Volume 7, Issue 8 — August 5, 2014
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Service Opportunities for Integrators
By Scott Tiner rAVe Columnist
Last month in my column, The Dog Days of Summer, I wrote about a project we did in one of our classrooms. The title of the column spoke a bit about what June and early July is for us in the education world — a bit snoozy. Our budgets don’t start until July 1st, so we can not even order all of our summer equipment until that date. Which means that our work starts in earnest around July 15th.
Despite the fact that we know this reality, we always manage to plan as though we can use all of June and July to do our installs and build up our rooms. So, come July 15th, we are in a straight panic! We have twelve weeks of work to do in about six weeks.
I have always thought that this is a great opportunity for integrators and vendors to jump in and help. For many reasons, it would be a win-win situation. As an integrator, you need to spend time and money training your technicians and installers. One great way to do that would be to allow them to work under people who have been in the field for years and have great experience. We recently made an offer to one of our vendors for this exact type of partnership. We want to manage our own installs, for a variety of reasons. However, we don’t always have the manpower to support multiple installs in a short period of time. Summers are very busy for us, as well as school breaks in December, January, February and April. We asked the vendor, who happens to be a company still getting their feet wet in AV, if they would outsource us their labor. Unfortunately, they were not interested.
I certainly understand the desire to train staff in a specific manner, specifically making sure they get taught the right way to do things. However, in-the-field experience is the most valuable experience of all. At Bates College, both of our AV support people are CTS-certified and our AV engineer is CTS-I certified, with 30-plus years in the business. They are professionals who do high level of work. In our case, the start-up AV company would have had some fabulous technicians to learn from. The best part of this experience would have been the company getting paid by us, for us to train their technicians.
Several years ago, InfoComm christened the Independent Technical Service Providers council. This council is made up of people who do not represent any manufacturer. They simply provide services. These services range from structured cabling, to programming, system design, audio design and installation. The companies in this council are able to come in and provide you the exact service you need. So, for example, if you are doing an upgrade to a sound system in a large classroom, and audio is not your strength, you could contact one of these companies and they would provide you with the design. Due to the fact that they are not selling you the product, they can do the design to your specifications. If audio happens to be your thing, but programming is not, then you could find another company who specializes in audio programming to come in and program your system. Many integration companies are leery to do this type of work. They are concerned about being responsible for a system that “is not theirs.” Again, while I understand the hesitancy of change, I believe it is worth considering.
It is surprising how often we have a need to call on these independent service providers. Llike any other business, we have turnover in our staff, which need to be filled on a temporary basis until a permanent replacement is found. We also have staff who get sick, go on vacation, etc. during times when we need to get work done. So if you have people on staff in your firm that could fill in at those times, they would get used.
The business model of a successful AV company continues to change. We all know that margins on equipment disappeared years ago, and now many institutions are doing their own installs. Being a flexible business that allows you to adapt to these changes and offer your customers the services they need is what will keep you in business. Sometimes, this flexibility is very uncomfortable, but is what keeps up a strong business relationship. The need for a strong relationship is one thing that has not changed in the business model of a successful company. What do you think? Should more companies offer services like the Independent Technical Services group? Leave a Comment
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Extron Intros SpeedMount Ceiling Speaker System Extron just launched the CS 123T SpeedMount Ceiling Speaker System, a patented low profile, plenum rated two-piece speaker system that offers a wide 165° conical dispersion for flexibility in speaker spacing. The system is designed for applications where high intelligibility and maximum coverage is desired in paging applications and low ceiling installations. The innovative system consists of the CS 120P plenum rated enclosure and a CS 3T full-range speaker cartridge. The enclosure installs quickly into 2′x2′ (61 cm x 61 cm) or 600×600-millimeter suspended ceilings. The speaker cartridge features a 3″ (7.6 cm) full-range driver, and can be used in 70/100 volt or 8 ohm operation. The CS 123T is available as a complete assembly, or the CS 120P and CS 3T can be purchased separately to accommodate division-of-labor installations.
The CS 123T is available as a complete assembly including a pair of CS 120P enclosures and a pair of CS 3T full-range speaker cartridges. The enclosures and speaker cartridges can also be purchased in pairs separately, so they can be delivered to low-voltage and AV system contractors.
The CS 120P plenum enclosure installs quickly into 2′x2′ or metric 600×600-millimeter suspended ceiling grids. It features a shallow 5″ (12.7 cm) profile, which simplifies installation into congested ceiling spaces around piping and ducts. The integrated tile bridge of the enclosure rests on the ceiling tile above the grid, evenly distributing the weight of the CS 120P and the CS 3T speaker cartridge. This avoids the need to assemble V-rails and C-rings, greatly reducing the number of installation steps and the chances of losing installation hardware.
The CS 3T speaker cartridge features a 3″ (7.6 centimeters) full-range driver, and can be used in 70/100 volt or 8 ohm operation with a behind-the-grille, six position power selector switch. The cartridge installs quickly and easily into the CS 120P enclosure. The CS 3T delivers full-range audio reproduction and a wide conical dispersion of 165 degrees for vocal clarity and broad coverage. The CS 3T is optimized for voice reproduction and paging applications. It features a power rating of 16 watts continuous pink noise and 32 watts continuous program capacity. The CS 3T features a magnetically attached grille and a thin-edged bezel for a refined appearance on the ceiling.
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Kramer Intros VS-62H Ultra HD Matrix SwitcherKramer’s new VS-62H is a 6×2 HDMI matrix switcher that is 4K capable at 2.97Gbps per channel.
The VS-62H is in a small desktop form-factor and includes embedded webpage control, RS232, IP and front panel controls. The system features three levels of automation per output (Last Connection, Priority and Manual Override) that could even allow for a controller-free operation (automated switching). The video detection for automation is based on actual video clock signal recognition.
The two independently buffered outputs are geared towards dual-screen or video-conferencing applications with resolutions of up to Ultra HD (4K). As part of the automation support, there is also a display standby feature that automatically turns off an output to which no input is routed.
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Chief Releases New Plenum Rated Ceiling Storage Boxes Chief has redesigned above-ceiling boxes to help installers by eliminating common problems encountered on the job.
Installer feedback led Chief engineers to design a better storage box to remove the need for frustrating swing down doors that can get in the way during installation and servicing. The boxes include an industry-first drop-down feature that lowers the entire frame enough to slide the tile out of the way.
Designers also focused on maximizing the column location within a tile space for less reliance on digital adjustments and lens shift to the image.
Features include:
- 1×2 and 2×2 sizes
- Ship with all the speed connect hardware needed for installation
- Power can be added either in the box or facing the room
- A detachable power plate allows the electrician to pre-wire the area before box installation begins
- Passive cooling vents help with thermal management
- The boxes can hold 100 pounds (45.4 kg). That includes 50 pounds (22.7 kg) for the projector and up to 25 pounds (11.3 kg) per shelf. AV components can be loaded to the shelf before bringing it to the ceiling for further installation convenience.
The CMS491 and CMS492 above ceiling boxes can be ordered with or without a column drop. All boxes come with one shelf. Accessories to further customize the installation include another shelf and a 1RU rack rail. A fan kit for active thermal management will be available at a later date.
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Extron Tackles Lecture Capture with the Introduction of the SMP 351 and FlexOSExtron just launched the SMP 351, an H.264 streaming media processor for capturing and distributing live AV sources and presentations. Featuring up to five inputs, the SMP 351 creates high-impact content by combining two high resolution signals, a background image and metadata into dynamic layouts that enhance a presentation’s message. The SMP 351 supports both live streaming and recording capabilities, allowing a presentation to be delivered anywhere a network can reach. Extron’s FlexOS embedded operating system makes it easily-adaptable to new requirements, and applications can be uploaded to the SMP 351 to automate system operation using control ports. It is easy to use, and with no licensing fees, has a low cost of ownership.
The SMP 351 offers extensive streaming capabilities. It can stream and record simultaneously and can stream concurrently at two different resolutions and bit rates using a range of transport protocols and session management options. The SMP 351 creates MP4 media files that are directly compatible with virtually any software media player and popular content management system. MP4 recorded media can be saved to the internal solid state drive, a USB thumb drive, or a network storage directory to meet different application requirements. Designed for use in professional AV systems, the SMP 351 can be controlled using serial RS232, Ethernet and four digital I/O ports. Install FlexOS applications onto the SMP 351 to interface with control ports and automate system operation.
The SMP 351 is complemented by Extron Streaming Content Manager — SCM software. SCM is used to administrate users, groups, and recordings produced by the SMP 351. SCM also processes the recorded media into file packages that provide a data-rich playback experience using the Extron Media Player — EMP, a browser based media player that can be operated from virtually any computer or mobile device.
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AmpliVox Intros Duo Tandem Line Array Soundbar AmpliVox Sound Systems just introduced a new two-module configuration of its Line Array Soundbar system, a two-piece design of the Duo Tandem Line Array Soundbar. Presenters can both position the rack-mounted speaker module of the system to face the audience and also position the amplifier module with its controls at the presenter’s fingertips.
AmpliVox designed the Duo Tandem Line Array Soundbar to be fully integratable with multimedia presentation carts and lecterns and includes 50-watt sound amplification. The enclosed, rack-mounted system includes separate speaker and amp modules, with the speaker unit facing the audience and the amp’s control panel facing toward the presenter. This configuration makes it easy for the user to see and operate the amplifier’s controls during a presentation. The Duo Tandem Line Array Soundbar is available with AmpliVox’s 16 channel UHF wireless receiver, which aids in eliminating interference from competing frequencies.
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Kramer Intros Bidirectional Ethernet to Serial Conversion Boxes Kramer’s FC-21ETH, FC-22ETH and FC-24ETH are bidirectional hardware and software interface systems that enable control of RS232 and/or RS485 controllable machines via an Ethernet LAN. These products give installers the ability to implement simultaneous control over several AV devices (the number depends on exact model) spread throughout an installation by offering bidirectional Ethernet to serial conversion. Each product operates as a network server, which means they accept network connections, but do not initiate them.
All setup and maintenance of the FC devices are managed by built-in web pages, which are accessible through any common web browser. The FC-21ETH, FC-22ETH and FC-24ETH offer 1/2/4 (respectively) serial ports for AV device control with one of them being a RS-232/RS-485 dual-use serial port.
The FC-21ETH, FC-22ETH and FC-24ETH all support network connectivity, which allows users to connect a Kramer (or other) device via its RS-232 or RS-485 port to an Ethernet LAN. These products are also able to control up to three RS-232 devices and one RS-232/RS-485 device/s (FC model dependent) via Ethernet from a PC and can control a device from multiple Ethernet points (up to 40 PCs or remote controllers), via a LAN or the Internet. In addition, these products include Windows-based Virtual Port software for setting up virtual ports on a PC.
The FC-21ETH and FC-22ETH are in stock and list for $450 and $540, respectively. The FC-24ETH will be available by August.
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DVIGear Launches Line of HDBaseT Extenders DVIGear just launched two new HDBaseT extenders in the DVI-7520 and DVI-7525 aimed at the commercial AV and rental markets.
DVIGear says both the DVI-7520 and DVI-7525 extend uncompressed HDMI or DVI, embedded audio, bidirectional RS232 and IR and Ethernet (DVI-7525 only) using a single twisted-pair CATx cable. They claim that both these extenders support HDBaseT 5Play, route resolutions up to 4K / 30p (UHD) resolution, bidirectional IR, POH (see below) and long range operation:
- DVI-7520: 4K / 30p up to 130 ft. (~ 40 m), 1080p up to 230 ft. (~ 70 m)
- DVI-7525: 4K / 30p up to 230 ft. (~ 70 m), 1080p up to 330 ft. (~ 100 m)
Using “Power over HDBaseT” (POH), this uses a standardized 48 VDC power as well as a handshake feature that prevents power exchange with incompatible devices. As you know — and about which we have written extensively — today there are many HDBaseT products on the market that utilize non-standard implementations of power over the HDBaseT link. This problem has created numerous interoperability challenges for system integrators who are faced with HDBaseT products that do not work with each other or in some cases actually cause equipment failures. Kudos to DVIGear for doing HDBaseT right.
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Chief Expands Mobile XL Cart Solutions Chief’s Extra-Large Fusion Mobile Cart was designed for extra-large and touch panel displays — including the SMART 8000 series — from 55″ to more than 100″ and up to 300 pounds (136 kg). It has space for internal storage, including hardware to vertically mount 2 RUs worth of AV gear.
The Extra-Large Fusion Video Conferencing Cart comes fully assembled with a camera shelf and 11 RUs of rack rail for rack mountable and non-rack mountable components. The XVAU cart was designed for 37-70″ displays up to 250 pounds (113 kg).
Both carts can be customized for dual monitor video-conferencing use with the dual monitor accessory (FCA623B).
Features include:
- A turn knob to allow a single user to easily adjust the screen height
- Rounded edges and sleek aesthetics
- Removable panels for easy component access and cable management
- Room for internal storage of AV components
- Lockable front casters
The XPAU and XVAU are now available and details are here. Leave a Comment
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Extron Intros New USB Extender That Supports Everything Extron’s new USB Extender Plus extends signals from USB peripheral devices located up to 330 feet (100 meters) away from the host computer using a single CATx cable. The extender supports USB 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, and 1.0 devices with data rates up to 480 Mbps. Direct connection of USB peripherals to a remote host eliminates the need for additional IP network drops, equipment, software or drivers. For streamlined integration, the transmitter includes USB peripheral emulation that supports trouble-free booting of the host. Also, the receiver features an integrated four port hub with 5 Volts, 500 mA available on each port to power attached devices.
The USB Extender Plus streamlines integration by avoiding IT-specific design criteria that may be in conflict with the need to extend KVM in professional AV installations. Extron says that for increased system reliability, peripheral emulation mimics continuous connection of device to host. Real-time status LED indicators provide visual confirmation of port activity between an active host and each connected peripheral device. The 1” (2.5 cm) high, quarter rack width enclosure of both the USB Extender Plus transmitter and receiver allow rack mounting or discreet installation beneath a table or inside a lectern.
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New InFocus Software Applications Are Designed to Simplify Collaboration from Tablets and PCs InFocus Corporation has launched two new applications: BigNote 1.2 interactive whiteboard software for PC and BigConnect PC video calling software. InFocus designed the applications to improve how people communicate ideas and capture information wherever they are located.
BigNote: BigNote 1.2 interactive whiteboard software, which runs on either a Windows 7 or 8 operating system, enables users to take notes, sketch, annotate and share work from their personal Windows device or InFocus BigTouch giant touch PC. The BigNote whiteboard has a similar feature set to the whiteboard built into the InFocus Mondopad with annotation tools designed to enhance visual collaboration.
BigNote includes digital pens, highlighters, shapes and lines in several colors and a whiteboard canvas that extends ten pages in any direction. Its Auto-Shape mode can recognize free-drawn lines and shapes and re-form them to be exact. The program also allows for annotation over any application and saving or e-mailing the screen as an image file.
BigConnect: With BigConnect software, a Windows PC becomes a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) video calling device that enables users to participate in video calls with other SIP endpoints, such as Mondopad and MVP100 Video Phone, as well as Skype and Microsoft Lync. BigConnect, which comes with one year of InFocus 121 Video Calling at no additional cost, can also make IP direct calls and register to an H.323 gatekeeper for use with other telepresence systems.
In addition to face-to-face video calling, BigConnect users can share their desktop or specific applications with remote parties. With Dual Stream capabilities users can share content and video concurrently. If desired, a BigConnect call participant can interact with his or her PC desktop while the full-screen video call is semi-transparent in the background — to facilitate multi-tasking.
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Mackie Launches “Affordable” Creative Reference Speaker LineMackie just launched its Creative Reference Multimedia Monitor Series, which the company says is an “affordable” version of a studio-quality speaker.
The series includes two models — the CR3 and CR4 — with 3-inch or 4-inch woofers and 3/4-inch silk-dome tweeters. CR monitors are housed in all-wood cabinets and include custom-tuned rear ports. Unique to the line, a left/right speaker placement switch allows users to locate the volume control on the left or right of their workstation. The front panel includes a on/off/volume knob with a lit power indication ring that will also control the volume of headphones, which can be plugged directly into the front of the monitors. Great for comparing mixes, auditioning files or just enjoying a bit of music or video, there’s also a front-panel aux input for simple connection of a media device.
Creative Reference monitors come with all the connecting cables needed for the user to get started immediately. As a bonus, there’s even a pair of acoustic isolation pads included. Used in professional applications, acoustic isolation pads minimize unwanted bass buildup that can muddy a mix. Plus, the pads’ angled design allow the user to tilt the monitors slightly up or down for more focused listening depending on their setup.
The new Mackie CR3 and CR4 Creative Reference Multimedia Monitors will as pairs ship in August, and the CR3 will list for $129.99 while the CR4 monitors will list for $199.99.
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BenQ Intros Two Interactive Short Throw PJs Aimed at ED Market BenQ America launched two new short-throw projectors last week: the MX852UST and MW853UST. Both feature BenQ’s so-called Colorific image quality, offering native XGA (MX852UST) and WXGA (MW853UST) resolutions that claim a 10,000:1 contrast ratio and 3,000 and 3,200 lumens of brightness, respectively.
The MX852UST and MW853UST are compatible with BenQ’s PointWrite technology — allowing up to four participants to simultaneously collaborate on screens as large as 190 inches. Featuring auto calibration, the tool allows teachers and students to interact via enabled pens or finger touch technology on any type of projection surface. Inputs include VGA, HDMI and network ports and they use BenQ’s SmartEco technology, which the company says reduces power consumption by 70 percent via automatic lamp power adjustment based on precise brightness requirements.
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Extron Ships New Five Input Audio Expansion Processor with AEC and Dante Extron is now shipping its née AXP 50 C AT, a five input audio expansion processor with Extron ProDSP for integrating remote microphones and other sources into a Dante-enabled Extron DMP 128 audio system. A single Ethernet cable from one AXP 50 C AT, or several linked units, to a central equipment rack significantly reduces the effort and expense of pulling one cable for each mic. The AXP 50 C AT provides 48 volt phantom power and a digital control port to all mic/line inputs. Dedicated signal processing is available for each input, including gain, filtering, dynamics, and AEC – acoustic echo cancellation. FlexInputs offer the additional capability to process a Dante channel in place of a local input. The intuitive DSP Configurator Software makes it quick and easy to set up DSP parameters and AEC on the AXP 50 C AT.
In an installation with a large number of mics, the AXP 50 C AT audio expansion processor places audio signals onto the Dante audio network using standard IP networking. Signals are received as expansion inputs at one or more DMP 128 AT processors. A sound system designer can incorporate several AXP 50 C AT input expanders to create large mixing matrices of remote inputs for DMP 128 AT processors using the built-in four-port Gigabit switch. This simplifies scalability and the audio cabling infrastructure by avoiding long analog mic cable runs. The 1U, half rack width enclosure enables installation underneath a conference table, inside a credenza, or anywhere microphones or other sources may be situated.
All the specs on the AXP 50 C AT are here. Leave a Comment
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Sharp Ships 24” 10-Point Touchscreen LCD Sharp’s new LL-S242A-W is a 24” LED-lit LCD touch screen that offers 1,920×1,080 resolution monitor with a viewing angle of 178 degrees, both horizontally and vertically. It includes 10-point multi-touch capability that also features handwriting support via a fine-tipped touch pen. One cool feature is that a palm cancelation function prioritizes pen recognition, so you can write with the touch pen even if your palm is resting on the screen.
The LL-S242A-W connects with Sharp’s interactive whiteboards and Sharp video walls and is aimed for use in meetings, presentations, seminars and lectures held in large venues. Content on the LL-S242A-W, including the presenter’s handwritten annotations, can be mirrored in real-time on the interactive whiteboard or video wall for all participants to see. Sharp says the bundled touch pen allows smooth onscreen writing of both text and lines as it uses a 2 millimeter tip.
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For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe ED [Education] out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
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