Integrator Finds The Sound Of Success With Niles Cynema Soundfield In-Wall Soundbar

International custom electronics integrator Jim Beaumont of HomeTech Europe has installed hundreds, if not thousands of different products throughout his career, and he’s never seen anything quite as unique as the Niles Cynema Soundfield in-wall soundbar from Core Brands. As the first of its kind, the Cynema Soundfield naturally has some ‘wow’ factor to it, but according to Beaumont it’s the practical application of a high-quality soundbar that virtually disappears that’s making it fly off the shelves.

“When I heard about the Niles Cynema Soundfield I knew some of my clients would love it, but I didn’t think I’d sell 10 of them in the first month!” Beaumont said. “Niles recognized that homeowners want good sound to match their attractive wall-mounted TVs, but they also want it to be as unobtrusive as the TV itself. With TVs getting thinner and thinner, the TV manufacturers have run out of room for good speakers, and the only solution when your TV is an inch off the wall is to put the speakers into the wall itself.”

Beaumont says his clients and the designers he works with immediately see the value in a soundbar that can be painted over and literally disappear into the wall. For years, in-wall speakers have been the preferred solution of integrators and interior designers because they blend into the room, but they can be expensive and difficult to install in an existing room because of wiring and additional components such as amplifiers and AV receivers. The Cynema Soundfield solves this issue because it requires just two wires, one for audio signal and one for power, and it can be installed in less than an hour by a certified Niles installer, even if the TV is already hung on the wall.

“It’s easy to sell because it can be used in retrofits, new homes, board rooms and even retail locations like hotel lobbies, without anyone even knowing it’s there,” Beaumont continued. “Several of my clients were so excited when I showed it to them that they bought multiple units for multiple rooms. I think the market for this innovative premium sound solution could be huge, and I’m going to sell as many of them as I can.”

And it’s easy to complete the home theater experience with one of Niles’ small, powerful subwoofers and wireless kit, so the sub can go anywhere the homeowners want without running wires. The wireless kit hooks right up to the Cynema Soundfield’s amplifier, so there’s no separate amp or receiver necessary.

What makes the Cynema Soundfield so unique is its rail system; the only thing that gets cut into the wall is a thin metal rail that sits flush with the drywall, and then the three individual speakers and the amplifier simply lock into the rail. With such a fast installation time, models that match TVs of all sizes, plenty of power and fidelity (30W RMS per speaker, three speakers per soundbar) and the ability to paint the grill and make the speaker invisible, the Niles Cynema Soundfield is a hot item for electronics integrators and design-conscious homeowners everywhere.

The Cynema Soundfield includes inputs for optical audio, HDMI and analog audio, and can also be integrated into a multi-room audio system. It features autosense turn-on so that no separate remote is required, and it simply turns on whenever it receives an audio signal from either the TV or a connected multi-room audio system.

Homeowner Doesn’t Skip a Beat with Niles® Speakers Indoors and Outdoors

As a successful businessman, homeowner Gino LaVerghetta knows that using the most reliable, highest quality equipment can be the difference between an enjoyable experience and a frustrating one.  That’s precisely why he chose Niles’® legendary loudspeakers for his new home theater and outdoor audio system, which provide audiophile quality sound whether he’s watching his favorite film or entertaining guests in the backyard.

 

“I’ve been in several homes with indoor/outdoor distributed audio systems, and I was always amazed at the drop in sound quality when we went outside,” LaVerghetta said.  “So I asked Dave Febbraio, owner of Stuctured Home Solutions, LLC, what I should do, and he said Niles’ new GS Garden Speakers were the perfect solution.  He was right!  If I turn the indoor and outdoor speakers on at the same time and then walk outside, it sounds like I’m just stepping into the next room, with music that has the same power, clarity and definition as indoors.  I’m especially impressed with the in-ground subwoofer because it helps deliver the full soundscape of my favorite music without putting a big box in the yard.”

The pros at Structured Home Solutions, LLC built LaVerghetta’s jealousy-inducing home theater sound system with five Niles HD Series LCR in-wall speakers and a Sunfire® HRS8 subwoofer, then continued the audio excellence outdoors with four Niles Garden Series GS4 satellite loudspeakers and a Niles GSS10 in-ground 10-inch subwoofer.  With all the speakers covered by Niles’ industry-leading lifetime limited warranty, LaVerghetta knows that his system will provide years of unparalleled sound both indoors and outdoors.

LaVerghetta’s home also features the ELAN® g! Entertainment and Control System to make the audio system simple and easy to control.  The g! system allows the whole family to use their iPhones, iPads, Android mobile devices, ELAN in-wall touchscreens and eight ELAN HR2 remotes to control the home’s music, TVs, Lutron® lighting, Aprilaire® HVAC, Jandy® pool and spa controls, ELK® security system and seven Panasonic® PTZ IP surveillance cameras.

According to Febbraio, the project grew exponentially after LaVerghetta saw the quality of Stuctured Home Solutions’ work and recognized the value and potential of a professionally installed home control system.

“After working for Gino for a short time and seeing the quality of the house he was building, I knew he would not settle for anything less from my company or the equipment we installed,” Febbraio said.  “I knew the Niles outdoor set would be a perfect fit for the large space we needed to cover and that he would be happy with the result.  These speakers compliment the 46” Sunbrite TV we installed and comprise the 16th audio zone in the house all controlled by the g! system.  Keeping quality consistent and exceeding the client’s expectations allowed us to expand this project from a simple four-zone audio system to the 16-zone AV control system with fully integrated home automation that it is today.”

When considering the control possibilities, LaVerghetta recognized that in the next five to 10 years most homes of comparable size will have automation systems and extensive AV systems, so he wanted his home to be ahead of the curve.  “There are so many benefits of integrated home technologies, from energy conservation to enhanced security and peace of mind, and of course being able to control it all remotely.  Whatever you invest in the system you absolutely get back through savings in energy, time and hassle.  I love sitting down to dinner with my family and then using my iPhone to turn on some music without getting up from the table.

“The whole system has quickly become an integral part of our home.  For instance, part of my nighttime routine is using the touchscreen in my bedroom to make sure that all the lights are off or dimmed, the alarm is set, the garage is closed and all the TVs and audio systems are off.  And with the ability to dim and set timers for our lights, the kids never have to wander around in the dark to find the bathroom at night.  The system offers so many conveniences that I’m still finding new ways to make my home easier to use every day.”

ELAN g! Makes Lakefront Home In 'The Spa City' The Ultimate Place To Relax

It’s difficult to imagine a place that sounds more relaxing than Hot Springs, Arkansas, which is known as “The Spa City” for its natural thermal springs.  But local homeowner Brandon Adams realized that his lakefront home could be an even more stress-free environment if the house could run itself automatically — meaning that the heating, air conditioning, lighting, security and surveillance would work on their own, and be easy to adjust when necessary. After a recent installation of the incredibly powerful and simple to use ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System, this fantasy of the autonomous home is now a reality, offering him one-touch control of every major home subsystem including music and TV in every room!

First, Adams hired Taggart Architecture to design a series of pools and outdoor living areas to connect his new home with the adjacent house.  His next call was to Jonesboro, Arkansas-based custom integrator Sound Concepts, which outfitted the home, including all the new living areas, with the latest in audio, video and control technology.  The ELAN g! system integrates Lutron lighting and motorized window shades, an HAI security system, IP surveillance cameras, HAI thermostats, garage door controls, 11 Samsung TVs (one outdoors), 45 speakers (indoors and outdoors), and a 7.2 surround sound home theater with two Sunfire HRS12 subwoofers, an Epson projector and a Dragonfly 120” screen.  It even incorporates control of the LED lighting on the home’s rooftop dome, the lakefront and in the boathouses.

According to Sound Concepts owner Ryan Heringer, “Mr. Adams’ amazing lakefront home combines the best designs, building materials and craftsmanship with the best home technologies to create a true 21st century living environment, both indoors and out.  The home basically runs itself, with pre-programmed schedules for lighting, heating, cooling and the pool equipment, which he can adjust any time with just a few simple buttons on any ELAN g! interface. Simplicity and ease of use is the most important aspect of any technology, so ELAN hit the bullseye when they gave g! the same type of easy-to-understand interface that made the iPhone so popular.”

Adams uses a combination of interfaces to control his home, with easy access through the g!Mobile iPhone and iPad apps, two 10-inch ELAN in-wall touchscreens in the pool house, 13 ELAN in-wall touchscreen throughout the home and boat houses, an under-counter ELAN 10-inch touchscreen, and 10 powerful ELAN HR2 multimedia and home control remotes.

“When I’m outside it’s very convenient to use my iPhone to control the music, the lights and the pool,” Adams said, “but when I’m in the house I almost always use a touch panel or one of the ELAN remotes because they are always on, so it’s easier and faster.  The remotes are absolutely the best choice to control the TVs because of the play/pause and volume controls, and it’s just like using a normal TV remote, except it can also turn down the lights and turn up the a/c.  Taggart Architecture and Sound Concepts delivered on their promises, and I’m still blown away at how beautiful the property is and how the technology brings everything together.”

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.  To learn more, visit www.elanhomesystems.com.  ELAN is part of the CORE Brands division of the Nortek Technology Solutions Segment (www.nortek-inc.com).  CORE Brands combines the product and marketing strengths of ten iconic audio, power management and control brands into a single business unit that includes ATON®, BlueBOLT®, ELAN®, Furman®, Niles®, Panamax®, Proficient®, SpeakerCraft®, Sunfire® and Xantech®.

Niles Introduces Two New Powerful High Fidelity Compact Subwoofer Ideal For Any Size Room

Expanding its line of powerful high-fidelity subwoofers, Niles®, The First Name In Custom Installation®, today announced the introduction of two new stylish compact subwoofers engineered with designers in mind, the SW6.5 and the SW8.

“With these new stylishly-designed compact subwoofers, installers can place a high-powered, highly attractive and easily concealed subwoofer virtually anywhere for a home theater or home audio system,” said Mike ‘Sparky’ Detmer, President of Niles. “These subwoofers outperform their larger rivals and offer superior sound quality and design for all residential and light commercial installations.”

Engineered with the designer in mind, the SW6.5’s and SW8’s ultra-compact sizes and fingerprint-resistant piano-black finishes present an aesthetically pleasing profile that is easy to blend into any décor. Pairing a long-throw front-firing woofer with dual long-throw side-mounted passive radiators, the compact subwoofers deliver the power of subwoofers four times their size, making them perfect for any setup requiring more bass in less space.

In addition to the designer-friendly features, the SW6.5 and SW8 have even more technical features that make them perfect for the custom installation industry. They both feature automated turn-on via 12 volt trigger or audio signal sensing and include a built in CAT5 balun to enable audio delivery over easy-to-use CAT5 cable. Additionally, both models come with a built-in bracket-mount that is compatible with the optional OmniMount® 30.0 ST-MP to allow easy wall or ceiling mounting, making it perfect for bars, restaurants and other light commercial installations. Installers can further increase the subwoofers’ placement flexibility by going wireless with the optional Niles SW-T wireless transceiver and SW-R receiver that easily attaches to a built-in mounting port on the rear of the subwoofers.

As for the audio, the SW6.5 produces 200W RMS power and up to 800W peak power through a 6.5” active driver and two 6.5” passive radiators with a frequency response of 42-200Hz. This unbelievable power is delivered from a cabinet that is smaller than 10 inches-cubed and weighs only 11 pounds.

The SW8 ups the ante, producing 300W RMS power and up to 1200W peak power through an 8” active driver and two 8” passive radiators with a frequency response of 36-200Hz. Once again, this room-filling bass performance comes from an amazingly small cabinet about 12 inches-cubed that weighs only 16.5 pounds.

The subwoofer’s long throw active drivers feature a black anodized aluminum cone that provides superior rigidity compared to conventional paper cone designs. The dual anodized aluminum cone passive radiators provide additional driver surface area that combine with the active driver to produce higher output than a larger single active driver.

Both models include both LFE and stereo line level inputs and unbuffered stereo pass-through line outputs, allowing up to four subwoofers to be wired from a single receiver output. The adjustable frequency control features a bypass positions, eliminating low pass filtering within the subwoofer, and variable phase control (0°-180°) allows for precise phase matching with the main speakers.

The SW6.5 and the SW8 will be showcased January 10–13, 2012 at International CES 2012 at The AVC Group’s Hospitality Suite 2876 in the East Tower of the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel, as well as January 31–February 2, 2012 at ISE Stand 1N73 at The Amsterdam RAI in The Netherlands.

Xantech's A/V Control Technology Used for Tour Center at Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations Plant

The recently completed movie theater located within the brand new Vaughn L. Beals Tour Center at the Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations plant in York, Pennsylvania, includes A/V control products from Xantech, a leader in the field of audio/video remote control and distribution for 40 years. SDK Electronics of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, outfitted the theater, where visitors begin the one-hour factory tour, installing a Xantech CSPLCD39G 3.9-inch Smartpad LCD Graphic Touchpanel and a WIC1200 Web Intelligent Controller to manage the presentation’s audio, video and lighting.

The Smartpad LCD Graphic Touchpanel and the WIC1200 in combination offer fully automated control of the movie presentation, which takes visitors through the famed motorcycle manufacturer’s history. The film starts with a single touch of the Xantech Touchpanel, explains Scott Koons, owner of SDK Electronics. “The system sits in idle mode until the tour guides bring the visitors in. They touch one button on the screen that says ‘play’ and the movie starts to run. The WIC box gets a signal, tells a Crestron lighting controller to dim the lights, and turns on an audio sense to the Blu-ray Disc player. As soon as it senses that audio is no longer present – in other words, the player is in full stop – it tells the Crestron to relight the room.”

The system is also programmed with an alternate mode for employee meetings. “When they hold a meeting in the theater they can touch a button that says ‘presentation’ and it will switch over to a presentation mode,” says Koons.

The Xantech products offered an affordable control solution for automating the theater’s A/V system, according to Koons. Although the system is relatively simple, the controller does need to support some specific interface capabilities. “I needed to have some way to automatically turn on the lights. The WIC1200 gave me the ability to do two-way communications as well as system status sensing.” A more complex and more costly unit was just not necessary, he adds: “It would have been overkill to spend that kind of money on a competing product for what little I needed to do, especially since the WIC box does everything I needed it to do for this system.”

The Xantech Touchpanel interfaces directly with the theater’s JVC projector. “The only codes we send to the projector are on, off and source select, so we use those straight out of the keypad because I don’t need any sense on that,” explains Koons, adding, “The only thing I need to send to the Lexicon DC2 processor is power on and source select.”

The rest of the theater’s audio system, which includes EAW loudspeakers in a 7.1 configuration with Crest amplification, is initiated through the use of a Surge X power sequencer.  A 159-inch 16:9 HDTV format Da-Lite fixed wall screen completes the A/V presentation setup.

Koons also installed a Xantech CSPLCD64G 6.4-inch Smartpad LCD Graphic Touchpanel in the employee cafeteria at the new plant. “They can hold 450-person meetings there. It has four screens, four projectors, a scaler and an SPLCD64 controlling it, along with a couple of relay packs and a 1x8 RS232 router.” 

The Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations plant, established in York in 1973, assembles the company’s Soft Tail, Touring and Tri-Glide models. Following the demolition of 42 separate buildings and a year of construction, a brand new, robot-assisted manufacturing plant opened on the site on August 1, 2011, that combines all of its manufacturing lines and warehousing in one 600,000-square-foot facility. Over eight thousand tourists have reportedly visited the new Vaughn L. Beals Tour Center and toured the new factory in its first two months of operation.

For more information, please visit www.xantechcommercial.com.

New Restaurant "Captivates" Its Clientele With Exquisite Food, Ambience and Entertainment Control Technology From ELAN!

When designing the new Delicious Heights restaurant in Bedminster, New Jersey, the owners set out to create a 21st Century hospitality environment that redefines the concept of a ‘captive audience.’ They knew that in addition to offering fairly-priced exquisite food backed up by outstanding service, they needed to immerse their customers in state-of-the-art entertainment that would keep them in their seats longer and ensure their quick return! As a result, every part of the new restaurant, which held its grand opening last month, is designed with that end in mind — and the centerpiece of it all is the ELAN® g! Entertainment and Control System.

Maplewood, New Jersey-based 360 Media Innovations integrated the entire lighting system, five digital signage displays, more than 30 flat screen TVs showing eight video sources and 50 speakers broken into eight audio zones into the ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System, allowing the staff to make changes on the fly in order to cater to their customers every whim.

"We knew that the system would be touched by a lot of hands,” said Chima Gale, owner of 360 Media Innovations, “so we had to install a system that would allow us extreme flexibility from a control standpoint with the additional caveats of being reliable and easy to use. The ELAN g! system fulfilled those needs for us without question."

According to Delicious Heights General Manager Marc Hudacsko, “I’ve been working in restaurants for more than 17 years, and I’ve never had such a powerful media management tool at my disposal. Guests have asked me to lower the volume or change the channel on a TV in the dining area, and when I pull out my iPhone and make the adjustment right there in front of them, they are absolutely amazed—and so am I. The ELAN g! System not only helps impress our guests at Delicious Heights, but it’s also so fast and easy that I have more time to oversee the restaurant and my staff.”

Delicious Heights has a large main bar with 24 beers on tap and more than 50 varieties of bottled beer, a main dining area, and a private bar with two private seating rooms, which can each be rented out for parties or business functions. In its dedication to cater to every guest, Delicious Heights included power outlets and USB ports at every table in the main seating area for charging mobile devices, and it also provides free Wi-Fi. Additionally, one of the private dining rooms can become a presentation room, with three 37” TVs that can be used for business presentations or commercial videos through an in-wall VGA and audio connection.

“We wanted to solve all the typical problems a guest may have,” said Hudacsko. “Need to charge your cell phone? Done. Need the volume lowered in your area? Done. Want to watch the Yankees, not the Mets? Done. We even created a new type of menu with LED backlighting, so no guest ever has to ask for more light to read the menu. We wanted to be proactive, not reactive, and make it so our guests don’t have to worry about a single thing while they are here, and the ELAN g! System helps me deliver that level of care.”

The restaurant’s ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System includes an ELAN TS10 touch screen at the main bar and one at the private bar, iPhone and iPad control and four point-of-sale terminal (POS) control interfaces with a video preview function that lets the user see what is on each station, in real time, before sending the signal to a TV. This ensures that the user changes the channel correctly the first time, even before the customer sees a change.

The system uses the ELAN HC6 Controller, two ELAN M86A Audio Controllers, an ELAN DT11 Tuner, six Crown amplifiers and eight ZeeVee boxes to distribute the audio and video. The media sources include six DirecTV feeds, a Comcast Cable feed, a DVD player, am/fm radio, SIRIUS|XM® satellite radio, and an iPort iPod dock at the main bar and private bar that link to those respective areas. The fire alarm system is also integrated into the system so all audio instantly shuts off if the alarm is triggered.

360 Media Innovations programmed custom buttons in the ELAN g! software labeled “Good Morning” and “Good Night” that turn on and off every TV and the entire audio system for the restaurant. It also includes three lighting modes: “In Service”, which dims all lights for normal business hours; “All On” for last call and pre-business hours; and “All Off” for when the restaurant is closed.

The ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System provides users with the most uniform and intuitive icon-based control from their favorite devices, including TVs, touch screens, touch pads, 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 touch screens, 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 as across the globe.

360 Media Innovations is a New Jersey based full service audio video systems
integration firm offering sale, design, and integration of custom electronic
systems in both commercial and residential spaces. With service offerings
such as system automation, custom home theaters, phone systems, network
solutions, commercial/residential audio systems, security surveillance
cameras, lighting and shade control and so much more, 360 Media Innovations
can completely service your Audio Video needs. To learn more, visit
www.360mediainnovations.com.

High Design Meets High Tech In The 2011 Mansions and Millionaires Designers' Showcase Featuring ELAN g!

From September 10 to October 30, 2011, two separate ELAN® g! Entertainment and Control System installations will be on display in the 2011 Mansions and Millionaires® Designers Showcase® at Chestnut Manor in Upper Brookville, New York.

Exhibiting interior designers Katharine Posillico of Katharine Jessica Interior Design and Angela Leva and Suzan Visconti of Leva & Visconti Designs enlisted the help of Melville, New York-based custom electronics distributor Royal Systems to design the ELAN g! Control Systems for their rooms at Chestnut Manor. These seasoned professionals who designed the Pool Room and the Music Room, respectively, may have differing styles, but they all both agree on one thing.

“Technology is ingrained in everyday life, so I don’t plan any space without some sort of audio/video system,” said Posillico. “Mozart Multimedia installed an ELAN system designed by Gregg Feldman and Dave Silkin of Royal Systems in my home a couple years ago. It is such an amazing supplement to the house and to my life that I now strongly advise my clients to work with Royal Systems to incorporate a full ELAN g! Control System. The second-floor Pool Room at Chestnut Manor is the ultimate lounge and game room, so naturally I included a large projection TV and a full audio system.”

Visconti had Hauppauge, New York-based Audio Design Consultants install an ELAN Control System in her home nine years ago, and now she advocates that technology not be an afterthought, but instead be integral to the function and layout of the rooms she designs. She notes, however, that many homeowners still aren’t aware of the possibilities with control systems.

“A lot of people don’t know that when they are on vacation they can touch their iPhone and set up their heating, air conditioning and lighting so it’s ready when they get home, saving them energy and money,” said Visconti. “I think that as more people learn how this technology can affect their homes and their lives, and actually raise the home’s value, there will be a lot more houses with home control systems.

“In our design for the Music Room at Chestnut Manor, my partner Angela and I wanted to project a relaxing and rejuvenating ambience and create a place for the homeowner to get away from it all—watch whatever shows and listen to whatever music he wants or jam on his guitar. We incorporated the highest level of technology to make the room sophisticated and at the same time functional and simple to control.”

The Music Room’s A/V system was designed by Dave Silkin of Royal Systems and Bob Portolano of Audio Design Consultants, and features an ELAN HC6 as the system’s brain, an ELAN M86 for audio distribution and an ELAN TS7 seven-inch in-wall touch screen for simple user control. It even has a camera aimed at the door so anyone entering the room instantly sees themselves on the TS7 located next to the doorway. It includes a wall-mounted 42” Samsung 1080p Plasma HDTV and uses two Induction Dynamics SolidDrives to turn the room’s walls into speakers.

The Pool Room’s A/V System was designed by Royal Systems and installed by Mozart Multimedia of East Islip, New York. It features an ELAN HC4, ELAN M86 and ELAN TS2 with the VL2 Valet option, as well as a Severtson 120” front-projection screen and three Sound Tube ceiling-mounted speakers throughout. The room’s use of natural light helps to ensure the projector’s image isn’t overpowered or washed out.

“The Mansions and Millionaires Designers’ Showcase is a great way to show how technology is influencing designers, builders and homeowners,” said Dave Silkin of Royal Systems. “But the great thing about the ELAN g! Control System is it’s not just for millionaires. In fact, the system is so affordable that any homeowner can install a multi-room A/V system, and then expand it to control lighting, security, heating and air conditioning, and pool and spa systems.”

From September 10 to October 30, 2011, more than 30 New York City Metropolitan Area interior designers will showcase their work for the general public at the 97-year-old Chestnut Manor. All proceeds will benefit Mill Neck Manor School For The Deaf. To learn more about the Mansions and Millionaires® Designers’ Showcase®, visit designersshowcaseny.com.

To see more designs from Katharine Jessica Interior Designs, visit kj-id.com. For more information about Leva & Visconti Designs, visit levaviscontidesigns.com. For more information about Royal Systems visit royalsystems.com.

Pandora Internet Radio Integration Makes Niles IntelliControl ICS System The Ultimate Whole-House Music Distribution Platform

Niles®, The First Name In Custom Installation®, today released a firmware update to its IntelliControl® ICS IM-NET that enables users to access content from Pandora® Internet Radio in addition to Rhapsody® and SIRIUS|XM®. IntelliControl ICS IM-NET is the latest in the growing family of source integration modules for the GXR2 MultiZone Receiver.

"The inherent flexibility and adaptability of the GXR2 MultiZone Receiver is once again demonstrated with this easy-to-install firmware update for Niles' IntelliControl ICS system," today said Mike "Sparky" Detmer, President of Niles. "The GXR2 was designed and engineered to be 'future-ready' and adaptable to meet the constantly changing demands of custom installers and their clients. IM-NET offers custom installation professionals a high-performance solution for providing their clients easy access to all of their favorite Internet-based music content, which now includes Pandora Radio, Rhapsody and SIRIUS|XM."

The IM-NET allows dealers to put an IntelliControl ICS user's digital music library or favorite Internet music services at their fingertips—without having to sit and browse on a computer. IM-NET's web server-based administration utility provides simplified management of digital music sources, including networked PCs, Macs and NAS drives. Metadata for all digital music is provided for display on connected control devices and user interfaces, including the Contact, a full-color wall-mount touchscreen.

The IM-NET provides simple integration with the GXR2 Modular Multizone Receiver—the first receiver to use interchangeable source card modules. The receiver accommodates any combination of up to six modules, virtually expanding the system to an unlimited number of sources, and allows dealers to expand systems to up to 30 zones, each with fully independent choice of source and control. Its easy plug and play integration provides integrators with the perfect retrofit solution for digital music management.

Sunfire Awarded U.S. Patent for the StillBass™ Anti-Shake Technology Featured in its SubRosa Subwoofer

Sunfire®, a leader in the design and manufacture of hi-fidelity home theater products, today announced it has been awarded U.S. Patent #7,844,068 by the United States Patent Office for the revolutionary StillBass™ Anti-Shake technology featured in the company’s award-winning ultra-thin Sunfire SubRosa® Subwoofer. First introduced in 2008, the Sunfire SubRosa Subwoofer is the world’s first flat panel subwoofer and was named 2008 Product of the Year by Electronic House, the leading magazine for consumers who are passionate about high quality audio for their home.

In-wall subwoofers used to face a huge hurdle – the drywall would crumble and turn to dust from the constant mechanical vibration. While designing audio components for Sunfire, Bob Carver developed an innovative solution to this problem by utilizing Newton’s Third Law of Motion, using an actuator that moves in opposition to the woofer to virtually eliminate destructive and intrusive mechanical vibration that subwoofers naturally produce. By controlling the subwoofer’s “shake”, StillBass™ technology allows the woofer to be placed in a wide variety of locations rarely considered for high quality bass. The SubRosa can be mounted on a wall, located below a big screen TV, behind a couch or under a bed and yes, even inside the wall. This newly patented technology is only available from Sunfire, and at the moment, only in the SubRosa Subwoofer.

“Sunfire’s patented StillBass technology shows that we are committed to delivering the ultimate home audio experience through innovative design and an unparalleled attention to detail,” said Mark Weisenberg, General Manager of Sunfire.

The Sunfire SubRosa subwoofer is a modern marvel, delivering immense bass through dual 10” woofers and combining neodymium magnets with inverted surrounds, resulting in a sealed enclosure with a mind-boggling depth of only 3.75”. The Subrosa In-Room Subwoofer System comes with an external 2,700 Watt Tracking Downconverter™ and features infinitely variable crossover, phase and level controls. The system includes balanced XLR, RCA and speaker level inputs and features auto room correction through use of an included microphone.

Xantech To Mark 40 Years of Innovation And Two Millionth Installation Milestone at InfoComm 2011

Underscoring its commitment to provide commercial and residential dealers and installers with the broadest array of the critically important ‘hidden electronics’ that make other electronics work, Xantech will mark 40 years of innovation, and its two millionth installation milestone, at INFOCOMM 2011 next month with the introduction of a new generation of AV control system solutions at Booth #1255 in the Orlando Convention Center.

“From IR to IP, no other company even comes close to offering the range and depth of control solutions that we do,” asserted Xantech President Graham Hallett. “For 40 years Xantech has worked closely with custom installers and consultants to develop unique insights into the design, integration, and control of a wide variety of AV systems in every conceivable kind of commercial and residential installation. This is why so many designers and installers begin and end every project with Xantech. Put simply, we make everything they need to make everything else work! That’s why, to date, Xantech solutions are featured in more than two million installations worldwide.”

This relentless commitment to innovation will be evident everywhere at Xantech’s INFOCOMM 2011 booth, where the company will showcase, among other solutions, additions to its WIC1200 Web Intelligent Controller (pictured right) that integrates numerous Xantech technologies into one versatile system with multiple RS232 ports, IR ports, relays, digital I/Os and two discrete LAN ports. “It’s designed from beginning to end to keep any conference room, classroom, or corporate AV system in full control either on its own or through any web-enabled device,” explained Xantech Director of Business Development Rick Seegull. “And now, with our new Xantech Web Designer Software, integrators can easily create web control pages to be served by the WIC1200 onto iPads, tablets, or any web enabled appliance for seamless control.”

When interfaced with Xantech’s CWTC10 10.4” WiFi touchpanel or their new line of SmartPanel LCD Controllers (or Apple’s new iPad), the WIC1200 Web Intelligent Controller can send messages back to the touchpanel allowing for text display, numeric display, volume and indicator bars, ON/OFF indicators and more, for full real-time data display.

Equally innovative is the Xantech ISM4 Intelligent System Manager, which automatically monitors and controls the power states of up to four IR components. “Customers simply have to turn on their display device and the ISM4 does the rest,” Seegull explained. “It powers up each individual component and makes sure they all stay in sync. It features full IR and RS232 for control, monitoring, and sensing audio, video, current, light, voltage, or any heartbeat of any type in a single unit.”

For the residential market, Xantech is also introducing a number of new products. “Xantech has a solution for every level of home control, from the single room home theater, to multi-room flexible control, to whole home automation” Hallett emphasized.

The BDX TT Bluetooth Interface (pictured left) provides a full-fidelity, reliable wireless connection between an A/V system and any handheld Bluetooth A2DP-enabled device such as a smartphone, iPad, PC or tablet — wherever consumers store and manage their music and media.

The DinkyLink DL85K is our most versatile IR control kit and works with all TV’s and lighting up to 80 feet. Unlike other IR repeater systems, it works with plasma, LCD or LED TVs; with compact fluorescent lighting (CFL); with all satellite and digital cable boxes.

The MX88 Multi-Zone Audio/Video Controller (pictured right) is engineered for iPad®, Xantech keypad and Xantech SmartPanel™ LCD touch-screen control. It features a highly efficient 50W x 16-channel/8-zone digital amplifier; a smart auto-sensing universal (100V to 240V) power supply with advanced automation control, and up to 16-Serial ports and 17 selectable IR ports. No dedicated apps needed.

Xantech’s history of innovation is second to none in the industry. Its long list of industry-firsts include the first in-wall infrared receiver module, the first peephole infrared receiver module, the first infrared sender amplifier, the first infrared receiver using surface-mount technology and the first learning in-wall keypad.

New Orleans ELAN Installer Takes Brand New Elan g! Dealer Demo System On The Road To Show Consumers The Power Of Home Automation

Jamie Gannon, owner of New Orleans-based Dynamic Audio Video, is the very first dealer to take delivery of the new ELAN g! Dealer Demo System and he’s not wasting any time getting it in front of consumers. In fact, from March 17-20, 2011, he’s showing it at his home automation booth at the 2011 New Orleans Home and Garden Show, the largest consumer home show in the southeast United States.

“The new ELAN g! Dealer Demo System is a great idea, and it’s going to make it easy for me to show the system to potential buyers,” said Gannon. “Since I started Dynamic Audio Video ten years ago, I’ve been waiting for someone to make a system like ELAN g! It’s affordable enough for anyone to install and expand, and the consistent touch-based user interface makes it easy enough for anyone to use. ELAN made the g! demo system especially affordable for dealers, and I expect it to help me sell the ELAN g! system over and over again. Once a customer actually uses it themselves, they won’t want to live without it.”

The ELAN g! Dealer Demo System, which is being officially introduced to dealers and installers at the March 17-20, 2011 EHX expo in Orlando, Florida, includes a system controller, 7” touch screen, 4” touchpad in a tabletop mount, the brand-new HR2 remote, an amplifier, 2 tabletop Sunfire® speakers, a Panasonic IP camera, all the ELAN g! Pro Apps, and 5 viewer licenses to connect iPhones, iPads and computers. The system includes all the parts necessary to connect the gear and make it work. All the dealer needs to add is a television to demonstrate the On-Screen Display (OSD).

Gannon recently finished his first ELAN g! installation in a new home in Old Metairie, just west of New Orleans. “The family had actually contracted someone else to install a Control4 system, but when I showed them the g! app on the iPad, they ditched the old installer and hired me to install the full g! system. If I can do that with just the app, imagine what I’m going to be able to do with the full demo system!”

The ELAN g! Series Home Control System provides users with the most uniform and intuitive icon-based control from their favorite devices, including TVs, touch screens, touch pads, PCs, iPhones, and iPads. The standardized interface works across platforms, so that the trendy g!Mobile app that users love on the iPhone appears and works similarly on ELAN touch screens, 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 as across the globe.

Forward-Thinking Minnesota Builder Now Pre-Wires Every New House For ELAN g! Whole Home Automation

When Rocky DiGiacomo, a forward-thinking Minneapolis home builder, heard about the ELAN® g! Series IP-based Home Control System that can use the iPhone to control every household function, he knew home buyers would love it. Now DiGiacomo is putting his belief into action and pre-wiring every new home he builds with ELAN g! home control technology — leaving it up to the consumer to then decide which functions and which components they want to install in their new home as part of the finishing process.

DiGiacomo, founder of 20-year old DiGiacomo Homes and Renovation, Inc., wanted his houses to include value-added features to differentiate them from the competition, and he found one solution – ELAN g! He believes the ELAN g! system is going to help him sell a new $1.3 million house in Golden Valley, Minnesota. This is his first ELAN g! system installation, and he integrated 6-zone independent and simultaneous audio/video sourcing into 9 rooms, energy management control, and pre-wired for the home’s security system and surveillance cameras.

Well aware of the iPhone’s massive popularity, he believes that the ELAN g! iPhone app is a way to make home control simple and intuitive. The ELAN g! app is also available on internet-connected iPads, laptops, and PCs, providing complete home control from anywhere in the world.

“We’ve seen the success of the iPhone, and believe that with it, we can make home control attractive and accessible to anyone,” said DiGiacomo. “The ELAN g! app is simple enough for anyone to use, and can even do some things on its own, such as when you pull in the driveway, it can automatically open the garage door and turn off the security system. You don’t even have to hit a button. And you can monitor security cameras and control climate settings from anywhere in the world.”

When DiGiacomo heard about ELAN g! he turned to J.J. Vanderson & Co., a dealer that has been selling ELAN systems for more than 15 years, for a demo. Owner Jay Vandermyde asserts that people who want home control want all the features that ELAN g! offers, including web-streaming music and audio/video distribution. And he tells builders that with remote lighting and heating controls, the ELAN g! System even helps homeowners save on energy costs and makes homes more eco-friendly.

“In today’s crowded marketplace, builders need to make their properties stand out from the competition,” said Vandermyde. “ELAN g! is great because the consumer can expand the system as their needs and wants change. It’s easy to sell, easy to demo, and easy to install and maintain, which limits or eliminates service calls.”

The ELAN g! Series Home Control System provides users with the most uniform and intuitive icon-based control from their favorite devices, including TVs, touch screens, touch pads, 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 touch screens, 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 as 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.