Power conditioning has long been an assumed requirement for the best audio-video systems. And there's no shortage of manufacturers lining up to supply the perceived need. Need line filtering, surge and spike protection, and multiple outlets? Ding! There are dozens of choices, some more effective than others. Need a device that will not only clean up your power line, but also maintain 120 volts when your power company is straining to keep up with demand? Ding! The field narrows, but there are products out there that will do that, too. Need battery backup in case of a partial or complete power failure? Bzzzt! Wrong question. Until recently, you'd have to look for that in the computer department of you're nearby electronics supermarket.

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/headshot150.tjn.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=194 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Your favorite <I>first-run</I> movies could be coming soon to a theater near you&mdash;your own home theater&mdash;in full high definition.

First thing Friday morning, the day the show floor opened, I dashed over to Projection Design's booth. The Norwegian manufacturer promised to have something revolutionary. And they did. Their Model Three 1080 single-chip front projector, as the model number suggests, offers a full 1920x1080 resolution. This originates from a brand new TI DLP chip, with full 1920x1080 resolution. That's <I>on the chip</I>, not just on the screen. In short, it does not use the wobulation technology you'll find in all the new 1080p rear projection sets. The latter apparently does not work well with large, front-projection images.

CEDIA Expo 2005 is nearly upon us, and with it comes a rash of new audio and video goodies. The annual trade-only event of the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association, held this year as most in Indianapolis, Indiana, has grown in a dozen years from a small education and demonstration event into an industry powerhouse second only to the immense January Consumer Electronics Show.