Protean New Products for Problem Solvers

Protean New Products for Problem Solvers

QSC Q-SYS PLATFORM SOFTWARE RELEASE TO SUPPORT AES67

The What: The Q-SYS Platform by QSC will support AES67, an interoperability standard for audio-over-IP between various networking solutions. This new feature will be added to the Q-SYS Platform as part of the upcoming Q-SYS Designer v5.3 software release, further supporting its market position as the only software-based audio/video/control platform on the market today.

The What Else: AES67 allows high performance audio streaming between Q-SYS and third-party products supporting different native networked audio technology such as Dante, RAVENNA and Livewire without requiring any additional hardware or license costs.

The Why: Martin Barbour, QSC Product Manager for Installed Systems said, “The support of AES67 is yet another example of the malleable and evolutionary nature of the Q-SYS Platform. We are committed to making this platform the I/O agnostic, interoperable standard in the industry, which is why support of AES67 is so vital to the industry.”

AES67 is a standard for audio-over-IP interoperability and was published by the Audio Engineering Society (AES) in 2013. AES67 is a Layer-3 protocol suite and is designed to allow audio interoperability between any networked audio solution based on Layer-3 technology. Owing to its base on Layer-3 technology, AES67 is fully routable and scalable, like any common modern IT network.

The Demo: To view a real-time demonstration of AES67 connectivity with the Q-SYS Platform, visit http://bit.ly/2h0nItC

HALL RESEARCH’S HDBASET WALL PLATE RECEIVER WITH IR, RS-232, AND POH

The What: Hall Research has introduced an HDBaseT Receiver in a Decora style wall plate that can be installed in the wall behind a TV. The UHBX-R-WP provides HDMI video output as well as RS-232 and IR for applications where control signals may also be needed.

The What Else: The wall plate Receiver uses a single Cat6 cable up to 500 ft (150 m) long to connect to a compatible HDBaseT Sender such as the UHBX-S-PSE. The Receiver is conveniently powered via the Sender on the same Cat6 cable utilizing PoH (power over HDBaseT) and does not need a power supply.

The Bonus: The Receiver does not use video compression and perfectly reproduces the video with no latency. Virtually all PC and HDTV video resolutions are supported. 4K (UHD) video can be extended up to 330 ft (100m), while Full-HD can be extended 500 ft (150m). A notable feature of the wall plate is its slim design. It is less than 1.2 inches deep so it can easily fit in tight spaces. The product also ships with a “mud ring” for easy drywall installation.

TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP OFFERS ENTERPRISE COLLABORATION VIA TOUCH

The What: Datapath Ltd, engineers of visual solutions, is teaming up with Layer Logic Inc. to deliver specific solutions to enterprise collaboration environments using video walls with touch technology. Now, corporate teams have the power to interact with and control large-format video walls using all of the software applications they already own.

The What Else: In terms of system configuration, Datapath controllers such as the VSN 450 and the brand new single-box iolite 600 offer an advanced video processor platform targeted at the collaboration marketplace. This is supported by a growing list of the leading visualisation software vendors, which now includes Layer Logic. Darin Crosby, VP of Global Sales at Datapath, explained that this development “further extends the power of our VSN and iolite controllers by providing incredibly intuitive collaboration functionality to our customers. The VSNs and iolites are not just video wall controllers, but the most advanced wall-controller-platform in the industry.” The new iolite systems are small wall controllers that can be combined with up to six of Datapath’s Vision, decode and graphics cards to offer a flexible blend of inputs, outputs and SQX IP streams. For IT technicians, the configuration could not be simpler. Layer Logic supports large video walls with touch overlay hardware and commercial monitors with built-in touch technology. Users can connect and interact with content using familiar touch gestures. It is possible to show and hide sources, recall presets and adjust the position and size of sources—all on demand using touch. Anyone can start using the system in minutes.

MATROX UPDATES MONARCH LCS

The What: Matrox Video, a leader in broadcast and streaming video technology, today announced a major firmware update for the H.264 based Matrox Monarch LCS™ lecture capture appliance.

The What Else: Through the new scheduler function, the Monarch LCS can now be set to start automatically before an event (e.g. lectures, corporate presentations, religious services) without any human intervention required. The Monarch LCS scheduler supports the iCalendar (.ics) standard, which can be generated by a variety of scheduling applications including Google Calendar™ and Microsoft Outlook. Allowing identification of multiple devices on a single master calendar, when the schedule is imported to a Monarch LCS appliance, it will automatically start and stop streaming and recording events at times corresponding to that individual device.

The Why: “Matrox has a long reputation of providing robust updates to our product lines and this release is proof of that continued tradition,” said Dan Maloney, technical marketing manager, Matrox. “This update provides value, increases ease of use and reliability, and lowers overall demands on network infrastructures and IT administrators.”

The Availability: Matrox products are available through a worldwide network of authorized dealers. The latest Monarch LCS firmware is now available to registered users as a free download from the Matrox website.

FSR OWB-500P OUTDOOR WALL BOX

The What: FSR has launched the OWB-500P, the newest addition to the Company’s Outdoor Wall Box series.

The Why: “Once again, FSR is leading the charge with a line of wall boxes that is an industry first,” explained Jan Sandri, FSR president. “Our OWB series is designed for all outdoor venues and accommodates AV and IT connections, very desirable and important features for Theme Parks, Pool Decks, Entertainment and Sports Arenas, Schools, Airports, Churches and so much more. We’re delighted to expand our metal offerings with our OWB line, specifically our newest OWB-500P that solves installation issues with an elegant and practical solution.”

The What Else: FSR’s new OWB-500P box features locking white doors as standard with color and decorative selections, including windows, offered upon request. The stylish covers have “flip up” cable entry doors so that the main cover can be locked once the cables are connected, and every OWB-500P is equipped with FSR’s enclosure box light—LITE-IT—for connecting in dimly lit areas. Custom interiors are available to meet each individual application. The box’s square shape allows mounting in any orientation so the door can swing left, right or up. It is available in flush or surface mount models and includes blank plates for custom mounting. The OWB-500P’s design provides a safe and secure mounting for a variety of control panels including hard switches, elastomeric pads, touch screens, IPS plates and infrared pickups. The OWB-500P is shipping now.

RUSHWORKS EXPANDS GLOBAL PRESENCE

The What: RUSHWORKS has expanded its global presence by signing a distribution agreement with Cache Media, an established supplier of broadcast and AV equipment headquartered in Newbury, UK. The two established organizations will work together to bring RUSHWORKS multi-award-winning PTX Universal PanTilt head to a region that has been anxiously awaiting its arrival since its debut at NAB 2016. Cache Media will market, sell and service the PTX to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

The What Else: The addition of full DMX control is what defines the singular point-of-difference with this versatile solution. For the first time lighting directors and scene designers can include video cameras in their DMX universes, using DMX consoles to block shots using one or more cameras in their scene definitions. They can iso-record one or more cameras for post-event video editing, and can send the video outputs to IMAG displays and/or incorporate them in their media server outputs. The PTX has a unique fixture profile that can be loaded into the most popular lighting consoles and software for integrated lighting and video show design.

For further information:http://www.rushworks.tv

REVOLABS YVC-300

The What: Revolabs is offering its YVC-300 portable USB and Bluetooth conference phone from Yamaha, bringing high-quality audio to new applications. Designed for small groups and powered by USB, the YVC-300 is a versatile conference phone delivering ample, clear sound to ad hoc meeting areas such as open collaboration spaces and touchdown spaces.

The Why: “As huddle rooms and other small meeting space environments continue to proliferate, organizations need collaboration solutions that fit how these rooms are used,” said Rob Claus, director of global channel sales at Revolabs. “The YVC-300 is designed to provide these spaces with an affordable, flexible and high-quality audio conferencing solution optimized for portability. With simple connection to any conferencing client, the YVC-300 ensures an amazing audio experience anywhere it’s deployed.”

The What Else: Designed for groups of four to six people and with portability in mind, the YVC-300 is a perfect choice for organizations that want to offer high-quality group communication solutions without the cost of dedicated equipment for every conference room or open collaboration space. Users can borrow a device from an available supply, connect it to their PC-based audio, video and Web conferencing client via USB connection and return it at the end of the meeting. The YVC-300 also turns smartphones and tablets into conference phones by acting as the microphone and speaker when connected by Bluetooth, including fast-pairing for NFC-enabled devices. Analog audio input and output terminals allow the phone to connect easily to videoconferencing systems. Calls placed simultaneously over any of the connection interfaces are bridged into a single call.

CRESTRON’S TWS LINE

The What: Crestron is now shipping the new generation of their award-winning line of TSW touch screens. The TSW-560, TSW-760, and TSW 1060 deliver a bold new level of touch screen performance and security for a broad range of enterprise applications. On top of that, the new touch screens are available at the same, or even lower, pricing as the prior generation.

The Why: “TSW touch screens are recognized as the industry standard for enterprise applications,” said Byron Wendling, Technology Manager at Crestron. “TSWs combine high performance and high security with sleek design and an exceptionally intuitive user experience. The new generation of touch screens are even faster and more powerful, with thoughtful new features that deliver big benefits to integrators and their customers.” The Key Features: A state-of-art Crestron processor ensures that touch screen control and navigation is incredibly fast and responsive.

  • Security: TSW touch screens provide enterprise-grade network security by leveraging existing corporate protocols, including 802.1X, TLS, FIPS-140-2, SSH, and SFTP.
  • Built-in PinPoint proximity beacon: the built-in PinPoint beacon enables contextual room booking based on availability, size, location, and purpose. Then, when entering the room, instantly connect to AirMedia for wireless presentation.

The sleek styling and colors remain the same as the core line, as does power via PoE and easy mounting options.

ATLONA INTRODUCES FLAGSHIP 4K MATRIX

The What: Adding a new member at the top of its line of commercial market AV matrix switchers, Atlona introduced the AT-UHD-CLSO-840, a versatile eight-input, four-output 4K HDMI and HDBaseT switcher designed for applications including videoconferencing, multi-screen presentations, and divisible room installations often specified for classroom, corporate or hospitality environments.

The What Else: The new matrix is equipped with five HDMI and three HDBaseT inputs, two HDMI outputs, and two HDBaseT outputs. It is envisioned for use in a variety of meeting room settings, such as videoconferencing suites requiring at least three independent outputs for connections to displays and a conferencing codec. Its audio capabilities include an independent 8x4 audio matrix using audio de-embedded from the video sources with matrix switching to four balanced, analog audio outputs. There are also four analog audio inputs, each dedicated to embedding content onto a corresponding video output.

The Why: “The CLSO-840 is our response to many partner and integrator requests for a powerful, four-output 4K matrix needed in videoconferencing, distance learning, and training rooms,” said Steve Kolta, product manager at Atlona. “At the same time, we made integrating complex video matrix systems easy by creating a matrix that works with our HDVS-200 and UHD-EX Series for remote input switching and HDBaseT extension.”

The What Else: Other advanced features on the CLSO-840 include PoE on the HDBaseT inputs and outputs, allowing use of Atlona UHD-EX Series or HDVS-200 Series HDBaseT transmitters and receivers, and eliminating the need for separate power supplies for remote components. All HDBaseT inputs and outputs allow transmission distances up to 100 meters (330 feet).

The Availability: The AT-UHD-CLSO-840 is rack mountable in a 2U rack space. Additional product specifications are available online at atlona.com. It will be available in Q1 2017 at a suggested retail price of $4,999.99.

BENQ NAMED EXCLUSIVE ENTERPRISE PARTNER FOR JAMBOARD

The What: BenQ America, will exclusively bring to market Jamboard, a 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) touch-enabled device aimed at enhancing collaboration in the enterprise workplace.

The What Else: Headlining BenQ’s portfolio of interactive flat panels (IFPs), the 55-inch Jamboard benefits from the power of G Suite, supporting how people work—whether in the conference room or huddle space or with a remote team via the integrated videoconferencing features. The panel fits right into today’s new digital workplace, transforming meetings into an engaging and effective experience, boosting productivity and ultimately improving the bottom line.

The Why: “Jamboard leverages Google’s understanding of how companies communicate and collaborate to create a highly effective working environments for teams,” said Lars Yoder, president of BenQ America Corp. “It is also the most competitively priced collaboration solution on the market.”

VIEWSONIC COMMERCIAL DISPLAYS WITH INTEGRATED MEDIA PLAYER

The What: ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solution products, announces new commercial displays for digital signage applications with the CDM Series of products. With three sizes, including 43-, 49-, and 55-inch, the CDM Series features 24/7 functionality with a slim industrial design, thin bezels and multiple connectivity options for ease-of-use. With multiple sizes and features, the CDM series offers a variety of choices for integrators, solution providers and system contractors who are looking for digital signage options.

The What Else: The CDM Series delivers 450 nits of brightness with a 3H hardness anti-glare IPS panel for easy integration into public display applications. With their slim design and thin 9.6mm bezels, CDM displays can be easily installed and custom mounted. These commercial displays allow multiple image capabilities and dual-input screen PIP/POP splitting features with video loop-through, and can be tiled and daisy-chained for multi-display and video wall configurations in either portrait or landscape orientations.

The Features: ViewSonic’s CDM Series comes with an internal media player with a quad core processor with 16GB eMMC storage that is expandable to 32GB with a micro-SD, USB multimedia video playback, and embedded LAN/Wi-Fi and web browser. Coming with content management software, these displays also include an internal Smart Scheduler with seven content storage channels and integrated speaker, making the CDM commercial displays a complete all-in-one solution.

The Availability: The ViewSonic CDM4300R, CDM4900R, and CDM5500R will be available January 2017 with the following MRSPs:

Model MSRP CDM4300R $999 (USD); CDM4900R $1,299.99 (USD); CDM5500R $1,699.00 (USD)

SHARP PN-Y DIGITAL SIGNAGE SERIES

The What: Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America, a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation (SEC), is offering the PN-Y professional-grade signage series, a convenient and value-priced solution for small and mid-sized businesses with sophisticated digital signage needs. Available in 55-inch Class (54.6-inch diagonal), 49-inch Class (48.5-inch diagonal), 43-inch Class (42.5-inch diagonal) and 32-inch Class (31.6” diagonal), the new PN-Y series are designed and engineered to be a price-performance leader in their class.

The What Else: The new PN-Y556/Y496/Y436/Y326 professional LCD displays are an economical alternative to the PN-R series announced in October 2016. It also replaces the previous PN-Y series at an approximately 30 percent lower price point and is perfect for cost-conscious small and midsized businesses looking for durability and optimal performance.

The Key Features: The PN-Y series has a versatile mounting and orientation flexibility allowing for face up, face down, tilted forward or tilted backward installation as well as in landscape or portrait orientation. Other key features include a built-in media player that allows for PC-free content playback from USB memory devices or optional SD cards and the ability to distribute content via software and schedule it as needed. Users can easily create their own signage by taking files in JPEG and WMV formats and delivering it via USB or LAN to various displays.

The Availability: The PN-Y556, PN-Y436 and PN-Y326 displays will begin shipping in late December. The PN-Y496 display is expected to ship in January 2017.

EPSON INTERACTIVE DISPLAY SERIES FOR BUSINESS

The What: Epson continues to expand its collaboration offerings with the BrightLink Pro. With useful digital whiteboard tools, the 3LCD BrightLink Pro makes it easy to capture, save, print, or email without a PC or software. The new BrightLink Pro 1460Ui and 1450Ui interactive displays deliver crisp image quality with Full HD resolution and a bright, readable display up to 100-inches—3x as big as a 60-inch flat panel.

The What Else: The new bright 100-inch Full HD BrightLink Pro 1460Ui and 1450Ui interactive displays feature DVI-out connectivity for projecting digital whiteboard content to a larger display, and with the BrightLink Pro 1460Ui, the ability to wirelessly stream content from Android devices or Windows® PCs with Miracast– ideal for video conferencing, large conference rooms, and training rooms.

The Why: “Meeting rooms often include a number of tools designed to make collaboration more efficient, such as dry erase boards or digital displays, but these fragmented solutions can fall flat when it comes to productivity,” said Remi Del Mar, product manager, Epson America. “With the ability to display bright, high-quality content up to 100-inches, combined with enhanced collaborative whiteboarding tools, the new BrightLink Pro-Series combines meeting room tools into one seamless solution for increased engagement and productivity.”

The new series also introduces DuoLink, an extended whiteboard feature enabling users to get twice the collaboration space by utilizing two BrightLink Pros side-by-side.

The Availability: The Epson BrightLink Pro 1450Ui ($2,999 MSRP) will be available in January 2017 and BrightLink Pro 1460Ui ($3,299 MSRP) in February 2017 through national resellers and direct on Epson.com. The BrightLink Pro All-in-One Interactive Table ($2,799 MSRP) will be available in January 2017 through national resellers and direct on Epson.com.

APTOVISION BLUERIVER API

The What: AptoVision has announced BlueRiver API, a complete application programming interface that lets developers easily harness all the features of AptoVision’s BlueRiver NT+ Series of AV-over-IP chipsets, the world’s only technology to transport uncompressed, zero-latency Ultra HD/4K HDR over Ethernet.

The What Else: BlueRiver API and the full BlueRiver NT+ Series of AV signal distribution chipsets will be presented at ISE 2017 (Amsterdam, February 7-10) on stand 12-H55.

The Why: “As with any comprehensive, well-designed application programming interface, BlueRiver API provides a set of simple subroutine definitions, protocols, and tools that control complex tasks to make it easier for developers to program their applications,” said Justin Kennington, strategic and technical marketing director at AptoVision. “No longer are development schedules bogged down with months of custom firmware coding and tuning. Product developers can focus on creating the perfect user interfaces and AV management tools for their targeted market segments in education, healthcare, enterprise, entertainment, hospitality, retail, houses of worship, government, military, industrial and security – wherever the need for uncompromised zero-latency 4K video arises.”

The Core: The building blocks in BlueRiver API include easy interfaces to control upscaling up to 4K, downscaling, aspect ratio management, frame rate conversion, chroma sample conversion, video wall processing, image compositing, audio downmixing, video routing, independent audio routing, multicast IGMP management and much more.

EIKI LASER PROJECTORS

The What: Eiki International Inc. is offering new EK-620U WUXGA (1920x1200) and EK-621W WXGA (1280x800) Laser Projectors. Featuring 6,500 Lumen brightness, a 100,000:1 contrast ratio, and the color performance resulting from the use of blue lasers and phosphor, the EK-620U/621W support versatile LAN control and carry the added benefit of an IP6X Dust Ingress Test rating for long-term reliability.

The What Else: The new Eiki EK-620U/621W Laser Projectors provide a wealth of connectivity options that result in greater flexibility in terms of both signal access and control. For access on a LAN (Local Area Network), the systems provide RJ-45 connectors for both HDBaseT and Ethernet. Each projector also provides support for RS-232 control as well as an input for a dedicated wired IR (infrared) remote. There are six optional lenses available for use with the systems, encompassing throw/width ratios from 0.75-8.4. These lenses also are interchangeable with the EK-810U/811W and EK-610U/611W/612X. The EIKI EK-620U/621W Laser Projectors carry an MSRP of $11,995 and $8,995 without the lens. The products are shipping now.

NEXT-GEN 1 BEYOND STREAMMACHINE LINE

The What: 1 Beyond Inc is offering a more powerful line of StreamMachine systems for affordable professional live streaming and recording. The 1 Beyond StreamMachine, an all-in-one video switcher, recorder, streaming encoder with graphics and media playback for live event production, now comes in five models designed for different needs.

The Why: “The next generation of our StreamMachine systems provides more functionality at lower prices,” said President and CEO Terry Cullen. “For $3,995, customers can now produce professional multi-camera events and stream 1080p.”

The LineUp: 1 Beyond StreamMachine Edge ($3,995) is a compact and affordable desktop system for those who want a professional quality broadcast on a tight budget. 1 Beyond StreamMachine Portable ($8,495) and StreamMachine Portable Pro ($11,995) are all-in-one units with built-in monitor, keyboard and trackpad for those who want to take their production on the go. 1 Beyond StreamMachine Studio ($5,995) and StreamMachine Studio Pro ($8,995) are sturdy rack units for control rooms, production trucks or other locations where portability is not needed. They can also be configured as a desktop unit. All models have at least 4 HD-SDI inputs and can capture, stream and record 1080p. The Pro level units have more storage capacity, CPU power and 8 HD-SDI inputs.

Lightware MX2 Matrix Series

The What: The Lightware MX2-8x8-HDMI20-Audio is the first of the new, Lightware MX2 standalone matrix switcher series with HDMI 2.0 that supports uncompromised 4K UHD signal resolution at 60Hz, 4:4:4.

The What Else: The compact size and silent design makes it particularly suitable for corporate offices, meeting room spaces, large houses of worship, 4K live events, and future-proof operation centers. It is also the perfect choice for higher-end home theater enthusiasts who demand the highest quality along with HDMI 2.0 and 4K@60Hz video signals.

The Splitting: The device supports vertical splitting of an HDMI2.0 4k@60Hz 4:4:4 input signal to left and right halves allowing for the transmission of a 18Gbps HDMI2.0 signal over two HDMI1.4 compliant links, the two halves can then be recombined at the signal destination. The device is also capable of chroma subsampling transforming 4k UHD at 60Hz 4:4:4 signals to 4k UHD at 60 Hz YCbCr 4:2:0.

The AVNetwork staff are storytellers focused on the professional audiovisual and technology industry. Their mission is to keep readers up-to-date on the latest AV/IT industry and product news, emerging trends, and inspiring installations.