rAVe HomeAV Edition Volume 4, Issue 24 – December 20, 2007

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Feature Article

Status Quo
Is Your Corporate Structure Right For You?
By Chuck Wilson, Executive Director, NSCA

· Sole proprietorships include one owner. Business liability extends to personal assets and the business entity is not taxed separately.

· General partnerships involve an unlimited number of partners. Liability is distributed among each general partner and, while the business must submit a separate tax form, its partners, rather than the entity itself, are taxed based on the income they generated through the organization.

· Limited liability companies include partners with limited liability (usually involving only the company’s assets). Taxes are levied only on the partners.

· “S” corporations comprise no more than 100 shareholders who are not accountable for personal liability. Shareholders are taxed directly, without the company being taxed.

· “C” corporations include an unlimited number of shareholders and no personal liability obligations. The corporation, as well as its shareholders, are taxed.

According to Dick George, director of RSM McGladrey Tax Services in Iowa City, Iowa, a tax law passed in 1986 made it very difficult to avoid double taxation of income associated with C corporations. Today, C corporations are relatively rare. Many former C corporations have attempted to become S corporations — a complicated move — depending on the assets the company holds.

Things are simpler, George said, for businesses structured as partnerships or limited liability companies (LLC). While the legal and tax details for these two models differ from state-to-state, the basic idea is the same: General partnerships extend liability onto the personal assets of the owners; LLCs give owners limited liability (usually only connected with business assets).

LLCs are common, especially among small- to mid-sized businesses, because they are easier to create than corporations. LLCs also dissolve without incurring taxes. George said that for sole proprietors and general partners, becoming an LLC is fairly easy from a tax standpoint. The assets of the sole proprietorship or the partnership are simply transferred into the limited liability company. After you complete the proper form, the tax structure is similar to a business filling out a separate tax form. The only difference is the actual taxes are imposed upon the owners.

While some companies are forced to incorporate – if, for example, they are going public – business owners should think long and hard before doing so. There can be significant tax implications, especially for organizations that have been in business for many years. Limit your liability to minimize your tax burden and avoid some red tape, as well.

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Introducing rAVe AV Job Postings!

The service is simple, and completely free to both job posters and job applicants. You can post your company's open AV positions in just two easy steps.

For more information, go to http://www.kayyerave.com/index.php?option=com_jobline&Itemid=31

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Manufacturers Forum to Make ISE Debut – Gary Kayye to Moderate

Running from 4pm to 5:30pm on Tuesday 29 January at the ISE Presentation Theatre, the ISE Manufacturers Forum will see some of our industry’s most prominent figures sharing a table to discuss the future of the systems integration business.

Panelists for the event will include:

-Andrew Edwards, President of Extron

-Allan Bjørnstad, CTO EMEA of Tandberg

-Randy Klein, Senior VP of Crestron

-Speakercraft President Jeremy Burkhardt

-A.C. Ter Meulen, President of Mitsubishi Europe

Says Gary: "The Manufacturers Forum is always a highlight at InfoComm. It gives our high-profile panel the chance to demonstrate their vision of the future of AV, and attendees a unique opportunity to fire questions – awkward or otherwise!

There's always a wide range of opinion and there are always a few surprises in store. I'm really excited about bringing the Forum to ISE for the first time, and to anyone who has not attended one of the InfoComm sessions in the past, I can promise them an hour of healthy debate that they will find as valuable as it is entertaining."

If you’re heading to the ISE Show, please add this exciting event to your show calendar!

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Integrated Systems Russia Hosts More Than 7,000 Attendees

On the eve of the show, a one-day conference entitled ‘Professional AudioVisual Solutions in Commercial and Residential Applications’ drew more than 200 delegates to Moscow’s President Hotel. Topics covered by speakers included market size and growth trends, a focus on specific applications such as healthcare and digital signage, and an insight into local projects such as ‘Electronic Moscow’, which is rolling out videoconferencing to all key administrative buildings in the city.

Next year, IS Russia moves to the Crocus Convention Centre, a modern facility which also offers room for expansion

ISE is jointly sponsored by the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) and InfoComm International

For more information, go to http://www.iseurope.org/2008/home.php?navi=x1&news_ID=143&press=1

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ISE Show Full…and 7 Halls A-Waiting

“At the end of ISE 2007, we announced we’d be occupying a 5th hall at the RAI …” recalls Mike Blackman, MD, ISE. “Since then we have signed up for a 6th and finally a 7th hall to meet demand, and there simply is no further space available.”

Net floor space at ISE 2008 will be almost 50% up on the previous year’s event, while the total show area will grow from 29,000 gross square meters in 2007 to 38,500 — fueled by a number of key exhibitors who increased floor space and by a number of new exhibitors from commercial audio and residential solutions

“We make a simple guarantee to ISE attendees…” Blackman concludes, “…which is that they will come away from our show with new contacts, new ideas, and new inspiration with which to grow their business. With the help of our biggest-ever exhibitor roster, the 2008 show promises to be the most inspiring yet.”

For more info, go to ISE 2008 http://www.iseurope.org/2008/home.php

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New AQUOS Geared for Gaming

InFocus is, with a new gaming projector that we covered a few weeks ago — http://www.ravehome.com/issues/2007/11/rhvol4iss21/index.html#p2

And now Sharp is, with a new 32-inch AQUOS 1080p LCD TV. The company says it’s designed specifically for gaming, with a slim design and swivel base, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 6ms response and 24 frames per second. Also, it comes with a black, white or wine red bezel, which will appeal to the home’s interior designer (usually, Mom).

The good news for installers is that any product specifically labeled for gaming is easy to include in a proposal, with a category you may not have included two years ago.

It has plenty of connections, even a subwoofer out, and is priced quite reasonably at $1,600. It is shipping this month.

It’s not yet on the website, but for all AQUOS 32-inch models, go to http://www.sharpusa.com/products/TypeLanding/0,1056,s67-1-32,00.html

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Yes, Now We Have “Dive-In” Theaters

It’s not uncommon during the Super Bowl or World Series for people to drag extension cords outside for a day. So the Florida installer (Criteria) started promoting waterproof, weather-resistant LCDs in each home install bid.

Now video (plus complementary audio and control) outdoors has become so common for the installer Criteria that the company president has coined a name for the profit category: “Dive-in Theaters.”

For inventing that phrase, this American installer should become famous in CEDIA annals.

For more info, go to http://www.criteriahifi.com/

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D-Tools Shipping SI 5.1

The upgrade adds EZ Match Data Import, which lets you import data from a price book or a bill of materials and merge with your existing data. EZ Match automation will match products from your import file and your product database based on manufacturer and model values.

The new version also includes compatibility with QuickBooks 2008 and AutoCAD 2008, lets you add products and packages to multiple locations at once and also gives you a Database Estimated Price Preview so you can preview the price of equipment as if it were in a project. You even get a spell check!

For more features and for more details, go to http://www.d-tools.com/site/downloads/press_releases/SI_5%201_PR_TB.pdf

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Da-Lite Adds Large Panel Universal Wall Mount, Articulating Wall Mount

The universal mount comes in tilting and static versions, (the Advance PWM-0262 and PWS-0262). They are designed with a rail mounting system for easy installation, with mounting holes 1 ½” to 62” apart horizontally and up to 20 ½” apart vertically. The narrow profile gives you just 2 ½” space between the back of the panel and the wall. Both models will hold up to 200 lbs. and the PWM-0262 features 20-degree tilt. The mounts are finished with a black or gray powder coated finish.

For more information, go to http://www.dalite.com/

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Extron Offers Amazing Prices for HomeAV Insiders

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Panamax Provides Power Conditioning to Flat-Panels for Under $150

This is slim enough that it can be mounted out of view behind the display, It also incorporates Panamax's Protect or Disconnect, which completely removes the AC power from connected equipment in the event of a catastrophic surge. Also, says Panamax, integrated coax/sat line protection prevents electrical surges that travel over cable, satellite, and antenna lines.

The MFP-300 will be available in January 2008 at an MSRP of $149.95.

For more on Panamax, go to http://www.panamax.com/

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New Niles Table-Top Touch Screen Now Shipping

The CONTACT-TT has seven backlit hard keys, a ‘party mode’ function that turns on any zone in the house, and a built-in infrared sensor.

The CONTACT-TT has an MSRP of $899.95

For more information, go to http://www.intellicontrol.com/contact-TT.htm

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HDMI Multiplexer (Matrix Switcher) From Liberty Has Six Inputs, Six Outputs

The DigitaLinx family also includes digital repeaters, distribution amplifiers, and fiber optics that extend and route DVI and HDMI signals.

The DL-HDM66 is shipping now.

For more information about Liberty HDMI products, go to http://secure.libertycable.com/ecomm/catalog/cat_search.php

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Metalink Says 802.11n Ready for Prime Time

The company’s CES demo will include a variety of networking and consumer products, including Single-Band routers, Concurrent Dual-Band routers, Concurrent Dual-Band Residential Gateways, Video Bridges, IP Set-top boxes, PVRs and Wireless TVs. The demonstration will feature concurrent transmission of data applications over the 2.4GHz frequency band and delivery of multiple HD video streams over the 5GHz band, all at wire-line quality and speeds,says the company. Metalink will also demonstrate the interoperability of WLANPlus with networking products by major manufacturers.

To put this in perspective, with the exception of power and HD, every signal you currently route can be handled wirelessly by 802.11n. And, there are three chip manufacturers working on wireless compression to allow for HD transmission via future wireless signals like WiMax. But, consider that you can do video, audio and control wirelessly already!

For more information, go to http://www.mtlk.com/NewsItem.asp?nid=18815

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Glass Enclosures Give New Waterfall Audio Speakers a Dramatic Look

These are handcrafted entirely of glass, which makes the drivers appear to float in the room. The Victoria EVO and Iguasçu EVO models are towers standing 40 inches and 10 inches wide. The Victoria EVO, a three-way/four-driver design, includes Waterfall’s proprietary, downfiring, 8-1/2-inch passive woofer, the Iguasçu (34-inches tall by 10-inches W) uses identical drivers (including the passive woofer) in a two-way/three-driver arrangement.

Both models, says the company, use a key Waterfall technology: the Acoustic Damping Tube (ADT), which performs near-total damping of mid- and low-frequency “back-wave” artifacts, and precise damping control of midrange reflections, allowing the speakers to produce superbly accurate, high-end performance within their effectively undamped glass enclosures.

Availability is expected to be by sometime in March and MSRPs are Victoria Evo: $5,400/pair, and Iguasçu Evo: $3,900/pair.

For more information, go to http://www.waterfallaudio.com/

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