Essential Install February 2021

FEBRUARY 2021

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY

BEING THERE!

Habitech’s new demonstration rooms will let the experience do all the talking…

BRACKETS, RACKING, SUPPORT

TIME TO GO TRADITIONAL?

INSTALLATION AND HIGH-TECH TVS A CHANGING LANDSCAPE

SMART THINKING

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT?

16x16 4K 18Gbps MATRI X SU P P OR TIN G

NEW C U S T O M P R O

The Custom Pro Matrix has been specifically designed to operate in challenging AV environments. Its robust housing and interlocking board configuration make both installation and maintenance a seamless experience. Advanced optional features include audio breakout, simultaneous HDBaseT™ / HDMI outputs, RS-232 pass through, and a web browser interface module for enhanced control and configuration.

PRO16HBT100CS

Custom Pro Matrix Hub featuring 16 x HDMI 2.0 inputs, 16 x HDBaseT™ outputs (4K 60Hz 4:4:4 to 70m, 1080p up to 100m) and 12 x simultaneous HDMI 2.0 outputs.

J Supports 4K UHD video up to 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 (18Gbps) over HDBaseT™ using Colour Space Conversion up to 70m at 4K 60Hz 4:4:4, or up to 100m at 1080p J 16 x analogue L/R audio inputs which can be embedded onto corresponding HDMI / HDBaseT™ zone outputs J Audio breakout board with line-level volume control J 3rd Party drivers available for major commercial & residential control brands

4K HDR up to 40m

PRO88HBT70CS

Custom Pro 8x8 HDBaseT™ CSC Matrix (4K 60Hz 4:4:4 up to 40m) Supports 4K HDR, IP Control, PoH, 2-Way IR, 4 x Simultaneous HDMI outputs , Audio Breakout with volume control J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI 2.0 18Gbps specification over HDBaseT™ J Supports 4K resolutions including HDR (4K 60Hz 4:4:4) to a distance of 40m

J Smart Scale technology - automatic 4K to 1080p scaling

1080p up to 150m

HEX100CS-KIT

HEX150CS-KIT

100m HDBaseT™ Extender Set Supporting 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 (70m)

HDBaseT™ CSC Extender Set Supporting HDMI 2.0 4K 60Hz 4:4:4 up to 100m (1080p up to 150m)

J Advanced HDBaseT™ technology offering CSC scaling with zero latency J Supports 4K UHD video up to 70m (3840x2160 @60Hz 4:4:4 and @60Hz 4:2:2 including HDR)

J Advanced Colour Space Conversion (CSC) supports HDMI2.0 18Gbps specification including HDR support

M U L T I C A S T

IP200UHD-RX/TX Multicast 4K UHD Video Receiver / Transmitter J Supports up to 4K HDR UHD video sources (3840 x 2160 @30Hz 4:4:4, 4096 x 2160 @24Hz 4:4:4 and 4K @60Hz 4:2:0) J Advanced signal management for independent routing of IR, RS-232, USB/KVM, audio and video

C O N T R A C T O R

4 K

U H D

V I D E O

O V E R

I P

S E R I E S

C44-KIT Contractor 4x4 HDBaseT™ Matrix Kit J Includes 4 x HEX70B-RX HDBaseT™ Receivers

Become a Certified Blustream Installation Partner

Interactive Online Tutorials We have re-designed our regular interactive online tutorials, focused on providing convenient, bite sized insights into the latest Blustream solutions and the day to day challenges we all currently face in our rapidly evolving market. During these unprecedented times, we have increased both the content and frequency of the sessions we are hosting to bring you the most comprehensive range of interactive webinar content available in the UK. Current Tutorials Available

J Specifying a Custom Pro Matrix with 18Gbps support

Register now: www.blustream.co.uk/advanced-learning-portal J

Our UK Address: The Service Station,

Tel: +44 (0)115 824 7000 Email: sales@blustream.co.uk Web: www.blustream.co.uk

J CAT Cable Certification & Verification

J Video over IP vs HDBaseT - which should you back?

Melton Road, Hickling Pastures,

J When is 4K, Actually 4K?

J with 10 more courses to choose from...

Nottinghamshire,

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38 18

59 24

CONTENTS 4 FROM THE EDITOR’S CHAIR

February 2021 54 CASE STUDY: BOXING CLEVER WITH MERIDIAN

Changing TV times

BrownHen Solutions’ Beautiful box-room

7 ESSENTIAL NEWS

59 ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS

Hot happenings

Desirable designs

16 HDANYWHERE All aboard the ARC?

FEATURES

18 ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS

14 ESSENTIAL HABITECH

A major new brand introduction

Stunning Samsung showcase

32 SMART THINKING: LUTRON

21 HABITECH: THE WALL

Is the future bright for lighting?

Impressive new partnership

38 ESSENTIAL CEDIA

Angus Murray, New Wave AV, tackles HDMI 2.1

YOUR DISTRIBUTOR www.avoke.co.uk | av@avoke.co.uk

54 16 49 INSTALLATION AND HIGH-PERFORMANCE TVs 23 WHAT’S THAT NOISE?

Barry Sheldrick, Director of Sales at Meridian Audio on TV audio

24 TELEVISION: EVER-EVOLVING

Alastair Benn, MD of specialist TV pioneers Aquavision

26 THE INFLUENCE OF VIEWING HABITS Will Uttley, Managing Director at ProofVision

30 TICKLE ON TVs

Stuart Tickle, AWE MD, ‘visits’ CES

BRACKETS, RACKING, SUPPORT AND FURNITURE 40 SUPPORT IS CRUCIAL TO DESIGN James Attfield, co-founder of Turnstone AV

42 THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

David Fell, new business development manager at Pulse Cinemas

46 CONTINUED SUPPORT

Joe Haddad, Marketing & Engagement Officer at support specialist Penn Elcom

49 YOUR CUSTOMERS NEED SUPPORT The case for ‘traditional’ support

FOR Smart Home www.avoke.co.uk | av@avoke.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2021

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY

BEING THERE!

pages 14–15

Habitech’s new demonstration rooms will let the experience do all the talking…

BRACKETS, RACKING, SUPPORT

FEBRUARY

EYESIGHT EVOLUTION We have one of our regular features on high-performance and installation focused TVs in the issue, this reminded EI of an incident that occurred over Christmas that really underlined how powerful today’s high-performance TV imaging can be on the uninitiated and even those already familiar with the technology.

Over Christmas, EI got a call from an older relative who’s ‘telly had stopped working’, being the editor of this publication obviously means I am the family’s go to person for such emergencies and of course over Christmas this was a situation that could not be tolerated, particularly as this person does love their TV and lives on their own. A few miles later and the issue was narrowed down to my relative having the oldest Sky box and oldest TV I have seen in many years. With former visits based around a quick chat on family news or just picking up for a day out, I had not noticed just how ancient the set up was, it had just given up the ghost. A new TV was needed, fortunately EI had a spare Sky Q box at home, so after a quick trip to something called an ‘ASDA’ a new TV was secured for under £350. Back at home, I set the TV up with Freeview and called Sky to make sure the new box was going to operate OK with the viewing card.

Everything up and running? good, back home for some holiday viewing of my own.

A few minutes into a marathon binge of Cobra Kai (don’t judge) the phone rang

04 FEBRUARY 2021

and it was my relative, assuming something was not working I was dreading another trip out on a dark evening, but the call was just to say how amazing the new TV was.

Genuinely moved by the lifelike images (my relative loves nature programmes), she felt compelled to call and has talked about little else since.

Food for thought when, as we are in the industry and see impressive imaging all of the time, its easy to forget just how impactful 4K and HDR images can have and it also made EI appreciate just a little bit more the performance of my own set, not particularly high-end by any stretch, but its treatment of all the primary colours and action scenes in the frankly ridiculous but no less enjoyable Cobra Kai, was genuinely impressive.

TIME TO GO TRADITIONAL?

INSTALLATION AND HIGH-TECH TVS A CHANGING LANDSCAPE

SMART THINKING

IS THE FUTURE BRIGHT?

GETTING IN TOUCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Daniel Sait, dan@allthingsmedialtd.com

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Beatrice Lee, beatrice@allthingsmedialtd.com

SALES DIRECTOR

Ian Kitchener, ian@allthingsmedialtd.com

GROUP AD MANAGER

Claire Talty, claire@allthingsmedialtd.com

PUBLISHER

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

So, no harm then in making double sure all of your customers understand just how good a TV picture can look these days and with CES having just taken place, albeit virtually, they are plenty of new sets to choose from by the major players.

Daniel J Sait Editor

SOCIALS /INSTALL_MAG /ESSENTIALINSTALL Whilst we make every effort that everything printed in Essential Install magazine is factually correct, we cannot be held responsible if factual errors occur.

All articles are copyright and remain the property of Essential Install magazine.

ISLAND THE ULTIMATE IN HOME ENTERTAINMENT Island Prestige by L-Acoustics Creations provides an unrivaled sound space to experience Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology from the world leader in premium pro audio. With a visionary plug-and-play acoustic design, Island Prestige lets you immerse yourself in music, movies, or games in ultimate comfort. Visit l-acoustics-creations.com to discover our unique sound systems and sound spaces or book an appointment in London, Paris, or Los Angeles.

l-acoustics-creations.com

You’ve heard about it, now experience it.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE CRESTRON HOME DEMO APP.

NEWS

NEWS ESSENTIAL PEOPLE CRESTRON ANNOUNCES THE PASSING OF CTO FRED BARGETZI What follows is an official statement from Crestron.

It’s with great sadness that we announce the passing of Fred Bargetzi, our CTO and dear friend.

His impact on our company cannot be overstated.

The impact he’s had on our industry is even greater.

Under Fred’s leadership, he challenged us to not only push the boundaries of what’s possible, but to do so with an eye towards making the world a better place.

Having just celebrated his 30th anniversary at Crestron, Fred leaves behind a legacy of innovation, creativity, enthusiasm and kindness that has helped shape the AV industry into what it is today. We are eternally grateful for his dedication and inspiration.

He will be deeply missed.

We are planning several ways to honor Fred’s remarkable life. In the meantime, if you would like to share your thoughts, memories and condolences simply email: rememberingfred@crestron.com.

The CEDIA Board of Directors has approved the 2021 Executive Committee, authorised the sevenperson Governance Committee and welcomed three new, elected directors who will serve the 20212022 term.

The 2021 CEDIA Executive Committee members are: Rob Sutherland, Chairperson, Inspired Dwellings Ltd. London, UK; David Weinstein, Vice Chairperson, Lutron Electronics Co. Inc. Coopersburg, Penn., USA; Melanie Malcolm, Secretary, Bespoke Home Cinemas, Leeds, UK, Alex Capecelatro, Treasurer, Josh.ai Denver, Colo., USA; David Humphries, Immediate Past Chairman, Atlantic Integrated, Rockleigh, N.J., US, Ex-officio, non-voting member.

The new directors joining the CEDIA board are: Shannon Bush, Regional Sales Manager, AVDG, US; Eddie Shapiro, Chief Design Officer, SmartTouchUSA, US; Michael Sherman, Chief Executive Officer, Henri, France; Albert Mizrahi, head of multiple businesses in Mexico, including Control4 Mexico, SmartLab, and DealerShop.

Exterity, provider of IP video, digital signage and guest experience technologies, has announced Andrew Smith’s promotion to UK Sales Director.

Andrew will be spearheading Exterity’s efforts to continue empowering UK organisations to adopt best-in-class Audio Visual technologies as they prepare for the future and navigate new challenges raised by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaker maker PMC is expanding the size and scope of its marketing department with the appointment of Robbie Poulton as marketing assistant, to help the support for its UK retailers and overseas distributors.

Robbie is joining PMC at an exciting time for the company, which has recently launched the twenty5i series Hi-Fi loudspeakers, the new ci series customer installation range, created a dedicated UK distribution business and embarked upon a number of highprofile professional audio installations, including in numerous Dolby Atmos mix suites. His role will be to support PMC and its UK distributed brands by developing the company’s digital marketing activities.

Technological Innovations Group (TIG), sales agency for collaborative smart spaces and enterprise communication services, is pleased to grow its Crestron Unified Communications division with the appointment of Craig Chester, UC Solution Architect.

On his appointment, Craig comments, “The Solutions Architect position at TIG for Crestron is my dream job! The appointment gives me the chance to do what I love, to work with a fantastic team and with the brilliant range of solutions from Crestron.

“The need for simple, scalable UC to enable remote working has never been greater than now, as we all battle the coronavirus pandemic. Together, TIG, Crestron and our partners can deliver the best, most innovative UC solutions to help enterprises overcome today’s challenges and prepare for the future. I’m very much looking forward to working with my colleagues and our customers, both new and old.”

Albert Mizrahi

Michael Sherman

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Eddie Shapiro

Robbie Poulton

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Shannon Bush

FEBRUARY 2021 07

the screen makes the difference

The best of modern Home cinema RADIANCE – AMBIENT LIGHT REJECTION MATERIAL Offering superb image brightness and contrast in normally lit environments Ideal for living areas and multi purpose rooms Available for both electric and framed screems

WAVE TENSIONED PLUS Beautiful black or white case design Hidden brackets Super fast and silent operation Soft close feature Available with many surfaces including RADIANCE

TEL : 01273 735476 E: sales@impactscreensolutions.co.uk

LIVING THIN Minimalistic framed screen with 5mm bezel Ideal for all environments & UST projection Also available without any bezel (LIVING FULL VISION) Available with many surfaces including RADIANCE

NEWS

HABITECH OPENS SAMSUNG FOCUSED DEMONSTRATION FACILITIES With new demonstration facilities at the ready, Habitech says it will help integrators and their customers get the most from CI-oriented TV lines from Samsung.

The new partnership will combine Samsung’s CI-inspired TV lines including its MicroLED offering ‘The Wall’, its décor-loving ‘The Frame’ TVs and ‘The Terrace’ outdoor displays.

Installers and their clients are invited to the new suite of home environments recently completed at Habitech HQ in Basingstoke showing off the products.

The Wall is constructed from MicroLED modules measuring 806.4 x 453.6 mm ( just over 36in diagonally), having a display resolution of 960 x 540 pixels. A 4 x 4 module build generates a 146in display at 4K UHD while an 8 x 8 construction re-creates The Wall with a 292in diagonal at 8K resolution. Each MicroLED pixel is the product of a cluster of three tiny self-emissive RGB LEDs. This means that the brightness and colour of every pixel can be controlled precisely or turned off entirely to create a ‘perfect’ black for maximum contrast and optimum colour.

Complete with an ‘Ambient’ mode for the display of décor-matching artwork, Habitech says the Samsung light engine has the versatility to inspire spaces beyond the home, in elite hospitality, office and retail. Alongside the modular IW008R model designed for luxury living environments, Habitech will also be supporting the CAT-connected IW008J and IW012J products, equipped with a pixel pitch more appropriate for commercial projects.

Also offered is the CI friendly ‘The Frame’ QLED HDR smart TV. Basically two screens in one, a highperformance ‘Quantum Dot’ 4K UHD display when turned on and a place for photos and décor-matching art when off. Décor integration is offered with a choice of thin magnetic bezels in a large choice of colours to frame the flush-fitting display. The Frame’s ‘Art Store’ subscription service will deliver access to à la mode art and photography while curating new art according to user preferences.

Using the latest Samsung 4K QLED smart TV and adding IP55 weatherproofing has created The Terrace exterior screen. At just 6cm deep the Terrace’s black steel frame and anti-glare display install ideally in partial shade offering brightness at 2000 nits av/4000 pk, Quantum 4K processing, AI upscaling, adaptive picture tech and HDR+ contrast.

Habitech habitech.co.uk

Habitech has embarked on a new partnership with Samsung

MIDWICH NAMED SOLE AV DISTRIBUTOR FOR ATLONA IN THE UK AND IRELAND Midwich, specialist audio visual (AV) distributor, has announced an agreement as sole AV distributor in the UK and Ireland with long-term partner Atlona, global player in AV solutions that support the adoption of AV-over-IP systems. Midwich informs EI that the deal covers both commercial and residential products, with distributor Anixter serving the IT channel for Atlona products.

Atlona designs and engineers products for a diverse range of residential and commercial AV and IT markets, including education, business, government, entertainment and healthcare.

The distributor said that Atlona’s products and services will continue to enable Midwich’s partners to simplify installation, minimise maintenance and maximise the versatility of automated control solutions. Atlona’s products are backed by an industry-exclusive 10-year warranty. Midwich began distributing Atlona’s products in April 2011, and the full range will be available in the UK (through Midwich) and Ireland (through the Square One sales portal) as from now.

Thorsten Goecke, Director EMEA Sales, Atlona said, “We’ve recently restructured our model in the UK and Ireland, with Midwich being chosen for the AV focused market and Anixter looking after the IT market. Atlona has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with the Midwich Group. We already have a sole distribution agreement in Germany, Italy, and Spain, so we’re delighted to extend this agreement into the UK and Ireland. The Midwich team provides a high level of service to their channel partners, something we value at Atlona.”

Midwich midwich.com

A new deal between Atlona and Midwich has been announced

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FEBRUARY 2021 09

Altitude32

Immersive Sound Unlimited A unique set of features for cinema designers • 32 discrete channel with Dolby ATMOS and DTS:X Pro. • Supports any speaker layout with up to 64 channel.

• Trinnov Optimizer technology across all channels.

• Unlimited bass management capabilities.

• Up to four-way active crossovers.

Recommended

loudspeaker positions for optimal

immersive sound reproduction

Trinnov speaker placement recommendation

v 1.0

• Leverage Trinnov’s expertise in immersive audio with our recommended speaker positions for optimal immersive sound reproduction.

TRINNOV

HIGH•END

• Our white paper is integrated in The Cedia Designer.

www.trinnov.com

Contact us for more information or to hear Trinnov at our Reference Home Cinema in Bracknell

01359 270280 | sales@invisionuk.com

NEWS

SONY ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF 360 REALITY AUDIO ECOSYSTEM

Sony is expanding its 360 Reality Audio concept

Sony has announced the expansion of its 360 Reality Audio services and product offerings, including adding new video streaming capabilities and content creation tools. Through these efforts, Sony hopes to continue to expand the 360 Reality Audio ecosystem.

Introduced in 2019, Sony’s 360 Reality Audio was created to make it possible for artists and creators to produce music by mapping sound sources such as vocals, chorus and instruments with positional information and place them within a spherical space.

This experience, powered by Sony’s spatial sound technologies, was created to evoke feelings of being ‘in’ a music studio or live concert venue – all without leaving the home, not developed specifically for COVID 19 restrictions, the tech has though obvious applications during restrictions now and in the future.

Listeners can currently access approximately 4,000 songs in 360 Reality Audio from artists like Alicia Keys, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, Noah Cyrus and Zara Larsson. To expand the concept Sony has announced new capabilities to the format.

Sony has introduced live performance video content with immersive 360 Reality Audio sound. To showcase these new capabilities, Sony Music Entertainment artist Zara Larsson released an exclusive live performance in 360 Reality Audio on January 11. Viewers were able to stream this performance with the Artist Connection app on a smartphone. With select Sony headphones and the Sony | Headphones Connect app, users were also able optimise their experience by analysing their individual ear shape to enjoy a custom immersive musical field that is optimised for them. Sony said major music labels and service providers are working together to begin streaming this new video content later this year.

Sony and Virtual Sonics, Inc. have also developed a new content creation software called the 360 Reality Audio Creative Suite to enable easier creation of 360 Reality Audio content by musicians and creators. The 360 Reality Audio Creative Suite plugin software is compatible with popular digital audio workstation (DAW). Virtual Sonics, Inc., through its subsidiary Audio Futures, Inc. Beginning this spring, Sony’s own 360 Reality Audio compatible speakers SRS-RA5000 and SRSRA3000 will be available for purchase. These WiFienabled speakers create an immersive, room-filling 360 Reality Audio sound experience by using Sony’s Immersive Audio Enhancement algorithm.

Sony sony.co.uk

EXERTIS GROUP INTRODUCES NEW DIVERSITY INITIATIVES Exertis has announced a new set of diversity and inclusion initiatives to demonstrate its commitment to fostering a diverse culture across the business.

“A diverse workforce with equal representation supports the development of an excellent, progressive company culture,” said Nick Foster, Exertis’ HR Director. “The new initiatives have been introduced to ensure we design a working environment that is inclusive and diverse.”

The initiatives are to be driven by a diversity steering group, with representatives from teams and roles in every region the company operates in, aiming to share and learn from best practices across the group. Managers have been provided with a diversity and inclusion toolkit and are committed to delivering a demonstrable contribution towards diversity representation within their area of the business.

Vishal Chhatralia, Exertis’ Global Chief Digital & Marketing Officer, said the business is driven by an understanding that diversity makes an organisation stronger, “Where we have more diversity, we see within our organisation that we have better and more non-linear ideas and innovation driving growth.

Organisations, irrespective of industry, perform better with greater diversity.”

Focusing on attracting a diverse and inclusive talent pool is just one of many ways the group aims to help tackle inequality. Exertis believes in fostering and developing talent to ensure underrepresented and marginalised groups are given the tools they need to prosper. It offers career

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opportunities across a wide range of functions from sales to finance and has over 860 courses available for employees.

“We have made two big strides,” said Vishal. “One is recruitment: senior roles have been recruited with a greater focus on bringing in new members from diverse backgrounds, with increases in female talent and talent from ethnic backgrounds. Second is our ‘always on’ education and communication programme focused on the importance of diversity and what we can do as an organisation to better understand and encourage diversity in recruitment, everyday operations and as a leader.”

In recognition of the differing needs of employees, Exertis has increased maternity, paternity and adoption packages as well as offering flexibility in terms of location and hours. Almost everyone uses technology, and consequently, Exertis believes its services and organisation must reflect the diverse plurality of modern society.

Exertis exertis.co.uk

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Vishal Chhatralia, Exertis’ Global Chief Digital & Marketing Officer

FEBRUARY 2021 11

NEWS

BEMCO ANNOUNCES MAJOR EXPANSION IN KNX TRAINING BEMCO, one of the larger independent electrical wholesalers in the UK and a specialist in smart home technologies, has launched three FREE online KNX courses to support its extensive KNX ‘In-Person’ training programme.

Featuring a KNX Refresher course, KNX Panel Building training and a detailed exploration of how KNX can be used in Shading Control, these new online sessions are all interactive in style and delivered by experienced KNX trainers and integrators, Gordon Fry and Jeremy Aston.

The ‘KNX Refresher’ training is ideal for those who may be aware of KNX or attended some training previously, but are out of practice or in need of a confidence boost to enable them to take on a project. Delegates will be able to familiarise themselves with the ETS software and get up to speed with the latest enhancements including KNX IP, KNX RF and KNX Secure.

In ‘KNX Panel Building’, attendees learn how to build a KNX board, covering the assembly of DIN rail KNX components and switches into an enclosure, wiring schematics, cabling and the creation of lighting circuits and output connections.

The business opportunity for KNX integrators is fully explored in ‘Shading Control: The Advantages of KNX’ in the company of SOMFY specialist, Jeremy Aston. This course covers all aspects of shading control, the different control options, shade types, dumb versus intelligent motors, phase/24v/230v/bus and SMI control alongside fabric specification and delivery.

“These new online courses build on the successful programme we launched through Essential Install in 2020, KNX Uncovered with Essential Install and KNX with Control 4,” said Julian Barkes, Director of BEMCO. “They will offer

important insights into the growing range of opportunities available to contractors and integrators working with KNX as well as sharing practical information and useful advice from those who know. De-mystifying the complexities of KNX is vital and I sincerely believe that these new courses will really help installers understand how KNX can work for them and prepare them with the right skills to take advantage. The courses will be held in real-time and will be limited to six attendees. To view the dates and register your interest go to www.bemco-knx.co.uk”.

BEMCO has also increased the Certified KNX ‘In-Person’ Basic and Advanced training that is available in 2021. Essential Install readers can receive a £100 discount on the price of the Basic Training by using the code EI100 online at the point of booking via www.bemco-knx.co.uk.

BEMCO has also launched a new online channel BEMCO SmartPRO for those keen to grow their knowledge and build their business in smart home technology installations. Accessible at Instagram @ bemcosmartpro and twitter #bemcosmartpro, the channel will focus on providing solutions, advice and resources to help contractors get to grips with the latest technology and seize the market opportunity.

BEMCO bemco-knx.co.uk

New KNX focused training is available from BEMCO

PMC AND YELLO COMBINE TO CREATE DOLBY ATMOS MUSIC ALBUM ‘POINT’ PMC has been involved in helping craft the first Immersive Audio album in Dolby Atmos Music from electronic pioneers, Yello.

Swiss electronic duo Yello have embraced immersive Dolby Atmos Music for their latest album Point, which was mixed using PMC speakers by high-end media production company msm Studio Group.

The Munich-based company mixed Yello’s new album for release on Pure Audio Blu-ray and through streaming services such as Tidal and Amazon.

PMC said its loudspeakers are the benchmark for Dolby Atmos Music mixing, having been installed in many studios around the world, including Capitol Studios, LA, Dean Street Studios in London and were chosen for the recent Rolling Stones Unzipped Exhibition Atmos presentation.

The maker argues its creations are well suited to the format because of their headroom, power capabilities, pin-point accuracy and sonic fidelity, the PMC Atmos systems go well beyond Dolby’s minimum requirements. msm founder and Managing Director Stefan Bock has worked with Zurich-based band Yello on previous projects and was delighted when he was approached by their record label, Universal Music Group, and asked

12 FEBRUARY 2021

to mix their new album in Dolby Atmos.

“I heard a demo of the album and spoke at length to Boris Blank (of Yello) so that I could identify their artistic intent’, Stefan says. ‘In keeping with their precise Swiss nature, Yello sent us perfectly prepared session notes and files and I undertook the Atmos mix in Munich with my colleague David Merkl.”

Commenting on the experience, Yello’s Boris Blank said, “It was a fantastic experience for me to hear our new album Point in full 3D sound for the first time in a Dolby Atmos-certified cinema at the Zurich University of the Arts. The amazement at the new room sound was comparable to how I heard the Beatles in stereo for the first time as a little Boris. Back then, those were worlds between mono and stereo. In my opinion, Stefan Bock & David Merkl have conjured up the Yello sound with great care in a new sound dimension.”

Peter Thomas, PMC’s owner and founder commented, “It is fitting that they (Yello) should embrace the new world of immersive audio that Dolby Atmos Music provides and we are very proud to have played a part in the production of Point, another truly brilliant album from one of Switzerland’s best exports.”

Point was released in December 2020 and is available on Pure Audio Blu-ray and on Dolby Atmos streaming services such as Tidal and Amazon.

PMC Speakers pmc-speakers.com

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LET THERE BE LIGHT A revelation in display technology, Samsung’s ‘The Wall’ blends MicroLED light with AI optimisation for flawless HDR results on an awe-inspiring scale. Habitech introduces the ultimate in custom screen luxury…

The Wall forms part of our new suite of demonstration rooms at Basingstoke. Please contact the team to arrange a visit. www.habitech.co.uk | 01256 638500 | sales@habitech.co.uk

ESSENTIAL HABITECH

The flagship 11.4.4 Wisdom cinema will offer your customers the experience of a huge soundstage in a room that feels like a comfy uber cinema at home.

BEING THERE!

‘Habitech’s compelling new demonstration experiences will move your clients beyond the tipping point to a deal’ says Marketing and Communications Manager Sophie Graham.

No one ever fell in love with a book without turning a page, or a car by keeping it on the drive. It’s unreasonable, therefore, to expect customers to love what we do without the experience of a room and system in complete harmony. Truth is, you’re never going to turn a concept as ephemeral as ‘immersion’ into an object of desire without a personal introduction, so, with a six-figure investment in a new suite of dem spaces at Basingstoke, we’re making it personal. Here within a peerless parade of showcase rooms, desire will become your deal maker.

Today, as changed consumer priorities and preferences supercharge the home’s gravitational pull, Habitech is most powerful where new demand is greatest in cinema and media room design, ultrafast networking and outdoor AV entertainment. So we’re ready to offer your customers the chance to experience all of this, as complete solutions, in a setting that feels just like their own. Surrounded by residential comforts, your customers will have the opportunity to imagine how the same extraordinary AV performance and design could transform their lives at home. We’ll help them to take that leap of desire towards ownership

14 FEBRUARY 2021

because we’ve created rooms they’ll love

mind-blowing tech, serving different needs

to live with, day and night - even before the

and budgets. This means that when the tiers

show begins.

are relaxed you can tailor your visit for every customer. If breath taking audio is a preference,

PEAK AUDIO

the new Wisdom Audio room could be your

During lockdown the entire ground floor office

first stop. The brand’s flagship European demo

space at Basingstoke has been converted into

space features a ‘dual-aspect’ lounge involving,

a ‘show home’ of beautiful interiors filled with

on one axis, an incomparable two-channel

The new Wisdom Audio room with some amazing design features for added ‘wow’

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ESSENTIAL HABITECH

Simply stunning: Samsung’s ‘The Wall’ micro-LED display newly installed at Basingstoke

system of LS4 line source speakers and STS sub, driven by Wisdom amps and processing, and on the ‘other side,’ a 7.2.2 point-source system of P4i satellites, S90i subs and P2i in-ceilings, powered by Acurus amplification and processing.

The new space is a blue-sky project with new walls to house speakers in perfect locations supported by acoustic treatment to make the sound come alive. Working with CinemaTech’s awesome team we’ve come up with some amazing design features for added ‘wow’ and ended up with a beautiful, light and luxurious room that has the power to take your breath away.

VERSATILE MEDIA SPACES

Step beyond the Wisdom room into an ‘ultimate media room’ environment. This large open plan space always felt like a perfect opportunity to show your customers how to integrate technology within their kitchen/diner/ snug areas. So we set about creating a 9m floor-to-ceiling slatted wall in red cedar, loaded with acoustic treatment and decorated with artworks interspersed with James speakers customised for seamless installation. You can audition configurations of James’ innovative indoor/outdoor 62QUE on-walls and 53QW 2-way wedge speakers, high output small aperture in-ceiling speakers and the gamechanging new Sonance IS10 Motion Flex Invisibles, integrated with Samsung’s eyepopping ‘The Wall’ and ‘The Frame’ smart LED displays. If you hadn’t heard, ‘The Wall’ is a flawless visual concept, which can be scaled to a colossal size on a slim bezel-less ‘infinity’ frame. Comprising multiple panels, the genius of this technology makes the joins undetectable - even up close - while the intuitive resolution-to-screen size adjustment capability delivers perfect picture quality up to 8K resolution. ‘The Frame’ display is two screens in one: a high-performance ‘Quantum Dot’ 4K UHD screen when turned on, and a

place for photos and décor-matching art when off. Seamless décor integration is assured via a choice of super-thin magnetic bezels in myriad colours framing the flush-fitting design.

The Frame’s ‘Art Store’ subscription service will deliver unlimited access to à la mode art and personal images while curating new art according to user preferences.

THE SNUG FELLOWSHIP

Move past the large media space into the more bijou Sonance audio room, housing systems of the new Motion Flex invisible speakers and subs. Joining the IS systems, and demonstrating the widest choice of lowprofile audio options for smaller media room environments are Sonance in-ceiling VP46/66 pairings, a ‘Reference’ 2.1 system and a James’ 5.1 configuration of SPL5Q LCR soundbar, QXC620S in-ceiling surrounds and 1000PT ‘PowerPipe’ sub.

LIVING CINEMA

Now this is what ‘immersion’ really feels like. We loved working with CinemaTech to transform this former training space into a complete home cinema environment involving a luxury, acoustically optimised 7.4.2 cinema and room design. The atmosphere within is warm and cosy, but the architecture flawlessly conceals the high-octane dynamics of Sonance Reference 2 LCRs and surrounds, VP86 inceilings, R12 and i10 impact subs, driven

by Arcam amplification and processing. It’s a comfortable living space and a thrilling cinema experience in one. It’s also, as it happens, a major fillip for our ‘being there’ approach, because numerous clients have ordered carbon copies for their homes, down to the last detail.

SWITCH TO INTIMATE

The new Sonance Cinema is a cosy living space and a thrilling cinema experience in one

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Tipping the scales in every way, the adjacent newly refurbished flagship 11.4.4 Wisdom cinema will reveal the awesome possibilities of high-end home cinema at its most sublime level. Because of its size, the space always felt a little like the local Odeon to me, so we’ve introduced more of the intimacy of the Sonance Cinema with beautifully designed

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bevelled edge track from Desmond and Sons in combination with antique bronze sconces that throw beautiful triangles of light across the walls to create a 1920s jazz club feel.

We also decided to make the room smaller by building a new front wall with a 5m screen in place of the old 4m frame while giving the Wisdom L8i Line Source speakers behind some room to breathe. Now we can offer your wealthiest customers the experience of a huge soundstage, aided by new front wide L8is, in a room that feels like a comfy uber cinema at home.

LET’S MAKE IT PERSONAL!

While we all wait for our jabs, the message we’re sending couldn’t be more emphatic: Habitech has used the downtime to up its performance, uniting a jaw-dropping ‘wow factor’ at the point of purchase across a wide budget spectrum with exceptional backend logistics and tech support. Pre-tier 4 visitors have included Adam Kraemer-Dent of Finite Solutions who said: “I just wanted to say how impressed I was with my recent visit to the showroom, not only did it blow my client away…it surpassed my expectations massively…I think this client will more than double his financial commitment to us after experiencing your facility.” And Peter Miller at Cornflake who said: “I loved it… every time I come down, the showroom gets better and better. Well done! Truly world class!”

Delivering the stunning emotional impact of the best in CI design, our unrivalled new dems will ensure that once the vaccines have done their work, we’ll be ready with another shot in the arm for your business. And we can’t wait to be part of the recovery!

Habitech habitech.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2021 15

ESSENTIAL HDANYWHERE

TO ARC OR NOT TO ARC HDANYWHERE provides some insight into working with ARC audio offering general tips to avoid pain.

With Netflix now surpassing 200m subscribers and Disney at 137m, over the air (OTA) content and streaming platforms are the ‘new normal’ way of watching our desired media whilst we’re on the move with wireless devices, but also on TV screens around our homes.

The ease of accessing a vast choice of content, (both archive and new), with no commercial breaks, is a feature of the OTA’s user experience that has been deemed more desirable over pristine picture and audio quality.

A slightly sub-optimal performance is ‘good enough’ for the average consumer, but generally not for those discerning customers who pay a professional installer to consult and build their AV projects. In these cases, the customer wants all the advantages that OTA content offers - with none of its shortfalls.

While more efficient video codecs and fibre rollout internet speeds have improved OTA picture quality, the audio element of streamed content still has some flaws. In install scenarios

16 FEBRUARY 2021

where the OTA content is being delivered directto-display, and not via separate input source, this presents several new challenges for installers wanting to improve audio reproduction via a local AVR or fed back to a centralised audio system.

SOUNDBARS, AVRS, MATRICES & ROUTING ARC Manufacturers have resolved to address TV audio transfers (including some multi-channel formats) using a communications channel on HDMI called ARC (Audio Return Channel) to transfer the audio from the TV to a connected audio device via the HDMI cable. This solution

restrictively caters for simple scenarios with a local AVR or soundbar and not more complex integrated applications.

To address the problem of utilising ARC within a professionally installed project ARC is a supported feature within our range of HDMI over Cat extender products, XTND. ARC can also be extracted or routed from any ARCenabled display connected to our MHUB PRO 2.0 matrix. HDA is the first HDBaseT matrix in the world to provide end-points for ARC control inside Control4 and Crestron Home, so we know a thing or two about harnessing ARC. HDA products that support ARC eliminate

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ESSENTIAL HDANYWHERE the necessity for additional cabling, baluns or widgets with the ultimate aim of making installers’ lives easier.

For all its potential merits, utilising ARC can be quite frustrating for installers. To help out I’ve written this primer, so you know just enough to avoid the most common pitfalls we’ve come across helping other Installers at HDANYWHERE in the last 12 months.

10 TIPS WHEN SPECCING FOR ARC...

IS THE TV ITSELF THE OPTIMUM SOURCE?

Often the technology installer will have a significant number of options. Via the TV’s onboard app itself could be the most challenging choice to integrate. Others include: • Via the Sky Q box (connected to a matrix input) • Via an AppleTV, Fire TV, Roku etc. (connected to a matrix input) • Via a Blu-ray player with streaming services on board. (connected to a matrix input) Which source is best could come down to connectivity ease, number of services available or even integration driver ease.

ARC IS PROBABLY AN AFTERTHOUGHT FOR A DISPLAY MANUFACTURER With OTA content delivered direct-to-display, and not via separate input source, this presents several new challenges for installers wanting to improve audio reproduction.

WHY DO SO MANY INSTALLERS INSIST ON USING OPTICAL?

The short answer is that Optical ports have been found on TVs for around 15 years now and it’s a known reliable TV audio extraction option. Audio sent over ARC is very different from that extracted via the optical port. ARC transfers while remaining an encoded stream in software, whereas optical is decoded to a digital audio signal before hitting the port. Modulating and extending a digital audio signal is a wellestablished process for an extender or matrix product, whereas transferring undecoded HDMI-ARC data is a newer challenge. When problems occur, it’s often the case that the connectivity product sitting in the middle gets unfairly framed as the cause, with little attention paid to whether or not the display (or the device that is processing the audio) is doing something it shouldn’t be.

HDA is the first HDBaseT matrix in the world to provide end-points for ARC control inside Control4 and Crestron Home.

Some displays may only do stereo audio over its ARC connection. Test ARC with your brand of choice or confirm with the manufacturer rep about any known issues or limitations beforehand.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

Search online and read manufacturer forums where people openly talk about any issues they’re experiencing. You will immediately get a feel for which brand (or model) handles ARC better than others.

SOFTWARE HAS MADE THE LANDSCAPE FRAGMENTED

Models from the same manufacturer can differ depending on what software they have on board. Make sure that they are up-to-date to minimise this as much as possible.

DO NOT HINGE YOUR ENTIRE PROJECT ON ARC RELIABILITY

Unless you have replicated the setup recently before and are confident, do not hinge your entire project success on ARC.

PLAN FOR REDUNDANCY

Leave yourself room to wire for optical or install some Cat6 as a backup.

CEC

Remember that ARC works when CEC is enabled. If you have disabled CEC for compatibility reasons, then you need to rethink or wire an alternative.

eARC

ARC and eARC are not the same thing. eARC has the bandwidth to support uncompressed multi-channel audio. Devices that are labelled as supporting ARC will work for ARC but not eARC. Right now, options for extending eARC are minimal.

Don’t get caught out.

MAKE SURE YOUR AUDIO HARDWARE CAN DECODE ARC AUDIO

ARC audio uses compressed audio for multi-channel formats, ensure that your AVR or soundbar can decode ARC audio sent to it.

IS IT EVEN IN THE RIGHT PORT?

More common than you think. TVs now come with a mixture of HDMI ports with each one offering different features. Make sure you’re connected into the correct port as indicated in your display manual.

To learn more about HDANYWHERE products that support ARC or to discuss your project with the HDA tech team, visit: HDANYWHERE.com

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FEBRUARY 2021 17

ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS

PULSE CINEMAS EVOLVES WITH ALCONS AUDIO Pulse Cinemas has anounced that from this Spring world renown audio brand Alcons Audio will join its line-up. Here the distributor provides background on Alcons’ heritage and the reasons for the new deal.

Since its foundation in the Netherlands in 2002 by experienced audio expert Tom Back, Alcons Audio has built a reputation as one of the leaders in permanent and touring audio for the commercial and residential markets.

A reference portfolio of customers that includes Alan Parsons, Alison Krauss, Google/ YouTube, Red Bull Hangar 7 in Austria, VUE cinemas, Hamilton the musical (Broadway), Elbphilharmonie symphonic hall Hamburg, Tina, The Tina Turner Musical (West-End), Levels Audio studios (Hollywood), Walt Disney and Martin Garrix’s STMPD recording studio in Amsterdam, underline the wide range of highend audio solutions Alcons provides.

Gathering a team of audio experts, the maker has expanded consistently over its 17 years of existence with bases now in its home country of the Netherlands, as well as Germany and the USA, besides the ever-expanding global dealer networks (Pro-Ribbon Partners).

Tom Back, Managing Director of Alcons Audio explains that the company’s philosophy has always been to deliver audio evolution, not revolution.

Building its reputation in the pro audio world, Alcons Audio noticed that some of its smaller pro-cinema products were beginning to be used in the residential market, so decided it should make a dedicated range for precisely that purpose, the CRMS-series or Cinema Reference Monitor Systems. Key here is that the

18 FEBRUARY 2021

residential products enjoy the same technology that has made the company such a big noise in the commercial space.

All Alcons Audio speakers and amplifiers/ processors are developed and manufactured in house, the approach combines traditional craftsmanship (the company has its own wood shop building the cabinets, as well as electronics and pro-ribbon transducer departments) with the latest technologies, materials and production processes.

SO WHY CHOOSE ALCONS AUDIO?

Tom says, “Nowadays, it is easy to buy components like transducers, filters and cabinets, download acoustic designs, rebadge DSP’s and amplifiers with your brand, put it all together and sell it. But this is not advancing the art of sound reproduction. It takes a lot more to reinforce today’s high-resolution media or an artist’s performance without compromise!”

Tom continues: “The aim is to offer a ‘fully intuitive linear responding tool system’ and by that we mean systems that perform exactly how you expect them to do in terms of coverage and acoustical performance. Promising the highest level of performance and reliability like we do is a big responsibility, but believe me nobody in this industry takes their promise to deliver more seriously. Instead of making bold marketing claims, we let our products do the talking!

“A good analogy is being able to guarantee a consistent and repeatable driving experience from a high-performance car. To get there, you need synergy and control across everything that you do. Having total autonomy over our product creation and manufacturing does that for us.

We have the highest performance technology in house to get us there; electro acoustics, transducers, processing, amplification and application software.”

Great products do not create themselves of course and Alcons Audio has one of the best R&D departments to leverage a unique combination of extensive knowledge in the design of transducers, acoustics and systems, as well as unsurpassed skills in DSP and amplifier technologies, plus the creative minds to transform this know-how into benchmark setting sound system performance.

The aim is always to deliver the most accurate audio reproduction available, with no colouration or distortion to the input, for any size audience, in any application. If the Alcons Audio philosophy could be boiled down to one statement it would be, ‘What comes out must be exactly the same as what goes in’, but when the company started, existing technologies were not sufficient, so new ones were created.

Perhaps the greatest expression of the company’s evolutionary approach to highquality sound is the development of the multiple-

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ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS

The CRMS-series or Cinema Reference Monitor Systems are being added to Pulse Cinemas’ main demo space

patented pro-ribbon transducer technology for high output mid and high frequencies.

Ribbon tech gained popularity in the pro world many years ago because of the fast transient response and accurate reproduction.

The low weight of the diaphragm creates a transient response with extraordinary clarity and intelligibility. However, achievable output and durability are always big issues in pro-audio. Even in residential audio, with high definition, noncompressed audio, traditional ribbon tweeters cannot deliver the required dynamic output.

Based on Philips’ Isophase Hi-Fi tweeter technology from the mid-eighties, Philip ‘Dr. Phil’ de Haan, sr, R&D engineer and 30+ year veteran in pro-ribbon technology, researched and designed a new generation of mid-high frequency transducers, combining the accuracy of ribbon technology with the dynamic output capabilities of pro-audio transducers. Philip is the initiator of a range of significant patents and to many can be regarded as the father of modern high-output pro-ribbon transducer technology. This is the technology that takes Alcons Audio to the next level.

Besides a 1:15 dynamic power handling ratio, the Alcons pro-ribbon drivers also feature extremely low distortion, only 1/10th of the Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) of compression or dome drivers.

The Alcons drivers also do not demonstrate a ‘compression threshold’, they maintain the same tonal balance at all pressure levels, particularly suited for ultimate intelligibility even in low level scenes and passages. Another unique advantage of Alcons pro ribbon technology is the patented constant horizontal coverage and the patent-pending vertical coverage, up to and beyond 20 kHz. which is essential for perfect holographic imaging with a seamless blending in stereo or multi-channel audio.

Another Alcons Audio watch word is longevity, the company is very proud of the length of service its products will deliver. Tom explains, “Being active in the professional audio market means your systems need to have the

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highest reliability as artist’s and engineer’s reputations rely on it, each speaker design needs to pass a 1000-hour durability test. In combination, the speaker-specific processing in our Amplified Loudspeaker Controllers guarantees absolute maximum performance with utmost reliability.

“A question we are often asked is what the failure rate is on our pro ribbon drivers. We are proud that we can say that it is zero, yes, zero.

The system is that well made. People to tend to think of ‘ribbon’ technology as not very robust, but with our pro-ribbon technology its actually the total opposite, it’s extremely reliable.”

For the first time ever, the exact same highdefinition reference transducer technology can be used from a two-seat studio or hometheatre, a 20-seat screening room, to a 200 seat cinema, 2000 seat Broadway show up to a 20,000 seat and beyond stadium hard-rock concert, Alcons Audio calls that ‘Hi-Fi at concert sound dynamics’.

Naturally with a pedigree like this, we jumped at the chance to work with Alcons Audio.

Our Technical Director, Kapes Patel, explains, “I first heard Alcons Audio two years ago at ISE. All the demo space had was a thick curtain to divide it off from the rest of the show floor, but

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it still sounded amazingly engaging. Last year we were formally introduced to Tom and the team via another of our brands StormAudio as the two companies had an existing relationship.

“Discussions began then and we are thrilled to have secured Alcons Audio for the next phase of the Pulse Cinemas story. With Alcons you really can bring the performance of the very best commercial cinemas into the home, it’s the only brand with the pedigree and the technology to deliver that level of performance.”

Kapes adds “Work has already begun upgrading our main cinema which will include a full complement of Alcons Audio speakers and the company’s Sentinel amplified loudspeaker controllers too. We hope to have all the work finished by the end of February, we know customers old and new are going to very impressed.”

The full line up of Alcons Audio CRMSseries (Cinema Reference Monitor Systems) will be available from Pulse Cinemas this spring, stay tuned for more detailed information on the products, very soon.

Pulse Cinemas pulsecinemas.com

FEBRUARY 2021 19

MARGINAL GAINS MULTI-ROOM MUSIC. THE HI-RES WAY

VOICE CONTROL

AIRPLAY 2

Hands free commands

Connects to your apple life

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

LISTEN TO STUDIO RECORDINGS

Stream any audio with aptX®

MQA. Hear what is missing

CERTIFIED BY AUDIOPHILES

BLAZING-FAST STREAMING

From NAD Electronics

The latest WiFi and processor chipsets

DOLBY CERTIFIED

HIGH RES AUDIO

Premiere cinema sound

Music as the artist intended

CUSTOM INSTALL Crestron, Control4, RTl, URC Elan, Lutron, Push

20+ STREAMING SERVICES All the music at your fingertips

To find out how these gains are more than just marginal to your business, contact us today.

Distributed by

020 8977 8633 info@anatech.co.uk anatech.co.uk Unit 4, Heathlands Estate, Twickenham, TW1 4BP

ESSENTIAL HABITECH

AT ONE WITH SAMSUNG

Samsung’s breath-taking ‘The Wall’ micro-LED display awaits you and your customers at Basingstoke

With stunning new demonstration facilities at the ready, Habitech will help integrators and their customers get the most from Samsung’s CI-oriented TV lines says MD Jonathan Pengilley.

Folks, we’re excited for the opportunity to add value to the consumer world’s most powerful display technology. It’s a dream-team partnership that combines Samsung’s CI-inspired TV lines - including its MicroLED sensation ‘The Wall’, its décor loving ‘The Frame’ TVs and ‘The Terrace’ outdoor displays; with the promise of our award-winning end-toend support. Auspiciously, installers and their clients will enjoy access to our peerless new suite of home environments recently completed at Basingstoke. Here in smart residential settings, your customers will be able to imagine the experience of Samsung’s latest wizardry in their own homes, adding persuasive weight to your pitch and a compelling new dynamic to the retail of Samsung’s most innovative display products.

THE WALL

Chief among these, and effortless to appreciate is The Wall, a revelatory modular MicroLED display. Each MicroLED pixel is created by a cluster of three tiny self-emissive RGB LEDs, so its colour and brightness can be controlled precisely or turned off entirely to create a “perfect” black for maximum contrast and optimum colour. A 4 x 4 module build generates a giant, seamless 146-in display at 4K UHD, while an 8 x 8 construction recreates The Wall with a colossal 292-in diagonal at 8K resolution.

Complete with an ‘Ambient’ mode for the display of décor-matching artwork, Samsung’s transformative light engine has the versatility

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to inspire spaces beyond the home; in elite hospitality, office and retail for instance. Alongside the modular IW008R model (designed for luxury living environments), Habitech will also be supporting the CAT-connected IW008J and IW012J products, equipped with a pixel pitch more appropriate for commercial projects.

THE FRAME

TV meets CI. This QLED HDR smart TV is two screens in one: a high-performance ‘Quantum Dot’ 4K UHD display when turned on, and a place for photos and décor-matching art when it’s off.

For seamless décor integration, a choice of superthin magnetic bezels in myriad colours is available to frame the flush-fitting display. In addition, The Frame’s ‘Art Store’ subscription service will deliver unlimited access to à la mode art and curate new collections according to user preferences. A long list of added smarts includes content mirroring, device pairing and voice control. Available from Habitech in 32, 43, 50, 55, 65, 75-in sizes, The Frame is a must for all gurus seeking the perfect blend of technology with room design.

THE TERRACE

This is Samsung’s latest 4K QLED smart TV thinking made IP55 weatherproof. At just 6cm deep The Terrace installs ideally in partial shade so its class-leading brightness, Quantum 4K processing, AI upscaling, and adaptive HDR+ contrast can combine to turn everyday viewing into an epic outdoor entertainment experience, even on the sunniest of days. Packaged with a full suite of smarts, the 55, 65, 75-in models from Habitech will raise expectations of outdoor TV to a new level of capability and aesthetic quality.

The Terrace: a new level of capability and aesthetic quality for outdoor TV.

To discover how we can support your Samsung installations, please contact Habitech Tel: 01256 638500, www.habitech.co.uk

The beautiful Frame TV forms part of Habitech’s new media room experience

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FEBRUARY 2021 21

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ESSENTIAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE AND INTEGRATED TVS

WHAT’S THAT NOISE? Barry Sheldrick, Director of Sales at Meridian Audio, has his say on where the TV sector is going and what impact that has on audio performance.

With the fast march of technology, we are used to seeing a new TV model from major manufacturers every 6 to 9 months.

Increased resolution, more colours, brighter, deeper black levels and thinner are the usual buzz words that accompany these new releases.

One phrase that is seldom heard is ‘vastly improved audio quality and dynamics’.

As TVs become thinner, as does the space for high quality drive units and amplifiers built within these slender frames.

One key aspect that Meridian has focussed on is vastly improving the audio quality that is available from the TV. Utilising the optical output on the TV, our zone controllers have a full suite of resolution enhancement technologies to wring the most detail, resolution and clarity from the TV. This means that any smart services built into the TV or any sources connected to the TV’s HDMI input can all benefit from our years of research, development and engineering.

We start by reclocking the digital audio.

HDMI signals are notorious for jitter (digital timing errors) which can cause a lack of detail and make the sound fatiguing to listen to. The FIFO (First In First Out) buffer system resets the timing clock and ensures that the timing errors are corrected and remain in perfect synchronisation all the way to the loudspeakers.

This gives a huge jump in performance, ensures

that dialogue remains clear, enhances spatial resolution (the way we perceive the width and depth of the audio sound stage) and therefore, how immersive the experience is.

Our zone controllers also support 12 input sources and lip sync adjustable from 0-80ms in 1ms steps, along with digital volume offset of -6 to +6dB giving AVR levels of functionality in a compact 1U, half rack width box. This means you have perfect audio and video sync along with less volume variation between the sources.

Our zone controllers have IP control support for all of the major control companies including Crestron (and Crestron Home), Control4, Savant, RTI, and Elan.

Now that we have improved the audio signal quality, we can look at what type of speaker system will be most appropriate. When looking at where most TVs are installed, they are in living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens. These are not typically great acoustic environments for surround sound systems.

These spaces place large compromises on speaker placement, have sub optimal reverberation times and place aesthetics as the number one priority.

It is in these areas that we have seen huge growth in discreet 1.0, 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 systems. From a simple DSP320.2 below the screen in L+R mode (which means a single

speaker can play both channels of audio) to a pair of flagship speakers like our DSP750 loudspeakers partnered with a pair of DSW600 in-wall subs.

Like many makers we have tried to offer real world solutions and so all of our architectural loudspeakers, from the DSP320.2, 520.2, 640.2, 730, and 750 have the L+R feature with Centre Elevation, making them the perfect one speaker system under a TV. Our unique Centre Elevation technology places the acoustic centre of the speaker in the middle of the screen, perfectly synchronising the audio and video together.

Not only will these solutions give an incredibly involving, immersive, and enjoyable experience to your clients, they will also be discreet and blend in with the room and also require significantly less installation time, compared to a surround system.

The 218 zone controller can be simply installed in the rack or on the TV VESA bracket, no need for a bulky AVR or indeed an additional HDMI link in the chain. With our Works with Sonos integration, you can also give the client seamless control via the Sonos app so they can enjoy an incredible music and movie experience with ease. All with minimal visual interruption in the living area and simple controllability.

Installing a top end TV without thinking about the audio is definitely missing a trick

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FEBRUARY 2021 23

ESSENTIAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE AND INTEGRATED TVS

TELEVISION – THE EVEREVOLVING MARKET Alastair Benn, MD of specialist TV pioneers Aquavision, delivers his thoughts on the ever changing face of the TV sector.

I know I am described as old by my children but in my mid 50’s I honestly don’t feel it. Going back to my early teenage years - a 21in TV the size and weight of a small house in the corner of the living room was normal and if you had 2 TV’s, well, you had made it!

So, in 40 years we have now gone from this to a TV, or viewing medium of some kind, in every available place we sit, stand, lie down or wait. On the bus, for the kids in the back of the car, in every room of the house - you name it, you can watch it there!

The advancement in screen resolution has been incredible. As with the emergence of better technology and expectations regarding what is acceptable are continually changing; 720p and everything below it is, (or certainly should be), dead and buried. We recommend screens up to 27in as 1080p (2K) and generally everything over 28in we try to specify as 4K. Following the unprecedented events of the past year, life has certainly changed for the majority of people. Despite the lockdown, the incredibly devastating loss of life, and the ongoing Long COVID symptoms experienced by many, our lives in our confined ‘bubbles’ have also changed beyond what could ever have been imagined only a year ago. The medium of television and ‘connectivity’ in general is so important to many. Especially for those isolating alone, it can at times be the only contact with family, friends, and the outside world.

For those workers who are not in lockdown, when they get home, or when the home workers move from the home office to the living room,

24 FEBRUARY 2021

they are finding time to relax. We appreciate our homes and our gardens, with many of us deciding to focus on improving this as we can’t go on holiday or enjoy some of our old pastimes.

At Aquavision we have used this time to do research, customer sales training, and produce more in-depth datasheets. As a UK manufacturer, we have also began to streamline our manufacturing and administration systems, refine our tech support team and generally focus on working ‘smarter’ rather than ‘harder’.

We have installed new computers, new phone systems and changed our factory layout to accommodate the ever-increasing sizes of the televisions we manufacture, as well as installing new manufacturing and test facilities.

For Aquavision, we feel that this past year has helped our customer base to grow as people had time to look at their televisions, not the picture it’s displaying, but the television itself. The ‘black plastic box’ that has surrounded televisions since the ’80s; the grainy resolution and the lack of integration. You can make the plastic smaller, thinner, add some chrome to it, but it still sits there on the wall; a lovely place for dust and spiders to inhabit.

We have all had a chance to look at this and think of how much better it could be. Something that we have previously been too busy to notice, or if we did notice it, too busy to do anything about. We’ve done the same with our kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, and gardens, as we learn to appreciate our homes and our immediate surroundings more than we did previously.

More people now want their television to be a part of the room décor. Either flush-mount or hidden behind an elegant, framed mirror. A television that isn’t a television. A discrete feature lost in the décor, rather than a main feature on display at all times. Nevertheless, when it’s turned on, the quality has to be 100%. No compromises here! We have found that our customers want a quality product, fitted professionally that looks fantastic. They are looking for UK-built products and are more focused on buying locally and supporting British Manufacturing.

Aquavision has been building televisions flush and hiding them behind mirrors for nearly 25 years, and more recently a few other companies have entered this market. Slowly the big boys have realised this, and they are now realising that the plastic box needs to be replaced. We have seen ‘see-through’ televisions that mount on the wall, transparent televisions for shop windows, and numerous brackets that cleverly hide the plastic boxes with complex motors that completely remove the offending article until it is next required.

As our viewing habits continue to change, so will our need for great products. User friendly, simple to operate systems that help us enjoy watching our chosen medium where we want it, when we want it and without it dominating the environment we live in. As this demand increases, so will the need for CI industry professionals and the numerous manufacturers supporting them. So stay safe, stay well, and keep up the good work!

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ESSENTIAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE AND INTEGRATED TVS

The bathroom has always been a sanctuary of relaxation, how far can TV become part of that story?

EVOLVING CONSUMER VIEWING HABITS Will Uttley, Managing Director at integrated TV specialist ProofVision, takes a look at the development of the specialist TV market and in particular how changing viewing habits are shaping the sector.

It is safe to say that COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on the way we live, work and shop. However, another consequence is that we have more free time and are spending more of that free time at home.

The BBC recently reported, “Lockdown measures enforced due to the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a surge in TV watching and online streaming, according to media watchdog Ofcom.

26 FEBRUARY 2021

Its annual study into UK media habits suggested adults - many stuck indoors - spent on average 40% of their waking hours in front of a screen.

“At the height of lockdown, adults spent an average of six hours and 25 minutes each day staring at screens. Screen time overall was up almost a third (31%) on last year. Time spent on subscription streaming services also doubled during April 2020.

“People watched streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, for one hour 11 minutes per day, and 12 million people joined a service they hadn’t used previously. Three million of these viewers had never subscribed to any service before.”

With this surge in TV viewing and the constant battle for the remote control, people are keen to extend their home entertainment technology beyond the living room. Bathroom and outdoor TVs have always been considered the height of luxury.

As more consumers become aware of specially designed TVs that can operate safely in wet, hot and cold environments, they are keen to learn more.

Because of the increased screen time and the popularity of streaming services, we have witnessed a significant surge in Bathroom TV enquiries as it has become a place of sanctuary, a place to relax away from the hubbub of family life. Anecdotally, the population is taking more baths to preserve mental health and wellbeing.

The prospect of relaxing in a luxurious steaming bath has never been more appealing. How better to enhance this state of bliss, than to watch a favourite TV show on one of many streaming services.

The demand for 19in and 24in smart bathroom TVs is most notable, both from our usual AV install partners, as well as property developers wishing to add a touch of luxury to their high-end developments. These screen sizes are popular because they are affordable and can easily sit in the most compact of bathrooms.

The screen size also means that HD resolution is more than ample and there is less appetite to upgrade to 4K resolution at the moment.

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ESSENTIAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE AND INTEGRATED TVS Bathroom TVs are built to withstand water, steam and condensation, so they are naturally more expensive than living room TVs. This has been well understood by the AV installation community for some time, but we are now witnessing that consumers are more aware of the need to have a specially designed waterproof TV - that is safe to use in wet environments, without the fear of electric shocks or circuit board failures due to water damage. Also, as with all glass surfaces in bathrooms, it would be natural for the TVs screen to steam-up when running a hot bath, so there is a recognition that the TVs design needs to eliminate misting. Furthermore, mirrored bathroom TV have moved from being a novelty to gaining wider popularity as the TV discreetly disappears when turned off, giving the appearance of an elegant mirror, in keeping with any stylish bathroom dĂŠcor.

As for Outdoor TVs, during the spring and summer, we saw a steady demand from our commercial customers, with installations in pub gardens, stadiums, golf ranges and theme parks. As recent lockdowns have closed many of these venues, the demand has slowed but we are confident that there will be a surge in demand later in the year as the benefits of the vaccine are realised. Fortunately, we are seeing a continued demand for residential installations where consumers are preparing to enjoy their outdoor spaces with friends and families. Typical installations are on patios or hot tub and BBQ areas and tend to be wall mounted.

Currently, the preferred size for outdoor TVs is 55in, with 65in and 75in reserved for high-end installations. 4K resolution is the de facto standard desired for outdoor TV ranges, driven by the prevalence of 4K content streamed from Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Apple. As with Bathroom TVs, consumers recognise the need for a waterproof TV to withstand extreme weather conditions and bright sunlight. A living room TV normally produces a brightness of 500 cd/m2. In contrast, some outdoor TVs can typically output 15000 cd/m2 making them visible even in direct sunlight. Additionally, 4K Ultra HD and anti-glare technology will further enhance the viewing experience.

While we have all changed our schedules, habits and activities, the desire to watch favourite programmes on TV beyond the living room is driving demand for bathroom TVs and outdoor TVs. AV installers have an opportunity to leverage these new trends and engage with customers who are keen to explore new viewing experiences.

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FEBRUARY 2021 29

ESSENTIAL HIGH PERFORMANCE AND INTEGRATED TVS

When practically all the major phones and tablets already support Wi-Fi 6, why would you design for anything less?

TICKLE ON TVs Stuart Tickle, MD of AWE Europe, specialist distributor to the installation sector has plenty of skin in the game when it comes to TVs, so here presents his round up of the biggest TV news from the CES ‘virtual’ show.

Looking at my shortlist of exhibitors, I clicked on LG and was presented with options to watch various VOD, download releases or message contacts. The Virtual Booth link caught my eye and on clicking it, I was redirected to a micro-site.

The server buffering queue to get into the virtual booth built some anticipation to what I have to say was a very impressive, animated entrance – similar to the real booth – with options presented.

What followed was an excellent walk-through experience - think first person gameplay without the weapons. I found it interesting that the LG video presentations provided headline details of the 2021 product line-up, whereas the virtual booth was very much the future products showcase. At the live show, people are standing next to every product, so you can get immediate answers to many questions, whereas at the virtual event, you get headlines and then have to go and find out more information for yourself.

The future LG products at CES include a transparent OLED Smart Bed TV.

30 FEBRUARY 2021

The display pops out of the base that contains speakers. First, a low slim info display rises up to be fully transparent then a black background rises from behind to make it a normal TV. Another future LG product ‘on display’ was a Rail & Pivot TV, which slides out on a rail from hiding in landscape as a TV, then pivots to portrait depending upon the content. There are no details on if this is actually a planned product, but I suspect it is a CES 2021 show concept only.

A 48in bendable LG OLED TV is also a future concept for CES 2021 as far as I know, but like the Bed TV, is very saleable in my opinion. This would be used in a second room where it would be used as a TV (flat) and gaming monitor (curved). You just need to find somewhere to put that gaming rig.

On a more current note, the LG 2021 TV’s will feature massive improvements with OLED Evo being the next gen. Higher brightness, Alpha 9 Gen 4 processor with powerful AI up-scaling, object-based processing and genre/lighting condition settings were all announced CES. Next up for my visit to CES was Sony. There was no fancy virtual booth, but there were some great sizzle reel content and what struck me straight away is that this is more than a consumer electronics company. In their words, this is a company for creators, enthusiasts and citizens.

With very little marketing waffle, Sony got straight to the point. There were great videos capturing the Lens to Living Room concept, with a clear link between content creation (Studios/ Cameras) and their latest enabling tech (Micro LED/Drone) through to BRAVIA TVs. What other company does all that?

For the 2021 Sony TVs, XR relates to the brand-new powerful processor within called...

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ESSENTIAL HIGH PERFORMANCE AND INTEGRATED TVS XR. It cross-analyses multiple picture elements combined with focal points, recreating human perspective, making these the ‘World’s first TV with cognitive Intelligence’.

Humans focus on other people’s faces, eyes, and foreground. The human eye uses different resolutions to focus on different focus points, as does this processor. As TV screens get bigger, we need to focus on particular parts of an image more like real life. That makes sense to me.

But wait...now there is also Sony BRAVIA CORE, an exclusive streaming service to deliver the ultimate video and gaming experiences.

Leveraging Sony Pictures, it will deliver the best picture possible, ‘bringing together the finest of technology and entertainment.’

BRAVIA CORE is included on all XR TVs and provides ‘the best content the studio has to offer from new releases to classics.’ Lossless UHD quality via Pure Stream gives up to 80Mbps - as good as 4k UHD Blu-ray - and includes over 100 IMAX Enhanced titles.

There are five different XR ranges - 3 x LCD and 2 x OLED. The Z9J is 8K FALD, XR 8K upscaling, XR contrast booster, X-wide angle, X-Anti Reflection. The frame acts as speakers, so sound comes from an appropriate part with height tweeters on top!

The Sony A90J Master Series 4K OLED has ‘unprecedented brightness’ and is their ‘best ever OLED TV’. HDMI 2.1, 4K 120Hz, VRR, ALLM, XR TRILUMINOS Pro, XR OLED Contrast Pro, Netflix Calibrated, IMAX Enhanced, Dolby Vision and Atmos, Acoustic Audio Surface and more.

The other big Sony news is a move to Google TV – ‘a new entertainment experience designed to help you browse and discover what to watch.’

It brings together content from live, apps and your subscriptions, organising them just for you how kind!

Some other massive news breaking at CES from Sony is the launch of two brand-new Crystal LED solutions. Available via AWE for the residential CI and commercial display market, they use modular panels featuring direct view micro-LED technology.

The new Sony Crystal LED displays are equipped with the ‘X1 for Crystal LED’ highperformance image quality processor. It fully incorporates the LED control technology for Crystal LED and the signal processing technology that is praised in Sony’s BRAVIA TV series.

DAY TWO

TV had a decent dedicated filmed presentation segment on the Panasonic stand, presumably for the European audience, and the flagship JZ2000 TV sporting custom OLED panel was launched. It delivers a superior peak and average brightness, whilst the improved AI chipset analyses content and optimises image/sound. Audio is superb, providing ‘the ultimate 1-box OLED solution’.

What I realise here is that normally I would be drawing comparisons in performance, design and alike between all brands – which in the virtual world is simply not possible.

TV wise, the main Samsung tech step was in line with other LCD TV manufacturers, with the backlight being upgraded to a better mini-LED

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version. Samsung call their latest package of LCD and processing tech neo QLED. Essentially, this is far more LEDs in the backlight providing less blooming and better black gradient, alongside improved AI processing. Unfortunately, being a virtual show, it was impossible to compare with the newest mini-LED and OLED based screens launched elsewhere, but I am sure reviewers will be on the case.

MICRO LED - Already announced before the show, Samsung highlighted a new 110in Micro LED TV and showcased The Wall. Based upon the same micro-LED direct view technology, similar to Sony CLED and LG MAGNIT, the 110in is shipped as one unit, whereas The Wall is modular, so any size/shape is possible.

DAY THREE

Having done a day’s normal AWE work, similar to the in-person CES, I spent my last formal day at the show visiting the other exhibitors on my shortlist. It wasn’t the same in terms of casually browsing around key areas of interest, but just like the in-person show, there was some wheat amongst the chaff.

This is US only for now, but the Advanced Television Systems Committee says they are defining the future of TV with ATSC 3.0 next-gen broadcast standards. ATSC is an international non-profit developing voluntary standards for digital TV, representing the broadcast, broadcast equipment, motion picture, consumer electronics, computer, cable, satellite and semiconductor industries.

NEXTGEN TV (sometimes called ATSC 3.0) is the third generation of digital TV technology and a giant technological step forward for TV viewers. When combined with an Internet connection, NEXTGEN TV can merge broadcast TV with content from broadband sources. Look for the NEXTGEN TV logo marketed with television sets made by LG, Sony and Samsung.

Example benefits include watching broadcast TV, listening to a different audio track (e.g., home and away sports commentary options), combined with social channels/data/driver tracker.

It’s very much like what people are doing now via TV + mobile + tablet but built into the TV. I can see this driving bigger TV screens even further to enable sufficient viewing space for all the windows.

Products are needed, but they say getting content creators excited is important.

Broadcasters need to get onboard and then manufacturers will follow.

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SMART THINKING

EXPERT Q&A: LIGHTING TRENDS SET TO SHINE IN 2021 Miguel Aguado, Marketing & Technology Manager, and Steve Detmer, Residential Product Manager, both at Lutron Electronics, offer insight into the lighting sector.

The purpose of the buildings around us has been completely changed. For many, the workplace and the home have now become one, and the role of the traditional workplace is set to rapidly evolve in the years to come. At Lutron, we believe that 2021 is sure to host some exciting opportunities for development, as the industry works to meet new demands and priorities.

What has the commercial lighting industry learnt in 2020?

Aguado: “The challenges of 2020 have taught us that the way we use our buildings can change rapidly. Offices, hotels and leisure facilities have been most affected by the constant shifting

of regulations and with this uncertainty set to continue, it is no longer possible, or wise, to prescribe a rigid lighting solution. In 2021, we can expect major investment in solutions that empower and support the ever-changing use of our buildings and a pull away from limiting, prescriptive systems that have been detrimental to building managers so far.”

Steve Detmer: “Within the commercial space, the past year has proven to many employers that a remote working model can be just as effective as an office-based one.

So, to warrant continued investment in an office space, facilities managers will need to ensure that their offices offer benefits that

employees can’t get from home. Enhancing collaboration, productivity and well-being will be the main objectives of workspace design in 2021.”

How can lighting technology help facilitate the return to the office in 2021?

Miguel: “The growing demand for this flexibility and adaptability can be met by the adoption of wireless technology. In the return to the office, many employers will be looking to employ temporary partitions or reconfigure space usage to meet social distancing guidelines.

Miguel Aguado

32 FEBRUARY 2021

Steve Detmer

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SMART THINKING

Wireless sensors and controls can be easily moved to facilitate these adaptations as they happen, taking minimal time to install and avoiding inconvenient and disruptive rewiring.

“These solutions also help to achieve a more ‘contactless’ occupant experience.

Using sensors instead of light switches avoids cross-contamination, giving employees peace of mind. Wireless systems can also further enhance user comfort and reduce risk through the application of personal controls, allowing occupants to modify their desk space or change the lighting in a room to optimise their environment for their current task.”

Steve: “Managers of communal spaces will continue to be under pressure to be Covidsafe and to future-proof for other, similar disruptions as we’ve seen this year. Swapping hot-transmission spots, such as traditional light

What trends and challenges do you expect to see in the residential sector next year?

Steve: “2020 has re-defined our expectations of our homes and of technology, and these new parameters will set the tone for the new year. In the residential sector, investment in lighting has already seen a boom that we expect to continue into 2021. The demand for smart home technology will continue to rise, especially as the office and the home converge. The benefits of smart lighting, such as energy savings, improved aesthetic and enhanced comfort will be the main consumer demands of lighting suppliers. With demand comes innovation. Therefore, in 2021, we can expect LED performance to take great strides as the industry learns more and prices come down, creating more accessible and widely adopted smart-home options. For residential

customers, user experience will be a key driver of demand for lighting design and solutions in 2021.”

Miguel:

“Whilst

these

considerations

and investments in occupant wellbeing are commonplace in commercial spaces, the home office does not benefit from the same attention.

Many may feel more comfortable working at home, but with no guidelines on lighting levels, air quality or posture support in the home, how can employee output and experience be optimised?

With

widespread,

long-term

adoption

of

hybrid working expected a renewed focus on optimising the home office will be needed by both employees and employers alike, in order to support productivity and employee wellbeing.”

switches for ‘contactless’ solutions, will be a priority for office managers as employees return to the workplace. Colour-tuning is an exciting lighting trend that is yet to see wide adoption in the office setting. This is a great solution to enhance well-being and productivity by giving occupants the ability to tune light – both natural and artificial – to suit their individual needs. Going forward, we can expect to see application of personalised colour-tuning in a bid to enhance occupant well-being and offer an enhanced experience that employees cannot get from the home-office.”

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FEBRUARY 2021 35

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ESSENTIAL CEDIA

HDMI 2.1 – LOOKING TO MEET THE INCREASED VIDEO DEMANDS OF CONSUMERS Angus Murray of CEDIA Member of Excellence, New Wave AV looks at the detail of HDMI 2.1 and its impact on the industry.

One of the few constants in our industry has been the seemingly continual increase in video resolution and the associated bandwidth required to achieve those resolutions. The HDMI 2.1 specification covers the latest updated requirements and the changes it incorporates will have a significant impact on the CEDIA channel.

The biggest headline is that HDMI 2.1 lifts the data rate ceiling from 18Gbps to 48GBps. This increased bandwidth allows a whole range of new capabilities that go beyond just an increase in resolution

VIDEO FORMATS

HDMI 2.1 increased bandwidth allows for a number of premium video attributes including UHD resolution, high frame rate, Colourspace, Bit Depth and Dynamic HDR. Example supported formats can be found in the CEDIA HDMI 2.1 white paper and on the HDMI.org website.

COMPRESSION

Even 48GBps is not enough for many of the Ultra-High Pixel Rate Formats. HDMI 2.1 introduces visually lossless compression for such requirements. Supported systems will automatically implement compression as needed, with uncompressed transmissions taking priority if the established link can support it.

GAMING

Gaming continues to be at the forefront of advanced high-bandwidth video. HDMI 2.1 allows for a number of new technologies including

38 FEBRUARY 2021

Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto LowLatency Mode (ALLM) to improve the gaming experience. VRR allows the console for example to set a range of 30-120fps and vary this rate as required by the consoles GPU thus ensuring smooth fast motion without stuttering or frame tear. ALLM automatically triggers a compatible display to implement the optimal setting to reduce the video processing time, commonly known as input lag. This difference is typically milliseconds but in gaming this truly counts!

AUDIO AND EARC

It will come as no surprise to most readers of this article that when you Google HDMI ARC one of the top results is ‘HDMI ARC not working’.

The concept is great, however, in practice, ARC has some severe limitations including limited bandwidth (restricting what audio can be supported), reliance on CEC (which can create lots of issues with unwanted actions conflicting with a dedicated control system), and limited length (typically no more than 8m).

The introduction of Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) resolves these limitations. It utilises the never properly implemented HDMI Ethernet Channel allowing for much higher bandwidth (allowing for support of lossless and object based audio formats), error correction for longer cable lengths and it doesn’t use CEC.

CONNECTIVITY

HDMI 2.1 introduces a new Ultra High Speed HDMI cable specification to support 48GBps. Certified cables will have been subject to more stringent testing and the packaging will feature

an anti-counterfeit hologram as well as a QR code and serial number to assist in verification.

Ultra High Speed cables are expected to only be 2-3m in length, depending on the manufacturer. Where using longer active cables it is best to assume external power is required.

LINK TRAINING

HDMI 2.1 includes a protocol whereby devices work together to test the maximum capacity of the link between them. This automatic process will drop the speed of the connection (and therefore the video performance) to establish an operable speed.

WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN FOR THE CEDIA INTEGRATOR

Integrators need to check and then double check that all devices that sit in the signal path can pass the bandwidth, formats and features that are required.

The use case for direct connection of sources is increasing, particularly with the latest generation of gaming consoles. The use of eARC may assist where AVRs do not support VRR. To ensure the most dependable upgrade path run two strands of at least OM3 fibre between sources and displays. Where access allows, installing conduit means that whatever cables come in the future can be pulled through.

Link training should increase system reliability by reducing bandwidth related faults but is not a replacement for suitable design and testing.

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ESSENTIAL BRACKETS, RACKING, SUPPORT AND FURNITURE

SUPPORT IS CRUCIAL TO DESIGN James Attfield, co-founder of Turnstone AV, exclusive importer and distributor of Vogel’s AV mounting solutions for the UK market since 2013, takes look at how the support sector has evolved in recent times.

It is perhaps accurate to say that the product support sector does not evolve as fast as others, with cutting edge new products transforming the market every few years. However, this does not mean that it does not evolve at all, the most obvious developments in the AV support area right now tend to revolve around wall mounting XL TVs; the proliferation and growth of OLED TV and colour plus design in the sector.

A major development in the home sector in recent years has been super-sized TVs to challenging the place of projectors in mid-size spaces. However, for those installing a TV up to 100in, you of course need the correct wall mount and do not want to take any chances with safety - but aesthetics are important as well. Its often important to think about support of the articulating kind to enable access, especially when placed in a recess (which more and more is becoming the case as users want to have a TV free space when not viewing, only bringing the set into play when it’s time to watch). Now also consider some of these panels can be 60kg plus so you have to have the confidence to site these items securely. At this point, consider what bold statements the manufacturer is making about their product such as a lifetime guarantee (expect no less for your product) and that you select a reputable brand with the credentials required to deliver the same level of performance that the AV equipment is performing at. Also, don’t be misled when it comes to flat to wall products, make the same judgements selecting a product on quality, ease

of installation and reputation and don’t forget that lifetime guarantee!

OLED

One success story of recent times for the TV sector has been the quality of image produced

by OLED tech. Who hasn’t been impressed with the warm lifelike images produced by this technology? Its been a while coming in terms of getting the right pricing and the right screen sizes, but we are well into the ‘age of OLED’ at this point.

However, a strong level of care is needed when mounting an OLED TV, the design is different to previous technologies and due to the fragility of the panel and the low mounting design (in many cases) you will need a mount specifically designed for this purpose. Consider the weight distribution, the design and the ease of movement when articulating; these are factors that some manufacturers do think about in their products and some don’t. A key consideration is that you cannot risk applying too much pressure on the panel when moving the mount, so a fingertip movement is a minimum requirement for this category, as is design and aesthetics, including what is seen from behind the TV as well as from the side or the front. No point in having a beautiful TV and mounting it ugly!

Colour and design too become factors when selecting articulating wall mounts. Products that achieve a flatter position to the wall suggest a greater emphasis on interior design. Certainly, when selecting an articulating bracket, you

TVs have been growing and growing in size and visual impact, they need high-quality mounting options to match

can’t ignore the use of quality materials that create precision and flexibility with post levelling adjustments. How many times have I seen a rattling wall mount with a Meccano like finish in a residential environment which I do not believe is the best experience for the end user. As the industry becomes better as making sure the aesthetics of each project match the performance of the equipment, the right mounting solutions are a key driver here, keeping customers and interiors professionals too, happier and more welcoming of the services that can be delivered by a skilled installer working with high-quality products.

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ESSENTIAL BRACKETS, RACKING, SUPPORT AND FURNITURE

THE SHOW MUST GO ON! David Fell, new business development manager at Pulse Cinemas, muses on a possible renaissance for ‘two-channel’ support systems within the install sector.

Whilst I would hope that specification of AV stands and equipment racking would be second nature to so many dealers within our industry.

Unfortunately, (and certainly from my personal experience over the last 20 years), this is not always the case.

Whilst I fully understand that not every room interior suits an in room Hi-Fi or AV stand, and whilst not every project will require a dedicated AV room with 19in racking; we must still work closely with our clients to ensure that the benefits of these solutions are clearly conveyed, discussed and advised. As I am sure many of you will agree - we wouldn’t buy an expensive supercar and then keep it out on the street, exposed to the elements and other associated risks. We look to keep them safe in garages, carefully looked after and maintained with care; protected and secured.

Whether it is to ensure that we can easily maintain the correct presentation and management of cabling and interconnects, or that cabling is managed so it does not suffer from strain issues or pressure (due to inappropriate turn radiuses and pressure over time), positive practical benefits abound when it comes to well built and arranged support.

This of course also includes ensuring that we are keeping our clients expensive equipment maintained in such a way that the components will perform with optimal longevity and not be subjected to excessive heat build-up, dust ingress or accidental damage.

For me, the use of appropriate well designed modular Hi-Fi stands or AV racks has always been of huge importance for every project and, whilst I’m sure not every interior designer in the world may agree, many of the solutions in the market can actually look very impressive if they are carefully selected and implemented.

Purpose built and functional solutions also have the potential to create show pieces for both our client’s investment and the premium solutions - is what we should all be striving to provide.

Products are definitely getting better looking, so why not think about keeping them on show?

ON SHOW!

So, as we in the industry can agree on most of the above, is the wider world catching up a little? well we think so. We all know about the huge role that 19in racks holding and protecting much of our equipment hidden away has played in our industry. It is still of course the right approach for many systems and clients often mostly for practical, but often aesthetic reasons too.

However we can’t be the only company to have noticed a shift in the market as there seems to be a definite trend for having equipment ‘on show’.

In truth this never completely went away, with Hi-Fi fans for aesthetic, cultural and practical reasons preferring to keep their equipment on show with high-quality support systems.

This phenomenon has also been driven by the continued popularity of turntables, again we are back to our car analogy, you wouldn’t buy a sports car and run it on cheap low quality tyers - same goes for a turntable, it needs a good strong support to perform well. This trend for wanting equipment on show is beginning to take a hold in the wider consumer world as well as AV and Hi-Fi equipment (dare we say

it) is becoming ‘cool’ again. It has also helped that many manufacturers have made their products better looking and more suitable for being on show in main living areas. Take the most recent releases from Anthem for example, with the all-new MRX 540, 740 and 1140 AV receivers and AVM 70 and 90 AV processors. high performance products without a doubt, but they also look great, so why wouldn’t the customer want them on show? As hinted at by mentioning Anthem, on show support systems do not just apply to music only systems, they can work just as well for mixed AV and home cinema too. For our part Pulse Cinema’s go to brand in this type of on show approach is Blue Horizon, a pro level support system that offers three levels of performance in a flexible, upgradable and configurable structure, that not just improves a system’s performance, but looks great also. So when considering how to support products, considering keeping them on show, there are definitely practical advantages, but also aesthetic ones too with the right customer.

Turntables continue to be popular, but they need proper support!

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ESSENTIAL BRACKETS, RACKING, SUPPORT AND FURNITURE

CONTINUED SUPPORT Joe Haddad, Marketing & Engagement Officer at support specialist Penn Elcom, answers some pertinent questions on the present and future of the support sector.

What about logistics and delivery, has the industry got better at that?

With such an increased demand due to COVID taking its toll on logistics, in order to prevent overburdening freight companies / couriers in the delivery chain, we now try and utilise our own delivery platform where possible.

The industry as a whole is reacting well we think and customers are still receiving a great service in the vast majority of orders.

Do you have any top tips for really successful rack building and population?

Will more smart homes, mean more racks?

Have you seen demand for 19in racks alter at all over lockdown or due to installers taking a more ‘spread out’ approach to equipment mounting?

It’s certainly been volatile which is natural for such an event, we have noticed customers in the residential marketplace looking for smaller solutions that can be hidden. However, the commercial market doesn’t seem to have changed, potentially due to smaller homes now having AV solutions installed.

I have also noticed that some installers are crossing over from AV to home security and vice versa - it looks like companies are employing a more flexible approach to capture new business.

Has the sort of product housed in racks changed at all in recent times or does it remain pretty constant?

Well, the products in the residential sector are definitely getting smaller; modern amp / AVR technology is allowing manufacturers to utilise

smaller chassis to house their components. As a result of this, the racks that are being used are also reducing in size.

Is the main demand still for full sized 19in racks or are smaller towers seeing growth too?

It’s a real mix depending on the sector, we have small home AV utilising the small wall mount racks and the larger home AV still using the floor standing racks.

How has ease of assembly improved in recent times, have we seen progress?

Certainly we have delivered a strong focus on ensuring our premium rack ranges are all pre-built allowing the installers to install the equipment quickly without having to assemble the racks. As rack technology improves, integrators will be required to do less work which we think is ideal. Yet like others we do offer a flat pack option on all of our racks to assist with ease of access.

Personally, I always say cable management is the best thing to focus on when building a rack.

Good cable management saves hours in the future when maintenance is required and also stops any cross interference between power and signal.

What about cooling and offering added features such inbuilt power surge protection, how have these developed recently?

We have paid special attention to our rack cooling range, sourcing truly excellent quality fans.

Their decibel measurements are amongst the very quietest you can get and the design and features make optimal cooling and control a ‘breeze’.

How do you see the sector altering in the future in terms of products development and demand?

I think the market will expand as product prices are driven down and technology moves forward, I also think we will see more homes with home automation / AV going forward too as adoption increases.

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ESSENTIAL BRACKETS, RACKING, SUPPORT AND FURNITURE

YOUR CUSTOMERS NEED SUPPORT Experienced AV journalist and marketer Dan George, argues the case for traditional support products.

It’s been nearly 30 years since Her Majesty’s famous ‘Annus Horribilis’ quip, used to describe the preceding 12 months, “1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure.” An even stronger understatement might reasonably be expected for 2020.

Last year, the AV industry was hit with everything from supply chain issues, to lockdowns forcing the High Street to close not once, but three times. Nightmare. Paradoxically, reports of ‘best-ever’ years from some quarters began to emerge. Confused? Enter the newly established ‘home economy’.

Despite the devastation COVID-19 has caused in many industries, supplying AV equipment and services to largely home-based enthusiasts has been, to some extent, insulated from the spending freeze. Some folk, lucky enough not to have had their incomes squeezed by Covid, have been accumulating cash which might ordinarily have been spent on holidays, restaurants and cinema trips. Remember those? – they were popular in the

last decade. Some of that cash, is being invested in better home entertainment systems.

HOME ECONOMY BENEFACTORS

CI continues to be a benefactor, along with home cinema, thanks to an increase in direct-to-streaming releases from Hollywood following widespread cinemas closures. Home audio, too, including separates, has also enjoyed an uplift as consumers’ understanding of premium audio has advanced, helped by the booming headphone market and the proliferation of music streaming services with their quality-defined offerings. In fact, official BPI figures show that recorded music consumption in the UK rose by 8.2 % in 2020, with 155 million albums or their equivalent either streamed or purchased by fans.

Premium or high-performance audio is enjoying a renaissance, driven by lockdowns and nourished by a new working-from-home culture. Neatly

juxtaposed with the growth of music streaming is a growth in vinyl (LP) sales, which jumped by over a tenth (11.5 %) to almost 5 million (4.8 m) copies purchased in 2020, a 13th year of consecutive growth. And as music consumption grows, so does demand for the playback hardware.

‘BEST-EVER’ YEAR IN PREMIUM AUDIO

One legendary audio company enjoying growth is New York’s McIntosh Group. Despite a recently released CI range and a return to automotive audio with Jeep, the company is arguably best known for its handmade valve and solid state amplifiers, although streamers and turntables have certainly played their part in last year’s sales. In fact, the company enjoyed a record-breaking 12 months in 2020, despite the factory having to temporarily close due to lockdowns and plenty of former years to have set records, having been established since 1949.

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FEBRUARY 2021 49

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ESSENTIAL BRACKETS, RACKING, SUPPORT AND FURNITURE At this level, however, and McIntosh is a case in point, the hardware is seductive, beautiful and often mesmerising; consumers want it on display, not in a discreet, 19in rack-mount installation. Turntables, with their obvious need for space, access and a solid foundation are, in many cases, the centrepiece of today’s systems.

Having invested in audio equipment built to last for decades and not just years, discerning music lovers of all backgrounds, not just audiophiles, want a commensurate support to, err, support their systems.

WHY THE RACK IS BACK

Recent trends in AV racks have seen a plethora of high-mass wood, (thankfully) displacing glassshelved monstrosities. But, fashions change and the Oak Furniture Land look is making way for a more elegant, stylish and considered solution.

What we might all once mistakenly considered merely ‘a rack’, is now more ‘equipment support’ than ever before.

Sensitive turntables, delicate microphonic Hi-Fi components and even bodyweightchallenging power amplifiers all benefit from proper, vibration-supressing support and Italian specialist Bassocontinuo (distributed in the UK and Ireland by Fine Sounds UK) is one company that takes support more seriously than Playtex, backing up its products with independent lab testing.

Founded in a small laboratory in Bergamo, Italy, in 2008 the company (already) exports to over 40 countries around the world and has two core principles: following a scientific approach to the problem of vibration and a design-oriented ethos: each rack must be aesthetically pleasing.

THE CEO SPEAKS

CEO Lorenzo Belloli points out, “I’d like to highlight a concept: a rack, if correctly designed, should neither add or take anything away from a system’s sound; a well-made rack has to absorb negative vibrations as much as possible. That’s it. In other words, it is a technical instrument.

“If a rack is not correctly designed, instead of reducing vibrations, it will amplify them dramatically. This is why we have a prominent tab on our website entitled, ‘Why I need a rack’. Here, we have explained this important concept with measurements and diagrams. After our technical

analysis, in cooperation with University consultant engineers, it was really an incredible surprise to see how damaging a bad rack could be.”

Seasoned engineer and AV industry veteran Alan Ainslie, owner of ADMM, distributor of Melco Audio’s Japanese-engineered digital music libraries agrees: “All electronics are microphonic to some extent and some interface processes are very microphonic indeed – reading optical drives and magnetic HDDs, for example.

“The design of any high-quality audio component will include the minimisation and control of any internal vibration, but this usually involves the expectation by the manufacturer that the unit (unless portable) will be supported by a rigid platform or some other well-designed way to dissipate any internal vibrational energy.”

So, we know our turntables, optical disc players, digital music/video libraries and just about anything to do with audio replay will benefit from a properly designed, vibrationsupressing equipment support. But, what does the science say?

LAB-TESTING FOR PROVEN RESULTS

Bassocontinuo’s comprehensive handmade portfolio of Hi-Fi and AV supports, which comprises five lines: Classic 2.1; Reference; Revolution; Zen and the Ultimate Line, combine the latest CNC machining with handcraftedin-Italy luxury and are all (uniquely) backed by independent laboratory testing. Even the company’s UltraFeet isolation feet are covered.

Bassocontinuo works closely with independent laboratory Vicoter, the Italian vibration-control consultant, in collaboration with the prestigious University Politecnico in Milan, to conduct accelerometer-based lab testing, the results of which are published for all to see on the company’s website: bassocontinuo.biz Its use of materials with a high technology content, such as Valchromat, Delrin and Fenix NTA, combined with a series of technical features, including mass damping and ‘floating’ shelves, set a strong benchmark and the (independent) tests clearly show that, compared with a standard rack, damaging vibration is dramatically reduced using the company’s supports.

SAVILE ROW

With the ‘science part’ in the bag and available for anyone who wants it, the fun of looking at colours, materials and bespoke options begins.

Standard materials include steel and wood, but span up to and including carbon fibre and proprietary composites. The company’s bespoke service offers next-level design and personal tailoring. Big spenders can, for example, match individual shelves to their Sonus faber speaker’s finish, a process which is painstakingly done by hand (and eye) at Bassocontinuo’s Bergamot factory.

Dealers can not only offer their customers a scientifically proven equipment support to get the most from their equipment, they can also offer tailor-made solutions to complement a range of hardware, home décor and personal preference. Andy Oattes, Sales Director at Fine Sounds UK, says, “The competitive landscape of stands is filled with wooden racks and those with glass shelves. Bassocontinuo offers something genuinely different and individual; there is a massive range of options and finishes available, with a very high degree of bespoke customisation available and immaculate fit and finish.

“We see the Hi-Fi and home theatre markets growing rapidly. Some customers are in the market for beautiful, high-performance supports that are a pleasure to behold; Bassocontinuo aims to help those customers maximise their investment.”

The final wisdom, however, belongs to Bassocontinuo CEO Lorenzo Belloli, “Sometimes I see around the world crazyexpensive turntables or multi-chassis CD players placed on living room furniture. It is like driving a Lamborghini at 30 km/h, just because you saved some money on tyres.”

More customers want kit on show

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It’s official...

Lyngdorf makes the world’s best surround processors “The Lyngdorf MP-50 processor and SDA-2400 amplifiers are now in a class of their own.” Widescreen Review “The Lyngdorf MP-60 delivers the best performance I’ve heard from any processor to date and I’ve heard them all.” AVForum “After living with the MP-60 for quite some time, I’ve come to the conclusion is the best processor money can buy.” Home Cinema Choice “With RoomPerfectTM, the MP-60 produces the best sound quality heard for the lowest cost so far. You get SOTA surround sound performance for much lower cost than with other top tier contenders.” Widescreen Review “I can categorically state that I have never heard such pristine home cinema audio outside the mixing suites at Skywalker Sound.” Home Theatre Forum “In my opinion the MP-60 exists in a class of its own with performance that is best described as perfect.” AVForum

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CASE STUDY: BROWNHEN SOLUTIONS

BOXING CLEVER WITH MERIDIAN

A Meridian Cinema that delivers high performance audio on a modest budget, was delivered for this unloved box-room.

With the support of Meridian Audio, BrownHen Solutions has transformed a small unused box room in a family home into an incredibly powerful cinema room, used to enjoy movies, music concerts, sporting events and TV. A husband and wife duo had purchased the 5-bedroom property near Glastonbury. At one end of the house is an average sized 4.3m x 3.7m room, in which the previous owners had installed a pull down screen, speakers in the corner, with beanbags and had used it as a home cinema.

54 FEBRUARY 2021

The new owners liked the idea of having a cinema space, as they regularly invite people over to watch films and sporting events, but they wanted a more advanced set-up. They immediately knew that they wanted the space to allow for 10 people, but weren’t sure of any other aspects or what could be achieved.

With this in mind, they approached BrownHen Solutions to present ideas on how this unused room could be transformed into a 10-seater cinema room.

BrownHen Solutions invited the client to visit their demo facility to discuss the brief,

explore what was possible and experience various options. The integrator presented a proposal with three different price points.

During the meeting, the team demonstrated various speakers, lighting, blinds, acoustic panels and control.

Having explained that the audio is one of the most important elements in creating an immersive home cinema experience, the client selected Meridian DSP speakers as they recognised their strong sound quality.

With Meridian surround sound selected, other aspects of the cinema room were proposed.

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CASE STUDY: BROWNHEN SOLUTIONS

With the challenge of fitting 10 seats into a room of this size, BrownHen Solutions worked on several iterations of design and utilised the Meridian Design and Specification Service to finalise the concept. Detailed CAD drawings were produced by the integrator to enable the carpenters to construct the seating platform, false front wall and the coffer ceiling prior to first fix and subsequent install stages by BrownHen Solutions.

Work began in June 2019, with the aim of completion in time for the 2019 World Cup Rugby finals.

The size of the room also presented BrownHen Solutions with a challenge for acoustic treatment as they were not able to reduce the size of the room any further with bulky treatments. However, the client appreciated the importance of good acoustic treatment and after much deliberation and advice, the integrator came up with a solution that was approved.

Sound insulation was installed in the front wall and within the seating platform to increase acoustic mass. Having used the Meridian Design

and Specification Service, BrownHen Solutions recognised Complete Acoustic Treatment System as a good acoustic option for the ceiling and a mix of diffusion and absorption panels were covered by stretched fabric. For the side walls, rather than hiding the acoustic treatment, the integrator chose to make it a part of the aesthetic design statement and used Artnovion to create a striking yet functional interior. An automated blackout blind was added to the window, which also provided slight absorption.

With the client wanting artwork on the back wall to give the impression of a larger room with more seating, no insulation could be added to the rear of the room. Acoustic measurements were taken at each step of the way to ensure the right RT measurements were being hit.

“The Meridian Design and Specification Service provided us with ideas for what treatment we needed and ultimately, helped shape our decisions,” comments Jools Browning, BrownHen Solutions. “We found it incredibly useful on this project as the acoustics were vital in ensuring we would provide a great sounding space within this small room.”

Clever use of space made this cinema possible

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FEBRUARY 2021 55

CASE STUDY: BROWNHEN SOLUTIONS

THE ROOM SET UP

The room features a 5.1 audio solution, which includes three Meridian DSP520 inwall loudspeakers for the LCR channels. The DSP520 in-wall loudspeakers inherits the latest technologies from Meridian’s.

Meridian’s floorstanding loudspeakers include Enhanced Bass Alignment and Centre Elevation, providing lifelike and spacious sound.

These powerful, full range in-wall solutions require only a 100mm mounting depth and produce wide sound dispersion over the listening area. Enough space was left around these speakers in case the client decides to upgrade to the Meridian DSP640.2.

Third-party rear and subwoofer channels were installed, with the design offering the ability to update these to the Meridian DSP speakers in the future. BrownHen Solutions utilise the DSP capabilities of the Meridian Room Correction and Centre Elevation to enhance the audio performance even further and provide a precise listening experience.

“We used Meridian Room Correction to calibrate the room — making a good space sound great,” added Jools. “Before doing so, the client had come in for a demo. Once we had calibrated it, they came back in and after playing them a clip, they asked us what we had done to the room, and expressed that it sounds like

a completely different system — there was a massive improvement in the subtleties and level of immersion.

“The Centre Elevation feature in the speakers also proved beneficial in this project.

Due to the distance between the seats and screen, it was not possible to have a centre speaker behind an acoustically transparent screen. With Meridian’s Centre Elevation feature, we could place the speaker below the screen and have its sound image match perfectly with the on-screen action, creating an immersive movie experience.”

A Meridian UHD722 HDMI Processor and G65 Surround Controller are also part of the solution. The UHD722 HDMI Processor links all HDMI sources with the Meridian systems in the space. It can coordinate up to seven sources and has the capacity to split the HDMI DataStream from a selected source into separate audio and video signals, giving the homeowner the option to choose for a video signal to be sent to one or two display devices, whilst the audio is directed out of the unit itself. The G65 Surround Controller integrates Meridian Room Correction, High Resolution Up-sampling and other technologies that Meridian is famous for, to ensure high-quality performance for movies and music alike.

The room is now the most popular in the house

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CASE STUDY: BROWNHEN SOLUTIONS

“In my view, the choice of Meridian massively contributes to the quality and immersive experience,” continues Jools. “The project demonstrates that you can achieve great things with Meridian, even with a relatively modest budget.”

The Meridian system is complemented by a Sony VPL-HW270ES 4K projector and a Projecta HD Progressive 0.9 4K screen.

Control4 was selected as the control solution for this project. Four lighting circuits were installed with light fittings from Orluna and Collingwood.

The RGB strips that are hidden behind the seats were used to good effect during the Rugby World Cup where the team’s country colours illuminated the room before their various matches. Ten Premium Opus Glide seats from Ferco fit nicely into the room and allow all users to sit back and enjoy the cinematic experience, without any significant compromise to viewing angles and listening positions.

Once the room was completed, the client commented, “Wow! Our new cinema room is utterly fabulous. I must confess, I was wary of the idea of squeezing a proper cinema concept into a relatively small space. I thought the visuals could be overwhelming and the acoustics virtually impossible. The design you adopted, and the equipment specified is sheer genius. The experience is totally immersive, and I love the fact that we can hear the subtleties of

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speech, as well as the jaw-dropping, throughbody bass when needed.

“One of the big surprises for me is how much music we are listening to — the Hi-Fi reproduction is superb. I thought the room was going to be an over-the-top luxury, used on relatively few ‘movie night’ occasions, but I am happy to say that you were right in your prediction that we would use it a lot more than expected. It’s our go-to for not just movies, but boxsets, music concerts and even regular scheduled TV. It is indeed a luxury, but rapidly becoming an everyday one! Many thanks for engineering — it is an absolutely fabulous bonus addition to our new home.”

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Essential Kit List Sony VPL-HW270ES 4K projector Projecta HD Progressive 0.9 4K screen 3 x Meridian DSP520s Meridian UHD722 HDMI Processor G65 Surround Controller Orluna light fittings Collingwood light fittings Ferco cinema seating

FEBRUARY 2021 57

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PRODUCTS

SPACE SAVING, BASS BOOSTING KEF KC62 KEF says it has developed three technologies that successfully prioritise design and sound in equal measure, that means deep and powerful bass is no longer solely the domain of big-shouldered, massive subwoofers.

Thanks to these innovative KEF technologies, the KEF KC62 Uni-Core ForceCancelling subwoofer has changed expectations of subwoofer design forever, claims the maker.

The compact design is a result of the patentpending, Uni-Core technology, which allows the product to not just be smaller but also deliver the benefits of force cancelation. Uni-Core combines the two through a single motor system with the voice coils concentrically arranged. This allows the cabinet size to be reduced by over a third whilst equalling or exceeding the driver excursion of a much larger subwoofer.

Other technologies included are P-Flex Surround, a patent-pending driver surround which resists the acoustic pressure inside the cabinet without limiting sensitivity in the same way traditional surround designs can do. The ‘pleated’ design has given rise to the approach being known as Origami Surround within KEF. Key here is that the design resists the internal air pressure without adding excessive mass, allowing the driver to move accurately with the audio signal with less distortion also.

Also present within the speaker is Smart Distortion Control Technology, another patentpending, sensorless, motional feedback system created to help correct even the slightest abnormalities that may occur. It does this by measuring the current in the voice coil and detecting and correcting any non-linear distortions, which delivers more accurate, less coloured bass performance. The new approach reduces the interaction between

signal, amplifier and driver, which decreases the potential for distortion, explains KEF. The KC62‘s performance is fine-tuned further by a bespoke selection of in-house designed DSP (Digital Signal Processing) algorithms in the form of KEF’s Music Integrity Engine.

KEF uk.kef.com

The twin drivers are powered by 1,000W RMS (2 x 500W) of specially designed Class D amplification

ISLANDS IN THE STREAM! The live experience comes home with L-Acoustics Creations

L-Acoustics Creations, a division of L-Acoustics, has announced the addition of home cinema systems to its Archipel Sound System range.

The range now includes surround sound versions for home cinema use – Fiji 5.1, Hawaii 5.1, and Tonga 7.1 systems have been launched alongside their original 2.1 incarnations.

From the Hollywood Bowl and Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles to famous nightclubs Omnia, Jewel, and Hakkasan in Las Vegas,

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L-Acoustics is often the go-to live sound system for sound engineers, live event venues and touring artists.

And now the same technology can be used to enjoy livestreamed performances at home, as the Archipel range uses the same speakers and sound technology that powers these venues and performances.

Launched in 2020, the Archipel range of sound systems by L-Acoustics Creations

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include a mix of desktop, lounge, media room, home cinema and indoor-outdoor set ups for entertaining, which carry the company’s live sonic signature and gives music and film fans ‘that front row feeling’, says the maker.

The range comprises: Fiji (2.1 and 5.1), Hawaii (2.1 and 5.1), Tahiti (2.1), Tonga (2.1 and 7.1) and Ibiza (2.0), as well as bespoke installations to address any space or use scenario.

“Consumer focus has shifted to the home, and to high end home audio as artists create a growing library of live streaming content,” says Guillaume Le Nost, Managing Director, Creative Technologies, L-Acoustics.

“Consequently, interest in the best home sound systems is surging and L-Acoustics Creations is uniquely placed to fulfil the desire to bring the concert home. We’ve put three decades of professional audio experience into creating packages that transform musical content into an experience that satisfies the most demanding music lover. In designing Archipel, we wanted a best-of-both-worlds marriage of pro audio and high-end sound.”

L-Acoustics Creations l-acoustics.com

FEBRUARY 2021 59

INTERACTIVE WEEK

22ND – 26TH MARCH 2021

ECN Interactive Week, the new online initiative brought to you by Electrical Contracting News.

To book your slot and for any further details please contact: Kelly Byne:

kelly@allthingsmedialtd.com ATM

+44 (0) 1634 673163 / +44 (0) 7738 622481

PRODUCTS

PANASONIC INTRODUCES FLAGSHIP OLED TV JZ2000 Panasonic has announced the launch of its flagship OLED TV for 2021, the JZ2000, available in 65in and 55in sizes.

Panasonic says its OLED TVs have always been the best choice for viewing films and highquality TV series, but this latest release also adds lots that will keep gamers happy too.

The JZ2000 features a new AI processor (HCX Pro AI) that identifies what kind of content is being viewed and then auto-optimises the picture and sound. The HCX Pro AI works by accurately detecting what kind of content is being viewed in real time, analysing the picture every second and comparing it to a varied library of content (over a million items) that it has learned, in this way the processor is able to automatically adjust both picture and sound quality to suit.

Audio has not been forgotten and the addition of side-firing speakers to Panasonic’s implementation of upward-firing speakers also delivers built-in ‘surround sound’, which enhances the experience of watching films, sport, or gaming. The audio package is known as 360° Soundscape Pro and can deliver Dolby Atmos experiences with a spatial sound-stage and powerful bass, says the maker.

Combined with Panasonic’s custom modified OLED panel, which offers better peak and

average brightness levels, this is ‘an outstanding one-box powerhouse’, says Panasonic.

The set adds to the gaming experience by delivering latency that rates among the very lowest figures in the industry for an OLED TV whilst in Game Mode Extreme.

As for the image performance, Panasonic claims that compared to normal OLED TVs, the

Master HDR OLED Professional Edition panel included here delivers higher peak and average brightness levels, resulting in increased dynamic range, making HDR content on other OLED TVs look dim by comparison.

Panasonic panasonic.com

The JZ2000 supports Dolby Vision IQ, Dolby Vision, Filmmaker Mode and HLG Photo

STORMAUDIO ADDS FIRMWARE 4.1 Unlocking DTS:X Pro on the ISP MK2 processor line introduced last year and adding ‘game-changing’ Expert Bass Management to all ISP generations, StormAudio has released its Firmware 4.1 update.

Once downloaded, the software will automatically unlock DTS:X Pro decoding up to 24 discrete channels including multiple side surround speakers for ISP MK2 machines.

This new update also brings to the whole ISP family a rewritten and optimised Expert Bass Management that enables the creation of different bass routes in a room. Owners of ISP Digital AES/EBU (MK1 and MK2), will also now be able to choose and assign the type of output for each individual channel.

DTS:X Pro is the extension of the DTS:X object oriented immersive audio decoder, offering full backward compatibility for any content mixed in DTS:X and extending the 11.1 channel capability of DTS:X to 32 channels.

StormAudio adds that the ability to go up to 32 channels on the same hardware will be available in the future.

For DTS:X Pro the DTS Neural:X up-mixer and remapping engine has been re-designed to take full advantage of the higher channel count, identifying the channels encoded in the bitstream and comparing it to the user selected

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speaker layout to intelligently up-mix to address all available speakers. This up-mixed content is then mixed with the rendered objects for immersive playback.

On top of the standard bass management and the automated bass management provided by the Dirac Live Bass Control Add-on already included in every ISP, the platform now includes ‘Expert Bass Management’. All the bass management algorithms were completely rewritten internally to enable greater flexibility enabling the creation

of up to six different bass routes with selectable bass extraction for each channel. These re-directed low frequencies can then be sent to any bass reproducer in the room, subwoofers, or large speakers. Some routes can be configured to reproduce only LFE and others LFE and re-directed low frequencies, offering complete control on these settings to the calibrator.

StormAudio stormaudio.com

The update also optimises eARC functionality on all MK2 and MK1 equipped with the HDMI 7+2 eARC board

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FEBRUARY 2021 61

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PRODUCTS

JOIN JBL AT THE BAR The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam, is the latest addition to the popular JBL Bar Series, delivering a spacious 3D surround sound experience with the first-ever combination of Virtual Dolby Atmos and JBL’s proprietary beamforming technology – MultiBeam. Built for simplicity, this compact all-in-one soundbar is designed to fit every living space, offering a strong and versatile listening experience for watching movies, streaming music and gaming.

Equipped with four passive radiators for deep and punchy bass, the Bar 5.0 produces clear, heightened and room filling JBL 3D Surround Sound, without the need for an additional subwoofer. Highlighted within the

Bar 5.0 is HARMAN’s MultiBeam technology that enables users to hear and feel surround sound without needing additional surround speakers, generating an immersive listening experience. In addition, Virtual Dolby Atmos allows the Bar 5.0 to reproduce the audio height dimensions from a movie or TV show, turning any living space into a 3D personal cinema, says the maker.

JBL says this all-in-one soundbar is designed for ease of use, easily integrating and working with all voice and music providers. Users can wirelessly stream music, via Multi-Room Music groups on Alexa devices, Apple Airplay 2 and Chromecast built-in as well as Bluetooth.

The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam is also compatible with all iOS and Android devices.

“Built with industrial elements that exhibit a sleek, modern look, the JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam is a welcome addition to anyone’s household,” says Dave Rogers, President, HARMAN Lifestyle Audio. “Alongside an upgraded compact design and added technological features, this soundbar rounds out the JBL Bar Series, bringing consumers an added layer of innovation and ease of use.”

JBL jblpro.com

The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam comes in Black and will be available from Spring 2021

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL! Distributor Habitech has announced a new deal to distribute Samsung’s ‘The Wall’ MicroLED screens to installers targeting residential and commercial spaces.

Habitech says it is delighted to be able this product with its micro-LED display technology to UK integrators working on projects that demand ultimate performance and exclusivity.

The Wall blends MicroLED light with AI optimisation in a modular format for high-quality HDR results capable of delivery large screen sizes. Its makers claim the concept is destined to change the display experience forever, ‘delivering either as the most astonishing cinema-scale TV screen or a state-of-the-art, always-on canvas for a décor-enhancing highresolution image gallery.

The Wall’s display comprises a lattice of MicroLED modules, which combine to create 16:9 screens with an 146in diagonal and a 292-in span (approx. 7.5m). Each module measures 806.4 x 453.6 mm (around 36in diagonally), having a display resolution of 960 x 540 pixels. This means that a 4 x 4 build generates the 146in display at 4K UHD and an 8 x 8 construction re-creates The Wall with the 292-in diagonal at 8K res. The screen also has the ability to render the meeting of adjacent modules undetectable even up close.

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The Wall is now on display as part of Habitech’s new demonstration suite at Basingstoke

Each MicroLED pixel is the product of a cluster of three tiny self-emissive RGB LEDs, allowing brightness and colour to be controlled precisely at the pixel level, or turned off entirely to create a ‘perfect’ black for maximum contrast and optimum colour. As a result, MicroLED tech generates a bright, contrast-rich display across wide viewing angles similar in many ways to organic OLED panels, but, argues the maker, with considerably improved brightness, greater power efficiency and longer life.

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The Wall’s ‘Black Seal’ technology and ‘Ultra Chroma’ colour technology are also included to ensure high-quality contrast and colour fidelity, while the ‘Quantum HDR’ tech applies advanced HDR picture refinement technologies to render optimum brightness and contrast.

Habitech habitech.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2021 63

PRODUCTS

BEAUTIFULLY PARTNERING THE IPAD, REDLINE AND VIVEROO Exclusively available in the UK from Redline, Viveroo offers a family of stylish, practical and ergonomic support and charge solutions for Apple iPads. The company’s latest introduction comes in the form of the Viveroo One, billed as a sleek iPad holder with charging and theft protection functionality.

All Viveroo products are made by hand in Germany to a premium level of finish and with intelligent and high-quality design, says the distributor. Suitable for commercial and domestic applications, Viveroo One fully encloses the iPad in a high-quality aluminium body milled from one block. Thanks to the thin frame design, the iPad seems to float on the wall offering not just a practical solution, but a good looking one too.

With the iPad Pro models, the thin frame means that the whole of this product’s larger screen remains visible when at rest or in use.

The Viveroo One is also equipped with antitheft screw cap mounting so commercial settings are fully protected. In this scenario, the cables, connections and buttons of the iPad are covered, ideal if the installation requires only the screen to be accessible.

With the Viveroo One installed, iPad users will enjoy a continuous power supply, flexibility

between portrait and landscape mode when fitted and PoE functionality for direct network connection as well as power. The Viveroo One is available in versions to fit all current iPad models from iPad Mini all the way up to the 12.9inch iPad Pro and Redline says installers will enjoy the easy assembly involving just three connection points. Viveroo One can be mounted on cavity wall, masonry, or concrete. With the matching mounting sets, all the connections and the power supply are hidden away. The standardised wall mounting unit enables a subsequent change of iPad generation and size format should the customer’s needs change.

Table mounting options are also available.

Redline red-line.co.uk

Viveroo One is designed to offer a multitude of control, playback and interaction possibilities

INSTALLER FRIENDLY AMP FROM NAD Combining Smart CI Solutions with NAD performance, the company’s sixteen- channel powerhouse promises reliability, stability and installer-friendly features.

NAD Electronics, manufacturer of highperformance audio/video components, has announced an all-new advanced amplifier targeted squarely at high performance distributed audio systems. The CI 16-60 DSP ($2499 / £1999 / €2749 MSRP) delivers 16 x 60W per channel with unique features and will be available in mid-February.

The CI 16-60 DSP is described as a highly versatile, robust amplifier built for the demands of professional installations. Delivering a conservative 60W per channel at 8 ohms into all

of its 16 channels, each pair of channels is with bridgeable to 140W per channel if more power is desired. The hybrid digital amplifier platform delivers stable and efficient power with high current capability all in a 2U rack space.

The CI 16-60 DSP uses a customised version of the proven Hypex UcD output stage to deliver great load invariant power with extremely low distortion and noise in the audible range. NAD says every detail of this design has been carefully executed to wring out the best possible performance. Designed to deal with the demands of the custom installation world, the CI 16-60 can handle long cable runs and difficult speaker loads.

The CI 16-60 DSP is an IP-controlled amplifier which allows the installer to configure and calibrate via a web-based user interface. The user interface offers access to multi-channel digital signal processing (DSP) providing detailed equalisation control. A virtual patch bay permits any input to be routed to any, or multiple outputs without the need to create physical connections.

In addition, the UI offers insight into temperature and power status, as well as basic troubleshooting functions like power cycling, factory resetting and updating.

NAD nadelectronics.com

The CI 16-60 has loop through jacks on all the inputs making it easy to daisy chain sources to multiple amplifiers

64 FEBRUARY 2021

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EXPERIENCE GREATNESS A revelation in display technology, Samsung’s ‘The Wall’ blends MicroLED light with AI optimisation for flawless HDR results on an awe-inspiring scale. Habitech introduces the ultimate in custom screen luxury…

The Wall forms part of our new suite of demonstration rooms at Basingstoke. Please contact the team to arrange a visit. www.habitech.co.uk | 01256 638500 | sales@habitech.co.uk

The UK’s leading Smart Tech and Networking distributor

To learn more about these brands or speak to our specialist team call 01256 378550 or email exertisone@exertis.co.uk