Installation May 2016 Digital Edition

Issue 191 / May 2016

AV INTEGRATION IN A NETWORKED WORLD

www.installation-international.com

Convergence consequence p20 UK’s largest integrator on AV/IT implications

Turn to page 6 for a full list of finalists

The next generation p26

How is the industry attracting young talent?

Mounting challenges p38 Troubleshooting videowall issues

ALL IS CONNECTED The Internet of Things: a massive opportunity for pro AV p34 Master Station serves up to 24 remote stations

Connection of User Stations via LAN with PoE switches or via powered daisy chain lines Full color high-resolution displays 48 kHz / 16 bit uncompressed audio 4 Master Stations may be linked Remote Speaker Station

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WELCOME 03

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Complexity is good

I

Installation is published by NewBay Media Europe, 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 Editor: Paddy Baker pbaker@nbmedia.com

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‘Being able to analyse this data and act upon it will open up vast amounts of new possibilities’

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Designer: Tom Carpenter tcarpenter@nbmedia.com Sales manager: Gurpreet Purewal gpurewal@nbmedia.com Senior account manager: Peter McCarthy pmccarthy@nbmedia.com

Contributors: Brady Bruce David Davies Rob Lane Ian McMurray Steve Montgomery Special thanks: Roland Hemming Mayya Hryhoryeva Joshua Rush

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A sister title to SCN

had an interesting conversation with Colin Farquhar, CEO of Exterity, at the company’s Technology Showcase last month.

While the company serves several different markets, each with different requirements for its digital signage or IPTV, he summarised two challenges that apply broadly across his customer base.

The first is complexity management. With the scope of video distribution for organisations growing immensely, there is a profusion of formats, bandwidths and even display types – including mobile devices and wearables. He sees Exterity’s role as simplifying this technology, and taking it away from the customer.

The other challenge is content management. For instance, with large corporates increasingly recording all meetings for compliance purposes, they need to be able not only to store the recordings, but to navigate through them to find the detail they need.

These two issues provide significant opportunities not just for manufacturers like Exterity, but of course for integrators as well – and, I suspect, beyond the areas of digital signage and IPTV. Complexity management almost speaks for itself – I’m sure that most, if not all, of you can think of ways in which installations today are more fully featured, and consequently more complex, than corresponding projects would have been just a few years ago. And on the content side, as we mention in our Internet of Things feature (starting on page 34), many organisations have for a long time been collecting data that they do nothing with. Being able to analyse this data and act upon it will open up vast amounts of new possibilities – for them and for their AV systems.

I

’ll finish with a couple of parish notices. First, I have news that is both sad and happy concerning our senior account manager Pete McCarthy. After nearly two years on the Installation team, Pete is moving across to our sister brand TVBEurope, where he is taking up the role of sales manager. It’s a great move for him, and I’m sure he will take to the broadcast market as keenly as the market takes to him. I’m also sure that all his install market clients will miss his affability and empathy.

It’s also goodbye to Tim Frost, our head of digital, this month. For all of my time on Installation, Tim has been at the helm whenever we have added a new element to our digital offering – email newsletters, online video, new website platforms, webinars, you name it – as well as being first point of call for day-to day digital issues. In fact, I’m amazed when I think how far we’ve come in under a decade – and Tim has been central to all of these developments. We wish him all the very best for the future.

Driving the Creation of Knowledge

www.cynap.net

Presentation. Collaboration. Knowledge Sharing.

04 CONTENTS

May 2016

News & Data 06 InstallAwards: The finalists are revealed

08 Analysis Lighting as a service industry set to grow Use of active pen technology predicted to soar 12 Regional Voices: United Kingdom

People 14 Industry Moves 16 Opinion

06

Rob Lane questions the lack of UHD coverage of the UEFA European championship Brady Bruce on the evolution of workplace collaboration 20 Interview AVMI’s Edward Cook discusses the next moves in AV/IT convergence

Features 26 AV The Next Generation How is the industry faring when it comes to attracting new talent?

34 Internet of Things With further huge growth predicted in connected devices, the opportunity for the AV market is clear 38 Videowall Mounts We look at the major challenges faced by manufacturers as videowalls get larger and their uses more numerous

20

Solutions 42 MY Madame Kate A discrete but luxurious solution was needed for this 60m superyacht 46 Keech Hospice Care, Luton The latest project from industry charity initiative Together for Cinema 48 Solutions in Brief Including Holovis at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and VUE sound reinforcement for Pittsburgh State University

Technology 51 New Products

26

Including Optocore, Extron, Panasonic and Cloud

54 Showcase

56

Large-format displays

56 Demo of the Month MultiTaction iWall Lobby Solution

Also inside 22 Prolight + Sound Highlights from last month’s Frankfurt show

42

06 X

May 2016

Celebrating excellence The InstallAwards return on Friday 24 June for their third annual outing. Here we preview the finalists for the awards in the Business, Entertainment and Team categories

T

RISING STAR – sponsored

by Prospero Recruitment

he 2016 InstallAwards will take place on 24 June at The Grand Connaught Rooms close to Covent Garden, London. For the first time the event will be held during the day, with an after party running late into the evening.

Once again we will be recognising projects and products in some of the most innovative installations of the past 12 months. We will also be focusing on the people behind these projects with a number of Team awards, as well as a Rising Star accolade for a high achieving industry newcomer.

We will also be introducing the Installation Hall of Fame – please keep an eye on our newsletter, website and social media over the next couple of weeks as we announce the industry names that we will be honouring.

The awards listed below will be judged by an independent panel of industry experts from a broad range of disciplines.

Installer’s Choice: In-House Team of the Year • HSBC (nominated by AVMI) • Royal College of Surgeons (nominated by AuDeo Systems) • University of West Scotland (nominated by Saville AV)

TEAM AWARDS

BUSINESS

Distribution Team of the Year • CIE-Group • Shure Distribution • TD Maverick

Best Corporate and Industrial Project – sponsored by Blackmagic Design • ExCeL – SSE Audio • International professional services organisation – proAV • Ministry of Justice – AVMI • OMERS – Focus 21, MiX Consultancy • Post Office HQ – Visual Systems Sales (Myriad Audio Visual Group)

Marketing Team of the Year • Absen • Casio Projectors • Crestron

• Calum Findlay (Streamtec) • Maddie Vining (Royal Society of Medicine) • Ty Howden (Embed Signage) Turn to page 32 to learn more about the finalists in this category.

• HowToAV.tv • Peerless-AV

Best Education Project • Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford – Snelling Business Systems • G10 Theatre, Reading University – Shure, Snelling Business Systems • Paisley Gateway, University of West Scotland – Saville AV • Queen Margaret University – Tripleplay • Queen’s University Belfast – Panasonic • School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey – proAV Best Retail & DOOH Project • Brioni’s MIROR – Sharp, CLX Europe • Fiumicino Airport – Absen Europe • Hong Kong International Airport – Nexo • KFC – Pioneer Digital • Toals Bookmakers, Belfast – Kramer Business Star Product Award • Casio Core XJ-V1 Projector (Hounsdown School) • Eyevis EYE-LCD-8500-QHD-Touch(AG)-32IR LCD Monitor (KUKA Colleges) • Focusrite Rednet (Northbrook College) • Kramer Sierraview SVG Multiviewer (Toals Bookmakers Belfast) • Lightware 25G Hybrid 160×160 Fibre Matrix (International professional services organisation) • QSC QSys (ExCeL)

X

www.installation-international.com

Best Corporate and Industrial Project – sponsored by Blackmagic Design 1 ExCeL – SSE Audio 2 International professional services organisation – proAV 3 Ministry of Justice – AVMI 4 OMERS – Focus 21, MiX Consultancy 5 Post Office HQ – Visual Systems Sales (Myriad Audio Visual Group)

07

Installation Hall of Fame This year we will induct three industry figures into the Installation Hall of Fame. This prestigious award is designed to honour those people who have had a huge impact on our industry. Watch www.installationinternational.com and our social media channels for details in the coming weeks.

3

Sponsorship opportunities There are a limited number of further sponsorship opportunities available. To find out more, contact Gurpreet Purewal on gpurewal@nbmedia.com / +44 (0)20 7354 6000.

1

4

Tickets Tickets for the InstallAwards are available now: visit www.installawards.com/buy-tickets, or contact Georgia Blake – gblake@nbmedia.com, +44 20 7354 6005.

2

The event 5 This year’s ceremony will be held at the Grand Connaught Rooms in central London. The celebrations will start with a champagne reception at 1:00pm before lunch, the awards presentation and a late-night afterparty.

Business Project Award for Innovation • Hong Kong International Airport – Nexo • Jaguar Land Rover, Castle Bromwich – ADI.tv • Superlab – Snelling Business Systems • University of Hertfordshire – IDNS • University of Surrey – proAV

ENTERTAINMENT Best Hospitality Project • City Hotel – West London AV Solutions • Multi-site multimedia control – ATEN UK • Radisson Blu Heathrow – Visual Systems Sales (Myriad Audio Visual Group) • Striders Turf Clublounge – WyreStorm • Walkabout – Sound Power, Peerless-AV Best Visitor Attractions Project • Bobbejaanland – Holovis • Chimelong Ocean Kingdom (5D Castle Theater) – Meyer Sound • Shrek’s Adventure – SSE Audio, Seeper • Wyecliffe Gallery – Konextions Best Venues Project • Cardiff City FC Stadium – Tripleplay • Doha Celebration Complexes – Riedel • Finnish Opera – d&b audiotechnik • Tape London – SSE Audio – DiGiGrid • Volkswagen DRIVE Exhibition – eyevis

Entertainment Star Product Award • DiGiGrid SoundGrid (Tape London) • Meyer Sound D-Mitri Digital Audio Platform (Chimelong Ocean Kingdom) • NanoLumens NanoCurve Outdoor Gallery Series (AmericanAirlines Arena Xfinity East Plaza) • SiliconCore Lavender 1.2mm LED display (FIFA World Football Museum) • Wyrestorm NetworkHD and Enado (Striders Turf Clublounge)

1:00 pm

Drinks reception and canapés on arrival

2:00 pm

Two-course lunch

3:30pm

Awards presentation

4:30pm-Late

Afterparty

Dress Code: Black Tie www.installawards.com

Entertainment Award for Innovation – sponsored by Riedel 1 2 3 4 5

Cala Restaurant – Meyer Sound Finnish Opera – d&b audiotechnik German Gymnasium – SSE Audio Hospitality Request System – VEGA Europe Shrek’s Adventure – SSE Audio, Seeper

1

3

2

4

5

08 ANALYSIS

May 2016

Lighting as a service – a new growth industry

By Steve Montgomery

E

very aspect of a building’s control has become more complicated, and lighting is no exception. LED is rapidly taking over.

Light bulbs can incorporate wireless communications and transmit information.

Cloud-based control systems can run complex analytics from afar. Increasingly strident building codes and power restrictions impose greater demands on owners.

Rather than trying to keep up themselves, building owners and managers are increasingly turning to third parties to provide lighting as a service (LaaS). This includes initial design and installation, ongoing management and recycling of equipment at end of life.

Engaging customers in lighting service contracts presents an opportunity for lighting companies to expand beyond their traditional business and protect future revenue as LED prices fall and technology increases its lifespan.

While constituting only a small proportion of the total lighting controls market, this sector is set to grow significantly in the coming years, from $35 million in 2016 to over $1.2 billion by 2024.

LaaS revenue by building type, world markets ($m)

1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0

2016*

2018*

2020*

2022*

Retail

Office

Education

Hospitality

Healthcare

Other

2024*

Source: Navigant Research

www.navigantresearch.com

* = forecast

Bulk of VR revenues to come from premium devices

By Duncan Proctor

A

ccording to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global virtual reality headset revenues will reach $895 million in 2016, with 77% of that attributed to newly launched premium devices from Oculus, HTC and Sony.

Interestingly, these three companies are predicted to account for just 13% of unit sales in 2016, with lower-priced smartphone-based devices dominating the 12.8 million unit sales that make up the VR headset market.

Research suggests that VR headsets tethered to PCs and games consoles will be limited to roughly 1.7 million devices shipped globally in 2016 due to high pricing. However, consumers are being exposed to an increasing number of smartphone-based VR systems, which is predicted to help introduce users to higherquality VR experiences.

Cliff Raskind, director of Strategy Analytics’

Predicted VR revenue for 2016

77% $689m Premium

23% $206m Smartphone-based

Source: Strategy Analytics

wearable device ecosystems service, commented: “Consumers will soon be exposed to an incredible diversity of virtual reality options ranging from ultra-low cost to super premium.

While we expect smartphone-based viewers to take the lion’s share of VR headset volumes in

2016 at 87% of shipments, PC and game console powered headsets will absolutely dominate value share, commanding 77% of revenues.”

www.strategyanalytics.com

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10 ANALYSIS

May 2016

Active pen technology predicted to soar

By Steve Montgomery

M

any industries still widely use paper processes for note and data collection, requiring subsequent transcription by touchscreen or keyboard entry. Passive styli and active pens enable direct data input into tablets, PCs and large displays. The thinner tips of active pens provide finer resolution and better operation with handwriting recognition software.

“The active pen industry has changed dramatically in recent years. The number of companies working on active pen technology has increased from 60 companies in 2014 to over 100 companies in 2016,” according to Dr Jennifer Colegrove, CEO and principal analyst at Touch Display Research. “Digital pen input is very useful in education, foreign language input, medical, finance, industry applications and content creation. Active pen technology is superior to passive in terms of accuracy, pressure sensing and input of fine line. We forecast that active pen usage will have rapid growth in the next several years.”

Global active pen market forecast ($m)

7000 6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000 0 2016*

2017*

2018*

2019*

2020*

2021*

www.touchdisplayresearch.com Source: Touch Display Research

* = forecast

Win Bose headphones with our second in-depth audio networking survey

F

or the second year running, Installation has teamed up with RH Consulting and Audinate to conduct a survey into the use of digital audio networking, aiming to reveal a clear insight into the thinking of audio professionals and those involved in audio projects.

The survey is the only comprehensive research into the use of this rapidly emerging technology, and will build on the findings from the first round of research conducted a year ago.

Having outlined audio networking usage in the 2015 survey, this year’s study aims to go further and find out the level of growth expected.

Anyone is welcome to contribute. We are especially interested in the views of those who have never used networked audio, so that we

can get a better understanding of the barriers to the uptake of networking.

The survey takes just a few minutes to complete, and participants will have the chance to win a pair of Bose noisecancelling headphones, courtesy of Audinate.

The closing date to contribute is 4 June, with results announced at InfoComm.

More detailed analysis will be presented in the July/August issue of Installation. The survey is available at: http://ow.ly/4mWGoh

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Advanced Micro Design Engineered with a super tough magnesium alloy core, and a body that’s not much larger than the MFT lens mount itself, the Micro Studio Camera 4K is virtually invisible, can run off LP-E6 batteries or AC power so can be mounted anywhere. That means you can have more camera angles to create a more professional live production! Use affordable, high performance MFT lenses, or add a B4 adapter to work with traditional broadcast lenses.

Shoot in HD or Ultra HD The Micro Studio Camera 4K features a full size, broadcast quality 3840 x 2160 Ultra HD sensor with 4 times the resolution of traditional high definition cameras! You can work at 30 frames per second in Ultra HD and up to 60 frames per second in 1080 HD. Whether you’re shooting HD or Ultra HD, the Micro Studio Camera always gives you incredible images with amazing clarity and detail!

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Remote Camera Control You can easily control your Micro Studio Camera 4K from any ATEM switcher using the Blackmagic SDI control protocol to adjust focus, iris, color correction and more! These remote control pan, tilt, zoom and iris commands can also be sent out through the camera’s expansion port to attached accessories like motorized heads and lenses. With built in DaVinci primary color correction, cameras can even be balanced remotely from ATEM switchers!

Micro Four Thirds Lens Mount The active Micro Four Thirds lens mount is compatible with an incredibly wide range of lenses and adapters. You can use high quality photo lenses for smaller setups and fi xed camera use, or connect incredible broadcast ENG lenses via a B4 lens adapter.

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12

REGIONAL VOICES

May 2016

UNITED KINGDOM Our latest survey takes the temperature of the UK installation market – on the eve of a historic EU membership referendum

T

hese are turbulent times in the intersection of UK politics and business: negotiations are still under way to formulate a management buyout of the troubled Tata steelworks in Port Talbot, south Wales, with the government committing to a 25% stake – following criticism from some quarters that it responded much more quickly to prop up the banks during the financial crisis. And next month, the

2.4%

GDP annual growth rate, 2015 Source: Trading Economics

country will go to the polls for a referendum on its continued membership of the EU. However, when we look at the results of our latest survey into the installed AV market in the UK, the findings are pretty positive. Only a tiny minority of respondents felt that confidence levels in the UK installation sector were falling; the remainder were almost equally split between those who felt it was rising and those who felt it was the same, compared with six months ago.

Similarly, when it came to projections for respondents’ own company revenues, the mood was, on average, upbeat: there was a roughly equal three-way split between growing by more than 5%, growing by up to 5%, and no change.

When it came to issues causing concerns to the business, the overwhelming leader was ‘Clients going for lowest price rather than best value’.

One respondent commented: “In many cases procurement have too much power in the decisionmaking process, resulting in a focus on short term cost reduction rather than quality and long term ROI.” The MD of a major corporate integrator had a worrying comment on the ramifications of AV-IT integration: “With the convergence of IT and AV now fully established on many large projects, the procurement strategy adopts the ‘tin’ approach.

However, the AV industry has never managed to achieve services costs to match that of IT, therefore the industry gets degraded.”

We also asked our respondents for the advice they would give new entrants to the market. One distributor advised manufacturers: “Choose a single disti. Give them exclusivity and help build the market slowly rather than flood it with product.”

4.4%

Budget deficit, 2015 Source: Trading Economics

Another distributor had this advice for new UK integrators: “Work with a distribution partner who can support you with pre-sales qualification and post-sales support.”

The final word goes to the integrator MD quoted earlier. In response to the question ‘If you could change how the installation market works in the UK, what would it be?’, he said simply: “Regulate standards of delivery.” We suspect a lot of our other respondents would agree with that.

What will be the business trend in the following vertical markets

GREATEST INCREASE Corporate Digital signage Retail Education Worship Museums/visitor attractions Bars, clubs, restaurants Sports venues Performing arts venues NO CHANGE

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14 INDUSTRY MOVES

May 2016

Heath appointed as new PLASA MD

Green Hippo

Former Roland exec takes up the role, which supersedes the position of CEO

Cory Froke has joined the Green Hippo US team as product specialist. He has a strong background in AV and lighting, having previously worked at PRG Nocturne/PRG Concert Touring, Chaos Visual Productions, DWP Live and Entertainment Lighting Services.

He will be based in Burbank, California.

www.green-hippo.com L-Acoustics

Scot Wakelin is now regional manager at L-Acoustics, responsible for the Balkans and Central European regions, as well as Israel, Turkey, Cyprus and Malta. He brings over 20 years of experience in the professional audio industry.

Most recently, Wakelin handled vertical sales for the northern European install and touring markets at TC Group.

www.l-acoustics.com

P

eter Heath has been appointed to the new role of managing director of PLASA, which supersedes the position of CEO. He joins from Roland Corporation, where he worked in various senior roles for nearly 20 years, making a substantial contribution to the sustained growth of its UK music division, where he became sales director in 2009. In 2006 he set up Roland UK’s Pro Audio division, which later became Roland Pro AV after merging with Edirol Video products. In 2012 he became pro AV sales and marketing director in the UK before joining Roland Europe Group as head of pro AV for Europe in 2014.

Heath commented: “I am delighted to be appointed managing director and am looking

forward to working closely with PLASA members, carrying on the great work that has been achieved recently, along with creating new and exciting opportunities to grow our association.”

Ed Pagett, chairman of PLASA, said of the appointment: “We are delighted to have Peter join PLASA in the role of MD. He brings with him a wealth of experience and fresh enthusiasm to help develop the association, supported by the PLASA staff and elected board. There is still much to be done, but I know Peter will hit the ground running and maintain the forward momentum that has been generated.”

www.plasa.org

New Partners QSC has named Exhibo as its multichannel distribution partner in Italy, representing both QSC Professional and Systems divisions. Exhibo has operated in the Italian market for more than 50 years offering audio, communication and security products to the market. www.exhibo.it www.qsc.com

IberCOMM-TEC is now a Dataton Premium Partner for Spain and Portugal. IberCOMM-TEC will be responsible for distribution, marketing, training and support of the Dataton product range in both countries via its offices in Seville and Madrid. www.comm-tec.es www.dataton.se

Leisuretec has become Sennheiser’s SpeechLine Digital Wireless UK point of sale. The distributor has taken delivery of the UK’s first stock of lapel, headmic and handheld digital wireless systems, placing it as Sennheiser’s number one UK supplier to the trade.

Renkus-Heinz

Michal Poplawski has joined Renkus-Heinz as technical sales manager, Europe.

Prior to this he served as head of support for TW Audio, where he oversaw loudspeaker system design and system commissioning. In his new position he will provide support and technical assistance to customers across Europe.

www.renkus-heinz.com Sony

Adam Fry has been appointed vice president of Sony’s Professional Solutions business. He will be responsible for driving continued growth across Sony’s European B2B business, both in established markets and new segments including cinema, video security and sports.

www.pro.sony.eu Stagetec

www.leisuretec.co.uk www.sennheiser.com

Vivitek has announced Exertis as a new distributor in the UK. Exertis will focus on distribution of Vivitek’s Qumi range of portable projectors, including the Q6, as well as its new home cinema products. www.exertis.com www.vivitek.eu

Alexander Nemes, Jens Kuhlmann have moved to newly established positions at Stagetec. Nemes (pictured, left) becomes sales manager while Kuhlmann steps into project planning and customer support. Both are longterm members of the Stagetec team.

www.stagetec.com

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16 OPINION: ON THE AGENDA

May 2016

Rob Lane 4K own goal?

Euros sales spike blunted by lack of UK UHD coverage

W

ith the Euros set to kick off at the Stade de France on 10 June, Ultra HD TV and projector manufacturers would be forgiven for anticipating a boost in revenue. However, while interest in the sports event is likely to contribute to a spike in UHD viewing device sales in the consumer and pro sectors, it’s unlikely to be as a result of 4K football coverage this summer.

In the UK, terrestrial broadcasters BBC and ITV are sharing the Euro 2016 coverage, but neither of them is set to screen UHD this summer or any time soon, despite the fact that the tournament’s opening match, semis and the final are being filmed in 4K by the UEFA Euro host broadcaster.

This will be something of a disappointment to consumers and venues that have invested in UHD TVs and projectors ahead of the tournament, particularly when one considers the box office potential of the final three matches, and the fact that the BBC had reportedly promised UHD ‘as standard’ by 2016.

The broadcaster, of course, held UHD trials during the last World Cup on both digital terrestrial TV and IP and concluded that, even in 2014, 23% of viewers would benefit from 4K broadcasts. Given the number of UHD products sold since 2014, this number is likely to be much higher now.

Pay options Fortunately, there is reason for optimism elsewhere. Sky’s February introduction of its Q service has injected some much-needed UHD cheer, albeit at additional cost to subscribers.

The satellite broadcaster’s Q Silver set-top box is capable of receiving and displaying UHD broadcasts, which Sky says it will introduce ‘later’

in 2016 after a firmware update (it does not say what it plans to broadcast though).

Additionally, Amazon Prime subscribers are already enjoying limited UHD broadcasts via some manufacturers’ TVs and its own Fire TV box – and there are also UHD videos on YouTube and Vimeo, although these will largely be of use only as demo material. Netflix has rightly made a fuss about its UHD broadcasts of Breaking Bad and House of Cards, and it’s possible to enjoy these via BT’s nowestablished UHD service.

Indeed, BT has something of an antidote for those suffering UHD football withdrawal, with its Ultra HD Sports channel promising further UHD football coverage in the autumn. Frustratingly, of course, BT isn’t a free-to-air broadcaster either, and unlike the Beeb and ITV has no access to all that lovely UHD Euros coverage.

We’ve been here before of course, a decade ago. At that time, the BBC was mooting a trial HD Freeview, and eventually launched it on 15 May, three weeks ahead of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in which every match was broadcast in HD for the first time. Ultimately, only 450 businesses and

homes had access to the BBC’s trial service and HD football, and the only way the rest of the UK could watch in HD was if they subscribed to digital satellite or cable, and owned an ‘HD-ready’ TV. Of course, this didn’t stop people rushing out to buy HD-ready TVs, even though many may have been bamboozled into believing the regular BBC standard-def football coverage was actually high definition. The ‘HD-ready’ tag confused a lot of people back then, despite being devised to clarify that the TV would be ready for HD when it was available. The same could, currently, be said of UHD, particularly with regard to this latest football event. Consumers and businesses are buying UHD products regardless of what is and what isn’t available to watch in ‘4K’, and flagship sports events have traditionally encouraged further purchases.

Whether the predicted spike in sales would have been higher had a UHD Euros been available for UK viewers is, unfortunately, a moot point.

Tech/business journalist and founder/owner of Bigger Boat PR, Rob Lane doesn’t think it’ll be any easier watching England go out on penalties in regular HD.

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18 OPINION: ON THE AGENDA

May 2016

Brady Bruce The evolution of workplace collaboration What steps need to be taken to improve efficiency in different parts of the industry?

C

ollaboration is a term that gets used in a thousand different ways, every day.

At InFocus, we strive to continuously improve on and provide solutions that allow people to accomplish work across the globe as if they were standing shoulder-to-shoulder.

We’re particularly focused on true collaboration.

When two or more people watch a webinar or live video stream or participate in a video conference call, they aren’t collaborating – they’re co-viewing.

True collaboration requires that multiple people view something, understand it and interact with it, simultaneously and in real time. To collaborate is to get things done together, no matter where you are – whether you’re managing a company, streamlining a supply chain or expanding into new markets. Collaboration can be used for the day-to-day management of the important work people do every day to the emerging, missioncritical situations that arise unexpectedly.

We define collaboration as a four-step process: 1. Develop a common operating picture – it is critical to all get on the same page about what we’re seeing and working through.

Through collaboration the overall picture can be seen in real time, simultaneously.

2. Avail ourselves of all the relevant information – we can access data, share and arrange it in meaningful ways.

3. Assemble the information to make it usable – it should be easy and user-friendly to change and provide context to the data.

4. Work together to decide what actions to take – collaboration allows for the ability to interact with colleagues while being seen and heard by others in real time.

Furthermore, you should be able to annotate on top of the information happening in real time. This is the point where everyone is beginning to do the same work as if they are all in the same room.

This is where true collaboration starts to take place.

These four steps create real collaboration – and with real collaboration, you can get work done better, faster and more efficiently.

Global scale One trend that we have noticed is the need for more collaboration in the workplace largely because of the relationship between global and remote employees. The larger the company, the more complex it is, and thus the more necessary real and effective collaboration becomes.

One of the most challenging industries that depends on collaboration is global manufacturing – companies that have multiple factories worldwide, with complex supply chains and manufacturing processes. In manufacturing, anything short of peak efficiencies is a problem.

Delivering solutions for global enterprises means that our channel partners need to have a deep understanding of what the customer is trying to accomplish. In our business, we are not just pushing boxes off the back of the loading dock.

The customer expects the integrator to know what will work best for their unique circumstances and demonstrate a resolution to their concerns and needs for a new collaboration solution.

The future of collaboration will involve more information, more places, on more networks and more devices. For example, mobile devices are still in their infancy and will continue to grow in importance as a collaboration tool. We also believe that as virtual reality becomes more commonplace, it will evolve into another extension of collaboration.

Not only will you be able to see and interact with something in real time, you will also be able to virtually be there. That’s real collaboration.

Brady Bruce is CMO of InFocus.

www.infocus.com

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20 INTERVIEW: EDWARD COOK, AVMI

May 2016

Partners in convergence

Firmly established as the UK’s largest integrator of AV, videoconferencing and digital media solutions, AVMI also continues to expand its global footprint through a comprehensive partner scheme. David Davies speaks to CEO Edward Cook about the ongoing rise of managed services and the next moves in the great AV/IT convergence Having joined the company some 15 years ago this February, Edward Cook is well placed to chart the phenomenal growth of AVMI as a worldwide player.

Both through its dedicated International Business division and an extensive network of international partners, the company has consistently reinforced its position at the forefront of integration services.

And with AV and IT technologies – and the relationship between them – evolving evermore rapidly, that’s no mean feat. All of these strands featured in Installation’s recent conversation with Cook, although the starting-point was a reflection on AVMI’s progress in the year to date…

In overall terms, how is 2016 shaping up for AVMI? Everything is good for us at the moment. We

are seeing a real demand coming through for our global activities and that is the area we have been focusing on. We continue to promote our managed services, which make up a very significant part of our business, both in terms of on-site engineering teams and off-site maintenance. We see great demand from the retail sector, but are also still getting great interest from the traditional City-based financial sector.

Managed services are integral to the AVMI business. How would you define your offers in this area, and what makes them unique?

Definitions are important when it comes to managed services. So for example, there

are instances where we put teams on-site managing their AV services, all their video, and sometimes their multimedia – and we would call that a managed service. We have more than 150 staff permanently based with our clients, running those services, providing meeting room support, event management, content management and so on. We would estimate that we have one of the biggest teams [of this kind], if not the biggest, in the UK. But also within the managed services definition we include content management and distribution. This is primarily for retailers, but also for high street banks where there is a need to get content to branches, and for corporates where there is a wish to display content in

www.installation-international.com

A brief biography Edward Cook started work in 1985 with his fledgling family business, Anthony Cook Associates. He spent the next 12 years helping to grow and run the company, which provided IT consultancy, training, recruitment and software development services During the early internet boom, between 1998 and 2000, Cook was a director of an e-commerce consultancy, ICE Mobile Ltd, which acted as an incubator for several web start-ups He joined AVMI in February 2001 as CEO, and in the years since has completed numerous acquisitions, including The Video Meeting Company, Matrix Display Systems and Impact Marcom reception areas and so on. This is definitely a growing sector and one that we are keen to play in.

AVMI is currently working with Microsoft to bring Surface Hub to its customers. In what ways do you think this solution is particularly significant and/or innovative?

We see it as a next-generation collaboration tool that at its most basic is an interactive touchscreen that has its own operating system and, for its own intents and purposes, its own PC. The groundbreaking aspect is in the collaborative aspect with features such as built-in dual cameras; very clever technology, which we think will make collaborative sessions work really well on a practical basis. It’s very much a multi-user solution, and it could be that it will take people a while to adjust to that. But once they have I think it will fly off the shelves.

With Surface Hub, we have established a team to support and configure it; there is an element of configuration due to the inclusion of Skype for Business and the fact it will sit on people’s networks. This team will champion the integration of Surface Hub, which we are expecting to become a bulk product.

Can you give us an idea of how the partner programme has evolved, and how it operates these days?

We continue to add to the scheme all the time and now have about 70 partners around the world, which is a huge number [to have amassed over the nine years that have elapsed] since we kicked off the partner route at the back-end of 2007. We have put a huge amount of effort into developing the programme, but what we are keen to do now is not to package it up as an entity in its own right; rather they are AVMI’s partners that we use and feel comfortable can deliver projects to the correct standard and support clients in their own territories. We cover

INTERVIEW: EDWARD COOK, AVMI every state in the US and have multiple partners in all major territories – we find some are better than others in different aspects. Similarly, some clients want to be able to use their own local partners that they have tested and have a relationship with. Our partner programme allows us to do all of that.

But if a partner is not able to perform, or is not responsive and communicative, then they won’t be a partner for very long. So it is flexible and changing.

To what extent do you think the current flurry of activity around standards will help the ongoing AV/IT convergence?

Anything that makes different suppliers’ equipment work together with others, assists the integrator and helps simplify things for the clients [is evidently to be welcomed]. So for example, we note projects like WebRTC [an API definition that supports browser-to-browser applications for voice calling etc] will very much help in the uptake of video services generally, and we are excited about that.

‘We have seen a bit of a battle going on within the large corporates between the AV teams and the IT teams, and definitely in our view the IT teams have won’

If manufacturers can sort out the standards, that is great and we appreciate it. Where the integrator needs to follow is in being able to offer standardised meeting room/collaboration space offerings for large corporations all over the world. So instead of having someone walk in and have, say, a Crestron interface in one room, and a Cisco or AMX in another room, it is more a case of: this is the standard look and feel, the GUI will be the same on whatever touchpanel you have, and ideally the equipment and functionality will be the same. Therefore, the role of the integrator will be to take the standardisation process global, and to do that you have to have both the resources and the reach.

For us it is driven by a demand from the clients for ease of use and standardisation, and in particular the ability to support technology in a standardised, documented way.

In terms of explaining standards, such as those now rising to prominence in audio, do you think there is still a long way to go in terms of educating the client?

Yes, I do, and in some ways it has probably got more difficult during the last five years. The

21

reason for that is that the clients have changed; the companies are the same, but the people within them have changed. So responsibility has moved from the facilities managers to the IT departments, which means you move away from a client who was just starting to be educated in audio standards, for example, and the nuances of successful AV implementation – towards a client who knows nothing about that but who does know a huge amount about IT standardisation and methodologies, and what the end-game should look like.

[Consequently] the AV industry does need to educate the client on that front, but also give them what they want – principally a set of technologies that fit within the standards and methodologies they have already spent years and years implementing.

Up until fairly recently, there was a general feeling that there was an insufficient amount of dialogue between AV and IT people – but is that still the case?

There is more dialogue now, but probably still not enough. I think we have seen a bit of a battle going on within the large corporates between the AV teams and the IT teams, and definitely in our view the IT teams have won. It may be that dedicated in-house AV people are still there, but are now most likely to be under an IT banner or an IT divisional head. Where AV people have moved into IT divisions you will now get that communication happening much more effectively. But where IT teams have won the battle and AV teams have [effectively] disappeared, there is a challenge for us as service providers to win around the IT teams. It is absolutely our task to realise that the clients are now IT people and we need to be able to talk their language, and not expect them to speak our language. And that is certainly what we are attempting to do at AVMI. There has been a fair amount of fear [within the AV sector] that because clients are becoming much more IT-dominated, so will our industry. But in fact it is the AV industry that has the skillset the clients want, and it is our task – and opportunity – to raise our profile [as a sector] so that the client can find us and employ us to fulfil the requirements they have.

If we don’t do this they will continue to do what they are doing now, and that is go to the big telco and IT integrators. But if the AV industry can lay out what it offers in front of people [in an effective way] there are massive contracts to be won and we can see our industry really maturing to be a mainstream player in the workplace.

www.avmi.com

22 SHOW REVIEW: PROLIGHT + SOUND

May 2016

Presented at Prolight+Sound

All change!

Taking place in new halls over new days, Prolight + Sound was bound to be a different experience this year. And while not everyone felt that these changes were positive, there was still lots to see and hear at the Frankfurt Messe

P

rolight + Sound certainly had a different feeling this year. The most obvious reason for this was the reorganisation of the show, moving it to the eastern halls within Frankfurt’s Messe complex; but the rescheduling of the show to reduce the overlap with Musikmesse also played a part. Ironically though, some audio exhibitors that we spoke to on the first two days of the show were pinning their hopes on that musical instrument market show providing a boost to traffic levels when it started on the third day of PL+S. Converserly, some other exhibitors reported seeing a more professional audience, thanks to the greater separation from Musikmesse.

Also, the changes enabled some companies to increase the size of their stands this year.

The official attendance for the show was “around 45,000 visitors”, with more than half coming from outside Germany. Numbers aside, there was a bustling tradeshow atmosphere overall, with plenty to see on the showfloor.

Loudspeakers LD Systems, an Adam Hall Group brand, had two new install products on display – the CURV 500 ISUB and the CURV 500 IAMP. The passive CURV 500 ISUB is a compact installation subwoofer that supports powerful bass. The 10in speaker in the bass-reflex cabinet can handle 300W RMS @ 4 ohm, and transmits a frequency range of 47-150Hz. Available in white or black, it features a robust 15mm wooden construction.

Meanwhile the CURV 500 IAMP is a Class D fourchannel amplifier with DSP (4x150W @ 8 ohm or 4x300W @ 4 ohm). The 1RU model transmits a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz, and offers an eightfold parametric equaliser for every channel.

Also showing a new subwoofer was Adamson Systems Engineering with the E119 compact model. This measures 572mm x 749mm x 889mm and weighs 56.7kg – its compact nature allowing users to achieve long flown arrays with greater directional control and a lower overall weight. It has a frequency range of 30-60Hz and a maximum peak SPL of 138dB. The enclosure is loaded with one long-excursion 19in SD19 Kevlar neodymium driver, which employs a dual 5in voice coil. The front-loaded enclosure is designed to reproduce clean, musical, low frequency information.

Meyer Sound unveiled three sound reinforcement solutions. The self-powered MJF-208 stage monitor is compact and lightweight, with a strong powerto-size ratio and low distortion. The MDM-5000 is a rack-mount unit for quick connection and efficient distribution of AC power, audio signals and RMS to LEO family systems. Finally, the LYON-WXT is an option for the LYON-W line array loudspeaker, extending its vertical coverage of the LYON-W from 9° to 15°, giving the lowest cabinet in the array a wider splay angle to achieve uniform coverage at a steeper downward angle.

A European first from Peavey at Prolight + Sound was the re-engineered SSE speaker series, specifically designed for spoken word audio reproduction. The range includes five front position cabinets and a subwoofer, with a monitor wedge available for lecture theatre and amphitheatre applications. Typical throw distance is up to 20m.

Peavey also launched the VSXe series of speaker management processors. Two models are available, the VSX26e (two inputs, six outputs) and the VSX48e (four inputs, eight outputs). Both support 96kHz sample rate audio and processing via a floating point DSP core together with high-quality AD-DA converters.

Best of Show winners Installation held the latest round of its Best of Show Awards at Prolight + Sound 2016. The awards recognise new and outstanding products that had been launched since last year’s event.

The winning products are: AV Stumpfl Wings Engine Raw The manufacturer showed an 8K by 4K version of its ultra-high performance media server Wings Engine Raw at the Frankfurt show – delivering an unrivalled four streams of full 4K uncompressed content at 60Hz plus a rich array of media overlays, text generation and show control.

Crestron Fusion Cloud Software The latest, cloud-based version of Crestron’s enterprise management platform proactively monitors and manages an organisation’s global network of AV devices from a single location – issuing alerts to the technical support team and so enabling them to perform preventive maintenance. d&b audiotechnik Vi7P/Vi10P The Vi7P and Vi10P are installation versions of the mobile V7P and V10P loudspeakers – point-source speakers that provide an alternative to smaller line arrays thanks to their high SPL levels and sensitive mid-frequency range performance.

Extron DTP CrossPoint 4K Series Described by the manufacturer as ‘go-to products for 4K presentation systems’, the Extron DTP CrossPoint 4K Series provides a complete system in one enclosure, replacing as many as 11 separate components. Features include switching, scaling, signal extension, audio amplification, DSP and AEC. All the entrants for the awards will be featured in a special digital publication, which will be available soon.

Networking and mixing Allen & Heath launched the Qu-SB ultra-compact intelligent mixer/interface. This is designed as a stage box solution with all the features offered in the Qu series, but purely designed for tablet control, allowing the user to mix from anywhere in the venue. Freestanding or rackmounted, the surfaceless Qu-SB mixer has 16 XLR mic inputs, two line inputs and 14 outputs, and can

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24 SHOW REVIEW: PROLIGHT + SOUND

be expanded up to 32 mic input channels and 24 outputs, enabling the mixer to connect over a single Cat5 digital snake to AB168, AR84 and AR2412 remote audio racks.

All control parameters on Qu-SB are provided via a fully featured iOS tablet app. User permissions can be set up to block access to critical settings.

Optocore launched a SANE-FX for Fohhn’s Linea Focus column speaker (see Product of the Month, page 51). Meanwhile sister company BroaMan announced a new version of its Route66 video router, featuring Auto Routing and an intelligent fibre patch bay. Compatible with Optocore and DiGiCo fibre loops, Auto Routing can create a redundant ‘star’ out of ring topology. The Route66 Auto Router automatically discovers mobile and remote devices and closes the Optocore loop.

Soundcraft showed the new Vi2000 digital console, which combines the Vistonics-based control surface of the other Vi series consoles with Soundcraft SpiderCore, an integrated DSP and I/O engine based on Studer technology. The Vistonics interface is designed to provide direct access to all functions with maximum information and visibility at all times.

The console is configurable for up to 48 mic line inputs and 16 line outputs, using combinations of 16-channel XLR modules in four rear-mounted slots. The console also includes two 64-channel expansion slots, allowing up to two MADI-based stageboxes to be connected. Alternatively, the slots provide access to the extensive range of D21m I/O option cards, addressing all industrystandard audio formats. The total I/O count of the console is 246 in and 246 out.

New from Yamaha was the announcement that customers using its CL and QL Series consoles will be able to control and monitor Shure’s Danteenabled ULX-D digital wireless systems. The newly available control parameters will include monitoring of battery, RF reception strength, antenna status, frequency and audio level and full control of gain, mute and channel name assignment. Nick Wood, category director of wireless systems at Shure, commented: “This integration means that ULX-D users can optimise microphone gain settings from the mix position

May 2016

and confidently monitor the status of wireless systems within the context of the console interface. It is a very important step in the progress of wireless control and in the continued collaboration between Shure and Yamaha.”

upmixed 3D recordings of US jazz singer Diane Reeves, with trio and orchestra, the voice displayed a much fuller, richer timbre in the 3D version.

“That pretty much shows that 3D is not a game,” commented Zielinsky.

Other audio

Video and lighting

Audio-Technica debuted two new conferencing transmitters. The ATW-T1007 microphone desk stand transmitter and boundary mic/transmitter is designed to work with phantom-powered condenser gooseneck microphones with a threepin XLRM-type output. It pairs with a System 10 PRO or System 10 digital wireless receiver to provide 2.4GHz wireless performance. The transmitter is equipped with a three-pin XLRF-type input.

The ATW-T1006 System 10 boundary microphone/transmitter is suitable for conference rooms and other meeting spaces. Both products are equipped with a touch-sensitive user switch that can toggle between talk and mute modes, or function as a press-to-talk or press-tomute button.

Clear-Com showed the DX410 two-channel 2.4GHz digital wireless intercom system – the first DX Series wireless intercom to offer 7kHz wideband audio. Each base station (BS410) can support up to 15 registered wireless beltpacks (BP410) and/ or All-in-One wireless headsets (WH410). Any four beltpack users can engage in simultaneous, full-duplex communication in a single-channel operation; three users can do the same in a dualchannel operation. Operating in the licence-free 2.4GHz band, the DX410 uses frequency hopping to avoid interference with WiFi. A bridging capability allows the 2-wire and 4-wire ports to be combined on either channel A or B, allowing operators to use a 4-wire out to send all the audio to a mixer, matrix intercom or other audio source.

Among the offerings on the Sennheiser stand was a demonstration of the company’s new AMBEO immersive 3D audio capture and reproduction technology. Tonmeister Gregor Zielinsky presented specially recorded material in 9.1 sound, as well as upmixed versions of existing recordings. It was striking that in a comparison of original stereo and

Absen was showcasing its A1.6 and A2 Pro indoor LED displays. With a 2.9mm pixel pitch, the A2 Pro panel integrates wiring into its modular structure, promoting ease of assembly, installation, disassembly and maintenance. Targeted at premium 4K/UHD set-ups, the Absen A1.6 boasts a 1.6mm pixel pitch and uses high-quality black SMD LEDs to deliver high colour contrast and excellent performance under challenging lighting environments.

On show from Barco was its latest HDF projector for large venues and events. The HDF-W30LP FLEX is a 3-chip DLP, 30,000-lumen WUXGA model with a laser phosphor light source. The projector shares its lenses, very wide lens shift range, ease of use, and modularity with other HDX and HDF models – and existing owners of Barco HDF-W30 FLEX projectors can upgrade to laser technology thanks to a laser phosphor retrofit module.

The new projector provides up to 30,000 hours of maintenance-free operating time – minimising maintenance interventions and allowing customers to reduce their spare parts inventory.

Among various launches from Martin by Harman at Prolight + Sound was the Exterior Projection 500, an outdoor-rated LED projection fixture for the integration of light textures and graphics in outdoor lighting designs. It has a high-resolution optical design with 7,000-lumen output within a weatherised, IP66-rated fixture for permanent outdoor installations.

Also new was the MAC Axiom hybrid beam and spot fixture. The unit’s zoom and focus capability eliminates the need for dedicated beam or spot modes and allows for both instant as well as discrete transitions from a high-intensity collimated beam to a flat field spot.

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26 BUSINESS FEATURE: AV – THE NEXT GENERATION

May 2016

Key Points The AV industry can offer a fulfilling, rewarding career. The challenge is to get the message out there

Recruitment: the next generation

There is a real need for the AV industry to engage with schools, colleges and universities to promote AV as a career

Both CEDIA and InfoComm are actively addressing the need for formal, industry-recognised qualifications

The industry is unanimously positive about the industry’s future ability to attract bright young people

According to Ciett, the industry body for recruitment agencies, the global recruitment business grew 8.6% in 2015, recording revenues of €450 billion. Ian McMurray finds out how the AV industry is doing in terms of recruitment – especially in bringing in new, young talent

T

he future of any business – or industry, come to that – lies in its people. Ask any business leader, and he or she will confirm that the art is to identify, recruit and retain the best people. It was the charismatic Lee Iacocca – responsible for the development of some of Ford’s most iconic cars and then turning round the fortunes of Chrysler, who famously said: “I hire people brighter than me and then I get out of their way.”

If finding and hiring the right talent is indeed crucial for success – what does the future hold for the AV industry? Is the future bright? It depends who you speak to.

Victoria Neeson, director for the Americas at Dreamtek – whose business includes recruitment into the industry – believes there are challenges.

“I believe the AV industry has problems recruiting young people,” she says. “It’s been an issue for a very long time now. The industry has traditionally been viewed as an ‘old boys’ network’ where it can be very difficult to progress through the ranks – and with limited progression and career opportunities, young people are not interested in pursuing a career in AV. The industry needs to find a way of attracting new talent with an emphasis

on high tech, mobility and communications, all of which appeal to the younger generation.

AV companies also need to focus on building succession plans to offer new talent a long-term career in AV.”

Massive opportunity Neeson implies that there is the potential to do better – and that’s echoed by Aneta Armova-Levin, CEDIA’s education manager.

“We don’t believe that we have a problem recruiting young people,” she avers, “but we do believe that there is a massive opportunity here for our AV industry. This industry is growing at incredible speed, and is perfect for the digital native generation that has grown up surrounded by more technology than ever. The challenge we face is making them aware of our industry as a career path, and getting the right structures in place for them to access the right training and progress.”

Francesca Hazell, operations director at integrator proAV, sees some positive signs.

“Recruitment in general has been made easier in the past few years due to the access and availability of social media,” she claims. “That’s

certainly the case with younger candidates as they are actively online using LinkedIn and Facebook. Graduate fairs have helped and also regular communication with local higher education establishments and universities has given us access to up-and-coming graduates with an interest in our sector.”

“Word of mouth from existing staff has also played a part in communicating with younger generations through friends and family members of employees that know of younger people looking for a career in AV,” she continues.

As well as the perceptions of the industry noted

by Neeson, there may be others. “The AV industry doesn’t have the same high profile of, for instance, the IT and electrical engineering markets and therefore young people with the right skills are less likely to plan themselves a career path in AV,” believes Chris Edwards, marketing director at AV solutions company CIE-Group. “However, we do find that those entering the AV market frequently have a view that AV equals pro audio, with an expectation to be working in the live performance or recording market. The AV installation market tends to be ‘off the radar’ for young engineers and techies coming into the market.”

www.installation-international.com

If what Edwards says is, in fact, the reality – how should the industry be communicating what it is all about, and what it offers, such that it’s seen as an attractive proposition?

FEATURE: AV – THE NEXT GENERATION

27

HowToAV.tv addresses skills shortages

Exciting times “The AV industry offers jobs in a growing sector that are exciting and well compensated,” says Betsy Jaffe, senior vice president of member services at InfoComm. “AV has transformed the way we communicate and make decisions. It’s a stimulating career that doesn’t necessarily require attendance at a university.”

“It’s the variety of what we do as a sector that never fails to amaze me,” smiles Blair Parkin, managing partner at consultancy Tandemonium Partners. “From building theatrical venues to meeting and gathering spaces in business environments. From interactive exhibits in war museums to digitally scanning 3D mummies in the British Museum. And then there’s all the other sectors from healthcare to education.

The only other two professions that I can think that serve such a broad community are IT and architectural design.”

It’s that same sheer range and variety that the industry offers that Rob Grays, managing director of the Prospero Group, finds compelling.

Chris Edwards, marketing director at the CIEGroup, is a passionate believer in the importance of training and education to the AV industry. His company has devised and launched HowToAV.tv, a YouTube channel, to fill the void he sees.

“Though initially launched for the UK market only, CIE’s HowToAV.tv channel is watched in close to 200 countries throughout the world with integrators from many countries feeding

back that formal qualifications and training are, at best, limited and frequently non-existent,” he says. “Particularly in developing countries, the AV market is just starting out and, therefore, the skill levels of new engineers can be extremely limited.”

HowToAV.tv now features over 70 videos, and has received more than 60,000 views since its launch in July 2015.

28 FEATURE: AV – THE NEXT GENERATION “It’s an exciting industry working on a number of different projects and products within a variety of different environments,” he offers. “And, just as importantly, it’s a career: your junior installation engineer today is your operations director tomorrow.”

A recurring theme among those involved in recruitment into the industry is that it is, first and foremost, a technology industry – and, communicated in the appropriate way, that should prove highly enticing to young people whose lives revolve around technology.

“The AV industry can offer new levels of technology diversity and creativity for young people looking to enter into a technology career,” Edwards points out.

“Certainly, for anyone from an electrical/ electronics engineering background with a very similar skill set, the AV industry can offer a more visual, colourful, creative range of technologies and systems, with the opportunity to work on some high-profile and bespoke projects.”

“In addition,” he goes on, “there is less of an emphasis on the essential need for new candidates to be graduates, with hands-on skill levels and creative ability and foresight often being of greater importance.”

May 2016

Wealth of opportunities “The industry has a wealth of opportunities for young people,” believes Armova-Levin.

“From installation to design and on to project management, but also business development and increasingly customer relations, supported by maintenance and after-care services. There are opportunities at different price-point levels of the market and in different types of residential application – from single rooms to whole house and multiple, developer-led projects to superyachts. And that’s just the integrators themselves. There is a whole range of roles with manufacturers including product design, sales and training. Plus, this is an industry that will only continue to grow as smart technology hits the mainstream, bringing more opportunities. Above all, this is an industry where young people can work with outstanding products to deliver both exciting and practical experiences for their clients that will enhance their lifestyle.

“Who wouldn’t be attracted to that?” she laughs.

It’s unsurprising that those already in the AV industry are highly positive about it, enthused by what they do and excited by the future. The challenge is how to communicate to the world at large – and especially younger people – what a

YOUR MEETING. YOUR

similarly rewarding career they could make in the business.

“We should be looking at school visits, placement days and exhibiting at career fairs as a sector,” says Parkin. “I also believe it’s time to get some of the manufacturer training, case studies and other rich material more widely posted on YouTube with a recognisable tag to group it together. How about ‘Pro AV Industry’?

If all of the stuff our projects and companies are posting had this common tag added then a search would bring up an entire rich industry going forward.”

Reaching out Neeson too sees the need to engage with educational establishments.

“AV companies need to do more to promote the industry,” she thinks. “College milk rounds, attending exhibitions and career days; more emphasis on recruitment into the industry is required.”

“We have to make sure we are reaching out to children while they are still young and teach them about the magic of AV,” adds Jaffe. “It’s not about pushing a cart – it’s about transforming the way we communicate through sight and sound. InfoComm participates in STEM [science,

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FEATURE: AV – THE NEXT GENERATION 29

www.installation-international.com

technology, engineering and mathematics] career events aimed at children so they can become familiar with the industry well before making a career decision.”

“We would very much like to see more of our members teaching AV skills at area schools,” she continues. “InfoComm members can license a programme and then offer it at a local institution. InfoComm will even train you how to teach the material.”

Both have an ally in Grays. “Perhaps the industry should be promoting more among educational establishments, and technology expos have their part to play in advertising careers in the AV industry, selling the benefits and career aspirations,” he believes. “Technology expos and trade shows are a great medium for bringing together one’s passion and career aspirations.

With the advancement of technology and excitement surrounding up-and-coming projects and products, this is a prime time for the industry to capitalise on this.”

One way in which it’s possible to bring potential careers to the attention of young people is to offer them the opportunity to achieve qualifications in it. Having industry-recognised qualifications also makes the recruitment process easier for prospective employers, as skill and proficiency

levels become easier to determine. It’s a point made clearly by Hazell.

“There could be more formal and organised graduate schemes and apprenticeships across the industry with, for example, government-backed salary scales for graduates and apprenticeships,” she says. “The industry could be made more attractive by demonstrating investment in advertising structured training programmes which are then monitored by independent bodies to ensure those who participate in such schemes are adhering to standards and progress of young people joining the industry.”

Acutely aware That’s something of which both CEDIA and InfoComm are acutely aware.

City & Guilds is a vocational education organisation in the United Kingdom, offering more than 500 qualifications across a range of industry sectors through 8,500 colleges and training providers in 81 countries worldwide.

“CEDIA is already on the path to setting up a structured learning pathway for our industry,” notes Armova-Levin. “The first step on this road was our City & Guilds accreditation at the end of 2015. We will continue along this

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30 FEATURE: AV – THE NEXT GENERATION path, exploring the possibilities across the education spectrum and across our region.

There are also standalone institutions that recognise this opportunity. Sir Charles Kao UTC [a University Technical College located in Harlow in the UK that opened in September 2014] has recently designed and fitted a smart apartment, so that students studying their Smart Environments specialism can get hands on with installing and programming.”

InfoComm has also been active in addressing the need. “The lack of formal qualifications in the industry is a challenge that it’s experiencing around the world,” says Jaffe. “However, InfoComm’s foundation, the International Communications Industries Foundation (ICIF), is working to address this through several initiatives. One is a massive outreach campaign that we are conducting to add AV curricula to university and college programmes. We are also working with vocational institutions to provide basic AV educational curricula that terminate with a CTS exam.

“ICIF also has a grant programme that InfoComm members can apply to be part of,” she continues. “The InfoComm member identifies a student that they would be willing

to employ on a part-time basis. The InfoComm member provides the student’s school with the equivalent of a $2,000 grant – then ICIF matches with an equal size scholarship. There is plenty of coaching and mentoring to help our members run a successful programme.

In addition, InfoComm provides some of its

‘AV has transformed the way we communicate and make decisions. It’s a stimulating career that doesn’t necessarily require attendance at a university’ Betsy Jaffe, InfoComm

basic AV online classes free of charge to the students. We also provide free curricula to primary and secondary schools upon request.

“We would love to have more participation in the grant programme,” adds Jaffe. “This year we are awarding 20 grants, but we would love to give out more.”

The challenge for both CEDIA and InfoComm

May 2016

is, perhaps, to redouble their efforts in terms of communicating the progress the industry is making in addressing the concerns that Hazell described.

Appetite Their efforts are being augmented and supported by companies like Dreamtek, with its Apprentice Scheme, which identifies appropriate candidates and combines formal learning and pastoral care with 13 months of in-company placement. In terms of growth, apprenticeships are now far outstripping university entrance.

“Our Apprentice Scheme has demonstrated that there is an appetite for young people to pursue a career in the AV industry with the right encouragement and support,” claims Neeson.

Earlier, Grays claimed that now is a good time to be promoting the AV industry as a great place to be. For many in the industry, that perception is being reinforced by the progressive integration of AV and IT which, many believe, is enormously helpful in terms of recruitment.

“Overall we see this as a big positive,” says Hazell. “It’s making it easier to find more suitable candidates. The IT industry has been around for decades – which in itself attracts a wide ranging and diverse pool of candidates – and it

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32 FEATURE: AV – THE NEXT GENERATION is becoming more and more apparent that the majority of AV technologies rely and work on IT networks.”

“It’s definitely a positive,” agrees ArmovaLevin. “The AV industry has been converging with the IT and electrical sectors for some time. The result is increased exposure for our industry. We know CEDIA members that use IT and electrical apprentices within their businesses, not only opening their eyes to the possibilities of our industry but also increasing their skillsets compare to their peers. There are definitely transferable skills from IT into smart AV and systems integration, and our industry presents an exciting sector to implement these skills.”

Optimistic outlook It becomes apparent that there is still much the industry can do to promote itself, and to put in place the formal qualifications that reinforce its

position as an attractive potential career path – and communicate more widely what it is doing.

That said, however, the industry is unanimously positive about what the future holds in terms of its ability to attract and retain the best and brightest.

“We’re very optimistic,” says Hazell. “The way people are communicating and how consumer technology is becoming more readily available and expected in the workplace, can only strengthen the industry’s ability to attract younger candidates. The AV industry is a fastevolving arena and the technology can be seen in public spaces, retail, colleges, universities and social events which have been enhanced by the convergence of AV and IT. The CIPD [Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development] are now starting to recognise the AV industry as a sector in its own right, rather than falling under IT, which will help target those candidates that have a specific interest in the AV industry.”

May 2016

“Our view of the future is hugely positive,” echoes Armova-Levin. Our awareness is growing. We are on the right track to increase the structure and visibility of our industry, and we have seen great examples of young people shining in their careers. As awareness increases, so will the demand for a larger workforce; young people are a great source for this growing workforce, bringing new ideas and outlooks on the industry from a digital generation that have been more immersed in technology than any of us before. The future is very bright indeed.”

www.cedia.org www.ciegroup.com www.dreamtek.tv www.infocomm.org www.proav.co.uk www.prosperointegrated.com www.tandemonium.partners

Installation salutes industry’s Rising Stars At the 2016 InstallAwards, Installation will be doing its bit to help promote and celebrate the future of our industry. For the first time we will be presenting a Rising Star award to an industry newcomer who is making a big impact in their chosen field.

Nominations were invited from across the AV industry and the final shortlist is below:

Calum Findlay, network AV engineer, Streamtec Nominated by his colleagues at Streamtec, Findlay is praised for his can-do attitude and strong work ethic.

He has been with the company since June 2014 and graduated from Abertay University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Computing & Networking, First Class. Only 23 years of age, he has grown in experience and is counted on by the company and its clients for his helpful, can do attitude and his commitment to excellent work. According to his colleagues, his work ethic is well admired and he is called upon freely by clients, who have come to appreciate his professional yet friendly nature.

Findlay recently completed his AMX Expert Certification scoring a resounding 95% on the course. He has also contributed to numerous successful installations, including at St Andrews and Dundee universities.

Ty Howden, full stack developer, embed signage Twenty-one-yearold Howden is a full stack developer and has led the development of embed signage from day one. Before this he worked closely on developing technical solutions for Onelan, who were so impressed with his technical development skills that they have showcased his work for the past four years at ISE and other events around the world.

According to his colleagues at embed, through both Onelan and embed signage, Howden has made a massive impact on the AV and digital signage world with thousands of people being exposed to projects he has been fundamental to. Not only has his development been appreciated and experienced by end users but his forward-thinking mentality and technical development skills have also influenced the likes of Onelan to develop their product and features further.

Madeleine Vining, senior AV technician, Royal Society of Medicine, 1 Wimpole Street and Chandos House Vining joined the Royal Society of Medicine as a

trainee AV technician in late 2012 aged 23, as a graduate with a BSc in Music Technology with a background of work experience in broadcasting at the London Olympics and live music.

In less than three years she has progressed to AV technician and senior AV technician now supervising a team of five other AV techs across two buildings with three lecture theatres and 24 other meeting spaces.

She has used this time to develop into a full ‘all-rounder’ AV support technician becoming proficient or expert in sound engineering, camera operation, video editing, video streaming, interactive meeting technologies, trouble shooting AV in live events, networked AV systems, display technologies and IT support.

According to her team she has shown a thirst for AV knowledge and a commitment to personal development, completing several training courses and attending seminars and AV events.

In the absence of the AV manager in August 2015 she took over the project management of a £120,000 auditorium AV system upgrade project, liaising with the integrator and several other AV and non-AV contractors towards the successful completion of the project.

The winner of the inaugural Rising Star award will be revealed at this year’s InstallAwards, to be held on 24 June at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London. For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.installawards.com.

34 BUSINESS FEATURE: INTERNET OF THINGS

Everything’s connected With billions of connected devices in operation today and massive growth predicted in the future, the opportunity provided by the IoT market is huge. Steve Montgomery explores how to make the most of it

I

f the multitude of industry surveys on the Internet of Things are to be believed, connected devices are going to outnumber people on the planet by a factor of two or three to one by 2020. Some even predict six to one. That’s an astronomical 50 billion devices communicating with each other and to servers and big data farms located somewhere in the cloud. Today we have between six and 14 billion autonomous connected ‘things’; and that figure excludes smartphones, tables and personal computers.

No wonder, then, that the major industrial corporations, including Apple, Google, Cisco, IBM, Ericsson and Rockwell are investing heavily in this industry; each trying to seize a slice of the future, highly lucrative, market. Just one of those companies, IBM, will sink $3 billion over the next four years to develop the market, citing the fact in its own announcement that 90% of the data collected today is never acted upon and that it thinks the IoT market will be worth $11 trillion in 2020.

Internet connected devices, from fridges and cars to industrial machines and clothing, will report back information they have collected.

That is nothing new. Where the value lies is in the additional analysis, processing and subsequent action corresponding to that data.

According to Jon Zucker, product marketing manager at GE: “Dedicated software analyses the information generated by IoT devices and enables those insights to reach end users in actionable ways. Value-added services are

critical to sustaining customer traction and expanding monetisation. Long-term contracts and/or continuous updates help retain customers. Monetisation is driven by active customer use and perceptions of customer benefits.”

In the AV world, it can be argued that we have had this functionality for years. “Crestron is a pioneer of this Internet of Things that everyone has been talking about over the last couple of years. As a term, it pretty much describes the very thing that our company has been pursuing from the day we put an Ethernet port on to one of our processors in 1999, and called it e-control,” says Stijn Ooms, EMEA product manager at Crestron. “Bringing together a disparate body of largely dissimilar disciplines and devices is what we at Crestron have been doing for nigh on 20 years.

“One strand of data that we can gather using IoT as our cloak, relates to that of energy monitoring. Our Fusion Software, in its earliest incarnation nearly a decade ago, had it as a central tenet to its structure, and today we’ve split this out as Fusion EM and given this discipline a focus all of its own. Fusion EM makes full use of data harvesting and allows users to monitor and control their BMS and HVAC systems in a myriad of ways, and to finite degrees, all of which is becoming more and more prevalent, and all of which can be considered as a real benefit for our industry brought about by the proliferation of the IoT.” Sam Woodward, customer education leader,

May 2016

Key Points Industry forecasts of 20-50 billion deployed IoT devices by 2020 are believed

by AV industry experts

IoT techniques are well established across the AV and building management sectors

Greater processing and enhanced connectivity allow enormous amounts of data to be transmitted and acted upon to provide beneficial and added-value services

Lack of standards and compatibility is holding back IoT development.

Large organisations are vying for control and influence Europe and Africa at Lutron, agrees: “Energy saving and the desire for convenience and control have been driving factors for many years and enabled the lighting and building control market to develop, by integration of sensing and control devices using programming performed by a professional installer. In the commercial environment any device that can affect the energy reduction desire of building operators is likely to be a contender and be included in this process. Massive expansion in processing power and the evolution of the cloud is changing the landscape and has jump-started IoT by enabling autonomous control to be linked to remote control.

“In practice this allows networked things, such as sensors and devices-under-control to communicate with each other directly, without the need for human interaction, but it also gives people the access to control facilities within their homes and offices remotely, using smart devices via the cloud. Importantly though, devices within

FEATURE: INTERNET OF THINGS 35

www.installation-international.com

a building and the user interfaces must still be able to function reliably at a local level in the event of loss of connectivity with the cloud.”

Business leads Business users are apparently embracing IoT sooner than the consumer segment. “The fixed install business is definitely the area within the pro-AV industry that will be the most quickly impacted. Our industry is already deeply immersed in the IoT business,” says Graeme Harrison, executive VP of marketing at Biamp. However he warns that: “A major issue is our industry’s unfamiliarity with IT in general.

An example of this is that AVB/TSN is the deterministic protocol of IoT and our industry is still shying away from it in favour of proprietary, familiar audio- or video-only protocols.”

IoT technology is advancing into the other AV domain: smart home automation. According to Samsung: “The connected home is a primary focus for our IoT-enabled technology. In five years all Samsung hardware will be IoT-ready.

The Smart Home Cloud API makes it possible to integrate any IoT-ready Samsung household appliance into any IoT ecosystem. We are working with industry partners in the Open Interconnect Consortium to build a truly open connectivity framework called IoTivity. Samsung deeply values the role of developers and their contributions, and firmly believe that developers will play a key role in realising the IoT era.”

What is new, Ooms believes, is the way the two sectors interact. “The demands and benefits that are being felt at home are now being brought into the boardroom. Years ago we used experiences, and even products, that were developed for the corporate world and made variations to them to fit in the residential one. Now it’s the bosses of companies that sit at home with their tablets and smartphones and it’s their experiences and desires that they bring to work with them, so it is very much a consumer-driven market now. It’s our job to say ‘yes’ and then to make these things happen.”

Beyond the much-publicised industrial, automotive and wearable sectors, which are the declared targets of the major organisations, the AV sector will benefit and is already doing so, as Graham Fry, managing director at avsnet, believes: “Manufacturing in particular looks to benefit soonest. With multiple facilities, suppliers and delivery time being of the essence, the insight the IoT provides is invaluable to the sector across all operational areas. Retail and logistics organisations will also benefit as the IoT can assist with tracking items more accurately from warehouse to store to customer. From a consumer perspective, Burberry’s London flagship store has installed sensors on many of its items so that when a piece of clothing

is presented in front of a connected mirror, customers will see videos of how the item was made and when it appeared on the catwalk.”

Specialist AV distributor RGB Communications believes that the IoT will become a significant constituent of the AV marketplace. Russell Wiles, first recruit of the newly formed IoT division, explains RGB’s understanding of the sector: “Undoubtedly, residential smart home and custom installation applications are at the forefront of the IoT. We have recently become the distributor for the Nest Thermostat, Nest Protect and Nest Cam, which are directly supported by a myriad of products from some of the world’s major manufacturers, like Lutron and

‘The fixed install business is definitely the area within the pro-AV industry that will be the most quickly impacted’ Graeme Harrison, Biamp

Crestron, that carry the ‘Works with Nest’ logo.

The potential for new business growth is not just hype. Today’s users find their lives made simpler, more secure and more convenient by basic IoT solutions and will want to do more in the future. The next generation of ‘digital natives’ will expect integrated ‘smart’ and ‘intuitive’ environments at home and at work.”

Encouraging collaboration A major benefit of the IoT is in bringing together disparate disciplines and enabling them to collaborate and share data with the over-arching controller. Woodward says: “Combining data from different types of sensor extends the capability of individual controllers and allows action to be taken across the whole spectrum of controlled devices. For example occupancy and usage in

a building can be detected and monitored by PIR sensors, thermostat settings, computer and display device usage, door and entry management contacts and so on. Once the controller has established that a room or house is unoccupied, it can manage all devices in the corporate environment or simulate homeowner activity to augment security; switching lights, AV devices and other devices automatically while the owner is away.”

Current problems and challenges revolve around scalability and standardisation.

“Network-aware devices that have existed for some time and that can be controlled over the network by central controllers were an early form of IoT,” says TJ Adams, director of installed systems product management at QSC. “It differs today in that far greater numbers of devices interact together autonomously as a team. But it still requires data to be collected and acted upon; whether that is automatic or manual it still requires human intervention and devices have to be set up and administered. And every customer wants something different. The real promise of IoT will only be achieved when an open and standardised system is developed that will allow devices to be added and manipulated easily.”

The need to create individual drivers for each device to operate with discrete devices that sit in the centre of a communication framework is holding back development and deployment, as is the lack of a single, or a handful, of dominant IoT platforms on which to base customer solutions; something the large companies are all vying to control. At the moment the controller regularly acts as a hub, translating data and commands between different standards and protocols: DALI, KNX, DMX, Nest, Apple Homekit and many more. The use of the cloud as a communication medium should assist in this standardisation, as Wiles points out: “By their very nature, IoT devices rely on communications to many other devices via the cloud. Since this affords a software method of making products compatible with each other, it is possible for

36 FEATURE: INTERNET OF THINGS different manufacturers to use their own proprietary products yet have open APIs that permit easy integration without recourse to any complex bespoke programming, as is often the case with custom control systems.”

Managing a hundred or so discrete devices is possible today, but beyond that it becomes too complex. amBX has developed a light management system that it claims takes intelligent and intuitive lighting to new levels.

CEO John Niebel explains: “Existing lighting controls have remained roughly the same for 20 to 30 years, they have just become larger and more capable. The rules-based programming they employ is fine for individual lighting circuits but does not have the granularity of control that network connected LED lamps can deliver.

We have developed a new method that collects information from each luminaire, including local ambient light level and colour temperature, as well as air quality and temperature and local occupancy. That data is collated by the amBX Light-Scene Engine to control each lamp, adjusting its luminosity and colour temperature individually in real time. It makes minute adjustments to all the lamps that go unnoticed by occupants of the room but create the perfect overall lighting environment. The method of

May 2016

calculating the individual settings is based on a patented 3D model of the room and determining the necessary output to achieve a precise scenario using software that was originally developed for the gaming industry. It operates automatically but takes into account additional user-defined parameters: energy consumption targets, mood and so on.

“As a company spun out of Philips Electronics R&D, we further developed their original ambient lighting control technology and added new principles that harness the possibilities of digital light. This includes bio-adaptive lighting which tunes the environment to match human circadian rhythms so that people benefit physiologically from the light around them. Not only does this boost mood and productivity it improves health and wellbeing, reduces absenteeism and increases alertness.”

The security of all networked systems must be considered, and IoT networks are no exception. There is no reason to suspect that IoT networks will be any less secure than any other, provided the normal and expected safeguards are put in place. Adams adds: “People are becoming more aware of the security issues surrounding this technology and it is a serious consideration. We have engaged consultants to

test the security of projects and ensure they are as safe as possible.”

Whether or not you believe in the enormous claims of the research agencies, as many in the AV industry do, the IoT is here to stay and will, without doubt, influence the integration of AV systems with other technologies leading to greatly enhanced solutions across the board.

Ooms concludes: “Information is power. It always has been. In the modern world it can also be said that data is power. The likes of Google, Netflix and Amazon with all their analytics and dataharvesting techniques have shown that to be true. Using nefarious devices all connected to a central processor, even if only to harvest data, is a powerful thing, but consider that this central processor can now also actually control those devices as well; now that’s something so big that we’ve barely started to consider it.”

www.ambx.com www.avsnet.co.uk www.biamp.com www.crestron.eu www.ge.com www.lutron.com www.rgbcomms.co.uk www.qsc.com

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38 TECHNOLOGY FEATURE: VIDEOWALL MOUNTS

May 2016

Six challenges solved With demand for videowalls booming across the sectors, Rob Lane looks at the various challenges that mount manufacturers are looking to address in their product development programmes

M

ounts and brackets manufacturers are reaping the rewards of a boom in digital display specification across several sectors, with increased demand for videowalls having a major impact on bottom lines. Peerless-AV

Europe recently recorded its ‘best ever’ sales and Chief has been investing in new resources throughout the first quarter of 2016.

The popularity of videowalls has, in part, been as a result of LED’s falling costs and shrinking pixels, with virtually non-existent bezels adding

Challenge 1: The need for three-dimensional alignment Vogel’s PFS 3504 top-adjustable display strip can be adjusted in three directions (3D – horizontal, depth and tilt) and has a vertical fitment of 400mm. Once a display is in place, the strip’s built-in service position makes it possible to easily connect cables. The service position also allows each individual display to be removed for maintenance or replacement, even if the display is situated in the middle of the videowall. Additional features include a lock for lateral shift to avoid horizontal movement, and an optional padlock (PFA 9109) protects against unauthorised removal.

“Because we always have to deal with tolerances in the wall, supports and displays, we designed a 3D-adjustable interface display strip,” explains Jannine van den Akker, marcomm co-ordinator, Vogel’s Professional. “3D means height, depth and tilt adjustment. With these features it is possible to achieve an overall seamless and flawless look.” www.vogels.com

Challenge 2: Demand for speedy installation The Peerless-AV DS-VW755S Ultra-Slim model (48mm side profile depth) is a ‘quick, intuitive and hassle-free solution’ for creating a discreet videowall array close to the wall. The mount pops out to extend its display passenger from the wall into a negative tilt position to assist with fast setup and easy access to the rear, and beneath the display for servicing.

Reusable custom wall plate spacers eliminate the need to calculate and measure the position of each mount in an array, while eight-point tool-less micro-adjustment provides all the necessary fine-tuning for seamless display alignment with the rest of the videowall. The DS-VW755S’s keyhole slot wall plate design and Peerless-AV’s Video Wall Mount Locator App further simplifies installations.

“Our Full Service Quick Release Video Wall Mounts cleverly deliver up to a 60% reduction in installation time,” says Gordon Dutch, managing director, PeerlessAV EMEA. “For this reason they are widely trusted by installers for today’s complex and challenging digital signage applications.” www.peerlessav.com The DS-VW755S has a 48mm side profile depth for fast set-up and rear accessibility

to the technology’s desirability for videowall specification. Of course, ever-larger videowalls and a broadening of their uses add to integration challenges, giving mounts manufacturers new problems to solve. They are, it appears, up to the challenge!

Challenge 3: Accessing an individual display in the centre of an array without dismantling the whole wall B-Tech’s BT8310 mount is a tried and tested solution for accessing that difficult centre screen of a large videowall. It has been used in installations around the globe, from control room projects to retail displays.

A single push and release system gives integrators fast and easy access to screen fixings and connectivity, making light work of maintenance and/or replacement of displays. In addition, the mount’s pop-out mechanism features a rigid design, allowing it to pop straight out/in with virtually no lateral movement, preventing screen edges from clashing during the movement. B-Tech sees this as particularly beneficial with today’s displays having virtually no bezel and being susceptible to damage if impacted at their edges.

Mark Walker, global business development manager for B-Tech AV Mounts, says: “Such is the popularity of the bracket that we have recently integrated this ‘pop-out’ technology with our System X range and will be launching this to market very soon.” www.btechavmounts.com The B-Tech BT8310’s pop-out mechanism aids display replacement and maintenance

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40 FEATURE: VIDEOWALL MOUNTS

May 2016

Challenge 4: Mounting on difficult wall surfaces such as stud walls Weight distribution, not just display weight, is critical when mounting onto difficult wall surfaces. Chief recommends its LVS1U ConnexSys series videowall mount, which ships fully assembled with wall-mount rails attached to the mounts.

LVS1U can be used like a conventional videowall mount, but Chief recommends the use of long standard 41mm rail channels for larger videowall matrixes.

“The most difficult wall surface is of course an end-user request for a videowall where there is not a wall present,” explains Robert de Jong, product marketing EMEA, at Chief.

“We have seen large-scale projects where end-users and installers requested all the mount solution features of a front serviceable mount in mid-air locations! The new Chief videowall mounts have been designed with exactly this common installation issue in mind.”

De Jong adds that the LVS1U allows for easy videowall preparation with material installers have access to on ‘a daily basis’. This enables system integrators and installers to prepare the job-site before the mounts and the displays arrive. “It also eliminates the need for horizontal wall mount spacers and horizontal measuring, and levels out the first ‘slope’ in the wall construction,” adds de Jong.

Chief’s LVS1U ships pre-assembled and its balanced weight distribution assists installs on difficult or non-existent wall surfaces

www.chiefmfg.com

Challenge 5: How to get around the lack of a universal standard for LED Small-pitch LED panels may be growing in popularity for videowalls, but as yet there is no universal standard of fixing patterns between LED panel manufacturers. Unicol, however, reckons it has found a way of getting around this particular issue. Its VLED system utilises a custom-built unit that interfaces with LED cabinet fixing holes. Several units can be connected to a lattice structure to build an array of accurately aligned LED panels.

As these LED panels are made up of smaller tiles, which in many cases are fixed to the panels’ chassis magnetically from the front, replacement is easy once the system has been installed. And Unicol’s Roller-Trak system allows easy front access for those times when an LED wall is facing a shop window, for instance.

“We are designing solutions not just to be wall mounted but floor to wall/ceiling, freestanding, ceiling suspended and rolling units,” explains Rachel Hunt, Unicol marketing director. “This means that our latest LED mounting solution, VLED, interfaces with current Unicol mounting structures, making it adaptable for all installations.” www.unicol.com

Challenge 6: Working in locations where only front access is possible Designed and manufactured in Poland, the VWPOP65 is available in landscape and portrait configurations, and in a larger 95in option. It was designed for ‘easy and fast’ delivery of recessed multi-screen installations, and includes tool-less micro adjustment allowing horizontal, vertical, depth, tilt and rotation adjustment.

A one-touch pop-out mechanism allows full extension of the display from the videowall, so access and servicing can be performed quickly and safely from the front.

“What sets the VWPOP65 apart is its ease of installation,” says Gregory Bak, sales director at Edbak. “As well as precision dedicated spacers, which eliminate the requirements for on-site calculations and measurements, the VWPOP65’s standout feature is its tool-less micro-adjustment system. For the time-pressed installer, instant access to micro-adjustments in five dimensions is a huge benefit.” www.edbak.com

Edbak focuses on ease of installation with this award-winning mount

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42 SOLUTIONS: MY MADAME KATE

May 2016

NETHERLANDS

PROJECT OF THE MONTH

All shipshape A superyacht offering a super-prime living experience, MY Madame Kate features a high degree of integration, encompassing not just entertainment and environmental controls, but also IT and bridge systems. Tom Bradbury reports

P

ower, flexibility and elegance were just three demands for marine AV installation specialist Harris Grant in its integration brief for the magnificent 60m superyacht MY Madame Kate. Built in the Netherlands by yachtbuilder AMELS for a South American client, Madame Kate boasts all the hallmarks of a world-class superyacht – superb interior design, uncompromised style and flawless attention to detail.

Harris Grant worked with graphic designer Crab to create a bespoke entertainment and environmental control interface for guests’ and crew’s personal iPad minis

“Every superyacht owner is different, with their own clear vision about what they want an installation to achieve,” says Harris Grant managing director Neil Grant. “The strength of our technical approach means we can build, refine and instantly reconfigure a system to deliver exactly the functionality that our client requires through an elegant, natural interface. This bespoke Crestron-based solution provides Madame Kate’s owner with the same living experience enjoyed by the super-prime resident, with effortless access to audiovisual entertainment and environmental controls.”

The integrator had to skilfully negotiate a relative lack of on-board space and limited access during the build and installation, while minimising visual impact on the vessel’s stunning interior features. The completed project was formally handed over in April 2015, just ahead of Madame Kate’s first season at sea.

At the heart of the yacht’s AV, communication and environmental systems is a Crestroncontrolled DigitalMedia and AV installation which stretches from bow to stern. A DM 32 x 32 matrix switcher provides the foundation for the entire Crestron system, handling 4K UHD signal routing, ultra-fast switching and lossless distribution of HDMI and other signals to all devices. “All of the decoders, the video server, camera and navionics feeds are routed through the 32 x 32 matrix,” explains Grant.

Entertainment sources on board include satellite TV, Blu-ray/DVD players and a Kaleidescape movie server. Audio

Installed Video Axis CCTV system Cobham Sea Tel TVRO satellite TV receiver Fransat SCSATSH0286 satellite TV decoders Future Automation mounts GloboSat DMT 1501 satellite TV decoders Kaleidescape KSERVER-1500 video server Kaleidescape M300, M500, M700 video players Oppo DVD/Blu-ray players Pioneer DVD/Blu-ray players

Audio BSS Soundweb BLU audio signal processors Cisco IP telecoms system Crown 4-channel and 8-channel amplifiers Gai-Tronics Commander rugged telephones Linn 106C, 104 and Majik speakers Sonance VP65 XT in-ceiling speakers Yamaha RX-A830 AV receiver

Control/Networking Cobham Sea Tel VSAT satellite communication system Crestron DM-RMC-150-S room controllers Crestron DMCO-44 fibre output cards Crestron DMCO-33 HDMI audio output cards Crestron DMC-HD-DSP HDMI input cards Crestron C3-IR8 IR expansion cards Crestron Cameo keypads Crestron CP3 system processors Crestron DM-MD32X32 matrix switcher distribution is via BSS Soundweb, of which Harris Grant is a long-term user: “It is extraordinarily robust, and we have pioneered the use of the various generations of the system on superyachts,” says Grant. “We have a substantial code base, and experience in interfacing not only with Crestron, but all of the other elements in the network and distribution. It gives us all of the

We are driven by a desire to provide and technically guarantee music and sound as a genuine sound experience. This is what each product by Kling & Freitag stands for - or, as we say, „Passion built in“.

Kling & Freitag GmbH | www.kling-freitag.com

Hans Otto Theatre, Potsdam | Foto: Prof. Dieter Leistner

Kling & Freitag balances passion with precision for uncompromising audio quality and „German engineering“.

44 SOLUTIONS: MY MADAME KATE

May 2016

About the installer Harris Grant works in a wide range of environments, including recording studios, commercial buildings and homes, as well as in marine installations The company was founded in 1983 by physicist, engineer and acoustician Neil Grant, who used the UK’s first computer-controlled time delay spectrometer to measure the sonic performance of spaces The company has worked on commercial projects in the USA and Japan as well as in numerous European countries

grouping, switching, frequency and time domain tools we need in a complex installation.”

In addition, there is a vertical vessel-wide KNX installation, integrated with the Crestron system through the company’s EIB interface.

On the vessel, KNX runs blinds and drapes, and switching, dimming, colour selection and grouping within the lighting system.

Crestron also integrates with the VSAT (satellite communications), TVRO (satellite TV receiver) and bridge systems. Regarding the last of these, Grant explains: “The bridge systems are run on a wheelhouse computer which provides a secondary video feed to us.

We buffer this, and convert it into an HDMI feed, which is routed on our network to a DigitalMedia input card. It is then available for selection as a source from any of the luxury destinations.”

Three-stage approach Lack of space is always an issue in marine installations. Grant explains how his company’s approach to ‘packaging’ the on-board technology helps to optimise space usage: “The heart of the system is the MEC – main equipment centre. There is then intermediate routing, deck by deck, through a BEC – branch equipment centre. At each destination there is an LEC – local equipment centre – with such hardware as is needed to terminate the network feed, and route, amplify and then deliver local feeds to the room hardware. At each point space is limited, and we use both front and rear rails in the racks to carry stacked hardware, power and network cabling, and all local routing. Equipment within the rack is generally densely packed.”

Every rack is buffered with a UPS and a PDU to allocate power. “We model the current draw and the heat output so that the yard can provide precisely the correct cooling at each location. All racks can be drawn out of their housings on rails or swivels, and we use the landing space adjacent to dress and terminate the ship-run cabling so as to minimise the space required within the racks themselves.”

Harris Grant worked with award-winning graphic designer Crab to create a bespoke control interface that gives Madame Kate’s owner, guests and crew fingertip control over audiovisual entertainment and environmental systems from their personal iPad minis. An additional intuitive touch interface controls the TV, audio and video servers, lighting dimmers and scenes, blinds/drapes, aircon and fan speed. For flexibility, the Crestron-based system is highly configurable, and control software can be quickly rewritten to suit the clients’ changing requirements.

Grant explains how his company worked with Crab: “We wanted not only a complete set of components in all their various states (selected, pressed, shadowed, etc) but also a ‘map’ of screen real estate which provided rules that could be used in developing and extending our interfaces. This ended with a joint programme of collaboration between ourselves and Crab, the end result of which was a standard set of the more common interfaces, and a complete set of components and a rule base that allows the quick and accurate development of compatible ‘pages’ as required for new projects.”

Second engineer Sébastien Filippi, one of the

system’s key users, says of the finished install: “It’s incredible – AV, IT and control systems have all been in use 24/7, ever since the owner and his family boarded the vessel on the day of delivery. We’ve just completed our first season at sea with no issues or interruptions. It’s been a total success.”

This aesthetic and technical tour de force was the winner in the ‘Best User Experience’ category in the Crestron Integration Awards 2016. Neil Grant concludes: “The AMELS LE199 series are brilliantly engineered vessels, and we have worked closely with the yard since the design inception of this series to integrate our network and installed systems as neatly and elegantly as practicable. Madame Kate was the second in the series, and we are now in the middle of the installation on the third vessel in the series.”

www.amels-holland.com www.axis.com www.bssaudio.com www.cisco.com www.cobham.com www.crabcreative.com www.crestron.eu www.crownaudio.com www.europe.yamaha.com www.fransat.fr www.futureautomation.co.uk www.gai-tronics.com www.globo.com www.harrisgrant.com www.kaleidescape.com www.linn.co.uk www.oppodigital.co.uk www.pioneerelectronics.com www.sonance.com

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Full control from each seat: f Integrated Full HD video loop f Reclocking

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46 SOLUTIONS: KEECH HOSPICE CARE, LUTON UNITED KINGDOM

May 2016

Installed Video CYP SY-P293 converter Epson EH-TW9100 projector Kaleidescape Cinema 1 media server Middle Atlantic 12U MFR Series rack Optoma Panoview DE-9120EGA motorised 120in projection screen Unicol CP1 ceiling mount and pole Wyrestorm EX-1UTP-IR-100-POH HDMI extender

Audio Arcam FMJ AVR450 AV receiver Monitor Audio CT380-IDC ceiling speakers Monitor Audio Mass W200 subwoofer

Team effort The latest installation orchestrated by the industry’s Together for Cinema charity scheme is a multipurpose cinema room in a children’s hospice

T

ogether for Cinema has completed a cinema room installation at Keech Hospice Care Children’s Hospice just north of Luton, in Bedfordshire. The AV charity scheme has provided a multipurpose cinema room for staff, children and their families to enjoy, with all resources kindly donated by members of the custom installation industry.

Part of a larger group that supports adults and children, the children’s hospice specialises in providing care throughout a child’s illness and into bereavement, both at the Luton hospice and also at the family home through the community nursing team.

Keech Hospice Care Children’s Hospice initially contacted Ian Morrish, founder of Together for Cinema, regarding the installation of a home cinema room in 2011. However, it wasn’t until three years later that the timing was right for planning to begin. Having showed interest in the scheme, UK installer Smartcomm offered its services, and Morrish suggested that it tackle the Keech project.

“Our first site visit brought with it so many emotions,” explains Guy Murray, residential sales consultant at Smartcomm. “There was no doubt in our minds that we must provide these lovely children, parents, families and nurses with a

space where they can quite simply relax, smile, laugh and enjoy time together.”

Smartcomm was committed to creating a cinema room that could also be used for training, fundraising and gaming. Having selected the new dining room as the area for the cinema, an ambitious kit list was put together, and thanks to the generosity within the AV industry, the necessary equipment was sourced quickly.

Challenging space “The provided space was a challenge, as it was a very large space with lots of natural daylight,” comments Murray. “The projection screen and speaker positioning had to allow for children in beds to watch films from the back of the room, while ensuring that entrances, exists and fire escapes were all kept clear.”

The heart of the system is a Kaleidescape Cinema 1 media server, which enables users to download films from the Kaleidescape Store, or play and store DVDs and Blu-ray Discs. An Epson EH-TW9100 projector beams onto a 120in Optoma screen, while an Arcam receiver controls the 7.1 audio. The projector can also be used for presentations by hooking up a laptop over HDMI. “Our bereavement support team also uses the equipment when conducting six-week training

About Together for Cinema Together For Cinema is an initiative that sees the AV industry donate time, products and services to install cinema rooms in UK children’s hospices The charity is aiming to complete 25 cinema room installations by the end of 2020. Two more projects planned for this summer will take the number of completed projects to 17 To get involved, visit the website or contact Ian Morrish at ian@ad-con.demon.co.uk or +44 1372 454366

Control Crestron MC3 controller Crestron TSW-750 touchpanel The screen and the racking were donated by Dataflow IT and RGB Communications respectively.

ConnectorCo gave HDMI and Cat5 cables, and Smartcomm gave accessories. All other equipment was donated by the manufacturers courses for our highly valued bereavement volunteers,” explains David Rigg, buildings manager at the hospice.

“Control of the system was also a major consideration,” continues Murray. “It had to be a robust fixed solution with an extremely user-friendly interface, allowing anyone to turn the system on and off, select a film or connect a laptop.”

The installation was completed in just one week, with the approximate end user costs including consultation, installation and products totalling £19,000.

“On behalf of Keech Hospice Care, I would like to thank everyone involved wholeheartedly for their generosity in providing us with a projector and screen for our cinema and conference room,” adds Rigg. “Your generosity is of great benefit to everyone at Keech Hospice Care in our work to deliver our specialist palliative care for adults and children.”

www.arcam.co.uk www.connectorco.com www.crestron.eu www.cypeurope.com www.epson.eu www.kaleidescape.com www.middleatlantic.com www.monitoraudio.co.uk www.optoma.co.uk www.projectorpoint.co.uk www.rgbcomms.co.uk www.togetherforcinema.co.uk www.unicol.com www.wyrestorm.com

48 SOLUTIONS IN BRIEF

May 2016

UAE

Holovis designs immersive preshow at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi Holovis has utilised complex projection mapping for the pre-show of the new Flying Aces rollercoaster at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.

Flying Aces is the world’s steepest steel rollercoaster, with a launch hill inclined by 51° and speeds of 30km/h making it the fastest inclined cable lift in the world.

Holovis Media and Holovis AV division designed, created and integrated all the projection systems and spatial audio with the purpose-designed media for a WWI themed pre-show that tells the Flying Aces story before the start of the ride and features a 100sqm Sky Mural as its centrepiece.

The projection mapping brings to life a ‘moving painting’ depicting the skyline through which the Flying Aces’ squadron flies.

www.holovis.com

UK

CIE-Group provides CYP connectivity for sports bar refit The Southbank Bar in Nottingham has undergone a full AV refit from local AV specialists Cable Guys and distributors CIE-Group to provide the best quality sports coverage and live entertainment.

The AV solutions installed include more than 24 screens, videowalls and TVs to distribute HD live sports coverage, news updates and entertainment from eight AV sources, including a combination of Full HD and 4K UHD. One of the main objectives was to provide multichannel picture-in-picture functionality to the bar’s 90in UHD screens. Cable Guys and CIE-Group implemented a fully integrated AV distribution system using the latest CYP HDBaseT range of 4K UHD matrices and receiver end points, together with CYP’s EL-41PIP.

www.cie-group.com

USA

VUE reinforces sound at renovated university arena The John Lance Arena at Pittsburgh State University (PSU) has recently completed renovations including the addition of a VUE Audiotechnik sound reinforcement system designed and installed by Reliant Media Systems.

The new VUE system consists of four arrays and two zones of fill speakers. The two arrays that face the north and south sides of the arena each are made up of four al-4 subcompact line

array systems and one al-4SB flying subwoofer system. Each of the two arrays facing the east and west ends of the arena are comprised of six al-4s and one al-4SB. Eight i-8 full range foreground systems setup in two zones serve as the fill speakers.

Another dimension of the system is the Dante signal distribution that runs campus-wide through the existing facility IT infrastructure.

www.vueaudio.com

IT meet A-T

Introducing network Microphones with direct Dante™ Protocol Operating over a simple Ethernet connection, Audio-Technica’s new Network Microphones put you in control. The programmable user switch lets you trigger a video camera’s pan/tilt, a room’s lighting preset or any other function of a compatible Danteenabled device. Each mic comes equipped with a Red/Green LED to keep you informed of local mute status and other processes. And, of course, you still get the clear, articulate sound you expect from A-T. So plug it in, and introduce your network to its new best friend.

www.audio-technica.com

From the publisher of Installation, AV Technology and SCN.

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From primary through to higher education, Tech&LearningUK engages with those responsible for AV & IT technology throughout the UK education sector.

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Editorial:

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TECHNOLOGY

Kit you need to know about

PRODUCT OF OPTOCORE THE MONTH Fohnn Linea Focus SANE-FX interface module It’s… a SANE-FX module mounted inside the housing of Fohnn’s Linea Focus series.

What’s different? The Linea Focus range is now equipped for networking via an Optocore fibre solution. The series is often used in combination with security and evacuation systems, for instance in railway stations and theatres. As the Optocore fibre network is an IT-based ‘copper-free’ audio infrastructure, it fulfils all demands in this area, simplifying installation with regard to security, weight and flame-retardant design. Optocore MD Marc Brunke cites an integrator who told him that using fibre instead of copper cables in an airportsized installation would save around $1.7 million in cabling costs.

Details: The SANE-FX interface module enables Fohhn to achieve multichannel digital connectivity for its speaker systems along with compatibility to any major digital audio network.

Fohnn CEO Jochen Schwarz explains: “We were looking for a digital fibre solution that allowed for long-distance cabling between our devices as well as fire safety and interference-free transmission of audio signals. We finally opted for an Optocore solution: using a ring-shaped cable configuration to connect all the devices in an Optocore network not only reduces the cabling requirement and its associated costs, it also improves overall reliability.”

Fibre is more difficult to spy on than copper cable, is lighter, and also offers lossless, longdistance connection, with electrical isolation.

This results in higher performance – with IP-integrated workflow, software routing capabilities, ultra low audio latency and redundancy switch-over, faster than the required 1ms for advanced security designs.

Available: Now

www.fohhn.com www.optocore.com

52 TECHNOLOGY: NEW PRODUCTS Cloud Electronics

CS-S3, CS-S4, CS-S6, CS-C3 The CS-S3 3in full-range surface speaker uses angled rotational planes along with an omnidirectional mounting system allowing integrators to rotate and aim it at any point within a space. Featuring two-way concentrically mounted drivers, the CS-S4 4in and CS-6 6.5in surface speakers utilise soft dome tweeters to provide consistent dispersion across broad frequency ranges, are IP55 rated and provide accessible high/lowimpedance switch settings as standard. Supplied with round ZeroEdge magnetic grilles as standard, the CS-C3 in-ceiling model is a full-range 3in loudspeaker featuring high intelligibility and musical performance. www.cloud.co.uk B-Tech BT8372 The BT8372 is a contemporary videowall mounting solution which is available to order in a variety of different configurations. Featuring a new bolt down base (also available as a stand-alone product – the BT8380-FFB) with a small footprint, the BT8372 is said to be ideal for applications where floor space is limited, such as close-to-the-window retail displays or areas with a lot of foot traffic. www.btechavmounts.com Optoma WU630 The latest addition to Optoma’s ProScene projector range, the WU630 features native WUXGA resolution, 6,000 lumens and 4,400:1 contrast ratio for pinsharp, punchy images. Housed in a compact chassis and weighing just under 14kg (without lens), the WU630 is easy to set up thanks to its motorised lens shift, zoom and focus, while the three-position lens memory allows for quick and easy scene changes. It has five lens options, from wide focus through to extra-long zoom, to suit almost any installation scenario. www.optoma.co.uk Tascam SD-20M Designed as an affordable solution for conference centres, schools and houses of worship, the SD-20M is said to provide reliable and straightforward recording for various locations.

Featuring stereo RCA line-inputs on the rear, the 1U rackmount includes a pair of microphone preamps with phantom power for direct microphone recording.

Both the mic inputs and line inputs can be recorded simultaneously in four-track mode. Using the dual recording mode, users can capture a copy of the audio at a lower level, as an insurance against distorted takes. www.tascam.eu

May 2016

Extron DSC HD-HD 4K Plus A, DSC HD-HD 4K Plus A xi It’s… a pair of high-performance HDCP 2.2-compliant scalers capable of converting between HDMI resolutions up to 4K/60.

What’s different? The devices are the industry’s first scalers that can process 4K/60 video signals at 4:4:4.

Both incorporate Extron’s Vector 4K scaling engine. The Plus A xi provides the added flexibility of scaling and managing 4K/60 as a dual path signal.

Details: The Plus A has a single HDMI input and output that support resolutions up to 4096 x 2160 at 60Hz. The Plus A xi features a pair of HDMI inputs and outputs; these additional ports allow integration with source devices and displays that support 4K as two columns. The Plus A xi can also accept two matched-resolution inputs for side-by-side display on a single screen, or provide duplicate outputs for driving a pair of displays.

Features that enhance and simplify AV system

integration include the ability to display custom images as a screen saver, HDCP notification, or corporate branding. An image can also be displayed as a logo with full position and keying control. Audio integration capabilities include discrete, selectable analogue and digital audio muting, input gain and attenuation, and output volume control.

Available: Now www.extron.com

Panasonic AF1 Series It’s… a new family of System on Chip (SOC) displays.

What’s different?

The AF1 Series features an Android and HTML5-based OpenPort Platform and is equipped with a 1GHz quadcore processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage.

It substitutes external ‘Wintel’ systems, which also require cabling, additional mounts and installation.

Details: Consisting of models including the TH-55AF1, TH-49AF1 and TH-42AF1, the AF1 Series features an in-built media player and WiFi capability to reduce cabling complexity and eliminate the need for an external player device if simple playback of videos and photos is required.

The display’s open API allows users to control

the displays through third-party software running on the open port platform.

Available: Now business.panasonic.eu

TECHNOLOGY: NEW PRODUCTS 53

www.installation-international.com

Matrox

Atlona AT-UHD-CLSO-612ED

Maevex 2 It’s… a range of products designed for multiple real-time encoding, streaming, transcoding and recording.

What’s different? The Maevex 2 product line features a variety of form factors, including PCI Express cards, stand-alone appliances and OEM versions of the hardware and software, capable of supporting up to 64 channels of 4K capture, real-time encoding and streaming in a single 5U rack for high-density applications.

Details: For extension and switching applications, Maevex 2 provides Full HD, 4K and 8K extension and switching over standard IP including UHD at 60Hz with ultra-low latency.

For enterprise video management systems it features Matrox Advanced Hybrid Streaming, which provides multiple source capture, realtime encoding and streaming, multi-protocol steaming and more.

For live streaming and recording in government and enterprise environments, Maevex 2 provides

maximum interoperability with third-party hardware and software. In addition to their real-time encoding resolution capabilities, the new products are highly adjustable to bias for image quality to the point of near lossless video. Maevex 2 supports up to 4:4:4 colour sampling, compared with 4:2:0 on the current Maevex 5150 Series.

The Maevex 2 range will support commonly used streaming protocols such as RTMP, RTP, HTTP, MPEG2.TS and RTSP, making these new products compatible with the Maevex 5150 series and thousands of third-party hardware and software encoders, decoders, cameras, media players, network storage, mobile devices, browsers and streaming media servers.

Available: H2 2016 www.matrox.com

Peerless-AV

Christie CP2208-LP The DCI-compliant Christie CP2208-LP laser phosphor digital cinema projector delivers up to 11,000 native lumens of brightness, is 3D capable and is virtually maintenance free. It is available as a complete system with the optional Christie IMB-S2 integrated media block and also works with other Series-2 IMBs. It delivers content flexibility with its ability to display DCI content, alternative content, 3D content and content developed at high frame rates. www.christiedigital.com

Kramer DIP-30

Microsoft Surface Hub trolleys and mounts It’s… a new line of trolleys and mounting solutions for the Surface Hub 55in and 84in versions.

What’s different? The trolleys provide a mobile solution in corporate and hospitality environments, while the mounts offer increased functionality for permanent installs.

The DIP-30 is a 4K UHD automatic switcher for HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, data and unbalanced audio signals. The unit supports resolutions up to 4K@60 UHD (4:2:0) and various modes of input selection, and transmits the signal via HDMI cable to a compatible receiver (for example the VS-62H or when connecting directly to a display/ projector). The DIP-30 is a Step-in commander when connected to a matrix switcher that supports Step-in over HDMI such as the VS-62H. www.kramerelectronics.co.uk JBL Control 64P/T

Details: The MIS988 Flat Panel Trolley provides a mobile option for the 55in Surface Hub and offers vertical adjustment up to 60in.

The MIS987 Universal Flat Wall Mount offers features and mounting options for the 55in version with horizontal and vertical adjustment abilities for post-installation levelling.

Also UL rated to 136kg, the SR598-HUB Flat Panel Trolley is designed to securely mount the Surface Hub 84in and includes vertical adjustment; locking casters provide stability.

The new AT-UHD-CLSO-612ED is an advanced six-input switcher featuring built-in 4K scaling, mirrored HDBaseT and HDMI outputs, and AV signal extension up to 100m. Featuring advanced display control and automatic input selection, it can act as a central component for a fully automated boardroom or classroom AV system. It is equipped with two HDBaseT inputs, two HDMI inputs, two multi-function analogue inputs and an audio input. www.atlona.com

The second solution for the 84in version, the SF680-HUB Universal Flat Wall Mount, can hold displays weighing up to 158kg, and includes horizontal adjustment up to 12in.

Available: Now www.peerless-av.com

The latest addition to the Control 60 Pendant line features a 30W transformer, so it can be operated at 8 ohms or used on either 70V or 100V distributed lines. It features a wide frequency response of 65Hz-15kHz and provides 120º of coverage. The loudspeaker’s driver is a 4in full-range driver with a polypropylene-coated cone for durability and a 0.8in high-temperature voice coil for high-power handling and long-term reliability. www.harman.com

54 TECHNOLOGY: SHOWCASE

May 2016

LARGE-FORMAT DISPLAYS A variety of businesses are set to benefit from developments in display technology, with manufacturers increasing pixel density and offering improved reliability, writes Duncan Proctor

SiliconCore delivers pixel pitch advances The Camellia 0.95mm LED display is SiliconCore’s smallest pixel pitch display and measures 165in diagonal for a 4K display. It features the company’s patented Common Cathode technology and is suited to close-proximity uses with minimum viewing distance less than 1m.

Common Cathode technology reduces the power consumption of displays by a reported 40%, which generates less heat as well as extending the lifespan to over 100,000 hours for what is claimed to be a leading cost of ownership. As a result of the lower heat dissipation, no additional cooling infrastructure is required, which limits noise and allows the display to be placed in tight spaces.

SiliconCore’s LED driver chip features a high-speed pixel clock, ensuring the display has the bandwidth to reach 4K while maintaining brightness, colour depth and uniformity.

The pixel pitch developments and LED driver chips make this LED display suited to applications where colour reproduction and low power consumption are important such as corporate lobbies, presentation suites, auditoriums and control rooms.

The Outdoor Gallery Series is a curved LED solution that can be built in any size, shape or curvature in pixel pitches ranging from 4mm to 9mm.

This line differs from other outdoor LED solutions in that the pixel pitch is less than 10mm, making it suitable for closer viewing.

As an outdoor range, the series can withstand weather and environmental conditions.

www.silicon-core.com www.nanolumens.com

Toshiba targets commercial use with install flexibility The recently launched TD-U852 is part of the TD-U Series, which is Toshiba’s first dedicated business display series with UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution.

Designed for 24/7 operation, the TD-U852 is particularly suited to retail environments where content is streamed almost continuously, as well as boardroom and education applications.

The 178° viewing angle creates an impact from a wide range of positions, which offers businesses greater installation flexibility. Additionally, a resistant 2mm Corning Gorilla Glass finish provides protection against scratches and cracks when in regular use.

There is a range of input and output connections, including RS-232/LAN control, giving users the ability to manage the display remotely. Content administrators can display up to four different full HD content feeds

NanoLumens combines clarity and durability

Sharp expands colour gamut Sharp claims its PN-H801 80in 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) display is the first professional display to feature an extended colour gamut, which offers a wider colour range than comparable solutions.

The PN-H801 is designed to drive sales in retail environments combining extended colour range with Sharp’s UV2A high contrast LCD technology to display accurate datasets and images.

In addition to retail, the display is also suitable in offices, conferences and indoor public settings.

simultaneously in split-screen mode, using the multiple inputs.

Both landscape and portrait orientations are supported and the TD-U852 can be adapted to a range of space and content requirements, helped further by its matt black finish.

www.toshiba.eu www.sharp.eu

www.installation-international.com

Barco prioritises reliability Optimised for critical business environments, Barco’s LDX-8482 is an 84in UHD display for professional applications where reliability is essential. This includes control rooms and boardrooms as well as high-end meeting rooms and retail.

In addition to having the resolution of four Full HD displays, the LDX-8482 offers picturein-picture support to allow users to show more high-quality information. To further enhance the functionality, the integrated OPS slot can be utilised to include additional sources.

Designed specifically for professional environments the display is made from the most durable components available.

www.barco.com

NEC offers image adjustability The MultiSync X981UHD is a 98in 4K UHD display, and the largest of eight solutions in the MultiSync range. It is designed for heavy-duty 24/7 business and commercial uses such as control rooms, digital signage and conferencing.

The display includes the SpectraView Engine, which provides colour management for image accuracy and consistency, as well as several modes for multi-source display operation allowing four sources to be displayed side-by-side.

Image parameters such as resolution and orientation can be adjusted to the customer’s requirements and the display supports up to eight digital inputs including DisplayPort, four HDMI, two DVI-D and OPS.

www.nec-display-solutions.com

TECHNOLOGY: SHOWCASE 55

Sony provides advanced colour reproduction The FW-85XD8501 BRAVIA Professional 4K Display utilises Triluminos technology to deliver picture quality and strong colour reproduction.

The FW-85XD8501 can display images in 4K resolution from any source and also upscale Full HD input signals to 4K. With a number of technologies built in, the display is said to combine the ease of use and user experience of a consumer screen with the capability of a professional display.

For instance, Mirroring Google Cast allows users to cast any content from computers or mobiles to the display, and the BRAVIA Smart Automation System allows it to automatically detect inputs without the need for external control devices.

There are flexible connectivity and display options as well as advanced features

including content sharing, videoconferencing, built-in digital signage and IP control, making the FW-85XD8501 highly suitable for a broad range of B2B applications.

The display is also HDR compatible, has 17-hour operation time and includes landscape and portrait options, which allow the display to be integrated into a range of environments.

pro.sony.eu

Samsung balances upscaling and multi-screen support The QM105D is a 105in UHD (5120 x 2160) resolution display that offers reliable 16/7 operation for commercial digital signage applications.

The large-format display allows businesses to convey impactful messaging and information in immersive detail utilising the 5K UHD Glare panels and high pixel density. In addition, Samsung’s upscaling technology enables lower resolution content to be displayed in UHD and pivot mode provides the option of both landscape and portrait orientation.

DisplayPort 1.2 connectivity makes it possible to stream UHD video at a refresh rate of 60Hz for seamless playback. In total, the display includes three DisplayPorts, three HDMI ports, a DVI port and one D-sub port.

Picture-in-picture and split-screen capability enable more efficient display usage, including displaying a videoconference on part of the

screen along with reference documents from a different device on another part of the screen.

The size of the QM105D means more content can be displayed using fewer units, and multi-screen support allows four separate input devices to be shown on the same screen without needing to merge the content on a PC beforehand.

www.displaysolutions.samsung.com

56 TECHNOLOGY: DEMO OF THE MONTH

May 2016

MultiTaction iWall Lobby Solution The iWall line of interactive solutions utilises proprietary hardware and software to deliver an impressive array of functionality. Duncan Proctor went along to the UK launch to get the details

M

ultiTaction’s iWall solutions have already made quite an impact on the higher end of the corporate market in the US and now the Finnish manufacturer is aiming for the same across Europe.

The location for the UK launch event was the Tower Room on the sixth floor of London & Partners’ HQ overlooking Tower Bridge. The iWall Lobby Solution bought by London & Partners was installed just over a month ago and is the first in the UK. In a 4 x 3 landscape videowall configuration, the iWall Lobby Solution is 5m wide by 2.3m tall. Each individual display (MT cell) comprises an LCD panel component from Samsung, with MultiTaction designing and building the rest of the display around it.

Intended for larger meeting rooms and public areas, the iWall Lobby Solution is a ‘prestige’ application built on a standard frame unit with the system run from a single PC. All iWall solutions have unlimited touch capability using hands, IR pens and up to 20 MT Codice 2D barcoded optical markers that can be read by the display surface, making it possible to customise application behaviour or content to the individual.

Four IR pens are included; an artist used one of them during the demo to draw 20 Fenchurch Street (‘the Walkie-Talkie’) onto a pre-2014 image of the London skyline displayed on the iWall.

The MT Canvus software behind the solution is also designed by MultiTaction and delivers a level of collaboration and visualisation capability beyond most interactive B2B solutions. The iWall doesn’t simply register

touches; thanks to its use of IR emitters it can identify hands, and track multiple simultaneous users, even if they reach across each other.

Each cell can respond to unlimited touch points – the iWall doesn’t slow down as more users work on it.

Five options The iWall product family includes five different solutions ranging from the smaller Meeting Room Solution – consisting of three MT cells in portrait mode – to the aforementioned 4 x 3 Lobby Solution, right up to the Curved iWall, which again has 12 MT cells, but all configured side by side in portrait mode for a display area more than 8m wide. The constant throughout each configuration is that the system is run from a single PC, which means there are limits to the number of screens that one system can accommodate; previously 24 screens, this has now risen to 32, with each screen driven at native resolution.

For big data visualisation applications, the videowall can host different content on each screen including live browser or camera feeds, and users can annotate on digital post-it notes, which like the content itself are scalable.

The Lobby Solution has six video inputs and two video outputs; it features two different workspaces: one periodically saves the user’s work, the other stores previous work, clearing it once it is finished with.

Before the demonstration MultiTaction CEO Pete Malcolm and VP of global marketing Jonathan Priestley gave brief presentations on the history of the company, followed by Andrew Cooke, deputy CEO of London & Partners, who

revealed the reasons behind the decision to install the iWall Lobby Solution in the Tower Room.

London & Partners is the government body responsible for attracting foreign investment into the UK. Cooke emphasised how important it is for the organisation to use high-end technology to secure overseas business. With the iWall, the Tower Room has added advanced interactivity and big data visualisation, which allows teams to plug in and interact with content.

Additional case studies included Flextronics’ 20-display curved wall and IBM, which used the iWall solution to manage vast amounts of player data for the Toronto Raptors basketball team.

One of the most impressive aspects of the iWall is the simultaneous responsiveness.

Each user enjoys full functionality, which doesn’t diminish as the number of users goes up. We were also struck by the ability of the iWall to manage high volumes of scalable data streams as well as providing a responsive platform for annotation.

Following the presentations and case study ‘proofpoints’ the presenters divided attendees into two groups for a ‘collaboration game’, which consisted of two people from each group using the IR pens to write down as many visitor attractions as they could. The exercise not only illustrated the responsiveness of the IR pens in practical terms, but also demonstrated a point that was made during the presentations – that technology should not be a barrier to collaboration.

www.multitaction.com

Be part of the largest exhibition for digital signage and DooH in the world Digital signage has been the fastest growing market segment at ISE over the last five years

The international AV tradeshow with a dedicated digital signage focus Not only is Integrated Systems Europe the world’s largest AV systems integration show, it is the must attend event for anyone working in digital signage and DooH. In 2016, the show welcomed over 65,000 attendees and hosted more than 1,100 exhibitors, including over 400 digital signage and DooH companies. As ISE continues its trend of year-on-year growth, 2017’s four-day event in Amsterdam is expected to deliver even more.

Don’t miss out on an exhibition floor packed with relevant exhibitors and a detailed digital signage professional development programme.

Find out more: www.iseurope.org Organised by

Inttegra ated System ms Eve ents s A joint venture partnership of

u need.

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PLANYOUR MONTH AHEAD

Our pick of what to see, do and discover in the weeks ahead, including the return of the largest pro-AV trade show in North America and what to expect in the Augmented Age

PICK OF THE MONTH

InfoComm 2016 CELEBRATE

networking event also comes to Vegas, with a behind-the-scenes look at the new AV installation at the Cosmopolitan hotel. www.infocomm.org

READ

the Internet of Things education programme and pavilion and the first stateside version of the Digital Signage Summit from ISE and invidis consulting. InfoComm’s Live, Loud and Local

VISIT

With conference sessions running on 4-10 June and exhibits on 8-10, there looks set to be plenty to enjoy as InfoComm returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center. New for this year is

PLASA Focus Leeds

Augmented: Life in the Smart Lane

InstallAwards 2016

PLASA Focus returns to the Royal Armouries on 10-11 May for its biggest edition yet. New for 2016 is The Pavilion which will add an extra 24 stands and link the Royal Armouries and New Dock Hall. Around 185 brands will be represented while 2,000 visitors are expected.

By Brett King The Augmented Age will be based on four key disruptive themes – Artificial Intelligence, Experience Design, Smart Infrastructure and HealthTech – but what will it bring? Will robots take our jobs, and AI subsume us as inferior intelligences, or will this usher in a new age of abundance? Brett King investigates.

Taking place on the afternoon of 24 June at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London, the third InstallAwards recognise the best projects and products from across the industry as well as the people behind them. 2016 will also see the introduction of the Installation Hall of Fame. Tickets are available now from

leeds.plasafocus.com

www.installawards.com/buy-tickets

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