European Custom Installer

Lithe Audio releases a driver giving Fibaro users control over Lithe Audio multiroom ceiling speakers. Dubbed Lithe Audio Remote VD, it is compatible with Fibaro Home Center 2 with firmware 4.460 or greater, with a Home Center 3 update coming soon.

The driver allows users to store up to 10 different favourite radio stations on each VD. It also supports a simple change from currently playing audio source to AUX input through the press of a button. Users can group or ungroup speakers easily, with the possibility to set speakers to play stereo or through the left or right audio channel. Separate volume sliders control a single speaker or a group of speakers.

Vaddio announces the AV Bridge 2x1, a solution the company says make it easy to record and stream high-definition video and Dante audio networking with two HDMI inputs and multiple outputs.

With two HDMI inputs, customers can connect either two cameras or a camera and a computer, easily switch sources and set side-by-side or picture-in-picture for seamless live presentations, lectures and video calls. Meanwhile 1080p USB 3.0, HDMI and IP streaming outputs allow one to simultaneously capture their computer, enlarge the source with an in-room display or stream to online platforms such as Zoom, Webex, YouTube and Facebook Live without need for special software or drivers.

European smart home shipments total nearly 39.9 million units in Q4 2019, a 20.4% Y-o-Y increase, IDC reports-- but the analyst warns the market will be hit by declines due to, as one might expect, the coronavirus pandemic.

The market also sees positive results for overall 2019, as shipments are up by 20% over 2018 to 107m units. Smart speakers continue to be the "stellar product" during Q4 2019, with Amazon gaining market share through "good" smart speaker and digital media adapter performance. The quarter also hosted the European Amazon Smart TV launch, with JVC launching the first FireOS products in the UK. The year was also particularly positive in CEE, with the gradual transition to the DVB-T standard leading to shipment growth of 53.5% Y-o-Y.

Sound United, parent company of Denon, Polk Audio, Marantz, Definitive Technology, Classé, and Boston Acoustics, announces several Denon and Marantz products have received Roon Tested accreditation.

The certification enables customers to seamlessly stream music from Roon server or Roon Core devices to a total of 68 Denon and Marantz products, allowing for a visually rich and easy-to-use listening experience. Roon leverages credits, artist relationships, genres, lyrics, concert/tour dates and artwork to create further depth to user libraries.

The coronavirus (aka Covid-19) pandemic leads to the cancellation of another trade event as AVIXA announces InfoComm 2020, set to take place in Las Vegas on 13-19 June, will no longer take place.

Initially the organisers were optimistic the show could go on, but following recommendations from the WHO and CDDC, not to mention the extreme circumstances and the size of the show, they decided not proceeding was the best choice.