In the spring of 1994 SpeakerCraft completed the development of its first branded line of products, after transitioning from a custom installation company and designer and manufacturer of speakers for JBL, Polk, Sonance and Niles and many others.

Principals Jeremy Burkhardt and Ed Haase were brainstorming what to do for CEDIA Expo in Dallas.

After visiting with many corporate trade show companies, Burkhardt and Haase decided that a shiny, glossed over, expensive, plastic and pre-fab booth would never fit in with SpeakerCraft's thought process or their goals for a trade show.

After a few beers at a local bar it was decided that SpeakerCraft would launch into the CEDIA market and make a statement that would encompass the culture of the company. It would project an attitude of having fun, taking care of their partners and just hanging out with dealers as opposed to strictly business appointments and product pitches.

"We built a wooden saloon with screws…

Runco will launch more than a dozen products and will have a booth (#3069) on the show floor at CEDIA Expo 2009 in Atlanta.

Runco also will hold daily training sessions in rooms C-301 and C-302 inside the Georgia World Congress Center.

The company's booth, called the "Runco Dealer Red Carpet Lounge," is a dealer-exclusive space to meet with Runco's sales team, tech support, marketing and inside staff.

Here's the statement from Gerry Perkel, Planar president and CEO and GM for Runco:

"Runco is a founding member of CEDIA and we will be at EXPO in a big way. There have been many rumors, misinformation and speculation about what Runco plans to do at EXPO so we want to make it abundantly clear that we will be there with an arsenal of new products. These new products, combined with our recent flat-panel announcements, are providing an improved roadmap across the board. We…

Everything is new about CEDIA Expo 2009 in Atlanta.

Attendees will be greeted by new hotels and restaurants, a new portion of the Georgia World Congress Center, new education, and gobs of new products on the show floor.

But one thing hasn't changed: CEDIANews2009.com is the No. 1 source for news and information about CEDIA Expo.

Will there be another booth of dancing girls? Where will the best receptions be? Which products will be the hottest on the Expo floor? It's all here.

CE Pro is excited to once again present this Web site as a resource for new products, technologies, events and exclusive coverage of CEDIA Expo 2009.

Keep CEDIANews2009.com bookmarked to get notes from the show, photos of new products, tech trends, special events and more.

We hope CEDIANews2009.com will this year's Expo the best ever.

CEDIA has asked us to pass along one final reminder that early bird registration for CEDIA Expo 2009 ends July 15.

CEDIA says "budget-conscious attendees can save as much as $60 on tradeshow access and hundreds of dollars on education by registering before the deadline."

CEDIA Expo 2009 is taking place Sept. 9-13 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

Some of the highlights include:

• More than 50 hours of free education available for CEDIA Members
• Keynote speaker Buzz Aldrin will address members at Annual Meeting & Membership Breakfast
• Four all-new discussion panels address hot-button issues such as HDMI and 3D
• Annual Electronic Lifestyles Awards Banquet will include 20th Anniversary Celebration

Stay tuned for more coverage of CEDIA Expo 2009.

Related:

Registration is now open for CEDIA Expo 2009, which takes place Sept. 8-13 in Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Attendees who register by July 15 are eligible for discounts on tradeshow access, education and special events.

Pre-conference activities begin September 8, while the show floor opens Sept. 10. Click here for attendee registration and here for exhibitor registration.

CEDIA offers the following highlights for the annual event:

• More than 50 hours of free education available for members
• Keynote speaker Buzz Aldrin will address members at Annual Meeting & Membership Breakfast
• Panel discussions on HDMI, 3D technology and green solutions from CEDIA’s Technology Council
• Annual Electronic Lifestyles Awards Banquet will include 20th Anniversary Celebration

Click here for more information about CEDIA Expo.

The Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) will deliver education for electronic systems professionals at an event hosted by Capitol Sales Company in Tampa November 15–17.

CEDIA University (CU) On the Road will travel to the Capitol Sales Learning Institute – Regional Outreach event to offer core courses from three CEDIA University colleges. The event will also feature product training from top manufacturers and a certification opportunity from the Electronic Systems Professional Alliance (ESPA).

CEDIA University offers a wide range of training for current electronic systems professionals and for those who are looking to change or diversify their careers. CEDIA’s CU On the Road program travels throughout the U.S., Canada and Latin America delivering affordable, accessible regionalized education.

CU On the Road has partnered with Capitol Sales Company to offer CEDIA University training at Capitol Sales Learning Institute – Regional Outreach events in 2009. The training events provide convenient,…

EHX and CE Pro are proud to partner with the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) to bring the EHX experience of a dedicated Custom Electronic exhibition to the 2010 International CES.

As part or our continuing effort to better serve the dealers and integrators in this vibrant industry, CES and EHX maximize the value proposition by offering exclusive benefits to EHX@CES attendees and exhibitors. Far more than a pavilion within another show, EHX@CES is a dedicated show experience for the custom electronics industry.

• Over 50 exhibiting companies participating at EHX@CES, plus hundreds more within CES
• FREE Industry Training on the expo floor at the CE Pro Headquarters
• FREE High End Audio Demo Room access Exclusive EHX@CES Attendee Reception located at CE Pro Headquarters on the expo floor
• Meet and Greet opportunity with the industry leading editors, writers and analysts Access to EHX@CES host hotel room block and discounts

Reach More Custom Electronic Professionals

Here are just a few benefits of participating in EHX@CESA quality audience driven by the…

The changing times require a shift from the same-old same-old, and EHX Spring 2010, which will be held March 24-27, 2010 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., promises to deliver on that with a valuable and fresh new experience that will provide a road map for new growth for custom electronics professionals.

Driven from the leadership perspective of CE Pro's editorial staff, EHX Spring 2010 will reflect the innovation, creativity and experiences dealers are applying across the country in order to succeed in today's changing market.

Attendees to the CE Pro New Opportunities Show will benefit from the most relevant and timely business and technology development sessions delivered in new informal, interactive and personal formats. EHX Spring will expand your view on the potential of new revenue sources through a variety of dealer and industry lead panels and super sessions. Other highlights include our packed expo floor that focuses on the hottest new technologies.

In addition…

Today is the last day to enter your Media Center installation in Microsoft's Windows Media Center Ultimate Install contest.

If you're the lucky winner, you get a free ride to CEDIA 2008 and a press party thrown in your honor (Saturday, Sept. 6).

Last year's winner, Imperium Smart Systems, was lavished with free press, and this year's champ has even more to gain: flight and accommodations for CEDIA 2008, a trip for two to Microsoft, $1,000 in cash, a professional photo shoot of the job, and a bunch of goodies for the accommodating homeowners – Xbox360 Elite, games, a couple of Zunes and more.


Todd Rutherford of Microsoft's eHome group says the company has received a variety of entries. He reminds dealers that the contest is not just about home control, but about "the entire Media Center experience."

He says, "None of our criteria is centered on using…

Welcome to the third year of CEDIANews.com, brought to you by the editors of CE Pro, the leading reporters in the custom electronics industry.

This year, CEDIANews.com promises more than ever – more fun, more editorial, more opinions, more contests, and more useful information than you will find anywhere else.

Historically, this site has generated 300,000 page views, thanks to our exlusive CEDIA Expo coverage and the ease of navigating the site.

This year also, for the first time, we are producing a special publication, CE Pro's CEDIA Guide, to provide loads of product previews before the show. It is the only book guaranteed to ship before the show.

Beginning now, we want to hear from you.

In the Comments section below, please let us know your thoughts on CEDIA Expo 2008 and the CEDIANews.com

Exhibitors, you can find more information on advertising and editorial here.
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