Big-Screen TV vs. Video Projector

Good Night
©2015 Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
Good Morning
When beauty meets technology
Lutron intelligent shades automatically adjust when you
want them to. Whether it’s morning, evening, or somewhere in
between, our shades provide unparalleled convenience and
comfort. Learn where to buy at www.lutron-shades.com.
CONTENTS
DEPARTMENTS
EH BREAKTHROUGH: INNOVATIONS
IN THE WORLD OF SMART TECH
Take a “Smart” Seat: Hear how the simple act of sitting
down can control your home theater
EH QUICK BITS
acts, figures, and fun information about the smart home
systems marketplace
¡ How to Design a Multipurpose Media Room: Tips,
trick, and equipment options for turning any room into a
media masterpiece
WHAT THE ?!?!
HOME ENERGY MANAGEMENT
We demystify misunderstood technology. Matrix Switchers: The director of a home entertainment system
Connected Home Savings: Innovative
utility programs leverage the energy savings capabilities of
IoT devices
FEATURES
SMART HOME GALLERY
SMART HOME
Getting Professional Help: The hows and whys of hiring
a professional integrator to automate your home
¡ Affordable Automation: Broo lyn bachelor s apartment proves that smart home control doesn t have to
brea the ban
¡ Auro-3D Surround Sound: Home theater delivers realistic, immersive 3D audio and stellar video
HOME SECURITY
Strategies for Securing the Front Door: Make it a
priority in your home protection plan with the addition of
cameras, sensors, electronic door locks and more
SMART HOME SPOTLIGHT:
AUTOMATED HOME GYMS
4 Smart Workout Spaces: Packed with powerful A/V
and individualized temperature and lighting settings,
these exercise areas motivate and inspire
HOME LIGHTING
The Right Way to Design a Lighting System: Expert
advice on e ortlessly managing and controlling the lights
in your home
NEW PRODUCTS & SYSTEMS
6 top products and systems for your smart home
HOME AUDIO
Speaker Placement Tips: Learn which types of speakers
to use and where to install them
HOME THEATER
¡ Home Theater Face-Off: Big-screen TV vs. video projector—see which option reigns supreme as the ultimate
display for your home theater
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
IN EVERY ISSUE
Editor’s Note Smart Home Stress Relief
Expert Commentary My Apple Watch Almost Killed Me,
by ordan ills
Featured Installers Featured custom
electronics installers
Cover image courtesy of TYM, of Salt Lake City
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
NEW THIRD
GENERATION
MRX SERIES
Separates-Quality Performance in a
Gutsy, Feature-Rich AV Receiver.
n Dolby Atmos® n Quad Core Digital Signal Processing n Industry Leading Room Correction on All Channels
n Full Bandwidth 4K 50/60 Switching n HDCP 2.2 n Premium 32-bit / 768 kHz Differential-Output D/A Converters
Award-winning Anthem performance and technology, including
11.1 pre-amplifier channels, Advanced Load Monitoring Technology,
on-screen display even with 4K60, and much more.
Optimize performance in any room with Anthem Room Correction
(ARC™) Technology, which corrects for obstructions like walls and
furniture to deliver a more natural response.
Drive up to 11 powered channels, with up to 120 Watts per
channel of clean Anthem power.
DTS Play-Fi® Technology lets you stream high-resolution audio
over your Wi-Fi network from local sources and the internet.
Dolby Atmos® is the ultimate immersive audio experience.
DTS Play-Fi® enables you to stream
music from Android, iOS, and PC
Experience the breathtaking power and multi-channel flexibility
of Anthem’s NEW MRX Series of AV Receivers for yourself.
visit anthemAV.com for more info.
11.1 preamplifier channels, Dolby Atmos® and DTS Play-Fi® available on select models.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Smart Home
Stress Relief
IT’S THE HEIGHT OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON as I wrap up our January
2016 edition of Electronic House. Both the holidays and the
production of a magazine deliver ample doses of stress—that is,
until I hit the floor, the bike, or the weights at my favorite local
gym. It’s there that my mind goes blank, where muscling through
a set somehow manages to erase eight-plus hours of pent-up
anxiety. And if I do need to finish up some work in the evening,
my brain has somehow been recharged by the physical exertion.
LIKE US and share your own home
technology stories and photos. Tell
us about your favorite products and
how you've gone about making your home
more intelligent.
FOLLOW @electronichouse as well
as editors @geclauser and
@LMontgomeryEH for the latest
tech tidbits and links to check out. Got a cool
smart home theater to show off? Tweet it at us!
It's for this reason—plus the fact that many people like to ring in
the New Year by resolving to get into shape—that I decided to
profile a handful of high-end home gyms, where the technology
VIEW more stunning high-tech
homes and home theaters at
pinterest.com/electronichouse.
is just as impressive and inspiring as the workout equipment. There’s
never a shortage of motivational music to help these homeowners power through the toughest of training
sessions; and automation systems enable them to easily alter the environment—lights and temperature—to
their liking.
The personalization of environments through the use of technology is represented well in other parts
of this issue, too; we are introducing some of these departments to readers of EH for the first time. In EH
Breakthrough, for example, you’ll hear about a chair that adjusts the room environment based on whether or
not you’re sitting in it. It’s an exciting innovation that stands to make a huge impact on home cinemas—just
imagine having the lights dim, the video projector kick on, and the sound system activate in perfect sequence.
And all you had to do was sit down. Two other brand new departments include What the ?!?!, where we solve
the mystery behind a particularly complex yet important home technology, product, or system (we’ve chosen the
largely misunderstood matrix switcher for this issue), and EH Quick Bits, which is jam packed with interesting
facts and entertaining tidbits about the smart home industry. If you like trivia, you’ll love this section.
We’d be remiss to exclude our standard fare of feature topics that you’ve seen throughout the year: stories
about home security, lighting control, energy management, home audio and video, and home automation
systems are all covered in detail. You’ll learn about the types of products to consider as worthwhile additions
to your home, how to best incorporate them into each area of your home, and ways to customize and
personalize them to suit the unique needs of your household. When your house functions more efficiently,
managing it is bound to feel less stressful … just don’t forget to hit the gym.
—Lisa Montgomery
[email protected]
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
EH BREAKTHROUGH: Innovations in the world of smart home tech
TAKE A “SMART” SEAT
YOU'VE LIKELY EXPERIENCED HOME THEATER SEATS that shake, rattle, and roll in sync with the movie action; there
are chairs equipped with motors that adjust to your perfect comfort settings; and you may have even run across
furnishings featuring illuminated cup holders, nifty storage bins, and charging
stations for your mobile devices. What you probably haven’t seen—until
now—is a truly smart home theater chair. Sometime early this year, Leggett &
Platt (LP) Smart Products, in collaboration with Elite Home Theater Seating
Inc., will release a line of home theater seating equipped with sensors that will
enable you to effortlessly dim and brighten light fixtures, adjust a thermostat,
and activate A/V gear. Without even picking up a remote control or tapping
a button in a mobile device, you can alter the room environment precisely to
your liking—and all you have to do is settle into your home theater seat. A
completely different scenario can unfold when you exit the chair.
To describe the process more accurately, it’s really a home automation
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
PET-PROOF SEATING
There’s no need to worry
about your pets setting
off the seat. As LP Smart
Products manager o IoT
products Ryan Chacon
explains, the proprietary
technology integrated
into the Elite home
theater seating detects
occupancy, not weight.
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
EH BREAKTHROUGH
system that transmits the commands to the lights, thermostat, A/V equipment, and other gear. The chair is
basically a smart device that triggers the automation system to react. Communication between the chair’s
integrated LPSense and LPConnect technology and your chosen automation system occurs wirelessly using
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or ZigBee technology. According to LP Smart Products, the smart seating from Elite will be
compatible with most home automation systems, enabling home systems integrators to personalize and customize
the effects precisely to a homeowner’s liking. The personalization can extend to the chair itself. For example, when
the chair detects that you’ve sat down, it can recline to your favorite position and extend the footrest. If the chair
is equipped with a massage unit, its settings can also be automated, and even be used to notify you of happenings
around your house. For example, should someone ring the doorbell, an appropriately programmed home
automation system can signal the chair to vibrate slightly.
No word yet on how much the smart home theater seating from Elite will cost, but LP Smart Products
assures us that the upcharge will be on par with what you’d expect to pay to add a motor or a massage unit to
a chair. The Elite line will be the first smart theater seats to hit the market, but LP Smart Products plans to
collaborate with other manufacturers, making this technology easy to find and enjoy in the near future. EH
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
EH QUICK BITS
KEYPAD COUTURE
It used to be cool to access and control a music
system from a smartphone. Okay, maybe it’s still
cool, but based on recent developments by some
leading manufacturers of whole-house audio systems, it looks like we’re going back to the old days
of control—when a wall-mounted keypad turned
on and tuned in. Why? Because after all the hype
over the awesomeness of kicking on music from
a smartphone, people (and manufacturers) have
realized that it’s usually easier and more convenient to simply tap a button on a keypad as you walk into a room to activate your favorite playlist than to
pull out a phone and load an app. Although keypads may be experiencing a rebirth, they’re anything but
the old- ashioned wall warts o the past. Retooled and restyled, they re ect today s modern listening habits
and home designs. Pictured here: the Autonomic KP-6, NuVo P-10, and Niles Auriel NKP7.
STREAMING STILL GAINING STEAM
WANT HIGH-RES MUSIC?
Whether we’re in the car, at work, working out, or
surfing the web, we love listening to music. Ninety-one
percent of the national population listens to music,
spending more than 24 hours a week listening to their
avorite tunes. hile total listening figures are roughly
the same as last year, how we access and engage with
music is changing. Recorded music sales are down,
but streaming is surging, listening on smartphones
is increasing, and interest in live music continues to
grow, even when we can’t be there in person. If you’re
obsessed with streaming you’re not alone: 75% of the
population say they listen to music online. When selecting a music streaming service, over 8 in 10 respondents cite cost and ease of use as the most important
factors, followed by over 7 in 10 who say the song
library is important. —Nielsen
Just look for the logo above on the websites
of your favorite music streaming sites. The
newly adopted
logo signifies
“lossless audio
capable of reproducing the full
spectrum of sound
from recordings
which have been
mastered from
better than CD quality (48kHz/20-bit or
higher) music sources … “ In other words,
the music that you stream will be delivered
in a digital format that retains the highest
sound uality available. Some o the first
music retailers to adopt the Hi-Res MUSIC
logo include Acoustic Sounds Super HiRez,
Blue Coast Music, HDtracks, IsoMike Recordings, ClassicsOnline HD*LL, PonoMusic,
and Pro-StudioMasters. The development
and adoption of the logo was spearheaded
by The Recording Industry Association of
America (RIAA), in cooperation with DEG:
The Digital Entertainment and The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing.
TOP 3 REASONS FOR SELECTING STREAMING SERVICES
1. Cost
83%
2. Ease of Use
82%
3. Song Library
73%
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
EH QUICK BITS
WHY BUY SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY?
The main reason people invest in smart home technology,
according to a “2015 State of the Smart Home Report” by
iControl Networks is for the peace of mind that comes from a
well-protected home. For the second year in a row, 90 percent of people say security is one of the top reasons to purchase a smart home system.
THE FUTURE SMART HOME – 7 TOP TECHNOLOGIES
Futurist and noted columnist Michael Rogers, a keynote
speaker at the Consumer Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) Trade Show and Expo held recently in Dallas, predicts the following seven technologies as shaping the
smart home by the early 2020s:
Ÿ Virtualized Life. You will be connected to the Internet
24/7/365 through wearable computers that will link to the
home, o ce, car, and public i-Fi automatically as you
move around.
Ÿ Augmented Reality. Wearable technology like smart glasses
will overlay data on the physical world, driven by voice commands.
Ÿ Ambient Telepresence. This is the ability to build virtual rooms in different locations that you will see
and use to communicate with another person in another location who is looking at your large display.
Ÿ 5G Wireless. It will transmit data at 1Gb per second with 1 millisecond of latency.
Ÿ Smart Sensors. Advancements in battery technology will enable energy harvesting from a person’s body
to power sensors.
Ÿ Facial Recognition Cameras. Your home will recognize you and your family members so that it can cater to each person’s needs. The cameras will also recognize your mood and respond accordingly.
Ÿ Social Network Integration. Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Net ix and other social networks will ully
communicate with each other. —CEPro magazine
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
WHAT THE ?!?!
Editor’s note: This department is dedicated to the understanding of lesser-known and –appreciated home technologies. You may have
never heard of them, and if you have, you might have felt nonplussed by their mysterious nomenclatures. Still, these convoluted components, products, and systems can play a huge role in the comfort, convenience, safety, and entertainment value of your home. They’re
important pieces of technology that you need to know about.
MATRIX SWITCHER
The “Director” of a
Home Entertainment System
BY BILL SCHRIPSEMA, Product Manager, Atlona
ONE OF THE DEFINING COMPONENTS of a quality audio/video system is the matrix switcher. While expensive, it’s
essential for tying separate components into a unified system that connects and directs the right content (audio
and/or video) to the right place: the game on satellite TV to the family room, streaming music to the patio, a Bluray movie to the home theater, a video game to the kid’s room, and so on.
Audio/video receivers (AVR) typically have some of the switching features found on a matrix, but a matrix
offers more specialized routing features, does not include amplifiers and speaker connections, and it will generally
handle more inputs (for content sources) and outputs (for displays, audio systems, etc.) than an AVR.
Benefits of a Matrix Switcher
The key feature of a matrix switcher is its ability to route any input (source) to any single output or any
combination of outputs. Typically, a matrix switcher has the same number of inputs as outputs. Four inputs and
four outputs are usually found on the smallest type of matrix switchers available, while the largest can have over
100 inputs and outputs. Costs range from about $2,000 and up, depending on the input/output capabilities and
other features. Most matrix switchers are built to “fixed” dimensions, e.g., 4x4 (4 inputs and 4 outputs), 8x8, 16x16
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
NEW PRODUCTS
and so on; some models, usually used in commercial settings, can be custom configured with varying numbers of
inputs and outputs, per the specific requirements of the A/V setup.
HDMI or HDBaseT
Because video sources and displays are not always located close to the matrix switcher, many manufacturers
integrate HDBaseT transmitters (or receivers) into the matrix. This allows signals to be transmitted further
through the use of HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) technology. While HDBaseT “extenders” add
to the cost of the matrix, they increase system reliability and shorten installation time, often reducing the total cost
of the system. Extenders can also transmit system control signals between components, which can further reduce
installation time (and cost) and improve reliability.
HDMI and HDCP
As HDMI and HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) technology standards continue to
evolve, and the prevalence of 4K UHD (Ultra-High-Definition) continues to grow, selecting a matrix that will
accommodate all the hardware sources, content, and displays you intend to use can become a more complicated
endeavor. Configuring elaborate A/V systems can be tricky even for professional home systems integrators, but it’s
always best to have a pro advise on, or make, the equipment selections to ensure high performance and quality.
Audio Switching
Usually audio is switched to the same destinations as video, but not always. In the analog era, it was simple
to route audio and video separately, since the signals traveled on different wires and employed different signal
formats. Today, audio is digitally embedded in the HDMI signal. Therefore, in order to route audio separately, the
audio signal must first be extracted (or de-embedded), switched to the proper destination, and then re-embedded
on a digital video signal. Many matrix switchers offer de-embedded analog audio for two-channel distribution
to speakers in rooms throughout the home. Some models allow volume and EQ (equalization) control of deembedded audio, which makes the management of distributed audio simpler and less expensive.
The Choice
There are many factors to weigh when choosing a matrix switcher, including the number of inputs and
outputs, bandwidth, HDMI or HDBaseT outputs, HDCP compliance, control signal management, and audio
management. In addition, ease of setup, product warranty, customer support, and control system compatibility all
become part of the decision. While budget is always a factor, it’s important to know what performance options
and capabilities one wants to have in order to make the right choice of components. EH
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
Photo courtesy of ListenUp, Denver, Colo., www.listenup.com
SMART HOME
Getting Professional Help
The hows and whys of hiring a professional integrator to automate
your home. BY LISA MONTGOMERY
HOME AUTOMATION SYSTEMS COME IN TWO BASIC FLAVORS: those that can be installed by handy homeowners and
those designed to be installed by professional home systems integrators. Choosing whether to handle the proj-
ect yourself or to hire someone is a big decision. Each approach has its merits, but usually you’ll reap the greatest
rewards by hiring a pro.
Why Hire a Pro?
Yes, the do-it-yourself automation systems available at your local home improvement store and online are
tempting. The hardware itself is usually quite affordable, and since you’ll be installing the system yourself,
you can eliminate the labor charges you would have incurred had you hired a pro. But this is where the
advantages of a DIY system stop.
Missing from a DIY system will be the customization you get from a professionally installed home
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME
automation system. A home systems integrator is able to tailor the software of a pro-grade automation
system so that each and every electronic device performs precisely the way you want it to. Need the lights
and the thermostats to adjust as you unlock the front door? A pro can easily set up this routine for you.
Want your favorite music to play through the speakers of your home office while your daughter hears her
own playlist in her bedroom? A personalized and distributed audio setup is easy for a pro to add to your
automation system.
Configuring an automation system is only part of the process of smartening up a home. Home
automation systems often need a little extra TLC to ensure that they will work reliably. For example, the
wireless network in your home might need to be tweaked or a wire might need to be routed to an area that’s
difficult to reach. A pro has the tools, the knowledge, and the training to guarantee that no matter what the
ITEMS TO FIRM UP
Ÿ Make sure what’s covered in the contract by
Ÿ Documentation is an important part of any
asking the home systems integrator to provide a written "Scope of Work" document. This
should go into more detail than simply what
types of products will be purchased and installed. It should spell out specifically how the
systems will function so that both you and your
home systems integrator are working toward
the same goal.
Ÿ Some home systems integration firms may
charge separately for design and installation.
Also, determine upfront any fees you could
incur or modifications a ter the initial installation. Some integrators offer a gratis period or
minor adjustments; others don’t.
Ÿ Have a budget in mind, as well as an idea to
which portions of the project you’d like to allocate the most money. For example, if you’re
a music enthusiast, you might want most of
the budget to go toward high-quality speakers. And remember, the first bid presented by
a home systems integrator is often used to get
the dialogue owing. I the bid is higher than
you expected, don’t assume there’s no way to
get your budget back in line. You can work with
your home systems integrator to re-engineer
the project, perhaps by sacrificing a ew eatures now that you can always add on later.
home-tech project, giving you a “roadmap” of
what was installed and where everything is
located. Line-item list of products, wiring schematics, and 3D renderings of rooms will prove
valuable if and when you decide to expand
and modify your smart home systems. This
documentation becomes even more important
should you decide to work with a firm other
than the one that originally handled the project.
Ÿ Depending on the sophistication of the project,
there could be many people working at your
house. Know who your main point of contact is,
and have his or her phone numbers and email
addresses on hand.
Ÿ Depending on the scope of the design and installation, adding smart technology to a home
can take anywhere from a few hours to several
months, if not years. Firm up a schedule from
the start, but be exible. As is the case with any
home construction or renovation project, unexpected holdups are common. Be somewhat
exible, but i there s a firm time rame you d
like to meet—like before the holidays or some
other special event—let your home systems integrator know right away. He or she may need
to rework the game plan to accommodate your
schedule.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME
Showrooms, like this one at Denver-based ListenUp, can provide a good indication of a home systems integratio
r
l
lo
or
a
i a d
rti
obstacle, your home automation system will perform optimally. And should you ever run into a glitch—even
months or years after the system has been installed—a pro is there to help.
Last but not least, hiring a pro can save time and headaches. We’ve all experienced a home improvement
project that was supposed to be quick and easy but turned into something quite different. Whether it was
replacing a kitchen appliance, painting a room, or landscaping the yard, the project probably took much
longer than expected. You run this same risk when installing a home automation system yourself. Your time
is valuable. Save yourself the hassle by hiring out the job to a skilled professional.
Where to Find a Pro
An Internet search should unearth a few home systems integrators in your area. You may need to fiddle around
a bit with the nomenclature—type in A/V specialist, home theater designer, home automation dealer, and other
variations to compile a list of potential pros. Like most Internet searches, though, your list will likely include a
few duds. You may need to dig deeper to find exactly what you’re looking for.
As many home systems integrators will attest, a good portion of their business comes from referrals
and word of mouth. Therefore, a good way to find a qualified pro for your home tech project is to simply
ask around. Maybe your neighbor has a killer home theater. Ask him who designed and installed it. Or
perhaps your cousin is an electrician. He may know of a company that does reputable low-voltage work. If
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME
your church has an amazing audio/video system, ask your pastor
for a referral. Ditto for the manager who operates that 10-screen
sports bar in town. Often, a company that installs A/V and control
systems in commercial settings also does so in homes. If they don’t,
they can probably recommend a company that does. Builders,
architects, interiors designers, painters, carpenters, landscapers—
basically anyone who provides a service to homeowners—are good
points of reference.
Also keep your eyes peeled for events like home and garden
shows, open houses, and parade of homes tours. You might stumble
across a few home systems integration firms that are either
displaying their wares or have someone on hand to describe the
technology being demonstrated.
When you find a few candidates, pay their businesses a
visit. Most home systems integrators operate showrooms where
you can see the systems in action. Sometimes, these companies
will host evening movie nights, lunchtime tech talks, and other
fun, informative, low-pressure events. Take advantage of these
opportunities and be sure to check out the store and showroom of
more than just one company. You can tell a lot by a home systems
integration firm’s level of professionalism and workmanship
GOOD VIRTUES OF
A HOME SYSTEMS
INTEGRATOR
Ÿ Has a good working relationship and proven track record
with builders, architects, and
interior designers
Ÿ Has interior designers, carpenters, and other specialists
on staff this isn t necessary
but can often streamline the
project)
Ÿ Carries proof of insurance
typically between 500,000
and 1 million
Ÿ Employees of the home
systems integration firm have
been screened for drug use
and criminal records
Ÿ Owns an impressive
showroom
Ÿ Has operated a thriving
business for several years
by seeing its work firsthand; and you can also get a feel for the
personalities of the people who work there. If you find the salespeople too aggressive or just plain annoying,
it’s a good indication to move on. Find a company that you gel with on a professional and personal level.
When to Hire a Pro
There’s no better time to hook up with a home systems integration firm than before your house is built. Yes,
we said before, as in even before the design for the home has been drawn up. This way, accommodations can
be made for some of the technologies you have decided to incorporate. For example, the ceiling of the rec
room can be built to 9 feet to provide better ceiling clearance for a video projector and stadium-style seating;
a roomy, well-ventilated equipment closet can be added to the layout to house all your gear; windows can
be positioned to leave enough room for the built-in speakers you crave; and so on. When a home systems
integrator is introduced to the project from the very beginning, he or she can work with your architect and
builder to make sure that the technology meshes well with all aspects of the home design.
If the construction of your home is already in process or is completely finished, don’t worry. Most
home systems integrators are highly proficient at adding electronic components and systems to homes that
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME
have been standing for even 100 years or more. In fact, some even specialize in these challenging retrofit
jobs. Armed with the proper tools, training, and experience, they can find ways to route cabling without
compromising the architecture, blend speakers and big-screen TVs beautifully into the historic design, and
devise innovative solutions to make modern tech look right at home in any age, size, or style of home.
How to Work with a Pro
Home technology should be molded to conform to your lifestyle; not the other way around. This tailoring of
technology is the forte of a home systems integrator, but it only works if you openly share with him or her
information about you and your family. Nitty gritty details aren’t necessary, but an overview of your routines,
schedule, likes, and dislikes can help tremendously in your home system integrator’s ability to select the
appropriate products and systems for your home and program and install them in a way that suits your needs
perfectly. For example, if you’ve expressed that you love listening to music and entertain frequently during
the holidays, a home systems integrator will follow up by asking in which rooms you’d like to have speakers,
if you want those speakers to be built into the ceiling or free-standing, which types of music you like the
most, and how comfortable you would feel controlling that music. If you’re unsure, he can offer suggestions.
No matter what your hot button is: saving energy, entertaining friends and family, safety and security, a more
convenient way to manage a busy household, or all of the above, your home systems integrator can find a
solution. And he can stay within your budget (be sure to have a ballpark idea of what you’d like to spend).
In addition to conducting this “phase of discovery,” a home systems integrator is responsible for selecting
the products and systems that will go into your house, for customizing and programming these products
and systems, and installing them. Depending on the scope of the project and his or her level of expertise,
some portions may be subcontracted. Don’t be alarmed. It’s a fairly common practice. For example, if a home
systems integrator specializes in audio and video systems, he may team up with another firm that can handle
the integration of a home security system.
In most cases, though, you will deal only with your primary integrator, whose job includes guiding you
through the entire process, from choosing the locations of speakers, TVs, keypads, and other equipment, to
demonstrating how to monitor, manage, and control the various systems in your house after they have been
installed. Be an active participant during every aspect of the project. Even if you’re not particularly tech savvy,
a home systems integrator appreciates your input. It’s crucial to the successful implementation of the system
and your overall satisfaction with your smart home investment. EH
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME
THE HOME GYM
Four homeowners create amazing exercise
spaces using smart home technology.
BY LISA MONTGOMERY
JOINING A GYM takes dedication, commitment, and a good chunk of time when you factor in packing your bag,
driving there and back, showering, and so forth. Plus, you’ll need to pay for a membership that can lock you in for
a year or more. Then there’s the privacy issue: If you’re not in shape already, the thought of donning a pair of shorts
and performing a set of squats in front of complete strangers can sabotage even the best laid plans. Combined,
these factors can make working out seem like, well, too much work.
We don’t know if these factors contributed to the creation of these four amazing home gyms, but their
owners obviously understood how technology can be a huge motivator when it comes to maintaining a consistent,
effective exercise regime. Music and video flex some serious muscle in these spaces, allowing the owners to stretch
and sweat to their favorite tunes and TV shows. There’s no need to strain eyes or ears to enjoy the entertainment,
as these home gyms were pumped up by professional home systems integrators with an ample array of well-
placed, high-quality speakers and big, bright, displays (one of which turns into a mirror when it’s not being used).
In addition to being more entertaining than a run-of-the-mill public gym, the workout conditions (lighting and
temperature levels) can be customized for each individual home gym member. It all adds up to an exercise area
that’s fun, inspiring, comfortable, and conducive to firming up and whittling down.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME: HOME GYMS
Home Gym Hides A/V Horsepower
A touch of a button reveals a 65-inch mirror TV and amazing audio.
TUCKED INTO THE LOWER LEVEL of an 8,000-square-foot smart home in San Antonio, Texas, is a dream gym
designed for both health and tech buffs. The 420-square-foot room is fully equipped with four workout
machines and a weight lifting station, making a trip to a public gym unnecessary. The right wall is
surfaced with floor-to-ceiling mirrors, while inspiring artwork hangs on the other three walls. A door
leads to a private music room in the back corner, so going from burning calories to making beats is a
piece of cake.
There’s a lot more to this workout space than meets the eye, however. The homeowners desired an open,
uncluttered, stress-free space to escape, and that meant including some great audio and video components.
Captive Audio, Ltd., of Austin, Texas, was able to deliver the A/V goods, which includes four Sonance
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME: HOME GYMS
speakers and two subwoofers cleanly and inconspicuously installed in the Venetian plaster ceilings. The
focal point of the exercise area, though, is a 65-inch Seura mirror TV
that was installed into a 272-by-107-inch wall equipped with matching
mirrored panels. The 11 panels were completely customized, hand-cut,
and meticulously installed to create a seamless wall of mirrors that would
make anyone want to jump on the treadmill. When the A/V equipment
is off, the mirrors function as mirrors; but when the owners activate the
8x8 Crestron DigitalMedia video distribution system, a portion of the
mirrored wall turns into a fully-functional display, from which content
from Apple TV, gaming consoles, three cable boxes, a media server, and
20 surveillance cameras can be viewed.
SYSTEMS DESIGN & INSTALLATION
Captive Audio, Austin, Texas
captiveaudio.com
HIGHLIGHTS
¡ Wall of mirrors turns into a TV at the
touch of a button
¡ Wireless headphones tap into
whole-house music system
¡ Plenty of ways to control the space:
keypad, mobile app, and handheld
remote
The homeowners are able to control all of the A/V components (as
well as Lutron LED track lighting) in their workout room (and the electronic components in other rooms of
their house) by using a Crestron LCD wireless remote, a Smart Graphic app on their iPhones and iPads, and
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME: HOME GYMS
TRUFIG wall-mounted keypads (commands issued by these control devices are carried out by a Crestron
PRO3 processer). Preset and individual His, Her, and Kids favorite cable options are available at the press of a
button, and there isn’t even a need to compromise on the type of workout entertainment, thanks to individual
wireless headphones connected to the home’s Wi-Fi network: While he is lifting weights and watching the
evening news she can be listening to her favorite Pandora station on the elliptical machine. Working out and
staying fit is a task that takes time, effort, and motivation, and this workout room is the perfect environment
to take on that challenge. —L.M. EH
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME: HOME GYMS
High-Intensity Home Gym
Powerful A/V system motivates and rejuvenates for better health.
OCCUPYING ROUGHLY 1,000 SQUARE FEET and loaded with the caliber of equipment you’d expect to see at a high-
end commercial gym facility, this workout space lacks nothing when it comes to exercise gear. “When this
homeowner does something, he does it to the hilt,” says E.J. Feulner, a home systems integrator at the Philadel-
phia offices of AHT Global. Unlike a commercial gym, though, this space boasts a bevy of powerful and purposeful audio and video, and here’s where the handiwork of AHT came into play.
Mounted throughout the room are a half-dozen 52-inch Sony flat-panel TVs; tucked into the ceiling
are 32 Sonance speakers; and recessed into the walls are six Sonance subwoofers. “We wanted to make sure
that from any machine the owner would be able to easily see a TV and hear music,” explains Feulner of the
decision to load up the space with A/V awesomeness. It’s more than sheer number of products that provides
the A/V muscle in this space, though. AHT tied the speakers to a powerful Crestron amplification system
to ensure that the audio could be heard over the din of the machines, and linked the TVs to a Crestron
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME: HOME GYMS
matrix switcher so that content from a rack of video components could be easily juggled between each of the
displays. To simplify matters, AHT divided the gym into two zones: north
and south. This means that a piece of music can play from the speakers in one
zone, while something different plays in the other zone.
Video is handled similarly. Three of the six displays make up the north
zone and can each present the same video content, while TVs in the south
zone can all display something else. Or, a simple tap of a button on a handheld
Crestron remote or a Crestron app on an iPad can instantly tune every TV and
speaker to the owner’s favorite DirecTV channel. The lights and thermostat
in the gym can be adjusted from the same remote or iPad, ensuring that the
entire environment is comfortable and conducive for a great workout.
SYSTEMS DESIGN &
INSTALLATION
AHT Global, Philadelphia, Penn.
ahtresidential.com
HIGHLIGHTS
¡ More than 300 inches of
video entertainment
¡ Relaxation areas equipped
with impressive A/V
¡ super amplified in ceiling
speakers
After a killer exercise session, the owner can cool down in the adjacent
home theater, which features a 70-inch Sharp Elite TV and Leon Speakers surround-sound setup, or head to
the sauna and dressing room where ceiling speakers deliver the tune of choice. The same remote or iPad that’s
used in the gym works in these ancillary areas, as well, giving the owners on-the-go control from wherever
they choose to work up a sweat, or relax and rejuvenate. —L.M. EH
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME: HOME GYMS
Home Gym Gets Personal
Savant home automation system lets fitness buffs create
their own personalized workout environment.
JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE WORKING UP A SWEAT doesn’t mean you have to suffer. To keep the future owners of this
2015 Utah Valley Parade of Homes showhome inspired and on track, the home systems integration team at
TYM, of Salt Lake City, made sure to pack the 200-square-foot gym with plenty of video options—but without having to hang a bunch of TVs around the room.
In this well-appointed home gym, complete with a separate bathroom and steam shower, exercise
enthusiasts are able to watch as many as nine different video sources on just a single TV. A video tiling
system from Savant, the SmartView, distributes video content from a well-stocked rack of gear to each of
three Sony flat-panel TVs positioned strategically in the room. The SmartView system basically divides
the screen of each TV into nine windows; each window can display something different from the rest. For
example, one window could display a game on ESPN, while another shows a movie on HBO, a third a
slideshow stored on an Apple TV unit, and so on. Whichever nine streams of video the owner chooses—
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME: HOME GYMS
accomplished easily with a few taps of a finger on the screen of a Savant iPad app—instantly appear on
each of the three TVs. And in case the view of the on-screen action isn’t clear
enough from a particular weight machine, any of the displays can be pulled out
from the wall and swiveled 180 degrees in either direction.
Of course, such a wide assortment of video deserves equally versatile
audio. To fit with the industrial design of the gym, TYM elected to mount
two TruAudio speakers to the surface of the gym’s brick wall rather than
flush mount them into the ceiling. When the Dads Workout button on the
Savant mobile app is pressed, the speakers pull tunes from Spotify, while
the TVs tune to ESPN. From this initial workout setting, a user is free to
pick and choose freely from cable, satellite, Apple TV, and a Mirage Audio
Server from Autonomic. While they’re setting up the workout entertainment,
they can access the Savant home control app to adjust the lighting and
SYSTEMS DESIGN &
INSTALLATION
TYM, Salt Lake City, Utah
tymhomes.com
HIGHLIGHTS
¡ Video tiling system enables
one TV to display 9 streams of
video at once
¡ Lights, music, video, and
climate can be personalized
for each individual gym-goer
¡ Articulating mounts allow
TVs to swivel 180 degrees in
either direction
temperature, creating a personalized exercise environment. In fact, favorite settings can be easily
programmed into the Savant home control system by individual users, and these settings can be engaged
from any keypad or mobile device in the house, says TYM’s Matt Montgomery. To capture a scene, he
explains, a user simply sets the video, audio, lighting, and temperature to his or her liking, touches a button
in the Savant mobile app, names it, and saves it. Conceivably, he says, each member of the family could
create his or her own personalized workout setting, making time spent at this home gym more enjoyable
and effective. —L.M. EH
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME: HOME GYMS
Automated At-Home Yoga Studio
Specially designed space exudes calm,
meditative environment at the touch of a button.
WHEN YOU’RE PASSIONATE about practicing yoga, having a space in your home dedicated to the art can
make all the difference between going through the motions and actually perfecting them. And as the
owner of this custom-designed yoga studio discovered, it can also be good for business.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME: HOME GYMS
When she isn’t executing flow on her own, the homeowner often uses the roughly 480-square-foot room
to lead clients through yoga poses, and with the help of a Lutron HomeWorks
QS lighting control system, she can establish the perfect environment—
whether it’s soothing and meditative or energizing and expressive—for herself
and her students. “The ability to change the mood and feel of the room was
extremely important to the usefulness of the space,” says Robin Courtenay,
director of London-based home systems integration firm SM Contracts (SMC)
Limited. “The Lutron HomeWorks QS system provides an infinite number
of ways to set different lighting scenes by using both the room’s artificial and
natural light.”
Programmed moods and effects can be instantly engaged by tapping a
SYSTEMS DESIGN &
INSTALLATION
SM Contracts Limited,
London, England
smc-uk.com
HIGHLIGHTS
¡ Colored lighting evokes mood
and ambiance
¡ Fabric shades roll up and
down at the touch of a button
¡ Climate and music are
tweakable from a smartphone
button on an iPad or on a Crestron touchpanel. SMC integrated Philips DMX
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME: HOME GYMS
colored lighting into the HomeWorks operating system so that any hue from thousands can wash over the
walls to enhance the effect. “Blue lights might make the room seem cooler; red, warmer,” Courtenay explains.
And like any good yoga studio, the temperature, as well as the music, which plays through two imperceptible
in-ceiling speakers, can be tweaked to suit the specific practice of the day. To make the room feel cozier,
another touch of a button lowers custom-designed fabric shades over a bank of windows. Open them, as well
as the motorized sliding glass doors, and the yoga-goers can enjoy the view of and the breeze from a lush
backyard, where various water features—again, all controlled from the owner’s iPad—can create a calming,
restorative atmosphere. —L.M. EH
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME AUDIO
Speaker Placement Tips
for every room of your house
BY ERIC GROSS
FOR THE MOST PART, EVERY HOME AND EVERY ROOM IS UNIQUE. Whether it’s a decorative ceiling, placement of
furniture, or the location of windows or a TV, each room requires its own considerations for optimal speaker
installation. Tall ceilings might mean in-ceiling speakers aren’t useful, and a brick or stone wall could pre-
clude the option of in-wall speakers. Determining whether the speakers will be used primarily for music or
for TV audio is another important factor. Here we will detail how to choose the ideal locations for speakers
in each room in your home, and what type of speaker is best to provide clear, consistent music or TV audio
throughout the entire room.
Kitchen
The kitchen requires smart placement of speakers to ensure equal distribution and sufficient volume to
be heard over boiling pots and noisy fans. As one of the highest-trafficked rooms in any home, a normal-
size kitchen should be equipped with at least two speakers, one over each side of the of the island or main
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME AUDIO
counter. Rocky Settecasi, home systems designer for Triphase Technologies, of Carmel, Ind., suggests placing
in-ceiling speakers in line with any recessed lighting to minimize their visual impact and help them blend in
with the room’s aesthetics. More speakers can be used for noisier, larger kitchens, much like the speaker setup
for a home gym where loud equipment is common.
Bedroom
For the bedroom, there are two considerations: where the bed is placed and if there is a TV in the room.
Generally, two in-ceiling speakers or two bookshelf speakers are more than enough for a bedroom, unless it
is a massive space. The optimal placement is usually in-ceiling a few feet in front of the bed, with one speaker
on each side. This provides good distribution throughout the room while ensuring ideal volume and clarity
while you’re resting in bed. If there is a TV, this speaker arrangement preserves the traditional experience of
having the sound come from the direction of the TV.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME AUDIO
Dining Room
Speaker placement in dining rooms can be as simple
as having one in-ceiling speaker near each end of
the table, or for rooms with decorative or otherwise
unusable ceilings, invisible in-wall speakers can
provide fantastic audio quality and volume for the
whole room. Invisible is not hyperbole here—when
installed properly, these speakers are not visible at all.
They are installed flush into the drywall—seated earlevel is preferable—then painted over to match the
wall, so your guests won’t know they are there unless
you tell them.
Family Room
For a family room or media room where the TV is the focus, Settecasi highly recommends a multi-channel
setup, such as a 5.1 system comprised of five speakers and a subwoofer. Mounting a soundbar or in-wall
speakers adjacent to the TV provides loud, accurate main sound, while rear speakers mounted either in the
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME AUDIO
ceiling or in the rear wall add much greater dimension to the viewing experience and provide directional
details that can’t be conveyed from only two speakers. A subwoofer completes the package with powerful
bass, and is often placed wherever it fits or is least noticeable in a room. More discerning listeners can ask
their home systems integrator to determine the ideal location for the subwoofer, which varies depending on
furniture placement and room size and shape.
Home Office
A home office is usually the best room in a home to use bookshelf or floorstanding speakers, because there
is often an actual bookshelf available or free floor space where a speaker won’t be in danger of tipping over
due to lots of people milling about. We recommend two speakers for quality stereo sound, located on either
side of the main desk. In-ceiling speakers can also be used, but in these smaller rooms bookshelf speakers can
provide superior sound and save on installation costs and worries. There are also many attractive options for
bookshelf and floorstanding speakers, letting you create a decorative sound system that is as pleasing to the
eyes as it is to the ears.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME AUDIO
Bathroom
Bathroom designs can vary widely, but the rule of thumb is to either place one in-ceiling speaker (look for a
dual-tweeter style of speaker, which can produce both the right and left stereo channels) in the center of the
room, or to place one speaker above the two most used spots. For instance, a single vanity bathroom with a
large bathtub on the opposite side could benefit from one speaker over the vanity and another over the tub.
Alternatively, the ideal speaker placement for a two-vanity room, like the one pictured, is to have one speaker
above each vanity. This provides both sides with equal sound when two people are using the bathroom, and
also creates a true stereo experience for the center and bathtub areas. EH
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME THEATER
HOME THEATER FACE OFF:
Big-Screen
TV
vs.
Video Projector
BY GRANT CLAUSER
THERE ARE FEW HOME TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS that can bring as much pleasure as a home theater. Like anything
worthwhile, planning for the installation of a home theater requires making a lot of important decisions. One of
the first and most crucial is picking the display type.
While some audio enthusiasts may argue the point, it’s the picture that is really the star of a home
theater or media room, so choosing the display that fits your room, your budget, your design vision, and your
installation skills is paramount. Both flat-panel TVs and front projection systems (consisting of a projector
and screen) can produce stunning results. So which option is best for your project?
Best for Your Room
The room you plan to turn into a home theater is a big determining factor as to whether to install a big-
screen TV or a projection system. If your home theater will also function as your living room, has windows,
and will be used for entertaining with the lights on, then a flat-panel TV will often work better than a
projection setup. TVs are considerably brighter than most projectors, and can produce much better contrast
in a room with some light in it. And, a projector hanging from the ceiling may not fit the look you want in
a living room, especially when you’re not using it. Motorized lift systems that pull the projector into a cavity
hidden in the ceiling can solve this problem, but at considerable expense.
The images displayed on a screen by a video projector will often appear dull and washed out when you
open the curtains or turn on a few lamps. There are special ambient light-rejecting screens that mitigate
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME THEATER
this issue, but they tend to be more expensive than standard matte white screens, and the best ones are
only available to professional audio/video installers. On the other hand, a light-rejecting screen (also called
angular-rejection screens) when matched with a bright projector, will allow you to enjoy a significantly larger
picture than you’d get with a television. In fact, some light-rejecting screens, like the Black Diamond line
from Screen Innovations, closely resemble flat-panel TVs. Other companies, including Vutec, Elite Screens,
Seymour Screen Excellence, and Stewart Filmscreen also make light-rejecting screens.
If you plan to install your system in a room where you can control all or most of the lighting, such as in a
basement or a room with blackout curtains, then a video projector paired with a standard matte white screen
will make a stunning splash on the wall and produce a more cinema-like experience than a flat-panel TV.
Winner: Tie
Best for Your Budget
You’ve no doubt noticed that TVs have been growing steadily bigger over the years. The availability of flatscreens that are 80 inches and larger means that a TV can reasonably serve as a home theater’s main image
maker.
Video projectors also have been evolving, and price is one of the main changes they’ve experienced in the
last decade. Excellent projectors can be found in the $2,000 to $3,000 range.
So which technology—a flat-panel TV or a video projector and screen—is the best value?
Let’s assume that 85 inches is the smallest picture you would consider for your theater room, although
bigger is almost always better. Today’s largest TVs range in price from $5,499 for Sony’s 85-inch X950, to
$10,000 for LG’s 105-inch, 21:9 aspect ratio 105UC9. However, the biggest TV you can buy is Vizio’s 120inch Reference Series RS120B3, which costs $129,999. Yes, you read that correctly.
For this same investment, you could outfit your theater with a 120-inch screen from budget brands like
Silver Ticket, Monoprice, or Elite Screens’ Sable line, along with a video projector like the $2,300 Epson
5030UB, $2,500 Sony VPL-HW40ES, or $4,000 JVC DLA-X550R, and still have money left over for the
A/V components (media server, Blu-ray Disc player, A/V receiver, etc.). While it’s true that some projectors
cost in excess of $100,000, for the average home theater owner, projection systems beat flat-panel TVs in a
dollars-per-inch contest. Even if you went with one of the major screen brands like Stewart Filmscreen or
Vutec, you would still come out better financially, and with a bigger image than what a large flat-screen TV
could produce.
Winner: Video Projector
Best for Installation
A TV, even a large one, is almost always going to be easier to install than a projector and screen. The TV
requires a wall mount, plus electricity and cabling for the video sources (usually just a single HDMI cable
from the A/V receiver). For a tidy wiring installation, an AC outlet should be installed on the wall directly
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME THEATER
behind the TV. If you plan to keep the components up front with the TV, then the video cable can be easily
threaded through the wall and into the TV, or hidden by a conduit. If you plan to install your components
farther way, like at the back of the room, you’ll need to devise a way to hide the long stretch of HDMI cable
(if you’re building the room from scratch, this is easily done prior to installing the drywall). Using cable
conduit around the baseboard is another easy way to hide cable.
The installation of a projection system will require a little more planning. Screens that are designed to
affix to the wall permanently are able to be assembled and mounted fairly easily, but positioning, aiming, and
mounting a video projector can be tricky for a first-timer. Budget projectors don’t usually include the vertical
and horizontal lens shift features, which make aiming easier. A projector also requires an AC outlet in the
ceiling, plus video source cables, and maybe a network cable. All of this cable routing takes more know-how
than connecting cables to a television. If you’re willing to put in the time to learn how, and do the work, the
result is worth it.
Another benefit of the projection option is that you can easily upgrade either part of the system (the
projector or the screen) as you need. If you decide to get a bigger screen, you may not even need to move
the projector, depending on its zoom capabilities. Do you want to someday upgrade to a 4K projector? No
problem, because the screen can stay.
Winner: TV
What’s the Best Overall?
It’s impossible to give a final verdict without knowing the user’s room, budget, and installation skills. Both
technologies can provide excellent image quality. Both have options that can fit most room situations, and
both can be installed by a savvy do-it-yourselfer or a professional home systems integrator. A home theater
is an affordable luxury that can be shared with friends and family all year long, so go with the plan that will
give you the most enjoyment over the long haul. EH
GRANT CLAUSER has home theater training from THX, ISF and the Home Acoustics Alliance. He’s an editor with The Wirecutter.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME THEATER
How to Design a
Multipurpose Media Room
Photos courtesy of Innerspace Electronics, Port Chester, N.Y., www.innerspace.electronics.com
Options, tips, and tricks to creating a great-looking,
high-performing space for movies, games, socializing,
and more. BY GINA ROMANELLO
YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT RENOVATING an area of your house or you have a room that’s being sorely underutilized.
Converting the space into a dedicated home theater might be your first thought, but before you pull out the
power tools, think again. A room built for the sole purpose of viewing movies may not be practical given your
family’s lifestyle; however, a custom-designed multipurpose media room might be just the ticket. And before
you head to the basement, attic, or some other remote area commonly considered prime real estate for media
systems, consider the family room or den instead. Placing a media system near a kitchen or other family gathering place will help keep friends and family closer together.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME THEATER
Unlike a dedicated home theater where it may seem obvious as to how to place your seating, screen,
speakers, and projector, a multipurpose media room allows for a bit more creativity. Think about how the
space will be used most: a family hangout for movie nights, a video gaming area for your teenage kids, a
space to listen to your favorite
new band, or a place to watch
the big game and feel like
you’re a part of the action on
the field. Perhaps the room will
get used as a combination of all
kinds of listening and viewing
experiences. Regardless,
laying out the audio and video
components is key.
The ideal layout for any
media room is a rectangular
shape. Don’t fret, however,
if the room you want to use
is not perfectly rectangular.
You’ll still be able to pull
together a high-performance
multipurpose media room.
First, consider your main focal
point of the room. This will be
where you should place your
large flat-panel television or
projection screen. The size of
the room and your budget will
help determine which option—
TV or projection screen—to
choose. If the room is small,
there is really no reason for a
110-inch projection screen. It
will overwhelm the space and may actually cause eye strain. A 65-inch high-definition flat-panel television
could work nicely in a smaller room and still give you that real high-quality picture you crave.
Once the main focal point has been determined, consider your seating. When it comes to picking out
furniture, your main priority should be comfort. You’ll want seating that flows with the room, not necessarily
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME THEATER
dedicated theater chairs. A sectional couch might be a great option for an odd-shaped room, multiple love
seats will provide extra seating if you expect guests to visit your media room often, and don’t forget a gaming
chair if there’s someone in your family who plans to use the system for this purpose.
Perhaps the room you plan
to transform has areas that jut
out from the rest of the room.
You want to make this a fun
multipurpose room, so consider
filling that space with a card
table, a vintage video game
station, ping pong table, or an
arts and crafts area for smaller
children. It will help fill the
space but still fit within the
theme of the room.
Once the layout has been
confirmed, you’ll want to think
about the room environment.
If the room gets a lot of natural
light, window treatments might
be necessary. Attaching them
to motorized rollers or tracks is
a slick option that will serve a
multipurpose media room well.
If you want to create a theater-
like vibe when watching a movie,
consider adding a smart light
switch or dimmer that can be
controlled via an iPhone or iPad,
such as a Lutron RadioRA2
system. The lighting and shading
systems can be tied together so
that with a touch of a button, a preprogrammed Movie scene dims the lights and lowers the motorized window
treatments.
Of course, one of the most important parts of any media room is the sound system. Depending on the
size of the room, there are a few different surround-sound options: 5.1, 7.1, and Dolby Atmos are a few of
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME THEATER
the most popular. Ideally, you’ll want three speakers in the front of the room to create the left, center, and
right channel surround-sound effects. If the room is small and three speakers in the front of the room is
overkill, a nice alternative is a high-quality soundbar mounted under the television. Some manufacturers, like
Leon Speakers, will create a custom soundbar that seamlessly blends with the size and style of the television
you have chosen.
A subwoofer should also be installed in the front of your fun room. Most subwoofers should be located in
the corner of a room between two inside walls to allow for the best bass response. Subwoofers can be placed on
the floor or recessed into the wall.
How you go about picking your speakers will depend on if you are willing to open up walls to run
speaker wire or if you have the wall depth for flush-mounted or invisible speakers. If you don't have the
luxury of being able to open up walls, wireless speaker systems, such as those from Sonos, are a great
alternative.
There are so many flush-mounted speaker options available and they range in price to fit every budget.
Perhaps you want your multipurpose room to have a clean look and don’t want to clutter the walls with
speaker grilles. Invisible speakers that once sounded muffled and were used for secondary listening spaces
have now improved so much that they are comparable in sound quality to regular flush- mounted or
bookshelf speakers. You will need to hire a contractor to install the invisible speakers. Hiring an audio/video
expert to test the speakers’ balance prior to the contractor skim coating the walls is a must. Once the walls
have been finished you won’t be able to tweak the sound any further.
If going the invisible speaker route is not an option, you can easily hide your flush-mounted speakers
behind specially made art. The art is made out of acoustical fabrics so the sound quality of the speaker is
not affected and neither is the decor of the room. Bookshelf speakers, too, can be hidden in a similar way.
Custom cabinetry can house your front-channel speakers and that same acoustical fabric can be installed on
the doors of the cabinets.
Speakers aren’t the only technology that can be hidden in your multipurpose media room. If you would
like a screen in your space, there are a few options. You can choose to have a motorized drop-down screen
that lives in a pocket in the ceiling or rolls up into a wall bracket. You can also have motorized artwork that
can disappear into the ceiling or separates to reveal a television behind it. A video projector can be tucked
into a pocket in the ceiling.
Of course, you’ll also need a variety of audio/video gear, such as a surround-sound processor/receiver,
Blu-ray disc player, Apple TV, media server, and more, to give your system that extra edge. Where you will
house this equipment will depend on whether you want to display or hide it. If it’s the latter, is there an
unused closet space for a small equipment rack? Perhaps you can find room in the custom cabinetry located
in the front or side of the room. Whichever option you choose, make sure you are installing it in an easily
accessible space that is well ventilated.
By analyzing the room, looking at all of your options, visualizing how the equipment will fit into the
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME THEATER
allotted space, and deciding whether your objective is to blend the technology into the room design or let it
stand out, you can create a multipurpose media room that you’ll use not only on movie nights, but every day.
A good place to start your project is by visiting the showroom of a local audio/video specialist. You’ll be able
to “test drive” speakers, TVs, and other equipment to see which suits your needs and budget. You’ll also be
able to discuss and decide which parts of the project you feel comfortable handling yourself and those that
you’d rather leave to the hands of a professional. EH
GINA ROMANELLO is the sales and marketing manager at Innerspace Electronics, of Port Chester, N.Y. She assists in the
system design and product specification of ne pro ects and is actively or ing to ards her
lectronics ystem esigner
ertification. ina manages her company s ebsite, social media platforms, events, mailings, and other mar eting related
pro ects.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Connected Home Savings
Utility programs are connecting with homeowners to fuel savings
with Wi-Fi thermostats, EVs, and IoT-based smart home systems.
BY STEVE CASTLE
BRENT AND DANIELLE WARNER are creating a smart living environment at their new house in Wellesley, Mass. And
what’s the centerpiece of their smart home? A thermostat. A very smart thermostat. With about six different
brains, or sensors, positioned in several rooms in their house.
The thermostat is the ecobee3, which uses its embedded sensors to detect where you are in the home and
respond by adjusting the temperature in that zone accordingly. The ecobee3 was the first part of the Warners’
smart home system using Samsung’s SmartThings, and now includes connections to 14 lights. Water
detectors and smart lawn sprinklers, to better manage water consumption, are next on the Warners’ smart
home wish list.
“We’re using our SmartThings system to turn exterior lights on at sunset and then turn off at 12 a.m.,”
says Brent. “When we all leave the house, it knows and turns off all interior lights, and turns down the
thermostat.”
You could call Brent a smart thermostat aficionado. He’s been through old-style thermostats that only
allow you to set the room temperature and turn on a fan, Honeywell thermostats, and Nest, but he likes
ecobee the best. With it he can enact password access, check the humidity and temperature of each area of
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME ENERGY MANAGEMENT
the house, analyze usage and patterns, and make changes to cycle times to optimize heating and cooling
in his home. And he loves the “Follow Me” feature that adjusts the climate according to where people are
located in the house.
To maximize
the savings, the
Warners are enrolled
in utility National
Grid’s Budget Plan
program that evens
out their monthly
bills for gas-fired
heating. Brent says
when they first
moved from Chicago
to Massachusetts his
family was paying
$95 per month for
Tablets and smartphones are both tools that homeowners can use to monitor, manage, and control ecobee3 thermostats (pictured at the top of the page) based on
information provided by their utility company.
gas heating. That was before he installed ecobee, which cut the bill to $65. He says in Chicago he and his
family of four achieved about 20 percent savings with the same smart thermostat. On top of this savings,
National Grid offers a $100 rebate for buying a Wi-Fi-connected thermostat.
Electric and gas utilities all over the world are rolling out similar programs to provide homeowners with
generous rebates for investing in connected and smart thermostats and other energy-saving systems—from
efficient appliances and hot water heaters to super-efficient LED lamps. ComEd in the Chicago area, for
example, recently announced rebates for one million smart thermostats. And some go beyond with programs
that can save high-tech homeowners even bigger bucks.
Several utilities offer rebates for using Nest thermostats, as well as enrollment in programs like Nest’s
Rush Hour Rewards and Seasonal Savings. Rush Hour Rewards is a “demand response” program in which
participants allow the utility to turn back their thermostats to energy-saving settings during peak usage periods
in exchange for the rebate. San Antonio’s municipal CPS Energy utility even offers free Nest thermostats to
homeowners who are willing to install the thermostats themselves (it’s not difficult). The program can also precool or pre-heat a house if a conservation event, as these peak load times are called, is planned. Nest’s Seasonal
Savings program goes a step further by offering users enrolled in utility programs to have their thermostats
adjusted to save energy during summer or winter times, based on their usage, occupancy, and more, without
affecting their comfort.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Sierra Smart-vada
In Nevada-based NV Energy’s mPowered program, a Computime-connected thermostat acts as a home
sensor for cloud-based analytics software from EcoFactor. The system computes how drafty the home is and
how well the HVAC system is working, factors in local weather and other variables, and then makes micro-
adjustments of a half a degree or so throughout the day to save energy while maintaining comfort levels. The
tiny savings add up.
On top of this, NV Energy runs a demand
response program on those sweltering 100-degree-
plus Las Vegas summer days to curb air conditioning
use during peak load periods in about 32,000 homes.
Van Johnson, senior project manager of Demand
Response for NV Energy, says the utility had 28
such days in 2015, with events of about two-hour
durations. Ninety minutes before, its system pre-cools
a home by about 2 degrees, then raises the thermostat
setting 4 degrees to curb AC use.
Homeowner Jose Lepe of Reno is one of
2,400 NV Energy customers using mPowered
in northern Nevada. Lepe heats and cools with
electricity and says his family has saved about $20
on a $100 per month bill. “It’s a luxury,” he says.
“When we go out we lower the temperature and
come back and heat it up, and that way we manage
Nest reported in 2014
that Rush Hour Rewards delivered
an average
of 55 percent energy
reduction in
residential
air conditioning loads during peak times,
while Seasonal Savings helped customers lower their
overall air conditioning runtime by 4.7
percent. The Google-owned company
also reports 10 to 12 percent home
energy savings averaged by Nest
customers overall.
the energy.” He especially likes being able to
control his energy use and save money via a control app on his smartphone.
Connected Savings Frontiers
Energy efficiency programs offered by utilities aren’t just centered around the thermostat. Drivers of
electric vehicles (EV ), particularly in California, should seek utility programs that provide special rates to
charge their vehicles at non-peak times. Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric are two
utilities leading the pack.
Utilities like Xcel Energy are also establishing programs for community solar power, where homeowners
can own panels on nearby solar farms if their roofs are unsuitable. And some utilities are closely eyeing
microgrids, in which several homes can share and use stored power. One such experiment is being conducted
among several Solar Decathlon-equipped homes on the campus of Missouri University of Science &
Technology, using systems from control company Milbank.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME ENERGY MANAGEMENT
The connected home, though, truly appears to be the next horizon for energy efficiency, and not just
utilities are hopping on board. So, too, are electricity retailers, such as those that can do business in Texas and
other states.
“I think the retail energy providers are doing the most innovation,” says Tom Kerber, of Dallas-based
research firm Parks Associates. “Direct Energy is partnering with SmartThings, Just Energy with ecobee, and
Reliant is offering security services.” Parks reports that 30 percent of U.S. broadband households find energy
management appealing.
“We’re going to see a tremendous expansion of utility programs,” says Ben Bixby, director of energy
products at Nest, who reminds us of the Works With Nest program involving LED lights, Whirlpool
appliances, and EV chargers—all of which can be turned off during events like Rush Hour Rewards. Nest,
now owned by Google, can also be controlled by smart home Internet of Things-based platforms like
Google’s Brillo and the Weave communications protocol.
As for Brent Warner and his family in Massachusetts, they’re already a step ahead of Nest and the rest.
He’s connected his phones and their GPS capabilities to his SmartThings system, so when he’s a few minutes
from home, Danielle gets an alert and starts dinner. What they’re doing is called geo-fencing, and it can
also be used to turn on heating or cooling so your home saves energy and money when no one is there and
becomes cozy and comfy in time for your arrival home. EH
STEVE CASTLE is a freelance writer and editor, and a frequent contributor to Electronic House. He writes about green tech and
sustainable design.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME GALLERY
Affordable Automation
Brooklyn bachelor’s apartment proves that smart home control
doesn’t have to break the bank.
BY KRISSY RUSHING
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DON PEARSE PHOTOGRAPHERS, INC.
HOME AUTOMATION HAS COME A VERY LONG WAY in the last few years. Even the highest of the high-end control
companies are creating more affordable solutions as smart home technology advances. “There’s a perception that
home automation systems are only for the very rich,” says home systems integrator Todd Anthony Puma, owner
of The Source Home Automation in Manhattan. “People think the convenience and simplicity of an automated
home are just too expensive for most of us to enjoy.”
While this may have been true until recently, the dynamic is changing with the introduction of proprietary
apps that help eliminate the need for numerous touchpanels around the home, allowing the owner to use his or
her phone or tablet as primary control mechanisms. Additionally, by using a plug-and-play app from a control
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME GALLERY
Mornings are more pleasant for the owner of this automated Brooklyn apartment, thanks to a Crestron Pyng
home automation system. Motorized shades in the bedroom automatically open a couple of minutes after his
alar
o off
manufacturer, homeowners eliminate the expense of custom programming, which can be both expensive and time
consuming.
For the bachelor who owns this 2,500-square-foot, two-bedroom Brooklyn apartment, the challenge was to
create a reliable, easy-to-use, easy-to-maintain home automation system that would help make his hard-working
lifestyle simpler, more entertaining, and more convenient. When he decided to move to a new apartment last
year, he began researching home automation systems. “I was looking for convenience and a little bit of a ‘wow’
factor,” he explains. The homeowner connected with Puma, who invited him to see the automation system he had
installed in his own home. The homeowner is a big Yankees, Rangers, and Redskins fan, so when Puma showed
him his home theater setup, he was impressed. Puma also demonstrated his lighting system and how he could set
up various scenes for different purposes: watching a game, throwing a party, even getting up for a late-night snack.
“I thought that was very cool, but then Todd showed me how easy it is to incorporate your whole music library
into your system,” says the homeowner.
While the homeowner had budgeted carefully for a new audio and video system, he hadn’t left room in the
budget for home automation, operating under the misconception that he couldn’t afford it. The solution came in
the form of the Crestron Pyng system, which Puma used to automate the audio and video equipment, lighting,
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME GALLERY
motorized shading, and thermostats throughout the apartment. Because Pyng eliminates the expense of custom
programming, the automation solution was more affordable than the homeowner expected. “We calculated the
difference and found he could afford lighting, shading
and climate control, as well as A/V, for a price he was
comfortable with,” says Puma. The Pyng system also
helped reduce costs because the Pyng hub—along
with the Crestron Cameo in-wall dimmers and
the infiNET EX gateway—are all wireless, which
precluded the need for extra cabling.
While Puma and his team at The Source Home
Automation used Pyng to configure basic lighting,
temperature, shading, and audio system control,
he brought in a Crestron programmer to set up
three more elaborate scenes. For the ultimate party,
this bachelor can simply hit Party Mode on this
smartphone or tablet. From here, he can turn the
audio system on; select a playlist; set the volume; turn
the lights on in the living room, hallway, and kitchen;
and turn the lights off in the master bedroom and
office. When he’s away on vacation, Away Mode turns
the lights on and off in a pattern designed to make
potential thieves think the apartment is occupied.
“It’s different every day,” Puma says. “We’ll have the
kitchen lights come on for an hour, then the office for
a couple of hours, the bath for five minutes, now the
kitchen turns off. If someone is looking for a regular
pattern, they won’t see it, but they will see something
that mimics a homeowner going about his day.” Away
Mode also adjusts the thermostat to an energy-efficient
setting. Finally, there’s a Good Night Mode, which
puts the shades all the way down and all the lights
Equipment racks and Crestron touchpanels hold the
brains of this smart apartment.
off, except for the fixtures in the hall, which dim to a
predetermined level.
In addition, Puma’s team automated certain scenarios to happen based on the time of day. For example,
The Source Home Automation originally programmed the Pyng system to command the shades to lower
completely just before sunset, and the main room lights to brighten to a 75 percent intensity level, so that the
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME GALLERY
homeowner had privacy when he came home from work. Once setups like this are configured into the system,
however, a user can access the Pyng system to create additional lighting scenes or
THE PLAYERS:
set up his shades to open just a couple of minutes after his alarm goes off in the
Systems Design & Installation
The Source Home Theater, Inc.
thesourcehometheater.com
he explains. “But by the time my alarm goes off the second time, I have sunlight
Programmer
Fregosa Design
fregosadesign.com
automate whatever functions he or she wants. On his own, this Brooklyn homeowner
morning. “I always like to hit the snooze button and sleep a few more minutes,”
streaming into the bedroom, and that’s how I know it’s really time to get up.” He also
modified the programming so that the shades lower just halfway at sunset to block
the view from nearby high-rises, but not cut off his view of the street.
“Now, if I have a party it’s a much more enjoyable experience, simple, and
impressive at the same time. I don’t have to worry about getting music together, setting
up the lighting or anything else,” says the homeowner. “I touch one button and I’m
EQUIPMENT
Control: Crestron
Subwoofer: Paradigm
Power Conditioning: Furman
Equipment Rack: Middle Atlantic
Smart Thermostats: Crestron
Lighting Control: Crestron
Motorized Window Shades:
Crestron
done.” EH
KRISSY RUSHING is an A/V publishing industry veteran whose experience spans more 15 years.From her early days as
executive editor of Home Theater magazine, Ultimate AV, and Audio Video Interiors, to her more recent work as a freelance writer,
Krissy specializes in making technology understandable to anyone.
THE SCOREBOARD
Innovation
77777
Cool Factor 77777 Affordability 77777
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
Aesthetics
77777
Customization
77777
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME GALLERY
Powered Up for Auro-3D
Surround Sound
In this Auro-3D theater, isolated power creates
a clean slate for immersive sound and video.
BY KRISSY RUSHING
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHICHI UBINA, UV STUDIOS
DAVID KEPKE, PRESIDENT OF MULTIMEDIA RESOURCE GROUP INC., of Chappaqua, N.Y., believes that there are three
pillars for any successful high-performance media room or home theater: room structure, equipment, and power.
Sadly, homeowners often see power as a low priority when it comes to their wish list, he says. It’s one of the most
misunderstood components that all too often requires a “sell” to the homeowner or gets cut when budgets are
squeezed.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME GALLERY
So, why then does power make up one-third of Kepke’s list of essential elements for a high-performance
system? “Because if you don’t have good power, you can’t possibly have a good system,” he explains. “Everything
we see and hear is
essentially modulated
power. So, it’s
important that you
start any system with
clean power.”
As with most
Multimedia Resource
Group projects,
equipment from
Torus Power does
the honors in this
award-winning home
theater, providing
clean, isolated power
to every component
in the room. The
product engineers at
Torus guided Kepke
through the process of
selecting a wall-mount
(WM) balanced power
isolation transformer
unit (WM-45-BALAVR-TVSS), which
offers transient voltage
surge suppression,
meaning it responds
in less than five
nanoseconds to power
surges up to 80,000
amps, thereby offering outstanding protection of connected equipment. The wall-mount form factor not only saved
rack space, it allowed the electricians to complete their wiring and clean up before Kepke and his team installed the
equipment rack. “I didn’t want to bring in the rack and equipment until the space was dust-free,” says Kepke.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME GALLERY
The Torus Power wall-mounted isolation transformer feeds clean power to the multiple Pro Audio
Technology amps and speakers. “These speakers are
extremely dynamic and neutral, so basically whatever
you put into them, you are getting out of them. They
offer really tight bass and great dynamics,” says Kepke.
With these speakers, the homeowners can enjoy the
latest in surround-sound technology—Auro-3D. Like
Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, Auro-3D employs the
placement of speakers above and around you to more
accurately replicate realistic audio in the room.
When it came to installing the Pro Audio
Technology speakers in the appropriate configuration
for three dimensions of Auro-3D sound, Kepke had to
address an existing steel beam that stretched across the
back of the room. It caused the height of the ceiling to
be lower than expected, and influenced the proportions
of the wall panels. With the speakers located in the
wall panels and behind the projection screen, Kepke
had to make sure there was enough separation between
the main speaker channels and the Auro-3D channels.
He consulted extensively with both Auro-3D and Pro
Audio Technology, and they collectively determined
that there was indeed enough ceiling height to meet
the correct specifications.
Processing all of this 3D audio is a Datasat
RS20i—a professional audio system designed for highend private cinemas. Its input/output capacity exceeds
what would traditionally be required for most home cinemas, but the ability to fine-tune each channel is a huge
benefit for systems of any size. “From the initial configuration, it was clear that this unit was unlike anything else
I’ve used to date,” says Kepke. “The audio quality is so pure, even familiar content sounds different, bigger, more
pristine.”
Kepke didn’t route the video signals through the Datasat unit, opting instead for a Lumagen video processor
to send video from the home theater components to a SIM2 SuperLumis projector. The projector is outfitted
with an anamorphic lens, giving the homeowner aspect-ratio control over content shining onto the acoustically
transparent 2.35:1 (CinemaScope) Seymour Screen Excellence screen, which can mask to a narrower 16:9 aspect
ratio.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
SMART HOME GALLERY
A Crestron MC3 processor manages the audio and video equipment, plus 11 zones of Crestron lighting—
all of which is controllable via a Crestron touchscreen. The homeowners can pick the appropriate mode for a
desired activity, whether it’s watching a movie, intermission, or reading. Kepke designed the user interface on
the touchscreen to be simple for anyone in the house to engage various functions. With the touch of a finger, the
homeowner can view content from Verizon Fios, a movie on the Oppo Digital Blu-ray Disc player, Apple TV, or
the Kaleidescape movie server.
As for the look and feel of the theater, the homeowner was very involved in the selection of the comfortable
Cineak Ferrier seats with dual motorized headrests and footrests. He worked directly
with Kepke and his team to customize the seats so they did not include the diamond
pattern typical of this model on the armrest.
THE PLAYERS
Systems Design & Installation
Multimedia Resource Group Inc.,
Chappaqua, N.Y., mrgcustom.com
The gorgeous millwork is largely attributable to the architect, who spent
Architect
Soper Babcock & Associates LLC,
Greenwich, Conn., soperbabcock.com
more than just a pretty face, however; it’s actually the icing on the acoustical cake.
Builder
R.R. Builders, LLC, New Canaan, Conn.
rrbuilders.com
room. Installed between each column is acoustically transparent fabric, behind which
Video Calibration
Kevin Miller, ISFTV, East Patchogue,
N.Y., isftv.com
hundreds of hours crafting its stunning details. All of the mahogany woodwork is
The intricate details and alterations of plane aid in the acoustic performance of the
resides four inches of Fiberglass and air space. Kepke isolated the room from the rest
Audio Calibration
Paul Hales, Pro Audio Technology , Lake
Forest, Calif., proaudiotechnology.com
sheetrock and a layer of Acoustiblok sound-deadening material. When everything
EQUIPMENT
of the home by using a double wall structure and installing two layers of QuietRock
was complete, video guru Kevin Miller, president of ISFTV, East Patchogue, N.Y.,
calibrated the video to ensure a killer on-screen image, while Pro Audio Technology’s
Paul Hales calibrated the audio. The result: incredible.
“When you execute these new three-dimensional surround-sound formats
properly, the sound is truly like nothing else you’ve heard,” says Kepke. In the end, it
was Multimedia Resource Group’s strict adherence to Kepke’s three pillars of a truly
great room that helped make this theater a success—structure, equipment, and clean,
isolated power to feed the system and provide a difference you can see and hear. EH
Control: Crestron
Surround-Sound Processing: Datasat
Video Projector: Sim2
Screen: Seymour Screen Excellence
Video Processing: Lumagen
Speakers: Pro Audio Technology
Power: Torus Power
Seats: Cineak
Sources: Kaleidescape, Oppo Digital,
Apple TV, Verizon FiOS HD
Cables: Ethereal
Equipment Rack: Middle Atlantic
Ventilation: Cool Components
KRISSY RUSHING is an A/V publishing industry veteran whose experience spans more 15 years. From her early days as
executive editor of Home Theater magazine, Ultimate AV, and Audio Video Interiors, to her more recent work as a freelance writer,
Krissy specializes in making technology understandable to anyone.
THE SCOREBOARD
Innovation
77777
Cool Factor 77777 Affordability 77777
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
Aesthetics
77777
Customization
77777
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME SECURITY
FRONT DOOR
SECURITY
Make it a priority of your home protection plan. BY ART SESNOVICH
GIVEN THE FRONT DOOR’S HIGH LEVEL OF VISIBILITY, you’d think burglars would avoid it when plying their trade,
favoring a side door or window for entry. Yet, studies show that 30 to 40 percent of all break-ins occur by way of
the front door.
This puts the onus on the homeowner to ensure that the front door is amply protected, not only from
actual break-ins, but from any suspicious activity that might be occurring in its vicinity. Of course, there
is no one device that will make it 100 percent secure, but as Mike Hackett, senior vice president of sales
and marketing for security system manufacturer Qolsys notes, “By combining several devices and utilizing
technology, you can create a pretty formidable line of defense.”
Here are some of the best tried-and-true ways to ensure that your front door does not become the
convenient pathway to mayhem. (It should be noted that while all of these products can work as standalone
devices, they can offer greater functionality and protection when hooked up to a complete home automation
or security system.)
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME SECURITY
Electronic Locks (Keypad)
Few devices are more effective at securing a front door than a lock, and the
electronic “smart” locks available from manufacturers like Kwikset, Yale, and
Schlage fit the bill perfectly. These wireless devices combine the convenience
of keyless entry with the security of a high-quality (Grade 2 or higher)
deadbolt lock.
The real beauty of these locks is not only the protection they offer in
securing the front door, but the information they can provide, including text
alerts to your smartphone when someone disengages the lock and enters your
home. Available in either a touchpad or a capacitive touchscreen version, an
electronic lock can be installed in minutes with just a screwdriver, with no
wiring needed (although you may want to enlist a professional when hooking
it up to a home automation or security system). What’s more, they all fit
standard doors (1⅜ in.-2 in.), meaning no new screw holes need to be drilled.
Virtually every electronic door lock can be opened remotely from a
smartphone when combined with a home control unit (or in the case of
Keypad-style electronic
doorlocks, like this model
from Kwikset, combine
the convenience of keyless
entry with the security of a
deadbolt lock.
Kwikset’s Bluetooth-based Kevo, a “Kevo Plus” router hub). Costs can range
from $199 to $499, depending on the model and functionality.
Electronic Locks (Biometric)
Some locks require biometric (fingerprint) identification. Like their keypad counterparts, they provide the
convenience of keyless entry. Furthermore, they are very difficult to override. And biometric information,
like fingerprints, cannot be lost, misplaced, or forgotten. It’s a minor downside, but programming in people’s
individual fingerprints does take a certain amount of foresight and planning.
Here are some biometric locks worthy of consideration:
Ÿ iTouchless Bio-Matic Fingerprint Door Lock
Ÿ Biolock 426 Biometric Fingerprint Entry Door Lock
Ÿ Westinghouse RTS Lock
Ÿ NextBolt NX3 Fingerprint Deadbolt Lock
Ÿ Trinity 788 by ADEL
Ÿ Anviz L100KD Fingerprint Deadbolt Lock and Keypad
The price tags on these locks vary widely, ranging from as low as $152 (Trinity) to as high as $600
(Westinghouse).
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME SECURITY
Surveillance Cameras
Outdoor surveillance cameras (wireless models are easier to install than wired models) provide excellent
protection against break-ins, vandalism, and other issues. Positioned to watch over the front entrance, these
devices can visually capture anything and anybody approaching your home, and those images can be sent in
real time to your smartphone or recorded and stored in the cloud for future playback. What’s more, the mere
sight of a surveillance camera can be enough to frighten away some of the less-committed ne’er-do-wells.
There are myriad types of cameras to consider, including:
Ÿ Wide-Angle Lens Cameras
Ÿ Bullet Cameras
Ÿ Dome Cameras
Ÿ Infrared/Night Vision Cameras
Ÿ Weather Resistant Cameras
Ÿ PTZ (Pan, Tilt, Zoom) Cameras
For the best view of the front door, it’s usually best to position a surveillance camera at second-floor
level, or on the eaves of your home. Products from Honeywell, D-Link, Bosch, Canon, ACTi, Foscam, IC
Realtime, Linksys, Panasonic, Samsung, and SmartVue are just the tip of the video surveillance iceberg when
it comes to choices, with prices as low as $49 to upwards of $1,500; again, the level of functionality will
dictate cost.
Motion Sensors
These marvelous devices offer a low-cost yet effective
weapon in a homeowner’s security arsenal. They can be
set up to trigger a doorbell when someone approaches
the front door, or instantly activate a surveillance camera
the second motion is detected. In fact, memory storage
can be greatly conserved when a camera is controlled by a
motion sensor, since the camera will not record unless it is
triggered by movement.
There are two main categories of sensors: active (which
FIBARO motion sensors monitor for movement,
among other home conditions.
emit infrared light, microwave radiation, or sound waves), and passive (which detect energy changes in
the surrounding area). The vast majority of motion sensors are wireless, making them simple to install and
allowing them to efficiently communicate with other home security devices.
Infrared, microwave ultrasonic, vibration, and area reflective represent the basic technologies that can be
utilized by motion sensors; dual technology combines multiple technologies in one sensor, such as a camera
that uses both infrared and microwave features.
SadoTech, Chamberlain, Aeon Labs, FIBARO, Honeywell, iSmartAlarm, Samsung—the list of quality
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME SECURITY
motion sensors is a long one. Prices vary widely, but they are generally inexpensive, ranging from as low as
$20 to around $75.
Intercoms
Intercoms were popular decades ago, and are making a comeback as they carve out a spot on the smart-home
landscape. They are not only smarter than intercoms of yesteryear, but more affordable, too, ranging from
$249 to just under $400. Here are a few that are worth consideration:
Ÿ Nucleus is a connected home device that lets families conduct two-way audio and video conversations
in the home, between homes, or with any mobile device.
Ÿ The Adorne Wireless Video Intercom Kit from Legrand comes with an exterior video doorbell
camera and an interior intercom unit that receives and displays camera images. Each interior unit can
communicate with other interior units via audio.
Ÿ With the Optex iVision+ Wireless 2-Way Video Intercom, when a visitor at your door presses the
backlit button on the door camera, the wireless handheld monitor chimes like a doorbell and displays
video from the camera.
Ÿ The FIBARO Intercom is a Wi-Fi-enabled security and communications device offered in two models:
doorbell/entry phone and indoor intercom. It provides a 180-degree, high-definition view of the area
in front of the door.
Ÿ Designed to match popular lock and door hardware, ChannelVision’s ¼” solid brass Front Door
Intercoms feature a weather-resistant speaker and microphone, doorbell button, and wallplate.
Ÿ The Elan Intercom can emit a chime over the same speakers used by a whole-house music system and
can display video captured by the intercom on the screen of any TV.
Smart Doorbells
In simpler times, a doorbell was a gadget that emitted a ring, a tone, or even a musical chime when
someone pushed it, alerting the homeowner that someone was at the front door. Smart doorbells now allow
homeowners to see who is at the door, converse with them, and receive alerts on their smartphones from
anywhere in the world. Some can do much more:
Ÿ Skybell features a motion sensor, letting residents receive an alert even if the visitor doesn’t press the
button.
Ÿ Ring offers wide-angle HD video, smart motion detection, and cloud recording.
Ÿ The Qolsys IQ Doorbell wires into the existing chime box and can be automated to send text messages
to the user and/or turn on lights and record video when the doorbell is pressed.
Ÿ Chui has the ability to recognize frequent visitors.
Ÿ i-Bell has a motion sensor, as well as an integrated battery.
Price tags on smart doorbells vary a bit, but are in the $200 neighborhood.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME SECURITY
TECH TRENDS
HANDHELD REMOTES THAT WORK LIKE INTERCOMS
You’ve just settled on the couch for a relaxing evening in front of the big screen when the doorbell
rings. Thanks to an innovative new twist, the same remote control that you used to surf through the
channels can also let you see and speak with your guest at the front door—assuming there’s a microphone-enabled surveillance camera or compatible door station perched at the entrance. Crestron
and Remote Technologies Incorporated RTI are two o the first manu acturers to release intercomenabled handheld remotes, the TSR-302 ($1,300) and the T3x ($899), respectively. — L.M.
INTERCOM WITH FACIAL RECOGNITION
There are many intercom systems that can send your smartphone an alert when there’s someone at the front door. Who
that someone is, you ll need to figure out on your own not
all that di cult i the intercom system delivers real-time video
to your smartphone. Still, it’s an extra step in the process of
monitoring activity at the front door, and one that European
manufacturer Bird Home Automation GmbH plans to omit with
the release of its newly updated DoorBird video door station
($349-$999). Through the use of facial recognition technology,
the DoorBird video door station will be able to recognize familiar
aces and push a notification to your smartphone to tell you exactly who the visitor is. I it s a welcome
guest, the DoorBird automatically delivers HD video and audio to your smartphone. — L.M.
Peephole Viewers
Installing a peephole in your front door is a great way to see who’s knocking before you open it. But as is the
case with all things related to the smart home, the unassuming peephole has gone high-tech.
In fact, peephole viewers are a rapidly growing category in the smart home. Brinno has carved out a
strong leadership position, but a number of other players have emerged with products that do much more
than simply let you to see out the front door. Many are equipped with digital cameras that activate when
there’s a knock on the door (Peeple, for example, snaps a picture and will send it to your smartphone). Yale,
meanwhile, offers a “hybrid” doorbell/peephole, the Look Real Living Digital Door Viewer, which replaces
the peephole with a camera, video display, two-way audio, Wi-Fi, and home automation integration via
Z-Wave or ZigBee technology.
But Wait, There’s More
Some of the other ways to round out your front-door security scheme include:
Ÿ A security system with geo-fencing capabilities. If you drive a predetermined distance away from your
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME SECURITY
home and forgot to lock the front door, the security system will send you a text message.
Ÿ The Qolsys pressure mat, which when stepped on can activate any number of devices, like surveillance
cameras.
Ÿ Retinal scan and voice recognition as a means of entry into a home, which is being actively explored by
Honeywell and other companies.
With so much innovation happening and so many options available, ample protection of the ever-
important front door is something you should take seriously. Incorporate what makes sense now, but be ready
for the next “big thing.” You never know which new technology will come a-knockin’. EH
ART SESNOVICH is the co-founder and principal of Bulldog Communications, a full-service public relations and advertising
firm located in orth ndover, Mass. is firm has represents numerous companies in the smart home and connected device
mar ets.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME LIGHTING
WellDesigned
Lighting
Control
Systems
Beautiful lighting control requires more than just a pretty keypad;
it needs an intuitive user interface. BY JOEY KOLCHINSKY
THERE’S A DIFFERENCE between “easy on the eyes” and “easy to use.” But by the looks of many lighting
control keypads, the companies behind these products don’t recognize that aesthetics and design have a
direct impact on the functionality of the system.
The biggest problem with lighting systems and their respective user interfaces: They’re being designed
by technology geeks rather than by designers. The picture at right
illustrates this point. On the keypad are small buttons labeled with
tiny icons representing different lighting functions. Rather than
labeling the keypad buttons with words, the home systems integrator
used these images (which might be universally understood) to create
an aesthetically beautiful faceplate for the wall. In this case, beauty
trumped an interface that’s more user-friendly and easy to understand
and navigate. In a residential setting, small buttons with small,
difficult-to-read icons are sub-optimal.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
HOME LIGHTING
Here are some common mistakes to avoid when having a lighting control system installed into your
home:
SUPER SMALL BUTTONS: In a home with normal light switches, you walk into a room and are able
to flip the switch with a broad wave of your hand against the wall. But with a keypad on the wall, you need to
press one of a few buttons to turn the lights on and off. With a poor keypad configuration, these buttons can be
small and difficult to differentiate from one another. An example of a better configuration might be a two- or
three-button keypad, which is able to accommodate larger buttons. A good course of action: Choose keypads
based on the size of the buttons and how they feel to the touch. Work with your home systems integrator to
create keypads that include a combination of both large and small buttons, with commonly used functions
represented by large buttons and smaller buttons for infrequently used functions. Also, make sure that the home
systems integrator pays attention to detail. Even the best designed keypads, when installed even slightly askew
will not “press and click” the same way as a perfectly aligned keypad.
SMALL AND UNREADABLE LABELS: Many keypads use small font sizes for the labels on their keys.
Additionally, many are still installed today without backlights, so they’re hard to read at night. Or worse, the
backlight color chosen makes it impossible to clearly read the labels. We’ve found the best backlight color is
blue for daytime use and purple for nighttime readability. Evaluate your keypads at night as well as during
the day to make sure they are legible at all times.
INCONSISTENT BUTTON FUNCTIONS: There are two basic ways that control systems are designed
to operate your home’s lights: through room-based control or scene-based control. Room-based control
involves a single key that says, for example, Kitchen, which, when pressed, toggles the kitchen lights on and
off. Scene-based control requires two buttons to accomplish this same objective: Kitchen On and Kitchen Off.
Neither approach is better than the other; however, whichever design you choose, it should be consistent
across all keypad interfaces in your home.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Even if you choose the most attractive, elegant lighting control keypad available,
if it’s difficult to read, understand, and use, you will never fully appreciate the benefits of a lighting control
system. Designed right, you’ll be able to tap a button to set the lights perfectly—whether you’re hosting a
dinner party, accentuating your home’s eye-pleasing decor, or turning in for the night. EH
JOEY KOLCHINSKY is founder and managing director at OneVision Resources, a consumer services firm based in Boston,
Mass., that specializes in designing, installing, and servicing technology for the modern family. To learn more about OneVision
Resources and explore our services, visit www.onevisionresources.com.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
NEW ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS & SYSTEMS
6
TOP PRODUCTS FOR
YOUR SMART HOUSE
GRACE DIGITAL BLUETOOTH TV SPEAKER
Today’s TVs are made to look good, but sort of stink when it comes
to creating sound to match the image quality. It doesn’t really matter
if you have a cheap TV or an expensive one; the sound often isn’t too
impressive. Of course, you could add a soundbar or a full speaker
complement. However, Grace Digital wants to pump up the sound
of your TV through the addition of a Bluetooth speaker. The new
GDI-BTTV100 is a new Bluetooth speaker engineered to optimize
TV audio and dialogue. It’s also really compact and easy to use. Just
connect the included wireless transmitter to your TV and place the
GDI-BTTV100 Bluetooth speaker wherever you want it. Naturally, it’s not going to sound as awesome as a full
surround-sound setup, but it’s an easy way to get decent sound into some of those smaller rooms, including
the bedroom, basement, and garage.
Grace’s GDI-BTTV100 Bluetooth speaker uses aptX LL (low latency) technology to deliver a digital wireless signal. No direct line of sight to the transmitter is needed, so you can place the speaker anywhere and
still be able to control it. It also has two 3-inch ull-range speakers, a built-in 16-watt Class D amplifier, and
a frequency response of 60H–18kHz (+/-3db). Other features include a volume control knob, a sleek black
finish, and an optional audio input jack or connecting your smartphone or other music source.
MSRP: $180
D-LINK KOMFY LIGHT SWITCH
It’s hard to make the light switch category all that exciting. You can add buttons, dimmers, toggles, and even colors. However, D-Link decided to add a
camera. The new Komfy Light Switch (DKZ-201S) is a Wi-Fi-enabled switch that
has a home security camera built in. We’ve been seeing a lot of smart home
devices that can pull double-duty, and this is a pretty interesting combination.
Built to replace a standard 1- or 2-gang light switch, the Komfy Light Switch
(available in black or white) packs in a 1080p HD camera that can send video
to all of your favorite iOS devices. It even has sensors that can provide info
about the temperature, humidity, and air quality.
That free Komfy app allows users to remotely control lights, create schedules, and even receive push notifications about changes in a room s temperature, humidity, and air quality. The Komfy also has IFTTT (“If This Then That”) support, so you can tie the
switch to other smart devices in the house.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
NEW PRODUCTS
Other features include a 130-degree wide-angle lens, an Ambarella HD camera System-On-Chip (SoC),
and both sound and motion alerts. The camera even comes with cloud storage for unlimited video clips on
an 8-day first-in, first-out basis. sers can also opt to record content locally to a microSD card.
MSRP: $299.99
VENSTAR VOYAGER SMART THERMOSTATS
When it comes to picking wireless devices for the smart home, your
selection is typically determined by the technology used—and your
budget. However, Venstar doesn’t want to limit the potential audience for its latest lineup of smart thermostats.
With each of the Voyager’s seven smart thermostats, you can
actually choose how you want to connect: Wi-Fi, ZigBee, or ZWave. Just add one of Venstar’s optional wireless modules. Once
connected, you can tap into each thermostat from inside and
outside o the house, in order to cut energy costs or to just heat
or cool the house how you like it. The Venstar Skyport Cloud Services app is available for iOS, Android, and BlackBerry devices.
The app provides access to remote controls, as well as energy in o on the y.
Other eatures across the Voyager line include easy-to-read displays, adjustable backlight intensity,
color-coded buttons, and legends, as well as support for gas, electric, or heat pump systems, including
multi-stage setups.
Three o the Voyager smart thermostats offer a choice o 7-day, 5 2 day, or 1-day programming. The
model T3700 has two heat stages and one or cooling. The model T3800 eatures our heat stages, one
cooling, and controls to monitor a second temperature sensor, setpoint limiting, and smart recovery. And
finally, the model T3900 is dual- uel capable, with controls or humidification dehumidification, and the
option to lock out auxiliary heat based on the outdoor temperature.
Contact Voyager for pricing and purchasing information
LOWE’S IRIS 2.0 SMART HOME SYSTEM
Always aiming to improve its smart home product offerings, Lowe s
has developed a second-generation version of its popular Iris system. The hook of this latest smart home solution is that it was built
using Microsoft Azure’s cloud technology. With this type of technology and a few other tweaks, the new Lowe’s Iris system can deliver
new features, faster performance, and more personalization than
ever before.
The system is able to manage, monitor, and control more than
75 devices, including Lowe s-branded products and plenty o thirdparty options. New or redesigned products include the Contact Sensor ($22.99), Smart Plug ($34.99), Motion Sensor ($29.99), Help Pendant ($29.99), Smart Button ($24.99),
Smart Fob ($24.99), and Smart Keypad ($39.99). There are also surveillance cameras, thermostats, smoke
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
NEW PRODUCTS
detectors, garage door controllers, and much more. A complete list of compatible devices can be found on
IrisbyLowes.com.
Another new product is the new Smart Hub (pictured), which was manufactured by CentraLite. As the
cornerstone o the Iris setup, this 59.99 hub is more compact, but packs in a more power ul processor,
additional memory, a local app engine, and battery backup. It’s compatible with Bluetooth, ZigBee, Z-Wave,
Wi-Fi, and AllJoyn-enabled devices.
Lowe s is offering a ew o the new products packaged up into two separate starter kits. Just know that you
will need to purchase the Smart Hub separately. The Security Pack ($99) comes with two Iris Contact sensors,
a Motion Sensor, and a Smart Keypad. The Home Automation Pack ($129) has two Contact Sensors, a Motion
Sensor, a Smart Plug, and a Smart Button.
Lowe’s also has a new Iris app for iOS and Android devices. Besides a totally new look, the app features
customization perks, including the option to upload photos of your family, your home, and even your connected devices.
BENQ AFFORDABLE HOME THEATER PROJECTOR
Ben s new trio o home theater projectors can deliver a big
picture to almost any space in your home. Perfect for the living
room, the media room, or the home theater, the T2050, T3050,
and T4050 pictured are exible and affordable. As part o
Ben s Colorific collection, these projectors were designed to
meet the Rec. 709 DTV Standard the T3050 and T4050 only .
This technology enables the projectors to reproduce Cinematic
Color right out of the box. No calibration is needed.
Each option in this 1080p home theater projector lineup has
BenQ’s six-segment colorwheel, an all-new glass optical system,
and the company’s CinemaMaster audio and video processing suite. The latter boasts all sorts of motion,
color, pixel, and esh-tone enhancing technologies. All three models can s ueeze into smaller spaces because o their short-throw capabilities, which can deliver a 100-inch image when placed just eight eet rom
the screen.
Other eatures on all three models include Maxx-Audio sound on an internal speaker, ISFccc certification,
zoom capabilities, vertical lens shi ting, and horizontal placement possibilities T4050 or at adjustments.
The T3050 and T4050 also bring side projection via 2D keystone or greater installation exibility.
Also available is an optional wireless kit, which allows users to stream uncompressed 1080p content to
the projector rom as ar away as 100 eet even through walls.
MSRP: T2050 1,199 , T3050 1,399 , T4050 1,999
CLEVERLOOP CLEVER DIY SECURITY SYSTEM
There are a variety of DIY home security systems available, most of which feature surveillance cameras
that can be viewed from any device with a web connection. Some systems add in options for sensors or
even the ability to call emergency services. However, CleverLoop is launching a new option that’s truly,
well…clever.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
NEW PRODUCTS
CleverLoop stands out in a sea of DIY home security systems
because it can actually learn about what it sees—and alert the
homeowner accordingly. In other words, this solution is sort of
like the Nest thermostat for the home security market.
The cornerstone of the CleverLoop system is a hub called the
Base Station. This is where all of the camera footage is analyzed,
so you shouldn’t have to worry about false alarms. Alert footage
can then be stored locally on an SD card or ree in the cloud. sers can also opt to use an external hard drive for storing footage.
Each Base Station can support a combination of three indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi cameras. Other camera
eatures include two-way audio, night video, and a wide field o view. The system can even arm and disarm
using geofencing features, which can keep tabs on the user’s location through the CleverLoop app.
All of the setup and monitoring is done through that aforementioned app, which is free for iOS and
Android devices. There are no monthly fees for use or storage.
MSRP: starting at $209
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
EXPERT BY JORDAN WILLS
COMMENTARY
My Apple Watch Almost Killed Me
IT WAS STILL DARK OUTSIDE WHEN MY PHONE WOKE ME. “Activity: Basement Window.” Probably just the high winds
of the storm, I thought. I had been meaning to reprogram those pesky activity sensors, which had been alerting
me every time a squirrel brushed past a window. Still, I’d take a lap around the house for good measure. The rain
was torrential out there, and if my basement was leaking, I wanted to know. With my trusty Apple Watch still
strapped on from the night before, I rolled out of bed and went downstairs.
Strange, no lights turned on as I descended the staircase. I had programmed the whole home to
light up room by room as my Apple Watch passed through. Had the power gone out? But my smart
home system has a battery backup. Another burst of lightning illuminated the foyer enough to get me
to the basement door. I opened it and took the first step down as a reached for a light switch. The thing
is, I hadn’t had to touch a light switch in months and my instincts were off. I reached left when I should
have reached right, and felt nothing but drywall as I stepped forward. “Squeak!” The runner under my
foot rolled and I swung around, tripped … darkness.
I felt the cold of the concrete floor against my back as I came back to reality. I tried to move and
a needle of pain shot down my spine. Herniated disc. Time to call the wife for help. I lifted my wrist
above my face but the watch didn’t illuminate. I shook it. Nothing. It took me a minute to realize what
the next burst of lightning confirmed: I wasn’t wearing my smartwatch. I was wearing a dumbwatch, a
Sieko. Beyond showing me how long I’d been stuck here, it was useless.
The good news was the storm had subsided, the morning sun was peeking out, and my wife would
be downstairs shortly. I listened intently for the rustle of her morning routine, and relief washed over
me as I heard the creak of the floorboards. The steps grew louder as I readied my call for help, but it was
all a moment too late as … The Rocky theme song began blaring through the basement speakers. In an
effort to get in shape, I had programmed the most inspirational song of all time to play in my basement
gym whenever I was there between the hours of 6 a.m. and
8 a.m. This meant two things: that I had left my Apple Watch in the gym, and that my wife couldn’t
hear me as she left for work. As far as she was concerned, I was working out. I called out to her between
track replays, but could hear the sound of her car pulling out of the driveway. She usually kisses me
goodbye, but substitutes a watch-to-watch heartbeat when she’s running late. I turned my head toward
the gym, and there was the tiny screen pulsating red, out of my reach.
There I lay, contemplating my life choices when I heard the squeak of a dog toy. I inched my head
off the floor and saw my dog Nicky staring curiously from the top of the stairs. Suddenly, I realized this
little Bichon Frise was my only hope. “Nicky, come here girl.” She hopped down the stairs. “You want
food, girl?” I had rigged up her food dispenser so it could be controlled from my Apple Watch. She
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
EXPERT COMMENTARY
watched me as I dramatically put a finger to my wrist, then she ran eagerly to her food bowl and looked back
at me. “The watch, girl. Go get the watch.” Wagging her tail, as the Rocky theme song played on, she suddenly
turned sharply toward the gym, galloped straight for the watch and grabbed the rubber wrist strap. I cheered
her on as she returned it to me—my hero. From the screen of the watch I cut the music, then gave Nicky a
double serving of breakfast. Now to call the wife and tell her I was immobile.
I forgot about the spotty Wi-Fi in the basement. With only one bar, the phone call wasn’t going
through. I stared desperately at the word “dialing” until an alert interrupted it: “You Haven’t Worked Out in
A While. Go for a Run?” Thanks, Apple Watch. There wasn’t enough bandwidth for a phone call, but maybe
a text would sneak through. I quickly scrolled to her last text, but my only reply suggestions were “You too,”
“Chillin,” and “Later.”
“Siri, text my wife,” I ordered. “I fell. Period. Please come home.” Siri’s interpretation: “Rifle. Please come
imperial.”
I swiped the screen away as best I could with my quivering finger and drew “S.O.S.”
Sending … sending … sent.
The response came almost instantly. “Coming! I’ll be home in 10 minutes!” My hands fell outward like a
front line soldier finally relieved by air support. I was finally breathing easy. There’s a metaphor for life, here,
I thought. What grand lesson can I take away from this technological roller coaster? Also, when’s the next
iPhone coming out? EH
JORDAN WILLS is the marketing director at Cloud9 Smarthome, an NYC design-integrator committed to making homes more
connected and more beautiful. He writes about technology that can make life easier and media more immersive.
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
January 2016
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
FEATURED INSTALLERS
Featured custom electronics installers who provide infrastructure wiring, lighting systems, security, home automation, a/v systems and more. For more professional installers in your area, go to the Find Installers website.
ALABAMA
Interscapes
4740 Woodmere Blvd.
Montgomery, AL 36106
334-395-6555
[email protected]
www.Interscapesonline.com
ARIZONA
LMC Home Entertainment
15507 N Scottsdale Rd., #135
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
480-616-2043
[email protected]
www.lmche.com
CALIFORNIA
Modern Home Systems
7007 Carroll Rd.
San Diego, CA 92121
858-554-0404
danielle@modernhomesystems.
com
www.modernhomesystems.com
Monaco Audio Video
350 S Lake Ave #112
Pasedena, CA 91101
626-460-1842
[email protected]
www.monacoav.com
Music Lovers Audio & Video
2116 Blake St.
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-671-1293
[email protected]
www.musicloversaudio.com
Shelley's Stereo Video Center
22102 Clarendon Street
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
818-798-3469
[email protected]
www.shelleysstereo.com
Rowe Photo Video and Audio
1737 Mt. Hope
Rochester, NY 14620
347-915-7821
[email protected]
www.rowephoto.com
GEORGIA
Stereo Exchange
627 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
347-915-7821
[email protected]
www.stereoexchange.com
Atlanta Audio & Automation
631 Miami Circle STE 15
Atlanta, GA 30324
770-977-9110
[email protected]
www.atlantaaudio.com
ILLINOIS
Audio Video Interiors of Chicago
1 S 550 Route 83 Unit C
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
630-425-4893
[email protected]
www.myavsource.com
MASSACHUSETTS
January 2016
Audio Advice
8621 Glenwood Ave.
Raleigh, NC 27617
919-351-2931
[email protected]
www.audioadvice.com
OHIO
Jamiesons' Audio/Video
5421 Monroe St.
Toledo, OH 43623
419-491-4929
[email protected]
www.jamiesonsaudiovideo.com
MISSOURI
Sound & Vision
750 Howe Ave.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221
330-790-5335
[email protected]
www.soundandvisionohio.com
The Sound Room
18167 Edison Ace. Unit G&H
Chesterfield, MO 63005
636-875-7869
[email protected]
www.thesoundroom.com
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Audio Video Therapy
216 Daniel Webster Highway
Nashua, NH 03060
978-226-1760
[email protected]
www.avtherapy.net
Premier Audio Video Designs
16 McDougal Dr.
N. White Plains, NY 10603
914-509-5360
[email protected]
www.premieravdesigns.com
Crown Consulting Firm
7025 CR 46A Ste. 1021
Lake Mary, FL 32776
407-333-4621
[email protected]
www.crownaudio.net
NORTH CAROLINA
Q Audio
5 Brookline St.
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-702-4256
[email protected]
www.qaudio.com
NEW YORK
FLORIDA
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
Sound Advice
4008 N. Federal Hwy
Ft Lauderdale, FL 33308
954-526-8458
[email protected]
www.soundadvice.com
OREGON
TEXAS
Home Theater Technologies
6100 Colleyville Blvd. Ste. 140
Colleyville, TX 76034
817-631-3819
[email protected]
www.homewiresolutions.com
Signature Home Theater
6911 FM 1960 W
Houston, TX 77069
281-720-7531
[email protected]
www.sigtheater.com
UTAH
AVWORX
1090 Cambridge Circle
Layton, UT 84040
801-317-8832
[email protected]
www.avworx.net
VIRGINIA
IQ Home Entertainment
10890 Fairfax Blvd
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-543-9736
[email protected]
www.iq-av.com
WISCONSIN
Suess Electronics
2520 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Appleton, WI 54914
920-215-1399
[email protected]
www.suesselectronics.com
Fred's Sound of Music
3760 Se Hawthorne Blvd
Portland, OR 97214
503-912-8648
[email protected]
www.fredsoundofmusic.com
PENNSYLVANIA
Current Concepts—
Home Automation Specialists
4610 Pleasant View Dr.
Coopersburg, PA 18036
610-791-4458, Fax: 610-791-6539
[email protected]
www.currentconceptshas.com
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com
Volume 31 No. 1 n January 2016 n electronichouse.com
PUBLISHER
David MacLean x308
[email protected]
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Lisa Montgomery 269.465.5230
[email protected]
AD PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
Manuela Rosengard x226
AD PRODUCTION MANAGER
Jason Litchfield x252
JUNIOR PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Rachel Felson x478
SENIOR EDITOR
Rachel Cericola
[email protected]
CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER
Jeffrey Miller x253
CONTRIBUTORS Steven Castle, Rebecca Day,
Chris Heinonen, Tim McInerney, Krissy
Rushing, Art Sesnovich
ELECTRONICHOUSE.COM
SENIOR INTERNET PRODUCT MANAGER
Guy Caiola x232
ART DIRECTOR
Dorian Gittlitz x288
WEB ART DIRECTOR John Brillon x263
DIGITAL & PRINT MEDIA DESIGNER
Jocelin Damien x487
ADVERTISING SALES
HEAD OF SALES
Ray Lyons x297
[email protected]
Shawn Tobin x324, [email protected]
Lindsay Gonsiorowski x289, [email protected]
Marty Cohn 508.932.5981, [email protected]
Jackie Erb x480, [email protected]
WEB DEVELOPER Peter Smith x325
SENIOR ONLINE MARKETING MANAGER Mary
McIntire x230
PRESIDENT Kenneth D. Moyes x222
VP FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
Steve Martini x328
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Jane Jenkins x238
MARKETING ASSOCIATE Jessie Steinberg x490
REPRINTS Wrights Reprints
[email protected], 877.652.5295
SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES 800.305.0633
www.electronichouse.com/customerservice
PROUD MEMBER OF
ELECTRONIC HOUSE
October 2015
EH Publishing, Inc.
111 Speen Street, Suite 200, P.O. Box 989
Framingham, MA 01701-2000
508.663.1500 n Fax 508.663.1599
electronichouse.com
ELECTRONICHOUSE.com