Podcast #1116: CEDIA 2023 with DJ from Bright Side Home Theater
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This week DJ Briggs from BrightSideHometheater.com joins the show to discuss what he saw at CEDIA. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• Hisense upstages TCL by adding a gigantic 100-inch mini-LED TV)

2023 CEDIA Expo Best of Show Winners

Last week the Custom Electronic Design And Installation Association better known as CEDIA had their annual show in Denver CO. On today’s show we will discuss some of the awards that were given out. CEDIA is the global industry association and central touch point for smart home technology, provides members with cutting-edge education, develops standards to ensure the highest levels of professionalism, and is the industry's only certifying body. CEDIA furthers collaboration with architects, designers, builders, and homeowners to deliver technology solutions that allow families to experience their best moments in life in the comfort of their own homes.

Below are the awards from Residential System, TWICE and What Hi-Fi). We are not going through the entire list but we pick products that we feel our listeners not only are interested in but can afford to buy (well some of them anyway). We also have a bonus section where DJ Briggs of BightSideHomeTheater.com) gives us his list of five things he thought were super cool. Check out his podcast to find out why he felt that way. 

Residential Systems entries were judged through the lens of the residential integrator, while TWICE based theirs on a consumer electronics retail view and What Hi-Fi? from the home entertainment enthusiast perspective.

Residential Systems Best of Show Awards Winners

AWOL Vision AWOL Vision 150” 4K 3D RGB Laser Projector LTV-3500 Pro) $6000

• All the AWOL Vision laser projectors have been officially Dolby Vision certified by Dolby Lab The Dolby Vision feature can be activated by updating the incoming September 2023 version firmware wirelessly regardless of when you bought it.   
• True 3500 ANSI Lumens, the LTV-3500 UST projector is the brightest, triple-laser 4K UST projector on the market.
• Cinematic 3D Display
• With high enough brightness even during the day, LTV-3500 4k laser projector is the best choice for you. Paired with our ALR Day light projector screen, LTV-3500 delivers bright and sharp details even under high ambient light, no need for blackout curtains.
• The AWOL VISION UST 4K projector covers 107% of the top BT 2020 Color Gamut. It reaches 147% of DCI-P3 used for digital movie theater projection, giving you superior contrast and color accuracy.

 

Epson America, Inc. Epson EpiqVision Ultra LS800 4K PRO-UHD Ultra Short-Throw 3-Chip 3LCD Smart Streaming Laser Projector) $3500

• Picture sizes up to 150" in 16:9
• Modern Low Profile Design
• 4K PRO-UHD Resolution¹
• 3-Chip 3LCD Technology
• 10-Bit HDR Color
• 4,000 Lumens of Color & White Brightness²
• Over 2,500,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
• 2.1 Audio System by Yamaha
• Three HDMI 2.0 Ports (1 ARC)
• 16.7ms Input Lag – Ideal for Gaming
• Built-In Android TV³
• Easy Setup App for iOS & Android
• 2-Year Limited Warranty
• Available in Black or White

Ethereal 8 Meter Velox Passive HDMI Cable) $240

• Supports up to 48Gbps, 4K/120, 8K/60 & Dynamic HDR
• Advanced features in metallurgy, topology, dielectric and shielding
• 3mm Shield Strip-back - helps to reduce 6G jitter
• 100% Copper Shielding - reduces EMI
• Bypass ground - provides better return loss
• Conductors direct solder to connector
• Audio Return Channel (eARC and ARC)
• Grip-Lox™ terminal

Furrion Aurora 2.1 Outdoor Soundbar Speaker with Wireless Subwoofer) $770

• Six speaker system with bass radiator for powerful sound output 
• 130W of explosive, high-definition audio 
• Wireless 8" subwoofer to add more bass 
• Speaker Frequency response: 200Hz-18kHz 
• Subwoofer frequency response: 16Hz-256Hz 
• Multiple equalizer settings for customized audio tuning 
• Bluetooth® 5.0 enabled for easy pairing with TV and other mobile devices 
• HDMI and optical inputs for connecting devices 
• IP45-rated weatherproof housing to protect against the elements 
• Weatherproof remote control, HDMI ARC cable and mounting brackets included

 

Furrion Aurora Sun 4K UHD LED Outdoor Smart TV with HDR10) starting at $3000

• Smart platform powered by webOS Hub allows for streaming your favorite apps, movies and shows
• 4K ultra-high definition 
• HDR10 Technology 
• Anti-glare, 1500-nit LED screen 
• RangeXtend™ external antennas for stronger WiFi signal
• IP54 rated, weatherproof housing
• Works with Furrion Aurora Soundbar, mounts & covers
• XtremeShield™ IK08-rated impact-resistant screen for protection against collisions and scratches
• Connects to Furrion soundbars via Bluetooth, HDMI or optical inputs

HD Anywhere uControl Smart Remote) 

uControl is a smart home system that focuses on the things you do in your home everyday. From enjoying your favorite TV shows, immersing yourself in music or effortlessly changing the lighting to suit your mood, all from one unified, universal and unintimidating interface.

PSB Speakers Alpha IQ Powered Speakers) $1300/pr

A simplified approach to audio, the Alpha iQ comes equipped with a built-in digital amplifier and BluOS streaming so you can access and control everything from streaming services and digital music collections to EQ settings and multi-room speaker management. A versatile addition to any home audio system, whether in a stereo set-up, home theater, TV speaker or as bookshelf speakers.

• ¾” (19mm) Aluminum dome tweeter with ferrofluid neodymium magnet
• 4” (100mm) Polypropylene mid-bass driver with steel basket and rubber surround
• Tuned port and DSP-enabled bass extension
• Built-in network streamer based on BluOS platform
• Audiophile-grade DAC supports resolution up to 24-bit/192kHz
• Supports Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect

Sony Electronics BRAVIA XR 65” Class A95L QD-OLED 4K HDR Google TV) $3500 65” $5000 77”

Sony Electronics STRAZ5000ES Premium ES 11.2 CH 8K A/V Receiver) $2100

Sony Electronics STRAZ7000ES Premium ES 13.2 CH 8K A/V Receiver) $3300

Sony Electronics VPL-XW6000ES 4K HDR Laser Home Theater Projector with Native 4K SXRD Panel) $12000

Sony Electronics VPL-XW7000ES 4K HDR Laser Home Theater Projector with Native 4K SXRD Panel) $28000

StormAudio ISR Fusion 20 AV Receiver)  

Based on the award-winning ISP Elite MK3 platform, the Immersive Sound Receiver Fusion 20 is a 20-channels processor integrating 16 channels of the latest Edge amplification technology from Danish based ICE Power, exhibiting extremely low noise and distortion levels with 150W (8ohm) per channel, and up to 500W (8ohm) when bridged.

TWICE Best of Show Awards Winners

AWOL Vision AWOL Vision 150” 4K 3D RGB Laser Projector LTV-3500 Pro) $6000 - see above

Ethereal 8 Meter Velox Passive HDMI Cable) $240 - see above

Hisense 100″U8K)  $10,000

See News Story

Samsung 77” Class S95C OLED 4K TV) $4200

Samsung 98” Class Neo QLED 8K TV (QN990C)) $40000

Samsung 85” Class The Terrace 4K TV (Outdoor TV Full Sun)) $20,000

Samsung HW-Q990C Soundbar 11.1.4 ch. Wireless Dolby ATMOS Soundbar) $1600

Sony Electronics BRAVIA XR 65” Class A95L QD-OLED 4K HDR Google TV) $3500 65” $5000 77”

Sony Electronics VPL-XW6000ES 4K HDR Laser Home Theater Projector with Native 4K SXRD Panel) $12000

Sony Electronics STRAZ7000ES Premium ES 13.2 CH 8K A/V Receiver) $3300

Sony STRAZ3000ES Premium ES 9.2 CH 8K A/V Receiver) $1700

Sony STR-AN1000 7.2 Channel 8K A/V Receiver) $700

What Hi-Fi? Best of Show Winners

Hisense L9H TriChroma Laser UST Projector)  ($5500 - $6500)

• Trichroma™ Triple-Laser Light Engine
• 4K Resolution
• 25,000 hour lifespan
• Reaches over 1 billion colors (107% of BT.2020 color space)
• New Ambient Light Rejecting (ALR) Screen
• 3000 ANSI lumens brightness
• 2,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
• Google TV
• Dolby Vision / Dolby Atmos
• 3 HDMI (2 x 4K@120hz,1 x eARC)
• Smooth Motion and MEMC
• Game Mode
• ATSC 3.0
• Wi-Fi 6e
• Wi-Fi 6e
• 40-Watt Built-in Speakers
• Sizes: 100” and 120”
• Availability: Summer 2023

Sony HT-S2000 3.1ch Dolby Atmos® Soundbar) $300

The HT-S2000 soundbar delivers high-quality audio and an upscaled cinematic surround sound experience for all your content. Built for the Sony ecosystem, this soundbar solution is compatible with Sony SA-SW3, SA-SW5 subwoofers and SA-RS3S rear speakers and integrates fully with BRAVIA XR™ TVs.

DJ Briggs CEDIA Wrap

Top 5 Room Experiences

(5) JVC (8 New Projectors 6 8K and 2 4K))

• Amazing 8K Picture
• Amazing 4K HDR
• Stewart Screen)
• Great Next Gen (2) tone mapping

(4) Sony 7000 Projector) and 7000 Receiver)

• Fantastic Overall Experience
• No Amps
• 4 ohm Kef Speakers) 
• No Video Processing
• 180” firehawk 1.3 gain Stewart Screen)
• $68K for EVERYTHING in the room

(3) SVS

• No roof
• PB 16 Ultras) ($2900) ROCKED the Media Floor
• Bang & Olufsen) right next to them and they were drowning them out and they were IN A ROOM and B&O was in the open 🤣

(1B) Trinnov)

• Custom built room in Italy
• Perfectly curated Home Theater Experience
• 24 subs
• WaveForming!! 
• Barco)
• MadVR)
• Seamore Excellence AT screen)
• Amazing Bass Equalization

(1A)Grimani

Anthony Grimani)/Storm Audio)/Seymore Excellence)/Row One Seating)

• Perfectly curated Home Theater Experience
• Grimani Speakers) 
• Barco)
• MadVR)
• Seamore Excellence AT screen)
• Future Tech we can all look forward to!!
• WINNER 🍿