• by Kelly Samardak , August 18, 2008

Key Digital Product Launch and Press Party, 15 Central Park West, New York
August 14, 2008

Leading up to the party, er conference, I kept getting confused. And I kept seeing a scene from "The West Wing" where the dude is at the podium and the reporters all snap snap snap away with their honkin' cameras and wave their hands in the air while hooting "Mr. President! Mr. President! Were you in the library with Mr. Peanut last night?" Is that what they meant by press conference? And then... I don't think everyone leaves the Oval Office and drinks exquisite drinks with their exquisite food while tapping their investigative feet to the exquisite music. Want to know what it was really all about?

When I was invited to the Key Digital Product Release Press Party, I regarded the shiny gold and black invitation design with people waving their hands in the air, and promises of exquisite food, music, and drinks as a potentially rip-roaring night of debauchery, but when I walked into the room and came face to face with a single violinist (very talented - and soothing!) and 12 people total in the, um, more advanced age bracket sitting quietly, I said, "Well, this isn't at all what I was expecting."

I was so confused by the cavern of disparity between the tone of the invitation and the vibe at the "party" that I couldn't figure out what to do first. I looked at my +1 apologetically, having invited him to possibly balance my Champagne and keep me in line should things get out of hand. We were greeted at the bar, while I balanced my camera bag, my bag bag, and my notepad, where I was scratching down my first weirded-out impressions by Ivelisse Cordero, National Marketing Manager at Key Digital. She swept her arm around the room explaining the layout. She handed me the media kit and I thought, "See, now this is how people should run all their parties," still remembering how completely unwelcoming the Russia! Magazine people were.

Outside I could smell the exposed wood trellis. Maybe it was just some incomplete wood concoction, but either way it smelled divine - and set against the backdrop of the evil midnight-blue ,threatening thunderheads, the location was a touch surreal. I approached David Silverman, Editor, and John Carr, Associate Publisher at Sound & Communications to get the scoop on what exactly was happening here.

I was about to experience a formal product announcement and press briefing on Key Digital's latest and greatest residential installation cable situations. Huh?

After eating about 8 blintzes filled with sour cream and shiny bulbs of salty caviar, I found myself sitting in the dark, watching a slide presentation. Add two glasses of wine and a belly full of beet salad and I wrestled heartily with insta nap. What I gathered from the DVD and subsequent slide show is that the major breakthrough is Smart Baluns (pronounced like "balance," not "balloons"). The audience of...10?...was interested in the quality of transmission relative to the length of cable. 750ft impressed them.

A couple of fun tidbits: Mike Tsinberg, President of Key Digital Systems, worked with the Samsung team to create, yes create, the DVD format and accepted an Emmy for his work. Last year they threw a party at the Russian Embassy (or Consulate, depending on whom you talked to) and it wasn't one to miss in all its ornate opulence and Russian razzamatazz.

And finally, it should also be noted that Masha Lakhter, VP of Marketing, Key Digital, was a wonderful host, open and friendly, and a great Russian food educator. Her crew wiped away the bad taste the Russia! Mag mopes left in my mouth. Also, 15 Central Park West is marbled and echo-y, and if you're looking to dump over $20 million on your homestead, give 'em a call. And hey, meat swirled into a loaf of bread is tasty.

Send invitations to kelly@mediapost.com if you want yourparty covered in Just An Online Minute!

Focus on some caviar in the online photo set!