I recently sat down with Patrick Kittredge, CTS, Product Marketing Manager, Middle Atlantic Products, Legrand AV Division to talk about power distribution and making radical in-roads into the residential market. Part 2 (Part 1 Here)
Maureen Jenson: While Middle Atlantic is primarily known for rack solutions and furniture, the company has made big strides in power distribution. What’s the latest for the power segment?
Patrick Kittredge: AV professionals must maximize utility of every AC outlet available as space inside the rack continues to be a premium. To help integrators plagued by messy wall warts that block outlets and consume valuable space, three years ago Middle Atlantic launched the industry’s first centralized DC power solution. It’s designed to streamline and support the growing number of DC-powered devices in residential and commercial AV applications. Less than two years later, we expanded the series with all-new high-power models available for both European and North American installations. These latest solutions not only remove unreliable wall warts, but also deliver maximum power and protection to support a multitude of devices. We also expanded our lineup of power distribution with a variety of form factors and models that all feature our RackLink technology. This innovation puts intelligent control of power distribution right at the integrator’s fingertips, allowing them to proactively solve system problems with pre-emptive problem notifications and automatic problem resolution.
MJ: Middle Atlantic is well-known in the commercial market, but the company has made radical in-roads into the residential as well. How does the company’s AV leadership translate into this market?
PK: When we engineer solutions, we look at them from the vantage point of many markets. A good example of this is our C3 Series slim-profile credenza, which was released at CEDIA last year. It was designed to meet the need for localized AV storage within a minimal footprint and comply with U.S. ADA requirements for commercial applications. In residential, it also provides integrators working in homes without dedicated space for an AV rack with a sleek AV storage solution that fits in with any home decor. Engineered around Middle Atlantic’s unique Frame to Furniture experience, the credenza is built from the rack out to ensure full visibility and equipment access during installation and features unique tool-less rack mounting system for quick and easy systems configurability in the field. The C3 is also equipped with a fan kit for proper equipment cooling. No more turning your credenzas into an oven. Once the equipment is installed and validated, integrators simply slide on the wood kit, which is available in a range of colors and finishes. No matter where it’s going, installers are assured that every piece of equipment can be quickly and cleanly installed and wired for systems reliability.