CEPro.com, 08/07/2008

 

New line of power filters, a flat-panel in-wall protection kit and surge protectors due out in the next few months.

APC showed preliminary prototypes of three upcoming additions to its product line at its AV Round Table Summit.

The new power filter series has three models and will be marketed as affordable backup solutions. There’s an in-wall power protection solution designed to provide unobtrusive defense for sleek flat-panel TV installations.

There are also three low-cost A/V surge protectors with some clever little features.

CE Pro was asked not to take close-up photos of the products because they are still being developed. It was also asked that product features not be revealed, since they are subject to further engineering.

Power Filters

Patrick Donovan, product line manager, showed alpha versions of the three models that will make up APC’s new power filter series. The prototypes have a unique form factor at this development stage, compared to the company’s previous power filters.

Without getting into details, per APC’s request, the two step-up products in the series are expected to have a feature that allows integrators to do some remote diagnostics. “No one else has that,” Donovan says.

In general, the series will be ideal for anything that needs protection or needs to be turned on in a sequence and if you don’t need battery backup, according to Donovan.

One attending integrator was impressed with the feature set and the prices of the three models, calling them “super affordable.”

Flat-Panel Protector

Manufacturers seem to be scurrying to create products that complement on-wall flat-panel TV installations.

When Donovan showed dealers APC’s soon-to-be-released solution, he acknowledged that “we’ve been kind of beat up for not getting something like this out earlier.”

It will be out pretty soon, though. The two-part device is expected to provide surge protection, power filtering and battery backup while blending into a clean flat-panel installation.

The device is expected to be connected via Romex.

Surge Protectors

APC's upcoming surge protectors designed to be less glamorous and extremely practical.

The low-cost prototypes reflect APC’s focus on providing a surge protector that takes up minimal floor space.

The idea, Donovan explains, is that most people will put them behind entertainment systems “so these can be placed vertically for [minimum] space and [easy] access.”

- Tom LeBlanc