Digest - Friday the 8th of September 2017

Sunshine Coast Branch 3 Year Anniversary Celebrations

The NAS Australia Sunshine Coast team would like to thank you for supporting the branch for the past 3 years. Please help us to celebrate by joining us on the 21st September for an evening of product demos, unbeatable specials, lucky door prizes and complementary food and beverage.  An invitation is attached for your consideration.

Branch Training Invitations

Newcastle - Security/Data Product Showcase Tuesday the 12th of September

Please join us at our Mayfield Showroom on Tuesday the 12th of September for a showcase of the latest CCTV, Intrusion and Enterprise Wi-Fi products from WAMA, Risco and Ubiquiti.  We still have some space available.  An invite is attached for your consideration.

Brisbane - Security/Data Product Showcase Thursday the 14th of September

Please join us at our Newstead Showroom on Thursday the 14th of September for a showcase of the latest CCTV, Intrusion and Enterprise Wi-Fi products from WAMA, Risco and Ubiquiti.  We still have some space available.  An invite is attached for your consideration.

Cairns - Security/Data Product Showcase Tuesday the 19th of September

Please join us at our Cairns Showroom on Tuesday the 19th of September for a showcase of the latest CCTV, Intrusion and Enterprise Wi-Fi products from WAMA, Risco and Ubiquiti.  We still have some space available.  An invite is attached for your consideration.

NAS Australia Mobile Showroom Launched in Cairns

On Friday the 1st of September 2017 NAS Australia launched its new Mobile Showroom in Cairns.  The Mobile Showroom allows Trade Customers to obtain hands-on experience of NAS’s diversified product range without having to leave their place of business.

The NAS Australia Mobile Showroom allows NAS Customers to see, hear and test featured products from the following manufacturers: WAMA (CCTV), Risco (Intrusion), Paxton (Access Control), DoorBird (IP Intercom), Ubiquiti (Wireless PtP), Blustream (HDMI Distribution), Altech UEC (VAST Satellite Integrated TV), McLelland (Multi-room Audio), Novonde (Speakers), On Controls (Control system), Toshiba (TV's) and Sanus (AV Racks and Mounts).

Over the next 12 months the Mobile Showroom will travel the East Coast of Australia showcasing the NAS Australia diversified product range to interested trade customers and dealers.  For more information on when the Mobile Showroom will be visiting a town near you please contact Craig Sinclair on 07 3015 8700 or email craig@nasaustralia.com.au.

NAS Offers Free MATV/FTA TV and Satellite TV Training

NAS has always seen itself as a proactive industry partner, and as such, we feel it's our responsibility to put back into the industry some of the information we have gathered, and experiences gained, over the past 35 years by way of FREE industry training.

Over the last 6 weeks NAS MATV System Designer Trong Ngyuen has conducted numerous free Basic MATV, TV and Satellite Training sessions for NAS customers in Brisbane and Cairns.  The sessions have been very well received and have been tailored to suit the experience level of the attendees and the outcomes that the attendee's organisations wanted to achieve.  Should you feel as though you or your staff would benefit from our training services please contact Trong on 07 3015 8700 or email trong@nasaustralia.com.au.

Network Basics Tutorials on Vimeo

NAS has started a series of free instructional videos on Networking Basics aimed at existing and new NAS customers with no experience with IT or networking topics. Sessions will cover the very basics of what a network is and used for; and will move up from there to cover topics such as addressing, and basic troubleshooting.

The Vimeo Album for the series is available here.

Trade Only Product Specials

Saitell/Dahua CCTV Run Out Specials

As reported in the last Digest, NAS Australia has been appointed as the Australian Distributor for WAMA Video Surveillance Solutions, and as such, we need to clear out our existing Saitell (Dahua OEM) CCTV stock.  Should you be in the market for some fantastic IP and AHD CCTV camera and NVR specials, please contact your NAS Australia Sales Rep and ask for a copy.

Risco NAS Australia Spring Specials

As reported in the last Digest, NAS Australia has been appointed as a Risco Distributor. To get the sales ball rolling we have some fantastic spring specials on offer.  Please contact your NAS Australia Sales Rep and ask for a copy.

Industry News

Product Focus

SANUS MountFinder - the best gets better

SANUS has revamped its well-regarded MountFinder™ and HeightFinder™ tools to provide assistance for customers wall mounting any flat-screen TV.  As soon as you visit the SANUS website and select MountFinder you are provided with a visual at-a-glance features and benefits chart, explaining the differences between full motion, tilting and fixed mount designs.

The HeightFinder tool can be used to ascertain the correct mounting position.  Again, using a graphical interface, select the make and model of the TV, answer a couple of simple questions including the desired height from the floor for the TV and the HeightFinder works out the position of the screw holes.

SANUS Online Tools - Installation Videos

Clicking on the selected model on sanus.com provides several assets, including instruction manuals, technical drawings and, most importantly, simple video instructions on how to install the mount.

Free To Air TV

Free-to-air sports at tipping point, warns Seven

"The battle for sports rights has reached a "tipping point" where free-to-air broadcasters may not be able to afford to bid any higher, says Seven West Media chief executive Tim Worner."

"Mr Worner on Wednesday blamed a "tough market" as Seven reported a $745 million loss for the full year due to a $989 million impairment. The impairment includes a write- down of television assets and other intangibles and losses on investments." The complete Brisbane Times article can be accessed here.

Ten's new owner CBS holds gun to Fox's head

"Network Ten's biggest loser could well be the Murdoch family-controlled 21st Century Fox – which is owed around $200 million for program supply contracts but might recover little more than $3 million – representing around 1.5 cents in the dollar if the sale of the Ten to CBS gets the green light."

"Fox can still achieve a better outcome but only if it agrees to renegotiate a programming agreement - the terms of which have not been disclosed." The complete Brisbane Times article can be accessed here.

Pay TV

Foxtel Welcomes Latest Fed Court Action on Further Piracy Site Blockings

"Today, Foxtel has welcomed the Federal Court’s recent actions to block an additional 127 domain names which provide access to 15 pirate streaming sites and 2 torrent sites."

"The move accompanies Federal Court orders in a separate proceeding, instituted by the film industry, blocking over 40 piracy websites."

"As a result of Foxtel’s site blocking applications, the action increases the number of domain names blocked by the Federal Court to over 250. In total, 65 major piracy sites have now been ordered to be blocked by the Federal Court."  The ChannelNews article can be accessed here.

Sorry, Foxtel – The World Has Moved On, Says Paul Budde

"Independent telecoms commentator Paul Budde says Foxtel’s decline in revenue and subscriber numbers has provided News Corp with the ammunition it needed to break the stranglehold that Telstra has held over Foxtel for more than 20 years."  The ChannelNews article can be accessed here.

CCTV & Security

Cheap CCTV cameras broadcasting Australians' private lives online

"Cheap and poorly installed CCTV systems are broadcasting Australians' private lives online."

"Beyond invading privacy, the exposed cameras are providing an easy access point for criminal hackers."

"Security expert Robin Stenzel alerted 9NEWS to the problem: an open, free to access website that organises and links to any insecure CCTV feed around the world." The 9 News article can be accessed here.

Smart Home/IoT

Global Market for Smart Homes Likely to Reach $137.9 Billion by 2023: Study

"The market for smart homes was valued at US$54.97 billion in 2016 and is expected to grow 13.61% annually between 2017 and 2023, according to a report by Research and Markets."

"The key drivers contributing to the growth of this market include significant advancements in the IoT market; increasing need of the consumer for convenience, safety, and security; and rising need for energy saving and low carbon emission-oriented solutions."  The SMAhome article can be accessed here.

‘Every Country Should Have a Cyber War’: What Estonia Learned from Russian Hacking

This is an article circulated by our IT Manager Mark.  A few interesting comments about security and IoT from a country that is almost totally digitised.

"Estonia’s steps have certainly been radical, and other countries can learn lessons from them about how to defend themselves."

"In 1991, Estonia was part of the dying communist empire. Its economy was run by central planners in Moscow, less than half of all households had a phone line, and goods were so scarce that people had to line up for food."

"Skip ahead 26 years, and Estonians don’t even have to queue to vote. They do that online."

"In just over two decades, Estonia has become one of the world’s most digitally innovative and efficient countries. In fact, Estonians conduct all their civic responsibilities online. Offices and paper forms have become obsolete as state-issued digital identities allow all citizens to carry out any financial or government transaction from their laptops or cellphones. And that gives them an edge when it comes to cybersecurity." The Defense One article can be accessed here.

Economy & Development

High costs of construction threaten Queensland’s industry, developer claims

"Construction costs in Queensland are rising as building approvals plummet, which economists and property industry experts say is a recipe for disaster for the state’s struggling economy and has almost scared off developers completely."

"Economist Michael Matusik recently published research which showed a 5 per cent rise in construction costs for the sunshine state, the highest in the country."  The Domain article can be accessed here.

The RBA's long, dark winter is drawing to a close

"The Reserve Bank sprang into spring on Tuesday by continuing to sit still."

"Well, September 1 was only the popular, not astronomical, start of the season. It nonetheless looks to be the best economic spring in years."

"It's not the birds taking off right now though. It's non-resources investment - at last - and the forecast infrastructure investment boom."

"For the RBA board, the long, dark winter of low wages growth is giving way to spring hope that Economics 101 still works, that the non-resources economy also rises and will carry employment and broader demand."

"While the headline-seeking bears continue to beat the housing drum, there are definite grounds for optimism in last week's load of statistics."

"And that was there in RBA governor Philip Lowe's brief post-meeting statement: "The outlook for non-mining investment has improved recently and reported business conditions are at a high level." " The Brisbane Times article can be accessed here.