EI August 2025

AUGUST 2025

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY

Visit the AWE Village at

awe-europe.com

TOOLS, TESTING AND TROUBLE SHOOTING TANTALISING TECHNIQUES

INSTALLATION AND SUPER-SIZED TV VIEWING PLEASURE

EI LIVE! 2025 PREVIEW

PLAN YOUR VISIT

NEW PRODUCTS

Uncompressed 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 and 1Gb LAN We are pleased to announce the launch of the first HDBaseT™3 matrix product to the market Using HDBaseT™3 technology, these powerful HDBaseT™ matrix support uncompromised 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 resolutions over distances up to 100m over a CAT6A. The new HMX88-18G and HMX44-18G come into their own with advanced audio features specifically designed for maximising the integration of AV sources in the modern home. Enhanced audio routing is achieved through the integrated audio matrix. This enables the audio from displays (via HDMI ARC or Optical S/PDIF), and all other sources to be embedded and routed through the system at the users discretion. The inclusion of a 1Gb Ethernet channel allows for LAN serving to all HDBT outputs / zones as required, IR and RS-232 pass-through, advanced EDID management, and PoC provide the ultimate flexibility.

The combination of these technology features enable our installation partners the ability to create a truly immersive AV experience throughout the home.

NEW

NEW

HMX88-18G

HMX44-18G-KIT

8x8 HDBaseT™3 AV Matrix

4x4 HDBaseT™3 AV Matrix Kit

• Uncompressed / unconverted 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 to 100m

• Uncompressed / unconverted 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 to 100m

• HDMI / Optical Audio Return, Audio Embedding & Breakout

• HDMI / Optical Audio Return, Audio Embedding & Breakout

• 2x dual HDMI output, Bi-directional RS-232, IR, PoC to RX

• 1x dual HDMI output, Bi-directional RS-232, IR, PoC to RX

Recommended RX:

Supplied with:

RX18G - HDBaseT™3 Receiver

RX18G - HDBaseT™3.0 Receiver

Advanced HDBaseT™ Receiver supporting uncompressed and unconverted HDMI 2.0 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 up to 100m

Advanced HDBaseT™ Receiver supporting uncompressed and unconverted HDMI 2.0 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 up to 100m

Our award winning Video over IP Solutions 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 over 1Gbps Network

IP350UHD Dante® enabled 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 video over 1Gb network • Extends HDMI and Dante® up to 100m over a single CAT cable • Supports up to 4K UHD 60Hz 4:4:4 • Independent or combined HDMI and Dante® signal distribution • SFP port for signal distribution over fibre

TX

RX

IP300UHD 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 video over 1Gb network solution • Extends HDMI up to a distance of 100m over a single CAT cable • Independent routing of IR, RS-232, USB/KVM, audio and video • Supports all audio formats including Dolby Atmos® and DTS-HD™ Master Audio • SFP port for signal distribution over fibre

TX

RX

IP510UHD-TZ

ACM500 - Advanced control module

IP200UHD-TX

IP250UHD-TX

Video over IP solutions for a range of applications

4K 60Hz 4:4:4 over 10Gb Network IP510UHD UHD Video Transceiver over 10Gb Managed Network • SDVoE™ - 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 over 10Gbps Network with zero latency • Selectable or simultaneous transceiver - ultimate flexibility • Scaled output, Video Wall, Multi-View, 1Gbps LAN, USB / KVM • SFP+, EDID Management, Bi-directional IR & RS-232, PoE+

4K 60Hz 4:2:0 over 1Gbps Network IP200UHD & IP250UHD 4K video over 1Gb network solution - TX / RX • 4K 60Hz 4:2:0 over 1Gbps Network with 1-frame latency • Dante, Audio Embedding / Breakout, EDID Management • SFP, Bi-directional USB / KVM, IR & RS-232, PoE • Scaled output & Video Wall

1080p 60Hz over 100Mbps Network IP50HD

Advanced Control Module

HD Video over 100Mbps Network - TX / RX

ACM210 • Web interface module for configuration and control of IP50, IP200, IP250, IP300, and IP350UHD

• 1080p with 2ch audio over 100Mbps Network • Audio Embedding / Breakout, EDID Management • Bi-directional USB / KVM, IR & RS-232, PoE IP50HD-RX

www.blustream.co.uk

• Intuitive ‘drag & drop’ source selection with video preview feature for active monitoring of system status • Integrates with all leading control brands

ACM210

26 www.avoke.co.uk av@avoke.co.uk

36

Our support and focus is on:

• Your business • Your needs • Your Success

CONTENTS

57 August 2025

Your experts in:

• Video Distribution • Cable Infrastructure and Testing • Audio Experiences

4

FROM THE EDITOR’S CHAIR Expect the unexpected at EI Live! 2025

6

ESSENTIAL NEWS Hot happenings

16 TOGETHER FOR CINEMA Get on yer bike!

18 ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS Perfect packages 20 ESSENTIAL REVIEW: SNAPONE EPISODE RADIANCE Never Mind The Bollards?

22 MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY Being There 24 TOP KNOTT Structure your client payments effectively 54 INSTALL PIONEER Patrice Congard, Founder/CEO of Screen Excellence 57 ESSENTIAL CEDIA Making manufacturing work 58 SHOWROOM SHOWCASE: NUCLEUS AV Date Night Media Room 62 ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS Perfect propositions

54 www.avoke.co.uk av@avoke.co.uk

16 40 Proud Media Partners of

FEATURES 14 AWE AT EI LIVE! 2025 Back in the village!

26 EI LIVE! 2025 PREVIEW What is waiting in the wings?

44 ESSENTIAL DbM Screen idols 46 ESSENTIAL NIKO Exclusive behind the scenes interviews

INTEGRATED AND SUPER-SIZED TVS 36 THE NEW ERA OF DESIGN-LED SMART LIVING James Drummie, Product Manager, AWE 38 BEYOND THE BOX Alastair Benn, Director and Brand Manager of Aquavision 40 MAD FOR IT! Richard Litofsky, Co-founder & CEO, madVR Labs

TOOLS TESTING AND TROUBLESHOOTING 49 EVERY INSTALLER NEEDS A PROPER MOBILE ROUTER Richard Jonker, VP Marketing & Business Development, NETGEAR Enterprise 51 PRECISION, PERFORMANCE AND PROOF Aldous Systems

There’s more to Essential Install

Our support and focus is on:

• Your business • Your needs • Your Success Your experts in:

• Video Distribution • Cable Infrastructure and Testing • Audio Experiences

AUGUST

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED AT EI LIVE! 2025 In an increasingly digital world, where connections are often reduced to emails, social posts and Zoom calls, there’s something genuinely powerful about showing up in person— walking the aisles, shaking hands, having unexpected conversations and seeing the tech up close. That’s exactly why EI Live! remains such an essential part of the smart home and luxury AV industry calendar.

EI Live! 2025 returns this September, and whether you’re a seasoned pro or relatively new to the sector, EI urges you to do more than just register: show up and get involved. This show is built specifically for the professional installer, offering a dedicated space where business gets done, trends are revealed and opportunities are born.

With hundreds of brands showcasing the very latest in smart home innovation, control systems, high-performance AV and much more, there’s an incredible amount to take in. My advice? Plan ahead and know what you want to see. Check out our preview in this issue — but keep your mind open too.

Because the real magic of EI Live! often isn’t on your checklist.

It’s the conversation you didn’t expect to have. The product you didn’t know existed. The new supplier that becomes a game-changer. It might be the casual catchup with an old contact that leads to a new collaboration or a chance meeting over coffee that turns into a major partnership.

These moments don’t happen in your

Visit the AWE Village at

awe-europe.com

inbox—they happen in the crucible of realworld interaction, and EI Live! provides exactly that kind of catalyst.

THE SMART CHOICE

And let’s not forget the Smart Building Awards—our way of celebrating the very best in the industry. Whether you’re entering to win, supporting a team or simply soaking up the atmosphere, this is a night where the sector comes together in recognition of its incredible talent and achievements. It’s a fantastic evening, packed with inspiration, insight and a chance to unwind and connect. Entries are due to be closed just as this issue comes out, but you never know, organisers sometimes grant more time for those lastminute entries, so if you meant to enter and didn’t get round to it, check and find out.

Tickets will of course be on sale; buy early as the event does sell out every year.

So, whether you’re looking to get hands-on with products, meet the people behind the tech or just reinvigorate your perspective on the market—EI Live! is the place to be. Register now, mark it in your diary and make the most of it. Not just for the stands and the seminars—but for everything you can’t predict.

Because in this business, it’s often those unplanned moments that move us forward the fastest. See you there!

EI Live! eiliveshow.com Smart Building Awards smartbuildingawards.com

AUGUST 2025

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY

TOOLS, TESTING AND TROUBLE SHOOTING TANTALISING TECHNIQUES

INSTALLATION AND SUPER-SIZED TV VIEWING PLEASURE

EI LIVE! 2025 PREVIEW

PLAN YOUR VISIT

GETTING IN TOUCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Daniel J Sait, dan@allthingsmedialtd.com

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Ian Kitchener, ian@allthingsmedialtd.com

SALES DIRECTOR

Kelly Byne, kelly@allthingsmedialtd.com

CEO

David Kitchener, david@allthingsmedialtd.com

STUDIO MANAGER

Mark Weller, mark@allthingsmedialtd.com

ACCOUNTS

susan@allthingsmedialtd.com Essential Install magazine, Suite 14, 6-8 Revenge Road, Lordswood, Chatham, Kent ME5 8UD T: +44 (0)1634 673163 F: +44 (0)1634 673173 www.essentialinstall.com

SOCIALS /INSTALL_MAG /ESSENTIALINSTALL The editors and publishers do not necessarily agree with the views expressed by contributors, nor do they accept responsibility for any errors in the transmission of the subject matter in this publication. Whilst we make every effort to ensure that everything is factually correct, we cannot be held responsible if factual errors occur.

In all matters, the editor’s decision is final. Editorial contributions to Essential Install magazine are welcomed, and the editor reserves the right to alter or abridge text prior to the publication. All articles are copyright and remain the property of Essential Install magazine.

Proud Media Partners of

17–18 SEPTEMBER 2025

FARNBOROUGH EXHIBITION CENTRE

4 AUGUST 2025

Cinema is coming home Elevate your home entertainment with the latest BRAVIA Home Projectors.

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VPL-XW6100ES 2,700 lm | Native 4K | Laser | HDMI 2.1 | ACF Lens

pro.sony/home-cinema Distributed in the UK by:

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All projectors available in black and white

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NEWS

NEWS IVORY EGG INVESTS IN NEW NOTTINGHAM HEADQUARTERS Ivory Egg, distributor of KNX and open-source building automation and control solutions, has announced its relocation to a new, significantly larger headquarters at Churchill Business Park, Colwick, Nottingham. The move marks a major milestone in the company’s growth journey and underlines its commitment to delivering an exceptional level of customer service.

The new facility, the largest space Ivory Egg has ever occupied, enables the company to bring warehousing and fulfilment operations back in-house. Ivory Egg says the change will provide increased flexibility, improved stock availability and a more personalised service for integrators and electricians, installing highly customisable smart building systems.

“This isn’t just about more space—it’s about building the best foundation for the future,” said Monika Dove, Managing Director at Ivory Egg. “By bringing all our operations under one roof, we can align our team, logistics function, and service provision to better meet the needs and expectations of our customers and the building controls community.”

More than just a new address, the site has been designed with collaboration and education in mind. Future plans for the headquarters include:

• A state-of-the-art showroom showcasing the latest in KNX and open-protocol smart home technology.

New Address: Ivory Egg (UK) Ltd, 38 Churchill Park, Colwick, Nottingham, NG4 2HF

• Meeting and collaboration spaces to foster stronger relationships across the smart home community.

• A purpose-built training and seminar room for in-depth, hands-on product education.

• A dedicated customer collection point for convenient local pick-ups for those that need it.

Having recently celebrated the distributor’s 20th anniversary in business, the move also reflects Ivory Egg’s long-term commitment to customer support, education and industry development, cementing its role as a trusted knowledge hub and partner to professionals across the building control sector. The facility is now operational, with the showroom and training space set to launch at a later date.

Ivory Egg ivoryegg.co.uk

PRO INTEGRATION FUTURE EUROPE CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH AT AURES LONDON Organisers marked a significant milestone for the professional AV and systems integration community as Pro Integration Future Europe (PIFE) made its official debut with a launch party held at Aures in London.

Positioned as the latest addition to the Safety and Security Series of events in 2026, PIFE promises to be a fresh, future-focused platform for the pro AV, integrated systems and smart technology sectors, said organisers.

Setting exactly the right tone within the atmospheric arches of Aures London, a venue renowned for connecting people through

art, technology and immersive experiences, the event gathered an impressive audience of industry leaders, tech innovators and integration specialists. Guests from some of the industry’s most influential brands were in attendance, including Sony, Dahua, Shure, CIE Group, Hikvision, Peerless AV and Bosch, each showing their support for this new addition to the European AV and integration events calendar.

The venue provided a strong backdrop for PIFE’s immersive ambitions, with attendees treated to a specially curated audiovisual

The show will take place at the NEC, Birmingham, April 28-30, 2026

showcase that fused light, sound and projection to impressive effect. The installation not only demonstrated the potential of next-generation AV solutions, but also hinted at the calibre of content and experiences that visitors can expect from Pro Integration Future Europe in 2026.

Guests were then treated to a presentation from Tristan Norman, Group Director for Nineteen, who took to the stage to officially introduce the vision behind the new event. In his address, Tristan spoke about the need for a dedicated European platform that would champion integration, innovation and crosssector collaboration within pro AV and smart technologies. He outlined PIFE’s plans to bring together manufacturers, integrators, consultants and end-users from a range of sectors including corporate, hospitality, healthcare, education, retail and live events.

“Our mission is to create not just an exhibition, but a live, interactive hub for ideas, partnerships and discovery,” Tristan commented. “Pro Integration Future Europe will showcase how integrated technology is transforming spaces, workplaces, and public environments - and we’re thrilled to kickstart that journey with so many of our industry peers.”

Pro Integration Future Europe prointegrationfuture.com

6 AUGUST 2025

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A touch of smart design Meet Niko: your experienced partner in intelligent home control.

In a world of constant noise, Niko creates smart technology that quietly makes life better.

It naturally blends into every home.

More than a century ago, Niko started creating quality electrical solutions for every type of building. For more than 25 years we have been bringing smart control and elegant design to residential projects across Europe.

Niko is the trusted partner for installers and architects who value quality, reliability, and timeless design, offering not only products but also training and hands-on project support.

Build smarter. Work with Niko.

Meet us at booth 65 to talk about our premium smart solutions

NEWS

FUTURESOURCE’S AUDIO COLLABORATIVE RETURNS FOR 2025 returns to map the territories and spark new

Audio Collaborative 2025 themes include:

conversations.

• The Audio Industry in Numbers: Futuresource

Hosted

by

Futuresource

Consulting at London’s Soho Hotel, this one-day summit is where the industry’s sharpest minds gather to challenge ideas, feed innovation and shape the future of sound, said the event’s organisers.

From global brand leaders to nascent disruptors, Audio Collaborative has earned its reputation as the event where strategy meets substance. With Futuresource’s deep research heritage at its core, this year’s

insights to set the scene • Voice of the Retailer: Changing channels, changing choices • Decoding the Audio Consumer: New buyer perspectives • As Easy as A, B, Z? Capturing the loyalty of young consumers • Tariff Turbulence: Reassessing the landscape • The Innovative Future of Hearing Health

agenda brings together bold conversations,

• Uninterrupted Immersion: Audio in the car

sharp market intelligence and opportunities

• Sound Investments: Maximising music &

for meaningful networking.

“Audio Collaborative is about so much Described as the audio sector’s premier insight

more than uncovering audio trends,” said Carl

and networking event for bringing together

Hibbert, Director of Research at Futuresource.

industry leaders, Audio Collaborative will be

“It’s the place where commercial strategy and

held at London’s Soho Hotel on November

cultural context collide. And this year is gearing

12, 2025.

up to be our most dynamic yet. Whether you’re

content monetisation • Virtually There? The Gen-AI prompted evolution of virtual assistants • The Post-Sale Playbook: Securing revenue beyond purchase • More Mass Premium: Finding the balance between scale and sophistication

As the audio world shifts under the weight

steering a multinational or scaling a startup, this

of new tech, changing consumer habits and

event gives you a place in the penthouse and a

Futuresource Consulting

global complexity, Audio Collaborative 2025

panoramic view of what’s next.”

futuresource-consulting.com

CEDIA RESEARCH SHOWS PROFESSIONAL UK SMART HOME MARKET HITS £3.1 BILLION The latest insight into the UK smart home sector is now available, as CEDIA, the association for smart home professionals, unveils its 2025 Professional Smart Home Market Analysis for the UK. Combining survey data with real-world sales input, the 2025 report provides a positive outlook of the UK smart home market and explores evolving industry trends.

Produced in partnership with research partner Ancrage Consulting LLC, the report includes findings from residential integrators, verified sales inputs from leading manufacturers and distributors and data from two industryleading quoting and sales management platforms: WeQuote and Specifi.

while interest in security and outdoor AV have seen a relative decline in focus.

• Nearly 80% of integrators now offer service agreements, a significant rise from 66% in 2023.

• There is new growth in the luxury and uberluxury markets, with 30% now focused on the highest-end clientele.

• Half of all respondents say they plan to hire technical staff in the next 12 months, reinforcing positive growth expectations.

“This year’s analysis is grounded in real sales data and strengthened by contributions from across the smart home industry, helping our members

better understand where opportunities and challenges lie,” said CEDIA EMEA Managing Director, Matt Nimmons. “It’s encouraging to see continued market growth from the results.

This report is central to how CEDIA delivers on its mission – providing reliable, actionable insights that help our members thrive. The report doesn’t just reflect the state of the market; it helps shape its future.”

CEDIA cedia.org The 2025 Professional Smart Home Market Analysis is available for free to CEDIA members; non-members can purchase at £999

Key findings include: • The UK smart home market is now valued at an estimated £3.1 billion, a 7% increase from 2023, with growing projections for the next 12 months remaining favourable, especially among CEDIA members.

• There are approximately 3,700 integrators actively operating in the UK. • The median annual revenue per integration firm has grown to £310,000.

• The median project size is now £20,500.

• The average integration firm completes 13 projects per year and has a team of five employees.

• Home cinema, lighting/shading and networking are the top growth categories,

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AUGUST 2025 9

A NEW GENERATION OF SOUND. The JBL Modern Audio A/V receivers consist of five models based on a platform of fundamental connectivity with the latest features for video and music, with additional premium features as you move up in the line. All models feature similar technologies to focus on high performance sound including Class D amplification to power all channels, Dolby and DTS decoding and high resolution 192kHz 24-bit digital signal processing.

With premium audio quality and a focus on ease-of-use, the MA Series models offer the flexibility of a wide range of input sources and listening modes so you can enjoy your content easily and quickly with the fewest number of steps, all from a product with a unique and modern appearance. Check them out at www.improducts.co.uk.

Proudly Distributed By:

NEWS

VISUALIZATION ANNOUNCES ‘THE BIG PICTURE’ SHOWCASE DAY TO MARK 20TH ANNIVERSARY UK-based technical solutions distributor, Visualization, has announced The Big Picture, a one-day showcase marking two decades of engineering excellence, distribution expertise and technical partnership across the AV industry.

Taking place on Thursday September 11 2025, the event will celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary. It offers guests an opportunity to explore the latest AV technology from Christie, LG, Unilumin, AV Stumpfl, CYP, Kordz, NETGEAR, TeamMate, Legamaster and B-Tech AV Mounts.

Held at Visualization’s newly expanded Berkshire facility, The Big Picture showcases its 20-year legacy of supporting the AV channel, highlighting the company’s long-standing commitment to technical training, industry development and expert support.

“Our mission has always been to help trade partners deliver quality, standout projects,” commented Nick Pidgeon, Managing Director of Visualization. “As we mark 20 years in business, The Big Picture gives us the opportunity to demonstrate how we bring the vision to life, through carefully selected vendor partnerships, specialist services and a deeprooted technical approach that supports our customers from concept to completion.”

Attendees can look forward to exclusive product showcases, including UK firsts and demonstrations. Plus, live technology displays,

meet-the-expert sessions with Visualization’s technical team and a behind-the-scenes look at the expanded facility.

The event will also shine a light on Visualization’s commitment to giving back.

Throughout the day, fundraising and awareness activities will support Together For Cinema and GivingBack.Tech – two initiatives that harness AV technology to make a positive impact, whether by creating cinema rooms in children’s hospices or improving access to technology and training for those who need it most.

Visualization vizuk.com

35% OFF RRP

VERTICAL STRIPS

This generation of smart PDU’s from GUDE meet the need for larger vertical power strips with two models, accommodating 20 or 30 load outlets.

IP Addressable - remote management Scheduled Power Down - reduce energy Monitor Alerts - reduce response time Integrated Surge Protection

It’s cake and candles time at Visualization

OPTOMA JOINS AWE FOR UK PROJECTOR DISTRIBUTION

Optoma partners with AWE to expand the availability of its latest 4K UHD and laser projectors across the UK custom install market.

Optoma has announced a new distribution partnership with AWE, bringing its premium projector lineup to more installers and customers throughout the UK. The agreement gives AWE access to Optoma’s latest home cinema innovations, including a new range of high-brightness 4K UHD laser projectors.

Optoma argues it is recognised globally as the number one brand for 4K UHD and DLP projection, and has developed a strong reputation for delivering immersive viewing experiences since 2000. The new partnership with AWE aims to strengthen the brand’s presence in the UK’s growing high-end AV and home cinema sector.

“Optoma is very thrilled to be partnering with AWE distribution,” says James Fitzgerald, B2C Sales Manager at Optoma, “This

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collaboration harnesses AWE’s unparalleled wealth of knowledge in the AV industry, making it a perfect match for our expanding range of home cinema projectors. Their state-of-the-art facilities provide the ideal environment to showcase our cutting-edge technology, and we are eager to see how this partnership will elevate our brand presence and market reach.”

As demand for big screen home entertainment continues to grow—especially in laser projection—Optoma’s portfolio is designed to meet the needs of today’s experience-driven consumers. With lampbased models becoming less prevalent, the brand’s latest laser technology offers both performance and longevity.

“We are delighted to welcome Optoma and their home cinema projector range to our portfolio,” says Stuart Tickle, Managing Director of AWE. “Optoma offers an excellent product range, from value-driven solutions to premium home cinema models. Their latest technologies, especially in laser and ultra-short throw, bring true innovation to our dealers. We look forward to growing the brand together and delivering outstanding big-screen experiences to the UK market.” awe awe-europe.com

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GS-87-1210-18 £559.00 + VAT GS-87-1310-18 £689.00 + VAT

sales@rgbcomms.co.uk or call us today on

01488 73366

13-14 Headlands Trading Estate, Headlands Grove, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN2 7JQ

AUGUST 2025 11

NEWS

ESSENTIAL PEOPLE HARMAN Professional Solutions has announced the

With a 25 year career dedicated almost exclusively to

appointment of Jason Bethune as Business Development

LED, Marco is one of the AV industry’s most respected and

Leader for Themed Entertainment. Jason will focus

sought after talents. He will support the team in navigating

on driving growth in the global themed entertainment

the highly competitive marketplace, continuing to position

market, with a special emphasis on developing

the expanding Philips direct view LED displays range in line

relationships and opportunities with major players such

with PPDS’ global strategy and growth ambitions.

as Disney, Universal Studios, Six Flags and other leading theme park operators.

Jason has more than 20 years of experience across business development, sales and operations in the professional AV industry. His expertise spans strategic planning, system integration and AV technology solutions for complex environments, making him well-suited to lead HARMAN’s efforts in the themed entertainment vertical.

“Jason brings to HARMAN a rich knowledge of highly technical AV products as well as solid relationships in the themed entertainment space,” said Mike Schoen, Vice President & General Manager, North America, HARMAN Professional Solutions. “His past experience creating integrated AV solutions in this space for both system integrators, as well as a number of HARMAN’s key manufacturer competitors, make him the ideal addition to our team that can help us elevate the level of success of our world-class brands in the themed entertainment market.”

“This is a dream opportunity to return to the HARMAN ecosystem and help elevate its presence in some of the most exciting and complex AV environments in the world,” said Jason.

Based in Amsterdam and reporting to Jeroen Brants, Global Product Director for LED at PPDS, Marco brings a new dimension of invaluable and enviable knowledge to PPDS’ ever strengthening team.

Marco commented, “I am thrilled to join PPDS and to take on the responsibility of growing the Philips LED business. With Philips’ strong brand presence and the support of an exceptional team, I see tremendous potential to deliver ever more innovative solutions that exceed customer expectations worldwide.

“PPDS shares an unparalleled commitment to bringing innovative and often world-first solutions, delivering unforgettable customer experiences that continue well beyond installation.”

Solstice AV, a leading international distributor of professional audiovisual solutions and value-added services, has announced the appointment of Louise Abbey as the company’s new Marketing Director.

Louise brings more than 20 years of accomplished B2B marketing knowledge and experience to the company, having held senior positions across vendor, distributor, and reseller organisations operating in the fast-paced ICT sector.

Commenting on her appointment, Louise said, “I’m

PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips

excited to be joining such a dynamic, service-led business.

Professional Displays and complementary solutions, has

Solstice AV is building something special, combining

announced the appointment of globally accomplished

technical excellence with a genuine commitment to its

AV/IT specialist Marco van der Knaap as its new Global

partners. I’m looking forward to contributing to the next

Product Manager of Philips LED displays.

phase of growth.”

Jason Bethune

Marco van der Knaap

Louise Abbey

12 JULY 2025

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H

Y

R

I

S

Hyperreal Immersive Sound Space

One Space.

Endless Experiences. l-acoustics.com/hyriss

S

ESSENTIAL AWE EUROPE

AWE CELEBRATES 90 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE AT EI LIVE! 2025 Join AWE at EI Live! 2025 as we mark our 90th anniversary. This milestone year at EI Live! is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and leadership in the custom installation industry.

Come along to the AWE Village to discover our impressive portfolio of leading brands and learn about our dedication to supporting installers and advancing the high standards shaping the future of the industry.

WHAT’S ON SHOW?

The AWE Village plays host to our exceptional line-up of distributed brands that cater for every aspect of every CI project, including Adeo, Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Epson, HD Anywhere, HEOS, Hisense, Kordz, LG, Marantz,

14 AUGUST 2025

Optoma, Panasonic, Polk, Sanus, Sony, Stealth Acoustics and URC. Designed to showcase what’s new from leading brands while providing an interactive opportunity to get up-close and personal with the features and benefits of hero products, visitors to the AWE Village can see, hear and learn about the latest innovative technologies.

From high-end and multi-room audio, TVs, and home cinema systems, through to control and automation solutions, installers can experience how these products can expand services, increase client satisfaction and drive their residential business.

“You’re invited to celebrate with us at EI Live! as we mark our 90th anniversary. The AWE Village will be alive with a wide range of new innovations and immersive demo spaces, so come along and be inspired. We’ll have representatives from leading manufacturers on hand to share their knowledge, as well as meeting with the AWE team and, because it’s AWE, there’s always good coffee available from our on-booth barista!” says Stuart Tickle, Managing Director at AWE.

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INNOVATION THAT DRIVES EXCELLENCE From 1935 to 2025, a key reason that AWE has reached 90 years is an ongoing commitment to being at the forefront of trends and innovation blended with simply the best brands. The evolution of AWE is charted by a long history of being agile and adapting to changing technologies and the industry landscape. But what really drives AWE is that at the heart of this fourth-generation family-run business, music and film have remained as a core passion for every AWE team member.

At EI Live! AWE introduces new brands to the AWE Village as we welcome Optoma and Kordz as distributed partners, alongside Hisense TVs. Optoma, one of the world’s leading large-display brands, will showcase its newest and best home cinema projectors, while Kordz, renowned for award-winning professional grade connectivity, will present its range of cabling solutions, giving installers the chance to see what sets them apart.

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ESSENTIAL AWE EUROPE In addition, AWE will once again host engaging projection demos with the latest products from industry market leaders, Epson and Sony. Experience live demonstrations of both brands’ exceptional projectors, including the brand-new Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 (VPLXW5100). Come and meet with representatives and find out why these projectors are leading the market.

The demo areas will be supported with Adeo projection screens, speakers from Bowers & Wilkins and amplification by Marantz.

GET HANDS-ON IN THE AWE VILLAGE SQUARE

This open plan show space is the perfect spot to get hands-on with AWE’s stunning portfolio of distributed brands - all in one place.

Whether it’s seeing the latest TV line-ups for 2025 from LG and Sony in the AWE TV Gallery, discovering the automation benefits of URC Total Control, or learning about why URC HDA Amplification is such a popular choice even for Control 4 and Crestron systems, you’ll find everything you need right here.

Projection – Around the stand there will also be an opportunity to see the ultra-bright Q series projectors from Epson.

Bowers & Wilkins – If you’re after great home cinema audio look no further than the Bowers & Wilkins custom theatre speakers. Alongside these there is also a range of in-wall and inceiling speakers, plus you’ll be able to hear their floorstanding speakers in the demo room.

Hisense will be showing an ultra-large TV for the first time at EI Live!

And for all your racking and mounting requirements, there will be a range of the

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hugely popular professional solutions from Sanus on show.

SEE YOU AT THE AWE VILLAGE

Whether you’re new to AWE or have known us for years, we welcome you to celebrate with us at the AWE Village as we look back at our 90year history and look forward to what’s next!

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Come and be part of our history and find out why AWE continues to make an impact in the custom installation industry.

If you’re planning a visit to EI Live! this September, make sure you stop by at the AWE Village.

Watch the anniversary video, AWE 90 in 90 Seconds on YouTube at youtube.com/watch?v=wWmGrioYkd0

AUGUST 2025 15

ESSENTIAL TOGETHER FOR CINEMA

FUNDRAISING WITH PURPOSE: TOGETHER FOR CINEMA’S BIGGEST MONTH YET This September marks a special moment in Together For Cinema’s journey. More people than ever are stepping up to support the work. The organisation updates EI readers.

Through pedalling, putting and participation, we’re set for our biggest fundraising month to date. It’s not just about the money raised, though we’ve set our sights on £15,000, it’s about the growing community behind the cause; people who believe, like we do, that our industry can and should give something back.

We have three major events lined up, each offering a chance to contribute to our mission of installing cinema rooms in children’s hospices around the UK. From golf days to company anniversaries and a team cycling challenge, this September brings the Together For Cinema community together like never before.

PEERLESS-AV CHARITY GOLF DAY — WEDNESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER

Kicking off our fundraising efforts is the Peerless-AV Charity Golf Day, taking place on Wednesday September 10. We’re delighted that Peerless-AV has named Together For Cinema as the beneficiary of this year’s event —

16 AUGUST 2025

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a brilliant day of golf, industry camaraderie and community support.

“At Peerless-AV, we take pride in setting a benchmark within the AV vendor community for meaningful and impactful charitable engagement,” says Keith Dutch, Managing Director, EMEA at Peerless-AV. “Each year, we select a smaller UK charity where our support can make a real difference to the lives of children and their families.

“Although Together For Cinema is wellknown within the AV industry for its inspiring hospice projects, it remains a communitybased initiative, backed by local organisations, where every donation directly enhances its life-changing work. Having supported TFC’s projects for several years through technology contributions, it felt both a natural progression and an honour to name them as the beneficiary of our 2025 Charity Golf Day.” We’re incredibly grateful for the recognition and support. Every swing on the day will help build new cinema experiences for children and their families who need it most.

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ESSENTIAL TOGETHER FOR CINEMA

VISUALIZATION 20TH ANNIVERSARY OPEN DAY — THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 11

The celebrations continue the very next day with Visualization’s 20th Anniversary Open Day at their headquarters in Berkshire. This tradeonly event brings together partners, vendors, and friends to mark two decades of business, while also raising funds and awareness for two fantastic causes: Together For Cinema and GivingBack.Tech.

“As we celebrate two decades of Visualization, we wanted to reflect on the positive impact the AV industry can have beyond the commercial world,” says Nick Pidgeon, Managing Director of Visualization. “Together For Cinema stood out as a charity that embodies this, with its incredible work creating cinema rooms in children’s hospices across the UK. We’re proud to support a cause that uses technology to bring comfort and joy where it’s needed most.”

The event will feature tours of Visualization’s expanded facilities, interactive demos (including exclusive UK product launches), and a look back at the company’s two-decade journey. It’s also a great opportunity to contribute through raffles and donations to support the ongoing work of these two impactful initiatives.

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LONDON TO BRIGHTON RIDE — SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 14

LOOKING AHEAD, GIVING BACK

Capping off a busy and inspiring week is our biggest ever London to Brighton team event, taking place on Sunday September 14.

We’re proud to share that 50 steadfast riders

and

two

intrepid

runners

from

across the AV industry have committed to this year’s challenge.

The 55-mile route from the capital to the coast is no small feat, with steep climbs, long roads and the ever-unpredictable British weather. But our team is pushing forward with one goal in mind: to help fund more lifechanging cinema rooms for children and their families across the UK. This year, we’ve set a target to raise £15,000, and we’re already seeing an incredible outpouring of support. Whether it’s a fiver or £500, every donation counts.

These three events are more than just dates in the diary. They represent a growing movement within our industry and a belief that what we build, donate, share and support can go far beyond the commercial realm.

Together For Cinema continues to be powered by the generosity of our friends and partners across the world of AV and beyond.

The support we receive allows us to deliver installations that transform difficult situations into magical ones, where children can escape into stories, families can create memories and technology becomes a vehicle for joy.

Whether you’re taking part, sponsoring, donating, or simply cheering us on, thank you. Your involvement keeps our work alive and growing.

If you’d like to support any of these events, or learn more about what we do, please visit www.togetherforcinema.co.uk or contact Ian Morrish ian@togetherforcinema.co.uk.

And every pound raised will go directly toward creating moments of joy, comfort, and connection in environments that truly make a difference.

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AUGUST 2025 17

ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS

PULSE CINEMAS PACKAGES LAUNCHED! The perfect way to simplify and sell more home cinemas, provide a clear upgrade path and maximise your potential in this most exciting of sectors is now available from Pulse Cinemas.

After an exhaustive and detailed planning stage, the entire Pulse Cinemas team is delighted to introduce a new way to specify and sell home cinemas to a wide variety of customers with different budgets and performance requirements.

Dean Sutton, General Sales Manager at Pulse Cinemas, explains, “It has long been our aim to provide an easy-to-understand package system for specifying and selling home cinemas, picking the perfect products for each project from our world-class line-up of brands.

“Whether you are relatively new to providing these types of home cinema systems or a veteran of the sector, this new approach provides the perfect route into what our brands can offer when specified together, all fully supported by our excellent and experienced team.”

Stay tuned for more home cinema packages using Krix speakers as the audio backbone, but for now feast your eyes on these fantastic ways to market and build home cinema systems.

CORE, PRIME AND APEX

There are three performance levels within the initiative: CORE, PRIME and APEX. Each level

18 AUGUST 2025

contains three systems to choose from. As you progress through the levels, each one offers improved performance by introducing more advanced products, additional channels and greater processing power.

Each step up is justified by clearly explaining the performance enhancements offered. The scheme also includes its own icon system, making it easy to identify at a glance what each package delivers in terms of dynamic range, spatial immersion or both.

Progressing through the range rewards the customer with higher performance and also increases the available dealer margin. All prices quoted in the scheme’s documentation are excluding VAT.

simply enhancing TV performance is no longer enough, CORE systems offer a true home cinema experience. As you move through the CORE range, additional speaker channels and processing power are added to increase impact and immersion. Kaleidescape Strato E provides the source for these systems.

PRIME PRIME builds on CORE by using the same brands but boosts audio-visual performance for greater emotional engagement. This level introduces madVR video processing, significantly improving image clarity and colour accuracy to better reflect the creator’s intent. Viewing options are also enhanced with the addition of Kaleidescape Strato V as

CORE This entry-level tier delivers excellent value for money while still incorporating world-class brands Anthem, Paradigm, Kaleidescape, Screen Research, Epson, SurgeX and Vicoustic.

CORE is ideal for those just starting their journey into home cinema or for projects where space or budget limits a larger system. When

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a source.

Audio

performance

also

increases,

with more channels and processing power.

At the top of the PRIME tier, a hybrid AVR and power amplifier configuration takes sound to a new level with enhanced dynamics and spatial immersion.

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ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS

BESPOKE DESIGN SERVICE

The scheme delivers an easy to navigate upgrade path

APEX

APEX is the pinnacle of performance within this part of the Pulse Cinemas Package structure, using Paradigm, Anthem, Screen Research, Sony, madVR, Kaleidescape, Vicoustic and SurgeX, while introducing Trinnov processing at the top tier.

This level also includes screen masking to accommodate a wide range of aspect ratios and delivers a brighter, more powerful image

capable of showcasing HDR at its best. APEX offers options for separate processing and amplification, unlocking superior dynamics and audio precision. Leveraging Trinnov’s advanced immersive audio technology and extensive channel capabilities reveals an unmatched home cinema experience. Content storage options are also enhanced with Kaleidescape bundles combining the Strato V with Terra Prime movie servers.

Dean concludes, “Budget alone should never dictate the home cinema system you specify.

What matters is matching the right system to the project and ensuring the customer is satisfied with the level of performance for their investment and expectations at that time. This new initiative enables you to do just that, in a simple, efficient and repeatable way.

“It’s also important to note that all of these fantastic packages come with full support from the Pulse Cinemas team through our bespoke design service. Whilst this new initiative provides an excellent foundation for specifying a project, it should not replace the actual design and specification process. This is why we developed our bespoke design service, to run alongside our package systems and provide a holistic 360° service that provides certainty of performance design. Therefore, depending on your needs and the scope of the project, you’ll receive the appropriate level of support at every stage.

To get started, simply email pulseprojects@ pulsecinemas.com and we can begin the design process right away. Combined with our new CORE, PRIME and APEX packages, we believe this is the most compelling home cinema offering available in the UK. Get in touch for full details and documentation.”

Pulse Cinemas pulsecinemas.com

This new infinitive takes the leg work out of home cinema specification

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AUGUST 2025 19

ESSENTIAL REVIEW: ADI | SNAP ONE EPISODE RADIANCE BOLLARD

NEVER MIND THE BOLLARDS? Sound and lighting in an easy-to-install landscaping solution that can withstand the worst of UK weather? Richard Stevenson checks out ADI | Snap One’s Episode Radiance Bollard speaker system.

I am a recent convert to the ‘little-and-often’ school of outdoor speaker design, thanks to hearing Lance Hopley’s superb outdoor system at retailer/installer, Potters of Tenterden.

Multiple speakers, evenly spaced around the entire outdoor area, create a visually discreet system with sensible volume across every zone.

It’s the perfect system to love-thy-neighbour, as I can speak from personal experience how neighbours really don’t enjoy a sizeable 2.1 outdoor speaker set to ‘rock volume’ with Sounds of the 70s on a Sunday afternoon.

The Episode Radiance outdoor bollard speaker from ADI | Snap One is a combined speaker/LED bollard light that combines discreet landscape audio with elegant path and accent lighting. Unlike traditional outdoor speakers, whose aesthetics generally come from the school of form following function, the Radiance is an exceptionally neat-looking, welldesigned product that you would actually want to see in a landscape design. There are precious few outdoor speakers of any sort that you can say that about.

I can easily see these illuminating a garden path or surrounding a patio area in a high-end residential setting or providing gentle audio and

20 AUGUST 2025

lighting along a hotel walkway or commercial terrace. The design is solid, practical and premium and available in black or white. We had both colours to try and I can vouch for black looking a whole lot better after a heavy downpour kicked up mud from the flower bed.

At its core, Radiance is a 70V line speaker housed within a sleek, minimalistic bollard form factor, with a three-part modular design; mount, speaker and light unit that all lock together without tools. The number of speakers or lights in the chain is a function of the output of the 70V amp and attached 12V or 15V, AC or DC lighting transformer, so there isn’t a hard limit on the number of Radiance units you could run with the right accessories and wiring. We ran six units on the optional solid metal ground stake mounts, using basic pink LSOH speaker cable. I would probably go with buried armoured cable to save homeowners and groundmen putting a spade through it. A dial on the speaker base gives options of 16/8/4/2W tap settings.

Our review system came with Episode’s 500W two-channel hybrid amp, delivering 70V line for the bollards and standard 8-ohm for the sub, along with the MB1 unit that combines audio and light into one two-core cable. That

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makes wiring as simple as daisy-chaining a single two-core from bollard to bollard as far as you need or to the limit of what the attached 70V amp and lighting transformer will handle.

We also had a play with Episode’s Radiance outdoor bollard subwoofer for LF infill. The cylindrical shape matches the bollards well, and it’s far less tacky than my pet peeve, a plastic rock, even if the unit is a bit of a beast both physically and sonically. One for the more discerning residential customer rather than combined with Radiance’s mainstream work for audio ambience and lighting.

The installation experience is where Radiance truly stands out. Episode has clearly thought through the typical challenges faced in outdoor AV integration, even in the UK’s fickle weather. These units are die-cast zinc with a whopping IP66 ingress rating, UV protection and temperature tolerances of -30 to +70 degrees! That meant my ‘clean-up’ after the downpour was a simple case of hosing them down.

The bollard’s robust housing is easy to handle and everything clicks together with reassuring precision. You can hammer in the ground stakes without fear of damaging them

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ESSENTIAL REVIEW: ADI | SNAP ONE EPISODE RADIANCE BOLLARD

thanks to a clever installation tool/buffer, and they didn’t flex or bend even when I had to dig them out of baked solid clay soil with a crowbar.

For decking or concrete, a pedestal mounting base is also available.

GROUND WORK

In use, the Radiance is no less brilliantly designed as the speaker fires upwards at a 360-degree diffuser, creating sound in all directions. This plays perfectly into that ‘little and often’ school of outdoor speaker placement. The six units we had running created a really even volume across a superbly large area. No neighbours were harmed or annoyed in the making of this review. Well, until I let rip with the sub, at least.

This certainly underpins the audio performance, and when integrated sensibly, can be equally discreet while boasting impressive sound levels, sound richness and weight, even at low volumes.

While the lighting is entirely optional, it’s excellent and I would say an absolute must-have for any Radiance install. Comprised of two parts: a bright uplighter in the top and a 360-degree ambient ring around the top section, each part is independently controlled. The main ring light throws out very good all-around lighting for paths and safety applications with no hot spots or shadows, while the uplight makes for a good marker or ambient lighting up against a wall or the side of a building.

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Neither LED supports variable dimming, but the 7W fixture’s 150 lumen uplight and 175 lumen ring are well judged for brightness, with a relatively warm 2700K colour temperature for softer accenting. Given I have more Hue White & Colour ambience bulbs and fittings around the house than John Lewis’ warehouse, I would have liked some colour options and smart control integration on the LEDs. Yet, arguably, that is perhaps out of the scope of requirements for most bollard light installations – particularly commercial ones where light output and safety are a priority.

Episode has clearly aimed the Radiance line-up at the growing intersection of AV

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and landscape design, and has hit a sweet spot of design, practicality, robustness and simplicity. Each module (mount/speaker/light) is exceptionally well-engineered, well thought out, and the IP66 rating is frankly incredible for a speaker and light product of any sort. IP66 includes water protection from a strong jet from any direction, making cleaning very easy. The only higher IP ratings are fully submersible!

For AV integrators looking to offer both residential and commercial clients a sophisticated outdoor ambient sound and light solution that is super versatile, incredibly easy to install and just as easy to maintain, I have not seen anything better on the market. Exceptional.

AUGUST 2025 21

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY

BEING THERE, WITHOUT BEING THERE Welcome to My Thoughts Exactly — a new monthly column where EI will be sharing ideas, trends and provocations from across the world of home cinema and smart technology. These will be sparked by industry conversations, events, news and other sources of inspiration. All will be designed to challenge, excite and push things forward.

With festival season in full swing and Glastonbury, Isle Of Wight, Download, already in the bag and events such as Reading and Leeds Festivals still to come, live music is definitely in the air. The UK’s stadiums have also played host to some big tours and one offs with everyone from Beyoncé, to Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath gracing the UK’s biggest stages. EI was lucky enough to be at the Iron Maiden London show, a band 50 years into their career who can still tear a stadium to pieces. There have of course been a multitude of smaller festivals and gigs up and down the country, underlining how important live music still is in the UK and around the world. There’s something unmistakably powerful about being part of a crowd, watching artists perform in real time — the energy, the unpredictability, the shared emotion. It’s an experience like no other.

So here’s a question: if so many installers and manufacturers are working hard to recreate the feel of live events at home — the thunderous bass, the raw vocals, the enveloping atmosphere — what if we took it a step further?

24 AUGUST 2025

What if you could actually attend the gig, from your home cinema?

I’m not talking about watching a replay or a beautifully edited concert film on iPlayer or Blu-ray. I’m talking about a live digital ticket — an exclusive, real-time stream of the actual performance, delivered straight to your customer’s system.

The idea isn’t science fiction. During lockdown, big acts like KISS, middle sized ones like The Darkness and more niche artists The Wildhearts made this work. Fans paid online and got access to a live stream of the show, delivered with good production value, often alongside bonus content. The appetite was there and the tech held up.

So why can’t this become a permanent fixture in the touring cycle?

For artists, it’s a new revenue stream and a way to reach fans who couldn’t get a ticket, live in another country, or simply prefer to enjoy the show without the crowds. From global megastars like Beyoncé to smaller acts,

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the opportunity to monetise live experiences digitally is too good to ignore.

For our industry, it opens up exciting possibilities. If ‘being there’ from home becomes achievable, what role will high-end cinema rooms, immersive audio systems and dedicated media spaces play? Could we see a new category emerge — not just ‘cinema rooms’, but ‘live event lounges’? How do we make this seamless, premium and secure?

There are technical challenges, of course — licensing, security, stream quality and scale.

But they’re not insurmountable. And if we get it right, we’re looking at a reinvention of live entertainment and a fresh justification for premium AV at home. Much like high-end gaming was the sector to watch a decade ago, could this be an area that will develop?

So, what do you think? Could this change the game? Could installers start offering ‘live event-ready’ upgrades? Could manufacturers partner with artists or promoters? Let’s open the conversation.

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Smart is so simple With JUNG HOME, we have developed a simple system to smartify any home.

Learn how to plan, install and commission JUNG HOME in our new Training Centre. We will show you how easy it can be to digitalise a building.

For more information, contact us at training@jung-uk.com or 0808 123 7878

JUNG.GROUP/JUNGHOME

ESSENTIAL TOP KNOTT

HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR CLIENT PAYMENTS EFFECTIVELY Jason Knott, EI’s resident number cruncher, former CE Pro Editor and data solutions architect evangelist at D-Tools, looks at how to structure progress payments effectively.

The number of progress payments and their percentages should vary based on the type and size of the project, as well as the customer.

In the world of low-voltage integration, one size does not fit all, and that even applies to getting paid by clients. The structure and timing of progress payments can mean the difference between being underwater for months and maintaining healthy, even robust, cash flow.

Rather than relying on a lump sum payment at the end of a project, staggered payments ensure you can cover the cost of materials, labour, and overheads at every stage of a project without accessing money designated for overhead or profits or mixing funds from another project to cover project costs.

Another key reason for progress payments?

They reduce your risk. Getting paid as you go significantly lowers exposure to project abandonment or client default.

According to industry consultant Jason Sayen of IAmSayen, most integrators haven’t properly mapped out their payment cycles. Instead, they’re reactive… billing based on ad hoc triggers like completing a change order, finishing an installation phase, or just simply deciding ‘It’s time to invoice’ with little formal structure.

Another critical piece is defining internal roles: who on your team determines when a phase is complete, and who notifies the back office that it is time to invoice?

BASE YOUR PAYMENT SCHEDULES ON PROJECT TYPE OR SIZE

“There are usually two main project types: new construction and fast-track or retrofit projects,” says Sayen. New builds typically require four to eight payments. Retrofits might only need two.

Let the project complexity and timeline guide your structure.

For example, a large multi-phase project with design/engineering, prewire, trim and finish stages clearly calls for staged progress payments. But a single-phase installation may simply require a deposit and final balance.

COVER YOUR EQUIPMENT COSTS UPFRONT; INVOICE ON MILESTONES

The more expensive equipment, the larger the deposit. Many integrators collect 100% of equipment prices upfront and bill separately for

24 AUGUST 2025

labour. If needed, use an ‘equipment deposit’ and collect before ordering. Milestone-based invoicing is the industry norm for a reason.

Contract approval, prewire completion, equipment rack delivery and final walkthroughs make logical billing markers. Time-based schedules only make sense for long-term commercial projects, according to Sayen.

USE THREE TO FOUR PAYMENTS

There is no hard-and-fast rule on how many progress payments you should receive on a project, but here are some options: 50% / 40% / 10% • Use When: Projects are mid-size, multiphase, and equipment-heavy.

• Why: Front-loads cash flow to cover parts while allowing the client to hold 10% to ensure successful project completion.

60% / 30% / 10% • Use When: Cash flow needs are high or equipment procurement must happen early.

• Why: Offers security up front for small to midsize integrators.

80% / 20% • Use When: Clients have a spotty payment history or it’s a single-phase fast track project.

• Why: Reduces risk on jobs with minimal postinstall follow-up.

In the low-voltage integration industry, a wellstructured progress-payment policy isn’t just good practice, it’s essential for survival. By tying payments to project milestones, clearly defining internal roles and isolating finances per job, integrators can maintain healthy cash flow and reduce risk. Set expectations early, invoice consistently and always collect enough upfront to avoid playing financial catch-up.

30% / 30% / 30% / 10% • Use When: Larger projects with four or more clearly defined phases.

• Why: Even distribution accommodates extended timelines and complexity.

100% (equipment) + 50% (labour) / 50% (labour) • Use When: Equipment is highly customised or high-cost (e.g., projection systems, full home theatres).

• Why: Eliminates financial risk from equipment outlays without client sign-off.

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Lighting & Shading Available Lutron is the most recognised and sought-after brand in the lighting control and smart shading industry, their products are trusted by professionals and homeowners alike for delivering seamless performance and elegant design.

Shading

HomeWorks

Training Offers Available

Polar Bear Design creates premium thermostats for luxury AV and smart home projects. The Zentium and Ursium ranges offer dual-zone HVAC control with seamless integration and elegant, intuitive design. At last, intuitive control meets unparalleled elegance.

sales@rgbcomms.co.uk | 01488 73366

EI LIVE! 2025 PREVIEW PART 1

MAKING CONNECTIONS AT EI LIVE! 2025 Check out just some of the attractions, demonstrations and insights provided by EI Live! 2025 into the smart home and luxury AV sector. Keep your eyes on the Essential Install website for more updates and for part two of our preview in the September issue.

On the Webro (Stand 45) visitors will find ‘Webro Shane’, Chris, and Gary. Combining premium products, one-to-one service and specialist know-how, Webro underlines that the company offers the expertise that many integrators rely on to get AV and CI projects up and running.

As a Smart Building Awards winner, the company aims to build peace of mind into all of its products, working in partnership with CEDIA, HDBT, KNX and CAI. Webro is also proud to support Together for Cinema.

For added reassurance, Webro is fully committed to working to The Construction Products Regulation (CPR), which is key to the safety of infrastructure and people and has products to meet current legislation up to B2ca.

From new products to longstanding favourites, Webro has got the full line-up of cable solutions for visitors to choose from to meet any smart building project needs. All products are available for next day delivery –

26 AUGUST 2025

either cut to length, on reels, or in pull boxes.

Like a challenge? Come and play the ‘Webro Picture Puzzle’ game on the stand. Solve it in the fastest time to win some high-performance and very cool Bowers & Wilkins earbuds! There will be one winner each day (terms and conditions apply). Nobody leaves the stand empty-handed either. Enjoy a complimentary bag of freebies that includes a stick of Webro rock!

MAKING IT MONITOR

Michael Johnson, Global Marketing Director at Monitor Audio explains the company’s approach for this EI Live!

In an industry increasingly driven by technology, specification sheets and integration protocols, it’s easy to forget the most powerful element behind every innovation: people.

We’re at a pivotal point in the evolution of the AV and custom install world. Standards are rising, systems are growing more intelligent and client expectations are more demanding

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than ever. But as the sector becomes more advanced, the value of genuine, human-tohuman connection is becoming even more essential, both in how we collaborate as professionals and how we create experiences for end users.

This September at EI Live! Monitor Audio Group is bringing that belief to life by hosting what we’re calling the ‘MAG Lounge’, a relaxed, open space designed not to sell, but to connect.

The idea is simple: to invite integrators and retailers to sit down with the people who are usually behind the curtain; the engineers and designers who create the products you work with every day.

We want to reframe what a trade stand can be. Rather than a wall of marketing messages or a fortress of black boxes, the MAG Lounge is a place for conversation, feedback and collaboration. Because we believe the future of this industry doesn’t just lie in new products, it lies in better partnerships.

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Cloud Portal Take control of Clear Flow Wireless Networks remotely Control additional network devices such as NVR/matrix via GUI Secure access portal On-board discovery tool for Clear Flow Wireless Devices Gb Ethernet port

www.antiference.co.uk

FROM STUDIO TO HOME

ci45 ci65

ci30

ci90

ci140 & ci140sub on-wall L,C,R

ci140sub

ci140

The ci140 and ci140sub are on-wall designs.

The other models are in or on-wall, thanks ™ to the stylish cabinet sleeve.

See us at Ei Live!

Booth 59

Find out more

www.pmc-speakers.com

The ci series incorporates cutting edge technologies and audio quality from the world-renowned PMC studio monitors that have been responsible for countless movies and hit records, in the ultimate slimline, high-performance on-wall and in-wall loudspeakers.

WE DON’T SELL SPEAKERS.

www.cinemaluxe.co.uk

Bespoke interior design & f it-out to the AV industry

EI LIVE! 2025 PREVIEW PART 1 Understanding how people experience sound, how they live with technology and how they install it, is just as important as how a component measures in a lab. When we sit

down with installers and hear about the realities of different projects; tight deadlines, aesthetic compromises and everything in between, it helps us make better decisions. That’s why

Meet the people behind Monitor Audio tech at EI Live! 2025

we instigated our Monitor Audio Partner Programme (MAPP). It allows us to receive direct feedback, which directly influences the decisions we make on the future roadmap of our products and support we offer.

By opening up space for these dialogues, we’re not just designing better systems - we’re designing more relevant solutions.

A big shift we’re seeing in this industry is a growing emphasis on experience over hardware.

Clients don’t just want high fidelity, they want harmony. They want technology that disappears into the environment, that complements their interior, and that just works, all the time.

For us as manufacturers, that means focusing not only on sound quality, but also on installation simplicity, aesthetic compatibility, and long-term serviceability. It’s not enough for a speaker to sound good. It also needs to be easy to mount, flexible in positioning and consistently reliable.

We look forward to seeing you in the MAG Lounge at EI Live. Let’s talk. Let’s collaborate.

Let’s listen again.

ONEAV FEATURES TEAM PLAY

The future of AV belongs to the well-supported installer, argues Joe Wilks, Sales & Commercial Director at OneAV. At OneAV, we understand that challenge and we’re here to help installers turn it into an opportunity. That’s why our team is looking forward to this year’s EI Live! where we’ll be exhibiting at Stand 15, strategically positioned next to HDA and uControl, and directly across from the Monitor Audio lounge. It’s a prime location for anyone serious about nextgeneration AV.

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What sets OneAV apart is our commitment to supporting the custom installer. We don’t just supply AV products, we provide guidance, support and solutions tailored to the day-today realities of integration work. Our role as a distributor goes beyond logistics. We aim to be a trusted technical resource and strategic partner.

Installers visiting our stand can expect conversations focused on real-world applications, common installation pain points and how to streamline workflows. Whether it’s simplifying video distribution with Just Add Power, solving power management challenges with GUDE, or integrating unified control systems via uControl, we’re there to offer clarity, not clutter.

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We’re proud to represent a curated portfolio of best-in-class brands, including HDA, Monitor Audio, WiiM, Displine, CEL-FI, Aquavision, Shelly, Proofvision, Cloud, Lilin and Umbra, among many others.

The focus at the show will be on helping integrators deliver complete, integrated AV experiences. With network infrastructure playing an increasingly central role in AV, expect to see how we support installers through networking solutions (NETGEAR), audio (Onkyo, Roksan, Musical Fidelity), smart power (Shelly, GUDE), control (uControl), and much more.

AUGUST 2025 29

EI LIVE! 2025 PREVIEW PART 1

PULSE CINEMAS SETS UP A SCINTILLATING EI LIVE! LINE-UP Offering some choice selections from the brand family available through Pulse Cinemas, show visitors can expect insight into special dealer packages, products and design support services. Check it all out on Stand 46.

With the increase in demand for easy-tofit media room solutions and home cinemas, the Pulse Cinemas team has pulled together products from some of its leading brands to deliver a package that really delivers on a new and growing category. Using the Leica Cine 1 as the viewing engine, the Pulse team has combined products from Paradigm, Anthem and MaxLight to offer an all-in-one short throw projection package that delivers on convenience of install and performance.

The Leica Cine 1 offers 4K/Dolby Vision for intense colour depth and sharp contrast as well as good looks. The combination of triple RGBlaser technology, Leica Image Optimization (LIO), Leica Summicron lens, as well as the 4K resolution and up to 3,000 ANSI Lumens, delivers image quality allowing the unit to cope with areas of high ambient light. The Cine 1 comes with multiple functions and a wide range of assets, including the smart TV interface and Filmmaker Mode.

Also part of this package is the Short Throw Lift, a bottom-up motorised ambient light rejecting (ALR) projection screen by Screen Innovations. Delivering the brand’s ambient light rejecting (ALR) technology, the screen is the perfect partner for the Leica Cine 1.

Delivering the audio in this package are speakers and subs from Paradigm. The compact but powerful Monitor SE Atom Bookshelf speaker delivers a 2-driver, 2-way bass reflex construction using top quality components such as X-PAL Pure-Aluminium Dome Tweeters with patented Perforated Phase-Aligning (PPA) Lens. This design acts as a refined phase plug, blocking a wide range of out-of-phase frequencies which increases and smooths output without colouring the sound.

High-performance mineral-filled polypropylene cones with inverted dust caps are lightweight and rigid and are also on board.

For bass delivery, the Essentials Sub 12 with high-excursion driver, sealed MDF cabinet with reinforced woofer baffle and Class-D amplifier (compatible with an optional wireless subwoofer kit) completes the audio part of the package. Delivering deep, distortion-free bass that brings music, movies and video games to life, this subwoofer represents Paradigm’s signature performance wrapped in sleek, modern aesthetics. Handling amplification for the package is the MRX SLM from Paradigm sister brand Anthem. Compact and powerful, the unit has been hand picked for this package.

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All of this AV power is skilfully combined within the MaxLight LK620 UST Cabinet, which uses a special shelf for the Leica Cine 1.

Available as three different models in a variety of wood finishes, the built-in motorised projector platform opens and closes with a whisper, offering practicality and luxury in one motion.

The MaxLight cabinet’s projector platform is fully synchronised with the SI screen ensuring seamless operation. The cabinet also offers pinch-out rear panels for easy and tidy cable management, the lift is adjustable with position memory and ample storage space in the side cabinets with a pre-installed IR repeater delivers the perfect accommodation for the rest of the AV equipment.

Come and see this concert of top AV brands delivering a new performance level for this emerging category.

KALEIDESCAPE CAVALCADE

Another big focus this year for Pulse Cinemas will be on Kaleidescape, a brand that has had a storming last 12 months, introducing new options in the form of the Strato E and Strato M movie players. Designed to create new price points for the brand whilst delivering on the maker’s promise to maintain quality of playback, the move was designed to open the brand up to a wider range of customers and projects.

Offering a new way into the brand for firsttimers or enabling larger projects and existing customers to expand their systems into new areas, the move has added more options and more muscle to the Kaleidescape offering.

Strato E supports reference 4K video output with SDR, HDR10 and Dolby Vision,

as well as lossless multi-channel and spatial object-based audio, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Strato M provides reference 2K video output with better-than-Blu-ray quality and also supports lossless audio. Both players work on their own or as part of a larger Kaleidescape system. As a standalone system, they deliver a single playback zone that holds a limited number of movies, downloading a movie in about 10 minutes over gigabit Ethernet. Both also offer a streamlined interface optimised for navigating a small movie library, offering automatic offloading of watched movies 48 hours after playback to make room for more.

Purchased movies can be re-downloaded at any time. As part of a wider system partnering any of the Terra Prime movie servers, both players revert to the full Kaleidescape interface and experience with full access to the online store.

Come and meet the whole Kaleidescape family at the show.

PARADIGM POWER Another big hit in the last few months has been the Paradigm Decor Soundbar family. Able to be custom made for any size of large screen TV, these soundbars can offer a total audio upgrade for TV viewing, or act as a centre channel for a wider home cinema system. These products work particularly well when partnered with the MRX SLM compact 5.1 amp from Anthem.

The show will also be the platform for other releases from top brands, but for those and details of the Pulse Cinemas Design Service, visitors will have to come to the stand to find out more.

The Leica Cine 1 forms the centre of a new short-throw home cinema package from Pulse Cinemas

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EI LIVE! 2025 PREVIEW PART 1 The IsoTek V5 Syncro Uni 10 will feature on the Sound Service stand

SOUND SERVICE LINING UP BRANDS FOR EI LIVE! 2025

Distributor Sound Service (Stand 3) has several intriguing products and concepts to check out at this year’s show.

IsoTek will be one of the brands taking centre stage as the maker’s solid power treatment and conditioning products are set to impress installers with products suitable for two-channel and multi-channel systems alike.

EI Live! 2025 will deliver the first UK showing of the re-designed SMART Power Delta/Alpha lines. A PDU designed for the CI market, the SMART Alpha offers a discreet 1U (44.5mm) high rack width component, delivering full system control of connected electronics through RS232, LAN and over WiFi through a secure online interface and dedicated codex for Control4 and Crestron platforms. The Alpha features eight C14 IEC output sockets along with RS232 via traditional and USB ports, plus a LAN Ethernet port for WiFi control. The Alpha also protects connected equipment up to 40’000A. Input power is via standard IEC C13/14 connection. The main features delivered include: the name of each outlet with connected electronics, turn on / turn off each outlet independently, remote reboot and sequential start-up as well as programmable delay times between each outlet upon startup. The Alpha also comes in a ‘Lite’ version with a similar but slightly reduced features and connection suite.

The SMART Delta PDU is a 2U (89mm) high rack width component, offering full system control of connected electronics through RS232, LAN and over Wi-Fi also through a secure online interface and dedicated codex for Control4 and Crestron. Delta features 16 C14 IEC output sockets along with RS232 via

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traditional and USB ports, LAN Ethernet port for WiFi control. Input power is via 16A IEC C20 connection. Delta also reduces Differential and Common Mode mains noise, with each output socket independently cleaned avoiding mains noise cross contamination between connected electronics. Delta offers 54’000A protection from power surges and voltage spikes. This unit offers a similar functionality set up as the Alpha and also comes in a ‘Lite’ version.

Also from IsoTek the show will feature the new V5 Syncro Uni 10 (10 Ampere) DCcancelling product that rebalances the mains sine wave on the zero volts line to dramatically reduce/silence transformer hum and vibration.

This product can be used independently for a single component, or in combination with another IsoTek power cleaner as an upgrade and to deliver a fully rebalanced sine wave across all output sockets. IsoTek’s newest version of its innovative and original DC cancelling system, released almost 15 years ago now, upgrades the design with 60% extra current capability and corresponding reductions in impedance.

The internal peak current now stands at an impressive 16 Amperes!

HIDDEN TALENT

Sound Service will also feature the Secret Custom Install speaker range and new garden and outdoor speaker by French maker TRIANGLE. With nine products in the range, Custom Install are created to be installed in the hollow partitions in walls and ceilings for maximum discretion. Perfect for those who prefer minimal space, they exist in two formats for installation in the ceiling and on the wall. The maker says they can be used for discreet background music, or full-on home cinema. TRIANGLE outdoor loudspeakers

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are designed to withstand the elements while delivering faithful, high-performance sound reproduction, says their creator. They benefit from TRIANGLE’s acoustic expertise in a resolutely practical and durable format and are ideal for permanent installations. The GARDEN 7 and EXT 7 are speakers specially designed for use in a garden, patio, near a swimming pool or on a terrace. The GARDEN 7 is a bollard-style speaker and the EXT a wall-mountable version.

Their UV-treated polypropylene shells mean they can withstand all kinds of weather and remain outdoors all year round. IP66-certified, they offer enhanced protection against rain, water splashes and dust.

Also on the Sound Service stand will be a flexible audio and media control matrix solution from HARVEY. A key component for home cinemas as well as PA systems and conference systems, the unit is equipped with analogue audio inputs and outputs as well as a large number of different control interfaces. The unit has extensive audio processing functions that can be configured in a way that is tailored precisely to the respective application. These settings can also be saved as a preset and retrieved at the press of a button.

Due to the varied control interfaces HARVEY can connect to very different devices and act as a central control unit for audio, lighting and media. It converts the data between the interfaces and eliminates the need for additional converters. The user interface, the HARVEY Composer, has a simple operating philosophy: The menu structure is clearly arranged, elements are composed in a project by drag and drop and configured immediately in the context menu. That allows installers to configure complex projects with only a few mouse clicks.

AUGUST 2025 33

EI LIVE! 2025 PREVIEW PART 1

FRACARRO MOVES FORWARD TOWARDS EI LIVE! 2025

EI Live! 2025 is an opportunity to present the digital solutions designed by Fracarro (Stand 72a) for signal distribution within buildings.

Based on the clients’ needs (residential, business, institutional) and the structure (condominium, hotel, campus, commercial), Fracarro offers a suitable solution to create an intelligent infrastructure (GPON, Ethernet, WiFi, FTTH) to integrate and distribute services from the access or reception point (SAT, DTT, Internet, IPTV, etc.) to the terminal point.

For EI Live! 2025, the team will focus on networking via passive fibre optic solutions

for the integrated distribution of IP services in multi-user systems, with a complete range of products for structured cabling and GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) systems.

Providing multiservice solutions for the distribution of all services such as TV, satellite, data, for residential buildings, MDUs (new and renovated) will be up to standard only if equipped with ultra-broadband digital fibre optic systems to provide connections and services in step with technological evolutions.

Visit the stand to find out more.

Also featured will be the WIDE FIBRE series of optical transmitters and receivers, entirely designed and manufactured by Fracarro. These systems are able to manage the signals available from satellite or digital TV antenna, exploiting

the potential of WIDEBAND technology.

Also of interest will be the HOME FIBRE series of optical transmitters and receivers, also designed and manufactured by Fracarro, which allow the distribution of up to four satellites over a single optical fibre with CWDM technology.

They allow the transmission of the entire TV band, including radio signals (DVB-T + FM + DAB + Full satellite), and an entire orbital position over a single fibre.

Meanwhile, the transmitters and receivers of the OPT-MBJ family exploit the potential of the passive fibre optic network (PON) to create a PLUG&PLAY system capable of transporting TV and SAT (IFIF) signals to the terminal user with the highest quality.

Fracarro tackles the needs of digital distribution head on

INDIGO DISTRIBUTION: CORNERING THE MARKET

Indigo Distribution (Stand 16) is back at EI Live! showcasing a wide range of brands and solutions that give installers the tools they need to deliver outstanding AV projects.

The team is excited to be highlighting some of the latest additions to the line-up, including Cornered Audio - a unique speaker range designed to fit snugly into corners, on walls, or under ceilings, offering discreet, highperformance sound. The distributor will also be featuring NETGEAR AV, now part of the portfolio, offering pro-grade networking built specifically for the demands of AV over IP. Indigo will also be showing key brands, including Klipsch Audio, QMotion Shading, Rako, Nice Home Management, Integra and WiiM. Stop by the stand to catch up with the Indigo team, check out what’s new, and see how they can support your next project.

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EI LIVE! 2025 PREVIEW PART 1

PMC: FROM MOVIE MAKING TO MOVIE VIEWING

PMC (Stand 58) will use the event to showcase the loudspeakers used to make the movies and replay them in the best home cinemas, bringing the true soundtrack experience to the custom installation market.

The PMC Ci series is a range of slimline inwall and on-wall models that was developed by combining technologies from the company’s acclaimed audiophile Hi-Fi speakers and industry-leading professional studio monitors.

The Ci series products are also featured in the premier studios across the world and are the benchmark speakers for Dolby Atmos mixing.

Like all PMC speakers, the six Ci series models feature the company’s proprietary ATL bass-loading technology and Laminair air flow control for ultra-low distortion and highresolution playback. Each model is designed with a shallow depth for on-wall mounting and may also be used in-wall. This gives the installer greater mounting flexibility, enabling them to offer a truly audiophile-level experience from a highly discreet system. The ability to specify the same speakers used by the movie makers is the only way to offer customers the experience the director and composer heard when making the soundtrack, says the maker.

AVOKE INNOVATIONS

Over on Stand 101, dive into the world of video distribution, cable infrastructure and testing, and audio experiences with Avoke. Located next to key partners Blustream and Kordz, the company is showcasing the audio part of its business with Elipson, Lumene, and Norstone, who share the support, reliability and expertise that the distributor is known for. Featured highlights include Elipson – experience the hi-res multi-room/media room streaming amplifier – Lumene – discover integrated furniture for ultra-short throw projectors with a floor-rising

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PMC will also present the PMC8-2 XBD studio monitors, (used by Dolby for reference and equally at home in the studio or home theatre) allowing a further glimpse inside the world of music and movie production, where these powerful and ultra-accurate monitors are often found as the front LCR, alongside the Ci series in the surround and height roles.

Complementing the Ci series is the featurerich DSP multi-channel amplifier, the PMC power 750-8. This eight-channel amplifier

combines a transparent and neutral sound with a massive power output of 750W per channel.

When bridged and configured as a four-channel amplifier, the power 750-8 can deliver 1,500W per channel. With the powerful, yet intuitive, System Engineer software, adjusting EQ is easy - providing a full toolbox to configure each speaker to deliver its best performance according to room acoustics and position within the room.

PMC will be offering the full power of its line up

projection screen and Norstone for its PRO 19in rack. Also on display will be a range of Hi-Fi speaker solutions, as well as TDG Audio’s in-wall soundbar and in-ceiling speakers.

HOME CINEMA ALLIANCE BUILDS COMMUNITY AT EI LIVE!

The Home Cinema Alliance (HCA) is set to exhibit on Stand 81, offering professional installers the chance to discover the many benefits of joining the UK’s only trade group dedicated to the home cinema sector.

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Bringing together independent experts, boutique businesses and specialist installers, the Home Cinema Alliance champions the value of bespoke cinema design, installation and aftercare. The team will be on hand to explain how membership opens the door to a range of shared benefits—designed to help businesses grow while staying focused on delivering exceptional results for clients.

Among the key attractions for members is the ability to spread the cost of customer-facing advertising through collaborative campaigns.

By pooling resources and working together under the HCA banner, members benefit from strength in numbers—raising awareness of the sector while retaining their own identity.

Installers looking to gain greater visibility online and in the media, can also tap into the media services offered by the group. These include videography, photography, virtual tours, social media guidance and websites—designed specifically for the home cinema industry.

With a growing network of like-minded professionals and a focus on raising standards, building trust and showcasing exceptional work, the Home Cinema Alliance is fast becoming the go-to organisation for ambitious home cinema businesses across the UK.

17–18 SEPTEMBER 2025

FARNBOROUGH EXHIBITION CENTRE

AUGUST 2025 35

ESSENTIAL INTEGRATED & SUPER-SIZED TVS

THE NEW ERA OF DESIGN-LED SMART LIVING James Drummie, Product Manager, AWE, sizes up the install TV situation.

For years, creating a true home cinema experience meant relying on a dedicated projector room with full light control, a luxury not always practical in modern homes. Today’s generation of super-sized TVs offers a powerful alternative, delivering cinematic quality in openplan or bright spaces.

TVs, once the nemesis of high-end interior designers, can now be a design statement. As interiors move toward open, flexible layouts and immersive media zones, integrators have the chance to deliver bold, large-screen solutions that combine performance with style.

HISENSE 110UX - AND THE UPCOMING 116UX: BOLD INNOVATION

The 110in Hisense 110UX is a standout product in the ultra-large display space, harnessing Mini LED X technology with over 40,000 local dimming zones and a staggering 10,000 nits peak brightness. Powered by the Hi-View Engine X and Dolby Vision IQ, it performs brilliantly in high-ambient light environments. With full HDMI 2.1, eARC, Wi-Fi 6, and gaming-focused features like 144Hz refresh and VRR, it’s built for a variety of applications from immersive cinema to highend gaming.

Looking ahead, the new Hisense 116UX, expected to launch in September, pushes this innovation even further. It will be the first consumer TV to feature an RGB Mini LED backlight with separate red, green and blue Mini LEDs. This breakthrough offers exceptional colour accuracy (covering up to 95-97% of the BT.2020 gamut), deeper blacks, and high brightness levels, while also being more energy efficient and reducing blue light emissions.

Supporting peak brightness up to around 10,000 nits, IMAX Enhanced certification, Dolby Vision IQ and a powerful 6.2.2 CineStage X audio system, it sets a new benchmark for design-focused, large-format displays that are both powerful and aesthetic.

Hisense is expanding its super sized options

SONY: PRO-LEVEL PERFORMANCE AND ANTI-REFLECTION FINESSE Sony brings its broadcast heritage into the home with the 98in FW-98BZ53L, offering professional-grade brightness (780 nits), Full Array Local Dimming, and a high-haze anti-reflection panel, ensuring excellent clarity even in bright environments. The 98in FWD-98XR55, a more accessible alternative, features XR Mini LED and Sony’s cognitive XR Processor for immersive contrast and detail. Both models support advanced control systems and integrate seamlessly into premium residential projects.

OPPORTUNITY FOR INTEGRATORS

These super-sized displays enable installers to create immersive, cinema-grade experiences without the need for dedicated dark rooms.

Seamless integration with smart automation and bespoke joinery allows these TVs to become architectural centrepieces that enhance any space.

SEE IT FOR YOURSELF AT EI LIVE! 2025

Experience the difference for yourself at EI Live!

2025 where AWE will showcase many of these cutting-edge displays. Visit the AWE Village to see how these technologies can help create your next standout project.

Sony has much to offer installers looking for high-performance TVs

LG: OLED ELEGANCE AND QNED IMPACT

LG’s 100in QNED86 combines Mini LED, Quantum Dot and NanoCell for rich, vivid visuals, ideal for expansive living areas. Meanwhile, the 97in OLED97G5 delivers perfect blacks via self-lit pixels and offers a flush, gallery-style wallmounted design, perfect for minimalist, designled spaces.

36 AUGUST 2025

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ESSENTIAL INTEGRATED & SUPER-SIZED TVS

BEYOND THE BOX In the age of mass availability, even high-quality televisions can feel like standard fare.

For premium interiors and high-end installations, clients increasingly want something more– both in performance and aesthetics. Alastair Benn, Director and Brand Manager of Aquavision, explores how custom display technology makes all the difference.

There’s no shortage of strong performing TVs available from mainstream manufacturers. Many are easily accessible via Amazon, eBay or retail outlets, and they absolutely serve their purpose— offering decent performance and reliable design at competitive prices. But that’s exactly the issue in luxury projects: they’re too easy to get hold of and they look like everything else.

In our world, working with leading architects, interior designers and AV professionals, the request is rarely for a TV that’s simply functional.

Instead, it’s for a screen that blends in, stands out—or ideally, does both at once. Clients want something unique, something that reflects the quality of their space and feels considered, not just installed.

A PERFORMANCE GAP Standard TVs are typically built to deliver around 500cd/m² of brightness. For most general applications, that’s absolutely fine. But the moment you walk into a beautifully glazed modern extension, a double-height atrium or a room with wide sliding doors, those same screens start to struggle.

The combination of sunlight and reflection can render standard TVs virtually unwatchable, especially during the day. In these environments, high ambient light demands high brightness— and that’s where bespoke manufacturing becomes invaluable.

At Aquavision, because we produce our televisions in our own UK factory, we can tailor brightness levels to suit the project. We offer units up to 2000cd/m², with auto-dimming for evening viewing and more relaxed ambient light. Clients get a display that adapts to their environment without compromise—powerful when needed, subtle when it matters.

38 AUGUST 2025

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ESSENTIAL INTEGRATED & SUPER-SIZED TVS

INTEGRATION IS EVERYTHING One of the most overlooked aspects of television installation is how the screen integrates with the general décor and aesthetic ambition for the space. Why settle for a flat-screen on a bracket when it could be something far more elegant?

A TV should feel like a seamless part of the interior, not an afterthought. That’s why we offer a wide variety of glass finishes: from anti-glare and anti-reflective options to our MirrorVision Plus technology, which turns the screen into a functioning mirror when not in use.

Our glass fronts can be colour-matched to the surrounding walls, tiles or fabrics—not just with solid colours, but matched to the actual tone or pattern of the space. We’ve replicated wall finishes, curtain textures, even individual

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cushions. We can also customise the shape and size of the glass to fit recesses or decorative frames, up to a maximum of 3m by 2m. One of our more extravagant commissions was a 100in television with a 24-carat gold-plated frame.

This level of flexibility is particularly valuable in kitchens, pool areas and patios—spaces where sleek surfaces and easy-to-clean materials are essential. Our minimalist glass fronts aren’t just visually discreet; they’re practical too.

DESIGNED FOR CONTROL

Looks and performance mean little if the television doesn’t integrate into the wider system.

That’s why every Aquavision screen includes full discrete IR, IP and RS232 command sets, downloadable drivers and compatibility with all major control platforms including Control4, Crestron, RTI, AMX and Savant.

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Whether for residential or light commercial projects, indoors or out, that means seamless integration with lighting, audio, shading and automation platforms—just as installers and clients expect.

TAILORED TO EVERY PROJECT

Ultimately, it comes down to offering something bespoke—a product that’s not just installed, but thoughtfully designed. At Aquavision, our goal is to deliver televisions that complement architecture, respond to light, integrate with technology and enhance the experience of the space they’re in.

In premium homes, a television should be more than a screen. With the right approach, it becomes part of the design—and with Aquavision, that’s exactly what it’s made to do.

AUGUST 2025 39

ESSENTIAL INTEGRATED & SUPER-SIZED TVS

MAD FOR IT! Richard Litofsky, Co-founder & CEO, madVR Labs, explains the role of advanced video processing in elevating luxury interiors.

In the realm of luxury interiors, the convergence of smart TV technology and sophisticated design is transforming how we experience home entertainment. Premium homes are no longer just about aesthetics; they’re about seamless integration where technology enhances rather than disrupts the living space. Manufacturers like madVR Labs are at the forefront of this evolution, developing solutions such as the madVR Envy video processors to meet the growing demand for super-sized TVs and video walls as central design elements—statement pieces that deliver flawless performance to match their visual impact. At the heart of this lies advanced video processing, which ensures these displays unlock immersive, lifelike viewing while harmonising with elegant interiors.

Consider the rise of discreet automation in luxury homes. Architects and designers are increasingly collaborating with AV installers to embed technology invisibly, creating environments where entertainment systems blend into custom cabinetry, motorised lifts, or architectural features like recessed walls.

Here, video processing serves as the intelligent bridge between source content and the display, optimising every frame for the room’s unique setup. For instance, in a minimalist living room with a 100in OLED or a multi-panel video wall, poor handling of HDR content can lead to distracting artifacts like blown-out highlights or lost shadow details, undermining the design’s intent. Effective video processing dynamically adjusts brightness and contrast on a frameby-frame basis, preserving the director’s vision while adapting to ambient lighting—crucial in open-plan spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows.

This is particularly relevant for HDR dynamic tone mapping, a technology essential for maintaining detail in high-contrast

40 AUGUST 2025

scenes. In luxury settings, where natural light varies, displays must adapt without manual intervention. Advanced algorithms recover contrast in shadows and highlights, ensuring a consistent, captivating image that complements the interior’s ambiance. madVR Labs focuses on these demands with the Envy’s best-inclass tone mapping, powered by dedicated GPUs that surpass built-in TV capabilities.

Installers we’ve partnered with highlight how this enables refined integrations that feel truly smart and automated, fostering mutual success in delivering premium experiences.

Another key trend is the embrace of super-sized screens as design-led focal points. In premium homes, these aren’t mere appliances but extensions of the architecture, often spanning entire walls in media rooms or outdoor lounges. However, much of today’s content remains in HD or lower resolutions, and standard upscaling can result in soft, underwhelming visuals that don’t justify the investment. AI-powered upscaling addresses this by analysing pixels to enhance textures and details, making 1080p broadcasts or older films appear nearly native 4K. This elevates the viewing experience, turning a large TV into a portal that draws guests in, much like a piece of art. Designers appreciate how technologies like the Envy’s non-linear stretch maximise screen real estate for wide-aspect setups like 21:9 video walls, intelligently expanding content to fill black bars without distortion—reducing visual waste and enhancing immersion. Equally crucial is using non-linear stretch to significantly reduce or eliminate the large black bars that appear when viewing movies on 16:9 aspect ratio TVs and video walls, thereby enabling a highly immersive cinematic experience in Smart Homes where 16:9 displays are common.

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EMOTIONAL CONNECTION

Calibration is another understated yet vital aspect of integrating smart TVs into luxury interiors.

Professional calibrators use tools to achieve reference-level accuracy in colour, gamma and greyscale, ensuring the display renders lifelike tones that harmonise with the room’s palette.

In high-end projects, this means supporting massive lookup tables (LUTs) for precise adjustments, far beyond what most TVs offer internally. The result? An image that’s not just sharp but emotionally resonant, making movie nights or sports viewings feel like events. madVR Labs works closely with integrators to enable this precision through seamless software integration and its Professional Services Group, aligning AV systems with lighting schemes or automated shades for a cohesive smart ecosystem.

Motion processing further refines this integration, particularly for dynamic content like sports or concerts on large screens. Traditional methods often introduce artifacts or an unnatural ‘soap opera’ effect, but the Envy’s MotionAI smooths judder while preserving cinematic intent during movie watching. Users can fine-tune settings for personal preference, ensuring clarity without sacrificing authenticity. In luxury homes, this means feeling like you are at a concert or sporting event, rather than watching one on TV. Ultimately, as premium homes embrace smart living, video processing emerges as the unsung hero that unlocks a display’s full potential. Manufacturers like madVR Labs, through innovations in the Envy series, bridge the gap between cutting-edge hardware and diverse content, enabling seamless, designforward integrations that redefine big-screen viewing. By collaborating with architects, designers, and installers, these solutions ensure technology feels intuitive and luxurious—truly hand-in-hand with the interior’s elegance.

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Vinyl-over-IP IT’S DONE WITH DM NVX. Drop the needle. Network the fidelity. DM NAX® Audio-over-IP Edge Devices easily bridge any audio from any source — CDs, Bluetooth® audio, even vinyl records — onto the network. Powered by the DM NVX® AV-over-IP platform, they give your clients more ways to enjoy their favorite music. However they want. Wherever they want. With pristine audio reproduction and effortless Crestron Home® OS control.

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Certain trademarks, registered trademarks, and trade names may be used to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Crestron disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Crestron is not responsible for errors in typography or photography. ©2024 Crestron Electronics, Inc.

SCAN FOR SPECS AND DIAGRAMS

Match Distribution will be debuting at EI Live in September, and we can’t wait! Launching in five technology categories: Audio, Cable, Control, Shading and Tablet Solutions, that puts us at the heart of any project.

Our brands are a mixture of industry stalwarts and innovative new brands entering the UK & Ireland market for the very first time.

AUDIO Russound is one of the fore founders of highperformance multi-room audio, their dedication to the profession installer is second to none.

Cerasonar – Pure listening pleasure in acoustically demanding situations. With a wide range of invisible speakers Cersonar’s love for perfection makes it the ideal solution for the luxury home.

CABLE Bridgee is an exciting new Brand to the UK, bringing manufacturing heritage and high quality to professional cables.

CONTROL Domex is a revolutionary lighting, shading, climate and multimedia system designed to make technology simple and elegant.

SHADING Unify Shading is simplifying the automated blind market, working with all the key lighting partners. Bringing high quality, innovation and flexibility to a segment in the market that has huge potential for growth.

TABLET SOLUTIONS Displine make high-quality, modern, elegant tablet solutions with precision German design and premium Polish production making the ideal home for the always present tablet!

Come and see our exciting portfolio and meet the team behind the company on stand 32, we are looking forward to seeing you there!

VISIT US ON

STAND 32

ARE YOU A ARE WE A MATCH? SCAN THE QR CODE TO FIND OUT!

ESSENTIAL DbM

SCREEN IDOLS Barry Sheldrick, Director of Sales at DbM and Bart Devos, Business Development Manager EMEA at Barco Residential, sat down to discuss the latest trends in the market for projectors and screens. Here’s what they had to say.

When talking about big-screen entertainment, the industry seems to be focussing on whether integrators and customers should choose between a projection set-up or a super-sized LED screen.

It’s great that there is interest and a buzz in the market around huge LED screens, the simple thing for us is that both solutions have very different target applications. It shouldn’t really be a conversation of, ‘which option should we pick’ but instead, ‘which system is best for the environment.’

Full disclosure, Barco Residential manufactures projectors and LED screens, and DbM supplies both options to its dealers, so we have no preference between the two solutions – we are supporters of both, but there is a real distinction in where we would deploy these two different systems. While a projector is suited to a dedicated cinema environment, a large LED screen is ideal for living spaces that have a lot of ambient light.

put the loudspeakers – you can’t place anything behind a large, solid panel. Both Meridian and TPI offer incredible technological solutions to resolve this challenge, but given the design freedom of a blank room design, you can’t beat having speakers directly behind the screen.

TPI’s Movement system uses its unique Movement controller with loudspeakers above and below the screen to create an image in the centre of the LED screen.

Meridian’s approach utilises psychoacoustic research in the world-renowned Image Elevation technology, making the perceived sonic image feel like it’s coming straight from the screen.

And what about heat? LED walls generate a lot of heat, so you have to bring mechanical cooling into the room. Air-conditioning units can solve the problem, but also create another problem with the noise they generate.

CINEMA ROOMS

When you are looking at a dedicated cinema room with multiple seats and light control, then a two-piece projection system is without a doubt, the right choice. A direct LED screen has some great advantages, but it also has some sizable disadvantages. A key issue is where you would

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ESSENTIAL DbM

WELL-LIT SPACES If we move away from dedicated cinema environments and consider, for example, a penthouse with windows on all sides, then an LED screen is an absolutely brilliant solution, because you’re combating the brightest light we have – the sun. You can now watch TV at all times of the day, with no real contrast or brightness issues. Consumer interest is currently riding high for these large-format screens, which is great for our industry.

An advantage of LED screens when installed in the right environment is the ability to change the shape of the picture since they are a modular solution. One of the big challenges we see in the UK is that typically we have ceilings which are only two and a half metres tall, so if you want to install a large TV that’s more than three or three and a half metres in width, you’ll be touching

the ceiling with a regular 1.78 aspect ratio. The ability to support content by changing the shape of the LED screen to a 2.37 ratio is super cool.

Ultimately, whether it’s a projector or an LED screen, the image fidelity is brilliant on both systems. Neither of them has a real drawback in terms of watchability, enjoyment and immersion, they just have a different way of delivering it to suit the two differing environments.

PICK THE RIGHT PARTNER

Every time the DbM team has welcomed a dealer and their customer to our demo facility in Cambridgeshire, the reaction to our different systems has been hugely positive. The visitors immediately understand the use cases for these products. It’s as simple as sitting in a low-slung sports car and then sitting in an off-roader and hence understanding the difference between the two.

Integrators need to have the confidence to explain to their customers why an LED screen might not be suitable for a cinema room and why a projection system isn’t right for a large, well-lit living space. It’s no different to them saying they aren’t going to put a living room speaker into the garden, or that they are specifying X control system over Y control system.

It’s important to ensure you have partnered with the right suppliers to ensure you have access to the demo facilities that can support you in this sales process and a sales team who will give you the confidence to sell the right solution for the right environment.

DbM distributedbym.com Barco barco.com/en/residential

Whether a dedicated space or a multi-use living room, high-performance solutions are available

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AUGUST 2025 45

NIKO INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE

Guy Damen, Business Director Residential, explains the brand’s ambitions to EI Editor Daniel J Sait

MAKING BUILDINGS BETTER FOR OVER 100 YEARS EI recently made an exclusive trip to the impressive HQ of Niko. Check out part one of this trip, which sees EI take a look inside the workings of one of Europe’s most innovative smart home operators.

With headquarters in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, and offices in Antwerp, together housing production, research and development, sales and customer services, there was much for EI to discover. The company has deep roots in the electrical and smart home worlds with a presence across Europe including its home country of Belgium, as well as Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. With more than 700 employees supporting more than 5,000 products for residential and professional buildings, Niko has a wide range of solutions for installers at all levels via attractive control points, switches and sensors all linked to its Niko Home Control platform. As we learn, Niko has big plans for the future, including growing its presence in the UK. EI first speaks with Guy Damen, Business Director Residential, who provides some detail on the culture and history of Niko and its ambitions moving forward.

Guy explains, “Niko is really a proud Belgian company. We have been on the market for more than 100 years already. It was founded in the place we are now – Sint-Niklaas – and we are

46 AUGUST 2025

part of the electrical network and manufacturing world of Belgium. We have a market share of more than 60/70% across typical residential houses in Belgium. Niko is so well represented in Belgian homes, that we’ve become a part of the Belgian identity.”

As well as Niko’s impressive manufacturing facility, the same site has a purpose-built showroom that allows visitors to directly interact with the brand.

Guy emphasises, “What we do here is to let people experience everything from switches to sockets, up to the building automation part. Because over the last 100 years, we didn’t just stick with the classical 240V material, we also expanded our technology up to automation systems.”

“We are really proud to be one of the pioneers in the market. To give you an idea about the heritage, we created our first automation system in 1997 called Niko Bus – the first system made for the electrical installer.

It was a system that could be configured with a screwdriver. So, it was really more like a smart cabling system rather than an automation system. But we are talking 1997. This

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evolved up to 2011, where at ISE 2011 we launched Niko Home Control, which was a real programmable system, expanded to lighting control, heating, cooling, and curtain control.

That’s still the foundation of what we do today.

So, what you see today with Niko Home Control, it’s really founded in 2011.”

The company is ambitious, not only to continue to grow its product offering, but grow its presence in other territories, including the UK. Guy asserts, “Well, I think we can say we are very ambitious, but where does it come from?

We feel that we have a strong portfolio from the experience we have built up in our home markets like Central Europe, Belgium, the Netherlands and France, where we are strong. Over the last few years, we have built up real experience in what we call a smart electrical backbone. We have the Niko Home Control system, and it’s very strong in electrical automation, lighting control and curtains like many others, but we also have a very strong foundation in energy management. Which is a real hot topic.”

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NIKO INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE “In Belgium we are all confronted with solar panels, battery storage, electric cars, special tariffs and increased taxes on peak use.

We are part of this new ecosystem and consumer priorities, so we have a very strong portfolio for dealing with that. Consequently, we feel confident that with our portfolio we can go abroad.”

However, the company is aware that the depth of penetration it has in markets like Belgium cannot be replicated in other areas right away.

Guy reflects, “What we do in Belgium, we cannot replicate internationally. In Belgium, we are number one, we have more than 60,000 Niko Home Control systems in the market. We sell to more than 1,800 electrical installers because it’s really an accessible system. Every electrical installer is able to program it in one way or another.”

“We do more than 6,000 houses per year, but that cannot be extrapolated. We can do that because we have that famous name and backbone in Belgium; we are part of that heritage. We don’t have the arrogance to claim that we can do the same in the United Kingdom or somewhere else.”

He continues, “So, our strategy for the UK, but also for the Middle East, for India, and for other markets, is to work more with the network of value-added distributors and value-added partners. We want to sell our product through certified installers who we can train and who are able to learn how to deliver the product.”

“Our customer support team is there to support that network. So, our ambition is really to build that network and work together with our partners. We already have partners in the UK and we are supporting them. Secondly, by creating that network, our goal, ambition and responsibility as Niko should also be to create brand awareness. That’s needed and has been a little bit neglected in the last few years by Niko.”

Guy reveals how the company plans to do this, “We should go out to architects and let them learn how to experience Niko, tell them about it, the heritage and the quality of the products. And that’s really our responsibility to do that push/pull into the markets. We are actively starting that now.”

It’s part of the brand’s strategy to appeal to different professions such as architects, installers and interior designers, as Guy underlines, “A really good way of creating a good footprint is to appeal to those different areas because they all have different concerns. They don’t always want to understand what the other trade is doing, but they want to understand what their part of it is.

And it is just about reaching those right people.”

Guy also describes what some of Niko’s key deliverables are in terms of functionalities, “It is all a matter of priorities, because with Niko we are very broad. We have such a large portfolio via which we cover multiple market segments.

We have a very strong commercial department focusing

on

light

commercial

building

management systems. But I’m responsible for the residential department, so we will mainly focus on the residential market, addressing the different concerns there.

“Let us take energy management, for example. We know that we have the solution, but energy management for Belgium has a strong financial and legal aspect. People are being pushed legally to do something in their houses. For the UK, this is not yet the case to the same extent, but energy management is about more than saving money, it’s also part of the comfort.

Guy argues, “If you look at a traditional house today, there is complexity being introduced.

They might have solar panels and/or a battery; they might have an EV charger coming in along with systems like air-conditioning.

Frederick De Pauw, Project Manager (far left) and Jeffry Baecker, UX Design Lead, explain the brand’s philosophy of product creation

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AUGUST 2025 47

NIKO INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE “Energy management can be part of the comfort. People don’t want to worry anymore.

They’re maybe not just thinking about saving a few quid per month – they just want everything to work together and that’s what we need to do by understanding that market and asking how we can differentiate.”

HUMAN CENTRIC, THOUGHTFUL DESIGN

Thoughtful, attractive and human-focused design are cornerstones of the Niko approach.

With key responsibilities in this area, EI also spoke with Frederick De Pauw, Project Manager and Jeffry Baecker, UX Design Lead, to provide insight into how Niko creates products that connect meaningfully with the user and the world around them.

Jeffry begins, “Smart homes are becoming increasingly more technologically advanced. So, we are here to make that complex technology simple and easy to use for the installer and the end user. Because we are becoming more technologically literate, why should we bother people with very engineered products that are difficult to use?”

Frederick adds, “And at the end of the day, you just want to come home and you don’t want to get into the difficulty of trying to figure out a technical product. Some companies make products with a lot of functionality and the integrator installs this magnificent installation, but you come home and you need to learn to work with your house! You need to adapt to your house, and that’s what we aim to get rid of.”

“We want you to come into your house and be in the atmosphere, feel the flow of how things are going, and we want to give the power to the user, not to be annoyed about this little technical thing that is malfunctioning or is not placed on the right spot. So that’s really what our mission is: to make life simple.”

Niko HQ is a design statement in its own right

Explaining some of the key areas that the company leverages to achieve its goal, Jeffry says, “We are thinking a lot about progressive disclosure when we talk about offering something to the user. We only offer things when they make sense, so we don’t bombard them with information.”

“Once they come closer to one of our screens or interfaces, they will be greeted and welcomed to use it. But we’re not there if you don’t want to see us or feel us.”

Frederick argues, “Niko is also a very strong brand in terms of looking at how we support an installer. We are aiming to create a product that is easy to install and configure. That’s where our Niko Configuration software comes in. You need about two hours and you will know how to program a system. It is so easy and intuitive to work with, it takes away all the hassle of trying to figure out the technicalities. You open it, you see the house, you put the lights on, you place the connections, you can create complex configurations and it’s so easy. So, an installer has the ability and the time to work with clients to figure out what is the best way to live in their house. It’s fitting the system around the home and the client, not the other way around.”

UK PRESENCE AT EI LIVE! 2025

Niko will be present at EI Live! 2025 (Stand 65) to deliver on its ambition to show what it can do and understand better what the UK market wants.

Guy enthuses, “EI Live! is about feeling the heartbeat of the UK market from an installer point of view, a distributor’s point of view, but also from a manufacturer’s point of view.

We are also reaching out to the smart home manufacturers. There are some beautiful brands specialised in integration. We can leverage them; we can help them. We have an electrical backbone, which is compatible, and we have drivers for the big players like Control4 and Nice. We really feel that we have strong points: energy management, electrical backbone, nice switches and sockets, beautiful finishings.

EI Live! is all about meeting the industry, meeting these people and really seeing where we can hook up and how we can help each other.

Come back next month for further insights into the world of Niko.

See the Niko Toggle switch at EI Live! 2025

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ESSENTIAL TOOLS, TESTING AND TROUBLESHOOTING

WHY EVERY INSTALLER NEEDS A PROPER MOBILE ROUTER Richard Jonker, VP Marketing & Business Development, NETGEAR Enterprise, argues a pro-level mobile hotspot is essential for the modern installer.

THE HIDDEN BENEFITS

Beyond basic internet access, mobile hotspots bring installers several additional advantages: • They speed up commissioning. The persistent cloud connection enables you to test cloud functions, such as voice assistants, mobile app control, or remote access portals, in real-time.

• Truck rolls are probably one of the most frustrating problems in the installation world.

You can now verify devices before handing over, eliminating post-install callouts due to misconfigured or offline gear.

• Mobile routers bridge IT gaps, helping you avoid waiting for third-party IT teams to open firewall ports or allocate DHCP leases.

In the world of smart homes, IT and AV integration, and networked environments, the line between a successful install and a frustrating revisit often comes down to one simple factor: reliable connectivity. Whether you’re configuring a surveillance system, commissioning a smart lighting setup, or just trying to update a firmware file on a newly mounted device, a dependable mobile hotspot isn’t just a convenience—it’s becoming a necessity.

THE CONNECTIVITY CONUNDRUM

Let’s be honest: site connectivity is rarely guaranteed. Residential clients often haven’t yet installed their broadband. Commercial sites may have IT policies or captive portals that make access impractical or impossible. Even when Wi-Fi is available, installers face slow speeds, password wrangling, or restricted networks that block vital ports and services.

And yet, we expect our teams to commission high-bandwidth systems, test cloud-based features and stream 4K surveillance footage from NVRs—all in real time. It’s a recipe for bottlenecks, delays and, frankly, embarrassment.

WHY THE SMARTPHONE TETHER ISN’T ENOUGH

Many installers default to their smartphone’s hotspot in a pinch. While it works in theory, this workaround quickly reveals its flaws: limited range, poor antenna performance, overheating, and battery drain. Worse still, some devices throttle their performance or restrict data sharing when multiple devices are connected.

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The result is frustration, incomplete installs, and lost time. And in our world, time is money.

ENTER THE DEDICATED MOBILE ROUTER

A professional-grade mobile router solves this in one clean sweep. With high-gain antennas, robust batteries, a multi-gig ethernet port, support for 5G and Wi-Fi 6/6E, and soon WiFi 7, these devices offer performance that rivals (and often exceeds) fixed broadband. More importantly, they’re designed for multi-device use, high throughput and long-lasting reliability.

A well-designed hotspot provides a controlled, secure environment for testing and commissioning. Be sure to set up a subnet, simulate client environments, or even provide temporary connectivity to customers while their infrastructure is being finalised.

At NETGEAR, we’ve seen installers use our mobile routers to live-stream multi-camera security installs for remote approval, update firmware for network switches in the field, and even power an entire trade show booth without a venue connection. That level of flexibility changes the game.

Our installers often replace consumer-grade routers with a faster, multi-WAN business router that can handle more than a gigabit per second.

They use the current fixed internet connection on the first port and utilise the second WAN port for a mobile hotspot, providing internet failover. The customers don’t even notice a temporary internet outage, because the cutover is seamless. Installers can provide an additional service, monitoring internet connectivity, because the router is cloud-managed.

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• Clients appreciate smooth, confident installations. You shouldn’t have to fumble with Wi-Fi passwords or wait for an email to load. It’s professional, autonomous and brings your own fast, independent and secure internet connectivity.

FUTURE-PROOFING YOUR TOOLKIT

5G availability is expanding rapidly, even into semi-rural and edge-of-city locations. Carriers now offer flexible data plans tailored to installers and field techs. And with modern hotspots providing support for up to 32 devices and Ethernet bridging, they easily scale to handle entire subsystems on-site.

We see this becoming standard kit—right up there with your crimp tool and label printer.

The question isn’t whether you’ll need a mobile hotspot, it’s whether you can afford not to have one.

LOOKING AHEAD

At NETGEAR, we’re continuing to refine our mobile product lineup based on installer feedback. Models like the Nighthawk M6 Pro already offer unlocked 5G with Wi-Fi 6E and Ethernet bridging, while upcoming devices focus on affordability without compromising performance, introducing Wi-Fi 7 performance very soon.

But this article isn’t about a spec sheet—it’s about freedom. Freedom from bad Wi-Fi, from delays, and let’s be honest, excuses.

For the modern installer, a proper mobile router is more than a tool. It’s a silent partner that ensures every job runs smoothly, every time.

AUGUST 2025 49

BUILDING CONTROL SOLUTIONS DESIGN & CONSULTING

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MONITORING & DIAGNOSTICS All our solutions include advanced cloud-based monitoring for analysing system performance and fault reporting. Turn a reactive response into a proactive call to inform clients that their problem has been resolved, even before they knew they had one.

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ESSENTIAL TOOLS, TESTING AND TROUBLESHOOTING

PRECISION, PERFORMANCE AND PROOF: WHY EVERY INSTALLER SHOULD MASTER SIGNAL TESTING Reliable video performance is essential in today’s AV projects, but how do installers ensure systems truly deliver what’s promised? Aldous Systems argues that signal testing tools are no longer optional extras—they’re essential instruments of professional control.

When an AV system fails, the finger often points at HDMI. It’s the most common source of headaches on site—black screens, dropouts, handshaking issues or signal loss. But as AV systems become more advanced, especially with high-bandwidth formats like 4K and 8K, guessing simply isn’t good enough.

That’s the view of Jason Aldous, founder of Aldous Systems, who says tools like the Murideo Fox & Hound and the new STIX signal kits should now be considered essential for every installer. “If you’re doing anything with HDMI, these are vital,” says Jason. “If ever I’m on site to help with an HDMI issue, I’ve always got a Fox & Hound in the boot of the car. With the STIX range now available at a lower price point, there’s really no reason not to have the right tools to get the job done.”

TOOLS OF CONFIDENCE

The Murideo Fox & Hound kit is widely regarded as one of the most complete and reliable signal testing ecosystems in the industry, argues the distributor. Built around a generator and analyser system, it allows installers to test, troubleshoot, verify and even calibrate AV signal chains with confidence. It’s designed to simulate real-world source and display behaviours, helping isolate the exact point of failure in an HDMI distribution system—whether that’s the cable, the extender, the matrix or the display.

The newer STIX version offers much of the same functionality in a more compact and cost-effective package. While it doesn’t include every advanced feature of the flagship model, it provides enough diagnostic firepower to resolve most common site issues—making it ideal for regular field use and an accessible entry point for installers not yet using these tools.

“Tools like these are a massive leap forward for installers,” Jason explains. “They take the guesswork out of HDMI, let you verify cable performance and put you back in control of the installation. You don’t need to be an advanced technician or engineer to use them— just a professional who wants things done properly. And if support is ever needed, we’re here to help.”

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MORE THAN JUST FIXES

While these signal tools are crucial for troubleshooting, their role goes beyond fixing problems. They’re also powerful aids in calibration. The ability to test signal integrity and verify format delivery—4K, HDR, Dolby Vision or otherwise—means installers can provide clients with more than just a working system.

They can offer precision performance.

“Every display should be calibrated,” says Jason. “Even a basic test ensures the client is getting the full benefit of their screen. And it’s a service that can be charged for—either as part of a project or as an annual check-up. That makes it a revenue generator as well as a quality control tool.”

For projects with multiple displays, or where high-performance image delivery is a key part of the brief, this kind of service becomes even more valuable. Professional installers are often judged not by how systems look on day one, but how they perform a year later.

Regular calibration can preserve quality, reduce support calls and create a genuine long-term relationship with the client.

RAISING STANDARDS, PROJECT BY PROJECT At its heart, this is about delivering on the promise of AV. When installers have the right tools and the know-how to use them, the outcome isn’t just fewer callbacks— it’s greater confidence, better client satisfaction and a more professional standard across the industry.

For Aldous Systems, the goal is to make these tools part of the everyday conversation.

“This isn’t about selling another product,” Jason adds. “It’s about giving installers control over their own work. With the Fox & Hound or the STIX, they’re equipped not just to install systems—but to prove they work exactly as they should.”

As the AV world continues to evolve, signal verification and calibration will only become more critical. Installers who embrace these tools now will not only solve today’s problems more easily—they’ll be better prepared for tomorrow’s expectations.

Confidence on site is invaluable

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AUGUST 2025 51

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INSTALL PIONEER: PATRICE CONGARD

PARLANCE WITH PATRICE EI spoke with Patrice Congar, Founder/C.E.O of Screen Excellence and designer of Audio Excellence products to get the big picture of this innovator’s journey through the home cinema and luxury AV world.

What first sparked your interest in acoustically transparent projection screens back in the early ‘90s?

As I wanted to move away from the touring equipment market to the new home cinema market (it was new then), I looked at what was the main ‘pain point’. The perforated screens used in commercial cinemas had holes that were too visible for residential viewing distances.

The microperforated screens (only two brands offered this type of screen) had a dreadful frequency response. I thought I could introduce the woven screens in this market, after reading an article in the JAES (Journal of Applied Engineering Science) in 1993.

You were ahead of the curve when you explored woven screens — what challenges did you face trying to shift that mindset?

The main – and unexpected – challenge was to persuade both audiophiles and videophiles

54 AUGUST 2025

of the benefits of having the sound and image being coherent in space. The first ones were only interested in sound and the second ones in imaging. It did not seem obvious at that time that coherence is paramount. As a result, most installers preferred solid screens vs. A.T. screens

Your first company, Avance Technologies, introduced a speaker/ screen hybrid concept — what did you learn from that early innovation?

Quite a few things: 1. Don’t be too early with innovation: The market might not be ready.

2. Even if you solve a problem or ‘pain point’, the actors on the market have already adapted and found their own solution. You have to persuade them that your innovation is a better solution – this not always easy.

3. You need some marketing means.

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What made you return your focus to projection screens in 2001?

The market. Dealers and installers had already established preferences about their loudspeakers. They wanted to choose the screen and the speakers separately. The concept of integrated speakers and screen was only appealing to end users.

The competitive edge came from the acoustic transparency of a woven fabric vs the one of a perforated vinyl sheet.

How did you approach winning over sceptics — both videophiles and audiophiles — who resisted A.T. screens at the time?

We didn’t. We only won customers (installers) who had a sensible holistic approach, who understood that home cinema is neither sound only, nor image only.

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INSTALL PIONEER: PATRICE CONGARD

Screen Excellence spent several years in R&D before launching products — what did that time allow you to perfect?

It allowed us to move away from off-the-shelf fabrics to the exact definition of custom-specified fabrics. It also allowed us to gather financial means to invest in the minimum order quantity requested by weavers to produce custom-made fabrics. We are talking here of kilometers.

The creation of Enlightor projection surfaces gave you a breakthrough — what makes these screens different?

mainly a network of reps and dealers), we felt it was beyond our means to directly address this market from the UK. Instead, manufacturing directly in the USA was more likely to succeed.

So, I rang up Chris. The rest is history…

With the Visionaire series, you’re now working on ambient light rejecting screens — how do these push the category forward?

I don’t think it pushed the private cinema (in a dedicated room) forward. There is an important

The Enlightor fabrics were the very first to be 4K compatible, when 4K was not yet popular.

We always focused on a very fine weave, or later on a fine knit, to make the texture nearly-tocompletely invisible.

4K existed in 2008, limited to high-lumen professional projectors. We expected this to become popular very quickly, but the 3D hype delayed the whole thing. When 4K was becoming the norm, we launched the Enlightor Neo in 2016. Its texture was even finer than the previous Enlightor 4K.

market for living rooms and media rooms.

How did your partnership with Chris Seymour and the founding of Seymour-Screen Excellence help strengthen your global reach?

room there should be a compromise in quality.

I always felt that a presence on the American market was necessary. As there is nearly no classic distribution scheme in the USA (it is

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When finishing dinner, many people feel like watching a movie or a sports event. They don’t necessarily feel like moving to another

What role do you see projection screens playing in the future of home cinema?

I think Ultra Short Throw (UST) projection has a bright future. It makes things so easy.

You’ve now been innovating in this space for over 30 years — what achievement are you most proud of?

The development of the MediaTime screen. It has been incredibly long and complex, but this is a product like no other.

What’s next for you and Screen Excellence?

Screens, screens, screens.

room, they might just like to stay on the sofa.

What are your interests away from work?

Also, there are lots of homes where there is no

Hi-fi (yes, two channel!), Rock’n’roll, Karate, snorkelling, cinema and reading.

available room to dedicate to home cinema.

In non-dedicated rooms, the lighting conditions or even the wall’s colours are not optimum for projection. The ALR screens bring an elegant solution to this.

We feel that there is no reason why in a living This means that the experience should be very near to the one of a real private cinema. This condition implies an acoustically transparent screen, for a proper image and sound coherence.

Very few ALR screens are acoustically transparent. Ours are.

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What music or movies that you have seen recently do you really enjoy and can recommend?

Music: Jack White (especially in TheDead Weather); ZZ top Movies (not necessarily new): Mortelle Randonnee (French) Inception Kingsmen The Matrix

AUGUST 2025 55

Anthem’s MDX-16 multi-zone amplifier

Paradigm CI Pro P65-RX v2

Elevate your audio experience •

Built-in Anthem Room Correction (ARC® Genesis) - optimises sound for each zone with built-in speaker profiles for Paradigm speakers

•

Efficient and powerful Class-D amplification delivers reliable, high-fidelity audio across multiple zones.

•

Supports 8 zones with independent DSP control.

•

Compatible with all leading control systems.

Contact the Invision | Pulse Cinemas team for advice, demos and full end-to-end support.

01359 270280 | sales@invisionuk.com | info@pulsecinemas.com | www.invisionexpress.com

ESSENTIAL CEDIA

OPENING DOORS: HOW CEDIA HELPS MANUFACTURERS THRIVE Matt Emberson, Sales & Marketing Director, Faradite, on how CEDIA helps manufacturers thrive.

When Faradite started nearly eight years ago, Chris Turner, Director & Founder of Faradite, came into the smart home industry with fresh eyes and a lot of ambition, but without deep roots or long-standing connections in the field.

One of the first and most important steps the business took was to become a CEDIA member.

Now, seven years on, that decision has proven to be invaluable.

I joined Faradite about six years ago and I could immediately see the difference being a member made. For a manufacturer like us— someone who’s not integrating systems or designing the end-user experience directly, but instead creating the accessories that make these systems work better—the benefits of membership might look different than for others.

But they’re no less important.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE

Above all else, CEDIA has been instrumental in helping us build the relationships that matter. It’s not just a faceless trade group; it’s a network of passionate and deeply knowledgeable people who are genuinely committed to fostering collaboration in our industry.

The CEDIA team has done a fantastic job of connecting us with the right people

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through the years. They’ve introduced us to key integrators, put us in touch with others working on complementary technologies, and helped facilitate meaningful conversations at events.

In a business like ours, where collaboration and strong partnerships are essential, those introductions often lead to opportunities that wouldn’t exist otherwise.

A GATEWAY TO REAL CONVERSATIONS

One of the most tangible benefits of membership for us is the access to events, such as the CEDIA Tech + Business Summits. These events are such an efficient and effective way to meet people across the UK. We attend several each year and they consistently lead to productive conversations and often, new business.

It’s not just the local shows either. Through CEDIA, we’ve been more involved with events like ISE and even shows in the US. These events are fantastic for raising brand awareness, plus they’re also about deepening those all-important personal relationships.

For manufacturers, who aren’t always front and centre in the integrator-end user relationship, being able to show up at these events, explain what we do, and hear directly from installers and

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designers makes a huge difference. It helps us stay relevant and responsive to what the market actually needs.

A PLACE AT THE TABLE

Another less obvious but very meaningful benefit of membership is simply having a seat at the table. When conversations are happening about industry standards, best practices, or the direction of the smart home market, it’s important that manufacturers are also a part of those discussions.

MORE THAN A MEMBERSHIP

What stands out to me most about CEDIA is that it feels like a genuine community. You’re becoming part of a network that looks out for each other and there’s a real sense of shared purpose.

Since being a member, that community has helped us grow our network, our reputation and our business. For anyone in this industry, there’s immense value in being part of something bigger.

For us, that something has been CEDIA and we couldn’t recommend it more highly.

To find out more and become a CEDIA member, visit cedia.org/join.

AUGUST 2025 57

ESSENTIAL SHOWROOM SHOWCASE

NUCLEUS AV FORMS CENTRE OF WOW!HOUSE Nucleus AV worked with leading interior designer Alex Dauley to deliver this impressive media room showcase for an exclusive interiors event in West London.

Entitled the ‘Date Night Media Room’, Durgesh Sinh, Founding Director at Nucleus AV, explains, “We were approached directly

by Chelsea Design Centre and were invited to participate in WOW!house 2025. Their goal was to expand the reach of the exhibition by including technology specialists who could integrate systems that enhance how people live in the spaces being showcased.

“Interestingly, we had already deployed and still manage the lighting controls for the space that WOW!house is built within, so this

58 AUGUST 2025

effectively became a project within a project. We were paired with interior designer Alex Dauley, whose design ethos resonated deeply with our own. The brief was open: it had to be a media room, but the interpretation was entirely down to Alex’s creative vision and our technical execution.

It was a true collaboration from the outset.”

Durgesh adds, “Following the introduction, we exchanged ideas over a few calls and emails and quickly realised we shared a mutual respect for detail, functionality and storytelling through space. To give Alex a deeper understanding

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of our capabilities, we invited Alex and her team to the KEF Music Gallery London, where we had completed a flagship AV installation the previous year. That visit proved pivotal. It demonstrated our ability to deliver performance without compromising design. From there, the collaboration developed organically.”

During a trip to visit the installation, Durgesh explained to EI that the original concept was a soft, design-led media room with subtle AV. As conversations developed, the shared ambition grew.

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ESSENTIAL SHOWROOM SHOWCASE

The room begs to be interacted with

Durgesh reveals, “We proposed a full Dolby

EI has to say this ambition was fully realised

Atmos 5.1.2 system, integrated lighting and

as in just the relatively short visit, visitors were

space became not just a room, but a narrative

on for just one month, from June 3 to July 3 and

showing that great design and smart technology

the room sets had to be built on site in under

Durgesh reveals, “We de-risked the programme as early as possible. The entire structure was prebuilt offsite at our joinery partner’s factory in Northwest London, while all AV equipment and systems were assembled, programmed and tested at our HQ. When WOW!house’s five-day install window arrived, we reassembled the structure, integrated the AV and completed all final finishes. The schedule was intense, but through planning, long hours and our team’s commitment, we delivered to the highest

curtain control, a fully concealed AV setup, a

drawn to the space, intrigued by its combination

motorised hidden bar and a robust automation

of luxury furnishings and finishes along with the

platform tying it all together. Our goal was to

technology that worked perfectly together – the

deliver the same technical performance we

room just begged to be sat in.

can elevate one another.”

one week.

standard.”

would offer in a private residence. Rather than

A real challenge was the short lead and build

resist the complexity, Alex embraced it. The

times the project presented. WOW!House was

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AUGUST 2025 59

ESSENTIAL SHOWROOM SHOWCASE

TECHNICAL ASPECTS

The bar reveal seen here and below was a big hit

The Date Night Media Room features a KEF Ci3160RL-THX 5.1.2 speaker system and KC92 subwoofer, all concealed behind fabric walls using Cinema Build Systems. The fabric treatments required precise perforation to maintain acoustic transparency while preserving Alex’s aesthetic vision. KEF’s Uni-Q drivers allowed creative placement without sacrificing sound staging. The 77in Sony OLED display was selected for its image fidelity, clean industrial design and seamless integration with Crestron.

Audio and control were handled by an Anthem AVM 70 processor and MCA multichannel amplification.

A

Kaleidescape

Strato

V

provided reference grade playback, offering uncompressed video and audio with flawless reliability needed as the demo would run all day, every day for one month. Control was handled

lighting control. Networking was also a major

equipment bay. Thermal management was

challenge in a temporary show environment.

keypads, a Crestron handheld remote, and a

another challenge, as the temporary structure

We opted for dual WAN connections which

trapped heat, so we designed and installed

wall-mounted Crestron touch screen, running

were load balanced, deploying a Unifi Dream

discreet extraction to vent rack temperatures.

Crestron Home. These enabled total control of

Machine, Unifi POE switch and Unifi APs. Unifi

We also implemented a 100m fibre and DALI

AV, lighting scenes and the Future Automation

Connect allowed us to run looped content

run across the full length of WOW!house to

lift, which raised a piece of artwork to reveal a

across rooms and manage network health in

link the media room and garden racks.

beautifully illuminated hidden cocktail bar, which

real time. Despite running up to eight hours per

Creating a system that ‘just worked’ for all

was a particularly nice touch.

day for over a month, the system required zero

stakeholders, even with conflicting demands like

support or restarts – a testament to its stability

music overlays and HDMI switching, required

and engineering.”

faultless integration.

UNIQUE CHALLENGES

the team’s favourite part? Durgesh does

Every technical aspect had to serve both

not hesitate, “The bar reveal. As the artwork

performance and design. Speaker placement

silently lifted and soft lighting illuminated the

with

was dictated by fabric architecture and rack

hidden bar, visitors gasped – a rare, authentic

John Cullen Lighting across several rooms

placement had to fit within the room’s footprint.

reaction in the tech world. It was a moment

reaffirmed our belief that great lighting

Durgesh reflects, “We worked with Alex to

where engineering, design and surprise came

outcomes come from both lighting design and

turn a major design feature into a concealed

via a Lutron HomeWorks QSX processor, Alisse

A recessed Lutron curved curtain track provided fully automated shading, integrated into mood scenes and accessible via ad hoc control. Lighting scenes were developed to support both functionality and atmosphere to strong effect.

Durgesh

underlines,

60 AUGUST 2025

“Working

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So now the dust has settled, what was

together perfectly.”

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ESSENTIAL SHOWROOM SHOWCASE

The perfect combination of tech and style

THE GARDEN: EXTERIOR AUDIO AND DISPLAY SYSTEM For the Randle Siddeley Garden Terrace, the brief was to keep AV invisible but powerful.

Dugesh says, “We installed a Paradigm Landscape Oasis 8.1 system for consistent coverage and mounted three 85in Sony professional displays vertically behind lattice panels. These played content designed to evoke nature and give the illusion of extended space, like windows to the world. All systems were tied into the wider Lutron and Crestron ecosystem and featured timed scene events and environmental resilience.

with soil, moisture, weather and concealment.

McKinnon and Harris Garden Terrace by Randle

AV should enhance the landscape; your

Siddeley. Here, Nucleus designed and installed

soundscape should be natural and surround

the outdoor AV system and lighting control

you evenly.”

using Lutron HomeWorks. Outdoor AV was an

DEEP INVOLVEMENT Beyond the media room and garden, Nucleus AV also assisted other spaces. The team also supported Philip Jeffries Study by Tollgard Studio with integrated B&O audio and B&O TV with Lutron lighting. The B&O elements and Alisse keypad became a sculptural element in their own right. The company was also involved with House of Rohl Primary Bathroom by 1508 London, creating layered lighting

“Indoor systems rely on controlled acoustics

scenes using Lutron HomeWorks to support

and visual environments. Outdoors, durability,

their design narrative of Reflection, Ritual, and

coverage and subtlety are key. You’re working

Reverie. Finally the team was involved with the

important feature of the space.

BUSINESS BENEFITS OF WOW!HOUSE Durgesh reports, “The event dramatically raised our profile within the design community. It led to direct project opportunities, media coverage and deepened relationships with suppliers and designers. Internally, it pushed us to deliver on compressed timelines without compromise. It also helped us show partner brands that we’re willing to step forward and represent them well. Whether it brings us business or simply increases their exposure, we see it as a joint effort in elevating our industry.”

Durgesh would recommend the experience to others. “WOW!house proves AV belongs in beautifully designed spaces, not as an afterthought but as a central part of the experience and design process. It’s a platform to inspire, to collaborate and to show that technology can be a creative partner, not just an appliance. It is where our industry’s future is shaped, and where design and integration truly converge.”

EI

wholeheartedly

agrees.

What

the

company created here was truly impressive and more importantly, not just to the AV crowd, but to those concerned with interiors, it showed that AV and automation is just as ‘luxury’ as everything else that made up the space.

Photo credit: Alex Dauley @alexandriadauley and Tom Staubyn @tomstaubynphotography

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AUGUST 2025 61

PRODUCTS

A NEW STORM IS COMING

Fresh functionality from the French producer of home cinema processors

StormAudio has announced the release of the Core 16+, an enhanced version of its successful Core 16 processor. The Core 16+ introduces expanded channel capability and includes the most powerful advanced features as standard.

“With the Core 16+, we set out to deliver a processor that is designed to handle increasingly complex home theatre systems whilst staying true to our ‘Core’ principles: performance and reliability,” says Olivier Thumerel, CEO at StormAudio. “Just as importantly, we believe in giving our customers more without raising

costs unnecessarily and keeping our promise of future-proof products. The Core 16+ offers significant advancements without inflating the price, which is something we’re very proud of.”

With support for up to 18 discrete audio channels, the Core 16+ gives expanded freedom to deliver more ambitious, high-impact speaker layouts, including today’s referencestandard 9.4.4 configurations.

Through a software upgrade, the Core 16+ includes as standard several of StormAudio’s most advanced technologies that were

previously only available through an optional licence package. Expert Bass Routing gives integrators precision control over low-frequency energy across multiple subwoofers, whilst StormXT expands spatial realism by generating ambient content in otherwise silent speakers. The inclusion of an HDMI Dual Zone Matrix adds greater flexibility for multi-room video distribution.

Immersive format support with the Core 16+ includes Dolby Atmos, DTS:X Pro, Auro-3D and IMAX Enhanced. Room optimisation is handled by the latest version of Dirac Live, with Active Room Treatment licence included for real-time, spatially aware correction.

Up to 20 parametric EQs can be applied to each channel, and the processor can drive fourway active crossovers as well as any number of subwoofers. In keeping with StormAudio’s philosophy of future-ready design, all existing Core 16 units can be upgraded via the Optional Licence Package after they have been updated to the 4.7 firmware, enabling the same 18-channel capabilities and advanced features as the Core 16+.

StormAudio stormaudio.com

INTO STELLAR? Loewe has launched the Loewe stellar 97 9OLED, promoted at the brand’s ultimate statement in luxury, high-performance TV. A new distribution agreement is also about to be revealed with Henley Audio, more details when we have them.

At its core is the latest generation of Ultra HD OLED technology, using state-ofthe-art W-OLED Open Cell panels from LG Display, combined with Loewe’s own features.

The product also combines Dolby Vision IQ Precision Detail with calibration at Loewe’s own factory. Loewe says the OLED display

reproduces colours exactly as intended by filmmakers. Even at 97in, the maker says stellar meets all picture and colour standards for a natural and immersive viewing experience.

With the new Vidaa Cloud Gaming Zone and support for services like Blacknut and Boosteroid, as well as full integration of console controllers, the stellar 97 also offers an elevated gaming experience. Features such as Art Mode, comfort AI and an integrated AIpowered content recommendation service offer a range of customisable home entertainment options. Powered by the Vidaa U9 premium TV

The Loewe stellar 97 9OLED can be wall mounted or can be supplied with a rotating stand

platform, the system is designed to be fast and intuitive, packed with a wide range of content and apps. Streaming services including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+ and Apple TV+ come pre-installed. The Loewe stellar also supports media sharing and smart home integration via Miracast, Apple AirPlay and Matter.

The set also offers a dual channel chassis, double triple-tuners and a 1 Terabyte SSD. The system is designed to deliver multiple recording possibilities from EPG-programmed recording to spontaneous time-shift functions. Tuners for DVB-T2/C/S2 HD and an accessible CI slot support various reception and recording scenarios. Full support of HDMI 2.1 and Ultra HD @ 144 Hz VRR is also in place.

An all-new Loewe remote features infrared, Bluetooth, voice input, an illuminated navigation ring and direct streaming buttons.

Traditional users can opt for the classic Loewe assist remote if preferred.

An integrated 300W soundbar is included to deliver credible audio, which can also be used as a centre channel.

Loewe loewe.tv

62 AUGUST 2025

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Henley Audio henleyaudio.co.uk

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PRODUCTS

FOCAL REIMAGINES UTOPIA Focal’s new loudspeaker, Diva Mezza Utopia, pushes the boundaries of wireless Hi-Fi to new limits says, the maker. Diva Mezza Utopia is available to the Focal Powered by Naim network of authorised retailers, however with its abilities and connectivity to home automation platforms, there is strong potential for installers.

The product is available now at a quoted end user price of £55K. Larger and more powerful than its predecessor, the Diva Mezza Utopia has been delivered to create the acoustic authority of a full high-end system within an integrated all-inone product. Its four 8in ‘W’ cone woofers are configured in a push-push layout, generating deep, dynamic and controlled bass. This lowend response lays the foundation to allow the full capabilities of the ‘M’-shaped Beryllium tweeter and ‘W’ cone midrange driver to shine, resulting in a wider, more articulate soundstage, says the maker.

As an active loudspeaker, Diva Mezza Utopia integrates a re-engineered Naim Audio electronics package. Delivering 500W per speaker, the system features a dual-stage power supply for strong dynamics and precision power

management across the frequency range. The sculpted, high efficiency heat sink ensures thermal stability and long-term reliability.

Designed to perform in rooms up to 100m², the concept also includes Ultra-Wideband (UWB) enabling uncompressed, highresolution signal transmission at 96kHz/24bit, wirelessly. A direct wired connection is also available, unlocking studio-grade resolution at 192kHz/24-bit. Complementing this is the Intelligent Dynamics Clocking (IDC), a precision clock-control system that ensures exact synchronisation between channels.

Focal’s patented ADAPT (Adaptive Acoustic Personal Tuning) technology uses an algorithm to calibrate the system to both room acoustics and user preferences.

Diva Mezza Utopia benefits from the Focal & Naim ecosystem through the Pulse Platform, offering wireless support for Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and UPnP, and enabling access to Spotify Connect, TIDAL and Qobuz Connect.

The Diva Mezza Utopia is compatible with Control4, Crestron, Savant and RTI

Focal focal.com

HISENSE AND CHOWMAINSOFT CHOW DOWN ON NEW CONTROL4 DRIVER

Look out for Hisense’s potential appearance at EI Live! 2025

Hisense has introduced a new Control4 driver

synchronisation between the Control4 interface

for its VIDAA TVs, developed in partnership with

and the TV status.

Chowmainsoft. The move enables integration between Hisense displays and Control4.

The driver is compatible with a broad range of Hisense TVs running the VIDAA operating system.

The driver allows Control4 users to manage

Robert Andrews, Head of Strategy &

a wide range of TV functions via IP, including

GTM TV at Hisense UK, says, “The release of

power,

channel

the VIDAA Control4 driver marks an exciting

selection and app-launching from services

volume,

new chapter in the evolution of our TV

such as Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and

proposition. By working with Chowmainsoft,

Disney+. Dynamic feedback ensures real-time

we’re upgrading smart home integration and

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input

switching,

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making Hisense TVs even more accessible and attractive to the custom install market, providing homeowners with a premium, unified entertainment experience. As the Global No.1 in 100in+ TVs and with a range of exciting new super large screens featuring groundbreaking technologies, including RGB Mini LED, this latest development positions Hisense as the logical choice for all large screen projects of the future.”

Alan Chow, Managing Director at Chowmainsoft, adds, “As Hisense continues its global expansion, we’ve seen growing demand from integrators for seamless TV integration.

We’re excited to have partnered with Hisense to deliver a reliable Control4 driver that meets the needs of both professionals and end users.

This launch is just the beginning—we’re actively working with Hisense on additional integrations across the other major automation platforms we support to deliver a truly connected smart home experience.”

When Hisense launched in the UK, eyebrows raised when the company said it would be targeting the high-end market. With this move and what we hear is planned for EI Live! on the AWE Stand, it would appear the company is making good on that promise.

Chowmainsoft chowmainsoft.com

Hisense uk.hisense.com

AUGUST 2025 63

The main event in the

17–18 SEPTEMBER 2025

FARNBOROUGH EXHIBITION CENTRE

The only dedicated AV & Smart Home Show in the UK

Rewarding excellence in the industry

UK CI Industry

eiliveshow.com

smartbuildingawards.com

Begin your journey home at www.cedia.org/join

PRODUCTS

A NEW BRONZE AGE FROM MONITOR

Bronze Series 7G is the ideal sonic partner for Monitor Audio’s Vestra subwoofers

Monitor Audio has released the all-new Bronze Series 7G, a range of speakers comprising five models, each engineered with a unique technology package that defines their place within the Monitor Audio family. The flagship Bronze 300 7G floorstander leads a lineup that includes the compact Bronze 50 bookshelf, Bronze Centre Channel, Dolby AtmosEnabled speaker, and for the first time, a highperformance Bronze On-Wall speaker.

With a 6in Ceramic-Coated Aluminium Magnesium (C-CAM) Bass, Bass-Mid Driver and C-CAM tweeter platform across the series, Bronze 7G is optimised to deliver seamless timbre matching and uncompromising sonic consistency.

The all-new Ceramic-Coated Aluminium Magnesium (C-CAM) Gold Dome Tweeter continues a Monitor Audio hallmark dating back to 1982. This latest evolution of the brand’s technology has been optimised to

deliver crisp, ultra-realistic high frequencies with detail and clarity.

The 6in Ceramic-Coated Aluminium Magnesium (C-CAM) Bass and Bass-Mid Drivers combine a lightweight yet rigid cone material with powerful motor systems to deliver deep, punchy and accurate bass. A larger voice coil and improved magnet design reduces distortion and improves sensitivity for lifelike midrange performance.

Tuned over many hours of listening, Bronze 7G crossovers use high-grade components and precise measurements to provide a seamless signal path and faithful reproduction.

Every Bronze 7G speaker cabinet is precision engineered to deliver high-fidelity performance.

The use of real wood and plywood front baffles is not just about a premium look, but a choice for strength, rigidity and acoustic integrity.

The satin vinyl finishes (black, white and lustrous walnut) contrast with the real wood veneer and satin white painted baffles give Bronze 7G a bold, contemporary edge.

Beneath the surface, Monitor Audio’s through-bolt technology locks the cabinet together from the inside, reducing visible fixings, reinforcing structural integrity and eliminating unwanted driver resonance.

Monitor Audio monitoraudio.com

SOUND IDEAS FROM GIK ACOUSTICS GIK Acoustics has introduced the Sound Block StackPack, a bundled acoustic solution offering scalable, high-performance control for critical listening environments.

The StackPack combines three purposeengineered GIK Sound Blocks into a single, space-saving vertical array, suitable for professional studios or audiophile listening rooms.

The StackPack delivers targeted acoustic control in a convenient tower format, reducing clutter while enhancing both performance and aesthetic appeal.

Each StackPack comprises two scattering Sound Blocks fitted with wooden accent plates, designed specifically for high-frequency diffusion and one Sound Block featuring GIK’s patented FlexRange Technology for lowfrequency absorption, effective down to 50Hz. Crafted with premium Camira acoustically transparent fabric, these units are available in three distinctive styles: Beech Noir, White Hot and Dusky Fawn.

The modular design of the Sound Block StackPack makes it a versatile system, offering

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users the flexibility to position units in multiple configurations, including behind speakers, on the back wall, side walls or any other strategic location to optimise acoustic performance in various room setups.

“The Sound Block Stack Pack is a super efficient way to drop serious freestanding coverage into your room without overthinking it,” says Paul Bishop, GIK Designer. “With these three striking finishes, you’ve got a readyto-go solution that looks sharp and performs even better – no need to configure a custom stack, and the discount makes it even easier to say yes.”

Purchasing the Sound Block StackPack provides customers with a 15% saving compared to individual Sound Blocks and GIK Acoustics provides complimentary acoustic consultation services for personalised room analysis and recommendations.

GIK Acoustics gikacoustics.co.uk

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New audio enhancement options from GIK Acoustics

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AUGUST 2025 67

PRODUCTS

KEF’S BATTLE-READY XIO SOUNDBAR KEF has announced the XIO soundbar for TV, films, music and gaming. The XIO claims to deliver hyper-realistic sound through a suite of innovations including Uni-Q MX, P185 LF driver with P-Flex, patent-pending Velocity Control Technology (VECO) and the Music Integrity Engine (MIE) for cinema.

Supporting Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Sony 360 Reality Audio, the XIO is designed to turn flat screen monitors into dynamic, rich, three-dimensional soundscapes.

Powered by a 5.1.2 configuration (five main channels, one subwoofer channel and two ‘overhead channels’) and with 12 class D amplifiers, the XIO offers a high-resolution spatial audio experience in one soundbar. The XIO includes Intelligent Placement Technology (IPT), a calibration tool that automatically adapts the audio output based on the objects around the soundbar.

The XIO encompasses a dedicated Dialogue Mode alongside Night and Music Modes.

Included is the Music Integrity Engine (MIE) for Cinema, KEF’s in-house suite of DSP algorithms specifically designed for the XIO

The XIO’s P185 LF driver, enhanced with KEF’s P-Flex technology, which has been adapted from the KC62 and KC92 subwoofers, resists acoustic pressure within the cabinet, enabling the driver to move with greater precision and achieving deeper bass extension with clarity.

The ample cabinet space allows for twin P185 LF drivers to be positioned back-toback in a force-cancelling configuration, which significantly reduces mechanical vibrations.

The XIO features six Uni-Q MX drivers, the miniature version of KEF’s Uni-Q driver array.

These drivers ensure a balanced soundstage, delivering crisp, accurate audio.

The decoupler, engineered as a precise crossover, separates the low-frequency cone and high-frequency tweeter dome, a design that allows the diaphragm to move freely at low frequencies while isolating the dome for highfrequency precision.

KEF’s patent-pending Velocity Control Technology (VECO) is the built-in sensor at the heart of the P185 LF driver. The VECO monitors cone motion and employs a negative feedback loop to significantly minimise distortion and compression to produce pristine, undistorted clarity.

KEF uk.kef.com

STILL GOT THE BLUES! BLUESOUND has announced the launch of the new POWERNODE, a next-generation wireless music streaming amplifier. The POWERNODE offers 100W per channel of refined DirectDigital amplification, whether listening to music or watching movies.

More than just a stereo amplifier, the POWERNODE is a complete home audio system. It’s designed for people who want powerful sound in a simple, streamlined package — a way to stream music and enjoy TV without the clutter and confusion of multiple boxes, remotes, or wires.

With support for HDMI eARC and the ability to add a centre channel speaker alongside left and right channels, the POWERNODE eliminates the need for bulky AV receivers, says Bluesound. Thanks to its wireless surround capabilities, users can add Bluesound PULSE wireless speakers and a PULSE SUB+ to build a full 5.1 surround system — all without losing the minimalist aesthetic that many modern homes demand.

The POWERNODE features an updated circuitry design with signal path improvements and Bluesound’s latest

68 AUGUST 2025

The POWERNODE can begin shipping to customers and be available to dealer locations starting September 10, 2025

DirectDigital amplification and gallium nitride (GaN) transistor technology, delivering 100W per channel in stereo mode and 80W per channel in a 3.1 system configuration. The result is pristine, dynamic sound with virtually no distortion, says the maker.

As with all Bluesound products, the POWERNODE is built with BluOS, and supports more than 20 streaming services — including TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer. The system also provides access to high-resolution formats up to 24-bit/192kHz, MQA, and DSD256 playback.

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The POWERNODE reflects a refined industrial design with a sleek, compact form factor finished in matte black or white. A glass touch panel with proximity sensor offers responsive controls and five programmable presets, allowing users to instantly start playback without picking up a phone or tablet. Whether it’s placed on a credenza with bookshelf speakers, or integrated into a full home entertainment system, the POWERNODE is designed to look as good as it sounds.

BLUESOUND bluesound.com

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Going beyond traditional AV distribution, DbM empowers you to create experiences that stay with your clients. Built on a foundation of unparalleled expertise and an uncompromising approach to quality, DbM provides best-in-class brands to the most discerning integrators, ensuring that every installation delivers breathtaking performance.

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Integrate WattBox power products with OvrC, the industry’s leading remote management platform, to enable seamless remote servicing.

WattBox continuously monitors connected devices and automatically reboots them if they become unresponsive. It can also be programmed for scheduled power-cycling, improving system reliability while reducing maintenance time and costs.

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