CEDIA EXPO photo gallery
One of our spies hit the big CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association) home entertainment trade show last week and sent us back this photo essay of what he saw there.
This was the Philips booth where they were demonstrating wireless remote control tablets of many sizes that can control your CE devices. One of their smaller tablet remotes, about the size of a Palm, had speakers in it so you could hear the music that was playing once you removed it from its cradle. Neat feature if you are not around the actual speakers playing the music, like say, you?re inside and the speakers are outside.
XBR were demonstrating those beautiful speakers in the wall along with surround sound. The sound was amazing.
Axonix MediaMax (http://www.axonix.com). They do DVD movies at 1080i, music, VHS movies, downloaded movies, camera video, Internet radio, photos, Web, email, and chat all on one server. A base unit plus one player costs $7,495 and will store up to 40 DVDs. They claim you can have any number of set-top players at $500 each. For an additional $4,495 you can have up to a 160 DVD jukebox. They also claim that you can have as many as 30 simultaneous DVD movies streams.
This TV and sound system caught my eye because of the sheer elegance and beauty of its design. I really liked the way the TV looked along with the high-def audio system to back it up with sound. One of my favorites at the show.
This was the Sony booth. They were pushing the idea of ?accessing? your TV content with you wherever you go [Editor?s note: It?s called LocationFree, we?ve covered it at least once before). These tablet like computers would have access to recorded TV content, surf the Web, email, movies, and photos from those vertical base stations next to those flat panel screen from anywhere in the world, not just wirelessly in the home. They have built-in speakers and headphone jacks so now you can watch recorded TV programs at your convenience. This gives new meaning to time and location shifting.
Halcro had some beautiful home theater pieces. I cannot remember exactly what this device was except that I think it was a controller for playing movies.
Can?t remember the name of this one, but these guys were claiming that they were the first company to offer high-def audio system for your PC [Editor?s note: not sure we believe that]. The sound was amazing that came from those two speakers on the table along with the subwoofer sitting next to them.
Honorable mention?These guys invented a new way for custom installers and movers to pick up heavy objects and move them anywhere you need WITHOUT the back breaking effort normally required. They have two offerings. One for the people who move ?occasionally? and one for the people who move everyday. The occasional model costs about $60 and the everyday model (more robust and more comfortable) costs about $300. They actually lifted a real fridge and carried it up the stairs, let go, and waved at me while I took this pic. Their web site is www.shoulderdolly.com
