Here’s a closer look at some of the AV news, products and projects you might have missed this week. We call it AV News to Know:
New AV Products
NEC signs Strategic Collaboration Agreement with AWS
NEC Corporation has become the first Japanese company to sign a Strategic Collaboration
Agreement with Amazon Web Services, Inc.
With the support of the AWS Professional Services team (ProServe), NEC will develop a framework of ready-to-deliver cloud services, including migration, integration, consulting and more, to support the acceleration of digital transformation among government and enterprises.
NEC will double the number of certified AWS professionals within their workforce, from
1,500 today to 3,000 in three years.
Calibre Live Virtual Solution for Webinar and Event productions
Further expanding its global market reach, Calibre UK announces several new features in its flagship HQPro1000 for Live Virtual Solutions.
Calibre’s LVS includes the HQPro1000 processor with modular architecture and 4K60 4:4:4 image processing. It offers support for multiple sources and layers, plus a confidence monitor output.
Scaling is provided by Calibre’s best-in-class low-latency proprietary HQUltra technology for true seamless, fast and transitional switching between scenes.
22Miles Announces Secure Mobile Control Feature Now Available for Free
22Miles this week announced that its Secure Mobile Control (SMC) touchless remote control feature is now available for free to new clients leveraging interactive solutions, as well as all current 22Miles clients upgrading to the latest Publisher Pro V6 software.
A feature of the 22Miles Protection as a Service™ software solutions suite, SMC allows users to control any digital display using any OS on a mobile device.
Users access SMC via a web-based app, and with a QR code scan (network required), can interact with the display from their mobile web browser with no application install or download required.
Epson Announces Availability of Six Projectors Learning and Custom Signage
Epson this week announced availability of six new laser displays – two interactive BrightLink models and four non-interactive PowerLite ultra short-throw models.
The new PowerLite 755F and 750F are now available to help business owners and educators transform spaces with creative freedom.
Meeting today’s hybrid learning environment needs, the new BrightLink 735Fi and 725Wi and PowerLite 725W and 720 will be available Nov. 23 and are compatible with most video conferencing platforms, delivering big, bright displays to captivate students wherever they may be.
Audio Visual Projects
Art Aquarium Elevates Unique Exhibits with HARMAN Audio System
Adding powerful sound to its striking visual displays, Art Aquarium collaborated with HIBINO Corporation to enhance its exhibit with a state-of-the-art HARMAN Professional audio solution.
Established in 2007, Art Aquarium has exhibited all across Japan and overseas at places that communicate history and culture, including Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall, Kyoto’s Nijo-jo Castle as well as the 21st-Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
With more than 10 million visitors, Art Aquarium has expanded overseas into Milan, Italy and Shanghai, China. Wanting to elevate the “Kingyo” Aquarium to reach the vision of its creative director, Art Aquarium required an innovative, cutting-edge audio system that provided pristine sound quality and an enhanced guest experience.
“The client wanted a high-performance audio solution that would provide as much power and clarity as possible. After careful consideration, our team designed and installed an integrated HARMAN Professional audio solution made up of JBL Professional speakers, Crown amplifiers and BSS signal processors,” said a spokesperson at HIBINO.
“We were confident the HARMAN solution would cover the museum’s needs and exceed their expectations.”
The system features an array of JBL Control Contractor 20 Series speakers, including Control 23-1 and Control 25-1 loudspeakers as well as Control SB-2 subwoofers. The compact speakers deliver a rich sonic character with wide, consistent sound dispersion across the venue, while the subs deliver authoritative, accurate low end.
Further adding pristine sound to the exhibit, HIBINO installed JBL AC18/95 and AC28/95 two-way loudspeakers and ASB6118 high-power subwoofers. For unmatched power and reliability, HIBINO powered the system with Crown DCi 8|300N, DCi 8|600N, DCi 4|600N and CDi 4|1200BL amplifiers.
To ensure pristine sound and optimum performance, the system also includes BSS BLU-160 signal processors with BLU link and BSS EC-V volume controllers.
“Audio is an important storytelling tool, and to help showcase our exhibit we entrusted HIBINO Corporation to install a world-class sound system,” said a spokesperson at the Art Aquarium. “HARMAN’s system integrated smoothly and we were able to create an immersive experience for the audience.”
“Venues like Art Aquarium that seek to popularize history and culture through both audio and visual mediums, need optimum sound performance,” said Ramesh Jayaraman, VP & GM HARMAN Professional Solutions, APAC.
“We would like to thank our partner HIBINO Corporation for understanding the unique requirements of the space and giving the museum a sense of immersion with world-class sound reinforcement.”
VOUS Church Keeps Up with Exponential Growth On DiGiCo Quantum338
Although Miami’s annual VOUS Conference has been taking place for more than a decade, VOUS Church first officially launched five years ago out of a weekly young adult gathering known as The Rendezvous, started by Trinity Church in Miami Gardens.
Since then, VOUS Church has grown rapidly, expanding into two worship spaces—a 1,500-seat auditorium at iTech, Miami’s mega technology magnet high school, and a 500-seat hall at Jose De Diego middle school, just two miles to the south.
But the real audience explosion has taken place virtually, especially during the pandemic, with the church now having an average of 40,000 viewers streaming services online each week.
VOUS Church Production Coordinator Jon Wygant oversees all church sound, both live and studio, as well as personnel and inventory for the production department. He served on the church’s launch team in 2015 and, since then, has been tasked with keeping VOUS’ audio tech up to par.
It was this directive that prompted him to reach out the local shop of 3G Productions to supply iTech Auditorium with a new DiGiCo Quantum338 mixing console.
“As we made plans late last year to take our services into an online experience, we decided to upgrade to a console that would better suit our broadcast site’s future needs,” said Wygant.
Wygant says that, for him, the biggest appeals of the Quantum338 were its expansive I/O—including six onboard MADI ports and two DMI slots—as well as its updated layout and usability.
“We have a pretty extensive setup and also want room to grow and the Q338 was sitting right in that sweet spot,” he said. “Mixing on this desk is a dream and just so intuitive to operate.”
With VOUS Church’s services now primarily being online, aside from several live in-person events, iTech Auditorium’s Quantum338 serves more as the church’s streaming console than FOH desk and is isolated in a separate room “to keep the mix focused and clean,” Wygant notes.
The pre-existing SD9 has now taken over monitor duties, residing in the main worship space for easy interaction with the praise team, and is used to control all IEMs, wedges, and the house/reference mix.
With approximately 60 inputs coming into the house console, the church generally runs 16 different IEMs on the monitor mixer—for drums, bass, two guitarists, two keyboardists, up to eight singers, and two engineers—plus two sets of wedges, which are primarily used for those who are speaking.
iTech’s Quantum338 is paired with two Waves Extreme Servers, the first one being a standard setup to run plugins for the live mix. The second is to run a Waves eMotion LV1, to which the audio crew sends matrices and some input channels via Dante from the Q338 to create a stream-specific mix.
This is based on the house mix with some adjustments to optimize it for the church’s four YouTube and Facebook broadcasts on Sunday, two of which are “Zoom Room” services where the pastors and musicians can see and interact with their online community via eight large TVs facing the stage.
“Mixing for streaming is always a challenge since it can translate differently with each end user,” Wygant declares.
The church is using DiGiCo D-Racks and Little Blue Boxes to interface with both consoles. The SD9 has control of the preamps and outputs, and the team uses Gain Tracking on the Q338, which is equipped with a DMI-Dante card, to output to the LV1.
VOUS also has a DMI-ADC card in an Orange Box located by the monitor console, enabling them to send 16 additional outputs to the stage from the Q338, while two DiGiGrid MGB units provide fully redundant multitrack recording.
And as for DiGiCo’s newest console, Wygant couldn’t be happier.
“Our entire team is in agreement that this desk is as smooth as butter,” he said. “We have a blast collaborating on improving our layout and making new macros, and we’re really loving the flexibility and sound quality it provides. We are truly blessed.”
People and Places
Bradford Benn Launches Advisist Group
After working in professional audio, video, and lighting for over three decades, Bradford Benn today announced the launch of Advisist Group, his personal consultancy firm.
Advisist will use Benn’s wide range of experience to provide companies with guidance, staff enhancement, design services, training, media services and much more.
Advisist Group, LLC is a technology consultancy specializing in professional audio video for the fixed installation market.
Planar Announces Expansion of U.S. Government Division
Planar this week announced the addition of Sandra Kanardy and Kit Shugrue to the company’s U.S. government division.
The company is also expanding Planar’s product security program to further adapt products and processes to best meet the product security needs of customers. Product security remains an ongoing and increasingly important focus for Planar to support customers in U.S. government and the various commercial markets in which the company supplies display solutions.
Kanardy will support state, local and education (SLED) business development for the company’s U.S. government team. She brings an extensive background in the technology industry, including various roles in business management and more than 12 years of experience tailoring solutions for SLED clients in AV, unified communications, managed services, consulting, security, cloud and infrastructure.
Kanardy most recently served as advanced technology executive for Zones, LLC, prior to account management positions at Xerox and CDW-G.
Shugrue joins Planar as an industry veteran with over two decades of experience in system integration, design and implementation for markets ranging from AV and broadcast to industrial and retail.
He will support Planar’s government business development for the West Coast. Prior to joining Planar, Shugrue served as a market manager for AVI-SPL’s control room group and was recognized as Rookie of the Year during his first year.
He also worked at Jupiter Systems for 15 years, where he helped bring the organization to the forefront of the federal and control room market. Additionally, Shugrue’s background includes positions at Microfield Graphics, Crimson Tech, Intellisys, Hoffman Media Systems and NEC Technologies.
SnapAV Announces New Appointments
SnapAV this week announced the promotion of G Paul Hess to chief product officer. Hess has 10 years of integrator experience and is responsible for introducing many of the company’s leading iconic brands, such as Binary, Luma, Araknis and OvrC, and strengthening and expanding brands like Episode and WattBox, among many others.
SnapAV has also announced the appointment of David Moore, who returns to SnapAV to lead engineering and technology, as well as the promotion of Mike Jordan and Jason Winchester to lead category and product management across the organization.
SnapAV also announced that industry veteran Greg Simmons, one of Parasol’s founders, is joining the company as VP of industry partnerships.
Hall Research Adds New VPs
Hall Research this week announced the additions of Hal Truax as VP of sales and marketing and A.J. Shelat as VP of product.
Truax will be responsible for all global sales and marketing efforts. He will also be entrusted with growing strategic customer accounts and partner relationships that align with Hall Research’s core business objectives.
Shelat has been promoted to VP of Product and will be responsible for leading product strategy while expanding Hall Research’s technical service team.
Riedel Communications Names Vincent Lambert as GM for Japan and South Korea
Riedel Communications has promoted Vincent Lambert to general manager for Riedel Japan and South Korea.
He’s moving into his new role after serving for four years as Riedel’s head of global system consulting, where he grew a team of 10 customer service engineers into a 33-person technical presales department.
Prior to that, he served as system consulting manager for Riedel APAC in Japan.
