News

CEDIA Expo sees UK debut for Imerge MS5000/MP1000 Multiroom Media Server combination plus Upgrade for SoundServer S300 (3/6/2008)

Stand B12, CEDIA UK Expo 2008

Imerge – the renowned entertainment server pioneers – are delighted to be using Cedia Expo to debut its category-redefining MS5000/MP1000 combination, and also launch a major new online software upgrade to the SoundServer S3000.

A truly remarkable achievement in the media server world, the MS5000 streams high quality audio and video to up to 6 MP1000 MediaPlayers, each capable of audiophile music playback, and serious video reproduction at up to 1080p resolution. The new MP1000 MediaPlayer unlocks a whole new range of installation possibilities by expanding the number of independent playback sources and control interfaces in an MS5000 MediaServer-based system.

MP1000 is the solution for adding premium-quality independent video or music sources, with integrated TV-based control, to an Imerge MS5000. Imerge, famous for refined, quality multimedia devices specifically designed for the custom installation industry - has taken networked media playback to new heights with the MP1000. For example, not only does it play content stored from a networked MS5000 server, it will also play CDs and DVD discs from the built-in optical drive. So, MP1000 can be flexibly configured either in a centralised, analogue-distributed, rack-based installation or sited in-room, connected via Cat5/Ethernet, banishing the need for other in-room player devices. Because MP1000 has no internal hard disk drive, it is silent, both in operation and in stand-by, and highly reliable.

David Reynaga, Head of New Products at Imerge, commenting on MP1000’s capabilities in the video domain, said “MP1000 has integrated up-scaling and de-interlacing hardware delivering absolutely stunning picture quality up to 1080p. MP1000 delivers superb HD resolution pictures regardless of whether content comes from local standard-definition DVDs or over the network from the MS5000 server. Audio performance has been one of Imerge’s untouchable differentiators since the very first SoundServer. The MP1000 inherits SoundServer’s legendary custom-designed audio electronics, with Wolfson Delta-Sigma 24-bit DACs, to deliver audiophile performance that rivals many conventional high-end CD players. Forget PC soundcards – this is proper audio”.

Also at this year’s Cedia Expo Imerge will be launching a major online software update for the best-selling S3000 SoundServer. This update sets S3000 even further apart from the competition and in reality, takes the SoundServer to 5th generation status. Imerge designed the S3000 SoundServer – it’s 4th generation of the pioneering industry de facto music server - to perform in-field, online software upgrades. This capability enables installers and customers to quickly and easily benefit from ongoing advances by Imerge’s experienced in-house technical development team. And this June sees the first major update.

At the top of the list of new features is Imerge’s amazing new iPod and iTunes for Windows synchronisation feature, dubbed TuneXchange. This capability enables music on the S3000 and in iTunes (and on iPods) to remain seamlessly synchronised, even as new music is added to S3000, iTunes or an iPod – it will even handle iTunes playlists. What’s more, anyone can now manage their S3000-based music collection from within iTunes.

David Vukovich, Head of Sales & Marketing at Imerge, commented, “As well as providing a new standard in server-iPod integration, one of the real user benefits is that it turns computer/iPod-quality media into serious high-quality home entertainment thanks to the renowned, high-end sound quality that every Imerge server is capable of. This software upgrade endorses the long-term commitment that Imerge demonstrates to its valued installers, to provide continuous improvements that will maintain end-user satisfaction and keep installers at the leading edge of digital media.”

Multi-room control support also goes from strength to strength in this upgrade with a new extension to its industry-leading XiVA-Link control. The update, for example, provides faster and easier control by AMX, Crestron, and any 2-way interactive controller as well as video control capability. Installers in particular will love the new fast list processing mechanism which can skip through screens of music with lightning speed on any compatible controller screen.

The new online upgrade also updates the music format capabilities of the server with the addition of the increasingly popular AAC format support, and also increases the robustness of corrupted media typically encountered with downloaded content. The outputs of the server are now nameable, so output 1 can be relabelled, Living Room, output 2 to Kitchen, and so on, depending on how many outputs the server has. There are so many features to list, it’s best to see them in the flesh at the show, or alternatively check out our website.

Retail and trade pricing for the Imerge range will be communicated to dealers at the show, stand B12.

www.imerge.co.uk