SIA JUN-JUL 2019 by Spinworkz Pte Ltd

S Y S T E M S

Vol. 18 Issue 5 Jun - Jul 2019

I N T E G R A T I O N

[COVER]

MCI (P) 034/04/2019 PPS 1669/08/2013(022992)

STORY

A S I A

5G Opens the Door to New AV Opportunities and Interaction

Systems Integration Asia Vol. 18 Issue 5 ~ June-July 2019

EXCLUSIVE: XTEN-AV: The New Age Technology Platform for AV

Feature: The Anatomy of the Modern Loudspeaker

Exhibition Review: InfoComm Southeast Asia

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

CONTENTS Vol. 18 Issue 5 ~ June - July 2019

Qatar National Library An AV Epic of its Own Kind

FIRST WORDS

NEWS

DIGIBIRD ADVERTORIAL

QATAR: Qatar National Library - An AV Epic of its Own Kind

MYANMAR: Novotel Yangon Max Delivers World-Class Conference Experiences with HARMAN Professional Solutions

AUSTRALIA: Operational Simplicity for Multi-use Facilities at William Inglis & Son's Riverside Stables Complex

5G Opens the Door to New AV Opportunities and Interaction

INDIA: Playboy Beer Garden Sports New Aural Experience

FEATURE

VIETNAM: S.AV Delivers Mesmerizing Visuals at Long Vi Palace

UAE: Cyviz-powered Master Control Room Plays Key Role at the 2019 Special Olympics World Games

TAIWAN: New Chapels of Chiayi Nanmen Presbyterian Church Feature MIPRO Wireless Systems

AUSTRALIA: St Hilda's Anglican School 900-Seat Theatre Gains Clarity with GEO S12 Line Array

DUBAI: Powersoft Upgrade for Rixos Dubai

VOICE BOX

Paul Harris, CEO of Aurora: Think Outside the Box to Make a Difference in Industrial

COVER FEATURE

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

56 SONY ADVERTORIAL

The Anatomy of the Modern Loudspeaker Ideal High Capacity Solution â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Optical Disc Archive

TECH FEATURE

SHOW PREVIEW

Beijing InfoComm China 2019 Brings The Future Closer

AV in the Cloud: Crestron on Revolutionizing the Industry with Cloud Capabilities

AV in the Cloud: XTEN-AV: The New Age Technology Platform for AV

TECH TALK

SHOW REVIEW

INSTALLATIONS

Simplify Your Complex Control Room with UniStation

Promising Start to InfoComm SEA Increasing Workplace Privacy While Reducing Noise

ON OUR WEB

FIRST WORDS

The inaugural InfoComm Southeast Asia exhibition held from 15 to 17 May 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand, exceeded all expectations. A final count of 7,743 visitors that included both regional and local visitors thronged the exhibition hall that featured 152 exhibitors. The Summit programme comprising 9 industry conferences, 3 technology conferences and 31 technical seminars and AVIXA flashtrack sessions saw attended by 1,777 delegates. Some of the lucky delegates (the tours were over-subscribed) also went on AV Tech Tours, where participants visit actual installed sites in Bangkok to study how AV solutions are effectively deployed in real-life settings. This is the first time InfoCommAsia is organizing such tours and the real-life experience, of visiting sites in Bangkok including the South East Asia Centre, the Prince Mahidol Hall of the Mahidol University and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) proved to be most inspiring to visitors. My hope is for the momentum to continue to next year. An exhibition is not just about seeing the latest solutions but an opportunity to understand its workings, getting more in-depth information by talking to the staff present, networking and sharing of ideas and of course gathering knowledge. I have to admit I am excited about the 2020 edition. In this issue, we are also delighted to share our exclusive interview with XTEN-AV - a new company promising to revolutionize how audio-visual spaces are designed. The two young AV Techies who are the brains behind this unique offering promise 10x performance efficiency through their new software. The software will make its début at InfoComm International.

Thomas Richard Prakasam Publisher / Editorial Director thomas@spinworkz.com

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

ART / LAYOUT Shankar Venugopal

CREATIVE

CULT

OUR COLLABORATORS Elissa Nadine

PV Anthony

Rosalind Tan

Halim, TrueDesignLab.com

Web Content and Social Media Specialist

Website Management Wizard

Server and IT Security Guru

HTML Design and Coding Maestro

PUBLISHED BY Spinworkz Pte Ltd 71 Bukit Batok Crescent #06-13 Prestige Centre, Singapore 658071 Tel: (65) 63162716 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.

NEWS

Aesthetix: India’s First SI to Achieve APEx Accoladet pursuit of excellence, signifying constant improvement and change for the better.”

Sudan Mylsamy, Managing Director, Aesthetix Technologies

INDIA: Bengaluru-headquartered audio-visual systems integrator Aesthetix Technologies India Pvt Ltd achieved the rare and prideful honour of becoming the country’s first APEx (AV Provider of Excellence)- certified AVSI. A recognition established and accorded by the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA) – the industry’s global apex governing body – to the AV companies that set high standards for employee training and certification and meet their clients’ needs by delivering integrated experiences. With this coveted designation, Aesthetix joins an elite group of almost 90 dedicated integration companies and AV design consulting firms worldwide. Companies wanting to receive APEx recognition must demonstrate a high level of service quality and technical capability by building a team of Certified Technology Specialists (CTS), adhering to AVIXA performance standards, and proving ongoing customer satisfaction. AVIXA’s CTS certification is accredited by the American National Standards Institute under the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) ISO/IEC 17024:2012 General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification Schemes of Persons program. “We believe in building excellence, and the key word is ‘building,’” said Sudan Mylsamy, Managing Director of Aesthetix Technologies. “Achieving APEx is a milestone in our ongoing

Although many of Aesthetix Technologies’ employees already hold CTS certifications, Mylsamy’s intent is on adding to its staff of certified professionals. “We want to ensure most of the technical team is certified, not only because we wish to retain our APEx designation, but also because we believe that education is one commodity of which we can never have a surplus,” he said. “It trains our team to think clearly and act rightly.” Aesthetix Technologies is an Enterprise Member of AVIXA, giving the company access to the apex governing body’s training, standards, and other resources. “The Enterprise membership has enabled Aesthetix to equip its employees with the know-how and skills to serve our clients better,” Mylsamy explained. “Having brandagnostic knowledge in the realms of design and installation is something we deem mandatory to engaging and servicing our clients with optimal efficiency. We have benefited greatly from the various standards that AVIXA has pioneered, enabling a structured approach to every project.” “It is tremendous to see Aesthetix earn India’s first APEx designation,” said Gaurab Majumdar, AVIXA Regional Director. “Becoming an APEx company takes commitment. We continue to see growth and excitement for exceptional AV solutions and services in the Indian market. An AV integrator such as Aesthetix raises the bar for the many other providers delivering AV experiences in the region.” www.avixa.org

I A

Supercheap Auto Signature Store Chooses VuePix Infiled

AUSTRALIA: Super Retail Group had approached their Digital Signage partner Entwined, to create a store that provided an immersive and interactive experience for their customers through the use of sophisticated technology integrations. Entwined, the specialist in creating the best integrated customer experiences, in turn contacted the VuePix team, to supply a large outdoor advertising screen for this signature store. An impressive 8.5 x 4.5m VuePix Infiled outdoor LED super screen overlooks the car park of the shopping precinct. Utilising their own FM radio transmitter, SCA patrons can tune in and watch automotive events right from their car, creating a drive-in experience that builds the Supercheap brand. This initial feature allows SCA to host events as well as contribute to a complete brand activation which is carried through the entire store experience. Super Retail Group strives to provide solutions and experiences for their customers, so they can make the most of their leisure time. They have been delivering the omni-retail capabilities and underlying systems to support their customer promise. Entwined was a finalist for the 2019 Global Digital Signage Awards for this unique project. www.ulagroup.com

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NEWS

Vogel’s Sets its Sight on Asia Displays, Monitors, Tablets, Projectors and Videoconferencing systems

Wim Arts, Alex Lim, and Ruud Schaa of Vogel’s

Vogel’s from the Netherlands is a family owned business that has been operating for the past 47 years in the consumer and professional mounting business. The market leader in the segment in Europe, Australia and New Zealand has now set its sights on Asia. Vogel’s manufactures a highly distinctive range of mounts and support systems for audio and video equipment. Vogel’s products combine versatile functionality and robust performance with a sleek design. The company offers mounting solutions for

Ruud Schaay, General Manager, Professional Solutions of Vogel’s highlights, “Quality is one of our most important criteria. That’s why our products meet the strictest industry norms for quality and safety. We only use premium materials of the highest quality. All products for the professional market are tested to bear at least five times the indicated load.” Having appointed Singapore’s powerhouse Electronics and Engineering Pte Ltd late last year as its distributor for the country, Vogel’s has recently appointed Alex Lim as its first regional representative in the position of Business Development Manager, South East Asia. Alex, who is based out of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will take the responsibility of building a reliable distribution network in the region. “The Asian region offers huge potential, and we believe our brand reputation will offer us

a realistic chance of success. Mountings are accessories, but we are the best accessories. We are looking for distributors with commitment who understand our unique proposition and know how to position our solutions accordingly so that we can build the brand together,” said Ruud. Vogel’s is also the global exclusive mounting solution provider for Barco’s UniSee display. Vogel’s offers a curved mounting structure for Barco UniSee that makes it possible to set up and service the revolutionary bezel-less LCD video wall in a curved way, and still keep all benefits offered by the UniSee Mount – including perfect alignment, easy servicing, and no risk of damaging the panels. This further expands the UniSee mounting options and opens up a lot of new opportunities in a wide variety of applications, including lobbies, control rooms, experience centres, broadcast studios and simulation & training centres. www.vogels.com

VuWall Expands into New Territories with Mindstec Distribution Partnership bring VuWall solutions to new markets. We’re excited to partner with a company reputable for representing the highest quality solutions in the industry.” GLOBAL: VuWall, a company involved with video wall management and AV distribution solutions, has announced that its full product portfolio, along with dedicated local service and support, is now available in more locations via Mindstec Distribution. With this partnership, VuWall expands for the first time with global distribution in Asia, the Middle East, and Brazil. “Mindstec is a well-established global AV distributor with regional expertise and exceptional service that provides immense value to customers,” said Valentina Zarivchatska, VuWall’s director of business development in Central and Eastern Europe, APAC, and LATAM. “This partnership will enhance our brand awareness worldwide and

Mindstec will demonstrate VuWall’s product portfolio of video wall solutions in each of the showrooms at its main offices located in United Arab Emirates, India, Singapore, and Hong Kong. This will allow integrators and end users to experience VuWall capabilities first-hand. Certified by VuWall, Mindstec dedicated personnel will be able to offer first line of support as well as training to system integrators at any of the distributor’s global offices. VuWall will also have a dedicated presence at Mindstec booths at industry events, including InfoComm SEA in Bangkok, InfoComm China, and InfoComm India. The booth will feature a video wall optimized with VuWall’s modular and scalable solutions.

“The heart of what we do is to provide our customers with access to proven and trusted AV solutions that will help grow their businesses,” said Syed Wahab, CEO of Mindstec Distribution. “As AV and IT continue to converge, our portfolio of IP-based products delivers the most comprehensive offering available in the market. With solutions designed for ease of deployment, use, and management, VuWall is a perfect addition to our broadening portfolio.” www.vuwall.com www.mindstec.com

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Contact your local Crestron Dealer for more information crestron.com All brand names, product names, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Certain trademarks, registered trademarks, and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Crestron disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Crestron is not responsible for errors in typography or photography. ©2019 Crestron Electronics, Inc.

NEWS

Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre Brings its AV Network into the Future with HARMAN Professional Solutions

AUSTRALIA: As Australia’s largest convention and exhibition venue, MCEC features exhibition spaces, large concert halls, meeting rooms, corporate boardrooms and more over an area of more than 650,000 square feet. The expansive venue hosts more than 1,000 events each year, making its AV infrastructure a critical asset. “MCEC approached us to support them in the development of a robust, self-sufficient solution that would upgrade its digital signal processing capabilities and minimize audio issues during events,” said Graham Barrett, Head of Strategic Partnerships & Innovation, avt. “After evaluating their requirements, we recommended HARMAN’s networked AV solutions to compose a system that would provide the necessary flexibility and allow them to easily expand the platform in the future.” After researching several network protocol options, MCEC selected the BSS by HARMAN platform for its adaptability and capacity to incorporate multiple network streams of different types while simultaneously carrying all audio signals. BSS’s redundant BLU link protocol consists of two cables and automatically switches if one of the network legs fail, ensuring zero interruptions on the local audio network. The Dante-enabled BSS solution provides MCEC with a global network, allowing them to support their customers on a single platform and route

any audio signal from any source to any destination throughout the facility. “We’ve invested in AMX control systems since our beginning to manage the operations of all our networked devices,” said Michael Walker, Infrastructure and Equipment Manager, MCEC. “We needed to switch from our outdated copper network due to its inherent weakness, and we wanted a system with the strength of a modern network protocol. It had to be capable of supporting a live production environment without a single point of failure. We’re pleased to say that since installing the HARMAN system, we haven’t had a single incident of network failure or dropout without the redundant link automatically solving the problem, and our customers haven’t faced any audio issues in their event spaces.” “It’s an honour to be associated with MCEC and deliver customized, multifaceted solutions through a unified platform,” said Ramesh Jayaraman, VP & GM, HARMAN Professional Solutions, APAC. “We thank avt for their exceptional AV services and for collaborating with MCEC in creating an immersive space that heightens the audience experience while encouraging greater participation.” www.harman.com https://avt.tech

QSC Opens its New SAARC Headquarters in Bengaluru

INDIA: QSC recently inaugurated its new SAARC headquarters in Bengaluru, India. The new office is 9,270 sq. ft. and serves as a business development, management and support hub for QSC Systems, Live Sound and Cinema businesses in the region. It also serves as a dedicated training and demonstration area and includes a 13,760 sq. ft. terrace space for customer events. “Over the last few years, QSC has been dedicated to growing its international presence, and this new entity is a crucial piece of that strategy,” says Markus Winkler, SVP, EMEA South Asia, & Managing Director QSC EMEA GmbH. “As we continue to experience tremendous growth in SAARC year-over-year in all our business units, this dedicated facility will allows us to accelerate our growth trajectory in the coming years.” “Our business partners in SAARC have been instrumental in our success and will continue to be our main focus as we work together to develop new opportunities in all vertical markets,” says Rajesh Mittal, who was recently promoted to Managing Director, QSC India and SAARC. “The ability to offer in-region support resources in addition to our comprehensive solutions portfolio allows us to better equip our partners with the right tools to grow their business and deepen customer relationships. In addition, we can give customers a first-hand experience of QSC solutions, as well as local training, including the Q-SYS Architect training program, enabling our customers and partners to understand the QSC difference.” www.qsc.com

NEWS

AVIXA Networks Northeast Indian AV Geography April in Kolkata, followed by the second on 8 May in Guwahati.

The presentation at Guwahati

INDIA: The Audio-visual industry in India has long been connoting heavily concentrated circuits of Bengaluru in the south, Mumbai in the west, and the National Capital Region (NCR) in the north- with little reputation staked by Eastern India, despite the region’s strong and long strides, of late, that are marked by some of the most incredible deployments of AV in the country as a whole. While it did appear for a long time that the Northeast Indian AV geography is centred by Kolkata and Guwahati, the recent times have seen many other cities in the region joining the audio-visual growth map with some truly fascinating AV-ICT exploits. Cities such as Patna, Jamshedur, Ranchi, Raipur and Bhuvaneshwar are today being dotted with increasing number of AV deployments, particularly in segments like Government, Education and Worship. Thanks to the exposure of AV stakeholders from the region to the dynamics on national and international stages the Northeast Indian AV today is rearing to contribute significant numbers to India’s march towards the projected US$ 8.4 billion figure by 2022. Some AV solution providers from Kolkata have been able to generate keen interest from the neighbouring Bangladesh market in recent times while professionals from Guwahati have been able to take the AV foot print to as far as Itanagar, Kohima and Shillong. Upping the ante further to strengthen the industry stakes with positive vibes are initiatives by AVIXA, apex body of global audio-visual industry. In line with its increased focus and objective to align the region with the advanced markets and trends, the institution recently organized two focused networking programmes- one on 26

That there is a large population of IT systems integrators compared to the relatively lesser number of AV integrators, the initiatives of AVIXA are taken to be more relevant and necessary. Through focussed drives and interactions with various sections of the industry, AVIXA has been able to bring about an increased level of awareness about the importance of AV and related standards and certifications. It is as part of the same initiative the current round of programmes conducted in association with Kolkata-based AV distribution company Transcon Solution. A Value-added distributor (VAD) for many multinational brands, the company offers both AV and IT solutions to the discerning AV customers. “We are a small organization with large but realistic targets,” says Bodhiswatta Basu. “The initiative is in the larger interest of the industry; we wanted to contribute to the cause, in the best way possible,” he said. “We are keen to participate in more of such initiatives.” The combined energies of Transcon and AVIXA ensured that the two programmes together had an attendance of over 100 quality audiences comprising professionals from regional IT integration companies, consultants, OEMs, and members of industry associations besides a good number of End User company representatives. Interestingly, over a dozen institutions had their representatives taking part in the programmes. They included IIT Kharagpur, Tata Consultancy Services, Railway Vikas Nigam Limited, Guwahati Management Association, Aliah University, RCC Institute of Information Technology, Computer Society of India, Indian Institute of Handloom Technology, IT Department-Government of Assam, ICT Academy from Government of Tamil Nadu, Indian Chamber of Commerce, and Audio Consultants. AVIXA’s voluntary Instructor T S Gopalakrishnan conducted the networking

The presentation at Kolkata

sessions in both the cities, exposing the participants to the latest dynamics in the domains of Visual Technology and Networking Technologies. The sessions evoked good response from the audience some of whom had some very insightful interaction with the instructor. A very interesting aspect of the programme in Kolkata was a special presentation by Ayushi Roy of Transcon Solution- the youngest and the first woman CTS in Eastern India. Through a very inspiring presentation, Ayushi explained how the management of Transcon Solution motivated her to go for CTS certification and how it helped shape her career in Pro AV fulfilling and beneficial. AVIXA training and certification programmes expose the individuals to the highest standards of AV that are practised globally, and value adds the individual’s professional standing in the industry- both by qualification and expertise. That there are just five CTS professionals from the region, it is imperative for the industry members to understand the importance of the programme and encourage their professionals with increasing numbers, and futuristic approach. Welcoming the gathering in the beginning, AVIXA’s Regional Director (India & GCC) Gaurab Majumdar, underscored the importance of AV, and the certification programmes, and how they will benefit the individual as well as the industry on multiple counts. Binita Das, Transcon Solutions’s OEM Relations and Marketing Coordinator, presented a wide array of AV applications for diverse vertical markets. www.avixa.org www.transconsolution.com

NEWS

H Club Revives Golden Age of Vietnam Nightclubs with Martin Audio “But,” he continues, “the sound system required at H Club takes this to a completely different level.” And by this he was referring to the new THV. “These loudspeakers were developed last year to replace the existing H3+ series in Vietnam.” This high-performance, high bandwidth fully horn-loaded system contains a Hybrid 15” LF with reflex loaded 4” voice coil and ‘Phase Ball’ loaded midrange. Driven by a 10” midrange driver, it maintains the constant directivity characteristics of the horn at the upper end of its range. The 70° x 40° HF section features a 1” neodymium exit compression driver, with Kapton diaphragm for extended HF performance.

VIETNAM: Situated at the Starcity Halong Bay Hotel, H Club has not only revived the golden age of nightlife in Vietnam, but has also raised the standard of performance and production to a new level. It follows the business philosophy of enhancing the customer experience by providing the latest technology and advanced architectural design, construction and general services. To reach this goal a Martin Audio THV three-way biamp loudspeaker system— purpose-designed for advanced nightclub performance—was detailed as the centrepiece of a high specification package provided by Duc Proaudio, Martin Audio’s Vietnamese distributor.

to the nightlife tapestry with venues such as Ha Long Club, New Ha Long Club, Ha Long View KTV and Phantom Karaoke. The investor selected Duc Proaudio, as the audio design consultant and installation contractor. Pham Duy Duc, Director of Duc Proaudio, had no hesitation in recommending Martin Audio. “If you are a serious player then you will have heard the superior sound of Martin Audio systems, as it is a brand name trusted by leading bars and clubs in Vietnam and around the world. Typical names using Martin Audio sound systems, supplied by Duc Proaudio are Gold 2 Club, Canalis Club, Barroco Club, Deluxe 030 Club, Kashso Club, XingXing Club and Gaia Lounge in Hanoi.”

Halong Bay is widely considered to be one of the seven wonders of the world. Located in the middle of the Bai Chay tourist centre, H Club was built on an area of 4000sq.m and has a capacity of 1200 people. With more than 10 years’ experience, the investor, Bui Minh Hong has made an enormous contribution

According to Mr. Duc, this creates a clear, high SPL sound with its own distinct signature. “The sound feels lighter and those who come to H Club will definitely form a strong impression—especially with the SXH218 subwoofer, which is set up based on the latest Martin Audio Subwoofer Array Arc Delay Calculator software. This creates bass uniformity throughout every position in the club, which really comes alive.” To achieve this they specified 16 x THV enclosures and 16 SXH218 subs, with a further 16 CDD15B as speaker delays. These are powered and processed by Martin Audio MA2.0 and MA5.2K amplifiers, with an iK42 running Dante from a DiGiCo SD11 mixer. The DJ monitor system also features four CDD-LIVE 12 and four SXP 118 subs. Summing up the installation Pham Xuan Chien, General Manager of H Club, said, “There are only two places where you need to experience a sound system at this level: one is at festivals and stadiums, the other is nightclubs. I believe we have achieved this here.” https://martin-audio.com

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NEWS

LDA Audio Tech Delivers Technical Training for Partner in Dubai ONE has a compact and minimalist design that makes it the ideal solution for basic installations. Cost-effective and 100% made in Spain, LDA ONE includes charger and battery in the same unit, an industry first in this segment, where it is usually sold separately.

DUBAI: To help their partner in Dubai, Oasis Enterprises, be up-to-date and familiar with LDA Audio Tech’s latest offerings, the company conducted a training seminar in late April. The training, held in Dubai, was conducted by LDA Audio Tech’s Support Manager Juan Manual Díaz that included specialised training on LDA public address and voice evacuation products. During the seminar, technical aspects in the NEO and ONE systems were addressed, along

with technical support about NEO Control and NEO Configurator software, as well as the rest of the accessories and functionalities that work for the great flexibility when installing these equipment. NEO is a compact all-in-one system with integrated class D amplifiers, audio matrix, event programmer and audio over Ethernet, which meets the EN 54-16 and EN 60849 requirements.

Systems integrator Oasis Enterprises has been a partner of LDA Audio Tech for 6 years. It belongs to one of the most prominent business groups in the UAE, and covers a full commercial spectrum of activities that goes from distribution to installation, after sales service and training. They offer complete turnkey projects that include public address and voice alarm, security, lighting, audio and video systems. Among the projects developed by Oasis Enterprises together with LDA is the rehabilitation of the historic center of Sharjah and the Al Montazah leisure parks. www.lda-audiotech.com/en

Powersoft Releases Comprehensive Training Video Series For Armoníaplus released last October. Aside from educating new users on the software, the goal of these tutorials is also to bring existing users who were familiar with its previous iteration, Armonía, up to speed.

ITALY: Powersoft, the Italian manufacturer of professional power amplifiers, has just released a series of training videos on YouTube for their best-in-class audio design environment software ArmoníaPlus. The hour-long set of tutorials comprehensively covers the new features that Powersoft introduced with ArmoníaPlus when it was

ArmoníaPlus’s redesign includes a single window interface with four main views and takes further advantage of intuitive hotkeys and simplistic icons to allow users to move between functions efficiently. Users can move through four main steps: Design, Config, Tune, and Show, each offering a variety of functions and flexibility for different scenarios, as well as allowing users to audition different speaker presets easily. The YouTube tutorials cover all of these functions, as well as new features such as Shading, which allows the interface to reduce the gain of loudspeaker limiter thresholds

coherently, keeping the balance between elements even if the system is limiting. “When we were designing ArmoníaPlus, we wanted to make the system easier to use and employ,” said Powersoft US application engineer Rick Woida. “We also wanted to make certain that we were still supporting our users who work with Armonía and allowing them to learn the new features over time.” To access the ArmoníaPlus video tutorials, please scan QR code https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=44_ Co8DwN7w&list=PLknHTxg4tXlCqoCtkyAtwVTPqv6zGiSG (Shankar please create QR code) https://armonia.powersoft.it

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NEWS

Kyoto Sushi Theater Sparkles with CHAUVET Fixtures sidelight allows me to cover five positions with one fixture, providing the impact of numerous fixtures, while taking up much less space.”

JAPAN: It’s impossible to walk through the prefecture of Gion and not be swept up in its vibrant pace of life. The most celebrated geisha district in a city that is itself the cultural heart of Japan, the neighbourhood is renowned for its world-class dining and entertainment attractions. Both of these offerings are found in the Kyoto Sushi Theater, a lively venue that serves up a culinary and artistic feast for its customers by providing delicious food choices and captivating theatrical performances. Creating a colourful and engaging backdrop for this dual experience is an Andy Hinago-designed lightshow that features a collection of CHAUVET Professional fixtures, supplied by PRG Japan. Given that the “theater side” of Kyoto Sushi Theater features not only traditional Kabuki, but also more modern, western-style Shingeki performances, Andy (who owns GOTTA, Inc.) placed an emphasis on versatility when putting together his rig for the venue. This led him to place the Maverick MK Pyxis at the top of his gear list.

“Typically, I start building my rig by selecting washes, but when I saw the Pyxis, I knew I had to have it,” said Andy, who installed 15 of the unique moving fixtures at the theater. “Pyxis was first because of all I could do with it. The outer ring of pixels and center pixel offer so many options. Plus, it has continuous pan and tilt, built-in colour macros, gobos with vibrant, punchy colours, so it opens a lot of options.” In addition to its Pyxis units, the theater rig features three Rogue R1 FX-B fixtures. “The Rogue R1 FX-Bs are very flexible and work well with the Pyxis, allowing me to create a wide variety of looks,” said Andy. “I have one FX-B placed horizontally in the front of the stage, and two hung vertically on either side. Being able to use the FX-Bs as a multiple

A collection of 21 Maverick MK2 Profile and 21 Maverick MK2 Wash fixtures is also included in the rig. Andy selected these fixtures for their versatility and output. “The MK2 Profiles have a great zoom feature, which made them an ideal choice,” said Andy. “With an average distance of only 6’ between the lights and the actors, being able to create the type of focus needed is a necessity. The MK2s also have a great gobo selection, which allows me to get really creative and mix colors with just the right amount of lux output. The MK2 Wash offers the same great color palette, at just the right size and output for what was needed.” For special effects, Andy added a Vesuvio II fogger to his rig. “This is a fantastic fixture,” said Hinago. “It can produce 40,000 cubic feet of fog per minute, with even, colorsaturated coverage from its LEDs. It’s also versatile enough to create evocative atmospheres for both Kabuki and Shingeki performances.” Looking beyond the performance features of his rig’s fixtures, Hinago also selected them for their efficiency. “Having a limited amount of power dedicated to lighting, I knew LEDs were the best choice and would allow me to incorporate the number of fixtures I needed to maximize the design,” he said. “I also had to be cognizant of the space within the theater to place the fixtures, so their compact size was important.” In the popular Gion district, with its high real estate values, space is at a premium. On the other hand, given the area’s popularity, venues that operate within its boundaries have to offer premium entertainment. Happily for Kyoto Sushi Theater, its new lighting rig helps it address both issues. www.chauvetprofessional.com

SK 6212

Size matters â&#x20AC;&#x201D; performance counts.

Huge expectations meet a compact design. Performers find this mini bodypack transmitter neither heavy nor conspicuous. Technicians appreciate an easy set up and proven reliability. The digital SK 6212 is now heralding a new era. This mini bodypack provides 12 hours of operating time and its intermodulation-free transmission concept enables more reliable channels, even in congested frequency ranges. Meet the next generation of an industry standard: sennheiser.com/SK6212

NEWS

Mindstec Plays its Part at SNU Bundang Hospital Smart Operating Room

KOREA: Mindstec has implemented a remarkable project for Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUH) by bringing “Smart” to their operating room with RTI, Aurora products and all-round technical support. The innovative operating Room at SNUH in Korea has installed Aurora 4K video transmission and RTI central control system for AV and lighting, so as to enable doctors at the university to provide remote mentoring outside the surgeries as well as allowing medical scientists from overseas to join for real time sharing. As a main teaching and research hospital in Korea, SNUH has been involved in international education and research activities globally through world class education, research, services and even the equipment. Last year, the hospital took steps to build a global education platform by transforming the operating facility into a smart surgery room by adding state-ofthe-art AV systems to provide more efficient training with effective communication. Aurora 10G based IPX – TC2 4K Video Transmission has enabled SNUH to transmit no latency, high resolution images efficiently from their smart operating room. The IPXTC2 provides one of the most advanced IP Streaming solutions with IPBaseT technology, which synergizes various IP/AV standards to work together as one. IPX-TC2 supports windowing/multiviewer (up to 32), scaling and 16×16 videowall along with HDMI 2.0 4K60 4:4:4. It is the industry’s first 4K2K transceiver with zero compression and latency based on BlueRiver NT platform. With IPX-TC2, high resolution video

recorder is stable enough to live stream surgeries overseas and communicate with other university hospitals or pathology departments at the same time. Moreover, all the simultaneously recording video files can be uploaded to public channel or even exported to live-action scenes in real time, for domestic and foreign medical scientists to study freely. As a smart operating room, Mindstec not only provided AV over IP solution for SNUH, but also a central control system for the whole environment through simple fingertip operations. RTI XP-8v is a high-end remote control processor for automating the operation of electronic systems such as AV, lighting, security and HVAC. With RTI KX10 10” display remote control and RTiPanel App, any staff can control the environment and the video equipment easily with just a touch. SNUH with its investment in the new AV technologies has ensured a better learning environment with sharper and clearer images with no lag. The university hospital was highly satisfied with the proposed solutions and technical support provided by Mindstec in ensuring a positive outcome. www.mindstec.com S

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Clair Brothers at Resorts World Manila’s El Calle Food & Music Hall

PHILIPPINES: True to its character as the Philippines’ integrated resort industry pioneer, Resorts World Manila (RWM) has created El Calle Food and Music Hall – a

unique space that celebrates the Filipinos’ passion for jam sessions, delicious food, and good times over drinks. El Calle, the city’s latest acoustic chill-out spot, features nightly entertainment from some of the best acoustic performers in the country today and special performances from the country’s top acts. “El Calle is a very intimate space seating a maximum of eighty people, so we needed a sound system that could deliver powerful sounds but with the necessary clarity for clean acoustic performances,” said RWM Technical Director for theater and entertainment Ernesto De Leon. “Since our theme is almost exclusively acoustic and unplugged acts, our wish list for the right loudspeaker and monitor brand was efficiently accommodated by Clair Brothers.” Wayne Grosser, Managing Director of Clair Brothers Australia, specified the equipment he knew would possess the sound quality the team at RWM expected. Mr. Grosser describes the system’s technicalities this way: “The main FOH speakers are two Clair Brothers kiT12s that are flown horizontally, left and right, on the downstage edge at 4.8 meters high, with two Clair Brothers CS18-IIs recessed into the stage front on the left and right. The system is running in tri-amp mode, which delivers the necessary headroom when needed from left and right of the console. The Clair Brothers FF2-HX front fills are on a matrix output, accompanied by seven 8CX-P100s on six amp channels with on-board Lake processing delay zones controlled by four matrix outputs from the console. For stage monitors I recommended four Clair Brothers 12AMs powered by two CB12K-PLM amps.” “This room doesn’t have naturally good acoustics, so Wayne came up with the perfect solution to place 8CX fill speakers from the venue’s entrance all the way to the main bar area where they align with the main system,” said De Leon. “The result is evenly distributed, beautiful sound. Everyone loves the quality and clarity of the new sound system. We knew this would be the case. It is Clair Brothers after all,” he added. www.clairbrothers.com

1.8 mm/ 3.5 mm Ultra-Narrow Bezel High/ Low Brightness Products to Cope with Environments Centralized control for Cost Saving Stable and Easy-to-use Operation

NEWS

Kramer Synapse 2019: Connect, Collaborate, Network Far n Wide

Bharat Kumar Allur

INDIA: Kramer India recently concluded the second edition of the 10-city roadshow, SYNAPSE 2019- an ambitious initiative it launched in 2018 to take its products and solutions to tier-II and III cities, thereby connecting deeper countryside India. The 10 cities covered as part of the threemonth-long focused ‘go-to-market’ initiative included Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Cochin, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Bangalore- with the Garden City being the culmination point of the whole. The event saw over 900 professionals, including a sizeable number of End Customers and Project Management Consulting professionals taking the experience, said the company communiqué. The SYNAPSE is a focused programme of reaching out to the targeted market playersexposing them to the company’s latest technology and solutions through hands-on experience with the products and intense technical sessions, followed by a relation reinforcing networking.

Yuval Kramer

“Connect, Collaborate, and Conquer,” quipped in Bharath Kumar Allur, Managing Director of Kramer India. “It’s like convincing people through those intense focused networking,” he chipped in immediately. “It’s simply going to their doorstep, not waiting or asking them to reach us, and explaining them what we have done and brought to make good their market standing,” he explains. Having launched the initiative last year, the SYNAPSE has been a great experience for Kramer, maintained the India chief. “It’s been an immensely fulfilling exercise for us. For, it brought us multiple benefits,” he explained. “While India has been an exploding market with immense potential emerging from hitherto unknown terrains, not everyone from those regions can reach out to tradeshows and roadshows in metro cities to know what is on offer. So, we stand to know about them. That itself is a big gain,” Bharath elaborates. “It also helps us capture their impressions about our solutions; we employ that feedback to improvise our offerings and thereby stay closer to the market expectation, if not right on spot.”

Participants in Ahmedabad

That Kramer is one of those aggressive market players with sizeable new launches every quarter, and is known to develop custom products as per the customers’ specific needs, this feedback is very vital, he maintains. “SYNAPSE plays a very potential R&D platform as well,” he emphasized. Charting New Market Areas: There are two essential things that the SYNAPSE 2019 charted:

• •

Connecting End User & PMC community Bringing Kramer audio offerings to market

“Both the strides are very very important in our journey,” explained Bharath. While the first edition of SYNAPSE last year saw Kramer connect with its Channel Partners, Consultants and Systems Integrators – since they are the primary movers of products to the market – this year’s event saw growth in quality and character. The 2019 edition focused on reaching out to End User Community and Project Management

“The very theme of SYNAPSE itself is

Participants in Bangalore

Participants inChandigarh

Participants in Chennai

NEWS

Participants in Delhi

Participants in Hyderabad

Professionals since they occupy the next level in the market value chain. “It’s like addressing the full market spectrum,” the Kramer India chief asserts. “We wanted to bring more quality to our event; we do it by bringing End User and PMC professionals.”

According to him, the company has awarded Certification during the nation-wide roadshow programme to those professionals who met the criteria for the two areas.

Also, the market is well versed with Kramer’s initiatives in the video domain, but last year Kramer began their strides in audio as well, and SYNAPSE 2019 is one big platform at India level to take it to people. That the event travels deep into the country side, it is all the more relevant that the potentially emerging markets are kept abreast about Kramer’s audio offerings, the Kramer India chief vouched. “We are also committed to contribute our might to the cause of knowledge-base for the industry, by supplementing the two trusted Kramer programmes- Kramer Certified Control Programmer, and Kramer Certified AV Over IP Professional,” Bharath elaborated. “SYNAPSE is one our very own platform to express our expertise and competence, and thereby create more number of professionals trained and certified in these two important areas.”

Participants in Kochi

Participants in Jaipur

Installer Solutions sharing their knowledge and experiences with Indian Pro AV gathering. www.kramerav.com

For the record, SYNAPSE comprises two sets of programming; a day-long event consisting of live demo of products and solutions, discussions and debates, followed by a thorough Q&A and feedback session, and an exclusive Networking session in the evening. This year, the day-time knowledge imparting session included live demo of Kramer AV Over IP, Kramer Network, Kramer Control, Kramer Collaboration and Kramer Audio. Specific focus was on the recent launches of 8K-Ready Multi Format Digital Matrix Switcher with Interchangeable I/Os, industry’s first Audio Matrix with DSP and Interchangeable I/Os – AFM-20DSP and Kramer Kronos - a secure, Enterprise-class cloud-based room booking and scheduling platform. SYNAPSE 2019 saw Kramer Audio’s Director Yuval Kramer, besides Kramer’s global executives Neta Lampert, VP-Digital Business Development, and Yishai Mescheloff, VP-

Participants in Mumbai

“SYNAPSE is one our very own platform to express our expertise and competence, and thereby create more number of professionals trained and certified in the Kramer Control Programme and AV over IP areas.”

Participants in Pune

THEY SAID IT COULDN’T BE ALL IN ONE BOX. IT IS.

The world’s most advanced RGB laser projector is here. And it’s all in one box. Sorry, competition. CHRISTIE D4K40-RGB

INFOCOMM 2019 BOOTH No. 2543

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Atlona Unveils New Omega AV Matrix Presentation Switcher

Atlona, a Panduit company, unveiled the ATOME-PS62 6x2 matrix presentation switcher that delivers exceptional performance and value for 4K/UHD presentation and conferencing applications in medium-to-large AV environments The OME-PS62 switcher features three HDMI inputs and two HDBaseT inputs alongside a USB-C AV input for direct, BYOD-friendly interfacing with the latest mobile devices and laptops. The USB-C interface also can be used for data connectivity to the OMEPS62’s integrated USB 2.0 hub, as well as charging the connected device. The switcher features HDBaseT and HDMI outputs, along with 4K/60 4:4:4 capability for all inputs and the HDMI output, plus USB extension over HDBaseT. Meanwhile, high-quality, 4K downscaling and upscaling on the unit’s HDMI output preserve colour and spatial detail when converting content between 4K and 1080p for mixed-format presentation and display applications. The OME-PS62’s integrated USB extension capabilities combine with compatible Omega Series transmitters and receivers to address the challenge of connecting between USB devices at remote locations, forming an ideal integration solution for use cases including software video conferencing and interactive displays. Additional integration convenience features include auto-switching, audio embedding and de-embedding; audio output matrix mixing; display control; microphone input with mixing and ducking; internal video test patterns for setup and troubleshooting; a customizable welcome splash screen; and the ability to remotely power Atlona HDBaseT devices via PoE.

Lynx Pro Audio’s New BS Series Lynx Pro Audio’s latest development, the BS series has been designed to offer an affordable yet reliable series of cabinets which not only deliver high performance but have a sleek & attractive design and finish so that they not only sound great but also look impressive in any install. The series comprises 4 full range passive cabinets, all designed for a wide range of applications from fixed installations, nightclubs & bars, houses of worship, corporate events, as front fill and also as stage monitoring. The series is complemented by two passive subwoofer cabinets designed to extend low frequency support to the four BS series full range cabinets. The four two-way, passive full range cabinets include a single 8”, 10”, 12” and 15” and the subwoofers come in single 12” and 18” options with the series offering tremendous sound and clarity over short/mid distances. Constructed from premium birch plywood and coated in polyurea coating the enclosures also offer a screw free grill together with a number of dedicated accessories. Although all these cabinets can be used without a processor, it is strongly recommended that the cabinet presets are applied for maximum optimization and performance. www.lynxproaudio.com

The OME-PS62 ships in May. http://atlona.com/omega © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

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Vaddio Launches RoboSHOT Elite Series

Global manufacturer of professional cameras and AV Systems Vaddio, has announced the launch of the RoboSHOT Elite Series of professional PTZ cameras, ideal for higher education, broadcast, public sector and corporate applications. RoboSHOT Elite Series cameras are available in 12x and 30x zoom and are offered in five models – HDBT, HDMI, SDI, CAT-5 and USB, and PoE+ powered for easy installation. The RoboSHOT Elite 30x cameras include IntelliZoom Image Processing providing a full 30x zoom without compromising image resolution quality. The cameras use a 1/2.5 Type Exmor R generation CMOS image sensor to deliver 8.5 megapixels of 1080p/60 video and a more powerful image signal processing, for better light-gathering capabilities and contrast, even in dim lighting conditions. Featuring Vaddio’s silent motors and paired with its Tri-Synchronous motion algorithms, the RoboSHOT Elite Series cameras have an ultra-smooth pan-tilt-zoom motion, which are backward-compatible and can be bundled with a variety of extension systems. RoboSHOT Elite Series 12E and 30E cameras allow for IP streaming (RTSP or RTMP format with H.264 compression) to share live events such as lectures, meetings and worship services over popular applications; YouTube, Livestream and Facebook. RTSP and RTMP streaming is available with HDBT, HDMI, USB and SDI options. The RoboSHOT Elite Series replaces Vaddio’s existing RoboSHOT 12x and 30x PTZ cameras. www.legrandav.com/en/products/vaddio

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

ClearOne Introduces COLLABORATE Space Enterprise

ClearOne has introduced COLLABORATE Space Enterprise, a new on-premise collaboration platform. In addition to the new, on-premise “Enterprise” platform, COLLABORATE Space is available in cloud-based “Basic” and “Pro” versions. All three COLLABORATE Space versions are powerful audio and video conferencing applications with a full suite of

collaboration features. COLLABORATE Space includes everything for online meetings, including scheduling, messaging, integrated file sharing, whiteboarding, annotation, meeting minutes, and more. It unifies multiple users, via audio and video, with the ability to make calls to landlines and mobile phones.

desktop, and all ClearOne COLLABORATE Live room systems. Because it’s not designed as a “closed garden,” it includes gateway software for interoperability with traditional H.323 and SIP systems. Also, with “white label” options, COLLABORATE Space can be customized to match any partner or customer brand.

Additionally, all three versions of COLLABORATE Space are exceptional collaboration platforms because users can create searchable, persistent private and public channels, organized by topic, which can include agendas, notes, messages, documents, whiteboards, audio and video recordings, and more.

COLLABORATE Space Enterprise, like the Basic and Pro versions, is available now. www.clearone.com

COLLABORATE Space has a unique, userfriendly interface that’s intuitive and simple to use, and it runs on any device – mobile,

Visit Opticis at Booth 1960

MEET THE REVOLUTIONARY

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

HDMI 2.0 / DisplayPort 1.2 optical fiber extender HDMI 2.0 / DisplayPort 1.2 Active Optical Cable IP Video Wall Controller

OPTICIS HQ 7F, 166, Jeongjail-ro Bundang-gu, Sungnam-si, Gyunggi-do, 13558 South Korea Email: tosales@opticis.com © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Crestron Announces Major Enhancements to AirMedia Wireless Presentation Systems presenter to enter their secure code. If the app is not installed, the presenter is served with the appropriate app for their device. With the addition of the AirMedia Extension for Google Chrome, AirMedia 2.0 now conveniently connects with all of the most popular operating systems.

Crestron has announced major enhancements to its AirMedia Wireless Presentation Systems (AM-200, AM-300), featuring AirMedia 2.0 technology: a simpler user interface, quick connection via all operating systems, and native integration with the Crestron AirBoard whiteboard capture system. For a limited time, Crestron is offering customers the opportunity to trade-in existing AirMedia AM-100 and AM-101 units, or competing wireless presentation products, and get the AM-200 at 70% off MSRP. The AM-300 and AM-200 enable organizations to increase workflow and facilitate collaboration by turning lobbies, lounges, and other open spaces into productive meeting spaces. They mount discreetly behind wall mount displays and enable wired or wireless presentation. No furniture, dongles, or new Wi-Fi networks are needed. AirMedia 2.0 is the only enterprise-grade wireless presentation technology that offers network security, cloud-based deployment and management, and iOS operating system mirroring without Bonjour networking technology. The newly designed user interface enables users to connect to AirMedia in just seconds and start presenting. With a click on the “Start Presenting” button, the AirMedia receiver automatically detects the web browser and whether the AirMedia app is installed. If the app is installed, it will automatically launch and prompt the

AirMedia now provides native integration with the Crestron AirBoard whiteboard capture system right out of box, no programing required. The only enterprisegrade appliance of its kind, Crestron AirBoard enables both local and remote participants to see whiteboard content on the main room display and on their personal display device, and then share it with the touch of a button. AirMedia 2.0 is a network-based appliance that can be deployed, configured, and managed from the cloud. Using the Crestron XiO Cloud service or the built-in web tool, the mobile app can be silently deployed to laptops and smart devices across the enterprise, and user access rights and firmware updates can be remotely managed. www.crestron.com/airmedia S

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Gefen Introduces New 4K Ultra HD 600 MHz Multi-Format Presentation Switcher

The EXT-4K600A-MF-51-HBTLS Gefen Presentation Switcher solves problems in conference and collaboration spaces that have a wide array of devices and inputs,

giving users a convenient single point of contact for their AV sources and displays in collaboration or meeting areas. The new 4K Ultra HD 600 MHz Multi-Format 5x1 Presentation Switcher features a powerful built-in Scaler, Auto-Switching & Split HDMI/ HDBaseT Outputs. It accepts a multitude of input formats ranging from the legacy composite video inputs to the latest Full Bandwidth 18 Gbps HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2. In addition to the versatile built-in scaler, the Gefen Presentation Switcher features five independently switchable and embeddable audio inputs, a versatile microphone input with Phantom Power, audio breakout, and dual HDMI/HDBaseT outputs that provide all the right tools for creating a compelling and impactful AV presentation. The Gefen Presentation Switcher works with both 4K Ultra HD sources and legacy analog devices, providing flexible connectivity and a single management point for all devices in the room. The auto-switching feature saves time by making it easy for users to connect and present without the need to select inputs manually. The intuitive user interface is accessible from any computer or mobile browser and via On-Screen-Display, and doubles as a setup tool and daily controller – eliminating the need for costly external controllers in smaller installations. When used as part of a larger A/V system, important control interfaces are available for users; integrated scaling, picture quality, and troubleshooting tools make fine-tuning applications easy, while Gefen Syner-G streamlines integration into any network. For larger rooms, the Multi-Format 5x1 Switcher features built-in support for both consumer and professional microphones, with mixing and ducking controls for live events. The compact, surface-mountable enclosure is easily hidden under a table or placed on a shelf. Split outputs simultaneously support a local HDMI display and a remotely installed projector or screen using its integrated HDBaseT extender. www.gefen.com

CMY

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Yamaha Unified Communications Announces New Wireless Microphone Option to Extend Audio Capture for CS-700 Video Sound Bar

Yamaha Unified Communications has released a new wireless extension microphone for the Yamaha CS-700 Video Sound Collaboration System for huddle rooms. Now customers can choose between the new XW-CS-700 wireless mic or the existing wired model for their collaborative requirements. Unobtrusive and easy to integrate, the mic extends audio pickup beyond the CS-700’s 12-foot radius while eliminating cable clutter from today’s modern huddle spaces. The new XW-CS-700 wireless extension mic uses a proprietary connection between

SI ASIA_210x140mm橫式.pdf 1 2019/3/15 上午 11:50:26

the CS-700 connector and an HD Dual microphone receiver, which allows for a greater distance between the CS-700 unit and the microphone. A second wireless microphone is also available. The omnidirectional wireless microphone includes a charger base and a rechargeable battery that delivers up to eight hours of talk time on full charge. The XW-CS-700 will begin shipping in June. Designed for huddle rooms, the Yamaha CS-700 Video Sound Collaboration System delivers the highest-quality audio, video, and collaboration capabilities in a simple

and smart wall-mounted unit that is easy to install and deploy. It features an adaptive beamforming microphone array for perfectly captured conversation; four Yamaha speaker elements to provide the highest degree of audio intelligibility; and a wide-angle HD camera for the far-end participants to see everyone in clear detail. Users can quickly connect to an organization’s chosen UC platform using a single USB, eliminating the frustrations and inefficiencies of operating disparate video, audio, and collaboration components. In addition, the CS-700’s integrated network management system allows IT staff to deploy and remotely manage each unit from one location, increasing service response and efficiency. https://uc.yamaha.com/

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

RTI Now Shipping VMSQSC Expands AcousticDesign Series 741 4K Quad MultiViewer

RTI is now shipping its VMS-741 7x1 4K Quad MultiViewer. The powerful presentation switcher and scaler takes advantage of the 4K resolution of today’s flat panel TVs and projectors to combine video from up to four sources onto one display. The VMS-741 4K MultiViewer is ideal for conference rooms, lecture halls, worship spaces, and other installations requiring a wide range of video sources with differing resolutions and formats. To meet the unique challenges of these environments, the unit combines AV switching with advanced scaling to display content from up to seven sources. Supported video input formats include HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA. The innovative solution also offers an HDBaseT input to allow convenient video delivery from remote sources via a source plate or matrix. In addition to time-saving collaboration, the VMS-741 offers amazing flexibility for the user, allowing up to four video sources to be displayed simultaneously on one display. Whether it’s a multimedia presentation in a house of worship or a screen showing multiple games in a sports bar, with 16 video window layout combinations, any 4K display becomes the ultimate video wall alternative. The innovative VMS-741 also offers audio embedding and de-embedded audio outputs. www.rticorp.com

I A

QSC has introduced the new AD-S6, a transformer-less surface-mount 6.5-inch two-way loudspeaker. As part of the AcousticDesign Series, this new loudspeaker is ideal for foreground and background music (BGM/FGM) applications, as well as installations specifically requiring higher SPL foreground sound reinforcement. The AcousticDesign Series loudspeakers deliver pristine audio reproduction for installations requiring a refined audio experience, combining exceptional clarity,

performance, coverage and aesthetics for installed sound applications. This line includes a wide range of sizes and models that deliver consistent and balanced sonic characteristics, and share the same high-end aesthetic quality enabling users to mix-&match enclosure types. Available in black or white, they also include the patented X-Mount™ mounting system providing unprecedented ease-of-installation that minimizes commissioning time and expense. www.qsc.com/ad-s6

Extron’s New Five-Inch Cable Cubby Touchpanel a Cable Cubby access enclosure, the TLP Pro 525C offers convenient access to AC or USB power, data, and a broad variety of AV connections. For fast installation, a simple, integrated clamp system quickly secures the enclosure to a furniture surface without the need for additional parts or tools. It is ideal for AV applications requiring a Cable Cubby touchpanel with a customizable interface.

Extron Electronics’ TLP Pro 525C, is a fiveinch Cable Cubby Series/2 TouchLink Pro Touchpanel with a flip-up touchscreen built into an all metal cable access enclosure. Extron designed this latest TouchLink Pro touchpanel with a high-performance quadcore processor, generous memory, and a high resolution, 800x480 capacitive touchscreen built with scratch and smudge-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass. Because it’s built into

All TouchLink Pro touchpanels can be customized using Extron GUI Designer software. This powerful interface design software offers ready-to-use templates for a wide variety of rooms and presentation environments. These designs may be used as is, or customized for the application by simply changing individual graphic elements. www.extron.com

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Matrox Mura IPX 12G-SDI Capture Cards Now Shipping

Matrox Graphics Inc. has announced that the Matrox Mura IPX 12G-SDI capture and IP encode/decode cards are now shipping. These new video wall cards feature four SDI captures alongside a dedicated onboard network interface controller (NIC), offering unprecedented multi-channel SDI capture, encode, stream, record, and decode capabilities from a single-slot card. OEMs and system integrators can now select from a world-class portfolio of 12G-SDI, 4K DisplayPort 1.2, and 4K HDMI capture card options to build premium, best-of-breed video wall controller solutions.

Featuring unrivaled SDI support from a single card, the Matrox Mura IPX SDI cards feature two 12G-SDI and two 3G-SDI connectors to capture a wide range of SDI sources. These cards also include a dedicated NIC for highdensity encoding and decoding of up to two 4Kp60, four 4Kp30, eight 1080p60, sixteen 1080p30, or exponentially more SD streams. The Mura IPX 12G-SDI cards are available in passive and active cooling options. Software and APIs The new Matrox Mura IPX capture cards include a complete range of video wall software, APIs, and libraries. These software toolkits allow OEMs and developers to deploy intuitive, ready-to-use software and build custom interfaces and applications. www.matrox.com/graphics

tvONE Introduces New 12G-SDI 1x6 Distribution Amplifier tvONE announces a new Magenta 12G-SDI distribution amplifier. The MG-DA-716 provides 12G-SDI broadcast quality video distribution in a small, surface mountable form factor. The MG-DA-716 allows you to connect a single SDI source up to 6 re-clocked SDI outputs with automatic switching between all SD-SDI, HD-SDI, 3G-SDI and 6G-SDI video formats. Re-clocked signals at every output and the cascading feature allows you to create a huge distribution solution. Other features include LED indication of signal lock and video rate, automatic input signal detection, and a locking power supply. This compact distribution amplifier has low power consumption, using just 2 watts maximum. www.tvone.com

PHONUM YOUR TEAM YOUR SPIRIT FUNCTION Innovative Fix & Follow Voice-Tracking Fix: Defined speaking directions or Follow: Speaker with changing positions. 360º to be heard all over the room. VOICE Excellent voice quality with 360º beamforming microphones throughout the entire room. SOUND Highest hearing performance with 360º downfire speaker from wherever you sit.

beyerdynamic Asia Pte. Ltd. • 66 Tannery Lane, #01-04H Sindo Building 347805 Singapore • Phone +65 62844980 • E-Mail dhillon@beyerdynamic.com © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Vogel’s Curved Mounting Structure for Barco’s UniSee LCD Video Wall

competing products, is fully CE, CB and UL approved. Weighing just 125 kilograms/275.5lbs it can be built ready to run in under an hour by three people. Maintenance is similarly straightforward: a single module can be replaced in less than ten seconds. Control of the AiO is equally simple, via either a remote or an app. The AiO LED display also responds to the growing focus on minimising energy consumption: in standby mode, it consumes less than 0.5 Watts.

Barco, has worked together with display mount specialist Vogel’s to create a curved mounting structure for Barco UniSee. This makes it possible to set up and service the revolutionary bezel-less LCD video wall in a curved way, and still keep all benefits offered by the UniSee Mount – including perfect alignment, easy servicing, and no risk of damaging the panels. This further expands the UniSee mounting options and opens up a lot of new opportunities in a wide variety of applications, including lobbies, control rooms, experience centers, broadcast studios and simulation & training centers. Curved video walls create a spectacular sense of immersion. Especially for larger installations, straight setups are not easy to watch in full – resulting in suboptimal ergonomics. Considering the difficulties during installation, it is obvious that servicing is even more challenging. Removing a single, central panel is often impossible, making it necessary to remove all the screens to service the video wall, causing a very long service time (up to several days). The jointly developed curved video wall solution with Vogel’s for Barco UniSee takes away these challenges. The new Vogel’s video wall solution for Barco UniSee allows a concave curved setup from

0-10 degrees, in steps of 1 degree. It features all the main strengths of Barco UniSee, including the optimal automatic alignment in all directions (X, Y and Z). The risk of screen damages during installations is significantly reduced and servicing has become fast and risk-free, thanks to the innovative sliding of the panels. The complete solution is based on a solid back structure offered by Vogel’s in combination with curved crosses and special corner pieces that are part of the UniSee Curved accessory kit. In a first phase this solution is available in landscape and portrait as a floor-to-wall mounting structure.

The AiO is constructed from a four-in-one SMD LED that measures 1.5mm pitch for outstanding picture quality and clarity. It can be positioned in portrait and landscape mode and is one of the thinnest screens available on the market measuring just 3.8mm in depth. It has multiple inputs including HDMI and 3G-SDI for live in-camera use making this the perfect product for demanding applications including professional AV, Staging, Broadcast, Houses of Worship, medical, corporate AV and education and much more.

www.barco.com

I A

Calibre 130” All-in-One LED Wall Now Shipping Calibre UK’s FHDQ130 130” AiO (All-in-One) LED Wall is available for immediate delivery. Powered by the in-built Calibre’s LEDView series scaler/switcher bringing UltraHD capability to LED screens, the FHDQ130 is a 130” Full HD LED Videowall that, unlike some

The award-winning product was developed with sister company Optoma - also part of Coretronic – the AiO is designed to address one of the biggest drawbacks to LED display – the time it takes to deploy them. www.calibreuk.com

SOLUTIONS UPDATE

Enriching learning experience and internal meetings

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The Content Manager Software license comes together with the drive unit for standalone usage. Its simple User Interface allows for easy content management – browse, search and retrieve archived content quickly and easily. The software also automatically generated proxy videos and thumbnails for browsing and searching on top of advanced searches that employs speech-to-text script and/or face-recognition data. Further enhancing the process for users, the software supports a variety of formats for creating metadata, Checksum Archive function, import/export metadata created in the cartridge unit as well as offline features including printing of cartridge labels. Advancing from the Archival Disc that was jointly developed by Sony and Panasonic in 2015, the ODA solution has come a long way. Positioning itself as one of the best medium for protecting valuable data, Sony’s ODA excels as the core of highly productive archive systems, serving to meet the needs of data management now and in the future. To find out more about the Optical Disc Archive solution, please visit pro.sony

SHOW PREVIEW

Beijing InfoComm China 2019 Brings The Future Closer

The 11th Edition of Beijing InfoComm China will be held at the familiar China National Convention Center in Beijing, China, rescheduled to 17 – 19 July 2019. Burnishing its position as a comprehensive Professional AudioVisual (Pro-AV) and Integrated Experience show in Asia Pacific, this year’s edition will rise to the next level with the presentation of many future-ready and innovative Pro-AV and integrated Experience solutions from local and international providers, many of whom will be launching their products and solutions for the first time in the region. SURPASSING LAST YEAR’S COUNT WITH OVER 400 EXHIBITORS Over the years, Beijing InfoComm China has established its reputation in China and in the Asia-Pacific region as the show that provides knowledge and future perspectives on the development of relevant technological trends and their impact on the future of work, life and play. An increasing number of Pro-AV industry leaders, professionals, practitioners, researchers and thought leaders are including the Beijing show on their list of must-attend events. It therefore comes as no surprise that the response to this year’s exhibition has been very encouraging, breaking new ground in terms of the numbers of exhibitors, new innovations and product launches. With just over three months to the show, the more than 400 confirmed exhibitors have already surpassed last year’s count. Visitors can look forward to a vibrant show floor, with much to explore and excite the forwardthinking entrepreneurs and strategist across every industry. © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

PREPARING AV PROFESSIONALS FOR THE NIXT REVOLUTION For the first time, in addition to organizing an exhibition and learning Summit dedicated to Pro-AV technologies, it is introducing a dedicated segment to what has traditionally been thought of as “disruptive” technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, Extended Reality (XR) and Quantum Computing. Next Integrated Experience Technology (NIXT) is a platform where participants will experience a mindset shift – to see these “disruptive” technologies as opportunities for growth rather than threats. NIXT will mark its initial debut as a conference at Beijing InfoComm China 2019, but will launch as a full-fledged exhibition a year later, running alongside Beijing InfoComm China 2020. ASIA MARKET: 36% OF THE GLOBAL PRO-AV MARKET According to the “2018 AV Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis Global Summary” released by AVIXA, the Pro-AV industry is estimated to grow from US$186 billion in 2018 to US$230 billion by 2023. Asia is projected to take the largest market share, capturing 36% of the global Pro-AV market by 2023. Growth drivers include audio technology advances, IoT for smart buildings, cloud technology and AI. Increasingly, more Pro-AV technologies, products and storage, process and display solutions are integrated across different applications.

SHOW PREVIEW

Solution providers are able to tap new business opportunities by offering bundled solutions for conferencing and collaboration, learning, live events, digital signage, security and surveillance, and performance and entertainment.

“The Pro-AV industry is continuously evolving as technological trends drive AV convergence in the live, work and play environment, a trend in which AV applications are integrated into the enterprise,” said Richard Tan, Executive Director of InfoCommAsia. “Beijing InfoComm China is an ideal platform to support AV solution providers capitalising on growth opportunities arising from increase demand for AV experiences anytime, anywhere.” CHINA: A GLOBAL LEADING INNOVATION SUPERPOWER The impact of Chinese innovations on global technological trends and business models is increasingly more visible. Chinese companies are setting global trends in technology products such as supercomputers, technology-enabled transportation, digital payments and AI. Game-changing technologies such as IoT, AI, big data and AR/AR are transforming the AV industry. China is increasingly a testbed of AV innovations that are being developed to integrate AV applications seamlessly with enterprise information communications and management systems. By facilitating the convergence of systems integrators, solution providers, end-users and thought leaders, Beijing InfoComm China is an effective platform for future-focused business leaders and decision-makers to discover both Chinese and foreign Pro-AV and Integrated Experience solutions and knowledge. A PLATFORM TO SHOWCASE THE WORLD’S LEADING BRAND Beijing InfoComm China 2019 will continue to see product and service innovations of many leading global brands and solution providers. Global brands include Creston Electronics, Canon (China), Intel, Sony and Epson, while local companies include Shenzhen Absen Optoelectronics, Guangzhou CREATOR Technology and Leyard Optoelectronic. Additionally, many exhibitors will be returning to launch their new products to Asian markets. More than 100 new-toAsia and new-to-China products are expected to be launched at the show, fortifying its reputation as the conduit to the Asian market. Visitors will be spoilt with much to see and ideas to explore every which way they turn.

Meanwhile, an integral part of Beijing InfoComm China, the Summit runs for three days. It complements the exposition of hardware and technology on the exhibition floor by providing the underpinning knowledge and insights into systems, solutions and technological trends across various industries. An exciting host of interactive and intensive presentations and discussions on a wide range of issues has been organised under various Summit platforms, namely InfoCommAsia Seminars, IT Forums, Digital Signage Asia Forumand Industry Forums covering vertical markets such as hotel, smart city, live events, education, corporate, etc. In keeping with the successful formula of previous Summits, it will work with leading trade and industry associations and publications to organise forums and seminars, ensuring that presentations and discussions address relevant current and future issues that will impact the industry. These include Digital Solutions Multimedia Asia, Guangdong New Intelligent City Construction Service Center, China Hotel Association Wisdom and China InfoWorld. The Summit continues to attract industry thought leaders and academic luminaries to present their expertise and insights on key issues and trends. Keynote speakers this year include:

• • • • •

Daniel Feng, CEO of Sentiment HIFI Frank Zhang, Technical Sales Manager of Extron Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Jerry Hung, General Manager of BXB Electronics Co., Ltd. Kane Zhang, Chief Technology Officer of Shenzhen EZPro Sound & Light Technology Co., Ltd. Leo Li, Founder and CTO of DigiBird Technology Co., Ltd.

ONLINE PRE-REGISTRATION Admission to Beijing InfoComm China 2019 and all its Summit sessions are free. Visitors can pre-register their interest to visit the show, and check out the complete Summit program along with the latest updates, at the show’s official websites – infocomm-china.com or ifcshow.com.

SHOW REVIEW

Promising Start to InfoComm SEA

7,743 visitors. 152 exhibitors. Summit – comprising 9 industry conferences, 3 technology conferences and 31 technical seminars and AVIXA flashtrack sessions attended by 1,777 participants. 3 Technical tours that were over-subscribed. Need we say more? IFSEA in Bangkok had a promising start with a solid turnout of visitors. The show attracted both local and regional delegates. The show floor though compact was filled with footfalls throughout the three days including till the last minute of the exhibition.

IFSEA definitely has potential to grow larger and become THE show for those in the trade and end-users to attend in this region. If there is one comment – the show could do with more variety of solutions. More speaker manufacturers and control room solutions were on the minds of those we spoke to. Displays took up a fair bit of exhibition space be it projectors, LEDs or LCDs. More variety I believe will happen from the next edition as some potential exhibitors wanted to have a feel for the first edition. There is no way they were not impressed with the turnout and vibe at the showfloor and seminar rooms!

Inaugural AV Leaders Summit Systems Integration Asia was pleased to be the collaboration partner of InfoCommAsia Pte Ltd in organising the inaugural AV Leaders Summit. It was an opportunity to get system integrators and consultants from the region in one space to listen to the opportunities and network. The turnout was great and we hope together with InfoCommAsia Pte Ltd to continue with the programme next year. For those who attended the event, bytes of valuable information about the industry, statistics, opportunities in the region and the © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

approach to the market was shared by David Labuskes, CTS, CAE, RCDD who is the CEO of AVIXA. The presentation was followed by a highly entertaining presentation by Fredrik Haren, Global Keynote Speaker on Creativity & Innovation, Author of the Idea Book, Developing World and One World One Company who spoke on “Leading and Winning in an Era of Unprecedented Change.” He had the audience in stitches but there was an important underlying message about the approach to work and how to have the edge.

SHOW REVIEW

Some of the Delegates from the AV Leaders Summit at the Luncheon.

The final presentation was by Cheol Kim, General Manager, Visual Information, Internet of Things Group, (IOTG), Intel. Cheol gave an overview of the industry visual trends and how Intel is meeting the opportunities that benefits the industry. The AV Leaders Summit would not have been possible without the support of sponsors Philips and Shure.

Audioforum Another co-operation by Systems Integration Asia together with organiser Connessioni, saw the inaugural Audioforum take place on the second day of the exhibition. The half day presentation dug deep into Theories, technologies and (true and false) myths about audio diffusion. Presented by Lars Olof Janflod - Strategy Advisory Officer at Genelec Oy and Alfonso Martin Rodriguez - Chief Engineer and Co-founder at Sonos Libra, the forum saw about 40 participants. Plans are already afoot to bring an expanded Audioforum in 2020.

Cristiano Masi from Connessioni flanked by Lars Olof (L) and Alfonso Martin (R) ÂŠ Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

SHOW REVIEW

View from the Show Floor For the first time in Southeast Asia, Epson showcased its brightest 3LCD projector to date, at 30,000 lumens. The EB-L30000UNL projector is powered by a 20,000-hour maintenance-free laser light source for outstanding image quality, and is designed for rental and staging companies. Also shown for the first time was the compact EB-L1070UNL versatile installation laser projector. With a brightness of 7,000 lumens, these projectors come with a 4K enhancement technology and interchangeable lenses support. Epson’s latest augmented reality smart glasses Moverio BT-35E also caught the attention of visitors at the exhibition.

This is the first time that SiliconCore has showcased its solutions within Southeast Asia. The company took the opportunity to showcase its EZ-HD series LEDs that was launched at ISE. Targeted at high-end corporate environments for meeting rooms and lobbies, the series is designed to be installed by two technicians in under three hours, Three sizes are available - 110”, 130” and 165”. The EZ-HD Series of displays exceed brightness specifications at 1200-1500 nits. Also shown at the show floor was SiliconCore’s top performing Lavender 1.2mm LED. Glenn Bailey, VP, APAC, highlights that half of the business for SiliconCore is from Lavender. The Lavender 1.2mm display makes the benefits of high resolution LED displays available within conventional large format display sizes, reaching full HD at just 110” diagonal measurement and at 1200 nits. With a minimum viewing distance of less than one meter, every detail is displayed with perfect clarity. “The size, picture quality and price hits the sweet spot,” said Glenn.

Ng Ngee Khiang, Director of Visual Products and Robotics, Epson, highlights that the Thailand market has been tremendous for the last few years. “Based on FutureSource we are the number one projector brand in Thailand.” Ng adds that Epson’s high brightness projectors have also seen a 31.7 percent growth as it is popular in the rental & staging segment. “We are focused on continuing to develop relationship with the rental & staging segment, though the education segment is still the core part of our business.” The Bose Arena Match is a key solution for the company. “Asia is an important market where new build and refurbished stadiums are being planned and our Arena Match is a good fit,” said Christian Liebenberg, Regional Manager, Bose. Christian further added that the show has been very positive with reasonable footfalls. “The quality of the engagements has been positive. Thailand has also been a good market for us. Our partner Asavasopon has been a Bose distributor for the last 50 years.” Also showcased was the full range of Bose Freespace loudspeakers and integrated amplifiers.

Amy Kwa, Department Head of Visual Products (Projector & Smart Glasses) with Ng Ngee Khiang © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

The Philips booth demonstrated how their displays can be used in a variety of vertical segments such as control room, f&b, retail, finance, marketing, wayfinding. Rob Fowler, Sales Director, APAC, comments, “The Thai market is hard to crack but we managed to do it with sustainable effort over the last 3.5 to 4 years. Thankfully we have a

Chris Colpaert with Rob Fowler

SHOW REVIEW partner who is reliable and has a good reputation, Demuk.” Starting with a low base it is not surprising that Philips has seen a 250% growth in Thailand. “Our open platform use of Android allows us to resolve any issues easily. Not operating in a proprietary platform gives us flexibility and customers like that.”

that the visitorship has been good and there is certainly a regional feel to it.”

Extron demonstrated for the first time in Thailand their NAV no-compromise Pro AV over IP solution for distribution and switching of ultra-low latency, high quality video and audio signals over an Ethernet network at low bit rates. NAV delivers ground-breaking performance with real-time, visually lossless video over IP at resolutions up to 4K @ 60 Hz with 4:4:4 chroma sampling and ultra-low latency. The NAV Series is the only solution that offers both 1 Gbps and 10 Gbps encoders and decoders while providing full interoperability across both systems. Daniel Poh, Asia Sales Director for Extron Electronics Asia, highlights that the Thai market is big and Extron has been doing overwhelmingly well in the government and education sectors. “Hospitality and retail is also showing positive signs. The show has been good but I wish there were more end-users that we could meet. The participation cost is also quite high and hopefully the organiser can look into this.”

Taking centre stage at the Samsung booth was The Wall. It is the first time the solution is being shown in the region for the B2B segment. “Though The Wall was launched two years ago this is the first time we are showing it. We believe that this microLED wall offers good opportunity for the industry,” said Guy Basil de Souza, Head of Display Solutions, South East Asia & Oceania. The Wall certainly attracted a lot of attention during the exhibition. Samsung’s The Wall delivers a revolutionary viewing experience with pure black, true colour and epic clarity. MicroLED technology transfers micrometer-scale LEDs into LED modules, resulting in what resembles wall tiles comprised of mass-transferred clusters of almost microscopic lights. Mounted together as a uniform canvas and plugged in, they create a visual experience similar to what you get with premium QLED TVs. Panuwat Chaowanklang, Senior Manager, Display Sales, CE Business for Samsung Electronics (Thailand and Indochina) adds, “Generally in Thailand we are number one in this segment. We are the first brand to show professional displays. Our solutions can be found in government, education, retail and transport.” Samsung had also organised throughout the three days a special introduction and booth visit for different segment customers so a to provide them with a more intimate knowledge of the solutions.

Regional distributor Mindstec showcased the VuWall solution for control room, RTI controllers for automation, Mediastar by Cable Time for IPTV/Digital Signage and for the first time in Thailand the T1V collaboration software. “The current trend in the market is about bringing your own devices to work with as well as interactivity in the workspace. It is with this in mind we specifically brought the T1V solution to the show as it is a collaboration tool that allows for BYOD and annotation amongst other features,” said James Lim, Regional Director, SEA, Mindstec. He further adds, “This show offers us the opportunity to show especially to the Thai market hardware and software solutions that they can take advantage of. I would like to add

Arthur Holm demonstrated their AH Dynamic, Motorized, Retractable, In-Table Conference Speaker speaker. “This replaces soundbars and ceiling speakers with much better quality,” said Henrik Holm. The active speakers are compact and offer omnidirectional 360 degrees coverage with Class-D amplification and two way coaxial driver as well as integrated DSP technology. The system can be controlled through AHnet and also through AHlink: a new wireless app for control and set-up. The Arthur Holm DynamicSpeaker is designed to be hidden when not in use with a smooth, elegant and silent movement. © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

SHOW REVIEW

Eugene Yeo (white shirt) with principal representatives and team members

“This is the first time we are in the region to showcase our solutions. Our solutions are really meant for the top-end of the market and the show provided us with the opportunity to meet with system integrators from the region. Most of the visitors know our brand, our capabilities as well as our quality. I must admit that the show is better than expected,” said a pleased Henrik.

One of Thailand’s most established distributor and systems integrator, Vichai Trading (1983) had a plethora of brands and their solutions at their booth. These included Cornered Audio, Da-lite, IMAG Systems, Lyln, Music Tribe’s Klarktecknik, Tannoy, Lab.Gruppen and Midas solutions, QSC, Renkus-Heinz and Wolfvision. Thitikorn Sopchokchai, Director, Vichai Trading (1983) comments, “We had good support starting from our manufacturers to local companies, end-users as well as dealers. Visitors to our booth got the opportunity to see a wide range of solutions. The feedback has been very positive. Most importantly a number of the manufacturer representatives were present at our booth which was beneficial to both the local as well as regional visitors. I believe the show has exceeded everyone’s expectations.”

Acoustic & Lighting’s booth featured Chief mounting solutions, Vaddio cameras, disguise media server and Blacktrax tracking solutions. With the company’s headquarters based in Malaysia, Eugene Yeo, General Manager, Acoustic and Lighting, highlighted that it was important for the company to participate and be seen as a local player. The company has had a presence in Thailand for a few years now. “The show itself has been good. This region is a growing market for AV and lighting and InfoComm took good advantage of this. As for Thailand we can see more foreign multinational companies setting up their offices which is a sign of confidence in the market. For us, Thailand has been a stable market.”

Kritsada Thaikruawan with Yair Levin

Kramer showcased Kronos, their enterprise-ready room booking and scheduling solution as well as unveiled for the first time in SEA the Kramer AFM-20DSP – the industry’s first 20 port audio matrix with interchangeable inputs and outputs, Dante support, built in Hi-Z and Lo-Z 120watts power amplification and complete DSP functionality powered by Xilica. Yair Levin, General Manager of Kramer Electronics Asia Pacific, comments, “The first two days of the show was impressive with the type of visitors we saw. On the first day we saw mainly SIs, contractors and distributors and on the second day I would say 70% were end-users.” He adds that Kramer has been active in the Thai market for the past 10 years and last year the Kramer office was set-up in the country. “Our strategy has proved itself as we have performed well. Our Country Manager, Kritsada Thaikruawan has done well managing the channels

SHOW REVIEW

Adam Hall’s Asia Managing Director, Chandan Mahtani comments that the Thai market is challenging. “A few players monopolise the industry. However we have been lucky as we found a niche distributor. We are doing okay but of course we hope to grow. The show has been enlightening and we have seen serious players like SIs and end-users from Thailand.” Adam Hall also took the opportunity to have a distributor meeting before the exhibition. On show were the LD speakers, Cameo lighting fixtures, Gravity stands and Palmer MI solutions. Chandan Mahtani (extreme right) with his Singapore team

SNAPSHOT

Shure: José A. Rivas, Vice President of Global Sales, Emerging Markets

have to be mindful of the needs of the various markets. A great company and great teams help me do my job more efficiently.

José A. Rivas has been involved in the audio industry for 25 years, of which he has been with Shure for 15 years. He held responsibility for sales and marketing in Shure’s Americas operations that included the USA before taking over leadership of the company’s Latin America go-to-market organisation. Since last year, José has been appointed VP of Global Sales for Shure’s Emerging Markets, which

What is your view of the InfoComm SEA show? It has been a fantastic show that has allowed us to connect with the local Thai as well as regional SEA market. I am pleasantly surprised by the level of knowledge and brands on the show floor. The quantity and quality of the participants have been extraordinary.

includes responsibility for Latin America, Russia, Eastern and SouthEastern Europe, Africa, Middle East, Southeast Asia and South Asia. SI Asia talks to Mr Rivas about his role, objectives and the show. What does your job scope entail? It is my job to identify and capitalise on opportunities in the emerging markets. Emerging markets are always evolving and offer massive potential for Shure. I ensure that we focus on developing effective goto-market strategies and building our support teams in each region to help our channel partners bring our innovative solutions to the end users. Tell us your view about Southeast Asia? Southeast Asia is highly diverse. Each country in the region is at a different stage of development. There are also language and cultural variances to consider. The way we look at it, the market offers lots of opportunities for all of Shure’s core vertical segments – Musician & Consumer Audio, Pro Audio, and Integrated Systems. Our goal is to identify the specific opportunities, understand and react to the challenges, and create tailored strategies for each country. It seems like you have a vast territory to look after. How do you manage it from where you are based, in Brazil? I, of course, have in-region teams that help and support me. Because of the number of regions I am responsible for, I am more alert and

Did Shure organise additional programmes during this show period? We did, indeed. The day before the show we hosted a meeting for the Shure Conferencing Network (SCN) where we invited conferencing equipment rental partners from the region. We currently have more than 20 SCN Members around the globe and continue to expand. We host such meetings every year and this was the first one specifically for our partners in Asia. We were happy to host 50 delegates from both existing as well as potential new member companies. The objective was to exchange ideas and knowledge and arm them with useful tips to help them grow their rental business with support from the Network. This event was also essential for us as we have expanded our conferencing offering last year with the introduction of Microflex Complete and Microflex Complete Wireless. Being our network members, it is vital for them to be aware of our expanded range and opportunities. Additionally, we were also involved with presenting at the AVIXA Summit Program at InfoComm SEA, and we also conducted in-person certification seminars through the Shure Audio Institute. What is the long term view? The global economy continues to look at SEA as a growing hub. As the market develops and technology changes, we need to be in front of those changes. Our focus continues to be solving challenges for our customers through innovative solutions and first-class support. So, we are putting more people on the ground to join forces with our channel partners, to ultimately be able to better serve the end users. At Shure, we have the people and technology, and great things will continue to come.

SHOW REVIEW

The ESCO team with members from Optics and HuddleCamHD

Christopher Lim, Esco’s General Manager, felt that the show’s turnout was a reasonably good effort. “It is encouraging to see many people make the effort to travel to come to the show. It would be good to see higher value end-users in future editions.” Christopher highlights that the reason Esco is participating in the exhibition is due to their presence in the country. “We wanted to show our presence to our own network and corporate clients.” The booth showcased Zoom solutions working with Crestron Flex – both solutions which Esco has been specifying and integrating for their corporate clients as well as solutions from Optics and HuddleCamHD. Esco had also organised an end-user event that was sponsored by Crestron, which added to the whole vibe of the exhibition. In addition, Mike Stead, Alliance Director of Global Presence Alliance gave at talk at the AVIXA booth about the problems with AV Global Deployments touching on factors such as taxes, logistics and culture amongst other challenges. Esco is a member of the Alliance.

Wei Wei Yin, VP of Sales and Marketing of Calibre APAC Office felt that the show was wonderful with a good crowd that included visitors from the region. “We are here to look for channel partners in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. This region is fast growing and we decided to put in additional efforts as there is a lot of potential for our products.”

Making their debut in SEA were two new products. The HQPro1000 4K scaler-switcher is the first in a new range of solutions designed for maximum performance in the most challenging applications. The HQPro1000 is characterised by its inbuilt modularity, allowing customers to configure the exact functionality required – and to add to that functionality as needs change in the future. It also features Calibre’s best-in-class low-latency proprietary HQUltra scaling technology, supporting 4K50/60 4:4:4 RGB formats, as well as truly seamless switching and support for multiple sources and layers. Also shown for the first time was the company’s new award-winning Ultra thin AiO (All-in-One) LED display, which is differentiated from competing products by the ease and speed – typically, less than an hour – with which it can be installed. The product is available now and is designed for demanding applications. The LEDFusion A130 is a 130-inch ultra thin display with 1.5mm pixel pitch, 38mm thickness, supporting full HD resolution. Among its many features, the LEDFusion AiO family is differentiated by its unique integrated power control system.

Panasonic took advantage of the exhibition by creating a Tech Suite for partners from the region. It was to provide a more in-depth information about their solutions and what to expect from the company in the future. There was also a number interesting solutions from Panasonic that engaged the visitors at their booth. These included their new zero offset L-shaped projection lenses. LCD laser projectors and their facial recognition system. Also demonstrated at the booth was their technical collaboration with all-in-one video platform supplier Panopto, working together with Panasonic to provide turnkey video platform solutions for universities and businesses. Yuki Sakamoto, Product Head of Media Entertainment Business Division of Panasonic comments about the exhibition, “Its a good debut and I believe it will grow. Our Thai partners had put in a lot of effort. Though the show saw a number of major manufacturers missing, the potential is there. For us we need an AV platform to show our solutions and this show provides that. Thailand is a good destination and I hope the organisers will continue to step-up and bring more people in the next edition.”

SHOW REVIEW

Fuzion’s Director, Siri Wongkamolchun felt that the as a local distributor their target was the local market. “It feels that most of the people we met are those we know. Our hope was to reach out to end-users. Better promo for end-users would be good. I feel that it can be improved.” The Fuzion booth showcased d&b solutions. Tripleplay demonstrated their Google Chromecast for hotel TV, their integrated digital signage & IPTV platform as well as their super low latency HD and 4K IP video encoders. Tripleplay’s General Manager for Asia, Gary Tay comments about the show, “There was consistent traffic over the first two days. As a whole the show has been good. We saw end-customers as well as a mix of people that we knew and

SNAPSHOT Terry Friesenborg, AVIXA Terry Friesenborg is set to retire at the end of the year. He held the appointment of Global Chief Officer at AVIXA. Terry has served the industry and the association well, and he was the consummate global face of AVIXA. Terry has been involved with the AV industry for over 40 years with more than half of that being involved with the association. SI Asia has a long relationship with Terry, and we are pleased to be offered the opportunity to get a few bytes from him. Terry started his career in AVIXA, taking responsibility for education internationally. Fifteen years ago, the role evolved where he took on responsibility for international shows and membership. Terry was in the InfoComm board when the organisation stepped outside the USA to organise its first international show in 1995. Terry, what are you most proud of in your role at AVIXA? The launch of the first show and the development of Integrated Systems Europe (ISE). As the association for the Audiovisual Industry, our mission is to be hub of the industry and a catalyst for market growth. While part of this mission is expressed in our trade shows, membership is a key component. I am most proud of what we’ve accomplished when someone comes to me and says thanks you because we helped them build their career and business. What I am also proud of is my team – folks working out of their homes where we do not need to micro-manage because they all have a shared passion and vision. It is remarkable that we have so much diversity within the organisation.

Can you share with us three memorable moments? The first would be our show in Singapore in 1995. This was our first trade show outside of the United States. I remember it distinctively as it was held during Thanksgiving! It was sort of an awakening for me as to what our organisation could do. We had to bring our knowledge and know-how to the world. The other memorable moment is more personal. I made a trip to Latin America in 1997, where I met a gentleman from Uruguay who wanted us to bring training in Spanish. A decade later, we did it, and when I saw him at InfoComm he expressed his joy that we had done what we had promised. The third memorable moment was when we went over 50,000 visitors at ISE. What is your view of the industry and its future? Our industry has never been in a better place. You see AV everywhere from the most mundane application to immersive experiences. The exciting thing is the continuous evolution of or technology set. We now have access VR/AR, AI and IoT offer us immense new opportunities to create even more compelling experiences.

What will you miss most? My team and the people that I have met all over the world. Thankfully we now have the technology to stay connected! Parting words? I am very content. I leave behind a strong team, and Sarah Joyce is a strong leader. I believe we have accomplished a great deal, and we will continue to help the industry grow to its fullest potential.

SHOW REVIEW

Triplplay Team

Mark Goh (second from right) with his colleagues

who were new to us. This show offers us good exposure especially in Thailand where the hospitality industry is an important segment.”

Fintan McKiernan (second from left) with reps from Lava Controls and Occam

Thomas Marcher with Jacques Bertrand, VP, Sales- Asia

Thomas Marcher, Executive Director – SEA, Crestron Singapore comments, “The truth was that initially I was not over excited. However the first two days of the show was very positive. I would hope for the exhibition to expand. For us the Thai market is in healthy double digit growth, like the rest of the countries. Having our own people in the ground in Thailand has helped. Our expectation is our business in this country will continue to grow. The main segment currently is the Corporate vertical. The whole VC range is our market with emphasis on AV over IP solutions like our NVX.” Within the Singapore Pavilion which saw participation from 13 companies based in Singapore was the Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd booth. Mark Goh, Sales Director of E&E comments, “Our objective of participating at IFSEA was to showcase our strengths and capabilities as a regional Systems Integrator. We have done projects beyond Singapore and IFSEA provided us with a suitable platform to show the regional visitors our integration abilities across various verticals. E&E’s long history and the iconic projects we have been involved in has helped us get our message across effectively.”

Another company participating within the Singapore Pavilion was Ideal Systems. “We are really really pleased with the show and quality of visitors,” said a pleased Fintan McKiernan, CEO-SEA. Bringing across 35 people was an investment that has proved worthwhile according to Fintan. The company showcased the Sonance Professional Series speakers from Californian based company Dana Innovations. Also at the booth were two solutions that were GLOBAL LAUNCHES. OCCAM demonstrated a wireless presentation system with connectivity made simple. “The idea is to make the user experience easy. They can use the devices that they are comfortable with where they understand its behaviour and connect it wirelessly in a presentation environment. Our solution offers maximum performance and impact with minimal fuss,” said Lee Wilson a representative of the company. The other solution was LAVA CONTROLS. According to the company LAVA Controls is the world’s first cloud-based commercial display, and video wall control, management, and monitoring system. Users can control, manage and monitor all their displays, globally, from one single location. “It enables users to know what every corporate or digital signage display is doing from your desk or deck,” said Stephen Loeckle.

SHOW REVIEW

Fintan further adds, “We brought in technologies to fill the gap and are pleased to introduce to the industry both OCCAM and LAVA CONTROLS solutions.”

Aoto’s Kequn Xi with Thomas Prakasam

end-user clients mainly from Thailand. Our objective was to introduce our solutions to the Thai market.” Glenn Wong (centre) with his Singapore and Thai team members

Powersoft had its solutions at their Thailand distributor booth, One Systems Global. Showcased was the X Series, T Series, Armoniaplus,

Another pleased exhibitor from Singapore was Total Solution Marketing. “We are satisfied as there was a good mix of visitors from the region and Thailand. Most of our big customers visited our booth,” said a delighted Glenn Wong, Managing Director. Total Solution Marketing established an office in Thailand last year.

The Powersoft and One Systems Global team

Ottocaneli, Duecaneli and X4. Powersoft also took the opportunity to hold its regional meeting in Bangkok before the exhibition.

DigiBird team members with their Thai distributor

Alex Zhang, Global Director, DigiBird was very positive about the exhibition. “There was certainly a regional feel and we are satisfied with the exhibition.” Alex also lets on that the company’s first overseas distributor appointment ever was made in Thailand. “That was four years ago. The market has performed well and is growing.” At the booth was DigiBird’s Unistation, an all-in-one hardware with built-in video wall controller and KVM switcher designed for the operator. AOTO’s booth showcased their CLD RS Mini LED 1.5mm pixel. Kequn Xi, LED Display Business Group, Deputy Director of Marketing Department, AOTO felt that the show was professionally organised. “We saw a lot of SIs from different countries within SEA and potential

Leyard’s Norman Lao, VP, International, highlights that the company’s decision to participate was left late. Regardless he felt that the show outcome was positive and it allowed the company to show its architectural video facade which he believes will be popular in Thailand as well as their P2, 4K, 1.5mm LED that has striking sharpness and bold colours emitted from the display.

SHOW REVIEW

The Road to IFSEA All in we clocked in 161 meetings and I am pleased to say that brought about endorsements from 61 government agencies and trade associations that helped us promote the show to their members. This translated to thousands of regional visitors on the show floor, including a delegation of 22 members from the Indonesian military that included two Generals, a delegation from the Philippines National Police and locally 102 delegates that the Thai Ministry of Public Health organised to attend our Health conference. We knew that the usual promos were not going to be enough and thus other than the meetings above we did a roadshow covering eight cities in two weeks. I would say all the work we had put in is evident at the show floor and the positive feedback we have received. SI Asia sat down with Richard Tan, Executive Director, InfoCommAsia Pte Ltd to get his views about executing the show and its future. It has been a long journey. It’s not just about this show. Generally speaking, all trade exhibitions that focus as a regional show have a seriously daunting task. Southeast Asia is so fragmented. There is the disparity in development and knowledge and trying to get people to understand how they can benefit from an event like this is a challenging task. So we started the journey with that burden, but we translated it into a plan that frankly entailed ridiculous work.

I am pleased to say that our first-day rebooking of booths for 2020 has already exceeded this year’s show floor. We are working on two halls, and we will continue to relentlessly engage government officials, associations and major buyers to attend the show.

Travelling through every single country that makes up Southeast Asia at a minimum of four visits per country and more than fifteen in Thailand to meet with government officials, SIs, channels and industry associations was an arduous process. Thankfully we developed a short video on what the show is about and the technologies on display, which certainly helped us a great deal as the targeted audience could understand it better visually. We also targeted and met with major buyers such as hospitality chains, cinema operators and retailers.

Hosted Buyers group from Indonesia

Delegates from the Philippines © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

InfoComm SEA 2020 will be held from 27 – 29 May at BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand.

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COVER FEATURE

5G Opens the Door to New AV Opportunities, Interaction by Andy Marken

Alex Wallace, Verizon Media’s GM of news, entertainment and studios perhaps summed up the impact 5G is going to have on the M&E industry -- especially when it comes to increasingly personalized DOOH/AV (digital out of home/audio video) marketing applications -- when he said, “No one knows where 5G is going to take us, but we want to be at the forefront of it,” DOOH/AV is perhaps the most seen, unseen marketing/advertising tool available to organizations. And with 5G and several other new technologies, it can become one of the most influential and measurable tools available to firms across the board. Last year, streamer Netflix paid more than $300M for the company that owns billboards across Los Angeles, including the city’s famed Sunset Strip. © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

Many at the time, thought the company - which is equal parts technology/creative - had made a major misstep. An unidentified Hollywood producer mused that perhaps Hastings was going to resurrect drive-in theatres; but since the So Cal crowd lives on the ribbons of concrete that circle LA, he would turn the billboards into drive-by theatres. Probably not! But with print ads moving to websites and TV ads going to free-toview OTT (over the top) services and YouTube, he probably saw the investment as a means to enhance the marketing of his subscription entertainment service to locals in addition to indirectly reaching the global market since the Sunset Strip and billboards are such widely photographed/shared areas of the country.

COVER FEATURE

DOOH/AV has evolved as technology has grown and become refined. The distinction between our digital and physical world is blurring. It is becoming more refined, more memorable as people create eyecatching, interactive communications campaigns. What will 5G networks mean for the AV community, consumer? - Faster download and upload speeds - Smoother streaming of online content - Higher-quality voice and video calls - More reliable mobile connections - Greater number of connected IoT devices - An expansion of advanced technologies - smart signs, smart cities Source: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, Warner Bros “I ain’t got the brains to make this up.” – Jacob Kowalski, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” Warner Bros., 2016

Digitizing billboards and other OOH systems and add emerging 5G networking as well as advanced tools such as AI, IoT, blockchain and other nascent technologies and suddenly the potential for localized, personalized marketing becomes not only real but economical and highly measurable. Several years ago, before we had all of today’s technology ready to rollout across the globe, Bob O’Donnell, president, founder and chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research, discussed the personalization that would be possible with smartphones, next-generation wireless, big data and analytics. He noted that a growing volume of data would be online that could be tapped to “view” the menus of various restaurants, their satisfaction ratings and more to determine exactly where he wanted to take his family. At the time, we thought the idea was neat – unrealistic, but neat. Now BAM! Bob’s “wild vision of tomorrow” was spot on!

Source: Forbes

Instant Info – 5G technology will enable applications to meld with the world around us to allow people to instantly tap into information including mundane things like helping you pick the evening’s entertainment and eating opportunities.

Self-driving cars, remote robotic surgery, autonomous weapons -- all that and much more will be delivered via tomorrow’s 5G wireless network. It promises to transform our lives and add trillions of dollars to the global economy every year. New products, services, business models and the entire AV/ communications industry will be reborn as 5G provides a huge leap forward in speed, capacity and connectivity. Analysts at IHSMarkit estimate that 5G will drive an extra $12 trillion of annual sales in 2035-- about the size of China’s economy last year. The generation that has grown up with a smartphone in their hands, coupled with today’s move from 4G LTE (long-term evolution) to 5G has set the stage for new connectivity, communications that is precisely in line with Verizon’s Wallace’s forecast … No one knows where 5G is going to take us! Long View The revolution will be evolutionary and will happen as telcos slowly build out their network infrastructures to bring 5G to people around the globe. Currently, only small areas of the globe have the technology: - AT&T has identified 20 cities in the U.S. that will be 5G enabled by the end of the year with implementation in areas of a few cities - Verizon has scheduled 5G in 30 cities with areas of two cities live at present - Two South Korean mobile carriers are slowly rolling out 5G - Japan’s NTT DoCoMo has committed to having 5G fully operational by the 2020 Olympics - China’s government has begun rolling out service with a target of having 40 percent of the global connections by 2025 - Nokia’s CEO has said Europe’s 5G rollout will be delayed by perhaps two years as infrastructure is deployed

COVER FEATURE

“Everybody believes [5G] will be transformative in terms of connectivity and mobility; but it feels early,” says John Harrison, principal at Ernst & Young, who leads the firm’s global media and entertainment practice. He recommends that people in the industry experiment, test and plan for the touchy-feely solutions which will emerge in the year and years ahead.

then, businesses/users will have a combination of 4G, 4G LTE and 5G connectivity. By 2022, Cisco forecasts that 5G’s initial impact will be “measurable and significant” with an average speed of 170Mbps (4X today’s 4G performance. Industry analysts at Ovum estimate that 2025 will be the tipping point when 57 percent of all global wireless revenues will be generated through 5G. Not to be left out in the cold, traditional broadcasters are advancing their FTTP (fiber to the premise) networks to keep pace with digital advances. The new ATSC 3.0 IP-based standard will leverage the industry’s existing infrastructure to meet the speed performance requirements and offset the shrinkage of the industry’s entertainment delivery business to OTT.

Source: Techradar

Multiple Hops – 5G wireless service delivers high-speed communications but it also often requires antennas closer together ( 500 – 1000 feet apart) for line-of-sight communications. 5G technology’s promise of dramatically lower latency will enable a new wave of high-speed connectivity and innovations that range from cloud gaming services similar to what Google and Apple have announced, to IoT devices for smart factories and smart cities as well as immersive AR and VR personal, business, marketing applications. Compared with today’s 4G, the next-gen 5G standard promises faster speeds of at least 20-fold, instant response times, vastly improved network efficiencies and longer device battery life, among other benefits. Mobile operators worldwide are expected to invest more than $160B per year over the next five years to expand and upgrade their networks to deliver fast, seamless instant communications.

Source: NAB

Wired Broadband – While the wireless communications industry would like people to forget the last 100 feet of service to the home/ business, the cable industry is upgrading gigabit service with ATSC 3.0 to deliver fast, reliable service with an infrastructure that is already in place. At NAB the industry announced that ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) 3.0 will be deployed in more than 40 U.S. markets by 2020 and will be expanded internationally by broadcasters over the next two years.

Source: Fierce Wireless

ATSC 3.0 will improve audio/visual quality for OTA (over the air) signals, enable more targeted marketing messages and provide a very robust multimedia and national/regional alert system. The enhanced service will power immersive media experiences in public venues, beam OTA TV signals to connected cars and mobile devices and more.

Bandwidth Sale – Around the globe, countries have set aside portions of their radio spectrum for wireless communications and the sale of specific segments are being “sold” to service providers. After that, the buildout of the infrastructure begins.

Allan McLennan, chief executive of PADEM Media Group, is optimistic about ATSC 3.0’s potential for the industry and consumer but added that the cable industry will face a formidable competitor with fixed 5G wireless.

But officials at GSMA (Groupe Spéciale Mobile Association) caution it will be several years before 5G achieves blanket coverage. Until

“For the consumer, ATSC 3.0 is not as well known as 5G, which is being promoted by both carriers and new offerings,” he noted. “The

COVER FEATURE industry will need to ramp up its informational/educational efforts to help people understand how the upgrade will benefit them; as in the foreseeable future, there are really no visible benefits that consumers are likely to experience.” “Kids, mom/dad, everyone can visualize the benefit of having their content instantly available on any device, anywhere, anytime,” he continued. “So, there’s a clear consumer value proposition.” But McLennan pointed out that there is still a cloud over whether 5G everywhere can provide telcos with an attractive return on investment in the near future.

and teams together and will enable marketers to get closer and more involved with customers in immersive and augmented encounters. Service providers will enable untethered business opportunities and new means for people to interact and connect. Perhaps nothing was more dramatic of the potential than the breathtaking real-time demonstration of the complete lack of buffer time at this year’s MWC (Mobile World Congress).

He reminded us that 5G in the US, for example, will be industrialfirst as businesses use the technology to improve productivity while consumer connectivity will be delivered over a longer period and the impact won’t be as dramatic as advertised. McLennan added that people in areas with 5G’s extra network and low latency won’t see that much difference from viewing their video on the current 4G LTE network. Hopefully, the industry will become more realistic regarding the size of the market and the technology’s capabilities … soon. Building out a 5G network that can be instantly available to more than 30M homes just in the U.S. will take a considerable amount of time and be extremely expensive. Multiply that by the 195 countries worldwide and it is probable that both high-speed, high-performance technologies will be needed to meet tomorrow’s needs. To get even a hint of how 5G can free the creativity of the AV community, you needed to go no further than the entry halls to this year’s CES and LG’s ultra-impressive display wall.

Source: MWC

Dr. on Line 5 – To dramatically highlight the high-speed performance and capabilities of today’s 5G technology, MWC attendees watched a surgeon guide every step of an operation being conducted three miles away. A specialist at the MWC auditorium in Barcelona guides surgeons at a remote hospital in real time Dr. Antonio Maria de Lacy was three miles away from the hospital where he directed his team through a gastrointestinal surgery live and on stage. With sub-millisecond latency, the doctor guided surgeons using a live, real-time 5G video link. Yes, the patient came through with flying colours.

Source: NAB

Filling Screens – To whet NAB attendees’ appetites for brilliant color and clarity of content of all shapes and sizes, LG erected and filled an impressive video display at the recent convention. Combined, 5G technology with new display technology and AV integrators have a lot of options for providing customers with communications, education and entertainment opportunities. Instant on, instant delivery, instant immersion; 5G will provide AV integrators with the underlying technology to bring organizations

The technology opens the potential for a new phase of healthcare where advances in data transmission, robotics and AI will improve the quality of care and the way it is delivered. The concept is slowly being rolled out in Japan and China where the countryside is being depopulated but new surgeons and professionals can carry out operations with remote robotics assistance under the watchful eyes of skilled specialists. Less dramatic and more practical organizations can develop 360-degree conferencing using intelligent cameras and omnidirectional microphones so participants have a panoramic view of the entire room and “real” interaction with all of the other participants wherever they are physically located. Remote collaboration suddenly enters a new realm.

COVER FEATURE

A wide range of benefits can be achieved by fully implanting AR and VR applications. Architects can take clients through the most minute details of projects with 3D and holographic renderings on the conference table.

Digital assistants and smart mirrors are already being implemented to give shoppers a 360-degree view of outfits without trying them on; and AR allows them to see clothes on themselves in a range of colors/ patterns without visiting the changing room again and again.

Serious Shopping

Smartphone apps, combined with retailers’ deep data and AI technology, will allow shoppers to walk through the mall and obtain personalized suggestions, in-app discounts, reminders and more. Hi Tom – Advanced analytic AI technology combined with new highspeed interactive display technology will make it possible for retail and business signage to interact and ‘communicate’ with people and allow them to get answers to questions they haven’t even asked … yet. The tools are being refined that will make it possible for events like Tom Cruise’s visit to a store in Minority Report where he is greeted by name and reminded of his last visit, what he purchased and given informed recommendations. Source: Avixa

Interactive Malls – Reliable high-speed 5G technology combined with big data, analytics, blockchain and AI technologies will enable retailers to deliver improved customer satisfaction and added reasons to visit stores. While consumers are increasingly using their smartphones for shopping and firms like Alibaba, Amazon and Tencent see major opportunities to increase sales as 5G technology becomes widely available, industry experts expect the technology to keep pace and enhance the relationship of shopping malls, stores and consumers. By incorporating 5G and advanced tech, companies can offer shoppers a unique online/in-store experience that will attract shoppers.

As soon as 5G becomes reliably available in their market areas, AV integrators can take advantage of big data, blockchain, AI, facial recognition and AR/VR to deliver solutions that will be as natural as it is to pick up and use your smartphone today. The challenge for the AV integrator is to keep up with and understand there is a wide chasm between what some firms are marketing today and reliable delivery of products/services. It would be nice if you could believe Newt Scamander when he said, “Now there’s absolutely nothing for you to worry about.” 5G will enable it all and more for the AV industry and its customers. Just don’t over promise…it’s good but it ain’t magic.

Source: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, Warner Bros © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

FEATURE

The Anatomy of the Modern Loudspeaker

A modern loudspeaker is now much more than woofers and tweeters in a wooden box. Systems Integration Asia goes inside the box to explore the latest additions.

Loudspeaker design is an ever-evolving science. Components such as woofers and tweeters have significantly improved over the years thanks to better materials, while new functionality has been added as the electronics inside have become more powerful. The result is something much greater than a voice coil moving a cone. It’s true to say that at the top end of the loudspeaker market, no one makes a bad sounding system. Different products will all have their cheerleaders and detractors, but when it comes to audio quality, the differences will largely be down to personal taste. As such, where brands were once able to win projects based on their musicality or reputation, these solutions now have to compete for business in other ways. They need to be able to deliver integrators with a great sounding solution that can be deployed rapidly, monitored remotely and controlled by non-expert users all at an attractive price point. This means a lot of technology needs to be inside the box. Of course, installations come in all shapes and sizes, and not all solutions meet the same need – you wouldn’t specify a ceiling speaker system to provide the main sound reinforcement at a nightclub. As such, this article will explore some of the common trends that are being seen more generally across modern loudspeaker design. Smart Systems Audio networking has been a common feature for years, but it has really come to the fore in recent times. In the ‘90s, audio networking was a nice to have feature that came at a premium but handed real power to integrators. The rapid expansion in processing power witnessed in subsequent years and the emergence of various standards such as AES 67, OMNEO, Ravenna © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

and, of course, Dante now means that audio networking technology has become an expected component. This revolution in internal electronics means it is often quicker to list the new loudspeakers that don’t involve the technology, and it’s easy to see why. The reporting power and diagnostic capabilities delivered by an audio network provide advantages in every step of the user experience – from rapid installation to simple control. Quite simply, it is very hard to find a reason why manufacturers wouldn’t involve some kind of networking component in their speaker design. Of course, audio networking is just one part of a broader electronic picture that is creating highly intelligent systems. The electronics and DSP that most loudspeakers now include ensures that each cabinet can be tuned to provide the best possible result for not only the specific section of a space that it covers, but the room as a whole. Beam steering is the classic example of this, and the digital manipulation of sound dispersion is a vital tool to tackle acoustically challenging spaces. The Intellivox range from JBL is one of the classic examples of this technology in action and has been deployed to great effect all over the world. Internal processing allows designers to combine the output from multiple drivers (often in a line from column speakers) to ensure sound is only delivered to where the designer wants it to go. This has created major acoustic benefits to difficult, reverberant spaces such as airports and houses of worship by keeping sound energy away from reflective surfaces. Of course, it’s not only the processing where internal electronics can provide an advantage. Take for example Nexo’s GEO M12 cabinet, launched on the Yamaha Grand Plaza Stage at the NAMM show earlier this year. This new flagship line array cabinet provides users with the

FEATURE

The JBL Intellivox speakers at the Auckland International Airport

Size Matters One of the common battles that any sound designer faces is the fight between audio and interior design. Unfortunately, this confrontation is rarely won by the acoustic side and often great designs are compromised because of the damage that speaker placement causes to an interior designer’s ‘clean lines’. While this has often served to place a sobering reality check on where our part of the project sits in the overall importance to a client, it has also helped to inspire manufacturers to move away from the ‘black box on the wall’ image that the audio industry used to suffer from. A switch on the rear of the Nexo GEO M12 allows it sot be set to either active or passive mode

ability to change the box, on the fly, from 2-way passive to 2-way active mode via a switch. Historically, a lot of system processing has taken place in the rack room, and this is still the case for some of the latest technologies such as immersive and object-based audio. But thanks to Moore’s Law, the amount of computational power available on very small chipsets means an increasing amount can be achieved within the space of the loudspeaker cabinet. It is not beyond the realms of imagination to see a lot more capabilities moving to the point of delivery in the near future.

Improvements in materials science has gone a long way to help this. Large, heavy ferrite magnets have been replaced by smaller, lighter rare earth metals, such as neodymium, which provide more power from a smaller package. This has enabled manufacturers to go increasingly more compact with their designs. It is now possible to create sleek, stylish cabinets that disappear within the interior design yet still pack enough of a punch to deliver the sound pressure levels and intelligibility required by the acoustic design. This has most often been seen with elegant designs for slimline tops that can be custom painted to any RAL colour so they blend seamlessly into the overall look of a venue while larger subwoofers have been hidden within furniture to deliver the lows while being heard but not seen. However, a recent trend has seen the lower © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

FEATURE

The Yamaha VXc4-VA EN54-23 certified spekaers have been installed at Billund Airport, Denmark

frequencies added to this compact design picture. The latest example of this comes in the form of the B8SUB from d&b audiotechnik. Designed to fit into any space, the sub stands a mere d&b audiotechnik’s compact new B8-SUB 170mm tall and delivers low frequency extension down to 43Hz with a maximum SPL of 122dB. It has been created to be used under stages, stairs or ceilings; in landscape or portrait; and flush mounted or flown with small mid/high d&b loudspeakers providing the versatility that is expected by most end users. One of the reasons that subs have remained large despite the diminishing stature of their higher-frequency counterparts has been the desire to deliver full range audio. However, as it becomes increasingly possible to go lower from smaller systems, don’t be surprised to see these cabinets taking up less and less floor space. Safety First A final element of modern loudspeaker design that is impossible to ignore is the importance of safety standards. The rise of the European © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

EN54 evacuation standard to the state of global default has seen many manufacturers seek to have their products certified to this level. This rigorous process initially saw significant increases in business for certain manufacturers as numerous countries adopted the standard while simultaneously increasing the musicality of solutions that can deliver a core public safety function. This again met the needs of interior design as it would be possible to deliver both BGM and PA/ VA through the same system, reducing the number of loudspeakers required for a project. Following this initial surge, more brands now offer safety capabilities as standard and the overall standing of audio among the design community is increasing. It will be a long journey before the audio is held in the same light as the décor for every project, but this added factor can certainly help with this. While the core components within loudspeakers remain fundamentally the same, the functionality that new technologies are adding ensures that the R&D landscape for speakers is constantly changing. These latest trends could well just be the tip of the iceberg for exciting developments in the coming years.

TECH FEATURE

AV in the Cloud

Crestron on Revolutionizing the Industry with Cloud Capabilities

AV in the Cloud is not a new phenomenon. At its most basic, it is the ability to store information in the cloud with the ability to retrieve that information remotely from anywhere in the world. I recall some brands in the early days enabling SIs to put design aspects where their solutions are being used on the Cloud for easier collaboration. That was followed by easier update of software through Cloud. Management of products has also found its way to the Cloud enabling companies to provide remote service to clients. However, it is notable that the AV industry is truly embracing the Cloud with more features being made available for easier access and better productivity and management. In this feature we talk to Crestron and a new company called XTEN about AV in the Cloud. We kick off with a Q&A with Julian M. Fernandez, Program Group Marketing Manager at Crestron Electronics. What does Crestron offer in terms of Cloud solutions? Crestron XiO Cloud is our revolutionary IoTbased deployment and management platform for the modern, intelligent workplace. Every Crestron device talks natively to XiO Cloud without any intermediary hardware or software providing end users with a connected Crestron ecosystem. By empowering platforms like Crestron Flex and giving system managers the ability to manage thousands of devices across hundreds of rooms from a centralized location, XiO Cloud ensures a seamless deployment while cutting costs. Crestron XiO Cloud also empowers room scheduling platforms that connect with calendaring platforms to providing employees with the ability to view when spaces are available and book meeting rooms right from their desk. How important or influential is AV in the cloud? Why? Moving AV functions to the cloud will truly revolutionize our industry and change the way technology professionals work. With cloud services like Crestron XiO Cloud, system managers can easily deploy, manage, and monitor technology remotely through an IoT based solution, eliminating the need to go from room to room to perform updates on each device. As the demand for technology in the modern workplace continues to grow, having a tool that provides 24/7 remote access to each device from anywhere in the world is imperative. What are the general AV options made available in the cloud?

Crestron XiO Cloud allows customers to manage their devices and gather data on how technology is being used. When Crestron technology is paired with some of our partnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scheduling and digital signage services, XiO Cloud can also be used in conjunction to manage scheduling and signage endpoints. AV in the cloud is the future, and by standardizing on technology that can integrate with a cloud-based solution, customers are creating a more sustainable platform for the future. What are the benefits? By hosting your AV solutions in the cloud, you can drastically reduce the installation time while increasing the amount of technology being deployed. With the ability to manage and monitor each space remotely, system managers have 24/7 remote access to every device on the network. What are the disadvantages or challenges if any? One of the biggest challenges is ensuring you have the right size network before you put AV in the cloud. To ensure a seamless experience, there needs to be stable network in place with enough bandwidth to support a strong connection. Therefore, IT and AV teams must collaborate and communicate while designing these cloud-based solutions. Other disadvantages include the need for additional hardware and servers in between the device and the cloud. Crestron XiO Cloud eliminates this need by enabling bidirectional active communication between the device and XiO Cloud which provides system managers the ability to adjust the firmware, configure, and program each device remotely easier and faster than ever before. www.crestron.com ÂŠ Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

TECH FEATURE

AV on the Cloud

XTEN-AV: The New Age Technology Platform for AV By Ram Bhavanashi

Two Young AV Techies Build Start-Up Promising 10x Performance Efficiency Entrepreneurism in Indian audio-visual industry is taking a new growth trajectory, or so it appears. While there have been about half-a-dozen professionals who have charted entrepreneurial strides over the last couple years, the latest of the ilk is sort of fascinating in that it seeks to revolutionize the very way audiovisual spaces are designed and deployed with AV systems. Surprising though it is, the technology exploit seeks to bring more than one superlative things to place for manifold benefits. As this new age technology platform prepares to connect with its target audiences from the show floor of InfoComm 2019 in Olrando, SIA presents a peep into in what might be perfect demonstration of AV-IT/ICT amalgamation. The Setting What is the most common and consistent challenge that many Indian AV companies – or foreign companies like those in the Middle East, for that matter – have been living with? For many years, without an effective solution per se? The most likely answer (at least for this journo) is ‘dearth of certified/ experienced AV talent.’ Which had been, apparently, resulting in under-staffed work environments causing either inadequate or dragged-on project design/preparations for the client! The other most likely possibility is groping in the mesh of information exodus and losing track of what is best suitable spec for a designated space, given the fancies or preferences for a brand or two. Either way, one common, important casualty here is the ‘standards © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

TECH FEATURE of AV design or integration,’ besides the site-specific factors. Efforts of industry associations and some academia – though commendable thus far – haven’t been enough. Given this backdrop, imagine a scenario where an AV designer or consultant – however efficient and well-staffed with duties delegated to respective professionals – is able to access a technology platform that can practically •

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• • • •

•

Perform complex math and physics calculations to derive the required specifications of individual AV components based on AVIXA standards and design guidelines Generate automated block schematics, rack layouts, ceiling and wall speakers layouts, signal flow diagrams, cable schedules and scope of work documents Edit auto-generated drawings and convert to other formats such as Auto-Cad and Visio Generate highly professional and customized Customer Proposals as per the input Generate drawing sheets and related documents based on preferred BOM Provide specifications for any product across the portfolio spectrum of any brand- from bank of over 150,000 products from as many as 2,300 brands Track the organization’s projects, accounts and contacts under a single platform; share them among different users, and also play an Administrator’s role to track the progress on team members’ projects

All this, done through just a few finger touches on one’s keyboard and mouse! Might sound incredible with a bit of amusement, but that’s what it promises to do! More, that the technology platform performs these functions with at fractional times that modern computers are known to work at – powered by Artificial Intelligence, executed by Machine Learning, and hovering on Cloud – it is like one professional working with an efficiency of many people and producing a work done by many! “It’s 10X,” comes the assertion from Vibhav Singh, CTS, and Co-Founder of XTEN-AV, the supposedly new-age technology platform. “That means ten-fold increase in productivity.”

who seeded the fancied ideation. An Electronics Engineer and a CTS, besides being a habitual audiophile that he is, Vibhav always had strong vibes for exploits in software. While his professional accomplishments took him through a good 10+ years of high-profile career with leading manufacturers such as Harman, Biamp and Music Tribe, his witnessing minimal role for software in the hardwaredominated industry, sort of invoked the vibes he had been nourishing so strongly- why not create a software platform that would reduce manual effort and exponentially increase productivity by utilizing latest technology formats such as Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)! “I have always fancied doing something big in software; exploring the technology frontiers, and possibly expand its reach,” recalls Vibhav. “The exploit is not just for the passion of it,” he asserts, “it must be for a practical benefit for people, to ease out the manual labour, and make the machines do the ‘talking n working.’” Saving the manual labour and intelligence thus can be invested in other areas of necessity though it is just a by-product of this process. There happened the seeding – roughly two years ago – for what was then a little loosely, if not vaguely, woven ideation. Quite naturally, Vibhav looked around first for a theoretical endorsement of his ideation, then probable wherewithal support to root the seeding. Gladly for him, Vibhav made a perfect choice when he shared the idea with his college mate Sahil Dhingra who migrated to the USA soon after education, and grew from software developer to business analyst- having spent almost equally 10+ years with technology giants in Silicon Valley such as Apple, HP, and Cisco. Those companies being also strong players of Convergence, Sahil gained significant exposure and expertise in SaaS (Software as a Service)-based products for AV professionals while also implementing latest technologies such as AI, ML, VR and Blockchain. “SaaS, as a concept is nothing new, but its applications are immense. That is one important point of the thought process,” chips in Sahil. ““Software technology has been the biggest enabler for most industries in our times and there was a clear opportunity for us to be the first mover in this domain.”

Not just productivity, but through that companies can stand to increase their project turnarounds, revenues, profits, and customer satisfaction quotient too in that proportion, Vibhav Singh further asserts.

It was thus a coming together of two friends with matching mindset, and they decided to take forward the ideation into a visible initiative. That the two like-minded techno-preneurs saw manifold increase in the outputs of diverse nature with their model, they hit upon the idea of calling their dream venture XTEN-AV- apparently meaning 10X increase in the user’s productivity and associated benefits.

The Seeding… Meet the young audio professional-turned-entrepreneur from Delhi

“In any business, turnaround time is a critical component of success,” say the techie-duo. “That our Cloud-based solution © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

TECH FEATURE

ensures exponentially fast project design, and then to execution, it is practically doing more output in less input, thereby multiplying the associated benefits.” Thus came into being the XTEN-AV – with its headquarter at the Bay Area of San Francisco housing thought leaders and product development ranks, and a small support team based in India. The Unfolding of XTEN Working…

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Cable Schedules Ceiling Speaker Layouts Scope of Work Documents, and End-Customer Proposals

Interestingly, all these drawings and documents are editable as per the User’s convenience and choice, informs Vibhav. “This is where the user can be as creative and inventive as their mindscape,” he says, adding “same space can be visualized in different angles, depending upon one’s creativity.” That’s not all. According to the XTEN-AV Founder-duo, the platform allows the users to create their own BOM, besides product collaboration and specification search. “Using the “Add Your Own BOM feature, the user can create their choicest combination of products and collaboration, and the system will generate drawings and documents as per the chosen product combination,” they assert. The set of CRM features further expand the user’s ingenuity providing for multiplied experiences. Further, the ‘last mile’ feature, the ‘Edit-Drawing tool” enables users to edit elements to the AV drawings after auto-generation which puts ultimate control of the design in their hands.

The tech-duo of Vibhav and Sahil maintain that XTEN-AV uses latest software technology formats of Cloud computing, AI and ML. “We have a database of approximately 165,000 products from as many as 2,300 brands, and we save the entire tech-specs of each product,” explains Vibhav. “We created the user Interface to easily navigate and work on technologies such as Bootstrap and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets).” According to him, the flow of the working model is very simple as the algorithms developed by their tech teams ascertain the needs from the users – post their online registration and placement of their requirements – and calculate the specification of each product required in a design based on the industry-published AVIXA standards and guidelines. The cue is then picked up by another algorithm that explores the stored database of brands and products towards generating the matching product details from the brands that the user had preferred. “This saves a lot of time for the user as they do not have to do any manual calculations and search for products at different manufacturer websites,” explains Vibhav. At this stage, after the completion of specifications, the system – working on the backbone of AI and ML – automatically generates as many as seven types of drawings and documents: • • •

Line Schematics Signal Flow Diagrams Rack Layouts

“The platform is designed in such a way that even if two individuals are making a design for the same space, they have the creative freedom to create a unique design while adhering to the standards and project requirements,” say the XTEN-AV chiefs. The work behind… The technology and working model of XTEN-AV – though a fancied one – did not happen overnight. It involved almost two years of assiduous work and research since its ideation time. “We effectively started working from December 2017, so it took us roughly 18 months to arrive at where we are today,” Vibhav clarified. “It’s not an ambitious outing, without basics, either,” he vouches. According to him, they built technical teams of diverse expertise from Pro AV, even as they researched and explored various probable working models for over a year. “We have been perfecting our product for the past few months; we released a Minimum Viable Product in September last year to a closed group in the US, India and Singapore,” he explained further. “The reviews were indeed rave, and gave us requisite energy and conviction.” Further value adding the cause of their conviction, the techie-duo brought onboard a Chief AV Consultant to advise on the design and AVIXA Standard matters. TS Gopalakrishnan, CTS-D and CTS-I, who has been a regular AVIXA instructor, besides being a professional of over two decades, is taken to play the critical role of developing

TECH FEATURE algorithms to generate designs as per AVIXA’s published standards and guidelines. “My task is both simple and prestigious,” says Gopal. “It’s about advising the technical teams on the algorithm development in such a way that they generate designs as per AVIXA’s published industry standards. In a way, we all are contributing to wider adoption of AVIXA Standards towards a global norm.” Counters Negated XTEN Way… For one, negating skeptic, it appears XTEN-AV is attempting a few things upfront, which can be counter-productive!: • It is bringing AVIXA Standards to the centre of its design specs evolution, with a commercial tag to its service offering • It is offering a cloud-based service which is universal by nature, giving access to anyone- with or without proper knowledge of AV • That the system dishes out designs and drawings based on AI and ML, it doesn’t quite require the user to be ingenious, let alone “certified” like a CTS or other type- so, anyone with little knowledge can pose as a designer and come out with a tag of ‘AV Designer’- thanks to the system-generated design • That its 10X quotient contributes to one’s productivity by even terms, it may also mean the ‘elimination’ of those support staff and thereby effectively mean minimising the human talent pool which has been the bane of the industry since inception • This is tantamount to minimising the job opportunities or discouraging the aspiring professionals Vibhav Singh sounds thrilled to field the counters. “Glad to take this, this is further strengthening the cause we believed in,” he asserts explaining how. According to him, AVIXA Standards are non-proprietary, open-source set of regulations and guidelines for designing AV spaces. They are user-agnostic, meant for adoption by everyone in the ProAV industry. The wider and stronger the adoption, the better would be the intended AV experience. So, XTEN-AV is only contributing to furthering the cause.

that not everyone can do. Even if they make some headway initially, it does require technical inputs which only an AV-exposed, if not an AV-certified, person can provide. It is very much a PRO-Tool and needs moderate to high AV technical knowledge to optimally use our platform, they explain. There is a PCB (printed circuit board) design tool already running in the industry, and doing fine, without any reported issues, they reason, as a precedent for success of the model. “XTEN-AV is focussed on empowering System Integrators and Designers and not the End Customers. Having said that, we believe technology should never be restrictive. Anyone can use our software to learn and improve their design skills.” As for the counter on affecting the job/career opportunities of aspirants – as a result of 10X proposition, the XTEN-AV Founders say the very purpose of the initiative is to bring about manifold increase in the productivity and profitability efficiency of AV design/integration community and generate multiplied and faster turnarounds for the industry as a whole. That the system helps dramatically increase the productivity quotient resulting in increased success, it will encourage wider adoption of the tool and thereby create more jobs for the aspirants.

“We hope it generates positive interest among the target audience and contributes to genuine growth of Pro AV industry, besides bringing 10Xperience to users”

The Founders of XTEN-AV have chosen InfoComm 2019 (Orlando) show floor as their launchpad before they initiate their go-tomarket programme.

www.xtenav.com

“More, its offerings are made in SaaS mode. So, we do not see any counter-effect here,” he asserts. As for the price-tag, the CoFounder further maintains that most services are offered free, only the premium services are minimally priced. “Currently, we have a standard Freemium model where all users have access to basic features for free, and can upgrade to a more comprehensive service on monthly subscription,” he explains. “Thus we are very confident about the pricing model.” As for the accessibility to anyone universally, even to those with little or no knowledge, XTEN-AV’s Founding duo say AV is something © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

TECH TALK

Increasing Workplace Privacy While Reducing Noise By Mark Lim, Regional Sales Manager, Southeast Asia, Biamp

Picture a typical office environment and chances are it’s an open floorplan with private offices along the walls, possibly a collaboration area, and cubicles filling the remaining space. It also likely contains several hard, reflective surfaces like walls, windows, and ceiling made of reverberant materials like glass, wood, or even stone. Even in more modern workspaces the traditional “cube farm” of a few years ago has been replaced by workstations, tables and chairs, creating several gathering areas for collaboration. While these spaces may seem inviting and have a modern feel, their design leads to an increased noise level. This contributes to the challenge of concentrating and effectively working, which leads to an increase to employee dissatisfaction. In addition to higher ambient sound levels, a lack of speech privacy is a big concern. Low cubicle walls don’t do anything to block out a telephone conversation several desks away, and the glass surfaces ricochet every conversation throughout the space. Most facility managers, HR managers, and even IT managers know noise distraction is a growing issue for employee concentration and © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

effectiveness, as well as keeping confidential information private. Most don’t even realize there’s a solution that their AV integrator can provide it. So here’s an opportunity for you to bring in a small, yet powerful solution with a large impact. What is the solution? One of the most efficient and effective ways to address your client’s noise problems is sound masking, and it dovetails nicely with other AV or cabling work you may already be doing for them. What is Speech Privacy? Simply put, speech privacy is the inability of an unintended listener to understand another person’s conversation; or looking at it another way, it’s a way of blocking an unintended listener from understanding what is being said in the conversations around them. Researchers at the University of Sydney recently discovered that lack of speech privacy was the number one complaint among employees who work in cubicles and open floorplan offices (60 and 50 per cent respectively), describing this as a major issue. In another study done by the University of California Irvine, employees are interrupted once

TECH TALK every 11 minutes by noise, and need up to 23 minutes to regain focus – which can serious disrupt business. In addition to being a distraction for employees and expensive for employers, an absence of speech privacy also permits employees to overhear conversations they probably shouldn’t be privy to. Even in open floorplans with offices, private office walls are built with thinner, cheaper materials so a closed door no longer guarantees confidentiality. The Solution: Sound Masking While everyone agrees office noise is a problem, few know how to address it. What’s the answer? And more importantly, why should you care? Although sound masking technology has existed since the 1950s, the majority of people are unaware of how it can and should be

employed. The process involves adding low-level, unobtrusive background sound to a space, diminishing the intelligibility of human speech and reducing noise distractions in the process. This moves beyond simply layering a louder noise on top of the sound within a space but utilizing a layer of sound that contains a specifically tuned frequency and amplitude of the human voice, which conceals or “masks” voice intelligibility. The result? Less distractions by conversations and increased comfort within an acoustical environment that allows for increased concentration and effectiveness. Sound masking doesn’t cancel speech, but merely decreases its intelligibility or the distance in which it can be overheard and understood. In many offices, a worker might be able to hear every word of a telephone call from more than 12 meters away. Sound masking reduces that distance to less than five meters. Overheard speech also becomes less intelligible; someone may hear a conversation occurring but cannot discern what is being said, making it much easier to ignore and concentrate. Proper zoning is something to consider when implementing sound masking. A system must be flexible enough to accommodate complex architectural spaces. With changes in room size and volume, ceiling

height, and furnishings, sound masking solutions must adapt to provide a consistent sound field. This is done by incorporating zones into a design that divides the whole system into smaller sections, allowing each section to be tuned for that particular environment. Quality sound masking systems allow for the design of multiple zones. The basic example has an open floorplan office, private offices, and corridor zones. Each of these spaces differ from one another acoustically (different walls and material, varying ceiling heights, etc.), therefore the ability to adjust masking for each zone without affecting the others is imperative. Sound Masking: It’s Not Just for Offices While commercial office spaces are the typical environments using sound masking, other industries also benefit from the technology. Computer centers, public libraries, and educational institutions can facilitate lower noise levels to reduce distractions; call center implementation makes it easier to both hear customer calls and keep information private; and financial institutions can more effectively protect sensitive information from being overheard. There are even numerous examples of sound masking in the healthcare field where is it used to ensure patient information privacy and also creates a healing environment so patients can recuperate in a quiet space. Sound Masking: Asking the Right Questions Incorporating sound masking technology with other audiovisual solutions is a great way to solve a problem for your client while strengthening your relationship and creating a new business channel. At your next customer visit, do a quick survey: Are there a lot of cubicles? Are most employees wearing headphones? How loud is the ambient noise within the space? These are usually good indicators there’s an opportunity to fix an existing noise problem. If a client is unfamiliar with the concept of sound masking, ask them questions about the space while you’re exploring their audiovisual needs. A few questions to keep in mind are: • • • • • •

Do employees complain about being distracted by co-workers? Is sensitive information being discussed or does anyone raise concerns of being overheard? Can conversations in a private office be heard? Do people keep office doors closed because it’s too noisy? Is human resources located near an area where they could be overheard? Is there a need to comply with governmental privacy regulations?

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” it’s a great opportunity to incorporate sound masking into the AV solution and highlight how it’s a relatively inexpensive solution to improve employee efficiency, provide speech privacy, and improve the overall audio comfort level with the space. www.biamp.com © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

INSTALLATION

QATAR

Learning Redefined in One of the Most Sophisticated Expressions of Technology

Qatar National Library: An AV Epic of its Own Kind

By Ram Bhavanashi

Qatar National Library (QNL) is an ambitious initiative of the Qatar Foundation. For, practically every element of the massive, the characteristically folded-paper concept structure has few bytes of tech story to say. Simply said, it is the Arab Peninsular country’s National Library, a University and Research Library, and the Metropolitan Public Library of the digital age. In what is taken to be one of the most grandiose exploits of audio-visual technology – not just in the Middle East but on a global scale – the QNL is an AV epic of its own kind. While much had been spoken about it, SIA couldn’t help but wonder at the exalted levels the institution sought to scale. It honestly presents its own snappy perspective out of a galactic proportion.

The Precursor… They say, it is quite unprecedented- in the annals of any learning institution of its kind in the region. It is also unparalleled in the contemporary history of technology deployment in education segment. Many people might have said many things about the Qatar National Library (QNL), perhaps the most ambitious initiative of Qatar Foundation. Located in the famed Education City in the country’s capital Doha, the vast 45,000-square meter complex structure is © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

actually a statement of its own. Notionally said, it encourages visitors to explore the progression of knowledge from past to present; achieves a delicate balance between information availability and accessibility on one hand, and content preservation and conservation on the other- all by technology of a new exploit altogether. Designed by world-renowned architect Rem Koolhaas of OMA, the folded paper-turned-shell-like structure of the complex encloses, for one, an open-plan interior that is actually an ensemble of many an interconnecting technology phenomenon. While daylight filters through the glass façade, providing natural light that is conducive to

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FACTFILE

reading and socializing the vast array of bookshelves themselves make an integral part of the building, rising out of the floor and highlighting the value of books in Qatari culture. The Vision of the QNL is to be one of the world’s preeminent centers of learning, research, and culture; a guardian of the region’s heritage; and an institution that promotes imagination, discovery and the nourishment of the human spirit. Its mission, on the other hand, is to preserve the nation’s and region’s heritage and enable Qatari citizenry to positively influence society by creating an exceptional environment for learning and discovery. Journey from Tradition to Technology Sometime in 2014, it was identified that the Library would benefit from a rethinking of traditional approaches to modern AV technology and digital media could be used to engage visitors into a new mode of learning altogether. It was at that early stage that the Dohabased systems integrator TechnoQ got involved with the project for rendering project and design management. This was followed by the coming on board of ASTAD for construction management. Both the agencies worked alongside the Client Representative through a Needs Analysis to evolve technology concepts that contribute to the Library’s vision and mission.

Project Name Project Location Project Segment Project Owner

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Qatar National Library Education City, Doha Public Library Qatar Foundation

Project Management : ASTAD Project AV System Integrator : TechnoQ Project Interactive Media System Specialist : Brandfirst

The Project brief evolved thereof essentially spoke for two sets of requirements towards realizing the QNL’s vision and mission:

General contractor : Brook Field Multiplex Group (BMMG)

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Tech Team:

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Audio-Visual Systems - entrusted to TechnoQ as a design-build contract, meant deployment of AV systems incorporating futuristic technologies towards realizing the Client expectations in their intended fashion. ASTAD had a critical role here to evolve the design-build specification and ensure that the Client expectations were rightly met. Media Interactives – a highly specialized and complex mix of concepts – were developed in a specially created Design Lab that utilized a vast range of mock-ups towardsdeveloping the variety of Media Interactives.

From Project Management From Systems Integration From Interactive Media

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Jonathan Tulip Maged Micheal Francois Goethals

Project Highlights : 45,000-square-meter; Innovative technologies are seamlessly integrated throughout the building, enhancing accessibility and efficiency.

The Library management set up a core group of End Users to experience, monitor and ratify the design processes. The audio-visual systems, spread across the vast expanse of the QNL premises, comprised an exhaustive set of spaces that included:

The vast array of bookshelves. Observe the immensity of the open area in front.

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Plaza Area Special Events Space Auditorium Media Lounges Heritage Library Children’s Library Conference Rooms © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

INSTALLATION Top AV Brands @ QNL

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Audio-Technica Ampetronic Audipack BlackMagic Biamp Cisco Christie Crestron Denon Draper Extron Haivisoin LG Martin Lighting Renkus Heinz Sennheizer Panasonic TVone Revolab Televic

The long line of monolithic totems, with all their graphical displays...

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Training Rooms Book Shelves Study Spaces Teaching Spaces Meeting Rooms

In additions to these, there are as many as 46 more spaces that are equipped with audio-visual fit-outs and flat panel digital signages. The Media Interactives, on the other hands, comprised:

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Four large interactive media walls Interactive totems Interactive displays (in Heritage Library) AR Way-finding

Technology Integrates Audio-Visually Vastly expansive that the QNL spaces are, with typical architectural styles, the AV fitment required a very close coordination between the Consultant and Systems Integrator for timely and precision commissioning of systems. They both came together in cohesion so that the AV racks were fully assembled, programmed and tested off site simultaneously with onsite first fix works. That provided a scope for the systems to be debugged and rectified of any snags off site and rendered ready to be coupled together with the first and second fix site works- as spaces become suitable for final fit-out. More, developing control system programming in parallel with rack assembly well in advance of site implementation allowed for more thorough testing of the GUI and control code.

The Special Events Space is a key part of the open Plaza design with an informal terrace seating for around 200 people and is outfitted with a large, fine 2.5mm pixel pitch Direct View LED display with video processing capability to provide multiple content windows from a variety of sources including media PCs, laptops, IMAG camera, IPTV, digital signage etc. The sound system uses two long steerable column line arrays either side of the LED display with portable sub-bass units that can be connected to floor boxes either side of the stage. The columns were integrated into the LED display cladding along with the radio microphone antennas and infrared interpretation radiators making for an uncluttered design. Connections for microphones are provided via digital breakout boxes connected to floor boxes as well as the wireless microphones. Loudspeakers, microphone antennas and IR transmitters for interpretation are built into the custom LED display enclosure and hidden behind acoustically transparent cloth. For stage lighting here, eight each of moving head washes profiles with pre-sets light the stage for both presentations and simple performances. Speakers at any lectern location can be easily lit while the PTZ cameras installed provide IMAG to the main screen. A touch screen built into the portable technician console can control the lighting. Further touch interfaces are provided for sound and video, while the portable console connects with a fiber optic connection to a floor box. A tape induction loop below the seating terrace is provided for hearing assistance. The Auditorium, is a light, controlled space and uses front projection screens and projectors. One Screen is provided behind the stage for the lengthways mode and two screens are provided for the sideways

INSTALLATION

mode. A lectern with confidence monitor and laptop connectivity has a built-in touch panel to facilitate simple operation for presentations, where all audio mixing is automated. The sound system for the space uses ceiling speakers for a high degree of uniformity and clarity. The design also made provision for alternative usage of Lectern, table microphones, as well as wireless microphones. A simultaneous interpretation booth outfitted for two interpreters can be used to provide interpretation for the Auditorium and also for the Special Events and Media teaching room. Audio is relayed from the remote spaces and sent back to local IR transmitters whilst camera feeds allow the interpreters to view the remote rooms. The auditorium is equipped with a Control Room fitted with a digital sound console and touch panels for video control allows for the space to be operated by a technician for higher profile events. Typical class rooms and study rooms are again light controlled spaces outfitted with front projection screens. With room lighting at suitable levels for teaching and printed materials the projection systems deliver better than 15:1 contrast whilst the control panels a clear and straightforward to operate. The Media Lounges allow up to six users to watch or listen to media in comfortable surroundings. Custom coffee tables with built-in headphone storage and controls provide high quality audio for talking books, audio media and for video media. Conference and meeting rooms feature wireless table top microphones specially produced in white for the project to match the white glass table tops. Front projection is predominantly used in meeting rooms, with AVIXA projected image 15:1 contrast, and image height standards. The Library’s media assets are available to be viewed in room as are presentations using wireless and wired connections.

Media Interactives Techno Q worked alongside the Application Developer Brandfirst and PMC ASTAD and engaged with the QNL teams to create a well-defined and powerful set of concepts for the Media Interactives, leveraging the Library’s digital assets even as it created new content, games and experiences.

Top Acts of AVT

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Presentation system Digital Media Distribution System Stage lighting. Conferencing system. Technical Furniture IPTV system Augmented Reality Way-finding Interactive Media walls and Totems Conference and meeting rooms Audio Technology in the Library Events Space and Auditorium LED video wall

The Media Interactives The Media Interactives are essentially characterized by four large Interactive Media Walls to wrap around the ‘automated book returns’ located in the main Plaza area while a further eleven double-sided ‘monolithic totems’ were placed beyond the café on the far side of the Plaza. The totems can be seen above and below is one of the Media Walls. Media Walls measure 3.5m x 2m while Totems measure over 3m in height. Together, they make up a good 110 square meters of interactive surface which is roughly enough for 30 simultaneous users. With a view to creating a near seamless video wall surface the designers chose to employ rear projection cubes for the Media Walls- which is why each of the Media Walls comprise 48 Microtile LED rear projection cubes – making a total of 192 tiles for four of them together – and is fitted with directional speakers covering the area directly in front of the wall and independent for the two users supported simultaneously. A camera built into the side bezel of the media wall allows for user postcards to be created with Library backgrounds.

(Left) The all-important Media Wall- one of the four; (right) The Design Lab experimenting in Technology © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

INSTALLATION

The Special Events Space: a Show Floor to express creativity

However, that the Totems were conceived as being tall and thin and thus precluded the use of rear projection cubes. It was therefore decided to employ narrow-bezel flat panel displays and therefore, they are made of five flat panel displays each behind a single sheet of antireflective glass. It was noticed during workshops that the glass affects the colour of the display and a number of glass types were tried in order to reach an acceptable colour match between the Media walls and the Totems.

The Media Walls generically show information about library programmes and events, whilst informative content is designed to pique the visitor’s interest. When a visitor interacts with the wall, that area of the wall provides information just for that visitor whilst the rest of the wall continues to display content to other visitors in the general vicinity. Once a visitor starts using the Media Wall (s)he may take a light stroll through a range of topics or move more deeply into the Library’s digital catalogue.

These two components make the major interactive elements in the QNL, utilizing a back-end Content Management application to refresh the many media applications that run on their surfaces- refreshing book promotions, heritage collection high lights, events, special exhibits and so forth.

Custom-developed for the project, the size of the touch surfaces dictated that Infrared sensing technology be used to render them compelling disseminators of edutainment. A dedicated central Server Room – set up at the basement that houses all the back-end equipment gear – contains the Brandfirt’s Media Servers powering all of the Interactives, hosting applications and content management system. Video from the Media Server is sent over fibre to each display, and user interaction is fed back to the servers as USB over fiber.

While running day-to day media applications, the Media Walls and Interactive Totems are capable of showing special exhibitions, curating content depending on the occasion and creative abilities- thereby opening a whole new facet to temporary exhibitions. An interesting spec of act here were the creation of mock-ups towards developing the real ones. This was done to ensure that they not only accentuate the aesthetics of the spaces they are in but also provide for finetuning as their applications to perfection by the time they are officially launched. © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

There are many more small Interactive displays within the Heritage Library that allow visitors to look through the rare texts, and books as well as watch video material related to the exhibits. Augmented Reality Wayfinding One of the interesting thought processes at QNL during the design

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stages was to avoid setting up the regular kiosk type interface, and instead develop an Augmented Reality solution to wayfinding. The concept, however, required to identify features of visitor interest as well as current events and activities within the Library. The novel approach developed by Brandfirst was to use a camera based Augmented Reality UI. The screen presents a landscape style camera view of the library and can be moved panoramically and up and down, similar to a traditional coin-operated scenic telescope. The AR screens overlay event information onto the viewed locations such that current and upcoming events in the Special Events Space and Auditorium can be viewed directly. The AR wayfinding units comprise a flat panel display and rear mounted camera on pole which allows the display to be panned and tilted. An Arduino processor captures the camera information to allow the correct positioning of the wayfinding graphics and overlay information.t The AR wayfinding in the Plaza and book terraces allows visitors to locate amenities and locations within the Library. The Special Audio Configuration… The Qatar National Library is not a traditional library- with none of the hushing librarians of traditional establishments. Modern acoustic design, careful consideration to amplified sound allow a contemporary plaza environment with extensive space and light to accommodate special events, reading areas, café, Media Interactives and the Library’s book collection. The result is an activated space alive with enquiry and activity yet conducive to study and research. To maintain this balance and provide a novel way to reach new readers and those areas of society not typically receptive to a library, a zoned multichannel audio system was conceived to play talking books to children and adults, music in themes. Depending on the visitor’s location interpretation and live audio feeds from events will flow smoothly, and when in close proximity to the Interactives, the accompanying audio streams in. That the Media Walls use narrow coverage speakers, so listeners interacting can hear tactile

The Children’s Library: Scope for every child to learn through technology

response and audio associated with the media content, visitor audio is delivered through wireless headphones across the spread of the Library. Visitors collect headsets at the Reception, and as they explore and move around the space, their personal audio feed is updated to match the zone. In concept a hybrid or silent disco, this tour guide like system and its application was developed by Recursive using Wi-Fi audio distribution and Bluetooth beacons for visitor location. QNL – A Spirit of Learning by Technology Journey The QNL, and its success story of learning by exploring technology, is a major revelation as such. A major contributing factor to the overall success of this gigantic installation in terms of its client facing elements is determined by achieving complete coordination with the meeting tables, credenzas, lecterns, interpreters’ consoles and other furniture- long in advance of their fabrication ensuring a seamless and elegant fit between the technology and building interior. A series of workshops were held to accomplish this detailing such items as table top connectivity in the white back painted glass table tops, colour coordination for accessories and equipment such as the wireless conference microphones. Of key importance to the long-term success of AV at the QNL is the quality of the training provided to End Users; facilities management and support staff. www.technoq.com www.brandsfirst.co www.astad.com

INSTALLATION

MYANMAR

Ghin Gar Cherry Trading Co. Delivers Premium Audio Quality

Novotel Yangon Max Delivers World-Class Conference Experiences with HARMAN Professional Solutions

Ghin Gar Cherry Trading Co. recently outfitted Novotel Yangon Max with a complete HARMAN audio solution to provide exceptional sound quality and coverage for a wide range of events.

easy operation. HARMAN’s massive inventory of state-of-the-art audio solutions enabled us to design the perfect system for Novotel’s needs.”

Founded in 2014, Novotel Yangon Max is a five-star luxury hotel located in the Myanmarese capital of Yangon. In addition to private rooms, suites, a fitness center, spa, lobby bar and music venue, Novotel Yangon Max features nine modern event spaces, including a main ballroom, junior ballrooms and conference rooms. In order to ensure world-class audio quality during events, Novotel Yangon Max hired local sound integrator Ghin Gar Cherry Trading Co. to outfit the hotel’s event spaces with versatile HARMAN Professional audio systems, consisting of solutions by JBL, Crown, dbx, Soundcraft and AKG.

Ghin Gar delivered exceptional audio performance throughout the hotel’s event spaces using an array of JBL speakers. JBL Control 321CT and Control 312CS ceiling speakers enabled the Ghin Gar team to seamlessly integrate crystal-clear audio into each room’s unique architectural and aesthetic features. Ghin Gar outfitted the main ballroom with JBL VRX 938LAP speakers, delivering powerful line array performance for high-profile events. Ghin Gar also included JBL EON 515XT, LSR 2328P and CBT 100LA speakers for events that require more flexible or portable sound reinforcement.

“Novotel asked us to design an integrated solution with premium sound quality, coverage and control for their meeting and event spaces,” said Ghin Gar, CEO of Ghin Gar Cherry Trading Co. “The main challenge was to design a large-scale audio system that would fulfill the strict technical requirements while offering flexibility and © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

The speaker systems are powered by Crown CDi 1000, XLS 802 and LPS 2500 amplifiers, and optimized with dbx DriveRack 260 loudspeaker management systems. Events at Novotel Yangon Max benefit from AKG CS3 conference microphone systems, which utilize a modular design and interchangeable microphones for maximum

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flexibility in any conference situation. Finally, Ghin Gar included Soundcraft FX16ii and EXF12 analog mixers and a Soundcraft Si Expression 3 digital mixing console, enabling Novotel Yangon Max’s staff to quickly dial in polished, professional-sounding mixes for events of any size. “We required state-of-the-art audio systems to accommodate a wide range of events and functions in our meeting spaces,” said the spokesperson of Novotel Yangon Max. “Ghin Gar successfully utilized all HARMAN products to create custom solutions, ensuring maximum coverage and intelligibility in each space. Furthermore, the HARMAN

systems are very flexible, allowing our team to handle any kind of event.” “We’re delighted to deliver a well-implemented audio solution that perfectly complements the sophisticated ambience of Novotel Yangon Max,” said Ramesh Jayaraman, VP & GM, HARMAN Professional Solutions, APAC. “We give praise to Ghin Gar Cherry Trading Company for creating high-quality meeting spaces for Novotel’s guests, and for providing a smooth and successful installation.” www.harman.com © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

INSTALLATION

AUSTRALIA

The P.A. People Deliver Accessible, Site-wide Audio-visual Flexibility

Operational Simplicity for Multi-use Facilities

Bloodstock auctioneer William Inglis & Son’s Riverside Stables Complex at Warwick Farm, 40km South-west of the Sydney CBD, boasts a 144 room five-star hotel, more than 800 stables, a conference centre, and extensive hospitality suites and services. It’s home to the biggest sale events on the equine calendar, including the Australian Easter Yearling Sale and The Sydney Classic Yearling Sale. The P.A. People were called upon to design and install extensive networked video, audio and control systems across the Complex, enabling auctioneers, buyers, sellers, guests and service providers to access sound and vision from any part of the site at the touch of a button. As part of their brief, The P.A. People were also tasked with equipping the Sales Arena with theatrical-grade PA and lighting systems, giving the facility the flexibility to host entertainment and major events. Mission Critical “We’re selling high-end goods, and it’s got to run smoothly,” said Arthur Inglis, Deputy Chairman at William Inglis & Son Ltd. “The sitewide AV system is integral to that operation. The P.A. People were proactive in ensuring we got the best possible results in what is a very large facility, and it’s been dealt with very well.”

Multi-purpose venues such as the Riverside Stables Complex have varying day-to-day operational requirements by design. A weekday might host a business conference with videoconferencing requirements across a dozen rooms, while a weekend might host a society wedding with entertainment on Saturday and a major broadcast event on Sunday. AV systems for multi-purpose venues are often very large scale - and must deliver flexibility while being intuitive enough for end-users to operate. Keeping it Simple Making a complicated system easy to use is a difficult feat, and much of the effort happens behind-the-scenes in design and programming. “I spent a month pre-programming, creating interfaces and building the logic that makes the Riverside Complex understandable,” said Dmitry Istomin, Programmer and Commissioning Engineer for The P.A. People. “On an everyday basis, the client does not need the system’s operation to change that much; the biggest challenge was to create a user-friendly, easily understandable graphic interface that enabled staff to do everything they need simply and automatically.” The Riverside Complex AV system includes LG screens fed signal by Exterity IPTV endpoints, distributing video from live cameras and PCs during auctions, while JBL speakers around the facility and a

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experience delivering projects of this nature. Their insight meant that they anticipated many requirements that we wouldn’t have considered, and in hindsight, they all made perfect sense.”

Bose ShowMatch PA system in the Sales Arena are connected over Ethernet with sources available from 210 inputs, including Shure radio microphones that can be mixed and routed automatically by the end-user. Guests in the hospitality suites, corporate boxes, and meeting rooms can send their device’s outputs to their own screens, take feeds from the auction areas, and control their own audio. All of these functions are controlled simply and intuitively via installed touch panels. Customer Experience “When conducting an auction, it’s vitally important that people can see and bid on the product, while being able to easily follow and understand the progress of the bidding,” explains Arthur Inglis. “This is why it was so important to us to ensure that the live video and audio from our auctions is available throughout the facility and the adjoining hotel.” “The AV technology on-site keeps our clients connected to our sales, no matter where they are on the grounds,” elaborates Mark Webster, Managing Director at William Inglis & Son Ltd. “They can move around, socialise, inspect horses, and still stay connected to what’s happening in the sale ring. The technology provides an enhanced auction experience; when a horse enters the sale ring, bidders not only see the horse in the flesh, they also watch a promotional video package on the big screens that includes footage of the horse galloping on the track. Potential buyers can now assess the athletic qualities of the horse, rather than just seeing it standing on stage, which gives them more confidence.” Convergence = Capability The key to the operational simplicity and efficiency of Riverside’s vast AV system is convergence; running all audio, video and control equipment on the site’s Ethernet network, administered by the William Inglis & Son’s IT department. “This is the first time we have implemented a converged network at Inglis, but it’s something we needed in terms of flexibility that it offers,” confirms Deane Jacobs, CIO of William Inglis & Son Ltd. “The modular capabilities made it an easy choice, along with the fact that The P.A. People have so much

In the Arena With the Sales Arena functioning as a multi-purpose venue, its stage was treated to a lighting and sound system capable of hosting everything from Inglis’s prestigious auctions to a touring band. The Bose ShowMatch line array PA system provides enough power for any live act, while the industry standard Robe, ETC, and PR Lighting fixtures controlled by an LSC Clarity lighting desk enable the venue to create the ambience for a banquet dinner or an eye-popping variety performance. The venue is designed to run in two modes; simple automatic mode, in which auctioneers can use both lectern and radio microphones, adjusting volumes via a simple graphic interface on a touch screen; and full production mode, in which the venue’s installed concert-sized Yamaha CL5 digital mixer and remote Dante stage boxes can be used by technicians for full control of large shows. Two large VuePix LED screens measuring 4.5 metres wide and 2.5 metres high flank the entrances to the Parade Ring in the Sales Arena, with a third at 2.5 metres wide by 1.5 metres installed above the auctioneer’s desk in the middle of the ring. Their sheer size meant The P.A. People had to collaborate closely with the architect and builder to ensure the correct supporting and rigging infrastructure was put in place. Practical Experience While dealing with the heady virtual world of digital audio and video, The P.A. People also kept their minds firmly on physical practicalities; “The P.A. People were a great help to us in considering simple physical requirements like cabling and conduit that we would have overlooked,” illustrates Deane Jacobs. “For example, some of our auctions are televised, and OB trucks come in for the events. The P.A People ensured that cabling, patch points and wall boxes throughout, all run via conduit to where they need to go and to the parking area for the OB trucks. Because of this, we’re able to position cameras anywhere they need to be and able to route any cabling they bring in. There’s no propping open doors, running across high-traffic areas, or running cable trays; it was all considered.” Cameron Thomson – Director, Podia, client representative for William Inglis & Son comments, “While this was our first time working with The P.A. People, I have to say they were fantastic. Chris Dodds and the team are both knowledgeable and helpful. They proved to be excellent communicators that convey technical information and requirements clearly. The systems they designed and provided met the expectations of the client, who are now very happy; the first sale run at Riverside was a resounding success and broke the record for their February event.” Inglis.com.au papeople.com.au © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

INSTALLATION

INDIA

Rivera International Deploys NOVA Speakers

Playboy Beer Garden Sports New Aural Experience The ever-bustling city of Pune, some 150 km southeast of Mumbai, India, is a place for everything- education to entertainment. Adding a new glamour to the already enthralling nightlife of the city, is the Playboy Beer Garden at Koregaon Park – one of the Playboy official cafes in India – whose aural environment is taken to be quite an aura of its own. Mumbai-based integrator Rivera International took the honours though.

For the beautiful city-scape of Pune that’s ever bustling with activity, there’s a new nightlife destination in town that’s already creating quite the buzz. Sporting a lush space complete with luxurious seating, a smacking bar area, and a tucked away DJ booth that feeds the music frenzy, Playboy Beer Garden promises the best in chill and beer that anyone could ask for. Pune’s latest hotspot where one can experience comfortable dining, an enchanting ambience, and a night that progresses from leisure lounging to a groovy party experience quite subliminally – Playboy Beer Garden promises everything it takes for one to enjoy a great time with family and friends. Considered as THE place to let one’s hair down and just be oneself, Playboy Beer Garden projects itself as one of the few truly engaging relaxed dining and nightlife destinations in the city; proudly flaunting how different it is from other venues, as it engages visitors like no other and keeps their spirits high through-out. One of the official Playboy cafes in India, this place is all about great craft beer, mean concoctions and hard liquor. The venue features its own in-house brewery and some of their creations are a must try! While a key highlight of the place is the slew of exotic beer cocktails the venue is also known for its sumptuous bites - from lip-smacking peri-peri chicken to light chocolate flans to nachos topped with garbanzo beans to feta and pomegranate, and balti spice chicken skewers with homemade aioli. Fun never happens on an empty stomach at Playboy Beer Garden, they say! © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

The concept of enchanting confluences is continued in the kind of amazing music experience that’s on offer at Playboy Beer Garden. When the music takes over, Playboy Beer Garden turns into an even more delightful. It gets so stimulating that it makes people hang on and on to relish it all the more dozes. More, it gets so enticing that people want to visit again, and again. The venue sports an exhaustive schedule featuring music acts from across the spectrum – from home grown artists to those from other cities – from live acts to DJs – making Playboy Beer Garden a playground for all of them! This is probably why Playboy Beer Garden lives up to the hype as one of Pune’s few ‘truly music destinations.’ But what makes the music at Playboy Beer Garden even more stunning is the quality of the sound experience thanks to the venue’s comprehensive audio scheme which involved a carefully designed system comprising install specific products from niche brands like

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Sadarangani Director of Rivera International, delving into details of the audio scheme at the venue. “The idea was to have a system that would deliver optimum performance and do justice to the wide range of music that the venue planned to host.” Considering the physical dimensions of the space, the most critical aspect for them was to ensure that they have a system with loudspeakers that were not just aesthetically pleasing, but also delivered power with optimum dispersion in a manner that would cover the entire venue. According to him, the owners had a vast portfolio of brands and products to choose from, but eventually agreed on the system Rivera proposed, comprising loudspeakers from NOVA driven by amplification from ToneArt, as this was the only system that perfectly met the acoustic requirements of the venue and the quality and performance parameters set by the owners and management.

NOVA, Symetrix, ToneArt, and Pioneer DJ; all of which have been chosen specifically to meet the venue’s aural requirements that were derived from commissioning a detailed acoustical analysis of the space. Designed and integrated by reputed Mumbai-based audio solutions expert Rivera International – who are also the official distributors of NOVA, ToneArt and Symetrix products in India – the all NOVA loudspeaker scheme at Playboy Beer Garden has multiple numbers of the Maxline M5 loudspeakers along with the E218 subwoofers coming together to form the formidable and impactful FOH system, while multiple numbers of the VISIO VS 12 MKII loudspeakers, KD12 loudspeakers, and the IC12A loudspeakers forms the surround system. The individual elements of the surround system have been distributed evenly across the entire venue including the main dining space and common areas which ensures pristine quality audio playback with impactful low frequency fidelity provided through the powerful VISIO VS18 subwoofers. The loudspeaker set-up has been designed keeping in mind the physical attributes and dimensions of the space; with the system being powered through a fortified amplification system comprising the powerful and efficient R series power amplifiers from ToneArt, while a unit of the Jupiter8 DSP control unit from Symterix shoulders the complete loudspeaker processing and management gamut. Additionally, the Rivera team has also equipped the DJ console area with Pioneer DJ’s Nexus 2 system to ensure a smooth deck experience for resident DJ’s and guest artists alike.

Precise positioning of the speakers allows the designer/installer to cover the entire space, and, also effectively solve any challenges that were envisaged earlier, maintains the Rivera chief. This comprehensive system has created a lasting positive impact that’s left the venue’s patrons enthralled and the management extremely pleased We are proud to have played our role in ensuring Playboy Beer Garden stands out as a destination for premium music experience. “We’re grateful to the management at Playboy for investing their faith in our brand,” says Rajesh. “This was truly a splendid experience for our team to be a part of.” Endorses the spokesperson of the Playboy Beer Garden managing committee: “Playboy Beer Garden is all about the experience; I’m proud to say that’s exactly what we deliver. While our in-house service team has done a fantastic job of delivering the best relaxed dining experience in the city, the musical experience only accentuates all that to a sublime experience.” According to him, the place sounds brilliant with its new sound system – it’s almost like a ‘goosebumpy experience’! “We’re overjoyed to have compliments pouring in from our patrons about how lively the place sounds and feels; Rivera International team has done a fantastic job,” he commended. www.riverainternational.com

“When we first met with the owners and management of Playboy Beer Garden, the first thing they mentioned to us was the need for an absolutely adept sound system; cost not-withstanding,” recalls Rajesh © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

INSTALLATION

VIETNAM

Venue Features 270-degree Projection Mapping Showcase Utilising Christie HS Series Projectors

S.AV Delivers Mesmerizing Visuals at Long Vi Palace

various events. Four Christie D16HD-HS projectors are used for Staging a wedding or event in the grand ballroom of Long Vi Palace mapping contents on the ballroom’s front wall comprising the main – a popular wedding and convention center located in Hanoi – is stage, while 10 Christie D13HD-HS projectors provide awe-inspiring no longer a mundane affair ever since it embraced state-of-theprojections on the two side walls of the ballroom to collectively art projection technology. The walls of this ballroom have present an amazing 270-degree panoramic projection. been transformed into a large projection canvas that With this elaborate set up, Long Vi Palace has enthralls guests and visitors with bright, vibrant “It was very become the first wedding and convention center visuals. challenging due to the in Vietnam to be equipped with advanced tight deadlines, and on top laser projection technology for 3D projection This visually-stunning, 270-degree mapping. projection mapping showcase has been of that, the ballroom had to made possible using 14 Christie HS Series remain operational almost every “As the leading hospitality venue in 1DLP laser projectors. Installed and day for numerous events and Vietnam, we’re always looking at deploying commissioned by Christie’s Vietnamese partner S.AV, the projectors include the functions despite the fact that cutting-edge technologies to offer the most D13HD-HS and D16HD-HS models capable installation works were being unique experience to our customers by delivering breathtaking visuals and creating of full HD resolution and brightness levels of carried out,” a brand new atmosphere every single time,” 13,000 and 15,750 ISO lumens respectively. said Cao Bao Ngoc, owner of Long Vi Palace. “After a shootout where we put several projector models Strategically fitted on the ceiling of the luxuriously through their paces, the Christie HS Series emerged as our furnished 1,600-square meter ballroom, the projectors projector of choice due to its high-brightness, color accuracy, form present vivid and lifelike images that complement the themes of factor and total cost of ownership.” Working at a Breakneck Pace Ngo Xuan Minh, Director of S.AV, recalled that the project was executed at a breakneck pace as his company was only given two months to complete the entire installation in time for the peak wedding season. “It was very challenging due to the tight deadlines, and on top of that, the ballroom had to remain operational almost every day for numerous events and functions despite the fact that installation works were being carried out,” he said. Cao Bao Ngoc, owner of Long Vi Palace

INSTALLATION This included building a structure above the ceiling of the ballroom so that the weight of the ceiling-mounted projectors and other AV equipment could be adequately supported. “Even though we had to work around the clock to complete this project on time, we had no complaints because we’re proud to be among a handful of systems integrators in Vietnam that possess the capability to design, install and execute large-scale projection mapping projects.”

exceeded our expectations with a strong display of lighting and colors that make the ballroom more vibrant. This provided the impetus for us to deliver contents that can be fully maximized by the quality of the projected images on the large projection canvases.” The Result Speaks for Itself

The results saw the D13HD-HS and D16HD-HS projectors supplying bright, accurate and realistic images for weddings and conventions held in the ballroom, which draw audiences further into the theme of events. Through the comprehensive application of other audiovisual elements, the shows exuded a dreamlike quality with breathtaking effects, culminating in a highly satisfying multimedia experience. “I’m very happy and satisfied with the help of S.AV throughout the process by advising and figuring out solutions, as well as working very effectively “I’m very happy and during the installation. It only took us satisfied with the help of S.AV two months to negotiate and bring this “This is the largest indoor 3D project to completion, which I think is projection mapping installation throughout the process by advising very difficult for any other systems that we’ve worked on in and figuring out solutions, as well integrator in Vietnam to achieve Vietnam and we are very as working very effectively during the such efficiency in a very professional pleased with the effects. This installation. It only took us two months manner,” said Ngoc. I’m also pleased gives us the experience and to note that the performance of the confidence to undertake to negotiate and bring this project to Christie HS Series projectors inspires more projects of such scale completion, which I think is very difficult for confidence and it’s a delight to see in the future.” any other systems integrator how the ballroom can be amazingly transformed with different projection High-quality Contents in Vietnam to achieve such efficiency contents; making the experience always Essential for Ballroom’s in a very professional new and different to customers.” Complete Transformation Attesting to Ngoc’s choice of projectors used for the 3D projection mapping, Minh said the Christie HS Series, with its compact and lightweight form factor and omnidirectional capabilities coupled with long-lasting laser light source and BoldColor Technology (that creates the colour balance needed to reproduce colourful images without sacrificing brightness), is the perfect projector model that fulfils all the requirements for this major project.

manner,”

Both Ngoc and Minh share the view that while projection technology is vital, there is a need to create high-quality and engaging contents to fully maximize the HS Series’ capabilities. Thus, local avant-garde production firm Eclips Pictures, was roped in to design and produce the visual content used for the ballroom’s 3D projection mapping showcase. According to Nguyen Hong Vy, Managing Director, Eclips Pictures, the projection mapping project for Long Vi Palace – with a resolution of 28,000 x 1080 pixels – is the largest that the company has embarked on and features a variety of content ranging from classical to modern, fantasy to reality. Each theme has a different story and all aspects of the production are meticulously planned to create the best outcomes. “The inspiration for the contents comes from Long Vi Palace’s ballroom itself – its architecture is very suitable for the implementation of projection mapping, and the extent of the projections is large enough to overwhelm the audience,” said Vy. “Moreover, after conducting the first demo with S.AV, I’m astonished by the performance of the Christie HS Series projectors, which

Ernest Bakenie, Director of Sales for Asia Pacific, Entertainment, Christie, said, “The innovative deployment of our D13HD-HS and D16HD-HS laser projectors by our partner S.AV has beautifully transformed this ballroom into a magical space packed with stunning visuals that elevate indoor projection mapping to a whole new level. I’m heartened that hospitality venues such as Long Vi Palace see the value to invest in our leading edge laser projection system that’s cost effective and easy to set up for high use applications.” Engineered to perform and designed to excel, the Christie HS Series is available in different brightness levels from 7,000 to 20,000 lumens and resolutions including WUXGA, HD and 4K UHD. They offer a powerful, reliable and cost-effective option for almost any high-use application, and set the benchmark in brightness, color accuracy, power requirements and form factor. Equipped with Christie’s patented BoldColor Technology, the Christie HS Series is a viable alternative to similarly bright 3DLP projectors. www.christiedigital.com

INSTALLATION

UAE

Cyviz Provides Timely Data and Intelligence for the Operations Team

Cyviz-powered Master Control Room Plays Key Role at the 2019 Special Olympics World Games

As one of the most highly-regarded global sporting events this year, the Special Olympics World Games – which took place from March 14th to 21st at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi – saw a record number of more than 200 nations represented, as 7,500 determined athletes arrived in the UAE to compete for the winning title in more than 24 Olympic-style sports over seven days. With 500,000 spectators accommodated at nine world-class venues across Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and more than 20,000 volunteers assisting its 1,500 refereeing officials and 3,000 coaches, the event was the largest sports and humanitarian event in the world in 2019. Praised for its truly inspiring display of inclusivity, unity, respect, and sporting achievement, it made stars out of the athletes and captured hearts across the globe, all while aligning with the values of the UAE’s Year of Tolerance. Well-handled logistics can make or break such an event – particularly one where many of the attendees had special needs – so having seamless medical, transportation, scheduling, and accommodation support was paramount. Here, data and analytics challenges were monitored in the control room and went beyond it as well, with information and apps supporting every part of the event playing a key role as vital elements in a production of this scale.

Cyviz – a global provider of solutions for high performance visualization, collaboration, emergency response, operations centers, and meeting room environments, and known for creating futurefocused digital workforce solutions – was proud to take on the challenge. Cyviz, a Norwegian entity with a global presence, was engaged by the Special Olympics organization to help solve their data and analytics monitoring and visualization challenges in the master operation center for the World Games. Through Cyviz support, all digital assets for the event fed information and data to the data hub, acting as a visual aggregator for all related intelligence. Another important part of the experience was the World Games app, which helped visitors and athletes to navigate through Augmented Reality, and share volunteer schedules, venue information, and medical incident application to manage any emergencies. It also provided a chat bot, as well as sports information, from scheduling and awards to profiles and live updates. Cyviz’s understanding of how visualization and a dynamic control room can contribute to public safety, and reduce risk through the management of real-time and real-life situations, had put them in a unique position.

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Picture courtesy of Creative Technology

As the center of monitoring and control of all data and analytics related to the Special Olympics World Games, the master control room (smart MOC) was at the heart of the event’s successful execution. The large video wall used to display the different information was operated with a touch controller from Cyviz with designated software, that allowed simultaneously displayed content sources to be manipulated and saved in related presets. The Cyviz system is designed to enable adaptation to different scenarios through an unlimited number of predefined configurations of content, to offer the following: ● ● ● ● ● ●

Dashboards overview CCTV content Results overview Event apps analytics to predict any needed actions Social media activity overview Emergency/Incident response

organization to help solve their challenges with monitoring and aggregation of data in their master control room, we instantly recognized this as a special cause where we could contribute,” said Tony Abou Jawad, Vice-President Middle East & Africa, Cyviz. Indeed, it’s reflective of the company’s attitude regarding challenges related to an event of this size and complexity in terms of logistics, simultaneously-run events and activities, and the substantial number of participants and supporting staff: That no challenge is too great to be overcome by those with the right support and determination. With Cyviz control room solutions serving customers around in managing complex and critical scenarios, in hospitals, emergency response centers, and other critical functions, using Cyviz technology and innovation to fuel the master control room was the organizers’ preferred choice – and the only solution that could deliver the versatility and adaptability needed. www.cyviz.com

This year’s event made history by being the most unified Special Olympics World Games in the history of the Special Olympics – with more female athletes than ever before – and Cyviz was delighted to support this world-class event. “At Cyviz we like to cultivate an inclusive culture, and we care very much about equal rights and opportunity. When we were approached by the Special Olympics © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

INSTALLATION

TAIWAN

MIPRO Wireless Systems Save Installation Time And Prove Reliability

New Chapels of Chiayi Nanmen Presbyterian Church Feature MIPRO Wireless Systems

The Chiayi Nanmen Presbyterian Church started preaching Christianity in 1967. After several relocations, the current site was purchased in January 2008. Due to an increase in the congregation size, the original chapel was unable to accommodate the expanded number of worshippers. The new church with a floor area of 1,400 square meters featuring different chapels for Taiwanese and Mandarin Chinese languages that is able to accommodate 400 worshippers had been planned to be built on the current site since 2014 and was finally completed at the end of 2018. The new site is a three-story building. The main hall is on the second floor and the deputy hall as well as the fellowship hall are on the first floor. AV engineer Daniel Ku, who is in charge of planning and operating the audio visual systems for the new halls, said, “The building was not pre-wired for wired microphones. Therefore, all the microphones had to be wireless.” Daniel selected MIPRO’s wireless microphone & wireless portable public address systems with advanced wireless interlinking speakers to be installed in the different halls, including 16 channels in the main hall, 14 channels in the deputy hall and 2 channels in the fellowship hall. © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

The Main Hall consists of a 16-channel wireless system that includes one ACT-848 quad-channel digital receiver, three ACT-74 quadchannel true diversity receivers, one AD-708 auto gain control antenna divider, and two AT-70W omnidirectional antenna. The ACT-848 is paired with 4 TA-80 plug-on transmitters, one for piano, one for bass, two for choir; three ACT-74 are paired with six ACT-70HC

Main Hall wireless system

INSTALLATION

The deputy Hall features a 14-channel wireless system that includes one ACT-848 quad-channel digital receiver, one ACT-72 dual-channel true diversity receiver, two ACT-2414 quad-channel 2.4 GHz digital receivers, AD-708 auto gain control antenna splitter and two AT70W omnidirectional antennas. The ACT-848 is paired with three TA-80 plug-on transmitters, one for the piano, two for the shotguns, and the fourth channel paired with the ACT-80TC for picking up the instruments. The ACT-72 is paired with two sets of BC-100 and MM205 to form a pair of podium microphone; two ACT-2414 with five ACT-24HC rechargeable handheld wireless microphones and three ACT-24TC rechargeable bodypack transmitters are used for speaking, singing and the instruments. At the Fellowship Hall a unit of MA-909 wireless mixer is equipped with two units of receiving modules and one unit of MT-92 transmitting module, and two units of MA-303 wireless portable PA systems. Two units of MRM-70B receiving modules can receive the signal of the ACT-32H handheld microphone, and transmit the mixed audio signal through the MT-92 to two MA-303SB for receiving and public addressing.

rechargeable wireless microphone for talking or singing and six ACT70TC rechargeable bodypack transmitters, two of which are installed inside the BC-100 desktop conference microphone base with MM-205 gooseneck microphone, which forms a pair of podium microphones. Another is used with the MU-53L lavalier microphone for the pastor, and the other three are used for electronic drums, an electric guitar, and an acoustic guitar.

The main hall signal is transmitted to the deputy hall and the fellowship hall in wireless interlinking method. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Each space has its audio system operated independently. However, the audio and video signals of the main hall is connected to the deputy hall and the fellowship hall for the parishioners so that they can watch the live feed simultaneously from the main hall. We still use the wireless method to solve it. ÂŠ Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

INSTALLATION

Two TA-80s fitted with shotgun mics are used for choir pick-up

All the signals of the main hall are input to the mixer, and then transmitted through the MT-92A interlinking transmitter to the ACT311B in the deputy hall and the fellowship hall respectively, and then connected to the mixer, thus the daisy chain of the audio system is completed,” said Daniel.

The MA-909 wireless mixer integrates the mixer, receiver module, transmitter module, and audio player together, and is able to transmit all audio signals to the wireless portable PA of MIPRO wirelessly through the transmitting module, thus saving a lot of cable works. Daniel highlights, “the MA-909 is equal to a multifunctional mixer. It can transmit signals to the MA-303 independently, or use the ACT-311B to receive the MT-92A signal from the main hall in the 2nd floor and output to the mic-in of the MA-909, and then the mixed signal is transmitted to the MA-303 via the MT-90. The MA-909 can be used independently or used in conjunction with the main hall. Only MIPRO has this kind of product and application.” He adds, “the wireless system is used extensively with no worries about the wiring thus simplifying the installation and reducing the set-up hours tremendously. The installation of the entire audio system took me only two days.” The Chiayi Nanmen Church held its church dedication service during Christmas 2018. The wireless and PA sound systems all have performed well and reliably as expected. No interference, no signal dropouts or other problems were reported.

Two BC-100 conference microphone bases with the embedded ACT-72TC bodypack transmitter and MM-205 gooseneck microphones for podium

www.mipro.com.tw

AUSTRALIA

INSTALLATION

New Sound System Offers Much Needed Flexibility

900-Seat Theatre Gains Clarity with GEO S12 Line Array level. It became apparent that in addition to the two main PA hangs, the system would need to include front fill speakers around the front of the orchestra pit and delay speakers above the dress circle in order to achieve optimum coverage. EAVP’s solution was NEXO’s GEO S12 line array, comprising 6x GEO S12 top boxes and two 18 inch LS18 subs per side, with 3x compact NEXO ID24s for front fill and 4x ID24s as delays above the balcony.

In Perth, western Australia, Elite Audio Visual Productions has recently completed the installation of a NEXO GEO S sound reinforcement system in the 900-seat theatre at St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls, which has built a reputation as being one of the most desirable and in-demand theatres in the city. EAVP were engaged to recommend, supply, and install an appropriate sound reinforcement system that would meet the varied needs of the Joy Shepherd Performing Arts theatre, which has 613 seats in the stalls and 287 seats in the dress circle. It serves as the school’s main auditorium for internal events and productions, but is also regularly hired by external clients for dance shows, concerts, church services and more. The previous system had begun to develop several problems and did not provide the even coverage and power needed for the theatre. This was beginning to have a negative impact on external hires, as suitable PA systems had to be hired in for each event, resulting in loss of revenue and time. One of the main draw-backs of the existing system was the poor coverage of two key areas – the dress circle, and the seats below. The sound in these areas was muffled and missing much of the upper frequencies. The original system had no subwoofers, resulting in little to no low-end power. Theatre manager David Spooner asked EAVP to design a system that could meet the following criteria; - Be flown from the roof so as not to take up stage or floor space. - Able to handle anything from school assemblies to rock concerts. - Provide excellent coverage of the entire auditorium. - Offer exceptional sound quality, while being visually unobtrusive. - A reliable brand with easy access to spares and support.

Chain motors were installed for safety and ease of maintenance in the future. Large diameter holes had to be drilled through the suspended ceiling to allow the chain and cabling to pass through. Custom mounting brackets were designed and fabricated in-house to attach the front fill speakers to the glass balustrade in front of the orchestra pit. The entire system is driven by two NEXO NXAMP4x4 four channel amplifiers which are housed in new racks behind the proscenium. This location was chosen for ease of access and to reduce the length of cable runs to the main arrays. All processing including delays and equalisation is done within the amplifiers using NEXO’s proprietary NEMO management software. After the system had been tuned for the room, the recorded difference in SPL throughout the venue was less than 5db. The result is even, full frequency coverage throughout the theatre. Theatre manager David Spooner reports that “the installation and commissioning of our NEXO sound system by EAVP was an absolute dream. The work was completed on schedule and the installation was clean, tidy and most importantly, on budget. The new sound system now gives us the flexibility that we need in the venue. As the sound engineer for many events in the PAC, I no longer feel like I’m “fighting” against the sound system. There is more than enough headroom in the equipment and I never have to push the system. “I’m impressed with the clarity of the system, the dynamic range in the NEXO system is marvellous. Music reproduction is bright and clear. We have been using the system for the past 4 months and have covered everything from large choirs, rock bands, chamber concerts and many presentations. I’ve yet to have a customer complain that the system was too loud or not loud enough, or that they were unable to hear a presenter. Something that would happen regularly with the system that we replaced. Many thanks to EAVP for a job well done.” www.eavp.com.au www.nexo.fr

By using acoustic modelling software, it was possible to virtually test out different models and configurations of PA systems in a 3D model of the room to work out how to get the best coverage and output © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

INSTALLATION

DUBAI

Integrator Pulse Middle East Drives a Variety of Systems with Powersoft Amplifiers

Powersoft Upgrade for Rixos Dubai

Products from Italian amplifier specialist, Powersoft, have been chosen as the one constant in a wide-ranging install at Rixos Premium Hotel, which is located in Dubai’s bustling Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) community. The project was specified, managed and integrated by Pulse Middle East, and saw Powersoft amplifiers installed in five of the hotel’s outlets, including the lavish Azure Beach Club, Black Tap Craft Burgers and Shakes and Luigia Italian restaurant, which are all operated by Sunset Hospitality. The remaining venues, Lock, Stock and Barrell (LSB) and STK Steakhouse, are operated by Solutions Leisure. Finding a Solution With bands performing live at LSB on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and DJs the other evenings, the audio system was configured to cater for both. The TW Audio system is powered by Powersoft Quattrocanali and X Series amplifier platforms - seven Quattrocanali 4804 DSP+D serve the smaller 8-inch M8 and 10-inch M10 speakers distributed in the areas further from the stage, in addition to ceiling speakers in the toilets. © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

The three X8s drive the main band PA consisting of a pair of T24 with four B18 subwoofers, additional B18 and B15 subs dotted around the venue, and T20s for outfills. A further five C15 stage monitors with a B15 sub are powered by a portable rack of two Dante enabled Quattrocanali 4804 DSP+D. Pulse Middle East’s head of audio, Andrew Morris, explained: “There were some quite long cable runs in the end at LSB, so the damping control on the Powersoft amps really helped to ensure that the subs

INSTALLATION

were sounding consistent all around the venue, by compensating for these.” Pulse opted to install a redundant Dante infrastructure at LSB with processing and control from BSS BLU-100 processors with BSS BluDANs, so even if one of the devices were to fail the system would automatically switch over to the second set of devices. It took a total of 4 Ottocanali 12K4 DSP+D to drive the TW Audio M8s, B17s and B10s installed at STK, while a wall-mounted controller at the DJ position provides zone control. Solutions Leisure’s Bengan Hovgard commented: “Pulse has always maintained a very high level of service and it was nothing but perfect throughout the whole process. We are very satisfied with the systems in our venues, they are all perfectly tuned and no need whatsoever for any input from us.” Ultimate Hospitality To ensure the background music at popular food spot Luigia was up to the high standard set by the venue’s chefs, Pulse fitted the restaurant with a Quattrocanali 4804 and a Duecanali 1604 to drive the Turbosound TCI52 and TCS110B loudspeakers installed there. An identical setup was specified for Black Tap. Morris said: “Black Tap and Luigia both use an external DSP, the DM8000 from Klark Teknik, for their signal processing, and have few zones, so in order to meet the budget, non-DSP amplifiers were specified and all the speaker processing was done inside the DM8000.” Azure Beach Club required 5 Quattrocanali 2404 DSP+D, with BSS Blu-100 and Blu-Dan audio processing, to support more than 30 Turbosound TCI52 cabinets distributed around the pool and beach area, while four Martin Audio CDD12-WR and two Martin Audio CDD8-WR were installed for extra volume and low-end support around the pool and pool bar.

“I’m really happy with the quality of the sound we have here, and it’s very easy to manage the system for different types of events we host,” said Azure operations manager, Raphael Cardoso. “We can also split the audio, so I can play music in the lounge, but something different in the restaurant and we do this a lot for events, and it’s really simple to tailor this to our needs.” Pulse Middle East said that the use of Dante and Powersoft amplification was essential for all of the venues on this project for several reasons. “Primarily the power-to-size ratio, as we were severely limited in the amount of rack space available at all five of the outlets,” said Morris. “The ability to fit so much power and so many channels in such a small space was a huge advantage.” He continued: “Furthermore, in STK, the simplicity of the Dante redundancy on the Ottocanali meant that this system could be used confidently without regular monitoring. In LSB, power sharing allowed us to put different types of speaker on the same amplifier, ensuring that power and channels were not wasted, and that the entire system is being used to its full potential. “Lastly, Powersoft ArmoníaPlus System Manager was used extensively during the setting up and tuning phases. Interactive tuning was very helpful in this stage, as we had lots of work going on around us, so the ability to take a few measurements then make calculated adjustments based on those without having to keep re-measuring was invaluable and saved a lot of time and headaches from the other contractors on-site.” “Both clients have been very happy with the end-result of our projects, which is why we keep getting invited back for more installations,” added Morris. ‘We are already back at the hotel outfitting a new lounge bar opening shortly.” www.powersoft.com

VOICEBOX

Paul Harris, CEO of Aurora: Think Outside the Box to Make a Difference in Industrial

Advanced HDBaseT IP video distribution solutions for a variety of global markets

2019 first quarter has been an important landmark for Aurora as the company successfully expands into the Asia market. Aurora Multimedia South East Asia was established in Singapore in March and Mindstec Asia was appointed to provide diverse advanced, reliable, and customized audiovisual solutions for China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan and South East Asia at the beginning of this year. Paul Paul Harris Harris, CEO of Aurora shares his thoughts about the steps taken by the company.

Moreover, Aurora also created the first products to do reversible USB and show the world Dante/AES67 can be combined effectively with video. “Our channel mapping capabilities further simplify usage with our products, allowing units set as encoders to be mapped to decoders so a simple IR remote or front buttons can change the source on a decoder. To the end user it would behave as a cable box, but in actuality we are changing the IP routing,” explained Paul. Overall, Aurora’s AV over IP solutions is always standing at the tip of the market, like their latest generation product that has added the ability for audio DSP functions and take advantage of 8 channels Dante/AES67 to equalize, mix and duck audio.

As a leader in AV over IP, Aurora aims to consistently expand and develope innovative AV over IP solution for a variety of global markets. It is Aurora’s goal to be the leader and make a difference for all. Apart from being the CEO of Aurora, Paul Harris is also the CTO and is an alliance member of both the HDBaseT and SDVoE alliance. Paul developed the first Blueriver NY product with SDVoE on the market over 4 years ago. Mr Harris was also elected as the Chair-person of the AV Workgroup last year, that was tasked with advancing HDBaseT technology, to respond to market developments and demands from members and installers. The Alliance counts today more than 200 members from all over the world.

Think Out of the Box Being the CTO of Aurora, Paul brings extensive knowledge of HDMI, HDBaseT, AV over IP, IP Control, and much more. He has innovated many of the products from Aurora over the past 20 years. Being innovative to transform the industry always has been a question for the pioneer. “When we do something that will change the industry forever, some competition is also going to copy and try to do similar techniques. However, we don’t like to copy reference designs for the sake of making another “me too” product. We think outside the box to make a difference and bring back true commercial grade products and innovation in an industry that has lost its way,” said Paul Harris. And this is the way for Paul to make Aurora become the leader and make a difference for all in the industry.

Be the Only One “Changing the typology of AV” is the slogan of Aurora. In fact, Aurora has been an innovator, especially when it comes to the AV over IP market. Paul highlights that Aurora has the only 10G PoE solution on the market to date making connections easier.

In the future, Aurora will continue to enhance its AV over IP product line and will start to hybrid new technologies to create even more exciting cost effective experiences.

VOICEBOX

Paul Harris presenting in Singapore about the unique offerings by Aurora Multimedia

SDVoE 4K AV over IP Transceiver Box and Wall Plates Released In addition, Aurora released the only encrypted 4K60 4:4:4 10Gbps AV over IP transceiver box and wall plates, utilizing their Patent Pending IPBaseT technology based on the BlueRiver NT+ SDVoE platform in the 2019 spring season.

The IPX-TC3

Moreover, Aurora provides an entire solution with its SDVoE wall plate. Available in white or black, the IPX-TC3-WP allows a complete in room experience that box only solutions cannot achieve. Aurora is changing the topology of AV resolving all existing issues with reliability, serviceability, scalability, capability, and inventory. www.auroramultimedia.com www.mindstec.com

The IPX-TC3 Pro

The IPX-TC3 and IPX-TC3 Pro is the only 10Gbps SDVoE transceiver to have redundant fiber version and selectable copper fiber in a single unit. Aurora is also the first company to utilize PoE with 10G and has worked with Ethernet switch companies to develop and ship 10G PoE switches paving the way for cleaner installations.

“When we do something that will change the industry forever, some competition is also going to copy and try to do similar techniques. However, we don’t like to copy reference designs for the sake of making another “me too” product. We think outside the box to make a difference and bring back true commercial grade products and innovation in an industry that has lost its way,” © Systems Integration Asia | VOL. 18 ISSUE - 5~ June 2019- July 2019

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