Beyond Media Center.

One of the more exciting CEDIA demos I saw involved a product that doesn’t exist…yet. Pioneer gave us a glimpse at its new network entertainment platform, dubbed ETAP or Project ET.

ETAP unites your major entertainment and automation systems into one box, with one high-def user interface and a ZigBee-based remote (plus iPhone control). First and foremost, it’s an A/V server (the demo sample had a 1TB hard drive), upon which you can store your digital music, photo, and movie files.

Signs of Life, Signs of Cool Stuff

By most accounts, this year's CEDIA Expo was not the ghost town most were expecting. In fact, there was a fair amount of traffic and quite a lot of cool new gear. 

Click through for the highlights.

Paradigm announced today that it's highly anticipated Seismic 110 Subwoofer will be shipping at the end of October. Admit it: The first thing that went through your head when you saw this diminutive little powerhouse was, "Awww, how cute." Right? With its sleek, curvilinear diecast monocoque exterior and its oversized paws tucked neatly underneath, one can’t help but look at this little fellow and wish it had a chin to scratch.

A new step-up DLP model.

After a few quiet trade shows, Optoma has re-emerged with two new 1080p DLP projectors and a new strategy, to target specific products at specific channels. The custom-oriented line, distributed exclusively through AVAD, features three projectors, including the new entry-level HD2200 and the new top-shelf HD8600. (In the middle is the HD8200 that flew under the radar at CES.)

Cambridge’s new system has universal appeal.

The new Azur 650BD isn’t just a full-featured Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player. It’s a universal disc player that supports playback of the high-resolution SACD and DVD-Audio formats.

Today Lutron announced a number of new products, highlighted by the RadioRA 2 lighting control system. This new system is a complete reinvention of the original RadioRA package, employing the company’s ClearConnect RF technology to control lights, shades, A/V equipment, and HVAC products.

This one goes to 70(000)

JVC has announced a pair of new projectors, both with a contrast ratio of 70,000:1 without the use of an iris.

The DLA-HD990/DLA-RS35 are basically the same, other than their distribution channels and brightwork.

All the info after the jump (plus info on the other new projectors)…