When Electrolux, a global leader in appliances for households and businesses, needed a stunning display that would maximize the impact of its new brand messaging and product information at its recent 2013 Electrolux Partner Showcase in Toronto, they turned to Canada’s leading digital signage distributor, APG Displays for a solution. Immediately, the experts at APG knew that they need look no further than the head-turning, eye-popping NanoLumens® NanoFlex™ 112� display.

APG Displays provided Electrolux with four NanoFlex 112� displays that were hung above the venue in a curved configuration, making it possible for all of the video content to be seen from every area of the ballroom. Electrolux positioned the displays in the center of the room, creating a stunning centerpiece for all who attended.

“When Electrolux told us what kind of impact they wanted to achieve, we knew right away that the only solution was the NanoFlex display,� said David Weatherhead, Vice President of APG Displays, NanoLumens Canadian distributor. “Thanks to the flexible design of the NanoFlex, everyone in the ballroom was able to see the displays at all times, making for a great visual in the center of the room. Electrolux couldn’t have been happier with the result. Attendees were comparing the display configuration to the score board at the Air Canada Centre, home to the Toronto Maple Leafs, which is a very high compliment in Toronto.�

The APG rental division of APG Displays has a long history of success when it comes to providing the most innovative, high impact video display solutions. From two-hour events to two-month cross-country tours, APG has the solutions to meet any kind of display need.

According to Josh Byrd, Director of Marketing at NanoLumens, “There are so many advantages to using the NanoFlex in a venue such as this. Our displays are light, durable and are able to stand up against ambient light, which is critical in this type of environment. When a display can have all that, and be easy to setup and take down, there’s really no doubt that it’s the only choice.�

NanoLumens displays are extremely slim, ultra-lightweight, energy efficient, and feature a bright, seamless, high resolution picture quality that can be viewed from any angle throughout the display horizon without color shift or image distortion. The company’s patented display technology, which allows customers to select 4mm, 5mm, or 6mm pixel pitch, 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, many 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.

NanoLumens’ technology has been named ‘Best Large-format LED Display’ of the year by Signage Solutions magazine in its 2012 Product of the Year awards program, as well as being recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a 2011 future-proof tech trend and 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 Atlanta, 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 large-format LED display solutions in any size, shape, or curvature, 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, heat, noise and cost issues traditionally associated with commercial LED products.

When the administration at Sheridan College decided to build a new wing of flexible classrooms in its Brampton Campus, they turned to Advanced, Canada’s premier AV and IT integrator, to install new “classrooms of the future�. The AV experts at Advanced implemented 20 classrooms with new computers, wireless microphones, document cameras, movable podiums, and up to six commercial-grade projectors in each room. And because technology is only as good as the people using it, they made sure that every room has identical controls and can be used with very little training.

“We’ve been working with Sheridan College for over 12 years now, so they knew that we were capable of turning their new wing of classrooms into interactive classrooms of the future,� said Mark McPherson, Vice President at Advanced. “Sheridan wanted to create a flex classroom environment that would provide students and professors the ability to interact and lecture in various ways, and we integrated AV solutions that let them do just that. We installed complete video and audio solutions that provide students with the chance to learn in a uniquely-designed, state-of-the-art classroom.�

Sheridan came to Advanced with a flexible classroom design that differs from the traditional, podium-in-front-of-class layout, and allows professors and students ultimate mobility and access to technology when presenting.

“We knew we had a design that was different from anything else being done in college classrooms, so we needed an AV integrator that could take our idea and make it a reality,� said Trevor Hanekamp, ICT Architect at Sheridan College. “That’s where Advanced came in. They presented us with a proposal that offered an innovative and budget-conscious AV solution for our flex classrooms. In the end, they turned each of these classrooms into hi-tech multimedia facilities, and the professors and students couldn’t be happier with the new easy-to-use flex classrooms.�

For the initial project, Advanced partnered with Just Add Power to install AV equipment in a total of 20 classrooms, including 19 flex classrooms and one room designated the college “Co-Lab�. The flex classrooms include up to six NEC commercial grade projectors, and every upgraded classroom features Dell computers and AverMedia 350+ Doc Cameras. Audio components include Extron DMP 44 LC Digital Matrix Processors, Extron Power Amplifiers and Shure wireless gooseneck microphones. Because every room uses an identical control panel, educators can easily teach a class in any of the rooms, making scheduling much simpler.

Each flex classroom is designed to accommodate network-connected mobile podiums, allowing educators to present their lessons from any area of the room. Sheridan also wanted to eliminate traditional bulky equipment racks from the classrooms, so Advanced designed and installed an innovative equipment racking system mounted to the ceiling, taking up no more space than one ceiling tile. The state of the art in-ceiling rack houses the wireless microphone receivers and digital sound processor for each classroom, eliminating stray wiring while ensuring that the valuable equipment is secured at all times.

The Co-Lab is a six-projector room that consists of the same video and audio components as the flex classrooms and features a podium that allows educators to control four video sources simultaneously. The Co-Lab is equipped with two modes — classroom and team — that allow for different methods of presentation. Classroom mode lets educators present their lessons on the main projector screen, while team mode allows for projected content to be distributed to six separate areas of the classroom, perfect for group work.

“This really is a one-of-a-kind AV setup,� said Wayne Derby, Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services at Advanced. “Very few educational facilities in North America have deployed AV solutions that provide both professors and students such accessible, mobile and easy-to-use equipment. Sheridan put a lot of thought into what they wanted for their new wing of rooms, and they decided that they needed a top-of-the-line template that they wouldn’t have to change every semester, and would be very simple to use. Typically, when you integrate this kind of equipment, you have to devote a lot of time to system training. With this project, minimal training was required, as their system is so innovative. In the end, they couldn’t have been happier with the result.�

Sheridan is so pleased with the work done by Advanced that they are standardizing the design for every new classroom that is built throughout the three campuses. Since the initial project, Advanced has installed 5 more flex classrooms in other areas of the college. The college is hopeful that the latest technology utilized in the new classrooms will better facilitate remote learning capabilities for students who cannot attend classes in person.

Photo #1 – The projectors in the Co-Lab can be used by the entire class or by individual groups.
Photo #2 – The mobile podium allows professors to move around the room as they lecture.
Photo #3 – The in-ceiling rack houses the wireless microphone receivers and digital sound processor for each classroom.

About Sheridan College
Founded in 1967, Sheridan College is one of Canada’s premier polytechnic institutes and is dedicated to exceptional applied learning and graduate success. Sheridan is a leader in providing skills-based educational programming that integrates theory with application, preparing students for careers in visual and performing arts, business, community services and technical fields. Sheridan serves close to 17,000 full-time students annually at its campuses in Oakville, Brampton and Mississauga, Ontario.

About Advanced
Advanced is a leading audiovisual and collaborative communications company working with corporations, government agencies, healthcare, and educational organizations throughout Canada and beyond. Dedicated to innovation in technology and services, Advanced has a strong set of businesses aligned to meet today’s needs. The company offers presentation and videoconferencing solutions in addition to complete integrated systems, visual collaboration systems, rental and staging services, repair, maintenance, and value-added integration services including design and engineering, installation and audiovisual consulting. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Advanced also has offices in Toronto, Ottawa, London and Sudbury with partner offices located in Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. To learn more visit www.advanced-inc.com.

Underscoring its commitment to provide prospective customers with a maximum amount of information simply and efficiently, NanoLumens, Inc. today announced the launch of an entirely new and redesigned web site that features a unique Design Specification Calculator that allows potential customers to plug in their desired model, size and pixel pitch and receive a full list of specifications for that unique display. In less than 30 seconds a visitor to the site can enter their requirements, view the specifications, and submit the specified design to a NanoLumens team member for a price quote.

“We are dedicated to revolutionizing every aspect of digital media, including the way prospective customers go about gathering information for their projects and initiate the process,� today said Josh Byrd, NanoLumens Director of Marketing. “Available in any size, shape, or curvature, NanoLumens’ large-format display technology enables customers to set their imagination free to create the ultimate digital experience for their audiences.

“Our new web site now functions as a creative facilitator of their creative process,� Byrd continued. “Visitors to the site can gather more information about how NanoLumens displays are uniquely suited to their industry and then use our new calculator tool to choose from a variety of display options, sizes, and pixel, pitches, calculate their own display specifications and submit it for an immediate price quote. This new functionality is a direct result of our commitment to helping our customers break free from the constraints of traditional large-format display technology.�

According to Byrd, the launch of the new NanoLumens web site comes as the company prepares to introduce its new NanoSlim DS and NanoFlex DS Series (Design Specific) LED displays at Digital Signage Expo 2013 in Booth #1042 in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

NanoLumens’ technology has been named ‘Best Large-format LED Display’ of the year by Signage Solutions magazine in its 2012 Product of the Year awards program, as well as being recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a 2011 future-proof tech trend and 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 Atlanta, 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 large-format LED display solutions in any size, shape, or curvature, 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, heat, noise and cost issues traditionally associated with commercial LED products.

Customer-facing businesses that want to stay relevant to an increasingly mobile consumer audience must learn from the digital signage revolution transforming public spaces everywhere and implement in-store digital signage solutions that reduce costs, improve messaging and drive sales — according to Stampede Presentation Products, Inc. President & COO Kevin Kelly.

“Digital signage is transforming the way companies inform, entertain and sell to today’s increasingly mobile consumer population in both indoor and outdoor public spaces, as dramatic advances in display technology, installation methods and maintenance make it possible to deploy signage faster than ever before,� Kelly said today. “As this revolution continues, retailers must learn to deploy the same technologies in their own in-store sales environment in order to stay relevant to their customers, as it is the only economically feasible way to sell customers now and in the future.�

According to Kelly, retailers who think that the cost of implementing an in-store digital signage solution is exorbitant haven’t taken the time to do their homework. “The total cost of creating and constantly replacing printed POP materials is huge, and its impact on consumers decreases every day. Moving images move people to connect and consume. With a digital signage solution, retailers can quickly adapt to their customers preferences. They can change pricing, launch promotions, host micro events and adapt their messaging based on minute-to-minute developments within the store environment.�

Kelly stressed that retailers who are not yet putting digital signage to work within their sales environment need to meet with their AV integrator to plan a creative and cost-effective conversion program that’s right for them. Beyond the core requirements of lighting, background audio, displays and digital signage, retailers should consider other components such as custom-shaped large-format displays, interactive touch panels and eco-friendly and economical LED lighting.

“No two retail environments are alike, and it’s important for every retailer to find a digital signage solution that conforms to the unique needs of their business,� Kelly added. “Dealers often make the mistake of thinking that their retail customers can’t afford to install a digital signage solution in their environment. The fact of the matter is that they can’t afford not to install a system — and dealers can help them do it in a creative way that’s also cost-effective. Now is the time for retailers to keep their sales environments relevant and start their own digital signage revolution!�

Stampede Presentation Products, Inc. will exhibit a complete range of digital signage solutions at Digital Signage Expo 2013 in Booth #1125 of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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.

Redefining the meaning of the word “flexible” for an industry rooted in “fixed” installation solutions, NanoLumens®, Inc., the pace-setting Georgia-based company that is revolutionizing virtually every aspect of the 21st century large-format digital signage industry, today announced it will introduce its new NanoSlim DS and NanoFlex DS Series (Design Specific) LED displays at Digital Signage Expo 2013 in Booth #1042 in the Las Vegas Convention Center on February 27.

“The era of one-size-fits-all display solutions is over,” NanoLumens President & CEO Rick Cope declared today. “In a world where no two customers and no two environments are alike, no two digital signage solutions should ever be the same. Each installation is unique and therefore each solution must be designed specifically to meet the individual needs of the customer and the application environment. Our new NanoSlim DS and NanoFlex DS Series displays allow each customer to imagine and create the ultimate digital experience in their environment for their audience.”

According to Cope, NanoLumens has developed an advanced manufacturing system, which allows them to reliably and efficiently manufacture large-format LED displays in any shape, size or curvature. With this new approach to manufacturing, NanoLumens is able to deliver the ultimate flexibility to its customers. Where traditional manufacturing offers customers only a narrow range of sizes, shapes and product variations, NanoLumens new DS Series displays are limited only by the customer’s imagination, allowing them to tailor not only the content, but the actual display itself to match their creative vision.

NanoLumens DS technology is a truly remarkable innovation, designed to give customers the ultimate flexibility to utilize large-format LED display technology in ways previously thought impossible. Like all NanoLumens displays, Design Specific displays are slim, lightweight and eco-friendly with brilliant edge-to-edge image quality to transform any space into the ultimate visual experience.

All NanoLumens displays accept input from nearly any device and/or content management system. There is no need for special software, hardware or special personnel to display content beautifully. With a profile of only a few inches, NanoSlim DS and NanoFlex DS can be installed on virtually any surface without being obtrusive, adding the ‘WOW’ factor to any environment without taking up precious space. NanoLumens’ patented display technology is optimized for indoor use, operating with virtually zero heat or noise while producing bright, rich, consistent color as well as superior off-axis viewing with no color shift or image distortion throughout the display horizon.

NanoLumens’ technology has been named ‘Best Large-format LED Display’ of the year by Signage Solutions magazine in its 2012 Product of the Year awards program, as well as being recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a 2011 future-proof tech trend and 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 Atlanta, 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 large-format LED display solutions in any size, shape, or curvature, 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, heat, noise and cost issues traditionally associated with commercial LED products.

In a move to support its rapidly growing corporate AV business, Advanced, Canada’s leading and fastest growing AV and IT systems integration company, today announced the opening of a new state-of-the-art Toronto office to demonstrate the latest SMART Technologies’ business solutions for current and prospective customers. The new office is located in the heart of Toronto, in the heavily trafficked Eaton Centre and Yonge-Dundas Square, at 1 Dundas Street West, Suite 2500. The phone number of the new office is (800)-436-6239.

“Our new Toronto office marks an exciting new chapter for Advanced, as business continues to grow at an incredible rate,� said Mark Mulford, President & CEO of Advanced. “The office combines state-of-the-art technology with a personal approach to instruction that creates a positive and productive learning environment for our customers. We are now able to demonstrate all of the new SMART solutions while enhancing our overall service offering for corporate and higher education clients throughout Toronto.�

The new office, which is staffed by Advanced’s sales and engineering teams, features a SMART Board SB885ix interactive whiteboard, SMART 8070i interactive display, and NEC 42� displays with HD video conferencing solutions from Polycom. The office also features a common area and a boardroom that looks over the Toronto skyline.

“With this new office we are able to better serve the needs of the downtown market and use our new demo area to hold meetings and demonstrate a variety of products,� added Mulford.

About Advanced
Advanced is a leading audiovisual and collaborative communications company working with corporations, government agencies, healthcare, and educational organizations throughout Canada and beyond. Dedicated to innovation in technology and services, Advanced has a strong set of businesses aligned to meet today’s needs. The company offers presentation and videoconferencing solutions in addition to complete integrated systems, visual collaboration systems, rental and staging services, repair, maintenance, and value-added integration services including design and engineering, installation and audiovisual consulting. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Advanced also has offices in Toronto, Ottawa, London and Sudbury with partner offices located in Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. To learn more visit www.advanced-inc.com.

The November 2012 announcement by Vidyo that its innovative software platform is being incorporated into Wii UTM Chat, a video communication service that is included with every Nintendo Wii U console, opens the door to a future where peer-to-peer communication will become a daily part of every consumer’s video game play, according to Stampede President & COO Kevin Kelly, and this reality speaks volumes about what lies ahead for profitable peer-to-peer communication in business.

In fact, Kelly predicted today, Vidyo’s announcement represents the tipping point that now transforms a trend toward low-cost video conferencing into a ‘stampede’ toward widespread, peer-to-peer Unified Communications that promises to create unprecedented new business opportunities for ProAV dealers who are equipped and educated to take advantage of all the new field offers.

“Over the last several years we have all seen and experienced how video conferencing has become an increasingly important part of our lives,� Kelly explained. “What began as high-end video conferencing through dedicated tele-presence systems from companies like CISCO has evolved through lower-cost dedicated VC systems that can be leased for under $100 a month to software-based PC video conferencing solutions, to device-based conferencing. The fact that all of these different conferencing systems can now be combined at any given time, and in a variety of different configurations, is what makes the old era of video conferencing the new era of Unified Communications.�

Kelly believes that 2013 will be the year that Unified Communications becomes a major new growth opportunity for dealers in virtually every vertical market, offering end-users a wide selection of product offerings that cover every need from dedicated enterprise-wide video conferencing systems to software-based, PC-attached solutions.

Even more importantly, according to Kelly, dealers now have the opportunity to benefit not only from the sale of VC hardware and software, but also from the associated sales of displays, audio equipment, and other components that users of VC software surely need to have. Also, the ongoing service contracts on video conferencing systems create annuities for VC dealers that are unheard of in any other sector of the ProAV industry.

“The increased number of video conferencing endpoints is changing the way that people view the need to videoconference, and more people are taking notice of the endless opportunities that VC offers,� added Kelly. “The responsibility now lies with VC dealers to learn more about how Unified Communications can benefit them and their customer base, so that they can be prepared to offer the absolute best in the coming year.�

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.

Jump starting its 2013 third-party developer program, ELAN® Home Systems today announced that its industry-leading ELAN g! Entertainment and Control System is now compatible with the VIVOTEK line of IP-based security cameras.

“We are very excited about this new partnership with ELAN,� said Harry Hu, President of VIVOTEK USA. “Everyone has seen the convergence of voice, video, and technology that new technologies are bringing to the industry. Now, VIVOTEK has further broadened the scope of this convergence with ELAN’s exciting technology.�

According to ELAN Home Systems Brand Manager Robert Ridenour, “ELAN partners with best-in-class entertainment, climate, security, lighting, irrigation and custom home electronics manufacturers to make sure our products and theirs work together seamlessly. Our dedication to third-party component integration makes the ELAN g! System a powerful foundation for any home control or entertainment system, including the VIVOTEK line of IP-based security cameras.”

VIVOTEK IP cameras are supported in ELAN g! version 6.1 or newer, and the g! system supports video streaming, PTZ, motion detection and image flip functions in the cameras. The g!Tools Network Manager can automatically discover VIVOTEK cameras on the network, making it faster and easier than ever for integrators to implement a whole home surveillance and security system.

“The ability to easily integrate high-definition video cameras and microphones that can be controlled and viewed remotely has broadened the appeal of complete home control solutions,� Ridenour explained. “ELAN and VIVOTEK are on the cutting edge of home security, and ELAN will stay on the cutting edge by always integrating the industry’s best third-party solutions.�

VIVOTEK’s 8000 series IP camera line ranges in image resolution from VGA to HD to 5-megapixel, including models that provide many advanced features such as Supreme Night Visibility, H.264 compression, removable IR-cut filter with built in IR illuminators, P-iris, remote zoom and focus and much more.

The complete list of supported VIVOTEK camera models includes: FD8133, FD8133V, FD8134, FD8134V, FD8135H, FD8335H, FD8136, FD8161, FD8162, FD8361, FD8361L, FD8362, FD8362E, FD8372, IP8132, IP8133, IP8133W, IP8151, IP8151P, IP8161, IP8162, IP8162P, IP8172, IP8330, IP8331, IP8332, IP8335H, IP8361, IP8362, IP8372, MD8562, PD8136, PT8133, PT8133W, PZ8111, PZ8111W, PZ8121, and PZ8121W.

About VIVOTEK:
VIVOTEK, established in 2000, has quickly taken its place as a leading brand in the security industry. Known for delivering world-class IP surveillance solutions, VIVOTEK specializes in system applications and integration. With innovative R&D teams adopting ground-breaking codec technologies, VIVOTEK provides a wide range of products, including network cameras, video servers, video receivers, and central management systems. VIVOTEK (TAIEX: 3454) was listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange in 2006. In 2008, a branch office was set up in California, USA. VIVOTEK products are currently available through more than 150 authorized distributors in over 80 countries. For more details about the current VIVOTEK products and offerings, please visit http://www.vivotek.com.

About ELAN Home Systems:
Founded in 1990, ELAN® Home Systems is an industry leading manufacturer of innovative, award-winning whole-house entertainment and control systems that 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.

ELAN is part of the CORE® Brands division of Nortek, Inc. 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.

ELAN is a subsidiary of Nortek, Inc., a global, diversified company whose many market-leading brands deliver broad capabilities and a wide array of innovative, technology-driven products and solutions for lifestyle improvement at home and at work. Please visit www.nortekinc.com for more information.

The Eastern Suffolk BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services), located in Holbrook, New York, is now able to hold meetings of all sizes, thanks to the innovation of the integration team at Symbrant Technologies, which recently integrated a wide range of Xantech products into the building’s four conference rooms, allowing for multiple configurations of the rooms, as well as enabling projection capabilities. The system is managed by a combination of five Xantech CSPLCD64G touch panels and five Xantech WIC1200 Web Intelligent Controllers.

Symbrant was asked to integrate a system that would allow for four separate side-by-side conference rooms to operate in several different configurations. The system allows for the merging of any combination of the four rooms, or for separate conference rooms. The Xantech WIC1200 lets the staff at the Eastern Suffolk BOCES control the room configurations easily, and the system’s new Xantech webpage makes controlling the system as simple as possible. Each room features a projector that can display content from seven different inputs including a Blu-ray player, cable box and Apple TV plus VGA, HDMI, component and composite wall inputs. The system features an EnGenius WAP for Wi-Fi, and all content can be displayed on the projectors with just the touch of a button.

Keith Dalia, of Symbrant Technologies, has been working with Xantech products for years, so he knew it was a perfect fit for the project. “The WIC1200 makes it extremely easy to configure the conference rooms in any arrangement that is needed. The system can also be controlled by an iPad, and with the CSPLCD touch panels the projectors can be used to show content from the Blu-ray player or Apple TV, making it very easy to deliver presentations that require video.�

The newly controlled conference rooms are important not just for meetings concerning BOCES, but also for local businesses that rent out conference rooms in the building for staff meetings or client presentations. Each room now includes a microphone setup, as well as eight in-ceiling speakers and a Kramer scaler for video switching.

“I’ve been integrating Xantech-controlled systems for the last 6 years, and they have always been incredibly helpful,� added Dalia. “Xantech is always available to offer service and support and their help is reflected in the end result.�

Xantech’s WIC1200 Web Intelligent Controller is a stand-alone room controller for Networked/Web-based control featuring 2 IR Ports, 2 Serial Ports, 2 Contact Closure ports, and 2 Digital i/o ports as well as 2 Ethertnet ports (one with Power over Ethernet [POE]) for TCP/IP telnet control with less intrusion into facility IP networks. On its own, the Web Intelligent Controller is an event-driven component with two RS232 ports (configurable for RS422 and RS232) and a single IP port. The Event Manager is capable of Timed Events, Calendar Events, Telnet and Serial Events as well a full FTP site, Web Server and Email Server.

The CSPLCD64G touch panel is part of Xantech’s Commercial LCD Touchscreen Controller series that consists of two interactive touch panels — a 3.9″ and 6.4″ diagonal color graphic touch panel. All functionality and screen graphics are fully programmable using Xantech’s intuitive and easy to use Dragon Drop-IRTM programming software using either the RS232 or USB ports located behind the detachable faceplate. Each touch panel comes with an extensive library of built-in IR codes and the ability to learn IR codes via the Learning Eye or from Dragon Drop-IRTM software. As with the other Smart Pads, these new touch panels are designed to be stand-alone controllers with the ability to output IR commands onto the standard Xantech four-wire IR bus. These new touch panels also have the ability to transmit and receive RS232 commands utilizing the optional RS422 to RS232 Module (model RS422232).

About Xantech:
Xantech designs and manufactures an extensive range of audio, video and control products and systems, many of which have become de facto industry standards. Xantech IR products are specified into more audio/video installations than any other brand. Xantech also supplies hi-definition HDMI video solutions, touch-panels and IP control systems for residential and commercial applications, multi-room audio/video systems, audio source components and processors, and software programming tools. Products are sold to professional installers and distributors directly from Xantech. Xantech’s products are marketed in North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe. For additional information about Xantech and its innovative products, please visit www.xantech.com.

Xantech is part of the CORE® Brands division of Nortek, Inc. 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.

Xantech is a subsidiary of Nortek, Inc., a global, diversified company whose many market-leading brands deliver broad capabilities and a wide array of innovative, technology-driven products and solutions for lifestyle improvement at home and at work. Please visit www.nortekinc.com for more information.

Custom integrators who allow their clients to think that an iPhone, iPad or Android device is the first — and last word — in home control are doing them, and the industry they serve, a disservice, according to Joe Lautner, Control Group Director at CORE® Brands, which manufactures and markets the industry-leading ELAN® g! Entertainment and Control System. “Let’s not put the cart in front of the horse,” Lautner stressed today. “The phenomenal popularity of Apple and Android interfaces has had an incredibly strong and positive impact on our industry, but their control features are limited when compared to the capabilities of dedicated interfaces.”

According to Lautner, every integrator knows there are a lot of things that are simply easier, faster and more convenient to do on a dedicated wand-style remote or hard-wired in-wall touch screen. Special features such as always-on intercoms, hard buttons for commonly used functions and deeper accessibility into security, energy management and media controls make these interfaces a necessary element to deliver the full functionality of a robust home control system. “And as homeowners add more wireless devices that can congest their Wi-Fi networks, hard-wired control interfaces ensure reliable access to the system.�

Lautner stressed that advanced technology is now a part of everyday life, and cable companies have begun promising cheap home automation from a smartphone. Because of this, he explained, it’s easy for consumers to lose sight of the value of more expensive touch screens and remotes that industry professionals consider must-haves.

“Increasingly, integrators are working with clients who assume that their smartphone is the only device they need to control their home. It’s up to us to educate the consumer,“ Lautner stressed.

While it’s convenient to be able to log while away from home, it’s also true that when in the home, using a smartphone may add four or five steps to simply change the volume or pause the TV. Wand-style remotes are still the best solution for home theater and home audio control.

In-wall touch screens also have several advantages that are obvious to integrators but may be more elusive to their clients. Lautner continued, “You always know where it is, you can’t drop it, you never have to charge it, you and your kids can’t break it, toddlers can’t reach it, it won’t slow down because you have 1,000 Instagram updates, you can set different home screens and accessibility options for different users, it’s always on, it’s available for other family members to use when you aren’t home, and some models can double as TVs, making them perfect for kitchens and bathrooms.

“Using a smartphone for home control is like using an air mattress,� Lautner concluded. “It’s extremely useful when you’re out of the house, and can be valuable in a pinch when you’re home, but it doesn’t provide the same level of functionality as a real mattress designed specifically for everyday use. Smartphones are great for remote accessibility, but once you’re inside the house there are much better ways to manage your home control system.�

About CORE® Brands:
CORE® Brands is a subsidiary of Nortek, Inc., a global, diversified company whose many market-leading brands deliver broad capabilities and a wide array of innovative, technology-driven products and solutions for lifestyle improvement at home and at work. Please visit www.nortekinc.com for more information. 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.