SIA AUG-SEP 2018 by Spinworkz Pte Ltd

Vol. 17 Issue 6 S Y S T E M S

Aug - Sep 2018

I N T E G R A T I O N

MCI (P) 023/04/2018 PPS 1669/08/2013(022992)

[COVER] PNB: Banking On STORY

AV Competence

A S I A

* Special Feature: AV Network Protocols * InfoComm India: Game Changing Show * SIIA 2018: Great Expectations

Systems Integration Asia Vol. 17 Issue 6 ~ August - September 2018

Konark: Mesmerizing Mapping

Man Vs Machine: Humanity at Stake?

ENEXC: The New E&E Experience Centre

w w w. s y s t e m s i n t e g r a t i o n a s i a . c o m

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CONTENTS Vol. 17 Issue 6 ~ Aug - Sep 2018

Visualizing Futuretainment

FIRST WORDS

NEWS

100

TECH TALK

INSTALLATIONS

Network Security

COVER STORY - PNB: Banking on AV Competence

Cove Manila: World's Largest Indoor Beach Club

SPECIAL FEATURE

Deakin Versity Simulates Stock Exchange

Walkerhill Resort Talks New Sound

Collaboration of Commodity Price Divisions

Starbucks Shanghai Shines Anew

Konark Grandeur Glows High in Light

Deď&#x20AC; ning Customer Service Digitally

Encapsulating the Congregation at Riverlife

Controlling Lotte World Tower with AV

VOICE BOX

AI: Humanity at Stake?

Pitching in 'Fine' Competition

COMMENTARY

76 32

INTERVIEW

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

AV Network Protocols

TRADESHOWS

A Canvas of Possibilities

100 Visualizing Futuretainment 52

PREVIEW: InfoComm India 2018

REVIEW: PALM Expo 2018: Exploring & Expanding

REVIEW: InfoComm 2018: It Delivers

102

ON OUR WEB

FIRST WORDS

For those who are still not in the know, ISE will be moving to Barcelona in the year 2021. Space constraints in Amsterdam was a key consideration for the move. To read my thoughts on this please visit: https://tinyurl.com/y7qs8zhb Coming back to the present, InfoComm India takes places from 18th to 20th September in Mumbai. The show continues to grow with more exhibitors, floor space and seminar programmes. Systems Integration Asia will also be holding its second edition of the Systems Integration India Awards programme in the evening of 18th September at an opposite hall, within the same vicinity. We are all psyched up and looking forward to the Awards.

DANIEL NGIAM MEDIA Rep for Spinworkz Pte Ltd Tel: +65 84410258 rst_dm@hotmail.com

Just before InfoComm India takes place, in the early part of September is the inaugural edition of the Chengdu InfoComm China exhibition. This exhibition has come about to cater to the needs of those in the southern and western part of China. It seems Experience Centres are popping-up all over Asia. It kicked off with some key brand’s creating the Experience Centre but it has now trickled down to even the major distributors. This is not a new phenomenon but it is becoming more pronounced. A number of HARMAN’s distributors in Asia have also recently set-up their own experience centre. This is serious real estate that we are talking about. The brands and distributors are confident that bringing potential end-users and consultants to their space to actually experience the solution is an effective way of winning their hearts. In some of the Experience Centre there is sufficient space to conduct seminars and trainings which makes the space more efficient as well. From conversations with brands, I know that they feel that the Experience Centres do play an important role in decision-making by clients. Hopefully the distributors too get the same positive outcome. I write about this as Electronics and Engineering Singapore recently opened its Experience Centre in Singapore. The company’s Deputy Managing Director, Gary Goh told SI Asia that he hopes to also use the space for discussions amongst industry professionals – well it does have an intimate space that would allow for such discussions. Enjoy the read and if you are at InfoComm India do drop by our booth to say hello. Thomas Richard Prakasam Publisher/Editorial Director thomas@spinworkz.com

ART / LAYOUT Shankar Venugopal

CREATIVE

CULT

PUBLISHED BY Spinworkz Pte Ltd 51 Bukit Batok Crescent #06-10 Unity Centre, Singapore 658077 Tel: (65) 6316 2716 Fax: (65) 63162715 www.spinworkz.com PRINTED BY Stamford Press Pte Ltd Disclaimer: Systems Integration Asia is published 6 times a year. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine is to be reproduced, whether mechanical or electronic without the prior written consent of the publisher. Views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the publisher. Unsolicited contributions are welcome but the editor reserves the discretion to use them. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy and honesty in both editorial and advertising content at press time, the publisher will not be liable for any inaccuracies. Please be informed that products and company names mentioned in this publication may be protected with tradenames, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Our non inclusion of such symbols is not an indication of us not recognising the copyright but rather to have a common look across our articles. Misuse of tradenames, trademarks or registered trademarks is strictly prohibited. It is the obligation of our readers to check if company names and products are protected with tradenames, trademarks or registered trademarks.

INDIA

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(HQ) Office#104, Technohub-2, P.O. Box 341290, Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Phone: +971 4 343 6216, Email: info@avientek.com

MIDDLE EAST - AFRICA - INDIA

NEWS

Delta Video Wall Powers India’s First Smart City

Delta Video Wall at the GIFT City

INDIA: Delta, a leading provider of video wall solutions, in collaboration with their channel partner – Alpha Digital, has set up stateof-the-art video walls at the Control and Command Centre of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City). With this highperformance, high tech video wall in place, operators are able to monitor real-time data and improve the availability, safety and efficiency of services in what is considered to be the very first Smart City in India. Having been constructed from scratch to sophistication, GIFT has been included in the Smart City Mission Statement of Government of India, with its futuristic infrastructure. It’s an under-construction central business district, located between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in the Indian state of Gujarat. GIFT is also home to BSE’s & NSE’s International Exchange which has earned for India a place in global capital markets. GIFT City is also home to multiple financial institutes such as banks, insurance companies, stock exchanges, and many reputed IT & ITeS companies. Currently, there are over 10,000 employees working in various establishments in the GIFT City. With its in-depth knowledge and rich experience in the Smart Cities sector, Delta has installed two sets of 100 square feet of DLP Video wall made up of 72” WUXGA DLP cubes with redundant power supply at the City Control and Command Centre. The sharp image quality of Delta’s Video Walls ensures

to offer operators’ a high level of attention to every kind of detail, from intricate graphics to minute text. The City Control and Command Centre (C-4) of this Smart City is a first-of-a-kind ICT platform, allowing effective utility infrastructure monitoring/management as well as city surveillance from a single location. The command and control system is responsible for coordination and integration among various service providers, disaster management, and emergency services, ensuring efficient services to users, safety and security, and record keeping/ documentation. “The City Control and Command Centre (C-4) is a mix of software and hardware platform that acts as a single central command and control location for managing traffic and utilities remotely,” declares Nilesh Purey, Vice-President IT at GIFT City. “Delta video walls at the center will not only monitor utilities but will also provide real-time monitoring of security and surveillance,” he explains. “Operators can monitor the movement of the city’s growing population and infrastructure with this solution – with minimum effort and maximum efficiency.” Inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, GIFT also hosts India’s only International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), which has been playing a very crucial role in shaping country’s economic growth. www.deltadisplays.com

Vichai Group to Distribute Da-Lite Products in Thailand

HONG KONG: legrandav.com, Legrand AV Division, a leading global provider of innovative audiovisual technologies, appointed Vichai Group as the master distributor of Da-Lite products in Thailand. Established in 1983, Vichai Trading has grown from a small audio-visual-lighting systems integrator to form Vichai Group today that provides comprehensive services ranging from product distribution, system integration, maintenance and service contracts that cover almost all business verticals. The Group’s mission is to provide the finest multimedia experiences to every community of ProAV users. Under Vichai Group, Sound & Communications (SC) will provide distribution of Da-Lite products.

The commercial AV brands of Legrand (formerly Milestone AV Technologies) are a leading provider of innovative mounting, racks and display solutions for various audiovisual technologies. The Group’s innovative products, sold principally under the brands Chief, Da-Lite, Middle Atlantic, Projecta, Sanus and Vaddio, are sold through numerous channels. “We are pleased to have this new partnership to create new opportunities for AV professionals in the region,” a company press release said about the appointment of Vichai Group. www.vichai1983.co.th www.legrandav.com S

I A

NEWS

ENEXC Plays Host to E&E, Shure Networking Night

(L-R) Gary Goh, Dy. Managing Director, E&E, with Shure Asia’s Regional Sales Director at the new

SINGAPORE: Together with Shure Asia, E&E organized the inaugural networking evening at its new Experience Center (ENEXC) recently. The event saw over 40 system integrators and consultants mingling and exploring the venue and solution highlights showcase all over. The ENEXC is a 1,130 sq. ft. space designed to present E&E’s solution offering, including Shure Integrated Systems and Pro Audio solutions, with fully integrated technology showcases in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. It allows consultants, system integrators and end users to better understand the technology and integration aspects of audio system installations and, of course, to experience the end result. The ENEXC has been planned to be modular and adaptable to future technologies. All fixtures can be easily re-configured to accommodate evolving and new audio solutions. Entering the ENEXC, the experience starts with a comfortable reception and lounge area. Here, a listening station is available that allows visitors to test and listen to a

wide variety of trusted Shure microphones and personal listening products. Moving further into the space, the area opens up to a showcase of Shure’s wireless systems portfolio adjacent to a boardroom setup with HD video cameras and installed Shure Microflex Advance MXA910 Ceiling Array Microphones – all ready for live demonstration. “We wanted to move away from the cold feel of showrooms that only have product displays. The ENEXC is more than that,” declares E&E’s Deputy Managing Director Gary Goh. “Aside from offering a real experience of our solutions, we are also planning theme nights to encourage the exchange of ideas, and to give our partners and customers a chance to network,” he explains. “We look forward to using this new space as the focal point for sharing knowledge and expertise with our partners and clients. Our new Experience Center allows for this to happen in a warm and conducive environment.”

Dante Level 3 Training Now Available Online GLOBAL: Responding to the ever-growing popularity of its training courses, Audinate has announced the immediate availability of its popular Dante Certification Level 3 – Advanced Dante Networking training online. The in-person version of Dante Certification Level 3 has gained much momentum since its launch at InfoComm 2017 and has been conducted across the globe over the last year. In order to accommodate this growing demand and in response to numerous requests, Audinate has developed an online version of this advanced level training. The Level 3 training course is an advanced level course aimed at those who have already been using Dante and want to gain more insight and knowledge in setting up and managing larger Dante-enabled networking systems. Building on what was covered in previous levels of Dante trainings, the Level 3 course delves deeper into various advanced networking concepts, mixed-use networks, networking best practices, and troubleshooting techniques.

As the first of many events, the ENEXC Inaugural Networking Night was a great success. Andy Wan, Regional Sales Director at Shure highlights that Shure is very pleased that their long-term partner E&E is now offering such a high-end demonstration facility. “To fully understand and appreciate the technology that we offer to our customers, it’s important to see and hear it in an environment that reflects the actual use scenarios,” Andy asserts. “E&E has done a great job in providing this to our customers here in Singapore, a place we consider an important hub in the South East Asian region. We very much look forward to having many more collaborative events and demos at the ENEXC in the upcoming months.”

The online version of the course is designed in such a way that it can be taken in short modules. The modular nature of the course will enable those who are familiar with some of the material to navigate to their topics of interest. This advanced level course, while covering various networking topics, ties these topics back to how they apply to Dante networking.

www.enepl.com.sg www.shure.com/asia

To access the Level 3 Certification course, visit www.audinate.com/cert-info

“We are thrilled with the popularity of the Dante certification program, with over 25,000 people having enrolled in one of the courses to date,” notes Joshua Rush, senior vice president of marketing for Audinate. “We are pleased to introduce our Level 3 certification course online to give the requisite networking knowledge for more advanced AV networks.”

NEWS

Delta ‘Display’s Innovative Solution at BRPL

Delta video wall installed at BRPL in New Delhi

INDIA: Leading provider of video wall solutions Delta Displays, successfully set up a multi-screen video wall recently at the BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (BRPL), in New Delhi, India. A joint-venture of Government of Delhi (National Capital Territory) and Reliance Infrastructure Limited, BRPL is one of the most trusted integrated utility companies in India, distributing power to as many as 19 districts across southern and western areas of NCT that is spread over an area of over 750 square kilometers, and supplying power to over 2.4 million customers. The existing video wall at the company’s Control Centre had reached its end-of-life and consumed huge amount of energy, besides involving frequent lamp changes. A sustainable and innovative set-up was required to comfortably meet the rapidly growing electricity needs of the National Capital Territory. With a view to more efficiently meeting this requirement and customer services, the company wanted to upgrade its existing Control Centre with a modern, technologypowered visualization system. The upgraded facility’s objective was to help the operators view and monitor the SCADA (Supervising Control and Acquisition of Data) operations, alarm lists, and event lists so that any customer requirement or supply network issue could be addressed almost real-time. Delta Displays was the company’s call. Delta delivered that by installing its Next-Gen LEDLit DLP video wall integrated with the ICON

Pro Controller for this esteemed project. Flexible and reliable, Delta’s video wall is envisioned to operate 24 hours continuously, supporting the BRPL SCADA Centre. BRPL’s SCADA Centre makes use of an intricate web of computers that give realtime information on the state of power distribution to the 92 BRPL grid stations across the city. Real time monitoring on the large video screen includes the real time power summary page of SCADA, alarm lists, event lists and battery charging status of the grid stations. Delta’s seamless video wall allows streamlined monitoring of all these metrics. It also simplifies BRPL’s task of coordinating and integrating feeds from various sources. With better technology, BRPL can now achieve new levels of efficiency and customer satisfaction for the millions it serves. “To make sure our ongoing operations progress effectively and effortlessly, we had to replace our existing visualization system with a latest one that is best in the industry,” said a BRPL offical. “Delta’s extensive experience and expertise in installing Video walls has delivered a state-of-art set up at the SCADA centre,” he explained. “This high-performance control room, equipped with Delta’s visualization technologies, has become one of the most critical centres of BRPL. In a nutshell, the product is robust, services are very good and response is immediate.” www.deltadisplays.com

Vitec Group Appoints Tom Pavicic RSM For Australia, New Zealand ANZ: The Vitec Group announced the appointment of Tom Pavicic to its Production Solutions division as Regional Sales Manager, Australia and New Zealand. Based in Sydney, Pavicic will apply the experience and skills developed over his 30-year career to build and manage strategic channel partnerships and further develop the sales organization in the region. “The ANZ region has tremendous growth potential for The Vitec Group, and it’s essential that we position our company to effectively capitalize on market opportunities. With his vast experience and knowledge, Tom is the ideal person to take on this critical task,” said Audrey Chang, channel and customer marketing director, Asia Pacific, Vitec Production Solutions. “For two decades, Tom has held leadership roles at Quinto Communications, one of our key ANZ channel partners. That background gives him valuable perspective as he works to reinforce our position in ANZ and ensure we have a strong, committed network of resellers targeting all market sectors.” Pavicic joined Quinto Communications in 1997 as General Manager, moving to the Chief Operating Officer role in 2010 and taking the helm as CEO in 2012. At Quinto he managed company operations in ANZ across three offices in Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland. He also took the technical, operations, and commercial lead on all of Quinto’s external systems integration projects, managing stakeholders at all levels and overseeing the supply and integration of multimillion-dollar contracts. Prior to joining Quinto, Pavicic served as General Manager of FP Focusing Pty Ltd., a division of Fuji-Photo Optical in Japan. He also was previously a technical sales executive for Inteltech Pty Ltd. www.vitecgroup.com S

I A

NEWS

HARMAN Cracks Down on Counterfeit Products INDIA: HARMAN International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, has taken a definitive action against the sale of counterfeit JBL Professional Audio products in India. The company worked closely with the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police, which successfully conducted raids on two premises that were engaged in the manufacturing and selling of counterfeit professional audio products under the JBL trademark. The police has arrested the owners of these entities and seized large quantities of counterfeit JBL Professional speakers, along with packaging materials and fake brand stickers. HARMAN sells popular audio products for both consumers and professionals under its brands JBL, Harman Kardon and AKG and others. JBL Professional speakers are widely used in cinemas, recording and broadcasting studios, live and touring events, weddings and are installed at various enterprises and hotels across India. “HARMAN stands for highest quality standards and world class audio technology. To maintain trust with consumers and to protect our reputation and brand, we must be vigilant in the authenticity of our products,” HARMAN India Country Manager Pradeep Chaudhry asserted. “This action by the Delhi Police is a big step towards safeguarding the interest of our customers and authorized dealers of JBL products.” The Company spokesperson clarified in a media communication that consumers should purchase HARMAN products through the company’s authorized dealers in India and get the authorization certificate at the dealers’ outlets. Consumers of HARMAN’s professional audio and solutions can contact the customer service team on 18002088880 or write to indiaprocare@harman.com

How to Identify a Counterfeit JBL Product • Like many premium goods, HARMAN’s counterfeited products are sold at drastically reduced prices and diminished quality. • The cosmetic details are not consistent with authentic JBL products. • Inspect the packaging and logo placement/color. Typically, the packaging is made of flimsy material, missing key details such as certifications, place of manufacture, address, and trademark/copyright information. • Logo placement is slightly off and the color does not match the genuine logo. • The package/product may be lightweight, smell of chemicals, or have chipped paint. • Research reputation of the seller. Read customer comments. • Genuine JBL Products will have a serial number that can be successfully registered on company website. www.pro.harman.com

I A

HARMAN Strengthens Distribution Ties with E&E

SINGAPORE: HARMAN Professional Solutions announced it has consolidated distribution of BSS, Crown, dbx, Digitech, Lexicon, JBL Professional, Soundcraft and Studer in Singapore by strengthening ties with Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd (E&E). Building on more than 15 years of experience patronizing various HARMAN brands, E&E will expand its portfolio to include HARMAN

Professional’s integration, installation and retail audio product suite. All other HARMAN partnerships serving the Singapore market for Karaoke Solutions, Cinema Solutions, AKG Professional, AMX Video and Controls and Martin Lighting Solutions remains unchanged. “In line with our overall business strategy aimed at simplifying our distribution and enhancing customer touchpoints across brands, solutions and verticals that we serve, we are happy to appoint E&E as our distribution partner in Singapore” said Ramesh Jayaraman, VP and GM, HARMAN Professional Solutions, APAC. “The new distribution model leverages our brand strengths and E&E’s strong distribution capabilities in providing innovative technology solutions to our Singapore customers,” he added. “Delivering on this strategy also creates the opportunity for further investment and expansion by HARMAN Professional Solutions in the Singapore market, as E&E extend their capabilities and support across the entire HARMAN Professional audio range.” “HARMAN Professional Audio Brands and Solutions are well established for their technological superiority and world class quality and E&E with more than 65 years of professional audio solutions know-how is known for our broad scope of services,” said Gary Goh, Deputy Managing Director, Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd. “We understand our customers’ need for solutions and support, and with our hands-on experience in the Singapore market, we are thrilled to bring HARMAN Professional Audio products to our customers and elevate their experiences.” Support, warranty and repair of Harman Professional products in Singapore will transition to E&E with immediate effect. Warranty terms and inclusions will not be affected. www.pro.harman.com www.enepl.com.sg

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NEWS

Adamson, AVCL, Vardhaman Partner for India

it deserves in India. We’ve already got a number of events in mind for the system throughout India.’ www.adamsonsystems.com www.richaudio.net www.sonotone.in S

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ARX Systems’ Blue DI Gives Ultimate Choice In Myanmar Club

David Dohrmann from Adamson with BV Nagpal and Karan Nagpal of Sonotone, Kaushal Garg and Jeff Mandot from Vardhaman, AVCL’s Sushil John and Dinesh Mandot from Vardhaman

INDIA: AVCL is a new sub-division of Sonotone, created for distribution of highend pro audio manufacturers, and Adamson is the first brand it will represent. Sonotone will oversee Adamson in the integration sector while Vardhaman has been appointed as an authorised partner to manage the touring market. “Sonotone and AVCL are excited to officially join the Adamson network as the company’s exclusive distributor in India,” said Karan Nagpal, CEO of Sonotone. “We’ve watched closely as the Adamson brand has gained serious traction in major global markets and recognised the potential that this elite brand and premium product would have in the growing Indian pro audio market,” he explained. “We look forward to working with our new partners at Adamson to provide our clients with unmatched service, highquality user education, and top-tier audio performance.” The announcement was made during a press conference the day before the start of PALM Expo. As a result, Adamson solutions were proudly displayed on the Sonotone booth at the Mumbai trade show. “The excitement surrounding Adamson in our exhibit at Palm has already been very encouraging,” commented Nagpal.

“Many of our existing partners have shown interest, though we’re making plenty of new connections on the back of Adamson’s growing reputation in our market and look forward to building on that even further going forward.” “We’ve spent several years doing some thorough research into the Indian market so we can make a fresh start here, and I think we’ve found a really good partner in AVCL,’ said Adamson’s David Dohrmann, Technical Director, Asia Pacific. “AVCL shares the same values, dedication and commitment as Adamson. Sonotone has a vast dealer network across the country, in more than 20 states, and Vardhaman has gained a high profile in the touring market.” The new distribution agreement immediately bore fruit, as Mumbai-based rental company Rich Audio wasted no time in taking advantage of the manufacturer’s arrival in the local market with the purchase of an S10 system. ‘We’ve had a number of other speaker brands in our arsenal but we always follow good quality audio,’ explained Lee Braganza, one of Rich Audio’s owners, ‘Adamson is on a par with the best brands in the world and provides very good quality and service, and it’s time that it gets the recognition

MYANMAR: At the Byblos Pub & Grill in Yangon, Myanmar, the ARX Blue DI is proving a great hit with the management and the customers. A tablet controls the music in the bar which is connected to the Blue DI via wireless protocol. Selected customers who come into the bar can connect to the Blue DI and then play their own music over the Quest Engineering sound system. As a wireless audio interface for computers, smartphones and tablets, the ARX Blue DI connects these and similar devices to the balanced line level pro audio world. By simply pairing the Blue DI to a wireless enabled device, it is easy to pull up a music file and press play and listen to music through a professional sound system. ‘The guys at Byblos are passionate about the Blue DI and their customers love the fact that they can play their own music.’ commented Trevor Cronin from Sound Around Myanmar, the ARX distributor in Myanmar. The Blue DI is the only Bluetooth compatible Direct Box that can be Phantom Powered, eliminating the need for clunky and unreliable external power packs when used in professional environments. Additional design features such as the ultra-low noise and distortion circuitry, electronically balanced XLR outputs and a heavy duty all steel chassis complete the Blue DI package. www.arx.com.au

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NEWS

Dataton Appoints Ashok Sharma for SAARC SAARC: Dataton has appointed Ashok Sharma as Regional Sales Manager for the SAARC countries. Mr Sharma will be responsible for developing and aligning markets throughout the region with particular focus on the highly innovative and active market in India. “The market for high-end media server and content management solutions in the SAARC countries is truly vast and varied,” Ashok Sharma says. “Dataton is in a very expansive phase, with new products and features in the pipeline. I will be working with key local vendors, manufacturers and influencers across all verticals to expand the brand and provide even better support to users.” As part of this strategy, Dataton Academy training took place in Mumbai in late June. The schedule included dedicated training for operators and was led by Mikael Ena from Dataton HQ in Sweden. More sessions in the region are also in the pipeline. “There is a great demand for training and our sessions are always fully booked within a couple of days,” Ashok Sharma says. “The Academy is an excellent way to meet users and gather feedback in order to support them in their work.” Ashok Sharma was previously the Dataton sales representative in the region and has a proven track record in the pro-AV industry. His earlier experience includes positions with projector manufacturers Digital Projection and projectiondesign, as well as signal processing manufacturer Gefen. “The best way for us to continue to be successful in SAARC is to have a local, dedicated sales and support team. With the appointment of Ashok, we will move Dataton closer to the large numbers of WATCHOUT users in the region, and especially in the important market in India,” says Trond Solvold, Sales Director at Dataton. “I am also glad that our local partners, who have done a tremendous job promoting our

solutions through the years, also found this appointment a strategically good move. Working together with them will not only strengthen brand awareness, but also secure great support for a great product.” SAARC region comprises of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. www.dataton.com S

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Crestron Wins Microsoft Global IoT Partner Award

GLOBAL: Control and automation technology solutions major won the 2018 Microsoft Global Partner of the Year Award for Internet of Things (IoT). The automation leader received the Award in a glittering ceremony at the Microsoft Inspire event in Las Vegas. Microsoft recognized Crestron for providing outstanding solutions in IoT in the form of Crestron XiO Cloud, a revolutionary IoT-based provisioning and management solution built on the Microsoft Azure platform. Crestron XiO Cloud is revolutionizing provisioning and management of Crestron’s popular open UC, room scheduling, AV, and content sharing solutions at the world’s leading companies, resulting in up to 90% reductions in installation time, improvements in device uptime, and optimization of people, space, and technology. Powering the digital transformation As businesses across every industry continue along their digital transformation journey,

Crestron IoT enabled automation and control solutions enable facility management and IT staff to control entire environments with a push of a button or click of a mouse, integrating audio, video, digital signage, scheduling, lighting, building management systems (BMS), HVAC and security systems. The strength of Crestron IoT-enabled devices and systems is their integration in the Crestron XiO Cloud, providing all-in-one monitoring, management and control from a single platform. “Intelligent workplace solutions are the springboard for digital transformation- but managing the devices that enable it can be costly and complicated. Crestron XiO Cloud reduces the complexities associated with deploying, tracking, managing and evolving the ecosystem of IoT enabled devices that make communication and collaboration seemless. Crestron is honored to be recognized by Microsoft for developing game-changing connected technologies that help propel digital transformation at Fortune 500® companies worldwide,” said Ted Colton, Vice President of Unified Communication Strategies at Crestron. Celebrating partner achievement The annual Microsoft Partner of the Year awards celebrate top Microsoft partners who demonstrate excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technology. Microsoft received more than 2,600 nominations from 115 countries for the 2018 program. The IoT category was judged by a number of IoT stakeholders and leaders from Microsoft Common Data Service, One Commercial Partner, Windows and Azure. The judges selected the winners based on their commitment to customers, the solution’s impact on the market, and exemplary use of Microsoft technologies. “Our ecosystem of partners is crucial to delivering transformative solutions, and this year’s winners have proven to be some of the finest among their peers,” said Gavriella Schuster, Corporate Vice President, One Commercial Partner, Microsoft Corp. “We are pleased to recognize Crestron for being selected as winner of the 2018 Microsoft IoT Partner of the Year award.” www.crestron.com S

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NEWS

Barco Brightens Up TV Chosun’s New Studio

Lightware Appoints Avinash Kumar for India Pune Region INDIA: Lightware Visual Engineering has appointed Avinash Kumar as the Key Account Consultant in Pune, effective June 18, 2018. Based in Pune, Avinash will spearhead Lightware India’s continued focus on innovation and collaboration with the AV community.

SOUTH KOREA: In an exciting collaboration, Chosun Broadcasting Company has chosen Barco video walls as backdrop for its TV Chosun News studio. TV Chosun News is at the highest level of broadcasting authority in Korea and airs nationwide. VIP visitors from many industries are regulars in the studios and now witness Barco solutions performing perfectly for the number-one broadcaster. The eye-catching image quality delights and the seamless technology speaks for itself when seen in use.

This is also true for the installation of Barco solutions continuing on from the Main Studio. In the B Studio, TV Chosun installed a Barco UniSee 2x2 LCD video wall, capitalizing on the excellent image quality, superior uniformity and high brightness, as well as the extremely narrow inter-screen gap between the bezel-less screens. However, it’s the flicker-free images and redundancy options that increase reliability and guarantee TV Chosun show-runners complete peace of mind when it’s time to go on air.

TV Chosun opted for Barco’s OVL-715 LED video wall panels 15x2 to build their news backdrop in the Main Studio. The high brightness of the OVL-715 is adjustable, with high levels of contrast, a broad white-point setting and the Sense6 automatic calibration system to ensure consistency. Add to this the redundant video input and LED illumination, as well as the E2 and EC-50 controllers that help to run the show, and it becomes clear that Barco solutions are instrumental in bringing TV Chosun viewers the clearest images possible.

This peace of mind has been further enhanced with the use of Barco’s stateof-the-art controllers; the control room, for example, is benefitting from ease and efficiency delivered by recently installed E2, EC-50 and ECU-200 controllers. The unique auto-calibration technology, high-quality 4K input and output capabilities, exceptional durability and flexible usage ensure TV Chosun News looks sharp and performs at the top of the game.

“With this upgrade, TV Chosun is cementing its public image as the most professional and reliable broadcaster in the business,” says Dongmin Shin, the Deputy Director at TV Chosun. “The OLV-715 LED video wall delivers a crystal-clear news backdrop that gives our viewers the first-class images they deserve.”

“We are delighted that Avinash is joining Lightware’s India - Pune Location and will bring his best management experience in Digital technology“, said Arun Kumar Anandhan and Raguvaran Patel. “Avinash has lived the critical digital transformation that technology companies require to continue growing and evolving. We are looking forward to his many contributions as we continue to make progress in our drive for best Lightware driven technology solutions”. Abhishek Bajpai, Regional Manager added that “we have a solid foundation here and a stellar reputation as being a great place to work. The India centre makes significant contributions to the entire product portfolio offered by Lightware. Our new expansion in Pune reinforces Lightware’s commitment to invest and grow in India. With this Appointment and our focus, I am sure that we’ll meet the goals we’ve set for the next few years and that we’ll continue consolidating our strategic position in the region”.

“We now have the best news broadcasting and the best technology working together in perfect harmony,” explains Dongmin Shin. “Our viewers are enthralled by the results!”

“I am excited to join Lightware India team as I believe the company is poised to lead the next generation of Digital Transformation“, Avinash said. “Lightware collective vision and vast experience across Digital Technology, networking, services and customer success are a powerful combination as it drives greater momentum with the customers and partners.“

www.barco.com

www.lightware.com

Barco controllers within the control room

Barco UniSee 2x2 LCD video wall © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

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NEWS

Mindstec Exhibits Strengths at Retail Asia Expo On top of delivering vivid digital signage, Mindstec showcased how to use the technology to obtain customers’ information and analyze their shopping behaviours and levels of satisfaction. The objective was to show how it helps to enhance customers’ loyalty to the brand and adjust marketing strategies from time to time. HONG KONG: Pan-Asiatic high-end audiovisual and IT solutions major Mindstec made a big pitch at the recent Retail Asia Expo 2018 – held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre – showcasing its latest Pro AV technology for the retailers and marketers. Being Asia’s flagship retail industry event, Retail Asia Expo attracts the industry’s most influential retailers and buyers under one roof and focuses on showcasing cutting-edge retail solutions from around the world. The AV solutions major presented their “Innovative Shopping Experience” through various solutions. On top of delivering vivid digital signage, Mindstec also demonstrated how to obtain customer information and analyze their shopping behaviour and satisfaction, so as to achieve effective conversion of customers. Solutions on display included a 3D Holographic Display to bring products to life and grab customers’ attention. The Realfiction 3D Holographic Display turned inanimate products into attractive 3D holographic content showcasing to retailers the way to create memorable visual experiences of their brands for a strong impression. The booth also featured a curved TV wall. Datapath solutions were incorporated to manage the video wall with RTI XP-8S control processor. The Datapath display multi-controller is able to loop multiple units together, and offer the perfect solution for staging and televised video walls, enabling creative set-ups of displays to attract the attention of the customers. B-tech mounting solutions were used for the wall display showcasing its versatility as well as its classleading strength and durability. Big Data which has introduced a scientific element to marketing campaigns, is transforming the retail industry. The powerful audience measurement and analysis solution compiles valuable data generated from passers-by or those who view a signage.

www.mindstec.com S

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AVientek Forays into India, Aims Big Dubai-headquartered AV solutions distributor AVienteck FZE, a concern of the Thomsun Group, is seeking aggressive inroads into Indian ProAV market. The company has recently set up its India exclusive office in Bengaluru and began expanding its sales and marketing team as well. According to a senior executive of the company, India has been a very promising market in terms of acceptance of quality products and there has been a consistent growth in many segments, particularly in Government and Enterprise investments which has been an encouraging aspect for the company.

across the segment; we also see the BYOD solutions spreading fast,” he details. “We are one of the first to bring AV over IP technology to the marketplace. This, we want to further consolidate through our initiatives in Indian market.” The distribution major has an action plan to take the initiative forward, asserts Manu. As a value added distributor for some of the leading quality brands, AVienteck plans to working with quality system integrators and consultants in India. The company did study the market for a considerable time, and observed that it has place for both pricesensitive customers as well as those who discerning, quality-conscious customers. “This is where we are focused,” asserts Manu. “While as a distributor, we do want volumes business, but our focus is on driving value with quality systems and services.” The company pitches its value adds the factors like its own personnel on ground to support partners in terms of sales , solution design, technical support, local warehousing and stocking as well as foreign billing facility which are commonly expected from a buyer. The products and systems the company intends to bring to India include: •

DigiBird - video wall controllers

•

WolfVsion - audio video collaboration systems

•

Purelink – high quality AV over IP, switching & routing

“This has been happening for some time, despite global financial instability; we see there is a good demand from global enterprises who are investing heavily in India requiring quality products for their infrastructure as per international standards,” says V M Manu, the company’s Regional Manager for India and Middle East. “We want to capitalize on this bullish opportunity.”

•

Hagor - multimedia mounting system

•

Sound Control Technology - camera extenders

•

TeamMate - AV technical furniture

•

Touchspire - Interactive touch display

Based in Dubia, and spread over the potential markets in the Middle East, AVientek has a proven track record in the region for distributing quality AV products in different verticals of Pro AV like collaboration, command control and network operation centres, AV over IP networks, and Smart Classroom systems.

Having taken the big initiative, the company’s immediate priority is building relationships with consultants and system integrators as also reaching out to major enterprise partners across the country, informs Manu. It intends to plan focussed programmes like roadshows and events in potential market zones as it moves forward.

“Indian AV market has been on a transformational mode, and at a rapid pace too,” says Manu. “It is transforming from traditional and legacy systems to IP-based system. Security market has been growing at a rapid pace to absorb IP-based security solutions; so are the education segment with Smart Classrooms gaining larger grounds

“India is our first step outside the Middle East markets,” states the AVientek executive. “We hope to recreate the same level of success we achieved in the Middle East.”

www.avientek.com S

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NEWS

Sun Infonet, Meyer Sound Train Indian Pros on Sound System Design “Participating in trainings like this helps us not only acquire those critical elements of the know-how, but also eliminate the costs and time lapses that occur from depending on outside experts.”

INDIA: Leading Delhi-based AV systems integration and distribution solutions provider Sun Infonet, in association with its recently added Pro Audio major Meyer Sound, has organized two training programmes for Indian AV professionals in Mumbai and Bengaluru. The programme – themed Portable System Development – was conducted by Meyer Sound’s Senior Technical Seminar Instructor Mauricio Ramirez, and was attended by a good, houseful gathering comprising professionals from various disciplines of Pro AV, such as consultants, designers, integrators, sound engineers and distributors with systems integration business interests. The two-day training programme was devised like foundation course for practicing and aspiring audio professionals on deploying portable sound systems with precision, irrespective of size and domain like live, portable or installed sound set-ups. It is intended to provide working knowledge of the entire process from initial system design to final verification, including the whole range of different nuances in between. While the systems used for the training understandably included those by Meyer Sound – such as the MAPP XT system design tool, Galileo GALAXY network platform,

RMSserver remote monitoring system, and SIM 3 audio analyser, besides loudspeakers – it did not confine only to Meyer Sound, but included the whole ambit of portable systems deployment irrespective of the brand. “It’s brand agnostic; the knowledge imparted here is applicable to any audio brand on the market,” explains Sandeep Braganza, Meyer Sound’s Sales Manager for India. “Our intention is to spread the knowledge for the benefit of larger industry cross section,” he maintained. “This is not a brand promo initiative; it is to help the industry professionals understand those finer aspects of their profession which they do not get elsewhere.” Says Selwyn Fernandes, Principal Consultant, HMPL Consulting: “This is a nice initiative, and helps professionals like us to a significant extent. The knowledge we gain here certainly stands us better equipped and helps us not to depend on ‘external experts’ on certain aspects of install on the field.” According to him AV professionals often depend on external experts for some finer aspects of installs, and they did have an instance for a major install in India recently. They had to call the relevant expert from outside the country, spending precious time and money, to help them on site.

Endorses Roshan Malim, Systems Engineer with Audio Center: “The insights we gain here are not possible to get elsewhere, this is one essential reason we want to come here.” Ramirez, the dedicated Meyer Sound Seminar Instructor was visibly impressed by the inquisitiveness and computer-literacy shown by the participants. “I have seen participants from across the world, as part of my job; but nowhere did I see this kind of computer-savvy trainees; I am seeing them doing the practical work their systems simultaneously with me, almost in a jiffy, even as I’m completing my tip. This is amazing.” That most modern system designs today are done on computers, this particular command with the computers helps Indian aspirants much better than those from other countries, complements the Instructor. “In this digital age, this is very essential. You guys have it aplenty.” Neeraj Chandra, Sun Infonet Director is apparently happy with the programme. “This is our intention- to disseminate across the industry sections those knowledge aspects that are not commonly available. We do intend to carry this forward with more such programmes, and to other cities as well.” The Bengaluru event was actually preceded by a similar programme in Mumbai where it had attracted the industry gathering from across the Western India circuit. www.suninfonet.net www.meyersound.com

Meyer Sound’s Seminar Instructor Mauricio Ramirez actively interacting with the training participants in Mumbai (left); and Bengaluru (middle and right) © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

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Yamaha Changes Revolabs, Inc. Name

JAPAN: As part of Yamaha Corporation’s drive to accelerate its unified communications (UC) business in the global market, Yamaha Corporation (hereinafter Yamaha) announced that its 100-percent subsidiary Revolabs, Inc. has changed its company name to Yamaha Unified Communications, Inc., effective as of June 1, 2018. Founded in 2005, Revolabs has developed, manufactured, and marketed remote conferencing systems, wireless microphone

systems, and other UC products. Since becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha in 2014, it has played a role in Yamaha’s growing UC business activities.

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Powersoft Appoints GM Audio for South India

www.uc.yamaha.com

choose Bolero for our upgrade to wireless comms.”

“A show as complex as The House of Dancing Water would simply not be possible without reliable, stable, and flexible communications between and among our cast and crew members,” said Nicolas Hammond, Head of Sound, Dragone Macau Limited. “We’re already sold on the quality and flexibility of Riedel’s Artist, so it was only natural to

www.riedel.net S

Striving to further develop the company’s UC business globally, Yamaha has changed the corporate name of Revolabs to clearly indicate its relationship with the Yamaha Group. Through this change, Yamaha will work to raise the recognition of the Yamaha brand and increase its corporate value by providing customers with superior products and services.

House of Dancing Water Connects with Bolero

MACAU: The House of Dancing Water, a breathtaking in-the-round water show created by the Franco Dragone Entertainment Group for Macau’s City of Dreams entertainment complex, has extended its in-house communications capabilities with Riedel’s Bolero wireless intercoms. Bolero will provide comprehensive, reliable, and integrated wireless capabilities that leverage the facility’s existing Riedel Artist digital matrix intercom system, in operation since 2014.

and departments. Riedel’s Director software enables intuitive management and configuration of the system while also facilitating real-time system monitoring by the sound department.

The Riedel-based communications infrastructure is the result of a collaborative effort between Hammond and Assistant Head of Sound David Sharrock, with the support of The House of Dancing Water sound team. Having gone live in June, the new Bolero system extends the existing Riedel infrastructure, including two Artist 64 frames and two Artist 32 frames, to enable clear and reliable communications for all cast members and crew throughout the Dancing Water Theatre. Motocross stunt riders and acrobatic performers, coupled with the technical teams, use the intercom system for continual communication during the show, which features visuals, water, and atmospheric effects. Even in the aquatics area, the Bolero/Artist combination supports communications with performers and underwater performer handlers in the pool via underwater speakers, in-mask communications systems, and buddy phones. Programming flexibility is another extremely important requirement for the production, and Bolero enables the team to customize the system to meet the needs of individuals

(L-R) Hakan Sjoo with Udayan Arayan

INDIA: World-leading manufacturer of professional power amplifiers, Powersoft, has appointed Chennai-based GM Audio as its official distributor for the South of India region. Extending the award-winning Italian audio manufacturers’ presence in the market, GM Audio is the fourth distributor that the company has on-boarded in the country in order to capitalise on growth opportunities in this exciting market. ‘We decided a few years ago to divide India into four regions to properly address the size of the country and scale of the opportunity. India is an early adopter when it comes to new technologies, so it comes as no surprise that the Powersoft brand has been growing year on year, now taking up position as the leading amplifier brand in the market,’ comments Håkan Sjöö, Powersoft regional sales account manager, EMEINA. ‘We have a great network already in the North, West and East of India, but we needed an established partner we could trust in the South to take our business there to the next level. We have been in talks with GM Audio since the beginning of the year and we are thrilled they have now become a part of the extended Powersoft family.’

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GM Audio has been at the forefront of the pro AV industry in India for four decades, building a strong position and reputation in the market thanks to its focus on supplying and servicing the highest quality products. The company is well aligned with Powersoft in its commitment to striving for excellence and dedication to customer satisfaction. With opportunities aplenty particularly in the cinema, install and touring verticals, GM Audio sees huge opportunity to further penetrate the market by partnering with the innovative manufacturer, backing up its stand-out product range with strategic marketing and dedicated technical back-up. Commenting on the appointment, GM Audio’s director Udayan Arayan says: ‘We are very proud to associate with Powersoft, which boasts an impressive, cutting-edge product portfolio offering exactly what customers in India are looking for – price, reliability, power and quality. We have a number of cinema projects ongoing for which we need a lot of amps, so this new partnership is ideal. We are just getting started but look forward to deploying Powersoft’s incredible range throughout the South of India and to a long and successful relationship.’ ‘GM Audio is very focused on, and shares our passion for striving for the best,’ adds Sjöö. ‘Now that Powersoft has Dante AES67 and we are one of Dolby’s preferred suppliers, we can work with Dolby Atmos - so the timing of the tie up with GM Audio is perfect with a number of great cinema projects in the pipeline. ‘As one of our distributor partners in India, GM Audio will benefit from Powersoft’s true partnership approach, with support on offer at trade shows and via workshops and training programmes so they become an extension of us in the market. As a result, this will also benefit new and existing users in the region, who can also now rely on a Powersoft service centre in Bangalore. We look forward to further unlocking Powersoft’s huge potential in India’s professional audio market.’

AWAN, Symetrix Conduct Roadshows in South India

INDIA: The first quarter of the current financial year ended on a high note for networked audio solutions major Symetrix and its national distributor in India AWAN India Pvt Ltd with the Bengaluruheadquartered distribution and systems integration enterprise successfully conducting a series of road shows and training events across the South India during the period. The series of programmes travelled to the cities of Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru, and was overseen by Hock Thang, Symetrix’s Regional Sales Manager for APAC. The training included the finer aspects of fixed architecture DSPs like Jupitar Series, open architecture DSPs like Prism Series, and Radius with AES feature. Further, the attendees were also taken through some very insightful expert views and usage modalities of Control Server and Dante technology application, besides hands-on experience on using Symetrix’s DSPs, Sennheiser microphones, Apart audio speakers, Magpie ‘Plug & Speak’ podium, Bandridge, Profigold speakers and HDMI cables.

“It’s been very fruitful,” said Hock Thang. “India is a fast emerging market for our products; Symetrix stands a very good chance at revolutionizing the way people experience sound,” he said. “The brand trainings and subsequent road shows, when conducted at regular intervals, go to play a very instrumental role in achieving desired results.” “The initiative has really been very satisfying; the response we got was tremendous,” said AWAN India Managing Director E S Prasad. “We hope to conduct more of such programmes as we proceed.”

Prominent among the participating companies were- AVFx Solutions, Flamenco Technologies, Aditya International, USK Technologies, Purple Wave, Aesthetix Technologies, BT Convergence, Office 2000, Enkay Technolgies, to name a few. www.awan.co.in www.symetrix.co

www.powersoft.it S

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COMMENTARY

SIIA 2018: Great Expectations

Indian AVSI Industry Awaits an Encore of Rewarding Excitement

Indian audio-visual and systems integration industry, in mid-September 2016, experienced something it hadn’t before; and in a style that is – arguably – not seen anywhere in the global AV domain! Systems Integration India Awards- a ‘rewarding’ recognition for an outstanding work in the area of AV systems integration. It was unique for more prideful reasons than one- not just the event organizers Systems Integration Asia but for all the stakeholders as well. For, the impact was such that the very thought of the event springs in a great excitement to this day. As the bi-annual event returns this September on its second outing to the same venue and platform as the inaugural edition – InfoComm India day-oneevening, Bombay Exhibition Grounds, Mumbai, the industry awaits with some great expectations for yet another excitement of ‘Celebrating AV Excellence.’ The Systems Integration India Awards (SIIA) initiative – launched in 2016 by Systems Integration Asia the flagship AV publication of Spinworkz Pte Ltd – has simply been a story from the Abstract to the Absolute. From uncertainty to certainty; from ambiguity to clarity; and from apprehension to affirmation! The travails and trepidations the team Spinworkz lived through all those testing times of roughly two years before the culmination, and the way it all turned out in September 2016, it was arguably one of the most gripping turn-around stories for the Organizers, if not the industry as a whole. For, it did have its own USPs and oddities, alternating in their momentum: • The very nature of the initiative – rewarding an SI for their excellent work Most award events had hitherto been moving around products, and not even

who made them, let alone the projects and processes. Having seen that all, and realizing the need to recognize the genius that actually puts the products to their best use, SIIA came up with the model • While the model excited many, the euphoria in no time gave in to scepticism that had so inherently became part of the industry dynamic. Scores of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ did have their pitch against a reinforcing belief and passion • Indian industry is used to derive

excitement from Awards events from outside the country, but hasn’t really evaluated the potential for its own kind • All said, the belief gained footing, thankfully due to the defining leadership demonstrated by six Partners of SIIA “The very concept of SIIA is wonderful,” says Bharat Kumar Alur, Managing Director of Kramer India, one of the Platinum Partners of the event. “That it seeks to recognize and reward the people, and the projects they built, it’s like virtually touching the body and soul of the industry,” he explains. “By recognizing the SI and the project they built, it is also spreading the laurel to Consultants, Manufacturers involved and even Distributors too; that is practically touching everyone in the eco-system.” Says Rajesh Patkar, Deputy General Manager of Christie Digital India, another Platinum

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Partner: “Any AV project design first goes to the consultant’s table. So, if the SI integrating that design is recognized for excellent work, that appreciation also brings the genius of consultant to recognition.” Endorses Naveen Sridhar, Sales & Marketing Director-SAARC at beyerdynamic, another Platinum Partner of SIIA: “It’s a win-win proposition; a product well represented; well installed; and well used- so everybody wins. It’s simply the winning formula for the industry as a whole- which is why we stood up to the cause.” According to Harish, Business Head-Visual Instruments at Epson India, one of the two Gold Partners, “SIIA is the most unique thing to happen to Indian AV industry. By virtue of recognition with Awards, it helps the SI fraternity to do more quality jobs and explore their inventive abilities to excel, it helps the industry attain higher standards and competencies riding on excellent works by SIs.” All have a consensus: “SIIA is the thing industry needed, and had been waiting to see happen- despite challenges.” Thus was born the SIIA – Systems Integration India Awards – in 2016 with a high ambition of bringing the entire industry eco-system onto a common platform, and in full spectrum- to “Celebrate Indian AV Excellence.” And how!

That meant SIIA – with thorough understanding of India’s AV market cross section – reaching out to every stratum. NO segment to nurse a feeling of being left out or not given an opportunity to prove prowess. Five verticals: • Corporate • Government • Education • Hospitality; and • Tourism/Entertainment/Transport That meant SIIA touched almost every area of human interaction that AV could permeate. No single domain left untouched. And how credibly was it done! The projects are judged by panel of internationally renowned AV experts, but who do not have any connect with Indian industry. That the entire process goes through an encrypted mechanism, no one know who the winner is, till the last minute. With such meticulous methodology running through, SIIA brings out only the best of all. That the accompanying Consultants and major stakeholders (if any) are also honoured along with the SIs of the winning projects, it’s the full spectrum of AV fraternity taking the podium and revelling in the joys. It is a Celebration of AV Excellence- as the SIIA rightly sports its tagline. “We need to celebrate our own successes,” says Kelvin-Ashby King, Principal Consultant of T2 Consulting. “We need to recognise that we are doing projects here on a bigger scale and often better and more advanced than projects that are done in the so called ‘developed markets,’” he asserts. Gladly, Kelvin was one of the two

Four Awards – representing four different budgetary segments – from five verticals. • < ₹ 1 Crore ( approx. $146,000) • Between ₹ 1 Core and 5 Crore (approx. $146,000 and $728,000) • Between ₹ 5 Crore and 10 Crore (approx. $ 728,000 $1.45 milion) • Above ₹ 10 Crore (>$ 1.45 million) © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

Lifetime Achievement Award honorees at the Inaugural edition of SIIA in 2016. the other being Manmohan Gupta, the patriarch of Actis Technologies. “We need a sense of pride and achievement in our own work and local industry, and we need to recognise our own in order to build our industry.” What better words than this to say? For vendors and service providers, the Awards have great value too because it provides broad validation of their quality of work, and helps them benchmark themselves. The halo effect of the Awards also helps build trust with prospective customers which further incentivizes them to do great work. “SIIA serves is to bring the entire industry together,” opines Sachin Jain, Director of Play Technologies the firm that won the first two categories Awards. “It contributes to a healthy competition, even as it creates industry benchmarks and helps setting higher bars for systems integration expertise in the country,” opines Ratnesh Jhaveri, Managing Director of Innovative Systems & Solutions Pvt Ltd. Joint winner of ‘Highly Commendable AV Project Award’ under Premium Segment, and one of the forerunning advocates of the SIIA initiative, Ratnesh commends the neutrality and objective methodology of the programme. Supported by foresightedness of Partners, and thought enrichers galore, SIIA 2016 was a phenomenon of its own. It is beckoning this year again, to relive the excitement, and elevate to a higher level- in just over a months’ time. Needless to say, this edition of SIIA is carrying the burden of expectations. Hope it lives up to all that. Come. Celebrate the AV Excellece. www.siindiaawards.com

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Event: SI INDIA AWARDS COCKTAIL EVENT Date: 18 September 2018 Venue: At the Bombay Exhibition Centre Grounds Time: 6pm - 8pm

The Grand Celebration of AV Excellence Beckons You For the Second Edition of

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w w w. s i i n d i a a w a r d s . c o m

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

ATEN Wins COMPUTEX 2018 Best Choice Award I/O printing on the housing for easy port recognition, built-in brackets for convenient mounting, and LED lights for quick diagnosis. There is even a dedicated space on the units for writing labels and a signature ribbed edge design to enhance the structure and provide ease of handling. For more product information, please visit the VE8950 product page. IT connectivity and total management solutions provider ATEN International, announced that its VE8950 4K Video over IP Extender has been awarded a COMPUTEX 2018 Best Choice Award for top design quality and groundbreaking design. The winning VE8950 has also recently been honored with a Red Dot Design Award 2018 for its human-centered design and effortless user experience. It won high praise for enabling systems integrators to solve problems while creating solutions for large-scale digital signage and video wall deployments covering hundreds of meters, such as campuses, stations, malls, and exhibition centers. These two accolades for the VE8950 are recognition of ATEN’s continuous efforts in innovation through human-centered design. “ATEN is extremely honored to receive this COMPUTEX 2018 Best Choice Award in the smart retail category after years of focusing on improving the user experience of our products,” said Kevin Chen, President of ATEN International. “The award demonstrates that the human-centered approach of our innovative technologies meets the needs of consumers and enterprises. ATEN will remain committed to the same principles that inspired our breakthrough in design and quality to reach our ultimate goal of Simply Better Connections.” The ATEN VE8950 4K HDMI over IP Extender provides an economical and easy-to-use digital signage solution with user-focused hardware design. With large, clear ID displays and simple pushbuttons for ID setting and switching, the VE8950 offers simple configuration that does not require extensive IT experience. The units feature

www.aten.com S

I A

Audinate Dante AVIO Adapters Now Shipping

can be eliminated and all signal routes are managed via Dante Controller software. The Dante AVIO USB adapter connects any computer to a Dante audio network without additional software, providing class-compliant stereo input and output that can be used by any audio application. Ideal for presentations and conference rooms, the Dante AVIO USB adapter may be passed between computers without altering networked audio connections. The Dante AVIO AES3 adapter provides stereo input/output, preserving investments in AES3-connected DSPs, mixers, compressors, preamps and more. Any AES3 device may be fully connected to any Dante network with no degradation of signal due to extraneous D/A and A/D conversion. Audinate will showcase the complete line of Dante AVIO adapters at InfoComm 2018. Daily drawings will be held, providing attendees a chance to win a free Dante AVIO adapter. Visit Audinate at InfoComm in Central Hall, Booth #456 for details. www.audinate.com/avio

Audinate announced that its line of Dante AVIO adapters are now shipping and already available from several key online retailers, including Full Compass, Dale Pro Audio and Thomann, in addition to key regional distributors around the globe. For a complete list of dealers, visit https://www.audinate. com/avio. Dante AVIO adapters are a family of costeffective endpoints that enable audio professionals to easily connect legacy analog and digital audio equipment to Dante networks. Starting with a list price of only $129 USD, the Dante AVIO series features six adapters including line-in and line-out analog adapters, a bi-directional AES3/EBU adapter and a bi-directional stereo USB adapter. The Dante AVIO Analog adapters are available as dedicated inputs or outputs with one or two channels of audio. Analog input adapters allow mixers, mic preamps, stage DIs and more to connect to a Dante audio network, while analog output adapters are perfect for driving amplifiers, powered speakers or recorders. Long runs of noisy analog cable

I A

Expands Switching Options for AVB, TSN Solutions

Biamp announced that Tesira customers will have more AVB-capable switches to choose from when designing and installing AVB/ TSN systems. The Cisco Catalyst family of switches includes the AVB-enabled 9300 and 9500 Series, and the recently Avnucertified 3650 and 3850 Series of switches. Avnu certification confirms interoperability for AVB systems using Catalyst switches. The announcement of AVB enablement for Catalyst Series switches indicates Cisco’s

SOLUTIONS UPDATE long-term commitment to AVB/TSN. The Avnu-certified firmware will be made available in an upcoming IOS release. “The Avnu certification of Cisco’s AVBenabled Catalyst switches delivers the AVB interoperability the AV industry has been eagerly anticipating,” said Joe Andrulis, Executive Vice-President of Corporate Development at Biamp. “We’re excited about the increasing number of AVB-enabled switches coming onto the market for Biamp customers to choose from. Avnu certification now means that Cisco customers gain the benefits of AVB-based solutions while staying with their preferred switch vendor.” The Cisco Catalyst family is the most widely deployed set of switches in the industry. Designed to simplify operations while offering an incredibly rich feature set, Catalyst switches are built to enable digitization of audio-video across multiple layers in the network for immersive, reliable, and cost-effective AV solutions. The Catalyst switches were the first in the industry to

introduce capabilities that remain unique to Cisco switches — multi-gigabit ports (1/2.5/5/10 Gbps) in combination with 1/10/25/40 Gigabit Ethernet uplinks — providing maximum flexibility in connectivity speeds. In addition, both series support Cisco Universal Power Over Ethernet (UPOE) and PoE+. “We are excited that our customers can take advantage of our Avnu-certified Catalyst switches to deliver unprecedented levels of efficiency and reliability in media transport over data networks. With a commitment to the Avnu Alliance and open standards, Cisco is giving the entire AV industry an opportunity to harness innovation through our intent-based networking,” said Muninder Sambi, vice president, product management at Cisco. www.biamp.com S

I A

BrightSign Announces Strategic Partnerships

BrightSign, LLC, the global market leader in digital signage media players, announced four new partnerships; Revel Digital, Four Winds Interactive, Mvix and Mimo Monitors. BrightSign’s LS, XD and XT media players are now fully compatible with Revel Digital’s next-generation digital signage and media distribution platform. Revel Digital’s webbased UI makes it easy to manage a nearlimitless range of endpoints, including kiosks, digital menu boards, point-of-sale devices, video walls and more. The company’s tools deliver the best possible experience for both

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SOLUTIONS UPDATE

digital signage providers and end-users. Four Winds Interactive is also expanding its support for BrightSign players. From midJune, Four Winds Interactive’s full portfolio of visual communications solutions will support BrightSign’s XT and XD players via version 1.1 of its Content Player for BrightSign, with plans to extend support to the HD line in the near future. Integration includes video, live data, images, PDF, MP3, MP4, custom fonts, channels, weather, date & time, static wayfinding, monitoring and support via the Four Winds Interactive Content Manager desktop and web interfaces. The support elements announced today are especially relevant for customers looking for a webbased solution that’s versatile and easy to scale as future needs dictate. BrightSign’s media players are now fully supported by the Mvix cloud-based, contentrich digital signage software. Mvix’s contentrich digital signage software, XhibitSignage, makes it easy for enterprise-level organizations to build, deploy and remotely manage dynamic content across their signage networks. The platform is used widely in corporate environments, educational campuses, financial institutions, government facilities and in other large-scale deployments where hundreds or even thousands of players are managed centrally via Mvix’s cloud-based management interface. Finally, Mimo Monitors and BrightSign announce a new line of BrightSign Built-In displays. The new line of Mimo Vue monitors is digital signage-ready out-of-the-box, giving customers a high-quality solution that’s easy to deploy. The monitors are durable, reliable and ready for commercial use, and include a three-year warranty for added peace of mind. Specializing in small touchscreen monitors ranging from seven to 21 inches, Mimo Monitors is widely regarded as a leader in small-format commercial touchscreens. The new Mimo Vue line of monitors is designed to be inherently flexible to suit virtually any need. The monitors are intuitive and easy to use, especially for customers already accustomed to the BrightSign platform. www.brightsign.biz S

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Symetrix Introduces New Radius NX Series

Symetrix announced its Radius NX 4x4 and Radius NX 12x8 1U rack-mount audio signal processors. Each model supports 128 (64x64) channels of redundant Dante network audio and delivers Symetrix’ famed audio quality, including ultra-low-noise preamps with digitally controlled 3 dB gain steps. The two new Radius NX processors are programmed using Symetrix’ Composer software for Windows, offering identical DSP resources provided by a next-generation SHARC dual-core processor that places the burden of large matrices in one core, while freeing the second core for general-purpose signal processing. This makes it possible to design very large and complex systems around a single Radius NX. A configurable, 4-port gigabit switch serves both the Dante and control networks. This reduces or eliminates the need for external switches and prevents 100 megabit bottlenecks. Each Radius NX model offers two 1000 Base-T Dante ports, two 1000 Base-T Ethernet ports for Symetrix Composer host control and third-party accessory control over IP, an RS-232 serial port for third-party accessory control, and an ARC port that distributes power and RS-485 data to one or more Symetrix ARC devices. “The Radius NX series represents a major leap forward in advanced audio signal processing,” reports Symetrix Senior Product Manager Trent Wagner. “Either model will be an outstanding core component of network AV systems, delivering the flexibility,

reliability, and superb sonic performance our customers expect from Symetrix.” The main differences between Radius NX models are analog I/O, logic output, and external control input capacity. The Radius NX 4x4 has four mic/line inputs, four line outputs, four logic outputs with four paired common ground pins, and two analog control inputs that can be used as two potentiometer inputs or as four switch inputs. The Radius NX 12x8 offers 12 mic/line inputs, 8 line outputs, 8 logic outputs with 4 paired common ground pins, and 4 analog control inputs handling up to 8 switches. Both Radius NX models feature a card slot that supports all currently available, optional Radius and Edge I/O expansion cards, including VoIP, ATI, and USB cards. Either Radius NX also can connect directly to a complete lineup of software-controlled, Dante-enabled, analog I/O expanders to add larger numbers of analog inputs and outputs. Radius NX supports a virtualized and scalable AEC co-processor module, providing up to 16 full bandwidth AEC channels. Radius NX AEC Coprocessors enable the highest possible levels of clarity and intelligibility in AV conferencing and distance learning applications. Performance and resource utilization are optimized by matching the number of channels, number of references, and tail length to system requirements. www.symetrix.co

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Bose ControlSpace CSP Models Bring New Options for Commercial Applications

New Bose ControlSpace commercial sound processors (left) and engineered sound processors (right)

Bose Professional has expanded its ControlSpace sound processor line with six new DSP models and three attractive digital wall controllers.

The new ControlSpace CSP-1248 and CSP-418 commercial sound processors offer rightsized I/O and simplified configurationf or small-to-medium-scale projects. Designed as standalone DSPs, they include balanced an analogue I/O, RCA inouts, eight GPIs, one GPO, a mute contact, RS-232 serial, Ethernet network and Bose AmpLink out for simplified digital connectivity to supported power amplifiers. The new ControlSpae CSP models feature a quick set-up workflow using an integrated webserver with browser-based control software. Installers can use their PR (or

Mac) and web browser to access the CSP configuration page. This real-time interface features live metering and is designed to augment the natural workflow of commercial projects with common tasks such as settings sources, paging thresholds, adjusting Eqs and tuning limiters presented in an intuitive and logical manner. The new CSP models include Boseproprietary algorithms that are configurable using the control software that brings predictable, reliable operation to commercial sound systems. There include AutoVolume compensation, SmartBass dyanmic equalization, Opti-voice paging that provides a smooth transition between the music and page signals as well as Opti-source level management. In addition to the new ControlSpace DSP processor line, Bose has also rolled out an update to two popular ControlSpace ESP fixed-I/O engineered sound processors. New variants of the Bose ESP-1240 and ESP-880 models have been upgraded to include

options for Dante audio networking and Bose AmpLink connectivity. The new variants – the ESP-1240A, 1240AD, 880A and 880AD inherit a fresh visual appearance while maintaining key features from their predecessors. News ESP-1240A and ESP-880A engineered sound processors have 12x4 and 8x8 analogue I/O respectively with integrated Bose AmpLink output for digital connections over CAT 5 to Bose AmpLink-equipped Bose amplifiers. The new ESP-1240AD and ESP-880AD versions have both AmpLink and 32x32 Dante onboard. All four ESP models use ControlSpace Designer software for configuration, control and monitoring, and support scalable networked audio systems. To complement both the new ControlSpace CSP and ESP processors, Bose has also introduced three new user-friendly digital wall controllers – the CC-1D, CC-2D and CC3D. www.PRO-BOSE.com

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SOLUTIONS UPDATE

BSS, Crown Devices Support Dante Domain Manager

HARMAN Professional Solutions announced the availability of Dante firmware version 4.0 for all Dante-enabled BSS and Crown devices. This firmware adds support for Dante Domain Manager, allowing BSS and Crown users to leverage its many benefits. Devices receiving the Dante firmware 4.0 upgrade include: •

BSS Soundweb London BLU-806DA – a card configurable, open-architecture signal processor with Dante/AES67 and BLU link

•

BSS Soundweb London BLU-326DA – a card configurable, open-architecture I/O expander with Dante/AES67 and BLU link

•

BSS Soundweb London BLU-DA – a Dante/AES67 and BLU link bridge

•

Crown DCi 4|300DA – a 4 channel power amplifier with 300W per channel and Dante/AES67

•

Crown DCi 4|600DA – a 4 channel power amplifier with 600W per channel and Dante/AES67

•

Crown DCi 4|1250DA – a 4 channel power amplifier with 1250W per channel and Dante/AES67

•

Crown DCi 8|300DA – an 8 channel power amplifier with 300W per channel and Dante/AES67

•

Crown DCi 8|600DA – an 8 channel power amplifier with 600W per channel and Dante/AES67

While Dante Domain Manager itself is a paid software application sold through Audinate, the Dante 4.0 firmware upgrade for BSS and Crown devices is free.

“We are proud to be among the first Dante licensees to offer signal processors and amplifiers which are fully supported within Dante Domain Manager. This free firmware upgrade demonstrates HARMAN’s commitment to providing our customers with the valuable, cutting-edge IT tools they demand,” said Iain Gregory, Director, Large Venue Solutions and Marketing at HARMAN Professional Solutions. “Our Dante-enabled BSS and Crown devices are perfect solutions for installed sound systems of any size. And with the power of Dante Domain Manager, administering these devices—especially on large scale enterprise networks—just become even easier.” www.crownaudio.com/dcida www.bssaudio.com www.audinate.com S

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Christie Expands Mystique Capabilities

Christie announced a major update to Christie Mystique Install, a software that configures, aligns, warps and blends complex multi-projector arrays. With Mystique Install – Large Scale Experience (LSE) Edition, recalibration of complex projection mapping on 3D surfaces now just takes a single click. Mystique Install – LSE detects any changes in projector or camera positions and automatically corrects

the blended image using a camera-based alignment system. Featuring markerless calibration for projection mapping on 3D surfaces, it eliminates the need for screen or object markers. Mystique Install – LSE reduces maintenance and labor costs for 3D projection mapping projects, eliminating the time and expertise it can take to set up a complex system using an unlimited number of cameras and projectors. Additionally, it works with either Christie 3DLP projectors and a 3D media server or the Christie Pandoras Box media server and third party projectors. Protecting with Christie Guardian: Mystique Install – Essentials Edition and Mystique Install – Pro Venue Edition feature Christie Guardian, a new solution that can correct projector alignment even when content is playing. Guardian works exclusively with the Christie Boxer Series and the all-new Crimson Series of 3DLP laser phosphor projectors. Unique to Christie, Christie Guardian does not require light patterns to align and blend the image to the screen – instead, the software automatically scans for misaligned blended images and, while the content is playing, almost instantaneously realigns them without stopping the visual experience or displaying a visible test pattern so audiences are unaware of any problem. Using Christie Guardian means no costly downtime, making it ideal for applications such as sports venues and live events where projectors can be bumped when content is playing or image degradation can occur over time.

Christie Guardian is available with Mystique Install when using Christie Boxer or Crimson Series projectors. Mystique Install with 3D camera based alignment is available with Large Scale Experience Edition. www.christiedigital.com S

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SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Gefen Now Shipping 4K DisplayPort KVM Over IP Receiver Digital and analog audio break-out deembeds audio from the video and sends it to a separate audio system, enhancing the impact of presentations.

without the need for external power supplies.

The Receiver’s integrated USB hub with two USB 2.0 and two USB 1.1 ports accommodates touch panels, keyboard and mouse, and a variety of supported devices. This feature, along with analog audio inputs and outputs, make the new AV over IP products perfect to use in collaborative and interactive installations. To ensure maximum versatility and compatibility, the audio outputs on the Receiver units are compatible with both headphones and line level devices such as powered speakers.

The EXT-DPKA-LANS-RX 4K DisplayPort KVM Over IP Receiver Unit features a maximum output resolution of 4K 30 Hz 4:4:4. HDCP 2.2 and 1.4 are also supported. USB, RS232 2-way IR, and audio can be routed independently between any Sender and Receiver unit, allowing end-users to control any of the sources and the displays within their network. This Receiver features a built-in scaler to help optimize the image for a variety of displays and different viewing environments. It also includes a powerful video-wall controller that accommodates screen configurations up to 16x16, providing flexibility in sizing and manipulating live and signage content in demanding installations.

The new KM Emulation feature facilitates real-time, simultaneous Keyboard and Mouse control of each source from connected workstations, eliminating the inherent limitations of earlier systems. Power-over-Ethernet allows the new Receiver unit to be powered through a standard PoE-enabled IP network switch,

When used with the EXT-CU-LAN Matrix Controller, system configuration is automated and quick. Enhanced network security by separating the control and AV networks is also made possible with the EXT-CU-LAN. The Enhanced Gefen® API provides added functionality and facilitates use with third party controllers. A built-in 2-port Gigabit switch allows daisy-chaining of additional Receivers. In applications where there is a need to replicate content on multiple displays, the ability to cascade Receivers extends the range of these units far beyond the limits of a point-to-point video distribution system. All Gefen Gen 2.0 AV over IP products have been specifically designed for use with the Gefen Syner-G software, available for download at www.gefen.com. www.gefen.com

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SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Panopto, Matrox Introduce Media Capture Appliance Smart Search technology enables users to search inside videos and fast-forward to any word spoken or shown

Leading video platform provider for businesses and universities Panopto, and global manufacturer of reliable, high-quality encoder cards, appliances, and software Matrox Graphics Inc., announced release of a new Panopto-certified media capture appliance. Purpose-built for the Panopto video platform, the new Matrox Maevex 6020 Remote Recorder supports best-in-class video recording and live streaming in a compact, turnkey form factor. In recent years, businesses and universities have expanded their AV infrastructure to provide video recording and streaming capabilities in more classrooms and conference rooms. To scale effectively, these organizations increasingly require video capture solutions that can be installed easily by in-house staff and that take up minimal space in the room. In response to this growing demand, Panopto and Matrox Graphics engineering teams jointly developed the Maevex 6020. With a compact form factor, low power usage, and whisper-quiet operation, the appliance is ideal for organizations looking for broadcastquality video recording and streaming at an affordable price point. By simply connecting the appliance to the network and plugging in video sources, businesses and universities can: • Capture live and on-demand video: An intuitive, web-based dashboard enables the scheduling of video recordings and live broadcasts from anywhere. Customers can also control, schedule and monitor recordings from their phone using the Remote Control capability in Panopto for iOS and Android • Share videos to any device: All videos captured by the Maevex 6020 are automatically published to Panopto’s video content management system, where they’re encoded for on-demand playback on any device • Search inside videos: Panopto’s unique

The appliance is built for simple operation with no extraneous features. It provides presenters with a visual indicator of the current recording state, and one-touch controls to start, stop, and pause recordings. In addition, the appliance enables organizations to automate the capture and streaming of presentations, lectures, meetings and events. It supports the scheduling of one-time and recurring events, remote configuration of recording devices, and previews of video feeds and audio histograms. “Every classroom, conference room, and auditorium has unique logistical requirements, and we built Panopto to support infinite customization of the AV infrastructure in these learning spaces,” said Eric Burns, co-founder and CEO of Panopto. “Regardless of the form factor or use case, our goal is to provide a best-in-class video capture solution. Through our partnership with Matrox, we’re taking the next logical step in this strategy, working with an industry leader to provide a sleek, compact device that has the power and reliability of larger appliances at an affordable price point.” “Maevex technology is the latest in Matrox’s line of realtime, multi-channel encoding solutions for the enterprise and education markets,” said David Chiappini, VicePpresident of R&D at Matrox Graphics Inc. “When you combine the performance and ease-of-use of this technology with Panopto’s video management and search capabilities, you get an industry-leading, end-to-end solution for video-based communications and learning in the cloud or on-premises.” The Maevex 6020 remote recorder will be released this fall with full pricing details coming later this summer. For more information about the device, or to sign up to purchase the appliance, Panopto customers should contact their account executive. www.panopto.com www.matrox.com/graphics

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Crestron Extends Collaboration with Zoom

Crestron announced an extension of their relationship with Zoom Video Communications, Inc., to offer an integrated solution for A/V presentation, conferencing, and collaboration beyond the Crestron Mercury experience to larger, integrated spaces, with the TSW Touch Screen line. With this expanded partnership, Crestron and Zoom are able to integrate the entire Crestron ecosystem of control; including DM NVX, AV, fully integrated-audio, lighting, and shades with the native Zoom Rooms experience. “Crestron and Zoom’s collaboration continues to deliver new and exciting products that revolutionize the video communications experience for the enterprise,” said Joseph Sarrasin, Technology Manager of Unified Communications at Crestron. “People want to work and collaborate from anywhere without worrying about the quality of their conferencing solutions. Our robust partnership enables users to continue to enjoy the benefits of the native Zoom Rooms experience while providing a simple turn-key solution for integrators and end users alike.” “Teaming up with Crestron has been a major benefit for Zoom’s customers who enjoy Crestron’s turn-key, user-friendly devices and want to deploy them with Zoom’s powerful and scalable Zoom Rooms systems,” said Oded Gal, Head of Product for Zoom. “This new collaboration extends the offering to satisfy more use enterprise cases and spaces. We are excited to explore further innovations with our valued friends at Crestron.” www.crestron.com

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Christie Launches Two New 4K HS Series Projectors “The HS Series can achieve high-precision images with its compact, super quiet operation and consistent around-the-clock performance, making it ideal for various applications,” said Brad Martin, product manager, Christie. “Both models feature two expandable option slots, SDVoE connectivity for video over IP and the option of using Christie Terra products.” Christie continues to strengthen its 1DLP laser lineup with the addition of the 4K7-HS and 4K10-HS models. Featuring 4K UHD resolution and Christie BoldColor Technology for the most accurate color reproduction possible, both models are equipped with Christie Twist warping and blending software and the omnidirectional capability to be installed in businesses, public spaces, hotels, higher education and selected entertainment venues. Christie BoldColor Technology uses blue and red laser diodes as well as a patented optical

chamber, video processing, and specialized software to produced enhanced color and saturation and more lifelike visuals when compared to typical laser projectors. Both HS Series models allow 4K60 video over a single HDMI or Display Port cable, simplifying setup and cable routing, and the integrated camera assists users in ensuring the projector is set up and aligned to a single screen and delivers auto zoom and focus of the imagery. Both models offer two new 4K specific lenses for six overall options to meet your application needs.

Shipping in August 2018, both models come complete with a three-year parts and labor warranty, backed by Christie’s renowned customer service and support.

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SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Extron’s Guide on Collaboration System Design Guide offers comprehensive understanding of Extron product as well as roles they play with their respective applications. Extron Design Guides are free and available upon request or via PDF download on the Extron site. S

Extron introduced the Extron Collaboration Systems Design Guide. This guide illustrates how Extron technology can be used to create modern workspaces and meeting rooms that facilitate collaboration. Our open systems architecture integrates easily with marketleading unified communication technologies and offers a one-touch user experience for conferencing, collaboration, and control. Through our technology partnerships, we can extend Extron control capabilities to spaces that use Zoom, Cisco, Logitech, and many other popular providers. In addition, we have the system design experience, critical customer support, and enterprise software solutions to help ensure your success. “With the rise in collaborative environments, AV integrators are facing new challenges and opportunities integrating properly designed and equipped collaborative systems,” says Casey Hall, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Extron. “Our new Collaboration Systems Design Guide is a comprehensive resource that shows how technology can harness the power of collaboration for successful, effective collaborative meeting spaces.” Inside the Collaboration Systems Design Guide, you’ll find information about room scheduling and AV resource management tools, wired, and wireless AV platforms, and how Extron partners with with leading communications technology providers for system flexibility. Extron Design Guides are useful, in-depth technical and practical resources for system designers and integrators addressing key AV system technologies including digital video, videowall implementation, fiber optics, AV streaming, and control system design. Each

dnp Launches Next Gen. Supernova XL

I A

disguise Introduce the Solo: Small. Light. Fast. dnp Denmark announced the launch of next generation Supernova XL. The original dnp Supernova XL Screen remains the world’s largest optical front projection screen that’s available as a single-screen solution, offering an excellent viewing experience and perfectly flat image. Now the next-generation Supernova XL is promised to deliver an even better picture.

solo brings the power of the disguise solution to smaller productions and experiences within theatre, fixed installs, studio setups and smaller venues. It offers the support of the full disguise production suite with the power and performance to meet modern demands. disguise Sales Director EMEA, Sarah Cox, explains; “The solo has been created to enable artists and creatives to join our community, ensuring any project or budget can access the disguise software and hardware, without having to sacrifice on power and performance.” The solo is the natural progression from the disguise 2x2plus, future proofed for evolving industry needs with a significant increase in power, output resolution, plus even more storage. It can be used as a stand-alone solution, to design, sequence and play back your shows, or as a master in a larger network with pro and gx range machines. The 2U base units can be customised with HDMI and SDI capture, Pro Audio and 10GB Ethernet ports, 4K outputs, fixed storage, 2TB SSD and full redundant capabilities - so whatever your needs and budget, there’s a disguise system tailor-made for you. www.disguise.one/solo

“We’ve eliminated the overlap of the screen materials to ensure an image without any visible seams, which is the key to the best viewing experience,” says dnp VP Global Sales & Marketing, Soeren Kraemmergaard. “Our true optical lens technology delivers crisp high-contrast images without users having to dim the lights or draw the curtains.” The new Supernova XL is available in sizes up to 230” in 16:9 format. Delivering an excellent viewing experience with near flat-screen quality, it’s an ideal and costeffective solution for large venues such as big conference rooms, auditoriums and houses of worship. The combination of size, cost and performance also makes it an affordable alternative to dnp’s popular Supernova Infinity Screen. The new Supernova XL Screen is designed to be transported rolled up in boxes of only 900mm x 900mm (length determined by screen height), which significantly reduces transport and handling costs. Two people can then assemble the screen on site in just a couple of hours, saving time and labour costs. www.dnp-screens.com S

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SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Just Add Power Launches New Daisy Chain Receiver

Just Add Power (J+P), announced the new VBS-HDIP-3G 509POE Daisy Chain Powerover-Ethernet (PoE) Receiver — the latest in the company’s its award-winning 3G Series. The receiver allows installers to add multiple network devices at the endpoint or to add more receivers for highly customized installations. The port also passes PoE to connected devices. “The 3G Ultra HD-Over-IP series offers incredible flexibility, ease, and performance

by giving integrators the ability to build an entirely customized 4K distribution system that answers the exact requirements of any installation,” said Taft Stricklin, sales team manager at Just Add Power. “This new daisychain receiver expands on our evolutionary approach and fulfills the latest requests from integrators. With an onboard PoE network port, the receiver makes it easier for customers to expand the system without requiring Wi-Fi or another wire pull.,. It is now very easy to turn a legacy network into an Ultra HD Over IP network without losing the functionality previously put in place.” The new J+P VBS-HDIP-3G 509POE daisy chain receiver distributes Ultra HD and 4K video over a single Cat-5e cable without the need for fiber. With the onboard passthrough network port, any PoE device can be connected; a network soundbar, IP TV control, or a single display location can be expanded into a video wall. The receiver

AV over IP

Virtual Matrix

also easily expands the number of PoE devices that can be added to the system by connecting a PoE switch to the port. As result, installers have greater network flexibility that is no longer restricted by the number of cable runs permitted — any system can be expanded quickly and easily when end-users want to add onto their AV experience. With the receiver’s integrated scaler, video sources can be watched at any resolution, including 4K and Full HD (FHD). It also boasts control end points with RS-232 and IR together with enhanced video wall capabilities with rotation. As with all models in the J+P lineup, the receiver integrates seamlessly with FHD infrastructure, allowing integrators to mix and match J+P devices to build a future-proof 4K system that suits any application requirement. www.justaddpower.com

Multi casting

PoE feature

Control room

IPVDS-700; IP Video Wall Controller Supports 100/1000 base-T TCP/IP network with CAT5e / CAT6 cable

Real 4K over Fiber Solution ital video audio standards Stretch & Control digital iber Optic Extender º DVI / HDMI / DisplayPort / SDI Fiber iber Optic & IP base) º KVM Extender (Fiber º Multi Format Modular Matrix º Various Video Format Converters º Wireless Extender º Video Wall Controller

Supports Multiple Video Wall feature up to 9 different video wall Provides Video wall up to 256 displays(1x256 to 16x16) with multi-sources & multicasting up to 256 clients Provides PoE (Power over Ethernet) feature Transmits up to 4K 60Hz (4:2:0), 4K 30Hz (4:4:4), or 1080p at 60Hz with Analog/HDMI audio Supports fast switching / low video latency Provides control PC software for Video Wall and individual displays ; preview, drag & drop layout with mouse, allocation, merge, split, overlay feature on the PC App. setting location for both source and display 99 presets for user defined layout bezel correction in 0.1mm unit and preset schedule

OPTICIS HQ 7F, 166, Jeongjail-ro Bundang-gu, Sungnam-si, Gyunggi-do, 13558 South Korea Tel: +82 31 719-8033 Fax: 031-791-8032 Email: tosales@opticis.com

Provides crop feature of display source on the PC Application to use cropped area as a display source Transmits HDMI, USB, RS-232, Analog Audio, IR signal over IP © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

All-in-One Presentation System from Kramer Technology — rebuilds the digital signal to travel longer distances. •

Kramer Electronics introduced what it called the VS−88UT is an all−in−one 4K@60Hz (4:2:0) audio−video presentation system with integrated range extension and an integrated control system master. The unit switches the video, embeds the audio and outputs the signal to both an HDMI and an HDBaseT 2.0 with USB extension and PoE on the HDBaseT output ports. Outstanding audio support includes balanced stereo audio, unbalanced stereo audio, and de−embedded audio sources that output to embedded audio, balanced stereo audio as well as a power amplified audio output. VS−88UT includes a master room controller that can operate over Ethernet (LAN) with control ports that include: one bidirectional RS−485, four RS−232, four IR, four GPI/O, and eight relays to control a wide variety of AV devices. It includes a KNET connector interface that enables access to the master controller from auxiliary room controllers such as control keypads. The unit can also provide power to auxiliary room controllers via the KNET connectors. VS−88UT includes an Ethernet gateway to control and manage remote I/O ports. Further, the feature-rich VS-88UT also brings to the user’s place: •

Maximum data rate — 10.2Gbps (3.4Gbps per graphics channel)

•

HDBaseT extension reach — up to 100m at 4K @60Hz (4:2:0), up to 130m (430ft) at full HD (1080p @60Hz 36bpp), up to 180m (590ft) at ultra– mode and full HD (1080p @60Hz 24bpp)

•

USB Support — USB 1.1 & USB 2.0 (up to 127Mbps) channeled through HDBaseT Kramer reKlocking and Equalization

Kramer K–Config compatible — Windows based control programme with easy configuration and upload to room controller over customer IP network

•

Simultaneous IP Control communication — with up to 15 IP control clients

•

Global Mute for Both Video and Audio Outputs — Allowing easy integration of the audio system with a public announcement audio system in case of an emergency event.

•

4 HDMI and 4 HDMI/HDBT (selectable) Inputs

•

4 balanced stereo audio inputs or 8 microphone inputs (selectable) as well as 4 unbalanced stereo inputs

•

6 HDMI and 2 HDBT Outputs, and many more

The VS-88UT is a solution that is best suitable for education applications such as classrooms, and lecture halls, as well as projection system applications in conference rooms, boardrooms, hotels and churches etc. www.kramerav.com S

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Luxul Introduces Control System Drivers for PDUs

Leading innovator of IP networking solutions for AV integrators Luxul, announced that drivers for all major control and automation systems are now available for the company’s PDU-2, PDU-8, and PDU-16 intelligent network power distribution units (PDU).

The new drivers enable seamless integration of the PDUs into Control4, Crestron, RTI, Savant, and URC systems, allowing any programmable capability to include power control over connected devices. Developed by RTI, Savant, and Luxul in partnership with Middle Atlantic Products, the drivers allow devices plugged into the PDU-2, PDU-8, and PDU-16 to be powered up or down as part of scheduled and triggered events. In addition, they provide users with convenient outlet control to power-cycle locked-up components locally using handheld remotes, touch panels, and other controllers or remotely via control-system apps on mobile devices. “There is a high demand for control over all home and office electronics through one unified system, and with these new drivers, integrators can easily meet this demand by seamlessly integrating our PDU-2, PDU8, and PDU-16 into the control system of their choice,” said Mike Grubb, vice president of marketing with Luxul. “Now, any programmable capability can include powercycle control over connected components, whether it’s automatically resetting an Apple TV or scheduling the satellite/cable box to power-cycle on a regular basis.” The PDU-2 features two individual IPcontrollable outlets; the rack-mountable PDU-8 features eight controllable outlets and one noncontrollable convenience outlet; while the PDU-16 offers eight controllable outlets and eight additional noncontrollable outlets. Fast and easy to set up, the Luxul units allow for the local monitoring and rebooting of unresponsive devices, while their self-healing function performs reboots automatically to avoid costly truck rolls and service calls for integrators. Power management features for the PDUs include MOV surge and spike protection for connected equipment in addition to remote sequencing for controlled startup and shutdown. www.luxul.com S

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SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Matrox Graphics Upgrades Video Wall Portfolio video wall innovations and feature set will be on display at InfoComm 2018, in booth N1322, North Hall, front entrance.

Matrox Graphics Inc. announced a number of updates to its industry-leading video wall portfolio that provide OEMs and system integrators with even greater flexibility for video wall and multiviewer design. The Matrox Mura IPX Series capture cards support playback of multiple 4K, highbandwidth digital content protection (HDCP)encrypted sources across Mura IPX-powered video walls. Mura IPX Series video wall cards and IP-based multiviewers now also support audio. The latest updates additionally feature expanded streaming protocol support for RTP, MPEG2.TS, and the open-source Secure TA-80_SI ASIA_210x140mm橫式.pdf 1 2018/7/20 下午 03:51:45 Reliable Transport (SRT) protocol. Matrox

HDCP content from source to display Mura IPX video wall cards can capture, display, and scale HDCP content from multiple 4K/UHD baseband video sources— such as Blu-ray Disc™ players, set-up boxes, and video game consoles—across Mura IPXdriven video walls. Audio support for IP and baseband sources Matrox video wall graphics cards and IP-based multiviewers now feature audio support, where users can conveniently select any audio channel from either an encoded or baseband source. New streaming protocols—including SRT In addition to the already-supported RTSP streaming protocol, Mura IPX cards now support SRT, RTP, and MPEG2.TS, allowing them to fit into an even-wider range of IP networks and video wall installations. At the SRT Alliance Pavilion at Matrox booth

(N1322), a Mura IPX-based video wall will be featured in a collaborative demonstration alongside products from a number of SRT Alliance members, showcasing high-quality, low-bitrate streaming using the SRT transport protocol. “The Matrox video wall portfolio has long been the default choice for OEMs and system builders because the recipe is all there: the best density, the best video processing, and the best networking capabilities, all on the smallest footprint,” says Fadhl AlBayaty, business development manager, Matrox Graphics Inc. “More than that, however, is our commitment to providing a complete, 360-degree experience to address all gaps and opportunities. These latest developments are a reflection of our efforts to ensure customers and partners fulfill any and all video wall requirements, no matter the size, venue, or environment.” www.matrox.com

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Meyer Sound Debuts Svelte Loudspeaker

the styling of Martin’s best-selling CDD and BlacklineX Series and are ideal for nightclub and large scale installs. THH is configured in a horizontal format while THV is its vertical counterpart and the driver complement in both systems has been engineered for exemplary performance in all bands.

Meyer Sound introduced the UP-4slim ultracompact installation loudspeaker, a slender new solution for applications that demand impeccable performance and exceptional power-to-size ratio together with elegant aesthetics. The UP-4slim incorporates Meyer Sound’s exclusive IntelligentDC technology, integrating the inherent sonic advantages of self-powered loudspeakers with the installation ease of low voltage systems. It is the first IntelligentDC multi-way loudspeaker to be housed in an all-aluminum enclosure. ‘’Today’s high-end installation market is driven almost as much by appearance as by performance, and the UP-4slim makes no compromises on either point,’’ says Pablo Espinosa, Vice-President of R&D and chief loudspeaker designer for Meyer Sound. ‘’When surface mounted, its understated appearance blends discreetly with any room décor, and where soffit mounting is preferred it will slide into tight spaces where other loudspeakers offering comparable performance simply won’t fit.’’ The UP-4slim is a three-way system comprising two 4-inch cone drivers, a 1-inch metal dome tweeter, a three-channel amplifier and dedicated signal processing. The two cone drivers work in parallel at lower frequencies, with one rolling off in the midrange to prevent comb-filtering effects. The high-frequency driver is mounted on a conical waveguide to produce a smooth and consistently wide 100-degree dispersion pattern. The integral three-channel amplifier

produces 500 W total output power. The UP-4slim’s operating frequency range is 65 Hz to 18 kHz, and the aluminum enclosure is ported, damped and braced to minimize resonance while maintaining uniform response to the lower frequency limit. Realworld linear peak acoustic output is 110 dB SPL using unfiltered pink noise. The UP-4slim measures 15.90 inches high, 4.29 inches wide and 5.69 inches deep (404 mm x 109 mm x 145 mm). Weight is 14 pounds (5.9 kg). The UP-4slim may be installed using the optional U-bracket or mounting yoke. The M8-threaded top and bottom rigging plates also can be fitted to the optional external pole mount for portable applications.

The Hybrid low frequency section comprises a horn-loaded 15” (380mm)/4” (100mm) voice coil driver that is reflex-loaded to extend the LF output to below the natural horn cut-off point. The LF driver features a water-resistant cone and triple roll surround for increased excursion. The mid-horn has a unique ‘phase-ball’ loading device which maintains the constant directivity characteristics of the horn at the upper end of its range. It is driven by a 10” (250mm) midrange driver with an aluminium demodulating ring for improved high-mid clarity and reduced distortion when driven hard. The 70˚ x 40˚ HF section features a neodymium 1” (25mm) exit compression driver with a Kapton diaphragm for high sensitivity and extended HF performance.

www.meyersound.com

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Martin Audio Releases TH Series for High Performance Applications The TH Series, comprises two very high performance, all-horn, three-way systems in both a horizontally and vertically formatted package. They are designed to complement

The internal mid/ high passive crossover allows these three-way systems to be driven in a bi-amp configuration with the Martin Audio iK42 being the recommended amplifier partner, with the DX range of controllers also compatible. www.martin-audio.com/products/series/th

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SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Kramer Brings Up a Refreshingly New AV Gear effective solution supports mobile device content and keeps the adapters secure and in place for the next presenter. All that the presenter needs to do is to secure the adapters with the cable clamp and security loop. Kramer Electronics has come out with a very refreshingly new AV gear. AD-Ring – as the new circular hardware gear is called – is a stainless steel ring of HDMI adapters that attaches to user’s display cable so the user can plug different presentation sources into the HDMI cable. Laptops, tablets, smart phones, digital cameras, and net books have a variety of connectors for displaying their content. AD−RING provides the presenter easy access to the appropriate adapter for connection to the HDMI infrastructure. This simple and

The AD-RING is therefore characterized by: •

Resolution Support — AD–RING–1, AD– RING–2, AD–RING–3: Up to 1080p and 1920x1200. AD–RING–4, AD–RING–5: Up to 4K@60 (4:2:0)

•

Fits HDMI cables from 3mm to 9mm in diameter

•

Included Accessories — 1 ABS cable clamp, 2 sets of foam rubber inserts, 4 sets of Torx T10 screws and nuts

www.kramerav.com

The IPVDS basic software programme that is provided with the purchase of the IPVDS700-ED can be used for host allocation and preview with drag and drop operation with simple mouse use. Users can easily merge, split, overlay and clear for host allocation and view the preview scene on the ‘Layout Manager’ before applying it to real display monitors. The software provides 99 Presets for user defined layout (Save and Loading) and also adjusts Bezel Compensation in 0.1mm units. The PRO version software is a paid for option that provides Multiple Wall feature and encoder crop setup for up to 9 different video walls. The Multiple Video Wall feature enables the user to isolate control of each video wall when various video walls are installed in different site. The crop feature allows the user to crop an image by rows and columns and use the cropped image as a display source. www.opticis.com S

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D-Cerno SL Redefines Plug & Play Discussion

Opticis Launches IPVDS-700-ED IP Video Wall Controller network. It also has the ability to split a high quality video into multiple videos and play it on various displays. IPVDS-700-ED provides an optimal solution for large video wall systems in control room, security and traffic control and can also be used in general fields such as conference room, education room or presentation room. The Opticis IPVDS-700-ED can handle multiple sources of audio/video on the video wall display and even to other displays simultaneously. Not only that, the IPVDS-700ED now supports PoE (Power over Ethernet) feature and IR signal transmission over IP

IPVDS-700-ED provides virtual matrix function with TX(host) and RX(client) via IP network, and it enables users to monitor and control the video wall. It offers excellent performance, simple operating process and is cost effective compared to complicated Matrix systems with copper cable.

Televic Conference launched D-Cerno SL, a redesigned version of its popular plug & play discussion pioneer. The new device comes with a removable microphone, a sleek design, and tactile buttons. It makes moderated meetings in smaller and mediumsized venues beautiful and streamlined. “The D-Cerno SL is the result of a very thoughtful design process. We’ve considered the smallest details to end up with a compact, beautiful, and easy to use device. It makes plug and play discussion a joy”, says Bart De Ruyck, Televic Conference Product Marketing Specialist. The new D-Cerno SL has a small footprint with improved stability and it comes with a removable microphone. The microphone button now has a large bright indicator LED (on/off) and all physical buttons have great feedback. “We’ve also added tactile markers for visually impaired persons

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

to make sure the device is easy to use for everyone,” adds De Ruyck. The new and redesigned version of D-Cerno still retains the best features of its predecessor. Says Karel Vanheule, Televic Conference Product Manager: “D-Cerno SL really works out of the box like its older brother. Just connect standard CAT 5e cables and you’re good to go. There are no dedicated IN or OUT ports, so cabling couldn’t be easier.” Didier Rosez, Televic Conference Product Manager adds: “D-Cerno is a great solution to make sure meeting participants hear and are heard with clarity. It’s the perfect system to take your meetings to the next level with warm and natural sound. And the new design will fit in everywhere.” D-Cerno SL comes in two versions: a delegate version (D-Cerno D SL) and a chairperson version with Priority and Next-in-line buttons (D-Cerno C SL). www.televic-conference.com S

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Datapath Debut iolite 12i Display Controller

The iolite 12i controller is designed for corporate and commercial applications. The iolite 12i can drive up to 12 HDMI screens in its stock configuration at HD 1080p, giving the flexibility to offer a wide range of display options. Small but powerful, the iolite 12i is comfortable running 3x2 video walls for a boardroom, a welcome screen and TV wall for a reception or 12 menu boards in a restaurant. It runs unobtrusively, with its quiet operation and small footprint, making it perfect for the office environment. It also includes a rack mounting kit to enable the 2U chassis to fit in a server-based control room.

Combined with a high performance Windows system, the iolite 12i can drive multiple screens simultaneously, delivering video captured from a range of sources including media players, television set top boxes, IP cameras and online or local media. The iolite 12i is available as standard with an Intel Corei5 processor, 128GB SSD hard drive and 8GB RAM. Upgrade options are available to allow the inclusion of additional, high capacity HDD drive, increased memory (up to 16GB) and Intel Corei7 processor. Datapath’s iolite 12i system is compatible with Datapath’s WallControl 10 software. WallControl 10 allows users to quickly and easily place video sources anywhere on the video wall. Common arrangements can be saved as layouts for recall at any time and any section of the wall can contain “carousels” of videos playing one after the other at definable intervals. Administrators of WallControl 10 are able to configure a single system to drive multiple walls. Each of these walls can be assigned a number of user roles, and each user role can allow different access to sources, local videos, layouts and templates. (*Multiwall and User Rights Management are only available with WallControl 10 PRO) iolite 12i Display Controller is compatible with Quant - a video wall compatible collaboration software from Datapath that , allows users to share numerous application windows with other peers within a group, including those running video walls. www.datapath.co.uk S

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Shure’s MXCW to Speed Up Meeting Set-ups Aiming to empower more productive meetings and decision making, Microflex Complete Wireless (MXCW) is the newest additions to Shure’s Integrated Systems portfolio. The MXCW combines a fullyfeatured discussion system with wireless convenience for government, corporate, and educational facilities, and speeds setup in dynamic meeting spaces or at

temporary meeting locations, such as hotels and conference centers. With no cable limitations, Microflex Complete Wireless is ideal for use in historic buildings or rooms with flexible seating and ensures reliable performance in even the most hostile RF environments. Smart lithium-ion rechargeable batteries allow up to 11 hours of use and robust AES audio encryption keeps meeting content private. The MXCW features Automatic Frequency Coordination for quick and easy setup. The system uses global 2.4/5 GHz spectrum including DFS channels to maximize available spectrum. The Built-in RF spectrum manager constantly monitors available channel quality. The Automatic Interference Detection and Avoidance feature resolves potential transmission problems in congested RF environments. The system’s High spectral efficiency allows up to 125 units on one WLAN channel. The MXCWAPT Access Point mounts on wall, ceiling, or stand, and connects with one cable for audio, power, and control. Each conference unit can be configured as Chairman, Delegate, Listener, or Ambient role. Embedded browser-based interface allows chairman to manage the meeting, administrator to control and monitor the system, and Speaker and Request lists to be shown on a video display. Integrated NFC card technology in each conference unit allows participants to be identified by name instead of seat number, regardless of where they sit. Users can be assured of Best-in-class audio performance. Proprietary Shure audio codec ensure natural, intelligible sound quality. The Automatic Gain Control feature ensures consistent speech levels for each talker. There is support for Automatic, FIFO (First-In/ First-Off), and Manual microphone operating modes. Gooseneck microphones include interchangeable Microflex cartridges and CommShield Technology for robust RF noise immunity. www.shure.eu/products/conferencediscussion/mxcw S

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THE NEW REFERENCE POINT

w w w . r o b e . c z

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Yamaha’s New YVC-200 for On-the-Go Conferencing Microsoft Skype for Business, Cisco WebEx, BlueJeans, Zoom, Vidyo and more. In addition, frequently used functions, such as microphone mute and speaker volume are controlled by interactive touch-sensor buttons for easy and intuitive operation. Users can start a meeting anytime, anywhere, including ad-hoc meetings in the office or customer’s office, without missing cues for making immediate decisions or relaying inspiring ideas. Yamaha’s YVC-200 portable USB + Bluetooth speakerphone is designed to provide users with ample, clear sound no matter where they work. Building on the benefits of its market-leading portfolio of conference phones, the YVC-200 portable conferencing unit leverages superior audio technology to boost productivity when meeting remotely. The compact device fits in the palm of the user’s hand and is integrated with Yamaha’s leading sound processing technologies, including adaptive echo cancellation and Human Voice Activity Detection that focuses the unit on speech rather than background noise. The unit features intelligent microphones that deliver fullduplex conversation without sound dropouts, even when multiple people are speaking at once. In addition, powerful built-in speakers deliver audio that sounds true to life, so it feels as if every remote participant on the call is in the room. With the YVC-200, users can easily hear what’s being said and be heard, enabling highly productive team collaboration from anywhere. To start a remote meeting, users simply connect the YVC-200 to their audio, video, or web conferencing client. Equipped with USB and Bluetooth with fast pairing to NFCenabled devices, the YVC-200 can connect to a PC, smartphone, or tablet. The built-in rechargeable battery provides up to 10 hours of operation. It is operating system agnostic and fully compatible with commonly used OSs and remote conferencing systems, such as

Available in a choice of white or black, the unit blends into any home or corporate office. Its small, lightweight, and spacesaving design is perfect for portability and for deployment at laptop or mobile terminals. A headset jack allows for private listening and the option to enjoy music through the unit between calls. https://uc.yamaha.com/products/yvc-200/

The RoboSHOT IW is designed to be recessmounted, making it compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) standards for accessible design. Designed with HDBaseT technology, RoboSHOT IW PTZ Cameras easily connect to Vaddio OneLINK extension systems or other HDBaseTcompatible devices to simplify cabling and extend video, power and control up to an

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Vaddio Launches RoboSHOT IW Smart Glass PTZ Camera Vaddio introduced the RoboSHOT IW (In-Wall) HDBT Recessed HD PTZ Camera, which is designed with a smart glass cover for capturing conversations or video conferencing in room settings where interior design and privacy are important. “The smart glass cover changes from a frosted opaque when the camera is off to a transparent clear glass when the camera is powered on,” said Jay Kilby, Director of Product Management at Vaddio. “In addition to room aesthetics, this also easily informs room occupants whether or not the camera is active, making it an ideal solution for corporate board rooms, law offices, courtrooms, medical institutions and other rooms where sensitive information must be protected.”

installation distance of 328 feet (100 meters). The RoboSHOT IW features 10x optical zoom with 1080p/60fps resolution and 16 camera presets, plus an intuitive web-based user interface for remote configuration, management and control. It provides automatic or manual color adjustments to adjust for image color, shading, backlight, and wide dynamic range to optimize color in different settings. RoboSHOT IW is available in two configurations including the RoboSHOT IW OneLINK HDMI System or RoboSHOT IW OneLINK Bridge System. The frame is available in black or primed to paint to match room décor. A clear glass version is also available. RoboSHOT IW maintains Vaddio’s high standards for performance, network manageability and ease of use. www.vaddio.com

SSL L100

The new standard for live mixing

SOURCE FOUR

No other lights offer such optical brilliance

HCS 4890

Fully digital congress system

www.acousticlighting.com

MALAYSIA +603 8075 8990 SINGAPORE +65 642 30682 THAILAND +662 769 8199 INDONESIA +62 21 5316 5853

TRADE SHOW

PREVIEW

TRADE SHOW

PREVIEW

TRADE SHOW

PREVIEW

TIME

SEMINAR ROOM 1

10:00AM – 10:30AM 10:30AM – 11:00AM 11:00AM – 12:00PM 12:00PM – 12:45PM

SEMINAR ROOM 2

SEMINAR ROOM 3

AVIXA BOOTH D90

OPENING CEREMONY

AVIXA SEMINARS Presented by AVIXA PLATINUM PARTNER PRESENTATION 1

IT FOR GOVERNMENT In collaboration with: Computer Society of India Mumbai Chapter (CSI)

12:45PM – 1:00PM 1:00PM – 1:45PM

PLATINUM PARTNER PRESENTATION 2

2:00PM – 4:00PM

DIGITAL SIGNAGE ASIA FORUM In collaboration with: Digital Signage Multimedia Alliance (DSMA)

4:00PM – 5:00PM

TIME

SEMINAR ROOM 1

10:30AM – 11:00AM

AVIXA SEMINARS Presented by AVIXA

11:00AM – 12:00PM

Preparing for Data Driven AV

12:00PM – 12:45PM

PLATINUM PARTNER PRESENTATION 4

FUTURISTIC AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO INDIA’S URBAN TRANSPORTATION In collaboration with: All India Institute of Local Self Government

FLASHTRACK @ AVIXA Booth

PLATINUM PARTNER PRESENTATION 3

ENTERPRISE CIO/ CXO FORUM Powered by: Express Computer

INTERIOR DESIGN In collaboration with: Institute of Indian Interior Designers, Mumbai Regional Chapter (IIID,Mumbai Regional Chapter)

SEMINAR ROOM 2

SEMINAR ROOM 3

AVIXA BOOTH D90

ENTERPRISE IT In collaboration with: Computer Society of India Mumbai Chapter (CSI)

EDUCATION 2025:PREPARING FOR THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION In collaboration with: ICT Academy

FLASHTRACK @ AVIXA Booth

12:45PM – 1:00PM 1:00PM – 1:45PM 2:00PM – 4:00PM 4:00PM – 5:00PM

TIME 10:30AM – 11:00AM 11:00AM – 11:30AM

PLATINUM PARTNER PRESENTATION 5

PLATINUM PARTNER PRESENTATION 6

AVIXA WOMEN COUNCIL NETWORKING

IT IN HEALTHCARE In collaboration with: Computer Society of India Mumbai Chapter (CSI)

BFSI FORUM Powered by Express Computer

SEMINAR ROOM 1

SEMINAR ROOM 2

SEMINAR ROOM 3

AVIXA SEMINARS Presented by AVIXA

FLASHTRACK @ AVIXA Booth

AVIXA BOOTH D90

11:30AM – 12:00PM 12:00PM – 12:30PM 12:30PM – 1:00PM

FLASHTRACK @ AVIXA Booth

TRADE SHOW

REVIEW

TRADE SHOW

PALM Expo 2018 Review

Exploring Horizons; Expanding Opportunities PALM 2018 – the 18th successive edition of Southeast Asia’s largest tradeshow and Convention for Pro AV, Lighting and Music industries – organized at the Bombay Exhibition Centre from 31 May-02 June, sought to explore and ‘preset’ newer horizons of conventions even as it elevated itself to further up the professional fare. An SIA snapshot.

Expo Stats

The PALM Expo in a nutshell struck a different note this year, even as it did everything it’s been doing every year. Not just the brands and numbers it churned out, which has more or less become common for the event, but also the offerings it brought to the fore. The pleasantly newer things began right at the entrance where a glaring signage bearing the event’s name appeared to impose a strong signature identity popping out from the matrix of an expansive LED wall playing digital signage promos of different exhibitors. Getting inside, for one, it would look pleasantly quiet- not because it didn’t have noise-making foot falls and reverberating sound systems from the booths but for the strong imposition of ‘no-noise policy’ for the second consecutive year which was, of course, well-received. The event’s prideful motto ‘delivering business’ appeared to be getting fulfilled in much reassured fashion this year compared to its preceding editions in that the show floor was abuzz with exhibitors and their potential clients. If the beelines at the registration and in front of the demo cubes served an indication of the ensuing activity inside the halls, the products showcased, and the exuberance displayed by the exhibitors and their prospective clients showed the intent and content as well: ‘delivering business.’

As if to live up the expectations of the industry, as also to spring some more enticing offerings, the PALM organizers this time brought on some interesting modifications to the event conductance. •

• • •

One-Relocation of Line Array Demo to Indoors; and addition of Compact Indoor Line Array Demo, in realistic indoor conditions Two- Award to every competing DJ, as a token of appreciation for enriching the platform Special characterization of India Recording Arts Academy Awards AND more…

In what is claimed to be the first-of-its-kind stylization, PALM organizers this year created in Hall No. 7 an indoor line array demo that showed some top of the line Small to Medium format LAs and sound systems. “We investigated the market for large outdoor line array vis-à-vis compact indoor line array; and we learnt that compact indoor line array market was larger than large outdoor line array,” said Ramesh Chetwani, Exhibition Director at PALM. “We noticed the demand for this line growing at a higher percentage; and a majority of rental companies requested a demo for this segment,” Ramesh revealed. “Therefore, this compact line array demo contributed greatly to the cause of not only the show, but the industry as a whole.”

Unique Visitors : 23,436 Rise in % : 20 per cent Increase in exhibition area : 19.23% Total No. of Visitors : 31,935 Rise in % : 17 per cent Number of exhibitors : 254 Rise in % : 21 New Exhibitors : 93 Rise in % : 74 ………………………………………… Seminar Attendees : 150 Rise in % : 15 Soundscape Attendees : 500 Rise in % : 10 Rigging & Trussing Workshop : 1500-plus According to him, the number of LA systems sold in the last 12 months indicated that the compact LAs represented the mass of the live sound market. Also, there has been an explosive growth in creation of auditoriums with installed sound fitted with Compact LAs; more, an increased preference for these systems amongst the solutions providers. “PALM management has a falcon view of all such movements on the Pro Sound ground,” Ramesh said. “Their vision guided in realization of this unique feature.” Product managers of major brands on the show floor were apparently impressed with the relocation. On the other hand, the PALM DJ Championship programme, into its eighth consecutive edition, had its own new offering this time- moving one more step up, it had each of its competing DJ returning with an honour. Unlike the earlier editions where only the topper used to be honoured with the Championship title, this year’s event increased its quality quotient by extending the honours to everyone who took to the stage.

REVIEW

PALM – The Platform of Trust The global industry has realized that PALM is an evolved platform and the one that truly honours global industry by promoting their brand and protecting their IPR, and unlike any other show in the world it can be relied upon not just to give lip service but show in action by ensuring no copy/counterfeit products gain access to the show floor. -Ramesh Chetwani, Exhibition Director “Like any other competition, wining is not the only thing to be honoured or celebrated; it’s the spirit of participation that is to be celebrated” observes Ramesh. “The management felt that effervescence needed to be supported so that it can blossom brightly,” he said. “It’s a new direction, and took off so well.” Another important aspect at PALM which actually began last year is the separate pavilion – Hall No. 5 – for Lighting and Trussing. Adding to that is the Workshop for Trussing where experts from the domain share their knowledge with the aspiring trussing professionals from the region. Explains Akhil Varma, Project Head-Sales: “PALM always has this feature simply because the percentage of rental companies attending the show in quite sizable, and we, as organizers of the show, believe these attendees need to be imparted with right knowledge on this core factor in their business. All of this is explained in great detail to the visitors at this feature.” There have been new alliances, new regional launches, and even training/system trial rooms on the Exhibition show floor. Some of the prominent alliances that came to the fore on the show floor have been Harman launching new Brand Ambassadors, besides new product ranges; Hi-Tech Audio Systems brining on ETC; IES brining on HK Audio; new entrant Sennheiser launching the G4 Wireless Series for the India market; new entrant Synq Audio launching iLine Series columnar speakers through their partner Audiophony; besides the regular majors bringing on their Principal ranges following from their ProLight+Sound outings. These included Sun Infonet showing up Shure, Allen & Heath, and Audio Focus, along with their latest addition Meyer Sound ranges; Vardhaman showing up OHM new ranges; IES demonstrating Powersoft new verson module, besides its major Martin Audio, Ansata showing up d&b audiotechnik and DPA Series, besides many other distribution market players. From the OEM/Manufacturing segment, the Show floor had Bose demoing its ToneMatch solution, Epson launchings its new laser projector; QSC coming on its own, and demoing its WideLine Series speakers; Harman launching the JBL 3 Series MkII Studio Monitors etc. Electro-Voice, taking the Demo Cube route instead of presenting on the show floor, demonstrated a diverse range from its portfolio. Those shown for live demo at the Demo Cube included X-Line

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Advance arrays, high performance portable systems; new L & C series of amplifiers from Dynacord. Technical Sessions: The two Technical Sessions at the event – PaLM Conference & Seminar programme and PALM Soundscape programme appeared more varied and wide-ranging than what they seemed before. The PALM Conference and Seminar Programme, which took place in the International Lounge of Hall 1, covered three dedicated themes – Stage Sound & Light, Audiovisual and Music Production, across all the three days of the show bringing a galaxy of experts and enthusiastic knowledge seekers together. The topics at these programmes sought to touch almost every aspect of the industry, and majorly included Measuring And Aligning Subwoofers, Using Dante For Live Sound Events, Acoustics In Auditorium Design; Dolby Atmos Mixing Concepts And Techniques, among others. Interestingly, the display of ‘Dante Spoken Here’ on the booths of most exhibitors showed the popularity and command the standard has been gaining across the industry in the region. The PALM Live Arena, as usual was pulsating with illustrious musical personalities and brand ambassadors mesmerizing the thronging audiences with those high-performance technology systems and numbers as well. HARMAN Professional Solutions launched a new range of JBL 3 series MkII studio monitors at PALM Expo 2018. HARMAN’s also signed on popular Indo-Canadian singer and performing artist, Jonita Gandhi and percussionist, composer Taufiq Qureshi as its newest brand ambassadors. The galaxy of HARMAN India brand ambassadors – that is already glowing with such stalwarts as Sivamani, Niladri Kumar, Ranjit Barot and Kabir Café – now turned even more radiant and wider. Yamaha Demo ‘Cubed’ Musical Transcendence: Yamaha Music (India) Private Limited – PALM Expo 2018’s Platinum and Sound Partner – made a scintillating demonstration of its signature presence at the event. Occupying a major part of Hall B, opposite the main exhibition hall, the musical major, in line with its style, had two components to its PALM-presence. The product display component had an eclectic combination of systems from the Japanese musical major, while the Stage component had an even exciting blend of performances some of which have virtually transcended the audience into rapturous realms.

PALM – An Identity in Itself Our motto of ‘delivering business’ has always been our top priority. We tune it to driving value to our exhibitors and, we will continue to strive hard to contribute to the growth of our industry with our essentials.” -Anil Chopra

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PREVIEW

InfoComm 2018 Delivers by Thomas Richard Prakasam

The heat at times was unbearable but that did not stop InfoComm 2018 from setting a new record for the Las Vegas edition. InfoComm 2018 attracted nearly 43,000 attendees which was 10 percent more than the 2016 Las Vegas edition. Despite the popularity of ISE, Las Vegas still attracted visitors from 108 countries and being held in USA, local visitors hailed from all 50 states. This year’s edition had 964 exhibitors over 550,000 net square feet space that included the exhibits area, demo rooms and special events space. The third edition of the TIDE conference drew its largest crowd ever. The Emerging Trends Day, held in association with IMCCA, attracted more than 600 attendees and the numbers continue to impress. 540 attendees took part in AVIXA’s three-day training sessions before the show opened - a new InfoComm record. 188 professionals passed a Certified Technology Specialist™ (CTS) exam at InfoComm 2018, bringing the total number of CTS holders to 11,901 and 3,114 attendees registered for AVIXA’s Seminar & Workshop Package at InfoComm 2018, nearly 20 percent more than the last time the show was held in Las Vegas. © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

InfoComm 2019 will be held June 8-14, 2019, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. There were updated solutions as well as new solutions at the show floor. Many of which have been covered in our online portals. This review is more about interesting observations. I would like to highlight that due to the limited time that I had on the show floor my observations are skewed towards only those booths that I had managed to visit.

Acquired brands coming together Over the past couple of years we had seen a number of brands being acquired. As can be expected it takes months (some times years) before we can see the different brands working seamlessly. A simpler example at an exhibition would be the brands being showcased in one common space, like that of Yamaha and NEXO. More interesting would be using the technologies of the brands acquired to come up with a new solution.

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AMX Incite brings together AMX, BSS, dbx and Crown technologies into one

The HARMAN booth showcased at their Sports Stadium scenario within the booth, how their audio, video and lighting brands come together to offer an experience for the audience. But what really caught my eye was the AMX Incite presentation switchers. Why? The switchers combine AMX video technology with BSS, dbx and Crown audio technologies. AMX Incite systems include video scaling, windowing, audio amplification and processing, support for 4K60, integrated central control and distance transport, all at a price point that supports large-scale deployments and price sensitive rooms. The AMX technologies within the switcher enables highest quality video switching, scaling and distance transport on the market. The integrated BSS digital signal processor allows for precision tuning to match unique source and room attributes, and includes advanced capabilities like an independent 10-band parametric EQ, independent input gain adjustments and variable compression. The dbx AFS (Advanced Feedback Suppression) takes the guesswork out of controlling feedback and the Crown DriveCore amplification technology seamlessly integrates the amplifier drive stage into the power output stage.

Elan expanding its ‘home’ to include commercial applications as well.

AV Distribution, 2GIG security solutions can be incorporated to offer security surveillance whereas IntelliVision can be integrated for analytics purposes. In addition to ensure power redundancy to installations, Furman solutions can help with power management. An impressive proposition indeed. Legrand took the opportunity to showcase all its different commercial brands under one space. As part of the newly formed Commercial AV Brands of Legrand, solutions from Middle Atlantic, Luxul, C2G, Wiremold, Chief, Da-Lite, and Vaddio were presented to help visitors enjoy amazing AV Experiences seamlessly. Interoperability between the different solutions and several brands was the key takeaway at the Legrand booth. One example is the Chief Impact Series. The Impact On-Wall Kiosk brings new flexibility to the digital signage enclosure market while maintaining a sleek aesthetic to complement a variety of environments. A depthadjustable exterior frame allows for a variety of displays to be used. Reversible hinges help to avoid installation and service obstructions, and the exclusive design keeps the display mounted to the frame when opened, providing unparalleled service and maintenance access.

The coming together of the different brands’ technologies into one presentation box showcases HARMAN’s desire to harness the technologies at its hands to create unified audiovisual solutions for the market. Another example was at the Nortek Security and Control booth, which for the first time exhibited as a group. ELAN made its debut as an Automation Platform for Commercial Integrators at InfoComm 2018. While ELAN is recognized in the residential channel as an userintuitive and installer-friendly platform, NSC Senior Director of Marketing BillHensley said that ELAN is increasingly being used in commercial projects that require full management over sub-systems like audio, video, security, lighting and climate. Bill highlighted to SI Asia the possibilities of the different brands within Nortek coming together to offer impressive options. With the ELAN control handling management, Gefen solutions can offer highest quality © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

The Chief Impact On-Wall Kiosk featuring Middle Atlantic levers

The Series features Chief’s collaboration with Middle Atlantic by utilizing their lever lock system for on-wall storage. Karen Smidt also highlighted to SI Asia the added advantage of customisation due to the relationship with Middle Atlantic.

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Up in the Clouds Cloud base solutions is certainly on the rise. The focus is shifting to the use of software and IT rather than hardware to resolve AV integration issues. Cloud makes it easier for troubleshooting and maintenance. Remote control is also enabled. From a real estate point of view it saves equipment space. Scalability is another advantage. Broader analysis in terms of usage of equipment or types of users can also be connected in the cloud to give companies a better picture of their resources.

“With XiO Cloud, you simply connect a device to the network and it’s automatically recognized,” said Brian Donlan, Crestron Technology Manager, Enterprise Software. “There’s no time-consuming programming, and Crestron devices around the world can be managed remotely. The device doesn’t even need to be online when it’s configured. It’s simple, worldwide, browser-based management with the network security IT professionals demand.” Digital signage specialist IadeaCare from Taiwan showcased IAdeaCare - a device intelligence and management service that helps ensure digital signage deployment runs reliably as planned. IAdeaCare enables businesses to combine the wealth of real-time tracking and monitoring data now available to pro-actively predict, prioritize and act on potential breakdown. IAdeaCare allows for firmware update, configuration and troubleshooting activities to take place remotely. Other default features include the ability to monitor as well as predict how healthy the digital signage system is. IAdea is expected to roll out the API for integration with content management solutions as of 2018 Q2. The target users of IAdeaCare are technicians on the IT or AudioVisual (AV) teams within enterprises of all sizes.

Solstice Kepler is a cloud-based, enterprise workspace analytics system

In this respect Mersive Technologies gave a glimpse of their Solstice Kepler cloud-based, enterprise workspace analytics system. Solstice Kepler can provide insights on how meeting rooms and team spaces are used. Kepler allows AV and IT teams to view data including proactive alerts, real-time status, usage data, and other valuable meeting analytics at various levels of specificity or aggregation.

Kramer strengthened its control offering with the introduction of Kramer BRAINware. BRAINware is a software-only master controller processor that simplifies control installations. By containing all of the control logic, design, and attributes of the Kramer Control platform, Kramer BRAINware transforms a Kramer KT-107 touch panel to a fully functional Kramer Control processor brain, without requiring additional physical processor hardware.

Crestron showcased its revolutionary Cloud-based provisioning and management solution - Crestron XiO Cloud. Built on the Microsoft Azure platform, Crestron XiO Cloud enables organizations to simultaneously configure and deploy an unlimited number of Crestron products, thereby reducing installation time by up to 90%. IT managers can then monitor and manage all devices from Crestron XiO Cloud, proactively resolve events remotely to prevent lost work time, and gather actionable usage data, all with no programming required. © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

Kramer BRAINware harnesses the capabilities of Kramer Control, Kramer’s cloud-based control system that lets IT and AV managers easily control, monitor and support AV installations, infrastructures, and any 3rd-party devices. Using the first-ever cloud-based builder, Kramer has replaced old-fashioned custom-code setup with an intuitive, drag-and-drop interface. With the help of a comprehensive library of smart drivers, users can easily install, configure, and modify their control system without any prior programming knowledge. Kramer BRAINware enables acting on real-time data-driven analytics, alerts and reports via the Kramer Control Dashboard.

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The above are just a few examples of how the AV manufacturers are embracing the cloud for a better experience not just for integrators but end-users as well.

access to the full Teams calling and meeting experience, including one-touch join and up to four incoming video streams, all with side by side interoperability between Skype for Business and Teams.

Big boys come out to play

Google showcased its G-Suite platform. Also showcased was the Hangouts Meet hardware kit targeted at enterprise users. With the hardware kit customers can now make any room into a video collaboration space. The kit comes with a camera that is built for larger rooms featuring 10x optical zoom and mechanical PTZ controls; the touchscreen allows a user to join, pin, mute or record a meeting with one tap; the speakermic intelligently reduces echoes and actively manages background noise and the Chromebox automatically installs the latest updates so Hangout Meets hardware is always up-to-date and secure.

AV over IP

It was inevitable that the likes of Microsoft and Google will be at InfoComm 2018. Their collaboration offerings play an important role in the corporate field The Microsoft booth showcased the Surface Hub 2 as well the Microsoft Teams solutions. Microsoft Teams has evolved since it was introduced. It kicked off as a chat-base communication for business but it has since been integrated with Microsoft Office 365 which means Word and Excel, as well as its cloud storage and sharing services such as SharePoint. PowerPoint, OneNote, Planner, Power BI and Delve are also integrated with Teams. Collaboration has been made easy as documents, spreadsheets, presentations and the like that are shared within a Team are synced with a copy stored in Microsoftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OneDrive cloud storage and a local SharePoint environment, so every Team member always has access to the latest version. At the show it was announced that Microsoft is targeting Skype Room Systems to support Teams meetings by the end of June, across all its partners: Logitech, Crestron, Polycom, Lenovo, and HP. Surface Hub customers will also be able to download the Teams app and have

InfoComm10: Bob Michaels, CEO of ZeeVee with the ZyPerMX4 As was to be expected there were solutions galore in the AV over IP segment space. I am only picking up on those solutions that I managed to see and I would like to be clear that there were a lot more out there. ZeeVee introudced its ZyPerMX4, four-channel IP encoder for distributing up to four HD sources over IP networks employing 1GB or faster switches. The new ZyPerMX4 encodes and distributes HD video content up to 1080p@60Hz and supports both multicast and unicast UDP and RTP encoding, making it a costeffective solution for most corporate and commercial HD video-overIP applications. Wyrestorm featured an SDVoE-based video wall at its booth. Built on WyreStorm NetworkHD 600 Series AV-over-IP transmitters and receivers, the video wall was controlled via the from QSC and its native Q-SYS touch screen controllers. SDVoE technology gives the WyreStorm NetworkHD 600 Series the power to deliver lossless instant seamless switching of full HDMI 4K UHD @60Hz 4:4:4 with HDR and zero-frame latency over Cat6a up to 100m via off-the-shelf 10Gb Ethernet switches.

ÂŠ Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

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REVIEW with audio delay, local HDMI loop-out, null-modem-integrated RS232, and HDMI pass-through. As with all models in the J+P lineup, it integrates seamlessly with any generation of the company’s products. This allows integrators to select the J+P solution that best fits the job, providing an evolutionary, scalable, systems-approach to 4K video signal distribution requirements.

The video wall at the WyreStorm booth features WyreStorm NetworkHD 600 Series AV-over-IP transmitters and receivers controlled via the Q-SYS Platform

Q-SYS is a software-based AV&C platform built around IT standards, which allows it to easily control nearly any networked endpoint without dedicated control hardware. With its open API and Q-SYS Scripting Engine (available with optional feature licenses from QSC), programmers can easily develop control scripts and plugins for seamless integration of any third-party network device into the Q-SYS Platform. “This integration between WyreStorm and QSC products is a shining example of SDVoE and the power of software to define AV experiences,” said Justin Kennington, president of the SDVoE Alliance. “It also answers a question we are often asked - ‘Can I use a thirdparty control system?’. Clearly the answer is YES!

Just Add Power (J+P) unveiled their 725POE 2GΩ/3G+ SDI Power over Ethernet (PoE) transmitter at InfoComm 2018, demonstrating the transmitter’s scalable, cost-effective approach to adding SDI video sources to a 4K system. The new J+P 725POE 2GΩ/3G+ SDI PoE transmitter provides SD-/ HD-/3G-SDI format support to Just Add Power’s 3G HD over IP system. Eliminating the need for an SDI-HDMI converter in the IP video distribution chain, integrators have the flexibility to add an SDI source to their 4K infrastructure. Features include stereo output © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

The Aurora IPX-TC3 is a 10Gbps IPBaseT transceiver capable of 4K60 4:4:4 with a frame latency of 100us (.1ms) offered in copper and fiber. According to Aurora, the IPX-TC3 “is the first ever 10G SDVoE product to have redundant fiber version and selectable copper fiber in a single unit.” It also supports the new ReAX IP Control engine option (IPE-REAX-1) base on Javascript, which allows IP control automation throughout the network without the need of an external proprietary control engine. Kramer showcased a unique, end-to-end, video wall application at InfoComm 2018. This innovative AV over IP solution for 4K60 video wall installations can scale up to 256 screens and support an unlimited number of sources simultaneously. Kramer KDS encoders/decoders coupled with Kramer Network, the company’s enterprise management platform, represent the core of the solution. Kramer Network enables simple and intuitive AV routing with quick and efficient device management for IT administrators – who can choose to manage the video wall using traditional scenarios or automated scenarios that are both quick and simple to create. Completing the solution is Kramer Control, providing simplified end user control of the video wall layout from any touch screen. The result is a dynamic and interactive video wall that can adjust to the needs of the end user with a single touch.

The OmniStream AV over IP solutions

Atlona came to InfoComm 2018 with a new strategy aimed at accelerating transitions from legacy circuit-based systems to fully networked, IP-enabled environments. The Atlona All-IP Meeting Space concept simplifies meeting room designs by bringing the power of large, enterprise-sized, IP-based systems to individual meeting spaces, without the need for complex switching systems. The concept

REVIEW is adaptable to everything from basic meeting rooms, to advanced spaces such as divisible and overflow rooms. The All-IP Meeting Space breaks new ground as a concept because it helps organizations eliminate the legacy technology that has long translated to complex systems designs, lengthy installation periods, and high equipment and labor costs. The central message of the AllIP Meeting Space is that the network switch becomes the switcher, creating an enormous amount of freedom to deliver right-sized switching systems without the limitations of a fixed I/O matrix. Once deployed, Atlona’s All-IP Meeting Space solves the unique challenges of sharing content and AV resources, including digital signal processing and control, across multiple rooms. The system management element also grows easier, as every component on the network can be natively managed from any location. This benefit also removes the learning curve for IT administrators, as AV becomes just another element managed on the shared network. The complete multi-faceted architecture, brought together Atlona’s OmniStream IP-enabled Atlona 4K/UHD encoders, decoders and audio interfaces, OmniStream USB over IP device adapters (ATOMNI-311, AT-OMNI-324) and control via Atlona Velocity working together as well as interoperability with pertinent third-party components (such as DSPs) and Atlona PTZ cameras. Exterity showcased their new AvediaPlayer m9405 4K Media Player. The new AvediaPlayer m9405 Media Player is the final piece of the 4K puzzle that enables a complete end-to-end, all-Exterity 4K workflow. Key features include 32GB storage to support media-rich digital signage; a cool, fanless design; 4K Ultra HD video quality and, like all Exterity media players, cost-effective Power over Ethernet (PoE).

Lightware demonstrated their UBEX and VINX AV-Over-IP systems. Demonstrated was the UBEX (Ultra Bandwidth Extender), a versatile Networked AV (aka Video Over IP) extender, which can operate as a virtual matrix using a standard Ethernet switch as a crosspoint, while it can also work as a conventional point-to-point extender. This new optical unit allows 4K UHD@60Hz 4:4:4 signal extension with the use of packet-based transmission. The video signals are handled fully uncompressed and transmitted over 20 Gbps, or using minimal, visually lossless compression UBEX can extend two Full 4K signals simultaniously over two 10 Gbps fibers.

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The VINX is specifically designed for 1 Gb Networks. VINX can operate in properly set Unicast and Multicast environments too. For quick channel selection the units have physical DIP switches on front, so pairing them in a network could not be easier. The extenders include Lightware’s Advanced EDID Management system and are capable of scaling the video signal to 1080i output, though up to 4K UHD @ 30 Hz resolutions are managed as well. The built-in USB ports support KVM function and can also handle USB mass storage. Lightware has also developed a Video Wall Wizard, which makes installing a video wall a quick and easy process without the need of adjusting, cropping and scaling for the screens individually. RTI showcased their recently acquired Miravue video-over-IP distribution solution. The Miravue VIP-1 provides powerful, scalable AV distribution over wired and wireless Ethernet networking in the connected home or office. For the ultimate in flexibility, the innovative solution simultaneously acts as a transmitter and receiver, thereby reducing cabling, infrastructure, and installation time. Miravue VIP-1 encodes H.264 video up to its highest supported resolution (1080p) along with audio (Dolby 5.1). The result is a high quality video output signal, yet also has low network bandwidth requirements. In addition, the VIP-1 is capable of delivering IR, RS-232 and IP control to devices via an RTI control system.

A memorable moment

I feel it is appropriate that I end off the article with a memorable moment on the show floor. QSC celebrated its 50th Anniversary with its founders Pat Quilter, Barry Andrews and John Andrews together with Joe Pham, President and CEO, QSC, cutting a cake and having a toast. The foresight of the founders and the leadership of Joe has certainly ensured that the company continues to play a key role in the industry. InfoComm International 2018 delivered in all aspects. There is certainly a lot more to talk about. We had highlighted various solutions in our website and E-newsletter and we will continue to highlight other things that caught our attention in our platforms. So the sentence would be: attention in our platforms. © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

TECH TALK

Network Security: An Increasingly Important Need & How to Address It By Martin M Bonsair

TECH TALK

taking place at their facility that evening, and the entire audio system had ceased functioning. My presence was required urgently.

I doubt anyone will deny the importance of network security. As increasingly more resources and services use Ethernet and IP networks, preventing unauthorised access is of paramount importance. But whilst securing networks from third-party attacks via the Internet using routers and/or firewalls is often considered a given, securing networks from local rogue devices or users is a practice less often discussed and often overlooked. The topic of security is vast and there are different techniques to mitigate a variety of risks such as controlling who enters a network and what can be done, preventing unauthorised users from accessing resources they shouldn’t, and ensuring compromised computers do not endanger the network as a whole. And whilst this may appear to be firmly in the realm of IT and not necessarily relevant to the professional AV industry, allow me to recall a short anecdote to illustrate an important scenario. Not that long ago, I was awoken in the early hours of the morning by an important, if temporarily panicked, customer. A major event was

I quickly jumped into my car and a couple hours’ drive later (mostly spent pondering why had I chosen the AV industry and not bakery, like my brother), I arrived at the venue. The audio system wasn’t the sole problem. Tills, security cameras, and several other services were all suffering. The root cause turned out to be liberal use of patch cables in a network rack by an inexperienced technician. By making the wrong connections, he had managed to collapse portions of the network. This story serves to exemplify the need for securing the local ports on a network even if there’s no threat of hacking from the Internet or virus attacks. Fortunately, technologies are now available today for the task.

Who goes there? Local network protection is known as Network Access Control, or NAC. This term encapsulates the different techniques used to block data access to network resources by devices connected to it – either through a switch port or wirelessly through Wi-Fi – until it’s been determined the device is entitled to that privilege. Of course, prevention is always advisable and the most basic level of security is a good lock. Equipment should always be protected behind

TECH TALK

closed doors and access only granted to authorised personnel. A record of who and when entry was gained should be kept and be an important part of any facility or venue security policy.

An alternative is EAP-TLS (Transport Layer Security), which offers robust security but demands the client to possess (acquire and store) a valid certificate. This can be at times cumbersome to implement.

This is an example of pre-admission NAC, the name given to a policy based on the principle of allowing or vetoing devices by inspecting them before they connect to the network. Post-admission NAC are techniques applied after the connection is made and moves us to the realm of network configuration.

Other EAP types are EAP-PEAP/MSCHAPv2, EAP-FAST, EAP-TTLS, EAP-SIM, EAP-AKA and EAP-LEAP (although this last one was meant to have been officially replaced by EAP-FAST), each enjoying a different set of features, implementation requirements and hardware support. Which one is implemented ultimately depends on the specific security needs of the organisation and the personal judgment of the Network Manager.

One widely available post-admission NAC technology is MAC address authentication. This technique uses the physical MAC address of the device wishing to access the network, matching it against a user-defined list of authorised addresses. This method is solid and ensures only those devices white-listed access network resources. But it is impractical for scalable or dynamic networks, as maintaining an up-to-date list on all potential access points is quite a chore. MAC address authentication is also limited in its scope as it only checks a hardware device before granting access, and thus offers no protection against unauthorised personnel using those devices. A more advanced NAC method is defined by IEEE 802.1X, sometimes referred to as Dot1x or Netlogin. This protocol authorises the person, not just the device, attempting to connect wired or wirelessly to a LAN or WLAN. 802.1X operates by having an Authenticator, often a switch, deny access and challenging a Supplicant (the client device attempting to gain access, such as a laptop or mobile phone) to provide credentials. The Authenticator, in turn, forwards the credentials to an Authentication Server for verification. This approach permits flexible central management of the deployment.

All together now The three methods described above are the security policies most often deployed, with 802.1X being the most popular post-admission port-based NAC due largely to its effectiveness and use of open standards that can be implemented by different manufacturers. Alternative NAC technologies like the proprietary Cisco NAC Appliance do exist, but they are either specific to single-vendor installations or have reduced hardware support. It’s important to note that the different policies are not mutually exclusive and are often deployed together. It is not unusual for MAC-based authentication to be performed first, with the 802.1X process only carried out if that first layer of protection is successfully negotiated.

A more advanced NAC method is defined by IEEE 802.1X, some times referred to as Dot1x or Netlogin. This protocol authorises the person, not just the device, attempting to connect wired or wirelessly to a LAN or WLAN.

Furthermore, whilst communication between Supplicant and Authenticator is done using a Layer 2 protocol named EAP or EAPoL (Extensible Authentication Protocol over LAN), the Authenticator and Authentication Server communicate using RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service), a routable layer 3 protocol. This allows the Authentication Server to exist pretty much anywhere. There are various types of EAP available, each providing a different set of capabilities and requiring varying degrees of administrative overhead. For example, whilst EAP-MD5 is simple to implement, it is limited to authenticating the identity of the Supplicant to the Authenticator, but not the other way round; and the method used for this authentication is vulnerable to attack.

Additionally, NAC does not provide protection for all potential vulnerabilities. Being a process implemented during logon (timeouts and re-authorisation is available), it is often complemented by technologies like IPsec, together providing a more complete and robust security policy.

But that’s the topic for another article. Martin M. Bonsoir, MInstSCE, is the International Applications Engineering Manager at Biamp Systems, overseeing technical operations globally outside of the Americas. With more than 23 years of industry experience, Martin’s passion for people and all things audiovisual continues to add richness and insight to his work every day. www.biamp.com

SPECIAL FEATURE

Audio Video on the Network: Weaving a Plausible Solution The heat is on. Proprietary versus non-Proprietary. Brands coming together to offer alternate solutions to strengthen the protocol offering. Is this all going to create confusion and integration headaches. Which platform should integrators and clients consider for future proofing their installs? With this article we hope to give you a glimpse of the audio video transportation landscape as it is. Regardless, the different options need to achieve the following objectives - to ensure that signals are time-synchronised, work in a network infrastructure, do not overload the bandwidth as well as reduce the cost for clients and be easy to maintain.

HDBaseT

their transport signals onto a IT network be it a one gig or 10 gig network. www.hdbaset.org

Valens New Chipset

HDBaseT came into the picture in 2010 and I dare say was the first to create a buzz in revolutionising the video distribution sector. The cornerstone of the technology is 5Play, the converged and simultaneous delivery of uncompressed ultra-high-definition digital video and audio, Ethernet, USB 2.0, control signals and up to 100W of power through a single, 100m/328ft LAN cable. HDBaseT also supports single-mode and multi-mode fibre connectivity. The HDBaseT Alliance is a not-for-profit organization tasked with promoting and advancing HDBaseT technology as the global standard for ultra-high-definition, digital connectivity. The Alliance was established in 2010 by LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Valens, and it has since brought together the leading names in the consumer electronics, professional AV, industrial and automotive sectors. There are now more than 200 members in the Alliance and thousands of HDBaseT-enabled audiovisual products in the market today that includes extenders, adapters, matrixes, switches, displays, projectors and AV receivers. Integrators will be happy to know that HDBaseT does offer the option of placing

At InfoComm 2018, Valens, the developer of HDBaseT and co-founder of the HDBaseT Alliance, showcased how the VA6000 HDBaseT integrated circuit, originally developed for the Automotive market, is benefitting the audiovisual sector, with its transmission of 1Gbps Ethernet, Audio, Serial Control, and USB over unshielded single twisted pair lightweight and lower cost cables (as opposed to the traditional 4-pair Category cable). The VA6000 is a more cost-effective and compact option for many applications such as interactive touch kiosks, USB extensions for conference rooms, IP-based video walls and video-on-demand entertainment systems. The VA6000 supports both point-to-point and daisy-chain topologies, leading to lower chip and connector counts and increased flexibility in system design. The VA6000 promises near-zero latency transmission for the best end-user experience and feature-rich capabilities, supporting multiple simultaneous streams of multimedia content. www.valens.com S

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AVB/TSN Do not be confused about AVB (Audio Video Bridging) and TSN (Time Sensitive

ÂŠ Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

Networking). They are both using the same open standard technology. You can in fact look at TSN as the evolution of AVB, building upon the AVB specifications to expand the range, functionality and applications of the standard. The drive to adopt AVB/TSN is undertaken by the AVnu Alliance. The AVnu Alliance members go beyond the AV industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it includes automotive and industrial systems players as well. In the AV field there are Avnu certified switches, amplifiers, speakers and audio processors. Biamp has been a strong proponent of the technology and in fact released TLUX which was their first AVnu certified video transport device, a couple of years back. The Cisco Catalyst family of switches are all AVnu certified as well. Recently L-Acoustics released their P1 AVB Processor and measurement platform. The P1 combines in one unit an EQ station with delay and dynamics processing and a multimic acoustic measurement platform with offline delay finder and EQ modelization. AVB/TSN is an open standard which is attractive as that means anyone can use and adopt the system. Though the AVnu Alliance has been around for a while now, because it is a not for profit Alliance, adoption has been slow compared to the other protocols. But that may change with the announcement of Milan which is an application-layer interoperability defined above the network foundation. www.avnu.org

SPECIAL FEATURE ecosystem,” said John McMahon, Meyer Sound and Avnu Alliance Pro AV Segment Chair.

Milan and AVB

Network Configuration Example One manufacturer’s functional system with devices from another manufacturers in one local Milan Network.

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er r tu c em fa st u y n s a s M b’

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At InfoComm 2018, a group of pro AV manufacturers working together under the umbrella of AVnu Alliance, announced Milan, the first fully realized, standardsbased protocol built for deterministic, interoperable, future-proof media networking in the Pro AV market. Milan is a user-driven protocol for professional media, providing the guarantee that all Milan devices will work together providing a greater level of convenience, reliability and functionality. Created by leading manufacturers including AudioScience, Avid, Biamp, d&b audiotechnik, L-Acoustics, Luminex and Meyer Sound, Milan builds on the technical benefits of the IEEE Audio Video Bridging (AVB) open standards, such as time synchronization and guaranteed quality of service, as well as risk-free coexistence of control and media data on one network. Milan builds on these features, further defining device requirements at both the network and the application layer for compatible media streams, formats, media-clocking, redundancy and controller software. Milan certification will deliver fool-proof interoperability of deterministic networked Pro AV devices. “The Milan initiative is a long-term approach to change the way the Pro AV market does AV networking. We encourage companies seeking a technically superior network, that guarantees interoperability and is not limited by the confines of proprietary products, to join us and participate in building out this

Supporting all types of media, Milan is an open, deterministic network protocol, ensuring on-time delivery of audio, video and data, while co-existing with other Ethernet traffic without risk of dropouts or degradation of media. As a development extension managed openly by Avnu Alliance Pro AV segment members, work is in progress to deploy a new streamlined testing and certification program from Avnu Alliance to support this new network solution for implementation by Pro AV manufacturers.

www.audinate.com S

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SDVoE

http://avnu.org/Milan S

Audinate has also recently introduced their Dante AVIO Adapters that includes Dante AVIO Analog input and output adapters, Dante AVIO AES3/EBU Adapter and the The Dante AVIO USB Adapter enable solutions to come into the Dante network seamlessly.

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Dante Dante has taken the audio networking space by storm. It is a proprietary transport technology and it is not wild to claim that it is the most adopted protocol in the AV-IT space. There are literally thousands of solutions with Dante connectivity. With Dante, hundreds of channels of audio can be sent throughout a network with ease. Dante owned by Audinate has not been sitting in its laurels. There are a couple of different software products available now. The Dante Via software allows users to send audio between computers and streaming devices on the same network. The more critical software for the commercial field would be the Dante Domain Manager. Over 400 Dante-enabled products from top AV manufacturers now feature upgraded firmware that supports Dante Domain Manager. Dante Domain Manager is the award-winning network control technology that brings valuable new functionality to Dante networks, including user authentication, role-based security and audit capabilities, while also delivering unprecedented scalability and organization of Dante systems over any network topology. The Domain Manager effectively brings IT security and management to the audio space.

The Software Defined Video over Ethernet (SDVoE) Alliance is a group of manufacturers using the AptoVision chipset to move AV over IP, promising uncompressed, zero latency 4K transmission. The SDVoE Alliance is a nonprofit consortium of technology providers collaborating to standardize the adoption of Ethernet to transport AV signals in professional AV environments, and to create an ecosystem around SDVoE technology allowing software to define AV applications. The founding members the SDVoE Alliance are Semtech, Aquantia, Christie Digital, NETGEAR, Sony and ZeeVee, As of May this year, the SDVoE Alliance announced that there are now 40 member companies – with wide ranging expertise in chipsets, Ethernet switches, infrastructure, AV end points, software and systems integration – in the SDVoE ecosystem. SDVoE is the only off-the-shelf technology that offers a “full stack solution.” According to SDVoE other technologies provide only parts of a solution – how to move bits down a wire, or how to deal with timing errors on a network. Each of these pieces of the puzzle are important, but without SDVoE, manufacturers and users are left to cobble together solutions out of many pieces. SDVoE addresses the full 7-layer OSI stack and offers solutions at every layer. “We take the very best of what the IT industry gives us for moving bits from place to place – TIA-568 cable plants, Ethernet, TCP/IP and IGMP then add SDVoE on top.”

SPECIAL FEATURE

At InfoComm 2018 there were a number of interesting announcements made in relation to SDVoE. At the show floor demonstrations of AV network management and control software, designed to run on the SDVoE platform, from leading AV manufacturers and software developers were showcased. The demos included VuWall TRx, ZeeVee MaestroZ and iMAGsystems Lightning applications, all built on the SDVoE API and running on the same SDVoE transmitters and receivers. As with any comprehensive, well-designed application programming interface, the SDVoE API provides a set of simple subroutine definitions, protocols, and tools that control complex tasks to make it easier for developers to program their application. The building blocks in the SDVoE API include easy interfaces to control upscaling up to 4K, downscaling, aspect ratio management, frame rate conversion, chroma sample conversion, video wall processing, image compositing, audio downmixing, video routing, independent audio routing, multicast IGMP management and much more. www.SDVoE. org SDVoE and Audinate

The other announcement that caught our interest was the collaboration between the SDVoE Alliance and Audinate.

“We have long heard from our customers that they want an integrated, interoperable way to control their video over IP alongside their Dante audio,” stated Lee Ellison, CEO of Audinate. “Our partnership with the SDVoE Alliance and our demonstration of an integrated control platform at InfoComm is the first step toward making this interoperable IP audio and video experience a reality.” Justin Kennington, President of the SDVoE Alliance adds, “Audinate’s Dante audio over IP solution won the race to be the standard technology for moving audio across an IT network without compromise. The SDVoE Alliance is proud to be the only industry organization promoting the same, no-compromise performance in the realm of video over IP. The synergies that will be created by melding the SDVoE platform and the ubiquity of Dante are huge. The entire AV industry will benefit from this partnership.” At the showfloor, Audinate demonstrated the Dante Controller managing audio and video signal distribution between SDVoE devices. The possibility of the Dante chipset and Aptovision chipset residing in a single solution is a reality. www.audinate.com

NETGEAR introduces SDVoE-ready Switch NETGEAR announce the availability of the NETGEAR M4300-96X Stackable 10G and 40G Modular Managed Switch that is the world’s only 2U rack height modular switch starting at $100 per port that comes either empty or pre-populated and scales up to 96 ports of 10G Ethernet or up to 24 ports of 40G Ethernet, or a combination. With 12 open slots and two redundant power supplies, the M4300-96X supports maximum granularity between copper, PoE+ and fiber

and unrivalled headroom for organizations buying infrastructure for the long term. To take unnecessary complexity out of AV-over-IP deployments, NETGEAR created M4300 switches that are preconfigured for easy, true AV and multicast Zero Touch network configuration. IGMP Snooping, IGMP Fast Leave and IGMP Querier are already enabled for the default VLAN 1 that devices will automatically use – no need to log onto the switch. Simply select the M4300-96X port expansion cards that fit your requirements, insert the cards, connect your SDVoE encoders and decoders, and power on the switch. “Our M4300-96X Managed Switch is far superior to a fixed port solution, as you can start small and add capacity in non-blocking mode, merely by adding port expansion cards. And the fact that it’s SDVoE-ready means it can easily co-exist with products from multiple AV vendors, without the need for separate programming interfaces,” said Richard Jonker, vice president of product line management for SMB products at NETGEAR. “It supports intuitive configuration of your entire AV system with higher flexibility, lower complexity, and stronger investment protection.” Justin Kennington, president of the SDVoE Alliance, said, “The SDVoE Alliance unites leading companies in and around the AV-over-IP space with the shared aim of creating a standardized hardware and software platform for the next generation of audiovisual applications. The commitment of NETGEAR to the SDVoE standard means that alliance members can leverage NETGEAR switching products that are easy to set up and use to provide the backbone network for their audio-video products.” www.netgear.com S

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SRT SRT is an open-source transport protocol distributed freely under Mozilla Public License. It is media-agnostic and provides a wrapper around streaming content such

SPECIAL FEATURE

as H.264 and other leading codecs. The SRT protocol and technology stack allows for the delivery of two-way, interactive video from anywhere with an internet connection. It focuses on performance, reliability, and security for video over IP and enables real-time IP communications as fast as User Datagram Protocol (UDP), but with the reliability of Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Ideal for high-performance video between facilities on private networks and over the internet, SRT supports Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), and provides low latency transmission over bandwidth-limited, unpredictable, or unstable networks. The SRT Alliance now has over 125 members from areas such as broadcast, professional AV, content delivery networks (CDN), online video platforms (OVP), streaming software and services, video systems developers, and systems integrators. More than 30 companies are already shipping “SRT Ready” products and members of the alliance are committed to implementing this royaltyfree, open source protocol into their own video streaming applications, empowering them with high-performance video over any network. At InfoComm 2018 Matrox hosted an SRT Alliance pavilion in their booth demonstrating SRT open source interoperability, with the following products: CineMassive IP multiviewer, Haivision Makito X decoder, Lumens VC-A50P PTZ IP camera, LiveScale cloud omnicast platform, Matrox Maevex 6150 quad 4K enterprise encoder, Matrox Mura IPX-based video wall and Wowza Streaming Engine. “Haivision originally developed SRT in 2013 and co-founded the SRT Alliance in 2017, driving the open source development and propagation of this transport protocol with a clear focus on secure, high-performance video, over the public internet,” said Sylvio Jelovcich, vice president of Global Alliance, Haivision. “Matrox is in all areas of performance video,” says Samuel Recine, director of

sales – Americas and Asia Pacific, Matrox Graphics Inc. “Matrox has always focused on standards, interoperability, scalability, security, and road map protection. This is true of our SMPTE 2110 efforts with uncompressed and lightly compressed video over IP. And this is true of our intelligently compressed video for high-performance, low-bitrate video over IP. The SRT Alliance is already thriving, and joint multi-vendor interoperability testing and quality assurance is just part of the march towards cloud-based and private network workflows with a nextgeneration, open-source video transport protocol,” said Samuel Recine, director of sales – Americas and Asia Pacific, Matrox Graphics Inc. The difference between SRT and the other technologies mentioned is that the others are designed for LAN and are not appropriate for delivery over the Internet. www.srtalliance.org S

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ReAX

I have included ReAX in this article though it is not a protocol. I feel that it does and can influence decisions specifically for HDBaseT and AV over IP installations. ReAX is the Industry’s First Non-proprietary IP Control. The name ReAX represents action/reaction which is the essence of control automation. ReAX is unique since it is not limited to a single manufacturer but to all who qualify. This is the firsttime, interoperability of not just protocols and structure, but the actual code itself is possible. It is not limited as there as IR libraries, macros, and more that can all be shared and organized in a single location at the organizations’ website www.reax.org.

ReAX server-side operations is based on JavaScript. Client-side operations for touch panels and web interfaces can be HTML, JavaScript, etc. To the end user, it will appear and operate as any other control system and much more. As a result, a variety of manufacturers can offer their flavour of ReAX. This will open new product and choices that all work in harmony. For the first time, integrators will not have to rely on proprietary training courses and the required investment of time and money. Being part of ReAX will allow integrators and end users to have choices; what makes sense for their installation and to choose from of a variety of manufacturers. A new small ARM processor option board (IPE-REAX-1) has been created to add ReAX to Aurora’s new HT Series HDBaseT product line, VLX Series 1G AV over IP, and IPX Series 10G AV over IP. This compact powerful board (1.84” x .784”) will add full automation to HDBaseT and AV over IP eliminating the need for an external control processor. It can run as a single unit for the entire system, or multiples can be installed to segment or make the system redundant. The IPE-REAX-1 board will be made available for other manufacturers to utilize for faster deployment. A strong control core needs strong tools. Aurora’s Core Creator tools (Core-I & Core-C), will allow drag and drop creation of interfaces and control code. Since the generated code is based on JavaScript it can be modified after generation. Currently in proprietary systems, if the tool has a bug, it cannot be resolved until the manufacturer issues a software update. With ReAX since it is JavaScript, even if the code generator does something wrong, a user can correct the code in a simple text editor or add code to enhance features. “While Aurora created ReAX, we want to share to make the AV/IT industry stronger, more flexible, and unified. We want to bring choices back to end users and integrators alike. In time, we hope ReAX will become part of everyone’s vision. Take back control with us and make a difference!” said Paul Harris of Aurora Multimedia. www.reax.org

INTERVIEW

LG Displays Creating A Canvas of Possibilities The LGConnect 2018 Asia, held in Singapore, in May this year saw delegates from Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, besides Singapore. The mega event showcased a range of solutions highlighting limitless possibilities of how its solutions can be used effectively and creatively in different scenarios. SI Asia took the opportunity to interact with Dickson Ang, Business Development Manager, Asia Home Entertainment, 2B2 Sales about LG’s latest solutions and business opportunties. Please highlight to us some of the LG Display models and in which space they would fit best and why?

play different content, allowing companies to get creative with their messages and placement.

The display segment is very competitive - what advantages does LG The Open Frame OLED digital signage, for example, can transform bring to the segment. Why should buyers consider purchasing LG any space into a canvas for effective advertising. A 7,600-square-foot Displays? video wall, comprising 820 panels, sat in Dubai Aquarium, which is located in Dubai Mall. The mammoth installation LG Commercial Displays specializes in display technology, in example gives visitors an introduction to the mall as the OLED digital signage. LG’s commercial displays give retailers well as play advertisements. The use of LG’s commercial and brands the competitive edge they need to stand out in these panels at the Dubai Aquarium displays give retailers an increasingly competitive market. is particularly fitting because their and brands the competitive curved form factor follows the edge they need to stand out The Open Frame OLED digital signage, for example, undulations of flowing water. in an increasingly competitive can transform any space into a canvas for effective advertising. The Open Frame OLED displays can be LG OLED Canyon is another market. The Open Frame OLED utilized for multiple uses in any industry with various example of an immersive digital signage, for example, shape and size, such as large-scale video installations installation of Open Frame OLED can transform any space and informational displays designed to fit the contours of digital signage. Comprising 246 into a canvas for effective any commercial space. displays in concave and convex advertising. configurations, the massive OLED The Transparent LED Film is self-adhesive and easy to install. Canyon led visitors through natural wonders The Transparent LED Film can be attached to the glass and it will displayed on the screens, such as a forest, glacier, transform the glass surface into digital signage. The film can be waterfall, blizzard and others, as if they were really there. These switched on to display content as digital signage would. When the digital screens are ideal for illustrating OLED’s customizable form factor and superb picture quality. The Open Frame OLED displays can be utilized for multiple uses with various shape and size, such as large-scale video installations and informational displays designed to fit the contours of any commercial space be it retail malls or office tower lobbies. 55-inch Transparent OLED signage, which marvels with its razor-thin bezels and elegant form factor. Signature products can be placed behind the signage, where special effects dance about the products when its video is played, creating a spectacular and unique display. Besides creating all-enveloping and enthralling visuals, retailers can also achieve a dual-sided viewing experience with the In-Glass OLED Wallpaper. Two OLED panels are placed back-to-back, then embedded within a frame of tempered glass. Each of the two OLED screens will © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

INTERVIEW

film is turned off, it blends seamlessly into the glass, preserving the design of the architecture. Which market or vertical segments does LG see the most potential in Asia? Why? LG’s innovations are especially effective in enhancing end-user experience across the retail, hospitality, transport and residential sectors. Retail Malls: The Open Frame OLED displays can be used to attract footfall, injecting seasonal vibes with captivating visuals such as cherry blossoms during spring, or a festive feel during Christmas. The In-Glass OLED Wallpaper gives dual-sided viewing experience. Two OLED panels can be placed back-to-back and embedded within a frame of tempered glass. Each screen can play different contents, allowing companies to get creative with their messages and placement. Hotels: Through the Pro:Centric solution, hoteliers are able to customise their settings in line with hotel branding concepts and deliver information on hotel facilities, weather forecasts and other messages to guests, all while reinforcing the hotel’s brand image. Lights, door locks and curtains can also be connected to the TV, and guests can turn them on or off via the Pro:Centric Direct user interface. This ecosystem gives additional convenience to guests. Transportation: For incoming travellers, the airport and bus stops are one of the first touchpoints they encounter. With the LG’s 88-inch

Ultra Stretch — available also in the 86-inch format — deployed in strategic locations, passengers can easily find their way around the airport. Residential: LG’s home appliances each come with connectivity features. SmartThinQ forms a digital ecosystem to connect these appliances such as the LG SIGNATURE Refrigerator, Washer, Air Purifier and Styler. With it, users can also respectively activate washing or steam cycles of the LG SIGNATURE Washer and Styler even when they are away from home. Home owners can also remotely control the LG SIGNATURE Refrigerator and Air Purifier. ww.lg.com/sg © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

INSTALLATION

INDIA

COVER STORY

Punjab National Bank’s New Headquarters Sports a Cut Above Technology Set-up

Banking on Audio-Visual Technology Competence

Punjab National Bank – second largest Public Sector Bank in India, with a whopping US$ 100 billion in assets – is like an institution in itself. One of the oldest banks too in the country with over 120 years of illustrious history, it made name like second to none in the Indian banking history. Perhaps, befitting its stature, as also meeting its holistic requirement, the bank made an amazing scale of ICT adoption in its newly moved in headquarters in New Delhi. Delhi-based AVSI firm V A Infosolutions India Pvt Ltd had the honour of executing this prestigious project. An SIA exclusive:

The Punjab National Bank – conveniently called PNB – is arguably one of the most illustrious institutions of India, with a fair bit of stake in the country’s post-Medieval to till date history. Set up as India’s first Swadeshi bank in Lahore of Pre-Independent India in 1894, and having moved over to New Delhi just before Partition (in June 1947), the bank traversed many a turn of history and grew from strength to strength to occupy a predominant position in Indian banking history. The bank’s dynamism and dexterity from time to time enabled it to rise to the exalted status of being the second largest Public Sector Bank in the country with over US$ 100 billion in assets which is manifested in its strength of over 80 million customers from as many as 6,982 branches spread across over 765 cities in the country. The bank’s strengths have also taken its operations overseas to as many as nine countries. With such a massive structure and operational stretch – and keeping in view the demands of modern day technology-powered banking – the bank, after long contemplation, decided to move from its hitherto © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

head office at Bhikhaji Cama Place in New Delhi to a more spacious and modern establishment with technology sophistication. Thus came its new corporate headquarters at Sector 10, Dwarka, in New Delhi, an expansive 825,000 square feet establishment, set up at an estimated cost of over ₹ 50 crore ( approx US$ 7.2 million). Such a vast establishment was ought to have a design and technology sophistication that befitted the bank’s brand stature and vastly expanded requirement too. Being the State-owned institution, the task of creating the new establishment as the overall Project Management Consultant was entrusted to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), a Government of India concern on all government constructions works. Following an intense design competition, renowned Delhi-based architectural firm Rajinder Kumar Associates landed the prestigious project for design and critical services. While the structure was made in all its glitz and glamour, it required the all-imperative audio-visual communication set-up which was awarded to the locally-based systems integrator VA Infosolutions India Pvt Ltd based following some clinical evaluations of the SI’s competence and presentations made by them. “Technically speaking, it was what we conveniently call SITC – supply, installation, testing and commissioning of audiovisual across the complex,” reveals Gaurav Kohli, Director of VA Infosolutions. “However, massive that the project is, it included a multitude of similar and dissimilar rooms ranging from boardrooms, to meeting rooms to conferencing and generic,” he explained.

COVER STORY

PROJECT FACTFILE Project Name: SITC of AV Technology at PNB HQ Project Location: Sector 10, Dwarka, New Delhi Project Segment: Banking (Financial) Project Owner: Punjab National Bank Project Type: Collaboration, video-conferencing across executive boardrooms, auditorium etc. AV Design Consultant: VA Infosolutions India Pvt. Ltd. in assn. with CPWD, Delhi AV Systems Integrator: VA Infosolutions India Pvt. Ltd. Project Management Consultant: CPWD Architect & Interior Design Consultant: CPWD/RKA, Delhi Acoustics Consultant: CPWD HVAC/ELV consultant/contractor: CPWD AV Project Cost: ₹ 4.50 Crore (approx. over US$ 652,000) Project Commencement: April, 2017 Project Commissioned: December, 2017 Project Highlights: Technology, design style or solution etc.:

INSTALLATION • • • • • • • •

10-seat MD’s spare VC room MD rest room Executive dining Gym Privilege Lounge Gallery 1st floor & 5th floor Receptions Cafeteria

The numbers say it all- how massive it is, a thing of pride for any integrator. For the size and scale often provides for so much ingenuity. “It does,” admits Kohli, “at the same time challenging as well. While the challenge of smaller timelines is more or less a generic and common factor in SI line it came as apparently potentially big for them due to the extremely tight time-frame against a visibly expansive and diverse install. “We were the last agency to step in; and we had a mountain to clear and recreate almost in no time,” explains Kohli. “There were many areas that required changes in the existing conduits and the network backbone provided to us. That it was the very basic and primary requirement upon which we had to deploy our proposed technology, it was indeed potential- not for the complexity but for the scale.” According to the SI, they had to perform two levels of demonstrations before they could win the confidence of the client to get the job and go ahead with the plan. Step-one was demonstration of the system as they thought at the time of tendering and step-two was demonstration of the technology the SI proposed.

The scale of the install comprised: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

8-10 seat meeting rooms – 28 nos. 4-seat meeting rooms – 15 nos. 6-seat meeting rooms – 11 nos. 14-16 seat VC rooms – 6 nos. 12-seat meeting rooms – 5 nos. 14-16 seat meeting rooms – 2 nos. MP Hall & Pre-Function area – 3+1 nos. 12-seat VC rooms – 3 nos. 7-seat ED suites – 4 nos. 4-seat ED VC rooms – 3 nos. 4-seat ED Meeting rooms – 2 nos. 6-seat lounge – 2 nos. 4-seat lounge – 2 nos. Syndicate rooms – 2 nos. Circular conf. rooms – 2 nos.

Recalls Kohli: “After getting the feel of the big time difference in both the systems, and the other benefits like ease of operations, cost savings, and technology experience, they were convinced, and gave us go-ahead.” The initial design – as per the CPWD tender – was just about an in-lay of network for all the rooms and the Boardroom as well like a generic meeting room with a display. However the expanse of the building, the compartmentalization of works, related divisions and work spaces created thereof, plus the very nature of ‘connectedyet-diverse’ work requirements demanded a much elevated set-up

More, it does have a bunch of one-each • 42-seat Boardroom • 11-seat MD suite • 7-seat MD VC room

The Boardroom, in a class of its own. Unique in form and function © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

COVER STORY

INSTALLATION

Manifesting Technology: The Boardroom is like a showcase of technology- touch, see and hear it with Extron, Lumens & beyerdynamic

that included conduits and backbone too. It more or less meant redesigning to a large extent. “The Boardroom, in particular, is a cut above,” vouches VA Director. “It has many a feature that stands it apart from the rest, in terms both form and function, like ‘lookat-me’ cameras, LED video wall display, annotators and high-end microphones.” “It’s a whole big collaborative network where room-share and room-combine features are made integral part of the system,” explains an assertive Kohli. The Boardroom – Technology Display Done in a very conventional format of soft and pleasant creamy white ambience, this long, rectangular space is characterized essentially by a 220-ft large Full HD video wall – comprising twelve 55-inch Samsung UD55EB LED displays aligned in three rows of

four each – facing which is a long rectangular table, equipped with as many as 42 units of Orbis 41+ Classic GM 314Q gooseneck microphones from beyerdynamic configured for a capacity of 42 inmates. At the other end of the table, facing the video wall, is the Chair that is treated with a pair of Orbis 43+ Classic GM 314Q conferencing microphone with mute on/off button provision.

the support mechanism as well,” he adds. “It’s a decided choice for this kind of environments.”

The speech capture solution here also is complemented by a pair of beyerdynamic TG558 UHF wireless lapel microphones that are further augmented by an additional pair of beyerdynamic TG550 UHF wireless hand-held microphones. These audio systems are of course supported by means of beyerdynamic Orbis CU Control Unit.

Adorning the table at the Chair is an Extron TLP Pro 1022T 10-inch Control Panel helping in operational control. In company with this unit is another Extron high-end AV Controller (IPCP Pro 550) tasked to perform the control mechanism between audio and video feeds. The Video component at the control level is entrusted to an Extron SMP 351 Full HD AV recorder-cum-streaming processor with PIP, Dual HD input and built-in hard drive for storage. Further, the 4x4 video wall operations are controlled by means of a Datapath Image DP4/HDMI+Vision SC-HD4+/H video wall controller that is configured for 6 HDMI inputs and 12 HDMI outputs.

“beyerdynamic has been one top-of-the-line audio brands known for high performance and functionality,” recalls Gaurav. “They are known for their conferencing solution competence; we also take into consideration

The speech reproduction functionality has been tasked to as many as 16 units of Extron CS 26T ceiling speakers that are powered a pair of Extron XPA-2002-100V dual-channel Class D amplifier.

That the Boardroom is a bit too long and the display wall tends to look a little far, as also on a slightly angular sightline, the design team mooted and installed four 55-inch Samsung UD55EB Full HD LED displays, with two each on two side walls so that the inmates can conveniently look into the display in front, besides the large video wall. Look-at-me Camera: However, the most notable feature, according to the integrator, in the Boardroom – besides the video wall – is three numbers of Lumens VC G50 Full HD PTZ Camera that comes with HDMI / DVI/ HD-SDI output and RS 232 control. Showing it all: The large Full HD video wall, done in 4x3 alignment © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

COVER STORY

INSTALLATION

The Meeting Rooms aplenty: Different seating capacity rooms equipped with suitable AV

“It’s the ‘look-at-me’ camera- that will automatically turn to the speaker the moment he/she presses the ‘on’ button,” explains Gaurav. “It sensitized by an algorithm-powered sensor that senses the command for image or video capture of the person choosing to speak,” he elaborates. “This eliminates the requirement of manual intervention for recording the proceedings.”

The display solution here is augmented by an Extron ShareLink 20Nwireless presentation systems with simultaneous four feed display output, VGA & HDMI output, 1080p/30fps min wireless video transmission with WAP support. The control interfacing here is performed by and Extron EBP 200 ten-button panel with volume control knob, Display OF/OFF, and source selection.

In secure and confidential environments like defence, judiciary, ministerial and this bank boardroom the automated camera sensitization for video image and captures is a great AV tool, says the integrator, adding that “the solution was pretty much appreciated by the client.”

Audio solution in these four spaces is weaved in by means of as many as 34 units of Extron CS 26T two-way ceiling speakers that are powered by four units of Extron XPA 2002 100V dual channel Class D amplifiers. The audio processing is taken by a pair Extron DMP 128 CP audio digital matrix processor.

The Multi-Purpose Hall & Pre-Function Areas Apart from the multitude of meeting rooms of different sizes, the PNB corporate headquarters building is characterized by a Multi-purpose and three Pre-Function Areas that are used for various activities and customer/client interactions. Each of the Pre-Function areas are equipped with one each Panasonic PT-VW-5000 WXGA 3LCD projector with each of them facing a 135-inch Liberty GrandView display screen.

For audio capture task, the integrator weaved in eight units of beyerdynamic TG 550 wireless UHF hand held microphones and seven units of TG 558 lapel microphones.

The Video component of the Multi-Purpose Hall features a 5200 ANSI lumen PT-RZ570BD Panasonic DLP Laser projector complented by the same Liberty GrandView screen as those in Pre-Funciton Areas. The additional feature here is that, all the three pre-function areas can be combined to make one big hall making a huge gathering space. With a view to meeting the requirement for such gatherings, a 6000 ANSI lumens Panasonic PT-EZ-770D Full HD 3LCD projector – in combination with a 16:10 TAB 189-inch Liberty GrandView projection sreen – has been incorporated.

“We are greatly delighted to be part of this world class AV facility implemented by VA Infosolutions, says Naveen Sridhar, Director, Sales & Marketing-SAARC, beyerdynamic. “The ingenuity with which Gaurav and his team worked on the project, and the fasttrack approach they took to accomplish such a massive project is a reinforcement of the strengths and competence the AVSI possesses,” he compliments. “We’re glad our colleague Mohan Hamal had an important role in this success story, interacting with the install team at every stage and ensuring the they delivered best possible solution to the customer. “Arguably, this is one of the best projects we executed,” recalls Pranav Jain, the other Director at VA Infosolutions. “Not just for the size and scale, but for the challenge of the suggested solution, and the time-frame within which it was to be commissioned,” he explains. “While the boardroom technology of look-at-me camera and video wall carry the best part tag, for us it the client satisfaction that matters best at the end.” www.vainfo.in www.beyerdynamic.com www.extron.com © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

INSTALLATION

PHILIPPINES

World’s Largest Indoor Beach Club Creates Myriad Opportunities of Entertainment

Elation Lighting Adds Unique Touch to Cove Manila

State-of-the-art lighting and visual technology allows for distinct looking events and shows at largest indoor beach club in the world. Technical director, lighting and visual designer Ted Mizrahi comments.

Show Designs, who serves as technical director for the space and is responsible for everything entertainment technical, including the lighting and visual design.

Cove Manila is Southeast Asia’s newest entertainment space, an amazing 9,000-sqm, $200 million entertainment venue touted as the largest indoor beach club in the world. Located in Okada Manila, a five-star integrated resort in the Philippines capital, Cove Manila also includes a luxurious nightclub that’s putting the country on the map as an EDM stop for top DJs. The entertainment technology package used to dress the venue in lighting and visual effects is, not surprisingly, large with a host of top manufacturers involved including Elation Professional and sister companies ADJ and Acclaim Lighting.

Mizrahi says his role as technical director allowed him to take control of the design and make more efficient and effective lighting decisions. “I was involved from the start so I’ve been able to influence a lot of things like the infrastructure and fixture choice,” he says. “The lighting design for the Beach Club was achieved by starting with the goal of having lights and effects in every location surrounding the club. The large visual package gives the ability to cover any event or performance in the space with a distinct look. It allows them to play with different fixtures to get a variety of looks so you don’t see the same light show over and over.”

Cove Manila, with its cool bayside atmosphere, five-star amenities plus nightclub, lies within a 120-meter wide by 40-meter high glass-domed space. The audiovisual design for the indoor Beach Club and nightclub includes over 1,000 lighting fixtures, which work from a variety of locations – palm trees, swimming pool, Jacuzzis, centerpiece chandelier, stage, roof tops, and elsewhere. “There are 16 different types of fixtures in the club which ensures that every event and show is unique,” states Ted Mizrahi of Mizrahi © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

Much of the large lighting package can be found at the performance stage but there is also an abundance of fixtures in surrounding locations. Fourteen artificial palm trees in the Beach Club for example house moving lights, strobes, blinders, washes and lasers for a disco effect from every direction, while a custom 15-meter diameter kinetic centerpiece chandelier, capable of thousands of visual effects, houses video and lighting to engulf guests in an immersive nightlife party.

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Mizrahi uses Elation Cuepix Blinder WW2 fixtures to cover multiple lighting roles in the space. Mounted in each palm tree, in the centerpiece chandelier, on the main stage truss and in the DJ booth, the white light LED blinders are used for blinding, strobing, washes, chases and even function as work lights. “We looked at architectural wash fixtures but they were very expensive,” the designer explains. “We chose to use Cuepix fixtures and have them spread around the venue. They are versatile and are good for an even wash of light, are bright and spread light well in the massive space. We even have them up in rooftop custom rigging pieces where they function as work lights and are programmed to work with the emergency lighting system. We burn them all day and all night and they are holding up well.” Also used from the palm trees to light the Beach Club stage area are one-meter long Elation SixBar 1000s color-changing battens, as well as Elation ELED Fresnel II warm white wash lights. Mizrahi looked at a variety of products when researching lighting effects for Cove Manila and took a close look at the ACL 360 Bar LED battens at 2017’s Prolight + Sound exhibition. “Elation had some unique products compared to other manufacturers,” the designer says. “I wanted a 360-degree rotating effect that projected a blade of light and the ACL 360 Bar was the answer. They throw from 50 feet down to the floor and give a different look than moving lights,” which he says are ubiquitous in other clubs. “Other venues just use moving heads but these give the rig a different look.” The ACL 360 Bars are used in both the Beach Club and the nightclub surrounding the stage, in moving trusses and also work from the centerpiece chandelier.

“The effect from the ACL 360s really sticks out,” Mizrahi says. “We wanted a more unique look and they give us that.” Among the venue’s efforts to minimize the environmental footprint while saving on power and bulb changes is a reliance on all LED fixtures. “Because no xenon sources are used anywhere, we were able to build the entire AVLR system using only 600 circuits,” says Mizrahi. “If this was xenon it would have been more than triple that. Because the LED creates little to no heat, the fixtures longevity before failure increases tenfold. The brands were also selected as they are the most commonly specified brands for clubs and concerts. I have been working with most of these manufacturers as they deliver the best support along with the best products.” The Elation, ADJ and Acclaim lighting, as well as the Antari M-7 LED fog machines used in the venue, were supplied by Pacific Technical Products Pte Ltd (PTP) through their local supplier Maxitech.

Cove Night Club Equipment List 34 x Elation Cuepix Blinder WW2 28 x Elation ACL 360 Bar 24 x ADJ Pocket Z4 Wash Zoom 72 x ADJ Pocket Spot 130 x ADJ Flash Kling Batten 8 x ADJ Crazy 8 8 x ADJ Asteroid 1200 12 x ADJ Illusion Dotz 3.3 16 x Antari M-7

Cove Beach Club Equipment List 16 x Elation Cuepix Blinder WW2 10 x Elation SixBar 1000 8 x Elation ELED Fresnel II 48 x ADJ Pocket Z4 Wash Zoom 4 x Antari M-7

INSTALLATION

AUSTRALIA

Australian Communications Provider Telstra, Systems Integrator AVT Share Honours

AMX Helps Deakin Univ. Simulate Stock Exchange

Deakin University’s Business School in Melbourne, with a view to providing its business students with real-world insight into the workings of a live stock exchange environment, partnered with Australian communications provider Telstra to create a simulated trading room complete with tickers, displays and a large video wall providing real-time finance updates. One of the most reputed seats of higher education and research in Australia, Deakin University has been among the top ranking institutions Down Under. Spreading its knowledge dissemination mission rapidly across the region, and winning numerous awards for excellence in diverse academic activities, the university is always one the most preferred institutions in the region due to its highly specialized and focused offerings. On is latest pursuit, the University’s Business School Admin worked with HARMAN Professional Solutions distributor AVT and Telstra to design a state-of-the-art AV control system that could handle the demands of a modern stock exchange trading floor. Telstra recommended AMX AV control systems for their user-friendly operation, innovative automation and reliable signal distribution. “The Telstra Trading Room has received a lot of positive attention since opening” said Lorri Cahill, Deputy General Manager of Business © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

and Law, Deakin University. “Supported by a sophisticated AMX AV system, the Telstra Trading Room is an innovative teaching space that helps our students learn real-world financial principles and concepts.” The main video wall in the Telstra Trading Room consists of eight 55-inch LCD panels that can function independently or be combined to display a large number of input options. Two AMX Enova DGX 100 Series media switchers automatically distribute optimally scaled images to each of the displays that make up the trading wall, as well as other displays in the room. Four HD PTZ ceiling-mounted cameras are also connected to the Enova DGX switchers, enabling HD video conferencing with other facilities. The award-winning Enova DGX switchers incorporate all of the features the university needs to control and automate a high-tech environment such as a stock exchange.

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“The Telstra Trading Room contains everything you’d expect to find in a working stock exchange-” - Mike David, Project Manager, Deakin University.

“The Telstra Trading Room contains everything you’d expect to find in a working stock exchange”, says Mike David, Project Manager, Deakin University. “The AMX system provides the kind of advanced networking and automation required to manage the large number of AV signals and destinations.”

The AMX NI-4100 control system provides simplified operation of the complex AV system via two AMX Modero X-Series touch panels and two AMX eight-button keypads. The 20-inch Modero touch panels give users the space to perform multiple tasks simultaneously—

from selecting video signals for individual or combined sections of the video wall, to controlling the pan and zoom of the HD PTZ cameras. The AMX keypads allow users to select real-time content for four additional 42-inch LCD panels.

“The Telstra Trading Room is Deakin Business School’s crown jewel,” said Victor Fang, Associate Professor, Deakin University. “With the help of the high-end AMX system designed by Telstra, the revolutionary space is now a major factor in attracting prospective students to our school. Many of Australia’s top universities have visited the Telstra Trading Room and are preparing to build similar facilities of their own.” “HARMAN Professional Solutions is privileged to help Deakin University create a world-class educational experience,” said Ramesh Jayaraman, VP & GM, HARMAN Professional Solutions, APAC. “AMX control systems are wellknown for their proven reliability and user-friendly operation. We thank avt and Telstra for providing Deakin University with superior technical knowledge and dedicated customer service during the installation.” www.harman.com © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

INSTALLATION

SOUTH KOREA

SPL Integrated Solutions Supplies and Installs Yamaha Audio System

Walkerhill Hotel & Resort Sounds New Experience

Grand Walkerhill Vista

Sitting on the slopes of Achasan Mountain and overlooking the Hangang River, the Walkerhill Hotel & Resort boasts one of the best views of South Korea’s capital, Seoul. The management of the hotel and its trio of high-end venues recently returned to its owners, SK Networks, which has made a significant investment in upgrading all three, including the installation of Yamaha audio equipment. Walkerhill Hotel & Resort manages two hotels - Grand Walkerhill Seoul and Vista Walkerhill Seoul - along with Aston House, a luxurious Jacobean style mansion, which has hosted many state banquets and has been regularly used for product launches and parties for global luxury brands. After a period being run by different franchises, SK Networks has chosen to return all three to independent status, with improved facilities. The investment has included new conference facilities at Grand Walkerhill Seoul and new audio systems at Aston House and Vista Walkerhill Seoul. The latter’s refurbishment has been designed to achieve - in the words of SK Networks - ‘a space where people, nature and the future coexist; creating a lifestyle and cultural experience with an emphasis on providing sustainable luxury’. SPL Integrated Solutions, Korea, was entrusted with the supply and installation of new AV equipment under the guidance of owner Hwang Jun Ho. He chose Yamaha equipment as a key element of all three venues. “I was familiar with the existing audio systems at the hotel,” he says. “When I was asked to recommend solutions for the upgrades, I suggested Yamaha equipment because I have used and trusted it for many years.”

(L)Hwang Ho Jun, Walkerhill sound manager and Hwang Jun Ho Owner, SPL Integrated Solutions.

He continues, “It was really important for the quality of the sound to match the sophisticated atmosphere being created at the Vista Walkerhill Seoul and Aston House. In addition, the new conference facility in the Grand Walkerhill Seoul’s ballroom needed a sophisticated audio system, because it can be used as one large space or subdivided into up to six separate rooms. This required the audio system to be extremely versatile and able to be configured accordingly.” After demonstrating Yamaha solutions to the hotel’s management and receiving an enthusiastic response - Hwang Jun Ho and his team installed Yamaha ceiling speakers in the public spaces of the Vista Walkerhill Seoul, which blend in tastefully with the contemporary décor. The background music is supplied by a computer-based playback system with sound distributed to the lobby, bar area and VIP lounge, via one the complex’s many Yamaha digital mixers.

INSTALLATION

Yamaha ceiling speakers adorn the public spaces at Vista Walkerhill

A similar system in Aston House delivers high quality background music via Yamaha ceiling speakers, with a digital mixer allowing extra inputs for presentations and entertainment. A more comprehensive system is installed at the Grand Walkerhill Seoul’s new conference facility, based on a comprehensive Dante audio network and managed by a Yamaha matrix processor, with Yamaha input/output units, amplifiers and further digital mixers. The system is controlled and monitored discreetly from a hidden control room, which ensures that the audio matches the configuration of the space at all times. “From a guest and hotel operator’s point of view, the AV facilities

should be as high quality and as easy to control as possible,” says Hwang Jun Ho. “It’s my job to design systems which guarantee the experience expected from such a prominent hotel. The variety and flexibility of the Yamaha product range means that there is always a way to achieve this and I’m very happy to say that SK Networks has been very impressed with the solutions that we have supplied.” Yamaha equipment at Walkerhill Hotel & Resort: Grand Walkerhill Seoul Hotel • QL5 digital mixer • MTX3 matrix processor • Rio3224-D I/O units • Rio8 output units • XMV series power amplifiers Vista Walkerhill Seoul Hotel VXC series ceiling loudspeakers QL series digital mixer

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Aston House TF3 digital mixer MTX3 matrix processor VXC6W ceiling loudspeakers

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INSTALLATION

CHINA

Nanjing Newway Company Weaves in a Tech Solution for Jiangsu Provincial Bureau

ClearOne’s ‘Collaboration’ of Commodity Price Divisions

Situated in the eastern part of China on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Jiangsu Provincial Bureau of Commodity Price is responsible for price supervision and law enforcement throughout the province. The Bureau was in need of a communications solution that would enable real-time collaboration and data sharing during consultations and meetings with the 103 bureau divisions that are located in cities and districts across the 1,000 square-mile Province. It also required a highly secure, scalable solution capable of providing the highest levels of audio and visual communications without a large investment in hardware.

Following close liaison with the Bureau, Newway built a cloud-based video collaboration platform which can accommodate all the remotely located Bureau divisions. Participants to crucial consultations and meetings concerning pricing across Jiangsu Province can quickly and easily join a single meeting via their PC or smartphone.

Technology integration firm Nanjing Newway Company carried out an evaluation of the Bureau’s AV requirements and demonstrated the features and functionality of the ClearOne COLLABORATE Pro 300, which brings ClearOne’s Spontania cloud video collaboration and traditional SIP/H.323 video conferencing into a single appliance. Easy to deploy and use, the COLLABORATE Pro 300 is an extremely robust and cost-effective visual collaboration solution for this type of application.

The deployment of Spontania has allowed the Bureau to make significant savings around travel expenses, as participants are now able to attend consultations regardless of their location. The Bureau has also been able to reduce its capital expenditure by avoiding additional investment in video conferencing hardware. Additionally, the cloud-based video collaboration platform operates within ClearOne’s highly-secure private cloud, eliminating the need for the Bureau to invest in its own potentially costly private network.

According to Newway’s April Zhang, “The project involved more than 100 conferencing locations, making a traditional MCU approach very expensive and difficult to deploy. The Spontania cloud solution was ideal for the project because it is easy to install and it operates in the cloud — eliminating the need for dedicated lines. What’s more, the Spontania cloud supports the 4G network installed inside the Jiangsu Bureau of Price. Our client is very happy with the end result and the better business outcomes the solution is generating.”

The ClearOne AV collaboration solution has been so successful that remote video collaboration has become the new ‘norm’ of the Bureau’s working day.

The Bureau chose to deploy ClearOne’s Spontania Classroom solution, securely hosted in ClearOne’s private cloud, supporting up to 100 licensed participants, with the option to increase licenses as necessary. Spontania Classroom enables participants to view up to four independent video streams and enables file sharing and realtime interactive annotation of documents. To ensure rich, full-duplex high-quality audio, the Bureau also deployed ClearOne’s COLLABORATE speakerphones.

Security of communication during consultations and meetings was essential to ensure that the Bureau’s strict confidentiality regulations were met, thus the platform is hosted in the highly-secure ClearOne private cloud which provides the highest level of redundancy.

According to David Wang, ClearOne Associate Vice President for Sales APAC, the Bureau of Price installation is one of many in China. “Chinese customers are looking for innovative solutions that enhance communications among their teams and improve operational efficiency. They demand solutions that are high performance, cost effective, and extremely reliable — and ClearOne meets all three of these demands. ClearOne has been the pioneer in cloud based collaboration and AV over IP technologies. Its leading technologies fill the requirement gap that traditional video conferencing solutions fail to meet. We offer a one stop solution that meets all of the collaboration needs of our customers. Thanks to our extensive channel network support, customers get the best combination of performance and service support. We are very optimistic about our prospects for growth in China and throughout Asia.” www.clearone.com

CHINA

INSTALLATION

ETC Fixtures Create Perfect Setting for Beverage Giant’s Largest Outlet in the World

Starbucks Shanghai Shines in New Lighting Glitters

Starbucks opened their new Shanghai flagship in December 2017. Situated in the center of one of the busiest cities in China, the Shanghai shop is not only the second Starbucks Reserve Roastery in the world but also the world’s largest Starbucks. The two-storey Roastery is 30,000 square feet, nearly doubling the size of the Roastery in Seattle. This is no ordinary coffee shop but a store designed to bring exclusive experience to coffee lovers in China. The store features three coffee experience bars where the main attraction being the longest of the three, an 88 feet long, handcrafted wooden bar. ETC Source Four Mini fixtures create a stage like environment at the bars. These mini fixtures that give strong lighting

punch are the perfect choice to light the performances of hundreds of professional baristas, handcrafting and brewing coffees with different methods for their customers who can closely observe and appreciate the process. ETC Source Four LED Series 2 fixtures are used to light one of the store most stunning features, a two-story copper roasting cask. Artistically incorporating the Chinese element to the modern design of the shop, the cask is decorated with over 1,000 traditional Chinese seals. ETC Source Four Tungsten HD fixtures give out warm light that mimic performance of tungsten fixtures. They light up the stairs that lead visitors to the bakery located at the second floor of the store. Working together with Desire D60 fixtures, the two ETC LED fixtures produce customized light for the visitors to enjoy the freshly baked pastries. The lighting system of the store is completed with Unison Moasaic and Paradigm architectural systems. Photos credit: Starbucks China

Source Four mini trio

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INDIA

First Sound & Light Show in India with Multi-lingual Wireless Headphones

Grandeur of Konark Sun Temple Comes Alive By Ram Bhavanashi

Konark! While merely taking the name itself is enough for most literate Indians to connect to the grand 13th century sun temple, for the discerning history and architecture lovers, it virtually transcends into an absolute wonderment and ecstatic admiration at the temple building genius of Medieval India. One of the finest examples of bygone temple grandeur in Asia, the ‘monumental’ temple is a fascinating story of different kind altogether. With a view to reliving all that for the ‘edutainment’ of visiting young Indian tourist generations as well as those from foreign lands, Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) commissioned a very ambitious initiative of sound and light show at the temple. SIA presents an exclusive of what is taken to be a first of its kind install in India. Read on:

PROJECT FACTFILE Project Name: Konark Sun Temple Project Location: Konark, (near Puri), Odisha Project Owner: Indian Tourism Development Corporation, (ITDC) Project Segment: Tourism/Leisure & Infotainment Project Design Consultant: Tricolor India Schauspiel Systems Integrator: Tricolor India Schauspiel Project Commencement: December 2016 Project Commissioned: August 2017 Project (AV) Cost: Approx ₹ 4 crore (approx. US$ 584 million) Project Requirement(s): High brightness and high resolution images; Voiceover; Reliable 24/7 operations Project Highlights: 3D Projection mapping augmented by trilingaul audio voiceover Key Brands in the Project: beyerdynamic, Christie, Dataton, PR Lighting Project Summary: The splendour of Konark Sun Temple rendered lively and enthralling by means of light and sound show. Commissioned by ITDC, and executed by Tricolor India it is a 35-minute journey through the glory and grandeur that the temple lived. © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

Located at about 35 kilometres northeast off spiritual city of Puri – on the coastline of India’s Eastern State Odisha – and about 60 km from the State capital Bhuvaneshwar, Konarka Sun Temple is one of the most majestic and outstanding monuments ever built in India. Constructed by King Narasimhadeva-I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty in 1255, the stone-carved monument is characterized by traditional Kalinga style architecture and is dedicated to the Hindu god Surya. The name Konârka is derived from the amalgamation of two Sanskrit words ‘kona’ (meaning angle) and Arka (meaning Sun). It is believed to be the site of Arka-kshetra (tract of Sun) – one of the five great religious tracts in the State – and at a particular angle with other Sun

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temples in the Sub-continent, hence the name. The temple structure resembles a giant, richly ornamental chariot, sizing up 61 meters in height, with 12 pairs of exquisitely carved stone wheels – each with 3.7-meter diameter and 8 wide spokes alternated by 8 thin spokes – and is pulled by a set of seven horses. The iconography of the architecture is a great deal of science with astonishing symbolism. While a major part of the structure had been in ruins, and partially restored through painstaking conservation efforts from British India-era archaeological teams it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. Today, even as the conservation/restoration work still continues on parts of the temple, it remains a major pilgrimage/tourist site for Hindus, and visitors from outside India. With a view to educating pilgrims and tourists on the temple’s glorious history and religious significance, ITDC – a Government of India concern working under the aegis of

Ministry of Tourism – commissioned a sound and light show. Delhi-based AVSI Tricolor India Schauspiel – Indian FDI venture of UK-headquartered projection mapping major Projection Studio – landed the prestigious project of creating the grand spectacle, through an open tender by the ITDC. “Konark Temple is an architectural marvel. It depicts human life and forms with very artistic engravings but thoroughly scientific approach,” says, Himanshu Sabharwal, Creative Director at Tricolor India. “We are immensely proud to be given this opportunity to illuminate a structure of this significance and create a show about it based on an exciting creative.”

works include the multimedia display at Dhauli Shanti Stupa in Bhubaneshwar, the ‘Dharti Aaba’ light and sound show in Jharkhand, and more recently, the mesmerizing showcase at Jang-e-Azadi Memorial in Kartarpur. For this particular project, it roped in Christie projection systems, its longtime principal, along with beyerdynamic for audio, Dataton WatchOut Media Servers for processing AV feeds, and PR Lighting for lighting. Interestingly, the Sun Temple project is India’s first light and sound show where headphones are used. The integrator was asked by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) – the monitoring authority of the monument – to use headphones instead of speakers for the narrative since the sound of loudspeakers might have an adverse effect on the shrine.

The AVSI comes with a proven track record for delivering spectacular largescale son et lumière across India. Some of its © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

INSTALLATION ancestors were responsible for the temple’s construction. Known as Patta Chitra, it is a Sanskrit term for traditional, cloth-based scroll painting that originated from Odisha. “I tracked down these artists to a village and gave them a crash course on how to create art for mapping the temple,”Sabharwal recounts the painstaking effort. “They were familiar with the history; it helped a lot and the use of Patta Chitra for storytelling became a huge success.”

Setting Up the Show Given the practically monumental scale and Heritage nature of the structure, the task of creating a sound and light show on it presented a set of huge challenges. The most potential of all stood in the form of temple’s Front Facade (Jagmohan) and Dancing Hall (Natya Mandir) which measured 60 metres and 20 metres respectively in height, and required a high-performance projection system to fill such a large projection canvas. “Since this is a UNESCO World Heritage site, we were not allowed to install the projectors within the compound of the temple,” Sabharwal recounts yet another challenge. “So, we had to move out almost to the shopping area outside the entrance. That rendered the already long distance still farther, to almost 120 meters from the projection surface.” Another equally potential challenge was the issue of angled projection. That the projection systems had to be moved out of the temple complex, again in compliance with the guidelines of ASI, they could not a space that could allow a straight forward projection. The space they got was angular with a potential risk for parallax effect.

eventually nailed down the ‘sweet spot’ for outdoor deployment of the projectors. “We had to position and calibrate them in such a way that they did not create the parallax effect,” recalls Sabharwal. More, keeping in mind the inclement weather conditions on-site, the integrator created customdesigned ‘warrior’ enclosures to house the projectors where humidity and temperature can be remotely controlled. The integrator roped in six Christie Roadster S+20K 3DLP projectors and two HD10K-M 3DLP projectors.

Content Impressive With a view to making the show unique and different from earlier projects, the Tricolor Creative Director embraced a very interesting indigenous art form from artists whose

Keeping in tune with the ASI guideline on audio compliance, Tricolor roped in beyerdynamic headphones with multi-lingual audio transfer capability. That the seating capacity for each show is 250, an even number of beyerdynamic DTX 910 Synexis stereo headphone systems were brought into deployment. Himanshu explains the exercise: “since audio equipment could not be installed within the temple precincts, and keeping in mind the visual sanctity of the heritage monument, we developed a stereo solution beamed to the headphones of visitors. It synchronised well with the visuals as the audio is personalised. Users can select from three available languages.” According to him, Tricolor possessed the in-house expertise to devise such required solutions, so it wasn’t a big challenge, per se. The English version was narrated by Bollywood actor Kabir Bedi, while famed

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presented, the contrast ratios that Christie systems performed with was particularly pleasing.” According to him, though used for the first time in sound and light show, beyerdynamic headphones were just great. The units gave the intended audio experience, in the desired fashion, making a comfortable sync.

television actor Harish Bhimani and Ollywood (Odishi cinema) veteran Bijay Mohanty lent their voices for the Hindi and Odia versions respectively.

The Showtime Spectacle The show was expectedly a grand spectacle, appreciated by everyone, including the State and Central government officials. The endorsement admittedly gave a sense of relief and achievement to Tricolor team that toiled for four months to bring this ambitious initiative to fruition. Featuring a Xenon illumination system, HD resolution and 10-bit image processing, the Roadster S+20K delivers big, bright, edgeblended images from the smallest form factor available at greater than 20,000 ANSI lumens. The high-performance HD10K-M has an output of 10,000 ANSI lumens and comes with embedded warping, blending and colour matching, along with built-in portrait capabilities for greater installation flexibility. Working in tandem with Christie systems are Dataton WatchOut Media Servers, beyerdynamic DTX 910 headphones, and Century Color LED fixtures from Chinese lighting major PR Lighting. Says Sabharwal: “Christie projectors blended seamlessly in colour matching and brightness to improve the overall experience of the show; given the irregular texture that the projection surface

Kudos to team Tricolor India for visualising and executing this world class facility. If not for the creative thinking of Himanshu, we would not have had this unique opportunity to showcase our product range for this unique application,” says Naveen Sridhar, Director, Sales & Marketing-SAARC, beyerdynamic. “This project also helped us to understand the capabilities of the solution in real time; the idea of developing customised audio solution and syncing it so well with the video is simply brilliant,” he said. “We hope this project sets an exciting example of how audio-visual technology can transform historically and culturally important places into inspiring models of edutainment. We wish Himanshu and his extremely talented team brings to life all such historical places in India in that pursuit.” “We’re thrilled that Himanshu and team accomplished yet another amazing feat with the spectacular light and sound show at Konark using our projectors,” said Michael Bosworth, Executive Director, Head of Enterprise, Christie Asia Pacific. “Kudos to the team for their ingenuity in overcoming the challenges faced on-site, and the excellent use of Patta Chitra in producing a highly engaging visual experience for the audience.” “Through this installation, we believe we have matured even more in handling heritage sites, and use of technology,” sums up the Tricolor Creative Director. It made us realise that adding local flavour to the content can ignite a light of hope in the future for dying art forms like these.”

www.tricolorindia.com www.beyerdynamic.com www.christiedigital.com www.dataton.com www.pr-lighting.com

INSTALLATION

HONG KONG

BrightSign Series 3 Players Power Hong Kong Furniture Retailer’s Ticketing Machines

Customer Service Competence Redefined Digitally In what is taken to be first of its kind installation in ProAV-powered retail industry, British digital signage solutions major BrightSign, LLC has delivered a distinct solution at a global furniture retailer outlet in Hong Kong. BrightSign’s Chinese partner South China House of Technology (SCHOT) took the honours of the install wherein as many as 60 integrated customer service and digital signage screens have been installed at the store in Tsuen Wan, N.T. in Hong Kong. A snapshot: Customers at the furniture retailer draw numbered tickets for access to customer service agents – but until now have had to wait nearby until an agent was ready to see them. The retailer sought to improve customer service by displaying the next customer service number on screens around the relevant department, and reinforcing this with voice announcements in store, so that shoppers could continue to browse whilst waiting to be seen – improving convenience and hopefully increasing sales. Delivering this concept involved integrating the ticket printers with the store’s backend server and the sound system and to integrate the customer service announcements with digital signage playback on screens around the store. The global furniture retailer chose SCHOT to deliver a solution. This was the first time the audio-visual solutions company SCHOT had integrated digital signage with a ticketing system of this type. The solution SCHOT developed centered on BrightSign players, due to their quality and reliability as well as the flexibility and I/O to support the many physical interconnections required by this system. Customers request a ticket from a 10” AVNU PF10H1B-CT all-in-one, multi-touch screen, which is attached to a ticket printer providing a paper service ticket. The screen has an embedded BrightSign Built-In DSM (digital signage module), which replays the store’s marketing messages when the screens are not being used to issue tickets. The ticket request is routed to the customer service support queue. When the next agent is available, the customer’s number is displayed on all of the 46 32” - 50” digital signage screens located around the store – each one driven by a BrightSign HD223 player. At the same time a voice announcement is played over the audio channel. The normal digital signage content is interrupted during this announcement, and resumes once the announcement has been made. The project development and integration was well within the capabilities of the SCHOT team but the amount of hardware connectivity did require careful thought and planning. They appreciated the flexibility of the BrightSign © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

player design to allow them to support all of the physical devices that needed to be connected. These included the sound system, the backend server/computer, as well as the ticket printers themselves. There are multiple outputs in the completed system, hence, there are a notable number of access and error points. An important consideration was giving playback priority for voice announcements over passive video playback. The software system that SCHOT created in the player resumes video and audio playback from the exact point at which the interruption took place. BrightSign WiFi/Bluetooth enables the connectivity, which controls the system flow. A visitor presses for a queue number/ticket on the ANVU in-store kiosk which uses BrightSign Built-In with WiFi to run the request through a router which converses with the server to generate the next number, tell the printer to issue a ticket and relay the new calling number to Customer Service backend system for internal staff to view. When an agent becomes available, they press a button on this system (which sits on the same network) and a message is delivered to the large format display, which updates and announces the new number. The entire queuing system does not require a USB to upload or distribute content, everything can be done from the backend system via a network connection. However, the user may choose to use USB instead, as a secondary option for loading new content onto each BrightSign player. BrightSign players are also used for food menus in the retailer’s restaurant and to power marketing content, which is created by their head office team and updated via BrightAuthor. The installation was very successful, and has been implemented in the cookware, household products and furniture departments as well as at the cashiers’ desks and the ordering area. Stanley Kwok of SCHOT, commented “the global furniture retailer wanted to offer its customers maximum convenience and ease through this initiative and BrightSign’s media players were the obvious choice. They connected easily to all the required hardware and offered the features necessary to accomplish the goal – allowing customers to continue shopping whilst awaiting the next available agent and promoting offers in-store.” www.brightsign.biz

SINGAPORE

INSTALLATION

Grammy-nominated Recording Engineer Jerry Chua Instrumental in Decision

Riverlife Church Perfects Sanctuary Sound with GEO M10

Riverlife Church in Singapore has grown from its seed congregation of less than 200 in 1991 to the 3,000+ gatherings of today. However, it is the presence of audio consultant and local resident, the Grammynominated recording engineer and percussionist Jerry Chua, that has inspired Riverlife to take the production technology in its Sanctuary to the very highest level. Following the installation of a Yamaha PM10 digital console, Riverlife has now added NEXO’s new GEO M10 mid-size line array, giving Jerry his dream FOH system with a stereo mix to replace the distributed system that was there before. Jerry Chua is instrumental in the choice and implementation of the AV systems at the church where live music plays a central role. After attending an outdoor event at Republic Polytechnic, where the GEO M10 made its first Asian debut, he asked Yamaha Music Singapore to set up a demo at Riverlife.

“Nothing came close the to the GEO M10 in terms of power, coverage and indeed price:performance. The M10s are punchy, yet provide this altogether sweeter tone,” was Jerry’s appraisal after hearing demonstrations by NEXO and several other manufacturers. Selection of the M10 was unanimous, and local systems integrators A-Tech installed the system according to simulations made with NEXO’s NS-1 modelling software. The L-R hangs each carry 8x M10 modules, the last of which is a downfill version to provide coverage for the seats closest to the stage. Four LS18 subs are fitted in a central hang, and a pair of ID24 pointsource cabinets provide front fill. The system is powered by just two amplifiers, a NEXO NXAMP4x4 and a NXAMP4xa, which are managed over a Dante network. The system has now been running for a couple of months, and the verdicts are in. Church leaders are happy, the congregation is full of complements and the musicians are delighted with the extra bass response, which has allowed them to turn down their in-ear monitors. With the quality of the NEXO line array’s sonic performance, the system can be run at a lower SPL, which is a good practice for a church in a residential neighbourhood. www.riverlife.org.sg www.sg.yamaha.com

INSTALLATION

SOUTH KOREA

Solutions Provide Integrated Control of all Floors at Once

Symetrix DSPs Manage AV in Supertall Lotte World Tower

At 123 stories and 554.5 meters (1,819 feet) high, the Lotte World Tower is the tallest building in South Korea and the fifth tallest in the world. Serving more functions than most tall buildings, it houses retail spaces; offices; a seven-star, 260-room luxury hotel; small residential apartments, and ten floors for public use. Perched on the top seven floors, Seoul Sky is the biggest public attraction in this sleek, tapered tower of wonders. From the entry on the 117th floor, one advances to the 118th floor sky deck, with a floor whose transparency can be remotely changed from opaque to clear. The Sky Friendly Cafe and Photozone dominate the 119th floor, while the outdoor Sky Terrace on the 120th floor provides yet more fabulous views, weather permitting. The 121st and 122nd floors offer the world’s third highest observatory. You can enjoy the Seoul Sky Cafe on the 122nd floor and imbibe in the 123 Lounge, a premium lounge bar on the 123rd floor. Throughout its venues and media displays, Seoul Sky showcases advanced AV technology built around media servers and Symetrix Edge DSPs. A total of eight Symetrix Edge processors serve the supertall skyscraper. Lotte Data Communication Co., Ltd, designed and installed the AV systems for this prestigious new building, which opened in April 2017. Sound Solution Co., Ltd, was in charge of product provision and technical support. Both companies are based in Seoul. Far below Seoul Sky, in the second of the building’s six basements, lurks the main media control room, where separate media servers deliver to each of the exhibition spaces. Here, the eight Symetrix Edge DSPs, equipped with three Symetrix xOut 12 analogue output © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

expanders, connect and control the audio and video hardware of each media server and exhibition space. Single-mode fibre optic cable carries AV to the upper floors. For safety, the Aon fire protection system’s fire alarm and the emergency announcement system also link through the Symetrix network. A powerful DSP with a flexible I/O configuration, the Symetrix Edge supplies 128 (64x64) redundant Dante channels. Option cards support a variety of analog and digital I/O, as well as special-purpose interfaces. Built-in 10/100 and gigabit switches lower system cost and reduce or eliminate the need for peripheral switches, as well as increasing system reliability. Edge is programmed using Symetrix’ award-winning Composer open-architecture CAD software and works with multiple control options, including Symetrix ARC-series wall panels. An embedded web server provides status information and hosts the ARC-WEB browser based control interface for smartphones, tablets, and computers. “Symetrix DSPs are reliable audio transmission products, and we have had experience using them for many projects,” remarks Sound Solution president Lee Hong. “Symetrix DSPs integrate Dante extremely well, which made them an excellent choice for the Lotte World Tower system. From the basement to the Seoul Sky observatory, Symetrix Edge DSPS provide integrated control of all floors at once. The Dante network, managed with Symetrix DSPs, has convenience and speed, so it is the optimum choice for us.” www.symetrix.co

VOICE BOX

Man vs Machine: Will AI Put Humanity at Stake? Sharala Axryd, CEO, ASEAN Data Analytics Exchange, shares about the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence, issues of bias and ensuring the objectivity of AI. The vision of an all-knowing, omni-present intelligent being that forms the backbone of our everyday lives has been portrayed in movies that captivate the imagination of many. Today, that vision is not too far from reality, and we are seeing this at work through artificial intelligence (AI) – from AI-powered voice assistants like Alexa, to helping solve traffic issues, enabling the sequencing of DNA, tackling business problems and transforming industries such as tech, healthcare to logistics and fintech. Current AI technologies are estimated to have the potential to automate about 50 percent of work activities in ASEAN’s four biggest economies – Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, according to McKinsey1. Even as AI increasingly finds its way into our everyday lives, the transformative power of AI is underpinned by a deeper issue that threatens the very fabric of our society – the presence of bias within it.

Uncovering the roots of bias Much of AI’s capabilities as an intelligent, cognitive system rely on it being programmed and trained. At its core, AI operates on algorithms and data sets, the driving force of the digital economy in the 21st century. However, AI also unfortunately inherits and reflects the existing bias of its creators through the data it is given. For example, when used in recruitment, a biased AI could be trained to shortlist potential candidates based on selected profiles of high-performing employees, which may not be representative of the company’s workforce nor consider diversity and inclusion as a factor for hiring, and potentially skew the hiring demographic. The capabilities of AI are only as objective as the quality of the data inputs, as well as the assumptions around this data. When this data is not carefully selected, AI may not only validate the biases we hold, but further perpetuate them. Leaving this unaddressed could pose issues for society, given that AI has already found its way into sectors such as telecommunications, medical, legal and finance. For example, a biased AI system might deny a bank loan simply because the borrower is located in a poorer neighbourhood. The possible scenarios are endless, though the conclusion resoundingly clear – bias in AI needs to be swiftly addressed while AI is still at its teething stages, before it progresses too far to root out issues that lie at the conception. Part of the reason behind the existence of bias in AI points to the lack of diversity, particularly of gender, of the tech industry. Even more so for a highly specialized field like AI, and it has been found that just 18 percent of C-level executives in AI or machine learning companies are women2.

Can AI be truly objective? A key agent of change is to ensure that the data used to train AI is representative across various socio-economic factors including race, religion, sexuality, education, career background and financial status.

By Sharala Axryd

can together identify the lacking aspects of AI and provide the needed perspectives to weed out bias. Bringing in the alternative perspectives of women can boost creativity within the industry and cultivate gender diversity, and also prevent AI from becoming a skewed, gendered technology. AI presents an exciting new frontier for the human race, and could possibly be the defining technology that will change our world like never before. The healthcare industry has been a key driver for AI, with recent breakthroughs including the world’s first AI-powered stethoscope, a Malaysian invention that enables precise surveillance and detection of heart and lung diseases. However, as with any new technology, a cautious approach is needed in its design and implementation. While AI is designed to make our lives easier, our responsibilities and ethical obligations cannot be outsourced to machines. A global framework and increased governance of AI is essential to ensure that the very technology we are designing to help us does not do the contrary. It has been said that bias is an inherent human trait and impossible to eliminate, however the goal is not to eliminate bias, but reduce it to a negligible level. When we bring together the greatest minds in the industry and involve partners across industries, communities and people from all walks of life, efforts to use AI to make the world a better place, transcending race, religion, colour and gender, will deliver unparalleled outcomes for mankind. Sharala Axryd, CEO, ASEAN Data Analytics Exchange (ADAX) spoke at the ConnecTechAsia Summit on Conference Day 3, 28 June 2018 speaking on the panel ‘Man vs Machine – Who is the Biased One?’ This article was a prelude to Sharala’s participation at the Summit. 1. McKinsey Global Institute: Artificial Intelligence and Southeast Asia’s Future 2. TechEmergence: Women in AI

Additionally, it is essential to expand and diversify the talent pool of people working on the next generation of AI. These should include women, creatives, sociologists and various industries that © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

VOICE BOX

COB Technology Chipping In Finer Dimensions of Visual Comfort

New Competition: Pitching Fine in LED Display By Alvis Kwok

COB is an abbreviation for “chip-on board”, or “chip on the circuit board”. It is a new technology of LED packaging for LED light engine. Multiple LED chips are packaged together as one lighting module. When it lights up, it looks like a lighting panel. COB is an encapsulation technology in essence. Most of the traditional LED screens are packed as red, green and blue, one each in a light bead for the end manufacturer to produce a LED screen.

thousands of red, green, and blue LED crystals are encapsulated on an entire printed circuit board. With the latter integrated LED splice unit, it is obviously less difficult to use the COB technology than the traditional technology.

With the COB technology LED chips are directly encapsulated on the PCB (Printed Circuit Board). Together with carbon matte layer, COB LED Wall product offers unrivaled comfortable viewing experience and higher reliability. COB LED modules are arranged in high filling rate optical design to form a surface of light source and hence a more uniform image without glares. CPRS carbon matte coating increases image contrast to optimal level, delivers softer images, reduces light radiation, moiré and glare, yet it displays vibrant colour and image details in unprecedented clarity. It minimizes eye strain as a result of long time viewing in short distances.

1. High-quality supply can be achieved more easily.

Different from the conventional LED adopting surface mounted devices, COB LED has no stent which eliminates the process of electroplating, reflow solder-ing, mounting, and hence greatly improves the stability of LED performance. It has enhanced circuit, optical and thermal design, thus, the dead pixel rate found in a COB LED display unit is much lower than that in a conventional LED display. Exceeding the limits of conventional LED panel technology, the COB LED has smooth panel surface which is wear-resistant, anti-collision, easy to clean, water resistant, dustproof, anti-static providing front ingress protection up to IP54. This is uplifting the standard of narrow pixel pitch indoor LED video walls for the applications of control rooms, broadcast studios, conference rooms and auditoriums. With the crop up of COB technology, the industry market pattern has been changing. In the COB era, hundreds, thousands or even tens of © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

With the lower integration process requirements of end product, this means that in the end market of Fine Pitch LED display industry:

2. The competition of manufacturers is further dependent on customer market expansion rather than product technical differences. These two changes will enable the Fine Pitch LED display industry to further lead the role in sales and system solution service. All in all, COB technology has begun a big foray into the second shot in some exhibitions in 2018, after that of Samsung in the American CES, Sony and some giant Chinese Manufacturers came into ISE 2018. The wave of COB technology tends to engulf the entire Fine Pitch LED display industry. In this regard, it is believed that prior to 2018, the brands with the COB technology product line are in the minority, whereas the brand without the COB technology product line will be lagging behind after 2018.

COB Technology is becoming the mainstream COB Fine Pitch LED display products has its earliest access in application in 2016. In the past year, high-end display manufacturers have used the unique technique of COB’s display advantage in Fine Pitch LED display in the ultra-high-end market. This includes the production of television and broadcast applications, high-end dispatching command center, high-end conference room in the military sector etc.

VOICE BOX In 2017, COB display technology has been widely recognized by the market. A large number of major LED Display players have joined the market. This year, many new LED display industry players have also launched COB LED products. With the participation from many manufacturers in China who have become the pioneer in the world’s Fine Pitch LED display, demonstrating their COB technology application are now marching steadily from conventional SMT technology to COB technology. Industry insiders estimate that COB Fine Pitch LED display products in the China domestic market will be a “double digit” increase in market share in 2018. COB technology, from the forefront of innovation and exploration, to the step forward of the practical value of main products, will soon become a reality in 2018.

Impact from the upstream supply side The manufacturers in the Fine Pitch LED display market are in hindsight. The COB manufacturers will not only treat COB technology as a better display experience, they will also treat it as a differential product. At the same time, the COB manufacturers also treat COB technology as an opportunity to win time advantage of backwardness for their next generation of products. The traditional Fine Pitch LED display (SMT LED) enterprises are at a disadvantageous position in the surface mount display product. And for those enterprises who have advantages on Fine Pitch LED display products, they take a cautious attitude on launching the new COB technology. It is because they do not want their new products to bury their own advantages on the future potential of their industry chain. Therefore, two different innovation directions has emerged in the global market of Fine Pitch LED display from the year of 2015 to 2017. One direction is that many enterprises start with COB technology, as the next generation of technology, to strive and achieve for the market breakthrough. The other direction is that many traditional LED display enterprises, especially the enterprises with surface mount technology in Fine Pitch LED display, are aiming at breaking through 1.0mm or below “super fine pitch technology”, in order to boost up the limited performance of their own products. More and more enterprises, especially the traditional LED display manufacturers and the Major DLP, LCD Chinese display companies have entered the COB technology camp. This means that more confluence of the two innovation directions: that is, the industry has clearly realized that even if the surface mount Fine Pitch LED display can achieve 0.7 mm bezel width, the surface mount LED display has a huge production capacity and vested interests. However, all these are unable to prevent the Fine Pitch LED display industry eventually stepping into the era of COB technology. The support of more manufacturers in COB technology is definitely the signal of a new technology to be popularized. The industry believes that the market supply capacity of COB technology products will be greatly increased or even doubled in 2018. The COB Fine Pitch LED display is becoming the latest incremental value for the large screen projects.

COB technology leverages the Fine Pitch LED display industrial structure

manufacturers tended to achieve in the past, is now not the major criteria to be accessed by the buyers. ON the other hand, it is looking for some breakthrough in technology for the display performance instead of just talking about the fine-ness For example, the products of with P1.2 to P1.5 pixel pitch is now becoming a popular and general product. From the perspective of engineering practice, P1.2 - 1.5 pixel pitch is a product that has a greater demand in the indoor application. For its display application of “data display wall” (not for playing /viewing video), it also has a high market share. This is because for the huge indoor screen display, further refining in pixel pitch may not be very meaningful to human eyes, provided that there should be at least 5-10 meters viewing distance in most of the indoor application. Of course, higher resolution means higher costs and even the cost increases are in geometric progressions, which may not be ideal. This leads to the fact that in the large screen display, end user is not solely looking for fine pixel products but also the quality and performance of the Fine Pitch LED display. The products with P1.2-1.5 pixel pitch are best choice considering the user’s experience and economical reasons. In this respect, the traditional indoor largescreen display technology, such as DLP products, seldom show an “ultra-high resolution”*. In other words, the manufacturers intend to use COB technology on the higher level of application in order to capture market share rapidly. From the angle of market competition of LED wall display, the P1.2-P1.5 market has been developing rapidly in the past two years. The products have shown the trend of being “relatively cheaper, more mature and generalized”. COB packaging technology not only makes the visual effect of Fine Pitch LED display more comfortable to the human eyes but also greatly improves the problem of the quality of display graining, and improves the stability and reliability of the whole screen. Further development of COB technology in 2018, is not only the result of the technology advancement, it also means cutting the advantages and the efficiency of the original product line. The intensification in competition will lead to lessening the value of the conventional SMT products. With the super position of multiple advantageous factors, there is a more positive outlook for COB technology in 2018. This new technology will exemplify the display system in many industries and will be developing at its full strength with the advantages of production efficiency and projects demonstration with positive user experiences that will lead to higher market demand and recognition. * the max native resolution is still FHD though 1-2 suppliers are offering 4K cube in the market. About the Author Alvis Kwok, has expertise in the Information Technology and Audio Visual fields with more than 20 years experience. He has worked previously for video and display technology industry/companies for screen, projection, LED display etc and currently offers technologies advice to corporations.

Compared with the previous 2 or 3 years, the presence of the display products of 0.8 or even 0.7mm pixel pitch size, which many © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

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VOICE BOX

Christie: Visualizing Enriched Experiences

Shaping the Future of Entertainment

Entertainment has been, and is, a big industry globally. In fact, technologically speaking it’s been the earliest, and longest precedent to what the world today reckons as ProAV. With technology evolving in from and function from time to time, its capability to enrich the entertainment domain and weave in experiences of kind has only been expanding, redefining the industry dynamics. A perspective from visual solutions major Christie.

Christie, a leader in creating and delivering best visual and audio experiences, continues to shape the future of entertainment, leveraging its significant heritage in the business and as a technological frontrunner. With more than 100,000 installations around the world to date, Christie is able to capitalize on its 85 years of expertise in cinema to improve the customer experience in noncinema leisure and attractions industry, whilst harnessing advanced technologies to produce best-in-class solutions that wow and draw in the crowds from all parts of the globe. “Our strong technology leadership and noteworthy achievements in cinema over eight decades has resulted in real, quantifiable benefits to our partners and customers from the non-cinema realm, such as the entertainment industry,” said Bryan Boehme, Executive Director, Global Sales

& Business Development, Entertainment, Christie. “With this knowhow and deep understanding of the business, we are able to provide innovative visual solutions comprising both hardware and software to simplify the process of creation and allow designers of entertainment venues to focus on their creativity.” Staying true to its mission and vision statements, Christie remains firmly committed to providing high quality, innovative, shared experiences by leveraging technological capabilities to create best-inclass solutions, working very closely with partners from different regions to bring customers’ vision to reality. This explains why Christie continues to be the preferred visual solutions vendor among Asian and global clientele, said Boehme, who noted that the robust partnership between Christie and its partners has been instrumental in clinching major projects worldwide.

Some of the recent projects completed by Christie and its valued partners include the Liberty Science Center in the United States, where 10 Christie Boxer Series projectors are used to light up the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. In India, Christie’s RGB laser projection system powers the visuals of the newest dark ride at Wonderla Amusement Park Hyderabad. Over at the Hunan Museum in China, Christie 1DLP laser projectors are used to bring ancient history to life with mesmerizing visuals; while an array of Christie projection and image processing solutions are deployed at the magnificent Lotte World Tower Seoul Sky in South Korea to entertain visitors from all over the world. The Liberty Science Center (LSC) in Jersey City in New Jersey is the largest and highest resolution planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. Opened in December 2017, the

Visualising the enriched experience: (left) Liberty Science Center Planetarium in the USA; and (middle and right) Hunan Museum in China © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

VOICE BOX

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Wonderment with visual technology at Wonderla Amusement Park in Hyderabad

new, 400-seat Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium and Giant Dome Theater features a Digistar 6 True8K system from Evans & Sutherland (E&S) with 10 Christie Boxer Series projectors and a Spitz NanoSeam screen. The new projection technology package enables LSC to perpetuate the venue’s giant screen cinema exhibition capabilities while adding state-of-the-art planetarium functionality with access to everything in the Digistar toolbox. The new “Mission Interstellar” ride at Wonderla Amusement Park in Hyderabad, promises all the thrills and spills that sensation-seekers are looking for. Developed using immersive technology in collaboration with US and European theme park design

companies, it was officially opened in December 2017 amid much fanfare. The ride features a 3,500 sq ft parabolic screen and visuals are powered by the Christie D4KLH60 3DLP 4K RGB laser projector, which delivers astonishing images in ultra-sharp 4K resolution, completely immersing visitors in the experience. This attraction is the first in India to be equipped with Christie’s RGB laser projection system. The newly renovated Hunan Museum in China has brought ancient Han Dynasty history to life with spectacular projections using Christie visual solutions. Installed and commissioned by Christie’s valued partner Wincomn Technology, it features over 40 Christie 1DLP laser projectors comprising HS

Series and GS Series models to deliver bright and dynamic projections at various exhibition zones in the museum. The main highlight is China’s first tomb projection at the famous Mawangdui (or King Ma’s Mound) archaeological site that houses the tomb of Lady Dai (wife of the Marquis of Dai) dating back more than 2,000 years ago. Since its reopening in November 2017, the museum has been drawing thousands of visitors daily. Officially opened in April 2017, Lotte World Tower Seoul Sky is the fifth tallest building in the world. A number of exciting and innovative displays featuring Christie solutions are installed here for the enjoyment of customers and visitors to Seoul Sky. These include the Christie Boxer 4K30 3DLP and Christie GS Series 1DLP laser projectors for eye-catching projections on the observation decks. The Christie Pandoras Box dual and quad players, as well as AirScan are also used to drive the projection contents and execute interactivity functions respectively. www.christiedigital.com

(left) TechExperience at Wonderla in Hyderabad, India; (right) Lotte World tower in Seoul, Korea © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 17 ISSUE - 6 ~ Aug - Sept 2018

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Here are articles you might have missed from our web and eNewsletter coverage

MUSIC Tribe’s new manufacturing facility emphasises transparency. Located in Nanlang town in Zhangshan City, MUSIC Tribe City is the baby of the company’s founder, Uli Behringer. Having taken over three years of planning and construction, the sprawling 300,000sqm facility was created as a means to ensure product quality.

Mid-market private equity investor LDC has backed the management buyout (MBO) of Martin Audio, the designer and manufacturer of premium high-performance loudspeaker systems, from global audio specialist Loud Audio. As part of the deal, LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group, has invested £12m for a significant stake in the company, alongside its current management team led by Managing Director Dom Harter.

The Chengdu InfoComm China inaugural Chengdu edition will showcase impressive 3D projections, interactive digital signage solutions, smart command and control systems amongst others from 5 – 7 September 2018. A range of conferences touching on AI, Smart City and transportation, Smart digital applications and even Smart Hotel operations will be discussed.

The Global Presence Alliance (GPA), has announced 9 recipients of its 2018 Global Vendor Excellence Awards. These awards are presented to the leading Audio, Video, and UC manufacturers and vendors as recognized through a formal member voting process evaluating more than 40 technology companies worldwide. Results are based upon evaluations of programs, support, solutions and capacity to provide these consistently as a part of a global enterprise program for the GPA and its customers.

Stampede, a global leader in value added ProAV distribution, has been acquired by the technology division of DCC plc, a £14.3 billion revenue, London Stock Exchange listed (LSE) international sales, marketing and support services group that employs 11,000 people in four divisions operating in 17 countries.

Sony has announced the partnership between its Professional BRAVIA unit and enterprise IP video solution provider Exterity in Asia Pacific. The latest collaboration aims at revolutionizing the way enterprises connect through professional display solutions, pushing the boundaries of digital signage to discover innovative environments.

Kramer Electronics Ltd. has announced the opening of a new sales and support office in Bangkok as of July 19th, 2018. Understanding the great importance of this territory, establishing the Bangkok office is the latest addition to Kramer’s Southeast Asia expansion. The new Bangkok office complements Kramer’s presence in Taiwan and the Philippines and regional headquarters in Singapore. The new location will offer services ranging from preand post-sales support, system design, and training.

ISE will move to its new home in Barcelona in 2021. One main reason for the move is due to the phenomenal growth of the exhibition in Amsterdam where space is no longer available with a waiting list of interested exhibitors and those who want to expand their booth size. We share our thoughts with you about this move.

Replace Downtime with Showtime The lights are dimmed, the AC set to the perfect temperature, and the projector is powered on. All you need to do is walk into the room and start presenting.

Welcome to effortless room automation with Kramer Maestro. Available in both hardware and software solutions.

AV BEYOND THE BOX

For your local Kramer office: Tel Tel +65 6274 4474 I kap@kramerasia.com