IE awarded 2010 Gold Dealer Status - Control4
11/22/2010As a Control4 Premier Gold authorized dealer we employ a staff of fully trained integrators on their product line. In conjunction with Control4 we are pleased to offer an innovative Whole Home Automat...
Crestron\'s Integration Award
11/22/2010Integrated Environment\'s Crestron Partner S3 of Park City, UT wins the 2009 Crestron Integration Award in the category of “Awesome Adagio.” This is the second consecutive year to be awarded a Cre...
Here is a direct link to our Realtor Program!
05/11/2010http://www.eliteemail.com/archive.cgi?action=view&bid=FL/1442&cid=94970...
IE Launches its Realtor Partner Program
05/11/2010http://www.eliteemail.com/archive.cgi?bid=FL/1442...
2009 Tampa Bay Showcase Home
03/10/2010http://homeofdistinction.com/09TampaBay/Participants.php...
CE Pro Product News Stories
Product News Stories from CE Pro, The Leading Information Source for the Custom Electronics Installer
Honeywell Sues Nest Labs for Patent Infringement on Thermostats
Honeywell says Nest's new learning thermostat infringes on seven patents.
Posted on 6 February 2012 | 1:16 pm
ISE 2012: 10 Intriguing Products and Happenings
Julie Jacobson rounds up the more intriguing products and sights from ISE 2012: SpeakerCraft, NuVo, AMX, Stewart Filmscreen and more
Posted on 6 February 2012 | 11:50 am
Panamax/Furman Debut Multizone BlueBolt Power System for EMEA
Europe may be "10 years behind" in power management category, but Panamax/Furman plan to change that with new remote power management system for commercial applications.
Posted on 6 February 2012 | 7:40 am
Movie Servers at ISE 2012: Europeans Unfazed by Kaleidescape Ruling
Kaleidescape shows new Blu-ray carousel; new 3D-capable servers debut from Imerge, VidaBox, Mozaex. DVD CCA lawsuit "didn't really come up," Kaleidescape says.
Posted on 6 February 2012 | 7:36 am
Cool Homes
- Inspiration and ideas for planning the electronic home.
Score This Sacramento Dream House and Home Theater for $150
Donate to the Ronald McDonald House and you could win this 6,100-square-foot estate and all its tech features.
Posted on 3 February 2012 | 12:46 pm
New York Giants Amani Toomer’s Football Man Cave
Former NFL Giants Amani Toomer gets his home theater overhauled just in time for the big game this weekend.
Posted on 30 January 2012 | 3:36 pm
Man Being Forced Out of Star Trek Apartment
Tony Alleyne needs to get assimilated to a non-Star Trek living space.
Posted on 27 January 2012 | 9:26 am
Smart Technologies Create a Serene Environment
An AMX control system gives a contempo home plenty of high-tech frills, without making it complicated.
Posted on 24 January 2012 | 11:49 am
Electronic House Recently Filed
Electronic House. Your Connection for Home Theater, Electronics, Automation, Reviews, Photos, Info and More.
Top Control Interfaces are More Than Just Pretty Screens
Read what goes into making an exceptional control interface for your entertainment or your whole home.
Posted on 6 February 2012 | 3:31 pm
Honeywell Files a Lawsuit Against Nest Labs
Honeywell says that Nest’s new thermostat infringes on a variety of patents.
Posted on 6 February 2012 | 1:08 pm
Hot Deal: JBL Cinema 300 5.1 Speaker System: $199.99
Newegg has a new deal on this JBL speaker set, knocking $400 off the list price.
Posted on 6 February 2012 | 11:40 am
Blu-Ray Review: To Kill a Mockingbird 50th Anniversary Edition
The timeless classic still has the special features from the prior DVD and laserdisc edition, but also includes a new HD featurette about Universal’s more recent restoration work.
Posted on 6 February 2012 | 10:56 am
Entertainment
- No traffic. No tickets. No lines. This is what home theater is all about.
Blu-Ray Review: To Kill a Mockingbird 50th Anniversary Edition
The timeless classic still has the special features from the prior DVD and laserdisc edition, but also includes a new HD featurette about Universal’s more recent restoration work.
Posted on 6 February 2012 | 10:56 am
Redbox to Launch Streaming Service with Verizon
Verizon customers will be able to access movies from Redbox starting later this year.
Posted on 6 February 2012 | 9:58 am
Blu-ray and DVD Picks - February 3, 2012
Check out what’s new in Blu-ray and DVD for your home theater pleasure.
Posted on 3 February 2012 | 9:14 am
12 Essential Gadgets for Super Bowl 2012
Before Sunday’s Big Game, consider stocking up on a few of these accessories.
Posted on 2 February 2012 | 1:17 pm
LED Shopping? Philips Offers Advice
Philips’ Ed Crawford answers questions about LEDs, which to replace, and what to look for.
Posted on 4 January 2012 | 11:00 am
Automated Christmas Light Display
Washington couple celebrate the season with a massive automated lighting display.
Posted on 23 December 2011 | 8:20 am
10 Eye-Popping Holiday Lighting Displays
Don’t drive around in search of Christmas cheer. We’ve compiled 10 of the best automated Christmas displays.
Posted on 22 December 2011 | 12:39 pm
Interactive Angry Birds Brightens Up Christmas Display
One ambitious DIYer turned his game addiction into something special for the holidays.
Posted on 19 December 2011 | 10:23 am
URC to Expand Total Control Home Control System
New in-wall controller will offer GUI for lighting, thermostat and energy management operation. URC, a company known for its remote controls, will soon roll out the finishing touches of its whole-house home control system, called Total Control, with new features to control lights, thermostats and see the energy consumption of a home. Total Control was officially launched last year, but mostly as a multizone audio system controller operated by wand-style remotes. The system connects over Category 5 Ethernet wire with Power over Ethernet (POE). And what the system has lacked has been a large enough graphical user interface to really control lighting, thermostats and see metadata like cover art for URC’s SNP-1 network streaming player. That’s going to change in the next couple of months, according to the company. The new TKP-2000 in-wall keypad with a 3.5-inch touchscreen and six backlit hard buttons will be formally launched in the second quarter to easily control lights, a thermostat and see metadata. URC has also been working on two-way control modules that will make interaction between other devices and the keypad possible. An energy monitoring function, for example, will be available at no charge and works with The Energy Detective (TED) energy measuring device that is installed at the electrical service entrance. (You’ll have to pay for the TED device.) URC network series remotes KP-4000, MX-5000 and MX-6000 have worked with the TED 5000 energy monitor for a while. Russ Hoffman, URC’s education and content development manager, says, “The people that actually did energy management [with the remotes] love it,” but the awareness that people can do this still remains low. URC’s Total Home system will access data from the TED over Wi-Fi and offer more user-friendly charts and graphs. The lighting module, allowing an interface with Lutron’s wireless RadioRA 2 lighting control system, is about three weeks to a month away, Hoffman says. Climate control with URC’s own thermostat will follow, as will apps for iPad, iPhone and Android-based devices.
Posted on 24 January 2012 | 9:18 am
Control System Links 11 TVs and 54 Speakers
It’s the simple conveniences afforded by Elan and Vantage control systems that impress Chicagoland homeowners the most. Sometimes it’s the simple things that have the biggest impact. That’s a philosophy rooted firmly in the home life of the owners of this 10,000-squarefoot Chicagoland residence. The home design reflects this philosophy, too, as a good chunk of the square footage is devoted to their three school-age kids and in creating an environment where they can make the most of their free time. “We really wanted to make this house be the place where our kids and their friends want to hang out,” the owners say. It would be hard for anyone, young or old, to tear themselves away from the comfortable, inviting confines. In addition to a sports court on the lower level and a game room on the second floor, there’s an “invisible” home theater, a killer outdoor entertainment area, and an impressively equipped gym and bar. LGs Rule the Video Roost With 11 LG flat-panel TVs (two of which are 3D) and 54 speakers peppered throughout the house, there’s more than enough video and music to keep everyone happily entertained. Sure, having a big, beautiful TV around every corner and access to tons of video and audio content may not be what most people deem basic or simple. But the way the TVs and speakers are incorporated into the design make them surprisingly understated and easy to enjoy. The home theater, for example, looks nothing like a theater when you first enter the room. There’s no sign of a screen, a projector or speakers. It’s not until a media button is pressed that the equipment reveals itself. The button, whether found on a Vantage EasyTouch II keypad mounted to the side of a custom-crafted cabinet, a handheld Elan HR2 remote or Elan WT84 wireless touchpanel, signals a 106-inch motorized Screen Innovations display to roll down from the ceiling and a ledge-mounted Optoma HD8600 projector to fire up from behind the couch. The command also dims the lights, tunes to Dad’s dedicated DirecTV high-def satellite receiver—Mom and the kids each have their own as well—and closes a pair of draperies across the entry. The seven speakers, a combination of Elan and Sunfire models, plus two Velodyne subwoofers, are built into the ceiling and the cabinetry around the fireplace hearth—all finished with grilles that blend with the surfaces. In other areas, like the kids’ playroom, pressing the media button launches an entirely different string of commands. Since the kids’ primary form of entertainment in this space is video games, the button activates the 55-inch 3D LG TV and the Xbox console. In other rooms, the media button might tune to a different source, dim the lights and close the window treatments. It all depends on what the Elan g! system was programmed to do by custom electronics (CE) pro Dan Cochenour of Audio Video Specialists in Gilberts, Ill. Automated Effects It’s easy to get wrapped up in the A/V excitement in this house, but the most impressive effects are so subtle and seamlessly integrated into the homeowners’ routines that they often don’t realize they’re happening. Closet lights snap on automatically when the door opens. Bathroom fans deactivate 15 minutes after someone has left the space. When the elevator door on the ground level opens, lights activate to lead the way down a hallway to the kitchen. Should the kids leave their bedrooms after 9 p.m., motion sensors in the upstairs hallways signal the fixtures to turn on to a 30 percent intensity so the children can find their way safely to Mom and Dad’s room or the bathroom. The Vantage InFusion and Elan g! systems are responsible for the small day-to-day stuff, though they perform plenty of other chores around the house. When the doorbell rings, every TV and speaker mutes temporarily and a view from the Elan door station camera is displayed on any TV that is on. Should the sump pump fail, the Elan g! system sends a text message to the homeowners notifying them of a possible problem. Tailored Touchpanels Even the design of the g! touchpanels has meaning to this family. From menus displayed on any of seven in-wall 2-inch TS2 Elan touchpanels, two 7-inch TS7 in-wall touchpanels and a 8-inch WT84 wireless tablet, the family can monitor and control every aspect of the house, including motorized sheers and curtains, the irrigation system, the pool and spa system, and, of course, lights and A/V gear. Although the family will usually grab a remote to turn on a TV and Blu-ray player, the touchpanel offers a broader, more comprehensive view of their entertainment and control options. For example, they can see a list of available DVRs (his, hers and the kids), movie titles (categorized by genre) that have been stored on two Sony 400-disc Blu-ray changers, and music from a dual AM/FM tuner, a three-terabyte Netgear NAS drive, two iPort iPod docking stations, Shoutcast Internet radio and XM satellite radio. The Elan g! system also gives the family a choice of where to have that content play. They might choose to have a kids’ music station play through the 12 Ambisonic drivers and two subwoofers around the swimming pool, while tunes from a friend’s docked iPod pumps through the in-ceiling speakers in the kitchen. And when they’re on their way out the door or headed up to bed, a tap of an away or goodnight button turns off all the A/V gear, plus most of the lights. Commands like this—where one press of a button adjusts the settings of multiple electronic devices—demonstrates the real power of a carefully tailored and customprogrammed automation system. “It doesn’t have to be fancy or elaborate, just provide real value to the end users,” says Cochenour. “The g! and Vantage systems are capable of pulling off just about every high-tech trick in the book, but these homeowners, with the help of their CE pro, focused on what matters most: quick, convenient, practical controls and automation of the systems and devices that impact their day-to-day lives.
Posted on 16 December 2011 | 8:00 am
Family AV Upgrade Includes Control4 Automation and Sonos
A 1990s control system and five tube TVs dumped for new Control4 and multiroom audio. Home control can be a tough business. During the recession, many companies folded; others braced for the storm and survived. Some, like Control4, actually thrived during the downturn. At a time when most people needed to take out a second mortgage to own a home control system, Control4 offered a solution that was affordable and practical … and it worked well. So well, in fact, that the owners of this 10,000 square-foot home just recently replaced their A/V system, which included a PHAST (AMX) remote, after having used it for more than a decade with a Control4 setup. “The original system provided the family with basic audio distribution that played music throughout the house as well as a simple one room remote,” says custom electronics (CE) professional Brian Bischoff, who installed the system for the family in the early 90s. While there was nothing functionally wrong with the PHAST system, its architecture and controls were sorely outdated. The family could listen to one song at a time and control the volume from rotary knobs placed on the walls. Today, most systems distribute multiple songs simultaneously to multiple areas, and users control the music via touchscreen-style remote controls and/or devices such as the iPad. The Control4 system supported this capability; plus, it would allow the family to also easily control a completely new entertainment setup outside, as well as the lights and Jandy pool equipment. Probably the most noticeably antiquated part of the house, though, was the multi-screen setup in the pub room. “At the time, having more than one screen in a room was a big deal and extremely cutting edge,” says Bischoff. In this case, a 40-inch rear-projection TV was flanked by three smaller tube TVs. “Today, you can’t even find a tube TV if you tried, and a 40-inch TV is considered small,” Bischoff continues. When the owners called Bischoff and his company Perfect Solutions AV, Terrace Park, Ohio, to add an entertainment system to their newly built pool area, he couldn’t help but suggest that they also update the A/V systems inside the main house. The in-ceiling Boston Acoustic speakers stayed. “Although they are at least 10-years-old they still sound good,” he says. Everything else was ripped out and replaced with a Sonos system, chosen primarily for the fact that it could be installed without having to add new wiring to the house. The 11 satellite TV receivers (one for each TV), were trimmed down to 4 units (one for each member of the family) and connected to a ZeeVee distribution system that allows the family to access whichever of the four receivers they want from whichever TV they’re viewing. As for the antiquated multi-TV setup in the pub room, Perfect Solutions AV called in a local cabinetmaker, Bob Harrigan, to design a home for a trio of much larger, slimmer TVs: a 65-inch 3D LED TV from Samsung, with two 32-inch LED Samsung displays above it. The original 4.1 surround system (no center speaker) was replaced with a 7.1 setup of BG Radia speakers and Definitive Technology subwoofer. The speaker system was designed for both loud and precise movie and music listening. The homeowner is an avid musician, so along with the Integra preamp and amp, a Yamaha mixing board was incorporated so he can easily plug in microphones and guitars. In the midst of the modernization taking place inside the house, Perfect Solutions AV was also busy tricking out the covered patio. On command from a Control4 remote or iPad, a a 65-inch 3D LED Samsung TV drops quietly from the ceiling, while the 30- degree offset Episode ceiling speakers and flush-mounted ceiling Velodyne subwoofer kick in. The system ties to the home’s ZeeVee and Sonos systems to provide the family with access to and control of all of the A/V components inside the house. After viewing, the TV can be lifted back up into the ceiling with the help from a lift made by Nexus 21. Check out more pictures here in the slideshow.
Posted on 12 December 2011 | 9:30 am
Penthouse Gets Crestron Control for Lights, Music, Theater
Control system ties together lighting, TVs, music, theater and a player piano. Just because you have an advanced control system, doesn’t mean you have to hand it the keys to the house and let it run the show. The owner of this16-room, 6,000 square foot penthouse in New York City wanted a control system that did everything, but let him define the parameters. So that’s exactly what CE Pro Bri-Tech delivered. Company president Brian McAuliff explains that the Crestron system which integrates all of the this home’s technology—including lights, shades, thermostats, audio, video and security—is as advanced as they come, but allows the homeowner to easily personalize the system to his needs so he doesn’t have to call the programmer back every time he wants to change a light setting. That bit of personalization is thanks to an interface called Symbiant Automation designed by Bri-Tech for use on the Crestron system. “We’ve written an application around what our clients most value. It includes a lot of drill down into all the systems,” says McAuliff. For instance, the users can easily create and save new lighting scenes or adjust the startup volume for every audio source in the residence. That’s all done via a few simple taps and gestures on one of the many Crestron touchscreens installed. That might seem like a small convenience, but often control system lock the users out of such features and require a house call to adjust. That can be inconvenient for both parties. The drive behind such a user-customizable system, says McAuliff, is the fact that people are getting much more comfortable with technology thanks to products like iPads. “People are getting used to doing things themselves and having a depth of personalization,” he adds. Doing things themselves, in this case, doesn’t mean the homeowner could have done an integration job like this himself. The software development took more than a year to complete. In the residence are thousands of feet of wire, hundreds of LED lighting zones, several integrated televisions and a multiroom audio system. All of the windows, which offer a stunning view of Manhattan clear to the Hudson River, include dual shading (blackout shades and sheers) from Lutron with independent control. Seura Mirror TVs were installed in every bathroom so the homeowner never has to miss any news or sports program. There’s even a player piano that’s connected to the Crestron system. From a touchpanel or remote the user can select a song and start the piano playing. Aside from the player piano home audio is supplied by a variety of sourses including a Crestron ADMS media server, SiriusXM Radio, a rack of cable set-top-boxes and iPod docks throughout the home. TVs in every room also receive content from a central location and supplied over the Crestron system. The home uses elaborate LED lighting as aesthetic features. LEDs in the ceilings can change color at the whim of the user. McAuliff says most of the ceilings in the penthouse had to be removed to install the lighting features and to run wires for other parts of the system. For the owner, the highlight is the home theater in a former bedroom. A SIM2 LED projector shines the high definition image on a Stewart Cinecurve screen. B & W speakers fill the room with sound. The room itself received a lot of acoustic attention from Bri-Tech including custom-designed sound isolation and sound treatments by Auralex. “We really spent a lot of time perfecting that room, every dimention, every surface,” says McAuliff. Check out the slideshow for more images inside the penthouse. Technology Design and Integration: Bri-Tech Interior Design: Braverman Designs Control System: Crestron Televisions: Samsung, Seura, SIM2 (projector) Lighting and Shades: Lutron Speakers: Bowers and Wilkins Time to Complete: 1 year Cost: $750,000
Posted on 9 December 2011 | 3:12 pm