CEDIA 2010

Struggling with an in-wall speaker in one hand and a drill in the other is the bane of the custom installer. RBH offers a solution in the QM-615. It comes with a two-way Allen wrench. Connect the speaker cables, pop in the speaker, and use the rounded end of the Allen wrench to punch in spring-loaded tabs which lock the speaker into place. The more conventional end of the Allen wrench would be used to lift the tabs and remove the speaker. Price is $250/pair, shipping now. RBH also showed the new Signature SX line, with a full range of sizes and eventually some custom veneers.

The Rotel RKB-1508 delivers eight channels of 65-watt Class D. That enables it to be small, run cool, and shave your power bill. Just the thing if you need to jam an eight-channel amp into a tight spot. Price $1199.

In addition to the D-73d 3D projector, Runco unveiled another dual-chassis model, the Q-1500d LED-illuminated DLP projector, which will list for $39,000. With two light sources, this is the brightest LED-powered projector on the market with up to 1400 ANSI lumens, which means it can be used on screens up to 200 inches in size. Also, it can be upgraded to 3D operation.

With a flourish that says Scandinavia, Runco has introduced Copenhagen Design, a new Danish-flavored style to be incorporated into a number of its new products. But as always, the important story for us was the tech, not the look, and Runco has obviously been busy in the lab this year.

Schneider is one of the most respected names in anamorphic lenses for 2.35:1 projection. The newest edition to its extensive line is the Cine-Digitar Anamorphic CDA 1.33x EL, designed for small to medium sized projectors. When it becomes available later this year there will be a promotional price on a package combining this lens with a Kino-Torsion motorized deployment system (a motorized "sled," though Schneider's Kino-Torsion model operates more like a swinging door to move the lens in and out of the way as needed). The rep on hand stated the promotional price at $4500; I was not sure at first if this meant dealer cost (CEDIA is of course, a trade show) or MSRP to the consumer. He hesitantly said it's to the consumer, so we can all hope. For those in the know, this is not a high price for a first class anamorphic lens and motorized mechanism.

FOSI wants you to see stars in your home theater – and not just on your big screen. The company’s star ceiling panels – like this 8-foot x 12 foot version – contain thousands of individual fiber optic cables that take light from three central light sources (either halogen or LED-based lamps) and create astronomically correct reproductions of the night sky on your theater (or other) room’s ceiling. Panels can be ordered in flat black or cloud-sky painted models. This particular setup included over 5,000 fiber optic runs to create a September night sky that included a comet, several shooting stars, and the ability to erupt into a brilliant fireworks display. Without the fireworks lighting, the DIY version – in which you get the fiber optic cables and a complete, full-size template for where to drill the holes for the cables in your own panel – starts at around $2,000. As far as a professionally installed, fully tricked out version with fireworks and a night sky that’s exactly the way you want it from a certain date in history (your wedding night or the evening the Normans invaded England, for example, either of which could be considered the start of epic battles) can cost, well, the sky’s the limit.