AVNation TV

Category: Features

  • US Harman dealers get access to Samsung Nexshop

    Provides AV dealers data, analytics for retail, DS clients

    CES 2019 – LAS VEGAS—HARMAN Professional Solutions, the global leader in audio, video, lighting and control systems, including networked AV, today announced it has been awarded U.S. retail distribution rights from Samsung SDS for the Samsung Nexshop analytics and contextual marketing platform. `

    Samsung Nexshop enables retailers to deliver an intelligent, interactive in-store shopping experience for customers by displaying targeted content and personalized messages on tablets and displays strategically placed throughout the store. The solution also enables retailers to gather PII-compliant customer behavior data through in-store sensors and video analytics. When combined with HARMAN Professional’s portfolio of audio, video, lighting and control solutions (AVLC), Nexshop gives retailers the ability to customize the customer experience and optimize the customer’s path-to-purchase from beginning to end.

    Catch all of AVNation’s DSE 2018 coverage

    “Making the in-store environment an experiential destination is the way that today’s retailers are building brand affinity with customers and thriving, despite online shopping trends,” said Dave McKinney, Vice President, Hospitality CSU, HARMAN Professional Solutions. “With Samsung Nexshop, the complete solutions that we offer retailers that integrate audio, video, lighting and control, are now enhanced with the ability to gain actionable insights on customer behaviors, demographics and interests, and then to use that data to enhance sales by optimizing the customers’ in-store experience. The contextual marketing capabilities provided by Nexshop are amazing on their own, but I’m particularly excited by the next level possibilities we can provide to retailers through the combination of our technologies.”

    “Our partnership with HARMAN Professional is an integral part of our go-to-market approach for Samsung Nexshop. We’re excited to team up with Harman Professional, and their established network of integrators and installers, along with their deep relationships with leading retail brands, to create a compelling, full-service product offering for experiential retailing. Working together, we can help retailers build customer loyalty, while also improving operational efficiency and bottom-line results,” said Diane Carlson, Vice President, Digital Retail Transformation at Samsung SDS America.

     

    With the addition of Samsung Nexshop to its retail solutions portfolio, HARMAN Professional is positioned to enable brick-and-mortar retail to:

     

    • Trigger targeted advertising content, in-store lighting scenes, and background audio based on customer demographics, weather and more to maximize relevancy and engagement
    • Access deep customer insights based on real-time data to help create the best possible customer experience, define staffing needs, visualize customer demand and flow, and drive better business decisions
    • Easily install and harness a powerful and flexible CMS to distribute contextually relevant content to multiple store locations
    • Empower salespeople to better control the conversation with tablet syncing from a library of exciting or informative digital content to large format displays

     

    Samsung Nexshop is now available through authorized HARMAN resellers in the U.S. For more information, please visit https://pro.harman.com/samsung_nexshop

     

  • HDMI to HDBaseT DA from Atlona

    Device provides simple HDBaseT insertion

    SAN JOSE, California– Atlona today announced the AT-UHD-CAT-2, the latest addition to the company’s powerful lineup of HDMI to HDBaseT distribution amplifiers. Bringing all of the integration-friendly features of its larger UHD-CAT Series siblings to smaller AV distribution applications, the new 1×2 UHD-CAT-2 is available immediately and will make its exhibition debut in stand 5-U120 at the upcoming Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2019 show (February 5-8 in Amsterdam).

    “Our four-output AT-UHD-CAT-4 and eight-output AT-UHD-CAT-8 distribution amplifiers have proven very popular for AV environments ranging from retail showrooms and classrooms to restaurants and entertainment venues, but we have received many requests from integrators and end-users for a model with only two outputs,” said Joshua Castro, Atlona product manager. “We’re pleased to meet this demand with the UHD-CAT-2, bringing the same rich feature set to smaller-scale, price-sensitive AV applications.”

    Watch Atlona at CEDIA 2018

    The UHD-CAT-2 features one HDMI input, one HDMI pass-through output, and two HDBaseT outputs for distributing 1080p content up to 230 feet (70 meters) or 4K/UHD material up to 130 feet (40m) over category cable. Each HDBaseT output delivers video, audio, remote PoE receiver power, and control signals – including RS-232 and IR, plus CEC for automatic display control – over a single cable, simplifying installation while minimizing cable runs between AV sources, control systems and displays.

    The new distribution amplifier supports 4K/UHD video at 60 Hz with 4:2:0 chroma sampling and is HDCP 2.2 compliant, enabling reliable distribution of copy-protected content. The UHD-CAT-2 is compatible with Atlona receiver options including the AT-UHD-EX-70C-RX, the AT-HDVS-200-RX HD receiver and scaler, and the recently-released AT-HDVS-SC-RX4K/UHD receiver with advanced CrystalScale™ scaling technology.

    The UHD-CAT-2 offers TCP/IP, RS-232 and IR control capabilities for flexible integration, and can be remotely configured, managed and monitored over a LAN, WAN or VPN with the Atlona Management System (AMS 2.0) software or Atlona’s innovative, IP-based  Velocity™ AV control platform.

    The UHD-CAT-2 is now shipping and is backed by Atlona’s award-winning 10-year limited product warranty, ensuring long-term reliability, performance and confidence for integrators and users.

  • Savant IP video tiling now available

    Gives dealers advanced PIP, side-by-side skills

    HYANNIS, MASS.  — Savant, a leader in smart home technology, has announced the addition of high-resolution video tiling to their IP Video product line. IP Video Tiling is now built into Savant IP Video input and output modules (with video processing) and can be offered with no added costs or special equipment required.

    Unmatched Features and Functionality

    Integrators can now add video tiling to any IP Video system, allowing for viewing of multiple sources at the same time on a single display. Unlimited sources can be connected to Savant’s IP Video distribution system with tiling, only limited by the size of the network. All features are built in, enabling users to access and view any available source as a tile on any display within the IP video network. Savant’s IP Video Tiling is also easier to use than ever before, featuring a streamlined user experience for the Savant Pro 8 App that leverages the award-winning drag-and-drop gesture interface that adds new “favorite channel” icons for easier channel selection per source. The Savant Pro 8 App automatically detects the number of sources present and provides an array of predefined tiling layouts. Tiling presets can now be created, saved and added to Savant Scenes, enabling one-touch access to all favorite programming. For seamless compatibility with existing Savant systems, the tiling interface in the Savant Pro 8 App is backward-compatible with the previous generation of chassis-based 1080p tiling solutions. Additionally, Savant’s TrueControl tiling interface is fully supported by the IP Video line.

    Watch Savant at CEDIA 2018

    Savant IP Video Delivers Unmatched Performance

    Savant IP Video with advanced video tiling is the highest quality 4K UHD video distribution solution available today, delivering lossless 4K/60 4:4:4 video at zero frames latency with HDMI 2.0 support and amazing user experience as well. There is no compression at any resolutions below 4K/60 4:4:4 and a ratio of only 1.4:1 at full 4K/60 4:4:4. Savant’s broadcast quality IP video solution works by transmitting video and audio data over standard 10Gb networks. Other non-IP 4K video distribution systems on the market only support 4K/60 4:2:2 or require extreme compression to fit over 1Gb, as much as 800:1, introducing video artifacts and jitter. The Savant IP video solution enables integrators to answer increased demand for cutting-edge high-definition video distribution with video tiling features at the highest levels of performance throughout luxury living spaces.

    Savant’s new IP Video Tiling is available now.

  • Secure wireless mic from AKG

    Harman’s AKG brings 256-bit encryption

    CES 2019 – LAS VEGAS—HARMAN Professional Solutions, the global leader in audio, video, lighting and control systems, today announced new AKG DMS100 and DMS300 professional digital wireless systems.

    AKG DMS digital wireless systems combine rock-solid 2.4GHz operation with signature AKG sound quality to deliver crisp, studio-quality sound with advanced security features, extended battery life, and ultimate ease-of-use. The eight-channel DMS300 and four-channel DMS100 are available in two configurations: a high-quality, AKG handheld microphone or an instrument- or headset-ready body pack. Offering 24-bit/48 kHz uncompressed audio coding, ultra-low latency and signal security provided by AES 256-bit encryption, DMS digital wireless systems deliver exceptional performance for singers, instrumentalists, and presenters.

    AVNation special on wireless spectrum

    “New AKG DMS professional digital wireless systems leverage more than 70 years of AKG microphone engineering to deliver unrivaled fidelity, security, and performance,” said Christopher Palmer, Product Manager, Microphones, HARMAN Professional Solutions. “Featuring iconic AKG sound and user-friendly controls, DMS digital wireless systems are the ideal solution for performing musicians, small- to medium-sized corporate and government presentations, houses of worship, fitness instructors, educators and anyone who seeks both studio-quality sound and freedom of movement onstage.”

     

    DMS systems were designed from the ground up for intuitive operation, with push-button channel pairing and color-coding for easy identification. Adaptive channel selection takes the guesswork out of locating available wireless channels, and DMS300 features a high-resolution front-panel LCD screen that allows for easy setup, monitoring and control. Up to four DMS100 and up to eight DMS300 systems can be synced and used simultaneously.

     

    DMS handheld transmitters feature an authentic AKG microphone capsule and acoustical engineering, and both the handheld transmitter and bodypack offer 24-bit, 48kHz resolution, and linear frequency response. The body pack is instrument ready or can be used with optional AKG headsets or clip-on mics.

     

    AKG DMS digital wireless systems operate in the 2.4GHz band, a global license-free space, avoiding the interference found in traditional analog wireless systems. Built-in advanced AES 256-bit encryption protects the signal and keeps wireless audio communications private, making DMS systems ideal for confidential corporate or government settings.

     

    Availability

    AKG DMS300 and DMS100 professional digital wireless systems will be available in Q2, 2019. For more information, please visit https://www.akg.com

  • HDMI 2.1 sees more adoption, growth

    Estimated 1 Billion devices by end of the year

    LAS VEGAS – The HDMI 2.1 Specification was released in November 2017 and manufacturers of several products including semiconductors, TVs, AVRs, soundbars, and game consoles have made announcements on upcoming releases supporting the specification.  HDMI®Licensing Administrator, Inc. (HDMI LA) reports that CES 2019 will see many more announcements covering a broad range of product categories.

    “In one short year after the launch of the HDMI 2.1 specification, consumer electronics companies have launched innovative products improving the gaming experience, 8K displays and cinema-quality audio for the home theater,” said Rob Tobias, CEO and President of HDMI LA. “Because of the ongoing evolution of the HDMI interface, HDMI technology continues to be the universal interface for consumer electronics products.”

    HDMI LA also reports that almost 1 billion HDMI-enabled devices are projected to ship in 2019, amounting to eight billion devices shipping since the release of the first HDMI specification in 2002.

    HDMI 2.1 Specification “Feature Showcase” at CES in the HDMI LA booth South Hall 1 #20208.

    Following the release of the HDMI 2.1 specification, manufacturers are working on bringing new innovative products to market featuring the specification’s new features. The HDMI LA booth will have several companies showcasing consumer experiences driven by those features including:

    • Ultimate home theater with UHD 8K TV, high bitrate audio from Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) and demonstrating 48G Ultra High-Speed Bandwidth
    • Enhanced gaming with a game console and 4K TV supporting Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) for smooth lag-free and fluid gameplay
    • Dynamic HDR 4K TV supporting high bitrate color and Rec. 2020 with wider color gamut picture
    • Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable prototypes from multiple manufacturers supporting 48G bandwidth

    “The launch of the HDMI 2.1 Specification enables manufacturers to bring more immersive and dynamic experiences to consumers, and I invite everyone to come by the booth to see the demos,” said Robert Blanchard of Sony Electronics, president of the HDMI Forum. “This is a time when the 94 Forum Member companies can celebrate the successful release and implementation of the specification that they worked so hard to deliver.”

  • Energy efficient, plenum amplifiers shipping from Extron

    More power, less heat from XPA Ultra line

    Anaheim, California  – Extron is excited to announce the availability of the XPA Ultra line of power amplifiers, an engineering breakthrough that provides the ability to put more amplifier channels in a smaller space, with less radiated heat than ever before. All XPA Ultra amplifiers run cooler than other Class D amplifiers, extending component life and eliminating the need for ventilation rack space. The XPA Ultra lineup includes a new and improved ultra fast wake up from standby to ensure the beginning of audio is not cut off. An Everlast power supply, professional grade signal-to-noise ratio, ultra low inrush current, and our patented CDRS – Class D Ripple Suppression, are also part of the exceptional Extron technology found inside every XPA Ultra amplifier. These ENERGY STAR® qualified amplifiers deliver 35 watts or 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms or 70 volt systems.

    “Extron pioneered the use of Class D amplifiers in AV applications and our engineers have continuously been developing unique, patented, high-performance power amplifier technologies.” Says Casey Hall, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Extron. “An advanced thermal engineering design provides very high channel density that allows system designers to provide 16 channels of audio amplification in a single rack space.”

    The XPA Ultra lineup of UL 2043 plenum rated amplifiers includes single and side by side rack mount hardware and a newly designed rear panel that makes installing the optional Flexible Conduit Adapter Kit easier than ever. Recessed, detented level controls with laser etched markings provide enhanced visibility and repeatability of settings.

    For more information about the XPA Ultra amplifiers, click here.

  • New Atlona Florida manager

    Jochum takes over Florida territory for resi and commercial AV

    SAN JOSE, Calif., January 3, 2019 – Atlona has promoted industry veteran Blake Jochum to the role of Territory Manager for Florida effective immediately, following a very successful period as an Inside Sales Representative. Jochum will represent Atlona’s commercial and residential AV product lines, and support David Pendleton, Southeast Regional Manager, to cover the many business opportunities that exist state-wide. Jochum will also work closely with Atlona’s state-wide partner network to drive sales and business development. He reports to Scott Ettinger, Director of Sales, Eastern Region.

    Jochum came to Atlona last year with nearly 30 years of experience in custom installation for residential systems, specializing in audio, video, automation, and motorized window treatment systems. His knowledge of a project’s evolution from specification to post-launch support leaves him uniquely qualified to understand each customer’s pain points, and recommend solutions that align with industry trends and operational requirements.

    Jochum has spent the majority of his career in Florida and has developed a strong network of industry relationships along the way. Following six years as an AV programmer and lighting technician for Pensacola-area nightclubs, Jochum joined All Pro Sound as Corporate Sales Manager, Integrated Systems. He spent 25 years at All Pro Sound before moving onto a Senior Systems Designer role at Tampa-based Synergy, among the top custom installation firms in the United States. Across both roles, he managed the design and installation of residential AV and automation systems, specializing in both retrofits and newly constructed homes upwards of $1 million or more.

    Jochum says that his knowledge of the Florida AV market, coupled with his technical experience, will help him raise awareness of Atlona’s latest generation of commercial and residential AV systems. He points to Atlona’s aggressive AV over IP product development and industry-first support of Dolby Vision as key differentiators from competitors, while also offering a far more attractive price point for complete systems.

    “Atlona is outperforming its competition in the big picture across price, services, and technology, and delivering futureproofed systems that are backed by the industry’s best warranty and technical support,” said Jochum. “Our OmniStream AV over IP family and Velocity IP-enabled control platform are helping out customers transition to the network with streamlined configuration, integration, and maintenance, while also offering simple scalability for future growth. Our ability to support today’s highest-end 4K and HDR video quality for whole-home AV distribution, further strengthened with Dolby Vision support, further sets us apart as an industry leader and innovator.”

    Jochum also looks forward to working with Atlona’s in-state partner network, including HWPco, which was recently appointed as Atlona’s manufacturer’s representative for commercial and residential AV businesses throughout Florida.

    “Blake’s immediate success in his Inside Sales role at Atlona, along with his technical expertise,  and relationship-based approach to customer interactions, positioned him an ideal candidate for an expanded sales management role,” said Ettinger. “His knowledge of the Florida market makes him a natural fit in his new role, and we’re confident that our customers and partners will notice an immediate impact through his presence.”

  • CEDIA focuses members on indoor lighting

    New white paper on human-centric lighting

    FISHERS, Indiana – Today, CEDIA released a new white paper focused on human-centric lighting. Quality of Light in the Home includes a deep dive into the effects of indoor lighting and color temperature and their considerations for designers and installers.

    “Human-centric lighting is an area that we are seeing rapid progress from a technology standpoint,” said Walt Zerbe, Senior Director of Technology and Standards. “This white paper provides a great baseline for integrators to get familiar with the topic and to be able to talk to their clients about it.”

    Quality of Light in the Home covers topics including the benefits and challenges of human-centric lighting technology, consumers’ personal control, wellness considerations for the end users, and installation implications.

     

    Watch AVNation’s lighting-centered podcast, Lighting Guy

    The new white paper continues the global association’s strategic focus on distilling complex and ever-changing technologies into more digestible formats for home technology professionals.

    CEDIA volunteer Sam Woodward, a subject matter expert on lighting who serves as customer education leader for Lutron in London, previewed the new paper in a recent CEDIA Tech Council Podcast.

    “As we’re now spending so much time indoors, we need to think about the way of making that environment as conducive to productivity, well-being, and good health as possible,” Woodward said in the episode titled All About Lighting. “So, human-centric lighting is all about people.”

    Quality of Light in the Home is available for CEDIA members to download at no cost in the resource library and on the CEDIA Online Community. White papers can be purchased by non-members for $99 at cedia.net.

  • SDVoE welcomes another adopting member

    AV Link joins the alliance ahead of ISE 2019

    MONTREAL —  The SDVoE™ Alliance today announced that AV LINK GROUP LTD, a leading Taiwan-based manufacturer of AV solutions, has joined the alliance as an adopting member.

    “We’ve been searching for various solutions for 4K AV over IP over the past few years. Of course, we’ve looked into SDVoE technology, and have gone through some evaluation. We believe that SDVoE can lead the whole pro AV industry to the next level with its flexible hardware and software platform which enables many applications including matrix switchers, video wall controllers, and image processors,” said David Hsu, General Manager of AV LINK GROUP LTD. “We’re glad to be a part of the SDVoE Alliance.”

    “We welcome AV LINK as the latest equipment manufacturer to design their next-generation pro AV products on the SDVoE standard,” said Justin Kennington, president of the SDVoE Alliance. “We look forward to their collaboration in the global marketplace.”

    Watch Justin Kennington on AVWeek episode 368

     

    AV LINK will be exhibiting at ISE 2019 (Amsterdam, Feb. 5-8) on stand 8-E200 and at InfoComm 2019 (Orlando, June 12-14) in booth 1961.

    All AV distribution and processing applications that demand zero-latency and uncompromised video can benefit from SDVoE technology, which provides an end-to-end hardware and software platform for AV extension, switching, processing, and control through advanced chipset technology, common control APIs and interoperability. SDVoE network architectures are based on off-the-shelf Ethernet switches, thus offering substantial cost savings and greater system flexibility and scalability over traditional approaches, such as point-to-point extension and circuit-based AV matrix switching.

  • New Harman Pro UK distributor

    Exertis gets nod to support Harman UK customers

    LONDON— HARMAN Professional Solutions, the global leader in audio, video, lighting and control systems, including networked today announced its new distributor partnership with Exertis in the UK.

    The distribution agreement entitles Exertis the right to distribute the collaboration and retail products range offered by HARMAN Professional Solutions. The agreement covers the entire AMX Acendo product family in addition to a selection of AKG, JBL Professional and Martin by HARMAN products.

    “We are delighted to partner with Exertis,” said Richard Hutchinson, Regional Lead UK and Eire at HARMAN Professional Solutions, EMEA. “By appointing Exertis as one of our retail and collaboration space distributors in the UK, we will be able to address the new segment demands of the market. We are confident that with Exertis’ vision and high level of expertise, we can significantly enhance our market reach.”

    “We are delighted to be distributing HARMAN Professional Solutions products in the UK,” said Jamie Brothwell, Business Development Director at Exertis. “JBL, AKG, Martin and AMX are leading brands in the industry with HARMAN being known in the industry as an innovator. We are looking forward to offering these paramount solutions to our customers.”

    Exertis is one of the leading distributors of IT, communication and home entertainment products in the UK and a wholly owned subsidiary of parent company DCC PLC, Ireland’s fourth largest company.

    The distribution agreement comes into effect immediately. Please contact European.Marketing@harman.com for any additional questions.