Crestron Labs has been testing a new technology by Microsoft that allows Microsoft Kinect® technology to be supported on any Windows-based system - and not just Xbox® as in the past. Crestron engineers created, and are testing, gestures that integrate Kinect with Crestron control. Crestron control systems will read Kinect gestures so, for example, presenters can sweep their hands left or right to advance/reverse a PowerPoint® Presentation and raise or lower hands to dim/raise the lights in the room. With Crestron’s open platform, the possibilities of what you can control and how you can trigger the commands are endless.
News / Media
A Peek at Goldie Hawn’s Media Room
The home that the actress shares with Kurt Russell is up for sale.
October 10, 2011 by Rachel Cericola
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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/a_peek_at_goldie_hawns_media_room/
What’s the key to Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell’s lengthy relationship? The Hollywood couple sure knows how to live.
The duo just listed their Malibu beach house for a cool $14.7 million, and it includes quite a few high-tech amenities.
The duo doesn’t have a full-blown home theater here, but the media room below should suffice. Besides a projector and the big screen you see here, HomeSeekers says that the room also includes Crestron control.
If you take a peek around the rest of the property, you’ll see that this home also has its share of flat screens. There’s one in the bathroom, one above the stove in the kitchen, and one for catching a quick glimpse of the news while on your way out to the tranquil courtyard.
Built in 1978, the 4,300-square-foot house was renovated in 2005. It has a total of four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, as well as a guesthouse with an exercise room. Just in case those ocean views aren’t enough to calm your soul, one of those bedrooms doubles as a meditation room.
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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/a_peek_at_goldie_hawns_media_room/
Inside Trump Towers Automated Condos
Each condo inside Trump Towers in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla. features a 6-inch Crestron touchpanel for one-touch access to a variety of high-style services.
By Lisa Montgomery, October 26, 2011
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http://www.cepro.com/article/inside_trump_towers_automated_condos/
You’d expect nothing less from Donald Trump. His world-renown Trump Towers are the epitome of luxury, featuring high-end construction, design and materials.
One the newest Trump Towers, in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., takes luxury living by providing its residents one-touch access to a variety of high-style services.
Installed into each of the Tower’s 271 units is a 6-inch Crestron touchpanel from which an owner can press one button to request that a lounge chair be placed by the pool, his car be retrieved from valet parking or that someone from maintenance check out a leaky faucet in the kitchen.
As explained by Al Reinhard, owner of Miami-based Advanced Home Theater, the company hired to design and install the Crestron gear for the Towers, the touchpanel functions as a portal to the building’s eServices platform, which is designed exclusively for residents of multi-dwelling units like the Towers. Navigating the control panel couldn’t be easier. Six buttons are presented on the home page: valet, beach, maintenance, weather forecast, concierge and bulletin. Press valet, and other options could be presented.
“For example, if a resident owns a BMW and a Ferrari, we could design the touchpanel to display those options after the person presses the valet button. If the BMW button is pressed, the valet knows exactly which car to retrieve. He can then send a message back to the owner’s touchpanel informing him that his car is ready and waiting,” Reinhard explains.
The five-star treatment continues with features that allow the building management to send messages to every touchpanel to notify residents of special events and building maintenance, like an elevator that’s under repair. Similarly, residents can issue a building-wide invitation to a beach side barbeque. Should a resident receive a package or have a cab waiting at the lobby, a message from reception can be sent directly to that owner’s Crestron touchpanel.
Today, the touchpanel is used to streamline communications throughout the building, but as with all Crestron systems, it can be expanded to include the control devices such as lights, thermostats and A/V gear in each resident’s condo, says Reinhard.
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http://www.cepro.com/article/inside_trump_towers_automated_condos/
Make a home smarter with automation systems
October 07, 2011
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Who wouldn’t like an extra set of hands around the house? Or some help with basic, everyday activities such as keeping your home comfortable? And if that extra help could also make your home more energy efficient, reducing your utility bills, wouldn’t that be an added bonus?
Home automation, once considered a luxury, is doing those tasks for more homeowners than ever before, and in ways that may surprise you. Many homeowners recognize the importance of saving energy, something that benefits the environment and their budgets. Three key areas of home automation that influence energy savings are window coverings, thermostats and lighting.
Heating and cooling accounts for the largest portion of a house’s overall energy use. Artificial lighting also contributes to home energy bills. Automating these areas of the home that consume the most energy allows users to improve energy efficiency.
Window coverings
You may think of your window treatments as more of a design statement, but window coverings, from blinds to shades, can help control the flow of sunlight into your home. In summer, drawing the blinds can help keep the interior of your home cooler. Opening window coverings when it’s cold outside in the winter can allow more warming sunlight to enter your home.
By automating your window coverings, you can better control the amount of light, and heat, entering your home, even when you’re not there. You can program an automation system to close window coverings after everyone has left the house for the day to help keep things cooler in the summer.
Or, in the winter, when many of us leave the house before the sun is up, an automation system can open window coverings to allow sunlight and warmth into the home after the sun rises.
Thermostats
Turning your thermostat back between 10 to 15 percent for eight hours a day can save you as much as 10 percent on your heating and cooling bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s website, energysavers.gov. Programmable thermostats allow you to automate temperature changes in your home.
In summer months, you can set the thermostat to allow the temperature in your home to rise higher so the air conditioning runs less when no one is there. The same technique can help reduce heating bills in the winter. By setting a programmable thermostat to change temperatures when needed, you can achieve more precise control over the temperature in your home without the risk of forgetting to set the thermostat back every time you leave the house.
Lighting
Artificial light is another major energy user in households. Reducing electricity usage can be as simple as turning off lights you leave a room.
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A Look Ahead at New Homes of 2015
By Erika Riggs, Zillow October 11, 2011
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http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/a-look-ahead-at-new-homes-of-2015.html
If you had asked someone in the 1960s what the home of 2015 would look like, chances are they imagined something akin to The Jetsons’ home complete with Rosie the Robot and other space-age appliances that dressed and fed the family.
But, rather than space-age technology, the biggest thing that is expected to change in future single-family homes is the size.
“Homes will get smaller,” says Stephen Melman, Director of Economic Services at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in Washington D.C. “We asked builders, ‘what do you anticipate the new home size would be by 2015?’ ”
According to the results of the study, surveyed home builders expect new single-family homes to check in at an average of 2,150 square feet. Current single family homes measure around 2,400 square feet, which is already a decrease from the peak home size in 2007 of 2,521.
While the decrease in home size has a lot to do with the recession, many believe that the real estate changes will stick around even after the economy and home values get back on solid ground.
“Although affordability is driving these decisions, smaller homes are a positive for builders,” said Melman. “It allows for more creative design, more amenities, better flow. It’s an opportunity to deliver a better home.”
Other things that make up the home of 2015? No more living room. According to the survey, 52 percent of builders expect the living room to merge with other spaces and 30 percent believe that it will vanish completely to save on square footage. Instead, expect to see great rooms — a space that combines the family and living room and flows into the kitchen.
Expect to see more:
- spacious laundry rooms
- master suite walk-in closets
- porches
- eat-in kitchens
- two-car garages
- ceiling fans
Expect to see less:
- mudrooms
- formal dining rooms
- four bedrooms or more
- media or hobby rooms
- skylights
Many of these changes reflect a desire for builders and consumers going green. Smaller space means more efficient heating and cooling. Ceiling fans distribute heat evenly while skylights, on the other hand, release heat.
However, as builders look to go green, they’ll be installing energy-efficient windows and compact fluorescent and LED lighting, as well as water-efficient appliances and plumbing.
Additionally, many new homes will have the baby boomer population in mind with walk-in showers, ground-floor master bedrooms and grab bars.
“A bigger share of the new homes will be purchased by people 55 or 65 and older,” said Melman. “They’re more likely to have more cash for a down payment, but they’re empty nesters, so they don’t need five bedrooms.”
Home digital control panels can help manage security and energy consumption.
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http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/a-look-ahead-at-new-homes-of-2015.html
DIY Network Gives Nancy O’Dell a Home Theater Basement Overhaul
New control system and projector help transform star’s entertainment room.
October 07, 2011 | by Grant Clauser
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Nancy O’Dell, new celebrity co-host of Entertainment Tonight, had a dark boring man cave in the house she and her husband share, and she (or they) wanted to give it a complete overhaul.
The room started out, well, pretty decent by a lot of standards. It included a couple of reclining theater chairs a pool table and two flat-panel TVs. But the host of a program that spotlights Hollywood’s elite really deserved a knock-out home theater system.
Aside from a big screen a projector, O’Dell wanted simplicity in the rooms controls. She complained that she couldn’t control the lights in the room and that to change the channel on the TV she had to hit 20 buttons. “I want it to be a lot easier, yet sophisticated,” she told Robinson. To help with that problem, the team installed a Crestron automation system with a wireless touchscreen and an iLux lighting system.
For the home theater, the couple went with a Runco LS-3 1080p projector matched to a 100-inch Stewart screen. Sound comes from a DTR-70.2 Integra receiver and Audes in-wall speakers.
Crestron Touchscreen
The family was given complete and simple control over the entertainment and lighting system via a Crestron wireless touchscreen and a Crestron control processor.
Integra DTR-70.2 Receiver
The DTR-70.2 offers home networking, multiple powered zones, advanced audio and image processing technology plus a good selection of audio streaming services to provide virtually unlimited music opportunities.
Runco LS 3 Home Theater Projector
This single-chip DLP projector is designed for what Runco calls “flex rooms,” or rooms used for multiple purposes. It’s bright enough to be used with some ambient light and includes the company’s ViVix image processing.
Nancy O’Dell’s Stewart Screen
DIY Network and Hollywood Hi-Tech installed a 100-inch Stewart screen flanked by Audes speakers for the theater section of the room. Curtains were added to hide and protect the screen when it’s not in use.
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Remotely view your security cameras from a Smartphone, iPhone or iPad
Audio Impact can help you monitor your home, anytime, from anywhere. We even make it simple, with specially designed systems, that work with Apple, PC or Google phones. Now when you are out and about you can always check in and see that everything is in order. You can check on the kids, or check on that “thump!” at night. Our systems even allow you to turn lights on remotely, or set lights to work on a schedule.
We would love to come over and check out what we can do for you. Give us at ring at (858) 271-4154 or email us at info@audioimpact.com and we can set up a time.
Crestron Mobile Pro For Android Now Available on Market
Crestron Press Release October 11, 2011
Control Your Crestron System from Any Android Mobile Device
Crestron today announced that the new Mobile Pro Control App for Android™ is now available on the Android™ Market. Mobile Pro turns any Android device into a fully functional Crestron touch screen, allowing homeowners to control lighting, thermostats, entertainment, security systems and other connected systems from anywhere, anytime.
“Whether you have an iPhone®, iPad® or Android mobile device, there’s a Crestron control solution for you,” said Crestron VP of Technology, Fred Bargetzi. “We’re fanatical about keeping our customers on the cutting edge by offering a variety of solutions that bring the latest, most popular home technology into their lives. Our new Android App is just the latest example of that commitment. We don’t make you choose, we make it easy.”
Mobile Pro displays real-time status of room temperatures, shade positions, lighting levels and metadata including cover art, song and artist. You can even view streaming video from web-based security cameras right on your mobile device. Using the home Wi-Fi® network locally or powerful cellular networks remotely, a virtual Crestron touch screen is always in the palm of your hand no matter where you are.
Crestron provides cross-platform flexibility for the entire family. “Mom can have the same control interface and functionality on her iPad that Dad has with his Samsung Galaxy,” Bargetzi says. “You can switch carriers or get a new mobile device without calling in a programmer to reprogram the system. Just connect your new device, and you’re ready to go…you have the freedom to choose whatever device you want.”
Crestron provides the infrastructure that is the foundation for home control, while providing an open platform for development that supports PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android. The popular R2 Control for Crestron app, created by id8 Group, was the pioneer in providing the first Android solution for Crestron and is available for download from the Android Market.
Your Next Home Will Be A Robot
BY KIT EATONThu Aug 18, 2011
Your next home may be more rammed with servos, sensors, and wireless than the average android. Bonus: As well as being more sci-fi, it will save you energy and money. The home automation field is about to explode.
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http://www.fastcompany.com/1774491/your-next-home-is-a-robot
New research from ABI says 1.8 million home automation systems will ship around the entire world this year. Given the number of homes in the world, that’s really not that many. Things are about to change, though–ABI’s five-year prediction sees the figure rising to 12 million. It’s all about new providers enabling the tech, the rise in smartphones and tablets, and the push to save energy by wiring our homes into the smart grid.
Phone companies, looking for regular subscriber income, see home automation technology as a natural fit for the future of their business: Smart homes are all about remote control, and now that we’re all carrying smartphones and tablets, the phone companies want to be the channel for that data. Communications tech makers see an avenue to build their tech throughout your home, in a totally new market–it’s why Cisco, better known for making routers and wireless tech, has invested over $10 million in Control4 (which automates heating, air conditioning, and lighting) this year, and also made a deal with maker Zigbee to sell its home automation gear around the world.
Verizon is also pushing the technology–back at the end of 2010 it announced its Verizon Home Monitoring and Control service, then demonstrated it at CES2011. It lets you access IP cameras scanning your property when you’re not there, switch on and off lights, lock doors, turn appliances on and off and so on. The entry level costs you $9.99 a month, though you have to pay for and install all the individual pieces of smart electrical gear yourself. Verizon’s system is powered by Motorola’s technology, the product of acquiring 4Home–an expert in home automation engines–in 2010.
Equipping your home with the technology also doesn’t come cheap: A single X10 light dimmer switch via retailer Smarthome.com, for example, can cost upward of $45 compared to only a handful of dollars for a regular dimmer from your local hardware store.
But the tech is actually capable of saving you money. That dimmer switch will consume a tiny amount more electricity than a regular one, to power its own electronics, but the ability to turn the lights off by remote control could save you money if you check in from your iPhone later and find you left them on. Home automation experts Symbrant also note that a Control4 dimmer actually flicks your lights on and off at a rate higher than the human eye can see, rather than controlling the current like regular dimmers, and that actually means it burns less energy. They quote the American Lighting Association’s study saying lighting is about 12-15% of home energy bills, and that 50% of lighting is wasted on empty rooms–a problem home automation quickly fixes.
Google has also looked into the tech, and as part of an experiment a Google employee in this video notes that by better controlling his home electrical uses, he’s saved over $3,000 in a single year.
Click here to view the full article
http://www.fastcompany.com/1774491/your-next-home-is-a-robot
New Crestron DigitalMedia Distribution Centers Provide Easy and Affordable Way to Enjoy Stunning High-Definition Content Throughout the Home
Crestron Expands its DigitalMedia™ Line to Serve Residential Market
September 8th, 2011
Crestron today introduced its new DigitalMedia™ Distribution Centers, the latest addition to its revolutionary one wire DigitalMedia 8G+™ solutions that deliver pure high-definition audio and video signals to multiple rooms. DigitalMedia Distribution Centers distribute pure uncompressed digital and analog audio/video content, plus Ethernet, control signals and more over long distances to up to six rooms, all over a single wire. Featuring next generation DigitalMedia 8G+ technology, DM-MD6X4 and DM-MD6X6 deliver reliable, analog and 1080p signal routing over any choice of wire including standard CAT5e, DM 8G® Cable or CresFiber® 8G. Now, it’s easy and affordable to enjoy the magic of high-definition digital content throughout the home from HDTV receivers, Blu-ray Disc™ players, media servers, computers, and other HD digital sources.
“Our new DM Distribution Centers now make the DigitalMedia™ experience accessible to every size home and budget,” said Crestron VP of Technology, Fred Bargetzi. “DigitalMedia is the only solution that brings all of your content together so you can enjoy it throughout the house. We make it easy.”
DigitalMedia Distribution Centers accept, manage and distribute virtually any signal type, plus control and Ethernet, over distances up to 300 feet using standard CAT5e cable. Homeowners with existing Crestron CNX-PVID systems can upgrade to Crestron DigitalMedia 8G+ systems without rewiring. Revolutionary at the time, the wildly popular Crestron PVID was the first video over CAT5 solution and became the standard in thousands of homes worldwide. DigitalMedia provides an easy, seamless transition from analog to digital using existing wires.
“DM Distribution Centers provide the simplest connectivity for high-definition home entertainment throughout the house, while supporting the highest quality HD digital video formats and flawless HDMI switching to each room,” adds Bargetzi.