Accessories Briefs

ORMOND BEACH, FLA. — DPL Labs has signed a definitive agreement with Audiovox's Acoustic Research (AR) division to join the DPL HD Performance Testing and Certification program.

AR is the ninth brand to submit its HDMI products for certification. Others are Honeywell, Next Generation, Phoenix Gold, Signature Wire, VizionWare, SR Components, Ethereal and Direct Connect.

Max Weinbrenner, senior product manager for Acoustic Research Premium Products, commented: "DPL is dedicated to providing simple but accurate performance-based rankings on products utilizing key technologies such as HDMI. We wholeheartedly support their efforts to both elevate product performance and at the same time simplify the consumer purchasing experience."

DPL Labs president Jeff Boccaccio added: "Companies like AR are to be commended not only for their long and enviable history of fine products, but for their continuing dedication to engineering high performance, high-quality products with the latest and finest technologies. We are thrilled to have them as part of the DPL family of companies.

The program began last year testing HDMI cables and has expanded to the testing of components this year.

Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates — Falcon Technologies International (FTI) has tapped CD Dimensions to resell and distribute its lines of Falcon Pro Media recordable DVD-R, CD-R and Blu-ray Discs in the United States. "Both of our companies are leaders in providing the highest quality recording solutions available," said Adel Michael, co-founder /CEO of FTI. Our relationship with CD Dimensions gives us access their extensive customer base of business end-users, disc duplication service bureaus and resellers."

"Offering quality and industry-leading media products has always been CD Dimensions' No. 1 mission," said Gina Calabro, sales and marketing VP, CD Dimensions. "With the new line of Falcon Pro Media products, we can now offer our customers a superior alternative for their professional and archival media needs."

Falcon Pro Media is manufactured at a single facility in the UAE and is Certified Swiss Quality (CSQ) by Swiss ISO organizations.

ATLANTA — Innovolt announced the launch of a surge protector that utilizes a new patent pending technology called current and voltage surge suppression (CVSS ), which the company said protects electronics equipment against potentially damaging power disturbances such as voltage surges, current surges and under/over-voltage. Most current products on the market are transient voltage surge suppressors (TVSS) that are designed to protect against short duration voltage surges caused by lightning strikes.

The CVSS model uses microprocessors for advanced diagnostics and energy monitoring functions. The diagnostics function can provide an energy consumption profile, giving users an automated tool for monitoring and minimizing energy costs, the company said. Innovolt surge-protection products are currently available for the residential, office, retail and industrial and utility market segments. It retails for $75.

Suresh Sharma, president/CEO of Innovolt, said, "Most people own surge protectors but are unaware they are only protecting their equipment against lightning strikes, representing less than 1 percent of power disturbances. As a result, equipment continues to fail with 'power surges' taking the lion's share of the blame, even though surge protectors are typically deployed. Surge protection technology has not changed in more 20 years even as digital and video electronics have been revolutionized. In our mind this represents a significant market gap that Innovolt is directly addressing."

NEW YORK — Two CE companies recently trumpeted that their Web sites had been updated and improved. Sanus Systems (above) has added more than 400 new flat-panel models to MountFinder, the site's search tool. MountFinder is designed to enable users to find the company's mounts and accessories that are compatible with specific flat-panel TVs and monitors. The search tool currently supports more than 140 TV and monitor brands and 7,000 models, said Sanus.

Meanwhile, Otterbox (below), a manufacturer of cases for various CE devices, said it had updated its site "with easier navigation, clickable drawers and a creative interface." The clickable drawers may include product photos, videos, reviews, PDFs, specs and related accessories.