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ResidentialSystemswww.residentialsystems.com

V O L U M E 1 1 N O . 5 | M A Y 2 0 1 0

Investigatingthe iPad

Will Apple’s newdevice change theway customers

think aboutcontrol systems?

Products: Reviews and Previews

Retro(fit)Thinking

Challenging?Yes. But also good

for business



Tableof Contents

columns

16 MARKETING MEASURES If you are convinced that you need

to add value to drive your business but aren’t quite sure

how to do it, Mike Detmer offers some great suggestions.

18 TRAINING WHEELS Dave

Chace says that hosting an

educational event for local

professionals in related

trades is an effective way

to increase your referralnetwork, but only if you do it the right way.

20 BACK TO BUSINESS Richard Millson describes the

untapped business potential that selling window treat-

ments can provide electronic systems contractors.

38 INTERNETWORKING Gordon

van Zuiden predicts that

clients that have been

lukewarm about total homecontrol offerings will change

their minds after witnessing the beauty and elegance of

the home control interface running on an Apple iPad.

product reviews

40 Dennis Burger says that Philips

Pronto’s TSU9800 and updated

ProntoEdit Professional software make for a

great mid-to-upper level control solution. John Sciacca

notes that the Sonos ZonePlayer S5 can augment

unwired rooms or be a perfect solution for portable

listening in outdoor areas. In his Peer

Review, Echo Tech Group’s John Palser

explains why he gave

Sonance a 10 for its

Cinema Series lineup.

22 COVER STORY: Chateau Style

Premier Designs CEO Jason Barth

wanted to create a truly custom

experience center for showcasing

his company’s electronics inte-

gration services. In the process,

he formed product partnerships

with 30 Indianapolis-area

artisans, focused on everything

from custom-carved cabinetryto landscape architecture.

28When Retro is a Good Fit There are electronic systems contractors who take pride

in their retrofit integration expertise, while others see it as a necessary evil in a

tough housing market. Fortunately, for both groups there are now more and more

new products that are designed to make their retro work a little easier.

32Living Large TK Living, a distinctive brand carrying the imprimatur of Theo Kalomirakisand the CINEAK home theater seating company, features cost-effective specialty

products such as acoustically transparent designer fabrics, unique architectural

lighting fixtures, luxurious carpets, and a variety of one-of-a-kind accessories.

features14 Philips Pronto’s Rudy

Musschebroeck explains how

his company’s reorganization

into a true integrated company

allows it to focus entirely on

the North American custom

installation channel.

behind thebusiness Q&A

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Join the online Residential Systems community on LinkedIn

(groups/Residential Systems), Twitter (resisys), and Facebook.And visit www.residentialsystems.com to join our Forums andread the interactive, Digital Edition of this and past issues.

departmentsEditorial ........................................4

News ..............................................6

CEDIA Line ................................12

New Products............................46

Ad Index ....................................49

Going Forward..........................50

Get More Industry Information from

Web: www.twice.com

Twitter: @TWICEonline

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Residential Systems (ISSN# 1528-7858) is publishedmonthly by NewBay Media L.L.C.

810 Seventh Avenue, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10019Periodical Postage Paid at New York, NY

and additional mailing offices.Postmaster: send address changes and inquires to

Residential Systems P. O. Box 1067 Lowell, MA 01853.Subscriptions: US: 1-yr $56, 2-yr $100;Canada: 1-yr $104, 2-yr $196;Foreign: 1-yr $156, 2-yr $300.

Back issues are $8. Copyright 2010 by NewBay Media

PRINTED IN THE USA.

If you’re reading this column right now, then

you must be either stubborn or old (or maybe

both). Haven’t you heard that print is dead?

Thanks for reading this, you old rebel you.

I kid, of course, but it is, indeed, a challenging

time for almost every business, particularly print

magazines and newspapers whose publishers

have been scrambling to keep up with their read-

ers’ increasingly demanding work schedules and

the lure of the Internet and, now, the Apple iPad.

We at Residential Systems recognize that

your free time is scarce and your attention span

is shorter than it used to be. In this month’s

issue, we have re-imagined and refreshed our

print publication with an eye toward the many

online resources available to us, while recogniz-

ing your lack of free time to finding all of thetools that you need to run a successful business.

Each page of the magazine features a refer-

ence to additional multimedia content available

to you online. But instead of sending you on

a wild-goose chase to find it, we’re putting all

of this bonus content on one landing page at

residentialsystems.com/may10.

Each month we will integrate our online con-

tent with the magazine, yet we believe that our

print articles will stand on their own as well, with

insightful business leadership tips and beautiful

photos of amazing products and projects.

Change is good, despite what inspires it. Take

last month’s news that Nortek was eliminating its

Escient and Snell brands, which came as a bit of

a shock to all of us, as did the decision by Nortek’s

Linear Group to combine its ELAN, Niles, and

Xantech brands into one operating unit.

I say “shock,” but most of us could see thewriting on the wall before either decision was

announced. From a business perspective it

always has been hard to understand how so

many brands under the umbrellas of large par-

ent companies could peacefully coexist with

product lines that were so similar.

After the announcement, Xantech’s Graham

Hallett told me in an e-mail that the hiring of

Mark Terry to reorganize the three Linear

brands was “a very timely, positive develop-

ment” for several reasons, but primarily because

it would help the brands achieve “economies and

efficiencies of scale” that they “very much need.”

Hallett’s initial perspective was more upbeat

than expected, perhaps due of his positive experi-

ence working with Terry at Harman, and

because his brand had been a beneficiary of

Linear’s Digi-5 platform. Xantech has witnessed

the value in “trading technologies” firsthand, and

Hallett says he expects more opportunities like

that under Terry’s tutelage.

“Mark comes in with new perspectives but at

the same time with a proven track-record in

making a high-profile, multi-brand audio elec-tronics corporate structure more agile and com-

petitive while preserving the integrity and value

of those brands,” he said.

I hope it works out well for all three brands,

and serves the greater good of our industry.

Change is never easy, but with the right

vision, it can be quite refreshing.

Editor’sLetterResidentialSystems

May 2010Volume 11, Number 5

MIKE DETMERMike "Sparky" Detmer is vice

president of sales and marketingand a 12-year veteran of Niles

Audio, in Miami, [email protected]

DAVE CHACEDave Chace is presidentof Training Allies

(www.TrainingAllies.com), a con-sumer electronics industry train-

ing firm based in [email protected]

RICHARD MILSONRichard Millson is the owner

of Millson Technologies, aleading North American systems

integration firm, located inVancouver, British [email protected]

GORDON VAN ZUIDENGordon van Zuiden is president

of cyberManor, a home network-ing and systems integration firm

based in Los Gatos, [email protected]

DENNIS BURGERDennis Burger has been

reviewing and writing about con-sumer electronics since 1999. He

lives in Montgomery, Alabama,with his wife and their

four-legged little boy, [email protected]

JOHN SCIACCAJohn Sciacca is a principal with

Custom Theater and Audio, inMyrtle Beach, South Carolina. Inhis free time, he blogs prolifically

about the CE industry. johnsciacca.webs.com

May Issue Contributors

Feeling

RefreshedB Y J E R E M Y J . G L O W A C K I

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InsideOnline

Colorado vNet is releasing an updated version

of its dealer programming software, dubbed

vNet Builder version 4.6. The new vNet Builder

4.6 includes firmware that supports several key

features, including support for multiple

languages on Colorado vNet touchscreens,

international tuner frequency selection, and ac-

commodation for 220v and 240v installations.

Colorado vNetAdds Multi-LanguageSupport

Netsertive, the company formerly known as AV NetResults, has launched a

new online ad program for industry vendors and dealers. The Local-Extend

Online Ad Program places co-branded online advertising in specific local

markets around the country. The banner ads promote branding for the

vendor while associating the brand with key dealers in designated markets.

Linear Combines Niles, ELAN,

Xantech into Single Group

By Joseph Palenchar

Nortek-owned Linear placed three of its residential-

installation subsidiaries into a single group to increase

collaboration and efficiencies, but the companies will

not merge, and they will “still have a great deal of

autonomy and differentiation,” Linear chairman Grant

Rummell said. The new audio, video, and control

group, as yet unnamed, consists of Niles Audio,

Xantech, and ELAN Home Systems, including the ELAN-

marketed Aton, Sunfire, and HomeLogic brands.

Linear-owned brands not part of the new group

include Gefen, Imerge, Omnimount, Panamax,SpeakerCraft, and others. The new business unit,

based in Carlsbad, California, is led by president Mark

Terry, a 17-year Harman International veteran.

Digital Projection Demos Active-Shutter 3D in NYC

By Greg Tarr

Although it has been actively marketing its high-end

projectors equipped with its proprietary 3D system for

several years, Digital Projection gave custom installers

and system integrators a demonstration in New York, on

April 21, of its Titan 1080p commercial and home the-

ater 3-chip DLP projectors powered by a new server

solution, all using the company’s proprietary approach

to active-shutter 3D technology. The projectors, which

are available now, were designed to deliver 1080p high

definition images at 120Hz refresh rates--60Hz per eye.

Alternately, if video is delivered at 24p, the system can

use triple flash to achieve a 144Hz refresh rate. In addi-tion to supporting the latest 3D Blu-ray active-shutter

formats, the server and projectors can be configured for

a wide range of 3D applications from video games to

movies requiring either active or passive-shutter glasses.

NetsertiveLaunches Online

Ad Program

Legrand’s RF Lighting Control line, which includes controllers,

dimmers, plug-in modules, repeaters, and remote controls and

key fobs, was designed to complement other On-Q product lines,

such as the Classic and Studio Collections, and its available colors

include white, light almond, ivory, black, gloss black, and titanium.

residentialsystems.com/may2010

TeasersGet the Full Scoop on the Following News Stories at

Find the full story atresidentialsystems.com/

may2010

A First Look at Runco’sWindowWall Display

When it comes to video, bigger and more is

almost always better. But traditional technologiescan run into technological limitations when trying

to push for those extra inches. I recently traveled

to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to witness Runco’s

solution to this problem, a product that they are

calling WindowWall and that addresses all of the

above limitations. With WindowWall, Runco is

using traditional LCD TV technology (46-inch pan-

els, running 1366 x 768 resolution), with ultra-

thin (just .14 inches) bezels that they marry

together with other panels through an ingenious

mounting system and the processing wizardry of

their DHD III controller.—John Sciacca

Checking In On thePowerhouse Alliance

At the end of 2009, AV retailers, integrators, and

manufacturers learned that they had another option

in two-step distribution, when a national network of

leading consumer electronics wholesalers formed

the Powerhouse Alliance Group. The alliance, which

is comprised of 10 regional and national CE and

appliance distributors, believed that increased effi-

ciencies and centralized resources of a coalition

could better serve customers and create new line

opportunities.—Jeremy J. Glowacki

Learning About EnergyAudit Essentials

Last week, CEDIA asked Dallas Jones, president of

the Home Energy Team Institute to lead a webinar

on the energy audit process and how becoming an

energy auditor (or partnering with one) could be a

great business opportunity for electronic systems

contractors.—Jeremy J. Glowacki

BlogBits{ }

ResiTweets

@Gramophone_MDClient Love: If the rest of busi-ness out there could come close to how you provideservice, the world would be a much happier place.

@ListenUp This reviewer loves the wireless musicof Sonos Zoneplayer S5 . Find out why (price helps)http://bit.ly/7m613

@MasterpieceAVStay tuned for the Grand Openingof our showroom

@DSILosAngelesThe Crestron iPad App has Arrived!http://bit.ly/avJd1b

From TWICE.com

In response to consumer and dealer struggles calculating what projector and

screen will fit into an available space, Screen Innovations’ Projector Wizard

includes specifications on current and old-model projectors. The Screen

Calculator can then assist with screen dimensions for all SI series products.

Screen InnovationsAdds Projector

Wizard

Legrand Adds RF Lighting Control to On-Q Line

Follow us @resisys



ResiBriefs

D&M Holdings Inc. is discontinu-

ing its Escient and Snell Acoustics

lines to better focus on what it callsits core consumer brands: Denon,

Marantz, McIntosh, and Boston

Acoustics. During its transition,

Escient will deliver software up-

grades for its existing products and

will continue to support its dealers

and customers by honoring war-

ranty repairs and maintaining cus-

tomer service. The loudspeaker

technologies developed at Snell will

be leveraged by other D&M brands,

according to the company.

The company stated that it will

be rolling out new products

throughout the year from Denon,Marantz, McIntosh, and Boston

Acoustics.

D&M Holdings Inc. finished its

fiscal year on March 31, 2010, re-

porting in its statement “significant

improvement in profitability.”

“2010 will also see our compa-

ny continue to invest in R&D, as we

integrate new technologies in ar-

eas like streaming, networking, ease

of use, and integration,” the com-

pany said in its statement.

D&M Drops Escientand Snell Brands

Wisdom Audio’s new online initiative

was created to help educate and train its

dealer base on its planar magnetic-based

Sage Series speaker systems. The first

eLearning Dealer Training Module is

located on a new hidden “Dealer Only”

page at wisdomaudio.com, with the address provided directly to dealers by

Wisdom Audio. Developed by Training Allies, of Collegeville, Pennsylvania,

the new training module allows new dealers to become familiar with the SC-

1, while others may refer to it as a refresher course.

Wisdom Adds Online Dealer Training

In a new white paper,

Kordz managing direc-

tor David Meyers

offers an entertaining

and refreshing per-

spective on what ESCs and consumers

need to know about cabling for 3D, taking

a closer look at the HDMI 1.4a specifica-

tion. “I’ve always said that the cable should

be the easy part in the home cinema sys-

tem installation—the bit you don’t see

when it’s all finished, the bit that doesn’tgive you grief,” he said. “With the advent

of 3D, this mantra does not change.”

Download Meyers’ white paper at

www.residentialsystems.com/may10.

Kordz Says 3D NoProblem for HDMI

Linked-InConvos{ }

Topic: Did you miss the Masters in 3D? John Sciacca blogs about the experience at http://tinyurl.com/y5gqgon

Randy Blanchard, Business Development

Manager, Honeywell/ADIMitsubishi showed the “Par 3” game in 3D atits line show last week. I thought it was great,especially for a first effort. I actually stayedawake for more than 10 minutes watching golf.

Michael Heiss, Consumer Electronics

Consultant and JournalistIt was all over the place at NAB. Let’s just saythat everyone admits that, technology aside,they have MUCH to learn about using 3D in livesports. For example, they are learning howmuch depth to add — there is a totally sepa-rate production function called the “Stereogra-pher” that determines that. The director cutsthe show, the other person determines depthon each camera. Did you see the shot in the“Par 3” thing where it appeared there was

some alien being floating in free space in thetop center of the screen? It was a branch froma tree that was out of frame and arched overthe top and into the frame. CHOP IT DOWN orframe differently next time. Let’s say it is awork in progress...

Peter Hoagland, Consumer Electronics

Consultant and ContractorIn 3D, did it seem like Tiger was swearingright in your living room?

Michael Heiss, Consumer Electronics

Consultant and JournalistNo, but the way the perspective is forced insome of the 3D shots it did look as though themild drop from a green or rise up out of thesand trap was a huge drop off the end of a cliff.

Topic: While editing an upcoming column for the May issue from Mike Detmer,I came across this gem: “As many of your competitors commoditize the industry by cutting price, it’s easier to differenti-

ate yourself from them by championing the value

you add. Concentrate on quantifying and qualifying every aspect of your service, including the

product you are specifying, the project management, and coordination of the system from

design to installation/programming, and the

after installation service.”

Shawn”Kelly” Stermer, Product TechnicalSpecialist, Niles Audio Corporation

In my travels, I have seen many examples of companies really stressing the services theyoffer and the marketting of themselves. Thedays of just slapping a few manufacturersnames on the side of the van have all butgone away.


Although Denon won’t

officially celebrate its

100th anniversary until

October, it is not waiting

to announce a new line of

HDMI 1.4a 3D-ready audio/video receivers,

two new universal Blu-ray players, and six

new headphones. During a press luncheon

last month in New York City, the company

also reaffirmed its commitment to the CIchannel and expanded its AVR product war-

ranty from two to three years.

“We have a lot of technology to talk

about this year; we’re excited about it,”

Denon’s senior VP of sales and market-

ing, Phil Cohn, said.

Denon Previews100th Anniversary

with Product Launch

ReaderPoll

Next Month’s

Poll Question:

Do you think 3D will

have a positive impact

on your business?

Vote now at

residentialsystems.com

Escient’s video server was an early casualty before D&M eliminated the brand last month.



ResiBriefs

Sterns Steps Downas Niles PresidentFrank Sterns informed dealers and reps last month that he

was stepping down as Niles A udio president after 18 yearswith the company. He said that his decision was not an

indictment of Mark Terry, who had been hired earlier in

the month to serve as president of a new audio, video, and

control group, as yet unnamed, consisting of Niles, Xantech,

and ELAN Home Systems, and that parent company

Nortek fully supported his decision. However, Terry’s

hiring, he said, provided a unique opportunity for him to

take a summer sabbatical from the industry.

R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S | M A Y 2 0 1 010

Frank Sterns is leaving

Niles Audio, but plans to

return to the CI channel

after this summer.

More Online

For more on Frank Sterns, visit

www.residentialsystems.com/may10

CAREER TRACK

OmniMount has promoted Scott

Ashbaugh to the vice president of

sales operations (U.S. and export). He

formerly served as senior director of

sales operations and has been with

the company since 2003.

SIM2 USA has promoted Alberto Fabiano to VP of

marketing, though he also will remain as sales manag-

er for Australia and the Western regional U.S.

Jeff Coates, who served as NHT’s

North American sales manager from

2003-2006, has been rehired as direc-tor of sales of its B2B segment.

Premier Mounts has promoted Phil

Davenport to European general manag-

er. A five-year veteran at Premier

Mounts, Davenport will assume respon-

sibility for sales efforts in Europe and

the Middle East. The company also hired Tom Noack as

marketing manager. He served most recently as mar-

keting director at Digital Networks Group Inc.

Meridian has hired Steve Caroll as

central region sales manager. A 19-

year industry veteran, he most recently

served as senior VP of sales for Linn.

REP/DISTRIBUTOR NEWS

Professional Home Cinema has hired MK Marketing

as its exclusive sales representative for the Pacific

Southwest region covering Southern California,

Southern Nevada, Arizona, and Hawaii.

Atlona Technologies is partnering with Synnex to

distribute its audio and video connectivity products

throughout the U.S., Canada, China, Japan, Mexico, the

Philippines, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

Capitol is now an authorized distributor of

Middle Atlantic Products.

Colorado vNet has retained Roberts Associates

of Burlington, Massachusetts, as its manufacturer’s

rep firm for the New England territory.

CINEAK Luxury Seating and TK Living are now

represented by Sapphire Marketing in New York,

New Jersey, and Southern Connecticut; SE Sales in

the Southeast U.S., AMI Sales in Florida; Mark Owen

Agency in Western Canada; and DesignTech

Marketing in the South Central U.S.

Spectrum Electronic Solutions has selected

Goldberg Company Inc. (GCI) as its distributor

for the Mid-Atlantic territory.



CEDIALine

CEDIA EXPO returns to Atlanta in 2010, bringing product displays and an-

nouncements from top manufacturers and renowned education from CEDIA

University. That much any veteran EXPO attendee pretty much already as-

sumes. But there are several changes planned for this fall’s annual convention.

For instance, EXPO will be held later than usual, September 22-26, at

The Georgia World Congress Center. And because CEDIA has been lis-

tening to attendee feedback from last year, show organizers have included

some additions to EXPO 2010 that you won’t want to miss.

1 New CEDIA Educational Offerings. CEDIA University education

has long been a staple of CEDIA EXPO, providing attendees with the largest

one-stop offering of electronic systems industry training available. This

year CEDIA University has 21 new courses and 12 revised courses, address-

ing the latest industry trends and keeping current with developing technol-

ogy. CEDIA education comes at a special value for 2010, with an

unprecedented all-inclusive education pass. For just $299, attendees can take

advantage of as many CEDIA Univer-

sity courses as they can fit in their

schedule (excluding workshops and

certification exams). This offers a huge

savings and a great opportunity to take

advantage of CEDIA education.

2 The Future is Near. New for 2010,

CEDIA is unveiling the Future Tech-nology Pavilion on the trade show floor,

which will showcase the developing

technologies and demonstrate how they

can be integrated to provide the ulti-

mate high-tech experience for home-

owners. For the first time attendees

will be able to experience 3D audio, 3D

video, and motion, all in one setting.

Plus, witness how tomorrow’s medical,communications, and sustainable living

products will integrate into the home,

opening the doors for new revenue

streams within the industry.

3 Follow Me. CEDIA is working with

Core-Apps to develop a new mobile ap-

plication called “Follow Me,” which

will offer several unique features, includ-

ing an interactive show schedule, floormaps, session schedules with ability to

rate the session, event schedules, social

media interaction, and the ability to

download e-brochures from exhibitors.

4 Attendees’ Choice Award. Let

your voice be heard with the Atten-

dees’ Choice Award. This year

attendees will be given the chance tovote on their favorite product as en-

tered by manufacturers. Voting begins

when the trade show floor opens on

September 23, but you must be a

CEDIA EXPO electronic systems

contractor attendee to vote. The win-

ner will be announced at the CEDIA

Electronic Lifestyles Awards Banquet.

5 EXPO 2010 Dates and

Times of Note

• Registration Opens: Tuesday, June 1 at 8:00 a.m. (Pacific)

• Early Bird Discounts End: Friday,

July 30 at 5:00 p.m. (Pacific)

• Online Registration Ends: Friday,

September 17 at 5:00 p.m. (Pacific)

• CEDIA EXPO: Wednesday, Sept-

ember 22-Sunday, September 26

• Trade show Floor Open:

September 23-26

• CEDIA Electronic Lifestyles

Awards Banquet: Saturday,

September 25 at 6:30 p.m.

There will never be a shortage of reasons

to attend CEDIA EXPO. This is your

trade show, and CEDIA has crafted it

based on what you have asked for. Vis-

it www.residentialsystems.com/may10

to view the CEDIA EXPO registrationbrochure and to register beginning June 1.


More Online

To download CEDIA’s new Follow Meapp for EXPO planning on theiPhone and web-based phones(Blackberry coming soon), visitwww.residentialsystems.com/may10.

Digital Projection took home Manufacturer Award hardware last year. This year attendees

get to pick their favorite product for the first time.

“This year CEDIA University has 21 new

courses and 12 revised courses, address-

ing the latest industry trends and keeping

current with developing technology. ”

Because CEDIA has been listening to attendee feedback from last year, show organizers

have included some additions to EXPO 2010 that you won’t want to miss.

An EXPO PreviewFive Things You Should Know About CEDIA 2010 B Y O L I V I A S E L L K E



B hi dBi



BehindBiz

To quote one of the great orators of our time, “Don’t call

it a comeback; I’ve been here for years...” Though

Philips Pronto has been much respected in the North

American custom channel for many years, its connec-

tion had always felt a bit tenuous, because its U.S. operations were embedded

in a larger Philips North America organization that made focusing on the chan-

nel more difficult. In the course of the past year, however, the company has re-

organized its Pronto business into a true integrated organization with a fully ded-

icated U.S. sales staff and support team that allows it to focus

entirely on custom installation. Now, with manufacturing,

product development, logistics, and marketing all

under one roof, Pronto can better ensure that its

North American installers are getting the prod-

ucts, technology, and support that they need. In a

recent interview, Pronto marketing manager Rudy

Musschebroeck explained his brand’s new structureand product plans.

What inspired the change in the way Pronto is

handled in North America?

The success of our custom dealer network in Europe

convinced us to bring that same business model here.

Having a well-built distributor network and a large ed-

ucated dealer base led to our success in Europe, and today we

are thrilled to bring that same approach to the U.S. and de-

liver our dealers a product that they know and trust, backed

with the support they require. Our product development is driven by

thoughts and feedback of our dealers. By working hand-in-hand with the peo-

ple who install these products every day, we can be sure we are bringing the

right products to market that will help them be profitable.

What are you doing

specifically to better

support your dealers in

the CEDIA channel?First and foremost we have re-

viewed our distribution channels,

making sure the partners we work

with have the same dedication to-

ward the custom installation chan-

nel. Those that do not follow the

same thought process as Pronto are

being replaced with distributors

who support the dealers in the cus-

tom channel. Next, we have strengthened our tech support, including a new ded-

icated Pronto support line. The new support line, open six days a week, provides

dealers with a highly trained staff available to answer all questions regarding Pron-

to products. We fully believe that the key to successfully installing this product

Pronto’s Rededication

is having proper education, and are in the process of revamping our training pro-

gram. Pronto is currently offering more online training opportunities with our

monthly webinar series. In the coming months, we will be expanding our training

program further with live regional trainings across the country. Education and

training is a priority to us, making sure we have a well-educated dealer base that can

bring the best Pronto experience to their customers. Pronto’s certification process is

designed with that in mind, offering three distinct levels of certification to dealers. Cer-

tified dealers get access to our 2-way

ProntoScript modules and have the

possibility to get listed on our web-

site, among other benefits.

You also are preparing to add

several manufacturers reps

for the first time. Why the

change in philosophy?In line with our renewed fo-

cus on the CEDIA channel,

we want to make sure dealers

get the best local support possi-

ble. We believe the representa-

tives we have appointed will play

a key role in establishing a close

relationship with our dealers, of-

fering them the right levels of

information, support, and edu-

cation. The addition of these elite manufacturers’ reps (see sidebox) has allowed

us to open a direct channel to our dealers without affecting the current partner-

ships we have with our distributors.

You’ve been busy developing two-way communication for

Sonos and iPort. What sorts of plans do you have for expanding

the capability with other companies?

During the past three years we have been focusing on the top custom install prod-

ucts and brands for our ProntoScript program, and most are now covered. The Sonosintegration was definitely a challenge, but the response has been overwhelming. We

are now concentrating on the next-generation AV and lighting products that are

IP-controlled. We are in the process of streamlining our existing module base of more

than 160 modules to really make them plug and play and keep up with latest de-

velopments of all of our

partners. We are also

pleased to see that our

open platform ap-

proach is bearing its

fruits. We see more and

more independent

third parties develop-

ing applications.


Respected Control Brand Recommits to U.S. Custom ChannelB Y J E R E M Y J . G L O W A C K I

More Online

For a full list of Philips Pronto’s new reps and their

territories, visit www.residentialsystems.com/may10

“In line with our renewed focus on the CEDIA channel, we want

to make sure dealers get the best local support possible.”

—Rudy Musschebroeck, Marketing Manager, Pronto

Philips Pronto’s TSU Series consists of two wand-style control panels

(TSU9300 and TSU9400) for home theater control and two tablet-style

panels (TSU9600 and TSU9800, not pictured) for total home control.



MarketingMeasuresAddV l



MarketingMeasures

“Hello, Dad!! My car is spouting water

everywhere and I’ve got to get to work.

What should I do,” was the first thing

my son Tony shouted frantically when I

answered his call. “Take it easy, son.

Can you get the car up to Jay at

Bavarian Car Care without it overheat-

ing?” I asked in a calm tone. “I’m out of

town and you’ve got to handle this one

on your own.”

Later that afternoon, Tony called

back. “Everything is awesome,” Tonyexpounded.

“Awesome? What makes you say

that,” I asked.

“Those guys up at Bavarian are the

Best!” Tony exclaimed. “Not only did

they replace the broken hose to the radiator, but they got me to work on time.

You see, Jay (the owner), told me he was very busy this morning and could-

n’t look at my car until after lunch. When I told him that I had to be at work

by 10 a.m. or else I’d get fired, he drove me there himself. Now I see why

you’ve taken your cars to Bavarian for all these years,” Tony revealed in an

assuring tone. “Why would you go anywhere else?” he pointed out.

You see, Jay’s business at Bavarian Car Care is a lot like yours. He has to

compete with bigger competitors from a small facility with less panache. Yet

his garage is always full with loyal customers. So what’s his secret? He is not

cheaper, his shop isn’t as easy to access, and he doesn’t have a fancy waiting

room. He just knows his customers’ needs and adds value wherever he can.

Add Value orStay Home

Four Ways to Be Awesome inthe Eyes of Your Customers

I recently heard a

very powerful speaker

named Howard Hydenwho put it very suc-

cinctly, “Add value or

stay home!” Howard’s

premise of adding

value in today’s market

is founded on counter-

intuition that leads one

to act opposite from the

competition. That would mean when most of your competitors are cutting, it’s

time for you to add. Heck, it works for Jay at Bavarian. All he did was drive Tony

a couple of miles, and he created a customer who thinks he is “awesome!” A cus-

tomer, who I might add, will likely spread the good word about his experience by

telling several of his friends on the auto-enthusiast website he visits frequently.

So if you’re convinced you need to add value to drive your business but

aren’t quite sure how to do it, try a few of these suggestions:

1 Write down what “awesome” would be from your customers’ perspective.

Ask a few of your best customers what they consider “awesome” to be and in ret-

rospect what you could have done better in the process of selling/installing/serv-icing their system. I remember a call from an end-user of the Niles IntelliControl

home theater automation system who commented how “awesome” it was that

his installer left a printed cheat-sheet behind to remind him of certain hot-key

shortcuts programmed on the remote control. It took the installer all of a few

minutes to do and left a huge impression with his customer.

2 Train yourself and your staff to be “awesome aware.” Take note of what

your customers need to feel great about and what awesome things that you are

doing for them and keep it up. In the case of Niles’ technical support, I’ve noticed

that the representatives who constantly get the most praise are the ones who

show empathy while they are providing advice. That’s because installers don’t

call to chat. They call looking for solutions, and often under serious stress.

3 Frame the value you add as a competitive advantage. As many of your

competitors commoditize the industry by cutting price, it’s easier to differenti-

ate yourself from them by championing the value you add. Concentrate on

quantifying and qualifying every aspect of your service.

4 Remember that there are only two places in the market for your company. You can either be the lowest

cost or the highest value. I’ll bet that you can’t be the low-

est cost. So you better find the value you add, quantify it

and champion it as one of your competitive advantages.

Mike “Sparky” Detmer([email protected]) is vice presidentof sales and marketing for Niles Audio.

Jay’s business at Bavarian Car Care is a lot like yours. He has to

compete with bigger competitors from a small facility with less

panache. Yet his garage is always full with loyal customers.

B Y M I K E D E T M E R

More Online

See Howard in Action

Professional speaker Howard

Hyden’s premise of adding

value in today’s market is

founded on counter-intuition

that leads one to act opposite

from the competition. You can

learn more about adding value

from Hyden and his customer-focused philosophy at


>LEARNING BY EXAMPLEWhen discussing this article on Residential System’s LinkedInGroup, Mike Detmer cited Audiovisions in Irvine, California as

doing an exemplary job of quantifying and qualifying the key

areas of their service. Here is a portion of the services section from

the Audiovisions website:“Our service and installation departments work cohesively

installing, maintaining, upgrading, and performing other service

activities. Our company knows the importance of service to our

clients, so we dedicate employees and resources to make sure our

clients receive the best service possible. Our service department hasbeen created to serve your needs.”

They frame “the level of services” they provide and use it to setthe company apart from competitors. Find out more at

www.avisions.com.

[[

16 R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S | M A Y 2 0 1 0 | residentialsystems.com



TrainingWheelsPadding



Training Wheels

Hosting an educational event for local

professionals in related trades such as

architects and interior designers is a great

way to both increase your network and

make a powerful impression on influential

businesspeople. Here are 10 essential com-

ponents of a successful educational event:

1 Don’t overlap the trades. Hold sep-

arate events for architects, designers, land-

scape professionals, etc. and tailor each

presentation to that specific audience.

This way, the participants will be moreengaged during the presentation, and will

garner more value from the event.

2 Make your answer to, ‘What’s in it

for me?’ abundantly clear. These pros

will want a good reason to attend, so

give them several. Llet them know how the education you provide can help

them increase their business, or consider providing industry-specific CEU

potential in accordance with their trade organizations (AIA, ASID, etc).

3 Cater the event. The event should reek of class. Remember that

these may be influential businesspeople, and they will be judging you. Don’t

disappoint them.

4 Script the presentation. Create a written, chronological list of all the

elements of the presentation, including an introduction or ice-breaker, key

concepts that you want to illustrate, any product or technology demonstrations,

interactive exercises and Q&A sessions, and a wrap up. Furthermore, keep the

event relatively short. Ninety minutes is ideal.

PaddingYour Pipeline

5 Make the content about them. The event should be about providing an ed-

ucation to your audience, not simply promoting your products and services. The

right approach is to incorporate your technology wisely as part of the education.

For instance, you can use a flagship AV system to illustrate how architects

should consider thermal management and cabling pathways when designing like-

ly equipment locations.

6 Practice, practice, practice. As an expert in your field, your inclination may to

be “wing it” and improvise the discussion. Bad idea. This often leads to time-wast-

ing digressions and/or a disorganized atmosphere, which leaves an unflattering im-pression. Instead, practice the presentation repeatedly until you are comfortable with

how you will communicate your key points, and until you have a good feel for the

time needed to comfortably move through each part of the presentation (includ-

ing demonstrations), being sure to build in time for interactive discussion.

7 Be ready when they arrive. Have everything ready beforehand, and be at

the door to personally greet each attendee as they arrive. This helps put them

at ease, builds immediate rapport, and makes them more likely to participate and

interact during the presentation.

8 Avoid industry jargon. Remember that your audience is probably unfamiliar

with your technology, so speak to them at their level. The easier you make it for them

to understand, the more willing they will be to work with you in the future.

9 Foster participation and interactivity. People are more engaged and re-

tain more knowledge when they are an active participant in the learning process.

Don’t just stand and lecture; instead make a point to ask questions of the group

frequently, and seek ways to create interactivity so the participants can share ideas

or collaborate on an objective.

10 Follow up relentlessly. Before the event is over, be sure to get contact in-

formation from every-

one, and let them

know you will be in

touch soon. Don’t ex-

pect that they will be

tripping over them-

selves to send you busi-

ness right away. You

will need to keep shak-

ing the tree before the

fruit starts to drop.

Matt Carter is one of CEDIA’s go-to guys when it comes to leading its Registered Outreach Instructor (train the trainer) classes. Find out more about the program at



Building Your Business Allies Through Better Training Programs B Y D A V E C H A C E

More Online

Want to learn more about how CEDIA can help train

you to train other trade partners in your area about

the technology that you sell and i ntegrate?

Check out a video

interview withCEDIA volunteerMatt Carter, whoteaches manyof the association’sRegisteredOutreach Instructor(ROI) programs,

at www.residentialsystems.com/may10 .

>KEY TAKEAWAY: DON’TOVERLOOK THE OPPORTUNITY

Keep in mind that you are not the only businesspersonlooking to expand their network and develop strategicpartnerships. Many potential attendees of your train-

ing classes also are seeking to establish relationshipswith other businesses such as yours. A well-craftedand well-executed educational presentation can openmany doors to more referral business.

[[

Dave Chace ([email protected]) ispresident of Training Allies in Philadelphia.



BacktoBusinessMade in



This past March I delivered a presenta-

tion at the CEDIA Management Confer-

ence on the importance of implementing

standardized processes for ESC firms. As

an example, I explained how my firm

has standardized the way that we sell,

specify, and install automated window

treatments. I also shared how these prod-

ucts have grown to represent a very sig-

nificant portion of our overall business.

During my sessions, I asked how many

ESCs present were actively selling auto-

mated window treatments as part of theircurrent business offering. I was very sur-

prised by how few hands went up.

After each class and during the rest of

the conference

I conducted an

informal poll as

to why more ESCs were not offering automated win-

dow treatments. These discussions allowed me to see

that there are a fair number of misconceptions

among ESCs about this area of our business and

even some confusion as to the specific role of the ESC

in the sales process for window treatments.

1 Excuse Number One: ‘I won’t make money.’ In fact, the very first rea-

son why you should be selling automated window treatments is that they rep-

resent an area of our industry where you can actually still make a good prof-

it. The simple reason for this is that even though most homes have some form

of window coverings, the automated versions of those same products are

much less common and are still considered a relatively “niche” market, whichalso places them squarely in the territory of the other luxury items our clients

expect and want. That means they are not “commodity” items available from

mass-market retailers in competition to drive the prices ever lower.

2 Excuse Number Two: ‘I can’t fit them in my existing product mix.’

Automated window treatments actually can be a natural extension of what

you are already doing. If you currently sell lighting control, then window treat-

ments logically represent another layer of that same system, aimed at con-

trolling natural light as opposed to electric light. And if you offer even ba-

sic integration services, then you will likely be asked to control the motorized

window treatments anyway. It makes a lot more sense to plan the control

and integration of all the systems within your own firm, as opposed to hav-

ing to coordinate with a window treatment supplier.

Made inthe Shade 3 Excuse Number

Three: ‘I don’t know

how to design or in-

stall window treat-ments.’ Aside from any

specific training that the

window treatment man-

ufacturer might require,

any reasonably experi-

enced ESC technician

should have no trouble

wiring, installing, and

programming these

products. The most im-

portant skills are the

ability to take accurate

measurements, handle

the products carefully

during installation, and

get things perfectly

straight and level. There are a variety of technical details to consider when plan-

ning or installing these systems, but that is no different than many of the other

systems we provide. With manufacturer training, attention to detail, and the ex-perience gained over your first few installations, you should have no trouble adding

window treatments to your portfolio.

4 Excuse Number Four: ‘I know nothing

about fabrics and colors.’ The good news is

that more often than not you won’t have to

know much about this stuff. It is almost always

the responsibility of the interior designer or ar-

chitect, in consultation with the client, to select

the specific fabric and style of each window

treatment in the project. The role of the ESC

in this area is generally no more difficult than

accurately recording and communicating the

color/fabric/style information to the manufacturer so that everything gets ordered

and fabricated properly.

The most valuable piece of advice I can offer for successfully adding these prod-

ucts to your projects is that you must do everything you can to standardize your

documentation. While measuring and recording the many parameters associat-

ed with the various window treatments in a project is certainly not difficult, it canbe very detailed (see sidebox).

If you don’t currently offer automated window treatments I strongly en-

courage you to con-

sider doing so. In an

industry of shrinking

margins and increas-

ingly do-it-yourself

products, this is one

area where your

skills and expertise

can add real value,

and sti l l earn you

good profits.

Richard Millson ([email protected])owns Millson Technologies, in Vancouver,British Columbia.

Lutron’s tensioned shade family is available in a large variety of

sheer, privacy, and blackout fabric families. The Sivoia QED, Sivoia

QS, and Sivoia QS Wireless families of controllable shading prod-

ucts include roller shades, drapery track systems, Roman shades,

skylight, and bottom-up shades.


Four Misconceptions About Automated Window Treatment Sales

B Y R I C H A R D M I L S O N

More Online

To standardize the way his firm installs

automated window treatments in large

buildings, Richard Millson’s team de-

vised what it calls the “Room Mark” for

each window treatment. Essentially it is

a series of letters and numbers in avery specific order that allows the inte-

grator to tell at a glance exactly for which project, room,

and window opening a specific treatment is intended.

As a way of helping those that might want to consider

adding window treatments to their own projects, Millson

is offering his window treatment naming standard avail-

able, for free, at www.residentialsystems.com/may10.

“The very first reason why you

should be selling automated window

treatments is that they represent an

area of our industry where you can

actually still make a good profit.”



Ch



Premier Designs CEO Jason Barth wanted

to create a truly custom experience center for

showcasing his company’s electronics integration

services. After forming product partnerships

with 30 local artisans, focused on everything

from custom-carved cabinetry to landscape

architecture, Premier’s electronics offerings,

ironically, were the least custom products in the

entire space. For most clients, however, the firm’scontributions to the multi-million dollar show

home are far from ordinary.

“A lot of people use the word ‘custom’ nowadays, but

we don’t think most of it is all that custom anymore,”

said Barth, co-owner/CEO of the Premier Group

in Carmel, Indiana. “But everything in here, with very

few exceptions, is handcrafted or custom crafted by an

artisan; it’s a one of a kind.”

The space also features a half a million dollars

of “custom” technology inside, including full Crestron

integration and iLux lighting control, as well as distrib-

uted music and video, gaming, and home theater

entertainment; LED lighting fixtures; climate controls;

motorized window shades and drapes; security and

camera surveillance systems; phone and intercom

systems; and wired and wireless networks. It also show-

cases Runco projectors, Da-Lite and Stewart projec-

tion screens, D-Box Motion Seating, NuVision flat-

panel TVs, B&W and Sonance loudspeakers, Rotel andLexicon AV gear, and a Kaleidescape media server, but

all blended in with the best offerings from other local

building and interior design trades.

Premier’s Chateau Design Centre is housed within

a freestanding retail building in the upscale Indianapolis

suburbs. With its old-world European interior design

motif, the “architectural marketplace“ showcases high-

quality residential cabinetry, building products, and

home furnishings, with a focus on traditional design

ranging from rustic casual to formal elegance.

The Centre includes a fully functional kitchen that

is designed to allow for a variety of customer events,

including grand-opening receptions, designer showings,

cooking demonstrations, and other jointly sponsored

or individual special events. In addition, the facility is

used for meetings or receptions for select community

groups, as well as for architects, interior designers,

and their clients.

Keeping with the design theme, rooms inside theCentre are referred to as the Moulin Rouge Theater,

Shamrock Irish Pub, Country French Kitchen, Biltmore

Library, Chateau Font Du Broc Wine Cellar, and The

Louve Gallery.

Outside, the City of Carmel approved the elimination

of eight parking spaces in front of the building to enable

construction of a garden to serve one of the Centre’s part-

ners, Jim Brandon, of Landmark Landscaping Inc.

The dominant design influence inside the Centre,

however, comes from its other co-owner, Bob Moore,

who runs a custom cabinet company called Chateau

Designs. His old-world European-style furniture and

cabinet style is ornately hand-carved and featured

We built this facilityfor what we call our

specialty consumers,our high-end residentialconsumers that desirean integrated system.Whether they know whatthat is or not yet, now theycan experience it andmake the decisions.

“— Jason Barth, CEO, Premier Designs

Chateau

Style PREMIER DESIGNS ELEVATESEXPERIENCE CENTER ELEGANCE

by Jeremy J. Glowacki





From a 12-inch in-wall Crestron touchpanel inside a $300,000 kitchen, a potential client can control all of the technology within Premier Design’s 3,500-square-foot show home.

P h o t o s : B r e n d a

S t a

p l e s

P h o t o g r a p h y

D-Box supplied two Extreme chairs for



nearly everywhere in the building, from doors, to

trimwork, to the cabinets in both kitchens.

Yet the other product partners are hardly relegated

to the background. “We asked local companies tocome in and show us their best work, everything from

the wrought irons, to custom hand-pounded copper

sinks, to lighting features, to unbelievable flooring,”

Barth explained.

Leaving Less to the Imagination

Barth says he visualized the concept for the Centre about

three years ago after his eighth year in business as an

electronics integrator. Premier Design, which is part of

The Premier Group that includes Premier Custom

Audio & Video Inc., Premier Automation, Lighting &

Electrical Services, and Premier Custom Security Inc.,

already had a showroom in a prime location not far from

the Centre. But, Barth says, it was becoming outdated.

“You get in those old retail spaces, and it’s like a bowl-

ing alley—17 feet wide by 100 feet deep—and it was

tough to create a flow,” he explained.

Barth, who is primary owner of Premier with man-

aging partners Matt DeVore (VP of operations) andTay Bourquein (service manager), approached Moore

with his business model, noting the lack of technology

experience centers in the area. But he says his primary

motivation in creating the space was to simplify the sales

process for his clients. “We wanted our clients to not

have to take the leap of standing in a strictly technology

showroom and seeing a wall of speakers and TVs and

wondering how they were going to fit them into their

house,” he said.

Now, from a 12-inch in-wall Crestron touchpanelinside a $300,000 kitchen, a potential client can

control all of the technology within a 3,500-square-foot

show home that is decorated in a style they might

choose for their own home.

“It’s much more simple,” Barth said. “It’s realistic,

and they don’t have to make that leap anymore. They’re

kind of experiencing it in their own environment.”

Inside the Moulin Rouge Theater

Although the technology inside The Chateau Design

Centre is mostly blended into high-end custom décor,Premier finally lets the eletronics gear take center stage

behind the custom door of the Moulin Rouge Theater.

“The goal was to provide a prospective customer

with the ultimate home theater experience with all the

bells and whistles, properly executed in the right

environment, but also one that is reasonably scalable

to meet a variety of price points from $15k to over

$150k,” Barth explained.

The main equipment rack is a

Middle Atlantic 40-space access

rack housed in the front left cabinet.

The audio system consists of a

Lexicon MC12-DHD surround

processor and HDMI switch,

Lexicon amplification, B&W CT-

8.4s for left, center, right, and the

dual 15-inch subs with outboard

amplification. The rears are the

800 Series surrounds that are builtinto the four columns

There are two video systems

within the theater. “System A”

features a Stewart Filmscreen

CineCurve with native 2.40:1 image

area and a Runco VX-3000D

Ranier with Autoscope hung from

the ceiling on a Chief bracket and

extension pole. System B features a

Runco Q750i LED projector (hung

at the back of the theater, just below

the 3000i) and a Da-Lite Joe Kane

Affinity 103-inch custom-tensioned,

My iPad: Jason Barth Reviews the Control4 and Crestron Apps

Having had my hands on an iPad for

a full week now, I can tell you that I

am, in fact, addicted to it. The iPad-en-

hanced apps really take advantage

of the larger screen format and high-

er resolution and present content in

a simple and intuitive manner.

Anxious to run it through its paces

as a home automation touchscreen,

we tested it on both the Control4 and

Crestron platforms. It performed amaz-

ingly well as a Control4 navigator, providing most of the fea-

tures and benefits we have come to love from the Control4 stan-

dard GUI. The iPad “Control4 My Home” app is actually already

skinned to resemble the upcoming Control4 2.0 software re-

lease, introduced exclusively on the iPad even before their

touchpanels. That alone shows Control4’s commitment to the

iPad. While I feel the iPad interface is so nice that they may lose

seven-inch wifi panel sales, I think it will enhance the in-wall

panel sales as customers become more and more accepting of

touchpanels, and from a brand they already trust.

As a Crestron interface, the iPad comes up a bit short

compared to a native Crestron touchpanel in terms of res-

olution, speed, feedback, and graphical capability (this is a

testament to Crestron’s excellent touchpanel designs), but

I am confident they will continue to develop their mobile ap-

plications including the iPad, and expect it will certainly be

equally “at home” as a valuable additional user interface.

I had a chance to give my first client presentation utiliz-

ing my new iPad. We sat down at our showroom and paged

through the quote, room by room (Adobe Reader app). I had

a few web pages bookmarked with specific product info (Sa-

fari), and also a nice slideshow prepared of my portfolio

(photos look really impressive on the iPad). Once we got

through the system concept, I was able to demo the Control4

interface from the “Control4 My Home” demo app. The client

was seriously impressed. In the end, I would agree with many

of the early reviews that the iPad, especially at the $499

price point, is indeed a game changer.

—Jason Barth, CEO, Premier Group


the front row, and Acoustic Innovations

supplied its Traditional Style seats for

the back row of the theater.

1. Control4

My Home

2. Crestron

Mobile Pro (G)

3. Honeywell

Total Connect

4 . Kaleidescape 5. Skype

Premier Group CEO

Jason Barth

Barth’s Top-5iPad Apps

For more on the iPad, see pages 38 and 50.



HIDDENELECTRONICS

THE INTEGRATION GUIDE TO

SPONSORED BY

A SUPPLEMENT TO MAGAZINE

HIDDEN ELECTRONICS BUSINESS



CAMOUFLAGEManufacturers Continue to Seek HarmonyBetween Electronics and Home Decor

By Llanor Alleyne

As a trend, hidden electronics installations are nothing new, but the clever approaches used bycreative design professionals (manufacturers, interior and industrial designers, architects, etc.)

never fail to induce awe and respect. The implementation of this powerful camouflaging trick,

motivated equally by client demand, evolving home construction trends, and innovative indus-

trial product designs, has resulted in a niche market of its own—one that hasn’t gone unnoticedby residential systems contractors and manufacturers.

Over the past several years, creative manufacturers have delivered good-looking products that

address hidden installation needs without neglecting performance. Be it flanges, thinner brack-ets, or the application of custom colors, manufacturers have been taking notes and cues not only

from the architects and interior designers they increasingly partner with, but from integrators who

Enhanced Home Systems’ 1920s Sitting Room .......................................10DSI Entertainment Systems’ Modern Day Technology Playground .........12Product Highlights ...................................................................................14

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Jeremy J. Glowacki

Editorial Director

Llanor Alleyne

Contributing Editor

Phil Holtberg

Group Publisher

Gene Kinsella

Midwest Sales

Deborah Rosenthal

West Coast Sales

Zahra Majma

Specialty Sales

Steve Palm

President

Adam Goldstein

VP, Group Publishing Director

Anthony Savona

Editorial/Creative Director

Nicole Cobban

Senior Art Director

Todd Berkowitz,Annmarie LaScala

Art Directors

Adrianne Knapp

Graphic Artist

Fred Vega

Production Manager

Aaron Stone

Assistant Production Manager

Published byNewBay Media L.L.C.

810 Seventh Avenue, 27th Floor New York, NY 10019

Tel: 212.378.0400www.nbmedia.com

All names, trademarks, or brand names

used herein are the property of

their respective owners.

HIDDEN ELECTRONICS:BUSINESS

For BG Radia, line array technology, used to

reduce reflections off the floor and ceiling, is atthe forefront of its namesake series of in-walls.

ARTOF THE



are just as in tune to the demands and needs of

a sophisticated client base.“Everybody wants the stuff, but nobody

wants to see the stuff, and nobody under-stands how much stuff it takes to do the proj-

ect,” said Ryan Herd of integration firm, One

Sound Choice based in Pompton Plains,

New Jersey. “This presents a fundamentalproblem. We have hidden the electronics in

every place we can find: basements, attics, closet,

crawl spaces, and just about any place else you can

think of. Each place presents its own problem whether it is cooling problems, length of wire problems, or split

rack problems.”

SOUND SPACES

Can you remember the last time you’ve seen a large box

speaker sitting in high-end, luxury home? With innovations

in flange design and sound conduction, hiding speakers hasbecome a fundamental step in most residential integration

projects. Approaches to secreting away sound sources are

as varied as the designs employed to make the act possible.

Truly hidden installations are those that use surface materi-als such as sheetrock and drywall to keep the speaker com-

pletely out of sight. The obvious challenge with this approach

is the potentially unreliable sound quality, but in the past

couple of years this has become less of an issue as demon-

strated by invisible in-wall loudspeaker products from compa-

nies like Amina Technologies, Sonance,

Stealth Acoustics, Triad Speakers,MSE Audio Group, and others.

Triad’s entry in the category is its

new DesignerSeries. The five speakers

in the line are installed into standardsheetrock wall, and after that a thin mud

layer and paint, effectively removing them

from view. The line’s flagship DS500 has fairly

high sensitivity at 87db, broad treble dispersion,and, according to Triad, better projection than con-

vention cone speakers.

Designed to be skimmed over with up to 3/16 of an inchof plaster or drywall compound, Amina Technologies’ AIWX

in-wall speakers use rare earth magnets and “vibrational exci-tation” drivers to handle up to 80 watts of continuous power.

The drivers set up tiny vibrations in the panel that are trans-ferred through the plaster, paint, or wallpaper that is placed

on top of it, which then “excite” air molecules at the surface of

the wall and in the space until the sound reaches human ears.

The rigidly held perimeter of the panel means that the vibra-tions cannot cause cracking around the edge of the product.

Similarly, MSE Audio Group’s SolidDrive isn’t a speaker in

as much as it is a technology. Utilizing powered neodymium

PHILLIP AMPEL

Atlanta Audio Consultants

Marietta, Georgia

What are some of the most interesting hidden elec-

tronics requests that you have received from clients?

Some of the most interesting requests we receive are, “electronics-less

rooms.” The client wants to enjoy it, but not see all of the equipment.

What are your go-to products for creating and producing hidden

electronic projects?

Lifts, speakers behind the screen, and custom-built into-the-wall

equipment cabinets make that all happen.

How are “invisible” electronics providing new opportunities for

your business?

Our pitch here at Atlanta Audio Consultants is, “To take you truly into the movie and not feel like you’re still in your basement, we must create

a theater that has no distractions. The only thing that should grab your attention is the movie screen coupled with accurate, great sound.”

INTEGRATOR PROFILE

For this local installation, Atlanta Audio Consultants was told by the client tocreate a “realistic cinema.” To get around the fact that the house was notbuilt with a cinema in mind, Ampel’s team reframed the room’s wall to createthe ideal look. “They never thought the room could be transformed into

something so great,” Ampel said. “They expected good, but they got great.For some clients, it’s difficult to envision the end result.”

Featuring a motorized inner chamber to house

each speaker’s tweeters and woofers, DCS’s MTSeries is designed for easy adjustment for anoptimal listening experience.




magnets and dual symmetrically opposed motors to

convert audio signals into vibrations, the tranducer-type product can achieve frequency responses of

60 Hz to 15 Hz and can be used on drywall, wood,glass, ceramic, granite, metal, laminates, composites,

fiberglass, and more.

Stealth Acoustics has incorporated a new face-

panel construction to its Linear Response line of invisible speakers. “We’ve maintained our proven

core technologies of custom carbon-fiber motors and

traditional cone woofers, but have now incorporated

a new face-panel constructed of a specialized poly-metric material which creates a flatter and slightly

thinner panel surface,” explained Steve Olszewski,

VP of the company. “The result is an invisible speaker family that has more bass extension and smoother

high-frequency response than our existing FX series.”

FLUSH-MOUNT FUNCTIONALITY

Blending speakers into the environment is perhaps the most

often used hidden installation and has garnered tremen-

dous product support from manufacturers. Sonance, whose

designer-driven Architectural Series has received praise bymany industry outlets, uses what has become a standard

installation model: the flush mount. Combined with micro-

perforated trimless grilles, Sonance’s speakers precisely align

with the surrounding surface while complementing the size

and shape of high-end light fixtures, suc-cessfully blending into the environment.

“Since we work directly with the designcommunity, we generate specifications for

our products which we can bring back to

our dealer base,” said Danielle Jackson,

director of marketing for Sonance. “Wealso seek input from these designers to

help us design the best products. We are

driven by the quest to design an aestheti-cally beautiful space that incorporatestechnology seamlessly, and, in turn, helps

redefine the relationship between the

design community and the custom instal-

lation industry.”Sonance has taken the approach one

step further with the introduction of

TRUFIG, a flush-mounting system that

seamlessly integrates disparate devicesand technologies. TRUFIG products can

be installed in new and existing dry-wall construction, and its Solid Surface

Solution, which will be shipping shortly,

can be installed in wood, stone, and any

other hard surface.Sometimes, hiding a speaker is a simple as improving thelook and functionality of its grilles. SpeakerCraft’s NEAT (No

Edge Audio Technology) grilles allow integrators to con-

vert the company’s AIM range of speakers into a flangelessformat. Created to reduce the time needed for such instal-

lations, SpeakerCraft’s David Donald pointed to the technol-

ogy’s unique function in improving the look of speakers that

have already been installed.

“Since aesthetics are such a big partof our industry, giving the dealer another

option to improve the look of the speak-

ers is always a benefit,” Donald noted.“The fact that they are both easy and

inexpensive make the NEAT Grilles an

effective option when dealers are offer-ing solutions to their customers. Stocking

a few pair on the truck, an installer can

quickly and easily change the appear-ance of the speakers at the customer’srequest.”

FORM AND FUNCTION

Companies that are concerning them-selves with the acoustics of embedded

speakers include BG Radia, Polk Audio,

and Digital Cinema Sound (DCS), all of

who have focused their energies on formdesign.

For BG Radia, line array technology,

used to reduce reflections off the floor and ceiling, is at the forefront its namesake

series of in-walls. “The other primary ben-


Runco’s WindowWall is an ultra-thin profile video display that can be custom framed anddesigned to be a work of art itself.

Sonance has taken the “trimless” approach onestep further with the introduction of TRUFIG, aflush-mounting system designed to seamlesslyintegrate disparate devices and technologies.



efit of the technology is that a true line array decays at half the

rate over distance as compared to a point source,” said TonyWeber, the company’s national sales manager. “Coupled with

its very wide horizontal dispersion, this means that a muchlarger seating area can enjoy an even SPL level, both off-axis

and at greater distances from the speakers.”

Polk Audio has sought to bend the laws of physics by

mounting an oval woofer on an angled internal enclosureto reduce the cutout size of its Vanishing Series of ceiling

speakers. This design trick maintains the surface area of

a much larger round woofer, allowing a

5.25-inch speaker to produce a full-rangeperformance to rival that of 6.5-inch

speaker.

Featuring a motorized inner chamber to house each speaker’s tweeters and

woofers, DCS’s MT Series is designed

for easy adjustment for an optimal listen-

ing experience. “We developed the MTCmotorized speaker to be a part of a com-

plete home-theater/media-room experience,”

said Joel Youngberg, DCS’ director of sales.

“This experience is defined by extending the driver portion

of the MTC motorized speaker into the physical space of theroom. By directing the speaker to the listening area, the stereoimaging inherent in all surround sound movies and music is

reproduced better than by a static in-ceiling surround sound

system. Another feature of the MTC motorized speaker is itsability to hide in plain sight. The ‘wow’ factor of seeing the

speakers quietly emerging from the ceiling has to be experi-

enced to be believed.”

TELEVISION TRICKS

As a viewing medium with an off and on switch,

televisions are a more passive presence in a

space. Still, their boxy, blank surface, thoughfamiliar, can interrupt the aesthetic conti-

nuity of a meticulously designed space.

Media Décor and Draper are best known

for their TV-disguised-as-art solutions.

Polk Audio has sought to bend the laws of physicsby mounting an oval woofer on an angled internal

enclosure to reduce the cutout size of its Vanishing Seriesof ceiling speakers.




“Illusion Razor 2 Moving Art Frame System is our newest

product designed to elegantly conceal ultra-slim LED TVs froma variety of manufacturers,” said Media Décor’s sales and mar-

keting manager, Vanessa Perez Sayen. “The Moving Art Frameis designed to accommodate televisions measuring from 43 to

120 inches diagonally within its structure. Attached side panels

give the frame a finished look and, when mounted, it extends

only 2.375 inches out from the wall.”Utilizing an ultra-quiet Lutron drive system, The Illusion Razor

2 lifts out of sight into the top frame and scrolls back down over

the television, bringing with it a framed piece of artwork.

Draper’s newest addition to the category is the Fine Art for Flatscreens, which is a free-hanging, woven motorized tapestry

that is designed to cover a flatscreen television when not in

use. Available in a stunning range of fabrics and tapestries,Fine Art can be operated with a touch of a switch or wireless

controller and covers most screens up to 50 inches diagonally.

Runco, however, has taken a radical approach to conceal-

ing televisions by not hiding them away at all. The company’sWindowWall, an ultra-thin profile video display that can be cus-

tom framed, is designed to be a work of art itself and gives the

client a number of options for integrating it into living space.

Once assembled in the space, the WindowWall featuresan image-to-image gap of only 0.28 inches. Clients can

chose one of Runco’s reference configurations or apply other

unique configurations to create a large digital surface that

can follow the curve of a wall, span an entire portico or be

stacked to create a digital column.

CONTROL & ACCESSORIES

Further afield in the custom electronics integration project,

but no less essential to the homeowner is a swimming pool

security product, called SonarGuard, that is designed to

provide safety while remaining discrete. Installation of theproduct takes place during pool construction and is seam-

lessly engineered to provide complete detection throughout

the pool and/or spa. Small sensors are 14-20 inches belowthe water line and are color matched to the pool interior.SonarGuard can be integrated into the home automation

system and accessed on any home automation screen in

the house or as a standalone system. Audible alarms can

be enunciated through the AV system, leaving SonarGuardvirtually invisible. Instant detection and pool security is pro-

vided without cumbersome door alarms, isolation fencing, or

unsightly alarms on the deck.

It goes without saying that control systems are a kind of backbone for operating some discretely installed electronics.

Xantech, known for its IR-based control systems and influ-

enced by evolutions in home sizes and video technology, hascreated the DL IR receiver and IR Trim Color kit, a minimal

profile control unit that visually blends into any TV frame while

Noted by Herd as the perfect example of a “husband who would like to see theelectronics and the wife would not like to see anything,” this 1 Sound Choice instal-lation was solved by integrating racks in the basement theater. One rack runs thewhole-house audio/video system, while a second rack is dedicated to the theater and all other subsystems. “We showed [the clients] that we were flexible and costconscious, and that we understood their wants, as well as the renovation process asa whole,” Herd said. “They are now one of our best clients.”

RYAN HERD

1 Sound Choice

Pompton Plains, New Jersey

What are some of the most interesting hidden electronics

requests that you have received from clients?We have hidden the electronics in every place we can find; basements,

attics, closet, crawlspaces, and just about anyplace else you can think of.

What are your go-to products for creating and producing hidden

electronic projects?

First and foremost are the racks. Middle Atlantic products have everything

we need to produce a great looking and working system. Second, is the

control system we use. Control4 is our top choice in that we can monitor

every aspect of the system remotely and have it e-mail us and/or the hom-eowner if there is a problem…with the temperature of the equipment, for

one example of an issue.

How are “invisible” electronics providing new opportunities for your

business?

One Sound Choice has been a promoter of invisible electronics from

the start; from in-wall speakers to racks in closets. We believe there are

many advantages of this from either an aesthetic standpoint, room design

angle, or to a safety issue. Small children can’t knock over a speaker if it

is in the wall. Nor can they touch electronics if they are hidden away…we

once had a peanut butter sandwich shoved in a DVD player…needless to

say it didn’t play very well after that.

INTEGRATOR PROFILE





remaining immune to interference the TV can generate.

“As it became possible for TV’s to hang on a wall withoutsupporting furniture,” said Xantech’s Mark Cerasuolo, “the

demand to hide cables and control everything remotely hasnever been higher—and so the need for elegant, practically

invisible IR has never been higher.”

For clients who prefer to have AV furniture to tuck away

their electronics, Bell’O has been a consistent manufacturer in the category. Its PR-11 cabinet features a louver door that

hides a center channel speaker and offers room for addition

components or media storage. The tempered safety glass

doors also hid AV components will giving access to remotecontrol operation, while a removable back panel allows for

component access and easy installation.

Finally, for those who don’t mind having their televisionsbe a part of the décor, OmniMount’s Wall Boxes allows

integrators to mount the company’s range of cantilever

mounts into the wall, effectively concealing the mount and

leaving the viewing screen flush with the wall.“By creating a solution where the wall mount disap-

pears into the wall, the consumer is not only happy with

the advanced functionality of the mount, but the seamless

look as well,” said Tracy Knapp, national sales manager

for OmniMount. “Solution selling of mounts always helps

increase profits for the installer and helps make a long-termbuyer out of an end-user. OmniMount’s IWBs not only save

time and money during install it also creates a positive and

stylish home theater experience for the consumer.” ■

MSE Audio Group’s SolidDrive utilizes powered neodymium magnets and dualsymmetrically opposed motors to convert audio signals into vibrations.

XANTECH CORPORATION, SYLMAR, CA • WWW.XANTECH.COM

Invisible systems start with IRAnd IR starts with Xantech.

Infra-red is the backbone of some of the most advanced A/V systems today, and

a core technology in countless control applications. That’s too important a job to

trust to just anyone. Which is why, when it comes to IR control products, integration

professionals trust Xantech more than all the other brands combined. They depend

on IR to make their systems work - and they know the name Xantech stands for

dependable IR.

Xantech has over 130 unique IR solutions. Chances are one of them is perfect

for your next project. After all, your reputation depends on installing systems that

“get it right” the Àrst time, and every time one of them is turned back on. Why risk

using anything less than Xantech?

Solutions for every

conceivable IR application.

ISM4 - Intelligent System Management

technology keeps your systems up and running.



HIDDEN ELECTRONICS:INSTALL



Seamlessness between interior design and the electronics

that heighten the interaction between beauty and functional-

ity is one of the goals of hidden installations. For EnhancedHome Systems, Silver Technical Design Winners of the CEDIA

Awards 2009, a 1920s sitting room set the stage for a chal-

lenge hidden electronics installation.Asked to transform the period living space into a discreet

home theater, the Eden, Minnesota-based integration firm

had a number of considerations to take into account before

installing anything.“We were given space behind the theater in a bedroom

closet to hide the projector,” said Todd Fuzzey of Enhanced

Home Systems. “The wall was 12 inches of plaster and lath

and we had to redirect some HVAC ventilation in the wall.Though this sounded difficult it didn’t come close to the chal-

lenge of motorizing the client’s original artwork in front of the

projector opening in the wall. The client didn’t want a lift tobe built into the wall or to mount to the painting. We created

a custom lift using parts from a Lutron QED motor to motorize

the painting from behind the wall and conceal the projector.”

The motorized screen and left, right, and center front

speakers were custom built into the opening between

the sitting room and the adjacent room. Utilizing a closetbehind the sitting room, EH Systems was able to hide the

projector and all local AV equipment. The rear surround

speakers are transducers and are mounted in custom end

tables on either side of the couch. The sub is a Triad in-wall subwoofer that’s hidden underneath the couch. The

only wall penetration approved was for the projector from

the closet behind the sitting room. Using a custom lift cre-ated from parts from a Lutron QED motor to motorize the

painting, the integration was able to conceal the projector,

keeping the picture flat against the wall with only small wall

penetrations for the sleeves housing the cables attached tothe painting.

Fuzzey notes that, for EH Systems, coming up with unique

hidden installation ideas has become a portfolio builder and

is helping his team be increasingly creative in their work.“We have always practiced the art of hidden installation,”

Fuzzey said. “For many clients the integration of electronics

into the design/architecture of the project isn’t an option.We’re able to place electronics in locations owners never

thought possible.”

—Llanor Alleyne

ENHANCED HOME SYSTEMS’1920s SITTING ROOM

The motorized screen and left, right, and center front speakers were custom built into the openingbetween the sitting room and the adjacent roomin this installation from Enhanced Home Systems.



HIDDEN ELECTRONICS:INSTALL



West Hollywood-based DSI Entertainment Systems’ bachelor

pad installation is a wonderful example of the magic tricksintegrators are using to satisfy client briefs. Given the direc-tive to create the “ultimate bachelor pad,” Josh Christian’s

firm had to take into consideration the home’s cutting-edge

contemporary interior and architectural designs to effectivelydeliver a technology system to match.

“Since nothing in the house was “off the shelf,” our chal-

lenge was to use unique products that you do not see in

every installation,” Christian said. “We were challenged with

making the technology disappear without having any com-promises in system performance. No expense was spared to

achieve the unique visual look our client was searching for.”

Kitted out with fully integrated Crestron system that con-trols 20 zones of audio, pool and spa control, a Vantage

lighting system, 12 zones of HVAC, waterfalls, fountains,

two motorized TV lifts, 12 zones of distributed video, twosurround systems, a full 2.35 scope home theater, CCTV

systems, access control, and a full security system, the home

certainly was lacking in technology achievements. But for thefirm, major challenges included delivering the project in sixmonths and customizing a lift that would propel a 60-inch flat

panel out of the family room floor so that the home’s natural

views would not be obscured.

“The solution was a floor pop-up that would make the TV

completely disappear,” Christian explained. “The other sig-

nificant challenge was that we had a 60-inch plasma that wasroughly 38 inches high that needed to be at least 18 inches

off the floor. This required a lot of travel, which resulted in avery customized lift.”

DSI Systems reports that hiding electronics is growing

in popularity amongst its client base, which is made up of

people who would rather not have their electronics on fulldisplay. To accommodate that brief, DSI often employs a

cache of motorized lifts, screens, and modern flush-mount

speakers, including Sonance’s architectural speaker line, tocreate a seamless aesthetic.

“Most of our projects use a centralized audio/video dis-

tribution system to remotely locate the components, further

disguising the fact that there is any audio/video systems inthe room,” Christian said. “Other technologies we will use

are motorized artwork systems and invisible speakers such

as Sound Advance and Amina Technologies. There are many

clever ways to hide subwoofers, too; such as in-wall models

and James Loudspeakers’ PowerPipe. We like to work withinterior designer and have proactively suggested such hidden

technologies, much to their delight. It has become enough of

a popular installation category that we dedicated one of our Portfolio folders just to hidden audio/video installations.”

—Llanor Alleyne

DSI ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS’MODERN DAY TECHNOLOGY PLAYGROUND

For DSI, major challenges included customizinga lift that would propel a 60-inch flat panel out

of the family room floor so that the home’snatural views would not be obscured.

HIDDEN ELECTRONICS:PRODUCTS



SONANCE’S ARCHITECTURAL SERIES

Offering an exten-

sive range of fin-ishes, these flush-

mounted speakers

are available in witha broad and flexible

performance and

design solutions.Created specifically

with design enthu-

siasts in mind, the product line begins by offering custom-

ers and installers a selection of eight-, six-, or four-inchdesigns, each available in a choice of shapes: rectangular,

square, or round layouts. (The eight-inch models are three-

way designs with a four-inch cone coaxial mid/tweeter; the

others are two-way.) The round four-inch and square four-inch speakers are specifically designed to match today’s

most upscale flush-mounted ceiling lights. Next, the cus-

tomer or installer chooses the type of driver: Sonancereference-quality beryllium or carbon fiber driver sets are

offered based on desired performance specifications and

price point. Finally, the exterior finish style is chosen with

options for: trimless (no flange), trim (with micro-flange) or fascia (no grille and no trim), along with grille choices of

nano-perforated metal or cloth.

AMINA TECHNOLOGIES’ ALF40 BASS ENHANCER

SUBWOOFEREngineered and designed

to specifically comple-

ment Amina’s current

line of invisible speakers,

the ALF40 measures just14.2 x 5.3 x 6.3 inches

and weighs less than

seven pounds. A ported,

low-frequency enhance-ment sub, it provides extended

LF response for low- and mid-power

applications. As with the company’s SoundUnseen speakers,the passive ALF40 can be mounted within ceilings, floors,

and even furniture.

XANTECH’S DL IR RECEIVER AND IR TRIM COLOR KIT

The company notes that

infrared is a de facto tech-nology for invisible instal-lations and this minimal-

profile IR receiver with color trim kit is an example of the

latest in that vein; designed to

visually blend into any TV framewhile remaining immune from the

interference that TV can generate.

SONARGUARD SWIMMING POOL SECURITY SYSTEM

SonarGuard’s swimming

pool security system

has been designed to

instantly detect a child’sentry into the pool, pre-

serving the beauty and

design of the pool andthe homeowner’s peaceof mind. SonarGuard is professionally installed and virtually

invisible. The system will easily integrate with home automa-

tion and security. The expandable architecture of the system

allows any size or shape pool to be completely protected.

DRAPER’S FINE ART FOR FLATSCREENS

The motorized projection

screen manufacturer has partnered with Fine ArtTapestries to deliver 40

jacquard woven tapestries

as well as custom wovenPictureWeave tapestries

from digital photographs.

Logos can also be crafted

into full-color tapestries.

For seamless integrationinto room decor, Fine Art comes with a fascia that extends the

tapestry up to nine inches from the wall, and can be painted

or finished to match the room. Fine Art Tapestries are wovenreproductions of original works of art, and will cover most

flatscreen displays in sizes through 50 inches diagonal.

HIDDEN ELECTRONICS PRODUCT SHOWCASE

HIDDEN ELECTRONICS:PRODUCTS



MEDIA DÉCOR’S ILLUSION RAZOR-2

MOVING ARTDesigned to fit the new generation

of ultra-slim LED TVs, the Razor-2

accommodates screens from 43 to 120inches diagonally within its structure.

Attached side panels give the frame

a finished look and, when mounted,

it extends only 2.375 inches out fromthe wall. Over 2,500 works of art,

including limited-edition prints, areavailable on the company’s website.

Optional frames and art selections

are available at additional cost, or

clients can supply personal works of art that Media Décor will then printonto canvas—or, the company can

supply a blank canvas for an original

painting from the artist of their choice.The system is operated with the push

of a button on the supplied remote

control. When the TV is turned on,

the artwork is lifted out of sight intothe top of the frame by an ultra quiet

Lutron drive system; when the TV is

turned off, the artwork silently scrolls

back down over the TV screen creat-ing a beautifully framed work of art.

STEALTH ACOUSTICS’ LINEAR

RESPONSE SERIES

These new mod-els of the com-

pany’s invisible

speakers replace

its existing FX

and AX lines.Manufactured in

in-wall and in-

ceiling editions,

they incorporatea new polymetric

face-panel mate-

rial that provides a flatter front surfacearea, minimizing the need for the appli-

cation of plaster or fill material prior to

final finishing with normal paint, wall-

paper and other previously supportedfinishes. Requiring a minimum of 3.5

inches of depth for installation, the LRSeries is now more suitable for matingwith certain wallboard sizes used in

international markets, while power han-

dling has been increased to overcome

a slight loss of efficiency.

ᮣ Integrates with home automation and security systemsᮣ Provides immediate detectionᮣ Uses advanced military sonar technologyᮣ Is invisible to maintain backyard aestheticsᮣ Covers any size or shape pool(s)

RJE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. • Irvine, CA 92618 USA • Phone (949) 727-9399www.sonarguard.com • [email protected]

Add Swimming PoolSecurity to your Portfolio

Provide peace of mind for your client with the systemthat has already saved 9 children.

Add new revenue to your projects with SonarGuard®.Call us and we’ll tell you how!

Photo by www.aquaticconsultantsinc.com



motorized screen. This screen comes down in front of

motorized drapes that conceal the recessed Stewart

Filmscreen and stops right at the top of the cabinet

“The reason for this combination is that we can ef-

fectively show a fixed 16:9 image with a 16:9 DLP

projector, where the combo retails for less than $12K

with a spectacular image,” Barth explained. “But when

you add the masking and Stewart CineCurve features

with the anamorphic lens and Runco’s AutoScope,

we peak at a $40k combo.”

Both systems are controlled by a Crestron TPMC-

6x touchscreen with RF gateway talking back to the

main “house” AV distribution rack to a CP2E proces-

sor. Sources include a DirecTV HD-DVR, Vudu, a

Crestron ADMS, a Kaleidescape 1U Server

with 1080p Player, an Apple TV, and an LG

Blu-ray player with Netflix. In addition, a D-BoxMotion Processor for the Extreme chairs and

Motion Platform feeds from the Lexicon, and

Furman provides surge protection (an AC-215

for the projectors; an Elite-DM for the main

equipment rack along with the new Furman

F1500 Bluebolt battery backup with IP con-

trol). D-Box supplied two Extreme chairs for

the front row, and Acoustic Innovations pro-

vided its Traditional Style seats for the back

row, which is on a D-box Motion Platform. Au-

ralex provide room treatments and a fiber-op-

tic starry sky, and Liton three-in MR-16 can

lights are controlled by Crestron iLux control.

PLUNGING AHEAD,

DESPITE THE ECONOMY

Opening an enterprise as ambitious as The

Chateau Design Centre in the midst of the great

recession might have seemed like an unwise ideaa year ago, but Barth says he’s glad he didn’t

wait for the dust to settle before moving forward.

“To pull this off in the last 12 months puts us

leaps and bounds ahead of where we might be had we

struggled through this economy, maybe taken a few

years to recover, and then done it,” he noted. “Heck,

this could have been five years down the road, so I’m

incredibly proud that we have this now at this time.”

Premier also maintains 8,000 square feet of office

and warehouse space nearby, and Barth hopes to grow

that to about 12,500 square feet at some point.

But for now the focus is on the The Chateau Design

Centre and building a strong future with a loyal cus-tomer base.

“We’ve got fantastic clients right now,” Barth said.

“We’ve got, I think, a bright future, and this is going

to enhance that incredibly. We built this facility for what

we call our specialty consumers, our high-end resi-

dential consumers that desire an integrated system.

Whether they know what that is or not yet, now they

can experience it and make those decisions.”

Jeremy J. Glowacki is editorial director of

Residential Systems .

Jason Barth [standing, right] is primary owner of the Premier Group with

managing partners Matt DeVore (VP of operations) and Tay Bourquein(seated, service manager).

With its old-world European interior design motif, The Chateau Design Centre showcases high-end

systems integration gear, including NuVision flatpanels and Crestron control gear, artfully blended

with high-quality residential cabinetry, building products, and home furnishings.

More Online

To view Jeremy Glowacki’s video tour of The

Chateau Design Centre, led by Jason Barth,

visitwww.residentialsystems.com/may10.


When Retro



There are electronic systems contractors who

take pride in their retrofit integration expertise,

while others see it as a necessary evil in a

tough housing market. Fortunately, for both

groups there are now more and more new prod-

ucts that are designed to make their retro work

a little easier.

According to Brian Righetti, design sales manager at

Wilshire Home Entertainment in Los Angeles, retro-

fits have become the predominant type of project for

his company. “With the economy, people in Southern

California aren’t moving as much. We work with

builders for access to those homes where people are

choosing to remodel instead of moving,” he said.

And it’s not just the California market. David

Rodgers, owner of Dallas Sight and Sound in Texas,

has found that he, too, has been doing a greater num-

ber of retrofit projects. “We love retrofit projects,” hesaid. “Any installation challenges they might present

are outweighed by the fact that we have much better

control of the overall schedule of the project, and that

allows us to set more realistic expectations and deliv-

er on them without being dependent on other trades.”

Maryland-based Gramophone also has seen an in-

crease in retrofit projects due to market conditions. The

integration firm’s field account manager Andrew Davis

said that these projects can present difficulties in deter-

mining how to get proper wiring from room to room or

to a home run location. “From an install perspective, we

can wire anything,” he said. “However, at what cost and,

with the age of a house or construction methods, it

might require the need to patch and paint walls?”

But Davis has found that wireless mesh network-ca-

pable devices from companies such as Control4 and

Sonos can be effective when the project requires min-

imal wiring and sources can be pinpointed without

major expansion needs. But, he cautioned, that these

systems can be more limited than Gramophone pre-mier vendors such as Crestron.

“With Sonos, their product is really designed for

multi-zone musical enjoyment of streamed audio from

Sirius, Internet Radio, MP3s, and services like Pando-

ra. This might be perfect for the client, but when want-

ing to fully control the home theater or external devices

like a CD player or FM radio, it can be beyond its in-

tended design,” he said.

PRODUCTS YOU CAN USE TODAY

There are an increasing number of products being

developed with retrofit installation specifically in mind.

Ingersoll Rand’s Schlage LiNK is one such affordable

home-management solution that has been marketed as

easy to install and set up in existing homes. The system

is scalable, allowing for a variety of additional Z-Wave-

enabled devices to be added to the system after initial

installation. According to Steven Samolinski, solution

manager for Schlage LiNK, a single LiNK system willsupport more than 200 devices, including Trane’s

(also part of Ingersoll Rand) Remote Energy Manage-

ment Thermostat.

When Retro

is a Good FitNEW-HOME BUILDING SLOWDOWN FUELS ANINCREASE IN RETROFIT JOBS, NEW PRODUCTS

by Karen Sussman

Any installationchallenges areoutweighed by

the fact that we havebetter control of theschedule of the project,and that allows us toset more realisticexpectations and

deliver on them. “

— David Rodgers, owner,

Dallas Sight and Sound





Dan Ciupe, CEO of Chicago-based

Residential Networks, was

among the first to install

Russound’s Collage and has

found that the product has

helped him to target new clients

who are deciding to upgrade versus move, as well upgrade

existing clients who already

have basic systems to multi-

room systems. This is a model

“home” that he did in a 18-unit,

new-construction building.

Ciupe got the job after the

drywall was installed and there

was no existing wiring for an

audio system. Collage was the

perfect solution, he said.

Also on the security side is



Honeywell, which has been

focusing on wireless solutions

as a cost-effective way to

work with retrofit homes or

systems without the typical

costs or difficulties. Honey-

well recently introduced

video real-time monitoring

to its Total Connect line of

products. Home and busi-

ness owners can monitor and

view events or threats via

iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, orother smart phone. Addition-

ally, users can arm/disarm systems and be notified

when kids return home from school, water leaks occur

in the home, or when packages or house workers arrive.

Ryan Arp, owner of Enhance Living Solutions in

Chattanooga, Tennessee, has done some extensive

retro work, most of it with Control4. “We did some

strategic planning for the retrofits and broke the system

into modules or small racks scattered throughout the

house. This allowed us to only require a network wire

between the racks and made our fishing to the

displays/speakers pretty short. All the lighting was

Control4 as well,” he said. “I just picked up Sonos, and

that’s pretty much all I’m going to use now for distrib-

uted audio.”

Cory Plummer, owner of Home A/V Solutions in

Portland, Maine, says he’s not a big fan of retro, for

several reasons. “I’m not a good carpenter, drywaller,

or painter,” he noted. However, Plummer recently

become a Lutron HomeWorks dealer, and he’s

hoping that Radio RA will allow him to do more retro

lighting projects.

Lighting control has always been a logical choice for

retrofit projects, thanks to its use of wireless communi-

cation. LiteTouch, which was once heavily focused on

the new construction market, has introduced new prod-

ucts to support existing homes with no lighting control

and also LiteTouch owners who want to efficiently

add on guest rooms, closets, bathrooms, etc. to an

existing, wired system.

“By adding the LiteTouch C2000+ card to any

5000LC CCU, an ESC can gain the ability to add wire-

less communication into the existing system,” saidAngie Larson, vice president of sales at LiteTouch.

“Hybrid Wall Box Dimmers/Relays can be added to

any location not currently connected to the original Lite-

Touch system, allowing for whole-home control of all

locations regardless of specialty or conventional wiring.”

In addition to adding the wireless capability, the

LiteTouch System can be upgraded to include a new

FIVEk CCU, a modular card-based processor that de-

livers the latest functionality without the need to rewire.

Jeff Townsend, president of Big Sky HTI in Great

Falls, Montana, believes that the simplest products to

retrofit are lighting control products that utilize a

wireless mesh network such as ZeeWave or ZigBee.

“They are easy to install and are fairly inexpensive,

because they are a one-to-one replacement with

existing switches,” he said.

NUVO AND RUSSOUND ARE NOW SHIPPING

What really grabbed the headlines this past year werecompeting multi-room retrofit-focused audio products

from Russound and NuVo that both utilize existing

power lines to distribute an audio signal from room to

room. After a big build up, both products are finally

shipping to dealers and distributors.

Dan Ciupe, CEO of Chicago-based Residential

Networks, was among the first to install Russound’s Col-

lage and has found that the product will help him to tar-

get new clients who are deciding to upgrade versus

move, as well upgrade existing clients who already

have basic systems to multi-room systems.

“We have an existing client that owns a condo in

downtown Chicago,” Ciupe explained. “He had a De-

non receiver with four zones of audio, and also a sep-

arate surround system. We installed three Collage key-


Unique Home Solutions, of Cincinnati, installed NuVo’s Renovia,

which just started shipping in April, during the product’s beta-test

phase. These are photos of the project’s Site Analysis Tool at work,

along with the preliminary placement of the Renovia SourceHub.

Retrofit EconomicsAutomation Design + En-tertainment, in Portage,

Michigan, is doing moreretrofit work these days.

But the challenge withretrofit, says its presi-

dent Peter Cook, is thatmost ESCs have to do

three times the work for the same revenue.“Instead of just having one new construc-

tion project valued at $50,000, most dealersare now doing a new construction project at

$10-$15k and then two or three retrofit proj-ects for the other $35-$40k,” he said.

As a result, time management and labormanagement become serious business is-

sues. However, he said, you are able to getthem finished quicker, which helps cash flow

and gives the installation staff variety in theirpositions and the sense of accomplishment.

Cook says the easiest retrofit systems to workwith are from Control4 and Sonos.

Before and after pictures of a recent retrofit project from Big Sky HTI in Great Falls, Montana. Note the transformation from early 1980s family room to a more

contemporary media room with 5.1 surround sound, over-the-mantel LCD display, and computer workstations.

pads in half a day, no damage. We got rid of his old

receiver/speaker selector/IR kit, too. Now he has eas-

ier access to his music plus we added more audio

sources with metadata to his system.”

was either six zones or nothing.”

According to McCormick, his first Renovia instal-

lation was relatively flawless. “One thing great about

the Renovia product is that you can hide the double-

of retrofit work, mostly in historic homes. As a result,

he has learned some invaluable lessons that can help

to keep a retrofit project stay on schedule.

“Measure three times before you cut anything,”



So far Ciupe has found that Collage is robust,

with good communication over the power lines and

no failures. But, he worries, concrete walls could

present some challenges, as it would be too much

trouble to cut the walls and provide electrical power

and install speakers.

Ciupe was pleased with the clean installation, the

easy set up requiring no programming, the simple user

interface, and the ability for the client to troubleshoot

on his own. Next, he hopes to see an app that would

allow clients to control their system from an iPhone

or iPad.

Matt McCormick, sales manager at Cincinnati-based Unique Home Solutions, installed NuVo’s

Renovia, which just started shipping in April, during

its beta-test period. He was pleased with the flexibility

of the system.

“What’s interesting with this NuVo product is

that there’s no zone restrictions,” he said. “If you want

to put in four zones, great, then put in four zones. My

project was eight zones. In the past, with NuVo, it

gang box that has to house the amplifier very easily,

because you can use an outlet that’s behind a couch or

table in the room,” he explained. “Aesthetically it’s

really easy to do. That outlet doesn’t even need to be

in that particular room either. In this house, the garage

shared a wall with the family room. So rather than put

that double-gang box in the family room, we just

flipped it around backwards and put it in the garage.”

The Renovia install only took two days, for an

eight-zone system, according to McCormick. “We

came very close to making it a one-day project, and

we had one installer there, because our electrician was

willing to pull both low-voltage and line-voltagecable for us. Usually if we would have done eight zones

of audio in someone’s house, we would have had

two installers there for four to f ive days, pulling wire

and possibly cutting more drywall.”

Despite these positive product developments, retro-

fit often comes down to practical experience and com-

mon sense. Bob Lydecker, owner of Lydecker & Co.,

in Providence, Rhode Island, does a significant amount

Lydeck said. “Always drill tiny test holes and scope

out what’s in the wall first. Remember that however long

you estimate the job will take, it will always take longer.”

Karen Sussman is a freelance writer

in Carmel, Indiana.

More Online

For installation specifics on NuVo’s Renovia

systems, check out the company’s how-to video

at: www.residentialsystems.com/may10.

Living



Two years ago, prominent private theater

designer Theo Kalomirakis, founder of TK

Theaters, and his VP of sales and marketing

James Theobald envisioned putting together

a collection that would capture the essence

of those custom elements that define the “TK

signature,” making it easier and more cost-

effective for installers and contractors to

build elegant and inviting home theaters.

The result is TK Living, a distinctive brand carry-

ing the imprimatur of Kalomirakis and CINEAK,

the Sausalito, California, home theater seating

company founded by Alvin Hellemans.

The collection features innovative specialty prod-

ucts such as acoustically transparent designer fabrics,

unique architectural lighting fixtures, luxurious car-

pets, and a variety of one-of-a-kind accessories that

include poster displays, decorative speaker grilles,exit signs, theater-door hardware, and more.

CEDIA EXPO 2010 attendees will get the first

full look at the collection in the September, but a

sneak preview was revealed last month at the gala

showroom opening for the custom installation

company SEAL Solutions, in Islandia, New York.

SEAL’s showroom/theater features one of TK

Living’s theater styles,

utilizing many of the

items offered in theline. It highlights

cost-effective con-

struction, design, and

engineering, accord-

ing to Kalomirakis.

Three Theater

Designs Available

TK Living’s proprietary finishes

and accessories are sold exclu-

sively through the CEDIA

channel to end-users and de-

signers. “This allows custom

installers to sell to the end-

users the elements that look

as good as in the pictures,

and if there is a designer in-

volved, he buys the elements

with a built-in markup,”Kalomirakis noted. “If a client

comes in without a designer, the

dealer makes the whole margin.


g

Large by Karen Mitchell

This suite ofproducts lets othersdesign theaters

on their own, knowingthat we’ve taken the R&Dresponsibility outof it for them.

“— James Theobald, VP of sales and marketing, TK Living

TK LIVING EXPANDS MARKET FOR DESIGNER FABRICS,

FIXTURES, CARPETS, AND ACCESSORIES

The TK Living

collection features innovative specialty

products such as

acoustically trans-

parent designer fabrics,

unique architectural

lighting fixtures,

luxurious carpets,

and a variety of one

of-a-kind accessories

that include poster

displays.



back flair. Our carpets and

acoustical fabrics—our most

Former Navy SEALPartners with TK Living

The April 8 grand opening



Our concept is to allow designers to share in the

profits, so they don’t do the design incorrectly.”

TK Living makes the three theater designs available

for custom fitting into the client’s home. “For a charge,

we can take the design and stretch it to fit a roomperfectly, and we provide the package documents to the

builder,” Kalomirakis explained. “Our elements bring

acoustical fabrics our most

proprietary elements—don’t

look like burlap. And our grilles

are long pieces, six feet high,with pre-designed columns.”

Partnering with CINEAK

TK Living’s Theobald, who

has worked with Kalomirakis

since 1996, boasts a design

background that serves him

well in his capacity as TK

Living’s vice president (Helle-mans is president), and, in

fact, personally designed

CINEAK’s Bruges chair.

“I thought about launch-

ing a collection on my own,

but it became apparent that the requirements were too

great,” Theobald recalled. “Rather than a joint

venture, TK Living is a 100-percent new company with

partners from both TK Theaters and CINEAK.”

Kalomirakis and Theobald are based in New York and have always been service driven, offering architec-

ture, interior design, and engineering. “We’re not

set up to be a product delivery

business even though we often spec

products into our drawings,”

Theobald said. “I had a strong

relationship with Alvin and I liked

the way CINEAK did business;

they had an established network of dealers and reps and that was a

big part of the puzzle. I didn’t even

consider anyone else.”

Fabrication is the Hard Part

The partnership itself was the easi-

est part, according to Theobald.

The biggest challenges came

because TK Living’s products are

unique, have specific engineering features, and would be needed in

relatively small quantities.

“We had to go and see vendors,

often revisiting them, and discover-

ing some in small-town America,”

Theobald said. “We needed ven-

dors willing to spend the time with

us to help develop the products that

often require sending things back and forth dozens of time for testing

and engineering.”

In a harsher financial climate, it

can be redundant for many companies, including builders and architects, to hire a design firm, but with

TK Living, they can rely on their established home the-

ater design history and perhaps win some projects that

would otherwise be on hold or be lost, Theobald says.

“This suite of products allows us to let others design the-

aters on their own, knowing that we’ve taken the R&D

responsibility out of it for them. For example, our

acoustical fabric line has been rigorously tested.”

GETTING THE WORD OUT

Theobald says that TK Living will eventually advertise

its collection, but will market through its rep and deal-

er network first. “I was getting tremendous feedback from

dealers back in September when all we had was column

grilles and fabrics along with the concept,” he remem-

bered. “We’ve come a long way since then. A lot of deal-

ers were running into technical problems with design-

ers, builder, and architects already hired by clients. TK

Living gives dealers unique designer-grade engineeredmaterials without affecting AV performance.”

The collection, Kalomirakis says, does not com-

pete with the high-end clientele needs of TK The-

TK Living’s James Theobald (left) boasts a design background that serves him well in his capacity

as TK Living’s vice president. TK Living carries the imprimatur of Kalomirakis and CINEAK, the Sausalito, California, home theater seating company founded by Alvin Hellemans (right).

p g p g

of Long Island’s SEAL Solu-

tions featured an exclusive

sneak preview of the newTK Living line of architec-

tural detailing products,

acoustical fabrics, seating,

lighting and other acces-

sories created by Theo

Kalomirakis.

SEAL Solutions was

founded by former Navy

SEAL Chris Wyllie, to offer

complete custom instal-lation services, including

architectural design,

construction, systems

integration, and more to the New York metro

area. Wyllie has had a life-long passion for

electronics. He graduated from the U.S. Navy’s

Advanced Electronics School and has a CEDIA

Level One Installer certification.

“I wanted to instill our business with the

pride and professionalism I learned in the Navy,”Wyllie said. “In today’s challenging economic

times, a business has to provide customers with

the highest levels of quality, service, and value.

Our affiliation with Theo Kalomirakis and with

top-level manufacturers, and the opening of

our new showroom reflect SEAL’s commitment.”

—Jeremy J. Glowacki

TK Living founder Theo

Kalomirakis (left) with

SEAL Solutions founder Chris Wyllie, during SEAL’s

grand opening in Islandia,

New York, last month.




aters. “The tradeoff with TK Living is that you don’t

get a grille that nobody else has,” he said. “We don’t

bastardize our custom pieces; we just make available

the elements that have made our theaters look attrac-

tive, without the design fee. This brings to CEDIA well-

Expanding the Market for Home TheaterTK Living is an effort, in part, to reach out to consumers

who have the perception that it is prohibitively expen-

sive to do a custom theater because of the design



More Online

For PDF copies of TK Living’sfour brochures, focusing onaccessories, carpet, and lightingproducts, visit www.residentialsystems.com/may10.

thought-out and well-designed pieces that the average

consumer finds in good stores for the rest of the house.”

Karen Mitchell is a freelance writer based inBoulder, Colorado.

sive to do a custom theater because of the design

fees, Theo Kalomirakis says. In addition, it makes avail-

able exceptional elements to those clients who have

the desire and resources to create their own theaters.

“At one time, designers were intimidated about un-

dertaking home theaters on their own,” he said. “It’s a

specialty to make sure that the acoustics worked prop-

erly, etc. Everybody doing home theaters went to CEDIA, and CEDIA professionals referred

them to companies that specialized in theaters. If the project was high-end, they called us.”

In the current economic climate designers think twice before inviting a third party to

design a client’s theater, so they often try to do it themselves, creating competition for

the CEDIA market, Kalomirakis says. “What’s disappointing is not that CEDIA and TK The-

aters lose ground, but that designers don’t know much about the engineering aspectsand how finishes may negatively impact the performance of the room. For example, they

look for nice expensive fabrics to put in front of speakers, thereby hindering acoustics

and negating the technology.”

Eventually, Kalomirakis says, designers will catch up. “But right now it’s a challenge.

Consumers lose that edge that CEDIA brings to the table. We decided to create a line that

appeals to designers, so designers will want to work with CEDIA, not exclude it.”

—Karen Mitchell

SEAL Solutions’ showroom features an exclu-

sive sneak preview of the new TK Living line of

architectural detailing products, acoustical

fabrics, seating, lighting, and other accessories.



Internetworking

Apple’s Game Changer makes sparkling cover art a “must have” when looking at your music collection.

2. Sp

e

ed and er

g

onomics. The iPad is only 0.5 inches thick, a mere 1.5lb, fast,

d f l Th h i i f d



I believe that the launch of the Apple iPad

last month will be regarded as a watershed

event in the custom installation industry.

We all know that the success of the

iPod and iPhone platforms can be

directly attributed to their gorgeous,

intuitive interfaces for the navigation of

music and communications. The iPad

will have the same effect on the home

control industry.

I would anticipate that within 12

months (if not much sooner) Crestron,

AMX, Lutron, Control4, Savant, ELAN,

Exception Innovations, HAI (you namethe home control company) will have a

rich Apple iPad interface as one of the

key control platforms in their software

offerings, and our clients will love them.

In fact, I predict that clients that were

previously lukewarm about our total home control offerings will rethink this

decision and now opt for these control solutions because of the beauty and

elegance of the home control interface running on an Apple iPad.

THE APPEAL OF MULTI-TOUCH

Two years ago my company, cyberManor, witnessed the compelling effect that

a web-enabled multi-touch screen can have as a home control interface when

we introduced the Windows-based HP Touchsmart to the family members in

our Ultimate Installation competition home. The new iPad offers the same rich

graphical interface on a much less

expensive platform.

I have already specified mul-

tiple iPads on some of our larger

Control4 jobs, where each willsit in a chargeable cradle in a giv-

en room or zone displaying the

family photos in standby mode.

Once they are picked up by our

client and rotated into a land-

scape position they will display

the Control4 touchscreen display.

Here’s why the iPad will become the home control device of choice:

1. The screen. It has a gorgeous 9.7-inch LED back-lit display. Applicationicons, photos, and album cover art leap off the screen. Plus, for those over 45,

the large letters and icons are fabulous. Album cover art is back! This display

and powerful. The touchscreen is responsive, fast, and super easy to use.

Navigating a large music collection is much improved, and the ability to search

for tracks, artists, and albums is much more effective with the larger keyboard.No one will mind holding this device to find and play their favorite music.

3. Apps. We all know there are tons of apps, but what is emerging is the num-

ber of applications for the home—lighting, temperature control, digital content

management, whole house, you name it.

In the future, I believe that the iPad will have a USB port, adding to its

configurability as a controller, and, I hope, for IR control. Expect the iPad to

continue with additional features and functions.

My client and local entrepreneur Jeff Tedesco of ReadyToPlay tested the iPad

applications for Sonos control and as a control device for iTunes. Both the Sonos

and iTunes applications (free downloads) now enable users to navigate music witha full-screen user interface, which is a significant advantage over the iPod Touch

or iPhone. The iPad’s screen size, speed, and the ability to type in searches via a

large keyboard make it a highly usable control pad.

A POTENTIAL SNAG

The one shortcoming encountered in using the iPad for home control is that if

you push the home button you end up back in the home screen and then have

to tap the icon for the control application again. So there are often a few taps

before you are controlling your system. It’s also annoying to have to unlock the

screen just to tweak a volume control. My hope is that someone is alreadyworking on a software fix for this.

As our economy begins to rebound, the Apple iPad may just be the “shot

in the arm” that will

renew the vigor and

health that we have

always enjoyed. It

has never been a

more exciting time to

be a custom electron-ics integrator. Thank

you Apple.

Gordon van Zuiden([email protected]) is president of cyberManor in Los Gatos, California. cyberManor has already specified multiple iPads on some of its larger Control4 jobs. Once they

are picked up by the client and rotated into a landscape position, they will display the Control4

touchscreen display.


The iPad Brings Affordable Elegance to Home AV IntegrationB Y G O R D O N V A N Z U I D E N

More Online

While Sonos does not have

an iPad-specific app at this

time, it is being evaluated

for a possible future re-

lease. Apple has stated

that the iPad will run al-most 150,000 apps from

the App Store. This means

that the current Sonos Controller for iPhone should

work with the iPad without any problems. Visit

www.residentialsystems.com/may10for a video

demo of the current app.

“The iPad’s screen size,

speed, and the ability to type in searches via a large keyboard make it a highly usable control pad. ”

For more on the iPad, see pages 24 and 50.



ProductReview

Philips

Pronto Touchscreen Control




Touchscreen remotes are, after all, equal parts consumer

electronics device and custom installation service, to an

extent that far exceeds most products in our industry.

Give two different installers the task of programming a remote as complex as Pronto’s TSU9800 Home

Control Panel, and chances are they will each come

up with something quite different even for identical

systems—perhaps radically so.

No matter what they come up with, though, chances

are it will be more flexible and more powerful—not to

mention a whole lot easier to program—than it would

have been a couple of years ago. Just before the orig-

inal introduction of the TSU9800 a year ago, Philips

also unveiled Version 2 of its ProntoEdit Professional

(PEP2) software, which incorporated the suggestions

of custom installers and continues to evolve and expand.

The software’s Quick Start Wizard, for example,

makes the process of starting a new project from

scratch easier than ever. After selecting a system’s

worth of components from the Philips database anddeciding upon a set of default activities, PEP2 builds

a rough, but fairly comprehensive, control interface for

you, complete with most of the macros and pages

you would need in a typical system. Sure, a bit of

tweaking needs to be done, but the Wizard gets most

of the laborious busywork out of the way quickly

Macros can also be stored and reused quickly and

easily, as can complete GUI templates. Amazingly

enough, I was able to build a complete control solution

for my media room from scratch in just a few hours,

without ever attending a training session and with only

minimal reliance on the software’s help menus. You

Concerns

Kudos

Product Specs

The TSU9800 and updatedProntoEdit Professionalsoftware make for agreat mid-to-upper levelcontrol solution.

ProntoEdit softwaredoesn’t really allow formore nuts-and-bolts-levelmacro programming…and although Philips haspartnered with Atlanta-

based Only 1 Remote tooffer an updated,downloadable IR databasethat is much easier tonavigate than its own, it stillis limited to only newer andmore popular gear.

Features a 6.4-inch VGAtouchscreenCan connect to wireless

home network and beassigned a dedicatedIP addressProgramming is done

via ProntoEdit

Professional softwarePrice: TSU9800: $2,499.99;

RFX9400: $399.99

B Y D E N N I S B U R G E R

800.531.0039www.pronto.philips.com

Perhaps the most confounding idea in all of quantum physics is wave-particle

duality—the concept that all matter and energy exhibits properties of both parti-

cles and waves. The idea has been borne out time and again by numerous exper-

iments, it’s central to Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, and it makes a really

good analogy for advanced touchscreen remote control systems. Bear with me…

Its extra mass makes the TSU9800 much more

stable and easier to use when docked in its

glowing, transparent charging base.



ProductReview

Sonos

Zoneplayer S5 Multi-Room




Sonos has five system components, the CR200 color

touchscreen ($349), the BR100 ZoneBridge ($99),

and three ZonePlayers, the ZP90 ($349), the ZP120

($499), and the new S5 ($399). A system can be as

simple as one ZonePlayer or scaled up to 32 separate

zones in any combination of ZonePlayers utilizing an

unlimited number of controllers.

Beyond the super cool CR200, with its so-sexy 3.5-inch, 640x480 color touchscreen, Sonos offers a

free iPhone/iTouch app that virtually clones the

CR200 experience and desktop control software for

both PC and Mac.

The ZP90 is unpowered, with analog and digital

(coaxial and optical) outputs for connection to an

amplifier or powered speakers. The ZP120 includes

a 55-watt/channel amplifier. The S5 is a complete

solution, packaging digital amplification and five

speaker drivers together.

Sonos assumes that modern listeners stream their

music from the digital cloud or networked drives, and

from that standpoint, there isn’t much that Sonos

can’t handle. It plays MP3, iTunes Plus, WMA (includ-

ing purchased Windows Media downloads), AAC,

Ogg Vorbis, Audible, Apple Lossless, FLAC, WAV,

and AIFF files. Beyond that, it also supports gazillions

of Internet radio stations, Last.fm, Napster, Pandora,

Rhapsody, and Sirius Internet Radio. Additionally, an

analog source can be connected to any Player, and thenlistened to in any zone. It’s safe to say that with a Sonos

system, your client will never run out of music.

Installation is incredibly simple, which is one of the

reasons why it does so well in the DIY market. How-

ever, installers could utilize Sonos as a replacement for

a rack full of gear in a typical home-run wiring install,

either by replacing the amps with ZP120s, or by us-

ing the existing amps with ZP90s. The S5 can augment

unwired rooms or be a perfect solution for portable lis-

tening in outdoor areas.

The actual install takes four simple steps:

1 Connect at least one ZonePlayer or the Zone-

Concerns

Kudos

Integrators can utilize Sonosas a replacement for a rackfull of gear in a typicalhome-run wiring install,either by replacing the ampswith ZP120s, or by usingthe existing amps withZP90s. The S5 can augment

unwired rooms or be aperfect solution for portablelistening in outdoor areas.

Bass distortion and cabinetvibrations could be an issueat higher volume, whichis something that might

be problematic if using asingle S5 to supply a poolparty’s audio.

Since 2005, Sonos has been delivering affordable and easy-to-install systems that

distribute music wirelessly throughout a home. They also developed a control

system that is both shockingly cheap and actually fun to use. But even though

Sonos is often targeted to do-it-yourselfers, installers should consider making

room for it in their bag of tricks.

Sonos has five system components, the CR200

color touchscreen, the BR100 ZoneBridge, and

three ZonePlayers, the ZP90, the ZP120, and

the new S5. A system can be as simple as one

ZonePlayer or scaled up to 32 separate zones

in any combination of ZonePlayers utilizing an

unlimited number of controllers.

p y

Music SystemB Y J O H N S C I A C C A

800.680.2345

www.sonos.com

Bridge via Cat cabling to a port on the network router.

This hardwired device will then automaticallycreate

the SonosNet, secure encrypted, peer-to-peer,

wireless 802.11n mesh network that other players will

communicate on.

2 Power up and connect the other ZonePlayers.

feedback for everything—that I will narrow my

focus down to three really standout things. First is

queuing up music and creating playlists. Most sys-

tems just won’t let you do this from a controller and

your queue can contain music both from your library

and Rhapsody and/or Napster (if you subscribe

light enough to easily move from around the home.

And with the Sonos Twitter app, you can tweet

your friends and followers, keeping them posted on

your current music tastes.

I’ve reviewed nearly every audio distribution

system, and the Sonos is one that never fails to



Each additional player can be wired Ethernet or

WiFi. A nice feature is that all Players have two Eth-ernet ports, so they can be connected via hardwire

while still providing a connection for another device

like a NAS drive or a Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player.

3 Install the Sonos Desktop Controller soft-

ware on your PC or Mac. Besides being a full

system controller, it also scans up to 16 drives for

compatible music files (libraries up to 65,000 songs

are supported).

4 Add any controllers—either CR200 or

iTouch/iPhones—to the system.

At this point, the system is ready to go.

A distributed audio system’s sound quality is

unquestionably important, however usability and

ergonomic design are often more critical. Sonos

users will primarily use the CR200 or i-interface,

both of which are so incredibly well-designed and

intuitive that someone can pick them up and start

enjoying the system almost instantly.

There are so many things to love about the con-troller—terrific graphics, quick response, metadata

after the 30-day trial). Next is browsing music. I have

8,500 songs in my library, and Sonos let me searchor power-scroll with a finger slide through an A-Z

list or sweep though pages of your music. Finally is

the ease of jumping from room to room and join-

ing rooms to create multiple areas of synched audio.

Sonically, the ZP120 is a competent amplifier, on

par with mid-priced, six-source/six-zone powered

systems, including a subwoofer output for adding bass

to a particular zone. The ZP90’s digital output was

superior—more detailed, focused, and tight—than

its analog out, no doubt because the DACs in my

processor are far superior. The S5 sounded surpris-

ingly good, playing much deeper than I expected. I

placed it in my kitchen, and it definitely filled that

space with rich sound, proving it would be a terrific

addition to a desktop or master bathroom. As I

pushed the volume to its northern limits, bass start-

ed distorting and cabinet vibrations became an issue,

something that might be problematic if using a

single S5 to supply your pool party’s audio. It alsooffers a headphone jack for private listening and is

impress me and which I continue to judge other

systems against. With its quick install time, terrificuser interface, free iControl app, and incorporation

of so many music sources, installers should

embrace it as a solution for customers looking for

a terrific audio-only system.

More Online

To see how Sonos works and to

view the S5 in action, visit

www.residentialsystems.com/may10

PeerReview

Sonance

Cinema Series B Y J O H N P A L S E R




How do you rate the Sonance Cinema Series?I would give Sonance a 10 for the Cinema Series

lineup. They are a fantastic performer and extreme-

ly versatile at their price point.

For what types of installations is

this line best suited?

I first tested the in-ceiling product in my own family

room and was blown away by the performance. Since

then, I have specified the in-ceiling product in sever-

al family rooms where good sound is important but

cabinet space is at a premium. The speakers almost dis-

appear, but their sound quality can’t be missed. I also

like to use the in-wall product in dedicated theater

rooms behind fabric walls. With as good as they look,

it seems like a shame to cover them up, but they work

great in these rooms when budget is a concern.

Describe the feature set of the line.

There is a range of products in the Cinema Series line-

up, including in-wall, in-ceiling, and cabinet models,

and they all sound great. They can be mixed and

matched to fit the application. These speakers come

with an integrated backbox and the “visual perform-

ance” look that has gone over so well with our clien-

tele. This is a great lineup of sur-

round sound speakers at a

great price point.

What features wouldyou like to see

changed or added?

I would love to see

Sonance expand the

line to more of a lux-

ury price point. They

have a great founda-

tion and need to build

on it. An Architectural Se-

ries version would also be a

welcome addition.

Product Specs

Micro-trim grilles give theCinema Series a clean,sleek appearance.Cinema Ceiling LCR features

custom-designed drivers,crossover, and full MDFenclosure combine toreproduce wide dynamicrange film soundtracksand music.Cinema LCR is a symmetrical

array, allowing it to bepositioned vertically orhorizontally without acompromise in performance.It is available in twoconfigurations: the LCR2/SUR2

four-woofer design for thelargest home theaters, and theLCR1/SUR1 two-woofer designfor home theater designs up to3,000 cubic feet.The Ellipse in-ceiling LRCs

can be placed anywherefrom 8 to 18 feet/The Ellipse speaker features

Sonic Eye and FlexBartechnologies.The Ellipse SUR in-ceiling

surround speaker provides

diffused surround sound forhome theater applications inan elliptical footprint.

THE REVIEWER…

John Palser of the Echo Tech Group Inc. (402.334.4900,

www.echotechomaha.com) in Omaha, Nebraska, has

been a Sonance dealer for five of his 10 years in the

custom installation industry. He says he has always

been intrigued by technology and is always seeking

a new challenge. His company has evolved over the

years to specialize in designing systems of the high-

est performance while working within the aesthetic

constraints of designers and our clients.

IN HIS OWN WORDS: “It is thrilling to see a large sys-

tem come together and have a client amazed at how

easy their home is to control. We can allow our clients

to control so much, so effortlessly when they expectto be confused and frustrated with electronics. Sim-

plifying technology for our clients is very rewarding.”

800.582.7777

www.sonance.com

ClassifiedsP R O P O S A L S O F T W A R E



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NewProductsSI’s new Performance Motorized III projection

screen now includes the latest Somfy quiet motor tech-

nology and the company’s “Easy Set” vertical stop

memory, which allows user adjustment of the upper

and lower limit settings anywhere within the 24 inches

of black drop. In addition to the 36 rpm Somfy motor,

other features include a built-in 12-volt trigger and IR




gg

remote. It is available in 16:9 for screen sizes of 80, 92,100, 106, 110, 119, and 133 inches and in 4:3 for

screen sizes 77, 84, 90, 96, 100, 110, and 120 inches,

both with SI’s Gamma HD screen material.

NuVision is offering its U Color

Service to enable consumers to match the color

of their TV's chassis to suit any décor.

Available on the 55FX5LS for an MSRP up-

charge of $1,499 (in addition to the standard

purchase price of the TV), the U Color is a

special order option that requires additional

production time. NuVision also has introduced

the 55FX5LSM LED/LCD that features a

mirrored finish on the screen. Highlighted byan aluminum frame, the 55FX5LSM functions

as a mirror with the TV switched off, and as a

premium TV when activated (available in

June for an MSRP of $7,499.)

QVS’s new HDMI Portable Video Pattern

Generator has been designed for testing

HDTV displays and projec-

tors for color and resolu-

tions. It has 34 test pat-

terns, 48 timings from

640x350 to 1920x1200

to HDTVs 1080p,

built-in audio, and an

HDCP signal tester. It

features what the com-

pany says is an easy-to-

use on-screen display,

offers up to eight hours

on its rechargeable bat-

tery, and has a universal

power adaptor.

HAI has developed a 1.3 Mega Pixel Mini Dome IP Camera that is

designed to send real-time streaming video to various devices, includ-

ing being viewed at home or over the Internet on a PC, OmniTouch

5.7e, or OmniTouch 10p. It is also visible on handheld mobile devices

such as a PDA or Smartphone (or other device running WindowsMobile using HAI Snap-Link Mobile or HAI WL3). Additionally, it

can be viewed on an iPhone without any additional software.



Crestron’s HD-TX3-F and HD-RX3-F transmit-

ter/receiver pair are designed to extend uncompressed

HDMI, analog audio, Ethernet, USB HID, and control sig-

nals up to 1,000 feet over single multimode fiber. The pair

supports HDMI 1.3a with Deep Color and 7.1 channel

lossless audio, manages EDID and HDCP, handles resolu-

tions up to 1920x1200 and 1080p60, and are compatible

For more information on all of these products,visit residentialsystems.com/may2010



with both DVI and DisplayPort Multimode. They are bothhoused in enclosures with provisions for mounting to any

flat surface or on one rail of an equipment rack. According

to Crestron, the HDMI-over-fiber transmitter/receiver

pair requires no special configuration or programming.

ZeeVee’s new ZvBox 170 is the compa-ny’s lower cost system ($1,499) for distributing

HD video and digital signage signals. It joins the

company’s flagship ZvPro 250 and ZvBox 150

products, creating a good-better-best product

and pricing assortment. The ZvBox 170 is a

rack-mount, fan-cooled HD encoder/RF mod-

ulator that distributes VGA and component

video sources as an HDTV cable channel over

existing coax to standard HDTVs. Set up has

been simplified through the use of newly devel-oped front-panel controls (no PC is required).

Intelix DIGI-HD-8X8 HDMI Twisted Pair MatrixIdeal for residential and commercial installations, the Intelix DIGI-HD-8X8 combines a professional-

grade HDMI matrix with Intelix's industry-leading twisted pair extenders. Each system provides eight

HDMI inputs, eight HDMI outputs, and eight twisted pair outputs. A built-in touch screen delivers

front panel setup and control, and third-party control systems integrate via RS232, Ethernet or IR.

Intelix • 866-4-MATMIX • www.intelix.com • [email protected]

Log on to www.resmag.hotims.com for more information.

HAI’s NEW Music Gateway stores thousands of songs and provides aportal to your entire home!

Using an OmniTouch 10p or 5.7e Touchscreen, select your favorite music by artist, title, genre, or

playlist. View album art and other meta-data. Access not just your music, but your entire home with the

included WL3! Record & play videos from IP cameras based on motion, alarm, door open, etc.

HAI • 800-229-7256 • www.homeauto.com

Log on to www.resmag.hotims.com for more information.


Product Spotlight

May 2010Volume 11, Number 5

EDITORIAL

Jeremy J Glowacki Edit i l Di t

ResidentialSystems

COMPANY NAME PAGE TELEPHONE #

Advertisers Page # Telephone #

American Power Conversion 11 888.289.APCC

AdIndex



Jeremy J.Glowacki Editorial Director

Llanor Alleyne Contributing EditorJeremy Burkhardt, Dennis Burger, Sam Cavitt,Dave Chace, Mike Detmer, Anthony Grimani,

Michael Heiss, Richard Millson,Karen Mitchell, John Sciacca,

Karen Sussman, Gordon vanZuidenContributors

SALES & MARKETINGPhil Holtberg Group Publisher, 212.378.0413Gene Kinsella Midwest Sales, 773.857.5944

Deborah Rosenthal West Coast Sales, 212.378.0473Zahra Majma Classified Advertising Sales,

212.378.0433ART & PRODUCTION

Nicole Cobban Senior Art DirectorAnnmarie LaScala Art DirectorFredVega Production Manager

CIRCULATIONAnne Drobish Associate Circulation Director, Audience

Development

Michele Fonville Circulation Coordinator

Telephone: 888-266-5828 (U.S.A. only, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.est)

978-667-0352 (outside the U.S.) Fax: 978-671-0460E-mail: [email protected] Web:

MyRESMag.comSubscriptions: Residential Systems P.O. Box 1067, Lowell,

MA 01853

NEWBAY MEDIA CORPORATESteve Palm President & CEO

Paul Mastronardi Chief Financial OfficerJoe Ferrick Vice President of Web Developemnt

Denise Robbins Group Circulation DirectorGreg Topf IT Director

Jack Liedke ControllerRay Vollmer HR Manager

NEWBAY MEDIA SYSTEMS GROUPAdam Goldstein Vice President, Group Publishing

Director

Phil Holtberg PublisherAnthony Savona Editorial/Creative Director

Jeremy Glowacki Editorial DirectorRob Granger Web Editor

Ragan Whiteside Web ManagerAshley Vermillion Web Production Specialist

Published by NewBay Media L.L.C.810 Seventh Avenue, 27th FloorNew York, NY 10019Tel: 212.378.0400 Fax: 212.378.0470

E-mail: [email protected] and permissions: For article reprints, please contact

ourReprint Coordinator at Wright's Reprints: 877-652-5295

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Postmaster: send address changes and inquires toResidential Systems P. O. Box 1067 Lowell, MA 01853.

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Simply point your Web browser toward www.resmag.hotims.com and select

the products you are interested in. Plus, if you subscribe to the ResidentialSystems eNews, you can also get monthly alerts that list all the new products

found in the latest issue.

e ca o e Co e s o 888 89 CC

AMX 9 800.222.0193

Arlington Industries “7,34,37,51” 800.233.4717

Autonomic Controls 15 914.598.1647

Crestron “5,52” 800.237.2041

Inca Corporation 41 310.808.0001

Intelix 33 866.4.MATMIX

Linear 21 800.421.1587

LiteTouch 31 1.888.LITETCH

Middle Atlantic Products 19 800.226.7225

NuVision 25 877.738.7641

Pakedge 10 877.274.6100

Panamax 36 800.472.5555

Parks Associates 47 972.490.1113

PPC 13 800.800.6652

RTI-Remote Technologies 17 952.253.3100

Russound 2 800.638.8055

Stewart Filmscreen 35 800.762.4999


GoingForward

Community Commentary:Will the iPad hurt



Will the iPad hurt your controller sales?

Scott Sullivan is

founder and

president of

SoundVision, a home

and commercial

electronics and technology

integration firm in Novato,

California. Because he’s an

outspoken member of the industry,

whose own blog appears at

www.svsf.com/blog/ , RS asked

him for his thoughts about the

iPad’s potential impact on the

CEDIA channel. Here’s how he

answered our question:

“I do not think it will help me sell

10-inch touchpanels, [but] I think

the iPad is great for the consumer. It

will give them a platform they are

comfortable with, that they can

leverage to perform much of thefunctionality we see from more

complex systems.

“As an industry we will need to

continue to re-invent ourselves to

bring the next round of technology

to the consumer.

“I think the iPad may open the

door for clients to think about

adding additional controllable

features like lighting control, CCTV,

access control, additional zones of

audio, etc. All of these systems willneed to be wired and installed. It

will also give us an opportunity to

install higher performance

networks so the platform can

operate more effectively.

“I am a ‘glass is half full’ kind

of guy, so I will look for the

opportunities.”

For more on the iPad, see pages

24 and 38.

More OnlineLike what you see here fromCrestron? Visit residential-systems.com/may2010 tosee more from their onlineproject gallery.


Crestron was the first to introduce an app designed to trans-form the Apple iPad into an integrated home control sys-tem. Control4 and Savant quickly entered the mix, as well. Consumers in a Control4-enabled home can access

lighting, temperature, music, video, security systems,and web cameras from an Apple iPad using the compa-ny’s My Home app. Later in the year, homeowners willbe able to use Control4 My Home in conjunction with aControl4 4Sight remote monitoring subscription to turnlights on and off, lock or unlock doors, or access IP videocameras and security systems from the Internet. Savant Systems’ ROSIE 4i iPad app includes a built-

in demonstration mode that will enable a special“Example User Interface” showcasing Savant’s iPad

application. Company founder and CEO RobertMadonna foresees that the iPad, coupled with Savant’scontrol and audio/video distribution hardware, will rev-olutionize every segment of the control industry, the firststep in making advanced Apple-based home automationaccessible to the mid-level consumer.Crestron says that that its “native” ipad app soon

will be available from the Apple iTunes store. TheMobile Pro G application will come pre-loaded with astandard graphic template, and supports user-definedinterfaces as well. If a Crestron dealer has its ownbranded interface being deployed on touchpanelsthroughout the house, the same look and functionalitycan be used on the iPad.

The iPad ComethControl4, Crestron, and Savant Have Already Made Apps

for Apple’s Hot New Toy — Should Others Follow?

Newbay Residential Systems May.20.2010

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