feature - Electrosonic SA

ENTERTAINMENT, PRESENTATION & LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY
FIRST QUARTER 2012 • VOLUME 20 NUMBER 1
SHOWHOUSE
SHOWCASE
DEMONSTRATING THE ART OF INTEGRATION AND CONTROL
AT A PREMIER CAPE DEVELOPMENT
ELECTROSONIC JOINS THE GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL
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UPFRONT
Sunny side up
ENTERTAINMENT, PRESENTATION & LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY
First Quarter 2012/ Volume 20 Number 1
promag is published quarterly by
Electrosonic SA and distributed to the
professional audio, video and lighting
industry. © Promag and Electrosonic SA.
All rights reserved. Trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.
Advertising, editorial and subscriptions
Advertising & subscriptions: Terry Bourquin
011 770 9800 or terry@electrosonic.co.za
Editorial: Gizelle Fischer
gizelle@electrosonic.co.za
Cover image Val de Vie Polo House, courtesy
of Guardian Development Projects.
Printing Ultra Litho – 011 621-3300
Electrosonic SA
JOHANNESBURG – Electrosonic SA
33 Lily Avenue, Northcliff, Johannesburg
PO Box 73515, Fairland, 2030
Tel: 011 770-9800 / Fax: 011 782-3123
www.electrosonic.co.za
e-mail: sales@electrosonic.co.za
24 hour AV Systems Support
0861 AVHELP / 0861 28 43 57
24 hour Lighting Technical Support
0860 MARTIN / 0860 62 78 46
DURBAN – Electrosonic SA KZN
Units 5/6, 80 Rinaldo Road, Durban North
PO Box 401130, Redhill, 4071
Tel: 031 533-0900 / Fax: 031 533-0920
Useful Links
ADB Lighting - www.adblighting.com
Compulite - www.compulite.com
Crestron Europe - www.crestron.eu
CM Lodestar - www.cmrigging.com
Electron - www.electron.gr
Electrosonic Inc - www.electrosonic.com
Elite Screens - www.elitescreens.com
InfoComm (ICIA) - www.infocomm.org
Kayye Consulting - www.kayye.com
Kramer - www.kramerelectronics.com
Litec - www.litectruss.com
Magenta - www.magenta-research.com
Martin Professional - www.martin.com
PLASA - www.plasa.org
Robert Juliat - www.robertjuliat.com
Screen International - www.screenint.com
Sharp – www.sharpmea.com
Sierra Video - www.sierravideo.com
SIM2 - www.sim2.com
A
lthough already well into 2012, we would
like to wish all our readers a prosperous
year ahead. There will certainly be challenges to face, given the financial trouble brewing
in Europe, another fuel price hike and an increase
in the cost of electricity in April, but if we tackle
these and other issues with a positive attitude we
will emerge stronger.
While reviewing the news items in this issue, I
was impressed with the quality of events that
South Africa is able to deliver. We are still drawing
big names from abroad to perform here – artists
and bands such as Sting and The Eagles and
world-class DJs such as Deadmau5 and Judge
Jules. And of course, our home-grown talent is
also top class and certainly deserves the support
of local fans.
We South Africans should be proud of our
achievements. We are capable of putting together
amazing shows in extraordinary venues such as
Kirstenbosch Gardens and a number of superb
wine estates. Adding value to the natural beauty
of the backdrops are our magnificent staging and
event companies, who sometimes have to ‘beg,
borrow and steal’ from their opposition to ensure
that the show goes on, but that only goes to
show who we truly are – South Africans who can
work together for better.
Another example of this South African symbiosis is demonstrated in our cover article – a stateof-the-art show house at Val de Vie Polo and Wine
Estate that is the stunning result of different companies working together to create a residence fit
for a king – or queen.
This project is a tangible example of the best
this country has to offer and deserves the great
many compliments received from foreigners who
increasingly see the advantages of investing in
this wonderful country. Sometimes it takes a person from another country to help us see ours for
what it is – a land of growth and opportunity
with enormous potential.
Of course, there is still much that needs improvement, but if we all work together and strive
for excellence, we can reach the top. A good incentive is to look back and see how far we have
come and be grateful for what we already have –
and as I write this while sipping a glass of wine
and watching a glorious African sunset from the
veranda of a wine farm established in 1699, I am
truly filled with gratitude!
– The Ed
Contents
2
3
6
8
12
15
Diary
Shows worldwide – Prolight + Sound, Light+Building, NABShow, Decorex, Lightfair
International and Grand Designs Home & Garden Show ...
News
Deadmau5 rocks with Martin MACs, Judge Jules lifts off at Sky
Raiders, Sierra Video broadcast training seminar, New Year at
Kirstenbosch, Crestron upgrade offer and more …
Electrosonic goes Green
Electrosonic SA has joined the Green Building Council of South Africa as a commitment
to helping provide environmentally sustainable solutions and services.
Showhouse showcase at Val de Vie
Cape automation specialist B-IQ has equipped a show house at
a prestigious Paarl residential development with the best in
Crestron control technology.
New Products
The Electrosonic Versalite LED range; Crestron DMPS-300-C DigitalMedia Presentation
System and Energy Star AMP Series; Kramer WP-501 switcher, SPK-OC606 speakers and
K-Able box; and Elite Quickstand staging screens.
Tutorial – EDID and analogue signal distribution
Much has been written about the necessity of EDID and digital HDMI and DVI signals,
but little has been said about the critical role it plays when using analogue signals…
first quarter 2012 – promag
1
FEATURE
UPFRONT
Diary – upcoming events and shows
Prolight + Sound
21-24 March 2012
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
pls.messefrankfurt.com
Prolight + Sound brings together all the technologies and services for the
events and entertainment industries, presented in different product groups. It
is the world's largest dedicated international trade fair for the industry.
Light+Building 2012
15-20 Apr 2012
Frankfurt, Germany
www.light-building.messefrankfurt.com
Light+Building welcomes manufacturers and launches trends and innovations from the fields of lighting, electrical engineering and building automation. The main theme of Light+Building 2012 is energy efficiency.
NABSHOW
16-19 April 2012
Las Vegas, USA
www.nabshow.com
After more than 80 years, the NAB Show continues to be the Essentials destination for broadcasting professionals who share a passion for bringing
content to life on any platform.
Decorex Cape Town
26-29 April 2012
CTICC, Cape Town
www.decorex.co.za
The ultimate South African roundup of what’s new for consumers and trade
alike showing the latest trends in décor. Since starting in 1994, Decorex SA
has grown extensively and attracts more than 100 000 visitors annually.
Lightfair International 2012
9-11 May 2012
Las Vegas, USA
www.lightfair.com
The world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show
and conference. Lightfair International blends continuing education courses
with innovative products and cutting-edge technology.
Grand Designs Home & Garden Show
25-27 May 2012
Coca-Cola Dome, Northgate
www.granddesignslive.co.za
Grand Designs Live South Africa is a home, decor, garden and design show
that give consumers inspiring ideas for every aspect of the home. There will
be more than 300 exhibitors across seven different sections.
2
promag – first quarter 2012
FEATURE
NEWS
DEADMAU5 ROCKS SOUTH AFRICA WITH MARTIN MACS AND LC PANELS
Acclaimed as the hottest electronic artist in the
world, Joel Zimmerman, aka Deadmau5, is widely
recognised as the guy in the massive mouse head
equipped with built-in LEDs sporting video mapping and wowing the crowds with mind-blowing
performances and productions.
Based in Toronto, this Canadian progressive,
electro and house music producer hit South
African shores in December last year with a three
cities tour. It kicked off in Cape Town at the CTICC
and the following day moved to Durban for an
‘unhooked’ show which did not have the full lighting and video rig. This gave the crew at CTICC a
day and a half to strike the kit, transport it up to
the Johannesburg venue, Wild Waters H2O, and
get it rigged it in time for the final show.
Gearhouse took care of gear, whilst Dillon
Jearey, MD of Kilowatt AV, took care of all logistics,
planning and production for all technical equipment for the entire tour. LEDVision, the screen
division of Gearhouse supplied the back screen.
With the majority of the kit specified and
sourced locally, Gearhouse SA pulled out all the
stops in a busy December period. They supplied
all the Martin MACs in Johannesburg, Cape Town
and Durban and LEDVision supplied the Martin
LC2140 panels.
A huge stage setup with massive amounts of
LED screen and intelligent lighting created an
electrifying atmosphere. The backdrop was a R16
Lighthouse LED screen with a low resolution Martin LC 2140 Semi-Transparent LED screen directly
in front of it, allowing a mix of higher resolution
and lower resolution footage to be displayed on
each screen to create incredible visuals that appeared to be 3D. An X-Truss lined with 1m LED
bars, Martin MAC250 Entours and MAC2000s
was hung in front of the screens.
The custom cube DJ box was covered in PixLED
F11 LED tiles with MAC101s dotted around it and
Martin Atomic strobes completing the setup.
Downstage were more PixLED F11 cubes, hung to
appear as though floating in the air. All video content was run off Catalyst media-servers and a
Road HOG Full Boar Console with backup.
The tour was a huge success and Deadmau5
was exuberant in his thanks to South African fans.
“Now that’s what I call a tour! Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg totally melted my face! You
couldn't have convinced me anymore – 100%
coming back again next year! I'll be taking the SA
pride with me to share with the rest of the world.“
"I would like to thank both Dillon and Richard
for their contributions to this article" says Electrosonic’s Bruce Schwartz.
JUDGE JULES LIFTS OFF AT SKY RAIDERS
The biggest Christmas present for local trance
lovers was the arrival of multi-award winning
dance music producer and DJ, Jules O’Riordan
aka Judge Jules, in South Africa in December
last year.
Judge Jules has earned his place amongst the
DJ aristocracy with a career that has notched up
hundreds of thousands of miles, millions of
spins of the decks and countless gigs in destinations from Ibiza to Tokyo and the UK. Jules' DJ
sets are the epitome of what deejaying is
about – amazing music, great passion, and
hands capable of the most nimble of mixing.
He runs one of the best known club nights in
Ibiza, ‘Judgement Sundays’ at Eden Night Club,
and won ‘Best Trance DJ’ in 2001 and ‘Best
Trance Night’ at the 2003 ‘Ibiza Pacha Awards’.
A highlight of his trip to South Africa during
the festive season was his performance at Sky
Raiders at Rand Airport in Germiston.
Sky Raiders Air Services and Conference Centre
was created through a unique concept that
merges event management with aeronautics. An
old hangar was converted into a venue that can
accommodate up to 3 000 people and can easily be transformed to accommodate any theme.
A perfect aviation scene can be created by
using the collection of aircraft it houses – from
vintage to fast jet fighters – with even a private
air show if required!
Judge Jules captained the airways at Sky
Raiders on the 9th December 2011, and other
DJs playing included James Damian, Speedy,
Dirty Herz and Morgan. XGX Productions supplied the event lighting and Gert Smit was the
lighting designer and lighting operator.
The lighting rig included 16 x MAC101s – 8 x
MAC101s placed in circular trusses on either
side of the stage – as well as 6 x MAC Auras, 8
x MAC600s, 2 x Martin Atomics 3000 strobes
and 6 MAC700 Profiles. All the lighting was controlled via an Avolite Tiger Touch console.
first quarter 2012 – promag
3
NEWS
SIERRA VIDEO BROADCAST TRAINING SEMINAR
Sierra-ous seminars: Sierra Video’s Jerry Lewis presenting at the Cape Town event.
In January this year Electrosonic hosted Sierra
Video seminars in Cape Town and Johannesburg
to provide in-depth broadcasting training to more
than 70 local delegates.
Sierra Video is a Kramer Electronics Ltd company and one of its main markets is the broadcast
and production industry. Regional Sales Director
(Africa) of Kramer Electronics Ltd, Raul Novick,
arranged the training sessions and they were presented by Jerry Lewis from the USA.
The event began with a lunch for the delegates
which was followed by four hours of training.
After an introduction and product overview of
Sierra Video, the topics addressed included current technology, target markets, implementation
and application of digital and analogue routers
(video and audio) and multi-viewers.
Strategies, technologies and solutions for integration and migration from analogue to digital
were also discussed. The seminar ended with a
user interface demonstration of Sierra Video Control Systems and an opportunity for questions.
Jerry Lewis’s tight schedule at numerous ven-
ues internationally meant that invitations were issued at very short notice (and over the festive
season), but attendance was exceptional. There
were 20 delegates at the seminar at the Cape
Town Lodge and 52 delegates at the Cabanga
Conference Centre in Johannesburg.
Wrapping up the seminar in Johannesburg was
a cocktail party hosted by Electrosonic and SACIA
(Southern African Communications Industries Association), which provided an opportunity for networking among some of the leading personalities
in the South African broadcasting industry.
The response from the Sierra Video representatives, Electrosonic’s team and the seminar delegates was extremely positive. Kevin Bishton from
KMB Digital said “the seminar was very interesting and it opened my eyes to the various solutions that Sierra Video can provide.”
Electrosonic’s Dealer Relations Representative,
Abrie du Plooy’s comment was: "The Sierra Video
training was great and many dealers suddenly realised what great products are hidden in the maroon pages at the back of the catalogue!"
CRESTRON DIGITAL UPGRADE OFFER
Crestron’s new trade-in programme makes it easy and affordable to swap out analogue switchers
and replace them with Crestron DigitalMedia – and no new wires or termination are required! Crestron is giving up to 100% trade-in value for analogue equipment – whether PVID, QM or IM products – so the cost to upgrade is virtually free.
Customers can submit their current analogue designs to Electrosonic’s Sales Support Services
team who will update the system design using DM and provide a bill of materials for ordering purposes. The trade-in programme includes all analogue distribution systems from all manufacturers.
Electrosonic also shows its customers the normal pricing and the trade-in price so they can see how
much they’ve saved.
Bringing analogue systems into the digital age with Crestron DigitalMedia is quick and easy, so
don’t wait until tomorrow, switch to digital today!
• Contact the Crestron team at Electrosonic on 011 770 9800 or email Rupert@electrosonic.co.za.
4
promag – first quarter 2012
CANAL WALK’S GIANT
FESTIVE ICE SLIDE
Holiday makers in Cape Town enjoyed a white
Christmas in December last year when Canal
Walk created a giant 40 metre ice slide spiralling around an enormous Christmas tree,
with a second 15 metre ice slide for small
children and a ‘North Pole’ ice cave complete
with Santa Claus.
The winter spectacle was enhanced with a
vast array of more than 60 lighting fixtures to
add Christmas magic to the scene. Creating
the appropriate atmosphere of swirling snow
fog was a K1 Hazer which operated daily
from 10am to 9pm from 9 December to 8 January and only used four bottles of liquid for
the entire event!
As the event was bigger than usual, JP
Willson from Unfazed Productions devised a
plan to ‘explode’ the existing circle truss into
12 segments, which were used to follow the
curve of the Ice Slide, and a feature truss over
the entrance area.
“There was some concern when people
saw the truss hanging without the ramp underneath,” said JP. “They thought it was broken. I kept having to say “trust me!” and in
the end it all made sense once the ramp was
completed.
A MAC3 was used to ‘snow’ the entrance
area, and the zoom and brightness of the
gobo made it visible throughout the day. A
MAC401 was used to light the queue access
ramp, and the segments were used to project
colour onto the set.
There were 6 x MAC Auras to wash the
giant slide and surrounding area, 8 x
MAC101s to light both the giant slide and the
baby slide, 4 x MAC2000 Profiles with ice
gobos and Canal Walk logos which were displayed on the set and on the roof of the Promotion Court.
There were 4 x Roboscan Pro918s used to
project gobos onto the small ramp, 12 x
MAC600s for general wash, 20 x MAC500s
for ice slide graphics and general beams and
effects and 2 x Minimacs for Santa’s tree exit
tunnel projected colour and gobos onto the
roof of the exit tunnel. Finally, there were 36 x
LED Pars to light all the trussing and the ice
tunnel entrance to Santa.
Controlling all power on/off were 8 x Martin DMX switch packs, and 6 x Martin Opto
splitters were used for cable management.
Power and architectural lighting scheduling
was managed by a 4 Universe LightJockey
with scheduler, and event programming and
cue scheduling was handled by a second dual
screen 4 Universe LightJockey with scheduler.
NEWS
NEW YEAR AT KIRSTENBOSCH
‘NY @ Kirstenbosch’ was the banner for the New
Year’s Eve concert at Kirstenbosh Gardens in Cape
Town. Approximately 5000 people were there to
see Prime Circle and a supporting performance by
Elvis Blue.
Marcel Bezuidenhout from Audio Engineering,
which supplied all technical equipment for the
Summer Concert Series at Kirstenbosch, invited JP
Willson from Unfazed Productions to partner him
in supplying, rigging and operating the lighting
for the New Year’s Eve party.
Between them they supplied 1 x Martin M1
controller, 24 x Martin MAC101s, 4 x Martin
MAC600 washes, 4 x Martin MAC250 Entours, 3 x
Martin Atomic 3000 strobes, 2 x Jem smoke machines, 4 x Robe Robin 300 spots, 4 x Robe Robin
300 washes, 18 x Robe LED Force 7s, 1 x Lemaitre
Hazer and 24 x generic channels, including crowd
blinders, profiles on band members and front
stage wash.
JP took care of the lighting and programming
for Elvis Blue and Prime Circle, and Marcel engineered the concert on a Digico SD8.
“The M1 was easy to learn, fantastic to use,
and I had fun running the show ‘live’ as we were
fighting the sun for programming time – it only
got dark at 8:30pm!” said JP.
“The 101s were amazing, and lots of people
were trying to figure out how the trees at the
back of the gardens were being lit, over 150 metres away from the stage. I was running a slow
rainbow scroll over the trees and one lady came
to complain that the blue light was in her eyes,
but when we looked at the stage everything was
red and amber, she was very confused!” he said.
Garden party: The New Year’s Eve concert at Kirstenbosch and the Martin M1 controller (right).
“The speed and colour range of the lights and
using them on the arc of the Kirstenbosch stage
was very effective, and created some great aerial
beams. The weather was perfect with a slight
breeze off stage which carried the haze into the
air, just about perfect for lighting!”
UNFAZED PRODUCTIONS HAVING FUN AT A 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
IMAGE COURTESY OF JP WILSON, UNFAZED PRODUCTIONS
Unfazed Productions was recently contracted to
supply all the equipment for a 50th birthday party
at a house in upper Fresnaye. The theme was
‘Disco’ so the team had a bit of fun!
The lighting equipment included 1 x Martin M1
controller, 12 x Martin MAC250 Entours, 16 x
Martin MAC101s, 2 x Martin MAC600 Washes,
60 x LED Parcans and Tubes, 36 x Par 56s and 8 x
metal halides for lighting the trees. The PA and visuals were supplied by Simply AV.
The Martin MAC101s were split between the
dance floor and a mirror ball cluster above the
entrance to the house. Amazing effects were created by the LEDs which were reflected in the
shape of the 101 head.
Arriving guests were awed, and took photos
from the driveway before entering the party. A
covered dance floor was created on one of the
patios, using a Prolyte ground support with a
Bedouin tent covering it. The dance floor was
used for performances by several entertainers and
dancers before the DJ took over until 3am.
“During set-up, the 101s were doing their
thing and shining all over the place, and the police arrived to investigate,” said JP Wilson. “The
funny thing was they stopped on the driveway to
look and got stuck. The driveway has a 45-degree
slope, and their little bakkie’s wheels were having
a hard time trying to find grip, so they ended up
in the bushes.
It took eight policemen to bounce the car back
into the driveway, and away they went. Net result,
no-one came to stop the party on the night!”
first quarter 2012 – promag
5
FEATURE
Electrosonic goes Green
Electrosonic SA has joined the Green Building Council of South Africa, as a
commitment to helping provide solutions and services that encourage conservation
and sustainability of energy and resources
IMAGE COURTESY OF CRESTRON INC.
E
lectrosonic SA is proud to announce its
membership of the Green Building
Council of South Africa (GBCSA). This
doesn’t mean simply touting a new
favourite colour and paying lip service
to the ethos of ‘greening’. It is a commitment to
helping provide solutions and services that comply with new industry standards following the
amendment of building regulations and taxes to
reward those who encourage conservation and
sustainability of energy and resources.
What is the Green Building Council?
Established in 2007, the Green Building Council of
South Africa (GBCSA) is an independent, nonprofit, membership-based organisation. It is a full
member of the World Green Building Council and
the official certification body of buildings under
the Green Star SA Rating System.
This rating system aims to ensure that all buildings are built and operated in an environmentally
sustainable way and provide healthy, effective
and productive environments.
6
What is a Green Building?
A green building is one that is designed and built
in a way that strives for sustainability and addresses issues of resource depletion and environmental degradation. Through appropriate design,
construction and operational practices, it significantly reduces or eliminates the negative impact
of development on the environment and its occupants. A green building is energy efficient, resource efficient and environmentally responsible.
What is the Green Star rating system?
Green Star SA covers nine categories that assess
the environmental impact resulting from the location of the site, the design of the building and its
construction. The categories are management, indoor environment quality, energy, transport,
water, materials, land use and ecology, emissions,
and innovation.
The categories are divided into credits, with
points awarded for actions that demonstrate that
the project has met the overall objectives of
Green Star SA, each of which addresses an initia-
promag – first quarter 2012
tive that improves – or has the potential to improve – environmental performance. The system is
based on an internationally recognised standard.
What are the benefits of Green Star rated
buildings to the property developer?
Green Star rated buildings appeal to property developers because they achieve higher valuations,
more favourable rentals and lower vacancy rates.
Businesses favour leasing Green Star Rated buildings for aesthetic reasons and for the savings
made in operational and maintenance costs.
What are the benefits of Green Star rated
buildings to the occupants and tenants?
Research has shown that people are healthier and
more productive when they work in Green Star
rated buildings. American studies have shown
that office, retail and healthcare workers spend
up to 90% of their time indoors, and that poor
light and poor ventilation results in increased sick
leave and lower productivity.
It’s estimated that students and teachers spend
FEATURE
approximately six hours a day indoors, and according to an international review of 30 educational institutions in the USA, green schools and
universities deliver a 41,5% improvement in student and teacher health with reduced incidents of
respiratory problems, flu and even headaches.
The survey also showed an improvement of
15% in student learning and productivity, and up
to 25% improvement on test scores as a result of
good lighting and ventilation.
Green buildings also benefit the healthcare industry by improving patient outcomes. A study
conducted in 2005 into the effect of sunlight on
patients undergoing spinal surgery found that
lighter and brighter rooms in hospitals contributed to stress reduction and that patients experienced less pain and needed fewer analgesics.
What does Electrosonic SA’s membership in
the GBCSA mean for its clients?
As a member of the GBCSA, Electrosonic can participate in the sub-committees and working
groups, have access to the latest research, trends
and news relating to green buildings and the
Green Star rating system, and can represent the
AV industry’s interests via Council representation
to policy makers and regulatory bodies.
Electrosonic’s goal is to be sufficiently well informed to be able to make recommendations and
assist with specifying the correct equipment to
the relevant consulting engineers.
In addition, Electrosonic will ensure that the
products it supplies are fully compliant with specifications, which in turn will assist approved and
accredited dealers and installers of those products
in tendering. Bills of quantities and operational
specifications will have been supervised and approved to meet the expectations of the consulting
engineers and end-users, saving dealers and mediators from having to sift through many products
to arrive at the correct combination, and saving
time in the actual preparation of tenders.
Another advantage for tendering dealers is
that the costs of the specified products would be
Useful on-line resources
• www.gbcsa.org.za –
Green Building Council of SA
• www.promech.co.za –
Architect & Specificator magazine
(September/October 2011)
• www.statssa.gov.za –
Statistics South Africa
• www.loadshedding.co.za –
load shedding news
• www.southafrica.info –
population estimates
• www.news24.com – News-24
• www.scielo.org.za – Journal of the South
African Institution of Civil Engineering;
technical paper by DT Nel and J Haarhoff
fully accounted for in the budget, eliminating the
possibility for unexpected ‘extras’ occurring once
the project is underway.
In a project with planned phases, the first
phase can be structured to ensure that the capital
outlay of the phases that follow is minimised and
regret expenditure is avoided. In the later phases
of a project, Electrosonic can continue to maintain
the guidelines of the GBCSA by providing additional products which are suitable to requirements and can be easily implemented into
existing installations, obviating the need to try
and get different systems to work together to
achieve a smooth operation.
Electrosonic’s versatile product ranges not only
complement one another perfectly, but also provide maximum efficiency in terms of power consumption.
Adding value to the installation of fully compliant products from Electrosonic is the service,
training, maintenance and warranties it also provides. Electrosonic offers a minimum of one year
on all products (excluding consumable items), and
in the case where a factory warranty is offered by
the manufacturer, it will be honoured by Electrosonic but will be applicable to the terms and
conditions of the respective manufacturers. A
copy of Electrosonic SA’s warranty policy is available on request.
• For more information email Linda Swart at
linda@electrosonic.co.za
first quarter 2012 – promag
7
FEATURE
COVER
STORY
FEATURE
Hi-tech showcase a
Cape automation specialist B-IQ has equipped a show house at a prestigious
Fingertip control: Management of the Val de Vie showhouse’s AV, lighting, security, air conditioning, appliances, irrigation, and much more is easily done with the ma
G
uardian Development Projects is a
project management and construction company offering turnkey building solutions to its clients. By
combining and managing the skills of
leading South African architects, builders, engineers, landscapers, and quantity surveyors, GDP
takes projects all the way from the design stages to
the delivery of homes that are completely ready to
occupy.
A significant number of GDP’s developments
have been in the luxurious Val de Vie Wine and Polo
Estate in Paarl. There are 532 private residential
erven at Val de Vie, 90% of which have been sold
and transferred, and 120 of which have completed
homes. To date, GDP has successfully completed 15
homes on the estate and is currently managing the
construction of another 10.
The dream team at GDP has Leonhard Jonas as
its managing director, Ryk Neethling as marketing
director and Wynand Louw as financial director.
Adding to their management expertise is interior
decorator Nicolette Jonas and quantity surveyor
Gavan Meyer.
Leonhard attributes GDP’s success to the archi-
8
tects, engineers, contractors and suppliers they’ve
chosen to work with, and to the underpinning ethos
of their business – to make life as easy as possible
for their clients.
Clients can rely on GDP to meet the strict regulations for all homes built on the Val de Vie Estate.
“There are design and construction guidelines that
must be adhered to,” said Leonhard. “The building
style on the estate is French Provencal, so the design of the house and the materials used have to
conform to the high specifications and world class
standards that have been set by the estate.”
Choosing between endless options
Although choices in exterior finishes may be limited
by the estate’s guidelines, the interiors of homes
offer scope for all tastes. It is often this aspect of
building that gives clients headaches – trying to decide on the look and feel they want, and confused
by the endless options available.
“Many people want to build their dream homes,
but most don’t have the time or energy required to
deal with all the complexities involved. We do it all
for them, right down to having our own offices and
show house on site at Val de Vie so that clients
promag – first quarter 2012
don’t have to travel to numerous showrooms
around the country to look at different products.
“Instead, they can visit our show house and see
the best options available in terms of quality fittings
and finishes. We’ve done all the homework for
them, we know the pros and cons of the various
materials and products, and we know who the best
craftsmen are and what can be done at what price.”
The show house is a marvellous testament not
only to GDP’s top quality construction, but also to
the quality of materials, fittings and finishings, and
the excellence of the workmanship. It comprises
600 square metres under roof, incorporating four
en-suite bedrooms, study, double volume living
room, kitchen, scullery and pantry, equipment room
and double garage. The project took 18 months of
planning and 14 months of construction before it
was completed in November last year.
GDP obviously couldn’t use the entire range of
options in one show house. For the sake of consistency, they limited their selection but aimed for variations on a theme to show different finishes. For
example, there are four different floor coverings –
luxurious carpeting in the bedrooms, solid French
oak in the boardroom and study, pale polished con-
COVER STORY
FEATURE
FEATURE
COVER
STORY
at Val de Vie estate
s Paarl residential development with the best in Crestron control technology.
any conveniently-positioned Crestron control panels.
crete in the kitchen, and expanses of marble supplied and installed by Natural Stone Warehouse.
“We’ve used four different types of marble, in
different layouts and edgings – such as a bullnose
or a pencil nose – and the showers are lined with
1,5 by 1,2 metre marble panels," said Leonard.
The external doors and windows are aluminium
and the internal ones are timber, including American
shutters in the bathrooms. Here again GDP rings the
changes for their clients with fully louvered shutters
in some bathrooms and half louvered shutters with
solid bottom panels in others.
In the 7-metre double volume living room are 2,8
metre high windows which give glorious views from
both the ground floor and mezzanine level over the
great green expanse of the polo field. “I love the
position – it’s like having five and a half hectares of
laser-levelled lawn in front of the house!
“Other superb features of the living room are the
hand-plastered surround to the fireplace and an
enormous mirror supplied by Extreme Elegance. It
took 16 men half a day to mount it,” said Leonhard.
Extreme Elegance also custom made the unique
mirror headboard and vanity in the main bedroom
and en-suite bathroom.
Ornate wrought iron balustrades in different designs that lend themselves to the French Provencal
look were supplied and installed by Jett Effects.
WK Kitchens was responsible for all the kitchen
joinery, which is precision perfect and features selfclosing mechanisms on drawers and cupboard
doors behind which are concealed the latest integrated appliances from Siemens. Prins Houtwerke
designed and installed the scullery fittings, and
Barco Kitchens was responsible for the ‘butler’s station’ on the mezzanine level and the open plan
dressing room for the master bedroom.
An additional layer of integration
“European visitors to the show house have been especially impressed with it,” said Leonhard. “In addition to being able to show them what is possible in
terms of quality construction and finishes, we are
also able to offer them the additional layer of technology integration and automation.”
The concept of turning their show house into a
smart home was not in GDP’s initial planning. However, at the end of 2010 Leonhard met Lucas Visser
and Heinrich Rohwer from Ubulumko Technology
Solutions (B-IQ) and between them they sparked an
idea that would serve both companies.
B-IQ had already installed automated AV systems
in other houses on the estate, but wanted a means
of demonstrating to potential clients the possibilities smart technology had to offer.
“It was synergistic,” said Leonhard. “Since we
were building a show house and they needed a
show room, we decided to incorporate their systems
in our house, because automation is definitely a
part of the lifestyle at an estate such as this,” said
Leonhard.
With the support of Electrosonic SA, which supplied the equipment, B-IQ had only three months to
plan and six weeks to install the system before
practical completion of the house.
The aim of the project was to showcase simple
and effective user interfaces that allowed control of
various features in the home while remaining intuitive for the occupants to use.
“We decided not to embrace everything that is
possible and available, which would be overkill. Our
intention was to create a background infrastructure
that incorporated the fundamentals, but which
could be expanded in future” said Heinrich.
> continued overleaf
first quarter 2012 – promag
9
COVER STORY
FEATURE
Let there be light: The Crestron system controls the lighting, and has the capacity for later fitting of curtain and blind control.
The system allows for the control of AV, lighting,
security, air conditioning, appliances, irrigation,
and much more. It is currently running HDTV, all
lighting, all audio and video and the alarm system, but still to be added are air conditioning,
pumps and the remote control of curtains and
blinds.”
“We chose Crestron for control because it is
the Ferrari of automation and allows the integration of all products, unlike other control systems,”
said Heinrich. The Crestron Prodigy system installed is used as a backbone with the infrastructure and platform to plug-in other applications.
“It is sublime in its simplicity of design and
functionality and is an intuitive, easy to understand system,” said Heinrich. “It is also scalable
to integrate with sub-systems that can be added
at any time. For example, with a simple software
update you can add iPad or iPhone control.”
All the equipment is housed in a purpose-built
equipment room with glass doors so that visitors
are able to see in, but not gain access. The central
processing and AV processing units are housed in
a stylish middle Atlantic slide out rack which simplifies access to the hi-tech equipment.
10
The distribution board is a pre-built Hagar
board fitted with top of the range Crestron dimmers allowing complete control of each lighting
point digitally. The Kramer product range was
used for the distributed AV because it is cost effective, robust and scalable.
The network is distributed from the equipment
room enabling several high definition sources to
be broadcast throughout the house to the various
TV/AV locations, as well as multiple media displays for individual TV/AV outputs. The alarm system is a top of the range Paradox Evo system
which also allows for simple integration.
Control and customisation
User control is via attractive touchpanels which
are able to be customised for any configuration
the user might prefer. It is possible to change
each button’s function as well as the small LED
lights that display feedback indicating whether
the associated circuit is active or not.
There are a total of seven touchpanels located
in the entrance hall, in each of the four en-suite
bedrooms, in the living area and in the mezzanine
lounge. They are the main control interface, allow-
promag – first quarter 2012
ing the user to control all the lighting in the
house, to change the audio visual sources for the
TVs, and to arm and disarm the house’s alarm
system.
“You can be in bed and check the LED feedback display on the touchpanel to see if there are
lights still on in the house and turn them off. Or
you can arm the alarm, or switch sources from
DSTV to DVD player,” said Heinrich.
Lucas Visser is proud of the role B-IQ played in
making GDP’s show house a dream home. “Any
potential home owner walking into this show
house will understand that Leonard took the time
to think about what a quality lifestyle means, and
to incorporate all the essential elements – one of
which is a Crestron home management system. I
congratulate him and his team on their accomplishment.”
“I believe we created an iconic property at Val
de Vie, and the ultimate show house experience,”
said Leonhard. “At the top end of the residential
market, clients buy with their hands – they want
to feel and touch quality. This house sets the
benchmark in structural integrity, has world class
finishes, and it’s a ‘smart’ home.”
FEATURE
NEW PRODUCTS
THE ELECTROSONIC VERSALIGHT RANGE OF LED PRODUCTS
To meet the demand for quality LED based products, Electrosonic SA established the Versalight
range at an affordable price in South Africa less
than two years ago and it has rapidly grown to
become a trustworthy brand.
Each Versalite fixture has a full one-year warranty backed by 24-hour service from Electrosonic
SA. Common to all the units in the range is a
seven segment display screen for easy and intuitive setup and control, and they are all supplied
with a 15A plug top. All units are available in either black or silver, and an optional flight case on
castors can accommodate 12 units.
Versalight Standard RGB PAR64
With more than 3 500 units in the market, the
Versalight Standard RGB PAR 64 Can is a compact
multi-purpose wash light that is suited to both
fixed installations and rental applications, and
can be used in stand-alone mode or via the DMX
512 Protocol on 3 Pin XLR connectors.
Weighing only 1,5kg, the Standard RGB PAR 64
uses 177 x 10mm LEDs and a 35° beam angle
that allows smooth and even dimming. The RGB
PAR 64 can be used to create a range of colours
from pastel to rich and saturated.
Versalight High Powered RGB PAR 64
This is a compact multi-purpose high powered
wash light with an output comparable to a conventional PAR 64. With all
the other features and
benefits of the Standard model, the High
Powered model
also offers an impressive light output derived from
the 3 Watt lamp,
using 108 x 3W
LEDs (36 red, 36
green, 36 blue) with a 35° beam angle. It is
also a heavier unit, weighing 2,5kg.
Versalight High Power Amber/White PAR 64
This is a unique fixture in its class. The problem
with traditional RGB LED fixtures is that the quality of the mixed white light is not very good and
tends to look bluish. The Versa-Light High Power
White/Amber LED solves this through a combination of 36 cool white and 18 amber high powered
3W LEDs with a beam angle of 35° and can be
used to create a range of whites from cool too
warm. It weighs 2.5kg.
Versalight Outdoor RGB Flood
This IP65 RGB 3-way outdoor flood is perfect for
any application that requires high power colour
changing, both indoors and outdoors. With 108 x
1W LEDs (36 red, 36 green, 36 blue) and a beam
angle of 25°, it can be used to create a range of
colours, strobe effects and LED pixel mapping.
The 15,2 kg unit has been built to withstand
the rigours of weather and wear and tear. Being
fully weather-proof (IP65), it is ideal for architectural applications or outdoor events and can be
used in either stand alone, master and slave
mode or via DMX 512 control on weather-proof
3-pin XLRs. It also has IP-rated data and power
connections with an In/Out configuration making
it easy to arrange units in a linear fashion.
Versalight High Powered Wall Washer
This RGB LED Wall Washer is a powerful unit
measuring only 1 000mm long x 70mm wide and
perfect for any application that requires high
power colour changing. It can be used to wash
any flat surface, for overhead illumination or in
set building applications.
A feature of the unit is that the LEDs are divided into four segments of RGB, allowing chases
and effects such as rainbow and jumping patterns, strobe and blinder effects to be created.
It uses 84 x 3W High Power LEDs (28 Red, 28
Blue, 28 Green) with lenses that are interchangeable to achieve either the standard 25° beam or a
wider 45° beam angle. The wall washer has loop-
through
data and power
connections with an
In/Out configuration for linear linking.
Versalight SMD 5050 RGB FlexiLED
This range of flexible LED strip is a cost effective
and compact linear LED solution for any application where a colour changing, compact directional
and bright light source is needed.
The SMD 5050 RGB FlexiLED has 60 ultrabright surface mounted LEDs per running metre
on a flexible PCB backing, using only 16 watts per
metre, and is encased in an IP 67 rated silicon
covering for durability and moisture protection.
It runs off a cost-effective RGB controller which
has stand-alone functions and is also DMX 512
controllable via 3 pin XLR’s or CAT5 connectors.
Power is 12-18V DC and a range of power supplies are available on request. The RGB FlexiLED is
10mm wide and is supplied in 5-metre rolls that
can be joined by simple jumper cables.
Versalight SMD 5050 White/Warm White
FlexiLED
The White/Warm White flexible LED strip offers
the same features as the SMD 5050 RGB FlexiLED,
but uses only 14 Watts per metre and is effective
in any application where a dedicated white
(6500k) or warm white (3500k) compact directional and bright light source is needed.
Versalight SMD 1210 Single Colour FlexiLED
The Versa-Light SMD 1210 Single Colour FlexiLED
utilises 120 ultra-bright surface mounted LEDs per
running meter, using only 9,6W per metre. It is
supplied in a variety of colours including red, blue,
green, yellow, white (6500k) and warm white
(3200k) and is ideal for any application where a
dedicated single colour, compact directional and
bright light source is needed. The width of the
Versa-Light SMD 1210 Single Colour FlexiLED is
only 8mm.
ELITE QUICKSTAND DRAPE SERIES STAGING SCREENS
Elite’s Quickstand drape series staging screens
are portable presentation screens for the AV and
event markets. Made from aluminium, they are
strong and lightweight and ideal for multimedia, conference and classroom presentations.
They are available in different sizes from 72 inch
to 200 inch diagonal in 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios,
12
and drape kits are available as an optional extra.
The screens are easy to set up and break
down and no tools are required. The frame is
height adjustable and can be raised or lowered
in 20.3cm increments. The screen material is
standard matte white with a 1.1 gain. Optional
rear projection material has a gain of 2.2.
promag – first quarter 2012
Even with prolonged use, product life is extended by the sealed edge detachable frame designs with material snap button attachments and
corner pull cords.
The screens are packed in a lightweight and
durable aluminium carry case on wheels for easy
transport, storage and shipping purposes.
FEATURE
NEW PRODUCTS
CRESTRON ENERGY STAR AMPLIFIERS
Crestron’s new line of Energy Star qualified highoutput commercial amplifiers is now available.
The AMP Series amplifiers help meet energy savings objectives and green initiatives without sacrificing audio performance. Designed for high-end
audio performance, energy efficiency, and versatility, Crestron AMP Series amplifiers offer more
than twice the power of other amps in its class
and are ideal for commercial environments where
many speakers need to be run from one amplifier.
AMP features a high-efficiency, convectioncooled design that consumes considerably less
power than other commercial amps. Its low noise,
low distortion performance creates superior sonic
quality in the smallest room or largest public
area. AMP Series amplifiers provide more headroom for powering larger rooms and are versatile
enough to handle virtually any audio need.
In addition to its energy-conserving design,
other power-savings features include auto
‘power-down’ mode which automatically shuts
down AMP after 30 minutes with no signal and
auto ‘power-on’ which instantly turns an AMP
back on when a signal, such as speaking into a
microphone or playing a DVD, is detected. This innovative feature provides an automatic and tangible long-term energy savings solution.
AMP-2210S 2X210W
The AMP-2210S provides two channels of amplification. Each channel is rated for 210W@4ohms or
120W@8ohms, and may be bridged together to
deliver a robust 420W@8ohms to a single load.
The AMP-2210S includes professional balanced
inputs with rear-panel ±10dB input level adjustments to assure compatibility with a wide range
of audio sources. Remote power control is enabled for each channel using external contact closures, switches, or control system relays. All input,
output, and remote control connections are facilitated via detachable screw-terminal connectors to
simplify installation and servicing.
The AMP-2210S features a durable, lightweight
chassis that may be placed on a shelf, or rack-
mounted using the rack ears provided. At only
one rack space high and under 28cm deep, it is
ideal for installations requiring a lot of power in a
limited space. Its efficient, cool-running design
gives off substantially less heat than comparably
rated amplifiers, and convection cooling means
there are no noisy fans.
AMP-3210T 3X210W
The AMP-3210T provides three independent channels of amplification with configurable outputs to
suit a wide range of system designs. Each channel
is configurable via a simple selector switch to
handle either low-Z or constant-voltage speaker
systems. Each channel is rated for 210W@4ohms,
or 120W@8ohms, 70V, or 100V. Additionally,
channels 1 and 2 may be bridged together to deliver a robust 420W@8ohms to a single load. The
70/100V outputs are transformer isolated to handle long and complex wire runs.
The AMP-3210T has a similar rear panel configuration to the AMP-2210S.
CRESTRON DMPS-300-C DIGITALMEDIA PRESENTATION SYSTEM 300
Crestron’s new DigitalMedia Presentation System
300 (DMPS-300-C) is the next generation of its
legendary MPS Multimedia Presentation System.
At a budget-friendly price, DMPS-300-C provides
everything required to equip any room for the
highest quality HD presentations.
An efficient all-in-one component, DMPS-300-C
delivers a complete high-definition presentation
control and signal routing solution that integrates
a control processor, multimedia matrix switcher,
mic mixer, audio DSP and amplifier with DigitalMedia 8G+ technology. DMPS-300-C takes in
every source signal and processes, mixes and amplifies the audio, and then transmits it flawlessly
over a single CAT5e wire.
In addition, a new promotion gives 50% tradein credit for any Crestron MPS system toward the
purchase of a new DMPS. Simply replace analogue video equipment with Crestron DigitalMedia. The valuable trade-in credit makes it easy for
dealers and affordable for organisations to upgrade analogue rooms to digital with a state-ofthe-art DMPS-300-C system.
DMPS offers the only integrated solution that
can handle both analogue and digital AV, plus
control. For organisations seeking to upgrade
their old analogue presentation systems, DMPS-
300-C immediately brings any classroom or conference room into the digital age.
Installation is easy – one can simply swap out
an existing MPS with DMPS-300-C. One can use
the existing CAT5e wiring , so there are no new
wires to pull or connectors to terminate.
Integrated DM 8G+ inputs and outputs make
connections to every room simple, providing a
true one-wire interface for remote sources and
display devices using a choice of standard CAT5e
wire or premium DM 8G cable. Supporting wire
lengths up to 100 metres, DMPS-300-C can also
provide an ideal interface to a central DigitalMedia switcher as part of a larger multi-room or
room-combining system.
Whether in the classroom, boardroom or videoconference room, DMPS-300-C makes complex
signal routing easy for any room full of AV and
computer sources, microphones, display devices,
speaker zones, touch screens and codecs. DMPS300-C provides high-performance matrix switching of seven simultaneous analogue or digital
sources to up to four HDMI or DVI display devices,
plus up to three analogue audio components.
In addition to flexible matrix video switching,
DMPS-300-C adds on-board gated microphone inputs with enhanced DSP, plus line and mic level
mixing to deliver the most complete, easy-to-use
digital presentation system available.
first quarter 2012 – promag
13
NEW PRODUCTS
KRAMER WP-501 SWITCHER, SPK-OC606 SPEAKERS AND K-ABLE BOX
KRAMER WP-501 SWITCHER
The WP-501 is a switcher for computer graphics
video, composite video, stereo audio and microphone signals. It routes one of three AV input
sources (one front and two rear) to a display and
controls the display by IR or RS-232 commands.
With some of its input connectors on the back
panel, it is perfect for rooms with permanently installed PCs and video sources.
Technical specifications
• Front Panel Connections: Inputs – 1 computer
graphics video on a 15-pin HD connector, unbalanced stereo and 1 microphone on 3,5mm
mini jacks
• Rear Panel Connections: Inputs – 1 computer
graphics video with unbalanced stereo, 1 composite video and stereo audio on terminal
blocks. Outputs – 1 composite video, 1 computer graphics video and 2 audio outputs on
terminal blocks; 2 relays and 1 IR on terminal
blocks; 1 Ethernet on an RJ-45 connection
• Audio and microphone volume control knobs
• Front panel buttons: 1 projector power and 3
input selection. Each programmable button
performs command macros such as changing
projector inputs; 2 low voltage relays
14
• Display Control Ports: IR and bidirectional RS232 for controlling the display device
• EDID Storage: EDID information can be stored
and modified using EDID Designer software
• Kramer Site-CTRL Compatible: For network remote control and management using Kramer
Site-CTRL software over the Ethernet port
• Wall Plate Size: Three-gang US. Available in
white, black, grey and brushed aluminium.
KRAMER SPK-OC606 TWO-WAY SPEAKERS
The SPK-OC606 is a pair of two-way speakers designed for mounting on the wall, either indoors or
out. They have an acoustic suspension design and
UV resistant aluminum grilles.
• Type: 2-way on-wall indoor/outdoor speaker.
• Woofer: 6.5" (165mm) PP cone, rubber surround.
• Tweeter: 1" (25.4mm) silk dome.
• Frequency Response: 45Hz to 20kHz.
• Impedance: 6Ω.
• Crossover: With 12dB/octave.
• Crossover Frequency: 4.3kHz.
• Sensitivity: 88dB, SPL 1 watt @1 metre with
1kHz.
• Recommended power: 40W RMS to 80W max.
promag – first quarter 2012
• Dimensions: 22,5 x 22,3 x 30,3cm (W, D, H).
• Weight (single speaker) - 1,3kg approx.
• Accessories: 2 mounting brackets (fixed and rotating).
KRAMER K-ABLE BOX CABLE RETRACTOR
The K-Able Box is a furniture-mounted cable extender, retractor and housing that is easily installed underneath a table top or in a podium.
The device is available with one of seven cable
types and can be mounted in a variety of positions and configurations for use with the Kramer
TBUS line or as a stand-alone product.
Technical specifications
• Cable types: VGA, VGA and audio, and CAT6
twisted pair. Audio 3.5mm, HDMI/Ethernet,
USB-A &DVI (available soon)
• Cable length: 1,2m
• TBUS compatibility: TBUS-1A, TBUs-3, TBUS-4,
TBUS-5, TBUS-6, TBUS-9, TBUS-10 with WCP,
WCP-2 or WCP insert installed
• Mounting positions: Horizontally or vertically
as a stand-alone unit, vertically in conjunction
with the Kramer TBUS range of products, or
vertically in a bank of up to three units. Single
mounting bracket included.
TUTORIAL
EDID and analogue signal distribution
Much has been written about the necessity of EDID when using digital HDMI and DVI
signals, but little has been said about the critical role it plays when using analogue signals. This article aims to show the importance of EDID, describe the symptoms when
EDID is not available and provide insights into corrective measures to restore it.
I
n today’s world of widescreen displays with
fixed resolutions, the acronym that stands
out from all the rest is EDID – Extended Display Identification Data – a data structure indicating the capabilities of a display that is
communicated to a computer graphics source.
Computer graphics video signals originally
used a crude set of ID bits on pins 4, 11 and 12 to
sense whether the display was colour or B&W
and higher or lower than XGA (1024x768) resolution. Later, a more sophisticated means of oneway serial communication was adopted called the
Data Display Channel or DDC, which allowed the
monitor to communicate its needs to the computer graphics video source. Further improvements led to the current EDID standard.
EDID data, which can be thought of as ‘the
train’, travels on the DDC channel (pins 12 & 15
of the HD-15 connector), which can be likened to
‘the tracks’. This standard uses a bi-directional I²C
bus for identifying 128 bytes of data that describe
different parameters of the display device, including information such as the model number, serial
number, manufacture date, native resolution, timing, colour space, audio capabilities and more.
Differing native resolutions
The all-important aspect regarding EDID is that
widescreen monitors today do not follow any type
of timing standard and they are all fixed resolution displays with specific, and often differing, native resolutions. Gone are the days of variable
resolution CRTs, a time when the most common
resolution, XGA, always seemed to work just fine
on any display.
When most people describe a computer graphics video resolution, they do so in viewable or active pixels, such as 1920x1080. However, there is
more going on in a computer signal than the
number of active pixels being sent (see Figure 1).
In the past, active pixels alone were enough to
describe a resolution because they referred to an
existing industry standard. Resolutions like
1024x768 and 1600x1200 were in this category.
Figure 1: Make-up of a computer resolution (horizontal only)
Every monitor that supported 1024x768(XGA)
supported the same pre-defined standard version
of XGA. When you chose 1024x768 as your output resolution, every computer outputted the
same standardised version of XGA. This made all
devices automatically compatible with each other.
The rapid acceleration toward High Definition
and widescreen display devices has pushed aside
standardisation. Reliance on communication between the display and source, the ‘handshake’,
has become vital.
The mode line
Figure 1 illustrates that a resolution is made up of
much more than just the active pixels. Every resolution has a large set of parameters that must all
be met in order to achieve a perfect image.
Through its EDID, a display communicates all of
these parameters to the source. The EDID can be
displayed in what is called a mode line. The following is an example of one possible mode line
for a 1024x768 signal:
• Detailed timing #1: 1024x768p at 60Hz (4:3)
Mode line: "1024x768" 65.000 1024 1048
1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync –vsync
Beginning with 65.000 (the pixel clock for this
resolution), the first four numbers describe the
horizontal timing, the next four numbers describe
the vertical timing, and finally the polarity of the
sync pulses is indicated. If displaying XGA is the
Table 1: Mode line comparisons between five monitors
LG LCD detailed timing #1: 1920x1080/60Hz (16:9)
Mode line: ‘1920x1080’
Westinghouse LCD native timing: 1920x1080/60Hz (16:9) Mode line: ‘1920x1080’
Samsung LCD native timing: 1920x1080/60Hz (16:9)
Mode line: ‘1920x1080’
Panasonic Plasma detailed timing #1: 1920x1080/60Hz Mode line: ‘1920x1080’
Vizio LCD native timing: 1920x1080/60Hz
Mode line: ‘1920x1080’
148.500 1920
138.500 1920
138.500 1920
148.500 1920
136.500 1920
2008
1968
1968
2008
1952
goal, this EDID mode line is overkill because every
display and every computer supports the same
standard XGA mode line.
Knowing that the standardisation problem exists mostly in widescreen resolutions, take a look
at an example using 1920x1080. These mode
lines came from the EDIDs of the computer graphics video inputs of different 1080p monitors are
shown in Table 1 below.
One can clearly see that while all these monitors claim to be 1920x1080 monitors, they each
support a different version of 1920x1080. It is
also clear that describing active pixels alone is
not specific enough to define a resolution.
The detail is in the EDID
Display manufacturers have taken to producing
non-standard displays because the specific timings are completely described in the EDID of the
monitors they build. When a computer is connected directly to any of these monitors, the
mode line is read by the PC and the PC modifies
its output to comply properly with that display.
When the EDID of the display is not available
to the PC, the computer graphics card elects what
to output to the monitor. Since no standards exist
in monitors, no standards exist for computers either. Most often, the computer outputs a version
of 1920x1080 that does not match the mode line
of the specific monitor attached. This results in a
picture that is not sized correctly on the display.
The most common complaints in this situation
are, “I can’t see my toolbar” or “My picture is severely shifted to the left or right”. Other results
include no picture at all, or error messages that
display, “Mode Not Defined” or “Invalid Mode”.
When EDID is not present
When no EDID is available, some computers only
provide a short list of output resolutions for the
customer to choose from. This short list is comprised of standardised resolutions such as XGA
and may not even include your desired resolution.
> continued overleaf
2052
2000
2000
2052
1984
2200 1080 1084
2080 1080 1082
2080 1080 1083
2200 1080 1084
2048 1080 1081
1089 1125
1087 1111
1088 1111
1089 1125
1084 1111
+hsync +vsync
+hsync -vsync
+hsync -vsync
-hsync -vsync
+hsync +vsync
first quarter 2012 – promag
15
TUTORIAL
FEATURE
In synch: The problem (top) is solved by using the Kramer VA-1VGA, which stores the EDID information from the display device
With no EDID, the computer becomes the master,
the display becomes the slave, and incompatibilities result because the display cannot adapt to
every mode line it may receive. However, with
EDID, the display becomes the master, the computer changes its output to match the mode line
of the display, and a perfect plug-and-play environment is created.
In the ProAV industry, DDC pins 12 and 15
(which carry the EDID) are not passed in many applications, such as when RGBHV 5-wire cable is
used. Touted as the best way to send a computer
signal over any distance, it has the fatal flaw of
not passing the DDC pins and therefore the EDID
information. While it is still the best ‘pipeline’
over which to send a signal, 5-wire cable does not
ensure that the correct signal is being sent.
source, one’s computer will be left guessing what
resolution it is expected to output.
The solution comes in the form of the VA1VGAN, whereby the EDID information is stored
from the display device to the input of our VA1VGAN. The VA-1VGAN is then placed directly
after the PC so that when the computer is connected it sees the EDID just as it would if it were
connected directly to the display.
When the computer graphics card has the appropriate EDID information and timing parameters it can create the exact native resolution of
the display ensuring a perfect image despite still
travelling through the twisted pair solution. This
solution can be adapted to any application where
EDID may be lost due to cable type or the lack of
EDID compliance in specific ProAV products.
Signal management tools
Other applications that do not consider EDID are
twisted pair transmitters and receivers, distribution amplifiers, switchers and matrix switchers, to
name only a few. Due to the critical importance of
EDID, manufacturers such as Kramer are beginning to build computer graphics video products
with EDID support built-in, as well as standalone
products to help manage EDID in systems that
employ these other signal management tools.
One example is the Kramer VA-1VGAN, which
is an EDID emulator that is designed to capture
EDID information from the monitor and make it
readily available for the computer, no matter what
type of cable or other challenges are present in
the installation.
The VA-1VGAN will capture – in non-volatile
memory – the resolution, the mode line and all
detailed timing parameters, in turn making an
exact copy of the EDID information stored in the
monitor. In applications such as those involving
the use of RGBHV matrix switchers where EDID
information will not travel from the display to the
source, the VA-1VGAN can be used to emulate the
handshake necessary for the computer to output ,
the correct resolution and timing parameters.
Many twisted pair transmitters and receivers
are guilty of causing the same issues. By not passing EDID information from the display back to the
EDID emulators
EDID emulators are a much desired solution when
there are cables or devices present that do not
have any type of EDID handling. As the industry
recognises the importance of EDID, products are
now being developed that take into account how
EDID is handled.
For example, new distribution amplifiers (DAs)
allow EDID information to be passed back from
one of the outputs whereas older DAs cut the
DDC pins before entering the DAs. The latest
Kramer 1x2 computer graphics video DA, the VP200K, now allows EDID information to be passed
back through the DA from the display device con-
16
The Kramer VA-1VGAN
promag – first quarter 2012
nected to output one.
In a solution like this one, there are no issues
with the lack of EDID, and getting a correct picture does not require the use of an EDID emulator.
In such an application as this though, monitor selection for output one is very important. A computer graphics card only has the ability to output
one resolution at a time. Therefore, if EDID information is only being passed back from output
one, one needs to connect a monitor whose EDID
is acceptable to all of the monitors connected to
the DA.
In an ideal world, all the display devices connected to the DA would be the exact same make
and model, they would all use the same EDID information, and any one of the monitors could be
connected to output one. In the real world, it is
not uncommon to have any number of different
monitors connected to the same DA. In this case,
we must carefully choose the display we connect
to output one.
To explain further with an example in the simplest form, let’s say one has four monitors connected to a DA with the following native
resolutions: 480P, 720P, 1080P, 1080P. When using
a DA similar to the one above that passes EDID
information from output one, we must choose the
480P monitor for output one. Choosing any one
of the other displays would feed back EDID information to the computer that would cause it to
output a resolution that would not be understood
by the 480P monitor. If this monitor is removed
from the application, the 720P monitor could be
connected to output one and still satisfy all the
displays connected.
In conclusion, providing the correct EDID information to a graphics card is critical to successful
system design and operation. Whether that is accomplished via a standalone product such as
Kramer’s VA-1VGAN or via a product with this circuitry built in, it is imperative to have the proper
EDID handshake in every application.
• With thanks to Kramer Electronics US for the
above information which was derived from an
article by Chris Kopin (VP Technology), Tom
Kopin (Engineer) and Matt Kopin (Sales Support Engineer).
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