Sound & Communications

MIRANDA BOARD AGREES TO RECOMMEND BELDEN PURCHASE OFFER
Miranda Technologies Inc. (Montreal, Canada) has entered into an agreement with Belden Inc. (Richmond IN) to offer to purchase all outstanding common shares of Miranda by way of a take-over bid at a price of C$17.00 per share in cash.
The Offer represents the culmination of the strategic review process initiated by the corporation's Board of Directors in March 2012. Miranda's Board of Directors has unanimously determined that the offer is fair to the holders of Miranda common shares and is in the best interests of the Corporation, and has agreed to recommend to shareholders that they accept the offer.
Miranda President/CEO Strath Goodship stated, "The offer by Belden reflects the value created by our employees, management team and Board of Directors. Our businesses and technologies are highly complementary, and bringing them together will generate a more complete set of end-to-end solutions for our customers. Together, we can continue to build on our success as a premium provider to the broadcast industry."
Miranda and Belden will develop an integration plan that best leverages the combined capabilities of the two companies. Belden has no plans for any changes to Miranda's existing operations, including the R&D and manufacturing operations located at its Montreal base, and it is not expected that there will be any significant changes to employment levels. With no significant product overlap, the primary focus will be to ensure continuity of supply and support for customers of both companies.
The obligation of Belden to take up and pay for Miranda common shares pursuant to the Offer is subject to certain conditions, including a sufficient number of shares being tendered to the offer for Belden to acquire at least 66⅔% of the corporation's shares on a fully diluted basis and the absence of a material adverse change with respect to Miranda. If the offer is successful, Belden has indicated that it intends to take steps available to it under relevant corporate and securities laws to acquire any remaining outstanding Miranda common shares.
Details can be found at http://investor.belden.com/news-events.cfm.

Your Signage. Our Technology. Ideal Solutions—with LG Digital Signage

As a world leader in the design, development and manufacturing of flat panel displays, LG excels in bringing innovative technology advancements to the digital signage market. From a full line of LED and LCD displays that deliver bright and dazzling pictures, to the award-winning digital signage LG EzSign TV that entertains customers while delivering an impactful message, to a direct LED video wall that can captivate any audience, LG is an ideal solution for your business. For more information, call 1.800.897.8788 or e-mail us at info@LGSolutions.com.

INDUSTRY VETERANS CREATE ZEEHI, AN ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS COMPANY
Industry veteran Danny Abelson has announced formation of Zeehi LLC (Boulder CO), an entertainment technology company dedicated to developing solutions to improve the workflow of global entertainment production professionals. Zeehi's management team consists of industry engineering and marketing veterans with a combined 75 years of experience in professional product design, portable system design, stage lighting, audio engineering, production management and fixed installations in some of the largest entertainment facilities in the world.
Abelson, formerly the US partner and distributor for Turbosound, noted, "The Zeehi team includes some of the top professionals in the industry: designers, builders and/or high-profile users of professional entertainment products. We're leveraging that industry knowledge, and have brought on board some of the most experienced software developers anywhere, in the interest of helping the user community. We have spent the last year interviewing production personnel on multiple continents to identify the challenges today's dedicated professionals face. Our company was formed to create solutions to many of these challenges, based on a genuine understanding of entertainment production."
Also on board are software developers Vineet Joshi and Atul Barve. Joshi noted, "We see a great opportunity to adapt software technologies developed for global industries, and apply them to solving entertainment industry problems. Zeehi is currently Beta-testing our first solution...."
Abelson indicated, "Having started in the 1970s, I have witnessed the analog-to-digital transition in entertainment equipment. The opportunities digital has given us have been remarkable, but with these improvements come greater expectations by performers and management for crews to do more in less time. On a surprising number of occasions, the digital solutions unintentionally create obstacles for the production team....In time, we envision a family of software solutions to solve problems throughout the entertainment industry." Zeehi's first entertainment technology solution, CueCast, will debut this summer.

Powersoft: the efficient made in Italy "Green Audio Power®" on stage at InfoComm12.

Powersoft is a well established company that has been serving the professional audio market for the past 17 years. The company designs and produces lightweight, high power, energy efficient, single rack space amplifiers and amplifiers modules.

With Headquarters in Florence (Italy) and offices in Ventura, CA (USA), Powersoft associates the experience and precision of its production department with exceptional components to deliver products with perfect audio performance and high reliability. Its state-of-the-art amplifiers can be found in an array of markets, ranging from stadiums, sporting arenas, theme parks, performance venues and airports to places of worship, convention centers and clubs. Powersoft products are used by the world's leading tour sound companies.

Powersoft has recently released its brand new Armonía Pro Audio Suite 2.3.0, an updated version of the software designed to manage the Powersoft product portfolio. Powersoft amplifiers are also fully integrated via plug-in in Crestron controlled environments for permanent installations (video, security, evacuation and other remotely accessible devices).

Powersoft will be on stage at InfoComm12 (13-15 June, booth #C10431) highlighting the Ottocanali 1204 DSP+ETH (the amp designed for permanent installations supporting up to 55 different output configurations), the DigiMod 2004PFC (an amp module displaying a new level of excellence in terms of power consumption) and the DSP-4 board which provides unmatched processing capabilities. For more information, visit the Powersoft web site @ www.powersoft-audio.com.

THE AVC GROUP, PANAMAX/FURMAN, SPEAKERCRAFT INTEGRATE BRANDS
The AVC Group (Carlsbad CA), Panamax/Furman (Petaluma CA) and SpeakerCraft (Riverside CA) announced a significant strategic move to address the rapidly changing needs of technology consumers and dealers alike. The resources of The AVC Group, Panamax/Furman and SpeakerCraft, Proficient brands will align under one centralized division with a focus on customer-centric product development, brand innovation and dealer support.
Mark Terry, President of The AVC Group, will leave the company, they report. "Mark and his team have done an outstanding job combining The AVC Group brands together and creating a world-class infrastructure to service our customers and dealers," stated Sean Burke, Group President of Nortek's Technology Products Segment. Also, Jeremy Burkhardt and Dave Donald are leaving SpeakerCraft.
Heading up the new organization will be Bill Pollock, President of Panamax/Furman. Paul Starkey will direct Marketing, Dave Keller will head Sales while Keith Marshall will lead SpeakerCraft/Proficient. "This...represents an important and historic step for our industry," said Pollock. "We've joined the expertise and efficiency of the industry's most important technology brands and formed a new resource for our dealers that represents a unique opportunity for them to grow both ROI and competitive standing."
The change is effective immediately. No changes are currently planned for existing dealer contacts, customer service, tech support and credit operations.

Canon's REALiS Pro AV Projectors Display Incredible Detail, Color and Brightness.

Canon's REALiS Installation LCOS Projectors feature high brightness, intricate image detail, accurate color, and a range of operational advantages. Fourth-generation AISYS (Aspectual Illumination System) optical technology maximizes display capabilities and helps to deliver superb video and still images in long-throw venues and brightly-lit auditoriums.

Benefits and advantages also include: Rich seamless image quality, higher-than-HD resolution (1920x1200 in select models, choice of Genuine Canon Lenses, motorized Lens Shift for installation convenience and advanced color adjustment. DICOM® simulation mode models are also available. See Amazing New Canon LCOS Projectors at InfoComm Booth C6334. Learn more about Canon’s REALiS Projectors at http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/professional/products/projectors.

THE GORES GROUP PURCHASES ELO TOUCH SOLUTIONS
Los Angeles‐based investment firm The Gores Group has acquired Elo Touch Solutions (Menlo Park CA) from TE Connectivity for $380 million in cash. Elo Touch Solutions, a global supplier of touchscreens, touch monitors and all-in-one touch computers, generated sales of $413 million in fiscal 2011."The touch solutions industry is enjoying strong growth driven by the mainstream adoption of touch interfaces across the commercial and consumer markets. As a leader in touch products and technology, Elo is well positioned to capture a large share of that growth," noted Jonathan Huberman, Managing Director of Operations for The Gores Group.

TV One’s new CORIO®master, C3-540 Series Video System

The new C3-540 CORIO®master offers a new, more efficient approach to building video systems. Using TV One's latest CORIO®3 technology, it gives the user access to new levels of video processing power to achieve new heights of creative and dynamic video displays. All this is possible in one 4RU chassis.

The C3-540 combines edge blending, video wall processing, multiviewing, windowing, image warping, and video processing with Up, Down, and Cross Conversion in one device. The combination of multiple products into one 4RU unit results in lower rack space, cable, and power requirements with the unit itself consuming very low power. Additionally a high quality modular video matrix is built in using CORIO®softswitch, which provides an industry first firmware based video routing, switching and video conversion and effects platform using multiple canvases and layouts along with PC and Apple compatible control software. 16 AV universal module slots are available and the CORIO®master automatically recognizes the modules inserted as an input or output module. Any analog or digital format from composite video to 3G-SDI is accommodated.

MARTIN AUDIO SOUNDING OUT STRATEGIC OPTIONS
LOUD Technologies Inc. (Woodinville WA) has appointed Lincoln International [www.lincolninternational.com] to conduct a strategic review of its UK-based division, Martin Audio, with a view to finding private equity backing to support Martin Audio into the next phase of its development plan. In sourcing the right investment partner, and forging a more independent path, it will further assist in the realization of the growth strategy and objectives of the business.
Following the introduction of its MLA system in 2010, sales at the UK designer and manufacturer of professional loudspeaker systems have grown more than 40% in the past 12 months, driven by growing demand for its products in new markets—particularly in the Asia Pacific region—despite the current global economic position. Martin Audio also has a wide range of speakers used in an array of venues including cinemas, theaters and churches, benefiting from its engineering and acoustic excellence.
The company, a prime example of what the UK government has actively encouraged, is a British company with more than 90% of sales exported to China, North America, Europe and the Middle East.

Your Signage. Our Technology. Ideal Solutions—with LG Digital Signage

BROADSIGN COMPLETES SALE TO JEDFAM GROUP
BroadSign International, Inc. (BSI; Montreal, Canada), has been acquired by JedFam Group, LLC (JedFam), almost three months after it filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The Bankruptcy Court recently approved a sale of BSI's assets to JedFam, and BSI will emerge from bankruptcy as BroadSign International, LLC. Brian Dusho will remain as Chief Executive Officer of the digital signage software provider.
"Today marks the start of a new chapter for BroadSign," Dusho said. "Thanks to widespread support from our lenders, customers, partners and friends, our operations have remained robust through this process." Dusho reported that BroadSign has experienced unprecedented growth in recent months. "I am especially grateful to our employees around the world whose continued hard work and focus have been instrumental in enabling us to reach this achievement, and who will be important contributors to our future success."

Revolabs HD™ Line of Wireless Microphones Ensures High Quality Audio for Your Infrastructure

Revolabs HD™ line of wireless microphone systems includes the Single/Dual Channel; the rack-mounted, dual-channel Venue; and the Executive, which can support up to 32 (Americas) or 40 (international) microphones, each with an independent channel to operate together in one area without interference.

For the highest audio quality, HD microphones provide the sound fidelity of a wired system and CD-quality frequency response. The systems' wireless design simplifies setup and eliminates the clutter of cables for a clean look, while allowing the freedom of mobility. For fool-proof operation, Revolabs' microphones automatically look for and change frequency to avoid interference. In addition, RF Armor™ technology enables the microphones to operate when in direct contact with other wireless devices known to cause audio interference, such as GSM noise from cell phones. All Revolabs wireless microphones are rechargeable, providing up to eight hours of talk time, and offer the security of 128-bit encryption to ensure that no one will be able to listen in on the wireless signal.

With the HD line, Revolabs has you covered with quality audio solutions to make the most of your infrastructure.

APPLE PATENT DESCRIBES A MORE SECURE FACE-RECOGNITION SYSTEM
An Apple face-recognition patent shows how 3D imaging could provide for better system security, suggesting what face-recognition technology might enable, according to Wired Gadget Lab.
The patent, "3D Object Recognition," describes a novel way to generate 3D models using 2D images. It would use multiple photos or video to create a robust 3D representation of a user's face, which could then be compared, on the fly, to a 3D representation built in real time from a 2D image captured from a user's phone.
The system has obvious applications in system security: namely, a home screen unlocking mechanism that's not easily fooled. It could also be used to identify an entire body, or employed in medical applications to identify specific organs, or even tumors.
Another Apple patent application dealing with facial recognition discussed a lower-power-intensive way to identify a device owner when he or she approaches the system. And, of course, Apple already employs face detection for identifying people in iPhoto images, but doesn't use the feature for system security in iOS.

INFOCOMMTV NEWS TO COVER ANNUAL SHOW
InfoCommTV News will air on June 13, 14 and 15 during InfoComm12, offering in-depth coverage of the trade show and related activities in Las Vegas. Produced by Testa Communications, publisher of Sound & Communications and IT/AV Report, and written by the editors, the shows will be seen on buses to and from the Las Vegas Convention Center, on large flat screens around the convention center and in 15,000 hotel rooms 24 hours a day. In addition, the entire InfoComm membership will receive the shows simulcast daily on their desktops, and InfoCommTV News will be streamed during and after the show over the web, to iPhones and on YouTube until next year’s show. Starting on the first day of the trade exhibit, go to http://soundandcommunications.com/infocomm/index.htm.