Extron Electronics is pleased to announce the immediate availability of the FF 220T, a full-range sound field speaker for 8 ohm direct or 70 / 100 volt systems. The FF 220T joins the existing FF 120T, and features Extron patent pending Flat Field technology, which reduces beaming of mid and high frequencies directly under the speaker, delivering consistent sound levels across the listening area. In addition, the FF 220T offers an extraordinarily wide dispersion area of 170 degrees, providing a very wide room coverage pattern, which is especially important for rooms with low ceilings. An Extron exclusive, UL 2043 plenum rated, 2′ x 2′ (61 cm x 61 cm) by 3.25″ (8.3 cm) deep aluminized composite enclosure drops into standard suspended ceilings, providing quicker installations. With a low profile enclosure, this speaker is an excellent choice for ceiling installations with tight above-the-ceiling space issues. more

Extron is proud to announce plans to open a new training and support center in Dallas, Texas. This new facility will be staffed by Extron S3 Institute experts and will serve as a convenient training location for those in the Southwest, Midwest, or Mountains/Plains regions. The facility will feature a familiar variety of Extron training choices, including hands-on training with real world scenarios, and courses to pursue various Extron Certifications. more

Extron Electronics is pleased to announce the immediate availability of the XPA 2002-70V, XPA 2003C-70V, and XPA 2004 power amplifiers. These compact 1U, convection cooled, high power two, three, and four channel amplifiers offer 200 watts rms per channel and up to 800 watts rms total power output. XTRA Series ENERGY STAR® qualified amplifiers are energy efficient products that conserve energy and reduce costs. They feature an Extron exclusive, highly efficient, advanced Class D design with patented CDRSâ„¢ – Class D Ripple Suppression technology that provides a smooth, clean audio waveform and an improvement in signal fidelity over conventional Class D amplifier designs. XTRA Series power amplifiers are housed in a compact 1U, convection cooled, full rack width enclosure and do not require fans for cooling, making them ideal for installation in racks, lecterns, credenzas, and other applications with limited space and ventilation. more

Extron Electronics is pleased to announce that the SW HDMI LC two and four input switchers are now shipping. These switchers support HDMI 1.3 specification features, including data rates up to 6.75 Gbps, Deep Color, Lip Sync, and HD lossless audio formats. HDCP compliance ensures interoperability with other HDCP-compliant devices. The switchers support all HDTV rates including 1080p/60 with 12-bit Deep Color, and PC resolutions up to 1920×1200. Front panel LED indicators provide visual confirmation of signal presence. Input cable equalization for each input compensates for cables up to 50 feet in length. The SW HDMI LC switchers are ideal for sending HDMI video and embedded multi-channel digital audio to a single display. more

Extron Electronics is pleased to announce several new features for the SSP 7.1 Surround Sound Processor, including a seven-channel, nine-band parametric EQ; Live and Emulate operation modes with configuration file saving; and up to 100 ms of lip sync adjustment on each input. These new features can be accessed with Version 2.0 of the Setup and Control Software, which provides a user-friendly interface for simplified setup and control of the SSP 7.1 as well as calibration of the sound system. The upgrade is included with SSP 7.1 units now shipping, and is available as a free software download and firmware update for current users at www.extron.com. more

Extron Electronics is pleased to introduce the new VLH 102 Handheld Microphone, an infrared wireless microphone with a cardioid capsule and durable polycarbonate enclosure for use with Extron VoiceLift® classroom sound field systems. VoiceLift Microphone Systems create a sound field within the classroom so that students can hear the instructor over ambient noise levels. Designed for student use in the classroom, the easy-to-hold lightweight VLH 102 microphone features an anti-roll collar to keep the microphone from rolling off flat surfaces and helps prevent the IR emitters from being blocked during use. The VLH 102 is ideal for use in applications that require a pass-around microphone for student presentations and secondary microphone applications such as team teaching and guest speakers. more

Extron Electronics is the first US manufacturer to receive EEC – Energy Efficiency Certification from UL Environment, Inc. As an acknowledged global leader in environmental qualification and certification, UL Environment acts as an independent third party to test and certify products for compliance to a broad range of domestic and international energy efficiency requirements. Several Extron engineered products now carry the EEC mark, signifying compliance with multiple government energy efficiency standards, including strict adherence to U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR® Version 2.0 requirements. more

Extron Electronics is pleased to announce that our Extron designed and manufactured power supplies have reached the 1,000,000 hour mark in demonstrated MTBF, Mean Time Between Failures. This feat was accomplished by exposing the power supplies to extreme testing in our in-house heating chamber that supports elevated temperature as well as constant temperature conditions. While most manufacturers purchase off-the-shelf switch mode power supplies that can be subject to variations in quality and reliability, we design and manufacture our own power supplies to ensure Extron quality throughout the product. To demonstrate the exceptional performance of our power supplies, we subjected them to grueling testing that lasted more than two years. We simulated an accelerated operational life span by placing a sample quantity of power supplies in a heat chamber at an ambient temperature of 85°C. This produced a demonstrated MTBF rather than a less reliable calculated MTBF that is based on the stated specifications of the individual components. more

Extron Electronics is pleased to announce the immediate availability of the MTP/HDMI U T A D, a Decora®-style, universal twisted pair transmitter for digital and analog video sources. Dedicated inputs on the MTP/HDMI U T A D accommodate digital and analog video, audio, and bidirectional RS-232 or IR signals. These signals are transmitted long distances over economical CAT 5-type cabling to remote receiver locations. more

Extron Electronics is pleased to announce it has so far granted over $1.8 million in classroom A/V systems to U.S. school districts. Over 580 pilot classrooms have been granted to enable district technology leaders, administrators, and instructors to evaluate and define audiovisual system standards that can be implemented in additional classrooms. The main goal of the Extron grant program is to provide increased visibility and expanded access for K-12 classroom A/V technology by supplying selected pilot classrooms with advanced audio/video solutions at no cost to the district. Each grant award includes installation of Extron classroom A/V system technology, VoiceLift® microphone, and complete training. more