Volume 8, Issue 6 — June 27, 2016

How much is a 55″ touchscreen? If you take a look around online you’ll find everything from single and dual touch screens starting at about $2,000 and going to high end multi-touch units like those from MultiTaction at $20,000. Add a great mount, a PC or media player and installation and you might get up to $25,000 for the set-up if you sell the cream of the crop.

Based on my experience in the space, I’d wager that the average 55″ screen with a PC, mount and install is sold today for around $8,000.

Given this, what would you say if I told you the last 55″ touchscreen I sold as an integrator went for $90,000?

I’m assuming the word “how” comes to mind.

The answer is content.

An installed touchscreen paired with a PC is a commodity that can be shopped online. A customized multi-touch experience with unique, custom content cannot.

It seems that most integrators know that content creation is a great potential revenue stream. Commercial Integrator did a Sweet 16 bracket this spring called New Revenue Madness where they pitted several technologies and business services against each other, letting readers vote on what they thought had the most potential to generate revenue. What won? It wasn’t Collaboration or Unified Communications or Drones or Managed Services or Digital Signage or even the IoT. It was Content Creation. They even created a call to arms for integrators based on the results.

I made the same call to arms here on rAVe Pubs way back in 2013 in a piece called “The One Stop Shop.” Almost three years later, we are still having the same conversation.

So the question is, if the consensus is content creation is a great source of revenue, then why aren’t more integration companies offering it as a service?

The truth is, there are some barriers to entry that range from not knowing how to start the conversation to not having the key creative and technical personnel to not having the proper hardware and software systems in place. Given that, I thought I’d give a few insights into how integrators may start to make content creation a part of their business.

Step One: The Conversation

If your approach to selling AV is to first engage the IT department, then you will definitely need to reverse field if you want to start selling content creation.

I’ve asked the question “Why are we talking to IT guys” in the past concerning AV in general, suggesting that we should be approaching marketing departments as well when discussing communication and presentation systems. This point is even more salient when dealing with content creation. If you want to sell content, you are selling a story, and you need to engage the company’s storytellers. Of course you’ll need to work side by side with the technical team for planning and implementation of hardware, Wi-Fi or internet service, etc., but marketing is the place to start if you want to sell content.

I worked at a company that did a ton of work for a major shoe brand and that work was won in the marketing department first.

Step Two: The People

Odds are you are going to need to grow your staff a little if you really want to make a run at content creation as a strategic part of your business. David Haynes of Sixteen:Nine even suggests that integrators should “make it a true business unit.” I agree with that notion. You will need sales people who understand how to sell content creation to marketing departments, programmers that are versed in HTML 5, JavaScript, etc., as well as creative directors and graphic designers. In other words, you’ll need some new blood. This is probably the most difficult and most essential part of the equation.

Step Three: The Tools

Now if you start to put together the team and then pitch and win a content creation job, you’d be remiss to not have the proper tools in place.

Needless to say, iMovie and an iPad aren’t going to get the job done.

You’re going to need video editing software, 2D or 3D drawing programs, some rendering PCs or Macs, some high resolution reference monitors and most likely will need some quality camera equipment and audio recording equipment as well.

The Partnering Alternative

If this all sounds like too much, partnering with a content creation firm is always an option. You may be able to make a small cost-plus margin by passing on a third party’s services as an accessory to your hardware. The main problem with this though is that if your only role is providing the hardware, you are really entering into a contract where the cart is driving the horse. The content and the clients goals should really drive the conversation. The hardware becomes the delivery method.

In many large projects, the digital content conversation happens early with the client, and hardware providers are then brought in at the end by the content creation company to bid the parts and labor. If you really want to get top the top of this food chain, you need to be offering the content creation services as well.

So, if you want to sell a 55″ touchscreen for $90,000, you need to start creating content.

Was this helpful or do you think I’m off base? I’d love to hear about your journey with content creation in the comments below.

I can’t really crown Sony’s CLEDIS display my best of show winner, as I have only been here one day and have not seen all the cool stuff yet – but this one will be hard to top. It truly is a new display category, as it is the first commercial product using a new class of LEDs: microLEDs (although Sony doesn’t like that word – TA).

The display (Sony Returns to Crystal LED With CLEDIS) was officially unveiled in a press conference on the opening morning of InfoComm. Image quality is stunning. It is a tiled solution much like conventional LED modules, but there were only very slightly visible seams between modules. On display was a 32’x9’ (9.75m x 2.74m) system with a resolution of 8Kx2K.

I think this is a new class of LED video wall, because the packaging of the LEDs is completely different than conventional LED video wall modules. The Canvas display is composed of Sony’s CLEDIS (Crystal LED Integrated Structure) technology. The pixel pitch is stated as 1.2mm. On a conventional 1.2mm-pitch LED video wall module, the RGB LED device will take up a fair degree of this real estate, perhaps 50-70 percent of the pixel area. With Canvas, the emitting area is only 1 percent of the pixel area! That’s right, 99 percent of the module is black, making for really high contrast potential, especially in well-lit environments.

One might think that having a pixel with only 1 percent emitting area might create a display with points of light, or a highly pixelated image. It does not appear this way at all; the CLEDIS display is quite smooth and continuous. If you get to about 2 feet away you can now see some structure in the pixels, especially on white content, but you don’t see a point of light surrounded by black.

The photo on the left below is from the Sony web site, showing the LED surrounded by black. The photo on the right is a section of white content that was displayed on the Canvas screen at InfoComm. This looks like most of the pixel area is white with some sort of structure in the corners of the pixel. That leads me to suspect that Sony has an optical layer on top of each module that is expanding the light from this tiny LED to fill the full pixel area. It could be a microlens array or diffuser, for example. This is all pure speculation on my part, mind you, but the result is a smooth continuous image with great contrast.

And there is more. Each module is 403 x 453 mm with a resolution of 320 x 360 x RGB. Peak luminance is around 1000 cd/m² and the display will support HDR (presumably HDR10) in future releases. The viewing angle is about 180° and contrast is 1M:1, although it is unclear exactly how this was measured. The color gamut is 140% of the Rec. 709 gamut. And it can operate at 120 fps!

Sony is also offering a full control system. Each controller can manage up to 72 modules with a maximum input resolution of 3840×2160. But 20 controllers can be chained together to create massive video walls.

In back of the 8Kx2K Canvas display, Sony showed the controller architecture. This consisted of a media server and an image generator, each with two HDMI outputs. These are fed to two HDMI-to-IP conversion modules, which send the signals over fiber optics to an IP switch, which appeared to be an off-the shelf 10 Gbps device. At the display, the data is converted from an IP format to a DVI format and sent to two display controllers, which then drive signals to the Canvas display. We presume the signal is daisy chained between modules.

This is an indoor solution aimed at the same application where fine pitch LEDs compete now. Sony has not disclosed pricing but you can assume it will be expensive. There are many other details, like power consumption, that have not been revealed that we hope to learn more about over time.

What do all of you think about this display?

This column was reprinted with permission from Chris Chinnock and originally appeared here.

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All our InfoComm 2016 coverage is here.

This year’s InfoComm in Las Vegas, Nev. was officially the largest on record, with more than 38,000 visitors and 1,000 exhibitors.

TINT’s platform allows marketers and advertisers to source real content from local communities, which increases engagement and drives conversions through dynamic social platforms and layouts. DOOH media owners using BroadSign’s automated CMS will be able to personalize and control the content taken from major social networks, messaging apps, review sites and blogs before displaying it on prominent screens with the confidence that only desired content will be played.

BroadSign and TINT had already partnered on an Exterion Media UK’s March 2016 World Wildlife Fund campaign and Global Radio activation across the London Underground projects but this new partnership will enable everyone to take advantage social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram being integrated in to a display’s content.

Here are more details.

Matrox video wall solutions include Matrox Mura IPX 4K capture and IP encoder and decoder cards, Mura IPX 4K IP decode and display cards, Mura MPX video wall controller cards, and Matrox C-Series multi-display graphics cards. Matrox AV-over-IP solutions feature the Matrox Maevex 6100 Series encoder cards.

Here are the details.

With seven interchangeable lenses, including the Ultra-Short Throw FL-920, providing options for screen sizes of between 100” to 600” and projection distance for the 100” screen ranging from 0.83 meters to 19 meters, the projector together with powered focus, shift and zoom can meet the specific demands of any environment.

Here are all the tech specs.

Featuring a browser interface, the VPX software provides users with the flexibility to access the application on any Wi-Fi enabled tablet regardless of the OS. The VIP Series delivers an ideal solution for a variety of applications including higher education and digital signage distribution in retail and event venues.

More information is here.

AWARE addresses the need for a simpler solution that eliminates hardware within a complex eco-system while allowing third party developers to create the next generation apps that will make displays more engaging, useful, and accountable.

AWARE combines hardware, services, and software into one integrated solution that can be purchased and embedded in a display or as a stand-alone add-on to an existing display. The core applications available at launch include a built-in media, weather, sports, news, HTML 5, social media, and audience measurement. Although agnostic and continuing to look for premier partners throughout the industry, today’s applications have been developed through NanoLumens’ partnerships with Admobilize, Gimbal, Navori and Screened.

Here are the details.

The Extron Quantum Elite is an HDCP-compliant, scalable, expandable videowall processor configurable to support a variety of input, output, and windowing capabilities. The Quantum Elite offers two card cages that support various combinations of input and output cards for 3G-SDI, HDMI, DVI, RGB, HDTV or video sources. Each HDMI or DVI-I dual output card supports up to 128 video/graphic source windows, and multiple Quantum Elite card cages can be cascaded to create very large display arrays.The Extron Quantum Connect 82 and Quantum Connect 84 are HDCP-compliant videowall processors that deliver the same high quality video scaling, windowing capability, and reliable, real-time performance as Extron’s flagship Quantum Elite processors. Quantum Connect is ideal for videowalls with two to four displays, delivering powerful, highly versatile video processing with flexible windowing capabilities. Both Quantum Elite and Quantum Connect feature high performance video scaling technology capable of producing superior quality upscaled and downscaled images.

Here are all the specs.

Integrated with InGlass touch technology, the displays set new standards for touch performance, creating a completely bezel-free, error-free, flat and durable touch surface. The touch table concept forms a responsive and effective interface with the XUHD display offering true multi-touch performance for simultaneous users. The InGlass touch supports up to 10 finger, pen or glove touch points.

The ‘pixel-free’ 55- and 65-inch 4K UHD displays include impressive colourfast details thanks to NEC’s integrated SpectraView colour engine, providing full colour management and adjustment of all visual parameters to further improve any colour-critical application.

The XUHD touch displays are easy to use as it is ‘plug and play’, with no need for driver installations for all major operating systems, and can be easily enhanced with the optional “Windows based” slot-in-PC using the integrated OPS option slot, further simplifying installations and reducing the points of failure.

Here are the details.

Here are all the technical specs.

The VIEW Pro D310 Decoder is fully compatible with all VIEW Pro encoders and decoders and configurable with ClearOne’s new VIEW CONSOLE software. It also offers source-selection and control software for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

You an see all the specs here.

The EXT-UHDA-HBT2’s Sender and Receiver are compatible with all compliant HDBaseT systems and will easily interface with sources and displays equipped with HDBaseT. Video resolutions of 1080p and 1920×1200 8-bitcolor up to 495 feet. 4K Ultra HD and DCI-Cinema (up to 4096×2160) at 60 Hz 4:2:0 or 30 Hz 4:4:4, LPCM7.1 and HBR digital audio are also supported.

Details are here.

DigitalSignBuilder.com will integrate your EMS software with every digital display enabling automated and instant listing and updates of all ongoing and upcoming calendar based events and notifications. When your EMS software listings update so will the data you are displaying on the sign eliminating the need for your management or front desk to update the listing.

If you do not use an EMS platform, DigitalSignBuilder.com will set-up a Google Drive account for your staff to use for managing all events streams, restaurant specials, messaging and other media zones. With these accounts, you’ll be able to edit remotely and update every display from any iPhone, iPad, laptop, tablet or mobile phone with internet connection.

Get all the details here.

ClearOne’s VIEW platform stands apart from the competition. It comprises a complete AV distribution solution — featuring AV encoders, decoders, amplifiers, and Ethernet switches — that can scale to any project size, from light commercial to most complex and largest venues.

ClearOne’s VIEW Pro E110 Encoder is configurable with ClearOne’s new VIEW CONSOLE software and is supported by ClearOne’s PANORAMA video composition software license and audio mixing software license, i.e., it enables the combination of multiple audio sources. It also offers source-selection and control software for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

All the detailed specs are here.

BrightBeacon makes it possible for businesses to create unique, personalized experiences for virtually any application, enabling bi-directional communication between digital signage and their customers’ mobile devices. BrightSign says this increases customer engagement by enabling businesses to provide highly relevant messaging and content on their digital signage and on customers’ mobile devices. A new level of audience participation is also created when the customer is presented with options to interact with and control the signage from their mobile device.

What sets BrightBeacon apart from competitor solutions is that the Bluetooth low-energy (BTLE) beacon itself is integrated in the BrightSign 4K1142 player – no need for an external device. The beacon scans for other BTLE-enabled mobile devices and sends highly targeted content based on the device’s location. Additionally, the beacon can also receive content, opening the door for two-way engagement that, until now, hasn’t been available as an integrated solution.

BrightBeacon will be available in September on BrightSign’s 4K1142 media player via the free firmware update 6.2 (backward-compatible for existing 4K1142 units already in the field). BrightBeacon can be programed and controlled via BrightAuthor and the BrightSign Network, making it easy to change and update content remotely at any time. The BrightBeacon iOS app is available as a free download on the App Store, and the BrightBeacon feature can also be integrated with third-party apps.

Here are the details.

Leyard CarbonLight LED displays are uniquely lightweight, thin, strong and adaptable – making them ideal for high-impact events served by rental and staging companies, and for fixed and semi-fixed installations with unique design requirements. The displays are fast and flexible to install, and are available in five different product configurations for indoor, outdoor, hanging, floor-mounted, corner-beveled and curved video wall installations, making Leyard CarbonLight’s broad offering ideal for the most unique and challenging environments.

The LED displays are ultra-lightweight due to their unique carbon fiber construction and patented designs, making them the perfect option for environments with limited structural capacity. They are easy to transport, incorporate hardware that is fast to install and take down, and are quick to service, with a hardware design that allows for middle-display replacement. Leyard CarbonLight displays also support many unusual configurations including right-angle corners, perfectly smooth concave and convex arcs, and floor installations.

The Leyard CarbonLight family of LED displays incorporates the patented technology and expertise of Glux Creative Technology Co, Ltd, a subsidiary of Leyard. It includes the following five product lines:

• Leyard CarbonLight CLA Series: For indoor, smoothly curved LED video walls, available in 1.5 and 1.9 millimeter pixel pitches with a cabinet size of 250 x 250 millimeters. Leyard CarbonLight CLA Series displays can be used to create arcs and columns of LED displays as low as 3 meters (9.84 feet) in diameter.
• Leyard CarbonLight CLI Series: For indoor hanging or mounted LED video walls, available in 2.6, 3.9 and 5.2 millimeter pixel pitches with a cabinet size of 500×500 millimeters. Leyard CarbonLight CLI Series displays can be used to achieve 90-degree corner installations.
• Leyard CarbonLight CLO Series: For outdoor hanging or mounted LED video walls, available in 3.9, 5.2 and 7.8 millimeter pixel pitches with a cabinet size of 500×500 millimeters.
• Leyard CarbonLight CLM Series: For outdoor mesh hanging or mounted LED video walls, available in 10.4 and 15.6 millimeter pixel pitches with a cabinet size of 1,000×500 millimeters. Leyard CarbonLight CLM Series displays can be used to create large-scale, transparent display installations in outdoor buildings or for architectural applications.
• Leyard CarbonLight CLF Series: For indoor or outdoor LED floor installations, available in 5.2, 6.2 and 10.4 millimeter pixel pitches with a cabinet size of 500×500 millimeters. Leyard CarbonLight CLF Series displays can withstand weight of 500 kilograms per cabinet (1,102 pounds) without damage, making them perfect for stage floors, tradeshow and showroom use.

The Leyard CarbonLight family of LED display solutions is debuting at InfoComm 2016 in Las Vegas from June 8-10 in Leyard and Planar booth #C7736. The entire line is here.

NanoLumens claims the Outdoor Performance Series also sets new industry benchmarks in a number of critically important areas, including contrast ratios that are 70 percent better the leading competitor and its operational environments ranging is between -30ºC and 60ºC.

The Outdoor Performance Series also offers the widest possible flexibility in the types of places they can be installed, thanks to the fact that they are both front and rear serviceable and have an installed depth of just 125MM or approximately 5 inches.

Here are the tech specs.

Installation and maintenance are key cost drivers for store façades, museums, theaters, houses of worship, stadiums, and corporate or event venues. Weighing less than 6 kg/m2, the R-series is much easier and faster to install than traditional LED displays, which minimizes installation cost. Offered in sheets up to 4.68 meters long and only 5 mm thick (including louvers), the digital media canvas covers all kinds of surfaces. Cabling, control, and power electronics are fully integrated on every sheet, to remove today’s cable clutter. Moreover, the power supply unit can be located remotely for easy servicing.

With minimal need for a supporting structure, the R-series can be glued onto a surface or wrapped around curved shapes. Thanks to its unique bendable design, architectural constraints are reduced and less space needs to be freed up. Plus, there are no visual segmentations or gaps, as is the case with standard tiled LED displays.

Because the total system weight of the R10 is up to 75 percent lighter than a traditional LED display, Barco’s digital media canvas can transform virtually any outdoor surface into a digital screen, at any time. Eliminating the need for heavy weight load support, this opens up a whole new dimension in creative design. Historic buildings, transportation vehicles, and many more objects can now be outfitted with LED visualization.

Here are the details.

On show at the event will be an optically-bonded, 84-inch 4K interactive display equipped with fine-tip stylus capability and anti-glare cover glass for a natural pen-on-paper writing experience. Optical bonding with the lack of visible lines on screen, a unique attribute of Cima NanoTech’s core SANTE technology, provides thinner, high-resolution displays with excellent optical clarity and display contrast for an optimal viewing experience. The newly launched 84-inch SANTE ProTouch module is the largest size in mass production by the company.

The boundaries of standard object and water rejection are being pushed by the company’s advanced touch modules which reject metal objects such as drink cans, keys and cellphones – items that often cause false touches. This advanced feature, demonstrated on a 42-inch interactive tabletop, allows users to interact with the touch table as they would a regular table, proving that SANTE ProTouch module is a technology designed for practical applications that do not require users to alter their behavior.

SANTE ProTouch module is a projected capacitive solution providing ultra fast response and excellent touch performance, ideal for large touch screen applications from 32″ to 84″ sizes such as interactive displays, touch tables and digital signage. Integrating advanced touch technology innovations such as precision stylus capability and object and water recognition enable touch displays that take creativity, collaboration and interactivity to a whole new level.

Cima NanoTech InfoComm Highlights (Booth N2654):

• 84-inch Interactive Display optically-bonded with precision stylus capability
• 55-inch Interactive Display optically-bonded with 2mm fine-tip passive stylus capability
• 42-inch Interactive Touch Table with metal object and water rejection
• 42-inch Interactive Digital Signage through thick glass for storefront windows
• 37-inch Mirror Touch Display with a reflective multi-touch surface

Here are the details.

The EF1 Series expands the lineup of entry-level displays to include 84- and 75-inch sizes offering a cost-effective solution for digital signage, or for general use in the office or classroom. The EF1 Series has a built-in USB Media Player and uses an IPS panel for a wide-viewing angle.

VF1H Series is a 700 cd/m2 flagship and features an Ultra-Narrow-Bezel of 0.07’’ (1.8 mm) bezel-to-bezel width and can be mounted in vertical or horizontal configurations. The VF1H Series consumes less energy because of an efficient backlighting and contrast control. It features a single-cable DIGITAL LINK daisy-chain connection that along with our optional modular frame mount and auto-calibration software reduce installation cost and time while adding flexibility. The IPS direct-lit LED panel is easily viewed off-axis and in bright conditions. Anti-Glare (AG) screen-surface treatment effectively reduces reflections from artificial lighting. Built tough for 24/7 operation, the 55-inch display also offers a wide range of optimized viewing modes as well as USB media updates over LAN for self-contained and even more convenient signage solutions. The VF1H Series is expected to be available in late 2016.

BF1 Series is the successor to the LFB70 multi-touch panel display and the BF1 Series (available in 50-, 65-, and 80-inch sizes) has fully featured whiteboard software built in, allowing users to start work instantly with no need for a connected PC. Pages can be created, saved, and shared from the screen, or any media displayed and annotated on via a new easy-access sub-menu bar. Precision 12-point touch control and a new minimized menu bar make it easy to switch inputs and access tools at any time. The BF1 Series offers a wealth of wired connections, including single-cable DIGITAL LINK, delivering media from almost any source device, while content can be displayed together with whiteboard pages in Picture-in-Picture Mode — ideal for web conferencing. The BF1 Series also has a USB Memory Viewer supporting a variety of formats and eliminates the need for a connected PC — just insert a USB memory stick and start presenting.

Here are more specifics on each display.

This new type of canvas enables limitless flexibility and creativity in public spaces and high-end visual entertainment.  It is far more advanced when compared to the technologies currently available for large-scale display, offering a leap forward in depth, contrast, color, resolution and impact.

Sony’s Canvas display technology is designed for a range of commercial applications and immersive experiences, from industrial product design and manufacturing, theme parks, museums, and high-traffic lobbies to corporate boardrooms and broadcast studios. It is ideal for any environment requiring intricately detailed video displays and realistic simulation on a large scale. Here are the details.

The VPL-GTZ270 is a 4K laser projector with 5000-lumen brightness making it ideal for a range of B2B and commercial applications, especially for entertainment use including planetariums, theme parks, museums and retail. The projector is designed to create an immersive reality viewing experience, with image enhancement functions including “Reality Creation” upscaling and compatibility with High Dynamic Range (HDR) content, giving users the ability to view the entire range of an image accurately and clearly. A wide color space covers the full DCI range and simulates the new ITU-R BT2020 color gamut. The GTZ270 is extremely quiet and virtually maintenance-free for 20,000 hours of operation, even in the most demanding conditions. It can also operate in 4K 3D mode.

The VPL-GTZ280 is a 4K projector with options for higher brightness up to 5000 lumens making it ideally suited for simulation and training applications. It uses high-speed motion functions and new high-speed 4K 120Hz signal processing capability for 4K3D 60Hz left eye/right eye and reducing blur in fast motion scenes, in addition to smear and transport delay reduction, infrared light output for night vision stimulation and vibration resistance.

At InfoComm, Sony is showing its full PTZ camera line, including the SRG-120DU and the SRG-360SHE models.

New to the line is Sony’s SRG-360SHE 30x robotic model. This new model adds power over Ethernet (PoE+) and triple simultaneous video and audio streaming (embedded audio in IP, HDMI and 3G-SDI). The simultaneous output of 1080/60p baseband video through the three streaming outputs makes it ideal for webcasting and viewing while simultaneously recording live events.

The SRG-360SHE is designed for use in classrooms, courtrooms, boardrooms, houses of worship and other settings where full HD visual communications are needed. In addition to the triple streaming outputs, other advances in the SRG-360SHE include a series of enhanced PTZ capabilities to produce professional-looking results even with non-professional camera operators. ‘Semi-Synchronous Simultaneous Motion’ improves transitions between subjects, delivering smooth, coordinated camera motion that does not distract viewers. A Slow P/T setting allows for precise tracking of objects or people, for example, a speaker walking across a stage. PTZ Trace Memory provides the ability to store a sequence of camera movements as a preset. With “trace,” a complicated series of motions/commands can be carried out flawlessly and replicated as needed.

The SRG-120DU is Sony’s first USB 3.0 PTZ Camera and is being widely designed into corporate boardrooms due to its professional picture quality, ease of installation/use and compact, lightweight design. The HD model incorporates Sony’s high-sensitivity 1/2.8 -type Exmor CMOS sensor and the latest View-DR technology.  It also features UVC video compatibility and a wide field of view with plug-and play simplicity for superb image quality, even in challenging lighting conditions. More information is here.

Sony is showcasing its expanding laser projector lineup, offering 14 models spanning from 2,000 lumens to 7,000 lumens and meeting nearly every commercial AV application. To go along with these new projectors, Sony has the first interchangeable ultra-short throw lens for 3LCD projectors.

Featured projector models include:

VPL-FWZ65/VPL-FWZ60: Sony’s VPL-FWZ65 (6,000 lumen) and VPL-FWZ60 (5,000 lumen) 3LCD Laser Light Source Projectors offers bright, beautiful images with low running costs, minimal maintenance and flexible installation. The powerful Z-Phosphor laser light source is teamed with Sony’s advanced BrightEra 3LCD projection engine to deliver extremely crisp WXGA (1,280 x 800) resolution images with natural-looking rich, stable colors. Offering 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance-free operation, reality creation to analyze and process every input signal to refine detail, clarity and sharpness for naturally up-scaled images, edge blending to seamlessly blend images from multiple projectors and a variety of optional lenses, the new projectors are a high-performing choice with a low total cost of ownership that is ideal for a wide range of business, education and general presentation applications.

VPL-FHZ57: Featuring many of the same benefits as Sony’s other laser projectors, the VPL-FHZ57 operates at 370W power, making it the most energy-efficient laser light source projector. The low power consumption also reduces heat dissipation, in turn lowering fan noise. The VPL-FHZ57 laser projector has the quietest operation in its class (32dB, 28dB at Standard Brightness mode).

VPL-FHZ65: Sony’s VPL-FHZ65 6,000lm WUXGA (1920×1200) laser projector uses a BrightEra panel technology to reproduce natural and vivid color. It is designed to deliver enhanced picture quality using features including “Reality Creation” and “Contrast Enhancer,” technologies already in use by Sony’s home theater projection systems. Reality Creation analyzes and processes input signals to refine detail, clarity and sharpness for naturally up-scaled images. The Contrast Enhancer feature expands the perceived dynamic range of the signal.

VPLL-3003 — Ultra-Short Throw lens for Sony projectors: Sony’s newest lens option is the VPLL-3003 ultra-short throw lens, the first interchangeable ultra-short throw lens for 3LCD projectors. This lens offers sharp focus and minimized picture distortion due to a large mirror system, and easy adjustment of lens shift and focus via remote control. Its 0.33:1 throw ratio allows it to be used in tight spaces with no clearance from the wall.

The lens can project an 80” to 300” diagonal image with minimal throw distance (39” throw distance for 140” diagonal image), making it ideal for small meeting rooms, as digital signage or use in museums.

Here is everything.

The Connected Desktop application allows users to browse and view any channel on the X2O network, where channels featuring data-driven graphics, video, social media content, and more can be displayed as floating windows on the desktop or used as screensavers. In addition, widgets containing bite-sized amounts of real-time information can be pinned to the desktop for continuous updates. Targeted pop-up notifications and critical alerts that display security or safety announcements can also be broadcast over the network. Specific use cases include company news channels, business intelligence dashboards, interactive polls and live alerts.

The Connected Desktop is compatible with features of the X2O platform, including drag-and-drop channel building, smart objects, data management tools, the content management portal, and network management tools. It offers enterprise-grade security with support for LDAP/Active Directory. Connected Desktop is also compatible with a wide range of standard data sources, with the ability to add an unlimited number of custom data sources. It is highly scalable for enterprise-wide deployments and includes a library of ready-to-use channels, widgets, and notifications.

Here are all the details.

Using modular software and scalable hardware, Kramer VCO can deliver targeted promotional content, visitor information, emergency alerts, and more over HDMI video to multiple displays in multiple locations. Applications include bars, restaurants, cafes, hotels, conference rooms, retail, and digital signage. The solution can overlay text, static and animated images, and video at up to full-HD resolution.

Kramer VCO automates the video content overlay process from design to display and offers an ROI by using existing display infrastructure and offering remote, centralized management from either a single PC or corporate database.

Kramer VCO integrates with any retail management system and scales to an unlimited number of screens in any location.

Here are the details.

The dashboards and KPIs gathered in the InfiniSense software can easily be visualized in any content management software. KPIs that are available as a dashboard or in a table/report format include: total reach versus impressions, unique traffic, individual dwell time, audience demographics (including age and gender), and heat maps that show traffic density over a specific time period.

Here is more information.

Adding the proprietary Thinaire mobile engagement platform will enable CEN’s animated digital posters and experiential displays to serve as launch pads for dynamic mobile advertising and experience-based marketing campaigns for ad agencies, DOOH buyers and theater owners. CEN has begun a phased rollout of Thinaire’s mobile consumer engagement capabilities across its fully integrated, DOOH advertising network in theater lobbies in North America.

The Thinaire-enabled CEN digital displays will seamlessly integrate and communicate through Internet of Things (IoT) technologies – such as Near Field Communication (NFC) tags, beacons, audio and video – to provide deeper brand engagement by wirelessly connecting to consumers’ mobile devices at a moment of interest. Advertisers and marketers can monitor and analyze consumers’ responses around their displays in a single or multiple locations, providing maximum impact for their campaigns.

Here are the details.