There’s a lot of amazing stuff here at InfoComm, but sometimes what really impresses me are the simple things based on clever ideas that are designed to make your life easier. One great example of this is the new SC900 Direct box from Switchcraft. Yes, I realize there’s not usually much excitement about a passive direct box (even if it features a pad switch and a Jensen transformer). But the magic here comes from a brilliantly simple (and patent-pending) feature that automatically activates the unit’s ground lift switch when 48 volt phantom power is applied, effectively creating a remote controllable ground lift. There’s also a manual switch for selecting (or defeating) ground lift. Check it out at booth C6836. Awesome!—George Petersen

Hitachi America, Ltd., Digital Media Division, Business Solutions Group is debuting the CP-WUX645N 3LCD projector; a new projector that combines ease of installation and functionality with superior technology and advanced operation. With WUXGA (1920 x 1200) resolution, 10-bit image processing and a brightness of 4,200 ANSI lumens, the CP-WUX645N is the ideal projector for large venues and for viewing HDTV content. Read on at The Briefing Room

More InfoComm 2010 news from The Briefing Room

INFOCOMM ROLLS INTO LAS VEGAS this week and it’s definitely THE place to be for anyone serious about audio and video systems, and digital signage/display technologies. The one thing constant about technology is that it’s always in a state of change and InfoComm is an ideal forum for keeping up new standards and the state of the art.

Founded just a year ago—and celebrating its first birthday at InfoComm—the AVnu Alliance has been advancing pro-quality audio/video by promoting IEEE 802.1 Audio/Video Bridging (AVB) standards over various networking link-layers. AVnu promotes the benefits of AVB technologies and will create compliance test procedures and processes that insure AVB interoperability of networked A/V devices, with the goal of better A/V experiences for end users. For anyone involved in the installation/manufacturing/sales/distribution/operation of A/V products, AVnu is a good thing. more…

Press release

Ashly Audio is celebrating its 35th Birthday at InfoComm. Central to the history of Ashly Audio is Billy Thompson, the maverick engineer who, in 1974, inspired the five owner/operators of a struggling live sound company to redirect their talents toward the production of live sound equipment. It was Thompson’s passion for designing and building processors and amplifiers of unparalleled functionality, musicality, and reliability that cemented Ashly’s enduring reputation in both the fixed installation and live sound markets. And it was Thompson’s prescience that moved Ashly to the forefront of the digital revolution, where its current array of network-ready products provide solutions of power, reliability, and economy for the modern integrator. Read on at The Briefing Room

More InfoComm 09 news from The Briefing Room

Checking out the little hotel room setup at the LG booth (5321), I noticed the Pro:Centricâ„¢ LCD Widescreen monitors there, and soon found my self in a chat with LG National Sales Manager Ron Lindeman about the present and future of the hospitality market. Ron explained that the movement of LG and other manufacturers into the “smart” side of hospitality, or as he calls it, the “solutions side” is moving ahead far quicker than many of us might have imagined.

Despite the economic downturn, Ron said several major hotel chains are already partnering with LG dealers to upgrade and install user-oriented solutions networked with LG monitors designed to make visits to such hotels, and repeat visits especially, more luxurious. The notion is that they need state-of-the-art, high-end technology infrastructures to lure visitors in this challenging economy, and more importantly, after the economy finally improves. more…

Press release

MediaMatrix by Peavey (InfoComm 09 exhibit #5649) proudly announces the new nTouch series control interfaces, consisting of touchscreen interactive controllers designed for remotely controlling audio systems designed in MediaMatrix NWare software for the NION platform. The nTouch 180 and nTouch 60 feature full-color, resistive touchscreen panels that measure approximately 7in. (180mm) and 2.4in. (60mm) diagonally, respectively. The nTouch panels display and control projects hosted on a MediaMatrix NION or nControl processor. Read on at The Briefing Room

More InfoComm 09 news from The Briefing Room

Once again this year, at InfoComm 08 in Las Vegas, SVC‘s editorial team fanned out to find some of the most important, leading-edge AV-related products debuting at the show, investigating if they might be deserving of our annual InfoComm Pick Hit awards. Read on at The Briefing Room

Panasonic Systems Integration, a division of Panasonic System Solutions Company, is showcasing the company’s new line of LED large screen solutions at InfoComm 2008. With the addition of ten new LED and SMD Large Screen Systems ranging from 4mm to 40mm in multiple configurations, and new strategic partnerships, Panasonic now offers a comprehensive selection of turnkey solutions for virtually any application. Panasonic’s line of large screen solutions is further enhanced by the company’s core expertise in HD imaging combined with their proven design and integration experience. Read on at The Briefing Room

More InfoComm 08 news from The Briefing Room

It’s a testament to the thoroughness of the digital revolution that the introduction of a new analog mixing board is now officially a Big Deal.

Yamaha, which in the past decade has released so many blockbuster consoles with “D” in their designation, has introduced its first analog mixing board since about five years ago. The new IM8 line is built in the heralded factory in Japan that makes all the marquee boards for the company that have PM in their name. The focus is on high sound quality and high build quality. The IM8 is available in 24-, 32-, and 40-channel configurations. The intended market, according to marketing manager Marc Lopez, is smaller musical tours and houses of worship. The latter is a ripe market for analog mixing consoles because for many users, especially inexperienced mixers, it’s much easier to pick up the craft of mixing when there’s a discrete hardware knob for each channel – rather than a digital menu to page through to find the correct channel to tweak. more…

Yesterday, I stopped over at Lencore‘s booth (C4079). It never fails that I will get some good industry conversation from VP Jonathan Leonard and Marketing Director Jodi Jacobs. Sound masking is the general name of the company’s game, but it’s the way the company is sharing in the open-platform and integration conversations that’s really inspiring. When asked what Leonard was seeing at this year’s show compared to year’s past, he says, “Everything is getting smarter.” Indeed, it is. If you want to talk industry shop with people who are tapped in and passionate, head over to Lencore—it will remind you just why this industry has so much to offer. more…