Installation Dec 2013 digital edition

www.installation-international.com

Installation INTERNATIONAL AUDIO, VIDEO AND LIGHTING INTEGRATION

December 2013

Mixing decks Ocean liner market continues to boom p38

Video distribution – plugging into the matrix switch p24

Airports, rail stations – we track the transport AV trends p30

Shows – InfoComm MEA review p20, ISE 2014 sneak peak p44

WELCOME & CONTENTS

EDITOR’S COMMENT

Facing the future

‘Any discussion of new technology not previously encountered in the public realm must make reference to the film Minority Report’

There’s an unwritten rule that says that any discussion of new technology not previously encountered in the public realm must make reference to the film Minority Report. The latest example of this was the announcement that Amscreen will be using OptimEyes face-detection software at Tesco’s 450 UK petrol stations.

“Yes, it’s like something out of Minority Report, but this could change the face of British retail and our plans are to expand the screens into as many supermarkets as possible,” said Simon Sugar, CEO of Amscreen. And at least one newspaper website illustrated the story with a picture of Tom Cruise waving his arms in front of an array of screens from the blockbuster.

If you’ve been to any digital signage exhibitions in recent years, you will probably have seen face detection in operation – the software scans faces to determine gender and approximate age, and serves up advertisements targeted at that demographic as people queue to pay for their petrol. I can’t remember if I’ve seen an OptimEyes demo, but the systems that I have seen work OK, while not being 100% accurate. (Not having a lot of hair seems to confuse it, for some reason…)

The news provoked a large amount of negative comment: this is surveillance for commercial gain; this should only be allowed on an opt-in basis; any company prepared to stoop so low to do this must be desperate, and its products must be terrible; and so on.

However, the software is only being used for face detection, not recognition – images are not being stored or processed. Shoppers are not being identified as individuals, they’re just being lumped into broad groupings. And, of course, if any of those customers uses their supermarket loyalty card when they pay, they’re handing over much more personal data to the store, with much more commercial value. If we must be advertised to in shop queues, surely it makes more sense to all parties that the content of those adverts is relevant to us?

I think the main thing to take away from this is that there is a broad spectrum of public opinion on this issue. I have no problem with this kind of face recognition to serve adverts, although some people do: there is an e-petition on the UK government’s website calling for it to be banned (although at the time of writing it has attracted fewer than 100 signatures).

I think I would have a problem if a retailer scanned my face to identify me, particularly if this data was used for purposes other than advertising – or if the data found its way into other hands. As I’ve said before in this column, we need a more informed debate about what is acceptable and what isn’t when it comes to the collection, storage and use of personal information.

Finally, I thought I would share one comment from a reader on a newspaper website, who thought that Sugar’s comparison with the 2002 film was less than helpful: “Simon – bless – take a seat. Minority Report was about the bad effects of omnipresent technology. It’s a bit like recommending 1984 as a way of selling pet rats.”

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

www.installation-international.com

NEWS & DATA 4 News 8 Appointments 10 Industry data: Internet-connected video device numbers will grow 12 Expos and events

PEOPLE 14 Opinion Crestron’s Robin van Meeuwen on routes to market 16 Interview: Patrick Van de Sande discusses 30 years of Audac SHOW REVIEW InfoComm MEA p20 FEATURES 24 Video distribution: The matrix switcher continues to be central to AV installations 30 Airports and railway stations: Audio quality improves as expectations grow but issues remain 36 Cruise liners: Innovative AV is helping to meet passenger expectations 42 Regional voices: Sweden SHOW PREVIEWS ISE 2014 p44 TECHNOLOGY 47 New products 52 Showcase: Conference systems SOLUTIONS 56 Museo del Violin, Cremona: Following in the footsteps of the of the city’s famous violinmakers 58 Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku: A new cultural centre ties striking design with interactive technology 60 Burton Town Hall: audio that pleases, inside and out 61 Madison Square Gardens: New York: Video display upgrade Cover image courtesy of Royal Caribbean

December 2013 3

NEWS JAPAN

NEWPARTNERS Barco has launched its robust line of single-chip business projectors, expanding upon its existing marketing agreement with Canadian distributor DataVisual Marketing. The move signifies Barco’s longterm investment in its new corporate AV line, and extends its product offering distributed by DataVisual. www.barco.com www.datavisual.ca

Genelec has named MidiWare as its new Italian distributor. The company will be responsible for Genelec monitoring product distribution and dealer support in the region, following a mutual parting of the ways with long-term partner Leading Technology. www.genelec.com www.midiware.com

Venuetech is now Televic’s distributor in Saudi Arabia.

Dubai-based Venuetech is already Televic’s partner in the UAE and Lebanon. It will expand its activities for Televic in the Middle East by opening new offices in the Saudi capital Riyadh. www.televic-conference.com www.venuetech.ae

Invision UK has announced distribution of Furman’s CN-3600 SE surge protector and power sequencer. The CN-3600 SE combines robust control capabilities via SmartSequencing technology, advanced AC protection, AC noise filtration, and optional compatibility with local power management. www.furmansound.com www.invisionuk.com

4 December 2013

Panasonic ceases plasma production PANASONIC WILL cease all business operations relating to plasma display panels (PDP) by the end of March 2014. The production of PDP at its Amagasaki factory in Japan is to be halted this month, Plasma displays were a feature of Panasonic’s with all plasma-related stand at ISE for many years operations scheduled to measures to consolidate stop by Q1 2014. activity at Amagasaki to The company had wrestled against both increased price make a shift towards competition in the global commercial applications. market and improvements in However, the declining large-screen LCD technology demand for PDP in the by focusing on non-TV flatpanel display market commercial applications for ultimately led to the company’s PDPs and by restructuring to decision to stop production, which it announced at the end reduce fixed costs for both PDP and LCD. In 2008 it took of October.

GERMANY

Bosch claims EN54 world first BOSCH SAYS that it is the first supplier worldwide to offer a single-source EN54certified pro sound and voice alarm solution. This comes as its voice alarm control and indicating equipment (VACIE) has been certified as being in accordance with EN54-16, following on from several loudspeaker series from Electro-Voice having been certified compliant with EN54-24.

The Dynacord Promatrix 8000 system has been certified as EN54-16 compliant along with: The Electro-Voice NetMax N8000 system controller and the Dynacord P64 digital audio matrix manager, including the corresponding CobraNet and Dante network cards; Electro-Voice CPS (pictured) and Dynacord DSA

multichannel amplifiers as well as the RCM-810 remote control module; and The LML-1 loudspeaker line measuring load module for real-time monitoring of 100V loudspeaker lines. www.dynacord.com www.electro-voice.com

Stuart Holmes, CEO of PSCo – one of Panasonic’s UK distributors – told Installation: “Plasma is often considered older technology as the market has moved towards LCD. LCD technology has improved massively over the years and can now compete with plasma on some performance criteria, in a slimmer, brighter display panel.”

PSCo made the decision to move away from plasma in its rental fleet last June. “It was agreed that following the 2012 Olympics we wouldn’t invest further in single panel plasma displays. We wanted to offer our customers lighter,

slimmer display panels for their live events.”

However, PSCo will continue to use plasma for videowalls as they are still very popular in permanent installation with broadcast and high-end retail.

“Plasma videowalls offer the smallest seam gaps and many customers prefer the softer colour representation,” he said.

“Panasonic actually bought one of the other leading plasma display manufacturers, Pioneer, back in 2009. [But] other manufacturers continuing to be successful and produce plasma technology are Orion and LG.” www.panasonic.eu www.psco.co.uk

SINGAPORE

THE OFFICIAL holder of the Guinness World Record for ‘Largest High Definition Video Wall’ is The Big Picture, at Suntec Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Comprised of 664 integrated LG LED flatpanel displays, it stands 60m wide and over 15m high and has pixel dimensions of 32,051 x 7,941. Dataton Watchout

multi-image display and presentation software manages the content: the wall can display either a combination of multiple media simultaneously – such as still images, animations and video clips – or a single media image in native format over the entire wall. www.dataton.com

www.installation-international.com

NEWS UK

Blue Jeans stands on its own INTEROPERABLE VIDEO collaboration services provider Blue Jeans Network, which is said to represent more than 30% of the worldwide videoconferencing services market, has launched in the UK. To lead its efforts in EMEA, Blue Jeans has appointed James Campanini, a former Cisco and WebEx executive, as VP/GM EMEA based in London. “The Blue Jeans service is experiencing record growth across all facets of its business, including customers, users, usage, bookings and revenues, largely at the expense of legacy hardware-based solutions from industry incumbents such as Cisco and Polycom,” said Campanini.

The company has appointed two UK channel partners to serve the whole EMEA region – distributor Imago Group and audio and

conferencing service provider InterCall. Imago was previously a reseller of VideoMeet, a Deutsche Telekom service that uses Blue Jeans technology.

John Vickerage, head of services at Imago, told Installation: “VideoMeet contracts will expire at the end of the year. Blue Jeans works in exactly the same way – it’s the same experience that people [who used VideoMeet] are used to.” He added that Imago would look to migrate VideoMeet customers onto Blue Jeans – “although it depends on the customer requirement as to what’s best for them”.

Nearly 700 UK businesses currently use Blue Jeans – consuming approximately 10 million service minutes per year. This makes the UK the second-largest market for Blue Jeans behind the USA.

The company is said to be the only solution in the world that can connect both business and consumer VC tools, including Cisco TelePresence, H.323 video room systems, SIP, Skype, Google, Microsoft Lync, browsers, tablets, smartphones and audio callers, into one single meeting.

“It broadens people’s access to video – particularly between businesses and remote workers. Businesses that need to have people working remotely can see them more frequently – that’s key,” said Vickerage.

Vickerage welcomed Blue Jeans’ decision to launch directly in the UK. “It shows they’re very serious – they’ve employed people in the UK. We uses the service ourselves – and we’re delighted with it.” www.bluejeans.com www.imagogroupplc.com

www.installation-international.com

KALEIDESCAPE MAKES 50 FREE MOVIES AVAILABLE WITH CINEMA ONE Kaleidescape buyers can enjoy the ultimate home cinema experience this festive season with 50 free movies from the Kaleidescape Store with the purchase of a Cinema One movie server.

BAYFRONT FLORIDA HOME TAKES ON ELAN G! This LEED-Platinum certified home in Florida combines intelligent design with a smart home control system to simplify luxury living.

ABB, BOSCH, CISCO AND LG PLEDGE TO SIMPLIFY THE SMART HOME Four leading technology companies, ABB, Bosch, Cisco, and LG, have set out their intentions in creating crossplatform open architecture software for smart homes.

CEDIA REVEALS DEDICATED CI EDUCATION EVENT FOR INDIA CEDIA has moved to meet the growing CI market in India by announcing that the organisation will run its first ever dedicated training event for the country in December.

To read these stories and the rest of our residential coverage, go to

www.installation-international.com/residential SWITZERLAND

UK THIS 75M wide, 25m high projection onto Clifford’s Tower – once the keep of York Castle – took place during the recent Illuminating York Festival of Art. Ross Ashton from The Projection Studio used eight Christie 18K projectors, run as four doubled-up pairs to maximise the brightness, with a d3 server control system running all the video content.

The projection was part of a son et lumiere entitled Triqueta, created by Ashton and sound artist Karen

Recent highlights

Monid. Audio was played through a d&b audiotechnik

C7 speaker system.

Barix promotes Frederiksen

www.theprojectionstudio.com

IP AUDIO and control specialist Barix has promoted Frank Frederiksen (pictured) to COO following 15 months as vice president of product marketing and strategy. He reports directly to Barix CEO Ronni Guggenheim, who joined the company on 1 October.

“We have simplified interfaces and improved ease of use over the past year so that our customers don’t need to be IT experts. And there are exciting developments on the horizon

that will better position Barix as a complete IP solutions provider,” said Frederiksen.

He will continue to oversee product management at Barix while working to enhance company operations. www.barix.com

December 2013 5

NEWS AUSTRALIA/WORLD

Audinate grows licensees, offers free courses AUDINATE, THE inventor of Dante digital media networking, has signed 120 licensing agreements with manufacturers for its technology – a significant increase on the total of 100 that it had reached by the end of September.

Interviewed at last month’s BVE North show, CEO Lee Ellison (pictured) said: “We’ve definitely exceeded our plan for business growth: [this year] we expected about 90 licensees , and it’s 120 today.

Next week we will be announced in Deloitte’s top 50 fastest growing technology firms in Australia.

We’ve shipped over 4 million channels of Dante into the market since July 2013.”

In a separate development, Audinate is offering a free online series of specialised networking courses that can be used for RU (Renewal Unit) credits towards an InfoComm CTS certification. At present, two courses are available.

‘The Principles of Digital Audio’ covers the encoding and representation of audio in digital formats and how audio is communicated and manipulated in the digital domain, and introduces the features and benefits of digital audio networking. Each person taking the course will receive 3.0 CTS RU credits in CTS Domain A. ‘Introduction to IP Networking for AV Systems’ provides a high-level informative discussion on the adoption of IP networking, and then covers the OSI model and how data travels through network layers and hardware. The course concludes with a more focused look at how Dante implements networking standards in the context of transporting media. This course has been approved for 3.0 CTS RU credits in CTS Domain A and 3.0 CTS-D RU credits in CTS-D Domain B. “As digital audio networking

Recent highlights

becomes even more important in today’s largeand small-scale installations, anyone who doesn’t have an understanding of IT networks and how they work could be losing out on important projects,” said Landon Gentry, manager of global support services at Audinate. “We believe that these courses will help de-mystify digital audio networking and introduce people on how straightforward IT networks really are.”

To register and subscribe to these free courses go to Audinate’s website and click on ‘InfoComm RU Courses’. www.audinate.com

OSRAM LIGHTS UP THE SISTINE CHAPEL

numerous features hidden beneath its slick glass design.

Osram’s LED lighting solution at the Sistine Chapel will allow greater illumination of the 500-year-old artwork while still preserving the important frescoes.

ROBE AND ANOLIS FEATURE IN LED INSTALLATION AT TECNÓPOLIS, ARGENTINA

LEGRAND KEEPS IT SIMPLE WITH VANTAGE EQUINOX Legrand has created a user interface based on end-user preferences with the addition of the Equinox range of touchscreen control units to its Vantage building automation system.

MINIMALIST TOUCH BY ANTUMBRA AND AWE Philips Dynalite’s new AntumbraTouch, available through CI distributor AWE, is a minimalist panel with

Lighting from Robe and Anolis illuminates the venue hosting Tecnópolis, a science, technology, industry and art exhibition at the Parque del Bicentenario in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

CEDIA FOCUSES ON ARCHITECTS CEDIA recently held a focus group, comprising architects and CEDIA Home Technology Professionals, to help each discipline better understand the other and improve working relationships for the future.

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

www.installation-international.com/tfa

NETHERLANDS

Bilfinger Mauell consolidates visualisation VISUALISATION SOLUTIONS provider Bilfinger Mauell GmbH is to concentrate its Europewide activities into a competence centre in the Netherlands. The Dutch company, Bilfinger Mauell BV, has completed several successful projects throughout Europe. The company says the move will concentrate marketing and project management efforts and so

6 December 2013

increase customer orientation and provide a uniform management approach for all visualisation projects.

The centre is managed by Bilfinger Mauell BV director Paul Schiphorst. He said: “Our objective is to offer our customers non-proprietary overall solutions. We can trust in our know-how and our products and draw from the international experience of our corporate

group. Our colleagues in the Brazil subsidiary, for example, have implemented visualisation solutions in all control rooms of the World Cup 2014 venues that substantially contribute to the games’ safety. We look forward to the projects of the future and are confident that we can provide the best possible solutions in close co-operation with our customers.” www.mauell.bilfinger.com

www.installation-international.com

beyond definition Capture. Share. Inspire.

Whatever you want from ISE this year, you’ll discover possibilities to do more with Sony.

Join us to see how our latest AV technology is capturing attention, engaging universal audiences and inspiring aspirations.

Whether you’re interested in AV for Education, Retail, Corporate or Home Cinema, we will be showcasing unique solutions and products from our AV portfolio for ISE visitors to experience first hand.

See Sony push AV beyond definition in Hall 1, Stand 1-H95. pro.sony.eu/ise2014

Sony is a registered trademark of the Sony Corporation, Japan

APPOINTMENTS DPA MICROPHONES

DPA restructures management team Manufacturer aims to create structure that ‘plays to managers’ individual strengths’ DPA Microphones has restructured its management team in order to maximise resources. The company’s CEO Christian Poulsen says the development of new products scheduled for release in 2014 gave DPA the impetus to examine its internal structure and make changes that play to individual managers’ personal strengths.

One of the key changes is the appointment of product specialist Mikkel Nymand

(pictured left) to the newly created position of product manager. Reporting directly to Poulsen, Nymand is now involved in the entire product

DIGITAL PROJECTION

management chain, from conception right through to development testing, launch and after sales maintenance.

DPA has also made a number

sound engineer and system tech with Adlib Audio. He also spent six years as UK installation manager for Tannoy. In his new role he will represent the Turbosound brand.

of significant changes to its sales department. Bo Brinck (pictured centre) has been appointed global sales support manager, another new post.

Responsibility for sales within the Nordic countries now falls to Kim Nedertorp (pictured right), who has been appointed area manager for the region. DPA has also appointed Nils Vinding as area manager for the UK, Switzerland and Central and South America.

and is responsible for developing and nurturing new business across the UK.

He joins the company from PPS, DPA’s largest reseller in Denmark.

DPA’s sales team in the Far East has also received a boost with the appointment of Francis Lai to the position of sales manager at DPA Microphones APAC in Hong Kong. Lai has previously worked for Sony Broadcast & Professional Asia, Shure Asia and Sennheiser Hong Kong.

Finally, DPA has named Ole Moesmann as R&D manager. www.dpamicrophones.com

VDC TRADING

www.paigroup.com

QSC

www.music-group.com

Chris Axford has joined Digital Projection as EMEA sales & marketing manager. He will be tasked with developing the company’s business in Europe, Middle East and Africa. His pro-AV career spans 15 years; he has held a variety of senior positions with projectiondesign, most recently as VP sales, EMEA.

headquarters in Karlsbad, Germany. In his new role he will manage the product portfolios of the GLP and G-LEC brands. www.germanlightproducts.com

LIFESIZE

www.digitalprojection.co.uk

DISPLAYLED

ORBITAL SOUND

Andy Nolan has joined Lifesize as UK director. His priorities are to restructure the sales team to drive better interaction with key accounts and improve support of the company’s channel partners.

Nolan was previously UK sales director at Radvision.

Orbital Sound is expanding its installation division with the appointment of Tom Oakes to the post of technical sales & support engineer. Oakes joined Orbital in 2008 to work in the company’s technical support department. His new focus will be principally on technical installations, with a specific emphasis on highend communications and loudspeaker systems. www.orbitalsound.com

QSC has promoted Barry Ferrell to senior vice president and chief strategy officer.

Ferrell began his career at the company in 1990 as an applications engineer. In 2009, he assumed leadership of the Cinema Group, and was promoted to vice president of cinema in 2012. In his new role, Ferrell will be responsible for the development of product strategies across all of the markets served by QSC.

Stefano Pucello has joined VDC Trading as international sales manager. He will be responsible for the management and development of the international markets for the Van Damme range of professional grade AV cables.

Pucello joins VDC with more than a decade of international sales experience in the wire and cable industry. www.vdctrading.com

VIVITEK

www.qsc.com

ROBE

www.lifesize.com

PAI GROUP displayLED has appointed Paul Langridge as business development manager to help expand the company’s presence in public display signage. Langridge has worked in the display business since 1990. His role at displayLED will include developing relationships with highways and retail clients. www.displayled.com

GLP GLP German Light Products has hired Oliver Schwendke as key account manager from its 8 December 2013

MUSIC GROUP

Nick Bellus has joined Music Group in the position of customer support, Music Group Professional Division.

He brings with him a 25-year career as an FOH and monitor

Vaughan Sound Installations (trading as The PAI Group of Companies) has appointed Jeremy Eustace to the role of business development manager. He will work alongside the sales and business development team

Søren Storm has joined Robe Lighting’s management team as international business development manager. Storm has 16 years’ experience of working in top management for a leading lighting manufacturer.

Vivitek has expanded its EMEA sales team with the appointment of Robert Breuer as product & sales manager for the Germany/Austria territories. He joins following 13 years as a product manager at AV distributor Medium in Germany.

www.robe.cz

www.vivitek.eu

www.installation-international.com

INDUSTRY DATA

Global connections The installed base of internet-connected video devices will grow massively in the next few years and is set to exceed the global population in 2017, writes Steve Montgomery

Increase in videoenabled devices connected to the internet, 2013-17 users whose homes are equipped with broadband connections. We’re quickly approaching a world where the average broadband household contains 10 connected, video-enabled 10 December 2013

* * * * * Asia-Pacific will add 1.9 billion connected devices to the global installed base between 2013 and 2017 Source: IHS (* = forecast)

GLOBAL FORECAST OF INTERNET-CONNECTED VIDEO DEVICES (INSTALLED BASE AND PER CAPITA)

3.0

9,000 8,000

2.5 7,000 2.0

6,000 5,000

1.5

Global per capita

90%

CONNECTED DEVICES - UNITS (M) BY REGION

Millions of units

THE INSTALLED base of videoenabled devices that are connected to the internet, a category that includes diverse products such as tablets, smart TVs, games consoles, smartphones, connected set-top boxes, Blu-ray players and PCs, will expand to 8.2 billion units in 2017. This will represent a nearly 90% increase from 4.3 billion in 2013, according to a new report from Broadband Technology Service at IHS. With the world’s population expected to amount to 7.4 billion people in 2017, this means that there will be more connected devices than people, representing 1.1 video devices installed for each global citizen.

Back in 2005, PCs comprised 93% of all connected devices. By the end of 2017, the base of connected devices will diversify dramatically, with PCs comprising only 23% of the connected installed base.

Other devices will account for the rest of the market, including smart TVs at 5%, consoles at 2%, and smartphones and tablets collectively representing 67%.

“On average every human being in the world will possess more than one internet-connected video device by the year 2017, which is a major milestone for the electronics market,” says Merrick Kingston, senior analyst, Broadband Technology, at IHS. “In practice, ownership of internet-connected hardware will be concentrated among

4,000 1.0

3,000 2,000

0.5 1,000 -

2010

2011

2012

2013*

Millions of units

2014*

2015*

2016*

2017*

-

Global per capita

There will be 8.2 billion video-enabled devices connected to the internet by 2017 Source: IHS October 2013 (* = forecast) devices. This means that each TV set installed in a broadband-equipped home will be surrounded by three more internet-connected devices.”

REGIONAL DEMAND The number of connected devices in the mature North American and Western European regions will grow at a relatively modest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10% from 2013 to 2017. In contrast,

Asia-Pacific will expand at 20% during the same period.

Driven largely by Chinese demand, Asia-Pacific will add 1.9 billion connected devices to the global installed base between 2013 and 2017. At the end of that period, a massive 47% of all worldwide devices will be concentrated in this region. At the other end of the regional spectrum, sub-Saharan Africa will contribute just 145 million net additions to the total installed base during the next

four years.

In order to cash in on this massive growth in internetconnected devices, media companies across the operator, broadcast, consumer electronics manufacturing and over-thetop (OTT) businesses have embraced internet protocol (IP) video distribution. Big names making a foray into IP video include HBO, Microsoft, DirecTV and Netflix. However, all of these companies face a major challenge: how to wrap

consumers into their ecosystems, given the proliferation of platforms, high switching costs and strong incentives for consumers to stay with their existing services.

“Addressing the full breadth of the device landscape, and recouping the development cost of doing so, will pose a major challenge for a number of media firms,” Kingston adds. www.ihs.com

www.installation-international.com

Add accurate and professional rack mount waveform monitoring to your studio! SmartScope Duo includes dual independent screens so is two video and waveform monitors in one! You get seven different types of scope for measuring all aspects of a broadcast video signal including waveform, vectorscope, RGB parade, YUV parade, histogram, audio phase display, 16 channel audio level meters plus picture view! With SmartScope Duo you always get the technical accuracy broadcast engineers demand!

Broadcast Accurate You get a wide range of the most popular waveform displays available. The waveform display shows you the luminance brightness in your video, the vectorscope shows you a color plot of the various colors in your video, the RGB parade shows color balance and illegal video levels, the histogram shows the distribution of pixel brightness in your video and clipping and the audio scope lets you check audio phase and levels!

Eliminate Technical Errors Only professional waveform monitoring allows you to keep track of your video and audio quality at all times and is the only way to ensure your production meets all international standards. SmartScope Duo can be installed in racks for general technical monitoring and quality control, as well as installed into desks for use during editing, mastering and color correction.

Choose your Scope!

SmartScope Duo features two independent 8” LCD screens in a compact 3 rack unit size that you can instantly select between waveform, vectorscope, RGB parade, component parade, histogram, audio phase display, audio level meters or regular picture view! You can set each SmartScope Duo screen to any combination of video monitor or waveform view and change between them at any time! *SRP is Exclusive of VAT

Perfect SDI Video Monitoring SmartScope is also the perfect rack mount video monitor!

You can use it for general rack monitoring for broadcast, post production, live production camera monitoring, on set camera monitoring, flyaway kits, broadcast trucks and much more! SmartScope Duo includes a built in Ethernet connection so allows all controls and scope settings to be changed centrally via the SmartView Utility even from a laptop!

SmartScope Duo

Learn more today at www.blackmagicdesign.com/nl/smartscopeduo

745*

€

EXPOS & EVENTS

A R T X E ATION CIRCUL

SPOTLIGHT BETT 22-25 January 2014 www.bettshow.com

JANUARY Education

Education technology event BETT brings together 35,000 educators and learning professional in the primary, secondary, higher education and workplace learning sectors. Exhibitors such as AVer Information Europe, Epson, Extron and Medium will be showing the latest products for the education market including visualisers, projectors and touch solutions.

Meanwhile, the Technology in Higher Education Summit will share ideas on the future of technology in education and provide insight into delivery on a budget and managing user expectations.

EVENTS

23-26 2014 NAMM Show Anaheim, US www.namm.org FEBRUARY 1-4 MIDEM 2014 Cannes, France www.midem.com 10-12 SIEL Paris, France www.siel-expo.com

Show control

12-13 Digital Signage Expo Las Vegas, US www.digitalsignageexpo.net

11-13 CABSAT 2014 Dubai, UAE www.cabsat.com

18-19 PLASA Focus Nashville, US www.plasafocus.com/ nashville

12-15 Prolight + Sound Frankfurt, Germany www.prolight-sound.com

24-27 Pro Light + Sound Guangzhou Guangzhou, China www.soundlight.cn 23-26 LED China Guangzhou, China www.ledchina-gz.com 25-27 BVE London, UK www.bvexpo.com

FEBRUARY 4-6 Integrated Systems Europe Amsterdam, Netherlands www.iseurope.org

12 December 2013

As the BETT show approaches, what are the hot technologies in the classroom and the lecture theatre?

Your complete events calendar for the months ahead

JANUARY 7-10 2014 International CES Las Vegas, US www.cesweb.org

MARCH 2014 5 ISCEx Milton Keynes, UK www.isce.org.uk 10-14 CeBIT Hanover, Germany www.cebit.de/home

EDITORIAL PLANNER

30-4 April Light + Building Frankfurt, Germany light-building. messefrankfurt.com APRIL 9-11 InfoComm China Beijing, China www.infocommchina.com/en 15–17 PALME Middle East Dubai, UAE www.palme-middleeast.com 30-1 PLASA Focus Leeds, UK www.plasafocus.com MAY 13-14 Streaming Media East

New York, US www.streamingmedia.com 18 High End Munich, Germany www.highendsociety.de 18-20 The ARC Show London, UK www.thearcshow.com 21-22 Digital Signage Expo 2014 Berlin, Germany www.digitalsignageeurope. com/ds-expo 20–23 European Sign Expo Munich, Germany www.fespa.com/eurosignexpo 26-29 Palm Expo Beijing, China www.palmexpo.net JUNE 11 ABTT Theatre Show London, UK www.abtttheatreshow.co.uk

As software capabilities continue to grow, what is the future for the hardware-based show controller?

Showcase: Amplifers

News deadline: 5 December Distribution date: 2 January

FEBRUARY Shops and shopping centres

The technologies that work their magic in the retail environment Audio networking

Is a proliferation of protocols in the best interest of the industry?

Smart buildings

What are the opportunities for integrators in the brave new world of smart buildings?

Showcase: Residential audio

Feature submission deadline: 4 December News deadline: 14 January Distribution date: 29 January

www.installation-international.com

AMX Commercial Solutions

automate

AMX proudly supports

It’s your world take control.

AMX’s advanced solutions automate and control all the electronics and content needed for world-class corporate communication and operation.

Facilitating productivity and collaboration; maximising efficiency and profitability; and providing simplified management and control.

amx.com/eu

COMMAND

|

CONTROL

0207 652 9450

|

CONNECT

|

amx talk

C O M M U N I C AT E

|

MONITOR & MANAGE

|

CONSERVE

OPINION

Routes to market Manufacturers in the AV sector have a choice: to sell direct or go through distribution – and each strategy has its own advantages and disadvantages

Robin van Meeuwen VP of international sales and marketing, Crestron

FOR A manufacturer there are many ways of reaching your customers. Understanding your best route to market is not only essential for your business, but also for your customers’ businesses. The choice of channel will affect the price you can charge, the level of service you can provide, the effectiveness of your marketing, your sales, and ultimately customer satisfaction with your products. Quite simply, getting your route to market right is essential for the success of your business.

When a manufacturer starts its business, for obvious reasons its initial focus is on product development and sales. Many businesses take the decision to sell through 14 December 2013

distribution as it takes away the pain of setting up and managing a channel; shipping boxes, invoicing, logistics and dealing with customers. If you are a manufacturer of a simple off-the-shelf product, then going through a distributor is an obvious business decision.

In that case, your merchandise is a commodity and you can reach a wider market through retail distribution than if you were to distribute the product yourself.

However, where the distribution route to market is less effective is when you are selling not a commodity product, but a sophisticated solution that integrates into a scheme – a control system for instance. In our experience, with something as complex as a control system, it pays to deal direct with your customer network – whether that be an AV consultant, integrator, a custom installer or even the end-user.

Many years ago, in most of the world, we sold through distribution. This was mainly because partnering with a distributor was the quickest way for us to reach the local market. These distributors had extensive experience with their market and knew the

local culture and language.

At that time, our range was only made up of about 300 products: mainly touchpanels and small control systems.

Many of our distributor partners were selling more than just Crestron products and were complementing the range with related products so that they could offer a full solution to the installer. Local marketing, events and product training were also the responsibility of the local distributor and we had very little input into these areas. In those early days, it was a marriage of convenience and it made sense for where we were at in our company evolution.

DIRECT TO MARKET In 2003 we took the decision to service the market directly in the UK. We tripled our UK team, and we soon found out where we were missing out and where we could make a difference. The emphasis was on supporting the market as a manufacturer and not a distributor. We built relationships with customers as they came on training courses and onto our stand at trade shows. Our business also began to grow as we expanded

our product offering to include video and audio distribution as well as lighting control.

Our mission to this day remains the same. Our aim is to focus on customers and service the market from a manufacturer’s point of view.

Crestron has grown significantly over the past 10 years and we now carry more than 4,000 products – it would be impossible to achieve success without the proper focus that a direct relationship with the market can bring.

In some countries we still operate through distribution, but their operation mimics that of a Crestron satellite office. Our partners in these regions perform the same levels of customer support, and focus their efforts entirely on Crestron. This targeted approach is key to our success, as experience has taught us that it is not a healthy situation for a distributor to be representing conflicting brands.

We also took on the responsibility of creating and expanding the market, by which I mean creating business opportunities for our installers.

End users, developers, contractors, consultants and interior designers appreciate

the value of talking to the manufacturer direct because of the authenticity and credibility of that relationship.

The information and knowledge garnered from such relationships comes from people who ‘live, eat, and sleep with Crestron’ – there are no other agendas. On top of that, the trade itself values a direct relationship with the manufacturer because they have the information directly from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

Of course it is a two-way relationship – working closely with installers, clients and consultants gives us the all important product feedback we need to help us develop future technologies and improve our portfolio. Without this direct information, we would have never been able to develop some of the technologies you see today.

There is also the added bonus that our clients are working with a truly international company, acting locally. There is continuity in our mission across the globe, and our partners enjoy the same levels of service across the world. www.crestron.com

www.installation-international.com

ClickShare The one click wonder Wireless presentation at the click of a button ClickShare gives every meeting participant the opportunity to share content – at the click of a button. Whether you are using a laptop, tablet or smartphone, you can get your presentation on the central meeting room screen in the most simple and intuitive way possible.

The ClickShare family now consists of the new CSM Base Unit, and the full-featured CSC Base Unit.

www.barco.com/clickshare

INTERVIEW: PATRICK VAN DE SANDE, PVS

A vision for audio On the back of a 30-year birthday and the latest addition to the company's landscape with the opening of the Audac Experience Center in Hasselt, Belgium, PVS founder Patrick Van de Sande spoke to James McGrath about the progression of company and its future plans that time you did not have so many options.

This resulted in our company building a lot of custom products for larger installations to meet the client’s specific need.

I must say this did not make our work very boring but nowadays this would not be very costefficient.

Also the user interfaces of devices have changed so much in these years. All Audac multizone systems now have a web interface, smartphone and tablet apps, advanced wallpanels and so on. This is all down to the switch from analogue to digital audio, something that Audac stands for today.

The digital era has also brought our level of communication to a whole new level. I can still remember sending out faxes, whereas these days we can send out a mass of emails in one day and panic if we don’t receive an answer the same day. So everything is going much faster on every level compared to when I first started.

‘We have a very strong team today lot of that possesses a io knowledge of aud technology’

What made you want to start your own professional audio business?

From a very young age I’ve always been fascinated by electronics and acoustics. The event that actually triggered this fascination was when I was six and a technician came to repair my parents’ television. Watching him working left a huge impression on me. I can still remember being very proud of building my first crystal radio receiver at the age of 11.

What started as an interest developed in my parents’ attic became my own repair shop that I ran after the hours of my day job. By the age of 26 I had started my 16 December 2013

own audio shop. At that point I was not only doing repairs and selling the audio systems myself, but I was also installing a lot of systems on site.

After five years we started doing the distribution for several audio brands. Since then we have always paid a lot of attention to our partners and their feedback on the products we are producing. This was also the reason for starting up our own brands more than 20 years ago.

How did your background contribute to your ambitions?

As you can now already

imagine I have had a very technical background and that is also where my heart is. This is why investing in research and development is an inherent part of our company.

On a more personal level, I came from a family of five children and my father was a mineworker. This upbringing made me realise that I needed to work very hard to be able to get somewhere.

How has the industry changed over the 30 years?

What has got easier; what has become more difficult?

There was a time when there were only a handful of players on the market. So at

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in the professional audio business in the 30 years you have been operating?

There was never one biggest challenge for me – it has always been a sequence of challenges. But if I must

name one I would say the start-up of our R&D department. Finding the right people has never been easy and I must say that we have a very strong team today that possesses a lot of knowledge of audio technology and also exchanges this with each other.

You recently opened your Audac Experience Center.

We’re definitely seeing a trend towards more and more companies opening up demo facilities – why would you say this is?

Of course this depends on what type of product you are selling, but in our case where you have advanced audio products you need to be able to provide more than just a picture on the web or a short description at a tradeshow.

By showing these products in an environment like the Audac Experience Center you are able to not only convince the customer in the product itself but also in the brand in general.

I can imagine that a lot of brands like us, that are specialised in digital audio technology, feel the need to inform their partners in the best possible way about all the technology their devices contain. And as I mentioned before, our partners are really key as they are the ones that will assist in the installation of Audac products. That is also the reason why we have built not just demo rooms inside the building, but also

Patrick Van de Sande – a brief biography Patrick Van de Sande was born in 1957. He studied as an electronics design engineer at the Technical Institute, Hasselt, Belgium and founded PVS in 1983 The PVS brand portfolio includes Audac, manufacturer of a range of audio equipment including preamplifiers and mixers as well as loudspeakers; Caymon, which specialises in flightcases, racks and speaker and instrument stands; and Procab, which makes AV cables The company is headquartered in Hasselt. The recently opened 1,800sqm Audac Experience Center is directly adjacent to the original 7,400sqm PVS HQ www.installation-international.com

ĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ ƚŽ ŝŶƐƉŝƌĞ͕ ďƵŝůƚ ƚŽ ůĂƐƚ ƐĐĞŶĚĞƌ ϰϴ

ƐĐĞŶĚĞƌ ϯϮ

^ŵĂƌƚDĂƚƌŝy hůƚƌĂ

Ŷ ŝŶŶŽǀĂƟǀĞ ƌĂŶŐĞ ŽĨ WƌĞŵŝƵŵ DƵůƟͲƐĐƌĞĞŶ ^ĞĂŵůĞƐƐ ^ǁŝƚĐŚĞƌƐ

dŽ ůĞĂƌŶ ŵŽƌĞ͕ ĐŽŶŶĞĐƚ ǁŝƚŚ ƵƐ ŽŶ

'WTQRG /KFFNG 'CUV CPF #HTKEC #PCNQI 9C[ (TCPEG 6GN

#PCNQI 9C[ 7- 6GN

#PCNQI 9C[ +VCN[ 6GN #PCNQI 9C[ )GTOCP[ 6GN

'OCKN UCNGUGWTQ"CPCNQIYC[ EQO

YYY CPCNQIYC[ EQO

INTERVIEW: PATRICK VAN DE SANDE, PVS A panoramic view of the Audac Experience Center – individual speakers and speaker sets can be selected via an iPad app

several training facilities which can be used throughout the year to optimise our partners’ knowledge and give us the most accurate feedback possible.

How has this been received by your partners?

From the beginning we clearly informed our partners of the purpose of this building. This is not just the company’s experience centre, but also theirs. This

allows even the end customer to experience the brand in a unique way.

We still cannot believe the great feedback that we received during the opening event, not just about the building but also about the idea behind it: providing a range of training sessions, welcoming any Audac client or prospective buyer together with our partner and providing them with the necessary information on the product in a unique way.

www.installation-international.com

How do you expect to develop your audio technology further in the coming years?

More than 20 years ago I made a drawing of what I believed an audio system should look like. Up until now we have not been able to build it. We can see that not only ourselves but also other brands are growing towards this vision but we do believe that we have always been one step ahead. An example of this is when Audac

brought out the first multizone audio matrix and amplifier that contained a webserver more than 12 years ago.

What can we expect from you at ISE in February – is there anything you’re excited about?

Yes there is: Audac will be introducing our brand new SMA and SMQ digital amplifier series.

They consist of three twochannel models and three

four-channel models, so the customer can choose between a 350W, 500W and 750W version. What makes them so special compared to the ones already on the market is the controllability you get and their very high efficiency. With a 2.5in screen on the front side it’s really simple to change any advanced setting, thanks to their powerful DSP. www.audac.be www.pvs4you.com

December 2013 19

SHOW REVIEW: INFOCOMM MEA

The draw of Dubai Now into its third year, InfoComm MEA has become a staple show for the Middle Eastern and African AV markets. James McGrath took a trip to Dubai to see how the show and the region are developing

The organisers reported a significant increase in attendance at this year’s show – despite the fact that it felt dwarfed by its much larger neighbour, GITEX

AT LAST year’s InfoComm MEA, exhibitors and attendees raised issues with the show’s location, feeling that it was lost within the expansive GITEX Technology Week exhibition. However, with 12,000 attendees the show matched 2011’s inaugural event, which had been better sited as it was closer to the GITEX entrance.

This year, organisers had promised to implement new measures to remedy the concerns from last year: improved signage, a clearer central concourse and an additional gateway into the show were all touted.

However, we saw little evidence of the promised signage to guide attendees towards InfoComm MEA. The central walkway offered two entrances for InfoComm and half-a-dozen or so for GITEX. This lop-sided arrangement magnetised attendees towards GITEX, so much so that even the Installation team found itself on the wrong side of the concourse when first entering the show.

This feeling was echoed by exhibitors on the showfloor, some of whom were flummoxed by the lack of 20 December 2013

directions given to attendees; one referred to their InfoComm MEA visitations as GITEX guests who had got lost.

According to official figures, a total of 14,770 visitors took the trip to Dubai World Trade Centre – a 23% increase on the previous year. In addition to the reported increased attendance, exhibitors such as Arthur Holm, NMK, Theatro and Venuetech doubled their booth sizes from the year before.

On top of that, the general consensus from the showfloor was that the quality of visitors far exceeded other tradeshows.

InfoComm projects that the AV market in the Middle East and Africa will grow to be worth over $4 billion (€3 billion) in 2015. If that is true, then the show can surely only improve, but it will need to be nurtured more by the team at show organiser InfoComm Asia to help it grow in what little light penetrates the shadow of GITEX. DISPLAYS On the showfloor SiliconCore was launching its new Magnolia 1.5mm pixel pitch

LED display. It’s driven by the company’s Common Cathode technology – which uses driver circuits with chips that eliminate the need for a resistor, reducing heat production and energy consumption. The company feels that this opens up the technology to various applications that might have otherwise used lower-quality display solutions.

Steve Scorse, vice president EMEA, SiliconCore, was largely positive about the wider Middle Eastern market: “The UAE as a market seems slow at the minute, it’s the surrounding areas that are driving the region more – such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.”

Elsewhere Prysm was presenting its TD2 Tile, which uses the company’s highly scalable laser phosphor display (LPD) system. Tim Messegee, vice president, is seeing growth in the TV studio market, which is going through a period of transformation: “TV is a big area for us and there are lots of studios in the region reimagining their spaces.

These environments are no longer using blue screens and

they want high-definition screens like ours.”

First-time exhibitor at the show Leyard was introducing the region to its P1.9 LED display, with ‘considerable interest’ reported from show attendees. The company says the P1.9, at 1.9mm, is the world’s smallest pixel pitch ultra-HD LED videowall.

VTRON was showing its C-Series LED displays, in the form of a 2 x 2 70in 1080p display wall. The company reported much growth in the region, with three 2 x 2

systems having recently gone into stock market applications in Dubai.

Sahara was presenting its Clevertouch 84in four-point touch LED screen, with the company set to launch its new Clever tablets two weeks after the show.

Upgraded software DisplayNote2 will enable any device to control screens and integrate with other devices.

The company commented that the whole of the Middle East is currently providing the company with many

Steve Scorse of SiliconCore with one of the company’s LED displays

www.installation-international.com

SHOW REVIEW: INFOCOMM MEA opportunities, more so than the rest of Europe.

Wolfvision was introducing the region to the world’s first live 3D visualiser, the VZ-C3D. The product can present stereoscopic ‘live’ 3D images – and is said to be ideal for oil and gas, and medical applications. Wolfvision has exhibited at every InfoComm MEA show and has seen the response to its products progressively get better thanks to infrastructure growth in courtrooms and police facilities in the UAE, as well as the need for more universities and smart classrooms.

SIGNAL MANAGEMENT RGB Spectrum was demonstrating its MultiPoint Control Room Management System (MCMS) – a collaborative control room system for addressing, displaying and controlling shared computer and visual resources in a control room environment.

Scott Moody, PR director, was excited about the company’s newly released Design Guide (available for download). It outlines solutions for RGB’s products

based on real-world applications. He went on to reveal that Abu Dhabi is proving strong for the company in the region at the minute after it recently opened a local office and demo room in Dubai.

Onelan was showing some of its latest digital signage developments, including its Net-Top-Box – a multimedia, multi-zoned solution capable of touch interactivity. With a browser-based user interface, the system is multilingual and can display stored media and live media. The company was also exhibiting audience measurement, touch capabilities, its content management system (CMS) and Retail Media Player (RMP).

TLS had a different view of the show, emphasising that it is about seeing partners as well as getting sales leads.

The company was showing its multimedia solutions with the QuickScout analogue-todigital converter.

AUDIO Symetrix was presenting its Radius AEC 12 x 8 open architecture DSP system at the show. The company is looking more into the

www.installation-international.com

The VTRON team is enjoying growth in the MEA region

conference market with its DSP solutions. “The Middle East is a key focus for us – the market is that big we just can’t ignore it,” commented Mark Ullrich, international sales manager at Symetrix.

However, the company was bemoaning the way that consultants from other countries – who don’t have local contacts and knowledge – are contracted to do work in the region.

Biamp was highlighting the new on-site training facilities it now offers in Dubai for its Tesira and Vocia systems – a scalable media system for digital audio networking and a networked DSP solution, respectively. The two- and three-day courses are now available in Dubai – significantly more convenient for local people than Mumbai, where the courses have been held previously.

Televic was exhibiting on the stand of its Middle Eastern distributor, Venuetech. The pair announced a new exclusivity deal for Televic’s latest uniCOS teleconferencing system, which was being introduced to the region for the first time.

Venuetech will begin shipping the new uniCOS system early next year. www.infocomm-mea.com

December 2013 21

FEATURE: VIDEO DISTRIBUTION Large, centralised matrix routers are often used in emergency operations centres where camera feeds and other information are shared on hundreds of displays in dozens of rooms

[KEY POINTS] The matrix switch – or ‘switcher’ or ‘router’ – is increasingly assuming a key role at the heart of many AV installations

Matrix switches are becoming significantly more complex as signal types and end devices proliferate

Manufacturers are addressing growing complexity through modularity, which brings with it a host of advantages

Video over IP provides similar functionality to a matrix switch, but is said to not offer the performance required by demanding applications

Knowing the path The world is more connected than it has ever been – and, if there is one prediction that can be made with absolute certainty, it is that it will become even more connected. Ian McMurray finds out more about the central role being played by matrix switches A WISE MAN once said that there are three secrets to success in life. The first is to show up. The second is to be in the right place at the right time. And the third is to have the right cables. Transposing this to the AV world, it’s possible to conclude that showing up on time with the right cables is the key to success.

Inevitably, the reality today is somewhat more complex.

We’ve moved from a ‘one-toone’ cabling world to a ‘manyto-many’ cabling world in which multiple sources need to be cross-connected to multiple destinations, or ‘sinks’. Enter the matrix switch – or matrix switcher, or matrix router.

“Matrix switchers are required when you have multiple input sources that need to be distributed to multiple sink devices,” notes Mark Ridgwell, business development manager, Crestron UK. “Traditionally, 24 December 2013

smaller localised matrix switchers were used, to allow for signals to be switched within a single room environment. However, recently we have seen a move towards larger centralised matrix switchers.

These centralised switchers, such as Crestron’s DMMD64x64 and DMMD128x128, allow for multiple signals to be distributed to multiple building-wide destinations.”

“Matrix switches have assumed a more complex role in recent times, becoming the core of any installation,” says Franck Facon, marketing and communications director at Analog Way. “Now, they have brought a completely new concept to the AV industry.”

CONSTANTLY AMAZED “We’re constantly amazed by the applications our customers find for matrix switchers,” smiles Ezra Ozer, Kramer’s VP of marketing.

‘Matrix switches have brought a completely new concept to the AV industry’ Franck Facon, Analog Way

“Over the last few years, the trend we see is that local audio and video switching is not enough. We’re getting more and more requests for control, extension solutions and audio breakout functionalities. In addition, there is a growing demand for faster and seamless switching. We also see an obvious change with the use of fibre technology that can extend the borders of a typical installation, allowing the matrix switcher to act as the hub of the installation and serve many remote users.”

It’s no surprise, then, that matrix switches are becoming significantly more complex. David Jones, international sales manager at Lightware, picks up the story.

“Only a few years ago, if multiple video, audio and control formats were required in a single system, the installer would basically have

to build three or four different systems and somehow link them all together – not to mention the number of conversion boxes that would be required to jump from one format to another or to extend over longer distances,” he points out. “It was pretty standard practice to have 50 or so boxes in a relatively small video distribution system, which in itself created an exceptional level of complexity. Now, the switchers themselves are more complicated, but the system as a whole is far more simple.”

“Yes, there have been huge changes,” echoes Brian Davies, European technology and training director at AMX. “Single-format matrix switchers are all but dead with the market moving towards multi-format switchers, featuring the ability to switch both analogue and digital video, audio signals together with www.installation-international.com

SET UP

IN A SNAP LSP 500 PRO

iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries

DROP THE CABLE. EXPAND YOUR OPTIONS. LSP 500 PRO – a real game changer for public address systems. From pre-event planning to set-up time to job management – LSP 500 PRO is hassle free and requires no running of cable.

Forget wires, duct tape and mixing consoles – iPad controlled and truly wireless by design – allows you to manage any event with ease at the swipe of a finger.

Modular in nature, LSP 500 PRO is not limited to small groups and meetings, but rather completely scalable to sizable audiences and truly large events. sennheiser.com /lsp-500-pro

FEATURE: VIDEO DISTRIBUTION control and other useful signals such as USB and Ethernet. These multi-format products also offer the systems designer much more flexibility and signals can arrive and leave the matrix using multiple different transport media. Traditional VGA, DVI or HDMI connections locally on the switch can be mixed with remote signals arriving via structured cabling solutions or fibre infrastructure, to deliver complex wide-area switching and distribution solutions with ranges up to 10 kilometres.”

SIGNAL COMPLEXITY “It’s not so much that switchers are complex, and more about the growing complexity of signal distribution,” adds Michael DiBella, marketing communications manager at Atlona. “Quality switchers only need to be engineered to support the complex signals that they route. In today’s age of digital signal distribution using multiple sources, where signals are coded with content protection, control protocols, and with display identification data then routed to a multitude of displays, switchers need to be engineered to facilitate signal

transport. To simplify the process, solution providers such as Atlona offer design services as well as configuration tools that make it easy to maximise performance while also simplifying system design.”

It’s not even just about signal complexity. There is also a proliferation of end devices that need to be accommodated – a point made by Andy Fliss, marketing director at TV One, which joined forces with Magenta in 2011 and subsequently with Gefen to become Nortek’s ProAV Group.

“AV installations have become extremely collaborative environments,” he believes, “and the resulting prevalence of BYOD [bring your own device] is forcing manufacturers to accommodate an increasing variety of source signals. In the old days, expert pro-AV manufacturers would have created interface products to provide universal access to presentation systems – and those specialty peripherals were generally best-of-breed.

Now, top-tier manufacturers strive to provide one-stop shopping. The result can often be extremely complex ‘heart of system’ products – matrix switchers – that

Kramer modular digital matrix switchers come in 16 x 16, 32 x 32 and 64 x 64 frame sizes

EDID The growing complexity of matrix switches is partially a function of the requirement to handle EDID, and switch manufacturers address this in a range of ways. Managing EDID can be challenging – but what is EDID? It’s something that we take for granted every time we attach a screen to a PC: the PC ‘knows’ what kind of screen – in terms of aspect ratio, resolution and so on – it’s communicating with. That’s because the screen provides EDID data that the host computer can interrogate. Introduced in 1994, Extended Display Identification Data (and E-EDID, the enhanced version) allows sophisticated matrix switches to optimise output to any given screen.

DisplayID is a VESA standard, first introduced in 2007, targeted to replace EDID and E-EDID extensions with a uniform format suited for both PC monitor and consumer electronics devices. The most current version (1.3) – which, among other things, provides support for resolutions of 4K and beyond, tiled displays and stereo 3D – was released in September 2013.

26 December 2013

PUBLISHING HOUSE RELIES ON AMX TO HELP DELIVER THE NEWS

CASE STUDY Austrian publishing house Moser Holding recently relocated to a new building, and took the opportunity to update its technology infrastructure to deliver a broad range of analogue and digital video and audio sources to locations throughout the facility. At the heart of the new system is an AMX Enova DGX digital media switcher.

The embedded AMX NetLinx central controller and Ethernet

attempt to be all things to all men.”

“The drawback,” he laughs, “is that we have become an industry of jacks of all trades and masters of none.

“But,” continues Fliss, “the most significant change in the use of matrix switchers is the addition of interactive end-points. Touchscreen displays are sending HID responses back through the matrix for remote control of computer-based content. We see this increasingly in museums, shopping malls with interactive directories and other wayfinding applications.”

SHIFT IN DESIGN APPROACH The demand to cater for a broad range of signal types and end devices – not to mention the wide array of customer environments and applications – has led manufacturers to acknowledge that there can be no ‘one size fits all’ solution. In addition, as AV becomes more integral to business, any given installation has a high likelihood of needing to respond dynamically to changing business requirements – and high

switch enable centralised monitoring, management and control of every connected device. Using an Enova DGX 32 in conjunction with AMX’s DXLink transmitters and receivers has ensured that audio, video, bidirectional control, Ethernet and power can be distributed over a single twisted-pair cable up to 200m around the newsroom floor.

The multi-format DXLink transmitters provide automatic

reliability and uptime are essential. Beyond this, signal distribution technology is not standing still: the only constant is change. Last but not least is the issue of affordability. This combination of factors has led to something of a shift in the approach to the design of matrix switches.

“Providing modular matrix switchers allows manufacturers to provide solutions to multiple design applications with the same core hardware,” explains Ridgwell, “allowing for a variety of input and output signal types to be combined for each custom installation.

Modularity also provides a future upgrade option to a system.”

“It is not possible to build a custom matrix to suit every install so the next best thing is modularity,” notes Jon Lane, managing director at Smart-e. “We can create two or three modular cards – such as an HDMI input card, a VGA input card, an HDMI output card, a Cat5/HDBaseT output card and so on – such that the matrix can then be customised to suit all needs.”

“Modularity adds many advantages to a matrix,” he

analogueto-digital signal conversion, providing support for legacy analogue devices as well as for digital signals.

The advantages of the system are said to be that it can scale resolution to match every destination screen, and that it manages the issues historically associated with HDCP-authenticated content distribution and switching.

continues. “Future expansion can be achieved without the need to pay for the extra I/O unit required. Different interface modules allow for mixed signal formats, and future-proofing is achieved by allowing the inclusion of new interfaces we don’t yet know about – the dreaded unknown unknowns.”

‘Single-format matrix switchers are all but dead with the market moving towards multi-format switchers’ Brian Davies, AMX

www.installation-international.com

BUILD IT

BETTER WITH CHIEF’S FUSION® SERIES

Find the flexibility you need for your next project with our installer-friendly, modular mounting solutions, perfect for building dynamic video walls.

Visit the Chief booth and discover all the possibilities.

LCM2X2U

Ceiling mounted video wall

ISE 2014

HANDS ON

Demo Chief products to see for yourself!

BOOTH 2-C42

Get the latest product scoop at the booth

XPAU

©2014 Milestone AV Technologies, a Duchossois Company. Chief is a division of Milestone. IE_2014.

X-Large height adjustable cart

LBM2X2UP

Portrait bolt-down video wall

+31 (0) 495 580 840 Q chiefmfg.com

FEATURE: VIDEO DISTRIBUTION CRESTRON DIGITALMEDIA HELPING BEIRUT TO REGENERATE As part of the Lebanese city of Beirut’s plan to renew, regenerate and restore itself to a modern hub for business, tourism and city living, an information centre has been created. It uses a Crestron DigitalMedia control system to manage the interactive AV installation that virtually guides investors, business associates and tourists around it, powering videowalls, reception spaces and the auditorium.

Crestron touchscreens also serve as the interface for the digital tour guides.

With a mixture of satellite receivers, Blu-ray and DVD players, eight server computers, two laptops, a conference facility, wireless streaming and 32 displays, the infrastructure has at its heart a 32 x 32 DigitalMedia switcher.

Through the DigitalMedia network, the videowalls are

able to receive Full HD, deep colour and 3D signals via Crestron’s 8G cabling.

The speed and clarity provided by the switcher and corresponding scalers allow users to switch sources and configure the videowalls in any combination required. If they select a mixture of feeds – DVD, computer and satellite receiver, for example – the wall can be

Smart-e’s SNX uses inexpensive Cat5-8 cable and can support UXGA resolution for devices up to 300m away

The AMX AVS Enova DGX 16 Digital Media Switcher can be populated with video input and output and audio insert and extract boards

Facon has an interesting take on the subject of modularity. “For the systems integration market, modularity allows an AV system to evolve,” he says.

“Having a relatively low entry price makes the initial agreement easier, especially with the understanding that the switch can grow with the customer’s needs – but the ability to add features and functionality in line with the changing AV infrastructure can be an asset for the integrator, allowing him to 28 December 2013

help his customer adapt to the future without facing significant additional cost.”

CUSTOM – AND SCALABLE As DiBella points out, while noting that fixed switchers can have value in many applications: modularity brings a compelling combination of the ability to create a custom solution on the one hand, and a solution that is highly scalable on the other.

“Modularity also ensures that matrix switch design is

CASE STUDY manipulated to display each feed in a combination of 1 x 1, 2 x 2, 3 x 3, 3 x 4 and 4 x 4 screen formations.

Crestron touchscreens are also strategically placed around the centre to control the Sonnex audio distribution network. cost-effective, using only the required number of input and output ports,” adds Davies.

“This also means that a modular matrix switch need not be square, such as 8 x 8 or 32 x 32; combinations such as 4 x 16 or 24 x 8 become possible.”

“The other major benefit with using a modular solution is in terms of reliability and long-term support,” he goes on. “Given the large numbers of inputs and outputs available – the largest digital video matrix available from AMX, for example, is 256 x 256 – failure of a matrix switch often impacts on more than just one space; in fact, it can often impact upon the whole facility. Modular designs can allow for the removal and replacement of individual boards rather than the whole switch and hence can vastly reduce the downtime and the time needed to identify and rectify the problem. AMX Enova DGX products take this commitment to support a step further by ensuring all DGX signal boards are ‘hotswappable’, meaning that only the faulty board need be replaced and that this can be achieved without switching off the matrix and taking the whole facility offline.”

ALTERNATIVES Given everything that matrix switches are capable of, it’s hard to believe that there is any alternative for

organisations looking for the functionality they deliver.

That’s not necessarily the case, however. One in particular stands out.

“There are a few alternatives to implementing an ‘any-to-many’ video system,” claims Fliss. “The highest-profile alternative is IP video. With IP video, any quantity of multicast video streams can be ‘tuned in’ at decoders located at display locations. The sources can be placed anywhere on the network, as can the displays.

This concept is easily understood by IT facility managers and is increasingly chosen, despite the drawbacks. Latency remains an unmanageable variable, resulting in sinks being out of sync with each other. There is also a lack of attention to video quality that becomes a factor in meeting environments.”

Jones also sees IP video solutions as a potential alternative. “With these, you are able to create almost the same functionality utilising a standard network switch as the centre-point,” he says.

“These systems can work out quite a bit cheaper than standard routing, but many also have drawbacks. Most IP-based encoders compress the signal and this compression often creates latency from source to sink.

In many applications in which Lightware is involved, latency is not accepted even to a single frame. This compression can also create degradation of the signal pathway, which again is unacceptable in most professional applications.”

Largely in agreement is Lane. “The only other way of achieving the same functionality as a matrix would be to use video streaming,” he notes.

“Multiple channels can be accommodated on a network which can be decoded at each display. It’s great for distance and using existing cable – but it can affect network bandwidth, and experience problems with timing and delays.”

It seems that IP can deliver similar functionality to a matrix switch – but perhaps not the same performance.

Ozer, however, is in no doubt about the way forward.

“It is our belief at Kramer that the market is clearly moving towards using video over IP as the main method for video routing,” he says, noting,

‘There is a growing demand for faster and seamless switching’ Ezra Ozer, Kramer

however, that the technology still suffers from relatively high entry prices and the absence of standardisation.

“The advantages are numerous. It enables building asymmetrical virtual matrix switching solutions with exactly as many inputs and outputs as required; signals can be transmitted over virtually unlimited ranges over the IP network; and solutions are dynamic and modular, so adding more inputs and outputs is possible.”

Kramer recently introduced the KDS-EN2T/R, an HDMI over IP TX/RX set, based on JPEG2000 technology, which sends and receives what the company claims is a visually lossless HD image with digital stereo over a Gigabit LAN, and with zero-delay switching time.

The industry is largely in agreement on the central role that matrix switches play in today’s demanding AV installation. There is, however, less agreement on whether ‘matrix switch’ is the correct term. The last word goes to Brian Davies.

“If you have just one, it’s a matrix switch. If you have more than one, then you have matrix switchers. And,” he laughs, “the collective noun for a group of matrix switchers is an ‘entanglement’.” A wise man indeed. www.amx.com www.analogway.com www.atlona.com www.crestron.com www.kramerelectronics.com www.lightware.eu www.smart-e.co.uk www.tvone.com

www.installation-international.com

100% PROJECTION SCREEN 100% DRY ERASE BOARD

Introducing the new Projecta Interactive Dry Erase Screen, the only screen that functions as a dry erase board without sacrificing its ability to display a clear, vibrant image. The Projecta Interactive Dry Erase Screen also gives you the ability to add interactivity and reduce glare when paired with an interactive short throw projector.

Two applications, one projection screen — 100% Projecta.

Contact Projecta for more information: +31 (0) 495 580 840 | projectascreens.com

FEATURE: AIRPORTS AND RAILWAY STATIONS Abu Dhabi International Airport features a Tannoy QFlex digital beam-steering array system

Seven transport AV trends A raft of major infrastructural projects at airports and railway stations across EMEA have made transport a robust segment for AV manufacturers and installers. But to what degree are these markets staying on track when it comes to the latest technological trends, asks David Davies?

IF EVER there was a perfect example of evolution, not revolution in AV deployment, the transport sector is it.

From a frankly rather lowly base in the 1980s – remember the relative absence of wayfinding in many locations, or the announcements that frequently bordered on the unintelligible? – airport and railway station operators have increasingly acknowledged the contribution that high-quality AV can make to the overall passenger experience.

Most prominently, perhaps, audio systems able to cope with the frequently high reverberation times of transport hubs have become increasingly de rigueur.

30 December 2013

Similarly, in the larger venues at least, sizeable video displays delivering passenger information and, in many cases, continual feeds of TV news channels are now ubiquitous.

Away from the ‘frontline’, service providers are also slowly getting to grips with the fact that passengers are accessing a wealth of travel information on very small screens as well – the ones that adorn their smartphones – both inside and outside the transport facility itself. While the need to integrate smartphones successfully into this environment is now accepted, it’s still at a very early stage.

All of which has to be good

news for manufacturers – but then too there is the fact that we are simply at a high point of the renewal/ development cycle, in which a cluster of major infrastructural projects across Europe and the Middle East are heralding numerous significant contracts. The longer-term future could be more problematic – in the UK, the British Chambers of Commerce recently expressed its concerns about the slow progress of some long-term transport schemes – but for now, activity levels are generally strong.

As it made its way through this cheeringly dynamic sector, Installation was able to discern seven primary trends that are already

[KEY POINTS]

shaping the market – or which look set to over the next couple of years…

1) AUDIO EXPECTATIONS IN RAIL ARE BEGINNING TO MATCH AIRPORTS Despite the availability of more technology able to cope with their often reverberant conditions, there is general agreement that railway stations’ audio set-ups sometimes still lag behind those of their airport counterparts. Scott Wakelin, direct markets manager at TC Group International – which is home to Tannoy and Lab.gruppen, among other audio stalwarts – believes that this is because “rail stations are still more functional than experience-

Large displays and videowalls are increasingly ubiquitous in airports and railway stations

Airports, in particular, are focusing more acutely on effective content management as greater income is derived from non-aeronautical revenue

Beam-technology audio systems are helping railway stations to tackle historic acoustical problems

www.installation-international.com

FEATURE: AIRPORTS AND RAILWAY STATIONS driven, though there is a move away from this in some of the larger stations around the country. In general, the railway customer experience is shorter due to 99% of rail journeys being national rather than international; therefore, time spent at the station is much less than that spent by an international traveller. This means there is less demand for customer-facing technology, other than that of a functional nature.”

Slowly but surely, however, the expectation of easily intelligible audio in public spaces is altering the outlook.

“With the advances in digital beam-steering products like [Tannoy’s] QFlex, which can deliver crystal clear sound across the listening plane, people’s expectations are starting to change,” asserts Wakelin. “Station managers are sharing their experiences, as are passengers, so expectations are rising across the sector.”

Although believing that, generally, there hasn’t been “a massive leap in terms of intelligibility of audio” in railway stations and airports, Peavey Commercial Audio operations manager James Kennedy says that those in the know are making greater use of audio management systems like its own Control Matrix. “What’s come out of surveys in the last few years is that when you deliver clearer messages, the throughput of the railway station or airport is improved,” he says. “This is helping to drive adoption, as is the fact that systems are more intuitive to use now.”

2) INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE EVERYWHERE Digital signage for wayfinding and general information updates has been ubiquitous for a while. But now large videowalls – often relaying a variety of content, including rolling TV news – are also a common sight in many airports and railway stations.

Jon Lane, MD and founder of AV distribution and switching equipment specialist Smart-e, remarks: “In the past few years passengers have come to expect quick and easy access to information on screens strategically placed within their sightline; walking to a central point to find information is no longer acceptable. Many of the larger airports and stations now feature large videowalls for the 24/7 broadcast of TV news, entertainment and www.installation-international.com

‘We believe video streaming will become a major technology for live travel information, flight tracking and baggage tracking’ Jon Lane, Smart-e advertising messages, in a bid to fill passengers’ waiting time.”

This chimes with a more general trend for information to be easily accessible at all times. “Customers expect flight information and updates to be available always from the moment they cross the doorway,” says TOA technical manager Ian Bridgewater. “This can be done in several ways, with the use of screens/monitors and the public address system.”

3) NETWORKING PROVIDES GREATER FLEXIBILITY As well as transport providers recognising the need for highquality displays, there is also much more awareness of the flexibility that can be garnered by effective networking. “One major difference is that today, everything is connected,” says Richard Wilks, aviation business development manager, NEC Display Solutions. “Displays are no longer dumb terminals; now they are connected via networks, enabling instant updates to content and greater adaptability. In addition, the displays themselves are more intelligent with remote management capability.”

4) GREATER INTERACTIVITY ON THE HORIZON… AND IPTV It’s no surprise that manufacturers report customers’ prioritisation of reliable, round-the-clock

operation and competitive price-points for new displays.

Increasingly, though, their hitlists also include varying degrees of interactivity.

“Customer expectations have changed with the technology as it has matured,” says Scott Pickus, marketing manager at LED and LCD display solutions provider DynaScan. “We find our customers are looking for screens that are brighter, larger, higher resolution and, in many cases, interactive.”

NEC’s Wilks also picks up on the trend. “Customer expectation for touch technology has led to new ways of interacting with passengers through touchscreen technology, including common-use selfservice (or CUSS) at check-in,” he says.

The slow revolution in transport visual display is also likely to encompass greater adoption of IPTV. “We’ve seen an increase in demand for enterprise IPTV solutions in airports, with the Middle East and Europe leading the way,” says Colin Farquhar, CEO of IPTV specialist Exterity. “Delivering video 24/7 without disruption has now become a key requirement in the transportation market.”

5) MORE THAN EVER, CONTENT IS KING Once upon a time, airports and railway stations were simple transit points – necessary stop-offs on the way from Point A to Point B. But with many airports, in particular, now deriving a substantial part of their income from retail and other non-aeronautical revenues (these accounted for 46.5% of airports’ income worldwide in 2010, according to a report by the Airports Council International), facilities have increasingly had to grapple with an important duality: on the one hand, keeping passengers moving with the necessary transport information; on the other, encouraging them to linger awhile to spend time (and money) in shops.

“Content is always the key,” says Pickus, “and can be used to quickly and efficiently provide information to passengers on the move; to attract potential customers at newsstands and restaurants with bright, dynamic content; or to provide entertainment and advertising opportunities for passengers waiting to board.”

December 2013 31

FEATURE: AIRPORTS AND RAILWAY STATIONS

NEC displays feature throughout Zurich Airport, including in the Upperdeck Restaurant

Managing the duality is easier in airports, where there are more distinct areas for different stages of the process. “To make this passage even quicker, airports are minimising operational functions, encouraging online ticketing,

32 December 2013

and giving over more space to retail, where passengers will have longer dwell-time and greater opportunities to spend money,” says Wilks.

The differentiation is “not so clear-cut” in rail stations, he notes, “but this will change.

Rail operators are looking to

separate check-in areas from waiting areas, which will help to define appropriate content scheduling.”

6) AV COMPANIES CAN HELP WITH THE BALANCING ACT Time and effort are being spent on enabling this

separation of content. For example, Farquhar observes that at Exterity “we’re ensuring that digital signage and IPTV for entertainment and information services can coexist. For instance, it’s possible to provide departure information in a picture-inpicture box-out, so that the critical information can be distributed without detracting too much from video entertainment. The same techniques can be deployed in retail outlets, as well as providing exciting marketing opportunities through providing IPTV video as part of the retailers’ digital signage communications.”

Matthew Harrison, regional manager at install company Display Manager, offers an example from his recent project installing Smart-e technology at London Southend Airport [see Case Study, page 35]. “The key is to make sure the technical application applies with the content,” he says. “At London Southend Airport we installed screens in the queuing areas that not only show passengers the next stage of checking-in and how to be prepared for it, but give security and flight information. We also

implemented digital advertising to make passengers linger. From our point of view, it is extremely important to make sure the content, generated by advertisers, is of a high broadcast quality, with clear images and text that give passengers time to read the advertising messages.”

7) MORE CHANGES ARE ON THE WAY Although the primary purpose of airports and railway stations won’t change, there is widespread acceptance that AV technology now plays a crucial role in “maximising the revenue generation” (as Wilks puts it) from passenger throughput. Accordingly, the transport space is destined to become even more cuttingedge…

“I think we will see a lot more progress in terms of transporting audio and video around these buildings,” says Kennedy, “although I think it could be two or three years until [deployment of AVB and the like is common]. It’s also pretty clear there will be more automation within the airport environment – more scheduled messaging, more customerdriven involvement. The

www.installation-international.com

" ! .!

In an age where there is zero room for compromise! TOA have ensured that their customers have it all from the microphone to the speaker It’s not by chance that you encounter TOA on a daily basis with products specified in areas such as your local gymnasium to the worlds prestigious buildings around the world, it is in fact due to design and innovation that makes us world leaders The TOA professional audio product lineup includes wireless microphones, digital amplification, DSP matrix, mixers, in fact all the way through to loudspeaker Choosing TOA will guarantee peace of mind and high quality with an established audio solution provider that has been growing a legacy for over 75 years and counting!

". - &,(,$

+$+ %(.! (+ +- . - &,(,$

+ -(- . .+ , ,&-. - &,(,$

www.toa.eu

sound without compromise

FEATURE: AIRPORTS AND RAILWAY STATIONS

CASE STUDY

DISPLAY MANAGER TAKES A SMART(-E) APPROACH TO VIDEO DISTRIBUTION AT LONDON SOUTHEND AIRPORT Hampshire, UK-based Display Manager recently completed the installation of an AV passenger information system at the new airport terminal at London Southend Airport.

Firmly in development mode since its purchase by the Stobart Group in 2008, London Southend Airport is in the midst of a long-term expansion programme. In the new terminal, a highly specified AV system that feeds TV and video signals to an array of screens located across the site makes extensive use of Smart-e transmitter and receiver pairs.

Comprising six Smart-e smartLynx point-topoint universal transmitters (SLX-TX111) and six general-purpose receivers (SLX-RX111), the main system distributes TV signals to screens situated in areas including the executive lounge, UK Border Agency and control room.

www.installation-international.com

Matthew Harrison, regional manager at Display Manager, says: “When we were contracted to install the audio and video communications within the new terminal, we quickly decided to use Smart-e composite video equipment as it met all the client’s criteria. We already had experience of using Smart-e products and knew them to be reliable and provide a cost-effective and compact solution.

“Distribution via Cat5-8 structured cabling, which had already been installed in the terminal, made for easy install, as did the ‘plug and play’ feature, which made configuration quick and easy to complete.

“We are delighted with the end result. Picture and sound quality [are] superb and we are confident that the system will continue to work for many years.”

upshot will be less manual work for airport employees.”

And the visual side, in particular, will continue to evolve. Several interviewees predict the greater prevalence of larger displays, with airport operators realising that videowalls and LED screens offer “airport operators another broadcast medium to strengthen their brand and offer more dynamic advertising”, notes Wilks.

Video streaming may also come into its own. Predicts Lane: “We believe video streaming will become a major technology in the future for live, up-to-date travel information, live flight tracking, and baggage arrival and tracking.”

So, no shortage of opportunities for AV suppliers, then. Moreover, the aforementioned reservations about the UK aside, the prognosis for the European market looks good. In the world of aviation, in particular, “business is booming”, says Wilks. “There is currently not enough airport capacity in Europe, and as airports seek to increase terminal capacity, this creates big opportunities for growth which will continue until at least 2030.”

‘Delivering video 24/7 without disruption has become a key requirement in the transportation market’ Colin Farquhar, Exterity www.displaymanager.net www.dynascanusa.com www.exterity.com www.nec-display-solutions.com www.peavey.com www.smart-e.co.uk www.tcgroup.tc www.toa.eu

December 2013 35

FEATURE: CRUISE LINERS Two70°, Royal Caribbean’s multipurpose venue onboard Quantum of the Seas, delivers entertainment including performance art, aerialists and panoramic digital scenery

[KEY POINTS] The cruise industry has now recovered from the worldwide recession and the worst sailing disaster for decades

Operators continually search for solutions that reduce power consumption, maintenance and operator requirements in order to minimise costs

On-board theatrical productions can match Broadway and West End shows in scale and production quality, requiring the same level of stage equipment

Plain sailing Despite the recent downturn, customer expectations of cruise ship facilities are higher than ever. Steve Montgomery looks at how the AV industry is helping to meet these demands AS A TOURIST destination, the cruise ship market is huge and expanding, accounting for an estimated revenue of $36 billion in 2013, a rise of 4.5% compared with 2012. This year, some 21 million passenger trips will be taken in 283 ships with up to 440,000 passengers afloat at any time. The top two cruise companies, Carnival and Royal Caribbean, account for 72% of the worldwide share of revenue. Both organisations boast ships capable of accommodating 5,000 to 6,000 passengers and, with an average age of over 50, each passenger spends on average $200 per day.

Every cruise brochure focuses on three elements to entice the potential passenger: ports of call, accommodation and onboard facilities. Passengers 36 December 2013

continually want more: different sights, new and better entertainment, higherquality food and more personalised services. It is to the AV industry that the cruise companies turn to assist in the delivery of the enhanced experience and set apart their packages from the competition.

“Despite a worldwide recession that saw the postponement of new builds, together with the worst cruise ship catastrophe for decades, the sinking of the Costa Concordia, the industry is beginning to pick itself up and investment in shipbuilding is starting again,” says Andy Pygott, MD of entertainment technology supplier Innovation Productions. “The pinnacle in cruise ship construction was the Queen Mary 2, launched way back in

2003 with a construction cost of $300,000 per berth, twice that of contemporary cruise ships. This vessel boasted many high-tech features, including the world’s first broadcast production facility, enabling live transmission from the ship when moored.”

This facility was finally surpassed in the summer of 2012 by the onboard broadcast capability of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, which transmitted a live routine from the ship’s Broadway-licensed musical Hairspray from the Caribbean Sea as part of the Tony Awards programme. What this typifies is the way in which cruise liners are venues for the highest-quality shows and production capabilities, a point noted by Mick Hannaford, managing director of Robe UK: “Entertainment satisfaction is

based on production quality as well as content; this demands superior, flexible audio and visual equipment.

Our products have successfully demonstrated increased satisfaction: the DigitalSpot range combines video projection and LED lighting in a single movinghead device, controlled by DMX from a lighting desk, allowing more creative and imaginative effects on single or multi-projection displays.

LED luminaires are far more reliable and controllable than discharge lamp types. Their massively longer lifetimes mean that they are far less likely to fail during a performance leaving a dark area and a poor passenger memory of the show.”

Replacing discharge tube devices with LED light sources saves money, so

Most areas on ships are used for multiple applications and equipment needs to be flexible and manageable throughout, achieved speedily and easily through the use of preset and stored configurations

Long periods of operation between ship refits demand high reliability of equipment and ease of maintenance while at sea

‘We have to implement advanced use of technology to achieve outstanding results for every show’ Phil Yeomans, Carnival UK www.installation-international.com

Elements

™

8 H:G>:H DK:G6AA HNHI:B

L:6I=:G>O6I>DC G6I>C< D;/ >E)*

6AA E:6K:NÂ&#x153; E:G;DGB6C8: G:A>67>A>IN# &%-8

&&'8

&&*8

'&'8 HjWldd[Zg

6AA L:6I=:G 9:H><C ID G:H>HI I=: :A:B:CIH#

I]Z Vaa"cZl 6bZg^XVc"bVYZ! ^cXgZY^Wan YjgVWaZ! gZa^VWaZ VcY kZghVi^aZ :aZbZcih lZVi]Zgegdd[ ZcXadhjgZh VgZ V XdbW^cVi^dc d[ ^ccdkVi^kZ XVW^cZi XdchigjXi^dc! Ă&#x2026; Zm^WaZ bdjci^c\ dei^dch VcY egdkZc! lZVi]Zg^oZY XdbedcZcih YZh^\cZY [dg Y^gZXi XdciVXi l^i] i]Z ZaZbZcih ^c i]Z bdhi YZbVcY^c\ Xa^bViZh# <dcZ VgZ i]Z YVnh d[ ]Vc\^c\ ZcXadhjgZh djih^YZ dcan id gZeaVXZ i]Z heZV`Zg ^c V nZVg dg ild# 7ZiiZg XdbedcZcih! WZiiZg gZa^VW^a^in! WZiiZg hdjcY! VcY cdl i]Z WZhi egdiZXi^dc V\V^chi lZVi]Zg# EZVkZn ]Vh i]Z bdhi XdbeaZiZ VcY ^ccdkVi^kZ djiYddg hdaji^dch id ndjg hdjcY ^chiVaa cZZYh# 8dciVXi ndjg EZVkZn ^chiVaaZg dg YZVaZg idYVn VcY VYY i]Z b^hh^c\ :aZbZci id ndjg hdjcY#

LLL#E:6K:N8DBB:G8>6A6J9>D#8DB Â&#x2122; LLL#E:6K:N#8DB

FEATURE: CRUISE LINERS SILENCE DESCENDS WITH VIKINGLINE’S M/S VIKING GRACE

CASE STUDY

M/S Viking Grace, the newest and largest addition to the Vikingline Scandinavian cruise fleet, is the quietest yet, due to its revolutionary liquefied natural gas propulsion system.

Sound from background to DJ and live music is delivered exclusively by Lab.gruppen amplification to architectural and in-ceiling speakers from Turbosound through Allen & Heath mixing desks.

Twenty individual videowalls, each formed from four NEC 46in monitors, together with a further 83 similar displays, show content from 100 PCs over an AMX IPTV Cat6 network.

Content changes during the day to set the interior ambience and provide local information.

A 50sqm Liantronics LED videowall, the largest on a Scandinavian ship, forms the

whereas most upgrades are performed at lengthy intervals and subject to budget and worldwide economic constraints, this replacement procedure occurs on a continuous basis.

POWER DEMANDS Fuel is the single most expensive resource used by

38 December 2013

focal point in the Vogue Nightclub. LED background lighting is used extensively throughout the vessel in the lounges, walkway and restaurants, each area changing to suit the time of day or to match a specific entertainment style. Elsewhere, LED luminaires from ETC, Chauvet and Martin Professional deliver high-impact light in the nightclub and bars.

“The quality of the sound, audio and lighting effectively places M/S Viking Grace in the technological league of American luxury cruise ships,” says Jorma Tikka of Noretron Audio, which was responsible for system integration on the vessel. “The exceptional quietness of the ship made the installation of the audio system simpler and easier to tune than usually encountered on cruise ships of this size.”

cruise ships, so operators are continually striving to reduce onboard power consumption to relieve the electricity generators. LED luminaires are undoubtedly beneficial, taking minimal amounts of power compared with discharge lamps and generating far less heat that has to be removed by the air-

conditioning equipment.

Large-screen LED matrix displays are finding their way into the visual effects areas in nightclubs, shopping malls and for use in large open-air screening applications.

However, large projectors are the preferred option for highresolution cinema and double up for use in the top-end

musical productions favoured by cruise passengers.

Darren Banks, business development manager EMEA at Christie, notes that many of the more upmarket cruise liners are specifying the company’s CP range of 2K digital projectors. “We have noticed, particularly with top-end cruise operators, that when their vessels are due for refurbishment they will almost always take the opportunity to upgrade from 35mm film to digital 2K,” he explains. “Theatres have also had to come on a long way as no-one wants to watch a production with second-rate technical facilities.”

The limited availability of operators is also a consideration, which Christie addresses. “Both newgeneration M Series and J Series projector ranges offer DMX512 communication capabilities,” he adds. “Since this is the de facto lighting protocol, it means that the video projectors can be run by the lighting technician direct from the console. In addition to that, with our Nitro Solutions yoke they can not only fly the image around the stage, but it can become a wash light, strobe or audience blinder allowing the projector to be used as a video or lighting effect and again, reducing the equipment and operator overhead.”

MULTI-USE VENUES Versatility is another crucial issue for all onboard equipment since most public spaces double or even triple up for different applications.

“The Playhouse theatre on P&O Cruises’ ship the Azura can be compared with any West End theatre, the main difference being that we run a different show every night

of the week. Cruise ships have limited space, so we have to implement advanced use of technology to achieve outstanding results for every show,” says Phil Yeomans, Carnival UK’s entertainment sound and light manager.

“The productions can range from live bands and full-on dance and acrobatics production shows to standup comedy and magicians.

The equipment has to cater for all these needs. We have a good relationship with Yamaha and the range of desks onboard means we can utilise the wide range of products for our various requirements, but still keep the same manufacturer to minimise training and spares costs. Yamaha equipment is already used on board all seven P&O Cruises: Ventura, Oriana, Oceana, Aurora, Adonia, Azura and Arcadia, allowing technical crew to transfer seamlessly between ships.”

While large-scale entertainment facilities are the most visible aspects of the passenger experience, incabin entertainment and shipwide information services are important too. Currently these are in a state of transition.

“Many of the ships we work on distribute audio over the Bosch Praesideo voice evacuation system which is an integrated device providing public address, voice alarm and background music. It is the ship’s main emergency evacuation system,” remarks Ron Sadd, project manager for Clair Brothers. “However we are beginning to see interest in transition to multichannel network audio delivery using protocols such as CobraNet. There is some resistance within the IT department as the audio signals will be

www.installation-international.com

FEATURE: CRUISE LINERS Multiple Yamaha digital consoles are in use onboard P&O Cruises’ 3,080-capacity Azura

shared on the network backbone with essential and sensitive ship services so security issues are a concern.

In the cabins, CATV systems based on analogue coaxial distribution networks are being replaced by digital transmission networks over CatX and fibre backbones and smart TVs are now commonly found in the higher-end cabins and suites.

40 December 2013

LONG LIFECYCLE Futureproofing and device longevity and reliability feature highly on the criteria list for cruise liners. Cruise ships operate on long cycles of scheduled voyages between planned refits; generally of three to five years. Equipment that is not easily swappable must have sufficiently long lifecycles.

“Sea air is notoriously harsh

and corrosive,” says Scott Kalarchik, director of integrated system solutions, QSC Audio. “Our new AD speakers are manufactured from ABS enclosures with aluminium grilles making them resistant to the elements and capable of performing perfectly with no loss of sound quality for periods between major refits.

Additionally QSC has received

IEC60945 Certification for the Core 1000, 3000, 4000, I/O Frame, Page Stations and most of the CX amp line. This certification is the last step required in order to receive Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) approval for the cruise ship industry. It means that they can be employed as evacuation system components, allowing operators to standardise for both emergency and entertainment applications.”

Reliability is paramount on vessels that may be away from base for months and where replacement or servicing must be undertaken by multi-skilled, but not necessarily highly specialised technicians. Operating conditions on ships are harsher than on land and the stresses imposed on equipment through vibration and power fluctuations and surges far greater.

“Electricity is produced on board by diesel generators and power lines are affected by fluctuating voltage, peaks and distortion,” points out Francesco Fanicchi, marketing and communication manager at Powersoft. “Powersoft’s amplifiers are equipped with

PFC power supplies that are capable of working in poorquality power conditions and during switchover to shore supplies. Instead of a star configuration, power comes from a delta-connected system without neutral wiring so all amplifiers must be capable of operating under this configuration. Ottocanali Series amplifiers are extremely efficient and can save a considerable amount of power and are compact in design to achieve valuable space saving in equipment racks.”

LAND OR SEA? Ship installations differ from land-based ones in a number of fundamental ways, as Mark Morley, technical director of marine installer TEDGroup, explains: “Everything has to be fixed to the structure of the ship: floor-mounted loudspeakers have to be bolted to the deck, for example. Anything used on open decks must be IP67 rated – not just for weatherproofing but because deckhands pressure-wash everything on deck every day – and made from noncorroding materials. Steel

www.installation-international.com

FEATURE: CRUISE LINERS must be A4 Stainless. Steel and aluminium cannot be bolted together on open decks, as the electrolytic mix of aluminium, steel and saline atmosphere causes severe corrosion. All cables have to be passed through glands in ceiling panels and wall panels as the constant engine vibration chafes unrestricted cable.

Wherever a cable passes through a deck-head or bulkhead, it has to pass through a ‘penetration’; a specific method of sealing holes in the steel to prevent them bursting under pressure should the

retardancy qualities make them ideal for public building and marine installations. They are an outstanding solution for existing and future multiple data line installations as the included OM3 fibres can be simply left unterminated for future networking upgrades. This is particularly useful in the marine sector where cable pulls travel through waterproof and fireproof bulkheads make cable upgrades difficult and expensive to retrofit. We are also receiving interest for applications in marine automation and control

systems in the merchant and naval sectors for these types of multicore cable, in addition to the cruise and superyacht markets.”

For applications in cabins and local display connectivity, Van Damme also supplies marine versions of lockable HDMI leads aimed at preventing cables from working loose due to vibration of the superstructure.

D’Aguiar continues: “For HDMI connections we specifically promote Perfect Path locking HDMI leads for marine applications. The locking mechanism can support 25lb of retention and the 1000

Series products support both high-speed HDMI and Ethernet applications for smart TVs. Many of these innovations have come from the company’s experience in touring applications where similarly demanding conditions exist.”

Despite concealing most of the technology away from public sight, cruise ship operators are demanding customers; continually striving to implement the latest, most efficient and impactful AV and presentation equipment while insisting upon the highest levels of reliability and easiest

operation and maintenance procedures. Once a brand or integrator is established within this market, supplier loyalty is high and provides exciting opportunities to deliver top-of-the-range technology to prestige installations. www.christieemea.com www.clairsystems.com www.innovation-productions.com www.noretron.fi www.powersoft.it www.qsc.com www.robe.cz www.tedgroup.com www.vdctrading.com www.yamahaproaudio.com

‘We are beginning to see interest in transition to multichannel network audio delivery using protocols such as CobraNet’ Ron Sadd, Clair Brothers ship take in water. This is a skill that can only be undertaken by certified specialist companies.”

With a long replacement cycle and insatiable desire from passengers for the latest technology, cable manufacturer Van Damme has introduced the Aqua Series Super Marine SeaCat multi-core cables. “These are multi-signal cables including a four-way Cat6 S/FTP type data element with solid conductors and individually foil screened pairs. The multi-core also incorporates four OM3 multimode fibres for potential 10G Ethernet applications,” points out Chris D’Aguiar, commercial director at the company.

“These cables feature Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) jacket materials and their fire resistance and www.installation-international.com

December 2013 41

FEATURE: REGIONAL VOICES

Sweden Last month there were indications of deflation in the Swedish economy. But what is the outlook like for the country’s AV market? Our survey finds out

1.2%

GDP growth, 2013

1.2%

STATE OF THE

MARKET

Source: Swedish government budget statement

Budget deficit, 2013

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

(as share of GDP) Source: Swedish government budget statement

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

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

MOST INFLUENTIAL

Higher 41% The same/no answer 53% Lower 6% ‘Consumer electronics make their way more and more into our industry, making people believe that everything will run smoothly, which it doesn’t always do.’

ENTERING THE MARKET

More affordable technology Competitor activity

‘Be careful, it is not a big market and the area to cover is big.’

‘Quality, quality and quality. Do your homework when it comes to whom you will be dealing with (distributors, integrators), look for reputation and experience. See too that they are members of LLB.’ ‘Even the very rich, regardless if we are talking about commercial or residential installations, are very concerned about the cost. The AV installation market is compared to the consumer market all the time. [There’s no point] trying to sell expensive products that can't rival consumer electronics.’

National economic situation

‘The Swedish bidding law to community and state is awful. So many projects do not reach pro standard due to [people] reading the tender document and supplying just something that might fulfil the criteria.’

Energy efficiency/green issues Legislation/regulations

‘Bring warm clothes. And look in to our electrical installation laws. Very important too are laws on public procurement.’

LEAST INFLUENTIAL

DO YOU AGREE WITH THESE STATEMENTS ABOUT THE INDUSTRY?

Agree

Neither

Disagree

...AND TO AN INTEGRATOR LOOKING TO ENTER THE MARKET?

‘There is a very limited number of business opportunities at the moment in relation to the vast number of integration companies. The key is to be a turnkey provider, not just focus on small parts of the project. The end user wants a single point of contact and invoice.’

Strongly Disagree

The majority of Swedish

DESIRED CHANGES

integrators specialise in a single sector such as corporate, education or sports facilities

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE WAY THE SWEDISH INSTALLATION MARKET WORKS, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

There are no significant skill gaps in the installation sector

‘Educate public purchasers to write better specifications.

Stop distributors that compete with installers and dealers.’

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

0%

42 December 2013

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

‘Just as the electricians need to have their certifications, so should the AV installers as well. There is, for example, a lack of understanding of technical drawings – the AV industry carries along doing simple hand sketches and telling others in the project what to do and obviously mistakes are made because of this lack of standards.’ www.installation-international.com

Looooooong

Reach

UP TO 180 METERS WITH KRAMERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SPECIAL XTRA MODE

Kramerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new line of HDMI HDBaseT range extenders, available as standalone and wall plate versions, sends an HDMI signal up to 130m when using Ă&#x201A;@Â&#x2022;kĂ&#x201A;ÂżĂ&#x2026;Ă&#x152; Â&#x2014; @Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x2022;Ă?Ă&#x152;X@NÂ&#x2018;k_Ă&#x152;XÂ&#x17E;Â&#x2022;­@Ă&#x201A;kbĂ&#x152;Ă&#x17D;Â&#x17E;Ă&#x152;ÂĽĂŚĂŚÂ&#x2022;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17E;Â&#x2021;kÂ&#x161;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2026;Â&#x160;Â&#x161; Ă&#x152;@Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2026;Ă&#x17D;@Â&#x161;b@Ă&#x201A;bĂ&#x152;Â&#x160;Â&#x161;bĂ&#x2014;Ă&#x2026;Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x201A;Ă Ă&#x152;X@NÂ&#x2018;k²Ă&#x152; For demanding applications, Kramer is offering a special XTRA (Long Reach) Mode*, allowing 1080p 60Hz HDMI signals with 8 bit color, to reach @Â&#x2018;Â&#x2018;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17D;Â&#x2021;kĂ&#x152;Ă&#x17E;@Ă Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17D;Â&#x17E;Ă&#x152;ÂĽpĂŚÂ&#x2022;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17E;Â&#x2021;kÂ&#x161;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2026;Â&#x160;Â&#x161; Ă&#x152; Ă&#x201A;@Â&#x2022;kĂ&#x201A;ÂżĂ&#x2026;Ă&#x152; @Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x2022;Ă?Ă&#x152;X@NÂ&#x2018;k² Kramerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 4K-Ready, certified, HDBaseT range extenders provide a simple, direct connection with any other certified HDBaseT products from leading vendors in the industry. * XTRA (Long Reach) Mode is supported on the TP-580TXR/RXR and WP-580TXR/RXR modules.

WINNER OF THE 2013 MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR AV AWARD For further product information: UK: Tel +44(0)1296330011 E-mail: info@kramerelectronics.co.uk Website: www.kramerelectronics.co.uk International customers, visit www.kramerelectronics.com for your local distributor. Š 2013 Kramer Electronics, Ltd. All Rights reserved. HDBaseT is an official trademark of the HDBaseT Alliance.

SHOW PREVIEW: ISE 2014

in

Going up to eleven With ISE 2014 returning to the RAI in Amsterdam in a couple of months, we look at what the organisers are doing to ensure a bigger, better show than ever

EARLY EXHIBITOR NEWS STRETCHED SIGNAGE A new 28in 1920 x 358 LED stretched digital signage display has been announced

by Advantech for use in transportation, elevators and public venues. The fanless DSD-5028 is pitched as a power-saving alternative to more conventional LED signage solutions used in limited spaces in these industries.

ENHANCED INTERCOM Clear-Com has made major enhancements to the Eclipse HX Digital Matrix Intercom System, with the compact 3RU Eclipse HXDelta matrix frame set to make its ISE debut in February. New capabilities of the Eclipse HX system include Ethernet/IP Intelligent Trunking with IVC32-HX card redundancy, as well as dual-label and Arabic language support for V-Series panels.

INTEGRATED Systems Europe has grown from zero to 44,000 attendees in 10 years.

That’s a significant achievement by any standard, but the organisers want to continue on this upward trajectory for some time to come. For ISE 2014, Integrated Systems Events is targeting a number of visitor groups that fall outside the show’s traditional audience – and it is using an enhanced Professional Development Programme to attract them.

Mike Blackman, ISE’s managing director, put it this way: “While the market for AV and electronic systems integration in Europe continues to grow, it’s clear that in addition to our core visitor channel of C-level integrators and installers, we need to attract attendees from other groups as well.”

The first group that ISE is looking to draw is what might be called adjacent channels in the residential field – that is, functions that might work with residential integrators on projects, such as architects, interior designers and building services professionals.

Accordingly, ISE 2014 will host a Residential Solutions Theatre in Hall 7, featuring non-technical presentations 44 December 2013

showcasing real-word case studies.

Two other visitor groups on ISE’s radar are end-customers of commercial integration products and services, and content creation and experiential design professionals. With them – as well as ISE’s traditional attendee base – in mind, the Commercial Solutions Theatre in Hall 8 will focus on the endcustomer benefits of systems integration in market sectors such as hospitality, healthcare and education.

Additionally content creators and live events companies will draw inspiration from the design of both of these onsite theatres, thanks to the assistance of a number of technology partners. www.iseurope.org

thedaily is the official newspaper of Integrated Systems Europe. Produced from an office just off the showfloor, it is printed overnight and distributed each morning of the event.

Following its debut this year, 2014 will again see the publication of a Preview Edition, sent out in mid-January.

Our pick of the InfoComm and CEDIA education programmes Beyond BYOD – How Can We Make It Happen?

Neta Lempert of Kramer Electronics looks at the impact on AV installations of the increasing popularity of tablet computers.

BIM Is On Your Doorstep Now! What You Need to Do to Stay in the Game John Melchin of FSR on Building Information Modelling – an increasingly important tool for promoting interdisciplinary collaboration in building projects.

Designing Residential Energy Management Systems With energy monitoring and management continuing to present a major opportunity to the custom installation industry, a CEDIA instructor will cover the main technologies and how they all work together.

Audio Networking and Control – What Do We Really Need?

Audio consultant Roland Hemming will discuss the plethora of industry

standards and protocols. Do they actually make managing audio projects easier?

4K Video Systems David Meyer of Kords will tell you ‘everything you need to know in preparation to successfully install 4K’ in just three hours.

4K FOR CRESTRON A new family of HDMI over HDBaseT extenders, which transmit and receive 4K content using standard Cat5e/UTP cables, will be revealed by Crestron at ISE 2014. In addition, the company has announced that Crestron DigitalMedia matrix switchers, ranging from the 8 x 8 model to the newest 128 x 128 edition, are ready for 4K support.

ELKO LAUNCHES APPS IT Security Threats and Vulnerabilities in AV Systems William Birchett of integrator Data Projections discusses how to mitigate the risk of hacker attacks on AV systems.

Understanding USB for AV Applications Joe Cornwall of C2G explains how USB can be applied to AV-centric projects, rather than just being a way to connect your keyboard to your computer.

Wireless Residential Networking Geoff Meads of Presto AV presents a guide to fully understanding wireless technology to ensure fast, reliable service to customers.

ELKO EP has produced a range of apps for controlling devices in the home. iHC-MA is an application for smartphones running Android, while iHC-TA provides similar functionality for Androidbased tablets. For iPads, iHC-TI is provided.

EXTENDING HDMI MuxLab is set to highlight its HDMI over IP Extender at ISE 2014. The Extender allows an HDMI source to be connected via any Ethernet LAN, thereby allowing AV broadcasts to be set up and changed without the need to install a dedicated cabling system. www.installation-international.com

Drive visitors to your stand drives business to exhibitorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stands at the show and helps convert business opportunities into solid revenues.

Official Visitor Newsletter, before, during and post show and direct to the inboxes of over 50,000 potential visitors to your stand.

NEW

for 2014 ISE Daily TV: allows exhibitors to showcase their activities in video form

Guaranteed editorial with all advertising packages in the form of a Q&A or opinion piece

To confirm your advertising space in any of International: Ian Graham +44 (0)20 7354 6000 ian.graham@intentmedia.co.uk

The Preview Edition is sent to all previous visitors and pre-registered visitors in early January. This offers a unique opportunity to reach visitors with your marketing message ahead of the show.

products, contact the sales team now: International: Les Wood +44 (0)20 7354 6000 les.wood@intentmedia.co.uk

Individual processing of all microphones over a loop wired architecture !

Worldwide Patent Pending

FULLY DIGITAL CONGRESS & INTERPRETATION DSP SYSTEM The Senator system from Xavtel is a revolutionary DSP driven digital network that is able to provide individual processing of up to 504 microphones in the loop wire architecture using one DSP processor.

All parameters for each individual microphone are stored in the DSP processor and, using Xavtel’s high speed network technology, recalled when a specific microphone is engaged.

Using a digital netlink between the conference processor and the optional 6 channel digital amplifiers from Xavtel (up to 64 units can be cascaded via CAT-5/6), a mix-minus application can be auto calibrated using the programming software maximizing sound quality and virtually eliminating feedback.

Ÿ Loop

wired architecture with star wired benefits.

Ÿ Process Ÿ Unique

up to 504 microphones individually from one DSP processor. voice activated gate only responds to human voice.

Ÿ Individual

microphone processing; voice activated gate, AGC, PEQ,

volume, priority, feedback suppression, etc. Ÿ Secure

redundant dual-loop microphone network architecture.

Ÿ Distance

between microphones up to 100M (330') - CAT-5 or 20KM

(66K') using fiber optic. Ÿ 48

to 96 channel audio network for conference and interpretation.

Ÿ Gain

sharing mixer and mix-minus auto calibration.

Ÿ Interpretation

is integrated in the same system, an optional IR

system is not required. Ÿ Optional

RFID card reader and voting pad for each microphone.

Ÿ Optional

AEC card for remote intercom and teleconferencing via

phone line or VoIP. Ÿ Up

to 32 processors can be networked together for up to 16,000

microphones. Ÿ Up-to-date

“Integrated Voting Solution” with microphones or

independent votepad application.

A DIVISION OF ATEIS GROUP

TECHNOLOGY: NEW PRODUCTS

What’s new

Install ation

PRODU OF TH CT MONT E H

Our selection of the latest products for the installation market

NEC

NC1100L IT’S… The world’s first fully integrated compact laser light source, DCIcompliant digital cinema projector.

DETAILS: The NC1100L is designed for smaller cinema screens up to 11m and includes an integrated laser light source eliminating the need for a lamp.

The laser light source boasts a lifetime of approximately 20,000 hours, making it a virtually maintenance free projector, with a low total cost of ownership.

Measuring 700mm x 1,042mm x 315mm, the NC1100L is the smallest cinema laser projector on the market and can easily be floor or ceiling mounted. Its 2K DCI-compliant cinema quality means an image that is bright enough to display 14Fl on screens up to 11m in DCI colour (1.8 gain screen).

AND ALSO: The NC1100L can be deployed as a complete digital cinema

solution using the same Integrated Media Server (IMS) available for the NC900C projector. This brings an ‘all in one’ Integrated Media Block and 2TB Storage Server for versatile

ROBE

connectivity and enhanced savings as fewer peripheral devices are needed.

AVAILABLE: March 2014 www.nec-display-solutions.com

JBL

MINIME

9320

IT’S… An effects lighting luminaire with the addition of full video output.

IT’S… A large-format cinema surround speaker.

DETAILS: Colours, gobos and beam shapes are all digitally generated by the on-board micro-media server.

Custom artwork, still photographs and video can also be simply uploaded for projection, while live video can be streamed through the HDMI input.

Other features include a beam angle of 16º, a throw ration of 3.5:1 and a contrast ratio of 700:1.

20,000-hour lifetime source.

AND ALSO: This small, neat, fast-

AVAILABLE: Now

moving fixture is LED driven with a

www.robe.cz

B-TECH BT8221

DETAILS: The two-way JBL 9320 features a 12in MB12-8 lowfrequency driver and 2408H-1 highfrequency compression driver.

The large JBL Progressive Transition rotatable waveguide ensures 120º x 60º coverage and smooth frequency response with the loudspeaker mounted horizontally or vertically. The JBL 9320 enclosure is fitted with M10 threaded mounting points on the top and on the sides to facilitate U-bracket mounting.

In addition, four M10 mounting points are located at the rear, arranged in a standard pattern to accept a variety of multi-mount

brackets.

The speaker terminals are located on top of the cabinet for easy access.

AND ALSO: The 9320’s enclosure is constructed of multi-ply birch coated with JBL’s rugged DuraFlex finish and is heavily braced to maximise low-frequency performance. A steel grille protects the drivers.

AVAILABLE: Now www.harman.com

SONY

VPL-VW1100ES

IT’S… An ultra-slim, double arm flatscreen wall mount with tilt and swivel.

IT’S… Sony’s new flagship 4K (4,096 x 2,160) home cinema projector.

DETAILS: This discreet solution is designed for screens up to 65in and weighing 36kg, and has arms that extend to 560mm.

It comes with an easy-tilt mechanism of 15º in either direction and has three swivelpoints: 180º on the wall, 360º on the centre point and 180º at the interface, making this a versatile mounting system.

Other highlights include a cable management system, stylish cover www.installation-international.com

DETAILS: The VPL-VW1100ES offers

plates and an integrated spirit level to aid accurate mounting.

AVAILABLE: Now www.btechavmounts.com

2,000 ANSI lumens of brightness and is suitable for screen sizes up to 300in. Its dynamic contrast ratio is 1,000,000:1, due in part to Advanced Iris3 technology, which is said to mimic the operation of the human eye. It features Reality Creation software to upscale any kind of image, regardless of source.

It supports HDMI 2.0, to accommodate 4K/60p content, and also features an upscaling algorithm designed to extract more picture information from Sony ‘Mastered in 4K’ Blu-ray Discs. It can also display full HD 3D movies, as well as 2D

and 3D anamorphic films.

AND ALSO: This is the third new home cinema projector from Sony in recent months, following on from the smaller 4K VPL-VW500ES and the HD 3D VPLHW55ES.

AVAILABLE: Now http://pro.sony.eu

December 2013 47

TECHNOLOGY: NEW PRODUCTS

VIVITEK

D5010, D5110W, D5380U, D5190HD IT’S… Four additions to the D5000 large-venue projector range.

(pictured) offers Full HD resolution. With a contrast ratio of 2000:1 and a brightness ranging from 4,700 to 6,000 ANSI lumens, the new D5000 models can be used in boardrooms and auditoriums as well as conference halls. Due to the

DETAILS: The D5010 features native XGA resolution, the D5110W comes with WXGA and the D5380U with WUXGA resolution. The D5190HD

PANASONIC LF60/LF6 SERIES

integration of the Texas Instruments DLP BrilliantColor chip technology, they also all deliver clear pictures, with deep blacks and rich colours.

Each new projector comes with three interchangeable lens options for flexible positioning with regards to

IT’S… A two-input, twooutput DSP device that runs on Rane’s Halogen software.

DETAILS: The displays are

DETAILS: Said to solve “just

48 Decemberr 2013

AND ALSO: All models are equipped with 10W built-in speakers.

AVAILABLE: Now www.vivitek.eu

HAL4

Panasonic’s LED-backlit LCD digital signage display range.

with a single LAN cable.

The displays can be installed horizontally or vertically to match the content.

AND ALSO: All four devices feature horizontal and vertical lens shift as well as a centred

lens for easy installation and maintenance.

RANE

IT’S… New additions to

available in 55in (TH-55LF60 and TH-55LF6), 47in (TH47LF60 and TH-47LF6) and 42in (TH-42LF60 and TH-42LF6) models. The LF60 models have a brightness of 700cd/m, while the LF6 have 450cd/m.

Each series incorporates a Digital Link function, enabling simple set-up and low system costs. Video, audio and control signals can be sent up to 100m

varying screen sizes or projection distance requirements; they are also Crestron RoomView ready.

about every signal processing problem found in one or two rooms”, HAL4 has inputs that are line/line-plus/mic/ mic+48V capable. In addition to supporting balanced line and mic inputs, it allows a stereo pair to be connected to an input, converting it to a

single L+R mono signal.

A single DR (digital remote) port provides support for preset recall, level control and select functions using a Rane DR1, DR2 or DR3. Other logic I/O can be accessed using a DR4 or DR5.

Initial system set-up for the HAL4 is carried out by connecting it via a Gigabit Ethernet port to a computer running Halogen software. The HAL4 can use the full suite of

processing blocks available with other Halogen host devices.

AND ALSO: Halogen 4.0 software includes support for the Web Controls feature.

Customisable web pages can be created so that any HAL device can be controlled anywhere on any device.

AVAILABLE: Now (the first shipment was on HALloween!) www.rane.com

AVAILABLE: Now (42in and 47in models), this month (55in) www.panasonic.net

www.installation-international.com

TECHNOLOGY: NEW PRODUCTS

EXTRON

ELITE SCREENS

VN-MATRIX 250 SERIES

POLARSTAR

IT’S… A series of HDMI streaming encoders and decoders.

DETAILS: VN-Matrix 250 products are suited for use in real-time streaming, recording and playback applications in command and control, training and simulation, distance collaboration and elsewhere.

They provide real-time transmission of high-resolution HDCP-compliant HDMI, DVI, or RGB video across standard IP networks. HDMI and RGB signals at resolutions up to 1,920 x 1,200 and 2,048 x 1,080 may be input; whether digital or analogue, the native source resolution is preserved.

Features that support diverse streaming application requirements include USB

keyboard and mouse data transport, bidirectional RS-232 control, return audio streaming, multiple network ports, and support for HDMI-embedded and analogue stereo audio.

AND ALSO: The devices use the PURE3 codec, which provides a combination of bitrate efficiency, low latency, visually lossless image quality,

and high immunity to network errors that is said to be unmatched. Encode and decode latency are just 35ms each – useful in applications that must support bidirectional communication and real-time decision-making.

IT’S… An ambient light-

gain and a 120º viewing angle, and is designed to enhance a higher contrast ratio while playing in highdefinition video modes such as 4K, 1080p, 720p, WXGA and XGA.

rejecting projection screen with 3D polarisation.

AVAILABLE: Now VIDEO: www.extron.com/vnmatrix250video

DETAILS: Produced by Elite Prime Vision, the custominstall division of Elite Screens, PolarStar is a projection screen that is polarised for 3D but is equally serviceable as a 2D ambient light-rejecting material. Designed for home cinema and commercial applications alike, it uses Elite’s Airbright 5D material, which combines a highly reflective surface and a grey diffusion layer. It has a 1.8

AND ALSO: PolarStar uses the same 3.5in framework as the Peregrine series of fixedframe projection screens. This makes it an easy-to-assemble product with sliding wall brackets to ensure a centred installation.

AVAILABLE: Now www.elitescreens.com

BARCO

GALAXY 4K IT’S… Enhancements to the Galaxy 4K projector range, designed for VR applications.

DETAILS: The Galaxy 4K projector range has been enhanced to respond more quickly to user interaction via tracking systems or haptic devices. In addition, stereo content can now be visualised at up to 120Hz at full native 4K resolution, instead of reverting to 2K. Also, colour depth has been increased from 8-bit to 12-bit.

The range consists of the 4K-12, 4K-23 and 4K-32

50 December 2013

models, which output 12,000 lumens, 23,000 lumens and 32,000 lumens respectively.

Existing Galaxy 4K owners can add these new features by means of an onsite upgrade.

AND ALSO: Barco has upgraded its MCM-400 warping and blending processor to support 4K resolution at higher frame rates and colour depth, making it possible to build systems from multiple Galaxy 4K projectors.

AVAILABLE: Q1 2014 www.barco.com

www.installation-international.com

TECHNOLOGY: NEW PRODUCTS

CHRISTIE MIRAGE WQ-L

IT’S… An LED-based 1-chip DLP model, described as the first and only true 120Hz full WQXGA stereoscopic projector in the world.

DETAILS: The Mirage WQ-L has an LED light engine that is said to deliver stable image quality over its lifetime of 60,000 hours (approximately 6.5 years). It includes Christie ArrayLOC for synchronised colour and brightness management, which reduces calibration requirements. The

projector’s sealed LED-based light engine eliminates the need for filters, reduces heat and makes it virtually maintenance-free.

Christie is promoting the Mirage WQ-L as a powerful but costeffective and flexible solution for a wide range of markets, from aerospace and automotive to oil and gas, government, academia, and entertainment.

firmware platform, which is claimed to provide the most extensive level of input capability and control flexibility available for advanced visualisation systems.

AVAILABLE: Now AND ALSO: The projector uses Christie’s KoRE electronics and

www.christieemea.com

EYEVIS

EYE-LCD-5500USN-LD-FX IT’S… A seamless 55in LCD videowall display.

DETAILS: Designed to complement eyevis’ Ultra-NarrowBezel series, the EYE-LCD-5500USN-LD-FX is described as a starter model for fixed modular videowalls in control, conference and presentation rooms or for POS/information applications. It features 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, high brightness (500cd/sqm) and contrast (400:1) and a slim casing with a seam of 5.3mm.

It is equipped with a colour alignment system (CAST) for automatic colour matching of all displays in a videowall.

Thanks to the internal matrix function with loop-through functionality for RS-232 control and digital signal distribution (including 4K), the display can be used in videowalls with an almost indefinite number of displays. The direct LED rear projection of the displays offers a homogenous illumination, high screen brightness and ‘perfect’ colours in every surrounding. Through the installed IPS panel the display has a wide viewing angle (178º horizontally and vertically).

AND ALSO: For videowalls up to a 200in diagonal, the display can be equipped with an infrared multitouch surface with up to 32 simultaneous touch points.

AVAILABLE: Now www.eyevis.de

www.installation-international.com

December 2013 51

TECHNOLOGY: SHOWCASE

Conference systems Conference systems are in continuous development – and it doesn’t stop when they’re launched onto the market. James McGrath outlines some recent systems and others that have been enhanced with additional features or equipment

{Audio-Technica goes wireless with infrared } The ATCS-60 wireless conference system from Audio-Technica is built on infrared technology. One of the benefits of using infrared rather than WLAN or radio frequencies is that the signals don’t pass through walls, securing conference content to within the room.

Secondly, it prevents crosstalk issues between multiple ATCS-60 systems located within the same building.

Thirdly, and perhaps most obviously, there is no possibility of interference with any systems in the building that are operating

on the 2.4GHz radio frequency band.

The driving force behind the system is the ATCS-C60 control unit, which works in conjunction with AudioTechnica’s Conference Management software to allow the use of up to 150 delegate microphones and control of audio-video recording and minute taking.

The system’s modular nature means it can be expanded if and when necessary, providing a great choice for those who aren’t certain how their needs will change in the future. Rather

than having to buy a larger system at the outset, venues can add extra voting modules, delegate units and range-boosting transceivers as required.

Additional features include four selectable channels for multilingual conferences and an automated camera function.

Also available is the option of software control: this enables users to adjust camera position and microphone settings from the Conference Manager software. www.audio-technica.com

{ }

{

Bosch DCN Multimedia cuts down on paper

Bosch released its latest internet-enabled conference system earlier this year. The DCN Multimedia system looks to enhance the conference experience through offering greater interaction between participants and by providing the necessary tools to access information and content, all from one highresolution capacitive touchscreen.

Delegates can view and share documents, presentations, images and videos over the system, removing the need for stacks of paper. It also offers the option of a live stream of the current speaker, which can be viewed on delegate screens.

In addition, internet and local content management sites can be viewed, giving delegates access to greater pools of information.

DCN Multimedia is the first IP-based system built on the company’s OMNEO media networking architecture, 52 December 2013

which is an open platform that uses several standard technologies. Because it runs over standard Ethernet, the system can be implemented over existing building infrastructures using standard Cat5e (or higher) cables and power-overEthernet switches. Alongside this, daisychain configurations can be created using Bosch switches and network cables.

Because OMNEO uses Dante technology, a range of third-party audio products can be combined with DCN Multimedia. In addition, the system uses a version of the Android operating system, which allows the

use of custom-made or thirdparty apps.

Audio capture is via a pluggable microphone featuring Bosch’s highdirective technology, meaning that speech is captured from multiple angles so delegates do not have to worry about mic position. The system is also equipped with a two-way speaker system and Acoustic Feedback Suppression – a technology that Bosch says automatically adapts to the noise level of the environment to maximise speech intelligibility. www.boschsecurity.com

Quinta mics have been Revoluto’d

The Quinta wireless conference system from beyerdynamic has been designed with EN 300 328 in mind. The standard, which comes into force in 2015, will prevent manufacturers of third-party applications from marketing systems that could interfere with WLAN data networks. Any system that could potentially interfere must be able to prevent this from happening by reducing RF power. Quinta already does this, and additionally can switch instantly to an undisturbed frequency range. beyerdynamic recently enhanced the microphone units in the system to incorporate the company’s Revoluto technology. Each microphone capsule is connected in such a way that it creates a corridor capture range, which captures voices over a much larger area than the standard cardioid polar pattern of gooseneck microphones, according to the company. This gives delegates more freedom to talk naturally during a conference. The mics can also

}

be installed above the delegate seat on a ceiling, with noise from HVAC and projectors avoided by directing the capture range at the seating position.

Light strips on the side of the casing indicate the readyto-talk status of the microphone units. The control panels are backlit with three colours and feature Braille text.

The Quinta system can switch between three radio frequency ranges – 2.4, 5.2 and 5.8GHz – manually or automatically. In automatic mode, the system constantly searches for any frequencies that are permanently free; this enables the system to switch silently, without interruption, to a secure frequency as quickly as possible if an interfering carrier appears. europe.beyerdynamic.com

www.installation-international.com

The Wireless that Works: Even in London

No interference guaranteed

Improve the audio during your conference calls.

Using digital infrared wireless technology, you are guaranteed superb, secure and consistent audio performance with no interference from mobile phones, Wi-Fi networks or other RF systems.

A perfect solution for ďŹ&#x201A;exible meeting spaces and VTC boardrooms. Our wireless system offers multi-room conďŹ guration and can easily connect to third-party video conferencing systems for distance communication.

To learn more visit www.media-vision.com or call us on +44 (0)20 3608 0449 and request a demonstration.

TECHNOLOGY: SHOWCASE

{

}{

DIS customises the conference with new central unit for DCS 6000

The latest addition to DIS’s DCS 6000 conference system comes in the form of the CU 6110 Central unit. The powerful microprocessor-based control unit is completely scalable and can be customised to suit the conference venue’s needs.

The basic system can control up to 50 conference and 128 interpreter units, but can also be expanded by uploading Feature Licenses. These enhance the capabilities of the

system in a number of ways, including: the ability to control up to 3,800 conference units; the extension of interpreter channels from four to up to 31; and a five-button voting facility. The Feature Licenses also offer live streaming of audio content over the internet.

An OLED display on the front of the control unit can be used to set up basic system configurations, such as the maximum numbers of speakers and requests, and the

microphone operation mode. What’s more, all conference units can be designed into a custom panel to suit the customers’ needs.

Features of the advanced software include: the incorporation of multiple user profiles; agenda configuration, which links documents to the relevant delegates; conference configuration including naming of delegates; and meeting reports that include detailed voting results.

The TL-3200 system from Gonsin is designed to centre on the discussion only – something that, the company feels, enables it to focus on excellent sound quality.

The chairman and delegate units feature built-in loudspeakers and support automatic SD/HD video camera tracking and attendance registration. The basic system can control up to 70 devices, while this is expandable to 1,000 devices

www.dis.cc

{

54 December 2013

executive feel and finish.

The system is built around a new high-speed IP-based conference network that interconnects the delegate units in daisychain and loop configurations via Cat5e cables.

Through this network, delegates have access to a number of media including low-latency live HD video – a first for multimedia conference systems, according to the company.

Because there is little delay, lip-sync

with the addition of extension units.

The central control unit enables up to four microphones to be active simultaneously and will support up to four dome cameras for automatic video tracking. A built-in DSP processor reduces any acoustic feedback.

Other features include the ability to limit speaking time for each conference unit and the ability to accept or reject a delegate’s request to speak.

Microphones in the systems are available in three sizes – 31cm, 41cm and 51cm – to meet the requirements of different venues. www.gonsin.com

Live HD video with Televic’s new flagship system

We first saw Televic’s new flagship conference system at ISE 2013 although the exact specifications of uniCOS were kept under wraps and it could only be viewed by personal invitation from Televic. The system had its full launch a few months later.

The interactive delegate unit features a 7in touchscreen, speaker, RFID card reader and microphone – all integrated in a brushed aluminium baseplate, giving the system a slick,

}

Gonsin TL-3200 digital conference system

}

is maintained so that speakers (talking heads) can be shown up-close to delegates and interpreters, a feature which live simultaneous interpretations can benefit greatly from, says Televic.

Other features include delegate screens that can be piloted and locked to certain content or functionality to prevent delegates accessing items not pertinent to the

discussion – especially beneficial during critical stages of a meeting.

In addition, because the system works in a closed network, with interfacing to the outside world through the central unit, IT security is easier to maintain than with other systems, and accountability is said to be clearer. www.televic-conference.com

www.installation-international.com

The unified meeting experience

conference@televic.com www.televic-conference.com

uniCOS Take your meetings to new heights The full collaborative experience at your delegatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fingertips. One single CAT6 cable delivers audio, live video and document sharing.

All that is needed for an enriching, efficient and productive meeting: ultra low latency and in high definition.

Come see uniCOS at Integrated Systems Europe 2014 Hall 3, Booth C125

SOLUTIONS: MUSEO DEL VIOLIN, CREMONA The Treasure Chest houses the most important instruments, such as Stradivarius’ Cremonese violin Picture: Mino Boiocchi

[INSTALLED]

tion Installa

OF THE MONTH

What a fiddle!

The home of violinmaking inaugurates an impressive interactive museum to bring the history of these instruments to life, writes Mike Clark ITALY STRADIVARIUS, AMATI and Guarneri, probably the world’s best-known violinmakers, were all from Cremona, the Italian city whose traditional violin craftsmanship is now part of UNESCO’s list of the Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The recently inaugurated Museo del Violin (violin museum), combining a priceless collection of string instruments with a highimpact interactive multimedia history of the fascinating craft, therefore just had to be in Cremona.

Called in to design and install the ambitious 10-room project, Italian communications giant Euphon already had wide experience in this field.

Marco Carazzato, communication systems manager with Euphon Communication, was the consultant of the museum’s scientific committee for the multimedia project and head of the multimedia installation project.

He explains: “Our company was responsible for the project development, realisation, supply and installation of the interactive multimedia system, software development, technological 56 December 2013

hardware and scenographic aspects, as well as the realisation of the multimedia content for the museum.

TUNNEL VISION The visit starts at the beginning of the violin’s history as visitors pass through a multimedia tunnel documenting the story of the replicas of the early 16th century ancestors of the violin on show. A series of 10 Sanyo PLC XU106 projectors screen video and paintings on five screen areas.

Italian audio is supplied by Panphonics Sound Shower SS1000 directional speaker panels in front of each screen, while foreign visitors use the Audio Cultura audio guides (in English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese and Russian), triggered when they reach the appropriate position.

Visitors’ sense of smell is brought into play in the next room, where there is a reproduction of a violinmaker’s workshop (there are still no fewer than 141 in Cremona to this day!) with its typical smells of freshly planed wood, resin and paint.

A series of large interactive touchscreens enable visitors

Visitors can leaf through virtual antique books at the interactive tables

to discover the various parts of a violin and watch how they are made.

Apart from the wide use of proximity sensors, other devices used to ensure streamlined visitor

interaction in the various exhibit areas include apparently simple ideas such as having an identical 42in or 48in display mounted on the wall above the ones used by individual visitors. This

AUDIO Audio Cultura audio guides Bose151 loudspeaker enclosures JBL CBT 50LA line array column loudspeakers JBL Control 23 loudspeaker enclosures Panphonics Sound Shower SS1000 speakers TOA F-2000B enclosures Crown XLS1000 power amplifiers Yamaha MG 166CX audio console AKG K99 headphones RSF headphones InOut Panelplayers VIDEO BrightSign Roku HD110, HD410, HD1010, HD210 and HD120 media players Sanyo PLC-XU106 and PLC-ZM5000L multimedia projectors BenQ MB813ST projectors NEC X462UN 46in seamless monitors NEC V422 60003168 42in LCD monitors NEC LCD P402DST 40in touch monitors Samsung SM400UX-3 40in seamless monitors Samsung SM-ME46B and SM-ME46A 46in monitors Samsung SM-MD32B 32in monitors Samsung MD40B 40in monitors Asus VE208D 19in LED monitors Asus VE228H 21.5in LED monitors Blacklit S65 TO holographic films Sony DPF HD1000 10in digital frames Peau Production video cameras Ligra 68901 projection screen Extron DVI 201 TX/RX DVI extender Extron SW2 DVI A PLUS DVI switch Dell 260 D02s623 Desktop PCs Dell X51 Alienware LIGHTING Spotlight MI PR LW/CT mini profiles Coemar Reflection LEDko fixtures Coemar LEDko VariWhite profiles ETC Smartfade console

enables guides to show their groups the same video content. Other tricks include the use of custom video cameras by Peau Production, a US firm specialised in IR camera tracking systems, www.installation-international.com

SOLUTIONS: MUSEO DEL VIOLIN, CREMONA which activate the ‘touch’ features of Blacklit holographic film applied to eye-catching oval tables.

Visitors can thus also leaf through virtual antique books telling the story of Cremona’s famous violinmaking families.

SEEN AND HEARD Excerpts from important concerts by famous musicians can be heard and seen in an original wooden listening room, nicknamed the egg. This features seven TOA F-2000B enclosures recessed round the walls and a pair of BenQ MB813ST projectors screening performance footage on the ceiling (all supplied and installed by Risam).

The Treasure Chest (complete with armed guard) houses the most important instruments, such as Stradivarius’ Cremonese violin, in display cases by specialist company Goppion, whose cases have also safeguarded the Mona Lisa and Crown Jewels. The only concession to technology here is diffused audio, but the lighting was designed for the museum by LD Paolo Rodighiero. It consists of a series of Coemar LEDko VariWhite profiles with adjustable colour temperature recessed in the ceiling above each case and reflected off mirrors inside the glass, allowing visitors to admire the beautiful instruments from all angles.

As far as difficulties involved on the work were concerned, Carazzato adds: “This was a very complex articulated project that involved various companies, each with its own competence. The main difficulty was adapting to a project that in fact was developed as work proceeded, with ongoing variations. This was overcome with constant control of the work in progress.”

Lighting in the auditorium consists of Coemar Reflection LEDko FullSpectrum fixtures Picture: Mino Boiocchi

Other Goppion fixtures include a series of huge drawer units, in which over 700 original Stradivarius drawings, moulds and tools are kept. Virtual versions can also be viewed on the large touchscreens on the top of each drawer unit.

MORE TO DISCOVER Room 8 holds information on the Gold Medal winners of the three-yearly violinmaking contest organised by the Stradivarius Foundation, complete with an incredibly detailed multimedia station providing information on the instruments and the craftsmen who made them.

Room 9 focuses on the Friends of Stradivarius, a worldwide network of people who play, collect, study or simply love the Cremonese instruments. It also hosts instruments made by Amati

[ABOUT THE INSTALLER] A member of the Mediacontech Group, Euphon Communication has branches in the provinces of Turin and Milan It is organised in four business units: events, audiovisuals, large screens and communication systems An Italian leader in providing technological solutions for corporate, entertainment and culture-orientated communication, Euphon specialises in integrated solutions for the entire value chain Recent projects have included theatres, theme parks, conference and expo venues, and major corporate events

www.installation-international.com

and Guarneri which are on loan from private and public collections (including one of just six Strad guitars in existence). Here four more large displays show interviews of the collectors.

Euphon’s project for the museum does not however cater exclusively for experts or musicians: along the entire exhibition route there are numerous Discovery Points.

These bright orange childheight consoles, complete with display and two handsets, enable young visitors to keep in touch with Uncle Strad, a descendant of the man himself, who guides them through the fivecentury story.

Video quality is ensured throughout by BrightSign Full HD media players and, as well as the numerous Panphonics directive speakers, the notes of the precious instruments and comments are reproduced with Crownpowered JBL and Bose enclosures.

The last stop on the visitor’s journey through musical history is a large cinema area, which can be blacked out if necessary, in which a Sanyo PLC-ZM5000L Full HD projector screens film and cartoon footage of how violins have appeared through the decades, on a motorised Ligra 4.5m x 3.5m screen. Here audio is courtesy of a pair of white JBL CBT 50LA column speakers with a Crown XLS1000 amplifier.

Behind the audience seating, below an enormous photograph of a violin, there is a long series of large ‘books’ with the names of Cremona’s artisans on the spines. At the end of the room is a 46in monitor on a lectern, on which Italy’s professional violinmakers are listed.

OTHER FACILITIES As well as the actual museum, the facility also has a 460-seat auditorium designed by world-famous Japanese acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota. The control room hosts a Yamaha MG 166CX audio console and an ETC Smartfade desk used to control 18 Coemar Reflection LEDko FullSpectrum fixtures above the stage and eight more installed at the sides.

There is also an acoustic research lab, run with Milan Polytechnic (complete with anechoic chamber), and another lab for staff from the University of Pavia, for the analysis of the materials used in violinmaking, such as paint and wood.

Carazzato concludes: “Every one of our installations is unique, as each is the result of clients’ specific needs or, in this case, those of the scientific committee.

One original element on this project was without doubt the route conceived and realised specifically for children (with its interactive Discovery Points), whereas in general installations are the result of an attempt to

translate the communication requirements expressed by the museum project into installation elements. For example, we invented a sort of set of binoculars to animate and describe the socalled ‘island’ – the place where everything began (the area in which the workshops of the first historical violin making families were located) – with the odour diffusor and the virtual animations showing the basics of making Stradivarius instruments.” www.akg.com www.asus.com www.audiocultura.it www.benq.com http://global.bose.com www.brightsign.biz www.coemar.com www.crownaudio.com www.dell.com www.etcconnect.com www.euphoncommunication.it www.extron.com www.goppion.com www.inout-digital.com www.jblpro.com www.ligra.it www.litscreen.it www.museodelviolino.org www.nec-display-solutions.com www.paolopollorodighiero.it www.panphonics.com www.paradox.com www.peauproductions.com www.risamforshow.com www.rsf-int.com www.samsung.com http://us.sanyo.com www.sony-europe.com www.spotlight.it www.toaelectronics.com www.yamahaproaudio.com

December 2013 57

SOLUTIONS: HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTER, BAKU The Heydar Aliyev Museum features an interactive river of life

[INSTALLED]

Celebrating a nation The striking design of this major new cultural centre is matched only by the innovative technology used inside, writes Tom Bradbury AZERBAIJAN THE RECENTLY completed Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku is dedicated to the legacy of the first president of modern Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev. A popular figure in the country, Aliyev became president in 1993 and was instrumental in developing Azerbaijan’s oil industry and thus the country’s standing internationally. He remained president until illness prevented him from standing in the 2003 election, which went on to be won by his son, Ilham Aliyev. In order to remember and celebrate both his life and the traditions and customs of the Azerbaijani people, the world-famous architect Zaha Hadid was chosen to design the centre.

Construction of the facility began in 2007 and was completed in May 2013 to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the national leader’s birth. Not a single straight line was used in the centre’s design; instead the wave-like design is said to portray an eternal cycle.

Although the main theme of the building is the life of Heydar Aliyev, the centre itself is made up of three sections: The Heydar Aliyev 58 December 2013

Museum; The Exhibition Halls, which occupy nine floors with halls, administrative offices, a restaurant and a cafeteria; and The Auditorium, which covers four levels including two multifunctional conference halls, meeting rooms and the media centre.

Interactive touch interfaces, which are said to flow through the Heydar Aliyev Museum like a ‘river of life’, provide the most cutting-edge technology in the venue. Nearly 70m long, the interactive touch display

installation is made up of 18 interactive stations that are triggered using ultrasound, combined with sound ‘showers’. This means that all of the 18 stations can be used at the same time (users can adjust the volume, select their preferred videos, slides and even different languages). Around 35 Panasonic projectors are suspended along the river of life, while 28 iPads, showing different portraits of the president, are activated by the passage of visitors.

An interactive globe enables visitors to explore the international meetings of Heyday Aliyev

On the second floor of the museum, an interactive globe is dedicated to Aliyev’s international meetings. It is possible to select countries on the globe to see where meetings were held, and to view images. Visitors can also discover monuments dedicated to Aliyev around the world by swiping the Monument Book.

Simmetrico, an Italian events and communication company, was the main contractor for the project. It was appointed for concept development and creative direction and managed the executive production. The company received support and technology integration from coolux’s Italian distributor, Molpass. Key figures on the project included Daniele Zambelli, who was in charge of creative direction; project manager Michele Telaro; Davis Gobbi, art direction; and Massimo Fogliati, technical project manager.

There can be little doubt that the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku is one, if not the most, technologically advanced cultural/visitor centres in operation today.

SHOW CONTROL coolux Pandoras Box QUAD Server systems coolux Pandoras Box Manager Software systems coolux Pandoras Box Player Workstations coolux Widget Designer ULT Software systems VIDEO Panasonic projectors PufferSphere interactive world sphere display LCD displays (one transparent)

A major element of this integrated set-up is the coolux Pandoras Box range.

Other than its 3D mapping and real-time rendering capabilities, the modular and standardised nature of coolux products means that users can combine, centrally control and sync an unlimited number of devices. The coolux Widget Designer Software is of particular importance when it comes to combining media playout (up to 4K) with interactive devices. Audio can also be controlled and triggered.

The touch display river and related stations feature 13 coolux Pandoras Box QUAD Server systems, two coolux Pandoras Box Manager Software systems, two Coolux Pandoras Box Player Workstations and two coolux Widget Designer ULT Software systems. www.arassociati.it www.coolux.de www.molpass.it www.panasonic.com www.pufferfishdisplays.co.uk www.simmetrico.it

www.installation-international.com

A joint venture partnership of

MOTIVATING. Learn new ways to communicate and collaborate.

BeneďŹ t from the best in business networking and professional development.

Be part of the best-attended systems integration tradeshow ever held.

Find out more. www.iseurope.org

SOLUTIONS: BURTON TOWN HALL UNITED KINGDOM

Community spirit Meeting the needs of local residents and enhancing a multipurpose space were key requirements on this project, writes James Christopher Community ENTASYS 200 column array systems (mounted next to the stone archways) were chosen for the project

[ABOUT THE INSTALLER] Active in the audio industry since 1985, PAS Sound Engineering offers a wide range of systems and solutions The company operates from a 6,500sqft purposebuilt modern premises in Merseyside Recent projects include a new swimming and leisure complex featuring PAS supplied and installed audio systems, and security system installation for a recently acquired NHS health trust building

CENTRALLY situated in the heart of the UK’s Midlands, Burton Town Hall is an elegant Victorian hall built in 1894. A multipurpose venue, the hall plays host to a variety of events and provides an eyecatching backdrop for exhibitions, festivals, trade fairs, shows, parties and weddings. Excellent acoustics also make it an ideal concert hall with a seating capacity of 557.

The Main Hall, with its stage and balcony, forms the heart of the Civic Function Suite, which also consists of

[INSTALLED] AUDIO Community Professional ENTASYS 212 and 206 twoway column array speakers Community Professional VLF212 subwoofers Community Professional S4 Subwoofer Steering Simulation Software Formula Sound Guardian noise control system Powersoft M28Q amplifiers Symetrix Radius 12x8 DSP Symetrix xOut12 Dante output expander TOA radio mics

60 December 2013

the Dove Room, Lingen Room, Trent and Rangemore Bars, Green Room and a catering kitchen.

A recent upgrade to the Main Hall included the addition of a Community loudspeaker system, designed and installed by PAS Sound Engineering.

Bernie Boardman, PAS Sound’s installations manager, met with Ian Boam, facilities manager and Lynne Allman, venue manager, to be briefed on the requirements for the Town Hall. “As any contractor knows, having a helpful client and a clearly defined specification goes a long way towards enabling a good job,” says Boardman.

“Not only were Ian and Lynne very clear about what was required, but they closed the hall so we could complete the installation without interruption.”

“There were two key elements for this installation,” Boardman continues. “The first was that previous systems in the venue had caused noise pollution issues in the surrounding area, so containment and control were essential. The second element was that the system and its installation had to be sympathetic to the

architecture and structure of the building.”

The main equipment, from Community, Symetrix and Formula Sound, was all sourced from distributor CUK Audio and Boardman worked closely with CUK’s Stuart Cunningham on the system design.

The selection of ENTASYS 200 column-array systems met the hall’s aesthetic requirements and its optimally focused wide horizontal and narrow vertical dispersion ensured maximum sound level where required with minimal spill.

“Simply adding a limiter isn’t the answer,” explains Boardman. “If the sound level on the floor isn’t high enough, the user frequently hits the noise level cut-off, which leads to very unsatisfactory performance. With ENTASYS we are able to achieve excellent levels across the hall, giving the performance the venue needs and leaving the noise limiter to do its proper job of just being a safeguard. In addition, and to avoid the common but unpleasant cut when the SPL threshold is exceeded, we supplied a Formula Sound Guardian and integrated it with the Symetrix Radius so that the processor noticeably

reduces the level but doesn’t completely cut the sound.”

The loudspeaker system comprises two Community ENTASYS 212s at either side of the stage, two ENTASYS 206s on delay for rear of the room and two ENTASYS 212s for the balcony. The ENTASYS speakers are supplemented by six Community VLF212 subwoofers in two three-box arrays, using the VLF-SAB array bracket, at either side of the stage. Community’s S4 Subwoofer Steering Simulation Software was used to configure the arrays.

The loudspeakers are driven by three Powersoft M28Q four-channel amplifiers.

Processing and control for the system is handled by a Symetrix Radius 12x8 processor with Dante networking, a Symetrix xOut12 Dante output expander and three Symetrix ARC-2e remote control panels. PAS incorporated the hall’s existing Soundcraft FX16 mixer into the system and supplied additional TOA radio mics.

“With careful and considerate installation, this is an excellent system which has received a lot of praise for performance, aesthetics and ease of use. It equally meets the venue’s specified

requirements when the system is used for independent events and by DJs in the venue,” he adds.

Councillor Peters, the Council’s portfolio holder for Service Commissioning, says: “The sound system installed in the Function Suite is a significant investment. The Council continues to offer a popular community venue while ensuring residents in the area are not inconvenienced by any background noise from events. Residents have advised us the new sound system is absolutely wonderful. It has given us peace of mind and made a big impact and improvement on their lives. Our staff, Ian Boam and Lynne Allman, listened to the concerns of residents, elected members and the police to find a solution and PAS took those concerns and delivered a system that sounds impressive and yet is unobtrusive in the Grade II listed building.” www.communitypro.com www.cuk-audio.com www.formula-sound.com www.pas-sound.co.uk www.powersoft-audio.com www.symetrix.co www.toa.eu

www.installation-international.com

SOLUTIONS: MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK CITY UNITED STATES

In the round at the Square The iconic sporting venue has been fitted with a sophisticated and versatile video display system as part of a billion-dollar upgrade, writes James Christopher A $1 BILLION (€855 million) three-year transformation project at Madison Square Garden has produced significant improvements at New York’s iconic indoor arena: expanded concourses, enhanced food and drink options, larger, more comfortable seats with enhanced sightlines, and special exhibits celebrating the venue’s history.

In addition, fans are assured of a better view of replays and supporting statistics than ever, thanks to a massive new multimedia display system known as GardenVision. Developed and installed by Daktronics, it contains more than 20 individually produced LED displays.

At the heart of GardenVision is a centre-hung display, which is made up of Daktronics LED video displays.

www.installation-international.com

The scoreboard is one of only two structures in the sporting world with LED displays on the inside-bottom, for people seated in the lower sections.

The whole display consists of 24 individual HD LED displays, which are curved to mirror the circular design of the Garden.

The four main video displays measure 4.8m tall by 8.5m wide. One large image can be shown all the way around the board to highlight live video and instant replays; alternatively the display can be divided into separate screens, to show a variety of content including vivid graphics, scoring information and promotional videos.

Directly above those displays are four auxiliary video displays measuring 2m by 8.8m wide, which have an all-black LED package, providing maximum image clarity and contrast.

The corners of the centrepiece contain four curved displays matching the height of the main video displays and four more curved displays matching the height of the auxiliary displays to create a full circular video board, while the inside-bottom screens display statistics, game information and replays.

The top contains an ID ring consisting of a backlit LED panel that is more than half a metre tall and circles the top of the structure.

In addition to the centrehung display, GardenVision also includes: Three LED displays on both the north and south ends of the new Chase Bridges, which feature a combination of video and game statistics; Four long, curved LED ribbon displays on two different levels of the seating

bowl; and For basketball games, seven sections of LED scoretable displays on the sidelines, which can be connected to showcase additional statistics, marketing partners and forthcoming events.

“The flexibility and content options present endless possibilities for this versatile set-up,” comments Jay Parker, vice president, Daktronics Live Events. “This project has

been a great undertaking and it was a joy to work with such great people at Madison Square Garden, we are excited to see everything fired up and running for their first event.”

In addition, the structure of GardenVision has been used for WiFi, IT and broadcast equipment. The scoreboard can be lowered and expanded for different events. www.daktronics.com

More than 20 Daktronics displays form the centrehung display

December 2013 61

ADVERTISERS

BACK PAGE

Rants and ramblings What is this ramshackle group of individuals, and what are they doing within the pages of this magazine? No, it’s not an inaccurate Village People tribute act – it’s Intent Media London’s Movember team, known as Mo Sound News – cultivating facial fuzz to raise funds for men’s health charities. For this picture, which was taken about halfway through the moustache-growing month, we raided the dressing-up box to give you something to look at besides our fascinating upper lips.

Left to right: Ryan ‘Tommy Cooper’ O’Donnell – sales manager, PSNEurope; ‘Burglar’ Ben Ewles – sales manager, TVBEurope; Evan ‘Desperate Dan’ Graham – Installation production; Rich ‘Cad’ Orr – designer, Installation; team captain Dave ‘Bushwhacker’ Robinson, editor, PSNEurope; Paddy ‘Ripper Street’ Baker, of this parish; ‘Cardinal’ Neal Romanek – acting editor, TVBEurope; Richard ‘Rubettes’ Carr – sales executive, TVBEurope; and Aaron ‘Bob the Builder’ Petrie – online content assistant across all our brands. Not in that shot is our remote member, Guy ‘top fundraiser by far’ Lewis of Quested (right). It’s true: at the time of writing, Guy’s total is more than the next three team members’ combined. Mainly due to his efforts, it seems, Mo Sound News is the 778th on the Movember UK leader board at the time of writing. If you’d like to boost our progress, it’s not too late to make a donation – either to an individual or to the team – at http://uk.movember.com/team/1139633. If you go there, you can also track our facial topiary developments after this issue went to press.

INDEX

Bits and pieces from the editorial cutting-room floor

Active Audio ........................48 Adder Technology ................9 Amina ....................................54 AMX........................................13 Analog Way ..................18, 51

It’s all creatures great and small this month

Apart Audio .........................40 Ateis.......................................46 Audac ....................................48 Audio Sud................................6 Audio-Technica...................38 Audipack...............................61 Barco .....................................15 Blackmagic Design............11 Bosch.....................................19 Chief.......................................27 Community Professional .39 Control4................................17 Datapath .......................22-23 Dataton ..............................3, 5 Dexon .......................................9 eyevis ....................................35 Gonsin ...................................49 Kramer ..................................43 ISE 2014................................59 ISE Daily ................................45 Lab.gruppen .......Front cover Lightware................................2 Mediavision..........................53

You may recall that on this page last month we suggested that Amina Technologies had missed a trick: the invisible speaker manufacturer is sponsoring its local squash club, but hadn’t taken the opportunity to install its plaster-over products into the walls of a squash court. Babs Moore, sales director at Amina (and a member of the aforementioned club) has got in touch to tell us about an installation at Upton House in Warwickshire. This is a National Trust property where a squash court has been converted into a multimedia room. Video is projected from the balcony and Amina speakers have been plastered into the wall, meaning that there is no visible technology in the space.

But what about putting the speakers into a squash court that actually gets used for playing squash? Babs is doubtful: “I would not fancy our speakers surviving too many of my forehand smashes onto the front wall – I think the exciter would become detached after a few hard bulls-eyes,” she says, ruefully.

Meyer Sound............................. ................Outside back cover MiPro......................................50 Mode-AL ...............................12 Nebula......................................4 Nuvo.......................................41 Peavey...................................37 Projecta ................................29 Rane.......................................34 Sennheiser...........................25 Smart-e.................................21 Sommer Cable ....................31 Sony..........................................7 Televic ...................................55 Taiden.......Inside back cover TOA.........................................33 TV One ..................................32

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 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 Staff writer: James McGrath james.mcgrath@intentmedia.co.uk Head of design & production: Adam Butler adam.butler@intentmedia.co.uk Sales manager: Ian Graham ian.graham@intentmedia.co.uk

62 December 2013

Sales executive: Les Wood les.wood@intentmedia.co.uk US sales – Executive vice president: 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 Contributors: Mike Clark, David Davies, Ian McMurray, Steve Montgomery Special thanks: Hans Stucken

© Intent Media 2013. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owners.

Printed by Pensord Press, Wales ISSN: 2050-6104 (print), 2052-2401 (online)

A sister title to SCN Intent Media is a member of the Periodical Publishers Association

www.installation-international.com