DECEMBER 2019
THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY
Invision - Proud to be distributing Sony Home Cinema Projectors
CONTENT IS KING LET THERE BE ROCK!
HOME CINEMA SEATING COMFORT, THE MOTHER OF IMMERSION
INSTALL PIONEER: HARMAN
LIVING WITH LUXURY
S U P P ORT I NG
4K HDR up to 40m
PRO88HBT70CS
Custom Pro 8x8 HDBaseT™ CSC Matrix (4K 60Hz 4:4:4 up to 40m) C U S T O M P R O
- Supports 4K HDR, IP Control, PoH, 2-Way IR, 4 x Simultaneous HDMI outputs , Audio Breakout with volume control J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI2.0 18Gbps specification over HDBaseT™ J Supports 4K resolutions including HDR (4K 60Hz 4:4:4) to a distance of 40m
Our Custom Pro 8x8 HDBaseT™ CSC Matrix offers unprecedented
J Smart Scale technology - automatic 4K to 1080p scaling
4K HDR performance for the custom installation market. The PRO88HBT100CS is a HDMI2.0 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 HDCP2.2 Matrix utilising CSC technology to deliver HDMI, Bi-directional IR, PoH (PoE) up to lengths of 100m over a single CAT cable (4K HDR up to 70m). The Matrix also provides advanced features including HDBaseT™ video down-conversion, 4 x simultaneous HDMI outputs, audio breakout with line level pre amp volume control and a web browser interface module for control and configuration of the matrix.
60Hz 4:4:4
HDCP 2.2
2.0
EDID
PRO88HBT100CS
HDR HD
4K HDR up to 70m
Custom Pro 8x8 HDBaseT™ CSC Matrix (4K 60Hz 4:4:4 up to 70m) - Supports 4K HDR, IP & RS-232 Control, PoH, 2-Way IR, 4x simultaneous HDMI outputs, Audio Breakout with volume control J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI2.0 18Gbps specification over HDBaseT™ J Supports 4K resolutions including HDR (4K 60Hz 4:4:4) to a 60Hz 4:4:4
Blustream_EI_DEC_2019.indd All Pages
HDCP 2.2
2.0
EDID
HDR HD
distance of 70m J Smart Scale technology - automatic 4K to 1080p scaling
M U L T I C A S T
IP200UHD-RX/TX Multicast 4K UHD Video Receiver / Transmitter J Supports up to 4K HDR UHD video sources (3840 x 2160 @30Hz 4:4:4, 4096 x 2160 @24Hz 4:4:4 and 4K @60Hz 4:2:0) J Advanced signal management for independent routing of IR, RS-232, USB/KVM, audio and video
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J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering CSC scaling with zero latency J Supports 4K UHD video up to 70m (3840x2160 @60Hz 4:4:4 and @60Hz 4:2:2 including HDR)
C O N T R A C T O R
J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI2.0 18Gbps specification including HDR support
S E R I E S
C44-KIT Contractor 4x4 HDBaseT™ Matrix Kit J 70m (4K up to 40m) Includes 4 x HEX70B-RX HDBaseT™ Receivers
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STAND 5-U85
22/11/2019 18:22
48 16 39 CONTENTS 5 FROM THE EDITOR’S CHAIR Season’s greetings!
7 ESSENTIAL NEWS Fact finding mission
16 INVISION UK
Distributor gets serious about Sony
December 2019 24 TOP TIPS A brand new standard for cinemas
26 SMART THINKING Wi-Fi’s clean air act
28 HVAC HEAT MAP
Who turns their heat on first?
18 HABITECH EVENT
31 SENSIBLE HEAT
20 ONEAV
37 ESSENTIAL CEDIA
22 PULSE CINEMAS
39 CASE STUDY: MAJIK HOUSE
10G End-To-End At TechFest
Hero Labs Partners With OneAV
Getting ready for ISE
HVAC market insight
Some blinding sales advice
The Wirral wonder
More powe
The New Sonos A OY19000_SONOS_AMP_400x60_UK-D02.indd OY19000_SONOS_AMP_400x60_UK-D02.indd 11
24 60 31
58
42 TALK TO ME!
56 CINEMA SEATING
45 VOICE CONTROL
58 DESIGNING FOR CINEMA
48 VOICE INNOVATION
60 CONTENT IS KING
RGB examines voice control
What does the future hold?
Time to listen and learn
51 INSTALL PIONEER
David Tovissi, CEO and GM, Luxury Audio at HARMAN International
54 PRODUCT FOCUS
Comfort, the mother of immersion
Interiors expert speaks
Let there be rock!
62 INSTALL PIONEER
Gabi Wolper, Vice President Fortress Seating
64 TRAINING
Get your training dates
Anatech update
69 ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS Equipment focus
wer. More possibilities.
os Amp 22/03/2019 22/03/2019 13:54 13:54
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DECEMBER 2019
THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY
pages 18-19
Invision - Proud to be distributing Sony Home Cinema Projectors
CONTENT IS KING LET THERE BE ROCK!
HOME CINEMA SEATING COMFORT, THE MOTHER OF IMMERSION
INSTALL PIONEER: HARMAN
LIVING WITH LUXURY
GETTING IN TOUCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Daniel Sait, dan@allthingsmedialtd.com
SALES DIRECTOR
Ian Kitchener, ian@allthingsmedialtd.com
PUBLISHER
David Kitchener, david@allthingsmedialtd.com
STUDIO MANAGER
Ben Bristow, ben@allthingsmedialtd.com
ACCOUNTS
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CIRCULATION
carol@allthingsmedialtd.com
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SOCIALS /INSTALL_MAG /ESSENTIALINSTALL Whilst we make every effort that everything printed in Essential Install magazine is factually correct, we cannot be held responsible if factual errors occur. All articles are copyright and remain the property of Essential Install magazine.
DECEMBER
HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!
First up this month, our whole team sincerely hope you and yours have a great Christmas and a restful time over the break. However, if you are working, like EI knows many of you will be, we hope all goes well and your effort is rewarded and appreciated. Traditionally this is a time for reflection and also for looking ahead. It’s been another really busy year in our market and for UK industry as a whole. EI cannot remember a time that has offered so many challenges to the UK economically and politically and uncertainty has been the watch word this year for many businesses. Let’s hope 2020 offers less of that and more chances to plan for the future and more hope for the coming years. Closer to home, 2019 has seen EI go through some pretty big changes of its own, we have redesigned not just the look of the magazine, but also refocused our editorial direction to give more of an opportunity to showcase the opinions and views of the CI universe. So far, the changes are going down well. If you want to get involved, just pick up the phone or get on the email, we always want to hear from you. We will be developing this aspect of the magazine further in 2020 and we have some exciting ideas that I hope readers are going to enjoy. One thing is for sure, EI will always look to evolve and develop to reflect our dynamic and always shifting market. As for the rest of the industry, who
knows what 2020 is going to hold? This market is notoriously difficult to predict, however if 2019 trends continue, we will see home cinema continue to do well offering immersive and really impressive experiences that other consumer focused concepts find hard to match. Also EI expects two-channel and install to become more closely aligned. Lots of manufacturers and distributors are starting to look at both these concepts as basically the same thing and cross pollinating different offerings to consumer groups that may in the past have been focused on just one of these. Great audio is just great audio, so why restrict the ways you offer it to people? Also in 2020, expect some big announcements on new build adoption of home automation. Developers are reaching the tipping point now where fitting at the least the infrastructure for CI as standard will become the norm. Home buyers will then get the option to upgrade to full automation or AV when they choose other options for their home. It’s all still up for grabs - the systems and products who win out in this market might not be the most obvious ones, let’s wait and see. Just on a personal note, as EI reaches 50 years on the planet, enthusiasm for this market remains undimmed, in fact it’s getting more and more interesting as time moves on. I cant wait to see what next year brings, because history shows that in this market, at least some of it nobody will have seen coming. Daniel J Sait Editor
DECEMBER 2019 05
IntroDUCInG tHe DSP750 Ultimate Power aND FiDelitY
On demo at ISE 2020, Booth E-107
meridian-audio.com MA 750 advert A4 .indd 3
17/10/2019 15:06
NEWS
ALLTRADE APPOINTS INTRINSIC DEV AS ELAN TRAINING
FS Cables has announced the creation of a new group within Diploma’s Controls sector. The CCA (Cables and Cable Accessories) Group will combine the management of Cablecraft and FS Cables into one senior management team. In 2016, Diploma PLC acquired Cablecraft and subsequently FS Cables in 2018. Diploma PLC is an international group of businesses supplying specialised technical products and services. It operates globally in three distinct sectors: life sciences, seals and controls. The Controls Sector businesses supplies specialised wiring, cable, connectors, fasteners and control devices used in a range of technically demanding applications. “The CCA Group offers an exciting opportunity for FS Cables and Cablecraft to strengthen and expand their service offerings in the electrical supply markets,” explained David Goode, CEO Controls Sector. “The two highly regarded brands will remain and there will be no change of name to our customers. “CCA Group will focus around how to drive the strongest quality growth using our combined management, capability and scale. It also provides us with a strong platform that will enable us to integrate potential acquisition opportunities that complement the Group.” CCA Group Managing Director Mark Taylor added, “It’s very much business as usual for both FS Cables and Cablecraft, they will continue to deliver outstanding levels of customer service and quality products. By bringing the businesses together, sharing market knowledge, best practice and expertise, we will increase our potential to further improve our product offerings, service levels and operational performance. Customers from both companies will also benefit from gaining access to specialist cabling and cable accessories from a single source. We’re looking forward to the future and the exciting opportunities that the CCA Group will bring us.”
Trade only distributor, Alltrade, has appointed Intrinsic Dev as the company’s official Training and Technical Support Partner, throughout the UK. Intrinsic Dev will offer certified training for all ELAN products distributed by Alltrade as well as delivering second line tech support to installers. Alltrade has been supplying ELAN since early 2019, seeing the opportunity it affords the company’s expansive UK customer base. Lee Harding of Alltrade explains the decision to bring in Intrinsic Dev, “We recognise ELAN is a brand that will thrive for us if we invest in the best training and technical support available for our customers. “Intrinsic Dev was the obvious choice for us, not just for their expansive driver portfolio, but their long history with the brand including their team having been directly involved in the most complex installations in Europe. This combination puts us in an unrivalled position and sets our customers up for success.” The partnership also sees Ronan McTernan and Sam Breen reunited, who together were previously responsible for much of ELAN’s UK growth. Intrinsic Dev hosted the first Level 1 ELAN Training in November for Alltrade dealers with the opportunity to progress through five stages of training ensuring a high level of understanding and expertise. Will Hopkins, CEO at Intrinsic Group believes the partnership offers a great opportunity for ELAN in the UK, “Our team have a deep understanding of ELAN not just as programmers but previously as installers too. Our training programme is being delivered by Sam Breen, former ELAN International Trainer of the Year (who many UK dealers will be familiar with) and has been developed to offer a comprehensive, structured approach to learning ELAN. “The investment that Alltrade are making in ELAN, and ultimately their customers, is testament to their desire to see the brand succeed and flourish for them, and we look forward to partnering to see a new wave of successful installers.”
FS Cables www.fscables.com
Alltrade www.alltrade.co.uk
Cablecraft www.cablecraft.co.uk
Intrinsic Dev www.intrinsicdev.co.uk
FS CABLES AND CABLECRAFT FORM NEW GROUP
DECEMBER 2019 07
NEWS
WHAT IS DOLBY ATMOS MUSIC? Dolby Laboratories, and Warner Music Group (WMG) are introducing an elevated way to experience WMG songs and albums – with Dolby Atmos music, which seeks to redefine how music is experienced by giving artists a platform that allows listeners to experience a deeper connection with their favourite artists and songs. Music fans can stream WMG tracks in Dolby Atmos on Echo Studio, Amazon’s recently announced smart speaker, through Amazon Music HD. “Artists are excited to work in Dolby Atmos because it enables them to produce their music in a more personal, authentic, and immersive way,” said John Couling, Senior Vice President, Commercial Partnerships, Dolby Laboratories. “Warner Music Group is an important partner helping us push the industry forward by bringing Dolby Atmos to its legendary catalogue.” “Listening to music is by nature a creative and emotional experience, and to take that experience to a level deeper through Dolby Atmos is
something we wanted to offer to both artists and fans,” added Allan Coye, Senior Vice President, Digital Strategy & Business Development, Warner Music Group. “We’re looking forward to working with the Dolby team and continuing to explore innovative opportunities in this space.” Dolby is working closely with artists, record labels, streaming services, and consumer electronics manufacturers to make Dolby Atmos music experiences widely accessible. “Music has been stuck in stereo for decades, confining the creative capabilities of artists to a linear plane,” says Dolby. “Dolby Atmos removes this barrier by giving musicians a platform that expands their creative possibilities and allows listeners to experience a deeper connection with their favourite artists and songs. Music fans can unlock this experience today on Echo Studio with songs available through Amazon Music HD.” Dolby Atmos Music music.dolby.com
DISNEY+ TO LAUNCH MARCH 31 2020: CONTENT REVEALED The next company to make a play for the increasingly crowded streaming market is Disney with its Disney+ service. The initial launch will see a choice of Disney+ originals premiere alongside an extensive collection of library titles from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic. Already available in other territories, content UK viewers can look forward to includes original series and films including The Mandalorian, the first-ever live-action Star Wars series. Well loved classics such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, Bambi, The Lion King, Lady and The Tramp, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid and Cinderella will be available. Hit films from Marvel Studios will deliver Avengers: Endgame, Captain America: Civil War, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Captain Marvel, Iron Man, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man 2, Thor, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain
America: The First Avenger and Ant-Man. 18 of Pixar Animation Studios’ fan favourite movies including Wall-E, Up, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Toy Story, Inside Out and Brave, will also be on the platform. All six of the original classic Star Wars films released between 1977-1999, in addition to recent blockbusters Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will also be available. By the end of 2020, the entire Skywalker saga will be available on the service. The company says Disney+ will deliver subscribers high-quality and commercial-free viewing, up to four concurrent streams, unlimited downloads on up to ten devices, personalised recommendations, and the ability to set up to seven different profiles. Additionally, parents have the ability to set Kids Profiles that create an easyto-navigate interface to access age-appropriate content. Disney+ www.disneyplus.com
DECEMBER 2019 09
Designed by Apple in California Integrated by Intrinsic in the UK
Visit www.intrinsicdev.co.uk for more information
INTEGRATORS INVITED TO HABITECH’S TECHFEST 10G SHOWCASE Integrators are invited to make the jump from ‘gigabit’ to ‘multi-gigabit’ networking at Habitech’s TechFest 10G showcase in January 2020. In the age of big data and at a time of soaring clamour for greater speed, quality and reliability, network design expertise has become fundamental to the success of CI businesses, says Habitech. At the TechFest 10G showcase, to be held at Basingstoke Jan 21-22 2020, Habitech is promising an ‘unrivalled display’ of 10G product availability and knowhow, designed to support installers in the leap from ‘gigabit’ to ‘multigigabit’ networking. Back in 2012, just before the introduction of 802.11ac’s Gigabit productivity, Habitech created the ProNet platform of IP tools and training, giving integrators the means to design stable, powerful, scalable home networks. The transformational Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) protocol will accommodate many more devices simultaneously through a four-fold increase in data capacity over its predecessor at speeds approaching 10 Gbps. The only obstacle to this potential is the supporting network architecture. For TechFest, Habitech is preparing a wide
multi-gig showcase of products and knowhow, including the Ruckus R750 WF6 AP, compatible WF6-ready entry-level switch architecture from Ruckus, new 10GbE Draytek switches, 10G IP, copper/fibre termination training and much more. Also launching, WatchGuard’s advanced plug-and-play Firewall tech represents the final element in Habitech’s network offering. Watchguard’s Firebox T15, T35 and T55 tabletop firewall modules are developed by a global player in enterprise-grade security solutions to be the smartest, most effective and easiest to install network security products available, says the supplier. At TechFest 10G, Habitech says integrators will experience the reality of 10G network architecture end-to-end, wired and wireless, secure and stable, with every product and technique explained via free seminars. Showcased alongside will be new product intros from Arcam, Acurus, Dahua, JVC, Lutron, Wisdom and Yamaha. Contact Habitech to find out how to register Habitech www.habitech.co.uk
NEW SMART HOME TECHNICIAN APPRENTICESHIP STANDARD Thanks to the support of CEDIA members, the Institute For Apprenticeships and Technical Education has developed and approved a brandnew Smart Home Technician apprenticeship standard that is now ready for delivery. CEDIA underlines that there is a huge demand for skilled labour in the home technology industry, with many installation companies looking for employees with a range of design and installation abilities. CEDIA has supported the aim for bringing new blood into the industry by facilitating a Trailblazer group to collaborate with CEDIA members to define the framework for this new apprenticeship. This standard will create significant opportunities for the workforce of tomorrow within the home technology industry said the association. “We are delighted that our members have been able to work with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education to develop this new standard,” said Aneta ArmovaLevin, CEDIA Education Manager. “The standard gives young minds the chance to explore the world of integration and help find career paths within our industry. Now that it has received approval and is
ready for delivery, our plan is to raise awareness of this apprenticeship standard to education providers. Once there are apprenticeships based on the scheme on offer, integrator companies will be able to apply, and access the funding to, employ one of these apprentices.” The Smart Home Technician level 3 apprenticeship standard is aimed at those who are keen to install, configure, and maintain a range of electrically connected digital home technologies. Combining a range of topics, this standard allows them to develop a comprehensive knowledge base and skillset and will help build a skilled workforce for the future. Knowledge areas include, documentation; data and IP networking; automation and control; structured wiring, cables and connectors for digital infrastructure; and system verification and testing. Institute For Apprenticeships and Technical Education www.instituteforapprenticeships.org CEDIA www.cedia.co.uk
DECEMBER 2019 11
NEWS
ARMOUR HOME LAUNCHES ‘PREMIUM AUDIO INSTALLATION SOLUTIONS’ INITIATIVE Installers will now have easier access to a comprehensive range of commercial and residential audio products, as part of a new venture launched by Armour Home, the parent company behind a portfolio of leading British audio brands such as Q Acoustics. ‘Premium Audio Installation Solutions’ will consolidate a group of install products from Armour Home brands, whilst prioritising customer experience through a new online support service. Premium Audio Installation Solutions brings together the products previously offered by: Q Acoustics Install (installation speakers for indoors and out), Systemline (single room installed audio), Audica (audio systems for commercial installations) and QED Pro (specialist cables and accessories). The consolidation of these four brands is designed to make life easier for installers by simplifying the portfolio and providing greater flexibility. This will enable partners to search for, identify and order a wider range of residential and commercial products quicker than before, helping to minimise admin
time and maximise revenue. As part of the move, clients will also have access to a new online support service, which provides a range of resources to help customers overcome technical issues, as well as the opportunity to quickly receive after-sales technical support. The portal also incorporates a knowledge base, containing almost 300 articles that offer advice and answer a variety of questions, as well as several video tutorials. Alex Munro, Brands Director at Armour Home, said, “We have taken the important step to launch Premium Audio Installation
Solutions as part of our ongoing commitment to deliver a more streamlined brand experience for UK-based and international installers. By consolidating these four product ranges, we will be able to provide a more efficient and comprehensive service offering, which will allow installers to conduct a wider range of both residential and commercial installations.” Armour Home www.armourhome.co.uk www.qacoustics.co.uk/qainstall
ESSENTIAL PEOPLE Kramer has announced Itzhak Bambagi as new CEO to position Kramer at the forefront of pro AV innovation and customer experience in a converging AV/IT industry. Itzhak has a proven track record of exemplary leadership serving in key executive roles at IBM and Digital/Compaq over the past 18 years. “I am both proud and honoured to be joining Kramer as their CEO,” said Itzhak. “For the past four decades, Kramer has led the way with advanced AV solutions and the Kramer brand is known and respected worldwide. I have been a long-term admirer of Dr. Joseph Kramer’s dedication, work and vision and look forward to working with the global Kramer teams to further enhance the company’s evolution and making Kramer even greater.” Dr. Joseph Kramer, Founder, President and Chairman of Kramer, added, “We are incredibly excited to share this fantastic appointment. Itzhak’s decades of experience in sales, service and operational management paired with his deep understanding of advanced networking and cloud technology will be invaluable assets as Kramer meets the continuing challenges of the converging pro AV and IT industries.”
Invision has expanded its operation with the recruitment of Robbie Russell as Technical Sales Support Specialist. Following Invision’s recent move to larger premises and the expansion of its marketing team, Robbie’s appointment reflects the company’s continued growth. As technical sales support specialist, Robbie will work within Invision’s technical support team to offer assistance to both their customers and their sales force. Robbie has extensive technology skills and has used these to build his own custom personal computers. After starting his career in retail, Robbie followed his passion to move into IT by joining the Midwich Group in 2017. His new role at Invision will allow him to develop and share his technological know-how by providing comprehensive support to its customers and helping to build its online technical support portal.
12 DECEMBER 2019
WE CREATE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE CONNECTED WORLD A wave of digitisation is sweeping our world and increasingly shaping and altering how we act and live, our homes and workplaces, businesses, public facilities and spaces – even entire cities. Digital technologies are now omnipresent. Everything is communicating with everything else: people with devices, devices with other devices, buildings with people, and buildings with other buildings. It’s up to us to
In every system, multiple components interact in very important ways. Many of our products incorporate a number of basic AV and IT functions to perform a range of tasks, even over long distances. This is the philosophy that guides us – Combined Connectivity Solutions.
shape our digital future so it will yield the greatest benefits. At Lindy we’re convinced that, if we have the right ideas and persevere, we can protect the environment while enjoying safer, more rewarding lives. The basis
SHARING
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CONNECTING
CONVERTING
for doing so, and the intelligence behind it, can be summed up in one word: connectivity. This is the prerequisite for all communication. And we are working to forge connections and make the whole universe of content available anywhere and in any setting.
DISCOVER LINDY lindy.com
NEWS
To support its continued growth strategy, Connected Distribution has appointed Mark Cheffins to the position of regional sales manager, to head up business development across the southern region of the UK and to give installers and retailers a dedicated point of contact for the company’s product offering. Mark joins Connected Distribution after 12 years with AV brand Onkyo, where he held the role of technical product manager, responsible for technical assistance across all Onkyo products distributed in the UK and across the EU. Prior to that he held the role of technical sales manager for the south east of the UK. Mark is extremely well qualified with diplomas from THX as a video professional, home theatre designer and as a certified technician, all of which he graduated in with distinction. Mark’s track record in the high-end custom installation industry, working in a business-to-business environment with installers, specifiers and buyers, and across the Hi-Fi retail sector, equip him with the knowledge and skills to develop Connected Distribution’s business. Mark said, “The opportunity to join a successful business with the longevity and portfolio of Connected Distribution was too good a chance to miss. Its range of brands and the exciting new products being introduced, together with the close-knit team’s approach to a personal customer experience, have me feeling very excited about getting stuck in.” Mike Bonnette, Product Director for Connected Distribution, added, “Mark displayed the sort of infectious enthusiasm that is rarely seen in interviews. It is obvious he has a real passion for what he does, namely meeting people and providing the right solutions for their needs, and we are fortunate to have him on board to help us with our very significant business development objectives.”
Crestron, has announced the appointment of Annelies Kampert as General Manager, Crestron Europe. “Up until the end of 2018, all Crestron activities in EMEA were handled by Technological Innovations Group (TIG),” explained Peter Ypsilantis, former interim GM of Crestron Europe. “These activities will now be fully managed by Crestron Europe. We’re committed to making sure that our customers all over the region receive the same great experience and high level of support they’ve come to know.” In January, functions including customer support, finance, HR, and marketing were transferred from TIG to Crestron Europe, with no disruption to customers. TIG remains Crestron’s exclusive sales agent in EMEA. Annelies comes to Crestron from TIG, where she served as HR Director. “When this opportunity came along, I grabbed it with both hands,” she said. “Crestron is experiencing tremendous growth, and that means a lot is changing. I embrace the challenges that come along with it, and I’m confident that, together with the team, we will achieve great results.” Annelies will spearhead the establishment of new Crestron Europe offices, first in the UK and next in Germany, with more to come.
Peerless-AV has announced that Karl Ingham has joined the UK Professional Sales Team as Area Sales Manager for the North of England and Scotland. Karl brings a wealth of experience in commercial business development and channel sales management from his previous roles in distribution and manufacturing. “Karl is a great character and valuable addition to our successful UK and EMEA sales team,” said Keith Dutch, Managing Director – EMEA, Peerless-AV. “He’s already made a great impression on our Northern and Scottish customer base and his technical skills and product knowledge will be vital for broadening the business opportunities in alignment with our global strategy.” Based in Burnley, Karl will be responsible for implementing the company’s business and growth strategy, driving new leads and supporting the reseller and distributor network in the region through sales promotions, marketing initiatives, training and events. He joins from a global manufacturer of education technologies where he was channel partner manager for England and Ireland. Karl said, “The sales team at Peerless-AV is second to none with a reputation that means I’ve been able to hit the ground running and build on the strong relationships established by my predecessor. My goals are to continue the successful growth in the Northern region through increased customer engagement, brand awareness and partner support.” Maverick AV Solutions has appointed Steve Martin as Head of Sales UK to lead customer engagement as it expands its AV/ IT customer base with new manufacturer partnerships and global capabilities. With over 17 years’ experience in the industry, Steve began his career working with Micro Peripherals (now Exertis), then became part of the Tech Data family in 2003. Steve explained, “Maverick has a cutting-edge manufacturer portfolio with some truly game-changing products, which gives them a unique position in the market as smart meeting specialists. I’m especially driven to be working with Maverick’s Microsoft smart meeting solutions; Surface Hub 2S, the Avocor and Sharp Windows Collaboration Displays, as well as their end to end Teams solutions.”
TDSi has announced the appointment of Emily Phillips as its new Internal Customer Advisor, based at the company’s Poole headquarters. Emily’s new role will see her assisting customers from across the company’s UK and international export markets. Managing Director of TDSi, John Davies, commented, “Our Customer Support services team plays a key role in delivering TDSi products, services and support to our customers, ensuring every purchase from us lives up to expectations. We are delighted to welcome Emily to the team in this highly important role.” Emily commented, “I am very excited to be taking on my new position at TDSi. It provides me with great scope to interact with and assist our customers from around the world. TDSi has a great reputation in the security industry and I am looking forward to being part of our ongoing success by ensuring we continue to offer the best service, which our customers expect and deserve.”
14 DECEMBER 2019
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Receivers Included
ESSENTIAL INVISION/SONY
INVISION DISTRIBUTES PREMIUM SONY CONSUMER PROJECTORS Mark Taylor, Invision’s Commercial Director, explains the advantages and exciting opportunities presented by Invision’s recent addition of Sony’s consumer projectors to its product line up. Invision has been proud to distribute professional technology solutions for domestic and commercial projects to custom installers across the UK, Ireland and Benelux since 2002. Its portfolio of industry-defining products has now been richly complemented by the addition of Sony’s award winning home cinema projector range. The combination of Sony’s innovative projectors and Invision’s outstanding home cinema portfolio featured in its Reference Home Cinema guarantees an offering that is second to none.
16 DECEMBER 2019
From Full HD to 4K, the Sony range of home cinema projectors delivers the most breath-taking, fully immersive and entertaining movie, sport and gaming experiences. Sony has a projector for every room: from large home cinemas to smaller living rooms, each projector offers easy installation, sleek styling and low running costs. Ideal for the larger home cinema, Sony’s most advanced projectors, such as the VPLVW870ES, combine a powerful, long-lasting laser light source with SXRD technology and an All-Range Crisp Focus (ARC-F) lens to deliver pristine image quality across the entire screen. For smaller locations, the VPL-VW270ES home cinema projector brings the cinematic quality of 4K into the home. It produces true 4K resolution images with Sony’s native 4K
(4096 x 2160) SXRD panels – over four times the quality of Full HD. Designed for both home cinema rooms and living rooms, the VPLVW270ES delivers stunning, detail-packed images and incredibly lifelike colour. And, with 1,500 lm brightness, the picture is exceptional. Invision recently opened the doors of its new Reference Home Cinema in Innovation House, Bracknell, Berkshire. Since July guests to the cinema have been truly wowed as the extraordinary cinema is bristling with the very latest in sound and vision innovation. All visitors have received a totally immersive audio-visual experience in what is probably the finest trade demonstration facility in the country. Delivering the exceptional visuals in the Reference Home Cinema is Sony’s VPLVW870ES, which projects stunning images on
ESSENTIAL INVISION/SONY
Invision’s new cinema demo facility is now open
to a Screen Innovation Zero Edge screen. The VPL-VW870ES is the ideal choice for a larger home cinema room as it brings movies to life with extraordinary cinematic detail, colour and contrast. Crisply detailed native 4K images (4096 x 2160) offer four times the resolution of Full HD and pull the audience right into the heart of the action by delivering unprecedented picture clarity. Sony’s ARC-F lens is mounted on the VPL-VW870ES and it spreads exact image details to every corner of the screen. This industry-leading technology ensures Invision’s visitors to the cinema are able to experience fabulously rich cinematic colours, smooth motion, vibrant images and spectacular contrast with 2200 lumens brightness. The VPL-VW870ES uses an ultra-pure and reliable Z-Phosphor laser light source. Developed by Sony, it offers bright images for up to 20,000 hours of uninterrupted operation, with no lamp replacement, and virtually zero maintenance. The latest SXRD 4K panels deliver astonishing contrast, as well as native 4K resolution. SXRD projection offers rich, inky blacks, as well as clear cinematic motion and image smoothness. Improvements to the panel’s reflective silicon layer now mean even
better light control, for precisely reproduced shadows and blacks. The flexible facilities in the Reference Home Cinema allow Invision to demonstrate a selection of Sony’s other consumer projectors at the request of its customers. With Sony, there really is a projector for every project. In addition to stunning visuals, the cinema features DTS: X Pro to provide brilliant sound. DTS:X Pro builds on the class-leading 3D audio abilities of the DTS:X audio technology by increasing the number of available channels from 11 to as many as 32. This ensures that installers have far more freedom to create the most engrossing home cinema experience available for their customers. The cinema also features Trinnov Audio’s Altitude32 surround sound processor, the first surround processor for the domestic market to support up to 32 uniquely rendered DTS:X Pro audio channels. 26 Procella speakers (all discreetly illuminated at the touch of a button) deliver the sound. The lighting in the cinema was designed by Jez Hunter of GHS Special Projects, who worked on Ridley Scott’s Martian film, to ensure an out-of-this-world experience. All visitors to the cinema can sit back and enjoy the extraordinary images from a Sony projector in the comfort of one of Cinema
Module’s elegant cinema-style seats. As part of its national Show & Tell events, Invision hosted a series of showcase days at Innovation House, Bracknell, Berkshire. In addition to the Sony Sony VPL-VW870ES projector in the Reference Home Cinema, the Invision team demonstrated the Sony VPLVZ1000ES short throw projector. Featuring an ultra-short throw lens, the Sony VPL-VZ1000ES is designed to give large and stunning images in even the smallest rooms and can project a detail-packed UHD 4K image at a huge 120in. We are truly proud to have Sony as a partner. Having been long-time fans of their products, we are delighted to now be their distributor. Sony’s projectors are sure to please our customers with images that I believe are the best in the business. Our new Invision Home Reference Cinema features a stunning Sony projector, and we look forward to demonstrating its extraordinary capabilities to our customers when they visit our industry-leading facility. I’m looking forward to seeing the reaction of our guests when the show starts!’ Invision UK www.invisionuk.com
DECEMBER 2019 17
HABITECH
Exclusively Habitech will unveil the readiness of its 10G networking platform at the upcoming TechFest 10G showcase
10G END-TO-END AT TECHFEST Be the first make the jump from ‘gigabit’ to ‘multigigabit’ networking at Habitech’s TechFest 10G showcase in January. Technical Manager, Justin Martin-Lawrence, sets the pace. If you think about it, the story of CI is really all about the evolution of network design. As a means of sharing content room to room, even the most venerable CPU/satellite system qualifies as a network. Today however, high performance network delivery is not so much the last word in lifestyle luxury as the first priority for home and business owners. Its turbo-charged ascent up customer wish-lists is reflected in the rocketing number of ‘things’ requiring network access. The metrics are scary. Experts reckon
that by next year, 30 billion devices will be wired and wirelessly connected to the internet. By 2025, it could be 80 billion. And it’s not just the device numbers that are mind boggling. Along with the rising demand for high quality streaming to mobiles, TVs and games consoles, the bandwidth needed per device is rocketing as well. In the age of big data and at a time of soaring customer clamour for greater speed, quality and reliability, your network design expertise has become absolutely fundamental to the success of your business. And that’s where we come in…again.
THE PRONET ACCELERATOR
Back in 2012, just before the introduction of 802.11ac’s Gigabit productivity, we decided to create the ProNet platform of IP tools and
DrayTek’s new 10G switch line makes its debut at Techfest in January
18 DECEMBER 2019
training. It was the first industry initiative to recognise a dearth in IP networking knowhow right on the cusp of a major expansion in online entertainment, and it gave CI integrators the means to design stable, powerful, scalable home networks with Draytek’s IPv6 routers and Ruckus’ network tech. ProNet’s support arrived with perfect timing to meet new demand while plugging a gap in the market ripe for exploitation by agencies outside CI. Now we’re ready to support the next big leap in Wi-Fi tech.
TAKING THE AX TO AC
Destined to be the mainstream Wi-Fi standard by 2021, the transformational Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) protocol will accommodate many more devices simultaneously through a four-fold increase in data capacity over its predecessor at speeds approaching 10 Gbps. It uses
HABITECH
At TechFest 10G we’re introducing WatchGuard’s plug-and-play firewall tech in its Firebox range of table-top appliances
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) to organise traffic frequencies into subcarriers to serve more packets from more devices, increasing the network’s capacity, and it adds MU-MIMO support for simultaneous client data transmissions upstream to APs, as well as downstream to devices. Both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands are supported, and maximum physical (PHY) data transfer speeds increase to 10G. Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) methods have risen from 256 to 1024, greatly increasing total throughput but even so, the finer coordination of transmit time means that device radios are online for shorter periods, improving power capacity. And wizardry called Overlapping Basic Service Set (OBSS) increases the network’s efficiency to concurrently transmit data to multiple devices in congested areas. The only thing that stands in the way of all this cosmic potential is the supporting network architecture. Ultra-fast Wi-Fi that works some of the time is nowhere near good enough for your customers, so your network design needs matching capabilities end-to-end, through wired and wireless infrastructure, to add reliability to the astonishing performance dynamics of Wi-Fi 6. Once again Habitech can oblige.
It’s the perfect partner for the new stackable, fanless Ruckus 7150-C10ZP compact switch, equipped with 10 x RJ-45 multigigabit ports: 8 × 2.5 GbE and 2 x 2.5/5/10 GbE, sharing a 240W PoE budget with a maximum 90W available from any of four 802.3bt-ready ports. Using peerless tech by Brocade (acquired by Ruckus Wireless in 2016), the 7150-C10ZP is the first of a new line of totally reliable 10G switches available from Habitech and showcased at TechFest 10G. And to bolster our 10G switch line-up, we’re using January’s event to introduce a brace of new DrayTek models. Both fully-managed VigorSwitch P2280x and G2280x 24-port switches arrive with four 10Gb SFP+ ports, powerful monitoring features and a wide range of security protocols. Designed to be configured and monitored either from the cloud, through DrayTek’s Central Switch Management or directly via the device’s Web Interface, the 2280x switches offer premium quality and reliability at an affordable price. In addition, the P2280x provides an ample 400W PoE budget, shared between 24 PoE/PoE+ enabled Gigabit LAN ports at up to 30W per port with PoE scheduling. These tools, supported by the very best cable and termination tech from SCP, together with our acclaimed multi-tier training platform, will combine to help you deliver the fastest, most reliable network operation for every project and customer.
10G END-TO-END
For TechFest 10G in January we’re preparing the widest multi-gig showcase of products and knowhow ever staged, starring the Ruckus R750 WF6 AP, compatible WF6-ready entrylevel switch architecture from Ruckus, new 10GbE Draytek switches, 10G IP, copper/fibre termination training and much more. In other words the full 10 Gig repertoire under one roof. The Ruckus R750 is the UK’s first Wi-Fi 6 AP connecting more devices simultaneously at multi-gigabit speeds with greater reliability.
Ruckus’ super flexible and stackable new 7150-C10ZP switch packing Gb capabilities and a generous power budget
INTRODUCING WATCHGUARD
Those very same customers are more likely to fall victim to the cyber kind of crime than any other. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 17 million UK residents were affected in 2017. So when your client seeks expert security
reassurance, you can tell them about WatchGuard. Launching at TechFest 10G, WatchGuard’s advanced plug-and-play Firewall tech represents the final element in our end-to-end network offering. Its Firebox tabletop appliances are configured and managed from the cloud to protect your network design against advanced malware, ransomware, botnets, trojans, viruses, drive-by downloads, data loss, phishing etc. Rising in network capacity the T15, T35 and T55 firewall modules are developed by a global player in enterprise-grade security solutions to be the smartest, most effective and easiest to install network security products available. Better still, WatchGuard’s proven tech and subscription service can be included in your maintenance contract with the client, securing the network and future revenue in one.
WELCOME TO MULTI-GIG WORLD
We’re proud to have played our part in nurturing network expertise since the last great leap in wireless capability (Wi-Fi 5 ac), and we’ll be first to support the next. At January’s TechFest you’ll experience next-gen 10G end-to-end; wired and wireless, secure and stable, every product and technique explained by the best IP networking knowhow in the business. Accompanied by new product intros from Arcam, Acurus, Dahua, JVC, Lutron, Wisdom and Yamaha, free-of-charge seminars and refreshments, we’re hoping you’ll join us for the clearest 2020 view of the future, in the very first month of the New Year. TechFest 10G will be held at Basingstoke January 21-22. More in the January 2020 issue of EI. Habitech www.habitech.co.uk
Starring at TechFest 10G, the Ruckus R750 is the UK’s first Wi-Fi 6 AP connecting more devices simultaneously at multi-gigabit speeds with greater reliability
DECEMBER 2019 19
ONEAV
HERO LABS PARTNERS WITH ONEAV Hero Labs, a London based company with a mission to solve real-life problems with smart technology, has announced its partnership with OneAV to distribute Sonic, a smart water monitor with integrated shut-off. OneAV, specialist trade-only distributor for the custom install channel, will be providing its network of CI dealers access to Sonic, which was recently awarded a highly commended accolade at the CEDIA awards. Sonic uses ultrasonic technology to monitor water usage within a property, detect leaks and shut-off water through an integrated ball valve. Perfect for conscious consumers and those who enjoy peace of mind, Sonic uses advanced AI algorithms to understand the water-usage habits of users, tracking the difference between normal water use and harmful water leaks. Sonic is fitted directly to the property’s water main (immediately after the stopcock) and can detect even minute flows of water and identify appliances connected to the plumbing network. Sonic is made by and for CEDIA Pros. Integrating Sonic into a full home control system is made easy thanks to an open API architecture
20 DECEMBER 2019
and Control4 SDDP built-in. The partnership will see OneAV offer its network of installers comprehensive training for Sonic, which will be delivered in-person or via their online webinar platform. Ben Hayes, Residential Sales Executive of OneAV, comments on the Sonic, “Plumbing issues such as leaks are always a worry in homes, especially during the colder months where pipes are likely to freeze and burst - I’ve experienced this first hand recently! To combat this issue, we’re thrilled we can now offer installers Sonic to prevent this from happening to their clients. “We’re delighted to be distributing Sonic within the CI channel and see a bright future ahead of us with this new technology. Sonic is available for pre-order at a special discounted price for OneAV’s trade account holders. They can also look forward to the usual benefits OneAV offers - such as credit accounts, trade discounts, and easy ordering.” Hamish Neale, Commercial Director, Hero Labs, says, “OneAV is a natural and exciting partner for Hero Labs. We are extremely impressed with how OneAV has been able to bring brands like Ring to the CEDIA channel in
the UK, providing consistent pricing and support to its dealers. “With smart plumbing products being predicted as a ‘next big thing for smart-home pros’ we look forward to working with OneAV andits dealers to bring Sonic and this new product category to market.” OneAV customers are able to take advantage of a special 15% discount for a limited time by placing a pre-order for Sonic, which is expected to begin shipping in February 2020. One AV www.oneav.co.uk
Sonic makes plumbing smart by constantly measuring and analysing water ow, intelligently detecting leaks and automatically shutting-off to protect your property. EXCLUSIVE TO
PULSE CINEMAS
PULSE CINEMAS ISE TOUR RETURNS! After the huge success of the Pulse Cinemas ISE Tour initiative for the 2019 show, the team is planning to repeat the endeavour, making it bigger, better and bolder than ever before. ISE continues to grow at an impressive rate. Each year the show gets larger and packed out with yet more companies looking to catch the eye of installers. 2020 will be the last show at the RAI Centre in Amsterdam as the event moves to the larger Gran Via, part of the Fira de Barcelona exhibition complex. To mark this auspicious occasion and wave a fond farewell to what has been the show’s home for many years, Pulse Cinemas is planning to deliver another guided tour to the event making sure that the company’s AV and cinema focused customers get the absolute maximum value out of any visit. One of the undoubted consequences of the growth of ISE is that as the show gets physically larger it can be a real challenge to plan a successful trip and find all of the companies and demonstrations that are of the most value.
22 DECEMBER 2019
Pulse Cinemas has come up with a solution to that challenge with its guided tour initiative. Basically, installers sign up to the tour, pick a time and brand schedule that suits them from the list of choices and then all they have to do is show up at the appointed time and place. At this point the Pulse Cinemas team take over and guide the group around the show providing insights and special demonstrations only available on the tour. What is more, the company also provides a free of charge top night out into the bargain. Taking the lead on a big chunk of this initiative for the 2019 run was Internal Sales Manager Simon Schino, and once again for 2020, Simon is heavily involved and explained some of the fresh ideas for next year’s tour. “We want to build on what we achieved last time with a chance to learn more about the brands and the products that will be featured at the show. We have learnt lots from the success of our recent Pulse Cinemas Golf Invitational, a totally packed out event that really underlined what great conversations can come about when
the Pulse Cinemas team and our customers all get together. So expect the 2020 event to feel even more like an ‘exclusive tour’. Our dealer/installers will be offered some unique branded clothing, which is only available to tour attendees. We are still adding other exciting aspects to the tour, which will be revealed as the event draws closer. A big success last year was the night Pulse Cinemas installers got to spend at one of Amsterdam’s best bars and eateries, De Biertuin Prinsengracht. We are returning to this fantastic venue again for 2020, which delivers some of the best food in the city with its fantastic menu of its spit roasted chicken, burgers and spare ribs. The venue is also famous for its collection of beers, stocking over 120 of the world’s best. The difference this year is that Pulse Cinemas is taking over not just a big section of the venue, but the whole place! It’s going to be another big night for Pulse customers to enjoy and remember.”
PULSE CINEMAS
The night out was a big hit last time around
2020 VISION
For those unfamiliar with the concept, last time’s event consisted of a specific timetable being created for different days of the show taking in differing parts of the Pulse Cinemas line up. 2020’s tour schedule is being drawn up right now, but basically all Pulse Cinemas customers need to do is wait for their invite for the tour to arrive, so eyes on the sky for that one, and then pick the dates, times and brands that most suit their priorities from the different schedules provided. Not only does the concept make it easier to find the brands and products you want to interact with, the idea is that there is no wasted effort, as the brand managers for the different companies on the tour know the group is
Mike Beatty, Pulse Cinemas Managing director
Simon Gibbs, Technical and service support
coming and have blocked out time especially to talk to Pulse Cinemas dealers. No more wasted trips to the stand to discover the demo is full or the person you want to speak to is on lunch or talking to someone else. Mike Beatty, Pulse Cinemas MD, explains, “It’s really easy for distributors to claim that they add value, it’s a different game entirely to back that up convincingly. ISE is one of the chances where we really get to deliver something unique to our customers which transforms what can be a really challenging event to fully exploit, to one where all you have to do is sign up, come with an open mind and then you get to learn a whole chunk of info useful to your next projects and network with your peers, and the whole Pulse Cinemas team too. With this being the last show at Amsterdam, we are determined to make it
Miguel Soto, New business development manager
the best yet, and keep on building for when the show moves to Barcelona. Be in no doubt, we are planning on making the Pulse Cinemas ISE Tour one of the most talked about events at the show for next year and beyond.”
MEET THE TEAM
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. Pulse Cinemas www.pulsecinemas.com
Simon Schino, Internal sales manager
Stephen Carr, UK brand ambassador Kaleidescape
DECEMBER 2019 23
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24 DECEMBER 2019
THE ULTIMATE TOP TIP COMING IN 2020 Wayne Hyde, Technical Manager at Custom AV Distribution, rounds off the year with not just another top audio tip, but an update on how the industry’s ‘mother’ of all audio tips is coming along. Back in January, I was asked to join the CTA/ CEDIA R10 Committee and the workgroup R10WG1 which consisted of a dauntingly long list of what I would call the Gods of Audio! This A-team are tasked with re-writing and bringing up-to-date a downloadable paper known as CEB-22 Home Theatre Recommended Practices: Audio Design. For many years, CEDIA’s recommended practises and reference tools start life as a joint effort between CEDIA and the Consumer Technology Association. They’re the organisation who put on the CES trade show each year. David Meyer, CEDIA’s Director of Technical Research, explains “First developed in 2009, CEB22 was specific to dedicated home theatre rooms — and high end at that. In fact, it’s regarded as highly aspirational and applicable to less than 1% of installations, meaning it wasn’t directly applicable to most integrators and/or projects. The review currently underway addresses this by proposing four performance levels and changing the focus from specifically home theatre to home entertainment spaces. The entry level allows some flexibility and will be quite achievable, while still providing great performance. Then moving through the tiers, culminates at the reference audio system with characteristics including controlled noise floor, acoustics, bass management, baffle wall, and tiered seating. Importantly, the recommended practice also adds immersive audio speaker layouts, such as for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.”
Walt Zerbe, CEDIA’s Sr. Director of Technology & Standards, adds “The inclusion of the four performance levels is the first of its kind. Level one puts a line in the sand for a minimally recognised home cinema experience. If you’re below that line, it’s not recognised as an acceptable design/experience. That being said, level one is extremely achievable with products such as an AVR and moderately priced speakers and peripherals. It’s all really about designing and curating a system then measuring the as-built room to verify its performance. Levels two and three step it up with level three being referred to as reference. How many people say that their system is a reference level system but don’t design it to perform to specific parameters? Well, we are defining what reference level actually is... Level four is a costno-object, cutting edge aspirational cinema. The other important thing to note is the sales side of this document. If company A quotes a cinema for a customer and company B’s quote is half the cost, there’s a way to level the playing field by citing that Company A designed the cinema to perform at level X. Company B might say that theirs is better but without referencing a performance target it’s like comparing apples to oranges.” Being part of the voluntary group has been great, it’s a breeding ground that’s fusing ideas, solutions and everyone’s extensive experience. All to be filtered down to create an invaluable reference guide for all installers. There’s a lot of tough decisions to be made along the way as well. CEB22 forms the backbone of CEDIA training, The CEDIA Designer and the awards process for home entertainment spaces. The revised CEB22 is well underway, so watch out for its release early in 2020.
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SMART THINKING: CLEANING AIR ACT
WI-FI’S CLEAN AIR ACT The desire to purify the ‘dirty air’ of competing IoT standards and services has inspired the prospect of a single universal control platform over Wi-Fi. Habitech’s Justin MartinLawrence takes a deep breath. In busy IoT environments, home and business owners fall victim to the disconnecting effects of ‘dirty air’ created when multiple standards compete for the same frequency space. Bluetooth/BLE, Zigbee and Wi-Fi for example all use different width channels in the 2.4GHz spectrum, while LoRa and Z-Wave use 868MHz. IoT products also tend to be designed specifically for the vendor’s chosen host rather than the wider world of Wi-Fi, where any Wi-Fi Alliance member product can talk to any other. This leads to many technical issues, such as interoperability, security, range, and the problem of gaining universal control over all devices through a single pane. The response from Wi-Fi technologists, including Ruckus Networks, has been to contemplate new ways to ventilate the air. Over the last two years, Ruckus has been working
26 DECEMBER 2019
with many vendors to develop a unified solution dubbed the Ruckus IOT Suite. A recent demo at the company’s ‘Big Dogs’ event at Munich showed how this new ‘virtual’ vapour rub can be natively integrated with Ruckus APs using the backbone of Ruckus wireless to provide a single pane for Wi-Fi, switch and IoT, all through propriety ‘SmartZone’ controllers. The IOT Suite comprises Ruckus IoT-ready APs (several in Habitech’s current range), connecting with Ruckus IoT Modules to enable endpoint connectivity of standards such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Zigbee. Ruckus SmartZone Controllers provide a management interface for the WLAN, and ‘virtual’ Ruckus IoT Controllers are deployed alongside to manage non-Wi-Fi devices and endpoint management. Essentially the IOT Suite performs as the access network between IoT devices and their respective IoT management systems, extending the existing network infrastructure with multi-radio standards support, and multi-layered IoT security. Ruckus has already secured development partnerships with Assa Abloy, Telkonet, Kontakt. io (beaconing), Ubercomm, AVSystem, Soter Technologies and TraknProtect. It’s also in preliminary technical discussions with Samsung (SmartThings).
THE FUTURE IS RED
In parallel with these developments, and potentially as significant, Ruckus is working on a prototype IoT controller running NodeRED. Specifically Node-RED is an opensource flow-based development tool for visual programming developed originally by IBM for wiring hardware devices, APIs and online services together as part of the Internet of Things. The easiest way to describe it is like the most comprehensive control system on steroids. Node-RED is exceptional through its ability to constantly subscribe to traffic from any IoT device (or any other) in the home or business, providing a platform to develop workflows like IFTTT on a cost-effective local server. Any Crestron level programmer for instance, would find it easy to put together visual workflows to design a perfectly integrated system. I’ve been experimenting with the very simple workflow example in the picture. Integrators could apply this methodology to any aspect of audio, video, heating or lighting control in the home, as long as the device has some kind of connectivity (NodeRED is agnostic regarding method of comms). It’s a good bet that Node-RED will play a major part in future control ecosystems and for this reason CI should take a very close look at it.
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ESSENTIAL HVAC
THE HEAT IS ON! Home climate management company, tado°, offers some insights into how heating habits and patterns differ around the UK, who turns their heating on first? Apparently when the temperature drops below 14°C, that is when Brits begin to turn up the heat. A new study from intelligent home climate management company tado° has found that, on average, Brits first turn on their post-summer heating when the outside temperature drops to 13.5°C, but perhaps not surprisingly, there’s a
difference between Southerners, Northerners, and Scots. The average outdoor temperature needed to get Southern English people to first turn on their thermostat after the summer is 13.5°C. However, on average Northerners wait for it to drop to 13°C, while Scots hold out until the temperature falls to just 12.5°C. The average inside temperature at this time is 20.5°C for Southerners, 20°C for Northerners, and 19.5°C for Scots. The findings show that the further north you
UK average
live, the more likely you are to tolerate both a colder outdoor and indoor temperature. Welsh people are, however, the first to turn on the thermostat, when the outdoor temperature drops to 14°C, even though of course Wales is further north than southern England. As of the second week of October, approximately 95% of Brits had switched their heating on since the summer. There are also differences across Europe. Brits apparently like their homes to be cooler than their European neighbours, from Norway to Spain. tado° has also revealed that the average yearly temperature in UK homes is 21°C compared to 22°C in Germany and the Netherlands, 22.5°C in France and Sweden, and 23°C in Spain, Italy, and Norway.
THE DIFFERENCE ONE DEGREE CAN MAKE
Heating and cooling in buildings and industry accounts for half of the EU’s energy consumption. According to the EU Commission, over three quarters of home energy use comes from heating and hot water. Research from the Energy Saving Trust has shown that turning down the heat by just 1°C helps to save around £80 a year on an average household’s energy bill. In addition, using smart thermostats and intelligently controlled heating can of course ensure that homes and rooms are only heated when occupied, which can save up to a third on energy bills. So, as the need to save money and deal with environmental concerns merge to drive adoption, there has never been a better time to sell the benefits of an efficient and intelligent HVAC system.
SensibleEssentialInstal_banners_02_Layout 1 18/09/2014 17:10 Page 1
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ESSENTIAL HVAC
GET SMART Dave Robinson, Managing Director of Sensible Heat, looks at recent developments in HVAC controls and how this has changed the marketplace.
The smart phone revolution means customers expect to interact with technology via attractive info rich interfaces not boring hard to understand wall acne
The advent of the smartphone and the app has changed the perception of the general public concerning heating controls. Up until this point, heating controls were often considered a necessary evil, with beige plastic thermostats, and uninspiring timeclocks being the norm. When we were selling advanced multi-zoned or remotely accessible heating controls a decade or more ago, both the general public, and the traditional plumbing channel who would normally provide heating controls, would be baffled by, and often resistant to, anything more capable or complex than a crude thermostat-in-the-hall solution. Thanks to the new entrants to the marketplace, who introduced ‘smart’ thermostats which are app-connected, now everyone understands the benefits of a web-connected device which can leverage the incredible user interface which we all carry round in our pockets. So, in terms of market acceptance, these new disruptive entrants to the market have helped, by shaking up the sometimes staid incumbent manufacturers and forcing them to improve their offering, and by making the ‘smart’ devices a must-have with consumers. But these new opportunities in the mass market create some challenges too, especially in the higher-end properties, where the HVAC systems may be a little more complicated than the average mass-market property. Mixing underfloor heating with radiators, for instance, can create issues for a simple ‘thermostat’, as can the addition of AC – the user interface may be inadequate, and the device simply may not be able to control these multiple elements effectively. Energy efficiency is also an issue – simply replacing a conventional thermostat with a smart device may not do much to reduce energy usage, especially if the house has few zones; the big savings come when each room is individually controlled, and can be taken in and out of use – and energy is becoming more and more important. And how do the zonal controls interact with the main plant – turning on the correct pumps, valves etc, energising the correct number of boilers, heat pumps and so on? Some of this stuff is non-trivial, and HVAC controls are unlike most of the other things that the custom installer gets involved with; in most AV projects, the custom installer is supplying both the control system, and the things to be controlled (audio amplifiers, speakers etc), wheras with HVAC,
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ESSENTIAL HVAC
Even relatively simple devices like Nest have pushed the idea that interfaces should be easier to understand and more attractive
the plant being controlled is all specified and installed by others. So, the challenge is to create a smart system that provides app access to the HVAC, and keeps things simple for the user, whilst making sure the underlying HVAC plant operates properly and efficiently. Several manufacturers of ‘smart’ HVAC devices are now producing complementary ‘smart’ devices, which are in some way connected via the web. Examples of this are security systems, IP cameras, smoke detection, water leak detection. Sometimes the integration is simply that multiple systems can appear on the same app, and there is no real interaction between devices – just a common user ‘dashboard’ for the systems. Sometimes, however, there is true integration between systems – an event in one device may cause a reaction in another device. When we consider
these topics from the perspective of the custom high-end property with pro install (rather than from the DIY viewpoint), then a new set of issues become apparent. It is one thing to lose connectivity with your M&E systems from an app if you have self-installed a relatively cheap system, but quite another if you have paid for a ‘pro-install’. Is relying on a server in the ‘cloud’ a reliable-enough mechanism for some of these mission-critical actions – do we instead need local interactions between systems and devices, that don’t rely 100% on the router, or the ISP, or a corporate server? Also, are the smart devices scalable to the size and complexity of the larger property? Undoubtedly though, the advent of these new devices offers an opportunity for companies in the custom installation sector – it is clear that the traditional channels (for instance, plumbers) are in
many cases struggling with this new technology, and cannot offer the full skill set that enables them to offer a full service – which is where the specialist technology contractor comes in. Somehow we have to navigate the choppy waters between the customers’ expectation (of cheap, commodity products which somehow install themselves and do everything the customer expects them to) with the reality, which is that they need the added value of the custom installer and HVAC controls specialist (to understand the customer’s actual requirements, to select the correct mix of equipment, to install and commission it, and to keep it working for many years). Easy? If it was easy, they wouldn’t need us clever guys, would they? Sensible Heat www.sensibleheat.com
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Simon Fulstow of CEDIA Member of Excellence, SONA, argues that too few home integration projects include automated blinds or curtains. While they may initially seem like an extravagance, they can actually save considerable amounts of money and can transform the look, the comfort, and enjoyment of life at home for the customer. They’re a growing part of our business and should, in our view, be a key part of every installation company’s tool-kit. They’re easy to integrate and definitely valued by the customer where they are installed. In fact, from looking at customer feedback over recent projects, we’ve identified the key buttons to press when talking to homeowners about automated blinds. They save precious time. With luxury homes generally covering numerous floors, with multiple reception, entertaining and leisure spaces, each featuring many, often large, windows – adjusting multiple blinds or curtains can be a chore and take up valuable time. Automated blinds and curtains can be customised to open and close in individual rooms automatically to the customer’s preferences or set up so that a single button automatically closes them all simultaneously. They can be installed anywhere. Many luxury homes have bespoke window fittings, varying in shape and design from bay windows to dormers. Automated blinds can be fitted to work with a number of different window designs, affording many more opportunities than manual ones. Extremely reliable, wireless options are also available where retrofitting cables is not practical. They’re safer. Up to 1 in 8 children have been injured by blind cords. With automated blinds and curtains, there are no small parts or dangling strings, giving your customer peace of mind in the home. They increase privacy and security. In addition to child safety, automated blinds also keep your home secure. Users can set them to close automatically whenever they’re out of the house. Similarly, homeowners can give the appearance of being at home by simple programming. They’ll improve your customer’s sense of wellness at home. Our bodies’ circadian rhythms depend on natural light and darkness. With so many distractions on screens, we can upset these rhythms. Automating blinds to gently close as the sun sets, or open gradually in the morning in line with sleep patterns is a great way to enhance your customer’s wellbeing at home. Automated blinds can help to protect your customer’s valuable possessions and décor. After a number of years in direct sunlight, precious belongings may become faded. Furniture, carpets and even artwork can all suffer from being exposed to open blinds. By automating blinds and curtains to close while they’re out, homeowners can ensure that their items last longer. They save money. Automated blinds are well-known in the industry for their energy efficiency. They’re up to two times as efficient as a double-glazed window and can be easily integrated with lighting control to save even more energy in the home. They’ll increase the value of the home. Open to everyone, and particularly useful for those with accessibility issues, automated blinds and curtains can give a home the competitive edge. They can also maximise space by doubling up the functions of a single room. They’re a safe and convenient solution which potential homebuyers will love. They’re not just for indoors. Automated blinds can be used for outdoor functions too. They keep flies out, protect the home from gusts of wind or adjust the amount of sun needed in the sun lounge or conservatory areas. In combination with lighting control, automated blinds are fantastic mood and scene setters. They can provide a blacked-out cinema feel or can be used to create a more romantic setting. All of these are available at the touch of a button. Each room can be customised to the homeowner’s preferences or can be set across the board. The benefits for homeowners are many, and our experience shows that those customers who invest in automated blinds really do appreciate their choice. Every installation company should take advantage of this technology and what they can do for their customer’s living space, sale value, comfort, and convenience.
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CONJURING MAJIK ON THE WIRRAL The clients for this project approached the team at Majik House to design and create a state-ofthe-art home cinema room for their family home in the Wirral. The focus for this project was to be placed on the very best in picture quality, dynamic audio and intuitive lighting design. The space needed to have the wow factor, but be easy to use for the whole family. Majik House provided the complete design, project management and installation of the project which delivers a 7.2.2 Dolby Atmos sound system, using KEF’s Extreme Home Theatre Speakers and Arcam FMJ Series amplifiers. The projector used a JVC 4K DILA projector to guarantee picture quality. Black out blinds have also been used to intensify the visual quality on the screen, provided by QMotion. The room is controlled by Control4, used for its customisation options, bespoke customer interface and reliability. For the bar area the team worked alongside Holliana Interiors, with Furniture provided by Palladio.
CINEMA DETAILS Project Manager, Neil Taylor, takes up the story, “We were recommended to the customer by a neighbour for whom we’d done work previously. The family had a rather tired looking games
DECEMBER 2019 39
CASE STUDY: MAJIK HOUSE
The bar area was designed by the interior designer working on the project
room which had been outgrown by the kids who were now teenagers, and the parents were also looking for a space in which they could entertain. “The brief was to create a home cinema and bar within the same space and for the space to look and feel completely different to the rest of the house. We came up with a proposal to completely re-model the room and presented our proposals to the customer, complete with CAD drawings. The design included a concept for the bar and re-modelling the ceiling to create two coffered Starscape ceilings, a curved row of cinema seats, raised seating area and a dramatic cinema wall including a 3m wide screen and feature LED lighting. “The customer loved it and the specification and design were agreed and remained
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unchanged throughout the project.” Neil adds, “The initial part of the project was the re-modelling of the room. The customer had a trusted builder who worked to our construction drawings to create the coffered ceilings, cinema wall and raised area. An in-wall recess was also created to house a slide out equipment rack which was fitted with a black glass door, to maintain complete blackout in the room. Our engineers then fitted the fibre optics to the ceiling provided by Starscape. “This was a lengthy process; each fibre being fitted one by one from above. We’ve since completed a similar project using the company’s new system of pre-fibred plaster board sheets which was much quicker and allows installation from below. The speakers are all flush mounted
and the front wall was constructed from 18mm MDF and designed to accommodate the three front speakers behind the acoustically transparent screen. “The specification for the speaker system was a no compromise Dolby Atmos 7.2.2 system, made up of three KEF Ci3160RL-THX at the front, six KEF Ci200RR-THX in the ceiling and two DD10+ subwoofers from subwoofer specialists Velodyne.” The speakers are powered by an Arcam AVR850 with additional channels provided by the P349 power amp and the room was EQ’d with the Dirac Live Room Calibration system. Content is provided by a Sky Q Silver box, the latest 4K Apple TV and an Arcam Blu-ray player (FMJ UDP411). Neil explains, “The QMotion blackout blinds
CASE STUDY: MAJIK HOUSE
The customer marvels at just how impressive the audio is in the room
were chosen for their direct Zigbee integration with our control system of choice, Control4, which also supplied the lighting control system. The picture is provided by JVC’s stunning DLAX5500R-BK-2D projector and the majority of the light fittings are from Majik House’s own range of LED fittings.” Key challenges included the fact that all the kit had to be installed within the room without compromising the aesthetic. Fortunately, the team was able to recess the main rack by installing a Middle Atlantic slide out rack into one of the side walls, but there was still a fair bit of lighting control and LED power supply kit to hide. Neil explains, “We created an equipment cupboard behind the screen, in between two of the front speakers. The acoustically transparent
screen passes air and so there are vents below and above the equipment to draw air through the screen to cool the equipment and the engineers made a great job of neatly fitting everything in.” Project highlights? Neil concludes, “The sound in this room is one of the best we’ve done. The two Velodyne subs go extremely deep and the positioning of the sound on movies is amazing. The customer loves the whole thing and told us it’s the best money they have ever spent!” Majik House www.majikhouse.com
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DECEMBER 2019 41
VOICE CONTROL AND AUTOMATION
TALK TO ME GOOSE! Andy Atwell – Sales Director at RGB Communications, assesses where we are with voice control. Voice control has come along way in recent years. From its formative use as a data entry tool for word-processing, we now have numerous devices across the home that, once configured, can be enabled through a single voice command. Coinciding with the eruption of smart home technology, voice command appears to be everywhere and there are many households that use it on a daily basis, albeit just to add an item to a shopping list. However, where voice control (VC) can come into its own is in controlling wholehome automation. Already available across most of the major automation companies in combination with Alexa, Google Home and Home Kit, users can ask for particular lighting scenes, music, video, HVAC etc. by simply saying ‘Hey…’. However, there are many of us that struggle to get used to the idea of verbally asking our houses to perform a task. In addition, with recent reports in the mainstream media, there is a darker point to VC, which we should also be considering. As much as consumer-installed home automation is becoming more accepted, with the likes of Amazon, Google and Apple supplying the plug-and-play hardware, the CI industry tends to deal with higher-end installations, which invariably means working
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with customers who are either business leaders and/or of celebrity status. With reports around that suggest that some of these devices are always on and listening out for their wake phrase, there are some customers who would rather not have a device of this sort in their properties. So how do we integrate VC with those customers? The first answer is to not bother. There is a wealth of other user interface options available, such as smart-device apps, wall-mounted keypads and dedicated remote controls that all offer a sophisticated level of control that will satisfy even the most ardent of users. But what if a customer wants to combine VC in some way without going to the big three for a solution? The simple way is to have a physical button that customers have to use to wake the device. Those of you that have used Sky Q will be familiar with this routine, as by pressing the mic button on the side of the remote allows for the system to listen to a request. This works very well and is now a very accepted interface. Another company that has adopted this level of secure VC is Savant. On it’s Pro Remote, Savant has a microphone installed that is activated only when the user presses the button. Users can the use VC to activate a scene, control a service or change a channel. The technology it uses is Apple’s Siri, which is recognised as being a leader in VC technology. However, rather than a full integration with Apple, the Savant Pro remote has Siri embedded into it, meaning that anything it picks up stays within the system.
Some customers do not like the concept of ‘always on’ voice control and prefer to activate only when needed
WHAT’S NORMAL?
But is VC the go-to control system for CI? Personally, I think it has its place but I think it will take time for full integration to become the norm. Many still see it as a gimmick and the untrustworthiness of the major players plays a huge part in the selling of it to many customers. I think that personal interaction with a physical device will continue to be popular for many years. There is no doubt that the smart device is by far the most used control device in home automation and anyone with a teenager reading this will appreciate that this is clearly not going to change for many years. Will the next generation be more open to and accepting of VC? I think the jury is still out on that one but having it as an available facility/feature that can be turned on or off is certainly becoming more essential. Seemingly gathering pace is the use of gesture commands, albeit that this is still an emerging technology that the media has been keen to highlight. For home automation use, dedicated PIRs have increasingly become more adaptable but set up for specific controls can be tricky and I don’t believe that the technology is ready yet to take over from a physical control device. As with any CI job, I would always at least recommend that physical control devices are installed without question, with the option of VC then discussed with the user. As to whether VC technology can be used as an alternative to a physical device? I would suggest that it is brave installer that does that, for the time being.
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VOICE CONTROL AND AUTOMATION
IS VOICE CONTROL THE FUTURE OF SMART HOMES? 2020 is the year ComScore predict 50% of all Google searches will be voice searches and with massive growth in smart home device sales from products like Amazon Alexa - voice control is here to stay, but is there something even more exciting in home control evolving? Relax as as David Taylor, digital marketer at install company Cornflake, takes you on an enlightening journey into the future of home control. Whether it’s using virtual reality to demonstrate home cinema options for clients, facial recognition software allowing secure access control to homes or designing gaming rooms that allow augmented realities for clients to golf in - there’s no doubt technology advancements contain massive advantages for the smart home experience. But still, 2019 was the year Bladerunner anticipated flying cars and we don’t have rogue robot assistants attacking humanity on all fronts yet. So, is artificial intelligence delivering in voice recognition? Is it a staple of our future technology diet?
WHERE ARE WE NOW WITH VOICE CONTROL?
As installers of luxury technology for high end residential homes in London, Cornflake has some unique insights into the end users of smart homes. Voice control is currently an input into the home automation process - relaying one voice command to make multiple actions occur. Its current limitations are only in the ability of the speech recognition algorithms to understand the semantics of what’s being said and the programmer’s ability to link that within the current systems available. One example of how voice control works is through connecting the popular Google Home product to Crestron to control audio, lighting and whatever else is on your system. We have extensive experience integrating Crestron with Amazon Alexa and Google Home - both of which are continually improving. It’s an additional control feature and element in the home that some clients love and the practical application is growing. Right now, you can
AI and machine learning will be able to predict our wants and desires
control your entire home with voice control commands - lighting, temperature, automated blinds, music and TV, sprinkler systems, water features, intercoms, everything. Users want an effortless experience - so voice control hasn’t taken over yet because of the learning curve and satisfaction with current control systems like app control.
WHAT’S THE FUTURE OF VOICE CONTROL?
The key shift will be when you can speak to your smart home without specific commands. Advances in artificial intelligence are making way for algorithms that can not only translate words but understand the semantics behind a sentence. Neural networks are learning from our data. VoiceOps Co-founder, Daria Evdokimova, predicts that machines will derive text from speech more accurately and faster than humans within 5 to 10 years. Them robots are learning
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VOICE CONTROL AND AUTOMATION
For future generations touch, voice even thought patterns will all play a part in smart homes
fast but whether it’s Skynet or Mr Anderson we’ll be talking to in the future, there’s no doubt the landscape is changing. TrendForce project the global market value of voice recognition solutions to reach $15.98 billion in 2021. As this growth drives investment and research, the future is one where artificial intelligence has intelligent conversations with us. Meaning improved user experiences - no more canned expressions, but the ability to speak to your robot assistant as if you would a friend or colleague. Improvements in semantic understanding will allow you to say whatever you want and have it completely understood. Mini microphones throughout the home will allow users to control their home whichever room they are in. This means that in the future, we’ll be able to speak with our robot assistants who can relay that information to our house to achieve whatever we desire - without frustration, without specific commands.
ALTERNATIVE HOME CONTROL OPTIONS
“Imma let you finish”, shouts Kanye West, “but keypads are one of the greatest home control features of all time”. In spite of the growth of voice control - the classics survive. Keypads, remote controls and app control are all still popular. Keypads - the wall mountable, reliable and physical classics are still desired. Modern programming allows us to make one click create multiple actions - automated blinds, lighting and temperature all working together. People like to retain the option to control by touch. The physical control elements of a house survive because they’re hard-wired, reliable - if it’s too dark to find the iPad, the switch is there,
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beckoning you onwards to let there be light. We tailor specific solutions for each client’s lifestyle, so voice control isn’t always desirable. A centralised home control system, with an iPad app to control and some keypads as a physical backup is still the most popular.
THE FUTURE: MIND CONTROL & BEYOND
The future of home control looks set to venture into mind control. Sounds far-fetched? Consider, prosthetic limbs are already controlled through the mind. Imagine the ability to make the coffee, change the lighting or turn on the TV simply with your own thoughts and mind. Elon Musk has a new start-up, Neuralink, which is working on microchips that link your brain to your smartphone. Inserting the chip into the head using robotic surgery - aimed to be as easy as laser eye surgery - the chip will communicate with a Bluetooth device worn around the ear, which will relay information to various devices such as a smartphone or smart home device in order to manifest action in the real world. Hold up - are you telling me that I need to actually bother thinking to control my home? Why not send me down the coal mines to harvest the energy for my home while you’re at it. Can’t the robots just make me happy. Well that’s coming too. Crestron are working on software that tracks a person’s habits - their lifestyle, their behaviour. This data is used to anticipate a home owner’s needs - putting on tailored music at anticipated times or activating light preferences at certain times of the day based on collecting data about how an occupant uses their home. John Clancy, Head of Cretsron’s Residential
Business, says “That’s really the next evolutionary step in true automation.” Like how Google have monopolised online behaviour data, companies will evolve to collect data about home use and then tailor solutions for each unique person, all done without them lifting a finger. Consider how advertisements on Google are tailored to you - Google knows a lot about you. The same technology and data science can be applied to the home, but instead of being used for targeted advertisements, it’ll be used to automate actions across your household to make for a truly automated experience. You won’t be able to take your last paracetamol without a drone delivering the new packet to you as you swallow. Ultimately - this will all require sensors throughout the home and the algorithms to process that data.
BRINGING IT TOGETHER
Just as the internet and social media have changed our daily lives, working in the background, advances in artificial intelligence are set to change just about everything, and thus today’s smart home will be tomorrow’s home. Technology integration will be expected; houses that fail to future-proof will lose value to prospective buyers because they don’t meet their tech needs. Berg Insight, a Swedish research house say that 63 million American homes will qualify as ‘smart’ by the year 2022. Whether it’s keypads or mind control, Cornflake is excited to continue the conversation about home control and if there’s anything you can teach us, we’d love to keep in touch! Cornflake www.cornflake.co.uk
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VOICE CONTROL AND AUTOMATION
VOICE AND CONTROL INNOVATION Jeff Francisco, 35-year veteran of the CI market with 27 years at SpeakerCraft including as Vice President of Product Development, who also helped launch the DaVinci Group in 2013, examines the developing role of voice control.
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Consumer technology is driven by a rapid cycle of newer, faster and better performance. It is often easy, and usually correct, to dismiss the latest technology trend as a passing fad that will quickly be eclipsed by the next one. Too many custom integrators dismiss voice control, specifically the platforms from Google and Amazon, as mere toys in the landscape of home control. This is a dangerous position. Voice control is on the verge of being tremendously disruptive for our channel and it’s here to stay. To be successful, custom integrators will need to identify the new opportunities it brings and change their businesses accordingly. The DaVinci Group (TDG) started development of our first voice control products nearly three years ago and we have brought two products to market with a third expected soon. We reviewed studies and interviewed dealers to best position our products, but it was not until we
Jeff argues music and voice control are natural allies
started to sell the products that I really understood just how different voice control is compared to the countless other new technologies I’ve seen enter our channel. What’s different about voice control? I’m now a bit of an old guy in the industry and have seen many technologies introduced. Hey, I was around for the introduction of CD! I have always held the view that there is never a lack of new ideas or technologies. The trick is knowing which ones bring value and should be used. When it comes to technology in the home, integrators have always been the specialists and the educators to homeowners. They hold all the answers and expertise needed to make a home buzz along with the newest and most reliable tech. The role of the integrator as the sole person that understands how technology can be used in the home and the benefits it can bring is ending abruptly with the introduction of voice control and the smart speakers that enable it. There are now millions of smart speakers and users throughout the world with the highest concentrations being in the US and UK. Studies from NPR and Edison research have pointed out that it is the quickest adopted technology in
VOICE CONTROL AND AUTOMATION
modern history with 21% of US population now owning at least one. That’s a quicker adoption than the smart phone and the PC. In the US, one out of every eight people received one last Christmas. It can be easily assumed that nearly every living space with the ability to connect to the internet will have one soon. These millions of users are streaming music, turning on and off lights, controlling thermostats and home security with amazing ease and setting most of it up themselves. They are experiencing home automation in a way that makes it accessible, understandable and welcoming. These experiences are reframing the expectations of all homeowners when it comes to the use and expense of home control. We don’t need to educate them about the advantages and benefits of home automation. They are already experiencing it and it doesn’t cost much. Homeowners are now in the position to tell us what they want and are less willing to listen to other options. They see no additional value in systems beyond what they have experienced with their Amazon Alexa or Google Home and the relatively inexpensive assortment of add on IoT products that make it possible. What evidence do have I have to support my assumptions about the changes in consumer attitudes towards home control? As I mentioned, it was not until we started to sell our own products that I realised the differences. I have heard many stories of project quotes that feature expensive control systems being rejected as customers state
what they really want is what they are already using from Amazon or Google. One of my favorites happened at last year’s ISE show in Amsterdam. An integrator walked by one of our products and asked about it. After I explained how it worked, he mentioned that he just had a huge Crestron quote rejected. The wealthy client mentioned that he had been using Alexa and loved it. Most importantly to him it was the first system out of the many he had used that his family understood how to use. That’s all he wanted in his new home. In another we recently partnered with a home builder in Silicon Valley who had grown tired of the complications, expenses and delays created by traditional systems and had chosen to package up simple Alexa based systems that he knew customers would accept and quickly understand how to use. Topping it all is the overwhelming amount of inquiries we get at TDG from end users interested in our voice control related products. I have introduced many new products, and this is the first time I have seen more end user inquiries than integrator ones in our channel. It’s not that I don’t see the value and benefits in more expensive systems based on other platforms. I believe that these will continue to be an important part of the market and offer benefits beyond those found from Amazon or Google. I do believe however, that they will be limited to a smaller segment of the market. Rather than a sign of trouble, what I see from the trend is tremendous opportunity for our channel. Audio has always been my primary
interest so I’m excited to say that is where I see some of the biggest opportunities. The NPR/ Edison research, as well as the UK based research from Reuters Institute/Oxford, point out that the overwhelming use of the smart speakers is to stream music. Both point out that over 90% of users stream music daily and it is the most valued function of their smart speaker. Of course, what all those smart speakers have in common is that the music sounds terrible. The last time everyone was listening to music on a new technology and it sounded terrible, they spent large sums of money on headphones. Beats became a multibillion-dollar company as millions connected them to their smartphones and iPods. I think that there is tremendous opportunity to seize on the excitement and joy of music in the home and do what we do best to make it sound better. Other opportunities exist to show users how other control and automation capabilities can be coupled to expand the ones that they may be familiar with. Well presented, priced and supported installations will find more welcoming customers that are eager to expand the capabilities of systems that they already like. Successful installers will likely be putting together packages that incorporate voice control that are expertly curated and supported. While the average installation price of systems will drop, the potential to do more installations will increase.
Could voice control open up new opportunities for installers?
DECEMBER 2019 49
S L I D E & R OTAT E R A C K S DE S I G N E D & M A N U FAC T U R E D BY
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INSTALL PIONEERS: DAVID TOVISSI, VP & GM - LUXURY AUDIO HARMAN INTERNATIONAL
LIVING WITH LUXURY From installer to Vice President & GM, Luxury Audio - Consumer Audio at HARMAN International, David Tovissi has done it all. Get the benefit of his insight with our in-depth interview.
You were originally in retail, how did you evolve to include install too? Ever since I started working in the audio industry back in the early 80’s, I realised that I could learn more about a customer’s needs by visiting their home or office. I also learned that if a customer trusts you enough to enter their home, they will trust you enough to recommend the appropriate system for their environment, lifestyle and budget. Even back in the 80’s people were living in only a couple of rooms and outdoors on the veranda. The problem I started solving for them was getting music to these rooms without the need for separate components. I began specifying small bookshelf speakers for above
the kitchen cabinets and made my own speaker selector switch to allow for multiple rooms to operate off the same amplifier. I then realised that the volume was quite different in each of these rooms so I installed rotary light dimmers to control the volume level and to my surprise I began installing these rheostat dimmers in most of my audio installations.
Tell us more about the Tweeter Home Entertainment Group, what was your role there? Tweeter Home Entertainment Group was the first national specialty retailer in the US. It was based in Boston, MA. The company goal was to offer premium products with premium services. All of their sales people were on commission. The executives at Tweeter invested heavily in both sales and product training which meant consumers went there to be educated and to
be exposed to better products. Growth was largely organic, by acquiring similar, regional speciality AV retailers across the country. One of those retailers was Sound Advice based in Fort Lauderdale, FL., which was one of the first retailers to embrace the custom installation market and one of the founding members of CEDIA. It was famous across the globe and had dedicated sales people and installers, so allowed very easy integration into our organisation. I was the Vice President of Custom Installation & Design for Sound Advice during the acquisition and soon was tasked with building a scalable custom installation business across the country, responsible for all sales and installation and leading the transformation into a hybrid custom retailer. Under my leadership we introduced Tweeter’s Entertainment Architects, a specialised retail outlet in which all products in the store were delivered and installed by our
The JBL Synthesis SDR-35 is a class G immersive surround sound AVR with16 channels of processing
DECEMBER 2019 51
INSTALL PIONEERS: DAVID TOVISSI, VP & GM - LUXURY AUDIO HARMAN INTERNATIONAL
team. We did not sell anything that a customer carried out of the store. I wanted everyone associated to go to our customers’ homes and build relationships directly with the end customers. These stores quickly became the most profitable locations.
Criteria Design Group; tell us more about the work you did connecting with the interior design world. Whilst working at Tweeter, I would always run into friends and co-workers from Sound Advice who had gone out on their own to open a custom installation business. Two such coworkers invited me to their office and shared the news that they were acquiring a very well-respected interior design firm in south Florida. They wanted me to join them in creating the country’s first integration firm that offered interior design and construction services combined with system design and installation. That challenge intrigued me and soon after the 3rd Tweeter
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Entertainment Architects opened, I left Tweeter to join Criteria Hi-Fi. I quickly worked on a business plan that leveraged the clients that Criteria and the interior design firm had. We changed the name of our business to the Criteria Design Group and opened offices in the same building as our interior designers. We taught those designers about acoustics, lighting and system controls. They taught us about finishes and materials that would improve our projects. In short, the designers were always brought in earlier to project than the audio/video guys. This concept allowed us to rapidly grow and expand across the country. We opened design offices in Naples, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and New York City. We continued to operate in the original office building in south Florida which was close to the boat yards that refitted mega-yachts for the rich and famous across the globe. That team, combining our knowledge of interior design and marine electronics, became one of the top marine integrators in the world.
What is your advice to installers now who would like to be more effective in working with interior designers? Treat the interior designers as partners. Take time to educate them and provide the tools and resources to make them more respected in their trade. Have them accompany you on installations so they can see how better to design rooms for great sound. Finally, have them attend trade shows and have them meet with your suppliers. They will help create better products for our industry.
The ‘in-car’ market is where some installers got their start, do you see a place for bespoke vehicle AV/ automation in the future of the market? Yes, many of our best residential and commercial installers started out in the 12 volt industry. They eventually got tired of crawling around in and under cars and realised that their crafts were needed in air-conditioned homes and offices too. Yes, there is a place for bespoke AV/automation in vehicles. However, most of that will most likely happen within the same shops that customise the rest of the car. There is one very distinct difference right now in the automotive entertainment space and Harman is at the forefront of it. We call it EPM which stands for Experiences Per Mile. From digital cockpits, autonomous driving and multi-channel audio video systems, the major automotive manufacturers turn to Harman to design their EPM systems.
INSTALL PIONEERS: DAVID TOVISSI, VP & GM - LUXURY AUDIO HARMAN INTERNATIONAL
What are the plans at Harman to deliver coherent access to all the company’s Luxury Audio brands? Harman Luxury Audio has five of the most awarded and recognised brands in the audio industry. However, we must constantly be innovating, not only in the product concepts but also in the operational processes. We recently surveyed over 500 of our dealers and distributors to determine how we ranked as a supplier and we received great input and insightful ideas on how to be a better partner to our customers. Our customers told us we needed to improve on our order management systems and allow them to have more visibility of their orders. We recently launched a new dealer portal in several of our key markets that allows dealers to track most everything from a mobile device. We will soon roll this out to all markets. We were also asked to do a better job in communicating what new products are coming. Within a month, we had responded with a monthly newsletter sharing information about new and existing products, training and tech tips from our engineers and tech support team. There is always a need to shorten the lead times from order to delivery and we are working with all of our partners on finding ways to improve.
What do Harman brands offer that others in the market don’t? There are a lot of incredible audio products on the market. What makes our brands different are the way we use science and trained listeners to design our products to what we believe is a higher standard than most. We also have some very stringent quality tests that push our products to very extreme measures to determine at what stress point they may eventually fail, called HALT or Highly Accelerated Life Testing. Sometimes the endurance of the products surprises even us, during recent testing of a product where it was being pushed to temperature/humidity extremes, the external testing engineer joked “well this one’s ok to go to Mars”.
Are there any new products you can tell us about coming through? We showed 32 new products in September at CEDIA and we have several new products we will be launching in 2020. We have a lot of new architectural products coming under the JBL Synthesis brand to compliment the lower priced SDP-55 16-channel processor and the SDR-35 16-channel premium AVR. At the same time, we are also working on flagship speakers for Revel and JBL Premium Loudspeakers. We plan to launch new Summit Series products to coincide with our 75th anniversary of the JBL brand.
In general how do you see the future of the install market? What are the positives? What are the market forces to be wary of? The custom install market will continue to grow. As technology continues to evolve and people start to appreciate a connected home, our industry will thrive. It is important for our dealers to keep learning new skills and don’t shy away from subsystems that they think they won’t be considered an expert at. As long as there are people who want to have premium products and don’t want to set them up on their own, the installer will have an important role for home owners. I can easily envision supporting roles like a digital gardener, someone who comes once a week to maintain the network and the devices that work on it.
What is the best thing about your current role? My job is the best job at Harman. I get to work with the smartest and most passionate people in the industry. Along with the people, Harman also has the financial strength to fund Blue Sky projects. I really enjoy speaking with our customers and then relaying their needs to an engineer and days later I have a 3D printed prototype on my desk with someone asking me if that was what I had in mind when we talked about an idea. How cool is that? Harman Luxury Audio www.harmanluxuryaudio.com
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PRODUCT FOCUS
BLUESOUND AND NAD MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC Not only do dealers have the choice of outstanding standalone NAD AVR performance, but by including NAD in customer specifications, the opportunity opens up to expand into high-resolution, multi-room streaming using the embedded BluOs and its impressive array of CI drivers.
KEY FEATURES OF THE NAD T778
Check out some recent key introductions from NAD and Bluesound, both available in the UK from Anatech Distribution. Bluesound, the brand known for hi-res multiroom app and voice-controlled streaming has announced the availability of the RC1 infra-Red remote control priced at a keen £49 SRP. The RC1 complements current methods of control of the award-winning Bluesound range. Users can now access up to 10 presets (radio stations, albums, and playlists) with a single button-press for immediate access to music. The maker says the RC1 provides an exciting extra choice for users who prefer to not use voice control but value the speed and convenience it provides for essential functions. For example, reaching for the RC1 to mute music when a phone is ringing without having to reach for a smart device and start an app is ideal. Uniquely, across the range, Bluesound has always offered IR control as a useful feature. Now, in addition to the feature of programming an existing IR remote, an off-the-shelf product
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can be used with many more functions at user’s fingertips. Bluesound says set up is a cinch. An intuitive button layout and dedicated controls allows control of players straight out of the box. Functions such as volume and play/pause are pre-programmed and, since all Bluesound players have IR sensors built-in, the RC1 with Bluesound offers a handy differentiator to customers.
POWERFUL NEW RECEIVER FROM NAD
NAD, the brand famous for high sound quality and ‘full disclosure power’ is pleased to announce the forthcoming arrival of the NAD T778 AV Receiver available during early 2020. The T778 is an addition the existing range of established high-performance established AV Receivers. The current range includes the popular T758V3 (SRP £1,399), the high performance T777 (SRP £2,299) and is now joined by the T778 (SRP £2,499) which brings even more power and features.
• Nine channels of NAD’s latest Hybrid digital amplifier technology • New touch screen and improved ergonomics for user-friendly operation • 4K UHD video pass-through • High-Res BluOS enabled network streaming • Two-Way Bluetooth aptX HD • Dirac Live room correction • DirectDigital DAC- ESS Saber DAC with MQA Decoding MQA decoding available on all digital inputs • MDC (Modular Design Construction) offers ability to upgrade to future digital formats as they become available. Two MDC slots provided. • CI friendly- RS232 Serial Control Port. Trigger In/Out • IR In with learning function
For more information about impressing your customers with the power of NAD AVRs in your next project or to join the exclusive and growing NAD, Bluesound and BluOs dealer community, contact the UK distributor, Anatech Distribution. Anatech Distribution www.anatech.co.uk
The Gramercy
the benchmark for luxury theater seating
The Mondrian features a cutting-edge DUAL motorized incline mechanism that allows the Mondrian to function as a traditional sofa and at the touch of a button turns it into a truly relaxing home-entertainment chair.
cineak . com Antwerp, Belgium +32 (3) 354 03 66 - Los Angeles, USA +1 (866) 458-0529
COMFORT, THE MOTHER OF IMMERSION CinemaTech’s Director of Marketing, Ryan Crist, tracks the changing shape of seating design and reveals the key qualities essential to success. The way people use a theatre has changed over time. From our first theatre/seating design twenty years ago to the home theatres of today, there has been a dramatic shift in how people view the space. While we still design traditional theatres, many of our customers are now looking for a blended environment; one that incorporates the theatre, but also offers a custom scenario that gives the family and kids a place to play as well as provide an option for overflow seating and space to host gatherings with food and drink. This shift is complemented by a rising demand for luxury performance theatre sofas with multi-use versatility built-in. In fact, our sofa designs account for around fifty percent of current seating sales. Today’s home theatres typically feature both sofas and lounge seating as well traditional incline seating, and our most popular design format is to place the sofa in the front rows with traditional seating behind.
GADGETS VERSUS PERFORMANCE
People new to the home theatre market are usually enamoured with gadgets and accessories that appear to enhance the theatre experience. But with so many options available it becomes hard to prioritise quality over short-lived gratification. For several years, we have seen manufacturers include gadgets like massaging seats, heated seats, built-in tablet holders and more, however the experience of a thousand dollar (or pound) purchase quickly turns negative when the gizmo breaks, as it often does, and the chair is out of warranty. The first priority of every seat maker should be to create the perfect place to sit. We’ve learned over two decades that customers value comfort far more than trendy convenience, which is why a guiding principle of our seating design is to ensure optimum support over the longest product life. And
HOME CINEMA SEATING
Cinema seating does not exist in a vacuum, it needs to cope with the rigors of family life, like the loving attention of pets
it’s never the case that the cushiest seat is the most comfortable. Our customers continually ask about proper support in the legs, torso and neck as these are key pressure point areas. In an era of heightened health awareness, seating that provides the right structure and contour, and which adapts to many body types is an absolute necessity. It’s a feature that scores highly in our customer satisfaction surveys. As we develop the design and manufacture of our theatre furniture, we’re noticing strong demand for the features that add genuine comfort and convenience to the experience, such as power-adjustable headrests and extended leg support.
THE NEED FOR DURABILITY
Materials that make up any seat endure susbstantial wear and tear. The shifting body
pressure of adults, children and pets can really beat the life out of the seat fabric, which is why the upholstery should be one of the most durable, longest-lasting parts of the design. Materials like bonded leather or leather-like surfaces, while cost effective, do not keep their appearance or perform over time.
A PLACE FOR THINGS TO HIDE
Whether it’s blankets, remote controls, tissues or other items, storage is essential in today’s home theatres. It needs to be convenient and out-of-sight. With this in mind, home theatre seating is the perfect place to integrate this feature. Be it flip-up arm storage, pull-out drawers under a chaise lounge or a storage ottoman, homeowners regularly request this as part of their custom seating package.
BUYERS WANT PERSONALISATION
Top priority for most customers however is the desire for personalisation. Homeowners investing in a home theatre want the space to be theirs: unique, exclusive. Being able to choose a completely personalised upholstery design as well as a custom seating layout developed specifically for their space is the driving ambition of our creative consultancy. Our customers have found the customisation process to be really enjoyable as well, which, I guess, is why it’s continually growing in popularity. And placing all the control in the hands of the customer is important when the furniture is designed to last fifteen to twenty years. The experience of buying and enjoying the theatre seating must be exceptional and long-lasting.
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ESSENTIAL CINEMA SEATING
Part of an award-winning whole home project, this cinema reflects a trend for less classic cinema seating and a more ‘loungy’ feel
TAKE A CHAIR EI spoke with Sue Fisher of Fisher ID, an interior designer with 30 years’ experience specialising in high end residential commissions, to get her take on the world of home cinema seating. Checking out Fisher ID’s website, the company explains that it leans towards the contemporary end of the market, incorporating classical, retro, modernist and eclectic elements as each project demands. Delivering high performance interiors that are sophisticated and comfortable, executed to a high standard, and delivered in an efficient and timely manner, makes the company a useful ally when it comes to creating some really comfy and cool home cinema seating solutions. The company’s projects vary in size, from designing one-off custom pieces of furniture to whole home full interior design commissions going from architectural planning and detailing,
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through to decorative schemes and furniture layouts, to sourcing final touches such as linen, kitchenware and accessories. The company was recently the lead designer on a project that involved install company New Wave AV, featured recently on the EI website with a project that picked up a significant award. Sue explains, “The Chelsfield project is a substantial family house which was built by Manak Homes for a family member. We were involved from the very beginning and were responsible for the complete interiors package, including creating the interior layouts. “The entire lower ground floor is dedicated to home entertainment and well-being with a bar and games room, swimming pool, gym, sauna, steam room and of course a cinema room. The house recently won bronze in the What House? Best Luxury Home category.” So, from Sue’s point of view how does the
process work? “Having worked on a number of bespoke home cinemas, we now have a good understanding of the essential principles in designing this highly specialised area. In the first instance, we devise a rough scheme (including general layouts, acoustic panelling, seating, lighting, ceiling details etc.) based on clients’ requirements in terms of performance and styling, and an initial AV consultation. “Then, working in harmony with the AV team, the interior and AV designs and specifications are developed and tweaked simultaneously until we are satisfied that we have reached the ultimate solution for the project.” In Sue’s experience, are there any particular trends that customers are leaning towards? She responds, “More recently, I find that clients are wanting a more homely feel to their dedicated cinema, preferring ‘loungy’ sofas over the more traditional, individual cinema
ESSENTIAL CINEMA SEATING
seating. This more flexible seating approach not only allows for greater numbers to be accommodated in what is often quite a small space, but a much wider choice in terms of style. “We designed custom, extra deep sofas across the whole of the back wall in the Chelsfield project, which is large enough to seat up to six adults or eight children, with another sofa in front for up to three adults, compared to the maximum headcount of six people if we had used individual cinema seats.” Sue adds, “I have found that the better looking cinema seating also comes with a hefty price tag, averaging over £2K per unit. We recently paid double that per unit, which included a custom leather option in bright blue. I think price may well be a factor in clients looking at alternative seating for the cinema room, as well as the limited range of styles and colours generally available. “Increasingly, we are finding that clients want multi-purpose entertainment areas instead of separate cinema, bar and games areas. These rooms are notoriously difficult to get right as there are so many factors to consider, but I would definitely use oversize sofas rather than cinema seating in this type of dual use space.”
BUILDING THE BEST
The largest dedicated cinema Sue has ever designed was a 24-seat cinema in a spectacular house in Hampstead working in conjunction with Fusion Automation. This project, completed a few years ago, did go down the route of more regular cinema seating, in this case made by Sofa & Chair Co, but shows a real flair, and underlines what can be achieved when interior experts and AV companies work well together. Sue’s company worked on every aspect of the room, from the layouts, furniture, leather wall panels and framing, illuminated movie posters, lighting and flooring etc. Its’s still one of Sue’s favourite rooms, capturing the magic of a classic cinema, but with the cool comfort and extra design flair possible in a family home. Another notable project involved a cinema similar in size to the Chelsfield project, for a client very much after the ultimate cinema experience who most definitely wanted ‘proper’ cinema seats. These seats (shown opposite) sport rather spectacular blue Italian leather. Sue worked with Finite Solutions on this one. So proof positive that whether its classic cinema seating or a more multi-use environment,
AV companies and interior designers really can lift each other’s professions to greater heights and create more satisfied clients. Fisher ID www.fisherid.com
One of Sue’s favourite rooms is this beautiful 24-seat cinema in Hampstead completed with Fusion Automation
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CONTENT IS KING
LET THERE BE ROCK! This month EI enjoys assessing the merits of a full-on guns-a-blazing rock out from masters of stadium blues-based rock, AC/DC. Live at Donington was originally released as a DVD and then again on Blu-ray in 2007, and it’s the latter version that gets a spin here. So, perhaps a little self-indulgent, but seeing as this was EI’s idea, one of these was always going to be produced in-house. If you would like to have a go at your very own Content is King, just email dan@essentialinstall.com. This disc captures this version of the band perhaps right at the height of their powers. Originally a sleazy blues-based rock band fronted by Bon Scott, who sadly passed away in 1980, AC/DC’s success and a fresh direction had seen them morph into planet spanning major rock stars, able to fill the biggest
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venues. Helped by new singer Brian Johnson’s more accessible, crowd friendly style and larger more bombastic sound on newer tracks like Back in Black, the band had in truth become a different proposition entirely and set about conquering planet earth. The band’s ‘come back’ album released in 1980 just after the death of Bon, Back in Black, is still the 7th biggest selling album of all time, shifting 22 million units. Fans of the band often argue about which ‘version’ is best; for EI they are both fantastic, but actually pretty different, so comparing the two in many ways misses the point. This particular concert was in front of over 70,000 fanatical fans and was the third time the band had played the legendary Castle Donington festival, now reborn as the Download Festival.
The gig took place on August 17, 1991, delivering a full two-hour show, complete with many of the elements the band had added to their riff driven sound to help them connect with increasingly huge audiences. Real cannons, a huge ‘Hells Bell’ prop, a massive inflatable ‘Rosie’ which accompanies the song Whole Lot of Rosie and a huge inflatable Angus Young (the bands frenetic lead guitarist) all add to the spectacle. One of the reasons this disc is relevant today is that, for the time, it was really well filmed and recorded. It was captured in 35mm Panavision and had no less than 26 cameras recording the action from all angles, including from under the stage and from a helicopter above the audience. The Blu-ray version is presented in high definition 1080p in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio and was a new transfer from the 35mm original. There are three different listening options: 48kHz/24bit PCM stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps) and PCM 5.1 48kHz/24bit. EI enjoyed the concert on a Lyndorf 2.1 set-up partnering a 4K LG wide screen TV, so went with the stereo option. Systems with more speakers and up-scaling abilities into immersive formats should find plenty to get their teeth into.
It has to be said that at some points in the concert you can see the age of the content a little. Some images have a little bit of ‘grain’ in them, but it does not detract from the over all experience. This is one of those discs that just delivers all the way through. Right from the start as the crowd noise erupts as Angus appears on top of the stage in his signature school boy uniform, the tone is set as the crowd hang off every note of every song. Even Angus’ hat blows off in the wind just at the right moment as the booming of Chris Slade’s drums brings the opening of Thunderstruck to full life. The audience really play a big part in the success of this disc. Their reactions can be heard but never overpower the music and the shots of them all jumping up and down in time to the music captured from behind the stage are some of the best shots of a crowd enjoying a rock show ever captured. Brian Johnson, the band’s iron-lunged Geordie singer, even remarks just before the unmistakable chopping riff of Back in Black kicks in, ‘You guys look great!’. Special mention also has to go to Brian. His vocals act as the perfect foil to the Angus brothers’ guitars, muscular and powerful. He never lets up for the whole show and is key in connecting the excitement and energy of the band to the crowd, he is having an absolute blast and you can tell. Angus on lead guitar, is of course the main focus for lots of the show. Like a possessed miniature demon he stalks the stage teasing the crowd and letting rip like only he can. There are some great shots of him doing his Chuck Berry ‘duck walk’ from under the stage. Brother Malcom holds the rest of the sound together with his rhythm guitar and backing vocals whilst Cliff Williams operates
the bass guitar and chips in with backing vocals too. Chris Slade, who for this type of concept probably has the edge on original drummer Phil Rudd, is just a more aggressive tub thumping drummer which suits this type of show and it comes over really well in the mix.
FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK!
18 tracks of full on rock ensue; the pace and bounce of tracks like Heatseeker and Fire Your Guns are captured perfectly, whilst the menace and power of songs like Hells Bells drip out of the speakers. One of the great things about the disc as well, is that even if you are familiar with the brand, the sound of real cannons being fired at the end of For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) can still surprise with the scale and punch of the sound. The giant inflatables that the band also became known for rise up behind the stage almost unnoticed until they reach their full height and add another level of humour and fun to the disc. There are probably plenty of more recently released discs of a higher quality that have the benefit of technology simply not available back when this was recorded or even transferred to Blu-ray in 2007. However, for EI some of the discs that are often used to show how good concert footage can be are a little soulless. Yes they are very slick, but do they give you the feeling of being there? Often not. What ultimately makes this a great demo disc, is that it captures the whole experience from the point of view of the band and the audience, offering a rounded viewing opportunity to feel the beating heart of the planet’s most successful live rock band.
KIT LIST Lyngdorf TDAi 2170 Integrated Stereo Amplifier Lyngdorf BW-2 sub x 1 Lyngdorf MH-2 x 2 LG UHD TV
TRACK LISTING Thunderstruck Shoot to Thrill Back in Black Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be Heatseeker Fire Your Guns Jailbreak The Jack Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap Moneytalks Hells Bells High Voltage Whole Lotta Rosie You Shook Me All Night Long T.N.T. Let There Be Rock Highway to Hell For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)
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INSTALL PIONEER: GABI WOLPER: FORTRESS SEATING
Gabi, pictured here with his wife Erin, gives his insight into the world of cinema seating
Vice President at high-quality bespoke home cinema seating brand Fortress Seating, Gabi Wolper reveals more about the past, present and future of cinema seating.
Tell us a little about the early history of the company? How did the company come into being and what did it do in the early days? Fortress is actually an 80+ year old company, it started off in the 30’s manufacturing steel desks and file cabinets. During World War II, we actually built ammo boxes. It wasn’t until the late 1950’s that we started making lounge and office seating. During the 1980’s Fortress began making healthcare seating, and in the mid-to-late 90’s started manufacturing home theatre seating.
How did the company get into home cinema seating? What were some of the early products like? It wasn’t something we were looking to do. A local theatre designer had reached out to us
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BUILDING A FORTRESS and asked if we could build some of his designs. Theatre seating was so foreign to us, that it’s a little comical, as we have images of the cup holders actually on top of the arms and not recessed into them. Also, in the late 90’s, early 2000’s, it seems there were a lot more themed theatres or of a more traditional design, so styles have changed quite a bit.
What, in your opinion, makes a good cinema seat? What are the most important ingredients?
How did you come to be in the industry and at Fortress Seating? What was your background before that?
Fan of D-Box and similar systems or not?
Fortress is a family business; my father had started working here in 1986 with the original owners and he purchased it in 1991. He had always told me I had to get a career of my own before I could join the family business. I had always been interested in finance and worked at Morgan Stanley (an investment firm based in the US) for about eight years. I was planning on continuing in that field, but in 2005 he asked if I’d join Fortress, and the timing made sense, so I did.
First and foremost I think it needs to be comfortable and support your body. You’re going to be sitting in the seats for two plus hours and you don’t want people to be distracted from the movie because they aren’t comfortable.
It’s a pretty amazing system, and I think it’s great that you can turn up the intensity or dial it down, because sometimes you want to just relax in the theatre.
How has the market, and the products you produce, evolved over the years, in particular since you have been at the company? The demand has definitely been for more contemporary styles, and we do see a mix of sectionals and theatre seats in the same space, which I think can be a nice mix.
INSTALL PIONEER: GABI WOLPER: FORTRESS SEATING
Apart from the seating of course, what do you think the most important things are to get right in a cinema? Obviously having a great picture and amazing sound are important. I think people want to try and duplicate that commercial theatre experience as much as possible, and if they are lacking on one or both of those elements it can detract from their overall enjoyment. One of the reasons people love to go and see movies is to escape their everyday life and get lost in the movie and the closer you can get to the true cinema feel, the better off they’ll be.
What changes have you noticed in the market in recent times? Is the market buoyant?
What is different/special about the Fortress approach? The main thing is we are the actual manufacturer of the seating, so we do a lot of custom designs and accessories. ‘No’ is not in our vocabulary, so if a dealer has a specific request from their client, we will always figure out a way to make it happen.
What is the best thing about your role and what is the most challenging? I do many different things for the company, and fortunately I enjoy just about all of it. Working on a new design can be rewarding, because we always take the comfort into account, and we work really hard when doing a custom design to
also make sure their chair is very comfortable, but keeps with the inspiration that the client wants. This can also be the most challenging aspect as well, because you want to make it right, and fine tuning all the design elements as well as incorporating some of our unique accessories can be a time consuming process.
Do you have a cinema at home? If so what sort of seating do you have? I don’t have a home cinema, but we do have a reclining sectional we made. I recently moved and there is a room that as the kids get a little older will eventually become our home cinema.
The market is buoyant, but there is a flood of inexpensive options out there and that can be a challenge for our dealers, because they want their clients to have seating that is of the same calibre to the audio video equipment going into the room, but sometimes price is a factor.
A mixture of styles in one cinema is now more common
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TRAINING DATES
AL LT R A D E
CA I
ADVANCED ELAN CERTIFICATION
BASIC AERIAL & SATELLITE INSTALLATION (THREE DAY COURSE)
DATES/LOCATION:
December 11 (9.15am) Reading Branch December 12 (9.15am) Reading Branch
LEVEL 1 UBIQUITI DATES/LOCATION:
December 12 (2pm) Maidstone Branch
December 18 (2pm) Brighton & Hove Branch
DATES/LOCATION: January 7-9, Watford CAI Ltd
March 10-12, Watford CAI Ltd June 2-4, Watford CAI Ltd
September 8-10, Watford CAI Ltd
November 10-12, Watford CAI Ltd COST: £815.00
LEVEL 2 UBIQUITI
INTRODUCTION TO IRS (TWO DAY COURSE)
DATES/LOCATION: December 4 (2pm) Bournemouth Branch
DATES/LOCATION: March 19-20, Watford CAI Ltd
CCTV OVERVIEW - HIKVISION DATES/LOCATION: December 4 (2pm) Brighton & Hove Branch, December 11 (2pm) Bournemouth Branch, December 12 (2pm) Hemel Hempstead Branch
INTRODUCTION TO SONOS
DATES/LOCATION: December 10 (10am) Brighton & Hove Branch, December 10 (10am) Bournemouth Branch, December 19 (2pm) Hemel Hempstead Branch, December 19 (2pm) Reading Branch, December 19 (2pm) Maidstone Branch,
CAT5E/6, THEIR CONNECTORS AND BEYOND DATES/LOCATION: December 11 (2pm) Brighton & Hove Branch, December 18 (2pm) Bournemouth Branch,
June 18-19, Watford CAI Ltd
September 17-18, Watford CAI Ltd November 19-20, Watford CAI Ltd COST: £465.00
INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT MANAGEMENT DATES/LOCATION: February 5-6, Watford CAI Ltd COST: £800.00
MAKING THE BOND (ONE DAY COURSE) DATES/LOCATION: January 14, Watford CAI Ltd March 9, Watford CAI Ltd May 11, Watford CAI Ltd July 20, Watford CAI Ltd
September 7, Watford CAI Ltd
All courses are free of charge
November 9, Watford CAI Ltd
MORE INFORMATION »
FIBRE OPTICS IN SIGNAL DISTRIBUTION STAGE 1 (ONE DAY COURSE)
For more information or to book call 0344 225 2700 / 01273 765180, e-mail training@alltrade.co.uk or visit alltrade.co.uk/training-sessions
COST: £310.00
DATES/LOCATION: January 21, Watford CAI Ltd March 17, Watford CAI Ltd June 16, Watford CAI Ltd
BE MCO K N X TRAINING KNX ‘TASTER’ COURSE - FREE DATES/LOCATION: December 4, Bemco Wandsworth
KNX PARTNER (BASIC) COURSE DATES/LOCATION: January 27-31, Bemco Wandsworth, March 23-27, Bemco Wandsworth, June 22-26, Bemco Wandsworth COST: £750 + VAT
KNX ADVANCED COURSE:
September 15, Watford CAI Ltd November 17, Watford CAI Ltd COST: £330.00
FIBRE OPTICS IN SIGNAL DISTRIBUTION STAGE 2 (ONE DAY COURSE) DATES/LOCATION: January 22, Watford CAI Ltd March 18, Watford CAI Ltd June 17, Watford CAI Ltd
September 16, Watford CAI Ltd November 18, Watford CAI Ltd COST: £330.00
MORE INFORMATION »
CAI 01923 803 030, cai.org.uk
DATES/LOCATION: February 10-14, Bemco Wandsworth May 27-1, Bemco Wandsworth COST: £300 + VAT
All KNX Intro courses are free of charge
MORE INFORMATION »
Bemco 0208 874 0404, bemco-knx.co.uk
INVISION COMELIT VIP DOOR ENTRY TRAINING DATES/LOCATION: December 5, Comelit HQ, Welwyn Garden City COST: £25
LILIN – IP SURVEILLANCE FOR CI DATES/LOCATION: December 10, Lilin HQ, Milton Keynes COST: £25
MORE INFORMATION »
Invision, 01359 270280, invisionuk.com
64 DECEMBER 2019
TRAINING DATES
RAKO RAKO ADVANCED COURSE (LAPTOP REQUIRED) DATES/LOCATION: December 5, Rako, Rochester December 17, Rako, Rochester
MORE INFORMATION »
All courses are free of charge, although spaces are secured with a nominal reservation fee. If you would like to book a training date please contact 01634 226666 or email sarah@rakocontrols.com
HABITEC H PRONET – FOUNDATION COURSE (1 DAY) DATES: January 29, Basingstoke
February 26, Basingstoke April 2, Basingstoke
RGB CO MMU N I CAT I O N S SAVANT INTRO TRAINING VC DATES/LOCATION: December 5 January 6 February 6 March 5
BECOME A SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATOR DATES/LOCATION: December 5 January 16 March 12
SAVANT CORE TRAINING (2 DAY COURSE) DATES/LOCATION: December 10-11 January 21-22 February 25-26 March 24-25
LUTRON HOMEWORKS QS INSTALLATION & PROGRAMMING
May 6, Basingstoke
DATES/LOCATION: January 27
COST: £99.00 + VAT
NETWORKING & WIFI FOR AV SYSTEMS
June 3, Basingstoke
PRONET – INTEGRATOR COURSE (2 DAY) DATES:
February 19-20, Basingstoke March 11-12, Basingstoke
DATES/LOCATION: February 20
MIDDLE ATLANTIC INTEGRATING THE RACK
April 22-23, Basingstoke
DATES/LOCATION: March 17
June 24-25, Basingstoke
LUTRON RA2 SELECT
May 20-21, Basingstoke COST: £150.00 + VAT
DAHUA (1 DAY) DATES:
January 14, Basingstoke March 3, Basingstoke April 14, Basingstoke
DATES/LOCATION: March 18
MORE INFORMATION »
All course are held are RGB’s Offices in Hungerford, call 01488 73366 for more information
May 26, Basingstoke July 7, Basingstoke COST: FREE
WYRESTORM - 4K END TO END (1 DAY) DATES:
February 4, Basingstoke March 17, Basingstoke April 28, Basingstoke June 9, Basingstoke
July 14, Basingstoke
I VO RY EG G K N X TR A I N I N G KNX BASIC COURSE (4 DAYS) DATES: February 3-6, Bosham
COST: FREE
May 11-15, Bosham
WYRESTORM - NETWORK HD (1 DAY)
October 5-8, Bosham
DATES:
February 5, Basingstoke March 18, Basingstoke April 29, Basingstoke
June 10, Basingstoke July 15, Basingstoke COST: FREE
All courses are free of charge unless specified otherwise
MORE INFORMATION »
Habitech 01256 638500, tanya.sworn@habitech.co.uk, habitech.co.uk
June 22-25, Bosham
COST: £875.00 excl VAT
KNX SALES AND SPECIFICATION (1 DAY) DATES: January 28, Bosham April 28, Bosham June 9, Bosham
October 20, Bosham
COST: £175.00 excl VAT
MORE INFORMATION »
Ivory Egg, 01243 572 700, ivoryegg.co.uk
DECEMBER 2019 65
BUYERS GUIDE AUTOMATION PLATFORMS
028 9145 5565
0344 225 2700
DISTRIBUTORS
01296 719 582
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66 DECEMBER 2019
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a mini control system within every MHUB Tel: +44(0)115 824 7000 Email: sales@blustream.co.uk Web: www.blustream.co.uk
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DECEMBER 2019 67
@e ilive sh ow #e ilive s h ow2020
FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE
APRIL 21-22
EI Live! 2020, the UK’s national show for the AV and install market, will boast a greater focus on smart products from the world of electrical contracting; delivering a unique platform on which a smarter, brighter future can be established.
www.eiliveshow.com
PRODUCTS
URC’s family of control option is growing with a new Russound partnership
URC TEAMS UP WITH RUSSOUND URC has launched a two-way IP module for integration of its Total Control system with Russound MCA controllers. The module, available to authorised URC installers via URC’s dealer portal and also on Russound’s dealer portal, provides for control of Russound’s MCA-66 or MCA-88 controller amplifiers using any URC Total Control touch screen, handheld remote, or the Total Control smartphone application. “We’re constantly expanding our portfolio of integration partners for our Total Control system, and Russound is an important addition to our roster, given their long history of distributed
audio,” says Lars Granoe, URC VP of Product Development. “This gives our installers more choices and maximizes their efficiency on the job.” “Russound has a 50+ year history of leadership in distributed audio, and our awardwinning MCA controller amplifiers embody our latest innovation, featuring analogue and digital source switching (including Bluetooth), integrated amplifiers, 12 volt triggers for home theatre and power management, and the choice of fixed or variable output settings on select audio output channels,” added Charlie Porritt,
CEO, Russound. “Now that our MCA products feature two-way communication with URC Total Control system, our already flexible audio distribution system provides even more options for custom installers.” Sold only through direct dealers, in the UK through distributor AWE, Total Control 2.0 is URC’s smart automation and control system featuring premium performance, customisable GUIs and third-party integration. URC www.urcportal.com
PENN ELCOM LAUNCHES PREMIUM FLAT PACK CREDENZA RACKS Penn Elcom has launched a new range of its premium flat pack 19in racking Credenzas, manufactured and tailored to meet the high standards of installers working in all market sectors – from commercial to residential and entertainment. These are available in 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12 U variants and in two wood-style finishes for maximum versatility in all types of built environment. As the world gets smaller, smarter and increasingly dynamic 19in rack solutions are required, says the maker. Popular demand for the products has been fuelled by numerous factors including changes in digital technology and the need to combine elements of home entertainment / smart-home and commercial / industrial systems into good looking integrated packages. Credenza racks are said to be ideal for all these scenarios and applications.
Each pack includes two pre-threaded steel rails and a set of four non-marking feet. The panels are specially made from 25mm high resin density melamine faced chipboard, which is durable, featuring 2mm solid wood edging for excellent strength and desirable aesthetics. Penn R0863 rack-strip rails can be fitted at the rear for easy access, and there is a choice of two depths: 300mm / 11.81″ or 500mm / 19.69″- designed to provide customers with the right unit to house all manner of rack hardware.
Penn’s experience in the 19in racking market has resulted in these products, offering a choice of contemporary surfacing that is ideal for IT and technology hubs in studios, offices, entertainment venues – restaurants, lounges and bars, educational establishments, theme parks, museums and attractions, prestige displays, exhibition stands and hobby projects. Penn Elcom www.pennelcomonline.com
DECEMBER 2019 69
PRODUCTS
BRIDGETEK LAUNCHES PANL SMART LIVING (PSL) HOME AUTOMATION SOLUTION
AMPLIFIED CONTROL SMART AUDIO SOUNDBAR WITH CONTROL BUILT IN! Raising the bar once again, Savant’s revolutionary 3-Channel LCR Soundbar with built-in automation and control technology provides incredible audio quality, plus a single stream of Savant Music, integrated control ports, and Savant Host processing capabilities. This powerful tool can control your home, all while remaining the centrepiece in your media or living room.
Find out more at rgbcomms.co.uk
2 Lambourn Business Park, Lambourn Woodlands, Hungerford, RG17 7RY
T: 01488 73366
70 DECEMBER 2019
Bridgetek has released the PanL Smart Living (PSL) solution, designed to provide greater comfort and convenience to people’s homes, as well as making them safer and more energy efficient. Due to its support of a wide range of different wireless and wireline connectivity protocols, Bridgetek’s PSL solution facilitates interaction with all types of automated functions within a domestic context, as well as in offices, hotels and other environments. It enables the control of lighting, heating, air conditioning, curtains/blinds and household appliances, plus the activation of door entry mechanisms. The company says every aspect of the smart home can be taken care of through PSL – by accessing a single, comprehensive, easy-to-navigate user interface covering all the functional elements. This may be done via one of the wall-mounted touch-based display units, a mobile app, or by voice (Amazon Alexa). The connectivity supported by PSL covers Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), IRDA, 433MHz RF, Z-Wave, Zigbee, DMX512, DALI and
Ethernet, plus proprietary technologies like Hue. PSL can also gather data from sensor devices distributed throughout the building’s interior and around its exterior, relating to room temperature, ambient light levels, the presence of a potential intruder and detection of smoke. The manufacturer states that once fitted, there won’t be any need for the core hardware to be replaced or upgraded. Instead PSL can expand and evolve to incorporate emerging technologies and attend to a more extensive array of prospective use cases. Bridgtek’s PSL platform is compatible with technology from manufacturers such as Philips, Heimann, OSRAM, Daikin, iHorn, EuChips, DMX, Somfy and NYCE. The company’s technical team is now looking to engage directly with the system integrator community, in order to develop bespoke arrangements that exactly fit their end customers’ needs. Bridgetek www.brtchip.com
MERIDIAN STAYS ACTIVE Meridian Audio has launched its latest loudspeaker from the Architectural range, the DSP750 In-Wall Digital Active Loudspeaker, which the manufacturer states demonstrates complete audio immersion. “Specifically designed and engineered for the most demanding architectural installations and dedicated home theatres alike, this is by far our most powerful architectural loudspeaker yet”, explains Barry Sheldrick, Meridian’s Director of Sales. “The DSP750 is testament to what Meridian can achieve, combining power and fidelity to give our dealers a discrete, outstanding loudspeaker solution that packs one heck of a punch. With multiple projects already specified with our Reference inwall loudspeaker, it is great to see the DSP750 being deployed in different types of installations, providing epic performance, every time. The results are extremely impressive – visit our HQ in Cambridgeshire and experience the DSP750 for yourself, but be prepared to want a pair for yourself!” With a host of exclusive Meridian technologies on-board, the company claims the DSP750 resets the standard of architectural loudspeaker performance. The speaker offers three new, high-performance drive-units, CLASS-M DSP engine delivering
thermal and dynamic bass protection for detailed and accurate sound and Double-baffle aluminium enclosure design to minimise unwanted resonances and colouration. Separate mid-range driver enclosures are also included to eliminate interaction with the bass drivers and EBA (Enhanced Bass Alignment) heightens sound quality across the frequency range, resulting in added clarity. Meridian’s own enhancement technologies including FIFO buffering, DSP up-sampling, apodising filters, and MHR (Meridian High Resolution) for the best audio outcome from all digital sources are all included. The DSP750 delivers a maximum output of 120dB and bass extension down to 30Hz. Its built-in custom tweeter with a beryllium dome and diffraction expansion technology offers a wide sound dispersion for lifelike sound, capable of playing over 40kHz. The DSP750’s off-axis performance is boosted by two 100mm mid-range drivers, enabling it to produce a uniform and lifelike stereo image over a wide listening area. Meridian Audio www.meridian-audio.com
PRODUCTS
POSITIVE ABOUT POWER An innovative product that is handy both on site and away from work is now available from Antiference in the compact form of the PowerBank. The PowerBank battery pack and invertor comes in two options (ASG02 and ASG01), offering the chance to get power to places where it is most needed. Most installers would have experienced the frustration of running out of power or having no power
available for vital tools like a laptop or smart device, both products are also able to power items such as a matrix or TV distribution amps. Not just a good site buddy, both these models can be used away from work powering equipment on camping trips or lazy days in the garden. The ASG02 delivers a heavy duty 60A/h power bank with built in AC inverter, USB and DC charging plus integrated LED torch. Features include 12V DC charging/powering ports, and 5V USB ports including a USB 3.0 super-fast charging port for when you need a full charge fast. The unit also has an LCD screen showing power status and connected loads. The in-built solar controller allows a solar panel to be directly connected to the power bank to enable on-the-go charging. Also offering a robust option, this time rated at 42A/h, the ASG01
offers a built-in AC inverter, USB and DC charging also with an integrated torch. This version offers a multi-socket AC Inverter, three USB output ports, three 12V DC output ports and battery level indicator. Both products come with a mains and in-car charger and a DC – MC4 cable supplied for connection to exterior solar panel. Dan Winterton, Sales & Marketing Director, Antiference, says, “These are two really handy products that we think installers are going to find really useful. Getting power to awkward places on site so you can keep working, to providing some sounds when chilling with your lunch or for days out away from work, we are sure these practical little packages will find a permanent place in your work and home life.”
feeding the woofer and tweeter. As well as receiving both power and audioover-IP, the 4430’s single rear panel CAT connector also allows access to Genelec’s Smart IP Manager – a downloadable software tool running on Windows 10 that allows installers to configure an almost unlimited number of rooms, zones, loudspeakers and audio channels, and includes device discovery, a room equalisation tool set, system organisation and status monitoring. Additionally, APIs within the 4430 support the hooks to allow external control via third-party hardware, software or house automation. In terms of specification, the 4430 supports up to eight audio channels in a stream with sample rates of 32 – 96 kHz and 16 – 24 bit resolution. Streams can be managed by both Dante Controller and Dante Domain Manager
software, as well as legacy balanced line analogue audio. The 4430 delivers a frequency response of 45 Hz – 23 kHz (-6 dB) via a five inch woofer and 3/4 inch metal dome tweeter, and the 4430’s compact, lightweight enclosure utilises Genelec’s Minimum Diffraction Enclosure and Directivity Control Waveguide technologies to offer neutral, uncoloured sound both on and off axis. Manufactured using certified sustainable methods, the enclosure itself is produced from recycled aluminium, is available in black, white or 120 custom RAL colours, and is compatible with Genelec’s range of mounting accessories to allow the 4430 to be floor, ceiling, wall or truss mounted.
Antiference www.antiference.co.uk
GENELEC GETS SMART Genelec has announced the availability of the new 4430 two-way active installation loudspeaker, the first model to incorporate the company’s Smart IP technology, combining sound quality with single cable convenience. Smart IP provides scalable power, audio and loudspeaker configuration, supervision and calibration features via a standard CAT cable, offering integrators unrivalled power, flexibility, cost-effectiveness and simplicity of installation, says the maker. The 4430 is a compact design that accepts both Dante and AES67 IP audio streams, and derives power via both PoE and PoE+ Power-over-Ethernet formats, with the 4430’s proprietary internal power supply helping to deliver a 104 dB of short term SPL, via two integral 50 W Class D amplification stages
The 4430 loudspeaker is shipping now
Genelec www.genelec.com
PRODUCTS
IT’S A FYNE TIME TO LAUNCH Fyne Audio is entering the residential installation loudspeaker market, opening with five in-ceiling/ in-wall models based on the brand’s budget and mid-level traditional speakers. The entry level FA300iC and premium FA500iC home install ranges draw heavily on the technology and acoustic tuning of Fyne’s awardwinning F300 and F500 series cabinet speakers, respectively. The FA300iC models use the same multifibre bass / midrange cone and 25mm polyester dome tweeter as the regular F300 cabinet loudspeakers, arranged coaxially for a compact installation footprint. The manufacturer states that the premium FA500iC series deliver a performance advantage over competitors by using the F500 IsoFlare TM drivers with the tweeter positioned at the heart of the bass driver for point source accuracy. Affordable and easy to install, the entry FA300iC series is available in compact 6in (FA301iC) and 8in (FA302iC) derivatives. The multi-fibre bass / mid cones are terminated
with Fyne’s FyneFlute roll surround for improved LF performance while the F300 series’ tweeter is mounted on an adjustable pod offering up to 20° of tilt. The FA300iC models boast high power handling and high efficiency; 100W @ 89dB/W and 120W @ 90dB/W for the 6in and 8in models, respectively. All models are supplied with round low profile magnetic grilles that are fully paintable to match the home décor. The premium FA500iC series delivers premium quality with musical imaging and articulation benefits of point source driver technology. Marrying the IsoFlare technology and HF driver sophistication of the F500 series with a crossover tuned to get the very best from a flush-mount infinite baffle position, the maker says the FA500iC series brings true audiophile sound quality to the home install market. The series offers 6in (FA501iC) and 8in (FA502iC)
models, plus an 8in version with the driver set at 15° (FA502iC LCR) to the mounting surface for typical off-axis installation, such as home theatre. With power handling up to 150W and 91dB efficiency, Fyne says the FA500iC series offer all the dynamics and musical performance of traditional cabinet loudspeakers and integrate seamlessly into multi-channel systems also using F500 series models. Fyne Audio wwww.fyneaudio.com
HOW LOW CAN YOU GO? ATC’s new C1 subwoofer design has been optimised to generate deeper, cleaner bass in the sub-£2000 market. Built to provide a dynamic low-distortion bass foundation for ATC’s Entry Series speakers, its C1C and C3C centre speakers, HTS Series onwall speakers and all but the largest satellite speaker systems, the new C1 Sub Mk 2 is a compact real wood veneered design, incorporating a hand-built 12in (314mm) ATC bass driver and a fully discrete ATC 200W MOSFET power amplifier. Designed for both music and cinema applications and replacing the Mk1 version, the new C1’s re-engineered design incorporates ATC’s customarily transparent circuits boosted by larger power supplies, the latest ATC grounded-
72 DECEMBER 2019
source 200W Class A/B discrete MOSFET power module and improved overload protection circuitry (with front-panel indicator) for greater control at full output. The low-pass filter circuits have been comprehensively re-worked to facilitate the best possible integration with partnering speakers from ATC and other manufacturers. Controls include a continuously variable low pass filter, a continuously variable all-pass filter and polarity switch, speaker level L/R inputs, independent L/R RCA line inputs and a summed line output RCA connector to facilitate the daisychaining of multiple subwoofers. Retained by the Mk2 C1 sub is the handbuilt 12in ATC bass driver using a massive motor
assembly and 3in ribbon voice-coil. Its precision pairing with the new C1 Sub amplifier is said tol deliver clean and dynamic low frequencies down to 25Hz (-6dB). ATC recommends that a single C1 sub partners speakers up to the SCM19 and HTS11, and that two subs partner SCM40 and HTS40 (although this is not essential in all room sizes). The C1 Sub is available from November 2019 in four real wood finishes: Cherry, Black Ash, Satin Black, Satin White to match Entry Series speakers, centre speakers and HTS Series on-wall products, backed by ATC’s standard six-year warranty. ATC www.atcloudspeakers.co.uk
SUPPORTING THE UKʼS FINEST HOME CINEMA INSTALLERS
W: www.pulsecinemas.com
E: info@pulsecinemas.com
T: +44 1279 647 039