Harrisburg, PA–Last week’s D&H’s Digital Convergence Trade Show drew more than 800 attendees, illustrating the significant growth in this evolving sector.
The distributor brought together representatives from more than 600 IT resellers, CE retailers and dealers, custom home installers, and specialized A/V and home security dealers to meet with digital technology vendors, taking advantage of exhibits, educational seminars and special customer discount opportunities. Attendance broke down to include 70 percent IT resellers, 20 percent CE retailers and dealers, and another 10 percent mix of home entertainment, home security and gaming dealers.
The Expo offered 22 rotating seminars from Intel, Microsoft, Bosch (home security), On-Q Home (structured wiring), ViewSonic, Panasonic, CompTIA (the Computing Technology Industry Association), Hawking Technology (wireless networking), Russound (distributed audio) and D&H’s Gaming Division. Microsoft also led “A Day in the Life of the Media PC,” presented by Microsoft e-Business Technology Specialist Michael Gannotti. The “Digital Home and the Intel Channel Initiatives” was presented by Intel North American Channel Marketing Manager Todd Garrigues.
Hot products showcased at the event included Philips’ DVD-R device with hard disc recorder (the first such units to be launched in the US), the vendor’s Ambilight 42-inch flat TVs, and its MX6000i home theatre system with a wireless PC link; Panasonic’s PT-50DL54 50-inch diagonal projection DLP television; BenQ’s new 16X internal DVD-ROM drives; the Harmony Remote home entertainment controller, now being offered by IT manufacturer Logitech; Hawking Technology’s Hi-Gain antennas, which help expand wireless networks; and Mirra’s personal file servers.
“Through forums like our Expo, we uncover paradigm shifts that will be vital to future sales,” said D&H vice president of marketing, Dan Schwab. “For instance, our keynote panel revealed that entertainment products like flat screen displays are now being considered peripherals to a home network, which is very much in contrast to how they were being sold just a year ago. Were proud to provide the context to introduce these developments to a broader audience.”
“Our customers on both the IT and CE side are reporting more convergence sales-and more demand for the expertise that makes these solutions work seamlessly together,” Schwab continued.
“The D&H Convergence Expo offers an important opportunity to see both ends of the market, providing perspective on where we’re headed as purveyors of these technologies,” said keynote panelist and CE integrator Ken Bosley. “It’s becoming apparent that we’re not just selling products anymore. We’re selling a lifestyle. Instead of ‘information technology,’ we should consider it ‘lifestyle technology.’ These are the conclusions you can draw at the strategic events that D&H makes available.”
