Volume 6, Issue 2 — February 28, 2017
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House of Worship Trends The Future of HOW
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Corporate Culture and The AVL Industry
By Anthony Coppedge House of Worship Technology Consultant
There’s a pattern of overworked teams in the audio, video and lighting industry. From the manufacturers to systems integrators, the lunch conversations at industry trade shows is almost universally the same: too many projects, not enough time, too many quotas, not enough qualified leads. Some of this is certainly due to a business-as-usual approach that hasn’t shifted to the new digital marketplace, but much of it is because the expectations and deliverables of projects are not well aligned.
If culture is a set by the top of an organization and molded from the bottom up through employees, then the corporate cultural failures that have been well-known for years are most evidenced in the job-hopping of talent across the industry.
Ultimately, the end-user — such as churches in the faith market — experiences the brunt of this swing-and-a-miss in the form of projects coming in late and over-budget. For the most part, this is avoidable.
Telling It Like It Is
Issue #1: AVL industry employees are feeling overwhelmed by the diversity, complexity and poor time management prioritization of their current project workloads. They’re burdened to the point where they’re willing to either verbalize their situation to management or find a new place to work. No doubt, you’ve seen a lot of this over the last decade!
Issue #2: Key team members in management and leadership positions are unable to sustain high levels of performance on existing workloads when additional projects are added without additional resources to get the new work done. These additions are a combination of requests coming from managers and peers, as well as personally taking on more as projects span across multiple teams, wherein the proverbial left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.
These issues actually define pain points that are indicative of the symptoms experienced by stressed-out and over-burdened staff. From my perspective, the causality is one of culture more than it is of task/time management. This is likely not noticeable by most of those impacted or the high-level managers who have oversight over large businesses. That does not say a culture is therefore “good” or “bad” — rather, it is a reflection of management’s goal setting practices and how/if feedback loops are present.
The phrase “culture always wins” is true — a healthy culture will be oriented towards clear boundaries, consistent communication, retrospective feedback loops and relational equity. An unhealthy culture will be task- or project-oriented with limited clarity around goals, defined outcomes or milestone progress. Whatever culture is exampled or allowed, wins.
This industry-wide cultural phenomenon I’m noticing is one of overburdened employees. However, that does not say a firm may have a “bad” culture, as these are often staffed by willing, highly engaged, empowered people largely enjoying their work and their teammates. One cannot simply define Issues #1 and #2 above as problems without clear solutions; they are opportunities to objectively – and subjectively – look at why people may be feeling overburdened.
How to Know If You Have a Problem
Are high-level managers surprised when they are receiving this kind of feedback? If so, it would align with what I’ve described. If not, then there clearly has been no progress made on identifying the issue and taking healthy steps to bring resolution and empowerment to team members — and you’re hearing about it again and again. If so, that would be indicative of an even bigger problem signaling a disconnect between senior management and the average AVL worker.
However, let’s assume this is a “new” (or previously lacked awareness at the higher management levels) issue. How does each person understand their role and purpose within their team/unit? There’s only one way: their boss told them. Any other definition of their role may be true, but irrelevant to their measurement/review by their boss — or it’s not true at all.
Insert your business unit or team name below and work through this exercise:
INSERT YOUR BUSINESS UNIT OR TEAM NAME – What is the purpose of this specific business unit or team? Against what metrics is it measured? What goals exist beyond performance metrics?
It is common to have multiple teams and individuals working on specific goals. It is unlikely that any one team can fulfill the metrics for the entire business. Instead, they are part of an organization that has influence, reach and authority to ensure business goals are met. Whether or not each person on a team knows they have the influence, reach and authority of that organization behind them is reflective of how they’re managed.
To help with making the purpose, goals and metrics visible and understandable, we can use the following statements as methods for articulating it in such a way that it is easily understood by each team member:
We are here to…
This is the mission statement for your business unit or team. It is described only as “defining the why.”
We define success as…
Both through qualified and quantified metrics and analysis, we use this by then goals that are attainable and measurable.
We are better when…
These are the shared values. This goes beyond the data and speaks into the culture we want to create so that our team members are engaged, empowered, and fulfilled in their work.
Unless and until any business, business unit, department, team and individual can apply those statements, management will potentially be measuring the right things the wrong way, only some of the right things or the wrong things altogether. It is when these questions are answered that leaders can re-frame the conversation and put the right framework in place for a healthy culture that revels in clearly defined outcomes (not just roles) and easily manageable feedback loops through consistent communication.
Correcting Cultural Drift
Using the mission, objectives, goals, strategies and actions methodology, I would recommend reviewing all projects and having each employee re-prioritize their workload. I’d then have their managers review their revised workload and identify (to themselves) where there is a disconnect between what the manager expects and what the employee thinks they need to do.
Finally, it’s important that addressing systemic cultural issues should never be about pointing any fingers. It is what it is, but that doesn’t mean that’s the way it has to be. Culture is made to be molded, and will in fact be shaped either because of intentional effort or from being left alone. The absence of intentionality is an automatic contributor to frustration, apathy and dysfunction. At the end of the day, this has led to a low repeat business cycle in the house of worship market, where churches are reticent to experience the angst of a firm’s dissonance in a future technology installation.
Beyond the scope of this article, there’s a very powerful model for understanding why employees choose their projects and priorities – it’s called “The Expectancy Theory” (read about it here – it’s fascinating).
Is your organization’s culture building unity or bleeding out talent? Share your views and opinions in the comments below. Leave a Comment
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Vendors, Market Development Funds and the Faith Market
By Anthony Coppedge House of Worship Technology Consultant
Manufacturers want to help systems integrators sell their products so they provide funds to help co-promote the equipment with the vendor. It’s been this way for as long as I can remember, whether it is called “co-op funds” or “market development funds” (MDF) or “channel funding,” the idea is to influence the sale towards the manufacturer’s product line. It is long overdue for a change, and today’s marketing technology stack has the tracking tools to (finally) track spend to return on investment (ROI).
Old and Broken
The administrative overhead of managing and reporting on MDF fund spending has been both a headache and something of a joke that neither party laughed about. If the manufacturer gave ‘X’ dollars to help promote their product line to either a vertical market or to support trade show spend for integrators, the idea was to guess how many prospects would be touched by the program, how much the integration firm guessed each prospect might spend, what percentage of the prospects would reasonable turn into clients, and the ultimate guess of what each new client might actually spend.
Houston, we have a problem: there’s little to no direct tracking of these prospects back to the MDF spend, and the timetables for capturing MDF spend to prospect conversion to a contract signing would often span years, which exceeds the MDF reporting mechanism (usually quarterly, or at least annually).
And, yet, decade after decade, the manufacturers’ have willingly forked over millions of dollars with no hope of accurately tracking the spend to ROI. The assumption has been that the net invoices from a systems integration firm to a manufacturer should be a gauge for determining how much funding should be allocated for the next year.
To say that this methodology and practice is entirely broken and outdated is a massive understatement for the audio, video,and lighting (AVL) industry. It’s got to change.
Targeted Tracking
Every digital marketer has at least a simple model for how this works today if they’re using the most ubiquitous advertising venue online: Google AdWords. In a nutshell, marketers test different versions of ads that appear either at the top of a page of search results or off to the right side of the browser page and look at the results to see which ones get the most click-thrus and, of those, which ones follow through to filling out a form or an online chat. In this way, it’s fairly straight-forward to understand how much is spent compared which leads ‘convert.’
Today, the technology goes much deeper, with attribution tracking now cookied per device and if identified as a logged in user of Google, for example via their Gmail account, saved against their user profile. It’s the result of consumers choosing convenience over ultimate browsing privacy, and it explains why people can search online once for a product and suddenly see that product promoted to them on their social media, in their online searches and in ads while browsing other sites. And that’s just the data that’s the low-hanging fruit for digital marketers!
Enter content marketing automation (CMA) software, such as Pardot, Hubspot, Marketo and InfusionSoft, and now digital marketers have deep tracking analytics on a user-by-user basis, all tied back to specific marketing campaigns and advertising campaigns with the synchronized data saved to their customer relationship management (CRM) software on the cloud. And, because of the automation and customizable rules that can be built based on the campaign source, attribution of monies spent in advertising and marketing efforts are now track-able all the way back to each touchpoint and the associated campaign. The result is a history of highly attributable actions that provide a very, very clear picture of ROI over time — even years.
For example, it’s now possible to know when a visitor first comes to your website or landing page or clicks on an advertisement. A cookie is embedded onto each device to begin the digital tracking. Once that visitor fills out something and associates themselves via a social network (using something like OAuth), they turn into a bonafide prospect in a CMA database, which is synced with the CRM database. Over time, each subsequent action is now tracked — including their browsing history on your properties — each time they click through from an ad or third-party site to an owned property or fill out a form to get a resource or request more information or even just chat with a live person. At each step, a little bit more is revealed about the prospect and their profile is updated. Taken from beginning to end, it provides a detailed — and reportable — buying journey with tremendously valuable data points about how long their journey took, what key steps were useful in converting them into a qualified lead, how they entered the sales pipeline and which marketing assets helped sales close them as a client.
ROI at Last
Right now, most systems integrators within the AVL market are not yet using content marketing automation software to provide this level of visitor-to-prospect-to-client tracking. However, it is entirely possible — and I would even say recommended — that the manufacturers need to rethink and retool their marketing to take advantage of these powerful software options. In this way, manufacturers can provide systems integrators with unique forms and tracking codes to use on the integrators’ websites and ads so that the attribution of those co-op dollars is tracked and shared in real-time with both the manufacturer and the integration firm.
This kind of visibility and accountability would then give manufacturers the ability to fund those firms doing the best job of converting leads and reduce (or remove) funding from integrators that are only spending the MDF funds instead of creating new customers from the money. Gone, too, will be the administrative overhead on both the manufacturer and system integrator as reporting can be 100 percent automated, and even real-time.
This is a powerful shift in the AVL MDF economy and one that is long overdue. Automation and digital marketing are at the forefront of this change, and the integrators that balk at this level of ‘intrusion’ will soon lose out on the funding altogether — and not a moment too soon for manufacturers looking to increase profits in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
Client MDF Funds
One last idea here is to create client partner marketing funds for the faith market. As a former church technical director, I recall the numerous times another church would visit my venues and ask about the technology we had chosen for AVL and our opinion of the integration firm we had worked with. There’s a real opportunity here to provide real funds from the manufacturer to spend on new upgrades and technologies for churches willing to be a responsible demo facility and customer success story on an ongoing basis. This both reinforces the loyalty program concept and provides the online tracking (such as a site visit or demo request form) to begin the attribution tracking at the manufacturer level even before a systems integrator is brought into the loop by the prospect!
Welcome to the 21st century of digital marketing, manufacturers.
Does your firm track co-op funds all the way through to ROI? Share your views and opinions in the comments below.
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We Have More ISE Show Coverage Than Anyone – Even More Than ISE Themselves!We just returned from Amsterdam having covered the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) Show via our rAVe [NOW] LIVE show coverage. No other publication covers shows this way and it means that we shot videos of EVERY new product launched at ISE — as well as write stories on virtually every new HomeAV and ProAV piece of gear and technology there. And it’s all available on one comprehensive, dedicated (ISE-only) website here.
We shot 1,300+ product videos, recorded over 50 podcasts, wrote up more than 300 news stories and blogs and even shot 2,100+ photos of the show floor. No one, not even ISE themselves, has this much show coverage and we hope you find it helpful! Here are just a FEW of the highlights:
There are over 1,000 more new products here on our website so be sure to check it out. Leave a Comment
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Panasonic Ships 27K Lumen 4K 3-Chip DLP ProjectorDesigned for live events, rentals and staging applications, the Panasonic PT-RQ32K is spec’d to be a 27,000 lumens 3-chip DLP projector that’s native 5120×3200 resolution. The 240 Hz projector incorporates Panasonic’s pixel-shifting quad pixel drive technology and includes various optional lenses for permanent and rental applications. Panasonic claims the need for custom mounting-frames has been eliminated with frame-free stacking or eye-bolt rigging, reducing overall weight for transportation and easy installation of temporary multi-projection mapping projects. A laser light source and an original heat-resistant phosphor wheel design maintain consistent image quality, colour and brightness, particularly useful when using multiple projectors.
The RQ32K joins two high-brightness laser projectors with 31,000 lumens (centre) in WUXGA (PT-RZ31K) and SXGA+ (PT-RS30K). Here are all the detailed specs. Leave a Comment
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Denon Debuts White PodiumThe Lectern Active White is a portable audio lectern for multi-media presentations — designed for hotels, churches, conference rooms and convention centers. This all-in-one unit is loaded with professional features and convenient touches, all designed to make any public speaking or presentation engagement a snap. This product eliminates the need for separate tripod stands, bulky external powered speakers, mixers and having to run a maze of connection cables. With the Lectern Active, you’re always in control, with an easily-portable, easy-to-use solution.
A 200-watt peak amplifier driving four rugged 5 ¼-inch woofers and a horn-loaded high-frequency driver ensures the audience will hear every word and note of your presentation with lifelike clarity. A distortion-limiting circuit keeps the sound clean and clear at all times, while the simple-to-operate two-channel mixer allows you to select and combine different signal sources like a pro.
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Barco Expands Its F-Series With New Rugged Laser Phosphor Projector Barco is expanding its F-Series projection portfolio for the ProAV market with a new rugged laser phosphor model. The F70 projector line has two models set for launch at ISE 2017 including a 4K UHD vision (3840×2160) and a WUXGA version (1920×1200) and up to 8,000 lumens. The F70 will be shipping starting in Q2 2017.
The F70 projector is designed for fixed installation in large continuously-running venues like museums, theme parks, auditoriums, and science centers. Barco says the line uses their Constant Light Output (CLOTM) functionality that they claim guarantees constant brightness and color for a long time span. Just like for the Barco F90 projectors, Barco Pulse processing is the beating heart of the F70. In addition to an intuitive user interface, Barco Pulse’s unique Single Step Processing (SSPTM) technology enables the F70 projector to achieve 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) resolution in only one step. The F70’s laser phosphor light source provides a long lifetime of up to 60,000 hours and eliminates the need for lamp replacements.
You can see both versions here. Leave a Comment
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HARMAN Pro’s JBL Brand Debuts All-Weather Speaker Series With Ultra-Compact AWC62 LoudspeakerHARMAN Professional Solutions today announced the JBL AWC62 all-weather two-way coaxial loudspeaker, the latest addition to the JBL AW and AWC Series speakers.
Like all AWC speakers, the AWC62 incorporates a coaxial driver and the AWC62 offers a consistent 110° coverage with high output in a cabinet that measures just 10.2 x 10.2 x 10.1 inches. A unique design with a coaxial 6.5-inch low-frequency driver and 1-inch high-frequency compression driver eliminates high-frequency beaming common among speakers in this class, and extends pattern control to lower frequencies, delivering pristine sound quality with a broad frequency range of 70Hz-18kHz.
The AWC62 is IP56 rated for long-term outdoor use and has a fiberglass reinforced ABS cabinet and highly treated grille with multi-layer weather backing provide protection from dust, wind and heavy rain. The enclosure is heavily braced for exceptional low-frequency performance, with a Kevlar-reinforced low-frequency cone and a high-temperature voice coil for smooth frequency response.
The AWC62 joins a complete family of powerful outdoor loudspeakers by HARMAN, including larger AWC and AW Series products, as well as WRC- and WRX-treated versions of the JBL AE Series. AWC62 speakers provide 175-watt power handling and are equipped with a 120W 70V/100V multi-tap transformer. Each AWC62 ships with a heavy-duty, weather-capable U-type mounting bracket for easy installation. JBL AWC62 loudspeakers are now available in light gray or black (-BK).
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Electro-Voice Debuts X12-125F Flying Subwoofer for X-Line
Electro-Voice just announced the latest member of the X-Line Advance line-array loudspeaker family: the X12-125F flying subwoofer — a dual 15-inch system is equipped with high-output EV-engineered transducers delivering 9600 W output. The X12-125F features the family’s Integrated Rigging System for quick, secure and seamless deployment in arrays, and is sonically matched to the other members of the family: X1 and X2 (high-performance) full-range models, and the X12-128 ground-stacking dual 18-inch subwoofer. The X12-125F can also be used in ground-stacked configurations as well as fixed installations including live performance venues and houses of worship. Its very compact, lightweight 18-ply Baltic birch enclosure is finished in EVcoat for superior durability.
The X-Line Advance family currently consists of two-way vertical line-array loudspeaker elements providing 90- or 120-degree horizontal coverage, the powerful dual 18-inch X12-128 ground-stacking subwoofer, the TG7 system power and processing rack, and a complete package of rigging and transport materials. The new X12-125F subwoofer complements existing X-Line Advance models in a wide range of possible system configurations:
- Flown three-way system with X1 or X2 mains and X12-125F as subwoofer
- Flown four-way system with X1 or X2 mains, with X12-125F flown next to mains in LF mode and X12-128 as ground-stacked subwoofer
- Flown three-way system with X1 or X2 mains and X12-125F above mains as subwoofer in single flown array
- Flown four-way system with X1 or X2 mains and X12-125F above mains in LF mode in single flown array with X12-128 ground stacked as subwoofer
- Ground-stacked three-way configuration with X12-125F as the base of the ground stack in subwoofer mode, with X1 or X2 above as mains
- Ground-stacked four-way configuration with X12-125F as the base of the ground stack in LF mode, with X1 or X2 above as mains and X12-128 as center mono subwoofer array
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AKG Debuts New AKG HC644 and LC617 Hands-Free Microphones HARMAN Professional Solutions today introduced the AKG HC644 head-worn and LC617 lavalier microphones for presentation and speech applications. The new microphones are directly compatible with all AKG body-pack wireless transmitters and are adaptable to most popular wireless systems, making them ideal for presentations in classrooms, lecture halls and multiuse event facilities of any size.
AKG HC644 is a head-worn miniature condenser microphone with a slim headband, and LC617 is a clip-on omnidirectional lavalier mic with rotating clip. RF shielding prevents electromagnetic interference such as the crowded 2.4 GHz frequency, cell phones and other high-power wireless devices from ruining the signal. The built-in MicroDot connector allows each mic to be used with a variety of connection types, as well as all major wireless microphone systems.
Also the AKG HC644 and LC617 are designed to use thinner cables and have more mounting options that enable users to hide the cable and mount the microphone quickly and easily. The moisture-resistant design deflects precipitation and the presenter’s perspiration away from the mic using a protective wire-mesh layer. They are available in black and beige color options.
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Blackmagic Design Announces New ATEM Television Studio HDBlackmagic Design today announced ATEM Television Studio HD, a broadcast quality live production switcher designed for both broadcast and professional AV users. ATEM Television Studio HD features eight inputs, multi-view, aux, and program outputs, analog audio inputs, built-in talkback, two flash based media players, creative transitions, a DVE for effects and more.
The new ATEM Television Studio HD replaces the original ATEM Television Studio. It features four 3G-SDI and four HDMI inputs so customers can connect a total of up to eight different sources such as professional SDI broadcast cameras, consumer HDMI cameras, computers and even video game consoles. ATEM Television Studio HD is compatible with all SD and HD formats up to 1080p60. There are two channels of analog audio in, RS422, Ethernet and a built-in IEC power supply, along with program and auxiliary outputs. Customers also get both SDI and HDMI multi view outputs so they can monitor all sources, preview and program outputs, along with labels, audio meters and more, all on a single big screen television or broadcast monitor.
ATEM claims the Television Studio HD is the world’s smallest all in one broadcast switcher. It’s only ⅔ of a rack space wide and is packed with high end broadcast features that make it possible to create an entire live switched program, complete with effects and transitions, right from the front panel. The front panel features eight large buttons for switching between sources, along with corresponding audio buttons, down stream keyer, fade to black, media player and cut buttons. There’s also a built in LCD screen, spin knob and additional buttons for menus and to adjust settings like transition and effect parameters. Customers simply press the button for the source that they want to see next in the program, then hit the cut or auto button to switch sources, add effects or even key in graphics.
For complete creative control, ATEM Television Studio HD also includes a free software control panel for Mac and Windows. The software control panel features an intuitive interface with different pages for switching, managing media, mixing audio, and remote controlling and color correcting cameras. The Switcher page is modeled after a physical hardware control panel making it fast and easy for customers to switch between sources, adjust transitions, add upstream and downstream keyers, and more. The Media page lets customers drag and drop up to 20 RGBA graphics into the media pool and automatically upload them to the switcher’s flash memory so they can be recalled and used in realtime during a live program. The software control also features a 20 channel audio mixer that can used to adjust and balance levels from all inputs, including the analog audio inputs. The audio mixer displays meters, has sliders for adjusting levels, and controls for turning channels on or off, using the audio follows video feature and more.
The ATEM Television Studio HD software control also has a complete camera control section for remotely controlling cameras over the SDI program return feed. Blackmagic Studio, Micro and URSA Mini cameras are all compatible with the SDI control protocol. These cameras also feature built in DaVinci Resolve primary color correct that can be remote controlled, making it possible to balanced camera color and create unique looks, all from the switcher. In addition, customers can adjust focus and iris on compatible lenses, change camera settings, and even remote control PTZ heads.
ATEM Television Studio HD has a built in media pool that can store 20 graphics that can be used with the two built in media players. The media pool uses flash memory, so images are saved even after the power is turned off. That means customers can create completely custom graphics to use in their own programs. In addition, there is an upstream keyer with full chroma keying for green screen shots so customers can add weather maps, graphics or even virtual sets. The upstream keyer works with chroma, patterns, shapes and linear keys.
ATEM Television Studio HD also features two downstream keyers for adding graphics, logos and bugs to video. Customers can even install a HyperDeck Studio Mini in the rack right next to ATEM Television Studio HD and use it as a source for ProRes 4:4:4:4 motion graphics files with alpha channels. That means customers can get fill and key graphics composited over live video, or they can use motion graphics with alpha as transitions between sources, all in real time.
ATEM Television Studio HD also includes a built in talkback converter for SDI cameras. The talkback information is sent back to the camera via the SDI program return feed on the rarely used SDI audio channels 15 and 16. When working live with a reporter in the field, there can be a slight delay that causes them to hear themselves as an echo in their headset. ATEM Television Studio HD includes a new mix minus feature that sends back all the program audio except their own voice, so they don’t hear a distracting echo of themselves while reporting.
ATEM Television Studio HD features include:
- Four 3G-SDI and four HDMI inputs for a total of 8 inputs, all with auto re‑sync
- Supports all video formats from SD to 720p, 1080i and 1080p HD up to 60fps
- One built in multi view for 8 sources, as well as preview and program
- Built in media pool graphics storage for 20 RGBA stills
- Built in DVE with 3D borders and drop shadow
- Transitions include cut, mix, dip, SMPTE wipes and more
- One upstream keyer including chroma keyer plus two downstream keyers
- One auxiliary output with front panel aux switching buttons and LCD screen for viewing
- Built in audio mixer live mixes embedded audio from all video inputs and independent audio inputs
- Balanced XLR stereo analog audio inputs
- Internal sources include black, color bars, two color generators and two media player outputs
- Ethernet connection for computer connection. Mac and Windows control panel software included
- Compatible with all ATEM Broadcast Panel control panels when hardware panel is required
- Black Burst and HD-Tri-Sync genlock input for integration into large systems
- Compact ⅔ rack unit size is perfect for when in a portable solution is required
- Desktop or rack mountable using the optional Teranex Mini Rack Shelf
The ATEM Television Studio HD is available now for US$995 and here are all the specs. Leave a Comment
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RTS Shows ROAMEO Wireless Intercom System ROAMEO from RTS is a professional wireless intercom solution based on the license-free DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) standard with a protected frequency band. It provides high-quality audio over a seamlessly integrated digital wireless beltpack and associated access points. ROAMEO is designed for a wide range of professional intercom applications where wireless communication is critical, including broadcast production studios, theater and sport event productions, houses of worship, commercial buildings and outside broadcast (OB) trucks.
Operating like a wireless keypanel, ROAMEO can be fully integrated into all existing wired digital RTS matrices. The system allows users to address either individuals or specified groups. The system consists of the TR-1800 beltpack, the AP-1800 access point and accessories including charger, holster and pole-mount kit. Connection to a digital matrix is easily established via a single Ethernet cable. In addition, the system can use standard IT infrastructure, which ensures easy installation and low maintenance costs; the access points can be daisy-chained.
ROAMEO’s cellular structure can cover a wide area with roaming between the individual cells. Users can easily expand the coverage area by adding further access points, while additional wireless beltpacks can be directly addressed as part of a wired RTS matrix intercom system. Depending on the audio codec used, users can select between a higher emphasis on voice quality (G.722 full bandwidth) or a more efficient use of the radio spectrum with a higher number of beltpacks (G.726 narrow-band).
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ASL Launches Enchorus Dante-Based Audio Network With Integrated Mixing for Live Stage DeploymentsASL Intercom, a Riedel company, today announced the launch of Enchorus, the Dante-based audio network for AV professionals. Enchorus offers a scalable Dante solution for live stage applications, production studios and other pro-AV installations.
Each of the four modules in the Enchorus series was designed specifically for the stage and guaranteed synchronization even across multiple switches. With various AES3 and analog audio inputs and outputs, the modules are ideal for feeding analog and digital power amplifiers, connecting effects devices in a side rack, monitoring, press feeds and many other uses.
Each Enchorus module is equipped with two Ethernet ports for building redundant network paths or for daisy chaining, an integrated 16×16 mixer, a four-band equalizer on each input and output and redundant power. The modules also include rubber bumpers that allow them to be stacked on stage easily and safely or, as an option, multiple units can be conveniently rack mounted.
The flagship Enchorus ENC 1201 provides eight high-quality mic inputs with a maximum input level of +24 dBu, more than 152dB of dynamic range, a built-in mixing engine and an internal four splitter with individual level, phase and filter settings.
Configuring Enchorus modules is simple and intuitive via an integrated web interface. Units connected to the network can be named and configured easily, all the way down to filter settings and device configurations can be stored, imported and exported to reduce setup time for installations of any size.
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Epson Launches New Pro L-Series Laser Projectors at ISEEpson has announced the latest Pro L-Series large venue laser projectors. The Pro L-Series come in five new models ranging from 12,000 to 15,000 lumens of color brightness and white brightness plus WUXGA and SXGA+ resolution. Leveraging 3LCD technology, the Pro L-Series integrate a laser-light source with an inorganic phosphor wheel in combination with inorganic LCD panels.
Designed for rental and staging, as well as permanent large venue installations, the expanded Pro L-Series feature a new remote image capture with a built-in camera for diagnostic purposes, flexible connection options, high native contrast ratio and 360-degree installation and projection at any angle. With Epson’s 4K Enhancement technology, which shifts each pixel diagonally by 0.5 pixels to double the resolution, the projectors accept 4K input and enhance a 1080p signal to surpass Full HD image quality. The new Pro L-Series is also compatible with Epson’s selection of lenses, which is expanding to include a new ultra-short throw option.
The Epson Pro L-Series will be available in fall 2017, with pricing announced prior to launch. The projectors come with a limited warranty of three years or 20,000 hours. All the specs are here. Leave a Comment
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MC2 Audio Debuts Delta Series Amplifiers MC2 Audio has launched six models in a new Delta Series of networkable audio processing power amplifiers. Incorporating XTA’s 96kHz DSP, MC2 Audio says the line are DSP-enabled and have three input options: analog, AES3 and Audinate’s Dante networked audio. The units have four inputs and eight outputs and four of the outputs driving the internal power amplifier channels and four available via analog XLR outputs on the back panel. The AUX outputs can be used to drive additional non-DSP Delta amplifiers and can also be made available as outputs to a Dante network. DSP enabled models offer Ethernet, USB and RS485 remote connectivity. Remote control is via their DeltaDirect iPad app and via the industry standard AudioCore platform.
In addition, there are four non-DSP versions that all have Dante networking (a four channel 96kHz Dante input card) allowing the amplifier input sources to be switched between analog and Dante audio. This option adds flexibility, allowing non-DSP Delta amplifiers to be incorporated into any centrally processed Dante audio network where the amplifiers do not require local processing.
You can see the entire line here. Leave a Comment
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DENON Debuts the DN-500R Solid State Recorder
The DN-500R is a solid state audio recorder in a 1 RU chassis that includes an OLED display, SD/SDHC and USB media recording as well as playback and is aimed at houses of worship, education and lecture recording. The DN-500R has analog balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs as well as broadcast-grade AES/EBU digital inputs and a switching power supply for worldwide usage. Not only can audio be captured to an SD/SDHC card up to 24-bit/96kHz, but the front-panel mounted USB port allows for the acquisition of audio as well. And the two record mediums can be used simultaneously with the new Dual Record feature, ideal for conferences that need to have the audio immediately or in applications where proper capture must be ensured. Additionally, the Relay Record feature can extend record times by switching to the other media when the primary memory is full. A front panel USB keyboard port allows for naming of files while a recording is happening and control. Full control can also be achieved by the on-board RS-232c serial connection for integrated systems by AMX or Crestron and the GPIO port allows instant triggerable access to many features, including the DN-500R’s 20 assignable hot start playback files. Recordings can be edited directly on the device or marked with EDLs for later review. When imported to the included DMP Mark Editor Software (Windows only), those marks come with the file, ensuring instant access to points of interest. And not only is the DN-500R the perfect standalone audio recorder, but it is a rock-solid audio playback device making it an affordable and appropriate solution for just about any audio installation. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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New Lecture Capture Capability for WolfVision Cynap
WolfVision showing a new enhanced version of its vSolution Cynap collaboration system at ISE. Cynap now has a Capture Pack, a lecture recording capture agent which uses Opencast technologies to provide secure, reliable, scheduling, processing, management, and intelligent distribution of academic and corporate video recordings.
Cynap is marketed as an ‘all-in-one’ collaboration product with a built-in media player, WebRTC web conferencing, streaming, BYOD mirroring, plus whiteboard and annotation functionality. It can be used either with or without a connected Visualizer system. Cynap offers BYOD compatibility with all iOS, Android, Windows, Chrome OS, and Mac devices, and with app-free support for AirPlay, Google Cast and Miracast mirroring protocols, multimedia content materials from any smartphone, tablet, or laptop can be easily displayed, shared and recorded, together with any content from network, web or cloud sources.
In addition to the central video recording options, WolfVision’s vSolution Capture app for iOS and Android also enables multiple users to simultaneously receive and record a wireless stream from Cynap onto their own mobile devices. Here are the specs. Leave a Comment
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Extron Introduces Compact Control Processor with Dedicated AV LAN Port
Extron just introduced the IPCP Pro 255, a compact, high performance IP Link Pro control processor with a dedicated AV LAN port.It features advanced security standards and dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, which ensure compatibility with multiple TouchLink Pro touchpanels using a standard network infrastructure. Of the two Ethernet ports, the AV LAN is designed to control local AV devices, and safeguard them from outside intrusion or interference. The IPCP Pro 255 can be used with Extron LinkLicense, which further enhances the capabilities of Extron Pro Series control systems. The IPCP Pro 255 is an ideal choice for controlling multiple devices and control signal types within AV systems requiring an isolated AV network.
The IPCP Pro 255 features a DHCP server for the AV LAN that streamlines system setup and management. It automatically distributes IP addresses and network configuration parameters for the AV devices connected to the local AV LAN. The AV LAN port permits communications from the Ethernet port for remote management and firmware updates for Extron devices, and restricts other Ethernet traffic. The Extron IPCP Pro 255 can be configured using Global Configurator Plus or Global Configurator Professional software or programmed using Extron Global Scripter. For enterprise-wide applications, GlobalViewer Enterprise can provide centralized AV resource monitoring, management, and control over a computer network.
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RME Digiface USB Ships RME’s Digiface USB is a portable and lightweight audio interface (only 220 grams /0.49 pounds) that transfers digital audio data in SPDIF and ADAT format to Windows and Mac computers. There are four optical ADAT / SPDIF I/O inputs and an analog line/phones output via 6.3-millimeter TRS jack. A triple ADAT I/O interface with phones and PCI interface, Digiface USB is designed to simplify connection with USB 2, does not need an external power supply, and even adds another optical I/O, resulting in 32 channels input and output each when using ADAT optical.
Each single optical port can use either ADAT (up to eight channels) or SPDIF (stereo). While the inputs adapt automatically to the received signal format, the outputs can be individually switched between ADAT and SPDIF operation. Supported are SMUX and SMUX4. Therefore at 192 kHz either eight channels via four SPDIF or ADAT are possible on both inputs and outputs.
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RTS Debuts ROAMEO Wireless Intercom System at ISE
ROAMEO, from RTS, is a wireless intercom solution based on the license-free DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) standard with a protected frequency band. It provides high-quality audio over a seamlessly integrated digital wireless beltpack and associated access points. Featuring a rugged design, ROAMEO is suitable for a wide range of professional intercom applications where wireless communication is critical, including broadcast production studios, theater and sport event productions, houses of worship, commercial buildings and outside broadcast (OB) trucks. Operating like a wireless keypanel, ROAMEO can be fully integrated into all existing wired digital RTS matrices. The system allows users to address either individuals or specified groups. The system consists of the TR-1800 beltpack, the AP-1800 access point and accessories including charger, holster and pole-mount kit. Connection to a digital matrix is easily established via a single Ethernet cable. In addition, the system can use standard IT infrastructure, which ensures easy installation and low maintenance costs; the access points can be daisy-chained.
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Electro-Voice Shows the X1-212/90 Compact Line-Array at ISE
The new X-Line Advance family of line-array loudspeakers from Electro-Voice includes the X1-212/90, a compact 12” vertical line-array loudspeaker system that is ideal for small- and mid-sized applications including houses of worship, local/regional rental companies, corporate events, clubs and entertainment venues. Though it is approximately a third smaller in size than systems typically used in these environments, Electro-Voice says the X1 is designed to deliver superior audio performance and higher output — meaning fewer units are required to achieve desired results — while also making system design, transit, and setup/teardown more efficient and cost-effective. The X1 feature set includes:
- EV-engineered transducers
- Enhanced Hydra plane-wave generators: Mid-Band Hydra (MBH) for box coupling and Wavefront-Shaping Circular Hydra (WCH) for extended linear HF performance.
- New Integrated Rigging System for arraying: built-in hardware designed to enable a smaller crew to setup/teardown faster and more safely — in what they says is around half the time of a typical line-array system deployment.
- New-look EV industrial design
- Passive or biamp operation selected via an internal connector.
Two additional X-Line Advance products were debuted at ISE 2017. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Auralex Ships ProMAX v2 Stand-Mounted Acoustical Panels Auralex Acoustics is now shipping its updated ProMAX v2 Stand-Mounted Acoustical Panels, offering a portable, lightweight absorption treatment solution offering quick and easy setup and teardown. The ProMAX v2 is designed for a variety of spaces and applications and can be implemented in any location where boundary-mounted acoustical treatments aren’t feasible or desired.
The unit features a 24” x 48” x 3″ absorptive Studiofoam panel with an updated angled reflective rear surface for tonal variability when rotated or flipped. By altering the quantity, orientation and spacing of multiple ProMAX v2s, users will be able to dial in the desired amount of room ambience.
The ProMAX v2 is designed for recording and performance applications in the studio, on stage, as well as in the classroom and home. Features include:
- Stand-mounted acoustical absorption panels
- Tame chaotic reverberation
- Flexible, portable absorption for professional and residential settings
- Proprietary melamine-free formula is long-lasting and won’t crumble like other brands
- Users can dial in the exact sound they desire
- Features absorptive and more-reflective sides for sonic variability
- Expand your ProMAX array as your needs change
- 2’ wide x 4’ tall x 3” thick
- Available colors: charcoal gray, burgundy and purple
Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Hitachi Kokusai Launches Z-HD5500 1080p Studio and EFP Camera
Hitachi Kokusai Electric America today announced the new Z-HD5500 HDTV studio and field production camera.
The Z-HD5500’s new CMOS imagers adapt easily to a wide range of LED lighting conditions and is made for houses of worship, theaters, arenas and other facilities where such lights or large LED displays are used. Paired with Hitachi Kokusai’s advanced digital signal processing and exclusive low-noise circuit technology, the new sensors deliver superior visual quality with exceptional sensitivity, excellent color fidelity and an outstanding 62dB signal-to-noise ratio.
The Z-HD5500 joins their line of HITACHI HD and Ultra HD camera systems offering High Dynamic Range (HDR) capabilities. The Z-HD5500 supports both the HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) and HPQ HDR specifications. The Z-HD5500 is also the first camera in the HITACHI Z-HD family to offer native 1080p image acquisition, and does so without a significant price increase over its 1080i and 720p siblings.
The Z-HD5500 provides a flexible choice of connectivity, with optional support for both SMPTE fiber and triaxinfrastructures. The camera can be paired with dedicated fiber or triax camera control units (CCUs), or with the dual-cable HITACHI CU-HD1300FT for maximum deployment flexibility. The CU-HD1300FT offers both optical fiber connectivity and Hitachi Kokusai’s fourth-generation digital triax system, which features an ultra-low-latency H.264 codec technology and multilevel digital modulation for long-distance triax transport of 3GB/s 1080p video plus intercom, teleprompter returns and other signals.
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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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RME Announces Fireface UFX II RME Audio AG just introduced the new RME Fireface UFX II audio production interface. The inclusion of DURec (Direct USB Recording) and RME’s low latency hardware and driver designs, the Fireface UFX II is for home studios and commercial audio production facilities.
With capacity for 60 audio channels (30 input and 30 output), support for sampling frequencies upward of 192 kHz, and the flexibility provided by USB connectivity, the new Fireface UFX II is aimed at recording, mixing and monitoring applications.
The Fireface UFX II offers flexibility that enables the interface to fit into a myriad of production environments. Analog, ADAT, AES, SPDIF and USB 2 are all standard on the Fireface UFX II. It handles: 12 analog, 16 ADAT, and 2 AES for 30 channels input and 30 channels output.
A new PAD-free mic circuit design with +18 dBu maximum input level and 75 dB gain range provides operation for the most demanding recording environments. Further, new low impedance, high power phones outputs (2 ohms) with +19 dBu maximum output level provide ample output power and volume on any headphones, high or low impedance.
Here are all the specs. 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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PreSonus Debuts Monitor Mix Control from Android and iOS Devices PreSonus is shipping QMix-UC, a new version of the company’s free monitor-mix control app for PreSonus StudioLive mixers. With QMix-UC, up to 14 musicians can simultaneously control their monitor (aux) mixes wirelessly from their mobile device.
Redesigned from the ground up to support the new StudioLive Series III mixers, QMix-UC adds support for Studio 192-series interfaces and now runs on Android devices, in addition to iPhone and iPod touch. For StudioLive AI-series mixer customers, QMix-UC replaces QMix-AI automatically when the app is updated.
QMix-UC adds the ability to create four channel groups and it retains the Wheel of Me, which lets you select multiple “Me” channels and turn them all up in your monitor at the same time, while controlling the relative balance between you and the rest of the band. Aux mix send levels and pan positions (for linked auxes), in addition to the new groups, are available in Landscape view.
StudioLive mixers let you set permissions that determine which features can be controlled from each wireless device on the network, including those running QMix-UC. You can completely block any wireless device from accessing the network entirely, even if someone has the router password.
QMix-UC directly controls StudioLive Series III and AI-series mixers. Simply connect your mixer and your mobile device to the same wireless network, set your permissions and start mixing. Studio 192-series interfaces require a computer running UC Surface to use QMix-UC.
PreSonus QMix-UC is available free from the Apple App Store, Amazon App Store or Google Play Store. Go here for complete specs. Leave a Comment
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For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe HOW 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 percent opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the ProAV industry, but we stuff the articles full of our 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).
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A little about me: I graduated from Journalism School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where I am adjunct faculty). I’ve been in the AV-industry since 1987 where I started with Extron and eventually moved to AMX. So, I guess I am an industry veteran (although I don’t think I am that old). I have been an opinionated columnist for a number of industry publications and in the late 1990s I started the widely read KNews eNewsletter (the first in the AV market) and also created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue, which is now known as InfoComm IQ. rAVe [Publications] has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition.
Everything we publish is Opt-in — we spam NO ONE! rAVe ProAV Edition is our flagship ePublication with what we believe is a reach of virtually everyone in the ProAV market. rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA and launched in February 2004, is, by far, the largest ePub in the HomeAV market. We added rAVe Rental [and Staging] in November 2007, rAVe ED [Education] in May 2008 and then rAVe DS [Digital Signage] in January 2009. We added rAVe GHGav [Green, Healthcare & Government AV] in August 2010 and rAVe HOW [House of Worship] in July 2012. You can subscribe to any of those publication or see ALL our archives by going to: https://www.ravepubs.com
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