Stealth Acoustics has developed a flat panel in-wall loudspeaker, when installed, becomes invisible to the eye. The 228 speaker can handle power up to 80 watts and houses two NTX 25mm exciters and a single 8" driver. I personally like seeing my speakers, but if you are designing a room and the standard in-wall speakers are catching your wondering eye, Stealth Acoustics Invisible Speakers are worth checking out.

The folks over at Xantech are always coming up with some very cool devices, remember the Dinky Link™. They've out done themselves once again with the SmartPad LCD. The LCD panel can comes in 4 sizes and can be customized using their intuitive and easy to use Dragon Drop-IR™ programming software using either the RS232 or USB ports located behind the detachable faceplate. My only complaint, they're a little too pricey. About $750 to $2200 a pop.

Why not internet enable your IR based devices? With a Global Cache' GC-100 that's possible... use your IP based network to control a DVD player that's located in your equipment room. I'm using two of these in my home automation setup and think it's the best thing since sliced bread. The GC-100 is currently supported in many home automation packages, and if it's not, ask the developer to write a driver for it.

Looking for a cool looking home audio controller system? ZON Audio might be what you're looking for. This controller is the next generation of amplified remote volume controllers for whole house audio. The ZAC-60 is a 60-Watt all-digital stereo amplifier that connects to the ZON Router via cat5e cabling. It has a integrated jog wheel and high resolution dot matrix display that creates a stylish and intuitive user interface. The on-board Digital Signal Processor (DSP) provides EQ selection, tone and balance controls, and a loudness contour control to enhance the listening experience in each zone. It also has a built-in infrared receiver that can be used to control any of the nine input devices or just about anything else. It has a built-in microphone that can be used for system-wide paging or to monitor a baby’s room.

I've been testing the Lightolier Compose PLC system for a few months and have decided this is the best route to take when it comes to reliable, inexpensive, home automation lighting controls. The keypads can be custom laser engraved and when used with a Compose Firewall, relability is near 99.999%. This control system works perfectly with the OmniPro II home automation controller and is a cinch to setup. Be sure to check out Lightolier lighting controls if you plan on designing a home automation system.

Axis Communications has released two new video servers that enable analog video systems to easily migrate to an IP-based solution. This is great for converting your old home surveillance system to be accessible from any place in the world. The Axis 241 comes in two flavors, single and quad input models.

"The AXIS 241Q and AXIS 241S Video Servers digitize analog video streams and transmit them at full frame rate over an IP network, enabling remote viewing of video in real time on a local area network or the Internet. The video servers also provide built-in video motion detection and powerful event management functions based on triggered or scheduled events. In addition, the products offer a complete set of security features such as HTTPS, IP address filtering and multi-level password protection..

The AXIS 241Q can connect up to four analog cameras and transmit digital video from all four channels simultaneously via an Ethernet connection. The AXIS 241S has one analog video input and one analog output, in addition to an Ethernet connection."