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Welcome to the May edition of rAVe Asia e-newsletter

Soon we will be approaching the end of the second quarter of 2009 and the good news is that we have not seen closure of any major distributors within the region. This is not to say that things are bright and rosy but it indicates that companies in the AV industry in this region have been able to manage the economic fall-out.

Interestingly a recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia offered me a first hand perspective of the business situation there and as far the major rental & staging companies are concerned they are all quite busy with one of them (Mubari) actually expanding to include a whole multi-camera production division. Unlike Singapore, most of the countries within South-East Asia have enough domestic demand to keep them going. This may however not be true when it comes to the integration companies as their business has definitely slowed down, going by my discussions with them but thankfully they are still staying above waters.

InfoComm International is upon us in a couple of weeks and our June edition will keep you informed of the latest solutions that were showcased at the show floor.

Enjoy the read.

Thomas Richard Prakasam

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Industry News

40" OLED Panels by 2010, Says Panasonic JV

rAVe Europe reported that while Panasonic is also cooperating with other partners to develop OLED technology, the Nikkei business daily in Japan says a new joint venture between Panasonic and Sumitomo Chemical aims to develop and manufacture 40-inch or bigger OLED panels by 2010.

In an LCD, tiny packets of liquid crystal make up each pixel. These don't actually radiate any light. Instead they change their structure when hit by voltage, so they need a backlight (cold-cathode or LED). In OLED, each pixel is an array of itsy-bitsy colored LEDs that glows in corresponding color initiated by the TV signal.

You can view OLED screens from any angle and they can show a wider range of colors (and black areas are a deeper black). Because they don't need a backlight they can be much thinner while actually consuming less electricity.

Read the Reuters story at:  http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUST14339520090508

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WiGig 10X Faster Than Wi-Fi

Intel, Microsoft Corp., Dell and Panasonic have formed a new association to create an even faster wireless technology. WiGig will be capable of transfers at 6 Gb/s, roughly fast enough to transmit the contents of a DVD in 15 seconds.

More than 10 times faster than Wi-Fi, and able to deliver HD video from computers and set-top boxes to TV sets, the range will be shorter than Wi-Fi. In fact, WiGig will work best within a room-- and maybe an adjacent room as well. Ali Sadri, chairman of the newly formed Wireless Gigabit Alliance and an Intel executive, says WiGig is not a direct competitor to technologies like WirelessHD, and aims to link not just TVs, but cell phones, video cameras and PCs as well.

Both WiGig and WirelessHD will use the 6GHz frequency for extremely high transfer speeds at short ranges. The WiGig Alliance needs to complete specifications now and products may follow next year.

To read the about the WiGi Alliance, go to:  http://wirelessgigabitalliance.org/

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Barco and Kodak Sign Digital Cinema Agreement

Barco has agreed to provide DLP-based digital projectors for theaters using Kodak’s management servers and theater management systems.  Although this alliance isn’t new, in this new phase of their relationship, the projectors and the servers will be pre-packaged and sent to the theater chains – rather than integrating them on-site.  I am not sure how well this bodes for the AV integration market since they are now basically pre-integrated systems, but we’ll have to wait and see.  Many AV integration firms are doing well integrating the pre-show projectors that currently run local and national commercials, trivia and movie previews about 20 minutes before a feature showing. 

To read all about this new alliance, go to:  http://www.barco.com/corporate/en/pressreleases/show.asp?index=2303

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Da-Lite, OmniMount, and Peerless Most Recognised Display Mount Brands, Chief Most Considered Brand for Purchase

TFC Info’s recently published research report entitled TFC Info Flat Screen Display End User Mount Study 2009 reveals that Da-Lite, OmniMount, and Peerless are the most recognized display mount brands overall.  Other brands such as Chief, Draper, Philips, and Sanus do well, yet are recognized at higher levels in one segment over the other (business or entertainment). 

Although we have top performers in each segment, the display mount category is still developing, and from this research it is clear that a lack of brand affinity and loyalty exists.  There is room for any company to make a name for themselves and really affect their future sales.  Creating and maintaining a strong company image will be very important. 

“More than half of the respondents in this survey (whether they have already purchased or plan to purchase) state that the mount decision was, or will be, made at the same time as the flat screen display decision,” states Tanya Lippke, TFC Info Manager of Survey Market Research.  

This makes it extremely important to look at other findings that can have a direct affect on potential customers.  It is the image conveyed by a mount company that can directly affect the image of an actual product, even when a potential purchaser has no experience or knowledge in a category.” 

Chief clearly is a company that demonstrates this point well.  Although the brand is not one of the top ranking brands on awareness overall, they are the most considered brand for purchase.  Manufacturers that can begin to understand the wants and needs of potential purchasers will have a head start in increasing their sales from future purchases.

However, in contrast to brand loyalty, customer preferences for the mounts themselves are very clear, with a large number of characteristics receiving very definitive responses from end users.  One of lowest ranking attributes that respondents state is extremely/very important for them to consider when purchasing a display mount comes in with 75%!  No one can say that an attribute that garners 75% top two box (extremely/very important) ratings is unimportant, even when it is one of the last in the list.

The TFC Info Flat Screen Display Mount Study 2009 provides significant insight into the display mount industry through the eyes of past and future purchasers, with a sample population of both corporate and home-use respondents.  This sophisticated survey answers the questions: where do your sales come from, why do customers buy, what do they want for features, what purchasing factors are most important to them, how much are they willing to pay, and what do manufacturers need to understand to create more sales.

For a complete brochure and outline of this research report, or for more information on purchasing, please contact Tanya Lippke, Manager of Survey Market Research, at (207)-783-0055 or tmlippke@tfcinfo.com.

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Projection

It's Official: SANYO Debuts Wireless HD Projector

rAVe broke this story earlier this month (here: http://www.ravehome.com/issues/2009/05/rhvol6iss9/index.html#t0291) via sources that wouldn't go on the record, but Sanyo has made it official:  A wireless HD projector. The new PLC-WXU700 is an LCD-based WXGA (1280x800) resolution, specified at 3800 ANSI lumens LAN-base projector that has one totally unique feature - wireless HD transmission and reception.

By inserting a special USB stick that Sanyo includes with the projector into a MAC or PC, you can transmit your computer's content via 802.11n technology. Anything that's on your computer screen is projected wirelessly to the projector (even video files like MPEG2, MPEG4 and WMV files).  Other features include 500:1 contrast ratio, RS232 control, VGA ports and it weighs about 8 pounds.

This projector isn't on Sanyo's website yet, but when it is, you can see all the details on the projector at:  http://us.sanyo.com/Commercial-Projectors

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Christie's New LED-Based Rear-Screen Entero Line Takes Aim at VideoWall Market

Christie has introduced the world’s first LED-based SXGA+ and WUXGA resolution projection display system, designed and built specifically for the control room and videowall markets.  The new Christie Entero LED is definitely going in the history books as a pioneering projection system as it’s the first of its kind - an LED-illuminated, 1-chip DLP product line that features what Christie says is a “zero maintenance” design. The LEDs are rated at more than 50,000 hours – that equates to almost six years of continuous operation.  With no consumable components such as lamps, filters or color wheels to replace, the Christie Entero LED delivers the ultimate in green-oriented projection and virtually no maintenance at all.
 
Utilizing the new generation of solid state LED technology, the Christie Entero LED projection system is the first large-scale projection system to use LED and since LEDs retain their color spectral characteristics (colorimetry) longer, images remain identical through years of operation.  In addition, tests have shown that LEDs also provide more accurate color matching (i.e., white-point matching) than any previous projection lamp technology ever created. 

Christie Entero LED projection units feature something they call Christie LiteLOC and Christie ColorLOC for automatic, independent brightness and color management.  They also feature Christie ArrayLOC, an innovative technology that automatically matches color and brightness levels for every cube, across the entire display wall, on a continuous basis – this is amazing when it comes to color matching walls during set-up. 

Check it out at:  http://controlrooms.christiedigital.com/

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Integrator Solutions

Extron Adds HD-SDI and Fiber Optic Boards to SMX Matrix

In the matrix-switching world, everyone’s been talking about Extron’s SMX Series because of the combination of performance and modularity.  Technologically, this is, hands-down, the most flexible matrix switcher on the market – and I (Gary Kayye) am not just some random writer saying that – I worked for two leading matrix switcher companies before writing for rAVe.  Extron’s new 4x4 multi-rate SDI matrix board and two new 16x16, 4 Gbps fiber optic matrix boards for the SMX System MultiMatrix are shipping! Extron's modular, field-configurable matrix switching platform. These new matrix boards bring the total number of available SMX matrix boards to 41, covering all popular analog and digital A/V signal types from composite video and wideband RGB to 3G-SDI, DVI, and HDMI, as well as stereo audio.

The SMX Multi-Rate Serial Digital Matrix Switcher Boards are designed for routing multi-rate SDI and HD-SDI serial digital video signals from 19 Mbps to 2.97 Gbps. The boards are fully compliant with the SMPTE 424M standard for 3G-SDI. In addition, two boards can be used together to switch SMPTE 372M dual-link HD-SDI digital video signals. They are available in four I/O sizes: 4x4, 8x4, 8x8, and 16x16.

The SMX FOX 4G Fiber Optic Matrix Switcher Boards are designed for high speed digital switching up to 4.25 Gbps over singlemode or multimode fiber optic cables. They are fully compatible with the Extron FOX Series Fiber Optics Extender product line and are equipped with industry-standard LC connectors for integration convenience. The SMX FOX 4G Fiber Optic Matrix Switcher Boards are available in two sizes, 8x8 and 16x16, and in two versions for use with singlemode or multimode fiber.

To learn more, go to:  http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=smxbme

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RGB Spectrum Announces FIber Optic Cables

Although much of the AV world is going wireless, high-bandwidth distribution is a long way off.  So, RGB Spectrum has just announced their XtendView FiberDVI line - a compact, single-fiber DVI cabling solution that they claim can be used for distances up to 1000 feet. Fiber DVI consists of transmit-and-receive modules, with industry standard SC type jacks for easy connection of multimode fiber. A "headshell" solution with miniaturized electronics that fits entirely within the connector housing, XtendView FiberDVI eliminates external boxes and simplifies installation. The DDC channel containing EDID information is combined with the DVI video so only a single fiber is needed.

To learn more about the FiberDVI, go to:  http://www.rgb.com/products/Fiberdvi/?c=n

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Optoma Enters Digital Signage Market with Media Player

Here’s a “new player” from a “new player.” Optoma wants their share of digital signage: their new SignShow range begins with the release of a media player and 7” POP display panel. The Optoma SignShow D5000 is an HD media player for powering a standalone or networked digital signage installation. The player can output a total combination of up to seven zones to the same display panel with output resolutions from VGA up to 1080p, it can also deliver content to all networked screens.

SignShow Creator Software for Windows, included as part of the offering, can design, preview, publish and manage the schedule signage content and messaging. Full LAN network capability also means the media player can be controlled, configured and managed remotely.

The Optoma SignShow 7POP is a 7” display panel with built-in speakers, offering a way to promote products at the point of purchase. The 7” POP comes bundled with the SignShow General Layout Editor (GLE) software (runs on Windows). 

To read more about the SignShow, go to:  http://www.optoma.co.uk/dsrange.aspx

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Audio

Shure Changes UniDyne Mic for First Time Since 1939

It’s been 70 years since the legendary Shure Unidyne -- the first single-element unidirectional microphone -- debuted in 1939. Now, the model once advertised as "The Microphone That Needs No Name" is getting an upgrade. Shure has taken the iconic 55SH body that has been in production since 1951, dropped in a new supercardioid motor, and added some vibrant blue color. The result has the same retro look as the original when parked on a mic stand but with a contemporary upgrade in performance.
 
Anyone who’s ever been behind a mic has probably seen this one, but the new design update still has that classic look and feel.  Great job, Shure! See it here:  http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Products/WiredMicrophones/us_pro_super_55_content

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ABI Research Says Home Automation Manufacturers will Sell 2.8 Million Systems in 2011

Largely undeterred by current negative economic conditions, vendors of home automation will ship nearly 2.8 million systems in 2011, says ABI Research.

Only one of the four segments of this market –luxury systems – will be significantly impacted by the recession, according to senior analyst Sam Lucero. “The luxury home automation market for systems costing more than $50,000 is relatively mature, so it will feel the greatest impact from the recession. Two other segments – standards-based mainstream home automation systems and home automation as a service - are so new and have so much room for growth that they should expand rapidly starting in 2010 no matter the progress of the wider economic recovery. Likewise, the final segment – DIY home automation – is tied to a certain extent to these other newer segments and should also see healthy growth.”

New standards-based wireless technologies (ZigBee, Z-Wave, etc) inspire many mainstream home automation installations in the $10-15,000 range with prices falling fast. This segment is further driven by the growing availability of peripheral components that are available not only from the vendors themselves but through retail outlets – not exactly what we in the CEDIA channel want to hear, but all this entry level stuff will eventually fill the pipeline to the higher-end stuff too.

To learn more about ABI Research, go to:  http://www.abiresearch.com/home.jsp

Futuresource Claims that 10 Percent of US and Japanes Homes will be 3D by 2012

Now more than ever, 3D is coming to the home, with backing from all major sectors of the entertainment and consumer electronics industries. 3D movie production is intensifying, cinemas all over the world are investing in 3D technologies and feedback from audiences has been highly positive, with encouraging ticket sales. Yet the ultimate goal is to bring 3D to the home, and Futuresource Consulting’s newly-released ‘Strategic Impact of 3D’ report reveals studios, consumer electronics companies, broadcasters, video game vendors and network operators are all poised to power 3D through the consumer diffusion curve.

All eyes will be on the consumer electronics industry, with ‘3D Ready’ TVs a prerequisite to consumer adoption in much the same way as ‘HD-Ready’ sets were used to seed the high definition market five years ago. An early decision on the Blu-ray 3D standard will also be critical, as packaged media will be necessary to help drive the market.

Futuresource says, “Our probability modeling shows the permeation phase will kick in from 2011, where - among other initiatives - we’ll see new 3D movie releases on Blu-ray, remasters of classic blockbusters like Star Wars, The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings, a wider range of 3D TV content for sports, wildlife documentaries and concerts, and studios introducing selective production of 3D TV shows and series. By 2012, more than 10 percent of US and Japanese homes will be ‘3D enabled,’ and Western Europe won’t be too far behind, with 6 percent household penetration. Moving forward, a new generation of videogame consoles will begin to emerge, fully embracing 3D technologies, and in the long term we’ll see the industry shift to autostereoscopic (no glasses) displays.”

To order the entire report, e-mail Andy Watson:  andy.watson@futuresource-hq.com

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Shure Raids Chinese Warehouses, Finds Counterfeit Shure AND JVC Earphones

Last Thursday, Shure announced that it has struck another blow against suppliers of counterfeit Shure products.  Following an investigation initiated by Shure, officials of the Baoshan Office of the Shanghai Administration for Industry and Commerce (AIC) conducted raids on wholesale stores and warehouses of Han Si Appliance Co., Ltd and Run Zheng Digital Ltd on Baoshan Road.  Both locations are in the Zhabei District of Shanghai.

In the two raids, large quantities of counterfeit Shure E2c and E4c earphones were seized as well as counterfeit earphones of other brands, including Audio-Technica and JVC.  These raids have been officially reported and published on the public website of the Shanghai AIC.  The penalties to be imposed by the Shanghai AIC are still being determined.

Shure can be found at:   http://www.shure.com/index.htm

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projectiondesign Launches LED-based Projector Line

projectiondesign has announced a new projector line called AVIELO that uses LED illumination (instead of lamps). The company says the first model in their new AVIELO line, the KROMA, can last for more than 100,000 hours.  They also claim that their LED technology gives “incredible contrast ratio and an image with a colour spectrum purer than any other technology.”

The 1080p native resolution single chip KROMA DLP projector is specified to have 600 ANSI lumens, a 7500:1 contrast ratio and has all the inputs you could possibly need for HomeAV integration (including HDMI 1.3a).  As with most of the projectiondesign products, it’s one of the coolest looking projectors on the market and is also network controllable. 

To see a preliminary spec sheet, head to:  http://www.avielo.com/pdf/avielo%20kroma%20EN%20web.pdf

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Extron Debuts Surround Sound Processor

Extron recently debuted their new SSP 7.1, a high performance, five-input Surround Sound Processor designed to provide up to eight channels of surround sound.  Although they target it for what they call “pro A/V applications in corporate and commercial environments,” this surround sound processor will find its way into the high-end HomeAV market like most Extron products do.  Although it doesn’t have all the bells-and-whistles that most HomeAV theater-level 7.1 processors have, it would be perfect in a game room, bonus room or even living room environment as the SSP 7.1 automatically detects and decodes audio content in various Dolby and DTS formats from DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and HDTV broadcasts. It also offers Dolby Pro Logic II/IIx and DTS Neo:6 processing to provide surround sound from two-channel stereo. The SSP 7.1 features coaxial and optical digital inputs, plus an analog balanced/unbalanced two-channel input. It’s enclosed in a half-rack width enclosure has RS-232 control and balanced/unbalanced line level outputs.

To read all the SSP 7.1 features and specs, go to:  http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=ssp

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Sanus Releases Motorized Mount - Includes Remote Control Tilting

Sanus System is now shipping the VisionMount LMT15 Motorized Tilting Mount, the first motorized tilt mount in the HomeAV market.  The coolest feature is that the LMT15 offers automated movement by remote control, making it easy for users to adjust the viewing angle of their TVs.  In fact, the LMT15 automatically tilts to a pre-set position up to 13° when the TV is turned on, or the user can position it as desired with an included IR remote control. When the TV is turned off, the mount returns to its home position against the wall for a low-profile appearance – very cool!

Check it out here.

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Sonance Ships Truly Invisible Speakers

Sonance, the company that first popularized architectural, in-wall, and in-ceiling speakers, is now shipping their Invisible Speaker Series. These speakers are entirely flat and vanish into the room design.

The new Sonance Invisible Series consists of three models. The SA3 and SA1.5 combine unique, variable-thickness planar flat-panel midrange/tweeters with conventional, round dynamic woofers.  The Invisible Series SAW is a subwoofer featuring conventional drivers. In all three models the surface of the finished unit is covered with a perfectly flat, acoustically transparent vellum overlay that can be painted with a water-based finish, wallpapered, or covered with textured wall coverings without significantly impeding performance, while leaving a single, continuous, unblemished surface.

Sonance says the underlying physics of planar transducers give the Sonance SA3 and SA1.5 the power to radiate sound omnidirectionally, to achieve good, smooth coverage up to 10kHz.

The flagship of the Invisible Series, the SA3 mates a 48-square-inch planar-diaphragm driver with an 8-inch conventional cone woofer to achieve extended response from a concealable source. A second model, the Invisible Series SA1.5, pairs the same planar unit with a 6.5-inch woofer for similar performance with slightly less bass extension, while delivering a mounting profile that is reduced by one-half: 16x12 inches versus the SA3’s 16x24 inches. The SAW subwoofer has dimensions identical to the SA3’s, with dual 8-inch low-frequency drivers for even greater deep-bass extension and dynamic potential when deployed in “subwoofer” applications. The SAW subwoofer is optimized for use with Sonance’s Sonamp A800 subwoofer amplifier.

All three Invisible Series models require just 3-7/8 inches of depth and can be installed in any conventional 2x4-studded construction. All three incorporate new MDF baffle structures that ease installation while improving acoustical performance. All three also include integral, supplied metal back-boxes that ensure their specified low-frequency performance regardless of wall-structure details and dramatically reduce adjacent-room spillover.

We saw these at CEDIA last year and was impressed with the sound quality for use with a distributed audio system. And in terms of the appearance, it was like the speakers weren't even there. Your clients that are concerned with not seeing any of the technology at all whatsoever (you know who I'm talking about) will love these.

To see all the specs, go here: http://sonance.com/products/speakers#81

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NAD Launches "Paradigm Breaking" M2 Direct Digital Amp

Claiming their new M2 Amplifier is “superior to any previous digital amplifier,” NAD says the M2 is more of a digital-to-analog converter that directly drives a loudspeaker.  Capable of delivering 250 Watts of power for each channel, the M2 is rated at 500 Watts IHF dynamic power. 

NAD wrote a white paper to describe the new M2 at:  http://www.jbstanton.com/Resources/M2White2Paper.pdf

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Kaleidescape Introduces "Affordable" Mini System

Kaleidescape recently announced the availability of the Kaleidescape Mini System, which is the first Kaleidescape product to integrate a complete multi-zone Kaleidescape system into a single component, and the first to include a remote control. It is priced about 40 percent less than the regular Kaleidescape system.

The base Mini System stores up to 75 DVDs or 825 CDs, and can be expanded up to 225 DVDs or 2500 CDs by adding disk cartridges, and it scales and outputs DVDs in 1080p. The base system also includes two independent music zones. It is shipped configured as a free-standing component, but can be adapted for rack-mounting with the included kit.

The Mini System can be expanded by adding players, servers, and other Mini Systems can be added on so your client can access their collection of movies and music in other rooms of the house.

To read more about the product, go here: http://www.kaleidescape.com/products/mini/

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Final Words

Well, that's it for this edition of rAVe Asia. Thank you for spending time with us as we muse the industry's happenings. To continue getting the newsletter, or to sign up a friend, visit the website: www.raveproasia.com

To send feedback please write to info@raveproasia.com

rAVe Asia is produced by Spinworkz Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based publishing house in collaboration with rAVe Publications from the USA.

Spinworkz Pte Lte publishes the bi-monthly print magazine Systems Integration Asia and rAVe Publications is headed by industry visionary Gary Kayye, CTS, and which publishes the following e-newsletters: rAVe ProAV Edition, rAVe HomeAV Edition, rAVe Rental [and Staing], and rAVe Ed [Education].

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