AV Equipment Racks Ring In The New Year: As 2010 proved, every sector of products in the commercial sector continues to advance—from the booming loudspeaker to the towering rack that houses the guts of an AV system. While they are usually placed in backrooms or storage closets, equipment racks retain their importance in a complex AV system. Not only do they keep sensitive material safe from heavy hands, but their construction has also evolved to the point of being almost completely customizable. From dual swinging doors, to cleverly placed vents, there is no shortage of ways to keep your equipment cool and accessible. Here are the latest equipment racks on the market from the top manufacturers in this sector.
Middle Atlantic Products ERG Series
The EGR Series is Middle Atlantic’s newest AV rack enclosure that’s been designed to provide a high level of equipment mounting versatility in many types of installations. It features the new V-System to give more flexible options for mounting all kinds of components. The idea was to eliminate the integrator’s need to do any field drilling to mount small components. Now users can just knock out any of the precut holes and use a special stud to provide a mounting point. There are a variety of available new brackets designed for the V-System that can be used to provide mounting points for large and small equipment, cable tie points and power strip mounting, even rear rackrail in full height or partial height sections.
Da-Lite Video Conferencing Equipment Rack Cart
Da-Lite’s Video Conferencing Equipment Rack Cart is a mobile solution for professional video conferencing sessions. Offered with a choice of seven standard veneers, four standard laminates or custom finishes the Video Conferencing Cart features two locking doors, a rear locking access panel and 14 rack spaces on each side. Two six-outlet power strips are located in each side of the cabinet. The monitor mount accommodates up to a 50 inches diagonal monitor, provides five degrees of backward tilt, 15 degrees of forward tilt, and supports 100 pounds. A camera shelf, which can be mounted above or below the flat panel, is also included.
Lowell LPPR-2432
As preconfigured racks have become increasingly popular, Lowell Manufacturing offers a portable rack that’s already configured as a boardroom-quality presentation system. Model LPPR-2432 is a UL Listed rack that features all-welded construction from U.S. steel, smoked Plexiglas front door, vented rear door with removable knockout panels above and below it, vented sides, grey laminate top with rounded corners, beveled corners, and a durable black wrinkle powder epoxy finish. The skirted base hides heavy-duty swivel casters that are rated to support up to 350 pounds each. Adjustable mounting rails can be aligned to sit anywhere along the frontto- back rail supports and have both square and round holes to accommodate multiple hardware preferences. Includes locks on front and rear doors.
Raxxess GAR
Raxxess’ gangable audio rack features a wide-profile rack rail offers maximum internal clearance for cable management, beveled front corners for enhanced cosmetics, ob-round cable passage slots to ensure that front and rear connectors of installed equipment can be connected easily and neatly, optional locking front doors that include recessed handles to provide maximum clearance for installed equipment, optional locking side panels with recessed handles that are easily installed, an optional locking rear door that is recessed to minimize footprint, and it features ample ventilation slots. The optional roof insert kits are for use with standard rack panels. Removable KO panels at the rear of the rack include round conduit knockouts and BNC connector knockouts for use with wireless antennae.
Liberty AV/Installer’s Choice Rack Series
Three rack enclosure systems from Installer’s Choice have joined the Liberty AV Solutions catalog. Designated as models PTN, BTN, and ETN, the trio offers strength, competitive pricing, a host of available options and accessories, quick delivery times, and a solid guarantee with each purchase. With a static test load rating of 12,250 pounds, PTN racks are designed for applications with high volumes of cabling thanks to wider main channels and an overall width of 24 inches. BTN racks are 22 inches wide and include two pairs of 10-32 tapped mounting rails that are fully adjustable and imprinted with individually numbered RUs. Every ETN rack is 22 inches wide and available with vented side panels built into each frame supplied as standard equipment. Each ETN rack includes two pair of adjustable 10-32 tapped mounting rails with individually marked RUs.
Atlas Sound 500 Series Racks
Atlas 500 Series Racks offer a new equipment cabinet design for installations with ganging rack requirements. These racks feature 16 gauge CRS welded frames with open sides for easy wiring access in single or multi-bay configurations. 500 Series racks offer wire management and ventilation thanks to features like a new optional locking side panel, a method for surface mount front door installation, and an increased 6RU open area top and bottom for cable/conduit access. The series is shipped with a flush mounting, removable locking rear door and one pair of 11 gauge CRS adjustable rack rails.
Tripp Lite 12U Open-Frame Rack
Tripp Lite has introduced a new 12U open-frame rack (model SRWO12US), designed for wall mounting in restricted-space applications. Combining a heavy-duty open frame rack with a sturdy wall-mount bracket, the SRWO12US provides an economical rackmount solution for wiring closets, remote sites, satellite offices, and similar environments. It features a hinged bracket that allows the frame to swing out from wall for easy access to equipment and cabling.
