Options Increase For Multimedia
And as more IT/AV convergent products make their way into the mainstream, many integrators are offering clients business and home products to maximize sales, bolster margins and deepen relationships.
Here are a few new multimedia and home-theater solutions that could leave customers asking for more.
Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV660
There are many reasons why notebooks have outpaced desktop sales. Toshiba's Digital Products Division just added a few more to the list with its new Qosmio G35-AV660, a multimedia powerhouse well-suited for the corporate exec, the everyday road warrior and the discerning home user.
Keep in mind that those user descriptions often fit one person, as more people store personal digital files on their "work" notebooks or seek an enhanced multimedia experience for those long flights and lonely hotel stays.
CRN Test Center engineers have been long-time fans of earlier Qosmio models. The G35-AV660 won't change their minds. The unit runs on Intel's Core 2 Duo processor and Centrino Duo mobile platform, designed to enhance the clarity of high-definition videos and other multimedia functions. The integrated TV tuner enables viewing cable or satellite TV, recording and pausing live programs and recording future programs through the DVR.
The G35-AV660 uses two 5400 RPM serial ATA 120-Gbyte hard drives and 2048-Mbyte DDR2 memory. The HD DVD-ROM drive also features a DVD SuperMulti, which can double storage capacity in dual-layer format.
Based on Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, the notebook also features a TruBrite widescreen display, Dolby by Home Theater sound and Harman Kardon's Bass Reflex Speaker Technology. The G35-AV660 comes with a one-year warranty and carries a street price of $3,499.
Optoma Thinks Big ... And Small
For those who prefer a more stationary entertainment experience, Optoma has begun shipping its 100-inch rear-projection display, as well as four new projectors based on Texas Instrument's DarkChip technology and Optoma's Image A1 technology.
For projectors, Optoma hits the $999 mark with its H70 portable home unit, which features the DarkChip2DLP DMD chipset and a 4000:1 contrast ratio for enhanced image quality. The mid-level HD73 ($1,999) features the DarkChip3 chipset and a 6000:1 contrast ratio, along with TI's Brilliant Color, Optoma's TrueVivid and Faroudja's DCDi for image optimization.
On the high end, the HD81 ($6,999) is a two-piece system that includes a native 1080p DLP projector and a video enhancement processor, along with the DarkChip3 chipset. If the end user does not have a true 1080p source, the HD81' comes with a video/color enhancement processor, including a motion adaptive HD/SWD de-interlacer to convert content to 1080p.
After unveiling its BigVizion 1080p 100-inch ($29,999) in-wall display to drooling industry insiders earlier this year, Optoma is ready to start shipping it. The BigVizion also comes in 80- and 90-inch models ($22,999 and $24,999).
The units might be huge, but they're also slim, squeezing in with a depth of only 30 inches. The models feature a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, IR pass-through for system integration and a variety of inputs, including HDMI, BNC, RGBHV, VGA, S-video, composite, component and others.
Niles Audio Fronts The Stage
They say images on flat-panel televisions look better when they sound better. Well-placed speakers undoubtedly enhance any home entertainment system, and they sound even better when you factor in margins that often creep northwards of 40 points.
To satisfy its dealers' needs for a variety of products, Niles Audio will release its StageFront Home Theater Solutions, a new line of 13 in-wall and freestanding speakers. The in-wall line features two dedicated Surround Effects speakers, sporting a ported enclosure designed to deliver high fidelity in in-wall applications and epoxy-coated flat-steel grilles. Prices range from $499 to $2,399 per pair.
The stand-alone units include four LCR models, two on-wall Surround Effects speakers and a box subwoofer. Prices range from $599 to $2,599 per pair.