There’s no doubt that the audio visual industry has proven its ability to survive and thrive in trying times. Global events have facilitated the rapid evolution of audio visual technologies, and these only continue to advance. Here are some audio visual trends for 2022 collected from many sources (click the link colored to text to get to the information source):
Growing consumer demand for audio content: People are listening to all forms of audio content: news, music, podcasts and books. Nielsen reports 75 per cent of people working from home are streaming music every week, with 40 per cent tuning in daily.
Rapid smart speaker adoption: Smart speakers and voice assistants are becoming common home appliances. One-third of U.S. households are equipped with smart speakers and 44 per cent of U.S. adults use voice assistants. Smart speakers let listeners to respond to ads using voice commands. Consumers are rapidly embracing voice to access information, entertain themselves and shop. The ability to instantly answer consumers’ questions and help them solve problems is becoming a key advantage for marketers who lean into audio.
Digital Audio is becoming multi-devices: Historically, digital audio has been widely consumed via mobile devices; it can now also be launched from a variety of new technologies including tablets, connected speakers, TVs and even smart watches.
Prosumer audio: Prosumer audio gear has remained on a steady upward curve over the last few years. With podcasting, live streaming, and at-home work solutions more popular than ever, it’s been a fantastic few years for prosumer audio sales. Their need for reliable, slightly elevated gear to take their content to the next level is proving highly profitable for certain companies.
Content Still Rules: Audiophiles are fiercely loyal to their favorite DJs, hosts, podcasters, artists and stations. As a result, they’re spending more time than ever listening to audio daily. Listeners consume programming on their own terms.
TikTok has caused a seismic shift in the world of content creation, skewing it ever further into a mobile-first industry. To capitalise on the market, more and more mobile-friendly gear is being created, forgoing the need for hundreds of adaptors and plugging straight into AUX, USB-C, or iPhone ports (or working wirelessly).
Many amplifier technologies in use: While classic class AB amplifiers are more and more often replaced with class D amplifier technology, there is still special audiophile markets for class A amplifiers and tube based amplifiers. New technology just coming to the class D amplifiers are GaN-based audio amplifier powered with switch mode power supply. They promise premium audio systems with good sound quality in a small and light format.
Vinyl records: Vinyl is here to stay, it seems, despite all technological advances that would have seemed to threaten it. Vinyl records (and coincidentally, cassette tapes) are selling like hot cakes again. Vinyl sales have been steadily rising for some time, but in 2020 for the first time in 34 years, vinyl has surpassed CD sales.
Streaming has killed CD: CDs sales are continuously and quickly declining thanks to streaming and music flash drives.
The race to wireless zero latency: Companies around the world are racing to find a solution that all but eliminates latency from wireless audio, removing the need for cables in an increasingly space, waste, and aesthetically-conscious world.
Green screens: As events become more hybrid, green screens will play a significant role, enabling speakers to be placed directly in the content becoming part of the message. Green screens are a great cost-effective way to insert branding and infographics, which works perfectly for online events and we will see them become adopted further for conferences. There are also cameras with depth sense features and software that can use pretty many background for green screen type effects without building a real green screen.
Hybrid events: Events have had to embrace the constant mix of who can attend, who can possibly attend and who is not afraid to attend and as such have flipped to hybrid. Although not necessarily an AV trend, hybrid events are unsurprisingly on the increase as people work from home and corporate travel is halted. In those events content needs to be clear and targeted to get the information across efficiently. There is demand for standalone apps that can enhance hybrid events such as Slack, Slido and Survey Monkey.
Touchless Environments: COVID-19 has accelerated the desire for automation and touchless environments from a nice-to-have to a must-have. They minimize the amount that people come into contact with shared surfaces. Following the throes of COVID-19, it appears that touchless building controls are here to stay.
Remote Control And Remote Management: We’re seeing an increase in demand for remote management software that allows one person, or a small group of people, to log into a remote system and review the status of a set of classrooms or meeting spaces. Increasingly in 2022, companies can implement remote monitoring and maintenance for audio visual systems to support the advancement of technology. Whether your organization is expansive or small, remote audio visual support teams can significantly reduce operating costs for your business.
Live Streaming: As more people look to tune into events from home, we’re seeing an increased need for equipment that supports live streaming.
Video Walls: In many commercial spaces, there’s often a need for a large video display. In past years, many spaces have opted for projection screens as opposed to large LCD displays or video walls, solely because the cost was much lower. The price of video walls getting close to similar to a projection screen, and the benefits almost always outweigh the slightly higher cost.
Service And Maintenance: As more commercial spaces look for ways to save, there’s been an increasing demand for AV integrators to handle service and maintenance in order to maximize the lifespan of AV products. Businesses are focussing on reducing the overhead costs associated with maintaining and installing the equipment. Companies having expertise in sectors other than AV cannot have a dedicated team to manage and monitor their AV equipment.
Snake oil: Many audiophiles are infected by the snake oil curse, which causes them to chase endlessly after what is supposedly better sound reproduction. Audio interconnect and speaker cables have become a profitable business built on imaginative marketing and misinformation. This market now extends into power cords, HDMI, and optical cables. Untold sums of money have been wasted on the fanciful claims of cable vendors. There is lots of ridiculous pieces of pseudo-audiophile nonsense out there. Try to avoid this bullshit in 2022. Try to to restore peace of mind, and the enjoyment of music.
Hybrid environment: Although some employees are returning to the office, it is doubtful that society will return to an entirely on-site work environment. Remote workspaces from 2020-21 on will now be ‘Hybrid’ (home and office). AV technologies are playing a crucial role in creating a modern working environment. Hybrid technologies are changing their form, we had just a Skype call before the pandemic and now we have Zoom, Microsoft Team Rooms, Google Meet, etc with more advanced features allowing space for seamless collaboration and communication. Hybrid environments are expected to go beyond that with continuous innovation and development. Remote employees, distant customers, healthcare providers, and educational institutions can utilize unified communication solutions. It is now increasingly important to adopt technologies that make collaboration easier. At one time, frequent video communications, online learning, and compact hardware design were ambitious audio visual innovations that were hard for people to imagine. Today, they’re top priorities for business, educational, and religious spaces of all types, and are critical to how people interact in those spaces.
Silent Video Gains Momentum: It’s estimated that 85% of short videos viewed on Facebook are watched without sound. Yet as much as 41% of video would be incomprehensible to viewers without sound. Video marketers are using captions, context and other “no-audio” tactics to convey information.
Social Media Goes Video-First: video content is one of the internet’s main attractions. Users are being drawn to video-first platforms. One of the most common reasons people use social media is to view video. But with video streaming set to be as much as 82% of total web traffic by 2022, the importance of video content to marketing strategy is massive and still growing.
Digital audio: Digital audio consumption accelerated in 2021 and commercial engagement followed the audiences. In 2022 we foresee three key commercial trends in the digital audio space: Data-led targeting capabilities provide a powerful way to get advertising cut through, Creativity is a constant rather than a ‘trend’ in advertising and Audience Growth is attracting new advertisers. Programmatic audio is divided into three main supply sources – music streaming (through suppliers like Spotify), podcasts (the biggest opportunity for brands), and online broadcast radio (now more attractive with the addition of data overlay opportunities). Amongst these audio heavyweights we can see emerging innovation in the form of conversational and actionable audio ads.
Virtual and Augmented Reality: Although virtual and augmented reality first entered the public consciousness via video games or social media filters, they are now infiltrating every aspect of our lives. Given the rapid evolution of technology, it is inevitable that these advancements will impact the audio visual industry. Companies specializing in the development of VR and AR technologies are noticing an increase in interest from educational institutions wishing to create an enhanced learning experience. Within the healthcare sector, VR solutions are assisting healthcare professionals with socializing medically isolated patients. Virtual reality has been in development within the audio visual industry for many years. In 2022, virtual reality is becoming mainstream. Or at least tries.
Shift from linear TV to streaming: Video streaming goes beyond traditional TV viewing for people under 45. The lion’s share of viewing by those over 45 is still grabbed by linear television.
919 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.fox13news.com/news/french-manufacturer-destroys-counterfeit-high-end-speakers-in-tampa?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2u_TzlvgkK-7y4EhPZzynWeg3TXLf45mUR1UIIrPFSRsdBj3XUpp4i_qQ_aem_AXEVUXWs6y257yXzhDa7L17mcaNIjQU_bhz54Y88MFmrcVwfNErT40HcWt31wK_iJe798a_AnkqOjfShqxuaqgau
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.digikey.fi/en/articles/a-comparison-of-digital-pdm-and-i2s-interfaces-in-mems-microphones
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/high-quality-pdm-microphone-interfacing-using-off-the-shelf-socs/
https://community.st.com/t5/stm32-mcus-products/pdm-microphone-as-quot-dsd-over-usb-quot-or-network/td-p/669559
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.nordic.infocenter.nrf52832.ps.v1.1%2Fpdm.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/05/09/an-audio-delay-the-garden-hose-way/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Moondrop MIAD 01: A Smartphone With Balanced Audio Output
https://hackaday.com/2024/05/09/the-moondrop-miad-01-a-smartphone-with-balanced-audio-output/
Over the past several years we have seen smartphones regrettably lose features which were once standard, such as FM radios, IR blasters, status LEDs, physical buttons, micro SD card slots, and of course headphone jacks. An interesting counterpoint here regarding the latter is the newly released Moondrop MIAD 01 smartphone.
As a relatively well-known manufacturer of audio equipment including in-ear monitors (IEMs), the announcement of a smartphone came out of left field, but the specifications make sense. Of particular interest are the dual audio jacks: one 3.5 mm TRRS and one 4.4 mm balanced TRRS, making it a good match for high-end headphones that support balanced audio.
While the smartphone hardware is your average mid-range selection, featuring a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC — its main selling point are the dual Cirrus Logic MasterHiFi DACs, that power the dual audio jacks. It’s also the reason behind the name: Mobile Internet Audio Device, or MIAD for short.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Miss your phone’s headphone jack? The Moondrop Miad 01 brings it back
News
By Scott Younker
published April 30, 2024
New Moondrop Android phone targets audiophiles with built-in DAC and dual headphone jacks
https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/android-phones/miss-your-phones-headphone-jack-the-moondrop-miad-01-brings-it-back
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://avecom.suomilammi.fi/uutiset/Blackmagic-Designin-NAB-uutuud-49.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=blackmagicdesign_nab24&utm_content=img_pyxis&fbclid=IwAR0D5snsObm7Ma_suyuC2RN0s2Lrnuuo03PnDpQ5AWp4jmEz4DobN_JPoVM_aem_AWkMylPlye4inhz8HUZaMNBUGXsbj3eacpp2R6w5Nc_Tp7w9tnnGz40HsuVK8ZnxjRYgiY4wdjuVVyjxsWBQsdZn&utm_id=23852990098120385&utm_term=23853671955020385
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/05/13/broken-lens-provides-deep-dive-into-camera-repair/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://kujamedia.fi/caset/kansallisen-veteraanipaivan-paajuhlan-tekninen-toteutus-2024/?fbclid=IwAR0QyUgyrMQo2oRruzbJgalZLIw55qtwRb1L6onGxM9ohDQcVN3PQ76o0jE_aem_AZ6jGv4PIvf4_JRtIF3QK549gI9Tl1f5gyz1yKHVCHupxAGCcJ5Vcsdq0hu6rhDBl1bT5g_rKGZ4Ug3WmQ6bfLBH&utm_medium=paid&utm_source=fb&utm_id=120208756029080762&utm_content=120208756029340762&utm_term=120208756029250762&utm_campaign=120208756029080762
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nikkei Asia:
Foxconn’s Sharp shifts focus to consumer electronics and AI after decision to exit TV display production, and is looking to sell its camera, chip device units
Foxconn’s Sharp pivots to AI after decision to exit TV display production
https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/Foxconn-s-Sharp-pivots-to-AI-after-decision-to-exit-TV-display-production
TOKYO/TAIPEI — Japanese electronics maker Sharp said on Tuesday that it will halt work at its unprofitable TV displays factory in Osaka and sell other device businesses as it shifts focus to consumer electronics and artificial intelligence applications.
The company is a subsidiary of Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision Industry, also known as Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics maker.
“We are in a downward spiral … We can’t invest enough on our promising brand business [including consumer electronics], because Sharp’s ability to generate cash is not improving,” President and CEO Wu Po-hsuan said in an online press conference.
Sharp said it will end production at its major display factory for TVs in Sakai, a seaside city in Osaka, by September this year. It will cut production of smaller panels at other factories, and will also consider selling some device businesses, including smartphone camera parts and semiconductors for displays. Sharp is “in talks [with] Foxconn and other companies” to sell these businesses, Wu said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://audiovideo.fi/author/mauri-pannari/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2024/05/20/perustason-tv-lahetykset-loppuvat-2025/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Janko Roettgers / The Verge:
An interview with Netflix’s senior encoding technology director Anne Aaron about the company’s cutting-edge codecs, preparing for livestreaming, and more
Inside Netflix’s bet on advanced video encoding
How cutting-edge codecs and obsessive tweaks have helped Netflix to stay ahead of the curve — until now.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/22/24171581/netflix-bet-advanced-encoding-anne-aaron
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hawk Tuah -ilmiö villitsi somen – Tästä seksivinkistä puhuvat nyt kaikki
Öinen katuhaastattelu nousi hetkessä ilmiöksi.
https://www.iltalehti.fi/viihdeuutiset/a/eca70abc-fcf0-4176-af74-2c3384264c0f
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/sony-stops-producing-blu-ray-and-optical-disks-for-consumer-market-business-to-business-production-to-continue-until-unprofitable
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung Unveils Versatile Image Sensors for Superior Smartphone Photography
https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-unveils-versatile-image-sensors-for-superior-smartphone-photography
New lineup features industry-leading 200MP and 50MP sensors, bridging the gap between main and sub cameras for enhanced imaging across all angles
Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today announced three new mobile image sensors designed for both main and sub cameras in smartphones: the ISOCELL HP9, the ISOCELL GNJ and the ISOCELL JN5.
As user expectations for smartphone camera quality and performance continue to rise, Samsung’s latest image sensors deliver stunning results from every angle, setting a new standard for mobile photography.
“Enhancing image sensor performance and bridging the gap between main and sub cameras to offer a consistent photography experience across all angles is the new direction of the industry,” said Jesuk Lee, Executive Vice President and CTO of the System LSI Sensor Business Team at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to set industry standards and push technological boundaries with our new lineup of mobile sensors that integrate the latest advancements.”
ISOCELL HP9: The Industry’s First 200MP Telephoto Sensor for Smartphones
The ISOCELL HP9 features 200 million 0.56-micrometer (μm) pixels in a 1/1.4-inch optical format.
With its proprietary high-refractive microlens featuring a new material, the HP9 significantly enhances light-gathering capability by directing more light accurately to the corresponding RGB color filter. This results in more vivid color reproduction and improved focus with 12% better light sensitivity (based on signal-to-noise ratio 10) and 10% improved autofocus contrast performance compared to the previous product.
Notably, the HP9 excels in low-light conditions, addressing a common challenge for traditional telephoto cameras. Its Tetra²pixel technology merges 16 pixels (4×4) into a large, 12MP 2.24μm-sized sensor, enabling sharper portrait shots — even in dark settings — and creating dramatic out-of-focus bokeh1 effects.
As main cameras in premium smartphones grow in size, the room for telephoto cameras is also increasing. The HP9’s large optical format makes it suitable for telephoto modules, delivering performance that matches premium main cameras in image quality, autofocus, high dynamic range (HDR) and frames per second (fps).
Powered by a remosaic algorithm, the HP9 offers 2x or 4x in-sensor zoom modes, achieving up to 12x zoom when paired with a 3x zoom telephoto module, all while maintaining crisp image quality.
ISOCELL GNJ: Integrating Cutting-Edge Pixel Technology Innovations
The ISOCELL GNJ is a dual pixel sensor with 50 million 1.0μm pixels in a 1/1.57-inch optical format.
Each pixel houses two photodiodes, enabling fast and accurate autofocus, similar to the way human eyes focus. The image sensor also simultaneously captures full color information for quick focusing with sustained image quality.
The GNJ combines dual pixel technology with an in-sensor zoom function to deliver clearer footage in video mode and higher-resolution images free from artifacts or moiré2 patterns in photo mode.
All of these innovations have been achieved with less power consumption, featuring a 29% improvement in preview mode and 34% in video mode at 4K 60fps.
ISOCELL JN5: Consistent Camera Experience From Every Angle With Broad Color Range and Excellent Autofocus
The ISOCELL JN5 features 50 million 0.64μm pixels in a 1/2.76-inch optical format.
Dual vertical transfer gate (Dual VTG) technology increases charge transfer within pixels, substantially reducing noise in extreme low light conditions for clearer image quality.
Leveraging Super Quad Phase Detection (Super QPD), the JN5 adjusts focus by comparing phase differences both vertically and horizontally, catching even the smallest details of rapidly moving objects with minimal shake.
Additionally, the JN5 incorporates dual slope gain (DSG) technology to enhance its HDR. This technology amplifies the analog light information entering the pixels into two signals, converts them into digital, and then combines them into one data, expanding the range of colors that the sensor can produce.
Implementing hardware remosaic algorithms improves camera shooting speed while enabling real-time zoom in both preview and capture modes without any delay.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.thomann.de/blog/en/podcasting-and-streaming-101-beginner-setup-for-streamers-and-gamers/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Las Vegas’ dystopia-sphere, powered by 150 Nvidia GPUs and drawing up to 28,000,000 watts, is both a testament to the hubris of humanity and an admittedly impressive technical feat
News
By Andy Edser published 11 July 2024
The Las Vegas Sphere might have an impressive spec sheet, but its energy demands are almost as staggering.
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/las-vegas-dystopia-sphere-powered-by-150-nvidia-gpus-and-drawing-up-to-28000000-watts-is-both-a-testament-to-the-hubris-of-humanity-and-an-admittedly-impressive-technical-feat/#lykecwfpwxh33hif5gn
Now Nvidia has revealed that the displays of the now-iconic Las Vegas Sphere—a gigantic spherical entertainment arena sitting at the heart of Sin City—are powered by 150 of its RTX A6000 desktop workstation GPUs.
For those that like big numbers, well, hold onto your hats. Each of those GPUs feature over 10,752 cores, 48 GB of memory and have a 300 W TDP, for a grand total of 1,612,800 cores, 7,200 GB of GDDR6 memory, and a potential maximum power draw of 45,000 W at full tilt (via Wccftech).
And that’s just the beginning of the staggering figures. Those GPUs power 16 internal displays, each with a resolution of 16K, alongside 1.2 million programmable LED pucks coating the exterior of the sphere. Content is streamed from an outside facility using Nvidia BlueField DPUs and ConnectX-6 DX NICs via Nvidia’s Rivermax media streaming software, which ensures everything stays in sync across all those screens.
All of that hardware comes at a cost. Beyond the $2.3 billion spent on its construction, it’s estimated that the Sphere is capable of drawing 28,000,000 watts of power.