In last month’s Crew Call, I cataloged (from first-hand experience) the many things that we do to shoot ourselves in the foot when we demonstrate technology. Bill Sharer and I have also spent the last two weeks on our podcast, THE WEEK, discussing first what we do wrong and second, how to do it right. […]

Denmark-based Neets’ EasyConnect is an all-in-one connector box that’s made to be integrated into a tabletop or lectern. The standard version accommodates all five typical connections for laptop computers and most tablet-type mobile devices (VGA, HDMI, RJ 45, 3.5mm audio and USB). A sixth cable (optional) can be included to accommodate, for example, a DVI […]

BTX Technologies has a new version of its Pro Plate and Panel Designer software — adding new connector symbols, designation strips for labeling and with a better user-interface. BTX’s Pro Plate and Panel Designer software configuration and ordering application allows any user to begin designing and ordering products within a matter of minutes. Users simply […]

Almo Professional A/V and ClearOne last month announced a new distribution agreement that gives Almo partners access to ClearOne’s software-based video conferencing solutions, select audio conferencing products, multimedia streaming and digital signage. To read the complete press release online, click here.

CastNET announced last month the hiring of Joe Bailo as the western region director of sales. Prior to joining CastNET, Bailo had 19 years experience in sales management and senior management positions with several companies who marketed gaming and casino technology systems. To read the complete press release online, click here.

Vaddio has promoted Bernadette Yard to the Vaddio inside sales team. Bernadette will be responsible for coordinating and providing video product demonstrations worldwide, providing sales support to Vaddio manufacturer reps and dealers, as well as assisting with system configurations, pricing, part numbers and availability. To read the complete press release online, click here.

TURBOSOUND has hired Howard Smart as senior technical support specialist as of the end of July. Having started his pro audio career with Sussex-based Blue Box Company and worked with many of the UK’s top production companies, Smart brings to the Professional Division an innate knowledge of TURBOSOUND products and a wealth of experience of […]

Mersive announced this month it has added two new executives to support the growing demand for its recently released Solstice product. Rick Emery has joined as the vice president of sales and business development and Thomas Ruge has joined as the vice president of product development. To read the complete press release online, click here.

THE WEEK – Episode 44: Giving Back Rants and rAVes — Episode 152: What’s Up with UC – Unified Communications? Rants and rAVes — Episode 151: Our 2013 Awards from InfoComm GreenAV – Episode 9: Production and Green AV, a Conversation with Paul Salinger, VP Marketing, Oracle Rants and rAVes — Episode 150: Time Warner […]

Mark Coxon: HDMWhy? Jane Timmins: Hard Decisions We Have to Make Mark Coxon: Who’s Your “Fall Guy?” Mark Coxon: The AV-Team Lee Distad: Oh Right, The Analog Sunset! Gary Kayye: Time Warner Cable: The Definition of a Non-Value-Added Reseller Lee Distad: This is Why LinkedIn Sucks Mark Coxon: This Is Why LinkedIn Doesn’t Suck Lee […]

Anchor Audio’s newest portable sound system, the Go Getter, will begin shipping on Sept. 1, 2013 and like all Anchor products, it’s built and shipped same-day. The Go Getter includes customizable options available on the speaker, including wireless capability and the addition of an MP3/CD player. The Go Getter is battery powered and easy to […]

The Extron WPD 100 Series of pass-through, Decora-style wallplates are designed for use with Extron XTP DTP 24 Shielded Twisted Pair cable. The wall plates feature one or two XTP DTP 24 couplers or punch down jacks, depending on the version, and are fully shielded to ensure signal integrity in high EMI/RFI environments. The WPD […]

BenQ’s newest projector is the W1500, a native 1920×1080 DLP projector that claims to be the first with the Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI). WHDI is a consumer electronic standard for a wireless HDTV connectivity that allows for uncompressed HD video over a wireless RF frequency of 5 GHz. WHDI is supported and driven by […]

Vizio’s newest sound bars include a new 29″ 2.0 Home Theater Sound Bar (S2920w), a 38″ 2.0 Home Theater Sound Bar with what it’s calling “integrated deep bass” (S3820w) and a 38″ 2.1 Home Theater Sound Bar with a wireless subwoofer (S3831w). They all share the same design as VIZIO’s borderless M-Series Razor LED TVs. […]

Sharp’s PN-R903 is now shipping with no delay on orders. The 90″ display can be displayed in both portrait and landscape modes and uses an LED-lit 1920×1080 LCD panel that’s specified to output 700 cd/m2 of brightness. Specifically designed for commercial AV applications, the PN-R903 is designed for 24/7/365 use so it’s ideal for both […]

According to the latest research from Futuresource Consulting, in Q2 2013 the market for professional displays declined by 0.7 percent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ), but experienced year-on-year growth (YoY) of 4.8 percent, ending the quarter on 521,998 global shipments. Americas The climate remains difficult for international display vendors and the Americas region was the only region to […]

Acer’s new K132 is an LED-lit DLP pico projector measuring just 5.5″ (L) x 4.6″ (W) x 1.6″ (H) that claims over 500 ANSI lumens at WXGA resolution (1280×800). The contrast ratio spec is 10,000:1. LED-based, the K132 has a long lamp life of 30,000 hours in Extreme Eco mode that reduces standby power consumption […]

Extron Electronics is now shipping the new FOX T USW 103, a three-input switcher with an integrated fiber optic transmitter for long haul transmission of HDCP-compliant HDMI, RGBHV, or HD component video (up to 1920×1200 or 1080p/60), stereo audio and RS232 control signals over fiber optic cabling. Analog AV input signals are digitized to ensure […]

PreSonus is now shipping the Sceptre-series CoActual studio reference monitors. Featuring a coaxial design that works integrally with a 32-bit, 48 kHz processor using Fulcrum Acoustic’s TQ Temporal Equalization technology, Sceptre CoActual monitors deliver clarity and coherence that has previously only been available in ultra-high-end systems. The series includes two models. The Sceptre S8 CoActual […]

BenQ America is now shipping its interactive IL420 touch-screen public information display (PID), featuring a six-point multi-touch technology on a 42-inch screen. The 1920×1080 resolution, LED-lit IL420 interactive touch LCD display provides scheduling management functions and is optimized for portrait mode scenarios. It includes two built-in, 12-watt speakers, PiP/PBP capabilities, DisplayPort connectivity and RS232/LAN control. […]

Atlas Sound told rAVe last week that all models in the new BlueBridge family of DSP audio products are now shipping. The BlueBridge family of products feature drag and drop, open architecture software and can operate on any network. Each model utilizes high quality THAT microphone preamps and 24-bit converters to obtain ultra-low noise floor […]

The two-channel LUCIA (Localized Utility Compact Intelligent Amplification) from Lab.gruppen is a compact Energy Star compliant Class D amplifier platform with DSP in the smallest amplifier the company has ever produced. LUCIA is designed for small AV applications that don’t need a distributed system with centralized rack-mounted amplification, matrixing and processing. The LUCIA is four […]

VIZIO today announced the availability of its all-new connected platform — VIZIO Internet Apps Plus. The new smart TV experience debuted on VIZIO’s all-new M-Series Razor LED smart TV collection that includes sizes from 32″ to 80″. The new platform features a full-screen app browsing and discovery mode with the ability to control apps with […]

Crestron has introduced a new two-button wireless keypad (HTT-B2EX-BATT) to its line of infiNET EX wireless lighting control products. Available in black or white, the HTT-B2EX-BATT is battery-powered, portable and designed to control a wide range of applications, including as a bedside controller in homes and hotels, a personal workspace controller or a conference room […]

Extron’s new SpeedMount Ceiling Speaker System — a patented low profile, plenum rated two-piece ceiling tile speaker system — is now shipping. The CS 1226T SpeedMount speaker system features a unique design that Extron says greatly simplifies ceiling speaker installation and delivers significant time and cost savings. The two-piece system consists of the CS 120P […]

ClearOne today reported its financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013. For the 2013 second quarter, revenue was $11.70 million, compared with $11.66 million for the second quarter of 2012. Gross profit was $6.9 million, or 59 percent of revenue, compared with $7.1 million, or 61 percent of revenue, for […]

Integrated Systems Events announced recently that its Smart Building Conference will come to London on Tues., Oct. 15. A joint venture of the company’s not-for-profit association owners, CEDIA and InfoComm, the conference was held for the first time in Amsterdam in January of this year (during ISE 2013), where it drew a sell-out attendance of […]

PMA Research has posted its most recent Projector Tracking Service results to the “Top-Selling Projectors” area of their website and we’ve created an infographic to help you graphically see the Top 5. For more than 15 years now, PMA Research has collected monthly sell-through data from leading North American projector dealers, retailers, web resellers and […]

CEDIA has announced that early-bird discounts for CEDIA EXPO 2013 will end at 5 p.m. PDT this Fri., Aug. 2. Attendees who register prior to the early-bird deadline will save 40 percent. Attendees will still have the opportunity to save 20 percent until September 23. CEDIA EXPO gives home technology professionals executable tools and focused […]

Volume 4, Issue 7 — 31, 2013  brAVe New World The Smart, Intelligent, Automated, Connected, Wired Planet of ThingsMidori Connolly : AVGirl Productions  Aeiforia Technos Design Thinking And How It Can Help Build A Better, More Sustainable Business Practice and Supply Chain In The Technology IndustryRaymond Kent : Managing Principal, Sustainable Technologies Group  Editorial EPIC […]

Kramer Electronics introduced today the VM-2DP and the VM-4DP DisplayPort Distribution Amplifiers. The VM-2DP 1:2 DisplayPort Distribution Amplifier accepts a DisplayPort (DP) input signal and distributes it to two DisplayPort (DP) outputs, while the 1:4 VM-4DP distributes a DP signal to four DP outputs. Both offer a maximum data rate of 10.8Gbps (2.7Gbps per graphic […]

This July, Wireless Ronin Technologies reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2013. Revenue in the second quarter of 2013 increased 69 percent to $2.6 million from $1.6 million in the same year-ago quarter. The increase was due to the $750,000 prepaid license received from Delphi as well as new orders from […]