Volume 5, Issue 20 – October 23, 2007

Introduction

Welcome to rAVe Pro Edition – Volume 5, Issue 20

Editorial
Can We Sell Intangibles?
By Gary Kayye, CTS

Special Announcement

rAVe eNewsletters Announces rAVe Rental [and Staging]

Special Announcement

CEDIA, Electrograph Partner on Upcoming DTE, Kayye to Keynote

Cartoon Series!

Displays
	Panoram Brings 3D to the Desktop

Audio
	New Tannoy Loudspeaker Line Targets Commercial and Home Applications

Welcome to another edition of rAVe!

In today’s issue, I talk about selling outside the “box,” so to speak. Is your staff trained to sell intangibles? Are you? There is perhaps no better way to ensure your survival in this industry.

In the news, Polycom introduced some products that fill in those middle gaps for conferencing. Now, not only does HD videoconferencing work, it’s affordable.

–Gary Kayye, CTS

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Editorial

Can We Sell Intangibles?
By Gary Kayye, CTS

This is exciting as it’s a heck of a lot more profitable to sell services and software than it is to sell boxes and hardware – margin problem fixed, right?

Well, not so fast.

Sure, we’ve always had individuals (and companies) who are Crestron and AMX programmers – they sell service – and they’ve done really well.  One of the largest, PepperDash, is one of the most profitable companies in our market’s history.

And, we have Design Consultants.  Design Consultants sell time and product system expertise – designing a solution for their client on an hourly (or project) bases. 

But, are we ready (and willing) to truly sell services and software?

I’m sort of worried we aren’t.

How many of you have developed a specific strategy to sell intangibles?  I am quite sure that everyone reading this column gets commissioned selling projectors, plasma displays, electronic whiteboards, touch screens and even all the cables to glue all that stuff together.  But, how many of you out there can tell me exactly how you’re commissioned when you sell an IP network?  Or, how about the software to manage the last five installs you put in for a client – something that would allow you to truly troubleshoot their system 24/7/365?

You see that’s the key.  Every dealer out there needs to re-engineer their sales department such that their people on the street are not only getting commissioned to sell software-based solutions and services like they do hardware, but also have been trained how to sell intangibles. 

I’ve met some of the best salespeople in the world having traveled around the ProAV industry.  Put something in front of them, they can sell it.  But, I am not so sure that they all could sell something that you can’t actually put in front of them – like software, or 24-hour remote management solutions.  Heck, AMX and Crestron have even resorted to basically giving these things away just to get their clients hooked on how they work – almost like crack – as once you design a facility-wide solution around one of the other’s remote management software, you can’t go back to doing it the old-fashioned way. 

But, shouldn’t that expertise been sold?  Shouldn’t a whole bunch of companies be making money off selling this?

Look, there are a host of companies entering the ProAV market right now getting ready to market nothing but software to you – companies like Arrive Corporation and Tidebreak.  I don’t have the space here to go into the details of what either of these products does, and that’s not what this column’s for.  But, rest assured that although they are unrelated solutions, in each case they are marketing totally non-hardware solutions [i.e. software] that allow you to leverage the power of the network to do things that clients only dreamed of doing three years ago.

But, in both case, you have to know how to sit in front of a client and sell a virtual product – a product that you simply can’t demonstrate.  But, given the right relationship with the client and an ability to identify their true needs, they are both solutions that will be EASY to sell – and at margins that are two and three times that of virtually ANY product you’ve ever sold.

So, are we ready?  Are YOU ready?

I hope so.  And, it didn’t stop with these two companies.  At InfoComm 2007, I counted 18 NEW companies totally selling either services or software solutions that they want to market through the ProAV dealer channel.

And, I would much rather see them sell these solutions through our channel rather than around our channel.

And, in five years from now, when you’re making 50% or more of your revenue selling services and software in the ProAV market, remember to thank people like Jason McGraw of InfoComm for getting them on to the show floor in summer ’07.

Reprinted with permission from Sound & Communications. Founded in 1955, Sound & Communications is the premiere magazine for AV systems integrators, contractors and consultants. To subscribe or read sample articles, go to http://www.soundandcommunications.com

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Special Announcement

rAVe eNewsletters Announces rAVe Rental [and Staging]
30-Year Staging guru, Joel Rollins, to be Contributing Editor and Columnist

"We are extremely proud of the successes of rAVe Pro over the last five years and rAVe Home over the last four," said Gary Kayye, CTS, in making the announcement. "We now see an opportunity to bring our style of news reporting, commentary and market analysis, to specific segments of the channel, starting with rental and staging."

rAVe is known for not just reporting the news but, when applicable, reporting it in a way that provides context to the readers. The editorials take daring stances on issues facing integrators and manufacturers. The readership of both newsletters is composed of dealers, manufacturers and end-users.

Leading the rAVe Rental [and Staging] editorial team with his wit, passion and knowledge of the market will be industry veteran, Joel Rollins, who will serve as a contributing editor and opinionated columnist. rAVe Editor-in-Chief Denise Harrison will oversee the new publication. Producer Sara Abrons will work with production and sponsors. Gary Kayye will be the publisher, as with the other rAVe publications.

Joel R. Rollins, CTS-R, is General Manager of Everett Hall Associates, Inc. and is well known throughout the professional AV industry for his contributions to industry training and his extensive background in AV rental, staging and installation. Before joining EHA, Joel was General Manager of Riverview Systems Group, Inc. Riverview, based in San Jose, California, is an AV staging and installation company specializing in major national events and design/installation projects for Silicon Valley firms.

"rAVe has become the 'must read' publication in ProAV," said Rollins. "It's hard to find anyone who doesn't read it to keep up on news, and to understand how that news pertains to their professional planning. The opportunity to write hard-edged, opinionated pieces that represent what I think is right and wrong within the rental and staging industry is a perfect outlet for me and I greatly look forward to the new venture."

Readers can sign up at:

https://builder.campaigner.com/app/campaigner/services/optinlist/processoptinrequest.jsp?oilb=88687709&builderType=paid

Sponsorships will be much more limited than in the other rAVe eNewsletters, so interested sponsors are encouraged to apply right away by contacting Gary Kayye at gkayye@kayye.com or (919) 969-7501.

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Special Announcement

Gary Kayye, Publisher/Editor/Contributor Gary Kayye’s rAVe and Gary Kayye’s Home Edition, will present: The AV/IT Generation: Tomorrow’s Workforce Today. This session will help you prepare the best route for your business with five key steps toward A/V and IT integration. Once again Electrograph is hitting the road to deliver their Display Technology Experience (DTE) to the Broward County Convention Center on November 7. Packed with educational opportunities you’d typically have to pay extra for at other events, the DTE has something for everyone in your organization. It’s one day you simply can’t afford to miss and it’s completely FREE. Register now! NEW! Earn CEDIA Continuing Education Credits! Just by attending this one-day of FREE training, you can receive both NSCA University Learning and CEDIA continuing education credits while you stay on top of what’s new and what’s next in your industry. With a day full of educational sessions led by some of the biggest names in the business, you’ll walk away with the tips, tricks, and insider knowledge you can during your next installation. At our afternoon Manufacturer Product Showcase, you’ll get hands-on with the newest products that will make your installations easier and more profitable. Plus, meet one-on-one with the people who know these products best—without elbowing through the typical show crowds. Learn how to be more efficient, attract more customers and ultimately be more profitable. You’ll discover the answers to these questions and much more just by spending one day at the Electrograph DTE. A $249 value that’s absolutely FREE! Register today at electrographdte.com to ensure your spot. See these sponsors in the DTE Product Showcase: Check out the Agenda for Florida What attendees are saying about DTE: "The location and facility were excellent. I liked the smaller size of this event because you could spend a lot of time with each vendor." "The one-on-one with the manufacturers speaks volumes." "I attend a lot of functions yearly and I can honestly say that I was extremely impressed. I thought that the people involved were extremely professional and helpful… I rate my overall experience as excellent. Very good job."

Electrograph Systems, Inc. 50 Marcus Boulevard Hauppauge, NY 11788

Brubaker Named Vice President of Sales at Da-Lite Screen Company

Blake Brubaker, with Da-Lite Screen Company for 14 years, was promoted to the newly-created position of Vice President of Sales for its North American operations. As well as heading the direct sales force for the U.S. and Canada, Brubaker will manage the company's manufacturer's representative sales group who call on the home theater market.

Brubaker was most recently Systems Display Manager that included calling directly on audio visual consultants, account management, plus business and market development. He joined Da-Lite in 1993 as an Internal Sales Partner and was then promoted to Inside Sales Manager then in 1997, became Director of Marketing. In 1999, he took over the role of Director
of Home Theater Sales.

Brubaker is the author of Da-Lite's Angles of Reflection, a new series of industry white papers frequently published in rAVe.

Congratulations, Blake!

For more on Da-Lite, go to http://www.dalite.com/

Chief Files for IPO

I am not qualified or licensed to make any sort of recommendation about an IPO or stock offering, but just so you know, I AM BUYING.  Unlike with AMX went public and many of the other public offerings recently, Chief is NOT about hype.  They make a solid product, one that people can understand and relate to, and have some great people on board.  And, even though every mount in my house is Premier, I will be buying some of their stock!

To read an article about it, go to http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2007/09/24/daily34.html

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Christie Introduces Ultra Bright 3LCD Projector

Upping the ante again in quality, brightness and contrast ratio, Christie announced what they call the brightest 3LCD projector, ever. The company says the Christie LX1500 uses XGA LCDs with a quad-lamp optical illumination system to achieve specifications of 15,000 ANSI lumens and 2000:1 contrast ratio. The new projector uses 10-bit video processing.

The Christie LX1500 uses 11 optional high lenses to support a variety of settings.  And the lens suite is compatible with the previous Christie LX120 and Christie LX100 models. The model comes with motorized vertical and horizontal offset and there is a range of optional input modules, including digital blending/warping, SDI, and HD-SDI for matching the projector to the any application.

For more information, go to http://www.christiedigital.com/AMEN/Microsites/LX1500.htm

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Toshiba Shipping Affordable Projector-Doc Cam Combo

This unit weighs just 8.8 pounds, making it portable, and uses a removable palm-sized control panel for security. When the security panel is removed, the projector is no longer operable unless the password is entered on the remote control or when the removable panel is replaced.

Obviously, this market is lost on me.  Toshiba has continued to innovate and develop a docu-projector for years and I’ve rarely seen one in operation.  In fact, whenever I see “normal” document cameras in classrooms, they’re usually sitting in the corner of the room.  So, the fact that they keep innovating this market category and shipping products like this is a testament to them – and that I am obviously wrong about this market segment.

For more information, go to http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/pdet.to?poid=335288&coid=-26392

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NEC Adds Wide-Screen Pre-Show Projector to Cinema Line

NEC America announced the ADVASuite NP4001 projector. Specified at WXGA 1280 x 768 resolution and a UXGA (Ultra eXtended Graphics Array) of 1600 x 1200, this projector is specifically designed for pre-show theater on 16:9 screens. It is specified at 4500 ANSI lumens

This model has five optional bayonet style lenses, uses TI’s BrilliantColor chipset and has RS-232/LAN for control. This is shipping now.

For more information, go to http://www.necam.com/press/read.cfm?Press_ID=884de4bc-a1a1-404f-9892-3afb6c5396c7

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New From Hitachi: Very Short Throw Distance Projector

This projector is specified at 2500 ANSI lumens, XGA resolution and 400:1 contrast ratio. It has monitor-out and is networkable. It can also be placed vertically or horizontally. It comes with security features.

For more information, go to http://www.hitachi.us/supportingdocs/forhome/DisplayTechnologiesGroup/news/HALCP-A100ser.pdf

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New Matrix Switcher for HDMI Signals From Kramer

The switcher is compatible with all HDTV signal types and features Kramer re-Klocking and equalization technology that rebuilds the signal allowing it to travel longer distances.  The VS-42HDMI is able to route any or all inputs to any or all outputs simultaneously and supports HDCP (High Definition Digital Content Protection).

The VS-42HDMI matrix switcher routes HDMI 1.1 signals up to 1.65Gbps bandwidth per graphic channel. Kramer uses a sophisticated and unique EDID handling mechanism to make installation and operation of HDMI devices a “plug and play” experience.  EDID data allows the output device to describe its capabilities to the HDMI source, providing the VS-42HDMI with key information about the monitors connected to the outputs.  The VS-42HDMI captures the output device’s EDID information and stores it in a non-volatile memory.  The user can recall this setting or a factory default EDID of 720p if one is not stored.  This allows a convenient and reliable connection to the source.

The VS-42HDMI is controlled locally using the front panel buttons: four input buttons and an off button corresponding to each of the two outputs.  A Panel Lock button on the front panel provides the security.

Price is $1,495.

For more information, go to http://kramer-us.com/indexes/item.asp?name=VS-42HDMI

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Panoram Brings 3D to the Desktop

What the company says is especially unique about their 3D technology is that circular polarization allows for a wide field of view and viewers don’t have to worry about tilting their head and losing the image. The company says a viewer won’t have to move their head at all to find the “sweet spot” needed for viewing most 3D. These are designed for just one- or two-person viewing. (There is also a second configuration available for one to three user environments with an optional VESA mounting plate allowing the display to be mounted on a wall or tradeshow stand.)

The company says this is designed especially for commercial CAD, oil/gas, scientific and educational markets.

The monitor, when used as a regular display, is specified at 1920 X 1200 resolution. They say it is “Plug-And-Play,” adapting automatically to high-end graphics cards from companies like NVIDIA.

Four types of comparatively low cost passive stereo glasses are available, all light weight and durable at the size and weight of regular sunglasses. These include theme park style glasses with fixed template, upgraded aviator style glasses with a hinge frame, wrap around glasses, and flip up clip-ons to put over existing corrective lenses.

For more information, go to http://www.panoramtech.com/press/pr_psp2400.htm

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Polycom Adds New Products, Announces Enhancements at User Conference

Polycom TPX HD works seamlessly with Polycom RealPresence Experience (RPX), the immersive telepresence solution, as well as with the million-plus standards-based desktop and conference room video conferencing systems from Polycom and other manufacturers in use today around the world.

Another new product from Polycom is the UltimateHD video conferencing system specifically designed for small and medium sized conference rooms. The HDX 8000 bridges that gap between conferencing with HD desktop systems and large sized meeting or class rooms.

Also new, and included in the new HDX 8000, is Polycom HDX Version 2.0 software including Lost Packet Recovery for all HDX systems. This helps keep quality video conferencing experience for voice, video and content on networks with even considerable levels of IP packet loss. HDX Version 2.0 also enables HDX 9004 and 9002 systems with embedded multipoint capability to deliver HD continuous presence multipoint for up to eight sites.

The company also announced enhancements to its ReadiManager SE200 conference management and scheduling solution and V2IU network address translation (NAT)/firewall traversal solution.

ReadiManager SE200 Version 3.0 provides network administrators a scalable, reliable single point of control. It addresses conference management, gatekeeping, device control and the deployment and maintenance of endpoints and multipoint conferencing bridges from an integrated management platform. It also offers end users simplified scheduling through IBM Lotus Notes, Microsoft Outlook or a web-based interface. Enhancements in Version 3.0 include greater scalability, for even thousands of desktop and room-based video conferencing systems, a new management interface with support for multiple languages, and dashboard views. It also has system redundancy with automatic failover.

The V2IU NAT/firewall traversal solutions provide security for virtual private networks (VPNs) and the Internet. It replaces or works in conjunction with an organization’s existing firewall by providing a trusted route through any corporate firewall. It also optimizes video quality by prioritizing video traffic over data traffic and providing both shortest path routing and traffic shaping.

New enhancements to V2IU include an IPv4 to IPv6 Application Layer Gateway (ALG) to help customers cost-effectively migrate to IPv6 while leveraging existing Polycom systems and conference bridges. The IPv4 to IPv6 ALG provides conversion services and controls messages between the two standards, enabling IPv6 and IPv4 conferencing components to communicate directly with one another.

For more details on all these products, go to http://www.polycom.com/usa/en/company/news/2007.html

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Progressive Scan Live Image From WolfVision

It has 4:3 native aspect ratio but the camera also outputs native 720p HD with 1280 x 720 pixels in a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9.

This is available now for $ 4,295.

For more information, go to http://www.wolfvision.com/wolf/cameras_eye10.html

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New Tannoy Loudspeaker Line Targets Commercial and Home Applications

There are three Behind Screen models which use a single Dual Concentric driver. Tannoy’s point source technology with high power handling and even dispersion characteristics. The Behind Screen models are available with 165mm, 200mm or 300mm (6.00”, 8.00” or 12.00”) driver sizes.

The in-wall iw63 DC uses Tannoy’s 165mm (6.50”) Dual Concentric driver coupled with two 165mm (6.50”) high output woofers. The iw63 DC is designed to be used in any L, C, R or surround application, and the company says it will blend discreetly and seamlessly for “an invisible home theatre environment.” 

The Tannoy Definition iw60 EFX is a multipurpose, high-end solution. It is configurable between two modes of operation – ‘Cinema Mode’, where the two optimally aligned 100mm (4.00”) Dual Concentric drivers create a wide and even flow of acoustic energy over a large area, creating a diffuse room filling ambience; and ‘Music Mode’ where the 165mm (6.50”) constant directivity Dual Concentric driver produces a more localized and focused sound. Both in-wall models use an isolation system for reducing speaker to wall vibrations.

The two DS subwoofers are constructed around either a 300mm or 380mm (12.00” or 15.00”) professional drive unit and yet the company says they are compact enough to integrate into modestly sized room.

For more information, go to http://www.tannoy-speakers.com/s.php?news=1

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NSCA and STAM Offer Web-Based Security Education

Each of the five courses provides transferable Learning Units for NSCA University’s College of Technical Knowledge Certificate of Completion Program (CCP) or credit toward renewal of the EST program. 

To learn more, go to http://www.stamhost.com/nsca/

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