Stampede Named A North American Distributor of Vaddio EasyUSB MAC & PC Video Conferencing Tools

In a move designed to dramatically expand the market for soft client conferencing system solutions in virtually all end-user vertical markets, Vaddio Inc. and Stampede Presentation Products, Inc. today announced that, effective immediately, Stampede will serve as a North American distributor of Vaddio’s recently introduced EasyUSB video conferencing tools.  The announcement was made by Vaddio VP of Sales Tom Mingo and Stampede President & COO Kevin Kelly.

“The market introduction of EasyUSB created a new standard for computer peripherals based on professional AV quality performance,” Vaddio’s Tom Mingo said today.  “Stampede, with its proven expertise in every segment of the IT conferencing market, is uniquely qualified to represent the capabilities of the EasyUSB tools.”

Amplifying this point, Stampede’s Kevin Kelly noted that Stampede dealers now can offer a viable high quality conferencing option to customers who do not want to invest in a traditional video conferencing system.  “Vaddio’s EasyUSB is a game-changing product line that allows dealers to offer a compelling cost-effective way to build an enterprise-quality video conferencing system with affordable soft codecs like Microsoft Lync, Skype, Face Time, and Google Talk. Together with our other video conferencing solutions, specifically those from Sony and Radvision, Stampede now offers an unprecedented range of offerings for all applications, platforms, and price points.  What’s more, every one of our system solutions comes backed with the necessary engineering expertise and product knowledge required to make every solution we sell an easy turnkey experience for customers.”

Introduced in March 2012, the Vaddio EasyUSB line of video conferencing tools brings to market the IT VAR and ProAV quality computer peripherals IT professionals need to transform their personal computer into an effective, affordable meeting room system for environments that range from a small video conferencing system all the way up to a large integrated lecture capture classroom.  The line includes an HD USB PTZ camera, a USB audio mixer/amplifier, USB microphones, and a web based room control system.  The solution also includes an AV bridge that allows legacy and traditional AV systems to connect to the audio and video inputs on computers through a USB connection.

Furthermore, Vaddio’s EasyUSB tools are based on UVC/UAC USB standards, eliminating the need for custom software drivers or a particular OS to be installed on a MAC or PC – so they work seamlessly with any soft client conferencing system including Skype, Google+, Scopia, Movi and Microsoft Lync, as well as lecture capture software systems such as Tegrity and Panopto.  When added to a MAC or PC, the combination of EasyUSB tools creates a complete group conferencing solution that allows users to engage in any type of collaboration and conference activity. 

About Vaddio

Vaddio is the leading manufacturer of specialty PTZ cameras and camera control systems used in the audiovisual, videoconference and broadcast industries. Your customers demand cutting-edge technology that’s simple to use. You want equipment that’s easy to install and reliable to operate. Vaddio serves integrators and operators alike – with broadcast-quality PTZ cameras and control systems that deliver the performance you need with the convenience you demand. For more information on Vaddio and its product lines, visit www.vaddio.com.

About Stampede

Known for its value-added distribution, Amherst, New York-based Stampede is the leading distributor of presentation equipment including LCD/DLP projectors and flat panel displays. Stampede provides a complete range of brand name presentation equipment to a variety of audio/video, computer, and home theater resellers and integrators in the United States, Canada and Latin America. These resellers rely on Stampede for value-added services in distribution, marketing and solution- based sales. Stampede annually produces the “Big Book of AV,” an 816-page catalog and companion website (www.BigBookofAV.com) providing hundreds of sales, installation and spec tips for Stampede’s dealers in addition to product details on more than 5,000 SKUs. For more information on Stampede, log onto www.stampedeglobal.com.

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Calgary-based Integrator Creates 'Holodeck' Experience Room with ELAN g! and Xbox with Kinect

For more information visit www.elanhomesystems.com and www.creativetsi.com.

East Hampton Builder Takes the Speculation Out of Spec Home Building with the ELAN® g! System

Homebuilders today have to consider all of the amenities and features that homebuyers are looking for in a new home, and speculating can be a risky endeavor.  Spec builder and New York City designer Jeffrey Rosen has teamed with partner builder Gerard Mingino to take the speculation out of spec home building by installing the ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System in every home he builds.

“Both of the spec homes I built in East Hampton include the ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System,” Rosen said, “and I have found it to be a great selling feature, particularly in this busy world for owners with multiple properties.  I have two more unique post and beam homes under construction in East Hampton that will feature the ELAN g! System, and I know that potential buyers will love the system, and I bet some people will even expect it.  When building a new home today, it would be foolish to not include a complete home control system that puts all the lighting, heating, TVs, home audio, security and irrigation systems right at your fingertips.  Having the ultimate in convenience, flexibility and ability to upgrade far outweighs the upfront cost to prewire during construction.”

The two homes Rosen has completed include integration of up to 10 zones of audio, six distinct lighting zones, HVAC for the entire home, a home theater and the security system.  One of ELAN g!’s biggest selling points for Rosen is that all of this can be controlled simply and quickly on an iPhone from anywhere in the home, or anywhere in the world.

“These homes are about 5,000 square feet, and today’s buyers simply don’t have time to walk around the home to adjust the heat, air conditioning and lighting every day,” Rosen continued.  “They want to be able to set it up before they arrive and shut it all off with one button when they leave.  We installed one in-wall touchscreen and an iPad for the kitchen counter, which helped keep the cost of the system low, and then we offer buyers the mobile app for their smartphones.  Once they purchase the home they can add more touchscreens, more audio zones, pool and spa controls, irrigation controls, and so much more.”

Rosen worked with a local electronics systems installation company, Distinctive Home Systems, to design the standard package for his homes.  An important factor in choosing the ELAN g! System for the spec homes was that it is one of the easiest systems to expand and customize once the home is sold.

According to Jason Lepsis of Distinctive, “I think Rosen is on to something with making the ELAN g! Systems standard rather than trying to sell buyers on it afterwards.  People don’t want to just buy a house, they want to buy the home of their dreams, and an entertainment and control system is a relatively inexpensive way to make his homes better than all the others.

“Buyers don’t have to decide if they want it, they don’t have to hear about different systems, they just walk in and start using it.  The ELAN system is probably the best one available for spec installs because there’s no learning curve at all.  It’s so simple that it won’t scare anyone away, and once they tour the home and start using it, any other home they tour just won’t seem up to snuff.”

Rosen is the latest builder to make the ELAN g! System standard for new homes, following homebuilders in locations as diverse as Canada and Florida.  With the home control market expected to nearly double by 2016, more and more homebuyers and homebuilders will begin to expect high-quality, affordable, reliable and easy-to-use home control systems as a value-added part of any new construction.

The ELAN g! Control System provides users with the most uniform and intuitive icon-based control from their favorite devices including TVs, touchscreens, touchpads, PCs, iPhones and iPads. The standardized interface works across platforms, so that the trendy g!Mobile app users love on the iPhone appears and works similarly on ELAN touchscreens, valets and handheld remotes as well as users' televisions and mobile devices. And the system's IP backbone makes it just as easy to control the system from across the room - or across the globe.

Individual "apps" for each subsystem allow the user to control security, climate, lighting, media, irrigation, pool/spa, messaging, video and photos with the flick of a finger. Access is fast and secure through any ELAN home interface or globally with mobile Internet enabled devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Netbooks and PC Tablets. Since the intuitive interface empowers users with personalized scheduling and detailed history views, high consumption subsystems like lighting and climate can be closely monitored and managed for a greener lifestyle - and substantial energy savings.

About ELAN Home Systems:

Since 1990 ELAN® Home Systems has been an industry leading manufacturer of innovative, award-winning Multi-Room audio/video systems. ELAN systems were the first to integrate audio, video, phones and third-party products to create a seamless, easy-to-use "whole house" solution. ELAN systems and products are distributed through a comprehensive channel of select Dealers and Distributors throughout the United States, Canada and more than 58 countries worldwide. ELAN Home Systems is part of The AVC Group.  To learn more, visit www.elanhomesystems.com.

Take1 and InfoComm Team Up To Help Member Companies Protect Against Theft And Insurance Fraud In Special August 8, 2012 Webinar

Underscoring the growing threat that theft and insurance fraud poses to its member companies, InfoComm International®, the leading non-profit association serving the worldwide professional communications industry, is teaming up with its only endorsed insurance provider, Take1 Insurance, to host a special webinar on August 8, 2012 at 1 p.m. EST. 

According to Scott Carroll, Executive Vice President of Take1 Insurance, the webinar entitled “Trust but Verify” will carefully examine a real-world 2011 Take1 insurance claim in which a film equipment rental company took every precaution with a new client and still had $255,000 worth of equipment stolen.

The webinar will explore the extensive actions this company took to protect themselves and how the highly sophisticated deception against them unfolded. Carroll will explore why equipment rental providers should consider taking some of these same precautions even though, in this case, they weren’t enough to prevent the theft.

In January 2011, the Miami, Florida based rental company, HD House, had $255,000 of high-end video production equipment stolen by a new customer who they thoroughly vetted.  HD House was understandably shocked when they learned that this customer had stolen the identity of a reputable UK film producer, going so far as producing false identification and taking out a real insurance policy in order to commit fraud.  Because the client bought his own insurance with the intent to commit fraud, it didn’t cover the theft. 

Luckily for HD House they had signed on with Take1 just 90 days before the theft, and within hours of submitting their claim the wheels were turning on what ended up being a full payment of $255,000.  HD House’s previous insurance provider would only have been obligated to pay $140,000 of the loss, and may have even tried to deny it completely.

 “This kind of fraud happens more than people like to think,” Carroll emphasized today,  “and InfoComm takes this issue very seriously on behalf of its membership.  This InfoComm webinar will provide business owners with advice and insight on how to protect against fraud and equipment theft by sophisticated thieves who use forged documents and can even impersonate foreign businesses.  Take1 and InfoComm want to make sure that every business has the tools and knowledge required to recognize suspicious clients and prevent theft or fraud before it happens.”

To register for the August 8 webinar, or for more information, please follow this link.

Take1 Insurance is the endorsed insurance provider of InfoComm International®, the leading nonprofit association serving the professional AV communications industry worldwide.  Take1’s specialty program has designed inland marine coverage, among other specialty coverages for the entertainment industry, that automatically applies everywhere in the world, without the need for additional riders or endorsements.  It eliminates co-insurance, thus protecting 100 percent of the insured value of the equipment covered; provides automatic replacement cost valuation; allows for separate limits in key individual coverage areas like owned equipment, equipment rented from others, equipment in the insured’s Care Custody and Control (CCC), and equipment in transit; flood coverage for equipment in transit; and blanket limits that eliminate the need for clients’ to itemize each and every piece of equipment, cable, LED panel, etc. being covered.

About InfoComm International®

InfoComm International® is the leading nonprofit association serving the professional AV communications industry worldwide. Founded in 1939, the association offers industry expertise and market research, serving the press and others seeking information about the industry.  Through activities that include tradeshows, education, certification, government relations, outreach and information services, InfoComm promotes the industry and enhances members’ ability to conduct business successfully and competently.

About U.S. Risk Insurance Group
U. S. Risk Insurance Group, Inc. (www.usrisk.com) is a specialty lines underwriting manager and wholesale broker headquartered in Dallas. Operating 11 domestic and international branches, it offers a broad range of products and services through its affiliate companies, which include U.S. Risk Underwriters, U.S. Risk Brokers, Oxford Insurance Brokers, Ltd. (London), Advocate Reinsurance Partners, LLC, and Unisource Program Administrators.

DigiPower Introduces 'ChargeCard' - The World's First Credit-Card Sized Portable Power Solution That Fits In Your Wallet Or Purse

Underscoring its commitment to providing mobile technology users with convenient charging solutions that are easy to use while on-the-go, MIZCO International (www.mizco.com) today introduced its new DIGIPOWER ChargeCard for Smartphones and iPhones, a portable battery pack and charger that offers smartphone and iPhone users the opportunity to quickly charge their devices while away from conventional power sources without having to carry a bulky battery pack or a mess of tangled cables.

 

The new high-capacity battery pack is only the size of a credit card, making it not only the world’s thinnest and lightest portable power product, but makes it possible for the user to store the charger inside their wallet right alongside their credit cards and other essentials. According to DIGIPOWER President Maurice Mizrahi, the new product offers a practical solution to a common problem.

“We all know the frustration that comes with being away from an outlet and having your Smartphone lose power,” said Mizrahi. “Our new ultra-compact charger features a high capacity battery pack, and is available for all USB micro cable Smartphones and devices, as well as the Apple iPhone, making it possible for everyone to get a quick charge (25% more battery power) when it’s needed urgently.” 

Both the Smartphone and iPhone models of the ChargeCard include a fold out USB cable that connects to the user’s device, as well as a single button to turn the charger on and off, and sport a leather look finish, in black, red, and white.  The Smartphone compatible model, a 680mAh mini power pack, provides users with an extra 2 Hours of talk time on their device.  Weighing only .1-ounce, the Smartphone ChargeCard is only 3.25-inches long, 2-inches wide, and only one-eighth of an inch thick!

The Apple iPhone compatible version, a 720mAh mini power pack, offers users two additional hours of talk time, weighs just 1.2-ounces and is less than ¼ “inch thick.

About Mizco International 

Headquartered in Avenel, New Jersey, Mizco International (www.mizco.com)

is one of the world's fastest growing suppliers of mobile phone headsets

and accessories, as well as imaging and iPhone power solutions.  Founded

in 1990, Mizco markets products under the Cellular Innovations, DIGIPOWER, iEssentials, Travelocity, and Ecko Unltd. brands.  The company currently offers more than 1,000 products through a global dealer network.  For more information on Mizco and its product offerings call 1.800.266.4026 or visit www.mizco.com.

Colorado's 'Sculptured House' Is Now A Real-Life House Of The Future With The ELAN g! System

Woody Allen’s 1973 sci-fi comedy, “Sleeper”, introduced the world to futuristic home technologies like The Orgasmatron, The Orb, and robots that could easily be impersonated by a short guy in a cheap suit and a plastic helmet.  The set piece for this home of the future was “The Sculptured House”, an already-famous Colorado home designed and built by architect Charles Deaton.  Now, almost 40 years later, the home’s newest owner has transformed this piece of American pop culture history into a real-life house of the future with a completely integrated ELAN g! Home Entertainment and Control System!

 

When Larry Winkler bought the house in 2010, he wanted to it to be a true model for the future.  That meant making it more eco-friendly, updating the interior and installing a home entertainment and control system that would allow him to control the entire home from his iPhone.  And while there’s no robot butler or Orgasmatron (the tube is actually an elevator!), there is a Star Trek-style command center, a set-it-yourself bowling lane and the ELAN g! System that controls the lights, heat, air conditioning, whole home audio and video, window shades, security and surveillance systems.

“When I first purchased the house I had Excel Energy come out to do a heat and air flow analysis, and it turned out that the home lost 62 percent of its energy every hour,” Winkler said.  “That’s more than double what the average house loses, so I replaced doors and installed electrically-heated windows, added insulation and installed new highly efficient heating and cooling units to make the house much more eco-friendly.  But the glue that holds everything together and really allows me to maximize my energy efficiency is the ELAN g! System.  I’ve set up lighting, heating and cooling schedules so there is no energy wasted, and when I leave I can shut down basically the whole house with the touch of a button on my iPhone.”

Ron Winne and Jeff Kirkham from Vision Systems, Inc. integrated eight TVs (one in a 5.1 home theater), six audio zones, 13 climate zones, an HAI security system, a slew of stationary and PTZ IC Realtime surveillance cameras both inside and outside the home, plus more than 100 Lutron Homeworks QS lighting loads into the ELAN g! System, giving Winkler instant control of every major system in the home. 

Before he even chose a control system, Winkler had a vision for his home electronics that involved a uniquely designed, decorated, and LED-lit addition underneath the home.

“I had Ron and Jeff from Vision Systems help me design and build a real-life command center that borrows from the aesthetics of the Starship Enterprise,” Winkler said, “Besides the fun sci-fi aspect, the room’s four HD TVs let me have a 360-degree view of every system in my home.  ELAN g! is the central nervous system that runs the house and this command center was a fun way to show it off.” 

 

Beyond the pop culture history of the home and the sci-fi aspects of the design, Winkler is excited to finally have a home entertainment and control system that is truly easy to use.  And with seven ELAN TS2 in-wall touch panels, an ELAN HR2 remote for the home theater and iPhone and iPad apps, he can control the system from anywhere, at any time.

“A lot of companies use the term user-friendly, but ELAN g! is one of the only products I’ve found that really follows through on that promise. The most amazing thing is that my 5-year-old granddaughter can walk in and use the system without even asking me any questions.  This is how friendly home automation should be.”

In addition to the home’s central systems, the custom installation pros at Vision Systems also programmed Winkler’s g! System to monitor the boiler temperature and efficiency, and automate the snow melters on the roof (a must have in Denver).

‘The Sculptured House’ was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2004 and has been featured on MTV’s “Extreme Cribs” and HGTV’s “Home Strange Home”.

The ELAN g! Control System provides users with the most uniform and intuitive icon-based control from their favorite devices including TVs, touchscreens, touchpads, PCs, iPhones and iPads. The standardized interface works across platforms, so that the trendy g!Mobile app users love on the iPhone appears and works similarly on ELAN touchscreens, valets and handheld remotes as well as users' televisions and mobile devices. And the system's IP backbone makes it just as easy to control the system from across the room - or across the globe.

Individual "apps" for each subsystem allow the user to control security, climate, lighting, media, irrigation, pool/spa, messaging, video and photos with the flick of a finger. Access is fast and secure through any ELAN home interface or globally with mobile Internet enabled devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Netbooks and PC Tablets. Since the intuitive interface empowers users with personalized scheduling and detailed history views, high consumption subsystems like lighting and climate can be closely monitored and managed for a greener lifestyle - and substantial energy savings.

About Vision Systems, Inc.:
Vision Systems Inc., founded in 1995, was an early pioneer in providing full-service home & business technologies including structured wiring, security & surveillance, audio/video systems, home theater design and installation, lighting control and complete home automation and integration systems.  The company provides convenient and professional one-stop shopping for all homeowners’ and business owners’ low voltage needs and services.

About ELAN Home Systems:

Since 1990 ELAN® Home Systems has been an industry leading manufacturer of innovative, award-winning Multi-Room audio/video systems. ELAN systems were the first to integrate audio, video, phones and third-party products to create a seamless, easy-to-use "whole house" solution. ELAN systems and products are distributed through a comprehensive channel of select Dealers and Distributors throughout the United States, Canada and more than 58 countries worldwide. ELAN Home Systems is part of The AVC Group.  To learn more, visit www.elanhomesystems.com.

Stampede Helps Lumina Motion Create One-Of-A-Kind 3D Mapping Events For Two Audi Car Launches

Proving that it continues to meet the increasingly diverse and precise needs of the of the ProAV market, Stampede Presentation Products, Inc. recently helped Lumina Motion create two spectacular 3D mapping events for the official launches of the Audi A6 and Audi Zentrum in Santiago, Chile.  According to Lumina Motion President Gonzalo de la Barra, Stampede is an indispensible partner that has allowed the company to keep up with growing demand for complex 3D mapping events.

“Our development and design teams are the best at what they do, so we expect our business partners to live up to that standard,” de la Barra said today. “As a provider of virtually every ProAV product imaginable, Stampede consistently exceeds our expectations in terms of product selection, advice, shipping speed, reliability and support.  Our business is growing, and Stampede has helped us maintain our stellar record of delivering exactly what each client requests, every time.”

The audiovisual team at Lumina Motion was hired by Audi to create show-stopping 3D mapping events for the two separate launches of the new A6 and Zentrum models.  Both events required more than three weeks of development and design to create both the physical display surfaces and promotional videos to maximize the visual impact of the 3D mapping technology. 

The A6 launch featured a real, full-sized Audi A6 car on a custom built ramp and backdrop, with the car completely enveloped in a flexible projection material.  The entire set up was compact enough to travel to four different launch locations including shopping malls and restaurants.  Lumina Motion utilized two Christie DHD800 projectors to display a dazzling video that covered every visible inch of the car and stage. 

For the Zentrum launch, the company used an adhesive to apply a white vinyl material to cover the side of a building (54m wide by 9m tall).  For this one-time presentation they deployed eight Christie DHD800 projectors, in stacks of two, to cover the entire building façade in striking high-definition video.  The entire setup process, including detailed calibration and exact positioning of the projectors, required four nights of testing and resulted in a picture perfect execution.

According to de la Barra, “3D mapping is becoming a popular way for brands to create jaw-dropping product launches that can be attended by thousands of people and attract a lot of media attention.  In situations like this, every detail must be perfect, which is why selecting the right equipment is as important as having our trained professionals perform the calibration and equipment placement on site.  Stampede always gives us good advice on the best equipment to use for each audiovisual presentation we do, and we look forward to a long and profitable relationship with them.”

Stampede continues to grow its industry-leading product catalog, which now includes nearly 1,000 pages of ProAV solutions to satisfy every need.

“Stampede has always, and will always, provide the latest products to both large and small ProAV companies on schedule and wherever required,” said Stampede CEO Mark Wilkins. “Innovative content creators and production companies require a vast assortment of products, and we are proud to have more products in our 2012 Big Book of AV than ever before.  Lumina Motion is a leading-edge live-video event producer, and it is exciting to play such a vital role in their unique and consistently phenomenal presentations.”

Lumina Motion is a development-oriented team that specializes in next generation audiovisuals and experiential marketing solutions, including Interactive, 3D Mapping, Beamvertising, 360° Indoor Projection and Monumental Projection solutions. They develop custom products for advertising, events and communication in general.  They handle their own techniques that make it possible to give life to buildings and elements, producing a unique experience for viewers. As of June 2012 Lumina Motion will start operations in California to serve the U.S. market. For more info visit www.luminamotion.com.

About Stampede

Known for its value-added distribution, Amherst, New York-based Stampede is the leading distributor of presentation equipment including LCD/DLP projectors and flat panel displays. Stampede provides a complete range of brand name presentation equipment to a variety of audio/video, computer and home theater resellers and integrators in the United States, Canada and Latin America. These resellers rely on Stampede for value-added services in distribution, marketing and solution-based sales. Stampede annually produces the “Big Book of AV,” a nearly 1,000-page catalog and companion website (www.BigBookofAV.com) that provide hundreds of sales, installation and spec tips for Stampede’s dealers in addition to product details on more than 5,000 SKUs. For more information on Stampede, log onto www.stampedeglobal.com.

Niles® Appoints Products Solutions Groups And Product Solutions West To Serve As Canadian Distributor

Niles®, The First name In Custom Installation®, today announced that Product Solutions Group will be the Canadian distributor of all Niles audio products starting July 3, 2012.  The new Canadian distribution agreement will enable Niles dealers all across Canada to benefit from selling superior quality products supported by a commitment to just-in-time delivery that the custom installation industry demands and deserves.

Product Solutions Group and Product Solutions West are among Canada’s leading distributors of custom installation products and have been distributing Niles’ associated brands ELAN® and Sunfire® for more than a decade.  According to Jim Peebles of Product Solutions West, the Product Solutions West warehouse in Calgary, Alberta and the Product Solutions Group warehouse in Guelph, Ontario will provide fast, localized with value-added support service to all Niles dealers.

According to Paul Starkey, Chief Marketing Officer of Niles and related brands, “Product Solutions Group and Product Solutions West are both outstanding marketing support organizations. With the high level of integrity, Niles dealers can expect to receive an enhanced level of ground support that is rarely seen in the industry.“

“After 12 successful years distributing the ELAN and Sunfire brands, we are proud to add the wide range of Niles application-specific products to our portfolio,” Peebles said today.  “Niles’ wide range of application-specific audio solutions and incomparable build quality are well known throughout the Canadian marketplace.  The fact that Niles’ dealer base has been stable and consistently represented for so long is a legacy that we intend to continue.”

Paul Steele, President of Product Solutions Group, is committed to exemplary dealer support.  “Carrying Niles’ entire line of multi-zone audio systems, architectural speakers, outdoor speakers and new designer-inspired subwoofers provides a valuable benefit for dealers. Niles and Product Solutions Group and Product Solutions West are available 24/7, with the ideal product to suit every client’s need.”

Product Solutions Group and Product Solutions West distribute innovative custom installation products to progressive Canadian retailers and custom integrators. Formed in 1998, Product Solutions Group services Ontario and east, while Product Solutions West takes care of Manitoba and west.  With over 50 years combined experience in the CE Industry, founding partners Paul Steele and Jim Peebles have come to know the difference between leading edge and bleeding edge products.

About Niles:
California-based Niles is a 33-year-old company recognized as The First Name in Custom Installation®. The company is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of audio/video custom installation products and accessories and is guided by its vision to be the world's leading provider of products and services that enable professional custom installers to design and install systems that delight their customers. To that end, Niles pursues a mission to provide solutions for end users that enable simple and easy access to home entertainment and that integrate seamlessly with other low voltage subsystems like lighting, internet, security and HVAC in residential and light commercial environments. Niles conducts its business with a promise to treat its customers, employees, suppliers and stakeholders with fairness and respect and to foster teamwork, innovation and a commitment to be the best in everything it does. Additional information may be obtained by visiting www.nilesaudio.com.

Swissotel Chicago Installs ELAN g! System In Common Areas To Provide Superior Guest Experience

The Swiss are well known for their appreciation of precision technology, in which they emphasize ease of use, practical capabilities and aesthetic form.  That’s why for the owners of the Swissôtel Chicago, the ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System was the natural choice for giving hotel staff and guests total control of the impressive audio and video systems in the hotel’s lobby, bar, main office, reception area and media lounge, as well as five ballrooms and five meeting rooms. The ELAN g! System’s elegantly simple control interface offers guests unparalleled simplicity for making business presentations and enjoying leisure events.

According to Gary Trucinksi, President of AVLET, the professional integration company that installed the ELAN system, “Management told us they needed a system that could be used by both staff and guests, so it was immediately clear that the ELAN g! System was the best choice.  Most other systems require hours of training and a high level of technical expertise, but the hotel staff couldn’t believe how easy the ELAN g! system was to use, and everything it could do. 

“Now they are controlling the music and video displays throughout all the hotel’s common areas with iPads, while guests can use the system themselves in the media lounge, ballrooms and meeting rooms for business or leisure.  Guests can literally walk into the media lounge, tap the iPad and start controlling the audio and video. It’s that intuitive.”

AVLET installed permanent in-wall ELAN touchscreens in the office and bar so the managers always have full control over the system.  For guests in the ballrooms, meeting rooms and staff in the lobby and reception area, several iPads running the ELAN g!Mobile app provide mobile control over the rooms’ audio and video, and can easily be used as a remote control for business presentations. 

There are more than 100 in-ceiling speakers located throughout these common areas, along with a 60” TV at the bar and two 60” TVs in the media lounge, giving guests a fun place to converse with friend and colleagues before they even get to their hotel room.  The meeting rooms and media lounge also feature HDMI input wall plates for simple connection of laptops and other video sources for presentations or movies. 

“Swissôtel Chicago has its own A/V company that runs day-to-day operations, and now they can log in to the ELAN g! System remotely from their couches at home to help if an issue arises,” Trucinski said.  “That’s one of the best things about the g! System, it’s so easy for installers and A/V pros to troubleshoot because the programming is simple in the first place.  Another great thing for the hotel is that because they were expecting prices more in line with a Crestron system, and ELAN g! is much more affordable, the project came in way under budget!”

The ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System provides users with the most uniform and intuitive icon-based control from their favorite devices including TVs, touchscreens, touchpads, PCs, iPhones and iPads. The standardized interface works across platforms, so that the trendy g!Mobile app users love on the iPhone appears and works similarly on ELAN touchscreens, valets and handheld remotes as well as users' televisions and mobile devices. And the system's IP backbone makes it just as easy to control the system from across the room - or across the globe.

Individual "apps" for each subsystem allow the user to control security, climate, lighting, media, irrigation, pool/spa, messaging, video and photos with the flick of a finger. Access is fast and secure through any ELAN home interface or globally with mobile Internet enabled devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Netbooks and PC Tablets. Since the intuitive interface empowers users with personalized scheduling and detailed history views, high consumption subsystems like lighting and climate can be closely monitored and managed for a greener lifestyle - and substantial energy savings.

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts is a distinctive group of deluxe hotels for today's discerning modern business and leisure travellers, combining the renowned Swiss touch with a fresh, modern and contemporary design.

Each Swissôtel offers personalised service with charm and efficiency. Located in main gateway destinations and city centres, Swissôtel hotels have convenient access to business and shopping districts, and local attractions.

About ELAN Home Systems:

Since 1990 ELAN® Home Systems has been an industry leading manufacturer of innovative, award-winning Multi-Room audio/video systems. ELAN systems were the first to integrate audio, video, phones and third-party products to create a seamless, easy-to-use "whole house" solution. ELAN systems and products are distributed through a comprehensive channel of select Dealers and Distributors throughout the United States, Canada and more than 58 countries worldwide. ELAN Home Systems is part of The AVC Group.  To learn more visit www.elanhomesystems.com.

Sunfire® Makes Bass Invisible With In-Wall 8"Subwoofer

Sunfire®, a specialist in the design, manufacturing and marketing of luxury home theater audio products, today announced the introduction of the all-new Sunfire HRSIW8, an in-wall dual-driver 8” subwoofer that features the brand’s patented Stillbass™ anti-shake technology that virtually eliminates mechanical vibration, improving bass definition while helping to contain the bass to the room in which it is mounted.  The Stillbass technology, coupled with Sunfire’s trademark High Back-emf designed woofers, helps provide pounding audiophile-grade bass from a subwoofer that easily retrofits into a standard 16” on-center stud bay.

According to Sunfire General Manager Mark Weisenberg, “Every day, the engineers and designers at Sunfire are developing new ways to deliver what home owners want from their home entertainment experience; dynamic, accurate bass without donating large amounts of space in the process. We have accomplished that with the HRSIW8. Combining our legacy technologies with our latest thinking in subwoofer power and control, the HRSIW8 is simple to install.  Setup is straightforward using Sunfire’s Digital amplifier platform, which includes a wide array of optional adjustments for maximum performance. Now our dealers will be able to specify a budget conscious, high performance in-wall subwoofer that delivers on our brand promise.”

The HRSIW8 features two custom-designed 8” long-throw woofers using ultra low mass fiberglass cones in a sealed cabinet that measures 12.2”W x 24.7”H x 3.75”D, and only requires a wall cutout of 10.6”W x 23.5”H.  With six built-in dog-toggle style wall clamps it is a perfect solution for both retrofits and new construction jobs, easily fitting in any standard 16” on-center stud bay. A wire channel is provided on the rear of the enclosure to avoid pinching the wire between the enclosure and the back of the drywall inside the opening. Easily removable magnetic grilles and a cutout template for easy installation are provided.

The HRSIW8’s external rack-mount amplifier is an evolution of the Sunfire digital amplifier used in the company’s SDS subwoofer line.  Using Sunfire’s Frequency Filtration Design (FFD) for high fidelity bass, the amp delivers 520W of power with near zero distortion. A wide range of filtering adjustments are included as well as DSP with room equalization and a remote control that provides one-touch access to preset equalizer modes.

The HRSIW8 has an MSRP of $1,700 and features a frequency response of 33Hz-150Hz, maximum output of 106dB, balanced and unbalanced line level inputs, gold plated speaker terminals and adjustable high-pass and low pass filters.

 

The continuing “Science of Sunfire” is the direct result of a design philosophy originally pioneered by Bob Carver that has become codified by the brand. This unique approach to design has resulted in amazingly compact high performance subwoofers that combine the best electronics and acoustics with specialized, premium materials to exemplify the mantra of “small form, high fidelity with high output and reliability”. 

About Sunfire:

Founded by renowned audio innovator Bob Carver, Sunfire designs, develops, manufactures and markets the smallest, most powerful speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers in the world.  Sold in over 65 countries, Sunfire combines unconventional thinking with precision engineering to create innovative audio products that deliver exceptional performance – whenever, and wherever, they are heard.  Carver’s forty years of scientific research has resulted in numerous patents including the Tracking Downconverter™ power supply used in the company’s subwoofers and amplifiers; and High Pressure, High Back-emf technology found in the company’s loudspeakers.  Complete information on Sunfire, its products and technology, is readily available at www.sunfire.com.