What are some of the hottest technologies for pro AV professionals? That question was answered in “Tech Tales,” a session held during the AV Network Nation virtual event.
"Pro AV technology is ever-evolving," said Tim Albright, who co-hosted the event. "In our Tech Tales sessions, we took a deep dive into some of the most important technologies in 2020 and how they're impacting the field of pro AV."
Netgear M4250 Series
Netgear's product marketing manager John Henkel and Laurent Masia, the company's director of product line management, managed switches, gave a live demonstration of Netgear's new M4250 series, engineered for 1G AV over IP with an all-new AV-centric user interface, PoE+, Ultra90 PoE++, and rear-facing ports to ensure clean integration in AV racks.
"Noise-sensitive environments like recording studios or meeting rooms require fanless switches—and we heard that," said Masia. "For the first time, the new AV Line switches come with software that is capable of managing the fans for you. So just by clicking on the interface, you can shut down the fans. If the ambient temperature is okay, if the overall PoE load is okay, then the entire range can be operated fanless."
The 4250 comes with a lifetime warranty. "Twenty years from now, John and I will be retired, that's pretty sure," Masia joked. "But if you have that switch still in operation, it will be covered by the lifetime warranty." It should be noted, however, that the warranty is limited to the product's original owner.
To learn more about the Netgear M4250 series, click here.
Ultra-High Speed HDMI Cable Certification Program
The HDMI 2.1 Specification includes a new cable: the Ultra-High Speed (UHS) HDMI Cable. It’s the only cable that complies with stringent specifications designed to ensure support for all HDMI 2.1 features including uncompressed 8K@60 and 4K@120. The cable’s increased bandwidth capability supports up to 48 Gbps.
Rob Tobias, CEO and president of the HDMI Licensing Administrator, gave a detailed overview of the program and the new cables.
"The UHS cables supports all of the features of HDMI 2.1—both uncompressed and compressed transmissions, the Fixed Rate Link signaling technology, all of the gaming features, the eARC [Enhanced Audio Return Channel], and it goes to up 48 Gb per second," said Tobias.
"The Certification Program is the important thing that we're talking about here," he added. "This program was launched just recently, on Sept. 1, 2020, and this program ensures that all cables that are labeled Ultra-High Speed HDMI support all the features—including 8K—and every single cable design has to have the certification process. Every cable produced then has to have a label attached. The certification label enables authentication and verification all the way through the distribution ecosystem and to the customers to ensure [the cables] are tested and authorized."
To learn more about the Ultra-High Speed HDMI Cable Certification Program, visit hdmi.org/spec21Sub/UltraHighSpeedCable.
SnapAV
Josh Litwak, director of commercial sales at SnapAV, started by addressing the most frequently asked question about the company: "Who is SnapAV? Are you a manufacturer? A distributor? A software company?" The answer to all of those questions, he said, is yes.
SnapAV sells 14 proprietary brands—including Control4 and Sunbrite TV—that are designed, engineered, and sold only through SnapAV via the company's local market distribution network. The company also distributes products from other manufacturers including Atlona, FSR, and Yamaha.
According to Litwak, SnapAV is a channel-focused partner. "We only work with AV and IT systems integration firms and service providers. We deal only with professionals, and we treat them like professionals," he added.
SnapAV carries over 5,000 SKUs in 25 categories, has a guaranteed-in-stock policy, a standard advanced replacement warranty, and a 60-day satisfaction guarantee.
To learn more about SnapAV products, visit snapav.com.
All of the AV Network Nation content—including the exhibit hall—is available on demand for the next four weeks. To learn more, visit avnetworknation.com.
