Reaffirming its commitment to meet the growing market demand for powerful, customized audiophile-quality home theater and multi-zone audio systems, Niles®, The First Name In Custom Installation®, today introduced a new line of five Systems Integration Amplifiers® that includes the re-tooled SI-1230 Series 2 Amplifier, the successor to the SI-1230 that was inducted to the CEDIA Hall of Fame in 2011. The new line of powerful multi-zone amplifiers provides CI professionals the ideal solution for every application. The introduction was made at CEDIA EXPO 2012 in Niles’ Booth #902 of the Indiana Convention Center.

According to Niles Chief Marketing Officer Paul Starkey, “Niles has a long tradition of designing and marketing audio components of the highest quality, and that level of precision and care has resulted in this new line of five high-power, reliable, and installation-friendly amplifiers. With a full line of Systems Integration Amplifiers, CI professionals now have a Niles amplifier for every installation, whether it’s a home theater, a whole-home multi-zone system, or a restaurant or office audio system.�

The three new 2-channel Niles Systems Integration Amplifiers, the SI-250, SI-2100, and SI2150, feature audio circuitry constructed using the finest materials available, including 1% metal film resistors, high quality capacitors and oversized heat sinks that ensure proper cooling without the need for a noisy fan. In order to provide tremendous bass and dynamics to every speaker, the amplifiers deliver 50W, 100W, or 150W RMS per channel at 8 ohms and 100W, 220W, or 270W RMS per channel at 4 ohms respectively. For applications requiring high output, such as subwoofers or rock speakers, each of these amplifiers can also be operated in a bridged mono configuration, resulting in the delivery of 225W, 400W, or 550W respectively.

What’s more, each amplifier channel features an independent level control enabling precise volume matching to the rest of the system. They also feature gold plated stereo inputs, cascade stereo outputs, and five way binding posts to ensure perfect connection without corrosion for years to come.

The SI-1230 Series 2 Systems Integration Amplifier is a fully configurable 12-channel power amplifier that provides 30W per channel (80W when bridged) and features a unique BusMatrix™ selector that allows each channel to be set to left bus, right bus, left plus right bus (summed stereo), or the channel’s dedicated input.

The new Niles SI-1650 16-channel amplifier features a unique web browser configurator that allows each channel to select from any of the 16 inputs or combination of inputs. The powerful and versatile amplifier delivers 50W per channel and includes a high power mode that produces 100W per channel for 8 channels. The amplifier’s high pass and low pass filters allow it to be used with subwoofers and make it ideal to match with Niles popular line of GS Garden Speakers.

All five Niles Systems Integration Amplifiers come with a two-year limited warranty, include a removable line cord and rack mount ears, and feature three turn-on modes: Music Sense, External Voltage Trigger, and Manual Turn-On via the front panel switch. They also each provide a 12V DC output whenever the amplifier is on, allowing operation of voltage-triggered devices like motorized screens and curtains.

The 2-channel models measure 438cm wide by 56cm high by 344cm deep and fit in a single rack bay. The 12- and 16-channel models measure 438cm wide by 145 cm high (including feet) by 411cm deep and require three rack bays.

About Niles:
California-based Niles® is recognized as The First Name in Custom Installation®. The company is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of audio/video custom installation products and accessories and is guided by its vision to be the world’s leading provider of products and services that enable professional custom installers to design and install systems that delight their customers. To that end, Niles pursues a mission to provide solutions for end users that enable simple and easy access to home entertainment and that integrate seamlessly with other low voltage subsystems like lighting, internet, security and HVAC in residential and light commercial environments. Niles conducts its business with a promise to treat its customers, employees, suppliers and stakeholders with fairness and respect and to foster teamwork, innovation and a commitment to be the best in everything it does. Additional information may be obtained by visiting www.nilesaudio.com.

Continuing its commitment to provide integrators with consistent enhancements to the g! Entertainment and Control System, ELAN® Home Systems today announced the immediate availability of its g!Mobile app for Android® devices, built on an innovative software architecture the company also debuted today. According to ELAN’s Director of Control Group Joe Lautner, the company’s new programming architecture makes it much easier and faster to integrate new features and graphical user interface enhancements. The announcement was made at CEDIA EXPO 2012 at ELAN’s Booth #902 of the Indiana Convention Center.

“Our engineers have implemented an innovative approach to make it easy to deliver powerful, simple and consistent user interface enhancements on all devices that homeowners use,� Lautner said. “This new approach allows us to manage a single GUI that provides a consistent interface with full functionality and cool animations on every g! user interface device including computers, ELAN HR2 remotes and TS in-wall touch screens, iPhones, iPads and Android smartphones and tablets.

“We have lofty goals for new g! features and user interface functionality that make the g! system easier to install, easier to update and maintain, and easier to use. Today we are introducing the most powerful Android app for home entertainment and control, as well as launching a new approach to user interfaces that allows us to quickly bring to market new features and enhancements, delivering the best possible end-user experience.

“End-users benefit by getting all of their devices updated at the same time and being able to use nearly any touch screen device with their system. This provides dealers with a solution that is easier to sell and saves installation and support time because they no longer have to program each interface device.�

About ELAN Home Systems:
Since 1990 ELAN® Home Systems has been an industry leading manufacturer of innovative, award-winning Multi-Room audio/video systems. ELAN systems were the first to integrate audio, video, phones and third-party products to create a seamless, easy-to-use “whole house” solution. ELAN systems and products are distributed through a comprehensive channel of select Dealers and Distributors throughout the United States, Canada and more than 58 countries worldwide. To learn more visit www.elanhomesystems.com.

Demonstrating the breadth and scope of its combined product development and marketing capabilities, CORE Brands LLC, a division of the Nortek Technology Solutions Segment, today introduced more than 25 new audio, control, and power management products and system solutions at CEDIA 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The introductions were made by the Group’s BlueBOLT®, ELAN®, Furman®, Niles®, Panamax®, Proficient®, SpeakerCraft®, Sunfire® and Xantech® brands at four different exhibits in the Indianapolis Convention Center.

According to Paul Starkey, CORE Brands Senior Vice President of Marketing, the number of new product introductions speaks directly to the Group’s ability to offer dealers and integrators a line of integrated audio, control, and power management solutions that are unmatched by any other manufacturer. “In every market segment, and at wide-ranging price points, CORE Brands offers a solution that delivers the very best performance value,� Starkey said today. “We believe this to be unique for dealers at a time when operational simplicity and profit are top of mind.�

Leading the parade of new introductions are SpeakerCraft’s TV Speaker system and multi-room wireless audio solution; ELAN’s Android and Door Locks App, as well as streaming content and drivers, Niles’ System Integration Amplifiers, mini- and garden-subs; Xantech’s groundbreaking new line of IR and IP connectivity solutions, Panamax’s MR Series of power management solutions that combine form and function for today’s home theater environments; Furman’s Contractor Series CN-15MP MiniPort that extends SmartSequencing™ Technology to components outside the equipment rack; the first BlueBOLT-enabled product in the MD family of direct plug-in devices: the MD2-ZB; Proficient Zero wireless additions, Soundbar & TV Speaker along with various in wall/in ceiling releases; and Sunfire’s new ATMOS sub with precedent setting anti shaking technology and HRSIW8 in-wall sub.

“And these are just the highlights of what our brands are offering dealers at CEDIA 2012,� Starkey emphasized. “The addition of these products to an already rich portfolio of CI channel products of over 1,000 active products, gives the dealer a range of choices with unprecedented association to each other.�

“It is difficult to find a dealer who is not using one of the brands today, and our goal is now to have each dealer using 5 or more of our brands,� he added. “Product development is the key initiative for our brands in the next year.�

The full range of CORE Brands products and solutions can be seen at the Group’s four CEDIA 2012 exhibits. ATON, ELAN, Niles, Sunfire, and Xantech are exhibiting in Booth #902. BlueBOLT, Panamax, and Furman are exhibiting in Booth #3130. SpeakerCraft is exhibiting in Booth #5524 and Proficient is exhibiting in Booth #2442.

Headquartered in Petaluma, California, CORE Brands is a division of the Nortek Technology Solutions Segment (www.nortek-inc.com). CORE Brands combines the product and marketing strengths of ten iconic audio, power management and control brands into a single business unit that includes ATON®, BlueBOLT®, ELAN®, Furman®, Niles®, Panamax®, Proficient®, SpeakerCraft®, Sunfire® and Xantech® brands. CORE Brands has more than 190 years of combined experience in the residential, commercial and professional markets and over 4,300 direct customer accounts in multiple distribution channels in the United States and around the world.

Celebrating its debut at CEDIA 2012 in the most spectacular way possible, CORE Brands, the recently introduced Nortek Technology Solutions business unit comprised of the ATON®, BlueBOLT®, ELAN®, Furman®, Niles®, Panamax®, Proficient®, SpeakerCraft®, Sunfire® and Xantech® brands, today announced it will host a party to remember on Friday, September 7, 2012 at Indianapolis’s trendiest nightclub, Blu (240 South Meridian Street, Indianapolis).

According to Paul Starkey, CORE Brands Senior Vice President of Marketing, the by-invitation-only party will run from 8 p.m. to midnight and feature music from Chicago’s hottest cover band, Green Thirteen. “Dealers attending CEDIA undoubtedly know every one of our ten iconic brands, but now they will have the opportunity to get to know all of our brands in an entirely new way as part of the industry’s single largest audio, control and power management solutions provider! The debut of CORE Brands at CEDIA marks the start of an exciting new chapter of opportunity for our dealers and this party will help make our debut an event to be remembered.�

Dealers can get tickets to the party from their respective representatives by visiting individual CORE Brands CEDIA exhibits. ATON, ELAN, Niles, Sunfire, and Xantech are exhibiting in Booth #902. BlueBOLT, Panamax, and Furman are exhibiting in Booth #3130. SpeakerCraft is exhibiting in Booth #5524 and Proficient is exhibiting in Booth #2442.

Headquartered in Petaluma, California, CORE Brands is a division of the Nortek Technology Solutions Segment (www.nortek-inc.com). CORE Brands combines the product and marketing strengths of ten iconic audio, power management and control brands into a single business unit that includes ATON®, BlueBOLT®, ELAN®, Furman®, Niles®, Panamax®, Proficient®, SpeakerCraft®, Sunfire® and Xantech® brands. CORE Brands has more than 190 years of combined experience in the residential, commercial and professional markets and over 4,300 direct customer accounts in multiple distribution channels in the United States and around the world.

North America’s largest ProAV dealer tour continues next Thursday, September 13, when Stampede Presentation Products, Inc. kicks off its Fall 2012 Big Book of AV Tour (BBOAV) with an event-packed program at the Sheraton Detroit Novi in Detroit, Michigan. Following its record-breaking spring tour, the Fall 2012 BBOAV Tour features more products, seminars, and special events, with every aspect specifically designed to help ProAV dealers better meet the needs of their customers. Dealers can register now at www.bigbookofavtour.com, where they can also find directions and a full list of raffle prizes. The Detroit event will be open from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. EST.

According to Stampede President and COO Kevin Kelly, “The Fall 2012 Big Book of AV Tour is the only place that ProAV dealers can see the industry’s newest products and attend seminars focused on digital signage, low cost video conferencing, and touch technology all in one place. As the Big Book of AV grows, the tour grows along with it, and we’re excited to once again bring our dealers the latest and greatest products, insight and advice for creating and maintaining a successful and profitable business.�

With a catalog that now features more than 1,000 pages of the top ProAV solutions, Stampede continues to provide the largest range of ProAV solutions in the industry. “This incredible product selection means our dealers aren’t limited to choosing from just one or two solutions, and have a full range of options that help them create more customized solutions to satisfy their individual needs,� Kelly emphasized. “Add in our expert sales and support team that is expertly trained in ProAV, and you’ve got a winning combination that can’t be beat. We keep our dealers coming back for our expert advice and product selection, two things that we do better than anyone else in the industry.�

All attendees will receive a $50 AMEX gift card, plus an additional $25 AMEX gift card for each training session they attend, and will be treated to a continental breakfast from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and a lunch buffet from noon to 1:30 p.m. There will also be a prize drawing each hour, with the lucky dealers taking home a Samsung Galaxy Tablet, clean power processors, speakers, gift cards, or even a 42� LCD TV with a Sharp soundbar and Blu-ray player!

The 2012 Big Book of AV Tour will feature more than 40 exhibitors including Atlona, Benq, BrightSign, Canon, Chief, Christie, Draper, Epson, Gefen, Hall Research, Hitachi, Hitachi StarBoard, Ken-a-vision, Kramer, LG Panels, MediaPOINTE, Mitsubishi, Mustang, NEC, Optoma, Peerless, Perfect Path, Samsung, Sharp and Sony. Other stops on the Fall 2012 Tour include:

October 7, 2012 Kansas City, MO
October 24, 2012 New York, NY
November 8, 2012 San Diego, CA
December 5, 2012 Atlanta, GA

About Stampede
Known for its value-added distribution, Amherst, New York-based Stampede is the leading distributor of presentation equipment including LCD/DLP projectors and flat panel displays. Stampede provides a complete range of brand name presentation equipment to a variety of audio/video, computer, and home theater resellers and integrators in the United States, Canada and Latin America. These resellers rely on Stampede for value-added services in distribution, marketing and solution- based sales. Stampede annually produces the “Big Book of AV,� an 816-page catalog and companion website (www.BigBookofAV.com) providing hundreds of sales, installation and spec tips for Stampede’s dealers in addition to product details on more than 5,000 SKUs. For more information on Stampede, log onto www.stampedeglobal.com.

Moving swiftly to integrate its product development and marketing functions into a dynamic new brand management organization that drives both innovation and collaboration, Core Brands LLC today announced the implementation of a focused management structure comprised of eight individual brand managers. The brand management team will report directly to Core Brands Senior Vice President of Marketing Paul Starkey.

“The formation of Core Brands combines the expertise of ten iconic brands into one powerful new business organization that will bring more opportunities to our more than 4,300 dealers and integrators around the world,� Starkey said today. “Our new brand management structure makes a focused team responsible for driving the innovation in the areas of control, audio, and power management.�

According to Dave Keller, Senior Vice President of Sales, Core Brands is taking the additional step of moving its field support team and six trainers closer to dealers and introducing an expanded training schedule that more than quadruples the number of face-to-face training sessions over the next 12 months. “What’s more,� Keller emphasized, “face-to-face training is also being combined with new online training initiatives and electronic mini communications programs in ways that will provide dealers and integrators with the necessary product information that will help them to sell and install solutions more efficiently and profitably than ever before.�

Regarding the overall sales organization, Keller said today that Core Brands will retain its four current United States sales rep networks to keep consistency and the best level of ground support for its dealers. “In order to maximize our effectiveness at the local level, we are moving to six U.S. sales regions each with a Regional Sales Manager. “Our goal is to make the decision point for dealers and reps very accessible at the local level,� Keller explained, emphasizing that two immediate impacts are expected by these changes. First, the company expects dealers to have easy access to the lines in the Group to maximize efficiency and profits for all dealers. Secondly, the field support organization allows more factory support at the local level, thus increasing the productivity of the dealers with all of the Core Brands product lines.

Headquartered in Petaluma, California, Core Brands is a division of the Nortek Technology Solutions Segment (www.nortek-inc.com). Core Brands combines the product and marketing strengths of ten iconic audio, power management and control brands into a single business unit that includes ATON®, BlueBOLT®, ELAN®, Furman®, Niles®, Panamax®, Proficient®, SpeakerCraft®, Sunfire® and Xantech® brands. Core Brands has more than 190 years of combined experience in the residential, commercial and professional markets and over 4,300 direct customer accounts in multiple distribution channels in the United States and around the world.

NanoLumens®, the pioneering Norcross, Georgia-based company that introduced the world to large format flexible LED display technology, will again team up with Almo Professional A/V, the nation’s fastest growing audiovisual distributor, at the upcoming E4 AV training and networking events in Dallas on September 13 and New York on October 3, 2012. An overview of the Almo Pro A/V E4 tour can be viewed here.

According to NanoLumens’ VP of sales, Dana Michaelis, NanoLumens will showcase its NanoFlex™ 112� and NanoSlim™ 114� LED displays at both events. “NanoLumens looks forward to participating in the Almo E4 A/V events this fall,� Michaelis said today. “Exhibiting at the spring events provided us with a strategic opportunity to take our displays out into key markets, and we are eager to reach even more installers and end-users at these new stops.�

“NanoLumens has been an excellent addition to our E4 event – the technology is so unique that it always draws a tremendous amount of interest,â€� explained Melody Craigmyle, VP of marketing for Almo Professional A/V. “Attending E4 partners have a special opportunity to learn more about how the NanoLumens products can be designed into any shape or size and to the exact specifications of their digital signage and rental and staging installs. This keeps our partners competitive and makes what they can offer their customers, in terms of displays, truly limitless.”

The NanoLumens NanoFlex will be showcased in a 112� model of the lightweight LED display that can be elegantly curved and wrapped around contoured walls and structures to meet the specific needs of any environment, including corporate lobbies, high-end retail stores, stadiums, and anywhere else digital signage is needed.
 
NanoLumens will also feature a 114� model of its NanoSlim display, which is designed to provide a sleek digital signage solution for even the most discerning clientele. NanoLumens uses their patented technology to build beautiful, thin, lightweight large format LED display solutions unlike anything in the display market today. Available in 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm pixel pitches, the displays offer customers a more cost-effective alternative when flexibility is not a requirement.

NanoLumens displays are extremely slim, ultra-lightweight, energy efficient, and feature a seamless, edge-to-edge picture quality that can be viewed from any angle or any distance without color shift or picture drop-off. The company’s patented display technology, which allows customers to select from 4mm up to 10mm pixel pitch (depending on the model), promises to transform the way marketers engage their customers in every type of trade show, retail, hospitality, stadium, arena, transportation and public event environment.
 
NanoLumens displays are designed and engineered with the environment in mind, and consume significantly less energy per square foot than conventional digital displays. Further emphasizing their commitment to eco-friendly technology, NanoLumens displays are composed of up to 50 percent reclaimed materials, and are completely recyclable. What’s more, some NanoLumens displays can be serviced from the front, making maintenance easier than ever before possible. 

Designed and assembled in the United States, NanoLumens displays are offered in standard configurations as well as design-specific configurations to fit virtually any size, shape or curvature in both the NanoFlex line of flexible displays and the NanoSlim line of fixed frame displays.
 
The company’s technology has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a 2011 future-proof tech trend and was cited by The Wall Street Journal in its 2010 Technology Innovations Awards. NanoLumens’ technology also received the 2011 Breakthrough Technology of the Year Award at the American Technology Awards. Digital Signage Magazine awarded the NanoLumens NanoFlex a 2011 DIGI Award for “Best New Display Device – Non-LCD or Plasma.�

The E4 Dallas event will take place on Thursday, September 13 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas while the E4 New York event is on October 3 at the Meadowlands Expo Center. Both events will run from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and are entirely free, including parking, to Almo Pro A/V’s reseller, integrator and consultant partners. To register, go to www.e4avtour.com.

The E4 AV program can be accessed on demand during and after each event for instructor videos, copies of the course presentations and live Twitter updates.

About Almo Professional A/V’s E4 AV Tour
Launched in December 2009, The E4 AV tour is a free, full-day program with an intense educational focus that allows partners to earn valuable InfoComm International CTS RUs while networking with the industry’s top manufacturers. For more information, go to www.e4avtour.com.

About NanoLumens:
Headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, NanoLumens, Inc. (www.nanolumens.com) is a privately held corporation engaged in the research, product development, marketing and sales of unique flexible and fixed displays that address a yawning technology gap in the $14 billion digital display industry. Since its founding in 2006, NanoLumens has built a portfolio of more than 20 international families of issued and filed patents on its flexible display technology that effectively address the commercial market void between relatively small flat-panel displays and huge, limited application LED boards. NanoLumens technology is not constrained by standard sizes and shapes, or by the weight, noise and cost issues traditionally associated with commercial LED products.

When high-end jewelry designer David Yurman introduces its new line of jewelry, it requires a launch party that is as glamorous as its products. When the company asked Coloredge, their visual communications provider, to find a video display for a roof-top celebration in New York City, they decided to use a NanoLumens® display to help kick off the fall line. NanoLumens, the pioneering Norcross, Georgia-based company that introduced the world’s first large format flexible LED display technology, provided Coloredge with a NanoFlex™ display that was used to showcase the jeweler’s new Fall 2012 ad campaign.

According to Kerry Fitzgibbons, Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Recruiting at Coloredge, they found everything they were looking for in NanoLumens. “Our client tasked us with finding a video display that could shine bright against the brilliant sunset over the New York City skyline. After doing some research, we decided that a display created by NanoLumens was the ideal solution. Not only are their displays beautiful and economic, but they provide a clear, seamless picture that maintains its radiance, regardless of the ambient light.�

Coloredge found that the lightness and flexibility of the NanoLumens screen was the perfect technology for the sparkling event. They rigged the display on trusses and built a 12-foot by 12-foot custom frame to enclose the NanoFlex. The display was used throughout the night to display David Yurman’s new ad campaign, the brand guide, behind-the-scenes glimpses into the ad campaign, and a photo slideshow.

“To have a NanoLumens display featured at a David Yurman event only makes sense,� said Will Amos, Director of Retail Sales at NanoLumens. “David Yurman represents the best in high-end jewelry, while NanoLumens represents the best in digital display technology, so this was a perfect match. Our displays are easy to set up, and are able to produce a brightness of up to 5,000 nits, making it so that party-goers can enjoy our unmatched picture quality even when set against the backdrop of an amazing sunset.�

NanoLumens displays are extremely slim, ultra-lightweight, energy efficient, and feature a seamless, edge-to-edge picture quality (up to a brightness of 5,000 nits) that can be viewed from any angle or any distance without color shift or picture drop-off. The company’s patented display technology, which allows customers to select from 4mm up to 10mm pixel pitch (depending on the model), promises to transform the way marketers engage their customers in every type of trade show, retail, hospitality, stadium, arena, transportation and public event environment.

NanoLumens displays are designed and engineered with the environment in mind, and consume significantly less energy per square foot than conventional digital displays. Further emphasizing their commitment to eco-friendly technology, NanoLumens displays are composed of up to 50 percent reclaimed materials, and are completely recyclable. What’s more, some NanoLumens displays can be serviced from the front, making maintenance easier than ever before possible.

Designed and assembled in the United States, NanoLumens displays are offered in standard configurations as well as design-specific configurations to fit virtually any size, shape or curvature in both the NanoFlex line of flexible displays and the NanoSlim line of fixed frame displays.

The company’s technology has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a 2011 future-proof tech trend and was cited by The Wall Street Journal in its 2010 Technology Innovations Awards. NanoLumens’ technology also received the 2011 Breakthrough Technology of the Year Award at the American Technology Awards. Digital Signage Magazine awarded the NanoLumens NanoFlex a 2011 DIGI Award for “Best New Display Device – Non-LCD or Plasma.�

About NanoLumens:
Headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, NanoLumens, Inc. (www.nanolumens.com) is a privately held corporation engaged in the research, product development, marketing and sales of unique flexible and fixed displays that address a yawning technology gap in the $14 billion digital display industry. Since its founding in 2006, NanoLumens has built a portfolio of more than 20 international families of issued and filed patents on its flexible display technology that effectively address the commercial market void between relatively small flat-panel displays and huge, limited application LED boards. NanoLumens technology is not constrained by standard sizes and shapes, or by the weight, noise and cost issues traditionally associated with commercial LED products.

Home entertainment and control must be easy to be useful, and perhaps no one knows this better than former Genzyme CEO Henri Termeer. When he hired Groom Construction of Salem, Mass. to build an addition to his Marblehead, Mass. home, he also contacted Connected Systems Group to make every piece of technology easy to operate — including more than 200 motorized window shades throughout the home. Having some experience with a more complicated and sometimes frustrating Crestron system, he knew that there had to be a better way.

“Everything I want from a home entertainment and control system has been perfected in the new ELAN® g! system,� said Termeer. “The touch screens, the interface, the speed, and even the iPhone app are so good that I just sat down and started using the new system without having to consult a manual or ask any questions. It was painless, and it took me 10 minutes to learn the whole system from top to bottom.

“As the former CEO of one of the world’s leading biotech companies, I know that every investment has to be evaluated in terms of the return it will generate,â€� he continued. “The ELAN g! system was absolutely the right investment for me when it came to upgrading my home and giving me simple control of everything from lighting to security.â€�

One of the reasons Termeer needed an easy-to-use system was the fact that the home addition includes a new indoor swimming pool built inside an all-glass conservatory with more than 100 windows — each with its own motorized shade. With such a massive shade array simple operation is a necessity. The custom integrators at Connected Systems Group programmed the shades in groups so letting in a little or a lot of sunlight is as easy as pushing a button. Using a combination of Lutron shades and an English brand so that they could completely cover every inch of glass, allowing the entire conservatory to go from night to day with a single button.

According to Philip See, President of Connected Systems Group, “One of Mr. Termeer’s Maine properties has a Crestron system that he’s had a lot of issues with over the years, which is why we decided the ELAN g! system was the best choice for his new home addition in Marblehead. Now that he’s had time with the g! system, he’s eager for us to go to Maine to replace his Crestron system with ELAN g!, as well as put a g! system in a condo in Boston.�

This Elan g! system integrates more than 200 motorized window shades, 16 motorized windows, 90 Pulseworx lighting loads, pool fans and Pentair pool and spa equipment, eight thermostats in the new addition, 10 surveillance cameras with DVR, a Hunter irrigation system and controls the property’s two entrance gates, each with a camera. When someone approaches the gates, the g! system automatically turns on the gate camera and displays the video feed on the touch screens in the kitchen and swimming pool room.

As for the home’s media, the system gives Termeer fast, simple control over 13 zones of audio, 11 TVs and a home theater that features a 110� motorized screen, a SIM2 projector on a motorized lift and a 7.2 surround sound system. The theater produces professional quality sound, partly thanks to the acoustical backing applied on the custom-built ceiling.

Termeer controls his g! system from four iPads with the g!Mobile app, a 10-inch ELAN touch screen in the kitchen and a 7-inch ELAN touch screen in the swimming pool room.

The ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System provides users with the most uniform and intuitive icon-based control from their favorite devices including TVs, touchscreens, touchpads, PCs, iPhones and iPads. The standardized interface works across platforms, so that the trendy g!Mobile app users love on the iPhone appears and works similarly on ELAN touchscreens, valets and handheld remotes as well as users’ televisions and mobile devices. And the system’s IP backbone makes it just as easy to control the system from across the room – or across the globe.

Individual “apps” for each subsystem allow the user to control security, climate, lighting, media, irrigation, pool/spa, messaging, video and photos with the flick of a finger. Access is fast and secure through any ELAN home interface or globally with mobile Internet enabled devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Netbooks and PC Tablets. Since the intuitive interface empowers users with personalized scheduling and detailed history views, high consumption subsystems like lighting and climate can be closely monitored and managed for a greener lifestyle – and substantial energy savings.

About Connected System Group:
Connected Systems Group, based in Swampscott Mass., is operated by Philip See and Blair Denman, who together have more than 40 years of combined experience in IT, networking, control, home automation and high end audio and video. They are actively involved in the process of designing systems to match each client’s needs. Connected Systems Group takes pride in being a custom solutions provider focused on relationships with its customers. Since 2002, the company has been offering homebuilders and homeowners the latest technologies at affordable prices and designs every home system to meet each client’s exact needs and desires. For more information visit www.connectedsystemsgroup.net or call 617-548-9147.

About Groom Construction:
Groom Construction is a leader in commercial and luxury home construction, retail remodeling, and energy related services. Since 1979, the company’s growth and success has been based on the steadfast commitment to Groom’s two founding principles: building quality projects and building quality relationships.

Having assembled a top executive management team and affiliate relationships, Groom Construction is capable of ensuring unconditional project satisfaction and customer support. From cost analysis, value engineering, purchasing and estimating to supervision of field operations and subcontractors, each function is carried out reliably and efficiently. To learn more visit www.groomco.com or call 781-592-3135.

About ELAN Home Systems:
Since 1990 ELAN® Home Systems has been an industry leading manufacturer of innovative, award-winning Multi-Room audio/video systems. ELAN systems were the first to integrate audio, video, phones and third-party products to create a seamless, easy-to-use “whole house” solution. ELAN systems and products are distributed through a comprehensive channel of select Dealers and Distributors throughout the United States, Canada and more than 58 countries worldwide. To learn more visit www.elanhomesystems.com.

After the owners of the New Jersey-based restaurant group Delicious Heights learned how much easier it was to manage their restaurant’s audio and video with the ELAN® g! Entertainment and Control System in one restaurant, they decided to upgrade their Berkeley Heights, N.J. flagship location from their original AMX system to ELAN g! What’s more, and because everyday counts in the restaurant business, it was of the utmost importance that the g! system be online right away without disrupting a single hour of business operations.

Cue the custom installation pros at Maplewood, New Jersey-based 360 Media Innovations, who worked through the night from 1 a.m. to 10 a.m. one recent Monday morning and had the new g! system up and running on the first day!

“It was nerve-wrecking, but also exciting, to see if we could get the system changed over in a single night,� said Abiose Gale, co-owner of 360 Media Innovations. “The restaurant owners needed it to be a smooth transition so the guests wouldn’t even know anything changed. It took some hard work and quick fingers, but we got the old AMX system out and the new ELAN g! system installed, programmed and running in less than 10 hours. We couldn’t have done that with any other control system.�

Owners of older control systems in both commercial and residential locations can benefit from the long list of third-party components that integrate with the g! system, which allows them to keep using much of their existing equipment and lowers the overall cost of installation. The complete installation by 360 Media Innovations, which was performed throughout construction of the renovation, included installation of new amplifiers, indoor TVs, two 55� Sunbrite outdoor LCD TVs, 27 surveillance cameras, an ELAN TS10 touch screen, and the programming for every interface device.

Alex Rubinstein, co-owner of Delicious Heights, was impressed at how much simpler it is to operate the new ELAN g! system than other control systems he’s used. “We have 18 TVs showing 7 live sources and eight audio zones that can play five sources, so there’s the potential for it to get complicated. But with ELAN g! it is always clear and easy to see what is playing on each TV and audio zone, and just as easy to change the channel or the source. When a guest asks to raise the volume or change the channel, they’re always blown away that our managers can simply pull out an iPhone and hit a couple buttons. And now we can easily log in to both locations from our iPhones to check on the restaurants when we’re home or on the road. Add that to the fact it was more affordable than almost every other control system, and ELAN g! is the clear winner.�

The switch to ELAN g! was coincident with an expansion of the restaurant that added a 24-seat private dining room with two wall-mounted 37� Panasonic LCD TVs as well as room for 3 additional tables, eight feet of bar space, one POS terminal and one new Samsung thin-bezel 37� LCD TV all in the main bar area. The private dining room even has its own iPod dock and VGA input so private parties can show videos on the TVs and listen to music from their own iPods or iPhones!

According to Carl Sciarrone, the project manager for renovations at both restaurant locations, 360 Media Innovations and ELAN g! were his only choice for the second location. “After working with 360 and seeing what they could do with the ELAN g! system, I knew we’d be working together again soon. Having the same system at both locations is ideal, because the owners can easily monitor everything from their iPhones. I can definitely see them integrating the lighting, security and HVAC in the future.�

The restaurant’s ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System includes an ELAN TS10 touch screen at the main bar, iPhone and iPad control, and one point-of-sale terminal (POS) with the g! control interface. Each interface device provides a live video preview function that lets the user see what is currently playing on each video source, in real time, before sending the signal to a TV. This makes it easy for the manager to change to the right video source the first time, every time.

The system uses the ELAN HC6 Controller, two ELAN S86P Multi-Zone Audio Controllers, an ELAN DT11 Tuner and four Crown amplifiers. The media sources include six DirecTV feeds, a Comcast Cable feed, a DVD/VCR combo, am/fm radio, SIRIUS|XM® satellite radio, and two iPort iPod docks.

Currently, the g! system manages the audio and video for Delicious Heights, and can easily be expanded in the future to integrate control of the restaurant’s security, surveillance, HVAC and lighting systems.

As for the impact the ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System is having on his business, Gale couldn’t have put it simpler than this: “With ELAN g! we definitely write far more orders and far less code and that has made all the difference to the growth of our business. It’s staggering!�

About ELAN Home Systems:
Since 1990 ELAN® Home Systems has been an industry leading manufacturer of innovative, award-winning Multi-Room audio/video systems. ELAN systems were the first to integrate audio, video, phones and third-party products to create a seamless, easy-to-use “whole house� solution. ELAN systems and products are distributed through a comprehensive channel of select dealers and distributors throughout the United States, Canada and more than 58 countries worldwide. To learn more visit www.elanhomesystems.com.