Extron Celebrates 20 Years in the AV Industry

Anaheim, California (November 25, 2003) –Extron Electronics is celebrating its 20th year of providing service, support, and solutions to the AV industry. Established in 1983, with just a handful of employees, Extron introduced its first computer-video interface, the RGB 100. Since then, Extron's product line has grown to include more than 600 professional AV system products and has expanded from an 800 square foot office in Stanton, Calif., to a headquarters that encompasses four buildings in Anaheim, Calif., an East Coast cable warehouse, and locations in Europe, Asia, and Japan. Extron's cornerstone product, the RGB 100, continued to evolve. In 1987, the RGB 109 VGA interface was released in conjunction with IBM's PS/1 and PS/2 computers. This was a significant breakthrough as it was the first VGA interface on the market. By its 10th anniversary, Extron had introduced a wide array of new products, including VTG Video Test Generators, the System 8 System Switcher, and the Matrix 200 Matrix Switcher. In addition, Extron began educating customers through the publication of technical handbooks and instructional courses conducted at tradeshows and at its headquarters. Extron also participated in the annual InfoComm Shoot-Out® and chaired the Shoot-Out committee. In its second decade, Extron expanded its facilities and educational offerings to include new courses at its headquarters and regional locations, as well as select locations around the USA. Its product line also grew to include scalers, architectural solutions, MediaLink®, twisted pair transceivers, VersaTools®, and IP Link® Ethernet control interfaces. Extron's newest addition, IP Link, is the hallmark product of Extron's 20th year. It merges the capabilities of AV with information technology, providing the ability to remotely control, monitor, and troubleshoot AV products via the Ethernet. "The IP Link line is as important a milestone for Extron as were the first interface products," states Andrew Edwards, President of Extron. "The core technology developed for these interfaces has the potential to revolutionize the way products operate within systems. The next greatest challenge is the complete integration of AV products tied to a network — the convergence of AV and IT — suggesting a need for new technologies to exist with the old." To read more about Extron history, visit Looking Back at 20 Years in the AV Industry. For more information about Extron Electronics and its products, contact Lee Dodson at: 800.633.9876 (inside USA and Canada only) or 714.491.1500.