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Volume 9, Issue 10 — May 30, 2012
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Nortek Changes Everything – Seriously, Everything!
By Gary Kayye
rAVe Founder Jeremy Burkhardt is gone, Mark Terry is on his way out and and the company is going to make MAJOR changes — only some of which have been released. What Nortek is saying in public is this:
Mark Terry, president of AVC Group, will leave the company. “Mark and his team have done an outstanding job combining the AVC Group brands together and creating a world class infrastructure to service our customers and dealers,” said Sean Burke, group president of Nortek’s Technology Products Segment. “Mark has decided to move on to other endeavors after providing his full support to this integration effort. I am appreciative of the dedication and high level of leadership that Mark has provided and wish him the very best in the future.”
Jeremy Burkhardt, the founder and CEO of SpeakerCraft has decided to "retire" (using his words) and his exit from the company yielded its own press release and an announcement directly from him, in a video, that said: "“The last twenty years at SpeakerCraft have been an awesome gift,” said Burkhardt, “I am lucky to have experienced it with so many great people. I am beyond grateful. I have been working full time since I was fifteen years old and have decided it's time for me to chill out.” In addition, Nortek said, “Jeremy is a true entrepreneur. His vision and leadership has built the SpeakerCraft brand,” said Sean Burke, group president of Nortek’s Technology Products Segment. “Jeremy has been a champion of high quality, innovative products and his personal interactions have benefited our customers and dealers, which has improved the industry as a whole.”
Note the two commonalities in these announcements — we'll get to that later.
Keith Marshall has been named interim president of SpeakerCraft.
The AVC Group (which include brands NILES Audio, ELAN Home Systems, Xantech, ATON and Sunfire), SpeakerCraft and Panamax/Furman are being realigned into ONE company or group of products that will be headed up by Bill Pollock, as the president of Panamax/Furman. Paul Starkey will direct marketing, Dave Keller will head sales and Keith Marshall will lead SpeakerCraft/Proficient. This part is way confusing. Why? Well, on the one hand, Nortek is announcing that (using its own words), "The AVC Group, SpeakerCraft, Proficient and Panamax/Furman brands will align under one centralized division with a focus on customer-centric product development, brand innovation and dealer support."
Nothing is mentioned about the other big Nortek AV-oriented brands like Gefen, TVOne, Magenta, Linear or OmniMount.
Remember, last month, SpeakerCraft finally gave up on developing Nirv – pointing out that their sister companies like Elan and Niles already have whole-home AV systems.
So, what's really going on? Well, the truth about it is this:
The economy has NOT recovered in the HomeAV space and each of these once-revered brands has lost mind-share and value over the past few years to less-expensive alternatives and new design techniques. For example, while SONOS thrives, Niles is no longer the market leader. While Tripp Lite shines and has grown, the Panamax and Furman brands have confused the market with which one does what — money that could have been spent marketing these two killer brands is being spent trying to differentiate them while they carry the same combined parent company names. Magenta used to be the only Cat5 gig in town, but now everyone can do Cat5 distribution. Heck, even Tripp Lite, a company known as a power conditioning company, does Cat5 signal distribution now and Crestron, AMX and Extron do nearly all their stuff via CatX cable. Proficient is the winning brand right now of all these in the HomeAV space.
Jeremy was a pioneer — a visionary. Bill Pollock and Paul Starkey are in a perfect position to turn this around — and they can. But, they need to be able to do the following (so this is a message to Sean Burke, group president of Nortek’s Technology Products Segment, that guy mentioned in both the press releases):
You need to form a NortekAV — or whatever you want to call it. Add Magenta, Gefen, TVOne, OmniMount, Ergotron and Secure Wireless to all the above mentioned brands and give Bill and Paul all of this under one company name — not just a products group. Follow the Cisco mentality of absorbing the brands into the power of their name (e.g., Tandberg and Linksys). You are overwhelming the AV industry with too much confusion. Sure, each brand has its own following, but the brands, together as one, will have a much bigger pull and can accomplish more TOGETHER through the synergistic relationships. For example, your Niles brand has plenty of commercial AV applications, yet no one from the commercial AV segment of the market even knows who they are. Same with OmniMount and Proficient. And Xantech. Magenta has HomeAV applications, but nearly every user is from the ProAV market. Same with TVOne.
Don't use the name Nortek — bad, bad name. Come up with a new, cool name and use it across all brands — you can accomplish this in less than a year. Share sales and marketing, but have two separate channel strategies for HomeAV and ProAV. The support parts of the company can design systems using all the components. Form all product lines that way — from the start. Right now, as separate companies, there is no incentive for anyone in any of these companies to recommend any of their sister-brands' products.
Align R&D and engineering such that technologically they're working in harmony. For example, SpeakerCraft's integration of Apple's AirPlay was a brilliant idea — but Niles hasn't figured that out yet. Niles should be doing that, as should Proficient and Elan. Likewise, everyone should be working on CatX systems — use Magenta technology, but have Niles, SpeakerCraft, Xantech, etc using it so all gear is compatible — sort of plug-and-playish.
Shift your marketing to social. The traditional marketing methods aren't working. Heck, Jeremy went out delivering a message socially — via video. And, it was personable, not contrived. It was believable. If you don't know how to do that, send someone to my class at UNC – I teach Social Media Marketing at the University of North Carolina – I'll let them in to the class for free.
So, Sean, give me a call. I've been in this market for 22 years. Call CEDIA and InfoComm if you need a reference. Or, don't call and just do what I said, above. Or, don't listen to anyone outside your company — do your own thing. It's working for HP, isn't it?
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Reaching Out To Your Clients
By Lee Distad
rAVe Columnist While it might be a poor turn of phrase to express it that way, repeat and referral business is so critical to the success of boutique high end AV dealers and integration dealers that it’s almost easy to take it for granted.
Except that taking that business for granted is the last thing you would ever want to do.
While the focus the business media takes may sometimes make it seem like loyalty is dead, nothing could be further from the truth. The bottom line is that if you take care of your clients, they will take care of you. In fact, I would strongly assert that Best Buy’s current financial woes are a direct result of them having only customers, but no actual clients. If nobody likes them, why would they shop there?
Exactly.
By now everyone knows the management trope that says that it costs less to retain an existing customer than it does to obtain a new one through marketing. Taking that one step further, it’s more effective to have your clients do your advertising for you than to pay for advertising yourself. And in order to do that you need work on your relationships and foster that loyalty.
So then, how do you do it?
First, forget about all the advice you get given about hosting wine and cheese customer appreciation nights, maintaining a blog or e-newsletter and other networking and business mastermind advice.
Do you really want clients that adore you? Do you want clients that don’t hesitate to recommend you to their friends, family and business acquaintances?
Just be there for them. That means listening to them when they’re talking, and making them happy; not just in terms of creating systems that excite them, but being there for them, taking care of them, and making their system or warranty problem vanish.
That almost goes without saying. But you can take it a step further.
Just call them.
Don’t call them as a sales call, just call them as what one of my old mentors termed a "Happy Call." Just call them to see how they’re doing. Being proactive in reaching out is an under appreciated client management tool. While clients won’t hesitate to call you if they have a "big" problem, many won’t bother for minor quirks or glitches in their system. It may bug them, but that small annoyance might never cross the threshold where they pick up the phone.
However, silence is not golden. Small annoyances might sink any hope of them giving you referral business from their friends and family.
If you call them out of the blue, at worst tell you about their minor issues, and you can easily get them taken care of, cementing their impression of you as a great company. The best-case scenario is that a friendly call reinforces your good relationship, and you catch them when either they’re in the mood to spend some money, or they know someone who does.
You’d be amazed how often that happens.
Put notes in your scheduling software to call clients out of the blue several months down the road, and systemize it like you do everything else in your business. Be genuine; be nice; take care of your clients.
Lee Distad is a rAVe columnist and freelance writer covering topics from CE to global business and finance in both print and online. Reach him at lee@ravepubs.
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Share Article Back to Top Motorola (and Google) Trick the Cable Companies
By Gary Kayye
rAVe Founder The future Motorola-branded set-top (cable) box will soon get a whole lot better. Like, way better.
Thanks to a new software interface called DreamGallery, you won't need to look for entertainment on your TV the way you do now, linearly (you know, flipping through channels in order that they appear and by time).
DreamGallery will bring you TV as pieces of content. Using an interface that's part AppleTV, part Apple Coverflow, part Netflix and, the rest, which is totally innovative, lets you flip through content regardless of where it is or when it comes on. It can grab entertainment (TV shows, movies, YouTube clips, music, personal videos, etc) from wherever it is (Internet, CableTV, on your phone, your PC, wherever) and let you preview it in a thumbnail-like preview action — then play it full-screen or even split-screen with other stuff (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, live sports).
The CableTV companies that have seen this, so far, love it. Some are even calling it the future of watching TV.
The irony of this is not lost on me.
Why? Well, if Google, ahem, if Motorola can get everyone hooked on browsing TV in a non-linear way – as aggregated content, it makes it easier for Google (oops, I mean Motorola) to eventually eliminate the CableTV pipeline and only use that Cat5 connection to serve up entertainment to the masses (sans traditional cable TV). In other words, they can bring you any content from anywhere you want, to whatever you want. They can even use DreamGallery as the interface for the future GoogleTV box, phones and tablets.
So, as cable TV companies think they're being helped by this new interface, they're also helping their own viewers to not need them any more.
What a killer app!
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LED Backlit TVs to Dominate in 2012
By Steve Sechrist
Senior Analyst and Editor, Insight Media Ever since the first "LED-TVs" hit the market, with stunning images, no bezel, ultra sleek sexy packaging (and confusing sales speak from uninformed sales persons), the LCD backlight technology has captured the consumer’s imagination. They are a true 21st century display – big, bright, beautiful, ultra thin and (relatively) light. According to a new report from DisplaySearch, growth of LED TVs will now focus on the direct type over the edge type backlight architecture.
With all its superior qualities, LED backlight TVs have penetrated the LCD market quite rapidly. Adoption of LED backlights started with phones and moved to laptops, monitors and TVs. All handheld devices now use LED backlights, and conversion from CCFL to LED backlights in monitors and TVs is well underway.
As shown in the chart below, edge lit LED backlight quickly gained market share from the CCFL type backlight in TVs in the last few years, reach more than 50 percent share in Q4′11. In Q1′12 LED only 0.5 percent of TVs used the direct LED approach. Going forward, however, edge lit penetration will remain essentially flat with growth coming in direct LED at the expense of CCFL backlights.
By the end of this year, the company reckons combined Edge and Direct type LEDs will claim a whopping 70.4 percent of all LCD devices sold.
One of the companies looking to use direct-type LEDs to help differentiate itself in the space is Taiwan-based BenQ. The company said it will release a new 32-inch direct-type LED TV in the next week or so, with a ground breaking priced of $400. DigiTimes sees this as a direct shot across the bow of Samsung, the company that coined the "LED TV" term in a gutsy move to debut the rather expensive sets at the height of the 2008 recession.
BenQ may also be looking to capture back both domestic (Taiwan) market share and share in Mainland China from its Korean rival. DigiTimes reported the Taiwan government is issuing a second wave of "energy efficient" subsidies that include a $68 discount for LCD TV purchases, making the new LED powered TV set just $332 for Taiwan customers. The company also has plans for a June release of a 42-inch LCD smart TV that uses the Android v.2.2 software — all just in time for the Summer Olympics.
We see the 32-inch direct LED TV from BenQ selling at just $400 as a game changer that should help kick start the transition and growth to direct backlight LEDs in the category. This would even make a (very) nice monitor upgrade for my office. Current direct LED models (AKA full array with local dimming) from Samsung, LG Display, etc. traditionally sell in much larger sizes, and for lots more money. So get ready for a new LED TV upgrade with images too good, packaging too sexy and now pricing too tempting to pass up.
Steve Sechrist is a senior analyst and editor for Insight Media. Reach him at steve@insightmedia.info
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Share Article Back to Top You Need to Own the Network to Own the Home By 2015, 25 billion internet-connected devices will exist.* Virtually every component in the subsystems is becoming network enabled. For your business to survive and thrive in the industry, you must master the design, installation, and sale of the network in the homes of your clients. This type of training takes time and you need to learn it from someone who knows what they’re talking about. So what can you do about it? Attend CEDIA EXPO of course where the Networking and IP courses have been expanded and enhanced to prepare you to own the network like a champ.
The Newbie – Does the idea of installing a home network cause beads of sweat to spontaneously appear on your brow? Then you’re for sure a newbie. Start at the beginning with the entry level courses like EST233 Networking for Technicians and EST243 IP for Technicians. These hands on courses will set you up with the basics you need to know to begin to own the network.
The Intermediate – So you’ve networked and have a solid base of knowledge about the network but you’re not quite advanced yet, take a look at the next level of courses in the networking hierarchy: EST253 Wireless Network Technologies and ESD341 Designing Ethernet Networks. These courses will help you understand physical network design and configuration both wired, troubleshooting techniques and more.
The Seasoned Pro – You and the network are old friends huh? You’ve been through the designing and troubleshooting and you’re ready to tackle the advanced stuff CEDIA has created three brand new courses for those of you ready for the next level: EST353 Advanced Wireless Networking, EST423 Remote System Access; Methods, Security, and Best Practices, and EST443 Tailoring Network Performance with VLANS and QoS.
Not sure where you stand when it comes to mastering the network? No problem! Visit www.mycourse.cediacrosspoint.com to assess where your skills are. You may even be ready take on the CEDIA Residential Networking Specialist Credential.
*source: http://blogs.cisco.com/news/devices-devices-everywhere-infographic
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Share Article Back to Top This Week from rAVe's BlogSquad Back to Top 3D Still Not Driving TV Sales Sales of 3D TVs are on the rise in the U.S. as first quarter volumes grew nearly 74 percent in units and 64 percent in revenue over last year, according to market research company The NPD Group’s Retail Tracking Service. 3D TVs accounted for 11 percent of all flat panel TV sales in Q1, nearly double that of last year, and 22 percent of all 40+ inch sets sold were 3D.
While sales continue to grow, the majority of consumers still feel 3D is not a crucial television feature. According to The NPD Group’s most recent 3D 360 Monitor survey (March 2012), just 14 percent of consumers interested in, or expecting to purchase, a flat-panel television in the next 6 months, say 3D is a “must have” feature while 68 percent say it’s a “nice feature to have they may use in the future.”
“3D has been a success for the television market from a sales perspective,” said Ben Arnold, director of industry analysis for The NPD Group. “However, few consumers cite watching content in 3D as a reason for purchasing a TV, indicating that other factors such as screen size, resolution and Internet connectivity hold more importance.”
As an experiential technology, displays and demos at retail are an important component to raising awareness and adoption of 3D. In person, many consumers who try 3D rate it positively with nearly three quarters (70 percent) saying they were “impressed” or “amazed” by an in-store 3D demo.
Wearing 3D glasses, the cost of sets and accessories, and access to content remain barriers to adoption. While 3D sets have become more affordable since entering the market (average prices in April 2010 were 33 percent lower compared to April 2010) glasses-free 3D TVs have yet to enter the market, likely deterring the 80 percent of consumers who consider 3D glasses a drawback to owning the technology. Content availability as an adoption inhibitor is waning, though the absence of a nationwide 3D network or channel makes it difficult for consumers to plan 3D viewing. Among consumers not interested in 3D TV, 14 percent say content availability is a purchase inhibitor, down from 21 percent in May 2011.
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Milestone AV Holds Grand Opening of New Green HQ Milestone AV (the parent company of Chief, Sanus, Projecta, Procolor and Da-Lite) held a grand opening of its new 85,000 square-foot headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minn., on Friday, May 11. The event was open to invited community guests and the media and was followed by an open house for employees’ families.
The new space was designed with a focus on sustainability. The first step was to renovate instead of building new, rehabilitating a building with unique design features and great natural light. The building is undergoing the LEED Silver Certification process through the U.S. Green Building Council. The updated interior of the building incorporates a host of energy-efficient features and green building practices.
Some of the design elements in the renovated space include natural lighting for 95 percent of regularly occupied seated spaces and ENERGY STAR ratings for 95 percent of the equipment in the building. In an effort to reduce the overall environmental footprint, the building is located near four major highways as well as near the proposed Southwest Light Rail Transit line.
The company’s existing Minnesota facilities in Savage and Roseville will continue to operate as manufacturing and distribution centers. Including the new headquarters location, Milestone has 10 primary locations globally, including the three in Minnesota, plus facilities in Indiana, Ohio and Kansas, and international operations in The Netherlands, France, Hong Kong and China.
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Share Article Back to Top Russound Engages OAC Group to Help Rebuild Brand Image It's no secret that Russound went from being the dominant player in the whole-house audio and video market to the bottom in less than five years. Companies like Niles, Crestron, AMX, ClearOne and even Sony have larger market shares with new product installs. But, they're not giving up.
Charlie Porritt, CEO of Russound said, "We called on The OAC Group for its track record in high impact strategic consulting and business development. We know from working with them in multiple engagements over 20 years, that they collaborate well with our management, staff and vendors. At the same time, they put their team to work coming up with relevant concepts and designs for new product development, marketing, publicity and sales which they implement effectively."
The OAC Group claims it can do it. Well, we'll have to wait and see — the company's already made one GIANT mistake. In the announcement of this partnership, the company included the OAC logo, but not the Russound logo. Oops, looks like OAC wants more PR from this relationship at this point than it wants to give Russound…
For additional information on Russound, go to http://www.russound.com
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Share Article Back to Top AT&T Enters Home Control Market When you see the logo for AT&T's new Digital Life system, it might be at CEDIA — or at least, it should be. Digital Life is AT&T's newest offering that basically allows the company to help you control your entire home via a Web browser, your cell phone or even via RFID. Sounds a lot like what Crestron, AMX and Control4 do, right?
In fact, the way AT&T describes its newest service is that it's a "web-based home automation, energy monitoring and security management system for your house." That sounds even more familiar.
But, the company's not stopping there. AT&T says it will also expand the system to businesses in the future.
If you're interested in becoming a dealer, click here: http://digitallifeservices.att.com/Pages/default.aspx
And if you want to understand more about how it works, go here: http://digitallifeservices.att.com/howitworks/Pages/default.aspx
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Savant Ships Latest Keypads Savant's three new keypad styles, Metropolitan, Circa and Echo allow for AV, climate, window treatment and lighting control or can be customized for any control application. All three offer an array of custom engraved backlit button layout options. There are 13 field-changeable LED colors to make each keypad in the home unique. They include:
- Three standard paint faceplate finishes (black, white and almond – gloss)
- Three button finishes (black, white and almond – gloss)
- Three premium faceplate finishes (satin nickel, polished chrome and dark bronze)
Circa is available in column, wide and square styles and offers up to six points of control per single-gang keypad. The Echo lineup, offering up to ten points of control per single-gang keypad, is available in column (vertical) configuration. Metropolitan keypads, offering up to nine points of control per single-gang keypad, come in both column and wide (horizontal) configurations.
Here are all the details: http://savantsystems.com/keypads.aspx
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Share Article Back to Top Atlantic Technology Ships TLC Ceiling Speakers The new Atlantic Technology in-ceiling TLC-8.2/6.2 (two-way ceiling-mount speakers with a 1" soft dome tweeter), TLC-8.3/6.3 (two-way ceiling-mount speakers with two 1" soft dome tweeter) and the ICTS-6 HT (uses a heavy-duty 6 ½-inch woofer that is angled 15 degrees towards the listening area) are all shipping. TLC, which stands for "Trim Look Ceiling" are in-ceiling speakers that do not use a wide plastic bezel and are designed to disappear when mounted by using a low-profile magnetic grille that hides the bezel.
Here are all the specs: http://atlantictechnology.com/default.asp?NodeId=165
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Share Article Back to Top Audience Launches New Flagship Loudspeaker Line Audience is calling its new ClairAudient 16+16 loudspeaker its best speaker ever. The new version of the 16+16 has been upgraded with the addition of eight 6×9-inch custom passive radiators that are used to create what the company is calling a "full-range," one-way, bi-pole loudspeaker. The previous 16+16 was flat down to 80Hz and required the augmentation of a subwoofer, while the new 16+16 is spec'd flat from 30Hz to 22kHz.
The upgraded ClairAudient 16+16 loudspeaker is a bi-pole (front and rear radiating), one-way line source design that incorporates the company's second-generation A3-S2 drivers and 6×9-inch cast aluminum-frame passive radiators. Measuring 15 inches wide by 12 inches deep by six feet tall and incorporating 32 A3-S2 drivers per channel, the ClairAudient 16+16 is available in a choice of exotic wood finishes with a list price of $72,000 per pair.
All the specs are here: http://www.audience-av.com/loudspeakers/index.html
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Share Article Back to Top Extron Ships 1×2 HDMI Distribution Amp Extron has started shipping its new HDMI DA2, a one-input, two-output HDMI distribution amplifier. The HDMI DA2 supports HDMI specification features including data rates up to 6.75 Gbps, Deep Color up to 12-bit, 3D, Lip Sync and HD lossless audio formats. The HDCP-compliant distribution amplifier supports all HDTV rates including 1080p/60 and PC resolutions up to 1920×1200. Extron says it features two exclusive technologies: EDID Minder, which maintains continuous EDID communication between connected devices and Key Minder, which continuously authenticates HDCP encryption between all devices, ensuring the simultaneous distribution of source content to both displays.
The HDMI DA2 features include automatic input cable equalization, automatic color bit depth management, selectable output muting and indicators for monitoring and troubleshooting. Input cable equalization restores and reshapes incoming HDMI signals, reducing the need for additional signal conditioning equipment by compensating for weak source signals or signal loss from a long input cable. The HDMI DA2 automatically adjusts color bit depth based on the display EDID, preventing color compatibility conflicts between source and display. Outputs can be muted independently via RS-232, allowing content to be previewed on a local monitor. Additionally, the distribution amplifier provides immediate visual confirmation of EDID status, HDCP authentication, and signal presence confirmation for each port via front panel LED indicators.
More specs are here: http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=hdmida2
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Share Article Back to Top Russound Debuts New Keypads Russound has launched a new keypad design in the form of the SLK (Single Line Keypad), which is designed for individual zone control of the C-Series MCA-C3 and MCA-C5 multiroom audio systems. This single-gang (decora-style) keypad is designed for basic zone control and you can order it in five colors options. The SLK includes a white backlit LCD panel with a five-character display that lists current source, volume level and system status information.
In addition, users can power the room’s system on/off with a single soft-touch button and even turn off all zones by holding down the power button for four seconds (just like they can with all Russound systems). Source selection promptly changes when scrolling through the systems source list. The keypad also features an IR receiver for direct control and IR repeating.
Full specs are here: http://www.russound.com/cseries_overview.php
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Share Article Back to Top Premier Ships Tilting LCD TV Mount Premier Mounts is shipping a new tilting flat-panel cable mount that makes hanging a flat panel as easy as hanging a picture frame. Using the patented MagnaGuide feature, the plates behind the display are easily aligned and set in place using strong magnets. This makes it easy for the installer to secure the flat panel in the right position without having to see where the mounting base is located on the wall.
The CMT also provides a notable tilt feature. High tensile braided cable allows the mount to smoothly and securely tilt to the desired angle. Other features include large wire loops for easy leveling, a dual kickstand to provide full accessibility to the display, and collapsible stand off legs that easily connect any A/V component. The V-shaped 6"x3" back-plate mounts easily on a single stud and is designed to hold flat panel displays up to 65 lbs. with a VESA mounting pattern ranging from 200x200mm to 600x400mm (the four flat-panel anchors install to the back of the display).
An in-wall box, such as the GB-INWAVP, can also be added for additional equipment storage and to hide power cables behind the display.
See all the specs here: http://www.mounts.com/product?product=CMT
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Share Article Back to Top RTI's RTiPanel App Now Available for Android and iPad Remote Technologies Incorporated (RTI) today announced that its RTiPanel App is now available on Android and the new Apple iPad. The RTiPanel App features two-way feedback, a customizable user interface and control over any RTI control system with an XP series control processor.
The App supports connection locally via Wi-Fi and offers remote access via auto-switching Wi-Fi and 3G/4G wireless.
More details are here: http://www.rticorp.com/products/rtipanel.html
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Share Article Back to Top Savant Adds OPPO to Partners in Excellence Cooperative Program Savant Systems announced this month the addition of OPPO to its Partners in Excellence cooperative program.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Back to Top New Distributor Amber International Launches Website Amber International, the recently launched residential CI distribution business, has gone live with its corporate website, www.amber-international.com, which allows users access to company news, distributor details, product information and technical support.
To read the complete press release online, click here. Back to Top Lenbrook America Promotes Bart Greenberg Lenbrook America, distributor for NAD and PSB, has announced the immediate promotion of Bart Greenberg to the new position of vice president of sales. Greenberg joined the company in June 2011 as western regional sales manager.
To read the complete press release online, click here. | 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 2012 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln. – 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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