|
Editorial:
The Final Sayye by Gary Kayye
News: 1.
Sharp Introduces Compact, "Crossover" DLP Projector
Feature
Article
Feature
Article
Click above for more information
Introduction Welcome to another issue of rAVe ProAV Edition. We are quickly heading into InfoComm time. Many ProAV manufacturers hold off introducing anything major between now and InfoComm in hopes of a major “splash” at the show. So, expect news to be light, but not empty. We’ve got some good news items here including the debut of the first Wireless Presentation gateway that uses 802.11g – the 54Mbps version of WiFi. It’s the first in a series of ProAV products you will see over the next 12-18 months using the Wireless-G standard for routing signals through networks wirelessly. Also, I want to tell you about something really cool here in North Carolina. We, our office, are excited to be a BETA site for the new Nextel Broadband Wireless Modem. That’s right, we are testing (I guess you could call it a DSL or cable modem that uses Nextel’s cellular network) a modem that uses the Nextel cellular network to allow for connection of EITHER a PC or an entire network to the Internet. It works very well and we are seeing speeds far exceeding DSL here in Chapel Hill. It’s not available anywhere in the USA, yet, but we are told it will slowly go national in September of this year with a price tag around $40-$50 a month. The nice thing about it is it’s like having a wireless hot-spot anywhere you go on the Nextel network. No need for 802.11b or anything else – you’re always connected. As we are still in the early Beta testing phase, we will fill you in later as Nextel is requiring us to document any and all issues. But, it has promise and could make it so we all get wireless Internet access more quickly than waiting for 802.16 (WiMax). And, as many of you out there have adopted Nextel as a cell provider since they were the first with the walkie-talkie service, I think this is ProAV newsworthy. If you want more information about the Nextel Service or the test in RTP in North Carolina, go to: http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/42238 Enjoy rAVe and see you, hopefully, at InfoComm In Atlanta, GA, June 9-11. -- Gary Kayye, CTS
Click above for more information Editorial: The Final Sayye by Gary Kayye Hardware to Be Nearly Free in Less than Ten Years By Gary Kayye, CTS Don't shoot the messenger. But, it's finally been said. We all kind of knew it, didn't we? Isn't it something that you thought would happen? Seriously. Last month, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, certainly a trend-setter and sort of a guidance counselor of technology, said what many have been thinking when he said, "Ten years out, in terms of actual hardware [versus software] costs you can almost think of hardware as being free…".
These are two remarkable statements/theories that are worth exploring as they will BOTH have an effect on our market - the ProAV market. Certainly, we can all agree that we, ProAV, won't be the surprising anomaly of technology. Does anyone out there really think that we will be the only sector of the technology markets that doesn't follow the trend towards virtual margin elimination and non-exclusive availability? We are close to being there already. We've seen projector margins go from 30-40 percent down to 3-9 percent in less than five years. We've seen the leading projector manufacturers shift from exclusive-distribution model warriors such as Electrohome and Barco to ubiquitous brands like NEC, Sony and InFocus. And, do I have to explain the effect of the Internet? What Bill Gates was saying to the consumer is that, 'hey, what's great for you is that you will not have technology as a barrier to potential and we're going to see it become easier and easier for you to acquire it.' What he's saying to the distribution channel is, 'hey, for you, you will see all sorts of opportunities to harness the power of technology to offer services as a revenue stream (not hardware, necessarily) - and your ideas will no longer be limited by slow developing, unreliable technology.' In reality, you've heard this before. Many have been saying and writing that the opportunity for a service- and support-based profit model is here. There are already companies setting up 24-hour maintenance operations to manage AV systems via IT networks. And of course the model for profit by offering services like systems design (i.e. Design/build firms and design consultants), integration and service already exists. But structuring your organization to one that's future-proof will require that you plan this ahead of time. The push toward the so-called convergence of AV & IT is also forcing this issue more quickly. For example, the integration of the network into AV gear means that you can manage, control, secure and troubleshoot systems from virtually anywhere, proactively. You've heard this all before via the AV/IT seminars, writings and product introductions such as the new generation of room management and control systems. And, as you know, I am a huge proponent of network-enabled AV systems. I think it gives us control and gives us so much potential. The pipeline has historically been the limiting factor [think videoconferencing] and it has created havoc in many segments of the market, as well as an image of unreliability from the customer. Now, with the standards that the IT world brings us, we have the opportunity to overcome that. As we approach InfoComm, prepare your arsenal as you walk the show floor. Be ready to pose the question with everything you see: "How can this help me future-proof my systems and give ME more control over them?" It's one thing to send PowerPoint slides via the network, but if there's no revenue stream associated with it and if the client doesn't need it yet then, so what? Ah, but if you are serving content, controlling content, managing content and supporting content via network-enabled AV systems, more power to you - and to your client!
Click above for more information
Kayye Consulting offers a resume posting service for readers. While we include the location of the candidate, please remember that many candidates are willing to relocate. Here
is a sample of the job-seekers located in the current Kayye Consulting's
AVJobs listings. See them all at http://www.kayye.com/resources/av_jobs.asp
Click above for more information
Have a news tip? Send them to rAVe Editor-in-Chief Denise Harrison -- dharrison@kayye.com
The SR-1S is very small - 9.7" x 2.5" x 4.8" and weighs a bit more than three pounds. Sharp claims that with their low-power mode (lowering the brightness to 970 ANSI lumens), the lamp can last 4,000 hours. The XR-1S will be available in May. For more information, go to http://www.sharpusa.com/products/FunctionPressReleaseSingle/0,1080,435-9,00.html 2. Toshiba Intros LCD Projector/Doc Cam Combo
The TLP-S71U is 14.1" x 8.1" x 3.3" and weighs six pounds. For more information, go to http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/pdet.to?poid=272896&seg=SMB&sel=0&rcid=-26366&ccid=1291021 3. New Wireless Conference Phone From Polycom Polycom announced the SoundStation2W, a table-top wireless conference phone designed to compete with the ClearOne MAX. What's great about this new wireless phone from Polycom and ClearOne's wireless Max phone is the ability to just carry it from room to room and set up a conference call anywhere, in both cases up to 150 feet from the base station. But the SoundStation2W has big shoes to fill as the ClearOne Max is an incredible product that works flawlessly.
Pricing is to be announced upon shipping, by the end of August. For more information, go to http://www.polycom.com/company_info/1,1412,pw-164-6257,FF.html
4. New FireCast Media Appliance Player for Kiosks, Digital Signage
The FireCast Media Appliance features high-quality video output over VGA, S-Video and composite signals, and is optimized for signage applications using high-resolution plasma screens, LCD displays and computer monitors. The FireCast Media Appliance delivers full-motion video in MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, RealVideo, or QuickTime, plus animation and still images in Macromedia Flash, GIF, JPEG and PNG formats. It connects to the Internet via an integrated Ethernet port or optional dialup modem or wireless adapter, and, designed for 24/7 operation, entire networks of Media Appliances can be monitored and managed remotely. The Media Appliance supports a variety of mounting options, including attaching to the back of plasma and LCD displays. For more information, go to http://www.wirespring.com/News/Press/20040414.html
5. New Portable Webcasting System from Envivio
In that light, video streaming and broadcast products company Envivio has a new presentation system for simultaneous or on-demand broadcast of MPEG-4 video with the associated PC presentation files. What's different about 4Forum Lite is that it's portable so you can Webcast a presentation from any room with power and an Internet connection. The 4Forum Lite appliance simply uses a VGA cable to connect to a laptop. Add a video camera and the system is up and running for a full video and data presentation. All the Envivio 4Forum products use the MPEG-4 systems specification for maintaining synchronicity and lowering latency (according to Envivio, latency is sub-1-second) and it scales, according to the company, to allow delivery to thousands of viewers. The system is controlled via a web-based interface and allows users to customize the presentations, start and stop the Webcasts, post edit, and manage presentations for later on-demand delivery from a video streaming server. For more information, go to http://www.envivio.com/news/news/040414_4forumlite.html 6. Gary Kayye to Deliver Keynote at the EduComm Conference at InfoComm 2004 "We are thrilled to have Gary Kayye as our keynote speaker," said Joseph J. Hanson, Chairman of Professional Media Group. "Mr. Kayye has distinguished himself for many years as a visionary technology leader and friend of education, and there is no one more qualified to set the tone for the first EduComm Conference at InfoComm." Kayye was named the ICIA 2003 Educator of the Year by the International Communications Industries Association, Inc. (ICIA). "Gary has made tremendous contributions in helping organizations use AV and presentation technologies effectively," said Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., Executive Director of ICIA, "and his keynote at EduComm will provide a dynamic vision that education leaders can take back to their school districts and campuses." For more information, go to http://www.districtadministration.com/page.cfm?p=664 For more information about EduComm and to register, go to http://infocomm04.expoexchange.com/
7. D-Link's New AirPlus-G Delivers Wireless Presentations via 802.11g
D-Link says the Presentation Gateway is compatible with virtually all presentation projectors, supporting multiple resolution settings up to 1024x768 pixels and up to 24-bit color depth. Another plus is "plug and play" installation, which features instant IP assignment and configuration. Finally, the price of $299 MSRP makes this worth a try. It's available now. For more information, go to http://presslink.dlink.com/pr/?prid=146 8. Finally, A New Fiber Optic System to Transmit RGB and Stereo Audio
Using an HD-15 (VGA) connector for the RGBHV input and output, the Fiberlink 7220 is available as a complete kit, for a "ready to install" solution. The kit includes transmitter, receiver, power supplies, 250 meters of plenum rated fiber optic cable and various audio and VGA cables. Models are available in box or card version. The card units fit within the model 6000A card cage, sold separately. In addition, you can get point-to-multipoint signal distribution by combining the 7220 with Digital Fiberlink optical distribution amplifiers (8000 or 8100 Series), for more complex, expandable distribution. List price for the set is $2,190. For more information, go to http://www.commspecial.com/7220.htm
Vogel's introduced the EFW 1030 Universal LCD mount, a compact design supporting LCD panels up to 33 pounds. It is compatible with all panels that use the VESA mounting pattern, and has three pivot points as well as a 10 degree tile and turn functions. It is made of aluminum but users can add design strips to match the room's décor. For more information, go to http://www.vogels.com/en/evolution/frameset.asp?pg=2 10. BEI Announces New Motorized Projection Screens BEI Automation announced the Alpine XL for ceiling recess mounting and the Laminar XL, with decorative inserts, for surface mounting.
For more information about the Laminar XL, go to http://www.beiautomation.com/p_laminar.htm For more information
about the Alpine XL, go to 11. InFocus Introduces Second Sub-$1,000 Projector InFocus, which had one of the first sub-$1,000 projectors with its X1, introduced the X2 at a price of $999. The X1 now sells for $899 after a rebate, according to the company website. The X2 is also a cross-over projector, designed for both business and home entertainment.
The projector is specified at 1500 lumens, 2000:1 contrast ratio and has automatic deinterlacing. The InFocus X2 will be available in May. For more information, go to http://www.infocus.com/products/productview.asp?prod=x2&site_region=1&c=4&site_lang=1
12. InFocus Introduces Entry-Level ASK Proxima Brand Projector Aimed at Systems Integrators
The ASK Proxima C110 weighs 6.8 pounds and has +/- 10° vertical correction; data and video. It will be available in May. For more information, go to http://www.askproxima.com/products/projectors/C110/index.htm 13. New Premier Mount Holds Any Projector on Any Surface
The mount has 360-degree rotation with 20-degree tilt and roll. It can be ceiling or wall mounted, and has an adjustable height from 9 to 12.5 inches, or low-profile option of 2.5 inches from the mounting surface. It also includes a cable routing channel. The MSRP on the PBL-UMS is $199.99. For more information, go to http://www.premiermounts.com/newsletter/landingpage.asp?pbid=75 14. Alliance Introduces XGA Digital Document Camera With Annotation Tablet  Alliance
International introduced the JV-8500, a digital document camera with XGA
signal output, USB image capture and an optional annotation pen stylus LCD
writing tablet. The company is targeting the education, courtrooms, corporate
and training markets in particular but it's appropriate for any application
where annotation, saving and retrieving functions are useful.
The camera has 850,000 pixels, auto focus/auto iris, two side lamps for illumination of documents in dark rooms, 8 frame image memory , USB image capture, rotating camera head, A4-size backlight for transparencies, RS232C, electronic image flip and remote control. The USB image capability allows live streaming and image preview on a computer or the LCD writing monitor before the image is captured. When used with the writing monitor, images may be marked up, annotated, then stored to the computer, e-mailed or posted to the web. The document camera has a pop-out drawer for storing the remote, and the remote includes blue/green color adjust. MSRP on the JV-8500 is $3,295 and it is available now. For more information,
go to http://www.alliance-intl.com/jv8500/ 15. GoodMood Brings Webcasting System to U.S. Market
The system allows for interactive communication such as slides, Q&A and polling, and Webcasting can be done live or on-demand. The GoodMood WIP secure publishing portal allows administrators to organize, schedule, distribute and control presentations before, during or after an event. GoodMood is also recruiting resellers with its Webcasting Service Partner (WSP) program to include video producers and production companies who want to add GoodMood WIP to their offerings. Interestingly, the North American WSPs will also service the international clients. For more information, go to http://www.goodmood.us/wip/ 16. Mediasite Live Picked for ICIA Trainings
InfoComm Academy OnDemand supplements ICIA's current professional development certification program by offering the option of convenient, Web-based education. Courses are being developed for access at http://www.infocomm.org/Education/ For more information about the InfoComm/Sonic Foundry agreement, go to http://www.sonicfoundry.com/news/ShowRelease.asp?ReleaseID=606 17. SMART Announces Ideas 4.1 Upgrade to Concept Mapping
Completed maps can
be exported to HTML, Appleworks and Microsoft Word, so students can share
their diagrams with others or explore further during independent study.
SMART Ideas software also features Cliplets, unique interactive clip-art
images that students can manipulate directly to learn concepts such as
telling time, measuring angles and calculating probability. For example,
students can rotate the hands on the image of a clock to learn how to
tell time and then use the accompanying digital clock to check their answers.
Mapping is done using colorful symbols, arrows and clip art to reinforce
concepts from all SMART Ideas software is included with every SMART Board interactive whiteboard and Sympodium interactive lectern. Anyone already owning those can download the software for free at http://www.smarttech.com/support/software/index.asp#ideas For more information, go to http://www.smarttech.com/company/mediacenter/press/releases/si41.asp 18. Altinex Introduces Matrix Switcher Series With 70+ Application Cards
The new series allows use of fewer card slots, less rack space and easier control, says the company. The MultiTask line has more than 70 application cards. The MT107 lets installations be more compact, so the company says typical applications for an MT107-based matrix switcher are conference rooms, courtrooms, trade shows, training centers, bars, theme parks, security systems, government, schools and universities. It is factory pre-configured to project specifications, and ready-to-be-installed -- each MultiTasker cards can connect to a PC or other video source over long distances with coax cables or no-skew twisted pair cables such as from Altinex. For more information, go to http://www.altinex.com/News/news.htm
Click above for more information
Feature Article Maximizing
Sales in Large Accounts by Don Kreski Reprinted with permission
from Pro AV magazine, What's the most effective way to squeeze all of the potential business out of major accounts? That's a question that Bob Walsh considered many times, first as vice president of sales and marketing for Midwest Visual Communications of Chicago, and later as vice president of sales of MCSi's Midwest region. When he first became a sales manager in 1978, Walsh immediately targeted the large corporations headquartered in Chicago. He felt that if he could improve his company's performance with these large firms, new revenue and new profits would inevitably follow. Unfortunately, this cause-effect was also obvious to his competitors. What he needed was a method to penetrate and hold those large customers. The system he devised eventually helped garner Midwest Visual more than $50 million in annual sales.
The first thing Walsh did was focus his sales team's attention on repeat orders, not just large orders. "What it really comes down to is that there are a limited number of customers who have the capacity to have repeat needs," says Walsh, now a management consultant at Kayye Consulting in Chapel Hill, NC. "The others are one-ups and they're gone." Once he identified customers with significant repeat potential, he needed a way to get in the door. Sometimes this happens when competitors fail, and sometimes you can find opportunities that competitors don't know about. "If you happen to be able to identify where a ball has been dropped and can step in and perform, then you can make progress," Walsh says. "Timing is critical in sales; you need the right action with the right people at the right time. Two of the three is not enough. You can try to be lucky, but a strategy is more productive." Walsh developed elaborate systems to treat large customers well. "If you get inside someplace, you have to make sure they get top-notch service. For example, I wanted our service department to know who our major accounts were. If somebody called from one, they should jump off their chair to try and respond. You can carry that on throughout the company," he says. "Where we really tried to make that pay off was in a national organization like MCSi. That gets very complex because now you need to be sharing the rewards and profits from those kinds of sales." Ultimately, Walsh developed a system with specialized sales reps who handled only the largest customers. Some of these reps, he says, generated more than half their business from three or four key accounts. This customer focus created a competitive advantage for his company. "Persistence and focus allowed us to be more present to those companies," he says. "Eventually you just smother them with kindness and strangle others out." Walsh's ideas were influenced by sales training that Sharp Electronics offered its largest dealers in the mid-1990s. Sharp hired Tom Komer, principal of consulting firm Execon of Mooresville, NC, to develop a method of landing large accounts and - just as important - securing more and more business from each. Komer says his first goal, then as now, was to overcome commoditization. "With a commodity, the main criteria for buying is price and delivery, assuming that the specifications meet some minimum criteria," he says. "So what I tried to do was help the Sharp dealers elevate the sale, to represent what they were selling as more important than a simple device that showed pictures on the wall." To do so, Komer advocated careful research into the large customers' business so the sales rep could approach the right person and talk intelligently about his or her needs. One of the best ways to research a customer's business is by reading the letter to shareholders in the company's annual report. There, a salesperson can find strategic points about where the company is going and major issues being addressed. Komer also recommends Hoover's subscription news segment, which collects all available stories on a company. For university accounts, Komer suggests starting with the customer's website. "They will have a news section with press releases or articles. You get a sense of what they're trying to accomplish, maybe what type of student body or academic area they're trying to emphasize," he says. "If they're a public university or city college, they'll also have the equivalent of an annual report, basically some type of budgetary report. It's also useful to do a search, just using something like Google, and see what pops up. It's amazing what kind of material you find." Komer taught Walsh and others to use this information to gain sales leverage. "Wouldn't it be interesting," Komer says, "if I were a sales rep trying to penetrate a large account and I go to the marketing people in a particular division and say, 'Hey, I read your annual report and it's apparent that you need this. And look, I represent an organization with the capability to do some really good stuff for you.' What happens is that I'll become the preferred supplier, at least for the marketing people. And they can put into their requirements certain specifications that may be unique to my product, so that when it goes to AV or purchasing, it's biased toward me." Komer says sales, marketing, training, facilities, and IT are all valuable targets within an organization, but you have to be realistic about who you approach. The likelihood that an AV sales person will reach a senior executive is very low, he says. The vice president of marketing is also an unlikely target, but the level below that would be reasonable. The VP of sales is possible, or the operations person who works for him. The head of training is a definite possibility, as is the head of facilities. Walsh says this approach worked well at Midwest and MCSi, and would have worked even if he had used it in a smaller dealership in a smaller market. "The 80/20 rule suggests that 80 percent of your business comes from 20 percent of your customers," Walsh says. "Even in Des Moines, IA, they're going to see a version of that, because if they don't have the corporate customers, they have the large universities and hospitals. The major portion of their business will come from some minor number of accounts." While conceding that the boom days of the '80s and '90s are long gone, Walsh says the methods he and Komer used in that era are still sound today. "The opportunity is still there, though I don't think it's going to be as fat as it once was. But the way you go after it will be the same."
May Videoconference: Technology, Applications
and Trends FAIRFAX, VA Find out about the skills that are required to be successful in this field. Explore hardware, software, AV, networks, human factors and the business issues involved in your work with videoconferencing and digital communications. http://www.infocomm.org/education/courses/index.cfm?objectID=CB325A81-6518-4225-97B336A9971E9844 Installation Technician Course FAIRFAX, VA This course prepares the new installer to work in an AV installation environment and to know basic tools, products and methods for completing a proper installation. It provides a foundation for cabling, terminating and mounting, which are the basis for all installation products. It also prepares the new installer for more advanced topics covered in InfoComm Academy’s Installation Lead Technician course and other IPD sessions. Lead Installation Technician Course FAIRFAX, VA This course prepares the experienced installer to move towards a leadership role for jobsite supervision of all aspects of the installation process. Integrated
Systems China (ISC), Shanghai SHANGHAI, CHINA IS China 2004 has attracted over 100 international and local exhibitors to the Shanghai Everbright Convention & Exhibition Centre. Visitors can source and evaluate a comprehensive array of audio products, technology and service offerings. Participants will also be able to pick from over 20 different seminars, with topics covering the latest developments in the professional and residential markets. Please visit this link for more information: http://www.is-china.com/ Photo gallery: http://www.is-china.com/frm_Press_Photo.html CTS-I Testing FAIRFAX, VA CTS-I is targeted to installers, managers of installation departments or processes, systems designers and engineers, and system service professionals. Testing addresses advanced knowledge of installation methods and technologies for a variety of applications, including audio systems, video systems, display systems, control systems installation and communication, and troubleshooting strategies. Calendar http://www.infocomm.org/resources.cfm Feature Article
Display
Technology Shoot-Out Part
IIb – Color Gamut and Primary Chromaticities
This is Part IIb of a three part article series describing an in-depth comparison between CRT, LCD, Plasma and DLP display technologies in order to analyze the relative strengths and weaknesses of each. In Part I we measured, analyzed and compared primary specs like Black-Level, Color Temperature, Peak Brightness, Dynamic Range, and Contrast for each display. Click here to read Part I. In the previous issue of rAVe we examined the Gray-Scale and Gamma in order to explore color and gray-scale accuracy. Click here to read Part IIa. In this issue we examine the Color Gamut and Primary Chromaticities of the displays. In Part III we’ll study the complex world of display artifacts - just a fancy name for the image peculiarities - of each technology for both computer and television applications. We chose the top performer for each display technology using our own 2004 DisplayMate Best Video Hardware Guide. The candidates included a 40” direct-view LCD (NEC LCD4000), a 61” Plasma (NEC 61XM2), a 50” DLP Rear Projection (Optoma RD-50), and a much smaller CRT 19” professional High Definition studio monitor (Sony PVM-20L5), which was used as the reference standard for color and gray-scale accuracy. It’s important to emphasize that this article is designed as a comparison of four different display technologies and not as an editorial review of the above models. By comparing the top performing model in each technology we are in effect examining the state-of-the-art for that technology. We will be looking at fundamental image and picture quality performance issues and not the implementation idiosyncrasies of any particular model. The Primary Chromaticities
Colors are measured in chromaticity coordinates. Most discussions generally show the 1931 CIE Diagram with x,y coordinates, but the relative distribution of colors is not perceptually uniform for the eye. In particular, it stretches and over emphasizes the eye’s resolution of greens and compresses the reds and blues. In 1976 a Uniform Chromaticity Scale (UCS) with u’,v’ coordinates was developed in order to provide a perceptually uniform color space. It provides a much more accurate rendering of the eye’s sensitivity to different colors. Figure 3 at left shows the distribution of colors in this space (courtesy Joe Kane Productions). Note that this figure is only schematic because displays, film and print media are unable to show the most saturated colors in the outermost regions of the UCS “horseshoe.” We measured the chromaticity coordinates for the red, green and blue primaries on each display with a Konica Minolta CS-1000 Spectroradiometer and a set of DisplayMate test patterns (we recommend the Kayye and Multimedia Editions of DisplayMate for the ProAV market). These are shown in a UCS diagram in Figure 4 below, but without including the interior colors for clarity. The outer white line defines the pure spectral colors. The color gamut of each display is the area inside the triangle formed by connecting the primary colors. The bigger the triangle the wider the color gamut. Note that directions parallel to the outer white line are differences in hue and directions perpendicular to it are differences in color saturation. The high saturation colors that lie outside of a triangle cannot be reproduced by the display. This actually isn’t as serious a problem as you might expect because highly saturated colors are seldom found in nature. Color GamutThe Plasma has the widest gamut and the DLP the smallest, although of all of the flat panels it has primaries closest to the CRT, which is our reference standard. All of the primaries have a relatively high color saturation because they are close to the outer white border, which is made up of pure spectral colors. The major difference between the displays is in the hues of the primaries (rather than their saturation) and the biggest variation is in the greens.
In imaging applications the accuracy of color reproduction
is generally what matters the most. That’s why standards for the primary
colors are very important. Not surprisingly, many different standards
have evolved over the years. They include the original NTSC colors defined
in 1953, SMPTE C, SMPTE 240M and ITU-R BT.709 standards. In order to show
both the displays and standards together we’ve made separate enlarged
Figures 5abc for each primary color. Note that in these figures SMPTE
C is shown simply as “C.” Television, DVD, Web and computer based photographic
content are generally color balanced on professional CRT monitors that
have phosphors relatively close to SMPTE C, such as the Sony monitor in
this article, so you’ll get the most accurate images if your display has
these values also. Eventually ITU-R BT.709 will become the operational
standard. Again, directions parallel to the outer white line are differences
in hue and directions perpendicular to it are differences in color saturation. It was relatively easy to visually identify the differences between the primaries using test patterns, photographs and DVDs. For red, the DLP and LCD are separated the most. For green the Plasma produced a green that was significantly different than all of the other displays, and is actually quite close to NTSC green. For blue the DLP and LCD are separated the most. In each case the CRT primaries were in the middle of the pack, which is not surprising given that it is the reference standard. Overall, the DLP had primaries closest to the CRT, with the Plasma coming in second. (It would have been a tie had the Plasma green not been so far off.) Another way to illustrate these variations is shown in Figure 6 below, which connects the primaries to the D6500 white point. The different sets of primaries produce different color renderings of any image. While it is possible for any display to electronically transform its actual primaries into closer agreement with any of the standards, only the professional Sony CRT monitor provided this capability; none of the flat panel displays did so. In this case, the Tint and Saturation Controls can be used to get the most critical colors correct, generally the flesh tones, but that tends to introduce additional color errors throughout the image.ClosingIn Part II of the article we have examined the many facets involved in achieving gray-scale and color accuracy. In each case the key has been to closely follow basic principles, established standards and the operational behavior of reference displays. In the next issue of rAVe we’ll examine the image artifacts for each of the display technologies and interpret our viewing tests with the measurements in Parts I and II. How We TestedThe central concept for this article was to carefully set up, test and evaluate all of the display technologies at the same time under identical conditions and procedures, and using advanced instrumentation where appropriate. All of the displays were set up side-by-side for simultaneous comparative viewing in a dark lab. We used a wide selection of test patterns from DisplayMate (we recommend the Kayye and Multimedia Editions of DisplayMate for the ProAV market) and a pre-release version of the DisplayMate Professional DVD, which has DisplayMate’s proprietary test patterns on DVD (available later this year). For HD signals we used an ATI Radeon 9800 Pro with an ATI HDTV Component Video Adapter, which provides high quality computer generated 720p and 1080i component video outputs YPBPR. This allowed us to generate HD DisplayMate test patterns for the television video inputs. In order to do simultaneous display testing we used distribution amplifiers and switchers from Kramer Electronics. All of the photometry and colorimetry measurements were made with a Konica Minolta CS-1000, which is a high-end laboratory Spectroradiometer. Our reference standard was the Sony Professional Multi-format broadcast studio monitor PVM-20L5, which was carefully calibrated for testing. Each display was compared to this monitor for color and gray-scale accuracy and overall image quality. |
||||||||||||||||
Gates
went on to clarify his remarks by saying he didn't mean totally free,
but he meant that it would be so inexpensive that it would basically be
free as most of it wouldn't require a second thought to purchase. In addition,
he pointed out that he felt that we will soon enter an age where the power
of the network would not be a limiting factor for anything computing-related.
Right now, of course, most networks are limited to 100Mbps in wired connectivity
and 11Mbps (802.11b) or 54Mbps (802.11g) in wireless bandwidth throughput
potential. 
Sharp
introduced the Notevision XR-1S, an SVGA (800 x 600) DLP projector specified
at 1100 ANSI lumens and 1500:1 contrast ratio designed for business but,
as many these days, doubling as a home entertainment projector. (It supports
all image formats up to 1080i and both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios.) The
MSRP is $1,895 and Sharp says the estimated street price is $1,299 (doesn't
that mean the price is $1,299?).
Toshiba's
TLP-S71U is a projector that also comes with a detachable document camera.
The 3-panel LCD projector is specified at 2000 ANSI lumens, 400:1 contrast
ratio and SVGA (800 x 600) resolution. Estimated street price is $1,699.
Polycom
says the SoundStation2W has enhanced voice quality compared to the original
SoundStation, a secure 2.4 GHz technology with voice encryption, up to
24 hours of talk time, and the ability to dial and manage the call through
a cell phone.
A
new media appliance is available from FireCast designed to run WireSpring's
FireCast OS platform for kiosks and digital signage. 
Streaming
Video is a market that the ProAV industry should control - but, we don't.
And if you're a regular reader of rAVe, you know that we cover that market
regularly - we have been told countless times by dealers that they found
out about a lot of the Web-based streaming video products from us. 
Professional
Media Group LLC, the publisher of District Administration and University
Business magazines is pleased to announce the selection of Gary Kayye
as the keynote speaker for the EduComm Conference at InfoComm 2004. The
EduComm Conference will run June 9-11 in conjunction with InfoComm and
is designed to meet the needs of K-12 and Higher Education leaders. A
full slate of sessions is planned in two tracks-one for K-12 and one for
Higher Education-to help education technology professionals bring the
benefits of the convergence of AV, IT, and multimedia to their schools
and campuses.
D-Link
announced the AirPlus G Wireless Presentation Gateway (DPG-2000W), which
gives high-speed wireless delivery of presentations from the computer
to projectors, LCD panels, monitors or other VGA-compatible devices. A
nice feature of the AirPlus G is that multiple presenters in the room
can use the high-speed wireless connection with just one click of the
mouse. Also nice is that you can use it even if your computer has only
802.11b.
Communications
Specialties showed a new fiber optic link that transmits high-resolution
RGB video (up to WXGA) and stereo audio over one single mode (or multimode)
fiber optic core. The Pure Digital Fiberlink 7220 Series works with any
type of VGA, SVGA, XGA, WXGA and HDTV display and operates at a single
wavelength with all digital processing and transmission. The company says
it requires no adjustments, equalization of de-skewing and has no signal
degradation over the transmission path.
9.
Vogel's Adds Low-Profile LCD Mount
The
models have motor-in-roller designs with native low-voltage control embedded
into the motor, eliminating an extra black box. A three-button wall switch
controls automatic stop limits, and the motor can be programmed with two
different lower stop limits so that you can select between two different
aspect ratios. The limit settings are stored in non-volatile memory inside
the motor. BEI says they also have an industry first in its ability to
convert the screen to reverse-roll without removing the roller or fabric.
One
new feature in the X2 is wireless capabilities. When used with the InFocus
LiteShow, the projector can be used as a wireless peripheral, even by
multiple presenters in the room.
InFocus
introduced its first ASK Proxima brand projector, the DLP-based C110,
an entry-level model specified at 1500 lumens and 2000:1 contrast ratio.
The projector can also be used with the InFocus LiteShow for wireless
presentation. Don't forget, InFocus is re-focusing on the ProAV Systems
Integration with a brand (ASK Proxima) aimed solely at the integration
market. You will soon see a family of products only available via ProAV
dealers with the expertise to integrate them into systems.
Premier
Mounts introduced the PBL-UMS, which the company says is the most universal
yet. It can be used with most projector models and attaches to a variety
of surfaces, at just about any angle. The design has double-jointed support
arms for flexible positioning, and each arm can be positioned separately
to keep key access functions unobstructed.
Helsinki-based
GoodMood is now marketing its GoodMood WIP interactive Webcasting suite
in the U.S. The product is used (and bundled) for browser-based Webcasting,
Webconferencing and desktop video conferencing. This product is very simple
to use and it is powerful!
ICIA
has decided to use Sonic Foundry's Mediasite Live for capturing and presenting,
via the InfoComm website, professional development training sessions.
The trainings will be available through the new InfoComm Academy OnDemand
program. In addition, Mediasite Live will be used by several presenters
to do live and on-demand coverage of the InfoComm trade show in June,
including reports by Gary Kayye, CTS for rAVe. 
SMART
has upgraded its Ideas concept mapping software, which allows creation
of multilevel concept maps for brainstorming and collaboration in the
classroom. The new 4.1 software is available for both Windows and Mac
OS X and works cross-platform, and in English and French.
Altinex
announced the MT107 Versatile Matrix Switcher product series, new in the
MultiTasker product line. The new MultiTasker product, based on V-Matrix
technology, has a wide range of video, audio and twisted pair input and
output cards in a compact design. Each switcher can be configured to any
matrix size that fits into the range of an 8x8 to 64x64.
