Lutron's 'Ultimate Home Theater Experience' Exhibit Opens at Epcot's Innoventions

Lehigh Valley, November 1, 1999 -- The Ultimate Home Theater Experience™, one of the newest exhibits in Innoventions at Epcot, is bringing the thrill of the home theater experience, the latest in home theater technology and the news of its affordability, simplicity and accessibility to millions of guests at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida. Presented by Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., the world's leading designer and manufacturer of lighting controls, the exhibit debuted in June and will remain open for three years.

According to Rick Schuett, Lutron's vice president for new business development, the 2,700-square-foot, state-of-the-art exhibit provides a visceral demonstration of how consumers can recapture the theatrical movie experience in their own homes. "Innoventions is a showcase for life-enhancing technologies which makes this the perfect venue for our exhibit."
Visitors experience cutting-edge audio, video, and lighting technologies as well as other home entertainment products in real home theater settings. Lutron has brought more than 20 leading companies together to showcase these technologies and give consumers a glimpse of the possibilities that exist for their own home theaters.
The exhibit helps to dispel the misconception that only millionaires can afford to have an extraordinary home theater. There is a typical living room setting in the exhibit which makes it clear that homeowners who opt for a basic family/living room upgrade can achieve the same sizzle as those who choose a custom-built, fully-equipped home theater. Guests learn that entertainment environments can now be designed to suit a wide range of budgets, spaces and decorative tastes.

The Ultimate Home Theater Experience culminates in one of two identical 15-seat residential Ultimate Home Theaters created by architectural designer Theo Kalomirakis and project designer Russ Herschelmann, both world-renowned home theater experts. The home theater manufacturer is Jay Miller of Acoustic Innovations.

Home theater products in the exhibit include: acoustical diffusors (RPG Diffusor Systems, Inc.), acoustical insulation/room treatment (Owens Corning), amplifier/pre-amplifier (Audio Design Associates), audio video distribution (Channel Plus), audio video receivers (Kenwood USA), bass shakers (Aura Systems), cable and power conditioners (Monster Cable and Monster Power), consumer television, HDTV, DVD, Web TV, DSS service and receiver (Sony), digital player piano (Yamaha), flatpanel television (Philips), high-end loudspeakers (M & K Sound), home theater seating (Irwin Seating), lighting controls and control systems (Lutron), lighting fixtures and fiber optic lighting (Cooper Lighting), mainstream speaker system (Bose Corporation), motorized cabinet door mechanisms (Eubank), projection screen (Da-Lite), projectors (Runco International), speaker and equipment stands (Lovan Audio), touchscreen controls (PHAST by AMX), and Ultimate Home Theater room certification (THX).

"Right now consumer interest in home theater is at an all time high…and growing," Schuett said. "There are a number of socioeconomic factors that have driven the current popularity of the over $10 billion-dollar-a year home theater market, but we believe it comes down to this -- there's nothing like getting away from it all by dimming the lights in one's own home theater and sharing a great time with family and friends. That is the underlying appeal of the Ultimate Home Theater Experience."

For more information about the exhibit, visit the Ultimate Home Theater Experience Web site, www.ultimatehometheater.com. The site features a virtual tour of the exhibit, a preview of the industry’s newest products, and helpful hints for consumers who are planning a home theater of their own. The site also identifies local dealers and installers throughout the country.
Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., headquartered in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, is the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of lighting controls and architectural lighting control systems for residential, commercial and institutional applications.