ENTERTAINMENT, PRESENTATION & LIGHTING TECHNOLOGYFIRST QUARTER 2012 • VOLUME 20 NUMBER 1

ELECTROSONIC JOINS THE GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL

SHOWHOUSESHOWCASE

DEMONSTRATING THE ART OF INTEGRATION AND CONTROLAT A PREMIER CAPE DEVELOPMENT

Versatile screens for residential and corporate applications

www.electrosonic.co.za . 011-770 9800 or 031-533 0900 or e-mail sales@electrosonic.co.za

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first quarter 2012 – promag 1

UPFRONT

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

Sunny side up

Although already well into 2012, we wouldlike to wish all our readers a prosperousyear ahead. There will certainly be chal-

lenges to face, given the financial trouble brewingin Europe, another fuel price hike and an increasein the cost of electricity in April, but if we tacklethese and other issues with a positive attitude wewill emerge stronger.

While reviewing the news items in this issue, Iwas impressed with the quality of events thatSouth Africa is able to deliver. We are still drawingbig names from abroad to perform here – artistsand bands such as Sting and The Eagles andworld-class DJs such as Deadmau5 and JudgeJules. And of course, our home-grown talent isalso top class and certainly deserves the supportof local fans.

We South Africans should be proud of ourachievements. We are capable of putting togetheramazing shows in extraordinary venues such asKirstenbosch Gardens and a number of superbwine estates. Adding value to the natural beautyof the backdrops are our magnificent staging andevent companies, who sometimes have to ‘beg,borrow and steal’ from their opposition to ensurethat the show goes on, but that only goes to

show who we truly are – South Africans who canwork together for better.

Another example of this South African symbio-sis is demonstrated in our cover article – a state-of-the-art show house at Val de Vie Polo and WineEstate that is the stunning result of different com-panies working together to create a residence fitfor a king – or queen.

This project is a tangible example of the bestthis country has to offer and deserves the greatmany compliments received from foreigners whoincreasingly see the advantages of investing inthis wonderful country. Sometimes it takes a per-son from another country to help us see ours forwhat it is – a land of growth and opportunitywith enormous potential.

Of course, there is still much that needs im-provement, but if we all work together and strivefor excellence, we can reach the top. A good in-centive is to look back and see how far we havecome and be grateful for what we already have –and as I write this while sipping a glass of wineand watching a glorious African sunset from theveranda of a wine farm established in 1699, I amtruly filled with gratitude!– The Ed

Useful LinksADB Lighting - www.adblighting.comCompulite - www.compulite.comCrestron Europe - www.crestron.euCM Lodestar - www.cmrigging.comElectron - www.electron.grElectrosonic Inc - www.electrosonic.comElite Screens - www.elitescreens.comInfoComm (ICIA) - www.infocomm.orgKayye Consulting - www.kayye.comKramer - www.kramerelectronics.comLitec - www.litectruss.comMagenta - www.magenta-research.comMartin Professional - www.martin.comPLASA - www.plasa.orgRobert Juliat - www.robertjuliat.comScreen International - www.screenint.comSharp – www.sharpmea.com

Sierra Video - www.sierravideo.com

SIM2 - www.sim2.com

2DiaryShows worldwide – Prolight + Sound, Light+Building, NABShow, Decorex, LightfairInternational and Grand Designs Home & Garden Show ...

3NewsDeadmau5 rocks with Martin MACs, Judge Jules lifts off at SkyRaiders, Sierra Video broadcast training seminar, New Year atKirstenbosch, Crestron upgrade offer and more …

6Electrosonic goes GreenElectrosonic SA has joined the Green Building Council of South Africa as a commitmentto helping provide environmentally sustainable solutions and services.

8Showhouse showcase at Val de Vie Cape automation specialist B-IQ has equipped a show house ata prestigious Paarl residential development with the best inCrestron control technology.

12New ProductsThe Electrosonic Versalite LED range; Crestron DMPS-300-C DigitalMedia PresentationSystem and Energy Star AMP Series; Kramer WP-501 switcher, SPK-OC606 speakers andK-Able box; and Elite Quickstand staging screens.

15Tutorial – 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…

ENTERTAINMENT, PRESENTATION & LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY

First Quarter 2012/ Volume 20 Number 1

Contents

Electrosonic SAJOHANNESBURG – Electrosonic SA33 Lily Avenue, Northcliff, JohannesburgPO Box 73515, Fairland, 2030Tel: 011 770-9800 / Fax: 011 782-3123www.electrosonic.co.zae-mail: sales@electrosonic.co.za24 hour AV Systems Support0861 AVHELP / 0861 28 43 5724 hour Lighting Technical Support0860 MARTIN / 0860 62 78 46DURBAN – Electrosonic SA KZNUnits 5/6, 80 Rinaldo Road, Durban NorthPO Box 401130, Redhill, 4071

Tel: 031 533-0900 / Fax: 031 533-0920

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FEATUREUPFRONT

Diary – upcoming events and shows

NABSHOW16-19 April 2012Las Vegas, USAwww.nabshow.comAfter more than 80 years, the NAB Show continues to be the Essentials des-tination for broadcasting professionals who share a passion for bringingcontent to life on any platform.

Grand Designs Home & Garden Show25-27 May 2012Coca-Cola Dome, Northgatewww.granddesignslive.co.zaGrand Designs Live South Africa is a home, decor, garden and design showthat give consumers inspiring ideas for every aspect of the home. There willbe more than 300 exhibitors across seven different sections.

Lightfair International 20129-11 May 2012Las Vegas, USAwww.lightfair.comThe world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade showand conference. Lightfair International blends continuing education courseswith innovative products and cutting-edge technology.

Light+Building 201215-20 Apr 2012Frankfurt, Germanywww.light-building.messefrankfurt.comLight+Building welcomes manufacturers and launches trends and innova-tions from the fields of lighting, electrical engineering and building automa-tion. The main theme of Light+Building 2012 is energy efficiency.

Prolight + Sound21-24 March 2012Frankfurt am Main, Germanypls.messefrankfurt.comProlight + Sound brings together all the technologies and services for theevents and entertainment industries, presented in different product groups. Itis the world's largest dedicated international trade fair for the industry.

Decorex Cape Town26-29 April 2012CTICC, Cape Townwww.decorex.co.zaThe ultimate South African roundup of what’s new for consumers and tradealike showing the latest trends in décor. Since starting in 1994, Decorex SAhas grown extensively and attracts more than 100 000 visitors annually.

FEATURENEWS

first quarter 2012 – promag 3

DEADMAU5 ROCKS SOUTH AFRICA WITH MARTIN MACS AND LC PANELS

Acclaimed as the hottest electronic artist in theworld, Joel Zimmerman, aka Deadmau5, is widelyrecognised as the guy in the massive mouse headequipped with built-in LEDs sporting video map-ping and wowing the crowds with mind-blowingperformances and productions.

Based in Toronto, this Canadian progressive,electro and house music producer hit SouthAfrican shores in December last year with a threecities tour. It kicked off in Cape Town at the CTICCand the following day moved to Durban for an‘unhooked’ show which did not have the full light-ing and video rig. This gave the crew at CTICC aday and a half to strike the kit, transport it up tothe Johannesburg venue, Wild Waters H2O, andget it rigged it in time for the final show.

Gearhouse took care of gear, whilst DillonJearey, MD of Kilowatt AV, took care of all logistics,planning and production for all technical equip-ment for the entire tour. LEDVision, the screendivision of Gearhouse supplied the back screen.

With the majority of the kit specified andsourced locally, Gearhouse SA pulled out all the

stops in a busy December period. They suppliedall the Martin MACs in Johannesburg, Cape Townand Durban and LEDVision supplied the MartinLC2140 panels.

A huge stage setup with massive amounts ofLED screen and intelligent lighting created anelectrifying atmosphere. The backdrop was a R16Lighthouse LED screen with a low resolution Mar-tin LC 2140 Semi-Transparent LED screen directly

in front of it, allowing a mix of higher resolutionand lower resolution footage to be displayed oneach screen to create incredible visuals that ap-peared to be 3D. An X-Truss lined with 1m LEDbars, Martin MAC250 Entours and MAC2000swas hung in front of the screens.

The custom cube DJ box was covered in PixLEDF11 LED tiles with MAC101s dotted around it andMartin Atomic strobes completing the setup.Downstage were more PixLED F11 cubes, hung toappear as though floating in the air. All video con-tent was run off Catalyst media-servers and aRoad HOG Full Boar Console with backup.

The tour was a huge success and Deadmau5was exuberant in his thanks to South African fans.“Now that’s what I call a tour! Cape Town, Dur-ban and Johannesburg totally melted my face! Youcouldn't have convinced me anymore – 100%coming back again next year! I'll be taking the SApride with me to share with the rest of the world.“

"I would like to thank both Dillon and Richardfor their contributions to this article" says Elec-trosonic’s Bruce Schwartz.

JUDGE JULES LIFTS OFF AT SKY RAIDERSThe biggest Christmas present for local trancelovers was the arrival of multi-award winningdance music producer and DJ, Jules O’Riordanaka Judge Jules, in South Africa in Decemberlast year.

Judge Jules has earned his place amongst theDJ aristocracy with a career that has notched uphundreds of thousands of miles, millions ofspins of the decks and countless gigs in destina-tions from Ibiza to Tokyo and the UK. Jules' DJsets are the epitome of what deejaying isabout – amazing music, great passion, andhands capable of the most nimble of mixing.

He runs one of the best known club nights inIbiza, ‘Judgement Sundays’ at Eden Night Club,and won ‘Best Trance DJ’ in 2001 and ‘BestTrance Night’ at the 2003 ‘Ibiza Pacha Awards’.

A highlight of his trip to South Africa during

the festive season was his performance at SkyRaiders at Rand Airport in Germiston.

Sky Raiders Air Services and Conference Centrewas created through a unique concept thatmerges event management with aeronautics. Anold hangar was converted into a venue that can

accommodate up to 3 000 people and can eas-ily be transformed to accommodate any theme.

A perfect aviation scene can be created byusing the collection of aircraft it houses – fromvintage to fast jet fighters – with even a privateair show if required!

Judge Jules captained the airways at SkyRaiders on the 9th December 2011, and otherDJs playing included James Damian, Speedy,Dirty Herz and Morgan. XGX Productions sup-plied the event lighting and Gert Smit was thelighting designer and lighting operator.

The lighting rig included 16 x MAC101s – 8 xMAC101s placed in circular trusses on eitherside of the stage – as well as 6 x MAC Auras, 8x MAC600s, 2 x Martin Atomics 3000 strobesand 6 MAC700 Profiles. All the lighting was con-trolled via an Avolite Tiger Touch console.

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NEWS

SIERRA VIDEO BROADCAST TRAINING SEMINAR

In January this year Electrosonic hosted SierraVideo seminars in Cape Town and Johannesburgto provide in-depth broadcasting training to morethan 70 local delegates.

Sierra Video is a Kramer Electronics Ltd com-pany and one of its main markets is the broadcastand production industry. Regional Sales Director(Africa) of Kramer Electronics Ltd, Raul Novick,arranged the training sessions and they were pre-sented by Jerry Lewis from the USA.

The event began with a lunch for the delegateswhich was followed by four hours of training.

After an introduction and product overview ofSierra Video, the topics addressed included cur-rent technology, target markets, implementationand application of digital and analogue routers(video and audio) and multi-viewers.

Strategies, technologies and solutions for inte-gration and migration from analogue to digitalwere also discussed. The seminar ended with auser interface demonstration of Sierra Video Con-trol Systems and an opportunity for questions.

Jerry Lewis’s tight schedule at numerous ven-

ues internationally meant that invitations were is-sued at very short notice (and over the festiveseason), but attendance was exceptional. Therewere 20 delegates at the seminar at the CapeTown Lodge and 52 delegates at the CabangaConference Centre in Johannesburg.

Wrapping up the seminar in Johannesburg wasa cocktail party hosted by Electrosonic and SACIA(Southern African Communications Industries As-sociation), which provided an opportunity for net-working among some of the leading personalitiesin the South African broadcasting industry.

The response from the Sierra Video representa-tives, Electrosonic’s team and the seminar dele-gates was extremely positive. Kevin Bishton fromKMB Digital said “the seminar was very interest-ing and it opened my eyes to the various solu-tions that Sierra Video can provide.”

Electrosonic’s Dealer Relations Representative,Abrie du Plooy’s comment was: "The Sierra Videotraining was great and many dealers suddenly re-alised what great products are hidden in the ma-roon pages at the back of the catalogue!"

CANAL WALK’S GIANTFESTIVE ICE SLIDEHoliday makers in Cape Town enjoyed a whiteChristmas in December last year when CanalWalk created a giant 40 metre ice slide spi-ralling around an enormous Christmas tree,with a second 15 metre ice slide for smallchildren and a ‘North Pole’ ice cave completewith Santa Claus.

The winter spectacle was enhanced with avast array of more than 60 lighting fixtures toadd Christmas magic to the scene. Creatingthe appropriate atmosphere of swirling snowfog was a K1 Hazer which operated dailyfrom 10am to 9pm from 9 December to 8 Jan-uary and only used four bottles of liquid forthe entire event!

As the event was bigger than usual, JPWillson from Unfazed Productions devised aplan to ‘explode’ the existing circle truss into12 segments, which were used to follow thecurve of the Ice Slide, and a feature truss overthe entrance area.

“There was some concern when peoplesaw the truss hanging without the ramp un-derneath,” said JP. “They thought it was bro-ken. I kept having to say “trust me!” and inthe end it all made sense once the ramp wascompleted.

A MAC3 was used to ‘snow’ the entrancearea, and the zoom and brightness of thegobo made it visible throughout the day. AMAC401 was used to light the queue accessramp, and the segments were used to projectcolour onto the set.

There were 6 x MAC Auras to wash thegiant slide and surrounding area, 8 xMAC101s to light both the giant slide and thebaby slide, 4 x MAC2000 Profiles with icegobos and Canal Walk logos which were dis-played on the set and on the roof of the Pro-motion Court.

There were 4 x Roboscan Pro918s used toproject gobos onto the small ramp, 12 xMAC600s for general wash, 20 x MAC500sfor ice slide graphics and general beams andeffects and 2 x Minimacs for Santa’s tree exittunnel projected colour and gobos onto theroof of the exit tunnel. Finally, there were 36 xLED Pars to light all the trussing and the icetunnel entrance to Santa.

Controlling all power on/off were 8 x Mar-tin DMX switch packs, and 6 x Martin Optosplitters were used for cable management.Power and architectural lighting schedulingwas managed by a 4 Universe LightJockeywith scheduler, and event programming andcue scheduling was handled by a second dualscreen 4 Universe LightJockey with scheduler.

CRESTRON DIGITAL UPGRADE OFFER Crestron’s new trade-in programme makes it easy and affordable to swap out analogue switchersand replace them with Crestron DigitalMedia – and no new wires or termination are required! Cre-stron is giving up to 100% trade-in value for analogue equipment – whether PVID, QM or IM prod-ucts – so the cost to upgrade is virtually free.

Customers can submit their current analogue designs to Electrosonic’s Sales Support Servicesteam who will update the system design using DM and provide a bill of materials for ordering pur-poses. 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 howmuch they’ve saved.

Bringing analogue systems into the digital age with Crestron DigitalMedia is quick and easy, sodon’t wait until tomorrow, switch to digital today!• Contact the Crestron team at Electrosonic on 011 770 9800 or email Rupert@electrosonic.co.za.

Sierra-ous seminars: Sierra Video’s Jerry Lewis presenting at the Cape Town event.

first quarter 2012 – promag 5

NEWS

NEW YEAR AT KIRSTENBOSCH

‘NY @ Kirstenbosch’ was the banner for the NewYear’s Eve concert at Kirstenbosh Gardens in CapeTown. Approximately 5000 people were there tosee Prime Circle and a supporting performance byElvis Blue.

Marcel Bezuidenhout from Audio Engineering,which supplied all technical equipment for theSummer Concert Series at Kirstenbosch, invited JPWillson from Unfazed Productions to partner himin supplying, rigging and operating the lightingfor the New Year’s Eve party.

Between them they supplied 1 x Martin M1controller, 24 x Martin MAC101s, 4 x MartinMAC600 washes, 4 x Martin MAC250 Entours, 3 xMartin Atomic 3000 strobes, 2 x Jem smoke ma-chines, 4 x Robe Robin 300 spots, 4 x Robe Robin300 washes, 18 x Robe LED Force 7s, 1 x LemaitreHazer and 24 x generic channels, including crowdblinders, profiles on band members and frontstage wash.

JP took care of the lighting and programmingfor Elvis Blue and Prime Circle, and Marcel engi-neered 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 werefighting the sun for programming time – it onlygot dark at 8:30pm!” said JP.

“The 101s were amazing, and lots of peoplewere trying to figure out how the trees at theback of the gardens were being lit, over 150 me-tres away from the stage. I was running a slowrainbow scroll over the trees and one lady cameto complain that the blue light was in her eyes,but when we looked at the stage everything wasred and amber, she was very confused!” he said.

“The speed and colour range of the lights andusing them on the arc of the Kirstenbosch stagewas very effective, and created some great aerial

beams. The weather was perfect with a slightbreeze off stage which carried the haze into theair, just about perfect for lighting!”

Garden party: The New Year’s Eve concert at Kirstenbosch and the Martin M1 controller (right).

UNFAZED PRODUCTIONS HAVING FUN AT A 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

Unfazed Productions was recently contracted tosupply all the equipment for a 50th birthday partyat a house in upper Fresnaye. The theme was‘Disco’ so the team had a bit of fun!

The lighting equipment included 1 x Martin M1controller, 12 x Martin MAC250 Entours, 16 xMartin MAC101s, 2 x Martin MAC600 Washes,60 x LED Parcans and Tubes, 36 x Par 56s and 8 xmetal halides for lighting the trees. The PA and vi-suals were supplied by Simply AV.

The Martin MAC101s were split between thedance floor and a mirror ball cluster above theentrance to the house. Amazing effects were cre-ated by the LEDs which were reflected in theshape of the 101 head.

Arriving guests were awed, and took photosfrom the driveway before entering the party. Acovered dance floor was created on one of thepatios, using a Prolyte ground support with aBedouin tent covering it. The dance floor wasused 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 po-lice arrived to investigate,” said JP Wilson. “Thefunny thing was they stopped on the driveway tolook and got stuck. The driveway has a 45-degree

slope, and their little bakkie’s wheels were havinga hard time trying to find grip, so they ended upin the bushes.

It took eight policemen to bounce the car backinto the driveway, and away they went. Net result,no-one came to stop the party on the night!”

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Electrosonic SA is proud to announce itsmembership of the Green BuildingCouncil of South Africa (GBCSA). Thisdoesn’t mean simply touting a newfavourite colour and paying lip service

to the ethos of ‘greening’. It is a commitment tohelping provide solutions and services that com-ply with new industry standards following theamendment of building regulations and taxes toreward those who encourage conservation andsustainability of energy and resources.

What is the Green Building Council?Established in 2007, the Green Building Council ofSouth Africa (GBCSA) is an independent, non-profit, membership-based organisation. It is a fullmember of the World Green Building Council andthe official certification body of buildings underthe Green Star SA Rating System.

This rating system aims to ensure that all build-ings are built and operated in an environmentallysustainable way and provide healthy, effectiveand productive environments.

What is a Green Building?A green building is one that is designed and builtin a way that strives for sustainability and ad-dresses issues of resource depletion and environ-mental degradation. Through appropriate design,construction and operational practices, it signifi-cantly reduces or eliminates the negative impactof development on the environment and its occu-pants. A green building is energy efficient, re-source efficient and environmentally responsible.

What is the Green Star rating system? Green Star SA covers nine categories that assessthe environmental impact resulting from the loca-tion of the site, the design of the building and itsconstruction. The categories are management, in-door environment quality, energy, transport,water, materials, land use and ecology, emissions,and innovation.

The categories are divided into credits, withpoints awarded for actions that demonstrate thatthe project has met the overall objectives ofGreen Star SA, each of which addresses an initia-

tive that improves – or has the potential to im-prove – environmental performance. The system isbased on an internationally recognised standard.

What are the benefits of Green Star ratedbuildings to the property developer?Green Star rated buildings appeal to property de-velopers because they achieve higher valuations,more favourable rentals and lower vacancy rates.Businesses favour leasing Green Star Rated build-ings for aesthetic reasons and for the savingsmade in operational and maintenance costs.

What are the benefits of Green Star ratedbuildings to the occupants and tenants?Research has shown that people are healthier andmore productive when they work in Green Starrated buildings. American studies have shownthat office, retail and healthcare workers spendup to 90% of their time indoors, and that poorlight and poor ventilation results in increased sickleave and lower productivity.

It’s estimated that students and teachers spend

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FEATURE

Electrosonic goes GreenElectrosonic SA has joined the Green Building Council of South Africa, as acommitment to helping provide solutions and services that encourage conservationand sustainability of energy and resources

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first quarter 2012 – promag 7

FEATURE

approximately six hours a day indoors, and ac-cording to an international review of 30 educa-tional institutions in the USA, green schools anduniversities deliver a 41,5% improvement in stu-dent and teacher health with reduced incidents ofrespiratory problems, flu and even headaches.

The survey also showed an improvement of15% in student learning and productivity, and upto 25% improvement on test scores as a result ofgood lighting and ventilation.

Green buildings also benefit the healthcare in-dustry by improving patient outcomes. A studyconducted in 2005 into the effect of sunlight onpatients undergoing spinal surgery found thatlighter and brighter rooms in hospitals con-tributed to stress reduction and that patients ex-perienced less pain and needed fewer analgesics.

What does Electrosonic SA’s membership inthe GBCSA mean for its clients?As a member of the GBCSA, Electrosonic can par-ticipate in the sub-committees and workinggroups, have access to the latest research, trendsand news relating to green buildings and theGreen Star rating system, and can represent theAV industry’s interests via Council representationto policy makers and regulatory bodies.

Electrosonic’s goal is to be sufficiently well in-formed to be able to make recommendations andassist with specifying the correct equipment tothe relevant consulting engineers.

In addition, Electrosonic will ensure that theproducts it supplies are fully compliant with spec-ifications, which in turn will assist approved andaccredited dealers and installers of those productsin tendering. Bills of quantities and operationalspecifications will have been supervised and ap-proved to meet the expectations of the consultingengineers and end-users, saving dealers and me-diators from having to sift through many productsto arrive at the correct combination, and savingtime in the actual preparation of tenders.

Another advantage for tendering dealers isthat the costs of the specified products would be

fully accounted for in the budget, eliminating thepossibility for unexpected ‘extras’ occurring oncethe project is underway.

In a project with planned phases, the firstphase can be structured to ensure that the capitaloutlay of the phases that follow is minimised andregret expenditure is avoided. In the later phasesof a project, Electrosonic can continue to maintainthe guidelines of the GBCSA by providing addi-tional products which are suitable to require-ments and can be easily implemented intoexisting installations, obviating the need to tryand get different systems to work together toachieve a smooth operation.

Electrosonic’s versatile product ranges not onlycomplement one another perfectly, but also pro-vide maximum efficiency in terms of power con-sumption.

Adding value to the installation of fully compli-ant products from Electrosonic is the service,training, maintenance and warranties it also pro-vides. Electrosonic offers a minimum of one yearon all products (excluding consumable items), andin the case where a factory warranty is offered bythe manufacturer, it will be honoured by Elec-trosonic but will be applicable to the terms andconditions of the respective manufacturers. Acopy of Electrosonic SA’s warranty policy is avail-able on request.• For more information email Linda Swart at

linda@electrosonic.co.za

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

Guardian Development Projects is aproject management and construc-tion company offering turnkey build-ing solutions to its clients. Bycombining and managing the skills of

leading South African architects, builders, engi-neers, landscapers, and quantity surveyors, GDPtakes projects all the way from the design stages tothe delivery of homes that are completely ready tooccupy.

A significant number of GDP’s developmentshave been in the luxurious Val de Vie Wine and PoloEstate in Paarl. There are 532 private residentialerven at Val de Vie, 90% of which have been soldand transferred, and 120 of which have completedhomes. To date, GDP has successfully completed 15homes on the estate and is currently managing theconstruction of another 10.

The dream team at GDP has Leonhard Jonas asits managing director, Ryk Neethling as marketingdirector and Wynand Louw as financial director.Adding to their management expertise is interiordecorator Nicolette Jonas and quantity surveyorGavan Meyer.

Leonhard attributes GDP’s success to the archi-

tects, engineers, contractors and suppliers they’vechosen to work with, and to the underpinning ethosof their business – to make life as easy as possiblefor their clients.

Clients can rely on GDP to meet the strict regula-tions for all homes built on the Val de Vie Estate.“There are design and construction guidelines thatmust be adhered to,” said Leonhard. “The buildingstyle on the estate is French Provencal, so the de-sign of the house and the materials used have toconform to the high specifications and world classstandards that have been set by the estate.”

Choosing between endless optionsAlthough choices in exterior finishes may be limitedby the estate’s guidelines, the interiors of homesoffer scope for all tastes. It is often this aspect ofbuilding that gives clients headaches – trying to de-cide on the look and feel they want, and confusedby the endless options available.

“Many people want to build their dream homes,but most don’t have the time or energy required todeal with all the complexities involved. We do it allfor them, right down to having our own offices andshow house on site at Val de Vie so that clients

don’t have to travel to numerous showroomsaround the country to look at different products.

“Instead, they can visit our show house and seethe best options available in terms of quality fittingsand finishes. We’ve done all the homework forthem, we know the pros and cons of the variousmaterials and products, and we know who the bestcraftsmen are and what can be done at what price.”

The show house is a marvellous testament notonly to GDP’s top quality construction, but also tothe quality of materials, fittings and finishings, andthe excellence of the workmanship. It comprises600 square metres under roof, incorporating fouren-suite bedrooms, study, double volume livingroom, kitchen, scullery and pantry, equipment roomand double garage. The project took 18 months ofplanning and 14 months of construction before itwas completed in November last year.

GDP obviously couldn’t use the entire range ofoptions in one show house. For the sake of consis-tency, they limited their selection but aimed for vari-ations on a theme to show different finishes. Forexample, there are four different floor coverings –luxurious carpeting in the bedrooms, solid Frenchoak in the boardroom and study, pale polished con-

promag – first quarter 20128

FEATURE FEATURECOVER STORY

Hi-tech showcase aCape 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

crete in the kitchen, and expanses of marble sup-plied and installed by Natural Stone Warehouse.

“We’ve used four different types of marble, indifferent layouts and edgings – such as a bullnoseor a pencil nose – and the showers are lined with1,5 by 1,2 metre marble panels," said Leonard.

The external doors and windows are aluminiumand the internal ones are timber, including Americanshutters in the bathrooms. Here again GDP rings thechanges for their clients with fully louvered shuttersin some bathrooms and half louvered shutters withsolid bottom panels in others.

In the 7-metre double volume living room are 2,8metre high windows which give glorious views fromboth the ground floor and mezzanine level over thegreat green expanse of the polo field. “I love theposition – it’s like having five and a half hectares oflaser-levelled lawn in front of the house!

“Other superb features of the living room are thehand-plastered surround to the fireplace and anenormous mirror supplied by Extreme Elegance. Ittook 16 men half a day to mount it,” said Leonhard.Extreme Elegance also custom made the uniquemirror headboard and vanity in the main bedroomand en-suite bathroom.

Ornate wrought iron balustrades in different de-signs that lend themselves to the French Provencallook were supplied and installed by Jett Effects.

WK Kitchens was responsible for all the kitchenjoinery, which is precision perfect and features self-closing mechanisms on drawers and cupboarddoors behind which are concealed the latest inte-grated appliances from Siemens. Prins Houtwerkedesigned and installed the scullery fittings, andBarco Kitchens was responsible for the ‘butler’s sta-tion’ on the mezzanine level and the open plandressing room for the master bedroom.

An additional layer of integration“European visitors to the show house have been es-pecially impressed with it,” said Leonhard. “In addi-tion to being able to show them what is possible interms of quality construction and finishes, we arealso able to offer them the additional layer of tech-nology integration and automation.”

The concept of turning their show house into asmart home was not in GDP’s initial planning. How-ever, at the end of 2010 Leonhard met Lucas Visserand Heinrich Rohwer from Ubulumko TechnologySolutions (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 meansof demonstrating to potential clients the possibili-ties smart technology had to offer.

“It was synergistic,” said Leonhard. “Since wewere building a show house and they needed ashow room, we decided to incorporate their systemsin our house, because automation is definitely apart of the lifestyle at an estate such as this,” saidLeonhard.

With the support of Electrosonic SA, which sup-plied the equipment, B-IQ had only three months toplan and six weeks to install the system beforepractical completion of the house.

The aim of the project was to showcase simpleand effective user interfaces that allowed control ofvarious features in the home while remaining intu-itive for the occupants to use.

“We decided not to embrace everything that ispossible and available, which would be overkill. Ourintention was to create a background infrastructurethat incorporated the fundamentals, but whichcould be expanded in future” said Heinrich.

> continued overleaf

first quarter 2012 – promag 9

FEATUREFEATURECOVER STORY COVER STORY

at Val de Vie estate s Paarl residential development with the best in Crestron control technology.

any conveniently-positioned Crestron control panels.

promag – first quarter 201210

FEATURECOVER STORY

The system allows for the control of AV, lighting,security, air conditioning, appliances, irrigation,and much more. It is currently running HDTV, alllighting, all audio and video and the alarm sys-tem, but still to be added are air conditioning,pumps and the remote control of curtains andblinds.”

“We chose Crestron for control because it isthe Ferrari of automation and allows the integra-tion of all products, unlike other control systems,”said Heinrich. The Crestron Prodigy system in-stalled is used as a backbone with the infrastruc-ture and platform to plug-in other applications.

“It is sublime in its simplicity of design andfunctionality and is an intuitive, easy to under-stand system,” said Heinrich. “It is also scalableto integrate with sub-systems that can be addedat any time. For example, with a simple softwareupdate you can add iPad or iPhone control.”

All the equipment is housed in a purpose-builtequipment room with glass doors so that visitorsare able to see in, but not gain access. The centralprocessing and AV processing units are housed ina stylish middle Atlantic slide out rack which sim-plifies access to the hi-tech equipment.

The distribution board is a pre-built Hagarboard fitted with top of the range Crestron dim-mers allowing complete control of each lightingpoint digitally. The Kramer product range wasused for the distributed AV because it is cost ef-fective, robust and scalable.

The network is distributed from the equipmentroom enabling several high definition sources tobe broadcast throughout the house to the variousTV/AV locations, as well as multiple media dis-plays for individual TV/AV outputs. The alarm sys-tem is a top of the range Paradox Evo systemwhich also allows for simple integration.

Control and customisationUser control is via attractive touchpanels whichare able to be customised for any configurationthe user might prefer. It is possible to changeeach button’s function as well as the small LEDlights that display feedback indicating whetherthe associated circuit is active or not.

There are a total of seven touchpanels locatedin the entrance hall, in each of the four en-suitebedrooms, in the living area and in the mezzaninelounge. They are the main control interface, allow-

ing the user to control all the lighting in thehouse, to change the audio visual sources for theTVs, and to arm and disarm the house’s alarmsystem.

“You can be in bed and check the LED feed-back display on the touchpanel to see if there arelights still on in the house and turn them off. Oryou can arm the alarm, or switch sources fromDSTV to DVD player,” said Heinrich.

Lucas Visser is proud of the role B-IQ played inmaking GDP’s show house a dream home. “Anypotential home owner walking into this showhouse will understand that Leonard took the timeto think about what a quality lifestyle means, andto incorporate all the essential elements – one ofwhich is a Crestron home management system. Icongratulate him and his team on their accom-plishment.”

“I believe we created an iconic property at Valde Vie, and the ultimate show house experience,”said Leonhard. “At the top end of the residentialmarket, clients buy with their hands – they wantto feel and touch quality. This house sets thebenchmark in structural integrity, has world classfinishes, and it’s a ‘smart’ home.”

Let there be light: The Crestron system controls the lighting, and has the capacity for later fitting of curtain and blind control.

promag – first quarter 201212

FEATURENEW PRODUCTS

THE ELECTROSONIC VERSALIGHT RANGE OF LED PRODUCTS

To meet the demand for quality LED based prod-ucts, Electrosonic SA established the Versalightrange at an affordable price in South Africa lessthan two years ago and it has rapidly grown tobecome a trustworthy brand.

Each Versalite fixture has a full one-year war-ranty backed by 24-hour service from ElectrosonicSA. Common to all the units in the range is aseven segment display screen for easy and intu-itive setup and control, and they are all suppliedwith a 15A plug top. All units are available in ei-ther black or silver, and an optional flight case oncastors can accommodate 12 units.

Versalight Standard RGB PAR64 With more than 3 500 units in the market, theVersalight Standard RGB PAR 64 Can is a compactmulti-purpose wash light that is suited to bothfixed installations and rental applications, andcan be used in stand-alone mode or via the DMX512 Protocol on 3 Pin XLR connectors.

Weighing only 1,5kg, the Standard RGB PAR 64uses 177 x 10mm LEDs and a 35° beam anglethat allows smooth and even dimming. The RGBPAR 64 can be used to create a range of coloursfrom pastel to rich and saturated.

Versalight High Powered RGB PAR 64 This is a compact multi-purpose high powered

wash light with an output com-parable to a conven-tional PAR 64. With allthe other features andbenefits of the Stan-

dard model, the HighPowered modelalso offers an im-pressive light out-put derived fromthe 3 Watt lamp,

using 108 x 3WLEDs (36 red, 36

green, 36 blue) with a 35° beam angle. It isalso a heavier unit, weighing 2,5kg.

Versalight High Power Amber/White PAR 64This is a unique fixture in its class. The problemwith traditional RGB LED fixtures is that the qual-ity of the mixed white light is not very good and

tends to look bluish. The Versa-Light High PowerWhite/Amber LED solves this through a combina-tion of 36 cool white and 18 amber high powered3W LEDs with a beam angle of 35° and can beused to create a range of whites from cool toowarm. It weighs 2.5kg.

Versalight Outdoor RGB FloodThis IP65 RGB 3-way outdoor flood is perfect forany application that requires high power colourchanging, both indoors and outdoors. With 108 x1W LEDs (36 red, 36 green, 36 blue) and a beamangle of 25°, it can be used to create a range ofcolours, strobe effects and LED pixel mapping.

The 15,2 kg unit has been built to withstandthe rigours of weather and wear and tear. Beingfully weather-proof (IP65), it is ideal for architec-tural applications or outdoor events and can beused in either stand alone, master and slavemode or via DMX 512 control on weather-proof3-pin XLRs. It also has IP-rated data and powerconnections with an In/Out configuration makingit easy to arrange units in a linear fashion.

Versalight High Powered Wall Washer This RGB LED Wall Washer is a powerful unitmeasuring only 1 000mm long x 70mm wide andperfect for any application that requires highpower colour changing. It can be used to washany flat surface, for overhead illumination or inset building applications.

A feature of the unit is that the LEDs are di-vided into four segments of RGB, allowing chasesand effects such as rainbow and jumping pat-terns, strobe and blinder effects to be created.

It uses 84 x 3W High Power LEDs (28 Red, 28Blue, 28 Green) with lenses that are interchange-able to achieve either the standard 25° beam or awider 45° beam angle. The wall washer has loop-

throughdata and power

connections with anIn/Out configuration for lin-

ear linking.

Versalight SMD 5050 RGB FlexiLED This range of flexible LED strip is a cost effectiveand compact linear LED solution for any applica-tion where a colour changing, compact directionaland bright light source is needed.

The SMD 5050 RGB FlexiLED has 60 ultra-bright surface mounted LEDs per running metreon a flexible PCB backing, using only 16 watts permetre, and is encased in an IP 67 rated siliconcovering for durability and moisture protection.

It runs off a cost-effective RGB controller whichhas stand-alone functions and is also DMX 512controllable via 3 pin XLR’s or CAT5 connectors.Power is 12-18V DC and a range of power sup-plies are available on request. The RGB FlexiLED is10mm wide and is supplied in 5-metre rolls thatcan be joined by simple jumper cables.

Versalight SMD 5050 White/Warm WhiteFlexiLED The White/Warm White flexible LED strip offersthe same features as the SMD 5050 RGB FlexiLED,but uses only 14 Watts per metre and is effectivein any application where a dedicated white(6500k) or warm white (3500k) compact direc-tional and bright light source is needed.

Versalight SMD 1210 Single Colour FlexiLED The Versa-Light SMD 1210 Single Colour FlexiLEDutilises 120 ultra-bright surface mounted LEDs perrunning meter, using only 9,6W per metre. It issupplied in a variety of colours including red, blue,green, yellow, white (6500k) and warm white(3200k) and is ideal for any application where adedicated single colour, compact directional andbright light source is needed. The width of theVersa-Light SMD 1210 Single Colour FlexiLED isonly 8mm.

Elite’s Quickstand drape series staging screensare portable presentation screens for the AV andevent markets. Made from aluminium, they arestrong and lightweight and ideal for multi-media, conference and classroom presentations.They are available in different sizes from 72 inchto 200 inch diagonal in 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios,

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 isheight adjustable and can be raised or loweredin 20.3cm increments. The screen material isstandard matte white with a 1.1 gain. Optionalrear projection material has a gain of 2.2.

Even with prolonged use, product life is ex-tended by the sealed edge detachable frame de-signs with material snap button attachments andcorner pull cords.

The screens are packed in a lightweight anddurable aluminium carry case on wheels for easytransport, storage and shipping purposes.

ELITE QUICKSTAND DRAPE SERIES STAGING SCREENS

first quarter 2012 – promag 13

FEATURENEW PRODUCTS

CRESTRON ENERGY STAR AMPLIFIERS

Crestron’s new line of Energy Star qualified high-output commercial amplifiers is now available.The AMP Series amplifiers help meet energy sav-ings objectives and green initiatives without sacri-ficing audio performance. Designed for high-endaudio performance, energy efficiency, and versatil-ity, Crestron AMP Series amplifiers offer morethan twice the power of other amps in its classand are ideal for commercial environments wheremany speakers need to be run from one amplifier.

AMP features a high-efficiency, convection-cooled design that consumes considerably lesspower than other commercial amps. Its low noise,low distortion performance creates superior sonicquality in the smallest room or largest publicarea. AMP Series amplifiers provide more head-room for powering larger rooms and are versatileenough to handle virtually any audio need.

In addition to its energy-conserving design,other power-savings features include auto‘power-down’ mode which automatically shutsdown AMP after 30 minutes with no signal and

auto ‘power-on’ which instantly turns an AMPback on when a signal, such as speaking into amicrophone or playing a DVD, is detected. This in-novative feature provides an automatic and tangi-ble long-term energy savings solution.

AMP-2210S 2X210W The AMP-2210S provides two channels of amplifi-cation. Each channel is rated for 210W@4ohms or120W@8ohms, and may be bridged together todeliver a robust 420W@8ohms to a single load.

The AMP-2210S includes professional balancedinputs with rear-panel ±10dB input level adjust-ments to assure compatibility with a wide rangeof audio sources. Remote power control is en-abled for each channel using external contact clo-sures, switches, or control system relays. All input,output, and remote control connections are facili-tated via detachable screw-terminal connectors tosimplify installation and servicing.

The AMP-2210S features a durable, lightweightchassis that may be placed on a shelf, or rack-

mounted using the rack ears provided. At onlyone rack space high and under 28cm deep, it isideal for installations requiring a lot of power in alimited space. Its efficient, cool-running designgives off substantially less heat than comparablyrated amplifiers, and convection cooling meansthere are no noisy fans.

AMP-3210T 3X210W The AMP-3210T provides three independent chan-nels of amplification with configurable outputs tosuit a wide range of system designs. Each channelis configurable via a simple selector switch tohandle either low-Z or constant-voltage speakersystems. Each channel is rated for 210W@4ohms,or 120W@8ohms, 70V, or 100V. Additionally,channels 1 and 2 may be bridged together to de-liver a robust 420W@8ohms to a single load. The70/100V outputs are transformer isolated to han-dle long and complex wire runs.

The AMP-3210T has a similar rear panel config-uration to the AMP-2210S.

Crestron’s new DigitalMedia Presentation System300 (DMPS-300-C) is the next generation of itslegendary MPS Multimedia Presentation System.At a budget-friendly price, DMPS-300-C provideseverything required to equip any room for thehighest quality HD presentations.

An efficient all-in-one component, DMPS-300-Cdelivers a complete high-definition presentationcontrol and signal routing solution that integratesa control processor, multimedia matrix switcher,mic mixer, audio DSP and amplifier with Digital-Media 8G+ technology. DMPS-300-C takes inevery source signal and processes, mixes and am-plifies the audio, and then transmits it flawlesslyover a single CAT5e wire.

In addition, a new promotion gives 50% trade-in credit for any Crestron MPS system toward thepurchase of a new DMPS. Simply replace ana-logue video equipment with Crestron DigitalMe-dia. The valuable trade-in credit makes it easy fordealers and affordable for organisations to up-grade analogue rooms to digital with a state-of-the-art DMPS-300-C system.

DMPS offers the only integrated solution thatcan handle both analogue and digital AV, pluscontrol. For organisations seeking to upgradetheir old analogue presentation systems, DMPS-

300-C immediately brings any classroom or con-ference room into the digital age.

Installation is easy – one can simply swap outan existing MPS with DMPS-300-C. One can usethe existing CAT5e wiring , so there are no newwires to pull or connectors to terminate.

Integrated DM 8G+ inputs and outputs makeconnections to every room simple, providing atrue one-wire interface for remote sources anddisplay devices using a choice of standard CAT5ewire or premium DM 8G cable. Supporting wirelengths up to 100 metres, DMPS-300-C can alsoprovide an ideal interface to a central DigitalMe-dia switcher as part of a larger multi-room orroom-combining system.

Whether in the classroom, boardroom or video-conference room, DMPS-300-C makes complexsignal routing easy for any room full of AV andcomputer sources, microphones, display devices,speaker zones, touch screens and codecs. DMPS-300-C provides high-performance matrix switch-ing of seven simultaneous analogue or digitalsources 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 in-puts with enhanced DSP, plus line and mic levelmixing to deliver the most complete, easy-to-usedigital presentation system available.

CRESTRON DMPS-300-C DIGITALMEDIA PRESENTATION SYSTEM 300

promag – first quarter 201214

NEW PRODUCTS

KRAMER WP-501 SWITCHERThe WP-501 is a switcher for computer graphicsvideo, composite video, stereo audio and micro-phone signals. It routes one of three AV inputsources (one front and two rear) to a display andcontrols the display by IR or RS-232 commands.With some of its input connectors on the backpanel, it is perfect for rooms with permanently in-stalled PCs and video sources.Technical specifications• Front Panel Connections: Inputs – 1 computer

graphics video on a 15-pin HD connector, un-balanced stereo and 1 microphone on 3,5mmmini jacks

• Rear Panel Connections: Inputs – 1 computergraphics video with unbalanced stereo, 1 com-posite video and stereo audio on terminalblocks. Outputs – 1 composite video, 1 com-puter graphics video and 2 audio outputs onterminal blocks; 2 relays and 1 IR on terminalblocks; 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 buttonperforms command macros such as changingprojector inputs; 2 low voltage relays

KRAMER WP-501 SWITCHER, SPK-OC606 SPEAKERS AND K-ABLE BOX

• Display Control Ports: IR and bidirectional RS-232 for controlling the display device

• EDID Storage: EDID information can be storedand modified using EDID Designer software

• Kramer Site-CTRL Compatible: For network re-mote control and management using KramerSite-CTRL software over the Ethernet port

• Wall Plate Size: Three-gang US. Available inwhite, black, grey and brushed aluminium.

KRAMER SPK-OC606 TWO-WAY SPEAKERSThe SPK-OC606 is a pair of two-way speakers de-signed for mounting on the wall, either indoors orout. They have an acoustic suspension design andUV resistant aluminum grilles. • Type: 2-way on-wall indoor/outdoor speaker. • Woofer: 6.5" (165mm) PP cone, rubber sur-

round. • 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.

• Dimensions: 22,5 x 22,3 x 30,3cm (W, D, H). • Weight (single speaker) - 1,3kg approx. • Accessories: 2 mounting brackets (fixed and ro-

tating).

KRAMER K-ABLE BOX CABLE RETRACTORThe K-Able Box is a furniture-mounted cable ex-tender, retractor and housing that is easily in-stalled underneath a table top or in a podium.The device is available with one of seven cabletypes and can be mounted in a variety of posi-tions and configurations for use with the KramerTBUS 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 verticallyas a stand-alone unit, vertically in conjunctionwith the Kramer TBUS range of products, orvertically in a bank of up to three units. Singlemounting bracket included.

first quarter 2012 – promag 15

TUTORIAL

In today’s world of widescreen displays withfixed resolutions, the acronym that standsout from all the rest is EDID – Extended Dis-play Identification Data – a data structure in-dicating 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 tosense whether the display was colour or B&Wand higher or lower than XGA (1024x768) resolu-tion. Later, a more sophisticated means of one-way serial communication was adopted called theData Display Channel or DDC, which allowed themonitor to communicate its needs to the com-puter graphics video source. Further improve-ments led to the current EDID standard.

EDID data, which can be thought of as ‘thetrain’, travels on the DDC channel (pins 12 & 15of the HD-15 connector), which can be likened to‘the tracks’. This standard uses a bi-directional I²Cbus for identifying 128 bytes of data that describedifferent parameters of the display device, includ-ing information such as the model number, serialnumber, manufacture date, native resolution, tim-ing, colour space, audio capabilities and more.

Differing native resolutionsThe all-important aspect regarding EDID is thatwidescreen monitors today do not follow any typeof timing standard and they are all fixed resolu-tion displays with specific, and often differing, na-tive resolutions. Gone are the days of variableresolution CRTs, a time when the most commonresolution, XGA, always seemed to work just fineon any display.

When most people describe a computer graph-ics video resolution, they do so in viewable or ac-tive pixels, such as 1920x1080. However, there ismore going on in a computer signal than thenumber of active pixels being sent (see Figure 1).

In the past, active pixels alone were enough todescribe a resolution because they referred to anexisting industry standard. Resolutions like1024x768 and 1600x1200 were in this category.

EDID and analogue signal distribution Much has been written about the necessity of EDID when using digital HDMI and DVIsignals, but little has been said about the critical role it plays when using analogue sig-nals. This article aims to show the importance of EDID, describe the symptoms whenEDID is not available and provide insights into corrective measures to restore it.

Every monitor that supported 1024x768(XGA)supported the same pre-defined standard versionof XGA. When you chose 1024x768 as your out-put resolution, every computer outputted thesame standardised version of XGA. This made alldevices automatically compatible with each other.

The rapid acceleration toward High Definitionand widescreen display devices has pushed asidestandardisation. Reliance on communication be-tween the display and source, the ‘handshake’,has become vital.

The mode lineFigure 1 illustrates that a resolution is made up ofmuch more than just the active pixels. Every reso-lution has a large set of parameters that must allbe met in order to achieve a perfect image.Through its EDID, a display communicates all ofthese parameters to the source. The EDID can bedisplayed in what is called a mode line. The fol-lowing is an example of one possible mode linefor a 1024x768 signal: • Detailed timing #1: 1024x768p at 60Hz (4:3)

Mode line: "1024x768" 65.000 1024 10481184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync –vsync

Beginning with 65.000 (the pixel clock for thisresolution), the first four numbers describe thehorizontal timing, the next four numbers describethe vertical timing, and finally the polarity of thesync pulses is indicated. If displaying XGA is the

goal, this EDID mode line is overkill because everydisplay and every computer supports the samestandard XGA mode line.

Knowing that the standardisation problem ex-ists mostly in widescreen resolutions, take a lookat an example using 1920x1080. These modelines came from the EDIDs of the computer graph-ics video inputs of different 1080p monitors areshown in Table 1 below.

One can clearly see that while all these moni-tors claim to be 1920x1080 monitors, they eachsupport a different version of 1920x1080. It isalso clear that describing active pixels alone isnot specific enough to define a resolution.

The detail is in the EDIDDisplay manufacturers have taken to producingnon-standard displays because the specific tim-ings are completely described in the EDID of themonitors they build. When a computer is con-nected directly to any of these monitors, themode line is read by the PC and the PC modifiesits output to comply properly with that display.

When the EDID of the display is not availableto the PC, the computer graphics card elects whatto output to the monitor. Since no standards existin monitors, no standards exist for computers ei-ther. Most often, the computer outputs a versionof 1920x1080 that does not match the mode lineof the specific monitor attached. This results in apicture that is not sized correctly on the display.

The most common complaints in this situationare, “I can’t see my toolbar” or “My picture is se-verely shifted to the left or right”. Other resultsinclude no picture at all, or error messages thatdisplay, “Mode Not Defined” or “Invalid Mode”.

When EDID is not presentWhen no EDID is available, some computers onlyprovide a short list of output resolutions for thecustomer to choose from. This short list is com-prised of standardised resolutions such as XGAand may not even include your desired resolution.

> continued overleaf

Figure 1: Make-up of a computer resolution (hori-zontal only)

Table 1: Mode line comparisons between five monitorsLG LCD detailed timing #1: 1920x1080/60Hz (16:9) Mode line: ‘1920x1080’ 148.500 1920 2008 2052 2200 1080 1084 1089 1125 +hsync +vsyncWestinghouse LCD native timing: 1920x1080/60Hz (16:9) Mode line: ‘1920x1080’ 138.500 1920 1968 2000 2080 1080 1082 1087 1111 +hsync -vsyncSamsung LCD native timing: 1920x1080/60Hz (16:9) Mode line: ‘1920x1080’ 138.500 1920 1968 2000 2080 1080 1083 1088 1111 +hsync -vsyncPanasonic Plasma detailed timing #1: 1920x1080/60Hz Mode line: ‘1920x1080’ 148.500 1920 2008 2052 2200 1080 1084 1089 1125 -hsync -vsyncVizio LCD native timing: 1920x1080/60Hz Mode line: ‘1920x1080’ 136.500 1920 1952 1984 2048 1080 1081 1084 1111 +hsync +vsync

promag – first quarter 201216

FEATURE

With no EDID, the computer becomes the master,the display becomes the slave, and incompatibili-ties result because the display cannot adapt toevery mode line it may receive. However, withEDID, the display becomes the master, the com-puter changes its output to match the mode lineof the display, and a perfect plug-and-play envi-ronment is created.

In the ProAV industry, DDC pins 12 and 15(which carry the EDID) are not passed in many ap-plications, such as when RGBHV 5-wire cable isused. Touted as the best way to send a computersignal over any distance, it has the fatal flaw ofnot passing the DDC pins and therefore the EDIDinformation. While it is still the best ‘pipeline’over which to send a signal, 5-wire cable does notensure that the correct signal is being sent.

Signal management toolsOther applications that do not consider EDID aretwisted pair transmitters and receivers, distribu-tion amplifiers, switchers and matrix switchers, toname only a few. Due to the critical importance ofEDID, manufacturers such as Kramer are begin-ning to build computer graphics video productswith EDID support built-in, as well as standaloneproducts to help manage EDID in systems thatemploy these other signal management tools.

One example is the Kramer VA-1VGAN, whichis an EDID emulator that is designed to captureEDID information from the monitor and make itreadily available for the computer, no matter whattype of cable or other challenges are present inthe installation.

The VA-1VGAN will capture – in non-volatilememory – the resolution, the mode line and alldetailed timing parameters, in turn making anexact copy of the EDID information stored in themonitor. In applications such as those involvingthe use of RGBHV matrix switchers where EDIDinformation will not travel from the display to thesource, the VA-1VGAN can be used to emulate thehandshake necessary for the computer to output ,the correct resolution and timing parameters.

Many twisted pair transmitters and receiversare guilty of causing the same issues. By not pass-ing EDID information from the display back to the

FEATUREFEATURETUTORIALTUTORIAL

source, one’s computer will be left guessing whatresolution it is expected to output.

The solution comes in the form of the VA-1VGAN, whereby the EDID information is storedfrom the display device to the input of our VA-1VGAN. The VA-1VGAN is then placed directlyafter the PC so that when the computer is con-nected it sees the EDID just as it would if it wereconnected directly to the display.

When the computer graphics card has the ap-propriate EDID information and timing parame-ters it can create the exact native resolution ofthe display ensuring a perfect image despite stilltravelling through the twisted pair solution. Thissolution can be adapted to any application whereEDID may be lost due to cable type or the lack ofEDID compliance in specific ProAV products.

EDID emulatorsEDID emulators are a much desired solution whenthere are cables or devices present that do nothave any type of EDID handling. As the industryrecognises the importance of EDID, products arenow being developed that take into account howEDID is handled.

For example, new distribution amplifiers (DAs)allow EDID information to be passed back fromone of the outputs whereas older DAs cut theDDC pins before entering the DAs. The latestKramer 1x2 computer graphics video DA, the VP-200K, now allows EDID information to be passedback through the DA from the display device con-

nected to output one. In a solution like this one, there are no issues

with the lack of EDID, and getting a correct pic-ture does not require the use of an EDID emulator.In such an application as this though, monitor se-lection for output one is very important. A com-puter graphics card only has the ability to outputone resolution at a time. Therefore, if EDID infor-mation is only being passed back from outputone, one needs to connect a monitor whose EDIDis acceptable to all of the monitors connected tothe DA.

In an ideal world, all the display devices con-nected to the DA would be the exact same makeand model, they would all use the same EDID in-formation, and any one of the monitors could beconnected to output one. In the real world, it isnot uncommon to have any number of differentmonitors connected to the same DA. In this case,we must carefully choose the display we connectto output one.

To explain further with an example in the sim-plest form, let’s say one has four monitors con-nected to a DA with the following nativeresolutions: 480P, 720P, 1080P, 1080P. When usinga DA similar to the one above that passes EDIDinformation from output one, we must choose the480P monitor for output one. Choosing any oneof the other displays would feed back EDID infor-mation to the computer that would cause it tooutput a resolution that would not be understoodby the 480P monitor. If this monitor is removedfrom the application, the 720P monitor could beconnected to output one and still satisfy all thedisplays connected.

In conclusion, providing the correct EDID infor-mation to a graphics card is critical to successfulsystem design and operation. Whether that is ac-complished via a standalone product such asKramer’s VA-1VGAN or via a product with this cir-cuitry built in, it is imperative to have the properEDID handshake in every application. • With thanks to Kramer Electronics US for the

above information which was derived from anarticle by Chris Kopin (VP Technology), TomKopin (Engineer) and Matt Kopin (Sales Sup-port Engineer).

In synch: The problem (top) is solved by using the Kramer VA-1VGA, which stores the EDID information from the display device

The Kramer VA-1VGAN

FEATURE

FEATURE

Curious?

SANDY LOVES THE CANDY

DEAN FELL FOR THE BEAM

JOSH LIKES THE WASH

WHATWILL YOUFALLFOR?

An Aura of creativity!

No doubt about it. This all new wash light has a certain aura about it.

Just ask Sandy, Dean and Josh.

Personality! Never-before-seen, eye-candy aura effects take the synthetic look out of LED.

Zoom with boom! Wide zoom range for fantastic beam effects with great definition.

Wicked wash! Perfect colour mixing, exceptional colour range, warm or cold shades.

Eye candy, beam or wash, a new aura of creativity has arrived!

MAC AuraTM

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MAC Aura

MAC Aura

MAC AuraTM

MAC Aura

MAC Aura

MAC Aura