The new Apple iPad provides another category of products that fills a space between the laptop computer and mobile phone. The iPad, like the iPhone is also a buttonless device with an impressive 10 inch interactive screen that will heighten the experience currently found on the iPhone.

The larger screen provides  ideal functionality for reading newspapers, magazines and books with Apple looking set to revolutionise print media as they did with music. The ability to download and view movies, television shows, photos and other visual media to a simple to use, relatively affordable and portable device will add to the flexibility and desirability of the Apple iPad

For building automation and sustainable energy usage, look forward to seeing a range of applications that together with third party devices and interfaces will be able to fully control a home automation system and many entertainment components such as home theatre systems and televisions.

With the success of commercial blockbuster movies such as Avatar and an increasing release of new 3D movies, 3D television if set to become the next standard to deliver a fully interactive experience.

For those building new homes or renovating existing ones, the correct cabling infrastructure has never been more important with specific cabling required for the connection of 3D televisions and compatible 3D devices.

With modern audio visual components requiring access to the internet to stream movies and television shows connection to your home network is a must. Other component require internet access in order to download electronic program guides to enable digital recording.

Even with developments in wireless networks, provision for specific digital audio visual and data cables needs to be provided to allow the modern entertainment system to be future proof.

With an increased population and a need for new residential living, satellite suburbs are being developed with large energy loads due to modern conveniences such as air conditioning and heating. An increase in multi-residential living closer to our cities is seeing older, single dwelling homes being demolished for multiple townhouses or apartments that in many cases increases the energy demand by 5-10 times or more.

Energy providers have made it no secret of plans for the roll-out of smart energy meters that allow monitoring of individual usage in real time. This allows great power to the providers as they will be able to identify areas that create usage spikes and relocate resources where they are most required. Variable tariffs will come into play that will provide residents with the option of using energy in high demand time for an additional cost.

Manufacturers are beginning to integrate network connections of major appliances such as air conditioners, washing machines and clothes dryers that will provide users with the smarts to only use them at lower tariff times. Cynics will claim that energy providers will ultimately be able to limit usage of high consumption appliances during times of high demand.

A possible example of such use might be the use of air conditioner being limited on very hot days with an energy provider cutting power to that appliances for a small period of time over particular areas of their power grid. Together with ’smart’ appliances, residents could be provided with energy management interfaces allowing them to view their usage and compare it with their own history. Energy usage could then be monitored allowing users to identify exactly what power circuits and appliances are using energy at any given time throughout their home.

Energy management monitoring systems are available today with home owners able to take full advantage of installing infrastructures that allow them to be empowered now and into the future by controlling their energy usage. With accurate, up-to-date data information, home owners and residents can finally know when, who and what is consuming the most energy without making assumptions or guesses.

Many consumer electronics companies have recognised that architects, designers and homeowners don’t want to have their living spaces dominated by electronics and technology. with many living spaces featuring open areas and large glass windows that have in the past  been unsuitable or more challenging for the integration of  electronics and entertainment.

Invisible Speakers

Today, speakers are available that are literally invisible. During the construction phase, speakers are installed into the wall or ceiling framework and are skillfully plastered over and painted, leaving a wall of sound without big and unsightly speaker boxes or the traditional tell-tale perforated speaker grills seen on many ceilings or walls. Other speaker systems are available that use custom fabric panels that feature the client’s own art or pictures as digital artwork creating a custom soundwall.

Modern flush mounted in-ceiling speakers have evolved considerably from those we have become used to in the past. In-ceiling speakers of today can have a very low profile by being almost frameless with only a fine mesh grill visible.

Unobtrusive Vision

Televisions of today are no longer big and bulky as the large CRT type televisions of yesterday. Most manufacturers are very conscience of aesthetics and have designed their plasma and LCD televisions to look fantastic. With televisions ranging for small and compact to large and impressive, the only issue you will be faced with is ‘how big’. Televisions today are all screen and only a few centimetres deep.

For the television that needs to be concealed, a range of specialised brackets and lifts are available for custom installation. Brackets are available to mount onto walls freeing up cabinet space. Other brackets pivot to allow movement within the room for more flexible viewing. Motorised brackets allow automated movement that can be triggered by advanced system controllers without any effort at the touch of a single button for the ultimate convienience.

For projection systems, screens can retract vertically from a ceiling space with higher quality screens having appropriate tensioning mechanisms for a smooth and flat surface. Other types of screen lifts allow for the screen to lift upwards out of a cabinet or floor space as a solution for more challenging installations.

Projectors can be ceiling mounted or mounted within a lift housing that allows them to be retracted into the ceiling space when not used. Various retractable lift systems include vertical ‘elevator’ type and ‘trap door’ type system depending on the system most suitable for the application.

An expert custom installer such as Integrated Technologies Australia will provide detailed advise for the selection of the best solution for your project.

Advanced Control

Traditionally, individual equipment remote control had to be pointed directly at the equipment requiring control. With many system being controlled by multiple controllers, advanced systems controllers are now available that consolidate all of your controllers into a single easy-to-use controller that can operate your equipment from a remote location without need ing to be pointed directly at the equipment.

Todays system controllers can feature simple, interactive touch screens that when programmed correctly enable the user to navigate and control their electronic systems with minimal button presses. Advanced systems can easily integrate other electronic system in and around a home including lighting, blinds, irrigation and many others.

With a touch of a button your room can be perfectly set-up for your viewing pleasure instantly turning a multi-purpose room into an intimate home theatre and entertaining environment.

Integrated Living

With the combination of expert design, advanced technology, skilled installation and forward thinking, entertainment and home theatre system can co-exist in any home environment.

When building a new home or performing a major renovation it is most ideal to engage a qualified home integration designer who will correctly identify your needs and requirements taking into full account the architectual and interior design elements of the home.

Integrated Technologies Australia are an awarding winning CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association member) member with unique processes that allow for the hassle free implimentation of electronics and technology throughout a home truning it into an entertainment marvel – Tomorrow’s living today.

This article was originally provided by Simon Lakey for IntegratedTechnologiesAustralia.com.au

In recent years we have seen a move away from extensive local servers in small to medium businesses. Typical server networks require experienced, certified IT specialists and technicians to continuously monitor and service them. Traditional network systems require ongoing patches and upgrades to keep them current and incident free.

The next generation of computing has moved to the ‘cloud’ where everything happens on the internet. Data is stored and backed up automatically without the financial and time investments of negotiating with various hardware and software configurations. Online or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) models do not discriminate between operating system or web browsers.

Over the last few of years, iVisual has fast become the standard window signage solution for the real estate industry. Forward thinking real estate agents understand the limitations of traditional paper and card displays with vendors and buyers being accustomed to viewing properties on the internet. Agents are able to target their audience more effectively with dynamic advertising.

Together with online applications and services such as Flickr, salesforce.com, facebook, Google Apps & Apple’s MobileMe, iVisual’s online service is incredibly simple and easy to use. Being online, control of digital signage systems is available anytime, from anywhere. The iVisual interface is typical of advanced online software solutions featuring simple drag & drop animations, drop down menus and click buttons. iVisual’s StoreFront application is always at your fingertips on any computer at anytime. The user is no longer tied down to a single desktop computer with a locally installed application.

With iVisual’s StoreFront application, integration with popular property listing websites such as domain.com.au, realestate.com.au and other data portals around the world automatically populates within the agent’s StoreFront interface. The agent can easily select and edit properties choosing which ones to display on the digital signage screens. Specific properties can be scheduled to appear at pre-determined times of the day or week automatically to target particular markets. Special effect and features, such as mapping, carousal, cards, multilists and weather information, can also be applied to any property or monitor.

In a market where it is easy to get bamboozled by specifications, iVisual has all the right answers. Although screen technology is important, the user interface is what makes the iVisual solution so powerful. Product specifications are unique and designed specifically for window applications. Technologies such as sunlight readable screens present a bright image even in direct sunlight. At night the screens become a beacon to passers by and traffic, fully maximising window space 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

iVisual is fully committed to the continual development of it’s online web based software application with a dedicated team of technicians, designers and developers. Software upgrades and patches are automatic and happen ‘behind the scenes’ keeping your listings seamlessly revolving with 99.98% up-time and reliability.

The power of the iVisual system can be extended to multiple locations that may have a marketing team managing groups of listings for multiple office locations. With iVisual a full marketing campaign can be effortlessly controlled from anywhere in the world with just the click of a mouse.

iVisual is changing the world of window signage with it’s revolutionary service and products and keeps delivering well beyond anything in the digital signage industry. As a pioneer in online ‘cloud’ digital signage applications, iVisual once again leaves their competitors behind.

iVisual are without doubt the digital signage experts with the very demanding real estate industry has now adopted iVisual digital signage solutions in more than 200 locations throughout Australia and New Zealand.

For more information about iVisual visit iVisual.com.au or telephone 1300 767 116

This article was written by Simon Lakey for iVisual.com.au

As we move further into the digital era, radio has been one of the most traditional forms of entertainment that has now moved into the 21st century. As with digital TV, digital radio provides improved sound quality and functionality.

An example of the exciting new features and functionality include:

• Crystal clear sound & improved reception
• Extra channels
• Pause & rewind radio
• Tuning by station name, not frequency, making it easier to search favourite stations
• A wider range & choice of shows and programs for the listening audience

Perhaps the greatest features that have never been seen before is the ability to transmit data with the program broadcast. Data functionality includes:

• The ability to download music
• More details about advertised products & services
• Picture slideshows
• Scrolling text
• Electronic Program Guides
• Updated news, sports and racing information

With the roll-out of digital radio being so new, many of the above feature and functionality may not be available on all broadcasts to all listeners but it does give a look into what digital radio can do.

In Melbourne, all of the major radio stations are broadcasting in digital including ABC, 3AW, FoxFM, Nova, SEN, TripleM and many others.

HOW DO I LISTEN TO DIGITAL RADIO?

To listen to digital radio you will need to purchase a digital radio unit. At the moment a basic portable digital radio are relatively inexpensive costing around $200. As with all technology, higher featured units will cost more but will provide increased features and functionality.

One thing to be made aware of is that digital radio reception is at the moment limited the major metropolitan areas with many regional and country areas unable to received the signal. Unlike digital TV, the government has not mandated a cut-off date for the existing analogue transmission which mean you only need to purchase a digital radio if you want to.

WHERE CAN I PURCHASE A DIGITAL RADIO?

If you would like to purchase a digital radio or require more information please contact me.

HOW THEY WORK

Plasma televisions use a sheet of miniscule individual plasma cells that create a picture when an electrical charge is applied.

LCD televisions, on the other hand, use liquid crystal compressed between two glass plates; an image is created when electricity is applied to these crystals.

LED televisions use liquid crystal, but unlike regular LCD televisions they use a backlight made of hundreds of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) instead of a fluorescent lamp. The LEDs can be evenly distributed around the back of the television’s panel or situated in the edges of the screen to create a very thin display chassis.

How well an image is displayed on a television panel — whether it is a Blu-ray movie, an HDTV broadcast or a high-definition video game — depends on a television’s display technology and its image processing capabilities.

CONTRAST RATIO

A television’s contrast ratio represents its ability to show detail in high contrast areas of the screen, in the form of minute gradations of colour and blacks or whites. For example, a panel with a low contrast ratio will struggle to show the higher or lower extremes of an image. basically, this means detail will be lost in bright areas as well as in dark scenes. In a Blu-ray movie, the loss of detail in dark scenes will quickly become apparent such as a movie like Batman Begins.

Most manufacturers increase the contrast capabilities of their screens by dynamically altering backlight brightness. This allows extra detail to be shown in dark scenes and can be a life-saver for a panel with a low static contrast ratio. Some manufacturers have taken their estimations of this dynamic contrast ratio to excess, rating their screens at contrast ratios of 1,000,000:1 — and even higher. While these figures demonstrate the advantages of dynamic contrast ratio alteration, they don’t need to be a big factor in your buying decision.

It is generally accepted that plasma televisions have better contrast ratios than LCD panels, due to the fact that a plasma television can completely deactivate the light source for individual segments of the screen. This means sections of the screen can be completely dark while others are displaying bright colour, unlike a traditional LCD screen which has a single backlight array that can only alter brightness levels for the entire screen.

The latest LED backlight technology allows the television to individually control backlight segments. This technology allows for contrast ratios similar to those produced by plasma television panels. However, edge-lit LED televisions — usually available in an ultra-slim form factor — will have lower dynamic contrast ratios than the backlit LED models so be sure to check this detail before you purchase.

VIEWING ANGLE

The narrower a television’s quoted viewing angle is, the smaller the range in which it produces a ‘perfect’ image with no loss of contrast or colour. Many manufacturers quote an unrealistically high viewing angle — close to a full 180 degrees in some instances — but the best way to test this is to test the screens in person.

A wide viewing angle is important if the television will be placed in a large living area or will be regularly watched by multiple people simultaneously — most of us will have family and friends around to watch the TV at some point!

In general, plasma televisions have better viewing angles than LCD and LED TVs, with their images remaining solid and colourful at wide viewing angles while LCDs suffer from colour shift and loss of brightness. This is not always the case, though, so it is best to compare panels directly against each other if possible. LED televisions have superior viewing angles compared to LCDs due to their decentralised backlight distribution.

COLOUR

Colour is an aspect that is largely independent of the television’s type, relying on the processing technology independent to each manufacturer and specific screen model. However, it is important to note that plasma televisions can in theory produce brighter colours overall. LED-lit televisions using either a white or RGB LED backlight also offer a larger colour gamut than traditional LCD screens, due to an improved brightness source. Colour accuracy can be adjusted on almost all screens, whether you choose a plasma, LED or LCD TV.

MOTION

There is much discussion as to whether plasma or LCD screens are better at handling fast motion — sports or action movies are a great example of video footage that moves across the screen at a fast rate. A plasma screen’s ability to refresh each individual cell at a much faster rate than an LCD pixel refresh means that plasma panels have an inherent advantage in displaying fast motion free of blur and jitter.

New LCD screens can now update the image displayed 100 times per second — the often touted ‘100Hz’ technology, which is double the standard 50Hz rate. This removes significant amounts of jitter from the LCD screen’s image, resulting in a smoother and more visually pleasing picture. It is a great feature when watching sports where both the players and camera move often. The next generation of this technology doubles the refresh rate again to 200Hz but screens with this technology is not incorporated into all LCD TVs on the market.

At present, our expereince suggest that plasma TVs are still superior in handling fast motion, but the motion-handling of LCD TVs has improved greatly over the last five years.

LED televisions use the same motion processing technology as LCD panels, with all panels currently on the market using 100Hz refresh rates. As LED televisions are leading the market in technological innovations, they will usually employ the latest generation of motion processing technology available, making them a good choice for watching fast motion video.

POWER CONSUMPTION

Most LCD televisions require a single fluorescent backlight to be lit. Plasma televisions, on the other hand, require every sub-pixel to be lit individually. When you compare screens of equal size plasma televisions consume more power than their LCD counterparts. A 42 inch LCD consumes around 200 Watts in normal use while a plasma panel will consume approximately 300W. In a year of use this means the power bill for running a plasma will be 50 per cent higher than an equivalent LCD panel. Also consider the power-saving features of individual models — power-reducing features may make a plasma screen just as affordable in the long term.

LED television screens offer significant power savings over both LCD and plasma televisions. Energy-efficient backlighting allows LED televisions to have energy consumption of up to 40 percent less than LCD televisions and significantly less than a plasma screen.

LIFESPAN

In the past, plasma panels suffered from a short life-span before they lost significant amounts of brightness and image quality degraded. This has been overcome in recent plasma generations, with manufacturers rating their screens with a half-life of 60,000 hours. This means that after 60,000 hours of use, the screen’s brightness will degrade by half — and with five hours of use per day this amounts to approximately 33 years. Put simply, plasma screens no longer suffer from a short lifespan.

The lifespan of an LCD television depends on the life of its backlighting bulb. These bulbs are often rated to above 60,000 hours in regular fluorescent-lit LCD panels, whereas new LED-backlit televisions have expected lifespans of over 100,000 hours. It is important to note that the end of this lifespan does not necessarily mean the screen will stop working; it usually means that the backlight will be able to provide half the brightness of a brand new model.

Previously, plasma television screens were hounded by image burn-in issues. Leaving a static image on the screen for a long period of time (such as a computer’s desktop or a network broadcaster’s logo) led to the plasma cells retaining the image. Improvements in plasma technology, the addition of functionality like screensavers and image-shifting, as well as power saving shutdown features, means the issue of burn-in effectively no longer exists for new plasma televisions. LCD televisions do not experience any of the problems previously found in plasma TV technology.

PRICE vs SCREEN SIZE

More than any other determining factor, it is tempting to simply pick the cheaper of either a plasma or LCD television when considering any given size. For screen sizes below 42 inches, we believe LCD screens provide the best value for money. Contrast and brightness shortcomings are less apparent in smaller screen sizes, while you will also generally find LCD screens below 42 inch have a higher resolution than their plasma equivalents.

If you are considering a large screen — 42 inch and above — as your home theatre centrepiece, we highly recommend plasma technology. Plasma panels do have the edge in terms of contrast and overall picture quality at these sizes, and are often cheaper than an equally-sized LCD counterpart.

LED televisions are generally available in similar sizes to LCD televisions, with larger screens also available in premium models. LED televisions generally command a price 20 per cent above that of an LCD television featuring an identical screen size and similar specifications. But when making a buying decision based on upfront costs, it is important to consider the total cost of ownership over the life of the TV. LED televisions’ power-saving advantages make them attractive prospect for long-term use.

SCREEN DEFINITION

If you are a true videophile, keen to see every pixel of a 1080p source reproduced as is, then LCDs are seemingly the way to go. However, 1080p is quickly becoming standard, with many LCDs now featuring 1920×1080-pixel resolutions. Budget LCDs and plasmas on the other hand feature either 1366×768 or even 1024×768 (720p) resolutions. If you’re buying a screen 50 inches or larger, there’s now no reason to get anything less than 1080p.

Despite the current HD buzz, there is still very little content available in 1080p — especially when compared to the infinite amount of SD content like TV programs and DVDs. At present, Blu-ray, and some HD downloads, are the only sources that can do 1080p, and free-to-air is only 1080i.

But it isn’t all about the resolution – it’s not the pixels, it’s what you do with them. Most modern TVs, and even budget ones, will accept a 1080p input, and it depends on the quality of the scaler on-board as to how good a picture you’ll get. The big brands such as Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and LG usually have very good image processors that can resize the source content — whether it’s a DVD, Blu-ray or FTA — to the resolution of your screen without a problem.

CONCLUSION

No matter what screen technology you select, make sure you test it against its competitors – storefronts with multiple panels set up next to each other are great for this purpose — and be sure you are able to adjust settings to your own liking in store. While the specifications of a TV and the screen technology employed are important buying considerations, it is advisable to not buy blind and physically confirm that the picture and other elements of the television are satisfactory.

The two different camps of flat-panel display standard will, of course, promote and market the advantages of their own technologies and the deficiencies of the other. But which type of display, plasma or LCD, is better? And which will give you the most value for money?

For now, I’m going with a full-HD plasma television for size 42″ and above, LCD television for any size less than 42″.

This article was originally provided by Simon Lakey for IntegratedTechnologiesAustralia.com.au

Thanks to the introduction of ONE, Network Ten’s new 24-hour free-to-air sports channel, we now have the opportunity to watch sport LIVE – whatever time of the day or night the event occurs, in whichever part of Australia or the world it occurs AND then also replay in peak times as the viewer appetite warrants.

How Do I Watch One?

ONE is available in High Definition on (digital) Channel 1 and Standard Definition on (digital) Channel 12. If you have a High Definition television all you need to do is select Channel 1. If you have a Standard Definition digital television simply select Channel 12.

If you are not sure if your TV is Digital, test it out by selecting Channel 12 on your TV.  If your television is NOT digital, you may need to purchase a digital set-top box – this will mean you can view Channel 12 in Standard Definition. Alternatively, you can purchase a Full-HD television and watch all your favourite sport in glorious High Definition!

If you are cable Foxtel subscriber and can already access HD Foxtel channels then ONE will be immediately available for viewing. For cable SD Foxtel subscribers we have been advised that the SD version of ONE will be available on July 1st, 2009. At this time we have been advised that satellite subscribers will not be able to view ONE via Foxtel. For more information please contact Foxtel.

Contact me on 03 9018 6653 or by email if you require electronic hardware to view ONE HD.

Hocking Stuart – Now Planted in Mooroolbark

Leading real estate agent Hocking Stuart opened in Mooroolbark, Victoria last week and features the latest digital signage displays in their office window.

With a brand new fit-out, the Hocking Stuart’s Mooroolbark directors were determined to present a point-of-difference for buyer and vendors. Passers by and patrons of the popular Moo Wine Bar comment on the technology with the public being informed of the latest real estate listings together with corporate and community information.

The power of digital signage eliminates traditional paper and card displays that most real estate agents have in their windows; saving time, money and resources. The screens and installation presents a very clean window without the clutter of traditional window displays.

Featuring four large 42″ screens, the window display provides a visual impact unseen in the local Brice Avenue shopping precinct. The screens are continuously and automatically updated to display the latest information. Listings and information can easily be scheduled to display at particular times of the day and days of the week to target the audience they are intended to.

Digital content can be presented in many ways, powered by leading digital signage company iVisual, new technologies enable Google maps displays, photo carousels, multiple listings and local weather information. Specific presentations can be ‘injected’ into a slideshow to maximise screen time for premium listings or advertisers. A unique video wall feature can present a single image over all screens if required.

The sunlight readable screens display bright, vivid images even in direct sunlight. The Sunlight readable are brighter than other screen technologies and are specifically designed for window displays. The expert installation by Advanced Media Solutions ensures that the screens operate efficiently and effectively in direct sunlight and high temperatures.

Provided by Advanced Media Solutions and powered by iVisual, Hocking Stuart Mooroolbark has the shop front for everyone to envy in the easten suburbs.

Hocking Stuart – Mooroolbark is located at Shop 10/91 Brice Avenue, Mooroolbark VIC 3138

Please contact me directly with any enquiries about digital signage.

Clients of my design practice often ask for advice on computers. There are so many stores, brands, models, options and specifications.

It is easy to get carried away with a computer, especially when you go to a store and are confronted by all those different units. Many sales people will tell you about the importance of having the fastest processor, the biggest drive, the most memory etc. Ask yourself “what am I going to use the computer for?”.

From my experience most people use a computer for the following:

• Sending & receiving email
• Browsing the internet
• Online banking, shopping etc.
• General work processing
• Basic finance
• Viewing photos
• Listening and downloading music

Given the typical use of a computers most people do not require the latest, fastest, biggest and best computer available.

For most home users, I recommend an Apple Mac computer. There are many Mac vs PC arguments out there and it really is a personal choice. Macs are reliable, secure, simple-to-use and offer fantastic value for money right out of the box – Macs just work.

I own and use both Mac and PC computers. Originally a Mac user, I moved to the PC platform to use specialised software that is only available on PC. After being frustrated with my Windows computer I returned to the Mac operating system and am extremely pleased. What’s more, the newer Macs can now run Windows if required. You can now have the best of both worlds – Why buy a PC?