INTEGRATION January 2019
www.av-integration.co.za
IN THIS ISSUE
A FIVE-STAR AV EXPERIENCE BEST PROFESSIONAL AV TECHNOLOGY 2018 MEDIATECH AFRICA 2019 PREVIEW PROJECTING BRILLIANCE
FEATURE
FUTURE TRENDS IN AV TECHNOLOGY
POWERED BY
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Integration with Property Management Systems
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Include live TV and video in your signage
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CORPORATE & FINANCE
see us at stand
10.K163
STADIUMS & VENUES
HOSPITALITY & LEISURE
EDUCATION
Exterity South Africa | Johannesburg t: +27 (0) 11 469 0465 e: Sales@exterity.com
www.exterity.com
IN THIS ISSUE
CONTENTS
BEST PROFESSIONAL AV TECHNOLOGY OF 2018 • FUTURE TRENDS IN AV • OMEGA'S MICHAEL KELLAWAY
BEST OF
2018
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18
32
38
3
6
14
30
EMBRACING THE FUTURE OF AV
PROJECTING NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR SOUTH AFRICAN LEARNERS
BEST PROFESSIONAL AV TECHNOLOGY 2018
SECURING THE OFFICE OF THE FUTURE
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FEATURE: FUTURE TRENDS IN AV TECHNOLOGY
A FIVE-STAR AV EXPERIENCE
4 GEFEN PARTNERS WITH BARCO FOR AVoIP SOLUTIONS
4 CRESTRON EMEA INTEGRATION AWARDS
5 SDVoE ALLIANCE CELEBRATES ITS SECOND ANNIVERSARY
6 NEW STUDY SHOWS THE GROWTH OF VIDEO CONFERENCING
8 i3-TECHNOLOGIES NEW i3HUDDLE 3.0
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8 WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL VIDEO WALL CAPTURE CARDS
10 INTEGRATED SYSTEMS EUROPE (ISE) 2019 PREVIEW
12 MEDIATECH AFRICA 2019 PREVIEW
THE FUTURE OF AV IS IP
24 EMPOWERING INTELLIGENT TRANSFORMATION
28 EVOLUTION, TRANSFORMATION AND THE MODERN WORKPLACE
36 PROJECTING BRILLIANCE
38 INTERVIEW: MICHAEL KELLAWAY OF OMEGA DIGITAL
42 BATMAN’S ARSENAL OF AV
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©2018 Bose Corporation.
ADVANCED AUDIO TECHNOLOGY HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT.
BOSE PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCING SOLUTIONS Today’s conference rooms require innovative audio solutions. Bose EdgeMax in-ceiling loudspeakers are uniquely engineered to be installed along the ceiling edge, enabling aesthetic design options. With ControlSpace EX conferencing processors and under-table endpoints, Bose Conferencing Solutions offer an integrated, reliable approach for clear, productive meetings. Learn more about our full line of conferencing solutions at PRO.BOSE.COM/CONFERENCING.
Web: www.alpha-tec.co.za
Tel: +27(0) 11 462 5495
EDITOR'S COMMENT
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EDITORIAL Nicole Barnes – Editor editor@pro-systems.co.za +27 (0)66 489 3482
CONTRIBUTORS
EMBRACING THE FUTURE OF AV
G
Chaz Nielsen | An AVIXA-Certified AV Technologist, Nielsen specialises in AV solutions for the corporate, commercial and domestic markets. Jim Holland | Country Head at Lenovo Data Centre Group (DCG) South Africa.
Greetings, and welcome to the first edition of AV Integration Magazine by Pro-Systems for 2019. There is little debate that the internet has had a bigger impact on human civilisation than any other innovation in recent history – and I am not alone in believing that the digital age is only in its infancy. Every industry – from finance, agriculture, transportation, education, manufacturing and healthcare – has been impacted by the digital revolution. The advent of the Internet of Things, including big data, artificial intelligence and increasing global connectivity, is driving industries to alter the way that they do business, or else risk being left behind. These are, therefore, interesting times for the professional audiovisual and information communications industries. Rapid developments in computing and digital technologies continue to drive demand for smarter audiovisual solutions and automated control across every conceivable industry and vertical market. In light of this increase in demand, AVIXA forecasts significant growth for the professional AV industry in its 2018 industry analysis report (IOTA), with a compound annual growth rate of 4.3% expected over the next five years. While this is very encouraging, the competition to be first to market with new technology has never been stiffer. As demand for smart buildings, collaborative working environments and integrated learning experiences grows, the pressure to remain at the cutting-edge of research and design becomes greater – and, according to figures published by CSIMarket, the profit margins for manufacturers are becoming narrower. However, the opportunities presented by the digital revolution still outweigh the challenges, because a connected world expects an integrated experience – and this is exactly what AV professionals do best.
In this issue, we take a look at emerging trends that are expected to direct the professional AV and information communication industries over the next few years. As the industry prepares to descend on the RAI in Amsterdam between 5 and 8 February for Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2019, it will be interesting to see what the world’s leading manufacturers of professional audiovisual and collaboration technology will bring to the show. I strongly suspect that the majority of new products on show at ISE will not only reflect what is possible with the latest in manufacturing, computing and networking capabilities, but also the changing needs of end users in the digital age. I look forward to bringing you all of the news from the world’s leaders in professional AV over the next few weeks. If you or your colleagues will be attending ISE, please contact me at editor@pro-systems.co.za and share your experience of the show with us. Enjoy the read
Nicole Barnes
Dana Eitzen | Corporate and Marketing Communications Executive at Canon South Africa
Cover image: Adam Letch One Discovery Place in Sandton, Johannesburg
PUBLISHERS PUBLISHER
Simon Robinson | simon@suncirclegroup.com
SALES
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Michael Lotriet | web@suncirclegroup.com
DESIGN
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
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Sun Circle Publishers (Pty) Ltd Tel: +27 11 025-3180 Epsom Downs Office Park, 13 Sloane Street, Bryanston, Johannesburg PO Box 559 Fourways North 2086, South Africa
Editorial Disclaimer The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of AV Intergration or any employee thereof. Sun Circle Publishers makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Sun Circle Publishers reserves the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner it sees fit comments that it, in its sole discretion, deems to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, or is otherwise unacceptable. All contents of this publication are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, in any form whatsoever, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publisher.
INDUSTRY NEWS
GEFEN PARTNERS WITH BARCO FOR AVoIP SOLUTIONS The Barco Overture system quickly allows users to access any Gefen AV over IP products and easily configure and control them within and across venues. Continuing in its effort to provide seamless signal distribution and control solutions for commercial integrators, Nortek Security & Control LLC (NSC) recently announced a new alignment between its leading signal management brand, Gefen, and Barco’s enterprise AV control and monitoring software, Overture. The new partnership makes control of the entire Gefen AV over IP product line easy and intuitive from within the Overture platform’s interface. This new alignment joins together the most versatile line-up of AV over IP products on the market with the most comprehensive
commercial control and monitoring platform, providing greater opportunities for signal distribution, management and control within corporate and higher education applications. “The Gefen and Barco pairing offers an unparalleled level of connectivity and control for commercial installers,” says Gefen product manager, Jason Fitzgerald. “Now, distributing and controlling AV in classrooms, huddle rooms, lecture halls and conference rooms is easier and more versatile than ever, regardless of source material or display type.”
Gefen’s AV over IP solutions combine any source and display, so that HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, VGA and Audio can all coexist on a single IP network, with the ability to automatically convert analogue and digital signal formats and scale up and down from standard HD to Ultra HD. Barco Overture can maximise signal management in any installation by taking advantage of the versatile line of Gefen AV over IP products. When used with the Gefen EXT-CU-LAN Matrix Controller, there is a single point of contact for the Barco system to communicate with directly, eliminating the need to directly communicate with each end-point, reducing traffic and complexity when setting up a system. “Our new integration with Gefen further strengthens Barco’s position as the top AV monitoring and control software solution for the education and corporate space,” said Barco director of product management for Overture, Jan van Houtte.
CRESTRON EMEA INTEGRATION AWARDS The Crestron EMEA Integration Awards is returning for its twelfth year, with 15 categories covering both residential and commercial applications of Crestron technology. Applications for the annual competition closed on 19 December, and numerous integrators, service providers and consultants within the EMEA region have submitted projects for consideration. “The awards are a fantastic way to recognise outstanding projects that demonstrate a high standard of excellence and innovation in the design and installation of Crestron solutions,” the company explains. Entries will be shortlisted and then judged by a panel of independent industry experts.
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Winners will be announced at Crestron’s booth at ISE 2019, being held from 5 – 8 February at the RAI in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Crestron has always secured a prestigious line-up of judges for the coveted awards, and this year is no different. Judges include founder Crestron stand at ISE 2018 and publisher of UC Today, Rob Scott, who comments: “It’s an honour to be involved in the EMEA Crestron overall user experience or provided other Integration Awards for 2019. The technology unexpected benefits,” says Ellis. industry never fails to impress us year on year, Hall adds: “Smart technology is and I’m really looking forward to seeing this increasingly becoming a must in high-end year’s achievements.” Scott will be joined by homes. The challenge is to make it Karen Stylianides, editor at Grand Designs sophisticated, clever and versatile, to control magazine; Owen Ellis, Chairman of the AV all aspects of the home, while also being User Group; and renowned freelance intuitive to use.” property writer, Zoe Dare Hall. AV Integration would like to congratulate “As an end user of over 17 years I will not all of the candidates that completed just be looking for innovative use of Crestron projects on the African continent and technologies, but projects that met the client submitted them for consideration, and to requirements and preferably exceeded their wish good luck to those who have been expectations and either enhanced their shortlisted for these prestigious awards.
INDUSTRY NEWS
SDVoE ALLIANCE CELEBRATES ITS SECOND ANNIVERSARY The SDVoE Alliance can reflect on some significant organisational milestones ahead of its second anniversary at ISE 2019. The SDVoE Alliance was launched two years ago, at ISE 2017, with the goal of standardising the adoption of Ethernet to transport AV signals in professional AV environments. The alliance has grown to include 40 member companies, who are now shipping 158 products across the globe. Also, more than 300 SDVoE Certified Design Partners have been trained and certified. Member companies are poised to deliver upwards of 150,000 AV endpoints in the coming year. Deployments in education, healthcare, enterprise, entertainment,
government and military environments are ongoing and many new products are set to reach production volumes in 2019. “Heading into ISE 2019, we are thrilled to be having a profound effect on the industry,” said Justin Kennington, president of the SDVoE Alliance. “Designers, integrators and end users are embracing the more open and standardised approach to signal management offered by SDVoE. We can see that the days of dedicated matrix switchers and proprietary AV over IP are numbered.” Demonstrations at the SDVoE Alliance’s ISE
The SDVoE Alliance counts some of the leading AV OEMs among its membership base including ZeeVee, NETGEAR and Christie Digital.
2019 stand (3-B150) will prove that SDVoE matches the quality and latency performance of the best matrix switches, and that SDVoE offers advanced AV processing capabilities no other matrix can provide. Furthermore, demonstrations of SDVoE products from different manufacturers working together will be shown. In addition, a series of in-depth training sessions and case study presentations will be offered on 6 February in room G109.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
NEW STUDY SHOWS THE GROWTH OF VIDEO CONFERENCING Polycom, a part of Plantronics, Inc., recently released a study conducted by Forrester Consulting titled: Streamlined Video Conferencing Strategy Drives Business Results. The study found that video conferencing is growing in usage, in the number of solutions and overall complexity for end users and IT personnel alike. The study found that the majority of companies surveyed are using multiple vendors for both endpoints and video cloud applications. Therefore, complexity is increasing, not decreasing, as new solutions continue to enter the market. In fact, the
KEY FINDINGS OF THE GLOBAL FORRESTER STUDY OF IT DECISION-MAKERS AND PROFESSIONALS INCLUDE: Two or more cloud-based video conference solutions are being used
84%
Two or more video conference endpoints in conference rooms Video conference calls have increased over the past two years
study showed that 96% of respondents already face challenges managing their video conferencing solutions. As a result, IT professionals have to manage a web of services, which often results in poor user experiences and mounting frustration for both IT technicians and employees. According to the study, IT professionals are facing increased costs in addition to the challenges of managing multiple cloudbased video conferencing systems. Those challenges include difficulty in connecting from conference rooms to calls, delayed video calls, poor call quality and inconsistent user experiences. To specifically combat productivity challenges, 77% of IT professionals want a consistent user interface and experience across video conferencing systems.
78% 74%
The Polycom Trio has been developed to alleviate some of these challenges. The Polycom Trio family are simple, familiar communications devices that support multiple video conferencing cloud solutions while providing a consistent experience. Polycom recently announced support for Cisco WebEx on Polycom Trio, adding to the growing catalogue of cloud-based video systems which includes Zoom, Microsoft, BlueJeans and Videxio. All these solutions can be accessed, used and managed through Polycom Trio in any conference room using the same simple interface. To see the full research paper by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Polycom, visit www. polycom.com/forms/ecosystem/2018forrester-videoconferencing-study.html
PROJECTING NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR SOUTH AFRICAN LEARNERS Epson’s ultra-short throw education projectors enable more collaborative and more interactive learning opportunities, and are proving very popular in South African schools. A number of educational facilities throughout the sub-Saharan region are making classroom learning more engaging with Epson’s innovative range of education laser projectors. With features like 100-inch, ultra-bright Full HD display and finger-touch interactivity, Epson’s educational laser projectors are designed to hold the learners’ attention while encouraging participation. “Epson’s latest range of education projectors enhance learning for students and empower teachers with the tools they need to deliver learning materials more efficiently,” says Timothy Wilson, VI account manager at Epson South Africa. According to Wilson, teachers and learners can enjoy disruption-
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free learning, with lamps that last for up to 20,000 hours before needing to be changed, laser-light technology for easy maintenance and a five-year warranty for peace of mind. Users can combine two displays to create one enlarged, wide interactive collaboration surface that serves to encourage increased participation from students. The images generated are interactive and shareable, with dual-pen and finger-touch interactivity – so students can join in by directly annotating the projected image. For learning institutions that make use of personal smart devices in the classroom, the Epson iProjection app for Windows 10, Mac and Chromebook can be downloaded.
Epson projectors at St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls in Gauteng
Intuitive PC-free annotation functions are expanded by enhanced control and annotation toolbars, including the addition of print and save functions that can be accessed through the new home screen. “The world of education should be exciting for teachers and students alike, where we embrace learning environments that prioritise learners and their need for more engaging lessons. With Epson’s cutting-edge education projectors, students enjoy a perfect view from anywhere in the class, are able to make on-screen contributions and even take part using their own smart devices, and we believe that’s going to completely revolutionise school learning for the better,” says Wilson.
PRODUCT NEWS
i3-TECHNOLOGIES LAUNCHES NEW i3HUDDLE 3.0 i3-Technologies, a leading producer of collaboration technology, recently announced the launch of the i3HUDDLE 3.0. The i3HUDDLE is a flexible and user-friendly interactive touchscreen for smaller meeting rooms, which integrates seamlessly into existing IT infrastructures. The i3HUDDLE is designed to be user-friendly and looks like a tablet or smartphone, including a home button function, so users will not get lost in complex functionalities. With just four options to choose from on the home screen – conference, whiteboard,
The i3HUDDLE 3.0. interactive touchscreen
present, co-create – the interface is sleek and simple. The i3HUDDLE 3.0 empowers companies by providing great flexibility; a unit which combines with any video conferencing service to enable whiteboarding, wireless presenting, collaboration with remote team members and the ability to save all documents in a preferred location. Another new feature is a motion sensor which supports automatic start-up and shutdown. According to the company, a number of major businesses have chosen i3Technologies for their simple, yet powerful
collaboration solutions. “The company’s mission is to bring simple and innovative solutions that work in the way your people want to learn and work. There is a big challenge in bringing simplicity to products that help people to collaborate.” The i3HUDDLE 3.0 now includes a Windows operating system, which is easy to integrate into the infrastructure within which most companies are used to working. “IT leaders will appreciate the benefits of the i3HUDDLE with its flexibility and easy user-adoption, while users will love its intuitive interface and capabilities,” the company concludes.
WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL VIDEO WALL CAPTURE CARDS Matrox Mura IPX 4K DisplayPort boards deliver unrivalled capture, encode and decode of multiple 4Kp60 video sources from a single card for graphics-rich video wall applications. Matrox Graphics Inc. recently announced that the Matrox Mura IPX 4K DisplayPort capture and IP encode/decode cards are now shipping. These new dual DisplayPort 1.2 video wall cards feature 4Kp60 with full 4:4:4 colour sampling support alongside a dedicated onboard network interface controller (NIC), offering the most advanced capture, encode, stream, record and decode capabilities from a single card. The Mura IPX capture cards are ideal for OEMs
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Inc. “First, is the ability to capture and transfer multiple 4Kp60 channels over the bus without any colour-quality degradation. Second, is the inclusion of IP technology directly on the board, a critical differentiator only available with Matrox capture cards. The ability to simultaneously stream, record and decode while capturing Matrox Mura IPX DisplayPort capture cards for 4K60 4:4:4 video and graphics-rich display wall applications physical signals from one board makes the new Mura and system integrators looking to build IPX products the most cutting-edge video wall controllers that powerful capture cards on the market. This deliver fast-moving video content and industry-unique design translates into a high-frequency desktop graphics and text to smoother, more cost-effective integration local and networked video walls. process for OEMs and system builders looking “The new Mura IPX capture cards address to deploy high-density video walls.” two major pain points for the video wall Matrox Mura IPX video wall capture and industry,” says Fadhl Al-Bayaty, business multiviewer cards will be featured at ISE 2019 development manager at Matrox Graphics (stand 11-D120).
ISE TO SHOWCASE THE FINEST IN INTERNATIONAL AV
SHOW REPORT
The 2019 edition of Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) is set to be the largest in the show’s history, with more exhibitors, more floor space, more visitors and more events than ever before. ISE 2019 takes place at the RAI Amsterdam from 5 to 8 February 2019, preceded by conferences and the Opening Address on 4 February. The five days are expected to attract over 80,000 registered attendees and 1,300 exhibitors. In response to the increasing demand for exhibition space, there will once again be 15 halls on the floor plan. In addition, Hall 5 will be extended, increasing its size by a third. There will be six Technology Zones on the show floor to help attendees to locate the products, services and companies of greatest interest to them. These will include Audio and Live Events, Digital Signage and DooH, Education Technology, Residential Solutions, Smart Buildings, and Unified Communications. For the first time, ISE will be extending its reach beyond the RAI throughout the show with the ISE at the Okura programme. The nearby five-star Hotel Okura will showcase an exciting mix of conferences, networking events and the Innovation Zone exhibition area. The programme will begin at 11:00 on each of the four days of ISE 2019 and run until 19:00, giving attendees the opportunity to continue their show day after the main exhibits have closed. Free shuttle buses will operate between the RAI and the Okura throughout each day. A free happy hour Networking Reception will take place at the Okura from 18:00 to 19:00 on 5, 6 and 7 February, and a free Networking Lunch will be held between 12:00 and 13:00 on 8 February. The conference and education programme at ISE 2019 is being presented with the tagline Learn, Discover, Be Inspired. The Okura is a key location for this initiative, playing host to five conferences over four days. The XR Summit will explore the latest B2B technologies, solutions and business opportunities around Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality. Digital Signage Summit ISE will give unparalleled insights into trends and strategies of the digital signage industry’s brightest, most talked about and controversial minds. The new half-day Digital Cinema Summit will explore how digital technology is revolutionising how we produce, distribute and experience films.
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Another new addition for 2019, the full-day HTNG Insight Summit ISE will discuss current issues and cutting-edge research findings from the world of hotel and hospitality technology. It is organised by ISE and the trade association Hospitality Technology Next Generation. Returning after its successful 2018 debut, blooloopLIVE ISE will be dedicated to exploring the latest technologies, solutions and business strategies for the theme park and attractions business. At the RAI, the Smart Building Conference, returning for its ninth edition, will take the theme Making Buildings Smart, Making Smart Buildings – exploring the twin themes of retrofitting smart technology into existing buildings, and creating the most sophisticated and intelligent new buildings. Taking place on 4 February, it will be followed by the ISE Opening Address. Organised by Italian media brand Connessioni, Audio Forum will once again bring together the pro audio and installation business communities, with a focus on integrated technologies and workflows. ISE co-owner AVIXA will host two half-day What’s Next conferences, looking at integrated AV experiences in higher education and enterprise environments. The education conference, being held on the afternoon of 5 February, will explore innovative ideas and best-case examples in the design of learning and collaboration spaces. It is jointly organised by AVIXA, SCHOMS and EUNIS. AVIXA’s enterprise conference, on the afternoon of the 6 February, is once again produced in partnership with the AV User Group. It will explore how focusing on the customer experience can create real value in organisations. The association will also be hosting FlashTracks throughout ISE 2019 – free 20-minute education sessions, designed for AV professionals of all experience levels, focusing on hot industry topics. CEDIA, ISE’s other owner, will present a full professional development programme across the four days of ISE 2019. Delegates wishing to attend multiple sessions may consider purchasing an All Access Pass, which will enable them to attend as many sessions as they wish. On its stand, the Association will be hosting CEDIA Talks – 20-minute sessions in which some of the custom installation industry’s best minds will offer insights into emerging trends and new technologies. An innovation for 2019 is the Main Stage, located in Hall 8, which will be a specially designed theatre and presentation space. It will present free sessions produced by ISE, CEDIA, AVIXA and AV Magazine as well as hosting a number of special events.
WHERE DIGITAL STORYTELLING COMES TO LIFE Digital Signage and DOOH at ISE 2019 Integrated Systems Europe is the largest digital signage show in the world, offering over 400 relevant exhibitors, the Digital Signage Summit conference and a wide range of education opportunities.
REGISTER NOW
TRADE SHOW
MEDIATECH 2019 HIGHLIGHTS LIGHTING DESIGN SESSIONS
MEDIATECH AFRICA 2019
Book your spot at the continent’s leading media and professional AV technology tradeshow Stand sales are now open for the 2019 iteration of Mediatech Africa, which will run from 17-19 July 2019 at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Lighting is an essential element in creating atmosphere for live events, theatrical productions as well as for architectural design, and has the potential to make or break the success of a project. While technically challenging, light is a necessary medium requiring the mastery of varied and continuously evolving disciplines. Lighting designers are specialists at utilising light as the medium of expression to create mood and effects, shift emphasis within performances and enhance the desirability of spaces. Mediatech 2019 will be offering a number of information sessions and demonstrations featuring the latest in lighting design technology available on the global market.
PRESENTATION ZONES With rapid advancements in technology and the shift in social dynamics affecting content demand, delivery and platform selection, members and specialists within the industry will be discussing emerging trends and media solutions for the African context.
OUTDOOR SOUND DEMOS Deep bass, clear treble and a rich middle range are just some of the qualities expected from high-quality audio and line array systems. Mediatech 2019 will feature a number of outdoor demo sessions, where visitors get to experience the versatility and capabilities of some of the most technologically advanced sound systems, without the restriction of indoor displays.
BLACK BOX Mediatech Africa is a biennial advanced media and entertainment technology trade show held in Johannesburg. The expo showcases new technologies and services from industry leaders in AV systems integration and communications; live entertainment technology; television and broadcast; animation and film; studio and production; DJ and pro-audio equipment. Mediatech attracts buyers, top decision-makers and influential visitors from across the spectrum of its target markets. Mediatech 2017 featured 148 exhibitors with 700 internationally recognised brands and attracted more than 7500 visitors. According to exhibition director, Simon Robinson, Mediatech Africa is the largest and most established trade show for the advanced media, entertainment technology and AV integration markets in Africa. “The show is supported by some of the world’s leading technology manufacturers and local distributors. Exhibitors are afforded the opportunity to network, launch new products, participate in a wide range of events and – most importantly – engage with new customers and existing clients.”
What do you get when you combine the most creative minds in the media and entertainment technology industry with trailblazing technology? Mix in high energy-music, a dancer, powerful lighting, projection stances, and pixel mapping and you have a taste of Mediatech Africa’s Black Box. This fully automated light and visual experience was among the most popular events to be hosted at Mediatech 2017.
VIRTUAL REALITY AND DRONE EXPERIENCE Experience a fully rigged drone in action at the drone cage or step into a virtual world to experience a completely new reality. The Mediatech drone cage exhibition will enable film makers to experience the drone in action. Participants will have a handson experience operating the camera on the Freely Movi Pro gimbal while attached to the drone. Mediatech 2019 will once again offer visitors a first-hand experience of the latest in VR technology.
For sales queries and bookings, contact Claire Badenhorst on +27 (0)11 025 3180, or at sales@mediatech.co.za.
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BROADCAST - TV & RADIO
PRO AUDIO - LIGHTING - STAGING
FILM & VIDEO PRODUCTION
AUDIO VISUAL INTEGRATION
DIGITAL MEDIA STUDIO - RECORDING - DJ
TICKETPRO DOME
17-19 JULY 2019
www.mediatech.co.za
BOOK YOUR STAND TECHNOLOGY TRADE SHOW SHAPING THE WAY CREATIVITY PLAYS. CREATES. LIVES.
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Photo by Benjamin Child on Unsplash
BEST OF
2018 PROFESSIONAL AV TECHNOLOGY AV INTEGRATION REACHED OUT TO SOUTH AFRICA'S LEADING AV INTEGRATORS TO NOMINATE THEIR FAVOURITE PRODUCT OF 2018. Over the past few years, there has been a marked increase in the adoption of professional AV solutions by businesses across South Africa. Competing in a globalised economy means that people need to be able to connect with colleagues, business associates and clients from across the globe to maximise the benefit of living and doing business in a digitally connected world. There are a number of international platforms that award manufacturers of professional AV technology on an annual basis. While it is interesting to find out what the latest and greatest products are internationally, often these products are not immediately available or are too expensive to be practical for our market. As a result, local AV Integrators have become extremely skilled at putting together professional AV solutions that offer high levels of functionality but fit within available budgets.
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Polycom Trio 8800 Conference Phone Warren Tree, Audio Visual Centre Comment: The Polycom Trio is unique in that it is a scalable unified communication appliance. We can implement the product as a VOIP Phone, enable soft codec conferencing, provide Bluetooth connectivity for mobile device connection, and it is a Certified Skype for Business endpoint for video and wireless presentations. The 5-inch touchscreen allows users to set up their meetings in seconds. Hardware scalability allows us to deploy the Trio in any size room. The Trio allows registration to multiple platforms simultaneously including Skype for Business, Zoom, Webex and BlueJeansamong others. Using the Polycom Trio as the user interface keeps a common user experience throughout all meeting venues. Favourite feature: Scalability – The Polycom Trio can be deployed in a small huddle room as a speakerphone or a large meeting room as a high-end video conference system with dual displays, ceiling microphones, wireless presentation and advanced facial recognition automatic camera systems. Distributed by Kathea
The Epson L-1000 series of big screen installation projectors are designed for applications in VALUE auditoriums, lecture theatres, galleries, and FOR shopping centres, among others. The L-1000 series MONEY offers 20,000hrs of light source life expectancy in standard mode and up to 56,000hrs in constant brightness mode and a filter maintenance cycle of up to 30,000 hours. A high brightness of up to 15,000lm and a native contrast ratio of 1,000:1, ensure super dark blacks and super bright whites. The projector also features a sensor to adjust the intensity of blue and yellow light to make whites even more appealing. These projectors can be adapted to suit a range of venues, with the expansive portfolio of motorised lenses. This collection includes an ultra-short-throw (UST) zero offset lens which produces a 100-inch screen from only 76cm away.
BEST PROFESSIONAL AV TECHNOLOGY
Polycom conference phones are widely regarded as an industry standard and have been deployed in meeting rooms worldwide. The Polycom Trio SCALABLE & family of conference phones offer solutions for a UNIQUE wide range of applications. The Polycom Trio 8800 is the premium unit in the range and is specifically designed with larger meeting rooms in mind. Polycom Trio 8800 offers high-quality roomfilling sound with advanced audio technology such as enhanced Polycom HD Voice and the patented Polycom NoiseBlock. The five-inch colour touch display is designed to be intuitive, requiring minimal end-user training. Polycom Trio is based on open standards to ensure interoperability with leading open SIP platforms, and hybrid registration gives the ability to deploy on up to three separate SIP platforms simultaneously and integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Exchange.
Epson L-1000 series with ELP-X01 ultra short throw lens Gavin Olivier, Digital Fabric Comment: The flexibility in image placement when using the ultra short throw lens is a market leader. In my humble opinion, it’s the best value for money in this category at the moment. Favourite feature: Lots of flexibility, great image quality and competitive pricing.
Distributed by Solution Technologies
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BEST PROFESSIONAL AV TECHNOLOGY
The Samsung Flip is an innovative digital flipchart that helps to drive more productive and efficient business HASSLE collaboration. Flip Notation gives the user the familiar FREE feel of traditional writing in a versatile digital format, with a variety of colours, styles and widths available. Up to four people can write simultaneously, using any object as a writing tool. One can also quickly clear either a small section or full screen worth of content using a hand swipe motion. Through the Flip’s broad connectivity, Flip enables teams to share and make notations within a variety of content files, all maintained at optimal visual quality. Flip Navigation provides an intuitive, user-friendly menu that simplifies navigation and reduces the time required to access controls or view content in its entirety. Facilitators can also preview individual content pages and make instant changes directly on the screen. An optional portable, wheel-based stand makes the Samsung Flip highly mobile and adaptable.
Samsung Flip – WM55H – Digital Flipchart for Business Ivano Stipcevich, Global Access Telecommunications PTY LTD Comment: This product is a direct replacement for the many flipcharts commonly found in boardrooms and meeting areas. The digitisation of flipcharts offers multiple benefits, enhances collaboration and eliminates the hassles associated with traditional flipcharts. Favourite feature: The ability to flip and swivel.
Distributed by Samsung South Africa
Crestron Mercury is a UC and AV all-in-one tabletop solution that supports any web collaboration application. While other conferencing solutions lock you EASY SET-UP into a single platform, the Creston Mercury combines all the must-have conferencing and collaboration tools into one easy-to-use console, enabling people to work together regardless of their location or preferred conferencing application. Filling a vital market segment, the Creston Mercury is a cost-effective solution for any small meeting space or huddle room and boasts a range of incredible features, such as a full open SIP; conference phone capabilities; room scheduling functions and one-touch joins; and the ability to do Bluetooth audio pairs with mobile phones. The unit also features AirMedia for wireless presentations, while the quality of the built-in microphone and speakers is excellent.
Crestron Mercury Jaco Potgieter, Panavision Evolve
Comment: Crestron Mercury is an all-in-one presentation and conference system that is quick to deploy. It is perfect for small boardrooms and huddle spaces. Favourite feature: The Crestron Mercury offers built-in scheduling and auto switching. Also, it is quick and easy setup – it just works.
Distributed by Crestron South Africa
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Barco ClickShare CSE200 and CS100 Jesse Bosch, Prosirius
Comment: Time is of crucial value to our clients, and presenting in boardrooms has traditionally been tedious and inefficient. The Barco ClickShare is simple to use and deploy, is secure, and requires no software downloads. The ClickShare uses your USB port and not VGA/HDMI. One of the latest features is the touchback feature which enables you to present wirelessly to an interactive screen while allowing you to take control of your laptop from the touchscreen. Favourite feature: Wireless presentation without software downloads.
Distributed by SkyGroup Communications and Peripheral Vision
The Crestron HD-MD-400-C-E Transmitter-Receiver delivers an incredibly simple and cost-effective multimedia presentation solution that is particularly AUTO suited for classrooms and meeting spaces. In essence, SENSING this device allows a laptop or mobile device (either HDMI or VGA) to be connected to one of three inputs at a table or podium and routes the signal to a display or projector up to 70 meters away. Fully automatic operation detects when a source is connected or disconnected at any input and turns the display on and off, alleviating the need for any complicated panels or remote controls. Built-in scaling ensures an optimal video image for SD and HD video signals, as well as for high-resolution computer signals, and the HD-MD-400-C-E unit supports integration with a Crestron control systems for fully programmable functionality.
BEST PROFESSIONAL AV TECHNOLOGY
Barco ClickShare products lead the way when it comes to stand-alone wireless presentation solutions. EDITOR'S By simply plugging a USB-powered device – known as CHOICE the Barco ClickShare Button – into their PC or Mac, users can project content from their laptop to the meeting room screen instantly and without having to plug in any external cables. With the ClickShare App, users can even share content from their mobile phones or tablets in full 1080p resolution. While the CS100 – which allows for one user on screen and up to eight simultaneously-connected users – is great for small huddle spaces, the CSE200 – which allows for two users on screen and up to 16 simultaneous connections – has made huge gains in the mid-size meeting room market.
Crestron HD-MD-400-C-E Transmitter-Receiver Stefan Mayer , Corporate AV Integration (PTY) Ltd Comment: The Crestron HD-MD-400-C-E is the most cost-effective way to install an auto input switcher for 2 HDMIs as well as 1 VGA with auto input sensing. The product offers an additional input for a wireless presentation device at the screen location. It also uses CAT 5/6 between TX and RX allowing for routing through an existing conduit. Over and above these functions, it also allows for remote switching on of a monitor or projector. Favourite feature: The auto-sensing inputs, as well as the ability to control a screen, projector or motorised screen, sets the Crestron HD-MD-400-C-E Transmitter-Receiver apart from the competition. Distributed by Crestron South Africa
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FEATURE FUTURE TRENDS
FUTURE TRENDS IN AV TECHNOLOGY ACCORDING TO THE 2018 AV INDUSTRY OUTLOOK AND TRENDS ANALYSIS (IoTA) GLOBAL SUMMARY REPORT, PUBLISHED BY AVIXA, THE PROFESSIONAL AUDIOVISUAL INDUSTRY IS FORECAST TO GROW FROM $186 BILLION IN 2018 TO $230 BILLION BY 2023.
Sean Wargo, senior director of market intelligence at AVIXA, states that “the professional audiovisual industry can expect compound annual growth to be at 4.3% over the next five years,” indicating that the rapid adoption of audiovisual technologies across verticals will expand as the digital revolution unfolds. Driven by rapid advances in digital technology, the professional audiovisual industry has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past few years. It is sobering to consider that your typical school child with a smartphone or tablet has wider access to video, audio and collaboration
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technology than your average CEO would have had just a decade ago. According to AVIXA, the integration of technologies differentiates the pro-AV industry from others, because many of the technologies, products, and services for audio and video capture, processing, storage, and displays are
similar across different applications. Audiovisual technology has become the medium through which the world communicates, collaborates and works – and business leaders either have to adapt or be left behind. The IOTA report identifies five technology trends that are driving growth, which include audio
FEATURE FUITURE FUTURE TRENDS FOCUS
FEATURE “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” – Charles Darwin
20 advances, future displays, the deployment of IoT for smart buildings, as well as rapid advances in information technology and artificial intelligence. Understanding these trends is key for equipment manufacturers, integrators and collaboration experts to remain relevant during these dynamic times.
The articles that follow present a number of opinions on some of the key trends in the AV industry over both the short and long-term. While there are many obstacles that need to be overcome and an enormous amount of work ahead, I hope that you join me in feeling excited about what the future of professional AV holds. – Nicole Barnes
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At least 40% of all businesses will die in the next ten years if they don’t figure out how to change their entire company to accommodate new technologies.” John Chambers – Executive Chairman, Cisco Systems
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THE FUTURE OF AV IS IP BY ZEEVEE
EMPOWERING INTELLIGENT TRANSFORMATION BY JIM HOLLAND
EVOLUTION, TRANSFORMATION AND THE MODERN WORKPLACE BY ANTHONY BRENNAN SECURING THE OFFICE OF THE FUTURE BY DANA EITZEN
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FEATURE FUTURE TRENDS
THE FUTURE OF AV IS IP It’s hard to believe so much has already been written about AV over IP (audio and video over Internet protocol, or AVoIP), with so little being said about why it is essential to the future of every AV integrator and integration business. ZeeVee, one of the leading global developers of digital technology and products for distributing audio-video content, recently released a white paper focusing on the importance of adopting AV over IP solutions in the corporate environment.
With the industry focus on engineering and cost benefits stemming from simplified system infrastructure, configuration, deployment, control and expansion – which are indeed all real and significant advantages – too little attention is devoted to a critical customer benefit that has already become a driving force accelerating its adoption: the capacity for real-time and interactive applications that enhance end-user experience and value. These applications, some available now with many more to come in the future, will make IP-based data networks the must-have foundation for commercial AV solutions – in business, education, government, industry, hospitality, healthcare, entertainment, retail, public safety and every other market where pro AV integrators make their living.
TIME FOR CHANGE While conventional point-to-point signal distribution has its role in presentation and other simplex (one-way) communication, the ability to convey, communicate and interact vocally and visually in real time, from every endpoint and multiple end-points – throughout an office, building or campus – heralds an exciting and promising future for the pro AV business. Several research studies have documented the steadily-growing use of streaming and interactive video within all types of organisations as an essential,
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multi-dimensional element of business operations. The ability to enable virtual collaboration, meetings and group presentations, corporate communications, instruction, training, and other interactive activities, in real time or on-demand, and with high cost-effectiveness, is essential in keeping pace with the working world. One recent study reveals not only steadily-increasing numbers of organisations utilising video streaming and collaboration but also that the
FEATURE FUTURE TRENDS
"Several research studies have documented the steadily-growing use of streaming and interactive video within all types of organisations as an essential, multi-dimensional element of business operations."
"IP-based data networks are the must-have foundation for commercial AV solutions"
amount of time workers spend weekly utilising these services continues to grow. The trend is far from peaking: researchers forecast continued growth in both adoption and utilisation. The global market for video conferencing alone, estimated at $5 billion in 2016, is forecast to exceed $10 billion (in 2016 dollars) by 2026.
PUTTING ASIDE TO AUGMENTED REALITY Putting aside applications in use now, it is also essential to consider that innovative, interactive business and workplace applications, potentially involving artificial intelligence, virtual
or augmented reality, are already on the horizon. While it’s not the purpose here to explore or predict what form they will take, it’s more than sensible to assume that future AV systems should be designed to operate on a platform likely to be compatible with these technologies – systems based on (non-propriety) IP network standards. The low-latency and high-speed at which many AV networks need to operate, a concern especially when handling rich content, also favours an IP-based approach, since data networks provide a proven, reliable and continuously improving means of moving huge volumes of real-time information at ever-increasing speeds with near-zero latency.
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FEATURE FUTURE TRENDS
"IP-based AV networks offer real advantages that reduce cost while increasing capability."
INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
dozen AV manufacturers, in the first half of 2018 alone, including Looking at AV from an individual user’s perspective, the ease with which everyone every significant maker of AV can stream, conference and video chat using a smartphone or laptop creates distribution systems, the ability to the expectation, particularly among younger people but also persons of any unveil AVoIP components. age in positions of influence or authority, that cutting-edge capabilities be Simultaneously, traditional IT network available at work. Whether utilising public or private networks, workers and switch companies such as NETGEAR other colleagues expect levels of interactivity and interoperability similar introduced entire lines of high-speed or superior to what they experience every day on their devices. switches preconfigured explicitly for AVoIP The AV systems providing these resources need to accommodate applications. Leaders and innovators in both the the demands of the modern workplace: they must be readily AV and IT industries have made it abundantly clear scalable and configurable to meet changing staffing and where they see the future of AV headed, and organisational needs. Systems that require less time and cost integrators not offering AVoIP solutions will find to adapt – a clear advantage of IP-based networks over themselves at a competitive disadvantage, with solutions matrixed distribution – have a distinct competitive that do not keep pace with industry innovations. advantage. Integrators in Western Europe indicate that AV over IP has In 2014, a handful of manufacturers, including AV been the go-to standard for new project builds since ISE 2018, over IP pioneer ZeeVee, were early entrants into the further reinforcing the global trend of AV technology in developing AV over IP space that served to define and prove markets which have little or no legacy investment in (or comfort level the viability and effectiveness of AV over IP as with) matrixed or RF-based systems. In these places, where integrators an AV distribution technology. These and end-users start with a clean slate and the desire and freedom to veterans paved the way for more than two choose best-in-class technology, AVoIP is taking a market-leading position.
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"AV data networks open new avenues for integrators to serve"
While there is real peril for integration firms in not keeping pace with the network trend in AV technology, there is an excellent opportunity for those looking to embrace it for the benefits it can provide to customers and their businesses. IP-based AV networks offer real advantages that reduce cost while increasing capability, and they have an immediate appeal to many clients. Organisations that don’t embrace AVoIP early for a competitive advantage will eventually have to adapt (and adopt) merely to keep up or because of diminishing support for legacy technology. Rather than a creating a roadblock between AV integrators and their customary commercial clients, AV data networks open new avenues for integrators to serve (and sell) clients – while preserving their position as the expert authority to specify and install AV systems that meet the precise quality, performance and feature requirements of each customer. Failing to offer suitable AVoIP solutions results in integrators and integration companies marginalizing their business to a shrinking segment of the systems market. As explained more deeply in the full white paper, competitive pressure is another factor pushing the market toward AVoIP solutions. Integrators, if they have not done so already, must begin to make the transition, since trends in the workplace and technology development foreshadow a future for AV systems functioning on IP-based platforms. For more information, including a helpful guide about how to select an AVoIP vendor, please consult the full ZeeVee white-paper: www. zeevee.com/av-over-ip-whitepaper
FEATURE FUTURE TRENDS
EMPOWERING
INTELLIGENT
TRANSFORMATION
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FEATURE FUTURE TRENDS
BY JIM HOLLAND
COUNTRY HEAD AT LENOVO DATA CENTRE GROUP (DCG) SOUTH AFRICA
A new age is dawning and for big companies, the oncoming era will require new skill sets, technologies, alignments and business models. It will force them to globally reinvent and restructure entire systems of production, management and governance. It will require intelligent transformation. According to industry analyst IDC, annual spending on digital transformation initiatives in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META) region is predicted to surpass $38 billion by 2021, accelerated by the large-scale adoption of third-platform technologies such as cloud, big data analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, and Virtual Reality, among others.
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SMART IOT: GREAT PRODUCTS ARE ENOUGH FOR CONSUMERS, BUT LARGE ORGANISATIONS NEED SOMETHING MORE – THEY NEED GREAT SOLUTIONS.
These are complicated times for the enterprise. The feedback that we get from large customers who deploy our technology is this: the products must be compelling, but the ecosystem into which they settle is everything. It is no longer enough for technology companies to provide smartphones, laptops, servers, storage and networking products and then step aside. Their value comes in helping their customers pull it all together, in providing a holistic vision of a world that is not only connected but smart. Hardware offerings are best when combined with that technology provider’s data and deeper learnings. You might call it “Smart IoT”. Companies who show leadership on this front and subscribe to this more sophisticated and broader approach will be the ones who lead the intelligent transformation.
We see a new evolution of change. These are a few top trends for empowering intelligent transformation, as well as how I think large organisations can put themselves in a position to thrive in the new landscape.
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES THAT LEVERAGE AI WILL, IN LARGE PART, DEFINE THE FUTURE.
As voice, gesture and movement come to the fore, we will see an era of ambient computing emerge. This vision will be defined and enriched by advances in AI, speech recognition, machine learning and cloud computing. Will computers go away? No. Devices will surely still play a central role in the connected world, but it is safe to say that some aspects of your connected life will go into the Ether. Consider what already exists and what might come next: A voicedriven smart speaker on a kitchen countertop, A Smart Display that acts as a family’s household hub, useful health trackers embedded directly into your body. The sky is the limit in terms of how we might leverage these new technologies to improve people’s lives. One good example of a broader application is Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) technology, which helps people manage networks from a single source. Another application is Narrow AI (as opposed to the general AI we see in movies), which enables computers to perform highly specialised tasks extremely well.
“It is no longer enough for technology companies to provide products and then step aside. Their value comes in helping their customers pull it all together, providing a holistic vision of a world that is not only connected but smart.” – Jim Holland 25
FEATURE FUTURE TRENDS
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5G: BET ON 5G AND OTHER EMERGING TECHNOLOGY TO FUEL THE PACE OF TRANSFORMATION.
Whether or not you know it, the pieces for intelligent transformation are falling into place on a global scale. Smart devices are ubiquitous. Infrastructure is in place. Networks are accelerating. 5G connectivity is really what will make all the other trends mentioned here scalable. If cloud, infrastructure and devices are the connective tissue across which intelligent transformation will play out, a handful of technologies will provide the fuel for that transformation: bet on AI, AR, IoT and 5G to be the fuel that enables new ways of working and accelerates the pace at which this transformation occurs. 5G, which is ten times faster than 4G, deserves special mention for the way it is expected to revolutionise networks. 5G download speeds will transform how people engage with the world overnight. This breakthrough will help mainstream things like driverless cars, smart wearables, gaming, home security and industrial intelligence.
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AR AND VR: IF YOU THINK AUGMENTED REALITY AND VIRTUAL REALITY ARE JUST FOR GAMERS, YOU’RE MISSING THE BIGGER PICTURE.
The impact of AR and VR on gaming has been well-documented and continues to grab the headlines in the mainstream press. However, shrewd observers know that the effect these fast-developing technologies are having on business is nothing short of transformational. The technology first went mainstream with games like Pokémon Go but has far more interesting business use-cases. For example, Lenovo helped develop a tech solution for Utah-based cancer to help identify melanoma. The solution leverages AR head-mounted displays and AI glasses to better map mole progression. Meanwhile, AR is also transforming the aviation industry. Through the use of AR glasses, expert aeroplane mechanics can conduct training sessions remotely, giving step-by-step virtual guidance to less seasoned workers.
“If cloud, infrastructure and devices are the connective tissue across which intelligent transformation will play out, a handful of technologies will provide the fuel for that transformation: bet on AI, AR, IoT and 5G to be the fuel that enables new ways of working.” – Jim Holland
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FEATURE FUTURE TRENDS
EVOLUTION, TRANSFORMATION AND THE MODERN WORKPLACE BY ANTHONY BRENNAN AV PROFESSIONAL AT FUTURESOURCE CONSULTING LTD
Many of the technologies that are being developed and deployed by leading enterprises across the globe are primarily designed to increase teamwork. Businesses are pursuing top-down policies to create collaboration-focused spaces, which is fundamentally altering the modern workplace. This evolution is exposed in the Futuresource Corporate Meeting Room End User Report.
Workplace meetings have undergone a physical and cultural transformation over the past five years, both in terms of location and the technologies they employ. Modern working habits and technological advancements have contributed to the rise of the meeting room as a high-growth vertical for audiovisual, unified communications and collaboration technologies. According to research conducted by Futuresource, the number of large meeting spaces has decreased over the past two years, predominantly due to the macro trend toward smaller, faster, more flexible meetings. Typically, large meeting rooms are being repurposed for smaller meeting spaces and, with over a quarter of companies looking to add additional meeting rooms over the next three years, the overall total addressable market of meeting rooms is expected to surge. Businesses are keen to promote top-down policies which utilise space more efficiently and promote smaller, more collaborative sessions amongst workers. Manufacturers have also been quick to respond to these changes, producing a raft of collaboration technologies designed for smaller meeting rooms and huddle spaces, which are already seeing good traction in the market. Another clear indication that the traditional meeting room is undergoing fundamental change is the type and variety of products that are now being used in these spaces. This development is most evident when we look at meeting room budgets, which have grown increasingly diversified across product categories.
While the meeting room, traditionally, was the domain of telephony and display technologies, we are now seeing that as the size of a meeting room grows, there is a significant increase in spending on goods other than displays, such as audio, collaboration devices and control products. The distribution of budgets is highest in large meeting rooms, where over 60% of funds are spent outside of display technologies. This diversification is not only evidence of the growing importance of a wider set of technologies, but also the increasing complexity of the meeting room market. Demographic change and budget diversification are not the only significant changes happening to the corporate meeting space, with employee habits and practices also undergoing a cultural transformation. With more employees working from home, and the increased ability to work in multiple locations geographically or in different areas within an office, workers are now much more flexible with where they are working and who they are working with. Employers have been keen to develop more informal meeting spaces in step with these modern, flexible working habits and, with 20% of meetings now being held in locations such as kitchens, eating areas, breakout rooms and receptions and foyers, it is no surprise that 43% of companies surveyed as part of this research state they are investing in dedicated technology for these (formerly ad hoc) spaces. With dramatic changes happening in the corporate meeting room, technology providers are meticulously following the evolving trends of the modern workplace and how employees work with one another. This market presents both an exciting opportunity for growth but, at the same time, ample room for failure. With culturally-diverse variations in how employees work with one another, Futuresource’s Corporate End User Study provides a comprehensive guide to the corporate meeting room and the nuances of this rapidly-evolving marketplace. For more information, visit www.futuresource-consulting.com
Source: Futuresource Consulting LTD.
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FEATURE FUTURE TRENDS
FUTURESOURCE CORPORATE MEETING ROOM END USER REPORT BREAKDOWN
© Futuresource Consulting Ltd 2018
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FEATURE FUTURE TRENDS
BY DANA EITZEN,
CORPORATE AND MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE AT CANON SOUTH AFRICA
In today’s age of innovation, enterprises are understandably concerned with how new technologies will impact the way that jobs will be performed over the next few years. The office of the future is forcing business leaders to grapple with how to seamlessly integrate technology into the workplace as a means to increase productivity and efficiency. However, there is a need to do so in a way that does not compromise enterprise security.
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FEATURE FUTURE TRENDS In the second half of 2018, the UK and France signed a major deal for AI and cybersecurity cooperation, and a legal proposal to overhaul the EU’s cybersecurity rules passed on 10 July 2018 as the European Parliament’s Industry Committee (ITRE) approved a plan to create a voluntary system for certifying the security level of technology products. By working together with industry, innovation in this sector can flourish, and we should expect many more similar partnerships and legislation to arise in the near future. With technology encouraging greater geographic flexibility and connectivity between workers and other people who may be outside the organisation, security will be paramount to ensuring an enterprise does not lose its footing amidst an ever-changing future of work. In 2004, the global cybersecurity market was worth $3.5 billion; it is now estimated to have surpassed $120 billion. It is clear that while the office of the future offers a wealth of opportunities and benefits for businesses and consumers, including more flexibility, speed, efficiency and time-savings, the threats are also complex and growing.
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A DEDICATED SECURITY TEAM
Enterprises should build a dedicated security team and include them in strategy sessions to extend expertise and accountability for cybersecurity to the front-line of the business. The latest European Commission data found that one out of every three enterprises in the EU-28 had a formally-defined ICT security policy. However, this was much more common for large enterprises than smaller ones, which were three times less likely to have this kind of policy in place.
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EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE PART OF EVERY SOLUTION
Bringing employees into the fold and ensuring they are invested in business outcomes can be one of the safest actions business leaders can take. For example, Gartner found that empowering others to be part of risk management greatly increases the chance of success. It’s easy for employees to forget how small errors or lapses can create vulnerabilities. Research from Code42’s 2018 Data Exposure Report also suggests that this is not just an issue with junior staff, with 59% of CEOs admitting to downloading software without knowing whether it was approved by corporate security. The easiest way of mitigating this is by involving employees from the start.
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BE AN ADVOCATE FOR PROTECTING CUSTOMERS
The connected nature of the office of the future means that businesses should help customers understand how to protect themselves not only from cyber threats but also legal repercussions. Since the introduction of the GDPR there are even higher stakes for ensuring that you and your customers are legally compliant. Organisations should be proactive in understanding the implications of new and upcoming legislation, so that they can properly advise and support their customers.
Why is the office of the future particularly vulnerable? As any business digitally evolves, it will, by nature, become more vulnerable to virtual security threats. Future ways of working rely upon constant, intimate digital connections with suppliers, partners and customers to stay relevant and competitive. This poses a unique set of cyber risks, and more exposure to more people around the world who may pose a security threat to your business. All the sensitive data, connectivity and automation involved in the company’s operations serve to multiply the opportunities for hackers by expanding the “surface area” exposed to cyber-attack, and – because digital systems are so embedded in daily business affairs – the potential damage from even a single security incident is magnified. There are a number of steps that businesses can take to ensure the office of the future is resilient. As these guidelines reveal, good cyber hygiene is about expecting the worst, as much as it is about building up security credentials:
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THINK BEYOND YOUR ENTERPRISE TO YOUR ECOSYSTEM
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FOCUS ON THE BASICS
By collaborating with partners, suppliers and other third parties to share cybersecurity knowledge, products and services, businesses can expand their awareness of issues and work to tackle them more effectively. What makes cybercrime so dangerous is that it is continually evolving and innovating, because cyber criminals are highly motivated – and cybercrime is their business.
Organisations impacted by cybercrime continue to be reluctant to share information or collaborate with one another. According to a 2018 report by Sapio Research , 84% of respondents wanted to be notified immediately if a company they worked with had experienced a breach. But only 37% said they would share this information, should their own organisation’s data be compromised. A lack of sharing is not an option for the office of the future: cross-organisational working groups that analyse threats and share solutions present the best opportunity for businesses to be able to keep up with the rate of threat.
Using intelligent technologies and big data in all facets of business operations will continue to drive profitable growth. However, as we have seen, this can make it uniquely vulnerable to security breaches and additional security measures should be seen as imperatives for success. In the face of a common threat, which is growing at unprecedented levels, the office of the future will need to invest more in its employees to reduce risk, dedicate resources to protecting customers and collaborate to share what they have learned to mitigate cyber threats. Given the transformational nature of the office of the future, developing a stronger security strategy is simply part of the futurisation process.
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SPONSORED EDITORIAL
A FIVE-STAR AV EXPERIENCE
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SPONSORED EDITORIAL
The Six Senses Zighy Bay Resort, located on the northern Musandam Peninsula in the Sultanate of Oman, recently deployed an extensive upgrade to their guest infotainment infrastructure using ArtrioGuest by Exterity. The Six Senses chain of hotels and resorts prides itself on a pioneering approach to wellness that guides guests on a path to health and wellbeing, starting with a personal health screening and bespoke programmes designed by experts. The 5-star resort chain has been awarded by the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards, which placed three Six Senses resorts in the top ten of their regions. Among the award-winning resorts is the Six Senses Zighy Bay Resort. The indigenous village-style accommodation and private marina on offer to guests are spectacular, with the dramatic mountains on one side and the sandy beach of Zighy Bay on the other. However, behind the rustic setting, Six Senses Zighy Bay offers all the modern amenities of a true five-star resort, which extends to the 86 villas spread across its attractive grounds.
KEEPING ABREAST OF CHANGE According to Chakib Dhahri, IT manager for Six Senses Zighy Bay Resort, resort management has invested enormously in upgrading the infotainment systems in each guest room at the Six Senses Zighy Bay Resort in recent years. “We always try to cater to the needs of our guests while keeping up with the times. In 2012, we decided to refresh our IPTV system to deliver HD-quality video and improve the overall guest experience.” The incumbent IPTV solution had proven limiting in its scope to upgrade, so Dhahri and his IT team began working with Rashed Al Mazroui from Technology and Information Supplies (RAMCO), a leading system integrator of IT/IP solutions covering a wide range of industry sectors, to find an alternative. “We spoke to several suppliers and brought a number of products in for testing, and it became clear that the Exterity platform offered us all the features we needed, but also proved very easy to use, with the flexibility to adapt to future requirements.” This initial upgrade moved the legacy IPTV platform, delivering 50 satellite channels, over to a new Exterity system that added full HD capability and a more modern integration with the existing Video on Demand service. In total, the team upgraded the service received on 140 televisions across the resort through the addition of Exterity AvediaPlayer media players connected over the LAN to AvediaStream TV gateways and controlled by the central AvediaServer for end-toend system management. However, as an innovator in the luxury hospitality space, in 2018, senior management began another review of how they could further improve the in-room guest experience. The Six Senses Zighy Bay Resort in the Sultanate Oman
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SPONSORED EDITORIAL
EMBRACING THE POSSIBILITIES “We started to get more requests from our guests to be able to connect their own devices to the televisions in each villa, as well as easier access to their own subscription video (SVoD) services like Netflix,” says Dhahri. “We spoke with the Exterity team, and tested the new ArtioGuest application, which offered not only a similar user and management interface, but also added capabilities around integration, with additional devices such as Google Chromecast and other BYOD options.” Designed as a seamless extension to the existing Exterity based infrastructure, the resort updated each villa’s television screen with additional Chromecast capabilities, which are integrated into a single ArtioGuest interface. The system is also integrated with the Opera Property Management System (PMS) to set up welcome messages automatically, and to allow each guest to see current billing information. The IPTV system has also been upgraded with additional HD channels, including options for French, German and Arabic languages. “One of the best features about the Exterity system is its flexibility,” says Dhahri. As an example, the IT manager highlighted an issue where a particularly popular German TV channel was no longer available on the resort’s subscribed satellite TV service. “To meet our guest’s needs, we purchased an Apple TV and a site licence for an IP-based stream of the required German TV channel and connected it via the Exterity system to stream it to all of the villas as an additional channel. The quality is perfect, and we now have the option of adding additional IPbased TV channels in the future. With a relationship that has spanned six years, Dhahri is extremely
Outdoor cinema experience at the Six Senses Zighy Bay Resort
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The Spa reception at the Six Senses Zighy Bay Resort
SPONSORED EDITORIAL
satisfied with the Exterity system. “Both the technology and the Exterity team have never let us down. Exterity has been able to deliver on every request that we have had. For the future, we are looking at other options such as Music on Demand and 4K TV channels when they become available, and we know that with Exterity, we will be able to meet all of the needs of our guests.” Walid Tabet, Middle East regional sales team leader at Exterity, says: “Today’s modern travellers long for their chosen accommodation to offer a ‘better than home’ experience in every sense, including inroom entertainment. Six Senses is a great example of how this can be achieved by using a fully-customisable portal that seamlessly delivers live TV and VoD services. The fact that Six Senses is looking for more ways to work with Exterity in the future confirms the success of the ArtioGuest deployment and reinforces that tech-savvy hotel guests expect the highest quality in-room entertainment and service experiences.”
“We are looking at other options, such as Music on Demand and 4K TV channels when they
become
available,
and
we
know that with Exterity, we will be able to meet all of the needs of our guests.” – Chakib Dhahri, IT manager for Six Senses Zighy Bay Resort Six Senses Zighy Bay Shua Shack
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PROJECTING BRILLIANCE
INTERVIEW
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AV Integration was invited to Epson’s offices in Fourways, Johannesburg, to meet with vice president CISMEA and professional displays, Neil Colquhoun, and hear about the ethos of the company, its plans for future growth on the African continent and the various innovations that have underpinned these incredible sales numbers over the years. A 2018 study by Futuresource Consulting reveals that Epson has held the “number one market share position for projectors for 17 successive years, with total global sales of 23.7 million since 2006.” The company is also the global market share leader for projectors above 6,000 lumens, commanding a comprehensive 31% volume share. In South Africa – Epson owns 52% of the installation market above 5,000 lumens and is currently the top manufacturer for all business projectors in the country.
STEPPING INTO PRO AV Colquhoun explains that, while Epson has been the world’s leading projector brand since 2001, “up until about five years ago, we were known as a mid-range option. Although we did have some professional AV products, compared to some of our competition, ours tended to be seen as good, but perhaps not robust or durable enough for all the markets we wanted to access.”
He describes a process where company officials sat down and discussed what needed to happen if Epson wanted to extend into the field of pro AV, and identified a few key target markets. When it comes to the higher education sector, Epson projectors have been successfully installed in classrooms, lecture theatres and auditoriums. “We have a lot of success in large university spaces, particularly up to 25,000 lumens – our prime product.” Colquhoun points out. He goes on to note that museums are another big market for Epson, and this is “because we have some unique technology built around ultra-short-throw [UST] products, such as the X01 and X02.” Colquhoun continues: “The corporate market was identified as a key target area, including boardrooms, large meeting rooms and the like. Epson owns this corporate space now. Although flat-panel technology is popular, for a large room the cost of a screen remains be prohibitive – if you could even find one large enough to serve the purpose.”
INTERVIEW
The Epson L-1000 series of big screen installation projectors are ideal for large-scale auditorium presentations
NOT FIRST BUT BEST TO MARKET
FUTURE-READY PRODUCTS
On the back of Epson’s strategic move into the pro AV market, Colquhoun reflects on the company’s latest financial figures and says that “Epson’s market share has climbed to 34%. However, if I look back at the figures for the 2015 financial year, it was about 14%. So, we have gained almost 20% of the market in two or three years. Colquhoun then shares what, in his view, are the reasons behind Epson’s recent growth and enviable market outlook. “Despite being a late entrant into the pro AV market,” he says, “for us, it’s relatively straightforward. We believe in being best to market, not first to market. We understand that excellence takes time, and we also understand that our customers are customers, not beta-testers. According to Colquhoun, Epson prides itself on taking a client-centred approach to product development. “We work very closely with headquarters, especially for our EMEA business operations, and it’s all about narrowing the distance between product planning and the market,” Colquhoun explains. “This is because all too often decisions are taken in boardrooms that are both metaphorically and literally a long way from the reality of the market.” Colquhoun is proud of the fact that “customers believe that when you speak to Epson people, your voice gets heard – and this is true.”
On the topic of listening carefully to customer feedback, Colquhoun talks about some of the latest technological innovations that will be gracing the upcoming Epson product lines. “We’ve been developing a series of software tools, Pro Tools, which means that you can set up the projector on a PC or tablet, using an app. This saves you from having to do three or four setups and is particularly useful for edge-blending. We also have calibration cameras that can look at colour balance and correct automatically for imbalance and asymmetry. As we work into future products, we are looking at enhancing that camera function to do more interesting things. Without giving too much away, the next generation of products will have even more innovative ideas about how to use the camera for auto-correction and as a time-saving tool.” Colquhoun talks about other market considerations – such as connectivity, as well as the decision to preference more environmentallyfriendly laser technology over lamp projection – and concludes by stating, “At Epson, we like to say: fit and forget. We believe projection should be low-intervention technology, and we’ve built our organisation around technical support. We recruit technically-knowledgeable salespeople who add real value to our customers’ lives. That’s all part of the successful ecosystem we’re trying to build.”
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PROFILE
interview 1 2 AV Integration spoke to Omega Digital Company Director, Michael Kellaway, in a recent interview, where he shared his professional journey, his opinions about current trends and vision for the future.
HOW DID YOU START YOUR CAREER IN THE PROFESSIONAL AUDIOVISUAL FIELD?
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST IMPORTANT TECHNOLOGY TO EMERGE DURING YOUR CAREER?
I first got involved in the professional integration business through family, and – to be honest – it was sort of an accident. My brother is the founder of Omega Digital, and we are very close. I used to work in financial services overseas, but I moved back to South Africa to take a mini-retirement with my wife. We were, quite literally, about to pack up and move back to the UK permanently when my brother sent me an email with the title: “The Elephant in the Room.” He told me to have a look and see what I thought about the professional AV integration industry, even though I didn’t know anything about it. I flew up to Johannesburg from Cape Town and had a meeting with our other business partner, Stuart Pringle [the COO of the company], and I thought: “Why not? I’ll try it for a year.” It has turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve fallen in love with the industry, and it has become a huge passion. The highlight is seeing how the business has grown over the last five years. It’s taken a lot of hard work and energy – but it’s rewarding to see the growth.
Cloud computing is the obvious answer. But beyond that, there are three things on the periphery at the moment that I’m very interested in. Number one is AV over IP – this will be a massive game-changer in the industry. Omega Digital is upping our ability to get into the network space and all future-spec buildings we will be working on going forward will be AVoIP-led. Also, we will set up AVoIP solutions that we can support remotely, which will have a huge impact on our ability to respond to the client’s needs in real time. The other thing I’m very interested in is augmented reality. While I am not a huge fan of virtual reality, I can see a tremendous amount of benefit in being able to take the digital world and overlay it on the real world. I see this having a massive influence on the AV world: I think augmented reality is the future of AV. We’re having a close look at this technology at the moment, and we plan to attend a number of conferences on this topic, so that we have the opportunity to start playing around with a few basic models. Thirdly, I am looking forward to the release of 5G. When it comes out – predicted to be around 2020 – 5G is going to have massive implications for our industry, especially around augmented reality (AR) and other emergent technologies. Currently, in order to have a truly seamless AR experience, you need to be in an environment with huge amounts of bandwidth. However, with the deployment of 5G, you will have the bandwidth available to enable people to use an AR headset on a factory floor for effective, time-saving upskilling and training, as well as a wide variety of other applications.
Omega Digital – headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa – has established a reputation for being one of the leading collaboration experts in the country. In addition to being a leading AV integrator, Omega has gained a strong foothold in the collaboration services market, providing their clients with a unique service offering and making the company a trendsetter in the local AV integration industry. 38
PROFILE
“The highlight is seeing how the business has grown over the last five years. It’s taken a lot of hard work and energy – but it’s rewarding to see the growth.” – Director at Omega Digital, Michael Kellaway
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PROFILE
3
WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE TRENDS THAT WILL INFORM THE FUTURE OF PROFESSIONAL AV INTEGRATION? One of the fundamental trends that is changing the landscape of our industry is the shift from being systems integrators to being service integrators, which is something that Omega Digital has adopted quite aggressively. As much as we care about the finer points of the technology that we deploy in rooms, end users don’t care about this: they want their rooms to work so that they can get on with doing business. One of the biggest challenges that businesses have to overcome in deploying reliable and sustainable collaboration solutions is that your traditional IT department is not equipped to take care of your collaboration needs. In IT, recognised areas of expertise include network, data centre, desktop support and security. Collaboration is not considered as a part of a traditional IT model. Then consider that collaboration as a discipline is broken up into five industries, including AV, video conferencing, unified communications, workspace management and digital signage. It is impossible to hire one expert that can consult on all of these aspects of collaboration. In answer to this challenge, we are currently looking to take collaboration as a fully-fledged service to the market through our Fuse Model. Omega has developed a blanket MSA contract that we put in place with the customer, to ensure that they receive everything that they need from a collaboration perspective as a service. By adopting this sort of outsourced approach, a business is able to deploy state-of-the-art collaboration solutions that work efficiently and reliably – while eliminating the burden of capital expenditure on equipment that has a high rate of redundancy. Also, there is no need to hunt down and permanently employ a group of collaboration experts to run and maintain your AV, unified communications, video conferencing, workspace management and digital signage systems.
“With the impending deployment of 5G, you will have the bandwidth available to enable people to use an AR headset on a factory floor for effective, time-saving upskilling and training, as well as a wide variety of other applications.”
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WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS FOR OMEGA AS A COMPANY? Africa is exploding for us at the moment, and we, therefore, have a 10- to 15-year plan to grow the business across the African continent. According to company reports, 2017 was our busiest year on the continent, and it looks like we will beat those figures in 2018. We are proud to say that we have had at least one team in an African country every single working day of 2017, providing support and looking after our customers. Currently, we are still largely operating out of South Africa and flying into country, but we see that changing in the very near future. We have aspirations to grow internationally – taking what we do for a very small developing market to the international arena and see how we fare. There is a lot of legacy in some of these bigger, more attractive markets, and there is some very stiff competition – but I think that we offer value regarding the way we approach our industry, and I am interested to see how we would fare.
“As much as we care about the finer points of the technology that we deploy in rooms, end users don’t care about this: they want their rooms to work so that they can get on with what they are trying to achieve in their day-to-day business.” Michael Kelloway at the Closing Bell Ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange
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PROFILE
5
WHAT CHALLENGES ARE FACING INTEGRATORS IN THE CONTEMPORARY MARKET?
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Many in the professional integration market point out that the commoditisation of technology presents varied challenges for traditional integration professionals. The systems that people are using might be getting smaller and simpler, but – on the other hand – there are a lot more of them. As such, clients are sometimes in greater need of expert input to ensure that they deploy the right solution to get a return on their investment. Thanks to the internet, decisionmakers can start interrogating the kind of collaboration solutions that are best for their needs and end-users have access to a wider range of technology. Actually, the commoditisation of technology has been a good thing for Omega. You might not see as many big boardrooms as you would in the past, but you still see them – and they are connecting to hundreds of huddle spaces, as well as people dialling in from their desktops. As such, a big play that we have in our product and service offering is unified communications support. We are providing answers to client’s questions such as: How do you bring Skype for Business into your meeting room? How do you go from a Skype for Business call or instant message to being able to book a meeting space to allow you to gather your people in one space to solve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity? At Omega, we look at the entire workflow of an organisation and provide solutions to the historical challenge that, sometimes, an organisation’s best people aren’t sitting in the same office – or even in the same country. We find ways of connecting resources throughout an organisation to assist businesses with their day-to-day operations.
WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED ON A MORE PERSONAL LEVEL? From a professional perspective, what motivates me is the people that we invest in as a business. I have been in sales for a long time, and there is nothing better than ringing the bell and putting a big deal up on the board. However, to be honest with you, the next day it is forgotten, and you are moving on to the next target. The thing that gets me out of bed in the morning is the ability to grow the business, and thinking of ways to keep it growing – but it is also seeing the growth in our people that really keeps me motivated and invested. We’ve have been witness to some amazing stories of people who have come from being petrol attendant and – through investment, mentorship and training – have become senior team leaders in the business. I don’t have a car – I Uber everywhere – and I hired one of my Uber drivers because I saw talent in him. It is such a privilege to see him grow and become a part of our unique team. We place a lot of importance of providing our people with opportunities to learn, grow and achieve their goals – including international certification. This ethos has given us all the confidence to know that “Yes, we can do whatever we set our minds to.” On a personal level, I have two little boys and an amazing wife, and my family keeps me highly motivated. We like watching movies, going to new restaurants, spending time with friends – normal South African kind of stuff. I also exercise almost every single day, and I love to travel. We have got dogs, and we like to hike, so we take our dogs into the bush as often as we can.
The Omega Digital team at the New York Stock Exchange in May 2018.
“Sometimes, an organisation’s best people aren’t sitting in the same office – or even in the same country. At Omega, we find ways of connecting resources throughout an organisation to assist businesses with their day-today operations.” 41
OPINION
BATMAN’S ARSENAL OF
AV
BY CHAZ NIELSEN
DC Comic’s charismatic superhero, Batman, is renowned for utilising cutting-edge technology to fight crime in the fictional Gotham City. Many of the technologies presented in the comic book series, which dates back to the late 1930s, were nothing more than science fiction only a decade ago. However, with the advent of the digital revolution and rapid developments in professional AV technology, much of what was once fiction is now fact.
Professional AV technologist and technophile, Chaz Neilson, shares his ideas about which pieces of current AV technology would best suit the multi-millionaire tech-obsessed superhero – including state-of-the-art displays, home automation, 3D hologram technology and video conferencing. Neilson’s fanciful spec for Batman’s home and business may sound somewhat far-fetched at first glance. However, he has included some of the highest-end products from some of the world’s leading AV technology manufacturers to present an installation that would be entirely possible – if only one had an uncapped budget. Since I was a young fanboy, I’ve always loved superheroes and comic books, my favourite being the billionaire vigilante known as Batman. Part of the reason I was drawn to this DC Comics hero, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger in 1939, is the new-age, hi-tech gadgets that Batman relies on, both as a highly respected businessman by day and a vigilante superhero by night. Where many in the superhero genre rely on supernatural ability, Batman – who is known as Bruce Wayne during the day – needs his tech to give
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him the super-human edge. It is also important to keep in mind that Bruce’s fictional company, Wayne Enterprises, provides him with the financial freedom to pursue his more eccentric interests, and needs to remain profitable. Batman (aka Bruce Wayne), therefore, uses technology in innovative ways to communicate, collaborate, work more efficiently and ensure maximum productivity and problemsolving to fulfil the dual roles of businessman and superhero. I do not doubt that if Gotham City really were home to The Dark Knight, he would be using an arsenal of AV technology that would be highly efficient, reliable and, while not necessarily affordable, would be worthy of the world’s most tech-savvy superhero. Here follows my pick of AV gadgets which I believe Batman would like, based on efficiency, level of technology, reliability and overall quality and performance.
OPINION
CUTTING-EDGE DISPLAY Barco’s RGB Laser ODLSF brings 3D capability to Batman’s video walls. Powered by the latest RGB laser technology, these video walls deliver previously-unseen brightness levels and vibrant colours in any of Batman’s diverse environments. Providing twice the brightness in comparison to mainstream LED-lit rear-projection video walls, the RGB laser series allows for operation under daylight or pitch-dark conditions: enough to wake up any cave bat. With the RGB laser series, Batman takes another giant leap forward concerning reliability. With a lifespan of at least 100,000 hours in eco-mode, Mr Wayne can enjoy a staggering 11.5 years of uninterrupted 24/7 operations. Redundancy of all critical components makes sure nothing is left to chance when it comes to uptime and maintenance. This video wall is the perfect display for the powerful Batcomputer.
MODERN HOME AUTOMATION Besides inducing fear in his opponents, Batman’s voice can now be used to control his entire mansion, his office and even the Batcave. With Amazon Alexa connected to a Crestron Home Automation system, Bruce can create custom scenes and settings to fit his mood. Alexa enables Crestron to offer the next generation of home automation. Using his legendary bat-voice, Bruce can ask Alexa to activate presets, such as a ‘morning theme’, and the blinds will open, lights go up, and the shower will start running to ensure optimal temperature. As Mr Wayne will invariably need an above-average level of home security, he could also command Alexa to secure the perimeter if there is an intruder on the property. With Crestron weaved into the fabric of Batman’s home, he can manage lighting, temperature, audio and visual all at the touch of a button or with a simple voice command.
SMART BOARDROOM SOLUTIONS As telepathy is not a common superpower, Wayne Enterprises’ powerful collaboration software would aim to transform the way that Bruce communicates. I would definitely expect to find a T1V ThinkHub at the heart of Wayne Enterprises’ collaboration solution. ThinkHub is an interactive, multi-touch tool that unifies the moving pieces of collaborative work in real-time. The ThinkHub Canvas is equipped for multi-user, multi-touch control and can expand 20-times the surface area of the physical touchscreen. ThinkHub comes with the annotation toolset, which allows Mr Wayne to draw, erase, snapshot, email or print any content. While collaborating, all members of the Justice League are able to access the annotation toolset and other interactive features to communicate in real-time. ThinkHub revolutionises the Justice League’s ability to achieve great work, together. Whether they’re running a brainstorming session or strategising against evildoers, wireless collaborative software allows them to engage and cultivate exceptional work in real-time.
Euclideon Unlimited’s Hologram Table
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OPINION
NEXT-LEVEL 3D TECHNOLOGY I believe that Batman would enjoy Euclideon Unlimited’s Hologram Table, which can display digital models of cities or buildings as miniatures, with the ability to then zoom in down to single blades of grass – or even smaller! He can pick up objects and move them around, or prepare holographic presentations to convey ideas to his sidekicks and fellow vigilantes. The holograms can project up to 60cm high or appear to sink a meter into the Table. The Euclideon Hologram Table uses an existing 3D algorithm known as Unlimited Detail, which makes it one of the most powerful devices on the planet. It can load models from nearly all 3D sources, including design drawings, point cloud data, polygon models, laser scans, photogrammetry and more. Batman can connect it to his local network, The Gotham City Police Department servers or an external hard drive from the Batmobile for quick access to all required data. Multiple Euclideon Hologram Tables can run models or projects from the one central server, or over the internet using a new streaming technology that allows data of almost any size to load in less than a second, according to the Euclideon’s website. This is crucial when Batman needs to track down enemies – fast – using a 3D hologram map of Gotham City alleyways.
PRIVATE JET VIDEOCONFERENCING Polycom RealPresence Centro is the conference room system designed for hideouts, training facilities and superhero teams that want more engaged collaboration. RealPresence Centro embraces natural human instincts and advanced collaborative technologies to draw all ego-filled vigilantes together into a powerful, collaborative space, giving everyone equality of contribution regardless of where they are. So, when Mr Wayne is travelling for business, the Centro serves as a video conferencing and content sharing hub that enables collaboration with the Justice League headquarters or with Alfred back at the Batcave. An intelligent 360° HD PTZ camera captures everyone in the room, whether they are sitting, standing or walking around. Wayne can share content up to 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second – video clips, CAD animations, medical diagrams and much more – as well as easily start, stop and playback any previous session recordings from his third-party gadgets.
4K PROJECTION Imagine the fear and panic among Batman’s enemies when he projects his Bat-Signal onto a building wall in 4K 3D. The Christie CP4200 platform is the only 4K DLP solution able to provide Batman with the world’s most brilliant 3D images, the highest level of content security and the most natural adaptability, operation and maintenance. It is fully DCI-compliant and built on extensive cinema experience. Christie’s 4K solution incorporates the proven design concepts of the best technology available. The Christie Solaria Series is ready for the next evolution of Batman’s tactical visual strategy; capable of displaying premium 4K content or 2D/3D 2K High Frame Rate (HFR) feature films and alternative content in its original format.
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Visit Crestron at ISE 2019 Hall 2, Stand C20 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. ©2018 Crestron EMEA.