- Kramer Electronics has opened its new BYOD / Wireless Lab at its corporate offices in Clinton, NJ. This new lab will allow Kramer engineers to test and compare wireless and wired connectivity products for tablets, notebooks, smartphones, and media players in a “real world” meeting room environment.
BYOD’s (Bring Your Own Devices) are fast becoming the preferred portable/mobile computing model at home, at work, and at school. Although these devices can be connected through conventional digital interfaces (MHL, Lightning, micro HDMI), their small size and lightweight design has increased demand for wireless connectivity, using both 802.11-based and proprietary interfaces such as WHDI.
“Wireless AV connectivity is here, and growing in importance every day. More manufacturers are bringing products to market and the radio spectrum allocated for wireless AV and IT products is becoming more congested,” said Peter Putman, owner of ROAM Consulting, technology consultant for Kramer Electronics and long-time InfoComm instructor. “The purpose of this room is to let us see how all of these wireless products work together – or don’t – so Kramer can better advise consultants, dealers, and integrators on the best ways to integrate wireless AV into their designs and installations.”
Putman’s annual InfoComm class on wireless AV connectivity has featured live simultaneous demonstrations of a wireless Nook HD+ tablet prototype using WHDI, wireless Blu-ray and set-top box connectivity, and wireless notebook computers running PowerPoint’s and videos. Now, those demonstrations are part of a permanent setup in Kramer’s new test lab.