Need to Know
Top Ten Pro AV stories of the week
What Happened This Week: most popular stories February 10-February 14
Need to Know
Industry
Switches and Relays
I’m one of those people who is drawn to buttons and lights. Even as a kid I made “control panels” out of switches and lamps from Radio Shack....
Industry
Technology Mythology Part 2
In the previous edition of Technology Mythology we talked about bad ideas and misconceptions that become “common knowledge” and end up being repeated unchallenged. In time they end up...
Need to Know
Deadline extended for the SVC 2024 Innovative Products Awards: Readers’ Choice!
Deadline extended to 23:59 PST November 29
Industry
What is Ethernet?
With the widespread adoption of IT networks and technology, the landscape of AV and broadcast media has become much rockier. We are now working daily with technologies that were...
Industry
Mysteries of RF
Photo of transmitter facility courtesy of Geerling Engineering Not long ago I was awakened at six in the morning by a strange alien voice emanating from my bedside radio....
Industry
Transformers: The Hidden Gem
What common electronic device can be used to raise or lower AC voltages, block DC voltage, remove noise, and is completely passive? Get to know the transformer, a gadget...
Blog
Signal Distribution eBook: Bars & Nightclubs
In this eBook we look at a variety of digital signal distribution paths to support atmosphere and operational efficiency. Also: Some common technology myths A personal RF mystery story
Entertainment
Live/Experience sound to power Pro AV revenues to $422B by 2029
Industry watchers can expect live/experience sound to power Pro AV industry to new heights in the coming five years, says AVIXA.
Industry
Intro to Comms
Communication is critical for any live event, broadcast or stream. Apart from cell phones and general-purpose two-way radios (aka walkie-talkies), intercom systems are the backbone of communication in theaters,...
Need to Know
Secure Boot self-test and affected devices
Ars Technica is reporting that the industry coalition security keys Secure boot are completely broken on 200+ models from 5 big device makers, despite keys being labeled DO NOT...
Industry
Technology Mythology
I worry a fair bit about bad ideas and misconceptions that get passed on, in full or in part, and then become “common knowledge.” Eventually it’s easier (and less...
Need to Know
WATCH: Boston Dynamics bids farewell to Atlas
Enjoy this supercut of impressive feats and funny fails
AI
Gemini Pro can refer to audio without the need for a transcript
Gemini 1.5 Pro hits public preview
Need to Know
Ford issues a stop-ship order for F-150 Lighting in latest production delay
Shipment halt for quality checks the latest delay for the electric pickup
Need to Know
AI and the Diversity Predicament
Without a doubt, the transformation of content creation and consumption is being reshaped by artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning. But what’s happening at the intersection of AI...
Need to Know
Your smartphone could tell how drunk you are by your voice
No need to call your partner when audio processing can judge you automatically
Need to Know
WATCH: Mutalk speech-obscuring wearable releases in the US
The Mutalk is designed to be worn in busy areas or for late-night chatting without disturbing your household
Industry
Practical Power
Without electricity there’s no AV. And anyone who’s been doing this for a while has seen the steady increase of power cords and power supplies in racks, consoles, credenzas,...
Need to Know
David Pogue talks about his experience on the Titan submersible
As the world hopes for a successful rescue of five people aboard the missing OceanGate Titan, the recent passenger speaks up
Industry
Video Format Basics
Today we swim in a world awash with video formats; so many frame sizes, frame rates, data rates, file sizes, compression algorithms. Terminology gets used and repurposed so much...
Need to Know
Ford reverses decision to axe AM radio from the 2024 Mustang
Move made less than a year after the FCC commissioner moved to preserve AM
Need to Know
KVM Direct Connect and Networked Systems eBook Available Now
In this eBook we look at some direct connect and networked systems, new products and principles of KVM. Also a field review of the Adder DDX KVM Matrix switch....
Need to Know
Google Drive springs maximum file limit on customers without saying a word
The unannounced change has left some users locked out
Need to Know
Disney layoffs begin this week, in what is to be the first of three rounds, according to CEO Bob Iger’s memo
Layoffs are part of broad initiative to cut $5.5 billion in costs.
Need to Know
Man sentenced to three years in prison for illegally streaming major league sports, extortion
“Instead of quitting while he was ahead, he allegedly decided to continue the game by extorting one of the leagues, threatening to expose the very vulnerability he used to...
Need to Know
Vinyl records outsell CDs for the first time in over 30 years
Sales of physical music as a whole have continued to grow year over year
Need to Know
In the United States, thousands scammed out of cash by AI mimicking loved one’s voices
The elderly are frequently targeted, and potential victims are cautioned to authenticate the caller's identity outside of a voice call
Audio
Analog Audio Interfacing
You can make all the signals digital, but sound is still an analog phenomenon. And sometimes using analog audio equipment, or analog connections, is still the best choice because...
More Video
Skillset: Integrating NDI
My first experience with NDI, NewTek’s software platform for video over IP, was to install the software tools on my office computers and see how it behaved. Very cool,...
Need to Know
This YouTube video is causing Google Pixel phones to abruptly crash
Over 40 years later, Alien is giving viewers a new kind of scare
Need to Know
Treasure trove of 45 years of Apple products to be auctioned next month
The collection belonged to late historian Hanspeter Luzi
Audio
Skillset: Sound Management
I have a client with a large executive conference room. The table is around 40ft long and seats 40+ people, each of whom has a push-to-talk table mic. There...
Need to Know
WATCH: Why the human eye sees a color that doesn’t exist
When we look at a rainbow, we see a full spectrum of light. Every colour we could imagine. Except one – magenta. Where is it? Well, officially magenta doesn’t...
Need to Know
WATCH: This drum machine makes music from heart scans
The CHD-4 uses the heart scans of four children with heart defects to create soundscapes and raise awareness for congenital heart disease.
