Austin HT Group Meet @ 2004 CES (1 Viewer)

[Nils Luehrmann]

It’s time again to get a head count on who from our group is planning on attending this years CES.

If you can, share with us your proposed itinerary and where you will be staying and then hopefully those that attend can arrange a gathering at least one or more times. This is always a good way to share what you have seen and get ideas on what to see next or what to look for when viewing various systems.

 

[Jonathan DA]

Myself, Ralene, and Igor will be there for the full show. Raelene and I are staying at the Mirage, I'm not sure where Igor is staying. As usual, our primary objective is to scope out what the audio industry is up to this coming year and figure out how we can make our niche with Mirus. Accordingly, most of our time will be at Alexis Park and T.H.E. Show. However, I do have some more HT oriented items on my list as well. I plan to visit the following companies to check out potential gear for purchase:

Sony: Demo an HS20 and find out if the 1920x1080 SXRD projector in April rumor has any merit

Sanyo: Check out the Z2

Panasonic: AE500 demo and find out why they delayed the US launch for so long

Marantz: I'm curious about the specs on their new DV6400 budget universal player, they don't have any information on the web, but a couple of dealers are already listing it for sale.

We'll probably also spend time in the photography area as well.

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

I'll be there the first 2 1/2 days. Anyone want to cruise one or both high-end shows together? Also, I want to again look at imported items like cabinets, subs, speaker stands from the Taiwan/Chinese and see if there's a way to purchase in less than container-load quantities

 

[Greg Risley]

I have already bought my plane tickets, hotel, and Celine Dion tickets ( hey the wife is going to). No work is going to keep me from going. We get in Friday night and we head back late Sunday. Anybody want to meet to head downtown for some quarter ante poker.

Greg

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

I can see the headlines now: "Eclectic group from Austin, Texas lost all their possessions last night at the Golden Nugget. Some were overheard shouting to the gathering crowd: 'We'll build speakers for poker stakes!'"

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

Bump. Okay, so nobody wants to cruise high-end shows together. Fine, do your own thing. Maybe we can meet after showtime to discuss what we saw/heard and what amused us. BTW, I'll be staying at the posh, 2 1/2 star Plaza Hotel/Casino. Hey, there's a "lounge" bar, and, just in case, a wedding chapel
It's hotel #21 on the list on this page:
http://www.swavacations.com/destinations/las.asp?OAC=

 

[Jonathan DA]

Hank, YGM.

 

[Greg Risley]

Hank

You da man. The Plaza is where the quarter ante poker is located. The parents and the wife and I get in Fri. night and the wife and I are going to see O but we might head downtown afterwards. I'll get you and Nils my cell number and I'll try and contact you while we're there.

Greg

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

Can you imagine if we three had the huevos to sit down at a Vegas poker game? I'm talking bragging rights when we return to Austin

 

[Greg Risley]

You know what is really funny about poker in Vegas. The house is gauranteed money. The dealer claims 10% of the pot. So when you play in Vegas you basically are renting the table. I was out there one time with my father, an uncle, a cousin and the brother in-law, and we all ended up at the same table with only 2 other strangers. We played for about 30 mins till we realized we were just taking each others money and paying the house to do it. We just got caught up in the whole playng poker in vegas.

Hey Nils is your other half going?

Greg

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

Yeah, and poker brings in the least income for the casinos, but like I said, it would be cool to sit at a table and appear to know what I'm doing. Nil's better half has "one in the oven" so she won't be going. I think Nils is still undecided - he may need to be on call to make pickles and ice cream runs to the supermarket.

 

[Greg Risley]

Yeah we need to atleast try our hand at the poker table. Also I have become a pretty big fan of the craps table. Nils has to go because, he will just have to take home some Ethel M's chocolates.

Greg

 

[Jonathan DA]

If you guys hit the craps tables I wanta come along. Always seemed like an interesting game, but I never got around to learning it.

 

[Hank Frankenberg]

Yeah, Greg, I've always been fascinated with Craps. Show us how, boy!
Nils called me today with the bad news: he can't go to Vegas. Not so bad though - he needs to be here for Linda as shes pretty far along, and his family from CA will be here for an extended stay. So, we need to take lots of photos to share with Nils when we return. In the meantime, I'm planning on poker here on Saturday, the 27th.
Doc: will Raelene be in town then? If so, she's welcome.
Also, Tubes is planning on hosting some P early in January.

Look out, Vegas!

 

[Nils Luehrmann]

Sadly, it is true that I'll have to miss out on this year's CES. :frowning: So, please take notes for me!

Poker on the 27th sounds great and I'll probably bring my father with me if that's alright?

I believe Doc will be enjoying his wedding nuptials on the 27th many miles from here so unless something VERY drastic occurred, I would not expect the good doctor's presence.