Coral Road

from CEDIA Communicates Q1 2020 US Version

CEDIA Awards

CORALROAD CEDIA AWARD WINNER

An innovative home cinema room designed with family in mind

Adedicated cinema space in a family’s dream home in South Africa earned BNC Technology the award for Best Media Room Level I at the 2019 CEDIA Awards.

The luxurious room, which was intended for the client’s whole family to use and enjoy, was inspired by a geometric panel design. One of the key challenges was the location of the room, which was in a basement but very close to the water table underneath the property.

A concealed pump was put in place to drain excess water should the level rise above normal, but, for extra piece of mind, BNC Technology installed sensors which would both send a notification to the client’s smartphone should the water level become unusually high and shut off the power to selected components.

Due to budgetary constraints, the home cinema could not be reference level — performance criteria of 99dB was established and taken into consideration when specifying the amplifiers to run the audio system.

With a speaker sensitivity of 89dB, the setup would require 180W of power per channel to achieve the desired performance.

Other factors taken into consideration included the specified speakers’ power-handling abilities — with peak power handling of 300W, the model of amplifiers’ BNC Technology selected had a rating of 200W per channel. This allowed the system to be effortlessly powered, with 10% headroom in the power amplifiers’ output ability.

Coral Road was the first project in which BNC Technology had to implement a dedicated EQ unit as a permanent part of the setup. This added to the technical complexity of planning the cinema but ensured that perfect sound was delivered.

The home cinema room was designed to look minimalist and contemporary — all the walls were

An inspired geometric panel design developed by BNC Technology.

CONTACT

BNC Technology 16 Skeen Boulevard, Bedfordview, Johannesburg, 20070 Gauteng, South Africa +27 11 023 7662

bnctechnology.co.za

upholstered in acoustically transparent fabric, meaning the audio technology could be hidden away, without its performance being compromised.

A 145-inch acoustically transparent screen was installed, concealing the left, right, and center channel speakers, as well as a motorized lift to hide the projector when not in use.

With the house being made of concrete, sound isolation was an important consideration — BNC Technology chose a double-door cinema room entry solution. A window on the outside of the house was covered with acoustic panelling on the inside and a dark tint on the exterior.

Wood finishes and a bespoke sofa, with soft cushions and fine fabric throws, help to create a warm, inviting atmosphere and add a touch of luxury.

On the first night that the client and his family used the cinema room, it was turned into a venue for a sleepover — very apt for a dream home!

A refreshments bar was installed at the back of the room.

EQUIPMENT LIST

Apple Auralex Acoustics Control4 Denon Domotz DrayTek Epson Furman Power Isover Jamo Luxul Romom Rotel Samsung SVS Yamaha

A motorized lift was installed to conceal the projector when not in use.

The front stage consists of an acoustically transparent screen with speakers hidden behind.

One big highlight here: the 168-inch LED panelized display.

This Experience Center is a Control4 Certified Showroom.

Big Screens & Man Caves

The Atlanta Audio and Automation experience center is a Control4 Certified Showroom, with features that include a living room with a Vutec ScreenArt System and a 55-inch Sony OLED TV, a conference area with a Seura Smart Mirror, and total voice control of the entire showroom. There's also a hospitality area with a Nexus21 motorized lift that brings a 40-inch Sony 4K TV up from under the counter-top.

There’s also a “man cave,” highlighted by a Screen Innovations 120-inch Zero G Motorized Screen and Sony 4K Projector. That screen rises to reveal several Sony TVs. Sound in the “man cave” is delivered via an Origin Acoustics Dolby Atmos System using 10-inch, three-way, in-ceiling pivoting speakers.

Outdoor solutions are represented with a 55-inch Sunbrite waterproof TV (with an active water feature) and an Origin Acoustics outdoor speaker system.

"It tells me they’re willing to address the audio challenges that come with this kind of display."

Speaking of water, there’s a Dam-It Automated Valve system to demo smart plumbing shutoff functions.

There are also Lutron QS Motorized Shades throughout the showroom, an eight-camera Luma surveillance system, and a Pakedge BakPak network system.

One thing that truly impressed the CEDIA judging panel, however, was the installation of the 168-inch LED panelized display. One judge says: “This is the first time I’ve seen it in a showroom. It really pushes the boundaries, and it tells me they’re willing to address the audio challenges that come with this kind of display.” Big screens are often acoustically transparent, so that speakers delivering dialogue can be placed behind the image. Careful speaker placement and calibration are in order for a screen like this to give the proper illusion of sound coming from an actor’s mouth. This feature also includes a Vutec ScreenArt panel that lowers to cover up the panels when the system is off.