Hall Research's EMX-HD-AUD basically extracts digital and analog audio from the HDMI signal for applications where you want to process the audio separately from the video. The company says the EMX-HD-AUD is HDMI 1.3 and 1.4 (Deep Color and 3D) compatible and can compensate for the signal degradation caused by long video cable runs of up to 50 feet (15 meters) on its input and can drive HDMI cables on its output to 30 feet (10 meters).

Here are all the specs: http://www.hallresearch.com/ Add a comment

When you think of digital signage, you nearly immediately think of LCD monitors. Whether they are mounted horizontally or vertically (mostly vertically), the LCD monitor has become the staple of the digital signage market. Nearly every article you read about digital signage and way over 90 percent of digital signage case studies you ever see have pretty pictures of LCD monitors mounting all over the place driving pretty content to people in schools, retail environments and businesses.

But, why aren't you thinking projectors?

Not only are projectors now cheaper -- when compared size-to-size -- to an LCD TV in nearly every size category, but they can now be used in incredibly creative ways.

For example, you can't, at this point at least, mount an LCD monitor in a window-front and make it a digital signage sign and still be able to see what's displayed in the storefront - without using an automated mount that raised and lowered the content. But, with a projector you can.

For example, have you taken a look at Stewart Filmscreen's Mystik!?

Mystik! is a self-adhesive projection material designed for use in digital signage applications - like retail. Mystik! can be applied to any window or glass door to transform the surface into a translucent projection screen.

It's not the only solution for projecting on clear surfaces, but the concept is cool and works well as at night you can transform a storefront into a giant digital signage display that's begging you to return the next day. During the day it can be used to not only convince passers-by to come on in, but also can be co-op'ed for advertising by brands that sell stuff inside the store.

And, don't stop there. You don't have to think of digital signage as limited to the rectangular projection of a screen. Why not use projectors in digital signage applications to project on nearly any surface? Now we have projectors that are bright enough to project in any type of lit environment and on any surface -- you can even color-correct the projector when projecting on a colored surface!

Be creative. Be Bold. Don't be boxed in...

Gary Kayye is the founder of rAVe [Publications]. Reach him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Add a comment

Sharp's new Touch Display Launcher for its AQUOS BOARD Interactive Displays not only includes support for 10 languages, but also includes a much better GUI with an Apple-like carousel-style "launcher" software interface.

The Touch Display Launcher is only available in Sharp Pen Software version 2.5, which can be downloaded from the AQUOS BOARD Interactive Display here: http://www.sharp.ca/en-CA/CustomerSupport/Support/ProductDownloads.aspx Add a comment

AmpliVox's newest addition is the Mity Box speaker system, a portable system measuring just 10.5x7x6.5” (LxWxD). The speaker can be easily connected to presentation carts or wall mounted with the included brackets. It can be ordered as a passive speaker or outfitted as an amplified speaker with wired or wireless 16-channel microphones. Built-in audio ports on the amplified models make it easy to plug in any external audio source such as an iPod/MP3 or CD player. Separate volume controls adjust the output levels for microphones and audio sources.

Here are all the details: http://www.ampli.com/pa-speakers/1230-Mity-Box.aspx Add a comment

AV Stumpfl is releasing updates to its Wings Engine media servers as well as its Wings Vioso software in November.

The new Wings Engine media servers offer a shock-proof cases with professional Neutrik connectors and an integrated 8.9" touch display. They have up to four DVI outputs, two DVI and two HDSDI inputs, plus two symmetrical audio outputs.

Also updated, the Wings Vioso offers a selection of editing and compositing tools for the preparation of the show. There is no restriction either on the number of tracks, on the resolution or regarding the video codec. Even high resolution image sequences can be edited and played back.

Multidisplay presentations with several computers can be programmed comfortably in advance as the content is automatically distributed in master/slave mode to the appropriate server after the network has been established.

In addition to manual tools for projector warping, it is also possible to resort to the integrated Vioso tool. It takes over the geometric adjustment and the alignment of soft edge masks fully automatically using a camera-based calibration. AV Stumpfl says this shortens the configuration time considerably and allows more time for the programming itself. The new track faders and live players provide even more flexibility during the show. With these track-related tools, object parameters can be adjusted during the show or videos can even be added and played directly from the WindowsExplorer.

AV Stumpfl has also added a network control protocol, called Avio, which takes over control and distribution of all the signals. By linking Wings Vioso to other Wings AV components on a network, it offers an extensive array of options to integrate interactivity. Just about every device can be visualized in the Avio Manager and linked to other network nodes via drag and drop. The characteristics of each node can be selected, changed and monitored via a browser window. Access to all components via the browser is also possible using mobile devices such as mobile phones or tablets. Even devices like Kinect, joysticks or Wii Controller can be used for parameter control using this protocol. Additional signals like DMX, RS232 or relay contacts can be made available in the Avio Manger via IOboxes.

For more information, click here: http://www.avstumpfl.com Add a comment

This holiday season you will be able to buy a UHD-TV -- that’s Ultra High Definition, a TV with 3840x2160 pixels (also called Quad Full HD or QFHD or 4K). The suppliers in the North American market will be LG and Sony, and perhaps Panasonic, Sharp and Toshiba. All or most of these vendors are apparently using LGD’s 84-inch, 4K panel.

That’s the supply side. On the demand side, who is going to buy a $20,000-plus TV set for which there is no media content in its native format? Microcircuits do exist that upconvert HDTV media to 4K, and it would make sense (lots of sense) for Sony and LG to include such ICs in their offerings.

One selling point for 3D-TV fans is that the high pixel count of UHD-TV sets can compensate for the serious loss in net resolution produced by autostereoscopic (no glasses) 3D-TVs incorporating multiple viewing zones.

Movies in 4K do exist since roughly 90 films have been distributed digitally in 4K, including the forthcoming The Hobbit, Preco’s Wes Donahue said last night at SMPTE’s New York chapter meeting. But, right now, there is no way to get that content to the consumer in 4K. Currently, Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) says it does not have plans to add 4K support to the BRD specification, reported Home Media Magazine’s Chris Tribbey recently.

How quickly is the UHD-TV market likely to grow? Not very, as long as high prices and non-existent media persist. Recently, IHS iSupply forecast that roughly 4,000 UHD-TVs will be shipped this year, growing to a bit over 2 million in 2017 – less than 1 percent of the global LCD-TV market.

Yet, there is far more optimism in the industry for UHD-TV than there is for 3D. The 4K format is already part of the production work flow in cinema production, so content exists now and will continue to grow at a rapid pace. And the growing market for professional 4K equipment will create the foundation on which consumer products can grow.

The problem – and it’s a big one – is delivering that content to the consumers HUD-TV set. That’s a whole other story, one I expect Matt Brennesholtz to address when he talks about professional 4K issues in his Display Daily next week. Add a comment

A major supermarket deployed a 100-screen digital signage ad network in 2004 as a trial run for a planned 300-store install. The goal was, like all major instoreTV, to attract advertisers and run promotions within the shopping environment and to increase sales. But the project died off with little interest from both the public and potential advertisers. Why? It was a matter of too much and too many.

First, there were 40 screens within a single location. Yes. That may have been a little too much... digital display overkill. This was partly due to the excessive reliance on store traffic pattern studies. Such studies are great for knowing where customers walk and linger, but they are limited because they don’t show where customers are looking as they walk.

Second, the screens were placed too close together. Screens churned out various advertising messages all at the same time next to other screens. Concerning this ‘faux pas’ in screen placement, did anyone involved in this project even consider whether advertisers would want their message competing with other advertising within the store?

Third, apparently the screens had rapid, 10-second visuals. The content contained flashing, bright video images that bombarded customers during their shopping experience. Can you imagine 40 screens placed very close to each other and pounding moving images into the eyes of customers that are struggling to concentrate on one thing to simply purchase groceries? This was visual harassment! Little wonder the deployment never made it past its infancy.

Using video and extreme motion in retail signage must be given very serious thought. Is it really necessary? It is costly, time-consuming and it just doesn’t work. Why digital signage vendors and resellers are intent on using flashy video for such installs is beyond reason. After all, shoppers don’t go to the store to watch television. Nor do they have the time to pause and consume such content.

But high-definition, non-moving graphics and ‘soft’ transitions within zones does works. It calms the mind. People can focus. Only then can an advertiser’s message truly be seen and digested. Good digital advertising content does not invade a person’s freedom to shop and make buying decisions. Rather than harassing customers on a visual level, it adds to the shopping experience by providing messages that are there to be consumed as needed.

Noventri has preached this message since the early days, with some resistance by the industry, naturally. But more and more, digital signage users are finding this to be sound reasoning. Video just does not work in most installations. After all, it is called digital signage. Traditional signage does not need to move. Thus, viewers that are on the move can actually read and ‘get’ the message. Soft motion through transitions provides just enough so-called movement or change to catch a viewer’s eye without harassing them. Noventri has a ‘golden rule’ that they follow for most installations: “Moving audience... still pictures; still audience…moving pictures.” In retail, the audience is moving. No need to say more.

This column was reprinted with permission from Noventri Digital Signage and originally appeared here. Add a comment

Over the past six years I have been striving to find the right balance point between our industry’s response to the global climate change mess we are inheriting/propagating and the present-day needs of our industry to stay viable and add value to our customers amidst a technological sea change that is breathtaking, in and of itself. While “being green” speaks to my soul, “making green” speaks to my family, employees, mortgage company, banker, etc. Everyone once in a while the whole “being” thing and “making” thing come together. When it does, it can be jaw dropping.

Earlier this month I was honored to give a keynote address for the Consortium of College and University Media Centers (CCUMC) Conference 2012. I had spoken at this conference back in 2008 on the topic of green AV, and as I told my audience, it was great to get a do-over and inform the attendees that my 2008 message, while well-intentioned, was dead wrong. As it turned out, LEED was not our pathway to sustainable technology as I prophesied in 2008, and thus we created STEP as our answer to the gaping building technology chasm in every green building rating system out there.

However, in the course of preparing my recent presentation I had a series of epiphanies, which I should probably keep to myself for selfish business reasons, but I feel compelled to share them for the greater good of the sustainable technology movement.

As I reviewed my 2008 slides and waded through the 33 slides dedicated to LEED, I came across one slide on another green program that had started in 2007: the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. This initiative is a voluntary program wherein college and university presidents sign a commitment to take their institutions to carbon neutrality through a series of progressive and meaningful steps. When I first researched the ACUPCC back in 2008, I was intrigued by the structure of the commitment, particularly the requirement for signatories to publish a complete carbon inventory for their entire campus and produce their climate-neutrality action plan within two years of signing the commitment. I mused at the time that once people had to actually undertake this difficult work the whole program might devolve into just another exercise in green washing.

Boy was I wrong! (Again.)

In preparing my 2012 talk I thought I would see how many of the nearly 100 institutions in attendance had signed the commitment. Among the 660 total institutions who have signed the commitment, more than half of my audience worked at colleges and universities where their president had signed on the dotted line that they would go carbon neutral. That was encouraging enough, but I thought I would delve a little deeper. So, not fully realizing what I was getting myself into, I clicked on a link on the ACUPCC homepage that goes to the carbon inventories and climate action plans of each signatory. In short – oh, my God!

I ended up spending about two days on my front porch with my laptop reading dozens of carbon inventories and climate action plans (I’m not right in the head). The information contained in these reports is nothing short of stunning. First of all, the amount of work and attention to detail that went into most of the carbon inventories is amazing, and I came away with the clear understanding that these institutions are serious about this commitment. Some institutions have created online dashboards that show the energy consumption per building in real time. Arizona State University has a cool building metabolism portal that highlights the efficiency of all of its buildings as if they are biological entities.  



Then, as I got into the action plans, I saw the variety of approaches these institutions are employing to get to carbon neutrality. Each report has some version of a chart like the one below that shows their energy consumption if they follow a “business as usual” approach to the future verses a carbon-neutral approach.


 
Some institutions have very aggressive schedules that get them to carbon neutrality within the decade. Others -- and I really had to admire the optimism in this -- show a carbon-neutral date of 2099. (You just gotta love academics. Not only did these institutions firmly believe they were still going to be around in 2099, they also imagined that 86 years from now they’d be really, really close to hitting their climate-action goal. I just had to smile at that.)

Most institutions employed a mix of strategies to meet their climate-action goal but their plans all end with a statement that basically says, “…and then we’ll buy a huge amount of carbon offsets to make up the rest the gap.” That brought me to Epiphany #1: Why would they want to buy one more pound of carbon offsets than necessary when our industry can probably help them squeeze more efficiency out of their buildings through STEP and smart building technologies? It just doesn’t make any sense to stop short of true energy efficiency based on a lack of understanding about what a smart building approach could do for them. Nearly all signatories pledge to make all new construction LEED Silver or higher. What if we could convince them to go LEED Silver and STEP Silver or higher on all their future buildings? In the words of the immortal Wayne Campbell, “Shwing!”

Then I started angling toward Epiphany #2:  I got curious/selfish to see how many Waveguide clients were among the 660 signatories. I was pleased to see that we had 40 current clients on the list. Forty! Furthermore, I counted about 20 more signatory institutions we had courted but hadn’t yet landed as clients. Then it hit me: We’ve never talked to any of these clients or potential clients about how we can help them with their carbon neutrality plans. And among the many big ironies here is the additional fact that most of the architecture firms we work with in our higher education practice have signed the Architecture 2030 Challenge to make all of the buildings they design net zero energy buildings by 2030.

Uhhhh, dur! Why don’t I call these institutions and architects and talk to them about how STEP and smart building technologies can help fulfill both of their commitments? Why don’t we help our AV/IT customers at these institutions improve their value proposition to their employer by helping them produce a carbon inventory for their institution’s classroom technologies? The truth is in all the climate action plans I read there is too little attention paid to the role that technologies like distance learning and streaming media can play in reducing the carbon footprint of these institutions. Given the backdrop of the skyrocketing cost of higher education, as well as the growing threat to bricks-and-mortar campuses from initiatives like Coursera and EdX (that’s a whole article in itself), the only way most higher education institutions are going to make it to 2099 is to fully embrace the digital campus. The good news is that staying viable by delivering their courses digitally also helps their climate action plans: the proverbial “win-win.”

So, I figure if I start this week and call one ACUPCC university and one 2030 Challenge architect a week, it’ll take me more than a year to get to all of them.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.

Scott Walker, CTS-D, LEED® AP, is president and CEO of Waveguide Consulting, a leading AV, IT and acoustical consulting firm. He is also a past president of InfoComm International. Scott is recognized as being one of the primary forces behind the founding of the Sustainable Technology Environments Program (STEP) rating system and currently is a member of the STEP Foundation board, which is responsible for managing the STEP program. Scott can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Add a comment

Atlas A-Line Acoustics is shipping both the ELI and ELIJAH line array speaker systems, originally debuted at the InfoComm 2012 show.
 
Atlas says the ELI portable line array system is designed to provide even, high-powered coverage in small to mid-size rooms for acoustic performance or speech applications. This portable line array system consists an EL1503-B full range line array that uses a design consisting of fifteen 3" drivers and a 10" enclosure. The ELIJAH portable line array system consists an EJ2003-B full range line array that utilizes a design consisting of twenty 3" drivers and a 15" subwoofer enclosure.
       
The EMMA system is a three-way speaker system designed for use in speech and music reproduction applications for medium to large venues like houses of worship, theaters and concert halls. The system consists of two parts: the EM806A-B, which includes eight 6.5" high frequency ribbon drivers and eight 6.5" low/mid frequency drivers, and the EM410A-B, which includes four 10" subwoofers. Each unit is powered by an integrated class D amplifier with pre-configured DSP.

Here are all the specs: http://www.al4.me/ Add a comment

I’m going to stray away from the usual editorial topic of AV business management and installation best practices and discuss a volatile topic in the wireless channel: the iPhone 5’s new connector cable, dubbed Lightning.

Since the Sept. 12th announcement of the iPhone 5, the amount of typeface dedicated to Apple’s decision to change their legacy iPod/iPhone/iPad connector to a new design has been considerable, with much speculation on the reason why. Now that there has been enough time to open up and start reverse engineering Lightning, guesses to Apple’s motivations can be made more clearly. It’s worth posting this for AV pros to read because Apple’s work on Lightning is a clear portent for the future of device connections.

Here’s the abstract in case you need to come back and read the whole thing later: BE VERY WARY OF BOOTLEG CABLES.

As of the present time, here’s a complete summary of everything that is known or speculated about Lightning. The new plug is extraordinarily complex, and includes three separate IC chips. All three of these have their own recognition codes. By using multiple IC chips, Apple has created a system where an iPhone 5 can only be used with an authorized charger.  Unauthorized chargers will not have the correct codes to allow the handset to recognize it.

Here’s the best part: The most complex of the three IC chips appears to have the capability of Over-the-Air (OTA) programming. That means that Apple can reprogram Lightning’s codes.

Taking this further, it’s now possible that each time that Apple updates the software in the handset, it can reprogram the codes needed for a proper hand shake between phone and charger. If the charger is not MFi (Made For iPhone, an authorized Apple-approved cable), the update will not pass from the handset to the charger. This will make the charger a useless piece of wire.
 
At the moment, there is a complete lack of MFi third-party, aftermarket Lightning cables and chargers. To say that Apple is very tightly controlling the entire ecosystem around Lightning would be a great understatement. And they’re doing everything they can to make it hard for everyone else. For one thing: Apple’s manufacturing process includes dipping the IC chips in hard resin to make as hard as possible to crack open and re-engineer.

Apple has managed to lock up the ecosystem surrounding their connector in ways that the HDMI Licensing Corp never even dreamed could be possible. As of last week, overseas engineers have broken the three known static codes, but no one (at least for now) has been able to replicate anything that can deal with the OTC programming codes. Presently, Apple has not given MFi approval to anybody, nor are they presently accepting applications, but once a product has been submitted for MFI approval, the manufacturer will have to buy the connectors from Apple for inclusion in their production.

Like anything in this business, the situation is fluid. It’s expected that after Apple’s iDevice MFi 2012 summit (Nov. 7-9, 2012 in Shenzchen, China) there will be greater clarity regarding Lightning and its parameters, and we’ll begin to see manufacturer’s be approved to manufacture third-party Lightning cables.

In the meantime, the bootleggers have been hard at work. In the past week my inbox has been deluged with spam from offshore factories promising me functional (albeit counterfeit) Lightning cables at incredible prices. In fact, over the course of three emails in a 24-hour period the price per lots of 2,000 cables got progressively cheaper, which is an indicator that no one’s raising to the bait.

Of course, the risk of selling bootleg Lightning cables to your customers is that one day they won’t work. The net result won’t just be a bad customer experience, it will be loss of goodwill toward your business.

If Lightning is a sign of things to come in connectors not only for wireless, but for AV in general, then everyone needs to pay attention and not get caught unaware.

Lee Distad is a rAVe columnist and freelance writer covering topics from CE to global business and finance in both print and online. Reach him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Add a comment

Sennheiser announced a limited time 30-day free trial of its Tourguide 2020 system, which is the company's first digital RF wireless tour guide system in the ISM band. It offers digital RF wireless transmission and six channels in the license-free ISM frequency band.

Following completion of the online form, a Sennheiser representative will arrange shipment of a demo system to the requested facility and provide set up guidance.
 
At InfoComm, we used the Listen Technologies LS-13 (a 30-person portable FM tour guide system) and we LOVED it. So, if you're not sure what to do, go with the Listen product as we can vouch for that one!

If you want to check out the Sennheiser system, click here to get the free demo: http://www.sennheiserusa.com/tourguidetrial Add a comment

InfoComm International presented its Women in AV Award to Malissa Dillman, CTS-D, CTS-I, and Zee Hakimoglu. The awards were presented at the InfoComm 100, a conference designed to bring together top AV industry thought leaders and volunteers.

Malissa Dillman has worked in the audiovisual field for more than 13 years and was one of the first four women to earn both the CTS-D and CTS-I. As the Training and Education Manager for Kramer Electronics, she has taken her own passion for learning and harnessed her skills as a world-class instructor. In the past year alone, Dillman prepared approximately 300 people to take their InfoComm CTS exam, teaching a combined total of more than 400 people in just about one year with Kramer. In addition, Dillman has helped many CTS holders earn needed renewal units by conceiving and successfully executing Kramer’s Road Show program, creating regional opportunities to spend a full day earning CTS renewal units while receiving topical technology education. A popular instructor, Dillman’s class on digital AV technology at the InfoComm 2012 Show drew 160 attendees and rave reviews.

Zee Hakimoglu, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of ClearOne is a passionate leader dedicated to product innovation. Deeply ensconced in the entire AV development process, she is involved in every aspect, from writing code, to industrial design, to the final acoustical performance. She is an advocate for products that are easy to use and environmentally friendly. In 2009, under Ms. Hakimoglu's leadership, ClearOne was named one of America's fastest-growing small public companies by Fortune Small Business magazine.

The Women in AV Award was created by InfoComm to raise awareness of the growing role of female professionals in the male-dominated field of audiovisual technology. These award winners are in the upper echelon of AV professionals and symbolize the strength of entrepreneurship and excellence in developing tomorrow’s AV talent.

“Both Malissa Dillman and Zee Hakimoglu have reached the pinnacle of achievement in the audiovisual industry,” said Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., executive director and CEO, InfoComm International. “These women are leading and shaping the future of the AV industry, ensuring the next generation of AV professionals will be well-trained and entrepreneurial.” Add a comment

InfoComm International presented its Sustainable AV Technology Award to Barco and to Raymond Kent, CTS, LEED AP, associate principal, director of innovative technology design group, Westlake Reed Leskosky. The awards were presented at the InfoComm 100, a conference designed to bring together top AV industry thought leaders and volunteers.

The Sustainable AV Award was created by InfoComm to this award recognize people and organizations for implementing environmentally sustainable practices in the manufacturing of products, integration of AV systems, reduction of waste in the workplace or through similar strategies.

Barco has woven sustainability practices into all of its business operations. Barco’s product managers follow a “green checklist” which measures every milestone against ECO guidelines. Their products are constructed of recycled materials that are also largely recyclable at their end of life, and they have banned the use of six of the most environmentally polluting substances. In addition, Barco also uses 3D modeling for virtual prototypes to minimize waste of hard consumables.

One of the most innovative programs Barco developed is an Air Traffic Control software solution that reduces CO2 emissions by enabling more efficient routing of airplane arrivals and departures. London’s Heathrow Airport has reduced CO2 emissions by 300 tons thanks in part to Barco’s program.

“Barco has made incredible strides to make their company more sustainable,” said Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., executive director and CEO, InfoComm International. “The company’s development of innovative technologies creates experiences that are both incredible and environmentally sustainable.”

Raymond Kent has dedicated much of his 24-year career to the sustainable built environment. He is the chair of the Sustainable Technologies Environments Program Foundation Technical Advisory Committee and has been an active participant in the InfoComm Green AV SIG and the Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts. He frequently gives lectures on sustainable technology and its implementation at conferences such as InfoComm, and for organizations such as the United States Institute for Theater Technology (USITT) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA/CES Provider). Most recently, Kent was one of 12 members of the InfoComm Green AV Task Force that wrote criteria for the Sustainable Technologies Environments Program (STEP). He has also published articles on sustainable topics including STEP, the new International Green Construction Code, and their effects on the AV industry.

Along with his efforts at InfoComm, Kent has also pushed to teach sustainability in the performing arts through USITT, working with the organization to develop sustainability guidelines for the arts, including rental and staging. He is also a frequent resource for manufacturers on how to make their products more sustainable and has collaborated with companies on bringing products to market that use less energy, utilize recycled content, or contain feature sets that aid in lowering their carbon footprint.

Kent has contributed to sustainability efforts within the workplace of Westlake Reed Leskosky (WRL). As Director of the Innovative Technology Design Group (ITDG), he has led the charge to implement technology design standards within WRL’s projects and practice that focus on sustainability. This includes working to reduce the amount of design documentation for systems design; pursuing with the ITDG designers ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle systems equipment in their designs; and designing smart systems that use less energy and require less infrastructure. WRL’s technology specifications include language to require systems integrators to recycle or re-purpose existing electronics that are no longer to be used in renovation projects as well as requiring proper waste management of the construction process.

“Raymond Kent has been an incredible role model for all who are interested in technology sustainability,” said Lemke. “He is very willing to lend his expertise beyond his company and client lists, to benefit the entire industry. InfoComm and STEP would not be nearly as successful without his guidance and positive energy.” Add a comment

Biamp Systems has added a new remote interface, dubbed the TEC-1 Remote Ethernet device, for the Tesira system. The new control device is available in two configurations, the TEC-1i (in-wall) and the TEC-1s (surface-mount). It's powered over Ethernet (PoE) and can be used to select and adjust up to 32 controls per device, as well as control and select sources, volumes, presents and mutes. It also uses capacitive touch technology (like a smartphone, so there's no buttons).

Here are all the specs: http://c353616.r16.cf1.rackcdn.com/Tesira_TEC-1_Data_Sheet_Oct12.pdf Add a comment

InfoComm International presented its Young AV Professionals Award to Jonathan Brawn, CTS, ISF, ISF-C, DSCE, of Brawn Consulting, and Christina Minihan, CTS, of Visix Corporation. The awards were presented at the InfoComm 100, a conference designed to bring together top AV industry thought leaders and volunteers.

The Young AV Award was created by InfoComm to recognize up-and-coming professionals in the audiovisual industry. These award winners are held in the highest esteem by their AV industry colleagues of all ages.

Jonathan Brawn is a principal of Brawn Consulting, an audiovisual consulting, educational development, and marketing firm, based in Vista, Calif., with national exposure and connections to the major manufacturers and integrators in the AV and IT industries. Prior to this, Brawn was director of technical services for Visual Appliances, an Aliso Viejo, Calif.-based firm that holds the patent on ZeroBurn plasma display technology. Previously, he successfully ran Brawn & Associates, a design build group serving the residential and commercial AV markets.

Jonathan Brawn is a respected educator, teaching many sessions for a variety of trade associations, and serving on the adjunct faculty of InfoComm University. He is also a valued volunteer with InfoComm’s standards program, acting as a subject matter expert on standards relating to projected image and display image size and distance.

In her role as sales engineer for Visix, Christina Minihan created and streamlined business and technical processes that have greatly improved performance within organizational teams, as well as improving customer relations and satisfaction with discovery, engineering, implementation and maintenance/updates of systems. She trains Visix staff on software and hardware products, and has created a valuable documentation library that includes technical and instructional docs, as well as multiple system diagrams.

Prior to joining Visix, Minihan worked for Crestron and PolyVision and earned her MBA. One of her most significant contributions to the AV industry was co-founding the Crestron Owners Group (COG) during the fall of 2007. Soon after joining Crestron, it was evident that the higher education customer base desired a venue to exchange information, experiences and ideas regarding control system design. After presenting a business plan to Crestron executives, Christina and her small team pursued the development of such a forum for open communication about Crestron products.

“Jonathan Brawn and Christina Minihan are rising stars in the AV industry,” said Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., executive director and CEO, InfoComm International. “InfoComm and the AV industry are pleased with all these young leaders have accomplished.” Add a comment

InfoComm International presented its Harald Thiel Volunteer of the Year Award to Richard Derbyshire, CTS, of Shen Milson & Wilke. The award was presented at the InfoComm 100, a conference designed to bring together top AV industry thought leaders and volunteers.

Derbyshire is an industry veteran with more than 25 years of industry experience. He has been a strong advocate for the promulgation of InfoComm standards, serving as chairman of the InfoComm Standards Steering Committee. This Committee oversees the work of nearly a dozen task groups and 500 industry volunteers, who act as subject matter experts.  Derbyshire is a partner in the Washington, DC office of Shen Milsom & Wilke, where he leads many projects in the D.C. Metro area.

“Richard Derbyshire has provided countless hours providing direction to InfoComm’s fledgling standards development program,” said Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., executive director and CEO, InfoComm International. “His meticulous attention to detail as one of the world’s leading design consultants has made him an effective leader and mentor to hundreds of audiovisual professionals. InfoComm is grateful that someone of his caliber has been willing to use his skills to create an industry dedicated to the creation of exceptional AV experiences worldwide.”

The Harald Thiel Volunteer of the Year Award uncovers and celebrates the volunteer who has contributed greatly to the Association and who is not recognized in other ways for that contribution. It is awarded annually for contributions made to the Association within the last one to two years. Add a comment

Both Sony and LG have shipped their first generation 4K resolution (3840x216) HDTVs to retailers this week, so you'll see them in Best Buy and others shortly. Both manufacturers shipped their 84" version first. Hmm, coincidence? Or maybe they're made on the exact same assembly line.

Sony's, dubbed the XBR-84X900 and listing for $25,000, is network-enabled, integrated with Netflix streaming and up-converts all content input signals to 4K resolution. LG's, dubbed the 84LM9600, lists for just under $20,000 and is 3D capable. It's also networked-enabled but doesn't have the same video processing as Sony's.

So, sell your car to raise money to get one, or wait a year and they'll be down to the $9,000 price range.

See Sony's 4K TV here:
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&identifier=S_4KTV

See LG's 4K TV here: http://www.lg.com/us/ud4k Add a comment

JVC today announced that its latest range of VN-T and VN-H IP-based physical security cameras have been integrated into the exacqVision VMS (Video Management System) software used with exacqVision hybrid and IP Camera NVR servers.
 
The latest version of the exacqVision VMS (version 5) software includes integration with JVC’s complete line of full HD box, mini-dome and dome security cameras. Model variations include day/night performance, indoor/outdoor housings, H.264 compression, back light compensation, IR LEDs, PoE, vandal resistance, water/dust resistance and more.

The exacqVision VMS software is a true open, cross-platform system used in video surveillance systems. The server software (Windows or Linux) is installed on exacqVision hybrid servers (incorporating analog and network cameras), exacqVision IP camera servers and commercial off-the-shelf servers. Every exacqVision server can be viewed and administrated from the free client software available for Windows, Linux and Macintosh computers. The client software connects to an unlimited number of exacqVision servers (regardless of the operating systems being used) to create a truly scalable surveillance solution utilizing both analog and network cameras. Integration with the new JVC line was created using the Onvif standard, specifically designed to ensure interoperability between products regardless of the manufacturer.

Get more details here: http://www.exacq.com Add a comment

FSR has added two more fire-rated 6” and 8” Poke-Thru floor boxes to its SmartFit family of products. Both have a pretty low-profile design that eliminates most trip hazard applications. The covers, available in three architectural finishes (brushed aluminum, brushed brass or black), swing open 180 degrees with two smaller cable access doors that fold down for cable egress while the cover door is secure. Each box features a variety of sub-plates that can be configured to allow the power, audio, video and data connections.

All SmartFit poke-thru floor boxes are UL listed in Canada and the United States for fire and scrub water. Complete compatibility and specs are here: http://www.fsrinc.com/ Add a comment

Of all of the relationships in our industry, none is more important, or more misunderstood, than the relationship between unions and audiovisual suppliers. This relationship is as shrouded in myth as a Greek tragedy. In fact, the greatest sources of trouble are the misconceptions on both sides. Sadly, misunderstandings can also be expensive on both sides of the equation. Therefore, I thought it would be good to address them here.

First, let's address the myths:

 

1. Unions are deliberately difficult, and seem to exist to challenge the right of the audiovisual supplier to work with their clients.
2. Independent audiovisual suppliers are out to cheat the union of work that is guaranteed to them by contract.

Those are the myths. The truth lies somewhere in between them.

First, it is important to acknowledge that sometimes there are difficulties. However, more of these difficulties result from the different configuration and purpose of the two organizations than from any deliberate malice. Often, these difficulties result from the two sides misunderstanding each other, or their failure to take appropriate actions to prevent misunderstandings. These faults lie on both sides of the table.

Let's start with an illustration of the stereotypical attitude of the audiovisual supplier towards in-house unions in a venue.

An AV supplier walks into a bar...

In the dark bar, rooted to a stool he never seems to leave, is the head of the local stagehands union. He sips his cheap beer, and growls indifferently as the AV supplier enters. Seeing him, the AV supplier asks, "Hey, how many convention center stagehands does it take to change a lightbulb?"

The stagehand just sips his beer, and jerks his thumb at another guy seated farther down the bar. It's the head of the local electricians union. The stagehand growls, "We don't change light bulbs -- it's their work."

So the A/V guy asks the electrician, "Hey, how many convention center electricians does it take to change a lightbulb?" The electrician answers in a surly voice, "Eight. You gotta problem with that?"

But before the A/V guy can answer, the stagehand growls, "Just remember it takes one of ours for every one of theirs."

However, while that story is being told by the AV guys in the booth, the stagehands and electricians are on the loading dock, smoking as usual, and telling the story of the AV supplier trying to sneak a semi-load of equipment onto the floor by passing it through a bathroom window one piece at a time.

The misunderstandings have a couple of real sources:

First, think about the differences in the basic work format of the two groups. The unions typically serve a facility, or geographical location. They provide services to everyone who comes into that venue. The suppliers follow clients. They are not rooted to a particular location, and simply want to serve the client wherever they go.

Therein lies the rub.

Also, remember that the union is essentially a political organization, chartered to serve its member workers. Unions have protected working conditions in America for many years, regardless of what you think about their current position in the workplace.

In organized venues, they typically establish rates for the various jobs, policies regarding crews and hours, and in most cases have a very defined working agreement with the venue over what work their members are entitled to. They typically adhere to either a strict or modified form of a working agreement format set out by their national headquarters. Usually in a contracted venue, the management of the venue has very little authority to make exceptions to these agreements -- they can only ask.

These contracts are usually very standard and straightforward, if a bit long in some instances. However, because they are a political organization with some power in the venue, there can be an element of bread-and-circuses voting among the local rank-and-file.

On the other hand, the AV supplier is chartered to produce a profit -- period. They go where the client goes, work the hours and jobs the client needs worked and, in my experience, pay very little attention to rules or policies because they are, for the most part, private, entrepreneurial companies. It’s that typical undefined “whatever it takes” style that has a tendency to aggravate venue unions... especially when they either don’t bother to understand the rules or deliberately try to get around them.

I have been on both sides of this conflict, at many points in my career. Let me tell you the plain and simple truth: NOBODY wins. Especially because the argument will almost certainly involve the end client in some way. At the very minimum, it’s going to wind up costing them money. At the worst, they will have to participate in an argument among their suppliers during a time they are already confused and stressed -- they’re trying to hold an important event.

So here are some very simple procedures for avoiding these kinds of problems:

AV suppliers: Meet with the unions early! Take all the available information about your show. Get the entire working agreement and go over it point by point. Do this while going over your show, making sure that you understand which rules will apply to the things that you are doing. And make sure that at least one of the union personnel in that meeting will be somebody in charge on the day of the event.

Note: The oldest trick in the book is to not do this so that you can claim ignorance on the day of and try to get around the rules. It never, ever, ever works. Also note that if you need exceptions to the working agreement, such as operating positions for your people for specialized equipment, this is the time to negotiate them. You will not get them on site on the day of the show.

Unions: Be forthcoming about explaining your working agreements to incoming suppliers. Don’t let them be able to claim that you did not explain something to them. And, if your local has a BA or senior head who seems to have to throw the book at clients on-site a lot, get rid of him. He is not doing the job of explaining these things upfront. If you have a head of department or BA who brags about the additional charges he got on site on the day of, elect someone new. These people are costing you future business. And, just as a good working practice, remember that you are there to secure the work for your members and to assist the client in having a good show.

We’ll address these things a little more in an upcoming article and on the blog. In the meantime, be sure to pay attention to scheduled breaks for the crew. And a “Win with Hoffa” button wouldn’t hurt.

rAVe Rental [and Staging] contributor Joel R. Rollins, CTS, is general manager of Everett Hall Associates, Inc. and is well known throughout the professional AV industry for his contributions to industry training and his extensive background in AV rental, staging and installation. Joel can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Epson has developed more than 30 “BrightLink Bright Spots” training videos to help teachers and technology trainers better understand the wide range of features available through EPSON BrightLink ultra-short throw and short throw interactive projectors. Available for free on the Epson website, the BrightLink Bright Spots are short video clips that cover specific topics related to using interactive projector technology in instruction.

Topics covered in the two- to four-minute BrightLink Bright Spots videos include connecting computers and document cameras, implementing various software programs such as Easy Interactive Tools and TeamBoard Annotation Software, using Epson’s iProjection app and more.
 
Find the videos here: http://www.epson.com/brightlinkvideos Add a comment

A presentation at SID’s 50th Anniversary in September revealed that blue phase LCD are coming. I was impressed with early demonstrations of blue phase technology at DisplayWeek 2010 but there were several practical problems to solve and I pushed the topic to the back of my mind. Dr. Wu’s talk at the anniversary surprised me. Advances in liquid crystal formulations, electrode structures and optical films suggest that faster, lower-power LCD may arrive sooner than I thought.

Dr. Wu’s students at CREOL (University of Central Florida) have worked with researchers at ITRI and with Taiwanese engineers at AU Optronics (AUO) and Chimei Innolux (CMI) to develop several solutions to the problem of LCD power consumption. In conventional LCDs, less than 10 percent of the backlight or sidelight power reaches our eyes. This poses problems for larger LCD TVs. For example, U.S. Energy Star 5.3, which became effective a year ago, limits TV power consumption to 108 watts for any HD display sized 50 inches or larger. Use of LED instead of CCFL backlights have helped brands meet that spec. A number of 50- and 55-inch sets earn Energy Star ratings today. Earning the Energy Star tag becomes more difficult as panel sizes increase, however. An 84-inch set would have to consume two-thirds less energy per square inch than a 50-inch set would to get the tag.

And power efficacy is important in smaller displays also. A number of technologies have tried to take share from conventional LCD in applications such as e-Readers or other portable devices. While there has been some success, notably by E Ink, there have been more disappointments. Field-sequential color (FSC) systems for LCD that avoid the light lost in color filters have suffered from slow backlight modulation and from slow liquid crystal response. The advent of LED backlights enables FSC but conventional LC materials impede it. In addition, early advances in lower-power reflective or transflective LCD have been stymied by consumer preference for bright, full-color video.

Polymer-stabilized blue-phase LCD promises to solve many of the problems that face large and small panel makers today. As Dr. Wu explained, clever mixtures of nematic host molecules, chiral dopants and stabilizing monomers can stretch the temperature range of double-twist blue phase LC operation to more than 70º C. More important, they’re fast: Switching time can be less than a microsecond! If discrete RGB (or multi-primary RGBY or even RGBW) backlights are applied, there is plenty of bandwidth for rainbow-trail-free FSC. That would eliminate need for sub-pixels. Effective aperture ratios would increase and color filter losses would be eliminated (along with their costs!). Power efficacy could increase four-fold. That would be really good news for brands planning 84-inch Quad-HD products or long-battery-life portables.

In collaboration with Dr. Wu, CMI engineers invented a way to improve the optical switching capabilities of blue phase LC by forming trapezoidal pixel electrodes. Early attempts to construct IPS-type pixels with blue phase LC faced problems because of higher voltage requirements and cell-gap sensitivities. As shown in the diagram from student Linghui Rao’s paper (doi:10.1063/1.3271771), interleaved electrodes with a trapezoidal shape (a 1 micron plateau on a 2 micron base) put the blue phase crystals in the proper shape to enable fast switching at 10 Volts. The cell gap sensitivity declines also, which is always a good thing for manufacturers. As Dr. Wu explained, such electrode structures are possible, but they may be difficult to control in mass production.

An AUO-sponsored project took a different approach. Rather than shape the electrodes, they chose to shape the input and output angles of light through the display cell. This method, called vertical field switching (VFS) uses optical films to guide light into the cell at an acute angle and turn it with a top film that mitigates the internal reflection problem to extract light efficiently. While it looks complex (see doi:10.1109/JDT.2011.2164236), it shifts the manufacturing problem from one of fabrication to one of film specification, which is a much easier problem to solve.

That’s not all, other student have invented ways to control blue phase materials electrophoretically. Such methods could enable very low-power, color-reflective displays. I was even more surprised during Q&A on a blue-LED paper by a student of Nakamura at UCSB when Dr. Wu pointed out that polarized LED devices could reduce need for polarizer films and increase LCD efficacy even more.

I almost hear Blind Lemon Jefferson playing “Ain’t Singin’ Them Blue-phase Blues No More!” Add a comment

ihiji announced this month that its products are now available through Control4 Online Ordering. Online Ordering allows Control4 dealers to put Control4, ihiji and other third-party partner products on the same purchase order, which simplifies sourcing, shipment and back-end accounting processes.

ihiji offers 24/7/365 remote network monitoring and support services to AV integrators. Through a series of established thresholds and associated messaging protocol, integrators are alerted whenever a deviation is reported by the ihiji invision system. They can then identify the origin and nature of the issue and determine the best course of action, which can often times be remotely resolved rather than incurring the additional expense of rolling a truck.

Control4 and ihiji are hosting a joint webinar for integrators on Thursday, October 18th at 2 p.m. Central Time, which will provide details about ihiji’s inclusion in Control4 Online Ordering and associated information to facilitate integrator success.

For more information, visit http://www.control4.com/ or http://www.ihiji.com/ Add a comment

Smart Media Solutions is now shipping its SMS Media Cabinet Indoor Wall and Totem, first shown at ISE and InfoComm earlier this year, which are meant for indoor locations with a large number of passers-by and therefore a need for excellent security. They can be mounted on walls or ceilings, or stand on the floor.

Displays are protected behind unbreakable Hammerglass, a scratch-resistant polycarbonate material that SMS says is 300 times stronger than glass and can withstand most types of chemical and acid attack. It also offers UV protection, drill-proof security locks and a robust black or white cover that protects from external damage. The cabinet is pre-assembled at the factory, only requiring mounting or positioning, so its easy to install.

The SMS Media Cabinet Indoor Wall is suitable for LED-backlit LCD displays in 40", 46" or 55" sizes. The SMS MEdia Cabinet Indoor Wall Totem is a floor-standing model meant for one or two (back-to-back) displays of 55".

For more information, click here: http://www.smartmediasolutions.se/en Add a comment

If you’ve spent any time at all as an AV pro, then you’ve seen the inside of a classroom a few times, for seminars, certifications and ongoing product training. If you’re a veteran AV pro, then you’ve spent a lot of time in a classroom.

Regardless of whether you’re a veteran or a rookie, ongoing education is essential to staying on top of the skills and knowledge you need to remain useful.

Training courses, whether vendor or association delivered are structured to deliver an intensive learning experience for their students, not just from the material in the course guide, but tapping into the real-world experiences of not only the instructors but also the experiences of students.

With all the work that goes into developing and putting on training courses, not to mention what it costs your company to send you and your staff to them, it makes sense for students to maximize their course experience.

Whether you’re a veteran or a novice, here are six suggestions, beyond the obvious ones of pay attention and study that will help you be successful in both passing the exam and learning things that will advance your career.

1. Get to know the other students. One of the major values of classroom training is the opportunity to meet and connect with peers in the industry. Wherever possible, sit with a group of people you don’t know, rather than your co-workers. It’s human nature to group with people you know, but you’ll learn more if you end up next to and having to work together with people you don’t know.
2. There are two good reasons for that. The first is the cross pollination of information and ideas that occurs between industry peers who have just met. And the other is the networking: making contacts with new industry friends from all over. Whether you’re a salesperson, an installer or a general manager, it’s always good to meet new people.
3. Next, take advantage of interaction in the classroom. There’s more to attending training than just reading the material that’s presented in the book. As mentioned earlier, one of the big benefits is the sharing of ideas and experiences amongst the participants. When instructors make use of real life examples, students who have extensive work experience can often offer comments and their own experiences relating to the subject matter.
4. Related to the last point, it’s crucial for students to ask questions, whether it’s asking for clarification on the material that’s been presented, or if they have a specific experience of their own that they want help understanding. It’s widely understood by industry instructors that for every student who raises his hand, there are at least a half dozen others who have the same question, but are too bashful to ask. Speaking up and asking questions helps provide answers that benefit everybody.
5. Don’t over-highlight your course materials. While highlighting relevant passages is important for test preparation, too many students take it too far, something I’ve been guilty of in the past. You want to be able to quickly find the material you’re looking for, and not drown it in a sea of yellow ink. Having every paragraph highlighted is just as unhelpful when looking for material as no highlighting at all.
6. Lastly, tab your course books. This sounds fairly easy, but most people don’t know how. Bring color coded tabs from the office supply store to the class tabs, and tab your books. Index the tabs and place them so they can be read whichever way the book is open. It may seem trivial now, but when going back to your course materials as a resource it will be invaluable.

Lee Distad is a rAVe columnist and freelance writer covering topics from CE to global business and finance in both print and online. Reach him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Add a comment

Everyone knows Pierre Richer as the creative AV industry guy who is the president and CEO of NEC. (He also wears great shirts.)

Pierre is a naturally born French Canadian who started in the AV industry working for InFocus in 1996 selling LCD tablets even before projectors were part of this industry.  Before this, Pierre was selling typewriters, copiers and other office products. "That was a total grind," Pierre said.

He moved to Portland, Ore. from Canada in 1997 while still working for InFocus and lived and worked there for six years before moving to Chicago in 2003 to start his career at NEC.

Now, his work consumes much of his time. He travels all around the world, going to Latin America and Japan almost four times a year, with a lot of flying in North America. He has THREE MILLION air miles. That’s a lot of flying.

Pierre is all over the place and is one of the hardest working men in the AV industry. But the truth is, as important as his work is to him, there’s something way more important to him outside of work -- his family. But he’s no ordinary husband and dad.

Pierre and his wife, Linda, met while working at Canadian Pacific Railway 31 years ago. Pierre was an office person working on medical benefits for retirees and Linda was an assistant. They met, fell in love, got married, had children and moved to the U.S. (They both are still Canadian citizens and have green cards.)

Pierre and Linda have three children, Sarah (23), Jeremy (21) and Elliot (19). Sarah is currently studying to be a special education teacher at Benedictine University; Jeremy and Elliot are active boys who love sports, dancing, and yes, even cheerleading. They also both have Fragile X syndrome, one of the most common causes for mental and developmental disabilities seen in boys.

Having special needs brothers is what inspired Pierre's daughter Sarah to go into special needs education. And having special needs sons is what inspires Pierre on a daily basis.

“My boys have given me a great lesson in life,” said Pierre. “They are always happy. When you find out that a son has a developmental disability, let alone both sons, you think the sky is falling. But a couple years later, you see your boys always laughing and smiling. Then I guess it can’t be that bad. You learn that it’s just not the end of the world.

“Anything really. Anything that happens in business or money, is just not the end of the world. When you live and cope with a personal challenge like that, you realize that most of life’s challenges are pretty minor.”

Pierre spends as much time as he can with his sons. Both Jeremy and Elliot are active in the Chicago chapter of the Special Olympics and Pierre is at every meet and event he can attend.

The boy’s favorite sport is basketball. Track and field, volleyball and softball fall not too far behind. Jeremy’s motor skills are a little stronger than Elliot’s. While they both play sports, Elliot’s real passion is in dancing and cheerleading.

Pierre has also learned other ways to spend quality time with his sons. He takes them to the Chicago Bears games. The boys love watching the games and even getting to know Pierre’s coworkers.

And within the last year, Jeremy has begun playing golf with his dad. Pierre started playing golf at age 12. He was a stereotypically great hockey player growing up in Canada, but admittedly, had a bit of a bad temper. He may have thrown his golf clubs a few times thinking he was on the hockey rink. Pierre’s father reminded him that he needed to “behave on the golf course” -- and so Pierre gave up golf for a while.

At the age of 20, Pierre picked it back up again and now takes it a lot more seriously. He has a membership at a local club and spends a good amount of time playing with customers.

But what he really loves is spending time almost every weekend out on the golf course with his son. “Jeremy just loves to be with me at anytime and he loves sports, so golf seemed like something he’d enjoy,” he said. “Jeremy plays pretty well! He has some fine motor skill challenges so putting can be tough, but he enjoys just getting out there. I like playing with him because, unlike playing with customers, it’s the only time I actually don’t think of business. I just get to hit balls, relax and spend time with my son.”

It’s clear that Pierre loves the AV industry and he loves his job at NEC. But what’s clearer is he loves being a husband to a wonderful wife and a dad to three very special children even more.

Molly Stillman is the director of marketing and new business development for rAVe [Publications]. Reach her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Do you know someone in the industry with an interesting story that should be featured in our monthly column? This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and let her know. Add a comment

Christie also added four new 1-chip DLP E Series projectors to its product lineup this week with the Christie DHD675-E, Christie DWU675-E, Christie DHD775-E and the Christie DWU775-E. The new Christie E Series models offer a dual lamp design that provides increased brightness ranging from 6,450 to 7,200 lumens, a choice between HD (1920x1080) and WUXGA (1920x1200) resolutions and delivers up to 5,000:1 contrast ratio thanks to the Dynamic Contrast feature.

These models are aimed at board rooms, conference rooms, auditoriums, government, higher ed and houses of worship. They also include an optional dual processor warp module for blending and warping images, color matching and an optional stacking system, making it ideal for rental and staging applications.
 
The new Christie E Series models feature a dust-sealed light engine and dual mercury lamps that have the unique ability to optimize lamp configuration to maximize lamp operation in 24/7 applications. Also included is a high brightness six-segment color wheel (RGBCYW) with an optional rich color wheel (RGBCYM) available when color precision is needed. Christie says the color wheel ensures radiant colors while eliminating artifacts from rapidly moving content.

The new E series projectors will ship in November.

To see all the specs, click here: http://www.christiedigital.com/en-us/business/products/projectors/1-chip-dlp/e-series/pages/default.aspx Add a comment

Christie introduced last month the G Series, a new high-value, high-brightness projector line. In the new G Series, the Christie DHD550-G and Christie DWU550-G offer 5,000 and 5,100 lumens, respectively, one-chip DLP technology and a single mercury-lamp design for fixed applications. The 1920x1080 DHD550-G and 1920x1200 DWU550-G are meant for board and conference rooms, government, houses of worship, higher ed and a variety of small venue applications.

Both offer optional wireless connectivity, a selection of optional lenses and input options that include HDMI, DVI and display port. When it comes to image quality, the Dynamic Contrast feature boosts contrast ratios up to 5000:1, and Picture-in-Picture and Picture-by-Picture functionality provide flexible display options. And for multi-projector installations, the Christie G Series comes with color matching as well as an optional dual processing warp card that enables blending and warping.

The G Series is now shipping.

For more information on the G Series, click here: http://www.christiedigital.com/en-us/business/products/projectors/1-chip-dlp/g-series/pages/default.aspx Add a comment

Crestron has released its Web-based design tool to help integrators with designing, quoting and ordering the company's new line of shades, named the Crestron Design Tool (CDT). Benefits include:

• Automatically selects the appropriate motor and tube size
• Eliminates guesswork - all configuration options are displayed - and if you make an incompatible selection, CDT shows you how to correct it
• Access can be granted to multiple people within the company so you have visibility and access to all projects - even if someone is out of the office
• Easily organize shades in every room by creating a project hierarchy - by window, room, or entire building - making it easier to find what you are looking for
• Generate quotes for a specific room, floor or building easily
• Quote and order individual portions of a project
• Email quotes and other project related detail to anyone directly from the software

The Crestron Design Tool is available to all Crestron dealers who have completed the Crestron Shading Solutions training.

To see a demo, click here: http://youtu.be/NMnrOTvtdmM Add a comment

This initiative was undertaken by Lyle Bunn of BUNN Co. to gauge industry insights about its ongoing development. See http://www.LyleBunn.com - RESOURCES.

On Sept. 19, 2012, this question was posed in an email that was sent by Lyle Bunn to about 5,000 industry contacts. 914 people opened the email and in total five people provided their insights. Their comments as submitted are presented in the following. Status and outlook reports as previously published were offered, but are not re-published.

Perhaps the fact that so few people commenting can be interpreted as:

• All is well and industry growth requires no additional efforts.
• People are “hunkered in,” working hard or “going along to get along” with no time or inclination to offer their thoughts on the question posed.
• The vision for the industry is limited or being held as private perspective.

Industry growth, it should be noted, is really a reflection of the success and growth of individual companies, including network operators and suppliers in the sector.

It bears noting that there are hundreds of people within the industry who volunteer their time and insights in working for industry growth as board, committee and advisory council members of associations and events, award judges, presenters and panelists at events, contributors to industry publications, bloggers and as contributors to industry development dialogue at large. Further, association executives, event producers and editors whose business it is to offer a path for engagement with the industry, welcome newcomers, broaden “best practices,” showcase innovations and illustrate new possibilities and directions. In serving the needs of their broader membership, exhibitors, delegates, advertisers and readers, the people of these groups deliver against their terms of reference.

What does North America's Dynamic Signage Industry need to develop further? Here's what they said:

“In all candor, I believe there is serious political/traditional media industry lobbying taking place for the past eight to 10 years to prevent DOOH from getting its fair share of ad revenues. Clearly, DOOH has superior targeting and demographic reach abilities beyond mass media TV, radio and print. DOOH also now has superior and cost-effective technology innovation to deliver content-advertising to specific audiences and bypassing traditional Cable MSOs, Satellite DTH, and Telco Video nets. And clearly more people are spending greater amounts of time OOH in their daily treks. But somehow the DOOH industry (all network genres) just can't get the sales inertia required to earn the $$ from agencies or brands. Maybe something is rotten in Denmark, or maybe we need some heavy DOOH lobbyists of our to get this ball rolling.”

Network Owner (Anonymous)

***

“The ad-supported Digital Signage industry needs to integrate into the larger digital advertising ecosystem. Unlike the online, email, mobile and social segments, digital signage operates as a silo with closed CMS (Content Management Software) systems and no connections to the larger digital media marketplace (through ad networks, DSPs, RTBs and exchanges). This has restricted the development of sales channels which drive an efficient marketplace in all other digital advertising channels, and has resulted in the lowest fill rate of any digital medium (perhaps any medium, period). Operators' balance sheets have been stressed which further contributes to the under capitalization of this otherwise stellar advertising medium.
 
The second area where digital signage falls behind the rest of its digital siblings is with regard to compliance measurement and reporting. This industry should consider whatever Outdoor has delivered to advertising clients (with EyesOn) as the minimum point of entry and should focus on setting an even higher standard.
 
This industry can do it. The tools are now available. The stakes are win or lose.”

Brent McKay
ceo/founder, bulzi Audience Intelligence
    
***

“The early days of digital signage and indeed into the "middle days" were exactly as one might expect a new industry to behave: myopic, protective and self-righteous.

These are not intended as slights against those early pioneers, but rather how new industries are born. When the majority of people have no idea what is being created, the responsibility is on the innovator(s) to push their way through and provide a solution where no one knew one was required. The manner in which technology was being used; the processes that were being invented and the markets that were being created were all being done with loose connections to many different disciplines. Unless you were fully immersed in the digital signage method it was difficult to see how similar and different it was to everything else out there.

Fast-forward to present day. There is a public awareness of digital signage as a whole.  And while the general public may not know how a display gets its signal, they do know what they see and they know what they like... and dislike.  

It is time for those in the industry to shed the myopic view that "we know best" and begin to engage on a much broader level with partners from all the different disciplines. The next wave of growth will come from those that are not afraid to recognize their strengths and weaknesses and engage others to deliver best-practices quality work.

For example, the audiovisual industry as a whole has a long and rich history of designing complex technology-driven systems. These very designs are being integrated every day into facilities - public, private and otherwise.  Do they understand (or need to) the content objectives of a system? Aside from technical and bandwidth requirements -- no, they don't.  But when they are being hired to install a system they can better serve themselves and their clients by attaching someone to the project that will talk about things other than cables and bandwidth!

Conversely, too many "digital signage specialists" are selling their solutions based on the content management and higher objectives of the system without spending too much time on how best to integrate into the facility and what components may be best suited to distribution. It may sound trite, but none of us can be experts at everything. Someone focused on creating compelling content has a different perspective than someone creating an IPTV distribution system. We each need to specialize in providing the service to which we are best suited (as individuals and as companies). When combined with other specialists we then have a compelling offer!

Every good presenter at DSE (Digital Signage Expo) speaks to end-users on the importance of educating themselves and building teams to implement a digital solution.

We need to follow that same advice on the supply side and bring that team forward to the end-user to provide the next level of implementation and growth in the industry.

Dwayne Brown
Senior Consultant, Digital Media and Venue Technologies
Westbury National Show Systems Ltd.

***

“The industry leaders must work together to embrace a seamless ad serving solution to help advertisers reach the right audience with the right messaging at the right moment -- in real time. If we can accomplish this, then we will mainstream and grow exponentially with the digital online community.”
 
Carolyn Kelly Walkin
Business Development Manager
VUKUNET Ad Serving Platform
Powered By NEC Display Solutions of America Inc.

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“The amazing advances in LED-based screen technology combined with dynamic and innovative creative content is leading the growth of digital signage into the future.  LCD panels are now brighter and more dynamic than ever; the use of LED backlighting technology to produce this result has created a canvas for amazing creative that is now more dynamic and long lasting than ever before. Not only are the panels bigger and brighter, but they can now also be brought outdoors to a whole new market of venues hungry for the ability to communicate visually.
 
The SMD technology driving LED displays is also advancing at a rapid pace and we are now seeing resolutions as low as 1.9 millimeter, making this technology, brighter, clearer and even more dynamic than ever before. Combine these advances with the ability to create any size display with no bezels and you truly have a canvas on which extraordinary content can be displayed.
 
Most importantly though it will be the creative groups that drive the growth as they see and understand the amazing opportunities they now have to use this fast evolving medium to communicate and interact more effectively than ever before in the real brick and mortar world where experience and entertainment have always been the reason consumers get drawn to and enjoy shopping in a physical environment.”
 
Stephen Gottlich, Innovation Leader & Product Manager
GableVision a business unit of GableSigns

***

Thanks go to everyone who took the time to provide their insights, or who contemplated the question. For other perspectives on corporate or industry growth, get resources at http://www.lylebunn.com/Pages/aboutus.aspx or contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

This column was reprinted with permission from Lyle Bunn and BUNN Co. Add a comment

DisplaySearch just released its new Quarterly Worldwide FPD Shipment and Forecast Report. They forecast a recovery of the display industry for 2012. According to the data, the total sales volume of the industry will grow to $120 billion in 2012 from $111 billion in 2011. The new number even exceeds the result form 2010 and shows a 8 percent growth YoY.



DisplaySearch also breaks the sales numbers down by display technology, which shows that TFT LCD is undisputed king of the display world at the moment. In the number two spot they see AMOLED with sales of $6.5 billion ahead of PDP with $3.4 billion. This is the first year where AMOLED is ahead of PDP by sales $. The impressive part is the 84 percent YoY growth of AMOLED versus a 23 percent decline for PDP. Of course the weak TV market and lower priced large size LCD TVs are marking a significant challenge for the PDP technology. Even with lower priced 720p panels, PDP has lost more market share against TFT LCD and it seems unlikely that they will be able to recover and re-take significant market share.

TFT LCD on the other hand showed some growth, mainly driven by higher priced high-resolution panels for mobile devices. Indeed, all display technologies tracked by DisplaySearch showed a decline besides TFT LCD, AMOLED and LCOS.

It seems that the display industry is more and more focusing on a few display technologies to cover all applications. Only the top three display technologies (TFT LCD, AMOLED and PDP) hold more than a 1 percent market share. According to the numbers from DisplaySearch the display industry is currently following more of 90/10 market rule (90 percent of the technologies account for only 10 percent of the market) rather than a the typical 80/20.  With continued growth of the AMOLED technology this may change back to the 80/20 rule rather quickly.

The key driver for more AMOLED usage is of course the mobile sector where AMOLED should have some intrinsic advantages. With the weak TV market worldwide the importance of mobile display devices will continue to grow and with it the AMOLED technology. If AMOLED can achieve satisfactory yields for large panels in the very near future, the next big TV boom might indeed be driven by AMOLED displays.

According to their numbers, electrophoretic displays  (AMEPD) shrunk by as much as 58 percent YoY after they managed a 43 percent growth the year before. DisplaySearch blames the success of  Tablets as the main reason for the decline in electronic book reader sales (EBR) as the main driver for AMEPD sales. As E-Ink is the main supplier in the market today, it seems that we will have to wait and see how the main selling season (last quarter in a CY) affects their overall sales. We know that the gross margin at E-Ink has shrunk substantially from 2011 to 2012. This could be a result from lower sales as well as declining display prices. Since the new Kindle has a higher resolution, the backplane cost has definitely not decreased, and the effect of the new Kindle as well as the Nook will only be seen in the coming quarter. I would not be surprised if the decline of the AMEPD will be actually lower than expected. Add a comment

Premier Mounts has added its single latch design to the company's line of video wall LMV mounts. The new single latch release adds ease to the LMV installation process by simplifying the release technique and ensuring a reliable opening and closing of the mount. Applying direct pressure to the mount, then slowly releasing will allow the single latch to open or close the mount in one smooth motion.

The LMV supports displays up to 160 lbs. and screen sizes from 37" to 63". It includes laser cut design spacers customized for specific displays to ensure an aligned video wall.  The open design provides ample accessibility for display adjustment and maintenance. Premier also offers custom versions of the mount.

Here are all the specs: http://www.mounts.com/product?product=LMV Add a comment

Community Professional has added to its Distributed Design Series with the new DA6. This architectural surface-mount loudspeaker offers an elegant, sconce-like form factor, designed to complement upscale environments.
 
The two-way, 6.5-inch surface mount DA6 offers a unique, 115-degree cone-shaped coverage pattern that emanates from the face of the loudspeaker downwards at a 26-degree angle from the wall. A built in autoformer offers selectable 70V or 100V operation in a distributed system, as well as standard 8 ohm use. The DA6 is available in standard black or white finishes, and can be painted as well.

Here are the details: http://www.communitypro.com/productlist/460-distributed-design-da6 Add a comment

Optoma also announced another 6,000-lumen single lamp projector, the TW865-NL. This 1280x800 projector offers VGA and HDMI inputs and carries three optional lenses -- allowing for a throw ratio from 1.0 - 3.07.

A single-chip DLP projector, the 3D-capable TW865-NL is spec'd at a 4000:1 contrast ratio with a 2,000-hour lamp, and can be controlled via RS232 or IP. Because the projector can be mounted in any configuration (360-degree mounting capability), it's good for creative applications like houses of worship projection or digital signage apps.

Here are all the specs [PDF]: http://www.ravepubs.com/utility/documents/Optoma_TW865-NL_datasheet.pdf Add a comment

The new Optoma TH7500-NL is Optoma's first high-brightness projector aimed at large-venue applications. Spec'd at 6,000 ANSI lumens and using single-chip DLP technology, the TH7500-NL is a native 1920x1200 (16:10 aspect ratio) projector that uses two lamps (each 330 watts). It includes motorized lens shift, analog (VGA and BNC) and digital (HDMI) inputs and has five optional lenses (with a throw ratio of 0.79 - 7.04).

To see the specs, click here [PDF]: http://www.ravepubs.com/utility/documents/Optoma_TH7500-NL_Datasheet.pdf Add a comment

As part of the InfoComm University Seminars, rAVe Europe’s Bob Snyder will present the seminar "I Will Survive IT in 2015."

How will the AV/IT systems integration world look in 2015? If you think the commercial road ahead will be straight, it won't be. Technology shifts are now carving out the big curves ahead. You must alter your business course or find yourself stranded off-road.

More than a third of your sales force is expected to fail as technology shifts in the next few years. That failure will also create tribulations and insolvencies throughout the AV channel in EMEA.

“We will be compelled to change our sales approach. I would like to change the way you sell because I want you and yours to survive. Join me as we map out the new direction,” says Bob Snyder, editor-in-chief at rAVe EUROPE, a publication of Channel Media Europe Ltd.

The seminar will be held Oct. 16 from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. in Room 6A at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Sign up here: https://infocomm-mea.com/education_summit_program.html#university Add a comment

The second edition of InfoComm MEA 2012 opens Sunday, Oct. 14. After last year’s success, it’s almost one-and-a-half times larger than last year’s event, with 112 exhibitors, 68+ percent in number of exhibitors and 46 percent growth in size

The secret to the success? Well, it is InfoComm after all. Organized jointly by the Asia-Pacific arm of InfoComm International and the Dubai World Trade Centre, InfoComm MEA benefits immensely from combined expertise and joint resources.

InfoComm MEA’s co-location with Gitex Technology Week (organized by Dubai World Trade Centre) puts the power of AV-IT convergence behind this event. It creates two reasons for many integrators in the region to visit Dubai and attend.

Leading AV companies such as Arrive, Barco, Crestron, Da-Lite Screens, DIS, Extron, Jupiter Systems, LG, Meyer Sound, Mindstec, Mitsubishi, projectiondesign, RGB Spectrum, RTI, Sharp, Sony, Venuetech, Vtron and Wolfvision will showcase their systems and solutions -- ranging from digital signage and content management, telepresence and video-conferencing, interactive multi-media teaching and distance learning, environmental control and facility management, to command and control for traffic, defence or emergency and rescue operations.

Visitors will be able to learn how various AV technologies can be incorporated into their information communication system for a more efficient and effective integrated network. The five-day trade exhibition from Oct. 14-18 is accompanied by a comprehensive Summit program comprising:

• IT, Education and Hospitality Industry Conferences, presenting AV applications for these industries
• Education and Hospitality Orientation Tours of the exhibition hall, to see actual demonstration of the applications
• InfoComm University Seminars, offering technical updates on technologies and trends
• IMCCA Unified Conferencing Seminar, to address latest issues on unified communication
• Manufacturers’ Presentations on their latest products and systems; and
• InfoComm Round-Table Networking and Education Advisory Group Meeting

Here's the show: https://infocomm-mea.com/ Add a comment

At InfoComm MEA, a little-knows Chinese manufacturer, Vewell, will show its LCD video wall with narrow bezel display. The company says the gap between the two displays can be as narrow as 1 millimeter.

With high brightness spec of 700 cd/m² and offering 1920×1080 resolution display, the video wall supports inputs such as VGA, HDMI and DVI as well as SDI. It can be controlled via IP or RS485. Vewell also claims the display has a 50,000 hour life.

Here are the stats:  http://www.vewell.com/tiling.shtml Add a comment

The dnp Supernova Blade is a completely frameless front projection screen designed for meeting rooms, retail stores and residential applications. Only 3 millimeters thick and available in sizes 100”, 110” and 120” in 16: 9, the Supernova Blade, we have to say, has a cool, slim format with a contemporary architecture and interiors design. Designed using ISF-certified material, it can be hung from the ceiling or on the wall.

The Blade is shipping now. Here are the specs: http://www.dnp-screens.com/DNP08/Products/Front-projection/Fixed-screens/dnp-Supernova-Blade.aspx Add a comment

BenQ's new VW30 Series of vertical alignment (VA) LED monitors are designed to match Apple computers. BenQ's white, asymmetrical VW2230H and VW2430H monitors do have a pretty sleek, simple look and are 21.5-inch and 24-inch displays, respectively. One interesting feature is a so-called Reading Mod where BenQ says the monitors will adjust their settings automatically to simulate the warmth of reading paper.

The LED-backlit displays both offer an HDMI 1.4 input, a VGA port and DVI-D connections. BenQ says the displays need 50 percent less power than the company's previous generation of CFL monitors. The Eco Mode regulates backlight brightness, based on ambient light, using 37 percent less power in normal low lighting and then goes down 44 percent at night or in darker environments. The displays are mercury-free, plus use BFR/PVC-free casing plastics and eco-friendly ink on its packaging.

The VW2230H and VW2430H are will ship in November and are $179 and $249, respectively. Here are all the specs: http://info.benq.us/new-mac-compatible-all-white-monitors-from-benq Add a comment

The promise of ‘The Cloud,’ Internet-based software access and storage, has firmly taken root in both the desktop and mobile spaces. Even if people can’t easily articulate what ‘The Cloud’ means, they do know that their favorite companies, such as Google, Amazon and Apple, have made cloud-based services a big deal and an everyday occurrence. Churches, too, are adopting cloud-based tools such as online church management software, service scheduling software, volunteer management, file storage (Dropbox being a key leader) and document sharing.

The A/V/L industry has, of course, been providing some cloud-enabled technologies for several years now, but has been slow to develop vertical-market applications to help add value to their products and services. Some applications have made headway, such as digital signage, but that’s largely because hosted content is logistically beneficial for management and curation. And the control systems big boys, Crestron and AMX, have been thinking this way for a long time and are continually innovating due to the growth and ubiquity of mobile devices and 24/7 Internet access.

Network-able Is Not Enough

I remember back in the ‘90s how Cat5 network LAN ports began cropping up on all kind of A/V/L gear. The speed of the networks was more than fast enough for instruction transfer for things like SMPTE, MIDI and DMX, so the computer networking interface was integrated into the media space.

Today, it’s expected that just about any piece of electronics is addressable (thanks largely to IR and RS232), but there’s a difference in being on a network and on the Internet.

Having gear addressable is helpful for status checks and basis communication, but in today’s broadband world, the industry should be doing a lot better. In the past, manufacturers almost always made their software proprietary, sometimes going so far as to have unique platforms within the own brand for software/firmware access. Eventually, the late ‘90s and early 2000s saw Windows-based software for adding additional functionality to what would otherwise be status-only commands. Very few bothered to create both PC and Mac-compatible software, so even an all-Mac church would still have the token PC running just for these situations.

The guys at AMX and Crestron have this figured out and have provided their own software (proprietary once again) to be the central command-and-control point for anything with a communications-capable setup. That’s not such a bad world, and no offense to the control guys, but that’s just too far behind the times -- especially considering the consumer world of fast, cheap and reliable web-based tools. I’m not suggesting AMX and Crestron are going the way of the Dodo, but I am saying that the potential value add is to leverage browser-based and mobile-based platforms that are open source to pave the way to better integration and access.

Mobile Isn’t the Future, It’s Right Now

In the A/V/L space, I can think of only a few environments (military, NOCs, etc.) where a non-proprietary, web/mobile-based open source platform wouldn’t be incredibly valuable. With login access controls, even publicly available systems (corporate networks, blogs, online database access) have made their way to the cloud and to mobile device access.

Churches -- especially multi-site/multi-campus/multi-venue -- are begging for anytime, anywhere access to their technology. From iOS to Android to browser-based platforms, we’re used to being able to control our consumer technology with ease. It’s super easy to set my DVR to record whatever I want from anywhere I have a cell or Wi-Fi signal. I can check to see if my NEST heating and air conditioning control has left the air on. I’m used to mobile access and mobile control of certain programming. Where is this in the A/V/L world?

Sure, some manufacturers are offering web-based access (yea!), but mobile-platform specific control? Look around: It’s the glaringly obvious elephant in the room. Or maybe it’s the missing elephant in the room!

It’s not unreasonable to be able to want at least mobile access to my A/V/L technology without requiring me to put in a full-blown third-party control system. I may benefit from said control system, but what I’m saying is that it shouldn’t be required.

And lest the systems integrators think I’m leaving them on the sidelines of this discussion, I believe by adding open source mobile and browser-based platforms to the mix, these integrators can add additional service opportunities to their installations, once again endearing them to the client for being a partner in ensuring their technology success.

The Cloud and the Church

Stepping beyond the immediate future, it’s not hard to envision entire divisions of integrators focusing on address-ability, control-ability, program-ability and adding the pièce de résistance of content sharing and curation. Any multi-venue organization will have the desire (if not the outright need) to not only monitor system performance, but system resource sharing.

Going back to the network scenario, the idea of pushing content -- whether that’s video/screen content, audio content and/or communication/control content -- to multiple devices is both a smart level of control and redundancy. In the church world, I’d call this volunteer-proofing the systems and processes.

Think, for example, of standardizing on technology in multiple venues and sharing the media content on the cloud to every device that needs a signal. Or sharing cue notes for a synchronized media playback across multiple venues or locations while updating curated content for geographic specific contexts. The possibilities are endless, but the common factor is the cloud. Which, of course, takes us back to the original point of creating browser- and mobile-based open source platforms (or, at the least, a recognized industry standard platform for the Web).

Playing Nicely Together

I suppose this may be something of a pipe dream if the manufacturers don’t want to play nicely together by sharing, minimally, a freely-accessible platform. Even so, if the brains of the engineering societies could link arms across the audio, video and lighting industry, the standardization of a mobile platform isn’t such a far-off idea.

In the meantime, the power of the Internet has clearly shifted the ultimate decision-making power in the hands of the consumer. Both manufacturers and integration firms will see the handwriting on the wall: go mobile or get left behind. The consumer world isn’t always the best leader, but where innovation happens, people tend to follow. Churches are just like other organizations: They’re looking for solutions to their week-in, week-out problems; they just simply focus on weekend problems. Addressing this need isn’t simply beneficial to the house of worship market, it is a necessary step into the current century and a future of mobile access, control and curation.

1999 is calling and it wants its 9-pin RS232 controls back.

A former staff member at three mega churches and church technology consultant, Anthony Coppedge has developed a respected reputation as a leader in technical and communications circles within the church marketplace. Reach him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Add a comment

Chief is now shipping its new FUSION Series carts in North America. The design updates include flexible cable covers to allow access at any point along the column while concealing cables for a clean installation. A turn knob lets a single user smoothly raise and lower the screen to any height between 50 and 70 inches (127-177 centimeters). The new carts and stands also feature: +5/-5 degrees of tilt and effortless display adjustment User-friendly interface, optimal for screen sizes up to 60 inches and 200 lbs (90.7 kg) Black or silver finish Smooth rolling and lockable castors for effortless positioning Chief engineers created wider columns with rounded edges to make the carts easy to hold during the moving process, and the angled base makes corner positioning a snap. Here are all the details: http://www.chiefmfg.com/Series/lpau

Add a comment

InfoComm International announced a new executive director today, David Labuskes, CTS. He is currently vice president of RTKL, a division of ARCADIS, one of the world's leading architectural and engineering firms and founder of the company's Technology Design Practice. Labuskes' responsibilities at the company are full operational, financial and marketing strategy for the delivery of design services around the world. He's responsible for key account business development, client relationship management, P&L and product development. He also has over 20 years of IT and software development experience.

Current Executive Director and CEO Randal A. Lemke said, "I've had the pleasure of knowing and working with Dave for more than 10 years. I was delighted when I heard the search committee chose him."

rAVe founder Gary Kayye said, "David is an AV insider, exactly what we needed at InfoComm. His technological expertise and leadership at RTKL is legendary and he'll be a great leader of InfoComm and visionary for our industry."

The InfoComm search committee for the new executive director and CEO was made up of Johanne Belanger, Lee Dodson, Matt Emerson, CTS, Jim Ford, PE, Greg Jeffreys, Mark Valenti, CTS and Tony Warner, CTS-D, who chaired the committee. In March, InfoComm retained Korn/Ferry International to assist in conducting the search.

Current InfoComm Executive Director and CEO Randy Lemke, Ph.D. announced this past January that he planned to retire at the end of the year. Lemke joined InfoComm in 1996 as vice president of education. In 1997, he pioneered InfoComm Academy Online, an Internet-based training system for the AV industry, which currently has 3,000 students enrolled daily. He became executive director and CEO of InfoComm in 2000.

Lemke holds board positions, and has been the chairman of Integrated Systems Events, LLC, a joint venture European trade show company, and InfoComm Asia PTE, Ltd., a joint venture company in Singapore operating InfoComm's Asian tradeshows. He is the founding and current chairman of the STEP Foundation, a jointly supported foundation composed with other industry associations to bring sustainability to the process of planning, designing, integrating and operating technology systems and reduce long-term environmental impact from technology deployment. He has also served as chief executive of ICIF, InfoComm's charitable foundation.

In January, Lemke said, "It has been an honor to serve the needs of such an exciting and innovative industry these past years, and it's with mixed feelings that I leave the wonderful team of professionals and close friends I have made here at InfoComm." Add a comment

Starting next week, Almo Professional A/V is bringing free certification training for the Samsung SUR40 40-inch HD Interactive Touch PC with Microsoft PixelSense to resellers, consultants and integrators across the country.
 
The five-city training event kicks-off in Irvine, Calif., on Oct. 15 and runs as half-day morning and afternoon sessions. It features in-depth training from the experts at Samsung, Microsoft and Brawn Consulting and is designed to give participants the instruction required to sell, specify and deploy the SUR40. With access to the SUR40, Almo Pro A/V partners can now bring an entirely new dimension of sharing, collaborating and exploration to commercial applications with the first large, thin display that recognizes fingers, hands and other objects placed on the screen.
 
Melody Craigmyle, vice president of marketing for Almo Professional A/V, said that participating partners will receive an exclusive offer to purchase a demo unit from Almo Professional A/V at 50 percent off MSRP.
 
The dates for the Samsung SUR40 Certification Road Show are:

• Oct. 15, Irvine, Calif.
• Oct. 18, Chicago, Ill.
• Oct. 23, New York, N.Y.
• Nov. 1, Reston, Va.
• Nov. 13, Dallas, Texas

Two identical workshops will run at each session, the first from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and the second from 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., to give participants the flexibility to work the training into their schedules. Both sessions will include lunch. The agenda for each session follows:

• Samsung and Microsoft Partnership Overview: Samsung Executive Team
• Working with Microsoft PixelSense Software Developers for Engaging Content: Microsoft  Certified Development Partners
• Specifiying and Deploying the SUR40 — Technical Training/Certification Course: Samsung Engineers and Brawn Consulting
• Samsung Technology Preview — New and Emerging Technologies: Samsung Executive Team

To register for an event, go to http://www.almoproav.com/samsungSUR40. Add a comment

Visix has added a new thin-profile small form factor media player to its line of digital signage hardware. Dubbed the Mini Form Factor media player, this new unit is ideal for mounting to the back of displays. It supports multiple content blocks, tickers, layouts and just about 90 percent of what DS players are used for in public spaces.
 
Measuring just 9” (wide) x 1.3” (high) x 8” (deep) and weighing only 4 lbs., the Mini Form Factor Player uses a 60 GB solid state drive (SSD) and uses the 3.3 GHz Intel Core i3 processor. Outputs include DVI, HDMI and 3.5mm for audio and, of course, content can be sent to it via Wi-Fi or via Ethernet.

Full specifications for the new Mini Form Factor can be found at http://www.visix.com/digital-signage-media-players-specifications.html Add a comment

BrightSign made a major announcement today with its XD product line, the company's first line of solid-state digital signage media players with PC-based player capabilities.

BrightSign’s new XD products offer video and other multimedia capabilities that, until now, were only possible with a PC-based solution. This includes the ability to display live HDTV broadcast content using an ATSC/Clear QAM tuner or HDMI input. The ATSC tuner is used to play cable TV or closed circuit TV broadcasts, and the HDMI input to play any broadcast content, including HDCP-protected content. This is an upgrade from BrightSign's current players, which can broadcast live TV, but only SD content and nothing protected by HDCP. All models include an advanced video decoding engine with scaling technology to deliver 1080p60 video, as well as 3D content. The video engine is capable of decoding two 1080p60 videos or several lower-resolution videos simultaneously. All models support HTML5 so content creators can use familiar development tools to create engaging content. In addition, BrightSign’s usual touch-screen interactivity is enhanced with swipe/gesture control.

The XD line offers three new media players:

 

• XD230 Networked Player: Capable of playing two 1080p60 videos or several lower-resolution videos simultaneously from local, networked and streaming sources – with support for Full HD, HTML5 and 3D content.
• XD1030 Networked Interactive Player: Engages the audience with a diverse range of interactive controls such as touch/swipe, GPIO, serial, USB, UDP and mobile devices.
• XD1230 Networked Interactive and Live HDTV Player: Includes all the features the XD1030 offers plus Live HDTV playback via HDMI and ATSC inputs to capture an audience and keep them wanting more.

BrightSign’s new XD product line will be available in December 2012. The MSRP of the XD230, XD1030 and XD1230 digital signage media players will be $450, $600 and $700, respectively. The players are backed by a one-year warranty and include BrightSign’s free BrightAuthor software.

To see a spec sheet, click here [PDF]: http://www.ravepubs.com/utility/documents/brightsign_datasheet_v05.pdf

Add a comment

Extron is shipping its DDX 102 Dual Link DVI Fiber Optic Extender, a transmitter and receiver set for long haul delivery of DVI signals over fiber optic cabling. It uses all digital technology to deliver perfect pixel-for-pixel transmission of video images up to 2560x1600, including HDTV 1080p/60. The extender delivers dual link DVI-D signals up to 500 meters (1,640 feet) over two multimode cables or single link DVI signals over one fiber optic cable.

The DDX 102 transmitter and receiver feature industry standard LC-type connectors and can be used for point-to-point fiber optic applications with dual link DVI requirements. The units connect directly to the DVI source and display devices, eliminating the need for additional mounting hardware. EDID Minder automatically manages EDID by maintaining continuous communication with the source, ensuring that it powers up properly and reliably outputs content for display. The transmitter also provides an EDID capture mode to store display EDID.

Check out all the specs here: http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=ddx102&search=DDX%20102 Add a comment

The Digital Signage Federation is launching a comprehensive educational program designed specifically for professionals and institutions in the healthcare industry. In addition to a robust resource platform that offers a “getting started” guideline, articles and white papers, photographic installation examples, the webinar program debuts on Thurs., Oct. 25 at 2 pm EDT, featuring Tomer Mann, senior consultant, Tech Alliance Consulting and Richard Ventura, director of sales for vertical solutions, NEC Display Solutions of America.

The efficient flow of information within a healthcare facility is a significant problem that most practices face. Whether it is relaying information from patient to doctor, doctor to pharmacist or administrator to staff, there are many avenues in which the line of communication can break down. Digital signage networks provide a simple, effective and even life-saving way in which to organize and distribute information along the different pathways housed within a healthcare facility.

This webcast will give a basic introduction into the various capabilities of digital signage in healthcare facilities and how to maximize its overall benefits. Questions such as how to offer a mix of dynamic content and engaging ads to reach patients in waiting rooms, how to help visitors navigate large facilities using wayfinding, improving the check-in process using kiosks and how to use digital signage to train staff during off-hours will be discussed and examined from a variety of viewpoints.

Viewers who attend this webinar can expect to learn, among other things:

• How to use interactive and static wayfinding directories within the facility to help visitor navigation
• Ways to use video walls and boards for donor & endowment recognition
• Enterprise capabilities for system-wide deployments
• Using digital place-based networks for patient and staff communication channels

Ventura, who co-chairs the DSF Advocacy & Outreach Committee said, “Designing, implementing and managing digital signage systems that address the complex needs of the variety of stakeholders in any healthcare institution can be challenging."

In addition to the webcast presentations there is a wealth of information on various applications, articles, white papers and other resource materials for educational professionals to reference on the DSF website at: http://digitalsignagefederation.org/healthcareguide Add a comment

zeebox, a UK-based startup, has launched a second-screen app in partnership with some of the most influential media companies in television. In an unprecedented alliance, Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, HBO and Cinemax are all teaming with zeebox in an endorsement of a universal, cross-channel TV viewing companion app for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, and the Web. zeebox enables consumers to discover what to watch by browsing comprehensive TV listings, social media and personalized recommendations. The company expects further partners to be invited.

zeebox’s cloud-based app recognizes the context of what its users are watching and enhances the viewing experience with relevant content and experiences from across the Web, TV programmers, social networks and advertisers. Viewers can engage with their favorite television personalities directly through zeebox and even buy the products they see on TV. zeebox also automatically displays more in-depth information about the programs as viewers are watching.

As strategic launch partners, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal are backing zeebox with investments and promotional support, and are preparing to enhance hundreds of their top TV shows on zeebox, including the The Voice and Notre Dame Football. zeebox’s OpenBox API allows content owners to enhance their shows and channels on the zeebox app in a matter of hours, distributing exclusive content to consumers, connecting directly with fans through live interactions and social engagement, and monetizing the second screen alongside TV commercials through synchronized, targeted, relevant advertising and affiliate links. HBO is the exclusive premiere network partner of zeebox, bringing original programming to the social discovery platform as well as from sister network Cinemax.

zeebox’s proprietary consumer research says that up to 70 percent of U.S. television viewers are interested in the feature set that zeebox provides. According to the company, the market for second-screen TV apps has been evolving rapidly but remains highly fragmented; while consumers today are using different apps and web services for discovery, social engagement and interactivity, zeebox brings all these features together in a single app.

Last year, Disney released their Second Screen app that allows an iPad or computer to interact with a Blu-ray movie. After starting the movie on their Blu-ray player, tablet and computer users can explore interactive galleries, check out activities, learn facts about the scenes they’re watching, connect to social media and similar activities.

Perhaps the biggest headstart in this space is enjoyed by Shazam, the music-centric Automatic Content Recognition service started some four years ago. Shazam now sees an estimated 10 million new tags a day, and two million new users are said to sign up for Shazam every week. The company recently began to expand into the TV space and is now able to identify almost any show on over 160 U.S. TV channels.

All of these apps and services are aimed at a single result: keeping viewers engaged with the primary screen content, even if it’s supplemented by a second screen. To be sure, the side-channel material is an added production expense for the content owner/distributors, but holding on to the viewer, and augmenting the grab with other revenue generators -- e-commerce, banner ads, etc. -- is the gamble they’re all taking. Add a comment

Revolabs's new Hybrid HD microphones are designed for conferencing installations requiring a powered audio solution, wirelessly. Constantly powered and located around the conference table, the wired Hybrid microphones and XLR adapters take the guesswork out of microphone placement. For meetings where wireless operation is required, the microphones can easily be removed from the power source and placed where required around the table.

Offering what the company claims is simple plug-and-play functionality, the Revolabs Hybrid HD microphones and XLR adapter means that power is available at conference room tables and the wireless audio connection ensures that installers do not have to run new microphone cable. Powered yet functioning wirelessly, the Hybrid HD alleviates the need for any setup prior to the beginning of a meeting or the need to return microphones to a charger tray after the meeting has concluded.

Designed specifically for Revolabs HD wireless audio systems, the Hybrid HD microphones and XLR adapter utilize "Designed for Speech" HD audio technology, providing crystal-clear audio so users can hear every word. Integrated RF Armor technology makes audio impervious to GSM noise from cell phones, avoiding unwanted audio interference. To keep meetings private, the microphones feature secure 128-bit encryption technology.

The Revolabs Hybrid HD microphones are available in omnidirectional and directional tabletop versions, and come complete with a power supply. The Hybrid HD XLR adapter provides audio coverage for any dynamic gooseneck microphone (sold separately) with an XLR connection. This allows for the easy installation of gooseneck microphones in any room without having to run audio wires.

Get all the specs here: http://www.revolabs.com/Solutions/Applications/Installed-Audio.aspx Add a comment