Integrators can always count on seeing some stunning home theater demos in the Sony booth at CEDIA Expo, but usually media members get a first look with what’s become an annual press conference that takes place just before the first day of the show floor opening.
So Frank Sterns, VP for AV Specialty/Custom Integration for Sony, didn’t want to divulge too much about the new products that will be unveiled on Sept. 12, but he did note that CEDIA Expo 2019 attendees can expect to see more in the realm of CLED (Crystal LED), projection and the company’s support for the CI channel.
Regarding Sony’s continued efforts to support the custom channel, Sterns mentions that this year’s Expo marks a milestone for the company and its long-time role as part of the industry’s leading association.
“[Integrators] may not know this, but Sony is a founding member of the CEDIA organization, 30 years ago,” he comments.
“So while today it might be fashionable for big, tier one brands to say they support the integrator channel, Sony has been there since the beginning of the integrator channel and has supported this channel along the way with product, technology, programs, staffing, margin, etc. We’re coming to CEDIA, the 30th anniversary, to celebrate that fact.”

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With that in mind, Sony’s displays will likely be the showstoppers of its booth again as the company delivers high-quality products for dealers to dazzle customers.
Among the highlights, Sterns says, will be “Sony’s focus on premium product(s). And premium for us means 8K technology, and the new Z9G Series, 85-inch and 98-inch, as well as our Master Series OLED product, the A8G and the A9G.”
Videophiles and integrators may recall, as Sterns notes, the A9G was awarded this year’s “King of TV” honor at the annual TV shootout, staged by New York integrator Value Electronics.
Beyond the show focus on 8K and OLED, Sony will offer the latest on its projection lineup as well as update integrators on the latest initiatives surrounding the stunning CLED wall technology, which turned heads during last year’s CEDIA Expo.
Dealers will also get a chance to talk with Sony engineers on hand about what they’re looking for in next-generation displays as a sort of “wish list” for the company to incorporate.
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