Essential Install | ISE Review
NAD and Bluesound brands are making a play in the high-quality multi-room market built-in camera , microphone and intercom . The table-top version includes an integrated inductive charging base and the two new products also deliver faster performance , enhanced graphics and sensor-based wake-up function . With network cameras , the TDC-7100 and TKP-7600 can display live video for surveillance .
Stuart was also keen to draw attention to the new ability to create custom interfaces within URC that will be delivered in Q3 of this year and the fact that the URC Total Control platform is now also able to interact with Amazon Alexa .
Also getting lots of attention on the stand was the MX HomePro system from URC . Key here is that the automation platform is intended as an entry level system , basically a cloud-based single room AV integration setup , but it ’ s still a pro product needing a professional to install it . MX HomePro , incorporates a smart hub , remote control and mobile App and delivers one-touch control of home entertainment and IoT devices , including lighting , thermostats , security cameras and Z-Wave products . Available from Invision in the UK , SIM2 showed its new Nero 4 projector using the latest 4K UHD DLP chipset from Texas Instruments , super high-precision and resolution optics and SIM2 ’ s own advanced video processing technology .
Other Invision brands were happy to exploit the continuing and increasing need for solid networks and remote access , including Luxul with its growing XEN series of modular wired and wireless networking products
The XWR-1200 is a dual band wireless AC1200 gigabit router featuring high performance 802.11ac 2 × 2 MIMO technology and a built-in wireless controller with Luxul ’ s Roam Assist capability , allowing installers to easily add up to two more wireless APs for a whole-home Wi-Fi . Domotz was able to show its network monitoring and remote tech support systems designed to enable businesses to build profitable RMR services at an affordable price . Functionalities include monitoring , alerts , remote access , remote power , reports , diagnostics , ZigBee and SNMP / PoE / network mapping .
Control brand RTI was showcasing and offering training on its newly-enhanced Integration Designer APEX programming software . APEX is now faster while maintaining the ease of customisation , says the manufacturer , now offering automatic generation of the graphical user interface and programming , a new IR library , multiroom programming and advanced graphic
resising . RTI also displayed new KX10 in-wall and CX10 countertop / under cabinet user interfaces . Both feature a large fully customiSable 10in LCD touchscreen along with direct control options and HD video capabilities . The new CX10 is designed for flexibility , enabling it to be set on a countertop or inverted and mounted under a cabinet with a wide tilt range to provide the best viewing angle . Both touchscreens double as HD displays where users can watch video via the HDBaseT video input and also feature video intercom .
ISE gave WyreStorm the chance to let installers get close to the new H2X Series HDBaseT 4K HDR Matrix Switchers which also offer audio matrix switching . Coming in 16x16 and 10x10 Class A HDBaseT 5Play Matrix versions , the units support 4K HDR , HDCP 2.2 and 18Gb / s HDMI , along with integrated audio matrix switching up to 48x16 . Designed for large scale domestic as well as commercial projects , the products have also been created to be able to cope with projects which mix 2K and 4K via WyreStorm ’ s SmartEDID feature which detects and reacts to display and source capabilities to output the highest possible resolution for each individual source . 4K-2K scaling and frameless switching is also available using the WyreStorm RX-70-4K-SCL HDBaseT scaling receiver , also launched at the show .
For the audio performance , the H2X has an integrated audio matrix with three possible source inputs per zone in the form of audio de-embed of HDMI video sources , ARC from zones up to 5.1 and adjustable line-level audio only sources via S / PDIF audio input , a useful option for digital audio streaming on Sonos , Apple Airplay and DLNA devices . Installers are able to cope with 30 potential separate audio inputs on the 10x10 model and 48 individual audio inputs on the 16x16 . An integrated DSP means gain , EQ and delay per zone can be controlled . The products also support CEC to manage power of both source devices as well as TVs and projectors .
Also offering some interesting sounding audio capabilities , NAD and Bluesound were underlining their high-quality approach to multi-room audio .
Greg Stidsen , director of technology and product planning at Lenbrook International , owner of both brands , explained that the Bluesound concept began as an NAD project , but then became a brand in its own right , offering installers multi-room audio with a Hi-Fi quality to the sound .
Greg explained : “ We also wanted to make the system fully installer friendly so as well as being able to deliver high-quality music and MQA , we offer integration with the likes of Control4 , Crestron , RTI and URC – expected this spring with many more to come .”
Both Bluesound and NAD can connect to the company ’ s distribution backbone , the BluOS platform which allows some neat integration between Blusound and NAD amplification . The Control4 driver was recently
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42 | February 2017