Integrators and people who like all their systems simplified, but fully featured should take notice. URC, maker of mighty universal remotes and a new home control and distribution system called Total Control, is launching a networked home theater amplifier. The DMS-AV is kind of first in that it’s essentially a full-fledged home theater processor/amp built to be part of a whole-house system.
The DMS-AV connects over IP to URC’s MRX-10 system controller. Once connected (via a simple Ethernet connection), the DMS-AV integrates home theater and music distribution. Any source connected to it can be streamed to other rooms, and sources in other rooms (such as an iPod) can also be streamed back. It can handle up to 32 streaming audio sources to and from URC’s DMS-Series amplifiers.
For all your home theater sources, the system includes five HDMI 1.4a inputs, two component inputs, four composite inputs, and one HDMI output. The system will upscape video to 1080p from any input. Other video features include ARC return channel, 3D TV support, lip sync audio correction up to 200ms, Progressive Video ReProcessing, SD and HD precision motion adaptive de-interlacing, precision 10bit video scaling for up-conversion to 1080p/24fps, support for 24 fps video pass through and PAL video formats, pass-through video mode for all formats (including 4K), HDMI 1.4a Deep Color support with 12bit output, MPEG digital noise reduction on both SD and HD, and a video scaler that is the latest ABT2015 with graphic OSD.
It even includes built-in video test patterns for display calibration.
For audio, the DMS-AV offers 125 Watts per channel , true analog discrete amplifier performance, 7.2 surround sound, automated and manual EQ system with microphone, support for the latest Dolby True HD and DTS codecs, and a phono level input that, like its two analog inputs, is network streamable to other DMS music amplifiers such as the DMS-1200 Multi-Zone Network Amplifier and DMS-100 Single-Zone Amplifier.
The $1,499 isn’t something you can pick up at Magnolia and hook up yourself. It requires professional installation, setup and remote programming.