CEDIA Communicates Spring 2016 by CEDIA EMEA

SPRING 2016

COMMUNICATES An Introduction to BIM Show your Clients Some Support Media Room Design Trends

COMMUNICATES

ContENTS

10 16 22 28 30 36 42 50

DO more…...volunteer See how volunteering can help your business and the industry

the developer’s view Finchatton’s Jenny Naylor on using technology in their schemes

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT We ask the industry how important after sales service is?

cedia awards Get the low down on this year’s flagship event

design trends We discuss design for media rooms and home cinemas

take control We review the latest and greatest in control devices

HIGH RES AUDIO Are you mising the opportunity to specify high resolution audio?

let there be light Check out an integrated lighting showcase by Harpenden Electrical

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WELCOME

…to the Spring issue of Communicates, your industry resource for the latest news and stories. This issue is released between two major industry events for 2016. As we look back at an extremely successful ISE, we look ahead to the CEDIA Awards. Time is tight to get your entries in, but with the announcement that the black tie event will take place at the Guildhall in London, now’s the time to get those last minute entries in. As we head into the second quarter of the year, the industry appears to be in a positive position. It’s a time of exciting technological developments, as we see high resolution audio, PoE lighting, voice recognition technology, HDR and Ultra HD Blu-ray present new opportunities to our industry. Education remains key in allowing home technology professionals to take advantage of these opportunities. Not only are we presenting a range of training course around the EMEA region this year, but we are also interested in getting new blood in the industry, so we are offering support to a college that has added a smart home course to its curriculum. Packed full of articles from a range of industry professionals, opinion pieces from CEDIA members, and new product launches, this is a bumper issue of Communicates.

Wendy Griffiths Executive Director, CEDIA EMEA

Contact

Website : www.cedia.co.uk Email : info@cedia.co.uk Telephone : +44 (0)1480 213744 CEDIA Unit 2, Phoenix Park St Neots Cambridgeshire PE19 8EP, UK

All material in Communicates is the copyright of CEDIA UK and any reproduction of said material would require written permission from the publisher. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of content published, CEDIA cannot accept responsibility for any factual errors that may occur. CEDIA cannot accept responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors.

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NEWS IN BRIEF CONNECT WITH CEDIA This month sees the return of the CEDIA Tech Forum with an event in Bristol. Combining education and networking, these free to attend events are a must for all home technology professionals.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOME TECH PROFESSIONALS The CEDIA Technology Council has released a white paper that provides insights into the technological advances and market pressures which may affect CEDIA members over the next five years. The Home Technology Professional of 2020 focusses on general marketplace predictions and highlights ways that home technology professionals can stay ahead of the curve. Highlights include taking ownership of network security and privacy; cultivating recurring revenue streams; and home personalisation through the use of voice recognition, location awareness and incorporation of personal preferences for all users of the home. CEDIA members may download the white paper at no cost www.cedia.co.uk/white-papers

PEER TO PEER GROUPS CEDIA has launched a new peer to peer networking initiative to provide the industry with the opportunity to discuss key business issues and share best practices.

TECH FORUM DATES 2016

Bristol - 20th April London - 17th May Edinburgh - 22nd June Manchester - 28th September Dublin - 19th October *New venue* CEDIA is pleased to announce that Aldous Systems, Anthem, Armour Home Electronics, AWE, Connected Distribution, Domotz, Genesis Technologies, Habitech, HD Anywhere, Indigo Distribution, Invision, Just Add Power, Loxone, Lutron, Meridian, Savant, Teleste and Wyrestorm are the sponsors for the 2016 events. Each sponsor will host a 60 minute presentation. These manufacturer product training sessions will run simultaneously every hour starting from 10.00am and finishing at 5.30pm. Following a day of training, visitors can attend a talk led by an industry expert, discussing a current industry topic. The day will conclude with CEDIA’s popular networking event – Connect with CEDIA - running from 7-9pm. This is a great opportunity for attendees to network with fellow peers and CEDIA professional staff. For more information, visit www.cedia.co.uk/cedia-events

CEDIA Groups are member facilitated discussions held regularly. Kept to a small number of between 5-7 members, the group can discuss challenges they are facing and opportunities that have come their way, in a confidential and non-competitive manner. The idea behind these groups is for companies to tap into a deep knowledge base and learn from each other. It’s a great opportunity to discuss experiences and receive insightful feedback on new ideas. Giles Sutton, CEDIA Vice Chairman is leading the first UK group, which includes seven home technology professionals who are interested in participating in open and honest conversations on a regularly-scheduled basis. For more information, visit www.cedia.net/groups

INVISION IS AWARDED BY CEDIA Suffolk-based distributor, Invision has become the second company to reach its target and receive £500 from CEDIA as part of its Trade Supplier Recommendation Initiative scheme. The scheme aims to grow CEDIA’s membership through recommendations from distributors or manufacturers. Once a Trade Supplier member company achieves eight successful recommendations, CEDIA rewards each sales representative with a CEDIA jacket, as well as £500 worth of CEDIA credit. This can be used for CEDIA membership fees, to purchase literature, training courses and awards tickets. New installer members have the opportunity to share the name of the distributor or manufacturer who had referred them to CEDIA on its membership application form. Invision is the second company to have eight installers credit them on their form. For more information, contact membership@cedia.co.uk

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NEW MEMBERS Welcome to CEDIA and thanks for joining…

INVESTORS IN PEOPLE In March 2016, CEDIA celebrated being awarded the prestigious Investors in People (IIP) accreditation, following an internal assessment of its staff, development and achievements. CEDIA prides itself on its ethos of investing in the industry to improve standards and for others to be recognised, therefore it made sense to try and obtain the internationally recognised mark of achievement with IIP. Introduced in 1991, Investors in People is an internationally recognised standard that champions people management, excellence in the work place and outstanding team development. CEDIA is dedicated to developing a strong internal team and operates an open communication system, to ensure employees understand the wider business strategy, development and objectives. This approach helps promote a healthy atmosphere, where ideas are welcomed, and encouraged by all. Matt Nimmons, Operations Director of CEDIA EMEA said: “Collectively, we strive to develop the skills and standards of the industry, and we also aim to apply this within the heart of the association with our team. To be awarded with the accreditation is a great achievement, and something we encourage all businesses in the industry to strive to achieve.” For more information on how to achieve the accreditation, please visit www.investorsinpeople.com

Ab Audio Visual, UK Aces Tech Shop Limited, UK Airwave Audio & Vision Limited, UK Alphatouch LTD, UK APK Installations, UK Arcstream AV, UK Ascendo GmbH, Germany Astrum Tecknoloji Ltd. Sti, Turkey Auratech General Trading LLC, UAE AVCOMM.TV Ltd, UK Beacon Installations, UK BeoWorld P Ltd, India Bespoke Communcations UK Ltd, UK Cinema Design S.r.o, Slovakia Comtec Qatar Concepto Nau Equip Virtual SL, Spain ConnectorCo, UK Custom AV Distribution, UK Customised, UK Future Home, UK Huddersfield Custom Install, UK iCubed Home Cinema, UK Intellicasa Ltd, UK Kevin Johns Electrical, UK Mark Global Technologies Pvt LTD, India PureLink, Germany Pure Theatre, UK Rateemah Solutions, UK Shoal Computer Solutions Ltd, S. Arabia Smarthome HD, UK Specific AV & Data, UK Startide Ltd, UK Switch AV, Lebanon Tateside Ltd, UK Tectone, UK The Cinema Designer Ltd, UK TigerTec Lda, Angola Tokyo TV, UK TR Electrical, UK Trinnov Audio, France Unicam, UK VISIVO GmbH & Co. KG, Germany

REVAMPED TRAINING GUIDE IS NOW AVAILABLE CEDIA has released its Training and Curriculum Guide 2016, which has been revamped to provide the home technology industry with information on its training courses, structured curriculum programme and career development pathways. The 69-page guide is targeted at junior and senior installers, technicians, designers and business owners. It is designed to provide all the necessary information for its training courses, City & Guilds accreditation, education vouchers and readily available resources. The guide takes readers through the natural pathway of its education programme, as it focusses on introduction courses, boot camp, technical school, networking school, designer school, business courses and members only courses. For those who are starting out, the guide is a useful tool for understanding how to progress in the industry. It offers concise flowcharts and advice for new employees, as well as a number of training-based options. Other parts of the guide are directed at those with more industry experience. There is also a dedicated business section, which focusses on a new two part business course. To download the Training and Curriculum Guide, visit www.cediaeducation.com

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CEDIA CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL ISE 2016

CEDIA, one of the co-owners of ISE, enjoyed a successful ISE 2016, according to Wendy Griffiths, CEDIA EMEA Executive Director.

ISE is always an important show for CEDIA, as it provides us with the opportunity to spend time with the whole industry. This year was no different, with the CEDIA team developing relationships with existing members, and meeting companies that showed an interest in joining the Association. We were delighted with the four day format that ISE introduced this year. We found the extra day extremely useful, as it gave us the time to head out on the show floor to engage with the exhibitors and talk to companies that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get to see regularly.

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Education Our comprehensive education programme and the CEDIA Talks in the Residential Solutions Theatre were well-attended. Visitors were able to access more than 30 high quality training sessions. From a technology perspective, courses covered future innovations heading our way, immersive home cinema audio, advanced networking, lighting control, high res audio, rack-building and much, much more. Business owners also had plenty to take away from ISE with training available on how to work with architects and developers, cash-flow and managing business growth. Delegates also had the opportunity to sit examinations to become an Electronic Systems Technician, Designer and Networking Specialist.

New Initiatives We came to ISE with some exciting new developments, and the show was the perfect platform to communicate these to the industry. We announced that the CEDIA Awards is officially open for entries, and had a number of conversations with members about entering the scheme this year, and nonmembers looking to join CEDIA, so that they can take part and potentially walk away as a CEDIA Award winner. We also announced that the CEDIA Technology Council has released the first white paper in a series aimed at providing insights into the technological advances and market pressures which may affect CEDIA members over the next five years. Regarding education, we were pleased to announce that we continue to see an increase in the amount of people completing our training sessions. Last year, we had a 58% rise in education. We offered 89 courses in the UK, 62 sessions internationally, and hosted at least 5 international training and networking events. In the UK, we have been able to achieve recognition by City & Guilds and have embarked on a project to create a British Standard for structured cabling. The next step is to run this out within the EMEA region. We thoroughly enjoyed our time at ISE and would like to thank everyone who visited the CEDIA stand. For those who did stop by the stand and received a free CEDIA beanie, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to tweet @CEDIA_EMEA with your #CEDIAselfie

In addition, CEDIA offered a series of free, bite-sized CEDIA Talks in the Residential Solutions Theatre, with thought leaders in the industry exploring an array of issues.

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In 2014, CEDIA introduced the CEDIA Structured Cabling Assessor (CSCA) course which provides attendees with the necessary tools to issue a Smart Home Cabling Certificate. Hampshirebased home technology professional, Nethaus completed the course, and is benefiting from doing so. James Applin, General Manager at Nethaus explains how the course has allowed the company to offer an additional service to developers. One of our staff members attended the SMART HOME CEDIA CSCA CABLING CERTIFICATE course where he learnt how to assess cabling against CEDIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Smart Home Recommended Wiring Guidelines to ensure the installation has been carried out to the required standard, and to issue a CEDIA certificate of conformity for the home. CERTIFICATE NUMBER

Address:

This certificate validates that on the day of issue the property described above meets CEDIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s required standard for smart wiring technology and that:1) The cabling, which has been tested as continuous, is functional and safe to use

2) The installation has been carried out using components which are suitable & compatible with Extra Low Voltage wiring technology

3) There is a design, or appropriate documentation, showing the layout and routing of the wiring and other components used in the installation

4) The minimum number of cables, outlets and functional terminals are installed to warrant our certificate

5) The system is either Grade 1 or Grade 2 in terms of design and installation complexity It does not offer:

1) Any guarantee that the system and installation will remain compatible with, or suitable for, any particular type of technology

2) Capability for alteration, addition or variation

3) Compliance with any future standard or requirements

4) Any warranty by CEDIA as to performance or adaptability

Assessor Name

Grade

Company Name

Date of Assessment

info@cedia.co.uk

+44 (0)1480 213744

www.ced i a .o rg

NET EXPANDING THE

(HAUS)

James Applin General Manager, Nethaus

We made the decision to attend this course as we saw the immediate benefits to it. We feel that the accreditation strengthens our credibility as a professional partner, by giving us the opportunity to educate clients about the standard, and the benefit of implementing it. Our expertise in this field provides the client with another reason to work with us, and stay working with us. It is also a great way of ensuring that we are brought onto projects in the early stages. With big question marks over certain technologies that have historically been cornerstones for our industry, we need to adapt and change. And, this is one such avenue that enables us to bring something new to the table when meeting with developers and construction professionals. Essentially, it moves a home technology firm from post second fix installer, to pre-build consultant/designer. For the developer, the certification that we issue to them highlights that they have invested the appropriate time into ensuring that the wiring infrastructure of the home has been considered, and that the close attention has been given to future requirements of their development. Developers have so far seen the added value we can offer them, thanks to the accreditation we have received from sitting the CSCA course.

www.nethaus.co.uk

@NethausAV

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60 SECONDS WITH…

Alastair Benn Who are you? Alastair Benn What’s your company and where is it based? Aquavision is a manufacturer of bathroom televisions. We are based in the leafy suburbs of Hertfordshire, UK. How did you get into the industry? I was always interested in audio and built my first DJ system when I was 13. This was the starting point for me, and it progressed from there to the live music scene, and then commercial audio and AV systems. Life progressed further, and Aquavision was born. Which smart home technology do you consider the most important today and why? Intuitive technology is important, as it enhances your lifestyle and enables you to do things that you couldn’t otherwise do. I’d also say home cinemas, as these set ups enable you to immerse yourself in the experience of a movie, whilst being with your family in the luxury of your own home. How long have you been a CEDIA member? I have been a CEDIA member for three years. What do you enjoy most about being a CEDIA member? I enjoy the opportunities to network with the industry. This allows us to share information and learn from others, all of which is hugely beneficial. If there was one thing you could change in the industry what would it be? I would like to see CEDIA become a regulated trade body

like CORGI and NICEIC. This would not only raise the bar for installers, but manufacturers too. The product, warranty and support should go through the same vetting process. This would educate the consumer on which products and services they should invest in, offering complete peace of mind. What’s the best product that Aquavision has launched into the home technology market in the last year? Our world’s first HDBaseT powered television. The new sets incorporate a built-in ConnecTV Active module. This eliminates the need for a separate power cable by utilising up to 60W of power over HDBaseT (PoH) and also delivers Full HD and audio, 100BaseT Ethernet and control when connected to HDBaseT Lite matrix switchers and extenders. What’s the next focus for Aquavision? We will be announcing a brand new product range at Invision’s HTS2016 (Home Technology Showcase) on Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th May at Mercedes-Benz World. What I can divulge is that we have designed a solution with the installer in mind. What’s the most interesting Aquavision project you have collaborated on recently and why? We were asked by a dealer, whose client found our 65" Elite 4K TV too small for the scale of their swimming pool room, if we could supply a special 85" screen. The size increase was a significant change and challenge. We had to redesign the layout

“

I ENJOY THE OPPORTUNITIES TO NETWORK WITH THE INDUSTRY.

“

of our facility and install a hoist to be able to lift the screen. We priced it up and were successful, so we now include this size in our range as standard. The screens are truly stunning and the customer was ultimately thrilled with their Elite 4K 85". If you weren’t in the home technology sector, what would you like to be doing and why? I would be living the dream and travelling around the world. I would soon get bored though and return to product design and development in the home technology sector, as it’s so exciting and fast moving.

www.aquavision.tv @aquavision_tv

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CEDIA LAUNCHES

NEW INTERACTIVE

ONLINE SURVEY

EDIA has introduced a new, interactive online questionnaire designed to engage consumer and professional audiences on The Future of the Connected Home. Sitting on the CEDIA EMEA website, and available for all members to embed on their own website, this useful tool will help the industry better understand the needs and views of its target audiences, at the same time as educating them about key facts and issues in connected home technology. “The connected home landscape is evolving and becoming more complex as it does so,” says Matt Nimmons. “In this world, extracting knowledge about our customers and potential customers, their requirements and their behaviours, will help our industry remain relevant, develop the right business models and continue to grow as a profession. This tool will be a great ice-breaker for audiences new to our industry, helping profile their level of understanding and giving us and our members valuable information.” He adds, “We recognise that educating consumers and specifiers also plays a critical role. This interactive questionnaire will help us share important information on the connected home with these audiences to inform the choices that they make. The interactive questionnaire is the

foundation to our understanding of the market so that we can make sure CEDIA and CEDIA members are correctly targeting the right customers.” Entitled The Future of the Connected Home, the survey allows users to share their thoughts on a range of subjects, including the scale of the connected home sector, the likely appeal of different technology sub-systems, the impact of broadband availability, potential project budgets and priorities for connected home installations. CEDIA uses industry market research from reputable sources, such as Frost & Sullivan and YouGov to feed back to all survey participants with a range of key insights on technology trends. All those who complete the survey will be entitled to a copy of the report and the opportunity to attend a CEDIA CPD session. The interactive questionnaire forms part of CEDIA EMEA’s substantial investment in a dedicated marketing campaign to help the organisation achieve ambitious goals for raising the profile of the industry, achieving greater alignment between specifiers, manufacturers, installers and consumers and to become the voice of the industry in 2016. The interactive online questionnaire has been developed by CEDIA’s digital marketing and communications agency, Purestone.

To access the questionnaire, please follow www.cedia.co.uk/future-connected-home-quiz For more information and details of how the questionnaire can be embedded into members’ websites, email marketing@cedia.co.uk

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Those who can, do. Those who can do more…

VOLUNTEER CEDIA and the home technology industry are currently thriving, but for this momentum to continue, the trade association needs the support of its volunteers.

CEDIA currently has a volunteer base of nearly 100 members, all dedicating some of their time and expertise to raise awareness of the industry. CEDIA values the time and effort that these members put into supporting CEDIA, and is looking to continue the collaborative relationship it has with existing volunteers, as well as welcome new members to the team. CEDIA volunteers have the opportunity to meet great people, collaborate and work with fellow volunteers and industry experts, learn more about home technology and be at the frontline of this fast-paced industry. As well as working with the industry’s best and brightest talent, CEDIA volunteers get the opportunity to support CEDIA at exhibitions, either on the show stand or presenting education and CPD sessions. There are a number of different ways volunteers can support the industry, which can develop existing personal skills or unearth new ones. CEDIA has three core volunteering types: Shapers, Creators, and Educators. Shapers are known as those who help to support all levels of activities and become involved in CEDIA’s Committees and Advisory Groups. CEDIA currently has five committees, focussing on membership, education, standards, industry relations and marketing. Creators are volunteers who dedicate time to writing and reviewing professional papers and serve as

subject matter experts, bloggers, and

This can start from less than a day

content writers. Finally, Educators

(known as a ‘quick task’), one day or

help mentor, provide advice, and

more (a short task), or a year long

disseminate knowledge as facilitators,

commitment.

instructors, or presenters.

“Volunteers are an integral part of

As part of the programme,

the CEDIA team and play a big role in

volunteers are given complete

shaping the future of the association,”

control over the amount of time

comments Matt Nimmons.

they dedicate to the organisation.

“Members who get involved with

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Stuart Burgess Just Add Popcorn

I am the volunteer chairman of the CEDIA Industry Relations Committee, so have put myself forward to take advantage of this opportunity, and have benefitted greatly from it. I do feel that if CEDIA members aren’t getting involved in these committees, then they aren’t taking full advantage of their membership. By being a CEDIA volunteer, I have the opportunity to host CPD sessions, which I really enjoy. These sessions have helped me build relationships with other industry parties. My aim is to get our industry known as a profession that is as familiar as architects, M&E consultants and electricians. To do this, we need to be getting the message across of – get us involved in projects from the word go, as we can work hand in hand with the other professionals. It has taken a while to get architects up to speed on the technology side of things, but we are starting to notice that some of them are understanding that they need to build relationships with us, and get us involved in the project at the build stage. This highlights that being a CEDIA volunteer is both rewarding and enjoyable on a personal level, but is of also huge benefit to the wider industry. I would encourage all CEDIA members to get involved as a volunteer.

Marc-Etienne Huneau Dark Side of the Room

the volunteering programme are

In 2005, we joined CEDIA. The reason for this was that a CEDIA volunteer encouraged us to do so. Professionally, being involved with CEDIA events and sitting on the board for two years was a great opportunity for me to network with my peers. The biggest benefit to this was that it actually led to us getting the biggest job we have ever had. As a volunteer, I also outreach to interior designer schools every year, and while it’s hard to measure how many opportunities this brings, we are confident that it’s the right thing to do. The benefit of this being that it probably helps establishing us as the go-to company for home automation in the area.

offered the great opportunity to put their stamp on new initiatives, develop resources, implement standards and present training courses. We fully encourage all CEDIA members to explore volunteering and experience the opportunities available to them.”

www.cedia.co.uk/Volunteer www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG87Bwkjzng info@cedia.co.uk

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CEDIA CONTINUES INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION CEDIA continues to break membership records, as it reaches an all-time high of 725 member companies. While the UK remains the largest single region for CEDIA, the Association is continuing to have strong representation in a number of EMEA countries, and this is highlighted in the breakdown figures, as international membership is just short of the 300. To support this growth, CEDIA is working on a number of international activities, including training and networking events, and translating key resources.

EVENTS

With education at the heart of CEDIA, it remains important to provide all members across the EMEA region with the opportunity to attend CEDIA accredited training. CEDIA’s international events allow members to access a range of training courses, meet and learn from CEDIA’s experienced tutors, as well as network with fellow peers in an informal environment. In addition to this, CEDIA’s events provide a great opportunity for members to build lasting relationships with professionals not only in their home nation, but on a global basis as well.

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India In March, CEDIA returned to India to support a three day event hosted by The Imaging Science Foundation (ISF). CEDIA worked with the ISF to negotiate a special rate for CEDIA members, and agreed to host a Connect with CEDIA networking session at the Set’z Bar & Restaurant in New Dehli, sponsored by Bang & Olufsen India. A number of CEDIA members attended the event. During the three days, attendees completed the ISF level 1 and 2 sessions. The ISF level 1 course covered topics such as global standards, 3D mathematical imaging models, front panel controls, two point colour balance, as well as the design and calibration of front projection systems with multiple screen technologies. Level 2 provided a hands on approach to ISF software guided solutions for advanced calibration. It also looked at system parameters, including EEDID / HDMI verification, 3D colour management, optimising multiple processing engines and other recent innovations. CEDIA will return to India with a training and networking event in October 2016.

RESOURCES CEDIA provides the industry with a number of resources. With members in over 40 different countries, there is a need to translate these into multiple languages. The Association is currently working on translating two different resources. White paper The latest white paper to be translated is one that has been developed to educate consumers, entitled ‘What is Ultra High Definition and Why Does it Matter?’ It is being translated into Italian, and will be available to download from the CEDIA website in April 2016. The white paper addresses the terminology associated with high definition. There have been many terms used and this can cause some confusion even for the technology enthusiast. Terms such as ‘ultra high definition’, ‘UHD’, ‘UHDTV’ and ‘4K’ are all flooding the market. CEA recently determined that ‘Ultra HD’ should be the term used by the industry when referring to 4K and 8K resolution and this is what is used in this white paper.

LIBRO BIANCO

La Dimensione del Display in base alla Dimensione della Stanza e della Seduta

Buone pratiche per l’installazione di cavi HDMI

France On 1st and 2nd June, CEDIA will be taking its popular Tech Forum event to its French members, as the Association will be based at the Splendid Hotel & Spa Nice for a two day training and networking event. CEDIA is pleased to announce that Bowers & Wilkins Group, Meridian, Crestron, Genesis Technologies, Prestige Distribution and Vivateq are the sponsors for the 2016 event. Each sponsor will host a 60 minute presentation. These manufacturer product training sessions will run throughout the first day. Following a day of training, visitors can attend a Connect with CEDIA networking session. This is a great opportunity for attendees to network with fellow peers and CEDIA professional staff. The second day will include a number of CEDIA training sessions, which will allow attendees to get up to speed on some of the latest technological developments in the home technology industry.

Dubai CEDIA will be visiting Dubai in November to host a three day training event. CEDIA is currently in discussions with potential sponsors. These companies will provide 60-minute Manufacturer Product Training sessions on the first day of the event. The second and third days will be filled with a range of popular CEDIA training courses.

Video CEDIA is also currently working on providing new voiceovers for its Life Lived Best at Home video. This video is targeted at end users and introduces them to the world of smart home technology. By watching the video, end users will understand how technology can transform their life, and why it is important to partner with a CEDIA member. The video will soon be available in multiple languages, including French, Hindi and Polish.

For more information on the events, visit www.cedia.co.uk/cedia-events The resources can be found at www.cedia.co.uk/resources

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EDUCATING THE YOUNG Sir Charles Kao UTC, a University Technical College in Harlow, Essex, is one of the first colleges in the UK to recognise smart environments as a specialism. The college, which opened its doors in 2014, is providing students with the opportunity to develop a career in technology and to support this, has recently launched an ‘Intelligent Flat’. Smart Environments Course The technical college focusses on GCSE and Sixth Form levels, with students ranging between 14 – 19 years old. The pupils are given the opportunity to combine academic and technical learning and explore the application of Science, Engineering and Computing in two specialist areas – Medical Technology and Smart Environments. “One of our UTC specialisms is smart environments and it is clear that the future in this area is bright” comments Emma Abegglen, Deputy Principal at Sir Charles Kao UTC. “Today’s buildings need to be fit for purpose. Not only environmentally friendly, energy efficient and easily maintained, but also adaptable and intuitive to the needs of the users and their day-today needs.” Students who opt to take the smart environments path will learn to understand, develop and interact with new technologies that can be invisibly integrated through sensors, actuators and displays and embedded in the everyday objects of our lives. Intelligent Flat To support this specialism, Sir Charles Kao UTC opened a smart home environment in March 2016. The ‘Intelligent Flat’ provides students with the opportunity to gain further knowledge on smart home technologies, and have experience in configuring and centrally managing systems, including lighting, HVAC and AV. CEDIA members, Loxone and Fibaro sponsored the installation by supplying products and providing students and teachers with training on how to install and programme the systems. “Now that the smart flat is up and running, we will be reviewing our curriculum this summer to ensure we make the most of the fantastic facility that we have” continues Emma. “The flat lends itself to a variety of different concepts in computer science, from hardware, through to software and programming. The students who have already been involved in the flat have been able to learn from industry professionals at Loxone as well as see

www.sircharleskaoutc.com

how the equipment has been installed by MASS. There is a real interest on the part of the students in understanding how a single mobile device can control multiple different devices in the same environment.” “I visited the college for the launch of the flat” says Steve Carter, Business Development Manager at CEDIA. “I took the opportunity to speak with Emma to provide her with an understanding of CEDIA. We discussed the City & Guilds accreditation that we offer, and she is keen for the students to be able to access our courses. The students gave a presentation explaining how they designed and programmed the flat and demonstrated how it worked. It was great to see young students embracing the smart home world. During a panel discussion, a parent asked about the potential for a career in this market, and the principle highlighted CEDIA, the industry and the education that is available. This was fantastic, as it highlighted that we now have an opportunity to raise awareness of our industry to students at a young age.”

@SirCharlesKao

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THE DEVELOPER’S

VIEWPOINT

CEDIA Communicates talks to Jenny Naylor, Brand Consultant at property developer, Finchatton, about home technology, its role in their schemes and what the future will bring.

www.finchatton.com

Why is providing smart home technology important from a developer perspective? The demand for smart home technology from home buyers and private clients (for whom we provide interior design and project management services) is on the rise. As more everyday devices are connected to the internet, so the desire for integrating technology into the home increases. From a developer perspective, what was once considered an optional add-on, is now expected as standard.

What are client expectations and how are they changing? Not too long ago, we were installing aspirational systems which provided fully automated heating, lighting, window dressing (curtains and blinds) and audio control. Today, this level of automation is a standard part of people’s lifestyles. We’re now installing systems which offer multiroom control, full home cinema and entertainment system control, as well as a high level of security and access functionality. The security functionality has become particularly

important with options to incorporate telephone, intercom, surveillance cameras, driveway vehicle sensors, and entry system controls. These systems have a ‘Home’ button which triggers a pre-programmed sequence of functions. A typical pre-set evening sequence might include, turning on lighting in the hallway and reception spaces, disarming the security system, turning on the audio system to play a preferred CD, closing the blinds and dimming the lights. There is also an increased need for managing settings for homes abroad when owning multiple properties.

How important is providing smart home technology to the developer’s brand? Finchatton’s signature hallmark is one of effortless elegance and timeless modernity. To deliver on this promise, we continually push the boundaries of excellence and innovation, and this includes embracing technology which is intuitive, efficient, and convenient. Comfort has to be at the heart of any technology installation, with the overall aim being to enhance a homeowner’s daily living so that their experience with their home automation system is enjoyable and brings benefits to the way they live in their home.

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Developments in technology are growing at an extraordinary pace

When working with technology professionals what are the most valuable requirements from your perspective? Intuitive control, flexibility to adapt and connect to other systems, and affordability are the three most important requirements. The biggest barrier to growth in the smart home market is concern that the technology is too complicated and homeowners being worried about not understanding how to use it, and worried that it might go wrong and that their house will ‘stop working’. I’d say user friendliness is the number one requirement, and we choose to work with tried and tested manufacturers so there aren’t any integration problems.

What frustrates you the most? Some systems are overly complicated and present too much difficulty for the homeowner. User friendliness, and the provision of clear instructions and information are all critical to enable homeowners to enjoy the technology and the benefits it can bring. Some manufacturers have mastered the art of intuitive navigation and easy integration with systems in the

home so working alongside these brands gives us, as a developer, the confidence that the system will deliver and our clients will be able to make the most of it.

Where do you see the smart home heading? As awareness of the smart home concept grows amongst homeowners, and systems become more affordable, more people will start realising the time and/or money saving it can present. If they have a modular system, such as, using Nest for their heating control, they’re then more likely to adopt another module for another part of the home, and before they know it, they’ll be living in a smart home. As the use of handheld devices and remote control applications grows, this will inevitably go hand in hand with smart home technology becoming more widely adopted.

What are the challenges for you? Developments in technology are growing at an extraordinary pace, enabling homeowners to do things whenever they want, wherever they are, and through a variety of devices. It’s important, therefore, that we work closely with experts like Crestron or Control4 to select systems which

despite the pace of change, are future-proofed. We are continually evaluating new technology to decide what might be a fad and what’s not. There’s some concern around at the moment about homes being ‘hacked’ and homeowners’ movements being tracked and data stolen. The leading manufacturers are taking these concerns seriously and ensuring their systems are secure.

What opportunities does it offer a developer, such as, Finchatton? As the technology advances, it’s also becoming smaller, Wi-Fi-enabled, and less obtrustive, which gives our design teams more freedom to create desirable homes for the future. At Finchatton’s Knighton Place, a scheme of 5 family townhouses on Yeoman’s Row in Knightsbridge, the necessary technology is integrated within joinery and hidden away, with the Control4 interface allowing for easy control of the audio visual system, lighting, blinds, heating, air conditioning, security, CCTV, intercom and home access. Similarly with Knights House in Knightsbridge, a scheme of three boutique apartments, we’ve installed a Crestron system providing similar smart home functionality for each of the three apartments.

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Are CEDIA Professionals Primed to Drive the Connected Home Market?

dynamic growth over the coming years, and n March 2016, global research company, Frost & Sullivan, published the battleground is set with utilities, telecoms their latest briefing: 2016 Global and consumer electronic companies all trying Homes & Buildings Outlook, and all of to grow the market in their own direction. the outcomes point towards a bright Home technology professionals are primed future for home technology professionals. to access this adoption as it happens, offering The research briefing, hosted by Frost a business model that is already proven at & Sullivan analysts, and headed up by Frost & Sullivan the high end of the market, while companies looking to Partner, John Raspin, discussed the current drivers of diversify into this space look to develop a successful model. connected home adoption, who is driving this market, The research identified a number of products from their next steps and predictions for the rest of 2016. these business sectors that have gained real traction within The briefing began with a reminder of the opportunities the mass market; British Gas with Hive, Google with Nest, and challenges that this sector is facing from consumers. Samsung’s SmartThings, Amazon’s Echo and Sky Q. For It is predicted that there will be 18 connected devices the market to grow further, these products need to be per home by the end of 2016, and that this will double truly connected. It is therefore predicted that the business by 2020. This is dominated by personal connected models of this marketplace will have to change to devices but also features energy devices as see real penetration in the mainstream. Frost & well as connected AV. Sullivan predict a move towards a service-led The main barriers to adoption are cost, THE MAIN business model - selling outcomes rather a lack of true interoperability, and a need than technology – and these mass market DRIVERS ARE for more awareness of the range of players working together to ensure this is LONG TERM COST technologies available. The main drivers achievable. are long term cost savings and improved SAVINGS AND This presents a prime opportunity for user experience. For this reason, it is home technology professionals. Whilst IMPROVED USER predicted that mass market adoption you hold all the technical and product EXPERIENCE of the connected home will continue to knowledge to ensure the best specification, be driven by energy: smart thermostats, you can sell the experience to the end-user. meters, and energy saving measures. The service of installing and integrating this Mainstream adoption of connected products, technology is as important as the products being particularly across Europe, is set to be driven by smart specified, and the outcome is a home that works seamlessly thermostats. It is predicted that utilities companies will for the homeowner. Design and needs assessment will drive hyper-growth across Europe this year with rollouts remain absolutely key to success, providing the platform to of around 2 million units to be installed in 2016. This will sell the user experience effectively. be the first connected home product for many homes In conclusion, the research points to a service model (excluding smart devices such as phones, tablets, etc.), that is currently being offered by home technology and is a potential “gateway” product to wider adoption of professionals without ever referencing them directly. the available connected home technology. CEDIA members should take advantage of this opportunity Adoption of LED lighting has also now passed 50%, while bigger players are still finding their feet in this space, a number that makes the product truly “mainstream”. and offer the solution before others work out that it already This presents an opportunity to introduce homeowners exists, and follow suit. to connected technology to homeowners who have the product infrastructure in their homes already. So, connected home solutions are predicted to see www.frost.com @Frost_Sullivan

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THE CONNECTED HOME Designing and building technology into today’s new homes

HBC is at the heart of the housebuilding industry: we set standards for new homes and about 80% of homes built in the UK every year are registered for our 10-year Buildmark warranty. Adding to our main work with house builders and developers to improve the quality of new homes, we are also active in a variety of research and guidance projects through the NHBC Foundation, our research arm. In our latest report, The connected home, we worked closely with CEDIA to explore the rapidlyexpanding range of smart technologies for use in homes. We outline technologies including those used for home working, voice and video telecommunications, home entertainment and heating system controls. Of particular interest are those which are aimed at assisted living and will help our ageing population to continue to live independently at home for longer. The report looks at those technologies already available for use today, as well as those that are on the horizon. It is clear that with an estimated 26 billion devices expected to be on the ‘Internet of Things’ by 2020, domestic life will be changing, made easier by the fridge that orders more milk, the coffee machine that starts brewing as your car nears home or the cupboard that senses your weight before allowing you access to the biscuits. For NHBC, this is a new area of interest and exploration. We

Neil Smith, NHBC Head of research and innovation didn’t have established industry contacts as we would have had for, say, research on concrete. And so, my starting point was to get in touch with a few ‘smart home technology’ suppliers, who recommended I contact CEDIA. Needless to say, I was delighted that Wendy Griffiths agreed to do this as a joint venture and that Simon Buddle did such a good job of researching suitable material. Through our network of registered house builders, we expect about 30,000 will read about The connected home, with many downloading it from our website. We are also promoting the report to an audience of around 1,000 at our annual ‘Building for Tomorrow’ seminar series. The key message from the report is that Wi-Fi cannot be relied upon for all of the connected technologies - we expect home technologies to work well and a small amount of additional cabling installed during the construction can go a long way towards future-proofing new homes. Feedback so far is very positive and people are engaging with the topic. Hopefully we will begin to see more new homes being sold with more technology built in or at least with the cabling that will allow simple installation at a future stage. To download The connected home: designing and building technology into today’s new homes, please visit www.nhbcfoundation.org

www.nhbcfoundation.org @NHBCFoundation

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Show your Clients

Some Support A home technology project isn’t completed when the installer fits the last system, and shows the client how to use it. In fact, a home technology project is never complete. Clients spend a lot of money having a system installed, and expect to be able to enjoy the benefits of home technology 24/7. It is the installer’s job to ensure that this is possible. To do so, they need to provide a reliable after sales service.

CEDIA Communicates talks to a number of members to find out their opinions on this.

Why do you think after sales support is important for your customers?

installers gain repeat business with a customer, and increases the bottom line. Overall, delivering support enables installers to build a better business reputation amongst their customers.

RS It is important for our clients to know that they remain our customers even post project completion; after sales support shows that we are dedicated to making sure we are always on hand to help should any technical issues arise, or if product software needs updating.

EL Given the real life complexity of the technologies we specialise in, which we present to our customers as intuitive and easy to use, it is imperative that we constantly provide the highest level of service, even after each project has come to an end. Our customers should enjoy the same, uncompromised level of service, from the moment their project is done, to infinity!

JB Our clients in Qatar include members of the Royal family and the elite VIPs of Doha, so they can be extremely demanding and expect the resolution of issues within hours (sometime minutes) of reporting a problem. Furthermore, even if a problem can be resolved remotely, the culture is heavily based around face-to-face interactions and so it is expected that a representative will personally attend site. KC Customer service is a process which involves providing a service before, during and after the point of purchase. If the service stops at the point of sale, we run the risk of potentially losing a long term customer and perhaps receiving those all-important recommendations. DC Providing customers with remote sales support after a product has been purchased can greatly enhance relationships. Delivering a great experience with home technology helps

LLN Customers should never be left alone with a system that they don’t know. HP Clients spend a lot of money on purchasing the latest technology and it is incredibly important for them to be able to use what they’ve purchased. Sometimes, the smallest thing, such as an HDMI handshake or a cable TV box needs to be rebooted, and being able to provide them with immediate service is extremely important to us. CM After sales support enables our customers to have their systems upgraded regularly so that their installation is at the top of its potential. The customer’s installation can be closely adapted to their changing needs. This is especially important when the initial customer is a developer, as the individuals who are living in the property may want to change

the system. JA When you’ve spent significant sums on AV solutions, it’s clearly a huge frustration when you can’t achieve the same result as someone who may have only spent £250 at Curry’s. PD After sales support is extremely important for the customer, and shouldn’t be forgotten. RS After sales support is critical as part of the handover process, as well as continued customer contact. We notice that the customer having a fall back for support helps with a long term relationship. Long term relationships help with repeat custom, either with upgrades or new work. DK Ultimately, the client’s after sales experience dictates their overall impression of the system. Clients quickly forget that you supplied the system in budget and on time, it comes down to who they can call and if an educated, friendly, technician can rectify the problem with the least amount of hassle. RC Customers come to a home technology company for a level of service that they would not get if they purchased products from a large chain store. Given the bespoke nature of these systems, a client is, for most parts, tied to the company they purchased from when they need after sales support, as the company has full knowledge of the system. They are not paying just for the design of the

Rob Sutherland RS

John Buck JB

Karen Chugg KC

Domenico Crapanzano DC

Inspired Dwellings, UK

Comtec Middle East, Qatar

Intelligent Abodes Ltd, UK

Domotz, UK

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system and its integration, but they are also paying a premium to know they will receive after sales support when things go wrong. ZV People are always nervous when investing in technology. They need to be assured that everything will work 24/7 and if something goes wrong, it will be fixed in no time. SC It is important to the client as it offers piece of mind.

What type of after sales support do you provide your clients? RS We provide telephone and email after sales support. We also offer a Smart Support package at a cost to enable us to remotely access our clients system to see whether we can solve the problem without having to go to site. If this is not possible, our engineers are on hand to go to site and address the issue. JB Although clients readily buy into the concept of after sales support, they expect at least 12 months of intense hand-holding to be built into the initial purchase price. Therefore, we approach maintenance and support contracts right from the point of pre-sales and

EL Our primary after sales support service consists of a monthly visit to the project and it also includes an annual support and maintenance fee. The second layer of our support service is provided by using web–based remote access and diagnostics software, embedded into the automation systems’ hardware.

” EL

KC We offer care packages that provide training on how to use the systems, remote monitoring so that we can manage a problem hopefully before the client is aware of a situation and ongoing maintenance of existing equipment. All issues in the first year after installation are offered parts and labour free. DC Domotz offers a platform for remote tech assistance which includes device monitoring and management functionalities. The features of Domotz enable installers, systems integrators, service providers and hardware manufacturers to deliver remote monitoring and tech support services to their customers.

If service stops at the point of sale, we run the risk of potentially losing a long term customer

Evagelos Lamprou

build this into a compelling commercial proposition.

LLN Our support consists in full assistance during the final delivery, the commissioning tests and any issues that may occur after the delivery. HP We provide the client with an annual maintenance service contract, which offers a variety of services under it. One of our most popular services is “Party Support” — this includes a visit

Laura Lazzerini Neuwirth LLN

Projecting & Sounding Art, Greece

Studio LGL, Italy

Harshul Parikh

from our engineering team to check that all systems are functioning as required before the client has a party. We respond to this on the same day as the client request comes, sometimes even on very short notice. Other services include, repairs, cleaning, re-wiring AV racks, upgrade opportunities, and providing standby products. CM We provide free support during the first year after completion. Thereafter, we give them the choice between paying our hourly rate or paying monthly for a structured maintenance plan. Many issues can be fixed using the internet, so we encourage the use of video and photos to demonstrate to us what the problem is. JA We aim to provide a choice of Netcare contracts, which offer the client a choice on speed of response and the nature of response - i.e remote support, or man on the ground. We charged an upfront fixed annual fee. PD As a first step, we install IP monitoring tools which allow us to monitor the system and prevent any issues occuring. RS We offer several packages of support. Some customers will opt for a basic support plan, which offers several support visits within a year and then telephone and email support. However, some clients may pick our managed support plans, which have anything from daily reports of networks and systems status, as well as national holiday support.

Trescent Lifestyles, India

Chris Musgrave CM The Solent Electronic Home, UK

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Some of these plans are bespoke to the client; however, they have a baseline package with additional services on top.

quote and in a way that is all paid upfront for up to two years. After that, it is on case by case basis.

DK We provide proactive and reactive support. We make use of SLA contracts that reflect a 3 tier escalation procedure including telephonic, remote and onsite support.

SC We ensure a call out with 12 working hours.

RC We provide a user guide outlining the features and options in each room of a property, and a step by step guide on how to access and use these features. All of our systems are available with a 6 months installation warranty. We will provide advice to the client on the phone or via email on using the system, to discuss adding new components, and provide our thoughts on adding non AV equipment into their system. We also offer complimentary visits. GDM We offer remote management, on-site repairs, free replacement devices to malfunction, and guarantee contracts. ZV We have customer support and site call outs included with our installations. It is all built into the original

How do you go about educating clients that they should agree (and pay) for after sales support? RS We educate clients about the benefits of after sales support during the handover and sign off process. However, the after sales support options which we offer are given to our clients during the initial sales process, so that they are aware of the type of support we intend to give them. KC If there has been a positive relationship and the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expectations have been managed effectively throughout the process, the client recognises that on-going support to ensure the effective functioning of their equipment and manage changes is essential. By offering the service free of charge in the first year, clients are able to see the on-going benefits of regular maintenance and support with changes/ modifications to their existing systems. DC Driven by accessible price points, we have seen that many more consumers are willing and able to adopt a service that provides remote tech support and monitoring. At the end of the day, the more accessible we can make remote support to consumers, the more people are going to adopt the technology. EL Our approach is to explain to the customer that their automation system is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;livingâ&#x20AC;? system. This means that it is constantly upgradable and re-programmable according to their everyday lifestyle and functional needs. We also underline the fact that our continuous support ensures that their systems are constantly up-to-date and bug free. Plus, should this continuous support get interrupted, it would be much more difficult to provide a speedy solution to a technical failure in the future. LLN Our approach to after sales support is the same as the conversation we have regarding the need for proper

design at the early stage of the project rather than developing the design when the project is in the middle of the installation. The aim is to make the client confident that the company will always assist them in current and future projects. HP We send a document that explains the benefits of the paid service to our clients. Our project manager or client manager then talks it through with the customer. CM We use the installation phase to get the idea of on-going maintenance accepted, and during the warranty year, we encourage the customer to think of preventive maintenance rather than waiting for a problem to become critical before dealing with it. JA We compare this service to that of a car. There are many complicated parts working together under the hood, and it pays to have preventative maintenance and servicing undertaken regularly. This is the same for home technology systems. RS We spend a lot of time discussing with clients the products we are installing, and the need to have a basic support plan in place and the provision of extra services. This allows us to ensure we can provide exactly what the customer wants and the customer understands what we can offer. DK On completion of each project, we supply a detailed SLA proposal with indicative costs. The proposal reflects the advantages and added value that a client can expect. RC We discuss the services we provide and encourage clients to agree to this, after explaining the benefits of firmware updates and scheduled visits. GDM We discuss this service at the beginning of the project, and agree to the level of service that we can provide. ZV Most of our clients want to know about after sales support before we even start on a job, so this is not an issue.

How does technology today allow you to meet customer expectations? RS Our customers do not always have work flexibility or the time to stay at home for our engineers to come to

James Applin JA

Philippe Donnet PD

Robert Sullivan RS

Darryl Katz DK

Nethaus, UK

Defi Technique, Switzerland

Electric String, UK

4ward-design, South Africa

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allows us to fully control the integrity of the installation and its separate devices, should a power related problem occur. Furthermore, it allows us to reset, reprogram and upgrade the systems, thus providing the latest advancements and customisations for the installation. LLN The majority of the projects that Studio LGL carries out are in the marine industry. Technology helps us to remotely monitor and diagnose the systems installed on board.

Remote access means that many issues can be addressed without the need to send staff to site. This means lower costs and quicker responses.

”

site when a technical issue arises. Today, technology enables us to remotely access the system to identify and solve technical issues and make product updates. Remote monitoring allows us KC to resolve issues without the client needing to call us and then undergo the inconvenience of not having a fully functional system while they wait for repairs. Technology allows communication via a variety of methods – text messages, emails, phone and face to face contact – we must be aware of the preferred method of communication so we can provide a speedy and positive response. and remote DC Monitoring support technologies enable installers to complete network and device diagnostics, troubleshooting and fixing remotely – via mobiles and apps. Delivering services remotely enables installers, service providers and hardware manufacturers to reduce costs and deliver better customer assistance and support. Remote technology support is less invasive or inconvenient for the consumer, as they do not need to be at home or have their daily life interrupted to receive support for a networking or device issue. Today’s technology builds a EL bridge between us and the customer’s integrated system. A VPN connection

Robert Chohan RC

Zak Vracevic ZV

Mango AV London, UK

M.E.G.A AV Installations, UK

We use remote management HP hardware to gather information on what’s actually happening at the client’s home. However, we do feel that there is scope for devices to manage customer expectations better. The client’s expectations around Wi-Fi and network stability have tremendously increased and to keep up with their expectations, it is important for manufacturers to provide installers with more tools of remote management and data logging. The internet is a huge resource CM which enables us to see what is going on in the customer’s system. We can also usually perform upgrades and some programming changes without having to go to site. In some installations, we can fix issues before the customer is even aware that there is a problem. Remote access means that many JA issues can be addressed without the need to send staff to site. This means lower costs and quicker responses. RS We use technologies such as VPN’s and network monitoring systems to support our customers. We also use IP managed PDU’s, so we can remotely reboot systems that we know have crashed in the past. Technologies such as Ihiji assist DK us in servicing systems remotely. RC Many of our clients do not know what can be achieved through an integrated system, or at least to what level. Much of our consultation process involves educating the client on what we can do for them. In a way, because the majority do not know what is possible, we could say that we always exceed their expectations. Control systems are the key to this, but equally important is the ability of third party brands to be able to interface with such control systems.

Gwen De Meyer GDM Van Havere Home Automation, Belgium

Simon Clarke SC Clarke Infinity, UK

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How do you manage your after sales service as part of the business? RS We manage our after sales services via a dedicated service inbox, so queries are immediately brought to our attention. Additionally, we have engineersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on-call, so there is always someone to address the issue throughout our support hours. JB We purposely do not run a separate maintenance team and always endeavour to allocate the original installation team to conduct the after sales service, as by this point, the client has developed personal relationships with the team. KC On completion of installation, we discuss the available options and then we provide the service free for one year. We have all the information documented in our terms and conditions, agreed on quotation acceptance and we have an aftercare document. EL It is a separate service, not intended for all of our customers. It is entirely managed by our Customer Service department, which assesses each situation separately and acts

accordingly. If the problem needs remote resolving, the Customer Service Manager assigns the troubleshooting process to the appropriate technician. If the problem needs on-site support, a technician is dispatched from the company to the customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s installation. LLN Our after sales support is managed by the same team that manages the project so that a continuity of assistance is given to the client. We use software that enables HP ticket tracking, where every issue brought to us is immediately entered into a ticket tracking system. We use follow up surveys to ensure the client is satisfied with the service conducted and that too is recorded back into the system. In addition to this, we provide our clients with a toll-free number for service requests, which automatically logs every call and records it for future reference. Our entire organisation is focussed around after sales service. It is managed as a separate CM profit centre. We do not expect the same margins as the installation phase, but it should pay for itself with upselling and either monthly fees or hourly rates as income.

JA We offer a choice of simple packages, which enables us to provide the client with a simple information pack, and repeating invoices. An online ticket management solution allows us to manage tasks and response times. Our after sales service forms PD part of the existing business. We manage this via our RS technical services department. This team liaises with the customer if there is an issue or when service plans are ready for renewal. We have a dedicated website and staff who can help with any issues. We ensure that we are always RC available to speak to customers, so we carry a virtual number. If we are busy at the time, we advise them that we will contact them within a certain period of time. After this, we create space in our schedule so that we can attend to any support issues. GDM We separate this section of the business, with its own reception, diary and operations. We have a dedicated service SC manager who looks after this side of the business.

Image courtesy of Sona Projects, UK

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L A S T C H A N C E TO G E T I N V O LV E D

he CEDIA Awards is the event of the year in the home technology industry, and is one of the key member benefits of CEDIA. Home technology professionals and trade suppliers have the opportunity to put their best projects, products and training courses forward, in the chance of being rewarded by their industry association and recognised amongst their peers, and in future, potential clients. The deadline is just around the corner – Monday 18th April – so it’s time for CEDIA members to finish off the entries that have already been started, or make a last minute attempt at completing an entry from start to finish in just a matter of days. To enter the awards, members must visit www.cediaawards.org/enter to access its online entry form. Details of the online entry questions and required documents, along with information on all categories, criteria and rules are also available online.

London’s Guildhall is the stunning venue for the 2016 Ceremony

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Why get involved? CEDIA spoke to some of the 2015 award winners after the event last year to find out what the award meant to them, and why they would encourage other members to get involved. Iain Shaw, Brilliant Lighting > “It is fantastic to win Best Lighting Scheme at the tenth anniversary year of the CEDIA Awards. What makes this CEDIA Awards special to us is the fact that the entries go through a rigorous judging process. Design, documentation and technical excellence are all under the scrutiny by the judges, so it is an honour to be recognised by experts in our industry.” Jan Martens, Woelf >

Venue Unveiled This year, the CEDIA Awards will be held at the spectacular Guildhall in London on Friday 1st July. Known as the City powerhouse since the twelfth century, the Guildhall is an esteemed historical setting. Attendees to this year’s Awards will be immersed in the magnificent medieval Grade I listed landmark for an evening of festivity and grandeur that has hosted Heads of State, royal occasions and major historical anniversaries since it was built in 1411. Once the venue that established laws and trading regulations that helped create London’s wealth, the Guildhall is a fitting place to commemorate the industry’s finest home technology projects. The black-tie event will begin with a drinks reception, where attendees can enjoy networking with their peers, before sitting down to enjoy a three-course meal. CEDIA will reveal the winners in the grand setting of the Great Hall, watched over by monuments of national heroes, including Admiral Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and most recently Sir Winston Churchill. An after party will conclude the evening.

Global CEDIA Awards New for 2016, all CEDIA EMEA Award winners in the Integrated Home, Home Cinema and Media Room categories will compete for a global CEDIA Award, alongside the winners of these categories in the CEDIA USA and CEDIA Asia Pacific award schemes. Winners of the Global Awards will be announced at the CEDIA Awards 2016 in Dallas.

www.cediaawards.org

#CEDIAAwards16

“Winning a CEDIA Award is like winning an Oscar for a movie star. It is nice for a young company like us to get recognition for all the hard work that we put in every day. This award win is also confirmation that we doing business the right way and with good ethics. We are the first winner in Belgium, which is a great achievement for us!” Patryk Gut, 3Logic > “CEDIA as an organisation is setting standards of professionalism in the custom installation market. As a member since 2004, we implement those standards in the Polish market. The award for Best Home Cinema £40,000-£100,000, which we received this year, is confirmation that the highest level of professionalism is really appreciated. We are pleased that we met the requirements of an extremely demanding customer, and the fact that we received a CEDIA Award, proves that we did it in the best possible way. Moreover, we are glad that every year the CEDIA Awards are coming more international. This type of competition is great for the whole industry.” Sawan Nichani, MacBee > “Sometimes our efforts as custom installers make a lot of difference in a customer’s life. This award is a sign that we are aiming for the right goal. Thank you CEDIA for an amazing experience and something to work towards each year! It’s truly inspiring.”

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design trends CEDIA Communicates talks to CEDIA members and interior designers about changing tastes in home cinemas and media room spaces.

The dedicated home cinema or multi-functional media room space is growing in popularity.

Images clockwise from top credited to: Bespoke Home Cinemas, Tim Gosling, Geraldine Morley & Electric String

“It is becoming the norm for clients to request a home cinema or media room as they have got used to the big screen experience, whether at the cinema or their friends’ house,” says Rob Sutherland at Inspired Dwellings. “They are excited by the prospect of being able to enjoy this amazing experience in their own home.” “Home cinemas are coming more into the mainstream and no longer seen as a millionaire’s luxury,” suggests Dean Keyworth of Armstrong Keyworth Interior Design. “Even in new developments in London, where the size of the individual apartments isn’t huge, developers are building private cinemas as a communal facility for residents. Also, despite planning clampdowns on mega-basements, there is still a lot of digging going on

in central London and what better location for a cinema than quietly underground?” “Today’s media room is yesterday’s dining room,” adds Rob Sullivan at Electric String. “More and more families are ditching the traditional congregation around the dinner table for a more relaxed, fun environment to rekindle and bond. This room has become an important social break out unit for both adults and children alike. A space that allows us to create fun play areas with today’s modern gaming consoles, a learning environment for children to watch educational TV programmes, an exercise room for the busy mum with a 20 minute workout, or the relaxed atmosphere for those adults who like to enjoy their favourite beverage. As media rooms evolve, we are finding these spaces are becoming more and more essential for the modern family as the desire to keep strong family values and ties increase, giving parents the opportunity to teach values, interact more and develop a stronger bond with their children.” Interior designer, Tim Gosling, points

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to another factor influencing this surge in popularity. “Space in any family home is always an issue. It seems you are always ‘one room short’, no matter how big your house. This is why rooms need to be multi-functional – the den, play room, family room and cinema are combined more and more often.” These trends are changing the way that CEDIA members work. “A new style of elegant and sophisticated multi-use space, utilising hidden technology, is challenging the original concept of what a ‘home cinema’ actually is,” says Giles Sutton of James & Giles. Greg Howarth from H&H Audio Visual agrees, “Modern home cinemas and media rooms are the perfect marriage between cutting edge audio visual technology and interior design. From the briefs we receive, it is clear that clients use these spaces for much more than just ‘watching movies’ and require full integration with the fabric and design of the house. Rather than being a luxury addition to a home, the media room is essentially a digital hub where the whole family convenes to experience content ranging from the latest blockbuster movies to video clips from their smartphone of their children’s last recital.” “Multi-use spaces are particularly exciting to work with,” explains Giles. “Often, we have to use mechanisms to hide the technology including projectors, screens and televisions behind artwork or in ceiling voids. Speakers can be plastered over to disappear entirely or hidden behind soft fabric panel walls that hardly impact the wall depth. Speakers that have to be mounted on the wall can also be matched to the colour of the paint, some are even available in all of the Farrow and Ball colours, others can be printed to look like books so they can be hidden in bookshelves.

The beauty of this approach is that a large-screen cinema experience can be brought to almost any home as the room transforms from one function to another at the press of a button!” “One of the interesting trends is that the size of screens typically used in media rooms is getting bigger,” according to Melanie Malcolm of Bespoke Home Cinemas. “This is helping to provide a much more cinematic feel. It used to be that a 55” screen was the standard size. Now, we’re seeing these sized screens transferring to the bedroom whilst 65” or even 75” screens are becoming widely deployed in modern media rooms. These screens are much more beautiful than they used to be, attractively designed and detailed from every angle, even including the minimalist, rather than purely functional stands, they now sit on.” Other interior trends are having an effect too. “The traditional fireplace and mantel is now disappearing from many of the projects that we work on,” adds Melanie. “In their place, we are seeing ethanol and ribbon fires being fitted which allow us to hang screens above the fire at a much lower height. Not only does this give a better room aesthetic but it also affords a much improved viewing experience. In recent years, grey has been the colour of choice for cinema rooms rather than old fashioned bachelor pad black. Every cinema our company has completed in the past eighteen months has featured shades of grey – it’s the perfect colour for family cinema rooms –and where rooms are naturally lighter and brighter, then high quality projection screens can be selected to give an excellent picture.” For interior designer, Geraldine Morley, seating is also a factor for consideration in modern home

cinemas. “Rows of cinema seats are less and less attractive. In the same way that arthouse cinemas and increasingly mainstream cinema groups sell sofa seating at a premium, people want to stretch out and lounge on very comfortable seating when enjoying a film. At the Milan Furniture Fair last year, many exhibitors were showing sofas that are increasingly looking like beds in terms of size and shape. This kind of seating is making its way into more and more cinema rooms.” “The trend is still towards understated luxury,” says Dean. “So for home cinemas, it’s out with the batman theme and popcorn machine and in with mohair, velvet sofas and cashmere throws. Even acoustic walls can be disguised in designer fabric so that it feels more like a luxurious den with great AV, rather than a tiny Odeon.” “We are being influenced more and more by the super yacht industry,” comments Tim. “With state of the art projectors, drop down screens and incredible sound systems being financially accessible, it is now possible to have that sense of excitement at home. In terms of stylistically what is trending – think future design, fluid shapes, oval recessed lighting – lose the rectangle box look and create a new world.” In this context, it’s important, and increasingly expected, for CEDIA members to move out of their silo of technology and provide their clients with a deeper level of understanding and expertise to ensure they deliver a great project. “We go into a room and look at it from the perspective of making it look and perform beautifully for all the family,” concludes Melanie. “In that sense, we’re working with interior designers and homeowners to help in the design and choice of everything from screens to speakers and furnishings.”

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THE KEY TO SUCCESS: DESIGN DOCUMENTATION

eith Jones and Kelly Ashforth, Business Partners of Londonbased system design and documentation company, designflow discuss the importance of well-designed documents for smart home projects.

Let’s start with a statement and a question: “Design and documentation are critical pieces of any successful smart building or home technology system. As critical as the central rack and equipment, or the client and end user, without which there would be no system at all.” The question is simple and probably what most readers already have in mind: Why is design so critical? The benefits of a well-designed and properly documented system are numerous: The first and perhaps most obvious we can borrow from Mr. Benjamin Franklin: “Failure to plan is planning to fail”. The second is another no brainer: Easier installation. Any system that has been thoroughly planned out and documented by a designer will have had all of the difficult issues of the site and the integration worked out before any wires are run. The installation will be much easier than attempting it without design or planning, allowing all parties involved to have a better understanding of what is required. This neatly leads on to the third benefit: A well-designed, properly documented system will require less project management. If a project manager is to work efficiently, providing them with a complete set of design drawings to work with, has to be the enabler to this efficiency. Again, the difficulties of the site and integration have been ironed out by the design process, so there will be no time wasted dealing with these issues on site during installation. Inevitably, the installation phases are where the integration company is exposed to greater risk and margin crushing expense to solve issues with

technology, rather than designing through or around them earlier in the project. The fourth benefit might seem less obvious, but it is none the less important: Professional handover and project closure. The as-built design documentation can be used as a physical tool to demonstrate to the client that the integration company has completed their work with due diligence. This makes the handover process much more professional and leads the parties to a natural point of closure, which helps the integrator prove completion and get their final payments in hand. The fifth benefit follows on from handover: Ease of servicing. Imagine two installations - one which has been well designed and properly documented, project A. And one which has had the least amount of design and drawings possible to get the job done, project B. Now, fast forward a few years and assume that the installation team that installed both projects has moved on to bigger and better things. Which project will be easier to service? With project A, an installer can study the drawings and get familiar with the job before attending site. With project B, this can only be done on site, making the installer look like they don’t know what they are doing, which is never a good position to be in. The sixth and final benefit is perhaps less obvious, but actually very important to the longevity and success of an integration business: The chance to enter awards to strengthen the brand. Without design and proper documentation, awards are nigh on impossible to win. Businesses with awards and accreditations are more likely to

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All of this leads us into the final and perhaps most poignant question here: How should integration companies charge for design?

OVERALL DEPTH 686 mm

3.6

230 V~ 50/60 Hz 16 AMPS MAX

LINEARLY FILTERED OUT LET S

CAUT ON!

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK. DO NOT OPEN.REFER SERVICING TO QU ALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL. TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQU IPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

HIGH CURRENT POWER AMPLIFIER OUTLETS

TRANSIENT VOLTAGE SURGE SUPPRESSION

2.84

Professional audio distribution

Furman ELITE-16 PF I

Ultra-linear AC power source

Marantz AV8802

Network audio/video pre-

2.3

750

27.3

0.5 219.8 2

7.85

306.06

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90-125VAC 50-60HZ COMBINED OUTPUT 10A MAX

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Middle Atlantic Products MA-LBP-6A (SINGLE) AB-BA-06

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65.33

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Middle Atlantic AB-BL-06 Crestron AB-PR-01 CP3 Middle Atlantic AB-BL-07 Crestron AB-PR-02 CP3 Middle Atlantic AB-BL-05 Autonomic Controls AB-SE-01 MMS-5A Middle Atlantic AB-BL-04

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Middle Atlantic BL3 AB-PA-04

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Power pack, desktop, 24vdc,

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Control processor with ethernet Hdmi over shielded twisted pair

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64.6

28.18

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Total BTU

1000

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Total U Total Watts

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Description Smart UPS - 700 Watt/1000

Autonomic Controls MMS-5A

Model Apc SMT1000RM2U

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MA-LBP-6A (SINGLE)

L shaped lacing bar, 150mm

2 (DVD)

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Crestron PROAMPI-7X250 AB-AM-02

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Crestron PROAMPI-7X250 AB-AM-01

11 10

Crestron HD-TX1-C 0-CON-086

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Marantz AV8802 AB-HO-01

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Middle Atlantic Products BGR-RR41 AB-RA-02

HDMI OUT

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ARC

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Totals

NETWORK

SIGNAL GND

L shaped lacing bar, only

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(iPod DIRECT) (SELECTABLE)

L shaped lacing bar, 50mm

RIGHT

CLASS 2 WIRING

REMOTE CONTROL FLASHER

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DIGITAL AUDIO IN 1 (CBL/ SAT)

MA-LBP-1A (SINGLE)

5V/1A

MA-LBP-2A (SINGLE)

LEFT

HP500

RIGHT

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S BL

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8  250W 4  400W CLASS 2 WIRING

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MOD: S /N:

>18kg (40lbs) SEE SAFETY GUID E

OVERLOAD PROTECTOR

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FOR BATTERY REPLACEMENT REMOVE FRONT BEZEL MAX OUTPUT RATINGS 120V 50-60Hz MODEL C UR RENT POWER SMT1000RM2U 8.33A 1000VA/700W SMT1500RM2U 12 .00A 1440VA/1008W

P USH T O RESE T SERIA L

885-1172A-2

INPUT: 120V 50/60Hz, 12A MAX

UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLY

LR 63938

USB

OUTPUT: 120V 50/60Hz, SEE TABLE FOR MAX CURRENT PER RECEPTACLE

Middle Atlantic AB-BL-23

Middle Atlantic Products CBS-BGR AB-KI-01 Middle Atlantic Products BGR-4127 AB-RA-01

Crestron

Main Rack Left Build 1:5@A1

05/10/2015

YB_02_C

win more jobs and more prestigious work. Business savvy clients (most of them) tend to look for businesses that are proud of its reputation and celebrate its success with awards and accreditations. Therefore, we should consider a well-documented system design as a powerful sales tool.

layouts and thermal design. A full set of connectivity schematics showing how each part of the system is interconnected and an IP addressing scheme. These are the basics. Other documents might include a functional specification, scope of works and a programming scope.

All of these points neatly lead us into another question: What goes into a well-designed and documented system?

How are these documents drawn up? This is where education is paramount. The person responsible for designing and documenting systems should be trained in design and have some certification to show this. However, nothing counts more than experience in knowing how to assemble systems, knowing the nuances of what works well together and all the elements required to make each system work reliably and perform well.

The basic documents will consist of the following: A complete set of floor plans showing the locations of every piece of equipment going into the job and some mechanism to indicate the cables are required at each point. A set of elevation drawings showing wall mounted equipment and detailing the equipment rack

Wall Mount Equipment Elevations Scale 1:5@A1 W

Data Point Sockets (450mm OFFL to bottom) - 1 No. 2G 13A DSSO - 1 No. 1G 47mm back box

Access Point Sockets (350mm top to ceiling) - 1 No. 1G 47mm back box

HDTV Sockets (120mm OFFL to top) - 1 No. 2G 13A DSSO - 1 No. 2G 47mm back box

Symbol M=

Name

DO = Device Options

P-Pedestal R-Rack W-Wall M-Mullion C-Ceiling Mount Type T-Turnstile S-Surface D-Desk H-Hidden F-Flush Pre-wire M Device Options as per DO black outline All main symbols ID same symbols HF-Hi Frequency M-Monitor M LAR-Line Array P-Powered DO Speaker LCR-LCR Bar S-Subwoofer ID LR-LR Bar ST-Stereo M DO

M-Mirror TV Video Display TV-Television VM-Video Monitor WP-Weatherproof

TV LCD-Liquid Crystal Display

M DLP-Digital Light Processing DO Video Projector LED-Light Emitting Diode

LCOS-Liquid Crystal On Silicon

M DO

Projection Screen

M DO ID

Remote A/V Source

PD-Pull Down PU-Pull Up MLB-Mobile

F-Fixed M-Motorised R-Rear

A-Audio Source AV-AudioVideo Source V-Video Source D-Data

M Phone & Data F-Fibre Optic DO P-Phone Port W

Light Controls (1200mm OFFL to top, except bedside – 1000mm OFFL to top) - 1 No. 1G 47mm back box

M DO ID M DO ID

AB-C-01 HE:AV AB-C-02 HE:AV AB-S-02 HE:AV AB-S-01 HE:AV AB-V-11 HE:AV AB-C-05 HE:AV AB-D-07 HE:AV AB-R-01 HE:AV

DIGITALMEDIA DIGITALMEDIA SPEAKER 2 SPEAKER 2 DIGITALMEDIA DIGITALMEDIA DIGITALMEDIA COAX

DIGITALMEDIA DIGITALMEDIA COAX

AB-TV-01

AC-D-03 HE:AV AC-D-02 AC-S-01 AC-S-02 AC-R-01 AC-D-01 AC-C-03 AC-V-02

Remote Source (450mm OFFL to bottom) - 1 No. 2G 13A DSSO - 1 No. 1G 47mm back box

AC-TV-01

On-Wall Speakers (1500mm OFFL to centre) - 1 No. 1G 47mm back box

On-Wall Subwoofer (height TBC) - 1 No. 1G 47mm back box

M AB-PL-01

Touch Panel

HE DO ID

WIDTH: 307.9999 MM DEPTH: 126 MM W

Keypad

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AA-TV-01

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Touch Panels (1400mm OFFL to top) - 1 No. custom back box

FX-Fax CTV-Cable TV P-Phone RF-Radio Frequency S-Satellite CR-Cellular Rep.WP-Wls. Rep. RF Repeater PR-Phone Rep. RX-Receiver Access Point WAP-Wireless TR-Tranceiver TX-Transmitter Access Point Demarcation For Services

M DO ID

Rack or Head End Lift/Mount

FCN-Function M-Master NUM-Numeric

R-Remote WLS-Wireless

FT-Flip Top TT-Tilt WLS-Wireless M-Main A-Audio AV-Audio/Video TEL-Telephone SEC-Secondary C-Control VID-Video D-Data A-Articulating UP-Up motion M-Motorised UB-Under Bed DN-Down mot. TT-Tilt F-Fixed

All cables at room termination points to have 1m cable tails Heights of back boxes TBC on sample elevations All cables at head ends to have 7m tails & exit the ceiling only All cables to be labelled both ends with cable ID’s shown here All ELV cables must be separated from 230V cables by minimum 450mm and are only to cross at right angles All speaker cut outs are to be made by the site building team Diameter for speaker cut out in all rooms except cinema & bathrooms 275mm. Cinema ceiling speaker cut out 290mm. Bathroom ceiling speaker cut out 214mm.

AA-SP-02

AA-SP-01

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AA-K-01 CRESNET

AC-SP-02

AC-SP-01

AC-KP-02

AC-K-02 CRESNET

AA-KP-02

AA-KP-01

AC-K-01 CRESNET WIDTH: 245.999 MM DEPTH: 117 MM AE-S-01 HE:AV AE-S-02 HE:AV

C ST AE-SP-01

W AB-K-01 AE-KP-01 CRESNET

AE-K-01 CRESNET

HE AV AB-RA-01

SPEAKER 2 SPEAKER 2

HE AV AB-RA-03 W AB-2-01

AG-K-01 CRESNET

HEIGHT: 1926.9989 MM WIDTH: 1242.9998 MM DEPTH: 686.0007 MM AMPS: 45.00

AB-KP-01

AA-K-02 CRESNET

AB-SP-02

W W

AC-KP-01

AF-KP-01

AF-K-01 CRESNET

AC-KP-03

AB-K-03 CRESNET

It should be no different for integration companies: A typical project process should be to meet a client, gather their requirements, draw up a ballpark quotation and then ask for a retainer or design fee (the minimum fee here should be around 5% of the quotation) to carry out a detailed design exercise on the clients behalf for a suitable system to meet their requirements. This process, along with all the other steps in delivering the job, should be presented to the client at the initial meeting so they know straight away what to expect from the integrator and understand from the get go when they will be expected to pay for each phase of the project. Integration companies should not be wary of charging design fees. They should be actively encouraged to do so and proudly show off their previous design work and how successful their projects are in the process. Design should be used by integration companies as a tool to win more work and gain access to more prestigious projects over time through awards and accreditation.

AC-K-03 CRESNET

AB-KP-02

AG-SP-02

SPEAKER 2 SPEAKER 2

AB-5-01 ROOF AB-5-02 ROOF AB-D-05 HE:BT AB-D-06 HE:BT AB-C-04 AB-C-03

W WAP AC-AP-01 W

AB-TP-01

W C HE AB-EN-01 W

AG-SP-01

AG-S-01 HE:AV AG-S-02 HE:AV

AB-SP-01

AB-K-02 CRESNET

AG-KP-01

“How can I charge for design and not risk losing the job to another integrator who doesn’t charge for it?” This one is easy. Imagine you are building a house and you have asked two architects to come up with a fee proposal and some ideas. Architect A comes back with a £50,000 fee and some initial ideas backed up by samples of jobs they have successfully completed and a long list of happy clients. Architect B comes back with just a simple statement “We will design your house for free”. Which one would you choose? Hopefully Architect A, because they have reassured you that they will do a good job and have a sustainable business.

COAX 5 CORE COAX 5 CORE DIGITALMEDIA DIGITALMEDIA

HEIGHT: 1574.8 MM WIDTH: 647.7 MM DEPTH: 101.6 MM AMPS: 63.00

Drawn

KJ 03/10/15

www.designflow.co

Crestron

A - Ground Floor 1:50@A1 YB_02_C

03/10/2015

@designflowco

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WELCOME TO THE

WORLD OF BIM The use of BIM (Building Information Modelling) has been increasing steadily over recent years and is now starting to filter through into the home technology industry. Offering access to up-to-date, technically relevant data, BIM is set to become a highly important aspect of the planning and implementation of home technology projects. WHAT IS BIM? Using BIM technology, each professional involved in a project can seamlessly communicate and work with each other, accessing and updating the designs and core information of the project as and when needed. BIM produces a comprehensive digital 3D prototype of the building, allowing professionals to create and test a building project before any physical work begins. Intelligently presenting all project information, BIM will flag any faults in the design or products used and will allow those working on the project to determine the most efficient and cost effective products and methods to use. Going beyond a 3D model or CAD design, BIM assesses the intricate specifications of each element involved in the project from the installation stage to day-to-day functioning. BIM objects are high quality 3D images that contain the precise specification of a product that can be added into the virtual structure. With all data stored inside the BIM model, production costs can be reduced, errors during the installation are minimised and work efficiency is increased. BIM stores a monumental range of data including products, product conditions, utility records, additional detailed drawings, model-based renderings and animations, results of energy, structural, airflow, water drainage, cost analyses and so much more. The improvement of work efficiency and productivity, occurred by adopting BIM on each project, ultimately depends on the BIM data quality. During the process, all information entered will be tested, verified, extracted and interpreted for a range of different uses during the physical building’s lifespan. BIM helps turn information into insight that can be utilised by various different professionals working on the project. Once

the project is completed, the BIM data continues to function and can be linked to maintenance schedules and modified as and when in line with future changes to the building.

HOW CAN BIM IMPROVE A HOME TECHNOLOGY INSTALLATION? By home technology professionals inputting information about where the AV equipment will be installed, BIM will be able to highlight if other elements in the building or room will affect the system. For example, it could highlight that the proposed lighting design isn’t complementary to the angle of the television screen, or the HVAC system would run efficiently due to the automated window set up. This information allows the home technology professional to alter their plans, before a single system has been installed, something which will ultimately save time and money. CEDIA always talks about how important it is for the infrastructure to be put in place at the beginning of a project. BIM supports this argument, as for new build projects, it can provide information on how and when the technology should be installed to avoid expensive corrections later down the line. For refurb projects, BIM can inform home technology professionals on how the AV equipment and configurations could change the aesthetics of the room – either in a good or bad way. Phil Turner, Managing Director of Philharmonic AV has got on board with BIM and explains the benefits he sees in the technology. “Using BIM to plan the setup of audio visual equipment allows for less waste at the building stage, better understanding of the environmental impact of any given setup, and happier end users, who get what they planned for, because they were able to experience it before it even existed.”

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take CONTROL

CONTROL REMAINS AT THE HEART OF ANY HOME TECHNOLOGY INSTALL. WITH AN ENDLESS ARRAY OF TOUCH SCREENS, TOUCH PANELS, KEYPADS AND IPADS AVAILABLE TODAY, CEDIA MEMBERS PROVIDE INFORMATION ON SOME OF THEIR NEWEST PRODUCTS. 2N (Available through CIE-Group) Blending stylish looks with cutting-edge performance, Indoor Touch is a luxury new access control and door entry system from 2N. Suitable for residential applications, Indoor Touch offers all the benefits of an IP addressable system with an elegant user interface and intuitive operation. Available from CIE-Group, the system is fully compatible with 2N’s IP Helios Vario or Verso Door Entry system, as well as third party IP devices which allow installers to create a fully integrated security, lighting and heating solution. Demand for IP controlled security systems is on the increase and 2N has designed Indoor Touch with a 7” HD screen to appeal to owners of multi-dwelling units, apartment blocks and large residential properties. The system is ideal for use as a remote door entry system, as the user has the ability for 2-way visual and aural communication, in high definition video and sharp, clear audio. The system features an Android-based operating system and uses PoE (Power over Ethernet) to cut down on cabling and speed up installation, while keeping costs to a minimum. www.cie-group.com

CONTEC The Da Vinci touch panels make your house a smart and elegant home, without changing the electric infrastructure or the need for special wiring. The Da Vinci touch panels are the edge of technology, based on leading ARM processors. Beside the technological superiority, these products lead in their mechanical technology as well as their design - powered by an isolated power supply (supports 100-240 volt ac) providing reliability and stability. Each panel has 6 outputs of 7 Amp relays and 9 touch switch-sensors with adjustable sensitivity and unique backlit LED diffused surface. LEDs can be customised with 7 unique Lm power levels. Peripheral LED can be activated by proximity, scheduled, or constant. The Da Vinci touch panels not only have LED and sound feedback, but also an option for vibration feedback as in smartphones. And above all, you can design your touch panel as you wish. www.contec.co.il/en

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Control4 The Control4® T3 Series tabletop touch screen delivers always-on, dedicated, and mobile control over all the technology in the home. Featuring a gorgeous new tablet design and stunning high-resolution graphics, this portable screen looks beautiful, whether on a kitchen countertop or in the cinema. This model includes HD video intercom and crystal-clear audio intercom for convenient communications from room to room or with visitors at the door. Available in 7” and 10” models, the T3 Series portable touch screen provides dedicated, elegant, and mobile control of your home. HD camera, combined with speakers and microphone, provides the best video intercom experience yet. It is easily configured as a portable or a tethered tabletop touch screen for flexible installation. It includes wired and wireless connections through Wireless-N and 10/100 Ethernet. www.control4.com

Crestron The Crestron family of beautiful and intuitive touch screens continues to grow. Now, shipping, the new TS1542 15.6” HD Touch Screen features stunning metal construction and a brilliant 15.6” capacitive touch screen with spectacular Crestron Smart Graphics™ that enables integrators to deliver a rich and immersive large-format interface at an affordable price. The TS-1542 boasts the robust technology feature-set of the award-winning TSW touch screen line, as well as flexible installation options for in-wall applications or a stylish tilt table-top stand.

CUE The touchCUE-7-B is a wired built-in touch panel, offering a clean modern design with edge-to-edge front glass and sleek aluminium body.

The high-definition streaming video capability of the TS-1542 makes it possible to view security cameras and other video sources over the network right on the touch screen. Native support for H.264 and MJPEG formats allows the display of live streaming video from IP cameras, a streaming server, or a DigitalMedia™ switcher. One wire is all that is required for installation, with a standard Ethernet cable handling power, control, and media. www.crestron.eu

Fully compatible with CUE controllers and interfaces, this touch panel provides the ultimate one-touch solution for high-tech homes. The 7” active matrix touch screen display offers resolution 1 280 x 800 pixels and it produces stunning true colour images. The touch panel is equipped with projected capacitive touch overlay. A single cable Ethernet connection provides easy network integration. The touch panel is equipped with Power over Ethernet technology, enabling an Ethernet network cable to deliver both data and power. The touch panel installs easily over a 1-gang standard European/UK electrical box. It can also be attached directly to drywall and other surfaces over the front of cutout. When installed, it protrudes only 13 mm from the mounting surface. www.cuesystem.com

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DIVUS (Available through Vivateq) Touchzone in-wall touch panels by DIVUS are a great addition to any control installation with the need of largesized control devices. Touchzone has been awarded for its functionality, quality, design and usability. The elegant aluminium/glass faceplate blends into any wall perfectly. Touchzone is available with 7”, 10”, 15” and 19” screens, framed by a black or white faceplate. It can be mounted horizontally and vertically. Any control system that supports Android devices can integrate Touchzone as a control device, e.g. RTI, Crestron, AMX and Control4. The pre-installed DIVUS Launcher provides easy set-up. Backboxes are available for concrete/brick walls and dry walls.

iRoom iRoom’s iTop is the perfect solution for home control. The tabletop iPad docking station provides battery charging and built-in control functionality through six touch buttons on the glass faceplate. This provides the user with fingertip access to control functions such as lights, screen, source select or volume.

www.vivateq.de

Legrand

iTop controls any audio, video or electric device that is equipped with control LAN port. For more complex control scenarios, iTop can be connected to all major control systems, including AMX, Control4, Crestron and RTI, to combine a control GUI on the iPad with quick access control on the glass faceplate. iTop fits any iPad and iPad mini with a lightning port. The aluminium casing is available with a black or white glass faceplate. The iRoom iOS app provides easy configuration of iTop’s control functionality. www.vivateq.de

Bringing simplicity and style to the fore, the Equinox range of touch screen control units, from Legrand’s Vantage range of home automation systems, feature a high level of functionality with tailored control and automation technology for the ultimate personalised home environment. The modern interfaces combine with powerful InFusion Controllers to seamlessly integrate subsystems and enhance the user experience through the creation of individual profile settings, using simple on-screen tap and swipe navigation – just like using their smartphone. The Vantage Equinox 41 offers a discreet 4.3” black glass to edge LCD touch screen and, when linked to the powerful InFusion system, delivers the means to efficiently create flexible, customised spaces. Meanwhile, the Equinox 73 provides a unique widget environment via a 7” LCD screen, offering immediate control over day-to-day functions and of three subsystems i.e. vibrant widgets at any one time.

Leviton BitWise (Available through Aldous Systems) Looking for an affordable, yet powerful AV control system? Enjoy the option of creating totally custom GUI’s to set your company apart or utilising pre-configured, pre-programmed content as a time saver. Leviton BitWise solutions are designed for customisable control of subsystems within home cinemas. Leviton offers a truly comprehensive AV control solution, complete with the network infrastructure, tying in EN50131 compliant intrusion, lighting controls, audio distribution, temperature, window coverings and more.

www.legrand.co.uk

www.aldoussystems.co.uk

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Lutron (Available through RGB) Lutron Palladiom keypads combine subtle elegance with architectural design. They allow the control of lights, shades/drapes and HVAC from one location, providing the optimal user experience. Buttons and faceplates are flush to each other and feature consistent material to create a clean, minimalist look. As well as looking elegant, the Palladiom keypads are very easy to use. Large, tactile buttons with backlit, engraved text are simple to operate and easy to find in a darkened room. Bright backlighting indicates an active scene and automatically adjusts to ambient light levels in the space. www.rgbcomms.co.uk

RTI (Available through Invision) RTI’s new KX3 3.5” in-wall touch panel keypad with an integrated XP Control Processor* is ideal for residential installations. Allowing users to engage with their surroundings easily, RTI’s new KX3 in-wall touch panel has a vivid 3.5” colour touch screen, a proximity sensor to wake up the unit as a user approaches, and room status LEDs. Increased installation flexibility comes from a number of features, including wired 10/100 Base-T Ethernet and wireless Ethernet capabilities for viewing video from network security cameras and performing remote programming updates. Also equipped with a control processor, future firmware updates will enable benefits such as direct two-way control via IP and RS-232, as well as an astronomical clock for time-based events and an embedded 2.4 GHz ZigBee® antenna for connectivity with RTI wireless remotes. *Processor function will be enabled with a firmware update www.invisionUK.com

Systemline

URC (Available through AWE)

(Available through Armour Home) The hard button keypad used to be the mainstay of custom installs in previous decades, due to it offering ‘always there’ instant access to top level functions, such as on/off, volume, input selection and play/pause/pre-sets, etc. Whilst the technology of music storage, control and delivery has changed dramatically, the underlying desire for convenience and simplicity of operation remains as true today as it ever was. That’s why our customers love the Systemline KPS-11, as it delivers exactly what they want – and anybody can use it! A KPS11 provides instant access to favourites (radio stations, playlists or albums), zone on/off, volume control, input selection and play/ pause & skip.

URC’s latest Total Control handheld interface, the sleek, new TRC-820, is now available through AWE. An entry level network remote, it provides two-way communicates with a range of modules and devices. This remote features a fresh design and 2” colour, high resolution LCD screen. Its custom buttons, icons and functions are all easily programmable, making it the ideal remote choice to suit your specific needs. From this remote alone, the end user can enjoy fast access to TV, Blu-ray, music, temperature adjustments, lighting, security, blind control and more. Plus, since the TRC-820 is Wi-Fi based, you can easily connect to and control devices all over your home. Programmable using URC’s longstanding Accelerator, the TRC-820 is designed to work with all URC System controllers. www.awe-europe.com

www.armourhome.co.uk

Vitrea

LED light surrounds and illuminates the glass, creating an aura of exclusivity, even in the dark.

Created from fine crystallised glass panels, Vitrea’s elegant glass touch electric switches and keypads are available in a variety of stylish colours, custom engraving and can be installed flush to blend in flawlessly and elegantly with your home. A blue

A unique blend of smart touch technology and cutting edge visual design, Vitrea’s switches and keypads create an ambiance of sophistication in every home and office space. www.vitrea-sh.com

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THE

VOICE The prospect of operating a home control system with voice commands has risen multiple times over the history of the home technology industry, but it’s never seemed closer or has received as much attention as now, largely due to the development of Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Echo/Alexa. These two technologies have consumers asking integrators how to enable features like that in their homes.

Grant Clauser Smart home editor for Wirecutter, looks at how voice control systems have evolved for the professional market.

With Amazon’s Alexa, users can turn on Philips Hue lights, adjust the temperature of ecobee smart thermostats, control Belkin Wemo wall switches and even connect with smart home hubs from Wink and SmartThings, simply by speaking a command into the air. Cloud integration with the IFTTT app allows even more device integration. Apple’s Homekit technology let users link various devices together and control them by speaking into their iPhones or iPads. In the minds of the typical consumer, these two technologies have raised the bar on what’s possible with smart home devices. While the iPad and iPhone, as well as Android devices, have become the primary user interface for both professionally installed and DIY control systems, consumer products are moving faster toward voice control than custom solutions, but the high-end automation companies are taking notice. “Homeowners are looking for this kind of thing,” says Brad Hintze of Control4. “There’s a lot of demand.” He notes that whenever a person interacts with an Amazon Echo, they see the potential. “[Voice control] will become more common.” “We’ve been hearing it for a while from our professional installers,” says Savant’s Tim McInerney. He notes that Savant has been looking into voice control for several years, but the company insisted on getting the technology right before launching something. It’s one thing for a DIY product

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to experience bugs or feel like an experiment. That’s not the experience a custom home integration client wants to have. Announced at the 2015 CEDIA Expo, and shipping to dealers later this year, the Savant Remote and Host (the remote’s control hub) will respond to simple voice commands for activities such as turning on an AV system to watching Apple TV or changing a channel from FOX to CNN. “It hasn’t until now reached a point that [voice control] has been ready for prime time and that people will embrace,” says McInerney. “It took a lot of thought to make sure it was done right and was useful for the homeowner.” Savant’s solution doesn’t rely on a cloud computer to handle the language processing—it’s all done locally on the homeowner’s device. Also, unlike Echo, there isn’t an alwayson microphone listening for trigger words. The user needs to pick up the remote and press the voice button. This may ease people who worry about the security risk of an always-on listening device. A company taking a different approach to voice control is HouseLogix. Four years ago, HouseLogix launched the Voicepod, which was a solution for operating a Control4 system with simple voice commands. Today, Voicepod is its own company, and HouseLogix handles sales and distribution. In its original iteration, Voicepod required a wired microphone module which communicated with a Control4 processor. A year later, the company launched a version for smartphones called Voicepod Mobile. This year, the Voicepod is working with Amazon to use the Echo devices as the voice interface for a Control4 system. This isn’t a kludged-together solution— it’s an Amazon approved integration that combines the natural language abilities of Alexa with the deep control powers of a professional automation system. HouseLogix’s Ryan Quinby says this will differ from other voice control implementations because the Alexa voice processing allows for much more natural speech. The system’s language processing will be handled in the cloud. Users can add multiple Echos or Echo Dot devices throughout a home to put voice control wherever they need it. If Siri and Alexa aren’t your style, how about Josh? Josh.ai is yet another voice control system soon coming to market, and Josh CEO Alex Capecelatro says that voice technology is finally up to the level of consumers’ expectations. “Natural language processing has evolved tremendously over the last couple of years,” he says. Josh is similar to Amazon’s Alexa in that it’s a platform

that can control a variety of IP connected devices. Currently it works with Sonos systems for music, Lutron Caseta, LIFX and Philips Hue for lights, Nest for environmental control plus Nest cameras, SmartThings hubs and Wemo devices. Additional product integrations are on the way. Like Siri, users speak into the Josh app, rather than into a centrally-located microphone. Capecelatro says this makes the system more convenient because it will work from any room in the house or even out of the house. Unlike Echo, Josh is aimed at the professionally-installed market and carries a $10,000 price tag. While the system is currently in beta mode in eight homes, the company is accepting pre-orders for the first 100 installations. A Josh system goes for $5,000 up front and then $5,000 upon delivery and installation. That includes the Mac Mini which the system is installed on as well as setup with the homeowner’s devices. Users can personalise Josh by changing the wake-up name, the gender and even the accent of the voice. The system is able to recognise more complex requests than other systems, such as ‘Turn on the bedroom lights, lower the temperature 4 degrees, and play Nirvana.’ Echo and Alexa can only process one command at a time. Siri requires very specific command words based on perprogrammed groupings. So far, says Capecelatro, most of the initial orders (about 50 systems had been ordered at the time of this writing) came from professional integrators, which is what the company was hoping for. He wants the industry to experience what Josh can do. The company is planning on a June delivery for the first Josh systems. Is voice poised to completely replace other control system interfaces the way apps replaced proprietary touchscreens? Or will it be met with the same shrug that voice controlled TVs experienced? “I think there are obvious uses, such as lighting or ambient music, where voice control works best”, explained HouseLogix’s Quinby. But touchscreens, remotes and keypads continue to have their place. Browsing a music library or checking a security system’s status are activities that work best with a visual interface, such as an app or touchpanel. Changing the volume or channel when watching TV is also easier with a physical remote. “In a smart home you need multiple interfaces to connect with a system,” says Quinby, and going forward, voice is going to be a more important one.

@geclauser

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A growing number of home technology professionals are delivering high res audio solutions to their customers. CEDIA Communicates invites opinion from key players on the opportunity it presents to installers, and asks,

“How will the trend in high res audio evolve?”

HIGH RES

AUDIO Andy Bott High Perfomance AV Category Manager at Invision Rayner Sheridan Director of Marketing at Meridian Audio

James Drummie Product Manager at AWE

When it comes to screens, consideration is always given to the resolution quality. Up until now, this principle hasn’t been applied to audio. “Not everyone trusts themselves that they can hear the difference with higher quality audio, while comparative sharpness of image on a screen between standard, high definition and UHD is obvious,” comments Andy Bott. “Music and how you experience it is subjective to each and every one of us, but the question for customers is not ‘Do you want high res audio?’ the question is ‘Would you like the best music experience possible?’. Who in their right mind is going to say no?” “Some installers may believe that their customers won’t be able to tell the difference between high and low res audio, but research proves that most people can tell the difference quite easily” says Rayner Sheridan. “Even if they couldn’t, it is the responsibility of the installer to educate their customers and provide them with the best available technology, sticking to the core principles of the home technology industry of providing premium quality solutions and customer service, above all else.”

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Andy recognises that over the past couple of years,

music at even lower resolutions, many streaming services

high res audio hasn’t been talked about enough in the

and mp3s are compressed to 128 kbits/s.”

industry, but that there is an opportunity for installers. “We are on the cusp of streaming services delivering a

It sounds like high res audio should be a simple sell.

choice of high res music to individual tastes, with general

“It should be as simple as asking, ‘VHS or UHD, madam?’”

file availability and servers capable of delivering amazing

comments Andy. “Talk about the experience, both in terms

listening experiences available right now, so now is the

of quality and feel, and connect with your customers to

time. Installers deliver high quality customer service in

really relate what this can do for them.”

everything they do, so why would you not deliver the

“We believe that the convenience factor will be crucial

best music experience ahead of the mainstream for your customers?” Rayner agrees. “High res audio is a fantastic opportunity for installers to show their customers that they stand for excellence, providing a solution that is ready for the future of audio. From a purely commercial perspective, high res audio systems can offer installers higher margins, so as a business decision it’s a win-win.” So how will the trend in high res audio evolve? “Awareness of high res audio will only improve as more services become available,” adds Andy. “In the days of music artists and record companies wanting to communicate with their fans in more direct and innovative ways, being able to offer an enhanced ‘product’ is in

to the development of high res audio. For years, we’ve sacrificed quality of music for the convenience of lossy formats like MP3, but that no longer has to be the case,” says Rayner. “With the growing popularity of high-fidelity streaming services like TIDAL and Qobuz, consumers can have an easy-to-use, high res audio system accessible from a tablet or mobile device.” “I would urge every industry professional to recommend lossless hi fidelity audio streaming services, such as TIDAL,” adds James. “It’s right for consumers who want the best from their music systems.” To deliver the best high res audio solution, installers need to know what they are talking about and understand the systems they are working with.

everyone’s interest. With digital music, the rush to offer

“Needless to say, the first step is ensuring your knowledge

convenience over quality has run out of steam, adding the

and product offering is sound,” explains Andy. “Autonomic

quality back in is the way to go.”

is unparalleled in their ability to offer a first class listening

“High res audio reproduces the sound exactly as it was recorded in the studio, unlike MP3s, which lose 90% of the recording to be compressed into small files,” says Rayner. “Listeners really feel like the artist is standing in the room

experience combined with flexibility in terms of multiple sources, zones, integration and interface. Autonomic is available in the UK exclusively through Invision, which is of course backed up with full training and support.”

with them, there is so much nuance and depth to the

“Installers need to ensure that the entire audio system

music. It’s the way music should be heard.”

supports high res audio,” adds Rayner. “This includes the

“I’m all for improved quality of audio recordings,” agrees

service like TIDAL or MQA-authenticated music, the audio

James Drummie. “But, before we look at high res audio, we must address the issue of compressed audio. CD quality is 16 bit 44.1kHz that means 44,100 samples x 16 bits per sample x 2 channels which equals 1,411,200 bits/s or 1,411 kbits/s.”

format of the music, whether that’s a high-fidelity streaming source and the end point. Meridian’s Sooloos provides a fantastic control interface, available on iPad and TouchPC, as well as supporting high resolution audio throughout the ecosystem from source through to end point, providing the perfect backbone for a high res audio system.”

“Spotify premium compresses tracks to 320 kbits/s,”

The last word goes to James. “What is great about

continues James. “In other words, the compression used

high res audio becoming available is that music is

to create these files is throwing away 1091 kbits/s of the

being re-mastered with the original dynamics restored,

original information. In reality, it doesn’t sound like you’ve

instead of being over compressed (audio dynamic range

lost 77% of the music as the compression technique uses

compression not digital compression) to make the

perceptual coding. This is where audio components are

‘loudest’ CD”. However, properly mastered 16bit/44.1kHz

discarded or reduced in areas that are less perceptible to

recordings are technically capable of sounding this good.

human hearing. However, there is a noticeable loss in the

So, let’s sell up to CD quality audio, and beyond that to

audio quality, which can be heard on relatively modest

high res audio then remove “lossy” compressed formats

audio equipment. In reality, many people are listening to

from our customers’ music collections forever.”

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Bringing true Immersive Audio to the home

It is quite fascinating to observe how quickly immersive audio has been adopted by the home cinema industry, just a few years after its initial introduction in commercial cinemas with Auro-3D and then Dolby Atmos. This is probably because, unlike HD lossless audio, which was an evolution over digital audio, immersive audio is a complete paradigm shift with new format concept, new life-like listening experience, new product architecture and new design of custom home cinema.

What exactly is immersive audio?

Arnaud Laborie Co-founder and CEO of Trinnov audio

@TrinnovAudio www.trinnov.com

Immersive audio has been studied since the late 70â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in a few cutting edge research Iabs and is the combination of 3 key innovations: sound reproduction with height, high speaker count and object audio. â&#x20AC;˘ Sound reproduction with height In the real world, audio is always in 3D and sound sources can come from all directions, including above our head. We immediately think about birds in a tree or a plane flying over, but in reality, sound reproduction with height is way more than just these particular examples. A real sound source is always playing in an acoustic environment, producing reflections and reverberation from all directions (including from the ceiling) used

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by our brain to inform us about our spatial environment providing life-like reproduction. All new audio formats reproduce height with dedicated channels: - Dolby Atmos provides up to 10 overhead speakers organised as 2 lines of 5 speakers - Auro-3D provides up to 6 height speakers organised as an upper layer of 5 speakers and a top speaker

not optimal to reproduce diffused ambiances, such as native recordings and subtle room effects. This is why formats such as Dolby Atmos or DTS:X combine channels and objects to provide both background ambiance and high resolution sources. Auro3D has been initially developed as a channel-based format and is currently being extended with objects.

True high end immersive audio experiences require new AV preamp generation

- DTS:X is currently limited to 4 height speakers, which allows up to 19 different locations. • High Speaker Count Just like pixels for pictures, the more loudspeakers there are, the more spatial resolution there is, resulting in more precise sound sources along with smoother trajectories in space. But even more importantly, high speaker count offers a wider listening area. Just like the centre speaker is used as an anchor point to fix the dialogues on the screen for all seats, using more speakers around the listeners stabilises the localisation and ensures all listeners perceive the same direction and enjoy the same movie. - Dolby Atmos is the format providing the highest spatial resolution, with up to 34 speakers, including up to 24 speakers in the horizontal plane - Auro-3D provides up to 13 speakers - Current DTS:X implementation is limited to 11 speakers even if the technology defines up to 31 predefined speaker locations. • Object Based Audio This is a major evolution over surround sound, which was exclusively channelbased, meaning that each audio channel (L, R, C,) was a direct feed for the corresponding speakers. As the number of speakers dramatically increases along with the number of possible layouts, it becomes unpractical and inefficient (bit rate, storage) to transport directly to each individual speaker feed. As a result, object-based audio does not transport loudspeaker feeds, but the signal produced by each individual sound source (or object) that composes the sound stage with their attribute (position, size, diffusion). Unlike channels, audio objects are rendered by the AV processor to create the loudspeaker feeds to optimally reproduce the sound source with available speakers. If objects are excellent to provide high resolution sources, they are

As immersive audio is so different, we designed our Altitude32 AV preamp around a radically new architecture. Rather than specialised DSPs, we are using a multicore CPU providing unprecedented processing resources and memory to achieve the best possible audio quality. Here are some of the direct benefits of increased processing resources: • Higher quality immersive audio rendering. Unlike lossless audio decoding, the quality of immersive audio is directly related to the processing resources allocated to the rendering engine. • Higher speaker count for increased spatial resolution and enlarged listening area. • Native processing without sampling rate conversion for the most transparent sound. • Advanced loudspeaker/room optimisation. Convincing immersive audio is not just about adding speakers, it is also about ensuring that all speakers work together to produce one single coherent 3D audio soundstage, despite the different speaker models often used for the screen, the surrounds and the ceiling speakers. Speaker/room is so critical that we worked over 10 years to develop our Trinnov Optimizer technology, successfully adopted by commercial cinemas and film studios. • Advanced 3D Loudspeaker remapping technology developed by Trinnov to solve the compatibility problem between the different loudspeaker layouts for the 3 formats. • Unlimited possibilities.

Bass

Management

• Several layers of manual EQS, gains, delays. In

fact,

the

scalable

nature

immersive audio is a great opportunity to clearly differentiate true high end AV processors from standard mass market products.

Home cinema integration - facing the challenge of speaker layout With multichannel surround, there was only one single 7.1 speaker layout, regardless if the sound format was Dolby TrueHD or DTS Master Audio. Immersive audio is a completely different challenge, as each format recommends a particular speaker layout, which is incompatible with other formats. Obviously, immersive sound should be an enjoyable experience regardless of formats. Following one specific speaker layout would be very limiting, while implementing a dedicated speaker for all formats would just be a waste of money. The challenge is even higher, as besides the ideal speaker positions provided with each format, the implementation of immersive audio in a high end custom cinema should fulfil usual design practices, such as placing the reference listening position 2/3rd from the screen, maintaining soundto-picture coherence, accommodating the room shape, ensuring head clearance to avoid both visual and acoustic occlusion and adjusting speaker orientation toward the main listening position. Trinnov released its own recommendation in 2014 to answer the question with customers and installers interests in mind. The result is a series of guidelines. This work has been used as the foundation work for several CEDIA training sessions and inspired the new CEDIA recommended practices for home cinema. In addition, Trinnov uses its own patented technology to solve the remaining speaker position problems to achieve the absolute best performance with both Auro-3D and Atmos for a given number of loudspeakers. As a conclusion, immersive audio is not just a hype. It has already changed the custom home cinema industry and it is here to stay. More and more content is available and the demand is strong and increasing. With new generations of AV preamp, such as the Altitude32 combined with high quality speakers and carefully designed system, the result can outperform a real cinema experience.

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PUTTING IT INTO

CONTEXT Building consumer awareness and trust ARE key to success in 2016

Adam Simon Global Managing Director, Retail Business Development at CONTEXT

@adamcontext www.contextworld.com

There is real momentum behind the connected home, with our figures showing distribution into retailers and SMB resellers growing 123% year-on-year in Europe. And, though there is a low install base now, major technology players like Amazon, Samsung and Apple are throwing their weight into the smart home. As such, we forecast the category will accelerate to be worth €6 billion in Europe by 2020. There are additional signposts that the connected home is finding a receptive audience in the UK too. CONTEXT is closely tracking consumer opinion and recently polled 2,500 people from France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. The results were encouraging, with 59% open to learning more about connected technologies and services within the home. This positive opinion is reinforced by sales data through Europe’s leading IT products distribution channels into retailers; smart thermostat sales have increased by 369% over the last year, smart security devices are up 301%, and smart lighting grew by 47%. The research also unearthed some interesting findings when it came to installation. When asked which type of provider people would most trust to set-up smart products and services in the home, telecom providers ranked first in the UK. This was followed by large specialist retailers like Maplin, and then utility companies. For CEDIA members, this survey shows that there is a trust gap to close as the categories of small local store, and IT or electrical specialists scored least. Though some of this favourability can be put down to awareness of big brands, it is vital that custom installers promote their capabilities effectively, and build consumer trust through excellent customer service.

If the complexity involved in installation were better understood, we believe that custom installers would receive a higher vote of confidence from consumers. This is the case in Germany, a more mature smart home market, where this channel scored higher than in the UK on two measures; trust in installation, and channel to buy smart home products. Something to think about too would be how services are marketed. We found that 65% of the UK consumers prepared to spend over £5,000 on the smart home are women. For those dealing with international sales, this is even more pertinent. In Spain, the figure was 55%, France 82%, and Italy 100%. This flies in the face of the common stereotype that home technology is solely for boys, and should make installers think about developing material that speaks to the whole family—not just men thinking about building the perfect man-cave. Convincing people of the value of the connected home must be a priority, as only a fifth of European shoppers intend to buy related products in 2016. Furthermore, 63% of Europeans agreed that they did not yet understand how the concept fits together as a whole, and only 13% thought they had a good understanding of smart home products. And, though three quarters had heard of one or more devices, only a quarter had already made a purchase. The smart home hub or gateway is a prime example, as though it’s seen as central to more widespread consumer adoption, only 3% of Europeans have even heard of it. Overall however, there is definitely cause of optimism as 43% of Europeans expect to be living in a smart home within three to five years.

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HDR & ULTRA HD BLU-RAY ARE SET TO GIVE 4K SCREENS A BOOST Technology journalist, Adrian Justins discusses the ins and outs of HDR and Ultra HD Blu-ray

What makes a brilliant TV picture? The number of pixels a screen possesses is often cited as being paramount, but the source and the screen’s built-in processing count just as much. Nothing new there you might think, but pixel-packing UHD (or 4K) screens in particular have been ill served in terms of content and processing. But now, a new technology looks set to finally put the ultra into UHD viewing. HDR (or high dynamic range) treats viewers to more detail, especially in the brightest and darkest parts of the picture and in terms of colour fidelity. For example, a wide shot of a campfire at night could have subtle details in the flame rather than appearing burnt

out, along with palpable definition to objects that are barely lit in the gloomy surroundings at the edge of the frame. To take advantage of HDR, consumers will need an HDR compatible screen or projector (early 4K adopters won’t be invited to the party, very few pre-2016 screens are HDR compatible) plus they will need an HDR source, either HDR-encoded content from a streaming service, such as Netflix and Amazon, or an Ultra HD Blu-ray, the new optical disc format which, like HDR screens, has also just gone on sale. HDR is a mandatory part of the Ultra HD Blu-ray spec and is accessed by the screen’s ability to read metadata. As such, legacy UHD screens without

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At least 50 Ultra HD Blu-ray titles with Dolby Vision are expected this year ncluding Marco Polo season 2.

The base HDR specification (known as HDR10) includes resolution (3,840 x 2,160 pixels), bit depth (10-bit), colour sub-sampling (4:2:0) and a new, wider colour gamut (REC.2020), which offers over 1 billion colour shades, and represents 76% of the visible colour palette (Full HD has only 17 million colours). The display also needs HDMI 2.0a inputs to work with Ultra HD Blu-ray. Industry commentators have predicted that edge-lit screens won’t have the brightness or contrast required to deliver a truly emphatic HDR image, even though they may come with some kind of HDR badge. Manufacturers aren’t obliged to reveal the number of nits (brightness) their screens achieve or the contrast ratio.

HDR compatibility will still see the 4K picture, just without the HDR enhancement. Some degree of consumer confusion seems inevitable, given that there isn’t just one type of HDR and although there is a specification (laid down by the CTA) for ‘standard’ HDR which embraces colour gamut and bit depth (amongst other parameters) it doesn’t include one of the key metrics – contrast ratio.

There is, however, a hallmark available for LED-lit screens that have a dynamic range of at least 1,000 nits peak brightness and less than 0.05 nits black level (it’s 540 nits peak brightness and less than 0.0005 nits black level for OLED screens). Such screens qualify for HDR Premium accreditation, as bestowed by the UHD Alliance, and will be allowed to carry an HDR Premium logo. The logo will also appear on UHD Blu-ray players and all UHD Blu-ray discs (note that ‘normal’ Blu-ray brightness maxes out at 100 nits). All major TV manufacturers will sell HDR screens but just for fun Sony is eschewing the official HDR Premium logo and using its own labelling. Offering bit-rates up to 100 Mb/ sec (approximately five times that used for streamed movies), in terms of content, Ultra HD Blu-ray is best placed to deliver the HDR goods. Hundreds of discs are lined up for release and among the first are San

Andreas and Mad Max: Fury Road. Buy the disc and you get a regular Blu-ray and digital download into the bargain. The HDR malarkey doesn’t stop there. Dolby has upped the ante with a proprietary version called Dolby Vision, which offers 12-bit depth, ‘up to’ 4,000 nits peak brightness (way beyond current screen technology) and an incredible 68 billion colours. Only screens and players equipped with Dolby Vision decoding (LG is already on board) will be able to show Dolby Vision’s version of HDR but all Dolby Vision content will also carry HDR10 metadata so non-Dolby Vision viewers (with HDR screens) won’t miss out entirely on the HDR treats. At least 50 Ultra HD Blu-ray titles with Dolby Vision are expected this year from Sony Pictures, Universal and MGM whilst Netflix and Amazon streaming services will offer Dolby Vision dramas, including Marco Polo season 2. Most cinema movies are shot at less than 4K resolution and are being remastered to HDR quality so HDR’s full potential won’t be reached until Hollywood captures and masters in HDR. Now that HDR screens and delivery mechanisms are in place it won’t just be the CE industry calling for more top-notch HDR, once the public get a taste for it, they too will be chomping at the bit.

@AdrianJustins

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LET THERE BE

LIGHT CEDIA COMMUNICATES FINDS OUT HOW CEDIA MEMBER, HARPENDEN ELECTRICAL, WORKED WITH A BUILDING DESIGN TEAM TO BREATHE LIFE, LIGHT AND MORE INTO A LARGE, FAMILY HOME IN SURREY. A detached five bed property in Kingston presented a challenging set of circumstances for integration firm, Harpenden Electrical. The project followed a developer’s conversion of a Victorian school and former care home into a number of different dwellings. Project design and management company, Rousseau Design called in Harpenden Electrical and interiors company, Bulgaro Interiors, to inject the ‘wow’ factor into the largest property on the scheme, with the brief to create a luxurious family home that retained its period features but was also fit for the 21st century. With a married couple and their three year old child all set to move in and a tight two month timescale for completion, Harpenden Electrical embarked on a far-reaching tech transformation led by lighting as part of a whole house renovation. The results are spectacular. Feature walls in the kitchen and master bathrooms are enhanced by stunning lighting wash effects. Recessed ceilings are widely used throughout the house, imaginatively lit with coffer lighting, and finished in beautiful, metallic pigmented plaster, so creating a subtle shimmering effect that catches the eye from different

perspectives. Bathrooms have been upgraded, detail added and colours changed, all in close consultation with the client. Merging art and lighting, three bespoke Torus pendant lights prominently feature above the kitchen counter and act as a focal point in that room. Harpenden Electrical’s tech scheme really takes off in the media room, with a Rako lighting control and automated blind solution leading the way. Spot lights are positioned around the room for a functional role, when people are entering and leaving the space. Feature LEDs embedded within the room furniture are also utilised with special impact created by fibre optic lighting for a starlit sky effect and RGB flexible tape, when the projector and Draper screen are brought into use at the touch of a button. Harpenden Electrical configured different settings to control the multiple lighting layers in this space, including a Rako DMX interface for the Starscape lighting, making the room suitable for any and every occasion. “The client was really impressed,” says Harpenden’s Alan Treacher. “When we started to show how easy it would be to have the same intelligent control through the house, for all the beautiful lighting they were investing

in, and that we could integrate Sonos whole home wireless audio too, they welcomed it. Using Crestron, we could then add in control of the CCTV and garden lighting later on, once the main project was nearly complete”. Elsewhere in the house feature lighting pieces abound. These include a bespoke crystal Chandelier designed by Rousseau and featuring 18 GU9 dimmable LEDs and eyecatching bubble rod lighting in the bathroom. These statement fixtures work in combination with additional up lighting and down lighting, and textured contrast walls throughout the property to create warmth, depth and an ultra-contemporary ambiance. All lighting is controlled by Rako modules, operated at Rako wall switches or via handheld remotes. The customer is so delighted with the project that they are now looking to create a private gym basement, below the front part of the house, and extend the use of technology into this area too. This is one period property that has been dramatically re-invented for the modern world, where technology and interior design are the perfect partners. Harpenden Electrical, we salute you!

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Kit List LIGHTING 80+ LED Aurora M 10x LED baffled spot lights (warm white) 150 metres RGB LED tape 50 warm white LED tape 1x Starscape fibre optic ceiling (custom blue flocking) 1x John Cullen narrow beam adjustable spot 1x daylight and night time projector screens 3x Rousseau Torus lights (in custom Teal) 1x DMX lighting control 3x Torus lights 1x Bespoke Rousseau crystal Chandelier with 18 G9 LEDs 3x Rousseau Torus lights 2x Bubble Rod bathroom lights 12x Collingwood garden spike lights 2x John Cullen wide beam focus spots MEDIA 1x KEF sound system 1x 4K Sony projector 3x Samsung TVs Security 4x HD CCTV cameras CONTROLS 4x Crestron gateways and handheld remotes 1x Crestron Digital Matrix 80x Rako modules 7x RGB Rako constant voltage dimming modules 17x wireless Rako control keypads with custom engraved interfaces 12x Rako constant voltage single colour dimming modules 27x Rako trailing edge dimming modules 3x RSR/DMX Rako controllers

www.harpendenelectrical.com @Harpelect

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THE GREAT

HOPE So, dear reader, let’s start with a scene with which you may be familiar. An architect, interior designer or lighting designer has created a lighting scheme for your client or your own home 18 months ago, and having lived with it for a while, there are a few issues: • You are not sure what all the lighting control buttons do • When the ‘scene’ comes on (you have a vague memory of discussing this) some of the luminaires (lights) come on, others are turned off. You have a variety of scenes on the buttons, but none of them give you just the ‘look’ you want

Dominic Meyrick Partner of Hoare Lea Lighting, discusses PoE Lighting, and what this means for the residential market.

• You have moved that piece of furniture - perhaps a chair for reading in, a dining table, a bookcase - and the light is now in the wrong place You wistfully look over your very expensive fit-out, or if you are the designer/installer, receive a phone call from the irritated client. You think how great it would be if: • You/they could programme the lighting ‘scenes’. (You’ve seen the lighting control panel and it looks like the bridge of the Star Ship Enterprise!) • You could move the light fittings in the ceiling around, now that the interior layout is as desired

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The former - programming the lighting scenes - is possible and is becoming easier and cheaper to do every day. However, the latter, well, this is where the PoE excitement comes in, because it offers the possibility of moving fittings without the need for an electrician. Now, of course, we have had this kind of flexibility before, it’s called track and spot and very popular it has been too. For the domestic market, I think the hope is that PoE will be the next ‘track and spot’. On the assumption that most people reading this article know what PoE is, let’s look at some plusses and minuses. Let’s start with the minuses. Although PoE lighting approaches are starting to gain headway in some commercial situations, in the residential sphere, current solutions are limited. As a lighting designer, there are still massive restrictions to lighting design - namely what I can put where.

properties, as the required ‘Category’ cabling requires a PoE network port to each lighting point. With cabling, you will require more metres of data cable than you would electrical cable for the same installation. Conventional systems are wired in a ‘daisy chain’, whereas at the moment PoE is pointto-point for each fitting or small group of fittings, and ‘Cat 6’ cable is a similar price to 1.5mm² twin and earth. PoE may also be a potential ‘Betamax’ technology. Wireless control technologies are capable of providing similar functionality to PoE using existing wiring and more and more manufacturers are starting to adopt and integrate wireless connected lighting modules. However, it is too early in the development of these technologies to be certain if one will become dominant or if they will coexist, each serving their own particular market.

Although Class 4 will be the norm in offices (30w to the PoE switch and 25w max to the ‘Powered Device or ‘PD’ - that’s a light fitting to you and me) Class 1, 2 or 3 could be used in residential settings. However, as each has a maximum allowable power deliverable to the PD, there is the possibility that a client might say there is not enough light and ask ‘why can’t we just up the wattage of the fitting?’ The response would be that the PoE Class installed won’t allow that.

On the plus-side, the real benefits of PoE will come when more services become integrated into the ceiling. Lighting will be another service and could, for example, potentially incorporate temperature sensors, and presence detection. In addition, if LiFi (using LED light fittings to transmit Wi-Fi to IT devices) becomes a cornerstone of a modern interior, there will be a requirement for data enabled lighting to be directly connected to the network in order to cope with the high data rates required. PoE would provide this neatly.

Cost-wise, cabling and network infrastructure is more expensive and is easiest done in new-build

PoE also allows fittings to be moved about without an electrician. Obviously, you need a modular

ceiling or be happy to make new holes in your plasterboard if you are moving downlights, which are still the most common fitting in upmarket residential developments. And if you are a control freak, it does offer lighting control of each individual fitting – handy if you can get a software interface you and your client can understand, which is not always easy. This would also give you live feedback telling you how each lamp is performing, both the power it is drawing and the life it has left. So what’s the conclusion? This technology is in its infancy, but will become more viable, for certain uses, as it becomes more pervasive. However, there is a ‘chicken & egg’ scenario and so end users and installers need to be wary and ensure that the advantages of PoE are right for their project. Currently, there are a limited number of viable products on the market and the industry is notoriously slow moving. In terms of lighting design, this technology offers creatives a limited palette as PoE is, essentially, a power management rather than a lighting design or control system. I understand its use in large commercial spaces, but I’m not so sure it is appropriate for small to medium residential schemes, although I could see it potentially stacking up for a large PRS scheme, where the landlord wants to keep tabs on, for example, energy use, and have maximum flexibility. On this last point a final thought: if such systems help to manage lighting centrally and can give large amounts of ‘big data’ to a central source – who owns the data produced and, more importantly, who has the right to use the data? Oh such a brave new world…

www.hoarelealighting.com @HL_Lighting

Images courtesy of Stonewood Design

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