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JUNE 2021
We’re Keeping Busy at ZeeVee These Days...
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 As we approach the middle of the year, we wonder where the time has gone. Like all of you, we’ve been hustling and keeping busy. This month is no exception as we are rolling out a new ZyPer4K product, working with the World Health Organization to put the finishing touches on a major project and continuing with our well-attended series of SIGNAL Partner and Certified Solutions Partner training webinars.
First, the product – we are proud to introduce ZyPer4K XS, a smaller footprint model in our award-winning line of encoders and decoders. This latest addition further expands our line of the most comprehensive SDVoE/AVoIP solutions for a wide range of markets including enterprise, government, retail, entertainment, education and beyond. You can read more on this in the technology spotlight section in this issue.
At the World Health Organization (WHO) HQ in Geneva, which has a particularly high profile these days, we are helping our integration partners Ageda and Axians put the finishing touches on a major project that includes the distribution of content throughout its headquarters to a network of monitors and video walls. In addition to ZyPer4K SDVoE AVoIP encoders and decoders, the latest version of our ZyPer Management Platform is making it possible for WHO personnel to create dazzling multiview presentations on the fly via a very flexible software solution that would not be feasible with traditional hardware and engineering approaches.
This month, we continue our series of Certified Solution Partner Training sessions that focus on the wide array of possibilities our ZyPer Management Platform presents to you and your customers for creating multiview presentations on-the-fly. They’ll also be a basic primer to get you up to speed on the latest technologies in the SDVoE/AVoIP and RF arenas. We’re excited to be teaming with our partner Siemon North America to present a session on the importance of cabling in AVoIP systems. The full schedule of events appears in the ZeeVee SIGNAL Sessions section of this newsletter. I can’t tell you how heartened I am by the continued strong attendance these events have been attracting over the last year.
On a final note, we’re hearing good feedback on our monthly employee of the month column in this newsletter. We are very proud of our company and the people that have made it a mover and shaker in the pro AV market over the last 14 years. By letting you get to know our employees, you get to know ZeeVee a bit more. It’s that simple.
As we enter a new month, we look forward to continued momentum as a company with new opportunities. We certainly wish the same for you.
All the best,
Bob Michaels
CEO, ZeeVee
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Mark Your Calendars for Our Upcoming Webinars
- June 10: Advanced Imaging: This session, hosted by Art Weeks, will provide a technical dive into how ZyPer4K (SDVoE) and ZyPerUHD (JPEG2000) AVoIP encoders and decoders, as well as the ZyPer Management Platform, work together to enable visually spectacular multiviews, blended projection images and video walls. Attendees will earn one AVIXA CTS credit.
- June 15: SIGNAL Sessions webinar on ZeeVee's new Encoder and Decoders the ZyPer4K-XS along with the Hottest Features of the New ZyPer Management Platform: Join your host Art Weeks as he provides an overview of the ZyPer4K-XS, ZeeVee new small form factor encoders and decoders, and then demonstrates the latest features that have been added to the industry’s most comprehensive video distribution control system. You can register for this webinar here.
- June 17: ZeeVee Certified Solution Partner Training on AVoIP and RF Modulation: Are you a system integrator or AV installer looking to become an AV over IP and RF expert? Join us for this informative session and receive up to 3.5 AVIXA CTA credits.
- June 22: Why Network Cabling Matters for Your AV over IP Applications: ZeeVee joins our partner Siemon North America to provide participants with background on the cabling requirements and other considerations necessary to properly engineer a network to support the delivery of compressed JPEG2000 (1Mbps) or uncompressed 4K SDVoE (10Mbps).
You can get additional information and register for these, and other upcoming events, via this link.
Our SIGNAL Partner website provides access to past SIGNAL Session and Certified Solution Partner Training webinars. To learn more about becoming a ZeeVee SIGNAL Partner, go to this link or contact sales@zeevee.com.
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 Rockbot TV, headquartered in Oakland, Calif., offers a content delivery platform whose mission is to simply and reliably stream the right media to make a guest’s experience great. The firm recently updated three airports in Oakland, St. Louis and Cleveland with ZeeVee ZVpro 820 encoder/modulators that deliver content to LG monitors from Rockbot media players. The new AV systems deliver engaging programming to passengers in the terminals waiting for their flights.
“ZeeVee’s ZVpro 820 encoder/modulators provided a two-channel solution so that operators could switch between delivering a wide variety of general and localized content—including ABC network programming, news, lifestyle features and advertising—on one, and live event, news and sports coverage on the other,” said Lukas Prassinos, director of customer experience at Rockbot. “We’ve worked with ZeeVee before and were confident they would be able to respond to the very tight timeline we had to complete this project. They really came through with timely delivery and project support.”
Brazos Media Technologies (BMT), based in Waco, Texas, is a pro  AV sales, installation and rental company serving a diverse customer base. It recently completed a project for the Waco Regional Tennis Center that deployed ZyPer4K encoders and decoders to deliver content from 10 sources to 14 monitors and a 2 x 2 video wall.
“ZeeVee’s been a great partner and stuck with as we reached out for assistance on long nights and weekends during the installation. The end result was wonderful and the client is very happy with the project.”
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We are proud to announce the latest addition to our family of ZyPer4K encoders and decoders, the ZyPer4K-XS!
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These smaller footprint encoders and decoders bring a robust feature set, including all-aluminum chassis, fanless thermal management and support for 10Gb PoE+. Most importantly, they bring the SDVoE AVoIP distribution of uncompressed 720p, 1080p HD, Ultra HD and 4K resolution content and reliability on which your customers have come to depend, to more environments—including rental and staging, performance arts, yachts and military applications.
In addition, the ZyPer4K-XS platform allows for the distribution and switching of high definition uncompressed video, audio and control via off-the-shelf 10Gb Ethernet switches (both fiber and copper). Their IP-based architecture enables the switching from one source to another without any loss of frames – even at 4K resolutions and feature a 1GB utility port and USB HID support.
Like their “big brothers,” The ZyPer4K-XS encoders and decoders deliver these standard features:
- Uncompressed zero latency UltraHD (4K/60) video, audio, and control
- Lossless transport of 7.1 audio signals including all encoded formats and uncompressed linear PCM.
- HDMI 2.0 (full 4K 4:4:4 60Hz support)
- HDCP 2.2 compliant
- 128-bit AES encryption
- Supports HDR10 and HDR10+
- ZMP (ZyPer Management Platform) with software GUI allows simple set up and control of ZyPer4K.
- Video wall and multiview support
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“ProAV has never relied on trade organizations to define technology for content distribution. For us, the "standard" is the solution that works.”
 We’re starting to hear a lot about IPMX, the fledgling video distribution platform built on the SMPTE ST 2110 suite of broadcast specifications, as a proposed pro AV solution. How does it stack up against SDVoE? We thought we’d explore this with SDVoE Alliance President Justin Kennington.
SDVoE, which was created from the ground up to address use cases encountered in the pro AV market, was introduced in 2016 and has since built a formidable track record in deployments in a wide variety of education, healthcare, enterprise, entertainment, government and military environments. IPMX, on the other hand, is still in the development stage and merely promising to eventually add specific features to meet the unique requirements of pro AV users. Few of these features and basic pro AV capabilities are currently available to the market, and the whole technology stack is unproven outside the highly-controlled environment of the broadcast studio.
Most importantly, perhaps, is that you can’t buy a piece of IPMX gear yet. It sounds great, conceptually, but nothing is currently available that can be put to the test. SDVoE is a well-established standard with a catalogue of over 700 products available for deployment today from more than 50 manufacturers. IPMX is still in development and it will inevitably be years before any products are for sale that deliver on the many promises that the IPMX group claims they will deliver.
Other key points in the comparison include:
- SDVoE has evolved to the point that it is ASIC-based: The only implementation of IPMX that exists is FPGA-based. FPGAs are valuable for their flexibility and ease of development, but the consumers of FPGA-based products pay a high price in dollars and in power consumption. SDVoE has been implemented on FPGA as well as ASIC platforms, which are fully interoperable with one another. Mainstream users can enjoy low capital costs and low operating costs with the ASIC, while niche applications can be served by SDVoE’s FPGA-based implementations. The power savings of an ASIC can be greater than 80% compared to an FPGA.
- SDVoE provides an open API: The SDVoE Alliance set a goal to make our platform the “Android of Pro AV.” We believe that by creating an open software platform based on standardized and widely available hardware, we can harness the creativity of the entire pro AV industry and enable the best user experiences possible. We are now training the first cohort in the SDVoE Developer Certification Program. In summer 2021, we’ll make the cross-platform SDVoE API available publicly and completely free. Free training around the SDVoE API will be ongoing.
- SDVoE is license and royalty free: Manufacturers enjoy using SDVoE technology without the encumbrance of licenses or royalties which are so often required with other standards including the JPEG XS codec (which may be an integral part of IPMX implementations).
- SDVoE is designed to work on any network switch: Network convergence is an emerging reality and AV is fast becoming the responsibility of IT departments in many organizations. SDVoE systems are built on any commercial off-the-shelf network switches without special configuration.
IPMX comes from a background of highly-architected broadcast networks dedicated 100% to video that are built on specialized switch fabrics, typically supplied in an end-to-end system by a broadcast equipment manufacturer. How well will that play with enterprise IT networks?
- SDVoE is easy to implement: We even offer free network design assistance by our networking experts based in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. They’ll help you design SDVoE systems with zero-latency and uncompromised video performance and realize the substantial cost savings and greater system flexibility and scalability SDVoE has to offer.
IPMX is super complex based on SMPTE ST 2110 and NMOS broadcast specs with AV-essential features to be added by SMPTE, AMWA, VSF and the AIMS Alliance.
- SDVoE advanced processing features are built in: SDVoE includes cropping, scaling, compositing, colorspace conversion, framerate conversion and other advanced processing capabilities needed in pro AV applications such as video walls. With IPMX, you’re on your own to add expensive devices as modeled on the broadcast industry.
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Live WireSystems Integration Asia
ZeeVee Adds Major Enhancements to ZyPer Management Platform
April 18, 2021
To further speed the adoption of AVoIP signal distribution in the pro AV marketplace, ZeeVee, Inc. is  introducing the latest upgrades to its ZyPer Management Platform that provides advanced multiview, preset and grid features further enhancing the popular platform’s functionality and user experience. The latest version, designed for the company’s ZyPer4K (SDVoE, uncompressed 4K, 10 Gbps) and ZyPerUHD (JPEG2000, compressed, 1 Gbps) AVoIP encoders and decoders, enables source content to be simply dragged and dropped onto video wall displays via an intuitive onscreen interface. The multi-codec control system is regularly cited by ZeeVee customers as a key differentiator in their choosing ZeeVee AVoIP products. The upgrade is available to current users free of charge. Here is the link to the entire story.
Professional Systems (German)
ZeeVee is growing in the DACH region
April 30, 2021
 Efficient digitization is primarily achieved through standardized technologies and the ability to manage them centrally – a requirement that is driven by the companies and organizations that want to use these technologies. As an expert in AV signal distribution, ZeeVee wants to turn these technological challenges into a competitive advantage. Here is the link to the entire story.
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Employee of the Month – Bill Brinkmann
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 There are few things worse than being sent a product that doesn’t work like it should, which is why ZeeVee has Bill Brinkmann, quality assurance engineer extraordinaire and our employee of the month. Bill has been with the company for five years and handles software testing on new versions of firmware for our RF and AVoIP products.
As the saying goes, “teamwork makes the dream work,” and that’s exactly what Bill likes most about working at ZeeVee. “When it comes to the employees at ZeeVee, there are no egos to massage. From our CEO, Bob Michaels, to our latest hire, everyone works together like a well-oiled machine to address problems and implement solutions,” said Bill.
Prior to working at ZeeVee, most of Bill’s career was spent working in the network switch and router market, where he admits he took the pro AV industry for granted. Since joining the team in April 2016, he’s come to value the role AV components play in making a system work seamlessly. From restaurants to stadiums to assisted living facilities, there are few markets that the pro AV industry isn’t involved in – and that’s exactly what Bill has come to appreciate.
“ZeeVee is a small company, but what we lack in employees, we make up for in talent,” said Bill. “The people who develop and support our products are undoubtedly some of the smartest and most innovative people I have ever worked with in my career.”
Speaking of innovation, Bill is the mastermind behind the ZyPer controller, which provides a robust API allowing seamless third-party control integration. His program enables the controller to scan any local network to find all active ZeeVee products.
Bill is a self-proclaimed “gearhead.” If it has an engine – snowmobiles, dirt bikes, motorcycles, trucks, tractors, sports cars, etc. – you can bet he’s owned one. He’s also proud to say that he’s very seldom had to seek the assistance of a repair shop. Right now, the jewel in his shop is a 1971 914 Porsche that he’s had for 27 years (see photo above). In addition to the Porsche, Bill is also married to his wife, Tobey, and lives happily in Sterling, Massachusetts.
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