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Volume 7, Issue 5 — May 28, 2013
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Open Up!
By Joel Rollins rAVe Columnist
The world of commercial audio visual, the world of shows and installations, is a world that is increasingly multilingual. But it's not just the languages that we people speak — it's happening in our inventory as well.
Think about this: Only twenty years ago, virtually all AV equipment was controlled through switches or relay closures, if it was remotely controllable at all. Over the last two decades, we progressed from relays to serial and then to network control. But it has largely remained a world of different, proprietary control software, even when the connectors and transport systems began to merge.
Whether you are in the sales or the rental and staging end of our industry, it is likely that a big part of your job is to create working systems from components from many manufacturers. These devices use different types of control ports, and different software protocols and systems. Often, these are components that were not designed to work together, so the integration is our job.
In the integration portion of the industry, we use hardware control systems with many types of ports, combined with custom software, to make these devices work together in a coordinated system.
The principal difference between creating these systems for installation, and creating them for rental, is the speed with which it has to be done. Often, complex systems have to be created, and run, onsite. That speed says that it will usually be impractical to create truly "custom" control code, especially when the system may be (probably will be) used only once in any specific configuration.
So how do we accomplish control of these systems in a show situation? Lets break it loosely into three types of control:
Uncontrolled (or “Directly Controlled by Dedicated Human Being”): I was raised in the business this way. Every station, and nearly every complex device, had a human operator in a headset, waiting for cues. In a way, it's the earliest form of voice control.
Split control by discipline: As show control became more common, we began to work our way into “Control by Department.” Lighting went first, largely due to an accepted, open control protocol called DMX, which brought together equipment from multiple manufacturers into a single control “universe” (no pun intended, lighting folks). Audio followed suit with a variety of control systems, both open and proprietary, and video came along with serial and network control of a number of varieties, leaving three distinct points of control, organized by department, for many shows — with the common bus between them once again being ClearCom.
Unified control: As soon as it was possible to control most equipment remotely, a number of different control systems manufacturers came to market with show control systems that worked a lot like Integration systems — a software/hardware platform that combined disparate control ports and standards into something cohesive. There are, and have been, any number of these systems on the market. My personal favorites have always been Dataton’s, beginning with its Mac-based, timeline-oriented system called Traxx, but there have been similar systems from a number of manufacturers. However, like their counterparts in integration, they take a lot of time to learn, and operators are always having to add and develop driver software and adapter hardware for new systems. But they have been the standards whereby we controlled large shows that required a high degree of precision and repeatability. So they have traditionally been used for high-dollar shows that required that set of characteristics.
Now, however, we enter a world of increasing labor and equipment costs in the rental portion of the industry. As it becomes more and more difficult to maintain profitability, largely because of the cost of personnel, a simpler and more open standard of control could lower our costs of producing and staging shows.
Short of a true show control system, we are left with very few choices for remote control of gear and the resulting reduction in crew labor. Mostly, that choice revolves around manufacturers’ dedicated control programs that ship with the gear. And, as most of you know, these are of varying quality and level of control.
Personally, when it comes to low-end control, I like working with devices that generate a webpage internally. While this does not often give me combined control with other devices, I can at least stack my devices in browser tabs and page between them as necessary. Provided, of course, that these devices don’t specify differing browsers, or differing plug-ins. Other varying types of network and serial control programs can be made to work, but may be more effort than a small show is worth.
So let me give the manufacturers some ideas on improving their dedicated control programming.
First, stop specifying a particular browser, and in particular stop specifying Internet Explorer. It’s a declining browser even on the Windows platform, and open standards have become the norm. I should be able to control your device with Safari, Firefox, etc.
Then, Web-based software should also be platform agnostic. And so should your dedicated control programs. The rental industry in audiovisual uses a lot of different platforms, among them, the Mac. Many of you claim to accommodate the Macintosh by requiring the use of Windows under Parallels or Fusion. If I wanted to run Windows, I would not have invested in the Mac in the first place. And I do assure you that for me and for many of my colleagues the availability of native Macintosh-based software over Windows software does indeed make a difference in the device we will choose. Emulation is a lot like artificial respiration. It will do in a pinch, but I’d much rather have the real thing.
Then, take a look at your control interface. If it is nothing but a replication of the unit’s hardware remote control, it is insufficient. If I wanted to use a remote, I wouldn’t have bothered to bring a computer. Manipulation of your GUI via a graphical interface just doesn’t cut it.
Plus, those of you who don’t document your APIs — many of us can do simple macro-based programming, and if I need to add just a single command could do it if I’d had documentation on what that command is.
What is needed in this arena? A common, simple, open standard for network-based software for device control. But it looks like will be a long time coming with that one. In the meantime, control manufacturers should look at their offerings and consider offering a stripped-down, configurable rather than programmable interface. Something I could use to control two or three devices during a show from one control position, without having to do dedicated programming.
Any takers?
rAVe Rental [and Staging] contributor Joel R. Rollins, CTS, 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
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InfoComm: 10 Trends in Live Events 2013
By Dan Daley Special to InfoComm International
The live events industry has grown massive, driven by a confluence of factors. The music industry continues to rely heavily on concert touring to replace revenues lost to digital distribution and piracy; sporting events are getting bigger and more global, with branded spectaculars from ESPN's X Games to a year's worth of run-up games to the World Cup adding music, lights and projection video; and corporate extravaganzas put on by edge brands like Red Bull and Nike are becoming more AV-dependent as they try to attract press and spectators. Every event uses some combination of audio, video, lighting and — increasingly — live streaming via the Internet.
And that's not all. Here are some trends to keep an eye on as this season gets underway.
Wireless Squeeze
Spectrum reallocation will make using multiple channels of wireless microphones for an event even more of a squeeze play. It's not that professional users are gobbling up more spectrum; rather, mobile devices are devouring the stuff — smartphones alone use 24 times more data than a traditional cell phone, and tablets can consume 122 times more data than old traditional phones, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The agency is working on ways to free up additional spectrum, including wresting it from other government agencies and working with TV broadcasters to develop incentive auctions that will allow TV stations to put their unused or underused spectrum up for sale and get a cut of the proceeds. The goal is to free up an additional 500 MHz of spectrum for wireless broadband use by 2020.
In the meantime, several spectrum-management databases are now (mostly) in place. The first TV Bands Device Database, operated by Spectrum Bridge went live a year ago; Google's and Key Bridge Global's went into trial in March. Since three to 15 wireless microphones (depending on model) can operate in one 6MHz TV channel, the TV channels currently reserved for pro use will accommodate the needs of most wireless users. Users of larger numbers of wireless systems may register in the TV Bands Devices Database to protect additional TV channels during a specific event. Unlicensed wireless microphone users must request database protection from the FCC, while licensed users may register in the database directly. Until the FCC registration system is fully operational, unlicensed users must submit registration requests directly to the FCC Office of Engineering Technology at TVWSinfo@fcc.gov.
Resurrecting Deceased Performers?
Don't look for Elvis anytime soon. The stunning holographic effect of Tupac Shakur strutting around the stage at last year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival prompted the promise of more dead celebrities showing up at shows and events. They reportedly include Presley, Jim Morrison of the Doors and Marilyn Monroe. Digital Domain, the visual effects house co-founded by director James Cameron that produced Tupac, flirted with bankruptcy late last year before being revived with $30.2 million in financing from new Chinese and Indian owners. No digital ghosts have been announced yet, but we may see more of the visual effects used on the band Primus' fall 2012 "3D Tour," which saw fans receive 3D glasses so they could see the three-dimensional imagery projected from screens behind the band. When it comes to holograms and 3D imagery, jam bands may yet succeed where ESPN and others have floundered.
MADI Migration Continues
MADI is the acronym du saison. The Multichannel Audio Digital Interface is an AES-standard communications protocol that defines the data format and characteristics of an interface for multiple channels of digital audio. We first saw MADI in recording studios two decades ago as a way to move multichannel digital audio between consoles and digital tape machines (remember those?). From there, MADI migrated to broadcast, where it's used to move multichannel digital audio between routers. Lately, MADI's been making its presence felt in live sound applications, where instead of being the central matrix for what can be hundreds of audio signals, digital mixers are becoming the GUIs for routers capable of potentially thousands of endpoints, with signals carried over fiber. This simplified matrix arrangement of console and router using MADI over fiber allows more signal paths to be sustained and managed in a single show. For instance, the All-Star Jam, a music event that was part of the NBA All-Star Weekend in Houston last February, let multiple digital consoles share routers in different locations.
Flat-Panel vs. Projection Walls
Projection video, long the mainstay of large-scale events, may be sharing the spotlight with flat-screen displays this season. "While the use of large video projection systems by corporations and business entities for training and presentations have been in place for many years, the new generation of LCD, multicelled videowalls offers many advantages over traditional front- and rear-projection systems," says Paul Allen, president of Adaptive Video Walls & Displays. "One significant difference between the two technologies is picture clarity in environments with strong ambient light. Projection systems need darker room environments to deliver clarity, while an LCD videowall will shine through normal room lighting, allowing audiences to be able to review very detailed materials during a presentation. With the advent of extremely narrow bezels on professional LCD screens, visual segmenting of an image is greatly reduced, while the size of a video wall can go from modest to giant to accommodate any installation setting." Allen cites other flat-screen advantages, including elimination of the need to replace bulbs, and lower power consumption.
Speaking of Videowalls
Expect to start seeing a lot more videowalls at events where they might not have been considered a year ago. Thanks to the plummeting costs for processing and displays, videowalls are more accessible by more event operators than ever. Rick Seegull, vice president of sales & marketing at Aurora Multimedia, says its newest processor costs $1,800 per unit, allowing the processing for a 3×3 wall using nine displays to cost about $16,000, plus the cost of the displays. "And those can be consumer-grade LCDs; the processing is agnostic," he says, putting the videowall concept within the reach of the typical indie touring band or local charity fundraiser. "A couple of years ago, videowalls were the mansions on the hill," says Seegull. "Now they've gone mainstream."
Insure It!
In recent years, fatalities, injuries and losses from damage due to winds and storms at live outdoor events have put new emphasis on insurance coverage. But even those who escape direct weather problems may still pay a price. Scott Carroll, executive vice president and program director of Take 1 Entertainment Insurance, says that at the very least, coverage terms will become more restrictive. For instance, higher deductibles may be required; engineering sign-offs for stages and trusses may need to be submitted to the insurance carrier as part of the trigger for when coverage applies; written processes and procedures may need to be provided to carriers regarding who is responsible for calling the show or lowering the roof truss structures when high winds or bad weather are forecast.
"In other words, insurance carriers will be looking for more proactive approaches to potential and sudden changes in the weather, rather than an after-the-fact approach, as was seen in so many of the stage accidents in the past," Carroll warns.
Speaking of Weather
Staging companies will be looking for their own weather prognosticators, as they seek to avoid liability for weather-induced damages. And they'll have a few options. On the DIY end, there are more and more websites that offer real-time, moving Doppler radar images that can drill down to a matter of meters to show the location of storms and in which directions and how quickly they're moving. Taking periodic, time-stamped screen shots of these in the hours before an outdoor event can document a company's efforts to monitor conditions, if that kind of information is ever needed. A more elaborate solution comes from Weather Decision Technologies (WDT), which sells dynamic, Web-based and mobile interactive mapping solutions to media companies and high-profile concert-touring clients, including classic rock band Heart. WDT clients receive per-show, event-specific meteorological data under WDT's event venue safety information service, WeatherOps.
A Definitive Safety Guide
The Event Safety Alliance (ESA), a group of about 600 industry members ranging from manufacturers to riggers and touring production managers, is now in the final six-month stage of review for the U.S. Event Safety Guide, a 300-page compendium of best practices for all aspects of live event operations, from rigging to sound to lighting and pyro/special effects. ESA executive director Jim Rigby says August 5 is the target date to close peer review, with publication expected before the end of the year. While that might be a little late for this year's live-event season, Rigby says the lengthy and comprehensive review process underscores the fact that the safety of workers, performers and audiences is now a primary concern. "The Guide takes into account all of the experiences, good and bad, of the last several years," he says.
Google Docs — Yes, Google Docs
As live events become more complex, entire forests are denuded of trees as scripts undergo countless revisions. Increasingly, AV supervisors are turning to Google Docs to create paperless management systems that allow for revisions of scripts distributed through personal laptops, tablets and smartphones. That's how audio supervisor Michael Abbott has been managing the information flow for the Grammy Awards show for the past two years. He and his crews use Google Docs to create scripts and convert them to .PDF files distributed throughout the show's backbone. New versions are pushed through to everyone instantly, and individual user revisions can be made. Abbott says he uses this system to move scripts, audio I/O lists and stage plots around the cavernous Staples Center for the Grammy Awards and other shows.
"A typical one-week show will generate a 7- to 8-inch pile of paper," he says. "Multiply that by two hundred people and you see why we have to move to iPads for scripts."
4K — Almost
Well, maybe 4K resolution imagery won't go mainstream for live events this year, but it will soon. Technology is already in place that to project 4K resolution — approximately quadruple that of current 1080p — at 48 frames per second to a 70×30 film screen. That's 55,000 ANSI lumens, if you're counting. It's going to be bright, certainly bright enough for outdoor use. Hollywood is looking hard at 4K, and historically formats that become successful in cinema migrate to other commercial venues, including live events, such as corporate product launches. So if you're anticipating the live events trends for 2014, add 4K to that list, too.
This column was reprinted with permission from InfoComm International and originally appeared here.
Image via retinafunk
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Say Goodbye to the Sharp That We Knew
By David Barnes DisplayDaily
Sharp sunk further in the fiscal year that ended in March and it has surrendered more control to its creditors in an effort to revive its businesses. As outgoing chairman Takahashi told reporters in Japan [source: DowJones Newswires], “We need to say goodbye to the Sharp that we knew in recent years. We need to be ready to change everything at the company, other than the founding principles.”
Mizuho and Mitsubishi financial groups bailed Sharp out of a hole last October with a $3.6 billion loan in return for taking control of key office and factory assets. Now they are lending Sharp $1.5 billion more to help cover redemption of a $2 billion bond due in four months. For this, the banks have obtained two board seats and some influence on executive changes. The former President becomes a non-voting chairman and the former chairman becomes a retiree. Apparently, the pair are taking the blame for over-investing in Sakai (both for LCD and solar).
There is much more that can be said about restructuring charges, takeover defenses and new business targets, but those may be interesting subjects only to strategy wonks like me. For most readers, the key points are changes in the status of Sakai, renewed emphasis on external panel sales and more concrete plans for IGZO technology.
Looking at consolidated LCD business results since 2002, we can see how profit margins collapsed after 2008. There are two related reasons for that. Sharp became too reliant on demand from affiliated business lines and Sharp’s internal demand declined after the national subsidy for TV sets lapsed (the Eco-Point Program). Sales in the company’s AV sector declined 31 percent from FY2012 and 54 percent from FY2008.
If we look at the difference between consolidated LCD sales and gross LCD sales before eliminating internal transfers, we see that only 50 percent to 60 percent of sales were external transactions in 2008–2012. The portion of external sales increased in FY2013 but the LCD assets in Sakai were removed from consolidation as part of Sharp’s effort to lighten its balance sheet in September of 2012. That means sales from Sakai’s Gen-10 lines no longer contribute to operating results. The problem with that is Sharp’s own capacity becomes only 3 percent of the industry and that share is declining. Sharp is already smaller than China Star (CSOT) on a consolidated business basis.
Thus, Sharp has few alternatives to becoming more of a merchant supplier to other brands, like Samsung. The good news is that Sharp still has unique technical capabilities that other companies may value. It announced three new notebook panels are going into production next month at Kameyama plant 2.
- 11.6 inches, 2560 x 1440 pixels at 253 ppi
- 14.0 inches, 3200 x 1800 pixels at 262 ppi
- 15.6 inches, 3200 x 1800 pixels at 235 ppi
Those of us going to SID DisplayWeek next week in Vancouver may get a chance to see these panels. I’m looking forward to it but I will still mourn the falling of a giant.
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ViewSonic Reaffirms Commitment to the ProAV Market with the Launch of its Pro8 Series Projectors
ViewSonic added two new models to its Pro8 line today, the Pro8520HD and Pro8600, making for a total of seven in its series of high brightness projectors. Both are single-chip DLP projectors, spec'd at 5,000 ANSI lumen for the 1920×1080 resolution Pro8520HD and 6,000 ANSI lumens for the XGA 1024×768 native resolution Pro8600, and also claim a 15,000:1 contrast ratio. They both use the TI Brilliant Chip technology. Both models are aimed at high ambient light environments and have HDMI (dual HDMI for Pro8520), RGB, S-Video, RJ45 and so-called plug ‘n play USB display.
The Pro8520HD and Pro8600 are priced at $2,099 and $1,979, respectively, and you can see all the specs on the 8520 here: http://www.viewsonic.com/us/pro8520hd.html and on the 8600 here: http://www.viewsonic.com/us/pro8600.html
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Vaddio Offers Ability to Convert Any Mic Into a USB Mic
Vaddio this week launched what it's calling the EasyUSB PRO MIC I/O Interface, designed to integrate any professional microphone with Vaddio's EasyUSB audio solutions. The PRO MIC I/O Interface incorporates Vaddio’s unique SmartMIC technology into the device, providing distributed multi-channel acoustical echo cancelation and automatic microphone mixing.
The PRO MIC I/O comes equipped with four independent echo cancelation microphone inputs and one discreet output for interfacing to the Vaddio EasyUSB Mixer/Amp. The system can be expanded to support eight microphones by adding an additional PRO MIC I/O.
Here are all the details: http://www.vaddio.com/press/easyusb-pro-mic-io
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DPA Microphones Introduces d:dicate Recording Microphone Range
DPA Microphones this month launched its d:dicate Recording Microphone, which includes the MMC4018 Supercardioid Capsule and the MMC4007 High-SPL Omnidirectional Capsule, a modular version of the company’s 4007 microphone. Both capsules are entirely compatible with other d:dicate preamplifiers and are ideal for capturing sound from percussion and brass instruments, as well as for audio measurement purposes.
Rounding out the d:dicate line are microphones from the familiar DPA Reference Standard series, which has been absorbed into the d:dicate range. These include the modular 4000 and 2000 Series, which are manufactured to perform within very narrow tolerances and offer linear frequency responses, high SPL and gain before feedback. Included in the d:dicate range are a wide variety of 4000 Series capsules, including the new 4018 Supercardiod, 4017 Shotgun, 4015 Wide Cardioid, 4011 Cardioid and 4006 Omnidirectional. 2000 Series Microphones that are in the line consist of two twin diaphragm capsules – the 2011 Cardioid and the 2006 Omnidirectional. Both of these microphones are rooted in the design technology of DPA’s classic miniature capsules. All of the former Reference Standard capsules can be combined with the company’s preamps, including the A, which is transformerless; the B, a low cut and high boost filter version; and the compact C option for discreet miking.
New accessories have also been developed for the d:dicate Recording Microphone range, including modular active cables (MMP-ER with rear cable entry and MMP-ES with side cable entry) plus modular active booms (MMP-F) that are compatible with all d:dicate capsules.
You can see them all here: http://www.dpamicrophones.com |
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Red Intros Redray 4K and 3D Player
The new Redray Player from Red plays 4K files as well as upscales HD files to Ultra HD content to a resolution of 4096×2160. Redray connects to 4K displays using a 1.4 HDMI output or one of four HDMI 1.3 outputs, with an additional HDMI output for 7.1 channel audio (for HD displays, Redray uses 1x HDMI 1.3 output). It also supports 3D playback at 48-60fps.
Redray utilizes a 1 TB internal drive to store content and is capable of synchronized video playback to four 1080p displays or two 4K display panels, simultaneously. Multiple Redray players can also be genlocked together to serve large video wall applications.
While the Redray Player is targeted at home theater applications (Red has demo'd it running content on 4K TVs), it also will be used for on-set dailies, in post production, by VOD providers, running video walls and could be used in digital signage applications too. Why video walls? It has four 1080p outputs on HDMI connectors, so it works just fine for a 2×2 wall offering full resolution without a video wall controller.
Playback can also occur at three different levels: 10-, 20- and 40-Mbps. The 40 Mbps level is cinema quality and each minute of content requires a lot more storage space. At the 20Mbps rate, the 1TB hard drive should store about 100 hours of 4K content.
Here are all the specs: http://www.red.com/store/products/Redray-player
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New OmniWall Display Processor from RGB Spectrum Will Debut at InfoComm
RGB Spectrum's new OmniWall display processor is a video wall processor that's designed to accommodate wall arrays of virtually any configuration (and it's spec'd to handle video sources up to 4K (UltraHD) resolution). In addition, multiple walls can be managed from the same processor and an image can be scaled across any number of displays – the user simply defines the wall configuration, window layouts and source routing. The OmniWall processor automatically sends the proper scaling information to each output – including bezel compensation. Multiple layouts and routings can be saved and recalled using presets.
The processor is available in two chassis sizes. OmniWall 16 has up to 16 inputs and 16 outputs – ideal for 2×2, 3×3 or 3×4 screen arrays, or linear configurations from 1×16 to 16×1. For larger video walls, the OmniWall 32 offers up to 32 inputs and 32 outputs. For even larger walls, multiple chassis can be connected in parallel. A wide selection of modular fiber and copper inputs include digital and analog sources – DVI, HDMI, 3G/HD-SDI, RGB and component signals. The system supports DVI resolutions up to 1920×1200 and 4K (UltraHD) up to 4096×2160. HDCP compliance allows the processor to accommodate content-protected HDMI signals and provide embedded audio passthrough. An HDCP encoded signal can be routed to all outputs.
Multiple control options are available allowing a wide range of functionality. Remote control (RS232, TCP/IP), allows quick and easy setup, configuration and preset recall. An embedded Web Control Panel can be accessed by virtually any computer with a web browser. Setup and configuration is a snap. Presets can be saved and recalled with the click of a button. RGB Spectrum's BP-16 button panel or a phone/tablet device can also be used to recall presets. An optional OmniWall Control Station provides a rich Graphical User Interface (GUI) to provide the user an easy way to interact with the wall with drag and drop capability for source selection. The Control Station option also offers video capture, providing thumbnails of each source connected to the processor.
Here are the specs: http://www.rgb.com/products/Omniwall/?c=n
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RGB Intros SuperView 4K
RGB Spectrum's new SuperView 4K is aimed at multi-windowing "Ultra HD" (aka 4K) monitors and projectors. The company says it can handle resolutions up to 3840×2160, so it can display up to eight HD graphic or video windows on a single Ultra HD-resolution display device.
Features include window sizing and positioning, input grouping, panning and zooming, custom borders and titles, HDCP support and programmable presets. Images can be arranged anywhere on an Ultra HD display – in any size, with or without overlaps, and with any desired priority. For control applications, the SuperView 4K multiviewer offers SinglePoint KVM control of computer sources.
Connectivity is either single-link or dual-link DVI and control is via RS232 or the system's Web Control Panel (WCP) via a Web browser.
Here are all the specs: http://www.rgb.com/products/SuperView4k/?c=n
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PESA Debuts Xstream Video Over IP Matrix
PESA just intro'd something it is calling Xstream – a 1U rack-mountable box that simultaneously encodes up to five independent video sources and eight audio sources concurrently from live or recorded video for multi-path H.264 IP distribution over six independent video streams. And, PESA claims that there are no sync or latency issues (hmm, put an asterisk here because this seems unbelievable – prove this one to us PESA).
PESA Xstream captures H.264 IP camera streams, NTSC/PAL or SDI video up to 1080p resolution, video playback and even computer-based content such as PowerPoint slides, then prepares high-bandwidth MPEG-4/H.264 broadcast streams for enterprise distribution and archive. When multiple sources are captured simultaneously, the streams remain associated and synchronized during the event. Storage options include a PESA internal 2.5-inch SATA drive.
With five individually addressable video outputs as well as an integrated quad-view output, PESA Xstream allows operators to stream live content over IP while simultaneously transmitting live digital content to a quad-view display and/or full screen display. PESA Xstream can also synchronize discrete audio inputs to discrete video and IP video inputs, and offers adjustable audio delay.
This is aimed at court recording, rental and staging events, telemedicine, virtual classrooms, security and surveillance, and webcasting and remote production applications. PESA also provides access to its Application Programming Interface (API), allowing integrators to tailor applications to specific market segments.
Here are complete specs: http://pesaxstream.com/
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RF Analysis Right at Your Finger Tips — An AV Toolbox Gotta-Have
Imagine having the power of RF analysis right at your fingertips. Well, we've found a handheld touch tablet RF Analyzer from Kaltman Creations called the RF-Vue that offers just that. The RF-Vue is offered in several versions, but the flagship model is the RF-Vue T10, a handheld unit integrated into a 10-inch Windows 8 touch tablet. The RF-Vue T10 covers the standard wireless microphone and IEM frequency range of 470MHz to 700MHz. Additional models are available that offer greater frequency ranges, plus there are standalone RF electronics/software modules for use with user-supplied computers or tablets.
The analyzer has full finger navigation functions so the user can pinch, expand-zoom, and slide through the RF spectrum with ease. As a true handheld RF spectrum analyzer, the user can enter any frequency sweep range (within the range of the analyzer), and view the RF spectrum looking for open RF space for channel selections, interference avoidance or interference troubleshooting, all in real-time. The unit features current, average and peak spectral traces, Touch-to-Listen (listenin to all RF space); a RF Congestion Scale to gauge the severity of local RF, customizable screen markers and insta-save custom profiles. As an added option, the recently released Invisible Waves RF intermodPRO also integrates right into the RFVueT for simultaneous intermodulation calculations based off of the real-time spectral display.
The analyzers are sold in several different affordable packages. The RF-Vue T10 is integrated into a 10-inch Touch Tablet with Windows 8, and lists for $1,750 and the RF-Vue T10X is an extended frequency version that covers 40MHz up to 2.5GHz and therefore covers all VHF and UHF microphones, IEM’s, assisted listening and remote control equipment, including the 900MHz, 1.9GHz and 2.4GHz bands. It lists for $1,995. Other versions include the RF-Vue NT, which is an electronics/software only version for USB connection to the user’s own tablet or laptop computer, with pricing starting at $1,095, and the RF-Vue NTX, which covers 40MHz to 2.5GHz covering VHF, UHF, cellular, Wi-Fi, etc., with a list of $1,350.
Here are all the specs: http://www.kaltmancreationsllc.com/
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Extron Now Shipping VNR 100 VN-MatrixSingle Channel Recorder
Extron's new VNR 100 is a single channel recorder that digitally records and plays back high-definition computer graphics, video, audio and data streamed in VN-Matrix systems. It can simultaneously record and play back streaming content. This provides flexibility for recording and playback workflows, and can help increase the duty cycle of expensive source and presentation equipment. The VNR 100 presents a scalable solution that can be deployed in single source or multi-source applications.
Pre-recorded content can be streamed while an independent source is recorded in time-slip applications, and chase-play capabilities allow time-shifted delays to be introduced into a live stream. Additionally, multiple VNR 100 units can be configured to accommodate recording and playback of AV content presented on multi-screen display systems. As a part of Extron's line of VN-Matrix streaming solutions, the VNR 100 is ideally suited for AV streaming and recording applications with the most demanding quality and performance requirements. Common applications for the VNR 100 include command and control, training and simulation, multi-site houses of worship, and staged entertainment events.
Here are the details: http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=vnmr100&s=5
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PESA Claims to Be Debuting 4K Matrix at InfoComm
PESA's new Cheetah 4K, a fiber optic routing switcher, will debut at InfoComm. PESA says it will route 4K up to 600 meters over multi-mode cable. Each 4K source is connected to an outboard (PESA branded) easyPORT-4KX1F coax to fiber media converter that PESA tells rAVe supports up to 12 Gbps per port over a single fiber to the router. They also told us that the easyPORT-4KX1F has the ability to accept ultra-high resolution 4K video at 3840×2160 and 4096×2160 and each input port can also be configured individually to accept up to four independent 3G-SDI signals to be transported over a signal fiber cable.
Every 12 Gbps fiber output port from the router is connected to an external easyPORT-1FX4K fiber-to-coax media converter to provide four BNCs per 4K destination, which allows an additional 80 meters of coax extension to position 4K devices farther downstream of the media converter. Both the easyPORT-4KX1F and easyPORT-1FX4K can be rack mounted with an optional 1 RU frame that holds up to four media converters, or the media converters can be installed with an optional mounting plate.
The new Cheetah 4K fiber optic router includes 12 Gbps input ports and output ports via standard SC style fiber connectors. Housed in a 4 RU chassis, the compact Cheetah 4K router provides a huge advantage over similar offerings by including internal control for Ethernet or traditional RS232/422 control, hot swappable matrix and I/O cards, redundant power and control, and SNMP support for third-party, high-end network management systems. The router can be configured and controlled via PESA’s Cattrax network GUI or optional Cattrax Web network server software using PESA’s powerful PERC2000 or PERC3000 System Controller hardware.
PESA will also offer retrofit packages of the Cheetah 4K I/O system for existing 3G-SDI Cheetah systems. Once the control software is configured for 4K, the router system can run both 4K and 3G-SDI signals in parallel. Each easyPORT 4K media module includes Ethernet connectivity for control and configuration, which makes it easy to pre-configure the router to alternatively accept individual 3G-SDI, 2K and other SMPTE-compliant formats. Future I/O card upgrades will include audio embedding and de-embedding, as well as full compliance for future SMPTE interfaces on the roadmap for 2K/4K formats.
It's not on the company's website (since it intros at InfoComm) but when it is, it'll be here: http://www.pesa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=72
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