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H3 Digital - Cinema, Audio and Lights - New Phuket Office nearly ready
Over the last couple of years we have been building out of recycled oil drums, shipping containers and as much re or up-cycled materials as we can use to build our much larger H3 Digital Phuket Headquarters, whilst we have an office in Chiang Mai and work in Bangkok, Hua Hin and Yangon (Myanmar) many of our staff are still based in Phuket.
Currently we are looking at fitting the front door and seating, we’ve got some cool recycled barrels in the toilet as sinks, our waiting chairs are recycled commercial cinema chairs - it’s been a ton of fun and we are really looking forward to getting over the finishing line in the next few months.
Home Cinema space to teh bottom left and meeting room overhead with adjoining office.
The plan is to have a knock out home cinema demo room featuring our fantastic home theatre recliners, a massive 4k screen and a Dolby Atmos sound system to top it all off. We are currently looking at some newer control options and may have some exciting news in the coming months on that front.
Upstairs will feature our meeting room and office space for our systems designer and me whilst downstairs we will have a large open plan reception and demo room for audio, with adjoining container hosting our engineering and installation team.
Going forward the new showroom and office will help us to remain Thailand’s premiere Cinema, Audio & Lights company for the home.
Fibre Optic Ceiling Lights - AKA Starlight or Starfield
One of the home cinemas we are building currently will feature one of our Starfield ceilings, these are really fun and create a great atmosphere and ambience in the home theatre room, especially when the lights are dimmed and you look up and see tiny stars twinkling in the night.
A Starfield ceiling in a home cinema (Phuket)
Care must be taken to do it correctly, with the right fibre optic strands and light engine. If it’s done poorly, or cheap products are used then it looks cheap and ugly.
Done properly, by experts and with attention to detail and the better fibre optics it can look outstanding. Giving what is essentially a closed/boxed in room a feeling of scale and depth.
It all starts with a full plan of what stars go where, if you were to just place the individual threads willy nilly it wouldn’t look right. Each fibre thread is pushed through the ceiling in a pre-planned position, and then trimmed to length before being carefully glued into place with special glue.
The cinema we are currently working on has over 1,000 strands of fiber optic cable, driven by a powerful LED light engine to ensure reliability throughout it’s life. The first part of the project and where we are at currently involved threading these into place where they will be needed for the eventual ceiling. This particular cinema features wooden look beams on the ceiling, the effect will be akin to looking up at the night sky through a trellis.
H3 Digital’s custom cinema recliners
Today we tested out the threads for brightness and consistency, in the photo above you can see the ends lighting up and the luminescence of the cable bunches. We’ll post more when it’s finished, this theatre also features our fantastic custom seating.
SONOS now works with IFTTT (IF This Then That)
In some great news for the smart home the SONOS music system (speakers and amplifiers) now works with automation via IFTTT (If This Then That) integration.
IF This Then That (IFTTT) is the free way to get all your apps and devices talking to each other. You can automate chains of conditional statements that involve almost anything connected to the internet.
To explain it basically you set up a set of conditions that if fulfilled send commands to your connected apps or devices. So for example you could set up a service that IF the time is after 7pm THEN turn on the Philips Hue Lights. Or IF its raining THEN play music by Stormzy.
So basically;
IF this condition is fulfilled
THEN get app or device to do this
These are created in a recipe with easy drag and drop functionality, no programming or coding knowledge is required at all.
“IFTTT has integrated hundreds of different smart home products, websites and content providers and with today’s beta launch, you can trigger your favourite songs and sounds on Sonos from millions of different IFTTT events.”
For the SONOS sound system and IFTTT integration you will be able to manage playback control, play/pause/resume/next/previous, and volume controls including up, down, mute and unmute on your SONOS Amplifiers and Speakers.
IFTTT will be able to command a pre-defined Sonos song, ‘favourite’ album and playlist to be started or stopped, you will need to set it up with the easy to use IFTTT website or app and will need to link your SONOS account and IFTTT account to create recipes.
This is a great way to get into home automation or make your home smarter without having to buy any extra equipment or hardware. IFTTT is a load of fun but will need and only work with your internet up and running.
IMAX is coming Home
IMAX Theatre
IMAX in Partnership with DTS Audio has announced a certification program that will bring the unrivalled IMAX audio and visual quality to home theatre, living rooms and home cinemas around the world.
Much like the lauded THX certification, IMAX in conjunction with DTS will officially certify devices from TV, Soundbars, Stereo, Speaker and Amplifier manufacturers that meet or exceed their tough standards.
IMAX Home Cinema
“To qualify and carry the IMAX Enhanced logo, the highest-end TVs, projectors, sound bars, and AV receivers must meet stringent performance standards established by IMAX, DTS and Hollywood’s leading colorists in order to create a consistent and higher bar for image and sound performance on premium devices,”
IMAX Cinema
Launch partners include Sony, Denon and Marantz and IMAX are promising the clearest images, immersive powerful sound powered by DTS and expanded Aspect Ratio on select Movies and unique IMAX content digitally mastered (or remastered) for the platform. The press release by IMAX and DTS follows below;
DTS Audio Technology
“IMAX AND DTS PARTNER TO LAUNCH IMAX® ENHANCED PROGRAM FOR HOME ENTERTAINMENT
NEW CERTIFICATION AND LICENSING PROGRAM GIVES CONSUMERS ACCESS TO THE HIGHEST-QUALITY IMAGE AND SOUND EXPERIENCES FOR THE HOME
PROGRAM LAUNCH PARTNERS INCLUDE SONY ELECTRONICS, SONY PICTURES, PARAMOUNT PICTURES, AND SOUND UNITED
IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) and audio leader DTS®, a wholly owned subsidiary of Xperi Corporation (Nasdaq: XPER), today announced a new partnership for the next-generation of home entertainment with the launch of the IMAX® Enhanced program. The new certification and licensing program combines the highest-end consumer electronics products with IMAX digitally re-mastered 4K HDR content and DTS audio technologies to offer consumers a new level of quality in immersive sight and sound experiences for the home.
Illustrating the breadth of the initiative, the companies also announced that a number of global consumer electronics and entertainment market leaders have joined the program as launch partners, including Sony Electronics, Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures, and Sound United – parent company to Denon and Marantz.
IMAX and DTS developed the program out of their decades of combined expertise in image and sound science to make it easier for consumers to select the products and content that will deliver the highest-quality, sharpest 4K HDR images and powerful, immersive sound at home. The companies are designing an IMAX Mode for the enhanced devices that will be meticulously optimized to play digitally re-mastered content as the filmmaker intended in the home.
Consumers can access content from Hollywood studios as well as select IMAX documentaries through its IMAX Home Entertainment division. The company will also work with its global studio and other content partners to make available a steady stream of enhanced versions of blockbuster movies and additional programming.
“While the IMAX theatrical experience continues to be the gold standard in blockbuster movie-going, today we are launching an exciting new program that applies components of IMAX’s and DTS’ technology and expertise to deliver consumers a level of quality never before experienced at home,” said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. “This is a natural extension of our core business in experiential entertainment. By partnering with a well-established consumer electronics licensing leader, we can leverage both our brand and key technology innovations through DTS’ global licensing platform, without having to make the direct investments often necessary to build a new revenue stream. DTS will build that new business and we will share in the benefits from the program. We’re encouraged by the strong interest from our launch partner companies and look forward to working with DTS to grow the program further over time.”
“DTS has a rich history in delivering premium entertainment experiences to the theater and at home, and the IMAX Enhanced program is an exciting opportunity to stay at the forefront of home entertainment,” said Xperi CEO Jon Kirchner. “Through the combined engineering and licensing efforts of the DTS and IMAX teams, as well as support from a number of the world’s leading device and content partners, the IMAX Enhanced program will bring a completely new, enhanced experience to the home while also supporting the continued penetration of DTS decoders, bringing premium sound to consumers’ devices.”
To be accepted into the program, leading consumer electronics manufacturers will design top-of-the-line 4K HDR televisions, A/V receivers, sound systems and other home theatre equipment to meet a carefully prescribed set of the highest audio and video performance standards, set by a certification committee of IMAX and DTS engineers and Hollywood’s leading technical specialists.
The program will use the newest, proprietary post-production process developed by IMAX to digitally re-master content to produce more vibrant colors, greater contrast and sharper clarity. The companies will also partner with award-winning Hollywood sound mixers to use a special variant of its DTS:X codec technology integrated in home audio equipment to deliver an IMAX signature sound experience.
The IMAX Enhanced program will launch beginning this fall. For more information about the IMAX Enhanced program, please visit www.IMAXenhanced.com.”
RIP Sonos Apple iPod Dock (2010 - 2018)
At one time, one of the most popular ways to listen to music through your Sonos Home Audio system was to grab your iPod and dock it into the Sonos iPod dock. Back in 2010 Sonos launched the iPod dock to much fanfare, it was part of Apples “Made for iPod” line whereby consumer electronics companies got to pay huge fees to Apple for the privilege of letting people play their music on their own iPods, through their own sound systems.
The iPod Dock for Apple iPods and iPhones for SONOS
The idea behind the iPod dock was a good one, at that time (barely less than a decade ago) almost everyone who listened to digital music had to be doing so on an MP3 player of some kind or an Apple iPod, the iPod was the most popular device and iTunes was a popular way to collect music.
By plugging your iPod into the dock you could - using the SONOS controller (remember them) select and choose any music from any docked iPod in your SONOS ecosystem. The problem with iPod docks (all of them) is that Apple are constantly changing interfaces, plugs, adaptors and software so eventually they just stop working properly.
Most of the people still using a SONOS ipod dock in 2018 will be using it to run music off an old iPod they had lying about, it’s easier to store music on iTunes or use something like SPotify and stream directly from the cloud nowadays BUT some places don’t have internet, so an old ipod loaded up with your favourite music could still be useful, not for long though!
Wireless iPod dock
Sonos have decided they will stop supporting the iPod dock, essentially they are “Bricking” the device. Once the October update comes (In October) and is downloaded to your Sonos system firmware the iPod dock will simply cease to work. Sonos optimistically tell us in their press release (below) that the dock “can still be used as a charger for older Apple devices” Doesn’t seem a great tradeoff for people who are still using iPods docked in their Sonos though, you probably won’t hold up long without updating either with the amount of nagging that products do to get you to upgrade to the latest firmware nowadays.
“The word “brick”, when used in reference to consumer electronics, describes an electronic device such as a mobile device, game console, or router that, due to severe physical damage, a serious misconfiguration, corrupted firmware, or a hardware problem, can no longer function, hence, is as technologically useful as a brick.”
Brick
“Introduced in 2010, the Sonos Dock provided a way to play music directly from your Apple devices to your Sonos system without the need of a wireless connection or the Sonos app.
For eight years, Dock has provided a way to keep some of Apple’s oldest, unsupported devices continuing to play music on your Sonos system, long after they could no longer stream music on the Sonos app. However, with our latest software update in October, we’ll no longer be able to support the Dock as part of your Sonos system.
What does this mean?
When you accept our next software update, your Dock will no longer connect to Sonos.
You can still enjoy music from your older Apple devices by connecting via line-in to any compatible Sonos product (Play:5, Connect, Connect:Amp).
Once the software release has been accepted, the Dock will not play music to your Sonos system, but it can still be used as a charger for older Apple devices.
If you’d like help accessing your local music library on a supported device, please see our how-to guide, or reach out to our Care team. And now with voice, direct control, and AirPlay 2, there are more ways than ever to get more of the music you love on your Sonos system.
Ultimately the decision to update your Sonos system is yours. If you choose not to update, you will need to turn off updates on both your Sonos system and all devices where you have the Sonos app installed. Going forward, you will no longer be able to add new speakers or devices to control your Sonos. You also will not be able to take advantage of future feature/functionality improvements or security updates.”
The Perils of having a Smart Home
This brilliant advert from Rema (A supermarket chain in Norway) shows that it's not always smooth sailing when you are the owner of a Smart Home. With Amazons Alexa, Googles Home and Apples Siri and Homepod technologies it's now easy to control your homes lights, sound system, music, heating and air conditioning and even your front door with you voice.
In the advert the owner of a very suave, modern, smart home is seen walking downstairs, turning his music system on and listening to Jazz, he then asks his Smart Home to make him a Smoothie, checks his calendar, turns the fire off and opens the front door all with his voice control.
The smart house has even reminded him of his Dentist appointment later on that day. There perhaps is one thing that our smart home owner hasn't thought about though.
Harman Kardon launch SONOS style CITATION range of Smart Speakers
Harmon Kardon, the manufacturer of home audio products since 1953 and more recently bought out and now owned by Samsung, took time at the IFA Show in Berlin to release their range of SONOS rivalling smart home speakers.
Harmon Kardon CITATION smart Speaker lineup
Their range launched under the CITATION name includes a whole suite of speakers, soundbars and a subwoofer. All feature voice technology from Google Assistant and support Chromecast, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi for multi room music.
HK CItation 300 Display
The voice controlled smart speaker range starts with the CITATION ONE (aimed squarely at Sonos ONE) then the CITATION 100, 300 and 500 series - The 300 and 500 series feature touch screen LCD displays showing album cover art and enabling play, pause, volume control and FF/RW.
There is also the CITATION bar and sub and even a pair of Floorstanding Speakers all featuring Google voice technology and able to sync throughout your home for music everywhere - although no outdoor speakers have been included in the series, note that SONOS also hasn't launched a waterproof or outdoor speaker yet - something that's possibly a bit harder to implement as these speakers need to be powered with a plug and power socket whereas traditional outdoor speakers are waterproof and wired back to a central amplifier indoors.
It's great to see more and more companies, especially of this pedigree and with the backing of electronics GIANT Samsung getting into the smart speakers game. To my ears though all of these smart speakers aren't anywhere near the quality of sound a traditional pair of speakers wired up to a seperate amplifier would give, but that's the trade off.
I do wish that they would have launched a separate amplifier that featured the same CITATION technology so that people could make that choice if they wanted a higher quality sound.
Sony Release 3 new 4k Projectors at IFA Show
The IFA Show is currently on in Berlin - This is the worlds leading trade show for consumer electronics and electrical goods, and is now in its 10th year.
Sony has announced three new projectors at the show, all featuring 4k (resolution of 4096x2160 pixels) displays and HDR (High Dynamic Range imaging).
Sony 4k Projector featuring HDR and SXRD
There are three offerings from Sonys 4k line all of which feature Sony's SXRD Technology. This technology is also sometimes referred to as LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicone) or as D-ILA (when JVC touts it). Here's what Sony say about SXRD -
“Advanced SXRD™ (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) panels with an ultra-fast response rate of 2.5 milliseconds minimize the space between pixels for a smoother, more detailed image. Consisting of a thin LCD layer backed with a highly reflective silicon plate, SXRD splits the white light of the lamp into different colors using mirrors and sends them to a red, green, and blue panel in 4K resolution. Light passes in and out of each panel, allowing more effective light blocking for exceptionally deep blacks.”
Sonys Top of the line VW870ES 4k Projector
Basically as per the wikipedia page ; Liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS or LCOS) is a miniaturized reflective active-matrix liquid-crystal display or "microdisplay" using a liquid crystal layer on top of a silicon backplane. Effectively light is blocked from passing through the LCD when blacks are meant to be shown.
The VPL-VW870ES ($35,000/€25,000) is Sony’s premium offering, with 2,200 lumens brightness and an 18-piece All Range Crisp Focus lens said to ensure high precision within a compact and lightweight design. Its Digital Focus Optimiser further provides refined image quality and accurate focus without distortion.
“All three of our new models, from the affordable VPL-VW270ES, to the premium VPL-VW870ES feature a new input lag reduction mode which dramatically improves the performance of the display reaction speed to ensure gamers can enjoy the best possible experience alongside the breathtakingly detailed image quality they have come to expect.”
Sony have provided their 4k Motionflow technology in all of the new projectors, enabling smoother and clear motion by adding extra frames to reduce blur and maintain brightness. They also offer up HDMI 18 Gbps compatibility and 4K 60P 10bit processing, and Reality Creation analyzing each element of an image to provide gamers with enhanced clarity and resolution without noise.
In the middle of the range sits the 1,800-lumens VPL-VQ570ES ($10,000/€8000), which features Picture Position Memory to quickly change settings for ideal format as well as high dynamic contrast by Advanced Iris, while the VPL-VW270ES ($5000/€5000) brings a 4K HDR picture at the company’s most affordable price point yet.
Sony at IFA 2018
“A growing number of our customers are not only using our home cinema projector range to enjoy the latest blockbusters in their living rooms, but are also enjoying immersive 4K visuals powered by the latest generation of videogame consoles”
New SONOS amp
Sonos have unveiled their new Sonos Amp.
This new amplifier which can be used in either standalone or multi room setups with in-ceiling, architectural, outdoor, floorstanding or bookshelf speakers features a massive 125 watts per channel, more than double the 60w RMS per channel in the current Sonos Connect:amp (Previously known as the Sonos ZP120).
New Sonos AMP
Most people will know Sonos for their line of Play speakers that are standalone speakers with an amplifier built-in, but many homeowners who are looking for a bigger, better sound will use the Sonos Amp in conjunction with built-in or stereo speakers such as bookshelf or floorstanders.
Previously they will have used the Sonos Connect:amp, which was originally the Sonos ZP120 and featured 120 watts (60w RMS per channel), before that there was the original Sonos amplifier - The ZP100 which featured 100 watts of power (50w RMS per channel) which was launched in 2005 before iPhones, iPads, Spotify and a slew of other technology that is now integrated into our lives.
Rack mounted Sonos Amps
The new amplifier from Sonos features a lot of new technologies and finishing touches such as;
- HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel)
- Airplay 2
- Mono Mode
- Ethernet Only mode
- Stackable
- 1/2 Rack Mountsizing
We can't wait to see what it sounds like, 240w RMS is nothing to be scoffed at for home audio and we suspect teamed with a couple of pairs of 8" in-ceiling or outdoor speakers will be loud enough for any party, especially if paired with a subwoofer or the SONOS sub.