The echoing positive statement the Connected Design team heard on CEDIA’s show floor was the number of “longer, more meaningful conversations” exhibitors and attendees had. The lack of big exhibitors was clear, but instead the smaller exhibitors had a better chance to shine. Our staff scoured the floor for some hidden gems that did make it to the show and were not disappointed.
Kaleidescape Compact Terra 12 Terabyte Movie Server
The Kaleidescape compact Terra 12 is an ideal product for customers looking to invest in an entry level system with the flexibility to grow their movie collection over time with the easy ability to integrate incremental storage add-ons.
Draper@Home Collection
The Draper@Home collection of indoor and outdoor shades features a wide selection of fabrics from U.S. weavers Phifer and Mermet. Controls include radio, smartphone app, and the capability to integrate with your smart home control system. The Draper@Home collection includes Motorized FlexShade® window shades, with 120V, low voltage and battery motors powered by Somfy to work with any automation system. Single and dual roller solutions are part of the collection, and manual and fixed panel shades are available for lesser used, out of the way, or odd-shaped windows.
Screen Innovations Outdoor Entertainment Pavilion
Outdoor entertaining is a hot trend that integrators, designers, architects, and homeowners are clamoring to capitalize on. SI dedicated a 10-by-10-foot section of its CEDIA exhibit to shade and screen solutions that create comfortable, enjoyable outdoor environments. Within a custom pergola, SI demonstrated a variety of motorized outdoor shades that turn decks and patios into year-round living spaces featuring SI’s next generation of outdoor projection screens that bring the excitement of home cinema to the backyard and beyond.
Vestaboard
Vestaboard is a split-flap smart messaging display that uses 132 bits. Each bit has 64 matte-printed characters including the alphabet, numbers, punctuation and colors. Control it with the Vestaboard app, integrations, your computer and more. Internet connection required. Vestaboard features 8,448 printed, spinning split flaps, which make a pleasing sound when the board is changing messages. Share messages at home, from menus to personal messages to to-do lists, as well as custom designs and calendars and now sports scores.
Hide-a-Trim
Hide-A-Trim introduces a system of paintable flush mounted switch and outlet plates. They are compatible with 95 percent of available manufactured devices on the market. The system is easy to install by any electrician, finished by any carpenter or painter, and does not delay construction. Ordering is done by choosing the device plate and specifying the thickness of the drywall. Backsplash and hard surfaces such as plywood, other wood products and marble have an adjustable system.
AudioControl’s CM Series 70-Volt Amps with Optional Dante
AudioControl introduced the CM Series 70-volt amplifiers featuring Dante digital audio networking capability. Dante is an uncompressed, multi-channel digital media networking technology that moves data over a standard IP network using readily available CAT5e, CAT6, or fiber optic cable with near-zero latency and synchronization. With the new Dante-enabled CM Series amps from AudioControl, any source can be accessed from anywhere on the network and up to eight streams of digital content can be routed to any Dante-enabled device.
DMF Lighting’s Warm Dim Technology
DMF’s Warm Dim technology transforms how your spaces look and feel without sacrificing simplicity or performance. Warm Dim transitions from a bright and inviting 3000K to a warm and intimate 1800K, maintaining a consistent 93+ CRI and Energy Star rating throughout. DMF’s Warm Dim has been thoughtfully engineered to create the right light for each situation. There’s minimal color temperature change at the high-end of the dimming curve so that daytime lighting remains vibrant and unaffected. Once dimmed below 50% light output, the color temperature gradually warms to provide the personal, intimate ambiance desired in the evening.
