Volume 7, Issue 9 — September 23, 2013
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The Moving Target
By Joel Rollins rAVe Columnist
I have always had two ways of defining a professional. The first, and the one I use most often, is that a professional is someone who gets paid for their work. Admittedly, sometimes, in the audiovisual industry, this is a difficult thing to achieve. The second way I have had of defining a professional is somebody with a professional standard of work quality.
Sometimes, however, I think that the only one with permanent validity is the first definition. This is because our standards of quality change over time.
When I entered the business about 30 years ago, I was one of the first of the video professionals in the audiovisual industry. At the time, the corporate standard in video production was the Betacam. Three tube, and later three chip, cameras were the norm. Video projection, which we now would consider to have been in its infancy, was inexpensive but growing thing in the professional world. My own role as sales manager in a family owned sales – service – rental audiovisual company was largely as the high-end video and video projection guy. My stock in trade at the time was the BarcoGraphics 400 video projection system, which when equipped with its optional glass lenses and remote convergence board could come in around $40,000. These types of video systems defined professional video at the time.
Then, along came LCD video projectors. The first out the door that we saw in Ohio was the Kodak LC 500 video projector. It was inexpensive and used slide projector lamps. It was portable, and did not require convergence. However, when placed in my demo room alongside my Barco, I scoffed at it. Why? Because it looked like you were looking at life through a screen door. As far as I was concerned, no professional in his right mind was going to use one. However, it was around that time that we hired a guy named Dave Stout from our major competitor. Dave loved the thing. It was portable, it was easy and it was inexpensive. He sold them like they were going out of style, and the LCD projector changed our definition of professional. Because it was easy to use, portable and inexpensive, it changed our opinion of what was acceptable in professional video.
Fast forward 30 years.
Today, and over the last 10 years especially, we have seen another redefinition of what professional means. YouTube, video and cell phone video dominate the Internet. I despair when I look at the awful quality, and yet I constantly see my corporate clients both in rental and in permanent systems move deeper and deeper into this type of communication. Ten years ago, I would have told you that they would not affect the professional market anywhere near as much as they have. We are seeing a new generation of executive enter the ranks of our customers. They have been raised on this kind of video, taken with cell phones and pocket devices and often shown on them. Their standards have changed. Their definition of what is professional has changed, and now includes how fast they got the news out, and how widely it is shown, much more than its visual quality.
In yet another arena, they are busy redefining two-way video communication. Only a few years ago, we would’ve laughed at the idea of one of our clients using Skype. The quality was terrible, there was no security, terrible echo cancellation, etc. Today, however, the use of these types of video tools is marching up the corporate ladder because they are inexpensive, team oriented, and everybody has them. This means that putting an ad hoc team together is faster and easier than ever before, and this is how they rate the application. In fact, in the professional world, the biggest move in videoconferencing is to attempt to replicate the ease-of-use and ease of deployment of these desktop systems.
As a result, we are being asked to implement these types of video systems in the systems that we stage with and build. When we do, are we doing something unprofessional? Or is accommodating the taste and use of our clients for a fee the very definition of professional?
I did a presentation back at ISE in Amsterdam on the next generation of client, and how their attitudes towards visual communication quality, and their attitudes toward work itself are going to impact what we are asked to do for their dollar.
Over the next two issues, we are going to examine those changes in detail. We are going to attempt to predict what a new generation of client will ask for. In the meantime, we are also going to post this article to my page on the blog squad, and I would ask that you all ring in on this. In short, we are going to attempt to define AV professional, and to decide if what we call professional has changed for all time.
And I hope that the part about being paid doesn’t change along with it. Leave a Comment
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PESA Intros easyPORT Line of SDI SwitchersPESA has announced four new easyPORT analog/digital multi-point utility converter/switchers that support up to four inputs. The EASY-4ADX4B and EASY-4ADX4F are spec’d to have 10-bit conversion of composite analog video to SDI and both accept NTSC/PAL composite inputs and feature 4x oversampling. The EASY-4BX4DA and EASY-4FX4DA allow SDI video to be converted to analog video in NTSC/PAL, with fiber or coax SDI inputs.
For back room installations where rack space is a premium, PESA offers a 1 RU power distribution tray that holds up to four easyPORT modules with a shared power source to reduce clutter. Setup is quick because each easyPORT includes USB and Ethernet connections. Once PESA’s CATTRAX software is installed on a PC or laptop, the GUI can be used for setup, switching or diagnostics.
More information is here. Leave a Comment
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BenQ Ships SX914 6000 Lumen Install Projector BenQ America is shipping a new large-venue install projector dubbed the SX914 — an XGA (1024×768) resolution DLP projector specified to output 6,000 ANSI lumens with a contrast ratio of 6500:1.The projector offers 1.6x zoom capabilities, an embedded test pattern, dual HDMI inputs, a VGA port and an Ethernet port for control and content.
With LAN Control, the SX914 enables both audio and video to be delivered over a single LAN cable, allowing IT managers to remotely manage and maintain their devices directly from their workstations. The projector supports Crestron, SNMP, PJLink, and AMX systems, and offers wireless transfer of photos and documents from any iPad, iPhone or mobile device directly to the projector.
To reduce energy costs, the SX914 features a standby mode to lower power consumption to less than 0.5 watts while the device is inactive. Lamp replacement has been made extra easy with access from the side or top of the projector, while a filter-free optical system further reduces the TCO of the device.
Available now, the SX914 lists for $3,599 and all the specs are here. Leave a Comment
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PreSonus Announces StudioLive AI-Series Digital Mixers with Active Integration PreSonus has announced its new series of StudioLive AI (Active Integration) hardware/software digital mixing and recording systems. The series consists of three models: the 32-channel StudioLive 32.4.2AI, with 24 dedicated mix buses; 24-channel StudioLive 24.4.2AI, with 20 dedicated mix buses; and 16-channel StudioLive 16.4.2AI, with 16 dedicated mix buses.
Using Burr-Brown A/D/A converters and new DSP architecture based on the 64-bit Studio One audio engine, the StudioLine AI series include direct Wi-Fi and LAN communication, a faster workflow, an onboard FireWire s800 interface and integrated software suite for Mac, Windows and iOS for for both live and studio use.
Redesigned from the ground up, these state-of-the-art mixers provide analog workflow with extensive dual signal processing on every channel and bus and actively integrated software that solves real-world problems and lets you record and distribute what you mix. All signal processing-Fat Channel processing, reverb and delay effects, graphic EQs, the works — is available on all channels and buses at all times. Configurable networking and communications option cards ensure your investment won’t be outdated as new technologies emerge.
StudioLive AI digital mixers are expected to be available at PreSonus dealers in the third and fourth quarters of 2013, with the StudioLive 32.4.2AI coming first, followed by the other two models. Street price is expected to be $3,999.95 for the StudioLive 32.4.2AI, $2,999.95 for the 24.4.2AI and $1,999.95 for the 16.4.2AI. Complete specs are here. Leave a Comment
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AXYS Intros New PA SpeakersThe AXYS Intellivox ADC Mark II range is intended for use in 70v/100v Public Address and Voice Alarm (PA/VA) systems. AXYS says the ADC range has been designed to maximize listening comfort and provide highly intelligible speech reproduction even within difficult reverberant spaces. Each array consists of 6 carefully aligned 4” full range loudspeakers housed inside a tough steel enclosure. The specially aligned drivers are highly efficient and have an extended flat frequency response, providing natural and uncolored reproduction of both spoken word and background music.
The units are EN54:24 certified for both indoor and outdoor use (EN54:24 – Type B) and can be driven by the AXYS IndustryAmp range of DSP controlled 70V/100V multichannel amplifiers.
All the details are here. Leave a Comment
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Christie Launches Android App for Controlling M and J SeriesChristie’s Virtual Remote projector app, providing an alternative to the standard IR remote control, is now available for Android devices. The Virtual Remote provides wireless control of all Christie 3-chip DLP projectors in the Christie M Series and Christie J Series projector families.
Christie Virtual Remote supports all capabilities of a standard IR remote including:
- Single or multiple projector control
- Projector discovery
- Full access to complete projector
- On-Screen Display menu
- Projector on/off
- Shutter on/off
- Test pattern selection
- Input selection
- Zoom and focus
- Lens control
- Color matching
Go here to get it from the Google Play Store, or click here to learn more. Leave a Comment
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JVC, RGB Spectrum Partner for 4K Real-time Multiviewer SystemJVC Professional Products is partnering with RGB Spectrum to jointly develop what they are calling an affordable, “Ultra HD” real-time multiviewer system for a variety of high-end monitoring applications. The system combines JVC’s PS-840UD Professional Series ProVérité or RS‑840UD Reference Series 4K 84-inch LCD monitors with RGB Spectrum’s SuperView 4K Multiviewer.
The SuperView 4K is a real-time multiviewer designed for monitors with a native resolution of 3840×2160 (4K, or Ultra HD). It can display and manipulate native 4K images, a combination of 4K and HD (1920×1080) windows, or up to eight HD graphic or video windows (scaled or unscaled) on a single 4K monitor.
Developed for commercial use, both JVC monitors feature an IPS LCD panel with 120Hz refresh rate and 10 bit color depth. Housed in a slim bezel with a 178‑degree viewing angle, the ELED Illuminated monitors offer HDMI 1.4a (single cable 4K up to 30p) and HDMI (four cable 4K up to 60p). The PS-840UD includes compatibility with the Intel open pluggable specification (OPS) as well. The RS-840UD has been licensed with the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) and includes a C3 mode for professional calibration.
Learn more about JVC Professional and RGB Spectrum here and here.
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NUGEN Audio Launches MultiMonitor Loudness and True-Peak Monitoring SoftwareNUGEN Audio has launched a new loudness and true-peak monitoring software application called MultiMonitor that offers up to 16 individual loudness and true-peak meters in mono, stereo, and 5.1 formats for up to 96 individual audio channels.
MultiMonitor is standalone software for Windows or OS X that provides flexible, real-time monitoring in full compliance with the U.S. CALM Act legislation, ITU-R BS. 1770/1, ATSC A/85, EBU R128, and other global loudness regulations and standards. Each MultiMonitor meter displays dedicated momentary, short-term, and integrated program loudness alongside true-peak levels in a highly configurable environment that enables individual or group/subgroup operation as required. The multiple meter configurations allow numerous sources, groups and playout streams to be monitored simultaneously, in any combination, and to individual specifications. In addition, MultiMonitor features short-term loudness-level alerts and color-coded meter groups.
In a strategic partnership with SSL, MultiMonitor is also available through the LMS-16 turnkey system. Through LMS-16, SSL is providing the MultiMonitor software preinstalled and configured on an industrial-strength, 1-RU PC fitted with the SSL MadiXtreme 128 audio interface. An optional monitor arm is available to facilitate convenient side-mounting of a screen on SSL’s C100 HDS or C10 HD consoles.
MultiMonitor is now available for $2,000. More information about MultiMonitor and other NUGEN Audio products is available at www.nugenaudio.com Leave a Comment
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RSN Holds Third Annual Leadership Symposium, Focuses on Growth and CollaborationAt the third annual Rental and Staging Network (RSN) Leadership Symposium, at the Omni Houston Westside Hotel from July 23-26, members from 22 companies across the U.S. had the unique opportunity to network with the industry’s leading audio visual equipment and technology providers in a “laser” focused setting.
Themed “Focused and Getting Things Done,” the Leadership Symposium affords RSN members, representatives from live event rental and staging companies, the opportunity to share growth strategies and best practices for sales, operations and executive management. Seven vendors, including Nationwide, AV Stumpfl, Christie, IML, Ingram Micro,L-Acoustics and LED-3, were given an opportunity to showcase their capabilities in a live setting in front of key purchase decision makers.
In addition to vendor networking, the Leadership Symposium also features breakout sessions divided into three groups of attendees — executive management, operations and sales. Breakouts are used for group discussion around best practices and critical issues that impact the companies’ daily operations.
Since its inception in 2007, RSN has aimed to bring the industry’s best live event rental and staging companies together to provide nationwide service with the benefit of local contacts, eliminating the need for clients to spend valuable time verifying the competence and capabilities of multiple companies. Additionally, RSN is a proactive resource for the principals and staff of its non-competitive members for training, exchanging knowledge, enhancing professionalism and engaging in business referrals and cross-rental opportunities. RSN also has a Vendor Partner Program that offers vendors opportunities to network and present to members at three meetings each year.
For a list of RSN members, click here. Leave a Comment
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Audinate Announces 100th Dante AdopterAudinate’s Dante digital media networking solution group has announced that Studio Technologies has become the 100th Dante OEM partner. Built on existing networking protocols and standards, Dante is a plug and play solution which delivers ultra-low latency, tightly synchronized media, while simplifying installation and configuration of digital media networks. Dante is a scalable system widely deployed in thousands of installations today, ranging from hotels, transportation centers, shopping centers, public address systems, live sound reinforcement, theaters, concert halls, stadiums and athletic venues, corporate boardrooms, universities, broadcast facilities, recording facilities, houses of worship, government facilities and courtrooms. Over 3.5 million channels of Dante shipped last year.
Studio Technologies Inc., the manufacturer of tailored high performance audio, video and fiber-optic products, are used in broadcast, studio, stadium and corporate environments. Studio Technologies products are used worldwide.
Audinate is here. Studio Technologies is here. Leave a Comment
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Grass Valley Introduces CommandCenter Software Application for Customizing Broadcast Infrastructure Workflows Grass Valley just introduced its new CommandCenter software application that’s designed to configure, control, monitor, and diagnose a range of broadcast infrastructure devices on-site or remotely.
With an intuitive GUI, CommandCenter gives broadcasters and media organizations a set of comprehensive tools to customize their workflows. This flexibility offers time-saving benefits by permitting operators to save commonly used configurations as template files, or save them to the clipboard for quick copying to other selected devices in the workflow. Remotely, users can configure and execute complex workflows with only short notice, with diagnosing and reporting of events using a hierarchical system status. Command Center also helps to maintain the integrity of workflows over time.
CommandCenter utilizes a variety of standard IT based technologies to enable managed use by groups, and tracks usage parameters over time. A standard database implementation can record, view, and archive historical workflow events along with storing the user-definable aspects of each device’s configuration. This database can also be redefined to match user requirements. For system administration, up to 64 user-groups can be defined, and for each group the level of access can be limited. Users can be added and assigned to groups, each with their own password. This ensures that CommandCenter can be used in operations where security concerning conditional access is required.
CommandCenter supports the control and monitoring of many Grass Valley products and extends Prelude, Encore and Jupiter control solutions to a broadcast infrastructure facility control layer. It also supports a wide variety of devices found in broadcast facilities from various manufacturers using SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol).
Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
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Christie Grows Audio Line Christie’s new LA3C line array ceiling surround and Christie LA3S line array surround speakers are part of the Christie Vive Audio cinema sound solution that was announced in July. Featuring the combination of ribbon driver technology and a unique parabolic line array design in a single compact cabinet, Christie says the additional speakers deliver exceptionally even coverage throughout the auditorium, increasing the optimal listening area up to four times that of the standard point source systems. Christie also says that the extremely low mass of the ribbon drivers allows them to respond quickly to audio signals and eliminates the effects of high frequency breakup and power compression, resulting in the reproduction of the source material with exceptional clarity and accuracy.
These speakers are aimed at cinemas, but will be used in live large-format installs as well.
The entire line is here. Leave a Comment
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RTW Debuts Loudness Logger Software RTW just debuted its LQL (Loudness Quality Logger) a new tool for logging, true-peak data analysis and reporting that is compatible with the TM7, TMR7 and TM9 TouchMonitor line of products. The LQL license (SW20014) is a natural extension of RTW’s range of innovative software options for the 7- and 9-inch line of TouchMonitor audio meters. RTW executives will be on-hand to demo and discuss this new software at the company’s IBC stand.
LQL enables data to be derived directly via an IP-connection from a capable TouchMonitor audio meter, as well as from external storage media such as a USB stick. Also included in the software are dual limit weighting, status information, marker and various other reporting features. The new PC software is free of charge to users, however the SW20014 LQL license is required to enable a TM7, TMR7 or TM9 series meter to be compatible with data export and additional display functions.
The complete details are here. Leave a Comment
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Atomos Announce Spyder Color Calibration ToolAtomos is debuting its Atomos Spyder, a field monitor and recorder color calibration tool. Developed in partnership with New Jersey-based Datacolor, the Atomos Spyder gives Samurai Blade one button color calibration normally only found on high end monitors. With Spyder, the Samurai Blade gains the ability to accurately calibrate to the SMPTE Rec 709 color space with a D65 white point with 100 percent gamut.
Features include:
- Extreme precision 7 sensor calibration
- USB to LANC serial control unit included for automatic calibration
- Calibrate to 6500K ITU-Rec709 white point with delta-E better than 2 down to 20 percent grey
- User adjustments of lift, gain and gamma per channel after initial calibration
- Can be used as a standard calibration unit for any monitor or computer (provided Datacolor software is purchased from its website).
The Windows compatible version of the Atomos Spyder is slated for shipping November 2013 with a list price of $199. All the specs are here. Leave a Comment
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RTW Debuts SurroundControl Series Upgrade RTW’s firmware update for its flagship SurroundControl 31900 and 31960 series adds support for current EBU/ITU loudness regulations, including ITU 1770-3. The company says the new firmware simplifies the control of the studio monitoring environment when switching over between various audio formats like stereo, 3.1, 5.1 or 7.1.
By enabling the user to select independent trim and delay values for both analog and digital monitoring outputs, this information can then be stored in up to five level/delay trim sets in the audio system menu. When defining the individual input routing for the sub presets, these new level/delay trim sets can be allocated and tapped into as needed.
RTW’s SurroundControl 31900 and 31960 series combines control, analysis and monitoring of eight-channel 5.1 to 7.1 surround sound into one single system. The proprietary Surround Sound Analyzer (House display) is a powerful tool for visualizing the interaction of all important parameters of surround signals.The dynamic behavior of all display elements corresponds to the subjective listening impression, enabling you to see the balance of a surround program intuitively and at a glance. RTW’s unparalleled Surround Sound Analyzer is capable of displaying any surround program up to 7.1 DD+ and Cinema for fast, in-depth evaluation.
Here are all the features. Leave a Comment
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For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe Rental [and Staging] Edition 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).
Don’t like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send me feedback, don’t reply to this newsletter. Instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas, Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
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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rAVe Rental [and Staging] contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |
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