Essential Install February 2019

INSIDE

The essential magazine for the custom install industry

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BRACKETS, RACKING, SUPPORT

METAL MEETS MACHINE MASHUP

CABLES AND CONNECTIONS KEEP THE INFO FLOWING

February 2019

ISE PREVIEW

IT’S AMSTERDAM TIME

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Essential Install | Contents

The essential magazine for the custom install industry

February 2019

INSIDE

February 2019 BRACKETS, RACKING, SUPPORT

METAL MEETS MACHINE MASHUP

CABLES AND CONNECTIONS KEEP THE INFO FLOWING

ISE PREVIEW

IT’S AMSTERDAM TIME

This issue…

REGULARS

FEATURES

5 From the Editor’s Desk

26 EI Live! 2019

7 Essential News

28 Case Study: DVACO Group

EI is ten years old!

Time to sign up to the show!

What’s the buzz?

Chinese villa gets ELAN control

20 Pulse Cinemas

Let Pulse guide you around ISE!

22 CEDIA Speaks

32 Clarity Alliance

Discover your Hi-Fi centrepiece

Make a date with your destiny

24 Essential Habitech

68 Essential Products

ISE brand explainer

Major updates from this dynamic maker

34 Hayden AV Furniture

The launch of an AV-centric furniture brand

38 ISE Preview

What’s on at this year’s event

64 Training Dates

Plans to win

16 HDANYWHERE

49 Brackets, Racking and Support

Massive metal maker montage

A kittastic celebration

54 Wireless Charing

What every installer should know

56 Bluetooth Mesh

Is Bluetooth mesh a control silver bullet?

57 Cables and Connections

Get set for the CI superhighway

Clarity Alliance

32

ISE Preview

38

Brackets

49

Case Study

28

Pending first audit.

2 | February 2019 Contents.indd 2

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10/01/2019 16:03

The essential magazine for the custom install industry

September 2018

The essential magazine for the custom install industry

April 2018

The essential magazine for the custom install industry

December/January 2019

The essential magazine for the custom install industry

February 2018

The essential magazine for the custom install industry

Image Courtesy of Eagle Sentry

The smart building design revolution by

pages 24-25

with

Tim Sinnaeve, Barco residential managing director, explores how installers can help the interior design community improve their projects and

PLENTY OF TOP LAUNCHES

20/09/2018 11:32

The essential magazine for the custom install industry

January 2018

LIGHTING & LIGHTING CONTROL

EI LIVE! PREVIEW AN ABUNDANCE OF AV ALL-STARS

LET THERE BE LIGHT

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TOUCHSCREENS & PROGRAMMING

COMPLETE CONTROL

19/04/2018 16:10

The essential magazine for the custom install industry

July 2018

ACOUSTIC TREATMENT

SOUND AS A POUND ADVICE

MUSIC SYSTEMS OUR AUDIOPHILE REPORT

ESSENTIAL REVIEW

PHILIPS TV IS BACK!

Cover.indd 1

20/12/2018 14:17

The essential magazine for the custom install industry

June 2018

FLATSCREEN TVS AND MONITORS

WHAT’S NEW TO VIEW

TRAINING

NO TRAIN, NO GAIN

ISE REVIEW

A DAM GOOD SHOW

27/02/2018 11:33

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The essential magazine for the custom install industry

October 2018

AUTOMATION/ AV APPS DON’T WORRY, BE APPY

PROJECTORS AND SCREENS GET THE BIG PICTURE

INSIDE

IFA/CEDIA

INSIDE

FEEL THE WAY TO INCREASED FUNCTIONALITY

INSIDE

SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA

Cover.indd 1

INSIDE

SPEAKER FEATURE

INSIDE

INSIDE

become an essential part of the plan not part of the problem.

TOUCH-SCREENS AND INTERFACES

February 2019

design as a service

EN 50575

Designing a Better World

August 2018

daas

CPR

COMPLIANT

Construction Products Regulation

10

The essential magazine for the custom install industry

LIGHT/AMBIENT LIGHT CONTROL

ILLUMINATION TIME

BRACKETS, RACKING, SUPPORT

METAL MEETS MACHINE MASHUP

CABLES AND CONNECTIONS KEEP THE INFO FLOWING

ISE PREVIEW

IT’S AMSTERDAM TIME

24/08/2018 10:35

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The essential magazine for the custom install industry

May 2018

The essential magazine for the custom install industry

November 2018

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BRACKETS, RACKING AND SUPPORT

HOLD FAST FOR OUR HANGING SOLUTIONS

20/07/2018 10:37

TRAINING TIME CAVALCADE OF CLEVER COURSES

S!

INSIDE

ISE PREVIEW DAM IT!

INSIDE

INSIDE

Advert Front cover samples (ARTWORK).indd 4

CABLES & CONNECTIONS

FOCAL FOCUS

EXCLUSIVE BEHIND THE SCENES ACCESS

23/07/2018 16:12

DIGITAL SIGNAGE SIGN OF THE TIMES

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MEDIA SERVERS SERVING 4K REALNESS

A NEW TV EXPERIENCE AWAKENS The all new AF9. Our best OLED picture quality, combined with our groundbreaking Acoustic Surface Audio+ in an iconic design.

MATRIXES

SIGNALS FROM A TO B

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CABLES AND CONNECTIONS DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION DELIVERY

INTEGRATED SECURITY STAY SAFE AND SECURE

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NETWORKING AND REMOTE MANAGEMENT

THE NEXT STEP IN CI EVOLUTION

26/10/2018 14:14

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EI LIVE! REVIEW

SMART HOME HAVEN

SPEAKERS

MAD SOUNDS

INSIDE

Support

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Innovation

INSIDE

YEAR

We craft audio products that perform like no other, based upon a profound understanding of how people hear.

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HOME CINEMA SEATING COMFORT AND STYLE

MATRIX AND SIGNAL MANAGEMENT YOUR PATH TO RELIABILITY

23/11/2018 10:35

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From the

Editor’s Desk

Essential Install is celebrating a decade of success this month

Essential Install is ten years old!

Daniel J Sait, Editor-in-Chief

Celebrating a decade of success this month, it’s my absolute pleasure to announce that Essential Install is officially ten years old. The very first issue of the magazine came out in February of 2009 and featured on the cover an interview with Martin Lawrence, who was then heading up one of the UK’s first multi-room AV companies, Living Control. These days Martin can be found at distributor Habitech acting as the company’s technical manager having continued to blaze a trail through the sector delivering products such as the flow7, a family of Android in-wall touchscreens, designed specifically for the CI and automation market.

This is just one story of the many thousands that the magazine has covered over the years and now EI sits proudly at the top of the industry continuing its mission to mine all the best information directly from the coal face on the industry.

However, this has not happened over night and EI does not mind admitting that when the idea for the magazine was first pitched and explained, quite a bit of which took place at that year’s ISE show, there was some scepticism and the question was asked, ‘do we really need another magazine in the market?’

A fair question, at the time there were several already serving the domestic installation market. However, with the concept we had in mind which involved observing only

the highest quality approaches in terms of editorial and publishing, as well as forming a genuine partnership with the industry, we were confident the market would respond.

And respond it did, fast forward to a decade later and there are fewer titles in the market as others struggled to keep up with what EI was offering, ‘build it and they will come’ delivered in trade magazine form.

We also wanted to build other products around the magazine including awards and a live show. With our new venue for EI Live! this year and the continued success of the Smart Building Awards, the EI concept has delivered on that promise too. It’s easy to forget that 10 years ago, none of this existed at all, and now the magazine has a whole decade of supporting the industry under its belt and we are looking forward to many more, with new ideas, features and a never ending enthusiasm for the market we serve.

EI also wants to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to the success of the magazine, staff past and present have all helped build what we have today. The market and the companies that support the magazine with their input are of course vital, as always its all about building partnerships and that is what we have done and will continue to do in this fast paced sector which is set once again for a very big year.

See you at ISE and EI Live!

Essential INSTALL MAGAZINE

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Daniel Sait, dan@allthingsmedialtd.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR: Jordan O’Brien, jordan@allthingsmedialtd.com SALES DIRECTOR: Ian Kitchener, ian@allthingsmedialtd.com PUBLISHER: David Kitchener, david@allthingsmedialtd.com ACCOUNTS: susan@allthingsmedialtd.com CIRCULATION: carol@allthingsmedialtd.com STUDIOEssential MANAGER: Ben Bristow, ben@allthingsmedialtd.com GRAPHIC DESIGN: Jon Appleton, jon@allthingsmedialtd.com

INSTALL MAGAZINE

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

Essential INSTALL MAGAZINE

Ed's Comment.indd 5

11/01/2019 14:56

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11/01/2019 10:44

Essential Install | News

Essential News Sponsored by

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Smart home happenings and automation announcements

The Krix brand offers a wide choice of install options

Indigo Distribution announces supply of Krix loudspeakers Billed as the distributor’s new go-to brand for high-end home cinema rooms, the Krix story began in the 70s with its founder Scott Krix building speakers for his friends and family. Eventually Scott’s reputation grew, having first been commissioned by Australia’s major picture house, before becoming the reference point in the Australian cinema industry. Now it’s the leading Australian brand for high-end custom-install speakers, with Krix having established itself as a strong sought-after global brand for commercial and residential cinema speakers across the world.

The addition of Krix to the brand portfolio is another step for Indigo to offer a full range of high-quality products that are trusted and loved by installers, says the company.

From the Sound Image Custom Installation Product of the Year, four-times MX series, designed for larger dedicated home theatres, to the unique finishing service that enables installers to have products in any Pantone colour the client desires, and the more visible products in the portfolio, Krix truly has something for everybody says Indigo.

Marc Waple, sales and marketing director of Indigo Distribution, believes that Krix will provide a great opportunity, “We understand that sound is an emotive topic, and everybody has their favourites.

However, without exception, our entire team were blown away by the performance, characteristics and aggressive price points from Krix and we know our customers will agree. The wide range of products also offers a full spectrum for installers to choose from, which means that they can fully adapt the install to their customers’ needs, with the guarantee of always delivering a high-quality sonic experience.

We are excited for the future and can’t wait to get products into our integrators hands and ears!”

Ashley Krix, part owner of Krix, adds, “As a continuously growing brand, Krix needed to find a trusted and like-minded distributor in the UK, and the obvious choice was Indigo. Indigo have a tremendous team and offer exceptional services to their customers, so we knew right from the beginning that our products and brand image would be in good hands.”

Both Krix and the Indigo team will be on hand offering product information and demonstrations throughout the duration of ISE 2019, Stand 14-M205.

Indigo Distribution 02891 455 565, indigodistribution.co.uk

February 2019 | 7 News.indd 7

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Habitech adds Acurus and Middle Atlantic Habitech has announced a distribution agreement with Acurus, a US-based specialist in the design and manufacture of high-end audio processors and amplifiers for luxury home theatres.

Acurus is a multi-award-winning American-made brand, dedicated to the delivery of flawless sound, build and operational quality.

Deploying advanced and proprietary technologies for audio, system set-up and control, Habitech says Acurus creates perfectly balanced solutions for demanding smart home installations. The current range comprises three processing models including the ACT-4 designs (up to 20-channel) and the new, slender 2RU ‘MUSE’ processor, scheduled for UK release in Q1 this year. Supporting amplifiers include the two-channel Aries model, the Scorpion multizone design, and the new eight-channel M8, matching and launching with the MUSE processor.

In 2016, the award-winning ACT 4 16-channel immersive processor became the first of its kind to launch in the sub £10K price range with full Dolby Atmos and DTS:X integration. Whether the need is for power, performance, flexibility, durability or upgradeability, its new distributor says Acurus products will deliver an experience of outstanding quality, supported by a five-year warranty across the board.

Habitech’s MD Jonathan Pengilley, says, “We’ve been looking for an exceptional audio processing brand to complement the performance of our Wisdom speaker line, and with its celebrated engineering pedigree, Acurus fits the bill perfectly. Acurus will enhance our peerless offer of performance, versatility and support to high-end cinema designers.”

Acurus’ VP of international sales, Sheldon Combs, adds, “We are very excited to partner with Habitech in the UK. They are a great organisation and Acurus fits nicely with their product offering. Acurus products are on the cutting edge of technology with the reliability that has earned them a great reputation among installers around the world.”

Habitech will now also be offering Middle Atlantic products, with the company now distributing the rack manufacturer’s equipment in the UK. The deal represents the latest partnership between the distributor and Legrand, the parent company of Middle Atlantic.

Habitech is already responsible for distributing other Legrand products, including the MyHome_Up home automation system.

Habitech’s customers will have access to Middle Atlantic’s floorstanding racks in gangable and standalone SKUs, ranging in capacity from 19 to 54 spaces (with the extra-tall VMRK models) complete with accessories; a full selection of space-saving pull-out and slide-out rack styles ranging in capacity from eight to 44 rack spaces, and wall mount racks from two to 46 rack spaces.

In addition to sales support, Habitech is also bringing accelerated order delivery to Middle Atlantic’s range thanks to a new 100,000 sq-ft bonded facility in Rotterdam, which, in tandem with Habitech’s Basingstoke warehouse, promises to reduce lead times from up to two months to just seven days or less for the most popular models.

Habitech 01256 638500, habitech.co.uk

Acurus is now available from Habitech

February 2019 | 9 News.indd 9

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Essential Install | News – Sponsored by

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Government to fund smart homes to deliver digital skills ‘Smart homes’ are to be created to help older and disabled people get digital skills, as well as tackle loneliness in rural areas.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has announced funding for a number of ‘smart homes’ with digitally savvy older people demonstrating tech in their own homes as part of a scheme to boost the nation’s digital skills.

The homes will be created in rural West Essex by a partnership led

by Uttlesford Council for Voluntary Service and will see homeowners become trained ‘digital boomers’ to help others improve their digital skills. They will receive a digital assessment, before having their homes ‘kitted out’ with the technology.

These ‘experts’ will then open their homes for older people to visit so they can learn first-hand from their peers how to make the most of smart technology to control household appliances, book GP appointments online, contact friends and family by video, and shop online. Younger, ‘digital buddies’ will also be on hand to support with digital skills.

The scheme is one of three to be given a share of £400,000 by DCMS to improve older and disabled people’s lives through the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund. The fund will also see an app created by the Down’s Syndrome Association to allow people with Down’s Syndrome to monitor their weight and exercise levels from their smartphones to promote good health and well-being.

The Government says more than 70% of people with Down’s Syndrome are classed as overweight or obese. The app will be the first of its kind specifically designed for those with Down’s Syndrome.

It will also aim to connect people with a wider community of users which can help combat loneliness.

The Weldmar Hospicecare Trust will also explore, for the first time, how the lives of end-of-life and palliative patients can be improved through new technology and skills.

The project aims to research and develop technology to allow users to report on their health on a daily basis; provide consultations in a timely, convenient and cost-effective way via video to help patients with regular appointments; and support carers and families who are often also at risk of isolation and detrimental health and wellbeing impacts, while improving their digital skills.

DCMS gov.uk/government/organisations/ department-for-digital-culture-media-sport

Pulse-Eight Limited acquires Zektor Incorporated Pulse-Eight, manufacturer of home AV distribution products, has announced the acquisition of Zektor, a San Diego-based provider of audiovisual distribution products. The joint venture allows the opportunity to boost the current product line and work towards an expanded portfolio of intelligent AV systems.

All products will be built in the UK, at Pulse-Eight’s own manufacturing facility in Poole, Dorset and will be supported by the existing Zektor team in San Diego.

Martin Ellis, managing director of Pulse-Eight, said, “Zektor is a fantastic audio matrixing brand with proven pedigree in the industry.

Bringing them into the Pulse-Eight product family is a natural fit for us and I am incredibly excited to welcome them on board.”

Zektor products will be on display on Pulse-Eight’s stand at ISE in Amsterdam, you can find them on Stand 9-B173. For more information, visit the Pulse Eight website.

Pulse-Eight 01202 413610, pulse-eight.com

The Zektor brand has been purchased

by UK manufacturer Pulse Eight

February 2019 | 11 News.indd 11

15/01/2019 09:28

Essential Install | News – Sponsored by

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Alltrade adds ELAN, Furman and Sunfire

Alltrade expands its CI portfolio once again

In-line with an expanded presence in the UK for brands under the Nortek Security and Control umbrella, Alltrade has announced the addition of ELAN, Furman and Sunfire to its portfolio of products.

Alltrade will offer a comprehensive range of smart home, integrated CCTV security and CI AV products from ELAN, backed up by its successful regional training programme for installers.

Furman mains power conditioners and Sunfire install loudspeakers add premium ranges in these categories to Alltrade’s CI portfolio.

Steve Simper, managing director at Alltrade, comments, “Adding ELAN’s cutting-edge entertainment and control system to our range will enable Alltrade’s growing base of CI trade customers to compete for install projects at any level.

ELAN is a top-tier control platform with 30 plus years of experience in home and commercial automation, an awardwinning user interface and broad range of competitively priced, easy-to install products. Backed by our trade counters, regional training and free planning and support services, these new brands firmly position Alltrade as one of the UK’s leading CI distributors.”

All six Alltrade trade counters have a dedicated training room, and an ongoing free-to-attend ELAN installer training programme will commence from January 2019.

The training calendar will be published on the Alltrade website with courses rolling out in Brighton & Hove, Cardiff, Hemel Hempstead, Maidstone, Bournemouth and Reading.

Lee Harding, technical director for CI at Alltrade, adds, “ELAN represents a huge opportunity for our CI trade customers. The brand has an enviable reputation for ease of installation and offers a wide range of compatible, branded products from remote controls to video surveillance, and HDBaseT units to install amplifiers and loudspeakers. We plan to offer regular in-branch workshops and training programs for new ELAN partners in the UK, and further build our ELAN training programme into specialist areas through 2019.”

The appointment of Alltrade coincides with ELAN choosing the UK as its new home in Europe.

From January 2019, ELAN’s parent company, Nortek Security and Control, will open the doors to its new support centre in Nottingham. From this new operational base, the company will actively support sales, marketing and technical support for local distributors in Europe including Alltrade.

Alltrade: 0844 225 2700, alltrade.co.uk

Essential people

Mike CunninghamClayton

Peerless-AV has announced the appointment of Mike Cunningham-Clayton to the position of director of sales for the UK Professional Division. Mike joins Peerless-AV from a senior management role in distribution, bringing over 25 years’ of AV experience and extensive insight into the UK AV channel. He will be responsible for leading a strong, ambitious sales team renowned for its close industry relationships with distributors, resellers, integrators and consultants.

“Announcing Mike as our new director of sales UK is a major milestone for the business and is one of several strategic appointments as we continue our journey of growth as an AV technology manufacturer in new emerging markets,” said Keith Dutch, managing director – EMEA. “Mike is hugely respected across the UK Industry, not only for his knowledge, but for his welcoming, friendly personality, which fits in well with our company ethos.”

Prior to Peerless-AV, Mike held commercial management roles at various leading UK AV distributors with responsibility for key vendors in the LFD sector and associated technologies, including Peerless-AV. His direct customer experience and knowledge of application requirements across different verticals, such as QSR, corporate, education, retail and live events, will be important for applying the features and benefits of Peerless-AV products to real world scenarios.

Commenting on his new position, Mike said, “It’s an exciting time to join Peerless-AV. My job now is to take UK sales to the next level with the new and dynamic product lines that are gathering momentum and customer interest.

I already know the brand, the portfolio and sales team very well so I’m all set to get off to a flying start.”

Midwich, specialist trade distributor to the audiovisual (AV) and document solutions market has announced the promotion of both Lee Harris and Ross Floyd to divisional

director, following the planned retirement of long-serving commercial director Lee Baker.

Lee Harris will become divisional director focusing on AV (Midwich Ltd) and Ross Floyd will assume a wider role as divisional director covering AV, Document Solutions and further technologies.

Lee Baker will be passing over his responsibilities to Lee Harris and Ross Floyd in January following an extensive handover period.

Lee Baker has been with Midwich since 2002 and has played an invaluable role working within the UK management team and was instrumental in the development of the AV business. He will be retiring at the end of December to pursue other activities outside of the group.

Lee Baker, commercial director, commented, “I’ve had a fantastic time at Midwich and met so many brilliant people. I’m proud of how Midwich has grown from a small Diss-based business to a global player. It’s been an amazing journey and I’ve seen some amazing things.”

Mark Lowe, Midwich managing director, added, “I am sad to see Lee leave, having worked together as friends and colleagues for many years. Lee’s legacy will live on in our business in the way that we work with our vendors and he will leave a lasting impression.

“We say goodbye to Lee, but at the same time, we are excited about the succession plan that has afforded Lee Harris and Ross Floyd a well-deserved promotion.”

In a joint statement, Ross Floyd and Lee Harris, divisional directors, said, “We are both excited by the opportunities our new roles present us. We look forward to continuing Lee Baker’s great work in building rapport with our vendor and reseller partners during his time at Midwich. Our longstanding relationships set us apart from the competition and we’re excited to continue growing these and contributing towards Midwich’s future growth.”

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Essential People

Miguel Alonso

Mark Walker

Nortek Security & Control LLC (NSC) has announced that Miguel Alonso, a seasoned technology and business leader, has joined NSC as vice president of product management, with global product responsibility for NSC’s control, AV and perimeter access businesses. Miguel brings with him over 20 years’ of experience building market leading products focused on transforming networks and business models.

“We are excited to have a product and business leader like Miguel head our product strategy and initiatives moving forward, as we bring forward the solutions that deliver on the promise of the intelligent home,” said Joe Roberts, NSC executive vice president of marketing & innovation. “The opportunity is now for us to transform the smart home industry by combining our artificial intelligence and software analytics technologies with our innovative and growing portfolio of smart connected devices and systems for residential smart home.”

“Nortek Security & Control is at the forefront of innovation with solutions and technologies that span virtually every product category within the connected home,” said Miguel Alonso. “Our AI and software analytics technologies and our connected home platform, present us with a once in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform the traditional connected home industry with truly intelligent homes that deliver peace of mind, comfort, convenience, and entertainment to their residents.”

GJD hits the ground running in 2019 with the appointment of Jason Hill as the company’s commercial director. Mark Tibbenham, managing director of GJD has big plans for the British manufacturer of external motion sensors and LED lighting, and has recruited Jason Hill to help deliver his aspirations.

Mark said, “Even though we were 2017 recipients of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, International Trade there are a significant number of markets where we have no representation and Jason can help us identify suitable distributors and partners globally. We are also expanding in the US after opening an office in Los Angeles last year and focusing on the home automation market there, Jason is extremely well connected with that sector in North America.

“Most importantly GJD has ambitious new product development plans and we need to communicate those effectively to a large potential market. Having worked with Jason over the last few years on a number of projects and partnerships, I felt he was the man we needed to take our business to the next phase.”

Jason Hill commented, “It is very satisfying to be working for a British security manufacturer after all these years in the industry. GJD is growing fast and is already recognised as a UK export success story, but there is still so much more potential. I will be busy travelling the world to meet new partners and supporting the US operation as it expands.

Mark has already done the hard work of enabling support of GJD products into home automation platforms, so I need to work on market awareness. Reliable human detection in external applications is in huge demand from end users and we have the technology to deliver that, I have also seen the product roadmap for the next two years and there are some great projects on the horizon.”

Mark Tibbenham and Jason Hill (right)

Jason joins GJD from Taiwanese surveillance manufacturer LILIN, where he was UK MD for 20 years and latterly group vice president.

B-Tech AV Mounts, a designer and manufacturer of AV mounting solutions, has announced the promotion of Mark Walker to director of operations (UK).

Mark has been with B-Tech since 2007, and during that time has worked with most facets of the business, as well as establishing himself as one of the most well-known and popular faces in the AV world. Having started out in internal tech sales, it soon became clear that Mark is at his best when with people and his career has seen him progress in roles as area sales manager, key account manager and senior business development manager.

Known as the media face of B-Tech, Mark has also been instrumental in the development of the successful System X range around the globe, along with the online configurator that has changed the way integrators specify their mounting solutions. His new role will see him take charge of all B-Tech’s UK operations as the company realigns itself with its continued global growth.

Matt Bennett, managing director of the B-Tech International Group, said, “I am absolutely delighted to announce Mark as our director of operations for the UK. Mark is a fantastic all-rounder and has demonstrated great aptitude in all aspects of company operations. Whether it be on the sales front, customer relations, internal operations or product development, Mark has proven himself to be the ideal person to lead and drive B-Tech in the UK. Mark will have full responsibility of the dayto-day operations for B-Tech in the UK, with the current management team reporting to him directly.”

“The past eleven years have been an incredible journey,” said Mark. “I am immensely proud to have played my part in establishing B-Tech as a key player in the world of AV mounts and I am relishing the challenge of this new, exciting position.

“Clearly, my new role will bring added duties, but I still hope to see everyone at trade shows and industry gatherings, as well as continuing to pop up in the occasional B-Tech promotional video!

I’m looking forward to further driving B-Tech AV Mounts in the UK marketplace as we bring a focused and cohesive management structure to our global operations.”

14 | February 2019 News.indd 14

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15/01/2019 16:02

Essential Install | HDANYWHERE

HDANYWHERE will showcase a number of new HDMI 2.0 compatible MHUBs at ISE

MHUB 2.0, much more than HDMI distribution.

HDANYWHERE unifies room-to-room entertainment with centralised video, audio and control packages.

Check it all out at ISE Stand 5-U62, February 5-8.

HDANYWHERE has evolved over recent years, diversifying and innovating to become much more than just a HDMI distribution brand. It has launched products in new categories such as distributed multiroom audio and universal control to become a more complete, singlebrand AV solution provider in residential and light commercial markets.

At Integrated Systems Europe (Stand 5-U62) HDA will reveal six new MHUB 2.0 video matrix models, standalone uControl zone processors, and a new version audio matrix-amplifier to its multiroom AV system lineup. But just as important as the new hardware is seeing HDA’s seamless integration with control systems like Control4, NEEO, RTI, Loxone and HDA’s own remote app uControl.

Chris Pinder, HDANYWHERE founder, explains, “On the video front, 2019 delivers significant performance upgrades to our HDMI-based products to support the latest emerging technologies in the world of multimedia content, such as 4K HDR and ARC. At ISE visitors will be

able to get hands on and experience all the new product launches. Whether that’s 4K HDR MHUB or uControl, NEEO integration or MHUB Audio’s amazing sound – at ISE we will demonstrate it all with aplomb.”

MHUB 2.0 has been designed for the most modern home entertainment market requirements: the new matrix models ‘MHUB U 2.0’ and ‘MHUB PRO 2.0’ are (unsurprisingly) fully HDMI 2.0 compatible, boasting 18G HDMI interfaces that support the latest 4K HDR video content, and Dolby Atmos surround sound. As with all MHUB systems, they’re easily-controlled via the bundled-free uControl universal remote app or with Alexa voice control. Remote system management is also available via the HDA Cloud service, a popular plus point for the modern integrator.

The new MHUB PRO 2.0 systems feature a range of performance improvements and functionality upgrades, which specifically address the needs of a contemporary install. Check out the handy graphic below summerising the new functionality.

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Essential Install | HDANYWHERE

4 NEW FEATURES OF

2.0

4K HDR

Equipped with 18G HDMI interfaces and backplane supporting Ultra HD 4K/60 (4:4:4). HDBaseT 2.0 can transmit 4K to displays up to 100 metres away over a single Cat6 cable with no latency.

↓ ARC

Internal video scaling

Fix certain video zones with downscaling to 1080p, without affecting higher 4K resolution zones, so that every display is always performing at its best.

Flexible grabbing audio

Extracted audio can be ‘grabbed’ from either the source or display (HDMI-ARC) for connection to amps, active speakers or soundbars.

Internal audio matrix

An internal independent audio matrix switcher for flexible routing of the grabbed audio, with volume and delay adjustments to make managing audio easy for integrators.

MHUB PRO 2.0 has a number of new much-desired integrator features

Video and audio, room-to-room

HDA is a room-to-room home entertainment innovator, recently launching MHUB V&A – a complete solution for watching and listening throughout the home. An MHUB V&A system delivers multiple locations of pixel-perfect 4K video and 110W amplified audio zones from a central point. In addition to HDMI video matrix switchers (the MHUB ‘V’ part), HDA offers a newly multi-zone audio matrix-amplifier with improved DSP (the MHUB ‘A’ part) and a universal control system, uControl, to bring it all together. Maximising multimedia enjoyment throughout the whole home with immersive entertainment, but without the usual tech clutter dotted about.

Centralise, maximise and unify MHUB V&A (video and audio) stacked systems provide up to 8 zones of 4K video and up to 12 amplified audio zones

MHUB systems enable users to centralise video sources so that they’re hidden away, thus creating neater, uncluttered living spaces. Financial investments in AV devices and content are maximised through multiple display usage and enhancements in performance, like improved sound or more straightforward control.

Entertainment throughout the home becomes a more unified experience with consistent content availability

and a familiar, intuitive control interface everywhere with the uControl app. Ultimately, HDA products deliver higher quality audio-visual experiences, pixel perfect images, honed impactful sound and new universal control options, like app and voice that fundamentally improve the relationship people have with AV in their homes.

Chris points out, “Modern homes are filled with more technology than ever before. At HDA we’re proud to be behind your home entertainment in more ways than one.

MHUB multiroom TV and audio systems act as a central connection hub for the plethora of popular AV devices, working discreetly behind the scenes to deliver seamless room-to-room entertainment experiences. Whether that be the background music of our favourite playlist or the captivating foreground of a big live sports event, a centralised video and audio system offers better watching and listening experiences throughout today’s smarter, neater homes.”

Universal Control

HDA has also worked hard on making the control of whole-home AV easier than ever. The free uControl app unifies and simplifies complete AV system control within a single screen and liberates HDA from the shackles of being exclusively dependent on third-party control systems to deliver a functional interface. The latest version of the uControl app brings a more refined and simplified interface that makes controlling entertainment throughout the whole-home more immediate and intuitive. For example, the volume can now be controlled using the hardware buttons on phones/tablets. It may sound like a minor change, but it’s another step towards making app-based control a more tactile and familiar experience for users.

uControl ZPM

In 2019 uControl won’t just be a value added feature of every MHUB matrix, but also a dedicated product in its own right with two standalone zone processors being released.

The ZP and ZPM provide wired infrared, serial or CEC control of a full set of devices in a room via the uControl App.

Patented IO Expanding Integration

But HDA’s focus on uControl doesn’t mean that it has gone cold for third-party controllers – far from it!

Integrators will appreciate the new Chowmain-written IP control drivers that integrate a V&A stack super-easily with third-party control systems like Control4 and RTI for a great pro-integration experience. The new drivers leverage HDA’s patented uControl IP2IR technology to utilise the IR I/O ports on both the central HDMI matrix and the HDBaseT display receivers to deliver additional and expanded control capability to third-party control systems. This means that MHUB matrix systems allow third-party controllers to utilise the MHUB’s multi-zone IR pathways as IO port expansion, giving additional infrared outputs for easy control and integration of all AV components without requiring more control system hardware, and at no additional cost. All the new functionality and units will be available for shipping by the time ISE takes place.

HDANYWHERE are at ISE, Hall 5 Stand U62 HDANYWHERE 01684 576 348, hdanywhere.com

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Essential Install | OneAV

What to expect from OneAV in 2019

EI delivers a rundown of all that can be seen on the OneAV stand (1-N110) at ISE 2019 and introduces a new team member.

Andy Oattes has recently joined the OneAV team heading up sales and customer relationships

OneAV is the only UK distributor with a dedicated booth at ISE. Aptly located in hall one, Stand N110, OneAV’s big brand show floor attractions include the NEEO PRO CIfriendly remote, 4K HDMI over 1 GigE IP video distribution and videowall from Just Add Power, French speaker brand Focal, multiroom AV matrix brand HDANYWHERE, and THX certified cinema HDMI interconnects from Pixelgen.

There will also be a choice of AVIT connectivity solutions from PureLink.

Just in time for ISE, OneAV is making quality additions to the leadership team with the arrival of Andy Oattes.

Having previously worked in senior roles at high-end audio brands Naim, Lode Audio and most recently, Focal, Andy joins to head up sales and customer relationships.

Andy says, “I’m excited to be involved with bringing so many cool brands that have great products and stories to dealers at ISE and in the UK. I can’t wait to bring my ideas on customer engagement and high service standards to OneAV. Ultimately, it’s about making OneAV a great company to do business with, and that starts with the quality of our service and relationship. The whole OneAV experience must be a collaborative and enjoyable one.”

ISE detail

OneAV is the official supplier of NEEO remote control to the CI channel. NEEO will be releasing the NEEO PRO at ISE with hardware available to demo on the OneAV booth this year. OneAV is expecting much traffic with interest in the NEEO PRO, regarded extremely well amongst the integrator community.

Kings of 4K HDMI over 1 GigE IP video distribution and videowall applications, Just Add Power will be showing two new additions to their ever-growing line

up. Backwards compatible with their 2G hardware (released in 2009) are two new transmitters adding more functionality and options for both video and audio distribution on the HD/IP network.

French speaker brand Focal, has a presence in hall 14 but is also on display at OneAV. In a recent Home Cinema Choice review of the 300 series ICW8 it received five stars.

The reviewer noted, “Focal’s 300 ICW 8s are superb for the money. They sound rich but detailed, deliver high SPLs and, thanks to that tool-free clamp, are among the easiest to fit inceiling loudspeakers on the market. Focal has delivered an audiophile speaker in a sleek, build-in format, and its neutral balance should make it a good choice for Atmos overheads irrespective of your main speaker brand.”

HDANYWHERE is launching six new MHUB 2.0 video matrix models, standalone uControl zone processors and an improved audio matrix-amplifier to its multiroom AV system line-up. Designed for the most-modern home entertainment market requirements, the new matrix models ‘MHUB U 2.0’ and ‘MHUB PRO 2.0’ are fully HDMI 2.0 compatible, boasting 18G HDMI interfaces that support the latest 4K HDR video content and Dolby Atmos surround sound.

The new MHUB PRO 2.0 systems feature a range of performance improvements and functionality upgrades, which specifically address the needs of a contemporary install.

Canadian HDMI innovators, and favourites of cinema enthusiasts globally, Pixelgen will be displaying its latest PXLGLASS THX certified HDMI interconnects. The number one German brand will be showing a wide range of AVIT connectivity solutions, including the newly announced SDVOE driven IPAV PRO rugged AV over IP system for the rental and staging market, alongside a rainbow selection of slim Cat6 network cables and ultimate professional Cat6a infrastructure range.

With expanding operations in the UK and Germany, and with more planned offices opening in new countries this year, OneAV is one of Europe´s fastest growing specialist AV technology distributors.

Christian Ahrens, CEO OneAV, says, “After the concept of OneAV took shape three years ago, today we have secured the best product portfolio, built our website oneav.eu and created an impressive backend logistics. I am excited about the potential of our growing business and look forward to the future.”

James Trumper, OneAV Director, adds, “The particular strengths of our Europe-wide concept are our industry experience and logistics. Our additional value-added services like multilingual local marketing, training, and support are the reasons for the steady growth of our company. It’s this uniqueness that makes OneAV so attractive to manufacturer brands looking for a European distribution partner.”

OneAV 01685 576 348, oneav.co.uk

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HALL 1 - N110

01684 576 348

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sales@oneav.co.uk

oneav.co.uk

15/01/2019 09:15

Essential Install | Pulse Cinemas

The ingredients available from Pulse Cinemas have never been more enticing. Find out more at ISE how the brand line-up can help you

Pulse Cinemas, your ISE concierge

Sign up with Pulse Cinemas and take the grand ISE tour that will deliver maximum benefit for your trip.

We all know big shows like ISE can be difficult to get the maximum benefit from right? Who do you go and see?

Where are they based? How long does it take to walk from one appointment to the other? What if there is nobody available to talk when you do get there? Will the demo be full? These are just a few of the challenging questions that rise up to meet the AV and cinema orientated installer on arrival or when planning a show visit.

Well Pulse Cinemas says it has the perfect answer to those questions – don’t worry about any of them, and let Pulse do the organising!

To this end, the company will have a full complement of its experts out at the show ready to take dealers around the show in a series of pre-arranged tours that ensure installers get to talk to the right people, at the right time, all of the time. The tours are designed into time slots and streams to suit each visitors’ different priorities. Amongst the focuses this year will be Anthem and Paradigm brands, StormAudio, Screen Research, Digital Projection and Fortress Seating as well as AudioControl and, of course, Kaleidescape.

Pulse MD, Mike Beatty explains, “With ISE expanding year on year, we recognise it can be a huge task just getting around the show and organising to make sure you get real benefit from attending. As we are committed to genuinely adding value in everything we do, the team here has made sure that our dealers can just turn up and see all of the brands, the demos, and key staff to plan their portfolios and projects for the coming year.”

There are a limited number of spaces available, so book early to avoid disappointment.

A night to remember

So, shows are not just about the kit, time needs to be set aside for networking and socialising too. However, that also takes effort, so Pulse has thought about this too and will be presenting a top night out for its dealers and a few industry friends.

Pulse Cinemas always likes to provide the all-important social aspect to every event it gets involved with and ISE is no different. Some excellent nights down the years have

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Essential Install | Pulse Cinemas

Pulse Cinemas: ISE tour schedule Note: Tours 1 and 3 on each day start at the Paradigm/Anthem stand. Tours 2 and 4 start at the Digital Projection stand.

Tuesday 10.30 (1.5 hours) Event – Paradigm/Anthem/Kaleidescape/SIM2 12.45 (1 hour 15) DP/Screen Research/Fortress/ Audio Control/StormAudio 14.30 (1.5 hours) Event – Paradigm/Anthem/Kaleidescape/SIM2 16.30 (1 hour 15) DP/Fortress/StormAudio

been delivered and this year all the fun takes place at one of the city’s most popular bars, De Biertuin Prinsengracht, or – if your Dutch is a little rusty – The Beergarden Prinsengracht.

Pulse dealers and industry friends are invited to join the team at this top venue which offers first class food and drink on Wednesday, February 6, 19:30-22:30. A specialist in craft beers, this well-known Amsterdam favourite offers 25 different beers on tap or 120 bottled beers. The Beergarden is also famous for its spit-roasted chicken, burgers and spare ribs. Loads more details are on the venue’s website: debiertuin.nl/prinsengracht. Let the team know if you want to attend whilst booking your show tour.

Wednesday 9.45 (1.5 hours) Event – Paradigm/Anthem/Kaleidescape/SIM2 12.15 (1 hour 15) DP/Screen Research/Fortress/ Audio Control/StormAudio 15.00 (1.5 hours) Event – Paradigm/Anthem/Kaleidescape/SIM2 16.00 (1 hour 15) DP/Fortress/StormAudio Thursday 9.45 (1.5 hours) Event – Paradigm/Anthem/Kaleidescape/SIM2 12.15 (1 hour 15) DP/Screen Research/Fortress/ Audio Control/StormAudio 15.00 (1.5 hours) Event – Paradigm/Anthem/Kaleidescape/SIM2 16.00 (1 hour 15) DP/Fortress/StormAudio

Meet the team

Left to right, top to bottom: Mike Beatty, Pulse, MD; Kapes Patel, technical director; Miguel Soto, new business development manager; Simon Gibbs, technical and service support; Simon Schino, internal sales manager; Stephen Carr, UK brand ambassador – Kaleidescape; Ben Lancaster, UK sales development manager

Pulse Cinema’s team of brand and technology experts will be on hand to take you around each tour, provide you with the benefit of their knowledge and also introduce you to the key people at each stand. The tours are suitable for established Pulse dealers, but also act as a great introduction to the company and all the highperformance kit and support services it provides.

Simon Schino, internal sales manager at Pulse Cinemas, explains, “As well as the tours we have set aside time for installers to have separate meetings with any of the Pulse team or key people from the brands to discuss anything specific about products or an upcoming project. Our brand line-up has never been better, so it’s a great time to come and see how we can supply all the ingredients you need for your AV and cinema projects.”

Mike concludes, “ISE can be a daunting prospect. The size and complexity of it can be a real barrier to getting the best from a trip to the show, and this is the reason we came up with our new tour concept. For our established dealers and those wanting to find out more about some top AV and home cinemas brands, I can’t think of a better way to visit ISE. Get in touch with the team now and get yourself booked in to find out more about our established brands and some new additions too.”

Pulse Cinemas 01279 647 039, pulsecinemas.com

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Essential Install | CEDIA

What is a PDK or Programming Scope Document?

Ian underlines the importance of documentation and communication on larger projects

Ian Bryant of CEDIA member ZenArray recently led a discussion panel about large integration projects, how to manage them, and avoid pitfalls. The panel featured representatives from companies that are creating some of the largest domestic systems in the world. Lots of topics were covered, but the conversation almost always came back to two key items; Documentation and client communication.

How can a company document and convey the operation and function of a large and complex integration system in someone’s home? That is where the PDK (Programming Design Kit) or Programming Scope Document come into play.

When an integrator is conducting client interviews or is in the discovery phase with a client, they are asking lots of questions about that customer’s home life, how they use their current technology, how technology could help simplify their daily routines, what areas of their home they use the most, and many other questions. This gives the sales and design team a starting point to suggest what technology could be implemented to help make the client happy about being in their home. Once the technology has been selected and designed, the next step that sometimes gets left out is the fine detail of how the integration system will look, feel, and operate. This system may not be fully customisable and configurable, it may not even be one of our own — it could be the client’s smart phone or tablet. But this must be discussed before the client signs the dotted line agreeing to a design that they will live with for a long time.

This is why integrators should create and present a PDK or Programming Scope Document to their client.

Whether the project is a million-dollar theatre or a small integrated home, every client should receive this type of document. The document will vary in size depending on the complexity of the system that it is being written for, but it should be utilised in every integration.

As an example, one might think that a small integrated home utilising a smartphone application for each of the subsystems would not need such a document, but that is not correct.

Your client does not know how these applications work, look, or feel. Making sure that they understand the capabilities, limitations, and usability of these applications is necessary. Your client may see these and decide that they want to upgrade to a unified control system or they may decide that some of these products are just not giving them the level of control or ease of use they need.

This is where the documentation and communication you have with them is key.

On the other end of the spectrum, the larger and more complex home integration systems with unified control systems and customisable user interfaces must also have these documents. Your company may have UI (user interface) layouts that you use for all of your jobs that have stood the test of time for your clients, and system designs that are easy to operate and cover all bases. However, even if this is the case, it is still important to run through this with your client and

document it for them. With the price tag that comes with these larger, more complex systems, also comes a client that feels very passionately about this system and how it looks and operates.

So, what should be in a PDK document?

• Descriptions of each subsystem being integrated and how these systems will be operated through the control system •D escriptions of each type of user interface in the client’s home • How to operate each of the different types of user interfaces in the system • Pictures of each page of a UI and what every button does and how to navigate through it • The shapes and colours that will be used for the interfaces • Keypad engraving fonts and colours • Touch panel button shapes, sizes, and colours • Active and inactive states and text colours and fonts • Images or logos used on the user interfaces • Smartphone applications and how to operate them • Automated event descriptions and how they function

Why is a PDK document so important?

• Your client will know what to expect when you turn the system over to them • They will know exactly how to use the system and will feel that it is ‘their system’ that they helped to create and customise • You will have a signed agreement with your client of how the system operates and what systems are going to be controlled • It will help you discover any bottlenecks in the systems or possible failure points prior to implementation • It can serve as a protection document against scope creep if your client requests additional system operations that weren’t discussed • It will serve as a user manual for your company, the client, and any possible future tenants of the space it is installed in There are many sample documents out there that can be customised for your application. Some manufacturers have downloadable kits to use or you can create your own. Whatever direction you decide to go, just remember to document everything and keep an open line of communication with your client.

CEDIA cedia.co.uk

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Sony True 4K Home Cinema Projectors Now available from AWE

Spider-Man™ : Homecoming now available on 4K Ultra HD™

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15/01/2019 15:56

Essential Install | Habitech

Peak bandwidth, risk free As the future turns to fibre, cover all your bases with new CPR-rated fibre intros says Habitech’s Stewart Day. It’s inevitable that you will have to deploy fibre, but the good news is that, besides unbeatable bandwidth potential, Cleerline’s new SSF fibre is super-robust and CPR fire-proof

In the age of the fat pipe, Cleerline’s new CPR-rated fibre range reduces the risk of signal and bandwidth failure almost to zero and keeps you legal.

The optics are irrefutable. Another set of New Year trading figures has confirmed that everything from entertainment to banking to retail is moving inexorably online. And the transformation is especially meaningful for CI’s media-savvy consumers. Big structural changes are in play. Subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon Prime and Sky’s Now TV streaming services have overtaken those for traditional pay TV, and for the 16-35 year olds that make up your future consumer base, nigh-on one half of all viewing time is devoted to non-broadcast online content. Add-in the relish for ever greater video quality and it’s clear that your success will increasingly be governed by the ability to move big data around the home. Naturally, Habitech is here to help.

Starting with our 2013 ProNet initiative, the team has supported your ascent to network supremacy with the best one-stop range of future-facing infrastructure options and training. Now the mix has been enhanced by a new breed of robust, CPR-rated multi-core fibre designs from Cleerline. We really do have your back with these new fibres because by reducing the risk of failure practically to zero in three major ways, they guarantee the integrity of your first-fix wiring way into the future.

First, performance. It’s well known that fibre’s payload potential is enormous, swallowing up the fattest UHD with 12-bit Dolby Vision - and even 8K - with many Gbps to spare. What’s more it isn’t lossy and doesn’t degrade

in the wall. Chasing-in a backbone of Cleerline multicore fibre will give you and your customers the power to add bandwidth and connections at will, and the peace and satisfaction of future-proof capacity.

Second, durability. Cleerline’s SSF™ Fibre can safely be pulled at eight times the tension limits of a CAT cable. Its industry-proven Glass/Glass/Polymer ‘GGP’ construction is the toughest available, having 10,000 times the bend longevity of standard fibre. This means SSF™ virtually eliminates the incidence of the microfractures that cause connection failure after the fibre is in the wall.

Third, CPR approval. The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) standard EN50575 means that all those pulling data and control wire through homes and restaurants, bars and clubs are obliged - by law - to use the correct CPR-rated cable. The Declaration of Performance (DoP) certificate on drums of the new CLE-D50125MOM3CCA Duplex fibre, CLE12D50125MOM3DCA 12-core, and its 6, 4 and single core variants lifts the fear of your prosecution in the event of a safety inspection, or worse still, a building fire.

So relax. Cleerline’s new CPR-rated fibre range reduces the risk of signal and bandwidth failure almost to zero and keeps you legal. However you look at it, that’s a high value contribution to your peace of mind and your bottom line.

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Essential Install | Habitech

Welcome to rack central

Habitech’s new partnership with Middle Atlantic Products means total support for your systems says product specialist Graham Nash.

Folks I’m really excited to be part of Habitech’s latest brand intro, which unites our leading value-added customer service with Middle Atlantic Products, the world’s most accomplished equipment support manufacturer. The new partnership means that we can offer you speedy access to the broadest and deepest product lines from its Legrand AV Headquarters in The Netherlands, which, in tandem with our Basingstoke warehouse, will dramatically reduce lead times on most Middle Atlantic Product models And of course you’ll have the widest choice of specialised custom designs, developed over four decades to deliver the most robust, sophisticated and efficient support and protection on the planet. Every design detail, from thermal optimisation to built-in cable management, right down to pre-installed washers on rack screws, has been perfected to save you time and simplify the job while maximising system reliability - it’s easy to understand why Middle Atlantic Products has led the market for so long.

On top of all that, you’ll benefit from Habitech’s renowned sales backup and knowhow throughout.

Choose from:

Habitech’s new partnership with Middle Atlantic Products means world-famous quality and versatility with faster delivery for custom installers

2. Pull-out and slide-out racks A full selection of space-saving slide-out rack styles, pioneered by Middle Atlantic Products for discreet equipment access where a rear open aisle is not possible.

All styles have robust weight capacities while some styles also rotate to further enable accessibility. Slide out racks range in capacity from eight to 44 rack spaces

3. Wall mount racks

Ideal for smaller installations or system distribution points.

Many styles have hinged sections providing enhanced rear access to equipment and wiring. Wall racks range in capacity from two to 35 rack spaces, with the hybrid wall/ floor mounted SR models up to 46 spaces Our new partnership with Middle Atlantic Products delivers exactly what your systems deserve: the best award-winning rack tech available, faster than ever before, with all the surety of Habitech support.

1. Floor standing racks The widest choice of rack options and accessories available from Habitech will maximise the performance and security of your systems

The market’s broadest offering of gangable and stand-alone racks complete with myriad accessories including blank panels, vent panels, shelves, storage, connector panels, cable ladders, vertical and horizontal cable management, lighting and thermal management.

Most floor-standing gangable racks range in capacity from 19 to 45 spaces, with the Extra Tall VMRK up to 54 spaces. Stand-alone racks range in capacity from 18 to 45 rack spaces.

3

2 1

Habitech 01256 638500, habitech.co.uk

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Essential Install | EI Live!

+

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

eiliveshow.com It’s show time!

Registration time!

With registration for the show now in full swing, time to get the date in your diary and enjoy all the benefits of the new EI Live! experience at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre (May 30-April 1).

The exhibitor line up is taking shape now with some familiar names and some new ones too. Many of the most significant distributors are now committed to the show with more joining all the time. The line up as it stands includes distributors such as Aldous Systems, AWE, Habitech, Pulse Cinemas, Redline Distribution, RGB Communications, and Smart AV Distribution, Indigo, OneAV with more inking their deals as we go to press.

Manufacturer wise, the show’s main sponsor this year is CYP bringing all its experience and knowhow to the event.

Other top makers appearing include Meridian, Blustream, Epson, FS Cables, Gallo Acoustics, Monitor Audio, Outclass, Rako, Sensible Heat and loads more. Exhibitors completely new to the show include Hamilton Litesat, Vizualisation and Faradite.

All the details can be obtained from the brand new dedicated website, at eiliveshow.com from which you can also register and find out all the details of what will be happening at the show this year. The site also has loads of useful info on travel, accommodation, the show’s world class new venue and lots of other stuff to help you plan your visit.

Entries to the Smart Building Awards open!

With the Smart Building Awards (SBA) also now open for entries, its another good reason to visit the website, sign up to attend and enter the awards. The awards themselves take place on the evening of the first day of the show and as well as rewarding the very best the industry has to offer, it’s a great social occasion too.

The awards themselves have a brand-new website to check out which provides all the facts, figures and information you need to enter.

All the awards are judged by an industry panel with the right level of knowledge to be able to deliver informed choices on the entries and winners. For 2019, we have a team of award-winning writers, installers and industry figures, get over to the website to find out who they are and how to enter at smartbuildingawards.com.

There are some new categories, but again you will have to go and look at the website to check out what they are. The awards entering process whilst thorough, is also designed to enable all types of companies to get involved, offering a time conscious, but still detailed way of showing the achievements of any company, product or service.

Building for your future

EI believes that in order to grow, thrive and survive, the install industry needs to widen its horizons and follow every opportunity. Installers also need to be mindful that the sector is changing and expanding, attending EI Live! is a key way of keeping your finger on the pulse, maintaining existing contacts, but also developing new ones.

This year, the show will deliver into the UK install community a wider exhibitor profile than ever before.

EI Live! will deliver exhibitors from the commercial install world, and products derived from the ‘smart electrician’ market, as well as all the top exponents from the domestic automation and AV sectors the show is renowned for.

As the install market develops, having a mixed portfolio of products and sectors will stand installers in good stead to take full advantage of the opportunities arising; allowing companies to go where the money is with ease. EI Live!

2019 has been specifically designed to help companies do just that. If a mixed bag of services is not your aim, then of course the show provides the opportunity to concentrate on the main sector that is your focus for 2019 and beyond.

The aim of EI Live! is now to build a multi-format, larger and more powerful show servicing the UK and Northern European market.

With ISE moving to Barcelona, for northern European installers, EI Live! will be the best and easiest to reach option to build a business fit for the 21st century over the coming years. If you have been before, we look forward to welcoming you back again this year, if you have not been before, what are you waiting for? Get registered today.

EI Live! eiliveshow.com; Smart Building Awards smartbuildingawards.com

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Providing a full 4K solution

LILIN’s Ultra HD range is expanding- with new Dome cameras and PoE NVRs Providing four times the pixel resolution of the standard 1080P HD camera, 4K surveillance systems are quickly growing in popularity. With a range of cameras and NVR’s designed for the custom install market, LILIN can create a 4K solution to fit any size project.

4K PoE NVR Range

4, 8 and 16 channel models | built in PoE switch for quick install | automatically assigns camera IP addresses | sleek, rack mountable chassis.

Visit LILIN at ISE 2019!

Join us at stand E100 in Hall 9 for live demonstrations and new product releases: License Plate Recognition Cameras | Mini-PTZ | Black Cameras | 4K Dome Integration with Home Automation Partners

INVISION UK IS LILIN’S PARTNER AND DISTRIBUTOR FOR THE CUSTOM INSTALL SECTOR IN THE UK

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

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Essential Install | Case Study

ELAN provided the automation for this very large new build

The Chinese way

ELAN brings total control to Chinese villa with a meaty 700 lighting loads and 150 motorised window shades.

A Mandarin language interface also offers automation with identical user experience across all input devices.

The automation sat alongside traditional style interiors

A recent ELAN installation in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China, has turned owner’s new 20,000-squarefoot luxury villa into a high-tech home with impressive scale delivering control of 700 lighting loads, 150 motorised window shades, 110 individual climate zones, 25 surveillance cameras, 12 zones of audio and eight zones of security.

According to DVACO Group, the local Chinese distributor and integrator that completed the installation, the homeowner wanted the latest and greatest home technologies to match the home’s luxury finishes and furnishings, but he also required that it be easy to operate from any room, or from anywhere in the world. With its Mandarin language ELAN interface on 18 ELAN XP12 12in in-wall touchscreens, five ELAN HR200 touchscreen TV remotes and the ELAN app on several mobile devices, the owner can now fully control nearly every home function, no matter where he is in the world.

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Essential Install | Case Study

Automation on a grand scale

The Chinese install market is booming

“Because everything is in the same system, the owner can do whatever he wants from a single app,” says DVACO Group representative Anita Liu. “It’s simple to make changes to lighting, or to check surveillance footage, or to adjust the climate settings, so he is very pleased with it. With large touchscreens located throughout the home, plus advanced ELAN TV remotes and the ELAN app on his mobile phone, he is never more than a few buttons away from his ideal home environment.”

According to Anita, the booming Chinese economy is increasing demand for the latest home automation systems, with more and more people becoming aware of the ability to improve the quality of home living through advanced technologies. ELAN is finding success in the region in part because of its Mandarin language interface that is identical across all input devices, from in-wall touchscreens to smartphones to PCs. With showrooms in several cities, DVACO Group offers its clients a handson introduction to ELAN control to demonstrate the system. The mobile app is a crucial component, as clients regularly ask for security and surveillance systems that can be accessed and viewed from anywhere.

For this homeowner, integrating most of the home’s core systems was a no-brainer. The large villa would be extremely complicated and difficult to manage without a centralised interface. Beyond the utility offered by

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Essential Install | Case Study

Sympathetic lighting blends with highquality interiors

Night-time mode is a particular favourite of the client

the ELAN interface, the owner added multi-room audio with Niles amplifiers, zone controllers and speakers, plus five Fusion OMS-1 media servers that deliver streaming audio sources to all 12 zones. Another crucial component was the integrated intercom, which allows instant communication throughout the entire home, even from the mobile app.

“Our client wanted each room to have a dedicated ELAN interface so there is always a touchscreen nearby that can change lighting or climate, and also provide communication to every other room,” Anita says. “One of

his favorite features is the ‘sleep’ button specially added to the bedroom touchscreen, which automatically closes all the shades and turns off all the lights and music with a single tap. It even turns off the touchscreen itself, leaving only a single ‘night’ LED illuminated so any late-night trips to the bathroom or elsewhere are simple, without a bright light staying on all night.”

An ELAN gSC10 comprises the brain of the system, while 120 lighting keypads provide multiple input avenues to make fast changes. The multi-room audio system relies on five Niles 6430 audio controller/amplifiers.

“We are excited to help Chinese homebuyers get the most out of modern technology with ELAN control systems,” Anita adds. “This project was a great success, and the homeowner is excited to add to the system in the future.”

DVACO Group dvaco.com

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Essential Install | Clarity Alliance

The Hi-Fi centrepiece

In a new series, members of Hi-Fi association Clarity Alliance air their views. This month, Simon Powell operations manager at distributor Henley Audio, urges installers to target music lovers.

Are some of your installs missing a Hi-Fi centrepiece?

Every month, when I get the latest issue of EI, I am in awe of the work so many installers are doing. From the flooded basement restored to a new high-end cinema by the team at Rayleigh Sound & Vision, to the gigantic Chinese villa kitted out by ELAN. Whether big or small, the exceptional work put in to create whole-home experiences that deliver a true sense of luxury and prestige always leaves me impressed by the abilities of our domestic CI industry.

Equally, as integration software and supporting hardware continues to move forward, I can see there is clearly a bright future ahead for installers (and their clients).

But when trawling the pages, I am also struck (being a proud member of the Hi-Fi industry) by the absence of visually beautiful audio hardware. No question, the equipment used in luxury installs is made to deliver a high standard of audio and I personally drool profusely when I see a well organised AV cabinet, but what’s missing for me as I admire each page is a centrepiece that allows the client to simply say, ‘I love music’.

To be clear, I’m not talking about ‘the den’ here, where the patriarch may reserve a space where he can set up his old vintage Hi-Fi system from the ‘70s and sit away from the family in his own aural delight. I’m talking about a true centrepiece, a conversation starter, a pièce de résistance; a piece of equipment that singly manifests the sophisticated work that’s otherwise hidden in the

walls and ceilings that speaks on behalf of the client. It’s the piece of equipment that says ‘I love audio’. The piece that when the client has a party, friends and family gather around and hopefully even interact with.

Now before you say, ‘but Hi-Fi is just boring black boxes’, I am here to reassure you that – with pride and relief – those days are leaving our industry. Many of us on the Hi-Fi retail side see consultation and ‘how a system aesthetically fits into my home’ as a key part of where our industry is going in future years. And while there are still, undoubtedly, many audiophile products on the market that deliver sonic bliss, but visual woe, many companies are veering away from that stigma.

I’m talking about amplification from Luxman or Unison Research, speakers from Bowers & Wilkins, Kef or Klipsch Heritage, and, in the post-CD era, turntables from Pro-Ject or AVM. These brands, amongst many others, are creating premium products that interior designers can work with, professional installers can integrate with ease on a singleroom level, and clients (or, more importantly, clients’ friends) can fawn over.

Now, don’t take what I’m saying here as a judgement.

Though Hi-Fi is changing rapidly, and our world is becoming increasingly interesting to the same clients you’re servicing, I don’t know if all the parties involved are aware of that yet. Rest-assured, good, innovative Hi-Fi brands are making themselves known on a wider scale than ever before, but what I think it takes now is for the Hi-Fi world and the CI world to reintroduce themselves – because we do have a lot to share.

We already cross paths at myriad points through the year, whether it’s seeing Hi-Fi products on the CEDIA show floor or because you’re already buying in-ceiling speakers from a respected Hi-Fi manufacturer. But I hope with greater frequency moving forward, the CI industry will look toward colleagues in the Hi-Fi industry for advice and input, so they can begin to specify with confidence a ‘Hi-Fi centrepiece’ that caps off their install in a new way that resonates – on a personal level – with the client’s lifestyle, but still integrates with the sophisticated infrastructure that’s been so meticulously installed.

Even when it comes to turntables; the dreaded mythical contraptions that everyone wants but nobody quite understands any more. Pro-Ject alone have so many turntable options that you can guarantee to find something to suit any client; but more than that they also make turntables with balanced outputs and phono stages with Bluetooth and Optical transmission options. So, the turntable doesn’t have to sit near the amplification like it always had to in years gone by – it can be a whole room away (or further) if it needs to.

The essence of my point is that Hi-Fi, by moving forward as a more stylistically considerate industry, is once again a relevant area of investigation for installers when the client is someone who loves music and wants all the benefits of a fully integrated install – but still wants something that says ‘look and listen to this.’

Clarity Alliance 020 8150 6741, clarityalliance.co.uk

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Essential Install | Furniture

The units deliver a controlled and organised profile inside, and a sleek exterior

AV it all with Hayden

Hayden furniture is now available in the UK, offering custom installers a unique solution in addressing the consistent problem of housing AV equipment.

These new AV furniture cabinets have been designed specifically for the CI market

This new brand has launched eight products, with another raft of products coming soon. The eight products available right now work on a modular system, so all the 550mm or the 350mm tall units can be combined to make a bespoke solution for the client.

Each product has been specifically designed for the custom install market, not the furniture market like some other products, using extensive direct experience of the market. For example, each unit will come with either a 9U or 5U rack within the price, but unlike some other solutions, this rack will be completely serviceable, it will come straight out of the cabinet and can even be populated off site and brought back for extra convenience and forward planning.

Another feature that the suppliers say installers will love, are the dedicated subwoofer cabinets, which incorporate acoustic isolation points to ensure acoustic integrity. These units are specially designed so that they can hold even the larger subs in the marketplace.

Other really important features include a huge range of finishes, from glass to wood or ceramic, a handy integrated soundbar space and of course the vital heat management.

Designing the furniture of the future

Part of the design team contributing to the new range are experienced AV professionals Charlie McClarron and Paul Cummin, which has helped ensure that the products and the company’s ethos were all geared towards the install market.

Charlie says, “Before I was in the AV and custom install industry, I actually worked for a furniture company. When I joined the install market I instantly saw a big problem; dealers were spending hours designing furniture for their projects, but then having to use a local furniture company to build them, who would charge a lot of money and not leave any margin for the dealer. Another scenario was that the interior designer would arrange the furniture for the client, leaving the dealer no money at all and then finding that the furniture they do end up with is impractical for the installation.”

Charlie explains, “With Hayden we have come up with a range of furniture that adds something special and unique to the dealer’s portfolio and fills a gap in the market that many have been asking for. Along with our eight standard models, we do also have the capability to make bespoke one-off pieces for our dealers, which will still include all the features that make us custom install friendly. This can include taller media wall units or even matching tables and sideboards.”

Paul adds, “There is a lot of emphasis on how a room is finished these days, we are seeing lots of companies try and offer a complete turn key solution, but actually often that is not what a dealer wants. They don’t want to be forced to use kit they don’t want to use, they want the flexibility to pick and choose, so offering a range of furniture like this was a no brainer.

“Time and time again we were seeing people struggle to hide subwoofers, for example, or situations where rack space was a premium, yet the customer was still having furniture built. Hayden solves all these problems for you, whilst delivering a beautiful product that is built to last.”

Hayden Furniture is available to purchase now, with the team ready to help you specify the right furniture for your projects, so get in touch to find out more.

Hayden Furniture haydenfurniture.co.uk, sales@haydenfurniture.co.uk, Twitter @haydenfurniture, Instagram @haydenfurniture, Facebook @Hayden Custom Furniture

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Dynaudio Custom Studio series LCR

Your space, your system, your way

You want discreet design and world-class performance? You’ve got it.

The Dynaudio Studio series modular LCR speaker system is a unique way to create truly customized left, centre and right speaker channels – and to scale the system to match the room and work around existing wall studs. With technology derived directly from Dynaudio’s legendary home hi-fi and professional studio speakers, our Custom Studio architectural speaker range is engineered to give stellar performance, along with simple tool-free installation.

The Dynaudio Custom Studio series: engineered to entertain

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dynaudio.com

10/01/2019 16:02

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Essential Install | ISE Preview

The catcher in the RAI

Make sure you catch all this year’s ISE has to offer with EI’s guide to some of the highlights. The show takes place at the RAI Centre, Amsterdam, February 5-8.

The Araknis range of routers is looking to increase its reach at ISE

Available in the UK from Aldous Systems, the SnapAV family will be on Stand 5X52 showing a range of its latest creations.

From the Luma brand, the next-generation 510 NVR line offers greater all-around performance and features, including support for higher resolution cameras up to 12MP, 4K TV output, advanced search capabilities, and a long-distance PoE switch enabling installers to create up to 300m runs from the NVR to a camera, as well as the ability to reset individual ports. The second-generation line of Araknis routers bring several improvements to the existing router line-up.

In moving from one product to four, the brand has given dealers more options to fit various job needs and budgets. The 310 model will replace the existing 300 model. The addition of a 110 model provides a budgetfriendly router at a high value and comes with a new Wi-Fi option as well. SnapAV says the 310 router has everything needed in a business-grade router: Embedded OvrC Pro functionality, Gigabit uni-directional internet speed support, and a 1U rack-mountable design with AC power supply. Plus, it features a USB 3.0 interface to connect an LTE USB dongle for access to the site in case of ISP outage, and fibre SFP interface that can be LAN or WAN. The company will also showcase its Binary Media over IP (MoIP) concept which has been created to deliver an affordable media distribution system over an existing network.

The company argues that traditional distribution is inflexible and expensive, while modern IP-based technologies can be costly and complicated. The MoIP solution is designed to compact these issues by bringing media distribution into an existing network infrastructure.

Operating on a Layer 2 managed switch, this solution transmits data over an IP network, providing 4K audio and video streaming, easy device and network setup, and remote monitoring through SnapAV’s OvrC platform. MoIP allows integrators to enjoy the benefits of robust media distribution without forcing them to undertake a complex installation and improving overall cost of networking hardware, says the maker.

Brands represented by UK CI distributor AWE, return to ISE 2019 with a whole host of solutions for home integration. URC (Stand 1-N1) will showcase a full graphical update, a new user interface and advanced logic, from its Total Control 2.0 platform.

URC will also show the new flagship MRX-30 Advanced Network System Controller (quad-core processor) and the new MRX-15 Advanced System Controller (dual-core processor) to deliver powerful automation and control for resi installations. These controllers provide instant twoway communication with the family of Total Control user interfaces and are compatible with third-party devices.

Both processors offer IP, IR, RS232, 12V trigger, relay, and sensor communication for robust integration and strong performance.

The new URC TDC-9100 table-top touchscreen controller and TKP-9600 in-wall touchscreen focus on performance, design, and efficiency. Featuring a 10in

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Essential Install | ISE Preview

URC has lots in store for ISE 2019

colour screen, built-in camera, microphone, and AV intercom, these products are suited for door integration, room to room, and whole house communication.

SONY (1-N20) recently announced as a new part of the AWE stable, offering projectors and Blu-ray Disc Players, will show the latest developments in home cinema projector technology. From the projector family, the VPL-VW270ES, VW570ES, and VPL-VW870ES, designed to bring 4K detail to any home entertainment system, will offer much of the focus. Epson (1-H90) will offer a great chance to discover more about some of the best home cinema projectors below £3K featuring Epson’s 4K enhanced 3LCD technology to create vivid, lifelike colours and deep blacks for defined detail in the shadows.

Installers can also learn more about Draper projector screens (12-K60), supplied by AWE which include fixed and tab tensioned electric screens that feature an ambient light-rejecting fabric. To ensure optimum picture quality in differing viewing environments, Draper screens include a number of specifically engineered fabrics, including Matt White, acoustically transparent NanoPerf and ambient light-rejecting versions.

On Stand 5-U62 HDANYWHERE will be showcasing the launch of six new MHUB 2.0 video matrix models, standalone uControl zone processors and an improved audio matrix-amplifier to its multiroom AV system line-up.

Check out our major feature on this, pages 16-17.

Making plans for the show?

ISE 2019 will see document and planning experts, designflow expand its umbrella of services to include; outsourced design for commercial projects, AV/smart building consultancy and improvements to its proposals and documentation for residential integrators. All of which have been created to provide stress relief to the pressure associated with modern integration projects. designflow’s new outsourced design for commercial projects has been specially tailored to suit integrators working in the commercial sector with flexible per page, per project or per day pricing. This means designflow can now act as an outsourced extension to an in-house commercial design team, with none of the headaches associated with outsourcing.

2019 also marks the official launch of designflow’s AV/smart building consultancy service aimed at integrators, architects, mechanical engineers and interior designers. This service will act as a specification tool for projects where a tender process is employed.

With designflow designing and specifying the equipment and creating all the documentation required to put a project’s AV/smart building content out to tender. Check out all the new services on Stand 1-N80 (Custom Home Europe stand).

Brand signed up in the UK with distributor Invision are well represented at the show. Manufacturer of room acoustic products, Artnovion has recently announced a new patented technology called TDPA. This tech is incorporated in the Artnovion bass traps and Sub trap and allows treatment of frequencies as low as 40Hz with just one trap. The Sub Trap is a new category of acoustic treatment, targeting the sub-bass frequency range. The maker claims it boasts the highest absorption coefficient per volume on the market and employs Artnovion’s latest membrane technology – a symbiosis of precision engineering and material science – creating a device that can be precisely calibrated to work at the exact resonant frequency of a space. Check it out on Stand 7-N190.

A key part of the AudioControl (Stand 5-R96) offering is the Director M Series range featuring on-board digital signal processing, graphic and parametric equalisation by zone, network monitoring and programming, digital and analogue inputs, plus the addition of volume control, channel/zone grouping and zone audio presets.

They also allow individual channel and zone selection via standard TCP/IP, delivering increased power and AudioControl’s audio performance.

Security specialist, Lilin will be showing the company’s new DeviceHub, which can manage IP cameras and NVRs via LILINHub App. LILIN Device Cloud stores recording status, online status, and operational status sent by LILIN DeviceHub. If there is an issue for an IP camera, installers are able to perform remote reboot for that IP camera via LILIN Web Smart PoE switch. This is to make sure that devices are in operation. Lilin will also focus on the new mini PTZ camera. The PZD6422EX3 is a 1080P HD PTZ Dome IP Camera featuring 3X optical zoom capability. See it all on Stand 9-E100.

Invision stable mate, Luxul will be showcasing its new Apex Wave 2 technology access point, the XAP-1610. The XAP-1610 offers support for more connected devices and increased data rates, delivering robust Wi-Fi performance.

It is compatible with all Luxul Wi-Fi Controllers and can be used standalone or as part of a multi-access point deployment. Stand 1-Q120 for this one.

Origin Acoustics’ new architectural home theatre system, the Marquee Collection, has several models to address various configurations. The Marquee front channel

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Essential Install | ISE Preview

Artnovian is looking to change the game in bass control

LCR’s boast a driver configuration with dual eight-inch woofers, dual five-inch midrange drivers and a single compression driver. The drivers are mounted in a steel baffle attached to a sealed, extruded aluminium enclosure.

The enclosure can mount in or on the wall. Outside the home, Origin goes to the garden with its Seasons Bollard loudspeaker, tackling the challenge of producing bass response from individual outdoor speakers in an attractive aesthetic. Get the lowdown on Stand 5-U90.

Procella Audio is looking to combat issues arising from the potential use of large micro-LED displays in the home cinema environment. As exciting as these displays are for video quality and immersion, they present a major challenge for producing high quality sound as they make proper speaker positioning impossible as there can be no behind-the-screen placement.

Procella Audio has responded with the C102 Above Screen loudspeaker. The Procella C102 is a powerful, high quality loudspeaker, placing the LCR channels above the screen and resolving several audio issues related to this configuration. Procella will also show the recently created V21 Bass Engine, which produces 139 dB of continuous output and a peak output of 145 dB. Feel the bass on Stand 5-U80.

Also an Invision brand, RTI will be showcasing the new T4x remote control, offering strong ergonomics, a high-resolution 4in capacitive touchscreen and fully programmable soft-touch buttons. The T4x also has grip sensors, Wi-Fi and dual RF. Also on show will be the KA8 and KA11 touch panels designed for simple, intuitive control of the entertainment, environment and security systems in residential or commercial facilities. These feature a fully customisable 8in or 11.6in widescreen high resolution LCD display with an integrated capacitive touchscreen. The touch panel is easily wall-mounted or an accessory stand is available for tabletop installations.

The ambient light and proximity sensors automatically adjust the screen brightness and LED backlight according to the environmental light level. Built-in Ethernet with PoE and dual band Wi-Fi, enable two-way control and programming updates. See all the new products on Stand 1-N85.

Also from the Invision line-up, Trinnov’s (Stand 5-U80) advanced 3D audio technologies and high-channel count capability successfully reconcile the conflicting speaker placement requirements of Dolby Atmos, Auro3D, and DTS:X. Trinnov’s Optimiser loudspeaker/room optimisation technology solves the loudspeaker/room acoustic equation for high-end Hi-Fi and home cinema. A key feature will be the Altitude 16 and AMP8M amplifier offering 16 channels encoded together with up to 16 channels of amplification. Trinnov’s other new offering is the Altitude48ext. Based on the Trinnov Magnitude32, the Altitude48 ext provides 16 channels of AES/EBU input and up to 32 channels of analogue outputs, using the same state-of-the-art DACs used in the Altitude32. This ensures strong coherence in the final rendering and brings the total potential channel count to 64 independently processed channels.

Trinnov will also once again partner with Procella Audio and Kaleidescape, with the brands building a state-of-theart cinema on the trade show floor. Given the existence of the recently-announced Altitude 48 Ext from Trinnov, however, the cinema required a major refit for 2019.

In 2017, Trinnov, Procella Audio and Kaleidescape built an 11.3.10 system on the show floor, while in 2018, an 11.4.6 system was deployed. For 2019, a huge upgrade has been made.

Benoit Munoz, marketing manager at Trinnov explains, “When Trinnov announced the Altitude 48 Ext, we knew we had more toys to play with. So, we redesigned our Procella Audio sound room for ISE 2019 to use as many channels, as many loudspeakers, as needed for a truly immersive, optimal cinematic audio experience.

“So this time it will be a 21.4.10 system, with some unusual but well-thought-out loudspeaker placements, as follows: Five screen channels! Not just Left, Centre and Right, but two more speakers behind the screen: InnerLeft and Inner-Right. The use of five channels behind the screen is a very powerful feature, and this year you will be reminded why: it provides a rock-solid front sound stage with impeccable detail across the front.

“Of course, the perfect loudspeaker for this role is the THX PM3 certified centre-piece of our line-up, the Procella

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The evolution continues OS 2 delivered the foundation OS 3 perfects the experience

A simpler, smarter, more sophisticated user experience.

Fast deployment for any size home project. And the best hardware in the business. No one brings it home like Crestron Home powered by OS3.

Introducing Crestron Home, powered by OS 3

VISIT US AT ISE, HALL 2, STAND C20 All brand names, product names, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Certain trademarks, registered trademarks, and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Crestron disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

Crestron is not responsible for errors in typography or photography. Š2018 Crestron Electronics, Inc.

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Essential Install | ISE Preview

Stealth Acoustics has some invisible sounds to show at ISE

P8! These five screen channels get their dedicated subwoofer to take care of their bass-managed bass extension, in the form of the venerable V18!”

Benoit adds, “With that much intensity in the loudspeaker configuration, we need a V21 main subwoofer! Main LFE bass is going to be powerful and profound, powered by our new DA5000-DSP amplifier, supplying a brutal 2 x 2500W into the two 21in drivers.

Two more sub woofers complete the system, being two Procella P15-FP subs, each with dual 15in drivers. These will only be used to provide bass for the surrounds and Atmos channels, each powered by the DA2800-DSP amplifier, which is returning to our line-up.”

Available from several distributors in the UK, WyreStorm will use ISE 2019 to showcase the latest evolution of its NetworkHD line with the now-shipping zero latency ultimate quality 600 Series 4K HDR over 10GbE. Representing the company’s pinnacle of lossless AV over IP distribution for Pro AV and high-end residential applications, the 600 Series features HDCP 2.2 and all the bandwidth advantages of HDMI 2.0, with independent breakaway switching for matrixing functionality, audio embedding, de-embedding and down-mixing.

WyreStorm will also be highlighting a number of new products featuring the new Visually Lossless Compression including new extender sets and HDMI matrixes capable of displaying full HDR content. See it all on Stand 1-N100.

Stealth Acoustics will showcase the LRx85, the latest generation of high-performance, expert-grade invisible speakers delivering sound quality, frequency response and output levels usually reserved for only the best visible speakers. Now, says the creator, installers can bring top-shelf audio performance to their customers without any visible presence of speaker boxes or unsightly speaker grills.

Stealth’s LRx85 is available in both passive and active versions, allowing for impressive invisible audio in the most critical applications for home cinema, listening rooms and high-performance distributed audio.

This two-panel system, which replaces a segment of a flat wall or ceiling with a paintable, non-penetrable flat front speaker system, incorporates five mid-range/high frequency drivers mounted in a unique dual-D’Appolito alignment for noticeable improvement in left/right panoramas and depth of sound stage. Below the mid/ high panel is a separate, totally invisible bass frequency panel with two high-power 8in cone woofers behind Stealth’s FidelityGlass flat front radiator. Together, the two invisible panels create a seamless speaker system covering the full audio spectrum from 35Hz-18kHz. 300W power handling provides the robust dynamic range required for movie sound and music reproduction.

For even greater output and performance, the LRx85 is available in an active bi-amplified version, the LRx85ACT, which comes with a pre-tuned and optimised dual channel Stealth SA2400MKII DSP amplifier to create a premium single-channel system, which can be used as building blocks to create invisible home cinemas from 5.1 to 100-channel plus Dolby Atmos rooms. Check it out on Stand 5-R96 (the brand is available in the UK from Genesis Technologies UK).

Atlona (Stand 5-U120) will have lots of new products including the dual-output 4K/UHD HDMI to HDBaseT distribution amplifier. Available immediately, the ATUHD-CAT-2 provides a cost-efficient and integrationfriendly Ultra HD distribution solution for smaller-scale AV applications. The set-up brings all of the integrationfriendly features of its larger UHD-CAT Series siblings to smaller AV distribution applications, and the new 1x2 UHD-CAT-2 is available immediately.

“Our four-output AT-UHD-CAT-4 and eight-output AT-UHD-CAT-8 distribution amplifiers have proven very popular for AV environments ranging from retail showrooms and classrooms to restaurants and entertainment venues, but we have received many requests from integrators and end-users for a model with only two outputs,” says Joshua Castro, Atlona product manager. “We’re pleased to meet this demand with the UHD-CAT-2, bringing the same rich feature set to smallerscale, price-sensitive AV applications.”

The UHD-CAT-2 features one HDMI input, one HDMI pass-through output, and two HDBaseT outputs for distributing 1080p content up to 230 feet (70 metres) or 4K/UHD material up to 130 feet (40m) over category cable.

Each HDBaseT output delivers video, audio, remote PoE receiver power, and control signals – including RS232 and IR, plus CEC for automatic display control – over a single cable, simplifying installation while minimising cable runs between AV sources, control systems and displays.

The amplifier supports 4K/UHD video at 60 Hz with 4:2:0 chroma sampling and is HDCP 2.2 compliant, enabling reliable distribution of copy-protected content.

The UHD-CAT-2 is compatible with Atlona receiver options including the AT-UHD-EX-70C-RX, the AT-HDVS-200-RX HD receiver and scaler, and the recently-released ATHDVS-SC-RX 4K/UHD receiver with advanced CrystalScale scaling technology.

The UHD-CAT-2 offers TCP/IP, RS232 and IR control capabilities for flexible integration, and can be remotely configured, managed and monitored over a LAN, WAN or VPN with the Atlona Management System (AMS 2.0) software or Atlona’s IP-based Velocity AV control platform.

The UHD-CAT-2 is backed by Atlona’s 10-year limited product warranty, designed to ensure long-term reliability, performance and confidence for integrators and users.

Altona will also showcase the debut of Dolby Vision support for AV over IP distribution (introduced for resi market at CEDIA in September, and now also positioned at ISE for light commercial).

Occupying its usual Stand 2C20, Crestron has a big ISE planned with solutions for the home and commercial worlds covered.

Crestron will showcase its latest enterprise solutions and partnerships and offer on-site training. The company’s bigger than ever dedicated residential stand will demonstrate its latest home solutions focussed on the speed and efficiency of deployment whilst showcasing customisation and user experience. On show will be new user interfaces, such as the latest keypads and remotes, as well as new shading solutions. The company will also present its usual awards, press tour and CresFest entertainment event.

The SDVoE Alliance will be at the show celebrating significant growth since its launch in 2017 to deliver standardisation in the adoption of Ethernet to transport AV signals in AV environments. In that time Alliance has grown to 40-member companies shipping 158 products. In addition, more than 300 SDVoE Certified Design Partners have been trained and certified. Member companies are poised to deliver upwards of 150,000 AV endpoints in the coming year. Deployments in education, healthcare, enterprise, entertainment, government and military environments are ongoing and many new products are set to reach production volumes in 2019.

On Stand 3-B150 SDVoE says it will prove that its approach matches the quality and latency performance of the best matrix switches and that SDVoE offers advanced AV processing capabilities no other matrix can provide with demos and training sessions (Wednesday Feb. 6 in room G109)

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Crestron has its usual mix of education, demos, showcases and entertainment planned for the show

Habitech stables mates are also set for a big show with Wisdom Audio introducing its Insight On-Wall on Stand 5-U130. A new range of on-wall speakers, targeting high-performance media rooms and living spaces, the new range comprises three models available in two finishes (High Gloss Black and High Gloss White). The P4m features a 6-Bar orientable planar magnetic driver with two 5in drivers. The P2m features the same planar driver paired with a single 5in driver and the S10 is a slim, inroom matching 10in passive subwoofer that can be used freestanding, up firing or down firing.

Stand 3-C112 sees two new super-slim amplifiers from Yamaha unite wired and wireless capabilities to expand the versatility of MusicCast system design. An ultraslim streaming integrated amp design and a matching power unit are designed to support the integration of whole-home audio systems. The XDA-QS5400RK amplifier provides four zones of audio streaming and eight channels of high-performance audio amplification in an ultra-slim, 1U-high, rack-mountable enclosure. The QS (Quad Streamer) works with the MusicCast multiroom audio system over Ethernet and with local RCA connections, allowing it to be linked with home theatre AV receivers, sound bars and Hi-Fi systems. Expandable to 32 zones (with additional units) each QS supports high-res audio playback up to 192 kHz/24-bit and offers 8 x 50W/ channel (8 ohms), with bridgeable capability, featuring a unique ground loop/hum-free circuit design.

The QS offers four zone pre-outs that enable it to be combined with the XDA-AMP5400RK, a companion 4-zone, eight-channel amplifier with identical bridgeable power capabilities, to provide greater power or speaker coverage for large areas in a home.

Also available from Habitech, JVC’s N Series projectors make their ISE debut, Stand 1-H122. The ‘N’ series includes the world’s first home theatre projector with 8K display resolution. Using its 0.69in native 4K D-ILA chips (deployed by the DLA-Z1) the DLA-NX9 applies the company’s proprietary e-shift processing to create an impressive 8K image. By deploying JVC’s Multiple Pixel Control (MPC) and Intelligent Lens Aperture tech, the DLA-NX9 promises the most naturally detailed and dynamic images. A high resolution 18-element, 16-group

all-glass 100mm lens ensures consistent image fidelity across the screen and throughout a wide shift range of +/-100% vertical, +/-43% horizontal, while an ‘Auto Tone Mapping’ feature reads mastering info in HDR10 and HLG content to optimise brightness.

Habitech cable offering SCP will be showing its 995AOC long-reach Active Optical HDMI cable.

Supporting 4x 6Gbps optical lanes for 24Gbps bandwidth, the HDMI 2.1-ready SCP 995AOC will carry the maximum 4K/60/4:4:4 uncompressed payload with 12-bit Dolby Vision and 10-bit HDR10 and HLG from source to display over 10m, 15m, 20m, 30m, and up to 100m (expected Q1 2019). Its plug-and-play simplicity is enhanced by a micro HDMI end with a detachable Type D/A adaptor on the display/sink side, creating a slimmer cable installation profile. A supplied pulling capsule protects the cable end during installation and makes narrow conduit/tube installation easier than ever.

Meridian Audio is unveiling its brand-new 210 Streamer designed to help integrators meet demand for reliable, high-quality audio streaming with minimal fuss and with maximum quality.

The 210 can be connected over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to any smartphone or tablet, with volume and playback controls synchronised between streaming apps and the Meridian system. Supporting Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay and Roon, as well as offering DLNA / UPnP compatibility, the 210 can also be connected directly to a pair of DSP loudspeakers or to any system via a SpeakerLink input.

With its built-in Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) decoder and Meridian High Resolution (MHR) audio, the maker says the 210 is capable of delivering flawless, studio master quality MQA encoded music without degradation or loss in quality.

Also featured will be the 271 Digital Theatre Controller which provides the ideal link to integrate any analogue or digital AV processor or receiver with Meridian’s DSP loudspeakers, delivering high-quality, immersive, Hi-Res audio for home theatre.

Meridian will also launch new in-wall loudspeakers, the DSP640.2 and DSP520.2. These new in-walls boast up to four power amplifiers per speaker and a higher output for more authentic, impactful sound. They can be used as a full-range loudspeaker with no need for an additional subwoofer and offer a 100mm mounting depth. Meridian will also be unveiling its brand new in-wall subwoofer, to partner a discrete in-wall cinema system. Utilising the same back box as the DSP640,2, this DSP in-wall subwoofer has been created to deliver deep bass with immense control and speed, adept with music and movies alike.

Stand 7-H240 for the full Meridian experience.

Savant is going to showcase new options that include video tiling, small form factor in-ceiling speakers, IP Music Servers and in-wall invisible speakers. Tiling is now available in the Savant Pro 8 App for iOS and is included as a standard feature with IP Video systems that include video processing. New features include the ability to view multiple sources on a single 4K display, with controls in the Savant Pro 8 App to view with multiple favourite channels, save Tiling pre-sets, and include Tiling in Scenes. The updated Savant Pro 8 App for Tiling makes watching multiple sources on the same display simple, with an intuitive drag and drop interface. The Savant Pro 8 App now supports video tiling for legacy SmartMediaPRO chassis with SmartView modules. In addition, the Tiling interface in the TrueControl App now supports IP Video systems.

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Dynaudio’s new Cerotar tweeters and Esotec+ woofers, which include technologies developed for Dynaudio’s new flagship Confidence speakers, which can also be seen. See it all on Stand 7-N223.

Commercial concerns

Meridian Audio will launch the 210 Streamer at the event

New IP Audio Micro Aperture 4 Speakers will also be shown, and are available with IP Audio with built-in POE as well as passive versions. These decor friendly in-ceiling speakers are compact yet powerful. Also available are new Extreme network switches in 12 and 24 port configurations with AVB support and PoE power to drive these new IP Audio Micro Aperture 4 speakers. The new Savant IP Audio Music Server has been designed and manufactured by Savant from the ground up, enabling integrators to provide access to local content or streaming music for their clients. The IP Audio Music Server works with Savant’s family of IP Audio products to create whole-house entertainment systems. See it all on Stand 5-S120.

CYP will use the show to launch over 40 new products including MA-421 4 x HDMI inputs / 2 x HDBaseT outputs / 1 x HDMI output designed for small residential spaces, the PUV-1082-Pro – the company’s flagship HDBaseT matrix now featuring AVLC (Adaptive Visual Lossless Compression) technology and the 1600 Series – created for huddle spaces, lecture halls and meeting rooms, a new range of plug-and-play AV distribution extender products.

Also launched is IP-CS7, an installation solution for controlling the CYP range of IP-6000’s and IP-7000’s.

It’s capable of simultaneously managing multiple IP extenders across the same network. Check it all out on Stand 5-U110.

Dynaudio will be displaying its current Studio series inwall and in-ceiling speakers, along with some new custom install products, including the new Performance range of shallow-depth architectural speakers; new outdoor speakers and an innovative in-wall subwoofer.

Both the Studio and Performance ranges consist of round in-ceiling and rectangular in-wall speakers in 6.5in and 8in versions, all featuring the company’s 1in softdome tweeters and MSP woofers. The Studio series also includes the modular LCR system, while the Performance series has a standard in-wall LCR unit. Both ranges benefit from Dynaudio’s tool-free mounting system. The insurface mounting frames will retrofit into many existing popular-sized cavities and the speaker itself is then simply connected and fitted into place within the frame.

The new Outdoor series consists of on-wall IP65 rated speakers in 6.5in and 8in versions with a neat mounting bracket. As well as operating as 8ohm speakers they will also have the option of being used in 70/100V line systems.

Also on the stand will be the new Evoke range of Hi-Fi loudspeakers which consists of two floor-standing models, two stand-mount models and a centre channel. They each come in four finishes: Black High Gloss, White High Gloss, Walnut Wood and Blonde Wood. The Evoke range uses

BrightSign (Stand 8-C165) is set to launch its HD and LS Series 4 players rounding out its Series 4 player family.

The three new BrightSign HD4 and LS4 models feature upgraded player hardware and run the latest version of BrightSign’s dedicated operating system (v8.0), making them more powerful while maintaining the same pricepoints as their predecessors. Both players feature major updates to the HTML rendering engine, with the HD4 now offering 4K native decode supporting HDMI 2.1 and HDR10. Both the HD4 and LS4 boast higher power efficiency than their Series 3 counterparts.

BrightSign will also exhibit its more advanced XD4 and XT4 players. The XD234 and XD1034 support Dolby Vision as well as 4K video. The XT244 and XT1144 support PoE+, dual 4K video decode and 4K graphics; and XT1144 supports HDMI-In to deliver Live TV to end-points either via an HDMI cable or streaming over a network.

Stand 12H-80 will showcase Datapath unveiling a new dual 4K capture card.

Datapath’s Vision SC-UHD2 is the most powerful capture card in the company’s broad portfolio, providing two HDMI 2.0 capture channels with HDCP 2.2 at 4K 60p and full 4:4:4 chroma sampling. This latest card compliments Datapath’s Vision SC capture card family and according to the maker offers the most powerful frame grabber technology available.

Datapath product manager, Mark Rogers, explains, “AV integrators are demanding the highest resolution video when creating the most stunning visual displays and the new UHD2 addition to our Vision SC range is designed to meet and exceed that demand.

“Along with unparalleled performance and futureproof connectivity, end users also have the peace of mind that Datapath reliability brings. We believe the VisionSC-UHD2 to be the ultimate 4K capture card available to the market.”

In order to capture two channels of 4K 60p 4:4:4 without any loss of quality or dropped frames, 4GB/s of raw data is needed and this requires a minimum of eight lanes PCIe Gen3. Datapath says other dual 4K solutions offering eight lanes of PCIe Gen2 are not enough once data bus overheads are accounted for.

Datapath’s VisionSC-UHD2 is the only professional solution with enough performance to handle two channels of 4K without any loss of quality or dropped frames, says the company. tvONE is launching a new enhanced CORIOmaster (Stand 1-M140) which includes an increase in capability and the additions of a new audio module (CM-AUD-2IN4OUT) and a new extended AVIP support module (CMAVIP-IN-1USB-1ETH). The extended AVIP module supports up to four separate video display systems and projector edge-blends with up to 14 windows depending on the source resolution, frame rate and size of windows – 56 displays from a single chassis. It is compatible with the C3540 only. Both modules will be shipping at the time of ISE. Further enhancements include a secure networking suite with full REST compatibility and multiple points of control. The IP streaming now accepts both H.264 and H.265 for higher quality and bandwidths, and when paired with a Magenta Encoder-100, can offer leading ‘glass to glass’ latency performance.

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• Interactive - multiple, secure control • Audio to screen or external connectivity • Go large! Huge creative videowalls, up to 56 displays!

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Essential Install | Brackets, Racking and Support

The Viveroo range offers a choice of attractive support option for iPad

Metal gods

EI takes look at the vital sector of support products which provide the backbone of the AV and automation industry.

Loewe is a brand that always likes to offer something a little different and has recently expanded its portfolio of solutions in cooperation with support specialist Vogel’s.

The new concept fully integrates the operation of Vogel’s motion mount with Loewe’s user interface, allowing for control of the motorised wall mount using the Loewe TV remote control.

The new system is available with the latest firmware upgrade, meaning Loewe TVs can benefit from integration with Vogel’s premium wall mounting solution NEXT 7355. When switching on the TV, the wall mount automatically moves forward and swivels into its last position for the right viewing angle. When switched off, it retreats silently to become flat to the wall, allowing for a tidy solution. There are multiple pre-sets to choose from, but customers can always tweak the set up as they please and programme up to 10 settings in advance.

There is also intuitive manual operation using the Loewe TV remote control. Vogel’s Motion Mount NEXT 7355 is compatible with screen sizes from 40in to 65in and offers 120° swivel with movement out from the wall of up to 72cm. Mark Hüsges, CEO of Loewe, says, “This exclusive collaboration with Vogel’s is very exciting for us. Lovers of Loewe TVs can now benefit from a smart motorised solution for their wall mounted TV, fully controllable within

our UI and making use of the familiar Loewe technology, design expertise and superior quality ‘Made in Germany’.”

Gerdi Vogels, CEO at Vogel’s, adds, “I am very pleased to join forces! This fruitful relationship is just another example of our company leading the market for more than 45 years. And all bear the Vogel’s ‘Quality Signature’; the assurance for reliability, ease of use, design, innovation and ease of installation. Characteristics also found in Loewe TV sets, that’s why both products really strengthen the full experience for the end user.”

Available from Redline Distribution, the Viveroo family of wall and furniture mounts for the iPad offer a practical and attractive option.

The distinctive sculptured range is hand-crafted from premium materials and has been created to blend with the iPad’s form factor.

The maker says each mount in the range offers different features that have been designed to provide improved visibility and functionality of the iPad in both domestic and commercial environments.

The Loop is offered as the world’s first rotating iPad mount for flush installation. The innovative rotating mechanism makes it possible to alternate between vertical and horizontal positions. The unit is available in Super Silver, Deep Black and Clear White.

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Antiference underlines the powers of its Mountsure range

The Loop 360 is a table-mounted version of the Loop allowing 360° rotation of the iPad. A strong option for retail and domestic environments, this is available in the same colour range as its wall mounted cousin.

The square design complements the form of the iPad and is designed to offer a strong presence from any angle. It is also available in Super Silver, Deep Black and Clear White.

Another line, Free creates the effect of floating on the wall with contemporary asymmetrical lines that are machined from billeted aluminium and create a sharp look for modern rooms. This version is available in Super Silver and Dark Steel.

An extension to this concept is Free Flex which features USB cable charging, a rotating joint head to allow landscape or portrait orientation and custom tube length for flexibility of fitting.

The Free Flex Pedestal version allows the Free to be moved from room to room. For specialist jobs, the range can be finished in any colour, and corporate branding can also be added.

Antiference underlines its Mountsure TV wall mounting brackets line, a popular product for several years now used for a variety of applications due to the many options available within the range.

The Mountsure Premier TV wall bracket range offers a stylish and unique solution for smart TV wall mounting with the ultra slim smart full motion range for solid and stud wall fixing.

The slim smart range is specifically designed for mounting smart TVs as they are easy motion and are super lightweight in design. The range features the standard VESA sizes to accommodate most TV sets from 32in to 85in. All mounts can accommodate up to 30kg, which should be plenty for any smart TV. For internal drywall installations a ‘stud fit’ compatible TV mount is available in both sizes and has been specifically designed to be mounted on a standard width stud wall. All brackets in the ‘slim smart’ range have twin double cantilever swing arms with tilt adjustment and when the TV is folded away it sits just 34mm from the wall.

In addition to the Premier brackets, the standard Mountsure range remains popular with a series of flat-towall and tilt options for TV sets ranging from 23in up to 85in.

In addition, there are single and double arm full motion mounts for a more versatile installation. All mounts are VESA matched and are supplied with a universal hardware pack and some models feature an integrated spirit level.

B-Tech has also been busy of late with lots of new offerings. The company has made specification of its screen install kit easier with the release of an online Mount Finder.

Complimenting the online configurator for videowalls, B-Tech’s latest tool allows customers to quickly find a solution for any single screen mounting requirement.

This latest tool will quickly identify a suitable fixed, tilt, full motion, mobile and ceiling mounted option - requiring users to input just four pieces of information about the screen they wish to mount; size, VESA pattern, weight and desired orientation.

B-Tech marketing manager, Nick Spencer, explains, “The purpose of this tool is to make it quick and easy for customers to narrow down the most suitable options for the screen they wish to mount. Our complete mounting range is rather extensive, so we see our Mount Finder being particularly beneficial to new customers who may be less familiar with the full B-Tech range.

“Similarly to our popular System X Configurator, we’ve set this up so that customers can easily embed it into their own websites as a ‘widget’ - something that we expect to be popular and useful for our distributor and reseller partners.”

The Mount Finder can be reached via a new button in the header of the B-Tech website, meaning it can be accessed quickly from the homepage, as well as from anywhere else on the site. This button also provides quick links to B-Tech’s other popular configuration tools for System X and the BT8350 modular range.

The company also recently released an angled bracket that allows for creative, curved installations using the System X mounting technology.

Named the BT8390-AAC (Angle Adjustment Connector), the bracket fixes between two System X rails to provide an angled joint. With angle capability up to 45°, the connector is ideal for assembling videowalls and menu boards in curved configurations. Fitting is hassle free with integrated mounting guides assisting in a swift and secure assembly.

Business development manager Mark Walker explains, “Digital signage is commonplace and end users are wanting displays and designs that catch the eye and stand out from the norm. Creative displays, such as curved staircase signage, or wrap-around menu boards, deliver strong focal points by providing something different to a single flat digital canvas.”

“We know how integrators enjoy the convenience and simplicity of using System X, so we wanted to provide a simple-to-use solution that makes assembling creative, curved displays an easy process and our angle adjustment connector does just that.”

In addition to B-Tech’s angle adjustment connector, a new range of curved video wall mounts has been created.

The BT8373 (freestanding), BT8374 (mobile), BT8375 (bolt down) and BT8376 (freestanding, with different style base) are all pre-configured with B-Tech’s angled bracket, empowering installers with a single ‘out of the box’ curved video wall solution.

The company also offers two flat-screen wall mounts, purposely designed to allow recessed and videowall installs of small and medium sized displays. Featuring B-Tech’s solid and reliable pop-out technology, the BT8308 and BT8309 mounts cater for screens up to 42in and 25kg, with VESA fittings from 75x75 up to 200x200.

The first range of its kind to cater to smaller displays, both mounts allow screens to be fitted in either landscape or portrait orientation and are compatible with B-Tech’s professional pole and collar system.

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Simplify Samsung Frame mounting with Future Automation’s new FB49 and in wall boxes

Other user-friendly features such as keyhole mounting, levelling screws and cable management can be found on both solutions, with the added benefit of full microadjustment on the BT8309. These tool-less adjustment knobs allow screens to be perfectly aligned to the wall recess, or to other screens if used in a videowall installation.

Provider of many a clever design into the sector, Future Automation has recently announced a redesign of the popular ultra slim flat bracket range, citing dealer feedback as the main reason for the changes. The old V2, V74 and PF65 brackets are being updated to the new FB22, FB49 and FB75 product codes and the major design changes include easier post level adjustment, better security/marine locking, as well as cross compatibility with the new WB range of in wall mounting boxes.

Rob Luxton from Future Automation explains the changes, “We’ve noticed a big increase in dealers wanting to flat mount screens with eternal power and connection boxes, especially the new Samsung Frame TVs. As part of the redesign of our flat bracket range, we’ve made the new FB49 brackets compatible with our WB in wall mounting boxes, to enable integrator to recess an in-wall box mounting behind the flat bracket which can hold accessories like the Samsung One Connect Box, power outlets, mini amplifiers and more.”

Rob adds, “This gives installers the massive advantage of a still being able to use a simple ultra slim profile flat bracket like our new FB49 while still mounting bulky screen accessories locally, keeping all the cables and connectors totally hidden behind the TV. This is especially relevant on screens like the new Samsung Frame where visible cables can really ruin the aesthetic that the screen is designed to achieve. We’ve also added better post level adjustment as well as easier security and marine locking to help make our new Flat Bracket range competitive across all markets.”

Future Automation’s new FB Flat Bracket range will cater for screens from 22in up to 98in and are available now.

Distributor AWE says that it strives to provide its customers with everything they need to complete a professional media room or dedicated home cinema install. Understanding the advantage of a dedicated AV rack, AWE is therefore pleased to offer SANUS Component Series AV Racks. Whether you are looking to tidy up the appearance of AV equipment or require a dedicated and safe setup for an entire technology hub, the SANUS Component Series AV Racks are professional products at a sensible price, says the distributor.

Saving time and money, the racks come preassembled with a selection of blanking panels and vented shelves, and include back stops to ensure that equipment does not move during use. Quick-release back and side panels provide easy access to components and wiring, while swivel casters and adjustable feet allow mobility and stable positioning.

AWE stocks the SANUS 44U, 36U, 27U and 15U Component Series models, in a variety of sizes to suit all installations. Main features include preassembled shipping, customisable to fit individual needs, easy access components with removable panels, heavy-gauge steel construction and lockable tempered glass doors.

In addition, the Stackable Skeleton Rack is also available via AWE, in the 20U and 15U models. The modular, stackable structure of the Skeleton Racks enables the products to be coupled into different height combinations.

SANUS itself brings attention to its Slim Wall Mount designed for the all-new Sonos Amp, facilitating a flexible placement solution for this new home audio hub.

The Slim Wall Mount works on any wall surface, including cabinetry, and allows the Amp to be mounted vertically or upside-down. Designed to snugly fit the Amp, the Slim Wall Mount is constructed from a single piece of lightweight steel that places the Amp nearly flush with the surface to which it is mounted – helping maximise space and reduce clutter. The product’s lockable latch keeps the Sonos Amp securely in place in both vertical and upside-down orientations, and the included optional cable organisation keeps cords snug and protects inputs from damage.

“In partnership with Sonos, we developed a mount that provides ultimate placement flexibility,” says Mark Plummer, senior product manager at SANUS. “Whether someone is mounting a Sonos Amp in a confined space like an equipment cupboard, or needs to place it behind a mounted TV, the Slim Wall Mount gives the versatility to put an Amp nearly anywhere.”

The SANUS Slim Wall Mount features an easy, 15-minute installation. All the necessary hardware is included in the box along with a time-saving drilling template that makes it easy to group several Amps together to support larger audio systems. The product is available now.

Distributor, Invision brings attention to the Nexus 21 Transcend Mantel Mount. As every home is unique, not every space accommodates the traditional placement of a television. Whether a space is oriented around a grand fireplace, or there is simply a lack of available wall space for a mounted television screen, often the best place to mount a screen is directly above the mantel.

This is where Transcend comes in offering a series of over-mantel pull-down mounts described as the most advanced available. Precision engineered suspension and counter balance pistons suspend up to a 75in screen in mid-air at the ideal viewing height. The Transcend frees installers from the constraints that come with placing a TV high above the mantel, allowing for optimal and comfortable viewing from virtually anywhere in the room.

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A handy mounting solution for the new Sonos Amp is available from SANUS

For stone or brick applications, the Transcend surface is available. It mounts directly to the surface of the wall with no cut-out required. The Transcend surface features extended downward travel, and the same simple adjustability as the Transcend.

Invision says that Peerless AV (incorporating TruVue and Smartmount models) offers a complete range of screen mounts designed to enhance any professional AV installation. Whether for residential or commercial, Peerless mounts incorporate intelligent design features to allow for simple yet versatile applications including integrated cable management, minimal wall plates, and vertical and horizontal adjustments allowing for fine tuning of each installation.

Invision also offers the full range of commercial mounts from Peerless which include Videowall mounts (to complement Invision’s Videowall offering) and lockable wall mounts suitable for public space and marine installations.

Peerless AV will use the upcoming ISE show to display its outdoor AV expertise (Stand 12-H90) with new high bright displays, kiosk solutions and LED concepts for outdoor digital signage.

Currently available in 43in, 49in and 55in, the 65in Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Display will be launched at the show. The range will be put to the test in various impact and water demonstration scenarios to highlight their resilient, all-weather capabilities. Offering the highest environmental rating in its class, the widest operating temperature range (-35°C to 60°C), a high TNI panel, IK10 rated impact resistant safety glass, optical bonding and 2500 nits of brightness, the Xtreme High Bright is designed to perform beyond expectations in any outdoor environment, including sports venues, theme parks, transportation, retail, education and hospitality.

Alongside the High Bright Display line up, PeerlessAV will exhibit its new outdoor Smart City Kiosk line up.

A modern, approachable and practical digital signage solution, the Smart City Kiosk combines functionality and aesthetics. Designed for 24/7 unattended operation, it can withstand winds up to 140 mph. Smart City Kiosk models incorporating a 49in or 55in Xtreme High Bright Display and models designed for 46in or 55in Samsung OHF Displays will be featured on the stand.

RGB says its15 years of experience with racking and furniture including Middle Atlantic and Lande, provides dealers with a wide range of budgetary and innovative products. The latest products from Middle Atlantic include the SR series pivoting wall rack, now available in 24u, 40u and 46u options. Middle Atlantic has expanded its standard width options to include models that provide more space to manage high-density cable bundles whilst saving valuable square footage over traditional floor-standing racks in residential AV applications. The SR series includes a unique pivoting mechanism that opens 90°, simplifying access to the rear and saving an average of nine square feet per cabinet. Even if you need to mount them into the corner of the equipment room or side by side, Middle Atlantic has the optional zero clearance latch to assist the dealer.

Lande rack cabinets, RGB has a wide range of wall mounted rack and brackets suitable for network distribution. The latest product offering for wall mounting includes a product called Set brackets & Stack.

This is an economic wall mounting rack designed to be easy to ship (coming flat packed) and easy to install with a combination of configuration options. The wall mount bracket has a range consisting of 2u, 3u, 4u, 6u and 8u heights, this combination of height options allows for multiple units to be stacked to provide a unique U height for your install, thus maximising the install space. This family has the ability to adjust the depth a further 100mm to accommodate kit that might be thrown into the mix at the last moment.

Habitech, has also recently been appointed as a supplier of Middle Atlantic and it looking forward to delivering the maker’s broad range of gangable and stand-alone floor-standing racks complete with all the accessories including blank panels, vent panels, shelves, storage, connector panels, cable ladders, vertical and horizontal cable management, lighting and thermal management. Most floor-standing gangable racks range in capacity from 19 to 45 spaces, with the Extra Tall VMRK up to 54 spaces. Stand-alone racks range in capacity from 18 to 45 rack spaces. Also available, a full selection of space-saving slide-out rack styles, offering equipment access where a rear open aisle is not possible. All styles have robust weight capacities while some styles also rotate to further enable accessibility. Slide out racks range in capacity from 8 to 44 rack spaces. Ideal for smaller installations or system distribution points Middle Atlantic’s wall-mount racks range in capacity from 2 to 35 rack spaces, with the hybrid wall/floor mounted SR models up to 46 spaces. Many styles have hinged sections providing enhanced rear access to equipment and wiring.

Vogels 0330 2020 980, vogels.com Loewe 03331 230 220, loewe-uk.com/uk Redline Distribution 01268 858 222, red-line.co.uk Antiference 01675 465 487, antiference.co.uk B-Tech International 01327 300 787, btechavmounts.com Future Automation 01438 833 577, futureautomation.co.uk AWE Europe: 01372 729 995, awe-europe.com Sanus +0207 043 2926, sanus.com Invision UK 01359 270 280, invisionuk.com RGB Communications 01488 73366, rgbcomms.co.uk Habitech 01256 638500, habitech.co.uk

52 | February 2019 Brackets, Racking & Support.indd 52

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Essential Install | Smart Thinking, Wireless Charging

What do Installers need to know about wireless charging?

Steve Liquorish, CEO of Aircharge, a firm that specialises in IoT-connected intelligent wireless charging, argues installers need to start to get to grips with the possibilities that the concept offers.

Offering integrated wireless charging could be a great value add for installers

Installers are always looking for ways to add modern touches to their repertoire, both to remain at the cutting edge of their fields and to demonstrate value to customers. This does not mean that all new technology trends are worth following blindly, but when a game changer does come along, mastering it quickly can provide a real competitive edge.

Around 10 years ago, wireless internet became one of these game changers, altering our perception of the technology and services that should be provided as standard in public spaces. The same is about to happen with wireless charging.

Consumer appetite for this advancement is clear; a recent study by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) – the group behind the universal standard for wireless charging Qi – found that 58% of current non-users are excited by the prospect of wireless charging.

This gauntlet has been taken up by all major smartphone manufacturers including Samsung and Apple, both of which have included Qi wireless charging capabilities in their latest smartphones. Soon all mobile devices will run on wireless power, with wireless charging ubiquitous in buildings and across society. But what does this step change mean for installers today?

Wireless charging solutions are the next step forward for modernising building infrastructure. Increased consumer appetite means we will see an increased demand for installations in the home and workplace.

Today the majority of electric applications in any environment are wired. However, this is the bare minimum as consumers increasingly rely on mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops and other accessories like headphones or Bluetooth speakers, all of which require easy access to wired power for charging.

The result is that the amount of wires utilised within current infrastructure is reaching a critical mass, creating an unnecessary amount of clutter. With this image in mind, it is easy to appreciate the impact wireless charging could have not only on interior aesthetics, but also on the health and safety risks associated with excess wires and direct access to AC sockets. A change is definitely overdue and installers can be the drivers of this change.

Modernising public and private spaces Offering products that keep a range of spaces modern is an ongoing challenge, and keeping up with new trends can be a never-ending headache. The alternative, however, is to struggle against the tide while potential customers go for newer, flashier options.

Wireless charging solutions are sleek and simple and seamlessly blend into any space. Do you put your phone on the table while you are eating breakfast? A typical Qi wireless charging point integrates seamlessly into furniture and surfaces, acting like a coaster for your smartphone and charging while in contact with it, meaning you could be constantly topping-up the battery without the need of a plug or cable.

By now many people use wireless charging accessories at home or in their car, or have encountered wireless charging in public areas – with the number of these locations constantly increasing.

According to the WPC, over three times as many people now use wireless charging than in 2016. The same survey also showed that familiarity with wireless charging is rapidly increasing, and now stands at 84%.

The growing prevalence of wireless charging in consumer society means that buildings and infrastructure will soon be expected to reflect this shift. Installers will always be asked what new modern features they can offer and should be ready to embrace a new technology.

The next wave of technological advancement will undoubtedly be based on wireless solutions, with more everyday functions taking place in wireless spheres, such as the cloud. Wireless charging belongs in this modern environment and can play a key role in smart buildings.

Smart buildings are generating huge amounts of excitement as they have the potential to significantly improve systems management and reduce energy consumption.

This is underpinned by the growing network of connectivity between wireless enabled devices – otherwise known as IoT. A wireless charging solution supported by a cloudbased IoT platform can play a pivotal role in this context by allowing customers to monitor and control elements of a venue remotely – for example room usage, and to offer the possibility for integrated services like user authentication and automated connectivity, or mapping space usage and user location in a venue to create an intelligent and responsive environment. When used to its fullest potential, wireless charging can be a huge step forward for modern buildings.

As well as creating a better user experience and streamlining the physical appearance of spaces, its inclusion can increase the capabilities of installers, allowing them to offer greater efficiency and smarter interiors to their customers.

Aircharge 01235 773373, air-charge.com

54 | February 2019 Smart Thinking – Wireless Charging.indd 54

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Personalised smart home control systems

ELAN smart home control is available from UK distributor Aldous Systems www.aldoussystems.co.uk

aldous_systems_ad.indd 1 Untitled-7 2

19/12/2018 16:39 15:20 09/01/2019

Essential Install | Smart Thinking: Bluetooth Mesh

Bluetooth Mesh touted as smart home silver bullet

As tech giants Alibaba, Xiaomi select Bluetooth Mesh as their strategic protocol for smart home solutions, EI askes Martin Woolley, developer relations manager EMEA, Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), if Bluetooth Mesh is the answer to greater integration.

Martin believes Bluetooth mesh has a strong future in the domestic automation market

It was announced recently that a new group known as the Bluetooth SIG Smart Home Subgroup has been established to advance mesh networking for the smart home by creating standards (or ‘models’, as they are known internally), for manufacturers to adhere to in order to offer Bluetooth mesh networking on their products.

Mesh models constitute the application layer of Bluetooth mesh networking and define the behaviour of devices connected to a Bluetooth mesh network.

For example, mesh models define how a Bluetooth mesh light is controlled by a Bluetooth mesh switch.

Like all Bluetooth technology specs, the mesh models developed by the subgroup will be available to all member companies for use in conjunction with the Bluetooth mesh networking specifications, enabling multi-vendor interoperability.

Martin underlines that it’s important to remember that Bluetooth technology has now been established 20 years and offers a truly manufacturer agnostic approach to communications that few others can match, making it a strong contender within the smart home environment. It’s way of communicating, lower power drain, and ability to create many connections at the same time within a property are attributes which have already seen this mesh technology taken up in some of the most challenging commercial environments. Now, Martin explains, the technology has set its sights on the home market.

Martin stresses particularly the way Bluetooth mesh communicates as highly significant, with every single Bluetooth enabled product on a network able to talk to every other product, coms are robust, agile and much less open to interface than, say, a Wi-Fi network.

Martin adds, “This does not mean we see Bluetooth mesh replacing Wi-Fi networks, far from it; they will complement each other. Whilst Wi-Fi is great for those high bit rate tasks like streaming music or AV content, Bluetooth mesh can deliver the communication, monitoring and automation control seamlessly and reliably across a whole property.

“If you drill down into how communications actually work, the differences are clear. With Wi-Fi networks, they can be tweaked a little to make them less vulnerable to interference from other networks, but Bluetooth works differently.”

Martin explains that Bluetooth mesh is based on already established Bluetooth Low Energy (L.E) tech. This topology was the first time Bluetooth could deliver a scenario where one product could talk to many.

Bluetooth mesh goes further and delivers a topology where many products can talk to many products, thus creating the mesh network. In this scenario, devices may relay data to other devices not in direct radio range of the originating product.

In this way, mesh networks can span very large physical areas and contain very big numbers of devices.

Martin also underlines that Bluetooth is robust because it uses a technique called ‘spreadspectrum frequency hopping’ that makes it rare for more than one device to be transmitting on the same frequency at the same time. A device will use 79 individual, randomly chosen frequencies within a designated range, changing from one to another 1,600 times every second, meaning that more devices can make full use of a limited slice of the radio spectrum. Because every transmitter uses spread-spectrum transmitting automatically, it’s unlikely that two transmitters will be on the same frequency at the same time. It’s also possible to use Mesh to lock one area completely off from another, so adjoining apartments or hotel rooms can’t interfere with each other. The attributes of the system, Bluetooth believes, make it a very strong proposition for large smart homes with lots of equipment, large scale properties and the MDU market too.

Martin adds, “It’s also important to remember the scale of Bluetooth already out there in the market. Every single smartphone and tablet already has it and figures show that 10 million new Bluetooth-enabled products ship every single day.”

With all predictions showing smart home expansion on a significant scale, Bluetooth believes it has the solution to meet the demand to tie all the products together in a reliable fashion. Martin also underlines that mesh has been created at the request of manufacturer members of SIG, underlining the demand is there. There are currently 35,000 members of SIG, so it’s a pretty powerful group.

Martin adds, “The initiative has actually been up and running for a while now and the results will start to be seen in the market soon.”

So will Bluetooth come out of the shadows and deliver an automation and comms platforms for the future? Its definitely got a shot.

Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) bluetooth.com

56 | February 2019 Bluetooth Mesh.indd 56

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This Month’s Essential Supplement

Cables & Connections 01727 840 841 info@trucables.com | www.trucables.com

LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEMS The popular range of high-quality lighting control cables for use with all leading intelligent lighting & building control systems

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Firetuf fire resistant versions available.

üOM1 üOM3 üOM4 üOS2 ü4, 8, 12 & 24 fibre configurations üLoose tube üTight buffered trucables.com/truoptic

professional grade audio TruSound professional grade speaker cables use the highest purity copper to carry high-quality signal to your audio equipment and provide you with exceptional levels of sound.

ü16AWG ü14AWG ü12AWG üParallel Speaker ü42 & 79 Strand üMulticore Round üExternal Grade trucables.com/trusound

www.trucables.com Cable & Connections.indd 57

15/01/2019 09:53

Essential Install | Cables & Connections

Habitech underlines the CI credentials of Cleerline’s new offerings

Many able cables

EI takes the measure of some of the companies and products which are laying the groundwork for successful AV and smart home projects.

CEDIA trade supplier FS Cables has developed a range of high-quality lighting control cables as part of the Tru Cables range. For use with all leading intelligent lighting and building control systems, FS Cables says the TruLighting range supports popular systems such as Crestron, Simmtronic, KNX, Control4, Thorn and Mode, allowing for the perfect living space at the touch of a button, controlling lighting, climate and blinds.

Each TruLighting control cable has been carefully designed to meet the specification of its respective control system. Manufactured using high-quality materials, all cables within the TruLighting range are available in Low Smoke Halogen Free (LSHF), meaning they give off minimal smoke and toxic fumes when burnt. LSHF cables are a strong solution for installation in offices, high-rise buildings and high-end residential buildings, as well as public buildings such as schools, hospitals and airports which may be difficult to evacuate in the event of fire.

KNX cables are increasingly being used in both commercial and high-end residential applications for total building control. The TruLighting KNX cable has been tested and certified by the KNX Association for guaranteed compatibility with KNX devices and equipment. This cable is stocked in one or two pair in

green or white with duct grade and steel wire armoured (SWA) versions for more demanding applications.

The full range has been independently tested in the UK to BS EN 50575 for CPR compliance. The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) became a legal requirement in July 2017, affecting cables designed for permanent installation within domestic, residential and commercial buildings. CPR-Compliant cables within the TruLighting range have undergone testing by an independent test house known as a Notified Body and are now classified between Class Eca and Cca. Products are held in stock for next working-day delivery to UK mainland, with free delivery on orders over £100, which can be made online at the company’s website.

Distributor, Habitech brings attention to Cleerline’s new CPR-rated multi-core fibre designs, created to guarantee the integrity of first-fix wiring way into the future. Habitech says the CLE-D50125MOM3CCA Duplex fibre, CLE-12D50125MOM3DCA 12-core, and its six, four and single core variants, offer future-proofed bandwidth capability, way beyond the 24Gbps needed for the fattest UHD with 12-bit Dolby Vision, and even 8K, together with the proven durability of Cleerline’s SSF fibre design.

This aspect of the design means the cable can safely be pulled at eight times the tension limits of a CAT cable and

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Essential Install | Cables & Connections

virtually eliminates the incidence of the micro-fractures that cause connection failures after the fibre is in the wall. Better still, the new fibres are CPR approved and by complying with the law, protect integrators from potential prosecution in the event of a safety inspection, or worse still, a building fire.

With control and bandwidth issues now centre stage for most residential installations, how does a dealer find the right cabling infrastructure for their project? RGB Communications says it’s focused on providing a range of cabling and infrastructure options to suit all needs.

With Metra, the company has a range of HDMI cables capable of supporting 4K@60Hz HDR. The Ethereal MHY cable range provides 18 GBps performance of up to 12m, with unique Grip-Lox connections for more secure connection to equipment. All MHY L series cables up to 12 metres are DPL certified, independently tested to ensure long-term usability and performance so installers can be sure that they deliver, says the distributor.

But if the HDMI run is longer than 12m, what are your options?

With Metra the Velox range of active cable mean the distance can be overcome with use of powered electronics ensuring reliable HDMI 18 GBps delivery up to 30metres, again DPL certified to ensure performance Need to go further? Then Velox optical fibre cables provide DPL certified up to 100m, supporting 18Gbps bandwidth and resolutions up to: 4K@60, All Colour Subsampling Supported (4:4:4, 4:2:2, 4:2:0), Deep Colour, and HDR. And what about the future, with 8K coming up fast how do installers future-proof an install?

RGB also points to the abilities of Cleerline SSF fibre as a whole home infrastructure which can be installed ready for those higher resolutions and the beauty is, it’s as easy and safe to install as cat5 cable. RGB adds that with SSF Cleerfiber technology it’s even better suited for residential installs.

SSF CLEERFIBER is a single strand of SSF 250 μm multimode fibre contained within a 900 μm transparent jacket. The cable can be routed and placed inconspicuously along skirting boards or ceilings, up walls, or directed anywhere for easy indoor point-topoint cable placement. The cable can be caulked and painted over to allow it to become virtually invisible. RGB argues SSF CLEERFIBER simplifies any installation project, delivering signals to equipment that was previously inaccessible without unsightly cabling.

CYP has announced new additions to its HDMI cable range. All supporting full HDMI 2.0 specifications, the products include a 20-metre AOC (Active Optical Cable), upgraded versions of its Ultra-Slim short-distance range and a new HDBaseT extender kit.

Optical cable has long been recognised as one of the most effective ways to transfer HDMI 2.0 content over longer distances, especially as the Premium HDMI 2.0 specification is limited to six metres. Optical cable allows for the full 18 Gbps bandwidth required for full 4KHDR

video transition and can transmit signals over anything up to 100 metres plus. However, until now, the price has been prohibitive. CYP’s latest HDMI-AOC-20m cable utilises both fibre and copper to create a very thin, light and flexible cable that is a good solution for installations over longer distances. Drawing the power for its active circuitry from the HDMI source, the copper element of the cable is only used to transmit power, eradicating any harm to the audio/video signal from air-bound EMI (Electrical Mechanical Interference). Fitted with cast HDMI plugs for a more reliable connection, CYP says its HDMIAOC-20M is the perfect HDMI cable to be hidden in walls, as it also offers enough bandwidth required for 4KHDR (4:4:4 @ 60hz 10/12Bit HDR/Dolby Vision) video sources.

Combining cast HDMI plugs for a more reliable fit with a very flexible cable, CYP’s latest Ultra-Slim range of HDMI cables provide local patch cables for any installation.

Conforming to HDMI specifications, CYP’s Ultra Slim offers High Speed HDMI signal transmission with Ethernet and is available in 0.5m, 1m, 1.5m, 2m and 3m.

The new cost-effective PUV-1710L-AVLC Transmitter (TX) and Receiver (RX) enable video resolutions up to 4KHDR including 10/12-bit HDR & Dolby Vision, to be transmitted along with HD audio, two-way IR, RS232, PoH (Power over HDBaseT) signals up to a distance of 70m over a single CAT6a/7 cable.

Despite the 10.2Gbps limitation of HDBaseT technology, this product enables data rates of up to 18Gbps to be transmitted using AVLC (Adaptive Visually Lossless Compression) Technology. The transmitter enables 4KUHD sources up to and including 4K@60Hz (4:4:4 8-bit) as well as 10/12 bit sources with HDR (Including Dolby Vision) to be extended to a compatible receiver. The result, says CYP, is a perfect 4K 6G visuallylossless image delivered to the display screen and is the last word in delivering 4K UHD signals over long runs.

Martin Featherstone, commercial director at CYP, says, “We spend a lot of time in our training sessions reminding people the importance of matching the right cables to the products they are connecting. To gain full HDMI 2.0 specification throughout, HDMI Premium cables are required but are limited to short runs due to the bandwidth the cable can support. With the introduction of our latest HDMI cable range, any CYP HDMI cable is compatible with the 2.0 specification, giving installers the peace of mind that the signal they transmit, will arrive where it’s needed!.”

Atlas Cables has introduced the Element 18G HDMI designed to deliver industry leading digital bandwidth allowing the full unimpeded 18Gbps signal capability of the HDMI 2.0a specification to be delivered. Building upon the success of the second generation Atlas Element 4k HDMI, Atlas wanted to introduce a new model that could deliver the full bandwidth requirements of HDMI 2.0a – 18Gbps but over extended lengths up to 4m. Atlas says the new Element 18G HDMI delivers unimpeded picture and sound quality as well as being practical for the installer and consumer.

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February 2019 | 59 Cable & Connections.indd 59

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Essential Install | Cables & Connections

tvONE has launched a line of active optical cables

Each critical TMDS (Transition Minimised Differential Signalling) twisted data pair is produced from 28awg (American Wire Gauge) OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) conductors encased within super rigid and geometrically stable Polyethylene dielectric. Each critical pair being then individually shielded within a 100% Mylar copper screen before a secondary shielding layer is further enhanced via a copper outer screen. The combination of the precision twisting and critical shielding cancels out the worst effect of inductive and capacitive coupling within the cable. This balanced shielding approach also delivers strong EMC performance. The cable is finished with a blue split mould head shell in a high gloss pearlescent finish. tvONE has announced a new line of active optical cables, featuring DisplayPort 1.4 active optical cables (MGAOC-88x) and HDMI 2.0 active optical cables (MG-AOC66x). The cables have been created to provide a simple yet powerful solution for extending ultra-high resolution over long distances.

The firm says the plug-and-play active optical cables provide video and audio extension with no compression or latency up to 328ft (100m) and without the need for external power. The HDMI 2.0 active optical cable supports up to 4K60 4:4:4, while the DisplayPort 1.4 active optical cable supports up to 8K60 4:4:4. Both cables are available in non-plenum and plenum versions in ten different lengths from 10m to 100m, providing extra flexibility.

“Extending extremely high resolutions, such as 8K, is a major challenge,” says Mark Armon, global product manager at tvONE, “and to be able to use a simple, nonpowered cable is the easiest solution.”

Distributor Invision continues with its support of the ICE brand of CI specialist cables. The maker underlines that it does not cut back on copper, including the proper amount in every cable to ensure longevity. Cables are also designed with labour costs in mind, using a 4in pay out on pull boxes to ensure free flowing cable with no kinks. ICE Cable also claims that it knows the competition, so you don’t have to. When compared to other wire and cable providers like for like, ICE says it is often less expensive.

The company has also developed ways to improve the cable itself to make it faster and more efficient to install.

Wet Slick jackets that pull easier, EZ Strip Tissue that strips easier, and a range of other time-saving features are all built into the cable. Individually, these smooth out the rough edges in the install process.

The firm says Primal Cat 6 combines low prices with the best pulling box in the industry. All Primal cable is HDBaseT certified, CPR Rated and available in Low Smoke Zero Halogen versions. ICE HDMI leads are certified 18Gbps up to 20M giving full 60HZ 4:4: The HDMI leads feature the GRIP lock technology with special springs to provide a secure grip on the female connector, giving a stable connection. These are supplied in dual use packaging with resealable opening and display hang holes making it usable in a retail environment also.

Best known for its matrix and extender lines, WyreStorm offers its own cable ranges allowing the delivery of 4K UHD with HDR content in all its uncompressed 18Gbps glory with 10m, 15m, 20m and 30m HDMI cables using the latest active optical transmission technology. Next generation content needs next generation content delivery supporting video at 4K/60 4:4:4 8-bit and HDR 12-bit at 4:2:2 with HDCP 2.2. WyreStorm’s CAB-HAOC cables handle all of that as well as multichannel audio up to DTS:X and Dolby Atmos. What’s more, when it comes to aiding control of devices, the maker also keeps things simple with support for both ARC and CEC. A strong option for point to point use or as part of a WyreStorm 4K UHD matrix switcher system where mirrored HDMI outputs can be used to their full potential, these cables are a good solution for any environment where copper transmission may be susceptible to electromagnetic or radio frequency interference. With install experience as important as transmission quality, the CAB-HAOC cables come ready spooled with 20mm heads easily fed through conduits and colour coded/labelled connections improving ease of install and cable management. The maker says these cables are the perfect accessory to any WyreStorm 4K UHD distribution and an absolute must for today’s AV projects requiring rock solid delivery of the latest content over full bandwidth 18Gbps HDMI. Atlona’s OMEGA Series, first introduced in October, was developed to reflect the changing technology requirements of collaborative spaces. At the forthcoming ISE show, Atlona is adding several new products to the family, including the AT-OME-EX-KIT, a versatile 4K/UHD HDBaseT extender.

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60 | February 2019 Cable & Connections.indd 60

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Untitled-7 2

09/01/2019 16:43

Essential Install | Cables & Connections

Atlona’s new DualOutput 4K/UHD HDMI to HDBaseT Distribution Amplifier

Designed for small meeting room applications, the AT-OME-EX-KIT addresses the need to transport multiple HDMI video and audio, control, Ethernet and USB signals over a single connection. Covering distances up to 330 feet (100 metres), the AT-OME-EX-KIT integrates with PCs, cameras, speakerphones, and microphones and enables connectivity between USB devices at remote locations.

Applications include software video conferencing and can also provide AV and USB extension for touch-enabled, interactive displays.

The AT-OME-EX-KIT includes the OME-EX-TX transmitter, which provides a USB 2.0 host interface for a PC. The transmitter is powered from the OME-EXRX receiver via industry-standard Power over Ethernet (PoE), enabling convenient, discreet transmitter installation below a table or at another remote location without the need for local AC power. As part of the OMEGA Series, the AT-OME-EX-KIT is one of several OMEGA products to help customers host spontaneous and planned collaborations, actively engaging with audiences, and share visual content to make communications more effective.

Atlona has also launched a Dual-Output 4K/UHD HDMI to HDBaseT Distribution Amplifier. Available immediately, the AT-UHD-CAT-2 is designed to provide a cost-efficient and integration-friendly Ultra HD distribution solution for smaller-scale AV applications. The unit has been created to bring all of the integration-friendly features of its larger UHD-CAT Series siblings to smaller AV distribution applications, the new 1x2 UHD-CAT-2.

“Our four-output AT-UHD-CAT-4 and eight-output AT-UHD-CAT-8 distribution amplifiers have proven very popular for AV environments ranging from retail showrooms and classrooms to restaurants and entertainment venues, but we have received many requests from integrators and end-users for a model with only two outputs,” says Joshua Castro, Atlona product manager. “We’re pleased to meet this demand with the UHD-CAT-2, bringing the same rich feature set to smallerscale, price-sensitive AV applications.”

The UHD-CAT-2 features one HDMI input, one HDMI pass-through output, and two HDBaseT outputs for distributing 1080p content up to 230 feet (70 metres) or 4K/UHD material up to 130 feet (40m) over category cable.

Each HDBaseT output delivers video, audio, remote PoE receiver power, and control signals – including RS232 and IR, plus CEC for automatic display control – over a single cable, simplifying installation while minimising cable runs between AV sources, control systems and displays.

The new distribution amplifier supports 4K/UHD video at 60 Hz with 4:2:0 chroma sampling and is HDCP 2.2 compliant, enabling reliable distribution of copyprotected content. The UHD-CAT-2 is compatible with Atlona receiver options including the AT-UHD-EX-70CRX, the AT-HDVS-200-RX HD receiver and scaler, and the recently-released AT-HDVS-SC-RX 4K/UHD receiver with advanced CrystalScale scaling technology.

The UHD-CAT-2 offers TCP/IP, RS232 and IR control capabilities for flexible integration, and can be remotely configured, managed and monitored over a LAN, WAN or VPN with the Atlona Management System (AMS 2.0) software or Atlona’s innovative, IP-based Velocity AV control platform. The UHD-CAT-2 is now shipping and is backed by Atlona’s 10-year limited product warranty.

FS Cables 01727 840 841, trucables.com tvONE 01843 873 300, tvone.com Invision UK 01359 270 280, invisionuk.com WyreStorm 01793 230 343, wyrestorm.com Atlona 07788 810 670, atlona.com RGB Communications 01488 73366, rgbcomms.co.uk Habitech 01256 638 500, habitech.co.uk CYP Europe 0203 1379 180, cypeurope.com Atlas Cables 01563 572 666, atlascables.com

www.trucables.com/truhome info@trucables.com | 01727 840 841 featured products • Cat 6 bundled PVC

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• HA1 - 2 x Coax & 2 x Cat 5E bundled PVC

• HA5 - 2 x Coax, 2 x Cat 6 & 1 x Cat 5E bundled LSZH

• HA2 - 2 x Coax, 2 x Cat 5E & 1 x Lighting Control PVC

• HA15 - 1 x Coax, 3 x Cat 6 bundled PVC

• HA3 - 2 x Coax & 2 x Cat 6 bundled PVC

• Cat 6 UTP + TV 100 Coax Shotgun Cable

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T EX E N SU IS

In-depth

SPEAKERS SUPPLEMENT Also in this issue…

D E S I G N E D

I N

Precision video engineering.

18 GBPS

Flatscreen TVs & Monitors

Training

S C O T L A N D

®

HIGH SPEED with ETHERNET

ISE Review

To get involved, contact Ian on 01634 673163/ ian@allthingsmedialtd.com

Essential INSTALL MAGAZINE

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Essential Install | Training Dates

AL LT R A D E

H A B I T EC H

ANTIFERENCE CLEAR FLOW TRAINING

ARCAM - PRODUCT TRAINING (1 DAY COURSE)

DATES/LOCATION: February 19th (Foundation 10am-11:30am/Advanced 12noon-1:30pm) Brighton & Hove Branch, February 20th (Foundation 10am-11:30am/Advanced 12noon1:30pm) Maidstone Branch, February 21st (Foundation 10am-11:30am/Advanced 12noon1:30pm) Hemel Hempstead Branch, February 26th (Foundation 10am-11:30am/Advanced 12noon-1:30pm) Reading Branch, February 27th (Foundation 10am-11:30am/Advanced 12noon1:30pm) Cardiff Branch, February 28th (Foundation 10am-11:30am/Advanced 12noon-1:30pm) Bournemouth Branch COST: Free

INTRODUCTION TO SONOS DATES/LOCATION: February 5th (10am) Brighton & Hove/Bournemouth Branches, February 7th (10am) Hemel Hempstead/Reading Branches (2pm) Maidstone Branch COST: Free

LEVEL 1 UBIQUITI DATES/LOCATION: January 31st (2pm) Hemel Hempstead Branch, February 20th (2pm) Brighton & Hove and Bournemouth Branches, February 21st (2pm) Reading Branch, February 28th (2pm) Maidstone Branch COST: Free

LEVEL 2 UBIQUITI DATES/LOCATION: February 27th (2pm) Bournemouth Branch COST: Free

INTRODUCTION TO IRS DATES/LOCATION: January 31st (2pm) Maidstone Branch, February 6th (2pm) Brighton & Hove Branch, February 13th (2pm) Bournemouth Branch, February 14th (2pm) Reading Branch, February 28th (2pm) Hemel Hempstead Branch COST: Free

INTRODUCTION TO FIBRE

DATES/LOCATION: Basingstoke; 29th January, 12th March, 7th May, 2nd July, 17th September, 12th November COST: Free

DAHUA (1 DAY COURSE) DATES/LOCATION: Basingstoke; 21st February, 19th March, 9th April,15th May, 25th June, 31st July, 4th September, 16th October, 13th November COST: Free

WISDOM AUDIO - PRODUCT TRAINING (1 DAY COURSE) DATES/LOCATION: Basingstoke; 5th March, 14th May, 9th July, 24th September, 5th November COST: Free

WYRESTORM - 4K HDR (1 DAY COURSE) DATES/LOCATION: Basingstoke; 27th February, 20th March, 24th April, 22nd May, 26th June, 24th July, 25th September, 25th October, 27th November COST: Free

WYRESTORM - NETWORK HD (1 DAY COURSE) DATES/LOCATION: Basingstoke; 28th February, 21st March, 25th April, 23rd May, 27th June, 25th July, 26th September, 31st October, 28th November COST: Free

YAMAHA COMMERCIAL AUDIO TRAINING (1 DAY COURSE) DATES/LOCATION: Basingstoke; 26th February, 16th April, 21st May, 18th June, 5th September, 17th October, 14th November COST: Free to Habitech customers

MORE INFORMATION »

Habitech 01256 638 500, habitech.co.uk

DATES/LOCATION: January 30th (2pm) Cardiff Branch, January 31st (2pm) Reading Branch, February 6th (2pm) Bournemouth Branch, February 21st (2pm) Maidstone Branch, February 27th (2pm) Brighton & Hove Branch COST: Free

INTRODUCTION TO CCTV DATES/LOCATION: January 30th (2pm) Brighton & Hove Branch COST: Free

CAT5E/6, THEIR CONNECTORS AND BEYOND DATES/LOCATION: January 30th (2pm) Bournemouth Branch, February 14th (2pm) Brighton & Hove/Hemel Hempstead/Maidstone Branches, February 28th (2pm) Reading Branch COST: Free

MORE INFORMATION »

For more information or to book call 0344 225 2700/01273 765180, email training@alltrade.co.uk or visit alltrade.co.uk

CA I BASIC AERIAL & SATELLITE INSTALLATION (THREE DAY COURSE) DATES/LOCATION: 29, 30 & 31 January 2019 – Watford, Hertfordshire; 26, 27 & 28 February 2019 – Basford, Nottinghamshire; 12, 13 & 14 March 2019 – Watford, Hertfordshire; 21, 22 & 23 May 2019 – Gateshead, Tyne & Wear; 04, 05 & 06 June 2019 – Watford, Hertfordshire; 16, 17 & 18 July 2019 – Basford, Nottinghamshire; 03, 04 & 05 September 2019 – Watford, Hertfordshire; 12, 13 & 14 November 2019 – Watford, Hertfordshire COST: Member Rate £525 / Non-Member Rate £780

INTRODUCTION TO IRS (TWO DAY COURSE) DATES/LOCATION: 20 & 21 March 2019, 22 & 23 May 2019, 24 & 25 July 2019, 11 & 12 September 2019, 20 & 21 November 2019; Watford, Hertfordshire

COST: Member Rate £270 / Non-Member Rate £395

MAKING THE BOND (ONE DAY COURSE) DATES/LOCATION: 19 February 2019, 19 March 2019, 16 April 2019, 21 May 2019, 23 July 2019, 10 September 2019, 19 November 2019; Watford, Hertfordshire

COST: Member Rate £180 / Non-Member Rate £265

MORE INFORMATION »

CAI 01923 803 030, cai.org.uk

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Essential Install | Training Dates

TRAINING DATES SET FOR 2019?

Get your training dates included in our training pages for upcoming issues.

Contact Daniel Sait to add your training to the next issue.

Email: dan@allthingsmedia.com Call: 01634 673 163

Essential INSTALL MAGAZINE

Essential INSTALL MAGAZINE

Essential INSTALL MAGAZINE

WITH EVER-CHANGING STANDARDS, RULES & REGULATIONS, TRAINING HAS NEVER BEEN SO IMPORTANT TO THE CUSTOM INSTALL INDUSTRY’S PROGRESSION.

WHAT ARE INSTALL YOU WAITING FOR? Essential MAGAZINE

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February 2019 | 65 11/01/2019 15:06

EssentialBUYERS’ GUIDE DISTRIBUTORS

Even better together.

oneav.co.uk

GET NOTICED! Would you like to advertise in our new Buyers’ Guide section and reach 10,000+ readers each and every month?

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Size

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110 x 61mm

£450

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110 x 133mm

£900

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224 x 61mm

£900

£1500

66 | February 2019 Buyers Guide.indd 66

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Essential BUYERS’ GUIDE

EssentialBUYERS’ GUIDE LIGHTING &CATEGORY LIGHTING CONTROLS

Hamilton

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Visit www.hamilton-litestat.com Tel: +44 (0)1747 860088

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Crestron Pyng OS 2: video is here 189 x 56mm crestron.com/pyng The operating system of the world’s smartest homes

92 x 56mm

Size

Dimensions

6 Months

1/8 page

110 x 61mm

£450

12 Months £750

1/4 page vertical

110 x 133mm

£900

£1500

1/4 page horizontal

224 x 61mm

£900

£1500

All brand names, product names, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Certain trademarks, registered trademarks, and trade names may be used to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Crestron disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Crestron is not responsible for errors in typography or photography. ©2018 Crestron EMEA

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Essential Install | Products

Essential products

Opulent offerings of AV automation Samsung speciality sets have received an image boost

Samsung puts itself in the frame Samsung is rolling out its QLED technology to more than just its Q series of TVs, with CES 2019 seeing both The Frame and Serif ranges gain QLED panels improving the picture quality of these sets.

The Frame is one of Samsung’s most unique TVs, with its ability to blend into the overall décor of a room unrivalled by any other off-the-shelf set. This new approach should also see the sets receive a significant boost in contrast, colour accuracy and black levels, and offers another alternative to OLED TVs. While the addition of a QLED panel is the big news for the 2019 Frame TV, Samsung has also added its Bixby voice assistant. While this lags far behind similar voice assistants such as the Google Assistant and Alexa, it has vastly improved in recent iterations – although we’ll gladly admit that we’re still holding out hope that Samsung will opt for another assistant in the future.

Bixby will be capable of controlling just about every function on the 2019 Frame TV, as well as search popular streaming services like Netflix and Rakuten. There’s no word on whether it will be able to search The Frame’s biggest feature, however, the Art Store.

For 2019, The Frame’s Art Store is set to grow even further, with thousands of pieces of art made available from a wide range of museums and art galleries. Masterpieces from the Uffizi Galleries in Italy, the Van Gogh Museum in The Netherlands, Te Papa in New Zealand, the V&A and Tate Modern in the UK have all recently been added.

The 2019 Serif TV also adds Samsung’s Ambient Mode to the 2019 offering, allowing the TV to blend into whatever is behind it, while it’s also able to display information from news headlines and weather updates.

Samsung +44 (0)1932 454358, samsung.com/uk

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Essential Install | Products

LG has expanded its Dolby Atmos soundbar range with help from Meridian Audio

LG leans on Meridian Audio for 2019 Dolby Atmos soundbars LG has announced its latest models, and once again the firm has leaned on the audio experts at Meridian Audio to ensure the audio is top notch.

Having released the first products under the partnership at CES 2018, this year the firms are pushing the boundary further. The SL9YG is arguably the most interesting Dolby Atmos soundbar from the launch, although it has nothing to do with its sound. The reason the SL9YG has already received two CES Innovation Awards is because of its ultra-low profile and simple design.

While some Dolby Atmos soundbars are bulky, the SL9YG is just 57mm in depth. This slim design allows for some interesting installation options, including flush against the wall. The speaker also has an integrated gyroscope, which will adjust the sound directionality based on its orientation – LG says this is to ‘guarantee the optimal listening experience’.

Little is currently known about the flagship SL10YG, but its design isn’t too dissimilar from the SK10Y that launched in 2018, except there is the addition of a small light-up Google Assistant logo on the top of the soundbar, with all 2019 Dolby Atmos models set to get the full functionality.

Google Assistant isn’t the only thing new to all the new Dolby Atmos soundbars from LG, with DTS:X also being added. Both these models will also work with the Wireless Rear Speaker Kit (model SPK 8), which is already available.

LG +44 (0) 1753 491 500, lg.com/uk; Meridian 01480 445 678, meridian-audio.com

Taking the world by Stealth Invisible speakers are no longer an audio compromise in search of aesthetic approval, claims the maker, and with growing justification.

The LRx85 is the latest generation of high-performance, expert-grade invisible speakers from Stealth Acoustics, delivering sound quality, frequency response and output levels usually reserved for only the best visible speakers.

Now, says the creator, installers can bring top-shelf audio performance to their customers without any visible presence of speaker boxes or speaker grills.

Stealth’s LRx85 premium invisible speaker system, available in both passive and active versions, allows for invisible audio in the most critical applications for home cinema, listening rooms and high-performance distributed audio.

This two-panel system, which replaces a segment of a flat wall or ceiling with a paintable, non-penetrable flat front speaker system, incorporates five mid-range/high frequency drivers mounted in a unique dual-D’Appolito alignment for noticeable improvement in left/right panoramas and depth of sound stage.

Below the mid/high panel is a separate, totally invisible bass frequency panel with two high-power 8in cone woofers behind Stealth’s FidelityGlass flat front radiator.

Together, the two invisible panels create a seamless speaker system covering the full audio spectrum from 35Hz18kHz. 300W power handling provides the robust dynamic range required for realistic movie sound and impactful music reproduction.

For even greater output and performance, the LRx85 is available in an active bi-amplified version, the LRx85ACT, which comes complete with a pre-tuned and optimised dual channel Stealth SA2400MKII DSP amplifier to create a single-channel system, which can be used as building blocks to create invisible home cinemas from 5.1 to 100-channel plus Dolby Atmos rooms.

Stealth Acoustics Stand 5-R96. The brand is available in the UK from Genesis Technologies UK. Genesis Technologies 0787 9412280, genesistechnologies.co.uk

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Essential Install | Products

LG’s new projector offers ‘AI’ control

New Cinebeam Laser 4K Ultra Short-Throw from LG Revealed at CES, LG unveiled its second-generation CineBeam Laser 4K projector (model HU85L) with Ultra Short Throw (UST) technology.

The new model builds on LG’s first 4K model (HU80K) and continues to offer minimal space requirement and compact design that can project 4K images on practically any flat surface. With UST technology, the unit can be placed a little more than two inches from the wall to project a 90in diagonal image. Placed seven inches away, the projector produces a much larger and still bright 120in image.

Delivering 2,500 ANSI lumens and 4K UHD resolution, LG CineBeam Laser 4K ensures bright and clear images and superb black level, says the maker.

LG adds that the HU85L can reproduce accurate colours courtesy of its wide colour gamut, which further increases the realism of every picture displayed. LG’s projector also enables users to stream movies and shows from their favourite services while USB, Ethernet and HDMI provide more connectivity choices.

LG says its beamer is smaller than other leading 4K projectors and has a subtle design that won’t distract or interfere with the viewing experience. The projector also offers enhanced visual accuracy with a 12-point keystone adjustment feature.

The LG CineBeam Laser 4K also includes ‘AI technology’ which enables customers to use voice commands to access the natural language processing capabilities of LG’s AI solution, ThinQ. Viewers can access a list of movies starring their favourite actors then select the content by speaking into the included Magic Remote. The Magic Remote also recognises gestures and features backlit buttons for easier navigation which turn on automatically when motion is detected.

LG +44 (0) 1753 491 500, lg.com/uk

A parting present from Oppo Despite exiting the home cinema market, Oppo isn’t in the business of leaving its customers in the lurch, and that’s why it’s giving those with a UDP-203 or UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player a late Christmas gift – support for HDR10+.

Oppo’s UDP-203 and UDP-205 4K Blu-ray players are already some of the most revered on the market, and in a previous update Oppo brought Dolby Vision support to them. Now with the addition of HDR10+, these are still amongst the most capable 4K Blu-ray players on the market.

Currently HDR10+ support is only available through a public beta, but should enable those with an HDR10+ TV to enjoy the metadata-based format. Unfortunately, there isn’t exactly a wealth of content available for the format just yet, with the main source of content currently only being available through Amazon Video. Samsung, the founder of HDR10+, promises that more content is coming in 2019, however, with Warner Bros. supposedly committing to over 100 titles available for digital distribution by early this year.

HDR10+ is currently only available on a few TVs, predominantly models from Samsung. More TV manufacturers are committing to the format, however, with Panasonic, Hisense and TCL all promising to support it. Panasonic already has a few TV models out with HDR10+ support.

Those without an HDR10+ TV will find other reasons to install this public beta, as the Oppo UDP-203 and UDP-205 now also support ‘HDMI IN BYPASS’ mode for Dolby Vision passthrough via HDMI. There are a bunch of other fixes and compatibility improvements that are all available through the update. There’s no word when the update will go from beta to stable, however.

Oppo Digital 0345 0609 395, oppodigital.com

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AT ISE 2019 Learn core skills to progress your technical capabilities.

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BOOK NOW AT ISEUROPE.ORG/SHOP SPONSOR OF CEDIA TRAINING AT ISE 2019 Untitled-3 1

23/11/2018 14:12

Essential Install | Products

Savant IP Video with advanced video tiling is the highest quality 4K UHD video distribution solution available today, says the maker

Savant video tiling now available with IP video products Savant has announced the addition of high-resolution video tiling to its IP Video product line. IP Video Tiling is now built into Savant IP Video input and output modules (with video processing) and can be offered with no added costs or specialty equipment needed.

This new enhancement means installers can add video tiling to any IP Video system, allowing for viewing of multiple sources at the same time on a single display. Unlimited sources can be, only limited by the size of the network. All features are built in, enabling users to access and view any available source as a tile on any display within the IP video network. Savant’s IP Video Tiling is also easier to use than before, featuring a streamlined user experience for the Savant Pro 8 App that leverages the drag-and-drop gesture interface that adds new favourite channel icons for easier channel selection per source. The Savant Pro 8 App automatically detects the number of sources present and provides an array of predefined tiling layouts. Tiling presets can now be created, saved and added to Savant Scenes, enabling one-touch access to all favourite programming. For compatibility with existing Savant systems, the tiling interface in the Savant Pro 8 App is backwards-compatible with the previous generation of chassis-based 1080p tiling solutions. Additionally, Savant’s TrueControl tiling interface is fully supported by the IP Video line.

Delivering lossless 4K/60 4:4:4 video at zero frame latency with HDMI 2.0 support, there is no compression at any resolutions below 4K/60 4:4:4 and a ratio of only 1.4:1 at full 4K/60 4:4:4.

Savant Europe 01488 649 340, savanteurope.co.uk

HARMAN’s Mark Levinson № 519 Audio Player firmware update adds Roon and MQA The № 519 was designed to be the heart of highperformance audio systems, with the ability to playback virtually any audio format from streaming music services

HARMAN’s Mark Levinson has announced a firmware update for its № 519 Audio Player, presented as a versatile ultrahigh-end source component designed to accommodate nearly every digital audio format.

The № 519 is now Roon Ready adding this platform’s rich and engaging way to browse, organise, and listen to music.

Artist photos, credits, bios, reviews, lyrics, tour dates, and composers are located automatically, then interconnected by links to build a surfable digital magazine. Going beyond a personal music collection, Roon lets a user explore millions of tracks on TIDAL through the lens of the user’s collection. Roon is also a multi-room, multi-user networked audio platform, offering features such as bit-perfect playback, DSD and PCM up-sampling, multichannel support, and Signal Path display. Because the Nº 519 is Roon Ready, it requires no configuration to work with Roon; just connect it to the network.

The Mark Levinson No519 is now also certified with the MQA Full Decoder, which enables playback and authentication of MQA audio files and streams. The No 519 delivers full MQA playback while streaming MQA files from Tidal or Roon, playing through a USB drive, listening to an MQA-CD or via DLNA. MQA is an awardwinning British technology capable of delivering the sound of the original master recording. The MQA file is fully authenticated and is small enough to stream or download.

Additional enhancements include support for up to 8TB USB hard drives, support for Mac OS formatted hard drives, faster network discovery, an added Wi-Fi signal strength indicator and improved user experience with streaming services.

Mark Levinson marklevinson.com

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PRISMASONIC

FORTRESS SEATING

LUTRON

PARADIGM

VICOUSTIC

AUDIO CONTROL

ANTHEM

KALEIDESCAPE

PIXELGEN

SCREEN RESEARCH

D-BOX

NEAR SPEAKERS

FURMAN

BGW

JAMES LOUDSPEAKER

STORM AUDIO

DIGITAL PROJECTION

www.pulsecinemas.com Untitled-5 1

info@pulsecinemas.com

CRESTRON

LOEWE

Tel: 01279 647 039 24/05/2018 11:15