Julie,

I too thought it was a rather bland show. Last year I got only 1 day in... this year three and I was ready to get home Saturday night.

The Integra DTR10.5 was a cool piece. Cardframe upgradeable. Comes with basic configuration and you add things like extra component vids, HDMI cards, 8ch input cards etc. Seemed like a less expensive way to go than Denons behemoth.

ADA's HTR2400 is an amazing one box solution with a full home theatre receiver and 8 zones of powered multi-room in one chassis.

Dwins Duo-Vision Scaler allows you to plug 10 sources into a scaler that will output the same or different sources to two displays. Great for an upcoming gameroom/theater I've got that will use a plasma in the bar area and a screen in the seating area.

I know I'll get flogged for this but I even went over to the Westin to see what Bose was up to. Their new Umusic (TM) (better say that... don't wanna get sued) system is their hard drive storage unit but it only has one other zone and very limited playlist composition. Instead it uses meta-data to figure out what else you'll like based on what you are currently playing... making it "easier?". A review on it will help us to at least sell against it.

My friends at Bay Audio had an offsite booth showing their new 900 series in-walls and I do believe the grille is the coolest thing yet... they sound awfully nice too. I know that most people aren't going to get too excited over in-walls though.

As far as Indy... I responded to an earlier thread about partying and I've always felt that the party doesn't start till I get there. God I can have a great time in Cantwell Alaska drinking beer and playing pool. I say make and be your own entertainment. Those who weren't in Tiki Bob's Cantina till 3 am watching people dance in a cage can't really figure out what I'm talking about. There are also a lot of clubs in the Broad Ripple area which isn't too far out of town. The hotel situation does stink. We book in January and go outside of CEDIA which puts you in the Comfort Inn or Days Inn (kind of a long walk but cheap). I stayed at the airport one year and vowed never to do it again. Like GregC I checked the Westin only to find that CEDIA buys the entire hotel so they can mark up the rooms... I couldn't make a reservation for next years dates... that right there tells you that the show has outgrown its environs.

I look forward to your article and want to thank you for some good monthly insight... welcome to RC.

We did not even bother going to the show this year b/c it is always the same thing and bit too crowded, It seems that we alwyas miss the good stuff b/c there are too many people. We much prefer the regionals like EHX, much more low key....The you get a better insight and hands on feel from most mfr's that are exhibiting. Overall they are a much better investment of out time.

Julie,
Did this entire thread sound a little like the boys club? I found everything at the CEDIA EXPO in Indianapolis that I needed to find to continue to grow my business, my professionalism and my bank account. Those that were looking for "entertainment" can probably find it without leaving the comfort of their favorite hometown establishments. The educational classes I attended were very well done and added to my ability to service my customers. Although this year's showing did not have the sparkle of last year, it had many hidden gems. I may be among the minority here, but I do not care where the expo is located. I know the people who volunteer their time with CEDIA do a wonderful job of planning and producing an exposition and our entire industry can be proud.

This message was edited by PennyG on 09/21/04 15:56 ET.

Coming up in the Nov. issue of CE Pro:

When Phone Rings, Shut off Vac
Who knew what kind of applications the world would dream up when MD Manufacturing made its central vacuum systems automation-compatible?
MD was one of the first companies to adopt Universal Powerline Bus (UPB) for communicating over the home’s existing powerlines. MD’s UPB-enabled plug-in modules automatically shut off the central vacuum system when the telephone or doorbell rings.
Now the company is taking central vac automation to new heights, with the help of automation vendor HAI, which just announced its support for UPB technology.
According to MD general manager Grant Olewiler, HAI will have drop-down menus that ask the programmer, “Do you have central vac? If so, do you want it to shut off if the doorbell rings? If the phone rings?”
So much for the integrator who chided on an industry bulletin board, “Why were vacuum cleaner salesmen there [CEDIA Expo]? Why not toaster salesmen then?”
Now you know.

Funny how so many of the guys react badly to central vacuum, while embracing new and untested electronic items/systems.

I've been doing central vacuum systems since day one (along with security, intercom, telephone, cctv, and audio), and am here to tell you it's been a consistent profit item.

Requires less installation time, less service calls and has higher than average margins. Fact is, the only items we sell that have had decreasing margins, are those related to the A/V industry. All others have held steady.

If no one else is going to say it, I will....
Downtown Indy smells like an outhouse that needs a new hole.

Also, I agree with the driving comments, unless you reserve a year in advance AND spend $100+ per night for your rooms, you're in the sticks.
If are out of the area and you are bringing multiple people, better plan to rent multiple cars.
I carpool down from Chicago area and on the years that I didn't drive, got stuck going to meetings and parties that someone else chose and had to retire to the hotel too early.

Hate to say it but...if Detroit is the right armpit of the world, Indy is the left one.

Cant Cedia be in a major american city, one that has... Hotels, Restaurants, theaters, clubs. Entertainment...etc

5 suggestions.

5) San Francisco. One of the greatest cities in the world!

4) Miami.

3) Orlando

2) NYC

1) LAS VEGAS!!!!

I am far too old at 46 to party to I drop. But downtown Indianapolis is just a cut above downtown Atlanta and the resaurants were better in Atlanta. When hotels in NY are the same price or less expensive then those in Indianopolis and the restaurants charge more than those in NY there is a BIG problem.

Couple with the fact that there were precious few new product releases of note and mere improvements on products already released we have a boring show.

I would add that the wireless plasma from Samsung utilizing 802.11 was inovative.

Axonix's MediaMax[TM] is a less expensive alternative utilizing XP to the propritary Kaledescape [ so I cannot spell].

Less expensive test gear.

Netstreams Digilinx using digital amps and DSP coupled with Polk Speakers.

Control 4. Vaporware and marketing hype as was already stated but if they deliver on what they promise a revolutionary product given the price points and control possibilities.

802.14 in its various guises as a new wireless control platform. Control 4 and Crestron showed gear utilizing this still unapproved wireless standard. This was the ONE truely new innovation at the show. Can we all say Zigbee?

Alan

Triad had a few tap handles going in their booth.
Some micro-brew type beer too!!
Good times!!