MELVILLE, N.Y. — ADI joined together with many industry-leading vendors to host a special event to thank customers for their continuous support at CEDIA Expo 2009.

ADI also sponsored the CEDIA Learning Labs to provide attendees with hands-on experiences with the latest technology.

More than 1,300 dealers were invited to ADI's fourth annual customer celebration, held at the Opera Atlanta Event Center. Built in the 1920's, the Opera Atlanta Event Center retains the unique historical character and stunning architectural details of that period.

The event was sponsored by more than 20 leading manufacturers including Key Digital, Pioneer, Proficient, Russound, Honeywell, Peerless, Universal Remote Control, JVC, Monster and Sharp. Customers and vendors enjoyed an evening of first-class catering and entertainment by the popular band Soul Asylum, who captivated the audience with their alternative rock hits.

The CEDIA Learning Labs sponsored by ADI included four separate full-featured rooms equipped with the latest technology…

AVAD's VP and GM Jim Annes discusses AVAD's product lines and its commitment to supporting the custom install channel with CE Pro's Lisa Montgomery.


View larger video here

Sony’s new focus on the custom market extends across the breadth of its offerings, which include new products to sales and technical support to a brand new distribution model designed to ensure product availability and fast delivery for integrators.

Sony’s commitment will be visible to attendees at CEDIA Expo 2009 in Atlanta. Not only will attendees see a gigantic new exhibit booth, but there will be a major announcement at 5 p.m. on September 10 regarding a slew of new vendor partnerships with custom-oriented manufacturers.

Sony also is partnering with a prominent distribution company to establish five distribution centers across the country designed to serve only the installation specialty channel. These centers will have inventoried product ready and waiting for CE pros. The inventory can’t be “raided” by specialty retail chains and dealers will be less susceptible to shortages, forcing…

VAN NUYS, Calif. — AVAD LLC, North America's leading distributor of custom electronics, will demonstrate how "One Call Does it All" for custom installers at booth 1765 at CEDIA Expo 2009, held Sept. 9-13 in Atlanta, Ga.

In addition to having the opportunity to learn more about AVAD's Integration Partners program, its roster of the industry's most trusted residential and pro AV brands, in-depth training opportunities and unique dealer programs, attendees to the AVAD Booth will have the opportunity to win a limited-edition AVAD Guitar on each day of the show.

"AVAD is, and has always been, committed to the unique needs of the custom installer," said Jim Annes, vice president and general manager of AVAD. "From home theater to pro AV, we provide installers with an extensive range of the products, training and support programs—all the resources they need to help manage and grow their business. We look forward to demonstrating how dealers can rely on…

Skepticism is a core value of the custom electronics industry.

So when ZeeVee says its ZvBox 150 and ZvPro 250 sends high-definition video over a home's coax wiring, essentially creating an HD video distribution system without running any wires, it raises questions.

That’s why ZeeVee is offering a training course during CEDIA Expo 2009, focusing on retrofit HD video distribution over coaxial wiring.

“We know that integrators are leery of 'new' solutions, so our training reveals how broadcasting HD over coax with a ZvBox is really the evolution of a technology many of them have been using for a long time," says director of marketing Chris Bauer.

The training program, which recently debuted at Capitol Sales, aims to explain how ZeeVee’s products distribute HD video sources formatted as HD cable TV channels over existing coax. Any HDTV connected to the coax wiring can tune…

Bob Gartland is stepping down as president of AVAD as of Sept. 30, finishing a three-year commitment after Ingram Micro acquired the distributor in 2005.

John Soumbasakis, senior vice president, strategic divisions, will lead the search for a new president while running the company in the interim.

"When I look back over the history of this company, I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish," says Gartland.

"We founded AVAD with the vision of developing a company that would be entirely devoted to serving the needs of custom installation experts, and we succeeded in a way that I only could have hoped."

AVAD will continue to be run as a separate division of Ingram Micro, the company announced.

September 5, 2007 -- HAUPPAUGE, NEW YORK -- Electrograph Systems, Inc., one of the nation's largest display technology distributors, today announced it has teamed up with CEDIA, the premier trade association for the residential design & installation of electronics systems, for its all-new Display Technology Experience (DTE) reseller events. Coming to New York and Ft. Lauderdale this fall, Electrograph's DTE training and networking programs have been enhanced with home automation content to accommodate professional resellers serving the residential market.

According to Sam Taylor, president of Electrograph Systems, Inc., "The reality is that almost half of our reseller partners are selling into both the residential and the commercial markets. And Electrograph is committed to helping resellers grow their businesses with the best products, training and services for these industries." He continued, "We are so pleased to have the leading residential electronics systems organization on board to augment our DTE programs. The wealth of knowledge offered through CEDIA will be invaluable to our reseller community."

…

Denver, September 6, 2007 – Leviton Manufacturing Company is pleased to announce distribution of their award winning Vizia RF lighting and home control system through the Digital Delivery Group. This distribution agreement provides Leviton with an influential integration channel partner.

"I am excited that Leviton and Digital Delivery Group have formed an alliance to serve the custom integration market," said DDG's Executive Director David Kaplan. "Leviton is a leader in virtually every category they touch. Our partnership with Leviton creates synergy that will increase sales for our manufacturers, our members and our customers."

This partnership adds Leviton to an elite group of carefully chosen vendors who offer compelling home automation, home control and home entertainment packages to installation professionals. "Vizia RF now becomes a key lighting control selection of choice for amazing home control and entertainment integration packages offered by the Digital Delivery Group," says Grant Sullivan, Product Marketing Manager for Leviton. Other major partners offered by the Digital Distribution Group include Life|ware,…

Capitol Sales is a major CE distributor based near Minneapolis. The company, best known for its tech support and customer service, is launching a series of online training videos taped at a recent dealer event.

Those training sessions, attended by some 325 dealers, will be available online come CEDIA."We can send the education we do at our show to a whole new arena of people who couldn't attend," says Capitol CEO Curt Hayes, adding, "There may be a dealer that has 10 people and they can't send five people. This will allow us to get to the them."

The online sessions are not raw video of the training. They are edited, with Powerpoints incorporated into the presentations, and chaptered for easy access to areas of interest.

Training videos are accessible free of charge to Capitol Sales customers.

The distributor will offer 12 online training sessions, the first four of which will be showcased at CEDIA:

…

A new testing program aims to take the pain out of HDMI cables by ranking them on a scale of 1 to 5 based on variety of characteristics.

You know the drill: You need a 60-foot HDMI cable to use for a project. So you think, hey, the package says the cable is certified for HDMI Version 1.3 Category 2 and delivers a 1080p resolution at that length. You're safe, right? Of course not.

Even if you do your due diligence — you know, comparing specs — you still can't get the darn things to work. But who knows what the specs mean? You simply cannot do a worthwhile comparison without bench-testing the cables yourself.

Imagine how the traditional consumer must feel.

Ranking System to the Rescue

At the CEDIA Expo, we'll see the first viable HDMI rating system ever introduced. It's called the Digital Performance Level (DPL) Ranking System and is the brainchild…