CEDIA

September 4, 2008 – Sony just introduced two new ES A/V receivers with a CAT5e port, allowing them to provide high-definition video to a second room.

The STR-DA6400ES and STR-DA5400ES models offer second room high-definition video and audio distribution via CAT5e wiring. The CAT5e output shared by both models provides an inexpensive option in sharing HD video in a second room.

Additionally, the STR-DA6400ES features an extra CAT5e input and is Digital Life Network Alliance (DLNA) compliant. The combination makes the STR-DA6400ES Sony’s first network A/V receiver. Now there is a Sony A/V receiver that can stream music, photos and video from a DLNA-compliant PC plus it can access online music content from Rhapsody and Shoutcast Internet Radio without a PC. Read more

September 4, 2008– Sony is making it easier for installers to integrate and consumers to use distributed music and high-definition video throughout the home with the new HomeShare HD multi-room entertainment solution.

Designed to expand the residential installation market by removing unnecessary costs and increasing consumer benefits, HomeShare is an entertainment and intercom system that delivers up to 16 zones of entertainment (four zones of HD video) to any room in the home via standard CAT5e wiring.

“HomeShare delivers on the promise to installers of affordable plug-and-play high-definition entertainment throughout the home,” said Neal Manowitz, director of marketing for Sony Electronics’ Digital Imaging and Audio Division. “Because of the unique architecture, HomeShare can address a wide range of installation projects from a high definition home theater with a second zone of HD video to a whole house entertainment system enabling access to all content from virtually anywhere.” “Whether it’s watching an HD movie in the bedroom from a Blu-ray Disc player located in the home theater, picking a playlist from an iPod or selecting a station on Sirius/XM satellite radio, HomeShare is easy to install and easy to use.” Read more

September 4, 2008– Sony Electronics just unveiled two full high-definition 1080p BRAVIA projectors (models VPL-VW70 and VPL-HW10) offering more choices for customers looking for the ultimate home theater viewing experience.

The new 1920 x 1080 progressive Silicon X-tal Reflective Display (SXRD) projectors feature 24p True Cinema technology, delivering film-like performance. Built for the home theater enthusiast, the VPL-VW70 features 60,000:1 dynamic contrast, brightness of 800 ANSI lumens.

The model can accept an external anamorphic lens (sold separately) that, when paired with Sony’s Anamorphic Zoom Mode, allows users to take full advantage of panel resolution and screen size while watching a movie with native aspect ratio of 2.35:1. When Anamorphic Zoom is selected through the remote, the VPL-VW70 will output a trigger signal that can be used to activate the optional lens and screen transition to maximize the theater experience with a 2.35:1 movie. Read more

September 4, 2008 – On-Q/Legrand, the leader in home systems, today announced that it will preview a product expected to revolutionize the home systems industry at this year’s CEDIA. The newest addition to On-Q’s Studio Collection, the Unity Home System, combines three popular stand-alone systems – multi-room audio, intercom, and camera – to produce one integrated home system that’s easily controlled via an attractive user interface. Built on the plug-and-play functionality for which On-Q is known, Unity is available at a surprisingly affordable price, and is the first system of its kind in the production home market.

Earlier this year On-Q/Legrand unveiled The Studio Collection, a group of products inspired by color and design trends from around the world. These products combine innovative functionality with elegant design to create home systems that bring enhanced value to the homeowner through increased convenience and attractive design. The Unity Home System is the newest component of the Studio Collection – a way to integrate all Studio products together to form the ultimate home system. Read more

September 4, 2008 – JVC expands its award-winning line of D-ILA home theater projectors with the launch of four new full high-definition models, including two THX Certified* models. The new JVC projectors establish new benchmarks in performance and value, breaking new ground in color accuracy, black levels, ease of use and flexible adjustment. Like current highly-acclaimed JVC projectors, they achieve unprecedented contrast ratios without the use of an auto iris, and in fact the two THX Certified models offer a 30,000:1 native contrast ratio -- the highest among all currently available home theater projectors.

The new projectors are the DLA-HD750 and DLA-HD350, to be marketed by JVC's consumer group, JVC Company of America, and the DLA-RS20 and DLA-RS10 from JVC's professional group, JVC Professional Products Company. The DLA-HD750 and DLA-RS20 are both THX Certified (for all worldwide markets) to ensure accurate and exceptional picture quality in the home theater environment. A trusted cinema and consumer brand, THX certification provides JVC a means to further differentiate its projectors from competitive offerings and communicate a clear message about quality to customers. Read more

September 4 - 7, 2008 - Universal Remote Control, Inc. (URC), the pioneer in control technology, introduces Universal Remote Control Lighting by Lutron, a new line of easy-to-install single-room lighting control products that URC dealers can offer as compelling add-ons to their installations.

Lighting control is a natural extension of the home theater experience. It can set a mood, improve viewing conditions, and even help the viewer avoid injury when making a mid-movie snack run to the kitchen. URC expects its new lighting products, which are directly controlled by its numerous radio frequency (RF) remotes, will offer its dealers an easy way to offer this value-added home theater feature to their customers.

"As many custom dealers wrestle with decreasing price points and margins in some of their key product categories, gross revenues per project and the resulting profit dollars are harder to maintain as prices drop," says Mitchell Klein, director of market development and education at URC. "Universal Remote Control Lighting by Lutron will enable our dealers to diversify their offerings with a reliable, easy-to-install and easy-to-program add-on solution for single-room lighting control, with native control by URC remotes and backed by two of the most trusted brands in the business: URC and Lutron." Read more

September 4 - 7, 2008 - - Universal Remote Control, Inc. (URC), the pioneer in control technology, introduces its revolutionary new Complete Control MX-6000 Two-Way Touch Screen at this week's CEDIA EXPO. The MX-6000 brings unparalleled simplicity and automation to home entertainment, and embraces digital media in a unique and powerful new way. Through this single coffee table device, an installer can provide an end user access to all components in a home theater, as well as media on PCs, iPods and other content storage devices in the home. The user never again needs to learn a new interface for every entertainment choice because all components share a consistent logic. The MX-6000 also eliminates menu pollution from the TV screen; users perform all control functions and navigate menus and metadata on the MX-6000 screen while others in the room enjoy TV programming uninterrupted.

"The MX-6000 puts menus and cover art in the user's hands instead of cluttering the TV screen-and it gives any PC an intuitive, friendly A/V server interface," said Jon Sienkiewicz, director of marketing for URC. "On the technical side, this is a breakthrough product because it uses dual RF transmitters-802.11b/g WiFi for network control, plus narrow band RF (radio frequency) for traditional control-to ensure that home theater components don't suffer the agonizing delay of waiting for the remote to join the home network." Read more

This week at CEDIA 2008, THIEL Audio unveiled zöet, a plug and play, multi-room, premium home theater system that anyone can set up and use in under an hour. Perfect for the non-technical but discerning consumer, zöet self-powered IP-addressable speakers can be located throughout the home and connected to the zöet dB1 distribution processor using existing in-home Ethernet, its own lossless proprietary wireless network, or both.

zöet requires no drilling and the entire system can be operated from a simple and intuitive remote control, eliminating the need for a specialist to get the system up and running. You can make changes and upgrades yourself via a web interface as well as automatic firmware updates, making visits by experts a thing of the past. Read more

September 3, 2008 - Panasonic Projector Systems Company, Unit of Panasonic Corporation of North America, announced today the debut of its newest LCD home theater projector, the PT-AE3000. With full high-definition 1080p (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) native resolution, the PT-AE3000 gives home theater enthusiasts a higher level of picture quality entertainment, producing crisp and clear images through new state-of-the-art projection technology.

As an evolution of its award winning predecessor, the PT-AE2000, the PT-AE3000 delivers a captivating 1,600 lumen brightness and powerful 60,000:1 contrast ratio. To achieve sharp and detailed reproduction of fast moving motion images, Panasonic has developed and equipped the PT-AE3000 with new Frame Creation Technology optimized for large screen viewing. And for easy adjustment to different widescreen movie formats like 21:9 or 16:9, the projector is also upgraded with a Lens Memory Load feature which is capable of memorizing and restoring zoom/focus positions for multiple aspect ratio flexibility. Read more

September 3, 2008 -- Canton, Germany's largest and best selling manufacturer of loudspeakers, has introduced the Sound Bar CD 90 SB, an attractive loudspeaker system that comprises three individually isolated two-way speakers that share a single enclosure designed for horizontal mounting above or below a flat-screen TV.

The CD 90 SB joins Canton's popular CD family of compact, high-performance extruded aluminum speakers that are available in silver or black finish. The Sound Bar's configuration of three speakers in one chassis delivers the same home theater soundstage that would normally be produced by separate left, right and center speakers but with greatly simplified installation, and an aesthetic sensibility that perfectly matches today's flat panel video displays. Read more