Prior to going to CEDIA I was very anxious to see how the economic downturn would affect the attendance and energy of the show. CEDIA is one of the most important shows for the industry annually and I felt the mood of the show would be a great indicator of what the next several months hold for the Custom Electronic industry. 

Once I hit the exhibit floor I was quite surprised by the upbeat energy and excitement I found. While attendance may have been down 12% from previous years and exhibitor booths may have been a little more conservative then the past; the feedback I was getting was almost all positive.  One common theme I heard from exhibitors was that while traffic to their booths may have been down, those who did come by seemed to be the decision makers and they were able to have very positive and productive conversations.  In fact CEDIA reported that over 50% of the attendees were key decision makers. 

Crestron seemed to dominate the floor with a massive booth centered on the show floor that had a constant flow of traffic, other companies who made a big splash were Mitsubishi, Stewart FlimScreen and Speakercraft who has teased us all for months and finally introduced and clarified what “nirv” is.  One thing I always note at CEDIA is the major difference between it and other big shows. At CEDIA, products such as cables, controls and switches tend to generate more of a buzz and I think this gives the show a lot more business value then some of the other shows out there which are all about glitz and glamor. 

Overall I was glad to get to CEDIA 2009 and see that despite some of the struggles this industry has experienced over the last 12 months, companies still continue to innovate new products and work towards making these technologies more and more mainstream.

CEDIA has always been the place for a company to introduce its new products and technologies to the industry; this year was no exception.  In a changing market like we are in it is important for companies to stay ahead of the curve and continue to be the innovators. 

Below are just a few of the new products and technologies I came across at CEDIA 2009. For all the press releases and news on the show visit our CEDIA news page.

 

Studio Tek 100 from Stewart FilmScreen

Stewart FilmScreen featured many new innovative products this year at CEDIA including new screen materials, media décor and blackout blinds.  However, they seemed most proud of the rave reviews they have been getting about their SudioTek 100 which is a flexible front projection matte-white screen designed for maximum detail clarity when used with 1080p projectors. This low gain material is an optimal lambertian diffuser and disperses light in a near perfect hemispherical distribution allowing for smooth, even light reflection. 

 

AIW Plaster In-Wall Loudspeaker Series and Alf40 Bass Enhancer from Amina Technologies

The Amina® AIW Plaster In-Wall Loudspeaker Series is the world’s first high performance loudspeaker that is designed to be skimmed over with 2mm of normal finishing plaster, providing a completely concealed audio solution whilst allowing designers and builders a very high quality wall finish ready to accept a decoration of choice (paint, paper, textured plaster etc).  I had a chance to listen to these speakers combined with the ALF40 Bass enhancer and was amazed at the sound quality they provided considering they were enclosed behind drywall.

ST-7 Universal Controller from RTI Corp

 

The ST-7 Universal Controller is a groundbreaking control device combining a sleek, modern industrial design with amazing control capabilities.  Incorporatin a customizable high-resolution widescreen multi-touch display and a unique low profile assortment of hard buttons in RTI’s flagship system controller. 

 

 

H-Pass Bass Technology from Atlantic Technology and Solus/Clements

Describing it as a breakthrough in speaker technology, Atlantic Technology with Solus/Clements introduced its Hybrid Pressure Acceleration System.  This new loudspeaker design protocol is capable of delivering deep, low-distortion bass response at output levels unobtainable through conventional bass alignment techniques.  This technology will allow speakers with small cabinets and drivers to achieve levels of performance normally associated with much larger speaker systems.

 

 

AVGrip High Speed Locking HDMI  Cables from Accell Corp

 

The Accell AVGrip™ Pro Locking High Speed HDMI cables feature patent- pending locking connectors. These connectors provide a hold on the HDMI port many times greater than a typical HDMI cable. The AVGrip Pro’s connectors lock into any HDMI device, ensuring that the cable stays in place. The AVGrip Pro cable is fully compliant to the to the latest HDMI 1.3 Category 2 specification with speeds of up to 10.2 Gbps (340 MHz). 

 

 

AV Rack Systems from Sanus

Primarily known for its mounting solutions Sanus Systems introduced a line of Rock-Solid AV Rack Systems engineered for reliability, security and easy installation.  This new product line will give Sanus dealers even more options and are offered at very competitive pricing.  Along with introducing the new link of Rack Systems, Sanus displayed some ultra thin wall mount systems.

 

 

DLP 1080p HC3800 Home Theater Projector from Mitsubishi

The HC3800 HD which was introduced at CEDIA is designed for budget-minded do-it-yourself video enthusiasts or home-theater newbies, the HC3800 delivers 1080p resolution for a true high-definition viewing experience all at an MSRP under $1500.

 

 

Atlona 8x8:2 HDMI Matrix Switch with CAT5/6 and Local HDMI Outputs.

The Atlona AT-PROHD88M-SR is a True 8x8;2 HDMI matrix switch.  The PROHD88M unit features eight HDMI 1.3 inputs, and eight independently switchable HDMI + Twisted Pair outputs to feed eight sepearate displays simultaneously.  Each output features 1 x HDMI and 2 x Twisted Pair connections where both are active at the same time.  Twisted Pair outputs are used to connect to the 8 x included receiver modules.

 

 

TruLink™ Wireless USB to VGA + 3.5mm Audio Kit from Cables to Go

Wirelessly transmit the UXGA/WSXGA video + 3.5mm audio signal to 30 feet (line of sight). This kit includes all you need to wirelessly stream video and audio content from your computer to a remote monitor, projector, or TV. Using Ultra-Wide Band technology, the USB to VGA kit enables in-room wireless connectivity up to 30 feet between the computer and the display.  This highly secure wireless connection is ideal for classroom or conference room presentations or to display content from your laptop to your home entertainment system.

 

BodySound HomeTheater Seating

Experiential™ seating with BodySound technology is the fusion of fine furniture and innovative sound technology. The sound and the seating are one and the same, delivering Personal Surround Sound and BodySound in luxury and comfort. Watching movies or TV, listening to music, and playing video games becomes a more engaging experience with BodySound technology.