Industry-leading audio technology companies d&b audiotechnik and L-Acoustics have joined forces in a...
Product News
Blaze Audio Announces PowerZone™ Connect 8-Channel Power Amplifiers
Blaze Audio, a global provider of professional audio solutions tailored for the installed sound market, is pleased to...
Waves Announces SuperRack LiveBox
Waves Audio, the world’s leading developer of professional audio signal processing technologies and plugins, announces...
ACT Entertainment to Unveil New Lava Cable Branding at the 2024 NAMM Show
Redesigned Logo and Packaging Will Highlight the Products’ High-end Aesthetic as Boutique Solutions ACT...
EAW Showcases NTX210L Line Array at NAMM 2024
NTX210L’s Technology is Designed to Support a Variety of Outdoor Live Events Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW®) is...
Roland Announces Version 2.5 Update for the FANTOM Synthesizer Series
Roland announces a free Version 2.5 update for owners of the FANTOM 6, 7, and 8 synthesizers. Released in 2019, the versatile FANTOM series has become the leading keyboard workstation solution for both stage performers and studio musicians, thanks to the deep, expandable power of the ZEN-Core Synthesis System and regular updates that bring new sounds, features, and refinements to the platform. The user-installable Version 2.5 update adds classic organ sound and playability with Roland’s Virtual ToneWheel engine, plus extended DAW control with integrated support for the popular Ableton Live music production software.
Evolved from the famous Roland VK organ series, FANTOM’s new Virtual ToneWheel engine faithfully emulates the sound-generating process of a real tone wheel organ and includes several tone wheel types with adjustable percussion, key click, leakage, and more. There’s also a lush rotary effect with variable speed, brake control, and tube distortion characteristics. FANTOM’s touchscreen, sliders, knobs, and keyboard action are automatically configured to complete the authentic organ experience, providing hands-on sound control and vintage quick-fire playability.
LynTec Announces Q-SYS Control Plugin for Web-Enabled Power Control Solutions
LynTec, a leading manufacturer of innovative electrical power control solutions for professional audio, video, and lighting (AVL) systems, announced the availability of the new QSC Q-SYS™ Platform control plugin for LynTec web-enabled control solutions, including the patented RPC controllable AVL circuit breaker panel, RPCR AV and lighting control relay panel, XPC and NPAC rack-mounted circuit control solutions, as well as the new LCP lighting control panelboard and Narrow Profile panelboards. With this plugin, all the capabilities and options that are available within LynTec’s browser-based GUI can be controlled through Q-SYS.
“As we’ve watched Q-SYS become one of the most widely adopted platforms for a variety of large venues and facilities, our customers have continued to ask for a plugin for our panels,” says Mark Bishop, President of LynTec. “After two years of development and rigorous testing, we’re excited to release this simple, preprogrammed plugin that integrates into the Q-SYS Ecosystem. It offers all the value and capabilities our web-enabled AVL power control products are known for while further simplifying setup and streamlining management for operators, tech managers, and IT professionals who already rely on Q-SYS.”
JVC PROFESSIONAL VIDEO ANNOUNCES NEW LINE OF PTZ CAMERAS
JVC Professional Video, a division of JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation, unveils three new PTZ Remote Cameras. The new 4K KY-PZ400NW/NB and HD KY-PZ200NW/NB cameras provide optimal streaming image quality and performance for remote production over the internet and are equipped with NDI®|HX and SRT streaming, H.265/H.264/MJPEG encoding and VITC (Vertical Interval Timecode) multi-camera synchronization technologies. A third option, the new HD KY-PZ200W/B, provides an economical solution, sans NDI®|HX. All camera models are available in black or white variations to best match the ambience of the venue/project.
“This new camera line marks many firsts for us at JVC, including our first PTZ camera to feature 4K streaming as well as our first PTZ with NDI®|HX and SRT,” says Joe D’Amico, Vice President, JVC Professional Video. “With integrated NDI®|HX technology from Vizrt Group, the JVC PTZ cameras now offer a high-quality, low-latency IP video transmission standard that is ideal for streaming in an ever-evolving media landscape. We are excited to provide this functionality in our new 4K and HD PTZ production cameras and look forward to the creative streaming possibilities it will provide our users.”
Navori Labs Brings Second-Generation Media Player Dongle to Market
Navori Labs announces the immediate availability of StiX 3700, its second-generation, ultra-compact Android digital signage media player dongle. Following the first-generation StiX 3500––dubbed “the tiniest professional media player for digital signage––the StiX 3700 offers exceptional performance for its size, and features the best components for fast and sophisticated rendering of high-resolution content.
The StiX 3700 democratizes hardware media players, providing a near-immediate return on investment at half the price of most media players. It is a perfect complement to software media players, such as System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions, that lack the advanced feature sets and versatility of hardware players.
Roland Offers Free Piano Lessons Powered by Pianote
Following a record-breaking year for piano sales, Roland, a leading manufacturer of electronic musical instruments and professional video products, announces its partnership with Pianote, offering three months of free online piano lessons to users across the U.S. and Canada. Whether it’s looking to hone piano skills or pick up the instrument for the first time, owners of qualifying Roland pianos* will get unlimited access to everything inside Pianote – from step-by-step lessons to detailed song tutorials, access to live lessons, and support from real piano teachers.
The pandemic brought a boom in music instrument sales. According to Pattern, a global ecommerce company, pianos, which are the most commonly played instrument in America, saw one of the biggest surges (+32%) among musical instrument sales during the first few months of the pandemic in 2020. Both Pianote and Roland experienced strong growth, with Pianote doubling its memberships in the past year and members spending more time on average (+20.14%) engaging with the platform. Roland had a record-breaking year as well, with keyboard sales up 60% in 2021. Its piano models have been selling exceptionally well during the last 12 months, with Roland’s award-winning FP-30 ($699.99) being a standout among them. Roland introduced the FP-30’s replacement model in January, the FP-30X ($749.99), which is receiving a record number of orders and is expected to be one of Roland’s best-selling pianos, ever.
Streaming Success Starts With the Camera
Live steaming of worship services over the internet is far from entirely new to Houses of Worship, but has taken on a vastly new level of significance for them in recent months. Streaming was already a growing part of many churches’ initiatives to expand their ministries and connect with members unable to attend in person, but the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions on in-person gatherings have thrust online video delivery into the spotlight.
When choosing technical solutions for live streaming, a lot of attention is focused on the streaming encoder and delivery platform such as a CDN or social media channel – the last steps in the chain before the content reaches viewers. The cameras at the start of the chain are sometimes almost taken for granted but make a huge difference to both the quality of the results and operational considerations. Lower-end options ranging from smartphones and DSLRs to PTZ cameras and camcorders may seem attractive for their low cost, but broadcast-class cameras can significantly improve the look of your streams – as well as IMAG when congregants return to the sanctuary – and are more affordable than you might think.
BenQ Expands Lineup of Classroom Interactive Displays With Entry-Level Cloud-Based Models
BenQ, an internationally renowned provider of visual display solutions, is bringing the power of cloud connectivity to the forefront of classroom learning to support remote and hybrid environments with the new, affordable RE Series interactive displays. Available in 65-inch, 75-inch, 86-inch, and 98-inch models, the RE series incorporates the same intuitive, feature-rich EZWrite cloud whiteboard software and InstaShare wireless screen sharing system as the award-winning RP Series raved about by teachers. Educators simply tap to teach with all the tools they need right at their fingertips to make learning a positive, engaging experience and build future-ready, successful students.
“When we introduced our education interactive displays over nine years ago, we designed a collaboration solution that was based on years of feedback gathered from teachers, students, and school IT and technology staff,” said Bob Wudeck, senior director of business development at BenQ America Corp. “The RM and RP Series solved the user, connectivity, and collaboration challenges they experienced with traditional whiteboards — from glitchy touchscreens and limited collaboration and content capabilities to zero asset and software management and maintenance features. As we enter an all-new era of learning, we have continued to listen to the education community. The RE Series furthers our commitment to responding to these needs with features and capabilities that are ready to support the new dynamics in today’s hybrid classrooms.”
Analog Way Launches Next-Generation Picturall™ Mark II Media Servers
Analog Way, world-leading designer and manufacturer of innovative image processing systems is pleased to announce the immediate availability of its next generation of Linux-based media servers: the Picturall™ Mark II series. Entirely engineered around a new, extremely robust and powerful professional hardware platform, the new Picturall™ Mark II series delivers outstanding performance for supporting large-scale events and installations from a single server unit while offering ease of use and rock-solid reliability at affordable prices.
The new line replaces the current Picturall media servers and includes four products: Picturall Pro Mark II, Picturall Quad Mark II, Picturall Quad Compact Mark II and Picturall Twin Compact Mark II.
PreSonus Studio One 5.3 Adds Major New Features
PreSonus® has released Studio One® 5.3, the latest version of its award-winning recording and production software (DAW). The second update in less than three months, version 5.3 adds major new features for scoring, creative production, live performance, and general workflow, many in response to feedback from Studio One users and PreSonus Sphere members.
With the addition of musical symbols playback in Studio One 5.3 Professional, composers working in Score View or Piano View can now connect musical symbols and dynamic markings to Sound Variations, which were introduced in version 5.2. Musical symbols playback works with any orchestral library that features corresponding articulations. A new tab in the Sound Variations mapping editor enables mapping symbols to Sound Variations using simple, intuitive drag-and-drop or by auto-mapping based on the Sound Variation names of the currently-selected instrument. A new Musical Symbols lane for the Note Editor lets you view symbols and Sound Variation events side-by-side. Apply musical symbols in either the Note Editor or the Score View, and they will render accurately in both. Output mapping of Sound Variations has been extended to include MIDI channel information as part of the activation sequence, enabling virtual instruments such as Native Instruments’ Kontakt to address specific articulations.
