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Electro-Harmonix Overdrive pedal just became a Rock Band 2 necessity
The avoirdupois of the world rests on your shoulders as you await the mind-numbing riffs of Painkiller. You wonder how you'll prevent yourself from engaging in overdrive prematurely as your locks bang to and fro. Then you look down and see EHX's Overdrive pedal a stone's throw from your left foot. Exhale.[Via Boing Boing]
CableCARD diagnostic tool gets previewed at Media Center University
Say hello to some of the first screens from the Digital Cable Tuner Diagnostics (DCTD) tool, courtesy of CE Pro, who got a peek as it was shown off during the Media Center University currently underway at EHX Spring. It can check individual channel strength, whether you're properly paired and provisioned with the cable company and that you've been set up with all the channels you're paying for. The bad news is you probably won't be doing any of this, unless the software leaks or something changes, since it's only going to be available for the ($500 membership fee required) Media Center Integrator Alliance. For those who've dropped coin on a high end custom media center installation, it should cut the time and heartache installed significantly, but detailed help for the rest of us is in another castle.
Neothings LightSpider takes HDMI signals 300 feet over fiber
Gefen has already taken the wind out of Neothings' sails somewhat with its HDMI v1.3 Fiber Extender, but if you're not quite ready to drop the coin required to take HDMI signals 1,000 feet over fiber optics, this here device may be the perfect solution. Dubbed LightSpider, this bridge can take HDMI, RS-232 and analog audio around 300 feet on a single fiber cable utilizing OWLink's Digital Light Interface technology. The company is quick to point out that the unit's integrated support for HDCP is a big win for those passing along protected material, though it won't go so far as to provide a price. Reportedly, the company will be on hand at EHX Spring to showcase it to HD junkies and home theater installers, after which we fully expect to hear more details on how to actually procure this thing.
New CableCARD diagnostic tool for Windows Media Center makes installation slightly less frustrating
Let's be honest, getting a CableCARD to work with Windows Media Center is far, far, far from a smooth process. Thankfully, the Media Center Integrator Alliance -- this sort of the things is its bag, naturally -- are set to show off a Digital Cable Tuner Diagnostics tool at next week's Electronic House Expo. It'll provide all kinds of information on your tuner and CableCARD, including modulation type, format, frequency, carrier, PCR Lock, encoding level, and authorization -- and if all that goes way over your head, there's an option to export the data to XML and send it to someone who can help. No word on when we'll see an official release, but no matter what, it won't be soon enough.
JVC, Sensio team up on high-end consumer 3D projection system
Far from being the first (or second, or third) partnership aimed at getting 3D in the home, JVC and Sensio have jointly chosen EHX Fall 2008 to announce their loving new union. By joining forces, they're purporting to introduce the "very first high-end 3D solution available on the consumer market." Granted, this so-called solution won't be cheap nor simple, as it will require a pair of JVC's costly D-ILA projectors and a media server integrating Sensio's 3D decoding technology. At the show, the pair demonstrated the forthcoming system by utilizing two $9,000 (yes, each) DLA-RS2 beamers (pictured), though it's never stated whether or not any gaudy goggles are required for visualizing the third-dimension. At any rate, the kit won't be available until sometime in 2009, but it's quite possible we'll get a sneak peek at CES in January.[Via Electronic House]
EHX Fall moving in with CES, fight over top bunk begins in 2010
While Electronic House Expo Fall 2008 is still scheduled for November 4-7, the custom/high end AV show is skipping the '09 edition for a slight delay before beginning a 10-year run as part of CES. Attendees can look for EHX @ CES inside the Sands Expo and Convention Center (it's where you'll be for the other show that happens every year in Vegas that week.) Upset by all this change? We understand, it could take a moment, keep in mind the CEDIA Expo is shifting from Denver to Atlanta next year, while EHX Spring remains in Orlando. Will this fulfill its intended goals of widening the gap from CEDIA to EHX and bringing back custom installers to check out CES? Hard to say this far out, but it's a safe bet we'll be there.[Via CEPro]
Sunfire kicks out HRS satellite speakers to complement subwoofer
If you've fallen head over heels in love with your HRS subwoofer, Sunfire's looking to help you round out your surround system with satellites to match. Announced this week at EHX in Orlando, the company is bringing the $450 HRS Sat-4 and $500 HRS-SAT4C Center to market. As expected, each of the glossy black speakers will tout a curved design, cast aluminum front baffle, a 4.5-inch High Back-emf woofer (two for the Center in a D'Appolito configuration) and a 1-inch silk-dome tweeter. Additionally, each speaker can handle 200-watts of RMS power, and if these things deliver half the delight of HRS subbies, we'd say Sunfire has a couple more winners on its hands here.
Meridian announces MF10 1080p D-ILA projector at EHX
Every so often, a projector hits the market that's just so delectable, it's hard to stop fantasizing about what pieces of your kids' rooms could be auctioned off in order to procure it. Enter the $14,995 Meridian MF10, which is most certainly one those units. Packin' a totally familiar black chassis, three 0.7-inch 1080p D-ILA chips, a native 30,000:1 contrast ratio, 700 lumens, and a 2x zoom lens (2:35:1 Cinemascope is optional), this PJ exudes confidence. You'll also find a pair of HDMI 1.3 ports along with component, S-Video and composite (saywha?), an RS-232 control terminal and the ability to play nice with the firm's $3,995 DVP2351 digital video processor (shown after the jump). Yeah, they're both available as we speak, but can your Centurion Card really handle it? [Warning: PDF read link]
ATON shows off Storm Series speakers, DLA technology at EHX
VUDU's announcement to team up with a number of big names in the home automation biz isn't the only news coming out of Orlando this week, as ATON is also down at EHX showcasing its Storm Series speakers and DLA Speaker Level Audio Routers. The former, which consists of 19 new speakers including ceiling, in-wall, theater and outdoor models, began shipping out late last month. Essentially, ATON's hoping to provide a wide array of choices in order to deliver whole-home audio solutions for customers willing to fork out anywhere between $139 and $479 per driver. Moving on, we've got the outfit's Dynamic Level Adjustment technology, which is being utilized in its newest audio routers ($299 to $499) designed to efficiently deliver and control audio throughout a home / building. Heck, the company is even coming out with in-wall Touchpads that will enable guests in any nook or cranny to control what's happening in their area. Click on through for the full release. %Gallery-18283%
FUZE minimizes its latest media PC system
FUZE Media Systems is back, this time shrinking its "whole-home" media PC system to a more "whole-apartment" media PC system. Dubbed the Mini Edition, its brings together the FuzeBox HTPC and is setup for two video and four audio zones, specifically configured for residences with 2-3 TVs. Upgradable to a full FUZE Media System, the server includes 4GB of memory, 750GB HDD storage and a 2.2GHz processor. Of course, like its big brother this is meant to be sold through a network of installers, but they'll be able to get a look at EHX starting tomorrow (hopefully this time at a system that's been turned on), with systems available some time in the second quarter.
Control4 intros new line of in-wall / in-ceiling speakers at EHX
Although Control4 is best known for its home automation kit, the firm is using the spotlight at EHX to show off a new line of multi-room speakers. The 6.5- and 8-inch In-Ceiling and In-Wall Speakers (and In-Ceiling Stereo Speakers) all sport a two-way design, and they'll all play nice with the outfit's Wi-Fi Speaker Point, too. As for the drivers, they feature dual polymer cones, silk dome (pivoting) tweeters and rubber surrounds; hit up your dealer this summer if you're down with paying between $199 and $399 per pair.
Philips ups its FlatTV lineup with 47-inch LCD and 63-inch plasma
Ok, so it's not quite as impressive as the 100-inch, Ambilight-equipped LCD Philips has to brag about, but the company has unveiled a pair of impressive FlatTV displays today at the Electronic House Expo in California. First up is the 47-inch LCD TV (47PF9441D), which touts the surely (or not) astounding 1080p spec and also features "Virtual Dolby Digital" audio, while the 63-inch plasma (63PF9631D) gets stuck with the seemingly indistinguishable 1080i and a built-in USB connector to stream images / MP3s without the need for an HTPC. Both units tout HDMI ports as well as Philips' Pixel Plus 3HD technology, which supposedly "enhances content to deliver more natural skin tones, detailed colors, and amazingly lifelike imagesgi." While further details are scant at this point, we do know that the 47-incher will run you $2,999 when it hits next month, while the currently available monstrous plasma will require $5,999.
NuVision to drop the first 1080p LED DLP?
We didn't think it'd be a no-name like NuVision that took the eh-kinda-illustrious title of first company to release a 1080p LED DLP, but they're claiming to have their 52-inch non-wobulator on the market in 3 months. We'll believe it when we see it, but we've no doubt that a good LED DLP would do our respective livingrooms some serious good. Unfortunately we don't have a lot of information on this thing right now, so we'll be scanning HD Beat for the schoop at EHX just as you'll probably be scanning us for an update.
