Watchup app woos millennials with custom-curated news streaming


TV news has a problem with younger viewers: It doesn't have enough of them.

It's why some outlets have signed on with tech entrepreneur Adriano Farano, who is betting he can bring video journalism to young viewers who are growing up with smartphones, tablets and the convenience of viewing what they want whenever they want.

Farano is the co-founder and chief executive of Watchup, an app that can set up a customized streaming online video newscast using stories from established TV news outlets. "We have long-term vision," he said. "What Netflix and iTunes have done for entertainment is what we want to do for the news industry."

Consumers can download Watchup for free and then select topics of interests and news sources. The app creates an ad-supported video newscast based on the choices.

Watchup already has more than 100 national and global news-gathering partners providing content, including Fox News, Sky News, Bloomberg, PBS NewsHour and the Wall Street Journal.

The Menlo Park-based company will announce a major deal Monday that gives it access to reports generated by 30 local news operations from Tribune Media's TV stations including KTLA in Los Angeles, WGN in Chicago and WPIX in New York.
lRelated TV execs, advertisers in 4-day war over audience-count rules

Farano said there are more deals with TV station groups in the works that he expects to complete in the next few weeks and hopes to eventually cover the entire U.S.

Watchup will need as much distinctive content as it can get as established news networks are becoming more aggressive about moving into the streaming-video market where advertiser demand is growing.

CBS News and MSNBC have both recently unveiled online news services aimed at reaching beyond the audiences that find them on TV.

Wall TV Installation | TV Installer | TV installation in Los Angels

 

Metro installs barriers, video cameras on buses to cut down on crime

LOS ANGELES >> In an effort to curb assaults on bus drivers, Metro will install video cameras as well as steel-and-Plexiglass barriers separating operators from passengers on hundreds of new buses within the next three months, the transportation agency announced Friday.

Attacks on bus drivers have risen 35  percent from 2012 to 2014, prompting a three-pronged offensive aimed at protecting 5,000 bus and rail operators working for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Though most assaults tend to be minor offenses, they have involved passengers punching and kicking operators during layovers and sometimes weapons are used, Metro reported.

Metro board member Diane DuBois told the media that the recent statistics are worrisome.

Assaults numbered 138 by passengers against operators in 2014, a jump of 35  percent from 2012.

“There has been a disturbing uptick of assaults on Metro operators,” she said. “That is

not acceptable, so Metro is fighting back.”

Cherian Brown, a 16-year veteran who drives a bus for Metro in Long Beach, said one time a group of rowdy passengers got off the bus, then threw a garbage can at her that smashed the windshield.

• VIDEO: Cherian Brown talks about the new safety features

Many times, drivers are spat on by passengers for no reason or during a fare dispute, said Paul Gonzales, Metro spokesman.

Another aspect of the driver protection program is having the on-board computer announce the fare, which is $1.75. “It takes the operators out of the equation,” said Marc Littman, Metro spokesman.

Brown said she has heard from many fellow operators who said they were spat upon.

Having a plastic, see-through shield can help with that, she said. Brown demonstrated how to lock the new barrier and plastic-glass shield into place, while sitting behind the wheel of an orange bus parked at Metro headquarters Friday morning.

“I think it is a wonderful idea to secure the operators and the passengers. When we are secure, then they are secure,” Brown said.

Metro reported 24 assaults on drivers last year, including the beating of a 59-year-old woman driver sitting on the curb during her break in West Hills last November. She recovered from her injuries, authorities reported.

• PHOTOS: New safety features for Metro bus operators

At that time, the transit agency began installing video cameras and monitors on 50 buses, including a live feed of passengers. The increased surveillance has resulted in a drop in assaults, said Metro Chief Operating Officer Robert Holland. Metro has 166 buses with closed-circuit video monitors that show passengers boarding and also in the seating area. By June, Metro will have 268 with CCTV monitors, he said.

If someone that is about to commit a crime sees his or her image on a monitor, that person is less likely to do the crime, he said.

“They might say: Who is that? I’d say that is Big Brother watching you. And that is the reaction we are looking for,” Holland said.

Andrew Gonzales, who represents the operators union, said he would like to hear from members what they think of the barriers and the closed-circuit TV.

“We are looking for feedback from our operators. But anything to help protect them is what we are looking for,” he said.

In addition, Metro is working with state Sen. Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, who has introduced a bill that would triple penalties for assaults against operators and add jail time for those convicted. Right now, the penalty is up to one year in prison and/or a fine up to $10,000.

Finally, next month, Metro will launch a counseling program called Transit Ambassador, which helps bus drivers manage stress, both at work and at home. Also, drivers will be wearing lapel pins with the message “Mutual Respect.”

“It is a tough environment out there,” said Art Leahy, Metro CEO, who started his career as a bus driver. “Now with the new (driver) doors, the video monitors, it will have a positive effect on the safety of our operators and also our passengers.”

Commander Michael Claus of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Transit Division said plainclothes officers will continue to stake out bus stops that officers have determined are “potential trouble spots.” The last area targeted was in East Los Angeles, he reported.

Claus also asked members of the public riding buses to call the LASD transit hotline (1-888-950-SAFE) at the first sign of something suspicious, or to report a crime. “If you see something, say something,” he said.

Security Camera | Security Camera Installation | Security Camera Installer California

VAC Adds Enhanced 4K Concierge Service

New York — 4K customers at Video & Audio Center (VAC) can now have their new TVs arrive home before they do.

The expedited deliveries are a benefit of “Platinum Concierge Service,” a new 4K TV service tier that the Los Angeles-based specialty chain is employing to counter online and big-box competition.

The service, along with a standing offer to pay customers’ sales tax on most big-screen TV purchases, supports VAC’s new “webrooming” initiative. That, explained company spokesman and advisor Tom Campbell, seeks to turn showrooming on its ear by drawing traffic to its stores first, and then converting customers through selection, service and competitive prices.

“Our job is to stop them from going back to the web,” Campbell told TWICE. “We overcome the objection, and it’s working.”

He said the under-two-hour deliveries are achieved through VAC’s Just One Touch custom integration division, which provides each of the chain’s three showrooms with trucks and installers. (A fourth location is opening Sept. 18 at the new Village at Westfield Topanga open-air mall.)

He added that the cost of the MAP-permitted sales-tax offer, which was also adopted by Fry’s Electronics, is absorbed by VAC’s massive sales volume.

Campbell, a CE retail veteran and Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) Hall of Fame inductee, announced the new concierge service here yesterday at a CE Week conference session on 4K presentation at retail.

His co-panelist, Robert Zohn, founder/president of Scarsdale, N.Y.-based specialty A/V dealer Value Electronics, said audio also plays a big role in enticing customers, particularly his showroom’s three Dolby Atmos demo rooms.

“Atmos, HDR, wide color gamut, 4K — these are the future technologies of audio and video,” Zohn said. “And the way to experience and learn about that is in your specialty retail store.”

Campbell stressed that “the independent channel is alive and well,” and said dealers need big-box chains and their high-profile platforms to help get the word out about 4K and other new technologies.

“We all benefit from that,” Campbell said. “I say, ‘Thank you Best Buy.’”

Home Theater Installation | Home Theater Installer Los Angeles

Home Theater Installer in Los Angels !!

Basic home theater set-up Includes

• Go over the Installation Procedure upon segment in your home, Take Your new Home Theater System out of the compartment.
• Familiarize and interface 3 parts with your Home Theater System. Present Speakers on the table top or at first look mount.
• All wires and associations with be perfectly managed uncovered.
• Home Theater System Install Speakers on the table top and at first glance mount. All wires links to be perfectly composed uncovered and wipe out any Installation Debris. Program Remote Control, show Customer new Home Theater System introduce.

Home Theater Installation California.

6 Clever Installation Ideas for Your Living Room TV

A TV certainly can be an eyesore in home design. While the easiest thing to do is eliminate them completely in living areas, this simply won’t do when you need your reality TV or football fix.

There are many seamless ways to incorporate TVs into living rooms—it just takes a little extra planning and thoughtfulness. Some of the options seem intimidating, and some are surprisingly simple. Read on for a mix of designer-approved ideas that’ll have you watching TV in style.

1. Frame It.

In the spirit of starting simply, framing your TV is a great option. A simple frame around the screen is a fun and affordable conversation starter that’s easily customizable to your own style. This is one you can do yourself if you’re at all handy—and if not, you can outsource the job without breaking the bank.

Cord management is a simple fix: A cord cover painted to match the wall is a do-it-yourself solution, or cords can be tucked behind drywall with the help of a professional.

2. Go Old School.

As TV technology has grown over the last decade, people have moved away from storing their media in armoire-style cabinets, but this actually remains a great option. Again, it’s a comparatively affordable option, but one that can enhance the design of the room.

Choose the cabinet style that works for your room, whether that’s ornate and traditional or sleek and contemporary. The limitations here are about screen size. While you’re unlikely to find a piece of furniture that will stylishly hold a 72-inch screen, you can easily find the perfect fit if everyone is willing to sacrifice a few inches.

3. Go New School.

Thanks to technology available through your TV, the television often is the heart and mind of the home, which is why we see so many TVs installed over the hearth. It’s often the only space big enough for today’s TVs and convenient for viewing by everyone in the room. Of course, this often results in the TV overwhelming the room.

One of our favorite compromises? Doors over the mantle that slide apart to reveal the TV. Door design styles are endless, and the most complicated part of construction is that this technique often requires building a space for the TV so that it’s flush with the wall before the door is installed.
4. Try the Pop-Up.

My personal favorite is the pop-up cabinet. This keeps the fireplace mantle free for more aesthetically pleasing art or photography and, like the traditional media cabinet, gives you the chance to take more control of your design style by integrating furniture rather than technology. You can purchase pop-up cabinets in many styles, or work with a handyman or contractor to customize a piece for you, even a piece you already may have.
5. TV, TV On the Wall.

The latest trend in TV disguises is also the coolest. The mirror TV never fails to amaze friends and family. An attractively framed, two-way mirror is installed over the TV and, with the flip of a switch, electric currents change the mirror from reflective to opaque, allowing you to see the TV. You will want to shop for the model that has the least effect on the brightness of the TV picture itself.
6. Hide It in Plain Sight.

If none of these solutions really works for you, remember that a TV screen, when off, is a solid black square. If that black square is surrounded by other black framed art work, in similarly simple and basic tones and shapes, the TV really fades away and is overwhelmed by the more interesting artwork so that it’s nearly invisible to the naked eye.

Which clever media solution will you use in your space?

Interior designer Kerrie Kelly enjoys sharing tips for The Home Depot on making your spaces comfortable and livable. She especially enjoys the challenge of creating a beautiful focal point out of your home electronics. To see some of the home electronics options that Kerrie cites in this article, visit homedepot.com.

Wall TV Installation, TV installation and TV Installer in Los Angels

Overhead projector & Projector Screen installations and Services

Projector installations and services

If you are looking for projector installation services for your business or facility call Centerpoint Communications. We have experienced design and installation technicians ready to help with your project whether it is a basic install or a completely automated system. Centerpoint looks forward to working on your project.

We are partners with many projector manufactures; this ensures you will get the correct projector for your application.

We offer the sales and installation for many types of Pull Down, Electric, Fix Frame, Ceiling Recessed and Interactive Projector Screens.

Projector Installation In California.

San Jose woman buys gun after security system didn't stop burglar !

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) --
Homeowners in San Jose's Santa Teresa neighborhood are keeping a close eye out after a robber broke into a San Jose woman's home despite her elaborate security system.

The brazen burglar was captured on a series of home surveillance cameras but some wonder if that's enough.

He ignored a burglar alarm and visible security cameras while the terrified homeowner hid in a closet for 13 minutes listening to him ransack her place.

It's been two days since the terrifying home invasion at Heidi Quezada's home.

"I feel like I just started breathing again yesterday," said Quezada.

Despite having 16 surveillance cameras, she has has since put in new locks and bought a gun to protect herself. But she can't shake knowing the person who so brazenly burst into her home in the middle of the night is still out there.

On Tuesday just before 2 a.m. her security phone app showed a man outside her bedroom window. Quezada called 911 and locked herself in the closet.

"I was petrified. When I first saw him on my phone I then had to use my phone to call 911 and I could no longer see," said Quezada.

But she could hear as the burglar busted open the lock on the sliding glass door then went room to room opening drawers and flipping mattresses.

When he tried the locked door to Quezada's room she screamed. He then ran through a neighbor's yard to grab a skateboard. Neighbor Mike Donahue thinks it might have been his yard.

"I'm kind of shocked because the amount of people that are home all the time. And the security that we have on this court," said Donahue.

Donahue's security is his three dogs. He's lived on the street more than 20 years and has never heard of such a brazen act.

"All this time I thought I was safe because I locked my doors, I set my alarm, have my cameras. But it was like sleeping with the doors wide open," said Quezada.

Heidi says she does not recognize the burglar but she wants his face out there and hopes someone knows who it is.

Police are not commenting on the investigation yet or why it took 13 minutes to respond to the home.

Security Camera Installer and Security Camera Los Angels.

Berkeley may require liquor stores to install surveillance cameras

The city of Berkeley is proposing a new law that would require some liquor stores to have surveillance cameras.

The ordinance will be voted on Tuesday afternoon.

This ordinance was prompted by two homicides at Bing's Liquor. The owners told ABC7 News they support the idea of this law and said many businesses are already on board with having cameras inside and outside their stores.

Ray Salameh is no stranger to high tech security cameras. "I think this is the latest technology," he said.

Salameh has security cameras surrounding his store and outside the premises. It's something the city of Berkeley wants many downtown liquor stores to get on board with.
"I don't think this is drastic. I don't think it's going to solve the whole problem of violence and crime connected to alcohol, but it's just one small tool to help us try to adjust," Berkeley city council member Kriss Worthington said.


The city hopes more cameras will equal safer neighborhoods and of course another resource for police to turn to.

An initial study showed that a majority of the businesses already have security cameras.

And this new law comes at a time, when crime is on the decline for 11 consecutive years in Berkeley. Still, city leaders say it's needed.

"The safety of the public is worth a small investment," Worthington said.

"You have to have your eyes open all the time. In any business you have, a liquor store or any kind of business that's what I say to everybody," Salameh said.

El Cerrito passed a similar ordinance in 2007. If the law is passed in Berkeley, the city will work with businesses to get into compliance within the next six months.

Los Angels Home Theater Installation.

Advanced Technology Video's B7T3I and B7T6I Value Line Bullet Cameras

Coppell, TX – July 16, 2015 – Advanced Technology Video (ATV) a leading provider of innovative video surveillance solutions, announces the release of its new IR Bullet Cameras to the ATV Value Line product line.

The B7T3I and B7T6I performance designed and budget priced IR bullet cameras provide 720TVL resolution. The B7T3I is equipped with a 3.6mm fixed lens and the B7T6I with a 6mm fixed lens. The cameras feature True Day/Night for low light conditions, 23 IR LEDs for night-time operation at 60ft range and are IP66 rated for harsh weather conditions.

“Our B7T cameras are inexpensive and great for small to large projects. ATV continues to offer our current and future customers with a wide variety of products to meet all installation requirements,” says Keith Shaver, ATV’s VP of Sales and Marketing.

Security Camera, Security Camera Installation and  Security Camera Installer  Los Angels.

Google's Nest announces new security camera, upgrades

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) --
A couple of years ago, the Bay Area was blanketed with billboards advertising the Nest, a learning thermostat made by a local company that was acquired by Google. On Wednesday, we got to see what Nest has been working on since then.

    Veron says @Nest learning thermostat pays for itself in 2 years with $100+ energy savings.
    — Jonathan Bloom (@BloomTV) June 17, 2015


Tony Fadell is part of tech history.

"The head of Nest, Tony Fadell, came from Apple," said CNET Editor in Chief Connie Guglielmo. "He's known as the father of the iPod."

    .@Nest's Maxime Veron shows off 2nd gen Nest Protect. pic.twitter.com/fjnUZjw1Vf
    — Jonathan Bloom (@BloomTV) June 17, 2015


The little white box that got us to give up our CD players is the same way Nest wants us to give up what it calls appliances from another era.

"Most smoke alarms actually can't tell the difference between steam and smoke," said Nest Hardware Marketing Director Maxime Veron.

The new version of Nest Protect can. And it gives you a gentle warning in case you're just cooking.

If there is smoke or carbon monoxide, it sends a message to the Nest thermostat. After all, the furnace is where carbon monoxide comes from. And fans can blow smoke around.

"So it's gonna stop that fan," Veron said. "It's gonna shut off your furnace."

    The @Nest smoke detector will also turn off your fan in the event of a fire, so it doesn't fan the flames.
    — Jonathan Bloom (@BloomTV) June 17, 2015


But Nest executives say they're most excited about this -- last year they acquired the makers of the wildly popular Dropcam home surveillance camera. Now, this new version is dropping the old name.

"Now we're calling it Nest Cam," Veron said.

    New Nest Cam will have 1080p resolution, compared with Dropcam's 720p. A comparison onstage shows a noticeable difference.
    — Jonathan Bloom (@BloomTV) June 17, 2015

    Beyond enabling better digital zoom with a 1080p sensor, there's also software to sharpen those digitally zoomed images.
    — Jonathan Bloom (@BloomTV) June 17, 2015


The new, sharper version of the camera that's made burglars famous on YouTube now works inside the same Nest app that controls the thermostat and the smoke detector. If there's a fire, the camera starts recording. It's all about things working together.

"I call it the Star Trek, you know, everything is connected future," Guglielmo said. "That's what they're building on, that's what they're moving toward. And it's not fiction. They're actually building these systems. That's where we're headed."

Remember, Nest is also the division of Google that's working on another connected product.

"Tony Fadell is in charge of the reboot of Google Glass, and we asked him specifically about that, and he said he had nothing to say," said Guglielmo.

But he did say you might be able to get the thermostat for free from your power company and the smoke detector free from your insurance company.

    .@Nest says utilities love its learning thermostat so much they're giving it away for free. pic.twitter.com/ziZGuAuOOI
    — Jonathan Bloom (@BloomTV) June 17, 2015

    .@Nest CEO Tony Fadell explaining how utility and insurance companies are starting to give away free Nest products. pic.twitter.com/8errsZHOQ9
    — Jonathan Bloom (@BloomTV) June 17, 2015

Security Camera in California.

Study finds disconnect between LP, IT professionals

 Although retailers, by and large, have made significant strides in recent years to minimize incidents of shoplifting and internal theft, losses from shrink were estimated to have cost the industry more than $40 billion last year. Despite the severity of the problem, many loss prevention (LP) professionals are not on the same page with their counterparts in IT and other business units in retail organizations.

Axis Communications recently released the results of a study conducted by IHL Group, a global research and advisory firm that specializes in technologies for the retail and hospitality industries, which identified some of the underlying factors behind this disconnect. The study, which segmented retailers into four different tiers based on how much they generated in sales, found that loss prevention efforts related to data protection – PCI and data breaches – accounted for 35 percent of retailers’ total LP focus (i.e. focus on losses, not necessarily budget or staff allocation). Employee theft, return fraud, consumer theft and organized retail crime combined only accounted for 46 percent of the LP focus for retailers.

In addition, the study found that tier 1 retailers, which are those characterized as having more than $1 billion in sales, dedicate 4.5 percent of their IT staff to LP efforts, compared with tier 3 ($100 million to $500 million in sales) and tier 4 (less than $100 million in sales) organizations which devote nearly 8 percent. 

Greg Buzek, founder and president of IHL Group, said that this doesn’t necessarily indicate that larger retailers are devoting less IT staff to LP efforts. 

“What we realized is that there is a critical mass you need for any retailer in terms of the amount of staff, as a percentage of revenue, dedicated to security,” explained Buzek. “Once that critical mass is hit, there is also a ceiling as well, so there are so many (staff members) that you absolutely need and then it is not necessarily a linear scale and you begin to get efficiencies that allow you to put staff on revenue growth activities or other activities beyond security.”

And while the retail industry has been widely panned as one of the last stalwarts when it comes using analog surveillance technology, the study found that 86 percent of respondents had CCTV in place and of those, 64 percent indicated that they were leveraging IP-enabled solutions. According to Hedgie Bartol, business development manager, retail, for Axis Communications, some respondents may be in some form of pilot testing of IP video which could explain the high number.

“What I am seeing happen is a lot of folks maybe be piloting or testing IP technology and are therefore saying, ‘We are making the migration,’ when, in fact, they may only have a small number of stores using them,” said Bartol. “Some may also be due to definition. Some folks can regard that a DVR is an IP device because it is IP-addressable, when, in fact, it is using analog technology.”

Buzek said that this demand for IP video products is being driven more so by the desire to track shoppers and traffic patterns rather than for loss.

Los Angels in Security Camera Installation.
 

Security camera now live at Heberlig Palmer tot lot

 The new security camera at the Heberlig-Palmer tot lot is the first of many additions for an improved, safer park.
 
CARLISLE — The Heberlig Palmer Park tot lot just got safer.

A newly installed security camera went live Friday, June 26, and will stream live video to a network accessible to borough officials and the Carlisle Police Department.

As part of an overhaul of the park — which has seen spells of vandalism, loitering and drug dealing throughout the years — the Carlisle Westside Neighbors have been raising funds in an effort to make HP safer and more attractive.

Along with the camera, lights have also been added to the park.

“The issues have been sometimes people loitering in the pavilion, just at night; it’s real dark and people can hide in the shadows,” said Brenda Landis of the Westside Neighbors. “Between the two elements, it can very quickly improve the safety of the space.”

Most of the construction will happen this fall and into the spring, but this was the first large (expensive) tangible addition. Some of the other future additions will be a walking path, community gardens where residents can adopt a small plot of land, an outdoor café, new cement grills, and a “natural” play area, with trees and a wooden climbing apparatus in place of the traditional jungle gym.

The neighborhood group hopes that the additions will help to ensure the park stays cleaner, and most importantly, safer.

Carlisle Police Chief Stephen Margeson said the camera is streaming live and also stores video for later use if officers or borough officials, who all have access to the feed, can look back on it.

“If anyone reported something we could go back and retrieve it,” Margeson said. “I believe it also, like our other cameras, has the tilt and zoom capability so we can look in different directions.”

However, Margeson noted that officers aren’t encouraged to constantly look in on the camera while on patrol, saying that he doesn’t want officers to do “anything that is another distraction to driving.”

“We don’t always want a patrol officer out there — even if they parked their car — to be focused in on their keyboard, but the capability is there,” he said. “So there are times when it would be appropriate and reasonable for them to stop and observe that (the camera).”

The camera makes HP the second borough park to have installed the visual security measure, after Borough Council voted to unanimously install cameras at Memorial Park in 2010.

“All security cameras are monitored through the Carlisle Police Department,” said Andrea Crouse, director of parks and recreation for the borough. “The cameras in the parks serve as an extra set of eyes and can be very helpful to police. Security cameras can be a deterrent to vandalism or inappropriate behavior. Through the renovation efforts with the West Side Neighbors Association, it was identified that a security camera at Heberlig Palmer Park would be beneficial.”
 

Security Camera Installation Los Angels, Security Camera in Orange City.

Pioneer installs ‘Bling Wall’ LED displays for Sunglass Hut signage

Pioneer Digital, part of the Pioneer Group, has installed Dynamo 3mm pixel pitch LED displays across three of Sunglass Hut’s flagship stores. The 4 x 2.5m and 3 x 1.5m ‘Bling Wall’ displays provide engaging messaging platforms for high-end brands.

Each installation was designed to complement the style of the brand’s in-store environments around the world, whilst bringing a new and vibrant point of sale solution. The displays are located behind the till in the Oxford Street, Westfield White City and Westfield Stratford stores with content including visuals of the local environment and brand promotions.

The displays will be a primary brand activation point in September as Sunglass Hut is the principle sponsor of London Fashion Week and will show live content streamed straight from the catwalk into stores.

Mark Childerhouse, senior account manager at Pioneer Group explained: “We believe this installation with Luxottica to be one of the smallest pixel pitch displays within a retail environment to date. Being a preferred retail partner in the UK for Dynamo means that we have been able to be first to market with this fantastic product that has spectacular image reproduction as well as being incredibly easy to install and maintain.”

The LED tiles feature magnetic connection points so they can easily be connected to the bracket and scaled to any size or shape. This also ensures front serviceability so maintenance tasks can be carried out quickly. Each tile is 192mm x 192mm so should there be any issues, the small panels can easily be replaced.

Paul Bate, ‎property manager at Luxottica commented: “The Dynamo 3mm LED displays are a striking addition to our in-store signage. Everyone from the group is very impressed with this final result, the aesthetics of the store is a very important consideration and the ‘Bling Wall’ addition has had exactly the right impact. Pioneer Digital were the perfect partner for this project, they are very result focused and ensured the process ran smoothly.”

Audio Video Installation Los Angels.

Will an old TV wall mount fit a new TV?

Q. I have a plasma big-screen on a TV wall mount that can be pulled out from the wall and angled. If I replace my old TV, will its wall mount be compatible with a new one? Is there a universal standard for hook-up attachments?—David Sawyer, Wilmington, NC

A. Most new TVs are VESA-compliant, that is, they meet guidelines set by the Video Electronics Standards Association. That means they conform to standards for features like the mounting holes on the back. (A VESA 75x75 means that the holes are 75 millimeters apart horizontally and 75 millimeters apart vertically.) Once you remove your old TV, measure the distances between the holes. Then check the manuals for the new TVs you're considering purchasing for the VESA standard to see whether your old TV wall mount is compatible. If it’s not (or if the new set is a lot heavier), you’ll probably need a new TV wall mount.

Wall TV Installation - TV installation - TV Installer in L.A

Buffalo police encourage business owners, residents to participate in new 'Safe Cam' program

July 10--Residents and businesses in Buffalo that operate their own exterior surveillance camera systems are about to become a vital resource in helping police officers and detectives solve crime in the city.

Mayor Byron W. Brown announced the launch of Safe Cam on Thursday, a program that seeks to encourage city businesses and homeowners to register their private security cameras with the Buffalo Police Department, which then would have ready access to private surveillance footage that could be used in the investigation of criminal activity.

"This is a highly effective crime-fighting tool that was developed in Philadelphia," Brown said during a news conference at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

"What this system will allow us to do is partner with private residents and private businesses and tap into their surveillance camera footage," he added.

To that end, those with private surveillance systems that continually record events outside their homes or businesses are encouraged to go to the Buffalo Police Department web page at bpdny.org and register their system with the department.

Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda said the department does not take ownership of anyone's camera or other surveillance equipment under the program, but it allows police to access and retrieve videotape evidence in a more timely manner.

Right now, he said, officers and detectives "have to canvass neighborhoods to find out who has what."

"At times we've missed vital evidence, or someone taped over it and within days, it's gone. This way, if we can get the public to buy in and we can get the business community to buy in -- because we already have many people signed up, but we won't go into exact numbers -- it will give us the tools to solve some of these major cases," Derenda said.

Private surveillance video has been useful in the past, as in the November 2012 case of a violent break-in at the home of a 96-year-old East Side man. The victim, Levi Clayton, suffered critical injuries in the attack -- including a broken jaw -- and died six months later in a long-term health care facility.

Video from exterior surveillance cameras mounted outside Clayton's Longview Avenue home captured images of three people that were involved in the home invasion, who were later arrested.

In October, Brown credited video footage captured by surveillance cameras owned by the city and private citizens for helping fire investigators identify a suspect in a series of arsons on Grant Street.

Buffalo has 210 surveillance cameras stationed throughout the city. The system will be expanded to 220 state-of-the-art surveillance cameras by the end of the year, Brown said.

Security Camera - Security Camera Installation - Security Camera Installer in L.A

BenQ HT1085ST DLP Projector Reviewed

Late last year, BenQ introduced follow-ups to its popular W1070 and W1080ST DLP projectors, which have reached their end-of-life stage. (We reviewed the W1070 about two years ago.) Like their predecessors, the new HT1075 ($1,199) and HT1085ST ($1,299) are 1080p, 3D-capable, single-chip DLP projectors that use TI's DarkChip3 chip and a six-segment color wheel. They are billed as home entertainment projectors, meaning they are targeted less at the videophile with a dedicated theater room and more at the casual viewer who wants to enjoy big-screen viewing in a less light-controlled environment. As such, these projectors are designed to put out a good amount of light; both have a rated light output of 2,200 lumens (which is 200 lumens more than their predecessors) and a rated contrast ratio of 10,000:1. The other major differences between the old and new models are that the new ones support MHL and are compatible with BenQ's new Wireless FHD kit ($349) that allows you to wirelessly send the HDMI signal between source and display, through barriers at a distance up to 100 feet.

BenQ sent me the HT1085ST for review. ST stands for short-throw. Spec-wise, the HT1085ST is practically identical to the HT1075, but its short-throw lens suits its for smaller rooms or situations where the projector must be placed closer to the screen. I was able to fill my 100-inch screen with the projector placed at a distance of just five feet away. While the HT1085ST has an MSRP of $1,299, its street price is closer to $900 through authorized sellers like VisualApex.com.

The Hookup

The HT1085ST has a small, portable form factor, measuring 8.4 x 4.1 x 9.6 inches and weighing just 6.25 pounds. The cabinet has a glossy white finish with slightly rounded corners and three feet on its underside (more specifically, one stationary rear foot, one adjustable rear foot, and one front pedestal that, with the push of button, can raise or lower the front of the projector to aim the image at the screen). Generally speaking, home entertainment projectors are designed to be placed on a coffee table or other tabletop, but the HT1085ST also supports a ceiling-mount or rear-projection setup.

The lens is located to the right side of the HT1085ST's cabinet, and the bottom of the projected image lands slightly above the center of the lens; the amount of vertical offset varies based on the size of the projected image (a 100-inch image has a vertical offset of about 1.2 inches). The HT1085ST lacks vertical and horizontal lens shifting (the lower-priced HT1075 has five percent vertical lens shifting), so the only image-positioning tools at your disposal are the manual 1.2x zoom ring, the aforementioned adjustable feet, and vertical/horizontal keystone correction. If you place this projector on a low-sitting coffee table, unless your screen is also fairly low to the ground, you will likely still need to engage some vertical keystone correction to correctly shape the image, which can hurt the picture detail. In my case, I placed the projector on a TV tray that sits about 26 inches high; it took quite a bit of tinkering with the projector's physical placement and the adjustable feet, but I was finally able to perfectly position the image on my 100-inch Visual Apex VAPEX9100SE motorized drop-down screen without having to engage keystone.

BenQ-HT1085ST-rear.jpgThe HT1085ST's back panel sports two HDMI inputs (one with MHL support to connect a compatible tablet or smartphone), one PC input, one component video input, and one composite video input. Like many home entertainment projectors, this one has a built-in 10-watt speaker, so the connection panel also includes a pair of stereo analog audio ins, a mini-jack in, and a mini-jack out. An RS-232 port and 12-volt trigger are included, as is a Type B USB port for service purposes. The newly added Type A USB input provides power to the wireless HDMI receiver but does not support media playback. The package includes an IR remote with full amber backlighting, an intuitive layout, and lots of direct access to desirable picture controls.

Speaking of which, the HT1085ST is an ISF-certified projector, so it includes a nice assortment of advanced picture adjustments to calibrate the image. Adjustments include: five picture modes (bright, standard, cinema, user 1, and user2); four color temperature presets (normal, cool, lamp native, and warm) and RGB gain and offset controls to fine-tune the white balance; a full color management system with the ability to adjust the hue, saturation, and gain (brightness) of all six colors; nine gamma presets (from 1.6 to 2.8); a BrilliantColor mode to improve the color brightness; noise reduction; and three lamp modes (normal, economic, and SmartEco; BenQ lists a maximum lamp life at 6,000 hours). The HT1085ST does not have an auto iris that automatically adjusts the lens aperture to suit the image being displayed, nor does it offer a de-blur/de-judder "smoothing" mode.

Because the projector includes a built-in speaker, it also offers preset sound modes and an adjustable EQ. The speaker has decent dynamics for casual listening, but the sound quality, particularly with vocals, is somewhat hollow and unnatural. Then again, I'd say it's on par with most internal TV speakers, which is really what it's trying to compete against.

BenQ sent along a sample of the optional Wireless FHD kit, so I did try it out during my evaluation. The transmitter unit includes two HDMI inputs and one HDMI output, so you can pass the source signal through to another display (a nice benefit if you use both a TV and projector). The receiver unit has a single HDMI output to connect to the projector, and the included power cord can be connected to an outlet or, as I mentioned above, directly to the HT1085ST's Type A USB input. BenQ includes a simple remote that allows you to switch between the two HDMI inputs on the transmitter. The kit allows for the transmission of uncompressed 1080p video and multichannel audio up to 100 feet without requiring line of sight.

The first time I tried using the Wireless FHD kit, I could not establish a connection between transmitter and receiver to display an image. I tried powering and re-powering, connecting and re-connecting the products multiple times, to no avail. So I put it away for few days while I continued on with my evaluation. When I tried again, the products had no trouble establishing the connection, and I instantly got a signal. Apparently the gremlins had moved on, because I had no connection issues from that point on. (FYI, you're not locked in to using BenQ's wireless HDMI kit; I also tested the system with the DVDO Air3C Pro, and it worked great.)

Performance

My evaluations always begin by measuring a display's picture modes as they come out of the box, with no tweaking. In this case, the Standard, Cinema, and User 1 modes were all fairly close to reference standards just as they are--which is a good thing, as I don't expect a lot of people shopping in this price category to invest in a professional calibration. The color balance was similar in all three modes; the image measures slightly bluish-green at the dark end and grows more so as it gets brighter. Of the three, the Cinema mode had the most accurate gray scale out of the box, with a Delta Error of just 4.25 and an average gamma of 2.19. The color points were solid; red was the least accurate with a Delta Error of 8.7. (See the measurements section on Page Two for more information.)

Like many home entertainment projectors, the HT1085ST is quite bright, putting out 34.7 foot-lamberts with a 100-IRE full-white pattern on my 100-inch, 1.1-gain screen. That's in the Eco lamp mode, which isn't too noisy in its operation. The Standard and User modes are set to be brighter out of the box, using the notably louder Standard lamp mode to produce about 50 ft-L. I was able to watch well-saturated HDTV and sports content in the Cinema mode with the room lights on; mate this projector with an ambient-light rejecting screen material, and you'd get even better results.

For those who opt to calibrate this projector, the results can be quite good. As you'll see in the measurement charts, using the Cinema mode as a starting point, I was able to lower the gray-scale Delta Error to just 2.38, with a more even color balance and a more theater-appropriate gamma average of 2.32. The RGB gain control did not appear to work, but my adjustments to the RGB offset control did make an across-the-board improvement. The color management system worked better here than in other "home entertainment" projectors I've tested (at least in the Cinema picture mode, more on this below), so I was able to dial in accurate colors, all with a Delta Error under two. The combination of a pleasing accurate image and good light output makes for an engaging HDTV experience, particularly with sports, gaming, and brighter HDTV content.

The primary performance limitation of most home entertainment projectors is their black level. All of that light output means it's difficult to achieve a dark black level for movie-watching in a dark room. In this respect, the BenQ is a step above entry-level competitors like the Epson Home Cinema 2030 LCD projector. No, it could not rival my more expensive reference projector, the Epson Home Cinema 5020UB, in a head-to-head comparison of dark demo scenes from Gravity (chapter four), The Bourne Supremacy (chapter one), and Flags of Our Fathers (chapter two), lacking that higher level of contrast and image depth that you get from a good home theater projector. Nevertheless, the HT1085ST's black level was above average for its price category, producing a respectably saturated film image with the nice sense of texture that DLP delivers, and its ability to render fine black detail was very good.

Whether I watched 1080p Blu-rays, 1080i HDTV, or 480i DVDs, the HT1085ST served up a well-detailed image, as long as I avoided the keystone correction. This little BenQ actually did a better job than the Epson 5020UB in the detail department when upconverting 480i DVDs. In other processing areas, though, the BenQ wasn't quite as strong. It did correctly pick up the 3:2 film cadence in 480i and 1080i test patterns, but it failed to properly detect video-based and other assorted cadences--which means that film-based DVD and HDTV content will look generally clean and artifact-free, but you'll probably see some jaggies and moire in video-based signals. The projector serves up a pretty clean image without an excessive amount of noise in solid-colored backgrounds and low-light scenes (with noise reduction set to 1). As I mentioned in the Hookup section, there's no de-blur/de-judder option here, so fans of a smoothing mode or the Soap Opera Effect should look elsewhere. In the motion-resolution test pattern on my FPD Benchmark disc, the HT1085ST produced some visible lines at HD720 but not HD1080, which is on par with its competition.


In the 3D realm, this projector uses DLP Link technology, so no external 3D emitter is necessary. BenQ sent along the "3D Glasses II" active glasses, which can communicate with the HT1085ST at a distance up to 10 meters (32 feet) without line of sight. There's only one picture mode for 3D content, but the full slate of calibration tools are available within it. The 3D image is quite red, so the glasses have a stronger green tint than usual to compensate. When I first queued up chapter 13 of the Monsters vs. Aliens 3D Blu-ray disc, I saw a lot of crosstalk, and the image looked a little distorted. I went into the menu and hit the 3D Sync Invert option, and everything snapped into focus. From then on, I saw virtually no crosstalk in my demo scenes. The projector was bright enough to produce an fairly engaging 3D image, but the colors were a little flat, and the picture lacked that extra degree of depth and saturation that you can get from a higher-end home theater projector.

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                      The Evolution of Video Analytic  

In the moves, the bad guys are somehow always able to slip past the guards watching hundreds of security cameras. And no wonder. Who could watch video feeds of hundreds of empty hallways for hours on end without getting bored and distracted? That’s why the security community has put such an emphasis on video analytics, letting computers monitor the video feeds and send an alert if they see anything worth investigating.

But video analytics hasn’t always been up to the task. First generation video analytics was limited to watching for changes in individual pixels, or perhaps a significant portion of the pixels. If a camera was outdoors, trees waving in the wind or even clouds moving in front of the sun might trigger a false alarm. Most of the research and development in video analytics has therefore gone into reducing the number of false alarms. One way they’ve done this is to program the analytics to view the changes as objects rather than pixels: That’s just a rabbit, that’s rain, that’s snow, that’s a spider making a web on the front of the camera. The technology is continuously improving the accuracy of categorizing what the camera is observing according to size, shape, aspect ratio, speed, motion behavior, and color among other parameters.

That first generation of video analytics has evolved in two ways: In-camera or edge analytics, where the specialized camera has the intelligence to interpret what it sees, are getting much more sophisticated at a very low price point, sometimes to the extent of being bundled with the camera itself. In contrast, Server-based analytics integrate information from a large number of cameras – no matter the brand or model - to give security professionals a greater situational understanding, and they do so by leveraging the latest in IT-class processors that continue to rapidly evolve.

While first generation video analytics focused on real-time alerts and minimizing false alarms, second generation technology focused on providing forensic tools to search the video post-event. If there had been a robbery and someone saw the suspects escape in a white van, you might search a camera for all white vans that drove past your location the day prior. Or if the situation involved an assault by a person wearing red, you might search a camera for the past three hours for people wearing red. The second generation of video analytics helped to reconstruct what happened; however, it was designed more as a forensic tool rather than a tool that exists to tell you where the van or person is right now, just moments after you heard about them. That sense of immediacy is what makes all the difference in response and mitigation.

The third generation of video analytics is purpose-built to offer real-time insight, based on searching for someone or something across multiple cameras, during a time frame typically leading up to the current time. It answers the simple question ‘Where is he now?’ and has to be fast, accurate, and easy to use in a high stress real-time situation.

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UHD TV on the Cheap & Other Tech Bits from CE Week

Shown at the recent CE Week event in New York City, the Westinghouse WD65NC4190 65-inch Ultra HD TV just hit bestbuy.com with a $1,400 price tag. Highlights include smart TV functionality with built-in Wi-Fi, HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2 copy protection, and a smartphone control app. A 42-inch model that will sell for $500 was also on display and the company plans to offer the set in 85-, 55- and 50-inch screen sizes.

Onkyo’s Dolby Atmos-capable TX-NR747 ($999) will be hitting store shelves very soon, according to Kevin Brannan, director of marketing. The 7.2-channel AV receiver is THX-certified and equipped with HDCP 2.2 to ensure seamless playback of copy-protected Ultra HD content.

FlyGrip Gravity is a clever accessory that makes it easy to hold and operate your phone with one hand, which is particularly handy when you’re taking photos or shooting video. Available in eight designs, it sells for $29.95 (including a phone case), doubles as a kickstand (portrait or landscape), and has a self-adhesive strip for easy attachment to any phone (or case).

Roel Peeters, co-founder and CEO of Roost, showed a 9-volt smart battery with a five-year life that transforms an ordinary smoke alarm into a smart device by connecting to your Wi-Fi network and sending alarm notifications to an app on your phone. If the alarm turns out to be false—caused by, say, burning toast—you simply hit “snooze.” Roost sells for $35 and notifies you via the app when it’s time to buy a new lithium battery pack so you won’t have to put up with those annoying low-battery chirps.

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         IHS: 245 million surveillance cameras installed globally

Million professionally installed video surveillance cameras active and operational globally in 2014. This is the first time in the market research firm’s history that it has measured the installed base of security cameras.

Niall Jenkins, research manager for video surveillance, security services and smart home at IHS, said that while the vast majority of these cameras were analog, over 20 percent were estimated to have been network cameras and around two percent were HD CCTV cameras.

The analysis was derived from 10 years of unit shipment data collected for IHS' video surveillance research. The firm said that it estimated the service life of cameras in each sub-region by end-user industry to size the current installed base. Other findings from the research include:

•  Asia accounted for 65 percent of installed security cameras in 2014. In 2016, Asia is forecast to account for 68 percent of the installed base of security cameras, driven primarily by unit shipment growth in China.

• The installed base is characterized by different drivers in each region. In China, average camera prices are typically lower and there is a higher replacement rate. Installers and integrators cost less so replacing a faulty product is less cost prohibitive. In Europe and North America, there is more of a price premium and a focus on product reliability. 

•  Hikvision is estimated to have had the largest number of security cameras installed worldwide in 2013. Samsung Techwin is estimated to have been second. Supply has been fragmented though with the top 10 camera vendors accounting for less than 40 percent of all installed cameras. 

•  Axis Communications is estimated to have had the largest number of installed network cameras in 2013, with Hikvision in second place. These two companies were the only vendors with more than 10 percent of the installed base of network cameras in 2013.    

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