In no particular order...

- RTI's new remotes
- Lexicon's receiver and their auto-eq system
- Triad's Gold LCR MkII
- Lutron's new 4 series HWI
- Audio Request's new lower priced models and the commercial-touchscreen-overlay thing that they had on the 42" plasma in their booth
- Xantech's touchscreens with see-through overlay capabilities and the lower pricing on the MRC88
- JL Audio's subs
- JVC Professional's DLA-HD2k 1080P D-ILA projector (3 way tie for best picture with the next 2 listings)
- Faroudja's 1080P D-ILA projector
- Sony's Qualia 004 1080P SXRD projector
- Stewart's Grayhawk Reference screen material (that costs the same as the old Grayhawk)
- Gold Line's audio test equipment

Best moment would be the unveiling of another bonehead move by Bose...
The uMusic MP3 server that requires the user to run an update CD-rom 3-4 times per year to get updated CD tag info instead of querying an existing internet based service (that would require Bose to spend licensing money, which we know they hate)
I know consumers will tremble with anticipation for their Bose update CDs in the mail at the turning of each season so 3 months worth of new releases can be burned in with artist and track info.

And since you want gadgets too, the hideaway vac hose guys that were displaying in the Dirt Devil central vac booth was pretty cool.

Oh, and the models that were at Faroudja's booth.

This message was edited by 2nd rick on 10/09/04 01:31 ET.

We’re looking for real products that

I think that we've lost sight of what Julie's asking for here.

Yeah, sorry.... I got wrapped up in the CEDIA report fever.

Here's my list for "best of the past year"

RTI T1, T2+, and RP-6
Well I stand by the RTI remotes, I used a T2+ and RP-6 controller in a client's home right before I left for CEDIA. The new T2+ remote and RP-6 processor combo is a pretty big improvement on the excellent T2 and IRF-6 combo. The programming software is excellent as expected, and the client is very pleased with the end result. RTI is the best kept secret in moderately priced control.

I like the RTIs even more than the well represented Universal MX products. I am waiting for a lower priced large touchscreen product that looks and feels like a full color version of the old Lexicon 700T, except with hard keys. I had high hopes for the MX-3000, but it came out too small and I don't like the shiny metallic buttons. IMO, It looks more like the latest Nintendo or Sega portable video game than a control product.

Sonance K2
I am not positive about the exact release date, but the K2 keypad from Sonance would definitely be something that has made my life better in the past year. The keypads and the programming software are both excellent, and it's easy to create an intuitive solution that someone other than the programmer can operate. IMHO, This is one of the best thought out products in the past decade. They are even powerful and flexible enough to function in place of touchscreens in medium budget systems, and priced low enough to replace basic keypads in a lower budget system.

The Triad InCeiling Gold Omni
The Triads are a product that I used recently in place of direct radiating side and rear surrounds in a room that had no side or rear walls around the seating area. In the past, I would have been forced to use a ceiling speaker that beamed sound directly down to the floor, or one of the pivoting ceiling speakers from another vendor that were originally designed for distributed audio that would not have been of the same caliber as my LCRs. The Gold Omnis share the same drivers and voicing characteristics as the Triad Bronze LCRs I used as in the front and I am very pleased with the consistency of timbre througout the soundfield in this unusual application. Triad is always coming up with solutions for unusual applications.

Ahem...my own personal advocate! thanks.

I really liked the Matrix Audio Designs Amp/Controller/Keypad system. The fact that it uses speaker wire technology (Using only 4 wires for the keypads) makes this a great retro install. The programming is very simple. The sound quality of the amplifier is amazing. This system sounds better than any Abus, Xantech, or volume controlled system at its price range. The functionality is also great. You can push any of the source buttons and hold it pressed down and it will turn all of the keypads to that source. The only thing I did not like about the product was a 12v trigger out to use to trigger on components that only have toggle power buttons. With this system you must use components that use discrete codes. Also the numerce keypads let you access favorite music stations on you cable box/Sat, or favorite radio stations. Since CEDIA I have installed two of these systems and I am amazed at how easy it is to program up. Granted you cannot do everything that a russound, xantech, or crestron system, but for what it does with you original speaker wires it is pretty amazing.

Mike

I've got your back Julie!

Anything stand out in any of these categories?
1. cabling
2. security
3. lighting
4. telecom
5. networking, including IP cameras
6. testers, tools, etc.

thanks!

Jensen Transformers ground hum isolating devices ROCK. Not only do they work well, but tech support is above and beyond in comparison to most companies, well OK Lutrons tech support is really good too. I used a very well know well respected companies "ground breaker" and the system still hummed, I installed the Jensen and the system was dead quiet. (BTW Bill Whitlock is a genius, and if you go to CEDIA take his class)

Belden Bananna Peel, easy to install, high quality, reasonable price.

Thanks, Mr. 2. I love banana peel and had it installed in my own home--the retrofit job from hell. The product, however, was on last year's Top Products list, so we can't include it. I'll take a look at Jensen.

Mike--do you have a specific model? The MRC 8e was named in 2002. Is there something sufficiently new/different from Matrix that would warrant inclusion in 2004? In 2003

Here's an old draft version of 2002 listing:

Manufacturers of Cat 5 audio-distribution systems like to promote their products as perfect for retrofit applications. But no one ran Cat 5 cable to speaker locations in the olden days. Technology pioneers, however, may have run speaker wire. For them, Matrix Audio offers the MRC-8e, the only system that distributes both audio and control data over the same speaker wire.

Integrators program the four-source/eight-zone system via buttons hidden beneath a removable front panel. The system features power synching, trigger I/Os and an RS-232 port for interfacing with third-party controllers.
“I just started installing this unit,” says one dealer who asked not to be identified. I could not believe that a controller would work with just speaker wire, and [generate] no noise. I am now able to recomend a multizone/source system to a customer that already has volume controls installed. I have never been able to offer this type of system before without rewiring the house.”
MSRP for the MRC-8e is approximately $3,700.

I will second avdude on the Lutron Chronos bridge for RadioRa... I am also a fan of the Sivoia motorized drape and shades, but we haven't put any in yet. My rep brought out the big duffel bag demo kit and I was floored by how quiet the motors are. Visit a home with 4 or more motorized shades in the same room and it will surprise you how loud they get in operation and you'll know why this an important advance.

This message was edited by 2nd rick on 10/12/04 00:29 ET.