The new Disc Vault can import DVDs, CDs and Blu-rays, and keep them on hand for later use.

A Kaleidescape server allows you to keep all of your movies on hand. But then what do you do with the actual discs? Into the Vault they go!

The company just announced the M700 Disc Vault. The new product is designed to streamline and speed up the process of loading discs into a Kaleidescape System. The big diference here is that the M700 supports CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs. The company also says that the new device makes the process a quick one, boasting double the speed when importing a Blu-ray disc.

It also ups the capacity, holding up to 320 of your favorite discs. Once loaded into the carousel, the Vault can load all of those discs automatically, at the touch of a button. There’s no need to monitor the system once it starts the import process. If you want a progress report, the front-panel display can display that info, as well as the number of discs stored and slots available.

Once the import process is complete, the disc can live inside the Vault for safekeeping. In fact, if it’s a Blu-ray, you need to keep it in the Vault to play back the digital copy. DVDs and CDs can be taken out, or left in for easy access and clutter-free storage.

The new product allows homeowners to distribute iPod and iPhone content throughout the house.

How did homeowners ever get by without the iPod? HAI doesn’t want you to worry about that answer. Instead, they are introducing the HAI Dock.

The Dock allows homeowners to add an iPod or iPhone as one of the audio sources that can be played in any audio zone throughout a multi-room audio system. The Dock is designed to work with the company’s Hi-Fi 2 Multi Room Audio System, as well as supported systems from NuVo, Russound, Xantech, Speakercraft and Proficient

HAI says that the Dock allows iPod navigation through IP-enabled devices. It can also send metadata, such as artist, album and track info, to HAI IP-enabled OmniTouch Touchscreens and the Hi-Fi 2’s Volume Source Control. Homeowners can use those devices to fast forward, play, pause, or send any other control commands. You can also check out cover art on HAI’s IP OmniTouch Touchscreens.

HAI’s Dock is available in wired or wireless versions, and supports iPhone (1st, 3G, 3GS, 4G), iPod Touch (1st, 2G, 3G, 4G), iPod Nano (3G, 4G, 5G, 6G), and iPod Classic. Up to eight Docks can be connected (and charged!) on a single network.

The Monarch features two 15-inch woofers and a 104dB efficiency.

There are a lot of gorgeous looking speakers with sound to match. Some soar to new highs and lows. Others, just look like they can soar across the room. If that’s a priority, you may have a match in the OMA Monarch.

Designed to look like a big wooden butterfly, Born Rich says that these babies come packing two 15-inch woofers on an aluminum tube, and a 104dB efficiency rating.

The Monarch also features a proprietary cast aluminum alloy horn and compression driver for midrange and high frequencies. Also, that unique look isn’t just for show (well, mostly). The company says that the large solid wood baffles help load the woofers, all while making them easy to place.

If you’re buying giant butterfly speakers, we’re guessing you want to place them front and center. OMA hasn’t announced pricing, but for that sort of display, we’d expect to pay plenty. At least you can choose your favorite wood types and finishes.

Article courtesy of ElectronicHouse.com

The T757 is based on a modular design that allows it to be upgraded.

British electronics manufacturer NAD has added a new home theater receiver to its menu, and this one includes a number of tasty ingredients, 3Dⁱ suppport and custom installation connections.

One of the things setting this product, and other NAD’s components, apart, is the modular design. The unit’s basic architecture is constructed as upgradeable modules so as technology advances, users can update certain modules to ensure the system doesn’t get left behind by new formats. The Modular Design Contruction (MDC) was previously only available on more expensive systems in the NAD line. Information on available MDC modules can be found here.

NAD says this product is true to the company’s legacy of focusing on the audio experience. It includes high-performance digital signal processors for handling popular formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio. The company’s own EARS system can turn regular stereo content into surround sound.

Portable music players are supported with the optional IPD 2 iPod/iPhone dock which allows users to navigate their digital music via an on-TV graphic interface.

In case of fire, FireText could save your life or home via text message.

Everyone and everything seems to send text messages these days. Now you can add your home’s smoke detector into the mix.

Hopefully, the FireText will never actually need to send a text, because that would mean that something horrible has happened. When there is a fire, this smoke detector starts sending out texts to up to four different numbers. You can even personalize the message.

The FireText has an integrated GSM module, which can accept a SIM card. It also makes sleep-shattering noises, just like any other smoke detector. It’s a great idea, and perfect for a second or third home. It’s even better for a first home.

Besides altering you when on vacation, this could be a lifesaver (literally) for someone that’s a heavy sleeper. The battery-operated FireText is also pretty affordable, at GBP 89.99 ($144)—but that doesn’t include carrier charges.

Article courtesy of ElectronicHouse.com

New stylized Telephony Solution handsets are fully integrated into home control system.

“It’s ironic that we are all telecom guys and it took us this long to do a phone system,” says Jim Carroll, president of Savant, speaking of the company’s soon-to-ship Telephony Solution product.

But judging from the reaction from one integrator, it might have been worth the wait. By the time CEDIA Expo 2011 arrives, Savant will be shipping its new Telephony Solution handsets.

Savant is planning three versions of the handsets that in essence are:

- A wireless handset
- A more robust handset with a limited 4-inch touchscreen
- An iPod Touch fully integrated into the handset. (available in 2012)

The unit works in tandem with the Savant iPBX Server to give homeowners access to features such as auto answer, do not disturb, call waiting, routing and hunt groups, voicemail, multi-line hunting, suspend and resume, call hold - all integrated into the automation system of the home. Because the system is fully integrated, homeowners and commercial end users can use their iPads to connect to the iPBX server and make phone calls.

The 20-inch D2000 will first launch in Korea this month.

LG Electronics has been a strong supporter of the 3Dⁱ TV category. Now, the company is taking its support of 3D video technologies into a new product category: computer displays.

Recently, the company introduced its 20-inch glasses-free 3D monitor, the D2000. LG says it can be used for reproducing movies, games and photos in 3D, all without having to wear 3D glasses.

“With a full line-up of 3D TVs, laptops, projectors and smartphones, LG Electronics is by far and away the industry leader in all things 3D,” says Si-hwan Park, vice president of the monitor division at LG’s Home Entertainment Company. “LG’s position has always been that 3D will and must eventually function without glasses. The D2000 is a look at what the future has in store.”

The South Korean-based manufacturer differentiates its 3D technologies from other manufacturers by pointing out its 3D methods work through a special camera sensor that attaches to the monitor. This camera sensor is said to detect changes in the user’s eye position in real-time, to enable the display to re-calculate the angle and position of the viewer to adjust the 3D effect.

Easy-to-use product lets you cut the HDMI cord.

There’s a time and a place for everything, unfortunately you can’t always find the time or the place to run a new HDMI cable clear across your house or your ceiling to hook up a home theater projector or a flat panel TV. Wouldn’t it be nice to connect said gear wirelessly?

Well, of course it would, but that’s like saying wouldn’t it be nice to get an actual photo of bigfoot. It doesn’t sound so hard, but then why don’t people do it every day? Wireless high def has been launched, tried, retracted and tried again several times over the past few years. A few TVs have been shown with wireless HDMI built in, but the concept has never really caught on commercially, despite how excited people get at the CES press conferences.

So let’s say I was slightly skeptical when the Peerless HD Flow product showed up. Peerless primarily makes mounts for projectors and flat panel TVs, so why should the company care about wireless high-def transmission? Probably because if it were easier to get signals anywhere in the house, people would be more likely to put projectors and TVs anywhere in the house.