Putting to rest any doubts that it could become more than a remote control company, URC officially has released its DMS-AV Networked Home Theater Amplifier to dealers today.
The DMS-AV possesses all of the features and performance of a standalone AV amplifier/processor, but is designed to be part of a URC Total Control whole-house control system, enabling the integration of a home theater to a distributed audio system.
“Typically, an integrator must engage in a science project to bring a home theater system into an integrated whole-house system,” said Cat Toomey, director of marketing for URC. “Finally, the glued-together programs end with the DMS-AV. Integrators can tie an awesome home theater to the rest of a house-wide system in a way that optimizes their time and the client’s experience. The DMS-AV is built from the ground up as part of our Total Control system, while delivering the full performance of a traditional AV component.”
The DMS-AV connects to URC’s MRX-10 Advanced Network System Controller, which stores and issues two-way commands to devices and controls throughout a Total Control system. It can be controlled via an RF/IR remote, or via an IP-based device, all of which are available from URC.
Because it sits on a network, the DMS-AV can handle up to 32 streaming audio sources to and from URC’s DMS-Series amplifiers: the DMS-1200 Multi-Zone Network Amplifier and the DMS-100 Single-Zone Amplifier. Two analog or legacy sources connected to the unit also can be streamed to the DMS amps. All sources of these amps are accessible to the DMS-AV with a single Ethernet connection. Physical location is no longer an issue; integrators just connect the DMS-AV to the same LAN as the other devices in the home.
Configured using a single program (URC’s Accelerator software), the DMS-AV also can be programmed remotely via the internet.
Detailed video specs include five HDMI 1.4a inputs, two component inputs, four composite inputs, one HDMI output, and 1080p upscaling on all inputs. Other video features include ARC return channel, 3D TV support, onboard video calibration test pattern generator, lip sync audio correction up to 200ms, Progressive Video ReProcessing, SD and HD precision motion adaptive de-interlacing, precision 10bit video scaling for up-conversion to 1080p/24fps, support for 24 fps video pass through and PAL video formats, pass-through video mode for all formats, HDMI 1.4a Deep Color support with 12bit output, MPEG digital noise reduction on both SD and HD, and a video scaler that is the latest ABT2015 with graphic OSD.
For audio, the DMS-AV offers 125 watts per channel (8 Ohms rating, stable to 4 Ohms), true analog discrete amplifier performance, 7.2 surround sound, automated and manual EQ system with microphone, support for the latest Dolby True HD and DTS codecs, and a phono level input that, like its two analog inputs, is network streamable to other DMS music amplifiers such as the DMS-1200 Multi-Zone Network Amplifier and DMS-100 Single-Zone Amplifier.
The URC DMS-AV is a sleek, handsome component that is rack-mountable, but also looks great in a home theater. The front of the DMS-AV is designed specifically for custom installation environments. The end user doesn’t have much to fiddle with on the front of the unit, except for a volume knob.
The DMS-AV is now shipping at an MSRP of $1,499.
