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Wednesday, April 11, 2012

With the economy seemingly getting better and summer rapidly approaching now is the perfect time for electronics professionals to present outdoor A/V to their clients.

Terra Loudspeakers is a Maine-based manufacturer of weatherproof loudspeakers and its latest product provides installers with a solution that not only provides dealers with an outdoor speaker product that can be used to cover a yard in sound, but it can also light up that property to provide an added level of safety and aesthetics. The LS.32 combination loudspeaker and LED light stands 32.5 inches tall and it can be ordered in a choice of either black, aluminum or copper to help its appearance match with its surrounding environment.

Terra says that installers can also order the LS.32 with its light configured to illuminate upwards or downwards in order to light up specific outdoor design elements such as a walkway or an architectural element. The LS.32 produces 270 lumens of light, and the speaker portion of the product incorporates a coaxial driver array that includes a 5.25-inch woofer. In addition, the LS.32 also includes provisions for 70-volt commercial applications and traditional consumer 8-ohm applications.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Lexington, Kentucky-based manufacturer Audio Authority is listening to what its dealers have to say. After asking for amplifiers that combined versatility and reliability Audio Authority has responded to its dealers requests by designing its new SonaFlex 16-channel amplifier (SF-16M) that combines features that can be applied to commercial and residential installations with the reliability of its Class D circuit designs all in a single package.

The SF-16M incorporates 16 RCA inputs along with two of its Cat-5 based FlexPorts to provide electronics professionals with a total of 20 mono/10 stereo inputs. The FlexPorts can be configured to accept balanced line/mic XLR, digital coax/optical and analog RCA sources and the amp's outputs can be configured as mono, stereo or a combination of both to service a variety of installation scenarios. Audio Authority says installers can also daisy chain as many as four of the amps for larger installations that require configurations as diverse as 32 inputs/64 outputs. The amp is also rated to deliver 45 watts with all channels driven or 60 watts with eight channels driven. The company adds the amp is also stable down to 2 ohms, and its sound can be customized through the use of bass and treble controls, high- and low-pass filters and seven bands of parametric equalization (EQ).

Other features include a choice of RS-232, IR and IP control, and the ability to set up 10 audio groups that can share volume settings, muting and sources.

Monday, April 09, 2012

Depending on the quality of this summer's annual Hollywood blockbusters 3D will either continue to be an important entertainment option for consumers or it could be relegated to niche status.

No matter what happens with 3D this summer products like Optoma's HD33 HD 3D projector can provide homeowners with an affordable solution that drives their 2D and 3D home theater activities. The competitively priced projector is rated to deliver a brightness rating as high as 1800 ANSI lumens, and through the inclusion of the company's PureMotion3D and PureDepth technologies, consumers can view smooth 3D images and clear images that maximize the projector's brightness capabilities.

Optoma also incorporates its new 3D RF active 3D communications technologies to ensure a higher level of reliability that doesn't require line of sight connectivity. The company says the projector works with side-by-side 3D video and top-and-bottom 3D video, and it includes two HDMI 1.4a ports to support the connections of cable and satellite boxes, Blu-ray disc players, gaming consoles and streaming media players. In addition, it also supports VGA, component, composite, RS-232 communication and 12-volt trigger connections.

Friday, April 06, 2012

Unless it's a week or two in Cabo heat and warmth isn't necessarily a good thing. In the case of electronics heat is normally a bad thing that can negatively affect the performance and life of a component or system.

Fairfield, N.J.-based Middle Atlantic understands the negative effects that heat can have on electronic components and with its latest new product releases it is providing electronics professionals with a choice of solutions to combat the problem of heat. The first of the two new products is the 50 CFM Cabinet Cooler, and according to Middle Atlantic, the product is one of the first blower-style solutions to offer a free-air rating as high as 50 CFM. The product incorporates the company's intelligent proportional speed control technologies that activate the blower at times when cooling is needed.

The second of the two new product releases is the 50 CFM Component Cooler. Middle Atlantic says this product is designed to pull hot air out of a component and direct it to a desired location. The 50 CFM Component Cooler can be used on an open shelf or in a rack, and the product is available in a choice of stand along model to directly cool a single component or as a platform model that is capable of cooling multiple components.

Thursday, April 05, 2012

For all of the standard box type products that dot the landscape of the loudspeaker category there are companies like the Carson City, Nev.-based manufacturer Wisdom Audio. Wisdom focuses on the architectural loudspeaker market and its goal is to deliver to the market the highest performing products in the specialty A/V industry.

Recently the company diversified its product line through the introduction of its more cost friendly Insight Series of architectural loudspeakers. According to Wisdom, its dealers had requested a wider choice of loudspeaker products from the company and Wisdom says it responded by designing the Insight Series which brings the price points of the company's product to a level where a wider group of consumers can afford to buy into the product line.

The Insight Series includes four products: the P2i, the P4i, the P6i and the L8i, and all of the speakers incorporate newly engineered planar magnetic drivers, cone woofers and passive crossover networks. The 3-ohm P2i has an 87dB efficiency rating and frequency response of 80Hz to 20kHz; the 6-ohm P4i is also 87dB sensitive and it also provides a frequency response of 80Hz to 20kHz; the 4-ohm P6i is more than 90dB sensitive and it has a frequency response of 80Hz to 20kHz; and the top-of-the-line 4-ohm L8i is 93dB sensitive and it like the other speakers provides a frequency response of 80Hz to 20kHz.

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Home Automation, Inc. (HAI) is one of the most diverse and aggressive manufacturers in the custom installation market. Adding to its line of convenience products the New Orleans-based company recently introduced its new MicroControl (part #81A00-2WHZB) stand alone remote control that can be used by property owners to lock and unlock ZigBee enabled door locks and to control other wireless devices.

HAI says that it has verified the MicroControl's operation with Black & Decker's Kwikset SmartCode locks, but it adds that the remote should work with other brands of ZigBee enabled locks. In addition to its ZigBee lock capabilities, HAI points out that property owners can also use the remote to coordinate their wireless energy management products that include thermostats, load-control modules that regulate compressors, generators, water heaters, pumps, fountains and chillers.

The remote can also be integrated into the company's Omni or Lumina control systems and HAI says the remote also provides users lock statuses for each lock to support improved property security.

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

There is no question that wireless communication technologies have gotten a lot better over the past several years. Today wireless technologies show up in everything from wireless data networks, to Apple's line of computing and iOS products, to security and control products such as Elk Products' M1 Cross Platform of control and security devices.

Recently Elk updated the power and versatility of the M1 series by introducing a new line of wireless two-way products that are engineered to enhance the functionality of the M1 Cross Platform. According to the North Carolina-based company, the newly introduced wireless products increase the reliability of the M1 line of products to ensure better performance in home and commercial business environments.

Elk says the products are designed to operate with minimum levels of power and through their integrated LED indicators, the products will communicate to system technicians that they are receiving a signal. The product line includes the M1XRFTW Wireless Transceiver, the 6020 Slim-Line Door/Window Sensor, the 6021 Mini Door/Window Sensor and the 6022 Universal Three Zone Sensor. Elk adds that it will release more products to the line that include a PIR and smoke detector.

Monday, April 02, 2012

Typically when the word retrofit is used to describe an electronics installation property owners cringe. The word suggests a lot of hidden installation costs that sometimes can make an upgrade in technology cost prohibitive.

Channel Vision's new B-204 IP Camera Balun Over Coax Cable Converter Kit however helps to redefine this stereotypical sales presentation scenario. According to the Costa Mesa, Calif.-based company, the converter kit can actually save up to 40 percent of the costs of a typical retrofit surveillance system upgrade. The kit is designed to allow electronics professionals to utilize a building's existing coax cabling infrastructure to help save labor expenses and additional materials, and once installed it facilitates the use of state-of-the-art IP surveillance cameras such as Channel Vision's HD Dome (6521), Bullet (6522), and flush-mount (6524) IP cameras.

The kit enables video from IP surveillance cameras to transmit as far as 300 feet over standard RG-59/6 cable and it supports up to 10Mbps of bandwidth.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Today's A/V receivers now, more than ever serve as the hub of a modern home entertainment system because of all the features they offer. The newly announced TX-NR717 and TX-NR818 A/V receivers from Onkyo incorporate the latest audio surround sound formats, as well as provisions for video processing, networked entertainment, Apple compatibility and whole-house A/V options.

The TX-NR818 incorporates features such as Audyssey's MultEQ XT32 audio calibration technologies, as well as Onkyo's Dual Core Video Engine that runs a combination of an HQV Vida 1900 video processor with Marvel's Qdeo processor to upscale low resolution content and HD content to higher quality levels. Both receivers are THX Select 2 certified and both incorporate Onkyo's WRAT amplification technologies that are designed to minimize distortion.

Onkyo adds that both setup through an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) that includes a quick setup menu that overlays the GUI, and with multiple HDMI inputs and networking provisions, homeowners can pull media from their home network or stream Internet radio stations such as Spotify and AUPEO.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

This past fall during the annual CEDIA trade show in Indianapolis, Remote Technologies Inc (RTI) introduced its new Pro Control line of products.

Recently Pro Control started to ship its Pro24.r and Pro24.z touchscreen controllers and ProLink.r and ProLink.z central control processors to provide electronics professionals with a choice of powerful and easy to use control solutions. The new touchscreen controllers incorporate 2.4-inch TFT LCD touchscreens, programmable five-way joysticks and backlit hard buttons to allow users to execute specific commands in dimly lit rooms.

The ProLink.z and ProLink.r processors store incorporate the ability to store macro commands, as well as a full array of control options, including routable IR ports with adjustable output levels, voltage-sensing inputs and Ethernet ports for networked control. The ProLink.z also includes the bi-directional ZigBee 2.4GHz wireless communication technology and RS-232 ports. Pro Control also says that it will be adding Apple iOS and Android apps to provide more control options through the use of these popular device platforms.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

As an industry there aren't many products the public ranks lower cable services. For an idea of how lowly the cable industry's standing is in the public eye, it's value arguably rivals the service from the airline industry, which is at a near historically terrible level.

Custom installers can't help the airlines win back the public, but it can ease some of the service issues associated with cable TV service through the use of TiVo's recently revamped product line. TiVo's newly announced TiVo Premiere DVR is the company's latest product and it offers homeowners an affordable solution that records 65 percent more HD content than the company's previous generation model.

TiVo says the product is capable of recording 75 hours of HD content and it incorporates the company's respected user interface. In addition to the new Premiere DVR, TiVo has also announced a new subscription rate of $14.99 per month, and the company has also introduced a new multi-service discount rate of $12.99 per month.

Monday, March 26, 2012

A couple of years ago when the 3D video format was making its reemergence into the world of consumer video the products that supported the format were expensive.

Since that time the buzz for the format has leveled off and like most things in consumer electronics, it's growth has pushed 3D gear price points down to levels that allow more consumers to buy into the world of 3D video. ATEN's new VS482 Dual View HDMI switch provides electronics professionals with a device that can handle as many as four 3D sources and it can distribute these sources to multiple 3D displays which is now a more affordable scenario for installers to propose to clients.

The VS482 works with the latest HDMI format protocols such as 3D, Deep Color and the Audio Return Channel, as well as high resolution display formats like WUXGA (1920x1200) to provide installers with a component that can handle a variety of tasks. ATEN says the unit is designed to setup easily through the use of its onscreen display (OSD) and with its choice of convenience features that include a front panel display that allows for source selection, as well as RS-232 control options to enable its integration into a third-party control system, it can be placed in an equipment rack or it can be used as a standard A/V device within a home theater system.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Definitive Technology has always been a company that's combined new technologies, competitive price points and a vast array of product solutions that fit just about any need a homeowner will have.

The company's latest product line is a series of bookshelf speakers that includes the StudioMonitor 65, which can be used for home theater and two-channel audio. Definitive Technology says the speaker's physical dimensions are 16.5 inches x 7.875 inches x 15.125 inches and it weighs 22 pounds. Internally, the StudioMonitor 65 incorporates dual woofers that surround a 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter. These drivers are controlled by the company's phase coherent crossover network that utilize oversized inductors, Mylar capacitors and an integrated Zobel network that is said to flatten the impedance of the speaker to enable low-powered, low-current amplifiers to effectively drive the speakers.

Definitive Technology rates the speaker's impedance at 8 ohms and its sensitivity at 92dB. In addition, the speaker is rated to deliver a frequency response of 30Hz to 30kHz and it ships with a wood-grain matte black finish and gloss-black bezel.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

For years the brand Acurus was a highly respected brand among home theater enthusiasts. Unfortunately the brand went away for a variety of reasons.

In 2009 Indy Audio Labs revived the brand and in the fall of 2011 the company debuted its Acurus line of products at the annual CEDIA show. Included in the company's newly released line of products is the A2005 five-channel amplifier which is designed specifically for home theater applications. The A2005 is a THX Ultra2 certified product that is specified to deliver 200 watts into an 8-ohm load; 300 watts into a 4-ohm load, and the Midwestern-based company says that per THX requirements, the amp is also capable of delivering 18 amps of current into 2.2 ohms for peak bursts.

Other features incorporated into the Class A/B design A2005 include network integration controls that are intended to facilitate the integration process, and a configuration option that enables two A2005 amps to be setup together as a 10-channel amplifier solution.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Whether it's in the home or at work, storage is an important consideration for anyone that requires a certain level of performance and functionality out of their computer network.

Western Digital's (WD) new My Book Thunderbolt Duo line of products is the well-known company's latest line of storage solutions and these new drives incorporate the new data transfer technology that is currently being popularized by Apple: Thunderbolt. The drives are available in 4TB and 6TB versions, and they offer a choice of RAID 0, RAID 1 or JBOD hot-swapping backup options.

In the home the drives can be used to store music, movies, home videos, photos and important personal documents. In the office the drives can be used to store 3D renderings, complex video projects, advanced music files that includes Avid's Pro Tools and Apple Logic files, and other documents and photos. Western Digital says that the My Book Thunderbolt Duo can also be set up in a daisy chain configuration to provide high levels of storage, and the products work with Apple and Microsoft operating systems.

In addition, users can create a second copy of their important files when the drives are set up in a RAID 1 configuration as a way of further safeguarding files that are deemed important. Western Digital backs the drives with a three-year warranty and they are also Apple Time Machine compatible straight from the box.