One CTS’s Perspective: InfoComm 2013, Day One Christopher Neto, CTS traveled the show floor on his first visit to see this years exhibitors. He saw quite the cross-section of products, snapped some photos and sent them to us. Whether it is an 84-inch touch screen from Planar or a Crestron room system that uses Microsoft Lync's unified communications capabilities, he pinpointed the vendors to keep an eye on. Vendors include Vaddio, Stewart Filmscreen, Planar, Listen Technologies, Mersive Solstice, Panasonic, Delta, Crestron, ClearOne and Barco.
Is 4K Ready for Your Prime Time? The 4K format is starting to appear in areas where large screens are being used and in applications where the wow factor is important to an organization. 4K is defined as a generation of video technology beyond the 1920 x 1080 resolution of HDTV. The high-end signage has smoother edges, crisper images and improved bigger pictures. Current users include Iowa State University's Virtual Reality Applications Center and the Mirage Hotel and Casino Race and Sports Book, yet there are applications for nearly any organization.
The AV & IT Convergence Conversation Starter TechDecisions Media's Editor-in-Chief Cindy Davis talks to Mike Brandofino, executive vice president of Video and Unified Communications of AVI-SPL about the discussions A/V specialists and IT specialists should be having.
The Best Music Apps for Audiophiles: The Best iPhone, iPad and Android Apps More recommended! Audiophiles are never satisfied with good enough sound quality for their music. And I agree. This collection of highly rated apps is being continually updated as audiophiles send in their favorites. Get the best sound from your Apple iOS or Andriod smartphone or tablet mobile device. For example, most people in the A/V industry and audiophiles know McIntosh Labs for outstanding products. They have also developed an app to give you control of your mobile music. Check out the others as well.
Understanding the Costs of Digital Signage Pricing your digital signage plan properly means you have to have a grasp of the hardware, software, installation and labor costs. In addition, managing an on-going project and content creation strategy both have a cost. Budget accordingly.
TechDecisions Guide to 24 Short-throw and Ultra-short-throw Projectors The flexibility of projectors is growing rapidly. Wherever your space, there is a projector to fit. Short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors are perfect options for small or short spaces. They also solve some time-honored negative aspects of projection buy solving instances of shadow and glare. In addition, see the specs for 24 short-throw and ultra-short-throw projectors. Get the details on projectors from Asus, BenQ, Casio, Dell, Epson, Dukane, Infocus, Mitsubishi, NEC, Optima, Ricoh, Sharp, Sony, ViewSonic
Amp Up Lighting Controls Now - Important Energy Deadline Looming for Commercial Buildings States have a deadline of Oct. 18, 2013 to certify that they have updated the provisions of their commercial building codes regarding energy efficiency. The mandate comes from the U.S. Department of Energy which requires that states update their building energy codes to meet or exceed (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) 90.1-2010 codes, which amp up lighting controls over the previous 2007 version.
The AV and IT Conversion Conversation AV on the IT network is commonplace in facilities. In some colleges and universities this conversion is old hat, in other organizations the departments are still in a turf battle over an inevitable union.
Best Productivity and IT Apps for Windows Phone 8 A collection of Windows Phone 8 apps for work and life productivity. There's a pretty cool calculator toolbox app in here and a speed test app that is a must for any Internet connected device.
TechDecisions Guide to 6 Game Changing, Affordable Multi-format Video Switchers This guide shows a selection of affordable multi-format video switchers with universal input capability and flexibility needed to handle just about every conceivable format, and also produce outputs to meet almost any display or projection device’s requirements, has become available for well under $10,000. In fact Roland's V40HD lists for $4,495. Each will help you make showing any presentation format possible and at a very low cost compared to even last year.
WebRTC enables quick and easy Web browser-to-Web browser Videoconferencing WebRTC is a videoconferencing standard for use with supporting Web browsers. Freely available, the standard will make waves In the industry; however, many vendors see this technology as an enhancement to their own products. Google and Mozilla are supporting this standard as a way to gain market share, while Microsoft is developing its own version of this technology.
TechDecisions Guide to 65 Small On-wall or Surface-mount Loudspeakers Surface-mount or on-wall loudspeakers are often useful where others fail. Learn more about these overlooked gems. In the round-up check out products from Community Pro, JBL, QSC, ElectroVoice and many others.
Best Music Creation Apps for iOS or Android: Analog Synths to Digital Recording Suites From analog synths to digital recording suites, the luxury of mobile music creation apps lets you create music no matter where you are. These apps are designed for the avid musician and the musical novice alike. Easy to use, robust and just plain cool, these mobile music creation apps are must for anyone who is looking for a little more engagement in their free time.
Key Trends in Lighting Design and Integration Trends in lighting design and integration include the use of a lighting designer in videoconferencing and other work environments and using controlling lighting wirelessly.
Power Over HDBaseT: What Is It, Why Use It? Simplify A/V installations with Power Over HDBaseT. Two obvious benefits of providing power via network cabling are convenience and cost. Like PoE, POH means that the location doesn't need to have a power outlet nearby, or go to the cost and effort of bringing in a union electrician in order to do AC wiring. It's also much easier to centrally control devices and you can remotely power down devices to save energy or to blank the display during system maintenance. Learn more about this standard.