Digest - Tuesday the 6th of September 2016

Free Blustream Training - Brisbane and Sunshine Coast

In partnership with Blustream, NAS will be holding Free training sessions in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast in October.  Toby Leader from Blustream will conduct the sessions and is a very knowledgeable and engaging trainer.

The course overview is as follows:

Updates on HDMI 2.0
HDR
HDCP2.2
Limitations on HDMI cable distances
Current and future 4K sources

Update on HDBaseT technology
Limitations of HDBaseT technology to deliver 4K content
Clock stretching
Best practices

New Products
PLA matrix range
Video wall and multi view processor
Update on new V2 products
4k & HDCP2.2 management range

HDMI over IP (multicast)
Overview
Demonstrations
Network requirements & Setup
Control from 3rd party control solutions

The Brisbane Session will be held at 28 Newstead Terrace Newstead on Thursday the 20th of October from 7am - 9am.  A complimentary BBQ Breakfast will be served from 6:30am.  Spaces are limited so RSVP's are essential.  RSVP to courses@nasaustralia.com.au

The Sunshine Coast Session will be held at Unit 4/23 Premier Circuit Warana on Thursday the 20th of October from 5pm - 7pm.  Complimentary Pizzas and Beverages will be served from 7pm - 7:30pm.  Spaces are limited so RSVP's are essential.  RSVP to grant@nasaustralia.com.au

Product Releases

Budget Price Point Quad HD Modulator

The HD4660 is a QUAD full HD DVBT modulator with multiple input types. It multiplexes 4 video sources onto one DVBT carrier. The unit features programmable channel and network names, adjustable RF output parameters, adjustable logical channel numbering (LCN) and adjustable attenuation are standard features. The unit’s front-mounted LCD displays the unit status and all adjustments are made via an easy to use WEB GUI.

For pricing please contact your NAS Sales Representative.

A specification sheet can be downloaded here.

More Quality Product from Platinum Tools in Stock

DataLock Locking Sets

DataLock Locking Set for Cat6 and Cat5e Connectors (Clear Colour) in stock.

Protect and secure your data network 24/7. To be used as a locking strain relief for cables that are NOT to be disconnected! When locked, it will remain so until the 'Key- Holder' unlocks it. Also doubles as a snag-proof strain relief.

Patented Design Prevents:

• Cable disconnects
• Unauthorized access
• Malicious disconnects
• Downtime
• Tampering

Available for Cat6 and Cat5e Connectors.  20 pieces supplied in a clamshell. 

Cat5e part number is CONRJ100041CL.

Cat6 part number is CONRJ100042CL.

For pricing please contact your NAS Sales Representative.

Professional Scissors

Designed for use in electrical, telephone and datacom service applications. The ergonomically designed large ring provides more power while reducing fatigue and wrist strain. Designed to comfortably fit in the power portion of the palm producing a cleaner, quicker cut with less effort. Bottom blade has serrated teeth the full length of the cutting edge to grip the cable/wire.

Features:

• Cuts stranded wire to 12 AWG
• Cuts solid wire to 16 AWG
• Trims Kevlar in fiber optic cable
• Strips 19 to 23 AWG wire
• Serrated edges on back of blades for cleaning wire and binding posts
• Made in the USA

Part number is TOO10525C.

For pricing please contact your NAS Sales Representative.

5" Side Cutters

The 5" Side Cutting Pliers are perfectly suited for field or production line work. Use for cutting copper wire or trimming leads with the full flush cutting blades. The tool is manufactured from high carbon tool steel, precision ground and hardened for long life. Moulded comfort grip handle. Rust resistance black oxide finish.

Features:

• Cuts copper wire and soft metals up to 16 AWG
• 21° full flush cut
• Spring action
• Comfort grip vinyl handle

Part number is TOO10531C.

For pricing please contact your NAS Sales Representative.

News Articles

FTA TV

Michelle Guthrie: ABC must be popular beyond pre-schools and aged-care homes

"ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie says she wants the ABC to strive harder to appeal to all Australians, not just children and older audience members, and ensure it is not affected by 'unconscious bias'." 

"The ABC can and must offer distinctive and relevant content not just to the under 12s and to the over 45s but to all Australians. There is no reason why its reach should be less than 100 per cent."  The complete article can be accessed here.

Millennials discover the joy of free-to-air TV

An interesting article from the US reporting a surge in FTA viewing numbers.

"New data shows that increasing numbers of consumers are returning to free-to-air TV watch their shows for free."

"US homes without pay TVGfK released data from a recent survey of 3,009 US consumers showing that 25% of US consumers do not pay for pay TV. 10% have never had service and 12% had service, but have gotten rid of it. 3% weren’t sure if they had pay TV before, but were sure they no longer do."

"Millennials are much more likely than the rest of population to opt for alternatives to pay TV. GfK says 38% of TV homes with someone between 18 and 34 years-old do not subscribe to cable, satellite or telco TV. 22% of these homes are using broadcast-only reception, versus 17% for all homes. This is remarkable when you consider that many millennials grew up in homes that never relied on an aerial for their television reception."  The complete article can be accessed here.

IFA 2016: Plex live TV recording comes to Australia

"Aussies can stream TV recordings to practically any device around their home, or across the internet, after media server giant Plex added access to Australia's free-to-air program guide."

"Going right back to the launch on Windows XP Media Centre in 2002, Australians have been screwed when it comes to services which require access to the program guide – because the local free-to-air networks refused to play ball. The Nine Network even dragged third-party EPG service Ice TV through the courts, with the network insisting it owned the copyright to its evening television schedule." The complete article can be accessed here.

Mobile Video

Mobile video revenue to reach $25b by 2021

"Worldwide revenue from mobile video will reach $25 billion by 2021, according to the latest research by Strategy Analytics."

"Growth in mobile video revenue will be driven by advertisers seeking to reach an increasing audience of users that are consuming video on their smartphones and tablets. The report, Global Mobile Video Forecast: 2010-2021, also predicts users of mobile video to more than double to 2 billion users by the end of 2022, equal to 36% penetration among the global mobile users." The complete article can be accessed here.

32% of smartphone streamers abandon session every other time

"New data shows that premium online video quality isn’t measuring up to expectations. 86% expect a high quality viewing experience from every screen, and many aren’t getting it."

"According to a new report from Verizon Digital Media Services (VDMS), created in collaboration with nScreenMedia, more consumers than ever are watching premium video on all their devices.* The average US adult with broadband and a mobile data plan is watching 14 hours of streamed video a week. This time is spread across all of the connected devices at a consumer’s disposal. On average consumers watch 34% of this streamed video on the connected TV, and 29% on the PC. Given that consumers were asked primarily about premium video services; it is amazing that 37% is viewed on mobile devices." The complete article can be accessed here.

Netflix

Optus Crowned As Netflix Speed King – Telstra Trails The field

"Netflix has crowned Optus as the fastest major Australian Internet service provider using its services in June, according to its speed index rating of ISPs."

"Optus registered 3.41Mbps in fibre, cable and DSL. In second place was TPG with fibre and DSL registering 3.19 Mbps. Then followed iiNet (3.17Mbps) Exetel (3.09) and Dodo-Primus (2.85)."

"Trailing the field was – surprise! – Telstra. Its fibre, cable and DSL services registered just 2.48Mbps speed during prime time, according to Netflix."

"It’s unclear if these speed ratings also apply to data downloads from these sites or are peculiar to Netflix."  he complete article can be accessed here.

Could Blocking VPNs Eventually Be Netflix's Downfall?

"Netflix’s stock has dropped 13 per cent, inspiring speculations about the reasons of the sudden dive. A recent price hike for the service has been quoted as the main reason for the drop, resulting in a much slower client acquisition than has been predicted (only 1.7 million last quarter instead of 2.5 million expected subscribers)."

"VPN (Virtual Private Network) provider NordVPN has another theory, though."

"NordVPN says based on client comments and requests, it is safe to assume that the major reason for Netflix failure to deliver expected results was its crackdown on VPNs — even though Netflix CEO Reed Hastings had previously called VPNs “a very small but quite vocal minority; really inconsequential”. Was he mistaken in his assumptions about the significance of VPNs?" The complete article can be accessed here.

IT

5G To Deliver Disruption: New Players And Services Coming

"The arrival of 5G is set to bring with it disruption to the current service provider landscape, with new players and services emerging, according to Strategy Analytics."

"Amid the 5G evolution, opportunities will emerge for service providers, both traditional and new."

"Service providers will compete 'to offer new ‘as-a-service’ business models and network slicing for dynamic on-demand, service-specific network provisioning to address the needs of particular use cases and services'."

"Strategy states that 5G is envisioned to deliver 'a wide range of new services, use cases and business models, both ones that have been depicted today and new ones still not imagined'." The complete article can be accessed here.

Oz Bucks Trend A Gartner Predicts Flat Spending On IT

"Worldwide spending on technology products and services will be flat for the full 2016 year, market research firm Gartner has predicted in the wake of the Brexit situation. However Australia appears to be doing a little better, with Gartner tipping total technology spending to reach A$83.3 billion in 2016, up 2.8 percent over 2015."

"The news is best for Aussie IT services and software vendors, with services continuing to be biggest spending category, while software is the fastest growing."

"But Garter predicts Australian spending on “devices” – such as mobile phones, tablets, PCs and printers – will continue to fall for the rest of the year."

"On the global scene, Gartner says worldwide spending should total about US$3.41 trillion, up slightly from last quarter’s forecast of 0.5 percent growth, with most of this due to currency fluctuations." The complete article can be accessed here.

IoT

Introducing the Z-Wave Public Specification

"Z-Wave is the world’s most widely-deployed smart home technology, found inside tens of millions of smart products. Now, Z-Wave is also the most open protocol, as Sigma Designs has made the Z-Wave interoperability layer public."

"Four years ago, the Z-Wave radio was donated to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which marked the first milestone toward building a public smart home standard. Four years later, the Z-Wave Public Specification makes Z-Wave interoperability open to any party that wants to work with smart home applications, including IoT devices, cloud services and software plug-ins. Access to  Z-Wave interoperability was previously available only to members of the Z-Wave Alliance, or holders of a Z-Wave Development Kit from Sigma Designs."

"The Z-Wave Public Specification marks yet another milestone in the evolution and democratization of the IoT."  The complete article can be accessed here.

Smart Home Technology Makes Short-Term Rentals More Appealing, Study Finds

"The study, conducted by August Home, found the vast majority of vacationers and business travelers would prefer a rental with smart home technology."

“The short-term rental market continues to grow, fueled by tech innovation,” says Kathy Sanders, CMO of August Home. “The simple addition of a smart lock and a doorbell cam helps new hosts get into the hosting business. Now they can greet guests and manage their property from anywhere.

“And for hosts that have already adopted smart technology, they are able to deliver an even more enjoyable, hassle-free rental experience, whether their guests are on vacation or in town for business.” The complete article can be accessed here.

Column by Parks Associates: Security System Owners More Likely to Purchase New Technologies

"Homeowners who also own security systems are far more interested in and likely to purchase new technologies than households without a security system. Parks Associates research shows households with home security systems are more likely to offer complete agreement to the statement, 'I like staying on top of new technologies and owning the latest device,' than non-owners of security systems." The complete article can be accessed here.

U.S. Smart Home M2M Market Forecasted to Grow 35 Percent by 2020, Report Says

"The smart home M2M market in the U.S. is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 35.23 percent between 2016-2020, according to a new report from Research and Markets. Energy management initiatives are driving market growth, according to the research firm."  The complete article can be accessed here.

Smart Home Market to Exceed $60B by 2021, Forecast Suggests

"The global smart home market is expected to surpass $60 billion by 2021, according to a forecast by Research and Markets."

"Increasing awareness of energy saving among customers, surging demand for real-time home security and growing technological advancements are anticipated to boost the global smart home market during the forecast period. In addition, backed by the expanding Internet of Things (IoT) market, booming M2M communication market and thriving touch-free intuitive gesture control market, the market is expected to register a healthy growth rate over the next five years."

"North America dominated the smart home market in 2015, followed by Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America." The complete article can be accessed here.

NBN

NBN Co ready to launch second satellite

"NBN Co's second custom-built satellite is on track to launch in mid-October, making remote Australia the first area to have a completed NBN service."

"However, the new satellite service also raises the problem of what to do with tens of thousands of satellite dishes installed under the interim service.  And NBN has confirmed it could start selling spare capacity as early as this year."

"SkyMuster II will launch from French Guiana in October and join Sky Muster I in orbit above the Earth's equator. SkyMuster launched in October 2015 and NBN Co has put 10,000 customers onto it since April. Altogether 240,000 customers are expected to be using NBN's satellite service by 2020." The complete article can be accessed here.