November 2005
Features
Listening Evaluation
By Rick Kamlet
You walk into a semi-darkened room about the size of a small living room. The selective lighting reveals six comfortable chairs. You see a scrim at the front of the room, and a flat-panel computer screen and a keyboard at the center…
CEDIA Award Winners
By Mark Johnson
In a word, yikes! That about sums up the 2005 CEDIA EXPO. The show has outgrown its home at the Indy convention center/RCA Dome. Exhibitors’ booths were set up in every conceivable location, with overflow into the Marriott across the street…
Technology Showcase:
HD Displays
By Jay Ankeney
The burgeoning home theater market is driving the demand for large-format LCD and plasma screens capable of high-definition display resolution in the widescreen 16×9 aspect ratio. Benefiting from this demand are the commercial applications for these screens: Economy of scale is driving down prices…
Technology Showcase:
Focused Loudspeaker Systems
By Bruce Borgerson
Most commercial loudspeaker systems are directional, at least to some extent. Line array principles and horn-type waveguides are useful in aiming loudspeakers to cover portions of a seating area or to minimize interference in clustered applications…
Entertainment Innovation
By Daniel Keller
With the popularity of theme parks and themed entertainment venues at an all-time high, the designers and proprietors of these establishments have done what any business would do when faced with the prospect of an oversaturated market…
Reviews
Martin Audio AQ6/AQ210
By John McJunkin
Martin Audio has a rightfully earned a reputation for manufacturing high-quality loudspeakers, and the company has a large array of products available for many distinct applications. A recent addition…
ViewSonic WMG120 and WMA100
By Jeff Sauer
Different people have different reactions when they hear the term streaming video. The optimist might think it’s cool, or at least a pleasant novelty….
Columns
Are We There Yet?
By Mark Johnson
Parents of school-aged kids are pretty familiar with the anguished cry that comes from the backseat after being in the car for more than an hour or so….
Picture This: CEDIA 2005
By Jeff Sauer
Indianapolis has been the home of CEDIA almost since its inception in 1989 and the home of CEDIA EXPO for six of the last seven years. It’s a friendly Midwestern city with surprisingly interesting architecture (the Crowne Plaza Hotel is in a refurbished train depot where you can stay in rooms…
Associations Focus: Follow the Leaders
Every year after InfoComm, about 100 dedicated pro-AV professionals gather for the InfoComm Fall Leadership Forum. This forum brings together the steering…
Associations Focus: Award Winners Announced
CEDIA honored the best in the industry during the annual Electronic Lifestyles Awards Banquet held Saturday, Sept. 10, during CEDIA EXPO 2005. Awards…
Associations Focus: Alliance Formed
NSCA and Kayye Consulting have formed an alliance to address the challenges and concerns voiced by industry professionals. rAVe, the widely distributed…
IT trends: Video Over IP
By Brent Harshbarger
Am I going crazy? Why does it seem like when you try to have a discussion about video over IP everyone’s eyes glaze over and the thought that immediately comes to mind is, “We have a failure to communicate.”…
POV: Big Tent, Bigger Plan
Throughout the year, Sound & Video Contractor’s POV articles have described the activities of the member councils and committees of InfoComm International,…
Departments
The Buzz: Install of the Month:
Gates Corporation
By Clark Stone
As the AV installation market continues to evolve, more and more applications present themselves. Museums and houses of worship are hot, relatively new markets. But rubber manufacturing facilities?…
The Buzz: Newsmakers
Extron Electronics has promoted Casey Hall, formerly director of national sales, to vice president of sales for North America. Ultrasone of America, the…
The Buzz: 20 Years Ago in Sound & Video Contractor
By Mark Johnson
The November 1985 issue sported a new table of contents. James Gundlach started things off with High-SPL Systems and provided a few cautionary words regarding amplifier power, weight, and cooling, and loudspeaker positioning and placement in the design and installation of high-SPL systems. Since no standard was available as a point of reference, Gundlach defined high-SPL as 95dB at the listener’s ears. Cal Perkins picked up where he left off in the “Designing a High-Level Sound System” series started the month prior…
The Buzz: Contractor’s Web Watch
The ESTA Foundation has launched a website that allows users to purchase the entire range of ESTA Technical Standards Program publications, including…
The Buzz: Industry News
Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems Division’s two-day dealer conference, Tahoe Summit 2005, encompassed new product…
The Buzz: Letters
To the Editor: As the association that clearly identifies itself with AV communications, InfoComm International has taken steps to support our members…
The Buzz: Upcoming Events
November 3HD ExpoLos Angeles www.hdexpo.net; 7-13 ETS-LDIEntertainment Technology Week Orlando, Fla. www.ldishow.com; 9-12 SMPTE Technical Conference and Exhibition…
What’s New
What New: Video Technology
Livid Instruments’ Virtual V-4 Element hardware gives the Edirol V-4 video mixer direct access to Livid’s Union realtime video performance software, , allowing third-party developers, artists, and students to create custom plug-ins for Livid software. Users can assign hundreds of effects parameters to the V-4’s knobs, trigger thousands of video files, and manipulate live camera feeds. With one MIDI cable, the plug-in, and a laptop, Livid has significantly decreased the amount of gear and cables needed for live video production, while doubling the output capabilities…
What’s New: Audio Technology
Version 2.2 of Metric Halo’s Mobile I/O console and driver software for Mac OS X provides increased performance across all Mobile I/O…
What’s New: Residential Technology
NuVision’s 23in., 26in., 32in., and 37in. Deep Black LCD screens incorporate proprietary NiDO (NuVision Intelligent Digital Optimization) for crisp images and smooth motion…
What’s New: Security Technology
Digital Acoustics’ TalkMaster Enterprise Edition (EE) communication management software allows users to manage multiple intercom and paging endpoints…
What’s New: AV Technology
The Nexus C-6 multi-zone AV controller supports six independently operated zones…