SpeakerCraft will unveil a new AV distribution and control system called Nirv, which features several innovations.

“Being allowed to create the product from the ground up with no legacy system requirements gave us incredible design freedom,” SpeakerCraft’s director of electronic development, Jason Craze, said. 

The system has a modular architecture instead of a central hub design, SpeakerCraft says, which means that the dealer will only need to buy the pieces necessary for the specific system he has designed, and upgrading or expanding is as simple as adding what is needed to the network. On screen programming is so easy and intuitive it can be accomplished on-site by virtually anyone on the project team.

“We wanted the system to be powerful, flexible, simplistic to program and to operate with unparalleled audio and video quality. Our team has hit it out of the park in every area,” Craze said.

All media, data, control, and communication signals are distributed through a single CAT5 cable making system wiring both simple and cost efficient. Beyond standard AV distribution, the system also integrates theatre surround sound, home automation, and page/intercom into one easy-to-manage package.

“It’s the first system of its kind that allows the user to own the experience instead of having the experience dictated by the equipment,” SpeakerCraft’s president, Jeremy Burkhardt, explained. “The system is almost transparent, bringing content and control to the fingertips of the user through touchpanel keypads or while navigating a GUI on the video screen. The remote single-handedly takes the complexity out of owning this type of system. You have to experience it to truly understand what a landmark product this is.”

That experience will first be available at the Nirv dome in the SpeakerCraft booth at the CEDIA EXPO. Dealers will be able to see a full demonstration and talk to members of the design team. The product will begin shipping in the first quarter of 2010.