Legrand has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Luxul Wireless, an IP networking provider for professionally-installed, custom integration systems for residential and small-to-medium business (SMB) markets. Luxul, along with Pakedge that was acquired by Control4 earlier this year, are one of only two networking companies that specialized in routers and switches specifically for ProAV and […]

Recently, a rep from a firm that we work with fairly frequently asked me to name the most important tool in my toolkit. I believe he was expecting me to name the Leatherman I constantly carry on my belt, since (among other things) he reps a line of multi-tools that are supposedly more sophisticated than […]

Kramer Electronics is introducing something called Kramer Network, an enterprise management platform for AV over IP solutions at ISE 2016. This new solution from Kramer enables the routing, management and control of standard AV and AV over IP systems and it’s being launched in the Kramer booth, F20 in Hall 1 at the ISE show […]

Last week, I read a very good article titled The Five Reasons Why AV is Not IT by Ernie Beck. The article discussed in a very compelling way how AV has considerable value in systems integration and will continued to for a long time to come. One of the great points in this article is […]

Build the networking skills you need to perform more efficient installs with less unbillable time spent at the jobsite. If you are spending eight hours on what should be a one-hour service call, you are missing out on other job opportunities. If you are hiring a subcontractor to install your customers’ network and bringing in an […]

VITEC today announced an integrated streaming solution designed to help houses of worship extend their reach across multiple campuses and foster a sense of community among church members who attend services at different sites. The solution, which bundles VITEC portable encoders and decoders with the Zixi, is billed as an “error-free” streaming protocol, and claims […]

Pakedge’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 […]

As I have written about on many occasions in this column, the Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly becoming the norm allowing for greater facilities flexibility, accessibility, and sustainability. The Information Communications Technology (ICT) industry is leading the IoT charge by connecting everything from audiovisual devices, security systems, and other telcom networks into network enabled […]

Audinate today announced a firmware update to the Dante Ultimo audio networking chipsets. The new Ultimo 2.2 firmware adds several enhancements for OEMs building low channel-count audio products with Dante Ultimo. Dedicated four-channel input (4×0) or output (0x4) configurations at 96kHz are supported on the Ultimo 4×4 chipset, and minimum device latency has been reduced […]

It seems that every time I hear about collaboration in our industry lately it is referring to AirMedia, ClickShare, Brio, Via, Enzo or similar “Mirror Op” technologies and the emphasis is almost always on wireless and BYOD. These examples are great success stories and they have a great place in today’s marketplace.  But I fear […]

ClearOne has released two new models in its CONVERGE Matrix line of Dante-based network audio distribution solutions, to complement its larger scale 256- and 512-channel mixers and routers, delivering a complete product lineup to accommodate a full spectrum of system sizes and applications. Every CONVERGE Matrix mixer is easy to manage, provides complete system redundancy […]

Araknis Networks has announced that its 300-series switches line is enabled for the cloud-based OvrC app. OvrC (pronounced over-see) is an innovative cloud app designed to streamline the integrator’s life. Araknis Networks and OvrC are brand divisions of Charlotte-based SnapAV, a designer and manufacturer of more than 1,800 electronic home solutions for residential and commercial […]

Matrox Graphics today announced Matrox Mura IPX Series, a new line of 4K capture and IP encode/decode boards that let OEMs and AV system builders deliver advanced video wall controllers featuring high-quality, low-bitrate, multi-channel 4K or HD encoding and decoding over standard IP. The first two Mura IPX Series cards will be introduced at InfoComm […]

Those of you who follow my musings on the world of professional AV know that I can be skeptical at times. I’m skeptical about AVB. I was skeptical about video over IP. I’m skeptical about the continued value of HDBaseT. What I try not to be is cynical; it’s good to start off questioning new […]

Pakedge Device & Software has announced that it will debut its upcoming Layer 3 switch at InfoComm in June. A true Layer 3 switch, it will come equipped with dynamic routing protocols for management of complex networks, making it ideal for commercial and enterprise networks. The switch will support multicast functionality – a necessity for […]

Last week I appeared on the AV Powerup podcast to discuss, amongst other things, HDBaseT. Taking the time to listen to myself (this is a sign of responsibility to monitor messaging and personal branding, not at all vanity. Honestly) it seemed that I was quite negative on HDBaseT as a technology — I described it […]

According to Pakedge, the WK-1 is an enterprise-grade 802.11ac wireless access point with a built-in 2×2 radio (claiming speed three times the speed and throughput of wireless-N access points). Available in white, making it ideal for most indoor installations, the new wireless-AC access point can also be painted to blend in to almost any architectural […]

Pakedge Device & Software has announced the launch of the Pakedge Custom Engineering program. This program gives systems integrators the opportunity to embed their custom configurations into the router firmware itself. In addition, integrators can co-brand their logo into the router’s graphical unit interface (GUI) and onto the unit label. In contrast to loading a […]

Pakedge Device & Software has expanded its router kit lineup to include the RE2 router. The new router kits feature Pakedge switch technology, designed specifically for AV and automation applications. Pakedge customers can choose to pair the RE2 router with one of two managed switch options — the S8Hav or S8Mpd. The S8Hav is an […]

PreSonus is now shipping its SL-AVB-MIX Audio Video Bridging (AVB) audio networking option card for StudioLive AI-series console and StudioLive RM-series rack-mount Active Integration mixers. These options allow you to create a complete, networked live-sound solution, using CAT5e or CAT6 cables instead of a snake—and that’s just the beginning. AVB enables precisely synchronized, real-time, low-latency, […]

ClearOne has introduced a new version of its Digital Wireless Microphone products, now with support for Dante technology. As you know, Dante is the industry’s fastest growing media networking protocol for digital audio networking. This newly released microphone system complements other audio products from ClearOne in that it uses radio-frequency (RF) digital wireless signal transmission […]

We know what you’re thinking: What’s AES67? AES67, a standard for audio over IP, promises interoperability between previously competing audio-over-IP systems and could solve network interoperation between systems. AES67 is a “Switzerland” of standards so the different IP based audio networking products currently fighting it out in the market, such as Dante, Livewire, Q-LAN and […]

Extron is already shipping its new MLC Plus 84 D — a two-gang Ethernet controller used for controlling common AV functions such as power, input switching and volume. As part of the new MediaLink Plus Series, it is designed with more powerful features, enhanced security and Ethernet control. It has eleven back-lit soft touch buttons […]

Dante AV Networking World is taking place Feb. 9 at the Amsterdam Holiday Inn starting at 9 a.m. This event will feature panel discussions, presentations and workshops showing Dante in action. The interactive panel discussions and presentations will be conducted by leading industry design consultants, AV installation contractors, IT networking experts, and well-known professional audio […]

By Tim Kridel Special to InfoComm International Videoconferences frequently include confidential information, so the last thing clients want is someone eavesdropping. Meanwhile, digital signage done right can attract lots of eyeballs, which actually makes it attractive to hackers looking to embarrass a company by putting inappropriate content on-screen. “Digital signage content is increasingly Web-based; the […]

Pakedge Device & Software is introducing a new addition to its RE router series dubbed the RE-2 — an enterprise grade four-port router. The RE-series of routers is designed for smaller commercial and residential networks where high performance is required at a cost effective price. The RE-2 is built around a powerful chipset and processor […]

AptoVision has announced Ethernet AVB protocol support for its new BlueRiver NT chipset, which AptoVision says is the first and only AVB capable chipset for distribution of uncompressed AV signals over 10GbE switches. In addition to having an AVB capable transport layer, the BlueRiver NT chipset delivers a complete end-to-end solution for professional audio-video (ProAV) […]

Now shipping, the new Crestron 3-Series 4K DigitalMedia Presentation System (DMPS3-4K-150-C) combines Crestron’s DigitalMedia technology with a built-in IP-based 3-Series Control System, a 10×1 4K multimedia switcher, mic mixer and audio DSP. With its built-in 3-Series Control System, the DMPS3-4K-150-C is a network appliance with high-speed Ethernet connectivity and enterprise-level security. AV Framework enables the […]

In a continuous search for interesting industry AV/IT solutions, I happened upon a certain solution recently that was of great interest to me. I’ve been looking at numerous networked solutions and it just so happened that Barco has a solution set for just this purpose. Barco, a global leader in professional visualization systems, designs and […]

Extreme Networks and AVnu Alliance are announcing a new series of AVnu-certified AVB switches. The Extreme Networks Summit X460 Series of stackable switches has passed all testing for certification and will now bear the AVnu-certified Logo. AVnu Alliance says they have built comprehensive testing requirements for products based on the market requirements and they claim […]

I loathe the word “convergence.” For nearly two decades, it’s been a byword that has been beaten to death. Yet for the longest time it was also a word that didn’t deliver the goods: so much talk about convergence, with little to show for it. I’m willing to admit that it’s changed over time and […]

InFocus has launched three new projectors aimed at the small conference room market with its new IN118HDa, short-throw IN118HDSTa and networkable IN2128HDa. The IN118HDa is specified with a brightness of 3,000 lumens while the IN118HDSTa is 2,700 lumens, and the IN2128HDa offers 3,500 lumens. Features for all three include: 1920×1080 native resolution HDMI, VGA, S-video and […]