InfoComm 2013: It’s Not Just for the Installers Anymore

Ostensibly an installed-A/V-technology show, InfoComm is becoming one of those rare events that manage to have a little (or a lot of) something for (almost) everyone. Digital overlay has rendered A/V ubiquitous: speaker systems for live music are de rigueur for sports arenas, flat-panel mounts for boardrooms are common in stadium suites, and DSP doesn’t discriminate — it’ll process broadcast sound for a corporate video teleconference or a conference on the mound. Here are a few new products that vendors working these multiple markets will be showing June 12-14 in Orlando.

Evertz (Booth 3880)
Evertz will unveil the 3000DVM EFX digital video mosaic processor. With similar video-wall features to the company’s 3000DVT digital video tiler, the 3000DVM processor can support any size video wall with the ability to mix and match display sizes in the same wall, allowing the displays to be mounted at any rotation angle up to a full 360 degrees of rotation. The 3000DVM provides up to 18 live inputs and can display them across an asymmetrical video-wall surface constructed from its 18 outputs. For video walls that exceed a single 3000DVM card, multiple units can be stacked to build a video display wall of unlimited size. Multiple smaller video walls can be supported and managed from a single 3000DVM processor, with all sources shared on any display surface. The 3000DVM is a solid-state device with real-time OS, allowing 24/7 operation with zero maintenance. Designed to exceed reliability requirements, the 3000DVM boasts a 100,000 MTBF number. www.evertz.com

PESA (Booth 2958)
Series-C DRS small-scale companion audio-router systems are available in two sizes: Series-C64 supports mono audio up to 64×64 and AES audio up to 32×32 in a 1RU frame; Series-C128 supports mono audio up to 128×128 and AES audio up to 64×64 in 2RU. Both sizes offer several models of audio-routing connectivity solutions for analog and digital formats. Analog frames support both mono and stereo audio and are offered in either six-pin pluggable or ELCO connector styles. Digital frames can support AES-110 in six-pin pluggable or ELCO; AES-75 is connected using a 75-ohm BNC. In addition to traditional I/O connections for mono, stereo, AES-110, and AES-75 signals, Series-C audio frames offer optional conversion capabilities allowing analog-to-digital, digital-to-analog, and digital-to-digital conversion. Both the Series-C64 and -C128 offer analog audio input signals for mono or stereo that can be converted to AES outputs over 75-ohm coax. Conversely, AES-75 coaxial inputs can be converted to either analog stereo or mono audio outputs. AES-110 digital audio inputs can be converted to AES-75 coaxial outputs. www.pesa.com

Sony (Booth 2200)
The new Anycast Touch system combines the touchscreen interface common in mobile devices with full-scale A/V performance. The Anycast Touch system combines a video switcher, audio mixer, special-effects generator, PTZ camera control, a real-time streaming encoder, image still store, character generator, and scale converter with a sliding, dual touchscreen interface similar to a tablet. A tilt-screen function allows the two dual screens to split video and audio controls and store them conveniently in scene folders with settings including titles, logos, and effects. Operators can recall the next video source just by touching its thumbnail picture, and content can be easily streamed live over the Internet or a dedicated network. The Anycast Touch system eliminates the additional hardware typically required for professional live streaming: encoders, video recorders, audio mixers, titlers, and remote camera controllers. The new system (model AWS-750) is an evolution of Sony’s popular Anycast AWS-G500. The system can produce Full HD (1920×1080) content with 10-bit processing to produce extremely clear, highly detailed pictures in SD, HD, or a mix of both. www.sony.com/infocomm

VUE Audiotechnik (Demo Room 205B)
Slated to be unveiled at InfoComm, VUEPoint system optimization brings digital beam steering to mainstream line-array applications. Developed in partnership with Berlin-based room-modeling and analysis-software developer AFMG Technologies, the VUEPoint process combines VUE’s DSP integration with AFMG’s FIRmaker technology to optimize line-array performance in virtually any environment. The VUEPoint process combines four technologies into a unified workflow. Beginning with the high-resolution GLL data and basic room dimensions, EASE Focus 2 software is used to generate a detailed model of output and coverage within the given venue. From there, the FIRmaker algorithm builds customized FIR (first-impulse response) filters to optimize coverage. In the final step, SytemVUE software implements the new FIR filters at the DSP level. The VUEPoint process can be applied to any VUE DSP-enabled line-array system for virtually any application or environment. VUE is also exploring the potential of VUEPoint beyond line arrays alone and plans to offer future system-optimization solutions based on the FIRMaker technology.

VUE Audiotechnik will conduct demonstrations of VUEPoint beam-steering technology at InfoComm 2013, with four presentations a day at 10-11 a.m., noon-1 p.m., 2-3 p.m., and 4-5 p.m. www.vueaudio.com

Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems (Booth 529)
A new line of eight-channel amplifiers is joining Yamaha’s Commercial Installation Solutions (CIS) product offering. The eight-channel versions of four-channel XMV amps share the same features and power ratings of 140 W and 280 W per channel and are available in either YDIF or Dante versions. The four new models also support low-impedance and 70/100V modes. The Yamaha YDIF Cascade bus provides an intra-rack connection using Cat 5 cabling for a 16-channel bus; Dante interoperability will allow CIS systems to share audio with up to 40 subnets (using the Audinate Netspander product), enabling Yamaha CIS systems to merge with other complex professional audio systems simply and efficiently. Target MSRP for the XMV8140 is $2,500, XMV8280 $3,800, XMV8140-D (Dante version) $3,100, and XMV8280-D (Dante version) $4,400. The eight-channel XMV power amplifiers have a target availability of this fall.

In related news, Yamaha announced availability of the V1.51 firmware upgrade for its CL Series of digital consoles. New features include Scene Preview functionality; the Help function is further supported by an on-screen reference guide, which, once loaded, resides in the console permanently. The recently launched Ri8-D, Ro8-D, and NXAmp with NXDT104 have been added as Dante devices that can be detected/patched into the CL Series. A CUE LEVEL knob has been added to the CUE section, allowing adjustment of the CUE level and able to be assigned to a custom fader or user-defined knob. The HPF in the Parametric EQ section has been improved with an option for a slope of -12 dB/octave or -6 dB/octave. Yamaha CL Version 1.51 also includes improvements to the Dante setup screen, and a new I/O device screen, separate from the virtual rack screen, enables more-flexible control and management of each I/O device.

In addition, as of this month, discovery and patching operations for Shure ULX-D digital wireless-system receivers, such as the ULXD4D and ULXD4Q, will be possible from Yamaha CL Series digital consoles via a Dante network. With CL Series firmware version 1.6 and ULX-D firmware version 1.3 releases this month, discovery and patching for Shure ULXD4D and ULXD4Q receivers can be controlled directly from CL console touch-panel displays, without the need for the Dante Controller PC software currently required. www.yamahaca.com