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Linxter Internet Service Bus
- 15. 02. 2009
- Bob Snyder
- Home Automation
A startup called Linxter is set to launch a hosted messaging platform that will enable any Internet-addressable device, application or system to communicate with another.
Nortek Companies Embrace Digi5 Home-Grown Cat5 Audio Technology
- 20. 12. 2007
- administrator
- Networking & IoT
A new Cat5-based audio hopes to become an industry standard. The technology, Digi5, is a product of five companies within Nortek’s Linear Home Technology Group: Elan (and sub-brand Aton), Linear, Niles, SpeakerCraft and Xantech. .
Digi5 is not a product, but a platform. Each Linear company is developing its own products based on the technology, and will tap its own channels to bring product to market. All products across brands, however, will be interoperable.
There are three basic product formats: a rack master hub, source input plate and three types of keypads.
The big difference between Digi5 and some of the other Cat5 technologies is the digital architecture of Digi5.
Digi5 offers more power—30 watts per channel RMS at 8 Ohms—than conventional keypad amplifiers for two reasons, says the group.
- Digi5 uses digital amps, which boast 85% efficiency, as opposed to Class A/B analog amps that are on average only 45 percent efficient, and
- Digi5 uses four wires for power and ground to achieve more power than either analog or digital amplified keypad systems that only use two wires for power and ground.
When installed on an equal length of Cat5, Digi5 provides nearly four times the power of a conventional Class A/B product with more total SPL, tighter sounding bass and more headroom before clipping,” argues the company..
The group plans to license Digi5 to third parties to try to make the technology the dominant platform for Cat5 multiroom audio.
Go Nortek
ZigBee Confirms European Presence
- 21. 10. 2010
- Marco Attard
- Industry news
ZigBee opens its European Office in Cambridge, UK. Its director, Larry Taylor, leads the team expanding Zigbee's addressing of EU energy management standards and smart grid activities.
Over 150 ZigBee members have European Alliance-related operations.
The EU office will foster new partnerships with energy-related EU organisations while increasing collaborations with ESMIG and the DLMS User Association.
The European Parliament's passage of the 3rd Energy Package in 2009 requires 80% of EU electricity customers to have smart meters by 2020.
Berg Insight says the EU smart meter base will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 17.p% between 2009 and 2015, reaching 111.4 million.
What's Making TV Viewers Cut the Cable Cord?
- 21. 06. 2011
- Marco Attard
- TVs, Displays and Mounts
Are the likes of Netflix and Hulu to blame for customers' cutting their cable services? If one takes the results in a US-based survey, it could either be so... or not, depending on how one reads the numbers.
A study by The Diffusion Group (TDG) claims the number of Netflix subscribers planning to either downgrade or outright cancel their cable TV services is up-- from 16% in 2010 to 32% in 2011.
However, the majority of those thinking of downgrading or cutting their services (around 50%) cite "the need to save money" as their primary reason-- recent economic woes proving to be a strong incentive.
So, are online services truly to blame for the gradual fall in cable TV? Trefis disagrees with that statement, saying it "still can not be a substitute for TV"-- a statement one can apply to other similar services over here in Europe.
However, one has to keep in mind Netflix's numbers show strong growth for 2010, particularly as the company plans to offer its services across the pond as well as on a variety of devices-- from smartphones to STBs and game consoles. Ultimately, though, Trefis concludes Netflix's (and cable TV's) future growth lies in whether it can actually substitute current TV services.
Go TDG: Proclivity to Downgrade PayTV Services Increasing among Netflix Streamers
Go Report on Cord Cutting Unfairly Points Finger at Netflix (Trefis)
Origin Claims "Audiophile-Grade" Subs
- 01. 04. 2015
- Marco Attard
- Audio
Origin Acoustics launches the Bassic subwoofer portfolio-- a trio of models the company describes as audiophile-grade, being able to "push deep, dynamic bass to fill out the lowest octaves in the sonic spectrum."
Available in 8-, 10- and 12-inch versions, the Bassic subs respectively feature 100W, 150W, or 250W aluminum drivers for efficient Class D amplification. Front-mounted (hidden behind grille) controls provide easy access to level, phase and crossover adjustment when the sub is against a wall or mounted in a cabinet.