Capitol Now Offering Haier Electronics

Capitol Dealers Get An Esteemed Name With Great Quality At Entry Level Price Points And Beyond

EAGAN, MN, June 22, 2010 – Capitol, the leading consumer electronics distribution source for residential systems and light commercial contractors, as well as retailers and premium incentive resellers, now offers Haier America's extensive lineup of innovative, high-value home electronics.

With the addition of the Haier product lines, Capitol provides its dealers with exciting options for any room in the home, including the company’s acclaimed Edge-Lit LED HDTV selection, Blu-ray player and more -- all with great brand recognition, thanks to Haier's highly visible marketing and promotion on television and the Internet.

"Haier is a great addition for Capitol and its dealers" said Jeff Kussard, Director of Strategic Development for Capitol. "Haier consistently distinguishes itself in the marketplace with its quality, innovation and value, and consumers respond with enthusiasm. Now Capitol dealers can specify a wide range of new product possibilities at the entry level and beyond, from a highly marketed name."

"Capitol’s reputation for excellent service and experience with leading technologies is well known throughout the electronics industry," said David Elfman, Senior Vice President of Haier America. "We’re thrilled to have them handling the 2010 line-up from Haier."

Haier America offers a comprehensive array of innovative electronics and appliances for any size home or apartment, ranging from room air conditioners, compact refrigerators, and home wine cellars to HDTVs and full-scale kitchen and laundry appliances. Headquartered in New York City, the company holds more than 7,000 patents and has a constantly expanding line of home and portable products that allow consumers to lead better and healthier lifestyles. Haier also promotes sustainability and a healthy planet with a number of energy-saving products that reduce energy bills at home and protect the environment.

Capitol Now Offering Lutron's Award-Winning Wireless Lighting Controls and Automated Shading System

RadioRA® 2 and Sivoia® QS Wireless Systems Make Powerful Whole-Home Lighting and Energy Saving Solutions Easy For Integrators and Their Customers

EAGAN, MN, May 11, 2010 – Capitol, the leading consumer electronics distribution source for residential systems and light commercial contractors, as well as retailers and premium incentive resellers, has partnered with lighting control manufacturer Lutron Electronics to offer state-of-the-art wireless lighting control and automated shading systems to Capitol’s extensive network of dealers and installation professionals.

Under the terms of the partnership, Capitol will distribute Lutron's award-winning RadioRA 2 wireless, whole-home lighting control system and its Sivoia QS Wireless automated shading system. These exciting technologies provide Capitol customers with attractive, scalable and easy-to-install solutions for whole-home lighting and energy savings.

“Lutron's dedication to product excellence, training and support are in perfect alignment with Capitol," said Jeff Kussard, Capitol’s Strategic Development Director. "Consumers are demanding energy efficiency and convenience in their home installations, and our dealers have asked us for reliable, innovative lighting controls to meet this demand. With their extensive product line and proven technologies, Lutron is one of the best companies in the lighting control market to help Capitol meet that need."

“Capitol is a premier national distributor with an excellent reputation in the industry," said Rich Matthews, residential sales director for Lutron Electronics. "The company has a knowledgeable sales team and offers its customers superior training and support. Capitol also offers Lutron access to some of the nation's top A/V installers, and provides new access to markets where Lutron is not well represented."

Lutron's RadioRA 2 is an advanced lighting control system that provides convenient and intuitive control of lights, shades and HVAC, all at the touch of a button. This integrated approach to home control is achieved wirelessly through simple and reliable radio frequency (RF) communications and can be easily retrofitted to virtually any home.

Lutron's Sivoia QS Wireless automated shading system works seamlessly with RadioRA 2, controlling roller shades, Roman shades, drapery tracks and skylight shades. Together, the Lutron technologies provide end-users with unparalleled convenience in creating and maintaining home energy efficiency.

Capitol Now Carries Artison’s Sleek, Sonically Advanced Speakers

Artison’s Speakers Integrate with Your Life, Rather Than Take it Over

EAGAN, MN, May 5, 2010 – Capitol, the leading consumer electronics distribution source for residential systems contractors, retailers, light commercial contractors, and premium incentive resellers, is now offering its customers the full selection of Artison speakers, which combine advanced technologies with a resplendent design aesthetic that enhances any interior décor.

Described by Artison Founder and President Cary Christie as, “…speakers that integrate into your lifestyle rather than take it over,” the company’s selection is highlighted by three models – Masterpiece, Portrait and Sketch – that deliver detailed front-stage (L/C/R) audio from only two speaker cabinets, thanks to Artison’s proprietary DualMono® Center Channel technology.

“Artison’s sleek design aesthetic makes their speakers a perfect match for homes and commercial facilities alike,” commented Jeff Kussard, Capitol’s Strategic Development Director. “Custom integrators rave about how every detail is taken into consideration, right down to the customizable grilles that match any display. And, the Christie pedigree guarantees a superior listening experience and satisfied clients.”

“Capitol gets the gestalt of the Artison brand,” said Cary Christie, Artison’s President and CEO. “From the moment I spoke with the sales team, I knew they understood our value proposition, and their thorough approach to training ensures that their dealers will understand it just as well.”

Artison’s in-wall and attachable LCR speakers utilize the company’s patented DualMono® Center Channel Technology. Two dedicated, slim panels located on either side of the display place the center channel in the middle of the screen to create a center channel image that is in-sync with the picture. In addition, Artison’s vibration-free, reactance canceling in-wall subwoofers are designed to provide deep, powerful low frequency response in any room.

Capitol Now Offering Middle Atlantic’s Entire Catalog To Customers Throughout Midwestern United States

EAGAN, MN, April 12, 2010 – Capitol, the leading consumer electronics distribution source for residential systems and light commercial contractors, as well as retailers and premium incentive resellers, is now an authorized distributor of Middle Atlantic Products, a leading designer of support and protection products for mounting integrated AV systems in residential, commercial, broadcast, and security applications.

Under the terms of the agreement, Capitol will offer Middle Atlantic’s complete line of racks, technical furniture, cable management, lighting, and related products to dealers and integrators throughout the Midwestern U.S.

“I’ve always thought of Middle Atlantic as one of an installer’s best friends,” says Jeff Kussard, Capitol’s Strategic Development Director. “They continually demonstrate an unshakable commitment to maximizing system reliability while improving job-site safety and efficiency. From product design and selection to customer service, Middle Atlantic is one of the most impressive companies in the CI business.”

“Capitol clearly shares our commitment to raising the bar for excellence on every level,” said Robert Newhuis, Midwest Sales Director of Middle Atlantic. “It’s a pleasure to work with a team that understands our value proposition so well.”

Middle Atlantic Products, Inc. manufactures exceptional support and protection products to mount integrated AV systems in Residential, Commercial, Broadcast, and Security applications. All of the company’s products are engineered to maximize system reliability and to meet the needs of installers. From thermal considerations and built-in cable management on its racks and enclosures, to pre-installed washers on rack screws, Middle Atlantic builds in ways to save time and simplify the job. In addition, the company offers its free RackTools™ layout and design package that makes it easy to design racks and enclosures, and effortlessly generate purchase orders and quotes.

Capitol Joins Forces with ActionTec® To Expand Retrofit Opportunities For Installation Pros

Actiontec’s MoCA and HPNA Delivery Options Over Coax and PLC Bring Data Direct to Modern TV Screens

EAGAN, MN, March 17, 2010 – Capitol, the leading consumer electronics distribution source for residential systems contractors, retailers, light commercial contractors, and premium incentive resellers, has partnered with Actiontec® Electronics to bring the company’s coaxial and Powerline Carrier (PLC) Ethernet data solutions to Capitol’s extensive network of dealers and installation professionals.

Specifically, Capitol now offers Actiontec’s solutions for sending MoCA and HPNA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance and Home Phoneline Networking Alliance, respectively) Ethernet data over coaxial cables, as well as solutions for sending data via PLC, which utilizes standard AC wiring.

“The technologies affecting our customers’ businesses are booming, and Actiontec is one of the smartest companies when it comes to harnessing these technologies in practical, cost-effective solutions,” said Jeff Kussard, Capitol’s Strategic Development Director. “Considering the number of homes with Blu-ray players and flat-screen displays with Ethernet inputs, we believe that Actiontec’s data solutions offer a real, demonstrable benefit to end-users, making it a matter of plain common sense to add Actiontec to almost any retrofit installation.”

Actiontec’s Ethernet and PLC data solutions are revered for their unshakable reliability and overall ease of use. Capitol offers an extensive selection of Actiontec’s offerings, including the MoCA Network Adapter (pictured left), which bridges the divide between coaxial cable and Ethernet networks, thereby delivering data direct to Ethernet ports on a Blu-ray player or flat-screen display, and the MegaPlug A/V 200 Mbps Powerline Network Adapter Kit, which relies on standard AC wiring to create a 200 Mbps network throughout the home. Both are ideal for high-bandwidth applications such as HD video and audio streaming, in addition to providing access to high-speed internet, computers, printers, gaming consoles and DVRs.

“Capitol is one of those rare distribution partners that have both the technical expertise and sales & marketing acumen to communicate our products’ benefits to the industry at large,” commented Michael Ehlenberger, Actiontec’s VP of Channel Sales. “It’s a pleasure to work with a proven leader in the retrofit market, and they do all the heavy lifting to make sure their customers not only understand the technologies, but to create innovative, value-add bundles that spell success for everybody in the food chain.”

Capitol to Carry the Complete Line of Niles Home Entertainment Products

Major Distribution Agreement Allows Capitol to Offer Complete Niles Catalog Throughout U.S.

EAGAN, MN, August 26, 2009—Capitol, the leading consumer electronics distribution source for residential systems and light commercial contractors, as well as retailers and premium incentive resellers, has been selected to distribute the complete line of over 500 Niles Audio products in all 50 states as part of a recently expanded sales agreement effective August 26, 2009.

According to Jeff Kussard, Capitol’s Strategic Development Director, the distributor’s dealers will greatly benefit by being able to access the entire line of home entertainment integration products from Niles.

“Our dealers have been enthusiastic about our current limited offering of Niles products from day one, so we anticipate tremendous success with the entire line,” said Kussard. “There remains a strong partnership between our two companies based on our common customer service goals, commitment to ongoing dealer education, and strong technical support.”

Mike Detmer, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Niles Audio, headquartered in Miami, Fla., said, “Capitol’s customers nationwide can now kick their installations up a notch by incorporating the entire line of Niles products into their residential and light commercial projects, including our award-winning ZR Series of whole-house distributed audio/video systems and application-specific loudspeakers.”

Capitol Sales Broadens its Big-Screen Appeal with the Addition of Draper Products

Capitol Sales Adds Draper’s 100+ Years Of Innovation And Quality

ORLANDO, FL, June 16, 2009— Capitol Sales Company, the leading electronics distribution source for commercial and residential contractors, has announced that it now offers a full line of projection, display and window coverings from Draper, Inc., a market leader in these product categories for over a century. The new sales partnership will bring even more options to Capitol Sales’ comprehensive assortment of products and solutions for the commercial and residential markets.

“Draper and Capitol Sales Company share a mutual commitment to customer loyalty, something that Draper has offered for more than a century,” says Bob Hadsell, Home Theatre Sales Manager for Draper, Inc. “And our extensive product lines will offer a wide range of solutions for every type of customer in Capitol Sales’ diverse customer base, from large-scale commercial installations to the finest custom installed home theaters.”

Capitol Sales now offers Draper’s award-winning line of projection screens, projector mounts and projector lifts, as well as lifts for flat-panel displays, and also Draper’s custom window shade solutions. These essential products and tools will dramatically expand dealer options and possibilities when specifying or fulfilling any size job, from the most elaborate custom-designed media rooms to smaller bedroom, playroom and portable theaters.

“Draper products are an excellent fit for Capitol Sales and our customers,” says Curt Hayes, President and CFO of Sales for Capitol Sales Company. “Along with Draper’s outstanding reputation and broad consumer awareness, they provide an outstanding line of innovative, practical display solutions that will give our dealers even more choices, and make Capitol Sales’ assortment even more thorough.”

Capitol Sales is currently shipping Draper projection, mounting and window treatment solutions.

Capitol Sales Lets Dealers Get Out the Message with Digital Signage from Tightrope Media Systems

Signage Extends Capitol Sales Reach In Commercial and Hospitality Markets

ORLANDO, FL, June 16, 2009—Capitol Sales Company, the leading electronics distribution source for commercial and residential contractors, has announced that it now offers the innovative Carousel line of digital signage solutions from Tightrope Media Systems.

Scheduled to be featured at Capitol Sales Company’s InfoComm display #6961 in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, the easy-to-use, web-based Carousel system brings the power of information signage to the wide range of businesses, educational and hospitality centers served by Capitol Sales Company’s dealer network.

“Capitol Sales is an ideal distribution partner for Carousel,” said Andrew Starks, Co-Founder of Tightrope Media Systems. “Capitol Sales is recognized as a first class distributor with excellent service, and we are confident that their dealers will quickly see the outstanding possibilities that our Carousel system can offer them for their commercial and institutional clients.”

“Tightrope's Carousel is a very popular product in the marketplace,” said Curt Hayes, President and CFO of Sales for Capitol Sales Company. “We saw that Carousel's emphasis on ease of use and a rich end-user experience was a perfect match for our strategy in the digital signage market. Digital signage is an exciting new offering for our dealers – especially those residential specialists who are now branching out into the commercial arena -- and we think it will be an enormously popular new option.”

Tightrope’s Carousel is an intelligent digital signage system designed with simplicity, security, scalability and economy in mind. The system provides an easy template-based interface system that lets practically anyone create digital signage solutions with no training. The system can scale from a single display to nearly limitless channels of signage in multiple buildings, and because it is Web-based, there is no software to deploy. In addition to text, the signs can display multimedia elements such as video, graphics and Flash, and the system can also support touch screen panels for the utmost in environment-specific user interactivity. Carousel integrates easily with other software, such as room scheduling applications and systems that use RSS feeds.

Tightrope’s Carousel lineup consists of the Solo 220, a whisper-quiet single-channel unit designed for desktop operation or mounting close to the display using its included mounting brackets. The Carousel Server is designed for schools, community centers and other installations that do not require more than three channels and features a single player output. The top of the line Carousel Pro provides up to 200 channels of digital signage for multiple site installations and advanced data integration needs.

Capitol Sales Now Services the Hospitality Market with Panasonic Flat Screen TV

ORLANDO, FL, March 11, 2009—Capitol Sales Company, the leading consumer electronics distribution source for custom installation specialists, retailers and premium incentive resellers, today announced an expanded company focus on the burgeoning hospitality market, and the availability of Panasonic’s renowned televisions and accessories designed for hospitality facilities.

Capitol Sales will offer plasma and LCD TV solutions from Panasonic as a way for hotels, motels, inns, spas, convalescent homes and other hospitality centers to increase business in today’s challenging market, through value-adds that customers now expect, such as high-quality HDTV. In addition to enticing new customers and retaining existing ones, the Panasonic sets also provide hospitality centers with cost savings, thanks to easy customization through plug-in boards, and out-of-the-box compatibility with the popular LodgeNet® software for the hospitality industry.

“The hospitality market is quickly learning the value of upgrading in-room televisions to HDTV, especially now that consumers have widely adopted the format in their homes,” said Curt Hayes, Capitol Sales Company’s President and Chief Financial Officer. “With these Panasonic products, we’re able to provide the hospitality market with high quality television solutions that are easy to configure for any application and that are easy to integrate into both existing and new systems, which means less installation down time and more revenue.”

"We’re pleased to be working with Capitol Sales to extend our leadership in the hospitality sector,” said Andrew Nelkin, President of Panasonic Professional Display Company. “Our products provide great additional value to the hospitality guest, as well as reliability and convenience to the facility. Capitol Sales is an acknowledged leader in bringing quality products and services to the kinds of quality integrators and installers that we want to work with in the hospitality sector."

Capitol Sales will offer three Panasonic hospitality HDTV models for the ultimate in guest comfort. Both the 42-inch TH42PR11UK (pictured left) and 37-inch TH37PR11UK models are plasma TVs, while the 32-inch TH32LR11UK is an LCD model. All three feature Panasonic’s award-winning picture quality and high consumer brand value, as well as a modular architecture that allows plug-in boards for connectivity and control options, including: the IMP500 ATSC/NTSC/QAM Tuner; the TYFB8HM HDMI terminal board; the TYFB9RT IR through terminal board; the TYTB10AV A/V terminal box; the EUR7636070Rremote control and TYST09GR-BK swivel pedestal stand.

These plug-in boards, all of which will also be available through Capitol Sales, allow hospitality customers to choose a Panasonic solution customized for the needs of their facility. In addition, all three Panasonic TVs from Capitol Sales are compliant with the popular LodgeNet software system, widely used by the hospitality industry to offer greater ease of use to guests and faster deployment for installers.