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Volume 5, Issue 4 — April 13, 2011
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Growing our Acronomy
By Joel Rollins, CTS-R We're in for a shortage, folks, and it's going to hit our industry hard. I'm not talking about oil (after all, the latest almost-obsolete Blu-ray player can be delivered by wheelbarrow if necessary). I don't mean glossy business cards, maglites, or Starbucks, either. No, we are facing the potential extinction of a commodity absolutely essential to sales of virtually ANY product in our business.
With the proliferation of new products coming to market, we are running out of acronyms.
Sure, you say, with only 26 letters to fool around with, this had to happen some time. Big deal, you continue, we still have ASCII, not to mention "creative" alphanumeric combinations like "ST0P" and "FR33."
Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to tell you that even ASCII is running dry.
I worked for a long time in Silicon Valley, where any technology that can't be described with an acronym is something the marketing department doesn’t want to waste its time on. It’s a place where, in order to be successful, any new technology must be given a name, a place where IEEE-1394 becomes “FIREWIRE” and 802.11 becomes “Wi-Fi." Informed persons consider a certain enterprise in Cupertino, CA one of the chief contributors to the acronym shortage, having taken up all the "i's."
There are certain rules in the industry for developing acronyms, which I think must be taught behind closed doors in business schools when they discuss marketing electronic products. I'm also tempted to believe that this tendency to speak of new products only in acronyms is contagious – a neurological disease spread by contact at shows like InfoComm and CEDIA. Within two hours of reaching the show floor, the victim’s eyes glaze over and he/she begins to mutter buzzwords along with everybody else.
But back to the rules for developing acronyms. They are, as far as I can divine them:
First, the word or series of letters must be pronounceable as a word, no matter how much of a stretch it is phonetically. For instance, SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) had to be spoken as “scuzzy.” (I always found this one questionable in light of the next rule.)
Second, the word must be dynamic. Firewire, Thunderbolt, Tornado – all acronyms coined by the marketing department should exude testosterone and evoke images of stormchasers, astronauts, or gladiators, even if they are for a new type of cellophane.
Third, the word must be unused as an acronym by another product or technology, and this is where we run into trouble. Because there are a lot of products out there, and the English language, magnificent and expressive though it is, has only so many words.
Fourth, the word should (at least distantly) relate to the product or technology it is being used to denote.
Because trade show season is coming up on us, I have taken the liberty of looking for some words that meet the above criteria but are still unused. This way, when Engineering comes up with an entirely new technology while the Infocomm booth is being set up, Marketing can be prepared. So here are a few gems for you marketing types, which are (if Google serves) unused by technologies in the electronics industry. I refer to the list I am keeping, on behalf of the industry, as COLON (Common Library for Optimized Naming):
Some gems from the list: - DUSTBIN
- DARKLY
- SLOWPOKE
- JACKAL
Should you use any of these acronyms (you’re welcome) please scratch them off the list, add a new one to the bottom, and forward a new copy of the list to all your friends in the marketing departments of other companies. Somebody once failed to do this, and his new product wound up being called “STUMBLE."
And while you're at it, don't forget the fine folks who bring you this publication. Send your AEIOU (Acronym Essentially Ignored Or Unused) to me, c/o rAVe, ASAP. rAVe Rental [and Staging] contributor 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. Joel can be reached at joelrollins@mac.com Leave a Comment
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Lectrosonics Announces Bounded Squelch for Digital Hybrid Wireless Receivers Lectrosonics has added a new feature for its Digital Hybrid Wireless receivers that limits the range of the system without altering transmitter power. The new Bounded Squelch feature is in response to users concerned about leakage of wireless microphone transmissions when several facilities are in close proximity, such as theaters in downtown areas or adjacent TV studios. The traditional method of limiting range by using very low transmitter power is demonstrably a poor solution and has become less and less effective due to rising RF noise floors in urban areas. Furthermore, the continuing deployment of white spaces devices will cause increasing problems with low power transmissions. Bounded Squelch solves the cross interference of close installations by measuring the precise latency (delay) between transmitter and receiver, cross-referenced to the specific transmitter frequency chosen. Since RF transmissions operate at virtually the speed of light, this latency can be precisely calculated. For instance, if the user wants a maximum range of 419 feet on a particular channel, the system will receive the desired frequency on that channel, as long as it has approximately 425.998708 nanoseconds or lower latency from the transmitter since radio waves propagate at 1.01670336 nanoseconds per foot. Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top Christie's Newest Display Wall Solutions Christie has released two solutions developed “to meet the ROI-driven demands of the commercial video wall systems marketplace.” The TVC-500 video wall controller introduces a broad spectrum of capabilities for small to medium control rooms and digital signage video wall displays, while the RPMSP-D180U is a dual-lamp SXGA+ projection light engine designed for high brightness, large-screen video wall applications.
The Christie TVC-500 controller is built for 24/7 applications and can simultaneously manage and display a variety of source inputs across as many as 12 display screens. It takes advantage of the latest display processing from HP and NVIDIA. Running off Windows 7, the PC-based integrated platform is managed through Christie’s exclusive MasterSuite Lite software.
More than a standard a video controller, third-party software applications can operate directly off the TVC-500 desktop. Video or DVI/RGB inputs can be positioned anywhere on the display wall, at any size, with extremely fast refresh rates. Up to 100 remote networked desktops can also display via high speed Gigabit Ethernet.
The TVC-500 controller is also compatible with and equipped to drive visuals to Christie’s Christie MicroTiles display tiles, which are installed in control rooms, high fashion shops, museums and broadcaster sets.
The other product, the RPMSP-D180U projection engine, is the latest and the company says the most powerful in Christie’s series of high performance single-chip DLP dual lamp SXGA+ display products for control rooms. Engineered for 24/7 data monitoring environments, the RPMSP-D180U is suitable for larger rear projection video walls with individual screen sizes ranging from 67” to 120” diagonal, but it is also available with Christie’s standard 50” and 70” stackable display cubes.
With both short throw (0.69:1) and long throw (1.2:1) high performance fixed lenses available, the RPMSP-D180U projector head can be a good option to retrofit older rear screen systems and structures, whether supplied by Christie or by other manufacturers.
Features designed into the newest Christie projector include: high brightness for larger screen sizes and high ambient light environments (e.g., 1420 ANSI Lumens at 180 watts), six-segment RGBRGB color wheel, single chip DLP technology, Dual 180W long life 7000-hour mercury lamps (redundant) with automatic lamp changer system, six-axis adjustment system for easy setup with what they say is ultra-precise geometric alignment and stability.
Want more details? Go here: http://www.christiedigital.com/en-us/video-walls/video-wall-technology/video-wall-controllers/Pages/TVC-500-Video-Wall-Display-Controller.aspx Leave a Comment
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Click here for more information Peerless Shows Digital Signage Stand That's Perfect for Rental Apps Later this year, Peerless will ship a movable cart/stand product for portable digital signage applications AND, it’s designed to display up to four digital screens simultaneously. Constructed of welded steel, it’s made with gusseted uprights in its tubular frame to avoid tipping and a horizontal rail system allows users to adjust side-by-side displays. Peerless even says that at full capacity, the cart can be easily moved by one individual.
The product can accommodate screen sizes from 40 to 60 inches through staggered hole patterns on the vertical supports. Conversion to a stand is quickly accomplished by replacing the wheels with the available Peerless leg accessory leveler.
So, if you’ve got a local conference center, convention center or meeting space that’s not integrated with digital signage, this is the perfect rental option – and you can generate revenue from it with advertising! Since it’s not on the Peerless website yet, go here to see a video we shot of it at DSE: https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_ravevideo&ravevideo_id=3999&view=ravevideo&Itemid=237
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Share Article Back to Top Extron Ships HDMI Audio De-Embedder Extron launched a unique HDMI tool recently in the form of the HAE 100, an audio de-embedder that extracts the audio from the HDMI signal and provides outputs for analog stereo and digital S/PDIF audio. The HAE 100 supports data rates up to 6.75 Gbps for compatibility with HDMI 1.3 Deep Color. It is HDCP compliant and compatible with HDTV 1080p/60 or computer-video resolutions up to 1920×1200. The HAE 100 is equipped with several integrator-friendly features, including a buffered HDMI video output with EDID Minder for simplified EDID management between the input source and the display, plus input cable equalization and comprehensive LED status display.
For more details, go here: http://www.extron.com/company/article.aspx?id=hae100ad Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top NEC Launches V Series The V Series (probably stands for “value”) is flagshiped with the 3000-lumen V300X, what NEC is dubbing an affordable XGA (1024×768) projector that’s aimed at the ED market. Weighing in at five pounds and using a lamp spec’d for 5000 hours, NEC is aiming for simplicity and cost savings, including a feature where the projector automatically turn off when an incoming signal is not detected from any of the inputs. Including their quick start (three seconds) feature, auto power and direct power-off with no cooling required, the projector doesn’t even use a filter that needs to be replaced. 3D-ready, the V300X is a single-chip DLP projector that includes VGA, HDMI and S-video inputs, is network-enabled and includes a carbon-savings meter. Here are all the specs: http://necdisplay.com/category/multimedia-projectors Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top Extron Intro's LockIt HDMI Cable Bracket Forced to use HDMI at live events and worried it’ll slip out? Well, Extron’s solved that problem with a little plastic bracket called LockIt. This unique cable bracket is used to secure HDMI cables to a product's input and output connectors while reducing the stress on the HDMI connectors, preventing intermittent or complete signal loss due to a loose cable connection. Its compact design allows for easy installation with most HDMI cables and devices, including in space constrained areas where HDMI connectors are stacked, or as a retrofit to secure previously installed cables.
Check it out here: http://www.extron.com/company/article.aspx?id=lockitad Leave a Comment
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For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe Rental [and Staging] out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100% opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the rental and staging industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions — in this case, it’s industry-veteran Joel Rollins' opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that’s why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
Don’t like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send me feedback, don't reply to this newsletter — instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas: Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe [Publications] has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition. rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004. rAVe Rental [and Staging] launched in November 2007. rAVe Ed [Education] launched in May 2008. rAVe DS [Digital Signage] was launched in January of 2009.
To read more about my background, our team, and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com Back to Top Copyright 2011 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln., Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – (919) 969-7501. Email: sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe Rental [and Staging] contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |
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