In September, Denver hosted the annual CEDIA (The Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association) conference. This show focuses on high end electronics and home theater installations with everything from the mild to the extremely wild. While a number of exhibitors showed items that will likely never make it to the mass market (i.e. large-scale 4K projectors), others serve as a preview of what, as prices decrease, will soon become available to the masses. With that in mind, here are a few trends from this year's show:

• 4K / Ultra-HD Television: There are more televisions with options improving and prices coming down. However, following on this year's CES show, content sources are still almost non-existent and other than the Sony Ultra-HD Media Player, no consumer services or playback hardware could be found.
• Flat Speakers: Just like television screens, speakers seem to be getting flatter and flatter. Aside from sound bars, speaks that either mount on the TV or hang on the wall are becoming common. At one or two locations, even flat (3"-6" deep), wall hanging sub-woofers could be found.
• Wireless HD / HDMI: More and more manufacturers now offer devices for the wireless distribution of HDMI signals. For many installations, this means that once a power outlet is made available behind the screen, no wires are required. I wouldn't be surprised to see these features added to high end set top boxes (or home gateways) as either a built-in feature or at least a card based add-on. If a device similar to a Chromecast were provided for the television's HDMI in, this would both beautify and simplify high end set top installations.
• Integration with Home Automation Systems: At booths from Bang & Olufsen to Dish, providers were showing off video systems that connect to high end home automation systems. With features ranging from the ability to set your DVR from same remote used to set your alarm system to front door cameras on the TV screen and the automated lowering of shades and dimming lights when the movie starts, these integrations seem to be the wave of the future. Between Crestron, Control-4, Z-Wave there are a number of systems and is seems that most future video systems will be controlled by, or better yet be able to control the rest of the home.

And just a few more notes:

• From the "Who Knew?" Category: There are still a number of companies that produce permanent "whole home" centralized vacuums that can provide a suction hose in every room.
• Favorite Gadget: Although CEDIA isn't nearly as large or gadget laden as CES, there were still a few cool, new toys. One of the best was the Bass Egg Verb Bluetooth device that turns any flat surface into a speaker. Simply place small hourglass shaped device on a flat surface (say a table) and sound begins to flow out of the table.

That's the report from the high end. Now only a little over three more months until CES.