ELAN Launches Accelerated Dealer Training Certification Program With g! School!

In response to the growing market demand for its award-winning g! Entertainment and Control System, ELAN® Home Systems today announced that it has enhanced its training program to enable prospective dealers to become certified ELAN g! installers in just 20 hours through a combination of online training and a two-day in-person session.

Nearly 1,000 students have already utilized the free on-demand, self-paced training offered at ELAN’s online g! School, which is available 24/7 and provides more than 150 unique courses.

According to Eric Herdman, ELAN Home Systems Content Manager, “Our coordinated approach to dealer certification combines online and in-person training in a way that ensures that any prospect, anywhere in the world, can become an ELAN dealer as quickly as they want to. By combining a free seven-hour online introduction course with a 13- hour, 1.5 day regional on-site training seminar, we provide new dealers with hands-on experience plus a complete understanding of the inner working of the ELAN g! system.”

The certification process is incredibly simple: a new dealer simply visits www.brainshark.com/go/elan and signs up to take the online course, which is available immediately. Upon successful completion of the 7-hour training course, the new dealer contacts an ELAN regional representative to sign up for a 1.5 day, $100 in-person training seminar in their local area that will complete their education. After the in-person seminar, each dealer must pass a final online exam to receive ELAN g! certification, which is sent in a PDF and available immediately so they can get right to work!

“Our solution allows dealers to become familiar with the ELAN g! system on their own time, with the ability to pause, rewind and restart any lesson they need, so they can progress at their own pace and on their schedule,” Herdman emphasized. “Giving them an online introduction before they do the in-person training is invaluable, and there’s nothing to lose because the online courses are free.”

ELAN’s g! School is the latest incarnation of ELAN U, which debuted as the first-ever online installation-training program in 2003. Since then, installers have taken more than 300,000 online lessons, earning the program numerous awards including the CEA Mark of Excellence Award for Best Training and Support Programs and the Inside Track Certificate of Excellence for Best Dealer Training.

Xantech Commercial Products Used by JW Tel-Tronics for Upgrade to Law Enforcement Operations Center in Seattle Area

Seattle-based JW Tel-Tronics, which offers complete A/V installation and integration services for local municipalities, educational institutions and hospitals, recently upgraded the operations center of a Seattle-area law enforcement agency using IP Web-based control equipment from Xantech, a leader in the field of audio/video remote control and distribution for 40 years. The control system upgrade included a WIC1200 Web Intelligent Controller, IPRS232 XtraLink IP™ units, an RT8 Addressable IR Router and a 79144 Amplified Connecting Block.

According to JW Tel-Tronics systems integration engineer Judith Pile, the Xantech components have enhanced control and operation of the newly upgraded A/V equipment installed at the operations center, which is a command post within the agency that is used during major public events and emergencies. “They wanted something more sophisticated and easier to operate,” she says of the installed systems.

Pile and JW Tel-Tronic replaced the previous A/V system, comprising three projectors and a composite video system, with four flat screen televisions flanked by two projected images. “They’ve got ten computer stations in the room,” details Pile. “And they’ve got four DVRs that are all being fed from satellite TV, plus a VGA matrix switcher. Not only did they want all the signals to go everywhere but they also wanted it to be easy to operate. They were insistent that they did not need a touch screen; they just wanted to control it from a computer.”

Six IPRS232 XtraLink IP units enable the transmission of RS232 serial commands (the IPRS232 also handles RS422 or RS485) over the IP network to the flat screen displays and the projectors. “Those work like a charm,” she reports. The volume levels of an existing amplifier were also brought under IR control, she reports.

The operations center is typically activated for large public gatherings, such as parades, as well as emergency situations. “It’s not a dispatch room, but they have a computer system that tells them what units are where, so they can keep track of what’s going on,” explains Pile. “And they’ve got four DVRs with cable TV, so they can also monitor the local stations.” One of the computer stations is dedicated to the fire department, for when they are involved,” she adds.

Although this was not Pile’s first experience with Xantech components, it was her first time installing an entire setup from the company. “I’d used their IR emitters and things, but this was the first time with a control system,” she elaborates. Unfamiliar with programming the WIC1200, she did have to contact the manufacturer for assistance, and was pleased with the response. “There was great support,” she reports.

Graham Hallett, Xantech President, stated, “Because of the WIC1200’s intuitive operation and ease of programming via our Web Designer 3.0 software, we are finding it to be the system of choice for commercial integrators and system installers. Working closely with Xantech’s service and support team, Judith was able to get the right product for the right application, and considering the system is being used in critical life-and-death situations, it has to work the first time and every time, which made Xantech the logical choice.”

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

ELAN TS10 10" In-Wall Touch Screen Awarded 2011 EXC!TE Award by Custom Retailer Magazine

ELAN Home Systems today was awarded a 2011 EXC!TE Award by CustomRetailer Magazine for its new TS10 10” in-wall touch screen interface for the ELAN g! Home Control System. The award will be presented to ELAN on Sept. 8 at the 2011 EXC!TE Awards Party at CEDIA Expo 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

“The new TS10 Touch Screen provides dealers and consumers with the ultimate touch screen experience,” Lautner said today. “It combines a ‘touch and swipe’ design with a larger Active Matrix LCD screen for viewing television through the analog video feature, and larger easy-to-read icons for aging eyes. It’s ideal for watching television in the kitchen or the bathroom.”

CustomRetailer Magazine presents its annual EXC!TE Awards to the best products available to the industry. Each year, CustomRetailer invites nominations of products that stand out for being innovative, high-performing and solutions-oriented for the custom installation professional. Past winners stand out as particularly impressive, considering the unique challenges custom installers face every day on the job. The impact these products have had on the industry is felt in the installers' productivity, the dealers' profitability, the clients' satisfaction and the industry's vitality.

The new ELAN TS10 Touch Screen also features composite video for viewing TV sources or cameras, a 16:9 wide screen format, backlit hard buttons for commonly used functions, built-in speaker and microphone for messaging, simple IP connectivity for communication, non-volatile flash memory, quick & easy programming, compatible with all ELAN controllers, easy retrofit installation, optional backbox and preconstruction brackets (sold separately), and a screen saver mode that can display photo. The TS10 ships standard with a white frame, but it is also available in almond, light almond, ivory, and black.

Celebrity Baker Buddy Valastro Installs ELAN® g! Control System in New 35,000 Square Foot Commercial Production Center

America’s favorite baker, celebrity chef, and television star Buddy Valastro is taking his world famous brand to the next level with the opening of Carlo’s Bakery Lackawanna, a new, custom designed state-of-the-art 35,000 square foot bakery production center in Jersey City, New Jersey.  The facility is certain to be an employee’s dream, offering Buddy’s staff of professionals brand new appliances and equipment, and giving them full control of their environment through an ELAN® g! Control System installed by 360 Media Innovations.

With up to 100 employees at a time designing, baking, and building custom confections from $2 cupcakes and cookies to $20,000 life-sized designer cakes, there are sure to be different personalities and tastes. That’s why the facility utilizes the ELAN g! Control System to control 65 speakers distributed across 11 audio zones, allowing employees to choose what music plays in their area from two Sirius satellite radio receivers, two AM/FM radio receivers and four iPod docks.

“I work hard, but I also love what I do,” Valastro said today. “And I want our entire working family to enjoy their work, too.  Giving them a cool way to listen to whatever type of music they like will help to build camaraderie and make the workplace a much more comfortable environment.  I love that I’ll be able to address the entire staff at once through the audio system and the emergency safety alerts.”

That’s right, when the boss needs to make an announcement he can use ELAN’s COMM2 phone system to page specific zones or the whole building, automatically muting the current audio source and giving him a quick way to address his team. The ELAN g! system is also integrated with the fire alarm and sprinkler system, so if a fire is detected the system will send an audio alert through all 65 speakers to warn and inform the employees.  To access the ELAN g! controls there are eight ELAN TS7 7-inch touch screens located throughout the building, an ELAN TS10 10-inch touch screen in Valastro’s office, two ELAN HR2 remotes, with up to 22 more HR2s planned for controlling the 24 flat screen HDTVs, and of course he will be able to control it all from his iPhone and iPad, from anywhere in the world.

One of the major benefits of the ELAN g! system is that as soon as he wants to, Valastro can have 360 Media Innovations incorporate additional subsystems to be controlled by g!

“Soon we will integrate the 24 flat screen TVs located throughout the building and as we get used to the new space and evaluate our needs, we may add control for the lights, heating, air conditioning, security system and surveillance cameras,” said Valastro.

According to Chima Gale, President of 360 Media Innovations, the ELAN g! Control System was the best choice for Carlo’s Bakery Lackawanna. “Because the ELAN g! graphical user interface is so easy to use, it’s perfect for this type of commercial installation where a lot of people will be using the touch screens to adjust system settings. It will be simple to integrate additional subsystems in the future, and the already installed paging and safety features add so much value to the audio system that it would have been a waste to use any other product,” he said.

In addition to the bakery floor there is a receptionist area, a conference room, a client consultation room, an office for Valastro and two classrooms where he, his decorators and other guest bakers will offer paid baking classes to the public. Carlo’s Bakery Lackawanna has been shown on “The Cake Boss” several times and will become a regular shoot location for future seasons.

Available starting at under $2,000 for a single-room, four sub-system control solution, the ELAN g! Series Control System can be expanded quickly and cost-effectively to enable whole-home control of every room appliance.  ELAN g! provides users with the most uniform and intuitive icon-based control from their favorite devices, including TVs, touch screens, 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 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 - or across the globe.

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.

Chicago-Based Systems Integrator Installs World's Largest ELAN g! Home Control System

Chicago-based systems integrator AudioVideo Specialists, LLC has just completed what is believed to be the world’s largest ELAN g! installation in a new 10,000 square foot suburban Chicago home. The homeowners wanted their new house to have all the bells and whistles modern technology could offer, but when they went in search of a home control system they came down with a serious case of sticker-shock. The first systems integrator they spoke with suggested a different control system and gave them a quote of $480,000!

When they went looking for a second opinion, builder Rich Bondarowicz, president of Smart Group, Ltd., recommended Dan Cochenour at AudioVideo Specialists, LLC. Cochenour knows that there is a lot to consider when installing a home control system of this magnitude, from superior functionality and third-party component support, to ease of use and competitive pricing. Using the ELAN g! Home Control System he was able to offer the homeowners a simple-to-use, robust IP-based complete home control solution for a lot less than his competitors.

“This is the largest residential installation we’ve ever done,” said Cochenour, “and it is a glowing showcase of the control muscle that the ELAN g! Home Control System offers. With a system as extensive as this, it’s important that it be easy for the homeowner to operate and adjust. Luckily, the ELAN g! system basically makes whole-home control as simple as adding a contact on your iPhone.”

When all was said and done, the project wound up being the largest ELAN g! installation to date. Every subsystem in the house is integrated with ELAN g! – whole-house audio, video, lighting, HVAC, security, surveillance, motorized window curtains and sheers, irrigation, and even the pool and spa controls. It even includes custom-programmed “Away” and “Home” modes that conveniently set every system in the house to a pre-determined configuration for optimum efficiency and comfort. The ELAN g! system can be accessed through the owner’s three iPhones and two iPads, as well as a multitude of ELAN control interfaces including 12 HR2 remotes, seven TS2 2” in-wall touchpads, two TS7 7” in-wall touch screens and a WT84 8.4” Wireless Tablet with table top cradle.

The house is a media lover’s dream, featuring 11 LG flat panel HDTVs ranging from 32” to 60”, two of which are 3D TVs with LG 3D Blu-ray players and four pairs of 3D glasses each. Many of the TVs are custom-mounted less than an inch off the wall, giving the rooms a clean, uncluttered look. And when they need some fresh air, the family can watch TV year-round in their backyard on a 46” SunBright Outdoor LCD TV, viewable from the pool and spa. Through the ELAN g! system, every TV can access four DirecTV feeds with two DVRs, two networked Sony 400-disc Blu-ray changers and can view eight surveillance cameras located throughout the property.

To complement the ample video system, the house features a total of 54 speakers and seven subwoofers throughout 32 audio zones, including two surround systems, 12 outdoor speakers and two outdoor subwoofers. Each zone can play audio from a dual am/fm tuner, a three terabyte hard drive (enough space for 600,000 songs!), two iPort table-top iPod docking stations located in the kitchen and bar, Pandora internet radio, XM satellite radio, all of the video feeds and the home’s intercom system.

With the push of a button the family room transforms into a complete home theater as a Screen Innovations 106” motorized screen drops from the ceiling and a motorized theater curtain extends across the stairs to block sound from traveling out of the room. The 7.2 surround sound system with in-wall and in-ceiling ELAN and Sunfire speakers and an Optoma HD8600 projector rival the quality of full-scale commercial movie theaters, and trump them in convenience.

Managing a lighting system for a 10,000 square foot house can be challenge, but ELAN g! makes controlling the home’s 80 lighting zones a breeze. The owners can set automatic schedules for indoor and outdoor lighting and check which lights are on from any control interface. There are six motion sensors installed outside the bedrooms and elevator to automatically turn on the hallway lights when they are needed. With a whole-house Vantage lighting system, light switches are replaced by custom-engraved backlit keypads with pre-programmed lighting and entertainment modes. In most of the TV rooms, for instance, hitting the “Media” button on the Vantage keypad turns on the lights, entertainment system and automatically sets it to the correct source.

Security is one of the biggest concerns when living in a home of this size and value, which is why the owners have installed a full-fledged GE security system and surveillance cameras that are accessible and viewable on every TV, iPad and iPhone in the house. The system can also be viewed and controlled from anywhere in the world on an iPhone, iPad or PC using the ELAN g! software, providing the owners with peace of mind when away from home.

According to builder Rich Bondarowicz, the house requires less energy to maintain a comfortable climate than the owners’ former home that was half the size, thanks to ELAN g!’s smart energy monitoring, Energy Star HVAC systems and the inclusion of super-efficient foam insulation in every wall. The house has 18 climate zones controlled with Aprilaire and Tekmar thermostats, which are automated through the ELAN g! Home Control System.

Demonstrating the dedication and skill of Audio Video Specialists, LLC and the flexibility of the ELAN g! Home Control System, Cochenour centralized all the system components in a custom-built temperature-controlled four-rack cabinet. The cabinet features custom TZ locks that are controlled electronically by the g! system, as well as programming that turns on the fans when the cabinet rises above 85 degree Fahrenheit.

The system also includes several custom-programmed features:

• When the doorbell rings, every TV and speaker in use throughout the house pauses and displays the front door camera and intercom.
• The outdoor and landscape lighting turns on at dusk and off at dawn, based on the astronomical clock. If any of the home’s sump pumps or ejector pumps should fail, the ELAN g! Control System sends a text message to the homeowner and builder, allowing them to fix the problem before any damage is caused.
• If any of the equipment racks exceeds a set temperature limit, it will send a text message alert and shut down the AV system for protection.
• If the security alarm is triggered, the coach and porch lights will flash and the pathway lights will turn on until the system is disarmed.
• With an “Away” button, the owners can turn off all lights and AV zones with one touch as they walk out the door, and use the “Home” button to turn on pre-configured zones when they return.

Bondarowicz knows that he needs to keep up with building and technology trends to succeed in today’s homebuilding market, so he discusses home automation systems with all of his customers. “Some of my customers do ask about home automation systems, but I make sure to mention it to everyone, especially if they are unfamiliar with the technology,” he said. “And compared with the other home control systems out there, the ELAN g! system has become a favorite because it offers the best mix of a simple-to-use interface, all-encompassing capabilities and overall affordability.”

Available starting at $1860 for a single-room, four sub-system control solution, the ELAN g! Series Control System can be expanded quickly and cost-effectively to enable whole-home control of every room appliance. ELAN g! provides users with the most uniform and intuitive icon-based control from their favorite devices, including TVs, touch screens, 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 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 - or across the globe.

Xantech Virtually Eliminates Programming: Xantech To Introduce QuickConfig Mode Function For Its MX88 Multi-Zone Audio/Video Controller at InfoComm 2011

Underscoring its commitment to developing meaningful innovations that provide simple solutions for installers and end users alike, Xantech, the company that invented the concept of extended IR control for audio/video systems, will introduce its Xantech QuickConfig™ installation/configuration mode for its MX88 IP-enabled multi-zone audio/video controller at INFOCOMM 2011 in Orlando, Florida, at Booth #1255.

QuickConfig eliminates the tedious programming process that can literally take days with other supplier’s products, and reduces it down to as little as 10 minutes. By employing QuickConfig, the installer can instantly configure the MX88 for multiple zones and sources throughout a residence without the need of an external computer to program the system. The MX88 can be used to control every aspect of the home theater including audio/video, lighting and drapes. Additionally, it can be programmed to control the air conditioning/heating system, home security and video surveillance cameras.

Xantech President Graham Hallett stated, “For the past 40 years, Xantech has been and continues to be at the forefront of control technology and how it shapes, and is shaped by, industry trends. We are now seeing increasingly complex A/V and IT systems in a growing number of places, and simpler, more intuitive control solutions and setup protocols are an absolute necessity. As A/V control systems evolve, Xantech continues to give users products that make their lives easier. Whatever your system components, you turn it on; we make it work.”

QuickConfig mode lets installers do all programming of sources and zones directly via the MX88’s keypad or Xantech’s new SmartPanel™ LCD touchpanels. For the home theater, sources can include Xantech audio/video components or those from other manufacturers. QuickConfig also easily configures sources that have metadata, so information such as song title, artist and genre is clearly displayed.

Unlike other installation/configuration software of this caliber, absolutely no separate PC is required. It is extremely intuitive and straightforward, guiding the installer one-by-one through the system components and manufacturer codes, much like programming a universal remote control device. With QuickConfig, the MX88 is usable out of the box, as it requires far less setup and configuration time than other protocols, and no additional time needs to be spent mastering the software. QuickConfig also configures the MX88’s iPad interface, further enhancing the unit’s capability.

About the Xantech MX88 Multi-zone Audio/Video Controller
The MX88 allows a user to control an entire Xantech multi-zone audio/video system using an Apple iPad®. An integrated audio/video distribution and control tour-de-force, the network-ready MX88 combines a 50W x 16-channel/8-zone amplifier and highly efficient auto-sensing universal power supply with advanced automation control capable of up to 16 Serial ports with the use of Xantech’s RS232 1x8 serial routers, and 17 selectable IR ports, as well as IP communication and two-way interface with an iPhone®, iPod® touch or iPad.

Xantech’s iPad integration approach uses an existing WiFi network to interface the MX-series controller to the iPad (or any networked web-browsing device), serving up a web application embedded in the MX88’s architecture. System control and status monitoring can all be accessed within a wired or wireless immediate LAN environment, or remotely over the Internet. Full metadata, menu navigation and even content graphics and album art are all transitioned from media source to the iPad through the Xantech audio/video controller itself. The MX88 is perfect for residential or commercial multi-zone control applications.

As impressive as the MX88’s audio and video performance is, the controller excels in another performance parameter so vital today: environmental friendliness. The MX88's engineering and design incorporate a wide range of technical improvements to make it a leader in the area of a more eco-friendly, ideal power consumption-versus-output ratio. The unit is built around an exceptionally intelligent and highly-efficient “greener” power supply with 100V-240V automatic voltage selection and advanced low-power consumption mode. On-board Intelligent Power Management circuitry provides positive external device control (through video and current sensing) over all 8 source input components connected to the unit, enabling the MX controller to manage the status of any of them — turning them OFF when not needed, for example. The controller’s all-digital amplifier section is a model of conservation, operating at nearly three times the power and heat efficiency of conventional audiophile amplifier circuits while maintaining full fidelity.

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.

Take1's Specialized Insurance Program Stands By Chaos Visual Productions On 2010 John Mayer "Battle Studies" Tour

One of the fastest growing companies in the live event production industry very much does business the old fashioned way — largely based on quality work, trust, character, and, yes, a handshake. This commitment to exceeding customer expectations has made John Wiseman’s Chaos Visual Productions the “go to” source for cutting edge live video playback and video capture services for many of today’s leading recording artists — John Mayer, Katy Perry, Enrique Iglesias, Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Tom Petty, Green Day, Beyonce, and Justin Bieber, among many others. In fact, the two-year-old company was cited as the Video Company of the Year by industry peers when it received the 2010 Parnelli Award.

“For us, it always has been and always will be about the work,” Wiseman explained. “When we are retained for a project we give our word that our clients can and will receive the highest level of creativity backed by the highest levels of support. No excuses, ever.”

Last summer Wiseman found out that his insurance underwriter, Take1 Insurance, the entertainment arm of U.S. Risk, Inc., and the carrier they underwrite for, the entertainment division of one of the world’s largest insurance carriers, has the same commitment to standing by its customers. Wiseman’s Chaos Visual Productions had ten tours out on the road last summer, and one of the biggest was the John Mayer “Battle Studies” Tour, a massive world tour to support his 2009 album of the same name. The tour performed 122 shows in 331 days and encompassed the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Chaos was hired by tour production manager Chris Adamson and production designer Marc Brickman to provide the live video playback for each venue on the schedule. Together Chaos, Adamson, and Brickman created a 50’ wide X 20’ tall LED video wall composed of 45 Martin LC 2140 panels, along with four Barco 20k projectors that shot onto a custom screen, and a four-HD camera system to capture and playback the concert to the audiences. “It was definitely an eye-popping display of state-of-the-art video technology in action,” Wiseman explained, but there was one hitch. “The video wall was designed for indoor use.”

On July 25, 2010, on an otherwise beautiful sunny day, the decision was made to put up the wall in an outside venue. And that’s when Mother Nature showed her sense of humor. Once the wall was up and ready to go, the sky turned grey, then black, and a monsoon-level storm literally blew in and destroyed the $1-million video wall in a matter of seconds. “The winds came up out of nowhere and whipped the wall around like it was a rag doll. We were devastated by what had happened and, frankly, we didn’t know what to do. Fortunately, we spoke with our insurance broker, Paul Lopez of Snapp & Associates, who placed our business through specialty underwriter Take1 Insurance, and from the minute the accident happened he never ever left our side.”

Not only did Take1 work directly with the carrier to honor the claim on the video wall, it continued to cover the remainder of the tour and all of the other tours that Chaos had out on the road. “We all have our insurance company stories,” Wiseman noted. “And unfortunately many of them are not good ones. Well, this is one of the good ones. Take1 came to our defense and fought the good fight for us. They restored my faith in the insurance industry, not to mention in mankind!” Wiseman joked. “As far as I am concerned, Take1 is a partner in the business with us. They’ve proven their willingness to stand by us in the same way that we stand by our clients, every day, without excuses.”

According to Paul Lopez, “Chaos has been a client since it was formed in January 2009. When they were starting out, I sat down with Chaos CFO Rich Oster and we found that their previous policy, from a provider not specialized in the entertainment industry, was insufficient and left them vulnerable to substantial losses. So we crafted an air-tight, and in this case, water-tight policy that keeps them protected all the time, no matter where their business takes them — anywhere in the world.”

Take 1’s specialty program has designed inland marine coverage, among other specialty covers 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.

Chaos Visual Productions formed in January 2009 under partners John Wiseman, Chris Kaman and Chuck Burtzloff. The company has since provided specialized video production services on several major world tours as well as on the sets of several Hollywood blockbuster movies.

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.

Buffalo Wild Wings Franchisee Uses ELAN g! To Master 62 TVs With The Touch Of A Button

Brett Babick, David and Mike Gianascoli, and Chris Paphites, the partners of Desert Wings, LLC, can turn on, set up and change the channel on all 62 TVs at once at each of their three Southern California Buffalo Wild Wings locations, and all from an iPod touch with the ELAN g! Control System.  With this innovative system, it doesn’t take a whole team of employees to manage and constantly change the channel on 62 TVs, which was precisely the problem they had in a restaurant they previously owned.

“In the old restaurant, we used a system that we thought gave us top-of-the-line video distribution and control,” recalled Babick.  “All the TVs were physically controlled from a central point, where we had to walk over and manually switch to control a specific TV set, then change the channel for just that set.  In an establishment like Buffalo Wild Wings, we can have up to 70 TVs showing almost a dozen different sporting events, so any time a customer asks us to change the channel it was incredibly inconvenient and time consuming to manually identify and adjust each TV.”

So when they decided to open three new Buffalo Wild Wings locations in Southern California, they turned to Craig Curran at Smart Systems Technologies (SST) to design a fluid, simple-to-operate audio/video system, based on the ELAN g! Control System.  With an innovative interface that is uniform across all platforms, including iPhones, iPads, PCs and even retail POS (point-of-sale) terminals, ELAN g! provides users with incredibly simple control over the entire audio/video system, and can even expand to control lighting and monitor surveillance cameras.

“I came into Brett’s previous restaurant and showed him how we could improve the system and make it much simpler to use and manage,” Curran said. “We agreed that embracing new, better technology in the three new locations would be the best thing for him and his customers, and would remove some of the hassle and headaches.”

“As soon as Craig changed the channel from a handheld device he had, I was sold,” said Babick.  “Now, we have select employees who can access the A/V control system through 10 or more POS terminals and the manager can even control the TVs with an iPod touch we bought for each restaurant! Thanks to the POS integration, we can control the system from more than a dozen spots.  We used to literally use hand signals to relay customer requests, and a manager or I would have to leave the floor.  Now with our new system, the instant a customer asks us to change a TV, it’s done.   Some customers have actually said ‘Wow, how did you do that?’ when they saw us use the iPod.  Now there’s no leaving the restaurant floor, no time wasted.”

Thanks in part to the ELAN g! system, Babick believes that they’ve “got the best Buffalo Wild Wings in the country.”  In fact, one of their locations is ranked one of the company’s top 10 franchises.  In addition to seamless, instant control, they set up the ELAN g! Control System to automatically turn on and set the channel on every TV at 10:30 a.m. before they open, and automatically turn off at midnight when they close. 

One of his favorite features is the ability to display personal marketing messages right on the TVs. “Now we can run a ‘ticker’ on the bottom of any TV we want, just like ESPN does. We use it to promote specials and let customers know what games are coming up, and it really adds a sense of professionalism whenever you see that on the screen,” Babick remarked.

Desert Wings’ Buffalo Wild Wings locations have up to 62 TVs, including up to a dozen 11-foot and one 13-foot HD projection screens and up to 49 HD LCD TVs, most of which are 55” LG sets.  He can show 16 different video feeds at once, combining 10 DirecTVÒ receivers and a DVD player as well as internal marketing programming. The ELAN g! Control System also controls the restaurants’ audio systems, which have up to 30 speakers in six discrete zones, allowing customers to listen to music in one section and the big game’s play-by-play in another.

Curran sees the ELAN g! Control System as one of the best new tools for business owners as well as installers.  “The price point and ability to duplicate installations are making media integration and distribution more available for the mass market,” he remarked.  “And it’s the same with automation.  Not having to custom program subsystems and graphical user interfaces makes it much more attractive and infinitely simpler to use.  You can control everything – security, surveillance, lighting, heating and air conditioning, audio/video systems – right from your PC, iPhone or iPod.  Automation has never been easier, or as affordable.”

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.