No matter what your definition is of home theater, the add-ons can really bring a room together. Whether the room is big or small, they can make a huge difference. Monster is eager to be a one-stop shop, offering a slew of new connectivity solutions, power components, and other accessories.
That said, the company's latest products are strictly designed with the installer crowd in mind. The idea is that installers can use Monster products to provide the "complete the customer experience."
Monster is probably best known for its many cable offerings. The company just announced a full line of longer-length, higher data rate HDMI cables. Now, you can score cables up to 75 feet, in three different performance levels. Monster's Advanced High Speed cables rate at 14.3 Gbps, with the Monster Ultra High Speed coming in at 15.8 Gbps and the Ultimate High Speed at 17.8 Gbps. Monster says that all speeds have been verified by Simplay Labs. The lengths and speeds mean that pros will have options for almost any type installation, no matter the space or the application.
Monster is also expanding its Digital Life line, with USB 3.0 cables and Micro USB 3.0 cables. Both will be available in 8-foot lengths for $69.95, starting in October. The company was also showing off Digital Life SuperThin Micro HDMI Cables, as well as Mini-DisplayPort Cables and Adapters, but there's no word on when those could be coming.
Once you have the equipment hooked up, you'll want to take care of it. The Monster Power line boasts power conditioning for the best A/V performance possible. The two new additions to the line are the entry-level HTS 1700 ($399.95) and the HTS 1900G Monster Power Home Theater Reference PowerCenter ($499.95), which features Monster GreenPower technology. The 1700 is available now, with the 1900G coming in November.
A slightly different addition to the Monster Power line is the Monster FlatScreen SuperThin HTS 300 PowerCenter. Aside from the less expensive $69.95 price tag, this unit changes up the form factor, with a footprint that can match today's flat-screen TVs.
Also, to keep that display looking nice, it's not a very good idea to use your old household cleaning products. Instead, Monster has announced CleanTouch ($24.95), which can keep touchscreens free of dirt and fingerprints, as well as any germs that could be lingering on the screen.
If you just want to add a few A/V goodies into the mix, Monster has a few of those as well. The company announced three new remote controls. The Evolution 55 ($129.95) and the Evolution 50 ($99.95) can each handle your typical A/V functions, with the new Revolution 200 Home Theater Lighting Controller ($249.95) throws a bit of home control into the mix. The real hook, however, is that each of the remotes has Monster's unique "game controller-style" layout for single or two-handed and tabletop operation.
Finally, we have more information on Monster's universal 3D glasses, which were first announced back in June. The Monster Vision Max3D universal 3D glasses use a shutter system with Zigbee RF technology to deliver 3D from any and every brand of Stereoscopic 3D TV. That means the glasses will work at your house as well as your friend's place -- assuming they have a 3D TV and don't mind you hooking up the transmitter. The glasses and transmitter kit are packaged together for $249.95. Expect those to ship this month.
For More Information:
