European Custom Installer

Home control module/driver specialist Chowmain announces a two-way VSSL A.6 module for URC Total Control 2.0, allowing customers to control VSSL matrixed amplifiers through URC products.

The module is sponsored by VSSL and officially certified by URC. It allows control and feedback, including input switching, discrete volume, mote, play, pause, stop, remote streaming event tracking and now playing updates, with automatic discovery upon MAC address entry and self healing in case of IP address changes.

Bang & Olufsen adds a second Bluetooth speaker to the more affordable B&O Play line-- the Beoplay P6, a portable number featuring 360-degree audio and a built-in microphone for use with voice assistants.

The company does not specificy which assistants the P6 supports, meaning it probably depends on what is running on the smartphone it is connected to. Meanwhile the 360-degree audio (or "True360," as B&O calls it) comes from stereo speakers facing opposite directions, filling the area with sound.

Customers demanding a TV with the most pixels now get a Sharp option-- the Aquos LC-70X500E is a 70-inch UHD TV offering 7680 x 4320 resolution. Or, in other words, an 8K TV.

First launched at IFA 2017 and already available in Japan and China, the LC-70X500E pushes no less than 33 million pixels, for a density of 125 ppi. It also offers wide colour technology covering 79% of the Rec.2020 colour gamut, and supports HDR through HLG and HDR10. The display uses full array LED backlighting technology with 216 LED zones of dynamic local dimming, and a 2.1 audio subsystem is included.

Nortek Security & Control (NSC) launches a line of Xantech HDMI distribution solutions-- including extenders, splitters and switchers, matrix switchers and distribution amps.

Better known as a control accessory maker, Xantech is pushing into video with products centered around sending HDMI signals longer distances, as well as solving quirky HDMI routing issues.

The line offers 3 extenders-- the XT-HDBT-EX100-4K18G-KIT, a 4K HDBaseT extender able to deliver HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2 support, bi-directional IR, RS-232 and PoH (PoE) up to 70m at 4K (100m at 1080p) over a single CAT cable, the XT-HDBT-EX70-4K-KIT (4K HDBaseT solution delivering HDMI with HDCP 2.2 support, bi-directional IR and PoH (PoE) up to lengths of 40m at 4K (70m at 1080p) over a single CAT cable) and the slim-line XT-CAT-EX40-KIT (provides HDMI and bi-directional IR distribution over a single CAT cable up to lengths of 40m @ 1080p and 50m @ 1080i).

ViewSonic presents what it claims is a first high brightness DLP 4K UHD home projector-- the PX747-4K, a projector capable of beaming 3840 x 2160 resolution images at 3500 lumens brightness.

The PX747-4K uses SuperColor technology to deliver "intense" colour reproduction, while Texas Instruments XPR technology provides high contrast and 8.3 million pixels for super-sharp big screen images. The projector is HDR-compatible, while the 3500 lumens brightness and 12000:1 contrast ratio ensures sharp details in both bright or dark environments. Image adjustment comes through 1.2x optical zoom.