Installation Europe January 2012 Digital Edition

IE INSTALLATION EUROPE

audio video lighting

January 2012 ÂŁ5 â‚Ź8 www.installationeurope.com

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News and Contents

DLP Cinema reaches digital milestone More than half of screens worldwide now digital 91% increase in EMEA DLP Cinema screens in 12 months Following strong growth in installations over the past two years, Texas Instruments DLP Cinema has announced that more than 50,000 movie theatre screens across the globe are illuminated by projectors from its OEM licensees, Barco, Christie and NEC. This means that the transition to digital cinema has crossed a threshold, with over 50% of the estimated worldwide commercial cinema screens having been converted to digital cinema. DLP estimates that the conversion process will be complete by the end of 2015.

“Together with our licensees, DLP Cinema has always focused on the goal of providing audiences with the broadest digital projection technology options possible to match, and even exceed, the rich colour, clarity and detail of 35mm and 70mm film answer

New training facility for AMX CONTROL AND AUTOMATION

AMX has unveiled a brand new teaching facility in its York, UK headquarters. . VIEWS Incorporating the latest in AMX 12 Opinion: AV and IT Integrators technology, the space allows the need to face their wireless fears company to deliver state-of-the-art training while demonstrating the 1 15 Opinion Differentiating yourself is crucial in a tough market capabilities of its own system.

39 The IE Interview Tom The facility will act as a full-time Gheysens and Hans Swinnen of training facility for AMX University, a Audioprof centre dedicated to ensuring 58 Q&A Exton’s Gunnar integrators are able to gather all the Gunnarsson and Kristjan expertise they need to deliver strong Magnusson on the Icelandic AMX solutions. market Delegates will benefit from multimedia-driven training presentations . MARKETS thanks to AMX’s DVX-3150HD, which 22 Schools Despite a reduction provides a complete solution for the in available cash, demand for AV room’s control, audio and video needs. products remains strong “We are delighted to be opening this 28 Distributor Focus – France new facility, which will allow us to meet A new series of features looking the ever-growing demand for AMX at distribution starts with training courses and certification,” said analysis of the French market Graeme Scott, European training 33 Touch and Gesture Interfaces manager, AMX.

www.dlpcinema.com

www.amx.com

INDUSTRY EVENT

This spectacular video projection took place recently to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Russia’s Alfa-Bank. A total of 81 projectors – believed to be a record in the video mapping industry – were used to cover 25,500sqm: 15 Christie Roadie HD+30K covered the façade of Moscow State University and 66 Roadster S+20K were installed in towers erected for the event. Nearly 800,000 people watched the show, which was implemented by E/T/C.

www.installationeurope.com

3 News The latest installation news from across Europe 10 Data The global market for projectors continues to grow 16 The ISE Daily in IE The latest news on the Amsterdam event 53 Product Choice Our pick of the latest new products

prints,” said Dave Duncan, manager of DLP Cinema for Texas Instruments.

“When the first DLP Cinema-powered projectors were installed in 1999, we knew we had embarked on something that would eventually bring positive change and opportunities not available in the film-based era. Today, we are thrilled to continue to be the driving force in making what was once considered a far off and unlikely future a clear, accessible reality.”

To celebrate this achievement, DLP Cinema provided Barco, Christie and NEC with a commemorative DLP Cinema chip representing the 50,000th 3-chipset manufactured, which will be installed at three cinemas selected by the manufacturers.

In the 12-month period between 1 December 2010 and 30 November 2011, Europe, the Middle East and Africa registered a 91% increase in the number of DLP Cinema screens (17,670 in total).

ISE airfare deal

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. NEWS & DATA

ISE has teamed up with Air France and KLM Global Meetings, official travel partners of the Amsterdam RAI, to offer discounts on ISE 2012 air travel to show attendees.

Visitors simply need to enter the Event ID Code 14715AF when booking return flights through the Air France/ KLM Global Meetings web portal (http://tinyurl.com/ISEKLMAF) to receive a discount that’s unavailable through any other booking engine. www.iseurope.org

A growing number of markets are embracing this technology 36 Show Control Awareness and acceptance are growing

. SOLUTIONS 40 Tidal Information System, Venice A city-wide audio system is keeping residents informed 45 VW Passat Launch, Poznan A stunning example of immersive video projection 47 Gan Bei City, Riga Restaurant chain invests in audio 48 Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh The Great Hall has undergone an AV upgrade 51 National Stadium, Bucharest New audio set-up for country’s first UEFA elite stadium Cover image courtesy of Steljes

IE January 2012 3

News and New Partners

New Partners Barco has teamed up with media block technology leader Doremi to bring the first DCI-compliant 3D sound system to the cinema market. The Auro-3D audio system allows for single inventory distribution compatible with current and future standards, and will be integrated by Doremi’s Integrated Media Block for cinema exhibitors. www.barco.com www.doremilabs.com

Audio Visual Material has grown its visualiser range by signing a distributor agreement with Belgium-based Lumens. Lumens’ interactive learning technologies range includes products with features such as one-touch copy, audio and video recording, built-in microphones, and support for SDHC and USB 2.0. www.avmltd.co.uk www.lumens.com.tw

Outline has partnered with Budapest-based Zaj System House to create Outline CentralEurope Ltd, to service key territories in Eastern and Central Europe. The organisation will be responsible for Outline sales, service and support to 10 countries, including Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Czech Republic, Croatia, Ukraine and Bulgaria. www.outlinearray.com www.zaj.hu

Casio Projectors has announced a partnership with Sahara Connect, a new division of UK AV distributor Sahara Presentations Systems.

Sahara will stock Casio’s full range of laser and LED hybrid light source projectors, and will host training, on-site demonstration and in-depth dealer awareness sessions. www.saharaplc.com www.casio-projectors.eu

Uni goes green with Panasonic Edinburgh University joins manufacturer’s Offset for Life programme Participation will boost climate change centre’s green rating Edinburgh Centre for Climate Change (ECCC) is using Panasonic’s Offset for Life programme to enhance the green credentials of its planned new campus building.

Part of Edinburgh University, the ECCC provides a forum for solving ‘lowcarbon’ problems, and offers skills training to enable professionals to succeed in the low-carbon economy.

A physical location for the ECCC is being planned, and is scheduled to be completed by spring or summer 2014.

Panasonic’s Offset for Life programme has been one of the main drivers behind the design and development of AV systems for the ECCC project, as positive ecological changes to elements of this project will improve the project’s Building Research Establishment

Environment Assessment Method (BREEAM) rating. The programme allows the carbon emitted by Panasonic projectors and displays to be offset, effectively reducing customers’ net contribution to global warming.

“As a supporter of the ECCC, the Offset for Life programme is yet another way for us to contribute to a low-carbon future,” said John Power, project manager, learning and teaching spaces technology at Edinburgh University. “Incorporating the carbon offset into our plans from the outset means we have a better chance of receiving the highest possible rating from BREEAM. As the only AV manufacturer with an eco-friendly programme like this, Panasonic was the obvious choice for our centre.”

A long-standing Panasonic customer, the University of Edinburgh has 150 Panasonic projectors in its teaching venues, including DZ6700 models for large venues such as lecture theatres requiring high-definition images.

Daniel Rose, category manager, professional projector and display at Panasonic, said the company was thrilled with the university’s participation in the programme. “The centre’s vision for a low-carbon future is one that we wholeheartedly identify with and we are delighted to be involved in this inspirational project,” he said. www.panasonic-offset.eu

Second funding boost for DiGiCo AUDIO CONSOLES Five years after an expansion drive supported by Matrix Equity Partners, DiGiCo has initiated the next stage of its development by securing secondary investment of nearly £50 million from ISIS Equity Partners.

The announcement comes as the UK-based manufacturer prepares to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the D5 Live console, which served as a primary catalyst for DiGiCo’s worldwide growth.

Matrix is continuing its association with DiGiCo, although it has reduced its investment size in the business. “As [Matrix partner] Bob Henry said, they love the company and believe in the

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future vision,” said DiGiCo CEO James Gordon (left of picture). “We wanted to keep Matrix included as they have been very good partners.”

Both Matrix and ISIS have nonexecutive directors on the board, but are not taking a management role. “It allows us to remain independent and take the company in the direction we believe it should be going,” says Gordon, who describes the ISIS investment as a “fantastic opportunity for DiGiCo to build further on the achievements of the last five years”.

Denise Emmanuel, investment director at ISIS, commented: “DiGiCo is a fantastic example of an entrepreneurial company and management team that is able to deliver growth even in a difficult environment.” www.digico.org

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News and Appointments

Appointments Nick Owen has been named director of worldwide sales for the Harman Professional signal processing business unit. He will be responsible for global brand strategies throughout the company’s regional sales offices and driving sales globally for the dbx, Lexicon, BSS and DigiTech brands. www.harmanpro.com

Crestron has appointed Matthew Buck to the position of commercial account manager. He will be responsible for maintaining good links with existing clients as well as establishing new relationships. Prior to this, Buck worked for Polar Audio where he progressed from consumer products manager to business development manager. www.crestron.eu

PSCo Technical Distribution has appointed Colin Till to the new position of service business manager.

He joins having run his own companies specialising in database and workflow management solutions and assembly services for the past eight years. www.psco.co.uk

Electrosonic recruits apprentices Six apprentices chosen for Canary Wharf install Local job broker helps source candidates Electrosonic recently held a recruitment and selection event for young apprentice installers – following the integrator’s winning of a major AV systems integration contract at London’s Canary Wharf.

Held in association with Skillsmatch, a job brokerage service for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, the event was open to residents of the borough, and resulted in six candidates being chosen to take part in a six-month placement

commencing this month. Following the successful completion of the audiovisual apprenticeship, participants will then be offered a full-

time role as a junior installer. They will spend time working both at Electrosonic’s EMEA headquarters in Kent and on-site at Canary Wharf.

Financial services giant JPMorgan chose Electrosonic to provide the audio design and installation over 37 floors at its office on Bank Street.

Martyn Barnett, Electrosonic’s operational resources manager, said: “We were immediately attracted to this opportunity to source new aspiring talent from the local area. The level of candidates has been excellent and we have witnessed a real hunger to learn and willingness to engage and commit.” www.electrosonic.com

Maverick launches Munich training facility DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL Distributor TDMaverick has invested over €50,000 in a training facility in its offices in Munich. This expenditure, it says, reflects the growing need from vendors and resellers to offer AV and IT infrastructure training to support the distribution channel.

The training room features interactive

solutions from Epson and Samsung, large-format displays from Sony and Iiyama, plus connectivity and mounting solutions from Vision, Cables to Go, Erogtron and HKS. Training sessions already booked include Sony Ziris, Samsung Surface 2, and Vision connectivity and control.

According to Jon Sidwick, director of TDMaverick Europe, similar facilities

will follow in other countries. He said: “We have a strong reseller training programme under our AV Academy, and we will be rolling out a consistent level of training in key technical areas across all nine TDMaverick countries. It makes absolute sense to invest in a network of training rooms across Europe.” www.tdmaverick.eu

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News and Comment

Editor’s Comment

For your diary

You’re hired!

ISE 2012 31 January - 2 February Amsterdam, Netherlands www.iseurope.org

Apprenticeships and on-the-job training are hugely important for our industry was heartened to read about Electrosonic’s hiring of apprentices, after the installation company won a major contract in Canary Wharf (see News, page 6.) However, I wonder how many of the young applicants initially thought they would be put into teams and sent out in taxis across London with camera crews in tow, while they tried to carry out increasingly difficult business-

I

related tasks, used their mobile phones exclusively on speakerphone and made bitchy comments behind each other’s backs?

Seriously, apprenticeships are an important means of tackling skills shortages.

Particularly in an industry such as ours where there are few college courses, on-the-job learning is the main route to developing the knowledge and skills that underpin a career.

Electrosonic is presumably funding the apprenticeship programme from its revenue from the contract; the project needs the extra manpower, so new recruits would have been needed in any event. While training up the apprentices will obviously take time, it’s an investment that should pay off handsomely in the future.

While it would be good for other installation companies to follow Electrosonic’s

Visit our stand at Hall 5 Stand 5R92, Amsterdam RAI, 31 Jan - 2 Feb 2012

example, it’s clearly difficult to make long-term investments if you’re preoccupied with medium- or even short-term concerns. So they can be forgiven if they don’t start recruiting just at the moment.

However, at some stage all companies need to start thinking about how to transfer their knowledge from one generation to the next.

Particularly in small firms, there’s a lot of knowledge locked away in the heads of a few key people; a structured training programme (such as an apprenticeship) can provide a means for transferring that knowledge in a measured and orderly fashion.

In his column this month (page 15), consultant Blair Parkin talks about how IT companies are less likely to put people at the heart of what they do. I think that this is in part due to the IT

industry’s tendency to capture knowledge from people and build it into systems and processes, leaving less room – and less need – for individual input and interpretation. As Blair says, it’s a model that we shouldn’t embrace unthinkingly – there is value in having knowledge wrapped up in people, and we should make the most of it.

It just so happens that Intent Media is a strong believer in developing its own talent.

To that end, Installation Europe is about to recruit a staff writer – as are our sister titles Pro Sound News Europe and TVBEurope.

I’m really looking forward to having a strengthened inhouse editorial team. I’ll have more details for you soon. paddy.baker@intentmedia.co.uk Press info: ienews@ intentmedia.co.uk Twitter: installeurope

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Industry Data

Upward projections The global market for projectors is continuing on its upward trajectory, writes Steve Montgomery he global market for projectors reached 1.98 million units in the third quarter of 2011, representing year-on-year growth of 4%, according to research from Futuresource Consulting.

Relatively soft demand in developed countries was balanced by continued market growth in emerging markets, with China witnessing a particularly strong quarter at 510,000 units (16% year-on-year growth), cementing its position as the global number one market. The Latin American territory continues to underperform against expectations, though numerous large education tenders are in the pipeline.

Within Eastern Europe, Russia witnessed a belated strong performance of 54,700 units in Q3, following a quiet period since the original economic downturn in 2008, raising its full-year volume to almost 160,000 units in 2011. Futuresource has bullish expectations for Russia, largely due to expected investment in education ICT over the coming years. Eastern Europe

T

10 IE January 2012

has held the promise of strong growth, but was severely restricted by the global recession in 2009.

New entries The mix of products is still heavily weighted towards entry-level products throughout Europe, with SVGA accounting for nearly 30% of sales, but there is a clear shift away from SVGA across the first three quarters of 2011, and also a marked trend towards the higher 2500-2999 lumen category.

Looking at the global picture, SVGA sales dropped off slightly and XGA accounted for over 50% of overall sales.

WXGA again gained a small amount of share. However, in the US market, WXGA reached almost 30% as adoption gains pace. Short throw and ultra-short throw projectors currently account for more than 14% of all global projector sales, up from 12.7% in Q3 2010.

The introduction of new features is helping to stimulate the market.

Projectors with built-in interactivity accounted for nearly 2% of all sales.

The new 500-lumen (LED-based) category reached just over 4,000 units, with five brands now bringing product to market.

Most growth is observed in the business and commercial sectors. Yearto-date home display sales are significantly down, as projectors continue to struggle for shelf space in retail against larger flat panel displays and new 3D and smart TV products.

“Moving forward, the outlook for 2012 looks relatively mixed, with economic uncertainty continuing to surround the US and European territories,” says Chris McIntyre-Brown, head of professional IT & imaging.

“The Euro 2012 football tournament should help to stimulate entry-level demand in Europe in 2012 and will also affect market cycles. However, overall market activity is expected to remain relatively flat, with market growth forecast to continue to come from emerging markets, with Latin America, China, India, Russia and Indonesia the ones to watch.” IE

Projector sales in Eastern Europe, 2008-14 900

Rest of Eastern Europe 800

Russia

700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012* 2013* 2014*

Full year volume in Russia reached almost 160,000 units in 2011 * Forecast Source: Futuresource Consulting

www.futuresource-consulting.com

www.installationeurope.com

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Opinion: AV and IT

Bob Snyder

The age of wireless is coming As wireless devices become the norm in the consumer market, pro-AV integrators will have to face their fears if they are to compete

t’s a painful topic. Bring this subject up in AV discussions and people start to shut down.

Normally intelligent and open-minded integrators suddenly go intransigent, stubborn and closed to all notions.

Yes, it’s time to talk about wireless again.

Come back here. Seriously, we need to talk about wireless.

Integrators run away from this topic because poor wireless failed us in the past. They would rather jump off a cliff than depend upon wireless. It’s not just the fact that there are no wires. No, it’s the feeling of a definite lack of control.

Something goes wrong and we have nothing tangible to tweak, to fine tune, to jigger back into working.

If the world of AV had a crossword puzzle, there would be a single-word clue given for our antipathy towards wireless. Mention wireless and you see the integrator shaking his head and muttering, “Interference”.

Avoiding wireless is probably one of the Ten Commandments of pro AV, right up there with ‘Don’t kill the contractor’ and ‘Get it in writing’.

Unlike the Ten Commandments, rules in technology shouldn’t be written in stone. Time proves you wrong. Things change because technology is like the Terminator... it never gives up. Knock it down and it just keeps coming.

I

Consumer power The reason wireless is coming back is as obvious as the iPad in your hand.

Consumer technology is in the driver’s seat and mobile is the highway. In a world of wireless devices, wireline will ultimately take a back seat.

2012 will probably go down as the year mobile and cloud computing created a new wireless tipping point, the first year wireless managed to reincarnate itself. IT networkers will lead the way, which won’t make you feel any more comfortable, but at least you’ll have examples to follow. They will listen to people like Alphonso Makeovec, business development Europe from wireless manufacturer Luxul Wireless: “There’s this total lack of understanding about wireless and its capabilities. If someone says to me that wireless is not dependable, it makes me laugh because so much of the development is done by the military. Their own countries depend upon wireless for security.

Do they think the military goes to battle dragging wires around?”

12 IE January 2012

His point is, of course, that dependable wireless technology exists but you haven’t seen it yet because of the price point. Luxul recently installed a wireless ‘mesh’ system for the Dutch police force – a system that is patrol carbased and picks up each police car as it passes through the city’s network.

Today’s wireless is stronger, faster and works more and more in a mesh. A mesh is like the difference between tying your shoe with a single shoelace and one eyelet, and having a grid of eyelets so the

‘2012 will probably go down as the year mobile and cloud computing created a new wireless tipping point’ shoelace can run back and forth, gaining strength and coverage from the overlap.

Even without the growing mesh technology, other solutions from the wireless industry will emerge this year, targeting the huge market that mobile devices and cloud will create.

Avoiding interference Owners of iPads, Android tablets, notebook computers and smartphones want to connect to their TV and stream videos or watch HD movies. Unlike streaming over the current sharedbandwidth TCP/IP WiFi or 802.11 protocols, new wireless standards will carry bigger bandwidth at faster rates and move their frequency to avoid interference problems.

New HD standards will battle it out in the marketplace:

WHDI was developed by Israeli semiconductor maker Amimon and joined by Hitachi, LG, Motorola, Samsung, Sharp and Sony. WHDI 1.0 provides a high-quality uncompressed wireless link which supports data rates of up to 3Gbit/s (allowing 1080p) in a 40MHz channel, and data rates of up to 1.5Gbit/s (allowing 1080i and 720p) in a single 20MHz channel of the 5GHz unlicensed band. Range is beyond 30m (100ft), through walls, and latency is less than one millisecond.

Wireless HD was developed at UC Berkeley and commercialised by SiBEAM (now owned by Silicon Image).

With over 40 adopters, key members include Broadcom, Intel, LG, Panasonic, NEC, Samsung, Sony, Philips and Toshiba. Wireless HD is based on a 7GHz channel in the 60GHz Extremely High Frequency radio band. It allows for either compressed (H.264) or uncompressed digital transmission of HD video and audio and data signals, essentially making it equivalent to a ‘wireless HDMI’. The 1.1 version of the specification increases the maximum data rate to 28Gbit/s, supports common 3D formats, 4K resolution, WPAN data, low-power mode for portable devices, and HDCP 2.0 content protection.

WiGig comes from the WiGig Alliance (supported by AMD, Broadcom, Cisco, Dell, Marvell, Intel, Mediatek, Microsoft, Nokia, NVIDIA, Panasonic, Toshiba, and more).

WiGig technology enables multigigabit wireless communications using the unlicensed 60GHz spectrum. WiGig tri-band-enabled devices, in the 2.4, 5 and 60GHz bands, will deliver data transfer rates up to 7Gbit/s, more than 10 times

faster than the highest 802.11n rate, while maintaining compatibility with existing WiFi devices.

At CES, the giant consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, companies like DVDO and Belkin unveiled wireless HDTV adapters, which can connect different HDMI sources to a single TV. This year leading TV makers also privately showed their TVs with built-in wireless.

With the military and industrial security further developing wireless video technology such as mesh, and the home market launching new standards to make HD wireless affordable for all, commercial AV integrators will be taking a new look at wireless in the next couple of years. Wireless will not replace all wires, but each technology will own separate applications as bestsuited. Already conference rooms of 2015 will require more wireless connections for mobile devices and fewer traditional AV connectors.

“We’ll believe it when we see it,” will be the attitude of most integrators. But the advantage of a consumer-driven market is we will see millions testing it before pro markets will have to adapt it to commercial use. Just like the iPad. Between the rise of tablets, the shift to mobile in IT and cloud computing, the pro-AV industry will finally confront and conquer its wireless fear. IE

Pro AV must follow the consumer market into the wireless domain

www.installationeurope.com

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Opinion

Blair Parkin

Uncovering the economy As tales of economic uncertainty continue to fill the news, doing your own research into the situation and focusing on what’s important to your customers will help AV companies survive the changes he last few weeks appear to show that the global economy is crumbling. Entire nations are sinking under their debts and an entire currency, the euro, is apparently in danger of collapse. The media are reporting these things with increasing fervour. I do not regard myself as having any understanding of global finances and indeed my one foray into such things means I have a Greek euro mortgage to pay for the Greek house that is my pension…

This has left me wondering: who really does understand what is going on and what the outcome will be? Perhaps more importantly, what influence will it have on the communications technology marketplace of which AV and IT form part?

As the leader of a UK-based business working with clients in over 10 countries worldwide it seemed an appropriate time to study some economics. I started by talking to our bank, HSBC. They provided two things – a pitch to sell hedged/forward-purchased currencies and a weblink to an inaccessible and somewhat contradictory piece written by Stephen King, their chief economist.

Wading through what he has to say, it all seems simple. Economists do not know and take no accountability for their forecasts, and all have different opinions.

It seems our bank fees go to pay economists earning seven-figure salaries so that they can tell us that they do not know what is going to happen. Then, bizarrely, I turned to Ray, an architect who we are collaborating with and asked his view on the economy and economics.

Surprisingly he had a very succinct response. He steered me towards a book called The Experience Economy by Joseph Pine and James Gilmore. The book is full of insight and something of a revelation.

Then, I had lunch with Greg Jeffreys, our erstwhile InfoComm president – he came clutching a copy of Tim Harford’s The Undercover Economist. It seems I am not alone in taking a self-help approach to surviving the current economic gloom. Serious reading commenced.

The opening gambit of The Experience Economy is “Goods and services are never enough”. Further on, a detailed review of what makes a business successful compares types of offering from commodities, goods through to services and then defines a final category of ‘experiences’. I found myself seeing many of the AV and IT businesses I deal with fitting into these categories. The ones that are persistently successful and ride

T

www.installationeurope.com

Do some reading and draw your own conclusions rather than relying on ‘experts’

the ups and downs of global economic changes tend to fit into the latter two categories of service- or experience-based businesses. They understand that the client’s expectation and not the price of the box are what count; they understand value, and that price plays a part in this equation but it is not the only factor.

Repeat business and long-term client relationships are the core to their survival. They provide a service based on artisan skills and domain expertise.

‘The AV world is forgetting that people make a difference’ The commodity or box-shifting world everyone so fears does not fit into this experience- or outcome-based world. The depth of knowledge of the representatives of the company provide confidence and surety in a buying decision and the level of added value is seen in the quality of integration into a building or project.

Face value So it seems somewhat counter-intuitive to me that so many of the main distributors we know are reducing the training of their staff and diverting customers to the web to order, rather than meet and greet a knowledgeable team member. Does the value of the integrated AV/IT system best communicate itself via a website? Do the technical products that manufacturers and distributors seek to get their

partners to lead with sell best via a price list and emailed data sheets?

The big IT providers of the likes of Cisco and HP who have entered this market bring many things to raise the game of the smaller companies, but they also bring large-company mentality, which can be about cutbacks and soulless lower-cost ways of marketing, rather than promoting people and knowledge in an industry sector that in reality is an artisan one.

Solid and well-established ownermanaged integrators and suppliers such as Saville Group and DJ Willrich clearly value their customers, train their staff and take a long-term view as to the economy and consistently delivering a profitable bottom line. Their competitors have come and gone, often in a blast of advertising and publicity.

Manufacturers like Barco, JVC, Panasonic and Sony have cycled over the years. When they have put people and knowledge at the centre of their offering they are successful, when they tried to become commodity products businesses in the pro-AV sector they have generally failed. Christie has spent over a decade in Europe focused on people and knowledge to create a real buying experience. But one major manufacturer’s products, once so ably represented by independent distributors, have disappeared into a cloud of one-call numbers for Europe, web ordering and seemingly little focus on people and knowledge. Two other big names seem so busy competing with each other that they are starting to forget to communicate with the market. And don’t start me on distributors. The only one I can see that is enhancing the buying experience is Imago, with all the

Countries and currencies are crumbling as the global economy falters

others trying to become IT box shifters or reducing their knowledgeable people from the field and moving to web ordering. This is fine if you are Amazon, but if you are trying to distribute complex digital switchers, mount products with more options than a Starbucks coffee, display technologies and processors then the commodity approach seems the wrong one.

These things are not static but once you have absorbed The Experience Economy and The Undercover Economist you can start to unpack potential success from failure just by analysing the people and style of business. Here we are in the decade of the web and the smart mobile device and it is beginning to look to me that the AV world is forgetting that people make a difference. Knowledge, personality and a people-based customer service culture are differentiators in a crowded market. Make your business an experience to deal with (in a positive way!) and it can lay the foundations for a profitable long-term future.

So, for some sense while all about you are losing theirs, I recommend reading some accessible economics books, drawing your own conclusions, and applying what seems relevant to your own individual circumstances. Good luck and a happy 2012. IE

Further reading . Stephen King, HSBC – http://tinyurl.com/HSBCking

. The Experience Economy by Joseph Pine & James Gilmore

. The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford IE January 2012 15

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Approaching Amsterdam The ISE Daily team rounds up the latest news from the 2012 show

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ith record attendance figures in 2011, new halls for 2012 and additional growth planned for 2013, ISE is certainly a booming show. Mike Blackman, managing director of Integrated Systems Events, believes 2012 will be “the biggest ever ISE” as showfloor developments combine with a strong training and seminar programme. New for this year is the Unified Communications hall in Hall 12 and larger spaces for digital signage and residential solutions. The conference programme will include the inaugural Dynamic Events conference, looking at international ceremonies, while digital-signage focused DiSCO will return for a second year.

Monday 30 January will see ISE’s first-ever Keynote Address with Gerhard Schulz, senior VP Central Europe for Ingram Micro, unveiling his vision for how the electronic systems integration community can respond to the challenges posed by the transition from analogue to digital.

New developments in 2012 could make for another record breaking year

Audio Back on the showfloor, the RayOn 100 column loudspeaker is one of the highlights of Active Audio’s presence at ISE 2012. The 1m-high column speaker can be mounted vertically and, therefore, very close to the wall. Yielding a consistent sound with strong directivity, the Ray-On 100’s design is based around the Active Audiopatented DGRC (Digital and Geometric Radiation Control) principle, which specifies a combination of electronic and geometric line arrays whereby the loudspeakers are mounted by group on a stepped structure. The wavefront is shaped and controlled by both the geometric positioning of the loudspeakers, and a specific filter for each step.

Designed for sound reinforcement of speech and music, the Ray-On 100 offers easy set-up and is available in two versions: low impedance and 100V. Bosch Security Systems is highlighting the OMNEO media networking architecture at ISE. OMNEO has two components; a media program transport protocol suite that offers low-latency, highquality multichannel media 16 IE January 2012

stream exchange; and a robust control protocol suite that provides reliable and secure system control for pro media networks of all sizes, from small to intercontinental. OMNEO will operate over standard Ethernet networks, and will be fully compliant with all emerging standards.

OMNEO’s program transport component is the result of a partnership between Bosch Security Systems and Audinate, while the system control component is an open development from the AES24 protocol architecture.

Cloud Electronics will exhibit two additions to its PM range of zone paging microphones in Amsterdam. The PM4-SA and PM8-SA feature identical functions to the existing PM4 and PM8, but introduce Spot Announcement capabilities to the range, giving users access to pre-recorded announcements, adverts, stings, alarm sounds or even warnings from the push of a button or fired by remote contact closure switches from a timer, PIR or similar device.

The microphones can hold up

to four (PM4-SA) or eight (PM8SA) pre-recorded messages, of any length. These are stored internally on a standard SD memory card in the base of the unit. Up to four (PM4-SA) or eight (PM8-SA) preannouncement chimes can also be stored on the card.

The KF200NT loudspeaker module will be on EAW’s stand.

Oriented towards applications including corporate AV, performing arts venues and houses of worship, the module consists of a single 10in woofer with 2.5in voice coil and a coaxial mid-high driver consisting of 8in cone MF with 2in voice coil.

Also included are a 1.75in voice coil compression driver (HF) and a ‘perfectly matched’ 1,500W close coupled amplifier.

Three space-sensitive models from the EAW VF Series of passive speakers – the VFR69 6in two-way full-range loudspeaker, the VFR89 8in two-way full-range loudspeaker, and the VFM109 10in two-way stage monitor – will also be at ISE 2012.

Systems integrators visiting the show are to be given the opportu-

nity to hone their audio skills with Genelec. The audio technology developer will run sessions on its stand throughout the show, allowing integrators to get hands-on with products and see demos of acoustic simulation software for the fixed installation market.

Delegates will have a chance to get up close with the 4000 Series active loudspeakers, as well as receiving an overview of different applications and basic guidelines for room acoustics and loudspeaker placement.

Course attendance is free; attendees will be entered into a prize draw to win a 6000A-Tube, Genelec’s limited-edition take on the desktop loudspeaker. To pre-register, email markus.kahelin@ genelec.com.

QSC will be showing its new TSC-3 Controller – a touchscreen controller designed to enable simple and cost-effective control for Q-Sys sys-

tems and other devices under QSys control. Q-Sys is an integrated system platform for audio system control of large-scale venues.

The TSC-3 uses Q-Sys Designer software to create custom control panels (called User Control Interfaces or UCIs), with buttons, faders, custom navigation and other software tools including bitmaps and other graphical images, and then deploys those control panels to this interface.

These UCIs can then be used to control any aspect of a Q-Sys system and other elements that are put under Q-Sys control, including CD and DVD players, projectors and video switchers.

Tannoy’s new VLS (Vertical Line Source) passive column range has a sleek curvilinear architectural profile designed for install applications. It comes in three models using proven transducer technology adapted from Tannoy’s award-winning QFlex steerable column range.

Also new are Tannoy’s VX Series and VXP Series, the latter featuring Lab.gruppen’s IDEEA (Intelli-Drive Energy Efficient Amplifier) power module. These passive and selfpowered loudspeakers build on the success of the V Series, with an expanded line-up that includes twin driver configurations and new Q-Centric Waveguide transducer technology for optimal tonal clarity.

Technomad’s DragonFly is described as the world’s first completely weatherproof, all-in-one, self-casing portable PA system for the commercial pro-audio market.

The DragonFly’s weatherproof design protects system components from moisture, dirt, shock and other elements in The PM4-SA and PM8-SA are new from Cloud Electronics

www.installationeurope.com

in

CORIOgraphy outdoor environments.

The inclusion of green, rechargeable and long-lasting NiMH battery power, along with what the company says is a potent audio output, supports mobile audio free of extension cords for crowds of approximately 2,150.

Digital signage Camvine is introducing two customised cloud-based digital signage modules at ISE 2012.

CODAcall and CODAchannel modules are designed to provide a wide variety of businesses with powerful tools to communicate with their target audiences.

CODAchannel is said to enable DOOH advertising network owners to rapidly and efficiently control live and dynamic content across many displays. The module drives displays, mixing live data feeds, custom messages and highimpact visual content.

CODAcall, meanwhile, is a video and audio announcer, enabling messages to interrupt playlists to make visual and audio announcements. The messages are editable and can be triggered externally by either manual or automatic intervention.

Elo TouchSystems is broadening its line of Interactive Digital Signage (IDS) touch systems by launching a 55in model and introducing an additional touch technology available on the IDS family.

The new 55in 5500L is a largeformat touch display useful for interactive advertising, way-finding, point-of-information and so on. The company says that it offers a high-performance touch solution for interactive digital displays in high-traffic environments. The display is housed in a highly durable steel chassis, and features a thinner profile and an LED-backlit LCD panel which reduces power consumption and heat output.

The 5500L features a choice of

two touchscreen technologies, each with pure glass construction for visual clarity. Optical touch provides multitouch (up to four touches) and gesture support (Microsoft Windows 7 required), while the IntelliTouch single touch surface acoustic wave touchscreen is said to stand out for its consistent reliability.

The latest 42in autostereoscopic 3D display from Philips will be on show at the stand of MMD, the exclusive marketer and reseller for Philips-branded LCD monitors and public signage displays worldwide.

The BDL4251VS achieves its 3D image quality thanks to its 28 lenticular views, via which the audience is able to peek around objects, depending on where they are standing in relation to the display itself. It offers what is said to be the widest 3D viewing angle available in the market, and the possibility to change the optimal viewing distance of the 3D display.

Its ability to display both 2D and 3D material makes it suitable for the digital signage market, according to MMD. Rotapanel has produced its Digital Advertising Display range of LCD screens with 24/7 operation in mind. New for ISE are double-sided and multi-touch displays. The company says that its product range features industrial quality 1,920 x 1,080 Samsung Pro DiD HD/LCD screens with high contrast and brightness of 700cd/sqm.

The screens come in what is described as a robust powdercoated aluminium housing in the full range of RAL colours, and can be freestanding or wall-mounted.

Video

Elo will add a 55in model to its range of Interactive Digital Signage systems

www.installationeurope.com

Screen manufacturer dnp is showing enhanced versions of its Supernova products, alongside its Zenith rear-projection screen. The Supernova Core screen, which has a new frame and mounting, allows viewers to achieve highquality front projection without a dedicated darkened room. The company claims that its ‘easy to assemble’ principle has been improved, and that its frame and hanging accessories will make it easier for users to wall-mount the display.

The Ray-On 100 column loudspeaker will take centre stage on the Active Audio stand

The Supernova Flex Classic is a simplified version of the Supernova Flex screen.

It targets the mid- to highend market for meeting and boardrooms, and is available in wall-mounted or ceilingmounted versions, both in 16:9 format.

Extron is presenting its XTP CrossPoint systems, which are said to provide a flexible, reliable and fully integrated signal switching and distribution solution for multiple digital and analogue formats.

The switchers support local connectivity as well as extended transmission capability for sending high-resolution video, audio, RS-232, Ethernet, and power up to 330ft over a Cat5 cable.

The switchers are modular and expandable up to 16 x 16 or 32 x 32, and can be populated with input and output boards for long distance transmission when paired with XTP transmitters and receivers. I/O boards are also available for direct HDMI, DVI, VGA, video, and audio connections to support local sources and displays.

Extron claims that the XTP CrossPoint, which is HDCP compliant, delivers ultra-fast, highly reliable digital switching, using the company’s SpeedSwitch Technology, as well as a series of integrator-friendly features in a bid to streamline integration. These include a number of Extron-exclusive technologies such as SD Pro, which enables the processing of standard-definition video signals; and EDID Minder, which manages EDID communications between devices.

The EYE-LCD-6000-QHD-LD with Direct-LED backlight is the latest addition to eyevis’ EYE-LCD of high-resolution LCD monitors.

The new launch provides quad Full HD resolution with 3,840 x 2,160 pixels on a 60in screen.

The Direct-LED backlight technology is said to guarantee uniform image representation over the entire screen surface. The spec includes a brightness level of 500cd/sqm, a contrast ratio of 5,000:1 and a response of only 6ms. The screen is controlled via four DVI inputs, while a specially developed input controller solution facilitates the perfect display of the connected signals.

Hetec is launching the V-Switch quad XP at ISE. The company

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describes it as an exclusive combination of a Multiviewer and a KVM switch displaying four computers/videos simultaneously on a single display or touchscreen with keyboard and mouse control.

In addition to preconfigured quad, PiP and fullscreen modes, each source can be freely sized and positioned on the display, and the image transparency of overlapping parts can be set. Each source is shown at full frame rate, allowing for the display of four digital highresolution Full HD movies simultaneously. The V-Switch quad XP supports any mix of VGA and DVI up to 1920 x 1200@60 resolution at both input and output.

Hetec is also demonstrating what the company says is an eyecatching videowall design, with the wall layout matching the video content.

According to German KVM/DVI switch and extender manufacturer IHSE, it is the only company in the world that can supply a solution with the specifications and performance of its Draco switch.

Described as cost-effective and reliable, the Draco tera matrix is said to be especially suited for

medium and large AV post-production studios and TV studio installations as well as control centres of all kinds.

Using extender units on the CPU and console side, IHSE says that the matrix provides the fastest instant switching currently available between video sources, including instant access to CPUs with no IP routing and no monitor resync. The matrix serves as a router and repeater, allowing CPUs or video sources to be located up to 400ft from the user on either side using Cat5e cables or, for distances up to several kilometres, using fibre connections.

Signal distribution specialist Magenta Research has launched an updated version of its MultiView line, which has served for more than a decade as an adaptable distribution system for pro-AV signals over UTP cable. The new MultiView II can replicate 1080p (and higher) resolution video at up to 610m.

Where previous MultiView products required internal jumper repositioning to change configurations, MultiView II introduces a totally revamped, all external con-

figuration scheme with easy-to-use buttons and status LEDs. It also offers improved EDID and DDC modes of operation; full sync control; fourth-pair configuration options (for aux data like serial and audio); streamlined connector locations for more intuitive rack mounting; and it is fully backwards compatible with previous MultiView equipment.

ONELAN has doubled the size of its stand at ISE this year, to feature its new videowall and other products. These include a new generation of Net-Top-Box (NTB) platforms, with HD capture capabilities for the high- and medium-end options; a low-cost Retail Media Player; and a lowcost Streaming Media Player.

New NTB features include a graphical input and display of time validity per media item; a view of channel health and channel reconfiguration via DSM; fast output preview; detailed player health information; and the ability to fade stills.

The new indoor SMD 6mm rigger cabinet from Retop is designed for events that require a slim, modular LED system that is

Hetec’s V-Switch quad XP will be launched at ISE

easily serviceable and delivers a consistent image to audiences. The lightweight design of the new P6 cabinets enables fast installation and easier transportation (taking 6sqm in a single flight case), and makes flying the panels fast, easy and safe. They have rigging points and rig-locks at the top and bottom, for quick installation.

The new U-Rigger cabinet has a ‘revolutionary’ heat sink design to ensure improved cooling, with ribs on all four sides of the rear of the

cabinets to dissipate heat. This is claimed to makes it the quietest panel in its class.

Control The new Gefen Professional Automation Control System (PACS) offers a versatile new way in which to automate the control of multiple audio/video devices.

With PACS, it is possible to set up every detail of audio/video system control using any web browser to configure the system

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dnp’s Supernova Flex Classic screen targets the mid- to high-end market for meeting and boardrooms

through the IP port. This is said to makes automation of standard audio/video processes, such as input switching and output distribution, easy and affordable.

Source selection, volume control, video distribution and more can be automated on a one-time or regular basis. The PACS facilitates control of HDTV displays (on/off), Blu-ray players, matrix switchers, distribution amplifiers, scalers and more from a central interface. It is also possible to access audio/video devices using RS-232, IR blaster or the Phoenix contact closure points.

Configurable by IP, inputs can be programmed to switch or turn on and off, and IR commands

20 IE January 2012

can be delivered.

Energy Star-compliant, PACS operates through a secure Ethernet 10/100 BaseT connection and comes with a locking power supply to prevent disconnects.

Medialon is presenting CueMaster, its new iPad app, which is designed to control any AV equipment without the need for PC programming.

CueMaster is a multi-touch app which integrates Medialon’s Show Control with the interface of an iPad. Users will be able to select a device and a command, and then apply it to a button. Several commands can be applied to the same button if required.

A range of pre-existing

button/slider/display combinations designed by show operators allows users to create an unlimited number of pages to organise commands and macros. A designated cue button allows sequential execution of cue lists each time it is hit, and random selection in the cue list is possible.

It is connectable via WiFi or wire, and can control lighting and audio consoles, audio processors, video and media servers, lighting fixtures, and special effects. It provides two serial ports, one MIDI in/out, TCP/IP, one DMX output, and four I/Os.

Residential UK distributor AWE is hosting the mainland European launch of the Kinetik Labs range of CI speakers – and says it will be on the lookout for distributor partners at ISE. The Kinetik products include a range of new and improved CI in-ceiling speakers and speaker cables.

AWE is also showing DF Solutions’ multi-room on-demand content distribution platform, offering instant access to thousands of Blu-ray movies, DVDs, CDs and internet streaming con-

tent. It offers a polished control system and iPad/Android tablet control integration. Its flagship 3D Base can distribute 3D Blu-ray movies, Spotify and all types of streaming content to any room.

Belgium’s Fasttel is showing its new door phone product, which it claims is the first ever application that is able to send voice as well as images to a smartphone in real time over the internet (3G or WiFi).

The company says it has developed this product due to customer demand, and that although it has long been possible to speak to visitors and enable access using a mobile phone, this application allows users to see visitors from anywhere in the world.

If there is no internet connection, the Fasttel door phone will call the user’s mobile phone via his or her landline phone; and within the user’s home, the application will use the WiFi connection by default.

It is also possible to view through multiple cameras without having someone called up, so Fasttel says the application is ideal

Medialon will be showcasing CueMaster in Amsterdam

for video surveillance. Other executable control actions include users being able to open their gates from their vehicle upon entering their street.

All of these functions can be carried out using an iPhone or iPad, and in the next few months, the manufacturer will also launch an Android and PC application. www.iseurope.org Produced by Installation Europe, The ISE Daily is the official newspaper of Integrated Systems Europe. It is put together from an office on the show floor and distributed to attendees at hotels, on shuttle buses and on arrival at the event.

The ISE 2012 exhibition runs from 31 January to 2 February at the RAI Centre, Amsterdam; the conference programme begins on 30 January.

www.installationeurope.com

Markets: Schools

A passion for learning As governments across Europe look to reduce spending, education budgets continue to face cuts.

However, as Ian McMurray reports, leasing and training schemes, along with a continued desire to embrace new technologies, have ensured the market remains strong for AV products Steljes, which distributes SMART classroom technology, offers upgrade discounts and a leasing programme

Key points . Budgets are under severe scrutiny – but they are still there. In general, the AV industry continues to be enthused about the opportunity that education represents

. 3D has unquestionable potential. However, in the near term, lack of content and expensive glasses are slowing adoption. Offering a complete, proven package is the way forward

. Affordability is, more than ever, a focus. Creative leasing schemes, upgrade programmes and providing lower-cost/functionality alternative solutions are ways in which the industry is addressing this

. Educators are becoming f you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” So said Derek Bok, one-time president of Harvard University. The fact is: education is expensive. It’s no surprise, then, that during times of economic hardship education is one of the first places where politicians look for savings (see boxout, page 25).

It is also true that education has become progressively more expensive as governments have looked to raise educational attainment by investing in information and communications technology (ICT). In the UK, for example, the £55 billion Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative was designed to see every state secondary school in England rebuilt or remodelled to incorporate the latest ICT equipment that would revolutionise the classroom. (In 2010, however, it fell victim to budget constraints, and the programme was cut in order to save £1 billion.)

The AV industry has been a primary beneficiary of this high level of investment – not only in the UK, but throughout Europe and, indeed, the world – and, for many manufacturers and integrators, education is a significant market. The question is: can it retain that significance?

The industry is, for the most part, guardedly upbeat. “Judging by how busy our education business development consultants are, there is still budget for the right solution,” says Martine Dodwell-Bennett, sales

I

22 IE January 2012

and marketing director at UK distributor Steljes, “but schools are being more cautious about spending and want to fully understand how the solution will integrate with their existing AV infrastructure.”

“There still appear to be significant levels of funding,” notes Shaun Hodgson, central tender manager at integrator Saville. “However, the ways in which budgets are utilised does seem to be changing and securing them is getting tougher.”

Axel Kutschke, who is product manager at Hitachi EMEA, also sees a change in the way money is allocated.

“The budget structure has changed, as there used to be dedicated projector budgets available,” he says. “However, that is no longer the case. Now there are general budgets which are used to buy not only AV products but all education equipment and supplies.”

“The impression I get is that although capital expenditure has been cut,” says Mark Robinson, head of global education product strategy at Promethean, “school leaders continue to have numerous options and incentives to innovate and develop the right combination of staffing, AV and other technology/educational investments.”

“There is no doubt that budgets are tight although expenditure in UK schools was significantly protected in last year’s comprehensive spending review compared with the cuts that were made elsewhere in the public

smarter about total cost of ownership – and more concerned about environmental issues.

Solutions that have a lower lifetime cost and greener credentials are finding favour

. Despite appearances to the contrary, the market for AV solutions in schools is far from saturated. This, together with the replacement/ upgrade opportunity, continues to make the market an attractive one

‘There is no doubt that budgets are tight’ Mark Robinson, Promethean

purse,” he continues. “What has changed, though, is the approach to schools funding; much of it is now going directly to schools and with very few guidelines on how it should be spent – that is down to the local management team in the school who are held accountable only to the outcomes in the form of the performance of the school. This new approach creates new challenges for the AV industry: how do you find the AV buying decisions that are out there in the market, and how do you demonstrate the value of the solution you are offering? Market access and

demonstrating ROI will be the key challenges for 2012.”

Know your priorities Neil Hartigan, channel director for NEC Display Systems, probably sums up the view of many. “In general,” he says, “there is less money available and schools must prioritise how the money is spent: however, there are still areas of education with budget.”

What becomes apparent is that education is becoming a more challenging market in which to succeed – not only because budget is not as freely available as it once was, but also because of significantly increased competition together with the plethora of choices facing educators.

It could be that the advent of 3D is timely, with many agreeing that education is a market in which 3D unquestionably has value. That www.installationeurope.com

Markets: Schools

perception appeared to be confirmed by a recent study carried out in 15 schools across Europe and sponsored

by Texas Instruments (TI) – TI’s DLP technology is the technology of choice for most 3D projectors – which demonstrated that the use of 3D projection in the classroom increased student engagement, concentration and test scores when compared with 2D projection (see November’s IE.).

If the industry is cautiously upbeat about spending on AV in education, it is, for the most part, merely cautious about 3D. “There is no doubt that the educational benefits of 3D in education can be real,” says James Hsu, director of operations and product management at Vivitek. “Currently, however, the lack of a complete solution makes it difficult for 3D to succeed because publishers do not have a complete 3D content offering, and systems integrators do not have a compelling complete 3D package to offer to schools.”

Kutschke also notes the issue of content. “While there are products available, I am not convinced the classroom is ready for 3D,” he says.

“The cost to implement 3D is extremely high. Not only does it require several pieces of AV equipment but schools would also need to purchase a large number of glasses and various content packages to suit different teaching

levels. Health and safety issues associated with active glasses are still a concern for many educators, as are the replacement and repair costs.”

“And,” adds Kutschke, “at the moment, there is limited 3D content available, which may be due to the low levels of demand.”

Compelling content Dodwell-Bennett also sees the availability of content as being key to the uptake of 3D in education – but the picture she sees is a very different one.

“Educators can take advantage of 3D if they have great 3D content,” she says.

“As a distributor of 3D-capable products, we have partnered with Gaia to offer a projection and software bundle that brings over 1,500 3D resources into the classroom.”

Offering a complete package to schools and colleges is, then, the way forward – a point made by Saville’s Hodgson. “The key role of the industry here is to create full solutions rather than just selling product,” he says. “The provider that can help the customer secure budget will be successful.

Provision of suitable requirement, design and specifications documentation will help demonstrate good use of spend.”

Resistance is, believes Robinson, futile. “Current generations of consumer cameras often feature the

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Short-throw projectors improve interactivity Hove Park School in the UK is an 11-18 Languages Specialist School that caters for 1,750 students on two large sites. It required over 100 video projectors in order to deliver an increasingly digitised curriculum with ICT at the heart of a motivating interactive methodology.

A school inspection noted that “resources such as interactive whiteboards are well used to display information but not to encourage interactive learning”.

As school managers addressed this issue, they found many projectors had been installed at just above head height, over 1.5m away from the interactive whiteboard. When pupils and teachers interacted with the projected content, they not only cast obscuring shadows over the whiteboard, but also risked eye www.installationeurope.com

injury from the lamp, which beamed just above their line of vision.

The school invested in Hitachi ED-A100 short-throw projectors, which can project a 60in image at a distance of only 9.6cm from the front of the projector to the whiteboard. Now students and staff can face the class as they interact with the whiteboard without risk of damaging their eyes. This has unlocked the teaching and learning potential of interactive technology and has led, says the school, to lively and outstanding lessons. By using the Hitachi ED-A100 with interactive or standard whiteboards, users can maintain eye contact with their audience and not have to turn their backs on the class. Any teacher will tell you the importance of that golden rule.

IE January 2012 23

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Markets: Schools

ability to take 3D pictures and generate the files that a suitable software player can project too – and this is likely to prove key in the future,” he says. “This move from passive viewing of 3D to the creation, interaction with and the consumption of 3D in schools can only lead to greater adoption as the education community becomes able to add its own content. The popularity and use of 3D programs like Google SketchUp and Games Developer platforms in schools, combined with the rapid growth of 3D in the consumer electronics market, will lead to even more standards and more

But even if everything is not 100% in place – whether it’s content or affordable glasses – all is far from lost, as Hartigan points out. “Many schools are buying 3D-ready projectors as a form of futureproofing”, he says.

“They’re investing for the future.

Although the cost of the projector is reasonably small, it is the cost of the ancillary equipment such as glasses that is holding back schools. When these prices reach an acceptable level, I believe that adoption will grow very quickly.”

It seems likely that significant 3D installations in education may take a little while: the main impact of 3D today is in the projector replacement market. Few, if any, of the projectors now shipping to schools and colleges are not 3D-capable. The challenge for the industry, however, is how to address the upgrade/replacement opportunity.

Technology upgrade

‘Educators can take advantage of 3D if they have great 3D content’ Martine Dodwell-Bennett, Steljes

plug-and-play solutions. It is certainly early days for 3D, but it is fast becoming pervasive in the TV, video game and movie arenas in which modern learners live. It is very likely that we will see an increasing adoption of 3D as a vehicle for even more engaging and immersive classroom and learning experiences or in tackling hard-to-teach concepts.”

Spending on schools Education budgets in the largest European countries are well in excess of €100 billion each year. Spending on education averages around 4% of GDP. In the French budget for 2012, however, 12,000 jobs in education are expected to be lost. That’s nothing compared to Italy, where – prior to his resignation – Silvio Berlusconi was talking about eliminating an eyewatering 130,000 jobs in the sector, and reducing spending by €9 billion.

Strikes took place in Belgium to protest against plans to increase the retirement age of teachers while reducing their salaries. In the UK, researchers at the Institute for Fiscal Studies have calculated that public spending on UK education will fall by 14.4% between 2010-11 and 2014-15, the largest cut since the 1950s. www.installationeurope.com

Both Hsu and Kutschke point out the considerable total cost of ownership (TCO) advantages of newer equipment as an important justification that enables educators to make their budgets stretch further. Meanwhile, a recent Promethean study discovered that around one in three schools are planning to replace their existing IWB estate in order to take advantage of the improved capabilities of the newest products.

Steljes offers both upgrade discounts and a leasing programme. “Our leasing programme is starting to have a positive impact on our sales figures as schools are now ordering the complete solution knowing that they can spread payments over a number of years,” notes DodwellBennett. She also points to the growing popularity of visualisers, together with voting systems and the SMART Response system, the latter enabling teachers to quickly establish who has learned what.

Interactive whiteboards have become an AV mainstay in the education market, helping to deliver the interactivity and engagement that are believed to be fundamental to educational improvement.

“But,” says Robinson, “an effective classroom features many other elements that support good teaching and learning. With integrated solutions, teachers can access an array of technologies that are designed by teachers for teachers to make their lives easier and their lessons more effective and engaging.”

He goes on to describe how Promethean’s Learner Response Systems have evolved well beyond voting and now offer text- and equation-based contributions.

Questions can be pre-authored or asked ad hoc, and the teacher can use the instant results to plan a lesson dynamically and in direct response to each individual student’s needs.”

For Hartigan, being successful in the upgrade/replacement market is all about understanding the real world in which NEC’s customers operate. “Projectors,

CASE STUDY

New campus, new IWBs Wellington Academy was established to become one of the best non-selective state schools in the UK. Specialising in Modern Foreign Languages and Business & Enterprise, the Academy teaches students aged 11 through to 18. After accessing £32 million of Academy funding, Wellington recently opened its doors to a state-of-the-art campus, with the vision that ‘successful schools change lives for the better’.

Believing that ICT, and in particular, interactive whiteboards (IWB), had a key part to play in driving forward pedagogy and creating an engaging learning experience for students, the school focused on the need to invest in the very latest technology. It chose Promethean’s

‘The provider that can help the customer secure budget will be successful’ Shaun Hodgson, Saville

for instance, should be able to use the same ceiling mount as legacy units to reduce installation costs,” he says. “Also, when replacing larger projector items such as lenses, they should be upwards compatible with new equipment to minimise the budget outlay.” He goes on to note the growing demand from educational users for communications solutions such as digital signage and wayfinding meeting-room applications.

Saville’s Hodgson makes a similar point. “Our technical managers work

ActivBoard 500, eventually installing 60 of them.

The ActivBoard 500 allows users to easily move and scale objects with finger-touch in conjunction with the precision of the pen for tasks such as writing or drawing.

With the ActivBoard 500 installed in all classrooms, including open-space areas and music rooms, the teaching of all subjects is being enhanced by IWB technology. The intuitive nature of the system has encouraged the highest level of adoption, together with training provided by Promethean: it was believed that IWBs on the previous campus had been underused through lack of teacher confidence.

closely with end-users and our own people to understand how equipment is used, what improvements are desired and what economic and environmental factors are important,” he says. “The industry needs to listen to the user base, review successes and look at whole-lifetime costs, both economic and environmental. Those who do will find opportunity.”

But will that opportunity be a profitable one? Hsu doesn’t think much will change. “There is constant price pressure in the AV industry with fierce competitors in the market, and the competition to be the first to launch innovative solutions,” he says.

“The winners of this are clearly the end-users, with more available models to choose from and competitive prices.”

Hartigan agrees – to a point. “Prices and margins will always come under pressure in a market such as education which has so much focus from so many vendors,” he says. “Where higher education has somewhat more flexibility, the projector market in education has become extremely competitive and the margin opportunities are not what they were in the past. At times, schools do compromise on quality because of budget constraints.”

With this in mind, savvy suppliers are providing a range of price/ performance options. “At Steljes, we stock a range of products from rival vendors to give our resellers as much choice as possible,” notes DodwellBennett. “There are products for all IE January 2012 25

Markets: Schools

Promethean's ActivExpression Learner Response System allows students to answer questions at their own pace

budgets, whether they are big or small.”

“Prices and margins are coming under significant pressure and have been doing so for a long time,” says Hodgson. “Procurement people within the education sector are becoming wiser when it comes to AV; we still see

strong focus on price but the shift towards whole-life cost and obtaining the correct solution is moving in the right direction.”

Providing support Many talk about the need to ensure that appropriate service and support

agreements are in place, while training is a recurring theme as educators look to maximise the benefit of their investment.

“If interactive technology is to have the impact upon education which we believe is possible, teachers must be fully trained in its use,” points out Robinson. “Promethean offers professional development courses to suit all needs and budgets through its Academy training programme, which provides end-user training and online learning for partners and trainers.”

“We are finding that extended warranty and maintenance packages are proving increasingly popular as schools seek to stretch the lifetime of their ICT equipment,” he continues. “Promethean is able to offer a range of options from basic warranty on products to on-site repair, and free telephone, email and knowledge-base support.”

Steljes sees things similarly. “With the government emphasis on the quality of teaching, schools are spending more of their budget on training their teachers to be more proficient in their use of the AV they already have in the classroom,” says Dodwell-Bennett. “To help budgets go further, we have included training as part of our Steljes Leasing option – schools are making sure they get better use from their technology.

“Schools want to have complete peace of mind when purchasing a product.

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After all, who wants to stand in front of a classroom of 30 children with the technology not working? Resellers can make extra margin and increase customer loyalty by adding in support, maintenance and warranty packages to the overall solution.”

There seems little doubt that educators have embarked on a journey from which there is no turning back.

Equipping schools with computers has been followed by equipping them with projectors, interactive whiteboards, touch displays and more – and, increasingly, it looks as if pads and tablets will feature in the classroom of the future.

The fact is that AV technology is proven to deliver real benefit in the learning process. But the financial climate has changed the mood of euphoria to one of hard-nosed realism, in which budgets are being scrutinised more closely and spread more thinly.

The opportunity for manufacturers and integrators is, unquestionably, still there: it may just need even more focus, energy and creativity than they have historically needed to apply. IE

www.hitachidigitalmedia.com www.nec-display-solutions.com www.prometheanworld.com www.saville.co.uk www.steljes.co.uk www.vivitek.com

Bosch presents OMNEO, world’s first open public pro media network architecture. OMNEO offers highquality multi-channel media streaming and secure system control across a standard off-the-shelf Ethernet IP network. It will be compliant with emerging public standards, like AVB. At ISE Booth 3B112 (Hall 3), Bosch will also showcase other innovations: The DCN Conference System with its new

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Markets: Distributor Focus – France

C’est la AV In a new series of features looking at various countries’ distribution sectors, we begin with France, where the faltering economy is dampening spirits. David Davies finds the cheerier side of an unquestionably challenging period, highlighting some recent landmark projects and the resilient residential sector APG speakers were installed in the 495-seat centre of arts and culture in Meudon

Loïc Mayet from KEF loudspeaker brand representative GP Acoustics France reports that the company has experienced “stable business”, with some products – not least KEF’s latest slim ceiling speakers – registering attractive growth figures. Nonetheless, Mayet is clearly attuned to the wider context: “Commercial projects are currently suffering with lower budgets and postponed deadlines. The weaker economy and the endless attention given to it by the media are not encouraging people to invest.”

Ringing the changes?

nemployment at an 11-year high... Reduced growth forecasts for 2012... Emergency budgetary measures designed to help forestall a spiralling debt crisis... Fears for the retention of the much-prized Triple-A credit rating. Make no mistake: these are testing times for the French economy, and more specifically for president Nicolas Sarkozy, who must battle to bring the situation under control while preparing for what promises to be a very closely fought election in the spring.

The outlook is particularly troubling in the wider context of the seemingly unending eurozone crisis. Alongside German chancellor Angela Merkel, Sarkozy has been a figurehead of political efforts to fight economic contagion and implement reforms. But while the German economy is regaining much of its former lustre, its French equivalent looks increasingly battered and bewildered.

Recently announced plans for €65 billion of savings by 2016 do not bode particularly well for large-scale French public-sector projects. In addition, action to tackle enduring tax loopholes – although arguably long overdue – and increase corporation tax on businesses with high turnovers could threaten renewed activity in the private sector.

The delay or abandonment of major projects in the public sphere was certainly a recurring theme of the

U

28 IE January 2012

opinion gathered for this market focus – the first in a new format of IE country reports aiming to paint a portrait of the modern AV distribution sector.

Increased emphasis on solutions’ cost and effectiveness over the long run also received multiple airings from our contributors, most of whom were – despite the present challenges – determined to strike an upbeat tone.

There is no doubt, however, that the perilous nature of the French economy does cast a shadow over proceedings.

Whoever assumes power after the 2012 election, it’s likely to be several years before anyone is able to declare with confidence that the country has turned the corner.

Market factors Inevitably, the economy featured prominently in interviewees’ roll call of external factors shaping the distribution market. Lionel Nunney is director general of B&W Group France, which represents a range of AV brands, including Bowers & Wilkins, Classe, D-Box, Kaleidescape, NuVo, Rotel, Screen Research, Silent Wire and SIM2.

In general, says Nunney, the company had a rather good 2011 – up 12% on 2010 – but he admits that the closing months of the year were “tougher.

Many projects are awaiting final kickoff. Clearly, the poor economic conditions could have an adverse effect for the coming months. In addition,

‘New installers are blooming every day’ Loïc Mayet, GP Acoustics

2012 is an election year in France, which could result in a further deterioration in business conditions.”

Charlet Dadoun, director of audio brand TOA’s French distribution representative, isn’t quite sure what impact – if any – the forthcoming poll will have on the country’s economic prospects. He is in no doubt, though, that some people are prioritising price “in front of technology at present. In addition, the number of projects for the government and the private sector – theatres, retail, etc – is decreasing.”

Economic uncertainty can frequently yield two strikingly different effects: an increased search for stability as everyone hunkers down and waits for better times, or radical change as companies look to shake up their existing relationships and broker new ones in the hope of greater rewards. In France, the former result is in greater evidence, with few dramatic changes affecting the distribution sector over the past year.

That’s not to say there haven’t been some notable developments. European distributor TDMaverick – which has rolled out a value-added service-based specialist distribution model in the UK, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands – recently added a French office to its portfolio. Led by Philippe Baracetti, TDMaverick France sells a full range of AV products including projectors, large-format displays, interactive whiteboards and accessories.

Also strengthening its presence in the French market was enterprise IP video company VBrick. As part of the latest expansion of its European partner programme, the company enlisted the services of Villepointe-based IT solutions distributor Visualdis. Part of the Infodis Group, Visualdis maintains a network of dozens of reseller partners in France who sell VBrick solutions.

Meanwhile, pro amplifier giant Lab.gruppen was among the manufacturers to recognise the achievements of its French distribution partners, naming Norroy-le-Veneurbased DV2 Audio its Distributor of the Year 2011 – Europe. Reflecting on all three of its worldwide distribution award winners in an accompanying statement, Lab.gruppen’s Miguel Hadelich expressed the company’s gratitude to all their staff, “who have worked tirelessly to provide the very best service to their customer base, and also help educate them about the many benefits that Lab.gruppen products can bring to their inventory.” www.installationeurope.com

Markets: Distributor Focus – France

‘Many projects are awaiting final kick-off’ Lionel Nunney, B&W Group France

More generally, there is evidence that distributors are working hard to respond to the demand for increasingly sophisticated integrations. As Mayet observes: “Distributors aim to offer complete solutions. Regular hi-fi stores are now trying to catch up the installation market. Moreover new installers are blooming every day and getting in contact with us.”

There is also an increased emphasis on promoting directly to end-users and engineers. “We don’t sell to them; only promote,” clarifies Dadoun. “Direct promotion to end-users is a key factor in our ongoing success.”

www.installationeurope.com

What, though, of the in-demand technologies? Re-confirming an overriding theme of IE’s previous market focus features, it is clear that France is profoundly affected by digital audio’s onward march. “Digital amplifiers and digital matrix solutions are very popular with our customers,” confirms Dadoun.

Flexibility of audio system deployment is another watchword. GP Acoustics is among the beneficiaries, with Mayet noting that KEF’s “Uni-Q technology allows integrators to use fewer speakers in a room thanks to the wide sound spreading over the room. In addition, Uni-Q allows more flexibility in the positioning of the speaker in the ceiling while maintaining high-quality sound coverage.” Mayet also reports strong demand for KEF’s retractable, motorised speakers – one of several developments designed to ease the incorporation of loudspeaker technology into the aesthetic of any given room.

Elsewhere, recent project stories on the IE website and in the print edition point to healthy demand for high-end visual display solutions, particularly in schools and colleges of higher education.

Robust residential A flurry of distinctive case studies on IE Residential (IE’s online sister title) –

Refurbs point to healthy hotel sector As might be expected given the prevailing economic conditions, landmark installations appear to have been relatively few and far between in France over the past 12 months. But there have been some significant projects, particularly involving installations in and around the capital.

The long-term nature of any upgrade projects and an obvious need to ensure that customers’ expectations are met have conspired to keep the hotel sector relatively healthy. One recent project in this area has centred around a thorough renovation of Paris’s celebrated Royal Monceau hotel. Post-makeover, the Royal Monceau offers 149 rooms, suites and apartments, a 28m swimming pool, a 1,500sqm spa, an exhibition hall, an art library and a movie theatre, among many other facilities. GP Acoustics France was a key supplier, providing more than 200 of KEF’s Soundlight and Spotlight speakers for discreet deployment in the hotel’s bedrooms.

“The speakers used in the rooms are hidden behind mirrors integrating TV displays,” notes Mayet. “We used an

including a Henri Intégrateur Domotique-designed and -installed high-tech hideaway in Normandy

original in-ceiling sub/sat system consisting of four Spotlight speakers and a passive 4in stereo subwoofer. The sound is emitted from behind the mirror on the sides for an invisible installation.

The main difficulty was to find a thin enough set of speakers to position behind the 2.5m-high mirrors – a challenge that we addressed with the supply of Soundlight speakers.”

Staying in Paris, another notable 2011 installation entailed the provision of a Midas PRO3 live audio system for the Gustave Eiffel room, located on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. Resident sound engineer Alain Phillipon said that the PRO3 constituted “the perfect solution” for the 300-capacity venue, which offers panoramic views of the city and hosts events, including showcases, seminars, product presentations and conferences.

The past 12 months have also seen the IE website report on an APG loudspeaker install at the centre d’art et de culture in Meudon, and the specification of a Martin Professional lighting system at Paris’s Austerlitz Railway Station – among other projects.

(reported in August 2011) – underlines another key strand of our French market study: that, despite the

IE January 2012 29

Markets: Distributor Focus – France

residential market, which has been strong this year. [In particular] wireless multi-room audio is performing well,” confirms Nunney.

GP Acoustics’ Mayet does not attempt to downplay the impact of the present economic cycle on new construction, but he confirms the underlying strength of the custom installation market. Residential, he notes, accounts for approximately 85% of business, with high-end home cinema rooms continuing to soar in popularity.

Away from the residential sphere, there has been some rewarding work stemming from evacuation system upgrades prompted by the new EN54-1 regulation on fire detection and fire alarm technology. TOA France’s Charlet Dadoun also reports a spate of recent projects in locations such as railway stations, exhibition centres and nuclear power plants.

The DV2 team were named Lab.gruppen Distributor of the Year 2011 – Europe

present challenges, residential is one of the really bright spots.

Many of those who spoke to IE have a considerable presence in this market.

New-build projects have undoubtedly been affected this year – it hardly needs pointing out that construction is always one of the earliest victims of an economic downturn – but refurbishments and upgrades are fairly plentiful.

One company, which asked to

remain anonymous, described residential as “a bit of a beacon of light this year... There has been a steady stream of projects. Not all of them have been of high value, but they have been sufficient in number to really bump up the cashflow. Just the kind of dependable business you need in the midst of all the financial gloom!”

Others who spoke to IE confirmed the robustness of the residential market. “We mostly operate in the

Conclusion This has not exactly been a golden year for the French installation market – but then much the same could be said of the situation in numerous other nations. But it has hardly been a washout either, and in terms of defining

the future shape of the distribution sector, it could actually be said to have been a rather productive year.

Certainly, it is evident that many companies have reviewed the effectiveness of their offer to customers – from ensuring that basic logistics are fully up to speed, to strengthening their ability to offer complete solution packages. There is, too, a keen determination to reach out and engage the interest of all installation stakeholders – from architects (“we want to communicate more effectively with them as the interest of architects and interior designers in audio products is still weak,” says Mayet) to end-users (according to our anonymous contributor, “you have to try and see everything from their perspective – in the short and long term”).

Ultimately, of course, it is the wider financial situation that largely determines overall activity levels, and there is no denying that the outlook doesn’t look too good at present. There is a clear need for economic stimulus to get business moving again, and it’s likely this will be priority number one for whoever holds the top job in French politics after election day 2012. IE

www.apg.tm.fr www.bwgroup.fr www.dv2.fr www.kef.com www.labgruppen.com www.martin.com www.midasconsoles.com www.tdmaverick.fr www.toa.eu

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Markets: Touch and Gesture Interfaces

In touch with the future A growing number of markets, including retail, transport and education, are embracing touch interfaces, and their popularity is expected to continue to rise, as Adrian Pennington discovers

MultiTouch gesture-based deployments are increasing in the retail, museum and hospitality sectors

Key points . Touchscreens are popular because they engage customers and put them in control

. Gesture technologies are being introduced at consumer level

. Installation is straightforward; integrators have an opportunity to revisit clients and introduce them to new touch and gesture technologies

. It is only a matter of time before more of this technology comes to market at competitive prices, leading to increased uptake for most sectors

. The first generalpurpose touchscreen monitors are being introduced

ollowing the huge popularity of personal touch-enabled devices, there has been growing demand from end-users in every market area for solutions featuring touch interfaces, whether single-touch or multi-touch.

Single-touch can be seen at ticket machines and check-in kiosks at railway stations and airports, and allow for a single command to be given at a time; multi-touch can be seen in smartphones and tablets which allow users to touch the screen at multiple points, for example as they pinch the screen to zoom in and out.

Indeed one can easily imagine creative touch interfaces in just about any kind of environment, whether educational or corporate.

“The world is going touch,” says Mark Jones, MD, Touch2View. “In a commercial sense the enthusiasm for touch is a natural reservoir. It’s about engaging customers and that means putting them in control. Touchscreens and interactive content with gestures, movements and choice give them control.

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www.installationeurope.com

multi-touch solution for lowvolume embedded designs.”

MSC Gleichmann recently announced gesture-capable multi-touchscreen overlays featuring a touch sensor unrestricted by the size and shape of the display being used. “This can be made bigger to integrate extra functionality and capacitive touch keys around the perimeter of the display,” adds Bonnett.

‘Interactivity will be one of the ubiquitous parts of display’ Greg Jeffreys, Paradigm AV

Touch is inevitable because it’s already the interface of choice.”

“We’ve seen increasing demand for more intuitive user interfaces from markets including industrial, home automation, medical and transportation,” says Tim Bonnett, MD of MSC Gleichmann’s UK wing. “We now have the ability to supply and support a fully integrated

CASE STUDY

Building connections

MultiTouch displays for Siemens

Ultimately the area of use comes down to the specific wishes of a client, but, says coolux CEO Jan Huewel: “In general one can say that both touch and gesture interfaces are particularly suited for use as part of public displays, event displays, and point-of-sale installations. Anything that can help add another dimension to the way in which we relate to a given subject or product can help to deepen the connection between the user and the ‘topic’ which the interface is based around.”

In reality, while such touchbased solutions can be developed, it is not always the most appropriate answer.

MultiTouch and uma have collaborated to create the world’s largest (8.5m) public multitouch display in the lobby of Siemens Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) headquarters in Vienna.

The Siemens Identity Display, based on uma’s new SKIN product, includes 14 MultiTouch Cell 46in Full HD LCD displays. At 29 megapixels, SKIN has the highest resolution of any MultiTouch installation in the world. This huge display enables tens of visitors to simultaneously interact with Siemens information, facility design and layout, as well as

digital art, local and global news, audiovisuals and other rich media and Web 2.0 content.

SKIN allows visitors to explore a universe of Siemens values and topics that are presented and contextualised automatically from different data and web repositories, minimising content administrative efforts for Siemens Corporate Communications. SKIN also includes person-tracking technology, which enables it to react to the presence of people in front of, or passing by, the display.

IE January 2012 33

Markets: Touch and Gesture Interfaces

AMX’s Modero-X range of touchpanels feature support for multi-touch gestures

According to AMX European technology & training director Brian Davies: “Complex systems have always benefited from the power of a touch interface and its ability to abstract the user from the inherent technical complexities of the underlying hardware.

However, adding a touch interface to a simple system can sometimes serve to add complexity rather than improve the user experience.”

Likewise, he says, the addition of gestures, such as

swipes, to touch interfaces does allow for the simplification of the user experience in large and complex solutions. “However, adding such features to GUI designs just because they are ‘cool’ can result in inelegant or illogical design solutions,” says Davies. He points to the new AMX Modero-X range of touchpanels, which feature wide-ranging support for multi-touch gestures, “while blending these new tools with a more traditional pushbutton approach to GUI design”.

For LG Electronics, the touch interface is a key application area which crosses many of its business sectors.

“Retailers are already reaping the benefits of having interactive digital signage and touch kiosks as they enhance the shopping experience for the customer by providing them with easy access to product information and a faster way to order and pay for goods,” comments Mark Weston, distribution channel manager UK and Ireland.

CASE STUDY

Multiple applications Touchscreens are quickly becoming the norm for transport-related transactions and processes. The sector has benefited from reducing staff operating costs and printing costs, while increasing the speed at which the process is carried out.

“In restaurants, the adoption of touchscreen menus to send requests directly to the kitchen has great potential for uptake as it can add a new dimension to the dining experience in restaurants as well as reduce waiting times at fast food outlets such as McDonald’s,” says Weston.

When it comes to education, quick and easy access to information is the key. Here interactive whiteboards (IWBs) or interactive e-boards offer an attention-grabbing and intuitive solution. Simple access to information can also be provided for disabled students and elderly users.

Touchscreens are prevalent in the medical sector too. In the UK, Wokingham surgery, for example, uses touchscreens in patient-booking rooms.

“They become a point for quick access to information on demand and allow patients to check themselves in while alleviating the stress put on nurses,” says Weston.

Gesture interfaces

Motion-controlled interactive floor for school The special educational needs Ridgeway Community School in Farnham, UK sports an interactive GestureTek GroundFX floor, designed to stimulate the 110 students who attend.

The school already had a range of interactive learning aids in its sensory ICT suites — from soundbeams to bubble tubes and eye-controlled computers distributed through its Multi Interactive Learning Environment (MILE).

The GroundFX dynamic floor, 34 IE January 2012

installed by Digital Vision AV, enables participants immersed in the GestureTek field to change the environment by hand and motion gestures.

GroundFX is a multimedia visual floor display system that vertically projects incredible interactive floor special effects, games or advertisements. It is a full-body interactive experience in which users control dynamic multimedia displays with simple gestures and body movement.

A survey revealed a

particularly high ceiling with arched beams under a corrugated roof, with no void for fixing. GestureTek’s UK distributor Paradigm AV was brought in, and along with the school’s original theatre lighting suppliers, KAVE Lighting, repositioned some of the luminaires, put secure struts across the beam and carefully calibrated the delicate ceilingmounted mirror rig (housing four IR emitters and a USB camera), which enables the gesture control.

“The markets [for touch and gesture] are growing exponentially because we now have plug-and-play Windows 7-compliant displays,” observes Greg Jeffreys, director and chairman, Paradigm AV. “This means that the entry cost for content – which can be very high for bespoke programming – can be reduced.”

Paradigm is fielding orders from high-level B2B applications, as well as those in the leisure/museums sector.

Currently relatively few are bespoke displays, compared with supplying the primary components for integration.

“Simulation and simulation training are a particular focus area for us, but that’s as much an indicator of us [and Paradigm’s new simulation displays division] as of the market overall,” Jeffreys notes.

When it comes to gesture interfaces, the area is exploding with innovation, in part because products such as Panasonic D-Imager and Microsoft Kinect are adding infrared and 3D tracking at an affordable cost.

“The Kinect device,

formidable as it is at such a competitive price, was not manufactured with professional fixed installations in mind, but as a high-tech toy,” says Huewel. “There are many alternatives, such as combining the coolux Widget Designer with the coolux Air Scan touchless infrared scanner.”

In the specialist education

‘Multi-touch enabled surfaces and displays will become commonplace’ Hannu Anttila, MultiTouch

sector there is strong potential for uptake as certain types of gesture-recognition software can transcribe symbols represented through sign language into text.

Promoting AMX Gestures, Davies says these are useful for navigating large amounts of data such as videoconferencing (VC) lists, where swipes can provide an intuitive and elegant solution.

MultiTouch deals exclusively with gesture-based UIs for which it builds advanced multi-touch LCD displays.

According to Hannu Anttila, VP of sales, gesture-based deployments are increasing in the retail, museum and hospitality sectors, and they show the greatest potential due to the sheer number of locations. “Applications which involve multiple users simultaneously in a social way are becoming more common,” he says. “For gesture-based interfaces in large-scale displays, infrared overlays have been common with some projected capacitive products in the 32in and under sizes.”

The upcoming technologies providing more advanced capability are all optical camerabased systems, such as Microsoft Surface 2/Samsung www.installationeurope.com

Markets: Touch and Gesture Interfaces

‘Touchscreens are now the norm, not the exception’ Brian Davies, AMX

concerned, the challenges are far from insurmountable. In the case of coolux products, the process is incredibly simple,” says Huewel. “No specialist programming skills are required. All one needs is two days’ worth of training, and technological enthusiasm.”

It’s a similar story elsewhere.

“Installation is a hole in a wall and a cable feed,” says Jones.

“If planned early, this is no problem. Clients share an idea, mention someone from a show, or get the idea at a different stage. If someone is www.installationeurope.com

Looking to the future Future key trends will include projected capacitance (which can work through glass and is immune to ambient light issues); diffusive infrared and video camera tracking; and higher frame rates and higher accuracy in general.

“These will lead to an

ONLINE EXTRAS: CASE STUDY . Max-Planck-Institute for Ornithology, Germany: coolux workstations enable visitor interaction with a projected world map at this revamped visitor centre www.installationeurope.com

Signal Management + Processing

improved user experience, which in turn makes gesture and touch interfaces even more likely to be employed,” says Huewel.

For Jeffreys: “Interactivity will be one of the ubiquitous parts of display, aided by the ability to include such technology into standard flat panel displays. However, the chequered history of multitouch tables represents a note of caution.

“It’s all very well having a display that can support squillions of touches, can handle object recognition – but where’s the killer app?” he asks. “Currently, in terms of volume opportunities, singletouch or twin-touch (pinch, rotate, etc) mark the limits of most expectations of functionality. Many users are happy with what they will even describe as a ‘big iPad’.”

Touch2View actually has a Giant iTab used at venues including the annual IP Expo.

The company’s Mark Jones says: “Digital signage for events and exhibitions has moved beyond the simple ‘You Are Here’ board and into the now familiar format of app presentation, which is far more relevant and easy to use for everyone. Adding information about local hotels and restaurants offers added value to visitors travelling away from home and provides potential sponsorship and special offer opportunities.” IE

Racks + Mounts

thinking about it, and has the budget, it can be done.”

At AMX the use of gesturebased solutions is as straightforward for an integrator to deploy as it would be for them to use the firm’s pushbutton panels.

“The support of gestures within a GUI design is a fundamental part of the AMX TPDesign software tool,” says Davies. “Providing integrators with a simple, reliable and repeatable solution to the complex question of how to surpass their clients’ aspirations for touchpanel GUI functionality is a major part of what has been achieved with the introduction of the Modero-X touchpanels.

Integrators, he says, have a real opportunity to revisit legacy installations and introduce new touch and gesture technologies to their customer base. “Touchscreens are now the norm, not the exception, with market acceptance of them growing hugely in the past five years, and now is the time to capitalise on that fact,” urges Davies.

Network + Control

SUR40 and MultiTouch’s own MultiTaction Cells. These technologies feature finger and hand recognition, object recognition and other computer vision-based features.

“We believe that multi-touch enabled surfaces and displays will become commonplace,” says Hannu. “To differentiate, clients require more and more advanced features and capabilities, such as very large multi-user installations, and advanced features such as object recognition to drive their user interfaces.”

As far as integration is

AV meets IT

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Markets: Show Control

The show must go on What’s new in show control – and how does the future look? Gez Kahan canvasses opinion Electrosonic kit has been used at the Parliamentarium – the visitors’ centre of the European Parliament

Key points . IP networking has taken over from the likes of RS-232, though there is not yet a universal protocol to guarantee interconnectivity between different manufacturers’ devices and programs

. Networking adds monitoring and diagnostics to a show controller’s functionality and also allows for remote administration

. There’s a trend towards interactivity as against purely ‘linear’ shows, allowing each visitor a customised experience based on his choices

. Some products

Rapenburg Plaza installed and programmed AV resources for the NAI exhibition City of the Netherlands

he concept of show control is nothing new.

It may be defined these days (by Wikipedia, no less) as ‘the use of automation technology to link together and operate multiple entertainment control systems in a co-ordinated manner’, but that’s just putting a modern technological gloss on a longstanding function.

Of course, we didn’t call them show controllers back in the day. We called them stage managers or ASMs (cue lights, music… and action) in the theatre, dressed them in top hat and tails and stuck a whip in their hands and called them ringmasters in the circus, and swapped the hat and the whip for a baton and called them conductors on the podium.

The essential thing is that these are overall control functions, cueing in all the different elements that make up a performance. In theory, they could all be replaced by machines, though in practice

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36 IE January 2012

we’d lose spontaneous interpretation, a degree of flexibility and, in some cases, an integral part of the spectacle if they were.

So though show control is a key part of live performance, in its fully automated incarnation it is much more likely to be found in visitor attractions which run to an unvarying format and where any interpretation is hardcoded into the programming.

Nonetheless, the technology is doing its best to push that envelope too. “‘Show control’ is a very wide subject and is achieved by many different devices,” says Robert Simpson, founding director of Electrosonic. His firm has been in the game since 1964, with a string of museums, leisure parks and digital signage projects to its name.

“For example there are room controllers, programmable logic controllers, DMX storage devices, lighting

‘Show controllers now are far better than they were’ Sierk Janszen, Rapenburg Plaza

controllers, personal computers with show control applications, dedicated ‘show control’ devices and so on.

“In this respect there is little difference between now and

originally developed for specific show elements (eg lighting) are now morphing into fully fledged show controllers

five years ago. It is often a matter of personal or fashion preference as to which is used.

It is also the case that show control for live events uses a different approach. Thus in permanent installations (such as museums) the use of room control or similar devices can be a good approach and yields the simplest possible system; however, the same idea may be quite inappropriate for a live event where a lighting or video controller would be a better starting point.”

Maintaining control “The fundamentals of what we are doing have not changed for 30-40 years,” adds Peter Barrett, Electrosonic’s leisure solutions director. “We are still controlling devices and effects.

“Historically this may have been performed with parallel contacts,” he explains, “then with serial ports, and over the past few years network messaging and infrastructure which make the configuration

of systems more flexible. The limitations are still down to the capabilities of the devices being controlled.

Programming has become more graphical and object based, and finally the major change that has occurred is the control interface, with the compatibility with web browser interfaces to allow remote control and monitoring of systems.”

Likewise, Sierk Janszen, a partner in integrator Rapenburg Plaza, sees little fundamental change during the past few years. “It’s not really different, it’s just more widely accepted now – and expected by designers. Three to five years ago we had to explain what it was and why they needed it. Now there’s a lot more software available and a greater awareness of what show control means and what it can do.”

Jeremy Scheinberg, COO of Alcorn McBride, singles out networking as the biggest recent change. “Most of show control these days is network, and most devices now have ethernet rather than RS-232.”

The very fact that networking allows such flexibility of communication between devices brings its own changes too. “It means we can have monitoring and diagnostics and distributed I/Os via Ethernet,” Scheinberg adds. “Everything is about the network now. So we are also able to implement remote administration. As a manufacturer that gives us more tools, and our goal is to give the integrators tools for doing things in new and creative ways.”

It’s a point also made by Janszen. “Show controllers now are far better than they were. They listen to the control machines better, and they query – a good machine nowadays can do that.

“So a show controller is both a start-up and a monitor system, and that includes the ability to send status or warning emails to external destinations. That means we can restart a system from our office without having to travel to the client site – which could be a problem since we have 35 or so installations. www.installationeurope.com

Markets: Show Control

“Having the capability to do that remotely is very cost effective. In the old days it was charged for half a day, but now it’s a matter of a couple of hours, if that. Fortunately we don’t live off our service revenue – we’re a design company who entered selling and installation purely to satisfy customer demand.�

The Dolfinarium in Harderwijk, Netherlands, a theme park with an impressive collection of marine mammals, also presents a show entitled Spetter the Dolphin and his Magical Adventures. Staged in a 500seat former 4D theatre, so that seat movements and air effects are integrated into the presentation, the show uses Alcorn McBride’s V4 Pro, Video Binloop and LightCue for show control and AV sourcing.

Although no human characters appear in the tale of the dolphin and his friends, the actual show is controlled by actors who trigger the start, pause and lighting controls from an OCC panel on the stage. “The V4 Pro is the perfect controller in the hands of actors and operators,� says

Monitoring changes Monitoring is also picked out

by Barrett as one of the big advances. “The major differences are not in the controllability of a system but in the ability to gain and display real-time feedback that can be displayed locally within the control system or on a remote browser window anywhere, provided there is internet connectivity. Secondly, video, audio and light replay devices are more intelligent and contain a level of scripting and their own control.�

Simpson, however, points out how some ‘entertainment controllers’ are making the

‘The fundamentals of what we are doing have not changed for 30-40 years’ Peter Barrett, Electrosonic

jump to become true show controllers. “The one significant thing that has happened in the past few years has been the rapid development of the video or ‘electronic image’ server,� he says. “Devices from DVS (Germany), Green Hippo, 7th Sense, coolux, Dataton and others have made the control of multichannel images practical. These all have user interfaces which make them more suitable/favourite for particular applications – and in many cases actually represent ‘show control’ as well as image storage and processing. For example, www.installationeurope.com

CASE STUDY

A Magical Adventure for Alcorn McBride

Green Hippo got a good start in the live entertainment field by being designed from the outset to work with the DMX lighting protocol; whereas a product like 7th Sense can cope with multiple channels of very high resolution at high frame rates.�

For his part, Scheinberg has seen the technology give designers the opportunity to deliver a more personal experience, with content varying according to interactive choices made by the visitor. “One of the big things is the programmability.

Shows used to be much more linear. Now they’re interactive.

Plus, of course, they’re controllable by iPad and other handhelds. We have apps for Apple products but we try to be interface-agnostic – there are hooks within the system that allow integrators to do whatever they want.�

For the future, he sees that as a growing trend. “From our perspective, Alcorn McBride sees more interactivity, and believes that shows will become more a one-to-one – each show an individual, unique experience – than a one-to-many.�

Both Janszen and Barrett note the increasing importance of IP networking (though Janszen thinks it could take five years to develop a truly universal protocol).

Frank Ruisch of AV-Sync, the show’s sound designer who also handled show control programming in collaboration with Boaz Borggreve of Nightlife Productions.

Ruisch, who did all of the voiceover recording for the characters and the soundtrack’s final mixdowns, also had to ensure the show’s music and sound effects were in place and mixed to surround sound. But once it was done, it was done. “The show is running perfectly two to five times a day; we haven’t had any downtime,� he reports.

Simpson, however, doesn’t believe technology is the only driver. “It is easy to see that developments in show control have always represented a combination of technological progress and market demand.

A simple example is the Apple iPad. Technically it was possible to have had such a device years ago to be the user interface (it could be argued that we already had it in touchscreen displays). But two things happened with the iPad: cosmetically we now have an appealing product that is good looking, lightweight, and easy to handle; more important, there are millions of people who own an iPad, smartphone or similar device. Such people demand that these devices are used as the user interface to a control system, and are immediately comfortable with using them. “A less obvious example is the increasing capability of networks. Developments like AVB will influence how show systems are configured; but in the end the mantra must remain ‘the show must go on’ and it will always be best to seek the simplest solution to a show control problem.

Technology alone will never make a good show.�

No, but it may make a good show run better. IE

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IE January 2012 37

The IE Interview

Tom Gheysens and Hans Swinnen, Audioprof

‘Don’t underestimate Belgian engineering’ The CEO and chairman of the Belgian installed audio company talk to Paddy Baker about small beginnings, making quality products in China, and listening to your customers

Tom Gheysens, CEO of Audioprof, founded the company, which makes installed audio products under the APart brand, in the 1980s. In 2009 the company secured an injection of funding from Belgian investment company 3D-Participaties, and Hans Swinnen, a partner in that company, became Audioprof’s chairman. In 2010 the company moved to new custom-designed premises not far from its old location in Schoten, outside Antwerp.

Tom, you founded the company around 25 years ago because you weren’t satisfied with the quality of in-car audio. Was it slow, steady growth?

TG: It was a natural evolution.

I started as a young kid as a DJ, having the perfect excuse to be the last one at the party.

Luckily my mother was very supportive – she saw that I wasn’t just partying, there was something more to it. Later on, I got interested in the materials – at that time it was still profitable to build your own materials when you started a rental company. So I started to make my own speaker systems, and people really liked them. Some I was renting out, others I was starting to sell. Then the next step is selling to a wider market – but still you have to keep up the quality level and do what the customer wants.

Your new premises are much larger than, and different from, where you were before.

TG: We moved into our previous premises around the year 2000. At the time we were thinking, “This is huge, it will take 10 or 15 years to fill it”.

But after two and a half years it was too small. So quite quickly we had to sub-contract our warehousing – and we had gone from a complete company to an office with some kind of warehouse, which by the end was only serving the Belgium area. As the company was growing quite fast, at a certain point the building was full. We knew that it was a big step to go to the next level. www.installationeurope.com

But we took the decision, and then Hans came in with our new partner, and as they have a lot of experience of growing companies worldwide, we took the decision that the next change must be a really fundamental one.

HS: Tom was very smart in knowing that at a certain moment you have to make sure you can adapt your organisation’s infrastructure to move to the next level. We’re doing that while keeping the unique culture, the unique creativity and the unique customer focus.

So what was it about Audioprof that made you say, “Yes, this is a company that I can help to grow”?

HS: Well, first of all they had a very good track record in terms of growth and profitability. Secondly, we did some customer interviews and received very consistent feedback: it’s a company with good focus on installed sound, very good products, different from the others, very well designed and so on.

If you hear these things once you say, “OK”; if you hear them in sequence several times you say, “Wow!” Last but not least, we also believe that with our knowhow we could really be helpful in taking the company to the next level.

You have to make sure that you’re relevant to adding value – and if you can add value to a success story, that’s very nice.

How would you describe the positioning of the APart brand in the market and how it has changed over the years?

TG: Again, it’s a natural evolution – you have to watch the market and anticipate what is happening. It’s very clear, there are a lot of me-too products coming into the market. If you see that happening, you have to react.

It’s in our name – we really want to be apart from the others. Now that is more

(L-R): Hans Swinnen, a partner of investment company 3D-Participaties who joined Audioprof as chairman in 2009, and Tom Gheysens, who founded the company in the 1980s

difficult than before, but we are ready for it.

HS: I think you can say, Tom, that in the early days you started as a C brand, you moved up to a B brand, and now customers tell us that you’re in the A brand league.

People say with the quality we now offer – and we do speaker test comparisons – often they say the quality you bring is

‘People in other continents, other cultures, they couldn’t create these products’ better than the A brands. OK, we’re a young brand, we’re not so well known, but the image of the brand is moving up – it’s getting really appreciated and relevant in a lot of markets.

TG: In the beginning we had to fight a lot against negative perceptions of China-made products. It took us seven years to convince people that China is not some lousy, dirty manufacturing place – because the big brands go

there also. We are very lucky that we can buy such quality at such a price.

We are still competitive. lf they buy APart, most people don’t even consider buying from China directly, because from us they get a very good service, a good price, a good product, and a brand with a name behind it.

HS: And don’t underestimate Belgian engineering. Tom is modest, which is good, but the fact is that we have some engineers here who in their veins, their blood, their DNA, they have this APart, differentfrom-the-others, thinking, trying to have smarter products. They focus on the essence of what the customer really wants. “They listen so well to their customers” – that’s the feedback that we get.

And Tom absorbs it – he plays around with it, his engineering mind starts thinking and he says, “This, this and this I need to do.” This process of western European market-oriented products – people in other continents, other cultures, they couldn’t create these products.

The thinking work is done here then, in a feedback loop, it’s produced over there – but don’t underestimate the Belgian design aspect of the

product, because it’s really essential.

Do you have a vision of what APart will look like in, say, five years’ time?

TG: Our customers will tell us what to do. We will guide it into the right direction, but finally it is the customers who are telling us the direction which we will have in five years’ time. I cannot tell you what it will be. Of course we already have some ideas, but maybe some competitors are listening!

HS: We will do it step by step.

Because we believe that we have to always guarantee and sustain our service and our quality level. That’s our number one priority, and from there we take it step by step.

TG: This we understand very clearly because I started the company from one person – me. Now we’re bigger, we understand it’s not so easy to change and be flexible, but on the other hand the basis is much stronger. So if we take a step, it’s a much more mature step compared to 20 years ago.

We think about every step.

Sometimes people say, “They’re quite slow,” but watch us – it’s a matter of time. IE

www.apart-audio.com IE January 2012 39

Solutions: Tidal Information System, Venice

‘Streets flooded. Please advise’ High tides in Venice can have a major impact on day-to-day life – so a new city-wide audio system has just been installed to let the population know when they will need to take action. INSTALL OF THE Paddy Baker reports MONTH Community R.5-V2000 speakers – a twindriver model created specifically for this project – are located around the city ready to inform residents of water levels

hen American humorist Robert Benchley arrived on an assignment in Venice in the 1930s, he famously telegraphed to his office: “Streets flooded.

Please advise.” While it’s not known what, if any, advice the office of The New Yorker gave Benchley, the citizens of today’s Venice value being told how high the waters are going to be every day – and an audio installation in the city is helping to do just that.

Most of us try to catch a weather forecast before we leave for work in the morning, so that we know whether to dress warmly or take an umbrella – but that’s generally as far as it goes. In Venice, however, where the canals are tidal, the consequences of a high water level could be rather more severe. Reduced headroom under bridges means that the boats that do the duty of taxis, buses and even lorries in conventional cities may need to re-route; and if pavements disappear underwater, raised walkways may need to be set out. The city’s population – including a sizeable cohort of commuters – are well used to this, but having accurate, timely information is important so the necessary

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40 IE January 2012

Early warning of high water enables preparation such as the laying of raised walkways

Installed

The tide is high: doing the sums

Audio . Community Pro R.5-V2200 speakers . Prodytel S-Cluster audio streaming systems . Duran Audio Axys PB400 IndustryAmp four-channel power amplifiers

adjustments can be made to keep daily life on track.

A local government department, the Centro Previsioni E Segnalazioni Maree (Tidal Forecasting and Signalling Centre), is charged with monitoring and predicting the water levels, and communicating them to the city. The higher the tide, the greater the proportion of people that are going to be affected. The department has identified four different tidal bands: the lowest, 110-120cm above normal sea level affects 12% of the population, while the highest (140cm and above) affects as many as 90%. (If the water rises beyond 190cm, it impacts the city’s entire population.)

The Centre has embraced technology in a number of ways to inform the city about water levels: these include a website, a toll-free phone line and even a smartphone app.

Predicting the water level in Venice is a complex business: it’s not just a question of calculating tidal flows, but also taking into account weather conditions, such as wind speed and direction, and rainfall. As the director of the Centro Previsioni E Segnalazioni Maree, Ing. Paolo Canestrelli, points out, this is a much more challenging operation than simply forecasting the weather, because so many people are depending on the centre to put out accurate information.

The centre’s control room receives information from different types of sources.

These include notification of water level, temperature, wind speed and direction from floating units spread around Venice’s lagoon. (There is a back-up network of similar probes, in case the first set fail or there is a problem with their data.) Data also comes in from

There are also a number of touchscreen information points at newspaper kiosks around the city.

a European weather forecasting centre. Data from the different sources are compared and merged, and numerous calculations run from them.

There are 15 loudspeaker locations in central Venice, with more on the outlying islands – making around 30 in

A siren-based audio system had been in place for a number of years; however, mechanical deterioration had led to it

total. These are linked by wireless broadband or HiperLAN stations; a display in the centre’s control room indicates the status of these.

There is some redundancy in the network, so that a single point of failure will not stop the control signal getting through to all the locations.

behaving erratically, and it could only broadcast one alert signal. It was decided to replace it with a system that could give www.installationeurope.com

Solutions: Tidal Information System, Venice

electronic sound similar to a flute, with the fundamental and just three harmonics.

Despite his overall reservations about siren-type signals, he decided to use a siren-like introductory “attention” signal at the start of each signal broadcast; this is followed by between one and four notes, lasting a few seconds each, to denote the predicted height band of the incoming tide.

The right tone

It was decided to create a bespoke solution for this project, as commercially available systems had limited vertical dispersion

more detailed information about water levels.

A clear message Audio consultant Ing. Umberto Nicolao was engaged to specify the new audio solution. He explains: “The mission that we received was to advise the Venice community without having the possibility to teach them about the signals. So we had to communicate four different levels of the sea by a set of signals that could be understood immediately.”

Nicolao didn’t want to use standard electromechanical sirens in the system. “We tried to work on an audio signal that didn’t have the urgency of a Second World War siren.

Here we’re not dealing with a risk to people, we only have to advise them that there is a high water event coming, and what level is foreseen.”

Given that musical notes can be high or low, Nicolao thought that broadcasting different notes could readily be understood as referring to height of water. Also, he felt that using a musical tone fits in with the city’s musical heritage.

“I studied the characteristics of many acoustical signals, and I found that the sound of the flute is a very pure one,” he continues. “You can recognise it only with the first three or four harmonics. The violin, by contrast, has about 30 harmonics, and you need all of them to recognise the sound of a violin. But with a flute, you only need the four.

“Also, when you have to broadcast a sound a great distance, you have to consider that many of the highfrequency components will not arrive at all. So don’t count on frequencies above 2 or 3kHz.” So it was decided to use an www.installationeurope.com

The decision about what tones to broadcast came after the system selection process – and that was more complicated than first expected. From the point of view of efficiency, having the fewest speakers to cover the entire city meant needing very powerful speakers, positioned where their signals would not be blocked – and that means high up.

“Venice is mainly composed of buildings that are not so high,” explains Nicolao. “Only the palaces on the Canal Grande are three or four floors – normally the buildings have only one upper floor. So you need a point above the buildings to cover the area, acoustically speaking.”

Fortunately, Venice is well served with bell towers in its various churches. To investigate the potential sites to install speakers, “We visited at least 50 churches in Venice,” he says.

“There was only one church where we couldn’t install the system because of the decision of the priest – he prefers to have an anti-theft system rather than our speakers.”

When it came to specifying the system, Nicolao was in for a surprise. “It’s incredible how little knowhow there is in this field,” he confides. “If you look at the most specialised systems, which come from the US, they couldn’t work here as they radiate mainly in the horizontal plane. If you installed these systems 50m above the ground you would only advise the angels!” His team asked the manufacturers to supply polar diagram data for these systems, especially in the vertical plane, but his team’s calculations provided better data than the manufacturers could supply.

This, along with greater convenience, steered Nicolao and his team towards designing their own solution.

Nicolao felt that there was only one manufacturer that could supply speakers offering a combination of high SPL and weatherproof construction – Community Professional.

However, the exact product that Nicolao wanted did not exist.

Ennio Prase, whose company Prase Engineering distributes Community in Italy, takes up the story: “When the designers came to us, we didn’t have the perfect solution in terms of a loudspeaker system. We needed to have something really compact, extremely efficient, extremely powerful in terms of SPL, and preferably light in weight because there are no elevators in these campaniles!

Umberto and his team analysed components and we offered some options – but at the end of the day the best fit was a product that we didn’t have as a distributor.”

What was wanted was a compact model with two 2in mid-range drivers. “I had to go to Community and express the desire of having something custom built,” continues Prase.

“They liked the idea – we tried

About the project team . Audio consultant Umberto Nicolao can rightly be described as a veteran of the audio industry – he has been part of it since 1976, when he was still a teenager. Besides consultancy, his work has entailed journalism, authorship (of over 20 books), training and lecturing . Based in Noveta di Piave, a few kilometres outside Venice, Prase Engineering has been a distributor of audio products for over 15 years. Among the 30 or so brands represented are APart, Ateïs, DIS, Listen and Tannoy . Installation was carried out by S.T.A.S, an installation company based in Verona. Founded in 1989, its core services are in the areas of CCTV and security systems

to provide a sketched-out design to show the concept.

They said, ‘Leave it with us, we’ll experiment with some mouldings – and let you know if we can shrink the cabinets

and still hold two 2in midcompression drivers.’ They managed to get the proper result out of it. They created a brand new product – the R.5V2200.” This has become a

IE January 2012 41

Solutions: Tidal Information System, Venice

bespoke product in the Community catalogue, and has been deployed successfully in other applications.

Unique challenges

(L-R) Umberto Nicolao and Ennio Prase

It’s not just the weather that the speakers need to withstand, adds Prase: “You have to consider protection from birds in Venice – there are a lot of pigeons. The speakers have a multi-layered weather-tech coating that Community also uses on the WET series – a multi-layer different mesh density grille that works like Gore-Tex: water can drain out eventually but not get in.

Acoustically it’s quite

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We visit two installation sites, where the setups are broadly similar. One is La Fenice, a wellknown theatre whose name (‘fenice’ means phoenix) has ironic significance: it was built in 1792 after the city’s leading opera house burned down nearly two decades earlier.

However, La Fenice has itself been destroyed by fire and rebuilt – twice. The current building dates from 2001.

The other install site is an even more iconic Venetian location – the belltower of St Mark’s. This is one of the lowest-lying parts of the city – it begins to fill up when the tide rises more than 80cm above mean sea level. Each of two neighbouring balconies has two Community R.5-V2000 speakers stacked vertically, firing out over the city. These are fed by Duran Audio AXYS PB400 IndustryAmps, which take their signal from a Prodytel S-Cluster output box.

Describing the S-Cluster, Prase explains: “This is a very complex device – it’s an audio streamer, designed for security systems. The audio content – all the different samples – are stored in flash memory inside the unit.� These communicate via WiFi with the control room at the tidal centre, which triggers the playing of the alert signal when required. This link also makes it possible to check that the signals have been loaded properly; although it’s not required here, additional signals could be loaded onto the S-Clusters from the control room.

At one point in the day, as we are walking through the streets, Nicolao says: “I found a lot of poetry in this project – and especially the idea to use a musical signal as a warning signal – because everywhere you look there is someone playing a musical instrument.� Literally, at that moment we come across two people in period costume, carrying instruments. Later on, I ask him: of all the projects he has worked on, which is he most proud of? He replies: “This one, for sure. From the romantic point of view.� Venice, it seems, can capture the hearts of more than just tourists. IE

www.communitypro.com www.duran-audio.com www.prase.it www.prodytel.de

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Solutions: VW Passat Launch, Poznan

A moving experience A major car launch event required image blending, synchronisation of content and high-quality projection mapping, says Tom Bradbury orking in conjunction with advertising agency JUST and event producer Mediaconcept for end customer Kulczyk Tradex (the official VW distributor for Poland), Polish multimedia production company MOOV was tasked with creating a multimedia production to showcase the new Passat’s capabilities in a way that would capture the imagination of a jaded public. The show was to make its debut at the Polish National Motor Show in Poznan before being taken on a tour of upmarket shopping centres and other venues in major cities around the country.

MOOV’s Piotr Majewski says: “The presentation was to take place in a temporary ‘black box’ structure erected at each venue. To immerse the audience in our animation, we wanted to use not just the rear wall as a projection surface, but also the floor, sides and, of course, the car itself. We used 3D projection mapping to create the movie using the exact proportions of the new Passat, with the precise positioning of the car in relation to the walls and floor of the presentation space.”

This pre-show visualisation and programming was carried out using Dataton’s WATCHOUT, which also took care of the seamless edge-blending and image-warping of the four projectiondesign projectors used to show the movie at each location.

“We had five WATCHOUT servers for the production – one for each of the projectors, plus a fifth as the master controller,” Majewski adds. “The controller was also responsible for playing special effects and the music, which was specially written by our in-house team for this production. The warping geometry calibration function within WATCHOUT was especially useful because it allowed us to adjust the animated image on each different surface very precisely.”

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Projection mapping made the car appear to move, with rotating wheels and air apparently flowing over the bodywork. At one point it even seemed to be reversing into a parking space

About the installer . MOOV was founded in 2002 in Poznan. It is a provider of video technology and production, specialising in widescreen projections. Most of its activity takes place in its home city . The company employs 10 people, boosting its numbers with freelancers for major events . MOOV deals with more than 100 events each year, mainly in trade fairs, congresses, corporate events, parties and concerts

As well as the car itself, projection surfaces were the rear wall, floor and sides of the display area

The full effect Fredrik Svahnberg, Dataton’s marketing and communications manager, comments: “The ability of WATCHOUT to render highly accurate 3D images for the design of shows, together with its blending and warping of multiple images from different sources and surfaces, makes it perfectly suited to projection mapping applications. The MOOV show for the VW Passat is a perfect example.”

The end result was a groundbreaking show in which audiences saw a car that appeared to move (complete with rotating wheels and air apparently flowing over the bodywork) against a constantly changing backdrop, though www.installationeurope.com

in reality the whole display was static. At one point the Passat looked as though it was reversing into a parking space – complete with sensor sound effects!

MOOV opted for projectiondesign’s F82 projector to deliver the required image quality. “Each projector offers a brightness level of 10,000 lumens and, when the output of the four devices is blended together, the combined resolution of the animation is nearly 8K,” Majewski explains. “We used projectiondesign’s RealColor technology to precisely calibrate the four projectors with one another and adjust the brightness to take into

account the different materials of the projection surfaces in the space.”

He continues: “As well as high resolution, the F82 also came into its own because it is available with short focal-length or wide-angle lenses, which were essential to produce such a wide image from a relatively short projection distance. Additionally, the DynamicBlack function, which dynamically narrows the aperture of each projector lens, gave us the very high contrast we were looking for during the ‘night’ scenes in our animation.”

Anders Løkke, marketing director, projectiondesign, concludes: “Live

events applications such as the VW Passat roadshow pose particular challenges for professional projectors, and we are delighted that our F82s performed faultlessly for MOOV and their customers. The very high resolution, contrast, brightness and colour accuracy of our 3-chip DLP system is perfectly suited to such events, and for anyone who saw this groundbreaking show, the results really speak for themselves.” IE

www.moov.pl www.projectiondesign.com www.dataton.com

IE January 2012 45

Solutions: Gan Bei City, Riga

Eastern premises One of the most popular restaurant chains in the Baltic region has opened a new outlet complete with high-spec audio set-up, writes James Christopher ith a variety of establishments across the Baltic region, restaurant chain Gan Bei is well known for serving quality food in sleek surroundings.

When fitting out its new flamboyant Asian restaurant Gan Bei City, located in the Galleria Riga shopping centre in the Latvian capital, the owners were keen to continue the tradition of quality with a classy interior that had echoes of the Orient, but at the same time was sleek and ultramodern. And, of course, they needed an audio set-up that fitted in with that ethos.

Owner Oleg Arup called in audio specialist Unique Ltd to create a system that wouldn’t interfere with the design aesthetic of the new restaurant, but would still offer the quality and flexibility needed.

Rihards Rubenis, CEO at Unique, says: “The restaurant has a total area of 300sqm and has a high-class interior, so the owners were keen not to spoil that with the intrusions of an installed audio system. In essence, they wanted the loudspeakers to be virtually invisible, but at the same time deliver high quality, high SPL sound coverage, particularly as they bring in guest DJs to play music at the weekends.”

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Total coverage Rubenis found the solution in Tannoy’s dedicated in-ceiling CVS Series, a range developed specifically for installation projects where performance, reliability and budget are equally relevant concerns.

For total coverage in the restaurant hall, Rubenis decided on eight CVS 8 loudspeakers supplemented by four CMS 801sub devices to provide the additional lower-end presence required of a flexible system. These are controlled by an APart PM7400MKII preamplifier, Champ4 amplifiers and a PC1000R CD/SD card player.

“Tannoy CVS 8 speakers together with CMS sub was

The requirement was for a system that offered sound quality and flexibility without interfering with the restaurant’s aesthetic

Installed Audio . Tannoy DVS 6 speakers . Tannoy CVS 8 speakers . Tannoy CMS 801sub subwoofers . APart Audio PM7400MKII preamplifier . APart Audio Champ4 amplifiers . APart Audio PC1000R CD/SD card player

the perfect combination,” says Rubenis. “The sound is clear, powerful and with a reserve on power.”

Outdoor area Gan Bei City also has an outdoor terrace, and for this area Rubenis chose Tannoy’s DVS range. Thanks to the point-source driver design, DVS can be mounted vertically or horizontally without compromising the dispersion and coverage control, offering a high degree of versatility where positioning is concerned.

Rubenis says: “For the outdoor area (80sqm), we used four DVS 6 speakers, which sound fantastic. The versatility of the speakers meant we were able to offer complete coverage, which means it sounds great no matter where you are sitting.”

While this is just the first restaurant in the Gan Bei chain that has been fitted with Tannoy CVS Series, the owners have already stated their intention to use the CVS series for their next restaurant. IE

www.apart-audio.com www.tannoy.com

www.installationeurope.com

www.unique.lv IE January 2012 47

Solutions: Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh

Achieving greatness The classically themed Great Hall at a Scottish professional body’s headquarters has received an upgrade to its sound and lighting. Simon Duff reports

About the installer . Audio Light Systems Limited was formed in 2004 by Trevor Cross and Eddy O’ Hare . The company has 18 staff at offices in Edinburgh and Belfast, supplying and installing AV equipment to government and private clients across Europe . Previous high-profile installations include the Pavilion Dance, Bournemouth’s national dance house, opened in 2010, The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, The Royal Commonwealth Swimming Pool, Edinburgh, and major restoration in 2011 of the Theatre Royal, Newcastle. . Projects for 2012 include work for the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh, Queen Mary, University of London, the Westminster Theatre and the Mulberry & Bigland Theatre in London . In September 2011 Audio Light Systems became distributor of EM Acoustics, the independent British loudspeaker manufacturer

Four QSC AcousticDesign AD-S282H speakers have been placed on the walls of the hall

he Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) is a professional membership organisation that develops and oversees a programme of medical examinations, education and training for qualified doctors who wish to undertake postgraduate education and training. Its base is a unique, historic building located in central Edinburgh that offers a wide range of flexible spaces for all kinds of events and functions – including conferences, meetings, dinners, receptions and weddings as well as product launches and photo shoots.

Evoking the heyday of its elegant surroundings, the stylish suite of Victorian and Georgian rooms are filled with stunning original architectural features, while the conference centre and meeting rooms provide all the technical and audiovisual facilities expected from a modern event.

At the heart of the building is the historic Great Hall – complete with grand pillars, impressive Greek statues and rich crimson walls, – where Audio Light Systems recently upgraded the audio and lighting equipment. The company, which has offices in Edinburgh and Belfast, has an impressive track record of high-profile installs. It is also no stranger to the RCPE, with previous work including a Crestron-controlled DALI dimming lighting system installed in the main

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48 IE January 2012

Installed Audio . Allen & Heath iDR8 mixer . Sennheiser ew300 G series radio microphones . QSC PLX2 amplifiers . QSC AcousticDesign AD-S282H speakers . QSC AcousticDesign AD-S28Tw subwoofers . Ampetronic ILD500 induction loop amplifier

Lighting . iLight SCI 1210 SX source controller

Control . Crestron CP2E control processor . Crestron C2NI-CB-W-T Cameo keypad . Apple iPad . Cinetix Ethernet/DMX512 control module

lecture hall in 2010, and the previous year a major upgrade to the venue’s CCTV system.

Old meets new The brief from the RCPE for the Great Hall was to install contemporary lighting and audio design with control, in extremely sensitive surroundings. Any new equipment had to be discreet and stylish. The audio system is primarily for speech reinforcement, but can also be used for music playback. Allen & Heath’s iDR8 matrix mixer was chosen.

Audio Light Systems’ Trevor Cross, project manager for the RCPE install, comments: “It has proved to be the ideal choice of mixer, with 16

processing channels, eight analogue mic/line inputs on XLR with 48V phantom power, high-quality audio signal path and DSP processing. The Great Hall can now handle a variety of audio requirements.”

Four Sennheiser ew300 G3 series radio microphone systems, sent to the iDR8 via analogue tie lines placed around various positions in the hall, allow for flexibility in the speaking position. Cross comments on what he likes about the microphone: “The new receiver has a built-in Ethernet port for remote PC monitoring and is set up with Sennheiser’s Wireless System Manager software. The receiver’s wireless sync function makes it a breeze to link up any G3 transmitter with the unit. In addition, it has a large backlit graphic display where receiver and transmitter information can be easily seen, along with an autolock function, meaning that it avoids accidental changing of settings. This is critical if the hall is in use without the support of a technician. Another feature is that the receiver shows transmitter battery indication in four steps – again helpful for selfoperated functions.”

Four QSC AcousticDesign AD-S282H have been placed throughout the hall, along with two AD-S28Tw subwoofers, discreetly installed in existing wall cavities. The compact AD-S82 is a full-range surface-mount loudspeaker with a sleek, contemporary style that fits in with the elegant feel of the hall. The two-way 240W system is housed in a ported enclosure that incorporates an 8in LF transducer with a heavy-duty double roll cloth surround. The HF

driver is coupled with QSC’s Advanced Directivity rotatable waveguide, enabling the loudspeaker to deliver accurately focused sound, regardless of its mounted orientation. Driving the loudspeakers are three QSC PLX2 high-power amplifiers.

Cross comments: “With power ratings up to 3,600W, PLX2 amplifiers are capable of providing plenty of clean, undistorted output to the loudspeakers. Additional mechanical touches such as the side stiffening rails, rear rack ears and cable tie anchor points attest to QSC’s years of experience and attention to detail.

QSC has even designed the integrated front handles so the amplifier slides into a rack without scraping the installer’s fingers on the rack sides.”

Easy access A Crestron CP2E Control Processor can be controlled wirelessly with an iPad or iPod, which gives users flexibility and access to a wide variety of on-site music libraries. The CP2E is a compact Ethernet control system designed for small to medium-sized residential and commercial applications. All audio and lighting elements of the Great Hall can be controlled, including an iLight single-box low-noise operation solution that enables a variety of preset lighting positions.

Dave Blackie, RCPE’s senior audio visual technician, comments on the installation: “When doing a project like this, it’s great just dealing with one company, rather than two or three.

Audio Light Systems’ quality of installation is excellent. The end result really did exceed our expectations.” IE

www.allen-heath.com www.ampetronic.com www.audiolightsystems.com www.cinetix.de www.crestron.com www.ilight.co.uk www.qscaudio.com www.rcpe.ac.uk www.sennheiser.co.uk

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Solutions: National Stadium, Bucharest

Attracting the elite A high-quality sound system was a must for Romania’s first UEFA elite stadium, writes Tom Bradbury or over 50 years, the National Stadium in Bucharest was the venue for all home matches of the Romanian national football team. In 2005, it was decided to tear the stadium down and construct a new one in its place. The Stadionul National, which was three years (from 2008 to 2011) in the making, is an ultra-modern, arena designed for major sporting events and concerts.

The new stadium is capable of accommodating over 55,000 spectators. If needed, the total capacity can be expanded to 63,000. The arena is the first in Romania to meet the elite stadium standards for infrastructure laid down by European football governing body UEFA, making it the first stadium in the country qualified to host the finals of international competitions.

The first such event scheduled for the stadium is

F

www.installationeurope.com

the 2012 UEFA Europa League Final on 9 May. Among the most important criteria prospective elite stadiums need to satisfy are those relating to their sound systems. UTI INSTAL CONSTRUCT of Bucharest, which was was charged with ensuring compliance, conducted simulations and comparisons before those responsible for the installation opted for an extensive ElectroVoice system. The equipment featured includes 141 EVH1152S horn-loaded (models 64-PIB, 94-PIB and 66-PIB) and 32 EVID 6.2 T compact surface-mounted loudspeakers.

The installation is powered and processed by 40 CPS 4.10 power amplifiers and 10 N8000 NetMax controllers with MI-1, AO-1, DI-1 or DO-1 cards as well as CM-1 CobraNet network modules.

Thanks to IRIS-Net software, a multitude of possibilities exist for the

Installed Audio All Electro-Voice . EVH-1152S/64/94/66 loudspeakers . EVID 6.2T loudspeakers . CPS 4.10 power amplifiers . N8000 NetMax controllers

announcements to different areas of the grandstand via both the PA/VA system and the central operational computer.

The 63,000-seater National Arena has been selected to host the Europa League Final 2012

configuration, operation and supervision of the system. It is possible, for example, to create an interface tailored to the needs of each user, in which all the most important parameters – such as the level, muting, or error conditions – are clearly and intuitively laid out. Furthermore, all the parameters of the installation can be accessed from a single central location, simplifying

the commissioning, operation and maintenance of the system.

The N8000 task engine provides automatic redundancy switching between the main and ancillary control room matrices, which both exhibit dual redundancy. As a result of the free configurability of the N8000’s DSP, it is possible, for example, to selectively manage

Positive outcome “Our client is totally delighted and full of enthusiasm for the outstanding acoustic quality,” says Cristian Gheliuc of distributor Prosound Solutions Romania. “This is the first major project of its kind in Romania and this installation now represents the standard to which all future stadiums in the country will aspire.” IE

www.electrovoice.com www.uti.eu.com

IE January 2012 51

A complete new range.

Backed by years of experience.

Designed to meet the price and performance requirements of any contract installation, WORKproCA is a complete range of audio products, distributed exclusively by Yamaha Commercial Audio Europe and backed up by our world-class sales and support network.

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Product Choice

New this month We present our choice of new products for the installation market Philips Public Signage

Barco

BDT Multi-Touch Series

PRODUCT Galaxy 4K OF THE www.barco.com MONTH

www.philips.com

It’s… A range of 30 different MultiTouch products, most designed for multi-user applications.

Details: The BDT Multi-Touch Series incorporates screens ranging from 32in to 65in, as well as different sizes of Touch Tables, Touch Kiosks plus indoor and outdoor Touch Totems. Touch techniques vary according to the intended purpose – as do the number of simultaneous touch points available. Optical Touch Imaging is intended as a costeffective system for a variety of applications and offers two touch points simultaneously. Infrared Touch is designed for accuracy

and to allow Multi-User operation through 6 or 32 simultaneous touch points.

Capacitive Touch offers a practical solution for (outdoor) public use with two simultaneous Touch Points available, and is designed to be easy to clean.

It’s… A range of three-chip 4K DLP projectors for large-screen 2D and 3D applications in the virtual reality market.

And also: The BDT Series includes a Multi-User Touch Table based on the first Philips 55in LED touchscreen – the BDT5530ET/32 – and designed to be placed on a cabinet to work at an ergonomic height.

Extron Electronics

ETC

MVC 121 Plus

Tessera

www.extron.com

www.etcconnect.com

It’s… A compact, three-input stereo audio mixer featuring a digital signal processing platform for audio signal mixing and control.

It’s… A touchscreen lighting controller capable of mastering an entire installation – while also integrating with a larger Mosaic installation.

Details: The MVC 121 Plus features a stereo line-level input and two mic/line-level inputs with 48V phantom power for condenser microphones, plus fixed and variable stereo line-level outputs. It includes gain, filter, tone processing and parametric EQ and is said to offer quick and intuitive configuration using Extron’s DSP Configurator Software. The MVC 121 Plus is aimed at presentation applications that require line and microphone audio mixing with

DSP in a small form factor.

Housed in a compact, quarterrack enclosure, the MVC 121 Plus is suitable for smaller systems.

DSP Configurator software also makes it easy to adjust gain, apply filtering and set levels.

And also: DSP Configurator software uses an intuitive onscreen layout to provide fast access to digital audio signal processing tools as well as audio mixing.

Details: Designed to be part of a networked system or to operate as a complete stand-alone controller, the Tessera combines a 4.3in (10.9cm) touchscreen with a 512-channel DMX over Ethernet Mosaic controller. The system provides control over complex lighting shows as well as devices like moving lights, colour-mixing LEDs and dimmers; it can also handle impromptu show control, accessories, automation,

waterworks and other non-lighting effects. Colour-changing lights in a shopping centre or office block, for example, can include dynamic effects, seasonal themes or subtle lighting events without the need for complex control systems.

Details: The Galaxy 4K series includes three models: 4K-12 (pictured), 4K-23, and 4K-32 – offering brightness levels of 12,000, 23,000 and 33,000 lumens respectively, and a resolution of up to 4K (4096 x 2160) via the DVI inputs. The projectors benefit from the use of DLP technology, said to offer improved brightness uniformity, long life and colour saturation.

A hermetically sealed optical engine prevents dust affecting the DLP 4K chip, while enhanced DMD cooling protects the system’s core components. Barco supports a number of stereoscopic technologies including active 3D stereo and active Infitec 3D stereo single-projector technology to display 3D content in 2K resolution, or a dual-projector passive Infitec 3D stereo setup for stereoscopic images in 4K resolution.

And also: Mosaic Designer software v1.9 is also now available for download from ETC’s website and includes support for Tessera, including the creation of customised touchscreen designs.

And also: Barco projectors come with a patented convergence alignment tool, said to require less effort to optimise convergence than other tools currently on the market.

features a 3G SDI input to support SDI, HD-SDI, or 3G-SDI cameras.

CAPTURE-HD provides a composite input for lower-

resolution cameras, in addition to recording high-definition VGA and HDMI signals from AV presentation systems.

Crestron

CaptureLiveHD www.crestron.com

It’s… A high-definition lecturecapture solution for scheduling, recording, online publishing and viewing lectures, presentations, medical procedures and seminars.

Details: Designed for easy operation and streamlined installation, the CaptureLiveHD system includes the Capture-HD www.installationeurope.com

high-definition recorder, CaptureTPMC-4SM touchscreen controller, a choice of Sony PTZ and Sony Compact HD video cameras, plus CaptureLiveHD software. Said to require no special training, CaptureLiveHD records a complete presentation in HD 1080p and saves it in high-quality H.264 format. The recorded lecture

includes content and microphone audio, plus full screen, PIP and PBP video from the instructor camera and any other presentation source such as a PowerPoint, DVD, or website.

And also: Two versions are available: Capture-HD PRO

IE January 2012 53

The No.1 show for professional AV and electronic systems integration presented by

Meet. Greet. Network.

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Platinum Sponsors:

www.iseurope.org

Product Choice Fohhn

Neets

A-1 Live

Control-AlFa

www.fohhn.com

www.neets.dk

It’s… A portable audio interface providing direct, high-quality audio transmission from computer to sound reinforcement system.

Details: The A-1 Live is a portable stereo USB audio interface developed for transmission of audio directly from a computer/ laptop to a professional sound reinforcement system, without the need for additional hardware such as a mixer or DI box.

Primarily designed for live sound

applications and permanent installations, the A-1 Live is a standalone USB device equipped with balanced XLR stereo outputs and a galvanically isolated USB connection. These features are designed to prevent interference, hum and reduced sound quality or loss of output level – all common problems for interfaces with unbalanced connectors, or when there is no

It’s… A dedicated AV controller for use with other Neets products in installation applications such as advanced auditoriums and conference rooms. galvanic isolation between the computer and the interface.

And also: Offering simple plugand-play installation without the need for a separate power supply, the A-1 Live is suitable for live sound, DJ and other proaudio applications.

Make room for even more flexibility.

Details: Control-AlFa is designed for use with an Apple iOS or Android touch device or by computers with Safari or Chrome browsers. Users can create custom-designed graphical user interfaces through Neets’ Project Editor software. The system provides control of the connected

devices through RS-232 and IR with dedicated I/O and integration of the touch device, making off-site control possible via LAN. LEDs indicate system power, status of built-in relay boxes and activity on the communication ports.

And also: Dedicated connectors for the relays and four relay test buttons on the rear panel are designed to make installation and service easy and intuitive.

NuVo whole home audio systems are the most flexible of their kind – with Essentia®, Concerto® and Renovia® all compatible with the keypads of your choice. So now your customers can mix and match, and have lots of room to roam. Visit nuvotechnologies.com.

projectiondesign

FL35 wqxga www.projectiondesign.com

It’s… An LED projector designed to offer the highest available resolution for simulation and training applications.

Details: According to projectiondesign, the FL35 wqxga combines low cost of ownership with near ‘eye-limiting’ 2,560 x 1,600 resolution, increased brightness and 100,000 hours of typical service life. Based on the company’s F35 platform, the projector combines its 4.1 megapixels resolution with solidstate ReaLED illumination technology. The design reduces the number of channels needed to configure simulation systems and with no restrictions on the operation orientation of the ReaLED engine, is said to provide improved installation flexibility. The high resolution enables higher acuity systems or reduced channel counts and makes the FL35 wqxga ideal for integration in multichannel systems. A singlechassis solution, it features five precision optical lenses to provide sustained high contrast, accurate colour rendition and sharpness.

And also: Unlike 4K resolution projectors, the FL35 wqxga uses industry-standard single cable IG inputs and has expandable inputs and outputs ensuring interoperability with exports and image processing interfaces. www.installationeurope.com

Visit NuVo Stand #1P122 at ISE

Whole Home Audio

IE January 2012 55

Product Choice Optoma

NEC Display Solutions

ProScene EH7500

MultiSync X462HB

www.optomaeurope.com

www.necdisplaysolutions.com

It’s… The first of Optoma’s ProScene range of products created for very high-brightness applications.

Details: The EH7500 is a dual-lamp WUXGA projector delivering 6,500 lumens output. Its sealed, filterfree design prevents dust and dirt from affecting the system – ensuring optimal image quality with minimal maintenance.

Motorised lens shift, focus and zoom combined with the extensive lens options and interchangeable

colour wheels are included for improved installation flexibility.

An aspherical lens and optical elements using low-dispersion glass maintain optimum sharpness and focus uniformity over the entire image as well as ensuring extremely low colour flare and chromatic aberration. A standard colour wheel maximises brightness while ensuring good colour reproduction; the enhanced colour option maintains colour performance and accuracy. The

colour wheels are interchangeable modules and can be fitted or exchanged on site without removing the projector cover.

And also: ProScene projectors will be available only through certified partners. Optoma will be providing specially trained support and service teams to advise on any aspect of the installation, integration or maintenance of ProScene products.

It’s… A 46in LCD ultra-bright digital signage display designed for high-brightness environments such as lobbies and public spaces.

Details: With a maximum brightness value of 1,500cd/sqm combined with HD resolution and a large viewing area, the MultiSync X462HB is said to offer easy readability even in sunflooded buildings. An ambient light sensor ensures that the brightness is automatically adjusted as light conditions

change; the display is also equipped with a quarter-lambda polarising filter, which enables wearers of polarised glasses to view the content on the screen regardless of portrait or landscape orientation.

And also: Other features include a carbon footprint meter, OSD rotation for portrait mode and a full range of inputs with picturein-picture support and rapid input switching.

Stardraw

Stardraw Design 7 www.stardraw.com

It’s… A software design/ documentation tool for systems integrators.

Details: Stardraw Design 7 generates a project- and productcentric database accessible via drawing environments such as ‘Block Schematics’ and ‘Rack Layouts’ as well as a new, gridbased products overview and integrated reporting interface.

Each ‘view’ provides a representation of the central project database, so a change in one ripples through to all the others. A multi-tab interface means that all drawings are accessible at the same time, while the Project Dashboard provides a master view of the whole project.

Other new features include compatibility with the latest versions of AutoCAD (R12 – 2010) and Visio, as well as a built-in PDF generator. The drawing interface also includes requested features such as grab/pan, wireframe dragging, arrowheads, improved image support, setting of multiple cable labels with a single click plus automatic Title Blocks.

And also: A new Symbols Palette feature reveals products not used in the current drawing. This helps users keep track of projects and ensures nothing is overlooked when building racks or documenting system interconnections.

56 IE January 2012

www.installationeurope.com

Q&A

Gunnar Gunnarsson and Kristjan Magnusson, Exton

Diversity and passion different from a regular AV installation.

Harpa is a concert hall and conference centre. Is it the biggest project you’ve worked on?

GG: Yes – by far. The project we did before this – the Hof theatre in Akureyri, in the north of Iceland – that’s about one-third of this project in value.

KM: This is the biggest project of this kind in Iceland since 2000, when the state TV broadcaster moved into a new building.

During IE’s recent visit to the Harpa concert hall in Reykjavik, we spoke to the founders of the main integrator for the venue You founded Exton [Gunnar] and Kastljos [Kristjan] in 1992. Was it an easy decision to set up your own companies, or was it a leap of faith?

GG: It was relatively easy – at that time there wasn’t a rental market. I had my own lighting system, and my business partner had a system. We did some bigger concerts together. In many ways it was a natural step to set up a company to handle imports of equipment and so on.

KM: When we started, the rental market was totally undeveloped – the only equipment available for rental was a few par cans and a couple of smoke machines. It was a part-time gig at the start: it took five or six years before a proper company could become viable.

So when did the installation work really start to take off?

KM: In 1998, Kastljos got its first installation job – I was asked to design an installation for the world exposition in Lisbon that year, handling all of the technical installations for the Icelandic Pavilion. Then in 2000 when we merged Exton and Kastljos, we decided this was a viable market and we should spend some time on it. So we formed a separate division to take care of

installations – and spent the next seven years working towards being able to handle the national concert hall project.

I gather that you’re not the biggest AV and lighting company in Iceland, but you’re the most diverse.

GG: We have different competitors depending on what we do. In rental there are three other companies: one does sound and light, and some video; one does lighting and video; the third does video and audio. One of them is a division of a large IT company with

‘You can’t get good results unless there’s some kind of passion involved’ around 400 people. They’re our biggest competitor in AV installation and rental.

How would you say the installation world has changed in Exton’s lifetime?

GG: In the beginning, we hardly did any installation – it was mostly boxes sales.

After we began to focus more on installation, we started to do projects in stores, schools, offices, and just let it grow. At the peak, we did some crazy installations. A few years ago, for example, we put an AMX control system into a power company’s foyer that pumped water through a clear acrylic ball, maybe 1.8m in diameter. The water level in the ball mimicked the water level in one of their hydroelectric reservoirs up in the mountains. It was rather

Has the type of sector that you work in changed over the years?

KM: Besides theatres and concert halls, we also do a lot of meeting rooms and boardrooms, plus we have done quite a few museum installations in Iceland – as well as in Paris and London.

GG: If you look back over 15 years, it has gone in cycles. Because we work in a lot of sectors, we’ve been relatively stable, because when one area of the business goes down, another one goes up.

I suppose the timing of the Harpa project was lucky, as it saw you through a couple of years when there wasn’t much else around.

KM: It helped quite a lot. It would have been hard to survive 2009-10 without having this on hand – simple as that.

Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions – either for the company or personally?

GG: We’re looking more abroad for new projects – there are not going to be any big projects in Iceland for the next few years at least. We’ve won a contract in Aalborg, Denmark, and we’ll keep looking for similar projects in TV. KM: On a personal level, I can’t think of anything. I like spending time in the office – this is a passion. You can’t get good results unless there’s some kind of passion involved in it. IE

. Gunnar Gunnarsson and Kristjan Magnusson were talking to Paddy Baker.

We will carry a report on the Harpa concert hall in a future issue.

www.exton.is/english

ONLINE EXTRAS . Kristjan Magnusson explains Exton’s policy of specifying top-line brands http://tinyurl.com/IEExtonQandA Visit www.installationeurope.com or type the tinyurl into your browser

Advertisers index Active Audio 38 AMC Baltic 30 Analog Way 29 APart Audio 49 Ateïs 4 AudiPack 52 Barco 11 Black Magic 13 Bosch 26 Braehler 32 Chief 57 CommTec 35 Community Professional 47 Crestron Front cover, 9 Dataton 23 DataVideo 42 EAW 27 eyevis 49 Fast Turnaround TV 50 Gefen 44 Harman/JBL 31 Hitachi 21 HumanTeknik 38 InOut 19 Integrated Systems Europe 54 Kramer Electronics 56 Lightware Inside front cover Magenta Research 32 Midwich 14 Mitsubishi 24 Nuvo 55 Opticis 10 Powersoft 46 PVS 6 QSC 5 Revolabs 20 RGB Spectrum 51 Sennheiser 18 SmartMetals 7 Sommer Cable 37 Sony 43 Tag 3 Taiden 59 Tannoy 8, 44 Televic 41 TLS Communications 14 TV One 17 Vogel’s Outside back cover Yamaha 52

Subscriptions to Installation Europe are free to qualified readers. Register online at www.subscription.co.uk/cc/ie/mag1 Installation Europe is published 12 times a year by Intent Media London, 1st Floor, Suncourt House, 18-26 Essex Road, London N1 8LR, England Circulation and subscription enquiries Tel: +44 (0)1858 438786 Fax +44 (0)1858 434958 Intent Media 2012, Tower House, Lathkill Street, Market Harborough, Leics LE16 9EF, UK Editorial tel +44 (0)20 7226 7246 Sales tel +44 (0)20 7354 6000 Editor Paddy Baker paddy.baker@intentmedia.co.uk Managing editor Joanne Ruddock jo.ruddock@intentmedia.co.uk Designer Claire Brocklesby claire.brocklesby@intentmedia.co.uk Sales manager Ian Graham ian.graham@intentmedia.co.uk Sales executive Les Wood les.wood@intentmedia.co.uk US sales representative Michael Mitchell +1 631 673 3199 mjmitchell@broadcast-media.tv Senior production executive Alistair Taylor alistair.taylor@intentmedia.co.uk Production executive Florence Beaumont florence.beaumont@intentmedia.co.uk Digital content manager Tim Frost Intent Media is tim.frost@intentmedia.co.uk Publisher Steve Connolly steve.connolly@intentmedia.co.uk Managing director Stuart Dinsey Contributors David Davies, Simon Duff, Gez Kahan, Nigel Lord, Ian McMurray, Steve Montgomery, Blair Parkin, Adrian Pennington, Bob Snyder Special thanks this issue a member of Katinka Allender, Sverrir Hreidarsson, Mark Millar, Caroline Moss © Intent Media 2012. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any the Periodical Publishers Association form or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owners. Printed by Headley Brothers, UK 58 IE January 2012

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