Installation April 2015 Digital Edition

Issue 178 / April 2015

AV INTEGRATION IN A NETWORKED WORLD www.installation-international.com

A place for everything Martin Audio MD’s recipe for success p20

A broad church

Worship – a market like no other p30

Unified comms

The workplace of the future – today p38

ON SPEC

Projector datasheets – what do they really tell you? p34

Turn to page 6 for the full list of finalists

OPENS NEW PERSPECTIVES More info? NAB stand C4937

www.riedel.net

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WELCOME 03

April 2015

Editor’s comment R

Paddy Baker, Editor pbaker@nbmedia.com

obots have long been a sci-fi staple – but by any measure we’ve had a spate of robotthemed films just recently. There’s been Chappie – which tells the story of a lawenforcement robot upgraded into sentience; Ex Machina, went into Turing Test territory with a humanoid robot that can pass as human; and Big Hero 6, a Disney animation about an inflatable care robot who is taught how to fight.

Of these, it’s probably Big Hero 6 that is closest to becoming a reality – well, in terms of the idea of care robots, anyway. I’ve long believed that the care market – particularly for the elderly – is an area where intelligent technology has massive potential. All the drivers are pushing in the same direction: we have a

‘The care market – particularly for the elderly – is an area where intelligent technology has massive potential’ growing population of retired people, whose life expectancy is increasing; care providers’ resources are being stretched; and elderly people prefer to remain independent, living in their own homes, and generally do better there, provided the necessary checks and safeguards are in place.

It’s not just robotics that has a role here: video communications can help relatives to keep in touch; intelligent presence detection can alert carers if someone has departed from their daily routine; apps or touchscreen devices can assist with logging that medication has been taken at the right times; and I’m sure there are many more.

Many of these technologies are currently deployed, but in an unintegrated fashion. The Internet of Things can help to tie these different technologies together, and also facilitate the provision of a more customised approach to suit individuals’ needs better.

Also, as the tech-savvy population ages, there is likely to be far greater acceptance, or even appetite, for elderly care technology – particularly if it can be delivered through familiar devices such as mobile phones, tablets or televisions.

According to news reports, we are on the verge of a new age of robot technology – with the UK one of the countries hoping to lead the way. I’m very optimistic about the potential that all of this offers. With luck, by the time I’m in my dotage, I will have an array of smart devices – and maybe a robot or two – keeping a benevolent eye on me.

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Subscriptions to Installation are free to qualified readers. Register online at www.installation-international.com/subscribe

Installation is published 12 times a year by NewBay Media London, 1st Floor, Suncourt House, 18-26 Essex Road, London N1 8LR, England Editorial tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6002 Sales tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6000 Please send press material to ukpressreleases@nbmedia.com Circulation & subscription enquiries Tel: +44 (0)1580 883848 Email: installation.subscriptions@c-cms.com Editor: Paddy Baker pbaker@nbmedia.com

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Staff writer: Duncan Proctor dproctor@nbmedia.com

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Publisher: Steve Connolly Contributors: Mark Armon, David Davies, Rob Lane, Ian McMurray, Steve Montgomery

Shure QLX-D: The article about the Shure QLX-D digital wireless system on page 52 of our March 2015 issue contained some inaccuracies. While 2006 saw Shure significantly increase its wireless research programme, it has not ceased non-wireless research. QLX-D does not offer interference detection, although this feature is available on some other Shure digital wireless systems. Finally, Shure continues to produce digital wireless systems that run on channel 70. We apologise for these errors and are glad to set the record straight. © NewBay Media 2015. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owners.

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Print ISSN: 2050-6104

Online ISSN: 2052-2401

Cover image: NEC projectors at the the Green Belt exhibition, Haltia –The Finnish Nature Centre. Photo: Metsähallitus / Tapani Mikkola

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04 CONTENTS April 2015

30

News & Data 06 10 14 22

26

InstallAwards 2015: The finalists are revealed Update Appointments Industry Data Lighting and lighting control market full of opportunity for integrators Regional Voices: Sweden

06

30

People 16

20

Features

Opinion Rob Lane on the future of retail Mark Armon discusses HDBaseT hardware Interview Martin Audio’s Luke Ireland talks growing pains and plans for the future

20

32 38

Technology

48

28

Solutions 50

43 46

Show Previews

Houses of Worship: Although a major source of revenue for many installers, the HoW market still provides challenges Projection Technology: Does a spec sheet provide a realistic guide to image quality?

Unified Communications: How technology is helping to shape the workplace of the future

54

New Products Demo of the Month Polycom RealPresence Immersive Studio Showcase Control panels

46

Augeo, Rimini New meets old in a renovated cultural and leisure space LDN19 Pro-Direct store, London Technology brings an online retailer to life in this virtual shopping experience

50

Prolight + Sound: What to look out for at the Frankfurt show

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06 INSTALLAWARDS April 2015

Finalists announced!

We’re pleased to announce the finalists in the six main categories of the 2015 InstallAwards, along with the Team of the Year finalists chosen from all the entries

Audience Venues Best Project Award Estádio da Luz – Bosch Security Systems

A new sound reinforcement system provides homogeneous and powerful coverage of the stands and the playing area at this 66,000-seater arena.

Manchester City FC: City Football – Tripleplay A digital signage and IPTV

Education Best Project Award

system for the club’s entire property estate, including stadium, training campus, football academy and offices in New York and Melbourne.

Moesgaard Museum – Panasonic This archeological museum goes beyond displaying artefacts and presents an animated picture of the people who used them.

SoundBox at the San Francisco Symphony – Meyer Sound Both a venue and a programming concept, SoundBox uses a Meyer Sound Constellation System

to provide a wide range of performance environments

Wuhan Movie Park: Ultimate Energy Theatre – 7th Sense Design This features a 3D 8K display and 37m x 16.5m screen – as well as live actors, props, stunts and special effects including abseiling and motorbike stuntmen, co-ordinated with content and technology.

Star Product Award Casio ultra short throw projectors – The Making of Don Giovanni Casio projectors were used to project video sequences of costumes being made onto mannequins and set designs onto a scale model of the stage.

filters or exhaust fans.

LG bespoke LED displays – Etihad Stadium Two 97.5sqm LED displays inform fans and provide a platform for sponsors and advertisers.

Powersoft Ottocanali amplifier – Mackay Stadium Aside from improved intelligibility, the amplifiers have created a future roadmap for the stadium sound system and maintain performance in demanding conditions.

Peerless-AV Xtreme Outdoor Display – Columbus Zoo and Aquarium The 39 Peerless displays provide a weatherproof signage solution without needing additional vents,

Riedel MediorNet – Quantum of the Seas The Riedel system enables flexible management of signals throughout the ship and facilitates communications across its entertainment venues.

Carlo Anti High School – Vivitek A collaborative learning zone has been created in the school to promote creativity featuring BYOD capability enabling students to share content from different devices.

Cardiff Business School postgraduate study centre – GV Multi-media The centre aims to develop a collaborative business environment with highlights including collaborative desks and two custom LED tickers displaying stock information.

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INSTALLAWARDS 07

April 2015

Leicester BSF Project – CDEC The council received funding to rebuild/remodel every secondary school in the city, integrating bespoke and futureproof AV solutions.

National Judicial College – Kramer The fully integrated system provides the college’s mock courtroom with reliable communication through each room with the touchscreen panel switching any signal to any location.

Star Product Award

Residential Best Project Award Bismarck, North Dakota install – Atlona Every family member now has access to media entertainment through their own suite with full control of all 14 displays from the master bedroom.

Grey Timbers – Ivory Egg To create this integrated home solution, a faulty control system was replaced with a smart home system to control lighting and heating reliably and efficiently through touch keypads.

Home in Naples – RTI An all-inclusive home automation system was installed in this apartment providing control of the home’s electronic systems as well as a number of AV entertainment components.

Surrey Family Home – ClearSphere The fully integrated control system provides control of AV, heating and lighting on a room-by-room or floorplan overview basis.

Star Product Award

Atlona AT-PRO2HD88M – City University of Hong Kong The matrix used has upgraded the classroom AV system to send video, audio, IR and RS-232 signals over one cable and allows future modification.

Best Project Award Fédération Nationale du Crédit Agricole – Analog Way A renewal of the bank’s AV system, which would allow the client to display at least three sources all operated through a single touchscreen.

Humberside Police Station – Revolabs To improve record keeping around firearm use by the police, the command centre chose a recording solution that provided failsafe audio capture capabilities with a series of customisation features.

Kramer VS-162V and VS-3232DN – National Judicial College Vivitek NovoConnect – Carlo Anti High School

Warwickshire HQ fitted a three-phase virtual reality experience including a VR Cave that can amend product designs in real time.

Sky Sports News HQ – Shooting Partners For this project a new camera set was needed with 24/7 capability that could ensure all the different types of displays matched on camera.

Vantaan Energia – Genelec Visitor centre of the new waste-to-energy plant features interactive exhibits and scale models to help visitors understand the plant’s processes.

Star Product Award K-array KZ12 – Royal Automobile Club, Mountbatten Room The loudspeaker system met all the demands delivering a natural sound, seamless coverage and the ultra miniaturised line-array element suited the room’s architecture.

SiliconCore Peony 2.6 with anti moiré filter – NRK broadcast studio The LED wall features Common Cathode rather than Common Anode technology to drive the LEDs and generates brightness in a more efficient way.

Analog Way AW VideoCompositor – Fédération Nationale du Crédit Agricole

Atlona AT-PRO2HD1616M – Bismarck, North Dakota install

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Panasonic PT-RZ370 – Kingston University The existing stock has been replaced with 170

Panasonic projectors across the university, which emit less heat and noise and provide 20,000 hours of maintenance-free use.

Corporate and Industrial

Basalte Sentido – Grey Timbers

Crestron Crestron TSW-1050 touchscreen – Surrey Family Home

Crestron CaptureHD Pro – Austrian agricultural training college The AV system was built around this streaming and capturing solution, which can stream and record from all main rooms.

Jaguar Land Rover Experience – Holovis Jaguar Land Rover’s

Holovis VR CAVE – Jaguar Land Rover Experience

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08 INSTALLAWARDS April 2015

Hospitality

Retail, Transport and Public Space

Best Project Award

Best Project Award

Avalon Hollywood – Powersoft The subwoofer system installed in this nightclub is an advanced system tailored to the lower frequency range while producing a cleaner and clearer sound.

Melbourne Central – Nanolumens This eye-catching DOOH display is the largest 6mm NanoSlim LED portrait display ever installed.

Shell digital signage network in Turkey – BrightSign The country’s biggest out-of-home advertising network is planned to roll out to over 1,000 locations.

to deliver the ‘retail theatre’ aspect of airside shopping were designed, supplied, installed, commissioned and are being maintained.

Star Product Award

Oliveto Restaurant and Café – Meyer Sound The active and passive acoustics from Meyer Sound create a precisely calibrated acoustic environment within the restaurant.

Quaglinos – SSE Audio Group The restaurant installed an invisible audio system for background music, live music and DJs, which also needed to solve the acoustic challenges that the old system struggled with.

Melissa’s London – Intevi Imaginative deployment of 3.9mm LED panels has produced a show-stopping retail backdrop.

South Bank Tower HD Projection – Inition This ultra-realistic panoramic installation was designed to show customers the view of the London skyline that would be available from luxury penthouses still under construction.

World Duty Free Store, Heathrow Terminal 2 – Blynk Digital Media A suite of AV technologies

Absen LED AIO3 – Melissa’s London Harkness Translite Grey rear-projection surfaces – South Bank Tower HD Projection LedGO flexible LED panels – World Duty Free Store, Heathrow Terminal 2 Nanolumens NanoSlim – Melbourne Central

Team of the Year 2M Audio / Tingo Gmbh / Auviso AG – KKL Lucerne Fixing an unsatisfactory concert hall installation by including additional d&b audiotechnik speakers resulted in an original solution.

Heijman / Felix Clark Dick / Bruns / Rapenburg Plaza / Kossmann.dejong – National Military Museum This integrated lighting design, multimedia, audio and show control system was a year in the making.

Star Product Award K-array Kobra/KK Series – Quaglinos Meyer Sound Libra Acoustic Image System – Oliveto Restaurant and Café

7th Sense Design / Industrial Light and Magic / ITEC Corporation / Wincom – Wuhan Movie Park Auerbach Pollock Friedlander / Meyer Sound / BBI Engineering – Soundbox at the San Francisco Symphony CDEC / Capita / Leicester City Council – Leicester BSF Project

Powersoft M-Force technology – Avalon Hollywood

The InstallAwards 2015 take place on Thursday 4 June at the Bloomsbury Ballroom, London.

Tickets for the event are available now and cost £225 or £1,995 for a table of 10. Visit the website for more details or email jfarnan@nbmedia.com For sponsorship opportunities, contact gpurewal@nbmedia.com or pmccarthy@nbmedia.com or call +44 (0)20 7354 6000.

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www.installawards.com

25/03/2015 09:43

DICENTIS Wireless Conference System Maximum flexibility. Zero interference

DICENTIS Wireless Conference System – for a truly exceptional meeting experience Combine standard Wi-Fi technology, smart wireless management, touch-screen functionality, acoustical excellence and wireless connectivity, and you get the most advanced, flexible and userfriendly conference system on the market. Being wireless, and so quick and easy to set-up and use, DICENTIS systems are ideal for multipurpose rooms, historical buildings and boardrooms where cable clutter is unwanted. Take advantage of DICENTIS today. Contact your nearest Bosch representative or visit www.boschsecurity.com

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3/20/2015 10:35:15 AM 19-03-15 15:51

10 UPDATE April 2015

Renovation celebration

To mark the restoration of the Inno building, a high-end department store in Antwerp, Belgium, a special event was held in December putting the spotlight on the façade through a light show accompanied by a contemporary musical selection.

SGM LEDs were chosen to provide lighting for the event; 20 G-Spot moving heads, 108 P-5 wash lights, eight Q-7 and 22 Q-2 flood/blind/strobe lights were deployed in the display, which took place in the cold Flemish winter.

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“We had been experiencing extreme weather conditions during the production process, so the IP65 rating of the SGM fixtures was crucial for the light show,” said Christian Stenuit, owner of CST Production, which was commissioned by event management company Fabulous Moment to lead the lighting design and production supply. www.sgmlight.com

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12 UPDATE April 2015

Eye in the sky eyevis and Antycip Simulation have recently completed an upgrade project for Skyguide, the organisation responsible for air safety in Swiss and adjoining airspaces. The project involved modernising the TOSIM Blue tower simulator, to improve its performance in training situations,

through greater resolution, colour depiction and brightness.

Fourteen eyevis ESP-LWXT-1000 LED projectors, combined into a single 360º simulation with a 9.5m diameter, have been installed. The tower visuals, including a number of national and international

airports and airfields, are displayed exactly as they would be viewed from their respective air traffic control towers. www.eyevis.com

New Partners Ligra has been named as Analog Way’s distributor in Italy. Ligra has more than 40 years of industry experience and represents brands including Chief, Lightware and NEC. “The goal of this agreement is a deeper penetration into the Italian market with a high-end range of solutions,” said Gianluigi Cravedi, CEO, Ligra. www.analogway.com www.ligra.it

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Audiopole has been appointed as the exclusive distribution partner for France for audio, video and signal management product manufacturer Ghielmetti. Robert Habersaat, Ghielmetti VP sales & marketing, said: “Audiopole is a highly professional partner being very well connected in our main target markets in France.” www.audiopole.fr www.ghielmetti.ch

Sound system manufacturer Audica has named Audiologic as its distributor in the UK. Simon Stoll, managing director of Audiologic, said: “Audica complements our portfolio and is a brand that undoubtedly strengthens our profile in respect of the retail sector.” www.audicapro.co.uk www.audiologic.uk

Barix has appointed LineQ as its distribution partner in the US. LineQ formerly operated under the name of Barix Technology in the US, exclusively distributing Barix devices and solutions. Led by long-time Barix Technology president Andy Stadheim, LineQ intends to expand Barix’s market share in the country. www.barix.com www.lineq.com

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14 APPOINTMENTS April 2015

TD Maverick

BIAMP

Trio of key appointments

Jim Seretis has joined the international sales team at Biamp. He takes up the role of consultant liaison and business development manager for Australia and New Zealand, and will be responsible for supporting regional consultants with the information required to implement Biamp solutions within the region.

Distributor shows commitment to channel growth with changes to sales and marketing teams

T

D Maverick, the AV business unit of Tech Data, has made a host of new appointments across the sales and marketing teams.

Carmel Keightley Shaun Elliott has joined the business as sales director with responsibility for Maverick’s further growth while Simon Millidge has been appointed as education channel manager. Both bring extensive experience in distribution to these key roles.

In addition, Carmel Keightley has joined Maverick as its marketing manager, moving over after two years working in the public sector team. She will take responsibility for Maverick’s customer-focused campaigns, supporting business growth for both professional AV and B2B resellers.

PLANAR SYSTEMS

www.biamp.com

BUBBLE & SQUEAK Shaun Elliott

Stuart Hillis has joined Bubble & Squeak as director of the PR agency’s new AV division. Hillis previously oversaw PR operations at Midwich.

Simon Millidge

Simon Fagan, director of Maverick UK, stated: “These appointments are a measure of the confidence and commitment we have in our business.

We grew significantly last year and we have shown how effective we can be in driving and supporting development for our partners and customers. With the experience and expertise they bring, Shaun, Simon and Carmel will add even more energy and enthusiasm to our team.”

www.bubblesqueak.co.uk

GENELEC Sami Mäkinen has been promoted to business manager AV install at Genelec. Mäkinen joined the manufacturer in 2007 as domestic sales manager (Finland) and later moved to international sales manager, home audio.

In his new role he will be developing existing customer relationships in the AV market and exploring new opportunities.

He will also be responsible for coordinating sales and marketing activities for the AV install business segment.

www.techdata.co.uk

AC-ET

US team expanded

Danish division grows

Brad Ashbrook and Steve Johnson join the salesforce

Brith de Blanck named as regional representative

Brad Ashbrook and Steve Johnson have joined Planar Systems as sales managers in the US. With over two decades of experience, Ashbrook has been named sales manager for Florida. Over the past 15 years, he served as a manufacturer’s representative at EDA where he represented a range of manufacturers, including Planar.

Based out of Minneapolis, Johnson will manage the Upper Midwest region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin. Previously holding account management positions at Alpha Video, Panasonic Broadcast and Vaddio, Johnson has a track record developing strong business relationships.

AC Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) has appointed Brith de Blanck in the new role of regional sales representative for Denmark.

She has over 25 years of experience working in sales and marketing for various technology and media companies as well as working in product marketing roles for Martin Professional and Harman International.

De Blanck commented: “During my time in the industry AC-ET has been a very familiar name to me. The company has a strong international reputation for providing customer service and a portfolio of leading technology brands which in my opinion is second to none, so I’m delighted to be part of AC’s exciting overseas growth plans.”

www.genelec.com

RENKUS-HEINZ Dan Hughley is the latest addition to the sales and marketing team, taking on the role of sales and marketing assistant. He joins Renkus-Heinz after several years at Manley Labs, where he held positions in the sales and marketing, production and finance departments.

www.renkus-heinz.com

SONY Nick Barker has joined the UK displays division at Sony, spearheading the pro-AV channel as channel account manager. He brings over eight years of industry experience, joining from AV distributor Medium UK.

www.pro.sony.eu www.planar.com

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www.ac-et.com

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16 OPINION: ON THE AGENDA April 2015

Rob Lane

Tech brands: the future of retail With the sector changing rapidly, its technology that’s heralding a new era for retailing

A

s reported in this column and elsewhere in Installation recently, the retail sector is wide awake to the possibilities of technology: virtual reality changing rooms, augmented reality furniture and decoration apps, AR apps for ‘trying on’ makeup, multi-touch tables, projection mapping, transparent displays, holographic effects... But this is merely the tip of a burgeoning iceberg, and integrators and developers should find themselves working on more and more retail projects going forward.

In early March, London Tech City-based production company Inition held its inaugural Future of Retail evening with event partner and recruitment expert Handle’s Digital and Technology Division. The evening provided an opportunity for key players in the retail space to see the latest technical and creative innovation at first hand within Inition’s demo studio.

In addition, a series of presentations from leaders in their respective fields proved revealing.

Adrian Leu, head of strategy & innovation at Inition’s parent SuperCommunications, explained that “there is no doubt” that the retail sector is changing at a very fast rate, partially as a result of the high street being under attack from online businesses such as Amazon. “Fluid and engaging customer experience together with a seamless union of the online and offline and a strong data-driven culture constitutes the ‘holy grail’ for many high street retailers,” he explained, adding that this is where technology is the “catalyst and driving engine”.

Neil Tinegate, head of digital innovation at Argos, offered his thoughts on the necessity of risk for innovation in retail. Tinegate explained

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how the retailer ensures that technology and innovation are at the forefront of the company’s thinking. It holds ‘Days of Innovation’ to encourage employees to come together and brainstorm “adventurous ideas”. A good example of an idea that was successful is Argos’ kids’ Christmas wishlist app.

As founder and CEO of GDR Creative Intelligence, Kate Ancketill had plenty to impart on retail’s future. The company provides inspiration, insight and advice to the world’s leading brands and retailers and considers every aspect of the retail experience in the physical and digital space, including store and service design, brand communication and social media.

According to Ancketill: “Technological advancements will see an influx of brands and retailers introducing technologies, services and products that consumers can interact with on a deeper level – be it intellectually, by proximity and interaction, or physically via tactile feedback.”

Artificial intelligence or ‘cognitive computing’ could spur a growth in the use of in-store robots, such as Lowe’s multilingual robot; digital personal assistants for the home – Jibo; learning engines to assist consumers with making more informed decisions/purchases; and workplace ‘cognitive knowledge workers’ – Amelia – that can reply to emails, answer calls and hold conversations.

Away from the store, there’s likely to be a growth of retail-style services in the home. For example, Amazon Echo dispenses information and purchasing advice via voice activation, ordering products immediately from the Amazon store; French chain Darty offers a special button for putting users directly in touch with customer service representatives; and devices such as

Amazon Dash and Waitrose’s Hiku (currently trialling) enable consumers to scan item barcodes at home, adding them to their online shopping trolleys.

Ancketill also discussed ‘gesture marketing’, including concepts like the Dorothy app based around distinctive gestures – in this case, three taps of the user’s heels – which summons a service or product. With Dorothy, the gesture fulfils a pre-selected option to order an Uber cab, generate a phone call or send a message to friends. As more and more retail businesses look to embrace the culture of the tech brand, so technology will continue to play a bigger role in the future of retail, online and in-store. Make sure you’re in a position to play your part in this retail revolution.

Rob Lane is founder/director of PR/marketing agency Bigger Boat PR Ltd and a technology journalist/columnist, and is looking forward to clicking his fingers to fulfil his chicken jalfrezi order.

23/03/2015 15:26

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18 OPINION: ON SITE April 2015

Mark Armon

Achieving stability with HDBaseT installations Not all HDBaseT hardware is created equal

S

ince HDBaseT is a standard and the majority of receivers and transmitters rely on the same chipset, you’d expect all implementations to be more or less the same. Not so. We have personal experience of installations whose stability has been transformed simply by swapping out the transmitters and receivers with higher-quality products from a different vendor. No change was made to the cabling, and the chipsets in all endpoints are basically the same, but the performance was very different.

It is well worth taking time out to evaluate different HDBaseT transceiver hardware options thoroughly before an installation, particularly in noisy environments or where the cable runs are at or close to the maximum specified range.

HDBaseT makes use of standard Cat5e/6 cable network infrastructure but it does not, of course, make use of Ethernet protocol, including the error-correction mechanisms. This makes it very vulnerable to poor installation standards and interference.

If cables are laid too close to power lines, fluorescent lights or other sources of interference, the transmission range may well be adversely affected. Installations that work perfectly in an unoccupied building can become unstable when staff move in and start using their mobile phones.

So what should installers look for in an HDBaseT transmitter or receiver? The first clues are in the specification. What is the range of the device? For all HDBaseT devices, the range given in the datasheet should be regarded as the maximum that can be achieved rather than

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an absolute that will always be delivered. So much depends on environmental factors: the amount of electrical noise in the environment (including the number of other links nearby), the quality of the cable, how well it has been laid and terminated and so on.

So called ‘long-reach’ devices are likely to perform better and more reliably than standard implementations in most real-world environments. Although all are built around the same Valens chipset, the firmware that runs on the chips is developed individually by each vendor. To achieve a longer range, a vendor will have tweaked that firmware to reduce the heat emitted in the design, which will reduce the level of EMI emissions as well as the susceptibility to outside EMI. The result is that if you’re installing even a short (100ft, say) link in a ‘noisy’ environment like a lift shaft, the ‘long-range’ product may deliver a reliable connection where a standard product will struggle.

Another point to consider is the way the endpoints are powered. Although 5-play allows the receiver to be powered via the cable, devices will run cooler and last longer if they are powered directly.

Stability test Having examined the datasheet and drawn up a shortlist of potential receivers and transmitters, a worthwhile next step for the installer is to conduct a stability test. A welldesigned transmitter or receiver will have watchdog circuitry to check the connection on boot-up and periodically thereafter and automatically reboot the link if necessary.

Cool running devices are also likely to be more stable.

A good test is to run 300ft links with each transmitter-receiver pair under evaluation alongside each other in the lab, and monitor the stability and performance of each link. You could introduce a source of electrical noise alongside, such as a fluorescent light fitting.

You will be surprised at the differences that emerge.

HDBaseT is, on paper, a very cost-effective way of transmitting uncompressed video, but the savings made on the cost of hardware can quickly evaporate if additional time is required on site to troubleshoot the installation.

In many environments, it is still well worth considering established alternative technologies. Although the endpoints will be more costly, it is often possible to compensate for this as they will run reliably over lower specification cable. Installation is likely to be quicker, easier and more trouble free too, leading to a happier end customer and the timely release of the installation team to start the next project.

Although the signal source and the display are much the most visible part of any installation, the communications link is missioncritical. The ‘cheapest’ solution on paper can prove expensive in the long run, and it is well worth taking time out to evaluate the options properly beforehand.

Mark Armon is a product manager at TV One.

www.tvone.com

23/03/2015 15:29

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VISIT us at prolight & Sound, 15-18 april 2015 in Frankfurt, hall 8, stand f44 Pioneerproaudio

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3/23/2015 4:54:49 PM 23/03/2015 16:24

20 INTERVIEW: LUKE IRELAND, MARTIN AUDIO April 2015

Putting everything into place Eight months after landing the job of running the renowned manufacturer and on the eve of a major launch at Prolight + Sound, Martin Audio managing director Luke Ireland talks to Paddy Baker about addressing the installation market and easing the company’s growing pains What was your impression of Martin Audio before you joined – and did it change at all afterwards?

My impression was that it was and is a premium audio brand with a very good reputation for innovation and product design. That hasn’t changed since I joined: we’ve made some improvements in customer service and operations, but the core values of the company remain the same.

What aspects of your experience in previous roles have you found most useful at Martin Audio?

ideal for us is to have levels of inventory so we can ship on a next-day basis, but also to have very a rapid lean manufacturing facility that enables us to build to customers’ orders very quickly on a batch size of one.

The key thing is to get rid of what we call non-value-adding steps in the manufacturing process: at a basic level, the time it takes to go and get a screw from a shelf is non-value-adding, putting that screw in the product is valueadding. We’re making the staff more efficient and at the same time expanding the workforce, to give us a platform where we can grow the next stage of the business without massively

Martin Audio has grown four to five times in size on the back of MLA [launched in 2010], and has had some growing pains associated with that. That’s something I’ve managed in the past several times, either being part of that growth or joining a company when it’s reached a certain level and needs a new set of eyes. That’s really where my operational and sales leadership skills have come in to Martin Audio. The company has reached a certain level and needs a new level of management to take it to the next stage of its development.

increasing our overheads.

What have been the key focuses of your attention since taking over?

So does the factory floor look very different now?

We’ve made some significant changes to operations since I joined. For many years Martin Audio was a business that made very highquality but relatively simple speaker systems.

MLA is a high-technology product, and things needed to change to put it on a good platform for growth. The changes have been around operational efficiency and change – including lean manufacturing – enhancing our customer service proposition and also growing our sales, particularly in the US market where we see a strong opportunity for us.

It does. We’ve rearranged the whole of manufacturing: we’re running a very clean ‘5S’ system for assembly where everything has its proper place, everything gets returned to its place and you can immediately see if something’s not where it should be. There are regular team meetings around production planning, so there’s more of a collaborative effort, and that’s resulted in a completely different production environment. It’s gone away from 10 people building a load of products

Tell me about lean manufacturing.

Fundamentally the change that we’re making in High Wycombe – it should be completed by June – is to move from a batch build, where you make 100 or 500 of a product at a time, to single-piece flow, where you can make one of something with the same efficiency as batch manufacturing. We have quite a wide product range and we want to be able to react quickly to customers’ demands on things like colour or configuration. So the

20-21 Install178 Interview_Final.indd 1

‘We’re seeing a change in people’s requirements, and technology enabling installations in environments where they previously wouldn’t have been possible’

to each person building one product, but still working in teams.

Would you say the installation market is growing in importance for Martin Audio?

Absolutely. The MLA technology has been in the touring and live sound markets for quite some time, but we’re starting to see it increase in the installation market. But whether it’s MLA or more standard installation products, we see this market as a massive growth opportunity for us, particularly in the US where we’re focusing some additional sales effort. MLA is winning us business in acoustically difficult environments such as churches and concert halls, and we’re launching a new range of products in Frankfurt using a new technology that we believe will revolutionise the sector of the installation market that delivers most volume.

Do you think the overall installation market is growing, or is it just that your solutions can get you a bigger piece of the pie?

The US market is the strongest in the world for installations, and in the houses of worship market, the type of activities have changed: it’s gone from a traditional church environment to performing artists and bands, and that requires a different level of installation. So the market is growing and the complexities and requirements are growing at the same time.

We’ve just done an installation in New York in a big glass atrium. You can imagine the acoustic issues around that – historically no-one would have attempted an installation in that environment, but with our technology they were able to. So we’re seeing two things: a change in people’s requirements, and technology enabling installations in environments where they

Luke Ireland – a brief biography Luke Ireland’s 25-year career has spanned multiple sectors of technology, IT and media. He has a Masters in Business Administration He spent 11 years as operations director at PC manufacturer Evesham Technology; other employers include Mood Media and consumer electronics manufacturer Binatone Immediately before joining Martin Audio he was working as a consultant on multiple projects

23/03/2015 15:31

INTERVIEW: LUKE IRELAND, MARTIN AUDIO 21

April 2015

previously wouldn’t have been possible.

Installation is less of a focus for us in some countries than others. The European market for installations is growing; Asia is relatively lower on the curve in terms of opportunity, but we see growth everywhere.

What are the synergies that arise from being in the touring and installation markets?

MLA technology, which was originally developed for live and touring, is winning business for the installation market – people are hearing it demonstrated or as part of a live sound experience, understanding what it can do and realising that they can do things in installations that they couldn’t previously have done.

Recently we had a big tour in the US with Steely Dan – arguably one of the most demanding bands in the world acoustically.

Their tour was very successful and has provided the catalyst for a lot more interest around MLA technology, and that has borne fruit with a number of installation projects that we’ve won – on the back of that tour basically.

It sounds like MLA is a very large part of Martin Audio’s business.

MLA is a relatively high-cost product compared to our standard AQ system, but we might sell one MLA Mini system and 100 AQ series speakers. So in terms of units it’s much lower than our standard installation products, but in terms of revenue it’s about 40%; the standard installation business is still the majority of our business.

Do you think there are too many loudspeaker manufacturers in the market?

Yes, there should just be us! There’s lots of competition out there at different levels of quality and price. We compete at the upper end, aimed at high-quality, performancedriven products. There are always going to be customers who are price-driven, so there’s a market for other manufacturers there. There’s a declining number of players in the market that people actually consider, so I think the market’s about right – though a few more may fall out over the next several years.

What were your impressions of ISE? We had a very successful ISE – it was the first one where we had a separate product demonstration area, about 10 or 15 minutes from our booth. We had six sessions: prior to the event we had 100 people register to attend, and by the end we had had 350. I know as the MD I should say this, but it really was very impressive.

It’s great to work for a business where you

20-21 Install178 Interview_Final.indd 2

think, “Our product sounds fantastic”. And the feedback from the customers was the same – over 90% of people said they would recommend Martin Audio on the basis of that demonstration.

ISE is slightly unique in the tradeshow world in that it’s addressing a growing and very rapidly evolving sector – so a show like ISE is vital for that area of the industry. In other industries I’ve been in where the pace of change is lower, it’s less important – but for ISE, given where that sector of the market is now, the whole area of rich media delivery, it’s changing so quickly that if you’re in that business you need to be at ISE to get an overview of the market.

You’re not tempted to ‘do a Harman’ and move into video or lighting?

No. We’re an audio company – the clue’s in the name. There’s plenty of market for us, and we have an engineering team who are all audiofocused engineers. [Moving beyond audio] isn’t something for us.

Martin Audio has launched a teaser campaign about the installation product that you’ll be launching at Prolight + Sound – what can you tell us about it here?

The core technology isn’t necessarily limited to the installation market, although we will launch it for the installation market first. It is a complete step-change in driver technology – there’s nothing else like it on the market, it’s patented technology and we are very convinced that it will be met with a lot of interest from our customers and our competitors. It’s a major launch for us.

www.martin-audio.com

23/03/2015 15:31

22 INDUSTRY DATA April 2015

Lighting up Lighting and lighting controls are evolving rapidly.

As commercial users switch to LED lamps to reduce energy consumption, opportunities for integrators are opening up. Steve Montgomery investigates Commercial building operators constantly seek energy efficiencies to lower operating expenses and meet building regulations. LED lighting is now competing against dominant fluorescent lighting in this domain, offering additional benefits of improved colour quality and dimming.

A major shift to LEDs is expected over the coming decade, which will be most dramatic in the retrofit market: penetration is expected to rise from 15% in 2014 to 74% in 2023 and will largely eliminate inefficient technologies like incandescent and halogen.

However, the extended lifetime of LED lamps means that overall revenue from lamp sales will slowly decrease.

Consequently, lighting companies are beginning to change their focus from that of equipment suppliers to service providers, just as the tech giants such as Hewlett-Packard and IBM had to make the fundamental shift from hardware to software and services.

In the rapidly changing markets of lighting and lighting controls, there are numerous opportunities for smaller companies to develop products for niche markets.

Global LED luminaire unit sales by integration status (millions) Separate

Integrated

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

2014 2015* 2016* 2017* 2018* 2019* 2020* 2021* 2022* 2023*

www.navigantresearch.com

Lamp revenue by lamp type, world markets: 2014-23 ($bn) 25 Incandescent

20

Halogen T8 & T5 Fluorescent

15

T12 Fluorescent CFL

10

HID

predicted market penetration of LEDs in 2023

LED

5

0 2014

2015* 2016*

22 Install178 Industry Data 1_Final.indd 1

2017*

2018* 2019* 2020* 2021* 2022* 2023*

*=Forecast Source: www.navigantresearch.com

23/03/2015 15:33

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24 INDUSTRY DATA April 2015

Connecting customers

Consumers want to stay in touch when out and about – and it is in the interest of business owners to offer free WiFi to keep customers loyal, discovers Steve Montgomery The desire of consumers to connect to the internet wherever they are, including when visiting shops, cafés and restaurants, is on the increase. People of all ages are connecting more often when out and about than a year ago, on every type of business premises. However, only 14% of top retailers offer WiFi in-store.

Some 37% of 18-30 year olds have left a shop because they couldn’t connect to the internet; 7% have told their friends. This, Arqiva discovered, means: “Retailers have a choice. Proactively embrace the mobile movement by enabling their customers to be connected, or quite literally leave customers to their own devices and risk them going elsewhere.”

It is not just loss of direct sales that can affect revenue. Enabling connectivity in stores opens opportunities to engage customers in new ways, including video advertising on digital signs, targeted communications to mobile devices, branded landing pages and new sponsorship opportunities for partner brands.

6% of shoppers would be willing to pay for WiFi access in store

How people feel if they couldn’t connect on a business’s premises

“I felt lost that I could not compare prices or look to see where the best deals were.”

Think twice about coming back

27%

Enjoy the experience less

31%

www.arqiva.com

Hurry to leave as soon as possible

“Not being connected stresses me out.”

25%

Buy less

12% View the buiness negatively

Tell others not to go there

7%

15% Affect the long-term company perception Affect the short-term customer experience

Percentage of people trying to connect to the internet using a mobile device Hotel Rail Station Airport Pub/Restaurant Cafe High Street Shop Supermarket Department Store 0

24 Install178 Industry Data 2_Final.indd 1

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Source: www.arqiva.com

23/03/2015 15:34

Full Page Template.indd 1

3/3/2015 10:59:08 AM

26 DATA: REGIONAL VOICES April 2015

SWEDEN

The Swedish government reduced its 2015 growth forecasts earlier this year, and is looking to reforms – but not austerity measures – to address the economic situation. Meanwhile, our survey takes the temperature of the company’s installation market How do you think your company’s revenue will change over the next 12 months?

by uce Red 5%: o up t

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5%:

43%

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22% :

o 5% up t y b Grow %

27

Budget What advice would you give to a manufacturer looking to enter the AV installation market in your country?

‘Most manufacturers are surprised at how focused Sweden is on the latest technology and quality. We usually install only the top segment of a manufacturer’s range. It’s important to have a distributor that has good representation in all parts of Sweden as it is quite a large country with few inhabitants.

However, people can be quite patriotic, especially in the northern parts.’ … and to an integrator looking to enter the market?

‘We have a complex rule system, EL-AMA, which can be hard to follow and can push up the cost for an installation. We also follow the union rules, which are pretty tough to follow for integrators coming from far away with much lower labour costs.’

26 Install178 Regional Voices_Final.indd 1

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To what extent do these challenges apply to your business?

GREATLY Recruiting/retaining employees with the right level of skills Ensuring staff keep up to date with the latest technologies The need to expand into new vertical markets Getting paid on time Maintaining a good project pipeline without over- or under-committing people Managing complex projects Cost pressures

SLIGHTLY 24/03/2015 17:07

Full Page Template.indd 1

3/18/2015 3:33:28 PM

www.dbaudio.com

The challenges remain consistent, but seldom appear independently. The d&b columns, however, are new and corrective; a unique combination of waveguides and damped ports create a cardioid pattern with a constant horizontal directivity of 90째, whilst the tight vertical dispersion tilts downwards in the low to mid range and is adjustable in the high frequencies. Handy for those who like to comprehend word for word in long, large, high, reverberant spaces with impediments to intelligibility. The d&b xC-Series: positions text clearly.

Parallel wall mounting

Extremely reverberant spaces Visual unobtrusiveness Large and high ceilings

Highly reflective surfaces Huge room volumes

28 SHOW PREVIEW: PROLIGHT + SOUND April 2015

Frank-further

When spring arrives, the industry looks to Frankfurt and the Prolight + Sound show.

Here are just a few of the showfloor highlights – some of which extend beyond the show’s core areas of audio and lighting Adamson Systems Engineering will introduce the S-Series. This new sub-compact line array system consists of the S10 line array enclosure, S119 subwoofer, Blueprint AV and the E-rack, Adamson’s new unified rack solution.

The S10 is a two-way, full-range, sub-compact line array enclosure aimed at mid-size arenas, theatres,

churches and dance clubs, as well as outdoor festivals.

The companion S119 subwoofer is loaded with a lightweight, long excursion, 19in ND19 Kevlar neodymium driver and a 5in voice coil. Mounted in a frontloaded enclosure, it is designed to reproduce clean, musical LF information.

Analog Way will showcase the Perspective Layers feature on its Ascender 48 seamless switcher.

Available as an option for all

Ascender 48 units, Perspective Layers allow animation of live layers with a virtual viewing perspective in real time with X, Y, Z axis rotation control. In Perspective mode, the Ascender 48 can display three Perspective Layers per output plus a native background.

The Ascender 48’s Web RCS interface can be used to create and manage Perspective Layers.

Also on show will be the Pulse2-

28 Install178 Show Preview_Final.indd 1

3G mixer native matrix switcher.

Based on the Midra platform, Pulse2 offers diverse connectivity through eight seamless inputs and 14 source plugs, including Universal Analog, DVI-D, HDMI and 3G-SDI. It can seamlessly switch between any of the 14 input plugs without fade through black or loss of sync.

Crestron will be showing many of its recent developments at Prolight + Sound. Using the Pyng home automation app, once the initial set-up is complete, anyone can easily modify settings or create new scenes. Homeowners can make changes to scenes and settings themselves with the confidence that their integrator can restore to an automatic cloud backup if they wish to undo any adjustments.

Also on display will be the new DigitalMedia presentation systems.

Configurable from the optional pre-loaded TSW-750 touchscreen, or from an iPad or computer, these integrate the control system, multimedia matrix switcher, mic mixer, audio DSP, amplifier and DigitalMedia distribution centre all into a single 3-space rack mount package.

Also on the stand will be the world’s first 4K/60Hz scaler, the 4K DigitalMedia Receiver & Room Controller, which can convert any resolution and frame rate to any other, up to 4096 x 2160 at 60Hz. d&b audiotechnik will launch two new products: the D20, the latest addition to the company’s fourchannel amplifier family; and the MAX2, a flexible 15in stage monitor.

Additionally, it will announce a new feature in its ArrayCalc software d&b line arrays.

“Prolight + Sound is such an important show for us. This year, we’re launching some really excellent new products, which elevate the quality of d&b systems

even further,” says Sabina Berloffa, director of marketing and product management at d&b audiotechnik. d3 Technologies is to unveil the first Video Format Conversion (VFC) quad DVI output card for its flagship d3 4x4pro media server. The card enables users to drive up to 16 DVI outputs (1080p, 60Hz) from a single 4x4pro system. This allows large multi-projector shows to be delivered with fewer machines and no downstream splitter devices. This drastically reduces cost, rack space, set-up time and complexity, without adding any signal latency.

Funktion-One will launch Evolution, a series of high-intensity loudspeakers.

The range is centred around the Evo 6 and Evo 7 enclosures, which are both fully horn-loaded with 15in mid-bass, 10in Funktion-One signature midrange and a 1.4in compression driver for high frequencies above 4kHz. Horizontal dispersion is 30º on Evo 7, 45º on Evo 6.

Green Hippo will be showcasing its media server technology on the B&K Braun stand. A Hippotizer Taiga will be driving the entire stand, while smaller products will be used for private demos. The stand will also feature Boreal, which is controlling video playback in the theatre on board the recently launched Britannia, the largest cruise ship designed for the British holiday market.

Six months after the launch of the Firenze Series, K-array is adding the KH7 speaker to the range. The KH7 is a compact, highperformance slim array technology

element, which brings the advanced technology of the series in a more compact form: it measures twothirds the size of a KH8 element and delivers peak output of 141dB SPL. The speaker may be positioned vertically or horizontally when setting up the system.

An integrated class D amplifier delivers 4 x 2000 W at 4Ω. The four channels are controlled via integrated DSP providing a “hyperdetailed” beam steering ability to meet any demanding setup requirement and control sound spillover. K-array says that for theatres and similar just a few slimprofile KH7s are needed deliver a full audio system – without obstructing views of the performance.

New from Kling & Freitag is VIDA – Versatile Intelligent Digital Array. The VIDA L model is a scalable, controllable and fullrange-compatible line array system.

Equipped with 48 DSP channels and 48 Class D power amps, the VIDA L uses three different speaker paths, with six 6.5in drivers, 12 3.5in drivers and 32 individually controlled 1in dome tweeters arranged coaxially on a waveguide within the slim aluminium body. Up to eight 1m modules can be connected together.

Also new is a set of system power amps based on the new PLM+ and D series from Lab.gruppen: models aimed at the install market are the K&F D80:4, D120:4 and D200:4.

RPM (rational power management) provides the flexibility to assign different power to each of the four output channels – removing the

24/03/2015 17:11

need for a bridge operation later on. Other features include power factor correction, universal power adapters and various inputs – Dante (primary and secondary), AES and analogue.

Two new compact subwoofer models, PASSIO SUB 12 and PASSIO SUB 15, round off the PASSIO series. Two aspects that characterise the new systems are a passive crossover and high degree of efficiency.

KV2 Audio will launch the VHD5.0 Constant Power Point Source Array in Frankfurt. The former flagship KV2 offering, the VHD2.0 Large Format system, could cover more than 10,000 people with just one or two enclosures per side, reports the company. The challenge for George Krampera and his team in building an even larger (50,000+ people) point source system was to “reproduce the low-mid energy that certain line arrays provide though the summing of multiple drivers, while maintaining the key benefits of point source technology, such as minimal destructive interference in the higher frequency range and accurate impulse response”. With the VHD5.0, KV2 claims to have risen to this challenge.

Martin Audio is poised to launch a new loudspeaker product at Prolight + Sound, but is releasing few concrete details ahead of the event. Luke Ireland, managing director, says: “This new product range will feature groundbreaking technology that will further Martin Audio’s credentials as the true innovator in the marketplace and will deliver our customers a clear competitive advantage.” We tried to get more details from him in our interview on page 20.

Harman’s Martin Professional will showing “a busload” of new lighting products such as the Martin M-Touch controller and VDO Fenix creative lighting solutions, alongside established fixtures including the MAC Quantum Profile.

Several new additions to the RUSH line of club-related products will be announced, as will the winner of Martin’s annual Young Lighting Designer contest.

28 Install178 Show Preview_Final.indd 2

Pan Acoustics will present its active digitally steerable columnspeakers from the Pan Beam series, now ready to go with Dante networking technology. Pan Beam models can be set and monitored via Dante (directivity, EQ, delay and on); switching presets, saved in the Pan Beam column speakers, is also possible.

Pro Audio Technology’s VT20 vertical array loudspeaker is a fully horn-loaded 2-way vertical array 8Ω loudspeaker with a passive frequency crossover and a horizontal radiation pattern of 90º.

The company describes the the horn-loaded 11.5in line array driver as “a physically ideal line source”.

Vertical arrays of up to 24 VT20 loudspeakers can be constructed.

In the low range, the VT20 is complemented by the VS18 (18in) and VS28 (2 x 18in) groundstack subwoofers. The flyable VS18F (18in) can be integrated into VT20 arrays or flown as a cardioid bass array next to a VT20 array, which makes a system width of 140 cm.

German manufacturer VoiceAcoustic will present its new HDSP multichannel amplifier series.

Models are available in various performance classes from 1,600W up to 16kW into 4Ω. The DSP-amp (Class D) units are constructed in “modular design with an upsidedown layout of the electronics in a stable corrosion-resistant aluminium body housing.”

Yamaha is promising multiple product launches in multiple categories at Prolight + Sound – including the European debut of the new large-format RIVAGE PM10 digital mixing console, as first seen in Japan late last year.

www.pls.messefrankfurt.com

24/03/2015 17:11

30 BUSINESS FEATURE: HOUSES OF WORSHIP April 2015

An Allen & Heath GLD system was chosen for the Redruth campus of the Newquay Christian Centre in Cornwall, UK

God is in the details

With no shortage of new-builds and renovation projects underway, the worship market becomes evermore crucial to the overall health of pro AV. But protracted lead times, variable end-user skill-sets and acoustically problematic installs mean that it’s one that doesn’t necessarily lead to unalloyed hallelujahs, writes David Davies

G

od’s away on business,” sang Tom Waits with characteristically raspy emphasis on his 2002 album Blood Money. But for many professional audio manufacturers and installers, God has been very much present, correct and doing good business over the last decade, with houses of worship affording an increasingly significant

30-33 Install178 Feature 1_Final.indd 1

source of revenue.

The US remains the largest single market for HoW install, with the continued buoyancy of evangelical Christianity giving rise to numerous projects whose AV specification is frequently the equal of fully fledged concert halls or theatres.

But Asia, too, is seeing a rapid rise in church attendance, not least in China. Notorious former

ruler Mao Zedong famously wished to rid the country of religion, but now many leading academics believe that China could ultimately become the world’s most Christian nation. If that comes to pass, it’s going to mean a lot of new and refurbished churches.

The scale of projects in these regions is frequently dazzling, often encompassing “thousands of worshippers and the use

of the top-of-the-range equipment”, says Michael Polten, director product marketing, Sennheiser.

“For example, we have just concluded a 60-channel Digital 9000 [wireless mic system] agreement with a HoW in Indonesia. You will also find great stages, even broadcast stations within the HoW to transmit the services to even bigger audiences.”

Modern worship music

Key Points n The need to ensure optimum value for money for congregations means that project lead times can be protracted n End-user skill-sets among church staff have improved in general terms, but simplicity of interface is still an overriding priority n Many manufacturers and installers now deliver enhanced training programmes to HoW customers

25/03/2015 11:22

styles are an important driver of change. “The use of contemporary music places increased demands on the sound system as compared to the ‘speech only’ systems used with more traditional worship in which piano, organ and choir form the musical experience,” says Alan Shirley, product line manager, sound reinforcement loudspeakers at Bose.

“In fact, we see some US ‘megachurches’ with seating capacities of 3,000 or more install the same line array loudspeaker systems found on major concert tours and best-in-class performing arts centres.”

Such large-scale ‘mega-HoWs’ are comparatively rare in Europe, but here too the expectations of audio systems are gradually rising. But with different denominations having varying requirements, and the scope and scale of projects being determined to a large degree by the availability of (congregationbacked) funds, it’s a market that has its own inescapable challenges.

Just ask Iain HarveySmith, communications director at DM Music, a Hertfordshire-based audiovisual installer specialising in worshipbased projects.

For a start, says Harvey-Smith, generalisations about requirements are difficult to apply since the HoW market is “complex and diverse, covering many differing denominations, worship styles, demographics and architecture. Then there are the lead times

30-33 Install178 Feature 1_Final.indd 2

– our average from first visit to installation is about one year, but our record is seven years. So to work in this area takes a lot of time and requires experience, patience and understanding.”

Accommodating variable end-user skill-sets is another challenge, although Harvey-Smith is one of several interviewees to suggest that the overall level of background knowledge has increased in recent years. But the point goes to underline the extent

says Harvey-Smith.

“Standard questions would include: is it a speech-based sound reinforcement system? Does it require background music as well? Or does it involve an orchestra, choir or full band? Sometimes it’s all of these,” he says.

Alongside the obvious need for the spoken word to be clear and intelligible at all times, music has risen up the priority list. “The majority of churches wanting to spend money on improving what they have are generally

‘To work in this area takes a lot of time and requires experience, patience and understanding’ Iain Harvey-Smith, DM Music

to which a detailed knowledge of HoW specifics is essential to achieving traction in this market – in which spirit, Installation would like to present these ‘four new gospels’ of HoW audio…

1. Give very careful consideration to system type For DM Music, nearly all of its projects relate to Christian houses of worship, with recent credits including cathedrals in Sheffield and Wakefield, but even in that context there are many variables that can come into play.

So letting the specific requirements of church services determine the choice of system is vital,

driven by the music side,” says Steve Jones, who provides education and application support at d&b audiotechnik.

“These days, music is more an important part of church services – one that we have had to satisfy by putting in an increasing number of rock & roll-style PAs.” In older churches, system specification will also be informed by other environmental and what might we might term ‘legacy’ factors. “If it’s a listed building, then changes to the fabric will need to be approved by the diocese,” says HarveySmith. “Architectural and historical sensitivities, as well as aesthetics,

25/03/2015 11:22

32 FEATURE: HOUSES OF WORSHIP April 2015

will be considered and can hamper favoured locations for equipment. On a related note, acoustics and reverberation times are always a consideration, too.”

Acoustic issues can also vary substantially in more recently built venues. “How acoustically challenging a purpose-built church is will depend on if it has been designed from the ground up to have high-quality acoustics and, if not, the budget to add acoustic improvements – whether at the time of construction or subsequently,” says Karl Christmas, sales and marketing manager at Yamaha Commercial Audio (UK & ROI).

Console-wise, the ability of digital consoles to deliver value for money and extensive feature-sets has increasingly led them to supplant their analogue counterparts. The ability to ‘lock out’ features for less experienced operators can also be an asset.

“All of our digital consoles – iLive, GLD and Qu – offer multiple levels of user permissions,” says Nicola Beretta, senior product manager, Allen & Heath.

“Yes, there are some ace engineers in houses of worship, but there are also many volunteers who find themselves at the helm of increasingly sophisticated AV systems. By offering different levels of control we allow the installer and advanced user to get the best from the system, but it can also be passwordprotected and set in a more restricted mode, which gives the novice user greater confidence.”

In terms of loudspeakers, the latest generations of beam-oriented and column speakers have allowed the provision of audio that is more carefully targeted

30-33 Install178 Feature 1_Final.indd 3

towards congregations – and consequently away from unsympathetic surfaces.

“Even [in the case of] HoW venues with new construction, most [require the specification of] a loudspeaker with good coverage control to minimise unwanted reflections from walls, ceilings and floors, to provide excellent vocal clarity and intelligibility,” says Shirley.

TC Group brand Tannoy is another manufacturer that has sought to cater to the contrasting acoustic environments of HoWs. Ivan Schwartz, TC Group western regional sales manager for install and tour, comments: “From the smallest to largest rooms we can provide accurate and musicalsounding systems. In the case of QFlex with a digitally steerable column system, we not only provide high speech intelligibility and music reinforcement

in acoustically difficult environments, but again in a pleasant-sounding system.”

2. The more costefficient the system, the more attractive it will be It might be suggested that this one goes without saying, but it’s worth stressing the point given that HoW projects are by their very nature susceptible to the ebb and flow of finance.

“There is a huge variance in what is affordable, and what a church feels is ‘right’ to spend on this type of equipment,” says Harvey-Smith. “But in nearly all churches, the money comes from the congregation, and they’re also the ones that make – or have a big part in making – the decisions. You need to have them in agreement that a new PA or AV system is the right use of church funds.”

And, as indicated earlier, this need to guarantee optimum value for money

means that project lead times generally incline towards the protracted.

“Usually a church will try to get three quotes for installation work. How do they tell the difference between them if they don’t understand the equipment? Well, often the differentiation is done by turning to the back page to look at the price,” admits Harvey-Smith.

3. Variable skill sets must be accommodated by user-friendly systems There is a common perception that churches – particularly in Europe – tend to be staffed by personnel without specialist technical knowledge. But that’s certainly not always the case, as L-Acoustics’ Cédric Montrezor explains: “I think it is safe to say that there are a fair number of churches, especially in the US but also in the UK, that mount impressive and very professional musical productions each week,

which means that they need the staff to help them accomplish that. I would say that the skill-set of church technical staff is more similar to that of a small concert venue, with the main difference being that a church production has a house band so perhaps less need to change or adapt the system to a different performance each night or week.”

Nonetheless, with skill-sets varying greatly from project to project, simplicity of system operation and user interface is undoubtedly a primary selling point for new technology. Christmas puts his finger on the main impulses at work here.

“Simplicity of user interface is a key feature,” he says. “It is only in comparatively recent years that UK churches have started to move beyond basic ‘microphoneamplifier-column speakers’ installations to contemporary sound

Case Study

Iconic London church installs Yamaha QL1 A Yamaha QL1 digital mixing console has been placed at the heart of the newly upgraded audio system in one of London’s most celebrated houses of worship – St Martin-in-the-Fields, located on the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square.

The result of a tender process was that SFL Group undertook a project aimed at delivering the best possible sound for sermons and musical performances.

“Originally we were going to use the LS9, because we needed a console with a small footprint, but it was also very important for the church to have Dan Dugan auto microphone mixing,” explains SFL sales and installations manager Tim Horton. “When we saw the QL1, which has the Dan Dugan facility built in, it was the obvious choice. It saved an expansion card slot, plus the combination of Dante networking with local I/O meant we could tailor the system precisely to the church’s needs.”

The need to minimise aesthetic impact led the QL1 to be installed in an unobtrusive oak cabinet that matches the pews around it.

Complementing the console is a Yamaha Rio1608-D I/O unit at the altar end of the church, plus a pair of Ro8-D output units for broadcast requirements.

The minimal training required by the QL1 was another important factor. “Yamaha digital consoles are inherently straightforward and we set up the QL1 with scenes for different uses, all on the user-defined keys,” says Horton. “We just spent a day with the vergers, concert team and some of the clergy showing them how to use it. The Dan Dugan facility means that the console can often be unmanned but, if they need to mix a performance, they can.”

25/03/2015 11:22

FEATURE: HOUSESFEATURE:XXX OF WORSHIP 33 xx

April xxx 2014 2015

reinforcement with full multichannel mixing facilities. Therefore, there hasn’t been time yet for a generation of churchgoers to come through with digital mixing being a regular part of church life, so an easy-to-master console is important.”

Given the unpredictable nature of end-user knowledge, the extensive provision of training is a prerequisite of success in this market. “We get involved with a lot of different events where we have the opportunity to use our systems and introduce them to lots of different groups,” says Jones, who adds that d&b’s V, Y and E

Series loudspeakers have resonated particularly well with the HoW market.

There is definitely a distinction to be drawn between the US and Europe in terms the levels of training required, but even Stateside, highly skilled end-users are far from all-pervasive. In the US, says Shirley, “some of the larger HoW venues that focus on contemporary Christian music as part of the worship service now employ full-time paid AV professionals to operate the sound and lighting/ video systems. Many of these professionals do have formal training in audio and sound system design and

The rack room at Sheffield Cathedral after a recent DM Music installation

30-33 Install178 Feature 1_Final.indd 4

operation. However, this level of AV training and skills is definitely the exception, with most churches in the US relying on volunteers, most with little or no formal AV education.”

Schwartz highlights the increasing training activity on the behalf of volunteers.

“The volunteer crews are becoming more advanced too, with many of them attending training seminars and learning on the job from more experienced people,” he says.

4. More complicated installs are inevitable Harvey-Smith outlines several trends expected to shape HoW AV over the next few years, including the continued migration from analogue to digital audio, as well as the installation of “larger, more affordable LED screens in place of projection. Also, HDMI distribution over twisted pair is now the norm, but [there are indications of a move] towards HDBaseT as a standard for distribution and some building-wide

video over IP. Most of this depends on the building and requirement.”

These new requirements will call for greater automation and centralised control, particularly in those HoWs delivering a wide variety of services. “With ever-increasing demands on the technology being installed and its level of sophistication, many congregations do not have the resources to configure or adjust it for particular services, so simple control via wall panel or iPad to automate and control as much as possible are becoming commonplace,” says Harvey-Smith.

The deployment of networking technologies, particularly Dante, is also expected to make a greater impact on HoW projects over the next few years. In this context, simple control interfaces and readily available training are sure to become evermore pivotal.

Nonetheless, with the HoW market likely to remain characterised by a blend of the new and (very)

old, perpetual concerns for manufacturers and installers may essentially remain unchanged – led by the need to ensure accurate audio coverage in venues that may be far from acoustically ideal.

“Even in the best rooms, it is desirable to keep acoustic energy from the speaker system off areas where people aren’t seated,” says Schwartz. “And many times the acoustical treatment is marginal due to cost constraints, architectural issues and aesthetic reasons. The result is that a properly designed system is still required” – and will presumably continue to be so long into the future – “to provide proper and even coverage throughout the seating area”.

www.allen-heath.com www.bose.com www.dbaudio.com www.dmmusic.com www.l-acoustics.com en-uk.sennheiser.com www.yamahaproaudio.com

25/03/2015 11:22

34 TECHNOLOGY FEATURE: PROJECTORS April 2015

The Haltia Nature Centre in Finland uses four wide-format NEC PH1000U projectors edge-blended to create a 20m-wide image

Key Points

In the eye of the beholder Brightness, resolution and contrast ratio are the headline characteristics of every projector – but, as Ian McMurray finds out, they tell you very little about the image quality they will deliver in a given application

I

n February, a debate about whether a woman’s dress was gold and white or blue and black became a worldwide internet phenomenon, with #TheDress top trending on Twitter. It provoked scientific debate about why people saw the online picture so differently – and reminded us that, whatever we might think, how we perceive images is an entirely subjective phenomenon.

For the AV industry, that argument provoked an interesting thought: in theory, two projectors with objectively identical characteristics in terms of brightness, resolution, contrast and so on should deliver a very similar image on the screen. But do they?

“I believe that it is almost impossible to determine

34-36 Install178 Feature 2_Final.indd 1

the quality of a projector based on only a spec sheet,” says Romeo Baertsoen, VP of strategic marketing, corporate AV at Barco.

“First of all, image quality is determined by many more parameters than are typically printed on

Thirdly, some manufacturers have marketing specs and manufacturing specs – and the difference between the two can be 50%.”

Hartmut Kulessa, marketing manager, projector products at Panasonic, agrees.

‘Unfortunately, you can’t ascertain the quality of a projector by looking at the specification’ Hartmut Kulessa, Panasonic

a spec sheet. Secondly, manufacturers use different standards to measure different parameters, making it extremely difficult for customers to compare as you are no longer comparing apples to apples.

“Unfortunately, you can’t ascertain the quality of a projector by looking at the specification,” he claims.

“Most people look at brightness, resolution and contrast when judging a projector’s spec – but the

data provided is not always comparable. Panasonic always states ANSI lumen brightness, but you’ll also find manufacturers quoting centre lumens. Statements about contrast ratio can also be misleading as, very often, on-off contrast is given and this does not necessarily show how the projector performs with video and presentation content.”

“The specification of a projector gives top-line facts you need to know about the product,” says Phil Clark, head of projection at Casio Projectors, “but should these be relied upon to determine image quality?

No. In reality, image quality depends on more than the simple specification of a projector.”

If Baertson, Kulessa and Clark are correct, questions about the value of a

n It remains the case that not all manufacturers use the same way of measuring parameters such as brightness and contrast ratio n There are numerous other factors beyond brightness, contrast ratio and resolution – such as the lens – that determine image quality n The desirable attributes of a projector depend greatly on the environment in which it will be installed and the application n There is no substitute for conducting a shootout of the projector(s) being considered

specification start to arise.

Paul Wilson, product manager for visual communications at Epson UK, puts it in perspective.

“The core specification of a projector should give a good indication of image quality performance,” he believes.

“The basic elements of brightness, resolution, contrast ratio, optics and connectivity should give a reasonable idea.”

23/03/2015 15:52

Redressing an imbalance However, it’s also imperative to have an appreciation of the way in which projectors are truly used, according to Wilson.

“The ANSI lumens rating for brightness is based purely on the reproduction of white light – which isn’t much use in reality as the majority of projected content is in colour,” he points out. “This is where the newer specification of Colour Light Output, or colour brightness, can be far more useful in judging the realworld performance of a projector.”

The Colour Light Output standard was developed to redress a perceived imbalance in that the ANSI standard inadvertently appeared to favour DLP-based projectors in terms of measuring brightness.

The downside is, of course, that it is therefore not a standard universally adopted by the industry – making

comparisons more difficult.

The brightness quoted on a data sheet can, it seems, not necessarily be taken as a true indicator of real-world performance

‘Unless you have the right lens, you’re not going to see the best possible image quality’ Colin Boyle, Canon Europe

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“LED projectors outperform the brightness spec in real terms,” notes Justin Halls, head of product marketing at Optoma Europe. “For example, although Optoma’s HD91 has a brightness of just 1,000 LED lumens, the perceived brightness can be up to twice that of an equivalent lamp-based projector due to a phenomenon known as the Helmholtz-

The HelmholtzKohlrausch effect

The Helmholtz-Kohlrausch (HK) effect is an entoptic (visual effects which originate within the visual processing system of the observer) phenomenon with coloured lighting in which coloured light appears brighter to us than white light of the same luminance. When colours are more saturated, our eyes interpret it as the colour’s luminance and chroma – making us believe that the colours are actually brighter. The effect is impacted by the viewing environment, such as the surroundings of the object and the lighting that the object is being viewed under. The HK effect works best in darker environments where there are no other outside factors influencing the colours – which is why cinemas are all dark environments.

34-36 Install178 Feature 2_Final.indd 2

Kohlrausch (HK) effect.”

[See boxout, below.]

If quoted brightness cannot entirely be trusted, the same is, apparently, no less true of contrast ratio.

Some manufacturers quote ANSI contrast ratio, others peak contrast ratio – and still others dynamic contrast (allowing them to talk about ratios of 1,000,000:1 or more).

Once again, the specification is not necessarily an indicator of real-world performance. As Barco’s strategic marketing director, venues and hospitality, Richard Marples points out: in a high ambient-light environment, a projector with a quoted contrast ratio of 10,000:1 can easily drop down to a measured 20:1.

For Gerd Kaiser, product line manager, large-venue projectors at NEC Display Solutions, contrast is the least significant of the three primary image quality drivers. “The importance of contrast depends upon the application,” he says.

“The most important elements are still brightness and resolution.

While brightness has now reached a level which is sufficient for most applications, resolution continues to achieve more.”

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16.03.2015 16:05:59 23/03/2015 15:52

36 FEATURE: PROJECTORS April 2015

It was to try to overcome inconsistencies of interpretation by manufacturers, and to acknowledge the realities of the different ways in which projectors can be deployed, that the ANSI/ InfoComm 3M-2011 Projected Image System Contrast Ratio Standard (PISCR) was developed.

Resolution Where there is greater consistency and ability to rely on the specification, though, is in the area of resolution. A pixel is a pixel is a pixel, after all. Once again, as with brightness and contrast ratio, it’s all about the environment and the application. Even here, things aren’t as straightforward as they may seem.

“Should a projector be mounted such that keystone correction is required,” explains David Close, products and applications manager, EMEA at Digital Projection, ”then, right away, optimum quality

is beginning to be eroded purely because the physics of distorting an image to make it fit the screen will either throw away data or invent data that wasn’t there in the original image.”

“In my mind, resolution is the key characteristic in the quality of a projected image,” says Colin Boyle, product marketing specialist – projectors at Canon Europe. “However, the quality of the projected image really depends on the resolution of the source material. For example, if the projector has a resolution less than the source material, the number of pixels used to create this will be lowered, compressing the quality of the image being projected.”

NEC’s Kaiser develops the theme. “Internal signal processing quality is also very important,” he notes. “High resolution is meaningless if lowbandwidth signal processing is delivering poor picture source or ‘noise’.”

Overlooked

Stacking projectors - such as those pictured from Barco - present particular challenges in image quality

34-36 Install178 Feature 2_Final.indd 3

There is an element of projector design that is all too easily overlooked.

“The industry has long focused on higher contrast ratios, increased resolution and higher brightness,” says Boyle.

“However, without suitable lens quality, it’s impossible to take full advantage of such advancements.”

There is also the issue of the extent to which image quality can be maintained over time. Here, too, there are several factors at play – perhaps the most important of which is the

Case Study

Titans create immersive visitor experience Image quality is of paramount concern in applications designed to deliver an immersive visual experience.

The Guangdong Zhuhai Gaolan Port Economic Zone Planning Pavilion, China – which exists to promote the area and attract investment to the newly created economic development zone – installed eight 20,000 lumen Titan Super Quad projectors from Digital Projection. The projectors feature factory-calibrated colour with an enhanced 7-point (P7) colour system The screens are the largest electric elevation screens in China, with the front screen at 22m long and 8.5m high. The screens on both sides are 33m long and 8.5m high, creating a compelling experience for visitors to fully experience the overall appearance and future planning of the economic development zone. illumination source.

“LED technology offers consistent brightness and colour performance, with minimal degradation,” says Halls. “This means they will maintain their out-of-thebox image quality without the need for expensive lamp changes or recalibration throughout their lifetime.”

Epson’s Wilson notes that home theatre users, in particular, may have more demanding requirements.

“A projector that features ISF Certification meets all the requirements of the Image Science Foundation in terms of what adjustments can be made,” he points out.

Brightness, contrast ratio, resolution and lens quality may be critical to projected image quality – but so too are source quality and resolution, transmission rates, signal processing electronics, how easily dust and dirt accumulate on (and can be removed from) the optics, the extent to which adjustments can be made, the illumination source – and that’s without taking into account external factors such as screen quality, ambient light and so

on. It can even derive from such apparently esoteric considerations as to how many segments the colour wheel of a 1-chip DLP projector has.

Unanimous The industry seems unanimous. While the data sheet may give a highlevel indication of possible projector performance – assuming that the manufacturer is using the same standards for measuring brightness and contrast for instance, which is not always the case – it is far from telling the whole story when it comes to image quality. The data sheet cannot objectively quantify the performance of a lens, or the accuracy of the colour palette – nor yet the quality of the imageprocessing electronics, all of which make a significant contribution to image quality. It can tell you nothing about colour saturation or realism.

Additionally, there is the question of the extent to which a manufacturer provides the tools to calibrate a projector

and optimise image quality – and the need to compensate for possible deterioration over time.

And: all of this needs to be placed in the context of two key variables – the application and the installed environment.

The conclusion couldn’t be clearer. There is no substitute for comparing candidate projectors in the proposed location. Seeing – not reading – is believing: it’s the only way of verifying that the image quality ‘promised’ by the data sheet is the image quality that will be delivered.

Had those who claimed that #TheDress was gold and white had the benefit of seeing the real thing for themselves, they would have known that it was, in fact, blue and black.

www.barco.com www.canon-europe.com www.casio-projectors.eu www.digitalprojection.com www.epson-europe.com www.nec-display-solutions.com www.optomaeurope.com www.panasonic.com

23/03/2015 15:52

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38 TECHNOLOGY FEATURE: UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS April 2015

Key Points

Oblong’s Mezzanine typically comprises three HD displays at the front of the room with three more displays to the side of the workspace for ‘pinning’ images for easy reference during meetings

n Work is evolving towards ‘an experience’ rather than being a singlelocation for activity

Making UC work The workplace of the future is evolving rapidly. Steve Montgomery looks at the business and technological implications behind the adoption of unified communication technology to benefit organisations of all sizes

R

ecent research by Raconteur Media, entitled Future of Work, reveals some interesting trends in the way that managers think about strategies for managing change effectively and increasing workforce performance within their organisations. According to the report: “Profit is driven by creativity, innovation and productivity, each of which relies on an engaged workforce motivated by their work environment.”

A clear majority of workers now believe that work is shifting more towards an experience rather than a place, as staff become more used to, and are encouraged to,

38-40 Install178 Feature 3_Final.indd 1

work away from the central office. This is not just to reduce operational costs but to move away from the office to make work fit around personal situations and lifestyle and enable a more productive culture.

Businesses continually highlight the challenges of responding more rapidly to market opportunities, through integrating technology, utilising talent and developing a culture of innovation. The world of work is undergoing major changes and it is the organisations that are alive to its implications and possibilities that will enjoy the most success.

Donald McLaughlin, director, UK & Ireland collaboration sales, Cisco,

identifies a new type of user: “Supertaskers are employees who can successfully do more than two things at once and use upwards of four devices in their daily lives.

They are highly efficient and ensure that their time is spent in the most effective way. This not only improves businesses’ overall productivity but also increases ROI while minimising total cost of ownership.”

Employers must provide tools that the mobile workforce wants. “Effective collaboration is not just key to success, it’s critical.

We need to deploy the right tools so that team members can contribute, regardless of their location

or device,” points out Mary Ann de Lares Norris, COO, Oblong Industries.

“Unfortunately, many of the installations and systems we use today fall short of our needs. We still operate in environments designed for presentation to the detriment of collaboration.

What’s been missing are tools and infrastructure enabling collaboration in shared digital workspaces.”

Pexip’s Anders Løkke agrees: “Too many companies expect and demand that users should change the way they work. Those companies will not succeed with their collaboration strategies.

Enterprises must adapt technology to how their staff work, rather than

n Employers must provide tools that the mobile workforce wants, rather than constrain employees to use existing tools n Collaboration within BYOD strategies is essential to achieve the greatest levels of commitment and efficiency from a highly mobile workforce n Technology must be simple to use and intuitive if it is to be adopted widely forcing a solution that omits its culture. The workplace and office of the future is an activitybased workplace, where technology supports the work culture and desired outcome.”

A primary consideration is ensuring ease of use. Løkke continues: “Technology must be intuitive to the end user and for the administrator. It must be

23/03/2015 16:14

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40 FEATURE: UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS April 2015

cost efficient to deploy, manage and consume at every level. First and foremost, it must support the users’ behaviour. Its appeal and the subsequent endorsement of users comes down to how they experience their first few seconds and minutes of collaborative experiences. Only by feeling, and inherently understanding, the benefits of a technology will mass adoption and enterprisewide productivity ensue.”

Personal touch The trend towards the use of personal devices for business applications has driven workplace technology to new levels of access and sophistication; facilitating employee access to the data they need and creating a mobile workforce that can communicate and collaborate wherever they are. This is driving businesses away from dedicated rooms with fixed roles, even if they had the resources to create them in the first place. “In the not-too-distant past, AV capabilities such as videoconferencing, web meetings and conference calls required separate appliance-based, and often

proprietary, solutions.

They came with high price tags, which were often too costly for small or midsized businesses,” says Hailey Klein, marketing communications manager for Vaddio.

“To accommodate BYOD preferences, group meeting room design must abandon the appliancebased, proprietary solution model. Instead, group meeting rooms need to be equipped in a way that allows participants to use their preferred device as the centrepiece of the collaboration experience, whether that is a laptop, tablet, smartphone, PC or Mac. With the device as the engine, users then can use whatever application they want.”

However, Klein sounds a note of warning: “Noncommercial applications, including WebEx, Skype and YouTube, are being used in business environments for employees to collaborate one-on-one. The challenge arises when they try to use their preferred one-on-one collaboration methods in a group setting. Webcams and mobile devices don’t work well in group meetings and can leave participants frustrated by fuzzy video or low-quality audio.”

Group meeting room design must take into account the BYOD trend, according to Vaddio

38-40 Install178 Feature 3_Final.indd 2

Professional UC systems offer greater facilities for integration. “Not only can staff converse with colleagues and customers over every type of medium, the latest UC systems can also fully integrate with any web or server-based application, including diaries so that meetings can be scheduled efficiently,” explains Mark Russell,

HD displays designed to encourage an immersive workspace for meetings and conferences at the front of the room. To the side of the workspace, on an adjacent wall, are three more, used for ‘pinning’ images for easy reference during meetings,” says de Lares Norris. “The user controls the system by use of a ‘wand’, providing gesture interaction

‘Effective collaboration is not just key to success, it’s critical’ Mary Ann de Lares Norris, Oblong Industries

director of operations for UK and Ireland at Swyx.

“Incoming calls can be linked with a software package so that their details pop up on-screen or automatically forward a high-priority call directly to a particular department or individual.”

The method of controlling and interacting with multiple display environments within unified communication sessions is evolving rapidly.

“The Mezzanine unified communications system typically comprises three

communicated via an ultrasonic sensor array lining the ceiling. Two wands per room can provide users with simultaneous control, while up to 32 devices can be used to control the system if required by the meeting participants. There is also the option to use an iPad touch control or a web browser mouse and keyboard control.”

Committed users Concepts such as these that deliver ease of use will undoubtedly drive commitment to this technology and deliver return on investment.

So too will a positive and effective user-experience.

“The old ‘bowling-alley’ room layout is gone,” points out Andrew Hug, vice president of systems engineering at Polycom. “Today’s users expect a more sophisticated, broadcaststyle immersive experience.

We can provide multicamera, intelligent systems that detect and zoom in on speakers automatically and replicate the type of

directorial effects seen in news interview programmes on TV, without requiring manual control and devoid of swinging images and false attention on people who aren’t actually speaking.”

Revolabs is clear about the importance of audio within the UC environment.

“High-quality audio is crucial to effective business communication,” says James Fairweather, executive vice president of global sales for Revolabs. “Our new FLX conference phones provide that, along with the convenience of VoIP and USB connectivity in a single unit so that any room can be turned into an extremely high-quality environment.

They work with any thirdparty application and can bridge between them, really promoting the efficiency and effectiveness of unified communications to a remote and mobile workforce.”

We have come a long way in a few short years and progress will take us even further, undoubtedly at an even faster pace. It will require management effort, as Raconteur summarises: “The ability to respond rapidly is ranked as the most important factor in delivering profitability and driving digital transformation. Fortunately, organisations will adapt – with the right people and the right culture, the future of work will be what you make it.”

www.cisco.com www.oblong.com www.pexip.com www.polycom.com www.raconteur.net www.revolabs.com www.swyx.com www.vaddio.com

23/03/2015 16:14

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TECHNOLOGY Kit you need to know about

Mersive

New Products p43

Demo of the Month:

Solstice Pod

It’s… the newest addition to the Solstice wireless collaboration product line.

What’s different? This is the first time that Mersive has offered its Solstice software within a hardware product.

It also marks a price reduction for Solstice, in whichever form it is purchased.

Details: Solstice Pod is an turnkey wireless media streaming solution that is designed to improve collaboration in meeting rooms and classrooms. It combines Mersive’s Solstice software with a cost-effective, high-performance hardware platform.

Based on the Android platform, Solstice software enables multiple users to connect to a shared display via WiFi or Ethernet. Any number of users can connect, share and control the display. A central console can be used to manage access and security, and capture analytics, for all the displays across an enterprise.

The Solstice Pod can be integrated into the existing corporate network, or deployed as a ‘drop-in’ solution using its built-in wireless access point capabilities. It can be remotely configured via a web browser. 4K display resolution is supported natively, as are multi-touch displays.

It also features synchronous desktop audio streaming.

The Pod has been designed as an all-inclusive collaboration solution for any meeting space with a display. Its small form factor means it can be mounted behind flatpanel displays, on projectors or under tables. Alternatively, for installations with a dedicated room PC, Solstice software can be purchased on its own.

Solstice Pod is available in two versions: the Small Group Edition and the Unlimited users version. In conjunction with this launch, Mersive has reduced the price of Solstice

This Month

software to match, so customers can decide which version to buy based on the use case rather than price.

Software updates are available at a single click – in contrast, says Mersive, to competitive firmware-based collaboration offerings.

“The Solstice Pod closes the gap between two major markets – mobility/BYOD and collaboration – by offering best-in-class features for multi-source, multi-user content sharing at prices anyone can afford,” says Mersive CEO Rob Balgley. “With tens of millions of meeting rooms and classrooms and over 35 million meetings a day we want to ensure that we can address the broadest needs of the market – be it price, functionality or ease of use.”

Solstice Pod is distributed by Midwich throughout Europe (True Colours in the UK).

Available: This month

Polycom RealPresence Immersive Studio p46

Showcase:

Control panels p48

f o t c u Prod nth o m e h t

www.mersive.com

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24/03/2015 17:13

44 TECHNOLOGY: NEW PRODUCTS April 2015

Panasonic DZ780

It’s… A high-brightness one-chip DLP projector.

What’s different? Aimed at continuous 24-hour operation in public display and signage, as well as rental and staging applications, DZ780 projectors feature a liquid cooling system that reduces operating noise to just 30dB when projecting at full lamp output power. This makes it the quietest projector in the 7,000-lumen range.

Details: The dual-lamp projector outputs 7,000 lumens at WUXGA resolution. Dual lamps and Relay Mode enable continuous 24-hour operation while ensuring uninterrupted playback in the event of lamp failure and, for the first time at this level, System Daylight View 2 joins Panasonic’s Dynamic RGB Booster and Detail Clarity Processor technologies to ensure vivid colour reproduction, detail and high brightness, even in well-lit spaces.

In another exclusive for this class of projector, the DZ780 series is now compatible with Art-Net DMX, a protocol for lighting management. It also features DIGITAL LINK, allowing long-distance transmission of up to 1080p content using a single cable connection of up to 150m (100m for WUXGA resolution).

Available: Now business.panasonic.eu

Sommer Cable DVM-HDF4

It’s… A new HDMI-over-fibre system designed to solve the issue of transmitting HD content over longer distances.

What’s different? With the new system signals with a maximum resolution of 4K x 2K – including RS-232 and infrared data – can be transmitted over distances of up to 300m via an OM3 multimode line.

Details: The robust, compact housing (from the DVM-120 active series) is available in two versions: as a stand-alone housing with the dimensions of 68 x 36 x 145mm, and as installation housing to fit into the modular SYSBOXX frame or the 19in SYSPANEL 5XL panel for audio distribution.

The connectors for the power supply, HDMI and IR/RS-232 have been designed as HICON all-metal versions and are suitable for use on the road. Sommer Cable also offers a version with the HICONFIBER4 fibre-optical connector and a second version with a Neutrik OpticalCON DUO socket.

Available: Now

Peerless-AV ACSBR1 Peerless-AV has announced a new Universal Sound Bar Mounting Kit designed to fit any 32in-70in TV requiring practical and cost-effective audio enhancement. With the ACSBR1, users can attach a soundbar above or below their TV to improve audio output. The mount is height adjustable so the gap between the TV and soundbar can be minimised, if required. The kit is compatible with a range of soundbar models and does not require a receiver or investment in expensive surround-sound systems. Available now. www.peerless-av.com

Extron DTP HD DA 4K 230, DTP HD DA 4K 330 Extron has realeased four DTP twisted-pair distribution amplifiers – two DTP HD DA 4K 230 models and two DTP HD DA 4K 330 models. These 4K distribution amplifiers provide one HDMI input with loop-through, and either four or eight DTP outputs. Each twisted-pair output sends HDMI, audio and control over shielded CatX cable to Extron DTP-enabled products. The DTP HD DA 4K 230 models extend these signals up to 230ft, while DTP HD DA 4K 330 models extend signals up to 330ft. Available now. www.extron.com

Tempest Liza Part of Tempest’s Hush projector enclosure line-up, Liza features three models to cover popular business and home theatre projectors up to 15,000 ANSI lumens. Each enclosure is lined with high-performance acoustic insulation foam and incorporates airtight seals to minimise any outward projector noise. Available now. www.tempest.org

Vision CS-1600P Vision’s Techaudio range is growing with the launch of the CS-1600P powered ceiling loudspeakers. With built-in Bluetooth 4.0 users can connect via their Android, iPhone, tablet, or Mac laptop. When Bluetooth is activated the loudspeakers automatically switch from the cabled input when a device connects. When the Bluetooth device is disconnected the loudspeakers automatically switch back to the line-level input.

A 2 x 30W (RMS @ 8Ω) digital stereo amplifier is integrated into the master loudspeaker. There is one wired input and a line-level output to feed other sets if required. Available now. www.visionaudiovisual.com

www.sommercable.com

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24/03/2015 17:53

TECHNOLOGY: NEW PRODUCTS 45 April 2015

Gefen EXT-MFP

It’s… A multi-format signal processor.

What’s different? This single-box solution is said to provide ample source switching, format conversion with automatic scaling and independent digital and analogue audio routing with comprehensive mobile control options.

Details: The processor supports a range of video formats, including HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, VGA and composite video. It is said to make integrating computers, cameras and video sources of all kinds simple and intuitive. It is compact and ready for use in conference rooms, classrooms, auditoriums and command/control centres.

Digital (optical and coaxial) and analogue audio inputs can be routed independently and associated with any video input. Selected sources are output as HDMI and DVI with stereo audio, supporting HDCP and high-definition resolutions up to 1080p Full HD and 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA). An internal scaling engine ensures video content is converted and set to the correct resolution for the connected display.

Available: Now www.gefen.com

Revolabs FLX UC 1500 It’s… A IP conference phone that combines call bridging and extension microphones.

What’s different? Rounding off the company’s unified communications portfolio, the USB solution lets users add two directional microphones and bridge calls between VoIP and UC desktop applications, providing the industry’s first all-in-one conferencing solution specifically designed for large meeting environments.

Details: With the option to add two directional microphones, the FLX UC 1500 extends the solution’s voice pickup range to satisfy the intelligibility requirements of larger conferencing spaces. Part of Revolabs’ wired microphone line, the external devices offer sound quality that is resistant to GSM noise, in addition to a signal-to-noise ratio and supported frequency range that are ‘unmatched’ – resulting in a striking audio capture experience.

Said to be ideal for office spaces using VoIP- or PC-based conferencing, the FLX UC 1500 IP conference phone removes the need to provide separate conferencing units for IP communications and USB requirements such as softphone calls, webinars and other computer-based collaboration.

Available: Q3 2015

www.revolabs.com

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Barco V4i, V6i Barco has added two new indoor LED displays to its portfolio for retail and advertising. Designed for fixed indoor installation in fashion retail, automotive retail, banking or transit advertising applications, the V4i and V6i feature 4mm and 6mm pixel pitch respectively. Both are managed and controlled by the dedicated V-series Toolset application software, which comes with an intuitive interface for easy display management and set-up. Available now. www.barco.com

Martin Professional RUSH PAR 2 CT Zoom Harman’s Martin Professional has announced that the RUSH PAR 2 CT Zoom is now shipping. The single-lens LED PAR Can with fully pre-mixed white colour temperatures is said to be suitable for a range of applications in the installation and entertainment markets. The luminaire is housed in a black aluminium frame and uses 12 10W warm white and cold white LEDs for white colour washes that can be pre-mixed from 2,700K to 7,800K. A motorised zoom of 10º to 60º ensures beams produced by the fixture maintain a hard edge without sacrificing lumens. www.martin.com

RCF QPS 9600 The QPS 9600 is a four-channel power amplifier that can handle high power in a compact and lightweight two rack units space. Thanks to the Class HD technology, this amplifier delivers up to 4 x 2,400W RMS @ 2Ω (4,800W RMS bridged @ 4Ω), weighing just 16kg. It comes with switched mode power supply which ensures that a predominantly resistive load is presented to the mains power supply; this also leads to an improved amplifier performance at high output levels.

Available now. www.rcf.it

Optoma W351, X351 Optoma has just launched two new projectors for public sector and education that can be managed and monitored easily over a network. The lightweight and portable W351 and X351 (pictured) projectors’ networking capabilities are said to make it easy to manage these remotely via RJ45. Compatible RoomView software can be used to power on/off, monitor, manage and control up to 250 projectors at the same time from any computer.

This allows IT technicians to monitor and turn off the projectors remotely and does not waste lamp hours by leaving projectors running all night.

Available now. www.optoma.co.uk

24/03/2015 17:53

46 TECHNOLOGY: DEMO OF THE MONTH April 2015

The future is immersive

Joanne Ruddock experiences Polycom’s RealPresence Immersive Studio to find out what’s next in the evolution of the workplace

T

hose of you who made the trip to ISE earlier this year may have seen Polycom’s Patricia Finlayson discussing ‘Creating a true workplace of the future’. The conclusion reached was that the workplace of the future won’t actually be a physical location, it will be any time, any place via a plethora of devices – which means systems will have to be more robust. A key tool to enable this way of working is Polycom’s RealPresence Immersive Studio, a specially designed environment that creates an immersive, interactive collaboration experience.

Installation was invited to Polycom’s London demo suite to experience the technology with the help of the manufacturer’s New York colleagues.

The system is controlled via tablet – simply hit ‘Place call’, dial the number and you’re connected.

Immediately, Caitlin Thompson, Polycom’s briefing manager in New York, appears on the centre screen to explain the system: “When we developed this product we really wanted to focus on the user experience so differing industries, whether it’s government, education, medical, or general enterprise, are really focused on how they want to collaborate.”

The result is an immersive environment that combines high-resolution displays with high-quality audio. The screen setup consists of an 18ft

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videowall, with three 84in 2K/4K-capable displays arranged at the front of the room. Above this is a 65in screen, which comes into play once content is shared – more of this later.

The camera set-up is located towards the bottom of the centre screen.

Three cameras overlap and stitch the image to ensure that participants can get up, walk around and move freely, safe in the knowledge that they’ll remain visible to all. The positioning of the camera is also close to eye level which means maintaining eye contact throughout the call feels much more natural.

It is while people are moving around that the audio system comes into its own. The new set-up offers more than left/ right directional sound or 3D voice. Dropped ceiling mics positioned throughout the room ensure sound is picked up at all points.

Again this adds to the natural feel of the call – if the speaker moves when a participant is not looking, it is clear where they are now standing and the eye is naturally drawn into the correct position.

The sound is enhanced by the acoustic treatment to the back wall and ceiling. The space also features built-in audio mixers allowing for multiple channels of audio – useful for breakout discussions and the like.

Ensuring the room is suitable for multiple uses was a key criteria in the design, according to

Up to 21 people can be accommodated in the room if a two-row format is adopted

Thompson: “It’s a multipurpose system and we always wanted to keep the rooms that way.”

Another example of this is that chairs can also be placed on the screen side of the table – maintaining the room’s use as a traditional meeting room or a larger lecture space in the education environment.

The room set-up is available as a single-row option with nine places, or a back row can add 12, creating a 21-seat room.

This means 42 people can be visible in a two-venue single call. The limit on number of locations that can be hosted is 75,000.

Collaboration The real strength of the system is its ability to display and share a whole range of content – from simple PowerPoint presentations to video.

Users can be hardwired into the system or sign in over WiFi to connect laptops/ tablets, and content can be shared from anywhere

wirelessly. Users can also log in via a browser application to see content on their own devices.

Although content automatically defaults to be seen on the 65in screen, this is easily customisable locally using a drag-anddrop system on the tablet.

Another element of the system is the ability to collaborate on top of whatever you’re sharing – so annotating, whiteboarding or blackboarding. This is managed by a screen that is currently not on camera.

The annotations show on the screens in the London demo room, where we can take control and add our own notes to enhance the collaboration further.

Each of the three 84in screens can be divided into 16, so it is possible to have 48 sites or people joining to create a command and control-type experience.

To bring this about, users simply dial in a given code and meet on the bridge; the behind-the-scenes

infrastructure stitches the layout according to what’s coming in and out. As sites are added, the screens will continue to reframe accordingly.

Set-up time for the system is about five days, and “that’s a fairly conservative estimate”, according to Ray McGroarty, director, industry solutions and market development, EMEA, Polycom. As well as ease of install, ease of use and maintenance is central to the design.

“You book your meeting, book this room and when you come in, the call is established,” McGroarty adds. “The management of the system is centralised via the video network operations centre – they call out to all of the parties to be in a call, so all you have to do is come in find your seat, have your meeting and leave in much the same way as you would if everyone was in one room.”

www.polycom.com

23/03/2015 16:14

Connecting the AV world

consider | consult | connect T 01279 635 681 E sales@audiologicconnect.uk

www.audiologicconnect.uk

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48 TECHNOLOGY: SHOWCASE Aprill 2015

Control panels

Advances in control panel technology have improved the level of customisation available to installers as well as assisting the move towards more self-contained interfaces, writes Duncan Proctor

2N’s luxury IP-compatible system The Indoor Touch is the new luxury access control and door entry system from 2N. The touchpanel is suitable for both commercial and residential applications, and offers all the benefits of an IP-addressable system. Available from CIE-Group, the system is fully compatible with 2N’s IP Helios Vario or Verso Door Entry system, as well as third-party IP devices.

Designed with a 7in HD screen, the Indoor Touch is aimed at owners of multi-dwelling units and apartment blocks, large residential properties and high-spec office environments.

The system works well as a remote door entry system as it enables two-way visual and aural communication, in high-definition video and clear audio. The unit features an Androidbased operating system and uses Power over Ethernet to reduce cabling and speed up installation.

The system operates using IP-addressable remote door locks, which unlock internal/ external doors when a visitor is allowed in; at the same time, corridor and stair lighting is switched on. This is particularly useful in apartments and large homes as visitors do not need to be met at the door.

The user interface allows two-way communication with IP door intercom systems, VoIP telephones/videophones, or other Indoor Touch devices on the same network.

The control system also allows for integration with other third-party IP-controlled devices to provide remote touchscreen control of building elements such as lighting, heating and curtains. www.2n.cz

Crestron extends wireless control The Crestron TST-602 Wireless Touch Screen delivers dedicated wireless control, voice command recognition and web browsing in an ergonomic design.

The unit features high-resolution graphics and H.264 streaming video on the 5.7in widescreen display. It also has 15 customisable pushbuttons, including two-button up/down for volume control or channel select, and a five-button D-pad for onscreen display navigation.

Accessed by pressing a button on the touchscreen, the voice command function enables instructions to be spoken, ranging from turning devices on/off to choosing a lighting scene or entering a password.

Content from video sources can be streamed to the touchscreen. Native support for H.264 and MJPEG formats enables the display of live streaming video from an IP camera, a streaming server or a DigitalMedia switcher.

To reduce the need for WiFi, primary

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touchscreen functionality for the TST602 is supported via Crestron ER wireless communications, extending up to 60m indoors. Dual mode, which uses ER and WiFi together, enables advanced wireless capabilities such as streaming video, intercom and web browsing.

The TST-602 incorporates lithium ion battery technology that makes it possible to keep the device docked indefinitely. To help extend battery life, the ‘Instant-Waking’ feature allows the TST-602 to go to sleep within seconds of being put down. www.crestron.com

Customisable show controller from Alcorn McBride Alcorn McBride’s ShowTouch comes preloaded with a complete touchpanel interface for controlling and monitoring Alcorn show controllers via Ethernet.

The touch software can be used on any Windows PC and enables easy configuration for tasks such as setting a security unlock code, unlocking the script running on the show controller and starting to design a graphic interface with the graphics library that is included.

Multiple image formats are supported including PNG, JPG, GIF and BMP. There are also fully customisable design options to allow users to combine images, text colour and fonts to create an interface for any size installation.

The ShowTouch offers mounting flexibility as well as 24/7 operation, with no moving parts to wear out. The iOS app allows even greater flexibility, remotely interacting with the V16Pro/ V4Pro show controller. The app retrieves interface files from the show controller to provide portable show control at the user’s fingertips. www.alcorn.com

23/03/2015 16:16

The E

TECHNOLOGY: SHOWCASE 49

April 2015

AMX targets broad appeal with secure interface Massio is a highperformance control interface from AMX’s ControlPad Series available in six-button and eight-button models, in both black and white, with a built-in AMX Controller. It is targeted at use in classrooms and conference rooms; its low cost and lack of additional programming further broaden possible applications.

Instead of using traditional programming, Massio ControlPads are configured via AMX’s Rapid Project Maker (RPM) software; the processor includes the latest security features. RPM makes the Massio particularly cost-effective for small spaces where a significant portion of the budget is usually set aside for programming costs.

The ControlPad Series combines the affordability of a wall-mounted keypad with the device and room control capabilities of a central controller. The LED-backlit pushbuttons and rotary control knob facilitate quick adjustments and the integrated PoE connectivity simplifies installation. www.amx.com

Extron’s dual platform delivers input variety

The Extron MLC Plus 84 EU and MLC Plus 84 MK are Ethernet controllers designed for mounting in dual-size EU and MK junction boxes. They are used for controlling common AV system functions such as display on/off, input switching and volume control. They each feature nine customisable, backlit soft-touch buttons, PoE and a variety of ports and inputs, including a remote volume control port for use with select Extron amplifiers.

The MLC Plus 84 controllers’ main advantages are their configuration-based platform, powerful functionality and their easy-to-install, region-specific form factors. These controllers utilise Extron’s Global Configurator Plus and Global Configurator Professional software, which feature conditional logic, variables and macros to enable more elaborate control system designs. www.extron.com

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Control4 brings consistency with upgrades Control4 has made a number of improvements to its range of touchscreens with twice the resolution of previous models. The new additions include 7in and 10in in-wall touchscreens and a 7in tabletop option.

Supporting Control4’s HD AV intercom service is an onboard HD camera with high-quality speakers and microphone.

The touchscreens meet the same standards as existing models. Equivalent interfaces on all touchscreens, mobile apps and onscreen displays ensure a consistent user experience between devices. Upgrading is made easier with the new in-wall touchscreens having the same back-box as previous models, so no additional labour is required to install them.

A number of hardware improvements have facilitated faster touch and gesturecapable interactions. One of the software

improvements is that the HD AV intercom now features a large window displaying the camera feed at the other end of the call. The new interface for all comfort equipment and settings is more intuitive, and there’s onetouch access to local weather forecasts native to the OS.

www.control4.com

RTI’s all-in-one touchpanel The KX7 in-wall colour LCD touchpanel from RTI provides customised control over the entertainment, environmental and security systems of any building. RTI’s Integration Designer software is used to create the user interface on the 7in WVGA (800 x 480) LCD display. In addition, the KX7 supports composite, S-video or component analogue video on its display. Underneath, the unit boasts wired 10/100 BaseT, which provides the option of powering the unit via PoE or with the included power supply.

The in-wall touchpanel is a self-contained control system, which helps lower installation and operational costs. The unit’s customisable interface enables an alwayson status. Built-in IR and RS-232 ports

provide direct control of devices, and when used as part of a complete RTI system, the KX7 offers two-way communication for control and feedback from third-party components such as music servers, HVAC and lighting. In addition, the KX7 features a built-in camera, microphone and speakers to support future video intercom capabilities. www.rticorp.com

Configuration options from HRS Control HRS eTouch touchscreen controllers are customisable through HRS Designer software, which can tailor graphics, branding and system design to suit the user.

The controllers come in wall-mounted and desktop configurations and are available in 4in and 7in models with PoE injector options.

In multiple touchscreen controller environments, the eTouch can be used with a UDC Pro ECS-Raptor or other HRS Control servers. It can also be used in a single-controller application as it requires

The Ethernet device control feature, when combined with the extensive library of Extron

no additional hardware or software and features a built-in control server. www.hrscontrol.com

23/03/2015 16:16

50 SOLUTIONS: AUGEO, RIMINI April 2015

Picture: Riccardo Gallini

About the installer n Founded in 1983, Planet Service is a system integrator and installer offering multimedia system consultancy and design for sectors such as theme parks, conference centres, sports arenas, expo centres and hotels

of the Month

n With a portfolio of clients including Ferrari, Herbalife and Pfizer, Planet Service provides AV facilities for corporate events and recently interconnected all seven halls with audio, video, data and intercom facilities for the World Congress of Accountants in Rome The historical building has been sympathetically renovated

n It is also the largest rental company in the Republic of San Marino

ITALY

Something old, something new A 17th century building has been transformed into a cutting-edge cultural space. Mike Clark looks at how technology has been sensitively integrated into this minimalist venue

A

lthough the mention of the Adriatic town of Rimini probably brings to mind its sunny beaches or its trendsetting disco of the 1970s and ’80s, it also has a fascinating cultural and historical heritage dating back to ancient Roman times and further.

A unique venue recently inaugurated in the Italian resort offers an interesting combination of past and present, integrating art, wellness and fitness in a 17th century former residence of local nobility.

Augeo was designed

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by Yasmine Mahmoudieh from London and local architecture studio Cumo Mori Roversi, and its almost totally white stylish minimalist structure conceals an incredible amount of AV and building automation, installed

by San Marino system integrator Planet Service.

The company’s ‘Custom Technology’ permanent installation team was led

by Raffaello Reali (sales manager), Massimiliano Maioli (project manager, installer and worksite manager) and Certified Crestron Programmer Andrea Borelli.

Reali explains: “Our technical interfaces with the clients were the venue’s artistic manager Matteo Sormani and Filippo Migani of M Progetti studio.

“The technology installed was based on the client’s technical/ operational and economic requests, as well as the result of an in-depth search for digital units with high connectivity and control possibilities that were stable and ensured the possibility of also controlling the lighting and the equipment in the area spa/gym area.”

Visitors arriving from the

Installed Audio n Apart CM608 recessed speakers n Apart MASK2 wall-mounted micro speakers n Apart MASK4 & MASK6 HIFIPRO wall-mounted speakers n Apart Subtile subwoofers n Apart Sublime subwoofers n SolidDrive SD1 transducers n Biamp Nexia presentation mixer n Biamp NexiaCS conference mixer n Biamp Nexia SP processors n Apart Champ-3D power amps n Cloud CX-A850 and CX-A6 power amps n Apart PC1000R MKII multi-source players

Video n NEC PA600X projectors n Kramer VM2Hxl HDMI distribution amplifiers n Crestron 8x8 DigitalMedia matrix switcher n Crestron IDOC-PAD-DSC iPanel docking stations

n BrightSign HD220 multimedia players

Lighting n Viabizzuno Campana Brembana, Poppy Terra, Mon Amour and Trasparenze fixtures All Crestron

n DIN-AP2 automation processor n Cresnet DIN-HUB distribution hubs n Cresnet DIN-PWS50 power supplies n Cresnet DIN-BLOCK distribution block n DIN-1DIM4 dimmers n DIN-8SW8-I lighting control modules

Control n Crestron C2N-UNI8IO keypad interface n Crestron TPMC-3SMDWS touchscreens n Crestron TPMC-4SMD touchscreens n Crestron C2NI-CB keypads n iPad 2 16GB WiFi

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52 SOLUTIONS: AUGEO, RIMINI

Picture: Mike Clark

secluded courtyard enter the ground floor lounge bar and art gallery, which also hosts a DJ console for the wide variety of events hosted, and are met by large-scale projections. This is courtesy of a pair of NEC PA600X 6000 ANSI lumen video projectors screening videos (often part of the multimedia exhibits hosted by the gallery) on the walls.

Music can either be background music from internet radio, playlists on PC or the DJ console, manned for special events.

Selection is via iPad 2 in docking stations operating in WiFi mode. These are also used to regulate audio volume and control Viabizzuno lighting in the various areas, as well as automation (from the building’s KNX-based system).

The lighting fixtures by Viabizzuno installed at Augeo include Campana Brembana, Poppy Terra, Mon Amour and Trasparenze. Lighting control is courtesy of a Crestron lighting distribution and control setup featuring an automation processor, a rail distribution block, two rail distribution hubs, 14 DIN rail-mounted 4-channel dimmer modules and 11 8-channel lighting

control modules.

The lounge bar and art exhibition areas can interact via two wall panels (with audio and HDMI digital or VGA analogue video connections), which also enable external sources to be connected locally.

Audio volume in the various areas can be regulated independently and the video signals sent to one or both video projection systems. Connection is also via the DJ console, where an MacBook Pro can be used to feed out PowerPoint, films and so on. Two other video sources are BrightSign HD220 multimedia players, which can play out logos, backgrounds and images when necessary.

Reali continues: “Since the venue is located in a classified historical building, the internal design was preceded by careful restoration, conducted under the watchful eye of the Monuments and Fine Arts Department.

“From a technical point of view, the distinguishing feature of this project is the completely digital building automation system controlling all the audio, video projection, ambient and architectural lighting functions, as well as the functions in the Wellness area, with great interaction between the venue’s various zones – Art Gallery, Spa and Gym.” Signal management is completely selectable for each environment, with the possibility of controlling all areas simultaneously or feeding the same signals anywhere.

Relaxation rooms The rack room contains kit from Crestron, BrightSign, Apart, Cloud and Biamp

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The basement (once the home’s storerooms) houses the spa and gym areas, as Sormani explains:

Picture: Mike Clark

April 2015

The ground floor lounge bar and art gallery houses a DJ console and features large-scale projections

“The former features sauna, hammam (Turkish bath), various types of massage areas, waterfall showers and ‘emotional showers’, a programmable combination of water and aromatherapy with a variety of fragrances.”

The AV equipment racks are located in the technical room in the gym area.

Here, as in almost all the zones of the venue, clients and trainers have a Crestron touchscreen at their disposal to select internet radio, playlist on SDs (played by the venue’s Apart multi-source players) or they can connect an external audio source and listen music of their choice.

The fitness area’s dressing rooms also have their own wall-mounted Crestron Cameo keypads for controlling audio and lighting presets.

Maioli continues: “To amplify the sound in the Augeo’s spa area corridor, we installed eight SolidDrive SD-1 transducers in the wall cavities, with excellent results as far as intelligibility and volume control were concerned.

SolidDrive’s patented transducer technology can turn almost any drywall,

glass, wood, ceramic or laminate surface into a speaker.”

Borelli continues: “For automation, we deployed Crestron’s DigitalMedia system, which allowed us to use a flexible advanced 4K ultra-high-definition AV signal routing solution via Cat6 cables; a Biamp Nexia matrix, controlled by the Crestron system, ensures great audio routing flexibility, enabling audio signals from any of the various sources used (players, PCs, internet radio, etc) to be fed anywhere in the building.”

Reali opines: “Fortunately, in this case, the owners – entrepreneur brothers Sergio and Luca Antolini – and the architects realised the great opportunities offered by building automation, even in a venue focused on wellness and art, completely unrelated to anything technological.

Unfortunately, in Italy, in my opinion, this ‘culture’ has not yet been assimilated by players such as technical and system design studios or electrical contractors.

“Building automation reduces systems’ programmed obsolescence, offering the possibility of

upgrading software with new functions, without the need to replace any hardware.”

The entire AV control and distribution set-up was designed and installed

by Planet Service’s specialist team and, thanks to the discreet slimline Apart Sublime and Subtile subwoofers and the numerous compact wall-mounted Apart Mask loudspeakers, the audio system is almost invisible.

In addition, the small wallmounted local control panels strategically located throughout (Crestron TPMC3SMDWS and TPMC-4SMD touchscreens and Crestron C2NI-CB keypads) ensure hard-to-beat flexibility – truly convincing proof of Reali’s opinions.

www.apart-audio.com www.apple.com www.augeo.it www.biamp.com www.brightsign.biz www.cloud.co.uk www.crestron.eu www.kramerelectronics.com www.nec-display-solutions.com www.planetservicesm.eu www.soliddrive.com www.soundtube.com www.viabizzuno.com

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54 SOLUTIONS: LDN19, LONDON April 2015

Installed Video UNITED KINGDOM

Walking in to a website Creating a virtual shopping experience unlike anything available online was the thrust behind this bespoke in-store format, writes Duncan Proctor

L

DN19 is online sports retailer ProDirect’s first physical store and flagship brand centre.

Located in central London it utilises a mixture of HD, 4K and fibre optic technology to create a virtual shopping experience and unique ‘customer journey’.

The end result is a shopping experience billed as like “walking in to a website”, where customers can experience the ‘monolith’ of limited edition and signed football boots as well as the world’s largest boot room. Other features include interactive touch podiums that display information, images and videos. The touch podiums downstairs also control C-Touch Leddura 84in ‘digital mannequins’,

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n Samsung UD46C 46in display n Sharp PN-K322BH 32in touchscreen n LG 47WV50MS(BR) 47in FHD display n C-Touch Leddura XT 84in touchscreen n Samsung ME75B 75in LED display n ASUS VG248QE 24in 3D LED display

Audio allowing shoppers to choose outfits that are then displayed on a life-size video catwalk.

The project’s inception began when Vivid Digital Retail was approached by Green Room Retail to create a compelling shopping experience that combined digital, virtual and physical.

The initial brief for the project was to create a bespoke format which would allow Pro-Direct to realise its goals in a physical format.

“The only review that we took was operationally the store had to be able to be managed by the client,” explains Paul O’Reilly, MD of Vivid Digital Retail.

“We were able to hand over a live store format where the client controls lighting, audio, content

management, very simply all within their current workflow.”

On a journey Vivid worked with Green Room and Pro-Direct to map out the ‘customer journey’ before selecting the digital assets that could deliver it.

With Pro-Direct’s main hub of business online, Vivid looked at how to best manage the link between the online and physical stores. It trialled Sharp’s LL-S201A 20in display in standard HD and then compared it to the Sharp PN-K322BH 32in display in 4K. “It was a no-brainer once the client saw the 4K usage and rendering,” says O’Reilly.

This meant repurposing the website, O’Reilly adding: “A thumbnail that looks good on a website won’t

necessarily look good on a display.”

The higher resolution is one factor, another is the hierarchical, linear nature of most websites. The website information displayed on the touch podiums needed to be non-linear and easy to navigate. The digital podiums would only be feasible with drastically improved functionality and expanded navigation ability, and the ‘one-up’ webpage needed to be redesigned, which O’Reilly believes heralds a new era of shopper-browsing. “We wrote that paradigm by going up to the 4K MultiTouch screen from Sharp and we leveraged that with the whole change of format.”

To transmit the higherresolution content, Vivid

All Meyer Sound

n MM4XP loudspeakers n MM10XP subwoofers n MPS488p power supply

Control n Crestron QM-RMC controller n APC AP7922 mains distribution units n Cisco WS-C2960X-48TS-L network switchers n Cisco AIRONET 1602i access points n Atlona ATL-PRO2HD88M switchers n Lightware TX 150/RX150 fibre extenders chose a variety of fibre optic switchers and matrix switchers at a frame rate of 30Hz. Additionally, Atlona switchers provide IR remote control as well as extending HDMI and DVI sources up to 100m at 1080p. Other extenders used from

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56 SOLUTIONS: LDN19, LONDON April 2015

Lightware go up to 4K resolution all at 30Hz. Vivid will also look to upgrade to 60Hz in the future, as 4K transmission develops.

Centrepiece The motivation in setting up a physical store was in part so Pro-Direct could realise some ambitious ideas, such as the ‘monolith’ of boots starting on the top level and leading downstairs.

This in-store centrepiece is backlit and features limited edition and signed football boots. The Pro-Direct staff can change the lighting colour instantly via remote devices. This feeds into the idea of creating a customer experience and not just a 3D advertisement for the brand.

“If you’ve made a journey to the high street, I think you want an experience,”

About the installer n Vivid Digital Retail provides digital solutions for visual communication in retail specialising in luxury goods n Based in Teddington, south-west London, the company offers a range of design, specification, supply, installation and commissioning services n The Vivid team, consisting of display technologists and retail experts, works through a variety of digital platforms to create customer experiences

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says O’Reilly.

Another element of the physical store, which would not have the same impact viewed through a browser, is the Pro-Direct Presents showcases, which are scheduled to coincide with the launch of a new boot.

Pro-Direct Presents feature the new product and can cover anything from a small section of the store up to the complete top level.

With launches happening every few days, Pro-Direct has to regularly reconfigure the store to showcase new items as well as manage promotional events with sponsored footballers.

The usability of the solutions is key to facilitating rapid format changes and allowing any of the in-store staff or head office to implement theme changes to coincide with

Interactive touch podiums display information, images and videos

brand launches without technical supervision.

One of those responsible for operating the new format is brand comms executive Ned Ozkasim: “We really wanted to push the boundaries of what ‘retail’ is and LDN19 is just the start of our journey. We hope to bring this unique football experience to key cities across the globe in the coming years.”

www.apc.com www.asus.com www.atlona.com www.cisco.com www.crestron.com www.ctouch.eu www.ldn19.com www.lg.com www.lightware.eu www.meyersound.com www.samsung.com www.sharp.co.uk www.vivid.co.uk

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R PLANYOUR MONTH AHEAD

Our pick of what to see, do and discover in the weeks ahead, including AV networking, trade show networking and how technology shaped modern Europe.

Pick the of mon th

Palme Middle East

Networked Audiovisual Systems

Staying in Dubai, InfoComm is running this training session from 10 to 12 May. Attendees will gain an understanding of networks and how AV applications operate in them. The course is suitable for integrators, design consultants and AV/IT managers.

Centre on 11-13 May. Companies exhibiting include Bosch, Powersoft, Robe and DAS Audio, while the Knowledge

Zone will feature sessions, seminars and workshops on a range of topics.

READ

VISIT

LEARN

Showcasing the future of sound and light technologies, Palme Middle East will return to the Dubai Convention

Plasa Focus: Leeds

Plasa heads to the north of England for the latest in its Focus series of events. A two-day seminar programme will run alongside an exhibition of technologies for the entertainment technology sector. This year’s edition runs from 12-13 May at the Royal Armouries Museum.

Making Europe

Series editors Johan W Schot, Philip Scranton

Making Europe’s six compelling volumes offer broad scope, sharp analysis and critical knowledge, blending 14 distinguished historians’ skills.

Learn how, where, and why technologies were fundamental to shaping modern Europe.

Picture: Chris Toulmin

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THINKING SOUND

INTRODUCING LEOPARD

COME SEE IT AT PROLIGHT + SOUND IN APRIL HALL 8, STAND F70

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