LCD PROJECTORS

Sony Electronics is introducing five new LCD business projectors for mobile use — two premium models and three table-top units. Each model delivers XGA resolution. The premium M series, the VPL-MX20 and VPL-MX25, models produce a 2,500-lumen color light output. They are slim, lightweight, and bring a stylish look to professional presentations, with a design that matches Sony’s VAIO notebook line and a magnesium body to endure the rigors of travel. The new D series mobile projectors have Color Light Outputs ranging from 2,500 to 3,000 lumens and accept a range of input signals, including both PC and video sources. The new line ranges in price from $1,880 to $3,480. Visit www.sony.com.

POWER MANAGEMENT

Furman has announced the newest additions to its rackmount Prestige Series of advanced power management solutions — the P-2400 AR voltage regulator/power conditioner and the P-2400 IT balanced power conditioner. The P-2400 AR is ideal for providing power to AV equipment in high-current applications, with voltage regulation, power protection, and noise filtration at 20A capacity. Featuring Furman’s advanced non-sacrificial SMP surge/spike protection circuit, Extreme Voltage Shutdown, and Linear Filtering Technology, the F1500- UPS provides protection, filtration, and backup with several features engineered specifically for the needs of AV systems. The P-2400 IT has an MSRP of $2,799. The F1500-UPS has an MSRP of $1,299.95. Visit www.furmansound. com.

FLAT-PANEL STAND

Answering the call to create flat-panel display mounts that are strong yet sleek, stable, yet transportable, Premier Mounts has developed a new flat-panel stand, the PSD-TL, that marries simplistic form and robust functionality. The PSD-TL was designed to allow integrators to incorporate flat-panel displays in any environment — either permanently or with mobility in mind. The PSD-TL base can be easily moved from location to location, saving set-up time and cutting inventory needs. Designed to work with a suite of Premier Mounts flat-panel display mounts, the PSD-TL can be fitted to address the various manufacturer-mounting requirements for flat-panel displays up to 160 pounds. The PSD-TL series is available at an MSRP range of $640–$720. Visit www.mounts.com.

MULTI-FORMAT SWITCHER

Building on the success of its predecessor, Panasonic’s enhanced AV-HS400A offers an array of powerful features, including a built-in MultiViewer image preview, full 10- bit HD processing, expandable HD/SD architecture, more than 40 digital effects, and picture-in-picture capabilities. The HS400A adds a host of new functionality, including enhanced MultiViewer tools such as labeling, border control, and preview tally, as well as a joystick camera control for pan/tilt operation of one remote camera via direct serial connection, or up to five remote cameras with a Panasonic camera controller. The HS400A also incorporates additional advanced key effects such as flying key, 3D key effects, and a full key for a second moveable PIP. The AV-HS400A is available at a U.S. list price of $11,890. Visit www.panasonic.com.

PORTABLE PROJECTORS

Sanyo has launched two portable projectors — the PLCXW250 and the PLC-XW200 — that offer educators cost performance with an eco stand-by power mode that uses 0.4 watts and their easy set-up function. Using 0.4 watts, the PLCXW250 and the PLC-XW200 are Sanyo’s most ecological data projectors. The eco power stand-by mode saves about 80 percent of the energy that is consumed by similar previous projectors. By redesigning the electrical circuits, these two projectors are able to comply with the EuP-Directive Lot 6 and the EU RoHS Directive. As an additional environmental measure, all the packaging contains pulp molds, which can be recycled as used paper. The PLC-XW250 and the PLC-XW200 have suggested retail prices of $895 and $795, respectively. Visit www.sanyoprojectors.com.

WIRELESS VIDEO

Gefen has announced the availability of two new wireless VGA extenders designed to eliminate the need for cabling. Ideal for applications desiring a plug-and-play method of video extension, the wireless VGA extenders come in long-range and short-range versions. The GefenTV Wireless VGA Extender LR delivers video with analog L/R audio up to 100 feet, offering users the ability to tap into multiple Wi-Fi channels for optimal signal transmission. Equipped with three small antennas on its sender and receiver units, the system is simple to install, with no additional hardware or software needed to configure. Both the GefenTV Wireless VGA LR and SR Extenders are currently available at $499. Visit www.gefen.com.

AV TRANSMITTERS

Crestron’s latest additions to the QM line of transmitters come in a variety of form factors, including portable/rack-mountable and wall and floor mount. A key new feature is a built-in Extended Display Identification Data chip, which supports the entire computer graphics VESA standard. Other common features include built-in signal sensing on each input to trigger automatic input selection and other operations, such as device power control. A single IR output port enables programmable control of a local DVD player, multimedia computer, or other IRcontrollable AV device. The QM-TX2-MC and QM-TX2-CC both have built-in 2x1 switchers. The transmitters range in price from $550–$1,300. Visit www.crestron.com.

WIRELESS KEYBOARD

In meetings and presentations, users can go wireless and still play it safe with the new RF-240 AES secure wireless keyboard from Wireless Computing. What sets the RF- 240 apart is its secure AES encryption. Adopted by the United States government in 1999, the Advanced Encryption Standard is a powerful cryptographic algorithm widely depended on to secure all kinds of electronic data. Wireless Computing’s implementation of AES features a 128-bit secret key to provide the greatest possible protection against illicit interception of keystrokes. Users will notice that AES encryption and decryption introduce no perceivable typing lag or delay. Wireless Computing’s new RF-240 AES secure wireless keyboard is priced at $199 SRP. Visit www.wireless-computing.com.

CONSOLE EXTENDER

Hall Research has announced the release of the U97-ULTRA, an all-in-one UTP console extender with unparalleled capabilities. This extender is used to send dual-screen video, stereo audio, RS-232, and up to three independent USB ports from a PC to a remote location 500 feet away over standard Cat-x twisted-pair cables. Local outputs for the AV signals and USB ports are provided on the sender so that the system can be accessed automatically from two locations. The remote receiver unit provides digitally controlled highfrequency compensation and RGB skew correction for both video heads and features line-level as well as amplified audio outputs for driving passive speakers directly. The U97-ULTRA’s MSRP is $2,985. Visit www.hallresearch.com

LED PROJECTOR

Christie has introduced the Christie Entero LED, SXGA+, and WUXGA resolution projection display system, purpose-built for control room and videowall applications. This LED-illuminated, 1-chip DLP product line offers a zero maintenance design. The LEDs are rated at more than 50,000 hours — over five years of dependable operation. With no consumable components such as lamps, filters, or color wheels to replace, the Christie Entero LED delivers the ultimate in uninterrupted, 24/7 performance for exceptional reliability and low cost of ownership. Utilizing the new generation of solid-state LED technology, the LEDs retain their color spectral characteristics longer, and images remain vivid and sharp through the years. The Entero is available at a U.S. list of $20,995. Visit www.christiedigital.com.

REMOTE BASE STATION

Xantech’s new RF2IR2w bi-directional RS232 RF base station for the XTR39 LCD remote utilizes a robust 2.4 GHz network. The RF2IR2w units are perfect for conference room, bar/restaurant, and house-of-worship applications. Each base has four routable IR output ports as well as a bi-directional RS232 port, allowing for wireless control of any IR and RS232 device while dramatically reducing a facility’s wiring infrastructure. The RF2IR2w base station is the ultimate accessory for the XTR39. It is a receiver that accepts the radio frequency output of the XTR39 remote and translates it into IR and RS232 command signals that can control virtually any electronic device. The RF2IR2w is now available at a U.S. MSRP of $210. Visit www.xantechcommercial.com.

PORTABLE PA

Fishman Amplification’s new Solo Performance System weighs less than 25 pounds and provides a versatile all-in-one portable PA solution with a combination of clear projection, expanded coverage, versatility, and portability. The Solo Performance System is based on a compact line array speaker design that provides wide horizontal dispersion and deeper sound penetration than traditional point source systems and amplifiers. With this system, presenters can project with a full, wide sound so that listeners in front don’t get overpowered, while those in the back can hear every word. The U.S. list of the Solo Performance System is $1549. Visit www.fishman.com.

POWERED LOUDSPEAKERS

Mackie has announced the HD Series powered loudspeakers. The HD1521 two-way and HD1531 three-way represent the pinnacle of Class-D amplifier technology, delivering up to 1,800W of peak system power. Mackie incorporates precision crossovers, transducer time alignment, and phase correction circuitry right in the box, creating a tuned system. HD Series loudspeakers take this even further with the implementation of patented acoustic correction processing that counters the inherent physical attributes that can make typical loudspeakers sound honky or washed out, according to the company. The HD1521 will have a U.S. MSRP of $1,249.99. The HD1531 will have a U.S. MSRP of $1,499.99. Visit www.mackie.com.

FLAT PANEL MOUNT

Atdec’s TH-2050-VFM arm mount gives guests the ability to see a flat panel TV easier and in full view while it is elegantly mounted on a wall. The TH-2050- VFM gives a modern touch to any room. The TH- 2050-VFM offers a full range of movement via three pivot points and is designed for easy installation. It provides a quick release mechanism for easy TV attachment and removal. The TH-2050-VFM features an advanced internal cable management system, a theft-resistant design, and includes masonry and timber stud wall mounting hardware. The TH-2050-VFM arm mount has an MSRP of $269. Visit www.atdec.com.

TELEPRESENCE SYSTEM

Polycom has introduced the new entry-level Polycom HDX 6000 room telepresence system with a starting price under $6,000. The full-featured Polycom HDX 6000 delivers Polycom’s UltimateHD experience with high-definition video, voice, and content sharing capabilities that enable effective face-to-face collaboration among geographically dispersed workgroups to help organizations improve efficiency and reduce costs by replacing travel. The Polycom HDX 6000 delivers 720p HD video quality at 30 frames per second starting at just 832 Kbps, and DVD-quality video at 30 fps starting at just 256 Kbps. The experience is enhanced through HD stereo audio quality that enables natural, two-way conversations and the ability for users to share critical work in HD. Visit www.polycom.com.

SIGNAL ADAPTER

Shure Incorporated’s X2u XLR-to-USB signal adapter is now shipping and is available by itself or in bundles with either the SM57 or SM58 microphones. The X2u adapter is a modular accessory that connects any XLR microphone to a computer to create better-than-CD quality recordings. As home recording flourishes, the X2u redefines what musicians and podcasters can do in their homes and on the go. The X2u can be used unobtrusively for live and in-studio recording. USB plug-and-play connectivity enables the convenience of digital recording, anywhere a computer can go. The X2u adapter is available at an MSRP of $154 or SM58/X2u and SM57/X2u bundles are available for $298 each. Visit www.shure.com.