×768), 3,300 lumens, $845
- EK-103X: XGA (1024×768), 3,300 lumens, $695
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Bosch Expands DICENTIS IP-Based Conference Line
Bosch announced the expansion of its IP based conference system portfolio with four new, wired devices under the DICENTIS name. As part of this expansion, Bosch will integrate its DCN multimedia system into the DICENTIS Conference System family.
The DICENTIS Conference System is part of Bosch’s open media networking architecture, OMNEO. With OMNEO, the DICENTIS Conference System makes use of fully standardized network technology for ease of integration, cost-effective installation and simple maintenance. In addition, the system enables easy expansion with OMNEO audio devices and a wide range of audio products supporting Dante networking. The system is capable of connecting a network of up to 750 conference devices and integrating with other systems sharing the network such as IP video streams or content management systems.
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CASIO to Release 4K, 5,000-Lumen Projector This MonthThe industry is about to see a new 4K projector from Casio America, which will ship the XJ-L8300HN lamp-free projector in June of this year. Featuring native 4K (UHD) resolution (3840×2160) and a brightness spec. of 5,000 lumens, the new projector uses a new 4K DLP chip and will include a 1.5:1 zoom lens.
Spec’d to last over 20,000 hours, the light source is an all-laser solid-state design. Inputs include VGA, two HDMI ports, one HDBaseT, component video and RS232 control as well as network control. It’s not a small projector — it weighs over 40 pounds, but it’s aimed at rental/staging or fixed install for large meeting rooms and classrooms. Lens shift for the XJ-L8300HN is ± 60 percent up or down, ± 25 percent left or right. Here is a PDF with the detailed specs available or you can see it here on their website. Leave a Comment
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Sharp’s New PN-L401C 40″ AQUOS BOARD Aimed at Huddle SpacesThe latest addition to the Sharp AQUOS BOARD family is a 40” version in the form of the PN-L401C AQUOS BOARD. It’s 100 percent AQUOS BOARD in that it’s an interactive display — that can be used in either landscape, portrait or face-up orientation — and allows for wireless collaboration, annotation, screen sharing (wirelessly) and whiteboarding.
The PN-L401C is native1920×1080 resolution with 10-point multi-touch, has a detachable tabletop stand and an expansion slot compatible with the Intel Mini Open Pluggable Specification (Mini OPS) supports the addition of an optional wireless or HDBaseT receiver board.
It’s already shipping and here are the specs. Leave a Comment
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New PAVIRO Public Address and Voice Evacuation Features from Bosch
The PAVIRO Public Address and Voice Evacuation System from Bosch now offers users new hardware and software features for enhanced usability and for use in larger applications. Using IP technology, PAVIRO provides a highly flexible, reliable and secure system solution with low latency. As installers can use existing networks in the building infrastructure, relying on IP technology also results in faster installations and lower implementation costs. Furthermore, PAVIRO can be interconnected with other devices such as PCs or laptops over IP protocol, allowing for efficient remote control, diagnostics and maintenance via the Internet.
The PAVIRO Public Address and Voice Evacuation System IP functionality and connectivity is achieved via the Dante network interface module (OM-1) from Bosch. Now it is possible to create a 16-channel Dante audio network between the individual controllers. Bosch says this IP networking architecture allows users to create multi-controller network topologies for larger areas via up to four de-centralized controllers. At the maximum configuration level, the PAVIRO system can now address up to 984 zones with a total of 164,000 watts of amplifying power in one system, making the system suitable for bigger installations in which a large number of zones and loudspeakers are needed. It also caters to existing installations whenever the infrastructure of a building changes and additional rooms have to be addressed. In addition, the network configuration provides redundant channels for safety purposes – in case of an emergency these channels will always work for evacuation signals, even if a controller loses network communication.
PAVIRO is a Public Address and EN 54-certified Voice Evacuation System and here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Extron Introduces New StudioStation One Touch Recording SolutionExtron just launched the simplest, but coolest, ProAv product in a while — it’s called StudioStation. If you can’t sell this, you shouldn’t be in ProAV — this will be EASY to sell!
StudioStation is literally a one-touch recording of HD video and audio presentations. To turn the system on, insert a USB stick and press the record button to begin recording. Systems are customizable to support any installation. StudioStation solutions are ideal for flipped classroom recordings, lecture capture, student assessments, rehearsal spaces, moot courts or any other application where making a recording by pressing only one button is desired.
StudioStation uses Extron’s scaling and flexible signal processing for superior recording of nearly all HDMI source resolutions. The default recording setup is configured for 720p at 5 Mbps, producing an MP4 media file which is compatible with virtually any media player or editing software. Using the embedded web page, it is easy to customize the default configuration to meet the needs of many applications.
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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NEC Releases 8 New Projectors in New ME Series NEC Display Solutions just announced eight new XGA (1024×768) and WXGA (1280×800) resolution projectors aimed at both classrooms and meeting rooms. The light (about 6 pounds), portable ME Series projectors include 3,000-, 3,300-, 3,600- and 4,000-lumen options and all of them include a 1.7x zoom lens. All of them have VGA, two HDMI and one USB port as well as built-in 20-watt speakers and IR, LAN and RS232 control.
The entire line can use NEC’s MultiPresenter, a multi-user (up to 16 connections from smart phones, tablets and PCs) collaborative screen-sharing solution (wireless) that allows students and instructors to share images, files, documents, presentations and more simultaneously over a wired or wireless network. Operating system agnostic, it combines users of Windows, MAC, iOS and Android operating systems onto a single screen.
The new ME Series projectors also feature advanced geometry adjustments such as horizontal and vertical keystone, cornerstone, and pincushion, which can be easily and quickly made to keep a squared image on the screen, regardless of whether the projector is moved from room to room or permanently installed.
Finally, all of them have NEC’s Quick Star, have a 9,000 hour lamp and and a three-year labor warranty; and will be available in February 2017. Prices and links to each projector are here:
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IBM and Ricoh Partner for Watson-Powered Whiteboards IBM and Ricoh have partnered for a cognitive-enabled interactive whiteboard which uses IBM’s Watson intelligence and voice technologies to support voice commands, taking notes and actions and even translating into other languages.
The Intelligent Workplace Solution leverages IBM Watson and Ricoh’s interactive whiteboards to allow to access features via using voice. It makes sure that Watson doesn’t just listen, but is an active meeting participant, using real-time analytics to help guide discussions.
Features of the new cognitive-enabled whiteboard solution include:
- Global voice control of meetings: Once a meeting begins, any employee, whether in-person or located remotely in another country, can easily control what’s on the screen, including advancing slides, all through simple voice commands using Watson’s Natural Language API.
- Translation of the meeting into another language: The Intelligent Workplace Solution can translate speakers’ words into several other languages and display them on screen or in transcript.
- Easy-to-join meetings: With the swipe of a badge the Intelligent Workplace Solution can log attendance and track key agenda items to ensure all key topics are discussed.
- Ability to capture side discussions: During a meeting, team members can also hold side conversations that are displayed on the same whiteboard.
IBM says they are currently installing 80 Ricoh interactive whiteboards in its new global Watson headquarters in Munich, Germany.
Here are specific details on the Ricoh product. Leave a Comment
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Sharp Launches New PN-L401C AQUOS BOARD Interactive DisplayThe latest addition to Sharp’s AQUOS BOARD family is the new Sharp 40″ PN-L401C — capable of being used in landscape, portrait or face-up orientation. For digital signage applications, the PN-L401C serves as an interactive sign and for SMB offices it enables interactive collaboration is a “huddle space” environment.
The PN-L401C interactive display shares some great features of other models in the AQUOS BOARD display line incluing the Sharp Pen-on-Paper user experience, which resists fingerprints and scratches, as well as providing an anti-glare surface. It a native HD LCD (1920×1080) resolution, 10-point multi-touch display with a detachable tabletop stand so it can either sit at the end of a table or hang on the wall like a picture — it’s even light enough to be attached using Velcro as it weighs less than 25 pounds.
It includes an expansion slot compatible with the Intel Mini Open Pluggable Specification (Mini OPS) system, cab receive content via wireless connectivity or via an HDBaseT input. It lists for $2,295.
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New Crestron Zūm Is Aimed at App-Based Control Systems Crestron announced today it is now shipping Zūm (pronounced “ZOOM”), an app-based (uses a network bridge, instead of a controller) lighting controller. Crestron says the “building block” devices (wireless dimmers, switches, sensors, etc.) needed for dimming and automation work together wirelessly and you set it up on the keypad, dimmer, or mobile app itself. Scaling from standalone systems to centralized building-wide control and network management is capable using traditional control systems. The Zūm Network Bridge simply snaps onto the Zūm Load Controller to add remote setup, daylighting, time clock scheduling, temporary overrides and other capabilities.
A single Zūm load controller can support up to 32 devices. Each device has a wireless communication range of 150 feet in every direction. Communication hops from one device to the other to create a mesh network of up to 2.25 million square feet. There’s no need for interface boxes or exposed antenna hanging from the ceiling. Centralized building-wide lighting control can be deployed using the same devices as standalone systems.
All Zūm devices offer standard mounting and consist of:
- a choice of four Load Controllers (0-10v, relay, plug load and universal phase), which enable all system devices to communicate with each other
- wireless wall box dimmer and keypads
- battery-powered keypads, which allows placement anywhere – even on glass or brick
- occupancy sensors for automation and data collection
- a daylight sensor
The Network Bridge simply snaps onto the Load Controller already installed in spaces throughout the building to enable remote Bluetooth setup from the iPhone app. The Network Bridge pairs with the Zūm Hub to communicate wirelessly with traditional Crestron centralized lighting control systems, AV, shades and HVAC for a complete enterprise solution.
The Zūm Network Bridge enables remote management, including time clock scheduling, executing temporary overrides, daylighting and building-wide on/off. Direct communication with Zūm Cloud services centralized network management. For example, it can easily identify all vacant rooms with the lights turned on and then those lights can all be turned off remotely. Zūm Cloud also provides instant alert notifications for remote support and room usage data collection and reporting.
Crestron seems to be aiming the Zūm system to both home and small businesses. Here are the detailed specs. Leave a Comment
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Sony Hits the Jackpot for Creativity With New Surface Projector Integrated With Embedded TouchIn one of the most creative uses of projection in the history of the industry the Sony Mobile Phone Group comes something they are calling Xperia Touch — a projector with an embedded Android projector. Xperia Touch is an interactive projector that turns any flat surface into a 23” HD touchscreen, with either horizontal or vertical ultrashort-throw projection. The interface is fast and responsive to physical touch – it’s built using Sony’s SXRD projection display technology, and touch is made possible through a combination of Infrared light and real-time detection via its built-in camera, at a rate of 60 frames-per-second.
This hit the jackpot for creativity.
The projector itself is a WXGA (1366×768) resolution 3LCD using a laser as a light source. Spec’d at a 4000:1 contrast ratio and embedded with a 13 megapixel camera, the Xperia Touch is only 100 lumens but the projection distance is so short that it looks brighter on a surface like a table. Input is USB-C (with an HDMI adapter) and it uses Miracast as well as NFC for wireless connectivity. Touch Control uses an IR sensor and camera and it is 10 point multi-touch.
This is a big deal, in case you haven’t noticed.
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Audio-Technica Adds Interpretation Unit for ATUC-50 Digital Discussion SystemAudio-Technica has added the ATUC-50INT simultaneous interpretation unit to the functionality of the ATUC-50 Digital Wired Discussion System. Designed use with up to three languages, the ATUC-50INT places control in the hands of interpreters, thanks to the system’s web remote-based conference management software application.
The unit’s control panel allows easy selection of headphone volume level as well as the choice of floor or relayed language – and two ATUC-50INTs may be linked to deliver each language for hardware redundancy. Discussion participants can select between the three interpretation channels on their ATUC-50DU discussion units, or the languages can be transferred to an existing wireless language distribution system via the ATUC-50CU control unit. Multi-language discussion recording is also made simple with the ATUC-50CU’s on-board four-channel recorder.
The ATUC-50INT is now available. More information is here. Leave a Comment
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Extron’s Existing XTP II CrossPoint Series Is World’s First AV Platform to Support HDMI 2.1Extron’s XTP II CrossPoint Series is currently the only AV technology platform in the industry to support the recently announced HDMI 2.1 specification, as well as DisplayPort 1.4. Extron says that it’s because of its 50 Gbps digital backplane — so no upgrades of existing installs are required. The XTP II already supports the HDMI 2.1 specification’s range of higher video resolutions and refresh rates, including 8K@60 Hz and 4K@120 Hz with HDR. Extron also says that the XTP II frames are the only AV switching platform that supports the 48 Gbps data rate of HDMI 2.1 — meaning that it can even be used with 8K in the future.
XTP II CrossPoint matrix switchers are engineered to exceed the bandwidth required by HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 signals. Three modular frames are available for 16×16, 32×32 and 64×64 I/O configurations and feature Extron’s EverLast power supplies.
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NEC Display Intros World’s First Filter-Free LCD Laser Projectors NEC Display just announced the NP-PA653UL and NP-PA803UL installation projectors – and they are the world’s first filter-free LCD laser models. The projectors’ laser light sources and sealed optical engines prevent the accumulation of dust particles and give users 20,000 hours of maintenance-free performance. Spec’d at 6,500 lumens and 8,000 lumens, respectively, the PA Series projectors are aimed at schools, museums, corporations, retailers and other places where there is high ambient lit rooms.
NEC Display’s filter-less operation represents both a technical design and an industry breakthrough. Facing less projector downtime and fewer service repairs, users can maximize their technology investments and the applications available to them.
Both of the current projectors in the PA Series are WUXGA (1920×1200) resolution projectors and can handle inputs up to 4K/60p. Factory-st with the Rec2020 color conversion technology, they are both capable of handling 10-bit color processing and have an 8,000:1 contrast ratio. Input include two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort with HDCP and an HDBaseT inout with HDCP.
The NP-PA653UL projector will be available in April 2017 and list for $7,779 and the NP-PA803UL projector will be available in August 2017 and will list for $6,499. Here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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1 Beyond Introduces the Collaborate AVS Videoconferencing System
1 Beyond has announced it’s shipping its Collaborate AVS videoconferencing solution. Collaborate AVS is designed to automatically focus the camera on the active speaker. Designed for larger meeting rooms, classrooms, courtrooms and panel discussions, Collaborate AVS gives a close-up view of the person talking and can be used for video conferencing as well as recording, streaming or IMAG (Image Magnification). No camera operator is required as switching is automatic.
Up to eight cameras and 250 microphones can be placed anywhere, even accommodating rooms where the presenter and audience face different directions. The system is configured with a browser-based interface. Other features include side-by-side Conversation Mode when two people are in conversation and integration with the 1 Beyond AutoTracker camera which follows a mobile presenter.
Collaborate AVS supports the newest push-to-talk or voice-activated table-top mics or ceiling arrays, including Shure Microflex Advance, Shure DDS 5900, Shure DCS 6000 and 1 Beyond AVS Wireless Microphone systems. In addition to standard codecs from Polycom and Cisco, Collaborate AVS works with software conferencing solutions like Skype, Zoom, BlueJeans and GoToMeeting. 1 Beyond says the software can run on the Collaborate AVS system so a separate computer is not needed.
Standard Collaborate AVS packages include two or four 1 Beyond PTZ-S20 cameras and start at $12,995. Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
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NEC Display Launches New V and P Series Commercial Grade LCD Displays NEC Display Solutions of America announced today the latest generation of its flagship V and P Series commercial grade displays. Each series consists of three different sizes ranging from 40 inches to 55 inches and features a lighter chassis with a new thin bezel and a flush surface with a removable logo. They also contain a new anti-glare surface coating that further scatters incidental light to allow clear and concise messaging. All of them are native 1080p.
Designed with a display brightness of 500 cd/m2, the V Series is suitable for commercial customers that need professional 24/7 quality under the common ambient lighting conditions found in education, retail, entertainment and quick service restaurants. The P Series, on the other hand, is designed with a brightness of 700 cd/m2 to ensure easy readability at the same 24/7 quality for the higher ambient lighting conditions found in transportation, financial, broadcast and corporate environments.
All six monitors have two HDMI 2.0 ports and one DisplayPort 1.2 with daisy chain capability, but each display now has modular expansion options that allow for flexibility in content distribution and internal processing. The displays have an integrated media player that enables users to load content via USB or over the Ethernet connection, useful for simple signage integration. In addition to this, the V and P Series maintain the OPS slot of previous generation products, which allows for the seamless integration of more complex computing options.
NEC has introduced the ability to integrate a Raspberry Pi Computer Module directly into the displays via a simple card slot. The new displays also feature enhanced imaging performance via the SpectraView Engine, a chipset that allows for complete color control, including luminance, gamma, color and uniformity (P Series only) control.
Other features include:
- LED edge-lit backlight technology for reduced power consumption and a thinner overall depth
- NFC capabilities, which allow a smart phone or tablet to communicate with displays for setup and servicing
- Improved daisy chain capabilities allowing for UHD daisy chain for video wall purposes and LAN daisy chain for control signals, reducing overall cable requirements
- Multi Picture Mode capabilities, allowing for up to 4 simultaneous images to be displayed at once on the screen.
- 12-bit Look Up Tables (LUT) to provide accurate, stable and repeatable color calibrations
- Auto-ID and Auto IP Address functionality, minimizing setup times
- IR lock capability, which allows the end user to control only certain parts of the display while protecting other important settings from inadvertent adjustment
- CEC control through HDMI, allowing control capabilities with other HDMI CEC compatible devices
- L-shaped terminal interface and bottom OPS slot, which allow for easier access to connectivity in both landscape and portrait orientation
- Face up and face down orientation support for specialized applications
The V404, V484, V554, P404 and P484 displays will be available in late March at a list price of $1,049, $1,299, $1,799, $1,299 and $1,579, respectively. The P554 display will be available in April. Here are all the specs.
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