Essential Install January 2021

JANUARY 2021

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY

Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous New Year from all the team at RGB!

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www.rgbcomms.co.uk TRAINING FOCUS

EVOLUTION AND REVOLUTION

HOME CINEMA SEATING THE SCIENCE OF SITTING

CASE STUDY BEAUTIFUL BAUFRITZ

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,

Book now at J www.blustream.co.uk

LE14 3QG United Kingdom.

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CONTENTS

January 2021

4 FROM THE EDITOR’S CHAIR

45 SMART THINKING

7 ESSENTIAL NEWS

46 ESSENTIAL CASE STUDY

16 ESSENTIAL ONEAV

FEATURES

Live music revolution?

Events, launches, deals What’s next?

18 ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS Multi-media creativity

20 ESSENTIAL HABITECH A Samsung viewing sensation

30 ESSENTIAL CEDIA

The latest from the association

Making the case for open benchmarking Beautiful Baufritz

14 RGB TRAINING

On-line training success with Savant

ESSENTIAL TRAINING SECTION 23 CEDIA TRAINING Expanding reach

26 AWE TEACHES

Training news from the front

32 ESSENTIAL HDANYWHERE Continued development

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

34 7 18 46 34 BASEC

Cable making, cable checking

HOME CINEMA SEATING SECTION

26

36 HOME CINEMA MODULES Rest assured

04

40 THE SCIENCE OF SITTING How does ‘comfy’ work?

55 ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS 22st century hardware

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

JANUARY 2021

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR THE AV AND SMART HOME INDUSTRY

Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous New Year from all the team at RGB!

pages 20–21

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www.rgbcomms.co.uk TRAINING FOCUS

EVOLUTION AND REVOLUTION

HOME CINEMA SEATING THE SCIENCE OF SITTING

CASE STUDY BEAUTIFUL BAUFRITZ

JANUARY

LIVE MUSIC REVOLUTION? One of the main ambitions of creators of high quality Hi-Fi and AV systems has always been to try and create a ‘live’ experience at home.

This ambition could be described as falling into two categories.

One simply being the ambition to make the music sound as realistic as possible, like the musicians that created it are in the room with you, the second being the ambition to recreate a live concert in the listeners’ living room.

Ever since recorded music has been available, artists have created live recordings, some of the best known and most successful recordings of all time are live concerts. EI has a particular fondness for Live and Dangerous by Thin Lizzy and most music lovers will have their favs too.

Until relatively recently, the music fan’s ability to collect and experience live performances has been limited to official releases or sometimes less official recordings created by fans or sometimes technicians.

On the broadcast side, occasionally the music fan could enjoy live broadcasts from big concerts, Donnington Monsters Of Rock for example was carried by the BBC back in a EI’s youth. What was a relatively rare experience has expanded with live sessions from studios or full live events broadcast, everything from Glastonbury to Glyndebourne. Naturally for the switchedon installer, this expanded palette has provided an opportunity to deliver enhanced experiences, however is a potentially even bigger opportunity waiting in the wings?

LIVE MUSIC REVOLUTION?

Live music has been one of the sectors to suffer the most during COVID-19.

During this very difficult time one of the areas acts have fallen back on is providing live feeds either from a studio or sometimes their front room, direct to fans over the Internet. What started out as a ‘make do and mend’ approach

04 JANUARY 2021

has started to show signs of creating an entirely new category and experience. As this phenomenon has evolved, so has the quality that goes with it, and this is before we even start to mention the potential for live streaming concerts as they happen.

Some acts have already been doing this, but relatively limited so far. But is this about to change? Just one example, British rock staple of The Darkness traditionally play a big Christmas show in London. This year there will be a limited audience due to COVID-19, however other fans are being given the chance to witness the show live by buying a digital ticket that enables them and only them to watch the show at home.

The potential here is really tantalising, imagine a situation where every act on tour not only sells tickets for fans to be there, but also digital tickets to watch it live at home.

What a fantastic opportunity for installers to capitalise on providing the AV equipment that will take this experience to it’s logical conclusion. Obviously, our sector already has much of the hardware we need to make this happen, but other types of technology are already coming onstream to help as well, witness MQA’s support for broadcasting live music in the last couple of years. And Can you imagine the most popular streaming platforms on the planet not wanting a piece of this? It is already happening, but its potential for expansion really is exciting.

Daniel J Sait Editor

Could we see a revolution in virtual concert attendance?

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

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

NEWS

NEWS PULSE CINEMAS ‘THE LARGEST KALEIDESCAPE DISTRIBUTOR OUTSIDE OF THE US’ After the recent announcement from Kaleidescape

Mike adds, “We’ve been Kaleidescape’s UK

that Tayloe Stansbury has taken the role of CEO

ambassadors for many years (since 2014), promoting

and Norma Garcia – Muro has taken the position as

and demonstrating the benefits of Kaleidescape

Vice President of Marketing, Pulse Cinemas says the company is very proud to announce that it has been officially recognised as the biggest distributor outside of the company’s home territory and will continue to exclusively look after the brand in the UK.

19” RACK SPECIALISTS!

through our social media platforms. We have been tirelessly demonstrating the brand here at Pulse Cinemas within our many demonstration facilities.

“We continue to ensure AV enthusiasts understand clearly why Kaleidescape should be the first product added to any audio-visual system and are proud to

Pulse Cinemas MD, Mike Beatty, says, “We very much look forward to working alongside Tayloe, Norma and the rest of the team to ensure we continue the brand’s success exclusively here in the UK. “Further news regarding our central London showroom will follow; highlighting another location to allow your clients to experience Kaleidescape and its

be recognised as the most supportive distributor outside of the US.” Pulse Cinemas also adds that Kaliedescape will form a significant part of its demonstration facilities which are currently being upgraded for 2021 with a complete overhaul of the main cinema and other facilities.

many benefits to those wanting to see and hear what

Pulse Cinemas

the movie director intended.”

pulsecinemas.com

Pulse Cinemas has been recognised as the most successful distributor outside of the US market

Part of the Infrastructure range from

FIFTEEN YEARS AND COUNTING! Available from the experts at

rgbcomms.co.uk or call us today on

01488 73366 RGB Head Office, 2 Lambourn Business Park, Lambourn Woodlands, Hungerford, RG17 7RY

Distributor of the Year Finalist

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JANUARY 2021 07

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

• SLICK, EFFORTLESS INSTALLATION • PROFESSIONAL STUDIO RELIABILITY • PHENOMENAL SOUND QUALITY • BEAUTIFUL BEZEL-LESS DESIGN • NO DISTURBANCE TO ADJOINING ROOMS • VAST, EVEN SOUND COVERAGE • DEEP, PRECISE BASS AT ALL LEVELS To recreate the awe-inspiring realism and dynamics of a hit record or blockbuster movie, there is no better choice of loudspeaker than the ones used to make them.

The ci140 and ci140sub are dedicated on-wall designs. All other models may be mounted in or on-wall, thanks to the Qikfire™ fittings, bezel-less grille and stylish cabinet sleeve.

Find out more T 01767 686300

www.pmc-speakers.com

NEWS

CEDIA OPENS 2021 CEDIA AWARDS ENTRIES CEDIA is now accepting entries for the 2021 CEDIA Awards programme. The CEDIA Awards is regarded as a premier global honour for residential technology integrators taking entries from the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific regions until Friday, April 2, 2021.

Project categories include: Integrated Home; Media Room; Home Cinema; Innovative Solution or System; Showroom; Auto, Marine, or Aircraft; and Multiple Dwelling Unit Design. CEDIA members can submit projects in multiple categories and judges will determine cost categories based on all completed entries. Entries will be categorised based on their region: Americas, EMEA, or Asia Pacific.

CEDIA Award entries from integrators are reviewed by a panel of experienced industry experts, who select finalists and winners based on specific technical criteria. Additional sub-categories include Best Dressed Rack, Best Documentation, Best Lighting System, Innovative System or Solution, Life Lived Best at Home, and Technology Meets Design. Additionally, winners of Home Cinema, Integrated Home and Media Room categories will be considered for Global Awards.

Regional finalists for installation categories will be announced the week of Monday, June 14 2021. Asia Pacific winners will be announced at the Integrate Show at a date to be determined.

Americas winners will be announced at the 2021 CEDIA Awards Event at a date to be determined.

EMEA winners and global winners will be announced at the EMEA Awards event at a date to be determined.

Manufacturers interested in the CEDIA Awards will be invited to submit products for Best New Product and Product Hall of Fame beginning Monday 8th February 2021.

Winners receive a CEDIA-created, individualised case study, recognition in a globally-issued press release, inclusion in the digital 2021 CEDIA Awards Yearbook and coverage on CEDIA websites.

Winners also receive a trophy and permission to use the CEDIA Awards Finalist and Winner logos.

To qualify, entrants must be CEDIA members and projects need to have been completed between March 2019 and March 2021.

CEDIA cedia.net

HARMAN PROFESSIONAL SOLUTIONS APPOINTS POLAR UK AS NEW DISTRIBUTOR Harman Professional Solutions has announced it has realigned distributors of AMX and SVSI in the UK and Ireland with the appointment of Polar UK. Polar UK is one of the leading distributors of audio and video technology solutions, serving the UK and Ireland.

Polar UK, known for strong sales and service teams, technical expertise and customer relationships, has now expand its portfolio to include the complete range of AMX video control solutions and SVSI Networked AV solutions, offering customers a single interface across Harman’s wide range of video controls and audio solutions.

“Polar UK is the ideal AMX distribution partner for the UK and Ireland. A well-respected distributor in the AV market, Polar brings a depth of technical and commercial knowledge that has perfect synergy with the AMX portfolio” comments Andrew Loadman, Head of Video, Harman Emea. “Polar will maintain close relationships with our resellers and consultants to offer the most advanced and highly competitive AV solutions.”

“We’re delighted to be partnering with AMX” adds John Midgley, Managing Director, Polar UK. “In recent years we have broadened our product offering beyond our historic audio background, and

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we are very knowledgeable as a company in AVoIP, control and video distribution, making AMX a perfect addition to our portfolio. It is exciting to be working with a brand that has such a long heritage in our core markets; I have no doubt that this is going to be a strong partnership, with our team adding their knowledge and expertise to the AMX brand.”

Support, warranty and repair of all AMX & SVSI products in the UK and Ireland will transition to Polar Distribution with immediate effect. Warranty terms and inclusions will not be affected.

HDMI Cables Metra Home Theater Group is the leader in high-quality HDMI® solutions, with a history of being first to market with HDMI® solutions that deliver higher resolutions and bandwidths at recordsetting lengths. At RGB, we offer a wide range of solutions for custom integrators, based on length, budget and desired performance.

RGB Communications is the exclusive UK and Eire distributor of Metra Cables.

Get in touch to find out more.

Harman Professional Solutions pro.harman.com polar.uk.com A new distribution journey for the AMX brand

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rgbcomms.co.uk or call us today on

01488 73366 RGB Head Office, 2 Lambourn Business Park, Lambourn Woodlands, Hungerford, RG17 7RY

Distributor of the Year Finalist

JANUARY 2021 09

SERIES

Designed and made in Australia.

Five years after taking the home cinema world by storm, Krix’s Series MX range has now found its home in the UK.

Engineered to deliver movie soundtracks with all the clarity, dynamics and power of a commercial cinema, the Series MX range of speaker systems take up minimal space behind the screen while faithfully delivering movie soundtracks straight through the picture and into your seat.

For the ultimate cinematic experience, it has to be Krix.

NEWS

JIMI HENDRIX’S LISTENING EXPERIENCE AT 23 BROOK STREET RECREATED Since the exhibition of the Hendrix Flat opened permanently to the public in 2016, visitors from all over the world have been making the pilgrimage to 23 Brook Street in London to see the place ‘the greatest guitarist of all time’ called home.

The recreation of the third floor Mayfair flat which Jimi Hendrix called home from 1968-1969 included painstaking research into how he would have listened to his extensive record collection. This research established that Hendrix invested in topnotch equipment which included a Bang & Olufsen turntable connected to a LEAK amplifier and two Lowther speakers: a very expensive and powerful setup for the time. Hendrix also liked to listen to records loud. Kathy Etchingham, Jimi’s girlfriend at the time, recalled that they had to ‘stick a ha’penny with sellotape onto the turntable arm… otherwise it would

jump up and down the louder it got.’ These capable speakers occasionally even blew during parties and had to be taken for repair.

Up until now the exhibition has never had functioning models of Hendrix’s original audio setup, but thanks to the combined efforts of the museum, Bang & Olufsen, Lowther and LEAK it will be possible to play records from Jimi Hendrix’s collection inside the room where he used to listen to and write, music.

Bang & Olufsen donated a fully-functioning, original 1960s Beogram 1000 turntable; Lowther supplied a set of restored Acousta 115’s, the exact model owned and used by Jimi Hendrix. LEAK sent one of the company’s new LEAK Stereo 130 integrated stereo amplifiers, modelled on the classic Stereo 30 from 1963 which Jimi used

Listen to the system that Hendrix did at 23 Brook Street

Aura

ClearOne Aura meets the market need for a complete suite of advanced audio and video conferencing solutions that deliver an enterprise-quality experience to replicate a professional collaboration space in a professional home-office environment.

Aura solutions are geared for High-Performance professionals across multiple industries.

NEARLY 70 PRO-JECT AUDIO SYSTEMS TURNTABLES STOLEN What follows is an official statement from distributor Henley Audio released to the press and intended as a warning to the trade concerning criminals targeting the AV and Hi-Fi Trades.

I’m writing to you today with rather frustrating news. On a shipment we received into our warehouse on Tuesday, 68 turntables had been stolen while the goods were in transit, in what looks like a coordinated robbery.

Unfortunately, some level of theft is common in our industry, however, the sheer quantity of product stolen in one time on this occasion has meant we need to make others aware of the situation. The models affected are amongst our best sellers, so we have a duty of care to ensure our customers are aware when they may actually be purchasing stolen goods.

We always encourage customers to only purchase from authorised resellers – and generally that message works. However, it is likely now some illegitimate sources will begin to appear at a time when stock supply is generally short as part of the ongoing effects of the pandemic. Thank you for your ongoing support.

A complete of the serial numbers of the items stolen is available from Henley Audio should any readers come across or be offered Pro-Ject turntables in suspicious circumstances. However the models concerned are Pro-Ject Juke Box S2 (Walnut), Pro-Ject Juke Box E (Piano Black) and Pro-Ject Primary E (Black). The crime reference number from Kent Police is 240113.

For further information on ClearOne, contact the industry professionals at RGB Communications.

Henley Audio henleyaudio.co.uk

rgbcomms.co.uk or call us today on

01488 73366 RGB Head Office, 2 Lambourn Business Park, Lambourn Woodlands, Hungerford, RG17 7RY Henley Audio Pro-Ject turntable stock was targeted in theft Distributor of the Year Finalist

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JANUARY 2021 11 EI Strip Ads January 2021.indd 2

18/12/2020 17:1

NEWS

LOCATE A GIRA INSTALLER WITH LIFESTYLE WEBSITE Gira, supplier of intelligent system solutions for building management, is reaching out to the UK homeowner with a new lifestyle website with ‘Installer locator’ facility.

The new website is rich with information to help consumers enjoy the benefits of smart living effortlessly, says its creators. Inspiration can be found in its up-to-the-minute trends blog, which offers advice on key smart home topics like ‘how to create lighting schemes for every mood’ and ‘how to save energy while keeping an ideal temperature’.

News about the latest Gira products and system solutions are also included, alongside interior design advice where Gira product recommendations can help end user’s determine the best complementary styles and technologies for the home.

Gira has made it easy to find the nearest installers and electricians to homeowners with a simple click on its new map pin feature.

Visitors just enter their postcode, town or village and the Gira Installer locator will provide details of relevant professionals.

From basic wiring accessories, lighting and door communication systems through to smoke alarms and home security, Gira says its systems are flexible and future-proof so users can always be current and updated over time.

Mark Booth, Managing Director Gira UK says, “We are very excited to launch a new consumer website to assist and grow our audience of specialist home lighting and automation in the UK. By providing an online resource for anyone wanting to digitize their home and lifestyle, Gira is able to explain all of

the benefits to having an interconnected home where systems ‘think’ for you.”

Gira underlines it will do its utmost to accommodate needs during the latest national lockdown measures, with its new London showroom and all Gira representatives following strict COVID-19 health and safety protocols. The current lockdown temporarily prevents any in-store visits from taking place but until it is safe to do so, the company is arranging video call consultations with an expert.

Gira gira.com

Mark Booth, Managing Director Gira UK, is looking forward to the reach the company’s new website will deliver

12 JANUARY 2021

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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 RGB/SAVANT TRAINING

TO VIRTUALLY GO WHERE NO-ONE HAS GONE BEFORE! RGB Communications explains how its experience of different training methods and product knowledge allowed the company to develop an agile training approach in challenging times, in particular for the Savant automation system.

No one can deny that 2020 was an interesting year. As the Covid pandemic swept across the globe, millions saw a forced change to the way that they work, with our industry being no exception. Installers found that the sites they were working on were closed or access was limited, meaning that projects ground to a halt whilst they waited for restrictions to lift. This left many of us in the unfamiliar position of having some spare time, so what better way to use that effectively than to bring ourselves up to date with the latest technology and brand/product information.

Due to the hands-on nature of our industry, training has traditionally been based on a smallsized group of delegates being lectured to in a theatre-style classroom. This allows for quick (and sometimes lively!) interaction and debate, as well as allowing for the trainer to get a good feeling that the class understands the concept they are lecturing on. Lockdown and social distancing put a big stop to any face-to-face training sessions,

14 JANUARY 2021

which meant that as an industry, we had to evaluate how we made our virtual sessions more engaging and all-encompassing.

Thankfully, at RGB, we have been hosting virtual training seminars for many years now, with key brands such as Savant, Lutron, ClearOne and Middle Atlantic offering advanced sessions on-line. Indeed, Savant has spent considerable time creating its own University, whereby any Savant dealer can dial in and take a course or watch past courses to bring them up to speed.

Packaged as either full-day sessions or bite-sized units, Savant allows for its customers to learn about the brand in a broad way or to focus in on a specific subject in far greater depth, meaning that whether a salesperson, a programmer or a fitter, the relevant information/course is available whenever the installer wishes to view it.

Having moved all of its training to webinarbased sessions, Savant was well placed as lockdown commenced across Europe and the US, educating over 8,000 people in 45 days.

Clearly, this would not have been achievable were the courses run as face-to-face sessions, due to resource, budget and travel constraints.

Mind you, however good virtual training is from a quantity perspective, Savant also realised the importance of face-to-face sessions and had just

introduced a new programme in February. Sadly, only two courses were run prior to lockdown but the success of these sessions proved how important face-to-face training still is, meaning that as the new normal (hopefully!) descends across the globe during 2021, these courses will resume and run alongside the virtual webinars.

Ian Roberts, Director of Education and Customer Experience at Savant, explains that there is still nothing to beat face-to-face training, “Although extremely efficient, when we run our webinars, we feel that we don’t have quite the same bond with the audience. When we host face-to-face sessions, we get to know our customers much better as we spend more time with them. We also find that installers are more likely to contribute during a face-to-face session, meaning that if there is a point that they need more explanation on, they will ask, as they know us better and appreciate that we want them to walk away with the tools and knowledge to do the job properly.�

With its experience of webinar training, Savant has made significant changes to how the courses are run, so that they can win back some of the more personal contact they have missed.

However, numbers can make this difficult so limiting delegate size is recommended. To help,

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ESSENTIAL RGB/SAVANT TRAINING

Savant increased the number of presenters per course to get a better ratio of learners to teachers. This entails having a panel of presenters, each with their own specialist skill, be it a technical expert to answer practical questions, a sales manager to answer stock and supply questions and software engineer to answer programming questions. All sessions are hosted by a professional presenter to keep the sessions on track. This set up has worked particularly well, with Ian Richards adding, “Rather than just be a one-way lecture, we try to encourage interaction as much as possible, as this keeps delegates engaged, even if at different levels of knowledge and relationship with the brand. During the course of the webinar, we ask for personal experiences, ask participants to fill out surveys and ask questions of the group.”

One of the hardest elements of virtual training is to recreate demo sessions and the majority of trainers would admit that demo sessions are one of the most liked and embraced sections of face-to-face training. Thankfully, as many of the products we work with now come with a LAN port offering setup over a network, we can start to include demo sessions within virtual training. Savant’s platform makes this particularly easy and by sharing screens,

delegates can see how the system operates and what they need to know to get it configured.

In addition to training, we have had to embrace the virtual world in other areas too, so that we can continue to have a high level of customer engagement. Savant’s Integrator Summits, which will be held over a virtual platform for the first time, have been planned for the Spring. These conference-based gatherings have been a vital source of engagement with the company’s customers, as they outline new product launches and technology. These will be recorded so that those that miss them live will be able to access in their own time, all of which adds to Savants offering to its customers.

Another new initiative for both sales efforts and training is the use of the Savant Experience Centre (SEC). Recently re-launched in an apartment in New York, the SEC was developed to showcase both the aspirations of a fully configured Savant home automation as well as have a product portfolio display, so that both integrators and end-users could experience how Savant works real-time and touch and feel each of the components that goes into a Savant system.

Initially designed for face-to-face meetings and tours, new for 2020, the SEC has been taken on-line, with the entire apartment now

available for virtual tours.

Although virtual,

each appointment is private and bespoke to the customer’s needs, with a Savant representative personally showing the customer around the apartment and able to demonstrate areas in real-time using VR technology. The customer is encouraged to select scenes or functions on a device that is in-picture and see the effects for themselves within the apartment. This includes lighting, HAVAC, audio and even power usage.

In an adjoining area of the apartment is the kit room, where every Savant product can be visually looked at and discussed. The team at the SEC have found that customers are more interested in the kit than is usually thought, so this added benefit of having samples of everything easily to hand helps installers justify the devices required for the project.

Available to any Savant dealer, the SEC is a perfect example of how moving to a virtual platform allows for Savant to continue to use the facility as it was designed and in a safe way, whilst also able to offer it out to a wider audience across the globe.

So what about the future of virtual versus face-to-face? There is no doubt that virtual sessions will continue but don’t think that everything will remain that way. Ian Roberts concludes, “For the future, yes, person-toperson training, personal visits to the SEC and dealer summits will return as restrictions and vaccines are completed. However, what we have learnt through the development of our virtual programme has been invaluable and will certainly remain a big part of our education sessions and sales initiatives for the future.”

Savant Systems Europe rgbcomms.co.uk

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JANUARY 2021 15

Contact a Laser TV Specialist today on 01684 576 348 or sales@oneav.co.uk

Laser TV. Deliver more drama and wow-factor than even the largest flat panel TV with a colossal 120� of 4K laser-projection, on a motorised vertically-rising screen.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

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ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS

PULSE CINEMAS GETS CREATIVE Pulse Cinemas has announced the launch of a new division called Pulse Creative. This new initiative will focus on promoting and supporting the company’s own brands and installation partners, as well as assisting other luxury brands that offer complimentary solutions to the CI industry or similar clients groups.

The Pulse Creative division has been created to provide professional and comprehensive solutions for the production of multi-media content, including videography, photography or audio. The initiative will also include daily management and detailed analytics, for all commonly used social media platforms; a comprehensive and dynamic offering to help its clients promote their businesses to a wider audience, says the company.

Mike Beatty, Pulse Cinemas MD explains, “When Kapes Patel, Sales and Technical Director, and I started Pulse Cinemas over 20 years ago, one of our founding principles was that we needed to be more than just a simple distributor and importer. We wanted to ensure we also offered a complete package of training, technical support, product advisory solutions and marketing. The new Pulse Creative division allows us to further extend our offering with a whole range of new initiatives that provide comprehensive brand and product information, product training and multimedia promotion.”

Mike adds, “The increased opportunities in the digital realm for us to provide more engaging communication between ourselves and the market improves daily and Pulse has always been very quick to take advantage of these new routes of communication. The creation of Pulse Creative looks to put our effectiveness in this area onto a new level and we look forward to

18 JANUARY 2021

Pulse Cinemas is embracing a whole range of news way to communicate with its installation partners and the market in general

developing this more in 2021.”

Mike underlines that the company’s presence on social media has been a key method of expanding its reach and support for installers in recent years and the platforms that the company operates over including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn will continue to be very important.

“We don’t just want to be putting out content for the sake of it,” says Mike, “those in charge of our social media are tasked to come up with original and useful content planned out over the course of every given week to make sure the feeds are delivering valuable information in their own right, as well as providing links and support for other initiatives within the company.

“Our ability to create original video content in-house has been gaining a lot of interest and positive feedback, we are certainly not your typical outsourced creative agency, and as we continue to build content for our own channel,

we are also offering opportunities for our loyal partners to have content created for them as well.

“This content can help our installation partners promote their businesses, the solutions they have created from brands within our portfolio and not just for use across our channels, but of course their own as well. It’s all very well business gurus saying that companies should be actively creating social media content, but what if you simply just don’t have the time, or the in-house expertise to do it? Well one answer is, we will do it for you!”

Another area the company has been working hard on is in the creation of case studies, hosted on the Pulse Cinemas website. Mike was keen to explain, “Case studies are of course one of the most powerful ways our industry can promote what we do. Alongside a full demonstration it is one of the best ways to show the uninitiated just what a properly created home cinema or audio-visual experience can look and feel like.

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ESSENTIAL PULSE CINEMAS “This is why our Pulse Creative team have been putting targeted energy into populating our website with stunning and enticing case studies. It is straight forward for our installation partners to get involved here as we have a team standing by to create the words and images that will promote the projects that we create together.” Mike adds, “Any project created with us is a candidate for a case study. Our inhouse photographers and videographers work with you to create optimum photography and video content and, after a short time spent communicating with our in-house writing team, we can also work with you to provide all of the words and copy as well. “Case studies are then

Pulse Live will take place every Friday offering valuable insight

posted to and promoted via our website and social media feeds, and who knows, through

company as new offers, initiatives and company

Leading the charge here is Sales Manager, Simon Schino, “Those of you who know Pulse Cinemas will already be familiar with our Terrific Tuesdays video series. The aim of the series has always been to keep our customers informed in a lively, informal and fun way. This initiative is now back and is joined by our weekly webinar session hosted on our Facebook page Pulse Live. This new series will take an in depth look at specific areas of the company providing insight into our brands, our support and any breaking company news.

“The software package we are using to host these sessions is the best around allowing us to deliver lively debate and discussion, as well as key pieces of information all over one incredibly sleek vehicle.”

Simon adds, “We have already delivered a session with one of our key manufacturing partners StormAudio as Sebastien Gailleton Director, Product Management and Hardware Development, for the brand delivered a fascinating insight into the products and company philosophy. We have also hosted sessions where new team member David Fell and I discuss the company’s plans to support our dealers into 2021 and beyond. Pulse Live will be back every Friday, so watch out for the notification in your in-

news are communicated as they happen.

box and across our social media feeds!”

our contacts in the consumer facing press, the case study may also be featured there too. Once completed, content and imaging from the case study is also made available to our installation partners for their own promotional purposes.”

The company website will of course be playing a huge part in the Pulse Creative initiative. Mike explains, “As well as our case study section, the website features a wealth of content which supports our brands and informs our installation partners. The website is regularly updated with news, views and interviews which provide vital insight into the products, the brands and the high-quality results that are possible. FAQs, full team contacts and brand explainers are also included.”

TERRIFIC TUESDAYS, FANTASTIC FRIDAYS AND MORE...

Pulse Creative is also looking to increase Pulse Cinemas’ ability to communicate directly with the world via live video presentations which build into a library of content enabling installers to discover everything that is happening at the

At the company now for a little over three months, David’s new role as Business Development Manager for Pulse Cinemas, and as Creative and Technical Head for Pulse Creative, sees him leveraging a wealth of over twenty years’ experience working across a variety of sectors to help Pulse continue its effectiveness by the use of dynamic and engaging media, new initiatives and to find new ways to educate, inspire and enthuse about the company’s brands, installation partners and the industry as a whole.

Mike sums up, “Here at Pulse Cinemas we always push ourselves to deliver more to our dealer/installers and the brands that we work with. Pulse Creative is an expression of the desire to maximise that support on every channel that is available to us. We are looking for the initiative to deliver immediate benefits to our partners as well as building up a fantastic library of content that will develop into a valuable reference resource. This year is going to be a very important one in our sector, in particular the way companies communicate will evolve and Pulse Creative will keep us at the cutting edge of that movement.”

Pulse Cinemas pulsecinemas.com /pulsecinemas @pulsecinemas

@PulseCinemas /company/pulsecinemas

The Sofa Sessions will be part of Pulse Live, the new Friday webinar broadcast

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JANUARY 2021 19

ESSENTIAL HABITECH

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’s Jonathan Pengilley introduces the ultimate in custom screen luxury.

The Wall luxury: MicroLED modules combine seamlessly to create a mighty 146-in diagonal 4K screen or a colossal 292-in 8K phenomenon

Wall is the first electronic display that looks

products. According to Seog-gi Kim, executive

genuinely life-like. Believe me, if you didn’t

vice president of Samsung’s visual display

know you were looking at a screen, you’d be on

business, it’s “unlike anything else – matching

the 18th green at the Masters or sitting in the

the lifestyle and taste of those looking for the

box seats at Wimbledon. The Wall is like being

most exclusive and premium visual experiences

there. It really is that good.

in their homes”.

LIGHT FANTASTIC

NEXT GEN TECHNOLOGY

The revelatory display comprises a lattice

Think of MicroLED as an inorganic OLED

of MicroLED modules, which combine to

upgrade. Each pixel is the product of a

create 16:9 screens with a mighty 146-in

cluster of three tiny self-emissive RGB LEDs.

display

diagonal and a colossal 292-in span (that’s

This means that the brightness and colour

experience forever. Nothing in the tech cosmos

approx. 7.5m in new money). Each module

of every MicroLED pixel can be controlled

can lay a glove on Samsung’s astonishing

measures 806.4 x 453.6 mm (around 36

precisely or turned off entirely to create a

tour-de-force: flawlessly flat, incredibly thin,

inches diagonally), having a display resolution

“perfect” black for maximum contrast and

mind boggling in scale and jaw-dropping to

of 960 x 540 pixels. This means that a 4 x

optimum colour. As a result, MicroLED tech

behold. When your customers aren’t spellbound

4 build generates the 146-in display at 4K

generates a bright, contrast-rich display

by its eye-popping wall-to-wall detail resolution,

UHD and an 8 x 8 construction re-creates

across wide viewing angles similar in many

all-day brightness, authentically vibrant colours

The Wall with the 292-in diagonal at 8K res.

ways to OLED panels but with added

and infinite blacks, they’ll marvel at the sheer

Even more astonishing is the ability to

benefits. For example, brightness is up

‘infinity-pool’ effect of its bezel-free edge-to-

render the meeting of adjacent modules

around 2000 nits, double OLED’s peak,

edge glass construction - just 30mm deep -

undetectable even up close - forget video

because there’s no colour filtering; power

or be seduced by the décor-blending beauty

wall grids: the surface is seamless in

efficiency is greatly improved for the same

of its ‘ambient mode’ art bursting from the

operation. If you’re finding this claim difficult

reason - MicroLEDs can be brighter with

same surface.

to believe I don’t blame you: it stretched my

less effort - and, at around 100,000 hours

The Wall, you see, is a game-changing

credulity as well until I came within touching

(11 years), lifespan is in a different league

display technology and art form all-in-one. It’s

distance. I looked for the seams but the

as well. In other words, The Wall gives you

either the most awesome cinema-scale screen

only way I could detect them was by the

all the things you love about Organic Light-

outside the local multiplex or a state-of-the-

slightest bump when I ran my finger over the

Emitting Diode panels, including the to-

art, always-on canvas for a decorative gallery of

surface. The effect is truly mind-boggling.

die-for blacks and exceptional bezel-free

high-res images. And seeing really is believing

For these reasons, Samsung’s new creation

thinness, with extra relish and none of the

because in my thirty-year experience The

is light years beyond other direct view LED

‘The

Wall’

20 JANUARY 2021

will

change

the

trade-offs.

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ESSENTIAL HABITECH

The Wall is like being there. If you didn’t know you were looking at a screen, you’d be on the 18th green at the Masters or sitting in the box seats at Wimbledon.

MAGICAL BLACK, CONTRAST, COLOUR AND DETAIL The Wall’s ‘Black Seal’ technology puts a deep black background around the pixel clusters to ensure that the black in any scene stays black rather than grey, so the contrast level is unparalleled in direct view LED. The Wall also uses proprietary ‘Ultra Chroma’ colour technology, employing narrower wavelengths to deliver twice the fidelity of conventional LED, while its ‘Quantum HDR’ tech applies advanced HDR picture refinement technologies, including LED HDR, HDR10+ support and Multi-link HDR, to render optimum brightness and contrast in every frame. And to guarantee seamless scaling, The Wall uses AI algorithms within its ‘Quantum Processor Flex’ processing to dynamically upscale content to

the correct resolution according to screen size and capabilities, delivering, intuitively, the best picture from the 16-module 146-in display to the magical 292-in 64-module phenomenon.

TOTAL ECOSYSTEM

Naturally, Samsung’s transformative light engine has the versatility to inspire spaces beyond the home, in elite hospitality, office and retail for instance, where its super-durable engineering, astonishing size and spectacular seam-free abundance are bound to make an impression. As Samsung’s literature is keen to emphasise “high-end commercial spaces such as luxury retail stores, car dealerships, stadium VIP boxes and hotel lobbies require distinctive displays with never-before-seen visuals to create a sense of luxury and leave customers with a positive perception”. Our commercial

team is ready. Alongside the modular IW008R model designed for luxury living environments, Habitech will also be supporting the modular CAT-connected IW008J and IW012J products, equipped with a pixel pitch of 0.84 mm and 1.26 mm respectively while mobilising Samsung’s proprietary Multi-Link HDR scene analysis, which displays any content in HDR quality without special meta-data.

EXPERIENCE GREATNESS

“Greatness” says Samsung “doesn’t happen on its own”. But it always stands apart. About as far removed in evolutionary terms from the conventional flat screen as the tiny 1950s CRTs that came before, The Wall is a brilliant technical and aesthetic achievement, unrivalled in size, versatility and life-like image quality. For interior design pros and integrators serving luxury residential and commercial customers, its exclusive virtues will prove impossible to resist.

The Wall is now on display as part of our new demonstration suite at Basingstoke.

Please contact us to arrange a visit.

Habitech habitech.co.uk

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JANUARY 2021 21

ESSENTIAL TRAINING

EDUCATING AFTER THE PANDEMIC

Samantha Ventura, Senior Vice President, Education and Training at trade association CEDIA, offers her thoughts on training and the future of the sector. Samantha directs, manages, and provides global leadership in all instructional and academic systems within CEDIA’s education programs, including Standards and Workforce Development. She also plans, develops, and oversees the curriculum development and online learning programme, promoting and supporting the creation of innovative and diverse class offerings, as well as the evaluation and assessment of the education offered by CEDIA.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought huge waves of disruption for those of us in education, significantly altering the ways in which we live, learn, and work. This is true for educators in every industry, I might add. In-person learning opportunities switched at light speed to online events and conferences, offered in various platforms with educators immediately looking to each other for best practices in delivering compelling, meaningful education, solely online. No easy task, especially as the pandemic offered no hope for a quick resolution, leaving those usually well positioned to teach, facilitate learning, engage thought, and all that happens in between, lost, frustrated and tired.

I remember thinking in May about the old saying, ‘Those who can’t do, teach.’ In my mind, this statement had never been more flawed, as I watched every educator I knew in and out of the industry scrambling to plan, motivate, teach, and most certainly continue to DO--arguably, the most important thing needed this past year. Plan a (virtual) conference, present an (online) engaging class, write a (digitally delivered) article, support all (remote) training opportunities… if all of those are not considered DOING, I don’t know what is.

My heart goes out (and my hat is off) to every single educator who has weathered the storm of COVID-19, both personally and professionally. By continuing to support learning, a much broader sense of normality, continuity, and hope were given to a world

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uncertain of what they could rely upon during such a tumultuous time. In turn, our educators, quite simply, became better. Suddenly forced to see inequity in technology, address various learning styles, even commit to providing educational opportunities for other areas of the world, all the while trying to motivate and compel learners to want to learn. Without even realising it, educators became better at educating.

Now we look to 2021 as a time to intersect our newfound knowledge of best practices coming from the various challenges we faced this year, with our foundational beliefs regarding standards, competencies and relevancy in the industry, holding strong to our ultimate goal of educating people to be critical thinkers and knowledgeable do-ers. Taking what we just learned ourselves this year, adding it to the mix of what we were doing well before, we will commit to offer our learning opportunities in ways that address the immediate needs of a world coming out of an extremely disruptive event.

I do not believe it is unfair to say the world will not go back to being the same pre-COVID-19.

Education is one of those areas. Virtual learning is not a bad thing, it only becomes a difficult experience for learners when there is too much of it, the learning is not thoughtfully planned out and executed, or if there is not enough focus on the What’s In It For Me (WIFM) for those

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wanting to learn. Well designed and delivered virtual learning experiences can be a huge win for someone not able to travel to an in-person event. I believe we will continue to see more hybrid learning opportunities, where people can choose the areas of focus they wish to learn online vs. those they would prefer to learn about in person. I also believe we will continue to see educators questioning if what they are presenting or teaching is relevant, accurate, and applicable for all learners. In short, not all that came about this year in the many areas of education was bad, but we need to be careful not to move too quickly in adopting practices that don’t recognise 2021 as a year of transition from the old into the new.

1.

Continue to offer learning opportunities online that work in tandem with in-person experiences. Each should complement the other, but should be able to stand alone for learners not able to travel. Plan for later in the year your in-person opportunities, but be prepared for anything to happen.

2.

Understand the economic impacts of this past year. We will undoubtedly see businesses and individuals cut back on professional development and online learning opportunities if they are not priced realistically. 2021 is not the year to make up for lost revenue with educational offerings, but can still bring in revenue if

JANUARY 2021 23

ESSENTIAL TRAINING

priced reasonably and offered in a variety of ways. Packages of learning, tracks focused on specific topics, learning that leads to career growth – all of these are ways to make educational offerings more desirable for someone looking for hope after a dismal year.

3.

Grow your library of offerings that are not just delivered as traditional online or in-person learning opportunities. Articles, blogs, podcasts and even interviews that learners listen to but are not expected to watch, will all allow learners to pick and choose when and where they can learn, without being tied to a computer screen or a 60-minute webinar.

4.

Reflect on ways to better the learning experience, with considerable thought given to the age of your learners, and the other demographic factors making up those who wish to learn with you. Be open and prepared to welcome new learners into the fold of who you have traditionally educated, both online and in-person.

Push your organisation to recognise creative ways in which people learn: dialogue, discussion, reflective writing are just three simple ways people can learn from one other without being in a traditional classroom setting or listening to a webinar online.

2021 will undoubtedly present challenges for all of us, in education and in all other facets of our industry. It will be a year of re-setting, and recognising the areas in which we can be innovative, flexible, and collaborative, developing learning programmes for people seeking educational opportunities that fundamentally support their continued success. If this year has taught us anything, it is that there is no ‘normal’ and no way to ever fully predict and prepare for what may come. Yet as educators we have the ability to provide programmes that empower people to live better lives. I know that in 2021 we can challenge adversity together, continuing to push the boundaries on what we have done in the past, and work as an industry to make way for collaborative innovation in the future.

Social distancing and other restrictions forced educators to re-assess content delivery

24 JANUARY 2021

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ESSENTIAL TRAINING

The way people communicate has changed forever, and so must training

WHAT IS NORMAL? James Drummie, Product Manager at specialist distributor AWE, recounts his company’s experiences with the recent challenges in the sector of training.

2020 has changed a lot for us all, and while we can’t wait for things to get back to ‘normal,’ there has been some positives to come from the world of remote working.

Those who know me, will know that I am a people person, I love face-to-face interaction in both work and social settings, so this may come as a surprise – but I have really enjoyed adapting to the current situation and teaching education online. It has allowed me to get in front of far more customers than ever before and offer them a range of training options on a daily basis.

In fact, it’s hard to remember a day that hasn’t involved me sitting in my kitchen, wearing headphones, and talking to groups of integrators, retailers and aerial installers about home cinema projection and audio technologies. In the first 12 weeks of hosting training online, I racked up over 400 hours – something that could never been achieved with face-to-face training.

When hosting training in person, there is more of a demand for getting large groups of people together. And whilst that works really

26 JANUARY 2021

We also decided from the word go that well, it doesn’t work when the training is online. boring presentation-style training courses were Like everyone, we had to quickly make a not the right approach for online education. You decision on which platform to use to host our want to be able to engage with you customers, training. We opted for Microsoft Teams and train them on essential topics, answer their found this to be a good programme to use. As questions, and generally, provide them with expected, the technology for online training has the support they need to walk away with a true developed at lightning speed as the months understanding and deeper knowledge of the went on. At the start of lockdown, Microsoft topic in hand – not bore them to death.

Teams allowed for four people to be on camera.

It then extended to Smaller groups work best for on-line training eight and now, up to 49 participants can be on display in a 7×7 grid.

Despite the option for larger groups, we made a conscious effort to keep all sessions to small groups. Yes, this was due to the limitations of the platform at the beginning, but we didn’t change it once the option changed, as we quickly realised that the small group format for online learning works best, as it allows for the session to be interactive.

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BRING THE CINEMA EXPERIENCE HOME with the UHZ65LV 4K UHD laser projector

■ Laser 4K UHD resolution, HDR and HLG compatible ■ Lights on viewing – Up to 5000 lumens for 30,000 hours ■ Fluid viewing - PureMotion frame interpolation ■ Flexible installation - 1.6x zoom and vertical lens shift

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ESSENTIAL TRAINING

Online training might have been brought on by necessity, but it will most definitely be staying in AWE’s training tool kit. The response to our Home Cinema Audio Technologies and Home Cinema Projection Technologies courses has been overwhelming. In fact, even our last courses in December were fully booked.

When creating online courses, it’s important to think outside box. We all know about video meeting fatigue, so you’ve got to keep the format and the content engaging and interesting.

We did just this when we got involved with EI Live Interactive Week in November. We came up with the idea of the AWE Breakfast Show.

By getting Journalist Sean Hannam on board as the host, we then paired an AWE staff member with a brand representative and presented viewers with informal half hour sessions.

These bite sized trainings saw Sean engage with the guests to discuss the features and benefits of the latest products from each manufacturer, cover some of the challenges that the industry face, touch on new technologies, and enjoy light-hearted conversations. We

received great feedback on these sessions – with viewers enjoying the different format that we took.

So, while going to dealer training at manufacturers offices has been impossible, we’ve still been able to get customers in front of the product managers and trainers virtually.

We very much look forward to running more of these virtual events with our manufacturer partners in 2021.

It goes without saying that face-to-face training still has a role to play – especially in our industry where education is often held in a show space where attendees can get hands on experience. We will of course get back to hosting sessions at our HQ in time to come, but we are also excited to also continue offering online training, as we’ve experienced the benefits of it.

This, combined with the interactive format

CUSTOMER REACTION

ability to answer all our questions and focus on

David Farrell, Armillo IT Services Ltd “We have attended six AWE online training sessions so far. The trainers are all hands-on professionals and have experience in the field.

through Microsoft Teams, the groups being kept to a low number, and the sessions lasting around an hour, makes the training informal, engaging, and educational. In the field of IT/ AV, you cannot invest enough time in training and AWE does an excellent job in keeping its dealers up to speed.”

Joe Clare, 4 Kings Security “We found that the small group training sessions that we attended with James Drummie were really useful. At a time where we are being inundated with product-centric PowerPoint webinars, this format was great. It was really useful for James to be able to go in-depth into both the theory and practical elements, with the specific points as we went through the material.

As a result, the training was more collaborative and engaging and we came away from the sessions with increased knowledge and tools.”

In person interaction will be back, restrictions permitting

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JANUARY 2021 29

ESSENTIAL CEDIA

TACKLING MENTAL ILL-HEALTH James Capell-Abra, Business Development at workplace wellbeing organisation, Stress Matters, examines the issue of mental health in the modern workplace.

Each of us have had our own unique experience of the last year. For some, it’s been all sourdough bread, long walks, and Netflix binges, for others it’s been home-schooling, lots of alcohol and shouting matches and for others it has been much the same, just working from a different place without trips to restaurants but with the pressure of new socially distant working practices to deal with and in worst cases, the risk of potential redundancy.

However you look at it, our mental health has taken a heck of a battering.

At least half a million more people in the UK may experience mental ill health as a result of Covid-19, says a forecast from The Centre for Mental Health, and that’s likely to rise even higher after the sequence of tiered lockdowns that we’ve been experiencing in different parts of the country.

Each individual has had a unique experience in 2020 and each business is going to have a unique journey back.

In home integration, specifically, while it can be an incredibly rewarding industry, it can also be a pretty stressful one, even without the effects of the global pandemic to consider.

Many integrators work on their own or in small businesses where it’s difficult to find a worklife balance, especially with work on-site often demanding long hours away from home and the pressure of meeting high client expectations.

30 JANUARY 2020

Recently, I joined a conversation with Stuart Lillis from Limitless Automation on an episode of The Integrated Home podcast. He revealed the anxiety issues that he’d experienced as a self-confessed perfectionist working in a less than perfect environment. It was powerful and inspiring stuff to hear what he’d been through and the steps he’d taken to deal with it.

From the feedback we’ve had to that interview, we know that Stuart’s experiences are shared by many in the industry.

Stuart also talked about the stigma associated with mental ill health and how he didn’t feel he could talk about it to his employer.

It would be true to say that in the building and construction industry, the vast majority of workers still feel that their employers do not understand or recognise the early signs of poor mental health, or offer any support.

But we can change that. If you have never thought about employee wellbeing before, this is the time to start. The cost of poor mental health per employee is on average £1,700 per year so however many employees you have – that’s going to add up to a significant sum.

Try involving the team in building your wellbeing strategy, at a time when many people have felt isolated, bringing the team together to discuss how they can support each other will also double up as the team building activity you probably can’t afford anymore. At Stress Matters, we can guide you through this process using our unique Workplace Wellbeing Model.

Remember different teams will need different approaches, those on the road, going

into houses/on-site will have different concerns and potential anxiety about going back to work.

Ask them – complete a return-to-work audit and be empathetic to everyone. If this feels out of your comfort zone, we can help you build these insights into your team.

Ask yourself and your team, how comfortable do your managers feel with dealing with ill mental health? Consider training your line managers in mental health support so potential ill health can be identified and treated early to reduce the cost on the business and most importantly, the burden on that individual.

Each of us have unique experiences and each of us have unique ways of showing stress and dealing with stress. Support your team by helping them to identify their stress signature and their unique coping strategies, in our half day mental health aware course, and by building a full wellbeing programme. They can then support you with coping strategies for the business.

CEDIA members can enroll for the mental health aware course for just £65+VAT (£125+VAT RRP) by contacting james@ stressmatters.org.uk and quoting discount code CEDIASTRONG. And, if you want to listen in to Stuart’s own story, then find the Integrated Home podcast here: www.podfollow.com/the-integrated-home It’s well worth a listen.

CEDIA cedia.net

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FINALLY NO COMPROMISE “What we’ve achieved with this is something that I never thought we could get to…I think it will be a long time before any of our competitors can equal this level of performance…if ever” Todd Ryan Chief Speaker Engineer.

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BASEC ADVERTORIAL

END USER SPECIFICATION OF APPROVED DATA CABLE PRODUCTS The use of data cables is expanding across all industries, for this reason the specifications for each end user may differ, the durability in harsh environments, the distance travelled, indicating the considerations that need to be considered during the manufacturing process. This article will discuss the role of the data cable for the end user and thus the specification the cable must accommodate.

DATA DEMAND AND NEED FOR EFFICIENT CABLE

In today’s world, the majority of people will make some form of data transaction in one form or another; e-mail, social media, online banking. Data usage has grown exponentially in recent times and millions of offices worldwide rely on their structured cabling infrastructure to be robust and fit for purpose, not only now, but also in the future. There have been rapid technological advancements over the past 20 years and inevitable, further future leaps in technology. When designing an office infrastructure, a key consideration should be not only ‘what are my data requirements now?’, but also, ‘what might the requirements be in the future’.

SYSTEM INTEGRITY AND RELIABILITY

The progression of established standards IEC, ANSI/TIA and EN, specify the requirements of structured cabling systems, in respect to the

34 JANUARY 2021

measurement of data integrity and immunity to EMI. Test parameters have become more onerous. The key performance indicators for a data cable are attenuation and crosstalk, therefore in-depth tests have been developed to measure both. These tests determine the interference experienced, which in turn affects the ability of the cable to transmit data without errors.

Approved cable products are assessed to ensure that they are produced using only highquality components. During the certification process cables are measured against various performance parameters, considering the environmental challenges it may encounter during installation and its life span. Giving both the installer and end user peace of mind that the cable being used can accommodate high demands for data, whilst withstanding external influences which would otherwise compromise performance.

The adoption of data cables in almost all industries has meant that transmission testing

alone may not indicate the cables overall performance. This has resulted in the development of ANSI/TIA standards assessing mechanical, ingress, chemical and electromagnetic (MICE) classification to determine the harshness of the cable’s surroundings.

As well as effective data transmission it is fundamental for end users to install safe data cables. Currently most cables available in the UK are insulated, bedded or sheathed with materials such as PVC, TPE, Nylon, metal weaving and mercerised cotton, each reacts differently to fire.

In the event of a fire, PVC produces highly toxic black smoke and acidic gases. It also acts as a fuel, helping spread flames along a cable, through a building and into its voids. It also prevents the risk of droplets caused by melting.

The smoke and gases given off by burning cables can hinder a building’s occupants from escaping in event of a fire. It can also inhibit firefighters by blocking their vision and reducing the effectiveness of emergency lighting.

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BASEC ADVERTORIAL

COST OF FAILURE- WHAT IS THE COST OF OUTAGE

The majority of industries rely heavily on data for streamlining processes and making informed strategic business decisions, such as using software to monitor customer behaviour or implementing new smart technology. Therefore, an outage or machine failure can have a huge impact on the business with loss of time and money.

BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY AND FUTURE PROOFING

Unlike hardware that connects to the IT infrastructure, the cabling itself forms part of the fabric of the building. Given the cost and disruption involved in changing the network infrastructure, a key consideration is ensuring that the infrastructure you install will enable future technological developments in both speed and usage. As the need for more bandwidth increases, the cables that form the backbone of the networks need to be able to keep up the demands of the business for years to come. Though the transmission equipment such as the network switch governs the speed of the network, the cabling network needs to have the headroom to support this. So, the evolution of this type of hardware will drive the specification of the cabling required to support it, whether it be gigabit ethernet or

10Gb ethernet, the cable specified needs to accommodate the data requirements of the future.

Any manufacturer going through the approval process is assessed on the basis of many contributing factors, (including its quality management systems), down to how they train their teams. In doing so this minimises the risk of product failures throughout every stage of the manufacturing process.

Samples from each cable design are forensically examined to ensure that all relevant specification parameters are satisfied. Cables form the building blocks of any IT infrastructure therefore high-quality product, with proven performance is critical. Using a certified manufacturer enables you to be sure of product quality. It is critically important to ensure that the structured cabling is tested and verified to meet all of the complex data transmission parameters. In today’s data driven world any instance of system outages or data corruption can cause businesses a myriad of issues and problems.

Data communication approval ensures a level of quality, in line with the industry standards, can be successfully delivered to your end user. One, which a non-approved cable cannot guarantee.

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HOME CINEMA SEATING

SOFA, SO GOOD

As commercial cinema morphs into home cinema, comfort can be increased

RenĂŠ van Setten from seating specialist Home

in quality and detail, there is something for

Cinema Modules examines the current and

every budget.

future trends in the market With the arrival of today’s streaming services vastly increasing the amount of quality viewing available, true home theatre has come closer and closer to the consumer and there has never been a better time for installers to focus on this area.

The home cinema as a consumer concept

As a producer of home cinema seating, we of course keep a close eye on the market and how it is developing. By consulting with companies such as our UK distributor Invision, we hear firsthand about the trends in the market. As we sell globally, we are also able to tap into feedback from around the world, identifying trends and market differences from many different areas.

has really taken off in recent years and of

In America, the trend currently is mainly for

course so has the demand for proper, high-

large, robust and brown upholstery, while in the

quality seating for a whole range of different

UK, styles tend to be a little more sophisticated

user scenarios. More and more people see the added value of a home cinema as the positive impact on their home and family lives is realised. The offering for equipment and solutions has also increased significantly as home cinemas are created at a whole range of

and black is the most popular colour. With the advent of on demand services, binge watching has become a new concept, so sitting in a chair that is not really comfortable for over two hours is not an option.

price points and for different types of space. In

Consumers are also looking for a little more

recent years, more and more companies have

comfort in the back and an easy-to-operate chair

joined the market, with a varying range

that can be adjusted for the legs and the head.

36 JANUARY 2021

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HOME CINEMA SEATING

In the early days of the home cinema market, sometimes it was the case that red cinema folding seats were chosen as a seating solution to get the ‘home theater’ feel. Shortly afterwards this, fixed comfy armchairs took over as the main trend, by this time many models had a recline function and you could specify exactly the amount of seating required, so things were moving in the right direction.

By around 2016, newer trends such as adjustable armchairs where you can easily store a glass and operate an iPad at the same time, were added to many consumer’s wish lists.

In 2020, the seating market has matured even further. People want something unique, comfortable and adjustable that fits in the overall design of the home theater and often the rest of the home too.

The type of chair required now also varies a lot. There are armchairs, loveseats or two rows of three or four chairs. Depending on the size of the room, people with family, friends and relatives want to enjoy a great cinema experience together with everyone getting a similar experience no matter where they are sitting.

To meet those wishes, chairs are now offered in a modular way, where every wish can be included in the production of the chair. Whether it is a pattern incorporated in the stitching of the headrest or the position of the control panel, everything is possible.

In this way you get a unique chair that fits in the design of the home cinema, whereby the consumer is provided with a lot of comfort and the chair is fully equipped.

FUTURE TRENDS?

And what are the expectations for 2021? The same trends will continue in 2021. Keywords such as comfort, unique and convenience are being further developed.

In the near future, we also expect seats with more technology integrated directly into the chairs themselves, so they expand from only providing comfort, to providing more of the control and functionality of the room too. After all, it is about the experience when watching the content, the more chances to provide something unique, the better.

Just like the on-demand services that have helped the concept to grow, the overall home theater market is developing strongly with the user experience at the center.

Consequently, the home cinema chair is gaining an increasingly important position with the end user. You are not there with just a beautiful designed chair, but offering comfort and convenience too.

For that reason, the home cinema chair can also be found in an increasing amount of showroom and demonstrations spaces. The user can test our exactly how comfortable and luxurious the product and don’t forget this is also often the customer’s first introduction to the concept of experiencing a home cinema, so the first impression needs to be a good one.

For installers and interior professionals, it is sometimes a lot to translate all the customer’s wishes into a chair, so we can offer our support in guiding end users making the choices that will deliver them all that they need.

In the current climate it is sometimes difficult to physically visit a demonstration space or store, but with the various online options available for viewing and ordering, we still see the demand growing. More and more people are spending more time at home and this trend will continue after 2020.

Viewing choice has expanded hugely, leading to a growth in demand for home cinema

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JANUARY 2021 39

SEATING

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

Comfort promotes a calm and happy mind

THE SCIENCE OF SITTING In our industry we are blessed with lots of options with different price ranges, to offer our customers comfortable seating whilst enjoying their AV or home cinema system. However, have you ever wondered what makes a comfortable seat? EI Editor, Daniel J Sait, takes a look at the science, physical dynamics and other factors that interact to make sitting a pleasant experience.

We are all familiar with the phrase ‘out of our comfort zone’, so by definition everyone has a comfort zone within which they feel relaxed.

The feeling of comfort according to studies is produced by the presence of key factors such as familiarity, routine and control. If you think about it, a well-constructed dedicated home cinema or comfortable living space with AV and cinema experiences woven in, should tick many of these boxes. Feelings and emotions whether good or bad are created by the release of chemicals triggered by our thoughts or our surroundings and usually a combination of both. When you feel ‘comfortable’, it is a key factor in your brain releasing chemicals like dopamine and serotonin which lead to happy feelings. This relaxed and positive frame of mind is the perfect state of being within which to enjoy a well-constructed audio-visual experience, even before the content begins customers should feel well disposed to our creations if the ‘comfort’ level is high.

40 JANUARY 2021

What happens when we sit?

With some studies showing around 50% of people in the industrialized world suffering some form of back pain, the job of the home cinema seat becomes even more important.

How people sit and what they sit on will directly impact the health of their spine. The most common area where people feel discomfort is in the lumbar region where the vertebrae are the largest found in the spine. The purpose of sitting is to shift the weight from the areas of the body that carry most impact when standing or moving around, to other areas that do not. Most often when sitting straight up, the area carrying most impact are the bones and fleshy areas around the pelvic region known as the ischial tuberosities or ‘seat bones’.

When sat upright, as much as half the body weight is supported by this area which amounts to just 8% of the body’s surface. The purpose of the cushioning of the seat is to distribute pressure over as large an area as possible and tilt the pelvis forward the promote better posture.

Interestingly, experts seem unable to agree on a set ideal sitting position, this is because everyone’s body is different and different muscles will want to relax at different times and also after long periods of sitting, the body wants

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SEATING to rearrange itself so no single area is carrying all of the impact. That is why it is so important that cinema seats are adjustable or if a more ‘sofa’ approach is taken, users can move around on top of the seat to find various different comfortable positions. People do not move around on a whim, their body consciously or unconsciously is giving them instruction on how it wants to relax.

By definition the ‘best’ posture is the one that imposes the least stress on the body, and this is going to be different from person to person and depending on what the body has been doing.

If a person finds themselves fidgeting whilst sitting, this is usually a sign that either their position or the seat itself is not comfortable.

When people cross or uncross their legs, this is the body’s way of redistributing pressure and maintaining good blood flow and therefore good comfort. Obviously seating that allows people to redistribute their weight easily and without constriction is ideal.

Sitting positions can be defined into three loose categories. Anterior (forward leaning) centre of mass in front of the pelvic area, with the floor supporting more than 25% of body weight. This would be a common position for sitting at a desk. The second is Middle (relaxed, unsupported) - centre of mass directly above the pelvis with the floor supporting 25% of weight. This position delivers a mostly straight spine. Lastly there is Posterior (backward leaning) where the centre of mass is behind the pelvis, this is the preferred position for ‘relaxing’ and the result that chairs designed for home cinema or AV room enjoyment should be trying to hit. The location and angle at which most of the work is being carried out by the body has a direct impact on posture and in particular the upper extremities like the neck and shoulders, so this is another factor to consider when designing any type of chair. Most studies have shown that the most comfortable angle for relaxation is 13-15° from vertical, but this will vary greatly depending on what activities have

been taking place and the purpose of why the person is sitting. Of course, you don’t have to sit when watching a movie or listening to music, some people like to lie down and why not when this removes the most stress from the spine. Reportedly the most comfortable lying position for most humans is when the legs are at 135° from the torso, i.e. 135° hip angle and 45° knee angle.

How high a seat must be for maximum comfort is controversial, however a ratio that is very common is that the seat height should support a knee angle of 90° to prevent leg swelling and discomfort. However, a key factor here is that swelling may well be down too low muscle activity and not caused by the seat. Seats that are too high cause discomfort because blood flow to the back of the knees is decreased and pressure on the nerve endings in this area rise. A chair that is too low increases pressure on the pelvic region, again causing discomfort.

Seat makers also must be able to judge how hard or soft cushioning should be. Really soft seats feel good at first, but as the body is not supported pressure grows, skin temperature goes up and they become uncomfortable. So, a seat must find the right ratio of comfort and support. Factors such as arm rests also need to bear subtle physical dynamics in mind. A good arm rest engages the fleshy part of the forearm, not the bony regions towards the elbow which carry lots of nerve endings, every hit your ‘funny’ bone? This is why pressure on the area for a seat is undesirable.

So knowing some of what is going on physically that makes us relaxed, underlines just how important the seating is, not just for enjoyment of the entertainment experience, but for the customer’s all-round wellbeing.

Hopefully they will be sitting on these seats a lot, so good ones not only promote engagement with the home cinema system, but promote happiness and good health, another great benefit of a home cinema.

Being ‘comfortable’ promotes happiness and well-being, another benefit installers can deliver

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JANUARY 2021 41

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SMART THINKING

MAKING THE CASE FOR OPEN BENCHMARKING Jeff Hastings, CEO, BrightSign, specialist in digital signage provision looks at the relationship between high performance systems and a strong network.

There’s a reason highly sought-after integrators and technical consultants are well paid for their services. One of their roles – among many others – is to understand what their customers are hoping to achieve with their digital signage and scope out an ecosystem that supports those goals. To do this well, takes an immense knowledge of the various software platforms and hardware components that comprise a well-oiled network. Interoperability is never guaranteed, and vendor-claimed performance data rarely mirrors real-world performance.

A number of factors impact the performance of any AV network. Basic hardware/software interoperability plays a role, but one of the most common sources of network fatigue comes from the content itself. File size and format are important variables, as are the I/O protocols

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used to distribute that content throughout the network. But unless a specific network is staged and tested prior to deployment (which we highly recommend), there’s no way to know exactly how a digital signage network will perform until it’s up and running.

If pre-deployment staging is not an option, the next-best solution is to study reputable benchmark test results. Benchmark testing makes it possible to compare hardware performance on a wide range of content sources. And while this sort of testing won’t perfectly replicate real-world network performance, it is a great way to have an applesto-apples comparison of how various hardware devices handle a wide range of content sources.

We believe so deeply in the practice of universal benchmarking that we developed the Digital Signage Benchmark back in 2018. The idea was to create a platformagnostic measurement tool to let people see for themselves how different media players process graphics, video and HTML files, making it easy for anyone to run a series of industrystandard, proven, independent third-party tests on any device with just a browser and an

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internet connection. The DSB includes not just performance data, but also a cost-comparison that lets people consider the cost/performance value of each player. We feel this transparent approach to exposing exactly what the thirdparty tests and testing methodologies are – and empowering anyone to test for themselves – is the only way for a benchmarking platform to have widespread credibility.

In contrast to the Digital Signage Benchmark, there’s been some recent buzz in the industry about certain vendors citing benchmark performance results while cloaking the actual data behind those claims. Which begs the question; what value are those results if the data and the methodology aren’t openly disclosed?

Are we expected to take these benchmark claims at face value? It’s a slippery slope when vendors start making unsubstantiated performance claims. At BrightSign, we prefer full disclosure of what’s being tested, and how it’s being tested.

Anything short of open transparency renders a benchmark test uninformative and may rightfully be interpreted as intentionally deceptive.

JANUARY 2021 45

CASE STUDY: GES DIGITAL

BEAUTIFUL BAUFRITZ

UK based installer GES Digital used an array of attractive products and a KNX base to deliver the aesthetics and control needed in this stunning new build by German eco house creator, Baufritz.

In the business of home and commercial automation systems since 1997, GES Digital is one of the most experienced installers of smart building systems in the UK. Company MD, Iain Gordon, explains, “We cut our teeth shopfitting for some of the UK’s and Europe’s biggest operators. From leisure, to retail, games arenas to interactive

46 JANUARY 2021

TV studios, we covered just about everything.

As the business and the market developed, we also moved into delivering smart home and audio-visual systems right across the UK. During this journey the KNX system and brands like Jung have been a mainstay of our offering.”

As for this particular project Iain explains, “We help deliver a large number of projects for

Baufritz. On this project, known as Woloszczuk, we came on board to deliver a modern smart home system to match the cutting-edge design and eco credentials of this beautiful home.

“The project was won based on a pre-agreed pricing schedule set in place in advance for two years. We also had to demonstrate our ability to see a very large

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TS-1070R tabletop touch screen running Crestron Home software and Delos Darwin “Extension”

perpetual innovation Crestron Home™ improvements keep coming. Seven major releases in the first year alone. Now, with Crestron Home Extensions, you can control virtually any device.

Smart appliances. Irrigation systems. Power controllers. Weather stations.

And more. All with the same elegant Crestron Home experience.

Learn more at crestron.com/home All brand names, product names, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Certain trademarks, registered trademarks, and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Crestron disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Crestron is not responsible for errors in typography or photography. ©2020 Crestron Electronics, Inc.

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C C M M Y Y CM CM MY MY CY CY CMY CMY K K

CASE STUDY: GES DIGITAL project through to completion. And in doing so, won all the ancillary elements of the project.

This included CCTV, access control, AV, garden works and a host of interesting and unique ideas.”

Iain adds, “The brief was flexible to start, but as time progressed, the client drilled down into their chosen elements which we had to come up to speed with very rapidly in order to meet their needs. Thankfully the KNX system and in particular Jung helped us do that.”

THE HOME

Baufritz Specialises in creating ecologically valuable houses with individual design of highest quality. Ralf Pflugfelder, Architect for the project, explains, “The site is attractively located in the vicinity of Richmond Park.

Houses in the crescent have substantially increased in size and have a distinct character.

Existing houses have been replaced by new and larger houses and although there is no singular or coherent architectural language, there is a precedence for Tudor Revival and various forms of Neoclassicism.”

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Its creators say House Woloszczuk is designed as a merging of these two distinctly different architectural styles. The home has in excess of 8000 ft.² of living space over four floors. Designed in vertical sections, each floor is conceived as a terrace or platform, meaning that the house does not have a conventional basement, but a lower ground floor with direct access to the back garden. At the back the interior of the house opens up with a threestorey atrium connecting all social areas. As you progress up through the house it takes on an increasingly private and enclosed character. The atrium, which takes inspiration from a ballroom, delivers the sense of space and height needed to accommodate all four floors.

THE PROJECT A project of this scale obviously must be planned meticulously, the home has a total living space of 8762 ft².

JANUARY 2021 49

CASE STUDY: GES DIGITAL

Iain explains, “That does not necessarily mean hours poring over the drawings, but it does mean considering every element in order to ensure that the brief is met and, wherever possible, exceeded to allow for the inevitable last moment requests for wholesale change or additional provision. All of which, thankfully, we were able to meet.”

The size of the project is fully appreciated when it is realised that it took four men eight weeks to fully cable the property. However, highly detailed multi-page cable charts with clear indelible labelling, provided confidence and a clear guide to get the work done.

Coping with the size of the property and the complexity of the control needed, Iain was glad to have on site two trusted manufacturing partners.

He explains, “As the system has done previously for 17 years, using KNX gives us the assurance of flexibility and adaptability, which is inherent to the very nature of the system.

Jung has been a favoured provider with our business for over 15 years and the range has evolved from the F30 controller through to the current F50 on the KNX front end with some fantastic improvements.

“Using the KNX control backbone and JUNG allowed us to offer beautiful colour displays with rolling information, as well as discrete and subtle

50 JANUARY 2021

automation without the need for any display, but still making sure the house does exactly what it’s supposed to when it’s supposed to do it. Jung’s LS range of attractive accessories and sockets are used throughout the home from data outlets to 13A UK BS approved sockets.

All harmoniously suited to give a stunning symmetry to everything that is on show.”

THE CHALLENGES Woloszczuk presented a few key challenges that meant the KNX control system and Jung needed to be expertly deployed to deliver the correct result.

Iain takes up the story, “The seven split levels of this project posed some incredibly challenging routing issues. When you have over 150 lighting circuits and 50+ external venetian blinds, there is a lot of cable to consider and no homeowner gives up space for cable risers and cabinet locations easily.

“Using multiple distribution locations with custom built cabinets to accommodate both circuit protection and KNX system components, made the project much more manageable. The ability to hide these in wall access panels, behind a door for instance, made the positioning much easier and with the added benefit of reduced material and installation time for cabling too.”

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CASE STUDY: GES DIGITAL

This cutting-edge home did not just require the most modern automation inside, but outside as well. Iain says, “Working alongside landscaping contractors provided challenges with garden lighting, automatic lawnmowers, and rainwater harvesting for irrigation, all part of the scheme. However, through careful communications and a can-do attitude, everything was achieved.”

The home also required a multi-room audio system, which took a turn mid project from an expected ‘standard’ solution to a very esoteric and beautiful Bang & Olufsen (B&O) system.

Iain says, “Fortunately, the above mentioned cabling, included some very robust provision which included network links along with speaker lines so with very little adaptation, we could run the B&O network to the BeoLab audio products without any limitations. That and we became B&O dealers in the process!”

What really defines companies like GES Digital is delivering exactly what the

project requires, but then adding extra value beyond expectations.

Iain explains, “No two projects are alike.

What was really positive on Woloszczuk was that the client had knowledge and a strong idea of how they wanted things presented. Something as important as the app which controls the whole property via the KNX system, had to be ‘menu smart’, in short, intuitive and easy to use with clear navigation in order to achieve total control for the whole property.

“Normally, we make good basic provision, but with this project, getting even the app right was a challenge and took several months to tune perfectly to suit the customer’s needs.

That said, we do pride ourselves in going that extra mile, and there was no change in cost for this client and the menu, even in our humble opinion, is really superb.”

GES Digital gesdigital.com

Essential Kit List All electrical accessories and wall outlets by Jung – LS WW Cables from Helukabel, iDacs, Belcom DB’ and circuit protection by Hager KNX KNX Cabinets by ABB SMI blind interfaces – ABB 0-10v control actuators – Gira Dimming and switching actuators – Theben Presence detection – BEG App – Gira Switches – Jung F50 LS WW Intercom – 2N Audio – B&O Amplification – NAD TV Room – B&W M1 P1 TV Control – Savant PRO CCTV HikVision camera’s NVR – Adpro AI system

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JANUARY 2021 53

PRODUCTS

BEAUTIFUL BASALTE Basalte, a Belgian manufacturer known for its control and AV products for the intelligent home, has released a new flagship controller after a gap of a decade.

Just like Sentido, the Fibonacci touch-sensitive keypad also integrates with KNX and Crestron systems to intuitively control lights, shades and music. It supports single and long press actions, as well as multitouch functions, next to an integrated RGB led, temperature sensor and thermostat logic (KNX only). Fibonacci is available in the same Basalte metal finishes as Sentido.

Furthermore, Fibonacci easily installs on both a one-gang European or American wall box, making it a good fit for both new construction and retrofit projects. The keypad also comes with easily exchangeable, back lit labelling to indicate each button’s functionality. The keypad’s labels light up when approaching.

Fibonacci’s looks are inspired by the golden ratio, the well-known architectural concept that is easy on the eye and represents natural beauty.

With a design inspired by the ‘golden ratio’ (the well known architectural concept that represents natural beauty) Basalte is looking to raise the bar in the integrated controls market.

Basalte basalte.be/en

The Fibonacci ratio is derived from the famous row of numbers discovered by the Italian mathematical genius Fibonacci

A FYNE FOLLOW UP The F501SP is Fyne Audio’s second Special Production (SP) designated loudspeaker, following hot on the speaker terminals of the F502SP launched earlier this year. SP models distil some of the best components and engineering from across Fyne Audio ranges into a unique loudspeaker, personally tuned by Technical Director, Dr Paul Mills and handcrafted in the UK at Fyne’s Glasgow factory. The concept allows audiophiles to benefit from Fyne’s high-end technology without the expense of the complex cabinet geometry found on higher-end models.

The F501SP brings much of the driver, crossover and bass tuning expertise from the F700 Series into the more compact and affordable F501 cabinet design. This floorstander builds on the success of the original and award-winning F501, upgrading everything from the drivers to the finish options with only the core cabinet architecture remaining.

At its heart is a 150mm (6in) IsoFlare driver using the engineering developed for the premium F701 IsoFlare unit. This driver features a multifibre bass/mid cone terminated with FyneFlute roll surround and a 25mm magnesium dome compression tweeter with unique waveguide set at its centre. The result says Fyne is a point source driver with true Isotropic radiation for exceptional musical coherence and stereo imaging.

To deliver floorstanding scale musical reproduction, the F501SP adds a 150mm auxiliary LF bass driver to extend the lowest LF output of the IsoFlare unit. The result is a dynamic loudspeaker, capable of full-range musical reproduction and scale, says its creator.

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The standard F501 deploys Fyne’s twin chamber bass porting system with down firing BassTrax port in the lower chamber, and a single layer MDF plinth. However, the F501SP uses a bespoke F700 Series style aluminium twin layer sandwich plinth and machined aluminium hardware, including spacer, spikes and knurled locking nuts.

The result is an extended bass range and smoother 360° LF wavefront for easier in-room integration.

Merging the F700 Series technology into the F501SP cabinet required a new bespoke crossover with many of the F700 Series components used in the design. This included premium ClarityCap capacitors and lowloss laminated core inductors. The F501SP crossover forgoes costly Deep Cryogenic Treatment, but still delivers a loudspeaker of highquality. The Fyne Audio F501SP is available now in strictly limited numbers.

Fyne Audio fyneaudio.com The new speaker is available in high gloss black and high gloss white or in a new, luxurious deep gloss lacquered walnut veneer

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JANUARY 2021 55

PROFESSIONAL BATHROOM TV RANGE

RS232 over IP now available

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RS232 & IR connectivity

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01684 576 348 sales@oneav.co.uk oneav.co.uk

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2 year warranty

PRODUCTS

HANG AROUND FOR SONOS MOVE Known for its range of mounting solutions for Sonos, Flexson has announced the launch of the brand-new SM-WM Wall Mount for Sonos Move.

The new mount comes in both black and white to match the speaker

With an ergonomic design, allowing for secure wall mounting, the Wall Mount for Sonos Move is designed for mounting the speaker to free up valuable surface space or keeping it out the way of little fingers and clumsy pets. This mounting solution also enables users to safely mount the speaker at the perfect height for enhanced sound projection, while also permitting for quick and easy unmounting when user and the product are on the go.

Suited for both indoors and out, the product comes with all the fixings required for attachment to both brick/masonry and wood/studwork surfaces, while the UV resistant ABS construction safeguards against the elements and promises for product longevity.

The maker says that the mount is easy to install, sporting an ergonomic design which means the speaker can easily be added or taken away from the mount.

Flexson flexson.com

KLIPSCH AND HENLEY AUDIO PUT SOUNDBARS TO THE FORE Klipsch and UK distributor Henley Audio have announced four new soundbars. The new four strong Klipsch line comprises the Cinema 400, Cinema 600, Cinema 800, and Cinema 1200. Offering an extensive range of movie and music-led features, at four distinct prices, all of the new models include sleekly styled soundbars and matching subwoofer. Highlights include a Dolby Atmos-capable 5.1.4 system; compatibility with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Spotify Connect; matching wireless subwoofers and 8K passthrough. Klipsch houses all this latest tech in something a little more aged (and attractive) – real wood cabinets. The result, says the maker, is a collection of beautifully finished soundbar/ subwoofer packages, primed for action and set to complement any home decor.

Klipsch Cinema 400 available now, is designed to effortlessly connect to TVs and includes Klipsch an HDMI cable. A pair of Klipsch Tractrix 1in (25mm) tweeters and a brace of 3in (76mm) midrange drivers combine with the wireless 8in (203mm) subwoofer. Virtual surround, dialogueenhancing and night modes, plus built-in Dolby Audio decoding complete the Cinema 400.

Also available now, the Klipsch Cinema 600, builds on the entry model, totalling three of the same Klipsch Tractrix tweeters, four of those 76mm midrange drivers and employs the more powerful 10in (254mm) wireless subwoofer. The 600 also has the Klipsch motion sensing remote, meaning full control even when the lights are low.

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Klipsch Cinema 800 (on sale early 2021), brings Dolby Atmos into the home, enabling 7.1.4 decoding and creating overhead sound for greater immersion. This model also handles wireless music streaming, integrating into a smart home ecosystem via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Spotify Connect. Packing a 3.1 speaker system, including the Klipsch 10in wireless subwoofer, the Cinema 800 also offers 8K video passthrough.

Also for early this year, the flagship model is the Cinema 1200 soundbar offering a muscular 5.1.4 system, complete with wireless surrounds, as well as the 12in (305mm) wireless subwoofer.

The Cinema 1200’s built-in universal Wi-Fi works with wireless multi-room music streaming from Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Spotify Connect, and this Klipsch is as gifted with music and gaming audio as it is with movie soundtracks and TV sounds.

Henley Audio henleyaudio.co.uk

A collection of new home cinema soundbars is available from Klipsch

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JANUARY 2021 57

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

Gecko Home Cinema • 01635 268114 • www.lyngdorf.com

PRODUCTS

IMPROVING MERIDIAN ARCHITECTURE Meridian has announced the launch of HighPower Array (HPA), a technology upgrade that optimises the output and coverage of sound when three Meridian architectural loudspeakers are arranged in a close-proximity array configuration.

When designing large home cinemas, integrators aim to achieve high SPL targets across the entire listening region, without distortion.

CEDIA guidelines recommend a THX Reference level 105dB for the main listening position.

Meridian says this typically requires the need to move to compression drivers that lack the required high frequency extension, resolution and clarity; a deeper installation depth for larger high SPL speakers and a greater number of larger power amps in the rack that generate more heat.

Meridian says it is providing the solution with HPA technology enabling integrators to install three identical DSP loudspeakers in a stack or array configuration. The HPA configuration ensures minimal interference and spectral variation between speakers, resulting in an even response.

This installation method also enables integrators to maintain the 100mm mounting depth and the additional channels don’t require any extra equipment in the rack.

Available for use with Meridian’s architectural range — including the DSP520.2, DSP640.2, DSP750, and DSP730 — the three loudspeakers are installed with the centre speaker assigned as the ‘primary’ product and the outer two speakers

classed as the ‘secondary’ products. This is the same whether installed vertically or horizontally.

To allocate a role, the integrator is required to send one RS232 command to each individual loudspeaker within an array.

When installing the loudspeakers, the spacing between each one should be 50mm or less — the closer the speakers, the better the performance.

For horizonal installs, the listener’s ears should be positioned directly in line with the primary loudspeaker, and at a distance of at least 4m from the array, while for vertically mounted loudspeakers, the line should target the tweeter drivers.

Meridian meridian-audio.com

New tech from Meridian looks to improve reference home cinema performance

A BIG PUSH FOR PRISMA Primare has announced the launch of new Prisma applications and automatic OTA firmware update, providing a new build of the network player platform, eliminating past patches and coding to increase control, connection speed and stability, adding new features and functions to improve overall performance. This represents a significant step in the ongoing evolution of the Prisma platform in advance of the pending Roon Ready update, first for the NP5 Prisma, and shortly thereafter for all models.

Apple (1.3.4(62)) and Android (1.3.8.8) Prisma applications are now in a single app for both phone, in portrait orientation and tablet, in landscape orientation, for control. New apps are live in Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store.

OTA Update highlights include for all Prisma models AirPlay 2 compatability, Heartbeat function which improves discovery, as well as active network connection and communication between the Prisma device and application. Wi-Fi set up can now be done using three options: Android – from the initial Discovery page in the application; iOS – using AirPlay, from Wi-Fi Settings menu; Google Home – setup with Google Home and a

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Chromecast account is required to use Chromecast built-in related applications and features.

Updates on the NP5 network player include RS232 Link functionality improvements, added digital output setting options and native playback, with selectable maximum sampling rate passthrough options of 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 or 192kHz. Primare primare.net

The NP5 now includes DLNA/UPNP protocol improvements for better playback performance across all platforms

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JANUARY 2021 59

PRODUCTS

TOTAL CONTROL FROM URC URC has announced the launch of Total Control Accelerator 3 Operating System (OS) and several unified modules enabling integration across hundreds of climate, lighting, entertainment and security brand sub-systems and devices.

“The purpose of this new software innovation is to make residential and commercial automation system programming easier for our valued dealers while making the user experience simpler and more enjoyable,” states Mr. Chang K. Park, URC’s Founder and CEO. He continues, “Total Control Accelerator 3 enables a single interface for multiple subsystems, so users can control devices and systems from different manufacturers with a single touch or simple voice command.”

This new OS launched in two versions: Expressway and Experience.

Accelerator 3 Expressway OS is the beginner, introductory software that allows easy deployment of systems in less time. It provides simple programming of large-scale control systems of up to eight zones and features user interfaced customisation with new backgrounds, icons and room images, URC’s new HDA (highresolution audio) distribution solution, two-way modules including audio players, media players, climate control, lighting, security and thousands

of other devices. This package also enables the setting up of voice service control for device activities. Training on this level takes one day to complete.

Accelerator 3 Experience OS powers full, rich automation experiences with advanced features like creating custom device drivers and advanced system customisation, deploying macro theory, including advance voice command control, creating advanced programming of URC’s HDA high resolution audio distribution

system and delivering automation sensors, Geo-fencing, NFC, timers and device events.

Its also possible to activate scenes (day-part events) and deliver IP camera integration. Offsite programming and control is also available and training to use the systems takes two-days.

UK distributor for URC is AWE. AWE Europe awe-europe.com/

New OS initiatives from URC

NEXT GEN HI-FI FROM CYRUS Cyrus Audio has introduced its new XR series including no less than six new products, including two integrated amplifiers with DACs (i7-XR and i9-XR), a preamp (Pre-XR), two CD players (CDt-XR transport and the integrated CDi-XR) and an external power supply (PSU-XR).

The XR series has been created to provide sound quality benefits and increased dynamic range. Cyrus hopes that ‘the clarity and detail of the XR series will keep the listener wanting to go back and listen to tracks heard a thousand times before’. For the XR series, engineers selected components based on efficiency and performance, without consideration of cost.

In designing these products from the ground up, the engineers were able to create a low noise platform, through power supply design, DAC optimisation, component choice and circuit topology.

One of the principles behind the design of the XR series has been noise reduction.

Efforts were made to isolate the signal path from potential sources of noise. Another area of focus was power supply design. XR delivers high quality power to the circuitry to ensure optimal performance.

60 JANUARY 2021

The XR series also features a new aesthetic.

All products in the new XR series are wrapped in a new Phantom Black paint finish. The colour is sympathetic to both the existing core and signature range. The XR series user interface is also new, incorporating capacitive touch buttons with audible feedback. The new UI also features a high-resolution LCD screen and a weighty solid metal rotary encoder.

“XR series represents the state-of-the-art in audio engineering in so many different ways.” says Simon Freely, Managing Director of Cyrus. “Our unique approach to power, coupled with the many innovations in DAC design, circuit topology and a whole new user interface, catapult Cyrus into a whole new level of performance and quality.”

Cyrus Audio cyrusaudio.com

The XR series has been created to place Cyrus products into a ‘whole new level of sophistication and performance’

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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

SUPPORTING THE UKʼS FINEST CUSTOM INSTALLERS

W: www.pulsecinemas.com

E: info@pulsecinemas.com

T: +44 1279 647 039