In-depth: AMX European Roadshow 2014

The AMX European Roadshow came to London recently, hot on the heels of Infocomm. The idea behind it is simple: to relate all the breaking product news from AMX, with talks from company president and CEO Rashid Skaf, and his senior management team. The packed agenda included the use of AV in an IT world, a company ipdate following its acquisition by the Harman Group and product demonstrations. 

Following the recent acquisition, many attendees were clearly interesting to see what changes will be made to the AMX portfolio. The new slogan 'AV for an IT world' seems to show the direction AMX want to take. The company seems determined to use its AV solutions technology to make control simple for the business world. With the workspace changing technology needs to follow, says Kevin Morrison VP of Global Sales. "The global market is very important to AMX, and we bring a very high level of service to every one of our clients"

In the last 36 months AMX have been busy bringing a raft of new products to the market, including the Enzo presentation system (pictured above) for meeting rooms. The idea is to make it easy to instantly access and share information with others in your meeting. The device is small and compact with an HDMI out connection and supported resolutions of 720p and 1080p. It's also compatible with 802.3AF Compliant Power over Ethernet (PoE) Injectors such as AMX PS-POE-AF-TC. It has 4 x USB ports for USB readers and wireless keyboards and mice.

Enzo software is set up to make everything simple, point and click seems to be the nature of the day. The integration with Dropbox is a great plus point. You log on to your folder via a password or a QR code scanned by a mobile device and you have access to all your Dropbox folders.

If you are worried about security, don't be:  when you finish any presentation, the Enzo software logs you out and deletes any links and cache held on clients' computers. Enzo has a dedicated Applications button, which makes it easy to find commonly used web-based apps by simply creating a shortcut. These can be launched directly from here into a full screen window to maximize application viewing.

Also new from AMX is its SERENO video conference camera which comes with a 120° wide angle lens and x5 zoom; it's great for small rooms as everybody is seen in the picture. For security it comes with both a camera and a Sound Off slider, giving you peace of mind that you are not broadcasting anything you don't want.

Probably the most important new launch for the brand are the next generation Netlink NX processors (the NX-4200 is pictured below). If you have ever used an AMX processor you'll know they are bulletproof, so any major upgrade has to offer the same reliability and build quality. The new range promises to be faster, offermore memory, and has IPV6 compatibility. They also now comes in a 1u format.

New Massio keypads have been added to the AMX range. Massio ControlPads are a perfect solution for huddle spaces and smaller conference rooms and classrooms, as they provide improved usability and simple programming with RMS integration using RPM, and updated styling. The Massio ControlPad has a built-in Ethernet port and mounts into a standard two gang UK or EU back box.

AMX has also updated its Rapid Project Manager software to version 2 (picture below); RPM is a cloud-based configuration tool that allows AV techs or IT pros to configure an AMX system by using a step-by-step wizard-based approach. RPM simplifies more than just the configuration, it's a tool designed to help throughout the process, from start to finish. With no programming required, the user can configure a project, create a user interface and generate step-by-step instructions on how to install the system.

Users can upload projects on AMX.com, allowing installers to access and manage them from anywhere. RPM 2.0 includes DX link point to point support and a new simple RPM uploader.

We rate the AMX Roadshow as a perfect format for those that did not have the time to visit Infocomm; all the news was delivered in sound bites with the added bonus of a never ending coffee supply and a buffet lunch. And it was a great touch having all the senior product team managers at hand to ask questions. The injection of Harman Group support it seems will only take AMX to new heights, great products and a great backup from global control manufacturers.

For more on the AMX product portfolio, visit our partner page here.