2005 CES Show Whos Going? (1 Viewer)

[Dave Moritz]

CES 2005
Las Vegas, NV
January 6th - 9th, 2005
Las Vegas Convention Center


So I am just wondering if anyone here at hometheater forum will be going to the CES Show in January? If you are going how many days will you be attending and what products will you be concentrating on? This will be my 3rd trip to CES and if the past two years are any indication than CES 2005 should blow our minds. I think it would be a great oprotunity for HTF members to get together and meet and talk about products and demos at this years CES show. It could be a simple as everyone going to the show to meet at a certain place at an agreed time and date.

 

[ChrisHeflen]

Can an anybody go to it? Or do you have to be a dealer and stuff.

 

[Don Black]

It's open to the GP.

 

[Craig S]

I definitely want to go to CES some year. I imagine the Vegas hotels really jack up the rates for this one.

Dave, as you've been before, how about enlightening us with your experiences? Hotels, attending the show, etc. It's always good to hear from a veteran.

 

[Doug Miller]

Isn't the porn convention generally at the same time? Good paring.

Doug

 

[Scott Dautel]

This summer for my Birthday, my lovely wife surprised me with a fully planned, all expense pd trip to CES2005. I've wanted to see this show my entire life, but never had the time. This time we have the hotel, entertainment planned & are going with our best friends. We even already have our CES show badges.

Ahh ... life is good!

 

[Citizen87645]

I've had CES on my vacation goal list for some time. I thought I would go this time, but opted for the HTF Meet instead. No regrets on that decision, so more than likely I'll be at CES '06.

 

[Dave Moritz]

CES Show 05



Hello ChrisHeflen

Can an anybody go to it? Or do you have to be a dealer and stuff?



While the CES Show is more geared towards dealers and buyers it is open to the general

public.





Hello Craig S



I definitely want to go to CES some year. I imagine the Vegas hotels really jack up the

rates for this one. Dave, as you've been before, how about enlightening us with your

experiences? Hotels, attending the show, etc. It's always good to hear from a veteran.



Unfortunatly its very true that the Vegas hotel/casinos basically double there room rates

for CES, Comdex and any other large convention. I would suggest making reservations early

in the year to avoid having problems getting a room. I have actually not had to pay the sky

high rates for rooms for CES. I am lucky enough to have friends in Vegas so it does not

cost me a dime to stay there. This year it should be alittle easier to get from the strip

to the Convention Center as the monorail should be fully functional and all the tram stations

should be finished by now. You can also catch free shuttle busses from the hotels to the

Las Vegas Convention Center. As well as taking the provided tram to the Elexis Park where

the majority of the high end companies will be set up. Most of the high end companies use

the hotel so they can have there gear set up in a seperate room. Unfortunatly there is some

walking up and down stairs at the hotel as the hotel is set up with a central path with the

buildings accesable on ether side. At CES 04 the following companies had awsum demo's set

up: DTS (6.1 system featuring flagship JBL's, Halcro mono block amps, 40k CRT Projector on a

110" screen), McIntosh (6.1 system using there MX-134 prepro, dvd player,speakers and 7 1200

watt mono block amps and two 500 watt amps.), Faroudja played various clips using multiple

size projection screens from 80" - 110"and if I remember correctly the audio was handled by Meridian,

Denon introduced the AVR-3805 reciever and used there dvd player straight out high end CRT projector

to a 80" screen, and Runco had a awsum demo with a (CRT and DLP projectors a stewert scree

, and a special seating area that had bass radiators under the seats). I would not be suprised

if Denon unvails there new AVR-5805 $6k flagship reciever. It will have stiff compition from

comanies like Lexicon and McIntosh. However this IMHO should be a great demo to see, the

AVR-5805 will have a DVI-D input as well as 3 assignable HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI and 1 DVI-D

output, 5 assignable 100 MHz componenet video inputs, input memory for every input, quad

zone capability, 5.1 output for zone 2, 9.1 ins and outs, 100 MHz component out for zone 2, 6

assignable coxial digital inputs, 5 asignable toslink digital inputs, 170 watts/ch x 7, denon

link, 4 assignable 12v triggers, RS-232C conector, speaker impedance 6-16 ohms, assignable

internal power amps(use unused internal amps for zone 2,3 or 4) if you choose to use

external power amps.



There is everything from the newest cell phones, furniture, car audio, car and home accesories,

home theater audio and video etc... Companies that will be there range from DTS, Dolby, THX,

Pioneer, Samsung, Yamaha, Sony, Denon, McIntosh, Krell, Lexicon, JBL, Cerwin Vega, Meridian,

Mark Levison, Panasonic, JVC, Hitachi, Runco, Stewert Film Screen, Drapper, Halco, Sunfire, Nova,

Adcom, ADA, Clear Audio, Mitsubishi, Voom, Direct TV, Dish Network, Sound Blaster, Microsoft, SLR,

Conrad Johnson, Polk, Klipsch, MSB, Faroudja, Vidikron, Infocus, ETC................



I believe that last years show was 1 million sq ft +. IMHO I think it take at least two days to

take in all of the show if not all 4 days. There is just so much to see and the depending on

how long the lines are for the product demo's you could end up spending hours in line. I highly

recomend the DTS, Runco, Denon and Faroudja product demonstrations, they have been impressive both

years I have attended! They do have food courts set up as well as CES stores to get hats, t-shirts

and jackets. What you will not find alot of is pay phones so you will want to have your cell phone

with you. I would not recomend walkie talkies as if you get to much distance between people, due to

the thick walls, material and electromagnitic interferance. I recomend using cell phones to comunicate

with others so you can ether find them or agree on a meeting place. Especially if you find yourself

in line for a demo longer than you anticipated. Dont forget to use vegas.com to check out other

entertainment and restraunt information. You can also get information on shows and buffets. Keep in mind

that CES will be extreamly croweded and you will encounter lots of traffic on the strip. The monorail is

located on the East side of the strip on the oposite side of the Luxor, Treasure Island and Ceasers Palace.

Again you can ether choose to take the monorail or the free shuttle busses to the convention center. Depending

on the lines for the suttle bus you may have a long wait as the shuttle bus does not run as offten as it

should IMHO. Treasure Island has a free show out front of its hotel with pirate ships as long as it

is not to windy, the Mirage still has the volcano go off every hour I believe. You should expect to

shell out between $80 to $100 each for the big shows on the strip. One of your best buys on the strip

will be Excalibur's Dinner and Tourniment at $35-$45 unless they raised the price? Check on vegas.com

as some shows have differnt dark days than others and many shows are dark on Sunday.



Overall you should have a great time at CES as anyone who is into audio/home theater will fill like a kid

in a candy store. And there is just so much litature to read through at the end of the day and after you

return home after CES. Its a great way to get information on product specifications, features, dealers in

your area and just see and hear the gear without driving all over town or around the state depending on

where you live. The keynote speeches are generally on Wednesday and I would not be suppriesed if Bill Gates

is giving one of the keynotes again this year. Also don't be supprised if the lines for your badge holder

are long, they generally move at a decent pase and it should not take to long to get through the line to

get checked in and get your badge holder. You can get them at ether the Hilton or the Convention Center.





Hello Doug Miller

Isn't the porn convention generally at the same time? Good paring?



Yes the porn or Adult Expo is in town that same week as the first part of the week is for people in the industry

and the last part of the week is for the fans. The Adult Expo is at the Sands Expo Center and if I remember

cost around $40 for the day.





Hello Scott Dautel

This summer for my Birthday, my lovely wife surprised me with a fully planned, all expense pd trip to

CES2005. I've wanted to see this show my entire life, but never had the time. This time we have the hotel,

entertainment planned & are going with our best friends. We even already have our CES show badges.



Ahh ... life is good!





Very nice there Scott. IMHO you are in for a treat as this show should be as good if not better than the

04 show. Heck its always nice to have a wife that gives you a gift like that, very nice.





Hello Cameron_Y

Sorry to hear that you will not be attending CES this year, hope you can make it in 06' Hopefully I will be

able to make it to a HTF meet sometime in the near future.







Would be nice if enough people attend the show so maybe we could get together and meet each other and share

our exspeinces of CES. Cya at CES 2005.



www.cesweb.org