European Custom Installer

System Integration for the Connected Home

Home Theater

Sisvel's Tile at IFA 2011

  • PDF

Sisvel Technology will demo its 3D Tile broadcast format at IFA 2011, showing its process throughout the entire 3D broadcasting chain.

3D TileThe company's stand will show both production and receiving sides-- with x2 on-set 3D cameras, paneliser, mixer and advanced encoder on one side, as well as 3D Tile STB prototypes and a 3D Tile-enabled TV on the other.

The booth will also feature a 3D projector setup using SIM2's Lumis 3D-S projector.

Sisvel's technology creates stereoscopic images by integrating x2 720p images (for 3D content) while maintaining backwards compatibility-- allowing both 3D and 2D viewers to watch content from the same 3D Tile stream without the need for increased bandwidth.

At IFA Sisvel will show content from Italian broadcasters Città Digitali and Quarta Rete, as well as broadcasts via Astra satellite.

Go Sisvel 3D Tile Format

Wowza Media Server Makes Short List

  • PDF

Wowza Media Server 3Wowza Media Server 3 software makes it into the Cable & Satellite International (CSI) Product Awards finalist short list in the new TV Everywhere/multi-screen video category.

The software's 3rd version (a free upgrade for Wowza Media Server 2 owners) builds on its predecessors, with additions including adaptive bit rate streaming via Wowza's Transcoder AddOn, which transforms incoming live streams from a number of sources into multiple stream sets for H.264 adaptive bit rate delivery.

The Network DVR AddOn enables licensees to deliver linear streams as time-shifted services, while a DRM AddOn handles rights management and on-the-fly video encryption for premium content streaming.

Go Wowza Media Server 3 Shortlisted for 2011 CSI Product Awards

CEDIA's 5th HDMI White Paper

  • PDF

CEDIA releases HDMI Troubleshooting, its 5th in a series of documents dealing with HDMI.

CEDIAThe document introduces installers with a HDMI system troubleshooting principles, helping them identify and solve possible malfunctions through either inspection or test equipment.

The association says "HDMI systems can be a challenge... to support and service," and its white paper will help installers understand different troubleshooting techniques, as well as the common symptoms one might meet in HDMI environments.

HDMI Troubleshooting is available for download in CEDIA's online marketplace together with all its previous white papers.

Go CEDIA Releases HDMI Troubleshooting White Paper

A Shot in Google TV's Arm?

  • PDF

As news emerges on Google's $12.5Bn  Motorola Mobility, one might wonder-- will it also be the best thing to happen to Google TV?

Google TV MotorolaWhile Motorola Mobility is best known as a smartphone and tablet maker, it is also a leading set top box manufacturer, whose STBs are bought by cable and other pay-TV platform operators worldwide.

It also holds a few DVR technology patents.

Thus it's not a stretch to imagine Google putting its software in Motorola's hardware, while coming up with a new strategy to make its way into customers' living rooms.

Google TV (in its current form) proved to be a non-success for Logitech, with returns for its Revue box higher than its low sales.

Through Motorola, Google will be in a position to avoid convincing customers of buying another box-- if it manages to convince pay-TV operators to carry its Android-powered offerings through either STB replacement (in mature markets) or aiming for growing markets.

Go Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility

Go Motorola Mobility Goes Google

Go The Google TV Non-Success

The Google TV... Non-Success

  • PDF

Google TV proves to be a flop for Logitech, with returns for its Revue "higher than the very modest sales", according to Logitech's Q1 2011 earnings.

Logitech RevueLogitech's Q1 2011 net losses total -$30m-- in comparison to Q1 2010's $20m profits.

The company's EMEA sales show losses of 14% Y-o-Y, due to "sustained weakness in the region" dampening customers' spending. Meanwhile its WW sales remain flat.

In hopes to improve Revue sales, Logitech will shoulder $34m in one-time charges in order to slash its price from $250 to $99-- a move commentors say could be too little, too late.

In the wake of such news Logitech' CEO Gerald Quindlen resigns. Chairman Guerrino De Luca (who headed the company in 1998-2008) will replace him until the company finds a permanent replacement.

Go Logitech Q1 2011 Results

3D-Bee’s 2D to 3D Converter

  • PDF

3D ConverterFor 3D for in-home and business, what if you could convert any video in 2D to 3D? OK, I know what you are thinking…ouch, what about the quality? Almost everyone who has seen 3D-Bee has raved about it. No pun, intended.

Using existing 2D media inputs from video game consoles, Blu-ray/DVD players, cable/satellite, media players, camera/video and the internet, this humble unit (about $400 in USA) will convert it all to 3D. The real benchmark would be to take a 2D version of the latest Harry Potter film (the 3D is supposed to be real bad) and use 3D-Bee to see if you can get a better 3D version than the producer. That magic would shut up any muggles.

Clearly there would be benefits to the business world: video conferencing, education, signage, corporate training and product launches could be enhanced with 3D conversion.

VEFXi's 3D-Bee comes in three models:

3D-Bee::Home works on 3D TVs or 3D-ready projectors that support 1080p, L/R at 60Hz input.

The 3D-Bee::Trainer is made for typical school and corporate applications with 1080p 3D TVs or typical school and corporate training room 3D-ready projectors with 720p, frame-sequential at 120Hz input. If your customer has a 3D-ready projector as part of his/her home theater, this is the appropriate model.

The 3D-Bee::Professional model supports the brightest and most cost-effective large venue 1080p 3D projection using two standard 2D projectors with polarizing filters

There’s also 3D-Bee::Professional 3D stacker kits as a one-stop-shop for all the elements you need to configure a dual 2D projector setup for 3D projection.

Watch 3D-Bee

Yamaha's Home Cinema Latest

  • PDF

Yamaha announces a trio of AV receivers meeting current home theater demands while providing simple operation and low energy consumption-- the RX-Vx71 series.

YamahaAV receivers' jobs have changed-- from simply amplifying surround sound, today's receivers have to support any source-- from 3D films to gaming consoles and mp3 players-- what Yamaha says its new range can handle.

All models come with a streamlined components, making an "eco-friendly" design Yamaha says uses just 0.1 W in standby mode, together with an automatic switch-off function.

The RX-V371 is the entry-level model, with 5 x 100 W output (to 6 Ohm) and x4 HDMI inputs (with HD, ARC and 3D support).

The RX-V471 improves on the previous model with a Virtual Presence Speaker and Cinema DSP 3D functions.

Finally, the RX-V571 aims for the home cinema enthusiast, with a video scaler converting PAL material to full HD video. It can handle 7.1 speaker sets with 7 x 105 W output (to 6 Ohm).

Go Yamaha RX-Vx71 Series