CES 2012 in Las Vegas celebrated the ability of three companies, all siblings, to come together and provide unique solutions for the Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm and Ericsson keynote presentations. High Resolution Engineering provided the screen switcher processing technology for the keynotes, Lightware USA supplied hardware for Digital Multimedia Matrix Routing, and High Resolution Systems furnished the UDC control software and hardware options.
"Every year the CES keynotes are more challenging due to the growing number of mobile devices - tablets, cell phones and other handheld systems - that participants want to use as sources on screen for their presentations," says High Resolution's Drew Taylor. "CES is such a big show that you really need to have some experience under your belt to master the logistics. I've been doing the keynotes for the last four years and [High Resolution Partner] Mike Taylor has over a decade's worth of CES credits. We spend about 10 days on site working with each group to ensure the maximum amount of rehearsal and set up time - we're going nonstop!"
This year the Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm and Ericsson keynotes in the Venetian Ballroom all featured multiple big screens that spanned the width of the space.
High Resolution Engineering provided the screen switching technology with Vista Spyders, Lightware routers, DVI cables and control systems. The Lightware UMX and HDMI and DVI routers were supplied by Lightware U.S.A., the US distributor of professional AV products manufactured by Lightware Visual Engineering in Budapest, Hungary. They were utilized for onstage demos of tablets and other HDMI handheld devices.
High Resolution Systems supplied UDC Software and UDC 400, Lightware Touch controllers front of house and Spyder Touch controllers backstage to switch the screens. High Resolution Systems' own Universal Device Controller (UDC) software ran on a Microsoft Windows 7 tablet backstage for router control.
UDC software was also employed in Panasonic's booth on the convention floor. UDC was used in conjunction with a PESA HD router to switch and route signals to a huge wall of monitors and to play back clip information on Grass Valley T2 iDDRs (Intelligent Digital Disk Recorders) and KG 4K and 8K video servers. UDC allowed the manufacturer to access the clip names of all the files in its playback servers and configure the buttons to recall certain clips. UDC also read timecode from the 4K server and executed presets based on timecode of the current playing clip. Todd Hewitt was the UDC consultant at the booth.
Also on the convention floor, High Resolution Engineering helped fulfill the equipment needs of the Canon booth, providing a Spyder X20 for image processing.
"Only our trio of companies can offer such a comprehensive technology-equipment-control solution for the high-profile keynotes and meet the needs of major manufacturers like Panasonic and Canon on the show floor," says Drew Taylor.
About High Resolution Systems
High Resolution Systems, a member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers is a company with a strong systems engineering and applications background. Its founders have decades of experience in the audio visual rental and staging industry, broadcast applications, A/V installations and system design. This combined experience allows them to provide the highest possible quality solutions to its customers in the most efficient manner. For more information, visit www.hrscontrol.com.