Tech Articles

How a Data Driven Process Can Help Streamline a System Integration Company
Apr 26 - D-Tools White Paper, Jill Reddy
In today’s challenging market, System Integrators have to wear multiple hats more than ever in order to complete projects that meet and exceed their client’s expectations.  Many of the phases of a System Integration project tend to overlap and as the lines blur, productivity and profitability can depreciate.

Understanding Audio and Video Wire and Cable
Apr 14 - Ram Electronics
The area where Coaxial cables spank twisted pairs, and therefore are so worthwhile for so many applications is in maintaining a constant impedance which becomes very important at higher frequencies.

If One Sub is Good, Are Two Better?
Apr 14 - Alan Lofft, Axiom Audio
My colleagues and friends who have large vaulted-ceiling rooms all run dual subs. Taste plays a role as well. If you like your music or soundtracks really loud and deep, go for two subs. If you have a huge room and you want really loud sound and deep bass, then look at physically larger subwoofers with bigger amplifiers.

Take Control - Make Your Audio/Video System Easy To Use
Apr 14 - Damon Della Greca, Premier Audio Video Designs
Each of your components probably came with its own remote, so they can add up pretty quickly. However, a well-programmed universal remote provides some very useful advantages. My clients want to be able to pick up the remote and not think about how the system works or which input they must switch their TV to, in order to watch cable or a blu-ray movie. 

Superior Digital Video Images through Multi‐Dimensional Color Tables
Apr 1 - Entertainment Experience
The recent color improvements in televisions and video projectors, the desire to enjoy entertainment media on smaller, lower quality devices and the static digital color standards have created a unique need for new video color processing technology.

Home Security System Installation and considerations - Part 2 of 2
Apr 1 - David Feller, BOCS Company
How to choose a DVR? It is the same process as choosing any other piece of equipment, a combination of feature tradeoff with cost.

Powering - Protecting and Connecting Today’s Converged* Home Networks
Apr 1 - Jim Pelegris, Richard Grays Power Company
Our commitment to Total System Performance and Reliability, coupled with the realization that today’s AV systems are no longer “Isolated Islands” but rather constantly connected and sharing the converged* Network with other equipment and systems, has fueled our entry in the Communications Network Surge Protection and Connectivity.

EHX 2011 Tradeshow Report
Apr 1 - HomeToys
This year EHX took place from March 17 – 19 in Orlando Florida.  As usual EHX had exhibitors from a broad range of AV companies.

Commentary

Artists, Music, Audiences Change - Labels Find it Tough
May 10 - THE Insider
Seems like half the shows on TV are about rising musicians/singers.  But ask the MPAA (music folks) and their industry is breathing its last chest rattling breath.

Classic Home Toys #26
Whatever Happened to RSS?
Apr 1 - James Russo
Only a couple of years after the adoption of the familiar orange and white icon for RSS feeds, social  networking sites such as Facebook, my Space, and Twitter began to grow in popularity. 

Content Insider #170 – Usage Trends
Apr 1 - THE Insider
Good thing is all that data, content you're creating doesn't make the things weigh any more except when you have to get a few external hard drives to carry it all. 

Content Insider #171 -- The Game Is On
Apr 1 - THE Insider
Times have changed but the attraction of games hasn't.  The games are more realistic, more immersive and more valuable.  Serious men, women, boys, girls play them...serious men, women develop them...seriously there's a new breed of casual games !!!!

Content Insider # 172 -- Marketing You Don’t Manage
Apr 1 - THE Insider
WOM Conversations – Add the offline word-of-mouth (face-to-face and phone) and you have 92% of the conversations taking place outside a company’s sphere of influence.  Perhaps that’s why quality of product and quality of service/support are of major concern. 

Sponsored Articles

Projectors: Bigger, Smaller, Brighter, and Cooler Than Ever
Apr 1 - Jon Grodem, OptomaTechnology, Inc.
Just because televisions are getting larger and cheaper doesn’t mean projectors are going the way of the 8-track player. On the contrary, there are more reasons than ever why projectors are growing in popularity.

Home Automation Networks
Mar 9 - Dennis McCain, Murata Wireless Solutions
The Home Area Network has different meanings depending on the context. In the context of Home Automation, it is the wireless connectivity to enable security and convenience in the home and includes wireless home security, lighting control, HVAC control, and home entertainment control.

Reviews

Boxee Box Media Streamer
Apr 26 - Bob Hetherington
Out of the box, this is one of the simpler setup processes I've had --- bearing in mind that often what I get to test is not really ready for prime time. I'm running it on a wireless network for the test so all I had to do was plug it into a power strip and connect it to my home theater receiver using one of the many hdmi inputs available

Interviews

Wireless Home Automation Devices
May 10 - Sean Kang, Frostdale
For our Zigbee systems, devices are automatically recognized by the CUBE controller and can be added or removed in a matter of a few seconds. The Z-Wave products are similarly easy, but can be integrated into ecosystems of products under certified Z-Wave Alliance controllers.

What is ZigBee RF4CE?
May 10 - Cees Links, GreenPeak
Getting rid of the remote control clutter on the coffee table is a silent desire of many. But the real driving factor for acceptance of RF4CE in particular for operators is: the remote control is the key point of contact with the consumer, so what more can be done with it?

3D Sound
May 10 - Christen Casey, sonic emotion
3D sound technology provides consumer audio and home entertainment devices with the ability to create a virtual 3D soundfield in any listening area, immersing listeners in their favourite music, movies and games in previously unheard dimensions.

Schlage LiNK and Z-Wave
Apr 26 - Ann Matheis of Schlage
The Schlage LiNK System was created based on the Z-Wave platform from which a user could control a variety of home automation tools by various manufactures from their computer or smart phone.

Digital to Analog Audio Conversion
Apr 14 - Paul McGowan, PS Audio
Computers use a binary counting method that allows them to work with very large numbers – and the size of this number depends on how many bits they have.  So all that happens is the analog music signal goes into a digital counting device and the musical energy is converted to numbers – bigger numbers for higher levels and smaller numbers for lower levels of music.

Video Mount Industry
Apr 1 - Tony Pelura, Video Mount Products
Equipment racks are still in demand, and we expect them to continue to be popular. In the past, equipment racks used to be thought of in terms of being used solely in server rooms or within hotel and restaurant equipment rooms.

Water and Freeze Damage Prevention System
Apr 1 - Stella Szasz. FortrezZ
The FotrezZ Water and Freeze Damage prevention system prevents the damage before it happens!  Most of our customers are buying water and freeze damage prevention system AFTER they had water damage!

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HOME TECH INNOVATION CONTEST

New Contest - Best Outdoor / Backyard Home Tech Product - Enter home tech products that are designed to be used outdoors for the summer. Such things as speakers, screens and other entertainment or automation devices will qualify.

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