CEDIA

CEDIA is the #1 show in the residential electronic systems industry, with products being announced about the latest in custom home theater, audio, video and residential electronic systems. There was so much news coming out of CEDIA last week, we thought we would give you a rundown of some of the best (just in case you missed them):

Sony’s Super Slim LCD TV

Pioneer Unveils Flagship Blu-ray Disc Player

Hitachi’s New Plasma TVs

Sharp’s HD Liquid Crystal Display Lineup

Epson’s Less Than $2000 1080p Resolution Front Projector Read more

September 5, 2008—Italy’s SIM2, whose striking, high-performance HD home-theater projectors are known worldwide for their pristine video and dramatic cabinet designs, is partnering with U.S. firm Entertainment Experience, LLC to create the first “better than Blu” solution for high-end home theater installations. SIM2 and Entertainment Experience, which heretofore focused on unique digital media products for the commercial cinema, education, and hi-tech display market spaces, announce that they will begin offering a hardware-software content solution—including pre-loaded, fully licensed motion picture content—that delivers better-than-HD digital video performance to home buffs.

SIM2 and its partner will demonstrate this impressive new Digital Entertainment Solution home theater reference at the 2008 CEDIA Show in Denver, CO. “The time has come for top-tier home theater content to move beyond HDTV standards, to a format that can truly equal archival-quality film for visual content,” says SIM2’s VP of Marketing and Sales, Charlie Boornazian, “SIM2 already has the display technologies well in hand to allow us to begin migrating these technologies from the commercial digital-cinema world, while Entertainment Experience has the know-how and access to help make this a practical reality. Together, we are opening the next era of home-theater performance.” Read more

September 5, 2008 – Pioneer Electronics is now shipping its highly-anticipated line of Elite KURO Signature Series monitors designed to deliver KURO's reference-class picture quality with a bevy of features designed and built for high-end home theater installations. Each Signature Series monitor is carefully selected at the factory, representing the highest-level of Pioneer technology and craftsmanship. Every monitor is accompanied by a signed certificate further validating the Company's commitment to providing only the best-in-class panels for this limited run series.

"The development of our new Signature Series monitors began more than two years ago when we set out to deliver a panel that addressed the specific needs of high-end custom installers," said Paul Meyhoefer, vice president of displays for Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. "Our Signature Series line embodies the unsurpassed KURO black levels combined with a wide range of advanced installation features that offer complete flexibility and control for our customers." Read more

September 5, 2008 – Pioneer Electronics just introduced its Elite BDP-09FD flagship Blu-ray Disc player featuring BD-Live. With the industry's most advanced internal components including a Pioneer/Renesas jointly developed core processor chipset and complex internal and external composition, the new flagship model illuminates Pioneer's uncompromised design and engineering philosophies to deliver the truest picture and sound performance.

"For more than 30 years, we've led optical disc innovation with product introductions that featured numerous industry firsts, ranging from the highest grade internal components to improved build constructions, all in the pursuit of developing first class products for consumers. It's with this mindset that our engineers were given the freedom to hand select every piece of hardware and wiring for the BDP-09FD to develop a true, reference-quality player," said Chris Walker, senior manager of marketing and product planning for Blu-ray Disc at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. "The result is a flagship BD player that provides unparalleled picture and sound performance not just for Blu-ray Discs, but also for CD and DVD content." Read more

September 5, 2008 - The CEDIA Expo marks the first time that Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc. will display its impressive 2008 line of Plasma HDTV's, which showcase elegant new designs, advanced technologies and robust, industry-leading features. These Hitachi HDTVs respond perfectly to today's new breed of home electronics consumer, who is extremely discerning and demands innovation, high-style, performance and prestige from every electronics product they bring into their home.

The new Hitachi HDTVs feature high gloss Japan black and high gloss crystal frames with manual swivel stands or unique remote controlled power swivel stands. The new UltraBlack Panels boxed cell structure produces darker blacks and the new proprietary phosphor formulations deliver industry leading deep, rich colors. Read more

September 5, 2008  -- Attendees at this week's CEDIA Expo in Denver will be the first worldwide audience to view the complete line of UltraThin "1.5" LCDs from Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc. displayed together as a complete family. Available in four screen sizes (32-inch, 37-inch, 42-inch and 47-inch), the 1.5 displays - so named for their waif-thin 1.5-inch depth -- embody an array of Hitachi's engineering breakthroughs, which have resulted in numerous industry awards. The displays offer thin, peerless design aesthetics, outstanding picture quality and state-of-the-art sound quality. From the patented ventilation technology to the backlight, power supply and unique crystal frame, the innovations found in the 1.5 line represent Hitachi's R&D achievements in areas as diverse as automotive design, server system architecture and optical technology.

First announced at CES 2008, the new 1.5 line is further differentiated by its appealing design that, importantly, extends a complete 360 degrees around. So whether the displays are seen from the front, a side angle or from the back, the elegant lines and distinctive aesthetics demonstrate an attention to detail that make the displays the ideal complement to a luxury lifestyle. Read more

September 5, 2008 -- Continuing its leadership position in developing the world's thinnest HDTVs, Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc. has unveiled the first Plasma Display Panel in its UltraThin "1.5" family. This gorgeous new plasma addition to Hitachi's 1.5 line - so named for its ultra thin 1.5-inch depth - will be offered in a 50-inch screen size, making it among the largest in the UltraThin category. In fact, it represents one of the world's thinnest, at approximately one-third the depth of other plasma displays.

This new product embodies an engineering milestone of major significance for Hitachi and the HDTV industry. The 50-inch 1.5 UltraThin PDP is expected to be a main attraction of the CEDIA Expo in Hitachi's booth (#925). Read more

September 4, 2008 – Toshiba today unveiled SRT, Super Resolution Technology, a new technology that changes the way standard definition content is viewed. SRT upconverts standard definition content to feel like HD. Toshiba also launched 11 new LCD TVs in four new series to its broad range of Toshiba, REGZA and Cinema Series brands.

Toshiba is solidifying its position as an innovative leader in the LCD TV market. SRT brings clean, sharp edges and bright, vibrant colors to standard definition content making DVD collections and non-HD TV channels look better than ever before. Also new is AutoView, a feature that automatically adjusts picture settings based on the ambient room lighting and the type of video content being displayed, which can help consumers save energy while improving the viewing experience. Read more

September 4, 2008 — Meridian Audio Limited recognized as a world leader in digital audio and video technologies for music and home-theater systems is pleased to showcase the award-winning DSP7200 Digital Active Loudspeakers including the new horizontal center channel during CEDIA Expo.

Like all Meridian’s DSP Loudspeakers, the DSP7200 combines state-of-the-art driver and enclosure engineering with multiple, on-board amplifiers for the dynamics and freedom from distortion that only active speaker design can deliver. Read more