The Official Magazine of ISE 2012 - Amazon S3

HDBaseT Alliance makes ISE debut
The concept of ‘triple’ play – the provision
of Internet access, television and phone
over a single broadband connection - has
been around the telecommunications
industry for a decade. When wireless was
added, it became quadruple play. But the
AV industry is going one better with 5Play
– or at least, it will if the HDBaseT Alliance
achieves its goals.
5Play sees the convergence of uncompressed
full HD digital video, audio, 100BaseT
Ethernet, power over cable and various
control signals via a single Ethernet cable,
obviating the need for the pile of spaghettilike
cabling that bedevils many homes and
businesses.
“It is,” says Micha Risling, marketing
committee chair of the HDBaseT Alliance,
the organisation behind 5Play, “the only
technology that enables long-reach wired
connectivity up to 100 meters for
uncompressed full HD multimedia
content and up to 100 watts of charging
power via a single cable.”
Founded in June 2010 by LG
Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Sony
Pictures Entertainment and Valens
Semiconductor, the HDBaseT Alliance
now has over thirty members including the
likes of AMX, Crestron and Kramer. It
exists to develop and promote a technical
standard for the technology.
This will be the HDBaseT Alliance’s
first appearance at ISE. “Initially, the
HDBaseT Alliance has targeted Korea,
Japan and the U.S. as early adopters,” notes
Risling. “As technical adoption continues,
the Alliance is expanding to promote
HDBaseT technology in additional
geographical landscapes –
including Europe. The Alliance
recognises the potential for
HDBaseT technology within
the European market and ISE
2012 is a great opportunity to
meet with key influencers within
the industry.”
Although relatively young
by industry standards, there are
already products available from
Alliance member companies
that feature HDBaseT
technology, and a selection of these will be
on show at the Alliance’s ISE stand.
“Booth visitors will have the
opportunity to see several technology use
case demonstrations and meet with
Alliance and member company
representatives,” says Risling. “There will
be two separate demonstrations. The first
will showcase an HDBaseT home theatre
installation and highlight the HDBaseT
multi-room AVR concept. This
demonstration will centre around a
prototype HDBaseT Single Wire TV
(including power) connected to two media
players via a multi-zone AV receiver.
The second demonstration will
Risling: ISE is a
great opportunity
to meet with key
influencers
showcase the HDBaseT whole-home
networking concept with a prototype of an
HDBaseT enabled switch. This switch will
connect to various sources – for example,
laptop, gaming console and so on – and
several displays via HDBaseT
and HDMI connections. One of
the sources will be a prototype of
an HDBaseT camera,
demonstrating a new use case for
HDBaseT as well as an
HDBaseT input interface to the
switch. A smartphone or tablet
will serve as the control point to
the HDBaseT switch, providing
a user interface for switching,
source selection and control.”
Risling says that he is looking
forward to meeting installers,
manufacturers, distributors, dealers,
contractors and consultants from a broad
cross section of the AV industry including
digital signage, projectors, surveillance
cameras, education and hospitality.
It is, of course, early days. However,
the potential of the technology and the
HDBaseT standard is unquestionably
exciting. For ISE visitors looking to
understand what the future might bring,
the HDBaseT stand (7K210) looks like a
‘must visit’ destination.
www.hdbaset.org
Welcome return: ISCE continues its push into Europe
After exhibiting at ISE for the first
time in 2011, the Institute of Sound
and Communications Engineers
(ISCE) is returning to Amsterdam in
2012 and will be located on Stand
7E214. Founded in 1948
and headquartered in
the UK, the Institute is
active in many areas
including training,
standards development,
and the broader
promotion of the
importance of wellengineered
audio in
public spaces.
“ISCE is excited to
return to ISE, in view of
the great interest shown
by sound system experts outside UK
in the prospect of increased activity
by ISCE in Continental Europe,”
comments Ros Wigmore, of the ISCE.
Wigmore: promoting
engineers wherever
they may be
“It is a surprise that there is no real
equivalent body for professional
sound system engineers in most
other countries, but ISCE is open to
all and is well able to promote
technical excellence and
support professional
engineers wherever they
may be.
The Institute intends
to extend its range of
certified training courses
in 2012 and to obtain
relevant third-party
endorsement of their
quality and relevance. An
industry-wide Newsletter
will be available to the
industry and indeed to all
who have an interest in technically
excellent sound systems.”
A further advance is a scheme
whereby owners and users of audiofrequency
induction-loop systems
(AFILS) that are defective or whose
performance is not as good as
required, can obtain a technical
survey and a recommendation for
remedial action from a qualified ISCE
member at a supportable cost.
Wigmore concludes: “ISCE also
hopes to extend its training courses
to venues outside UK. The presenters
will either travel to venues or train
groups of local presenters to deliver
the courses. We believe that our
participation at ISE will help to drive
this process, and look forward to
meeting both existing and new
members in Amsterdam.”
www.isce.org.uk
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