http://www.soundandvisionmagazine.co.uk/index1.php/site/index/ en callum.fauser@aceville.co.uk Copyright 2010 2010-08-06T14:00:58+00:00 http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/think_different/http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/think_different/#When:14:00:58Z One CI app to rule them all?Pitched first and foremost at installers, the ControlFX app itself is freely downloadable from the App Store, but can only be used once an appropriate license code has been obtained from the company’s website at www.controlfx.co.uk. The idea behind ControlFX is to provide control of numerous automation systems from within a single app, versus the current situation in which one or more manufacturer-specific apps may be required to operate certain devices. Control FX allows installers to configure Apple’s wildly popular touchscreen devices for use with their clients’ systems while retaining the ability to add custom interfaces and specific functions via surface-level HTML5 programming. ControlFX’s library currently runs to around 650 code sets from a wide array of manufacturers, with a further database of two-way ‘system licenses’ due this month that will work with multi-room systems supplied by Nuvo and Philips Dynalite, plus AV Receivers from the likes of Onkyo, Denon and Arcam. Pricing for Control FX system licenses will range from £2.50 for basic IR control, to £7.50 for one-way RS-232 control, right up to £100 for full two-way control of a Nuvo multi-room system. Given that the iPad, et al support at most only Wi-Fi and 3G cellular data connections, Control FX also supplies its own range of ‘Ethernet/Wi-Fi to RS-232/IR’ signal conversion hardware. Availability is limited to custom installers only, backed up by a series of nationwide training sessions, details of which will be announced in due course. As an added incentive for installers to get on board, a reward scheme will be set up, whereby modules for additional systems can be submitted for other dealers to purchase, in return for which the creator gets points they can spend on additional ControlFX products. It remains to be seen whether this attempt to reorient the CI controller market around software sales rather than specialist hardware takes off, but it’s certainly an intriguing first step. Contact: +44 (0)1252 747 570 www.habitech.co.uk Top Story 2010-08-06T14:00:58+00:00 http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/bowled_over/http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/bowled_over/#When:14:00:57Z Retailers get in sporting mood for BBG-Peerless’ cricket competitionHeld at Tring Park Cricket Club, the event attracted Around 160 competitors and spectators, with food, drink and entertainment provided for the families of those competing. Eight teams took part in the six-a-side, five-over competition, which ultimately saw representatives from Hughes and Apollo take home the winners’ trophy following a tense, 73-run victory in the final against Shasonic. A triumphant Jeremy Hughes remarked that, “After three years of coming so close, we were thrilled to win the Cricket Cup this year. The lads played brilliantly and standards are definitely improving, and we’ll be training even harder so we retain the trophy next year!” Those interested in taking part next year’s competition should conact Sarah Cox via BBG-Peerless sales by calling +44 (0)1923 205 610. Contact: +44 (0)1923 205 605 www.bbg.eu.com News 2010-08-06T14:00:57+00:00 http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/dab_summer_sales_boom/http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/dab_summer_sales_boom/#When:14:00:50Z GfK data suggests positive result from Radio AmnestyAside from the radio coverage of several big events taking place over those weeks, namely the World Cup on BBC Radio 5Live/5Live Sports Extra and TalkSport, plus the Glastonbury and Isle of Wight music festivals on BBC 6Music and Absolute Radio respectively, a large contributing factor to those sales numbers appears to have been the much-publicised Radio Amnesty. According to Digital Radio UK, participating retailers reported a collective sales increase of over 20% and an overall market sales increase of 17% between the launch of the Amnesty in late May and its conclusion at the end of June. Numbers submitted by retailers suggest that over 10,000 analogue FM radios were traded in; at the time of writing, these are being inspected and refurbished by radio repair specialists RadioFix, with around a quarter already set aside for the Children’s Radio Foundation (www.childrensradiofoundation.org), a non-profit organisation based in South Africa that provides radio-related workshop training and broadcast facilities to young people within the country. Any irreparable units will be recycled in accordance with the European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive. Digital Radio UK’s Chief Executive, Ford Ennals, welcomed the results and hinted that the initiative will be run again in future, stating, “The Radio Amnesty has been an unqualified success. It gave listeners an added incentive to get digital radio and discover a wealth of amazing sports and music coverage, at the same time as supporting children’s charities in Southern Africa. It demonstrates how much we can achieve when we work together as an industry and we look forward to the Amnesty becoming an annual event in the retail calendar.” Contact: +44 (0)20 3206 7870www.digitalradiouk.com News 2010-08-06T14:00:50+00:00 http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/jung_at_heart/http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/jung_at_heart/#When:14:00:49Z ‘Intelligent building controls’ specialist expands UK integrator networkSymfony last year became a certified supplier of Jung’s ‘KNX’ HVAC automation system, which has since then led to a number of joint projects between the two companies. According to Symfony’s Director, Richard Caton, “What sets Jung apart is that their range provides a complete offering with a solution for almost any application... What's more, the Jung range has great aesthetic appeal so it allows us to offer clients systems that are simple to use, impressively functional and fantastic to look at, and technical support is the best in the UK.” Jung UK’s Barry Bilclough added that, "We are delighted that Symfony has chosen to work with us. Richard has a very talented team and a very progressive approach to maximising the potential of KNX technology which really complements Jung's market-driven commitment to innovation." Contact: +44/ 79 77/ 07 09 63 www.junguk.com News 2010-08-06T14:00:49+00:00 http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/broadcast_3d_is_go/http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/broadcast_3d_is_go/#When:14:00:31Z Live 3DTV hitting living rooms in OctoberExisting Sky+ HD customers will be able to receive Sky 3D with no need to upgrade their set-top box, but they will naturally need to own one of the 3D-ready TVs that are either currently available or due for release soon from the likes of Sony, Panasonic, Samsung and LG. Following its launch last April, Sky 3D is currently shown in over 1500 public venues throughout the UK and Ireland with a focus on 3D sporting events, including football, rugby union, cricket and darts. Sport will continue to play a major part in the content line-up planned for the home service, alongside films and additional entertainment and arts programming, details of which will be revealed nearer launch time. So far, Sky has confirmed that the launch weekend will include live coverage of the Ryder Cup from Celtic Manor and 3D premieres of Bolt and Monsters vs. Aliens. Other 3D film showings scheduled for the weeks ahead of Christmas, include Alice in Wonderland, Coraline, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and My Bloody Valentine, among others. Sky’s Chief Executive, Jeremy Darroch, noted that, “As with High Definition, 3D is set to transform the way TV is enjoyed in homes nationwide. Following hot on the heels of the success of 3D cinema, Sky customers will now be the first anywhere in Europe to experience 3D TV from the comfort of their living rooms.” Contact: +44 (0)20 7705 3000 www.sky.com News 2010-08-06T14:00:31+00:00 http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/comment/close_but_got_the_cigar/http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/comment/close_but_got_the_cigar/#When:14:00:24Z Like many others, BADA’s Phil Hansen found himself seduced by the iPad – but overwhelming demand has a way of complicating things…It offers me nothing that I can’t do on my iPhone, MacBook Air or desktop Mac. But it’s über sexy and their marketing and brand building strategy has been so effective that I, like many millions of others, just had to buy one. I’m a Mac head, I admit it, or should that be an Apple Tart? Last month I told you about my experience of buying a bike, which was ever so nearly the perfect retail experience, but which fell at the final hurdle. I called that article ‘Close but no Cigar’. This one about my iPad experience could be called 'Close, but Got the Cigar'. I’ve had my first poor experience in an Apple Store, albeit one that was rescued at the 11th hour. Swaying somewhere between an Innovator and Early Adopter, I didn’t go straight into the Apple Store upon the release of the iPad. Instead I waited a couple of weeks or so, to allow the initial rush to die down (I also don’t like queues) and for the model I wanted to become available - the 3G version. So I duly stepped into my local Apple Store and enquired as to whether they had any in stock. Of course, being the most popular product launch in Apple’s history, the demand was much greater than the supply and they only had the top of the range model in stock. Even being the consummate Apple sucker that I am, I couldn’t justify the expense of a 64Gb 3G model, and so I put my name down on the reserve list for the model I wanted. I was told an email would be sent to me as soon as it was in stock and it would be put to one side. hopes dashed About a week passed and nothing had happened, apart from a couple of courtesy emails to say it’s on its way and “We’re working as fast as we can to get it for you”. Which is good customer service in my opinion - keeping in contact with your customers is an absolute must (and something that we perhaps fall down on in our industry sometimes). After a couple more days, on a Friday, the email arrived. However, it was 6.20pm before I got it and I was already on the way to my weekend destination. Contained within the email was an ‘amend your reservation’ button. I clicked this thinking it would enable me to leave them a message to say I was away, but would come and collect it on the Sunday afternoon - I didn’t want them selling it to anyone else, knowing what short supply they were in. Alas, the only option presented to me was to cancel my reservation, and of course I didn’t want to do that. Saturday was busy, which prevented me from calling the store, and so my next point of contact was Sunday afternoon when I arrived to collect my much sought after box in one of those lovely drawstring bags. The sales assistant took my name, disappeared into the back and after around 10-minutes came back to double check my surname. After another 10-minutes or so he came back empty-handed again. Imagine my horror, despair, frustration and downright anger when the sales assistant returned to say the reservation had been cancelled as they only keep reserved items for 24-hours. It was, as he pointed out, on the email they had sent me. But being as it was in the small print of an email I had only quickly read on my iPhone whilst stuck in a traffic jam, received on a Friday evening when people often go away for weekends - I found this a little annoying. In my opinion, Apple have fallen foul of their own success here. It is bad customer service to generate such desire for a product, raising expectations amongst one’s devotees, encouraging them to reserve a product and then expecting them to be able to pop in and collect it at the drop of a hat. All it does is alienate the very people who are core to the marketing strategy, namely the innovators and early adopters who are going to evangelise about the new product, the brand and the whole, flawless, buying experience. making amends But, as I said at the beginning of this article, they got the cigar in the end. Having calmed down, I chatted to the sales guy about the customer service aspects of the experience and, sympathising with me, he went to talk to his manager to see what they could do. After a considerable wait he came back with an iPad in his hand. "This is one that a colleague of mine put to one side for someone who is coming to collect it in the next 20 minutes" he said. "He hasn't followed the rules on product reservation and so I have been told I can let you have this one, and I’ll explain to the other customer when he comes in.” Whilst I feel sorry for the next would-be purchaser, at least the shop manager saw the importance of not further alienating someone who had made a number of previous purchases. So the situation was rescued at the last minute, and I left a happy customer. My faith in Apple’s commitment to its dedicated followers had been restored and now not only am I evangelising about the product and the brand, but I’m also espousing the values of their customer service. Alas, we don't deal with products like the iPad, which generate so much desire that demand massively outstrips supply – if only we did! Would you be ready for it? Would all your staff? Are your systems for reserving goods clear and unambiguous, and do you keep customers so courteously informed if they have to wait for orders to arrive? Contact: +44 (0)20 8150 6741 info@bada.co.uk www.bada.co.uk Comments 2010-08-06T14:00:24+00:00 http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/off_the_wall_on_the_up/http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/off_the_wall_on_the_up/#When:14:00:11Z Revenue rise and staff increase for TV stand specialistOriginally founded in 2007, the company last year launched its Skyline and Profile product lines and has more recently secured OEM deals with Sony and B&O. Looking ahead, the company will soon be unveiling what it describes as an ‘extensive branded and OEM new product roadmap’ as part of a five-year growth plan, which will also aim to include further expansions to its UK retail channel and European distribution network. Contact: +44 (0)1274 302 830 www.off-the-wall.tv News 2010-08-06T14:00:11+00:00 http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/comment/big_in_japan2/http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/comment/big_in_japan2/#When:12:00:58Z Hamish McNair-Wilson takes a peek at the raft of 3D products set to follow in South Africa's wake...However, while the misfiring Rooney, Ronaldo, Kaka and Messi may have failed to ignite the tournament, the former pair saving their best touches for the ill-fated and misjudged Nike advertisement thrust at us at every break, there were plenty of moments of skill for the football purist to savour. It's just a shame that most of them came from a German team, whose performances on the pitch were sufficient to wipe the smirks off our faces, even when faced with their management team's comedic, matching sports-casual outfits. While there are a couple of games to play at the time of writing in order to determine the outright winners on the pitch, for the electronics industry, the champion off it should be more clear. It has to be the 3DTV, Sony's enormous advertising spend ensuring that barely a moment went by without news of its arrival blazing its way across every advertising hoarding around every pitch. With high-definition also widely in use for the first time at a World Cup, you could not only witness the beads of sweat fly as you were subjected to yet another unnecessarily slow, up-close-and-personal replay of a defensive header, you could find yourself flinching in an effort to avoid them, such was the realism. Japan über alles Back on the pitch, it is Germany who, against the odds, look most likely to prove themselves “über alles” for a forth time, a position Japan has long held when it comes to manufacturing the kit to watch games on. This in mind, it should prove little surprise that Japanese firms have been leading the pack when it comes to inventiveness in the 3D sphere. Panasonic were first out of the blocks and have already released two 3D plasmas aimed at the home market and a Blu-ray player to accompany them. It was the most famed of Japan's consumer electronics marques, Sony, who were next to cut their teeth, handing us several Bravia options to push in the run up to, and throughout, the World Cup. Rather than resting on their laurels, Panasonic have been looking to keep the momentum up, with the launch of three ultra-large, full HD 3D professional plasma displays, the most sizeable of which, the TH-152UX1, offers 152-inches of immersing images. With 4,096 x 2,160 lines of resolution and an industry-highest 5 million:1 native contrast ratio to clap your eyes on, these have to be the ultimate solution for the home cinema installation market. Never mind the iPad, with these in your arsenal you'll be able to turn homes into an IMAX! Sharp will be the next Japanese major to take a bow this summer, as they launch their own 3D-capable LCD TVs at the end of July. With an entirely new, proprietary, four-colour LCD panel technology which adds yellow to the conventional red, blue and green (RGB) primary colours woven in, Sharp's options come with the promise of superior imagery. We can but wait and see. Also in on the act are Mitsubishi, whose laser-based 3DTVs are available in sizes ranging from 60- to 82-inches, bringing some of the most sizeable 3D images around to market at a surprisingly affordable price point. These LaserVue DLP TVs might not share the sleek look of their costlier cousins, but they'll definitely do the job. Moreover, in using only 50% of the energy of a comparable flat-panel TV, they should prove a hit with the energy conscious too. It isn't just the TV market which 3D technology is shaking up, however. Though Toshiba will be adding 3D options to its Regza range this summer, it is the firm's Satellite A665 laptop which should truly excite, its 15.6-inch LCD display and Blu-ray disc drive capable of delivering 3D images from your upper thighs to your glasses-clad eyes for the first time. With so many of Japan's big guns already in on the action and looking to expand the opportunities this exciting new technology affords us, one question remains: who will prove the most successful? It could be Panasonic, it could prove Sony, but I'm sure you already know where the smart money lies – with Samsung. Samsung have successfully consolidated their position as the world's most popular consumer electronics brand, having snatched the crown from Sony almost half a decade ago. Much like those Germans, this freshly energised dark horse rose up against the odds and has been doing remarkably well ever since, humbling more highly rated teams along the way. It is for this reason that, from next month, we'll turn our attention from what is Big in Japan, to what is growing truly enormous across the water in South Korea... Comments 2010-07-09T12:00:58+00:00 http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/show_and_tell1/http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/show_and_tell1/#When:12:00:25Z There seemed to be a renewed sense of vigour at the four-day training and product expo that made up this year’s CEDIA Home Technology Event 2010.My last visit to the CEDIA Expo, as it was then, had been in 2008, and with the change in venue and the absence of certain exhibitors, this ‘inaugural’ staging of the re-styled CEDIA Home Technology Event 2010 couldn’t help but seem somewhat smaller in scale by comparison. The more intimate surroundings of the ICC’s Capital Hall did little to help matters, and there seemed to be a few notable absences among the exhibitors, particularly on the AV side, compared to before. But what these initial observations fail to take account of is that this year’s event was very much shaped by Expo 2009 – the show that was organised during the onset of an almighty economic recession and against a backdrop of some considerable drama following the withdrawal of a certain major exhibitor (which we’ll come to later). This year’s event was all about focus, about bringing the right people together, getting them to do business with each other and welcoming valuable newcomers into the fold. A ‘Wired for Technology Conference’ developed alongside Professional Electrician magazine attracted over 80 electrical contractors keen to learn about CI business opportunities. This was one of several outreach initiatives at the event, the others managing to pull a hundred or so additional visitors from the architectural and interior design fields. As ever, there was also around 100-hours of training laid on for delegates which for the first time took in courses dedicated to business and marketing alongside the usual technical sessions, seminars, workshops and round tables exploring the major issues currently affecting the industry. Indeed, as Tuesday wore on, it soon became clear that there was more – a lot more – to see among the stands clustered inside the Capital Hall than first impressions might have suggested. There were enough screens, speakers, source components, cabling products, controllers, supporting furniture, automation and distribution systems to make taking in everything over a couple of days something of a tall order. reaching out To kick off our roundup of show highlights, we turn first to Crestron. After sitting out last year’s Expo, the home automation heavyweight was back in style with a sizeable stand and some headline-grabbing product launches. Among the goods on display were some new additions to its flexible and eco-friendly GreenLight residential lighting control system and the array of matrix switchers and input cards making up the powerful DigitalMedia distribution system. The main order of business, however, was Crestron’s European unveiling of Prodigy - a comprehensive home automation solution geared towards the entry-level and mid-range markets. It was difficult not to be impressed as Prodigy Sales Manager, Mark Coombes, talked us through a sample home automation set-up based around a Prodigy controller that included two dimmers, facilities for controlling blinds in two areas and more besides that added up to a retail list price of £6380. Seeing how this attempt by a well-established, premium name to target a much broader group of installers and end users fares will be very interesting indeed. On the other side of the hall, Expo veteran Sonos was once again showing off the constituent parts of its popular multi-room audio system, including the S5 ZonePlayer in black, and demonstrating its ease of use via the sleek Controller 200 dedicated remote and freely downloadable iPhone/iPod Touch app. Sonos are one of many companies that have embraced the ‘iDevice’ app phenomenon over the last couple of years, and this year of course, that story gained a whole new chapter in the form of the iPad. A number of stands had one as part of their displays, but as it’s still early days yet for Apple’s ‘magical and revolutionary device’, most seemed to be running upscaled versions of existing apps. One notable exception was Naim Audio’s early preview of an iPad-specific controller app for its NaimNet IP-based multi-room control solution – though not yet ready for prime time, the prospect of homeowners being able to access the HVAC, AV and security features of their home via an intuitive, high-res plan view rather than the usual series of labelled ‘buttons’ seems an intriguing one. At this stage at least, it would appear that many within the CI industry are keen to embrace the iPad for its potential to engage their clients in a whole new way and possibly open up the home automation market to a wider audience. thinking big Another trend that was hard to avoid was the arrival of 3D displays – and nowhere more so than at the towering stand dedicated to AWE Europe. The veteran distributor was marking its 75th anniversary in grand fashion, with Panasonic’s almighty TH103VX200 103-inch 3D plasma screen serving as the centrepiece in a dedicated viewing area. When not being wowed by the £70,000 jumbo screen, visitors to stand D8/D10 were also able to get a good look at Panasonic’s comparatively modest 65-inch 3D plasma, peruse the Philips Pronto controller family in its entirety (which included an early look at the upcoming TSW9500 in-wall control panel) and get acquainted with the first fruits of AWE’s Kinetik Labs CI product range – the KLIR-SM1KIT surface-mount IR kit and the KLIR-IRE2 dual IR emitter. Across the way, Pulse Marketing brought along a darkened room to show off an 80-inch, 16:9 format Series 2 projection screen from Screen Research, Runco’s new LightStyle LS-3 HD projector, some choice speaker offerings from Triad and the ever-popular D-Box motion FX system fitted into a pair of plush cinema seats. On the speaker front, KEF was unveiling its latest ‘Ci’ in-ceiling line-up ahead its September launch – on display were the Ci200R 8-inch woofer and the Cil160CRds two-channel woofer, plus its revamped Q Series trio, all of which sported KEF’s new look ultra-thin magnetic bezels. Current Audio were also showing off some clever ergonomics of their own with a demonstration of the ‘FastLoc’ fitting system included in its FIT range of pivoting 2-way coaxial loudspeakers – the aluminium grilles can be easily detached and securely locked back into place in a similar way to camera lenses, making it easier than ever for installers to re-position the units’ adjustable woofers and pivoting tweeters when needed. Artcoustic’s stand was meanwhile playing host to the launch of its elegant-looking and meaty-sounding Modular range, alongside a vivid illustration of what its revised Spitfire Cinema system is capable of with the assistance of a laptop DJ who seemed to spend most of the show dropping and spinning a series of what the kids might call ‘bangin’ tunes’. looking ahead With the 1080p/Blu-ray technical barrier now well and truly broken, there were some interesting developments on show in the media server category. Kaleidescape was proudly exhibiting the razor-sharp, high-def GUI of its Blu-ray-packing M500 player and drive-less M300 client player and making a persuasive case for the M500’s Blu-ray import function with the aid of several connected models. The disc had to stay in the drive of the primary player, but seeing the opening frames of Disney’s Up within 9-seconds of firing up the player from standby was still impressive to behold. The company’s forthcoming Blu-ray Disc Loader add-on can’t come soon enough. Over at the Habitech stand I was shown the three-strong range of Blu-ray compatible servers manufactured by Fusion Research, dubbed Studio, Genesis/Genny and Cinema, which were distinguished by being the only Kaleidescape rival to rely on a metadata resource developed and maintained fully in-house. In contrast to the big K’s all-proprietary hardware, however, FR’s offerings can make use of standard NAS drives for storage – the same of which can be said of ReQuest’s offerings on display at Invision’s stand, which included an early showing of its ultra-compact MediaPlayer client device. So, post-event, how did CHTE 2010’s numbers stack up? Well, the good news is that they were an improvement on last year, to the tune of 5195 visitors versus 5082, more than 170 CI brands represented at this year’s show compared to the 150 or so previously, and a greater proportion of first-time visitors than was seen 12-months ago. Those figures point to an event that has weathered some tough times of late, much like the custom install industry itself, but one which has taken stock, made some necessary changes and started turning things around. Between the wealth of goods on display throughout the hall, the healthy crowds – particularly on the Wednesday – and those attendance figures, the overall picture seems to chime with the assertion made by Robert Hallam, CEDIA Chairman Region 1, that "the industry is back on track and looking forward to the future with greater optimism. This show remains the single biggest gathering for the industry in the UK and the best annual meeting-place for doing business.” Indeed, the future of the CEDIA Home Technology Event would seem to be assured – CEDIA have already announced that next year’s show will be once again be taking place at the ICC London ExCeL between 20-23 June 2011. Hope to see you there. Contact: +44 (0)1480 213 744 www.hometechnologyevent.co.uk Top Story 2010-07-09T12:00:25+00:00 http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/two_to_become_one/http://www.svimag.com/index.php/content/news/two_to_become_one/#When:12:00:23Z Independent Hi-Fi retailers announce merger plansIn a joint statement released earlier this month, the respective boards of both businesses stated that, “We intend to capitalize on both the Sevenoaks Sound & Vision and Audio T names, as well as our combined 50-plus store coverage”, and went on to assure customers that, “We will optimise the considerable advantages that the link is going to give us to improve choice and service to our customers, which will in turn make our individual stores more successful and the jobs of their staff more secure”. Contact: +44 (0)1732 466 215 www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk News 2010-07-09T12:00:23+00:00