Volume 8, Issue 10 — October 21, 2015
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Tiner’s Take Editorial Editorial
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Sometimes, Appearances Do Matter
By Scott Tiner rAVe Columnist
We have been using the Crestron Capture HD products at Bates College for several years. However, we have always had various problems with the devices. On occasion, they will stop taking the video input from the camera in the room. Other times, they will stop recording the audio. These are the worst type of problems for two reasons. First, they are completely random so it is impossible to track down a cause or try to understand why they are doing this. Second, the person doing the recording may not know that this has happened (particularly with audio). So, they record an entire session with no sound. This has happened to us on several occasions.
We decided to start looking for alternatives to the Capture HD product, because we don’t find these occurrences to be acceptable for our users. Crestron would take the devices back, but send them back to us saying nothing was wrong. It became time to move on.
We starting talking with Extron about its SMP 351. The device seemed similar in features to what we were using, so we thought it may be a good fit. We are still running some tests and demos to see if it will do everything we need (so far it looks very promising).
However, what struck me immediately was the web interface for the product. It was amazingly easy to use and navigate. It was clear that the Extron engineers had put a lot of thought and effort into it. In fact, I think it is likely that they brought on people familiar with User Interface design to help them. I think the reason this struck me as so amazing is due to the amount of time I have spent working with Crestron products. Crestron does a lot of things well. Designing user interfaces is NOT one of them. From their VT Pro-e interface to Toolbox and particularly RoomView, they have a track record of bad to downright unusable interfaces. Crestron’s RoomView SE product is so bad that only one of the people in my department will even log onto it when something needs to be done. Everyone else refuses.
Back to Extron. The SMP 351 interface is so nice, I like just poking around it and seeing what I can do. It looks, feel and operates like any other standard computer interface. It makes sense. The other thing I really appreciate about the interface is that Extron continues to deliver products that are useful as standalone items. This product does not require a control system and a touch panel. You can do all the configuration for the device directly from this web page. Additionally, they have several buttons on the front of the device to change PIP presets, start and stop recordings and choose the input you want. The device is also packed with great features. One of my favorite is the ability to import calendar files to set up recordings. Other vendors want you to use a proprietary server in order to schedule recordings. Exron makes it easy by allowing you to use this very common format.
The SMP 351 is not a brand new product from Extron. The company has been selling them for a while, but I am just getting around to look at one for the first time. If you are doing some investigating of new capture products for your institution, make sure you take a look at this product. You could easily set this in a room and in a few minutes be capturing your first recordings. Leave a Comment
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Open and Closed — Brief Discussion of WolfVision and Kramer
By Leonard Suskin Pixel and Ink-Stained Wretch
Post-InfoComm, the good folks at WolfVision brought their new Cynap collaboration appliance to the office for a demo and a chat. Cynap is the latest entry into the increasingly crowded wireless collaboration space, competing with not only the WePresent and its OEM cousins (Barco Clickshare CSM, Crestron Air Media, Extron Sharepoint, etc.), but also with the purely software-based Mersive Solstice and Kramer’s software/hardware hybrid Via. Specific product capabilities aside, distinctions between these raise interesting big-picture philosophical design questions worth exploring.
The first thing that interested me is how WolfVision discusses the genesis of its collaboration appliance as an outgrowth of its well-known line of document cameras. One way for this segment to stay relevant in a world increasingly focused on digital media is to bring the collaborative tools on which we’ve come to rely to the world of physical objects; a document camera that can also share content wirelessly, annotate and even stream it to another room is a far more interesting, valuable and modern device than a document camera which simply takes a picture. With the addition of an extra video input or two, such a device might even be all one needs for a small classroom optimized for local presentations. The next logical step, of course, was to take away the camera. Again, the world is becoming digital. Some applications might still need a document camera, but there are more which will find use for the collaborative tools but NOT need to bring in physical objects.
In my mind, this leads to an obvious next question: You took the camera out of the box. Why not now take the box out of the box? Everything that the Cynap does — screen mirroring from mobile devices, whiteboarding, streaming — is, like nearly everything else we do, a software application. Why not let it be just software? It would allow an instance of Cynap to run virtually on a server in some environments, share space in a room PC with a soft-codec and other tools, or be deployed as an appliance for those cases in which an appliance is appropriate. This was not rights direction Wolfvision has chosen to take; under the hood, the Cynap is a fairly custom Linux application that they have no intention of freeing from the box. The company’s reasoning — and there is a measure of logic to this — is that it wants to ensure that users do not have a poor experience due to decisions outside of Wolfvision’s control. It is the same reason that it does not allow third-party applications to run on the device; there is some form of videoconferencing coming, but it will be a custom application with plans to cooperate with other types of endpoints over the BlueJeans network. If a user wants something else, they’ll need to work directly with Wolfvision to accommodate them.
Contrast the Kramer Via. The larger Via appliance is, under the hood, a Windows 7 machine. This means that virtually any Windows 7 application can run on it and, to varying extents, take advantage of Via’s sharing and collaborative tools. If you use Skype for Business as your communications tool, download Skype onto the Via. If you later switch to a Google Apps environment, then you can easily delete Skype and load Hangouts. Or keep both. An argument can be made that this increases the responsibilities of IT support staffs for revision control if nothing else. While this is a fair point, this is a big part of what IT staffs do. It is, perhaps, an invisible cost, but in a large enterprise environment it might be a very minor one; at a certain level of deployment it might mean little more than a slightly increased workload for existing support staff.
An appliance such as the Cynap, of course, is still software on the inside and still should have some level of support. In this case, however, support flows from the manufacturer. The rather hefty initial price-tag for the Cynap, in a traditional hardware model, included a two-year service contract. To contrast, more purely software applications might have a very low or even zero initial cost coupled with an annual license fee based on numbers of seats. This kind of solution is interesting in that it completely rewrites the usual practices of those of us in the AV business: Capability becomes more fluid, cost is better measured in operational rather than capital expenses and, ironically, a measure of customization is lost.
In case it isn’t clear, my personal bias is towards open systems and devices. Allowing third-party application invites customization, personalized decisions and leverages the countless thousands of hours many, many workers in the software industry have spent developing tools and applications. A device that can access Windows or even Android or iOS applications already has the support of large-scale developer communities, while a closed device is restricted to in-house programming staff. On the other hand, of course, I’ve had clients who prioritize reliability and consistency of experience over flexibility. This includes end users who would, in my estimation, be very well served with software solutions but have concerns about support, revision control and reliability. For such clients a closed device such as the Cynap can be an excellent fit; from the perspective of the clients’ internal support team, it’s a (literal in this case) black box that does what you want it to. Yes, they lose flexibility to add new Windows applications. With that they lose the task of managing Windows updates, security concerns and a slew of support tasks.
As I said, I have my biases. That doesn’t mean that they’re always right, and that sometimes a closed box isn’t better than an open one. Leave a Comment
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The Results Are In — A Decade of Increasing Student Engagement
By Christopher Jaynes CTO and Founder, Mersive
Many AV resellers and integrators find themselves deploying suites of new technologies to support education. Traditional AV gear like flat panels and speakers are being augmented with learning management software, lecture capture and wireless collaboration systems. If you look at operational spending in education (where technology and AV is tracked) there has been a 26 percent increase from the late 1990s to 2008 and that trend continues. (If you’re selling or working in the educational space, take a look at the Trends in College Spending report.) All this focus on infrastructure and technology spending leads one to wonder: Is all that new spending actually improving one of the most important metrics of educational success — student engagement? Well, it looks like it certainly has.
The Center for Community College Student Engagement has just issued its report on student engagement in our public institutions over the previous decade. The punchline? Students are more engaged with each other, their content, and their faculty than ever before. Over the same time period student demographics haven’t changed dramatically, so this type of across-the-board rise can only be attributed to changes in policy and practice. One of the major policy trends in the educational space has been to deploy technologies that foster a more collaborative, involved, and “flat” classroom. Integration of student devices, embracing student-to-student interaction, and self-guided discovery are all important changes over the past decade that are supported by the correct mix of AV technologies and new pedagogy.
As an example, take a look below at the level of student-to-faculty engagement via email over the past 10 years. Dramatic. This type of engagement can only increase as new collaboration technologies are brought to bear. Document co-editing via Google Docs, instant messaging via Lync, or multi-source wireless collaboration between faculty and students via Solstice are all examples of technologies that are only now beginning to have impact in the educational space. Can’t wait to see where we are in 2025.
The report is a good read, and I’d recommend it for anyone working in the educational space. In my previous life as a professor, student engagement was perhaps the most important metric of success. So if you’ve been rolling-out new educational installs as an integrator, are designing software for the classroom, or are spec’ing AV infrastructure in the educational space — give yourself a big pat on the back. Some of this success is due to your hard work over the past decade.
You can take a look at the whole report here. Leave a Comment
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Nureva Ships Span Ideation System in North America Nureva just started shipping its Span ideation system in North America. The system combines one or two panoramic projectors with a digital canvas to create an expansive team workspace that draws upon familiar, simple and flexible tools already widely used in paper-based ideation, including notes, images, sketches and flip charts. The WM210i measures 10′ wide (3.1 m) by 4′ high (1.2 m), with 130″ (3.3 m) on the diagonal. The WM220i model includes two panoramic projectors installed side-by-side to create a team workspace measuring 20′ wide (6.1 m) by 4′ high (1.2 m), with 245″ (6.2 m) on the diagonal.
The digital canvas retains all of the flexibility that paper-based systems offer (e.g., large workspaces with persistent information) while overcoming many of the challenges (e.g., the awkwardness of physically moving large numbers of sticky notes, sticky notes that fall off the wall, inclusion of remote participants in the process, the need for transcription, and storage and retention of the work). The Span ideation system allows multiple teams to use a collaboration space that previously may have been dedicated to a single team for months.
The canvas offers 40′ (12.2 m) of digital space (10′ visible on the WM210i and 20′ visible on the WM220i) that can be panned horizontally. Users contribute content in the form of notes, sketches, flip charts and images from their personal devices and organize content by moving and grouping.Multiple types of digital artifacts can be created on a personal device or at the canvas:
- Note – This digital 3″ x 5″ (7.6 x 12.7 cm) note allows users to enter up to four lines of text
- Sketch – This digital 9″ x 12″ (22.9 x 30.5 cm) page for sketching and wire-framing comes with three different ink colors and an eraser
- Flip chart – This large digital 30″ x 42″ (76.2 x 106.7 cm) flip chart for capturing notes, decisions and action items comes with three different ink colors, a highlighter and an eraser. One flip chart can contain multiple pages.
- Image – Users can post images to the canvas, then manipulate them
The software is accessible on Chrome browsers and as apps on iOS and Android tablets.
The HD panoramic projector creates an ultra-wide display in a 16:6 aspect ratio at a spec of 3000 lumens and a contrast ratio of 1800:1 Touch and pen interactivity are provided by a touch module, supporting simultaneous multi-user and multi-touch activities.On the WM220i model, the image-alignment module melds the two projected images through an onscreen alignment process performed at the time of installation to create one seamless 20′-wide (12.2 m) image.The software has an annual subscription of US$239 for a single-user license. The hardware has an MSRP of US$9,999 and US$21,999 for the WM210i and WM220i, respectively.
Complete tech specs are here.
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Bose F1 Model 812 Flexible Array Loudspeaker and F1 Subwoofer Both Ship Bose Professional announced the availability of the F1 Model 812 Flexible Array Loudspeaker and F1 Subwoofer, the latest additions to the company’s range of portable P.A. offerings. Designed to serve an even broader set of applications than L1 systems, the F1 Model 812 is the first powered portable loudspeaker that lets users optimize sound by creating up to four different vertical coverage patterns. Offering exceptional power and clarity, the F1 system provides versatility for a wide range of applications and venues, easy setup, aesthetically pleasing design, and rugged durability. The F1 system is an ideal choice for live music, DJ, corporate AV, house-of-worship, AV rental and general P.A. applications.
With the F1 system, sound can be optimized for playing at floor level, on stage or facing raked seats or bleachers. To control the vertical coverage pattern, users simply push or pull the array into position to create “Straight” (tightest vertical control, for floor-level audience coverage), “J” (adjust vertical splay down, when P.A. is placed on stage), “C” (adjust vertical splay up and down, to cover extreme raked seating), or “Reverse J” (adjust vertical splay up, e.g. for bleacher seating coverage) dispersion patterns. Once set, the system automatically adjusts the EQ to maintain optimum tonal balance for each coverage pattern.
Engineered with an array of eight Bose proprietary 2.25-inch drivers, 100-degree horizontal waveguides, a high-powered 12-inch woofer and a lower crossover point, the F1 Model 812 loudspeaker (26.1″ H x 13.1″ W x 14.6″ D; 44.5 lbs. [664.66 x 334.3 x 372.5 mm; 20.2 kg]) delivers high SPL performance while maintaining vocal and midrange clarity that’s dramatically better than conventional loudspeakers. For extended bass response, the optional Bose F1 Subwoofer (27″ H x 16.1″ W x 17.6″ D; 55 lbs. [688 x 410.16 x 448.5 mm; 24.9 kg]) packs all the power of a larger bass module into a more compact design. The loudspeaker and subwoofer have a combined 2,000 watts of power (1,000 watts each), able to fill nearly any venue with immersive sound. A Bose proprietary mounting stand for the loudspeaker is integrated right into the body of the subwoofer, making setup fast and easy. The stand even includes cable channels to neatly hide the wires. Additionally, the loudspeaker and subwoofer feature strategically placed handles for stress-free transportation (the system easily fits in a car), made with highly durable materials to ensure years of reliability.
In addition, the F1 Model 812 has been designed with features to facilitate fixed installations through threaded inserts and accessory pan and tilt and yoke brackets.
Here are all the detailed specs. Leave a Comment
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Atlona Ships 4K HDMI Matrix SwitchersAtlona has begun shipping its two new 4K HDMI-to-HDMI switchers, the AT-UHD-H2H-88M, an 8×8 matrix, and the 4×4 AT-UHD-H2H-44M. Introduced in June at the InfoComm show, both switchers are specified for 4K/UHD video @ 60 Hz and support content with HDCP 2.2 copy protection.
Ideal for professional HDMI signal routing where a number of AV sources must be shared among four or eight zones, the matrixes allow any or all input sources to be distributed simultaneously to any or all output zones. Source and zone selection can be made via front panel controls, handheld remote, or via virtually any 3rd-party control system.
Both the UHD-H2H-88M and the UHD-H2H-44M offer an integrated web server with web GUI which provides HDCP/EDID reporting, system configuration, and device status plus I/O routing from tablets, smart phones or PCs. To reduce integration time and cost, both matrixes provide TCP/IP, RS232 and IR connections for the control system interface.
According to Atlona, both matrixes provide fast, flicker-free switching between sources with no signal loss to other zones. The matrixes are both rack mountable, occupying 1U, full rack width enclosure. Details are here. Leave a Comment
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Peerless-AV Intros SmartMount Carts and Mounts for Interactive Displays in Education Aimed at educational installs, Peerless-AV’s new SmartMount solutions offer what they are saying are rugged and aesthetically pleasing designs to support interactive touch panels. Tested to the highest safety standards, the new mounts and carts bring education technology into the modern era, replacing traditional chalkboard and dry-erase boards with an allergen-reducing, safe, clean, and advanced solution.
The new IWB680-W (Over the Chalkboard Mount) is designed to easily mount a touch panel over an existing chalkboard. With the ability to retrofit existing classrooms without having to dispose of old chalkboards and whiteboards, the IBWB680-W minimizes waste, while offering a quick installation and lower overall costs.
Peerless-AV’s new SmartMount Carts also provide cost savings, serving as a mobile solution that can be used in numerous locations in place of purchasing multiple displays for multiple classrooms. In addition, Peerless-AV say the new carts have been extensively tested, ensuring the safety of products enable mobility without the fear of tipping or structural failure, which is particularly important when in use by children.
The new SR542-KAPP Cart has been designed to complement the SMART kapp, a simple, modern replacement to dry-erase boards and flip charts, which allows users to save and share notes as they unfold, all using a regular dry-erase marker.
The SR542-KAPP also offers height adjustment, tilt, and internal cable management, complemented by an attractive finish to make this cart stand out from the rest. The cart provides a robust and sturdy solution ideal for sharing information in any educational setting.
The SR580 and SR598 SmartMount Carts hold interactive panels up to 80″ and up to 98″, respectively. Ideal for extra-large touch displays, these heavy-duty carts offer mobility, appealing design, display height adjustment, and a pre-assembled base to ensure quick assembly, while providing a ridged, but attractive, structure that fits into any décor. The 4″ castors make them easy to move from room to room and the UL certification ensures that it can be done with safety in mind.
In late 2015, Peerless-AV will continue to add to the SmartMount line by introducing two more mounts for large and extra-large displays. The line can be found here. Leave a Comment
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Extron Intros DXP 4K HDMI Matrix Series with Audio De-EmbeddingExtron has launched a new DXP HD 4K Series of high performance HDMI matrix switchers for resolutions up to 4K, including 1080p/60 with Deep Color. They are HDCP compliant, and support HDMI data rates to 10.2 Gbps, Deep Color up to 12-bit, 3D and HD lossless audio formats. Extron technologies such as SpeedSwitch, Key Minder, and EDID Minder, along with automatic input cable equalization and output reclocking, ensure dependable system operation with exceptional switching speeds and compatibility between devices. The matrix switchers also feature built-in de-embedding, enabling digital audio from any input to be assigned to the digital or analog stereo outputs for streamlined integration. They are available in I/O sizes from 4×4 to 16×16.
Several Extron technologies included with the DXP HD 4K Series simplify integration of HDMI-enabled devices. EDID Minder automatically manages EDID by maintaining continuous EDID communication with each source, ensuring that sources power up properly and reliably output content for display. For HDMI signals with protected content. Key Minder authenticates and maintains continuous HDCP encryption to support reliable switching while enabling simultaneous distribution of a single source signal to one or more displays, and SpeedSwitch Technology provides ultra-fast switching of encrypted signals.
The DXP HD 4K Series also switches embedded digital audio from HDMI source signals, along with the corresponding video, to any or all of the selected outputs. To further streamline integration, de-embedded audio can be routed to digital or analog stereo audio outputs to support a separate sound system. The technologies and capabilities built into DXP HD 4K Series ensure high performance AV signal routing, with a fully digital pathway that maintains the highest possible audio and image quality for multiple sources and displays.
All the tech details are here. Leave a Comment
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NEC Debuts New M Series NEC Display just announced a new generation of M Series short-throw projectors that are aimed at collaboration application. Using the latest DLP technology from Texas Instruments, the 3,300-lumen M333XS and 3,500-lumen M353WS models deliver contrast ratio specs at 10,000:1, are filter free, and have 0.6:1 and 0.48:1 throw ratios, respectively.
Environmentally-friendly features include ECO Mode with ambient light sensor, which increases lamp life up to 8,000 hours, while lowering power consumption, as well as quick start (3 to 4 seconds) and auto power on via the RGB input connector. A carbon savings meter calculates the positive effects of operating the projectors in ECO Mode.
Software lets K-12, higher education and business users network their projectors for easier management and control. The Image Express Utility Lite function allows up to 16 devices – from PCs, tablets and smart phones – to be wirelessly connected to each projector concurrently. Thumbnail images give presenters easy visibility to each participating device so they can easily toggle between sources.
The projectors also include NEC DisplayNote Software, an app that lets leaders and participants present, share and annotate content from any platform or device so their notes are automatically saved. Additional DisplayNote licenses are available for purchase.
The M333XS and M353WS projectors include the following features:
- XGA and WXGA native resolutions, respectively
- DLP engine, featuring BrilliantColor Technology
- HDMI 3D display up to 144Hz
- DICOM display mode
- Dual HDMI inputs to connect to multiple external devices
- Automatic keystone correction technology, which instantly projects a square image even when the projector is set up at a steep offset angle to the screen
- Sealed optics engine
- 20-watt speaker
- Microphone input
- Low power consumption (0.2W in stand-by mode), which minimizes energy costs
- Optional interactive camera module (NP03Wi) and wireless dongle (NP05LM1)
The NP-M333XS is here.
The NP-M353WS is here. Leave a Comment
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Altinex Expands ShareTime LineAltinex has expanded the ShareTime collaboration product line with the ShareTime HDMI Cable (CB300-101), the ShareTime 4×1 HDMI switcher (UT260-041) and the ShareTime Collaboration Package (UT100-041).
The Altinex ShareTime HDMI Cable is marketed as a display controller that enables display control using a ShareTime controller and cable in a single assembly. Multiple ShareTime HDMI cables enable several users to connect to a single display and work together as they switch between sources.
The HDMI cable is flat, 10-feet in length, and Altinex says it contains a built-in amplifier to maintain HDMI signal integrity. In a typical application, users connect the flat HDMI cable to a monitor input and then connect the other end of the cable to the source, such as a laptop computer. Any number of ShareTime units can be used together to form a collaboration environment with a single multi-input video display.
The Altinex ShareTime under table 4×1 HDMI switcher is a four-input by one-output HDMI switcher with HDCP repeater functions. The system supports all 3D TV formats in addition to all HDTV formats up to 1080p 12-bit Deep Color. The switcher has four ways of switching inputs: auto-switching — last laptop plugged in gets the display, by input select button on the chassis itself, by IR remote control or in use with ShareTime controllers.
The ShareTime Collaboration Package is a system that includes four CB300-101 HDMI ShareTime Cables and one UT260-041 HDMI 4×1 switcher.
Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
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InFocus DigiEasel Whiteboard Aimed at Huddle SpacesInFocus Corporation has unveiled something they are calling DigiEasel – a line of interactive touchscreen displays designed for smaller meeting rooms and huddle spaces. The 40-inch, 1080p-resolution, 10-point touch DigiEasel has two models, which both feature built-in digital whiteboarding tools and give users display and touch control of their Windows, Mac and Chromebook devices. InFocus’ DigiEasel with LightCast technology has wireless casting abilities of another device’s screen, the ability to save and email notes and Internet browsing capabilities. InFocus is also launching DigiEasel Sign Manager, which enables DigiEasel to display an organization’s HTML5 interactive signage and stories.
InFocus is introducing two models, the DigiEasel with LightCast (INF4032) and DigiEasel (INF4030). The DigiEasel with LightCast supports casting content from Android, Windows, and Apple iOS and OSX wirelessly and has a built-in Internet Browser and can connect to a corporate network. Both models allow notebook display and control via HDMI or VGA and USB and have built-in digital whiteboarding software. Additionally, both models are edge-to-edge capacitive touchscreens that don’t require calibration, have 20-watt stereo speakers, a stylus and a tray.
When not being used for collaboration, DigiEasel owners can leverage the device as a digital interactive portrait or landscape sign (when using DigiEasel Sign Manager). The software enables customers to load and display their own customized HTML5-based content on either DigiEasel model.
DigiEasel will list for $999 and Sign Manager is $899. Here are all the details. Leave a Comment
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Extron Now Shipping SM 28T Two-Way Surface Mount Speaker Extron is shipping the SM 28T SpeedMount Surface Mount Speaker, a two-way speaker with a patent pending, concealed wall mounting system. It features an 8″ (20.3 cm) woofer with dual tuned ports that extends low frequency response down to 59 Hz, and a 1.1″ (2.8 cm) silk dome tweeter that reaches up to 22 kHz without the brittle sound associated with metallic domes. This speaker has an 8 ohm direct power rating of 90 watts continuous pink noise, and 180 watts continuous program capacity. It includes a six-position power tap selector, accessible through the grille, for 70 volt and 100 volt modes up to 64 watts. The SM 28T delivers accurate voice and detailed music reproduction on and off-axis through a unique baffle placement and crossover design that ensures smooth and even power response. The Extron exclusive mounting system is designed to accommodate division-of-labor installations and save costs. The SM 28T is designed for classrooms, conference rooms, exercise facilities, retail spaces, auditoriums, spaces with raised or exposed ceilings, and other environments where high performance surface mount speakers are desired.
To meet a variety of installation needs, the flexible mounting system includes a 0° mounting plate and a 10° mounting adapter. The 0° mounting plate provides the electrical connections and allows the SM 28T to be oriented vertically or horizontally, flush with the wall. When the versatile 10° mounting adapter is added to the mounting plate, the SM 28T can be positioned with a 10° tilt downward, upward, left, or right.
The SM 28T saves time and installation costs for AV system contractors working with low-voltage contractors in a division-of-labor installation. During rough-in, a low-voltage contractor installs the mounting system on the wall and terminates the speaker cable to the mount’s integrated wiring contacts. Later, the AV system contractor completes the installation by sliding the SM 28T onto the mount.
The SM 28T is sold in pairs and carries a 5 year parts and labor warranty. It is available in a black or white finish and includes a 0° mounting plate and a 10° mounting adapter. Also available is an optional yoke mount kit for the SM 28T. It allows for vertical or horizontal speaker mounting on a wall, or on a ceiling, and provides 180° of pivot in 10° detented steps.
Here are all the tech specs. Leave a Comment
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Chief Adds Da-Lite’s ViewShare Fusion to Mounts Chief is adding Da-Lite’s ViewShare technology to Fusion display mounts. The new ViewShare Fusion kits include all the video conferencing accessories needed to create a bring-your-own-device video conferencing room.
ViewShare technology fills the gap between high-end video conferencing systems and personal smart devices. The solution helps meet the increased need for face-to-face meetings in today’s remote working environment.
ViewShare kits feature:
- A Fusion mountable accessory to position the integrated Logitech C930e Webcam above, below or between displays
- A Jabra SPEAK 410 MS USB speakerphone
- A Belkin powered USB hub
- Easy USB 2.0 connectivity (USB 3.0 ready)
- Components that are Skype for Business Certified, and optimized for Lync and Skype
- Fast and easy setup
The accessory works with all the new Fusion fixed and tilt mounts as well as Fusion carts and stands. An extra-large version is available for bigger displays. The extender version includes a USB to Cat5 extender with power supply for installations requiring more cable reach. Da-Lite’s ViewShare solutions can also be used for larger rooms.
For a full listing of equipment and system requirements, go here. Leave a Comment
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Atlona Ships 3×1 Switcher Aimed at Education MarketAtlona has aimed its new AT-HD-SC-500, a three-input switcher, at the education market. Integrated with a scaler, everything that goes in gets converted to any resolution to 1920x1080p/60Hz or WUXGA (1920×1200). Audio features include a stereo input for the VGA source, de-embedded audio from the HDMI inputs, and a balanced stereo output and signal switching can be done via auto-sensing, front panel control, or remotely via RS232 or IP control.
With two HDMI inputs and one VGA source and provides one HDMI output and it integrates a built-in web server for remote configuration. LEDs indicate power state and active input source, and front panel controls include manual source selection and volume adjustment, including mute. The HD-SC-500 can be rack-mounted (1 RU height, ¼ RU width), or located adjacent to source or display devices. Power is provided by an included 5V power supply.
The AT-HD-SC-500 lists for $449.99. Here are the details. Leave a Comment
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Extron Ships New Two-Way SpeedMount Ceiling Speaker SystemExtron just introduced the CS 1226T Plus SpeedMount Ceiling Speaker System, a patented low profile, plenum rated two-piece speaker system delivering improved performance. It consists of the CS 120P plenum rated enclosure and a CS 26T Plus two-way speaker cartridge. The enclosure installs quickly into 2’x2′ (61 cm x 61 cm) or 600 mm x 600 mm suspended ceilings. The speaker cartridge features a 6.5″ (16.5 cm) woofer and a 3/4″ (1.9 cm) ferrofluid-cooled dome tweeter in a coaxial design, with a unique tweeter bridge that delivers smooth off-axis response. With a wide 112° coverage angle and an extended frequency range of 42 Hz to 20 kHz, the CS 1226T Plus offers exceptional voice intelligibility and natural sounding music reproduction. The CS 1226T Plus is available as a complete assembly, or the CS 120P enclosure and CS 26T Plus speaker cartridge can be purchased separately to accommodate division-of-labor installations, with the enclosures installed during rough-in and the speaker cartridges during final installation.
The CS 120P plenum enclosure installs quickly into 2′ x 2′ or metric 600×600 mm 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 with the ceiling tile on the grid, evenly distributing the weight of the enclosure and 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 26T Plus speaker cartridge can be used in 70/100 volt or 8 ohm operation with a behind-the-grille, six-position selector switch. It installs quickly and easily by itself or into the CS 120P enclosure. The CS 26T Plus is designed with wide, uniform coverage to eliminate hot spots and allow for greater flexibility in speaker spacing and placement. With an exceptional frequency range, this speaker is optimized for a wide range of paging and audio presentation applications for music, program, and voice. It also features a power rating of 60 watts continuous pink noise and 120 watts continuous program, and a tuned pass reflex port optimized for the CS 120P enclosure. The CS 26T Plus features a magnetically attached grille and a thin-edged bezel for a refined appearance on the ceiling.
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New Christie Flat Panels Come in 55-inch, 84-inch and 98-inch Flavors
Christie just launched the Christie FHQ552-T, Christie FHQ842-T and Christie FHQ981-L flat panels. Previewed at InfoComm 2015, all three are designed for meeting rooms, offices, lobbies and architectural displays, and can be banded with Christie Brio, Christie Spyder and the Christie Pandoras Box media server.
Available in October, the Christie FHQ552-T is a native 1920×1080 display that features 10-point touch capabilities, built-in speakers and an Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) slot.
Replacing the FHQ841-T is the Christie FHQ842-T — a 1080p, 84-inch display designed for large-format presentation and collaboration applications. With built-in 10-point multi-touch capability, the Christie FHQ842-T can be used in interactive applications or whiteboard and meeting room scenarios.
The Christie FHQ981-L 98-inch is a 4K flat panel aimed at business, education, houses of worship, small control rooms and digital signage applications. Providing a seamless canvas and an alternative to traditional 2×2 tiled 46-inch displays, the versatile 98-inch flat panel is compatible with digital signage devices and media players including Christie Spyder and Christie Pandoras Box. The FHQ981-L is equipped with built-in speakers, multi-window capability, along with an OPS slot for compatibility with digital signage devices and pluggable media players.
Shipping in October 2015, all three Christie flat panels have a three-year warranty. Full tech specs are here. Leave a Comment
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Torus Power Launches TOT AVR Series Toroidal Isolation Transformers
Torus Power announced its new TOT AVR Series of toroidal isolation power transformers this month, with models also available for use in Continental Europe (TOT AVR CE) and the United Kingdom (TOT AVR UK). The TOT AVR Series builds upon Torus Power’s successful, compact and competitively priced TOT Series of Toroidal Isolation Transformer products, but adds Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) to an already robust feature set and a new, lower price point.
Voltage sags, power line surges and brownouts can stress and shorten equipment life. Torus Power TOT AVR isolation transformers address this with Automatic Voltage Regulation technology that provides stable voltage to keep equipment running in the optimal range of +/- 10V for international voltages and 115VAC to 125VAC for North America. To accomplish this, TOT AVR apparently continuously monitors incoming voltage to detect high- and low-voltage conditions, and then seamlessly and instantaneously triggers compensating circuitry to ensure the voltage powering equipment is always operating at optimal levels.
The TOT AVR lineup meets both IEC and Neutrik standards, and shelf or rack mount configurations are available. Here are all the tech specs. Leave a Comment
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EIKI Debuts 12K Lumen EK-800U DLP Projector Capable of Projecting in Portrait Mode
Eiki International has just launched its new EK-800U single chip DLP projector specified at 12,000 ANSI Lumen brightness and a 5,000:1 (DA:ON) contrast ratio. The WUXGA (1920×1200) resolution EK-800U inputs include VGA, HDMI, HDBaseT and 3G HD-SDI.
Integrated with powered zoom and focus as well as vertical and horizontal lens shift (V: +- 60%, H: +/- 25%), the new model also has image blending, warping, color matching and it can be mounted to show content in portrait mode.
The EIKI EK-800U will ship in late October and will list for $19,995. More information is here. Leave a Comment
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Pakedge Debuts WX-1 Gigabit AC Wireless Access PointPakedge’s new gigabit wireless access point (AP), the WX-1, is an 802.11ac access point that features a 3×3 Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) radio configuration for what Pakedge claims is up to five times faster connection speed and four times more bandwidth. Supporting twice as many clients, the WX-1 offers a higher channel capacity than N based access points as it has channels up to 80Mhz and is capable of processing up to four times as many signals per channel.
Plenum rated for fire safety compliance, the WX-1 is aimed at ProAV integrators for corporate installation but Pakedge is hoping that it’s used in hospitals, schools, and MDUs. It also supports RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) servers, which centralize authentication, authorization, and account management for enhanced security. The WX also supports the more secure WPA Enterprise and WPA2 Enterprise signal encryption for those who use RADIUS servers.
Designed for bandwidth intensive multimedia traffic, the WX-1 features something called TruStream and Pakedge Zones which are able to recognize and prioritize latency sensitive voice and video traffic for seamless performance. It’s integrated with six internal antennas.
The WX-1 can be wall/ceiling surface mounted and the in-ceiling/in-wall mounting trays allows integrators to stock only one SKU that can be upgraded as needed. The WX-1 also includes t-bar brackets for drop-tile ceilings and there is even an outdoor version. Because the WX-1 is PoE+ powered, the placement of the AP is flexible and not contingent on whether or not an AC power outlet is available.
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BTX Announces Fiber-Based Plenum HDMI Assemblies for 4K Video Up to 100 MetersBTX Technologies announced today that it is introducing HDMI cables (fiber-based) for 4K applications in a variety of lengths from 5 meters to 100 meters.
These new fiber-based assemblies are considered lightweight and work in tight spaces, like floor boxes, and include EDID transmission. They support high definition (1080p) and ultra-high definition (4K) video, deep color (48-bit) 4:4:4, 3D and multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. Utilizing fiber optics, these plenum rated cables are specified to provide full signal integrity over the distance of the cable.
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Epson Expands EX-Series Projector Lineup with Sub- $1,000 Pro Series Epson today introduced new Pro series portable projectors including the EX9200 Pro (WUXGA) and the EX7240 Pro (WXGA ) models. In addition, Epson introduced an EX3240, a portable version. All three models are spec’d at 3,200 lumens, a 10,000 hour lamp life and native HD (1080 or 720) display capability.
The EX9200 Pro is a native 1920×1200 resolution 3LCD projector while the EX7240 is a 1280×800 resolution 3LCD. Both projectors include HDMI and MHL ports as well as wireless projection and quick control features including Instant Off – which quickly powers down the projector with no cool down time; Sleep Mode (A/V Mute) pauses the presentation without turning off the projector; and Direct Power Off/On delivers wall switch power control.
The $799 EX9200 Pro is here, the $649 EX7240 is here and the portable $449 EX3240 is here. Leave a Comment
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Primacoustic Paintables Clouds Now Shipping
Primacoustic as launched Paintables Clouds, a new series of acoustic panels you can paint on, and they are already shipping.
The new Paintables clouds include the circular Cirrus, the hexagonal Hexus and the square Altos. Each panel is made from 1-1/2″ thick high density 6lb glass wool for exceptionally even absorption and feature resin hardened edges with micromesh that together fully encapsulate the panel to prevent dusting. Paintables are factory painted on all sides in Absolute White latex and ready for mounting. Unique to their design is a proprietary surface than enables one to lightly spray paint the panels on-site to color-match the decor without affecting the acoustical performance.
Paintables clouds are designed as acoustic treatment for houses of worship, conference centers, restaurants, offices, boardrooms, educational facilities, community halls, hotel auditoriums, broadcast facilities, museums, retail, home theaters, recording studios, gymnasiums and performance halls.
Installation is easy. For larger spaces, a selection of hanging hardware allows the Paintable Clouds to be suspended horizontally or vertically from the ceiling, absorbing energy on both sides for maximum efficiency. The same panels may be wall-mounted using our proprietary Surface Impaler technology to create a distinctive wall treatment.
The Cirrus, Hexus and Altos are available in 36″ and 48″ diameters. As with all Primacoustic panels, Paintables have been independently tested for acoustic performance and fire-tested to achieve the most stringent Class-A ratings. This makes them safe for use in all types of installations.
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Extron Intros 4K Signal RegeneratorsExtron’s new HD 4K 110 Series are simply one input, one output signal regenerators that are designed to guarantee signal integrity for HDMI sources with marginal or poor quality output. The signal regenerators are HDCP compliant, and support computer and video resolutions up to 4K, including 1080p/60 with Deep Color. Designed to recondition signals at the source, they equalize the input signal, reduce jitter and skew, and provide output signal pre-emphasis to reliably extend the signal. Video resolutions up to 4K can be extended up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) when used with Extron HDMI Pro Series cable. The HD 4K 110 Series is available in two form factors: a double-space AAP version for use in the Extron Cable Cubby Series/2 enclosure or other AAP mounting frame, and a single-gang Decora-style wallplate version. Both versions can be powered by the HDMI source or the included power supply for integration flexibility. Available in black and white to complement a wide variety of environments, the HD 4K 110 AAP and HD 4K 110 D are ideal for discreet installation with remote HDMI sources.
The HD 4K 110 Series supports HDMI specification features that include data rates up to 10.2 Gbps, 12-bit Deep Color, 3D, Lip Sync, HD lossless audio formats, and CEC. It can be used in conjunction with equalizers and other AV products to ensure optimal image quality within professional applications. Rear panel dip switch settings for input equalization and output signal pre-emphasis make the HD 4K 110 an ideal input connection to enable a strong HDMI signal within matrix switching applications, such as with the Extron DTP CrossPoint 84. For AV equipment that does not provide input cable equalization, the signal regenerator can be paired with an Extron UHD4K 101 equalizer at the far end to maintain a high quality HDMI signal from source to destination.
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Planar Announces the Newest Planar UltraRes Series 4K LCDPlanar Systems has improved not their Planar UltraRes Series of 4K LCDs. The latest Planar UltraRes Series design includes new features available in a 98-inch, an 84-inch and a new 75-inch 4K resolution display that includes built-in Planar MediaPlex Plus Processing for multi-source viewing (four at one time). The 4K 60Hz displays can be driven via single-cable HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2. The Planar UltraRes Series is aimed at applications like interactive digital signage, corporate lobbies, airports and museums.
New Features include:
- Advanced multi-source viewing: The new Planar UltraRes Series displays come standard with integrated Planar MediaPlex Plus Processing, allowing multiple sources to be viewed simultaneously that can be viewed in dual, triple, quad or picture-in-picture (PiP) layouts.
- Embedded OPS: The Planar UltraRes Series includes a built-in expansion slot that supports Intel’s Open Pluggable Specification (OPS).
- Easier installation and access: The optional Planar Profile Mounting System has been enhanced to enable even easier installation and access to inputs. The mounting system provides a front service access mode and Planar claims it’s the slimmest mounted profile in the industry.
- Integrated multi-touch functionality: The new Planar UltraRes Touch models with in-bezel touch technology offer support up to 32 simultaneous touch points
- Advanced energy efficiency: The latest generation Planar UltraRes Series comes with redundant power supply for continuous operation using a fan-less edge-lit LED.
- Multi-source viewing management from mobile devices: The updated Planar UltraRes App for iOS and Android enables on-the-fly switching of layouts and sources from a phone or tablet.
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