It's a Big Box World We're Living In
By Linda Seid Frembes
rAVe Columnist What a weird week for AV news. First, rAVe broke the news on their Twitter feed that Crestron products were being sold on the Dell site, as well as by CDW. Then I read this article by Steve Crowe at Electronic House that Wal-Mart will soon offer in-home installation services for consumer electronics like flat panels TVs and other components. The service will launch in time for the holiday season. Wow, it’s like attack of the Big Box Stores this week.
So, Wal-Mart wants to install TVs and PCs now? Yes, absolutely. The retail giant sees it as a challenge to Best Buy, who offers similar service in their stores, and probably as an untapped market for additional revenue. Crowe’s story explains that “Wal-Mart will charge $99 for basic TV installations and $129 for basic PC setup, which consumers can purchase on a prepaid card. A premium TV service that costs $339 will also offer wall mounting, concealed in-wall wiring and setting up two additional A/V components.”
Wal-Mart also hopes that their hand-holding – pre-consultation, install, tutorial – means that the customer doesn’t return the TV, PC, or components because they don’t know how to set them up correctly.
What makes me nervous about this new service is that they go a bit beyond just a typical “hang and bang” job. The pre-consultation, mounting and in-wall wiring, and post-install tutorial definitely border on the types of services that residential AV/custom integration shops offer, and the additional service to set up your home network means that a streaming media system can be had for a few hundred bucks.
Wal-Mart’s partner in this venture is a privately held company called N.E.W. Customer Service Companies, Inc. (NEW) in Sterling, Virginia. NEW also has a dedicated site for their AV and IT install work at http://www.newcorpinstalls.com/. And according to their FAQ, their 11,000 installers work in 42,000 zip codes, 7 days a week, offering morning, noon, and evening appointments.
NEW’s corporate communications rep, Laura Lechner, answered a few of my questions via email too. She says, “Our installers our licensed by the states they perform the work in. They come from a variety of different fields and they belong to many different trade organizations. We do have CEDIA, NSCA, CEA, COMPTIA certified installers.” And for manufacturer’s certifications, their installers “hold many manufacturers’ certifications. We have installers trained and certified by all types of vendors like Microsoft and Imaging Science Foundation.”
As to how these 11,000 technicians are deployed, she answered, “NEW manages and administers the installation network in the same fashion that we have been managing the Service Techs for over 26 years. Our proprietary software allows us to manage the jobs by skill sets and certification needs. Our installers adhere to all local and state codes and are required to use NEW Installation Standards written by CEST authors. Because we are the contractor on record, we too have to hold the licenses required by the states and we have our own legal compliance team dedicated to keeping both us and our retail partners compliant.”
So let’s see… There is the powerful Wal-Mart brand, backed by a third-party company with high tech deployment tools for 11,000 certified technicians and installs as low as $99. Are you ready to throw up your hands and say “How can we compete with this?!?!” or are you ready to formulate your business plan?
I’ve said it once, if not a thousand times: There will always be people who shop on price and on price alone. And you really have to ask yourself if those people are your target customer. Wal-Mart has deep pockets and long arms, so how can you differentiate yourself? The key is to know your customer and know your local market. Work your referrals. Expand your product knowledge. Educate your customers about your value-add. Do that, and anything else you can think of, because we’re living in a Big Box world. Linda Seid Frembes is a freelance journalist who covers AV technology, installs, market trends and industry news. Linda has worked with high profile AV manufacturers, trade organization, systems integrators, rep firms and dealer/distributors in the industry including John Lyons Systems, Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW), Northern Sound & Light (NSL), and InfoComm International, among others. Reach her at linda@ravepubs.com
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Russound Completes Acquisition of Colorado vNet “Now that the ink has dried, I can tell you we are thrilled to welcome the Colorado vNet team to the Russound Family,” says Charlie Porritt, CEO of Russound. “We are committed to retaining the integrity of the Colorado vNet brand and all its assets while looking at how the two brands can work in tandem to benefit our respective customer bases.”
Colorado vNet will continue to provide its award-winning home control system direct to its authorized dealers and will continue operations out of Colorado. No immediate plans exist to merge the companies’ respective technical support and training programs, but Russound will explore potential for future synergy, including sharing engineering resources.
Says Porritt, “Between Russound’s audio expertise and Colorado vNet’s leadership in automation and integration technologies, we will be able to develop products that will simplify and ultimately redefine the market for whole-house entertainment and control solutions.”
Here’s are the details of the buy-out: http://www.coloradovnet.com/news/press.aspx?id=67 Back to Top CEDIA Announced 2009-2010 Board In our opinion, this is the best board that CEDIA has ever had. They will serve them well!
Chairman
Ken Erdmann, Erdmann Electric, Inc. | |
Vice Chairman
Randy Vaughan, AE Systems Home Automation & Entertainment | |
Treasurer
Randy Stearns, Engineered Environments | |
Secretary
Rich Green, Rich Green, Ink | |
Immediate Past Chairman
Ken Smith, Savi Systems | |
Directors:
Federico Bausone, Mulitsistemas BVC | |
Jared Blackford, NuSystems, Inc. | |
Buzz Delano, Delano Associates | |
Eric Lee, Integrated Control Experts, Inc. | |
Larry Pexton, Triad Speakers | |
Bill Skaer, Eric Grundelman's Cool AV ~FM~ | |
Randy Wilson, Wilson Home Theater Systems ~FM~ | |
Gordon van Zuiden, cyberManor | |
Here’s the official PR from CEDIA on their 2009-2010 Board: http://www.cedia.net/expo/bod_0909.php Back to Top projectiondesign Has Change in Ownership Last month projectiondesign, the Norwegian projector manufacturer known for having some of the most aesthetically pleasing designs, said they are “capitalizing on the growing global demand for high-quality products as well as partner support with the announcement of a change in ownership to include Norwegian private equity firm Herkules Capital AS” (that’s an exact quote from their press release). Translation Option A: We needed capital (money) so we added new major shareholders who could infuse cash. Translation Option B: We saw the potential of these new “owners” as higher-end management who could take us to the next level.
The move follows the purchase of a 54 percent share in projectiondesign from previous main shareholder, Eker Group AS headed by top Norwegian Industrial Designer Bård Eker. projectiondesign told rAVe they currently have 135 employees, including in-house product testing, research and development in electronic, optical and mechanical system design. They were established in 2001.
For more information, go to: http://www.projectiondesign.com/ Back to Top Vizio Licenses Digital TV Patents to Sony Vizio announced last week that Sony Corporation has become a licensee under Vizio’s patent portfolio.
Coincidentally, both companies also announced they’d resolved their ongoing patent disputes, and that Vizio now is a licensee under Sony's color television patent portfolio. "Having successfully resolved the disputes, we shall continue to aggressively protect our rights and actively expand Vizio’s licensing program. As an owner of patent rights and as a licensee of legitimate patent right held by others, VIZIO respects intellectual property and we expect our competitors to do the same," Rob Brinkman, Vizio’s vice president of operations and administration.
To read the announcement for yourself, go to: http://www.vizio.com/news/cat/press/post/VIZIOLicensesDigitalTVPatentPortfoliotoSONY Back to Top CEDIA Lifestyle Award Winners At CEDIA, the CEDIA Lifestyle Award Winners were announced. Go to their site to watch the video on the winners! Congrats to all winners. To see the video, go here: http://www.cedia.net/awards/ |
Back to Top Toshiba's Shows First Cell-Powered TV Toshiba showed off at CEATEC its first Regza TV driven by the famous CPU, the Cell. Priced between 30 percent and 40 percent higher other brands’ models of similar size, the Cell chip gives the 55" LCD TV the brains of a PC and the ability to network.
Toshiba hopes to sell about 1000 a month in Japan, and plans a version for USA next year and Europe later.
Toshiba is also considering selling the "Cell platform," consisting of three circuit boards, to other TV makers, to increase volume and thereby lower the cost of production. In a world where TVs with embedded processing for Internet access and home networking is a sure thing, Toshiba believes its Cell processor may give it an edge over other TV makers who currently dominate the traditional TV business.
To read all the details of the cell-based TVs from the BusinessWeek article, go here: http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/blog/eyeonasia/archives/2009/10/toshiba_puts_ce.html#more Back to Top Runco Launches Five New LCD TVs Last week, Runco announced five additions to its Crystal Portfolio series of LCD displays: the CX-42HD, CX-OPAL42, CX-55HD, CX-OPAL55 and CX-OPAL65. All five displays include Runco’s video processing and their OPAL (Optical Path Alignment) technology.
With these new models, the Crystal Portfolio 42-inch CX-42HD and CX-OPAL42, the 55-inch CX-55HD and CX-OPAL55, and 65-inch CX-OPAL65, now offer 120Hz processing and native 1920×1080 resolution, as well as Runco’s Vivix digital video processing technology. They’re also engineered with ISF calibration standards.
The CX-42HD is shipping with a $3,495 MSRP; the CX-OPAL42 will ship this month with a $4,495 MSRP; the CX-55HD is shipping with a $7,995 MSRP; CX-OPAL55 ships in mid-November with a $9,995 MSRP; and the CX-OPAL65 is shipping with a $17,995 MSRP.
You can see them all at: http://www.runco.com/lcd.html Back to Top projectiondesign Ships LED Projector This is one of the first LED-based projectors we ever saw and we were impressed. Light output isn’t high, but uniformity and colorimetry are incredible. Dubbed the FL32 RealLED, this DLP projector is available in either a 1920×1080 or a WUXGA (more for business apps) model, and it’s specified at 100,000 hours. At about 800 lumens, it’s made for in-the-dark projection – but we saw images from this projector that looked like phosphor-based projection.
You can learn more at: http://www.projectiondesign.com/Default.asp?CatID=1716 Back to Top Optoma Debuts New Flagship HT Projector Dubbed the HD8600, Optoma has launched what they are calling a new flagship Home Theater projector in the form of a 1080p, DLP (using the DarkChip3 from TI) projector with three optional lenses, a better color gamut than their other projectors, and what they call “PureMotion2” for motion compensation. One major problem, though: It’s only available through AVAD.
Although we applaud Optoma for having a projector that’s exclusively available to CIs, we are perplexed at the choice of only using AVAD when there are so many other distribution options out there.
But, truth be told, Optoma has nothing to lose here as they are attempting an industry comeback to relevance and they do have a good product in the HD8600. Though with pricing at $7499, it will be a tough sell against other 1080p projectors out there at half the price and an image quality just as good.
See the Optoma HD8600 at: http://www.optomausa.com/ Back to Top EPSON Updates MovieMate and Launches Cheap 705HD The MovieMate has always been a favorite of ours – not as a primary projector, of course, but we see the portable home theater as a huge growth potential for the HomeAV market. We see it as an opportunity to enter the gaming projector market – something that most CIs haven’t been able to crack. So, at CEDIA when we saw that EPSON had a new MovieMate 60 (at almost twice the brightness of the previous model), we were excited. This version is WSVGA (960×540), 2000 lumens, has a 3000:1 Contrast Ratio, and is priced at $699.
On the other hand, EPSON also launched the Home Cinema 705HD, a 2500 ANSI lumen (Is it really???) 720p LCD projector aimed at first-time home theater buyers or maybe game-room (second-projector) owners. Priced at $749, we see this as an opportunity for CIs.
Back to Top Sonos Finally Bows to iPhone's Superior Interface Dubbed the Sonos ZonePlayer S5, it’s a wireless music system controlled by an iPhone. The S5 takes advantage of the multi-functionality of the iPhone (and turns it into a remote control) and does it for about $400 a room. Here’s a very well done video walkthrough of the new S5 in action including an introduction video: http://www.sonos.com/S5demo There’s no question that Sonos has had an impact on the HomeAV market since it’s sold by everyone, everywhere and many consumers have installed it themselves and then asked us to integrate them into their whole-house control system. By marrying the iPhone and the Sonos ZonePlayer S5 together, this will virtually eliminate the need for a HomeAV integrator, totally. Huh?
Well, maybe not. We certainly see many integrators that are now moving quickly into the world of selling intellectual expertise in home AV technology and are, thus, selling services and really don’t care where the customer gets their gear or what they choose to buy and use. Either way, Sonos’s S5 and iPhone interface will be a big hit.
The S5 features include: - Controlling and playing a world of music, including your iTunes library and all of the popular online streaming service such as Pandora, Rhapsody, Napster, and SIRIUS Radio
- Full wireless control of your music experience with your iPhone, iPod touch (as well as your PC, Mac or dedicated Sonos Controller 200)]
- Multi-room audio
- Simple setup and add-ons
To learn more, go to: http://www.sonos.com/S5demo Back to Top Russound Intros New Acclaim Speakers Where was Russound at CEDIA?
They were there, but, to be perfectly frank, their new product offerings were ho-hum. Of course, they were there showing off their Collage power-line (wireless) music and intercom system that garnered a lot of attention – but it’s not ground breaking by any means. However, their two new Acclaim speakers, the 7W51SFT and 7W52FT square, in-wall speakers were worth the stop at their booth. Both the single-point stereo 7W51SFT and left-right stereo 7W52FT feature a removable, 7.5-degree, fixed-tilt baffle that lets the installer direct the sound in any of four directions. Although they say you can use them in home theaters as Dolby ProLogic IIz “height” channels, we’d stick to using them in pretty much anywhere else in the house.
To read all about them, go to: http://www.russound.com/press/uploads/2109035556_russound_cedia09_acclaim_7w_series_final.pdf Back to Top NAD Debuts 4-Channel Power Amp Designed for CIs The new NAD C 245BEE power amplifier features a 4-channel architecture that provides installers with several system building options. When used with NAD's C 165BEE Preamplifier, it delivers more than enough power to drive virtually any loudspeaker, as well as the option to bi-amplify. Connected to the Zone Output of an NAD AV Receiver, the C 245BEE can also send different music programs to remote speakers.
The C 245BEE is specified by NAD at 35 watts per channel, Minimum Continuous Power, into 4 or 8 ohms, with all channels driven simultaneously, for 20Hz – 20kHz, with 0.03 percent THD (NAD Full Disclosure Power). It can also handle 55W, 85W and 100W Dynamic Power into 8, 4 and 2 ohms, respectively, and 2 x 90W Minimum Continuous Power into 8 ohms in bridge mode.
The C 245BEE has three options for powering up: a front panel switch, a 12V trigger and a signal-sensing 'auto' turn on. In Standby mode, it draws less than 1 watt – qualifying under Energy Star’s new A/V 2.0 spec. One interesting feature is a front-panel 'vacation' switch that completely disconnects the power.
Each input has a 'loop out' feature, allowing multiple C 245BEEs to share the same signal, which is ideal for elaborate custom installations. Pairs of channels can be switched on and off with Speaker A and B switches on the front panel. Additional refinements include a short signal path from input to output, gold-plated sockets, multi-way binding post speaker outputs, and a detachable IEC power cable.
The $599 C 245BEE will ship later this month and you can study all the specs at: http://nadelectronics.com/products/hifi-amplifiers/C-245BEE-Four-Channel-Amplifier Back to Top Extron Ships 72 x 72 Fiber Matrix Extron is now shipping the FOX 4G Matrix 7200, a high performance, modular fiber optic matrix switcher for complete, end-to-end digital A/V signal transmission and routing over fiber optic cable. It is expandable from 8×8 up to 72×72, and supports digital switching at rates up to 4.25 Gbps. With hot-swappable I/O boards, real-time system monitoring, and redundant, hot-swappable power supplies, the FOX 4G Matrix 7200 delivers highly reliable, enterprise-wide switching of fiber optic A/V and control signals for any mission-critical environment. If you integrate restaurants, multi-dwelling buildings, sports bars (which are all frequently done by large HomeAV integrators), this is the ultimate digital matrix.
The FOX 4G Matrix 7200 is compatible with the FOX Series of fiber optic digital transmitters and receivers. It accepts and routes standard definition video, high-resolution computer-video, DVI, and multi-rate SDI. The modular board design features nine board slots that can accept FOX 4G Matrix I/O Boards in multimode and singlemode versions. Also available for the FOX 4G Matrix 7200 is an 8×8 HD-SDI I/O board with BNC connections, allowing it to directly accept and route multi-rate SDI signals. These signals can also be routed to and from the fiber optic inputs and outputs of the matrix switcher, for long distance transmission to and from FOX HD-SDI Fiber Optic Extenders for Multi-Rate SDI.
A host of familiar, integrator-friendly matrix switcher features are available, including I/O grouping, rooming, and memory presets. For optimum performance and reliability, a real-time monitoring system continuously provides self-diagnostics of the I/O boards, fiber links, power supplies, internal fans, and general functions of the switcher. The FOX 4G Matrix 7200 can be remotely configured and operated through the RS-232 serial control port, IP Link Ethernet control, and the optional FPC 5000 Front Panel Controller and MKP 3000 X-Y Remote Control Panel.
For complete details and specs, go to: http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=fox4gmatrix7200&s=2 Back to Top Chief Releases New Features For MountBuilder Chief Manufacturing has announced the expansion of its unique MountBuilder tool to now include a module for visually building flat panel stand and mobile cart solutions. MountBuilder takes the work out of configuring compatible mounting solutions for your flat panel or projector by providing a list of mounts and accessories that will work with your installation. By taking out the guesswork of determining weight capacities or depth measurements, MountBuilder makes life easier for you.
The new module features the latest Chief flat panel carts, stands and accessories, allowing users to build custom solutions, including new accessories for building the ultimate video conferencing or digital signage solution. MountBuilder is a signature tool in the building and specifying of Chief mounting solutions. Besides the Carts and Stands module, MountBuilder also includes modules for building wall and ceiling mounted solutions for projectors and flat panels, making it a comprehensive tool for an integrator’s mounting needs. With the help of MountBuilder, you can visually configure solutions for almost any application.
Another new feature of MountBuilder is Dealer Pricing. Now, registered Chief dealers can activate Dealer Pricing from within Mountbuilder to see their own custom prices for Chief mounts. Also, once a user has completed building a custom configuration, he now has the option of saving it for later access, exporting it as a PDF, e-mailing and sharing the configuration with other users, or saving it as an image.
To try out MountBuilder for yourself, go to: https://mountbuilder.chiefmfg.com/mb.aspx Back to Top Crestron's Mobile Pro iPhone App Now on iTunes Now available for download from the iTunes App Store, Crestron’s Mobile Pro combines the capabilities of Crestron Mobile— to view home or office alarm status and adjust lights and room temperatures — with whole house control, including pre-set audio and lighting scenes, home entertainment, pool/spa and more. Both are compatible with the original iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPod Touch.
With Crestron Mobile Pro, simply tap the screen to select movies, music and TV in any room or adjust volume, light levels and room temperature with just a touch, using either Wi-Fi, 3G, or Edge networks.
You can read all about the App at: http://www.crestron.com/products/show_products.asp?jump=1&model=CRESTRON-MOBILE-PRO Back to Top New LightZing Low Voltage Lighting Controller Debuted at CEDIA We saw this unique product from little-known LightZing and thought it was worth covering. Dubbed the LightZing 1.6, it’s promoted as an affordable, low-voltage 6-zone lighting control system.
LightZing will measure, manage and supply various levels of low voltage power to energy saving halogen or LED lighting and window shades for residential and commercial environments. The stand-alone unit is easily controlled using RS-232 and RJ-45 connectivity and is equipped with a front panel LCD screen for easy set-up and system-monitoring
It’s not Lutron, but it’s an interesting solution for small system applications. Check out LightZing at: http://www.imagecraftersinc.com/
Back to Top Imerge MS1 Goes Through Needed Upgrade Imerge’s MS1 high-end Home Media Server received some needed upgrades this month that include iPhone/iPod Touch navigation of content, automated back-ups, parental control and metadata editing.
Labeled “the world’s most advanced management and archiving solution for high-definition music and movies,” the Imerge’s Media Server MS1 and XiVASafe hard disk storage system received four major updates that significantly enhance the user-interface experience and certainly position it as a market leader. The first is an iPhone/iPod App available from iTunes that allows you to access all the features, functions and content from the MS1 Media server via a wireless touch screen interface. The App is called Imerge Controller and is about $15.
Marrying the MS-1 with Imerge’s XiVASafe hard disc gives you RAID disk array back-up capabilities with redundancy unmatched by any other media server on the market – we have to say it’s impressive! Next, Imerge finally added parental controls – something that everyone asks for but rarely sets. But we think the coolest upgrade is the metadata-editing feature that allows users to find content via virtually any detail. Best of all, you can edit any and all of the metadata; for example, you can write your own synopsis of a movie that will be searchable on your MS1 and eventually by everyone who has an MS1 via the Internet.
To learn more about the new MS1 features, go to: http://www.imerge.co.uk/ImergeExperience/ImergeExperience.htm Back to Top JVC Launches Sub-$200 Blu-ray Player The new JVC XV-BP11 Blu-ray player is just like every other Blu-ray player on the market today in function and compatibility (even AVCHD format content) except that they’re one of the first major labels to break the $200 price point. Not much else to say other than we stand by our prediction earlier this year that we’ll see [name brand] sub-$125 Blu-ray players by Christmas 2009.
To see all the XV-BP11 specs, go to: http://av.jvc.com/product.jsp?modelId=MODL028594&pathId=169&page=1 Back to Top News from Thiel Audio, CEA, NuVo Technologies… Thiel Audio has announced Sage Marketing Solutions as independent sales representation covering Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana… Da-Lite Screen Company has announced a new author of their Angles of Reflection article series, Adam Teevan. Teevan, Da-Lite’s director of international sales, has been with Da-Lite since 2005… The Consumer Electronics Association’s 16th Annual CE Holiday Purchase Patterns Study and CEA‘s 6th Annual Teen CE Holiday Purchase Patterns Study are now available. They are available for download on the CEA Web site to members and for purchase at the CEA store for non-members… NuVo Technologies has promoted Chris Westfall to vice president of global sales and Desiree Webster to marketing manager… Dianne R. King has been appointed general manager of the Ottawa branch of AVW-TELAV… Sencore has announced a new two-day ISF Level II – Advanced Video Calibration workshop. To register, go here: http://www.sencore.com/files/ISF2seminarsignup.php Back to Top For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe HomeAV Edition out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100% opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the high-end HomeAV industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that’s why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
Don’t like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send me feedback, don't reply to this newsletter – instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas: Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
A little about me: I graduated from Journalism School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (where I am adjunct faculty). I’ve been in the AV-industry since 1987 where I started with Extron and eventually moved to AMX. So, I guess I am an industry veteran (although I don’t think I am that old). I have been an opinionated columnist for a number of industry publications and in the late 1990s I started the widely read KNews eNewsletter (the first in the AV market) and also created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue – which is now known as InfoComm IQ. rAVe Publications has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition.
rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004.
To read more about my background, our team, and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com Back to Top Copyright 2009 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 510 Meadowmont Village Circle, Suite 376 – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – 919/969-7501. Email: sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe HomeAV Edition contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors.
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