Table of Contents March-April 2010

Viewpoint

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  Maybe It's Just Me, But ...

  I, for one, have no intention of buying a 3D flat-panel TV for my home. And although I have a cell phone, BlackBerry, three iPods (including a Touch), two notebook PCs, and an Amazon Kindle–meaning I'm not averse to gadgetry–there's no way I'm ponying up for an Apple iPad.

   

AV Intelligence

Tech Tips

• Fixing Stuck Pixels in LCD Screens

  They aren't the worst things that could befall an LCD display or control room monitor. But chances are, if an end user spots a dead or stuck pixel, they'll fixate on it until someone gets rid of it.

   

5-Minute Interview

• 5 Minute Interview: You, the AV Pro

  AN INTERVIEW WITH YOU, THE AV PRO: It began on Pro AV's 2,000-member LinkedIn group. Kevin Diaz, CTS, of Visual Solutions Distributing, asked, "How do we convince consultants and their clientele to avoid using residential equipment in commercial applications?"

   

Marketwatch

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  3D Out in Public

  The world's talking about 3D entertainment and the potential boon to the movie industry and TV makers, but DisplaySearch has already started to define the market for something else–3D public displays.

   

Other Articles

• 

  Thank You, Avatar

  If the recession slowed the adoption of digital cinema systems, no one's complaining now. There are thousands of Digital Cinema Initiative-compliant DLP projectors installed in North America.

   

Community Views

Parallax View

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  3D: It's No Slam Dunk...Yet

  Amid the significant hype surrounding 3D technology, reasonable minds are pondering where it might even succeed--and why. PRO AV columnist Pete Putman has talked it over with industry luminaries. Here's his assessment.

   

Consultant's Connection

• A Window of Opportunity

  With a major building information modeling platform embracing acoustics and more, the time is right to build new bridges between AV and architecture. AV consultant Thom Mullins, CTS, explains what it will take.

   

Other Articles

• Digital Signage: All Grown Up

  When it comes to digital signage, industry maturity means technology that can handle any client scenario, without too much cost or extra effort.

   

Features

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  Sound Connections

  The world of networked AV is its own kind of Babel. CobraNet, developed by Peak Audio in the mid-1990s and the first successful digital audio networking protocol, had a shot at becoming an industry standard. But while its acceptance by the pro audio industry was fast, it wasn't fast enough to...

   
• 

  Green AV: From the Ground Up

  Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program published a new version of its requirements to include qualifications for gear such as audio DSPs and amplifiers.

   

Install Solutions

Education Install

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  Nothing But Net

  Musicians have long abided by the maxim "less is more"–the fewer notes it takes to get your idea across, the more elegant the outcome. For the technology systems design and integration at the Center for Creative Arts at Cuyahoga Community College's Metro Campus in downtown Cleveland, that adage...

   

Museum Install

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  Projecting Presidential

  On the world stage, the United States President projects America's image. So it's fitting that projectors are at the heart of a major renovation of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta.

   

Tools & Tech

Feature

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  Sounds in Space

  Last year, New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development put the finishing touches on a $6.5 million, 7,500-square-foot addition–the new James L. Dolan Recording and Teaching complex at the Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions.

   

Bright Idea

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  Broadcast This

  What are some of today's most prominent pro AV installations–digital signage, multipoint videoconferencing–if they are not broadcast applications? Here are some of the products that AV pros who make the trip to Las Vegas will be talking about.

   

Spec to Spec

• 

  Buyer's Guide: Professional Lighting Controls

  Lighting controls are no longer about turning a bulb on and off. They're about controlling an environment. From dimmers and shades to sensors and zones, each feature affects the conditions under which AV equipment is used. According to Gerard Darville, Lutron's pro AV sales and marketing manager...

   

New Products

Audio

• 

  Loudspeaker Enclosures

  The EU Series D-class powered loudspeaker enclosures from Peavey include the EU 112D and EU 115D two-way loudspeakers, and the EU 118D subwoofer.

   
• 

  HD-SDI Soundcard

  Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems introduced a new broadcast interface card for use in its digital mixing consoles and DME digital mixing engines.

   
• 

  Large-Format Subwoofwer

  The new SB1001 Large-Format Dual-18-Inch-Loaded Subwoofer is basically an SB1002 subwoofer without the rigging hardware, according to the company.

   
• 

  Compact Digital Console

  Touring, broadcast, and installed sound users have been requesting a smaller, more affordable console with Vistonics user interface, according to officials at Harman Pro's Soundcraft unit.

   
• 

  Paging System

  The latest networked paging and voice evacuation system from Biamp is called Vocia.

   
• 

  Ceiling Loudspeakers

  The AD-C1200 and AD-C820/C821 are the latest additions to QSC's AcousticDesign range of ceiling loudspeakers.

   

Video

• 

  Commercial Displays

  Sharp Electronics recenty rolled out a family of four new Energy Star-qualified, commericial 1080p LCDs

   
• 

  LCD Projectors

  Canon's line of LCD multimedia projectors now includes the WXGA-resolution LV-8310 and LV-8215, and the XGA LV-7385, LV-7380, LV-7285, and LV-7230 models.

   
• 

  LCD Displays

  InFocus designed its new INF series thin LCD displays to improve collaboration in the workplace.

   
• 

  Digital Signage Player

  LG Electronics has gotten into the media player business with its new NC1000, a solid-state player that the company says will work with a variety of signage software platforms.

   
• 

  Warp and Blend Processors

  Digital Projection said it's responding to a need for low latency in real-time video applications with the release of two processors: the Fusion MD and Fusion 3D.

   
• 

  Projection Screen

  Designed in partnership with Joe Kane Productions, Da-Lite added HD Progressive 1.1 gain screen material to its collection of JKP Affinity Screens.

   
• 

  4K Projector

  JVC has begun shipping the 10-megapixel (4096x2400) DLA-SH7NLG high-end visualization projector.

   

Signal Management

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  Switchers

  The new Quattro Value and Octo Value from Analog Way are high-resolution digital and analog, computer and video scaler switchers.

   
• 

  All-In-One Classroom System

  Extron Electronics has begun selling what it calls WallVault, a complete switching plus control system for use with wall-mounted, short-throw projectors and flat-panel displays.

   
• 

  Videowall Controller

  Gefen introduced its new Video Wall Controller for quick deployment of 2x2 videowalls.

   
• 

  Modular Matrix Switcher

  Extron Electronics' new FOX 4G Matrix 320x fiber matrix switcher is expandable from 16x16 to 320x320 ports.

   
• 

  HD Video Distribution

  It got its start sending online video to HDTVs in homes, but now ZeeVee is applying its technology to commercial installations.

   

Cables & Accessories

• 

  HDMI Connector

  The latest innovation from BTX is the company's first field-terminatable HDMI cable-mount male connector.

   
• 

  UPS/Surge Protector

  SurgeX has come out with the SU-1000Li, a 1000-VA line interactive uninterruptable power supply with SurgeX's Advanced Series Mode surge elimination technology for protection up to 6,000 volts.

   
• 

  Videowall and Signage Mounts

  Peerless Industries debuted a pair of mounting solutions.

   
• 

  HDMI Connector

  The latest innovation from BTX is the company's first field-terminatable HDMI cable-mount male connector.