CEDIA 2014

Electric Mirror has conquered the hospitality mirror TV market over the past 16 years and is now targeting the residential and commercial spaces with models that incorporate patented Iris glass technology said to allow the TV image to show through the mirror better than any TV on the market.

Deezer, a French music streaming service with 16 million active users and 5 million paying subscribers, is coming to the U.S. with the “world’s largest” music catalog of more than 35 million tracks—all captured in the lossless FLAC format.

Motorized window treatments (shades, curtains, and other window coverings) are always super cool to watch as they magically open or close in front of a window. For some reason, I’m never able to resist pushing the button on the remote that makes a shade go up and down or a curtain open and close. It’s just so cool - and can keep your house very cool, too. QMotion Shades new motorized drapery rod is one of the coolest of all the motorized window treatment mechanisms at CEDIA to watch. QMotion says the company’s new mechanized device is “the industry’s first - and only - trackless motorized drapery rod.” The new wireless drapery rod requires no external motors or wires and is extremely quiet when in operation. Rods come in two sizes: 1.5-inches (diameter) that uses C-cell batteries; and 2-inches in diameter that uses D-cell batteries. QMotion estimates that users can expect battery life to be one to two years on average, depending on the size of the rod and how often the mechanism is used each day.

In addition to pointing out that the new product is...

While Yamaha's lineup of new AVRs is heavy into support for Atmos, the company's well-reviewed Avantage pre-pro remains Atmos-free. A spokesperson for Yamaha told me that there are no immediate plans to come out with a new version that supports Atmos. It will certainly happen eventually (unless Atmos turns out to be this year's HD-DVD, and it doesn't appear that it will), but until then they're likely to loose customers to Marantz, Onkyo, and Integra, all of which offer competing pre-pros with that feature.

I have always been impressed by the look and feel of Salamander Designs’ cabinets and furniture. As with most quality furnishings, however, the price tag has always been commensurate with the quality of the furniture. There are a variety of factors for this, most especially the fact that the majority of what Salamander Design makes is highly customizable and built-to-order in Hartford, CT. Sal Carrabba, founder of Salamander Designs, explained that the company’s AV Basics products are “focused on providing simplicity by offering a carefully curated product line that is in stock and ready to ship.” In addition to adding more cabinets to the AV Basics line, Salamander Designs unveiled the new AV Basics theater seat, the Model TC3, at CEDIA.

The TC3 is upholstered in black bonded leather, which Salamander Designs says is...

Based on the Stealth Acoustics’ LRG invisible speaker technology, the new Image III speakers have no grilles, ports, or other openings and are only 2.5-inches thick. The flat front face of the speaker is made from a solid, fiberglass-like material (Stealth Acoustics calls it, Glass Fidelty); and it can be painted “without concern for blocking sound or damaging the speaker components. Using “advanced vinyl graphic materials and high-resolution, UV protected printing” Stealth Acoustics is able to “wrap” the speaker with any image of their customers’ choosing. The speakers can be installed in pairs or side-by-side with Stealth Acoustics’ CoverArt “retractable art flat screen covering solution” to create “a unique ‘Trilogy’ of images panning across speakers and screen allowing technology when not in use to become an integral part of interior design.”

The Image III speakers have an MSRP of $1, 000/ pair - plus applicable art work fees.