European Custom Installer

ISE 2019 has Crestron announce a pair of security partnerships-- one with IP intercom provider 2N, the other with ekey biometric systems, a leading vendor of fingerprint access solutions.

The latest firmware update to 2N IP-based video intercom door station adds compliance with Crestron Rava SIP intercom phone technology, allowing integration with Crestron TSW-x60 series touchscreens. It also allows for seamless integration with 3rd party electron door locks. Meanwhile the sleek wall-mounted ekey finger scanners integrate with Crestron 3-series control systems for convenient one-touch door entry and enhanced security.

Control4 debuts the Tiny Smart Home at Design Construction Week 2019-- a compact, 23-square-metre smart home designed to give architects, builders and designers an interactive, design-forward smart technology experience.

According to a National Kitchen and Bath Association report, consumers are seeking guidance and knowledge from interior designers for smart lighting, wifi connectivity and intelligent appliances. As such, this represents an opportunity for installers to educate design professionals in matters of smart home technology, and the Control4 Tiny Smart Home is a showcase introducing home automation to interior designers, builders and architects.

Attero Tech starts shipping the Axon C1, a single-gang network controller built specifically for basic audio control applications demanding easy user interaction with simple volume, zone source selection and preset recall control.

The C1 features what the company says is an easy-to-read OLED display and intuitive menu navigation, making short work of typical audio adjustments. The small form factor and easy of programming make it appropriate for installations where more costly and complex touch panels are not well suited. Attero Tech uniFY v3.3 configuration software lets installers setup and customise C1 menus for the options each venue requires, while the single knob interface is designed to be just "walk up and use."

Amazon buys into home mesh networking with Eero, an acquisition the online retailer turned industry giant says will “help customers better connect smart home devices.” Financial details of the deal are not available.

“We are incredibly impressed with the Eero team and how quickly they invented a wifi solution that makes connected devices just work,” Amazon says. “We have a shared vision that the smart home experience can get even easier, and we’re committed to continue innovating on behalf of customers.”

Onkyo announces a pair of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X enabled AV receivers-- the 5.2-channel TX-SR393 (155 W/Ch) and 7.2 TX-SR494 (160 W/Ch), both promising "extraordinary flexibility to simplify next-generation home entertainment."

According to Onkyo, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X bring 3D audio to any speaker configuration, with metadata transposing sound origin within a scene to a corresponding positioning within the listening space. The TX-SR393 offers a 3.2.2-channel solution to native Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object-based playback, while the TX-SR494 offers 5.2.2 channels. Meanwhile Dolby Surround and DTS Neural:X technologies upmix legacy soundtracks for playback through any speaker layout, including those with height channels, for more spatially realistic audio.