AV News February 2023

February 2023 www.avnewsonline.com

The direct channel to the industry

AV News Award 2023 Winners

ISE 2023: back on course!

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Page 27 The 2023 edition of the world’s leading audiovisual and ISE surpassed all expectations as it delivered record visitor numbers, stimulating new content and appearances from royalty and political dignitaries at the Fira Gran Via Barcelona!

The nominations are in – this time in record numbers - the judging complete and the shortlists published. Below we can announce the category winners acknowledged ay an Awards presentation ceremony at ISE 2023 in Barcelona

Midwich shares year-end trading Clevertouch announces the BIG 3! update

Boxlight’s Clevertouch brand is to release the BIG THREE at ISE 2023 – a suite of new collaboration products designed to enhance the workplace and a stunning new range of LED Videowalls to make any space come alive. Introducing the new LED

Videowall range, CleverWall. CleverWall is suited to many settings, with pixel pitch ranges from 1.2 to 2.4mm and sizes to suit any environment.

Easy to install, modular in construction, with a cabinet of less than 5kgs. Built in screen sharing for up to four devices, the all-in-one solution has integrated audio and comes with its own processor.

Content sharing just got easier with the new CleverHub. Use CleverHub with any branded screen – interactive or not – to enable the screen with Clevertouch’s screen sharing and digital signage technology. Clever-

Hub empowers on-site colleagues, visitors, and remote workers to meet and connect effortlessly, mirror content from their own devices, and enjoy streamlined meeting participation for effective collaboration across any third party platform, including

casting and mirror casting for meetings.

CM Pro delivers on flexibility with screen sharing functionality, which allows for users to select their preferred device and sharing platform including AirPlay, Google Cast or Miracast for a convenient yet engaging

Boxlight’s Clevertouch brand is to release the BIG THREE at ISE 2023 – a suite of new collaboration products designed to enhance the workplace and a stunning new range of LED Videowalls to make any space come alive.

Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, and Webex.

CleverHub fully supports BYOD and is compatible with the Clevershare App, Airplay, Google Cast and Micracast, enabling any device to be shared so that existing hardware can be utilised, reducing costs and wastage. One CleverConnect USB-C collaboration dongle is included.

CM Pro is a commercial display that can be used for both digital signage broad-

meeting collaboration.

CM Pro can be controlled remotely from any location, anywhere in the world with the installed MDM software. By linking multiple screens, the entire hardware estate can be managed from a single location, allowing for instant status information, troubleshooting, updating or removing of Apps and OTA updates to be simultaneously deployed.

Maverick AV Solutions

Setup as simple as 1,2,3.

Meeting room setup simplified.

No PC. Fewer cables. Built in support.

Midwich shares year-end trading update Midwich Group plc (AIM: MIDW) has provided a trading update for the year ended 31 December 2022. The Group finished the year strongly and the Board now expects to report record revenue for 2022 of £1.2 billion, representing growth of approximately 40% over the prior year (39% at constant currency), with organic growth of over 20%. The gross margin was broadly in line with 2021 levels.

As a result of this strong performance, the Board now anticipates reporting adjusted profit before tax for the 2022 period comfortably ahead of market consensus. Adjusted net debt at the end of the year was under £100 million (representing approximately 1.7 times adjusted EBITDA), in line with the Board’s expectations. Cash generation was between 50% and 60%, which

was also in line with the Board’s expectations given the Group’s strong revenue growth. In order to support the delivery of its acquisition pipeline, in December 2022 the Group increased its revolving credit facility from £80 million to £175 million.

Stephen Fenby, the Group Managing Director, commented: “2022 saw the strongest annual growth in the Group’s history, with revenue increasing by over 40% to £1.2 billion. This significant revenue growth led to a record profit performance, for which I would like to thank the team and our partners for their continued support. Despite continued general economic uncertainty and rising interest rates, the strength of the business and expected growth of the AV market lead the Board to look forward to 2023 and beyond with confidence.”

Stephen Fenby, Midwich Group Managing Director: “2022 saw the strongest annual growth in the Group’s history, with revenue increasing by over 40% to £1.2 billion.”

New Executive Management Board at Sennheiser Following the realignment of the company with a focus on the professional audio business, the Sennheiser Group is entering 2023 with a newly formed management team. The audio specialist’s new Executive Management Board includes representatives from the three business units Pro Audio, Business Communication and Neumann, as well as Supply Chain, Corporate Functions and Development. Together with Co-CEOs Daniel and Andreas Sennheiser, the Board members will implement the

strategic goals of the Sennheiser Group.

As of the beginning of the current year, the operational business of the Sennheiser Group will be managed by a team of six: The new Executive Management Board (EMB) includes Greg Beebe (Executive Vice President Professional Audio), Ron Holtdijk (Executive Vice President Business Communication), Ralf Oehl (CEO Georg Neumann GmbH), Steffen Heise (CFO), Dr. Andreas Fischer (COO) and Markus Redelstab (CTO). Peter Claussen and Thom-

as Weinzierl, who were previously COOs responsible for Professional Business and Supply Chain, will also remain on the EMB before their respective retirements in the course of the years 2023 and 2024.

In the intervening period, they will gradually hand over their operational tasks and extensive knowledge to the new EMB. In the future, Co-CEOs Dr. Andreas and Daniel

Continued on page 2

Headline News New Executive Management Board at Sennheiser Sennheiser will primarily focus on corporate management and strategy development and devote more time to customers, while the other EMB members will manage the operational business. Yasmine Riechers and Mareike Oer complete the leadership of the Sennheiser Group as an extended management team, representing the Corporate Development Office and Brand & Corporate Communication. “With the integration of the business units into the EMB, our customers are moving even more into focus,” explains Co-CEO Andreas Sennheiser. “In the future, their very different needs will be represented at the highest management level and included in all decisions, enabling us to act even closer to the market.”

The inclusion of product development into the direct scope of the EMB also reflects the great importance of this area and the associated efforts to align innovations and new technologies even more closely with customer needs. And by dovetailing all central functions with the business units, the different perspectives will be brought together in a new, strong management team. “With this step, we are adapting our management structure to our new corporate positioning

with a focus on the Professional Business,” explains Co-CEO Daniel Sennheiser. “At the same time, we are further developing our leadership culture – in line with our corporate culture.”

The Co-CEOs have already been leading the family-owned company in a dual leadership as part of a management team since 2013. The new set-up, whose introduction was accompanied by Peter Claussen, is also shaped by this management philosophy: “We are firmly convinced that rigid hierarchies in corporate management are outdated. Just as we as Co-CEOs share overall responsibility for our family-owned company, we will also shape the path for Sennheiser in the expanded management team,” said Andreas Sennheiser. “After all, the most important guarantor of our future success is the people who work together worldwide under the umbrella of the Sennheiser Group. Our shared culture and our passion for what we do unite us. With the new EMB setup, we are also reflecting this ethos in our corporate management.”

As part of its focus on professional audio business, Sennheiser had announced investments in this area in line with its new

corporate strategy, which are now being implemented on a step-by-step basis. For example, a new PCB assembly line went

into operation at the main site in Wedemark near Hanover at the end of 2022. Further investments in development and in the pro-

duction site in Romania are planned.

Sony accelerates developments to professional AV partnerships Sony has announced its latest developments and additions to its Professional AV partnership network that offer compatible software solutions for additional power, creative freedom and enhanced capability to its line-up of BRAVIA 4K Professional Displays. By working with partners across

many markets and utilising their vast experience in software development, Sony offers a complete solution that matches the needs of end users and opens up new opportunities in numerous vertical markets.

This growing partner ecosystem which sees partners including Cisco and Crestron that were announced in May 2022, contains many of the world’s leading software providers focused on Device Control & Management, Content Management and Unified Communications. Sony’s standardised Android System-on-a-Chip (SoC), one of the most powerful in the market, has allowed its partners to stick to their core competencies and deliver native software that outperforms software that must be adapted to the complex and proprietary operating systems being used by other SoC display manufacturers.

The latest additions to join Sony’s network within these three focus areas are: • Device Control & Management: Kramer BRAINware & Crestron XiO – By utilising the power of SoC combined with the connection to BRAINware, Sony’s BRAVIA displays act as a central management AV control processor, eliminating the

need for external control processors and extra hardware. Crestron XiO allows for simple control solution integration and remote monitoring through its cloud platform.

• Content Management: Navori Labs, NowSignage, Connect Signage, Easescreen, Korbyt & Smartsign – To ensure

it can provide seamless digital signage solutions, Sony has partnered with content management providers to enable its BRAVIA displays to become the focal point of digital messaging solutions in retail environments. It will ensure direct connection and workflow synergies are prioritised across different regional territories, and the backlog of new installations can be significantly reduced through seamless integration of CMS software onto its hardware, reducing the number of devices and complexity of deployment.

• In November 2022, Sony announced its partnership with signageOS, a leader in cloud digital signage infrastructure to support its BRAVIA range in creating a more connected digital signage and content management system (CMS) framework. This partnership with signageOS middleware will simplify the integration of Sony’s BRAVIA displays for any CMS partners signage and device management with reduced maintenance and development costs.

Cisco and Pexip have a large global presence for provision of video collaboration, and by utilising Sony’s powerful SoC Pexip

P2 AV News February 2023

users can run their UVC platforms directly on BRAVIA displays with a simple UVC camera bar that connects directly to the display, eliminating the need for external codec. With simple integration users of Cisco Webex Room kits can be confident that their deployments can seamlessly

integrate with Sony BRAVIA Professional displays ensuring optimal video and audio performance thanks to the new enhanced firmware to support integration.

At ISE, Sony also presented its Device Management & Provisioning services to support system integrators deploying BRA-

VIA Professional displays, saving significant labour time using pre-ordained custom configurations and unlocking the ability to manage the displays remotely. Powered by TEOS, this solution considerably reduces deployment time and labour costs, by removing all on-site configurations, while, at the same time, simplifying BRAVIA Professional devices monitoring for all our customers, through the cloud.

“Sony’s display solutions, including our BRAVIA 4K Professional Display line up and Crystal LED wall, are chosen by the market because of their superior image quality, reliability, and flexibility,” said Damien Weissenburger, Head of Professional Displays & Solutions Europe. “Since the introduction of our esteemed professional AV partner-

ship network, customers have seen the benefit of when unmatched picture quality and smart integrated technology are combined. By merging our strengths with those of our partners, we’re committed to

creating more compatibility and integration and providing more value for our users in a growing range of vertical markets.”

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Business News

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PPDS adds ‘Wave’ of sustainable management Grow in life and business: services and applications PPDS has announced the official launch of its Wave ecosystem. The new, scalable and secure, state-of-the-art cloud platform is complemented with a dedicated ProStore marketplace for premium PPDS and certified development partner applications, all fully proven to integrate with Philips professional displays, while supporting a variety of use cases across industries including retail, education, corporate and hospitality.

Demonstrated publicly for the first time at ISE this evolutionary cloud ecosystem, which has been meticulously developed to extend and enhance the power of Philips digital signage, interactive displays and professional TVs with Android SoC, has been the subject of extensive live trials and factfinding meetings with valued partners, developers and end customers situated around the world. The result brings a fresh and future proofed approach, allowing system integrators and customers to control display fleets of any size, monitoring and

the needs of each unique business, while giving the opportunity to use the platform to all. This includes a ‘Lite’, free-to-use subscription for an unlimited number of displays, with access to basic display settings, remote management and PPDS ProStore premium applications. For larger professional display fleets, the new ‘Essential’ paid subscription is recommended, featuring bulk actions and one-to-many control, API access and power scheduling, as well as new features for predictive maintenance and automated setup. In addition, there will be an add-on for custom application management and distribution, allowing system integrators to choose the total solution that best suits their business needs.

Sian added: “Making sure all of our customers – both those buying new Philips professional displays and those with existing displays powered by Android 7 and above – have the opportunity to benefit from PPDS Wave was important to us from

tomers to access the right solutions for their business, PPDS is pleased to announce new ProStore partnerships with Navori, NoviSign, NowSignage, Skykit, and Telelogos, among others, allowing integrators to install and use their integrated solutions with Philips professional displays, based on customers’ unique business requirements.

PPDS Wave Creator, a new fundamental Content Management System (CMS), has been developed delivering easy content scheduling and simple template creation.

Wave Creator will also be available on the PPDS ProStore for fully remote installation, sitting alongside premium applications from our development partners offering different and unique applications supporting varied business needs. With PPDS Wave’s API first approach, both new and existing developers can design and configure their solutions to work seamlessly on Philips professional displays, with the platform allowing for rigorous testing to ensure the best

The importance of Belief Systems in Convincing and Winning Winning in a competition, be it in business or personal life, requires more than just meeting the requirements and having a good track record. There are several dimensions to convincing and winning, but the most important and often overlooked one is the belief system. This layer of values and expectations, although not directly mentioned, holds great value to the client.

Discovering both your own belief system and that of your client will give you brand new insights in the beliefs you share and the beliefs which di-vide you. Belief systems are the fundamentals of the Why, the How, and What things you create, make or buy. Here are the ingredients to discover when you want to start winning:

The Basics: Winning with the "What" In a stable and predictable environment, the "what" is delivered is enough to win. For example, if a client requests a battery drill with 5000 revs, 7.2 Volts, and 2 years guarantee, delivering the drill is enough to win on a transactional level. The requester sets the requirements, and the supplier delivers them. This type of winning focuses on the "what."

Adding the "How" to the "What" However, if you deliver the requirements and price perfectly, but still don't win, you may be missing out on deeper factors. For instance, when we were looking to insulate and renovate the rooftop of our house, it was not just a transactional deal to us, but one of heavy investment and risk. In such cases, asking the experts "how" they are going to organize the work can make all the difference. For example, one company explained step by step how they are going to do the job, tailored specifically to my house, giving me trust and a good night's sleep. The company that ex-plained the "how" won the deal.

Combining the "What," "How," and "Why"

PPDS has announced the official launch of its Wave ecosystem - the new, scalable and secure, state-of-the-art cloud platform. controlling multiple displays at the same time, and for developers to easily access unique professional display features across different device platforms.

Sian Rees, Global Product Manager Solutions at PPDS, leading the development of Wave, commented: “The way businesses wish to control, manage and monitor their digital displays and devices has evolved significantly in recent years, with remote capabilities and digital display managed services now becoming a necessity. As a part of one of the largest display manufacturers in the world, we understand the importance of bringing solutions to market that can be integrated, installed and maintained to maximise the customer experience. PPDS Wave brings benefits for both system integrators and business customers in abundance, while also increasing the opportunity for more sustainably focused business, reducing the inefficiencies and fuel consumption of costly truck rolls, as well as optimising display performance and power usage.

“We spoke with integration partners, installers, developers and users globally about the challenges, barriers and frustrations they experience. It was clear that, to empower customers with the full potential of our Philips professional displays, we needed total solutions that combine exceptional software with the best display hardware.

That is why we have created PPDS Wave, a state-of-the-art platform that delivers the latest technologies to integrate, install and maintain our devices. Remotely, securely and sustainably.”

Available now in Europe, and trialling in North America and Asia Pacific for official release later this year, the new-for-2023 updates include the launch of PPDS Wave Controller, a state-of-the-art cloud-based remote device management application with flexible subscription options to meet

the beginning of the platform’s development. With our Lite, free-to-use subscription, this ambition is realised.”

Speaking about the new platform, Joni Korhonen from VisualService Finland Oy, who is already using PPDS Wave, said: “It has been a great advantage to our business to trial PPDS Wave ahead of its official launch.

We needed to have easy remote maintenance for customers’ displays. PPDS Wave is an excellent tool for monitoring the scenery of all displays. We can easily check that everything is working.”

In a continuing climate of rising energy prices, Wave Controller will also play a pivotal role in PPDS’ commitment to delivering environmentally conscious, sustainable solutions, while also helping to reduce total cost of ownership with energy efficiency opportunities and extended product lifetimes.

Connecting with the features built into the hardware Philips professional displays, PPDS Wave also allows users to use power scheduling for their displays to automatically power down when not in use, for instance outside of opening hours. Brightness can be adjusted intelligently, based on the lighting conditions, again supporting energy savings and extended product lifetimes.

Wave Controller will be pre-installed on all compatible display hardware beginning in 2023, while applications such as PPDS Wave Creator, together with certified premium professional applications from our network of development partners, can now be found in the PPDS ProStore, a brand-new ‘one-stop digital marketplace’.

Removing limitations and concerns around compatibility, applications available via the PPDS ProStore are all certified for use on Philips professional displays, and can be selected, and remotely distributed and installed, using Wave Controller Lite or Essential subscriptions. Further helping cus-

P4 AV News February 2023

possible user experience. The ProStore allows for automatic updates to be provided and made available to users, which can be instantly pushed to either isolated or groups of displays.

PPDS Wave is currently available on selected Philips digital signage and interactive SoC displays with Android 7 and above, including the Philips D-Line, Q-Line and S-Line digital displays, the Philips B-Line business TV and the Philips C-Line and T-Line interactive models. More exciting announcements around compatibility with other product categories, including dvLED and professional TVs, and for use in specific verticals, will be announced shortly. Sian concluded: “With the PPDS Wave platform we have a solid foundation to take our customers to the next level of performance and integrations with our Philips professional displays. Looking forward, we will continue to work closely with our channel and development partners to make our displays smarter, easier to work with and maintain, as well as more sustainable. Digital signage managed services at their best. PPDS Wave is a key part of our total solutions strategy, and it is incredibly exciting, and a privilege to help bring such a cohesive and empowering solution to our industry.”

Martijn van der Woude, VP Global Marketing and Business Development at PPDS added: “This is an incredibly important day for PPDS, with Wave playing a pivotal role in our strategy and in supporting our customers’ sustainable businesses into the future. ISE 2022 was a taste of things to come with Wave and, at ISE 2023, we’re ready to bring this transformational platform to the masses. With new partnerships, new features and new capabilities being added on an almost daily basis, this really is just the beginning.”

Besides the "what" and "how," the "why" can make a significant differ-ence in winning. For instance, in the hiring process, two questions to al-ways ask are "why do you want to work for us?" and "why should we hire you?" A good answer to the "why" shows intrinsic motivation and commitment and demonstrates a strong match and synergy with other employees in the company.

The more challenging and dynamic the de-pendence between parties, the more important the "why" becomes in winning.

Taking it One Level Deeper: The Belief System There is one more aspect to consider in winning. It is the least visible, or even invisible to most and that is your belief-system. This is present in every person, team, and organization, but is not openly discussed. The belief system is the set of unwritten rules that govern behaviour in a group. What if I make a set of house rules with: “Rule number one - In this house, we don’t kill each other”. Imagine you come to my house for the first time and see this rule. Would you feel comfortable and safe?

You are probably thinking: “Wow, these people are obviously not from the same planet if they have to spell this out as a rule.” This works the same way in business.

In business, failing to pay attention to the relevant belief systems can re-sult in a situation where you think you have delivered the best proposal ever, only for the client to respond that you "haven't understood a single thing of what we're doing here."

The belief system, and the other aspects of winning can be best explained using a tree as a metaphor.

•The WHAT is like the apples on a tree. They are the things we look at and value first.

•The branches and leaves of the tree are the HOW. Many leaves and branches make it possible to produce great many apples.

•The tree trunk is our WHY. It is strong, solid and essential to grow high and let the leaves catch lots of sunlight.

•The roots of a tree is our BELIEF-SYSTEM. It is invisible, but es-sential to the tree’s trunk, branches, leaves and fruits.

Sometimes winning is as easy letting someone a pick an apple from the tree (transactional winning). In many other cases where the transaction is more complex, dynamic and outcome uncertain, assessors (buyers, jury etc.) will look seriously at the other factors: How will they do it? Why do they do this? Getting insight into the whole tree is important for long term and sustainable winning, producing the right and great apples every year.

About the author: Patrick Alexander, the author of the book ‘The secret of Value Based convincing Winning’ is an expert in winning and shaping the winning process. During his career he won and lost multiple times. As an inven-tor, he participated in a national contest with 2000 others and tackled several stages before winning this contest. During the last 10 years as a proposal architect, he worked with dozens of teams in making complex and winning proposals and tenders, contributing millions of Euros per year to his company’s revenue. Patrick’s mission is: Let people, teams and organizations with the highest value win. Let those win, who most deserve it!

More information on http://www.valuebasedwinning.com.

The book can be ordered via the website and https://www.amazon.co.uk.

Business News

Nureva integrates with Extron Nureva Inc has announced that its HDL300 and Dual HDL300 audio conferencing systems now integrate with Extron control and automation solutions to deliver camera-tracking features that support hybrid working and learning. Extron used Nureva’s sound location device API, avail-

tion, location and level are reported several times per second to enable automatic camera adjustments based on the location of the active speakers. This results in more refined camera positioning and switching and a better experience for remote participants.

Hundreds of cameras by leading manu-

automation solutions with Nureva’s audio conferencing capabilities,” said Casey Hall, chief marketing officer at Extron. “By simplifying integration between products, our shared customers will benefit from better meetings aided by enhanced audio and control experiences.”

Nureva Inc has announced that its HDL300 and Dual HDL300 audio conferencing systems now integrate with Extron control and automation solutions to deliver camera-tracking features that support hybrid working and learning. able through Nureva Developer Toolkit, to update the Extron Control Systems Driver.

The Extron control processor receives sound tracking data from the HDL300 and Dual HDL300 systems and sends a preset recall command to smoothly steer camera views to the location of the person speaking.

The supplied audio location data leverages Nureva’s patented Microphone Mist technology, which fills a room with thousands of virtual microphones so everyone can be heard everywhere in a space. Sound direc-

facturers integrate the use of preset recalls with the Extron control processor. With the launch of this integration, Nureva HDL300 and Dual HDL300 audio systems can supply voice tracking data to any of those cameras with the simple installation of the Extron driver. Nureva’s sound location device API was created as part of a program to work with leading companies like Extron on steering cameras with Nureva audio systems to improve and simplify remote collaboration. “It’s exciting for Extron to combine our industry leading control and

“We are pleased to collaborate with Extron to deliver the simplicity and flexibility that our mutual customers demand for their hybrid spaces by combining our sound location data for third-party cameras with Extron control systems,” said Nancy Knowlton, Nureva’s CEO. “Using the intelligence built into Microphone Mist technology, our IT-friendly wall-mounted systems are delivering a level of camera tracking sophistication that, until now, was only possible with traditional pro AV solutions.”

PSNI Global Alliance welcomes VuWall PSNI Global Alliance has announced a strategic partnership for video wall management and AV distribution solutions with the addition of VuWall as its latest Global Preferred Vendor Partner (PVP).A globally recognized technology leader in video wall control systems and unified visualization technology, VuWall provides solutions to easily manage visual information on video walls and displays throughout entire facilities. Their innovative visualization solutions are deployed in a wide range of industries in more than 45 countries powering more than 3,000 video walls in some of the world’s most prestigious Fortune 500 control rooms and corporate workspace.

With this new partnership, VuWall has become a global strategic manufacturing partner of The Alliance, granting access to its Certified Solution Providers (CSPs) to pursue new market opportunities and enable worldwide, standardized solutions for their customers. “We are honoured to have been selected as a Preferred Vendor Partner with PSNI," said Dan Gundry, vice president and managing director of VuWall USA. “I have known PSNI for many years and respect its mission and its Certified Solution Providers.

We are excited to introduce VuWall to the CSPs and help them deliver world-class solutions to their customers.”

OOONA and VoiceQ plan technology integration OOONA has announced that it has formed a strategic partnership with VoiceQ to streamline the script adaptation, editing and voice recording process for their respective clients. The partnership aims to offer VoiceQ’s dubbing capabilities within

from our Transcribe tool can be further processed and manipulated within the VoiceQ environment for voiceover and dubbing recording purposes. Full integration between our platforms is planned next so that our

the BYOD devices •Separated BYOD: the network provided for the BYOD devices is separated from the control network • Dedicated: each connected BYOD device

OOONA’s Integrated platform. VoiceQ facilitates authentic storytelling between cultures by developing software that speeds up the dialogue creation and replacement process for television, film, video and gaming post production, enabling precise synchronization of audio assets.

Its Digital Rythmoband feature provides voice talents with a karaoke-like experience, allowing them to deliver compelling performances, while its real-time reporting features allow directors and managers to accurately assess script volume and develop talent booking schedules. The New Zealand company has achieved global brand recognition by helping drive the English dubbing boom. It is trusted by over 270 dubbing studios and thousands of professionals worldwide.

“We have been following OOONA for a while now as several of our clients are loyal users and advocates of the platform,” explains Steven Renata, Managing Director at VoiceQ. “We have been very impressed with the online tools OOONA offers for subtitling and scripting purposes, and we wanted to facilitate communication between our systems. We also wanted to give our clients the option to place orders within the OOONA Integrated platform that can be executed seamlessly on any of the VoiceQ applications."

"We believe in providing our clients with the best of all third-party services within our ecosystem, facilitating and streamlining their workflows, so integrating with VoiceQ's software made sense,” adds Wayne Garb, OOONA co-founder and CEO. “We are currently working on the first stage of this integration to ensure smooth file exchange between our platforms. This way file assets

clients can access any of the VoiceQ apps directly within OOONA Integrated."

OOONA integrated is a combination of OOONA Manager and the full suite of OOONA Tools in a single end-to-end system that addresses any media localization need. Hosted on AWS and continuously tested and monitored, OOONA Integrated is a secure and scalable solution for use by organizations of any size. It comes loaded with a mobile app for fast and remote task allocation and approval, as well as APIs into a growing number of third-party tools for a seamless user experience. VoiceQ software is the latest addition to this list.

Lightware upgrades security for collaborative networking Lightware Visual Engineering is strengthening the security profiles of its product range as collaborative applications continue to soar in popularity across the globe. With unprotected AV network applications, data is vulnerable to intrusions from the Internet.

By separating sensitive data from Internet connectivity, all users of Lightware’s universal matrix switcher, Taurus UCX, can access the Internet without risking security breaches.

The Isolated Ethernet Networks (port-based VLAN setting) feature allows AV integrators and IT administrators to decide which networks are connected to the USB-C ports of Taurus UCX, as well as which networks the connected devices can use. By working in this way, connected devices can be separated from the corporate network, increasing network security.

The application is easy to customise and offers three modes: •Transparent: this is the default mode, with a network openly used by Taurus UCX and

has access to an independent and dedicated Ethernet network.

“Hybrid, at the office and virtual meeting room environments are now standard for corporations worldwide but reliance on the public internet brings with it a need to solidify security,” said Gergely Vida, CEO, Lightware Visual Engineering. “The new Ethernet security features in Taurus UCX address the growing need among organisations to give employees the freedom to exchange information securely when connecting with BYOD.” Vida added, “Lightware’s world-class signal management products are designed to deliver unparalleled quality, reliability and security in AV applications and thanks to this feature, we can assure that BYOD devices have only access to the assigned network.

It was one of the key requirements from our customers, and we are more than happy to release this functionality.” Lightware’s data diode option, available in the HDMI-3DOPT-DD series extenders, guarantees data confidentiality while offering systems integrators greater flexibility to secure their network when connecting to a diverse range of third-party devices, increasingly used in modern meeting rooms and collaboration environments. The upgraded functionality is available and ready to use today.

A data diode is a network device that allows data to travel only in one direction to guarantee information security. Most commonly found in extreme high security environments such as nuclear power plants and other electric power generation facilities, the solution is especially important if sensitive data is stored on a network which requires connectivity to the Internet.

LANG AG renews with Panasonic

Through PSNI’s global network of AV/ IT Certified Solution Providers, this partnership will strengthen VuWall’s solution offerings on a global scale. “We warmly welcome VuWall to our growing list of PVPs and are thrilled to be partnering with them to further enable our global network,” said Tom Roberts, director of vendor programs for The Alliance. “The Alliance is built around the evolving and dynamic needs of technology users and recognizes the power of top-tier manufacturers solution offerings.

Their comprehensive knowledge of the control room market and leading solutions will be a strong asset to PSNI’s portfolio.”

P6 AV News February 2023

The PSNI Global Alliance Preferred Vendor Partner program is available to an exclusive group of manufacturers, distributors, and service providers in the audio-visual, unified communications, and professional audio and video industry. All vendors within the PSNI PVP program are pre-screened by the Certified Solution Providers (CSPs) of The Alliance to ensure that only the best technology providers are represented. Customers who engage with The Alliance are assured seamless installation and support, benefiting from the collective expertise of PSNI’s integrators and vendors alike.

With the Rental & Staging and Location Based Entertainment industries facing an increasingly complex market, leading players are looking to the latest AV technologies for an edge. Rising transport costs and staff shortages, alongside increasingly flexible bookings from event organisers are major challenges for event production companies. It’s why LANG AG, one of Europe’s leading visual presentation technology dry-hire businesses in the Rental and Staging market, today announced a major investment in Panasonic’s new RQ25K Series, for 100 units of the world’s smallest and lightest 3-Chip DLP projectors with up to 20,000lm brightness and 4K resolution.

“This significant investment, and extension of our more than 30-year relationship with Panasonic, will help our customers meet today’s industry challenges,” said Tobias Lang, CEO at LANG AG. “The Panasonic RQ25K Projector Series delivers next generation visual technology that

wows the crowds with the latest and greatest image quality, streamlines workflows to enable fast and effective set-up and control and delivers unrivalled reliability.”

LANG AG chose the new Series, available in December, because it offers a number of important advantages to its rental users.

The RQ25K is 40% smaller and 35% lighter than its RQ22K predecessor, making it easier to transport and stack for Rental and Staging companies and more convenient to position for fixed installations. The Series simplifies everything from installation to operation with time-saving workflow streamlining features. Integration into wider systems is also fast and simple with the first Panasonic projector to be Intel Smart Display Module (Intel SDM)-ready.

“From the moment Panasonic introduced its first 20,000lm projectors back in 2012 it has defined the sector,” added Tobias Lang. “We immediately saw the benefits of the new RQ25K Series for our customers.

With the SDM slot it sets new benchmarks in terms of configurability and connectivity, bridging to IP-based systems like Panasonic PTZ cameras or KAIROS. We deliberately decided to go with this 4K platform only as we see the market moving to higher resolutions, so we have unified the fleet on 4K. We look forward to being one of the first European providers to offer this ground-breaking AV technology for our rental customers.”

Jan Markus Jahn, Head of the Media Entertainment Business Unit at Panasonic Connect Europe, added: “This LANG investment in RQ25, alongside its existing IP-

Continued on page 8

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LANG AG renews with Panasonic

Ascentae distribution partnership for ultra-wide displays LANG AG has announced a major investment in Panasonic’s new RQ25K Series, for 100 units of the world’s smallest and lightest 3-Chip DLP projectors with up to 20,000lm brightness and 4K resolution. based PTZ cameras and the KAIROS production platform, means it will be one of the first companies able to offer its customers a complete glass-to-glass IP-based workflow.

This is a major milestone for the AV industry and opens new doors for staging and events customers, especially when dealing with hybrid and online productions.”

Ascentae has announced a new vendor partnership with Jupiter the leading manufacturer for ultra-wide displays. As Microsoft’s chosen 21:9 display, Jupiter displays enable the most engaging and intuitive MS Teams rooms yet, using the Microsoft’s new ‘Signature’ room layout to ensure that remote participants feel more included than ever before.

With hybrid working here to stay most organisations are now managing staff that want the choice to work where they want.

Jupiter’s ultra-high resolution 5K touch display, and Simpleshare 21:9 optimised collaboration software enhances the in-room

experience of meeting participants and provides a reason for employees to come into the office.

As a key additional software to their display, Simpleshare is designed to take advantage of Jupiter’s ultra-wide display real estate delivering a fool-proof experience of onetouch launch to video conference meetings or other collaborative apps including onetouch: whiteboard, presentation, annotation, screen capture and capture share, allowing users to access their key applications in just a couple of clicks.

Managing Director Jon Knight says: “Ascentae are delighted to be distributing Jupi-

ter in the UK. Jupiter has a great pedigree and their current range of ultra-wide meeting room and personal use displays are in high demand. Microsoft is one of many providers of hybrid workplace technology solutions who recommend ultrawide displays for immersive visual experiences such as front row and signature rooms. These extend from meeting rooms to home workers, customer experience centres, control rooms and digital signage. The Jupiter product range is a great addition to Ascentae’s approach to identify technologies that provide best of breed experiences.”

Ascentae has announced a new vendor partnership with Jupiter the leading manufacturer for ultra-wide displays.

GVAV selected by APUC as top scoring integrator GVAV has been selected by Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC) as the top scoring Solutions Integrator for Audio Visual Supply, Design, Installation & Maintenance on the new AV1018 AP framework. This framework supports APUC’s members within Scotland on their circa £52m AV framework for HE & FE plus associated public sector members.

GVAV is delighted to be awarded a place on APUC’s latest multi-million-pound Audio Visual framework to supply Scotland’s Universities and Colleges. Offering the full range of local technical, project, sales and logistics AV services. This announcement follows on from GVAV’s appointments, and continued success, across the rest of the UK, with frameworks such as NEUPC and NWUPC, CPC and Welsh NPS to name just a few.

After GVAV were originally appointed to the previous APUC Scottish Framework we have seen significantly increased demand for our local AV Integration & Service offer-

ings. As a result of this most recent award there is tremendous opportunity to build true value and strategic relationships for APUC’s members kicking off 2023 as we mean to go on.

Said Kristian Cutting, Joint Managing Director, “At a time when Higher Education has never been more competitive, I’m delighted that our investment in our Scotland based business is already successful. The APUC award is significant for both our customers and us. It allows for best practice and value for our customers while enabling us to further invest in the local economy.”

Daniel Abrahams, Joint Managing Director said, “The whole GV team have made this happen, with our Scotland operations benefitting from the full GVAV Group support. We look forward to our new customers enjoying our renowned value plus the high quality service and support that we have been privileged to deliver to this sector nationally for decades and to which we are committed for decades to come.”

MAXHUB partners with Re Mago on meeting equity MAXHUB, has announced a new partnership with Re Mago (formerly Valarea), the company that developed the powerful software to manage active meetings. MAXHUB, which already offers a full range of UCC solutions, cameras, speakerphones, audio solutions, as well as its renowned Raptor LED displays, to the market, will present its new IFP line of next-generation interactive monitors with professional-grade connections and equipment at ISE: the result will be a unique ecosystem that will simplify the end user's daily user experience and provide an innovative and comprehensive response to the needs of new collaborative spaces.

The partnership with Re Mago will enable users to get the most out of MAXHUB solutions: private workspaces, huddle rooms and one-to-one meetings, co-working environments, meeting rooms and distance learning classrooms will no longer need complex installations. Starting meetings can often take several minutes due to different multimedia technologies in the room and differences in videoconferencing platforms. This is alongside remote participants not always being able to take advantage of the resources needed during the meeting, and access to the Cloud potentially not being securely managed. The alliance

between MAXHUB and Re Mago aims to make meeting equity accessible to everyone and every organization, for corporate as well as educational.

sources will be immediate; and take advantage of the configuration prepared during installation, calibration and preset set up; •start meetings quickly, with a single touch,

sonal devices without accessing internal corporate networks on the chosen display systems; •receive and manage data and information

Thanks to the partnership with Re Mago, it will therefore be possible to: •take full advantage of the features of the MAXHUB range of Collaboration tools: power on and the dialogue with other re-

MAXHUB, has announced a new partner-

ship with Re Mago (formerly Valarea)

regardless of the video conferencing provider chosen; •share and broadcast, content from per-

regarding when and how the various rooms equipped with MAXHUB and Re Mago solutions are being used;

P8 AV News February 2023

•support any future development of ways of working in terms of hardware and software upgrades, automation and control, and any new developments with a view to, for example, introduce Digital Signage and a Control Room.

Various bundles with MAXHUB and Re Mago solutions will be available immediately after ISE in Europe, North America, and the Middle East, and will be plug n &play, ready to install and use. The result, for users, will be fast, spontaneous, engaging and effortless hybrid meeting participation even for those who connect remotely, benefiting each individual's productivity and freedom of expression. For organizations, it means optimization of facilities and staff management investment, without the wasted time and man-hours typical of poorly managed meetings.

"We believe that this new strategic alliance with Re Mago is the basis of the new modern-workspace,” affirmed Mauro Spagnoli, MAXHUB, National Sales Manager, Italy.

“Thanks to the combination of our technologies, finally the end user will be able to enjoy a unique and interactive experience without worrying about technology anymore, being able to manage their workspace in total security. With the launch of the new interactive monitors with integrated

camera and microphones, the experience becomes even more immersive."

"We are very happy to partner with MAXHUB to showcase the powerful collaboration capabilities of Mago. Our partnership with MAXHUB will make Mago accessible to a much broader audience, helping teams consolidate the devices, applications, people, ideas and content critical to achieving greater success and effectiveness at work," said Cristiano Fumagalli, CTO of Re Mago Ltd.

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Technology News

Sharp/NEC launches new M Series extra-large format

Promethean announces the all-new ActivPanel with ActivSync

Sharp NEC Display Solutions Europe is announcing the launch of the new M Series models, NEC MultiSync M751 and NEC MultiSync M861, bringing two new extra-large size formats to the range. With their extensive feature set, the two new NEC 75-inch and 86-inch M Series display models are perfectly suited for deployment in Meeting Rooms or Retail Signage scenarios. The visibility of signage content or meeting room presentations will not be disrupted by reflections from windows or other light sources and advanced settings of all relevant visual parameters allow for full control of brightness, colour, gamma and uniformity via the SpectraView Engine

Promethean has announced the all-new ActivPanel with ActivSync that delivers the most robust, seamless, and secure user experience yet. ActivPanel 9 will see its regional debut in the UK at Bett (London, 29th – 31st March 2023).With the new interactive panel, Promethean meets the needs of teachers and IT managers with intuitive, cutting-edge technology that enables a seamless classroom experience. With its easy, secure sign-in options, streamlined connection to content, flexible lesson delivery software, and personalised user experience, ActivPanel 9 offers the tools needed to transform how teachers use technology.

After listening to more than 1,300 customers across the globe, Promethean designed

for precise, natural images as well as enhanced imaging performance.

Users can control the M Series displays remotely and securely with the NEC NaViSet Administrator 2 software tool. At the same time, they can manage maintenance requirements while saving time and resources, allowing for mission-critical 24/7 ready operation of the devices. Multiple industry standard digital and analogue signal inputs make for a flexible integration of the large format displays into AV infrastructures.

“Most importantly, the M751 and M861 displays are equipped with the NEC Open Modular Intelligence”, said Martin Lienau, Product Manager Large Format Displays at

Sharp NEC Display Solutions Europe. “This means that users can always find the right NEC product to ideally fit their application scenario. For example, they can use the internal NEC MediaPlayer and the modular SoC, powered by RPi4, to playback video content. With the Intel Smart Display Module Small and Large (SDM-S/L) slot they can upgrade the displays to a powerful solution that supports many demanding applications running on Windows or Linux operating systems. With the two new M Series displays, customers get full flexibility and an extensive feature set for advertising, infotainment and meeting room applications at an attractive price level.”

instructional models, such as hybrid, synchronous, and asynchronous learning that integrate hardware and software in all scenarios. “With our commitment to providing educators the ability to transform learning and collaboration, ActivPanel 9 is our most innovative release to date,” said Jim Wallis, Head of UKI Market at Promethean.

“We addressed the challenges teachers, IT managers, and school leaders face by creating an interactive panel that is more secure, easier to use, and works better with other technology in their classrooms.”

Designed for education, the interactive panel includes new features to address the key needs of educators: • Simplicity: The new ActivPanel encompasses a simple user interface that requires

teachers to securely sign into the panels in multiple ways, including password, QR code, or near-field communication (NFC) card. IT managers can rest assured that teachers’ personal information and profiles will remain confidential, and all networked devices will get the proper security updates.

• Adaptability: Teachers can record lessons and audio on the ActivPanel and share them with students in the classroom or at home to prevent learning loss and improve overall student engagement and achievement.

• Longevity: The ActivPanel’s high-performance and durable hardware now include robust capabilities, such as USB-C with 100 watts of power delivery and Vellum touch technology with pen/finger differ-

C

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Sharp NEC Display Solutions Europe is announcing the launch of the new M Series models, NEC MultiSync M751 and NEC MultiSync M861, bringing two new extra-large size formats to the range.

Panasonic announces extra large images from ultra-short throw Panasonic Connect Europe has announced the PT-CMZ50 LCD projector designed to deliver large images from ultra-short distances with minimal shadowing, easy installation, and convenient adjustment.

Ideal for use in class and meeting rooms, as well as entertainment venues such as museums, this 5,200lm ultra-short throw projector can be installed just 1cm from the screen for eye-catching visuals under bright lights and in challenging installation spaces.

The CMZ50 projector delivers 80-inch images from approximately 1cm allowing presenters to work confidently without worrying about shadows on the screen or being dazzled by light from the lens and providing onsite and remote participants a clear view of detailed content. To cut through bright

lighting, the CMZ50’s laser light-source delivers 5,200lm with 3,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast, while smooth WUXGA resolution makes fine text easy to read. With widescreen content becoming more common, the projector supports 2560x1080 (21:9) and 3240x1080 (27:9) input signals as well as 4K input signals, making it ideal for video conferencing rooms using solutions such as Microsoft Teams Rooms.

Easy ceiling and wall mounting options make this portable projector easy to install anywhere. In challenging install positions, the image can be digitally shifted ±10% V/H and fitted to the screen using Digital Zoom Extender and Image Shift function via remote control. After installation, focus can also be simply adjusted using the remote control. Presenters can begin without

waiting for the projector to warm up. Images appear around a second after power on, while CEC command compatible HDMI turns the unit on and displays automatically when content is played from a device. An HDMI output is included for connection to a second projector. For wireless projection, it works with Panasonic’s Wireless Presentation System PressIT or AJ-WM50 Series Wireless Module.

For sustainability and reliable use, the CMZ50’s new high-efficiency optical engine improves watts-per-lumen efficiency by about 25% over comparable lamp-based short-throw models, and the light-source and filter need no maintenance for 20,000 hours, reducing cost, waste, and labour.

The Panasonic CMZ50 is scheduled for release in Q2 of 2023.

Panasonic Connect Europe has announced the PT-CMZ50 LCD projector designed to deliver large images from ultra-short distances with minimal shadowing, easy installation, and convenient adjustment.

P10AV AVNews NewsJuly February P14 2022 2023

CM

Promethean has announced the all-new ActivPanel with ActivSync that delivers the most robust, seamless, and secure user experience yet. the interactive panel to facilitate navigating a changing environment. The only interactive panel with ActivSync, Promethean’s patented technology, eliminates digital barriers between devices and enables increased connectivity, customisable settings, and enhanced mobility so that teachers can move around the classroom freely.

Furthermore, Promethean redesigned the user experience, providing a solution for

minimal training, allowing teachers to use the panel from day one while streamlining their lessons and decreasing the level of support required from IT managers.

• Connectivity: ActivSync facilitates connections to other classroom devices automatically, so teachers can sign in quickly to easily access files and other cloud platforms, such as Google Classroom.

• Security: The ActivPanel now allows

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entiation, palm erase, writing hand palm rejection, and 20-point touch.

CMY The all-new ActivPanel, which is now available in the UK and Ireland, comes in two K models, ActivPanel 9 and ActivPanel 9 Premium. See all of the features and specifications here. Or, to see the new ActivPanel up close, visit Promethean on Stand NL41 at Bett 2023 in London.

VuWall introduces new VuStream 550 VuWall, a technology leader in video wall control systems and unified visualization solutions, announces the release of its new VuStream 550 all-in-one SDVoE encoder/ decoder appliance, designed for distrib-

uting 4K60 video and audio over standard 10Gb IP network switches with no latency.

The VuStream 550 provides an ultra-scalable, easy-to-deploy, highly reliable solution for incredible flexibility in system design

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and workflows.

"Equipment obsolescence is a common concern of any IP-based visualization application, preventing operators from being able to keep up with evolving requirements

VuWall, a technology leader in video wall control systems and unified visualization solutions, announces the release of its new VuStream 550 all-in-one SDVoE encoder/decoder appliance, designed for distributing 4K60 video and audio over standard 10Gb IP network switches with no latency Continued on page 12

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Technology News continued from page 10

VuWall introduces new VuStream 550 and access the systems they need. This is why we are dedicated to continuous improvement for all our devices," said Mark Schmidt, Chief Technology Officer of VuWall. "The new VuStream 550 ensures that every possible facet of performance and flexibility is exceeded for smooth content distribution, control, and management for years to come."

Fully SDVoE compatible, VuWall's VuStream 550 all-in-one compact device can be configured as an encoder or decoder, allowing it to be used as a receiver or a

transmitter, providing incredible flexibility in system design and workflows. The VuStream 550 can be configured for copper or fiber cable infrastructures and features one HDMI output (that functions as local monitor output in Transmitter Mode). The unit can be powered directly when connected through a 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) switch that provides PoE (802.3at). It also features an SFP plug connection for fiber and offers bi-directional IR, RS-232, and Ethernet extension. In addition to two USB 2.0 ports, it supports a special Simultane-

ous Mode for USB extension, allowing a host connected to a single transceiver to connect to up to seven transceivers with USB devices connected All VuStream 550 appliances can be centrally configured and managed by VuWall's award-winning TRx video wall management platform now featuring Multiview, USB routing, HDCP 2.2 support and 4K60 on SDVoE stitched video walls— ideal for high-performance, zero-latency applications on 10G networks.

Disguise upgrades all-in-one broadcast platform

BrightSign extends Series 5 Player Family with affordable models BrightSign, the global market leader in digital signage media players, today announced two additions to its new generation of Series 5 players, making the features, performance and functionality offered by its latest technology accessible to a much wider range of digital signage applications. The HD5 and the LS5 will be available globally this spring and will be exhibited at ISE in Barcelona, Spain opening on January 31 (booth 6H450).

The new 4K BrightSign HD5 is a great, affordable, versatile player offering the features and functionality needed for a broad range of digital signage projects. The standard model has gigabit ethernet, GPIO, op-

nage projects or customers who simply want to get familiar with the BrightSign platform.

"The new HD5 and LS5 bring the features, functionality and performance of our new Series 5 within reach of the full spectrum of digital signage applications. At the entry level, we offer our signature stability, security and connectivity with a broad range of display and interactivity options. At the higher end of our Series 5 portfolio, our XC5 and XD5 players offer our advanced customers access to the most powerful players that we have ever created, setting a new benchmark for performance and functionality," said BrightSign CEO Jeff Hastings.

The XD235 and XD1035, shipping this spring, have been carefully engineered to deliver inspiring 4K experiences for any enterprise-level digital application. The players’ upgraded 4K HTML engine is optimized for responsive interactivity and display of real-time dashboards through significant upgrades to HTML rendering, motion graphics and JavaScript performance. Dynamic mosaic mode adds flexibility to the authoring and playback experience.

All of BrightSign’s Series 5 media players feature BrightSign OS9, the company’s proprietary operating system, purpose-built for digital signage. BrightSign OS9 uses modern web-based technology to cloud-con-

BrightSign's Series 5 family - full player line up

Disguise has released Porta 2.1, a significant update to its integrated software solution that lets anyone easily manage Unreal Engine graphics directly within their existing workflows – now with their latest News Room Computer System (NRCS) integration through MOS protocol. With its new NRCS integration, Porta 2.1 users can control real-time graphics more intuitively than ever before through enhanced data

sharing. Easy template creation tools mean journalists can build unique graphics from the newsroom without a designer’s help – even if they’ve never used Unreal Engine before. Both in-house and remote teams can also take advantage of precise scheduling features that take the guesswork out of production while automating manual tasks with macros, previewing Unreal Engine live using Pixel Streaming, and much more.

With the disguise platform also being Unreal Engine “Avalanche ready”, anyone in media production can now move to a disguise ecosystem with confidence that it will support their journey to a new and exciting aesthetic. “This latest Porta release ticks NRCS integration off the wish lists of many

of our users, including NBC, TUDN and TV Globo,” says Grigory Mindlin, Broadcast General Manager at disguise. “With it, broadcasters can now easily control all show graphics and live content, as well as LEDs, tracking systems, tickers and scorebugs – all from a single interface that can be used by multiple operators simultaneously.”

Whether it’s for augmented reality or virtual

production, broadcasters can also use Porta 2.1 to take advantage of the tools of the future. Porta 2.1 is fully compatible with disguise’s Emmy-Award-winning xR solutions, which can display realistic 8K content onto an LED set the size of a football stadium. disguise’s creative services teams at Meptik and disguise Labs are also available to Porta users around the globe that want to design fully-integrated extended reality workflows. “Audiences increasingly expect more impressive experiences, and with Porta 2.1, broadcasters will be able to deliver these more easily than ever before, both now and in the future,” says Mindlin.

“Porta 2.1, which is pre-integrated with Epic Games’ upcoming Project Avalanche, will position Unreal Engine 5 as an end-

P12AV AVNews NewsJuly February P14 2022 2023

to-end live broadcast graphics tool. The integration will be ready to use on day one when Avalanche is officially released and is one of the many ways disguise and Epic Games are working together to take broadcasts to the next level.”

Additional benefits for customers include: •Stress-free teamwork – Journalists, producers and directors can all collaborate and create graphics in their newsroom

rundowns, which can then be approved for graphics operators to play out from Porta.

•Easier workflows for operators – Operators can easily customize their workflow and automate their show with new visual macros and scheduling widgets. They can customize their Porta UI even further by color coding their playlist and workspaces. Through macros, they can even create playlists from data and reduce manual entry.

•Faster deliveries – Broadcasters can search particular graphics and allocate them to the right part of the story, cutting out repetitive tasks and making delivery times faster.

tional WiFi, and IR ports, while the extended I/O version adds USB and serial ports for added interactive functionality. This player is cased in a thin aluminum enclosure that dissipates heat, eliminating the need for a fan and helping the player operate silently.

BrightSign is also announcing the entry-level LS5, a low-cost solution available with HD and 4K resolution. The LS5 displays video, HTML and graphics over HDMI and outputs audio over 3.5mm digital/analogue port. The LS5 is ideal for basic digital sig-

The new players will be available alongside BrightSign's XC5 players, announced in 2022, which are now shipping. The XC2055 and XC4055 media players offer the company’s most powerful HTML5/ graphics engine to-date, with graphics performance improvement of up to 10X compared to their predecessors. Both XC5 models support 8K output – one model offering dual HDMI-out (up to two 4K or one 8K) and the other offering quad HDMI-out (up to four 4K or one 8K).

nect all BrightSign players, delivering real-time access and control at no additional charge. BrightSign continually offers updates for all products within its digital signage ecosystem for unrivalled reliability, the latest services, and new leading-edge features to ensure customers are never stuck with a product that isn’t keeping pace with current market demands.

Vivitek NovoDisplay DK Series combines signage and collaboration Vivitek has introduced the NovoDisplay DK Series, a Digital Signage Display with included collaboration functionality. The DK series is available in display sizes ranging from 43” to 86” and offers 4K Ultra-HD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution, making it suitable for commercial applications such as hospitality, retail, education and business.

Available immediately, the DK433, DK553, DK653, DK753 and DK863 offer exceptional value combined with a rich feature Flexible and practical, the NovoDisplay DK series has been designed to be easy to install, while supporting landscape and portrait modes to cater for differing business and application needs. NovoDS is the digital signage software included with the NovoDisplay. NovoDS makes it easy to create, publish and manage content ranging from promotional announcements to company messages. With NovoDS, all devices can be controlled through centralised management and deployment of the content.

The optional NovoDS Cloud service offers the additional benefit of role based access.

It also hosts a variety of templates and widgets, including the Bulletin Board – a digital pin board layout with document interaction.

It ensures that information can be updated easily, keeping viewers informed through accurate information at all times.

The NovoDisplay DK series is available in 43”/55”/65”/75”/86” display sizes, and thanks to its 4K Ultra-HD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution, it delivers outstanding details and stunning visuals. The unparalleled display with 500 cd/m2 brightness and 50,000 hours performance, make this a truly professional signage display.

The NovoDisplay’s backlit D-LED (IPS panel) technology delivers brighter pictures, flawless colours, richer textures and extra wide viewing angles (178˚/ 178˚), combined

with incredibly sharp and crisp images.

This makes the viewing experience more pleasurable for all, across all applications and environments. The NovoDisplay DK series is part of the Vivitek Novo Ecosystem, the most comprehensive choice for wireless collaboration and digital signage. The built-in NovoConnect offers cable-free and hassle-free presentations and collaboration in the classroom or in office. For meeting room installations, the display can easily be switched to ‘presentation’ mode thanks to its included NovoConnect wireless collaboration, maximising the value of the investment. NovoDisplay is also ready and set for

hybrid meetings with video conferencing, meeting the requirements of new generations of hybrid workers. Commenting on the launch of the NovoDisplay DK Series, Holger Graeff, General Manager, Vivitek EMEA stated: “The new NovoDisplay DK series makes it easier than ever to create, manage and share important or informative messages that capture the viewer’s attention and imagination.”

Vivitek has introduced the NovoDisplay DK Series, a Digital Signage Display with included collaboration functionality.

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Technology News

Christie industry-first with 22,500 lumen 4K 1DLP projector Christie is pleased has announced the 4K22-HS, the newest addition to its HS Series of laser projectors. With 22,500 lumens, the new Christie 4K22-HS sets a new industry standard for brightness in 4K UHD 1DLP® projection. The Christie

quire multiple projectors, the new model features onboard Christie Twist for warping and blending, and quick and easy set-up and alignment of multiple displays. “We’re excited to demonstrate the new 4K22-HS at ISE 2023,” says Suhan Bijai, associate

calibrating, and maintaining multi-projector systems, as well as the new Christie Intelligent Camera. Among several time-saving features, Christie Intelligent Camera can be used to trigger projector autofocus, automatically calibrate projector colour to

Christie has announced the 4K22-HS, the newest addition to its HS Series of laser projectors.

4K22-HS narrows the gap between 1DLP and 3DLP projection, making it ideal for live events and venues that require high brightness, incredible colour performance, and professional features, including museums, auditoriums, and attractions, in a budget-friendly projector.

With Christie BoldColor+ technology, the 4K22-HS delivers natural and realistic colours, deeper blacks, and enhanced colour uniformity. For applications that re-

product manager, Christie. “We’ll be showcasing it with our content management solution Pandoras Box for an interactive experience on the stand, demonstrating how our products are designed to work together to create powerful experiences.”

The Christie 4K22-HS is compatible with Christie Mystique, an automated camera-based alignment and recalibration software tool that saves users hours of painstaking work when installing, aligning,

optimize colour uniformity, and automate colour and brightness matching across multi-projector arrays.

For added versatility, the 4K22-HS features active and passive polarized 3D functionality, and advanced electronics deliver frame rates at 60Hz in 4K UHD and 240Hz at 1080p. It is compatible with all WUXGA HS Series lenses. The Christie 4K22-HS comes with a 5-year warranty. It is available for order now and will ship in March 2023.

Jabra launches PanaCast 50 video bar Jabra has unveiled the PanaCast 50 Video Bar System as part of Jabra’s PanaCast 50 solution portfolio for small-medium sized meeting rooms. The Jabra PanaCast 50 Video Bar System is an integrated solution, that includes an Android based compute unit, as well as state-of-the-art SOCs, speakers, microphones, video camera, with network and display interfaces for easy deployment. The solution comes with a 10.1” touch controller to manage the room experience. The system natively and securely runs Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android or Zoom Rooms.

The complete portfolio delivers flexible deployment options to bring the best collaboration experience with either an integrated solution on Android, a modular on Windows through the PanaCast 50 Room Systems with Lenovo and Crestron or a BYOD solution with PanaCast 50.

The PanaCast 50 Video Bar System offers the same award-winning user experience as the two other solutions in the portfolio. It features full-room coverage with its unique 180° field of view Panoramic-4K multi-camera array, which uniquely delivers true-to-life representation of the people in the room. It also has eight professional-grade microphones with voice detection

riences and hybrid workplace needs with its AI-powered software-defined platform.

Above all, it is easy to install, manage and use with everything needed for video meetings embedded in the PanaCast Control for a one-touch start/join without requiring any additional devices, allowing simple, secure, and scalable deployment and management in any small-medium sized rooms.

Aurangzeb Khan, SVP for Intelligent Vision Systems at Jabra said, “We have an urgent need to improve collaboration in today’s hybrid working era. Our research* found that meeting equity has a strong impact on an employee’s experience, well-being, and productivity levels. The addition of the PanaCast 50 Video Bar System as a room solution to the Jabra PanaCast portfolio - with the already-delivered BYOD and room system solutions - can vastly enhance the hybrid meeting experience.

The Jabra PanaCast 50 solution portfolio addresses the spectrum of business needs for small-medium sized meeting rooms. We want to facilitate effortless discussions and encourage innovation amongst meeting attendees no matter their location.”

Key features of the PanaCast 50 Video Bar System include:

• 8 beamforming microphones and 4 powerful speakers with echo cancellation, noise suppression, Full Duplex and Super Wideband audio • Cutting-edge intelligent meeting room experiences to support immersive hybrid meeting experiences • Simple Start/Join meeting with just a tap on the touch controller • HDMI-wired content sharing, proximity join and dual display support • Fast and Easy to install with minimal cabling •Environmental sensors to monitor air quality in the room in real time • Ultrasonic motion sensor that detects people in the room, so the system wakes up and is always ready to go • Real-time, anonymous people count data with full room coverage to monitor room usage The PanaCast 50 Video Bar System: is

MAXHUB expands Unified Communications offering MAXHUB has expanded its UC range, launching MAXHUB’s new all-in-one USB videobar S07 and a full HD PTZ P15 camera, for plug-and-play efficiency and ultra-clear video imagery. With plug-and-play efficiency in a compact, all-in-one videobar, the S07 is ideal for Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) scenarios as well as huddle and medium-sized meeting rooms.

Efficient hands-free capabilities allow the device to start when motion is detected and go into standby mode when not in use, saving you time and making the device more energy efficient. The 8m voice pickup and 8W combo speaker combined with AI noise cancellation and automatic gain control, result in an immersive sound experience for clearer conversations and understanding.

The UHD 4K video offers high-definition

video imagery with AI Vision technology, while the wide-angle view and 5x digital zoom easily maintain attendees’ attention.

The camera’s auto-framing capabilities focuses on the room attendees and intelligent face detection tracks whoever is speaking and smoothly transitions between presenters via the integrated voice localization microphones, delivering a seamless meeting

experience for all.

The next-generation MAXHUB full HD PTZ camera, the P15, offers crystal-clear video imagery and smooth full HD Video, with a maximum frame rate of 60fps, provides a professional-grade visual experience to inspire and improve meeting engagement, capturing nonverbal communication cues.

Thanks to the super low-light performance CMOS sensor, the camera is capable of

P14AV AVNews NewsJuly February P14 2022 2023

producing lifelike and natural images even in dimly lit spaces. The improved 2D/3D de-noise algorithm and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) deliver noise-free imaging with high clarity. The camera can also output high-definition content simultaneously through USB, HDMI, and IP, while providing a choice of camera control options, including IR remote, Serial, IP, or USB con-

nections, making P15 a versatile choice in various application scenarios.

When paired with the Zoom-certified BM35 Bluetooth speakerphone, the combined solution brings exceptional audiovisual quality to your meeting room, elevating video conferencing experience to the next level. MAXHUB UC products come with a 3-year worry-free hot-swap warranty.

and intelligent algorithms that automatically identify and remove residual echoes and static noise, as well as an array of four powerful speakers in a zero-vibration stereo setup. Meanwhile, its Intelligent Meeting Room Experiences, which include the Virtual Director, Intelligent Zoom and Dynamic Composition, provide an engaging experience for remote participants.

The PanaCast 50 Video Bar System is designed to adapt to the evolving UC expe-

available from June 2023, MSRP: £3229 •Integrated video bar that runs Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android and supports your licensed Zoom Rooms natively without the need for external compute unit.

• Full-room coverage with unique 180° field of view in Panoramic-4K with three 13-megapixel cameras that preserve human scale fidelity

The Jabra PanaCast 50 Video Bar System is an integrated solution, that includes an Android based compute unit, as well as state-of-the-art SOCs, speakers, microphones, video camera, with network and display interfaces for easy deployment.

Advertorial Legamaster

Legamaster presents their best writing experience Legamaster presents their best writing experience on the Supreme and Evolve Interactive Touchscreen solutions for a selective hybrid working world.

Legamaster, the professional division for visual presentation solutions from the Edding Group, now has an enviable line up of new generation of displays on the market with the EVOLVE series, in sizes 55” to 86”. This compliments their design leading Legamaster Supreme series of interactive touchscreens.

In addition to innovative functions, the sustainability aspect is given high priority throughout the entire production and life cycle of both screens. This is in line with the efforts of parent company edding to become a climate-neutral company.

The exciting news for 2023 is Legamaster now has a special promotion on the Supreme interactive touchscreens, which means they are at a price level similar to the infra-red interactive touchscreens. This brings the most natural writing experience on an interactive touchscreen to more users which is sure to please both resellers and more customers.

The Supreme 75” was on display at ISE in Hall 2, on the FlatFrog stand 2R480. It will also be showing the latest FlatFrog 4.0 software which comes complimentary with the Supreme in either 65”, 75” or 86” sizes.

The new Legamaster Evolve series will be shown at the BETT show, alongside the Supreme in March 2023. There will also be some new exciting displays launched at BETT – details to follow.

The Legamaster Supreme has a number of unique advantages: •Legamaster SUPREME is a modular platform that can be extended by several high-end accessories. You can upgrade with additional functionalities like a conference camera system or with enhanced sound and create a full-fledged videoconferencing and collaboration system.

•User-friendliness has been at the heart of the development and design process. From easy

a more natural writing experience because of the newest, high-end InGlass touch system developed by FlatFrog. This M5 technology in sizes 65 to 85 is unique to Legamaster with a stylish ultra thin frame, and rounded bezel edges.

•The bonded glass eliminates the gap between glass and panel for a superb and life-like writing experience. It increases the viewing angle and reduces reflections •The glass on SUPREME touch monitors has been treated with both anti-glare and anti-fingerprint coatings. This further reduces reflection, offers higher visible brightness and makes it super easy to clean

especially in video conferencing meetings.

They highly recommend the touch-sensitivity and therefore precise operation. A high degree of accuracy is important when making comments on designs. Because they can now do this together with the customer on the large screen, this is a real added value for them and potentially many other detail driven companies.

Legamaster has a unique 360-degree approach to communication and presentation such that its two tribes of Legamaster electronic and Legamaster traditional work closer than ever together. They can provide all the necessary solutions for any teaching space and collaboration room, making presentation more effective.

•The PID-grade panels offer 500 cd/ms brightness, 5000:1 contrast and a 24/7 durability specification. This is superior to most interactive touchscreens with their brightness more like 350 cd/ms and lower contrast.

•Proven and documented security •User friendly and customizable platform and home screen.

•True 4K UHD resolution for the best image quality •All components of the Supreme touch display are carefully selected and designed for longterm use in schools and offices.

•SUPREME can be programmed to give quick access to your jobs-to-be-done. Whether it is working in the new Flatfrog 4.0 callaboration software on OPS, videoconferencing on an external system or casting personal devices to the big screen.

A good example of the Supreme screen advantages can be seen by the engineers at the Dutch company Van Tilburg Energie Design. They were shown the Supreme by Martin Cuypers and Legamaster, who gave them all the time and attention they needed, and all their questions were answered competently. Hence, they endorse the Legamaster Supreme touchscreen as they now add design corrections and decisions directly (digitally) in their drawings on screen.

This allows them to work even more efficiently and less error prone. All together in the same room or at a distance from each other at different locations, there are no more obstacles to working together as a team on designs.

•The touch experience is one of the best in the field, experience high speed, accuracy and

The engineers make direct digital notes on designs, which they found to be very useful,

to use soft keys printed on the glass, an easily accessible front facing USB port to a home screen that is intuitive and easy to navigate for all.

Contact Legamaster now for more information or a demonstration Email: info-uk@legamaster.com Telephone: 01628 846688 Web: www.legamaster.com/supreme

P15 AV News February 2023

Application News Museum

Retail

Custom dvLED video wall For Jackie Robinson Museum

Swedish supermarket delivers new shopping experiences

Established in 1973 by Rachel Robinson, the Jackie Robinson Foundation is dedicated to honouring the legacy and lifework of American professional baseball player Jackie Robinson. From providing education opportunities and scholarships to job placement and international travel opportunities, the foundation has greatly impacted the lives of students across the country.

PPDS has teamed up with Sweden’s biggest and most popular supermarket chain, Maxi ICA, to bring a highly engaging and more inspired shopping experience to customers in its flagship store, with the installation of 27 digital signage displays, and a spectacular 16 metre wide (52ft) direct view LED videowall – the largest of its kind in Scandinavia*. Located in Örebro – a city sandwiched between Stockholm and Gotenburg – the colossal Maxi ICA Stormarknad Universitetet store is one of the city’s most popular, go-to retail destinations, offering an extensive range of more than 38,000 stock items, including household utensils, gardening equipment, clothes, books, toys, media/entertainment, health and beauty, plus pharmaceuticals, under a single roof.

To further educate the public and honour Jackie Robinson’s memory, the non-profit sought to create a museum, the Jackie Robinson Museum, in the lower Manhattan SoHo area of New York City. Located on the 1st floor of 75 Varick Street, the museum is not only home to Robinson’s artifacts and writings, but a place to host dynamic educational programs and serve as a venue for dialogue for critical societal issues Ideum, a creative company focused on using emerging technologies to design experiences for public spaces, was first approached by the architect, interiors, and exhibit design team at Gensler in November of 2021. The museum wanted a full exhibit partner that could provide the whole package – fully integrated, end to end project management – without having to source out to multiple parties. George Hardebeck, a senior producer at Ideum, was project lead, leveraging his expertise in projection mapping, AR/VR and complex, technical stage design. Ideum was chosen for this project as one of few firms who could deliver a fully integrated exhibit between the project start of March 2022 and the July opening of the Jackie Robinson Museum, which celebrated Rachel Robinson’s 100th birthday.

Ideum and Gensler’s Digital Experience Design (DXD) team collaborated on the creation of an illuminated and detailed S scale model, 1:64th of actual size, of the former home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team and where Jackie started as first base in 1947, Ebbets Field. Behind it, a digital wall was to act as the main media delivery tool to illustrate stories of Jackie’s career and activist work.

The finished video wall measures 7ft H x 30ft W, with 152-degree concave facets, to create a captivating visual experience for visitors of the museum and those walking by the museum's glass facade.

Opened in 2015 and part of the ICA Group – 1,300 stores, 8,000 staff and a market share of 36 percent – the owners wanted to create a more modern, engaging and inspiring in-store environment for their customers, while binging new benefits to the store’s day-to-day operations, and to drive new and existing revenue opportunities. Part of a major digital upgrade initiative, key to its plans was the replacement of its traditional static and quickly outdated paper-based messaging (branding, marketing, and promotions) with a digital alternative, for maximum visibility and consistency, and less waste.

The Jackie Robinson Museum needed a digital wall to deliver the historical media for the Game Day exhibit. With Gensler’s design team they conceived of a faceted triptych of Unilumin USlimII panels that sat behind and wrapped around the Ebbets Field model. When the original estimate for mount and panel depth failed to take into account the added complexity and materials needed to join three displays at seamless angles, the wall overhung the soffit by 2” on either side.

Ideum worked closely with Peerless-AV, starting in March 2022, to deliver a design that met the client's vision while being mechanically robust. Peerless-AV manufactured the custom-engineered direct view LED (dvLED) mounting solution for Unilumin displays that would provide the stability required for this installation, and in a short timeframe. “By bringing them in right at the start of this installation, the expert dvLED team at Peerless-AV were able to solve all the challenges this installation raised”, commented Senior Producer of Experience Engineering, Ideum, George Hardebeck. “Their end-to-end consultation minimized issues on site, and their willingness to support with such a quick turnaround, from design to fabrication then delivery, was very impressive.”

Ideum collaborated closely with Peerless-AV to make the three dvLED panels work successfully. Rather than opting for a curved solution, Peerless-AV designed and manufactured a SEAMLESS Bespoke dvLED Video Wall Mounting System to fit within the three-faceted walls; each panel joining at the center then fanning out at a 152° angle at the sides. What made this challenging was achieving a perfect corner in alignment with the wall structure and, therefore, spacing of the video wall was critical. To address this, Peerless-AV designed custom wall adaptors to fill in the void.

The Jackie Robinson Museum needed a digital wall to deliver the historical media for the Game Day exhibit.

During the installation process, there were 15 people at a time on site with representatives from each party. Team members from Unilumin and Peerless-AV were dedicated from start to finish, investing their time and efforts to complete their part of the project in only three days. Even after the work had been finished, the team provided full support through the installation of the Unilumin cabinets.

“Due to the thorough and meticulous problem-solving that took place once challenges were found, the mount was installed without any issues,” said Hardebeck. “The hanging of the dvLED panels was smooth and straight forward. When tough decisions had to be made to move forward with the limited time at hand, Peerless-AV were true to their craft. They were straight-talking, honest, and supportive, making them a trustworthy partner for this difficult installation.”

Working closely with PPDS and LTG Display – Sweden's leading supplier of signage software, digital signage and store communications for more than 3,000 retailers – a strategic plan was developed to evolve the store from traditional media to the digital world. Completed in just a few days, nearly all printed signage was replaced with Philips D-Line digital displays (75”-86”), allowing the store to bring its branding and messaging content to life in a way never seen before in store, with creativity, only restricted by their imaginations, delivered in up to 4K picture quality. Linked seamlessly to LTG Display’s sophisticated POS system, the store is now able to update content instantly and entirely remotely, on an individual screen or collectively.

In addition, the installation of Philips digital signage removes concerns around outdated promotions being displayed, ensures staff are able to focus on their job rather than on changing posters on a daily basis, and eliminates unnecessary paper waste. The centrepiece of the store, undoubtedly, is the colossal 16 x 1.73 metre Philips L-Line 7000 Series direct view LED wall.

“I feel so proud of this project,” said Megan Zeller, Senior Director, Business Development at Peerless-AV. “All parties put an incredible amount of effort in not only collaborating to make this installation happen but to deliver a stunning centerpiece to such an important museum. The results, even on a tight timeline, prove our experienced and hardworking team at Peerless-AV is always up for the challenge. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of all parties involved, this installation was a rousing success. Only having three days on site to install and assist in any way possible, the team at Peerless-AV were able to fit within the tight timeframe to keep the entire installation on schedule.

The custom spacers, along with the x, y and z axis adjustment, inherent in the Peerless-AV mount, provided the accuracy and micro-adjustment needed to overcome these installation irregularities and achieve the desired result with precision pixel alignment. Peerless-AV designed the mounting system to deflect no more than L/360, meaning the mount was extremely rigid with the maximum total it is able to flex is 1/8" over a 10' span. For added assurance, the design was reviewed, tested, and authorized by a professional engineer leaving the team feeling confident with the solution.

The finished video wall measures 7ft H x 30ft W, with 152-degree concave facets, to create a captivating visual experience for visitors of the museum and those walking by the museum's glass facade. The displays used are Unilumin USlimII 1.5625 pitch, (500x1000mm), with 272 modules and a 17x2 configuration. The dvLED weight is 850lbs, while the mount is 1,150lbs, making the video wall solution weigh 2,000lbs in total. The resolution of the display is 5,440 x 1,280 with 6,963,200 pixels. “The collaboration with the teams at Peerless-AV and Ideum demonstrated how teamwork can create a visual experience. We were all excited how the display came to life through the process," said Ryan Wilhelm, Midwest Senior Sales Director, Unilumin USA. The installation began on July 4th with a three-week window to complete before the ribbon cutting ceremony on July 26th. Peerless-AV was enthusiastic about seeing the project through and committing to the short timeline. The team understood the impetus of this civil rights project and delivered the best solution, from custom product design to on-site installation consultation and support, that made the video wall display fit perfectly within the space.

P16AV AVNews NewsJuly February P14 2022 2023

Through the partnership between Ideum and Peerless-AV, the Jackie Robinson Museum provides attendees with a look into the life and history of Jackie Robinson and offers a space for people to come together to appreciate each other’s humanity and diverse experiences.

As the first civil rights museum in New York City, those who visit can learn of Jackie Robinson’s work in challenging the system of segregation that permeated American society during the 20th century. The video wall installation, a central media delivery tool for the museum, provides an immersive way for attendees to view snippets of Jackie’s career achievements.

“At the ribbon cutting on July 26th, hearing poignant words from Jackie Robinson wife, Rachel Robinson, who turned 100 just the week before, was very inspiring and being part of it all was hugely rewarding. The museum isn’t just a visitor attraction, but an educational hub and outreach center as well; remembering Jackie while continuing his work. Eric Adams, NYC Mayor, was also present at the ceremony. It was a memorable day,” said Hardebeck.

Project facts Concave Video Wall: 152° Peerless-AV SEAMLESS Bespoke dvLED Mounting System Unilumin UslimII dvLED Panels 272 Modules (17 x 2) | 6,963,200 Pixels

Hailed as Scandinavia’s longest supermarket dvLED display, this unmissable installation is visible from anywhere in the store, providing opportunities to wow visitors on entering, while also creating an immersive experience that follows throughout their store journey. The one-of-a-kind LED wall is strategically situated above an equally giant-sized pick ‘n’ mix selection, located towards the end of the customer’s journey, regularly displaying enticing – and often mouth-watering – content to grab a few extra sales (and treats) before exiting the building.

Designed for retail, the Philips 7000 Series provides the store with high bright, crystal clear image and colour quality, bringing its marketing to life, while its low energy consumption – above 20pc lower compared to some competitors – helps Maxi ICA keep running costs to a minimum without impacting performance. All the Philips displays feature the benefits of Dynamic and Black screen power saving features, automatically and intelligently powering

6.6 Feet High x 27.9 Feet Wide Total Video Wall Weight: 2,000lbs

Continued on page 17

Application News

Swedish supermarket delivers Marks & Spencer pilots Zyler virtual try-on new shopping experiences UK department store Marks & Spencer and technology company Zyler partnered to deliver an in-store virtual try-on experience. M&S brought the technology to their Oxford Circus and Harrogate branches, where the feature was trailed with clothing brand Jaeger .The introduction of this technology provides a personalized shopping journey where customers become the model. Shoppers add a head and shoulders photo and basic measurements to see themselves digitally in the Jaeger collection. Sales assistants guide customers through the process and give style advice.

CEO of Zyler, Alexander Berend, describes the partnership as “a wonderful opportunity to get customers excited about shopping in-store. Shoppers could see themselves in the entire Jaeger range, including items not in stock at that location, to find the best items for them”.

He adds, “We are delighted to be working with such an iconic brand as Marks & Spencer to improve the shopping experience”.

UK department store Marks & Spencer and technology company Zyler partnered to deliver an in-store virtual try-on experience.

PPDS has teamed up with Sweden’s biggest and most popular supermarket chain, Maxi ICA with the installation of 27 digital signage displays, and a spectacular 16 metre wide (52ft) direct view LED videowall. down when not in use. This helps to further reduce the total cost of ownership, while extending the life of each dvLED panel for a greater RoI. FailOver also ensures Philips displays never go blank, even in the event of an outage.

Speaking of the installation Roeland Scholten, Sales Director for Benelux and Nordics at PPDS, said: “The result of this collaboration set a new benchmark in the shopping experience with clear and seamless customer navigation and endless opportunities in content creation related to each department. We’re delighted to have supported Maxi ICA in bringing their ambitions to life in this unique, forward-thinking store, where the customer experience really does come first.” Erik Svedmark, Store Manager at Maxi ICA Stormarknad Universitetet, added: “Our goal is to be the number one choice for a customer when it comes to purchasing food, which means that we have to provide them with a different experience.”

TDC celebrates Summer at Sydney Festival Sydney is back and evidence of its uniquely Australian celebration of Summer will be an unprecedented line up of artists’ work at Sydney Festival. TDC - Technical Direction Company, award-winning provider of event and entertainment technology solutions and sponsor of Sydney Festival, is excited to announce its biggest involvement yet in the preeminent city-wide celebration of culture, creativity and live performance. It’s team of technicians have been busy preparing creative design technology and projection mapping expertise showcased at multiple events across Sydney from 5 – 29 January 2023 including Festival highlights featuring iconic feminist Frida Kahlo, and mythic new opera epic Antarctica.

Chris Fitzgerald, TDC Technical Project Manager, said: “We are very excited to be a Sydney Festival partner once again in 2023. Organising and coordinating our sponsorship of Sydney Festival required extensive site surveys, scheduling, dealing with weather changes and

a week of installation to set up and install,” Fitzgerald explained. “In creating the project, we worked closely with the Frida Kahlo Corporation and Layers of Reality to deliver a quick turnaround in a matter of weeks. We opted for laser because the technology lifts the colour and resolution of the projections and does so with a reduction in energy consumption.”

“Our clients are looking for greener, more energy efficient technology and TDC was able to deliver that for Frida Khalo. Compared to lamp-based projection, laser projector technology uses much less cooling, they have less moving parts and are a more robust system. Also, the longevity of laser is far greater and the image produced is very uniform and stable,” added Drew Ferors, Head of Technical Services at TDC. A magnificent new opera by Australian composer Mary Finsterer and librettist Tom Wright will be performed on home soil for the first-time during Sydney Festival 2023, featuring

About the installation Benefits • Improved customer navigation: Bright screens strategically placed across the entire store have enhanced the customer shopping experience and increased sensory excitement.

• Future-ready features: LTG Display can roll out new features to the digital signage system with minimal disruptions to the store’s setup.

• Complete control: CMND & Control enables the store’s staff to create and deploy new promotions and product information in an instant.

• Energy efficiency: Low power consumption screens mean lower operating costs and a bigger step toward a greener future.

Fast facts Client: Maxi ICA Stormarknad Universitetet Location: Örebro, Sweden Project: Flagship store signage upgrade

Products: • Philips D-Line 86” 86BDL4550D/00 Signage Display (3 units)

Sydney is back and evidence of its uniquely Australian celebration of Summer will be an unprecedented line up of artists’ work at Sydney Festival.

• Philips D-Line 75” 75BDL4550D/00 Signage Display (2 units)

attention to detail. It also gave us a unique opportunity for us to work in collaboration with some leading artists from all over the world using the latest projection mapping techniques and LED technology. We are proud to be involved and can’t wait to see audiences react to the wonderful experience.”

• Philips D-Line 86” 50BDL4550D/00 Signage Display (22 units) • Philips 7000 Series LED Display (H/W: 1.75m x 16m) Partner: LTG Display

To provide visitors with the most incredible immersive experience and continuing TDC’s commitment to sustainability, TDC has deployed the latest addition to its inventory the Barco G62-W11 laser projector which operate on a fraction of the energy used in lamp-based counterparts. Michael Hasset, Founder and Managing Director, TDC, said: “We worked to a specification and used over projectors that were reliable, and gave considerable brightness”.

For the first time in Australia, a unique biographical exhibition allows you to better understand Frida Kahlo, the woman whose perseverance, rebellion and talent placed her eons ahead of her time. Co-created by the Frida Kahlo Corporation and the renowned Spanish digital arts company Layers of Reality, this multi-sensory experience features nine transformational spaces, from collections of historical photographs and original films, captivating holography, 360-degree projections and a virtual reality system that will transport visitors inside Kahlo’s most famous works. Barco G62-W11 laser projectors were rigged by a bespoke TDC system and played back using the latest high-powered media servers. “There are seamless floor and wall projections and unusual projection surfaces which took around

renowned Dutch new music ensemble, Asko Schönberg. Finsterer’s intriguing blend of Renaissance-inspired and contemporary music styles is performed on a brilliant, futuristic digital set the backdrop for which is a 12m x 9m Roe BQ4 Black Quartz LED wall specified, supplied and installed by TDC. The opera’s fascinating musical palette is amplified by the sounds of the Southern Ocean and the Antarctic itself. The LED screen is used as a set piece as well as an animated display whereby performers can enter and exit the stage through walkways created within the screen.

Francis Smith, Technical Project Manager, TDC, commented: “Antarctica is a fantastic immersive experience for which we adapted an installation from the debut performance in The Netherlands. The screen sits in front of the scaffolding with elements of the set emerging onto stage through cut outs. Not only did the screen have to perfectly accommodate the cut outs, the design specified there would be nothing to physically connect the screen to the scaffolding. We elected to design using the new ROE BQ4.6 as it was the strongest and sturdiest for a screen that size and that weight. Having the vertical bracing built into the LED panels themselves helped with structural integrity, thus keeping everything safe for performers and audience alike.”

TDC is supporting numerous additional Festival experiences including at the emotive re-awakening of the spirit in VIRGIL: AWAKEN held looking across the shoreline and at the precious island Me-Mel (Formerly Goat Island), at Barangaroo Reserve and for the projection of Dyin Hura (Women’s Place) on the façade of the oldest surviving public building, Old Government House in Parramatta Park.

P17 AV News February 2023

AV News Awards Winners

AV News Award 2023 Winners The nominations are in – this time in record numbers - the judging complete and the shortlists published. Below we can announce the category winners acknowledged ay an Awards presentation ceremony at ISE 2023 in Barcelona. Thanks to all of those who took part in the Awards programme this year- the quality of the nominations was exceptional and the judges thank all of those who took the time to enter.

Personal Awards AV Sales Professional of the Year

Outstanding Achievement in AV

Chris Liebrand of RunTec

Royce Lye of BenQ

Chris Liebrand, CTS entered the AV industry in 1996 as an apprentice. During his career, he has worked on several projects including the very first videowall for Coca Cola in Piccadilly Circus, Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados, Apple Retail and Corporate Locations worldwide, and 50+ Zoom Rooms for Sophos across the UK, EMEA, Asia and the USA. After his AV business was acquired, he joined Runtech in late 2019 as Director of AV and was promoted to MD in 2022. Although joining during COVID, Chris has secured and helped manage over 7.2 million turnover, from both existing and new business development.

Royce has hands-on experience of advancements in key product lines such as the rise in popularity of educational technology. BenQ was an early adopter for interactive displays, Royce has overseen the progression of interactive displays from product development in an early market to now a major education solutions provider in the UK and globally.

Royce is an advocate for internal personal development, supporting colleagues in furthering their careers within BenQ and mentoring through their development, regardless of their gender. Royce’s understanding of the industry, technologies and educational background underpins his ability to strategically plan and tactically roll-out projects securing year-on-year

AV Support Professional of the Year Kevin Kandula of Datapath Kevin has worked in operations and technical support for over 25 years. He began his career with Loughborough Sound Images (LSI) working as a Test Technician. Kevin joined Datapath in 2008, After various roles from senior electronic engineer to operation testing. His natural ability for problem-solving and desire to help people made him a perfect addition to the Datapath support team as 2nd line technical support. Kevin has been promoted to UK support team leader, he is involved in technical queries reported globally, the first point of contact if issues cannot be resolved within the support department.

AV Marketing Professional of the Year

growth and profitability to ensure stable and secure employment for all the team and their direct families. In the initial years of his career, Royce has been an early pioneer of channel and brand marketing for the de facto PC audio brand in the early

90's. This experience is still useful today and contributes to his success transitioning from Marketing Executive to Managing Director

Technology, Project, and Organisation Awards AV Project of the Year (Education) BenQ – Bus Education Roadshow The BenQ Bus Education Roadshow took training, upskilling and new product innovation directly to the doors of education establishments in the UK at a time when exhibitions, training courses and conferences were declining. Inhabiting a refurbished double-decker bus, this immersive, collaborative showroom visited 24 schools, academies, colleges and universities around the UK, covering a total of 4,567 miles in 2022.

Jessica Golding of Absen After graduating from Birmingham City University in 2017, Golding worked in FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) before moving to projector/monitor brand BenQ as a marketing executive, where she worked for ten months before being promoted to marketing manager. Jessica joined Absen as European brand manager in February 2021 with a quick promotion to European brand & marketing director, responsible for raising brand awareness, as well as the range of solutions it can offer to corporate, events, DOOH, sports, broadcast and virtual production customers. Since joining Absen, Golding has considerably increased its overall media presence, with double the amount of press releases and case studies generated and sent to press, compared to five years prior.

4 P18 AV News February 2023

AV Project of the Year (Commercial) DigiLED for the O2 Arena The 0.25 km LED ribbon upgrade at The O2 has more green credentials than Greta Thunburg. 90% of the original screens’ structure was retained and modified to mount the new high-brightness, energy-efficient digiTHIN product, reducing waste and minimizing the carbon footprint.

High-efficiency LEDs were used at a greater pixel density, resulting in a screen that burnt less electricity whilst being brighter and providing 7,786% increase in resolution. Deployment of digiLED’s proprietary energy saving ZEUS technology (Zero Energy Usage System), meant the display’s

standby power-burn reduces from 130,000 kWh per annum to zero, with a cost saving

of tens of thousands of pounds.

AV News Award Winners

Technology, Project, and Organisation Awards AV Project of the Year (Live / Digital Events) Panasonic for the Van Goch Frameless Tour Frameless is a new cultural, immersive art experience, housed in an incredible 30,000 square foot venue in the heart of London. Art seeps into every space, with visitors able to walk in the pictures, seeing every brush stroke and splash of colour as they journey through four distinctive galleries, each with a different type of immersive technology. Using more than 50 state-ofthe-art Panasonic projectors, delivering 479 million pixels with million lumens of light, Frameless elevates traditional art to a new level, accompanied by breath-taking music from 158 surround sound speakers.

It’s an immersive experience that’s inspiring visitors of all ages.

Digital Signage Innovation of the Year

AV Sustainability Innovation of the Year

LED Studio for Aegis range

CTOUCH

The Aegis 1.2 mm is the industry’s first freestanding, fine-pixel pitch, ultra-highbright LED display kiosk solution for indoor and outdoor applications. Available in four sizes 57”, 67”, 77” and 85” and featuring a pixel pitch of just 1.2mm, The Aegis is a technological breakthrough that places fine-pixel pitch LED displays into the DOOH market for the first time. Engineered by LED technology experts at The LED Studio and manufactured by its display partner VOD Visual, The Aegis range boasts sustainable

CTOUCH is the most sustainable touchscreen manufacturer in all of Europe. “We’re devoted to reducing our CO2 footprint by 60% and increasing our product circularity by 25% before 2025. We strongly believe businesses need to be transparent about their environmental impact in order to achieve real progress. We put our belief into action by introducing a myriad of sustainability initiatives. With these tools we’re spreading awareness about our products’ CO2 impact. We’re building trust and triggering dialogue on (re)using our touchscreens. Internally, these tools empower us to make sustainable choices concerning future products, benefiting both the environment and our customer”

Collaboration Innovation of the Year Logitech for LogiDock Logi Dock is an all-in-one speakerphone and docking station, designed to simplify personal workspaces and boost productivity. This unique product is the ultimate homeworking companion, offering a flexible speakerphone and speaker for music, alongside a single connection point for all desktop peripherals, enabling fewer cords, dongles and distracting clutter on the desk – making room for a cleaner workspace and greater productivity. It features two USB-A ports, three USB-C downstream ports, a USB-C upstream port, a display port, a HDMI port and Bluetooth pairing.

features including low power consumption and cool operation, providing users with a cost-effective LED kiosk solution that will

replace outdated LCD units.

AV Manufacturer/Developer of the Year Avocor Avocor is one of the fastest-growing interactive display and video conferencing companies, creating real-world collaboration solutions that enable people to come together easily, in-person or remotely. Avocor has been at the forefront of developing technology to enable a fully hybrid workforce, with a strategic focus on creating new problem-solving products and working with leading technology partners to enhance meeting efficiency and equity.

AV Reseller/Integrator of the Year

Education Technology Innovation of the Year Kramer Quicklaunch Kramer audio-visual experiences power creativity, collaboration, and engagement.

From AVSM to advanced cloud-based communication, collaboration and control solutions, Kramer creates audio-visual experiences that are more engaging, more inclusive and more connected than ever before. Headquartered in the heart of Startup Nation – Tel Aviv, Israel with international locations, Kramer’s audio-visual experts are designing the future of engagement technology. Physical and digital boundaries have blurred. But no matter how hybrid our world becomes, their desire for real, human connection will never cease.

AV Reseller/Integrator of the Year Project Audio Visual Project Audio Visual consults, designs, installs, commissions, maintains and supports modern workspace technology. They have become the ‘go to’ business that helps workplaces embrace the hybrid transition and join the Microsoft Teams ecosystem to maintain and evolve their digital workflow. The company has supplied and delivered over 5000 Teams Rooms, a remarkable achievement for a modest business that has seen record-breaking growth in the past three years.

AV News P18 AV NewsP19 December 2021February 2023

AV News Awards Winners

Technology, Project, and Organisation Awards AV News Editor’s Choice Zoom Video Communications Zoom Video Communications provides videotelephony and online chat services through a cloud-based peer-to-peer software platform and is used for teleconferencing, telecommuting, distance education and social relations. Zoom was founded by Eric Yuan, a former corporate vice president for Cisco Webex. In June 2011, the company raised $3 million of seed money from WebEx founder Subrah Iyar, former Cisco SVP and General Counsel Dan Scheinman, and venture capitalists Matt Ocko, TSVC, and Bill Tai. In May 2012, the company changed its name to Zoom, influenced by Thacher Hurd's children's book Zoom City.

In September 2012, Zoom launched a beta version that could host conferences with up to 15 video participants.

In November 2012, the company signed Stanford University as its first customer.

The service was launched in January 2013 after the company raised a $6 million Series A funding round from Qualcomm Ventures, Yahoo! founder Jerry Yang, WebEx founder Subrah Iyar, and former Cisco SVP and General Counsel Dan Scheinman.

Zoom launched version 1.0 of the program allowing the maximum number of participants per conference to be 25. By the end of its first month, Zoom had 400,000 users and by May 2013 it had 1 million users.

On February 4, 2015, the company received US$30 million in Series C funding from investors including Emergence Capital, Horizons Ventures (Li Ka-shing), Qualcomm Ventures, Jerry Yang, and Patrick Soon-Shiong. At that time, Zoom had 40 million users, with 65,000 organizations subscribed and a total of 1 billion meeting minutes since it was established.

Zoom increased the maximum number of participants allowed per conference to 50 and later to 1,000 for business customers With version 2.5 in October 2015, Zoom increased the maximum number of participants allowed per conference to 50 and later to 1,000 for business customers.

In November 2015, former president of RingCentral David Berman was named president of the company, and Peter Gassner, the founder and CEO of Veeva Systems, joined Zoom's board of directors. In January 2017, the company raised US$100 million in Series D funding from Sequoia Capital at a US$1 billion valuation, making it a so-called unicorn. In April 2017, Zoom launched a scalable telehealth product allowing doctors to host remote consultations with patients.

On April 18, 2019, the company became a public company via an initial public offering. After pricing at US$36 per share, the share price increased over 72% on the first day of trading. The company was valued at US$16 billion by the end of its first day of trading. Prior to the IPO, Dropbox invested $5 million in Zoom. In January 2020, Zoom had over 2,500 employees, with 1,396 in the United States and 1,136 in international locations. By February 2020, Zoom had gained 2.22 million users in 2020 — more users than it amassed in the entirety of 2019.

In March 2020, New York State Attorney General Letitia James launched an inquiry into Zoom's privacy and security practices; the inquiry was closed on May 7, 2020, with Zoom not admitting wrongdoing, but agreeing to take added security measures.

On one day in March 2020, the Zoom app was downloaded 2.13 million times. Zoom stock went from less than $70 per share in January 2020 to $150 per share by the

end of March.

On July 15, 2020, the company announced Zoom for Home, a line of products for home use, designed for those working from home. The first product, with software by Zoom and hardware by DTEN, is called Zoom for Home. It consists of a 27-inch screen with three wide-angle cameras and eight microphones, with Zoom software preloaded on the device.

In July 2020, Zoom announced its first hardware as a service products, bundling its videoconferencing software with third-party hardware by DTEN, Neat, Poly, and Yealink, and running on the ServiceNow platform. It will begin with Zoom

Rooms and Zoom Phone offerings, with those services available to US customers, who can acquire hardware from Zoom for a fixed monthly cost. In February 2021, Zoom announced that it was launching a new feature called Kiosk Mode, which will allow people visiting offices to check in with a receptionist virtually on a kiosk, without any physical contact. In March 2021, Zoom announced that from 23rd August 2021 Zoom will stop selling new and upgraded products directly to customers in mainland China. February 2023 Zoom is announced the AV News Editors Choice in recognition of its achievements and societal benefits.

Thanks The organisers of the 2023 AV News Awards extend their thanks the event sponsors; all the marketing, PR specialists and others involved in drafting and submitting Award nominations; to Mike Blackman and his ISE team for enabling us to stage the event here; to the Fire dr Barcelona catering and AV specialists; and finally to all those who attended the presentation event- it is much appreciated.Also a huge thank you to Saskia , Prem and Jess .

4 P20 AV News February 2023

YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW TO USE IT CTOUCH NEO

The days of having to figure out how that complicated touchscreen works are over! Designed to be used by even the least tech-savvy person, CTOUCH Neo has the most intuitive user interface you have ever seen.

You already know how to use it.

Easy whiteboarding with only the essentials to choose from

Use AirServer to wirelessly share your screen

Share, inspire, have fun!

With CTOUCH by your side.

Gain quick access to the internet with the embedded Chromium browser

Change your source with one touch

www.ctouch.co.uk

Application News Classical music

Folk music

L-Acoustics extends portfolio of Philharmonie Essen

Indie folk band takes immersive in ear system on the road

The Alfried-Krupp-Saal at Philharmonie Essen in western Germany is renowned for its marvellous acoustics and for being home to the Essen Philharmonic Orchestra. Philharmonie Essen stands on a site which has been home to a concert venue since the mid-19th century.

A second building was opened there in 1904, only to be destroyed during World War II and then modernized during a rebuild between 1949 and 1954. A total renovation costing some 72 million Euros took place in 2003 and 2004, during which the most significant venue within the complex, the Alfried-Krupp-Saal, was extended to a capacity of almost 2,000.

In 2019, as the Hall’s programme had developed beyond a traditional classical music repertoire, venue management realized there was a need for a new audio system that could offer enough power to handle pop, rock, and jazz concerts. Venue management launched a project of acoustic renovations and an upgrade of the sound reinforcement system, choos-

in the upper balcony, which was always tricky with the old system,” explains Rode. “Since the horizontal dispersion of Kara II is adjustable, it’s possible to tune that to the shape of the room. We set the upper cabinets in the main arrays to 90 degrees, and that gave us a great result. This is unique to Kara II, and it’s given us much greater clarity than other systems can achieve.”

The audience area is covered by Left/Centre/Right arrays of Kara II arrays comprising 12 cabinets left and right, with eight Kara II in the centre. Four KS21 subs per side in cardioid configuration provide low frequency energy at each side of the stage with nine compact 5XT spread across the stage lip to provide front-fill while keeping sight lines clear. A pair of A10 (one Wide, one Focus) sit atop the KS21, allowing the audience to localize vocal content at stage level.

ing an L-Acoustics installation that centres around the manufacturer’s highly flexible Kara II. Acoustic consultant Müller-BBM Building Solutions had performed all the acoustic planning for renovation in the early aughts and was again approached by Philharmonie Essen in 2019 as the natural choice for the new design. Previous renovations included extensive architectural renovation, such as the addition of an 18-tonne adjustable polygonal panel above the stage, designed to improve the auditory experience for both musicians and audience by optimizing the hall’s reverberation characteristics to make the room’s acoustics ideal for live orchestral works. “The previous system had worked very well, but with the evolving music programme, there was a need for a little more power,” says Müller-BBM’s Harald Frisch, who planned and designed the hall’s previous system and is now responsible for its current loudspeaker and electroacoustic design. We knew the room acoustics very well. We even had the models from the first planning, which we used to check to confirm if they were still as close to reality as possible before planning the new loudspeaker system.”

Frisch and his team organised a blind loudspeaker shoot out with an audience of around 20 people, using an L-Acoustics system and two systems of highly qualified competitors. Since the original system was self-powered, two separate technical specifications were drawn up for the new system, one self-powered and one using external amplifiers. When accurate costings were compared, it was discovered that L-Acoustics was preferable in terms of audio quality while also being more cost-effective.

One of the challenges Müller-BBM faced was the venue’s side galleries which had not been adequately covered with the previous system. “To address this, we used larger arrays for the side galleries rather than delays,” explains Frisch. “While delays may be the usual choice, it has the unhappy side-effect of localizing sound away from the stage for the gallery audiences. We wanted to have a sound source coming from the stage that was strong enough to reach the galleries and localize sound from the stage, no matter where the audience is seated.” Since the Alfried-Krupp-Saal is primarily a Concert Hall for classical music, all arrays must be raised up to the roof during classical concerts, making the sound reinforcement system invisible. “This created some rigging and cabling challenges to solve,” Frisch says, but the benefits were worth the effort.

Frisch continues, “We also included a delay line for the gallery opposite the stage to prevent late reflections from the rear wall. With the new system, the main balcony on the opposite side of the stage only gets a little impulse from the main system to create an acoustical localisation towards the stage. A powerful delay system is installed to fully cover the balcony with proper sound pressure level.”

The new Kara II-based system was supplied, installed, and commissioned by Amptown System Company GmbH, an L-Acoustics Certified Partner Integrator in Germany. Amptown Project Manager, Michael Klötzer, remarks, “The basic design was done by Martin Rode, Senior Application Project Engineer at L-Acoustics, who collaborated with the Müller-BBM team to achieve the final outcome.” “Part of the specification was to improve the coverage

The design throughout the hall is effectively a distributed system covering 360 degrees.

Arrays of three Kara II cabinets per side cover the upper side balconies, once again using the adjustable dispersion - two of the enclosures are trimmed to a very narrow horizontal dispersion of 70 degrees while the lowest cabinet is set to 90 degrees to cover the middle balcony. The choir balconies, above and behind the stage are served by four arrays of A10 Wide: the two inner consisting of three A10 Wide and the two outer arrays counting one each of A10 Focus and Wide. Additionally, the rear balcony area at the side behind the Kara II arrays are covered by an A10 Wide for the upper balcony and two A10 Wide per side for the lower balcony. “Although the main system covered those areas, the additional speakers gave us a little more energy and a bit of freshness there,” Rode notes.

Calibration was performed using a P1 Processor in combination with M1 software, and despite having up to 122 separate measurements to analyse, the process only took around two hours as the M1 measurement sequence handles up to four mics at the same time. Rode reports that the venue’s team have been fascinated with the homogeneity achieved. “The sound image is constant with the acoustic orientation always towards the stage, he says.

“Regardless of where you are in the room, the sound image is always in the right place.”

“This is the first time in my career that I have replaced my own system and put in a new one,” Frisch concludes. “The results from the new L-Acoustics system are impressive and deliver the power, coverage, and clarity that Philharmonie Essen deserves.”

4 P22 AV News February 2023

Wilderado is a three-piece indie folk band from Oklahoma with a loyal and ever-expanding fan-base. The beginning of the year saw them complete of a sold-out US headline tour and announce their first UK tour as special guests on alt-J’s The Dream Tour, ending this autumn with their own headline leg. But, despite their solid success, not everything was perfect in the Wilderado-camp. Struggling with monitor wedges and inconsistent set ups on stage, they knew something needed to change. When audio engineer, Davis McCoy, joined them at the beginning of the year, he recommended KLANG immersive in-ear monitors. They have not looked back since. “As we started building longer sets and were doing more and more dates, I found I just couldn’t sing through the show,” says lead singer and guitarist, Max Rainer. “It was too taxing trying to project and to hear myself in the on-stage wedges.”

The band’s first experience of in-ear monitors had been as openers for Kings of Leon. “We used the house engineer and rented in some IEMs,” recalls Rainer. “We had next to no sound check time, no show files and just tried to get things into a workable state. The show went OK, but nobody in the band was really happy with how their ears sounded, although they were still better than wedges.” A couple of months later, and with their first post-Covid tour looming, McCoy decided to build an in-ear monitor rig that would be compact and light enough for them to travel with.

“We thought how efficient it would be if we could fly with it and also have that be the same piece of gear we take in our van,” he says. “I’d seen ads and posts on Instagram for the KLANG:vokal which were really interesting. But the thing that really sold it for me was the single rack space, and that it would do Dante to MADI conversion within the unit.” McCoy then found a company that made another single rackmount piece of equipment with 32 preamps, 32 outputs in a single rack space on terminal blocks, which would feed Dante into the KLANG. “Then the MADI output on the KLANG is just a split output of the preamps,” he continues. “That was perfect for getting all the inputs on to my console without me having to carry a stage box or anything else. Now, in just a single Peli case, we have three wireless in-ears, two wired routers, analogue split, the KLANG:vokal and the preamps all in one. And when it goes on a plane, it’s under 100lbs, which is perfect.”

Rainer admits that some of the technical equipment is over their heads. But when Davis showed the KLANG system to them, even without knowing the jargon or understanding how it worked, it changed everything. “I remember you're just looking at a very basic set of faders,” he says. “There's my name, there’s my guitar, and I push it up. It was so easy.

I make adjustments through every show, and no one even knows it's on my pedal point on my phone. And it’s so clear, so round, so adjustable, so present. Even without doing much to the guitars, they sounded like my guitar. My voice sounded like my voice. It was

Wilderado is a three-piece indie folk band from Oklahoma with a loyal and ever-expanding fan-base. The beginning of the year saw them complete of a sold-out US headline tour and announce their first UK tour. Struggling with monitor wedges and inconsistent set ups on stage, they knew something needed to change. unbelievable from the start. It was the first time I’d ever been able to hear myself clearly.”

“Of course, we’re also learning each day about what you can do within the KLANG App,” adds guitarist, Tyler Wimpee. “The 3D aspect of it is epic and the presets, especially the EQ presets, which are amazing. One of the things that's hardest for me is trying to express what I want to hear to an engineer. I find it's like trying to describe colour to somebody. For me, being able to fix it myself is perfect, and the rest of the band feels the same.” “As a singer inconsistency makes me anxious,” Rainer adds. “The first thing that happens is your mouth dries, your heart rate goes up, you can't breathe right and that affects your performance.

But now just knowing my monitor mix is going to be exactly the same, every time means all I have to do now is remember when to breathe and remember the words. We simply couldn't do it without it now. We spent our advance on KLANG and it’s the best investment we could have made!”

Drummer, Justin Kila, concurs, “KLANG has taken out so many unknowns and given us so much more consistency. Now, we can focus on making the show better from night to night, rather than just being in survival mode and just trying to make it through the gig without anything catastrophic happening.” With 260 days on the road this year and over 120 shows, Wilderado’s streamlined rig also means load in to soundcheck only takes about an hour.

And from the moment they walk off stage, it only takes around 20 minutes before everything is packed up and they are back in the van.

With the KLANG:vokal now maxed out and plans to expand the show, there are also plans to up the ante on the KLANG system, with the wish list including the KLANG:konductor. Davis is also about to take delivery of a DiGiCo SD11, keeping the compact nature of his rig, but bringing additional functionality to it “We carry as much as we can to eliminate as many variables as we can and just focus on the music and the show,” concludes McCoy. “KLANG is integral to that. It’s small and it’s capable.

Application Application News Projecction mapping

Christie projection powers mapping spectacle Christie projection has helped to elevate a spatial light art experience at a 19th-century church building in Waterloo, Liverpool, UK. At Black Hole – End of Time, projectors were used to map striking content from visual artist Rocco Helmchen onto the iconic interior of Old Christ Church, in conjunction with a unique soundtrack, lighting, lasers, and additional effects. The performance was the brainchild of musician and lighting designer Paul Alty, with the projection content created by Helmchen. Funds were raised from ticket sales, a JustGiving page, and cash donations and were donated to BackupTech, which supports professionals in the entertainment industry, and local charity Friends of Old Christ Church.

Following a successful 2021 event, the show aimed to deliver an even more engaging storytelling spectacle with the addition of projection. “There was a lot of appetite to do the show again, and I committed to doing projection mapping as I felt like that was the next step,” says Paul Alty. “I felt that the church environment would really lend itself well to it, and it could be even more immersive. I was well aware of Christie and know what a strong reputation it has as a brand. It was important to get the brightness that I wanted to make that impact, and Christie was able to deliver that.”

The narrative of Black Hole – End of Time tells the tale of Jim, an amateur astronomer and astrophysicist who inadvertently opens a black hole, which begins to consume everything in the universe. Christie projectors – mounted on trusses provided by event production company Adlib – were used to power content along one side of the church’s interior, illuminating the sandstone columns. Additional Christie projectors were used to cover the altar ceiling, the church exit, and the waiting area. The content, lighting and lasers were all synchronized to the original soundtrack created by Paul Alty. The 30-minute experience was available to view over three nights for guests making a charitable donation. All tickets sold out, so Alty added more show slots that sold out in just three days.

“I was delighted with the way the event turned out,” adds Alty. “The addition of projection mapping content took it to the next level, and I received great feedback from visitors, not least from people already asking about another event! It was satisfying to go ‘one better’ than the previous year, and to raise money for some excellent causes. I was very pleased with the performance of the Christie projectors – I did an AB test with other projectors and there was no comparison in terms of brightness, clarity and colour reproduction. The Christie model was head and shoulders above the others.”

At Black Hole – End of Time, projectors were used to map striking content from visual artist Rocco Helmchen onto the iconic interior of Old Christ Church, in conjunction with a unique soundtrack, lighting, lasers, and additional effects.

Meetings

Exhibition

Launcher brings digital confidence Digital Projection delivers exhibition fit for a king and meeting room freedom DisplayNote has announced that Funlab, Australasia’s largest fun company provider, has deployed Launcher in seven meeting rooms at its Melbourne head office. Prior to the adoption of Launcher, the company was tied to using Google Meet for company video calls, regardless of user favourites. The deployment of Launcher now allows employees to use their preferred video-conferencing software in meetings with colleagues and suppliers and is proving a hit.

Funlab operates 47 businesses with 1700 employees internationally and video calls and meetings are a routine part of day-to-day operations, in particular at the Melbourne head office. Its busy meeting rooms are regularly used for video calls, communicating with the company’s many suppliers worldwide. Historically, with Funlab staff essentially tied to Google Meet, video calls were time-consuming, difficult to arrange and often involved helpdesk support.

Khuong Lai, Funlab’s IT Network Administrator, was tasked with ensuring meeting spaces optimised communication while also allowing users the freedom to utilize all video-conferencing solutions. After searching for a solution that would make connecting to video calls across all platforms simple for his users, Funlab settled on Launcher and moved quickly from a trial period to installing Launcher at their Melbourne office, a process he describes as “straightforward” Reflecting on the transition to Launcher, he comments: “Previously, if a colleague wished to use a different video-conferencing platform (other than Google Meet), it inevitably meant tech support was required before the meeting to connect laptops and screens with HDMI cables. There were many complaints. Launcher was exactly what I was searching for, with its simple-to-use interface that allows room users to just walk in and tap whichever tool they wish to use. There’s nothing else like it and that’s what drew me to it.”

With Launcher software added to their meeting spaces, rooms are always set up and ready for users to join video calls across any platform. Khuong reports that users no longer need support from Helpdesk prior to their meetings, lightening the load on tech support. He also notes that staff are starting to gain digital confidence and technical independence as Launcher’s simplicity makes this more achievable. Whereas previously many staff would ask for support before each meeting, now they have the confidence to do it themselves as the interface makes it so simple.

DisplayNote has announced that Funlab, Australasia’s largest fun company provider, has deployed Launcher in seven meeting rooms at its Melbourne head office.

‘Louis XV, Passions of a King’ is the first major exhibition devoted to Louis the Beloved, celebrating the three hundredth anniversary of the return of the Court to Versailles. The landmark display that runs between 15th October and 19th February at the Palace of Versailles gathers nearly 400 works contributed by collections from all around the world, many of which have never been seen in public, shedding a new light on the complex individual behind the monarch.

The exhibition opens with a spectacular piece: the famous Passemant astronomical clock, an icon of the reign as well as of the personal passions of Louis XV. Following thorough restoration work sponsored by Rolex France, the clock welcomes visitors with related historical documents, drawings and archives projected on an imposing curved screen. French event and content creation agency e’motion and technical service provider ETC (Entertainment Technology Center) joined forces to enhance the 18th Century clock with a video-mapped 270˚ curved projection powered by Digital Projection. One of the main requirements from Versailles was to make sure the integration blended perfectly with the exhibition, so visitors would naturally focus on the centrepiece, not the technology deployed in the room.

with the Versailles internal workshops to ensure good stability on the wooden structure where the projectors are installed. We also used our expertise to make the right colour choices for perfect visual rendering, advised graphic designers on the visual project, and adapted some text effects to the structure.”

The three E-Vision Laser projectors used for the exhibition each deliver 10,500 lumens, while the 4K UHD resolution brings stunning detail. This means the visitors benefit from the content details projected around the astronomical clock without stealing the show. “We needed projectors powerful enough to compete against the natural light coming from the exhibition’s main entrance, as well as the spotlights on the clock, a set-up that is not dissimilar to a retail lighting environment. This meant that the projectors had to strike the right

‘Louis XV, Passions of a King’ is the first major exhibition devoted to Louis the Beloved, celebrating the three hundredth anniversary of the return of the Court to Versailles.

Stéphane Bazoge, project manager at ETC explains: “This is the first time the Palace of Versailles has allowed a permanent, immersive exhibition inside the palace. There were a number of requirements, including discretion, which was a must not only when looking at the end result, but also while setting up the exhibition. Our approach to this project was actually similar to a high-end retail one: disruptions during the integration phase had to be kept to a minimum, with the utmost respect to the environment, and with the ultimate goal of enhancing what the visitors would see and provide them with an unforgettable experience.”

“This was also our first project with the client, who was looking for reliable and responsive technical service. I was lucky enough to carry out mappings on various chateaux of the Loire Valley, so I knew the importance of such a task. In a way, our biggest challenge was to be to disregard the weight of this iconic historical site and focus on the client’s goals and requirements.”ETC decided that Digital Projection’s E-Vision Laser 11000 4K-UHD projectors were best suited to deliver an impressive and reliable image. Three of these projectors are fitted on the ceiling of the exhibition structure, creating a seamless image on the 3.6m high by 7m wide wooden structure facing the entrance and whose curved shape envelops and highlights the royal clock in the middle of the room. Stéphane Bazoge adds: “We worked

amount of lighting output and resolution,” explains Bazoge.

The immersive content projected on the curved wall is managed and processed by ETC’s proprietary Onlyview show control and media server suite, which handles the necessary warping and blending. Content is delivered via a computer with a dedicated graphics card feeding the projectors via HDMI 4K to deliver the 3840x2160 pixel image. The E-Vision Laser 11000 4K-UHD projectors were fitted with a specific 0.55:1 lens for the short projection distance of three meters. “It was also essential to make the system easy as user friendly and as maintenance free as possible for the client. We delivered a turnkey solution with on, off and bypass features, that met the customer’s requirements,” adds Bazoge. “Digital Projection’s regional sales manager Stéphane Bourdon was also with us every step of the way, helping to make the integration process and delivery a success. The client was delighted with the technical relevance and selection as well as with the final result.”

A level of satisfaction confirmed by the head of Versailles’ castle exhibitions department Silvia Roman who stated: “The work of ETC was carried out in accordance with the technical descriptions in the specifications; the entire project was carried out with great professionalism, rigour and respect for deadlines.”

4

P23 AV News February 2023

Feature

AV Sustainability: a ‘must’ within a generation?

A UK government plan, published in 2018. set out goals for improving the environment within a generation detailed how government would work with communities and businesses to do this over the next 25 years. Among other proposals for businesses, Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) rate how energy efficient a building is using grades from A to G (with ‘A’ the most efficient grade). On addition to business market sustainability is now ‘front and centre’ in important AV sectors including education, . hospitality. entertainment and the public sector.

‘Sustainability’ is one of those worthy terms that is bandied about both by those keen to be seen doing ‘the right thing’ and some who are actually living up to their social responsibilities. Perhaps it is the positive aspects of energy efficiency that has seen sustainability adopted ass a benefit in supply-side marketing. Here, we look at the activities of some AV vendors that have kraken a proactive stance on sustainability.

Sustainability leaders This month, the AV News Award for Sustainability Innovation of the Year was presented to CTOUCH. Sustainability has been at the heart of CTOUCH activities from the outset. “To take concrete steps towards our sustainability goals, we have defined four themes that reflect how we think, act, innovate and develop our products. These four themes are sustainability, customer engagement, future proofing and security.

Together they form the CTOUCH Circle.

With these themes, we strive to maximise the value for our employees, customers, partners and society.”

“Understanding how we all deal with social matters is becoming more crucial every day. It has become a prerequisite. And that also applies to the environment and environmental legislation. Global warming is a fact, and there is no time to lose. CTOUCH has been on a journey towards a sustainable future for some time now. And from now on, we can officially call ourselves ISO 14001 certified!”

ISO 14001 is the international standard for an environmental management system. It provides a framework for protecting the environment and continuously responding to changing environmental conditions. The environmental management system also aims to monitor and continually improve environmental performance. The ISO 14001 standard further describes how a company can manage environmental risks in a process-oriented way. Or how it can prevent risks for the environment. And that, of course, is what we prefer. The ISO 14001 standard also helps companies to realise various environmental objectives.”

“The fight against climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time. And we

want to contribute as much as we can. Our mission is to become the most sustainable manufacturer of touchscreens in Europe.

And we want to ensure that by 2025, our total carbon footprint is reduced by 25% and our circularity increased by 25%.

Achieving ISO 14001 certification was, therefore, a logical step for CTOUCH”.

Highly commended Placed a close second to CTOUCH in the AV News Awards, PPDS places sustainability as a ‘top business priority’ as part of commitment to reduce waste, protect the environment and slash energy costs on Philips professional displays Martijn van der Woude, Head of Global Marketing and Business Development at PPDS, recently reaffirmed the company’s commitment to delivering environmentally conscious solutions, while also helping to reduce running costs with energy efficiency and extended lifetimes.

This will see the company continue to bring more energy efficient products to market, reconfiguring and reducing packaging, while providing greater access to information on energy consumption, for more educated and environmentally focused business buying decisions. With retail, corporate and hospitality all key focuses, Martijn, together with the full global PPDS management trio and team members, outlined some of the actions and measures al-

ready taken, with a commitment to bringing even more in 2023. This includes extending its focus on delivering the most energy conscious products to market and bringing lower cost of ownership to customers – more relevant than ever in the ongoing global energy crisis.

Martijn van der Woude commented: “Sustainability has always been of great importance to us at PPDS. We’re proud of what we have achieved to date, and we feel it

Photo by Daniel Öberg on Unsplash display products and solutions continue to provide best-in-class experiences, while also delivering on lowest energy consumption and reduced impacts throughout product lifecycles, including the use of recycled

Sustainability is also something being reflected in PPDS’ and recyclable materials, and the carbon is our duty and our responsibility, both to neutrality of products.” customers – who are calling for this – and to the planet, to do even more. And we Product initiatives encourage our competitors to do the same.

Collaborating closely with our partners, we In addition to improving the energy effiwill be working hard to ensure that our existing and future Philips professional

display lifecycle – from manufacturing in its factories, along transportation journeys, through to its headquarters and regional sales operations.

Benefiting from its unique position, manufacturing its own products in its own factories (no outsourcing) as a part of TPV, PPDS is owner of its own destiny, ensuring appropriate measures are taken throughout the entire production process, from concept to completion. This is highlighted, as a part of its continued expansion program, with the recent opening a new manufacturing plant for its dvLED production, with the building’s design and the practices within it providing not only a quality working environment, but an environmentally conscious one, too.

Products are also now contained in condensed packaging, carefully calculated to minimise resources used and to maximise the number of products able to be loaded in any one shipment. Palletisation has also been reviewed and refined, with a 184-ton Tank to Wheel (TTW) CO2 reduction and 107-ton reduction of wood pallet consumption in the process to date. “This helps to reduce our carbon footprint without

Jeroen Verhaeghe, Global Business Development Manager for Hospitality at PPDS, ciency of its digital signage, interactive displays, dvLED and Pro TV solutions, PPDS, alongside its sister organisations, TP Vision, MMD Monitors and Displays, and AOC, has already made significant strides in enhancing its green credentials throughout the

4 P24 AV News February 2023

compromising the safety of each display during transit and it reduces the levels of waste likely to be immediately disposed of” comments Stefan van Sabben, Global CSR and Sustainability Manager. “Philips professional displays are packaged in brown

board boxes, with one colour only printing using soy-based ink. This ethos is continued through the packaging of pre-production components, with finished packaging made almost fully of recyclable materials.

“These, and many more measures, will continue to be evolved and introduced during 2023 and beyond – with a number of innovative solutions to be unveiled during ISE 2023.”

Increased transparency In tandem with this renewed focus, PPDS also provides clear and immediate access to information around the energy efficiency of its range of digital signage, interactive displays, dvLED and Pro TV products, to customers. Last year the EU’s revised energy labelling system came into force, replacing the existing labelling (A+++, A++, A+, A, B, C and D) with a more simplified A-G measurement rating. Existing appliances with an A or A+ rating are likely now listed as G. The new A-G labels placed on Philips professional displays now feature a QR

code which, when scanned using a smart phone, immediately show the information stored on the EPREL database, allowing greater transparency to customers and easier market surveillance by national authorities. Martijn added: “It’s estimated that up to 25% of products in the market

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do not comply with energy efficiency labelling regulations and that around 10% of potential energy savings are lost due to non-compliance. The new labelling and database will help improve understanding and coherence for customers to correctly identify and select the most efficient products.”

A survey of 250 senior decision makers holding responsibilities for green initiatives across public and private sector organisations revealed that 45% of businesses have elected to take sustainability more seriously, while for 32% it continues to be a major focus. More than half (53%) of the respondents stated the key driver for this focus was around their ethical beliefs, while 41% cited cost benefits.

Stefan van Sabben added: “As a part of our evolution as a business, we’re placing sustainability as an even greater core focus on our mission statement.

Our ambitions are to continue to grow our business, but we want to grow responsibly and sustainably. As well as being accredited and working towards accreditations with a growing number of sustainability focused benchmark organisations, including EcoVadis, we have set ourselves some challenging environmental and social targets. It’s part of our DNA, working closely with Royal Philips, which is recognised as the #2 top brand in green technology globally, and we’re committed in the belief that this is the best way for us to create superior, long-term value to our customers.

We’re making every effort to enhance our own green credentials. This isn’t simply about adding a few recycle bins in the offices or paying membership fees. It’s a fundamental part of our business”.

“Part of the ethos announced in our rebrand statement highlighted our ‘global reach, local support’ strategy. This is hugely important on many different levels. In short, we have physical teams located across the world, which greatly reduces the travel needs for arranging meetings, sales and visiting project sites.

Videocalls, rather than physical meetings are also greatly encouraged where possible and our business has been set up to support remote working. Our Philips C-Line range makes this even easier – meaning the pandemic meant no radical changes for us and allowed us to function fairly closely to normal.”

Product DNA Sustainability is also something being reflected in PPDS’ most recently launched solutions - most evident with its ranges of corporate (Philips C-Line), education (Philips E-Line), hospitality (Philips MediaSuite) displays, which facilitate and encourage remote working/learning/ entertainment, while helping to reduce unnecessary electronic waste. Taking things further, PPDS’ new Philips DV LED range (Philips 7000 and 6000 series) which are now designed to deliver proven low energy consumption – between 20%, and, in some instances, close to 50%, when compared to similar products on the market – without compromising on performance.

From a longevity point pf view, PPDS’ Philips MediaSuite hospitality TVs sit on an updateable Android platform, providing significant return on investment and sustainability benefits, with customers receiving free software updates as part of the PPDS ‘Extended Lifetime’ promise. This allows all the latest features and security patches to be made available to older models (managed entirely remote-

Photo by Naja Bertolt Jensen on Unsplash ly and with no unnecessary travel), allowing them to function and offer the same experience as the latest MediaSuite debuts. This not only ensures a consistent experience in all rooms, with product lifetime extended, there is an immediate reduction in unnecessary replacements and therefore WEEE.

a zero environmental footprint throughout the entire Sony Group by the year 2050 and is promoting activities from the four perspectives of climate change, resources, chemical substances and biodiversity.

Considering that climate change risk becomes a more serious and pressing issue, and also given our past achievements, this May, Sony announced the acceleration of the target year for achieving its goals in the climate change area.

Specifically, Sony has pushed forward the net-zero targets throughout the entire value chain, including Scopes 1 to 3, from 2050 to 2040, and is aiming to achieve net-zero in Scopes 1 and 2 by 2030. As announced in this September, Sony received approval for its net-zero targets from the Science Based

Waste issues According to the UN’s Global E-Waste Monitor, 53.6 million metric tonnes of e-waste was generated in 2019. Each year, in the UK alone, around two million TVs are dumped, many of which are fully working but simply deemed outdated and worthless.

Jeroen Verhaeghe, Global Business Development Manager for Hospitality at PPDS, said: “We live in a throw away culture for technology. With products being updated regularly, there is a temptation to replace what you have, in order to benefit from the latest features. What happens to that old TV? It either gets resold or binned. “In a hotel, where competition is high and TVs play an increasingly important role in decision-making for guests looking for a home-from-home entertainment experience, that temptation can feel crucial but costly. We’ve changed that by making our TVs remain relevant for longer, reducing the

Targets initiative (SBTi)

Sony has already accomplished 100% renewable electricity use for all business activities in Europe and China. Going forward,

need to replace, and therefore the number of TVs that will end up in landfill.”

Martijn van der Woude concluded: “As a global business, we have a duty and responsibility to support our customers in their current and future technology needs, and we also have to play a role in helping to protect the environment and to encourage sustainability. When you’re dealing with multiple product ranges, billions of parts and thousands of people, change is not always a simple process – but it as an essential one. “Some may not agree. Indeed, such changes may not always be welcome or financially viable. That’s not the case for us. Powering evolution is in our DNA and supporting the industry, our partners and our customers with a strong sustainability focus is a big part of that. Is it possible to produce a digital display with no carbon footprint right now? No…but there are ways

and means of getting there. The products and solutions we showcased at our Future Tech event have proven the appetite for this and we are looking forward to launching a number of these at ISE 2023.”

Joining the A List Just about every leading AV manufacturer has elevated sustainability top of its list of manufacturing priorities. Sony for example is celebrating being included in the CDP A-List (a distinction which recognizes Sony as a leader in efforts to address climate change0. This is the second year in a row and the seventh time that Sony has made the A List in the climate change category.

Based on the recognition that its business success depends upon a healthy global environment, Sony has established Road to Zero - a long-term environmental plan to achieve

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To achieve this goal, at its business sites.

Sony has already accomplished 100% renewable electricity use for all business activities in Europe and China. Going forward, the company will accelerate the use of renewable energy in Japan, North America, and Southeast Asia, with the aim of achieving a 35% renewable electricity ratio for the entire group by 2025, and 100% by 2030.

Sony will also promote further energy saving in its products. At the same time, Sony will work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the entire supply chain by accelerating efforts to reach out to materials and parts suppliers and manufacturing contractors. In pursuit of the long-term goal of zero environmental footprint, Sony will continue working to reduce environmental impact and create environmentally conscious products and services, while engaging in business activities to help create more sustainable human society and global environment.

P25 AV News February 2023

Diary and Events

ISE 2023: back on course!

The 2023 edition of the world’s leading audiovisual and systems integration exhibition surpassed all expectations as it delivered record visitor numbers, stimulating new content and appearances from visiting royalty and political dignitaries at the Fira Gran Via Barcelona! The show delivered in style for the global AV and systems integration industry and the city of Barcelona (31 January-3 February 2023). Returning to its normal Jan/Feb timeslot in the AV calendar, ISE 2023 had 58,107 unique attendees from 155 countries, alongside record-breaking occupation in the city’s hotels, bars and entertainment venues, and with exhibitors reporting unparalleled footfall on booths across the largest ever ISE show floor.

Commenting on an undeniably successful event: Mike Blackman, Managing Director of Integrated Systems Events said: “It’s been an extraordinary week and it’s hugely gratifying for us to look back and realise we’ve delivered an exceptional show for our industry and the wonderful city of Barcelona. We’ve had unprecedented visitor levels to the show, so much inspiring content and features on display, and ground-breaking visits from the King of Spain on Tuesday and the President of Catalonia on Thursday to add both a royal and a political seal of approval to the show. This week at ISE 2023 confirms that we can safely say the global AV and systems integration industry is back with an impressive bang!”

The first day of the show set the tone for the week with the highest number of opening day visitors ever for an ISE show, visiting the record 56,870sqm of floorspace over the show’s 6 halls and the Audio Demo Rooms, where iconic French pioneer of electronic music Jean-Michel Jarre unveiled his latest album. The trend continued for the rest of the week with a final total of 58,107 attendees to ISE, making 133,606 visits to the show floor.

On the first day, King Felipe VI of Spain took a tour of the show floor stopping by a few booths to take in a small sample of the technology on display.

The Royal Party was accompanied by Ada Colau, Mayor of Barcelona, Núria Marín, Mayor of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Laia Bonet, 3rd Deputy Mayor of Barcelona. Pere Aragones, President of the Government of Catalonia also visited ISE and took time to visit some of the 70 Catalan-based companies exhibiting at the Gran Via, Fira Barcelona this week.

Exhibitor reaction The reaction from exhibitors was universally positive. Christine Schyvinck, CEO, Shure said: “It’s been a few incredible days at ISE! Lots of inspiring conversations with partners and old friends. We were honoured to welcome His Majesty the King at our booth. We had a very successful week, and we look forward to continue all our conversations."

Luis Garrido, executive director of Alfalite said, “We are delighted to have been part of ISE 2023. The show reinforced Alfalite’s strategic agreements with international partners and allowed us to showcase our products to regional and overseas potential distributors.” Garrido said about the visit of His Majesty, King Felipe VI, “We are a Spanish company and the only European LED Screen manufacturer with the latest technology, so we felt honoured by the King’s visit to our company stand.”

Show features Of particular note was the brand-new Content Production and Distribution zone making its debut in Hall 6. Offering a blend of creativity and technical solutions the new zone provided inspiration for integrators and end-users in this fast-growing and exciting area. Following this auspicious beginning the zone will be back, in an even more impressive version for 2024.

Thought Leadership and inspiring stories were themes for the three keynote speeches held during the show. The opening day BK Johannessen of Epic Games highlighted how technology trends in the gaming industry is driving audiovisual innovation to new heights of creativity. He drew on experience of cutting-edge projects in gaming, film and broadcast to engage and entertain the audience.

One of the oldest and best-known competitions in international sailing, the Americas Cup provided the backdrop to Stephen Nuttall’s keynote on day two of the show. As the sailing race’s head of television, he related his first-hand experience of the unique technical challenges the event sets and the spectacular results when everything goes to plan. His unique perspective provided the perfect taster for the 2024 event which is set to take place in Barcelona. Fran Chuan of InnoQuotient gave the keynote on Thursday 2 February -“How Innovative is the AV Industry?” presenting the results of ISE’s Culture of Innovation 2023 Survey, using the proprietary InnoQuotient tool.

ISE returns to Barcelona on Tuesday 30 January – Friday 2 February 2024.

Innovation on show at ISE For the average show visitor, the level of innovation available to view was paramount and, in the opinion of AV News, visitors were unlikely to have been disappointed. Here is our selection of some of the most interesting exhibits.

Digital signage SiliconCore highest resolution SiliconCore Technology launched into the outdoor market with a new 1.2mm LED display at ISE. This first of its kind innovation features the highest resolution of any outdoor display and presents new possibilities for outdoor digital signage and close proximity viewing. It delivers higher density large displays and provides a sustainable and durable replacement to outdoor LCD that breaks free from conventional display ratios. The SiliconCore 1.2mm Outdoor LED Display enables flexibility with a modular design, incorporating fully waterproof IP65 PCB’s. A custom sub-frame can be made to any dimension which increases scalability and allows for greater creativity.

This high resolution, highly modular approach for building the 1.2mm Outdoor LED Display allows for increased content density, a welcome opportunity for advertisers. It also makes it easier to service in the field when compared to LCD alternatives, ensuring LED reliability with easy repairability. SiliconCore’s patented Common Cathode Technology addresses the heat density concerns that enables this high resolution 1.2mm pixel pitch for outdoor. The sustained brightness of 4000 nits, needed for outdoor high-density displays, is balanced by the low power consumption that only SiliconCore’s driver technology achieves. A single 72” display at maximum brightness with video content averages 500w and has a much longer operating life of two - three times more than LCD. As a replacement for LCD, SiliconCore’s outdoor LED offers a clear choice: It is less susceptible to temperature fluctuations; maintains a consistent brightness with a expected lifetime exceeding 10 years; Individual modules can be serviced or replaced, rather than a full display replacement. These ROI improvements marks a shift towards miniLED solutions for outdoor and a turning point towards 1mm pitch outdoor solutions with SiliconCore leading the charge. This new product marks a new era of LED design for SiliconCore, who celebrates 25 years in business in 2023.

Eric Li, CEO at SiliconCore Technology explains: “We are the first manufacturer to bring this modular approach narrow pixel pitch LED displays to the outdoor market. This has been made possible by utilizing our patented LED in Silicon Array (LISA) technology for durability and our patented Common Cathode technology for better power and heat management.

LISA is now IP 65 rated and durable enough to stand on, we are pleased to introduce it to outdoor environments with no compromise to brightness, colour reproduction or product lifetime.”

Jim Wickenhiser, Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives at SiliconCore comments: “Compared to existing LCD solutions, this innovation for LED brings even more modularity, flexibility and creative opportunity to the outdoor market. This design allows for creativity with displays, breaking free from the conventional display ratios associated with existing LCD solutions.

“Introducing 1.2mm pitch to the outdoor market means higher resolution content per square metres. The high brightness combined with low power consumption results in a longer product lifespan, better ROI and a more robust technology for the market.” Our first choice here is a development that marries one of the hot topics in AV with a major societal issue – sustainability.

HYPERVSN interactive holographic solutions HYPERVSN showcased ita interactive holographic solutions at ISE 2023. Featuring the allnew HYPERVSN SmartV Digital Avatar and HYPERVSN Full Body Live-Streaming, these products are set to completely revolutionise customer experiences in retail, education, events, and many other verticals. Just recently, Michael Blackman, Managing Director of Integrated Systems Europe, was able to join Talent Congress in Barcelona in 3D Hologram form while being 4000 miles away in Oman, thanks to HYPERVSN Full Body Live-Streaming.

HYPERVSN brought a demo of this innovative solution to ISE 2023 to showcase how it is adding the much-needed ‘human touch’ and visual form to the traditional flat screen calls and live streams. This live streaming solution is based on HYPERVSN SmartV products, with specially created image layers and visual effects to maximise the realism and impact on the

4 P26 AV News February 2023

audience, perfect for education and events.

Another solution to be showcased at the show is HYPERVSN SmartV Digital Avatar. The HYPERVSN SmartV Digital Avatar is a brand-new solution which allows 2-way interaction with a digitally rendered human avatar, bringing the Metaverse to the physical world. Based on HYPERVSN Holographic Human solution, which runs on pre-recorded content, Digital Avatar takes it a step further by allowing real-time conversations with users, thanks to its interactive AI capabilities and the scalable ‘human touch’. This is a new go-to solution for banking, retail, and other human-dependent sectors where holographic assistants can take over the routine everyday questions, leaving time for its fellow human colleagues to sort out the more complicated queries.

Interactivity is a new major factor for increasing brand awareness. With that in mind, HYPERVSN will also showcase HYPERVSN SmartV Product Configurator, which is already showing success in the automotive industry. This holographic solution lets the user change options of holographic 3D models in front of them using a touchpad, seeing changes in real-time and skyrocketing engagement. The retail-tainment that comes with this solution helps to draw customers’ attention and increase their time spent in-store, boosting brand awareness, and making brands stand out in crowded phygital spaces.

With another solution made specifically for retail, HYPERVSN SmartV Window Display, the company aims to help with boosting brand awareness using interactive gesture-controlled 3D visuals. This holographic solution lets the user actively manipulate 3D models with their own hands, skyrocketing engagement. Showcasing these industry-specific solutions, HYPERVSN technology is set to increase brand awareness exponentially and make brands stand out with impact and presence.

Along with all these interactive solutions, HYPERVSN will be ready to impress the audiences with a full display of other HYPERVSN SmartV solutions including: “Connecting with audiences all over the world is more and more defined by digital-only technology. But standing out is more important than ever before. We are set to bring the best of digital to the real world. With the newest additions to our industry-specific solutions, we mark the ascent on both retail and entertainment and give leading brands tools that simply did not exist before.”

Kiryl Chykeyuk – CEO and Co-Founder, HYPERVSN.

HYPERVSN brought a demo of this innovative solution to ISE 2023 to showcase how it is adding the much-needed ‘human touch’ and visual form to the traditional flat screen calls and live streams.

Philips Tableaux “Unplug and play” was the catchphrase at PPDS, when they unveiled the world’s most energy efficient digital signage series with the ‘zero power’ Philips Tableaux range at ISE 2023 Introducing a brand new product category, PPDS became the first leading display manufacturer in the world to deliver full size and full colour ePaper digital signage displays to market, each capable of providing vivid 24/7 content while running on zero power.

Philips Tableaux advanced colour ePaper (ACeP) signage displays. Each is capable of delivering 24/7 vivid content, while running entirely unplugged and without using a single kilo-

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watt of electricity. Unveiled on Philips booth (3P600) in Barcelona, these ground-breaking Philips Tableaux displays from PPDS mark the introduction of a brand new product category into its ever-evolving portfolio of professional displays, (including digital signage, interactive displays, direct view LED and professional TVs).

Part of a relentless focus and deepening commitment to bringing high impact, highly sustainable and more eco-friendly solutions to market, the new Tableaux displays from PPDS are the world’s first 60,000 colour (including blue) ePaper signage solutions launched by a leading display manufacturer. Designed to deliver an array of exciting new opportunities – including cost and energy savings – for customers operating in a variety of verticals, such as retail, corporate, public spaces, and transportation.

Available in 25” 16:9, and 28” 32:9 stretched variants at launch, Philips Tableaux displays are an ideal energy saving solution for businesses across the sectors looking to digitise their paper-based signage delivering messaging such as store opening hours, timetables, and menus, or promotions and offers, or for those looking to swap out their current digital models (where features may far exceed day-to-day requirements, adding unnecessary running costs) with colourful, power-free, easily updatable Android SoC displays.

Perfect for any environment, including in spaces with limited or no access to power sources, the Tableaux range will show content without even being plugged in or using power at all. Light enough to be moved around easily when required, the displays only require connection to an electricity source when content is being updated, and immediately revert to zero power upon completion. Content updates can be managed manually, or entirely remotely using PPDS’ in-house or third-party professional display control and management platforms. The Philips Tableaux Series will also soon be compatible with the evolutionary PPDS Wave cloud-based fleet management platform, designed and built exclusively for Philips professional displays.

Further Philips Tableaux display sizes will be added in the coming months, with customers invited to learn more and to experience for themselves the current and future plans from

Whether communicating inside or catching the eyes of people across the street, this latest Philips High Bright Series is a perfect accompaniment and extension to Philips digital signage solutions within the PPDS portfolio. Andrea Barbuti, Global Product Manager – Total Solutions at PPDS commented: “Sunlight is one of the biggest natural challenges for digital signage and, as businesses look to extend and drive their communications, whether in a retail shop window, or delivering the latest travel information in an airport, it’s essential they are able to deliver their messaging in the clearest and most effective way. For many displays on the market, those ambitions cannot be achieved to the desired standard at all times, compromising the overall experience. With the High Bright 4000 Series from PPDS, these obstacles are overcome.”

Mirroring and complementing the range of Philips digital signage sizes and solutions within an ever-evolving portfolio, the new Philips High Bright 4000 Series can be powered by Android SoC via the optional CRD50 module, delivering the benefits and familiarity of a powerful machine. Evolved and influenced using extensive feedback from existing customers and the company’s valued Global Partner Alliance members around the world, the 4000 Series is shipped with extensive out-of-the box features and functionalities for seamless set up and running.

As part of this important upgrade, these new displays are fitted with two additional intelligent thermal management sensors integrated into the narrow bezel frame, allowing each display’s temperatures to be intelligently regulated and monitored at all times, maintaining ideal operating conditions and performance. Included within its vast range of features, the Philips High-Bright range also delivers on PPDS’ recently announced sustainability focus

Philips Tableaux advanced colour ePaper (ACeP) signage displays. Each is capable of delivering 24/7 vivid content, while running entirely unplugged and without using a single kilowatt of electricity.

PPDS on Philips stand 3P600 during ISE 2023.

Martijn van der Woude, VP Global Marketing and Business Development at PPDS commented: There are very many instances where digital signage is used only display still images, which may change only once a day, and sometimes even less. For these, you do not need a solution that offers a refresh rate of, for example 60fps, or to invest in a technology that far exceeds the capabilities required to achieve the desired impact. With the Philips Tableaux Series from PPDS, businesses can achieve their aims and ambitions at a fraction of the running cost, bringing immediate savings for themselves and for the environment.

Franck Racape, VP Global Commercial at PPDS added: “At PPDS our mindset is to listen to the market and lead from the front in delivering the solutions customers need, when they need them. Sustainability and energy consumption are both becoming an increasing part of the conversation and this is something we have focused heavily on in the past 12 to 18 months.

Philips High Bright 4000 Series From super energy efficient to super bright, PPDS also announced the highly anticipated launch of its new, slimline Philips High Bright 4000 Series, delivering uncompromised picture clarity and performance to any indoor or semi-outdoor environment, including in challenging, highly light areas. Unveiled and demonstrated for the first time at ISE 2023 (Philips booth 3P600), this latest evolution to PPDS’ already bestselling Philips High Bright range brings even greater levels of choice, flexibility and opportunities for businesses wishing to make a big impression with their digital signage communications, with the 4000 Series guaranteeing rich and reliable around-the-clock high bright viewing experiences.

Designed for content that demands to be seen at all times, the new models come equipped with the latest hardware and software features and innovations from PPDS, including advanced 2500 cd/m2 (55”) and 3000 cd/m2 (75”) high brightness. From retail stores to public venues, the new portrait and landscape mountable High Bright 4000 Series is perfect for installations in or near environments exposed to ever-changing ambient lighting conditions, including near or behind glass frontage.

The Philips High Bright 4000 Series will comfortably handle any lighting condition it is exposed to – including direct sunlight – allowing content to be displayed and enjoyed as intended, day and night. Perfect for shop window displays and public information areas.

Complementing and extending the Philips High Bright H-Line range to five, the new 4000 Series is available in 55” (55BDL4002H/00) and UHD 75” (75BDL4003H/00) model variants, featuring an all-new super slim design*, up to 34mm thinner than previous H-Line models, while the 17.5mm (55”) and 18.8mm (75”) bezel ensures a slick and stylish presentation and viewing experience.

great colour quality, powered by Barco’s Infinipix Gen2 processing. For LED video walls that require high-impact visuals, the NT series goes beyond expectations.

Because an LED video wall is only as good as its image processing, Barco has developed Infinipix Gen2. This powerful solution makes sure the on-screen content looks at its best.

With no visual distortion, low latency, perfect syncing and no tearing, the NT series therefore offers a high-quality viewing experience for all types of content. Colour accuracy is maintained at every level of brightness, and low latency powers perfect video and lip sync performance. Furthermore, bulletproof data and power redundancy options ensure maximized uptime and uninterrupted performance.

To facilitate the deployment and maintenance, the NT series features Barco’s installation mechanics. The Video Wall Manager software makes sure the tiles are automatically configured, which makes the installation process a lot easier. Furthermore, the thin tile design also lowers the footprint, broadening the possibilities for different locations and complies to the ADA requirements for accessible design. This includes auditoriums, lobbies, boardrooms, control rooms, museums and television studios. Being front and rear accessible, the tiles can be easily removed, for maintenance in line with the application operations.

Barco’s cloud-based Video wall Management Suite allows staff and managed service providers to continuously monitor all vital parameters of NT LED video walls from a remote location. The easy user interface helps ensure possible problems are solved quickly and downtime can be prevented. By the way, this same solution is compatible with all of Barco’s new generation of video walls (LED, LCD and rear-projection), including TruePix, Barco UniSee, and RGB Laser ODL. “The NT series is a great addition to Barco’s next-generation LED products,” according to Sander Buys, Product Manager. “It brings all the performance and reliability of superior LED to a greater number of applications in different segments. We look forward to seeing them in action.”

Brompton Technology Receiver Card

PPDS also announced the highly anticipated launch of its new, slimline Philips High Bright 4000 Series, delivering uncompromised picture clarity and performance to any indoor or semi-outdoor environment, including in challenging, highly light areas. and strategy promises, helping customers to reduce their energy consumption and extending product lifetime. With embedded light sensors, brightness levels will automatically adjust to the changing conditions of the day for consistent viewing experiences, while helping to reduce running costs and extend product lifetime for enhanced RoI and reduced WEEE disposal. The range is packed and shipped in recycled packaging, including reduced-size brown boxing, printed with only soy-based one colour ink, and the removal of plastic bags for accessories.

Compatible with PPDS Wave – the evolutionary cloud-based platform unlocking the power, versatility and intelligence inside Philips professional displays – when used together with the optional CRD50 module, customers can experience the full potential of their Philips High Bright displays, with effortless management, monitoring, plus advanced scheduling and content creation (such as marketing campaigns and ad hoc promotions) all via an intuitive, easy-to-use interface. Whether for changes to a retail promotion, an exciting new exhibit at a museum or gallery, or a simple but vital service update at a local transport hub, content can be created and displayed in an instant.

When failure is simply not an option, and reliability is paramount, Philips High Bright 4000 Series displays also feature PPDS’ market leading FailOver technology, ensuring Philips professional displays will never be blank, automatically switching between primary and secondary inputs to ensure content keeps playing even if the primary source goes down.

Barco’s NT series Taking a traditional solution to a new level was Barco’s ambition with its next-generation LED portfolio (alongside TruePix). This new series offers superb image performance and

Brompton Technology has announced the release of a revolutionary new receiver card, the Tessera G1, which is set to disrupt the LED industry with its ground-breaking capabilities.

The G1 is the first receiver card to support 10Gb fibre connections direct to the panel. It is also capable of supporting a staggering one-million-pixel capacity for a new generation of ultra-fine pixel pitch panels, or up to 1,000 fps (frames per second). All this is made possible by a monumental 20x increase in computing power compared to the existing top performer, the Tessera R2+ receiver card, making the G1 a game-changer for the industry.

This latest innovation is a major advance in the company's mission to push the boundaries of what is possible with LED video processing technology. With the G1 receiver card, users can expect a whole new level of exceptionally realistic visual performance, making it a musthave for content creators in the future. Cesar Caceres, Brompton's Product Lead, emphasises that the company's Tessera R2+ receiver card is still optimally positioned to deliver exceptional performance for a vast majority of LED fixtures. In fact, thousands of projects worldwide will continue to use LED panels integrated with R2+ cards with great success.

The G1 is the choice for next-generation panels. “We are definitely not forsaking the R2+ card and all its impressive capabilities,” Caceres explains. “We are simply recognising the rapid advancements of LED video technology. As a company, we are proactively positioning ourselves to meet and exceed the future demands of our industry.”

Already in talks with panel manufacturers, Brompton is working to integrate the new receiver card as the driving force behind the next generation of LED screens. Caceres notes that the benefits are not only about the substantial increase in pixels that can be processed thanks to the new card, but that it will also facilitate the integration of additional calibrated channels, which Brompton defines as RGBW, Red, Green Blue and Whatever. “As with all our systems, we offer flexibility by keeping the possibilities open for the extra emitters. One of the most useful colours we anticipate panel manufacturers wanting to incorporate is white,” continues Caceres. “When the colours red, green, and blue are used to represent ‘white’, the light spectrum they produce may not always look natural and align with the viewer’s expectations. Adding a white channel provides an improved spectral output for the panels.

And the G1 has the necessary power to cope with the complex algorithms necessary to maintain colour-accurate calibration and control with extra emitters. Also, the only way to achieve colour accuracy from panels with the new RGBW emitters is by calibrating them, and our unique Dynamic Calibration system was designed to enable this possibility.”

When it comes to in-camera visual effects, LED panels often contribute to lighting the scene, so having additional light emitters in the LED panel represents a significant leap in colour-rendering accuracy on skin tones and foreground elements blending with virtual environments. “In future, if you want a panel that features an extra emitter, or one that boasts

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Diary and Events Continued from page 27 an ultra-fine pixel pitch, the G1 receiver card will be the ideal solution,” Caceres adds.

Another pioneering feature of the G1 receiver card is its capability to support a 10 gigabit connection, thus providing tenfold the bandwidth of the current R2+ card and positioning the G1 as a ‘future-proof’ solution.

“What Brompton has created with the G1 is not only poised to impact the live events and virtual production sectors, but it also has the power to influence other industries,” Caceres concludes. “For example, by adding a white emitter, it will be possible to create

Taking a traditional solution to a new level was Barco’s ambition with its next-generationLED portfolio (alongside TruePix).

realistic lighting with a much more potent source. The ultra-fine pixel pitch panels the card is capable of supporting make it suitable for use in 360-degree simulators, or even research centres. The opportunities and applications are virtually limitless, and we are thrilled to be a part of driving the advancement of LED technology, which will lead to incredibly realistic visual experiences in the future

Sony shows lower cost Crystals Sony Electronics launched two scalable new series of its award-winning Crystal LED premium displays. The bright and rich BH-series (ZRD-BH12D and ZRD-BH15D) and the immersive CH-series (ZRD-CH12D and ZRD-CH15D) are designed for corporations, retail environments and screening rooms. Both new series will be available in a P1.2mm and P1.5mm pixel pitch and deliver the exceptional picture quality and accurate colors associated with Crystal LED, along with improved installation flexibility and power consumption – all at a lower cost.

Sony Electronics launched two scalable new series of its award-winning Crystal LED premium displays.

The BH-series offers a high brightness and a wide color gamut while the CH-series provides unmatched black levels, together giving customers versatile new options tailored to their needs and application, as well as budgets. “Our Crystal LED displays continue to be the gold standard,” said Damien Weissenburger, Head of Professional Display & Solutions Europe.

“With the launch of the BH- and CH-series, we’ve made Crystal LED more accessible by giving our customers cost conscious options that inherit similar premium image quality, grandeur and dependability along with increased installation flexibility.”

Sony’s Crystal LED technology is built upon unrivalled image quality. The BH-series has a high brightness of 1,700 cd/m2 nits, which is more than double that of other high-end LED displays, while the CH-series offers 1,300 cd/m2and a black level value that measures at approximately 1/10 of competitive LED displays. The displays’ X1TM for Crystal LED image processor enhances content to ensure smooth imagery, crisp and accurate pictures and clear gradation without motion blur. This is a result of the processor’s built-in features; 22-bit Super Bit Mapping, Reality Creation and MotionflowTM. As a modular solution, customers can choose the size and resolution of the display. The BH- and CH-series feature super fine LEDs and a unique coating, to achieve a wide viewing angle without unnatural colour shift. The new models come pre-assembled and calibrated to ensure a seamless appearance. A future firmware update will enable additional uniformity through auto colour adjustment. With a focus on installation flexibility, the new series’ cabinets are about 10% lighter and 10% thinner than the current model, making them even easier to integrate. They also use a dedicated display controller, ZRCT-300.

Less on-site assembly of parts translates to an installation time that is approximately 20% faster than previous models. Using high-efficiency LED chips, power consumption is re-

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duced by roughly 25%. Additionally, maintenance can be done from the front of the display, allowing for use in more scenarios. The Crystal LED BH- and CH- series will be available in Spring 2023.

Projection Epson 4K ultra-lightweight, high-lumens range Epson has added 4K resolution to its newest generation of compact, efficient and ultra-lightweight high lumens 3LCD projectors. The new EB-PQ2000 projector series was on show at stand 3J100 at ISE this year (31 Jan – 3 Feb). The new 4K EB-PQ2000 series builds on the success of Epson’s PU2200 range of high lumens 3LCD projectors which are 60% smaller and 50% lighter than their predecessor (EB-L20000U), offering significant size and weight advantages, as well as easy installation and set-up, simplified maintenance, exceptional image quality and eco-advantages.

Epson’s latest 4K technology has combined its patented, state-of-the-art 4K Crystal Motion, panel thermo-control and double micro-lens array technologies to achieve optimal clarity.

The new range offers custom built 4K graphic processing, with the latest chipset providing significant improvements in operating frequency, memory bandwidth and data transmission for a seamless 4K experience.

The EB-PQ2000 series also offers additional versatility and is compatible with the ELPEC01 optional camera unit, which provides the benefit of upgraded assistance techniques, such as built-in simple stacking and blending. In addition, Epson’s free EPPT software gives the user access to even more features, including geometric correction, colour calibration and multi-projection assistance tools.

Each projector in the EB-PQ2000 Series is supplied as ‘body only’, without a lens, giving the user the option to design and build the best, most optimal projection solution for the right application using Epson’s existing range of 4K high quality lenses without a change in throw ratios. In a time of increasing energy and logistics costs, the range offers significant environmental benefits including lower power consumption, significantly reduced packaging requirements with a lower carbon footprint as the reduced weight and size means the projectors are easier to store, transport and install, saving on warehouse space as well as labour and delivery costs.

All models in the range include functionality that enables simple installation, stacking, lens flexibility and control. The range includes in-built processing for PC-free stacking and blending which means two supported projectors can be stacked to double the brightness or blended to specific aspect ratios without need of external computerware. Additional features include NFC functionality for simpler installation, enabling communication between projectors and NFC-compatible smartphones, even when the projector is off.

“We are truly excited to announce our new generation of 4K ultra-lightweight, compact, high lumens projectors”, adds Massimo Pizzocri, Vice President Video Projector Sales & Marketing Division at Epson. “Epson projectors have become the industry benchmark for quality and flexibility, not only saving installation time and shipment costs but also reducing environmental impact for the important and growing 10k and 20k lumens market segment.

As the world’s leading projector manufacturer, we have listened very closely to our customers and we believe this new series of projectors answers the market need for more compact, space-saving, lighter, reliable and versatile high lumens display solutions.”

Christie industry-first Christie announced the 4K22-HS, the newest addition to its HS Series of laser projectors.

With 22,500 lumens, the new Christie 4K22-HS sets a new industry standard for brightness in 4K UHD 1DLP projection. The Christie 4K22-HS narrows the gap between 1DLP and 3DLP projection, making it ideal for live events and venues that require high brightness, incredible colour performance, and professional features, including museums, auditoriums, and attractions, in a budget-friendly projector.

With Christie BoldColor+ technology, the 4K22-HS delivers natural and realistic colours, deeper blacks, and enhanced colour uniformity. For applications that require multiple projectors, the new model features onboard Christie Twist for warping and blending, and quick and easy set-up and alignment of multiple displa: “We’re excited to demonstrate the new 4K22-HS at ISE 2023,” says Suhan Bijai, associate product manager, Christie. “We’ll be showcasing it with our content management solution Pandoras Box for an interactive experience on the stand, demonstrating how our products are designed to work together to create powerful experiences.”

The Christie 4K22-HS is compatible with Christie Mystique, an automated camera-based alignment and recalibration software tool that saves users hours of painstaking work when installing, aligning, calibrating, and maintaining multi-projector systems, as well as the new Christie Intelligent Camera. Among several time-saving features, Christie Intelligent Camera can be used to trigger projector autofocus, automatically calibrate projector colour to optimize colour uniformity, and automate colour and brightness matching across multi-projector arrays.

For added versatility, the 4K22-HS features active and passive polarized 3D functionality, and advanced electronics deliver frame rates at 60Hz in 4K UHD and 240Hz at 1080p. It is compatible with all WUXGA HS Series lenses. The Christie 4K22-HS comes with a 5-year warranty. It is available for order now and will ship in March 2023.

Barco Pulse projection software platform Barco came to ISE 2023 with the introduction of a new Pulse mobile app and an update of the Insights Management Suite platform. Thanks to a strengthened projection software platform and a growing hardware offering, Barco enters 2023 with a unique portfolio which enables projector management and control with the highest degree of customization, to easily address any specific project or demand.

The growing Pulse ecosystem consists of various software tools to enable easier projector control. The latest addition is the Pulse Mobile App, now available in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. The app serves as a remote controller and allows for quick tweaking of basic projection parameters, such as lens adjustments, projector orientation, shutter power, test patterns and black level settings.

Craig Lawrence, Video and Projects Director at SFL Group, was part of the Pulse Beta testing community and confirms he was positive about the efficiency of the Mobile App. “The solution gives us remote access to the features of the Pulse interface which saves

us a lot of precious time and is beneficial in those complex set-ups where the projector is mounted in hard-to-reach places. It’s a great asset, and we’re excited to see how the Pulse ecosystem further evolves!”

Another projection software platform from the visualization company is the Barco Insights Management Suite. The cloud-based Internet of Things solution for enhanced fleet management is designed to simplify and facilitate remote monitoring and serviceability of projectors. The first version of the Insights Management Suite was available for the UDM and UDX flagship line projectors. It later extended the availability with the launch of the XDM and XDX RGB laser projectors. According to the company’s most recent numbers, this results in nearly 2,000 projectors registered to the Insights platform.

In the coming months, the Management Suite will also be supported for the G62 and G100 single-chip laser projectors. Kristof Geerkens, Software Product Manager at Barco, explains: “We really wanted to extend the benefits of our software platforms across our projection portfolio. In doing so, this offers consistency to users who own a mix of different Barco projectors and can now manage their entire fleet from just one platform.” In addition, Barco will introduce a new feature to the Insights Management Suite platform. The Projector Power Scheduler makes it possible for users to remotely schedule the power on or off for an individual projector or a group of projectors. This functionality is aimed at fixed installations or semi-permanent projection mappings where the technical team is not constantly on site to manage the projector’s power settings.

“To bring a software solution that brings value and answers the needs of those in field, we continuously invest time and effort to follow-up feature requests and product feedback from our partners,” says Geerkens. “Our respondents in the market indicated a need for tools which address labour shortages and increase efficiency. Today this results in the introduction of our new projector power scheduler.” The scheduler functionality is currently available for the UDX and UDM projectors with an Insights Management Suite Control subscription or trial active.

Collaboration

MAXHUB IFP range, UC bar and PTZ camera MAXHUB launched its brand-new industry leading Interactive Flat Panels (IFP), all-in-one unified communications bar and popular Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) products at ISE) 2023. The latest IFP product ushers in a new era of business collaboration and is the newest addition to the range already leading market share in China. This will be the first showing of the product and combines the largest screen-to-body ratio from MAXHUB to date, as well as enabling enhanced data security for businesses, with its unique screen-sharing encryption technology and auto-flip camera that turns off when idle. Set to launch in early 2023, MAXHUB is ushering in a new era of business collaboration with a stylish and striking design to elevate your office.

Experts from MAXHUB werel on hand throughout ISE to provide product demonstrations and expert counsel to visitors at the MAXHUB booth in the Unified Communications Technology Zone in Hall 2, Stand 2P300. To reflect ISE’s theme of Sustainability, the MAXHUB booth was made using entirely eco-friendly products and will be recycled after the show. “We’re delighted to be back exhibiting at ISE this year, this time unveiling the latest additions to our industry-leading IFP, UC and PTZ ranges.” says Darren Lin, MAXHUB’s General Manager. “ISE is one of the most prestigious events in the Unified Communications calendar and we’re excited to showcase and highlight how important the impact of the UC market is for the success of today’s workforce.”

Attendees of ISE were also able to experience the latest additions to MAXHUB’s UC and PTZ range first hand and experience the recently launched IFP V6 ViewPro Series, which is Energy Star Certified. Featuring an ultra-clear 48MP + 8MP dual-camera, 5 sound units, 40W speakers, 8 array microphones at a 180-degree wide-angle, and 12-meter voice pickup range which ensures no voice is missed, the V6 ViewPro Series ensures teams get work done more efficiently and effectively than ever before.

Vivitek NovoDisplay: digital signage meets wireless collaboration Vivitek introduced the NovoDisplay DK Series, a Digital Signage Display with included collaboration functionality. The DK series is available in display sizes ranging from 43” to 86” and offers 4K Ultra-HD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution, making it suitable for commercial applications such as hospitality, retail, education and business. Available immediately, the DK433, DK553, DK653, DK753 and DK863 offer exceptional value combined with a rich feature set.

Flexible and practical, the NovoDisplay DK series has been designed to be easy to install, while supporting landscape and portrait modes to cater for differing business and application needs. NovoDS is the digital signage software included with the NovoDisplay. NovoDS makes it easy to create, publish and manage content ranging from promotional announcements to company messages. With NovoDS, all devices can be controlled through centralised management and deployment of the content.

The optional NovoDS Cloud service offers the additional benefit of role based access.

It also hosts a variety of templates and

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Advertorial Opinion

Is it time for a new approach to AV? Everyone acknowledges that the workplace has fundamentally changed, but organizations are still scratching their heads and trying to figure out – changed to what? Rob Smith is Senior Director, Integrated Systems Sales for Western Europe at Shure Inc. gives us his view.

While some employees are ready (and sometimes eager) to return to the office at least part time, others have crossed the bridge to the other side. They’re not only content with working fully remote; they’ve rebuilt their lives around it. The time that used to be spent on the morning commute is now taken up by dropping the kids off at school. The in-office lunch hour that facilitated impromptu brainstorming is now reserved for walking the dog. If you’re lucky, you can get team members to all agree to come in on the same day every week for in-person conversations. Maybe.

home sick. They were often just listening in or making a few brief comments or suggestions, so it was easy to overlook deficiencies in both audio and video quality. But now, a remote participant may be the most important person on the call. They’re the one giving the presentation, leading the discussion, closing the deal.

Meeting room AV While most people think about how a meeting room AV system affects the experience for in-room users, in some ways it is the remote attendees who depend on in-room systems the most. If the microphones send out poor audio quality from the room, online participants are the ones who have to struggle to keep up with the conversation.

This puts them at a disadvantage relative to the people in the room. In addition, the clarity of a remote participant’s voice depends partly on the quality of the in-room loudspeakers reproducing it. Poor sound quality – either incoming or outgoing – can make meetings more frustrating and less effective for all.

For AV/IT managers, this means that yesterday’s approaches to AV technology don’t always adapt to the new hybrid workplace. It’s time for a new approach that recognizes the need for equity between in-office and remote employees and eliminates differences in the user experience based on location. These fall into three areas.

Hearing everyone Some AV conferencing installations rely on outdated hanging or table microphones. These may not pick up everyone in the room fully, making more distant participants sound quieter than those closer to a microphone. Older audio mixers and DSP units may also lack the most powerful processing, allowing room noise and echo to contaminate the outgoing audio that remote participants rely on. State-of-the-art array microphones can automatically find talkers anywhere in the room and balance speech levels in real time so that everyone is easy to hear.

The “new normal” This “new normal” of hybrid work has pushed the capabilities of traditional videoconferencing to its limits and exposed some weaknesses. These were easy to tolerate back when videoconferencing was something you did once or twice a day. Now that videoconferencing is for some people the majority of the day, they’re real obstacles.

Better, faster, easier In the past, implementing more sophisticated AV systems required a lengthy process to ensure that components from different manufacturers could work seamlessly together. Now, many AV products are certified for use with major collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Cisco Webex out of the box. Certification guarantees interoperability and performance and eliminates time-consuming trial and error and guesswork in the commissioning phase, so AV/IT teams can deliver better-performing rooms faster and more easily.

Level playing field True collaboration requires both in-office and remote workers to be on a level playing field when participating in hybrid meetings. By ensuring that AV technology provides an effortless, consistent experience regardless of the user’s location, AV/IT managers can deliver the full potential of productivity, efficiency, and teamwork.

Seeing clearly Most conference rooms have only one camera that provides a single wide-angle view that isn’t very realistic. It can be difficult to pick up on visual cues like facial expressions or body language, and some people complain that they’re sometimes not even sure who’s talking. Active cameras can rapidly show a closer view of the active talker, using either preset shots or camera tracking based on real-time talker position coordinates provided by the microphones.

In the old days, people joined conference calls remotely because they were out of town or

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Peoplewatch

Peoplewatch TD SYNNEX Maverick has appointed Mark Glasspool as senior director for its UK and Ireland division. With over 20 years’ experience within TD SYNNEX, Mark moves to the Maverick European leadership team from the role of services director, UK and Ireland. He takes the lead of Maverick’s second largest region, working with a portfolio of best-in-class brands including Logitech, Absen, Crestron, Lenovo, Avocor, Epson, Microsoft, Sony and now Zoom.

Hugo Graca, senior vice president, Specialised Solutions, Europe at TD SYNNEX, said: “Mark is a brilliant leader, and we are delighted to see him move to the leadership role for the UK business. As a people-first manager, he has had remarkable success building customer service businesses and his ambitious spirit is perfectly matched to this part of the AV and IT industry, which is fast paced and where relationships are paramount. We are looking forward to having him as a driving force in the European leadership team at Maverick.”

Mark Glasspool, senior director at Maverick UK&I said: “Collaboration and visual communication are critical in how businesses and consumers will operate in the coming years and

find a CES that will lead us into our next chapter following Nigel Fine’s retirement last summer. Following this process, I’m delighted to announce that Ed has been successful in the permanent appointment as CES with immediate effect. Alongside his extensive knowledge of the workings of the IET, Ed is truly passionate about our purpose. I very much look forward to continuing to work closely with him and the IET team over my remaining term in office to drive our ambitions forward as we continue to work to engineer a better world.”

The IET is a world leading professional membership organisation aiming to inspire, inform and influence the global engineering and technology community, as well as wider society.

It supports and develops engineers throughout all stages of their career, aims to influence industry to embed engineering excellence and professionalism into everything they do and works to inspire the next generation of engineers.

Brompton Technology has announced the appointment of Cesar Caceres, who will be joining the company’s cross-functional product development team as their Product Lead. Having worked at Brompton between 2017 and 2019 as Product Specialist, followed by senior technical roles at disguise and Votion Studios [Hong Kong], Caceres is an expert when it comes to knowing how to use technology to create and deliver spectacular visual, virtual, and live experiences. In his new role as Product Lead, Caceres returns to Brompton to help lead the way with new and existing products, liaising with Brompton’s key customers across the globe and building deeper connections with them.

Reporting directly to Richard Mead, Brompton’s CEO, the position presents Caceres with a great opportunity to become a true ‘product champion’, spreading the word about the company’s latest product announcements, explaining their key benefits, garnering customer feedback to aid with future development and offering support on the best way of using Brompton’s solutions. “For me, I have the best job in the company,” says Caceres.

the Technology Leadership Team for the UK & Ireland.

As part of her role, Birch held several leadership positions and was responsible for creating and leading high-performing teams, executing business and technology transformations and driving technology innovation to support her clients’ positions in the market. Birch started her career at Oil and Gas giant BP and later held leadership positions at Fujitsu Services UK and Computacenter. “In a world of unprecedented technological advancements, many organisations still struggle to cut through the noise to identify the technology solutions that are right for them. This has increased the pressure on service providers to be trusted partners for clients, guiding and streamlining the transformation process,” said Birch.

“I am so excited to join Node4, one of the few service providers that meets organisations at an inflection point where they are looking to leverage technology to drive transformational change to their business. The group capabilities, strengthened with that of the recent acquisitions, makes us a one stop shop for our clients. In my new role, I look forward to working with the Node4 leadership team as we continue to show our clients what is possible with technology and help accelerate Node4’s growth ambition in the years ahead.”

“Hannah understands how to drive transformational growth strategies, creating deeper value-based relationships with clients,” said Andrew Gilbert, Founder and CEO of Node4.

“With our recent acquisitions and the broadening of our partnership with Microsoft, Hannah is the right person to lead the integration of our Digital Team and continue to build on our reputation as a technology leader in this space.”

Kinly has announced that Taj Ghere has been appointed Managing Director for the UK region. Taj brings 22 years of growth and operational expertise to the role, following a successful career leading the finance function at some of the world’s leading IT and technology specialists — including Nortel, Dell and Agfa Healthcare. Taj originally joined Kinly in 2020 as Group Finance Director and will now move into the MD of the UK role.

With Kinly projecting significant growth and expansion in the year ahead, including the recent opening of new offices in Germany and Switzerland, Taj has committed to a new transformation programme to improve internal processes, boost efficiencies, and ensure

TD SYNNEX Maverick has appointed Mark Glasspool as senior director for its UK and Ireland division.

Maverick’s focus on technology for smart spaces puts us right at the heart of innovation in the sector. The teams across Europe have continually brought latest brands to market and worked with leading brands to maintain their position. I am looking forward to collaborating with the team to maintain and build on that momentum.

“I started my career 20 years ago as an internal sales executive and my experience spans a variety of roles within this business. This has furthered my unique perspective of knowing how to support, grow and empower every member of my team. A skill that I feel is critical to helping us continue to build an excellent experience for Maverick customers and our brand partners.” Mark’s career at TD SYNNEX has seen him move support both consumer and B2B segments. Prior to the role of Services Director, he served as of Director Product Marketing and Sales for the Consumer Technology Group, driving business transformation and sales growth for a group of prestigious brands.

Ed Almond has been announced as the new Chief Executive and Secretary (CES) of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). Ed has worked at the IET for 21 years, having held the position of Director of Finance since 2006 and becoming interim CES last summer following Nigel Fine’s retirement. Ed is an IET Fellow and takes on the IET as a world-leading membership and learned society, driving forward its charitable purpose to engineer a better world and growing a worldwide membership of 155,000 people across 148 countries.

On his appointment, Ed said: “It is a tremendous pleasure for me to take on this role to lead the IET – it is a fantastic organisation and as a diverse home for engineering and technology,

Brompton Technology has announced the appointment of Cesar Caceres, who will be joining the company’s cross-functional product development team as their Product Lead.

“I have always been passionate about delivering the best service and experience. The way Brompton designs and manufactures its products and supports the industry is very much attuned to my own vision of being able to offer quality solutions that directly correspond to customers’ needs.”

Another important area of the job will be to make sure customers understand Brompton’s concept of technology and the company’s product roadmap. “As well as sharing Brompton’s insights, my key objective will be taking the best feedback we can from our customers and bringing it back to the team. Essentially, I am strengthening the ‘bridge’ that was already there between the customer and the company, listening carefully to the feedback and having direct discussions about how Brompton can help our customers have even better experience,” Caceres adds.

Caceres notes that returning to Brompton after three years feels like coming back to a ‘whole different beast’, since the company has not only grown in its core market of live events but has also become the preferred processing for virtual production and XR, with some of the world’s leading virtual production studios choosing Brompton’s Tessera LED processors to power their production facilities. As a result, the knowledge and experience he has gained in the intervening years will be invaluable in his new role. “We are very excited about Cesar re-joining us to take on this important leadership role,” concludes Mead. “His ability to communicate technical concepts clearly and enthusiastically, combined with his extensive experience in the industry mean he is uniquely well qualified. This adds further strength to our team, which is Brompton’s most valuable asset, and gives us great confidence as we scale up to meet the needs of our growing customer base.”

Ed Almond has been announced as the new Chief Executive and Secretary (CES) of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) I know the importance of sharing our knowledge to help make better sense of the world and solve the challenges that matter. I’m really looking forward to continuing to work with our diverse network of members, volunteers and colleagues, building on our many achievements and further establishing the IET as a leading voice within the engineering and technology community and to wider society. My focus for this year includes driving forward our influence, knowledge and expertise to show the role that engineering and technology plays in the future of our society and planet, specifically in solving societal challenges.”

IET President, Professor Bob Cryan CBE, added: “Over the past nine months the IET has run an extensive and inclusive recruitment search, using executive search companies to

p30 AV News February 2023

has joined the company as Managing Director Digital and Group Board Member. In this role, Birch will lead the Node4 Digital Business. She will strengthen the strategic relationship with Microsoft leveraging recent investments and drive client value with the integration of acquisitions, risual, TNP and Tisski. Prior to joining Node4, Birch spent 11 years at Accenture where she led the company’s UK Technology Business for Insurance and was a member of

Kinly has announced that Taj Ghere has been appointed Managing Director for the UK region. the best experiences for Kinly customers. In his former role, Taj has already been working very closely with the UK leadership team to steer the business through the challenges brought about by the pandemic and global supply chain disruption. Now, as Managing Director of the UK region and as a member of Kinly Exec Board, Taj will also be responsible for supporting and executing the global vision of Chief Executive Officer, Tom Martin, across this vital region.

Speaking of the new appointment, CEO, Tom Martin, says: “I am delighted to have Taj in the role of Managing Director. At Kinly, we believe that great things happen when people work together, and Taj truly embodies this. Taj already understands how our business operates and the value that our solutions add to customers and the wider AV industry. He is a proactive individual who truly believes in collaboration and teamwork; with him at the helm we can develop and grow the business in ways that benefit Kinly and its customers both now, and in future.”

Commenting on his appointment, Taj Ghere added: “Kinly’s strength comes from its people.

I’m a big believer that a company’s team, and the culture that surrounds them, plays a vital role in its growth and future success. For me, the managing director role represents a great opportunity for me to work more closely with our award-winning team, understanding their challenges and pain points, and discovering new ways we can develop and grow together. I’m looking forward to supporting the growth and development of Kinly’s solutions and brand, as well as understanding what change we can implement that will benefit not only the business, but also each and every individual across our organisation. That’s what really motivates and inspires me — working together as a team to build on our existing success and steer the company forward in 2023.”

Kinly is a global provider of AV services & support with over 20 years’ experience in the video collaboration industry. The company now has over 1,100 employees working with over 2,500 clients across the world.

DiGiCo has announced the appointment of James Baker as Senior International Sales Manager, and long-standing DiGiCo team members Jaap Pronk and Tom Williams from their present roles to International Sales Managers.

Having previously served as a Business Development Manager and International Sales Manager, Baker’s skill set is ideally suited to his new role. He is set to bring the considerable knowledge gained from these past positions to his new role at DiGiCo and has a keen focus on continuing the consolidation of DiGiCo’s enviable position in the console market and exploring new opportunities for further growth.

“I wanted a new challenge where I could leverage everything I’ve learned over the years,” he explains. “I’m looking forward to making a longstanding contribution to DiGiCo, bringing

Peoplewatch

Peoplewatch my flair for communication and relationship building to my new position and to being part of the amazing pool of talent the company already embodies.”

Pronk and Williams, meanwhile, are familiar DiGiCo faces and have been part of the DiGiCo family for many years. Both are well known for their expertise, reliability and excellent customer-facing skills.

Pronk’s association with the audio industry started when he was at high school as a touring engineer and DJ and continued at college, from where formally launched his career as a touring engineer and then in sales.

“My DiGiCo adventure started after a 13-year stint at their Dutch distributor, when DiGiCo gave me the opportunity to work for the brand itself and join the heart of the DiGiCo family as a Sales and Product Specialist,” he says. “After six years at the company, I’m proud and happy to now help the team with my sales skills.”

For more than a decade, Williams has developed an in-depth knowledge and passion for the DiGiCo brand, its products, and people. He is well known throughout the professional audio industry. His extensive contacts and natural flair will support DiGiCo as it focuses on delivering its next stage of growth and expansion.

“During my time with the company, I’ve been able to amass an in-depth DiGiCo knowledge-base,” Williams notes. “I’m eager to bring that and my sales track record to my new role.”

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to strengthen my sales team and very pleased to be promoting both Jaap and Tom from within the company,” says Ian Staddon, DiGiCo Vice President of Sales. “Their product knowledge, coupled with training expertise is going to be a great sales asset to the countries they will manage in their new roles as International Sales Managers.

“Appointing James as a Senior International Sales Manager is a great addition for DiGiCo, as he brings a wealth of sales experience, as well as contacts from around the globe. James is a ‘console guy’ through and through and a respected sound engineer is his own right.

“I am really excited about the new team, as we will be able to better support all our distributors and partners, as well as develop new DiGiCo has announced the appointment of James Baker as Senior International Sales Manager, and long-standing DiGiCo team members Jaap Pronk and Tom Williams from their present roles to International Sales Managers.

PPDS has announced the appointments of highly experienced AV professionals, Sven Beinlich and Jason Bacon, to its globally acclaimed team of International Key Account Directors. Their appointments come ahead of a PPDS Global Partner Alliance (GPA) growth announcement during ISE, bringing greater reach, enhanced quality, and more opportunities for global businesses in 2023 and beyond.

Part of PPDS’ ongoing global recruitment drive, attracting and targeting the AV industry’s leading talents to spearhead worldwide growth and accelerate sales across an array of market verticals, Sven (based in Hamburg) and Jason (in London) join as the company’s new International Key Account Directors for Retail and Corporate respectively.

Launched in 2020, PPDS’ unrivalled IKAD team was created to help multi-national business customers – including those in retail, corporate, and hospitality – offering global consistency, together with local expertise and a single point of contact, to ensure faster, streamlined and more cost-efficient tailored project completions.

Adding more than 50 years of combined AV/IT knowledge and sales experience – including holding top level senior management and director positions at some of the world’s leading manufacturers and distribution firms during their careers – the well-respected duo will play an intrinsic role in supporting company strategy and in achieving its corporate and retail ambitions for 2023 and beyond. Day-to-day Sven and Jason will be responsible for identifying, coordinating and executing new business opportunities, providing complete project management and support from pre- to post-sales, encompassing strategy, pricing, contracting, operations, and services.

As members of the IKAM team, the duo will utilise the expertise of the PPDS GPA – a global network of the company’s elite AV and IT integration specialists – to bring regional expertise and seamless project execution of any scale, anywhere in the world, with full access to PPDS’ entire portfolio of products and software solutions. Their appointment confirmation – joining Simone Gagliardi, Valeriia Polovkova, and Mikael de Fonseca – comes just days before PPDS’ third annual gathering of GPA members in Barcelona, with an exclusive business dinner event on 1 February. Hosted at the stunning Esferic restaurant – set within the historical hilltop grounds of the 1992 Olympic site and overlooking the city, this year’s PPDS GPA event will include new partner announcements, adding even greater strengths, and bringing new benefits to more in 2023 and beyond.

Franck Racape, VP Global Commercial at PPDS, said: “We’re proud to have Sven and Jason join our ranks. With their long and impeccable careers in AV they will be great assets to PPDS and are perfect additions to the IKAD team. Our retail and corporate portfolios continue to expand into new products and exciting form factors, and both Sven and Jason

are already clearly demonstrating the capabilities and knowledge for our customers to maximise the potential of every opportunity. As we had hoped, they have certainly hit the ground running. On behalf of the company, we welcome Sven and Jason to the PPDS family and wish them every success in what will be another great year ahead, with some very important and strategic announcements during ISE 2023.”

PPDS adds experienced AV duo Sven Beinlich and Jason Bacon to International Key Account Management team ahead of new Global Partner announcements at ISE 2023 Bradford-based Pro Audio Systems has announced the recruitment of Martin Bailey to the post of Projects Director. Martin has enjoyed a stellar international career that has encompassed every aspect of project and production management, system design engineering and integration. From apprentice scenic painter at Bristol Old Vic, to live and studio freelancer, Martin graduated in 3D Design (Theatre) from Wimbledon School of Art. Further stints as a sound engineer at Good Earth and Sound Design studios in London (and regular work as theatre technician in the West End) preceded a move into the live sound arena working for a diverse range of artists including Motörhead, Fela Kuti, Nick Cave and Squeeze.

Leaving the road to take up the Technical Manager’s position at Phoenix Arts Centre in Leicester, Martin enjoyed a seven-year tenure, with responsibility for an extensive and varied programme. This considerably broadened his experience and prompted another dive into the world of freelancing, this time organising and project-managing large-scale prestigious events such as Sheffield’s Millennium New Year’s Party, and during which time he obtained a number of technical qualifications. From 2005 to 2020 Martin worked for Theatre Projects, managing some of the most significant cultural building projects in the world. In a design and project management capacity, he successfully delivered a number of flagship projects such as Oslo Opera House, Shanghai Symphony Hall and the House of Dancing Water - just three examples of 57 projects across 158 venues in 16 countries.

Brian Lumb, Managing Director of PAS comments: “Martin’s career is nothing short of remarkable. He’s worked on an amazing range of projects and over a career spanning nearly four decades has accumulated a level of knowledge and experience that would be hard to match anywhere. It’s very clear that we’ll be able to deploy his skills across all areas of developing our business. Martin will be a huge asset to the Pro Audio Systems team as we continue to grow.”

Martin Bailey adds: “I’ve worked with PRO Audio Systems since 1994, engaging with them as a purchaser of equipment, hirer of equipment, client project manager, supervising designer, and most recently working for sister company Blynk as a freelance project manager in Qatar. Having worked on some significant installs with PAS, including The Lyceum and Crucible theatres in Sheffield. I’ve always been impressed with the quality of their workmanship. As a consultant with Theatre Projects, PAS were by far the highest quality installers I have ever worked with, so when they offered me the position, the decision was simple. I’m looking forward to working across all aspects of the business and developing their market in the industry.”

Bradford-based Pro Audio Systems has announced the recruitment of Martin Bailey to the post of Projects Director.

Clear-Com has announced the appointment of Richard Palmer to the role of Sales Director for the EMEA region, following the retirement of Nicki Fisher. Richard brings to the role a strong understanding of the business, excellent relationships in the industry, and a keen ability to identify and execute on untapped opportunities in the market.

Richard’s prior experience includes over 10 years at Clear-Com managing sales for Southern Europe and Africa, as well as several roles in sales for other leading industry manufacturers, including Audio-Technica and Solid State Logic. Music has been a passion for Richard since the start, having graduated with a diploma in Advanced Music Production from London School of Audio Production. He channeled that interest in his early career

spending time as a Lecturer of Music Technology at various institutions, as well as serving as a recording engineer for CTS Studios.

Chris Willis, Senior VP of Worldwide Sales, comments on this appointment. “Richard’s deep understanding of the audio industry and his track record of growing even well-established channels made him a natural choice for this critical role, further strengthened by his strong interpersonal skills and wicked sense of humor.”

Richard’s appointment comes as Nicki Fisher announces her retirement from the commercial aspects of the industry, having served in the EMEA Sales Director role for Clear-Com since 2014. During her tenure with the company, she not only grew sales substantially in the EMEA region but also championed several key industry initiatives related to gender diversity and mentorship. Even after retirement, Nicki will continue in her role as Chair of the Board of Rise, an organization devoted to promoting gender diversity within the media technology industry.

TD SYNNEX (NYSE: SNX) has appointed Andy Evans as Senior Commercial Director for its European business. With over 30 years’ experience within the AV/IT industry, Andy will lead the business strategy for TD SYNNEX Maverick, working with a portfolio of best-in-class brands including Logitech, Absen, Crestron, Samsung, Lenovo, Avocor, Epson, Microsoft, Sony and now Zoom.

Andy Evans, commercial director at TD SYNNEX Maverick explains: “After years of working with Maverick as a customer I’m very excited to be joining the European team at this pivotal time for the industry and business. Maverick holds the number one position for smart meeting and smart signage technology with an unrivalled portfolio within the channel. My focus will be to work with our partners to maximise the huge opportunities ahead. With ISE around the corner I am really looking forward to seeing the team in action showcasing our strategy for this year at our IS-SKI stand.”

Hugo Graça, senior vice president, Specialised Solutions, Europe, at TD SYNNEX, said: “Andy is well known in the AV/IT space for leading innovation in his teams and for his focus on customer excellence. His knowledge of collaboration technology, the channel and our industry verticals will be invaluable for our teams across Europe and we’re pleased to have his leadership across the business.”

Andy’s career has seen him hold commercial director roles at integration businesses including market leaders Electrosonic and Kinly, and senior positions at Viju and Cisco. In is new he serves as part of Maverick’s senior management team, overseeing the smart spaces strategy, vendor relationships and channel sales across Europe.

TD SYNNEX (NYSE: SNX) has appointed Andy Evans as Senior Commercial Director for its European business.

In memoriam AV industry mourns the loss of Ratnesh Javeri, CTS-D, C. Eng. (India) and a Fellow at IETE. We commemorate his service, remember his bold spirit, passion for our industry and for life. His fellow volunteer Jeffrey Lipp, CTS-D, shared “Ratnesh was a truly great asset to the entire AV industry. When I worked with him as a volunteer on the standards steering committee, he provided not only excellent technical and organizational input, but an unusual global perspective. Ratnesh truly gave our industry a bright world perspective, and I will miss him along with the entire AV industry.”

The first Indian ‘Certified Technology Specialist in Design’ (CTS-D), Ratnesh was electronics engineer by education and entrepreneur in the space of workplace technology consultancy, with over 25 years of experience in the field of AV consulting. At AVIXA, Ratnesh shared his volunteer leadership with the Board of Directors in both 2016 and 2017 through thoughtful global perspectives and in-depth technical knowledge.

Former AVIXA Board of Directors Chairman Jeff Day shared “We lost a good one today.

My dear friend and fellow AVIXA board member Ratnesh Javeri taught me so much about life, spirituality, respect for nature, family, serving others, and adventure. He was the consummate professional, extremely committed to his craft and passionate about the audiovisual industry. His volunteerism and heart drove standards and education opportunities for others.”

AVIXA CEO Dave Labuskes shared “From my first meeting with Ratnesh nearly 10 years ago to my last this past September, the constant thread was a love for his industry, his family, and his friends. Those of us who knew him cherished our time with him not only because of his kindness but also from having some small part of his bold spirit and sheer passion for life left inside each of us. He truly did life right and we are all better for it.”

As we mourn his loss and remember the value Ratnesh brought to our industry, we hope you will share warm thoughts and memories of this AV giant.

4

P31 AV News February 2023

Diary and Events widgets, including the Bulletin Board – a digital pin board layout with document interaction.

It ensures that information can be updated easily, keeping viewers informed through accurate information at all times.The NovoDisplay DK series is available in 43”/55”/65”/75”/86” display sizes, and thanks to its 4K Ultra-HD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution, it delivers outstanding details and stunning visuals. The unparalleled display with 500 cd/m2 brightness and 50,000 hours performance, make this a truly professional signage display.

The NovoDisplay’s backlit D-LED (IPS panel) technology delivers brighter pictures, flawless colours, richer textures and extra wide viewing angles (178˚/ 178˚), combined with incredibly sharp and crisp images. This makes the viewing experience more pleasurable for all, across all applications and environments.

The NovoDisplay DK series is part of the Vivitek Novo Ecosystem, the most comprehensive choice for wireless collaboration and digital signage. The built-in NovoConnect offers cable-free and hassle-free presentations and collaboration in the classroom or in office. For meeting room installations, the display can easily be switched to ‘presentation’ mode thanks to its included NovoConnect wireless collaboration, maximising the value of the investment.

NovoDisplay is also ready and set for hybrid meetings with video conferencing, meeting the requirements of new generations of hybrid workers. Commenting on the launch of the NovoDisplay DK Series, Holger Graeff, General Manager, Vivitek EMEA stated: “The new NovoDisplay DK series makes it easier than ever to create, manage and share important or informative messages that capture the viewer’s attention and imagination.”

Panasonic 4K innovations Strengthening its position as the leader in 4K Visual and Pro-AV, Panasonic Connect Europe today announced four new solutions designed for Business Collaboration, Education and the Location Based Entertainment industry at ISE 2023. These latest products underline Panasonic’s position as the manufacturer with the most comprehensive range of 4K Projectors up to 50,000lm and displays up to 98 inches, alongside a complete 4K Glass-to-Glass solution for creating, producing and delivering content.

•New immersive production possibilities with next-gen 1-Chip DLP Projectors - Available calendar Q2/Q3 2023 Two next generation PT-REQ12 Series (4K) and PT-REZ12 Series (WUXGA) 1-Chip DLP™ laser projectors are designed to deliver new production possibilities and simplify workflow for the Location Based Entertainment industry. With up to 12,000lm brightness, 4K resolution and 240Hz projection capability[1] with minimal latency of 6ms[2] or less, the two new Series are ideal for museums, immersive experiences and the Rental and Staging industry.

As the first 1-Chip DLP™ projector to feature Quad Pixel Drive, Panasonic’s 2-axis pixel-shifting technology, the REQ12 Series reproduces authentic 4K images that are deep, smooth, and detailed. Designed for high frame rate content, it can also be combined with the optional Real-Time Tracking Projection Mapping System for projection onto fast-moving objects, enriching interactive applications and stage performances.

•Premium Displays excel in brightness, reliability and system scalability – Available from December 2023 The SQ2H Series, the latest range of 4K UHD LCD Displays, is designed to meet the growing demand for premium-level professional business displays that can cut through bright lighting conditions. Ranging in seven screen sizes, from 43-98 inches, these reliable 24hr displays with high brightness and an anti-glare haze treatment to reduce reflection are ideal for boardrooms, meeting and learning spaces, as well as for digital signage in retail and public information areas.

For ultimate flexibility and scalability, the SQ2H Series is equipped with the Intel® Smart Display Module (Intel® SDM) specification slot as standard for a wide range of use cases such as digital signage and broadcasts, using a built-in PC, terminal board or wireless presentation system.

•New best-in-class touch screen Displays - Available Q1 of CY 2023 Addressing the need for intuitive instant collaboration technologies, Panasonic has expanded its range of 4K touch displays with the introduction of the best-in-class EQ2-PCAP Series. With six screen options, ranging from 43-86 inches, these premium interactive multi-touch professional displays with Capacitive Touch Technology make collaboration in meetings, brainstorm sessions and classrooms effortless and productive. The incredible touch accuracy with up to 10-point multi-touch using bare or gloved hands, combined with the 500cd/m2 brightness display and anti-glare treatment for high visibility 4K viewing makes the range perfectly designed for inspirational group working.

•Next Generation of KAIROS, the state-of-the-art live production platform – Available in 2023 Panasonic is growing the KAIROS ecosystem by adding two new powerful and quiet Core mainframes, the AT-KC200 and AT-KC2000 - expanding the platform's already innovative GPU processing to support larger and more complex productions and enabling it to deliver rich content to a higher quantity of larger screens than ever before.

The new KC200 expands connectivity options and processing power beyond the existing KC100, and the KC2000 offers the most capacity yet, doubling the current KC1000 for number of sources and outputs, increasing processing performance by minimum 30% and clip player capacity by 500% totaling 900GB. The new 4RU chassis for both models features high airflow at lower fan speeds, significantly reducing noise and allowing the platform to be placed directly next to the action.

Also on show at ISE 2023 are a range of other recently announced Panasonic products: The Ultra Short Throw CMZ50 LCD Projector Series ideally suited for applications that require a cost-effective solution with an ultra short throw ratio lens. The CMZ50 features a fixed UST lens and offers an entry into minimal shadow, close distance projection for immersive experiences and museums, as well as for meeting rooms and classrooms.

The world’s smallest and lightest 20,000lm projectors - the RQ25K 3-Chip DLPTM and the MZ20K Series Solid Shine Laser projectors.

The latest generation SQE2 and CQE2 Series of 4K UHD Professional LCD displays designed for any location and application in public spaces, business and education.

Crestron workplace innovations Crestron Electronics previewed technology experiences ingrained with familiar daily routines. Videoconferences have taken over the workday, automation installs have skyrocketed and homeowners are spending more time in their residences than ever before. Crestron’s 1.500m² booth was brimming with hands-on, experiential demos that enabled attendees to see how Crestron transforms the most mundane tasks and empowers everyone to come together in a way that sets them apart.“ISE is a unique show that allows Crestron to exhibit the breadth of our product portfolio from all sides of our business in one booth,” said

P32 AV News January 2023

Brad Hintze, executive vice president, Global Marketing, at Crestron. “Our daily interactions with technology continue to impact the productivity of our workday and transform how we unwind at home. The immersive demonstrations in our booth will highlight technology’s influence on our lives at home, in the office, and even in hotels where we may stay.”

Crestron continues to evolve and pave the way for the industry by adding software innovations that complement and integrate within the Crestron ecosystem. Designed as a flexible, IT-friendly companion to its hardware counterpart, DM NVX Software is the first of these platforms to set the stage for the future of Crestron solutions. It delivers seamless HD video streaming and content from any source to any display straight from an existing PC or server with the highest quality possible. Crestron has also expanded its AV-over-IP offerings, adding a new strategic partnership with NETGEAR that will make select models of the M4250 line of switches available directly through Crestron.

The hybrid meeting experience is integral to every organization and will take precedence as the modern workplace continues to take shape. Meeting equity solutions like Crestron Sightline and the entire Crestron Flex Unified Communications line-up for rooms of any size will be on display to demonstrate the flexible applications that can take meetings to the next level from every space. The latest Automate VX update has made meeting equity in any large space even easier. This update includes the Intelligent Video Room Designer tool, which overlays cameras and microphones on a room’s floor plan to help visualize the interactions between the cameras and the microphone before the design is deployed. The responsive Live Mode from Automate VX also enables easy adjustments to shot angles and widths once the solution is deployed. Crestron’s newest bundle, featuring the Crestron AirMedia wireless collaboration and Jabra PanaCast 50 video bar, will also be in action for the first time, showing the end-to-end BYOD solution that empowers organizations to reconfigure their workplace for hybrid-first meetings.

Crestron continues to innovate more ways for dealers to bring the Crestron Home OS experience into their customers’ homes. The PC4-R is the latest addition to the Crestron Home Processor line-up. It provides a powerful Dell microcomputer that comes pre-installed with the Crestron Home OS, secured and ready for operation right out of the box. This solution will be shipping in Q1, providing yet another option to deploy and configure with ease and speed.

The Crestron Home platform has become the go-to home automation platform for the smart home market. Strategic collaborations with key partners provide comfort and peace of mind with technology solutions that address human-centric lighting, thermal comfort, and air quality control. Entertainment remains another key pillar of the residential product suite, with the Crestron DM NVX AV-over-IP and DM NAX Audio-over-IP technology facilitating

LARA is Lightware’s first pro AV software based on Agile, bringing system integrators a future-proof deployment model for supporting virtual or in-person collaboration across a range of collaboration spaces, allowing users to focus on their meetings and presentations instead of managing room logistics. ISE visitors will be able to discover the huge potential of the new room automation system built in the Taurus and MMX2 matrix switcher series, demonstrating its effectiveness in the Education, Defence and Corporate areas as well. In 2023, Lightware’s aim will be to focus on its customers’ needs, delivering viable solutions above expectations, with an uncompromising level of customer service and support. Lightware will also strengthen its vertical market solutions, some of which will be present at ISE.

Audio L-Acoustics of L-ISA Ambiance Acoustics System Visitors to this year’s ISE were able to meet the L-Acoustics and L-Acoustics Creations team s, catch a demonstration of L-ISA Ambiance Acoustics System, discover L-ISA Studio interactive workstations, hear the discreet and powerful Soka/SB6i duo, and more. Ambiance is the next generation of active acoustics, combining premium acoustics and the realism of immersive audio. An Ambiance Acoustic System consists of an immersive loudspeaker design requiring both surround and overheads to create a proper acoustic field and an array of strategically placed microphones to capture the existing acoustical energy of the venue, which is processed through the L-ISA Room Engine built within the L-ISA Processor II. These systems are designed within the 3D-mapping design software Soundvision to fit the room geometry and volume and to meet the performance requirements of the venue - from simple acoustic enhancement to high-performance Immersive Hyperreal productions. L-ISA Studio is an innovative approach to the workflow of spatial audio content creation. Built with sound designers and mixing engineers in mind, L-ISA Studio is designed for countless creative, immersive audio experiences. It takes the power and versatility of the concert-proven L ISA technology and puts it into the hands of sound creators, allowing them to formulate multidimensional audio wherever and whenever they are ready to create..

Also at the booth were the latest dedicated installation loudspeakers and subwoofers, Soka, SB6i, and SB10i, and the new revolutionary high-power multi-channel amplifier, LA7.16i.

The LA7.16i amplified controller surmounts the limitations of current high-power amplifier configurations used in most installation projects. Unique in the market, LA7.16i offers an unprecedented 16x16 architecture in a 2U chassis with seamless Milan-AVB redundancy.

Each of the 16 output channels delivers up to 1300 watts at 8 ohms or 1100 watts at 4 ohms. Soka and the SB6i subwoofer join loudspeakers like Syva, X4i, and the SB10i subwoofer to offer exciting new creative possibilities for sound designers, interior designers, and architects to shape sound and space to their needs.

The L-Acoustics Creations stand showcased the Fiji 5.1 system. Comprising five discreet X4i, an SB10i subwoofer, and a pair of LA2Xi amplified controllers, Fiji is small enough to disappear in any room yet capable of covering a listening area of up to 20 m2 with SPL over 117dB in the reference listening position. Guests can also receive a demo of the Tahiti 2.1 featuring two powerful Syva and two Syva Subs accompanied by an LA4X amplified controller. Alongside Fiji, the L-Acoustics Creations booth also demonstrated the new Soka in-wall / on-wall loudspeakers in a stereo configuration.

Sennheiser audio innovation

seamless transitions from room to room or powering a cohesive ambiance throughout the whole home. The latest addition to the line-up is the DM NAX AMP-X300, a two-zone amp and Crestron’s most compact offering so far, which will make its debut on the show floor.

This solution provides a flexible and scalable solution with a more granular system configuration, packing an extremely powerful solution into a space-saving size. Native to the entire Crestron AV-over-IP platform, this is the first Hi-Z (high impedance) DM NAX model, which provides an easy addition to landscape or surface mount speakers.

Crestron’s legacy in both the residential and commercial markets poises the company to deliver the only fully integrated control solution for the hospitality industry. Since the first installation at the iconic New York Palace Hotel in 1992, Crestron has been enhancing the hospitality experience across guest rooms, ballrooms, meeting rooms, spas, and everything in between for some of the world’s most prestigious hotels. For the first time, Crestron will demonstrate a renewed and targeted focus on the hospitality space, showing attendees how to transform the guest experience from check-in and throughout their stay.

Lightware room automation Lightware previewed Advanced Room Automation (LARA) and dedicated vertical market solutions. At the end of last year, Lightware announced the creation of a new business development team within the company. It has assigned dedicated VPs to the company’s main vertical markets: Education; Defence; Intelligence and Government; and Corporate. On the ISE Lightware stand, the company addressed solutions dedicated to these vertical markets.

Lightware offers intuitive and easy-to-use solutions for educational institutions allowing students and educators to focus on the task at hand. Lightware demonstrates its benefits for the future of university lectures with VINX 1G AV over IP solution. During this demo, visitors were able to see how this solution works in a large auditorium, where the teacher can share their display from the podium, or they can easily give permission to the students to present theirs instead.

High-performance AV-over-IP networking and collaboration technology UBEX will be put through its paces live in a special Flight Simulator which is a tailor-made solution for training fighter pilots. Attendees to the Lightware UBEX Demo will see how the Pilot Trainer is able to switch the trainee simulator screen to the main large display and take control of the station via the USB KVM feature of the joystick controls.

Lightware is at the forefront of building meeting rooms of the future, providing BYOM solutions for the Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Webex platforms. Experts from the company’s new AV integration division were able to highlight at the show a joint bundle product with Cisco and deeper collaborations with leading brands Barco, Poly, and Logitech. Lightware is also cooperating with monitoring companies, such as Utelogy and TAD Monitor so ISE visitors will be able to view joint technical solutions at the show.

Sennheiser showcased its new products and on the Sennheiser stand (3C600) is in Hall 3 of the FIRA Barcelona and which featured interactive demo spaces that gave attendees the chance to get hands-on with Sennheiser’s latest audio solutions. In one room, the newest TeamConnect Family member was demonstrated for the first time publicly. Visitors had the opportunity to see its sleek design, while experiencing the trusted audio quality one has come to expect from Sennheiser.

The other demo room featured the multiple award-winning and readily available TeamConnect Ceiling 2 (TCC 2), where it again showcased its beamforming tracking capability with Sennheiser partner Q-SYS’ cameras. The TCC 2 demo will replicate a real-world meeting environment, allowing visitors the opportunity to experience the audibly superior ceiling microphone already trusted by thousands of our customers around the world.

Starting later in Q1, the TeamConnect Ceiling Solutions will come with an extended warranty. By owning its manufacturing and maintaining strong relationships with its suppliers, not only has Sennheiser been able to maintain reliable delivery dates for these products, but their quality can be proudly certified. Additional details about the warranty extension, including its new length and who’s eligible was shared at ISE. MobileConnect is an award-winning assistive listening solution that enables inclusive meeting and lecture participation through the use of a smartphone. Sennheiser formally launched a set of new exciting features, including app customization and, most importantly, a talk-back feature that takes MobileConnect beyond just assistive listening.

Named Audience Mic, the feature transforms any smartphone into a microphone, allowing MobileConnect users the ability to communicate the way they want. Audience Mic takes

MobileConnect from an assistive and personal listening solution to a bi-directional communication powerhouse. The speaker simply talks into their smartphone to have their voice brought directly to other participant’s phones in the room, over the room’s loudspeaker and to those who may be participating remotely. The Sennheiser stand showcased the full potential of MobileConnect. Visitors will be able to experience both app customization and Audience Mic features via on-demand demonstrations.

For the first time at ISE, the latest member of the Evolution Wireless Digital family were on display. Designed to make collaboration and learning easier, EW-DX is powerful and flexible enough for even the most demanding business and professional applications. With its straightforward installation and integration, the system easily scales across your existing Dante network, from the smallest meeting room or classroom to the largest educational and corporate campus installations. EW-DX and its components will be featured on a product table for visitors to experience first-hand.