December 2011

Tech Showcases

LCD and LED Monitors Tech Showcase

by Mike Keadle

A selection of LCD and LED monitors by Mike Keadle….

Digital Signage Systems Tech Showcase

by Bennett Liles

The exponential growth in digital signage has produced a wide field of solutions in displays, switching, signal extension, content management, and player devices. Here we have a survey of the tools available at each of these points in the digital signage creation and distribution chain….

Columns & Features

Bold Engineering 2011

With homage and appreciation to all the bold engineering going on out there, here are 30 products that caught our editors’ imaginations this year….

Streaming Standards for Worship

By Jan Ozer

If you produce streaming video in the worship market and have your ear to the ground, you may be experiencing sensory overload right now. HTML5 is being promoted as a panacea for all plug-in-related woes….

The Programmer’s Toolkit

By Patrick Barron

Many tools and accessories are useful to a programmer out on a jobsite, so let’s take a look inside the laptop bag of a typical programmer to see what we might find….

Digital Signposts: Corporate Communications: Internal Data as Live Data

by Vern Freedlander, Vice President, Production, X2O Media

The use of live data has become a very familiar feature of digital signage. We are used to seeing data feeds such as weather, news, sports, or market information….

Going Mobile

by Vern Freedlander, Vice President, Production, X2O Media

Smartphones, tablets, and other mobile electronics have become an integral part of our everyday lifestyle. With the extensive capabilities of these devices, it is a natural extension to incorporate them into digital signage….

No Wallpaper

by Vern Freedlander, Vice President, Production, X2O Media

What appears on your digital signage network is the key to its success….

Audio: All In?

Vern Freedlander, Vice President, Production, X2O Media

Including audio in digital signage is an all or nothing game….

In Praise of Designers

By Vern Freedlander, Vice President, Production, X2O Media

We could have a long discussion about what kind of content makes for the most effective digital signage. …

The Loop is History

Vern FreedlanderVice President, Production X2O Media

In many digital signage applications, content has traditionally been organized into a loop….

Digital Signage and Security

by Vern Freedlander, Vice President, Production, X2O Media

We live in an atmosphere of heightened security and communicating vital, potentially life-saving information quickly and effectively has never been more important….

Feed the Beast

by Vern Freedlander, Vice President, Production, X2O Media

Once your digital signage network is up and running, you now have to deal with your greatest challenge yet: How do I feed the content beast? …

The Evolution of Hyper-local Digital Signage

By Vern FreedlanderX2O Media, Vice President, Production

If you look at how information on screen and its distribution has changed over the years, digital signage has become the very definition of hyper-hyper local content. …

Content Licensing: Keep it Legit!

Vern Freedlander, Vice President, Production, X2O Media

There is a common belief that any data feed found on the Internet can also be used freely in a digital signage application. This is often not the case….

Opportunities in Smart Building Technologies

Provided By InfoComm International

The rise of SBT presents both a daunting challenge and a compelling opportunity for AV professionals. …

Upgrading Improperly Installed Audio at St. Nicholas, Part 1

With Bennett Liles

Paul Garner, principal with Christian Sound Installations in Valrico, Fla., discusses upgrading an improperly installed audio system inside a historical church….

Upgrading Improperly Installed Audio at St. Nicholas, Part 2

with Bennett Liles

Bennett Liles continues his talk with Paul Garner, principal with Christian Sound Installations in Valrico, Fla….

Stagetec Nexus at the NBA Finals, Part 1

With Bennett Liles

The American Airlines Arena in Dallas was packed for this year’s NBA Finals and it was Stagetec’s Nexus network carrying the broadcast signals to ESPN and all of the OB trucks in the arena compound. Russell Waite, president of Stagetec USA, gives the details….

Stagetec Nexus at the NBA Finals, Part 2

With Bennett Liles

This year’s NBA Finals were watched by millions and the task of getting the signals from their sources in the Dallas American Airlines Arena to the ESPN broadcast was on the shoulders of Stagetec and its Nexus network. Russell Waite, president of Stagetec, is interviewed….

On the Circut

By Cynthia Wisehart

If your company is in need of good entry-level talent—or if you wish to help cultivate entry-level talent—consider these two conversations I had this week….

Reviews

Symetrix Zone Mix 761 Mixer

by John McJunkin

Now Symetrix has introduced an updated version, the Zone Mix 761, which improves on the original mixer in a number of ways, not the least of which is the capacity to take control of it via smartphone….

The Buzz

Bar Audio Reinforcement

The new bar Hed Kandi, in Brighton, U.K, was completely overhauled and redesigned. Included in the design was a high-impact Martin Audio system networked across two floors….

Harman JBL HiQnet Performance Manager Public Beta Version

Harman Professional announced that its JBL HiQnet Performance Manager sound reinforcement system design software is now available to users as a public beta version….