NuVo announces its NV-18GCP dual-gang OLED Control Pad and NV-CTP36 LCD Colour Touch Pad are now compatible with its Essentia system.

The 2 controllers are already sold for use with NuVo's own Grand Concerto and Renovia systems.

The NV-18GCP carries a 2.7" capacitative touch screen and allows browsing by artist, song, album, genre or playlist, and displays up to 8 lines of text. The NV-CTP36 has a 3.6" LCD touch screen, with options including internet radio customisation and album art display (when coupled with Music Port).

Meanwhile the Essentia system delivers audio from up to x6 different sources, to x6 different zones, using the NuVoNet interface as the Grand Concerto-- providing full data feedback from any NuVo source unit.

Go NuVo Essentia

UK distributor AWE makes noise with its own Kinetik Labs brand at ISE 2011. ECI talks with AWE MD Stuart Tickle on the company's ambitions for the European market.

Currently signing up territorial distributors, Tickle says "installers need equipment that does what it says on the tin"-- which is what the company promises with its range of KLIR IR products, featuring interference-free IR receiver kits.

Kinetik's range includes the KLIR-SM1KIT surface-mount kit and the KLIR-RM1KIT (a recess-mount version). The kits extend communications between an IR remote and AV equipment set up in different rooms or hidden locations.

At ISE the company launches its KLIB flat panel wall bracket range; this includes the KLIB-WB80A, which hinges up the screen for easy back panel connection access. Also show is the KISP in-ceiling speaker range, featuring 3 series-- the "E" Essential, "P" Premium and the soon available "C" Contractor Series.

Watch Kinetik Labs Interview at ISE 2011

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NuVo CEO David Rodarte speaks to ECI and rAVe Europe WebTV at ISE 2011-- the American company's increasing its profile in the European market, where Rodarte says it sees surprising strong growth all through Q3 and Q4 2010.

NuVo's first offering is Renovia powerline system, which the company has just adapted for European power standards. As European home construction involves solid walls (unlike the US, where hollow walls are used), powerline systems are especially attractive for installers. Nuvo says Renovia allows for its audio solution to travel the home in a reliable way-- without the need for retrofitting.

The company also unveils its 2 new power-saving in-wall amps-- producing less heat (thus causing less damage to their surroundings) while using less than 1W of power.

Finally Rodarte talks about Nuvo's Music Port (MPS4 and MPS4-E) music gateways. For the European market NuVo includes a number of music-streaming and internet radio stations-- including Spotify, with whom NuVo is working (and will soon roll out a beta release). As well as internet music services, the MPS4 gateways also carry an internal HDD, storing their users' ITunes and Windows Media Player libraries.

Watch NuVo Interview at ISE 2011

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SnapAV announces 2 new models for its Episode 900 in-wall speaker series, the follow-up on its Episode 700 series.

The company claims the speakers are its highest-performing yet, featuring 4.65" Kapton ribbon tweeters, Natural Cell Structure (NCS) drivers, compensation EQ switches and integrated sealed 3/4" MDF back boxes.

The in-wall HT950 carries x2 7" woofers, with aluminium phase bullet and high temp 1-1/4" diameter voice coil, alongside a 5.25" tri-layer honey comb cone midrange.

The HT900 meanwhile has x2 6.5" woofers, together with its 4.65" rotating tweeter.

Go Episode HT950 In-Wall

Go Episode HT900

Stealth Acoustic announces updates to its FX and AX invisible speaker lines-- promising enchanced fidelity, high-frequency smoothness and bass performance.

The new LineaResponse series eliminates the need for plaster or fill materials prior final wall finishing by incorporating new face-panels that create a flatter front surface area. stealth also says the new models offer warmer-sounding high frequency responce and more bass output.

Also out is a new 8400 8-channel (80-watt per channel) amp with DSP-based optimisation for Stealth's speakers, offering adjacent bridging and IR control.

Go Stealth Acoustics LineaResponse Invisible Speaker Line

Silicon Image unveils its ViaPort technology-- an external HDMI transmitter with hardware-based HDCP repeater support incorporating a second CEC bus as a chip embedded in DTVs.

Through its HDMI output ViaPort eliminates audio complications coming when an AV receiver is put between source devices and TV. Thus it makes it easier to interconnect TVs with external audio components-- and to switch between source devices.

Viaport-enabled TVs can also convert non-HDMI audio to an HDMI audio stream with the receiver needing only an HDMI in port. It also allows integrators to daisy-chain up ti x8 TVs via HDMI.

The technology should possibly start showing up in displays later this year.

Go ViaPort Technology