News: Listing of News Stories - Cedia Expo 2009

News

The place to plan for CEDIA Expo 2008, chat about the show, discover new products, find the parties, gripe about hotels, search for exhibitors, and have a little fun with the custom installation industry.

Thursday, August 04, 2011

Teaser: The Pros & Cons of Cloud Storage, Streaming

With cloud-based content all the rage – and with my forthcoming “cloud” session at CEDIA Expo 2011 – I asked one of my panelists to provide a teaser on some cloud-based storage and streaming services. This is just a glimpse of what you will hear from Michael de Nigris of Autonomic Controls, knower of all things content. He’ll join three integrators on the panel – one of whom will share his own tale of cutting the cable cord. -Julie Jacobson

Cloud Storage

Provides virtual hard disk space in the "cloud," allowing users to upload and store music, movies, photos, and/or documents online, and access/playback the content over the Internet using a computer or mobile device.

Amazon Cloud Drive/Cloud Player
Pro: In addition to storing your own music, you can upload videos, pictures, and other documents
Con: Cost

GET TO KNOW THE CLOUD
at

Read more

Posted by CE Pro Editors on 08/04 at 09:04 AM
News, Video, Digital Media, Events, CEDIA, Permalink

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

How to Discuss 3D Content

Unless you have clients who are serious soccer fans or their children really love Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, they're probably wondering what's the point of all these 3D products.

It seems like a new 3D movie is hitting their local Cineplex every week, but the local cable provider still hasn't added any 3D channels to the 700 they're receiving. But you still have to find ways to present quality 3D demos to them.

The manufacturers seem to be taking a Field of Dreams "if you build it, they will come" approach to 3D home entertainment. The televisions, and even some projectors, are arriving swiftly with the requisite eyewear, as well as Blu-ray players and A/V receivers that support the format. But there are only a handful of viewing choices - not including PC games developed to be 3D-ready - available through traditional manners.

DirecTV Leading the Charge
"Everyone is talking about some form of 3D, and…

Posted by Arlen Schweiger on 09/29 at 08:17 AM
News, Business Resources, Events, CEDIA, Permalink

Friday, September 25, 2009

Envive Adds TheaterStation Multi-Zone Media Management

Following the legal battles involving RealDVD and Kaleidescape, Envive has re-launched its media servers to avoid the legal fray.

During CEDIA Expo 2009 the maker of TheaterStation media servers launched its Multi-Zone Digital Media Management System and TSClient Mini.

Envive CEO Chris Bortner — even though “I’m not a lawyer” — says he dashed many legal concerns from CE pros during CEDIA Expo by explaining the differences between TheaterStation and Kaleidescape.

“The difference between us and Kaleidescape is that our system is open,” Bortner says, referring to the fact that the Envive product does not require (or allow) DVDs to be copied directly onto the server. Instead, the device can accept content that is stored on other devices in the home, including PCs and NAS drives.

“Envive doesn’t enable the playing or copying of access- or copy-protected media out of the box,” Bortner says.

Posted by Tom LeBlanc on 09/25 at 09:50 AM
News, Digital Rights, Legal, Media Servers, Permalink

Thursday, September 17, 2009

11 Networked Components at CEDIA Expo 2009

If your electronics don’t stream content directly to your living room, they’re just plain lazy.

TV, Blu-ray player, receiver and media server manufacturers are pairing up with content providers to cut out the middleman — that being the consumer who actually has to go to a store to get movies or music.

Manufacturers at CEDIA Expo 2009 announced partnerships with Netflix and Vudu, showing off the fruits of their collaborations.

Vudu had a huge presence in LG's booth. LG kicked off the show by announcing that it's BD390 Wireless Network Blu-ray Player now has Vudu access.

Vudu, along with Netflix, YouTube and Yahoo Widgets, can also be streamed via LG’s line of Broadband TVs. The following components represent just a sample of the digital streaming products at CEDIA…

Posted by Tom LeBlanc on 09/17 at 06:19 AM
News, Product News, Slideshow, Displays, Receivers, Blu-ray, Digital Media, Permalink

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

7 LED TVs at CEDIA Expo 2009

LED TVs certainly had a strong presence at CEDIA Expo 2009 in Atlanta.

Manufacturers are embracing LED TVs because they use a lot less energy and are much thinner than normal LCD TVs, providing consumers with a more energy-efficient display that also can be aesthetically pleasing.

You couldn't get away from LED TVs in Sharp's booth even if you tried, while LG's booth also had LED TVs throughout.

There were no OLED TVs on display at the show. A Sony spokesperson attributed its lack of OLED TVs to the fact that Sony had nothing new to show, while others manufacturers speculated OLED might never take off.

While the following is only a taste of what was on display, we round up LED TVs from the following companies:

LG
Samsung
Sony
Sharp
Toshiba

Click here to view 7 LED TVs at CEDIA Expo 2009.

Posted by Steve Crowe on 09/16 at 08:34 AM
News, Product News, Slideshow, Displays, CEDIA, Permalink

Video: Sencore at CEDIA Expo 2009

CE Pro's Jason Knott stops by Sencore's booth and talks video calibration and processing with Sencore and their partners.

View larger video here

Posted by CE Pro Editors on 09/16 at 07:49 AM
News, Videos, Video Processors, Video Sources, CEDIA, Permalink

Inside Sharp’s CEDIA Expo 2009 Booth

A new LED TV line was the centerpiece of Sharp’s CEDIA Expo 2009 booth.

And why not? “Eventually, we’ll probably be all-LED,” said spokesperson Melissa Non.

Sharp’s Aquos LED LCD TV Series, which began shipping in August, flanked a waterfall at the entrance of the booth. Attendees could take a closer look at the 32-, 40-, 46- and 52-inch models.

Demoing its LED technology, Sharp showed a stripped down TV with the “UltraBrilliant Full Array LED backlight” exposed. It was part of an emphasis on energy efficiency.

Sharp says its LED approach provides uniform brightness and color purity with higher luminance per watt so less power is needed. It adds that the series is mercury-free and exceeds the EPA’s Energy Star criteria for power consumption by up to 67 percent and has a long lifespan of 100,000 hours.

There was…

Posted by Tom LeBlanc on 09/16 at 05:41 AM
News, Product News, Slideshow, Displays, Blu-ray, Permalink

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

CEDIA Learning Labs Celebrate First Anniversary

The CEDIA Learning Labs, which started as a gleam in the eye of CEDIA Education Council head Mike Creeden of M+R Digital Innovations, celebrated their one-year anniversary with some pomp and ceremony.

CEDIA leaders and sponsors gathered for some cookies and congratulations outside the lab rooms at CEDIA Expo 2009 in the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

The four hands-on training labs are a venue for dealers and their technicians to “get their hands dirty” performing some actual installation tasks while being educated at the same time. The labs were sponsored by ADI, which pulled together a myriad of manufacturers to help fulfill the vision.

The four labs were:

Cable, Connectors and Testing
Video Display Technologies and Calibration
Computers
Audio and Component Installation

Tom Polson, president of ADI, said that the distributor was committed to the bringing hands-on education to CEDIA. “I can promise you that we will continue to be here,” he said.

Posted by Jason Knott on 09/15 at 08:39 AM
News, CEDIA, Training, Permalink

Monday, September 14, 2009

Did CEDIA, CE Pro Pick the Right Winners?

CEDIA just announced its annual Manufacturers' Excellence Awards, and CE Pro announced its first annual BEST winners.

Did they get it right?

CEDIA Awards

Of the CEDIA finalists, I'm surprised Anthem Statement D2v with Room Correction didn't get a nod. Anthem cannot make these fast enough for its dealers.

The Trak-kit system is also wildly creative and deserves some recognition.

CE Pro BEST Awards

On the CE Pro BEST Awards for Media Servers, the judges were correct to recognize Crestron for its ADMS-BR server with WorldSearch. But it should have tied with S1Digital's Digital Entertainment Platform, the only Media Center solution that lets users stream copy-protected CableCard content across a home network.

For security,…

Posted by Julie Jacobson on 09/14 at 09:13 AM
News, Blogs, Product News, CEDIA, Permalink

Inside LG’s CEDIA Expo 2009 Booth

LG Electronics kicked off CEDIA Expo 2009 by adding Vudu to its BD390 Blu-ray player.

Vudu isn’t new to LG. The on-demand movie rental service was recently added to LG’s Broadband TVs, a line that also includes Netflix, Yahoo Widget and YouTube streaming.

So between the BD390, the Broadband TV line and a demo of the Vudu interface, LG’s booth had Vudu pretty well covered.

LG also showed several LED TVs, including the SL90 line that is slated to ship in October, featuring 42- and 47-inch models with Edge LED lighting and depth of only 1.15 inches.

OLED TVs were one thing missing from LG's booth. It was recently reported that LG plans to launch a 15-inch OLED in Korea and that a 40-inch model is planned for the “not too…