Hearing is Believing!
PHC, or Professional Home Cinema, is the most unique sound we have ever heard and it is taking the home cinema industry into uncharted territory. Since we installed the system in our studio, it has been interesting to hear the comments and see the facial expressions when the "ride" is over. It is safe to say that this is a product that does not seek to merely replicate the movie theater experience- it blows it away!
Since it's introduction, PHC has been installed in the homes of numerous 'A' list movie stars and directors. It has been a fairly well-kept secret but, with horns like that, the secret is getting out. Dynamically. You see the PHC is not just about high sound pressure levels. It's about dynamics. And it achieves it with all the finesse of a high-end loudspeaker. No small wonder since its designer is Paul Hales, the designer behind the famed Hales Concept series.
Price tag you ask? Let's put it this way, they're not for the bargain hunter. And bear in mind that this is a cinema system, not just a speaker. Each speaker has it's own matching PHC amp with digital signal processing specifically dialed in to that speaker and the specific room it will call home. PHC makes quite a few models ranging from "expensive yet attainable" to outright "exotic". You are invited to personally hear the PHC system at AVA's design studio. Click here for more info.
Crestron Raises Bar, Lowers Cost of Ownership
Crestron Automation is found everywhere. It's in more Fortune 500 boardrooms than any other brand. It's used in government, military, and education applications. In short, it's the best. No doubt, you won't find Control4 or HAI at The Pentagon. But you will find Crestron.
Reliability matters. So, why would you accept less for your home? Price, that's why. Yes, budget matters too. Now, the oldest and largest home automation maker is solving the price objection with a new line called Prodigy. A meagher $1170 gets you a powerful processor with built in wireless, a full color touchpanel, and all the goodies you need to get it up and running.
Right out of the box, it is ready to control lighting, security, HVAC, and more. It is the most powerful home theater controller we have seen for the money. I have really put this system through the paces at home, at the studio, and in the field. It's not cheap stuff. It's on the same production platform as all the other Crestron gear and it looks and feels the part. Everything, from the handheld remotes to the light switches feel like an American made product should. The range is excellent on the remotes and can be expanded by simply plugging a $120 expander into any electrical outlet.
The system is great for DIY folks too, but the fact that it can be custom programmed makes it perfect for those who want something unique from AVA. All the Apple product interfaces are available for it and they're killer. Also, it's compatible with all the Crestron partners, which means you can interface it with more 3rd party brands than any integration product on the market. Click here for more info.
LeBonheur Children's Theater Update
January 6, 2011. The new hospital building is open and the kids are all moved in! The theater is being wrapped up as I write this. We hope to have the kids in the room watching movies by the middle of the month.
The speakers from Sonance are incredible. The movie projector donated by our customers looks fantastic on the motorized screen donated by Screen Innovations. Amps and processor from ADA sound great and Crestron really came through for the touchpanel control and lighting automation. ReQuest Multimedia gave us a great deal on a media server and we used the remaining customer donations to put that piece in there. Now, the kids will be able to pull up a library of movies, plus they will have access to YouTube, HuLu, and NetFlix.
The construction of the room only recently wrapped and it looks great. We even have furniture in there now. The kids are going to love this room! We'll post pictures from our inaugural movie run.
We need movies and other hardware as well. Your donations are needed and will be put to use in a place where you can see first-hand the joy they create. This system is funded solely by AVA, our customers, and our vendors so every little bit helps. Thanks! Contact Brad at 901-601-6254.