Installation April 2014 digital edition

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Installation INTERNATIONAL AUDIO, VIDEO AND LIGHTING INTEGRATION

April 2014

All pictures great and small Enter the kingdom of tiled displays p36

InstallAwards – we announce the project finalists p10

Unified communications – how to optimise the experience p26

Concert venues – a quiet revolution in audio? p30

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WELCOME & CONTENTS

EDITOR’S COMMENT

Catch my d-Rift

‘Many people – including Zuckerberg – clearly believe that the company that gets VR technology right will have massive success’

WHAT ARE we to make of last month’s news of the purchase of Oculus VR by Facebook? In case you missed the story, Mark Zuckerberg’s social network has paid $2 billion for the virtual reality gaming company, which makes the Oculus Rift headset.

It’s a familiar enough story in the tech world: lowly start-up (Oculus has only been in existence a couple of years) gets bought by major industry player for eye-watering amounts of cash and shares, the founders are made for life, and the major player gets another string to its bow.

Of course, a deal like this makes a lot of business sense – it catapults the company into a whole new league, and enables it to develop far faster than it could have done otherwise. Oculus Rift was originally developed through a Kickstarter crowdfunding programme – and although it raised far more than its original target (nearly $2.5 million compared with $250,000), this is a drop in the ocean compared with what Facebook has injected.

The move has had its share of controversy, though. A number of developers who worked on Rift applications when it was a fledgling company don’t approve of Facebook’s ways of doing business, have accused Oculus’ founders of selling out, and say they want to have nothing more to do with it. Some people went as far as to suggest that development would be slower under Facebook’s ownership than before the acquisition.

What do Facebook’s plans for Oculus technology entail? The first applications are going to be in gaming, but Mark Zuckerberg said at the time of the announcement that subsequently, “we're going to make Oculus a platform for many other experiences. Imagine enjoying a court side seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor face-to-face – just by putting on goggles in your home.”

There’s clearly a huge amount of potential here. The worlds of virtual reality (and its cousin, augmented reality) have been slow to take off – hampered by things such as poorly performing hardware, ineffective motion tracking and, of course, motion sickness. Many people – including Zuckerberg – clearly believe that the company that gets the technology right will have massive success.

They may be right – it could be that the underlying technology can now deliver what is required. But I’d also like to sound a cautionary note: I think there’s a parallel with what happened to stereoscopic 3D in recent years.

Yes, there were almost limitless applications for it, but to succeed in any of them, the benefits have to outweigh the downsides. That wasn’t always the case, so the result was that its appeal turned out to be rather more selective than many people initially thought.

If Oculus turns out only to have one or two niche applications, that doesn’t necessarily matter to Facebook – one can imagine these being a goldmine on their own. But as an industry we should listen carefully to the voice of the customer before racing off in a given direction.

Paddy Baker, Editor, Installation – paddy.baker@intentmedia.co.uk

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NEWS & DATA 4 News 8 Appointments 10 InstallAwards: Finalists revealed 14 Expos and events 16 Data: Winter Olympics provides boost to digital signage market PEOLPLE 18 Virginia Cheng, managing director of BenQ Europe, talks DLP domination SHOW REVIEW Prolight + Sound p20 FEATURES 26 Unified communications: Evolution continues as collaboration becomes the norm 30 Concert venues: Specifying for different sized venues 36 Tiled displays: Despite competition from LCD displays the market remains strong 40 Regional voices: UK EVENT 42 InstallMarket: Keynote speaker announced SHOW PREVIEW PLASA Focus: Leeds p44 TECHNOLOGY 46 New products 50 Showcase: Cabling and connectors SOLUTIONS 55 Digital Humanities Hub, University of Birmingham: Digital technology benefits visitors and organisers alike 58 Booom! Ibiza: Pioneer makes its club audio debut 60 Saphyre, Belfast: High-end restaurant invests in control Cover image courtesy of Planar Systems

April 2014 3

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NEWS NEWPARTNERS Audio-Technica has become the sole UK distributor for Vicoustic. Audio-Technica will assume responsibility for sales and marketing of the Portugese brand’s acoustic solutions throughout the country. www.eu.audio-technica.com www.vicoustic.com

Crestron has named SF Ses ve Isik Sistemleri AS is its exclusive distributor in Turkey.

Istanbul-based SF will offer all Crestron products and solutions. www.crestron.eu www.sf.com.tr

DPA Microphones has announced that GerrAudio is its new distributor in Canada.

To ensure greater product availability for customers in the country, GerrAudio will carry a full stock of DPA products at its head office in Brockville, Ontario. www.dpamicrophones.com www.gerr.com

Martin Professional (a Harman company) has appointed PS TEATR as its new exclusive distributor for Poland.

Established over 40 years ago, TEATR specialises in some of the most complex project installations throughout Poland, while managing exclusive distribution for a portfolio of world-class brands.

WORLD

APEx to replace CAVSP, says InfoComm INFOCOMM INTERNATIONAL has announced a new designation for integrators and design consultancies – Audiovisual Providers of Excellence, or InfoComm APEx. Replacing the Certified AudioVisual Service Provider (CAVSP) programme, which will conclude at the end of the year, InfoComm APEx is designed to be a more rigorous programme than its predecessor.

“After 10 years of CAVSP, it was time to re-evaluate this initiative, and consider whether it continues to meet the goals of the members and the association. We reached the conclusion that today’s business environment demands a more robust programme aimed at promoting industry quality,” said David Labuskes, InfoComm's executive director and CEO (pictured). “For example, it is important for the AV customer to have a role in determining whether or not client satisfaction is achieved, therefore positive customer evaluations are a programme requirement.”

InfoComm APEx will also

recognise a broader base of industry certifications beyond InfoComm’s CTS credential as a sign of commitment to quality. “CTS certification, while extremely valuable, should not be the lone determinant of a company’s achievement of industry excellence,” said Labuskes.

“Many InfoComm members offer product-specific certifications and courses that are valuable. There are other renewable certifications that are highly regarded and they should be considered when evaluating a company’s commitment to quality.”

The new programme also mandates the use of two industry standards to foster

better communication between the AV provider and the client: the ANSI/ InfoComm Standard Guide for Audiovisual Systems Design and Coordination Processes, and the AV System Performance Verification Standard. “Because [these standards] were developed in an open, consensus-based process, approved by an independent outside body, and are aimed at providing proper communication and documentation between the AV industry and the client, using both on several projects is a requirement. InfoComm makes all of its standards available to its members at no charge to drive the adoption

of practices that will advance the industry,” said Labuskes.

Requirements vary based on the number of company employees. Additionally, InfoComm says it will invest in a substantial online campaign to promote APEx companies to end-customers. A toolkit that APEx companies can use to promote their designation will be made available to participating companies.

While InfoComm APEx is aimed at integrators and design consultancies, InfoComm is in discussions with the live events, technology manager and manufacturing communities, and will reveal programmes later this year. www.infocomm.org/apex

Picture: m box

GERMANY

www.martin.com www.teatr.com.pl

Sanel is now distributing the full Vivitek range in Belgium and Luxembourg. The Benelux-oriented distributor focuses on projectors of all sizes, monitors and digital signage solutions. Other companies in its portfolio include Panasonic and Sanyo. www.sanel.nl www.vivitek.eu

Comm-Tec has added Arthur Holm to its sales portfolio in Germany. The company already markets Arthur Holm conferencing solutions in Austria and the Baltics as well as in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Macau. www.arthurholm.com www.comm-tec.de

AlhenaCom has been appointed to manage distribution of Cabletime’s MediaStar Evolution range of IPTV solutions in Italy. The agreement was reached at ISE 2014. www.alhenacom.it/en www.cabletime.com

4 April 2014

MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION company m box created a 3:40 minute sequence that used a hybrid mix of live action and CG animation at the recent launch of the Mercedes Benz V-Class eight-seater MPV.

Four Full HD edge-blended projectors fired CG content onto a 20m-wide rearprojection screen for the backdrop, while a further five Full HD projectors were used to fire moving images onto the stage.

m box used the BlackTrax motion-tracking solution to track 10 dancers and 20 movable elements around the stage, to create a constantly moving set of projection-mapped surfaces.

Data from the BlackTrax was fed to m box’s V4 media servers so that the projected imagery followed people and props automatically – regardless of how fast or how far they moved. www.blacktrax.ca

JAPAN/US

Yamaha acquires Revolabs YAMAHA HAS increased its presence in the world of enterprise audio equipment with its acquisition of conference audio manufacturer Revolabs. The US company continues to operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation, implementing its

existing roadmap with the current management team.

“Since we started the company in 2005, Revolabs has shown an ability to innovate and bring exciting products to the market,” said Jean-Pierre Carney, CEO and founder of Revolabs. “We’ve grown a strong team, have an

exciting roadmap with industry-leading technology, and were already on track to more than double our revenues this year. Taking advantage of the strengths of the two companies will make our solutions stronger and expand our reach around the globe.”

Yamaha said in a statement that the sharing of product lines, technology, know-how, and sales networks will enable the Yamaha Group to provide high-quality solutions for the diversifying needs of the market. www.revolabs.com www.yamahaproaudio.com

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NEWS WORLD

Front projector shipments reach €1.9bn ANNUAL WORLDWIDE shipments of front projectors grew 6% year-on-year to 2.12 million units in Q4 2013, representing $2.63 billion (€1.9bn) value, according to research revealed by Futuresource Consulting.

In 2013, EMEA Q4 performance posted a 4% year-on-year volume growth to reach 702,000 units – although this wasn’t enough to offset the year-on-year decline of 6%.

Eastern Europe enjoyed the

greatest year-on-year quarterly growth for EMEA, where 151,000 units were shipped during Q4, amounting to a 12% increase from the same period in 2012. Within those stats, and driven by the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia recorded a 10% increase in year-on-year shipments. EU member states in Eastern Europe also enjoyed growth as a result of using up the remainder of their 2007-13 EU budget.

The Middle East and Africa, meanwhile, saw only modest growth in the quarter with 139,000 units shipped, a 1% year-on-year growth.

With 412,000 units shipped

during Q4, Western Europe enjoyed an overall year-onyear growth of 3%, largely due to strong retail sales in France and Germany, whose markets had year-on-year increases of 8% and 9% respectively. Spain had its best sell-in since 2011, with 330,900 projectors being shipped during the period. A reduced sell-in to the UK’s under-represented retail market for projectors saw the country experience a 5% year-on-year decline in total sales in the final quarter.

Elsewhere, the Asia-Pacific market enjoyed a 5% year-onyear increase in projector shipments during Q4, where a

total of 835,000 units were shipped. However annual totals contracted by 0.2% with 3.17 million units shipped during 2013 compared to 3.18 million units in 2012.

The Americas market grew by 8% year-on-year in Q4 2013, following a generally poor sell-in to the region during 2013.The United States was the key driver behind the regional growth where virtually all market segments had increased sales – a year-on-year growth of 12% in Q4 2013 – after weak sales in the first three quarters of 2013.

Sennheiser wireless microphone system.

Leisuretec managing director Cliff Dounting explained that he expects the facility to be used for the most part for events involving the company’s distributed brands. For instance, Leisuretec and Allen & Heath held a ‘Digital versus Analogue’ event at TecZone

on 4 March, which consisted of presentations about analogue and digital audio and the first UK demonstrations of the manufacturer’s Qu-24 compact digital mixer.

Forthcoming events include an Avolites Master 7 Foundation Master Class and a ‘scaleddown version’ of Sennheiser’s Sound Academy.

www.futuresource-consulting.com

UNITED KINGDOM

TecZone is go for Leisuretec LEISURETEC DISTRIBUTION officially launched the new TecZone facility at its headquarters in Leighton Buzzard to the press last month. TheTecZone is designed to be a multipurpose space suitable for holding a range of event types, including meetings, training sessions, product demos, videoconferences and networking events.

There are three main video zones in the room: the Main Zone is centred around an 80in Sharp PN-L802B Big Pad touchscreen LED display, while an alcove-mounted 55in Samsung 55F6100 LED display is at the heart of both

the Secondary and Tertiary Zones. (All three displays are 1920 x 1080 resolution.) The 80in display can be used as a digital whiteboard and is equipped with interactive tools. Source equipment comprises a Yamaha BD-S473 networked Blu-ray player, a Sky satellite TV receiver and a networked PC. The main area of the room contains six floor boxes with analogue and HDMI input points – four in the Main Zone and one each in the Secondary and Tertiary Zones. Wireless connectivity is provided by a WePresent WiPG-1000 Wireless Interactive Presentation

Gateway, which allows presenters to display their content up to a quad display on the main 80in screen.

An AMX DVX-3155-SP presentation switcher is used to distribute, switch and scale the sources, and an AMX FG1010-310 multiformat transmitter can be connected to any of the four floor boxes. An iPad running AMX’s TP Control software provides the user interface.

A Yahama 7.1 speaker system – comprising seven VXS8 wall-mounted speakers and two VXS10S floorstanding subwoofers – carries audio from the various sources, as well as from a

www.leisuretec.co.uk

EUROPE

Helvar and Samsung agree LED tie-up LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY specialist Helvar has announced its entry into the LED module business. The Finnish company has teamed up with Samsung to provide customers with “a complete end-to endlighting solution”.

Helvar’s LED product offering already comprises a range of LED drivers and lighting controls. Samsung will supply Helvar with the LED technology element of its module solutions.

“This is an important step forward for Helvar. The move into modules allows us to

fully support our customers in making a successful transition across to LED lighting,” said Peter van der Kolk, business development director at Helvar. “Alongside the new additions to our portfolio, Helvar will be providing design and planning tools as part of the launch. Additionally Helvar is committed to continue strong investments into the field of LED technology.

Samsung’s LED technology complements our reputation for quality and reliability.” www.helvar.com www.samsung.com

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Recent highlights TECHNOLOGY TRENDS – LED LIGHTING IN MUSEUMS Osram brings readers up to speed on the considerations when looking to use LEDs in museums.

LEGRAND’S MINI ARTEOR TOUCHSCREEN HAS MASSIVE APPEAL Revamped 1.2in LCD touchscreen offers simple-to-

operate control of up to four functions and is compatible with 17 Arteor and six Synergy surround plate finishes.

SAVILLE CREATES 3D CINEMA FOR COVENTRY CAMPUS A state-of-the-art 3D digital cinema facility has been added to The Square One venue at Coventry University.

NEW IDENTITY FOR PROJECTION ADVERTISING The rebranded projection specialist diversifies into event production and software development.

LED IN THE SPOTLIGHT AT LIGHT + BUILDING 2014 The growth of LED lighting products prompted a new exhibition hall at the trade fair.

To read these stories and the rest of our coverage for the architectural and interior design community, go to

www.installation-international.com April 2014 5

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NEWS UNITED KINGDOM

Installation supports Invision Home Technology Showcase FOLLOWING A successful event in 2013, Installation is reprising its role as exclusive Commercial Media Partner of Invision UK’s Home Technology Showcase.

This year’s free-to-attend expo will take place at the RAF Museum in north London on 13-14 May. The focus will be on integration between brands with seminars running throughout the two days presented by manufacturers.

Peter Alloway, UK sales manager, Invision UK,

6 April 2014

commented: “This event is more than just an opportunity for us to showcase our brands and to demonstrate the latest technologies. It’s also about creating opportunities for us, our manufacturer partners, and our customers to meet face to face. Getting to know each other and forming stronger bonds helps us to provide a more customerspecific service and build longer lasting relationships.”

Paddy Baker, editor of Installation, said: “After a

successful show last year, we’re very happy to be the exclusive Commercial Partner of the Home Technology Showcase once again in 2014.

This year’s event is set to be even bigger than last year and we look forward to meeting with manufacturers and installers, and seeing the latest new products.”

Brands expected to be in attendance include Aquavision, Wyrestorm, Elan, Niles, Peerless and Pro Control.

UNITED KINGDOM

DOOH Muppets ‘Wanted’ posters DISNEY RECENTLY launched an interactive digital out of home campaign starring members of the public to promote its new musical comedy, Muppets Most Wanted. Content ran on an Ocean Outdoor screen at Westfield Shopping Centre, London.

The campaign used the Eat Street screen’s WiFi capabilities together with its online #badfrog campaign to direct shoppers to the movie’s badfrog.me promotional

website. Pictures of the public were taken and superimposed onto a live Most Wanted poster featured on the digital screen.

“Every individual was given a mole on their cheek to look like the evil jewel thief Constantine, the world’s number one criminal and Kermit the Frog’s doppelgänger in the film,” commented Ocean Outdoor account director Catherine Morgan. www.oceanoutdoor.com

www.hometechnologyshowcase.com

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APPOINTMENTS CRESTRON

Crestron plans for the future with senior appointments Randy Klein is named president and CEO while Dan Feldstein becomes vice chairman and COO CRESTRON ELECTRONICS has strengthened its executive team with the appointment of Randy Klein as president and CEO, and Dan Feldstein as vice chairman and COO. Klein has been in the AV and technology industry throughout his professional career, and has worked for Crestron for 25 years. “Crestron is my life and my passion,” he said. “Moving forward, I see nothing but opportunity for Crestron and I look forward to continued growth and success.”

Dan Feldstein has been with Crestron for over 20 years.

With a background in computer engineering, he spent the first eight years of his Crestron career in R&D, playing a role in

APG

designing a number of the technologies in use today.

Since then, he has been working with Crestron founder George Feldstein to manage many of the company’s operations.

Since George Feldstein founded Crestron over 40 years ago, the company has grown to become a world leader in automation, control and management systems. As chairman of Crestron, he remains strongly involved in the company, while empowering his top executives to drive Crestron’s growth for the next 40 years of success and beyond.

“Since the day Crestron was founded, we have never

Logt to serve as its sales manager EMEA. Van der Logt has over 25 years of experience in the industry providing product and relationship advice to pro-audio manufacturers. He will work to strengthen and expand business with existing distributors, and develop new relationships to build sales momentum.

wavered from my father’s vision,” Dan Feldstein said.

“Randy has always shared that vision and over the years has truly become a member of the family. I can’t think of anyone I'd rather work with as we drive Crestron towards the future.”

George Feldstein added: “I’ve never been more excited about the future. We are working on so many exciting technologies and we have so many great people to make it happen.”

Change has also been afoot at Crestron International, with Robin van Meeuwen becoming president and COO. He succeeds his father Frank van Meeuwen, who is to become honorary chairman following 25 years leading Crestron

CHRISTIE

Randy Klein

Dan Feldstein

International.

Robin van Meeuwen has worked within the Crestron organisation for 17 years – firstly as managing director of

Crestron UK and more recently as vice president of sales and marketing for Crestron International. www.crestron.com

more than 25 years of industry experience – he previously spent time as the vice president of marketing and worldwide sales development at Mirapoint and was director of enterprise marketing at NetApp. www.kaleidescape.com

LEISURETEC

LED display manufacturer SiliconCore has appointed Phillip Reyes as vice president of government sales and channel development to manage the government division and strategic channel partners globally. He joins from The Whitlock Group where he was national managing director for the government division. www.silicon-core.com

www.ashly.com

VDC TRADING CADAC Scott Fraser has been appointed by APG to spearhead its sales operation in the UK. A direct operation in the UK is intended to offer customers in the country the same support as those in France and is indicative of APG’s broader international strategy throughout the EMEA region.

Fraser’s past experience includes time at a number of audio companies, including many years as installation manager at Yamaha.

Trond Solvold has joined Christie as sales consultant for Scandinavia. He brings with him almost 20 years of experience in the Nordic pro-AV market. He was previously business development manager at eyevis Nordic and spent time as business development manager/sales manager for projectiondesign. He is fluent in Swedish and Norwegian, and also speaks English, Danish and German. www.christiedigital.com

KALEIDESCAPE

www.apg.tm.fr

ASHLY AUDIO

Cliff Dounting has replaced Mike Henden as managing director at Leisuretec Distribution. He joined Leisuretec in 2007 as operations manager before being named commercial director the following year. www.leisuretec.co.uk

Ashly Audio has appointed industry veteran Mike van der 8 April 2014

Cadac used the recent Prolight + Sound show to reveal Rob Hughes as UK sales manager.

Hughes’ career began as a freelance FOH engineer, before joining SSE as a project manager. He also spent time at Shuttlesound as Midas and Klark Teknik sales consultant.

He joins Cadac from Midas KT, where he was latterly technical support manager, having rejoined the company after a brief stint with Studer. www.cadac-sound.com

SILCONCORE

Kaleidescape has named Cheena Srinivasan as its new CEO. Srinivasan is a founder of the company and previously served as COO and EVP. He has

VDC Trading has announced the appointment of Leif Friestad as its new managing director. A multi-linguist originating from the south of Norway, Friestad has held senior management roles at United Technologies Corporation, Johnson Controls, Lapp Group, and spent time as CEO of Canford Audio. In his new role he is charged with overseeing and assisting the continuing growth of VDC and the Van Damme brand in a number of markets as well as maintaining its position as a brand leader in the audio industry. www.vdctrading.com

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INSTALLAWARDS

Finalists announced!

The shortlist has been drawn up: we can now reveal the finalists for the first ever InstallAwards, including, over the page, the winner of the 15 Years of Excellence accolade

12th June 2014 • Hilton London Wembley

Corporate/Industrial Best Project Award CDEC – The Core NEC projection, Onelan digital signage and CTouch interactive displays are at the heart of the installation at this brand new exhibition space and national education facility in Stoke-onTrent. The centre is designed to showcase the latest sustainable building solutions.

Holovis – Schindler HQ Holovis has provided Schindler's Zurich HQ with a highly immersive 11m geodesic dome with 360º visuals and surround sound. The virtual reality

environment enables the visualisation of Schindler's vision for the future of city design.

Lawo – NPR An extensive console inventory has been installed at National Public Radio’s new production centre in Washington, DC: three sapphire radio consoles, 10 8-channel crystal consoles, 10 4-channel crystal consoles and a large format mc266 MKII production console.

Pixel Projects – Kelly Hoppen Luxury Model Hotel Suite Pixel Projects designed and installed a truly elegant

integrated technology system – incorporating TV, lighting and audio control and more – to showcase Kelly Hoppen MBE's exclusive range of interior products.

Visual Acuity – GSK Shopper Science Lab Europe’s biggest and most comprehensive brand research facility uses technologies including 3D virtualisation and mobile eye tracking to understand shopper behaviour and influence retailers, branding agencies, packaging designers and in-store product positioning.

CDEC – The Core

Holovis – Schindler HQ

Lawo – NPR

Visual Acuity – GSK Shopper Science Lab Pixel Projects – Kelly Hoppen Luxury Model Hotel Suite

Teamwork Award Stouenborg – Jyske Bank – dream boardroom

CDEC – The Core

Pixel Projects – Kelly Hoppen Luxury Model Hotel Suite

Scala – NPR

Visual Acuity – GSK Shopper Science Lab

Biamp – NREL (Biamp AudiaFLEX)

eyevis – Baden Wuerttenberg police (eyevis eS100 eStreaming solution)

Holovis – Schindler HQ (Holovis In-Mo software)

Scala – NPR (Sansi LED screens)

the seamless use of technology in the classroom environment and facilitating the movement of teachers between classrooms.

research purposes in Europe at Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden). At approximately 5m wide and 2.5m high, the turnkey 12 x 55in MultiTaction iWall recognises finger touches, complete hands, infrared pens and objects.

Star Product Award Stouenborg – Jyske Bank – dream boardroom (Meyer Sound Constellation/VRAS)

Education Best Project Award Biamp – Purdue University Biamp AudiaFLEX has been used to create a large DSP audio network that spans the entire facility – with master control at reception, and localised room control in each of the spaces within the facility – from the Olympicsized pool to the climbing wall to meeting rooms.

CDEC – Phoenix Academy A new interactive screen system throughout the Telford school connects wirelessly with teachers’ devices – enabling

Meyer Sound – LSU The Louisiana Digital Media Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge has a number of advanced audio and video systems installed. Its 200-seat auditorium is the first venue in the world with both a full SMPTE-standard, 7.1surround Meyer Sound cinema system and a Constellation active acoustic system.

CDEC – Phoenix Academy

Meyer Sound – LSU

MultiTouch – TU Dresden MultiTouch installed the largest interactive display wall for

Stage Electrics – Guildhall School of Music & Drama Milton Court is a new, purposebuilt facility comprising a 608seat world-class concert hall, a 227-seat theatre, a studio theatre, a television studio and three rehearsal rooms. Stage Electrics’ expertise lay behind the bespoke supply, installation and commissioning of the lighting, audio and video infrastructure venue-wide.

Meyer Sound – Exploratorium

MultiTouch – TU Dresden

Stage Electrics – Guildhall School of Music & Drama

Meyer Sound – LSU (Meyer Sound Constellation system)

MultiTouch – TU Dresden (MultiTaction 55in Cell)

OM Interactive (BitWise Control)

MultiTouch – TU Dresden Stage Electrics

Stage Electrics – Guildhall School of Music & Drama

Biamp – Purdue University

Teamwork Award CDEC – Phoenix Academy

Star Product Award CDEC – Phoenix Academy (CleverTab touchscreens with WePresent software) 10 April 2014

TV One – The Creative Edge (TV One Coriomaster) www.installation-international.com

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INSTALLAWARDS

Public Display/Retail Best Project Award AV Stumpfl – Stiegl Brauwelt Brew Cinema The walk-in cinema is a multidimensional projection space featuring Panasonic and Hitachi projectors. The live action movie with a total projection area of 180º with 3D animations was produced at cinema standard 5.5 K (Camera Red Epic). This achieved a resolution (5120 x 2560 pixels) that is six times higher than that of HDTV. The entire installation is controlled centrally using AV Stumpfl Wings Touch and Avio.

Engage Production – Virtual Style Pod Commissioned for The Galleria, on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, VSP incorporates the world’s first ‘accurate cloth simulation’.

Visitors can click through a range of clothing while a 3D ‘virtual styling’ expert assists with fit and colour.

NEC – Odeon Leicester Square The cinema now features one of the largest LED displays in a public square on its facade – the 107sqm display replaces a paper poster board and is flanked by two 18sqm screens.

AV Stumpfl – Stiegl Brauwelt Brew Cinema

Scala – DNB Flagships A large-scale LED installation in four new flagship DNB branches across Norway. The four installations consist of a total of 473 256 x 32 pixel LED panels – each of which is about 1m wide.

Sennheiser – David Bowie Is This popular V&A exhibition used 550 guidePORT bodypacks with Sennheiser headphones to immerse visitors in the music of Bowie. In addition, a 3D experience was delivered by hidden Neumann and Klein+Hummel loudspeakers.

Engage Production – Virtual Style Pod

NEC – Odeon Leicester Square

Sennheiser – David Bowie Is

Scala – DNB Flagships

Teamwork Award BrightSign – Western Union International Bank

Engage Production – Virtual Style Pod

NEC – Odeon Leicester Square

Sennheiser – David Bowie Is

TDC – Royal Australian Navy International Fleet Review Spectacular

BrightSign - Western Union International Bank (BrightSign media players)

Engage Production – Virtual Style Pod (Space3D Fashion 3D software)

Matrox – Mall of the Emirates (Matrox Mura MPX Series videowall controller boards)

Sennheiser – David Bowie Is (Aura 3D audio system)

Star Product Award AV Stumpfl – Stiegl Brauwelt Brew Cinema (Wings Engine Mediaserver with Wings Vioso)

Residential Best Project Award

Inspired Dwellings – Luxury Alpine Chalet

Inspired Dwellings – Luxury Alpine Chalet Key specifications were remote access to heating/hot water and CCTV kit as well as low-key fittings so the interior design was unaffected by the AV systems.

Full house control was integral for this project at a London penthouse. The client wanted independent control of each room for lighting, shading, AV and HVAC systems, which was made possible by the use of Crestron MTX-3 remotes and TSW-750 touchscreens.

Kensington AV – Queens Court Penthouse

Multizone – La Casa Del Arte The main focus was to create a

James Bond themed cinema room as well as a living room AV system that matched the striking interior design.

West London AV Solutions – Lakeview The idea behind this loft conversion was to create a multi-functional home cinema room that showed little sign of the AV solutions in place.

Kensington AV – Queens Court Penthouse Multizone – La Casa Del Arte

West London AV Solutions – Lakeview

Teamwork Award Cinema Rooms – Garage Conversion Cinema Room

Inspired Dwellings – Luxury Alpine Chalet

Kensington AV – Queens Court Penthouse

Olive AV – Clerkenwell Penthouse

Star Product Award Kensington AV – Queens Court Penthouse (Crestron Sonnex Multiroom Audio System)

Multizone – La Casa Del Arte (Waterfall Niagara speakers)

Olive AV – Clerkenwell Penthouse (Stealth Acoustics LR and SLR series loudspeakers)

Sports/Performing Arts Best Project Award

eyevis – Digital advertising boards for basketball The Walter Tigers basketball team required a digital signage system to adhere to new regulations.

AMX – Birmingham Hippodrome A state-of-the-art digital signage system was installed to provide an immediate visual impact for the theatre as well as acting as a medium for delivering information about forthcoming shows.

Meyer Sound – The Golden Hall, Musikverein A new voice reinforcement system overcame issues with

reverberant room acoustics to deliver the necessary speech intelligibility.

Renkus-Heinz – De Grote Post The former Oostende Post Office became the first venue in Europe to install the new VARIA modular point source line array from Renkus-Heinz.

West London AV Solutions – Lakeview (Audipack mirror kit)

eyevis – Digital advertising boards for basketball

AMX – Birmingham Hippodrome Meyer Sound – The Golden Hall, Musikverein

Renkus-Heinz – De Grote Post

Star Product Award AMX – Birmingham Hippodrome (AMX Inspired Signage)

Casio – Face to Face (Casio XJ-M145 projector)

www.installation-international.com

eyevis – Digital advertising boards for basketball (eyevis 55in LCD video boards)

Renkus-Heinz – De Grote Post (Renkus-Heinz VARIA) April 2014 11

12 IE166 InstallAwards_Final 04/04/2014 16:52 Page 1

INSTALLAWARDS

Reinvention, renewal and entrepreneurship Barco is to receive a special 15 Years of Excellence award at the InstallAwards.

Paddy Baker talks to vice president strategic marketing programs Dirk Hendrickx about how the company’s offering has developed during Installation’s lifetime In addition to the project awards detailed overleaf, Installation is presenting two special InstallAwards to mark our publication’s 15th anniversary: 15 Years of Excellence and 15 Years of Achievement. The 15 Years of Excellence Award goes to a company or organisation that has made a major contribution to the AV installation world, through technology, industry education or leadership.

Installation has decided to present the award to Barco, on account of its continued and consistent innovation in display and other technologies, across numerous markets, throughout this period.

The award will be accepted on the evening by Dirk Hendrickx, Barco’s vice president strategic marketing programs, who has been with the company since before our first edition was published. We spoke to him recently about the past 15 years.

years ago we were talking about RGB and all the different AV specifications for how to carry a signal over an expensive wire. Today we are there – not only for control rooms but also in corporate AV, in surgical rooms, in bedside terminals. So we’re helping to move the industry towards a network which, 99% of the time, is already

Does Barco ever go in the opposite direction, following the technology, without a practical application in mind to start with?

If you were to challenge me to come up with an example where technology was the only

Clickshare is part of Barco’s move into networking products

First, let me congratulate Barco on winning the 15 Years of Excellence Award.

Thank you very much. Barco turns 80 this year, and it has been a story of reinvention, renewal and entrepreneurship all that time.

there – which is the corporate IT network. I think that’s one of the not so visible, but very obvious, changes that this company has made.

Moving forward, networkcentric visualisation, if you can call it that, is going to play not only an eminent, but a dominant role.

What for you have been the highlights of Barco’s technological achievements over the past 15 years?

The past 15 years have been exciting. As a generic highlight, I think we were one of the first companies that could call themselves an AV manufacturer.

Since 1999, I think we’ve seen the light about the importance of networking. For instance, in our control room business, in 2001 we anticipated that by 2015 the majority of control rooms would be network-centric rather than AV-centric – and that has come true.

As a consequence of that, your abilities and your competencies as a company change drastically. Ten or 15

That, presumably, is behind the strategy to move beyond display products into networking products such as Clickshare. Were there earlier manifestations of that strategy?

There were earlier manifestations of Clickshare, in fact. We first thought it as a concept in 2005 or 2006, and it went through many iterations.

When we see issues inside markets that we work in, we take a step back, look at the issue and try to find a solution for it. The forerunner of Clickshare was the XDS-100, which we launched in 2008.

We mimicked Microsoft XP – as well as My Pictures and My Documents you could add My Sources – but it was a little too

12 April 2014

complex for the average person to use. Not every bright solution gets it right first time.

thing that brought a certain solution, I think I would have to dig deep. We have a huge number of very clever and knowledgeable engineers, which puts us in the position of understanding a market need and relating it to a potential technological solution. That’s what I believe is beautiful about Barco – there is only a short line between marketing, what is happening out there, and what can be done on a technological basis. One of our advantages, even without our products, is that we have 4,500 employees, and most people stay for their whole career, so we generate a lot of knowledge inside the company that is hard to beat.

Barco has made a number of acquisitions over the years – including projectiondesign last year and, most recently, X2O Media. What is the company’s acquisition strategy?

There are two things. We try to find technology which fits our strategy and increases our competencies in that market.

And we also look to buy market share – for instance

when we acquired FIMI, Philips’ medical display division, in 2009. Last year, projectiondesign was an extension in our knowledge of single-chip DLP and was also about market share in corporate AV and simulation.

If you look at other acquisitions such as IPVS [streaming high-density data and recording], AWIND [wireless communication] and recently X2O Media, these are technical acquisitions in domains where we see demand to solve issues in the future – they are very specific competencies that we didn’t have previously. With X2O, we’ve bought ourselves to an extent into HTML5 and into signage applications and – this is the next big step, I think – grabbing data and making graphics out if it.

Do you have any predictions for the next few years?

We believe that within 10 years, AV equipment will be seen as IT equipment. Ten years ago, hanging multiple projectors on a ceiling required very specific AV knowledge – throw distance, brightness, what kind of screen and so on.

When you move to LCD or rearprojection cubes, that competence becomes much smaller. The competence will lie in how you distribute the signals, make them available and make sure that, next to videoconferencing, people can share the data that they’re discussing. There’s nothing more frustrating than having the perfect HD

Dirk Hendrickx

videoconference but not being able to work with the data in a logical and easy way.

So what would your advice be to AV installers in the light of that?

It’s great to have AV knowledge, but make sure all your new hires are Ciscoapproved engineers who have an in-depth knowledge of IT – because that’s the way to go.

An IP network will allow you to share anything, anywhere in an easy way. It’s out there inside each corporation – and you can make use of it by putting a transport layer of AV on top of it. If you compare that with installing an incampus network based on the old AV approach you’ll always lose the battle on cost. And if you then want to break out of that campus into other directions, doing that with an AV-centric solution will be a big hurdle.

IP networks are vulnerable to hackers, so once they have the IP knowledge I would advise them to find out how to deal with security levels within AV over IP networks.

That’s going to be the next big thing. We see it happening now: for instance within healthcare and aviation, they have very strict rules. Over the coming years we may see the same standards popping up in the video over IP domain. The information security battle hasn’t been fought, but it is coming. www.barco.com www.installawards.com

BARCO ACQUISITION TIMELINE 1999 TO DATE 1999 2004 2004 2008 2010 2010 2010 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014

Metheus – Graphics controllers Voxar 3D – Medical imaging Folsom Research – Image processing High End Systems – Digital lighting and lighting controls FIMI – Medical imaging Element Labs – LED equipment dZine – Digital signage IP Video Systems – Networked visualisation JAOtech – Hospital patient terminals AWIND – Wireless presentation projectiondesign – Projection technology X2O Media – Enterprise visual communications www.installation-international.com

14 IE166 Expos & Events_Final 03/04/2014 16:51 Page 1

EXPOS & EVENTS

SPOTLIGHT

EDITORIAL PLANNER

26-29 MAY Palm Expo Beijing, China www.palmexpo.net

MAY Command & control Intercoms & paging Room control Showcase: Audio consoles News deadline: 25 April Distribution date: 13 May

PALM EXPO is China’s largest and most established technology event for the pro audio and lighting, music, entertainment, trussing and staging, installation and AV industries. Running for more than 20 years, the event covers around 11,000sqm of floor space and hosts up to 1,100 exhibitors from 37 different countries and regions. Palm Expo 2013 attracted more than 50,000 visitors from 76 countries.

Exhibitors at the 2014 event include Electro-Voice, ETC, Shenzhen Sanecore Audio Co, Philips and Shure.

EVENTS Your complete events calendar for the months ahead MAY 8-9 PLASA Focus Nashville, US

26-29 Palm Expo Beijing, China www.palmexpo.net

18-20 InfoComm 2014 Las Vegas, US www.infocommshow.org

11-14 NAMM Musikmesse Russia Moscow, Russia www.musik.messefrankfurt.ru

JUNE 11-12 ABTT Theatre Show London, UK www.abtttheatreshow.co.uk

JULY 1-2 PLASA Focus: Brussels Brussels, Belgium www.plasafocus.com

11-13 Prolight + Sound NAMM Moscow, Russia www.namm.org

www.plasafocus.com/nashville

13-14 Streaming Media East New York, US www.streamingmedia.com 14-15 NEC Solutions Showcase London, UK www.showcase-nec.com 18 High End Munich, Germany www.highendsociety.de 18-20 May Design Series London, UK www.maydesignseries.com 20-23 European Sign Expo Munich, Germany www.fespa.com/eurosignexpo

14 April 2014

12 InstallAwards London, UK www.installawards.com 16-19 CineEurope Barcelona, Spain www.cinemaexpo.com 17-19 IFSEC Birmingham, UK www.ifsec.co.uk

AUGUST 26-28 Integrate Expo 2014 Sydney, Australia www.cedia.com.au SEPTEMBER

4 InstallMarket London, UK www.install-market.com 5-10 IFA Berlin, Germany b2b.ifa-berlin.com/en/

12-16 IBC Amsterdam, Netherlands www.ibc.org 17-19 InfoComm India Mumbai, India www.infocomm-india.com OCTOBER 2014 5-8 PLASA London London, UK www.plasashow.com 8-11 Prolight + Sound Shanghai Shanghai, China www.prolightsoundshanghai.com

JUNE Stadium audio Theatre solutions Tiled displays Showcase: Videoconferencing equipment Features submission deadline: 10 April News deadline: 19 May Distribution date: 4 June The next Installation Technology Guide, this time covering the world of Digital Signage, will be published in June. To find out more, contact ian.graham@intentmedia.co.uk

JULY Conference venues 4K Scaling & switching Showcase: Large venue speakers Features submission deadline: 16 May News deadline: 19 June Distribution date: 4 July AUGUST Museums & visitor attractions PA/VA Technology for architects Showcase: Projection screens Features submission deadline: 12 June News deadline: 19 June Distribution date: 4 July

www.installation-international.com

16 IE166 Industry Data_Final 03/04/2014 16:46 Page 1

INDUSTRY DATA

Golden opportunity The digital signage market in Eastern Europe is expected to recover this year with the Winter Olympics providing a boost, writes Steve Montgomery costs in the region and operation to be expensive.

But the massive exposure generated by the Winter Olympics in Russia will have helped propel growth in the supply of hospitality services.

“Digital signage prospects are generally more promising in Western Europe, with uninterrupted growth from 2012 to 2017 and especially vigorous in the retail and public space sectors,” according to Hicham Zoultaoui, digital signage analyst at IHS. “In fact, Western Europe accounts for the bulk of the digital signage market in EMEA, making up more than 77% of total panel shipments in 2013. The gradual financial recovery of the eurozone, which claims a large number of Western European member countries, will help digital signage gain additional traction this year.”

Meanwhile, the Middle East-Africa territory will enjoy significantly greater growth than either Eastern or Western Europe during the same five-year period. At the end of 2017, digital signage shipments in MEA are forecast to be up 61% from 2012 levels, compared to a mere 3% uptick in Eastern Europe and a 4% increase in Western Europe.

61%

3,500 Thousands of units

INTEREST IN the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia will help the digital signage market in Eastern Europe recover from a slump last year, contributing to higher overall shipments in 2014 for the entire Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. This is the finding of the new Signage and Professional Displays Market Tracker from IHS Technology.

“Shipments of digital signage panels for advertising and information will post a modest increase this year in Eastern Europe after declining 8% in 2013,” says Sanju Khatri, director for digital signage and public information displays at IHS. “The Eastern Europe territory was the only area within the EMEA region to suffer a loss in shipment volume last year, compared to the large 18% growth in the Middle EastAfrica territory, and the very slight uptick of 0.5% in Western Europe.”

With the boost expected from Sochi this year, the digital signage market will experience growth in all three territories in 2014. Eastern Europe will be up by 2%, Western Europe by 1%, and MEA 12%. Overall, the digital signage market in EMEA will grow in 2014 and for the next

DIGITAL SIGNAGE PANELS SHIPMENT FORECAST FOR THE EUROPE – MIDDLE EAST – AFRICA REGION (THOUSANDS OF UNITS)

3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 Middle East-Africa 2012

BOOSTING GROWTH Eastern Europe on the whole has been more hesitant to invest in new signage technologies, finding venture 16 April 2014

www.ihs.com

2013

2014*

Eastern Europe

Western Europe

2012

401.6

420.2

2,876.7

2013

472.0

385.4

2,890.9

2014*

530.1

394.7

2,929.4

Eastern Europe saw a decline last year, while the MEA region recorded 18% growth ( * = forecast) Source: IHS Technology

2013 EMEA BREAKDOWN OF DIGITAL SIGNAGE APPLICATIONS (%) Control room/ simulation

Outdoor sports

Transportation

The education sector is the main focus of digital signage in the Middle East and Africa, especially in the Arabian Gulf states of Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Hospitality and government and corporate applications of digital signage also show healthy activity, contributing to the overall spread of displays across the industry.

Western Europe

Middle East-Africa

Signage application

%

Education

39

Government/corporate

14

Healthcare

6

Public spaces

6

Retail

13

Hospitality

Expected growth in digital signage shipments in MEA, 2012-17 three years, with total shipments reaching 4.06 million units by 2017. The FIFA World Cup in 2018 will have a similar influence that will be felt by the digital signage industry as the muchanticipated date for the event approaches.

Eastern Europe

Transportation

4

Outdoor sports

0.3

Hospitality

18

Control room/simulation

0.1

Education

Retail

Public spaces Government/corporate The education sector is the main focus of digital signage in the Middle East and Africa Source: IHS Technology Healthcare www.installation-international.com

18 19 IE166 Interview_Final 04/04/2014 11:22 Page 1

INTERVIEW: VIRGINIA CHENG, BENQ

A long-lasting proposition Paddy Baker talks to the managing director of BenQ Europe about the company’s approach to the projector market, and how it has managed to carve out such a dominant position in DLP

‘We’re not just chasing after technical specs, hat we’re looking at w ly the customer real wants’

How long did it take BenQ to become the worldwide number one DLP projector brand? How was this achieved?

We started co-operating with Texas Instruments in 1997 – although the company wasn’t called BenQ until 2001. We were one of the earliest companies in Taiwan to work with TI – even then, its DLP technology was very advanced. Since then, we have become a strategic partner to implement the latest technology that it releases onto the market.

According to Futuresource, we’ve been number one in the DLP market since 2009, when we had a share of 7.7%. This has grown year on year: as of Q4 2013, we had a 22.8% share of the global DLP projector market. If you look at the whole of the projector market, our share is 11.7% globally and 17.6% in Europe as of Q4.

What do you think is unique about BenQ’s offering?

Our product development philosophy involves discovering and fulfilling the customer’s needs and wants.

At the same time, as a strategic partner of TI, we 18 April 2014

look at leading technology trends and how to implement them into the total solution.

So we’re not just chasing after technical specs, we’re looking at what the customer really wants – in every market segment that we address.

And do those customer wants and needs develop over time?

They do. For example, two years ago we started to put a lot of resource and focus into studying customers in the home sector. From our consumer behaviour study, we found that people want a bigscreen experience, but they hesitate over choosing a projector because they are worried about installation hassles and ambient light levels. So to solve these issues we came up with a projector with a wireless connection that makes installation much less of an issue; and we found a good balance between picture quality and brightness, so that ambient light doesn’t affect the quality of the picture.

We’ve also introduced shortthrow projectors into the home market that don’t have to be installed on the ceiling – they can sit on a tabletop.

The result of this was very successful feedback from the market last year – and we took over 30% of the worldwide market for Full HD home projectors.

Another point worth making is that our home video projectors have become much more accessible in terms of cost.

They used to be expensive and came with a high-end spec, but we now make them with the most useful features at a lower price. This is because good-quality DLP technology has led the solution to a more affordable cost.

What do you see as the main advantages of DLP? The first day we entered the market, we adopted DLP – not only because of our cooperation with TI, but because of the uniqueness of the technology in meeting customer needs. For us, DLP is the technology that can really deliver our promise to the customer – it guarantees a long-lasting, true-to-life image without any hassle.

The long-lasting image is mainly because we use DLP’s DMD [digital micromirror device] chip. This is designed

for use in tough environments, so we can guarantee that it will not deteriorate over time and cause colour decay.

Second, because of the design of the DMD engine, we’re not worried about dust – our projectors are filterfree, so there’s nothing that needs to be cleaned or replaced. That could be a very big hassle for the customer, especially when the projector is mounted on

the ceiling.

The third advantage is the image quality that comes from the DMD engine and also the colour wheel, which produces accurate and trueto-life colour. We can optimise the choice of the colour wheel for different scenarios.

So, for example, for home usage we can choose a saturated colour wheel that produces strong colour with efficient brightness; but for meeting room models we will

Virginia Cheng – a brief biography Virginia Cheng is the managing director of BenQ Europe; she has led the Business Line Management department since January 2014 Prior to her current position, she spent the past five years leading the Business Management, Projector department of BenQ Corporation in the company’s global headquarters in Taiwan Between 2005 and 2008 Cheng spent time at BenQ China heading up the Projector Business line. During her time working as projector business line manager, BenQ’s market position in China grew from sixth to third (Source: Futuresource) with 158% quantity growth.

Virginia Cheng holds a BA in Political Science from National Taiwan University and a certificate equivalent to an MBA degree from the International Trade Institute of Taiwan www.installation-international.com

18 19 IE166 Interview_Final 04/04/2014 11:22 Page 2

INTERVIEW: VIRGINIA CHENG, BENQ concentrate on brightness and colour that is accurate rather than saturated. DLP technology allows this kind of flexibility in colour wheel selection.

DMD also produces a high contrast-ratio image. For us, this isn’t just a specification on paper – it’s a key factor in ensuring readability for the end customer. This is critical, especially for students – better readability protects their eyesight – and for users of meeting rooms. For the home user, contrast ratio is also very important – when they watch movies they’re looking for great detail and greyscale in the image.

Regarding the lack of colour decay – can you quantify that?

Simply stated, with DLP projectors, there is much less colour decay than with other technologies. This is because any colour decay comes only from lamp deterioration over time, not from the DMD engine or the colour wheel. If you change the lamp, you can enjoy an image as if the projector was new. That’s not the case with other technologies.

Our R&D department has found that even after 2,500 lamp hours, you see the same colours, more or less, as with a brand new projector. The integratedcircuit design of the DMD engine means its operation isn’t affected by the high operating temperature of the lamp. This is the key difference when you compare DLP with other projector technologies.

Within B2B, BenQ serves a number of different vertical markets. Do you intend to enter any new markets, or just develop existing ones?

Right now, we see that our completed line-up addresses more than 95% of the market. We are looking to do more within sectors that we are already focusing on, including education and corporate.

One of the ways we’re doing that is by adopting more leading technology into our projection solutions, so that, for instance, more users can enjoy the wireless application that we have developed. We’re also putting short-throw technology into more projectors – in the residential sector as well.

We’re also looking to extend the lifetime of projector lamps, because the need to replace the lamp

used to be one of the reasons people hesitated to choose a projection solution.

So we’ve focused on improving this to make lamp life as long as 10,000 hours – or even adopting a new light source so they don’t have to replace a lamp at all.

So rather than entering new markets, we are concentrating on the markets that we already occupy, such as education and corporate. The environment here is changing – there are new demands from these customers that we can meet.

With 5,000 lumens brightness and a 7,500:1 contrast ratio, business meetings that use the SW916 projector can keep the lights on, says BenQ

What can be done to prevent counterfeit replacement projector lamps from entering the supply chain?

We don’t put a lot of focus on this issue. Our projector lamp life has become long enough for the customer.

The longest is over 10,000 hours which, if the projector is run on average for six hours a day, five days a week, works out to more than six years’ use. So we’re seeing fewer and fewer people looking to replace their lamps. We’re focusing on investing in projectors rather than lamps.

What is your roadmap for solid-state light sources?

We were the first to launch a laser light-source education projector, and we also have an LED source projector. In the future we will keep developing in both directions.

For laser, we are continuing to develop the technology, aiming for higher brightness.

With LED, we will keep exploring more applications for these projectors – for example, we are considering enhancing mobility by having an embedded battery. Also we are looking into extending LED into new applications, such as home theatre projectors.

It’s difficult to put a timescale on this development, as it’s tied in with the cost structure of the core component. Right now laser and LED sources are not at a mainstream cost level. So not only do we keep developing and making sure we have the technology available – we need to keep talking with our key suppliers over the cost structure. The solution has to be based on technology availability and also affordability; otherwise it’s not a good solution for our customers. www.benq.eu

www.installation-international.com

April 2014 19

20 22 23 24 IE166 Show Review_Final 07/04/2014 12:20 Page 1

SHOW REVIEW: PROLIGHT + SOUND

Working together If there was a dominant theme to this year’s Prolight + Sound, it was the increasing instances of manufacturers working together to provide a more complete, integrated solution. Paddy Baker and James McGrath report from the Frankfurt show PLENTY OF people took the opportunity to visit Frankfurt last month for Prolight + Sound – the show’s attendance was 42,267 (a similar number to last year).

Ninety-eight percent of visitors polled by the organisers stated they had achieved their goals in visiting.

So, what did they find? One of the strongest themes of the show was audio and video networking. Optocore connected its stand with those of its technical partner companies Clear-Com and DiGiCo, via single-mode fibre – providing video, audio, intercom and data connectivity between the stands. “I believe this is the first time that anything on such a scale has been implemented,” said Optocore managing director Marc Brunke.

Video transmission was by means of a combination of the Route66 core router, from sister company BroaMan, at the Optocore booth, and BroaMan Mux22 satellites at Optocore, DiGiCo and ClearCom. A duplex fibre between each of the stands carried multichannel video, intercom, audio and data. Each video or audio source could be routed to any output in the network.

Clear-Com, meanwhile, launched ProGrid, a fibrebased infrastructure system for the transport and distribution of audio, intercom, video and control data. Based on the open AES3 and AES10 (MADI) standards, it runs over the Optocore and SANE platform – and, significantly, enables Clear-Com to offer end-to-end signal distribution solutions for many types of installation.

Clear-Com president Bob Boster denied that this signalled a move away from AVB. “We’re no less interested in AVB than we were,” he said.

“We’ve been developing solutions that don’t require special switches – but because they run on standard networks, they will run on AVB networks as well.”

Focusrite’s stand had the 20 April 2014

theme of integration with third-party equipment. To demonstrate the capabilities of its RedNet range of Dantebased networking modules, it emulated three different kinds of system on its network: a recording studio, a live stage system and a broadcast truck.

Bosch was in bullish mood following the launch of products at last year’s show based on its OMNEO networking technology, which combines Dante transport with OCA control. “We’ve seen this technology roll out into a variety of markets through our different brands,” said platform strategist Ethan Wetzell. “This is simply the end of the beginning – many more technologies, products and applications are yet to come.”

AUDIO CONSOLES Manufacturers of audio consoles made an impressive showing at Prolight + Sound.

Yamaha chose the event to launch its smaller form-factor QL series (see Products, page 48) and Stagetec debuted its modular IP-based Evolution console (page 47).

Lawo presented the mirroring of two mc2 consoles – a feature that is especially useful in theatre applications.

One console can be located in the auditorium to prepare and fine-tune the mix during rehearsals. Its settings are mirrored to a console in the control room, where the show mix is handled without disturbing the audience – and with the first console removed, the seats in the auditorium can be taken by paying visitors.

Cadac introduced its new UK sales manager, Rob Hughes (see page 8), whose appointment also marked the company’s move to take UK distribution in-house.

The company debuted a number of products, including its new MegaCOMMS system network. Built on Cadac’s proprietary digital audio protocol and based around the MC CDC Router, the solution has been developed in response to customer demand for networked

Focusrite highlighted the cabailities of its RedNet range

The DiGiCo press conference featured MD James Gordon in person, and marketing director David Webster on a link from the Optocore stand

Sarah Clausen, senior product manager at ETC, with the Cobalt 10

www.installation-international.com

20 22 23 24 IE166 Show Review_Final 07/04/2014 12:20 Page 2

SHOW REVIEW: PROLIGHT + SOUND Mathieu Pobeda (electroacoustic engineer) and Rémi Vaucher (R&D engineer) with Nexo’s GEO M6

Yamaha marketing director promusic and pro audio Nils Peter Keller at the launch of the QL series

infrastructure rather than just consoles.

LOUDSPEAKERS Amadeus launched its new PMX 4 miniature loudspeaker and ML 8 subwoofer. The PMX 4 speakers made it into the company’s product line after numerous customers – including the French Natural History Museum, where Amadeus speakers feature heavily in a recent install – requested mini speakers with the same audio qualities as the rest of the company’s range. The PMX 4 line includes 5in-12in models as well as EtherSound-enabled versions.

Coda Audio showed its new TiRAY ultra-compact line array module. This is designed for use in small theatres, live music venues or houses of worship, or for front or sidefill within larger systems. The TiRAY module features two 5in cone speakers and a 5in neodymium planar wave driver and a built-in passive crossover.

APG used Prolight + Sound to introduce Scott Fraser, who has been

appointed to head up the company’s UK sales operation (see page 8). Xavier Pion, who looks after international sales and marketing for the company, explained that APG is rethinking its distribution model – working with distributors in some territories, selling direct in others, and using a mixed model elsewhere. Its longterm strategy, he added, is to have profit centres in Europe, America and Asia.

K-array showed the latest addition to its Anakonda series – the Anakonda KAN200+. This features 16 incorporated transducers – double the amount of its predecessor – and is said to be particularly useful for frontfill applications.

There was also a preview of the KH8 and KS8 subwoofer, primarily intended for large live events and currently in beta testing.

New from Sommer Cable were installation speakers from its in-house CARDINAL DVM brand. The three models available are: DVM-SP06C – a

6.5in flushmount ceiling speaker in a low-impedance and 100V version; DVMSP0501 – a 5.25in/1in heavyduty compact speaker in a low-impedance (16 ohms) and 100V version; and the DVMSP4601 sound column, which has four 6.5in low/mid drivers plus an HF unit.

Other new speaker models launched at the show included Martin Audio’s DD12 and Nexo’s GEO M6, both of which you can read about on page 48.

AMPLIFIERS Powersoft described its new X Series (see page 44) as “the next step in the evolution of the power amplifier” – on account of the large amount of extra functionality that it contains. “The philosophy behind the X Series is to permit the audio system to operate independently from the power mains available at the venue and to allow even smaller racks to be brought to run the show,” explained Luca Giorgi, Pro Audio Business Unit director at Powersoft. “This brings us even closer to complete integration of the system and provides an unmatched level of control over the behaviour of both the audio and power source.”

Following on from their

20 22 23 24 IE166 Show Review_Final 07/04/2014 12:20 Page 3

SHOW REVIEW: PROLIGHT + SOUND

Lawo highlighted the opportunities of mirroring of its mc² consoles

launch at ISE, the Audac SMA and SMQ amplifiers received another public showing at Prolight + Sound. (These are now available. See page 47 for more details.)

LIGHTING CONTROLLERS Visual Productions launched the Cuety iOS lighting controller, which turns an iPad into a powerful lighting console. The Cuety app works together with the new LPU-1 lighting engine, which runs the show, calculating fade times and rendering dynamic FX. A large number of visitors gathered at the Philips Entertainment Lighting stand

for a host of introductions – one of which was the new Strand Lighting Neo console (see page 46). The expandable solution is fully motorised featuring a new processor and 100 universes of DMX. The system offers advantages such as the ability to patch in as many Philips fixtures as necessary without requiring the purchase of more universes.

LIGHTING FIXTURES Robe is celebrating its 20th birthday this year. Jiri Baros, marketing managing at Robe, revealed that the company is planning a celebrationthemed stand and presence

at this year’s PLASA Show in London. He also described how the company’s new LEDBeam 1000, which had its global launch at Prolight, is a versatile fixture. It has a wide range of zoom options (4º60º) and has a very parallel beam; it can also be used as wash lighting. The 18kg device, although quite large, has the same speed in movement as the company’s smaller LEDBeam 100 and can be controlled wirelessly.

GLP also marked its 20th birthday at the show by presenting ‘a museum of the past’ which was filled with the company’s products stretching over 20 years.

GLP celebrated its 20th anniversary in Frankfurt

Powersoft launched the X Series

20 22 23 24 IE166 Show Review_Final 07/04/2014 12:20 Page 4

SHOW REVIEW: PROLIGHT + SOUND As well as showcasing the new Cobalt 10 control console (see page 48), ETC also launched its Source Four LED Series 2 and the Source Four Mini LED. The Series 2 builds on Source Four LED technology launched in 2012, but offers enhancements such as a realigned array and the addition of the colour lime to the colour spectrum. This increases the device’s light output and makes certain colours look more natural,

according to Jim Uphoff, fixture product manager, ETC. He was also quick to add that this doesn’t mean the original Source Four Series will go away, and will instead come at a lower price point.

IN CONCLUSION...

If there was an overriding theme to the show, it was the ever-increasing level of integration between different manufacturers’ products. This is perhaps not surprising; if

you’re a manufacturer with a mature product range, producing an interface to another company’s product is probably a faster way of innovating – and adding value – than coming up with a whole new product line. And on the audio side, particularly with the continuing rise of Dante adoption, this doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon.

Another lighting manufacturer celebrating 20 years was Robe – with more festivities planned for PLASA this autumn

www.pls.messefrankfurt.com

Tom Van de Sande, Audac marketing manager, with the company’s MPX paging microphones, which feature no mechanical pushbuttons on the paging table

24 April 2014

www.installation-international.com

26 27 28 Feature 1 Unified communications_Final 03/04/2014 17:28 Page 1

FEATURE: UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS

The right connections Steve Montgomery investigates the evolution of videoconferencing and telepresence into unified communications – and the collaborative features that are becoming available to enhance business activities Polycom’s RealPresence Group Series offers a simple user interface and low total cost of ownership

[KEY POINTS] Unified communications has been enabled by the increase in processing power and network bandwidth, coupled with the massive proliferation of personal devices in the business environment

UC incorporates the ‘triple-play’ of voice, video and data communications between single and multiple users on any device of their choosing UC achieves true data collaboration and has the potential to fundamentally enhance an organisation’s business processes

Microsoft Lync provides the core functionality for UC systems and requires additional services, supplied by vendors, to provide true business systems Systems may be hardware-, software- or Cloud-based. Each approach has merit for specific installations

VIDEOCONFERENCING, AND more latterly telepresence systems, have been available to – and in many cases underused by – large organisations since the 1990s. The first installations generally required large, fixed ‘suites’ in which participants would engage with similar set-ups at a remote location.

High capital cost, lack of compatible target systems and low network bandwidth held back their deployment for some time until, in the 2000s, most of these limiting factors were overcome and the technology became more popular.

In recent years they have evolved further through the greater availability of high bandwidth networks, mobile computers, better compression technology and the greater abundance of lowcost screens and cameras.

Videoconferencing became more user-friendly and available, appearing on desks and in general-purpose meeting rooms.

As Andreas Wienold, vice 26 April 2014

‘We are on the cusp of a far more extensive and immersive video communication strategy globally’ Andreas Wienold, LifeSize

president for Europe and EMEA at LifeSize, observes: “More of the processing and management is being performed in software rather than hardware, and

videoconferencing systems can be installed easily in multipurpose rooms already with their own displays rather than in dedicated suites. The cost of installing a high-quality HD videoconferencing end point in a presentation room can be as low as €5,000, rather than the €50,000 required a few years ago. This makes it available to a wider range of smaller companies.

We are on the cusp of a far more extensive and immersive video communication strategy globally.”

The latest stage in this evolution is unified communications: a technology enabled by the recent explosive increase in processing power and network bandwidth, coupled with the massive proliferation of personal devices in the business environment (often under the corporate Bring Your Own Device [BYOD] strategy).

Unified communications has various meanings, but in its broadest form is generally accepted to cover the ‘tripleplay’ of voice, video and data

communications between single and multiple users on any device of their choosing.

This may be provided as a proprietary hardware-based solution or an on-premise software one and may even be provided as a Cloud-based service.

“Unified communications incorporates true data collaboration,” explains Martin Finlayson, European product marketing manager at Imago Group. “Participants using unified communications are able to work together on a document; annotate and add to it. Unified communications incorporates techniques that are more familiar in the social networking and instant access world, like instant messaging, presence detection, contact profile display file sharing: tools that contribute to a user’s personal workflow and create a single profile across multiple devices.”

One of the key attributes of unified communications is that it is platform, network and device agnostic at the user level and is extremely

simple to use. Users expect the same sort of experience in their business activities as their social and personal interactions – in many cases using the same devices. The range of devices is expanding rapidly, and with it the overheads of manipulating the video and data so that it can be seen on all these devices correctly. The need for scaling and the number and types of codecs have become an issue for technology providers and IT departments. At the same time there is the additional complexity of the user simultaneously operating several devices and their desire to be able to answer and interface with the unified communications system on any one of them.

BUSINESS CRITICAL The issue here is that unified communications has the potential to fundamentally affect an organisation’s business processes. It is something that lies at the heart of the way they operate, interact with clients and, www.installation-international.com

26 27 28 Feature 1 Unified communications_Final 03/04/2014 17:28 Page 2

FEATURE: UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS ultimately, perform. The deployment of unified communications is not something that can be taken lightly, but needs to be addressed at the highest levels within an organisation – and this does not always happen.

Finlayson adds: “Unified communications technology can deliver an incredible level of service and radically enhance the operation of any size business. It is one of those applications that can be built and enhanced, to flex and adapt to almost any business requirement.

However it is crucial that strategists plan the adoption of unified communications in consideration of the whole business philosophy and working methodology.”

The planning process is a three-stage one, although it is not always followed, he says: “Firstly look at the enterprise, how it operates now and how they would like it to operate in order to define expectations; secondly implement and train staff on the benefits and target strategic processes; and thirdly measure, monitor, review and modify so that it really meets the objectives.

Critical documents outlining the user interface experience aren’t produced; all too often the decision is taken at board level to adopt unified communications, the IT department is tasked with deploying it and that’s it. The role of IT is not to set user strategy but they are often blamed if a new technology is not adopted as enthusiastically as expected.”

The three key operational features of any unified communications system that need to be considered by potential purchasers are quality of service, interoperability and security. It is these elements that set systems apart and differentiate them from free services such as Skype.

In terms of quality of service, common sign-in, perceived image and sound, and availability of in-session features directly affect the experience of the user.

“Anyone who has used videoconferencing over the past 10 years will be able to testify that the quality has improved drastically in that time frame,” points out Ray McGroarty, director of enterprise UC solutions, EMEA

www.installation-international.com

CASE STUDY

INDIANA UNIVERSITY EXPANDS REMOTE LEARNING OFFERING Indiana University, a major public research institution in the US, is currently deploying Pexip Infinity to deliver expanded videoconferencing services to its eight campuses and 135,000 students, faculty and staff.

Indiana already hosts one of the largest videoconferencing installations in the country, with approximately 100,000 unique connections each year and 176 videoconferencingdelivered courses each semester.

“Pexip Infinity expands with our needs. As we add capacity, we simply bring up more virtual servers and nodes,” says James McGookey, manager of the university’s collaboration technologies. “This lets us offer distance education courses to even more students and make teaching easier. If, for example, a professor wants to have a presenter speak remotely to a class from overseas, Infinity provides easy connections for the user while outputting high-quality video.

It’s a win for everyone.”

Pexip Infinity, with native support of Microsoft Lync, takes advantage of the new WebRTC (Web Real Time Communication) two-way videoconferencing capabilities that are native in Google Chrome and Firefox browsers.

IU students, faculty and staff – and their guests – will need nothing more than a web browser to join a conference: it’s as simple as going to a URL, typing your name, and clicking ‘join’.

April 2014 27

26 27 28 Feature 1 Unified communications_Final 03/04/2014 17:28 Page 3

FEATURE: UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS

Educational establishments are embracing UC as a way to reach a wider range of students at a time that is suitable to them

at Polycom. “Years ago, people on the other end of a video call appeared as fuzzy images; now it is as if they are in the same room. HD technology has made images clearer.

Technology has enabled eye contact with the person on the other end of the call, and software such as the Polycom EagleEye Director pans and zooms onto the speaker in a meeting revealing important facial expressions and a ‘justlike-being-there’ experience.”

Within an organisation where everybody uses the same services, proprietary equipment will offer the full functionality throughout. The majority of unified communications systems now run on Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) which defines how sessions should be set up, maintained and managed, but goes no further. This means that calls can be set up between different vendor systems, but does not cover the features and services that will be available between two endpoints. These are deployed individually above the base SIP layer. As a consequence the functions that users enjoy within their corporate environment may not be available across networks/ vendor systems.

Security within networks is obviously paramount. Normal network and mobile device management measures, where BYOD strategies exist, are crucial when videoconferencing systems are employed beyond the enterprise. However the data transfers across SIP-based, inter-vendor systems will not necessarily be encrypted and may therefore be open to attack.

Microsoft Lync is commonly used to provide the core functionality for unified communications systems offered by many vendors.

However it does not include an enterprise-grade telephony capability and requires 28 April 2014

additional layers of functionality. “Lync provides a consistent, single-client experience for presence, instant messaging, voice, video and a great meeting experience,” says Dave Silberstein, Crestron’s director of marketing. “It is the software that underlies Crestron RL to extend the Lync experience, bringing video, voice, interactive content sharing, presence, and chat to the conference room within an integrated presentation and automation system.”

IN THE CLOUD With the all-pervading influence of the Cloud, it is inevitable that large-scale videoconferencing and unified communications services would be provided as a service; an attractive option for small to medium-sized businesses in particular.

“We offer a wide variety of Cloud-based communications technologies in one easy-touse system to create a virtual office with fully featured voice capabilities with audio conferencing, hunt groups, auto attendants, point-topoint and multipoint video calling, instant messaging and collaboration/document sharing,” says Kevin ScottCowell, CEO, 8x8 Solutions.

“Cloud-based unified communications solutions are tightly integrated, have a common sign-in, and the same user experience over a number of devices.”

New manufacturer Pexip has rapidly gained traction and some large design-ins. “Pexip Infinity offers native interoperability with Microsoft Lync. It enables HD video, voice communication and data sharing between virtually any enterprise endpoint and any Lync client, even in hybrid environments where Office 365 is combined with onpremise installations,” explains Anders Løkke, Pexip’s marketing manager. “Pexip

Infinity extends Lync’s capabilities by adding Virtual Meeting Rooms for everyone in the organisation. Pexip Infinity runs in standard VMware or Microsoft Virtual Machines on-prem, or can be run Cloud-based, and it is designed to be simple to use.

For integration with Microsoft Lync, no on-premise Lync server is required, and internal and external videoconferencing endpoints can connect to the same Pexip platform. In addition, external users can join via WebRTC-enabled browsers if they do not currently have a unified communications or video platform.” An additional option for meetings is for attendees to simultaneously access shared data on a separate, personal device.

Cloud-based solutions do not require on-premise hardware or software and are scalable. They are ideal for applications such as remote learning, where a lecture to thousands of students on an ad hoc basis (massive online open courses, or MOOC) is accessed from a PIN-protected clickable web address. This link

is, in effect, the lecturer’s own virtual lecture theatre or a personal meeting room in a business environment, accessed from a browser or videoconferencing endpoint.

FOCUS ON QUALITY Video quality is an aspect of unified communications that is becoming more important as greater amounts of information and higherresolution images are expected by users. “Video and still images are becoming more prevalent in business and these take ever greater bandwidth to transmit,” says Joan Vandermate, VP of marketing for Vidyo. “While the capacity of networks is expanding rapidly there is still a requirement to deliver the highest possible quality and resolution in the least amount of bandwidth, particularly in applications that need to be able to view images in great detail, like healthcare and scientific research.

We are still in the early days of unified communications and the technology will improve and develop. As Weinold points out: “Radical simplification is

going to dramatically change the way we use and think of unified communications.

Previously solutions of exceptional quality have also been complicated to use. This has provided a significant barrier to user uptake.

However we’re learning from the mobile industry as smartphones redefined the value of a mobile device.

Unified communications systems will need to plug into a wide variety of applications (such as scheduled meetings, streaming and recording, and HD content sharing) that can be accessed with the push of a button, without needing to understand how any of the underlying technology works.

It needs to do all this from one simple user interface that promotes discovery and reduces the training and support burden on administrators.” www.8x8.com www.crestron.com www.imagogroupplc.com www.lifesize.com www.polycom.com www.pexip.com www.vidyo.com

CASE STUDY

DUBAI COLLEGE IMPLEMENTS COLLABORATION SOLUTION International Horizons College in Dubai has developed a unified communications model to provide an extended range of Cloud-based interactive services and collaborative teaching programmes with colleges and universities in the US. The infrastructure, built on the Polycom RealPresence Platform, enables large numbers of students and teachers to collaborate using any type of device. Data, lecture notes and presentation material is

shared between remote participants; it is certified to the Learning Tools Interoperability standard for distributed and collaborative learning.

Students participate in lectures from other universities, share teachers, and research projects. “With video collaboration solutions in our global classrooms, the possibilities are endless,” says Dr Dobe, president of the college. “Sessions are recorded and made available for students to watch and review

when convenient to them.”

Faculty and board members join staff meetings remotely using personal devices. The college also uses videoconferencing to recruit new professors. “It makes everything easier to secure top academic talent,” says Dobe. “We conduct video interviews which eliminate the cost and travel of personal interviews and provide a far richer interview experience than voice alone. We record interviews, for later review by other faculty members.” www.installation-international.com

All Images courtesy of the Business Design Centre

4th September 2014

Business Design Centre - London

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11/03/2014 10:59

30 31 34 Feature 2_Final 03/04/2014 15:04 Page 1

FEATURE: CONCERT VENUES

Power and precision Line arrays and more powerful amplifiers have effected something of a ‘quiet revolution’ in concert venue audio over the past 10 years. But what are the primary factors that influence system specification in different sized venues? David Davies asks a selection of leading manufacturers QSC Q-Series speakers have been installed at concert venues including the Boston Symphony Hall

[KEY POINTS] IT WOULD be stretching things a little to say that audio for concert venues has changed beyond all recognition during the last half-decade.

However, the impact on venue operators and their audiences of increasingly carefully targeted speaker technologies and more powerful amplifier topologies should not be underestimated.

The emergence of more easily configurable processors and compact consoles has also helped to shape this quiet revolution.

But the focus of this article is on speakers and amplifiers, and the obvious – and sometimes not-so-obvious – factors that inform the design and specification of systems in venues of increasingly large capacity.

A SYSTEM FOR ALL SEASONS Regardless of size, it’s clear that expectations of permanently installed systems in concert venues are now greater than ever.

30 April 2014

And there’s a good reason for this, as Paul Bauman, associate director tour sound of JBL Professional, observes: “In order to maximise ROI, these days many productions are choosing not to carry full ‘racks and stacks’, and there has definitely been a trend towards installing technical rider-friendly, concert-grade systems in concert venues to service the growing number of tours that are only carrying control and monitor packages.”

Making life easier for visiting productions necessarily requires specifying a permanent system that complements the greatest possible percentage of musical productions.

Delivering sufficient audience coverage, SPL output capacity and low-frequency impact are, inevitably, pretty much universal concerns.

“The system needs to be properly specified to suit the majority of applications that will take place in the venue,” continues Bauman. “There’s

Most manufacturers cater to concert halls of all types with scalable or size-specific loudspeaker systems

no sense installing a system that is capable of doing Metallica if this is not the type of act that will be playing on a regular basis in the venue!

Conversely, not having enough subwoofers is not a good option either and it’s important that the system is the right size.”

RIGHT SYSTEM, RIGHT SIZE Most audio suppliers offer a variety of systems to accommodate concert venues of different sizes. For the purposes of this article, we have identified three primary tiers: small (up to 2,000 capacity), medium (2,0004,000) and large (4,000+).

From TC Group, the Tannoy VX and VXP smaller format boxes can be suitable for small hall and even portable, unfixed applications. The beam-steering array

Class D-based amplifiers have allowed venues to deliver increased power from smaller numbers of units

technology offered by QFlex lends itself to “some concert halls, certainly spaces with problematic acoustics, reflective surfaces or aesthetic concerns”, explains Mark Millar, communications manager for TC Group’s Install and Tour Brands. Meanwhile, the large SPL VQ Series lends itself to larger spaces, while fellow TC brand Lab.gruppen offers a variety of amplifier powers to match different spaces and audience sizes.

Neal Allen, concert sound sales consultant at Bosch ProSound UK, highlights the “reliability, intelligibility and acoustic performance” of its Electro-Voice XVLC Very Compact Line Arrays, which are particularly suitable for halls where limited size and weight are required. Like E-V, the QSC range also includes a host of size-specific line array

Total cost of ownership continues to rise up the priority list for new installations

options – ILA for smaller venues, and WideLine-8 and WideLine-10 for medium and large spaces, respectively – while Renkus-Heinz’ scalable IC Live system can be configured to match venues of all scales.

Martin Audio also puts the emphasis on scalability, with its current charge into the concert venue space led by the Multicellular Line Array (MLA) system – with MLA Mini, MLA Compact and MLA catering to small, medium and large venues, respectively. “With MLA, the user is able to define coverage areas along the length of a venue and reach levels of sound uniformity never before achieved,” says Martin Audio applications engineer Robin Dibble.

A combination of “clarity, bandwidth, high power and www.installation-international.com

30 31 34 Feature 2_Final 03/04/2014 17:33 Page 2

FEATURE: CONCERT VENUES LEADING OPERA VENUE UPGRADES TO RENKUS-HEINZ IC LIVE SYSTEM Designed by legendary Viennese architects Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer, the Slovak National Theatre (SNT) in Bratislava completed construction in 1886. Since 1920, the 1,000-seat building has been home to the SNT opera and ballet ensembles, as well as hosting performances by some of the world’s leading touring ensembles.

As usage of the space has diversified, however, its acoustics have faced evergreater scrutiny. While acceptable for opera, the room’s short RT is less suitable for orchestral performances.

The configuration of the space has also provided its fair share of challenges; the narrow stage faces a long auditorium where the rear seats are 75ft (22m) away, while uneven sound coverage affected

headroom capabilities” make d&b audiotechnik’s Q-Series suitable for small to mediumscale concert environments, while for Harman a “high degree of technical rider acceptance” means that the JBL VTX and VerTec line array series – combined with Crown Audio I-Tech HD power amplifiers – provide a popular solution for concert venues, says Bauman.

Amplifier specialist Powersoft, meanwhile,

‘Everyone wants the best possible coverage and sound for the least outlay’ Mark Millar, TC Group

singles out the Ottocanali and K Series power amps as being “flexible, reliable and cost-effective solutions” for all manner of concert venue

multiple balconies.

Deciding to take action to address these issues, the theatre approached MediaTech – Bratislava’s largest pro-audio specialist – to select a subtle, high-quality and aesthetically discreet sound reinforcement system.

Extensive EASE analysis led to MediaTech recommending a system based around the IC Live digitally steerable line array. A clear, uncoloured musical sound and the ability to steer multiple sound beams into specific areas of the venue are said to have offered the solution required.

Meanwhile, the IC Live’s slim, low-profile design – complete with a custom paint finish – complements the theatre’s highly distinctive aesthetic.

The newly installed audio system also includes a TC

Electronic M6000 processor for additional reverb, and a Yamaha PM5D console that is linked directly to the IC Live system via CobraNet.

MediaTech’s project manager, Miroslav Paciga, reflects: “The audience had to be unaware of sound reinforcement. IC Live allowed

CASE STUDY

us to achieve that subtle effect while being visually unnoticeable.”

installs. “They are very easy to manage, highly configurable and characterised overall by very low power consumption,” says Francesco Fanicchi, marketing and communications manager, Powersoft.

ACCOMMODATING ACOUSTICS Making a preliminary section from the many options available on grounds of size and output is one thing – but other considerations must necessarily come into play.

Although many contemporary arenas and larger concert halls are often built scrupulously to order with all the necessary acoustical precautions one would expect, consultants and installers working on older (often smaller) venues constructed before the advent of modern treatments may be faced with a whole other magnitude of challenge.

Rik Kirby, VP sales and marketing at Renkus-Heinz, comments: “Many venues, particularly older theatres and concert halls, were originally designed without amplification, and present challenging acoustics once amplified sound is introduced.”

A beam technology solution, such as Renkus-Heinz’ own Iconyx system, “can deliver beams so tightly focused that they deliver sound directly to the listener, without reflecting or interacting with the room”.

PREDICTION MODELLING The ability to predict coverage patterns and, therefore, specify the right number of boxes for a given

www.installation-international.com

April 2014 31

30 31 34 Feature 2_Final 03/04/2014 15:04 Page 3

FEATURE: CONCERT VENUES room is crucial to successful system deployment. It stands to reason that the larger the room, the more boxes – and the more complex the system design will be. Fortunately, the majority of speaker suppliers now offer sophisticated modelling tools that, as much as is possible, eliminate the associated element of risk.

QSC is one the companies to have made great strides in this area. Product manager (and FOH engineer of 30 years’ standing) Brian English remarks: “All QSC WideLine models are articulating line arrays, so the size and shape of the array are the biggest factors in determining the deployment. To assist distributors, consultants and production professionals we offer 2D and 3D prediction and modelling tools which offer suggestions on potential array deployment and configuration.”

‘Most installed venues expect full networked control over their systems’ Brian English, QSC AMPLIFICATION WITH POWER, EFFICIENCY The ability of self-powered speakers (those featuring onboard amplification) to free up valuable rack or equipment room space has lately made them particularly attractive to medium and large venues hosting large systems. But for those adhering to a ‘separates’ philosophy, the advent of amplifiers based around highly efficient Class D topologies has allowed venues to deliver greatly increased power from a much-reduced number of boxes.

This trend has arguably been particularly beneficial to small and medium-sized venues that are therefore able to assign valuable space 34 April 2014

to cooling systems, other AV equipment or, better still, more audience seating.

Powersoft is among those companies to have enthusiastically embraced Class D technologies in products such as its K Series amps. “The K Series is preferred among top-ranking system designers, sound reinforcement and system techs for making their installation easier – giving them reliable premier grade power and headroom in the smallest possible package size,” says Fanicchi.

NETWORKING CAPABILITY It stands to reason that the larger venues with greater budgets are the best placed to take the plunge and make the most of the benefits that full networking can deliver.

But, increasingly, there are signs that the trickle-down is affecting venues at the lower to medium end of the spectrum.

Regular Installation readers will be well aware, however, that a ‘winner’ in the networking debate has yet to emerge. So with many visiting productions likely to bring consoles operating with different protocols, there is a need for permanently installed audio systems to accommodate as many approaches as possible.

“Most installed venues expect full networked control over their systems, and these days most of your rental, hire and touring companies utilise some sort of networked solution to run their systems,” says English. “As far as being able to coexist on networks that utilise different digital protocols, I think it’s extremely important these days as there is no one solution that you can say is the industry standard.

And, until there is, one must offer ‘bridges’ that can easily convert one protocol to another.”

The earlier description of a ‘quiet revolution’ in concert audio this last half-decade seems apt; after all, line arrays and digital mixers have been a default choice for considerably longer than that.

But driven in no small part by cost issues, the impulses that inform them have arguably become more acute.

“The market is evolving, but in my opinion nothing in terms of what people want out of the system is changing,” says Millar. “Everyone wants the best possible coverage and sound for the least outlay.

However, cost of ownership and reliability have become

World Changers Church International (WCCI) has upgraded the amplification system in its 8,500-seat World Dome in College Park, GA, with 22 Powersoft K3 power amplifiers

more and more of a concern, as well as back-up and support.”

Allen picks up the theme.

“However the audio specs continue to grow, better and faster set-up is always a topic,” he says. “Integration is also starting to become a major factor with most manufacturers.”

And this will likely become even more important as concert venues “increasingly

become [host to] multipurpose applications, demanding flexible solutions to adhere to various requirements,” says a d&b spokesperson.

While a further significant leap forward in sound quality is difficult to envisage at this point, it is likely to be the ability of venues – regardless of their size – to be able to deploy systems with an almost plug-and-play-style

ease that will constitute the next tangible ‘phase’ in concert hall audio. www.crownaudio.com www.dbaudio.com www.dynacord.com www.electrovoice.com www.jblpro.com www.martin-audio.com www.powersoft-audio.com www.qsc.com www.renkus-heinz.com www.tcgroup.tc

CASE STUDY

HOXTON VENUE OPTS FOR TANNOY VQ FOR PRINCIPAL PA A combined concert venue, bar and restaurant in Shoreditch, London, has been equipped with a Tannoy VQ Series system for its principal PA. The site in question, Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen, hosts a wide variety of live performances all year round.

In the main venue, the PA is based around a pair of Tannoy VQ 100s, with low-end reinforcement provided by an accompanying pair of Tannoy VS 218DR bass enclosures.

Monitoring comes courtesy of

seven Tannoy VX 15HPs (tuned for live use) and a single VSX 15DR. Amplification duties are handled by Lab.gruppen’s PLM Series, with a PLM 20000Q and PLM 10000Q powering the main rig. Each PLM Series amp comes integrated with Dante networked audio distribution and Lake Processing technology, as well as load verification with real-time performance monitoring.

Meanwhile, the stage monitors are powered by IPD

Series products, also from Lab.gruppen. At the core of the IPD platform is a DSP engine equipped with up to 40 real-time, multi-slope parametric EQs, along with adjustable gain, input and output delay, and both highand low-pass filters adjustable to any frequency.

The 1U amps also come with IPD LoadLibrary, a collection of Lab.gruppen-released presets designed to deliver quick configuration and optimisation of a wide range of loudspeaker systems. www.installation-international.com

36 37 38 Feature 3_Final 04/04/2014 12:08 Page 1

FEATURE: TILED DISPLAYS

It’s not just size that’s important With LCD screens becoming ever larger – not to mention increasingly affordable – the prognosis for what some call videowalls and others call tiled displays (a discussion in itself…) might not appear positive. Ian McMurray finds out why that’s not the case

SBB Serbia, the company's largest cable TV and broadband company, turned to Barco to equip its new network operations centre and master control room

[KEY POINTS] The terms ‘videowall’ and ‘tiled display’ are, for many – but not all – synonymous

HOW WAS your holiday? Was it nice? Pleasant? Agreeable?

Enjoyable? Fine? And that parcel you received? Was it large? Big? Bulky? Sizeable?

Substantial?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, there are some 170,000 distinct words (not including the 47,000 or so obsolete ones) in the English language. As such, it’s no surprise that many of them mean pretty much the same thing. The joy of any language, of course, is its subtlety and nuance. Five words may seem to mean the same – and yet…

The term ‘videowall’ has been with us since the 1980s to describe, in effect, a large image delivered via multiple screens. The description ‘tiled display’, however, was coined much more recently to denote – well, a large image delivered via multiple screens. Is one synonymous with the other?

VIDEOWALL, TILED DISPLAY – OR…?

“It’s purely a matter of semantics,” claims Guy Van 36 April 2014

Wijmeersch, market director, utilities at Barco. “Google ‘tiled displays’ and you get pictures of videowalls. In my mind, both claim to do the same: providing the user with a larger pixel canvas that is beyond the resolution of a single display or projector and must behave as a single large desktop.”

“It’s just different terminology,” agrees Thomas Walter, product manager – public display solutions, NEC Display Solutions Europe.

Videowalls and tiled displays are the same thing. A videowall, regardless of the size of the screens, comprises tiled displays.”

“The two descriptions are often used interchangeably in the market, now that most videowalls are made up of displays rather than blended projection systems,” adds Jennifer Davis, vice president of marketing for Planar Systems.

Miles Donovan, channel development manager, business products, EMEA at

‘Cost and application would be the key determining factors in deciding whether to use a single screen or multiple smaller displays’ Joe Graziano, Christie

Christie disagrees. “A videowall would typically be used to display information – video and data,” he says. “It would be laid out in a conventional shape, such as you’d find in a control room.

Videowall has become the de facto name for an oversized technology wall.”

“Tiled displays, on the other hand,” he continues, “can be any size or shape and are applicable across many more markets.”

Both opinions have merit, of course. But they’re far from the only points of view.

“A large screen that consists of single displays, a so-called ‘tiled display’, can also be called a videowall.

Both terms are applicable,” claims Eric Hénique, director of international sales at eyevis. “But a videowall can also be a big projection surface consisting of one or more projectors using edge blending. This is a videowall – but not a tiled display. A tiled display always consists of single displays.”

The multi-screen display market is growing as potential barriers to adoption are removed

Content, logistics, cost and resolution are key reasons for choosing multi-screen over single screen

Increasingly narrow bezels and in-built intelligence are supporting growth in the market served by videowalls/tiled displays

“But,” he smiles, “if a tiled display is characterised by visible bezels, where does that leave large images made up of LED panels? They deliver a single, contiguous, seamless image in which there are no visible bezels.

Technically, that may be a tiled display – but I’d say it was a videowall.”

Whatever it might be, Mike Tang, marketing manager at Leyard, is enthused by the opportunity. “Bezel-free LED panels are fantastic products for creating large, seamless images,” he says, “and we’re www.installation-international.com

36 37 38 Feature 3_Final 04/04/2014 12:08 Page 2

FEATURE: TILED DISPLAYS [THIN IS IN] “The invention of super narrow bezel panels several years ago forever changed the landscape of videowalls.” – Jennifer Davis, vice president of marketing, Planar Systems.

When NEC launched the MultiSync X461UN in February 2009, its 7.3mm bezel-bezel gap – less than a quarter of that of the company’s previous 33.0mm MultiSync 20 Series – was claimed to have invented

certainly seeing the market for them grow rapidly.” … SOMETHING ELSE? At least, however, the industry agrees that the term for these multi-screen images is either ‘tiled display’ or ‘videowall’.

Except Peter van Dijk, business manager, visual information systems at Mitsubishi Electric.

“We regard the term ‘videowall’ to be rather outdated, as it originates from a time when multiscreen displays were only capable of showing video,” he says. “Things are, of course, very different now. Within our main business of command and control, it is data rather than video that is the dominant content requirement. Consequently, we prefer the term ‘display wall’ as it is a much more accurate description of the genre these days.”

What is perhaps a more constructive avenue to explore is not so much the ‘what?’ as the ‘why?’

Regardless of definition, there can be little doubt that the market for large displays configured using multiple screens has become a significant one.

“The market has been growing strongly and will continue to do so,” believes Walter. “Customers from almost all vertical markets like the large displays they can create, with the very small bezel the screens offer.”

“We’ve seen dramatic growth during the past few years, and it’s continuing,” echoes Hénique. “Technology has advanced, screen bezels have become smaller and more and more customers have discovered the impact of videowalls and tiled displays on viewers and the opportunity to promote their brand and company – or in control rooms, the possibility

the market for ultra-narrow bezel displays. Today, 7.3mm seems positively intrusive: gaps of 5.3mm are commonplace. AT CES in January 2014, LG showed off a 9 x 55in panel videowall featuring what the company claimed was “the world’s smallest bezel” at 3.6mm. Two weeks later, that had been trumped – by a whole 0.1mm – by NEC with the announcement of its X554UNS.

to view the maximum of important data simultaneously.”

“The market is growing almost exponentially, enabled by the number of suppliers of LCD panels with small or narrow bezels and the fact that more and more off-the-shelf graphics cards can drive multiple HD channels,” adds van Wijmeersch. “This growth is mostly visible in retail and in-store advertising.”

It is also true that technologies like eyevis’s omniSHAPES and Christie’s MicroTiles are proving increasingly compelling in architectural applications – among others – where they both enable and stimulate a high degree of creativity.

“With smaller modules, there is more freedom to design convex or concave, or nonrectangular configurations,” continues Hénique.

CASE STUDY

BARCO KEEPS MONT BLANC TUNNEL UNDER SURVEILLANCE As its previous Barco installation had delivered a lifetime of 12 years – twice its expected longevity – it was inevitable that the operators of the Mont Blanc tunnel would turn again to Barco when it was time to refresh the control room systems.

The original control room was installed in 1999 after a

serious fire in the tunnel caused 39 deaths.

The Barco installation today comprises two 5 x 2 OLF-710 70in WXGA 16:9 LED-lit cube walls, two 3 x 3 NSL-4621 46in Full HD LED-lit cube walls and two ECU-110 controllers. All warning and immediate response functions are automated and supervised at two command

and control posts, one on each side of the tunnel. The system processes and automatically analyses data coming from over 35,000 control points, including 120 video cameras. Thanks to the analysis, any incident in the tunnel (such as an object on the road, a tailback or a stopped vehicle) is detected within seconds.

LARGER SCREENS: A THREAT? But as single screens have become larger and more affordable, surely it must be the case that there will be some erosion of the market for videowalls/tiled displays?

NEC’s Thomas Walter acknowledges that there may well be a decline of 2 x 2 walls as larger UHD single displays become available, but believes that the market will continue to grow overall.

His confidence may be based on the premise that, almost regardless of required overall display size, there are applications in which images comprising multiple screens will provide a better solution than a single screen can.

“The big advantage of a single screen is the lack of mullions or bezels which can clutter the content,” notes Davis. “To make a similarly sized array, you may choose a tiled system if you couldn’t fit the 84in in the elevator or needed a more modular

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April 2014 37

36 37 38 Feature 3_Final 04/04/2014 12:08 Page 3

FEATURE: TILED DISPLAYS

CASE STUDY

consumption and brighter and more uniform.”

‘The market is growing almost exponentially’ Guy van Wijmeersch, Barco NEC VIDEOWALL HELPS VISITORS GET WITH THE PROGRAMME De Bijloke Music Centre is a dynamic venue where international artists from all over the world meet with the public.

Once a medieval infirmary, the building has been transformed into a modern music centre comprising four concert halls, library, foyers, offices and hospitality

services. Located in the heart of Ghent, De Bijloke produces over 100 concerts, recitals and performances, and stages or receives another 80-plus shows and collaborative works, attracting over 100,000 visitors, classical music lovers and aficionados each year.

assembly; if your application didn’t require a bezel-free look (such as if you were running four different sources on a 2 x 2 wall); or if you needed more resolution. A single 84in Planar UltraRes has 3,840 x 2,160 pixels or four times Full HD resolution.

The larger 3 x 3 array of 46in Clarity Matrix LCD videowall panels has nine times Full HD resolution.”

Walter sees things similarly.

“If cost is important, a 2 x 2 arrangement could be preferable to a single screen,” he says, “and would be even

more cost-effective for larger sizes. And then, if you look at a 90in image size – which could be delivered using four 46in screens – you also have to consider the issue of pixel size, because large single screens currently only offer Full HD resolution. A 2 x 2 configuration offers Ultra HD resolution and might actually look better. And then there’s the high degree of installation flexibility that videowall displays provide.”

“Cost and application would be the key determining factors in

TV One's CORIOmaster processor is behind an unusual multi-screen installation at Edge Hill University in the north-west of England

38 April 2014

As well as seven NEC V Series 46in and 55in displays throughout the facility, there is a videowall, constructed using nine NEC X551UN 55in ultra narrow bezel videowall displays in a 3 x 3 configuration. This is located in the centre of the main hall to inform visitors of the season’s concert programme.

deciding whether to use a single screen or multiple smaller displays,” believes Joe Graziano, market development manager, MicroTiles, EMEA at Christie.

“A single screen is good if you’re looking to display limited or specific information – but there are limitations as to what can be done on a single screen in terms of size, shape and content arrangement.

Multiple smaller screens provide flexibility in content delivery and would be ideal where multiple windows were required to show different information.”

MISSION-CRITICAL APPLICATIONS Van Dijk makes a compelling case for choosing multiple displays rather than single displays when it comes to high-uptime applications.

“If you were intending to run a simple single source and seamless display was important to you, a single screen would probably make more sense,” he says.

“However these kinds of applications are rarely encountered in the C3i [command, control, communications, intelligence] sector. Typically we are dealing with multiple source displays where data needs to be presented in different configurations depending on the situation.

Tiled displays work much better in this kind of application – particularly where the displays themselves have the built-in intelligence to be able to manage multiple windows without external processing.”

“One other factor might be that if your single screen fails, your display is gone,” he continues. “That’s clearly not a comforting prospect in a mission-critical application.

With a multi-display system, you still have options such as the emergency source switching feature found in many Mitsubishi displays.”

Certainly, the barriers to wider-scale adoption of multi-screen displays are being removed. It’s not just about narrower bezels, either. “Barco’s Sense6 technology provides brightness and colour stability over time across the entire display,” says Van Wijmeersch. “That allows large multi-screen installations to, in effect, maintain themselves, creating a ‘set and forget’ solution.”

NEC now offers what it describes as a fully automatic wall configurator that helps to set up a wall within seconds, and a feature it calls FrameComp that reduces delays in fast horizontal movement in content.

“Products for videowall or tiled display applications are getting thinner and lighter so that they’re easier to install,” adds Graziano, “as well as becoming more economical in terms of power

AND LET’S NOT FORGET… Of course, discussion of multi-screen displays should not overlook the projection cubes that are still favoured in the most demanding environments, such as control centres. Here, LED illumination is transforming brightness and cost of ownership, with Mitsubishi now making available retrofit LED engines for its installed base of mercury lamp installations.

For non-traditional applications, eyevis offers its omniSHAPES technology not only in rectangular formats, but also five-sided and sixsided – as well as custom geometries. “Our eyeDesign software allows simple and intuitive planning, configuration and servicing of installations,” notes Hénique.

“It is designed to help with the placement – positioning, rotation and so on – of omniSHAPES, and to do so with millimetre accuracy. It also allows simple assignment of signal sources to videowall areas or individual displays.”

Does any of the foregoing lead us to consensus on whether or not videowalls and tiled displays – or even display walls – are the same thing? Probably not – but, equally probably, that’s not important. What’s important is that users are looking to display more information in more creative ways – and there are limits to what can be achieved with a single screen. Videowalls – or tiled displays, or display walls – are rising to the challenge. If there is a distinction between the various terms used for multi-screen configurations, it’s a subtle one – but then, it’s the subtleties of apparent synonyms that make them so compelling to students of language. www.barco.com www.christiedigital.com/emea www.eyevis.com www.leyard.com www.vis.mitsubishielectric.co.uk www.nec-display-solutions.com www.planar.com www.tvone.com

ONLINE EXTRA: CASE STUDY

Station Square: Burnaby, Canada: The sales centre for a new residential and commercial community in the Metrotown area of Burnaby has installed two large videowalls from Planar.

www.installation-international.com www.installation-international.com

40 IE166 Snapshot Regional Voices_Final 04/04/2014 10:58 Page 1

FEATURE: REGIONAL VOICES

United Kingdom There’s a general mood of cautious optimism about the UK economy – but has that carried across to the installation sector? Our latest survey finds out

1.7%

6.9%

GDP growth, 2013

Budget deficit, 2013 (as share of GDP)

Source: Office for National Statistics

Source: OECD

STATE OF THE

MARKET

EXTERNAL FACTORS

ENTERING THE MARKET

Do you think general levels of confidence in the UK installation sector are higher or lower than six months ago?

HOW INFLUENTIAL (EITHER POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY) ARE THE FOLLOWING FACTORS ON YOUR BUSINESS?

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A MANUFACTURER LOOKING TO ENTER THE UK AV INSTALLATION MARKET?

MOST INFLUENTIAL

‘Consider your route to market: broad distributors often can’t focus on or support this market and this can cause bad feeling throughout the supply chain. Don’t have too many installers or online retailers – consider regional outlets, not one in every town. If you want volume, allow online sales. Market your product, don’t just rely on dealers’

National economic situation

‘Make sure that your product offering has a place in the UK market first, then make sure that you understand the differences in the UK market to your own home market.

Finally, understand what levels of support you will need to build into your budget to enter the UK market’

More affordable technology Competitor activity Legislation/regulations Energy efficiency/green issues Higher – 86%

…AND TO AN INTEGRATOR LOOKING TO ENTER THE MARKET?

LEAST INFLUENTIAL

Lower – 14%

‘AV should feel like IT, be built for remote maintenance, and must be novel and/or very competitive’

‘Ensure that you have spotted a gap in the current offering of current UK integrators’ ‘Come and work for us!’

DO YOU AGREE WITH THESE STATEMENTS ABOUT THE INDUSTRY? Strongly Agree

Agree

Neither

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Consolidation in the UK marketplace means we will continue to see fewer integration companies, but with more employees

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE WAY THE UK INSTALLATION MARKET WORKS, WHAT WOULD IT BE? ‘I would want to ensure that anyone distributing products is dedicated to do so and that anyone buying the kit to install is a custom installer rather than another trade looking to make more money from a project that they are unable to complete to a high custom installation standard’

There are no significant skill gaps in the UK installation sector

‘Less corruption in the construction industry’

In general, UK installers are comfortable with the increasing amount of IT networking in AV installations

‘Having to deal with M&E idiots doing specifications rather than the correct specification for the client’ 0%

40 April 2014

DESIRED CHANGES

20%

40%

60%

80%

100% www.installation-international.com

Install FP 13/12/2013 10:49 Page 1

42 IE166 Install166 Market_v2JRPB 04/04/2014 11:05 Page 1

EVENT: INSTALLMARKET PLAN YOUR DAY 4 SEPTEMBER 9.30 Registration, coffee 10:00 Forces That Drive Retail Tech 11:00 Keynote: Ross Ashton, The Projection Studio 12:00 AV & Broadcast Convergence: A Marriage in IP 14:00 Not Your Father’s Classroom; Not Your Mother’s Campus 15:00 What Hospitality Venues Really Want 16:00 What Moves Transport Technology 17:00 Whose Network is IT, Anyway?

Ross Ashton to present keynote The projection artist, who has been responsible for many iconic 3D projection mapping projects in the UK and elsewhere, will discuss his work, technology and business issues surrounding the sector PROJECTION MAPPING guru Ross Ashton will present the keynote address at InstallMarket on 4 September.

Ashton will make a 30-minute presentation of some of his work, and will discuss the technology and the business issues that support these eyecatching projects.

Together with his company The Projection Studio, Ashton’s back catalogue includes the Face Britain project, celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, for which he projected a video montage of 32 portraits of Her Majesty, created from around

200,000 self-portraits of children, onto Buckingham Palace. He also masterminded a London 2012 Olympics projection onto the Houses of Parliament.

“I’m very happy that we have Ross Ashton to share his insights at InstallMarket,” said Paddy Baker, editor of Installation. “He is arguably the biggest name in projection mapping, and will prove a big draw for the event. I can’t wait to see and hear his keynote address!”

In addition to the keynote, panel discussions will also be held covering a range of

verticals. The day will begin with a debate focused on how to enhance the customer experience in ‘Forces That Drive Retail Tech’. This is followed, after the keynote, by ‘AV & Broadcast Convergence: A Marriage in IP’, which will explore how IP technologies are bringing together broadcast integrators and AV integrators.

The education market will be under the spotlight after lunch in a panel entitled ‘Not Your Father’s Classroom; Not Your Mother’s Campus’. Next up, Charlie Henderson of PA Consulting will moderate a

panel asking ‘What Moves Transport Technology? The day will end with a wideranging debate entitled ‘Whose Network is IT anyway?’.

Away from the extensive seminar programme, InstallMarket will also welcome exhibitors from across the worlds of audio,

on a range of projects with several prestigious five star hotel, resort and retail mixed use projects in London, Moscow, Megève, Casablanca, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Kuwait City, Bahrain, New York, Puerto Rico, Cartagena (Columbia) and São Paulo.

The final session of the day, ‘Whose Network is IT, Anyway?’ will be moderated by Keith Humphreys, managing consultant at euroLAN Research. This session will bring together a panel of experts to examine the future of AV/IT networking and discuss how AV and IT will share the network.

Humphreys has been active in distribution channels for local area networks since their inception in Europe, after initial experience gained in South Africa. Other experience in mid-range computing and connectivity issues comes from sales channel management roles.

video, connectivity and control as well as providing the opportunity for visitors to get hands-on with the latest kit during a series of break-out training sessions and demos from key manufacturers.

To register for this free-to-attend event visit www.installmarket.com/registration.

For sponsorship or exhibitor opportunities contact Ian Graham on ian.graham@intentmedia.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 7354 6000

MORE PANEL LEADERS ANNOUNCED The InstallMarket conference programme continues to take shape, with more high-profile panel leaders joining the line-up.

The hospitality track, which will look at how venues such as hotels, cruise ships and restaurants can utilise technology to improve the customer experience, will be led by panel moderator John Grew. The managing director – principal hospitality technology consultant at Spartan Comms has worked within the telecommunications industry for over 25 years and has specialised in providing solutions to the hospitality channel for the last 18 years.

42 April 2014

He started Spartan Comms in 1985 initially offering project management services for PBX installations. As his expertise within the hospitality channel increased, he expanded his services to include cable design and in-room technology applications, audiovisual and security systems. Recognising the need to move cable and network design on to the next level, he qualified as a BICSI RCDD (Registered Communications Distribution Designer) in 2008 and through continuous professional development retains the qualification.

Spartan Comms is working

John Grew

As a consultant with euroLAN Research he has worked with several major networking vendors in streamlining their European channels and analysing their markets and competitors. He holds a degree in engineering from the University of Westminster.

Keith Humphreys

www.installation-international.com

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44 IE166 Show Preview PLASA_Final 04/04/2014 09:17 Page 1

SHOW PREVIEW: PLASA FOCUS: LEEDS

Maintaining focus Two days of seminars and a two-hall exhibition – there’s certainly plenty to keep visitors entertained as PLASA Focus returns to west Yorkshire

WHAT? PLASA Focus: Leeds WHERE? Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, UK

More than 20 education events will be held

Picture: Chris Toulmin

WHEN? 29 April 10:00-17:00 30 April 10:00-16:00

WITH A fully sold out floorplan and an extensive Professional Development Programme, PLASA Focus: Leeds 2014 is looking to expand on the 2,500 people who visited the 2013 event. A host of familiar names are set to return to the Royal Armouries Museum, including Bose, Chauvet, Clay Paky, d&b audiotechnik, Martin Audio, Midas, Robe, Sennheiser and Yamaha. New exhibitors include Actus Industries, Citronic, Coda Audio, ELC, Line 6, Sound Directions, Source Distribution, Universal Stars and Warehouse Sound.

The show will see many products making their UK debut, following their international launches at Prolight + Sound and ISE. In total 130 brands will exhibit across two halls.

Highlights on the ETC stand will include the Source Four LED Series 2, a powerful spotlight with an expansive colour spectrum; and the Source Four Mini LED, an ultraenergy-efficient variation of ETC’s tiniest fixture. Also on show will be Nomad, a dongle that allows the user’s computer to work as a lighting control desk – so that people can program from home or while out and about.

Cadac is showing the CDC eight production console 44 April 2014

running V2 software and SAM show automation. V2 OS innovations include more advanced automation features, new FX processing and Waves plug-ins integration. Also showing are the CDC MC Router and CDC MC MADI Bridge, integral to the MegaCOMMS System Network; an ‘end-to-end’ audio comms network with superior performance over greater distance than current network protocols.

The CDC four compact digital console appears in a new CDC four:m variant, featuring 6 x 4 output matrix, 31-band EQ on all outputs and enhanced DSP processing, making it more suitable for small theatre, AV and event applications.

A UK debut will come from RCF, which will focus on the compact HDL10-A line array module. With purposedesigned transducers, the system is powered from a 1,400W (peak power) two-way digital amplifier, while the sound is processed from a powerful DSP. Also new is the ART 745-A active two-way speaker. Housing a new 15in active speaker and a 4in voice coil, the integral amplifier delivers 1,400W and is controlled by a DSP that takes care of crossover, equalisation, phase

alignment, soft limiting and speaker protections.

Nexo’s GEO M6 compact loudspeaker series will also be making its UK debut. For more details of this versatile arrayable family, see page 48.

Traction Sound will once again be running its demo room at the Holiday Inn, adjacent to PLASA Focus’ Main Hall 2 entrance. The company will also be showcasing its BP18 Atlas sub alongside its new portable front of house stack.

IN DEVELOPMENT In addition, visitors will be able to take advantage of the free Professional Development Programme running alongside the show.

More than 20 seminars and demonstrations will be delivered by industry experts, providing an opportunity to learn new skills and have questions answered.

Director of events Chris Toulmin comments: “This year will see the expansion of the Professional Development Programme in Leeds, providing visitors with more sessions to choose from than ever before, all delivered by respected industry figures.”

Kicking off at 11:30 on Tuesday 29 April, Wayne Howell, managing director at Artistic Licence, will examine

the crossover between DMX512 and DALI in ‘When DMX Gets Surreal – Bringing DALI into the Picture’. He will cover issues including the differing speeds, cable topology and functionalities of the two protocols.

Isac Alkstrand of Wireless Solution will discuss how to get the best experience with wireless lighting controls in ‘Wireless Lighting Control with DMX and RDM’. With more products having RDM added as a standard feature, this is an opportunity to find out about the advantages of using

DMX for controlling fixtures and RDM for fast configuration and diagnosis.

On Wednesday 30 April, a day of audio talks and demos will take place in the Bury Theatre. Sponsored by Soulsound, these sessions are aimed at sound engineers and will provide expert advice on how to progress in the industry, as well as demonstrations and question and answer sessions with some of the most influential thinkers in pro audio.

Highlights include ‘What Does Good Sound Sound Like?’ in which a trio of audio experts will examine what we perceive as “good sound”. Tony Andrews and John Newsham of Funktion-One and live sound engineer Roger Lindsay will demonstrate the influence of individual links in the audio chain. An interactive discussion of individual perception will also take place.

In ‘An Insight into the World of RF – Is it a Dark Art?’ Tuomo Tolonen of Shure Distribution UK will unravel the mysteries of RF, enabling engineers to be confident in their dealings with radio mics and IEMs – now an integral, yet often misunderstood, part of the pro-audio skill base. www.plasafocus.com/leeds

Cadac is showing the CDC eight production console running V2 software and SAM show automation

www.installation-international.com

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46 47 48 IE166 Technology New Products_Final 04/04/2014 16:41 Page 1

TECHNOLOGY: NEW PRODUCTS

What’s new

Our selection of the latest products for the installation market, many of which debuted at Prolight + Sound

POWERSOFT

Install ation

X SERIES IT’S… Two new power

amplifiers, the X8 and X4.

DETAILS: The X Series is said to offer versatility, flexibility and power without compromising on size, efficiency and audio quality. A key feature of X Series is that it integrates a large amount of functionality, generally only found in separate outboard units. This includes an innovative system of channel routing, a universal mono, bi

and three-phase balancing power supply, and a fully featured DSP. The X8 is the largest amplifier in the range, boasting eight channels in a 2U chassis, while the X4 features four channels in a single rack unit.

Both models share the same power density, being capable of delivering up to 5,200W @ 2 ohms per channel.

The modular construction of both units permits the rear input/output connections to

feature either XLR/speakON or Phoenix connectors, depending on the requirement of the specific application.

Signal management and processing architecture is composed of six separate sections: input source selection; input processing; matrix; pre-output processing; speaker routing; and output processing.

PRODU OF TH CT MONT E H

redundant Dante digital streams and analogue inputs, providing up to four different selectable input sources per channel.

AVAILABLE: May www.powersoft-audio.com

AND ALSO: The X Series natively supports AES3, two

BARCO 6P

IT’S… Barco’s first commercially available 6P laser-illuminated projector.

DETAILS: Featuring the company’s Laser3D technology, the unit is said to be the most compact 60,000-lumen projector available, and the first DCI-compliant laser projector that is capable of showing 4K content at 60fps and 3D movies in full 4K resolution.

The projector is able to

minimise speckle – even on silver screens – eliminating the need for a mechanical screenvibrating system to achieve the desired image quality.

Additionally, the laser projector comes with Barco’s brand-new generation of projector electronics and is enhanced with Barco Alchemy technology. It can replace a dual-stacked setup of xenonbased digital cinema projectors and still offer double 3D brightness in Color3D, while

reducing energy levels by 40% and eliminating the need to align and maintain two projectors.

AND ALSO: Barco will be installing its first 4K commercial laser projectors in the US and China during Q2 and throughout the rest of the world in Q4 2014.

AVAILABLE: Now www.barco.com

SOUNDCRAFT

L-ACOUSTICS

VI3000

IT’S… The latest addition to Soundcraft’s Vi range of digital live consoles.

DETAILS: The Vi3000 features the company’s SpiderCore technology – a powerful integrated DSP and I/O engine based on Harman’s Studer technology. It is also the first from Soundcraft to incorporate a built-in 64 x 64 Dante interface, opening up options for direct recording/playback via Ethernet connection to PC- or

46 April 2014

Mac-based recording software. It also enables easy integration into an existing Dante network.

The console offers full onboard mic and line I/O, and is configurable up to 48 mic line inputs and 16 line outputs using combinations of 16 channel XLR modules in four rear-mounted slots. In addition, the console includes two 64-channel expansion slots for the addition of MADIbased stageboxes. These slots can also provide access

K2 to the extensive range of D21m i/o option cards.

AND ALSO: The console incorporates the Vistonics user interface technology previously seen on Soundcraft’s Vi4 and Vi6 consoles, albeit modernised so that the 3D rotary controls and buttons have enhanced touchscreen graphics.

AVAILABLE: Now www.soundcraft.com

IT’S… A rescaled version of the K1 large-format line source, which will replace V-DOSC.

DETAILS: The main system components are the K2 fullrange element with Panflex horizontal steering, operating from 35Hz to 20kHz; the K1SB low-frequency element, reinforcing LF contour down to 30Hz or LF throw down to 35Hz; the SB28 lowfrequency element, extending the operating bandwidth down to 25Hz; and the LA4X/LA8 amplified controllers or LA-RAK, touring rack fitted with three LA8.

The K2 line source features L-Acoustics’ Wavefront Sculpture Technology. Interelement angles can be

accurately set up to 10˚, allowing optimisation of the vertical coverage with SPL smoothly spread across the audience.

AND ALSO: Panflex horizontal steering technology combines mechanically adjustable fins with DSP algorithms effective from 300Hz. Four different settings are possible: two symmetric (70° or 110°) and two asymmetric (90°, as either 35°/55° or 55°/35°).

AVAILABLE: Now www.l-acoustics.com

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TECHNOLOGY: NEW PRODUCTS

AUDAC

SMA, SMQ SERIES IT’S… A pair of Class D power amplifiers featuring Audac’s WaveDynamics audio processing technology.

DETAILS: Currently consisting of six models, the SMA and SMQ Series come in different output configurations with two or four channels and are available in output powers of 350W, 500W and 750W. The WaveDynamics DSP processor in combination with the 2.5in LCD display on each unit offers intuitive functions overview for easy configuration.

Acoustics can be optimised using the filters selectable between Low/High and Band Pass and the seven-band equaliser which both have

adjustable frequencies and Q-factor. Other functions provided are delay and dynamic bass boost. These settings can be custom configured using the front panel of the amplifier, whereby access can be given in two different levels (User and Administrator) using password or USB-key protection.

Loudspeaker protection is provided by an output power limiter whereby the maximum output wattage for every channel can be configured.

AND ALSO: Input flexibility and source compatibility is provided by the input selection matrix in combination with the XLR and terminal block signal connections. The outputs are performed using speaker and terminal block connections.

System integration is simplified using the RS-232 control port.

AVAILABLE: Now www.audac.eu

ROBE

LEDBEAM 1000 IT’S… A new addition to the

enabling a zoom of 4-60º with full beam control, giving an extremely tight and intense beam for long throws or a smooth even wash.

Robin LED series.

DETAILS: The LEDBeam 1000 can be used as a beam or a wash light. It is based on an array of powerful 15W RGBW LED multichips with optics developed for a high output.

Its moving head is fitted with fast-spin motors which use the same software driving technique as Robe’s Pointe and Robin 100 LEDBeam.

Flexibility is central to the unit, which features a proprietary optical system

AND ALSO: Also new from Robe are the CycFX 4 moving linear strip, the PARFect 100 LED PAR and Actor 3, 6 and 12, static versions of Robe’s LEDWash moving heads.

AVAILABLE: Now www.robe.cz

STAGETEC

POLARIS EVOLUTION IT’S… A fully personalised network mixing console.

DETAILS: Polaris evolution consists of three main components: Polaris access, the control surface; the multiuser capable audio processor, Polaris scala; and the touchscreen upgrade, Polaris view. Almost any number of these modules can be combined within an IP network, irrespective of physical location, and can also be used in parallel simultaneously for different mixing projects. This enables users to select the appropriate audio processing power for each application with the required number of fader strips and controls.

A single Polaris access has 16 faders and the same number of dual rotary encoders, 48 buttons and a display screen strip across the width of the console. The

Polaris view touchscreen upgrade can be docked at an angle onto Polaris evolution and provides a convenient user interface.

Polaris access provides remote control of the Polaris scala audio processor in the new mixer concept. Polaris scala is a 19in unit for 256 audio inputs and 256 busses.

Units can be cascaded to achieve larger numbers of audio channels when required.

www.installation-international.com

AND ALSO: Polaris evolution is scalable and user friendly: if another Polaris module is plugged into the network, it is registered automatically. The user decides which mixing process it will be used for and whether to integrate it in parallel mode or as a supplementary device, all without any major changes to the configuration.

AVAILABLE: End of 2014 www.stagetec.com

April 2014 47

46 47 48 IE166 Technology New Products_Final 04/04/2014 16:41 Page 3

TECHNOLOGY: NEW PRODUCTS

NEXO GEO M6

IT’S… A new compact loudspeaker series.

DETAILS: The GEO M6 Series comprises the GEO M620 arrayable cabinet and the GEO M6B bass extension.

The GEO M620 is a full-range unit for standalone, curved array or line array application.

Compact in size (191 x 373 x

260mm) and lightweight (less than 10kg), the GEO M620 uses a Nexo-designed longexcursion high-efficiency 6.5in LF driver and a 1in throat driver on a BEA/FEA optimised HR Wavesource, to deliver a frequency response of 80Hz19kHz ±3dB, with nominal peak SPL of 127dB. HF dispersion is 80° or 120° horizontal, with 20° vertical

STRAND LIGHTING NEO

IT’S… A new lighting control console designed to make programming faster and more accurate.

DETAILS: Neo features up to 100 universes of DMX per console, 10 motorised submasters and five motorised multi-function faders.

Icons and Shutter controls are represented graphically on the display, saving time and presenting meaningful data to the operator. Floating windows allow the operator to configure their views their way, making it easier to find information.

Effects are enhanced with ‘Time Line’ features, allowing

drag and drop to create perfectly timed sequences.

The show is even secured on a mission critical-grade SQL server, ensuring no data loss.

Boot time is massively reduced with high-speed solid-state disk drives, making Neo robust for everyday and touring use.

AND ALSO: Other features include dual motorised grand masters, individually controlled backlit keys and colour LCD screens for encoder assignment.

coverage, 0° to 20° splay when arrayed.

The GEO M6B is a low and mid-frequency extension box, for applications that demand more powerful reinforcement, such as live music. With one 6.5in 8-ohm long-excursion driver, the M6B weighs just 7.6kg and shares the same physical footprint as the M620, allowing the cabinets to be

DETAILS: The DD12 combines onboard networking, DSP and Class D amplification with state-of-the-art transducers and Differential Dispersion horn technology to achieve high performance in terms of fidelity, output capability and coverage consistency across the audience.

The system is designed to meet a multitude of premium standalone and distributed sound reinforcement requirements, including concert hall and house of worship installations. As well as acting as the main PA in small to medium-sized rooms, 48 April 2014

lightweight polyurethane composite, the GEO M6 cabinets are available to order in any RAL colour designation.

AVAILABLE: Now www.nexo.fr

QL SERIES

IT’S… A new range of digital mixing consoles.

DETAILS: The QL series comprises two models, the QL1 and QL5. The QL1 features 16 inputs and eight outputs in a 468mm-wide chassis, while the QL5 has 32 ins/16 outs and measures 828.4mm wide. The QL1 has 32 mono and eight stereo input channels; the QL5 has 64 mono and eight stereo.

QL consoles are suitable for small to medium-sized

productions on their own; however, onboard Dante networking allows them to be integrated into bigger systems with Yamaha’s R-series i/o units and CL series consoles. Up to eight R-series units can be simultaneously controlled by a QL console, offering as many as 256 input sources.

A brand new Port-to-Port facility gives CL series consoles access to the onboard connections of QL consoles, allowing them to

be used as external i/o. This allows precisely scalable audio solutions to be created.

AND ALSO: Yamaha is also launching a QL version of the StageMix iPad remote control app and a fully fledged online/offline editor for Windows and Mac, QL Editor.

AVAILABLE: Now www.yamahaproaudio.com

AVAILABLE: May www.strandlighting.com

ETC

COBALT 10

DD12

loudspeaker system.

AND ALSO: Made out of a

YAMAHA

MARTIN AUDIO IT’S… A multipurpose two-way

arrayed together in the same column.

it can also be used as an infill loudspeaker in large-scale systems.

Whether configured as an element in a standalone DD12 system or part of a larger MLA/MLA Compact system, individual DD12s can be controlled and monitored from a laptop or wireless tablet PC via VU-NET proprietary software. PC connection can be made directly via USB, or via Martin Audio’s U-NET network and Merlin loudspeaker and network management system.

user-generated DSP preset ‘snapshots’ to be recalled by means of a preset selector button on the rear panel, instead of using computer control.

AVAILABLE: Now www.martin-audio.com

IT’S… A more compact version of the Cobalt 20 lighting desk.

dock enable hands-on control and fast programming.

DETAILS: Cobalt 10 has high-

AVAILABLE: Summer 2014

resolution, 12in multi-touch displays that articulate, for ease of adjustment in small spaces. It also has a smaller master playback area than Cobalt 20, with 10 motorised faders and 10 backlit, colour coded endless pots. It has 5,000 channels to control dimmers, LEDs, moving lights, media servers and more, on up to 32 universes of output, without the need for additional processing hardware.

AND ALSO: The DD12’s

AND ALSO: Direct access tools

internal memory allows factory ‘plug-and-play’ or

such as Device Encoders and a touch-based Device Controls

www.etc.com

www.installation-international.com

50 52 IE166 Showcase Technology_Final 04/04/2014 14:25 Page 1

TECHNOLOGY: SHOWCASE

Cabling and connectors Cabling is the lifeblood of any installation, but it can sometimes be overlooked as a minor consideration. But without the proper cabling system in place, including the necessary connectors, there could be a dramatic reduction in the quality of the delivered signal. James McGrath reports

{ Sommer saves cables from a watery grave } The Aqua Marinex Watertight cable series from Sommer Cable was designed in response to increasing requests from the installation and professional PA sector for a cable for use in and around water.

A polyurethane jacket, which is resistant to both salt water and microbes, enables the cable to be installed at depths between 50m and 100m.

Deployments at such depths are made possible by a

protection sleeve, which prevents moisture getting in the cable and also is sufficiently strong to compensate for the pressure at low depths.

The cable also features a UVresistant and sand-repellent jacket surface that makes the cable suitable for use outdoors – for instance on boats or offshore sites.

In addition, the jacket is halogen-free and flame-

retardant and is certified to protection class IEC 332-1.

There are currently several audio, video and network cables available within the series.

These include: AES/EBU microphone cable; 2.5sqmm and 4sqmm speaker cables; RG59 video (75 ohms) and phono cable; HD-SDI video (75 ohms) and phono cable; 3 x 2.5sqmm electrical cable; and Cat6 network cable. Sommer Cable also makes custom derivatives

at certain minimum order quantities.

Applications for this highquality cable series include water oases, fountains and sediment technology, as well as ship and boat building, and adventure and amusement parks. The range is also suitable for winter and outdoor sports grounds, sea events, and underwater film and video technology installations. www.sommercable.com

{ Neutrik toughens up RJ45 connections } The growing use of Ethernet in harsh, demanding environments led Neutrik to develop its etherCON series of rugged RJ45 connectors.

Such application areas are possible thanks to a chassis that features a universally accepted size D rugged metal housing, which protects the connector against mechanical loads. Also made

of metal is the cable connector carrier, whose chuck type strain relief mechanism holds the cable securely, while its locking mechanism prevents accidental unplugging. Both the strain relief mechanism and a separate approved latch lock system are patented Neutrik technologies that aren’t found on any other

RJ45 connector.

The cable connector carrier accepts the most common RJ45 plugs. It is designed to protect Ethernet connections in a variety of commercialtype applications and to prevent breakage of the fragile components of standard RJ45 connectors.

The RJ45 cable connector carrier can be mounted on

preassembled RJ45 plugs. It can also be used to upgrade a conventional RJ45 connector to an extremely robust lockable solution.

Furthermore, coloured ‘boots’ are available as an accessory – these make it possible to colourcode the Ethernet connections in a professional manner. www.neutrik.com

{VDC e-lab-orates on fibre termination } VDC’s offering for this feature isn’t a single cable or connector product, but an easy way for installations to benefit from a fibre cable termination service.

The company highlights the ever-advancing convergence of networked audio, video and broadcast as a key factor in the need for installation with higher bandwidth – something that copper-based solutions can provide (in 10G networks) but only up to certain lengths.

Fibre optic cabling can deliver the necessary data speeds over longer distances. Fibre is also immune to radio frequency and electromagnetic interference, so proximity to electrical cables is not an issue.

50 April 2014

Cable routing can be simplified and chasing/plastering/ redecorating kept to an absolute minimum.

It was previously more common for installers to pull a fibre cable during a project and then leave it unterminated for future use. But now the trend is moving more towards installations specified with fully terminated fibre cables.

Enter VDC’s fibre lab.

The fibre lab is the only facility of its type to be located in central London, and the company says its 26 years of experience in copper-based solutions gives it a special insight into the needs of the AV installation market.

There are several factors that make pre-terminated cable assemblies more attractive to installers. One is the common issues that are encountered when terminating onsite, such as the requirement for an onsite contractor with specialist skills and equipment.

With offsite terminating these are removed, meaning a reduction in costs. Another factor is that working conditions on site are usually dirtier and dustier than those found off site; using an offsite pre-terminated cable ensures that system attenuation caused by contaminated connectivity is not an issue. www.vdctrading.com www.installation-international.com

50 52 IE166 Showcase Technology_Final 04/04/2014 14:26 Page 2

TECHNOLOGY: SHOWCASE

{

Field-terminated HDMI from Procab

Pre-made HDMI cables are available in many different varieties for the vast needs of digital high-resolutions video, multichannel audio and data connections. But pre-made cables aren’t suitable for every application, such as projects where a cable needs to be integrated within a wall and cabling tubes are already provided. In this situation, when the connectors are too wide for the tube, it can be difficult or even impossible to pull the cable through the restricted space without damaging it .

For these instances and others, Procab designed the HDMI Contractor Series.

According to the company, this is

the world’s first system that allows integrators and installers to assemble their own HDMI cable according to the requirements of the specific application without any soldering, heat-shrinking tubes or other complex operations.

Procab makes available two types of bulk cable: one has a thickness of 24AWG, the other 26AWG. These can be cut to the desired length, and then a 19-pin HDMI connector can be mounted. For on-site testing and assembly of the cable, a contractor toolbox is available which

}

contains everything the integrator needs to easily create an appropriate HDMI cable: a crimping tool, a cable tester and 20 connectors for assembly.

According to Procab, assembly of the connectors on the cable only takes a few

minutes. The integrator simply needs to unwrap the cable jacket, insert the cables in the right order into the two cable holders, and marry them to the HDMI connector. A single squeeze of the crimping tool will then ensure the cable is ready to be used. The cable tester can be used to determine that the connections have been made properly. www.procab.be

{Canford doubles up} Canford’s D’n’A series (digital and analogue) FST and FSTLFH cables have been designed for audio applications requiring both digital and analogue data streams. The cable has an impedance of 100 ohms, which has been proven to be suitable for AES/EBU digital audio as well as analogue microphone and line level signals.

The cables are only 4mm in diameter, so more of them can be fitted into a cable tray.

Canford makes the standard version of the cable, the FST, available in Box-paks for easy installation. The Boxpak system utilises a unique method of winding the cable into a ‘ball’ which is then enclosed within a sturdy corrugated box with feed-out ‘nozzle’ and carrying handles.

The cable can be withdrawn from the box without effort as a one-man operation, and will not snag or twist. The ‘ball’ retains its shape within the box so it feeds out easily, right to the last metre. This format of cable dispensing has particular advantages for installers working on site.

The other version of the

cable is the low fire hazard variety, the FST-LFH. Canford points out that wiring specifications for many public buildings now call for LFH cables to be used in certain areas, notably in corridors. When exposed to fire, the FST-LFH cables have a significantly reduced smoke emission, and the gaseous products contain no toxic halogens.

The D'n'A series uses polypropylene insulation, which shrinks back minimally during soldering – considerably less than PVC or polyethylene. www.canford.co.uk

{Klotz broadcasts its LEMO certification} Klotz describes its range of SMPTE camera cables and LEMO connector solutions as the ultimate standard for professional broadcast cameras that use fibre optics.

The Sochi Olympics as well as the Galatasaray football stadium in Istanbul both installed this particular Klotz cable solution.

The company is one of just a few certified LEMO assemblers – something which the company puts down to 30 years of expertise and proven knowledge of the market.

Klotz is able to provide a one-stop shop by manufacturing the cable to an installer’s exact specification because it has its own SMPTE 311M bulk cable (CAM311, which features a polyurethane [PUR] flameretardant, non-corrosive jacket). This is beneficial because customers generally 52 April 2014

can’t assemble cables of this type on site, so they need to be delivered to the project at the required length along with all termination panels and accessories to meet the broadcaster’s own regulations.

All SMPTE cables come with a measurement sheet containing 2D and 3D analysis. The CAM311 camera cable complies with the SMPTE 311M

standard for HDTV cameras, with LEMO connectors in accordance with SMPTE 304M. The SMPTE 311M connecting cable, for example, is a premade cable for direct connection of a camera to a CCU or wall box/panel in a camera system.

The hybrid cable transmits the camera signal, connects the camera to a power supply and includes signal conductors for

remote control signals. Other features of the cable include: quality LEMO connectors with a protective elastomer connector sleeve; HD Camera Cable CAM311 (PUR outer jacket); two E9/125μm singlemode optical fibre conductors;

six copper conductors (four power, two remote control); central stranded steel strength member for strain relief; and a PUR jacket to equip the cable for mobile outdoor applications. www.klotz-ais.com

www.installation-international.com

55 56 IE166 Solutions 1_Final 04/04/2014 16:34 Page 1

SOLUTIONS: DIGITAL HUMANITIES HUB, UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM UNITED KINGDOM

Digging deep

tion Installa

OF THE MONTH

All screens are tightly networked, enabling a visitor to move the content they are looking at from wall to tabletop to handheld device

[ABOUT THE INSTALLER]

An evolving exhibition uses digital technology both to enhance the visitor experience and to help organisers build up a profile of who their visitors are and what’s grabbing their attention, reports James McGrath CREATING NEW and innovative ways of presenting content is key to operations at the University of Birmingham’s Digital Humanities Hub. The research facility is dedicated to developing digital technologies that enrich learning experiences in the spheres of heritage and culture.

At the heart of the facility is the Chowen and Garfield Weston Foundation Digital Prototyping Hall. The hall has been transformed into an elaborate fusion of interactive research and exhibition space thanks to the use of digital technology – a result made possible by an intricate collaboration between the university and

AV visualisation specialist Mechdyne Corporation.

INTERACTIVE EXCAVATION The large-scale state-of-theart 3D visualisation lab works on two levels. The first is essentially as a museum exhibition space, delivering content and engaging educational experiences to visitors.

The Hub’s staff are continually assembling and adding to the facility’s collectable materials and archives, using ultra-high resolution scanning to sample and catalogue items in 2D and 3D formats. These include items ranging from ancient artifacts and fossils to medieval maps, historical postcards and documents –

www.installation-international.com

most of which are far too fragile to be moved or displayed in a traditional gallery setting.

To present the vast quantities of subject matter to visitors, Mechdyne installed multiple touchscreens to create a comprehensive interactive experience. The exhibition space includes a mix of multitouch displays, including four Panasonic 65in plasma displays, used as both touchtables and wall mounted, a single Samsung SUR40 touchtable running the Microsoft Surface operating system, and an Ideum MT55 touchtable (Pro Table International edition).

Numerous 3D-enabled Sony Bravia 65in LCDs were also

fitted to ensure objects could be fully manipulated and every detail explored.

To immerse visitors fully in the space, Mechdyne installed a 3m x 2m 4K 3D multi-touch wall constructed from Barco OLS 70in HD display cubes.

On entering the space, visitors are provided with a variety of tablets and handheld devices to take to the exhibition. “A visitor to the museum can walk up to a collection of assets displayed on a screen, touch a virtual folder to open it, and spread its assets out on a virtual desktop,” explains Dr Richard Clay, senior lecturer at the university and co-director of the Hub. “They can use familiar touchscreen gestures

Founded in 1996, Mechdyne is a leading provider of visual information technologies, with offices located around the world. It provides customised solutions that include consulting, software, technical services and hardware integration Its array of services is designed to transform complex data into insights and ideas Customers of the company include government laboratories, energy companies, universities, manufacturing and design firms Mechdyne’s founders developed the first commercial CAVE to be driven with off-the-shelf PCs, the first rearprojected curved screen immersive visualisation system, and the first reconfigurable immersive room, the FLEX April 2014 55

55 56 IE166 Solutions 1_Final 04/04/2014 16:34 Page 2

SOLUTIONS: DIGITAL HUMANITIES HUB, UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM [INSTALLED]

Special headwear is designed to intricately track each individual’s head movements and gaze

to select a particular asset, rotate and manipulate it, and zoom in on it to extraordinarily fine detail.”

All screens – large and small, stationary and mobile – are tightly networked, enabling a visitor to move the content they are looking at from wall to tabletop to handheld device. “They can drag an item to their device, and share it using hand gestures to ‘flick’ it to the device of the person next to them,” says Clay.

The Hub’s virtual technology enables visitors to manipulate and examine objects in far more intricate detail than a static glass display case could ever provide.

DIGGING DEEPER But beyond the visitor experience, Mechdyne has taken the technology to another level – far beyond a standard interactive museum exhibit. One thing that was clear from the integrator’s conversations with the university was the latter’s desire to gain insight into what people were looking at and what they liked, to create better and more interesting museums.

“Ideally, we want to get people to approach the process without focusing on technology at all,” comments Julien Berta, Mechdyne’s VP of technology and innovation.

“That’s not easy to do, particularly with people who are all, themselves, very tech savvy. But we try to get them to focus on the larger question: what are they trying to achieve, and how will they measure success?”

A range of technologies delivers the valuable analytics and research data that are essential to the operations and work of the facility.

Gathering that data begins 56 April 2014

when visitors enter the space, where they agree to be outfitted with special headwear designed to intricately track each individual’s head movements and gaze. As they move around the gallery, information is compiled on which exhibits they select, how they display them, and which items they focus on.

The result is a wealth of data that can be analysed to gain deep insight and understanding into user patterns and preferences.

“What we have created is essentially a 3D model of the room,” explains Clay. “Our researchers can see people moving around in real time [via 22 Bonita cameras] and get information on what they look at and what they do. At any point during the day, we can query and get a view of the whole room, with thumbnails of what’s playing where. We can compile that information, analyse it, and extract certain data from it.”

It’s that information which offers a unique insight into people’s choices and viewing habits, as well as an invaluable perspective for museum curators and others who put together exhibitions.

“We can measure responses of a given population to different materials, and finetune things accordingly,” says Clay. “It helps content providers put together better exhibits, which ultimately benefits visitors.”

Berta compares the solution to a website, as much of the experience is an online experience. “We can delineate by age or demographic, and tell you how many times someone has looked at a particular piece of art that day, that week, that month, how long they lingered, where they came from before that and where they went next,” he

says. “We’re using the analytical power of the web and applying it to a physical space, with digital content.”

NATURAL EVOLUTION The Hub’s technology has already exceeded the university’s initial expectations. PhD students are using the system with an array of fossils and sabre tooth tiger skulls; one student is running an experiment in which someone walks up to the tiger skull, touches the display with their smartphone and the skull appears on their phone. They can then rotate the image, go over to the wall-mounted screen and, thanks to gesture programming, flick the image from their phone onto the large screen to zoom in on it; or they can send it to the tables where they can then look at maps

VIDEO Barco OLS-721 70in Full HD LED display cubes Samsung SUR40 touchtable Ideum MT55 touchtable Sony Bravia XBR-65HX950 65in 3D LCDs Panasonic TH-65PF30ER 65in 1080p plasmas Vicon Bonita B3 and B10 cameras Volfoni Edge 1.3 RF 3D glasses Volfoni Activehub 3D sync signal converters Sony DLDR816 rechargeable 3D glasses

to see the tigers’ geographical habitats. This wasn’t in the system’s initial plans, but it gives an idea of its expansion potential.

A social media aspect to the technology has also grown from the exhibition.

Visitors can check in at the museum on their smartphone, walk up to a display and use their device to discover more about particular artifacts on display.

They can then click ‘like’ and the item will then appear on their social network page, along with a picture of what they were looking at.

In addition, the university is already offering ideas as to how the system can be implemented to facilitate commerce. “There’s ample potential for integrating this experience with the museum’s store, as well,” says Berta. “You could have an option to click ‘buy’ and be

Extron DTP DVI 301 TX/RX extender transmitters/ receivers Extron DA4 RGBHV distribution amplifier Digi-Key Wavestation 2012ND function generator AUDIO Gefen EXT-DIGAUD-141 digital audio extenders Yamaha YAS-101 5.1 soundbar Denon AVR-1713 5.1 channel receiver Tannoy TS2.10 10in sub JBL Control 23 two-way mid/high speakers Tang Band W3-1053SC 3in drivers Extron XPA 1002 amplifiers

presented with items from the store that feature that article – prints, postcards, coffee mugs, whatever – choose what you want, and place it in your shopping cart.

When you get to the exit area, your device will ask if you want to complete your transaction, and when you leave the museum your purchase is waiting for you.” www.barco.com www.denon.co.uk www.digikey.co.uk www.extron.com www.gefen.com www.ideum.com www.jblpro.com www.mechdyne.com business.panasonic.co.uk www.samsung.com pro.sony.eu www.tannoy.com www.tb-speaker.com www.vicon.com www.volfoni.com www.yamahaproaudio.com

Objects can be manipulated and examined in close detail

www.installation-international.com

58 IE166 Solutions 2_Final 04/04/2014 11:11 Page 1

SOLUTIONS: BOOOM!, IBIZA SPAIN

Business is boooming If you’re a manufacturer moving into club audio, you couldn’t wish for a better showcase than Ibiza’s newest nightspot. Paddy Baker gives it large IT DOESN’T often happen on an installation visit that we get a complete technical rundown and also manage to see the facility in use. Our visit to Booom!, Ibiza’s newest club, is a happy exception: we enjoy a full walk-through tour with Alex Barrand of Pioneer, and later we return to see the venue in full swing – or, at least, as full as the swing gets in out-of-season March.

On the back of its major presence in the world of DJ equipment, Pioneer moved into the club loudspeaker market last year with the launch of the GS-WAVE stack and the XY series, developed in association with Gary Stewart Audio. Something of a legend in the field of nightclub speaker design and manufacture, Gary Stewart sadly died midway through the Pioneer project, but his widow was keen to see the work continue as a legacy to him.

And after Barrand demonstrated the new speakers to Giuseppe Cipriani, who was looking to open a club on the island for the summer 2013 season, he soon had an order for their first major installation.

An experienced sound engineer, Barrand’s credentials include helping to design the Martin Audio installation at London’s Ministry of Sound. His role at Pioneer – professional audio manager – encompasses sales, product development,

AUDIO Pioneer GS-WAVE

speaker stacks Pioneer XY-122 12in

monitor speakers Pioneer XY-215S 15in

quasi-bandpass subwoofers Pioneer XY-81 8in ultracompact speakers Pioneer XY-118S 18in bass reflex speakers Pioneer WAV-TWPOD omnidirectional tweeter arrays Powersoft K-2, K-3 and K-6 amplifiers BSS Soundweb London BLU-160 and BLU-100 signal processors

A GS-WAVE stack stands 3m high at each corner of the dancefloor. These are complemented by speakers from the XY series

system design, tuning and even programming. He put together a graphical interface for the Soundweb London BLU units that control the system at Booom. This resides on his laptop; as we walk around, he uses it to bring up the levels in each area of the club in turn.

There’s chest-pumping bass, and good definition in the mid and high ranges.

CORNER STACKS The heart of the installation is the four GS-WAVE speaker stacks positioned at the corners of the dancefloor.

Three metres high, each stack comprises a WAV-SUB multi-

Alex Barrand at the DJ booth, which features four 12in monitors and two 15in quasi bandpass subwoofers from Pioneer’s XY range

58 April 2014

[INSTALLED]

fold hyperbolic horn subwoofer with two 18in rear-loaded drivers, with a large horn extension; two high-power WAV-LOW speakers for the low to mid range; and on top, the WAV-LENS, loaded with two coaxial compression drivers and fitted with a Pioneer Acoustic Lens (a set of downward-angled slats) for 110º horizontal dispersion.

Additional top-end coverage is provided by WAV-TWPOD omnidirectional tweeter arrays suspended from the ceiling.

Developed alongside the GS-WAVE is the XY series, which consists of an 8in and a 12in full-range enclosure, and an 18in and a dual-15in sub.

These have been deployed in the various zones throughout the club, such as VIP areas, paid seating and the space behind the DJ’s decks, which is generally reserved for the DJ’s friends. Barrand has designed the system to produce even coverage in each of these areas, without any sonic ‘hot spots’. By time-aligning the system, he has also ensured that there is sonic cohesion as you move through the club.

PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP Both speaker ranges were developed in conjunction with Powersoft. While Pioneer has its own range of consumer amplifiers, for the professional range it wanted to work with one of the big names in amplification. Powersoft

proved to be an excellent fit: partnering with Pioneer suited the Italian company’s wish to move more into the installation market, says Barrand, and the ampifier maker gave quick, detailed feedback following their meetings. Barrand observes: “I’ve used Powersoft before, prior to working for Pioneer, and I’ve always been very pleased with the results – power handling, the small physical size, and the software – it’s great to have that inbuilt DSP.” He continues: “When we were designing the speakers, we wanted to build them from the ground up with an amplifier that we can recommend. You can use any amplifier, but it’s better to match the performance of the amplifier to the speaker. It enables you to have consistency in your design.”

While Barrand wanted VIP visitors to be able to adjust the levels in their areas, he felt that a volume control button would not be robust enough. Instead, they pass a request to club staff, who use his control interface to make the adjustment. The interface can also be used for to adjust the EQ – usually to make the dancefloor less ‘boomy’ at the start of the night when fewer people are there.

The installation was carried out by local company The Shop Ibiza, run by Simeon

[ABOUT THE INSTALLER] The Shop Ibiza has 13

years’ experience in party planning, event design, production and management It is based in Ibiza and

Barcelona, and has clients that span Europe It is the only company

authorised to sell and support Pioneer speakers in Ibiza Friend. “They really enjoyed working directly with Pioneer – this was a whole new business for them,” says Barrand.

“Simeon’s gained a lot of exposure from the project – and we’re planning another installation with them.”

Our tour of the club finished, we head off for a late dinner (the main Ibiza clubs don’t open till midnight) and then back to the club, where we get the chance to hear the system in full flow. The sound is just as impressive as during our demo, and we make use of the laptop to turn up the levels in our VIP area. Fortunately we resist the temptation to do the same for other parts of the club.

Some time later, we look in at Pacha on the way back to our hotel – but to our ears, the system doesn’t sound as good as the one we’ve just left. www.bssaudio.com www.gsany.com www.pioneerproaudio.com www.powersoftaudio.com www.theshopibiza.com

www.installation-international.com

Date: Tuesday, June 3rd 2014 Venue: BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly, London Formidable line-up of speakers will include:

PROGRAMME & FIRST SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED For details visit www.beyondhdmasters.com

John Ive Director of business development and technology for the IABM

David Wood Chairman of the World Broadcasting Unions Technical Committee, Consultant, Technology and Innovation at European Broadcasting Union

Simon Gauntlett Technology Director of the DTG

Stephan Heimbecher Head of innovations and standards at Sky Deutschland

WHO SHOULD ATTEND Directors of Technology, Heads of Production at independent production companies, Directors of equipment rental or hire, Heads of Outside Broadcasts, Production Managers, Senior Directors, Heads of Cameras, Chief Engineers, Programme Operations Managers, Stereographers, Producers, Directors of Broadcasting, Studio Directors, Technical Consultants, Research Engineers

SAVE £1g 0th0e !

by bookin y bird rate incredible earl

£149 plus VAT

pril

th A WHY ATTEND? Offer ends 30 Discover the media eco-chain for ultra-HD Hear from the world standardisation leaders Case studies from high-profile production trials Find out the future for 3D TV in Europe Tech insights into frame rates, codecs, formats Meet the key market influencers and vendors Network with technology & production colleagues Know what the Beyond HD roadmap looks like

PREVIOUS ATTENDEES INCLUDE Orange, ITV, Sony Pictures, Arqiva, 20th Century Fox, Telenor, Panavision Europe, BBC, S4C, Discovery Networks Europe, Sky, Pro TV, Siemens, MTV International, Dolby, EDU, Digital TV Group, Deluxe, Cambridge Research Systems Ltd, BKSTS, Bath University, Atlantic Productions, Finnish Broadcasting Co.,Fountain Studios, France Telecom/Orange Labs A TVBEurope event

Follow us on Twitter

@BeyondHDMasters Gold Sponsors Richard Mills Chief Technical Officer at ONSIGHT

Andy Quested Head of Technology for HD and UHD, BBC

To book your tickets visit: www.beyondhdmasters.com or call Debbie Opeyokun +44 (0) 20 7354 6001 For details on sponsorship opportunities, please contact: Ben Ewles on +44 (0)207 354 6000 or ben.ewles@intentmedia.co.uk Beyond HD Masters 2014 House Ad_Fpv4.indd 1

Steve Connolly on +44 (0)207 354 6000 or steve.connolly@intentmedia.co.uk

Richard Carr on +44 (0)207 354 6000 or richard.carr@intentmedia.co.uk 07/04/2014 12:07

60 IE166 Solutions 3_Final 04/04/2014 09:19 Page 1

SOLUTIONS: SAPHYRE, BELFAST UNITED KINGDOM

A shining example

Every function in the restaurant can be turned on or off with a single button

A new high-end restaurant’s decision to invest in lighting and audio control is leaving more time to focus on customer service, writes Tom Bradbury FOLLOWING A wholesale reworking of one of Belfast’s most prominent out-of-use churches, high-end eatery Saphyre has now opened to the public.

Attached to the restaurant is the studio of Irish interior designer Kris Turnbull, who installed an ELAN g! system to automate music and TVs in his design facility last year.

When he was approached to design the restaurant the importance of streamlining processes, so the venue runs like clockwork, was paramount. This being the case, he installed the g! system to make the lighting and music stress-free and easy to control.

“I’m blown away by the popularity of Saphyre just three months after opening,” Turnbull says. “We’ve had great reviews so far, and we’re booked three weeks in advance so it’s been a huge success. One thing that made the launch a bit easier was having the lights and music run through ELAN g! so we can adjust all the lights and speaker volumes from an iPhone as we walk around the restaurant. It saves us time when setting up or closing the restaurant because we can turn every function on or off with a single button, and set all the lighting and volume levels from an iPhone 60 April 2014

while walking through the restaurant. What the g! system really does is allow us to focus on our guests and their experience, and immediately respond if anyone wants more light or quieter music at their table.”

Working with Matthew Booth of Indigo Distribution, Turnbull helped design the lighting and audio systems to maximise the upscale ambience of the restaurant.

The Belfast Telegraph described the dining room at Saphyre as ”part Faberge egg and part Fifth Avenue apartment as might have been occupied by Jackie Onassis”. In addition to the audio and lighting, everything from the flooring to the tables to the server uniforms was carefully considered to create a stark contrast to

Belfast’s flourishing hypercasual dining scene.

ATTENTION GRABBING According to Booth, any restaurant, from a sports bar to fine dining establishment, can benefit from automated system control. “Whether it’s the ability to dim all the lights at once, manage 15 TVs with 15 different channels, or simply lower the music a bit, having full control of everything on your smartphone is a huge time saver and is impressive to guests as well. People love getting special attention, so when a manager walks over and makes adjustments right in front of their eyes it brings customer service to a whole new level.”

Using 24 of Niles’ nearly invisible in-ceiling speakers,

Booth was able to provide premium audio while maintaining the design of the restaurant. In fact, one section with a step ceiling had such little space that Booth had to get creative: he took one of Niles’ new Cynema Soundfield soundbars, removed the three small individual speakers, and put all three in the ceiling – an inventive use that even Niles hadn’t considered. Using an ELAN S1616A multi-zone amplifier/controller, the speakers can be individually adjusted so that music in the bar area can be louder while the dining area is quieter.

According to Booth: “The speakers are so well placed and calibrated that we can run the system at a very loud volume, and people can still

carry on conversations. This means the guests can be surrounded by sound, but not feel drowned by it. This continues into the bathrooms, the attached boutique that sells high-end housewares, and even outside the building with Niles OS6.5 outdoor speakers.”

The KNX lighting system helped eliminate wall clutter, as there is no need for light switches in each area or room. The lighting controls, which handle 14 lighting loads, are consolidated in an equipment room and can be quickly controlled through the ELAN g! Mobile app.

“Technologies for homes and businesses are advancing at an incredible pace, and I feel it’s absolutely necessary to keep up with new developments as an interior designer,” Turnbull concludes.

“What ELAN has done is make the technology seamless, so you don’t even notice it’s there. The in-wall touchscreens are minimal and easy to use, and using the g! system allows homeowners and business owners to simplify all their systems. If someone doesn’t want light switches, thermostats, cable boxes and other technology components cluttering up their rooms, a control system allows them to put everything in a central location and control it from an iPhone or tablet. I think designers who resist learning about these systems will have trouble in the coming years as more and more clients request high-value added technologies when designing their homes or businesses.” www.elanhomesystems.com www.indigodistribution.ie www.nilesaudio.com

A KNX lighting system means there is no need for switches in each area

[INSTALLED] AUDIO

All Niles Audio DS7MP in-ceiling speakers Cynema Soundfield soundbar OS6.5 outdoor speakers CONTROL ELAN S1616A multi-

zone amplifier/ controller www.installation-international.com

We

y

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Rants and ramblings WE USUALLY go to press towards the end of each month, but this issue is a little later, for some obscure reason.

It does mean, though, that this year we are able to bring you an April Fools report. Alongside the more mainstream fake stories that hit the media – such as square eggs, Scottish pound coins bearing the likeness of Alex Salmond, and the Queen allowing fracking in the grounds of Buckingham Palace – there were a couple of more specific interest to this industry that came to us.

The first was one from Australian publication CX, which claimed that, following on from the RF spectrum sell-off, the visible light spectrum was similarly going to be broken up and auctioned. It’s just another form of electromagnetic wave, after all.

Then there was a press release from the online discussion forum Sound Forums Network, saying it had been bought for $1.1 billion by Music Group, the owner of brands such as Behringer, Midas and Turbosound. The co-founded of the site was ‘quoted’ as saying that as discussion of the company occupied all its forum traffic, being acquired by it was a logical step. As well as the usual corporate buzzwords, including “leverage the brand’s synergy on the global marketplace of the internet” and “increase velocity for all product lines”, there was a nice made-up quote from Music Group CEO Uli Behringer too: “Recently I have seen other online brands with no physical product, like Oculus and WhatsApp, sell for enormous sums. I wanted to make sure we could be part of that kind of wanton disregard for actual market value as well.”

Those that were still taken in had their illusions finally shattered by the name of the press contact at the end of the release – U.R. Gullible.

Bits and pieces from the editorial cutting-room floor

ADVERTISERS Three fashionable looks from the Twitterati

INDEX Adder Technology.................... 7 Analog Way.............................. 19 ASL................................................ 3 Ateis...........................................57 Atlas Sound.............................39 Audio-Technica....................... 14 Barco..........................................15 BenQ....................................32-33 BeyondHD.................................59 Blackmagic Design...................9 Chief...........................................54 d&b audiotechnik...................17 Datapath...................................21 Dexon........................................... 7 Gefen......................................... 27 InOut............................................. 6 InstallAwards...........................45 InstallMarket............................29 InterBee.................................... 53 Kramer.......................................25

WE COULDN’T help noticing the rather eye-catching Alex Audio stand at Prolight + Sound.

These giant speakers did actually function, but they’re not quite as they seem. If they were the scaled-up versions of conventional speakers that they appear to be, they would generate extremely lowfrequency sound. In fact there are numerous much smaller drivers around the circumference of the cone. Full marks for ingenuity, though.

Lectrosonics............................ 31 Leyard........................................ 37 Lightware....Inside front cover Martin Audio............................ 49 Meyer Sound................................. ....................Outside back cover Neutrik.......................................24 Peavey.......................................51 Pioneer...................................... 13 Rane...........................................45 Ricoh..........................................35 IF IT WASN’T enough for him to be featuring in the Twitter column trying on virtual clothes, here’s deputy editor James striking another sartorial note. On this occasion he’s modelling Robebranded gear, inspired by the lighting manufacturer’s sponsorship of the 2014 Moto GP season – and the appearance of

Czech rider Karel Abraham and his bike on the Robe stand at Prolight + Sound.

If you have any branded clothing you would like to send us for possible future inclusion on this page, our address is below. We can’t guarantee that we’ll be able to feature it, but please don’t let that stop you trying. The same applies to cakes, chocolates, alcoholic beverages...

Riedel........................Front cover Shure...................................22-23 Sommer Cable.........................47 StudioKing................................41 Taiden........... Inside back cover Vaddio........................................43

Subscriptions to Installation are free to qualified readers. Register online at www.installation-international.com/subscribe Installation is published 12 times a year by Intent Media London, 1st Floor, Suncourt House, 18-26 Essex Road, London N1 8LR, England Editorial Tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6002 Sales Tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6000 Production Tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6001 Circulation & subscription enquiries Tel: +44 (0)1580 883848 Email: installation.subscriptions@c-cms.com Editor: Paddy Baker paddy.baker@intentmedia.co.uk Managing editor: Joanne Ruddock jo.ruddock@intentmedia.co.uk Deputy editor: James McGrath james.mcgrath@intentmedia.co.uk Head of design & production: Adam Butler adam.butler@intentmedia.co.uk Designer: Tom Carpenter tom.carpenter@intentmedia.co.uk

62 April 2014

Sales manager: Ian Graham ian.graham@intentmedia.co.uk Sales executive: Kylee Webb kylee.web@intentmedia.co.uk US sales – Executive VP: Adam Goldstein agoldstein@nbmedia.com Production manager: Evan Graham evan.graham@intentmedia.co.uk Digital content manager: Tim Frost tim.frost@intentmedia.co.uk

Publisher: Steve Connolly Managing director: Mark Burton Contributors: David Davies, Ian McMurray, Steve Montgomery Special thanks: Stephanie Dell, Daniel Keller, Tania Lee, Bob Snyder © Intent Media 2014. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owners.

ISSN: 2050-6104 (print), 2052-2401 (online) Printed by Pensord Press, Wales

A sister title to SCN Intent Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Association

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