CEDIA Awards
Nov 1, 2006 12:00 PM,
Staff Report
Versatility, diversity, and utility earn manufacturers’ awards.
George Feldstein (right), founder/owner/president of Crestron Electronics, accepts
a Manufacturers’ Excellence Award for Crestron’s new Adagio entertainment system from CEDIA’s executive director, Don Gilpin.
Capping off a successful CEDIA Expo in Denver (see the October issue of S&VC for a look at this year’s show, or click here or click here), the 2006 CEDIA Electronic Lifestyles Awards banquet clearly illustrated the range of diversity to be found in the professional home installation universe. In the past year, the various dealers, installers, and manufacturers honored during the banquet have all taken important steps toward making systems integration news with elegant, efficient products and installs that reflect where the industry as a whole is heading.
Remote Technologies T4
As far as new products are concerned, the Manufacturers’ Excellence Awards, sponsored once again by Sound & Video Contractor, highlighted innovative solutions offered by five major manufacturers. Those products: the T4 universal system controller from Remote Technologies; CineCurve from Stewart Filmscreen; the A3 three-way totally invisible loudspeaker from Stealth Acoustics; Crestron’s Adagio entertainment system; and Runco’s RS-1100 CineWide system.
Stewart Filmscreen CineCurve
Remote Technologies’ innovative T4 universal system controller is a wireless touchpanel control technology designed to be compatible with flatpanel TV systems and a wide range of home theater applications. It is capable of controlling all AV components, lights, and other electronic systems.
Stewart’s CineCurve is a curved, constant-vertical-height electric screen — the first curved screen designed specifically for the home theater market and compatible with projectors with anamorphic lenses. Stewart officials say the system eliminates pin-cushioning, limits the amount of light bouncing off side walls that might possibly wash out the image, and offers a higher perceived brightness due to the screen’s shape.
Stealth Acoustics Model A3
Stealth Acoustics’ A3 totally invisible loudspeaker is another important industry development. It’s a three-way, full-range loudspeaker system that becomes completely invisible after installation, freeing contractors of visual concerns when they incorporate the system into their architectural designs. The system uses an acoustically coupled, high-powered 8in. cone woofer and a directly coupled 1in. neo-magnet, high-frequency motor, among other features.
Crestron’s Adagio entertainment system is a fully integrated audio distribution system with a built-in high-powered amplifier, a six-room audio processor, up to six tuners, Crestron 2-Series controls, an e-Control web browser, and front-panel control. Crestron designed Adagio to be expandable for complete home automation. Built-in default settings and plug-and-play functionality make the system easier to use.
Crestron Electronics Adagio
And finally, Runco’s RS-1100 CineWide is a native 1080p single-chip DLP projector with Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) certification. It formats the image vertically to display movies that were originally filmed in the CinemaScope 2.35:1 format without requiring black bars on the screen. The product’s selection for a CEDIA Manufacturers’ Excellence Award marks the second consecutive year Runco’s CineWide technology has been honored by CEDIA. In 2005, Runco’s CineWide system with AutoScope received an award.
Runco RS-1100 CineWide
In addition to the tools and installations honored at the banquet, the event also saw CEDIA paying tribute to a founding member and longtime supporter of the organization — Bill Skaer, president of Eric Grundelman, in Mesquite, Texas — with CEDIA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He served on the CEDIA international board of directors from 1999 to 2005, was chairman of CEDIA’s ethics committee, and is active in CEDIA’s ongoing efforts to certify industry instructors. He received a rich standing ovation from his peers after being introduced by last year’s Lifetime Achievement award winner, Billilynne Keller.
