10.15.2008 — About 100 integrators attended LocusPalooza in Baltimore yesterday, learning about the newest products from rep/distributor Locus Marketing and The Source Distribution, member of the TAG group of distributors.

About 15 of the rep/distributor's vendors were represented at the event, where attractive show specials were offered to dealers.

The top seller was Ethereal's HDMI-DAD (Digital Analysis Device), which automatically corrects a poor HDMI signal on long runs. The product normally retails for $265, but LocusPalooza attendees snapped up good bargains on the device.

A close second was Universal Remote Control's new lighting control system powered by Lutron. It allows any RF remote from URC to communicate directly with special versions of Lutron's RF dimmers – no additional processors required.

"We took quite a few orders for this new product," says Eric Gagnier, VP of The Source Distribution.

Dealers also marveled at the Samsung LN52A750, a 52-inch "Touch of Color" 1080p LCD. (The "Touch of Color" refers to a subtle maroon band that outlines TV bezel.) The gorgeous display, which retails for a mere $2,999, had many plasma-loving dealers saying they were finally sold on LCD.



The guys at Locus/The Source who set up the TV said they had never seen a display look so good right out of the box. They just plugged it into the Blu-ray player and out popped a perfectly calibrated picture.

Dealers also got to glimpse Belkin's new Flywire, which transmits 1080p video wirelessly throughout the house using WHDI technology from Amimon. At the event, Belkin's Clayton Nagel said the product, which will be released soon, will retail for $1,500. Flywire will be available to integrators through custom-oriented rep/distributors like Locus and The Source. Otherwise, the unit initially will only be sold at Amazon.com and by Belkin itself for the full retail price, meaning integrators can maintain margin on it.

Russound demonstrated its SmartMedia Console (SMC) running Lifeware software; TrippLite showed off its AV550SC Backup Power Block; and about a dozen other vendors provided show specials on HDMI cables, power management products, receivers, TVs and audio.

But the star of the show was CE Pro columnist Jeff Boccaccio of DPL Labs (the HDMI rating organization), who enthralled the crowd with tales of HDMI.

"He really made me realize we need to step up to the plate on HDMI," said Dwayne Martin of Sound Decision, an integrator based in Roanoke, Va. "Him describing how much is involved really helped me understand the technology and how much is going on in the cable."

For hours, Boccaccio held court at LocusPalooza, answering questions from the guests.

Boccaccio's HDMI Webinar offered by on Oct. 1 was far and away the most well-attended Web seminar ever produced by CEPro.com.

Also presenting at LocusPalooza was Denon's Matt Good and myself.

Attendees got a sneak preview of the "Trends" session I'll be presenting at EHX Fall 2008 in Long Beach, Calif.

It served as a nice test for some of the new gags in my script.


Ethereal's Brent McCall, who sold several HDMI-DAD devices at the event, explains the finer points of Cat 5 as it relates to HDMI distribution