News / Media

New ‘panelized’ hardwired lighting control system is the first for Control4, best known for its wireless home automation systems.

Click here to view full article

It took a few years for Control4 —best known for wireless home automation—to perfect its first ever hardwired centralized lighting system but “it’s really here,” says Paul Williams, VP of security and communications products. The system, which Control4 calls “panelized” lighting, was shown in its finished form at ISE 2013 in Amsterdam in January. The solution is Ethernet-based, readily integrated into an IP-enabled automation ecosystem.

The panels and termination blocks are “ready to go,” says Williams, “so dealers can start spec’ing it.”

Control4 added a few niceties to the system since it debuted a few years ago, including some features you don’t see in every hardwired lighting control.

The new lighting system is available in both U.S.-centric panel configurations and European DIN rail mounting.

The system can operate from 120V to 277V allowing it to operate worldwide in commercial and residential applications.

Click here to view full article

Crestron partners with the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital to donate touchscreens, keypads and remotes to the plane, which includes a theater, used to deliver training to eye doctors around the world.

Crestron and ORBIS International, a nonprofit humanitarian organization that works in developing countries to save sight worldwide, have teamed up to outfit the next-generation Flying Eye Hospital (FEH), a MD-10 aircraft donated by FedEx, with Crestron’s technology. Crestron will have touchscreens, keypads or remotes on-board so healthcare professionals can focus on their patients. The next-generation FEH will include an operating theater, laser treatment room, communications center, recovery room, audiovisual/IT room and a 46-seat classroom, all of which will rely on the Crestron’s technology.

“Crestron’s audio/video solutions will serve as an invaluable advantage in ORBIS’s mission to continue to save sight worldwide. ORBIS is fortunate to receive their full support as we build our new training facility,” says Jack McHale, director, MD-10 Project at ORBIS International. “Crestron’s generous donation and state-of-the-art control and automation systems will help us continue to provide the gift of sight to people around the globe.”

Click here to view full article

For those who want to keep their remotes outside or play with them in the pool or jacuzzi, Crestron has an answer: a weather-proof remote. It even floats!

Crestron describes their UFO Waterproof Wireless LCD Remote (UFO-WPR-3ER) as “A rugged, waterproof remote with extended range RF performance and advanced color LCD display.” Its color screen and large, easy to press buttons can be used to control your outdoor lighting, jacuzzi, TV, music, and more.

Go here to see a video of it in action where we most recently installed it:

http://youtu.be/CeGYN_xVsC0

Yale Locks & Hardware revealed that its wirelessly controlled door locks now integrate with Crestron control systems to provide direct communication, control, management and monitoring of home security.

The Yale Real Living line of access control locks—the first Crestron Connected residential door locks—enable homeowners to lock and unlock doors remotely from a Crestron touch screen or a mobile device, set schedules, and personalize access to the home.

The Crestron Connected initiative embeds Crestron control intelligence into a wide selection of third-party source equipment and display devices, such as projectors, displays, and audio/video receivers, to operate seamlessly with Crestron control technologies. Using Crestron infiNET EX wireless protocol, the new Yale Real Living wirelessly controlled door locks receive commands and send information to the Crestron controller, allowing other devices to come to life based on the lock’s activity.

Homeowners can lock or unlock doors from anywhere in the house using a Crestron touch screen or remotely using Crestron Mobile Pro/Mobile Pro G for Apple and Android mobile devices. When the door is locked or unlocked, the Crestron system can simultaneously turn lights on/off, adjust shades and temperature, and set the alarm. Homeowners can also give access to others and create a schedule to allow guests to enter the home on specific days, and program other settings tailored to each person. Each family member and guest receives a unique PIN, so the homeowner can monitor system activity. For example, the system can be set to automatically send a text message to parents when a child has arrived home from school. The system also monitors battery and alarm status. A Crestron Connected device is recognized natively by the Crestron processor and allows for full control capabilities out-of-the-box, without any special drivers or modules.

To read the full article, click here.

View full article here. Flexible e-ink displays are one thing, but an actual working tablet that’s as thin as a sheet of paper – that’s impressive. And that’s exactly what the Papertab is. Developed by researchers at Queen’s University, Canada, the Papertab is a fully interactive touch-sensitive 10.7-inch sheet of plastic able to display documents, images, videos and the like. View full article here.

By Richard Adhikari TechNewsWorld 01/02/13 2:27 PM PT

Click here to view full article

LG has beaten its rivals to the market with a 55-inch flat-screen television with an OLED screen. “The biggest issue is: Can they reduce the manufacturing costs to make these OLED TVs mainstream? We don’t think it’s possible to do so right away,” said Sweta Dash, senior director of display research and strategy at IHS iSuppli.

LG Electronics on Monday became the first manufacturer to make a 55-inch OLED TV available on the market, taking preorders in Korea for its device.

The device is the LG Model 55EM9700. It is listed at US$10,000, and will begin shipping in February.

With the announcement, LG has taken pole position in the race for the 55-inch OLED TV market over rival Samsung, and beaten out other possible contenders, including Sony and Toshiba.

LG describes the device as transformational, but “this is probably just bragging rights,” Andrew Eisner, director of community and content at Retrevo, remarked.

LG gave few details about the 55-inch Model 55EM9700 apart from a general blurb.

LG’s OLED TVs are 4 mm thick and weigh less than 22 lbs, use WRGB technology, LG’s Color Refiner technology and the company’s four-color pixel system. The 55-inch OLED TV also offers infinite contrast, the company said.

Perhaps a hint is available from LG’s reference to last year’s Consumer Electronics Show, at which it unveiled another 55-inch OLED TV, the 55EM960V.

Rumors on the Web have it that the earlier model was made over slightly and is now being announced as the 55EM9700.

The model demonstrated at CES 2012 used Kodak’s RGBW (red, green, blue, white) technology, which includes “white” or transparent filter elements that allow the photodiode to respond to all colors of light, and detect, rather than absorb, light. LG purchased Kodak’s RGBW color filter patents in 2009.

LG did not respond to our request for further details.

Click here to view full article

Before and After shots of a recent installation by Audio Impact.

The television was wall-mounted in the corner of the Living Room, with the equipment neatly tucked away in the cabinet, a few feet away. The speakers may be small, but have alot of power and sound. Hidden wiring for the television and minimal exposed wiring for the A/V components, resulted in an elegant and unobtrusive setup.

Check out the Before and After pictures below

BEFORE

AFTER

Another successful Audio Impact Installation!

Debuting at CEDIA Expo 2012, Crestron’s motorized window coverings are available in roller shades, Roman shades, skylight shades and drapery track systems.

By Julie Jacobson, July 23, 2012

Click here to view the full article

http://www.cepro.com/article/crestron_launches_motorized_shades_with_quietest_motor/?utm_source=CEPWeekly&utm_medium=email

We knew something was up with Crestron when a patent application came through in July for a “Drapery Assembly with a Powered Carrier.”

Indeed, leading home automation provider Crestron Electronics is launching its own line of shading controls to compete with category leader Lutron Electronics.

In a press release issued today (reprinted below), Crestron says it has the “quietest motor on the market” – a superlative generally bestowed on Lutron.

True to form, Crestron is launching a complete line, including motorized roller shades, Roman shades, skylight shades and drapery track systems. “Designer-inspired” fabrics and hardware finishes complete the line. The company says the line can be integrated with non-Crestron control systems.

Over the past decade, Crestron has added several subsystems to its home integration line, including A/V switchers and receivers, thermostats and lighting controls. The video switchers and lighting in particular have lured many integrators away from specialty manufacturers of these lines.

Meanwhile, many of the specialty vendors, such as Lutron (Radio Ra 2), Key Digital (Compass Control), Gefen (GAVA), URC (Total Control), somfy (TaHoma) and Remote Technologies Inc. have expanded into Crestron’s realm of home integration to offer their own multifunction control systems.

Click here to view the full article

<strong><a href="http://www.cepro.com/article/crestron_launches_motorized_shades_with_quietest_motor/?utm_source=CEPWeekly&utm_medium=email" target="_blank">http://www.cepro.com/article/crestron_launches_motorized_shades_with_quietest_motor/?utm_source=CEPWeekly&utm_medium=email</a></strong></p>

BY SARAH SILBERT

POSTED JULY 18TH 2012 3:58PM

Click here to view the full article

http://m.engadget.com/2012/07/18/samsung-75-inch-es9000-smart-tv-stateside-debut/?icid=hd_eng_latest_art

The mammoth 75-inch ES9000 LED smart TV that Samsung recently unveiled for the Korean market is making its way stateside. Today the 3D-capable, LED-backlit set was on display in New York as part of the Sammy-sponsored SpaceFest marking the Space Shuttle Enterprise’s arrival at the Intrepid. How smart TVs relate to Space Shuttle orbiters is beyond us, but the ES9000’s US debut is welcome news for those with a massive living room to fill, and were disappointed after the ES8000 75-incher shown at CES and even given a price tag earlier this year failed to materialize. Detailed specs are currently MIA, but as we noted before in our hands-on, the 75-incher’s bezel measures just 0.31 inches, and the frame sports a rose-gold finish. There’s also a built-in web camera that retracts when not in use, and the TV comes with four pairs of 3D glasses. Being a smart TV, this guy also includes the full suite of Smart TV features, such as Smart Interaction for enabling gesture and voice controls and Smart Content for sharing media across several devices. Samsung also used today’s occasion to introduce a new Angry Birds app for its smart TVs, which lets users play the game entirely with gesture controls. The app will be available for a free download later this month, and the ES9000 will go on sale in August for a super-sized price of $9.999.

Click here to view the full article

<strong><a href="http://m.engadget.com/2012/07/18/samsung-75-inch-es9000-smart-tv-stateside-debut/?icid=hd_eng_latest_art" target="_blank">http://m.engadget.com/2012/07/18/samsung-75-inch-es9000-smart-tv-stateside-debut/?icid=hd_eng_latest_art</a></strong></p>

Audio Impact recently upgraded this Racing Simulator from one screen to three!

Check out the before photos and after photos and video

BEFORE

AFTER