The following information is courtesy of the 2008 CEDIA Electronic Lifestyles Designers’ Choice Awards. For more information on how to become a member of CEDIA, or information on its awards program please visit www.cedia.org or call (800) 669-5329.

2008 CEDIA Electronic Lifestyles Awards Entry: Best Integrated Home, Level I: $67,500 – $120,000

IH4

Date design began: 05-31-07
Date installation was completed: 01-08-08

FEATURE ESSAY

1. Please provide a short four to six sentence synopsis describing the project goals, special features, or nuances.

This home was a new custom home. Our client was also the builder, and we have done several projects with him before. On this project, he wanted to take things a little further, with more music zones, lighting control, and a custom theater. The goal was to create a highly functional custom home that offered technically advanced entertainment features to match the exceptional architecture and design of the house.

2. Did you encounter any challenges or limitations that required special consideration in the design of the system or placement of equipment? Please describe the control system.

Being a new construction project, we were pretty much free to get wiring anywhere we needed to, and because we were familiar with this builder and his vendors, we were able to skip a lot of the “learning curve” that typically accompanies projects like this. The biggest challenge was matching the high standard of workmanship demanded by a builder of this caliber. Keypad and touchpanel locations had to be carefully planned, and all wiring, even the low-voltage panel, had to be immaculate.

3. Discuss the overall plan you created to accomplish the clients’ requirements.

We set about designing complete audio and video distribution systems that would allow all of the related hardware to be stored out of sight in the main rack, keeping all of the rooms free of the clutter of cable boxes, DVD players, etc. We designed a lighting control system that would provide modern looking keypads in place of unsightly banks of switches, and several touchpanels to provide versatile interfaces for all lighting, audio, and security systems, again minimizing the wall clutter of multiple switches and keypads. Lastly, we designed a custom eight-seat theater in the basement, with a 100″ front projection screen and 7.1 channel surround system.

4. Describe the five most used functions of the system and how they benefit the client.

a. The custom theater is a showcase room where the clients can entertain friends. With the theater doors open, the adjacent billiards area and recreation room provide additional space for larger gatherings, where everyone is free to roam around and enjoy whatever media event is showing on the theater screen, as well as the 58″ plasma TV, which is also supported by a 7.1 channel surround system.

b. The 12-zone audio distribution system brings radio, satellite, and digitally stored music to all areas of the home, including the outside patio and hot tub, with a combination of keypad and touchpanel interfaces to access and control all sources.

c. The lighting control system provides customized scenes throughout the main living areas for all occasions, easily accessible through a simple button push. Economy is enhanced by controlling the maximum brightness levels and ramping gradually from off to on. Additional security benefits are provided by the automated recreation of daily lighting patterns when the clients are away.

d. The CCTV camera system provides instantaneous real-time visual access to both entrances from any touchpanel location.

e. The integration of the security system allows arming and disarming of the system from any touchpanel, as well as “welcome” and “away” functions that turn lighting and music systems off and on when the alarm system is armed or disarmed.

EQUIPMENT LIST:

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: B&W
Model#: ASW-61
Product Description: Powered Subwoofer

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: B&W
Model#: CCM626
Product Description: In-Ceiling 6.5

Qty: 4
Manufacturer: B&W
Model#: CCM65
Product Description: In-Ceiling 6.5

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: B&W
Model#: CWM6260
Product Description: In-Wall 6.5

Qty: 3
Manufacturer: B&W
Model#: CWMCINEMA
Product Description: In-Wall 2-Way LCR Speaker

Qty: 3
Manufacturer: B&W
Model#: CWMLCR7
Product Description: In-Wall 3-Way Speaker

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: CE Labs
Model#: AV400 COMP
Product Description: 1 In 4 Out HDTV A/V Distribution Amplifier

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: CE Labs
Model#: AV901 COMP
Product Description: 1 In 8 Out HDTV A/V Distribution Amplifier

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Channel Vision
Model#: P-1420
Product Description: 6 Component & Analog Audio Inputs, 4 Outputs

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Chief Mounts
Model#: PRO-U
Product Description: Universal Pitch Adjustable Wall Mount Bracket

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Crestron
Model#: C2COM-3
Product Description: RS-232 Interface Card for PRO2

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Crestron
Model#: C2ENET-1
Product Description: Single Port Ethernet Adaptor w/Econtrol2

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: Crestron
Model#: C2N-DB8
Product Description: 8-Button Keypad

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Crestron
Model#: C2N-HBLOCK
Product Description: Cresnet Network Distribution Block

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Crestron
Model#: CNPWS-75
Product Description: External Power Supply

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: Crestron
Model#: CNRFGWA-418
Product Description: 1-Way RF Gateway

Qty: 3
Manufacturer: Crestron
Model#: ML-600
Product Description: Mini LCD 1-Way RF Hand-Held Remote Control

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Crestron
Model#: PRO-2
Product Description: Controller w/ 6 Built-In Comm Ports

Qty: 3
Manufacturer: Crestron
Model#: TPS-2000L
Product Description: 6

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: Denon
Model#: AVR-2808CI
Product Description: A/V Receiver 7 X 110 Watt

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: Denon
Model#: DVD-1940CI
Product Description: DVD Player w/1080p HDMI Scaling

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: Generic
Model#: EDAFT08100
Product Description: 8-Port RF Signal Amplifier for Digital Cable Boxes

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Escient
Model#: Fireball MX-111
Product Description: Video & Music Manager

Qty: 8
Manufacturer: Front Row
Model#: Barcelona
Product Description: Custom Theater Recliner Chairs

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Model#: TH50PH10UK
Product Description: 50

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Kramer
Model#: VS-24XL
Product Description: 2 X 1 Composite Video Switcher w/Dry Contact Relay

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Linksys
Model#: 8 Port Switch
Product Description: 8 Port 10/100 Auto-Sensing Switch

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Linksys
Model#: Wireless G Game Point
Product Description: Wireless Game Point

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Middle Atlantic
Model#: Custom Rack
Product Description: 43 Space Custom Outfitted Equipment Access System

Qty: 4
Manufacturer: Motorola
Model#: DCT6412 III
Product Description: High Definition Cable Box

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Monster Power
Model#: MP HTS 2600MKII
Product Description: Stage 2 Power Center, 10 Outlets, 3 Coax, 1 Phone

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: National
Model#: Bullet C/IR21
Product Description: Infrared Illumination Color Indoor/Outdoor Camera

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: National
Model#: TCE200VA
Product Description: 12V 200VA Power Supply

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Nexus
Model#: C-6
Product Description: Multi-Zone A/V Controller

Qty: 6
Manufacturer: Nexus
Model#: K-8
Product Description: 8-Button Keypad w/ LCD Display

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Nexus
Model#: X-1
Product Description: 7-12 Zone Expansion System

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: OmniMount
Model#: 75/100 CL
Product Description: Small Screen Cantilever Mount

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: OmniMount
Model#: U2 Fixed
Product Description: Universal Fixed Mount for Plasma or LCD

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Model#: TH58PH10UK
Product Description: 58

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Runco
Model#: CL-420
Product Description: High Performance DLP Projector

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Runco
Model#: RUHK-004725
Product Description: Ceiling Mount for DLP Projector

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Sharp
Model#: LC19SB24U
Product Description: Aquos 15

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Sharp
Model#: LC26D43U
Product Description: 26

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Sonance
Model#: A800D
Product Description: In-Wall Subwoofer

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: Sonance
Model#: AS2
Product Description: Automatic Speaker Level Source Selector

Qty: 20
Manufacturer: Sonance
Model#: CR101
Product Description: 6.5

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: Sonance
Model#: CRK20
Product Description: Outdoor Garden Rock Speaker

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Sonance
Model#: D-AC. ENCL
Product Description: Virtuoso In-Wall Acoustic Enclosure

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Sonance
Model#: ODVC60
Product Description: Outdoor Volume Control

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: Sonance
Model#: S621SSTR
Product Description: Symphony Series Stereo Ceiling Speaker

Qty: 3
Manufacturer: Sonance
Model#: ST Retro Enclosure
Product Description: Retrofit-able, Glass Reinforced Polypropylene Enclosure

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Stewart Filmscreen
Model#: SNDQ100HFHWEZX
Product Description: Luxus Deluxe Screenwall 100

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Terk
Model#: FM-PRO
Product Description: Attic Mount FM Antenna

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Vantage
Model#: MC
Product Description: Master Controller

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Vantage
Model#: MPES-4
Product Description: Master Power Enclosure

Qty: 1
Manufacturer: Vantage
Model#: SPES-4
Product Description: Slave Power Enclosure

Qty: 8
Manufacturer: Vantage
Model#: MDS8RW101
Product Description: Fused Dimming Module

Qty: 15
Manufacturer: Vantage
Model#: KS11PG
Product Description: Button Keypad Station

Qty: 6
Manufacturer: Vantage
Model#: KS12PG
Product Description: Keypad Station

Qty: 2
Manufacturer: Vantage
Model#: KS2APG
Product Description: Keypad Station

TIME AND EXPERTISE:

Client Interviews: 8

Electronic Design and Engineering: 12

Proposal and System Documentation Preparation: 3

Project Management: 25

Pre-wire/Rough-in: 85

Trim-out: 53

Shop Time for Racking and Testing: 20

Programming: 67

Final Installation and Calibration: 105

Client Instruction: 6.5

Interior Design and/or Architecture by your Company: 20

Interior Design and/or Architecture by Others: 0
Project Management by Others: 0
Other time: 0
Total Hours to Complete: 404.5