Essential Install - April 2020

APRIL 2020

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY

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smarthomeacademy.co.uk AUTOMATION PLATFORMS

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SAVANT

INSTALL PIONEERS

S U P P ORT I NG

4K HDR up to 40m

PRO88HBT70CS

Custom Pro 8x8 HDBaseT™ CSC Matrix (4K 60Hz 4:4:4 up to 40m) C U S T O M P R O

- Supports 4K HDR, IP Control, PoH, 2-Way IR, 4 x Simultaneous HDMI outputs , Audio Breakout with volume control J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI2.0 18Gbps specification over HDBaseT™ J Supports 4K resolutions including HDR (4K 60Hz 4:4:4) to a distance of 40m

Our Custom Pro 8x8 HDBaseT™ CSC Matrix offers unprecedented

J Smart Scale technology - automatic 4K to 1080p scaling

4K HDR performance for the custom installation market. The PRO88HBT100CS is a HDMI2.0 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 HDCP2.2 Matrix utilising CSC technology to deliver HDMI, Bi-directional IR, PoH (PoE) up to lengths of 100m over a single CAT cable (4K HDR up to 70m). The Matrix also provides advanced features including HDBaseT™ video down-conversion, 4 x simultaneous HDMI outputs, audio breakout with line level pre amp volume control and a web browser interface module for control and configuration of the matrix.

60Hz 4:4:4

HDCP 2.2

2.0

EDID

PRO88HBT100CS

HDR HD

4K HDR up to 70m

Custom Pro 8x8 HDBaseT™ CSC Matrix (4K 60Hz 4:4:4 up to 70m) - Supports 4K HDR, IP & RS-232 Control, PoH, 2-Way IR, 4x simultaneous HDMI outputs, Audio Breakout with volume control J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI2.0 18Gbps specification over HDBaseT™ J Supports 4K resolutions including HDR (4K 60Hz 4:4:4) to a 60Hz 4:4:4

Blustream_EI_FEB_2020.indd All Pages

HDCP 2.2

2.0

EDID

HDR HD

distance of 70m J Smart Scale technology - automatic 4K to 1080p scaling

M U L T I C A S T

IP200UHD-RX/TX Multicast 4K UHD Video Receiver / Transmitter J Supports up to 4K HDR UHD video sources (3840 x 2160 @30Hz 4:4:4, 4096 x 2160 @24Hz 4:4:4 and 4K @60Hz 4:2:0) J Advanced signal management for independent routing of IR, RS-232, USB/KVM, audio and video

4 K

U H D

V I D E O

O V E R

I P

HEX100CS-KIT

HEX150CS-KIT

100m HDBaseT™ Extender Set Supporting 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 (70m)

HDBaseT™ CSC Extender Set Supporting HDMI 2.0 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 up to 100m (1080p up to 150m)

J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering CSC scaling with zero latency J Supports 4K UHD video up to 70m (3840x2160 @60Hz 4:4:4 and @60Hz 4:2:2 including HDR)

C O N T R A C T O R

J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI2.0 18Gbps specification including HDR support

S E R I E S

C44-KIT Contractor 4x4 HDBaseT™ Matrix Kit J 70m (4K up to 40m) Includes 4 x HEX70B-RX HDBaseT™ Receivers

Become a Certified Blustream Installation Partner

Interactive Online Tutorials We have launched a series of regular interactive online tutorials, focused on providing convenient, bite sized insights into the latest Blustream solutions and the day to day challenges we all currently face in our rapidly evolving market.

Register now: www.blustream.co.uk/advanced-learning-portal J

Current Tutorials Available

J Creating a Multicast Ecosystem

J The Future of HDBaseT™

J Multicast ACM200 Configuration

Our UK Address:

J Logical Troubleshooting HDBaseT™

J Multicast ACM200 Advanced

The Service Station,

Tel: +44 (0)115 824 7000

J Logical Troubleshooting Video over IP

J Video over IP vs HDBaseT™

Melton Road, Hickling Pastures,

J CAT Cable Certification and Verification

J An Introduction to Dante®

Email: sales@blustream.co.uk

Nottinghamshire,

Web: www.blustream.co.uk

Book now at J www.blustream.co.uk

LE14 3QG United Kingdom.

THANKS FOR VISITING To learn more about the NEW products showcased at ISE visit

www.blustream.co.uk

28/02/2020 13:23

34

53 39 CONTENTS

April 2020

5 FROM THE EDITORS CHAIR

24 PULSE CINEMAS

7 ESSENTIAL NEWS Coalface information update

27 WHAT IS WISA? A full explainer at your fingertips

16 ESSENTIAL AWE

29 NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Time for reflection

Supporting dealers and the industry with innovation

A premier partnership with Prestige Audio

Bob (H.Y.) Hwang Ph.D., Managing Director of Hanwha Techwin Europe, highlights some major advances

18 ESSENTIAL HABITECH Plug and Protect

32 SECURITY CONSCIOUS

Steve Liddiard, CEO of specialist LILIN takes stock of key security developments

21 ONEAV

Connect with Cel-Fi

22 ESSENTIAL IMP

34 IT’S ALWAYS HAPPY HOUR

Drawn together by familiar technologies, the worlds of commercial and residential AV now represent a huge opportunity for your skills says Habitech’s Gareth Cooke

Artful and attractive automation

YOUR DISTRIBUTOR F www.avoke.co.uk | av@avoke.co.uk

29 16 22 39 CASE STUDY: ADVANCED INTEGRATION

Marios Tsiftis CEO of Advanced Integration gives EI the tour of this accomplished and well executed whole house project in London’s leafy St Johns Wood

42 50 EXPLORING SMART HOME DRIVERS

Mitch Klein, executive director, Z-Wave Alliance offers some home automation predictions

53 NATIVE INTEGRATION IS THE KEY

42 AN IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY

Display Technologies has created a fulsome, innovative and high-quality collection of products to deliver screen and support options

Crestron argues that more native integration is the key to smart home success

54 INSTALL PIONEER: SAVANT

Savant President JC Murphy provides and insight into his and company founder Rober

44 DALI SPEAKERS Speaker royalty

47 LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR SMART HOME GROWTH Charlie Kindel, Chief Product & Technology Officer, SnapAV, looks to the future

56 ESSENTIAL TRAINING Training dates

59 ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS Hardware to hang your hat on

48 ACHIEVING TRUE AUTOMATION REQUIRES NEW TECH

Oren Kotlicki, Founder and CEO, Intellithings, argues new technologies are needed to deliver the levels of personalisation customers crave

R FOR Smart Home www.avoke.co.uk | av@avoke.co.uk

Extraordinary entertainment Beautifully delivered home entertainment in true 4K HDR Our home cinema range brings all your entertainment beautifully to life, with SXRD panel technology delivering extraordinary clarity, colour and contrast.

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T: 01359 270280 E: sales@invisionuk.com W: www.invisionuk.com

APRIL 2020

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY

pages 18-19 ONLINE TRAINING AVAILABLE NOW

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APRIL smarthomeacademy.co.uk AUTOMATION PLATFORMS

CONTROL YOUR FUTURE

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INSTALL PIONEERS

GETTING IN TOUCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Daniel Sait, dan@allthingsmedialtd.com

SALES DIRECTOR

Ian Kitchener, ian@allthingsmedialtd.com

GROUP AD MANAGER

Claire Talty, claire@allthingsmedialtd.com

PUBLISHER

David Kitchener, david@allthingsmedialtd.com

STUDIO MANAGER

Ben Bristow, ben@allthingsmedialtd.com

ACCOUNTS

susan@allthingsmedialtd.com

BUSINESS SUPPORT ADMINISTRATOR carol@allthingsmedialtd.com

Essential Install magazine, Suite 14, 6-8 Revenge Road, Lordswood, Chatham, Kent ME5 8UD T: +44 (0)1634 673163 F: +44 (0)1634 673173 www.essentialinstall.com

SOCIALS /INSTALL_MAG /ESSENTIALINSTALL Whilst we make every effort that everything printed in Essential Install magazine is factually correct, we cannot be held responsible if factual errors occur.

All articles are copyright and remain the property of Essential Install magazine.

DIFFICULT TIMES, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REFLECTION?

So, no way around it, the planet, or rather the humans that live on this planet, are facing an unprecedented challenge right now.

Not since the Flu pandemic of 1918 have we faced a virus that spreads as fast and is as difficult to contain.

At EI we sincerely hope, you are keeping safe and that this situation for you and your families is at least tolerable.

As for our industry, the impact is difficult to assess, you could argue that this is not the main priority right now, and you would be right, but we do need to keep things going for the sake of our families, the communities we live in and the economy in general.

Obvious problems for the CI industry include getting access to people’s homes as they self-isolate or are unwilling to have others enter their home. Staffing could also become a problem again as personnel get ill and must stay home. Add on top of that coping with childcare and making sure the vulnerable in our communities are protected, keeping a business going for sure is a challenge right now. So, the best we can do is focus on the areas we can still work on, up our game there, so that long overdue stocktake, showroom renovation/ alteration, or other types of restructuring might be the focus, each of us will know where we can at least try and make some progress right now.

Lots of communication has gone out already on this, but please note the new dates for EI Live! are October 19-20. All the info is on the official website www.eiliveshow.com.

REFLECTION

I think in times like this, it is also very valuable to think about what type of world do we want to live in. Our industry is a people-based one, yes, we sell equipment, but we sell human-focused experiences, so concerning

ourselves with the human condition and how our societies global and local work, should be of at least some interest.

We in the so-called ‘industrialised’ world are less used to facing serious health risks such as these, but for many on our planet it’s a daily occurrence, how many of us put that to the back of our minds because we are ‘busy’. Also, over the last few decades, in our own country and many other western democracies, phrases like ‘there is no such thing as society’ and a feeling of blame or indifference to those less well off in society prevails in some areas. Well, I don’t think anyone is arguing there is no such thing as society now, and some massive corporations, whilst mostly being politically hostile to the idea of the ‘big state’, are only too happy to go cap in hand to the government in a crisis. At a time like this, it’s worth thinking, are the power structures of human society the way we want them to be?

Underlying all of this however is that we are seeing many positives in our communities, people pulling together to protect and help each other. Structures to help feed and look after the vulnerable have sprung up overnight, because fundamentally this is how human societies work, its how we got to where we are right now, but in the chaotic and busy world we will live, we forget. If we can behave like this in a ‘crisis’ why not all the time? It is only a matter of choice and a small amount of time. Collective positivity is the most powerful weapon humans have; favouritism based on socio-economic group or huge corporations versus the ‘people’ will not serve us best in times like these and they won’t when things get back to normal either.

Like everyone else we just hope things get back to normal as soon as possible, but let’s not forget what got us through.

Daniel J Sait Editor

APRIL 2020 05

SAVANT LATEST UPDATES AND RELEASES SAVANT SMART AUDIO WISA SOUNDBAR 55 Winning the ‘Best of Show’ award at ISE 2020, the Smart Audio Soundbar delivers levels of clarity and detail usually reserved for floor standing-speakers.

WISA SURROUND SPEAKERS & SUBWOOFER Part of the Smart Audio family are wireless powered surround speakers and the Smart Audio Nano 1X subwoofer. The speakers allow for modular scaling to meet different customers’ sound system needs.

NEW SERVICE+ HOST PACKAGES Three new Service+ Host packages have been introduced, providing integrators with the traditional Savant Host hardware: - Savant Service+ Super Pro Host - Savant Service+ Pro Host - Savant Service+ Smart Host

Find out more at rgbcomms.co.uk

SAVANT SMART PRO REMOTE The Savant Pro Remote has an intuitive interface which has been updated to allow for personalisation on separate remotes, by user or by room. In addition to this, the native voice button can also be configured for Siri voice activation.

SAVANT ADDS NEW LANGUAGE SUPPORT Spanish and Simple Chinese localisation has been unveiled as a new feature of the Pro App Smart Home user interface, with more languages in development.

KNX INTEGRATION Savant now supports native integration of KNX, a powerful building management protocol similar to BACnet, and has been supported in the past through the use of custom profiles.

2 Lambourn Business Park, Lambourn Woodlands, Hungerford, RG17 7RY T: 01488 73366

NEWS

EI LIVE! 2020 POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 19-20 Following developments concerning the Coronavirus the decision has been made to move EI Live! 2020 to the new dates of October 19-20. All other aspects of the show will remain the same and the show team is also looking into moving the presentation of the Smart Building Awards to during EI Live! as was planned for the April show date.

Here follows a statement from David Kitchener, MD of ATM, owners of EI Live!

As you will have seen recently, I’ve been quite robust in my response to the Coronavirus regarding EI Live! 2020, but I have to admit that events have overtaken us.

As you will imagine I have resembled a sponge of late, absorbing everything I can about the Coronavirus and in light of all of this, and now having assessed everything I firmly believe that as a responsible event organiser it is best to Postpone EI Live! 2020 until October 17 and 18 as build days and 19 and 20as the show days.

You will also appreciate that whilst I have been advocating that the exhibition should continue in April, I have also been working behind the scenes to put a plan B in place, hence the dates above with Farnborough.

These October dates were given to us by Farnborough as they have many shows in the same situation, which work better than September given that the CEDIA Tech Summit has postponed to September 4 and the CEDIA US expo dates are September 8 – 12. So, September is a busy month for our industry.

Frankly, even if the all exhibitors had agreed to the original April dates, it is our responsibility to provide the footfall worthy of a national CI show.

Our visitor pre-registrations are actually up on last year, but I would question if we could provide the footfall due to Coronavirus with visitors not turning

up on the show days.

The good news is that moving the show to October this year gives us more time to increase the size and footprint of EI Live! even further, it gives us more time to put more visitor attractions in place and also increase the visitor offering across the show.

In the meantime, and as a spin-off we are launching our ‘AV Tech Talks’ with the presentations that were taking place in the EI Live! Technical Theatre, to be released on video with many of the tech talk speakers and the original content that we were going to present in April.

This will be a whole new series that will continue as a brand in its own right under the banner of EI Live!. We will of course still have the Technical Theatre at the show in October with even more original content.

Of course, this also means that we will have to postpone the Smart Building awards that traditionally take place on the first evening of the show, now set to be October 19 I would add that there is an additional cost from Farnborough to move the show to us as organisers, but I can assure you that this additional cost will not be passed on to the exhibitors, such is our commitment to the industry and maintaining the UK’s national CI exhibition for us all to grow!

Let’s all get behind the UK’s national CI exhibition in October, so that the industry grows and we all grow together!

Visitors or exhibitors with any questions can call the organisers office on 01634 673 163 for more information.

APRIL 2020 07

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NEWS

AWE LAUNCHES LOYALTY SCHEME FOR 85TH ANNIVERSARY This year AWE is celebrating its 85th anniversary, and 20 years in the custom installation sector. To mark the occasion, the fourth-generation familyrun business has launched a CI loyalty scheme.

AWE has several activities planned during the year, including a CI Loyalty Scheme focusing on some of its exclusive and key brands.

“We are delighted to reward our customers’ fantastic loyalty by giving away a range of rewards worth over £50,000 at SRP value, plus tickets to some very special events!,” said AWE’s Managing Director, Stuart Tickle.

Prizes include product giveaways and invitations to some of the UK’s most exclusive events throughout the year. Starting March 1 and running until the end of 2020, registered trade customers will accumulate points for purchasing qualifying products at a published rate given to all participants.

There will be three separate qualifying periods.

Every 10 points accumulated during a qualifying period earns that company one entry into a prize draw, so the more points earned the greater the chance of winning.

Each draw includes a star prize, being a Sony or LG

4K OLED TV or Sony 4K projector. There are also nine runners up prizes including the new Denon Home HEOS Speakers, to URC control solutions and Epson PRO-UHD projectors. There will be 10 winners per draw.

Points will be reset after each period to ensure all dealers retain a fair chance of winning.

The qualifying periods are: 1) March – June 2020 2) July – September 2020 3) October – December 2020 The qualifying products are from within the following brands: Definitive Technology, Denon, Epson, Heos, LG, Marantz, Sanus, Sony, and URC. Also, AWE will be announcing bonus periods where extra points will be awarded against particular brands, plus an additional special prize for a top purchaser that period. Winners of the bonus prizes will each attend a different special event in the UK. AWE www.awe-europe.com

WHAT CONTENT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON DISNEY+ AT LAUNCH? With over 500 films, more than 350 series and a slate of 26 exclusive Disney+ Originals, Disney+ has unveiled its full launch line up for the UK. Content announced includes seasons 1-30 of The Simpsons, with over 600 episodes available for subscribers to enjoy. Season 31 will be available to stream from November 2020.

Disney+ says it offers users of all ages a new way to experience the unparalleled content from the company’s iconic entertainment brands, including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, as well as exclusive original programming.

Confirmed from launch, superhero fans will have access to over 30 Marvel films including Captain Marvel, Oscar-nominated Black Panther, and Guardians of the Galaxy, and over 50 Marvel series including Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Marvel’s Runaways.

Disney+ will be the home of the Skywalker saga, with Star Wars Episodes 1-8 streaming on the service, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

arriving at a later date. Star Wars fans can also enjoy hit series including the entire collection of criticallyacclaimed series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Disney+ Original series, The Mandalorian, from executive producer and writer Jon Favreau.

Over 20 Pixar films will be available, including Toy Story 4 and Finding Dory, alongside new shorts Lamp Life and Pixar in Real Life, a live-action series bringing iconic characters and moments from Pixar films into the real world.

Subscribers will be able to stream Disney+ on nearly all major mobile and connected TV devices at launch, including gaming consoles, streaming media players, and smart TVs. Users will enjoy an ad-free viewing, up to four devices at the same time, multiple downloads, personalised recommendations, and the ability to set up to seven different profiles, including the ability for parents to set Kids Profiles that have an easy to navigate, child-friendly interface to access ageappropriate content.

APRIL 2020 09

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NEWS

CEDIA LAUNCHES NEW INTEGRATED HOME CABLING CPD CEDIA has announced the launch of a new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training course for design and build professionals.

Replacing the Smart Home Cabling for the Modern Home CPD, the new Cabling for the Integrated Home CPD is designed to educate and guide architects, interior designers, and property developers on installing a secure and future-proof cabling infrastructure.

“With the growing demand for smart technology in the home, greater reliance is being placed on the complex cabling infrastructure needed to support this,” said Matt Nimmons, Managing Director, CEDIA EMEA. “At CEDIA, training is key. This new CPD is a step in the right direction for our members to add value to their professional careers and strengthen their skills, as well as allowing them to connect with and build strong relationships with the design and build community. Our new CPD connects the theory with practicalities of the integrated home, making it a vital resource for integrators and specifiers alike.”

The Cabling for the Integrated Home CPD will begin with discussing the definition of the smart home, before exploring topics including The Internet of Things, entertainment, modern building methods, bandwidth, and smart home wiring infrastructure.

Accredited by The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID), this CPD will benefit building professionals by developing their understanding and performance in the below areas: · Key vocabulary and phrases · Basic design principles · What is required to cable an ‘Integrated Home’ · Key metrics/space · When to ask for guidance or professional assistance As a recognised CEDIA Outreach Instructor (COI), integrators have the opportunity to present continuing education to local design and build industry partners, helping establish vital businessto-business networking contacts and raising awareness of CEDIA, its members, and the home technology industry.

The COI course content includes an introduction to the programme, a review of the available courseware, and a discussion of the rules and requirements for presenting under CEDIA’s education provider umbrella.

CEDIA www.cedia.net/programs

APRIL 2020 11

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NEWS

INVISION ANNOUNCES WEBINAR SCHEDULE Invision has announced a schedule of webinars for April.

In this rapidly evolving sector, ongoing training is vital to ensure that Invision’s installers have the best product understanding and can offer industry-leading service to their customers says the company. With a strong reputation for a wide range of learning and development opportunities, the Invision Training Academy has provided engaging and effective courses for custom installers for over a decade.

The following webinars will take place during March and April with webinar dates will be announced soon.

matrixing or those switching from alternative brands and are looking for explanations of terminology and video compression Every Wednesday at 11:00

TRINNOV

An in-depth exploration of Domotz This webinar will cover the full range of Domotz functionality and explore new features. There will be a live Q&A at the end of each session. Here’s a schedule of our upcoming live demos.

April 7, 21:00 April 21, 15:00 May 5, 21:00

April 8 – 16:30 Acoustic measurement with the Optimizer recommended practices April 16 - 16:30 PULSE-EIGHT

Adding Audio to a Video World Multi-zone and multi-channel audio made simple - an introduction to Pulse-Eight’s audio matrix, amplifier, and accessory range plus how to integrate video and audio to provide a perfect client solution.

Every Friday at 11:00 Domotz

Invision www.invisionuk.com/resources/webinar

Company and Product Overview Tailored for anyone new to Pulse-Eight and looking to understand the company, brand, and technology Every Monday at 11:00 Future of HDBaseT Distribution/Demystifying Terminology Ideal for those new to the world of HDBaseT

APRIL 2020 13

NEWS

ESSENTIAL PEOPLE

GIRA UK INTRODUCES TWO NEW STARTERS.

Jessica-Lee van der Walt, Project Sales Representative, Gira UK, comes with a strong background in account management and will be working closely with Richard Udell, Sales Manager- Distribution and Projects, to develop the Gira project business in London initially, and with scope to offer nationwide support as required. With a range of experience in the international market for a leading toy manufacturer, Jellycat, as well as a solid grounding in projects at Hansgrohe in London and South Africa, Jessica is excited to bring her network of contacts and experience in sales and project management to Gira UK. Chris Pereira, Technical Support Assistant, Gira UK, will be joining the UK Hotline department, and working alongside fellow Technical Support Assistant, Daniel Evans, to provide additional support and practical knowhow to Gira customers and System Integrator Partners on all things technical. Chris has a background in the electrical industry, with expertise in wiring installations, lighting, and maintenance, all of which will help Gira to provide an excellent level of service to its growing UK customer base from its headquarters in Middlesex.

Mark Booth, Managing Director at Gira UK said, “We’re delighted to welcome two new members to the UK team, bringing to our business a sound knowledge of project sales, account management, and technical support to broaden the depth and breadth of our customer service in key parts of our business.

“By growing our team, we can expand our support to integrators, offering crucial support with specifications and quotations, along with additional training for Gira Partners and site visits, when required. With our 2020 plans for business expansion well underway, we are keen to continue to grow our UK presence with an increased specification of Gira products and services in domestic and commercial developments around the country.”

14 APRIL 2020

proAV Limited, Europe’s largest AV systems integrator has announced the appointment of Andrew Byett to the position of collaboration specialist. Andy joins with over seven years of Mobility & UC experience gained from multiple roles and working with leading vendors including Microsoft, Samsung, Dell, Logitech & Barco.

“Andy is joining us to manage and develop our UC services to clients and to collaborate with our partners and suppliers, his skills and expertise will be a great asset to both our sales and AV/IT teams”, said Mark Hazell, sales director, proAV. Andy said, “I am excited to be able to support and expand the growing team at proAV and work with our wide partner base to develop and enhance client relationships. We know that accelerating digital transformation is critical to success and we’re committed to helping our clients understand and thrive in today’s challenging workplace.”

Pixel Global AV, the International Audio Visual and Integrated Technology specialist company, has appointed Dominic McEvoy as Business Development Director.

Dominic has been in the AV industry for over 20 years, specialising in the Financial and Banking sector where he formally led a $50m revenue business. Before joining Pixel Global AV, Dominic was working across multiple industry sectors in the software industry.

“We are delighted to have Dominic on board to continue to help us develop our rapidly growing organisation both here in the UK and Internationally,’ said Jamie Hanna, Managing Director.

“One of our key goals for the coming year is working on further establishing the business as a significant collaborative technology player and Dominic’s experience will strengthen our position in this space,’ added Jamie.

PMC owner and chairman, Peter Thomas, will assume the role of managing director, following Tim Ireland leaving the company.

Peter becomes the managing director with immediate effect, ensuring a seamless transition to deliver PMC’s ambitious plans for new product introductions, growth, and continuous improvement to customer service.

Peter said, “We would like to thank Tim for his endeavours and wish him well for the future. During his two years with PMC, he has overseen some great changes and

steered a steady course, keeping our objectives clearly in focus while upholding the values of our brand.

“I am very pleased to be back at the helm and once again be in closer contact with our business partners around the world.

It is an exciting time for PMC with the launch of globally significant professional projects and the 25i series hi-fi speakers, and we have plans for several new initiatives that will guarantee we remain at the forefront of the market for innovation, engineering, and superb quality.”

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ESSENTIAL AWE

MAKING TRAINING ACCESSIBLE Stuart Tickle, Managing Director of AWE, explains some innovative new training approaches for the now and the future.

We are all having to change how we work, with most of us currently having to work from home. Not much about this situation is ‘business as usual’, but AWE has never been ‘a usual business’. We are celebrating 85 years this year, since being incorporated by my Great Grandfather in 1935.

Whilst the immediate outlook for our industry is less than clear in the short term, I want to reassure you that having made it through every major recession since 1934 and World War II, we know how to adapt to changing markets and situations. So, we are doing just that.

ONLINE TRAINING

We have developed online training courses within our Smart Home Academy that are accessible to all trade customers. These courses include Cinema Projection Technologies,

16 APRIL 2020

Cinema Audio Technologies, and Whole House Integration with URC Total Control. These will run as live two-hour sessions with our in-house trainers, James Drummie, Tilak Rana, and Mal Fisher. We want the training to be as interactive and engaging as possible, so will keep to small groups of four people and will offer the option of additional one-to-one advanced sessions for the whole house integration course.

Here’s a rundown on what these training courses entail.

CINEMA PROJECTION TECHNOLOGIES

The Cinema Projection Technologies training course takes a deep dive into projector products and technologies available to integrators, educating them on how to create a fully immersive and entertaining movie, sport, and gaming experiences for their clients. The course can be refined to suit the audience, so whether students are integrators, electricians, or retailers, this session will be suited to each attendee.

The course begins by looking at different projector technologies — 4K projection, lamp vs laser, anamorphic vs Zoom, HDR, projector lenses, and why chipset matters. It then

takes a look at the Sony and Epson projector ranges, focussing on the USPs, benefits, and technologies used. Students will leave the session feeling confident about specifying the projectors for every job and a greater understanding of projector positioning, screen sizes, projector brightness, and more.

Jack Avery, Technical Operations Manager at Integrated Logic, attended the first online session and comments, “My online training with James was great — he knows his stuff when it comes to cinemas. Considering everything that is going on in the world, to be able to log in and have an informative educational experience was brilliant. Two hours was the perfect session length and it went into a good level of detail —

ESSENTIAL AWE

if you’re after growing your knowledge, then I would fully recommend. James had some simple and effective visual demonstrations that he talked us through, keeping us engaged and the session interactive. I will be keeping an eye out for any further online training courses that AWE has to offer. I appreciate their efforts in these tough times.”

CINEMA AUDIO TECHNOLOGIES

The Cinema Audio Technologies course aims to give students the tools they need to design an amazing home cinema. During the session, attendees will gain a better understanding of Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and other immersive audio technologies, the correct cinema speaker placement, and how to specify the correct AV receiver.

Students will leave the online session with an understanding of the design processes and equipment choices that are required to create a truly immersive experience, whether it’s in a living room conversion or a fully dedicated cinema room.

WHOLE HOUSE INTEGRATION

The Introduction to Whole House Integration with URC Total Control course introduces integrators to the URC Total Control product range. This is supplemented with an advanced training session that will run on a one-to-one basis. This advanced course provides integrators with the knowledge they need to master the intricacies of wholehouse control, automation, and multiroom audio with URC’s Total Control system.

More information on these online training courses can be found at www.smarthomeacademy.co.uk For our latest service levels and policy, please visit www.connect.awe-europe.com.

On a personal level, my thoughts and prayers are with those who are most affected at this time. We continue to be grateful for all of those who are providing ongoing care and assistance for people in need, especially those in the front line, and for all the support networks enabling communities to operate within the new restrictions. Thank you.

AWE www.awe-europe.com

James will be one of the AWE team leading the on-line training initiative

APRIL 2020 17

HABITECH

PLUG AND PROTECT For a dynamic bulwark against the rising cybercrime wave and all its damaging consequences, simply plug-in a WatchGuard UTM firewall and take back control says Habitech’s, Justin Martin Lawrence.

You’d expect the world-wide-web to be full of holes – it’s a web after all, but the likeness is more than metaphorical.

Now that the internet has become intertwined with our lives at the most intimate level, actual holes in security are allowing criminal actors free access to private data with potentially lifechanging consequences for you, your business and your customers. It’s a real and rapidly proliferating danger for all network designers, and the major challenge of our times, so we’re here to help you plug the holes forever.

INTERNET OF TROJANS

After email phishing, the highest hacking risk comes from familiar home-based IoT and CI products. Every internet-connected device including cameras – even children’s toys - is a potential trojan horse within the home. A recent report by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), highlighted by the BBC, cites the example of a hacker who spoke to a young girl through a baby monitor, pretending to be Father Christmas. It also highlights the case of a couple from Leeds spied on thousands of times by a hacked IP camera. In every example,

18 APRIL 2020

devices designed to be easy to set-up and use are proving too easy to hack. More often than not, effortless connection and functionality equal easy pickings for criminals.

This is because every IoT device creates a connection to the cloud (internet) through an API (Application Program Interface) involving seven layers of protocols. The seventh layer, the application layer, is the layer users interact with to facilitate the free flow of information between them and a service provider: the bank for instance. Exploiting vulnerable code at the application layer allows hackers to drain accounts, re-distribute private information and, potentially, control lives because the hacked IoT device compromises all devices on the same LAN segment of the home network. And because these ‘things’ are made cheap and fast in order to capture a new market, security is rarely a design priority. The horrifying truth is that most CI AV devices with IP connections use simple APIs that require no authentication.

During our new ‘ProNet Cybersecurity Powered by WatchGuard’ webinar, which is aimed at any level of a networking engineer, including beginners, I introduce a nightmare scenario from Series 2 of Mr. Robot (a US TV drama), in which Susan Jacobs is targeted by hackers who gain control over her control system and IoT devices. In a short space of time, everything from the projector to the temperature of rooms and her shower is changed. She has to evacuate her home. Could this happen to your family or your customers’? Absolutely!

Cybercrime is a real and rapidly proliferating danger for all network designers, and the major challenge of our times, so we’re here to help you plug the holes forever.

CHANGE THE DEFAULT SETTING

And it’s not just about hacking APIs. Most IP products arrive with default set-ups, which if not changed immediately can act as an open goal for cyber crooks. When a default password is something obvious like “admin” or “00000”, and gazillions of routers worldwide leave Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) enabled as a default setting, you need to intervene. It may be a convenient way to allow gadgets to find others on the network, but UPnP can also allow access from outside the network by adding new port forwarding mappings as part of the set-up. By simply plugging into the router an unsuspecting user can open up a big hole, ripe for hackers to exploit. Anyone - even an innocent hombre like me - can scan for open ports using search engines such as Shodan or Zoomeye, and then hack into the device at the other end.

On the ProNet Cybersecurity webinar I demonstrate how easy it is to change the password on an arbitrary Crestron processor by asking Shodan to find Crestron devices with telnet exposed (Port 23). The code is revealed and ready to edit. I’m not seeking to ruin someone’s day, but others are. And when, for demonstration purposes, I ask Shodan to find devices in the UK that have exposed video streams (Port 554) I discover as many as 178,000. That’s an endemic level of risk.

HABITECH

TIME TO DEPLOY WATCHGUARD

So when Internet-facing hardware is so poorly protected, it falls to you to defend your customers’ prosperity, peace of mind and loyalty - and give your business a little TLC at the same time. This is why we’re presenting our new security brand WatchGuard as a gift that keeps on giving. It offers you proven, scalable, enterprise-grade security via simple plug-andplay installation and configuration. WatchGuard Technologies’ cost-effective Firebox Series of Unified Threat Management (UTM) appliances offers integrators and their customers an easily installed, automatically updated defence against a rising tide of cyber criminality including advanced malware, ransomware, botnets, trojans, viruses, drive-by downloads, data loss, and phishing.

Plugging into the LAN backbone as a router (or after the router) WatchGuard’s UTM firewall boxes are capable of scanning in real-time at

WatchGuard’s Firebox series of UTM appliances offers you proven, scalable, automatically updated security via simple plugand-play installation and configuration.

over 10Gbps (M470 and up). They form part of our 10G end-to-end offering (which also includes the Draytek 3910 10G router). At entry-level, the T Series firewalls, which scale to accommodate up to 60 users and 1.3M concurrent sessions, offer up to five wired Gigabit network connections and support as many as 20 APs, will dovetail immediately with current Internet speeds and consumer use.

RAPID REACTION FORCE

WatchGuard appliances have comprehensive VLANning built-in, multi-WAN traffic management, and traffic-shaping: all the bells and whistles. There’s also configuration control at an amazing level of detail, allowing, for instance, the client to prevent a family member from posting pictures on Facebook while still having access to feeds.

Another huge advantage is the platform’s versatility and ability to react quickly to boost its defensive arsenal. WatchGuard is built

around expertise in each area (akin to most car brands using Bosch injectors for instance).

This means that when an element is more effective from one provider than another, or there is a potential security issue, WatchGuard can turn it on seamlessly in a silent automated update. Late last year WatchGuard switched from Kaspersky to Bitdefender. Bitdefender is better. It’s self-improving gold.

Total and Basic Security Suite packages are available on all Firebox solutions allowing flexibility in threat level management. Services range from traditional IPS, GAV, application control, spam blocking, and web filtering at the ‘Basic’ level, to more advanced services for protecting against advanced malware, ransomware, and the loss of sensitive data.

WatchGuard also offers a full suite of network visibility and management services from its WatchGuard Dimension solution, packaged with every firewall.

ADD WATCHGUARD TO THE TEAM

The latest figures show that in Q3 2019, WatchGuard Fireboxes blocked 22,619,836 malware variants (798 per device) across all three anti-malware engines and 2,398,986 network attacks (65 per device). Its Q3 report reveals that total malware rose 30% during the quarter and that zero-day malware accounted for just under 50% of all malware.

This means that almost half of the malware its customers encountered during Q3 could sneak right past legacy AV detection. In such a dynamically threatening scenario the need for a comprehensive, managed plug-in solution, backed by one of the world’s foremost security technologists in partnership with Habitech, has never been more of a no brainer. It might just help you to avoid getting sued by Mr. Big Guns customer when his ventures on Ashley Madison go south, or someone uses ‘password123’.

And that represents a great investment!

Habitech’s ‘ProNet Cybersecurity Powered by WatchGuard’ webinar is free-of-charge and will be held between 10am-1pm April 7, May 5.

Please contact Habitech for further information.

Habitech www.habitech.co.uk

APRIL 2020 19

ONEAV

SAY HELLO TO CEL-FI Kirsty Jennings, Editor-in-Chief for OneAV, caught up with Colin Abrey, VP Channel Sales for Cel-Fi by Nextivity for a comprehensive FAQ including why other solutions remain illegal.

What was the biggest challenge during the Ofcom consultation?

The biggest challenge came from other parties involved in the consultation, including the Mobile Network Operators (MNO) and NATS (National Air Traffic Services). The MNOs were somewhat cautious about releasing control over devices used to transmit their frequencies due to potential interference which can damage infrastructure, so there was some understandable resistance from them.

NATS were concerned about the use of band 7, which is close to the frequency they use.

These concerns were addressed during the consultation. Cel-Fi was always going to be compliant with license exemption so, in terms of technology, there were no challenges.

Where can we find accurate information on which ‘Virtual’ carriers use which MNO’s network?

If you search UK MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator), you’ll find lists of all MVNOs and the associated MNO networks they use. You will be surprised at how many there are, with several using more than one MNO network! You’ll find that this information regularly changes, but it’s widely accessible on the internet.

What are the most important considerations for installers when deploying Cel-Fi systems?

They need to ensure they have enough isolation between the donor antenna (the outside antenna picking up existing signal) and the server antenna (the antenna providing the indoor coverage). If there isn’t isolation there is ‘feedback’. Think of it as the feedback in an audio system when the microphone is too close to the

speaker. Cel-Fi products protect themselves by turning the ‘volume’ down. The installer should ensure there is sufficient isolation to maximise performance and coverage area.

Are there plans for 5G support?

Yes, Nextivity has recently announced how it is ready for 5G. However, we need 5G to be widespread in the macro (outdoor) network before you can repeat it indoors. 5G is currently limited to a few locations around the UK and even then, coverage is patchy.

There are technically several parts to the 5G story: a) Existing spectrum, currently in-use for 2G, 3G or 4G. All of the current licence-exempt bands (band 1/2100MHz, band 3/1800MHz, band 8/900MHz, and band 20/800MHz) may at some point in the future be migrated to 5G. The Nextivity products currently supporting these bands will be upgradable (by a software update) to support 5G if and when that happens. b) A new spectrum that may initially be deployed for 4G then move to 5G Nextivity will in time release new hardware that supports such bands. c) A new spectrum that will be deployed for 5G The primary spectrum this applies to is in the 3.4 to 3.6 GHz band (likely to be extended).

The very wide channels and TDD (Time Division Duplex) modulation used are supported by the latest intelliBoost chipset from Nextivity.

Products supporting wide TDD in this new band will come to market in time for the widespread availability of such services. However, until a further licence exemption is granted for the new bands and TDD technology, their distribution will be limited to and controlled by MNOs.

What are the top reasons that cause poor mobile phone signals inside buildings?

The ‘greener’ we make our buildings, and the more metal, glass, concrete, etc. we use in their construction, the harder it is for radio signals to penetrate them. Additionally, moving from essentially voice services that ran over 1G through to high-speed data services on 4G and

20 APRIL 2020

ONEAV

5G, it is now essential to have access to a good quality signal. The introduction of these data services has changed user patterns and our growing desire for data has pushed us to exploit the higher frequency bands which can satisfy this. Unfortunately, these higher frequencies have much lower propagation characteristics and cannot penetrate buildings. This change in user pattern has also driven consumer expectation for 24x7 coverage everywhere, which generates demand for Cel-Fi.

Can existing RF cable be effectively used if there’s no ability to run new cables?

If the existing coax cable is 50Ω (Ohm) impedance and specified for cellular frequencies then yes. A consideration that may arise is when 5G becomes widely available, as integrators will need to check the specification is suitable for the higher frequency.

Why are traditional repeaters unable to comply with licenseexemption?

Mobile network operators have invested huge sums on different frequency bands and it has always been illegal to retransmit frequencies that you don’t own. The MNO’s do not like traditional repeaters because they are wideband and repeat the whole band, wanted and unwanted MNO, along with the spacing

and guard bands, which causes noise and interference in the MNO’s network. Cel-Fi is not wideband and has specific features built into its core technology to protect the networks.

These advanced features are the key reasons Cel-Fi is the only range that is compliant with Ofcom’s license-exemption.

What are the key advantages that Cel-Fi has over Wi-Fi calling?

The issue here is that there’s no quality of service via Wi-Fi calling. If you’re calling someone else within that same Wi-Fi network, it should work pretty well, assuming the W-iFi network is well designed. Once a call leaves the building it is now on ‘public broadband’, which does not have a QoS (Quality of Service) prioritisation for voice calls. Additionally, you cannot maintain a voice call when roaming between cellular and Wi-Fi, so expect higher dropped call rates. Of course, there is no single Wi-Fi network, so you will roam and need to register wherever you go and a corporate network will need to be opened up to this traffic, which brings expense and support overhead. The only way to achieve seamless ubiquitous service is to deploy cellular coverage.

with much lower power and supporting fewer users. Importantly in the in-building coverage context, a small cell will require a wired link back to the mobile network’s core network typically provided over a broadband link to the Internet.

A high-speed broadband link is needed, and the more people being served, the higher the speed required, which adds to the operation cost overhead. By definition, an off-air solution like Cel-Fi is picking up the cellular signal outside then enhancing and relaying it inside. There are no OPEX costs associated with Cel-Fi solutions.

For more information on Cel-Fi and which product would be best for your installations, call OneAV on 01684 576348 and the technical team will be happy to help.

OneAV www.oneav.co.uk

What’s the main difference between an off-air solution and small cell systems?

Small cells are effectively small base stations.

The outdoor network is made up of thousands of large base stations that cover a large area or an area with a large footfall of people. A small cell works on a similar basis, although

APRIL 2020 21

ESSENTIAL IMP

VIMAR CONTROL BRAND SHOWCASED Get close up with stylish Italian designed home automation brand Vimar, supplied and supported in the UK by IMP.

Personalised wireless smart lighting and blind control.

RA2 Select and HomeWorks QS from Lutron delivers a whole-home experience.

Seamlessly controlling your intelligent lighting and blinds, it also integrates with your audio visual solutions. And it does all of that while saving you energy. For details visit:

www.rgbcomms.co.uk

For more information on Lutrons products call the industry experts RGB

01488 73366 RGB Head Office, 2 Lambourn Business Park, Lambourn Woodlands, Hungerford, RG17 7RY

22 APRIL 2020

Conforming to the brand’s aim of delivering connectivity, simplicity, integration and design, Vimar has developed the new and evolved View IoT Smart System platform. It enables the integrated and coordinated management of all building systems through innovative technologies, efficient and user-friendly and highly customised.

Distributed and supported in the UK by IMP ,Vimar promises the highest level of freedom of control via cloud connectivity and support.

The brand says everything can be managed completely from everywhere, inside and outside: a programmed electronic device, an elegant touch screen surface-mounted, a voice assistant or a smartphone provided with the new View App. All this allows the customisation and control of all functions inside the building (from comfort to security to energy saving), the creation of scenarios, the anti-intruder management, the reception of video calls and notifications about the home’s status. The integrated Vimar system, thanks to the cloud support, can be managed and reconfigured also remotely.

Also, thanks to the intuitive App View Pro, the installer can provide real-time assistance for any kind of maintenance or update.

The adoption of advanced cybersecurity standards in the domain of IoT guarantees the certainty that only authorised people can access the system, says the maker. The architecture IP multi-gateway, based on a resident intelligence

EDGE, also guarantees the whole system working, even without an Internet connection.

The user interface is coordinated and crossed with all devices (touch screen, smartphone or tablet with the View App installed), and employs the immediate iconographic object-oriented language typical of the most important operating systems, making all operations intuitive. The accessibility to the information becomes easier and the learning curve of the system faster. An all-embracing and ergonomic user experience for building management accessible to all.

IP gateways allow the functional integration of different systems and the control of all applications through the View App installed in supervisor touchscreens.

The Vimar Cloud allows access to the integrated system safely and respecting privacy.

The user can supervise the system (even without the router’s configuration) receiving notifications thanks to the most important operating systems’ services. The cloud allows the integration with the main devices available on the market for the system’s control through the vocal assistant.

All Vimar systems (the renewed By-me Plus, By-alarm, Elvox Video door entry system, Elvox CCTV and Elvox Automation) interact to provide high-quality comfort, energy efficiency, and security. A smart solution that communicates with other manufacturers to offer evolved, interconnected and customised functionalities, such as with Philips HUE. IMP www.improducts.co.uk/brands/vimar

PULSE CINEMAS

PRESTIGE AUDIO REACHES NEW HEIGHTS AT SPRING PONDS With the support of Pulse Cinemas, Prestige Audio has created this amazing whole-home automation and AV project which includes a world-class cinema, media room, and exterior audio system. Here we take a look at the showpiece home cinema.

This process began when the client indicated that they would like a ‘home cinema’. The client had a figure in mind of £20K. Prestige Audio took the customer to Pulse Cinemas HQ and was able to bring to the fore the company’s sales experience and knowledge of the various options to excite the client and reveal just what was possible. The final budget was far more than the original figure and delivered a worldclass home cinema that the customer loves.

Joe Carri, Commercial Director at Prestige Audio, explains, “During the demonstration, we were able to explore the client’s love of music and appreciation of good sound quality, and so getting the right audio was hugely important and a real challenge as they had very specific ideas about how the cinema and all the AV in the project should sound.”

Before Prestige Audio got involved, the cinema

24 APRIL 2020

area had originally been planned as a party area with lots of hard surfaces, some made from white marble, hardly an ideal scenario for a home cinema.

Joe says, “We persuaded the client that not only would the room look better with a ‘darker’ design approach, but that it would perform better also. The clients also originally wanted a ‘clean’ minimal look on the ceiling; however, we explained that would create reflective issues so we created a ‘star-scape’ ceiling and also added Vicoustic acoustic treatments in the cinema to control reflections and add some absorption.”

CREATING THE RIGHT SOUND

All of the cinemas Prestige Audio creates conform to all the relevant standards, but for Joe, this is just the baseline of really high-quality performance – and the room has to be created specifically to match the tastes of the customer.

Joe explains, “We always spend extra time calibrating and tuning the room to match the customer’s needs. The bass performance of this cinema was really important to the client – they don’t just watch movies in there, but listen to music, sometimes combining both with

music videos and concerts.

“Even during the demonstration phase at Pulse Cinemas, although happy with the performance, it was clear the clients had very specific tastes. This process was not a 20-minute conversation, and it took time to establish where their specific needs were, but eventually, we established they wanted a full Dolby Atmos surround sound system that performed as good as the Pulse Cinemas demo space, but with louder and punchier bass.”

Now Prestige Audio could set about putting the meat on the bones for the cinema. The bare room was 8.5m long x 10m wide x 3m high, the cinema was to have eight seats (two rows of four). The customers wanted the BenQ (PCL50KH) projector auditioned during the demo and a five-metre widescreen.

Joe explains, “The first part of the design was ensuring that the goal of the eight seats requested would have unrestricted views of the screen. This resulted in us specifying a four-metre screen due to the available space, and the desire for eight seats. We were also restricted by the bar area in the room. The client understood and was happy to go with a

PULSE CINEMAS

four-metre screen. When designing screen size, we take the client’s preferred seating position and make calculations from there, as set out in CEDIA’s white paper: Home Theatre Video Design CEA/CEDIA-CEB23-A. After some more testing using the Room Simulation in REW, the room acoustics analysis software for measuring and analysing room and loudspeaker responses, the final speaker layout of 7.1.4 was established as optimal.

The Screen Research screen has fully automated masking as the clients like to switch between lots of different sources and types of content such as Sky Q and the Kaleidescape media player.

The clients also had very specific tastes in terms of the imaging they preferred. During the demonstration phase at Pulse Cinemas, it was established that the BenQ PCL50KH was the projector they preferred, balancing performance and budget. The Client had the opportunity to experience several projectors from £50,000 to £3,000, but we established that the 6000 ANSI lumens output of the BenQ was optimal for this cinema. A Prismasonic anamorphic lens was also added to the space for viewing.

Once the whole system was fitted and fully tested, the team spent an entire day tuning it and making 100% sure the clients loved it.

Joe explains, “Once all the usual measurements had been done, we had a listen, and the system lacked bass and high frequency.

Technology is great for getting you close to where you want to be, but for us, there is still no substitute for an experienced pair of ears, for delivering something bespoke. We rested our ears for an hour and returned to listen and we continued to make manual adjustments to the system.

“The most important point here is that we strive to get the best in tonal balance, imaging, staging, dynamics in the primary seating position (the hot seat) but cannot compromise the other seating positions too much. Our eventual set up achieved all that was required, great, explosive cinematic sound as well as the two-channel audio performance the customer also wanted.

Following a full two-channel and cinema demo, this was the ‘mic drop’ moment for the project.

The look on their faces was exactly what we had been striving for, they loved it.”

Joe concludes, “From a £20K beginning, we ended up with a £171K cinema that was

going to deliver the client an experience they had not previously thought possible, specifically designed to meet the needs of the building and their tastes and habits. I would also add the help we received from Pulse Cinemas was a big factor here as without the world-class demonstration facilities and support we received, it would not have been as straightforward to show the customer just what was possible.”

The final word has to go the customer, who says, “Now that we have moved in, the results are impressive. Our cinema is ‘Epic’ and outperformed our expectations. The result exceeded the performance of the demo systems we listened to. We use the cinema room regularly and love the space. We added another mini cinema in our living room with a motorised TV that disappears in the wall when not in use. To top it all off, we added a state-ofthe-art Near music system that surprised us by the way it performed.”

Pulse Cinemas www.pulsecinemas.com All images by Tim Fox Photography

PULSE CINEMAS RECOMMENDED KIT LIST

1 x XLR3-150-235-UWB (Screen Research) 1 x PCL50KH (Benq) - Laser Projector 1 x Cylindrical Anamorphic lens (Prismasonic) 3 x CI Elite E7 LCR (Paradigm) - LCR channels 4 x CI Elite E3 LCR (Paradigm) - Surround/ Rear Speakers 4 x CI Elite E80-R (Paradigm) - Atmos Speakers

2 x Defiance X15 (Paradigm) - Subwoofers 1 x AVM60 (Anthem) - Processor 1 x MCA 525 (Anthem) – 5Ch Amp 2 x MCA 325 (Anthem) – 3Ch Amp 1 x Strato 12TB (Kaleidescape) Movie Server 1 x ISOTEK DELTA – Power Filtration and Surge Protection 1 x Absorption/Diffusion/Bass management Package (vicoustic) Acoustic Treatment 6 x Fortress Matinee Seats 2 x Fortress Matinee Chaise Lounge

APRIL 2020 25

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SMART THINKING: WISA

WHAT IS WISA? A technology you are likely to hear lots about soon, EI asked the WiSA Association what this new surround-sound audio concept is all about.

What is WiSA? How and when was it developed? And by who?

WiSA was started through a joint venture with Silicon Image, the inventor of HDMI, and Summit Wireless Technology in 2013 with a $10M investment. Summit and ten other organisations launched WiSA at CES 2013.

Summit developed the technology and the WiSA Association formed the standard for interoperability and market awareness. Since the start, over 60 brands have worked to build WiSA into a global standard.

How does the technology work?

A proprietary wireless network in the 5Ghz space is created by a transmitter module that connects to receiver modules in speakers. Up to eight channels of 24bit 96kHz audio can be transmitted with 5.2 milliseconds of latency and 1 microsecond of synchronisation between all speakers. The initial connection and set up process are extremely simple. Regardless of the type of WiSA Certified audio transmitter being used, set up typically takes less than 20 minutes.

Who are the leading members of the group? How do manufacturers/ companies become a member?

We currently have over 60 brands as members including LG, Xbox, Klipsch, Harman a division of Samsung, B&O, Enclave, Axiim, Foxconn and Hansong.

Brands and manufacturers become members of the Association when an NDA and Membership Agreement are in place.

A small membership fee is collected once products that have passed WiSA Certification are going into production. WiSA Membership

gets brand access to all WiSA Certification requirements, the WiSA Certification test specification, technical support, and product development assistance, connection to WiSA member factories and support from our PR and marketing initiatives.

What are the main benefits of the technology for end-users and professional installers?

From the end-user perspective, one of the leading barriers to entry concerning building an immersive home audio system is installation complexity. Complicated back panels and the need to run speaker wires around the room are eliminated by the simple connectivity and wireless audio features of WiSA Certified products. There are also significant performance benefits to each speaker being uniquely powered in tuned by the brand.

Professional installers can appreciate the ease of set up and reliability of the systems as well. They can spend less time installing a single system in a home or easily add on a second room in a matter of minutes while packing up the truck from a larger job.

What plans are there for expansion?

Encouraging more companies to get involved?

We are always interested in bringing new members into the association. At this point, our main focus is on helping existing WiSA members bring products to the market and tell the story of this exciting new category in consumer electronics. We have seen numerous new products come to the market recently and expect many more over the coming months.

Our website traffic has increased tremendously as more and more people are learning about the technology and what it can do to make their home entertainment experiences better.

How does the technology fit into the current Dolby Atmos/DTS:X/Auro 3D landscape?

The current technology supports eight channels of high definition audio and transmits them with extremely low latency and incredibly tight synchronisation. The channels of audio that travel across those eight wireless pathways do not matter to the technology. We have recently added ‘speaker types’ (which is the term we use to identify what channel of audio is being sent by the transmitter and received by the speaker) for Dolby Atmos height channels. Adding additional speaker types is a simple process.

What are the long-term ambitions for the technology? How will it change the market?

WiSA is forging the path to becoming the universal technology brand that consumers depend on for multi-channel wireless audio to the same extent that Bluetooth is looked to for low data connectivity and HDMI for HD video/audio wired connectivity. The consumer requires more accessible immersive audio solutions as they continue to invest quality time into enjoying multiple categories of entertainment that is now available in multichannel audio formats. The process of procuring this media has changed dramatically and is now an extremely simple process through the adoption of streaming and OTT services as well as cable and satellite providers. An enormous amount of content that comes into our homes supports multi-channel audio. The last component in the overall simplification of building immersive home entertainment environments is simplifying the installation of very high quality and reliable audio systems.

That is exactly what the WiSA Association and our members have done. We will now see more products come to market that allow people to easily build immersive audio experiences that support and deliver the intended entertainment level all of their favourite TV shows, movies, sports, and games.

WiSA Association www.wisaassociation.org

APRIL 2020 27

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ESSENTIAL SECURITY

FRESH OPPORTUNITIES Bob (H.Y.) Hwang Ph.D., Managing Director of Hanwha Techwin Europe, highlights how major advances in technology, such as Artificial Intelligence, IoT and Cybersecurity, are creating new opportunities for those involved in the video surveillance systems supply chain.

This new year will bring many exciting opportunities to help system integrators grow their businesses.

Over recent years, growth in the sales of security cameras, recording devices and video management software platforms have been fuelled by businesses and organisations recognising the need to take their security to a higher level. As IoT devices have become more popular over the years, managers responsible for security all share the same goals of protecting property, people and assets against a cluster of increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks.

It is therefore not surprising to learn that the global professional video surveillance equipment market continues to dynamically grow with worldwide market revenue reaching $19.9 billion in 2019, up from $18.2 billion in 2018, according to the IHS Markit Video Surveillance Intelligence Service.

New higher-specification cameras which will be introduced during 2020, will provide endusers, including those with limited budgets, with the opportunity to upgrade their existing video surveillance systems and further enhance their security.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR 2020 AND BEYOND

Equally important, as end-users’ expectations rise as to what they can expect to achieve from their video surveillance systems, I predict we will see a surge in the deployment of

cameras equipped with advanced forms of edge and Cloud-based video analytics, AI or deep learning solutions. This prediction is supported by a report produced by Gartner, a leading research and advisory company, which suggests the use of AI and advanced analytics will significantly increase over the next few years and by 2022 will have a global business value of approximately $3.9T.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AND DEEP LEARNING

We may within the next few years see the introduction of AI applications that enhance video surveillance systems to a level which at this time might not seem possible.

WISENET 7 CAMERAS

During 2020, we will be launching a new range of cameras equipped with our next generation

Products increasingly need to be cyber-security concision

APRIL 2020 29

ESSENTIAL SECURITY

Will the next few years see the birth of true AI?

Wisenet 7 chipset which offers a new level of processing power and an extensive feature set that includes AI. As such, these new cameras have been designed to detect and classify people and vehicles in real-time and capture various characteristics of objects as well as people, such as license plates and facial attributes.

In addition to offering greater accuracy and fewer false alarms to users who are looking to detect criminal activity, the cameras will also help businesses identify ways to improve productivity. Retailers, in particular, will have access to an analysis of data which could include the age and gender of their customers.

ADVANCED CYBERSECURITY

With cyber-attacks becoming more sophisticated, building a strong security system is no longer an option, but an imperative. We asked our design engineers to place cybersecurity at the top of the list of requirements for the new Wisenet 7 cameras.

This is why from the moment one of the cameras is connected to the network, a secure boot block prevents unauthorised attempts to gain access to the camera’s firmware

NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR 2020

In looking forward to the exciting opportunities that lay before us during 2020 and beyond, we are conscious of the increasing impact that the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G technology are

30 APRIL 2020

likely to have on the video surveillance sector.

In the short term, please watch out over the coming months for other new ground-breaking products and solutions to help system integrators generate new business whilst delivering added value to their end-user clients. All have been designed to improve the system integrator’s experience and reduce operational costs.

New feature-rich cameras multi-directional and panoramic cameras which negate the need for end-users to incur the cost of installing a higher number of standard cameras that would normally be needed to cover a wide area. To reduce the time an installer spends on-site, we have equipped these cameras with a motorised PTRZ gimbal which enables the lens position to be easily changed in order to set the camera’s field of view.

Niche and vertical market applications, such as retail and transport, will be able to benefit from a raft of new cameras and solutions, including thermal, explosion-proof and ANPR models.

Among the many new cameras that we will be introducing during 2020 will be an 8K model which captures images of such superb quality that they need to be seen to be believed. Operators will be able to closely zoom in to a small section of an image without any pixelation occurring.

The total cost of ownership will be reduced by our new cost-effective appliance which will be supplied with embedded Wisenet WAVE Video Management Software (VMS), making it affordable even for budget-conscious end-users.

HANWHA TECHWIN PARTNER PROGRAMME STEP

The Hanwha Techwin STEP partner programme is proving to be hugely popular with system integrators who can take advantage of a range of benefits designed to give them a competitive advantage and help them increase their share of the video solutions market. It seems almost every day on social media channels some postings announce a new STEP participant or a systems integrator being accredited to a highstatus level within the programme.

Our new products and solutions have come about by us listening to our partners in the supply chain, thinking outside the box and innovating. System integrators and their end-user clients can rest assured that with the support of our parent company, the Hanwha Group, Hanwha Techwin will continue to respond to evolving market requirements by driving the development of exciting new products and solutions which harness the very latest advances in technology. By doing so, we will help them grow and justify their trust in the Wisenet brand.

In conclusion, advancements in technologies will support new use cases to meet customers’ needs in various verticals, expanding the horizon of our industry. This new year will, without doubt, bring many exciting opportunities for us and our channel partners as we continue to respond to evolving market requirements.

A True 4K Solution

LILIN’s range of 4K PoE NVRs provide a sleek, all-in-one recording solution, with 4, 8 and 16 channel variants. All units offer full 4K resolution across all channels and are finished in high gloss black with no front panel controls for the custom install market.

These plug-and-play NVRs are able to configure the IP addresses of connected cameras; saving valuable installation time, and include a free P2P connection for secure remote viewing.

Watch us set up a system in only 8 minutes-including remote access via the app! contact@LILIN.uk 01908 443 660 meritLILIN.com

ESSENTIAL SECURITY

SECURITY CONSCIOUS Steve Liddiard, CEO of specialist LILIN takes stock of key security developments.

When LILIN was first established 40 years ago, our first camera was a simple black and white camera. Since then we’ve seen the development of PTZ cameras, intelligent video solutions allowing cameras to detect motion or audio alarms, higher resolutions and longer IR distances, and a STARVIS range that provides full-colour video even in the middle of the night. Technology has been advancing so rapidly recently. 2020 is the year that we’ve announced our AI engine AIDA, with ANPR, Traffic Management and advanced Object Detection solutions.

End users are always expecting more from their security systems as technology advancesnow instead of just monitoring a driveway, the end-user wants to identify a license plate, and have their front gate open and the kettle turned on when their license plate is recognised!

The end-user is also now more educated and aware of cybersecurity risks, and their attitude towards security systems has therefore changed- they are understanding that having a professional, secure system to protect their homes and high-value goods is worth the additional cost over a DIY system. ‘Hacking’ incidents have become more commonly shown in the media, and homeowners are seeking

Functionality such as license plate recognition has meant security products can play a larger role in automation

32 APRIL 2020

to protect themselves from similar incidents by choosing brands that emphasise strong cybersecurity awareness, proactive policies and developed partnerships that reassure them they are secure in their homes.

Over the coming years, we expect that true AI will become a key component in security systems. Users want reliable, accurate detection capabilities built into the system, to minimise the likelihood of false alarms and truly be able to distinguish between specified objects- for example, only alerting if a human enters the scene. If a customer only wants to receive a push notification when for example, a red Toyota truck or a panther enters their home, an AI can achieve that level of accuracy.

Our own recently developed AI engine, AIDA, has shown us what true AI can be capable of. Experimenting with the engine in our office has allowed us to create accurate alerts- if a vehicle loiters in a space for too long, if a vehicle turns the wrong way- whilst identifying the cars colour, license plate, and manufacturer. We expect to see AI of this level further developed to soon be on the Edge rather than as a separate engine integrated into the system, to provide greater ease of use. For an end-user, having detection this accurate will provide them with a sense of security and peace of mind- that a threat to their home security will be detected by their

surveillance system and they will be prepared.

We’ve also found that end-users like to have an easy way to access their surveillance systemswhich heavily influenced our initial decision to create LILINViewer, our mobile app, back in 2015. Having easy to use app access allowed end-users to interact with their surveillance system in a way that many hadn’t earlier- instead of having to go to the NVR to view footage, endusers could view their home from their phoneregardless of where they were in the world. We then added the advanced camera and playback controls to the app- in a way that an end-user would be able to use. Our new app, LILINHome, which is due to be released later this year, was designed with the end-user in mind, for more intuitive use.

Similarly, integration with home automation platforms allows the end-user easy maintenance of their system- using their control system they can change views, enter playback and control PTZ cameras. The full integration made possible with LILIN products allowed for the creation of control system reactions to the security system- an alarm from a camera turning on a light at the front of the house to deter potential burglars for example.

More recently we’ve seen an increase of AI capability applied to systems- customers want more reliable motion alarms and notifications.

PUBS, CLUBS AND BARS

IT’S ALWAYS HAPPY HOUR Drawn together by familiar technologies, the worlds of commercial and residential AV now represent a huge opportunity for your skills, says Habitech’s, Gareth Cooke.

As if divided by a kind of religious schism, the worlds of commercial and residential AV have remained resolutely distinct for decades. Today all this is changing. Integrators once estranged by tech are now sharing it. If you’ve worked with Wi-Fi, AVoIP, IP and 70V line distribution, and you’re already preaching the gospel of discreet high performance, your business is more than ready to tackle any commercial calling. Today, on every important level: technical, design, aesthetics or bespoke, the skills of residential integrators are as relevant to clubs, bars, and restaurants as they are to homeowners. Similar commandments for a brand new congregation.

YOU’LL RECOGNISE THE TOOLKIT

Unified by the smartest networking technologies, the two markets are now reaching for the same toolkit. For instance, you’re as likely to see 70V line distribution over large areas of a garden as you are around a bar or over a dance floor. Conversely, AV distribution technologies designed for commercial distribution are making their way into residential audio systems.

Pro audio’s leading AV-over-IP solution Dante, for example, is now appearing as a residential

34 APRIL 2020

install option. New Dante-enabled products at CEDIA 2019 included the JBL Synthesis SDP-55 surround processor, SDR-35 AV receiver, SDA-7120 seven-channel amplifier, and SDA-2200 two-channel amplifier. And Dante’s licensees at CEDIA included Atlona, AudioControl, Bosch, Bose, Control4, Devialet, Just Add Power, Legrand, Liberty AV Solutions, MSE Audio (SoundTube), MuxLab, Nortek, Radial Engineering, Trinnov, and Yamaha. It’s a growing list.

The major force behind Dante’s popularity is simplicity. It’s designed to carry hundreds of uncompressed audio channels over long distances with minimal signal degradation using a standard Ethernet network, saving installation time and traditional audio cable costs. What’s more, re-routing is achieved via the PC, leaving physical infrastructure untouched.

Even legacy audio hardware can be enabled using Dante AVIO adaptors. Currently, Dante is available in over 2,000 products from as many as 430 manufacturers, including Yamaha Pro’s line of processors and amplifiers, all with guaranteed interoperability over a traditional Ethernet network.

And who in CI would be a stranger to that?

WHO’S THE DATA DADDY?

Similarly familiar is future-proof wireless. Now that internet speed is as much a design priority in the high street as it is at home, you can flex years of residential network experience

along with the power of global brands like Ruckus to integrate proven, scalable capacity up to 10G and Wi-Fi 6 wherever it’s needed.

What’s more, clubs and bars are increasingly using data collection as a means of analysing demand dynamics, so great Internet access will be somewhere near the top of their wish-lists.

Other possible demands are as easy to tick. For instance, creating adjustable audio levels in zones has been a primary skill in the CEDIA repertoire since 1998. And meeting the clamour for 4K video distribution is a plugand-play breeze using flagship AVoIP tech such as Wyrestorm’s Network HD, deployed and proven in both camps for years. It also offers excellent video wall set-up and control for sports bars. Then there’s hardware and network security with remote monitoring. This could be your trump card because IP networks of security cameras and NVRs - the latest with heightened AI surveillance capabilities - are your stockin-trade, especially when supported by nextgen firewalls from the likes of WatchGuard, which offer unprecedented plug-in network protection. With the backing of the best brands and with a leading distribution at your side, nothing in this market is likely to phase you.

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PUBS, CLUBS AND BARS

19” RACK SPECIALISTS! hospitality’s big new ‘must-have’ - you’re in your element. As a foil to the chain emporiums, a new wave of ‘boutique’ clubs, restaurants and hotels is promising design individuality and impeccably bespoke service quality to attract discriminating customers and keep them coming back. Based on high style and driven by the vision and energy of the owner, these smaller operations thrive on generating repute and repeat business, so the QoS is everything.

This makes commercial businesses perfect customers for CI integrators. Their desire to be distinct is your invitation to design the difference.

Typical is Ashway Smart Homes’ project for the Manor House Hotel at Lindley, Huddersfield. Having rejected a competing pitch for a ‘basic’ system, the owner wanted an even, high-quality soundfield for each space that was discernibly full-range at a volume that didn’t dominate, so his guests would be able to converse normally in a socially conducive atmosphere. They’d appreciate the quality of the sound without being distracted by it. Rather than blaring audio hotspots intermixed with areas of silence, he wanted the sound to exist everywhere but blend in evenly and discreetly.

These aspirations reflect a trend in the US, where discriminating customers associate the quality of the venue with its ability to get the audio just right. Another Sonance-inspired commercial install at New York’s Legacy Records restaurant is a perfect example. The ex-recording studio has been transformed into a stylish, music-oriented eatery where ‘precisely curated’ music sets the mood in different spaces according to time of day, crowd

numbers and even the type of food and drink service on offer. “From the start of the design process, music is talked about, both in terms of selection and the energy it contributes to the atmosphere said Grant Reynolds, a partner with the restaurant’s producer, Delicious Hospitality.

“Quality of sound is as important as the type of music.” Ultimately, the goal is to provide the right atmosphere while allowing for intelligible conversation. “Although the traditional choice has been to use narrow bandwidth for restaurants, that increases the volume because you end up competing directly with the human voice,” explained Matt Emmi of the installer OneButton. “But if you expand that out into a fuller range of high frequencies and more pronounced low frequencies, you can lower the music volume, because then you’re getting out of the way of the vocal range.” Clearly, in today’s commercial AV environments, stringing cheap on-walls together with bell wire will no longer do. The challenge is far more sophisticated, and by the same token, it’s tailor-made for your skills.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE REVELATIONS

The lesson from this evangelist is that, with a little help from your friends, the opportunities for your talents in commercial spaces are boundless. By curating the most discreet, best quality AV versatility for your customer, you’re building the bedrock of premium hospitality for their business evolution: a magical blend of great memories with a vision of the next big thing. And who on God’s green earth is better qualified to achieve that epiphany?

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CASE STUDY: ADVANCED INTEGRATION

ADVANCED WOODWORK Marios Tsiftis CEO of Advanced Integration gives EI the tour of this accomplished and well executed whole-house project in London’s leafy St Johns Wood.

Advanced Integration is a home automation and BMS specialist with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. The core team includes Marios, the Executive Chairman George Papayannopoulos, the COO Maria Tsifti, and the Executive Director Makis Tsiftis.

Marios explains, “One of the strengths of our company is having the know-how to work on a wide range of different projects, from residential to commercial properties and mega yachts. We were blessed with the opportunity to work on several satisfying installations over the years, but if we had to pinpoint just a couple of them, they would probably be the Costa Navarino luxury resort in Greece and the Atrium Apartments in London.”

This particular project came about after the company was approached by an existing client.

Marios says, “Often the problem is that someone on the client’s side had a bad experience with a home automation company, so they are wary of hiring another. This was also the case with this project, but since the people we were dealing with already knew how we work, we could focus on presenting a plan that best answered the client’s needs.

“From our experience, the original brief rarely stays as it is. Once the clients see what can be achieved, they usually ask for further tweaks or additions. One of the requests we had was to add more speakers in several areas like the spa, gym, and cinema.”

THE PROJECT

Marios explains the approach for this very special project, “Given the size, we treated this project as a boutique hotel, rather than a home.

The client wanted to update and upgrade the existing system, so our approach was to survey the space carefully and have thorough conversations to identify all the opportunities to do so both indoor and outdoor.

“Starting from the outside, we replaced the door phone system with the latest trend and fitted an RFID reader in the door panel.

We upgraded the CCTV system with a Dahua NVR5832/5864-I with Artificial Intelligence capabilities, to offer in-depth analytics. We also added Dahua IR and IP anti-vandal cameras and set up a 4K 55in monitor for the security staff, as well as a personalised interface to access the security settings. Intruder and fire alarms were integrated into the main system as well. The garden area was also taken care of, adding lights and speakers.”

Marios adds, “For the inside, one of the

main aims was to speed up routine activities.

For example, we installed motorised blinds and curtains from Crestron throughout all the property. Then, we made them part of ‘morning’ and ‘goodnight’ scenes, so with a single touch of our bespoke interface, they all go in the desired position. Other aspects, like lighting and climate control, were also part of these scenes for effortless control. Originally, keypads only had lights functions, so we added personalised options wherever relevant. At the same time, we made sure that more demanding users were able to operate individual settings in a very granular way, e.g. to change the brightness of a specific group of lights in a given room. We wanted to offer full flexibility, so controls are accessible from several places like touchscreens, Wi-Fi touchscreen remote controls, personalised keypads.”

A lot of attention was given to minimise the impact on interior design. For this reason, the team chose invisible speakers wherever suitable and concealed the TVs in the bedrooms with end-of-

APRIL 2020 39

bed TV lifts from Future Automation and closed cabinets. For bathrooms, mirror TVs were used.

On the entertainment systems, audio enhancements included adding 15 music sources from Autonomics (MMS1-e); originally, there was only one source for the whole house.

Marios adds, “We also used a Crestron SWAMPE expander to bring music outdoor, where we installed weather-resistant landscape speakers and subwoofers from Origin Acoustics (LS64). In the pool area, the Origin Acoustic D109 series was used to achieve high SDL without compromising the audio quality, while for the gym and games room the D85 series was chosen.

“For the video distribution, we used 17 Crestron NVX-350s. This high-performance AV over IP encoder/decoder transports 4K60 4:4:4 video over standard Gigabit Ethernet, so clients can play different sources at the same time with zero latency and no perceived quality loss. We also added two TV sources (Roku and Apple TV 4K).”

For the Dolby Atmos/DTS:X home cinema, a JVC 4K projector (DLA-N7B) was used and the MK Sound brand was specified for the subwoofers, front, centre and surround speakers, while the ceiling was fitted with Amina Mobius 7.

So, what technical challenges did the project present? Marios explains, “When we took on the project, a BMS had already been installed by another company. However, it was outdated and not efficient enough to cover the entire property, so we had to make new drawings and redesign it, replacing or adding components in the process.

For example, there were serious issues with the HVAC system, so we had to add more sensors and install heating boards. Also, since we were asked mid-project for additional equipment in several areas, we had to be careful to minimise the intervention needed to run the extra cables, install more speakers in the ceiling, etc.

“In order to protect the system from power

40 APRIL 2020

supply problems, we installed a 10kVA online UPS in the rack, so we spent a great deal of time rewiring and connecting the equipment to the UPS.” Marios continues, “Another challenge we faced was that we used three Crestron Controllers (two CP3 and one AP3) and experienced many issues in the communication between those. We were able to overcome these with a lot of patience and the help of the technical support of the Crestron EMEA office. Following the previously-mentioned approach, we took every opportunity to simplify controls and make the life of the residents more enjoyable.

“We started replacing the existing entrance keypad (Crestron C2N-CBD) with a bigger one (Horizon Keypad) to add more useful functions, like ‘Away’ and ‘Welcome’ scenes. We also replaced the 7in touchscreen with a 10in one.

“Furthermore, we replaced the HR-150 remotes in every room with the new Crestron TSR-310 (faster, more reliable and more convenient thanks to the touchscreens) and designed an intuitive interface to allow easy access to the personalised scenes and all the settings for the specific room. We also installed six iPads with elegant docking stations (iRoom).”

The team also took care of details like having the keypads engraved for easier understanding or adding an LED strip to the bar in the pool area to achieve better ambient lighting and relax scenes. Time was taken also to spend many days live-testing all the settings and making tweaks for further improvement. Marios says this is something the company always aims to do on every project and, with such a big space to control, it makes the difference in the final user experience.

So, now it’s finished, any favourite parts?

Marios enthuses, “Each area is unique in its own way. Generally speaking, it was very satisfying to allow users full control from their hands of such a big space. We even integrated the car stacker into the Crestron system, so the clients can choose from their phone which car they want.”

ESSENTIAL KIT LIST CRESTRON Lighting Systems (Dimmers, Keypads, Relays & Controllers) Audio Multiroom (SWAMP24X8 & SWAMPE-I8 Amplifier) IP Video Distribution system (NVX Series) Curtain, roman-blind, (motorised tracks) Remotes controls & touchscreens BMS Honeywell Alerton BMS System AHU01&02 Control Panel, Kitchen outstation, car stack, boiler, global controls & head-end NETWORKS Cisco switchers (SG350, 24 and 48 PoE), Ruckus access points (R510) AUDIO Autonomics servers (MMS1-e) Origin Acoustic in-ceiling (D109, D85) & landscape speakers (LS64) Doorphone IP Panels with Bluetooth & FOB 2N system Home Cinema JVC DLA-N7B projector MK sound speakers (S150, M150, IW950) and subwoofers (X12) Amina Mobius 7 in-ceiling speakers CCTV & alarm system Dahua NVR5832/5864-I Dahua IR / IP Antivandal Cameras (indoor and outdoor) Crestron integration with Intruder and Fire Alarm

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ESSENTIAL DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES

AN IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY Since entering the market, Display Technologies has created an extensive, innovative and highquality collection of products to deliver screen and projector mounting options. EI takes stock ahead of the company’s achivements.

Supporting a global customer base, Display Technologies (DT) is a British manufacturer that has been creating cleverly designed projector screens and mounts since the company was founded in May 2016 by industry veterans Neil Davidson and Simon Ridley. Since this point, the two founders have used their considerable knowledge of the integration industry to deliver products that offer high-performance but also solve real-world problems encountered by installers. The company’s inventory shows a clear appreciation of the challenges faced out in the marketplace and practical ways to deal with them and deliver a better result for the customer.

Co-Founder, Neil Davidson says, “Our focus on the combination of technical performance and careful design for an easy and effective install, ensure that all DT products meet the needs of both the client and the installer. We have gathered together some really innovative technology, a wide and growing product range and a large and very well-equipped factory

42 APRIL 2020

based in North Yorkshire.”

At launch the company was working out of a modest-sized industrial unit, however, demand for the products has meant rapid expansion and DT’s current facility represents close to 8000sqft of space incorporating three full production workshops as well as offices and visitor facilities.

Simon Ridley explains, “The production facility boasts its own CNC, cutting and handling and 3D printing machines and all of our embedded software and PC applications are developed in-house allowing DT to create solutions that would be almost impossible for competitive companies. We have also undertaken extensive development with OEM partners which have delivered our range of motors to drive the screens, our inline cooling fans and several more important components that are yet to be announced, stay tuned to find out more.

“Having total control over our production process allows us to deliver the innovation the market needs and deliver it in a timely fashion. We are also very proactive in listening to the market and working with installers on any special projects that they have. We regularly receive requests for bespoke solutions and if

if we don’t have something suitable already in our ranges, let’s talk and see if a solution can be found, our facility allows us to do just that.”

RANGE BREAK-DOWN AND INNOVATION

Perhaps the best expression of the company’s growth and ability to innovate can be seen in DT’s Dynamic masking screen range.

Neil argues, “We strongly feel these represent the best masking screens on the market right now. They feature our proprietary Mask Position Logic system which enables perfect masking of any requested aspect ratio without the use of presets, it delivers the precision and ease of use that this type of screen needs.”

Neil explains, “During manufacture the screen is programmed with the width, height and mask configuration and when in use, special sensors measure to the mm the location of the mask bar. With all that data, perfect masking happens every time so the customer’s viewing experience is seamless and pleasurable. On top of all of that, our Whispertec platform (again developed in-house) ensures that the screens are also the quietest masking screens on the market. These screens do represent the state of

ESSENTIAL DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES

the art, designed especially for the ground up, there is nothing that matches the functionality and build-quality of these screens.”

DT underlines some installer-friendly aspects here include the front-loading image surface and a sectional build process making hanging easier than with one-piece products and also the solid wood and aluminium packaging that fully protects the screens in transit. The Dynamic range has many different options so each project can be supplied with the perfect model, complete range breakdown can be seen on the DT’s website.

The company’s ranges do not end there, of course, DT has also developed other screen options with simpler fixed framed models such as the Contempo, or Frontier which adds a touch more luxury with its fixed velvet surround.

DT also offers a choice of architectural

integration products designed to offer innovation in mounting projectors to increase interior friendly placement options. A choice of brackets, motorised mirror systems, and hush box solutions are all available to aid the installer in delivering a high-end result.

The Hush Box range combines mounting a projector with reducing its noise output in one neat package, a choice of sizes to suit different projectors is of course available.

DT’s motorised mirror drop systems offer the option to mount the projector in-ceiling.

When needed, it is not the whole projector that drops down, but just the compact mirror system, offering a discrete solution. Other options in the product area include single and double glazed projector portholes and close coupled mounting brackets.

DT also has a range of mirror-based mounting products that help when positioning of the projector is problematic. Whatever the angle or position the projector needs to be in, the range has a solution to get the images into the screen at the right level of quality.

Completing the DT range, the company’s newly updated Mistral ventilation systems are available in 150mm, 200mm and 250mm diameters offering up to 1800m3/hr of airflow.

The dual Zone Mistral Commander accurately controls fan speed and enables detailed monitoring.

As well as product innovation, the company has been careful to ally itself with key partners within the industry. A well-established relationship with Barco Residential means many DT products have been featured at Barco’s ISE and CEDIA Expo stands in recent times. In the UK Display Technologies are proud to represented by DbM (Distributed by Meridian) and Genesis Technologies.

Neil concludes, “Despite all our success and progress, we are still a bit of a well-kept secret, we are keen now to raise the profile of the brand and the products to ensure installers know exactly what we can deliver and how we deliver it. Give us a call to find out more.”

Display Technologies www.displaytechnologies.co.uk Genesis Technologies UK www.genesistechnologies.co.uk DbM www.meridian-audio.com/distributed-by-meridian

APRIL 2020 43

DALI AUDIO UK LTD

DALI LAUNCHES ALL NEW IN-WALL SPEAKER RANGE The all new DALI PHANTOM M Series has been created for movie and music lovers looking for astonishing sound from a discreet, in-wall speaker solution.

Built on experience from the award-winning PHANTOM S, the new M series is the next step in DALI’s strategy to design high-quality, easy to install CI products.

The series offers two versatile models; the PHANTOM M-250 (SRP £699 per piece) and PHANTOM M-375 (SRP £899 per piece). Although different in technologies, both models offer spacious and impressive performance from a very slim cabinet. With integrated sealed back-boxes made with low-loss glass-reinforced ABS, each model delivers the best possible sound along with quick and easy installation.

PHANTOM M-250 includes DALI’s patented SMC technology, and comes with two 5¼” woofers, a 28mm ultra-light soft dome tweeter and two bass ports. All of the

44 APRIL 2020

drivers are positioned in a symmetrical design, making it well suited for use as both an LCR speaker for home cinema setups, or simply as a pair for stereo use.

The PHANTOM M-375 integrates one larger 7” woofer which employs the full core of SMC technology, a hybrid tweeter module and two passive radiators. The passive radiators support the woofer to deliver tight and impressive bass weight, whilst the hybrid tweeter system adds articulate and well balanced treble.

With cabinet dimensions measuring 250 x 775 mm, and only 100 mm in depth, the PHANTOM M series produces a performance which belies its size. The slim dimensions along with its paintable grille, also allow the M series to blend in well with any home environment.

The PHANTOM M series proves that a slim in-wall speaker can deliver the authentic DALI sound without visually dominating the room.

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ESSENTIAL AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR SMART HOME GROWTH Charlie Kindel, Chief Product & Technology Officer, SnapAV, looks to the future.

Smart home devices are rapidly gaining consumer interest, such as voice assistants, smart lights, and video doorbells. However, as families begin to explore and integrate DIY smart home technology, they are realising that the heavy lifting doesn’t end after installation.

Smart devices from different manufacturers often don’t work together, requiring disparate apps for management and control of their smart home. Trying to control a home using multiple interfaces causes user fatigue, not to mention it’s a full-time job for homeowners to manage their technology. This experience is slow and complicated, not smarter like it’s advertised to be.

When smart home technology is effortless to use, adoption increases. The best chance for smart home success is a technology platform that integrates with all the smart devices on the market and leverages technology professionals to deal with the complexity. Systems that only work with one brand of devices limit the number of features in the system. Diverse smart home platforms allow users to create immersive experiences that incorporate multiple devices.

For example, a home theatre scene operates the lights and shades, temperature, audio system, display, and shuts the garage door.

This experience is only possible with a robust system that is installed as the infrastructure in the home uniting every connected experience.

An infrastructural approach also enables longevity, where the system is expandable, so new technology and experiences can be added as they become available or as the homeowner makes changes that require additional devices.

Such a system is what we call an operating system for the home. Just like the OS made PCs useable for the average consumer back in the ‘90s, an operating system for the home makes the smart home viable, and not just a smattering of devices, apps, and features.

Our own Control4 OS 3 connects all devices across security, comfort, entertainment, and convenience categories, giving homeowners control of their most-used devices and automates scenes to complement their lifestyle.

Fewer than 5% of personal computer owners install the OS on their computers; almost everyone depends on professionals to ensure things just work. The smart home OS is even more complex and customised than a PC, and professional installation relieves the frustration points homeowners have with DIY systems.

Home technology professionals offer the same benefits as an electrician, painter, or landscaper: expertise, installation, personalisation, and maintenance. In a smart home, pros provide the right recommendations on personalised technology solutions to suit the homeowner’s lifestyle, install the smart home system and devices for them, and offer the option for 24/7 professional remote support after installation.

Interest in the truly smart home is

translating into business for home technology professionals, as automation systems become the norm for new home builds and renovation projects. Home technology pros are more often working with builders, renovators, architects, designers, and electricians to design systems, in both retrofits and in the new construction projects, where technology is being planned earlier in the process. With platforms like Control4 OS 3 as the base, they can collaborate on the features that the homeowner wants across the design process to ensure that the system and devices are installed properly (the same way they work with an electrician, HVAC technician, drywall installer and taper, painter, etc.), and suit the other design and build considerations.

The right home technology platform makes the smart home a seamless, intuitive, and delightful experience for homeowners. As the basis for device control, it’ll enable new features in the future. For example, as machine learning algorithms continue to advance and are implemented into the smart home, future smart home systems will also be able to provide intelligent recommendations and take action without being prompted by the user, streamlining the smart home experience even further. The platform will set the future of the smart home and new capabilities up for success, and adoption is just starting.

Home technology professionals will become another outsourced professional, such as plumbers and builders

APRIL 2020 47

ESSENTIAL AUTOMATION PLATFORMS

ACHIEVING TRUE AUTOMATION REQUIRES NEW TECH Oren Kotlicki, Founder and CEO, Intellithings, argues new technologies are needed to deliver the levels of personalisation customers crave.

With smart appliances that automatically brew coffee and smart pet feeders that automatically fill pets’ bowls, it may seem that automation has already swept into homes and streamlined daily routines. In reality, most smart home end-users find themselves living among a mass of finicky gadgets that sometimes demand more than they can provide in return.

That’s not to say that there hasn’t been significant development of automated platforms. For one, the proliferation of smart speaker virtual assistants has put the convenience of hands-free control in the grasp of any user who wants it. These virtual assistants are, however, still not smart enough to pick up every voice command correctly, so users will have to be conscious of their word choice, enunciation, and volume. There are other ways to achieve levels of automation, just the tap of a screen on a smartphone or even a smartwatch can trigger lights, smart locks or any number of other smart devices. Users further have the option to go hands-free in with the advent of smart motion sensors that trigger activity from walking by or through a designated zone. It’s important to note, however, that these sensors are easily susceptible to error, as they can be triggered by any kind of motion, such as a wandering pet. Also, while smart motion sensors may excel in automation, they are unable to deliver when it comes to personalisation.

While the smart home market has given users energy-efficient smart bulbs and intuitive smart thermostats, it is failing users in terms of personalisation. For instance, while professionally installed smart home systems, like Control4 or Crestron, empower homeowners to take advantage of advanced control capabilities, the execution still requires

48 APRIL 2020

manual input from the user. While it’s certainly possible to program automation for specific users within a home, those actions still require a trigger—whether it be a voice command or a touch of a keypad. Even the most advanced smart home systems cannot know which specific member of the household is in which specific room until users engage via voice, app, or other tangible touchpoints.

Consider this scenario: A smart home system is programmed to accommodate a family of four. When the kids come home from school, they can use their smartphones to turn on the smart lights and activate their favorite playlist. When a parent comes into the room, their smartphone or smartwatch has more authorised controls to give them access to activate smart door locks or adjust the smart thermostat. While the smart home system may be programmed to give different levels of control and access to different users, the system is not automatically adjusting itself based on the specific user without first receiving input from that user.

Now, consider an alternative: The same smart home system is programmed to accommodate a family of four—with one difference. When the kids come home from school, the system automatically detects that Jim and Molly have entered the living room, and it turns on the smart lights and activates their favorite playlist. When they leave the room, the system recognises that they have left, and it powers down the lights and music. When a parent comes into the room, the smart home system automatically detects that Mom has entered the living room: It turns on the smart light—but to her preferred brightness level of 70%; it automatically locks the front door, and it adjusts the thermostat to 70°.

The system was able to detect each specific person’s location in the home and automatically trigger scenes based on their unique preferences—without requiring them

to take any action. In this second scenario, the smart home system is enriched with a layer of presence-sensing technology.

Presence-sensing technology is leading a new trend of fully automated, personalised systems. This technology enables true occupancy automation by identifying an individual’s presence and triggering devices tuned to the individual’s personal preferences.

Presence-sensing technology is deployed via a new breed of smart home sensors: true occupancy automation sensors. Unlike other home automation platforms that require some form of tangible input from users for identification, presence-sensing technology uses the unique Bluetooth signatures of individuals’ matched smartphones to sense who is there. By adding a layer of presencesensing technology to already-installed home automation platforms, installers can empower end-users to take full advantage of the automation features their platforms offer— without having to lift a finger or voice command.

Automation and personalisation are the hallmarks of what we as an industry envision as the truly intelligent smart home. Unfortunately, most smart home systems installed today are only capable of offering low levels of automation and rudimentary levels of personalisation.

Furthermore, this technology can deliver complete automation without compromising its security. Other technologies that are attempting to achieve similar heights of automation and personalisation often rely on image, video, and audio processing in the cloud, which, although useful, have also opened the door for data security risks. Presence-sensing technology, on the other hand, is reliably safe, secure and private.

When installing presence-sensing technology solutions, savvy smart home professionals need to be on the look for solutions that do not rely on the cloud or internet connectivity nor use any biometrics to identify specific persons.

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ESSENTIAL AUTOMATION PLATFORMS

EXPLORING THE QUESTIONS AND TOPICS DRIVING TODAY’S SMART HOME The home automation market is clearly growing, but where is it headed, and what verticals are currently driving that growth?

Mitch Klein, executive director, Z-Wave Alliance offers some home automation predictions for 2020 and beyond.

What are the ways in which product interoperability in the smart home ecosystem is being addressed at the wireless communication level and how will that support overall growth?

Standards compatibility and product interoperability are critical to ensuring the success of the smart home. A future where all of the standards can work together seamlessly to create more freedom of choice for consumers, a better product experience, and an easy-to-navigate development process for manufacturers will help drive this success.

For Z-Wave, interoperability and backwards compatibility requirements have been key attributes in driving its growing ecosystems.

Meanwhile, home automation systems are experiencing a whole new level of opportunity as previously closed ecosystems and wireless technologies are finding new ways to allow for product interoperability and support development. For example, the Z-Wave Alliance, along with Silicon Labs, announced in December 2019 that we are opening the Z-Wave specification up to all silicon and stack vendors for development. By making this change, our goal is to facilitate open IoT deployment and engage new kinds of companies into Z-Wave development to bolster the ecosystem, such as silicon vendors, software developers, and others to bring Z-Wave to more devices and more industries.

50 APRIL 2020

Is the smart home market delivering end-users what they want?

There is a lot of education yet to be done with communicating the true value of a smart home to end users, as well as supporting them in getting started and throughout their entire purchase journey. This means lots of resources and information on product compatibility, use-cases, and knowledgeable post-purchase support will be necessary to satisfy the growing market interest and turn this interest into satisfied customers.

Consumers have to feel confident that they’ve made the right choices in terms of compatibility and device security, can get set up relatively easily, and have reliable support for the entire lifecycle of their system. And there is a large opportunity for integrators to step in to provide this support – from choosing products to installation and post-install support – the opportunity for integrators in smart home continues to present itself.

Guaranteeing that products within the home can communicate effectively with one another is critical to ensuring end users are content with their smart home now and in years to come.

What are the top trends in product functionality that we’ll see in the future smart home?

In the future smart home, AI will bring significant impact when learning and intelligence make the home context-aware. With this upgrade, safety, comfort, security, convenience, etc. will improve as the smart home will be able to predict and proactively react to consumer wants and needs.

The ability to have a device be truly “smart” vs. just connected and understand the commands a user would make before they even make them is the next step for the technology.

These key drivers and benefits will ultimately make it so that our homes can automatically detect our preferences, like lighting and

temperature, based on which family members are in the room, what time of day it is, and what the weather is like. AI and context-aware technology will completely redefine the user experience in the smart home and expand the possibilities for product and system-wide functionality.

When and how will automation become the norm in verticals such as real estate and building – for example, in new home builds and renovation projects?

We’re well on our way already! As smart adoption continues to grow, home technology is becoming a selling point for new home builds and homeowners looking to include this technology in their homes. No longer settling only for traditional home features, homeowners are seeking properties, or renovating their properties, with connected devices, including smart locks, thermostats, and lighting that provide convenience and security. Real estate agents, builders, and integrators all benefit from increased consumer interest in smart home implementations.

For real estate agents, they might be the first person to explain to their clients the benefits that smart home technology will have on their lifestyle. On the other hand, their client may be quite aware of the possibilities of a wellimplemented smart home; thus the agent is put into a position where they will only show those homes with the technology already in place.

Integrators and builders have the opportunity to partner on new home builds or existing projects – a builder might decide that they want to install smart home systems in a new community to drive increased purchasing interest, for example, and then seek out integrators to partner with for the job.

As a North Gold Partner we have been using the Commander and Zip systems for over 16 years. Here at Intelligent Controls (UK) we have been busy as usual building and integrating BMS and control panels.

We find that our control panels for HVAC integration are more popular than ever. We have also seen a rise in the demand for CrestronHome® integration projects as well as the regular Crestron®, Control4®, Lutron Palladiom® and Savant®.

Please call John who will be happy to assist and guide your project HVAC installation, be the project large or small.

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CALL 01342 717748 support@intelligent-controls.co.uk www.intelligent-controls.co.uk

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ESSENTIAL AUTOMATION PLATFORMS

NATIVE INTEGRATION IS THE KEY Crestron argues that more native integration is the key to smart home success.

Windows. The word means something completely different for an IT professional than for an architect. Smart home too doesn’t have the same meaning for everyone. For some, a smart home is when the TV and sound installation turn on at the same time when pressing the ‘on’ button. But having a smart system does not equal having a smart home.

Native integration is essential for in-home automation, says Jeffrey Singer, Executive Director Global Residential Marketing at Crestron.

“A lot of people think they have a smart home when they have several smart appliances, for instance, different apps communicating with their alarm system, video doorbell or intercom, sound system, home cinema, thermostat, and their lights. That means you just replaced the clutter of touchpads on your wall and remotes on your coffee table with a clutter of apps on your phone. So, you wind up with maybe some smart systems, but you don’t wind up with a smart home because the solution is not integrated. In a complete home automation platform, the different systems talk to each other.”

According to Jeffrey Singer, having a native experience is the key difference between a connected solution and an integrated solution.

“A lot of platforms will connect to different types of devices, but they don’t give you a native experience. You might be able to communicate with your Sonos, but you may not be getting the Sonos experience on your touch screen. Same thing with a smart TV. I might be able to talk to the television, but I’m not pulling in some of the native apps that are running on the smart TV, such as Netflix and Disney+.”

Another key feature of truly smart home automation is communication between the systems. If the different systems are not communicating with each other, it’s highly unlikely that you are saving any energy or saving any money. “Let’s say you have some nice, big windows in your home, where the sunlight comes in”, says Jeffrey. “When it does, your home might be smart enough to know that it doesn’t need to turn the lights on or that it might want to dim the lights. By using natural light, you can save energy. However, when the sunlight is streaming in and your shades are up, you not only let the sunlight in but also the heat. Which means your air-conditioning works overtime. In a truly smart home, where all the systems work together, something completely different happens: the shades lower so that the room doesn’t overheat while keeping some natural light so the lights don’t need to ramp up 100%. That way you can save energy.”

An integrated system is not only economic and environmentally friendly but also

convenient. “Imagine having your TV facing a window. Not ideal, but sometimes you have no other options. When you want to watch tv during the daytime, you want the shades to go down. An integrated system takes care of that.

If your home is smart, it should be smart enough to know that you don’t want a glare on the TV.” Strangely enough, updates that are meant to make your smart home smarter, sometimes have the opposite effect. “If your smart home is connected by tying into APIs, you’re not integrating that native experience. And typically, as a company updates their device, which they regularly do, it affects the API. This often ends the ability for a platform to communicate with the device until or unless the control company updates its controls.”

However, with a native experience that’s fully integrated into the platform, anytime there’s an update made to any given system or device, it just automatically updates and everything continues to function as it always did. “And if it’s really smart, it should learn and evolve”, insists Jeffrey. “Over time, updates should give more features and more functionality.” Something Crestron knows, as they add new partnerships, new devices, and new features every four to six weeks, which get pushed to installed systems from the cloud. “A home automation system that can evolve and improve over time? That’s what I call smart”, concludes Jeffrey.

APRIL 2020 53

INSTALL PIONEERS

SAVANT AT YOUR SERVICE Savant President, JC Murphy, provides an insight into his and company founder, Robert Madonna’s journey through the CI universe.

How did you get involved in the world of luxury automation to begin with?

Technology entrepreneur and Savant founder Robert Madonna had firsthand experience with a legacy control system roughly 15 years ago, and the lack of reliability and repeatability drove Savant to market. Bob envisioned a system that could accommodate rapidly evolving technologies and deliver a customised smart home experience without the burden of laborious programming.

This is how our Blueprint configuration tool was conceived, opening the Savant platform to a myriad of IoT devices.

How has the market changed since you began?

The rate of change, evolution and advancement in the smart home segment has continued to accelerate, and the breadth and range of smart devices is exploding. There are now companies from numerous markets offering some form of smart home service, such as security manufacturers, content providers, audio/ video companies, voice agents and more— and this has brought a tremendous amount of advertising dollars and overall consumer awareness to the smart home concept. The adaptability of the Savant platform has shined in this environment, enabling integrators to give their clients the functionality they desire while continuing to offer the latest features through firmware updates. One example of Savant’s vision is energy management: while the power grid is aging and demand for energy continues to grow, Savant, alongside sister company Racepoint Energy, has brought sophisticated energy automation and microgrid solutions to the luxury residential market.

54 APRIL 2020

Can you tell us a little about your work experience away from Savant that is most relevant to and has helped inform the automation market?

Prior to Savant, Mr. Robert founded Excel Switching, a company that was part of a massive transition in the telecom space as the old voiceonly model was replaced by a voice and data platform. This evolution in telecom required a new IP infrastructure to manage both voice and data—and now Savant is leading the smart home industry toward reliance on an IP infrastructure, as a very similar evolution takes place within the CI channel.

What are some of the most important firsts in automation and integration Savant has achieved?

Right out of the gate, Savant introduced to integrators a smart home platform that cast aside a reliance on laborious custom programming in favour of a much more efficient and reliable software-based configuration engine. Savant then introduced TrueImage, a groundbreaking user experience for mobile devices that enables anyone in the home to simply touch an image of a light to turn on/off/dim/colour change. For entertainment systems, Savant enabled integrators to deliver lossless audio and video over a 10 Gig IP network, creating unprecedented integration flexibility and clarity throughout the home. In Savant’s quest to deliver the most intuitive experience, we created a userdefined scene engine, enabling homeowners to group together specific features and functions that they can access via a single button push or voice command. Most recently, Savant developed Daylight Mode, a customisable lighting control feature that suggests a circadian curve based upon scientific data that highlights time-of-day settings for colour temperature and lighting intensity shifts seamlessly throughout the progression of each day. The Savant app intelligently adjusts for related factors such as geography, time zone and season. Beyond the scientific defaults, users can effortlessly personalise their lighting experience by adjusting timing, intensity and color temperature settings to perfectly suit their daily habits.

What can you tell us about the road map for 2020? What is in store from Savant?

We unveiled a portion of our 2020 roadmap at our recent Integrator Summit in Las Vegas in January. Of course there will be additional, exciting news as the year progresses and we roll toward CEDIA Expo. Here are a few highlights from the summit:

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH RING X LINE Ring Founder and Chief Inventor Jamie Siminoff spoke to attendees at the Savant Summit.

Highlighting the first such relationship in the CI channel, Savant’s partnership integration with Ring, together with the newly unveiled Ring X Line, will deliver a unique experience to customers. Savant will deliver the Ring Video Doorbell experience within their smart home ecosystem, and integrators can expect to see Ring features such as a live view of Ring video, notifications and two-way audio later in 2020.

Along with this amazing product integration, Savant will be the first manufacturer to offer the newly announced Ring X Line of hardware for sale through the Savant Store. The Ring X Line will be available for purchase in March 2020, with features designed specifically for the CI channel.

Initially, the Ring X line will consist of seven devices across the entry and camera categories.

NEW PRODUCT: SAVANT SMART AUDIO At the 2020 Summit, Savant showcased an expansion of the AVB and WiSA-enabled Smart Audio product family, including a new three-channel amplifier with onboard Savant control capability and a beautiful industrial design, the new high-performance free-standing bookshelf speaker designed by Cary Christie for exceptional sound quality and featuring capacitive touch controls on the top surface, and finally a groundbreaking AVB to WiSA Bridge, creating limitless connectivity options for integrators.

These new audio products are slated for delivery later in 2020.

INSTALL PIONEERS

THE ACQUISITION OF NOON HOME Announced at the Summit, Racepoint Energy has acquired the technology and team of NOON Home, including exciting residential lighting control innovations that create new opportunities for integrators. This acquisition will enable Racepoint Energy and sister-company Savant to deliver the most comprehensive and intuitive lighting and intelligent control solutions. NOON offers a complete lighting control platform that can be discovered, configured and controlled with a single app experience. This acquisition will expand both Racepoint Energy and Savant’s lighting control offerings, including the addition of NOON’s unique keypad style to the Savant keypad lineup.

WEST COAST EXPERIENCE CENTRE AT VEGAS MODERN 001 In partnership with Blue Heron, a Southern Nevada-based luxury design/build firm specialising in custom homes and boutique communities, Savant announced a new west coast experience centre coming soon to the Las Vegas Valley. Products featured in Blue Heron’s newest groundbreaking, cutting-edge designed show home, Vegas Modern 001, include an end-to-end lighting solution featuring control and fixtures, Savant’s award-winning user interface, Savant IP audio and speakers, Savant IP Video and Video Tiling, and advanced energy automation including solar, micro grid and flexible load management technology. The all new west coast Savant Experience Center is slated to open summer 2020.

There is plenty more innovation to some from Savant

Why is Savant different to other control platforms? Why should an installer choose it over another system?

experience to best suit their needs. Highly intuitive features such as Savant Scenes heightens consumer interest and increases adoption across a broad spectrum of potential customers. Being able to easily personalise your Savant home is a wonderful selling tool for our integration partners.

Savant offers the industry’s leading user experience, which is easy to navigate and wonderfully personalised. Savant is a software company with a track record of successfully driving innovation in the smart home market, and we are relentlessly customer driven—we listen to feedback from our integration partners and develop or evolve solutions based on feedback from the field. Savant solutions work! This has been proven through millions of use hours in countless applications around the world.

Do you think AI will have an increasing role in home automation?

How will the role of the automation platform develop and change in the coming years? How will they be controlled? What will they do?

Do you still think the consumer marketplace for automation is a confused market space’?

We anticipate offering expanded services and capabilities representing virtually limitless possibilities for the smart home consumer. The demand for energy management and wellness solutions will grow along with entertainment, lighting, climate and other aspects of the smart home. We also expect that artificial intelligence functionality will further permeate smart home platforms as consumers seek to live in healthy, efficient homes that can be tailored to match their lifestyles.

What is your favourite piece of functionality on the Savant system right now?

Savant now offers more personalisation capabilities than ever before, placing the end user in charge of tailoring their smart home

Absolutely! The smart home experience can be enhanced in many ways through suggestive prompts attributable to AI, and we expect this trend to continue and become more integrated within the Savant experience.

We do see the market adjusting as consumers decide if they are part of the DIY group or part of the Do It For Me segment. Almost everything you buy today has an app and some consumers try their hand at deploying smart home functionality on their own. DIY solutions are still in their infancy and users soon tire of having a separate app for every single device—which really is not representative of a smart home experience. That said, we love the increased consumer awareness created by so many DIY products, and of course we appreciate those consumers who find their way from the DIY space to a much more integrated and intuitive Savant experience.

Savant Europe www.savanteurope.co.uk

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56 APRIL 2020

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Please visit the training section at Habitech.co.uk for the complete course programme.

APRIL 2020 57

PRODUCTS

Installers Infrastructure solutions...

INVISION LEVERAGES ENHANCED LILIN CAMERAS Invision has announced that it is now distributing LILIN’s new H.265 range of security cameras.

Exclusive to Invision, the H.265 cameras use the Sony Superior Star Light Sensor, providing Starvis technology for improved low-light and night vision performance.

The new range features a variety of chassis and resolution options, including Turret, Dome and Bullet forms, and 1080p and 5MP resolution. The cameras are equipped with smart alarms as standard, allowing the user to add conditions to the alarms.

Key features include; a lower bandwidth and therefore fewer storage requirements, overexposure reduction, smart alarms- available on all models, day/night switch- by light sensor value, BLC mask area, watermark and rotate mode.

LILIN’s existing P2 and Z2 models are H.265 compatible to reduce storage costs.

LILIN was formed in Taiwan in 1980 and now has 10 offices, employing 500 people worldwide.

After completing a full line up of analogue CCTV equipment, in 2008 the company turned its focus to IP and started innovating, creating many world firsts, and beginning philosophy of agility and focusing primarily on exceptional video image quality.

Invision www.invisionuk.com LILIN www.LILIN.co.uk

Huge range of infrastructure brands stocked covering racks, cables, networking, power management and switching Over 28 years of industry knowledge from skilled technical product specialists Outstanding support, including a range of professional services to support client specifications and installation

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DAN, DAN THE MASTER MAN Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Systems has begun shipping the Progression Integrated Amplifier, the latest addition to the Progression Series.

The Progression Integrated combines the detail retrieval of the Progression Preamplifier with the power and dynamic capability of the Progression Stereo Amplifier topology. Built on a modular platform, the Progression Integrated is suitable for today’s music listener and audiophile says the maker.

The analogue base unit provides two single-ended inputs and three balanced inputs, including a home cinema pass-through.

Balanced preamplifier outputs make for the convenient inclusion of one or more subwoofers.

The Bluetooth Remote control connectivity, first used in the Progression and Momentum HD Preamplifiers, is included as part of the base package. Bluetooth connectivity eliminates line of sight issues and extends the usable range 5x versus conventional IR remote controls.

The heart of the Progression Integrated is formed of fundamental DDMAS technologies, including discrete, balanced, direct-coupled circuitry married to a substantial output stage

delivering 200W per channel into 8Ohms and 400W per channel into 4Ohms. A unique toroidal winding technology, first employed in the Momentum M400 amplifier, delivers greater power output from a conventionally sized transformer, enabling the Progression Integrated to be a compact amplifier for its capability.

The foundation of the Progression Integrated is a traditional line-stage integrated amplifier suitable for all analogue sources, except turntables. If a turntable is part of the current system or added in the future, an optional moving coil phono stage module can be included at the time of production or inserted at a later date.

For those keen to incorporate digital playback, an optional digital module, adding a fully differential hi-res DAC and a full suite of capability, is also available. Eliminating external connections, gain stages and additional components offer distinct sonic advantages.

Coaxial, optical and USB inputs join ethernet and wireless connectivity for in-house networking and internet streaming.

Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Systems www.dandagostino.com

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Available from the experts at

rgbcomms.co.uk or call us today on

01488 73366 RGB Head Office, 2 Lambourn Business Park, Lambourn Woodlands, Hungerford, RG17 7RY

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APRIL 2020 59

DESIGN AT THE SPEED OF THOUGHT.

Every project begins with an idea. With The CEDIA Designer, transform your media room and home theater projects from idea to rendering in a matter of minutes.

Developed by renowned designer Guy Singleton, The CEDIA Designer begins with your specifications, and then perfectly calculates every inch of your design, including the top technology brands for seamless integration.

3D CAD model, complete scale rendering, full documentation, technically perfect math—weeks of design work finished as soon as you can imagine it.

Visit TheCEDIADesigner.org for more information.

PRODUCTS

PACKAGE ROCKS A NEW AP SnapAV has introduced the newest addition to the Pakedge WA Series, the WA-4200 4×4 Wave 2 Indoor Access Point, designed to suit large, high-density residential and commercial projects.

Engineered with advanced 802.11ac Wave 2 and beamforming technology, the WA-4200 delivers for 4K and high-definition streaming applications and many high-speed devices simultaneously. The WA-4200 features a 4×4 MU-MIMO antenna design to deliver a maximum data rate of 2600 Mbps.

With two Gigabit LAN ports and Link Aggregation, the WA-4200 maximises throughput when using a standard managed Gigabit switch to improve wireless performance without the need to upgrade network switches.

Similar to other WA Series models, the WA4200 supports complete cloud configuration for multi-AP deployments with BakPak, significantly reducing configuration and deployment time.

BakPak also enables dealers to remotely manage and monitor their customers’ networks from anywhere in the world using the BakPak desktop or mobile app.

The WA-4200 is easy to install, featuring flexible mounting with a template and accessory

kit included. It’s available in an in-ceiling model with an in-ceiling mounting bracket available for flush installs (mounting brackets sold separately).

“The Pakedge WA Series continues to expand as dealers need capable and reliable networking for the backbone of their smart home and business installations. Last year, we introduced the WA-2200 indoor and outdoor models; now, we’ve expanded the line with our fastest model yet, the WA-4200,” says SnapAV Vice President of Connected Products, Kenny Kim. “Designed for high-density residential and commercial projects, the Pakedge WA-4200 delivers superior performance to multiple high-

speed devices for bandwidth-intensive projects, plus reduced installation time with BakPak. With the addition of the WA-4200, the WA Series delivers a high-performance access point to meet the demands of any project.”

The Pakedge WA-4200 4×4 Wave 2 Access Point is shipping now, and available worldwide to Control4, Pakedge, and Triad dealers.

SnapAV www.snapav.com Pakedge www.pakedge.com

CONNECTED DISTRIBUTION OFFERS THE NEO:X+ AND NEO:8A REVOLUTION Connected Distribution is adding the PulseEight neo:X+ and neo:8a matrixes to its line-up, offering advanced audio functionality, including audio breakout and ARC, alongside wellestablished HD video capabilities.

With the addition of full audio matrix capabilities of the neo:X+ and audio break out on the neo:8a, Connected Distribution’s customers can enjoy greater flexibility with their installations and offer a wider range of options for their projects.

The neo:X+, the latest addition to the PulseEight range and its flagship matrix, has eight HDMI inputs and eight HDBaseT Class C + DSC outputs and permits UHD 4K video transmission at 4K/60, 4:4:4, 8bit or 4K/60 4:2:2, 12bit up to 100m.

Where this unit comes into its own is the audio handling capabilities says Connected Distribution. Three modes: Source, Sink Active and Sink Passive provide varying options for audio distribution via the 10 audio zone outputs, with

optical, digital coaxial and analogue connections.

In Source Mode, the simplest setting, the audio can be extracted from each source input and sent to an external amplifier or audio matrix in the digital or analogue domain.

With Sink Mode Active enabled, the audio breakout outputs on the neo:X+ match what is being shown on the screen, with the audio from the TV redirected down the HDMI ARC line, via the HDBaseT link, and into the matrix. From here the installer can extract it and send it to the amplifier for that zone. And if the installer uses the analogue audio outputs, the original TV remote control can be used to control the volume via CEC. For TVs without the benefit of ARC, Sink Mode Passive is selected and for whichever source connected to the matrix is being viewed,

the audio will be extracted and sent to the amplifier for that room. Audio from the TV may be routed back to the matrix using the optical out on the TV, which is connected to the optical input on the HDBaseT receiver and sent down the HDBaseT line.

Neo:X+ also features four digital audio input zones. This enables the attachment of separate audio sources, such as streamers, which can then be routed to any zone using the audio matrix capabilities of the product.

Connected Distribution www.connecteddistribution.com Pulse Eight. www.pulse-eight.com

APRIL 2020 61

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We can work with you to create a fully integrated solution – don’t worry, you won’t need to become an HVAC expert! Do the sensible thing and contact us now.

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PRODUCTS

NETGEAR COSIES UP TO CRESTRON Netgear has announced that the M4300 series switches are now officially Crestron certified.

As well as being applicable for high end residential and light commercial applications, this certification opens the door to installations such as conference rooms, active learning, huddle spaces, and digital signage.

Netgear has purposely configured the M4300 and new M4500 series switches to work out of the box for most AV over IP installations – and this is the case for Crestron DM NVX endpoints as well. Most other network switches on the Crestron Certified list require a configuration file to function properly.

The certified M4300 switches are preconfigured and require no other setup to work with the Crestron DM NVX encoders and decoders. The result is less time spent configuring the switch and more time to focus on the other parts of the installation.

“The certification of our robust M4300 switches by such a leader in this industry is a fantastic validation of the work Netgear is doing in the pro AV market,” comments Laurent Masia, Director of Product Line Management for Managed Switches.

“Our customers have been asking for this Crestron DM NVX certification and we are very happy to officially be a part of such a great solution.”

“Crestron solutions and the third-party devices that work with them always go through rigorous testing to ensure they are 100% compatible, integrated solutions that meet Crestron’s strict policy for quality and end-user deployment requirements,” adds Bob Bavolacco, Crestron’s Director of Technology Partnerships.

“The certification of Netgear’s M4300 is no exception to this, and benefits the integrator by providing a seamless, compatible switching

solution that is 100% compatible with Crestron’s DM NVX endpoints.”

The M4300 series switches are engineered for AV over IP installations and offer a variety of models to fit a user’s port count and connection type requirements. They can also be stacked allowing for expansion. Netgear IGMP Plus ensures easy multicasting with Zero Touch network configuration out of the box without flooding the network.

Netgear www.netgear.com

ANOTHER WATERTIGHT SOLUTION FROM FARADITE Faradite has announced the introduction of the company’s new Motion Sensor 360 – IP67 – Volt Free, an IP67 rated volt free motion sensor, that opens up a range of automation possibilities in wet rooms, grounds, and gardens.

For this latest innovation, Faradite looked at the market and listened to feedback to create a precisely engineered product to take automation to another level.

Available in white or black, this new IP67 sensor offers control inside and outside, being fully IP67 rated.

Defined as ‘dust tight’ this rating also means the product is protected against immersion in water for 30 minutes at depths of 150mm to 1000mm making it more than capable for use in challenging areas around the home and outside too.

When mounted at a height of 2.5m, the sensor has a 5 x 5-metre detection area further increasing use case scenarios. The sensor is also compatible with control platforms such as Loxone, Crestron, Control4, Lutron and Rako. The unit is powered with 5-35V DC and of course, provides a fully volt free output.

Homeowners love spending time in their kitchens, and the new product has been created so it can cope with anything the modern kitchen can throw at it; grease, dust, and steam are no problem.

Faradite adds that the same is true of any bathroom scenario.

Exterior speaker and lighting systems have increased in recent years, as well as the trend for house designers to create a flowing connection between the exterior and interior of a home as owners move between the two like never before.

The automation opportunities for the exterior of a home are huge argues the maker. From the moment the family arrives in the driveway, to playtime in the grounds or around an exterior kitchen or pool, the chances to create transitions from one use or desired atmosphere to another are considerable.

Faradite www.faradite.com

APRIL 2020 63

PRODUCTS

PROOFVISION STEPS OUTSIDE FOR SOME AIRE ProofVision has launched a new addition to its Aire Outdoor TV range comprising add-on frames that can be clipped onto the outside of the TV, available in any RAL colour.

ProofVision’s Aire Outdoor TVs are a popular way for installers to extend their home automation projects.

Notable features include ultra-high brightness screens which go up to 3000cd/m2, so that they are visible even on the sunniest of days, an IP66 rating meaning that the TVs are waterproof to heavy rain, snow and can be left outside all year round, as well as their compatibility with Control4 and Crestron drivers.

ProofVision also presented its Professional Bathroom TV range at ISE, which has RS232 and IR connectivity,

as well as Crestron and Control4 drivers to connect with ease to a home automation project.

The Professional Bathroom TVs are simple to install, wall-mountable and embeddable and have a heated screen to prevent it from misting up, and are compatible with Smart TV Plugins.

ProofVision is a trade supplier of waterproof electronics which has specialised in providing high quality, competitively priced products since its foundation in 2008. Based in the UK, the company offers outdoor, bathroom TVs and digital signage.

ProofVision www.proofvision.co.uk

ATLONA SHIPS NEW OMEGA SCALING RECEIVER Atlona has introduced a new, versatile HDBaseT receiver in its Omega Series of switching, extension, and video processing solutions for modern workspaces and meeting environments.

The AT-OME-RX31 combines dual HDBaseT receivers with three-input switching, 4K/UHD scaling and a local HDMI input in a space-efficient form factor.

Designed specifically for today’s evolving meeting and gathering spaces, Atlona’s Omega Series is a growing family of essential AV system components that provide simple, plug-and-play operation for presentations, video conferencing sessions, and team collaboration.

The OME-RX31 builds on its sibling ATOME-RX21 with two HDBaseT inputs that receive video up to 4K/UHD at 60 Hz with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling alongside embedded audio, control and Ethernet over distances up to 330 feet (100 meters).

Automatic input selection auto-switches

64 APRIL 2020

between the two HDBaseT inputs and the local HDMI interface when sources are connected or removed, enabling ‘connect and present’ operation for users. High-quality downscaling and upscaling with frame rate conversion preserve colour and spatial detail when converting content between 4K and 1080p, making the OMERX31 well suited for presentation applications in AV environments that use a variety of UHD and HD displays, or for adapting UHD sources to feed 1080p video conferencing hardware codecs.

The OME-RX31 is ideal for use with Atlona’s Omega or UHD-EX Series transmitters – plus Atlona AV presentation switchers with HDBaseT outputs – and can remotely power two HDBaseT transmitters.

Additional integration and user convenience features include automated display control; audio de-embedding with five-band EQ; a dualport Ethernet switch; contact closure ports for

controlling a motorized screen or display lift; trigger I/O ports for an occupancy sensor; aspect ratio control; and test patterns. The OME-RX31 can be remotely managed through the Atlona Management System (AMS) or Atlona’s Velocity IP-enabled AV control platform.

“Many meeting and collaboration spaces require multiple locations where participants can connect their AV devices,” says David Shamir, Director of Product Management, Atlona. “With its twin HDBaseT receivers and local HDMI input, the compact and slim OME-RX31 fits neatly behind a display or above a projector, and lets integrators and end users bring multiple sources together while minimizing the equipment required.”

Atlona www.atlona.com

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