Volume 3, Issue 22 – November 29, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Welcome to our new sponsors, Epson America Inc. and Premier Mounts! Welcome to both Epson America and Premier Mounts as new annual sponsors of rAVe Home Edition. Please be sure to support rAVe, and visit them and our other sponsors, by clicking the links to their banners within the issue. Our favorite news item this issue is what Comcast is doing with its video-on-demand service. If you're an integrator selling in an area where Comcast dominates, this is an excellent opportunity to sell large-screen TVs as art, not just as technology. Read the story below. Also in the news, SIM2's new DLP home projector is one of the best of 2006. And it's under $10,000. And did you see the price cuts for the post-Thanksgiving frenzy? Insight Media's Aldo Cugnini rounds them up for us. Enjoy the issue! Gary Kayye, CTS Sub-$1,000 42" Plasma Sets Emerged on Black Friday Editor's Note: While some of these prices at the time of original publication were one-day only (Wal-Mart and Costco, for example), others will stay low through the holidays. It's also an indication of further pre-holiday sales prices to come. The Vizio set is manufactured by V, Inc., a third-tier manufacturer based in Costa Mesa, California, that is building high-spec, low-cost TVs. The company manufactures the product in Thailand. While some reviews suggest that this is no high-performance set, breaking the psychological price barrier at these value-conscious outlets is bound to trigger brisk sales – especially with those consumers having lower technical requirements. While we expect many of these prices to pop back up after the Thanksgiving weekend, we may nonetheless see some price softness as we approach year's end. Meanwhile, other deals – not part of this blitz – are also floating on the Internet. B&H Photo, for one, is advertising the Sanyo PDP-42H2A 42-Inch "HDTV Ready" Plasma Monitor for $899.95. Even though this 1024×1024 display has no tuners, that may be irrelevant to the consumer with an HD cable or satellite set top box. Elsewhere, the Philips 42PF7220A/37B 42-inch Plasma TV can be had for just $933.61, and the Samsung HP-S4253 for $972.00. And the Panasonic set mentioned earlier has been seen as low as $1,049, all of these before shipping. With this kind of price war, we may start see other brands – such as the AOC A42HD84 plasma at $1,221.29 – just fade away. Just missing the $1,000 mark are Wal-Mart's ilo/Tatung 42" plasma display for $1,088, and Circuit City's Panasonic TH-42PX60U 42" set at $1,169.99 (down from $1,599 just three weeks ago at Costco), with free delivery and a 10% coupon. With floor haggling, it's conceivable that units at the electronics-oriented dealers will break the $1,000 mark as well. Compare this with the Panasonic 52 PT52LCX66 RPTV and the 40 Polaroid FLM4034B LCD, both currently at $999.99 at Circuit City. As one would expect, the lowest prices will be found among the 3rd-tier brands. However, there have been almost-linear price reductions in the past six to nine months from the better-known brands such as Sony, Panasonic and Samsung, and these makers will be under growing pressure to continue that trend. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see how many of the lesser-known labels will be here next year. But with 42" LCD prices still topping $2,000 for many brands, we could see that technology taking a big hit this season, and beyond. What continues to confuse the market for many consumers is the mix of EDTV and HDTV at this display size. Many ads are now touting 1024×768 (or 720) XGA as "HDTV," which is a bit of a stretch. Even more bewildering is the wide range of performance in areas such as contrast and scan (and film) conversion. The growing tech savvy of many buyers appears to be counteracting this issue, however, and together with more bargains, we may see the EDTV sets eventually fade out, as consumers increasingly demand, "I want my HDTV." Aldo can be reached at acugnini@agcsystems.com
Knowledge. Productivity. Competence. CEDIA University constantly strives to keep residential electronic systems contractors across the United States knowledgeable, productive, and competent, but now CEDIA has taken its education to the next level. CEDIA University spent three days in November hosting the first annual Jornada Educativa de un dia in Mexico. These one-day events were hosted in three major cities in Mexico: Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey. Over 60 technicians, with an average of 20 attendees in each city, were provided with education from three of the five colleges: Electronic Systems Technician, Business, and Designer curriculums. This marked the first event of its kind for Mexico, relationships were built making each event successful. These events wrap up 2006 for CEDIA in Mexico, but coming in February 2007 is Techsoluciones which will be held in Mexico City, Mexico. For more information contact Brandon Camp at bcamp@cedia.org. As the availability of educational opportunities in Mexico begin to grow and expand, in the United States the availability is endless. Be sure to check out what CEDIA University has in store for you in December. CU On the Road Electronic Systems Technician Basic Residential Boot Camp December 5 – 7 December 6 5-Day Designer School – Todd B. Adams, DIpartner.com December 11 – 15 For more information regarding any of the CEDIA University events log on to www.cedia.org/education. All across the United States, CEDIA University provides thousands of residential electronic systems contractors with quality education, now CEDIA is taking strides to bring that same education to Mexico. CEDIA University's core curriculum was designed and devolved with one goal in mind – making your company more successful.Panasonic Offers Toll-Free Pro-Level Advice for Holiday Plasma Shoppers If they get the word out, this could be a very powerful way to market. Who doesn't have a friend or co-worker who agonizes for months over what TV to get? And for Panasonic, this could mean dumping as much inventory of plasmas on the market before LCDs overrun plasmas next year. Dealers would do well to do this sort of marketing approach on a local level, via van advertising, newspaper ads, etc., offering to help consumers buy their next TV with expert help and setup. It's a great way to establish a reputation among the early majority of buyers who are now the biggest consumers of flat-panel TVs and will be buying home entertainment and automation in the near future. Open access to the Panasonic Plasma Concierge service ends December 31, 2006. Consumers can access the service by calling 1-888-777-7134 Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET. Panasonic also set up information on the web at http://www.panasonic.com/plasmacentral
In a new report by Pacific Media Associates, it looks like 2006 will show a 24 percent increase in front projector sales over 2005. The survey, conducted among North American resellers and retailers, indicates that the shift to widescreen and the introduction of 1080p units are the biggest growth factors. The research company expects 1080p to gain on 720p in 2007 as well. And 33 percent of the front projectors sold in 2007 will be widescreen aspect ratio. Dealers reported that 25 percent of their sales in 2005 were to consumers, by the way. That was a lot for 2005. That percentage in 2006 should be interesting to see as more Pro dealers entered the home market. For more information, go to http://www.pacificmediaassociates.com/Press_releases/press_release.htm#press75
So far, the best 1080p DLP projector we've seen this year, SIM2 has a new front projector for home theater using DLP technology, 10-bit video processing and specified at 1080p 1920 x 1080 native resolution. The D80, part of the Domino line, is also specified at 4000:1 full on/off contrast ratio. Brightness wasn't specified. The D80 has HDMI with HDCP input, as well as VGA, component, composite, and S-Video. It has a rather small footprint compared to most in this spec range – just 14" x 12.5". MSRP is $9,995. For more information, go to http://www.sim2usa.com/frameset_ht.htm Panasonic to Market 1080p LCD Front Projector Panasonic also boasts around 1,070,000,000 colors using 14-bit gamma correction and picture modes normally used by film production and post-production studios. The PT-AE1000U has a 2x powered zoom, can cast a 100-inch diagonal image from as little as five feet away, and the lens shift allows for 100 percent vertical adjustment and 40 percent horizontal adjustment. The announcement from Panasonic makes this sound like a very expensive projector, but it's not. It carries an MSRP of $5,999. For more information, go to http://www.panasonic.com
This is one of those things about which the other cable companies must be asking: Why didn't I think of that? Comcast is offering its customers a new service called GalleryPlayer, which lets subscribers use the HD video-on-demand service to access fine art and photographs to display on their TVs. And it's a free service, too. Artworks are available from a variety of museums – even the Metropolitan Museum of Art and National Geographic to name just two – and most of the art has never before been available in HD. The images change every minute and are accompanied by synchronized music. Interestingly, the GalleryPlayer website says "Advertising sponsorships now available" so consumers might have to suffer through some advertising with this service. But the website also lists some other interesting collections available to Comcast subscribers, such as Greatest Golf Holes, Autumn Splendor and Serene Beaches. For more information, go to http://www.cmcsk.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=147565&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=929987&highlight= and http://www.galleryplayer.com/comcast.html
Kramer Electronics introduced a new 1:2 distribution amplifier for HDMI signals that can store and recall EDID information. The VM-2HDMI is a compact and high quality 1 input, 2 output distribution amplifier for HDMI signals from tuners, set top boxes, DVD players and other HDMI equipped sources. The unit supports up to 1.65Gbps bandwidth for compatibility with all HDTV standards including 1080p/60 signals. It will allow the connection of one HDMI source to 2 HDMI equipped display devices. The VM-2HDMI features a default EDID setting for fast and efficient connection of the unit. With a default EDID setting, you can turn on the distribution amplifier and source device without first connecting and powering on any of the displays. The VM-2HDMI can also store and recall an EDID setting from either connected display device. For more information, go to http://www.kramerelectronics.com/news_full_story.asp?iNews=191 These isolation transformers remove both DC potentials and common mode noise which could be the result of long cable runs. Each of these models offers various grounding options. The TR-1 and TR-3 have ground connection for the video signal so that the unit can be attached to an external ground and the TR-1A and TR-2A have dip switches so that the left and right audio in and out signals can be grounded if desired. The TR-1, TR-1A, TR-2A and TR-3 are all housed in compact Kramer TOOLS enclosures and are passive in operation making them well-suited for field use. The TR-2A and TR-3 models are in stock in the US and available for a list price of $130 and $195 respectively. The TR-1 and TR-1A models are expected to be available in November 2006. For more information, go to http://www.kramerelectronics.com/news_full_story.asp?iNews=190
Gefen announced HD Mate, which allows any digital, high definition display with DVI connectors access to not only computer data, but also HD DVD players, satellite television systems, gaming systems and analog audio receivers. The HD Mate lets a monitor double as both an HD TV and a PC display. It acts as the interface between multiple sources and the display. The HD Mate comes with one DVI input, one VGA input, two analog audio inputs (left and right channels), and one DVI output plus digital audio output in TOSlink format. The HD Mate also functions as an analog/digital converter and source switcher in one, providing multiple source access to the same display instantly at the touch of a button. Input video is digitized when using the analog input, and output in multiple resolutions up to 1920×1200 for computers and 1080p for consumer video devices. High definition resolutions are scaled up and down before being output at the desired resolution. HDCP compliance is included. Audio is digitized and delivered in TOSlink format that accompanies the video. HD Mate should be available by year's end. According to the website, price is $349. For more information, go to http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=4173
TiVo Still a Step Ahead There are actually several aspects to this initiative. Probably the most interesting in terms of the CEDIA market is that TiVo plans to be the link between content created for the broadband, normally viewed on a PC, and watching it on a TV set. A new PC software application will let TiVo users view videos from the Web on their TVs, even if they are not originally in a format that televisions can display. TiVo says that the TiVo Desktop Plus 2.4 software, available for a one-time fee of $24.95, will let users watch a variety of free downloadable content such as music videos, video podcasts and user generated content. This new software will support video content downloaded to PCs running Windows XP in formats such as QuickTime, Windows Media Video, and MPEG-4. TiVo also announced a bunch of content partners as part of the TiVoCast service, which delivers original programming created for the Web directly to the TiVo box. CBS Interactive is one of the biggies involved. Others include Reuters, Forbes, dLife (serving those living with diabetes), Plum TV (an original TV network that focuses on The Hamptons, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Vail, and Telluride) and Nano (a short film channel). These new channels join TiVoCast partners NBA, WNBA, The New York Times, Heavy, iVillage and CNET among others. Perhaps less significant but no less creative is TiVo's decision to team up with Hollywood agency ICM, which will provide TiVo subscribers with TV show and film recommendations personally selected by Hollywood actors and directors. Subscribers will then have the ability to have their favorite shows automatically recorded on their TiVo boxes. For example, Marlee Matlin likes My Name is Earl and The Office — http://www3.tivo.com/tivo-tco/mix/cpinfo.do?mixId=tivo%3Amx.1015431 and Joey Pantoliano likes Gilmore Girls, Lou Dobbs and, of course, Sopranos — http://www3.tivo.com/tivo-tco/mix/cpinfo.do?mixId=tivo%3Amx.1000471 There are also movie recommendations by EW and music recommendations by Billboard, etc. For all the TiVo announcements this week, go to http://www.tivo.com/cms_static/press_119.html Orb, Nokia Partner for Your Home Media on Nokia Mobile Phone You might recall from previous editions of rAVe that Slingbox introduced SlingPlayer Mobile, which lets you access your TV from anywhere using a Windows Mobile Pocket PC or Windows Smartphone. The Orb and Sling systems aren't all that different when it comes to what you can do, but each has a different approach to getting there. SlingPlayer Mobile lets you access and control your TV and anything connected to it, such as a DVR, and it's a software application that uses ActiveSync to put the software on the cell phone. Orb is a web-based utility and it requires that a PC with a tuner be connected to the TV, and it's free. With Sling, you pay for the Slingbox, which attaches to the TV or DVR, and you pay for the mobile software (the player for the PC is free with the initial Slingbox purchase). Neither have monthly fees. For more information, go to http://www.nokiausa.com/phones/N80 and http://www.orb.com/
Zune at Retailers Zune landed on the shelves of 30,000 retailers this month. You might recall, this is Microsoft's contender to the iPod. The Zune, available in the very boring black, brown or white, retails for $249.99. It has 30GB of storage, a 3-inch LCD and an FM tuner. It also works with Zune software and Zune Marketplace music service for locating and managing music. (The reason we cover this stuff, as well as the Orb and Sling-type information, is that CEDIA integrators need to know what's on the minds and in the hands of their customers, especially when the devices in their hands can be integrated into larger systems.) For more on Zune, go to http://www.zune.net/en-US/
Muzatch Introduces MP4 Player/TV/FM Transmitter Hand-Held The Super Max MZH-801 is a new MP4 digital player the company says lets users play music, share movies and pictures with family and friends, and also watch full channel TV. Other features include an FM wireless transmitter function that lets users send the music from the MP4 to a car radio or home stereo, a 7.4-inch screen, 40GB of flash memory and the ability to download the content from any source – the literature says it has built-in DIVX/MPEG4/DVD/DOLBY decoder and can play DIVX/MPEG4/DVD/SVCD/VCD/CD-DA/MP3 and JPEG files. This is pretty fantastic if it operates as described. Combining all those formats with live TV and FM transmitter is a first, isn't it? Even the Zune doesn't include a TV tuner, and you'd have though it would. And this is only $274.95. For more information, go to http://www.muzatch.com/gallery7A.html Well, that's it for this edition of rAVe! Thank you for spending time with me as we muse the industry's happenings. To continue getting my newsletter, or to sign up a friend, click the link below. To send me feedback, don't reply to this newsletter – instead, write to me at gkayye@kayye.com or for editorial: Denise Harrison at dharrison@kayye.com A little about me: Gary Kayye, CTS, founder of Kayye Consulting. Gary Kayye, an audiovisual veteran and columnist, began the widely-read KNews, a premier industry newsletter, in the late 1990s, and created the model for and was co-founder of AV Avenue – which later became InfoComm IQ. Kayye Consulting is a company that is committed to furthering the interests and success of dealers, manufacturers, and other companies within the professional audiovisual industry. Gary Kayye's rAVe was launched in February 2003. The rAVe Home Edition co-sponsored by CEDIA launched in February, 2004. To read more about my background, our staff, and what we do, go to http://www.kayye.com
Copyright 2006 – Kayye Consulting – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact Kayye Consulting, 400 Meadowmont Village Circle, Suite 425 – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – 919/969-7501. Email: dharrison@kayye.com Gary Kayye's rAVe contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |