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Friday, June 29, 2018
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Smart Home Steals the Show
It took a while, but home builders seem to be on board with smart home technology these days. Increasingly, they are incorporating touches of tech into model homes, show homes, and even including preconfigured packages as standard amenities in the homes they build for clients.
Related: Smart Homes by Lennar
The adoption has made it easier for home systems integrators to ally with builders in an effort to bring home technology to the masses. HabiTech Systems, of Ormond Beach, Fla., the company the decked out this Gold-Award-Winning Home, for example, has collaborated with Kargar Homes since 2001, and their relationship took a drastic turn recently.
Show Home Gets Real
What had started out as purely a business partnership has become one of customer and home systems provider. “After using the house as a company show home for several months, the owner of Kargar had the intention of putting it on the market to sell,” says HabiTech sales manager Kris Levengood. “Secretively, I think he had hoped that it wouldn’t sell, which it didn’t.” But, instead, the Kargar family moved into the house, made it its own, and have been taking full advantage of all the systems installed by the HabiTech crew as well as its energy-efficient design for about a year.
A Good Starting Point
The team of home systems integrators must have covered all of its bases, because according to Levengood the Kargars have requested very few adjustments to their home’s Control4 system since they moved in. Their satisfaction with the setup could have stemmed from their close involvement during the design and installation of the home systems. “Even though it was conceived originally as being a show home, the residence ended up reflecting a lot of their personality—from the architecture and interior design to the integration of technology,” Levengood says. “It really evolved into their dream home.”
Custom touches are apparent throughout the 12,000-square-foot residence. Nearly 50 Control4 wireless dimmer switches and 40 keypads were engraved from the get-go with all of the typical scenes: Home, Away, Party, Good Night, Movie, and more. These scenes can be changed on a whim and new ones added easily at any time.
Sensors on every door and window, as well as multiple motion sensors, communicate via hardwire to an Interlogix NetworX security system. The system lets the family actively monitor and manage each facet of the system via Alarm.com services via a mobile app. They can use the app to customize the settings of the system, like have it dispatch alerts on their smartphones whenever a particular sensor is tripped. Because the Alarm.com utilizes a cellular connection, home protection is never jeopardized in the event of an Internet snafu.
Cosmetically Conscious Tech Design
Convenient and customized control was critical to the project, but what the owner wanted more than anything was the technology to remain as inconspicuous as possible. “Hiding the technology was our number one goal and our biggest challenge,” Levengood says.
Although the home was outfitted with several keypads and 10 Control4 touchscreens, these elements were customized to blend in nicely with the room cosmetics. An equipment closet hides all of the gear. Sixteen zones of MartinLogan speakers were tucked into the ceilings and walls. And for components that couldn’t be as easily fused with the architecture, like the floor-standing MartinLogan models chosen for the home theater, HabiTech arranged
to have cabinetry built around them. “The owner wanted all the bells and whistles in this room, but wanted to see none of it,” Levengood remarks. “This ‘cloak-them-with-cabinetry’ solution allowed the MartinLogan speakers to perform optimally without overpowering the room design.” The custom-designed speakers in the home theater are part of an 11-channel Dolby Atmos surround-sound setup, complemented by a 150-inch Screen Innovations Black Diamond screen and an Epson laser projector.
Plans for the Future
Today, the home theater system is connected to its own dedicated suite of AV components, including a cable box, BluRay Disc player, and Apple TV. The other nine TVs in the house each have their own set of components, too. But rather than clutter the residence with AV cabinets in each TV room, HabiTech ran HDMI cabling from each media setup to centrally located rack that holds all of the home systems.
For now, this arrangement works, but Levengood says an 8×8 Control4 matrix switch will eventually be added to enable the TVs to share sources. Also on the docket is voice control. “This house is prewired for anything. It’s just a matter of deciding what the owner wants.”
Even without the wiring, the team at HabiTech made sure that any wireless systems in the house would work like a charm. A Luxul networking system establishes and maintains reliable Wi-Fi communications—essential for the delivery of video footage from 16 Luma IP surveillance cameras to Control4 touchscreens. As each new device joins either the wired or wireless network, HabiTech will be on hand to help its business partner-turned-client to customize it perfectly to suit the design of the house and the needs of the family.
Systems & Equipment
Control4 control system
- Control4 lighting
- Control4 audio distribution
- Interlogix security system with Alarm.com monitoring
- Luma surveillance cameras
- HP Products central vacuum system
- Marantz receivers
- MartinLogan speakers
- MartinLogan subwoofers
- Epson video projector
- Screen Innovations home theater screen
- Luxul wireless network
Systems Design & Installation
HabiTech Systems
Ormond Beach, Fla.
www.habitechsystems.com
The post Smart Home Steals the Show appeared first on Electronic House.
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https://www.electronichouse.com/home-of-the-week/smart-home-steals-the-show/
Smart Home Steals the Show
It took a while, but home builders seem to be on board with smart home technology these days. Increasingly, they are incorporating touches of tech into model homes, show homes, and even including preconfigured packages as standard amenities in the homes they build for clients.
Related: Smart Homes by Lennar
The adoption has made it easier for home systems integrators to ally with builders in an effort to bring home technology to the masses. HabiTech Systems, of Ormond Beach, Fla., the company the decked out this Gold-Award-Winning Home, for example, has collaborated with Kargar Homes since 2001, and their relationship took a drastic turn recently.
Show Home Gets Real
What had started out as purely a business partnership has become one of customer and home systems provider. “After using the house as a company show home for several months, the owner of Kargar had the intention of putting it on the market to sell,” says HabiTech sales manager Kris Levengood. “Secretively, I think he had hoped that it wouldn’t sell, which it didn’t.” But, instead, the Kargar family moved into the house, made it its own, and have been taking full advantage of all the systems installed by the HabiTech crew as well as its energy-efficient design for about a year.
A Good Starting Point
The team of home systems integrators must have covered all of its bases, because according to Levengood the Kargars have requested very few adjustments to their home’s Control4 system since they moved in. Their satisfaction with the setup could have stemmed from their close involvement during the design and installation of the home systems. “Even though it was conceived originally as being a show home, the residence ended up reflecting a lot of their personality—from the architecture and interior design to the integration of technology,” Levengood says. “It really evolved into their dream home.”
Custom touches are apparent throughout the 12,000-square-foot residence. Nearly 50 Control4 wireless dimmer switches and 40 keypads were engraved from the get-go with all of the typical scenes: Home, Away, Party, Good Night, Movie, and more. These scenes can be changed on a whim and new ones added easily at any time.
Sensors on every door and window, as well as multiple motion sensors, communicate via hardwire to an Interlogix NetworX security system. The system lets the family actively monitor and manage each facet of the system via Alarm.com services via a mobile app. They can use the app to customize the settings of the system, like have it dispatch alerts on their smartphones whenever a particular sensor is tripped. Because the Alarm.com utilizes a cellular connection, home protection is never jeopardized in the event of an Internet snafu.
Cosmetically Conscious Tech Design
Convenient and customized control was critical to the project, but what the owner wanted more than anything was the technology to remain as inconspicuous as possible. “Hiding the technology was our number one goal and our biggest challenge,” Levengood says.
Although the home was outfitted with several keypads and 10 Control4 touchscreens, these elements were customized to blend in nicely with the room cosmetics. An equipment closet hides all of the gear. Sixteen zones of MartinLogan speakers were tucked into the ceilings and walls. And for components that couldn’t be as easily fused with the architecture, like the floor-standing MartinLogan models chosen for the home theater, HabiTech arranged
to have cabinetry built around them. “The owner wanted all the bells and whistles in this room, but wanted to see none of it,” Levengood remarks. “This ‘cloak-them-with-cabinetry’ solution allowed the MartinLogan speakers to perform optimally without overpowering the room design.” The custom-designed speakers in the home theater are part of an 11-channel Dolby Atmos surround-sound setup, complemented by a 150-inch Screen Innovations Black Diamond screen and an Epson laser projector.
Plans for the Future
Today, the home theater system is connected to its own dedicated suite of AV components, including a cable box, BluRay Disc player, and Apple TV. The other nine TVs in the house each have their own set of components, too. But rather than clutter the residence with AV cabinets in each TV room, HabiTech ran HDMI cabling from each media setup to centrally located rack that holds all of the home systems.
For now, this arrangement works, but Levengood says an 8×8 Control4 matrix switch will eventually be added to enable the TVs to share sources. Also on the docket is voice control. “This house is prewired for anything. It’s just a matter of deciding what the owner wants.”
Even without the wiring, the team at HabiTech made sure that any wireless systems in the house would work like a charm. A Luxul networking system establishes and maintains reliable Wi-Fi communications—essential for the delivery of video footage from 16 Luma IP surveillance cameras to Control4 touchscreens. As each new device joins either the wired or wireless network, HabiTech will be on hand to help its business partner-turned-client to customize it perfectly to suit the design of the house and the needs of the family.
Systems & Equipment
Control4 control system
- Control4 lighting
- Control4 audio distribution
- Interlogix security system with Alarm.com monitoring
- Luma surveillance cameras
- HP Products central vacuum system
- Marantz receivers
- MartinLogan speakers
- MartinLogan subwoofers
- Epson video projector
- Screen Innovations home theater screen
- Luxul wireless network
Systems Design & Installation
HabiTech Systems
Ormond Beach, Fla.
www.habitechsystems.com
The post Smart Home Steals the Show appeared first on Electronic House.
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Monday, June 25, 2018
Research Shows Screen Size, Picture Quality Drives Replacement TV Purchases
Are you tired of your TV? Are you ready for a new one? You’re not alone. The number of consumers that reported replacing an existing TV with a 4K/UHD TV grew from 23 percent in November 2017, to 28 percent in February 2018, according to the new TV Ownership Trends Report from NPD Connected Intelligence.
Bigger Screen Sizes
What’s inspiring most consumers up upgrade? Researchers found out that 45 percent of consumers who purchased a 4K replacement TV did so because they wanted a larger screen, while 39 percent reported wanting better picture quality, and another 24 percent cited more affordable pricing as the main factor behind their decision.
Related: What is HDR and why is it important for a 4K TV
Living Room the Prime New TV Location
Where in the home are these new TVs mainly residing? The living room seems to be the choice location, with nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of 4K/UHD replacement TVs purchased reported as being installed in a living room.
According to the report, the average size of a replacement TV intended for the living room was 52 inches. For all other household rooms, the average replacement TV screen size is 43 inches.
“While the number of installed TVs per US household has shrunk slightly in recent years, consumers are continuing to spend on the primary TV in their home, upgrading it to the biggest screen and the best picture they can afford,” says Stephen Baker, vice president, The NPD Group.
According to forecasts by Strategy Analytics, 4K TVs will lead the charge, with North American household penetration of 4K Ultra HD TVs jumping from 5 percent in 2015 to 48 percent in 2020. The upswing is driven by U.S. consumers’ appetites for big-screen TVs, availability at more affordable price points, and shrinking selections of 1080p TVs, Strategy Analytics forecasts.
By the end of 2016, more than 11 million homes will own at least one 4K TV, the research company says.
So which TV should you buy? Here are a few displays, reviewed and chosen by CNET for their design, features, performance, and value:
- TCL 6 Series (2018 Roku TV)
- LG OLEDC7P
- LG OLEDC8P
- Vizio M-Series (2018)
- Sony XBR-X900E Series
- Sony XBR-A1E Series
- Samsung Q8 Series (2018)
- Sony XBR-X900 F Series
The post Research Shows Screen Size, Picture Quality Drives Replacement TV Purchases appeared first on Electronic House.
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Google Launches ‘Continued Conversation’ Feature for Google Home Devices
There’s something very empowering about being able to bark out commands and have devices in your home respond. There are no arguments, whining, or complaints. Your voice-enabled smart speaker is there to please. Google is taking voice a step further, however, by enabling its Google Home devices to not only obey commands, but carry on a conversation.
Google has officially launched its “continued conversation” feature for Google Home, Home Mini, and Home Max, allowing users to ask a question, get an answer, and then ask a related question in a natural way.
For example, users can now ask Google Assistant, “How old is Barack Obama?” Google Assistant will reply with something like, “Barack Obama is 56 years old.” Users can then immediately ask another question, such as, “How tall is he?” and receive an answer without having to wait much longer.
Related: 10 Ways Voice Control in the Home Will Change Your Life
The latest update also allows users to ask a question, and then quickly shift to another task, like asking Google Assistant to remind them to take out the trash in 10 minutes right after asking about the weather.
This new functionality may be an opening for Google to gain some ground on Amazon and its Alexa voice assistant, which currently offers a similar function called “follow-up mode.”
Continued Conversations are U.S. Only
Google has limited the “continued conversation” feature to the U.S. for now, and the tech giant has not provided an official timetable for when it will be available in more countries. Additionally, the feature is designed to be opt-in only, meaning integrators will need to step their interested clients through Google Home’s settings menu in order to enable it via:
- Settings > Preferences > Continued conversations> Toggle On
One potential drawback to the system is how long its mic waits for additional commands. If a Google Home hears a request to start up Google Assistant and fulfills a request, it will then wait an additional 8 seconds for another request.
That 8-second “open mic” functionality could lead to false positives, where a dealer’s client asks a question and has no follow up question, but the mic still hears everything in the room for another 8 seconds. Fortunately, any Google Home device will keep its “I’m listening” LEDs lit for the duration.
Still, the benefits should outweigh the negatives. After all, it’s a lot easier and more natural to say, “OK, Google. Turn off the living room and kitchen lights,” than it is to say, “OK, Google. Turn off the living room lights and turn off the kitchen lights.”
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Friday, June 22, 2018
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Home Technology Takeover
When the owners purchased this 9,000-square-foot home 18 months ago, the only electronic components that had been used were four TVs and two loudspeakers. Sparse in smarts, yet an open canvas, the owners dove in to create a home environment that nearly runs itself.
It helped that the owner came into the project with years of home tech experience under his belt. Having dealt with a number of systems in the past as a custom integrator, his plan for this project was plain and simple: Install best-in-breed products, employ state-of-the-art technologies, and automate to the nth degree.
The strategy worked. The high-tech systems operate as a natural extension of the home, impacting every facet of the family’s lifestyle in some very practical, useful and remarkable ways. And rarely do they have to lift a finger to make the systems in their smart home operate appropriately. Going from barebones to bells-and-whistles, this home’s journey to smart home excellence makes it a worthy recipient of our 2018 Gold Traditional-Style Smart Home Award.
Laying the Groundwork
Handling the extensive makeover was BlueSpeed AV, of Bixby, Okla. Before getting into the nitty-gritty of installing speakers, light switches and other gear, the BlueSpeed AV team installed a high-speed Ruckus wireless network and hardwired backbone to support the wide range of systems selected for the interior and exterior of the home.
The second crucial element was the implementation of a control system that could pull all the pieces and parts together to work as one. BlueSpeed AV chose Savant for complete, comprehensive home control. With this networking and control groundwork laid, the team went to work, installing, configuring, and programming each high-tech facet of this smart home.
Hands-Free Lighting Control
One of the most beneficial parts of any smart home is an architectural lighting system, and the wireless Lutron HomeWorks QS solution added to this house takes charge of more than 180 light switches. The HomeWorks QS dims and brightens lights to preset intensity levels based on occupancy in rooms, time of day, home security status, button presses, mobile app, and voice commands. Although elegant seeTouch keypads installed near each doorway offer quick and easy control over the lights in the room — as well as access to and control over music — “we rarely touch them,” says the owner. “Most of the time, we let the occupancy sensors and timers manage when the lights go and off.”
For example, when the sensors notice that someone has walked into a room, it signals the Lutron HomeWorks QS system to brighten them to a certain level and stay on until the room is vacant. However, at night, the sensors ignore movement so that the lights stay off while people are sleeping. The exceptions are the hallway lights which brighten to 10 percent to lead family members to the bathroom and kitchen.
26 Zones of Audio; 50 Outdoor Speakers
The home’s whole-house music system, which is driven by a Savant matrix switcher, requires more human interaction, but it’s still a cinch to handle. A user simply taps a button on the room keypad to play songs on the built-in Bowers & Wilkins speakers in the space. The music, which is curated from streaming services such as Pandora and Spotify, also travels to 50 outdoor Coastal Source and Episode speakers around the decks, swimming pool, and landscape.
The whole-house system also features a pair of striking B&W floorstanding speakers in the living room and a full Phase Technology dARTS Speaker System in the media room. Even if a keypad isn’t handy, the owners can use the Savant app to find music, adjust volume, and direct it to any or all of the home’s 26 listening areas.
The switcher also delivers video from a central rack of equipment, which includes four cable boxes, two Apple TVs, two Kaleidescape media servers, three Xbox One players, and a PlayStation 4, to numerous Sony, Samsung, and Séura TVs. A 160-inch Screen Innovations Transformer screen paired with a Sony projector in a media room and 120-inch Screen Innovations screen and companion Digital Projection International (DPI) projector in the indoor basketball court also tap into the video sources.
All-Out Integration and Voice-Activated Scenes
Lighting and whole-house AV are just the tip of the iceberg. Also integrated into the Savant control architecture are a full-blown security system with 35 surveillance cameras, motorized window shades, the aforementioned TVs and projectors, four thermostats, six electronic door locks, and garage door openers. That’s a slew of systems to manage individually, so to simplify BlueSpeed AV programmed several housewide “scenes” into the Savant systems.
For example, there’s no need to visit each door, window, thermostat, TV, or A/V component before for bedtime, thanks to the “Goodnight” scene specially crafted by BlueSpeed AV for the family. Instead, the owners can have the house ready in seconds from wherever they are — even while under the covers. The “Away” scene can be activated from the app on any mobile device, keypad, or by voice. BlueSpeed peppered several Amazon Show and Echo Dot devices throughout, so the every command is heard.
“Voice control really comes in handy when we’re hosting a party,” says the owner. “I just say, ‘House Party,’ and the outdoor entertainment area springs to life. My favorite Pandora channel streams through 50 speakers, three outdoor TVs turn on and tune to preset sports channels, and if it’s evening, the landscape lights activate. When you’re walking out to the barbeque with a tray full of meat, being able to yell at Alexa to control things is very helpful.”
Personal Wake-Up Calls
Other scenes are engaged in a similar manner, but with a few tweaks personalized for each family member. Next to the bed of each family member is a keypad with a button labeled “Goodnight.” When the kids press their button, only the lights and A/V in their room turns off. The rest of the house is unaffected. In Mom and Dad’s bedroom, the button initiates a global sweep where every light, A/V component, window shade, door lock, alarm, thermostat and motion sensors are adjusted. The TV in the master bedroom stays on, but automatically shuts off after 45 minutes.
In the morning, a “Wake-Up” scene activates automatically — at a different time for each family member. At their set wake-up time, which is adjustable through the Savant app, the bedroom lights slowly brighten and a favorite music channel plays through the room’s built in speakers at their preferred volume level. “It’s one of the most effective ways to wake up my son for school,” the owner enthuses. And if that doesn’t work, there’s always Alexa. “Because we have them in nearly every room we can use them as intercoms,” the owner says.
High-Tech Lifestyle Fully Embraced
With control options galore, there’s no way this smart home gets unruly. The family can let the system handle certain functions automatically, tap a button on a keypad or mobile device, and launch scenes through voice commands to Alexa. It’s a high-tech lifestyle that the family has fully embraced, as it’s enhanced every aspect of their at-home existence.
Systems & Equipment
- Savant control system
- Savant A/V distribution
- Savant thermostats
- Lutron lighting and motorized shading
- DPI, Sony projectors
- Screen Innovations 160-inch, 120-inch screens
- Samsung, Sony, Séura TVs
- Bowers & Wilkins, Coastal Source, Episode, Sonance, Phase Technology speakers
- Sonance, Marantz amplifiers
- Yale electronic locks
- IC Realtime, Luma surveillance cameras
- Amazon Alexa Show and Echo Dot smart speakers
Systems Design & Installation
BlueSpeed AV
Bixby, Okla.
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Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Monday, June 18, 2018
A Smart Home That Pays You Back for Water Problems?
When most people think about home protection, the first thing that comes to mind is a home fire and burglary security system. There’s so much more that can happen to a home, though, than burning and theft.
According to ISO/Verisk about one in 50 insured homes has a property damage claim caused by water damage or freezing each year. These claims cost insurers about $9 billion a year. The average water damage claim costs about $8,860.
Flo Technologies, Inc., a company on a mission to prevent costly water damage in homes around the country, offers its own reimbursement program, HomeProtect. The program will reimburse homeowners for their insurance deductibles if their Flo-equipped home suffers major water damage.
Gabriel Halimi, CEO and Co-Founder of Flo Technologies, says: “Water damage is the leading cause of preventable homeowner’s insurance claims every year, costing over $9 billion annually. We’ve analyzed the results from our diverse customer base and proved our initial hypothesis: The Flo System’s proactive technology helps dramatically reduce the likelihood of water damage. With this data, we can now stand behind our customers in an unprecedented way. We are so confident in the Flo system that we will refund customers’ deductibles in the unlikely event their Flo-equipped home suffers major damage that Flo should have prevented. We are excited to offer our customers this added layer of protection as we further Flo’s mission of preventing costly water damage and water loss.”
For $5 per month HomeProtect subscribers gain an additional layer of protection, including:
- A water damage prevention guarantee: Flo will pay up to $2,500 for out-of-pocket homeowner’s insurance deductible (details)
- Proactive Monitoring by Flo’s experienced support team, as well as Live Chat Support
- Access to Flo’s Water Concierge to answer questions about your home’s water system and help resolve water and plumbing issues (whether or not the issues involve the Flo System)
- An extended 3-year product warranty
- Access to enhanced analysis and information about water usage, including usage per water fixture (currently in beta)
- A Flo Certified Letter for Insurance that may help reduce monthly homeowners insurance costs (depending on your insurance provider)
- Access to the Flo Standard Plan, which comes with every Flo device purchase
Using FloSense technology, the smart home device applies machine learning and artificial intelligence to learn users’ daily behavior, and sends alerts about abnormalities via the free iOS and Android app. Through the app, users can shut off the water, get troubleshooting tips, or contact Flo Support. Plus, Flo’s MicroLeak technology runs daily proactive tests, identifying and notifying users of tiny leaks that would otherwise go undetected. The Flo device has already helped U.S. homeowners save over 1 million gallons of water.
Flo customers can sign up for HomeProtect today at www.meetflo.com/homeprotect. Flo devices are available for purchase at www.meetflo.com.
The post A Smart Home That Pays You Back for Water Problems? appeared first on Electronic House.
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Friday, June 15, 2018
Marantz NR1609 Receiver Features Amazon Alexa, Dolby Atmos
Typically people think of A/V receivers as big, black boxes. The new Marantz NR1509 and NR1609 Receivers break that stereotype by providing homeowners a choice of small-footprint home theater solutions, along with Amazon Alexa voice control capabilities.
The space-friendly receivers offer an array of features, including surround sound decoding, multiple HDMI inputs, 4K UltraHD video compatibility, wireless whole-house audio options, and Amazon voice control.
“Marantz has a legacy of providing absolute top-notch audio solutions for consumers who value sound quality, visual clarity, ease-of-use and beauty above all else,” says Emmanuel Millot, global brand director, Marantz.
“The latest slimline network receivers continue to embody this tradition of excellence. Putting audio and video quality first, both receivers are packed with power and the latest video technologies. We’ve also added HEOS for multiroom wireless chops and Amazon Alexa support to easily control content with your voice.”
Marantz NR1609 Supports Dolby Atmos
Exclusive to the $749 slimline NR1609 is object-based surround sound decoding with a choice of Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and DTS Virtual:X formats, as well as Audyssey MultEQ and Dynamic Volume equalization technologies.
At the heart of both the Marantz NR1509 and NR1609 receivers are discrete, high-current power amplifiers.
Marantz rates the NR1609 to produce 50 watts per channel on all seven channels at 8 ohms (and the rated distortion with two channels driven is 0.08 percent). The company rates the NR1509 to produce 50 watts per channel for all of its five channels, and the amplifiers include the company’s Hyper Dynamic Amplification Module (HDAM) circuitry, which helps the products produce an improved listening experience.
Both products incorporate six HDMI inputs (the NR1609 includes eight HDMI inputs), as well as HDMI outputs that support HDCP 2.2 copyright protection, ARC and CEC.
The receivers also support 4K at 60Hz with 4:4:4 chroma subsampling, and the HDR10, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) high dynamic range (HDR) formats.
Moreover, the receivers allow for the playback of ALC, FLAC and WAV audio files up to 24-bit/192kHz; 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz DSD files, and they enable wireless streaming via Bluetooth and/or Apple AirPlay.
The NR1509 and NR1609 provide wireless whole-house audio options through the company’s proprietary built-in HEOS platform, ensuring both receivers’ ability to deliver whole-house entertainment.
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Thursday, June 14, 2018
Award-winning Smart Home Showcases Spectacular Car Collection
The DMV is no place for fun, what with the excruciatingly long wait, the cost to renew your driver’s license and the metal, unforgiving chairs. But the owner of this luxury home has given the nomenclature a whole new level of class, by creating an automated showroom for an impressive collection of rare luxury vehicles and authentic race cars.
“He wanted a trophy room of sorts, a gallery where he could showcase his cars under one roof and host events and dinners,” says Ryan Sullivan, owner of BlueSpeed AV, Bixby, OK, of the purpose behind this unique, 7,000-square-foot space. It was a feat that earned the project a Gold Award for the Electronic House Home of the Year category of Best Unique Space.
Be sure to watch for more Home of the Year winners in the upcoming weeks. And if you missed last year’s winners, check this out.
Lutron Puts Owner in the Pole Position
Constructed as a separate wing of the 27,000-square-foot house, the area goes from zero to sixty in seconds. The only need only tap a button any of seven sleek Lutron Palladiom keypads positioned throughout the room to activate the lights, music system, video projector, and adjust the thermostat.
The settings of these systems vary depending on which keypad button is pressed, so that the atmosphere is perfect for any number of activities. “Event,” for example, commands the Epson video projector to lower its hiding place above the ceiling, each of six TVs (two are 75 inches; the rest are 65 inches) to activate and tune to preselected sports channel (without audio), 100 loads of lights to illuminate the entire area, seven Lutron motorized shades to lower, and music from an Autonomic music server to spill through more than two dozen MSE Audio SoundTube and Bowers & Wilkins speakers. The SoundTube speakers hang like pendant lights from the ceiling; the B&W speakers are mounted flush into the ceiling.
Projecting the Right Image
A 160-inch Zero Gravity Slate screen from Screen Innovations displays images from the Epson projector; the owners use a Savant app on their iPads and iPhones to select video from one of several cable boxes, 4K Apple TV, Kaleidescape movie server, or a presentation from laptop. “Fundraisers are often held here, so presenters can plug their laptops right into the projector system,” Sullivan says. They can quickly interrupt the music, and instruct audio from the laptop (or any of the seven TVs) to broadcast through the speakers instead.
Savant and Lutron Light Up Car Collection
Another favorite scene, called “Presentation,” switches everyone’s focus to the owner’s car collection, which includes Jaguars, Ferraris, Aston Martins, and a few NASCAR race cars. Upon engaging this scene—either from a Lutron keypad or Savant mobile app—30 light switches brighten and dim connected fixtures to highlight the key features of each car.
The car collection is the focal point of this expansive space, but there are other goodies that eat up the real estate, as well. Also under the supervision of the Savant control system are a 1950s-style diner, candy and ice cream shop, and media room. After admiring the owner’s prized possessions, guests can grab a snack or catch a movie. When the evening draws to a close, the owner just taps an “Away” button to switch off every light and A/V component. At the same time, the security system goes into high alert, ensuring this uniquely designed and automated area is well protected.
Systems & Equipment
- Epson video projector
- Savant control system
- Lutron lighting and motorized shading
- Screen Innovations 160-inch screen
- Samsung 75-inch TVs
- Bowers & Wilkins, MSE Audio speakers
- Kaleidescape media server
- Autonomic music server
- Honeywell security
- Luma security cameras
Systems Design & Installation
BlueSpeed AV
Bixby, OK
www.bluespeedav.com
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