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Welcome
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Welcome to
Residential AV presents Connected Home
By Michael Goldman, editor of Sound & Video
Contractor
This newsletter represents the next generation and
logical extension of the popular Residential AV newsletter brand
from SVC. We’re upgrading and expanding the newsletter in
response to changes and convergence trends in the market and the needs
of the professional AV community. Specifically, we are responding to the
rapid unification of the pro AV world with the IT/networking world, and
it is in the residential installation market that this unification is
proceeding most rapidly.
As we have always done, this newsletter will address technical
challenges, trends, and issues in the system integration world as it
relates to the residential market. Therefore, we will continue to
present product and technology-trend stories, case studies, and
installation profiles. What we are adding is informative content about
networking and IT trends on the professional, prosumer, and consumer
levels that are impacting the residential market. We’re placing this
content under the Connected Home label, and we’re presenting it
to you from the same roster of experts who started Connected Home
as a separate property for our sister publication, Windows IT
Pro. With the aforementioned convergence, we felt this content could
best serve our readers under the Residential AV umbrella. On our
website, www.svconline, you can find both Residential AV content and Connected Home content on their own webpages
for ease of use.
It’s our fond hope that our attention to this new direction for our
industry will help you understand and better analyze networking tools
and what options consumers, IT professionals and AV professionals have
available to them. Email me any time with your thoughts and suggestions
at michael.goldman@penton.com.
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Top Story: Connected Home
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Upselling the Connected
Home
By Paul Thurrott
A decade ago, the notion of wiring a home for Ethernet was considered a
luxury upgrade for the uber-rich. As is so often the case, however, over
the past several years, prices have fallen and consumer understanding of
the benefits of this connectivity has grown. As a result, Ethernet is
often a standard component of new home construction—just like
plumbing, electricity, and climate control—and is an increasingly
common option for upgraders.
That’s probably not news to you. But what might surprise you is the
wealth of upsell opportunities that present themselves once you’ve
wired a home in this fashion. Yes, the first step will be pervasive
Internet access throughout the home via both wired and wireless
connection points, preferably through a high-speed fiber optic (FiOS) or
cable-based connection. But look beyond the obvious, and you’ll see
plenty of opportunity to add value. Here are a few recommendations.
more>>
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Didn't have a chance to attend one of our Webcasts? No problem.
Visit the Sound & Video Contractor Webcast Series archive at
svconline.com/webcasts. Listen to past events and download the
post-event Q&A sessions in one convenient location, svconline.com/webcasts
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Top Story: Residential AV
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Sony expands LCD and OLED TVs,
adds DMex extenders
By Rebecca Day
Sony continues to redefine the television in the digital age. The
company has added to its line of Digital Media Extender (DMex) products
while disclosing plans to expand distribution of its OLED TV to Internet
channels. The company also has unveiled its new line of XBR TVs due
later this year, including its largest LCD TV to date.
The 70in. KDL-70XBR7 LCD TV represents an 18in. jump in screen size for
Sony, whose largest flatpanel TV to date has been a 52in. model. Prices
weren’t disclosed for any of the seven new Sony TVs, which are due to
start shipping this fall. The 70XBR7 is part of the 7 Series from Sony,
which also includes a 40in. model.
more>>
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Review: Connected Home
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Review: Audio-Technica
AT-LP2D-USB turntable
By Jason Bovberg
Music is a particular passion of mine. I’ve been listening to it all
my life, from 8-track to LP to reel-to-reel (believe it or not) to
cassette tape to DAT to CD to Super Audio CD (SACD)/DVD-Audio (DVD-A) to
MP3. To me, a leisurely evening spent spinning my old LPs is an evening
to cherish. I’m one of those guys who enjoy music presented at its
highest possible quality, so naturally it was with great reluctance that
I entered the digital age, when high-fidelity analog recordings gave way
to the CD, and finally to the lowly, compressed, digital MP3.
more>>
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In Depth: Residential AV
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Perfect for Formal Entertaining
at Home
“Party Palace!” That’s what the client wanted us to create due to
the fact that they planned on having several formal dinner and cocktail
parties a year at their home. “Design a system that will blow our
guests away” was the order of business and we were confident we could
meet, if not exceed, the clients expectations. All we needed was a
blazingly bright 178in. screen and about 7000W of gut-kicking power to
deliver it.
more>>
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New Products
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Meridian Amps Up Luxury
Appeal
Meridian Audio is taking an increasingly active role
in courting the design-savvy, upscale consumer. Meridian will
participate in the upcoming Digital Downtown show in New York, an
exclusive free event open to the public from June 12-14 at the World
Financial Center in lower Manhattan. At Digital Downtown (booth #166),
Meridian will highlight the stunning new F80 all-in-one entertainment
system engineered in cooperation with legendary automaker Ferrari.
Meridian will also be informing show visitors about its more traditional
music and audio-video system solutions.
more>>
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Salamander Launches New Models
for Chameleon Collection of AV Cabinets
New Configurations in Geneva, Sonoma, Berlin and Hampton Styles Add
Choices and Versatility for Customers and Installers
Salamander Designs has announced three new models in each of four basic
styles for its flagship Chameleon Collection of AV entertainment
cabinets. The new models, expressed in Chameleon’s four cabinet
styles—Geneva, Sonoma, Berlin, and Hampton—offer customers and
custom installers a full dozen new choices in cabinetry design, and
significantly broaden the collection’s versatility, functionality, and
flexibility, especially for consumers who prefer to conceal their audio
or video components.
more>>
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SoundTube Announces RoHS
Compliance
Las Vegas NV, InfoComm Booth N5851 - SoundTube
Entertainment has adopted manufacturing techniques that meet the RoHS
directive. RoHS is a European standard for manufacturing that includes
“the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in
electrical and electronic equipment”. In detail, the RoHS bans any new
electrical equipment that contains more than the agreed to levels of
lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl
(PBB), and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE). The RoHS directive and
regulations came into force on July 1, 2006.
more>>
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