It’s Almost December — Are You Prepared?

In the time that I’ve been in distribution, it’s been a mental adjustment for me to get used to the fact that, on my side of the business at least, December is a low-key month. Indeed, in direct contrast to all the previous years, I don’t have to work very hard in December. I don’t […]

It’s Almost December — Are You Prepared?

The New GIANTS of Home Automation

By Christopher Bundy CORE Brands This is still our industry… isn’t it? A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Google (Nest) taking steps to get deeper in the home automation industry with its purchase of home hub company Revolv. The company did this to acquire talent more than Revolv’s product offering, as part of […]

The New GIANTS of Home Automation

Crestron Ships New Six-Zone Distributed Audio Amp

Crestron’s new Six Zone “Plus Two” Amplifier (C2N-AMP-6X100) is now shipping. Designed specifically for mid-size home systems, the C2N-AMP-6X100 has 12 inputs, four stereo-line outputs, Ethernet connectivity and pre-amp controls. Each room output on the C2N-AMP-6X100 is capable of 100 watts for each of the six amplified zones. That’s 50 Watts per channel at 8 […]

Crestron Ships New Six-Zone Distributed Audio Amp

AudioControl Ships HDBaseT Extenders

AudioControl is shipping its new range of HDBaseT extenders including the HDBT-S1 Sender and the HDBT-R1 Receiver. Both are sold independently or combined into a complete set-package called the HDBT-SR1. Capable of extending HDMI signals to 70 meters over a single CAT5e/CAT 6 cable, they are HDBaseT certified for up to 4K (@30Hz) resolutions, as […]

AudioControl Ships HDBaseT Extenders

Large Area TFT Panel Shipments Expected to Reach 718 Million in 2014

TFT LCD panel suppliers are expanding their business plans this year, as the market demand for key applications grows. According to the latest DisplaySearch Quarterly Large-Area TFT Panel Shipment Report, TFT panel suppliers are forecast to ship 718 million large area (9” and larger) panels in 2014, 3 percent Y/Y growth. Some panel price increases […]

Large Area TFT Panel Shipments Expected to Reach 718 Million in 2014

Hosa Intros Cable Line For Simplying Connection of Consumer Products to Professional Products

Hosa Technology’s new Hosa Pro line of cables are designed to make the process of interfacing consumer audio products with professional equipment easier. With Hosa Pro Breakouts, any consumer audio product equipped with a stereo minijack output can be interfaced with professional units with quarter-inch Tip/Sleeve, XLR, or even RCA connectors. Hosa Pro Breakouts are […]

Hosa Intros Cable Line For Simplying Connection of Consumer Products to Professional Products

RTI Adds eGauge Two-Way Driver for Real-Time Energy Monitoring

Remote Technologies Incorporated (RTI) has introduced a new two-way driver for eGauge Systems products. Developed by RTI, the driver allows installers to integrate the eGauge 3 Series and eGauge2 electric energy meters into an RTI control system, giving real-time measurements of a building’s electrical consumption. The new driver allows customers to use eGauge solutions to […]

RTI Adds eGauge Two-Way Driver for Real-Time Energy Monitoring

A Review of SurgeX SEQ Power Bank and Envision PCS Remote Diagnostic Unit

Serendipity strikes at opportune times. A couple of months back the eleven year old power conditioner connected to the system in my media room died. Shortly after I had blogged at rAVe about the troubleshooting exercise I treated it as, sharing with readers the apathy of the vendor’s help desk towards such an old product, […]

A Review of SurgeX SEQ Power Bank and Envision PCS Remote Diagnostic Unit

Extron Ships eLink 100 Professional Grade Wireless HDMI Extender

Extron has started to ship its “professional-grade” eLink 100 — an HDCP-compliant wireless transmitter and receiver set for extension of HDMI video and multi-channel audio signals up to 100 feet (30 meters). This extender features a wireless communication technology that provides reliable operation and exceptional image quality that Extron says has a latency of less […]

Extron Ships eLink 100 Professional Grade Wireless HDMI Extender

Start-up Droplit Launches Smart Home System

This month Droplit founder Bryan Jenks has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funding for a new, so-called “easy-to- use” (haven’t we heard that before?) smart home system that allows users to integrate and control all of their smart devices from the Droplit Cue remote or the Droplit smartphone app. Droplit is unique in that […]

Start-up Droplit Launches Smart Home System

Weekly Wrap-Up | Digital Signage Takes on the Next Generation of Stadiums, The passing of Crestron’s George Feldstein

As your work week wraps up, we give you a look back some of the top stories from the week. Here are the stories you can’t miss. Happy Friyay! Post by rAVe.

Weekly Wrap-Up | Digital Signage Takes on the Next Generation of Stadiums, The passing of Crestron’s George Feldstein

Crestron Mourns Loss of Company Founder and Industry Icon George Feldstein

Today, Crestron founder George Feldstein passed away at the age of 73 after a battle with brain cancer. By the time he was featured in Forbes magazine as a “Made-In-America” success story, everyone in the AV industry already knew who George Feldstein was. Even the word “icon” to describe George Feldstein doesn’t go far enough […]

Crestron Mourns Loss of Company Founder and Industry Icon George Feldstein

Sharp Ships THX Certified 4K TV

Sharp is finally shipping its AQUOS 4K UD27 line — a series of 55” to 70” THX 4K Certified Ultra HD LED TVs — which means they have passed more than 400 picture quality tests (via THX) to ensure that every pixel delivers precisely the scene the direct intended. The AQUOS 4K Ultra HD TVs […]

Sharp Ships THX Certified 4K TV

Smart TVs and How AV Pros Need To Be Smarter Still

I loathe the word “convergence.” For nearly two decades, it’s been a byword that has been beaten to death. Yet for the longest time it was also a word that didn’t deliver the goods: so much talk about convergence, with little to show for it. I’m willing to admit that it’s changed over time and […]

Smart TVs and How AV Pros Need To Be Smarter Still

Neets Hopes to Be Your New Control System Company

Neets is a privately held Danish company that, although you haven’t heard of them, they are Scandinavia’s leading supplier of AV control systems. And, it plans to make a mark in the U.S. with its new QueBec III control system. Integrated with an HDMI loop-through, the QueBec III uses that to know when you want […]

Neets Hopes to Be Your New Control System Company

Saker Projection Screen From Elite Ships In Tensioned And Standard Fiberglass-Backed Versions

Elite Screens Friday announced that its Saker electric projection screen is now available with a tensioned variation to its original fiberglass-backed material option. The Saker electric projection screen is designed for the CE retail and pro AV sales channels. The streamlined and durable accurate profiled casing is available in a white color coating. It features […]

Saker Projection Screen From Elite Ships In Tensioned And Standard Fiberglass-Backed Versions

Fall Gaming Update

Fall is officially here and there have been many updates to the major consoles as well as a few big game releases this summer. You’ll want to keep up on the new abilities of the major systems so you’ll be able to answer questions from customers, as well as new ways to integrate gaming into a theater. […]

Fall Gaming Update

rAVe Founder Gary Kayye Named to 1918’s List of People You Should Connect With

If you’re reading this, then you already know Gary Kayye. He’s the founder of rAVe [Publications]. He’s been in the AV industry for years. He’s won numerous accolades for his work and his AV prowess, if you will. But did you know that Gary is also an expert in branding and digital marketing? In fact, […]

rAVe Founder Gary Kayye Named to 1918’s List of People You Should Connect With

Weekly Wrap-Up Oct 24 | NSCA Announces BLC Speakers, 5 Dumb AV Products, the Disruptive Forces Series and More

Happy FriYAY! Here are the top stories you have have missed from this week. Corey Moss continues the Disruptive Forces series and features Zoom’s Eric Yuan, we tell you about 5 of the dumbest products on the AV market, InFocus introduces three low-cost 1080p projectors and more. NSCA Announces Speakers for 2015 BLC Disruptive Forces: […]

Weekly Wrap-Up Oct 24 | NSCA Announces BLC Speakers, 5 Dumb AV Products, the Disruptive Forces Series and More

Extron DisplayPort to HDMI Scaler Featuring Audio De-Embedding Now Shipping

Extron is already shipping its DSC DP-HD A, an HDCP-compliant scaler that converts DisplayPort signals to HDMI. It accepts DisplayPort video at resolutions up to 3840×2160 @ 30 Hz with reduced blanking, and offers high performance scaling with multiple output rates up to 1920×1200, including HDTV 1080p/60 and 2K. The DSC DP-HD A features Extron […]

Extron DisplayPort to HDMI Scaler Featuring Audio De-Embedding Now Shipping

Epson Updates PowerLite Home Theater Projectors with New Firmware

Epson today released a firmware update that expands the image quality capabilities of several of its award-winning home theater solutions. The update adds Epson’s Detail Enhancement feature to its powerful Super Resolution technology to deliver sharp, rich images and is now available for the Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 6030UB, Pro Cinema 4030, and Home Cinema […]

Epson Updates PowerLite Home Theater Projectors with New Firmware

BenQ Cares Program Launches Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

BenQ America launched its latest “BenQ Cares” campaign. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the company will donate $10 for each award-winning HT1075 Colorific home theater projector sold in October. Created earlier this year, the BenQ Cares outreach program seeks to promote the company’s social responsibility by supporting charitable causes and reinvesting in communities […]

BenQ Cares Program Launches Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

Extron Now Shipping Single-Gang DTP Wallplate Transmitters for HDMI

Extron is already shipping its DTP T HWP 231 D and DTP T HWP 331 D single-gang, Decora-style transmitters for sending HDMI, audio and bi-directional RS232 and IR signals over a shielded CATx cable to Extron DTP-enabled products. The DTP T HWP 231 D extends signals up to 230 feet (70 meters), while the DTP […]

Extron Now Shipping Single-Gang DTP Wallplate Transmitters for HDMI

CEDIA Executive Director Plans To Step Down By End of 2015

The executive director of CEDIA, Don Gilpin, will step down as leader of the home technology industry association by the end of 2015. Gilpin has been with CEDIA since 1998 and became executive director and COO in 2006. Chairman Larry Pexton and the board of directors will search for Gilpin’s replacement immediately. Gilpin will assist […]

CEDIA Executive Director Plans To Step Down By End of 2015

Weekly Wrap-Up 10.17.14 | ISE 2015 Registration, AV/IT Convergence, Social Media & Customer Service and more!

Miss anything last week? Here are the six stories we think you shouldn’t miss. Catch up on each story below for last week’s top headlines. Disruptive Forces: The Leaders Speak – Mark Loney, StarLeaf Android Signage Goes Dual Screen With VIA ALTA DS 2 Registration Opens for Integrated Systems Europe AV Buddy Pro: An In […]

Weekly Wrap-Up 10.17.14 | ISE 2015 Registration, AV/IT Convergence, Social Media & Customer Service and more!

Zigen Launches New PoE Extender

The Zigen POE-70 is a 70-meter (230′) HDMI extender (using HDBaseT) over single UTP/STP, with IR and RS232 and POE (48V). Zigen claims that the POE-70 is for 24/7 operation. The ZIG-POE-70-TX provides a complete solution for detection and powering of POE IEEE 802.3af devices such as the ZIG-POE-70-RX. The ZIG-POE-70-TX POE solution will safely […]

Zigen Launches New PoE Extender

LCD TV Brands’ Production Expected To Reach Record High in October

By David Hsieh DisplaySearch Since Q2’14, LCD TV panels have been in tight supply due to increases in purchasing by some leading LCD TV brands. As shown in our Monthly Large-Area LCD Pricing Report, prices for mainstream sizes (32”, 40”, 42”, 48”/49” and even 50”, 55”) have been increasing. In Q3’14, we reported that leading […]

LCD TV Brands’ Production Expected To Reach Record High in October

Registration Opens for ISE

The Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) show has officially opened registration for the 2015 event, being held in Amsterdam Feb. 10-12, 2015. Over 50,000 people are expected to attend as it’s truly a mega-AV show with both HomeAV and ProAV technology, products and companies exhibiting. There is no doubt the 2015 event will be a lot […]

Registration Opens for ISE

Product Review: StarTech.com 3-in1 Thunderbolt Adapter

Right up front I’m going to admit that I have a soft spot for widgets and dongles. I blame it on my borderline-obsessive fascination with troubleshooting and problem-solving. If there’s a problem, there needs to be a solution. This is where various widgets and adapters come into play, specifically adapters. StarTech.com’s new 3-in-1 Adapter lets […]

Product Review: StarTech.com 3-in1 Thunderbolt Adapter

Fusion Releases New Ovation Driver for Control4 OS 2.6 Systems

Fusion Research has announced the release of a new driver for its Ovation products. This driver takes advantage of the new Listen features available in the Control4 OS 2.6 software including the ability to place streaming apps directly on the ‘Listen’ home page of a Control4 system. Search, favorites (stations, playlists, etc.) and Pandora thumbs […]

Fusion Releases New Ovation Driver for Control4 OS 2.6 Systems

DVIGear Launches DisplayPort Cables Supporting 4K / 60Hz

DVIGear’s new line of High Resolution DisplayPort Copper Cables transport DisplayPort signals with bit rates up to 21.6 Gbps. over cable lengths of up to 15 meters (approximately 50 feet). These cables support uncompressed DisplayPort resolutions up to 4096×2160 / 60 Hz. Long distance transport of high resolution DisplayPort signals over copper cables must overcome […]

DVIGear Launches DisplayPort Cables Supporting 4K / 60Hz

Sanus Ships Stands for SONOS PLAY:1 and PLAY:3

Sanus’s new WSS2 speaker stands are designed to be floor-stands for the SONOS PLAY:1 and PLAY:3 speakers. They position the speakers at the speaker manufacturer’s recommended angle for accurate dispersion and securely support the speaker for optimum bass response. The column and base have wire channels to make the cables disappear. This product is sold […]

Sanus Ships Stands for SONOS PLAY:1 and PLAY:3