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EXCELLING OURSELVES
Listed under: Show News
Published: Tuesday, August 12, 2008
It’s hard to believe but CEDIA’s Expo has been gathering together the best and the brightest from the AV and custom installation industries for a whopping 12 years now.
Over those years, Expo has continued to grow (Expo-nentially? Ahem. – Deputy Ed.), and 2008 was certainly no exception – this time round, visitors had more than ever to occupy their time, including over 200-hours of training as part of an education programme that was 25% larger than last year.
With a host of new courses on offer, including the world’s first appearance of the new Certification for Home Cinema Design Specialists course, certified CEDIA members were able to maintain their status by amassing Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for attendance and completion of training, while 52 delegates took advantage of the certification exams in order to become certified. Education was certainly high on the agenda, and some of the most popular courses included 'Multi Room Audio and Video Distribution', 'Structured Cabling Design and Installation Workshop' and the 'High Definition and HDMI Workshop'. By the time the four-day programme had come to an end, a total of nearly 700 individuals had filled training session places.
Expert opinion was also on hand courtesy of a lively panel debate that focused on topics like the changing face of home entertainment and featured Ivor Tiefenbrun MBE, Executive Chairman of Linn, Jeremy Burkhardt, President of SpeakerCraft, and Steve Moore of SMC. Another popular new attraction brought free training to the show floor in the form of the Hot Topics Theatre which played host to expert speakers from Apple TV, the BBC and others, exploring a variety of topics from ‘the Future of broadcast HD’ to ‘VAT and the CI market’.
put on a show
Almost 130 companies made their way to ExCeL to showcase their latest wares and take advantage of the business opportunities that Expo offers, and wandering around the show, attendees were surrounded by some undeniably impressive stands. Although a few big names were notable by their absence - Linn and A+K to name but two - there were a number of first time exhibitors who put in a welcomed appearance. One such company was Spectral, who unveiled the flexible Catena modular furniture system. This can be tailored to individual installations by adding wall-mounted or floor-positioned cabinet modules, and installers can easily create a high-end all-in-one home entertainment system simply by adding dedicated audio modules.
Fellow newcomer Audipack elected to use Expo as a launch pad for its LCD and plasma brackets, including the Spektra range and the new fully-motorised Clo X-Arm. The latter can handle screens of up to 65-inches in size and angle them up and down, or side to side, remotely, with favourite positions recallable at the touch of a button. Another company keen to demonstrate its range of automated wall mounts was Future Automation. Those manning the stand treated me to a demonstration of the company's superb plasma and projector lifts, plus the never-before-seen QA Bi-directional Electric Wall Bracket. Space-saving doesn’t begin to describe these products, which allow flatscreens to drop from the ceiling or rise from unobtrusive enclosures. Needless to say, I wasn’t the only one impressed by the offerings on show.
Both flatscreens and projectors made a strong showing at Expo, and industry heavyweights AWE were keen to offer a demo of the new Cineversum BlackWing Three in ahandy, on-stand home cinema demo room. Appearing in the UK for the first time, this Full HD projector boasts motorised zoom and focus, has a full-glass optical lens and is capable of true anamorphic projection thanks to its compatibility with Cineversum’s Theatre Concept Kit.
AWE's expansive stand also showcased the latest addition to the Philips Pronto range – the TSU-920 – as well as the new G9 Pioneer PDP-LX509D 50-inch Kuro screen. Always a crowd pleaser, the AWE Solutions House effectively demonstrated how a Pronto can control an integrated whole house set-up packed with kit from Panasonic, Denon and, thanks to new distribution agreements, Imerge and Lutron. As an added bonus, visitors to the stand were also given the chance to win a tutored driving session in a race-prepared Lotus around a very special – and top secret – circuit.
in the cinema
Also making a big impression was Loewe’s new multi-room audio distribution system. With wired and wireless access to centrally stored music, the system consists of a main-zone audio/video unit, a passive loudspeaker and a remote audio client with amplifier and remote control. Visitors to the stand were also greeted by another debutant, the Connect range of LCD displays. In addition to offering quality images and audio, this flexible solution provides direct access to networked media, allowing users to enjoy their music, photo, and video collections.
Flatscreens are getting thinner every year – a trend particularly evident with JVC's Super Slim LT-42DS9BJ. Equipped with a built-in tuner, this stunning LCD TV has a depth of just 39mm, making it the perfect choice for today's style-conscious consumer. Turning to projectors, the DLA-HD100 Cinema Widescreen System has been designed specifically for the HD100 by T+W marketing. This 2.35:1 system represents the latest development in JVC's award-winning range of True Black D-ILA projectors and was earning some well deserved attention.
Moving on, my eye was caught by a number of waterproof TV screens ideal for use in bathrooms, kitchens or homes with messy children. Unique Automation showcased their bathomatic and bathovision products in a rather effective way, with one television encased behind a glass screen under constant water bombardment from a shower head, and another entirely submerged in a bathtub. The robust bathovision screens range in size from 23- to 56-inches, and when switched off, become a stylish mirror. We're reliably informed that a new 17-inch tablet version, suitable for installing behind a custom glass shower screen, is also in the works...
Elsewhere, Envirovision was out in force, with its full range of waterproof HD-Ready screens, including a 19-inch model that comes complete with Freeview tuners as standard, on show. Clad in a range of high-quality finishes, including mirrored, brush-polished stainless steel, black, gold or mirror-screened, two versions are available, with the 19EA series supplied with separate high-quality waterproof ceiling mounted speakers, and the 19IA featuring integral waterproof speakers.
the gift of sound
Scooping this year's coveted 'Best Stand at Expo' award, Armour Home Electronics occupied a substantial amount of floorspace, and the stand played host to an extensive range of brands from the AHE portfolio, including Systemline, Aquavision, NAD and Soundcast. One range that particularly caught my eye was the Q-Acoustics Q-AV 5.1 Surround Sound System. Designed to blend into any surroundings as discreetly as possible, the system features an innovative integrated bracket and grille assembly which houses the left, centre and right channel speakers. Thanks to its 'trombone-slide' mechanism and flexible speaker grille, the component can be seamlessly integrated with screens ranging between 37- and 50-inches in size, providing an almost invisible set-up.
Also championing the understated approach, BMB Electronics were keen to show off the Niles range of outdoor loudspeakers. Both the GeoRealistic rock and PS planter models have several awards to their name and come in a number of different colours. Thanks to its waterproof design, the latter can even accommodate real plants in order to be a truly unobtrusive garden speaker! Moving from disguised speakers to completely invisible ones, Amina was demonstrating its Plaster In-Wall loudspeakers. As the name suggests, this flexible range is designed to be plastered into ceilings, walls or behind wood panelling; the surface then essentially acts as a soundboard, allowing a room to be filled with high-quality audio with not a speaker or cable in sight.
Some speakers are, of course, designed to be a feature in their own right, and Monitor Audio's Radius HD series of satellite and subs speakers undoubtedly fall into that category. Succeeding the company's popular Radius series, these stylish products feature refined Metal Matrix Polymer (MMP II) and Ceramic-Coated Aluminium Megesium (C-CAM) technologies. Also on hand was the Radius HD One, which serves as a self-contained surround sound unit for an LCD or plasma screen.
Named as 'Best Trade Supplier' at this year's CEDIA Awards, B&W were showcasing a plethora of high-end goods, including the renowned Zeppelin iPod speaker system and three new subwoofers, designed to partner the Custom Theatre 700 Series. Three new speakers will also be joining the 700 Series, while the popular CM Series of loudspeakers can now benefit from the new ASW 10CM subwoofer. With everything B&W has to offer, custom installers will certainly be spoilt for choice.
Also in attendance were airSOUND and JBL. The former debuted the Elac 3D-13 Bluetooth, fully active loudspeaker and the DARE Pro Audio Micro 88 air commercial install speaker cabinet. These airSOUND technology-equipped products represent exciting steps forward for the UK-based company. With their unique quarter-round design, the latter's latest Control NOW indoor and Control NOW AW outdoor loudspeakers also stood out; they provide a spectrum of installation possibilities and incorporate innovative driver technologies to deliver crisp and evenly distributed sound in any listening environment.
controlling influence
Though, not always a popular choice amongst installers, given the cheap cost of CAT5 cabling, wireless technologies were also present at the show. These included SpeakerCraft's award-winning MODE multi-room AV control system, which is now compatible with the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch, courtesy of a new interface, and should be gracing many a new install in the coming months.
One of the main attractions at Expo, the Crestron stand again boasted a wealth of technology, such as the popular TPMC-8X WiFi touchpanel and the intuitive TPMC-4XG. The star attraction, however, was the sleek 6-inch TPS-6X touchpanel which is set to replace nine existing products! The award-winning Adagio AIP Media System was also on-hand, along with the iLux, CAEN and CLXI range of lighting control solutions, and the European CAMEO Keypads.
Another stand that drew the crowds belonged to distributor Invision. Featuring global brands such as NetStreams, Polk Audio and ReQuest, this year's event marked the introduction of RTI (Remote Technologies Inc.) control products and Optoma's premium home cinema brand, ThemeScene. Expo also saw the first outing for Invision's brand new displays division – Invision Express. Aiming to be a 'one-stop-source' for LCDs, plasmas and projectors, Invision Express offers next day delivery to any UK mainland address for orders placed before 6pm, saving installers the cost of storage and the hassle of transportation.
Elsewhere in the hall, fellow distributor Habitech was keen to promote the Intelix range of Media Distribution Solutions and had a constant flow of installers wanting to see the ITC instant tool-less connectors in action. I couldn't resist giving it a go myself, and judging by the happy looks on the faces of my fellow attendees, this simple device is going to be an asset to any installer.
Enjoying a particularly successful show was ACA-Apex, another company exhibiting for the first time. In addition to launching an expanded range of third party products, including Jamo Audio, AV racking, home automation, plasma mounts and waterproof TVs, the company drew attention to its Compact Residential Infrastructure System (CRIS). Comprising a plastic enclosure, a range of mounting plates and mixed media patch panel configurations, this unique in-wall system is the only truly scalable system on the market.
final thought
Clocking up a total of 7474 visitors and playing host to all manner of clever kit, this year's Expo seems to have been a resounding success. CEDIA Chairman, Simon Williams, certainly agrees: “This year's CEDIA Expo shows that the custom installation industry is in good health," he said. "There were some great new products on show, with a number of exhibitors pulling out all the stops in the quality and creativity of their stand design. Taken with a range of new feature areas and innovations introduced this year, CEDIA Expo felt fresh and exciting. The reward was a steady stream of visitors, and plenty of newcomers too – an indication that the industry is evolving and attracting the new blood necessary to sustain its growth.”
And there's no rest for the successful: plans are already under way for CEDIA Expo 2009, and if it's as least as good as this year's event, it's not to be missed....
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
+44 (0)1480 213 744 http://www.cedia.co.uk
With a host of new courses on offer, including the world’s first appearance of the new Certification for Home Cinema Design Specialists course, certified CEDIA members were able to maintain their status by amassing Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for attendance and completion of training, while 52 delegates took advantage of the certification exams in order to become certified. Education was certainly high on the agenda, and some of the most popular courses included 'Multi Room Audio and Video Distribution', 'Structured Cabling Design and Installation Workshop' and the 'High Definition and HDMI Workshop'. By the time the four-day programme had come to an end, a total of nearly 700 individuals had filled training session places.
Expert opinion was also on hand courtesy of a lively panel debate that focused on topics like the changing face of home entertainment and featured Ivor Tiefenbrun MBE, Executive Chairman of Linn, Jeremy Burkhardt, President of SpeakerCraft, and Steve Moore of SMC. Another popular new attraction brought free training to the show floor in the form of the Hot Topics Theatre which played host to expert speakers from Apple TV, the BBC and others, exploring a variety of topics from ‘the Future of broadcast HD’ to ‘VAT and the CI market’.
put on a show
Almost 130 companies made their way to ExCeL to showcase their latest wares and take advantage of the business opportunities that Expo offers, and wandering around the show, attendees were surrounded by some undeniably impressive stands. Although a few big names were notable by their absence - Linn and A+K to name but two - there were a number of first time exhibitors who put in a welcomed appearance. One such company was Spectral, who unveiled the flexible Catena modular furniture system. This can be tailored to individual installations by adding wall-mounted or floor-positioned cabinet modules, and installers can easily create a high-end all-in-one home entertainment system simply by adding dedicated audio modules.
Fellow newcomer Audipack elected to use Expo as a launch pad for its LCD and plasma brackets, including the Spektra range and the new fully-motorised Clo X-Arm. The latter can handle screens of up to 65-inches in size and angle them up and down, or side to side, remotely, with favourite positions recallable at the touch of a button. Another company keen to demonstrate its range of automated wall mounts was Future Automation. Those manning the stand treated me to a demonstration of the company's superb plasma and projector lifts, plus the never-before-seen QA Bi-directional Electric Wall Bracket. Space-saving doesn’t begin to describe these products, which allow flatscreens to drop from the ceiling or rise from unobtrusive enclosures. Needless to say, I wasn’t the only one impressed by the offerings on show.
Both flatscreens and projectors made a strong showing at Expo, and industry heavyweights AWE were keen to offer a demo of the new Cineversum BlackWing Three in ahandy, on-stand home cinema demo room. Appearing in the UK for the first time, this Full HD projector boasts motorised zoom and focus, has a full-glass optical lens and is capable of true anamorphic projection thanks to its compatibility with Cineversum’s Theatre Concept Kit.
AWE's expansive stand also showcased the latest addition to the Philips Pronto range – the TSU-920 – as well as the new G9 Pioneer PDP-LX509D 50-inch Kuro screen. Always a crowd pleaser, the AWE Solutions House effectively demonstrated how a Pronto can control an integrated whole house set-up packed with kit from Panasonic, Denon and, thanks to new distribution agreements, Imerge and Lutron. As an added bonus, visitors to the stand were also given the chance to win a tutored driving session in a race-prepared Lotus around a very special – and top secret – circuit.
in the cinema
Also making a big impression was Loewe’s new multi-room audio distribution system. With wired and wireless access to centrally stored music, the system consists of a main-zone audio/video unit, a passive loudspeaker and a remote audio client with amplifier and remote control. Visitors to the stand were also greeted by another debutant, the Connect range of LCD displays. In addition to offering quality images and audio, this flexible solution provides direct access to networked media, allowing users to enjoy their music, photo, and video collections.
Flatscreens are getting thinner every year – a trend particularly evident with JVC's Super Slim LT-42DS9BJ. Equipped with a built-in tuner, this stunning LCD TV has a depth of just 39mm, making it the perfect choice for today's style-conscious consumer. Turning to projectors, the DLA-HD100 Cinema Widescreen System has been designed specifically for the HD100 by T+W marketing. This 2.35:1 system represents the latest development in JVC's award-winning range of True Black D-ILA projectors and was earning some well deserved attention.
Moving on, my eye was caught by a number of waterproof TV screens ideal for use in bathrooms, kitchens or homes with messy children. Unique Automation showcased their bathomatic and bathovision products in a rather effective way, with one television encased behind a glass screen under constant water bombardment from a shower head, and another entirely submerged in a bathtub. The robust bathovision screens range in size from 23- to 56-inches, and when switched off, become a stylish mirror. We're reliably informed that a new 17-inch tablet version, suitable for installing behind a custom glass shower screen, is also in the works...
Elsewhere, Envirovision was out in force, with its full range of waterproof HD-Ready screens, including a 19-inch model that comes complete with Freeview tuners as standard, on show. Clad in a range of high-quality finishes, including mirrored, brush-polished stainless steel, black, gold or mirror-screened, two versions are available, with the 19EA series supplied with separate high-quality waterproof ceiling mounted speakers, and the 19IA featuring integral waterproof speakers.
the gift of sound
Scooping this year's coveted 'Best Stand at Expo' award, Armour Home Electronics occupied a substantial amount of floorspace, and the stand played host to an extensive range of brands from the AHE portfolio, including Systemline, Aquavision, NAD and Soundcast. One range that particularly caught my eye was the Q-Acoustics Q-AV 5.1 Surround Sound System. Designed to blend into any surroundings as discreetly as possible, the system features an innovative integrated bracket and grille assembly which houses the left, centre and right channel speakers. Thanks to its 'trombone-slide' mechanism and flexible speaker grille, the component can be seamlessly integrated with screens ranging between 37- and 50-inches in size, providing an almost invisible set-up.
Also championing the understated approach, BMB Electronics were keen to show off the Niles range of outdoor loudspeakers. Both the GeoRealistic rock and PS planter models have several awards to their name and come in a number of different colours. Thanks to its waterproof design, the latter can even accommodate real plants in order to be a truly unobtrusive garden speaker! Moving from disguised speakers to completely invisible ones, Amina was demonstrating its Plaster In-Wall loudspeakers. As the name suggests, this flexible range is designed to be plastered into ceilings, walls or behind wood panelling; the surface then essentially acts as a soundboard, allowing a room to be filled with high-quality audio with not a speaker or cable in sight.
Some speakers are, of course, designed to be a feature in their own right, and Monitor Audio's Radius HD series of satellite and subs speakers undoubtedly fall into that category. Succeeding the company's popular Radius series, these stylish products feature refined Metal Matrix Polymer (MMP II) and Ceramic-Coated Aluminium Megesium (C-CAM) technologies. Also on hand was the Radius HD One, which serves as a self-contained surround sound unit for an LCD or plasma screen.
Named as 'Best Trade Supplier' at this year's CEDIA Awards, B&W were showcasing a plethora of high-end goods, including the renowned Zeppelin iPod speaker system and three new subwoofers, designed to partner the Custom Theatre 700 Series. Three new speakers will also be joining the 700 Series, while the popular CM Series of loudspeakers can now benefit from the new ASW 10CM subwoofer. With everything B&W has to offer, custom installers will certainly be spoilt for choice.
Also in attendance were airSOUND and JBL. The former debuted the Elac 3D-13 Bluetooth, fully active loudspeaker and the DARE Pro Audio Micro 88 air commercial install speaker cabinet. These airSOUND technology-equipped products represent exciting steps forward for the UK-based company. With their unique quarter-round design, the latter's latest Control NOW indoor and Control NOW AW outdoor loudspeakers also stood out; they provide a spectrum of installation possibilities and incorporate innovative driver technologies to deliver crisp and evenly distributed sound in any listening environment.
controlling influence
Though, not always a popular choice amongst installers, given the cheap cost of CAT5 cabling, wireless technologies were also present at the show. These included SpeakerCraft's award-winning MODE multi-room AV control system, which is now compatible with the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch, courtesy of a new interface, and should be gracing many a new install in the coming months.
One of the main attractions at Expo, the Crestron stand again boasted a wealth of technology, such as the popular TPMC-8X WiFi touchpanel and the intuitive TPMC-4XG. The star attraction, however, was the sleek 6-inch TPS-6X touchpanel which is set to replace nine existing products! The award-winning Adagio AIP Media System was also on-hand, along with the iLux, CAEN and CLXI range of lighting control solutions, and the European CAMEO Keypads.
Another stand that drew the crowds belonged to distributor Invision. Featuring global brands such as NetStreams, Polk Audio and ReQuest, this year's event marked the introduction of RTI (Remote Technologies Inc.) control products and Optoma's premium home cinema brand, ThemeScene. Expo also saw the first outing for Invision's brand new displays division – Invision Express. Aiming to be a 'one-stop-source' for LCDs, plasmas and projectors, Invision Express offers next day delivery to any UK mainland address for orders placed before 6pm, saving installers the cost of storage and the hassle of transportation.
Elsewhere in the hall, fellow distributor Habitech was keen to promote the Intelix range of Media Distribution Solutions and had a constant flow of installers wanting to see the ITC instant tool-less connectors in action. I couldn't resist giving it a go myself, and judging by the happy looks on the faces of my fellow attendees, this simple device is going to be an asset to any installer.
Enjoying a particularly successful show was ACA-Apex, another company exhibiting for the first time. In addition to launching an expanded range of third party products, including Jamo Audio, AV racking, home automation, plasma mounts and waterproof TVs, the company drew attention to its Compact Residential Infrastructure System (CRIS). Comprising a plastic enclosure, a range of mounting plates and mixed media patch panel configurations, this unique in-wall system is the only truly scalable system on the market.
final thought
Clocking up a total of 7474 visitors and playing host to all manner of clever kit, this year's Expo seems to have been a resounding success. CEDIA Chairman, Simon Williams, certainly agrees: “This year's CEDIA Expo shows that the custom installation industry is in good health," he said. "There were some great new products on show, with a number of exhibitors pulling out all the stops in the quality and creativity of their stand design. Taken with a range of new feature areas and innovations introduced this year, CEDIA Expo felt fresh and exciting. The reward was a steady stream of visitors, and plenty of newcomers too – an indication that the industry is evolving and attracting the new blood necessary to sustain its growth.”
And there's no rest for the successful: plans are already under way for CEDIA Expo 2009, and if it's as least as good as this year's event, it's not to be missed....
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
+44 (0)1480 213 744 http://www.cedia.co.uk
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